West Ham midfielder, Alou Diarra has spoken out at a lack of first team opportunities with the Hammers.
Diarra told L’Equipe: “I wish I had talked to him [Sam Allardyce] before signing, but the speeches of the [West Ham] leaders were very positive”
“I was told that I would be the manager’s priority. Moreover, the transfer happened very quickly.”
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“At thirty one years old, I wanted to find another league [to play in]. Marseille needed to reduce their wage bill, so it suited everyone. West Ham came to get me.”
“They appointed an agent who told me of the challenge that would await and promised me the moon. The speech was attractive – it was in London, in England, with West Ham, a popular club. I was an opportunity to establish myself in the Premier League.
“After a few weeks I realised that there were a lot of lies. This agent has fooled me. Some have made money on the back [of my transfer]. Admittedly I have a three-year contract – I’m not unhappy financially – but I came to play, not to have an early retirement.”
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Since Diarra’s comment Sam Allardyce has responded (credit to Anthony Devlin/PA Wire): “He is obviously clear, without telling me, that he is not happy with the situation, which is understandable … You get this all the time as a manager when you bring a player of his experience and calibre over from France
… If he is unhappy, he just has to tell me what he wants to do and we’ll see how we go from there … We’ll have that discussion and we’ll make a decision after that on the future of Alou.”
Diarra’s comments will no doubt surprise most of us Hammers considering the French international was out injured for several months. However with Mohamed Diame looking likely not to sign a new contract (he has been set a Thursday deadline to sign) then Diarra could become crucial to West Ham.
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There is no way Diarra can be allowed to move until the latest in long line of farcial “i’ll sign for West Ham but on my terms” signings (Diame) decides whether he wishes to grace us with his presence. IF he goes, then this MUST be the very last time we take on anyone who USES US and clears off at the first chance to better themselves. Dont sign the damn player in the first place because we dont want them..ARE YOU LISTENING WEST HAM ????? One Mark Noble or James Tomkins are worth ten of the come-and-go mercenaries who take the money, kiss the badge then disappear up the road (Yes Ba !!) I am truly sick and tired of my club doing deals of this type and it has to stop.
I could not have said it better Spence , I to feel the same, I have said that lots of these players are mercenaries and only use us as a spring board to a bigger club (Financially that is) I have stated that l was feeling sorry for James Tompkins who has been pushed out of the team, Him Noble and Collison are the true West Ham boys that will lay down the lives for the club. We must hold on to those players Be more careful in what or who we choose to sign. I get so fed up with the Fans making Hero’s of these type of players and treating the good hard core West Ham boys badly, as they have been Tompkins, who may l add HAS lost a lot of confidence from last year, through Collins (who in my opinion can be a big liability at times), BUT because he has scored a couple of goals the misdemeanour’s have been forgotten. Tompkins is a first class Defender so give him a break and let him play and strike up the rapport that he had with Reid last year (THAT HELPED GET US UP) YES go Diame and Diarra if you don’t want to be at our club and FIGHT like our TRUE Claret & Blue boys do, I will pay for the taxi. And whoever is giving them false information about their roll at the club SHOULD be pulled over the coals. Let them know that they ARE signing for BIG CLUB and if they don’t like it get on their bikes JUST SAYING.
Excellent stuff Anne. Spot on in everything you have said. I totally agree that James Tomkins has been treated poorly by Allardyce, and the future of the club was always going to be him and Reid. Collins will happily get battered all afternoon in the cause BUT there is always a mistake waiting which is a real concern at the top level. We lost virtually every young, decent player we produced in the 1990s and people like James, Tomkins, Jack Collison, Jordan Spence, Dan Potts and the ever more dependable and committed Mark Noble MUST be given priority over the mercenaries..that is the ONLY way to build a loyal, effective and committed team.
Moncur can be substituted