Should West Ham Sign Their Current Trialist?

West Ham have handed a trial to the veteran left wing-back and free agent Ricardo Gardner, which has prompted fans to ask the question about whether the Hammers should offer a deal to the 34-year-old former Jamaica captain.

 

Gardner turned out for West Ham’s Development Squad in their defeat to Southampton on Friday, and, given the first team’s problems with the left-back position, he could be a necessary addition to Sam Allardyce’s squad.

 

 

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George McCartney, the Hammers’ first choice left-back, is a long-term absentee having injured knee ligaments in December. For this reason, a left-back was West Ham’s primary target in the January transfer window, but they failed to acquire one and were especially frustrated by the protracted pursuit of Blackburn Rovers’ Martin Olsson.

 

While the Hammers do have Dan Potts and now Emanuel Pogatetz, who can both play left-back, Potts is inexperienced and still making his way back from a serious concussion and Pogatetz failed to impress on his full debut in the dire 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa.

 

With those problems in mind, it might be a wise decision to offer Gardner a contract.

 

Time at Bolton

 

Some fans with longer memories than others will remember the excellent performances Gardner, nicknamed ‘Bibi’, used to put in for Bolton Wanderers while under the tutelage of Big Sam.

 

His sheer pace made him a constant threat down the left wing, even when he was used in a more defensive role as a left-back.

 

But, sadly for Gardner, as he began to reach the twilight of his career the Trotters sought a fresher pair of legs to operate in his favoured position and duly snapped up Matty Taylor from Portsmouth.

 

Anyone who agrees that Taylor has been nothing other than a disappointment for West Ham will immediately see the flaw in acquiring the older, poorer player he replaced.

 

 

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Objections to signing Gardner based on this argument are compounded by the belief many Hammers supporters possess; that Big Sam is turning their beloved club into another Bolton.

 

So it comes as no surprise that Gardner’s trial has prompted the references to ‘West Ham Wanderers’, ‘Bolton Ham United’, et cetera, to resurface.

 

Worse still for Gardner’s case is the fact that he snubbed the Hammers in 2011 when Allardyce tried to acquire his services to help with the club’s recovery from their recent relegation to the Championship.

 

Square peg for square hole

But, as ever in the business of football, needs must.

 

West Ham could refuse to sign Gardner and carry on with the players they currently have to cover at left-back – Pogatetz, Potts and Taylor – but they then run the risk of being short-staffed in that position for the remainder of the season should one of those players get injured.

 

Plus, as Allardyce seems to be leaning evermore towards a variation of the 3-5-2 formation, Gardner has proven in the past that he is adept at playing in that role, and could still be better there than Pogatetz (usually a centre-back) and Potts (an inexperienced left-back) despite his age.

 

A hint towards this line of thinking was made with Gardner being played as a wing-back in the Development Squad defeat to Southampton.

 

Don’t judge a book by its cover

West Ham fans who are quick to dismiss Gardner as a has-been the club should not even entertain recruiting would do well to remind themselves of the curious case of Joey O’Brien.

 

Similar to Gardner, O’Brien was brought to Upton Park from Bolton having been released by the Bolton. And he has, of course, been a loyal and reliable performer for the Hammers, earning himself a two-year deal and then a long-term contract as just rewards for his consistently sturdy displays.

 

Although the way they played against Villa suggested otherwise, West Ham are not lead by complete idiots. So it would be safe to assume that Ricardo Gardner will only be offered a deal at the club if he manages to impress during his trial.

 

Granted, Gardner is not the ideal choice for West Ham and probably should not be signed, but if he works hard and is rewarded with a contract, the Hammers faithful should offer him as much support as any other player who has pulled on the claret and blue.

 

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