OPINION
Managers have to tread a very thin line with their players when interest from a rival club is reported.
No boss in the world wants to talk down one of their own players, for obvious reasons, but get carried away with the heaping on of praise and they could find themselves playing the role of the used car salesman, flogging a talent with a rambling spiel on their merits and potential benefits to a suitor.
That is the predicament that Alaves manager Abelardo Fernandez has found himself in recent times after it was reported that a flurry of clubs are interested in his towering 6’4″ centre back, Guillermo Maripan, as detailed by the Daily Mail.
Chief amongst those clubs are West Ham, who are understood to be keen on the Chilean international.
If there was any doubt in Manuel Pellegrini’s mind about whether to make a move for his compatriot or not, however, that has surely been dispelled by Fernandez’s comments on his player.
As quoted in Football.London, he said: “It’s a compliment that teams like Barcelona are looking at a player like Guillermo.
“Guille is a very young player.
“He has a great capacity for growth and in recent games has grown tremendously. He’s doing very well, he’s very reliable.”
Fernandez clearly thinks highly of his young talent, and his comments will tell the Hammers two things.
Firstly, they will face a battle with some of Europe’s elite to land the South American, but secondly, and more importantly, their interest in him is clearly a great idea.
Maripan has been standout this year for an Alaves side that have outstripped even the wildest expectations of themselves, and now, off the back of that, one of the brightest individual talents in their side might get the chance to prove to the watching world just what he is capable of.
