The Complete Hammers

Shaka: Leaving

Shaka Hislop
One of several players at Upton Park whose contract ends at the end of this season, Shaka will almost certainly be off this summer. Brought to Upton Park by Harry Redknapp, somewhat ironically on a free back in 1998, he has slipped down the pecking order at the Boleyn since the arrival of James. After an impressive start to the season, he had a nightmare at Blackburn, Everton and Charlton, with a total of 16 goals conceded.
Here next season? Definitely not…1/10

Steven Bywater
Steven has produced some great displays for West Ham, but slipped down the pecking order at Upton Park when James arrived, and has yet to even make the first team bench under Glenn. The main reason for this would appear to be a wrist injury, which the young keeper has only just recovered from.
It remains unclear at this point in time if Bywater is to feature in Glenn's plans, but with Hislop and Andersson off at the start of next season, and Forrest out injured, Glenn must surely want him to stay for the foreseeable future. He has just gone out to Cardiff on loan for the remainder of this season.
Here next season? There'll be serious trouble if he isn't…5/10

Craig Forrest

Craig: Still out

Our Canadian shot-stopper's season was sadly last autumn, when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He has undergone surgery, which was successful, but is still receiving treatment. In fact, unlikely that he will return to full fitness this side of Christmas. With that in mind, he will not be moving anywhere in the Summer, but won't be available to the Hammers at the start of next season.
Here next season? Injury will prevent him moving on…7/10

Sven Andersson
40 year old Sven was brought in as cover at the start of the season when James was unavailable through injury sustained in the England friendly against Holland, but was unused, thanks to the fitness of Shaka Hislop. However, this was only ever a short-term move, and he will be leaving Upton Park at the end of the season.
Here next season? No, he's off…2/10

David Forde
Brought in by Glenn Roeder this season, David has featured for both the Under 19s and the Reserves. He is certainly not Premiership standard yet, and it would seem that he has some way to go before he reaches that level. Unlikely to move on yet though.
Here next season? Probably…6/10

Dailly: Much improved

Christian Dailly
At the start of the season he'd be near the top of the list to go, but after settling down in the centre of defence with Tomas Repka, he has developed into a top-class player. His decision-making has definitely improved, together with his awareness. With Ian Pearce now coming back, there is at last some competition for the centre-back spot, and he might have a fight on his hands next season.
He has played a high proportion of games for West Ham this season, and with his improvement duly noted by the fans he has more than an outside chance of receiving the Hammer of the Year Award.
Here next season? Highly likely...8/10

Shaun Byrne
The 21-year-old Republic of Ireland U21 International has been extraordinarily unlucky with injuries in the past couple of years, and was handed his first team debut by Harry Redknapp over two years ago. With a new two-year contract currently being offered by the club, Shaun is weighing up his options.
"Glenn has definitely offered me a couple of years and I want to stay, but you are at the age now where you have to start playing first team football, and when that happens you might have to go somewhere else to do so. But I want to stay and hope everything goes all right. Nothing has been sorted out yet, but I like it at West Ham and I'm still enjoying it here."
From the limited times I've seen him play, he is composed on the ball, and seems an intelligent footballer. Being a left-footed player, he is one to hang on too, especially with Winterburn getting on a bit. I think, and hope, he is one for the future.
Here next season? Looks like it...7/10

Vladimir Labant
Glenn's latest signing is starting to look like a bargain signing at under a million pounds, with some extra quality already evident in Hammers set-pieces. A left-footed player that can fit in at either left-back or left-midfield, Vlad is a useful addition to the squad.
Although primarily a challenge to Nigel Winterburn's first team position, most of thge time he has played in midfield so far, due to player injuries and suspensions. Next season, whether Nigel stays or goes (see tomorrow's article for the second lot of defenders), he will be looking to feature more heavily for the Irons.
Here next season? Probably...9/10

Minto: Part-timer

Scott Minto
Scott is currently only a squad player, and has also been unfortunate when you consider the number of trips to the treatment room he has had to make over the past couple of seasons. Hopefully he can leave those traumas behind now, and concentrate on his football at Upton Park. Another one for the left side, Scott is good at going forward as well as defending, and as such, the wing-back system suited him well.
He has made 5 appearances under Glenn Roeder, with many more matches spent on the bench, but with the arrival of Vladimir Labant and return to fitness of Shaun Byrne, his appearances may be curtailed even more. Having on recently turned 30, there is a lot more to get out of Scott, but he has more to prove.
Here next season? Possible, but there's competition on the left...6/10

Gary Charles
Ah, yes. Mr Charles. He is still a West Ham player, in case you thought he had left. The former Aston Villa, Benefica, and indeed England player, who has had a couple of run-ins with the law, is still registered at Upton Park. However, he has yet to make an appearance under Glenn Roeder. He made only one appearance for the Hammers last season (and three whilst on loan at Birmingham), and four the season before - so he has never been any near being a regular at West Ham.
But he has been unlucky with injuries, and that may be the only reason he doesn't leave this summer. Glenn would only want a small fee for the player, if any, but I think he'd be quite a hard player to sell at the moment. Unless Portsmouth want him...
Here next season? Hope not, but quite possibly...5/10

Hayden Foxe
Our Australian piss-artist - if you'll excuse the pun. Described at one time by our ex-manager as "Australia's answer to Rio Ferdinand", Hayden has shown no such skills, on the football pitch that is. He has been limited to just 7 appearances this season, the same as last season, and has just returned to fitness after a couple of months on the sidelines.
He has been a regular bench-warmer under Roeder, and was his third choice centre-back prior to the return of Ian Pearce recently. After all the hassle of arranging a work permit for the young Aussie, he has been a slight disappointment to the fans. If Glenn Roeder succeeds in bringing in some fresh blood in defence, expect Hayden to be one of a few at the back making their way out of the Upton Park exit.
Here next season? New blood will push him out...3/10

Ezomo Iriekpen
Another youngster whose Hammers carreer has been hampered by injury, Izzy has had a tough past couple of seasons. He was the captain of the side when the youths won the double in 1999, and was the lynchpin of the defence. Since then, injuries have blighted his development, and this year he has been playing in the reserves.
It is unclear how long is left on his contract, but if there is one year left on his contract then hopefully he will stay and battle it out. With such a plethora of injuries recently, he has lost out on valuable months of development, and there may yet be a future for such a promising youngster at Upton Park.
Here next season? Contract depending...6/10

Repka: Hard tackles

Tomas Repka
Tomas took a while to settle down at the heart of the Hammers' defence, but has impressed overall. In his first three games since he arrived in the Premiership from Fiorentina he was sent off twice. However, both of those performances were largely impressive, with the sending offs more a case of learning the hard way.
Since he arrived, and even more so since James took over in goal, Christian Dailly's game has improved massively. Tomas' hard tackles will leave an impression on many an opponent, and he is good in the air too. His main fault may well be his over-enthusiasm, or occasional concentration lapse, but he more than makes up for it elsewhere.
Here next season? Wise buy...9/10

Ian Pearce
Glenn said at the start of the season that Ian was one of the players currently at the Boleyn that was very much in his plans, and it would have been a huge disappointment for both men that he has been unavailable for most of it. Having only recently returned from that very serious knee injury, he has featured in three games so far, and there may be more appearances before the end of the season.
He has admitted that he won't be playing his best football until August, following a full pre-season training schedule, but he will almost certainly still be part of Glenn's plans. In the matches that he has played, it is worthy of note that West Ham have won 2, and lost 1. He hasn't looked the player that he once was with us, but after such a long rest, it will take time. He'll get there though.
Here next season? In Glenn's plans...9/10

Rigobert Song
One of Harry Redknapp's less inspiring purchases, but one that might just have a happy ending. Arriving at Upton Park shortly after the departure of Rio Ferdinand for £2.5m (£0.1m less than Liverpool paid for him just 18 months earlier), he had a couple of good games, most notably the home victory over 'Boro last season.
However, his mistakes often proved costly, and the fans weren't having any of it. With appearances few and far between under Glenn, and the arrival of Tomas Repka pushing him further down the pecking order, Song left on loan to FC Cologne almost a year to the day after he arrived. He has been causing a stir in Germany, with rumours of £3m-£5m bids in the pipeline come the end of the season. He's one that Glenn will be pleased to part with.
Here next season? Germany beckons...1/10

Steve Potts
The longest serving Hammer, having been at West Ham since a youth trainee in 1984, Steve is one of a dying breed of footballers. His appearances have been dwindling for several seasons, with none under Glenn, and only 11 during Harry Redknapp's final year - and most of those being as a substitute.
For those reasons, it is not unreasonable to expect Steve to want to leave at the end of the season, although he may decide to stay should Glenn make him a better offer - something which would seem unlikely. A Hammer through-and-through, it'll be a shame to see him go, but he isn't out of the same mould as many modern defenders, and might serve football better elsewhere.
Here next season? A Hammer, but wanting football...5/10

Sebastien Schemmel

Schemmel: Hard-worker

Sebastien was Glenn's first signing after taking over as manager. Some fans may point out that it was Harry Redknapp who brought the young Frenchman to Upton Park on loan last season, but in fact he was brought in on Glenn's recommendation.
His determination is one of his better attributes, and with his hard work he has endeared himself to the fans at Upton Park. He is often to be seen going forward down the right flank, and linking up with the midfield well. He has had a part to play in several goals this season, and was a bargain buy at under half a million.
Here next season? Hammer of the Year?...10/10

Ragnvald Soma
Another who arrived in the wake of Rio Ferdinand's departure for a seemingly bargain £800,000, Raggy has failed to make an impression in claret and blue. He has only featured in four games since his arrival, including this season's maulings at Everton and Blackburn.
He recently admitted on the club's site that he is probably looking to move on in the summer, where first team football would be on the agenda:
"I will look for other places because I want to play football," he says, "but I don't want to rush anything as I want to find the place that is right for me and so things turn out okay for everyone.
"I haven't said I want to go before the transfer deadline because that is too soon, I can't really say I think anything will come up by then. It will be a little bit more about seeing what happens in the summer."
If Glenn can get over a million for the young Norwegian, he'll be allowed to leave I'm sure, with Glenn looking to spend in the off-season.
Here next season? Wanting out asap...2/10

Nige: Leaving West Ham?

Nigel Winterburn
Nigel has increased competition since Roeder brought Vladimir Labant in earlier this year. However, despite the arrival of a new, younger model, Glenn has stuck with Nigel for the most part. Although he is 38, he is playing with the heart and passion of one years younger - and that might earn him an extra year on his contract.
However, with Republic of Ireland youngster Shaun Byrne probably staying at West Ham next season, competition will be increasingly tough for the left-back spot. As such, and with a desire for first team football high on his list of priorities, Nige may decide to leave Upton Park this summer.
Here next season? Off for first team football...4/10

Irons in the Middle

Carrick: Staying

Michael Carrick
One of the Hammers' best young players, Michael still has a chance of getting to the World Cup this summer, but a double hernia operation a couple of months ago may have scuppered his plans. He is a quality player though, and he will still have the England aim in his head. He is likely to be included in the friendly squad against Paraguay before the end of the season, giving him one more chance at that level before the summer.
Michael's vision and awareness are brilliant for one so young, and his long range passing is only bettered by Steven Gerrard in his age group in England. He has often been alikened to Hammers legend Trevor Brooking, and there are some similarities. Michael likes to shoot from the edge of the box, and has got a few since edging into the first team in the shadow of his team-mate and friend Joe Cole. He was fortunate inasmuch as not much was ever expected from him - he was an unsung player for a lot of his academy years, and has emerged all the better for it.
Together with Cole, Glenn will be looking to build his midfield around Michael - a vital player to keep at Upton Park.
Here next season? Improving at Upton Park...8/10

Joe Cole
It is still possible for Joe to head to Japan and Korea for the World Cup this summer, and he knows it. He didn't blow his chance of inclusion following mistakes in the recent friendly with Italy - whatever anyone says. The main problem with Joe is inconsistency. He is blessed with such skills, but can drift in and out of games.
He also needs to get on the scoresheet more. For an attacking midfielder, he has scored far too few goals - and more importantly, missed too many good chances. Joe does persevere though - he is not a player whose head will drop in a game after a missed opportunity, or making a mistake. He will fight for the ball, and try and make up for his error.
For one who has had such pressure heaped on him from such a young age, he has fared remarkably well in the spotlight, and his head seems firmly screwed on those shoulders of his. He is only 20 though, and Paul Gascoigne didn't make a huge impact until Italia 90 - when he was 23. Joe will probably go to Asia with the senior squad this summer - much like Rio Ferdinand did in 1998 with Glenn Hoddle. That experience did Rio the world of good - now he is England's No. 1 centre-back. With Sven focussing more on the future than this tournament, he will be hoping to take a younger squad with him - including stars like Joe.
He is one of the players that Glenn Roeder wants to build a team around - and he can't be sold: not at any price.
Here next season? Stays after trip to Asia...8/10

Laurent Courtois
Brought to Upton Park in the summer on a Bosman free transfer, Laurent impressed in the opening week of the season, only to fall into obscurity at Upton Park. He was signed on the recommendation of his good friend Freddie Kanoute, but since the arrival of Don Hutchison, and the return of Steve Lomas the young Frenchman has found it hard to even make the bench. He is not a big player, and that may have gone against him - up against tough midfield opposition, you need some weight in the centre of the park - and with Joe Cole also being relatively small, it could make the Hammers midfield too lightweight.
But having been signed on a free, and on a very low wage for a Bosman signing he has been far from a disaster signing for Roeder, who might let him go in the summer for a low fee, but a profit all the same.
Here next season? Might seek first team footy...6/10

Don: Still Recovering

Don Hutchison
Don was incredibly unlucky to have his second debut season at Upton Park ruined by such a serious injury. He has since flown off to Canada to have an operation on his anterior curciate knee ligament, and is expected to return to the team at the tail end of this year.
For that reason alone, Don is not going to be leaving the Hammers in the summer, or before he recovers at the every least. One of Glenn's biggest signings since he was made manager, he cost £5m from Sunderland. Unfortunately, Hammers fans still haven't been able to see his excellent form at Sunderland reproduced at Upton Park, but he was beginning to play better when his season was ended prematurely.
Glenn was able to play his first choice midfield a few times this season: Sinclair on the left, Joe and Michael in the middle, and Don wide on the right. That was before the return of Steve Lomas though - who has been playing better than ever since his return from injuries. It may be a battle between Don and Steve for the fourth midfield place - or Glenn may decide to rotate the midfield, with different players performing depending on the opposition.
Either way, Don is a player very much in Glenn's plans, and is therefore staying at Upton Park.
Here next season? Still recovering...9/10

Steve Lomas
Surely one of the most unlucky footballers in the Premiership this season, Steve returned from injury twice before he was able to get a good run of games in. Since his return though, the Northern-Ireland skipper has been playing better than ever - he has scored twice the last three games (from headers) - providing West Ham with an extra man up front almost. For a midfielder who is naturally more a defensive or holding player than attacking, due to his fighting spirit and hard tackles, it is no coincidence that we have hit a run of form since his return - and got only our third away victory of the season.
Personally I have never rated Steve highly - I always felt he could win the ball off the opposition - but when he did, he seemed to pass it straight back to them. However, his passing seems to have improved in his time out, or since the club came under new management. He has not yet won back the captain's armband, but he still has all the leadership qualities and capabilities that he had before, and he isn't afraid to use them. The fact that it is a certain Paolo di Canio in the captain's role at the moment is probably the sole reason that Steve has not been given it back.
Steve is only just 28, and should be approaching the best years of his life - and Glenn will want those to be with West Ham.
Here next season? At the peak of his game...8/10

Grant McCann
One of a few former youth players that Glenn has played since his appointment, Grant has already played for his home country of Northern Ireland. It was in their most recent friendly against Liechtenstein that he damaged his medial ligaments, effectively ruling him out for the rest of the season. He has already played several matches for the Hammers, and it is unfortunate that his most telling contribution so far was an own goal in the 7-1 thrashing by Blackburn earlier this season. Opportunites have arisen since then, but Richard Garcia has been in front of him in the queue it would seem.
With his injury occuring at such a crucial time, it rules him out of any more appearances this season - but Grant has admitted that he would like to be much more involved next season. With only three substitute appearances to his name this season, Grant will be looking to get some starts next. With only a year left on his contract, Glenn will decide this summer whether there is any possibility of him fulfilling his potential at Upton Park, or if he should get half a million for him now. Either way, if he isn't going to make the grade at West Ham, expect him to have gone by transfer deadline next year.
Here next season? One year left...5/10

John Moncur
Mad Moncs has been at Upton Park since summer 1994, making him one of the longest serving players at the club - after Steve Potts. In that time he has notched up just 132 appearances, and probably a similar number of bookings. He is the certainly the prankster at West Ham, and there are loads of stories to tell: involving sandwiches, refs and bus trips. It is never a bad thing when he is on the bench, as he will inevitably warm up and bring a smile to the faces of those in the lower West stand (or Dr Marten's stand).
His disciplinary record is poor, and that is probably one of the main reasons why he is only a squad player at the club - he is volatile (to be polite) and there are often bets between spectators as to how long it will take for him to get booked once he comes on. His record must be within 1 minute!
This season he has featured in 17 games - the same as during the whole of last season - and will probably have a few more in the final few games, as he can steady the midfield, with his experience and hard tackling. He is certainly a squad player at best, but a fringe player might be a more accurate description. For that reason he may be one of several players heading out of the doors this summer, as he is also one of the older folks, being 36 this summer. He will certainly be remembered fondly if he does go though.
Here next season? Time is against him, he might go...5/10

Trev: Off to Asia?

Trevor Sinclair
Trev's season has been one full of ups and downs. He struggled with injury during last season and was ruled out of the last few games as well. He was tipped to be in the England squad several times, after impressing Sven Goran-Eriksson and his right hand man, Tord Grip, but failed to play because of his time in the treatment room.
His aim this season was to make the World Cup squad - something that is certainly not beyond him still. When he had played enough games to get back to full match fitness and sharpness though, Trevor unexpectedly put in a transfer request. Although Glenn and the fans wanted him to stay, the request was accepted, although the asking price was set at £10m - several million more than he was valued at. Both Liverpool and Sunderland showed interest, but at a few million lower. After a couple of months, he eventuall withdrew his request stating that he was happier at the club.
Since then, his season has improved immensely. He has scored 4 goals all season, including an awesome overhead kick against Derby on Boxing day, and has also been handed his full England debut. He received his second England cap against Italy in March, and will be looking to add to that in Asia this year - if he gets the nod from Sven.
Glenn has made clear his desire to keep him at West Ham, and it seems he has brought Trevor around to his way of thinking. Hammers fans will be hoping that this continues to be the case over the summer.
Here next season? Decided to persevere...7/10

Attacking Irons

Defoe: England's future

Jermain Defoe
Jermain came to Upton Park in controversial circumstances. He had been a youth trainee at Charlton, but when it came to turning professional, he decided that West Ham was better for him than Charlton. However, The Addicks had spent a lot of time, effort and money making Jermain the player he was, and wanted compensation for their young prodigy.
It went to a tribunal, and, whilst the Hammers had done no wrong, Charlton deserved compensation in place of a transfer fee. West Ham were ordered to pay up to £1.6m, depending on appearances. Well, West Ham got a bargain in the young attacker.
He went on loan to Bournemouth last season, and almost got them in the play-offs single handedly - indeed it is worth noting that this season, without Jermain's prolificacy in attack, they are struggling at the other end of the table. He scored an unprecedented 12 goals in 11 fixtures, with at least 1 in each of the matches - matching the post-war record.
He has an exceptional record at England U21 level, and this season has been mentioned in the same breath as Michael Owen and England. Well, this World Cup has come too soon for the diminutive striker, but he has been a very useful asset to West Ham - often coming off the bench and netting with one of his first touches. He is one of the most important players to keep at Upton Park over the summer - something Glenn will undoubtedly manage to do.
Here next season? Important team member...10/10

Titi Camara
One of Harry's legendary signings in the wake of Rio Ferdinand's departure, Titi has, at best been a flop. At worst, and incredibly expensive flop. At a cost of £2.2m, Titi is also believed to be on an extortionate wage - one of the highest at the club.
Hammers fans have been largely unimpressed with him - he appears to be vastly overweight, and has yet to score in any of his 7 appearances for the Irons. Thankfully, hammers fans have thus far only been subjected to one substitute appearance of the Ghanaian since Glenn Roeder's appointment, and Glenn will be doing his best to shift Titi this summer under the category of 'dead wood'.
He certainly hasn't got much of a future at the club, and is a tasteless reminder of Harry's poor last season with the club following the string of abysmal signings following Rio's transfer.
Here next season? I hope not...2/10

di Canio: Controversial

Paolo Di Canio
What can you say about Paolo di Canio? Perhaps he can be summed up as 'a frustrating player'. He has the ability, the skills, the fitness and the will. But he also has the big mouth, the hothead and the Italian temperament. If he is playing, then you know that there is a player on the pitch who has the capability of creating a goal out of nothing. You also know that he can get extremely frustrated when he messes something up, or makes an error that he thinks he shouldn't have done.
Paolo, who has played for such clubs as Lazio, Celtic, Juventus & AC Milan, was signed for a bargain £1.7m by Harry at a time when Paolo had been exiled from Premiership football by the British media. The now notorious altercation with referee Paul Alcock led to an 11 match ban coupled with a hefty fine.
Many were sceptical about his signing, including the Hammers fans, but they quickly took him to heart, and within a few months they were chanting his name to the tune of 'La Donna Mobile'. In his first full season at Upton Park he was presented with the Hammer of the Year Award, and scored an outstanding goal against Wimbledon.
One of Paolo's biggest problems is one that he seemed to share with the manager that brought him to the Boleyn: namely, his inability to keep his mouth shut. He has on many occasions spoken to the press about an incident, and criticised either the manager, the board or the fans, only for him to later claim he had been misquoted. Well, there are only so many times that an excuse can be used, and it seems many fans are becoming exasperated with him.
However, not many fans would want him to leave. His fitness level is still extremely high for a 33 year old, and he certainly has another good season or two left in him. Glenn has repeatedly stated that he would like Paolo to stay, and didn't sell him to Manchester United earlier this season when the opportunity arose.
It is certainly worth noting that Paolo has been at West Ham longer than he has remained at any other club in his career, and he is settled in England with his wife and daughters. It would seem therefore that the love affair between Paolo and the Hammers faithful is set to continue for the time being.
Here next season? More likely to stay than not...6/10

Richard Garcia
Glenn offered the young Australian a contract in March, and the West Ham press office were unable to confirm whether he had actually signed or not as of yet. However, it is widely expected that he will sign the new contract and remain at Upton Park for the next couple of years at least. He has made 5 appearances for the Hammers this season, and he has played in a number of positions, from up front to anywhere across the midfield.
He went on loan to third division side Leyton Orient last season, and had Harry stayed he may well have been sold last summer, or let go for a nominal fee. Glenn has certainly given Richard a chance this season, and the Perth-born Aussie has certainly tried to make the most of the opportunities that have come his way this season.
He said of his full debut: "The boys really helped me play and enjoy myself in my first game. I tried to take it as any other game, there were a few nerves but I got into it more and more as the game progressed."
Glenn obviously thinks he has what it takes at this level, and it is widely expected that Hammers fans will see more of him next season at the Boleyn.
Here next season? New contract offered...9/10

Kanouté: Staying?

Frederic Kanouté
One of Harry Redknapp's best legacies is Fredi Kanouté. He came to Upton Park on loan at the end of the 99/00 season, and had a great debut against Wimbledon in the same match that Paolo di Canio scored his acrobatic goal of the season.
He is 25 this year, and is approaching the best years of his life. He is unlikely to make the France squad for this World Cup, but that is probably more down to the competition for strikers in France: Henry, Wiltord & Trezeguet to name but three. If he continues to improve, with particular concentration on his shooting, he could well play himself into future French squads.
He certainly has the potential to be a much better player than he currently is: at the moment I feel he is not playing as well as he can. But his season has been disrupted due to injuries, and it seems evident that he still has worries about his hamstring in the back of his mind.
With a good pre-season behind him, he could banish those thoughts, and concentrate on playing regularly again. A partnership with Defoe is certainly an interesting one, with Kanouté being more of a contributor than an out and out striker, and hence playing to his strengths.
Having said that, however, he has scored 10 goals in 21 starts this season - almost one every other game, and that is quite an impressive record for any striker, but an especially impressive one for a player who supposedly finds it hard to score goals.
There have been many rumours that Fredi is off this summer, with bids in excess of £10m being touted. The fact is though that Glenn wishes to keep Fredi in the team, and it would take an exceptional offer to persuade him to sell. Another striker is needed however, and if Glenn has to sell in order to buy, he may decide to offload the young Frenchman, and get two or three quality players with the proceeds.
However, the likelihood is that Glenn will keep Fredi, Paolo and Jermain, and add to them, in order to maintain and improve West Ham's strikeforce. After all, most of the top clubs have three or four top strikers, so why should West Ham settle for any less?
Here next season? Getting better with age...7/10

Paul Kitson
Paul was one of the players at Upton Park that had edged closer to the footballing wilderness as Harry approached the end of his reign at West Ham. And many an eyebrow was raised when Glenn handed him a start in the Charlton Away fixture earlier this season.
That match raised the eyebrows even further when Paul scored three good goals to make his comeback in style with a hat-trick.
He has made a total of 7 appearances this season, but has failed to add to his one-match tally of three goals. It was his goalscoring ability, paired with John Hartson's that kept West Ham in the Premiership in the 96/97 season. Signed in the February of 97, the pair led West Ham to Premiership safety.
John Hartson went on to score 23 goals the next season - one of the top scorers in the division that season, but Paul failed to make such an impact. One of the main problems was Paul's lack of fitness, and frequently recurring injury problems. He earned the nickname "Unfitson" from the fans, who were more surprised to see him on the teamsheet than in the treatment room.
With his contract expiring in May, it is widely expected that Paul will take his leave from the two towers on Green Street and earn a living somewhere else.
Here next season? Off on a free...2/10

Riza: Contract up

Omer Riza
A former Arsenal reserve, Harry signed Omer for a nominal fee of £25,000 back in December 1999, after he failed to cut the mustard at Highbury. However, since arriving at West Ham, Omer has yet to make it onto the pitch in claret and blue.
He went out on loan to both Barnet and Cambridge last season, but his main regret is not getting a chance at West Ham. He feels that had he been given the opportunity, he might have impressed, but it is right to move on now.
"I've had great experience here and I'll be sad to be leaving because I feel I could have done well, but now it is looking like I have got to move on and hopefully I will do myself justice elsewhere," he told the club's site.
It was another of Harry's gambles that didn't pay off, and Omer will be seeking brighter shores this summer.
Here next season? Contract's ran out...1/10