It’s interesting Gonzo chose to mention the world of social media and it’s odd behaviour during the transfer window on his latest daily video
It’s been something that’s caught my eye over recent days, although I must admit to not engaging with social media so all my information comes from ITK’s like Geo and Gonzo who tell me through their various videos what the current mood is online, not to mention all the conventional news outlets who use social media as filler material. What’s remarkable is how often us fans seem to get angry, FUMING even by potentially not signing a guy most of us hadn’t heard of until a week or two ago. Now before I get fuming fans telling me how they knew about him 10 years ago when he was playing for Portugal United at the age of 10, I’m prepared to believe there are plenty of West Ham fans out there more knowledgeable than me and I concede that my knowledge is conference level at best, however, the vast majority of people making the most noise are pretty much as clueless as I am, so why do they get so invested in somebody they’ve probably never seen play?
While he may be good on FIFA, and he was impressive by all accounts in that Champions League qualifier that time, and sure, a bunch of people who seem to know about football describe him as ‘tricky’, but how often do we hear that? I’m not suggesting Gedson Fernandes isn’t the best thing since sliced bread, but I find it hard to understand the level of hysteria surrounding a player we don’t really know much about. He’s only played a handful of times for Benfica and seemingly they don’t want him so can he be that good? I know I know… Luka Jovic
And then we reach the likes of Joe Allen and Marouane Fellaini. The merest mention of these names seem to put the Twitter brigade in riot mode. Am I excited at the prospect of either signing for our club? No. Have I seen enough of Joe Allen in the past two seasons to know whether he’d strengthen our squad? No. Unfortunately my subscription to the Chinese Super League expired so I can’t pretend to have seen much of Fellaini recently either, but why are we always so quick to dismiss the value of a player we do know and so eager to believe that someone we’ve barely heard of will suddenly transform the clubs fortunes? In December, around the middle of our poor run of form, I remember many people remarking how we had too many foreign players who were technically gifted but didn’t have the stomach for a relegation fight or the understanding of what English football means. I heard people say how we needed more British based players who will fight for the cause and get what it means to play for West Ham.
Fast forward a few weeks and the very same fans are livid at the thought of Joe Allen signing but think some kid from Portugal is our saviour. I understand it’s not as simplistic as that. Joe Allen is pushing 30, Gedson Fernandes is somebody who potentially could be the next big thing, but he also might not be. Domingos Quina isn’t tearing up the Premier League is he. Don’t get me wrong, I like the sound of Fernandes, I like the philosophy of signing young and building for the future, but sometimes you need the odd player who doesn’t excite but makes things work the way they should. I’m prepared to believe that David Moyes knows which pieces will make his team work better than I.
Somebody commented on Gonzo’s video regarding Fernandes, they said: ‘Should have had an obligation to buy’.
We’re West Ham. You know how that’s gonna go right? We’ll sign him, he’ll be injured or crap for 18 months and we’ll end up buying a 10m player for 33m. The 18 month loan without an option isn’t ideal but there seems to be an assumption that we’d make him world-class before he goes back to Benfica and is sold on for 300m. There’s just as much chance it wont work out, and even if it did… how long was Dimitri Payet at the club? I’d take 18 months of that even if we don’t benefit financially!
Perhaps the transfer window isn’t the time for rational thought. I just saw we’re interested in Antonio Valencia. I’m gonna go and try to calm down.
The mind boggles COYI
Best read I’ve had about toxic fandom. Well done and thank you.