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Jedi mindtrick: Maybe we’re getting what we want

Are Slaven and the board evil geniuses?

Star Wars Episode III: Celebration Day Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images

To say West Ham United fans have been upset with our transfer window might be an understatement. The promise of strikers but instead it seems likely we’ll get Marko Arnautovic, Joe Hart, and maybe if we’re lucky a cast away striker.

FC Torino v SSC Napoli - Serie A
Wait, I’m going to West Ham? Oh FFS
Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

Another window that fails to yield the promise that David Sullivan and David Gold have set forward. Now, maybe I’m just at the bargaining stage of grief but hear me out.

This is all a Jedi mind-trick and these are not the signings we’re looking for. The David’s and Slaven are actually evil geniuses giving us anger and despair while also giving us exactly what we want.

While the Irons were locked in a mediocre second half of the season fans were shouting to play some of our talented youth players. Domingos Quina, Declan Rice, Toni Martinez, and others. With relegation a real threat for part of the run Slaven Bilic wasn’t about to hand the keys over to the youth players to save us from the Championship.

The call for youth has been constant over the summer. Josh Cullen returned from a fantastic loan spell at Bradford. Reeces Burke and Oxford were back, Oxford has since gone out on loan. Quina, Trott, Rice, and Samuelson played for their countries at various national team and youth team tournaments with success. It’s an exciting time for the Academy of Football.

Oxford United v Newcastle United - The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round
Time to shine Toni!
Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Slaven Bilic has kept many of the youth players with the first team in Austria for pre-season to determine their futures. This is all part of the plan, no major signings mean the youth will break into the first team. We’re finally going to see our youth team on display in the best league in the world.

Slaven doesn’t have much to lose here. His future with the club is rocky at best and only a display like 15/16 is likely to secure his safety. Anything like last season and he’s gone in my opinion (not saying it’s the right thing just that it’s what will happen). So rather than spending millions on players that may go the way of Jose Fonte and Robert Snodgrass, Slaven’s going to give the fans exactly what they want.

As much hate as the board and Slaven have gotten recently they’re not idiots. You don’t make it this far in English football without a brain. They’ve managed to pluck some pretty darn good players out of nowhere I.e Michail Antonio, a certain frenchman, Manuel Lanzini, Chiekoue Kouyate, and others.

Maybe us common folk just can’t see their genius, they’ve been playing us the whole time. THE YOUTH REVOLUTION IS COMING AND WE WILL ALL BEAR WITNESS TO THE GENIUS THAT IS DAVID SULLIVAN! ALL HAIL OUR GREAT SAVIOR!

Ipswich Town v West Ham United - Pre Season Friendly
Those are not the signings you are looking for
Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images

Whoa, what happened? I just blacked out. I didn’t actually write any of that stuff above did I?

Our transfer window is shambles because we won’t spend more than 17 million on a player and we try to fix our striker situation with wingers and keepers. It’s pretty clear where this team needs help yet they refuse to actually address the issue in a substantive way. Help on the wings and at keeper would be nice, but in reality we’re fine at those positions for this season. We need at least one striker that can put the ball in the net, but more importantly stay healthy. Get it done Davids it isn’t rocket science how to make this team better.