Niclas Fullkrug was not even in the building when West Ham United’s relegation was confirmed after a dreadful Premier League campaign.
Yet, while based around 750 miles south in faraway Milan, the former Borussia Dortmund striker did not escape the unforgiving finger of blame.
Dean Ashton feels that Fullkrug is a perfect embodiment of West Ham United’s recruitment failings. A £27 million acquisition who – given his sizeable wages, his age, and his return of three goals in 26 league matches – ranks highly even on a packed list of striking flops.
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Tim Steidten, the man whose bright idea it was to hand a 31-year-old striker a four-year deal worth £90,000-a-week, has long since paid with his job at the London Stadium.
As AC Milan’s head honchos went all scorched earth following a stunning failure to secure Champions League qualification, those responsible for bringing Niclas Fullkrug to the San Siro would suffer the same fate.
Milan and West Ham United united in Niclas Fullkrug disaster
In a remarkable and ruthless move, Milan sacked not only head coach Massimiliano Allegri, but also sporting director Igli Tare, CEO Giorgio Furlani, and technical director Geoffrey Moncada.
In their defence, Fullkrug was clearly not Milan’s number one striker target. But the affordability of the deal, coupled with a lack of alternatives, meant that a short-term loan deal, with a £4.3 million purchase clause, was one the Rossoneri pursued with vigour when January arrived.
One goal in 20 forgettable Serie A appearances later, Fullkrug would not be the final straw but another symptom of Milan’s mismanagement.
Tuttomercatoweb put Fullkrug forward as an example of Igli Tare’s ‘mistakes’ during a dreadful period of squad building.
Reporter Francesco Repice, himself speaking to TMW, feels that there are only three players at the San Siro worthy of a club with seven European titles to their name. Fullkrug, as you might have guessed, is not among them.
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“Guys, have you seen the AC Milan squad? The real miracle is that [Champions League qualification] was there for all those months,” argues Repice. “Allegri also made mistakes, but if he asks for a centre-forward and Fullkrug arrives…
“AC Milan has three [good] players; Mike Maignan, Adrien Rabiot, Luka Modric. Then, nothing.”
Milan went into the final matchday in third but, thanks to an extraordinary home loss to Cagliari and Como’s 4-1 thrashing of Pisa, ended it in fifth.
As for Fullkrug, at least the Rossoneri had the power to cut him loose. West Ham, with two years left on the German’s contract, might not have it quite so easy moving on their £27 million millstone.
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