Following the recent racial comments by Tony Henry, West Ham boss David Moyes has defended his side’s transfer polices whilst describing Henry’s comments as “wrong”, as reported by the Evening Standard.
Henry has been suspended from his role as the club’s director of recruitment after comments he made about the club not wanting to sign any more African players emerged.
Henry also said that players from Africa ‘cause mayhem’, which has prompted quite the uproar among the West Ham fanbase.
The Hammers sold two African players in the shape of Andre Ayew and Diafro Sako on deadline day to Swansea City and Rennes respectively but it’s thought this have nothing to do with the thoughts of the director of recruitment.
The Hammers boss spoke about the difficult situation which the club find themselves in following the comments which were made by Henry earlier on in the week.
The comments are wrong. We were [close to] signing two players from Africa on deadline day so I can only say they are wrong
Of course we have [an open policy], you can see the players we have signed the club has signed over the years, we sign good quality players, the best we can get, it doesn’t matter where they are from.
The Hammers boss went on to add that he has worked with a range of players throughout his career from a number of different backgrounds.
Actually I think if you go back my first African player, I think he was my first signing at Everton, was Joseph Yobo, I went to his testimonial in Nigeria last year – it was really good.
I’ve signed Steven Pienaar three times, but, I’ve signed a lot of players, everybody knows the amount of African players.
I don’t think there are many other clubs who have as many African players as West Ham, I think we’ve got as much as anybody, so, and I said that we tried to sign two on deadline day, I find it difficult to believe anyone could say we are not that we are a multinational team who sign good players, the best available.
