Former Hammer Don Hutchison has revealed he recommended young Bayern Munich midfielder Mickael Cuisance to West Ham United three years ago.
Read: Ex West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini could be set for new job – report
Frenchman Cuisance, 20, has broken into the Bayern first team this season.
And when he was announced in the starting line-up for Bayern’s 2-1 win over Borussia Monchengladbach at the weekend, ex West Ham ace Hutchison made the revelation.
Hutch recommended Bayern midfielder to West Ham three years ago
“Be interesting to see how Michael Cuisance does today,” Hutchison said on Twitter.
“I recommended him to West Ham 2/3 years ago.”
Be interesting to see how Michael
Cuisance does today. I recommended him to West Ham 2/3 years ago.— Don Hutchison (@donhutch4) June 13, 2020
At the time Cuisance was at Borussia Monchengladbach and ended up joining Bayern for just £8million.
Hutchison, who played 100 times for West Ham over two spells, has a keen eye for a player in his role as a pundit working across Europe’s top leagues.
He has been a pundit since his retirement and has spent several years commentating on Ligue 1, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A matches.
Not the first time owners have ignored ex Hammer’s recommendations
The ex midfielder knows what West Ham supporters want and expect from a player.
But it is not the first time one of Hutchison’s recommendations has fallen on deaf ears.
Last summer Hutch told West Ham fans he has tried and failed to flag up players to owners David Sullivan and David Gold in the past but they ‘don’t listen’.
“They don’t listen mate,” Hutchison replied to a West Ham fan who suggested he give Sullivan ‘some gems’.
He continued: “They all have analysis guys who feed them all the numbers!”
They don’t listen mate,they all have analyse guys who feed them all numbers!
— Don Hutchison (@donhutch4) July 16, 2019
Some fans question owners for not acting on tip offs
So when Hutchison made his latest revelation about Cuisance, some West Ham fans turned on Sullivan and Gold.
One supporter said Hutchison could recommend Messi and the owners would not listen.
Others highlighted the shambolic recruitment policy under the unpopular duo.
Here are a selection of responses to Hutchison’s claim.
Not over or pushing 30. Plus they’ve got to be injury prone. You know how we roll….
— Steve Smith (@hornchurchammer) June 13, 2020
Tbf you could recommend the next Messi Don and the board would rather sign an injury Prone 31-32 year old Adam Lallana 😫😫😫🥵
— Greg (@Huzi2k9) June 13, 2020
Don come be a scout for us seen as there’s none
— barrie senior (@barritelli) June 13, 2020
Who do you mention it to Don ?Not a semblance of a scouting network of any note there these days so not surprised it falls on deaf ears 😞
— West Ham Geezer ⚒ (@WHUFCGeezer) June 13, 2020
Of course there is no guarantee West Ham would have been able to sign Cuisance even if Sullivan and Gold acted on Hutchison’s advice.
Only now are the Hammers starting to look to the future with recruitment.
David Moyes wants to build a new-look West Ham around young, hungry players (whufc.com and beIN Sports).
And he has started as he means to go on with the signings of Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek.