West Ham United clearly did not feel that former Spain and Barcelona striker Paco Alcacer had much to offer the club in the midst of a Premier League relegation battle.
When Hammers News put to the club earlier in the campaign whether they could look to bring in a free-agent centre-forward of real pedigree, the response from a source close to the board was that signing Alcacer would make ‘no sense’ at this stage of his career.
The West Ham United source questioned his hunger after three years in the Middle East. Out of sight and, for the most part, out of mind.
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Now, as the one-time Valencia, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Spain poacher hangs up his boots at the age of just 32, you would have to agree that staying clear was probably the right decision.
Paco Alcacer retires after West Ham United looked elsewhere
According to Diario AS, Paco Alcacer has opted to hang up his boots already, despite being one year younger than Alphonse Areola. AS claim that he ‘had no shortage of offers to continue playing’ but instead closes the curtains on a fine, if somewhat unfulfilled career.
Now, there was never really a suggestion that West Ham could bring Alcacer to English football anyway. But when Niclas Fullkrug was struggling and Callum Wilson was the only centre-forward at their disposal, this was an option many clubs might have considered.
Paco Alcacer celebrates during Barcelona v Real Murcia - Copa Del Rey
Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images
Alcacer spent the final nine months of his career as a free-agent, after all. His contract at UAE outfit Sharjah FC expired last summer.
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“Alcacer is not scoring in the UAE,” the top spokesman for West Ham’s owners exclusively told Hammers News in September. “So it makes no sense to come to the Premier League.
“The problem with some players who go over there, they become too rich to stay motivated to even train hard anymore.”
It may be harsh to claim that Alcacer’s early retirement is down to a lack of hunger. But having left Europe for the Middle East before his 30th birthday, and now leaving the game entirely despite having plenty of offers on the table, one does have to admit that the Hammers board were probably onto something.
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A graphic showing Ally McCoist's quotes on Pablo Felipe during West Ham's FA Cup game against Brentford reading: "He's one these guys that the fans will enjoy watching because he's all effort."
Credit; Getty Images/Ben STANSALL / AFP
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Alcacer won the La Liga title with Barcelona, as well as the DFB Pokal with Dortmund and the Europa League with Villarreal. A classic penalty box poacher who was maybe unlucky to burst onto the scene in the age of false nines and prolific widemen, he still netted 12 times in just 19 caps for the national team.
West Ham host Manchester City on Saturday, meanwhile, with Taty Castellanos, Callum Wilson and a returning Pablo Felipe fighting for a starting role in attack.
Pablo impressed against Brentford in the FA Cup on Monday. His first appearance in a month due to a calf injury seeing the £18 million signing from Gil Vicente lead the line effectively while Castellanos and Wilson would both convert emphatic spot-kicks in the resulting penalty shoot-out.
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