Hammer Times - West Ham United Blog

O Deano, Deano! Wherefore art thou Deano?

Fri, 17 Jul 2009

He's at home, that's where he is. Slacker.

I don't know ANYONE with such a run of injuries than our very own Dean Ashton. It's so bitterly annoying and disapointing to the fact it's almost funny. It seems every summer starts with the promise of a 'fit and healthy Dean Ashton firing on all cylinders', and by September we're left with a £50,000 a week peroxide blonde dude sitting on the physio's table.

Credit to him I suppose for he always seems to beef up his guns during this period, whilst his legs and ankles dwindle from lack of use. He's going to start looking like an inverse pyramid soon.

But even if his ankle is crocked, AGAIN, the club could have at least brought him to Austria to earn his cheque with the rest of the gang, even the perenially injured Kieron Dyer and Scott Parker are there.

Kept at home working on his own fitness regime? Spending time with the physios? Seems sceptical to me. I think even Deano could probably walk on and off a plane without injuring himself... well, only time will tell on that one.

If he was fit toward the end of last season but just being 'protected' then why not take him to Austria to be in tip-top shape for this upcoming season, why leave him in London?... Protection. If they are serious about listening to offers for him, then they are going to be covering him in bubblewrap and baby proofing the gym in the hope that he can somehow avoid injury during these cursed summer months.

On the flip side, Terry Dixon is also back in London rehabbing a very serious injury rather than training with the team in Austria, so what's to say Deano isn't just being afforded the same treatment... I think the fact that Ashton will fetch upwards of £10m if he stays healthy is the rather glaringly obvious difference.