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Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 12:49
by camel-with-3-humps
In light of the horrific display at Wolves, is Max Kilman the worst centre back we've had? There is probably worse, but I can't remember.
Gary Breen was pretty bad. He didn't make as many mistakes as Kilman, but he was weak - like a road cone easily bypassed.
Views?
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:53
by Pub Bigot
For someone with his physical attributes he should be a colossus, instead he’s a fanny.
Absolutely zero physicality to his game, cannot head a ball, cannot lead, has limited positional sense and whoever thought signing a player for 7 years on £100k a week needs taking around the back and shooting like old Yeller.
The worst player in a West Ham shirt possibly ever, and definitely the worst in financial terms.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:48
by stubbo-admin
I'd say we've had worse...Hayden Foxe, Raggy Soma, Rigobert Song...to name but a few (funnily enough all of the same era).
But Kilman's price, salary, contract length...these all need to beonsidered in the context of worst.
I'd say he's the most infurating. Like a fast bowler who doesn't like bowling bouncers. Timid characters are not the right types to play at CB. He's as timid as I've seen and has that PTSD look on his face.
Would he better with a Sargent major type next to him, basically calling the play for 90 mins so he just has to listen and use his physical attributes....maybe. He's had good seasons before, and good numbers. But lef tto his own devices, he's meek and mute and can't 'do it on his own'.
Hard to judge players in different teams in different eras...but he's up there.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:28
by El Scorchio
claypole wrote: ↑06 Jan 2026, 14:00
It's got to the point where I feel pity for him. Yes he is earning big money but as a man he must be aware of how far out of his depth he is on that pitch. His pride must take a hammering every game.
I'm not sure he gives a fuck. Feels like one of those players who finally got his payday and then just went through the motions without caring about anything but his guaranteed paycheque.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:25
by Russ of the BML
A CB that doesn't tackle, loses more headers than he wins, isn't comfortable on the ball and doesn't pick up runners.
I mean, I literally cannot remember a CB so bad.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:21
by El Scorchio
We've probably fielded actual worse players a couple of times, but they'd have been barrel scraping freebies and last resorts due to injury crises who only played a handful of times.
With context of how much he cost, how long his contract is, and what we bought him to do, he's by far the worst centre back we have ever had. I do not know how he made a living in the premier league until this point. I sort of feel like he'd be a liability back at Maidenhead.
Genuine question- was he THIS shit at Wolves? I never really watched him play there. He can't have been, right? Was he a powder puff who never concentrated, doesn't show any leadership, and couldn't head the ball there as well? As usual Sullivan had his pants proper pulled down and got bent over when buying him.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:19
by Gary Strodders shank
He is a big girls blouse of a centre half
Others have been technically poor but cost and earned far less.and some made up for their shortcomings with bravery and endeavour.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:16
by Ron Eff
Fauxstralian wrote: ↑06 Jan 2026, 14:09
Malky Mackay & Andy Melville were poor but only played 40 games between them & cost nothing rather than £40m
I’d have both over Kilman and his perma dazed look only concentrated on ensuring the ball doesn’t hit his gormless head.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:15
by Fauxstralian
Didn’t see it but believe Gary O’Neil was on MNF one night & said he had to kick him up the arse regularly as he continually switched off in games
Would have been nice to hear that before we signed him
Lopetegui also managed him but insisted he wanted him
Maybe someone should have asked Craig Dawson who carried him at Wolves
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:14
by OK_Guy
Tommy Taylor... could be a great defender on his day but fuck my, was he a utter calamity waiting to happen.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:11
by Alfs
I know one! There was this really fat kid in my school who'd lost his leg below the knee to sepsis but we picked him to play out of sympa...actually, he could head the ball so scrap that.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:09
by Fauxstralian
Malky Mackay & Andy Melville were poor but only played 40 games between them & cost nothing rather than £40m
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 14:00
by claypole
It's got to the point where I feel pity for him. Yes he is earning big money but as a man he must be aware of how far out of his depth he is on that pitch. His pride must take a hammering every game.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:54
by theaxeman
I've seen worse technically, Hilton, Strodder to name a couple, but none with so little heart.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:46
by Sir Alf
Not the worst if you leave transfer fee out of it but once factoring that in he wins by a country mile.
He may not be guilty of this but he looks like someone who doesnt want to get hurt ? What we need now is the opposite of that. Stavros was guilty of that too for the 3rd goal against Wolves. These geezers should be busting a gut and thowing their bodies to make blocks. Although I suppose that might he dangerous with Kilman as he’ll be 5 mins late and give away even more pens.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:27
by Takashi Miike
some I couldn't stand - breen, dailly, r.song, upson but all better compared to this gutless fucker
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:27
by Jaan Kenbrovin
Yes he is. Which is what I said before he joined too.
A defender who doesn’t read the game, and hasn’t got any specific quality in any area.
He will be just as bad in the Championship.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:21
by Far Cough UKunt
and to think Ukraine wanted him to play for them?
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:19
by Eerie Decent
Breen was awful, but he played about 10 games for us, after signing on a free.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:18
by camel-with-3-humps
Eerie Decent" wrote: ↑06 Jan 2026, 13:10
Definitely as a long term, first choice.
You can see by his expressionless face, he hasn't got a clue. Has the physical attributes, but fuck me, there's not 2 football braincells to rub together in that noggin. ZERO defensive nous.
Centre backs, in particular, need to take a lot of responsibility on themselves, this lad is appalling in that regard. I don't want to do a COYI, but I said in the summer he was going to be our biggest problem this season for a variety of reasons, doesn't seem to be the bravest call now, but at the time there was a bit of pushback to the comment.
The moment I knew categorically that there was no hope with him, was when we played Liverpool away last season, Ollie Scarles was at LWB having an absolute mare against Salah, Kilman was at LCB, and completely left the kid to burn. No talking to him, no pushing up to get closer to him to protect him, just stayed in his position, silent as always, and watched the disaster unfold with the rest of us.
Now goes down, easily, as the worst signing in our history. It's not even close.
That Scarles anecdote is quite telling. He lacks character obviously.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:12
by Far Cough UKunt
I'd like to run on the pitch and kick him right up the arse, be worth a ban just for that alone.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:12
by onsideman
Breen and Kilman are on a par, I'd say
However Breen didn't cost £40m and wasn't on a 7 year contract so that has to be taken into consideration.
I remember Breen being described as backing away from the ball like a dog backs away from a vacuum cleaner. Couldn't have put it better
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:10
by GBHammer63
Kilman is an enigma, got most requirements on paper but you can’t coach bottle. Fed up of him walking around meekly looking at his feet. Doesn’t seem like there’s any desire from him to improve from what he is, Bentley driving cowardly big time Charlie. Could be our biggest ever loss maker if some fucking idiot club came in for him.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:10
by Eerie Decent
Definitely as a long term, first choice.
You can see by his expressionless face, he hasn't got a clue. Has the physical attributes, but fuck me, there's not 2 football braincells to rub together in that noggin. ZERO defensive nous.
Centre backs, in particular, need to take a lot of responsibility on themselves, this lad is appalling in that regard. I don't want to do a COYI, but I said in the summer he was going to be our biggest problem this season for a variety of reasons, doesn't seem to be the bravest call now, but at the time there was a bit of pushback to the comment.
The moment I knew categorically that there was no hope with him, was when we played Liverpool away last season, Ollie Scarles was at LWB having an absolute mare against Salah, Kilman was at LCB, and completely left the kid to burn. No talking to him, no pushing up to get closer to him to protect him, just stayed in his position, silent as always, and watched the disaster unfold with the rest of us.
Now goes down, easily, as the worst signing in our history. It's not even close.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:08
by SurfaceAgentX2Zero
Todibo, Mav, Igor.
And Javier Margas.
Re: Is Max Kilman the worst centre back in your memory - name worse?
Posted: 06 Jan 2026, 13:02
by Mad Ferret
Tomas Repka