It certainly hasn’t been the easiest first season for young U.S. international Jonathan Spector at West Ham United. The club has been through a tumultuous year both on and off the field, including an unending series of speculations regarding the club’s acquisition by a foreign outift-a matter that has now been resolved-and the ill-advised, mysterious arrival of a pair of Argentines, who were touted as the game’s next great superstars but have thus far floundered badly. On the field, West Ham has struggled to put together unified team performances, and the club finds itself near the relegation zone as the season approaches its halfway point. Spector was originally signed by Manchester United in 2003, but as he failed to keep a spot in United’s first team, the 20-year old decided to explore other options. “[United] spent a lot of money on a lot of guys who play my position,” I wanted to go on loan, but after last season I had every intention of going back to Man U. They even offered me a new contract. But I felt it was time to move on.” He admits that Sir Alex Ferguson desperately wanted to keep him, but Spector says he wasn’t content to sit on the bench. At West Ham, the defender has had to settle with playing in roughly half of the club’s games. Despite the off-filed drama that’s marked the club’s season, Spector maintains that only thing is on his mind: “From my point of view, I’m out here getting paid to play, not to get involved in boardroom affairs,” he said.