WHUFC.com
Ten new full-time scholars have signed their contracts at a special
induction evening
19.05.2011
West Ham United have welcomed ten new scholars at a special induction
evening at the Boleyn Ground. The new arrivals have all successfully come
through the Academy as schoolboys and will embark on full-time careers at
Little Heath from July. Academy Director Tony Carr and his coaching staff
have identified all ten as potential first-team players of the future,
provided they show the hard-work, attitude, talent and commitment required
to reach the very highest level. Cheye Alexander, Samuel Baxter, Leo
Chambers (pictured), Dymon Labonne, Elliot Lee, Taylor Miles, Kieran
Sadlier, Nigel Seidu, Frazer Shaw and Joshua Siafa will all hope to follow
in the footsteps of the dozens of players who have gone on to successful
careers. "Leo Chambers is the captain of England U16s, Kieran Sadlier is a
Republic of Ireland U17 international and Elliot Lee has come into the U18s
already on various occasions and done very well in the last half-dozen games
of the season, scoring regularly including a hat-trick at Chelsea on the
final day of the season," explained Carr. "We have got high hopes for those
three players and there are two or three slightly less mature players who
are very good footballers. We hope with full-time training that they can
turn into good players. "As we always say, we're not trying to build teams.
That's not what we're here for. We try to identify individuals. We put them
into teams for them to showcase their skills and the conveyor belt is still
moving and we certainly feel there is talent coming through for West Ham
United."
The ten new recruits signed their scholarship contracts at a special
ceremony in the company of their families, Carr, his coaching and backroom
staff. Following a talk from the Academy Director on what they can expect as
full-time scholars, the youngsters and their families enjoyed a buffet
dinner before heading off to continue their revision for their upcoming GSCE
examinations.
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Jonjo scoops award
WHUFC.com
Jonjo Heuerman has been a shining example for West Ham United this season
19.05.2011
Fundraising champion Jonjo Heuerman has been awarded The Flame of Hope Award
- Young Volunteer of The Year - by Cancer Research UK. Jonjo won the hearts
of West Ham United supporters everywhere when he walked from Wembley Stadium
to the Boleyn Ground in late February, raising more than £22,000 for the
Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK. The nine-year old chose to raise
funds for the charity in memory of his grandmother and Hammers legend Bobby
Moore, who both passed away after suffering from bowel cancer. His mother
Donna said: "He has been taken to the hearts of so many and so many and has
such a huge following now. He has even been known to sign a few shirts and
autographs! The fans and the club have been so kind to him. "He is busy
planning hIs 2012 walk and plans to build on the success of this year's
efforts and is looking forward to walking with everyone again so watch this
space."
For more information about Jonjo's future fundraising plans and to find out
how to get involved, email fornannyandbobby@sky.com
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Parker presentation on Sunday
WHUFC.com
Fans can see Scott Parker formally presented with the Hammer of the Year
trophy on Sunday
19.05.2011
The Hammer of the Year presentation to Scott Parker will take place just
before kick-off against Sunderland so supporters are advised to take their
seats in good time.
The Young Hammer of the Year and Doris Bell Award for the most promising
Academy youngster will also be awarded in the lead-up to the 4pm start on
Sunday.
The players will, as ever, acknowledge and pay tribute to the supporters for
their magnificent backing this season after the final whistle.
Fans are also reminded to keep off the pitch at all times with immediate
life bans for anyone entering the field of play.
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Keen set for Sunderland
WHUFC.com
Sunday's match represents a golden opportunity for Kevin Keen and the
players of West Ham
19.05.2011
Kevin Keen has been hard at work this week determined to sign off on the
disappointing season on a positive note. The first-team coach will take
charge of the side for the Kids for a Quid game against Sunderland on Sunday
and knows the match represents the first step on the road back to the
Premier League. A positive performance will give good heart going into a
crucial summer of rebuilding. "I will be picking the players that I think
will go out and try their hardest for West Ham," Keen said. "That will play
for the claret and blue shirt and give the effort and endeavour that perhaps
at times has not been there this year. That is my idea for this Sunday. We
want to play good football."
Keen has been in temporary charge for one previous game - away at West
Bromwich Albion in September 2008 and described the role as a "great
honour". He expects the team to give their all, and admitted he may give
one or two youngsters a chance to stake a claim for the next campaign. "The
players have gone for it in training and tried to do their best for me. They
are pulling for me and we want to go out on Sunday and give the fans
something to cheer about. Relegation is a massive hurt. For me now that has
gone and we have got to look to the future."
Keen was clear what he wanted to see from the team this weekend - the spirit
and determination of Billy Bonds, with the attacking play of men like Alan
Devonshire and Trevor Brooking. He believed there was a "fantastic core of
young talent " that could form the bedrock of next season's team and make
for a "successful, vibrant young West Ham squad".
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Kevin's keen
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 19th May 2011
By: Staff Writer
Kevin Keen has admitted that he'd love to be given the opportunity to
succeed Avram Grant. The current head first team coach staked his claim for
the vacancy in an interview with Talksport this morning. "I'd love to be
given that sort of opportunity," he told hosts Richard Keys and Andy Gray.
"At the same time the owners are experienced and they know what they want
for next season. They've been chairmen in the Championship before with
Birmingham and they'll have a vision of how they want to take the club
forward. "I feel I've served my apprenticeship. I've worked with Tony Carr
at the Academy, I spent four years with the young lads and then I spent a
couple of years in the reserves until Alan Pardew made me first-team coach.
"I've worked with Alan Pardew, Alan Curbishley, Gianfranco Zola and
obviously Avram Grant this year. I'm claret and blue through and through, I
played for the club for nine years and I've coached for nine years - so I'd
love to be given the opportunity."
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Brady on Grant
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 19th May 2011
By: Staff Writer
Karren Brady has moved to deflect criticism for West Ham's relegation away
from the boardroom and onto Avram Grant, the club's former manager who was
unceremoniously dumped last the weekend. Brady, speaking to the newspaper
for whom she writes a weekly column insisted that Grant was given everything
he needed to avoid the drop. "Avram was given the best possible conditions
to do the job," she said. "There were no silly targets set, no talk of
Europe. We just said: 'Keep us up'. "He was given extra training-ground
staff and his personal needs met - including a driver, a new office and an
upgraded expensive football analysis system. "When things got tough, we
backed him again. January signings like Wayne Bridge, Robbie Keane and Demba
Ba saw us put our money where our mouth is. Again, no big names left the
Boleyn. "A good man, Avram was given every chance - but he was sadly unable
to deliver."
Despite her final comment, Brady made it quite clear that there was no love
lost between herself and Grant, having criticised the Israeli on a number of
occasions throughout the season via her weekly column.
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Throwing good money after Ba
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 19th May 2011
By: Staff Writer
Demba is understood to have been offered a double-your-money deal in order
to remain with West Ham in the Championship. David Sullivan admitted earlier
in the week that he had offered two players new contracts in order to remain
at the club next season - and it is understood that the Senegalese striker
is one of them. Ba, who earns in the region of £30,000-per-week basic is
said to have been offered almost double that to remain at he club he only
joined in January. The striker's seven goals - from just ten league starts -
have alerted a number of fellow Premier League clubs keen to boost their own
attacking options in the summer. However West Ham appear determined to keep
the player who almost joined Stoke City back in January for £7million before
failing a medical. Speaking via the club's website, Ba gave no indication of
where he feels his future may lie. "I really like the atmosphere in the
stadium and the relationship I have with the supporters. It's very important
we finish with a win. Even if we are down, it's very important for the
supporters to give them a bit of happiness. "But I just want to finish the
season properly, then relax and have some time off with my family."
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Hoddle rules out Hammers
Former England boss has no plans to return to management just yet
Last Updated: May 19, 2011 10:16pm
SSN
Glenn Hoddle has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant managerial
post at West Ham United. The Hammers are looking for a new coach after
relieving Avram Grant of his duties at Upton Park. Relegation out of the
Premier League proved to be the final straw for the Israeli, who had been
under pressure for the majority of the season. Numerous names have been
touted as potential successors to Grant, with ex-Newcastle boss Chris
Hughton, QPR manager Neil Warnock, Martin O'Neill and Sam Allardyce among
them. Hoddle has seen his name added to that list, but the former Chelsea
and Tottenham boss insists he has no interest in returning to management at
the present time. For now, he is more concerned with his academy work and
claims any reports linking him with a coaching job are based purely on
speculation. "I've never said that I have finished with football management
at any level," said Hoddle.
Mainstream management
"That is something that might be for the future and I didn't replace that
with my football academy, I just felt football needed something like that.
"The guys needed something of a second chance to get back into the game and
we're proving we are doing that quite reasonably well. "In the future, I've
always said international football would be interesting for me after doing
it with England. "And who is to say at some stage in some way, shape or form
in the future going back into mainstream management is not something I am
saying no to. "But at this moment in time I am quite happy with the
development of the academy and I need to sort of push that through over the
next season." When asked to clarify whether he would be interested in the
West Ham post, he added: "At the moment I don't think the timing is right,
put it that way."
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Keen eyes Hammers role
Former Hammers star puts himself forward for manager's job
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me on Twitter @skysportspeteo.
Last Updated: May 19, 2011 1:38pm
SSN
West Ham caretaker manager Kevin Keen has admitted he would love to be given
the job on a permanent basis. The Hammers are on the lookout for a new
manager following the dismissal of Avram Grant after last Sunday's defeat to
Wigan, which condemned the club to relegation. Keen will take charge of the
side for this weekend's final game of the season against Sunderland and the
former Hammers midfielder hopes to prove his credentials to the club's
board. "I'd love to be given the job. I'd love to be given that sort of
opportunity," said Keen. "At the same time the owners are experienced and
they know what they want for next season. "They've been chairmen in the
Championship before with Birmingham and they'll have a vision of how they
want to take the club forward.
Opportunity
"I'm claret and blue through and through, I played for the club for nine
years and I've coached for nine years so I'd love to be given the
opportunity. "I feel I've served my apprenticeship. "I've worked with Tony
Carr at the academy, I spent four years with the young lads and then I spent
a couple of years in the reserves until Alan Pardew made me first-team
coach. "I've worked with Alan Pardew, Alan Curbishley, Gianfranco Zolaand
obviously Avram Grant this year. "I look at what Brian McDermott has done
with Reading this year, someone who's very loyal, very hardworking, very
humble and maybe it's time for West Ham to go for someone like that."
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End of season Rant!
May 19th, 2011 - 1:23 pm by RobertBanks
West Ham Till I Die
I waited a few days before posting to see if the anger and the pain would
subside. They haven't.
I don't know about you but I am sick and tired of seeing the name of West
Ham United in the papers for all the wrong reasons. If it's not the fiasco
that we have had to witness under the stewardship (and I use the term
loosely) of Avram Grant this season, it's brawls at end of season dinners or
comments from our beloved owners with worse timing that a Boa Morte
challenge.
It is true that this club we love has often been in the public eye for
reasons other than the quality of our on-pitch performances. Thinking back
there has been a list of embarrassments that would make George Michael
blush: Macari, Mannygate, Beauchamp, Boogers, Tevez, the list is endless.
And I am also aware that supporters of other clubs, in the main, think their
board are rubbish and haven't got a clue. But this lot, with apologies to
Eggy, really do take the biscuit.
The fact of the matter is that if you let a monkey drive a bus, you have to
take full responsibility when he drives it over the edge of a cliff. Whilst
Mr Gold has accepted that they made a mistake appointing Avram Grant, to be
fair we told them that right at the very beginning and at regular intervals
throughout the season. OK, they made a mess of things in January but the
best thing to do would have been to go through with it and sack him anyway –
having no manager could not possibly have produced worse results.
As has been already been said, there is no point stabbing an already dead
man. But Gollivan are very much alive and kicking and I fear their handling
of that debacle and various other matters will mean that as long as they are
the owners of this club we will struggle to appoint a manager of the
required experience and pedigree that has a mind of his own.
They have been making loud noises saying that at Birmingham they always
bounced back at the first attempt. But then at Birmingham they only ever
sacked one manager – Barry Fry. They have already dispensed with two in just
over a year at West Ham and the likelihood of securing the services of a man
capable of bringing us back as at the first attempt is remote. Sure lots of
people have been distancing themselves from the vacancy when they haven't
even been approached. I don't blame them. I would make it clear right now
that I am also not interested. I know how miserable it can be working for
buffoons. And if you cannot attract the right manager, you will not entice
players to stay and new players to come.
Gollivan divide opinion between fans between those who hate them and those
who don't like them. As for Karen Brady I am getting sick of seeing her smug
face on "The Apprentice" telling people where they are going wrong. Let's
see some of this in action Brady – practice what you preach, get on with the
job, keep your trap shut.
There will be people out there saying I am being negative. I am not. I am
just saying what I feel. As long as the club is run the way it is we will
not return to the Premier League anytime soon. That's got nothing to do with
playing staff, tactics or confidence. It's about the culture. We used to
have one. I can see it slowly slipping away.
So I have pointed out problems but not provided solutions. I feel it
unlikely that Gollivan will sell up just yet. Our best hope is that they get
someone to buy up a big share, provide some capital and get in a decent
Chief Executive who knows how to handle the press.
I favour Martin O'Neill as manager but I can't see it happening – not with
his track record for relationships with chairmen it would be an accident
waiting to happen. The manager in the modern game is not someone who knows
all about tactics and technicalities. It's someone who understands people
and can motivate and manager them, psych out opposing managers and win the
game before they have even taken to the field, make the youngest player in
the squad feel as valued as the oldest and manage the big egos in the
dressing room. Managers like that are thin on the ground – and I am 99%
certain he won't be appointed.
So many names have been banded about – for managers available, in jobs, out
of jobs, with experience, with no experience. I feel the best option might
be to go for someone within the ranks already. I wonder if Tony Carr of
Kevin Keen could handle the step up to senior players and being hard enough
with them – whether they would get respect from them from day one. Carr
probably has a better chance than Keen particularly from the core of Academy
players. After that, I am struggling to come up with names that would be
likely to accept the role.
I'm looking forward to the season being over and a few weeks without the
constant strain – but I fear summer will not bring an end to the crazy
headlines. I just hope that we have seen the end of all the embarrassments
and the club we love can start the healing process as soon as the new man is
appointed.
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Pulis Hammers out £9m Cole deal
By MATT PARKER
Published: Today
The Sun
TONY PULIS is lining up a £9million summer bid for Carlton Cole as he
prepares Stoke for Europe. Boss Pulis will target the West Ham striker in a
bid to beef up his side ahead of their Europa League campaign next season.
Cole looks certain to leave the relegated Hammers and will not be short of
offers, with Newcastle also ready to make a substantial bid. The 27-year-old
England striker has been on the Potters' radar ever since they were promoted
to the Premier League in 2008. Potters chief Pulis is also a fan of West Ham
midfield duo Mark Noble and Jack Collison. Pulis said: "We need to bring in
more quality over the summer because we want to give it our best shot in
Europe. "The chairman will make sure everything is sensible but we want to
bring in better players. "Our aim is to keep progressing. Hopefully, we can
add to what we've already got." Stoke want to increase their options up
front after Achilles injuries to Ricardo Fuller and Mama Sidibe left them
short of firepower in the final months of the season. Pulis will also make a
decision on the future of John Carew next week, after the Norway
international impressed on loan following a January switch from Aston Villa.
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MK Dons' Robinson joins list of West Ham candidates
Published 23:00 19/05/11 By David Maddock
The Mirror
Upcoming young boss Karl Robinson has emerged as a surprise contender for
the vacant West Ham job. The MK Dons' manager has already made a name for
himself by steering his club into the play-offs after taking control at the
start of the campaign. At 30, the former Liverpool youth team coach is the
youngest gaffer in professional football and was recently voted the best
outside the Premier League. He has been forced to cut the wage bill at
Stadium:mk by more than £1million, but has still produced a team regarded as
one of the most exciting in the lower divisions. His ability to develop
young players and operate on a tight budget is attractive to West Ham, who
want a promising young manager with knowledge of the Football League to
steer through the turmoil of relegation. Robinson has limited experience,
but he has John Gorman as his No.2 at the Dons, and that has put him on the
long list of candidates the Hammers are looking through for the right
qualities to steer them back into the Premier League.
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Millwall prank pilot could pay a high price for parading Grant banner
By SAMI MOKBEL
Last updated at 2:30 AM on 20th May 2011
Daily Mail
The pilot who flew an aircraft over Wigan's DW Stadium carrying a banner
taunting Avram Grant could find himself in trouble with the Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA).
Cheeky Millwall supporters chartered the plane which dragged the message:
'Avram Grant - Millwall Legend' during West Ham's 3-2 defeat on Sunday. The
prank rubbed salt into the wounds of suffering Hammers supporters after the
result condemned the club to relegation and cost Grant his job. But the
stunt is now being probed by CAA officials who are trying to establish
whether the pilot broke aviation regulations. Their are strict guidelines
attached to flying aircrafts over built up areas. It is forbidden to fly a
plane in a built up area below 1,000ft. A CAA spokesman confirmed to
Sportsmail: 'The photos are being studied by the CAA.'
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Tony Cottee: The West Ham manager's job is a poisened chalice
Matt Diner
Thursday, May 19, 2011
12:17 PM
Newham Recorder
Tony Cottee believes Martin O'Neill is the right man to succeed Avram Grant
as the next manager of West Ham. Cottee who scored 116 goals in two spells
for the club played under O'Neill at Leicester and believes he has all the
right attributes to lead the club to success. "There is only one choice and
that is Martin O'Neill," Cottee said. "I played under him for three years at
Leicester and I would love to see him in charge. He is a great tactician and
is excellent at motivating players." Cottee is however negative about the
chances of it happening and believes the conduct of the current owners David
Gold and David Sullivan could put off potential managers.
The job is a bit of a poisoned chalice at the moment," he said. "Word
spreads about people who run a club conduct themselves and the word about
West Ham is not good at the moment. "It is going to be difficult to entice
the right person to the club. We need someone with a very strong character.
Someone like Neil Warnock or Martin Allen, who will go in and sort the squad
out from top to bottom. "The squad needs a complete overhaul and we have a
great chance to restructure."
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