WHUFC.com
Don Hutchison believes Jack Collison can follow in his footsteps and become
a regular goalscorer
12.06.2011
As a player, Don Hutchison forged a reputation for being a talented and
determined midfielder with an eye for goal. The Scotland international
netted 69 times in 524 appearances for club and country, including 17 in 110
matches during two spells with West Ham United. Fast-forward to the present
day and a fit-again Jack Collison is the pretender to Hutchison's throne as
the Hammers' goalscoring midfielder. The 22-year-old has scored five goals
in 52 games since making his debut at Arsenal on New Year's Day 2008 and is
more than willing to make probing runs beyond the strikers or arrive late in
the penalty area to get on the end of a team-mate's pass.
While his career has been disrupted by a serious knee injury that kept him
out of action for much of the 2010/11 season, Hutchison believes the Wales
international can make his mark - and get his name on the score-sheet
regularly - next term. "I think Jack is a fantastic young player," the
40-year-old told West Ham TV. "He had a bad injury last season and I know he
went through a bit of a bad time with his injury. "It's good to see him back
and it might be good for him. A season in the Championship might help
progress and help him to learn about the game. Everyone thinks they know the
game as a young boy, but it's not until you're 25 or 26 that you learn the
game. "Maybe a season in the Championship will be good for him."
Talking of the Championship, Hutchison is confident that the appointment of
Sam Allardyce as the club's 14th full-time manager should ensure that West
Ham's stay in the second tier is a short one. The former Liverpool, Everton
and Sunderland man also dismissed claims that the new boss will rely on
direct, unattractive football to guide the Hammers back to the Premier
League. "I think it's positive. I think Sam is a good appointment and I
think he's what West Ham need. He's a no-nonsense character and it's a shame
that he's been labelled as a 'long-ball merchant' because I don't think he
is that type. "Sam plays to his strengths and sometimes you have to do that
and I think this season is one of those times. This season, it's imperative
that we get out of the Championship and back into the Premier League. "It
doesn't matter which way we do it, it's going to be a hard task and
hopefully Sam will pull it off."
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That Was The Season That Was Part II
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 12th June 2011
By: Gordon Thrower
Gordon Thrower continues his look through the 2010/10 season. He's suffered
and now it's your turn....
December 2010
When we last left things we'd just beaten Wigan in a match that we were
promised would "Save Our Season". We then went on to beat Man Utd 4-0 in the
League Cup. Ok we're still bottom but with an away trip to Sunderland coming
up there's surely room for a spot of cautions optimism isn't there?
Especially as Wolves' 3-0 defeat to Blackburn gets us off the bottom of the
league in advance of our trip to the Stadium of Light.
We lose 1-0 at Sunderland and return to the bottom on goals scored. So much
for optimism.
Manchester City are next to visit the Boleyn. Manchester City are also the
next to leave with all three points with a 3-1 win, the low point being what
was effectively an og from Rob Green as a Toure shot rebounds off the post
and off the luckless 'keeper. James Tomkins nets a consolation header.
Rumours start to fly about in the newspapers, and also The Sun, that Grant's
future at the club is measurable in games rather than years, the number
being three. The message emanating from our old chum "an unnamed insider" is
that Grant has been told that unless he wins one of the next three matches
it'll be P45 time.
Our next attempt to win on the road for the first time since television was
in black & white involves a trip to Blackburn Rovers who have recently
parted company with Sam Allardyce about whom little has been heard of since.
The first clue that a transfer window may be about to open is spotted as
Valon Behrami realises how nippy it is and pulls up lame in the pre-match
warm-up. The comically-named Ruud Boffin, fresh from his role in "Carry On
Up The Laboratory" stands in for the injured Rob Green in goal as a Junior
Stanislas equaliser gains us a point at Ewood. Creditable though the point
is it's not enough to haul us off the bottom at Christmas which,
traditionally, spells relegation for the team concerned. Still, those of us
who like to clutch at straws point out that the one team to avoid the drop
having been bottom at yuletide did have a name beginning with the word
"West".
I spend Christmas Day under a duvet on the sofa at my parents' house
shivering with a bout of gastric flu and a temperature approaching that
found in the middle of the Large Hadron Collider when it's working at full
tilt, whilst the rest of my family have a good time over at my brother's
place. This, of course is of no real relevance at all for West Ham's season
but I just thought you ought to know how much I was suffering at the time –
in case what I remember of the next match was actually some fever-inspired
hallucination rather than a genuine occurrence.
I huddle under the duvet in front of the box as we win 3-1 away at Fulham.
Yes an away win. Really. This is such an unlikely occurrence that Steven
Hawking is forced to completely reassess his equations relating to how the
universe works. After a first goal in 5 years from Aaron Hughes gives the
home side an early lead, the space-time continuum is thrown into all sorts
of confusion as two goals from Carlton Cole either side of a Freddie
Piquionne volley give us three points on the road for the first time since
there was something decent to watch on the box on a Saturday night.
The four points thus far over Christmas aren't enough, however, to dampen
the rumours over Grant's future. The rumours continue to rumble in the
background much in the same manner as your correspondent's stomach is doing.
Buoyed by an away win we go on to take the lead against Everton against whom
a number of squad players are fielded. One of these, Radoslav Kovac, messes
up a scissors kick prompting a Tony Hibbert own goal. However, Herita Ilunga
hobbles off injured in the first half, never to be seen again amidst dark
rumours suggesting the player might not actually be quite as young as his
birth certificate suggests. Everton equalise through Seamus Coleman and
three points are turned into one once more in another "wine into water"
exercise.
The year ends with Grant confirming that Villa midfielder Steve Sidwell will
definitely be arriving in the first week of January 2011. Definitely.
January 2011
We start the New Year with our semi-decent form continuing, defeating fellow
strugglers Wolves 2-0 at the Boleyn. A comedy own goal from Wolves' Zubar
has us all in stitches as, deceived by Carlton Cole's failure to tap-in from
two feet the ball rebounds off the hapless defender and into the net from
three. A late Freddie Sears goal seals the points and lifts us up out of the
bottom three for the first time in four months.
We venture to the North-East full of confidence from the recent spell of
form. We return with that confidence shattered as all the good work of the
festive period is undone as Newcastle take all the chances they create as we
put in a performance that scores high on the gutless-o-meter. Matthew Upson
publicly apologises for the performance up at St James' Park. "Sorry" says
the skipper before adding "is my contract up yet?"
The rumblings over Grant's future get louder as we all notice that that
Sidwell chap appears to have got lost en route between Birmingham and E13.
It transpires that he's signed a permanent deal with Fulham. Karren Brady
makes suitable "we didn't want him anyway" noises in her weekly column in
The Sun.
Upson is on the bench as we play Barnsley off the park in the first half to
take a 1-0 lead in the 3rd round of the Cup. However, as is becoming
depressingly common, the second half is a different story and the visitors
give a good account of themselves before a late Piquionne second puts us
through to the 4th round. Post match, when asked to comment on the Sidwell
situation Grant has a dig at his boss saying "maybe I'll comment on it in my
newspaper column".
Having got rid of the Salford mob , we find ourselves in the semi-final of
the League Cup. Things are going well when we play Birmingham City off the
park in the first half. However, things turn ever so slightly pear-shaped in
the second half. City equalise and Obinna is sent off for a petulant
Beckham-esque kick out at Sebastiene Larsson. However the lead is restored
as Carlton Cole adds to his impressive list of comedy goal incidents. City
'keeper Ben Foster, clearly expecting a shot from Cole rather that the
complete cock-up that actually occurred somehow manages to let the ball
squirm into the net to give the Irons a slender lead to take into the second
leg. Cole's post-match interview is something of a revelation: "I didn't
strike the ball cleanly" Carlton helpfully informs us, adding "I think Ben
Foster helped carry it over". Really Carlton? D'ya think? Cole goes on to
cause apoplexy amongst lexicographers and English teachers up and down the
country by introducing the world to the new adjective "overchuffed" to
describe his emotions at the end of the match.
Lest we forget, the transfer window is still open and in comes 30 year-old
Wayne Bridge on loan from Man City to fill the problem left-back role.
Bridge is set to make his debut against Arsenal in a match that Sky are
claiming will definitely be Grant's last. Sky's David Craig (isn't he the
bloke who played James Bond?)(No, that was Sean Connery – ed) claims that an
unnamed insider within the club (yup him/her again) has sent him a text
saying that Martin O'Neill has been asked to take over. The rumours see the
odds on O'Neill plummet to 2/1 ON, despite The Guardian announcing that
their particular "senior board member" has advised them that Grant "won't be
sacked today".
Not only does nobody outside the club have a clue as to what's going on but
it appears that nobody inside has much of a clue either and the boardroom is
the one place leakier than our defence.
On the pitch we go down 3-0 at the Boleyn to Arsenal, Bridge having a 'mare
of a debut, including giving away a penalty in a performance described as
"the sort of thing you'd expect from someone who had spent the previous
night out on the tiles with a female member of a popular beat combo"
Meanwhile, Brady hits back at Grant in her Sun column claiming that she has
no involvement in team affairs. Brady goes on to attribute criticism of her
using her Sun column to air the club's dirty washing in public as "sexism".
Perhaps I should have used a metaphor other than the one relating to laundry
just then.
The confusion off the pitch continues. The Daily Telegraph claims that
Martin O'Neill is about to accept the manager's job whilst other rumours
suggest that Sam Allardyce is now also in the frame. Yeah like THAT would
happen. Sources close to O'Neill suggest that the Irishman is "furious" over
the way that his potential involvement has been leaked left right and centre
by persons within the club. O'Neill is later seen buying a barge-pole with
which he intends to not touch the job. As a result the board issue a
statement backing Grant. Notably, it's a statement that lacks any hint of
permanence.
In a busy month for Brady, she is next accused by the Daily Mirror of having
sent texts to players advocating the removal of Grant as boss. The club
angrily denies any such texts have been sent and m'learned friends in the
legal profession have a quiet word with the men in the Mirror.
It's also a busy month for m'learned friends in the criminal side of the
legal profession as Manuel DaCosta is formally charged with a common and
sexual assault charges over last year's trip to Faces.
A move to the Olympic Stadium becomes a little more likely, despite a late
bid by Tottenham to hijack the deal by coming up with a proposal that
involves demolishing the stadium and shoving athletics over to the National
Sports Centre at Crystal Palace. Nobody within athletics is overimpressed by
Spurs' promise to send over a few tins of Dulux to tart-up the crumbling NSC
stadium and the North Londoners hopes of moving somewhere a lot nicer are
dealt a further blow as Crystal Palace announce their own plans for the
venue.
Another hurdle is cleared (see what I did there) as Newham Council approves
the obtaining of a £40m loan to be granted to the joint venture company to
be set up by the club and the council to convert and run the stadium if the
deal is approved.
After all the furore about Grant, Brady and the Olympic Stadium it comes as
something of a relief to get back on the pitch as the side are denied
another away win by a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw up at Everton. Jonathan
Spector and Freddie Piquionne give us a 2-1 lead late on before yet more
shoddy refereeing from Peter Walton sees Piquionne dismissed for celebrating
a goal. The ten men can't hold out and Felliani's late equaliser leaves us
wondering once more what might have been.
More transfer news as the club seem set to sign Dember Ba in from
Hoffenheim. Ba, who had previously failed a medical at Stoke, looks like
coming in on loan. The club celebrates by offering free printing on all
shirts bearing the striker's name, a bout of generosity strangely absent at
the time the Hitzlsperger deal was announced.
Barry Hearn, never one to miss an opportunity to make a few bob, becomes the
latest person to try to profit from the Olympic Stadium move. Hearn moans
that a move to the Stadium by another club could put his lot out of
existence. A little bit like when Clapton Orient took over Leyton FC's
ground at Brisbane Road then. Hearne's stance is shown up for the quick-buck
grabber it is when it transpires that he has previously written to the
Olympic authorities giving his full backing for Spurs' plans to move there.
Funny that.
Meanwhile the shy, retiring Karren Brady makes a rare foray into the public
eye as a major row erupts at Sky Sports where Richard Keys and Andy Gray are
caught making sexist comments about female linesmen and Karen Brady on an
open mic. "Karren Brady? Do me a favour love" Keys is heard to moan shortly
before expressing astonishment that the female gender is actually allowed to
vote. "There'll be one in as Prime Minister before you know it" he
prophesises. Gray is sacked as other examples of sexist behaviour are
revealed and Keys eventually resigns.
It gets a bit busy on the transfer front. The Ba deal is put on hold whilst
some sort of insurance wrangle is sorted out. It is believed that half the
board want to use the service provided by the fat bloke that sings "Go
Compare" whilst the other half preferred the little telephone on wheels that
plays a tune. Meanwhile, O'Neil finally arrives at the Boleyn. That's Gary
rather than Martin (who has another "L" anyway. Or is it the other way
round?). The midfielder comes in on a permanent deal worth a reported £1.5m.
The second leg of the League Cup semi-final finally comes round and a really
good goal from Carlton Cole that contains absolutely no comedy elements
whatsoever puts us 3-1 up on aggregate. However Birmingham go all long ball
in the direction of freakishly tall forward Zigic and, aided by yet another
substandard Howard Webb performance, the home side end up 3-1 winners and we
have to look to the proper Cup for a hope of Wembley.
The hairy and bald combo of Keys and Gray turn up on the intelligence-free
zone that is TalkSport radio. Keys complains that he's tried to call Brady
to apologise for his remarks but that she wouldn't return his calls. Brady
points out that she was otherwise occupied – "perhaps I was doing the
washing up when he called" she quips, proving that Avram Grant is not the
only stand up comedian in the club.
Perhaps wary of getting on the wrong side of the missus, Paul Peschilolido
(that's Mr Karren Brady to you) claims that the deal whereby SuGo took over
the club was purely the result of his wife's genius.. Well that and SuGo's
money presumably.
Meanwhile things get even warmer on the move front. In a move that comes as
a surprise to absolutely nobody Valon Behrami's latest injury heals up
instantaneously the second the ink dries on the contract ratifying his move
to Fiorentina. The club strike out a deal with Spurs to take out of favour
Robbie Keane on loan until the end of the season on the proviso that we sign
him permanently if we stay up. Dember Ba finally completes his on-off deal,
the original loan arrangement becoming a permanent deal with payments
depending on how many appearances his dodgy knee allows him to make.
We return to FA Cup action and are slightly flattered by a 3-2 win over
Nottingham Forest who at one stage lead 2-1. Our goals come from an unusual
Victor Obinna hat-trick, his first being an accidental deflection from a
Mark Noble effort, his second being a Konchesky-esque mis-hit cross from the
ouchline and his third coming from the penalty spot.
Transfer deadline day finally comes and goes and the most notable event of
the day is the turning down of a £10m bid from Spurs for Scott Parker.
As usual a quiet January then.
February 2011
As is now the rule the club announces its 25 man squad for the rest of the
season. Benni McCarthy and Herita Ilunga both miss out and it appears that
they have both played their last matches for the club. It is reported that
McCarthy has been offered £1m and all the pies he can eat to cancel his
contract and go away. McCarthy refuses the deal saying "that's not enough
pies".
Some good news for Dean Ashton at last as the unlucky striker manages to
prise an "undisclosed amount" from the FA as an out of court settlement for
the injury that ultimately ended his career. The club's own claim for
compensation is still ongoing.
Victor Obinna's hot streak continues as the club make it two away wins in a
season, beating Blackpool 3-1 up at Bloomfield Road. Steven Hawking goes
back to the drawing board as Hammers move off the bottom once more. However
it's back to the bottom as Wolves beat Man Utd and we go down to a
disappointing 1-0 defeat at home to Birmingham despite dominating the 90
minutes.
Meanwhile there's more shenanigans as it is revealed that Julien Faubert –
once, lest we forget, of Real Madrid, is facing a fine for disappearing
during the defeat to Birmingham. No, I mean really disappearing, as in
leaving the ground. Although not selected for the original squad, a
pre-match warm-up injury to James Tomkins meant that there will be a spare
place on the bench. However, it transpires that Faubert has already left for
home, citing an unwell child in mitigation.
The Olympic Legacy people finally come to their long-delayed decision to
award the club the stadium after all the drug tests have finished in 2012.
It's not a good day for Spurs as Harry Redknapp inexplicably fails to
convince the courts that the tax evasion charges against him ought to be
thrown out despite giving his word that everything was above board and
legal. For some strange reason the courts prefer to believe that the
evidence supplied by HM Revenue & Customs at the very least demands an
explanation. That's one explanation rather than the three different ones
given so far.
An incredible match takes place at the Hawthorns.
A terrible first half defensive performance sees us go into the break 3-0
down with Winston Reid in particular looking for all the world as if he's
been plucked from the obscurity of, oh, say the New Zealand international
squad, and plonked straight into the Premiership. The second half is,
however, a different matter as goals from Ba (2) and Cole level the scores
to rescue a point .
Post match, it transpires that Avram Grant has left the half time team talk
to Scotty Parker, presumably on the grounds that all those funny stories and
jokes that SuGo went on about when they appointed him might just have been
deemed to be inappropriate at the time.
We take a night off from league woes to beat Burnley 5-1 to qualify for the
FA Cup quarter finals. The biggest news of the night is the long-awaited
debut of Hitzlsperger who gets the two biggest cheers of the night, the
first when his name is announced pre-match the second, when he puts away a
30 yard screamer at the Sir Trevor End. Carlton Cole adds to his comedy goal
tally by completely over-hitting his first touch of a Noble through ball
before sliding in the loose ball after the 'keeper fails to gather. Cole
then adds a second, though his dipping volley isn't nearly as funny as his
first. Winston Reid and Freddie Sears complete the scoring, Wayne Bridge and
Rob Green add to the comedy goals tally for the season by getting in a
tangle to gift Burnley a consolation.
Not so good news for David Gold who is taken to hospital with blood
poisoning. As a result he misses a cracker of a game as goals from Parker,
Ba and Cole give us a 3-1 win at home to Liverpool. It's arguably our best
performance in the league of the season and one that pumps up the mood of
optimism in the camp. It probably does Gold the power of good as well.
Steve Lomas is appointed as reserve team boss. The former player, who spent
the better part of nine years as a Hammer, replaces Alex Dyer who is off to
help another former Hammer, Chris Powell, at Charlton. Benni McCarthy also
has talks over a possible move to Charlton but once more is seen wandering
away muttering "that's not enough pies."
So February ends with the team through to the quarter finals of the Cup and
with a good win over Liverpool under the belt good times are just around the
corner.
Aren't they?
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In Case You Had Doubts About Diouf
June 13th, 2011 - 5:09 am by Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
On the flight from Sydney to Darwin I read Jamie Carragher's autobiography.
I thought you might be interested in his comments on Allardyce target (if
reports are to be believed) El Hadgh Diouf…
"The first concern I had about Diouf was his pace. He didn't have any."
"After a few training sessions with Diouf I'd have walked to Man City to get
Anelka back."
"Do you remember being at school and picking sides for a game of football?
We do this at Liverpool for five a side games. Diouf was 'last pick' within
weeks. 'You paid £10 million for him and no one wants him in their team,' I
shouted at Gerard (Houllier). 'Says it all'. He didn't react. He knew he'd
made a mistake."
"In all my years at Anfield I never met a player who seemed to care less
about winning or losing… His attitude disgusted me."
We don't want this lazy, rude, good for nothing player at West Ham. Is there
anyone out there who could disagree?
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Fiorentina Closing On Demba Ba Print for later?
Sunday, 12th June, 2011
Insidefutball.com
Fiorentina appear to be closing on the signature of Senegal striker Demba
Ba. According to Corriere dello Sport, La Viola look set to conclude an
agreement with Ba's current club Hoffenheim and the striker himself will
surely be attracted to the idea of playing in Serie A. Ba spent the second
half of last season on loan at then-Premier League outfit West Ham United.
But despite a series of impressive displays, the hitman was unable to halt
the Hammers' side down into England's second tier. That spell in England
however was enough to further burnish Ba's growing reputation and it is one
which Fiorentina certainly took note of. La Viola's snaring of Ba would be a
significant coup and the powerful Senegalese could be expected to flourish
in Serie A.
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Scott Parker 'holding out for Spurs transfer'
Metro.co.uk
Scott Parker is sitting tight and waiting for the chance to join Spurs,
despite West Ham receiving a transfer bid from overseas. Tottenham boss
Harry Redknapp had an offer for the England midfielder rebuffed last summer,
but the player has now been told he can leave Upton Park following the
Hammers' relegation. It was thought Redknapp would jump at the chance to
sign the Footballer of the Year, but he has not made a move yet. According
to the Sunday Mirror, the only bid West Ham have received since the end of
the season was from Fenerbahce. Parker rejected the chance to speak to the
Turkish champions, as he is not interested in moving abroad.
The 30-year-old's preference is to stay in London and join Spurs, but it
remains to be seen whether the White Hart Lane board is prepared to match
West Ham's £8 million valuation. Redknapp has been credited with an interest
in Real Madrid's Lassana Diarra and Everton's Jack Rodwell in recent days
and Tottenham's moneymen may decide it is better to go for a younger option
than spend a chunk of the transfer budget on a player with no resale value.
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Newcastle and Everton in fight for Hammers striker Ba
By COLIN YOUNG
Last updated at 11:01 PM on 12th June 2011
Daily Mail
Newcastle hope to fend off late interest from Everton to sign West Ham's
Demba Ba. The move will hinge on whether the striker, 26, can pass a
medical. Newcastle have swooped after Lorient's Kevin Gameiro joined
Paris-Saint Germain. Sportsmail revealed Everton's interest in Ba last
month, but it's believed he wants around £4m a year. The Hammers have
rekindled their interest in Everton striker Yakubu, 28, as Leicester are
struggling to meet his wage demands of £35,000 per week.
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