WHUFC.com
Fans can head along to Thurrock FC on Tuesday night to see a Hammers XI in
action
03.10.2011
Ian Hendon is relishing the prospect of a tough test for a West Ham United
XI away to Thurrock FC on Tuesday evening. The development squad coach will
get to see how his combination of first-teamers and talented youngsters cope
with a crowd at the Ship Lane home of the Aveley club. The Hammers have a
good relationship with Thurrock, with the south Essex side allowing the club
to regularly train and play at their impressive ground. "Thurrock have been
very helpful with us in regard to letting us use the facilities there and I
know the youth team have used the pitch already this season," Hendon told
West Ham TV. "I think it will be nice to take a team down and play against
their first team. "Hopefully we will get good support and get a bit of
revenue in for Thurrock."
Hendon is hoping to have a "strong side" with plenty of options,
particularly in attack where fans could get to see the likes of Frederic
Piquionne, Freddie Sears, Elliot Lee and Brian Montenegro. The latter was
the star man in the development squad's last outing, a 4-4 draw at Dagenham
& Redbridge last Tuesday. Hendon said: "Brian has taken time to settle in.
He is having English lessons up and picking bits and pieces up. Last week he
was the shining light in the performance at Dagenham and scored a good goal
and created two others. "I am looking forward to the match. They are quite
entertaining games and we have a few good young players at the club who want
to show what they can do."
Kick-off is at 7.45pm with tickets priced at just £5 for concessions and £10
for adults. Accompanied Under-10s will be able to get in free of charge.
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Carew cheered by goal
WHUFC.com
John Carew is eyeing more goals after netting his first in West Ham United
colours at Crystal Palace
03.10.2011
John Carew is taking aim at npower Championship goals after getting off the
mark for West Ham United in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace. The
Norway international came off the bench to head George McCartney's cross
past Julian Speroni ten minutes from time, earning the Hammers a
well-deserved point. In fact, had Sam Allardyce's side not missed a
succession of first half chances, Carew and his team-mates would have taken
three points rather than one back to east London.
"We had so many chances and Julien [Faubert] had his best game of the
season. I think he was man of the match by far. He put about 20 amazing
crosses in during the first half alone and I would have loved to have been
out there to try and get on the end of them. "Of course, we were very
superior in the game in general, so it was at bit frustrating but at the end
of the day a point is a point."
Carew jets off on international duty with Norway this week, where he faces a
vital 2012 UEFA European Championship qualifier against Cyprus in Oslo, but
in the longer-term his target is to add to the goal he netted at Selhurst
Park. When asked if he would rather start games than appear as a substitute,
the 32-year-old insisted he would contribute in any way that he could. "I'm
just focusing on doing my best when I get on the pitch, being myself and
doing well, rather than just starting all the time. "Obviously you always
want to play as much as possible, but that's not my main focus."
A draw at Palace meant West Ham collected four points from their three
npower Championship matches last week - three from a victory over
Peterborough United and none from a home defeat by Ipswich Town. Carew
admitted that, while the Hammers are tipped by most to make an immediate
return to the Premier League, opposition teams are not simply going to roll
over. "In the Championship, we are almost like Manchester United are in the
Premier League. Everybody wants to get points off us and they will probably
raise their levels slightly and, instead of playing at 100 per cent, they
are playing at 110 per cent almost and better than their level.
"It's always a big challenge when you are the clear favourites and probably
the best team in the league. "I think the throughout whole season, when
teams meet us they tend to raise their game. It's something we have to cope
with. "It's a long season and I'm sure we'll just get better and better. The
players are getting fit and the new players are getting playing time. Papa
Bouba Diop also had a great game, so the new ones are starting to settle in
as well."
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Dagenham & Redbridge extend Oliver Lee's loan deal
BBC.co.uk
Page last updated at 17:30 GMT, Monday, 3 October 2011 18:30 UK
Dagenham & Redbridge have extended West Ham midfielder Oliver Lee's loan
spell for a third and final month. The 20-year-old ended last season on loan
with the Daggers, making five appearances as they were relegated to League
Two. Lee, who will now remain with the Daggers until 29 October, has made 11
appearances this season, scoring twice. He is the son of former Newcastle,
Hammers, Charlton Athletic and England midfielder Rob.
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Ilunga Donny-bound?
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 3rd October 2011
By: Staff Writer
Out-of-favour Herita Illunga is poised to join Championship rivals Doncaster
Rovers on loan, according to reports. The Congolese full-back has been
frozen out at West Ham by manager Sam Allardyce since the closure of the
summer transfer window, a situation that resulted from his refusal to join
Scottish club Celtic on temporary terms. Freshly-installed Doncaster manager
Dean Saunders is understood to have stepped in to resurrect Ilunga's career
and is said to be close to sealing a three-month loan deal for the
29-year-old, who was similarly dumped for the second half of last season by
Allardyce's predecessor Avram Grant. Ilunga has endured a topsy-turvy career
in east London since joining the Hammers on a season-long loan back in
September 2008. Less than four months after signing for Gianfranco Zola's
side - and having put in a number of eye-catching performances - Ilunga's
agent went public on his client's desire to land a permanent - and lucrative
- contract at the club.
"West Ham have the situation under control and are free to do what they
want," said his agent, Daniel Striani speaking at the time. "We have not
contacted other clubs who could be interested in signing him. But if they
don't make a move to convert his loan deal into a permanent one, then we
will adopt a different attitude."
Six months later - and in the wake of purported interest from fellow
Premiership outfit Liverpool - Ilunga was rewarded with a four-year
contract, tying him to West Ham, who paid former club Toulouse £2.4million
for his services until the end of the 2012/13 season. It also signalled the
end of his best days as a player, as his performances slowly began to get
more erratic and error-strewn as time passed. With Avram Grant installed as
Zola's replacement once the Italian had been given his marching orders in
May 2010, Ilunga lasted just six months before being dropped from the
Israeli's squad for the latter half of the 2010/11 season, with loanee Wayne
Bridge drafted in to replaced him.
Grant's exit after just one season presented him with another opportunity to
prove his worth - this time to Sam Allardyce. However horrendous errors in
the opening games of this season against Cardiff and Leeds prompted
Allardyce to hastily ditch Ilunga, who was replaced by loanee George
McCartney. The Congolese left-back's refusal to even discuss a loan move to
Celtic as the summer transfer window drew to a close was the straw that
broke the camel's back for Allardyce, who informed the former international
that he would no longer be considered for his first team squad. Having sat
on the sidelines for just over a month, it would appear that Ilunga has
finally agreed to a loan move in order to get regular first team football.
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The Terminator meets Mad Dog
KUMb.com
Filed: Monday, 3rd October 2011
By: Staff Writer
Here's an opportunity to spend an evening in the company of arguably two of
West Ham's 'hardest' ever players, Julian Dicks and Martin Allen. The
evening will also be hosted by another West Ham legend and respected TV
pundit, Tony Gale. This is a rare opportunity to see these West Ham legends
together. Tickets are very limited and numbers are restricted. On the 28th
October 2011, you will have the opportunity to hear stories from the legends
about their time at the club and their thoughts on what the club has to do
to get back where it belongs. This event is being held at Dagenham &
Redbridge Football Club, Victoria Road, Dagenham, Essex, RM10 7XL on Friday
28th October 2011 from 7.00pm for an 8.00pm start.
Tickets are £35.00 per person and include:
* Full waitress service Curry with Rice and sides¹
* Cash pay bar
* Q&A opportunity with the legends
* Raffle & Memorabilia Auction
* An opportunity for photos and autographs
¹ There will be a vegetarian option as well as food for non curry eaters.
Please inform us of any special requirements at the time of booking your
tickets.
Tickets can be purchased in tables of 10 or on an individual basis. All
individual tickets will be allocated to a table for the evening. You may
reserve tickets for the event by contact the organisers by email at
world.collectables@yahoo.co.uk or by calling 07783 704893.
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Gold eyes promotion
Co-owner expects Allardyce to take Hammers back up
Last Updated: October 3, 2011 10:00am
SSN
West Ham co-chairman David Gold has revealed he would be 'devastated' if Sam
Allardyce does not lead the club back into the Premier League this season.
Allardyce replaced Avram Grant over the summer after the Israeli failed to
keep the London outfit in the top flight. Gold has backed the former Bolton
man in the transfer market, allowing him to bring the likes of Kevin Nolan,
Matthew Taylor and John Carew to Upton Park. Under the 56-year-old the
Hammers have made a solid start to life back in the Championship, currently
sitting in fourth place with 18 points from their opening 10 games.
Surprised
Gold, who bought the club along with David Sullivan in January 2010, admits
he expects Allardyce to lead West Ham to promotion at the first attempt.
"I'd be devastated if this doesn't work, but also surprised," the
75-year-old told The Independent. "We all knew Sam from the TV, we all knew
the remarkable job he did at Bolton. Actually I was expecting a tough,
uncompromising 7ft 6in northerner, but in fact he's got charm and humility,
which I never saw on TV. "I know I can trust this man because I've seen all
four corners."
Gold also revealed his shock at the state of the Hammers' finances when he
took over the club last year, while also denying using the proposed move to
the Olympic Stadium to make money. The club beat Spurs to win the right to
move into the stadium in Stratford after the 2012 games - though Tottenham
are currently challenging the decision.
Crazy
"When I saw the figures, the mess they [the former owners] had got
themselves into...they had bad luck, with the banking crash, but they were
living well above their means," added Gold. "They were giving out
incredible, crazy contracts, pursuing a dream with no plan B, no contingency
for relegation. "I swear to you that it wasn't until we got into the club
that we realised the potential [of a move to the Olympic Stadium]. "At the
time it looked like being a pure athletics stadium. Then it emerged that the
OPLC (Olympic Park Legacy Company) would consider a football club if it
could find a way to retain the running track."
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Rovers to land Ilunga
Saunders to snap up Hammers defender
Last Updated: October 3, 2011 5:49pm
SSN
Skysports.com understands Doncaster are poised to sign West Ham defender
Herita Ilunga on loan. New Doncaster boss Dean Saunders has lined up a deal
for the full-back as he looks to bolster his defensive options. Ilunga has
found himself down the pecking order at West Ham with George McCartney
first-choice left-back under Sam Allardyce. The 29-year-old has not featured
in the Hammers first team since the shock Carling Cup defeat to Aldershot
and Sam Allardyce is thought to be willing to loan him out. Doncaster are
thought to have agreed a three-month loan deal for the left-back and he will
become Saunders' second signing after Pascal Chimbonda since his arrival as
manager.
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Lee extends loan stay
Last Updated: October 3, 2011 5:37pm
SSN
Oliver Lee has extended his loan stay at Dagenham & Redbridge into a third
and final month. Having spent two months on loan with the Daggers towards
the end of last season, the West Ham midfielder returned to Victoria Road on
August 5. Lee, 20, has played a key role in the club's midfield this term,
starting all 11 of their league games to date and scoring twice. He will now
remain with Dagenham until October 29, meaning the trip to Bristol Rovers on
the same day will be his final appearance before he returns to Upton Park.
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West Ham duo set for Doncaster switch
Published 22:30 03/10/11 By Alan Nixon
The Mirror
West Ham pair Freddie Piquionne and Herita Ilunga are ready to sign for Dean
Saunders' ambitious Doncaster Rovers in a loan deal. Piquionne is available
after falling out of Sam Allardyce's plans and is set to join the
Championship side. Left back Ilunga is also out of Allardyce's side since
the arrival of George McCartney and will talk to Rovers about joining them
on Tuesday. Both Piquionne and Ilunga want to play to put themselves in the
shop window and Saunders plans to bring them into a side that has picked up
seven points in three games since he took over. Saunders is still
negotiating with free agent El Hadji Diouf and as he aims to turn around
Rovers' season and drag them into the play-off positions.
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West Ham boss expects goals from 'temperamental' strikers
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Monday, October 3, 2011
4:04 PM
Hammers manager Sam Allardyce is looking for between 10 and 15 goals from
both Carlton Cole and John Carew this season if West Ham are to achieve
promotion.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is likely to stick to his lone striker formation
for the foreseeable future and that means trying to keep his 'temperamental'
group of strikers happy at the club. With Carlton Cole, John Carew, Freddie
Piquionne and Sam Baldock all vying for one place in the team at the moment,
Allardyce knows that it will be a juggling act for the rest of the season.
"The strikers are the most temperamental," said Allardyce with a smile.
"They are always moaning about something.
"When you bring them off it's 'I wanted to stay on' and if you don't bring
them off, it's 'I should have come off!' "They are the most temperamental,
but they have to live with the pressure of making sure that they are the
headliners, because the hardest thing to do is score a goal and if you don't
score a goal, you get slaughtered."
Carew replaced Cole on Saturday at Palace and headed his first goal in West
Ham colours 10 minutes from time to earn the Hammers a point. But it seems
that it is unlikely that we will see the striking pair playing together
anytime soon. "Eventually you think you might play them together, but I
think we are really looking at Baldock and Carew or Baldock and Cole," said
Allardyce. "At the moment we are functioning better in a 4-3-3 rather than a
4-4-2." The West Ham boss was certainly impressed by Carew's cameo role on
Saturday and he has a goal target, both for him and the rest of his team.
"We will be expecting John to score 12 to 15 goals this season and the same
for Carlton," he said. "We know how many players have got to score. "Kevin
Nolan's on song now because that is his third in 10 games which is his
normal stat from midfield which is very, very good. "Of course, we've got to
get Sam Baldock in the frame and scoring. "The other midfielders and then of
course, defenders on set-pieces to get the total we need to get promotion."
So far West Ham have notched 18 league goals.
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Freedman pleased with Palace after draw against 'long ball' West Ham
London 24
Michael Farrow, Crystal Palace correspondent
Monday, October 3, 2011
1:17 PM
Despite his team twice surrendering the lead, Crystal Palace manager Dougie
Freedman seemed happy with the result and his team's performance against
West Ham.
The draw leaves his side12th in the Championship table, but against a side
with far greater resources and who have yet to lose on the road this season,
a point is not to be sniffed at. "I thought 2-2 was a fair result on
reflection of the possession," freedman said. "Two teams, playing two
different ways; very much a physical powerful team in West Ham, knocking a
lot of balls into your box, against the team that we had with the guile, the
sharpness and the interchange to play and try to create chances. "I felt 2-2
in the end was a decent result for us."
Taking the lead in the sixth minute, Jonny Williams latched onto a Glenn
Murray flick-on with the youngster putting it on a plate for Darren Ambrose
to score his second goal inside a week, though West Ham pulled one back 10
minutes later through Kevin Nolan's close range shot. West Ham's physicality
was surprising for a team traditionally renowned for their artistry more
than their steel, with Papa Bouba Diop giving Williams extra attention.
Speaking of his youngsters, the Scot said: "One or two of them went into the
game as young boys and came out as men because it's a very powerful,
experienced side that knocked the ball long. "You've got to stand up against
them and I thought we did that so credit to them but that's part of the game
these days, you've got to learn to do that."
Seven minutes into the second half, Murray popped up 20 yards out after
great work on both sides of the ball by Wilfried Zaha. West Ham made changes
and brought on John Carew and Sam Baldock. The former profited from an
excellent centre from George McCartney and the veteran Norwegian striker
sent a bullet header past Julian Speroni on 80 minutes. "I felt that later
on in the game we started getting our passing going again, we were looking
even stronger physically, looking very strong in terms of running power," he
said. "Nothing's easy in this game; you've got to work even harder than you
were in the first half and believe in ourselves that we can get something."
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We're like Manchester United, says John Carew
Julian Bennetts
3 Oct 2011
Evening Standard
John Carew has warned his West Ham team-mates they are the side to beat in
the Championship. The striker scored his first goal for the club after
coming off the bench to grab a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace and then echoed
comments made by Mark Noble last week of the pressure the Hammers face. "In
the Championship, we are almost like Manchester United are in the Premier
League," he said. "I think that when teams meet us they tend to raise their
game. It's something we have to cope with. "Against Palace we were very
superior in the game in general, so it was at bit frustrating but at the end
of the day a point is a point." Palace boss Dougie Freedman praised his side
for standing up to the Hammers having twice led at Selhurst Park. "That was
a physical and powerful team that will definitely be top two or three," said
the Scot. "They put a lot of good balls into our box - but our lads stood up
to be counted."
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Irons quartet close to returns
Football365
Last Updated: 03/10/11 at 11:45 Post Comment
West Ham should be boosted by the return of Joey O'Brien, Winston Reid, Mark
Noble and Matt Taylor when they face Blackpool on October 15. Defenders
O'Brien and Reid (both hamstring) and midfield duo Noble (toe) and Taylor
(calf) were ruled out of Saturday's 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace. Boss Sam
Allardyce will also allow recent signings Guy Demel and Brian Montenegro to
build up their fitness in a friendly against MK Dons. "We've arranged a
behind-closed-doors game on Friday at MK Dons," said Allardyce. "The players
who have not played so much can get a full 90 minutes, have the weekend off,
get back together on Monday and wait for the internationals to some back to
prepare for Blackpool."
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West Ham boss admits interest in Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez
10:52am Monday 3rd October 2011
By Simon Mail »
Guardian Series
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has admitted he would be keen on bringing
troubled striker Carlos Tevez back to the club. The Hammers have not yet
made an official offer for Tevez but would be keen to bring him to Upton
Park if Manchester City decide to send him out on loan. Tevez, who scored
seven goals for the Irons four years ago, has been suspended after allegedly
refusing to come on as a substitute in City's defeat to Bayern Munich.
Allardyce said: "If he would like to join us and the chairman would like to
pay for it, yes. "Why wouldn't you want a top class player? I've worked with
some top class players in my time, some world class players who will win you
games when you least expect it. "And with a goal record like Tevez's – what
is it 29 goals in 51 games or 30 goals in 52 starts for City, why wouldn't
you want it? "The club hasn't made an official approach to City. I think
what might need to be thought about is to wait and see how the Manchester
City Carlos Tevez situation is resolved and then if he or the club feels a
loan situation might be the right idea, we would love to be in the frame."
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London 2012 Olympics: Treasury offers legal guarantee against removal of
athletics track
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jacquelin Magnay, Olympics Editor9:37PM BST 03 Oct 2011
Inspectors from the International Association of Athletics Federations were
given a signed legal document from the Treasury on Monday guaranteeing the
athletics track will be maintained at the Olympic Stadium regardless of
which football club move in after the 2012 Games. Officials from athletics'
world governing body are in London for a two-day visit ahead of their
decision next month on who will host the World Championships in 2017. London
is competing against Doha and it had been feared that the court battle
between West Ham and Tottenham over the future of the Olympic Stadium would
jeopardise London's chances. But sports minister Hugh Robertson yesterday
offered the IAAF a guarantee that no one will be allowed to remove the
athletics track. Robertson said: "We have now a letter of guarantee from the
Treasury solicitor that says the track will remain in the stadium in legacy
mode and all the indications are that that has now put that argument to
bed."
Tottenham have mounted a legal challenge against the decision to award
occupancy of the stadium to West Ham after the Olympics. They have won a
full judicial review on Oct 18 but are in negotiations with London Mayor
Boris Johnson over a £17 million deal which would see them drop their
opposition. Robertson warned yesterday that if no deal is agreed, the
Government could look at a range of options – including keeping the stadium
in Government control and simply awarding a lease – if forced to restart the
tender process. "It is becoming a slightly ridiculous dispute now,"
Robertson said. The legal challenge has provided an unseemly backdrop to
London's bid for 2017, especially following the failure of previous attempts
to host the championships. When asked if a Treasury guarantee would have
more impact than a Prime Minister's promise, a reference to the embarrassing
backdown to host the 2005 World Championships when Picketts Lock collapsed
in spite of then leader Tony Blair's personal guarantee, Robertson said:
"One has legal force, the other was personal... but [this time] they don't
have to take us on trust, they came here [to the Olympic Stadium] and they
put their feet on it".
Hours before the stadium visit, the IAAF delegation, led by vice-president
Bob Hersh, was met by Robertson who had deferred being at his party's
conference, Mayor Johnson and the chair of the Olympic Park Legacy Company
Margaret Ford. Robertson said he stressed that the legal issues would not
affect the status of having the track remain at the Olympic Stadium. "We
have assured the IAAF that there will be an athletics track at the stadium,
while the legal issue is about the process, and even if Tottenham Hotspur
win, and I am confident they won't, we will still have an athletics track,"
said Robertson. Locog chairman Sebastian Coe, who is also an IAAF executive
board member, said: "They went away with the guarantees they needed, we
didn't leave them in any doubt at all about the commitment to the stadium.
"We made a very strong case this morning and we will continue to make that
case, and it's a compelling case." Tottenham and Orient have claimed that
the £40 million loan provided by Newham Borough Council to the club is
illegal under European Union law.
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Ilunga departs West Ham for Doncaster on three-month loan deal
By SAMI MOKBEL
Last updated at 11:02 PM on 3rd October 2011
Daily Mail
West Ham defender Herita Ilunga has agreed to join Doncaster on a
three-month loan deal. The full-back featured in Sam Allardyce side's first
four Championship games of the season but has not played a league game
since. West Ham will pay the majority of Ilunga's £33,000-per-week wages to
facilitate the defender's move north. Meanwhile, Burnley have signed
Republic of Ireland under-17s captain Luke Gallagher on a two-year
scholarship deal from Dublin club Cherry Orchard.
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