Reid ruled out
WHUFC.com
Winston Reid will miss the OFC Nations Cup as a precaution as he is nursing
a slight groin injury
30.05.2012
Winston Reid has been ruled out of the New Zealand squad for the OFC Nations
Cup with a groin injury. Reid has been carrying the injury since the end of
West Ham's promotion-winning season and New Zealand's potential schedule in
the Solomon Islands - five games in ten days - would risk further damage.
"It's disappointing to not have Winston joining us," said All Whites coach
Ricki Herbert. "He's a big part of our plans as we aim to qualify for the
World Cup in Brazil [in 2014]." Reid made 33 appearances for West Ham United
during the 2011/12 season, scoring three goals. The defender was injured on
his last appearance for New Zealand against Jamaica in February, suffering a
concussion that ruled him out for five weeks. However, the 23-year-old
returned to play a full part in the Hammers' npower Championship Play-Off
final victory over Blackpool at Wembley on 19 May.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Vaz Te looking forward
WHUFC.com
Ricardo Vaz Te cannot wait for next season to start
29.05.2012
Ricardo Vaz Te says he is looking forward to life in the Premier League with
West Ham United. The Hammers' Play-Off final hero cannot wait to challenge
himself in the Premier League once more and the opportunity to ply his trade
in the top flight was one of the main reasons he moved to east London. With
Season Ticket sales already on the up, Vaz Te is looking forward to dazzling
the Boleyn Ground faithful with more goals next season. "From the beginning,
when I joined here, the goal was to get promoted," he told whufc.com. "So we
have done that and I am looking forward to what that challenge will bring
for us. It is an exciting time for everyone at the club. "You can see it
meant a lot to everyone here and the fans. It has been said many times but
it is the truth, they deserve for the club to be in the top league. We have
around 30,000 at all our home games. They are there with us and we will be
doing everything we can to do the best we can next season again. If I can be
a part of that, it will make me happy."
Vaz Te capped off a memorable few months at the club since arriving from
Barnsley in the January transfer window by scoring the winner at Wembley in
the 2-1 victory against Blackpool. But while he will enjoy a short summer
break, his thoughts will soon turn to what is needed for next season. "I
will go away now and have some time, like we all will and then make sure I
am ready. I am confident I can score more goals next season. I have
confidence in my own ability and I am looking forward to the challenge that
being in the Premier League brings. "I have to make sure I am ready when the
opportunities come and make sure I am there to take them."
With several new signings expected over the summer, the Portuguese
midfielder knows there will be greater competition for places and it is up
to all the players to work hard to earn their place. "I am very thankful to
have been part of this so far and I will be working hard to get into the
team, because it will be hard. I think for all of us it is about reflecting
now then looking to build on this moment and take it into next season with
confidence. "Nothing is easy, but we will work hard to try to achieve our
best."
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Hammers in double swoop
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are hoping to make their first signings since returning to the
Premier League with the capture of Sunderland defender George McCartney and
Blackburn striker Yakubu. Sam Allardyce, keen to boost his squad as early as
possible has instructed his employees to bid for the Nigerian international
and tie up a permanent deal for Irish defender McCartney, who spent last
season on loan at the Boleyn Ground. The Hammers are thought to have offered
£1.2million for the much-travelled Yakubu who arrived in England back in
2003 when joining Portsmouth - since when he has featured for Middlesbrough,
Everton, Leicester and Blackburn who were relegated from the Premier League
at the end of the 2011/12 campaign.
Just 48 hours ago a 'source' close to the African striker said: "Yak has his
heart set on staying in the Premier League so it looks likely that he will
be off this summer.
"He was really saddened by what happened at the end of the season because he
had a great rapport with the [Blackburn] fans, but he is certain that he is
still a Premier League striker and hopes that a deal will be done that suits
all parties."
Meanwhile McCartney, who is currently contracted to Sunderland is expected
to sign on a free transfer. Speaking after West Ham confirmed their return
to the Premier League, the Irish international said: "Of course I would like
to be here next year. "I have regrets about leaving a few years ago and I
have got the opportunity to come back and things have gone really well. So
hopefully in a few weeks' time when everything has settled down, we can sort
something out."
We'll have more on these stories as details emerge.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Season ticket row: common sense prevails
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have written to long-term season ticket holders to confirm
that they ARE entitled to an immediate 20 per cent discount. Last week
KUMB.com revealed how a number of loyal supporters had been angered by the
club's decision not to award them the discount promised to those who had
held a season ticket for five consecutive seasons leading up to the
forthcoming campaign. However the club have today contacted supporters who
wrote to them to complain in order to confirm that they WILL be able to
claim the full 20 per cent discount off next year's season ticket - instead
of the five per cent over the next four years that was previously offered.
In the letter, received by a number of fans this morning, the club refuted
suggestions that they had acted improperly by refusing to confirm whether or
not the full 20 per cent discount would be available this season. "We
reiterate our previous belief that the club has acted in a transparent way
and has not refused to honour the 20 per cent discount," it stated. "We have
made an offer to pay this amount over a period of time – a solution which
would significantly strengthen the club's current position as we enter the
Premier League. "We acknowledge that this may not be economically possible
for every supporter and if you feel you require the ability to receive the
full 20% in 2012/13 then please call the ticket officeto discuss and action
with a member of our team."
The club's also refuted allegations that they had been aware of the promise
of a discount made by the previous administration in 2009. "For clarity,
there is some suggestion that the club has been aware of this offer for some
time – this is categorically not the case," the letter stated. "This issue
was not declared to the current owners as a liability in the course of the
sale agreement in January 2010."
Those supporters who are entitled to the 20 per cent discount and who have
already paid the full rate for their 2012/13 season tickets are also advised
to contact the ticket office should they wish to claim a part refund.
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Hearn's cheeky Stratford bid
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
Leyton Orient are set to approach West Ham United with view to
ground-sharing the Olympic Stadium, according to reports. The League One
club, whose outspoken Chairman Barry Hearn has been against West Ham's move
to Stratford since it first emerged that the club were hoping to move across
the borough have intimated that they are set to approach United with the
offer imminently. According to a report by David Smith in tonight's Evening
Standard, Hearn will "seek talks" with West Ham's co-chairman David Gold and
David Sullivan in an attempt to shoe-horn his club into the deal. Meanwhile
a 'source' told the Standard: "It ticks all the boxes. Why not ground-share?
It already happens all over the world."
However given Hearn's vocal opposition to West Ham's move, it is unlikely
that any offer will be considered by co-owners Sullivan and Gold, who were
told recently that they were "overwhelmingly likely" to be awarded tenancy
of the stadium by London mayor Boris Johnson. Despite last week's deadline
day for bids being delayed by eight weeks, Johnson saw no reason why that
would hurt West Ham's bid for use of the stadium. "I don't think we should
read too much into this," he said. "It is very important to get all the
legal nails hit squarely on the head so that the thing does not come
unstuck. That is taking a bit of time. "I still think it is overwhelmingly
likely that there will be a footballing solution and that would be a good
thing. But It is very important that it should be legally watertight. "This
is a major piece of public infrastructure with big state aid implications
that we are trying to transfer to commercial concerns and that is always
going to evoke very complicated legal problems."
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Sympathy? You must be joking
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2012
By: Paul Walker
I must admit, I never thought there would come the day when I felt sorry for
Sheffield United or Tottenham.
And I was right! That day has not arrived, although for just one or two
seconds I did feel a touch of sympathy for two clubs we have had more
problems with off the pitch than on it over recent years.
I am not the sort of fan who spends any time abusing rival supporters, I'd
rather spend all my energies concentrating on my own players, and I do hate
the chants and songs which are just aimed at goading opponents.
The " your support is f……s…", or the one that tells rivals how much we hate
being in their town. And then there is the anti-Semitic stuff - racism in
effect - that gets aimed at Spurs fans. Surely we can be above all this.
But there's still a section of our support who sing the 'running round
Tottenham' rubbish and believe it is acceptable. I sat on the tube to
Wembley with a lovely family from Blackpool, with three wide-eyed kids on
their first trip to London, feeling utterly embarrassed as our fans belted
out the anti-Spurs stuff.
For heavens sake, sing about us, not our rivals. Enough said, you know who
you are!
However, the ill-fortune that has fallen on Sheffield United and Spurs at
the end of the season did make me feel that "what goes around comes around"
is an apt view.
Actually, I don't have issue with rank and file fans at either club. They
are just like us, they love their club, they believe the party line stuff
that gets pushed out on club websites and they want what we want. Success on
the pitch.
I have a couple of Spurs fans as mates, they are quite human really, and one
even texted me on the way to Wembley wishing us luck in the play-off Final.
And I managed to reply a few hours later after the dust had settled on
Wembley and Munich, that it is very wrong that the sixth-placed Premier
League club, Chelsea, should be in the Champions League ahead of fourth
placed Spurs.
And I felt sorry for Steve Simonsen, the Sheffield United 'keeper who missed
the decisive play-off penalty shoot-out spot kick that saw Huddersfield
promoted and not the Blades. I've met the lad a few times, and you couldn't
wish for a nicer young man.
But that is where the sympathy ends. I have real issues with the hierarchy
and senior management of both clubs, who have done their utmost to damage us
as a club and business.
Sheffield United first. We are still paying them £5million a year (how much
longer?) following the Tevez arbitration of 2008, and I am tempted to ask
just what we have got for our money, so badly have the Blades fared since!
|I would have liked the TV cameras to have dwelt just a little longer on the
face of their chairman Kevin McCabe after that shoot-out disaster at Wembley
that condemned the Yorkshire club to another season in the third tier of
English football.
They are £32million in debt despite the £20million they have already had
from us, have spent £15million in the last two seasons and are now facing
severe cuts, including sacking Simonsen this week.
McCabe and his mates - including various past sports ministers, senior MPs
and third rate actors - manipulated the Tevez situation and wanted to put us
out of business. The Premier League voted that we had been punished enough
with the £5.5million fine, the High Court would not back the Blades and only
the FA's independent arbitration hearing under that geriatric Lord Griffiths
agreed with McCabe's lot.
We were severely punished for what most in football thought was a technical
offence, the Premier League were more bothered about us deceiving them
rather than the debatable detail of a contract that never actually came into
operation.
We deserved to be punished. But not almost put out of business by McCabe and
his chancers. In the end we were the victims of an FA who was at war with
the Premier League and wanted to make a stand against the all-powerful top
flight.
So I have had no sympathy with Sheffield United's plight, and hope they
enjoy their trips to Crawley, Shrewsbury and Swindon next season.
Now Spurs. The north London club reckon they will lose £40million by being
excluded from the Champions League. They could also lose top players not
overjoyed with the prospect of playing in the Europa League.
Van der Vaart, Modric,Bale and even our beloved 'arry could go. Redknapp was
even linked with Chelsea last week.
I won't be crying over any misfortune that is suffered at White Hart Lane.
Their management have gone to extraordinary lengths to ruin our business
plan and the possible move to the Olympic Stadium, pushing legality to the
limits.
They have employed people who have sunk to the depths of the dark arts of
surveillance, stealing phone records and running personal checks on everyone
of the committee that was considering the Olympic Stadium legacy.
Spurs did not want Stratford, they were just desperate to sabotage any
attempts by us to progress and grow and find a ground that could accommodate
our 50,000 plus fans who went to Wembley.
Whether you like the idea of moving to the Olympic Stadium or not isn't the
point, but Spurs were trying to damage us as a club, which was inexcusable.
So any misfortune that falls their way should be a deluge in my view.
I had a bet with one of my Spurs mates before last season that they would
never play in the Champions League again. Could be I will be right. As for
the Blades, they might just have cut their own throats.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Player Reviews 2011/12 - Part 3
Vinny 3:02 Wed May 30
West Ham Online
Player Reviews 2011/12 – Part 3
To View last season's Part 3, go to:
http://web.archive.org/web/20110702012056/http://westhamonline.net/article.p
hp?5540007
Forwards
John Carew
On August 6th 2011 the club announced the signing of John Carew who had been
released by Aston Villa a few months previous.
He made his debut in the 2-2 draw at home to Leeds United when he came on as
a substitute after 66 minutes. First reactions to him was of course how tall
and strong he is although a few days later in the league cup game at home to
Aldershot Town you could really get the sense of just how slow he was.
His first goal for the club came away at Crystal Palace when he came on for
the final quarter of the game and scored the equaliser late on.
Carew was then rewarded with a start against Blackpool in the following game
where for me he was the best player on the pitch as we ran out 4-0 winners.
He scored the first goal and I gave him my man of the match award, stating:
"He was simply unplayable. Blackpool couldn't get near him and but a selfish
moment which denied Baldock his hat trick, this was perfect performance."
He started the next few games but found himself taken off in every one of
them. His final two starts (away at Hull and Coventry) saw him removed on
both occasions at half time.
This would really be all from John Carew and he did nothing again of note
for the remainder of the season. He made no other impact on the league
season and when we did see him come on as a sub (which was rare) he looked
as though he was a former footballer who was in his forties or fifties and
had returned to play a game for charity.
I cannot believe he is only 32 because the man cannot run. Maybe it is his
frame, maybe it is fitness or maybe he just turned dog shit as he got older
but the man clearly cannot play football at a decent standard anymore.
With Vaz Te and Maynard signing in the January transfer window he fell down
the pecking order and with his contract expiring in the summer it has been
announced that he is to be released which comes as little surprise.
Earlier this year he was declared bankrupt following a petition by HM
Revenue and Customs. His off field problems may have contributed to his lack
of interest on it but I would suspect he was a good wage and with that being
the case the signing of Carew can be considered a bit of a flop.
Apps: League 7 + 11Sub Cup 2
Goals: 2
Bookings: 1
Verdict: Never had the desire and certainly does not have the quality.
Freddie Sears
It is easily forgotten that the first game of the season against Cardiff
City Freddie Sears was in the starting line-up. He had done well in
Pre-Season and scored the winner against FC Copenhagen and also scored in
the home game against Real Zaragoza.
His performance against Cardiff didn't fill me with too much confidence and
he was taken off later in the game.
This wasn't to be his last involvement as he was still in and around the
first team squad and made another start in the League Cup game against
Aldershot. Playing again on the wing I thought he did better than most on
the pitch and actually thought he was our best player on a dismal night.
Sears was coming on as a second half sub frequently with his best cameo away
at Brighton in the 1-0 win where he looked positive and helped us in the
second half when we needed an outlet.
He started the game at home to Bristol City in the 0-0 draw but with us
struggling he was again taken off.
His final start of the season and involvement with the West Ham team was
away at Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup where he was poor like most of the
team.
Not long after he was shipped out on loan to League One side Colchester
United where he has started five games, came on as sub six times and scored
2 goals.
Having signed a five year contract in 2008 he still has another year to run
at West Ham but can anyone see him making an impact or getting any sort of
look in if he remains at the club? He needs to move on for the sake of his
career as he just doesn't have the ability to make it at the top level.
It hasn't helped him that no manager apart from Alan Curbishley wanted to
play him as a striker which is where he made a name of himself at youth and
reserve level. He scored a staggering amount of goals at that level in the
striking position but has always been used as winger in the main under Zola,
Grant and now Allardyce.
Whilst it hasn't happened for Sears we will always recall that day in March
2008 when he made his debut against Blackburn with the score at 1-1. It was
a wonderful moment when he scored the winner as a 17 year old on his first
senior start and whatever will happen in his career he will always have that
and I'm sure we will remember that goal for a few more years.
Apps: 2 + 8 Sub Cup 2
Brian Montenegro
Brian from Montenegro? No, Brian Montenegro. From Paraguay. Signed from
Deportivo Maldonado who are from Uruguay.
18 year old Montenegro was a fairly low risk loan signing who I don't
believe was ever brought here to play first team football during the season
and was brought in to have a look at a promising young player.
He did make his debut for the club in the FA Cup game at Sheffield Wednesday
as he came on a late sub but he did nothing of particular note.
He started 12 games for the development squad and scored 7 goals which
wasn't a bad return.
According to the match programme for the Cardiff Play Off 2nd Leg it states
on page 83 that according to development squad manager Ian Hendon that
Montenegro will be an important member of the development squad next season
so I presume he will be staying on for another season's loan or signing
permanently.
Apps: Cup 0+1 Sub
Frederique Piquionne
I thought he was pretty abysmal in the second half of last season and with
no one willing to sign him given that he must be on a tremendous wage he
started the season at the club as one of our main strikers.
Piquionne indeed began the season in the starting line up as he took his
place up front on his own against Cardiff. He struggled to get anything
going although this wasn't entirely his fault given the way we were just
lumping balls towards him.
It was clear though even at this stage that Piquionne would not be the
answer to our goal scoring problems that we had endured the previous
campaign.
Piquionne has a terrible goal scoring record and has only hit double figures
in a season once in the last nine seasons and that came at St Étienne in
2004/05 season.
Having made little impact in the opening couple of games as a starter he
tended to come off the bench to play cameo roles over the next few weeks.
He was sent off after only a few minutes having come on as a sub against his
former club Portsmouth in an the ball incident with Greg Halford.
He managed a start at home to Bristol City on 1st November but as the game
finished 0-0 and the focus was on us not taking our chances he was dropped
again.
Piquionne did make an impact when he came on against Coventry City on 19th
November as he and Carlton Cole changed the game and Piquionne actually
managed to score the winner as the Coventry defender planted his header
against Piquionne who was falling on the floor and the ball went over the
line.
He came on early in our next game (20th minute) against Derby County and won
a penalty which Mark Noble converted as the game finished 3-1.
This decent form saw him gain a start in the Tuesday night game at
Middlesbrough where he was largely excellent and scored the first goal with
a terrific header from a Matthew Taylor cross.
But then a really lacklustre performance away at Reading saw his form dip.
You could argue that he was unlucky here as the reason we lost this game was
due to our discipline deserting us as we had two players sent off.
Allardyce persisted with him at home to Barnsley, and away at both
Birmingham and Derby. Average displays and most importantly no goals clearly
displayed the need to go and bring in some firepower during the January
transfer window and with Nicky Maynard and Ricardo Vaz Te signing this was
the end for Piquionne.
He was sent out on loan in January to fellow Championship club Doncaster
Rovers and scored a wonderful goal on his debut. He scored one other goal
for Doncaster in March as they lost 3-1 to Birmingham and they were
relegated.
With a year left on his contract he remains at the club and if he is
stubborn he will remain here as he is likely to be on a wage that no one is
going to pay him given his poor form of recent years, lack of goals and age
(33).
Apps: League 8+11Sub Cup 1
Goals: 2
Bookings: 2
Sent Off : 1 (vs Portsmouth home)
Verdict: Doesn't score enough goals and never has in his career. Would be
positive for all concerned if he would leave in the summer.
Sam Baldock
It has seemed as though we had tried to get every striker available to come
to the club but one after another refused so we were left with the end of
list players such as Sam Baldock. I don't mean this as disrespect to Baldock
but his signing seemed liked a bit of a desperate move and not one which
would solve our issues up front.
Baldock had done well for Milton Keynes Dons in League one at the start of
the season and had played four league games and scored four goals. He had
also played two cup games and scored in each of them also. Clearly he was a
player with something and he excited the West Ham crowd early on with his
speed and willingness.
He made his debut away at Millwall coming on as a sub and his full debut in
the 1-0 home defeat to Ipswich Town.
He started against in our next home game against Blackpool and put in a
terrific performance and scored two goals in the process. He took the goals
well, was hard working, quick and effective throughout.
His performance away at Southampton was largely uneventful and he was
dropped for the following game at Brighton but reinstated for the next game
which was at home to Leicester City and for the second concecutive home
match he would score two goals.
It seemed to me at this time that we had a real poacher on our hands and
Baldock would be the one to get those goals from inside the six yard box.
You could say, even know that he is the most natural poacher we have at the
club.
Two games later we went away to Hull City and he opened the scoring in the
second half with a goal again from inside the six yard box.
This game too place on 5th November 2011 and this sadly was to be his last
goal all season. He picked up a injury at the end of November which kept him
out for a month.
He came back and made a start at home to Coventry on 2nd January and stayed
in the team away at Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup where he had a decent
game but missed a penalty in the second half and we eventually lost.
Faith was kept in him by Allardyce in our next home game against Nottingham
Forest on 21st January but Baldock was ineffective and taken off in the
second half. This would be his last start of the season.
He was not on the bench for a number of games, an unused substitute for many
and he came on a few times with no great effect. He should have scored up at
Burnley when he and Maynard came on and changed the game in terms of how we
were playing.
I was even calling for him to be in the first team after that game but
Allardyce kept with his system.
Baldock did not even make the bench for the Play Off Final which I am sure
disappointed him greatly and although he is popular with the supporters it
would seem to me that Sam Allardyce isn't a massive fan of his and I am not
sure that he will be getting a chance in the coming season to show us what
he can do.
I suspect he will be sent out on loan or perhaps even sold.
Apps: League 10+13Sub Cup 1
Goals: 5
Bookings: 1
Verdict: Looked good at times but once he got injured and lost his place he
couldn't get it back again.
Frank Nouble
Despite much promise it has never happened for Frank Nouble at West Ham. He
has played under a few managers and has come in when we have been short up
front and never disgraced himself but with other options always available he
has been continually shipped out on loan to lower division clubs.
This season was no different even though we had dropped a division and had
only three senior strikers available as the season began.
He did come on as a sub in the League Cup defeat against Aldershot Town but
despite being a willing runner he was isolated and had little support.
Nouble was shipped off on loan to League Two side Gillingham on 15th
September and he did well there and ended up spending three months with them
scoring 5 goals in 12 games. He came back to West Ham on 17th December.
Totally out of the blue he was given a place in the starting line-up for the
away game at Derby County on 31st December. Allardyce gave him his chance
and he took it as he scored his one and only goal for the club in a 2-1
defeat.
He was allegedly subject to a bid from Crawley Town in January which was
accepted by West Ham but the move was rejected by the Nouble.
Despite scoring against Derby he was dropped for the following game against
Coventry although he was on the bench. His last appearance in a West Ham
shirt came away at Ipswich Town as we were smashed 5-1.
In March 2012 he was sent out on loan again, this time to Barnsley. He
started five games but did not score any goals.
It was announced at the end of the season that his contract will not be
renewed and he will be leaving the club on its expiry.
He came with a bit of hype but ultimately Nouble hasn't been good enough and
I would think his career will be based in the lower ends of the football
league.
Apps: League 1+2Sub Cup 0+2Sub
Goals: 1
Nicky Maynard
Signed in the January transfer window 25 year old Maynard came to the club
with a reputation for scoring goals at Championship level having done well
with Bristol City in previous seasons.
He signed for an undisclosed fee on a 2 and half year contract.
Maynard made his debut against Southampton at Upton Park as he came on as
sub and nearly opened the scoring with a good effort which was saved.
He made his full debut away at Blackpool in a terrific 4-1 victory and
scored his first goal for the club in this game.
He was also in the starting eleven for the away trip to Leeds United
although he missed a couple of excellent chances and was taken off after 55
minutes.
Maynard would get another chance at home to Middlesbrough but then was
dropped and only made sub appearances in the next three games.
But against Barnsley at Oakwell he was back in the first team and scored a
fantastic goal in a superb 4-0 victory. It was a real classy finish from a
player who does have a knack for scoring.
He was poor in the following game at home to Birmingham and was taken off at
half time and he would not start again for the rest of the season. This was
partly down to Carlton Cole finding his form and Maynard would be restricted
to appearances from the bench.
On one such appearance in the Play Off Semi Final 1st Leg against Cardiff he
scored the third goal in a 3-0 win with a well taken finish.
Maynard looks a decent player and whether he can make the step up remains to
be seen but he clearly is able to finish and hopefully he will rise to the
challenge of the Premiership.
Apps: League 9+7 Sub
Goals: 3
Bookings: 1
Verdict: We haven't seen too much of him but he has done well enough in his
few appearances and we will see more next season.
Robert Hall
18 year old Hall has come through the club's youth system and made his
breakthrough into the first team with a league debut away at Derby County on
New Years Eve. He looked dangerous when he came on as he went out wide and
attempted to showcase his quick feet and skill.
He did the same away in the cup against Sheffield Wednesday when he came on
as sub and looked a tricky customer.
A couple more sub appearances all pointed to a promising player but with
others ahead of him he was sent out on loan for the third time during the
campaign, this time to MK Dons where he only made two sub appearances.
His loan moves earlier in the season were both to Oxford United where he
received more playing time and scored 6 goals in 11 appearances.
I hope he is given a chance to play at some point during the season as
everything I have seen from him so far points to a very good player in the
making.
Apps: League 0+3 Sub Cup 0+1 Sub
Ricardo Vaz Te
Signed on January transfer deadline day for an undisclosed fee on a two and
half year contract, Ricardo Vaz Te has been nothing short of brilliant.
Having already scored 10 league goals in 12 starts for Barnsley it was clear
he was in goal scoring form but even I have been surprised at the impact he
has made since signing for the club.
He ended the season having scored 12 goals in just 16 starts for the club.
His first came away at Blackpool in the 4-1 win.
His late equaliser against Watford at Upton Park ensured we came out with at
least a point. He came off injured in the following game against Doncaster
after just 24 minutes when he was looked incredibly dangerous.
He made it back in the team for the game at Peterborough United where he
opened the scoring with a header and in the next game against Reading he
would also score with his head.
Vaz Te went back to former club Barnsley in the next game and scored the
fourth goal and in the Easter Monday clash with Birmingham City he would
score again with his head and would even get another as his late penalty saw
us grab a point.
It would of course be the following game at home to Brighton which would be
his masterpiece as he scored three goals in an epic 6-0 victory. His first a
powerful shot which the keeper didn't see, the second a brave header at the
back post and the third, a magnificent scissor kick to complete the hat
trick.
A brilliant finish against Cardiff at Upton Park saw us book our place at
Wembley for the Play Off Final and with three minutes remaining on the clock
he was on hand to slam the ball into the roof of the net and send us into
the Premiership.
Ricardo Vaz Te has been a fantastic signing. He is exciting to watch,
skilful, has the ability to make things happen and most importantly – he
scores goals.
Apps: League 16+2Sub
Goals: 12
Bookings: 1
Verdict: A big challenge for him to step up but I believe he can do it and
he has been fantastic for the club since signing.
Carlton Cole
Well here we are again reviewing Carlton Cole. It seems as though he has
been here for an age and in fact he has been with the club since 2006.
He is a player who divides fans with many disliking him more than any other
player and others who see what he can bring to the club.
Then there are people like myself who take Carlton Cole for what he is and
what he always has been which is a striker who will get you a few goals,
have a few good games, have a few bad ones but overall he gives his all for
the team.
Criticising Carlton Cole for being lazy is just that – a lazy criticism
which holds no merit. The same was said about Harewood, Wanchope and
Kanoute.
Cole has again finished top scorer and has come out with 15 league goals.
His form before the Christmas period was satisfactory for me but he did not
score enough goals when the new year hit and he went through a poor run of
form.
Cole would go on a terrible run after scoring against Millwall and would not
score again in any of the next eleven games. Granted he did not start all of
these and rarely played the full 90 minutes but this was a very poor run at
a time in the season where we needed our best striker in form.
Cole has that knack of bringing the ball down expertly but then fails to
play a pass to a team mate two feet in front of him which is extremely
frustrating.
From the Reading home game onwards he did find that form and Cole scored 6
goals in his next 8 games.
One of those goals would of course come in the Play Off Final as he put in
an excellent display and opened the scoring.
His form near the end of the season was really encouraging with his display
away at Cardiff in the semi-final being the pick of the bunch.
Carlton Cole has hit double figures in each of last four seasons (in all
competitions). He scores around the same amount of goals each season
(between 10 and 15) and I have no doubt that he will do it again in this
coming Premiership season because that is what Cole offers.
He is not a world beater; he never has been and never will be. Carlton Cole
is not Didier Drogba.
What startles me is that certain supporters cannot work this out yet. You
would think they would have figured this out by now. He's only been here six
years.
If West Ham could go out and buy better strikers than Carlton Cole then we
wouldn't even be talking about him. But we can't, and we won't and Carlton
Cole will again lead our strike force next season.
Apps: League 30+12Sub
Goals: 15
Bookings: 7
Verdict: Top scorer again. Double figures again. It's always the same thing
with Cole and this is something that certain supporters need to accept.
So that concludes the Player Reviews for season 2011/12.
Thanks for reading.
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Exclusive: Hearn confirms Leyton Orient will approach West Ham over Olympic
Stadium ground-share
London 24
Tom Moore
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
1:52 PM
Leyton Orient will make a bid to ground-share with West Ham in the Olympic
Stadium, chairman Barry Hearn has confirmed. Reports had suggested that they
were set to approach the Hammers over a ground-share and the O's chairman
said "Yes, it's true." Hearn will seek talks with West Ham owners David Gold
and David Sullivan over the move, which would mean two London clubs sharing
a stadium on a permanent basis for the first time. In recent years Crystal
Palace and Wimbledon have shared Selhurst Park before the Dons collapsed.
Fulham played at QPR's Loftus Road while Craven Cottage was being
redeveloped and West Ham and Charlton groundshared briefly but all sides
have since returned to their own stadium.
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QPR will stump up £50k-a-week to persuade Green to cross capital
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 09:44, 30 May 2012 | UPDATED: 09:44, 30 May 2012
Daily Mail
Queens Park Rangers are willing to pay England goalkeeper Rob Green
£50,000-a-week to switch from east London to west. The West Ham stopper's
wage demands are stalling a new deal at his current club and the 32-year-old
would be interested in working under Mark Hughes. QPR's boss wants to
toughen his side up at the back following a close shave with relegation and
Green fits the bill, with current keeper Paddy Kenny a target for Neil
Warnock at Leeds. If Green does make the move across the capital, Allardyce
will turn to his former goalie at Bolton, Jussi Jaaskelainen. The
37-year-old has fallen behind Adam Bogdan in the pecking order at the Reebok
and would be open to a switch.
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Oxford United play West Ham and Cardiff in pre-season
BBC.co.uk
Oxford United will welcome Premier League side West Ham United to the Kassam
Stadium as part of the U's pre-season build-up. The newly-promoted Hammers
have promised to send a full-strength squad to Oxford when they visit on 17
July. Championship club Cardiff City will do likewise when they visit on
August 4.
U's assistant manager Mickey Lewis told BBC Radio Oxford: "West Ham and
Cardiff are big clubs, so these are exciting fixtures for supporters and
players."
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Mugged off?
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
Tottenham Hotspur have slashed the price of a Champions League commemorative
mug after the north Londoners were denied entry to the competition courtesy
of Chelsea's win against Bayern Munich. In the second most important game
played on Saturday, 19th May, Chelsea's Champions League win in Germany
meant that Tottenham - who had previously qualified for the competition by
virtue of finishing fourth in last season's Premier League - were relegated
to the Europa Cup. And that meant that hapless Spurs, who endured a wretched
end to the 2011/12 campaign were left with a surplus of specially-made
commemorative mugs that celebrated their qualification for the tournament.
Fans of the club managed by Harry Redknapp are now able to buy a Champions
League-embossed mug for a bargain £1 - an 80 PER CENT reduction on their
original price of £5 each. As an extra bonus, Spurs fans can purchase three
mugs for the bargain price of just £2 thanks to a special offer on the
club's website.
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Sam takes Stock
The Sun
Last Updated: 31st May 2012
WEST HAM have targeted Fulham's David Stockdale to replace Robert Green.
Contract talks with England keeper Green have broken down over his wage
demands, thought to be £50,000 a week. So West Ham boss Sam Allardyce will
turn to £5million-rated Stockdale should Green quit Upton Park. Stockdale,
26, is growing increasingly frustrated at being unable to dislodge Cottagers
No 1 Mark Schwarzer. And Fulham would listen to offers for a keeper who has
been called up to the England squad already, for the Euro 2012 qualifier
against Switzerland.
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Jaaskelainen set for West Ham after snubbing new Bolton deal
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:40, 30 May 2012 | UPDATED: 22:40, 30 May 2012
Daily Mail
Goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen has ended his 15-year stay at Bolton after
turning down a new deal.
Jaaskelainen is set to join West Ham, who have also made enquiries about
Fulham's highly-rated goalkeeper David Stockdale, 26.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, May 31
Wednesday, May 30
Daily WHUFC News - Web Item
Leyton Orient consider sharing Olympic Stadium with West Ham
By Dan Roan
BBC sports news correspondent
Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn says he would be interested in a possible
ground share of the Olympic Stadium with West Ham United. Hearn has
criticised the Hammers' plans to move from Upton Park in the past. But he
told BBC Sport: "Subject to the changes West Ham are asking for, namely
covering the running track, we'd be interested in bidding for the stadium as
part of a ground-share with them. "We will now talk with the Olympic
authorities."
The League One side's chairman had previously considered moving to the
Olympic Stadium, but withdrew on the basis that it was "not fit for
football". Hearn feared that if West Ham moved away from Upton Park it
could threaten the O's survival by tempting fans away from Brisbane Road.
The newly-promoted Premier League club have been looking at the feasibility
of including retractable seating at the venue, which is due to be converted
into a 60,000-seater stadium after the Games.
In March the Hammers were named as one of four bidders looking to take
control of the stadium following the conclusion of the Games. At the same
time it was confirmed that the O's were not among the quartet. If the
ground share were to be successful, it would be the first time two London
clubs have shared a home ground on a permanent basis. The London Legacy
Development Corporation has extended the tenancy bidding process until after
the Games.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
By Dan Roan
BBC sports news correspondent
Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn says he would be interested in a possible
ground share of the Olympic Stadium with West Ham United. Hearn has
criticised the Hammers' plans to move from Upton Park in the past. But he
told BBC Sport: "Subject to the changes West Ham are asking for, namely
covering the running track, we'd be interested in bidding for the stadium as
part of a ground-share with them. "We will now talk with the Olympic
authorities."
The League One side's chairman had previously considered moving to the
Olympic Stadium, but withdrew on the basis that it was "not fit for
football". Hearn feared that if West Ham moved away from Upton Park it
could threaten the O's survival by tempting fans away from Brisbane Road.
The newly-promoted Premier League club have been looking at the feasibility
of including retractable seating at the venue, which is due to be converted
into a 60,000-seater stadium after the Games.
In March the Hammers were named as one of four bidders looking to take
control of the stadium following the conclusion of the Games. At the same
time it was confirmed that the O's were not among the quartet. If the
ground share were to be successful, it would be the first time two London
clubs have shared a home ground on a permanent basis. The London Legacy
Development Corporation has extended the tenancy bidding process until after
the Games.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Daily WHUFC News - 30th May 2012
Reid ready for international tests
WHUFC.com
Winston Reid is off to the Solomon Islands for three important fixtures with
New Zealand
28.05.2012
While his West Ham United team-mates put their feet up for the summer,
Winston Reid is jetting off to the Solomon Islands for three important
fixtures with New Zealand. The All Whites are one of eight teams competing
in the 2012 Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Nations Cup, which doubles
as the second round of the OFC region FIFA World Cup qualifiers for Brazil
2014. Born in Auckland, Reid has earned ten senior caps since making his
debut against Australia in May 2010, scoring his maiden international goal
in a 1-1 FIFA World Cup final group-stage draw with Slovakia in South Africa
later the same year. New Zealand, who are 130th in the FIFA world rankings
and will be strong favourites to win the Nations Cup, have been drawn in
Group B alongside Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the host nation Solomon
Islands. Reid will join up with the squad on the island of Guadalcanal as he
was not involved in Saturday's final warm-up friendly against Honduras in
the American city of Dallas, Texas, The Kiwis kick-off their challenge
against Fiji at the Lawson Tama Stadium in the capital Honiara on 2 June
before taking on Papua New Guinea on 4 June and Solomon Islands on 6 June.
Group A comprises Vanuatu, New Caledonia - birthplace of West Ham striker
Frederic Piquionne - Samoa and Tahiti. The top two teams in each group will
not only reach the Nations Cup semi-finals, but will also qualify for the
third round of FIFA World Cup qualifying. The Nations Cup winners will
qualify for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.
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Pre-season schedule confirmed
WHUFC.com
West Ham United will enjoy a busy pre-season in the build-up to the 2012/13
campaign
29.05.2012
West Ham United will travel to Austria and Germany as Sam Allardyce prepares
his squad for the 2012/13 Barclays Premier League season. The newly-promoted
Hammers will gear-up for the campaign by playing at least nine pre-season
fixtures at home and abroad. Headlining the schedule will be a visit to
23-times Austrian Bundesliga champions Austria Vienna, a three-match tour to
eastern Germany and a domestic trip to npower Championship club Ipswich
Town. The first-team squad will return to training on Sunday 1 July before
jetting out to Austria the following day for a week-long training camp that
will culminate with a trip to the capital city to face Bundesliga side
Austria Vienna on Saturday 7 July. After returning to England for a visit to
non-league Boreham Wood and three npower Football League clubs in Southend
United, Oxford United and Colchester United, the squad will take to the
skies again. In Germany, a training camp will be highlighted by fixtures at
2.Bundesliga sides Dynamo Dresden and Energie Cottbus and 3.Liga club FC
Rot-Weiß Erfurt. Dresden are eight-times East German champions and finished
ninth in the 2.Bundesliga table in 2011/12, five places above 1997 Germany
Cup finalists Cottbus. On their return to England, the Hammers will travel
to Portman Road to face Ipswich. A small number of other fixtures are
expected to be confirmed soon.
Full ticket details for all pre-season fixtures will be announced first on
whufc.com
2012/13 Pre-season fixtures
(All kick-off times local)
Sat 7 July - Austria Vienna (Generali Arena, 4pm)
Tue 10 July - Boreham Wood (Meadow Park, 7.30pm)
Sat 14 July - Southend United (Roots Hall, 3pm)
Tue 17 July - Oxford United (Kassam Stadium, 7.45pm)
Sat 21 July - Colchester United (Weston Homes Community Stadium, 3pm)
Wed 25 July - FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt (Steigerwaldstadion, 7pm)
Fri 27 July - Dynamo Dresden (Glücksgas Stadion, 7.30pm)
Sun 29 July - FC Energie Cottbus (Stadion der Freundschaft, 2.30pm)
Sat 4 August - Ipswich Town (Portman Road, 3pm)
Fresh from their successful trip to the HKFC Citibank International Soccer
Sevens in Hong Kong, the Development Squad also have a host of fixtures
organised for pre-season.
Ian Hendon will take an Under-21 squad to the Lev Yashin Tournament in
Russia, which will be hosted by Dynamo Moscow, while the club's young
professionals will also travel to npower Football League clubs AFC Wimbledon
Thurrock FC and Northampton Town and Blue Square Bet outfit Welling United.
Full details of Development Squad pre-season fixtures will be confirmed soon
on whufc.com
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Tractor boys await
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 29th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's latest pre-season friendly has just been confirmed - a
trip to Ipswich Town on 4th August. Last week, KUMB.com were first to reveal
that the club will be taking two short trips to central Europe in
preparation for the 2012/13 Premier League - journeys that will include
stops in Austria and Germany. And just a few moments ago the Tractor Boys
confirmed that they will form part of Sam Allardyce's pre-season programme
when the two clubs meet at Portman Road on the first Saturday of August.
Ipswich, who finished last season in 15th place in the Championship were one
of just two teams to do the double over West Ham in 2011/12 with a 1-0 win
at the Boleyn Ground back in September following by a 5-1 thumping on
transfer deadline day back in January - United's biggest defeat of the
campaign. However with the Hammers set to spend big this summer as they look
forward to a first season back in the top flight such a scenario is unlikely
to be repeated in a few weeks' time.
West Ham Utd: confirmed pre-season dates
2nd-7th July: Bad Waltersdorf training camp
7th July: Austria Wien (a)
10th July: Boreham Wood (a)
14th July: Southend United (a)
17th July: Oxford United (a)
21st July: Colchester United (a)
25th July: Rot-Weiß Erfurt (a)
27th July: Dynamo Dresden (a)
29th July: Energie Cottbus (a)
4th August: Ipswich Town (a)
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Wolfsburg head Dost chase
Germans remain favourites to land Dutch striker
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @skygraemebailey. Last Updated: May
29, 2012 1:12pm
SSN
Wolfsburg remain favourites to clinch the signing of Bas Dost, despite
interest from newly promoted West Ham United. Sky Sports understands that
talk of a £7million bid from West Ham is wide of the mark, although they do
have an interest in the Heerenveen marksman. However, Wolfsburg have been
hot on the trail of the 22-year-old, who finished as top scorer in Holland
last season. Dost's agent Henk Nienhuis has confirmed West Ham's are keen
but insists interest is stronger from elsewhere. "West Ham is a very nice
club," Nienhuis told Algemeen Dagblad. "But there are currently three other
serious candidates, with Wolfsburg still by far the number one." The likes
of Atletico Madrid, Borussia Monchengladbach and Everton have all been
linked with Dost in recent weeks.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Just How Long Should Sam's Shopping List Be?
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
We seem to be linked with any half decent player at the moment, and quite a
few that aren't even half decent. Perhaps we should pause and consider the
strength of our current squad and which positions we are deficient in. So
here's my view, for what it's worth.
GOALKEEPER
Rob Green & Stephen Henderson
We all want Greeno to stay, but if he he does decide to leave then we need a
top quality keeper as a replacement. Almunia is not good enough for the
Premier League. He didn't let us down when he played for uus last season,
but he's not a keeper to inspire confidence.
CENTRAL DEFENDERS
James Tomkins, Winston Reid,
We need at least two new central defenders, maybe three if there is no one
ready from the youth team to step up to provide cover.
LEFT BACKS
George McCartney
Daniel Potts
Assuming we sign McCartney on a permanent deal, I'd say we're covered here.
RIGHT BACKS
Joey O'Brien
Guy Demel
The jury it out on Demel. He seemed to get better once he came into the
team, but his playoff performance was a disaster. I'd like to see us buy a
new top quality right back, who can also play right hand midfield.
CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS
Mark Noble
Kevin Nolan
Jack Collison
If we'e going to play 4-3-3 then we need one more central midfielder. Gary
O'Neil can play here too, but you know my views on him.
LEFT SIDED MIDFIELDERS
Matthew Taylor
I like Taylor, especially as he can play at left back. Indeed, there is an
argument for him and McCartney competing for that spot, so I would like us
to buy a new zippy left winger.
RIGHT SIDED MIDFIELDERS
Ravel Morrison
Gary O'Neil
Morrison can play anywhere across the middle or up front but we don't know
yet whether he is the full shilling. We need a new top quality right winger.
Zaha?
STRIKERS
Ricardo Vaz Te
Carlton Cole
Sam Baldock
Nicky Maynard
Baldock and Maynard may need to be sacrificed if we are to get the 15-20
goal striker that we need. Cole is never going to be prolific but is
valuable in other ways. Can Vaz Te step up to the plate? Das Borst might be
the man, but I suspect we'll end up with Yakubu or Owen, or someone similar
CONCLUSION
We need 2 centre backs, a right back, a left winger, a right winder, a
midfielder and a striker. And we won't get much change out of £20 million if
we recruit the quality of player we need to. Even then, that leaves is with
a squad of only 24 players - is that enough to do well in the Premier
League?
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QPR want to lure Robert Green
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: 29th May 2012
QPR are ready to lure Robert Green across London with a £2.5million- a-year
cash carrot. Rangers boss Mark Hughes is willing to match the England
keeper's £50,000-a-week demands, which are scuppering contract talks at West
Ham. Green, 32, will be a free agent after June 30 and talks with the
Hammers hierarchy have stalled. Sparky plans to strengthen his defence
following Rangers' fight with relegation. Newcastle right-back Danny Simpson
is another target while current Rangers keeper Paddy Kenny is wanted by
ex-QPR boss Neil Warnock, now at Leeds. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce will
go back to his old club Bolton to replace Green. He plans to sign
out-of-contract Finland veteran Jussi Jaaskelainen, 37.
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http://www.dynamo-dresden.de/de/aktuelles/team/details/artikel/europapokal-a
tmosphaere-dynamo-dresden-west-ham-united.html
Article on Dynamo Dresden's Website , kindly translated by our very own
Terry O'Connor
European Cup atmosphere: Dynamo Dresden - West Ham United
In partnership with TSP • The Sports Promoters, a subsidiary of the marketer
SPORTFIVE, who oversees both Dynamo Dresden and West Ham United, has managed
to attract to Dresden, the 2012 Premier League promoted West Ham United for
a friendly match. The game is on Friday,
27.07.2012 being held in Dresden's "Glücksgas stadium." "We have long been
in talkswith West Ham United. I am very happy that our patience has paid off
and now on 27th July we welcome a Premier league team to Dresden. We can all
look forward to a friendly game of an extremely high level with many fans in
our stadium, "said Dynamo sports director Steffen Menze about the absolute
highlight of this summer's preparation.
"This game against West Ham United is a real highlight for our fans and
players. Athletically this game is a really big challenge for us, finally
Dynamo Dresden's meetst an English first division team with an
international reputation. I hope therefore to have a great festival of
football with the fans before the start of the season in the second League,
"said Dynamo head coach Ralf Loose .
The match between the two traditional clubs Dynamo Dresden and West Ham
United will take place during the "Summer of Champions 2012".
Under this title, TSP • The Sports Promoters for the third time have
organised a series of high-class football events during the summer break in
Germany. As part of the "Summer of Champions" to prove themself against
German Bundesliga and Champions League regulars such as Real Madrid, Inter
Milan and Chelsea. In July 2010, during the "Summer of Champions 2010" and
thanks to the cooperation with TSP • The Sports Promoters already Dresden
had as a guest Borussia Dortmund.
The then third division Dynamo was narrowly defeated by the German Champions
before 23 142 spectators by only 1:2.
The guest this summer, West Ham United, is an English tradition of
association football, which was founded in 1895. The "hammers", as they are
called by their fans celebrated in 1965 - led by team captain Bobby Moore -
winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in the venerable Wembley Stadium in
the Final against TSV 1860 Munich 2-0, the greatest success of their club's
history . Meanwhile, the club from London's East has been established as the
talent factory in English football.
Where went, among others, the current top European players Frank Lampard,
Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe all
coming through the Academy of the traditional club of the "East End" of the
English capital.
West Ham already has quite a number of prominent players in its ranks,Robert
Green, Guy Demel, John Carew, Papa Bouba Diop and Carlton Cole succeeded in
the immediate resurgence of the "Hammers". In the crucial promotion match
Ricardo Vaz Tê of Portugal succeeded, before
80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, the much acclaimed goal for the 2-1 win over
Blackpool, whose ultimate return to the Premier League was sealed. After the
rise in the East London, they will certainly improve further with major
players and then on 27 July bring come to Dresden.
The game between Dynamo Dresden and West Ham United on the evening of July
27, 2012 kicks off in Dresden "Glücksgas stadium." The exact kick-off time
is not fixed yet. This is the newly assembled team of Dynamo coach Ralf
Loose's dress rehearsal for the upcoming second league season, playing for
the first time in their own stadium in a European Cup atmosphere with its
passionate supporters. One week later starts the second League in the new
season 2012/13. Information on ticket sales will be published in due time.
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I just said: Dad, could this kill me? Hammers kid Dylan relives his 10-month
hell fighting cancer
By NEIL ASHTON
PUBLISHED: 23:01, 29 May 2012 | UPDATED: 23:01, 29 May 2012
Daily Mail
Each morning around nine o'clock, Dylan Tombides crawls out of bed, walks to
the bathroom in a sleepy fog and looks into the mirror. Staring back at the
young West Ham striker is a thick, 12-inch scar running from the centre of
his chest to his belly button. That's when the flashbacks begin, taking this
18-year-old professional footballer back to the moment he wondered whether
he would ever pull on the famous claret and blue again. Already a regular
goalscorer in the reserves, Tombides was looking forward to pre-season
training with the Hammers' first team after playing for Australia in the
Under 17 World Cup in Mexico last summer. He was in Cancun for a few days
'chilling out with the old man' when he took the telephone call that ripped
his life apart. A random drugs test, taken after his team were beaten 4-0 by
Uzbekistan, had uncovered a tumour on one of his testicles. Tombides was 17,
tipped for the top by academy director Tony Carr and had already made the
first-team bench for a Barclays Premier League game. Trembling with fear and
feeling faint, he turned to his father, Jimmy: 'Dad, could this kill me?'
His face went white. 'I was 17, a young man and I had never come across
cancer,' he admitted at the family home a short walk from West Ham's
training ground. 'All I was thinking about was getting in the West Ham team
and taking my driving test.'
This is the story of surgery and endless courses of chemotherapy. But when
we meet, Tombides bounces around the family home, putting wax in his hair
for the photographs (and the girls) and squirming with embarrassment when
mum Tracylee tries to give her son a kiss on the cheek. 'I didn't really
understand what was going on at the time,' he said. 'All I ever wanted to be
was a top professional footballer with West Ham. I copped one in my groin
against Brazil at the World Cup and I knew that I had a problem, but I had
no idea it was cancer. 'It was only when I took the phone call in Cancun
that I realised just how serious the condition was. I had the blood tests
and CT scans when I got back to England and they told me I needed to have a
testicle removed immediately. 'I just accepted it. I mean, it was hurting me
so much anyway it seemed sensible.' All he could think about was getting
back on to the football field, joining the Hammers in their promotion push
and putting the ball in the back of the net again. The club's chief
executive Karren Brady called his mum to offer her support and his
team-mates stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him throughout the traumatic days
ahead. He had a 45-minute procedure, but that was just the start. Tombides
spent weeks at St Bartholomew's Hospital, falling in and out of
consciousness while his mum, dad and younger brother Taylor, who is also at
West Ham, sat by his bedside each night. Tracylee said: 'It was a period of
helplessness. As a parent we wanted to protect our kids, but we had no
control. 'I often thought cancer would happen in the lives of our family at
some point, but not my kids.'
Some days Tombides would be in hospital, hooked up to the chemotherapy lines
for seven hours, with tubes connected to him so that he could barely move.
'I'd wake up for 15 minutes and I would be exhausted. They would give me
anti-sickness tablets and I would think I'd only been sick a couple of times
in the night.
Then Mum would look at me and put me right — it was more like seven or
eight. 'There were times when I would just look at Mum and tell her, "I
don't want the chemo any more, I will live with the cancer". That's how I
felt at times. 'It took five to 10 days to bounce back from each chemo blast
and there is no trick to dealing with it. 'My team-mates wanted to visit me
but I told them not to because I couldn't stay awake for longer than 15
minutes and couldn't always remember what was happening.'
When he was allowed out of hospital for a few days, there were times when he
would make the short walk to the training ground, popping in to see the
players for lunch before he went back to bed for the afternoon. It lifted
his spirits and the players responded, wearing T-shirts in his honour before
West Ham's home game with Nottingham Forest in January. Then he had to have
another operation after doctors discovered a four-inch blood clot on his
abdomen and cancer cells on his lymph nodes. 'I spent 11 days in hospital
after that and it wasn't pleasant. I woke up to a huge scar and couldn't use
my core muscles for weeks. 'I had to work out how to roll in and out of bed
because it was so painful and it was weeks before I was allowed to do any
exercise. 'I just wanted to play football again, but there was so much scar
tissue I had to be careful. I spent a lot of time on the exercise bike or in
the swimming pool, not rushing anything.' He is full of enthusiasm now,
enjoying his freedom and his football after returning to training this week.
He will have another nine monthly blood tests before he can be given the
all-clear, a date circled in the family diary as he focuses on the future.
West Ham's physio Jon Urwin, who ran the London Marathon last month in aid
of Children with Cancer, has been with him throughout, talking to him about
his future and his plans for the summer, which he will spend training at
Chadwell Heath as he targets a squad number under Sam Allardyce next season.
He added: 'It has been a long process, but all I ever wanted to do was play
football again.' After 10 months out of action, he is determined to take
his second chance.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam eyes reunion with Jaaskelainen as Hammers struggle to agree Green
deal
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:44, 29 May 2012 | UPDATED: 22:44, 29 May 2012
Daily Mail
West Ham are pressing ahead with their bid to sign Jussi Jaaskelainen as
rivals for his signature West Brom continue to search for a manager. Albion
were keen to take the free agent from Bolton as West Ham awaited their
play-off fate but their failure to secure a manager quickly has opened the
door again for Sam Allardyce.
Current number one Robert Green is struggling to reach an agreement over a
new contract after wanting a minimum of £45,000-per-week. Allardyce last
week completed the signing of Portsmouth keeper Stephen Henderson on a
three-year-deal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United consider move for Blackburn and former Everton striker
11:21am Tuesday 29th May 2012 in News
Guardian Series
West Ham United have been linked with a move for Blackburn striker Yakubu.
The Nigeria forward, who netted 17 goals last season, is determined to leave
Ewood Park following Rovers' relegation. The former Everton striker has
plenty of experience in the Premier League and with John Carew leaving West
Ham could prove a suitable replacement.
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Hammers to visit Wood
11:47am Tuesday 29th May 2012
BoreHamWoodTimes.co.uk
Boreham Wood will play West Ham United in a prestigious friendly at Meadow
Park on Tuesday, July 10. The Hammers, who were promoted back to the Premier
League at the first attempt after beating Blackpool in the Championship
play-off final at Wembley, have agreed to bring their full first-team squad
for the first of the pre-season games. The match was part of the deal that
saw Pelly Ruddock move to Upton Park on a three-year contract. The
18-year-old has since made ten starts for the Hammers youth team, as well as
featuring several times in the senior development squad. Boreham Wood boss
Ian Allinson told Wood's official site: "We already have an exciting
pre-season schedule, but none will be bigger than a visit from West Ham's
first team. "We are very lucky Sam Allardyce recognises the hard work that's
done at non-league level and supports it. He has promised to bring his top
side to us for the next two pre-seasons, however this is extra special as we
are going to be visited by a newly promoted Premiership outfit who will show
off their Championship play-off trophy to all their fans who were not lucky
enough to get Wembley play-off final tickets."
Tickets for the match go on sale immediately and further details are
available by calling the club on 020 8953 5097.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham interested in Saha with striker set for Spurs exit after just five
months
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 12:17, 29 May 2012 | UPDATED: 12:22, 29 May 2012
Daily Mail
Louis Saha is set to be released by Tottenham after just five months at the
club. The 33-year-old signed for them from Everton on a free transfer in
January, while Steven Pienaar went on loan in the other direction. West Ham
manager Sam Allardyce is on alert as he would like to add extra Premier
League nous to his newly promoted side. Harry Redknapp's purchase of Saha
seemed curious at the time; while Everton signed Nikica Jelavic and
Newcastle went for Papiss Cisse, Spurs picked up the Frenchman on a free
transfer. It will not be a nice end to his Tottenham career, as just a
couple of weeks earlier he was berated by Spurs fans on Twitter for
congratulating Chelsea on their Champions League win. The Blues victory
denied Tottenham qualification for next year's competition. Saha was
labelled a 'disgrace' by furious fans for saying 'Bravo Drogba. Bravo
Chelsea. Bravo Champion League. Bravo Football. Just Magic stuff.'
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Winston Reid is off to the Solomon Islands for three important fixtures with
New Zealand
28.05.2012
While his West Ham United team-mates put their feet up for the summer,
Winston Reid is jetting off to the Solomon Islands for three important
fixtures with New Zealand. The All Whites are one of eight teams competing
in the 2012 Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Nations Cup, which doubles
as the second round of the OFC region FIFA World Cup qualifiers for Brazil
2014. Born in Auckland, Reid has earned ten senior caps since making his
debut against Australia in May 2010, scoring his maiden international goal
in a 1-1 FIFA World Cup final group-stage draw with Slovakia in South Africa
later the same year. New Zealand, who are 130th in the FIFA world rankings
and will be strong favourites to win the Nations Cup, have been drawn in
Group B alongside Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the host nation Solomon
Islands. Reid will join up with the squad on the island of Guadalcanal as he
was not involved in Saturday's final warm-up friendly against Honduras in
the American city of Dallas, Texas, The Kiwis kick-off their challenge
against Fiji at the Lawson Tama Stadium in the capital Honiara on 2 June
before taking on Papua New Guinea on 4 June and Solomon Islands on 6 June.
Group A comprises Vanuatu, New Caledonia - birthplace of West Ham striker
Frederic Piquionne - Samoa and Tahiti. The top two teams in each group will
not only reach the Nations Cup semi-finals, but will also qualify for the
third round of FIFA World Cup qualifying. The Nations Cup winners will
qualify for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Pre-season schedule confirmed
WHUFC.com
West Ham United will enjoy a busy pre-season in the build-up to the 2012/13
campaign
29.05.2012
West Ham United will travel to Austria and Germany as Sam Allardyce prepares
his squad for the 2012/13 Barclays Premier League season. The newly-promoted
Hammers will gear-up for the campaign by playing at least nine pre-season
fixtures at home and abroad. Headlining the schedule will be a visit to
23-times Austrian Bundesliga champions Austria Vienna, a three-match tour to
eastern Germany and a domestic trip to npower Championship club Ipswich
Town. The first-team squad will return to training on Sunday 1 July before
jetting out to Austria the following day for a week-long training camp that
will culminate with a trip to the capital city to face Bundesliga side
Austria Vienna on Saturday 7 July. After returning to England for a visit to
non-league Boreham Wood and three npower Football League clubs in Southend
United, Oxford United and Colchester United, the squad will take to the
skies again. In Germany, a training camp will be highlighted by fixtures at
2.Bundesliga sides Dynamo Dresden and Energie Cottbus and 3.Liga club FC
Rot-Weiß Erfurt. Dresden are eight-times East German champions and finished
ninth in the 2.Bundesliga table in 2011/12, five places above 1997 Germany
Cup finalists Cottbus. On their return to England, the Hammers will travel
to Portman Road to face Ipswich. A small number of other fixtures are
expected to be confirmed soon.
Full ticket details for all pre-season fixtures will be announced first on
whufc.com
2012/13 Pre-season fixtures
(All kick-off times local)
Sat 7 July - Austria Vienna (Generali Arena, 4pm)
Tue 10 July - Boreham Wood (Meadow Park, 7.30pm)
Sat 14 July - Southend United (Roots Hall, 3pm)
Tue 17 July - Oxford United (Kassam Stadium, 7.45pm)
Sat 21 July - Colchester United (Weston Homes Community Stadium, 3pm)
Wed 25 July - FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt (Steigerwaldstadion, 7pm)
Fri 27 July - Dynamo Dresden (Glücksgas Stadion, 7.30pm)
Sun 29 July - FC Energie Cottbus (Stadion der Freundschaft, 2.30pm)
Sat 4 August - Ipswich Town (Portman Road, 3pm)
Fresh from their successful trip to the HKFC Citibank International Soccer
Sevens in Hong Kong, the Development Squad also have a host of fixtures
organised for pre-season.
Ian Hendon will take an Under-21 squad to the Lev Yashin Tournament in
Russia, which will be hosted by Dynamo Moscow, while the club's young
professionals will also travel to npower Football League clubs AFC Wimbledon
Thurrock FC and Northampton Town and Blue Square Bet outfit Welling United.
Full details of Development Squad pre-season fixtures will be confirmed soon
on whufc.com
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Tractor boys await
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 29th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's latest pre-season friendly has just been confirmed - a
trip to Ipswich Town on 4th August. Last week, KUMB.com were first to reveal
that the club will be taking two short trips to central Europe in
preparation for the 2012/13 Premier League - journeys that will include
stops in Austria and Germany. And just a few moments ago the Tractor Boys
confirmed that they will form part of Sam Allardyce's pre-season programme
when the two clubs meet at Portman Road on the first Saturday of August.
Ipswich, who finished last season in 15th place in the Championship were one
of just two teams to do the double over West Ham in 2011/12 with a 1-0 win
at the Boleyn Ground back in September following by a 5-1 thumping on
transfer deadline day back in January - United's biggest defeat of the
campaign. However with the Hammers set to spend big this summer as they look
forward to a first season back in the top flight such a scenario is unlikely
to be repeated in a few weeks' time.
West Ham Utd: confirmed pre-season dates
2nd-7th July: Bad Waltersdorf training camp
7th July: Austria Wien (a)
10th July: Boreham Wood (a)
14th July: Southend United (a)
17th July: Oxford United (a)
21st July: Colchester United (a)
25th July: Rot-Weiß Erfurt (a)
27th July: Dynamo Dresden (a)
29th July: Energie Cottbus (a)
4th August: Ipswich Town (a)
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Wolfsburg head Dost chase
Germans remain favourites to land Dutch striker
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @skygraemebailey. Last Updated: May
29, 2012 1:12pm
SSN
Wolfsburg remain favourites to clinch the signing of Bas Dost, despite
interest from newly promoted West Ham United. Sky Sports understands that
talk of a £7million bid from West Ham is wide of the mark, although they do
have an interest in the Heerenveen marksman. However, Wolfsburg have been
hot on the trail of the 22-year-old, who finished as top scorer in Holland
last season. Dost's agent Henk Nienhuis has confirmed West Ham's are keen
but insists interest is stronger from elsewhere. "West Ham is a very nice
club," Nienhuis told Algemeen Dagblad. "But there are currently three other
serious candidates, with Wolfsburg still by far the number one." The likes
of Atletico Madrid, Borussia Monchengladbach and Everton have all been
linked with Dost in recent weeks.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Just How Long Should Sam's Shopping List Be?
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
We seem to be linked with any half decent player at the moment, and quite a
few that aren't even half decent. Perhaps we should pause and consider the
strength of our current squad and which positions we are deficient in. So
here's my view, for what it's worth.
GOALKEEPER
Rob Green & Stephen Henderson
We all want Greeno to stay, but if he he does decide to leave then we need a
top quality keeper as a replacement. Almunia is not good enough for the
Premier League. He didn't let us down when he played for uus last season,
but he's not a keeper to inspire confidence.
CENTRAL DEFENDERS
James Tomkins, Winston Reid,
We need at least two new central defenders, maybe three if there is no one
ready from the youth team to step up to provide cover.
LEFT BACKS
George McCartney
Daniel Potts
Assuming we sign McCartney on a permanent deal, I'd say we're covered here.
RIGHT BACKS
Joey O'Brien
Guy Demel
The jury it out on Demel. He seemed to get better once he came into the
team, but his playoff performance was a disaster. I'd like to see us buy a
new top quality right back, who can also play right hand midfield.
CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS
Mark Noble
Kevin Nolan
Jack Collison
If we'e going to play 4-3-3 then we need one more central midfielder. Gary
O'Neil can play here too, but you know my views on him.
LEFT SIDED MIDFIELDERS
Matthew Taylor
I like Taylor, especially as he can play at left back. Indeed, there is an
argument for him and McCartney competing for that spot, so I would like us
to buy a new zippy left winger.
RIGHT SIDED MIDFIELDERS
Ravel Morrison
Gary O'Neil
Morrison can play anywhere across the middle or up front but we don't know
yet whether he is the full shilling. We need a new top quality right winger.
Zaha?
STRIKERS
Ricardo Vaz Te
Carlton Cole
Sam Baldock
Nicky Maynard
Baldock and Maynard may need to be sacrificed if we are to get the 15-20
goal striker that we need. Cole is never going to be prolific but is
valuable in other ways. Can Vaz Te step up to the plate? Das Borst might be
the man, but I suspect we'll end up with Yakubu or Owen, or someone similar
CONCLUSION
We need 2 centre backs, a right back, a left winger, a right winder, a
midfielder and a striker. And we won't get much change out of £20 million if
we recruit the quality of player we need to. Even then, that leaves is with
a squad of only 24 players - is that enough to do well in the Premier
League?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
QPR want to lure Robert Green
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: 29th May 2012
QPR are ready to lure Robert Green across London with a £2.5million- a-year
cash carrot. Rangers boss Mark Hughes is willing to match the England
keeper's £50,000-a-week demands, which are scuppering contract talks at West
Ham. Green, 32, will be a free agent after June 30 and talks with the
Hammers hierarchy have stalled. Sparky plans to strengthen his defence
following Rangers' fight with relegation. Newcastle right-back Danny Simpson
is another target while current Rangers keeper Paddy Kenny is wanted by
ex-QPR boss Neil Warnock, now at Leeds. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce will
go back to his old club Bolton to replace Green. He plans to sign
out-of-contract Finland veteran Jussi Jaaskelainen, 37.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://www.dynamo-dresden.de/de/aktuelles/team/details/artikel/europapokal-a
tmosphaere-dynamo-dresden-west-ham-united.html
Article on Dynamo Dresden's Website , kindly translated by our very own
Terry O'Connor
European Cup atmosphere: Dynamo Dresden - West Ham United
In partnership with TSP • The Sports Promoters, a subsidiary of the marketer
SPORTFIVE, who oversees both Dynamo Dresden and West Ham United, has managed
to attract to Dresden, the 2012 Premier League promoted West Ham United for
a friendly match. The game is on Friday,
27.07.2012 being held in Dresden's "Glücksgas stadium." "We have long been
in talkswith West Ham United. I am very happy that our patience has paid off
and now on 27th July we welcome a Premier league team to Dresden. We can all
look forward to a friendly game of an extremely high level with many fans in
our stadium, "said Dynamo sports director Steffen Menze about the absolute
highlight of this summer's preparation.
"This game against West Ham United is a real highlight for our fans and
players. Athletically this game is a really big challenge for us, finally
Dynamo Dresden's meetst an English first division team with an
international reputation. I hope therefore to have a great festival of
football with the fans before the start of the season in the second League,
"said Dynamo head coach Ralf Loose .
The match between the two traditional clubs Dynamo Dresden and West Ham
United will take place during the "Summer of Champions 2012".
Under this title, TSP • The Sports Promoters for the third time have
organised a series of high-class football events during the summer break in
Germany. As part of the "Summer of Champions" to prove themself against
German Bundesliga and Champions League regulars such as Real Madrid, Inter
Milan and Chelsea. In July 2010, during the "Summer of Champions 2010" and
thanks to the cooperation with TSP • The Sports Promoters already Dresden
had as a guest Borussia Dortmund.
The then third division Dynamo was narrowly defeated by the German Champions
before 23 142 spectators by only 1:2.
The guest this summer, West Ham United, is an English tradition of
association football, which was founded in 1895. The "hammers", as they are
called by their fans celebrated in 1965 - led by team captain Bobby Moore -
winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in the venerable Wembley Stadium in
the Final against TSV 1860 Munich 2-0, the greatest success of their club's
history . Meanwhile, the club from London's East has been established as the
talent factory in English football.
Where went, among others, the current top European players Frank Lampard,
Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe all
coming through the Academy of the traditional club of the "East End" of the
English capital.
West Ham already has quite a number of prominent players in its ranks,Robert
Green, Guy Demel, John Carew, Papa Bouba Diop and Carlton Cole succeeded in
the immediate resurgence of the "Hammers". In the crucial promotion match
Ricardo Vaz Tê of Portugal succeeded, before
80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, the much acclaimed goal for the 2-1 win over
Blackpool, whose ultimate return to the Premier League was sealed. After the
rise in the East London, they will certainly improve further with major
players and then on 27 July bring come to Dresden.
The game between Dynamo Dresden and West Ham United on the evening of July
27, 2012 kicks off in Dresden "Glücksgas stadium." The exact kick-off time
is not fixed yet. This is the newly assembled team of Dynamo coach Ralf
Loose's dress rehearsal for the upcoming second league season, playing for
the first time in their own stadium in a European Cup atmosphere with its
passionate supporters. One week later starts the second League in the new
season 2012/13. Information on ticket sales will be published in due time.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I just said: Dad, could this kill me? Hammers kid Dylan relives his 10-month
hell fighting cancer
By NEIL ASHTON
PUBLISHED: 23:01, 29 May 2012 | UPDATED: 23:01, 29 May 2012
Daily Mail
Each morning around nine o'clock, Dylan Tombides crawls out of bed, walks to
the bathroom in a sleepy fog and looks into the mirror. Staring back at the
young West Ham striker is a thick, 12-inch scar running from the centre of
his chest to his belly button. That's when the flashbacks begin, taking this
18-year-old professional footballer back to the moment he wondered whether
he would ever pull on the famous claret and blue again. Already a regular
goalscorer in the reserves, Tombides was looking forward to pre-season
training with the Hammers' first team after playing for Australia in the
Under 17 World Cup in Mexico last summer. He was in Cancun for a few days
'chilling out with the old man' when he took the telephone call that ripped
his life apart. A random drugs test, taken after his team were beaten 4-0 by
Uzbekistan, had uncovered a tumour on one of his testicles. Tombides was 17,
tipped for the top by academy director Tony Carr and had already made the
first-team bench for a Barclays Premier League game. Trembling with fear and
feeling faint, he turned to his father, Jimmy: 'Dad, could this kill me?'
His face went white. 'I was 17, a young man and I had never come across
cancer,' he admitted at the family home a short walk from West Ham's
training ground. 'All I was thinking about was getting in the West Ham team
and taking my driving test.'
This is the story of surgery and endless courses of chemotherapy. But when
we meet, Tombides bounces around the family home, putting wax in his hair
for the photographs (and the girls) and squirming with embarrassment when
mum Tracylee tries to give her son a kiss on the cheek. 'I didn't really
understand what was going on at the time,' he said. 'All I ever wanted to be
was a top professional footballer with West Ham. I copped one in my groin
against Brazil at the World Cup and I knew that I had a problem, but I had
no idea it was cancer. 'It was only when I took the phone call in Cancun
that I realised just how serious the condition was. I had the blood tests
and CT scans when I got back to England and they told me I needed to have a
testicle removed immediately. 'I just accepted it. I mean, it was hurting me
so much anyway it seemed sensible.' All he could think about was getting
back on to the football field, joining the Hammers in their promotion push
and putting the ball in the back of the net again. The club's chief
executive Karren Brady called his mum to offer her support and his
team-mates stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him throughout the traumatic days
ahead. He had a 45-minute procedure, but that was just the start. Tombides
spent weeks at St Bartholomew's Hospital, falling in and out of
consciousness while his mum, dad and younger brother Taylor, who is also at
West Ham, sat by his bedside each night. Tracylee said: 'It was a period of
helplessness. As a parent we wanted to protect our kids, but we had no
control. 'I often thought cancer would happen in the lives of our family at
some point, but not my kids.'
Some days Tombides would be in hospital, hooked up to the chemotherapy lines
for seven hours, with tubes connected to him so that he could barely move.
'I'd wake up for 15 minutes and I would be exhausted. They would give me
anti-sickness tablets and I would think I'd only been sick a couple of times
in the night.
Then Mum would look at me and put me right — it was more like seven or
eight. 'There were times when I would just look at Mum and tell her, "I
don't want the chemo any more, I will live with the cancer". That's how I
felt at times. 'It took five to 10 days to bounce back from each chemo blast
and there is no trick to dealing with it. 'My team-mates wanted to visit me
but I told them not to because I couldn't stay awake for longer than 15
minutes and couldn't always remember what was happening.'
When he was allowed out of hospital for a few days, there were times when he
would make the short walk to the training ground, popping in to see the
players for lunch before he went back to bed for the afternoon. It lifted
his spirits and the players responded, wearing T-shirts in his honour before
West Ham's home game with Nottingham Forest in January. Then he had to have
another operation after doctors discovered a four-inch blood clot on his
abdomen and cancer cells on his lymph nodes. 'I spent 11 days in hospital
after that and it wasn't pleasant. I woke up to a huge scar and couldn't use
my core muscles for weeks. 'I had to work out how to roll in and out of bed
because it was so painful and it was weeks before I was allowed to do any
exercise. 'I just wanted to play football again, but there was so much scar
tissue I had to be careful. I spent a lot of time on the exercise bike or in
the swimming pool, not rushing anything.' He is full of enthusiasm now,
enjoying his freedom and his football after returning to training this week.
He will have another nine monthly blood tests before he can be given the
all-clear, a date circled in the family diary as he focuses on the future.
West Ham's physio Jon Urwin, who ran the London Marathon last month in aid
of Children with Cancer, has been with him throughout, talking to him about
his future and his plans for the summer, which he will spend training at
Chadwell Heath as he targets a squad number under Sam Allardyce next season.
He added: 'It has been a long process, but all I ever wanted to do was play
football again.' After 10 months out of action, he is determined to take
his second chance.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam eyes reunion with Jaaskelainen as Hammers struggle to agree Green
deal
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:44, 29 May 2012 | UPDATED: 22:44, 29 May 2012
Daily Mail
West Ham are pressing ahead with their bid to sign Jussi Jaaskelainen as
rivals for his signature West Brom continue to search for a manager. Albion
were keen to take the free agent from Bolton as West Ham awaited their
play-off fate but their failure to secure a manager quickly has opened the
door again for Sam Allardyce.
Current number one Robert Green is struggling to reach an agreement over a
new contract after wanting a minimum of £45,000-per-week. Allardyce last
week completed the signing of Portsmouth keeper Stephen Henderson on a
three-year-deal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United consider move for Blackburn and former Everton striker
11:21am Tuesday 29th May 2012 in News
Guardian Series
West Ham United have been linked with a move for Blackburn striker Yakubu.
The Nigeria forward, who netted 17 goals last season, is determined to leave
Ewood Park following Rovers' relegation. The former Everton striker has
plenty of experience in the Premier League and with John Carew leaving West
Ham could prove a suitable replacement.
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Hammers to visit Wood
11:47am Tuesday 29th May 2012
BoreHamWoodTimes.co.uk
Boreham Wood will play West Ham United in a prestigious friendly at Meadow
Park on Tuesday, July 10. The Hammers, who were promoted back to the Premier
League at the first attempt after beating Blackpool in the Championship
play-off final at Wembley, have agreed to bring their full first-team squad
for the first of the pre-season games. The match was part of the deal that
saw Pelly Ruddock move to Upton Park on a three-year contract. The
18-year-old has since made ten starts for the Hammers youth team, as well as
featuring several times in the senior development squad. Boreham Wood boss
Ian Allinson told Wood's official site: "We already have an exciting
pre-season schedule, but none will be bigger than a visit from West Ham's
first team. "We are very lucky Sam Allardyce recognises the hard work that's
done at non-league level and supports it. He has promised to bring his top
side to us for the next two pre-seasons, however this is extra special as we
are going to be visited by a newly promoted Premiership outfit who will show
off their Championship play-off trophy to all their fans who were not lucky
enough to get Wembley play-off final tickets."
Tickets for the match go on sale immediately and further details are
available by calling the club on 020 8953 5097.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham interested in Saha with striker set for Spurs exit after just five
months
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 12:17, 29 May 2012 | UPDATED: 12:22, 29 May 2012
Daily Mail
Louis Saha is set to be released by Tottenham after just five months at the
club. The 33-year-old signed for them from Everton on a free transfer in
January, while Steven Pienaar went on loan in the other direction. West Ham
manager Sam Allardyce is on alert as he would like to add extra Premier
League nous to his newly promoted side. Harry Redknapp's purchase of Saha
seemed curious at the time; while Everton signed Nikica Jelavic and
Newcastle went for Papiss Cisse, Spurs picked up the Frenchman on a free
transfer. It will not be a nice end to his Tottenham career, as just a
couple of weeks earlier he was berated by Spurs fans on Twitter for
congratulating Chelsea on their Champions League win. The Blues victory
denied Tottenham qualification for next year's competition. Saha was
labelled a 'disgrace' by furious fans for saying 'Bravo Drogba. Bravo
Chelsea. Bravo Champion League. Bravo Football. Just Magic stuff.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 29
Daily WHUFC News - 29th May 2012
Big Sam brings Soccer Aid glory
WHUFC.com
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce helped raise over 4 million for UNICEF
28.05.2012
Sam Allardyce took charge of an England team packed full of celebrities and
former stars as they beat a Rest of the World XI 3-1 at Old Trafford on
Sunday evening.
Ex-West Ham United Striker Teddy Sheringham scored the first of England's
goals as the Three Lions came from behind to take the victory. Stars such as
Will Ferrell, Mike Myers, Olly Murs and Comedian John Bishop were all on
hand to help raise much needed funds for UNICEF. Over 70,000 packed into Old
Trafford to watch the game that was also screened live on ITV.
The Rest of the World XI, managed by Kenny Dalglish, took the lead through
Kasabian rocker Serge Pizzorno to go in 1-0 up at half time but England
staged an impressive second half comeback. Sheringham levelled the scores
before Johnathan Wilkes and Blackpool striker Kevin Phillips both netted to
secure England the trophy.
With the £4million raised on the night added to the £6.5 million raised
through ticket sales, a staggering £10.5 million has been raised so far. You
can still donate £5 to UNICEF by texting "DONATE" to 70442. Texts cost £5
plus standard network rate with the full £5 going directly to UNICEF.
Elsewhere, West Ham United winger Pablo Barrera, who spent last season on
loan in Spain at Real Zaragoza, played nearly 80 minutes for Mexico in New
York at The Metlife Stadium as the South Americans beat Wales 2-0 in an
international friendly.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce is looking ahead to a bright future for West Ham United after
promotion to the Premier League
28.05.2012
Sam Allardyce is looking forward to continuing the excellent work he has
started in his first 12 months at West Ham United. The West Ham United
manager oversaw a record-breaking first season in charge that ultimately led
to promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. Now,
with top-flight football secured, Big Sam has already drawn up a target list
for summer acquisitions and is eagerly anticipating getting his teeth into
his continued rebuilding of the club. "My job will be to aim as high as we
can in the Premier League and not to say fourth from bottom is enough," he
said. "Let's see how far we can get this team at the first time of asking.
"The real challenge for me is to prepare the team for the best possible
start for the first ten games. That will take the pressure off as you're not
in a relegation position every week, which is a constant gnaw at the
player's confidence. That's the way forward if we can achieve it."
The continued support of the Board will be crucial to Allardyce's plans and
he admits he could not be happier on that front based on what he has seen in
his first 12 months. "The owners' passion for West Ham United is the most
impressive aspect. They put their money where their mouth is. The club has
to be propped up by their personal wealth and their understanding, having
been in the game a long time, is great. "When you get support like that
you're under more pressure to deliver but you're happy to get that support
as that's what you need as a manager."
With transfer planning starting the day after the Play-Off final victory
against Blackpool, Hammers fans are likely to see several new faces by the
time the squad reconvene in July. Key to those dealings will be the Big
Sam's strong relationship with Joint-Chairman David Sullivan and David Gold
and Vice-Chairman Karren Brady. "You need good communication to build a
successful structure at a football club. I'm pleased for them [the Board] as
they're so passionate about West Ham and I'm pleased for all the fans as
it's been a long hard season and one that we look back on with great
fondness. "For me it's about being responsible for the football side and the
communication with David [Sullivan] which has been very good. David Gold is
a man who likes to come in and see us and he likes us to keep him informed
and show him which way we're going. "If you're going to be a successful
club, your relationship with the owners is critical. If you don't
communicate then it's never going to work."
Although Saturday May 19 is a day that will live long in the memory of
Hammers fans, Big Sam is realistic enough to know it will not all be plain
sailing next season as West Ham United come up against some of the biggest
clubs and best players in the world. To overcome such obstacles, Allardyce
knows that every player in claret and blue will need to give their all in
every game. "As always when in the Premier League it's tough to get results
but as long as you're trying your best and the West Ham fans know the
players are trying their best you'll be OK. We know we won't win as many
games as we've won this season but if we get the right team together and the
right team spirit we'll give it a right good go."
Allardyce was delighted that so many of his senior players stood up to the
Wembley test on a day of high drama, but saved special mention for Carlton
Cole, who led the forward line fearlessly for 90 minutes. "He's really
excited me and his hard work and his goals throughout the season have helped
us get to where we want to go. He's had a fantastic season and I know he's
looking forward to playing in the Premier League and getting his status back
as a Premier League player."
Although Big Sam was able to celebrate the Hammers' win with some of his
family in London, his wife, daughter and granddaughter were already
committed to flying to Las Vegas on the trip Allardyce had to skip because
of the final. Although they were watching over 5,000 miles away, the
Allardyce family were able to toast victory in true Vegas style. "My wife
was drinking champagne with breakfast in Las Vegas! My wife, daughter and
grandson still had to go on the trip. My wife still doesn't do nerves very
well so they watched it over in Vegas. "My son was at the stadium so we had
a good drink to celebrate afterwards. It's great we achieved this dream to
return this club to the Premier League at the first time of asking."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Spence proud of Hong Kong gong
WHUFC.com
Jordan Spence captained the Development Squad to Plate competition victory
in the Far East
28.05.2012
Jordan Spence has hailed the Development Squad after captaining Ian Hendon's
side to the Plate competition at the Hong Kong FC Citibank International
Soccer Sevens. The young professional returned from a loan spell at Bristol
City to skipper the young West Ham United team in the Far East. There, the
Hammers recovered from an opening-game defeat by Leicester City and a
third-place group finish to record three consecutive victories on Sunday to
lift the Plate. "We had a really good group of players out in Hong Kong,"
confirmed the full-back. "The different age-groups in the squad made us a
diverse group, but we complemented each other well on the pitch and got on
really well off it. "The atmosphere was brilliant and that showed by the way
we recovered from losing 1-0 in our opening game to Leicester to win the
Plate. We drew 1-1 with Celtic in our second game and if we'd held on to win
1-0 then I think we'd had had a great shout of winning the overall
competition.
"As it was we went into the Plate and, despite having a late night watching
the Play-Off final, we were ready for that on Sunday and won it in great
style by beating Hong Kong FC 3-0 in the final. "The conditions were
difficult, but changeable. One day was really hot and humid and the next was
rainy and overcast, but we adapted well and played some really good football
throughout the two days."
Spence was making his third trip to the end-of-season seven-a-side
competition. There, he lined up alongside fellow professionals Olly Lee,
George Moncur, Brian Montenegro, Eoin Wearen and Callum Driver and Academy
scholars Rob Hall, Blair Turgott, Pelly Ruddock and Jake Larkins. "Everyone
acquitted themselves very well. After the disappointment of the first day,
the boys showed some real maturity to come back on Sunday and win three
straight matches. "We enjoyed watching the Play-Off final, of course. We
watched it in our hotel bar alongside some of the players from the other
clubs and ex-professionals who were playing in the Masters Tournament,
including Ally McCoist, Alex Rae and Andy Goram from Rangers and Bryan Roy,
Martijn Reuser and Kenneth Perez from Ajax. "The atmosphere was brilliant
and we managed to do a bit of celebrating afterwards. It was a great way to
end the season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam - Hammers aiming high
West Ham boss not content to scrape to Premier League safety
Last Updated: May 28, 2012 3:11pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce is setting the bar high as he plans for West Ham's return to
the Premier League next season. The Hammers clinched promotion back to the
top-flight at the first attempt after beating Blackpool in the Championship
play-off final at Wembley. But boss Allardyce is not content with the East
Londoners simply aiming to avoid an instant return to the second tier. He
has stressed the importance of his side making a rapid start to prevent
relegation pressure mounting from August.
Confidence
"My job is to aim as high as we can in the Premier League and not to say
fourth from bottom is enough," said Allardyce. "Let's see how far we can get
this team at the first time of asking. The real challenge for me is to
prepare the team for the best possible start for the first 10 games. "That
will take the pressure off as you're not in a relegation position every
week, which is a constant gnaw at the player's confidence. "That's the way
forward if we can achieve it."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Positive and Negative Thread - A season Review
Mr Polite 1:16 Fri May 25
West Ham Online
At the beginning of the season the target was clear, owners, manager,
players and fans all were all together in targeting promotion. Now the
season is over we have attained that goal and have had many ups and downs on
the way. Here are the Positives and Negatives from the season as I saw them,
please feel free to agree, disagree or add your own.
Positives:
We went up. That was the be all and end all for many fans and although not
one of them I can't deny that getting back into the top tier is the biggest
positive of all. Target achieved.
The Playoff final was a most brilliant day out. Many would want to go up as
champions but winning the playoff final really is the most exciting way to
get promoted.
Tied in with the previous paragraph another huge positive was the fans. Away
days we went in our thousands giving most other teams their highest
attendance of the season. The Final summed it up really when you looked
around and saw the mass of Claret and Blue, Loud, Proud and followed the
team loyally. Home attendances too were brilliant considering we were in the
second tier and the football at times wasn't to everyones taste.
Beating Millwall
Some very good new signings. Vaz Te being the pick of the bunch but Faye,
Diop, McCartney, Baldock and Maynard can all hold their heads up and say
they did pretty well. Even Kevin Nolan who came in for criticism, started to
look like he was worth the money towards the end of the season. Of course
some signings don't work out and others don't do as well as you'd want or
expect but all in all I think Sam's signings have been pretty good.
A core of players that were in the relegated team of last season stood up to
be counted which was a huge positive. Most notably Mark Noble, James Tomkins
and Rob Green. Add to that Carlton Cole finding form late on and a great
season for Winston Winston Reid and it gives optimism for the new season.
One of Sams big strengths is organisation and that became clear straight
away. Our defence and the work rate of players as a unit was a big
difference and something unusual to see in a West Ham team.
Some of the football we played was excellent and really exciting. Brighton
at home, a number of away games plus the playoff semi finals showed that we
have the talent and the ability within the squad to play some good football.
That again gives optimism for next season.
Sullivan and to a lesser extent gold keeping their traps shut more often.
This was something Something Sam stipulated before taking the job and I
think it was a good thing for him to insist on. As much as I like hearing
about the club, they did need to reign it in a bit and well played sam for
making them do that.
The debuts of 3 Academy players as well as one other on the bench. Dan Potts
and Rob Hall did well with their chances and I have no doubt if there wasn't
the pathetic 5 sub rule we'd have seen more of them or others. Something
that comes across from talking to the academy players and staff is how much
more interest Sam takes in the Academy players than a lot of previous
managers.
Sam refusing an open top bus parade offered to him because he believes that
is an honour that should be reserved for Champions. It was good to see
perspective offered by the boss.
Our Away form was brilliant. Record amount of wins and the football was
often better on our trips away from Upton Park.
Negatives:
I guess even when you take into account the great day last weekend the fact
we couldn't win what is a pretty poor league has to go down as a negative,
although not as big a negative as it could have been. It would have been
nice to been Champions.
Some real silly points dropped especially at home and we seemed to struggle
when teams came and parked the bus. Teams were happy with a draw when they
played us at Upton Park and we struggled to deal with being the big scalp.
Lots of times we seemed bereft of ideas and very easy to play against.
A number of times Sam seemed to talk before he thought. Blaming fans for
poor performances, belittling our history a number of times he didn't do
much to warm himself to the fans. Now I like a man who is his own man and
doesn't take crap from people, I like a manager to be confident but I think
it is fair to say Sam took it to extremes a couple of times and could have
done more to get the fans on his side and behind the team more. That isn't
suggesting the fans weren't blameless, but he should know what crowds are
like and I feel he and the club could have acted better.
There has been a lot made about the long ball that we have or haven't
played. Whether you agree with it or not the fact is the style we adopted
for much of the season has bored a lot of fans. Some can understand it, some
enjoy it and others think we could have played better football and still got
good results and feel that the fact when we did play good football at times
and more often than not got good results proves that to be the case.
Whatever your view the cold hard fact is a lot of fans were bored with a
large amount of our games and whether that includes you or not it still has
to be a negative.
Summary:
After last weekend many negatives can be easily brushed aside and forgotten
as the big positive is that we were promoted. If we weren't then it's likely
people (Me) would have been more critical on a number of things but like
most football fans I'm fickle. What has gone is now in the History books and
we can look forward to a season of Premier League football when the debates
of positive and negative things will start all over again.
With very few if any Premier League teams coming to Upton Park to park the
bus and be happy with a draw Sam doesn't have to have the tactical brains to
overcome that which Is why I don't think optimism for better football and an
exciting season isn't misplaced. A bit of strengthening of the squad and we
can all look forward to a Positive season to come… with some Negatives I'm
sure….
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread over the season, even
when I haven't agreed with you, it's been nice to have a football related
debate on here. Also thanks to Pee Wee who covered the thread on the couple
of occasions I couldn't do it.
Thanks for reading
Mr Polite
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Yakubu Rising?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
Well, I said it was only a matter of time before Yakubu was linked with a
move to West Ham. And so it has come to pass, because Yakubu apparently
wants a move from relegated Blackburn Rovers, with Reading, Southampton and
the Hammers allegedly chasing his signature. He is certainly cheap enough,
in terms of the transfer fee, with reports suggesting that a £1m fee would
be sufficient to capture his services. But his wages could be another
matter?
Elsewhere, a Everton fans web site has announced that West Ham are
interested in signing Toffees midfielder, Leon Osman. Apparently, West Ham
have already bid £6m, which has been rejected by Everton!
Good potential signings or best avoided?
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Should We Buy Henri Lansbury?
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
The trouble with loan signings is that if they work out you then have to pay
a buying fee, but the player doesn't seem like a new signing. Henri Lansbury
may fall into that category. After a highly successful season with Norwich
he joined us last August, and at the start, he looked the answer to our
prayers - a tough tackling midfielder who wasn't afraid to get forward and
who could score goals. But then he got injured and never quite got back into
the groove after that. Perhaps we never played to his strengths.
Overall, how do you feel Henri has done for West Ham this season?
He started off playing superbly. We all thought he was the answer to our
prayers. He tackled well and seemed to have a real shot on him. Then he got
injured and never seemed to be the same again. It's not that he didn't do
OK, he just never seemed to rate more than a six out of ten. In the second
half of the season he was never a player who was first choice. But he never
let us down.
Earlier this week I did a Q&A for the Arsenal Blog, Marble Halls, who wanted
to know what I thought about Lansbury. Here's what I said. Perhaps you will
disagree with some of my views.
What are his strengths as a player?
He's a good all rounder but possibly a little too similar to Jack Collison.
He is very skilful and has a great shot on him, but too often he goes for
the glory shot.
How about his weaknesses?
His weakness is his consistency and his lack of goals. A player like him
should be scoring 6-10 goals a season at the very least.
How's his temperament?
His temperament seems fine. I don't recall any hotheaded incidents.
He's been played in various positions across the midfield in his brief
appearances for Arsenal. Where was he deployed for West Ham and what do you
consider his natural position?
He generally played in a midfield of 5, in the centre alongside Noble and
Nolan. He also played wide right on a few occasions. His trouble was that he
never seemed to play more than two or three games in a row, either because
he was injured or other players returned from injury.
Would you welcome him back to the club again?
Yes, I'd happily have him back. I think he is Premiership quality, but I
wouldn't pay more than £1.5 million to keep him.
If you look at his career record, it is quite interesing...
Arsenal 3 (0)
Scunthorpe 16 (4)
Watford 37 (5)
Norwich 23 (4)
West Ham 22 (1)
Now compare this with his England record...
Under 17 14 (4)
Under 19 11 (4)
Under 21 14 (5)
It makes you wonder whether Sam Allardyce really got the most out of Henri
Lasbury, although I do think his injury record was probably the main reason
he was mostly on the bench in the second half of the season. He could indeed
have got quite a few more goals as I can recall at least half a dozen
occasions when he hit the woodwork.
If we could get Henri Lansbury for £1.5 million I'd certainly be in favour
of bringing him back to Upton Park, but perhaps there are better prospects
out there?
Can you see him making it at Arsenal?
I'm not sure. I don't think he is a player Wenger necessarily would 'get'.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers fans cut up
The Sun
By DAN KING, Sport Uncovered
Published: Today at 00:05
WEST HAM have annoyed some of their most loyal fans by going back on a
season ticket price reduction pledge. The previous Icelandic regime, who
almost sent the club bust, promised a 20 per cent cut for the 2012-3 season
to anyone who renewed five years in a row. But after winning the
Championship play-off final — at £90million, the richest game in club
football — Hammers co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold have told fans in
a letter: "There is no question that such substantial discounting of season
ticket prices at this point in time will have a grave effect on the club's
financial health and our ability to retain our Premier League status." The
club's offer of a five per cent discount for each of the next four years has
not gone down well and some supporters are taking legal advice. Danny Davis,
partner at legal firm Mishcon de Reya, said: "A lot of people are unhappy
with the club's stance on this issue and want to do something about it.
"They feel the club is taking unfair advantage of their loyalty, knowing
that they will not go elsewhere."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Saha on his way
The Sun
Published: Today at 00:05
LOUIS SAHA has been released by Tottenham after just five months. The
striker, 33, arrived at Spurs from Everton in January. His availability has
already alerted West Ham boss Sam Allardyce, who wants to add more Premier
League experience to his squad after promotion via the Championship play-off
final.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Reading, Southampton and West Ham on alert as Yakubu vows to leave Blackburn
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 28 May 2012 | UPDATED: 22:30, 28 May 2012
Daily Mail
Yakubu has signalled his intention to leave relegated Blackburn and is
available for £1million. The Nigerian striker is wanted by newly-promoted
Reading, Southampton and West Ham and he has no wish to drop down to the
Championship.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tomkins happy he stayed loyal to West Ham
By talkSPORT | Monday, May 28, 2012
West Ham defender James Tomkins believes he has justified his decision to
stay at Upton Park and says he never intended to quit the east London club.
Tomkins was strongly linked with a move to Newcastle back in January with
the north east club having a £2.5m bid turned down. Sam Allardyce was
desperate to keep his key defender at Upton Park and said the club would be
'committing suicide' if they sold one of their star assets. Tomkins quickly
repaid the faith which Allardyce has shown in him by signing a new five-year
contract and played a major role in helping the club gain promotion back
into the Premier League. The 23-year-old is now relishing the chance to play
in the top flight again next season and feels he can achieve big things with
West Ham. Tomkins said: "Of course this has justified my decision to stay.
My aim at the start of the season was to help the club get promoted and I'm
not going to turn my back on that. "I certainly wasn't going to do that so I
signed and committed to the club, and thankfully we have got back up."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United interested in signing former Newcastle United and Manchester
City midfielder Joey Barton
12:52pm Monday 28th May 2012 in News
West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing QPR misfit Joey Barton.
The troubled midfielder was given a 12-game ban and fined £75,000 after his
red card and subsequent antics at Manchester City on the final day of the
season. Despite this controversy, the Hammers are believed to be keen on
bringing him to Upton Park. West Ham boss Sam Allardyce signed Barton when
he was in charge at Newcastle United and may be convinced he can get the
best out of the 29-year-old.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United linked with move for Wolves winger
10:10am Monday 28th May 2012 in News
West Ham United have been linked with a move for Wolves winger Matt Jarvis.
Jarvis is expected to leave Wolves following their relegation from the
Premier League and has also been linked with Everton and Udinese. West Ham
are likely to be busy during the summer as they look to strengthen their
squad ahead of their return to the top flight.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce helped raise over 4 million for UNICEF
28.05.2012
Sam Allardyce took charge of an England team packed full of celebrities and
former stars as they beat a Rest of the World XI 3-1 at Old Trafford on
Sunday evening.
Ex-West Ham United Striker Teddy Sheringham scored the first of England's
goals as the Three Lions came from behind to take the victory. Stars such as
Will Ferrell, Mike Myers, Olly Murs and Comedian John Bishop were all on
hand to help raise much needed funds for UNICEF. Over 70,000 packed into Old
Trafford to watch the game that was also screened live on ITV.
The Rest of the World XI, managed by Kenny Dalglish, took the lead through
Kasabian rocker Serge Pizzorno to go in 1-0 up at half time but England
staged an impressive second half comeback. Sheringham levelled the scores
before Johnathan Wilkes and Blackpool striker Kevin Phillips both netted to
secure England the trophy.
With the £4million raised on the night added to the £6.5 million raised
through ticket sales, a staggering £10.5 million has been raised so far. You
can still donate £5 to UNICEF by texting "DONATE" to 70442. Texts cost £5
plus standard network rate with the full £5 going directly to UNICEF.
Elsewhere, West Ham United winger Pablo Barrera, who spent last season on
loan in Spain at Real Zaragoza, played nearly 80 minutes for Mexico in New
York at The Metlife Stadium as the South Americans beat Wales 2-0 in an
international friendly.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce is looking ahead to a bright future for West Ham United after
promotion to the Premier League
28.05.2012
Sam Allardyce is looking forward to continuing the excellent work he has
started in his first 12 months at West Ham United. The West Ham United
manager oversaw a record-breaking first season in charge that ultimately led
to promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. Now,
with top-flight football secured, Big Sam has already drawn up a target list
for summer acquisitions and is eagerly anticipating getting his teeth into
his continued rebuilding of the club. "My job will be to aim as high as we
can in the Premier League and not to say fourth from bottom is enough," he
said. "Let's see how far we can get this team at the first time of asking.
"The real challenge for me is to prepare the team for the best possible
start for the first ten games. That will take the pressure off as you're not
in a relegation position every week, which is a constant gnaw at the
player's confidence. That's the way forward if we can achieve it."
The continued support of the Board will be crucial to Allardyce's plans and
he admits he could not be happier on that front based on what he has seen in
his first 12 months. "The owners' passion for West Ham United is the most
impressive aspect. They put their money where their mouth is. The club has
to be propped up by their personal wealth and their understanding, having
been in the game a long time, is great. "When you get support like that
you're under more pressure to deliver but you're happy to get that support
as that's what you need as a manager."
With transfer planning starting the day after the Play-Off final victory
against Blackpool, Hammers fans are likely to see several new faces by the
time the squad reconvene in July. Key to those dealings will be the Big
Sam's strong relationship with Joint-Chairman David Sullivan and David Gold
and Vice-Chairman Karren Brady. "You need good communication to build a
successful structure at a football club. I'm pleased for them [the Board] as
they're so passionate about West Ham and I'm pleased for all the fans as
it's been a long hard season and one that we look back on with great
fondness. "For me it's about being responsible for the football side and the
communication with David [Sullivan] which has been very good. David Gold is
a man who likes to come in and see us and he likes us to keep him informed
and show him which way we're going. "If you're going to be a successful
club, your relationship with the owners is critical. If you don't
communicate then it's never going to work."
Although Saturday May 19 is a day that will live long in the memory of
Hammers fans, Big Sam is realistic enough to know it will not all be plain
sailing next season as West Ham United come up against some of the biggest
clubs and best players in the world. To overcome such obstacles, Allardyce
knows that every player in claret and blue will need to give their all in
every game. "As always when in the Premier League it's tough to get results
but as long as you're trying your best and the West Ham fans know the
players are trying their best you'll be OK. We know we won't win as many
games as we've won this season but if we get the right team together and the
right team spirit we'll give it a right good go."
Allardyce was delighted that so many of his senior players stood up to the
Wembley test on a day of high drama, but saved special mention for Carlton
Cole, who led the forward line fearlessly for 90 minutes. "He's really
excited me and his hard work and his goals throughout the season have helped
us get to where we want to go. He's had a fantastic season and I know he's
looking forward to playing in the Premier League and getting his status back
as a Premier League player."
Although Big Sam was able to celebrate the Hammers' win with some of his
family in London, his wife, daughter and granddaughter were already
committed to flying to Las Vegas on the trip Allardyce had to skip because
of the final. Although they were watching over 5,000 miles away, the
Allardyce family were able to toast victory in true Vegas style. "My wife
was drinking champagne with breakfast in Las Vegas! My wife, daughter and
grandson still had to go on the trip. My wife still doesn't do nerves very
well so they watched it over in Vegas. "My son was at the stadium so we had
a good drink to celebrate afterwards. It's great we achieved this dream to
return this club to the Premier League at the first time of asking."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Spence proud of Hong Kong gong
WHUFC.com
Jordan Spence captained the Development Squad to Plate competition victory
in the Far East
28.05.2012
Jordan Spence has hailed the Development Squad after captaining Ian Hendon's
side to the Plate competition at the Hong Kong FC Citibank International
Soccer Sevens. The young professional returned from a loan spell at Bristol
City to skipper the young West Ham United team in the Far East. There, the
Hammers recovered from an opening-game defeat by Leicester City and a
third-place group finish to record three consecutive victories on Sunday to
lift the Plate. "We had a really good group of players out in Hong Kong,"
confirmed the full-back. "The different age-groups in the squad made us a
diverse group, but we complemented each other well on the pitch and got on
really well off it. "The atmosphere was brilliant and that showed by the way
we recovered from losing 1-0 in our opening game to Leicester to win the
Plate. We drew 1-1 with Celtic in our second game and if we'd held on to win
1-0 then I think we'd had had a great shout of winning the overall
competition.
"As it was we went into the Plate and, despite having a late night watching
the Play-Off final, we were ready for that on Sunday and won it in great
style by beating Hong Kong FC 3-0 in the final. "The conditions were
difficult, but changeable. One day was really hot and humid and the next was
rainy and overcast, but we adapted well and played some really good football
throughout the two days."
Spence was making his third trip to the end-of-season seven-a-side
competition. There, he lined up alongside fellow professionals Olly Lee,
George Moncur, Brian Montenegro, Eoin Wearen and Callum Driver and Academy
scholars Rob Hall, Blair Turgott, Pelly Ruddock and Jake Larkins. "Everyone
acquitted themselves very well. After the disappointment of the first day,
the boys showed some real maturity to come back on Sunday and win three
straight matches. "We enjoyed watching the Play-Off final, of course. We
watched it in our hotel bar alongside some of the players from the other
clubs and ex-professionals who were playing in the Masters Tournament,
including Ally McCoist, Alex Rae and Andy Goram from Rangers and Bryan Roy,
Martijn Reuser and Kenneth Perez from Ajax. "The atmosphere was brilliant
and we managed to do a bit of celebrating afterwards. It was a great way to
end the season."
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Big Sam - Hammers aiming high
West Ham boss not content to scrape to Premier League safety
Last Updated: May 28, 2012 3:11pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce is setting the bar high as he plans for West Ham's return to
the Premier League next season. The Hammers clinched promotion back to the
top-flight at the first attempt after beating Blackpool in the Championship
play-off final at Wembley. But boss Allardyce is not content with the East
Londoners simply aiming to avoid an instant return to the second tier. He
has stressed the importance of his side making a rapid start to prevent
relegation pressure mounting from August.
Confidence
"My job is to aim as high as we can in the Premier League and not to say
fourth from bottom is enough," said Allardyce. "Let's see how far we can get
this team at the first time of asking. The real challenge for me is to
prepare the team for the best possible start for the first 10 games. "That
will take the pressure off as you're not in a relegation position every
week, which is a constant gnaw at the player's confidence. "That's the way
forward if we can achieve it."
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The Positive and Negative Thread - A season Review
Mr Polite 1:16 Fri May 25
West Ham Online
At the beginning of the season the target was clear, owners, manager,
players and fans all were all together in targeting promotion. Now the
season is over we have attained that goal and have had many ups and downs on
the way. Here are the Positives and Negatives from the season as I saw them,
please feel free to agree, disagree or add your own.
Positives:
We went up. That was the be all and end all for many fans and although not
one of them I can't deny that getting back into the top tier is the biggest
positive of all. Target achieved.
The Playoff final was a most brilliant day out. Many would want to go up as
champions but winning the playoff final really is the most exciting way to
get promoted.
Tied in with the previous paragraph another huge positive was the fans. Away
days we went in our thousands giving most other teams their highest
attendance of the season. The Final summed it up really when you looked
around and saw the mass of Claret and Blue, Loud, Proud and followed the
team loyally. Home attendances too were brilliant considering we were in the
second tier and the football at times wasn't to everyones taste.
Beating Millwall
Some very good new signings. Vaz Te being the pick of the bunch but Faye,
Diop, McCartney, Baldock and Maynard can all hold their heads up and say
they did pretty well. Even Kevin Nolan who came in for criticism, started to
look like he was worth the money towards the end of the season. Of course
some signings don't work out and others don't do as well as you'd want or
expect but all in all I think Sam's signings have been pretty good.
A core of players that were in the relegated team of last season stood up to
be counted which was a huge positive. Most notably Mark Noble, James Tomkins
and Rob Green. Add to that Carlton Cole finding form late on and a great
season for Winston Winston Reid and it gives optimism for the new season.
One of Sams big strengths is organisation and that became clear straight
away. Our defence and the work rate of players as a unit was a big
difference and something unusual to see in a West Ham team.
Some of the football we played was excellent and really exciting. Brighton
at home, a number of away games plus the playoff semi finals showed that we
have the talent and the ability within the squad to play some good football.
That again gives optimism for next season.
Sullivan and to a lesser extent gold keeping their traps shut more often.
This was something Something Sam stipulated before taking the job and I
think it was a good thing for him to insist on. As much as I like hearing
about the club, they did need to reign it in a bit and well played sam for
making them do that.
The debuts of 3 Academy players as well as one other on the bench. Dan Potts
and Rob Hall did well with their chances and I have no doubt if there wasn't
the pathetic 5 sub rule we'd have seen more of them or others. Something
that comes across from talking to the academy players and staff is how much
more interest Sam takes in the Academy players than a lot of previous
managers.
Sam refusing an open top bus parade offered to him because he believes that
is an honour that should be reserved for Champions. It was good to see
perspective offered by the boss.
Our Away form was brilliant. Record amount of wins and the football was
often better on our trips away from Upton Park.
Negatives:
I guess even when you take into account the great day last weekend the fact
we couldn't win what is a pretty poor league has to go down as a negative,
although not as big a negative as it could have been. It would have been
nice to been Champions.
Some real silly points dropped especially at home and we seemed to struggle
when teams came and parked the bus. Teams were happy with a draw when they
played us at Upton Park and we struggled to deal with being the big scalp.
Lots of times we seemed bereft of ideas and very easy to play against.
A number of times Sam seemed to talk before he thought. Blaming fans for
poor performances, belittling our history a number of times he didn't do
much to warm himself to the fans. Now I like a man who is his own man and
doesn't take crap from people, I like a manager to be confident but I think
it is fair to say Sam took it to extremes a couple of times and could have
done more to get the fans on his side and behind the team more. That isn't
suggesting the fans weren't blameless, but he should know what crowds are
like and I feel he and the club could have acted better.
There has been a lot made about the long ball that we have or haven't
played. Whether you agree with it or not the fact is the style we adopted
for much of the season has bored a lot of fans. Some can understand it, some
enjoy it and others think we could have played better football and still got
good results and feel that the fact when we did play good football at times
and more often than not got good results proves that to be the case.
Whatever your view the cold hard fact is a lot of fans were bored with a
large amount of our games and whether that includes you or not it still has
to be a negative.
Summary:
After last weekend many negatives can be easily brushed aside and forgotten
as the big positive is that we were promoted. If we weren't then it's likely
people (Me) would have been more critical on a number of things but like
most football fans I'm fickle. What has gone is now in the History books and
we can look forward to a season of Premier League football when the debates
of positive and negative things will start all over again.
With very few if any Premier League teams coming to Upton Park to park the
bus and be happy with a draw Sam doesn't have to have the tactical brains to
overcome that which Is why I don't think optimism for better football and an
exciting season isn't misplaced. A bit of strengthening of the squad and we
can all look forward to a Positive season to come… with some Negatives I'm
sure….
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread over the season, even
when I haven't agreed with you, it's been nice to have a football related
debate on here. Also thanks to Pee Wee who covered the thread on the couple
of occasions I couldn't do it.
Thanks for reading
Mr Polite
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Yakubu Rising?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
Well, I said it was only a matter of time before Yakubu was linked with a
move to West Ham. And so it has come to pass, because Yakubu apparently
wants a move from relegated Blackburn Rovers, with Reading, Southampton and
the Hammers allegedly chasing his signature. He is certainly cheap enough,
in terms of the transfer fee, with reports suggesting that a £1m fee would
be sufficient to capture his services. But his wages could be another
matter?
Elsewhere, a Everton fans web site has announced that West Ham are
interested in signing Toffees midfielder, Leon Osman. Apparently, West Ham
have already bid £6m, which has been rejected by Everton!
Good potential signings or best avoided?
SJ. Chandos.
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Should We Buy Henri Lansbury?
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
The trouble with loan signings is that if they work out you then have to pay
a buying fee, but the player doesn't seem like a new signing. Henri Lansbury
may fall into that category. After a highly successful season with Norwich
he joined us last August, and at the start, he looked the answer to our
prayers - a tough tackling midfielder who wasn't afraid to get forward and
who could score goals. But then he got injured and never quite got back into
the groove after that. Perhaps we never played to his strengths.
Overall, how do you feel Henri has done for West Ham this season?
He started off playing superbly. We all thought he was the answer to our
prayers. He tackled well and seemed to have a real shot on him. Then he got
injured and never seemed to be the same again. It's not that he didn't do
OK, he just never seemed to rate more than a six out of ten. In the second
half of the season he was never a player who was first choice. But he never
let us down.
Earlier this week I did a Q&A for the Arsenal Blog, Marble Halls, who wanted
to know what I thought about Lansbury. Here's what I said. Perhaps you will
disagree with some of my views.
What are his strengths as a player?
He's a good all rounder but possibly a little too similar to Jack Collison.
He is very skilful and has a great shot on him, but too often he goes for
the glory shot.
How about his weaknesses?
His weakness is his consistency and his lack of goals. A player like him
should be scoring 6-10 goals a season at the very least.
How's his temperament?
His temperament seems fine. I don't recall any hotheaded incidents.
He's been played in various positions across the midfield in his brief
appearances for Arsenal. Where was he deployed for West Ham and what do you
consider his natural position?
He generally played in a midfield of 5, in the centre alongside Noble and
Nolan. He also played wide right on a few occasions. His trouble was that he
never seemed to play more than two or three games in a row, either because
he was injured or other players returned from injury.
Would you welcome him back to the club again?
Yes, I'd happily have him back. I think he is Premiership quality, but I
wouldn't pay more than £1.5 million to keep him.
If you look at his career record, it is quite interesing...
Arsenal 3 (0)
Scunthorpe 16 (4)
Watford 37 (5)
Norwich 23 (4)
West Ham 22 (1)
Now compare this with his England record...
Under 17 14 (4)
Under 19 11 (4)
Under 21 14 (5)
It makes you wonder whether Sam Allardyce really got the most out of Henri
Lasbury, although I do think his injury record was probably the main reason
he was mostly on the bench in the second half of the season. He could indeed
have got quite a few more goals as I can recall at least half a dozen
occasions when he hit the woodwork.
If we could get Henri Lansbury for £1.5 million I'd certainly be in favour
of bringing him back to Upton Park, but perhaps there are better prospects
out there?
Can you see him making it at Arsenal?
I'm not sure. I don't think he is a player Wenger necessarily would 'get'.
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Hammers fans cut up
The Sun
By DAN KING, Sport Uncovered
Published: Today at 00:05
WEST HAM have annoyed some of their most loyal fans by going back on a
season ticket price reduction pledge. The previous Icelandic regime, who
almost sent the club bust, promised a 20 per cent cut for the 2012-3 season
to anyone who renewed five years in a row. But after winning the
Championship play-off final — at £90million, the richest game in club
football — Hammers co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold have told fans in
a letter: "There is no question that such substantial discounting of season
ticket prices at this point in time will have a grave effect on the club's
financial health and our ability to retain our Premier League status." The
club's offer of a five per cent discount for each of the next four years has
not gone down well and some supporters are taking legal advice. Danny Davis,
partner at legal firm Mishcon de Reya, said: "A lot of people are unhappy
with the club's stance on this issue and want to do something about it.
"They feel the club is taking unfair advantage of their loyalty, knowing
that they will not go elsewhere."
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Saha on his way
The Sun
Published: Today at 00:05
LOUIS SAHA has been released by Tottenham after just five months. The
striker, 33, arrived at Spurs from Everton in January. His availability has
already alerted West Ham boss Sam Allardyce, who wants to add more Premier
League experience to his squad after promotion via the Championship play-off
final.
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Reading, Southampton and West Ham on alert as Yakubu vows to leave Blackburn
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 28 May 2012 | UPDATED: 22:30, 28 May 2012
Daily Mail
Yakubu has signalled his intention to leave relegated Blackburn and is
available for £1million. The Nigerian striker is wanted by newly-promoted
Reading, Southampton and West Ham and he has no wish to drop down to the
Championship.
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Tomkins happy he stayed loyal to West Ham
By talkSPORT | Monday, May 28, 2012
West Ham defender James Tomkins believes he has justified his decision to
stay at Upton Park and says he never intended to quit the east London club.
Tomkins was strongly linked with a move to Newcastle back in January with
the north east club having a £2.5m bid turned down. Sam Allardyce was
desperate to keep his key defender at Upton Park and said the club would be
'committing suicide' if they sold one of their star assets. Tomkins quickly
repaid the faith which Allardyce has shown in him by signing a new five-year
contract and played a major role in helping the club gain promotion back
into the Premier League. The 23-year-old is now relishing the chance to play
in the top flight again next season and feels he can achieve big things with
West Ham. Tomkins said: "Of course this has justified my decision to stay.
My aim at the start of the season was to help the club get promoted and I'm
not going to turn my back on that. "I certainly wasn't going to do that so I
signed and committed to the club, and thankfully we have got back up."
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West Ham United interested in signing former Newcastle United and Manchester
City midfielder Joey Barton
12:52pm Monday 28th May 2012 in News
West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing QPR misfit Joey Barton.
The troubled midfielder was given a 12-game ban and fined £75,000 after his
red card and subsequent antics at Manchester City on the final day of the
season. Despite this controversy, the Hammers are believed to be keen on
bringing him to Upton Park. West Ham boss Sam Allardyce signed Barton when
he was in charge at Newcastle United and may be convinced he can get the
best out of the 29-year-old.
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West Ham United linked with move for Wolves winger
10:10am Monday 28th May 2012 in News
West Ham United have been linked with a move for Wolves winger Matt Jarvis.
Jarvis is expected to leave Wolves following their relegation from the
Premier League and has also been linked with Everton and Udinese. West Ham
are likely to be busy during the summer as they look to strengthen their
squad ahead of their return to the top flight.
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