Daily WHUFC News - 15th August 2012

Hammers Bid wins high-profile support
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's plegde for a lasting legacy for east London has received
some famous backing
14.08.2012

West Ham United's Bid to become anchor concessionaire of the Olympic Stadium
has received widespread support from a host of high-profile names who want
to see a lasting legacy delivered to east London. In an open letter to
Londoners, big names from the world of showbusiness, sport, politics,
community and business have lent their backing to West Ham United's pledge
to build on the fantastic platform the Olympic Games have provided to help
'Put east London on the map and keep it there'. The full letter, which fans
will also see in media in the coming week, can be seen below.

Dear Londoners,

We, the under-signed, are delighted to be backing West Ham United's Bid to
occupy the Olympic Stadium post-Games. We are offering our support as
community and business leaders, representatives of the arts and figureheads
from the sporting family. Some of us are also West Ham United supporters but
we all have one thing in common: a passionate interest in East London, its
community and its future direction.

The Games have given a mouth-watering taste of what this amazing venue could
offer to visitors week in week out. But the showcase must not stop there.
West Ham has promised to help deliver the legacy promises made by Lord Coe
in 2005: promises that would directly benefit the people of East London and
the rest of the nation as a whole. This would be done through the creation
of jobs, ensuring the Stadium is regularly used by the local community and
by making elite sport accessible and affordable to all.

Karren Brady on behalf of the club, has told us of their aspirations for the
Stadium and we know first-hand that she and her team have both the passion
and the desire to deliver them.

West Ham's bid, if accepted would turn the stadium into a truly multi-use
destination that serves its community - a world-class centre for athletics,
football and as a cultural and music destination of which the nation can
continue to be proud.

Nobody is better placed to deliver the legacy than West Ham United as they
have been delivering legacies for London since 1895. The club work hard to
serve their community, with over 500,000 of their supporters hailing from
the east end of London and the surrounding areas.

We support West Ham United's bid and hope you will join us by getting behind
the club's efforts to see the legacy promise delivered and help to really
put East London on the map and keep it there.

Email: passthebaton@westhamunited.co.uk
@whufc_official #PASSTHEBATON

Thank-you all and best wishes
James Corden - Actor
Ray Winstone - Actor
Mark Hunter - Olympic medallist
Lyn Brown MP - MP West Ham
Stephen Timms - MP East Ham
Jim Fitzpatrick - MP for Poplar and Limehouse
Ben Shepherd - TV presenter
Sally Gunnell - Olympic medallist
Tony Carr MBE - Academy Director
Kevin Murphy - CEO, Excel London
Kevin Jenkins OBE - Co-founder, Community Links
Perry Fenwick - Actor

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The Big Interview: Momo Diame
WHUFC.com
New arrival Mohamed Diame talks Olympics, pre-season and the Barclays
Premier League
14.08.2012

West Ham United new boy Mohamed Diame has revealed his excitement ahead of
the new Barclays Premier League season. The Senegal international captained
his country in the London 2012 Olympic Games but has now returned and played
his second game for the Hammers in Friday's 1-1 draw with SC Braga in
Portugal. The all-action midfielder produced a fine display at the Estadio
Municipal, producing strong challenges and getting forward regularly to
support his team-mates.
Speaking to whufc.com ahead of the new season, Diame stated his intention to
give his all after an Olympic experience he will never forget.

Facing SC Braga on Friday was your second game for West Ham United. How do
you feel it went?

MD - "We worked hard. We had a good game and I think we played well. The
second half was difficult and but we did what we had to and got the
equaliser and we're ready for the next game against Aston Villa on Saturday
- our first in the Barclays Premier League."

You've been away for the majority of pre-season competing in the Olympics
for Senegal. Is it good to be back now with your new team mates?

MD - "I feel good. I left around a month ago so it's nice to get back. I
think the guys are ready as well and we all feel prepared for the start of
the Barclays Premier League season."

You made it to the quarter-final stage, so did you enjoy the experience or
were you frustrated to miss out on winning an Olympic medal?

MD - "I really enjoyed the experience of competing in the Olympic football.
For me I would just to say thank you to West Ham United for allowing me to
go as it was an experience I will never forget."

Are you excited for the start of the Barclays Premier League season?

MD - "Of course I'm very excited. I'm at a new club in West Ham and I'm
looking forward to the challenge."

Are you excited about playing in front of the West Ham United fans and what
do you know about them already?

MD - "I'm ready for that. I know the fans are behind the team and every time
they are looking for a win, so I will give my best on the pitch to ensure
they go home happy."

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Joey jumping at Ireland return
WHUFC.com
Joey O'Brien is itching to make his first Republic of Ireland appearance
since 2007 on Wednesday evening
14.08.2012

Joey O'Brien has revealed that he never gave up hope of making an
international return as he prepares to make his first Republic of Ireland
appearance since October 2007 on Wednesday evening. The West Ham United
player disappeared into the international wilderness after being withdrawn
at half-time in Ireland's 1-1 EURO 2008 qualifying draw with Cyprus in
Dublin, enduring a two-year injury nightmare. After battling back from
serious knee problems, O'Brien earned a two-year contract with the Hammers
in the summer of 2011 after impressing his former Bolton Wanderers manager
Sam Allardyce. The 26-year-old made 33 appearances last season to prove his
fitness and help West Ham to gain promotion to the Barclays Premier League,
catching the eye of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni in the process.

Now, he has earned an international recall and could make his fourth senior
appearance in Wednesday's friendly with Serbia in Belgrade. The Irish start
their World Cup qualifying campaign in Kazakhstan on 7 September and the
Hammers No17 would love to be involved. "I've done so much rehab in a way
that football is the easy part," he told the Irish Times. "Once I'm on the
pitch, and I'm fit, I believe I'll be playing games and nothing else
matters. "Luckily for me, he (Big Sam) got the West Ham job at the right
time and told me I could go down there to train. I trained down there for
the whole of pre-season to try and earn a contract and thankfully I did."

O'Brien also thanked Big Sam for allowing him to join up with the Ireland
squad just a few days before the big Barclays Premier League kick-off
against Aston Villa at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday. "He knows how
patriotic I am, being an Irish person over here [in England]. He hears me
every day on the training ground. He wasn't going to be able to say
anything. I love playing for my country."

For the Dubliner, pulling on the green shirt of his country again is
something O'Brien has been dreaming of. Speaking to the Irish Sun, he
recalled the memory of being awarded his first Irish cap by the late FAI
coach Noel O'Reilly after making his debut against Sweden in March 2006. The
popular full-back also revealed that his faith had played a big part in his
successful recovery from majory surgery to have a piece of his kneecap
removed in 2008. "I love playing for my country, I've a picture in my flat
of Noel O'Reilly giving me my first cap — God rest him. I knew, and people
that matter to me, they knew what it meant for me to be playing for Ireland.
"I had trust in God that I was going to get back. There were many a prayer
and novena (act of religious devotion) that kept me going. I was always a
religious person. I was brought up in it by my ma and da, going to mass
every week. I think that without it, I would not be back."

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Mickey Thomas condemns Wales injury withdrawals
BBC.co.uk
WALES V BONSIA-HERCEGOVINA - FRIENDLY INTERNATIONAL
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli Date: Wednesday, 15 August Kick-off: 19:45
BST
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio
Cymru. Highlights on BBC One Wales (22:45 BST)

Ex-Wales international Mickey Thomas has criticised West Ham United pair
James Collins and Jack Collison for withdrawing from Wales squad duty.
Defender Collins reported a groin injury and Collison a knee problem ahead
of Wednesday's friendly with Bosnia-Herzegovina in Llanelli. "Two players
withdrew again from the squad... Collins and Collison," Thomas told the
Radio Wales Sport programme. "They both drop out of the squad. Every time
it's the same two players." Wales manager Chris Coleman has called up
Huddersfield's Joel Lynch and Cardiff's Robert Earnshaw to replace the
Hammers pair as he prepares his side for 2014 World Cup qualifiers with
Belgium and Serbia in September.

"It's unfair, because Chris Coleman, it's his first campaign, and he wants
everyone available yet these two players yet again don't make the squad,"
Thomas added.
"If you don't want to play for Wales then why don't you just come out and be
brave enough and say it, because Chris Coleman has to prepare his team for
this massive campaign ahead."

The 23-year-old Collison has suffered a string of knee problems that began
with an initial injury in 2009, which includes the midfielder being
sidelined for 14 months after surgery and only returning to action at the
end of the 2010/11 season. Collins was not selected for the friendly against
Mexico in May and was left out of the match-day 19 against Costa Rica in
February despite having been named in the initial squad for the Gary Speed
Memorial Match. Before the Mexico game, Coleman had said: "James Collins has
lost his place with Ashley Williams really being the mainstay and Darcy
Blake has done well at international level. "They haven't done anything
wrong there. James has had a long hard season, he has had a few niggles. "I
know all about James. I'm not going to learn anything from James." Collins
had withdrawn from the friendly against Norway in November 2011 and was also
injured for the Euro 2012 qualifiers with Switzerland and Bulgaria the
previous month.

The 28-year-old was an unused substitute in the September 2011 defeat to
England and suspended for the previous game against Montenegro. The match
before that had been a friendly against Australia in August and Collins was
again an injury withdrawal before the 2-1 loss in Cardiff, while the
previous Nations Cup tournament also saw the defender absent with a groin
injury. Collins, who has won 39 Wales caps, last played for his country in
March 2011, when England won their Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff. Thomas'
fellow former Wales star Ian Walsh agreed that the withdrawals were likely
to hamper Coleman's preparations. "It's a great shame because James Collins
especially he's a very good centre-half, he's had a great move back to West
Ham," Walsh said. "Collison of course at West Ham, we saw West Ham beat
Cardiff City [in the Championship play-offs] and Collison scored two goals
at Cardiff City Stadium. "These players sometimes they do baffle everybody.
"It's going to be tough for Chris Coleman and the boys because it's a
strange time to have a game, when there's been hardly any league matches and
then all of a sudden you're going off to international duty."

Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and midfielder David Vaughan are also missing
through injury for the Bosnia game at Parc y Scarlets.

Wales squad

Goalkeepers: Jason Brown (Aberdeen), Boaz Myhill (West Bromwich Albion),
Owain Fon Williams (Tranmere Rovers).
Defenders: Darcy Blake (Cardiff City), Chris Gunter (Reading), Adam Matthews
(Celtic), Sam Ricketts (Bolton Wanderers), Neil Taylor (Swansea City),
Ashley Williams (Swansea City), Joel Lynch (Huddersfield Town).
Midfielders: Joe Allen (Liverpool), Andrew Crofts (Brighton & Hove Albion),
David Edwards (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Joe Ledley (Celtic), Aaron Ramsey
(Arsenal), Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur).
Strikers: Craig Bellamy (Cardiff City), Simon Church (Reading), Steve
Morison (Norwich City), Hal Robson-Kanu (Reading), Sam Vokes (Burnley), Rob
Earnshaw (Cardiff City).

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Allardyce viewing long-term stay
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 14th August 2012
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce has admitted that he would like to remain
in charge of the club beyond his current two-year contract. Allardyce, 57 -
whose current contract expires at the end of the 2012/13 season - revealed
that he would be delighted to remain in charge of the club if and when
United receive the green light to move to the home of the hugely-successful
Olympic Games at Stratford. "I want to take the club into the Olympic
Stadium because I was inspired by it," he told KUMB.com today. "If any fans
had doubts about us moving there they should have been extinguished by the
atmosphere that was created [during the games] and the facility that is
there for this club - and only three miles down the road."

Although the decision over who will be awarded preferred bidder status for
tenancy of the stadium is not expected to be announced for several weeks,
Allardyce was in no doubt that it is a necessary move should West Ham wish
to progress and challenge the nation's most successful clubs. "If this club
wants to be great, it has to go," he insisted. "Unless you redevelop Upton
Park and make it a 60,000 all-seater state-of-the-art stadium. "If you
can't do that, you've got an unbelievable arena [at Stratford] that could
create a cauldron of noise - which is what the West Ham fans do, as they
showed at Wembley [against Blackpool]. "It could be the catalyst for the
next generation, the modern-day history of this football club."

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Coleman defends absent duo
Wales manager says Collison and Collins are not fit to face Bosnia
Last Updated: August 14, 2012 4:23pm
SSN

Chris Coleman has shielded Jack Collison and James Collins from criticism
after the West Ham pair withdrew from the Wales squad. Midfielder Collison
(knee) and defender Collins (groin), a recent signing from Aston Villa, both
pulled out of Wednesday's clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Llanelli over
the weekend. Joel Lynch and Robert Earnshaw have been called up as
replacements but former Wales international Mickey Thomas has still labelled
the withdrawals of Collins and Collison as 'unfair' on Coleman ahead of his
first qualifying campaign. Coleman has leapt to the defence of the duo,
though, with Collison having been dogged by knee problems in recent seasons
and Collins having not played for his country since the Euro 2012 qualifying
defeat against England in March 2011. He said: "I have seen Mickey's
comments, he is paid to give his opinion but I don't agree. "Jack Collison
has had a serious knee problem, not for six months or 12 months, but for two
or three years. "He has got through games when maybe he shouldn't have
because he wants to play, and he has even come away with Wales when maybe he
shouldn't have. "But we know Jack very well, he has a lot of desire for
football, he loves to come and play for Wales and we love having him play
for Wales, but physically he cannot do it. "He has not kicked a ball since
the play-off final, where he ran himself into the ground and had a big
impact. He has not done a lot since and he needs a rest. "We left him out of
the Mexico game as he had the play-off final coming up and he had played a
lot of football, I think it was around 30 games for West Ham, and he is
always trying to maintain his knee problem. Now he needs a complete rest.

Responsibility

"I will take some of the responsibility for naming him in the squad and then
getting information on him. "But if he is not right and he cannot play for
West Ham, how can he play for us? "James Collins, we think, has a hernia
problem which may need surgery, he can't play. He limped off in a friendly
in Portugal for West Ham so he can't play. "They are two players who will
always be in my thoughts and be there or thereabouts when I am naming my
squad." Wednesday's fixture is the final chance for Coleman to prepare for
the World Cup qualifiers which begin against Belgium in Cardiff next month.
And the former Fulham boss believes the fixture is the ideal test for his
side before the serious business gets under way. "This is an important game
against a very good team," he said. "People say they have not won for five
games but look at the sides they have lost against. France, Mexico, Brazil,
these are some of the best sides they have been up against. "They are ranked
in the top 30 and it is a good game for us ahead of the Belgium game next
month."

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Is Matt Jarvis Really Worth £9 Million Or More?
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die

I'll be honest, until this pre-season, I had never heard of Matt Jarvis. He
was part of a Wolves team that got itself relegated, and relegated with
comparative ease. His teammate Steven Fletcher is said to be worth £12
million and Jarvis himself is rated at more than £10 million by the selling
club. For a winger with a career strike rate of one goal in eight games,
that's going some. But worse than that, statistics show that last season he
created only 4 assists, and 6 the season before. Admittedly, last season he
scored 9 in 39 appearances and it was his best season ever, but £9 million
is still an awful lot. Perhaps we should bear in mind that in Wolves'
promotion season he only scored 3 in 37. If we sign him. we should be very
wary of expecting too much too soon.

If speculation is to be believed, the players wants to move, but Wolves are
holding out for an improved offer from another team. West Ham have told
them, so we are informed, that if they don't accept an improved offer from
the Hammers by the end of the day, then the deal is off. If that happens
attention may well switch to Matt Phillips at Blackpool. He is the subject
of a bid from Southampton, but Ian Holloway has accused the Saints of
tapping up his player. So Blackpool may well look favourably on a bid from
us.

One final point on Matt Jarvis. It was said on the @Agent_WHU account
yesterday that Jarvis owns a house in East Sussex, but West Ham had offered
him a "living allowance" so he could have a flat in the East End. I have no
idea who is behind this Twitter account, but he does seem to have some sort
of inside information. If this is true, you have to ask why a player who
would be on a salary of in excess of £25k a week would need a further living
allowance. It's yet another example of how football finances are totally out
of control and out of kilter with the world the rest of us inhabit. As I
say, it may be fiction and hogwash, but the fact that it is eminently
believable, says it all.

UPDATE 9.27: It seems the Jarvis deal has fallen through tonight. According
to @Agent_WHU Wolves have tried to provoke a bidding war and the board have
told them where they can stick it. So Wolves have turned down bids totalling
£22 million for two players in a relegated team. Idiots.

UPDATE: 23.01 The Daily Mail is reporting that Clint Dempsey has turned down
a move to West Ham.

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Fazi-oh yes
Hammers like look of Federico
Published: 14th August 2012
The Sun

WEST HAM are poised to make a move for Sevilla defender Federico Fazio.
Hammers boss Sam Allardyce is desperate to bring another central defender,
25, and the Argentine international fits the bill. Allardyce recently signed
James Collins from Aston Villa but he still feels they need more cover at
the back. He said: "We are trying to build a squad in quality terms and
strength in depth."

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Hammer blow: We'd have built a team around Carroll reveals Sullivan
Mirror.co.uk

David Sullivan has revealed the truth about West Ham's £17million bid to
sign Andy Carroll. The Mirror revealed last month that the east Londoners
were prepared to back Sam Allardyce by splashing out a staggering £100,000 a
week to lure Liverpool striker Carroll to Upton Park. Sullivan has confirmed
Big Sam was desperate to build his team for the new season around the
England striker. The West Ham co-owner also admits Big Sam wanted Wolves
winger Matt Jarvis - for whom the Hammers have had a £6million turned down -
to provide the ammunition for Carroll. Sullivan said: "I can only talk about
this because it has been put in the public domain already. "My manager
wanted Andy Carroll, so we backed him. "Andy was the perfect player for him
and the style of football we play. "We play a lot of high balls, a lot of
crosses - quite exciting football, not just humping it but clever crossing -
and Sam wanted Jarvis to supply the crosses because he is a fantastic
crosser. "We had a deal in place with Liverpool to borrow the player which
automatically became a purchase if we stayed up. "We hoped, as he had the
same agent as our manager - a man we had done a lot of business with - and
he was very friendly with Kevin Nolan, our captain, that Andy would want to
come. "But he really wants to stay at Liverpool. He believes that he will
get back into the side by his performances - coming off the bench or for the
reserves. He believes the manager will have to put him back in the side.
"But it's wrong to discuss what is in his mind. Only he knows that." Carroll
has been tipped for a move back to hometown club Newcastle, but Sullivan
said: "We were paying all of his wages and a huge loan fee. Newcastle didn't
even want to pay all of his wages. "This is what we are led to believe. So
Liverpool were not prepared to let him go to Newcastle. But it may all
change. Who knows?"

Sullivan has since snapped up midfielder Alou Diarra for around £3million
and admitted the funds earmarked for Carroll are now being used elsewhere.
He added: "It was a terribly expensive deal with the loan fee and with his
wages, which were enormous - too much for a club like ours. "But, as the
manager really wanted him, we were prepared to pay it. "Then there was a
huge transfer fee which would have blown our budget for several years. "So,
as we buy players, the door shuts."

West Ham new boy Alou Diarra could be one of the buys of the summer, claims
Hammers chief David Sullivan. The 31-year-old defensive midfielder, who has
won the French League with Lyon and Bordeaux and played for France at Euro
2012, penned a three-year deal last week. Signed for Liverpool by Gerard
Houllier, Diarra spent three years at the club from 2002 until 2005 but
never played a senior game - not even in the cups. Sullivan explained: "He
was a boy at Liverpool. A kid. He had not come to his strength and he didnt
play a game for Liverpool. "But he is a supreme professional, and I would be
very surprised if he doesn't turn out to maybe be one of the buys of the
summer."

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Our house: Sullivan says West Ham deserve the Olympic Stadium
Mirror.co.uk

It is a venue that has given us some magnificent sporting memories in just
two weeks. And David Sullivan believes the Olympic Stadium is already more
iconic than the new Wembley. The arena played host to the stellar
achievements of Mo Farah, Jess Ennis, Greg Rutherford and – of course –
Usain Bolt among others. West Ham's co-owner is confident the east Londoners
can continue the feelgood factor by winning the race for the tenancy, set to
be announced in October. Days after Hammers manager Sam Allardyce warned the
stadium would go to rack and ruin if the club doesn't move in, Sullivan
said: "The Olympic Stadium is already more iconic than the new Wembley. With
Wembley you still think of the twin towers – the old Wembley. "The new
Wembley – much better stadium as it is – is not better than the old stadium
in terms of status. There were 80 years of memories with the old stadium.
That is hard to replace. "But the whole country has seen the Olympic Stadium
and shared in some special moments there. "Everyone has their own memory.
For me, I thought Mo Farah's 5,000m win was sensational. That last lap was
­absolutely incredible. "But to win three gold medals in an hour as we did
on the first weekend was incredible as well. That's how special the stadium
is already to people. "Imagine how people would be feeling now, after all
that, if it had already been predetermined it had to come down. "When we
play there – if we get lucky enough to be awarded it – I think away teams
will relish going there. "Under the rules I can't discuss our bid. But if we
are accepted as the anchor tenant then the legacy will continue. "I think
you might get 10,000 Wigan fans there – simply because they want to come to
the Olympic Stadium, or whatever it might be called."

The promoted Hammers face Aston Villa at Upton Park in their first Premier
League game of the new season on Saturday. Asked whether the Hammers would
struggle to recreate the atmosphere of the last two weeks, Sullivan said:
"For the big games you would have full houses, and near full houses for all
the other games. It would be wonderful. "The Olympics is something special.
It will be hard to recreate the atmosphere for the 100m final – lets not kid
ourselves. "But believe me when we're playing any of the top six or eight
teams in an important game there will be a wonderful atmosphere, just like
when we played in the play-off final at Wembley. "That atmosphere was
incredible. People have said to me it was the best day of their lives."

There are three other bids being considered by London's Legacy ­Development
Corporation – the ­University College of Football ­Business, which is an
affiliate of Bucks New University, the Intelligent ­Transport Service, who
want to build a Formula One track, and League One side Leyton Orient.
Sullivan continued: "You want to keep it for this huge iconic stadium that
can be multi-purpose. You'd have lots of different events – pop concerts,
football and athletics. "We believe West Ham will give a greater legacy than
anybody else. "We've a 900,000 email address list of supporters. We can use
all that to help promote the other events at the stadum - to help athletics.
"The World Athletics Championships is going to be in there in 2017 anyway.
"Us moving there will be wonderful for sport, and wonderful for the
country."

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Sam Allardyce: Part One
Filed: Tuesday, 14th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
KUMB.com

Just four days ahead the start of the 2012/13 Premier League campaign, with
West Ham United duly restored to the top flight of English football by
virtue of May's play-off Final win against Blackpool, we sat down with
current Hammers boss Sam Allardyce to look ahead to the new season. Firing
the questions on behalf of KUMB.com was Graeme Howlett...


KUMB: Sam: thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Last season you
achieved your goal at the first ask and it was ultimately a successful
season. What would you consider a success this year?

SA: I think it all depends on how we go in the first eight to ten games. We
have to look at the first group of fixtures and ask: "What can we achieve
from this group of fixtures?" Then at the end of that period I will know
about the strengths and weaknesses of my squad and I will have a better idea
about where we might be capable of finishing.

To try and predict at this stage of the season, being a newly-promoted
side... You think you've got this or you've got that, but until it gets
tested again in the Premier League... I've got a lot of Premier League
players who have played there before but they're all having to test
themselves yet again.

A lot of teams have spent a lot of money and obviously those teams are going
to be very difficult to play against, but we've got to make sure we're ready
to compete against anybody and to try and get a result out of every game
we're going to play. The first few games are critical; we'll see where we go
from there.

KUMB: Talking about those first few games, you might say the fixture list
has been relatively kind to us?

SA: I would agree with you; they are games we've got a chance of getting a
result and a few points out of.

In this league, I always say to the players: "Lads, you're all looking
forward to playing against Manchester United and Chelsea - and we're all
looking forward to playing at Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford and The Emirates
- but at the end of the day we should be looking forward to playing against
the teams we've got a better chance of winning against."

We should all be at our best for those games and if we do that, then we will
be a very strong Premier League outfit. You can play your very best against
Manchester United; Chelsea; Arsenal; Liverpool; Man City - you could play a
really good game - and still come off having lost 2-0, or 3-1.

You know that when you play your very best against somebody around you,
somebody around the same level as you, you're probably going to come out
with a win or at least a draw. That's the most important thing, the
mentality of the players to get the results where we're more capable of
getting [them] and not waiting to produce their best performance against the
top boys.

KUMB: You mentioned going to the Emirates there; I would imagine you're
fairly keen to reacquaint yourself with Mr Wenger and his team again? You
had a few battles with him back in the day when you were at Bolton?

SA: I was with Arsene yesterday, it was very relaxed! We were talking about
the referees in the Premier League and the media rights next season, the
responsibility of the players and the managers. We've a huge responsibility
to keep promoting this fantastic Barclays Premier League which has brought
in millions and millions of pounds.

Overseas rights have been bought by 86 countries as well as our own rights
domestically, so there's a huge demand on us managers and the players. But
with the millions it brings, we have to accept it. So we have to keep
promoting the Barclays Premier League in the right way whilst we have a
responsibility to tell our players to go out there, promote it and
entertain.

Obviously the most important thing for us is winning games of football but
[also] to look after what is a great brand. I think, listening to Arsene
yesterday, it'll be great to be challenging against [someone who has been] a
fantastic coach in this country all these years.

KUMB: Going back to last year, you'd talk frequently about the targets you'd
set the team. You talked about aiming for automatic promotion, you talked
about averaging two points from every game; is that something you'll be
doing again this time?

SA: Yeah. We've done our five phases; we've done what we need to do. The
players are clear that we work in each phase to try and do the best we
possibly can because there's a great tendency in players' minds to start a
season and say: "Oh well, we haven't won but there's 37 games left to go".

That's the most dangerous thing that can happen to one of your players. They
must say from the very start that the first three points are just as
important as the last. If you get that mode of thinking then you've got a
better chance of doing well.

Breaking the season up and saying we're going to be assessing [performances]
at the end of this group of games, we're going to be either praising it,
criticising it or both. We hope it's a massive "well done" but we can
improve on this and we can improve on that.

If it's not so good we've got to say: "Look lads, we've got the next phase
to move into and we must get better immediately". That's the key for me, to
sustain consistency throughout the season.

KUMB: In terms of you personally, when you arrived here last summer you
signed a two-year contract which obviously expires at the end of this
season. How long do you see yourself being at West Ham?

SA: Only as long as I continue to win is the answer to that, in today's
volatile world of football. For me to say anything other than that based on
the statistics would just be irresponsible of me because even if I signed a
five-year contract, if I lost the first ten games [of the season] I'd
probably be getting sacked.

KUMB: How far do you think you can take West Ham United?

SA: Well I want to take them into the Olympic Stadium because I was inspired
by it. I think that if any fans had doubts about us moving there they should
have been extinguished by the atmosphere that was created [during the games]
and the facility that is there for this club - and only three miles down the
road.

KUMB: So you see a move to the Olympic Stadium as key to the club's
progression?

SA: If this club wants to be great, it has to go. Unless you redevelop Upton
Park and make it a 60,000 all-seater state-of-the-art stadium, then fine.

KUMB: Which can't happen...

SA: Which can't happen. So if you can't do that you've got an unbelievable
arena that could create a cauldron of noise - which is what the West Ham
fans do, as they showed at Wembley. It could be the catalyst for the next
generation, the modern-day history of this football club.

KUMB: You were spotted singing 'Bubbles' at Wembley; you picked the words up
pretty quickly?

SA: [laughs] I've heard it that much I can't help it! Every time I ring the
Chairman - which is mostly David Sullivan, not David Gold - generally I have
to wait for him for a short while and on comes "I'm forever blowing
bubbles..." So it does become pretty infectious in the end, you know what I
mean!?

But I understand the culture and the history of this football club and how
much it means [to the fans]. I'm ingrained in it and I want to be successful
not just for myself, but for them too. Every manager does. And every group
of players here wants to be successful - obviously for themselves and their
families, but also for the football club and for the supporters.

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Dempsey rejects West Ham as Fulham's bid for Dnipro's Boateng falls short
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:45, 14 August 2012 | UPDATED: 01:03, 15 August 2012
Daily Mail

West Ham have failed to lure Clint Dempsey, 29, from Fulham, who have had a
bid for Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk's Derek Boateng, 29, rejected. American
international Dempsey is in demand but clubs have yet to come up with the
fee that Fulham believe is suitable for the 29-year-old. He was outstanding
last season but the fact he is training away from the first team reflects a
breakdown in his relationship with the club. His contract has 11 months to
run but Fulham have valued him at £9million. Liverpool have made no secret
of their desire to sign him and would offer players such as Charlie Adam but
the Scot is reluctant to leave Anfield.

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West Ham star: I thought Bolton would have given me a chance
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
5:20 PM
London 24

West Ham star Joey O'Brien thought he would have been given the chance by
Bolton and not released. Instead, Sam Allardyce came to the midfielder's
rescue by offering him the chance to train and then helped the Hammers by
lifting them back to the Premier League, at the Trotters' expense. "I
thought at the time when I got released by the manager, I thought I was
going to get kept on at Bolton," O'Brien told The Sun. "I always backed
myself that I was going to be good enough.
"Thankfully the boss at West Ham — whom I owe a lot to in my career anyway —
he gave me the opportunity to go down training when I was released by Bolton
when I had no offers. "But in the Championship, it is physically more
demanding than the Premier League. "I looked at high-intensity stats, the
out-of-possession stats and the physical stats, the physical stats are
higher in the Championship than in the Premier League."

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