Daily WHUFC News - 13th March 2013

Haycock hails goal-happy Hammers
WHUFC.com
Haycock was delighted to see the Dev Squad get back among the goals in a 3-3
draw at Liverpool
12.03.2013

Nick Haycock paid tribute to the Development Squad's impressive attacking
exploits, as West Ham United struck three times in an absorbing 3-3 Barclays
Under-21 Premier League draw at Liverpool's Kirkby Academy. While Dan
Potts, Wellington Paulista and Elliot Lee were each to profit from
well-worked corners, Haycock felt his side looked dangerous each and every
time they poured forward. Though, ultimately, it would take Lee's last-gasp
leveller to earn the Hammers a share of the spoils, the U21s boss was
adamant his young charges might have bagged even more on the day. At times,
when we had the confidence, we showed what we are capable of as an attacking
threat," Haycock told West Ham TV. "With the team Liverpool put out, you're
going to concede possession from time to time. At half-time we needed to be
a little bit braver, take the game to them a little bit more and play the
game higher up the pitch. You could see they were vulnerable at the back.
"Every time we got into the final third, I was expecting an opportunity for
us and the more we did it in the second half, we looked a lot better.
Obviously the three goals came from set pieces but that's part of the game
and in terms of defending set pieces, we were better on the day. "I
actually said to the boys, it was fantastic to get the equaliser at the end,
but I'm slightly disappointed. Had we shown a little more impetus in the
final third, I felt there were goals to be scored."

Though Haycock was rightly thrilled with Lee's 94th minute leveller, the way
his maturing side acquitted themselves against a comparatively experienced
Reds outfit, was the source of even greater satisfaction. "You have to bear
in mind, we started with two 17-year-olds, and two 18-year-olds, which is
fantastic and I thought they all put in solid performances," he added. "I
was delighted for Elliot, I thought his work rate deserved a goal, so he
will be made up with that. Frazer Shaw did well at left-back, Amos goes from
strength to strength and Kieran, playing in his preferred role in the middle
of the park, had a good game as well. "I actually wanted to see Jonjo
Shelvey, Raheem Sterling and Suso play. Because this is the standard and if
our boys aren't playing against the best at this level, Sam Allardyce is not
going to get players that can cope. It's the experience the boys are getting
that counts and I'll stand by that."

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Potts praises U18s
WHUFC.com
U18s manager Steve Potts was pleased to see his youngsters battle back to
earn a 1-1 draw with Stoke City
12.03.2013

Steve Potts praised his young side for coming from behind after West Ham
United's 1-1 Barclays U18 Premier League Tier One Stage draw with Stoke
City.
The visitors took an early lead when Kieran Monlouis popped up in the box to
stab the ball into the net from Kris Scott's sliced effort. However, a
change of tactics and increased attacking mentality after half time at
Little Heath led to a late West Ham equaliser from Nathan Mavila. Just a
week after a disappointing 3-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, U18s manager
Potts was pleased with his players' efforts against the Potters. "The boys
gave everything," said Potts. "It was unfortunate to draw because I think we
had a good start to the game. We were unfortunate to go 1-0 down from the
point of view that we had most of the play to start with. Then the rest of
the first half was fairly even, I'd say. If you look at it, they had one
shot and scored one goal. "In the second half, I feel we totally dominated
and it was a case of whether we could get the goal or not. We did and with
ten minutes to go you start to think that we could push on and get the
winner, but it wasn't to be. "A few of the younger lads came in against
Tottenham when some of the scholars gave way for them. I put them back in
and I think they responded well. I had a trialist in there too. I think
all-round we performed well. We drew the game and to be honest, I'm pretty
disappointed to draw on the balance of play. I thought we dominated a lot of
the game but we just couldn't dig the result out."

Potts could see the errors that his defence made in the run up to Stoke's
goal, knowing that his team had several opportunities to prevent a goal that
was scored against the run of play. "We just switched off for a few moments
really," he continued. "One of their players picked up the ball in a little
bit of space and moved it out wide, where we could have made it harder for
the cross to come in. Then it got deflected and finished off in the six-yard
box and you are left thinking that there should have been a challenge put in
there. "I think there were three or four little instances where we could
have prevented the goal."

West Ham went in behind at half-time, but Potts motivated his team and urged
them to play with more passion and belief. He also decided to make two
substitutions and reshaped his side into a more attacking formation. "We
just needed to move the ball with more purpose and more belief. If we had
done that earlier, we would have got our rewards. We did move the ball
around better and started to push on in the second half so Stoke couldn't
get out of their half at all. Most of the play in the second half was in
their half, which shows we pushed on really well. Without a doubt we
deserved our goal near the end."

Saturday's result will give Potts a clearer mind-set of his team's potential
this season, compared to last week's defeat at Spurs Training Centre, where
the Hammers boss believes they let themselves down for the first time. "I
hope the next victory is coming. The only league performance in which I
think the team let themselves down in was Tottenham away. For over half of
the game at Tottenham, the lads totally let themselves down. "The rest of
the league performances so far this season, I can't fault them at all. I
don't think that the points we have so far this season show what they
actually deserve. With performances, though, you have to see the bigger
picture, because I think they have done well. Results haven't been the best
but the performances I can't fault, both individually and as a team. It was
just the Tottenham away game where they didn't perform like they could. "We
will just keep training the same and if they keep up the hard work and
putting in the performances then I am sure we will get a deserved victory
soon."

Next up for the Under-18s is a trip to face Liverpool on Saturday 16 March,
with kick-off at 11am.

West Ham United U18s: Baxter, Homans, Burke, Onariase, Page (Girdlestone),
Makasi, Miles (Marlow), Freeman (Gogo), Mavila, Sadlier, Boakye-Yiadom
Subs not used: Brown, T.Tombides

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Borussia Dortmund to decide on Daniel Ginczek's future
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @graemebailey. Last Updated: March 12,
2013 3:23pm
SSN

Reported West Ham target Daniel Ginczek is waiting to hear about his future
from Borussia Dortmund. Ginczek is currently on-loan at St Pauli in the
German Second Division from German champions Dortmund. The German Under-21
international striker has impressed with 12 goals in Bundesliga Zwei and his
form has caught the attention of a number of clubs - one of which is
reportedly West Ham. 21-year-old Ginczek, who has also spent time on loan at
Bochum, is yet to play for Borussia's first team and his agent Bjorn Etzel
confirmed that his future was not decided. "Dortmund don't know what they
want to do yet," he told Sky Sports. "We will wait until later in March or
even April, and then Dortmund will decide what will happen." On West Ham's
interest, Etzel said: "I only really know what I have read and seen in the
press about West Ham watching him - I was at the last game too, but I did
not speak to them or see them."

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What a Difference a Year Makes ......
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

especially on the PL managerial assault course. Last year, in March-April,
we saw a series of frustrating draws undermine West Ham's Championship title
challenge. Then, our automatic promotion prospects also slipped away as our
promotion rivals, Southampton and Reading, left us trailing in the wake of
strong finishes to their respective seasons. All Hammers fans will recall
the wild scenes of jubliation at their home grounds, as both Reading and
Southampton confirmed their promotion, while we faced the challenge of the
play-offs.

The rival managers, Brian MacDermott and Nigel Adkins, basked in the glory
of their respective promotion achievements and were afforded the certainty
of a early start to their planning for the following season's PL campaign.
In contrast, many Hammers fans were uneasy about the challenge of Cardiff
City in the semis and then Blackpool in the Final at Wembley. There was
widespread unease at the way that our results had 'flat lined' at a key
stage of the season and aspects of Sam Allardyce's management. Although that
was largely allayed by the crushing nature of victory over Cardiff City in
the semis and an exciting defeat of Blackpool in the Final, yet some
reservations and apprehension still lingered concerning the upcoming new
season back in the PL.

A year later and both rival managers have been sacked, many would say
harshly. Reading are in a desperate relegation struggle and Southampton have
had an indifferent season. Of the three promoted managers, only Sam
Allardyce is still in post. Of the three promoted clubs, West Ham have had
the best return to the top flight. Yes, there have been a number of ups and
downs this season. Yes, the discontent is still there amongst sections of
the support regarding aspects of Allardyce's management and our alleged
playing style. But overall, one can only conclude that Sam Allardyce is on
target to achieve the head line objectives of his two year contract, which
were to gain promotion and keep the club up in our first season back in the
PL.

Indeed, a lot can change in a year, especially in football management, just
ask Messrs Adkins and MacDermott!

SJ. Chandos.

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