Daily WHUFC News - 23rd January 2014

Reid close to return
WHUFC.com
Winston Reid is close to a return to full training following his injury
lay-off
22.01.2014

Winston Reid is set to return to training with the first-team squad after
nearly four months on the sidelines. The West Ham United centre-back has not
played since suffering a high ankle sprain in training at the end of
October. Reid underwent surgery to stabilise his joint before spending a
month resting and embarking on his rehabilitation. The No2 has missed West
Ham's last 15 games and was also forced out of New Zealand's FIFA World Cup
Intercontinental Play-Off defeat by Mexico in November. However, there is
now clear light at the end of the tunnel for the Hammer of the Year, who
revealed that he is just days away to returning to full training. "I
suffered a high ankle sprain and there was a ligament that was torn in
there, so they had to repair it by putting a screw through it to stabilise
the joint," Reid explained. "Now, it's pretty much good to go again. "It was
painful when it happened and it got even worse in the couple of days
afterwards, but after that it settled down and I thought it was OK.
Unfortunately I had to have an operation and it took a little bit longer
than I expected. "People probably don't understand but you work hardest when
you are injured because the days are pretty long. I've been working in the
gym and trying to get my body back in shape after spending the initial four
weeks after the injury doing nothing, because I wasn't allowed to. "I had to
keep my foot elevated and off the floor, but the last seven-odd weeks I've
been working hard to get my fitness back."

The injury occurred at an inopportune moment for both Reid and the Club,
coming as it did after the defender had helped West Ham to keep six clean
sheets in their opening ten Barclays Premier League matches. "Injuries never
really come at a good time, but that's part of football and I've got over it
and I'm looking to finish off the season well. "I'm as close as I've ever
been to returning to training, so hopefully in a week or so I'll be out
there again. We'll just have to see how it feels as to how we play it."

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Johnson gearing up for key month
WHUFC.com
West Ham United defender Roger Johnson says February will be a key period
for his new side
22.01.2014

Roger Johnson says West Ham United are facing a massive month in their bid
to turn the 2013/14 season around. Last Saturday's defeat to Newcastle
United saw the Hammers drop into the Barclays Premier League bottom three,
but February pits them against three sides in the bottom half of the table,
with two of those fixtures - against Swansea City and Norwich City - at the
Boleyn Ground. Johnson, who arrived at the Hammers on loan from
Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in January, is looking forward to playing
his part as the Hammers look to climb the standings. He told whufc.com:
"We'll go to Chelsea in our next game and try to cause an upset. Their
record speaks for itself, but like any other game we'll go there looking to
win it. Certainly after that we've got Swansea and Norwich at home - those
kind of games decide your season. "Then we'll have Southampton at home too,
so February is a humongous month. "I think this team is strong enough to
stay up, the manager is looking to add too, which will help. We're near the
top of the clean sheet record, and if we'd won a couple of the games we
ended up drawing the league would look different. The manager is looking to
strengthen and we'll see what goes on in the window. It's a massive football
club and I'm honoured to be here. It's tough to make that transition back to
the top flight, I've been out of the Premier League for two-and-a-half
seasons, but I know in my head that I can do it and thankfully the manager
has given me the chance to try and prove that. "The sprirt is good, they
players are a good bunch and nobody wants to get relegated. Everyone knows
what we've got to do - start putting points on the board and winning here
because it was a fortress last year, I'm told. "The manager's trying to drum
that into us. We know what's expected of us, we've got to do it and quick,
because we are running out of games."

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The Big Interview - Kevin Nolan
WHUFC.com
Captain Kevin Nolan is fully focused on the fight to keep West Ham United in
the top flight
22.01.2014

West Ham United skipper Kevin Nolan is determined to right the wrongs of a
turbulent last six months, vowing to fire the Hammers to Barclays Premier
League safety. The experienced midfielder returned from suspension in
Tuesday's 3-0 Capital One Cup semi-final second leg home defeat by
Manchester City, a result on which he has no plans to dwell. The midweek
cup exit saw Nolan link up with Andy Carroll for the first time since May
and the 32-year-old insists the duo will be working doubly hard on the
training field to rekindle their prolific partnership. With only two goals
to his name this term, Nolan is desperate to get back to his clinical best
in front of goal and is confident that in Carroll and Carlton Cole, he has
the two perfect foils.

Kevin, first things first, I should think you're just glad to be back out
there?

KN: "Yes, of course. It feels like a long time, obviously all through my own
fault. It's just nice to get 90 minutes under my belt. It was always going
to be a tough ask on Tuesday, especially with their quality. "Sometimes
you've just got to admire the quality of those two up front. Tuesday just
showed what they are about, quality, top-end quality and world class
players."

In spite of the result, it was much a better performance than at their place
and probably deserved at least a goal on the night.

KN: "Listen, it's always easier when you're not at the Etihad! Although
we've gone 3-0 down, I think we could have cut out two of them, quite
simply, through [cutting out] mistakes of our own. But again, it's the
quality they show. Having forced the mistake, the quality of finishing is
why you pay those hundreds of millions of pounds for that top quality. "But
I though the lads battled on well and continued to try and do the right
things. Hopefully we'll look and try to take a few positives out if it, but
it's gone now. We've got one focus and that's just to stay in the Premier
League. There are going to be so many battles now, from now until the end of
the season. We're firmly up for it and we're looking forward to it. I'm
relishing it and hoping to prove a lot of people wrong come May."

How much did you enjoy linking up with the big man again? It has been a
while!

KN: "Yes, probably too long for his and my liking, but I think you've seen
glimpses on Tuesday of the way he is. We came off on Tuesday and said we're
going to have to start working on a bit of stuff on our own, after training,
link-up play and things like that. Just to get that little chemistry back,
the little bits and bobs and the sharpness around the box. Hopefully that's
going to pay dividends in the coming weeks and I've just to make sure that I
try to force my way back into the team. "Once we're in there, we'll start
doing what we normally do and that's bagging goals. That's what we want to
do. Our record speaks for itself in that respect, so hopefully, we'll get
our chance and when we do, we'll start taking them."

Has it given you a boost in confidence to have Andy back in and around the
first-team squad?

KN: "Of course, it's always nice when you're going through a bit of a tough
patch yourself that you've got someone who you work well with in tandem. I
make no secret about it, it has been a tough time and obviously it has been
a tough time for myself anyway for the last six months - with a return of
only two goals, it probably should have been more, with a few great saves
against me here and there and a few bad finishes when I've had the chances.
"But I'm hoping now to put it behind me, look forward and for the next four
months, I'm hoping to put what has been a fairly average season behind me
and make into a good one. One which I can look back on and say, 'at least I
did perform and gave something to the team in the latter part of the
season.'"

With slightly better fortune you could have scored a couple yourself on
Tuesday?

KN: "That's the pleasing thing about it and having Coley [Carlton Cole]
there too was a good thing. I think obviously Coley's now fit, the fittest
he has been and he has been brilliant over the last couple of weeks. With
him, being able to work off him is going to be great. So I'm really looking
forward to having that focal point and with me being able to use my main
attributes, hopefully I'll start scoring some goals."

A full week now to prepare for Chelsea and lots of hard work to be done…

KN: "Of course, there's lots of hard work to be done, from now until
Chelsea, then onto the next game and until the end of the season. One thing
we've got to do is stick together, keep that camaraderie going, keep the
unity and togetherness. It's going to be a load of battles now and hopefully
we'll enjoy it and win the war come the end of the season."

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Bad luck frustrates Driver
WHUFC.com
Callum Driver felt luck had played a part as the Development Squad lost to
Fulham on Monday night
22.01.2014

Development Squad captain Callum Driver was left feeling hard done by after
the young Hammers were defeated by Fulham at Motspur Park on Monday night.
One goal was all it took to separate two of the Barclays Under-21 Premier
League's top sides with the Cottagers maintaining their unbeaten record with
a narrow victory. The winning goal came after 37 minutes as Lyle Della Verde
cut-in from the right-hand side before his shot took a deflection off two
Hammers' defenders, wrong-footing Raphael Spiegel who could only watch as
the ball rolled past him. Driver told West Ham TV that he felt the goal was
unfortunate but still thought his side could have found a way to take
something from the match. "We're all very disappointed. We wanted to have a
comeback from the West Brom game last week when we lost 3-0 but instead
we're here very disappointed with a 1-0 loss here tonight. "We feel hard
done by with a lucky goal and we felt that we maybe could have snatched one
at the end but we didn't get that chance."

Defeat to Fulham extends a winless start to the year for the U21s who were
knocked out of the U21 Premier League Cup by Chelsea before West Bromwich
Albion recorded a 3-0 win at Rush Green in their last league encounter. On
paper, Fulham was the squad's hardest match of the season with their hosts
yet to lose a league game in eleven outings. As it turned out, the Hammers
could well have taken the points back to east London had Matthias Fanimo or
Elliot Lee converted good chances as the away side pushed late-on for a
levelling goal. Captain Driver felt the team's failure to capitalise on
their opportunities cost them dearly on Monday night. "I think they're
unbeaten, and have drawn two, so we were hoping to get a result because
we're up there too. "We wanted to give them a good game and I think we did
that but we just didn't take our opportunities tonight. "We got the ball in
the box a few times in the last five or ten minutes but it just wouldn't
drop to us for us to get the opportunity for a shot on target."

The full-back is now keen to ensure the U21s produce a response when they
next take to the field against Blackburn Rovers on 31 January. The Hammers
have home advantage at Rush Green and will be looking to move back into the
top four places in the league. "We've had a bit of a kick so we're hoping to
bounce back as soon as we get into training this week and try and get as fit
as we possibly can ahead of the next game against Blackburn Rovers."

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David Gold: West Ham are at a low point in their history
BBC.co.uk

West Ham co-chairman David Gold says his club are at "a low point" in their
history and face a "tough battle" to stay in the Premier League. West Ham
were beaten 9-0 on aggregate by Manchester City in the Capital One Cup
semi-finals and are 18th in the Premier League table. "We must regroup and
prepare for a tough relegation battle," said Gold, 77. "[But] players are
returning from injury and together we can survive." Gold added on Twitter:
"We are out of both cup competitions having been beaten 5-0 and 9-0 - this
is a low point in the history of our great club." Sam Allardyce's side have
lost seven of their last nine matches in all competitions and have won just
four Premier League games all season. Gold and his fellow co-owner David
Sullivan issued an open letter to fans in support of boss Sam Allardyce
following the 5-0 FA Cup defeat by Nottingham Forest and they are continuing
to stand by their manager. Striker Andy Carroll made his first start of the
season on Tuesday, after nearly eight months out with a foot injury.

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This is a low
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 22nd January 2014
By: Staff Writer

David Gold has called West Ham two recent Cup exits "a low point" in the
Club's 114-year history. The co-owner spoke out this afternoon in the wake
of more heavy criticism aimed at the owners and manager Sam Allardyce
following another insipid showing against Manchester City at the Boleyn
Ground last night.
Already 6-0 ahead from the first leg, it took the visitors just three
minutes to extend their lead before running out 3-0 winners on the night,
giving them a 9-0 aggregate win - a new competition record for a semi final.
That followed the earlier humiliation at Championship side Nottingham
Forest, where a patchwork team were humbled 5-0 in the 3rd Round of the FA
Cup - a competition still valued and cherished by Hammers fans, if not those
of some other clubs. Speaking via Twitter, Gold made no excuses for the
defeats - but insisted that this awful season could yet have a happy ending.
"We are out of both cup competitions having been beaten 5-0 and 9-0. This is
a low point in the history of our great club," he said. "We must regroup and
prepare ourselves for a tough relegation battle. Players are returning from
injury and together we can survive."

Gold and co-owner David Sullivan released a statement in the first week of
January in which they stated that the club were close to signing two
highly-regarded players - a striker and a defender. However West Ham's only
signings so far this January have been back-up defender Roger Johnson from
League One Wolves, future prospect Jaanai Gordon from Peterborough United
and Carlton Cole, who signed a new 18-month deal last week. That failure to
bring in any players to improve upon those already in the squad has led to a
great deal of frustration both within the club and amongst supporters, many
of whom are highly critical of the Board for their failure to land targets
both now and in previous transfer windows.

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West Ham captain Kevin Nolan says red cards were 'out of character'
Last Updated: 22/01/14 8:30am
SSN

West Ham United captain Kevin Nolan is determined to repay people's faith
following the two red cards he has described as 'out of character'. Nolan
served a three-match ban after being sent off against Liverpool in early
December before being suspended for four games after his dismissal at Fulham
on New Year's Day. The 31-year-old returned from his latest ban in Tuesday
night's 3-0 home defeat by Manchester City in the second leg of the Capital
One Cup semi-final which saw West Ham lose 9-0 on aggregate. Former
Newcastle midfielder Nolan has acknowledged it has been a tough time in
recent weeks and he is eager to demonstrate he has put his disciplinary
issues behind him. "The last few weeks have been among the most difficult of
my career - certainly on a par with when I joined Newcastle and they got
relegated," Nolan told the Evening Standard. "What's happened to me over the
last month was very out of character. I've never been through anything like
that before, but I have now and I'm hoping to prove, by the end of the
season, that I've come through it. "Things have been made easier by the
support I've had from my family, friends and Lee Richardson, the club
psychologist. It's at times like this you appreciate who is next to you, who
is around you, and my support system is fantastic. "I've had to take it on
the chin, it's been dealt with, the gaffer has had his say and rightly so,
he's told me what he expects of me and now it's up to me. I have to deal
with it and I'm big enough, strong enough and ugly enough to do that. "I've
apologised to all the lads and they've said, 'we all make mistakes, let's
just forget about it and get on with it'. If it had happened to anyone else
they would have got the same reaction from me but it was nice to know I had
the full support of all those boys. "I've been pretty low but thankfully I
had my family and friends. Without them, you don't know how dark it could
have got. I hope I can repay the faith of people."

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CHINESE TAKEOVER ANYONE?
By Sean Whetstone 22 Jan 2014 at 17:41
West Ham Till I Die

The Daily Mirror are reporting China's richest man is poised to make a
takeover bid at Southampton. Chinese billionaire Wang Jianlin, boss of the
Dalian Wanda group, who could make any club he buys the richest club in the
Premier League. Wang's property development company is worth £19billion and
his own personal fortune around half that figure. Now, Wang, 59, wants to
break into English ­football to add to the company's growing portfolio and
is believed to be lining up a £175million bid for Southampton. Forbes
magazine ranked him the 128th richest person in the world as he is worth US
$8.6 billion in 2013. In August 2013, he was listed by Bloomberg as the
wealthiest person in China. No disrespect to Southampton but if the Chinese
billionaire is willing to splash the cash wouldn't a London club with the
Olympic stadium be a better investment for him?

In 2012 West Ham co-owner David Gold has admitted he'd sell some of his
stake in the club if he can find an Upton Park sugar-daddy. He was quoted as
saying He said: "You have to be a billionaire to make a major difference and
there aren't many of them about. How many Roman Abramovichs are there?"

Well it appears Wang Jianlin is out there, he almost as rich as Roman
Abramovich and he wants to buy a English premier league club. David Gold
went on to say "Of course, I'd welcome a Father Christmas. But then you look
and discover that it might not be the real Father Christmas. And you know
why? Because there isn't a real Father Christmas. He doesn't exist.In an
ideal world, though, if you ask what I'd like to see happen, I would like a
very wealthy person to come and join us. David and myself are wealthy by
normal standards, but not by football standards."

I wonder whether Mr Gold and Mr Sullivan would consider selling up to let
the club experience the kind of financial investment Manchester City and
Chelsea have enjoyed. David Sullivan was recently quoted as saying "If we go
down we cannot afford to subsidise the club any longer" If they sold up for
£175 million they would re-coup the money they invested and allow the club
they say they love to move on to a new chapter.

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ALOU DIARRA WANTS OUT!
By Sean Whetstone 22 Jan 2014 at 08:30
West Ham Till I Die

Alou Diarra wants out of West ham this January transfer window.

Diarra told L'Equipe: "When I talk with other Frenchmen, I would have loved
to experience the same as them – but there is a whole world between us. The
great excitement of the Premier League – I am not experiencing it at all.
Since the very first day people wanted me to accept that I am second choice.
I'm in a dead end. It was a bad career choice and I need a real challenge. A
January departure? Yes it is very likely. To France? I've explored it all."

Diarra added: "The fact I was back from broken knee ligaments after six
weeks without having surgery? Some people could hardly believe it. Anyway my
situation has not changed. I am not fooled. I quickly understood he
(Allardyce) didn't rely on me, as I am again confined to the bench."

West Ham are believed to have paid a fee of around £2.5 million in August
2012 for Diarra from Marseille who were keen to get his hefty £60,000 a week
wages of their books.

In January last year his days seemed numbered after he claimed he was lied
to by West Ham & agents.

After just five appearances in a West Ham shirt, Diarra claimed he was
deceived by West Ham when they tried to lure him to Upton Park..

'The speeches were so positive,' Diarra told L'Equipe. 'I was told that I
was a priority for the manager' 'At 31-years-old, I wanted to find another
league, and Marseille needed to reduce their wage bill, so it suited
everyone 'It was England, London, West Ham, a popular club with a true
identity. It was an opportunity to settle in the Premier League. I did not
ask, I trusted. 'After a few weeks, I realised that there were a lot of
lies. This agent has fooled me. Some people have made money on my back.
Admittedly, I have three year contract but I'm not unhappy financially, but
I came to play, not to take an early retirement. I am positively at breaking
point.'

Allardyce responded at the time saying "It is a fact of life, I look at the
situation and play what I consider the best team, and because of Alou's
long-standing injury he has found it hard to adjust to what is needed in the
Premier League. If he is unhappy, he just has to tell me what he wants to do
and we'll see how we go from there. We'll have that discussion and we'll
make a decision after that on his future."

Not long after these exchange of words in the media he was shipped out to
Rennes on a six month loan and his West Ham career seemed at an end.

In pre-season training he seemed ready to make peace with West Ham. He told
the club website "I want to fight this season with West Ham, I'll give 100
per cent in training and I'll wait for my chance.I want to give my best for
West Ham and we'll see. I'm ready to play in the Premier League
now.Pre-season has gone well. We work hard every day, and we've only lost
one game so it has been a good start for us"

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West Ham skipper Kevin Nolan seeks help from club psychologist to improve
discipline problems
Jan 22, 2014 13:44 By Liam Prenderville
The Mirror

West Ham United captain Kevin Nolan has promised his recent red-card madness
will not happen again, after having sessions with the club's sports
psychologist. The midfielder has missed seven games in the past two months,
after being sent off against Liverpool in December, before suffering the
same punishment against Fulham just three games later. His acts of lunacy
infuriated boss Sam Allardyce, who even considered stripping Nolan of his
captaincy at Upton Park. However, he returned to the fold for last night's
Capital One Cup second-leg defeat to Manchester City and revealed he went
through counselling to work on his discipline. Nolan told the Express: "What
happened to me over the last month was very out of character. "Things have
been made easier by the support I've had from my family, friends and Lee
Richardson, the club psychologist. "I've not been through anything like that
before - but I have now and I'm hoping to prove, by the end of the season,
that I've come through it."

His first dismissal came at Anfield for a needless lunge at Jordan Henderson
late on in a 4-1 defeat, before being shown his marching orders at Fulham on
New Year's Day for an off-the-ball incident. Nolan was fined two weeks'
wages for his behaviour with boss Allardyce - who has also managed him at
Bolton - revealing his anger. He said after the Fulham loss: "Our captain
was irresponsible. Not just today but for the future because he is
suspended. "He's let everyone down and himself. I just don't quite
understand where he's lost his cool and why it's happened."

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West Ham United linked with move for AC Milan midfielder Antonio Nocerino
5:50pm Wednesday 22nd January 2014 in News
East London and West Essex Guardian Series

Antonio Nocerino has become the latest player to be linked with a move to
West Ham in the transfer window. Reports from Italy claim the Hammers are
interested in the AC Milan midfielder, who has been limited to just seven
Serie A starts this season. It is claimed that new Milan manager Clarence
Seedorf is looked to move on Nocerino amid suggestions Chelsea midfielder
Michael Essien could be on his way to the San Siro.

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West Ham's Kevin Nolan backs Joleon Lescott transfer as two Serie A strikers
are eyed on loan
Jan 22, 2014 22:30 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror

Kevin Nolan has jokingly confessed he tried to tap up Joleon Lescott as they
played against each other in the Capital One Cup semi-final on Tuesday. West
Ham captain Nolan, back from suspension, saw his side beaten 9-0 on
aggregate as Lescott's Manchester City team confirmed their place in the
final at Wembley on March 2. Lescott, however, is still weighing up an offer
to move to Upton Park on loan with a view to a permanent deal in the summer.
Nolan, seen deep in discussion with the England centre-back, said: "We were
having a laugh and joke. That was me trying to tell him to come and help us
out! He laughed and said, 'You're joking aren't you?' "He didn't really say
that - I was only winding you up - but we did have a little bit of laughter
and a giggle and I was trying to persuade him, because he is a top quality
player and adding another one doesn't do any harm. It will only make us
stronger. "I am hoping that a bit of business can be done in the next couple
of weeks. If not, we just have to get on with it."

Mirror Sport understands the Hammers' move for Southampton striker Rickie
Lambert has been blocked by the Saints' owner, Katharina Liebherr. West Ham
felt then-executive chairman Nicola Cortese had been open to selling Lambert
before his own dramatic departure from St Mary's a week ago. The Hammers are
now considering loan moves for Italy-based forwards Maxi Lopez and Marco
Borriello. Lopez, 29, has scored one goal in 12 league appearances for
Catania this season while 31-year-old Borriello has one in 11 at Roma. The
frustrated Londoners have had offers rejected by out-of-favour Everton
defender Johnny Heitinga and young Inter Milan forward Ishak Belfodil. Nolan
went on: "We don't want those players, simple as. I don't want to play with
a player who, once someone else comes in for him, his head is turned, or a
player who doesn't fancy the challenge. "We only want players who are going
to go out there and put their hand on their heart and say, 'Listen, I am
here for the club.' We want them to be here. If you don't want to be here,
don't bother."

Struggling West Ham are poised to have Ricardo Vaz Te, Guy Demel, Joey
O'Brien, George McCartney and Winston Reid all back from injury within the
week.
Boss Sam Allardyce believes the fit-again players will provide a massive
boost to the club's fight against relegation. "If you give me all them fit
from as quickly as possible until the end of the season, I think we'll come
out of this." he said. "Forty (points) is the safe zone over more than 10
years now. It's got to be 22 points minimum for me in the last 16 (games)."

The Hammers are waiting for Mo Diame's injury to settle down before they can
scan it. The midfielder was taken off on a stretcher late in Tuesday's
match.
The groin injury which ended teammate Joe Cole's involvement, meanwhile, is
not thought to be serious.

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