Thursday, August 28

Daily WHUFC News - 28th August 2014

Hammers launch 2015/16 waiting list
WHUFc.com
Register yourself for the opportunity to be there for our final season at
the Boleyn Ground
27.08.2014

West Ham United are pleased to announce the launch of a Season Ticket
waiting list for the 2015/16 campaign, the Hammers' last at the Boleyn
Ground. The list will be open to all supporters from 9am on Saturday 30
August, but Academy Members can register in a priority window from 9am on
Thursday 28 August.
Existing Season Ticket Holders will, of course, have priority virtue of the
traditional renewal process and, as always, will be granted the opportunity
to relocate and/or purchase additional tickets prior to the renewal
deadline. They do not, therefore, need to join the waiting list.

Further information regarding renewals for current Season Ticket Holders and
migration details will be revealed on whufc.com in the coming weeks.
With the Club now celebrating some 110 years at its current home, the
2015/16 season will mark a unique opportunity to watch the Hammers at the
Boleyn Ground for the final time, before making the historic move to Queen
Elizabeth Olympic Park.

In consultation with supporters, the Club is already planning a series of
special commemorative events, not least for the legends of the Academy of
Football. And so, in what is shaping up to be a spectacular farewell to the
Boleyn Ground, a Season Ticket is the one and only way to guarantee your
seat for the final game at the Boleyn, come May 2016.

Whether it be at the Boleyn Ground or the new Stadium, a Season Ticket will
always be the most cost-effective way of watching the Hammers all season
long, while guaranteeing a seat for the biggest league and cup fixtures.

Individuals will be added to the final season waiting list on a first-come,
first-served basis, and allocated their Season Tickets accordingly. Please
note that a place on the waiting list does not automatically guarantee a
Season Ticket seat, with the likelihood of demand exceeding capacity.

Waiting list applicants are required to pay a £10 registration fee
redeemable against the purchase of a 2015/16 Season Ticket.
The Club can also confirm that all 2015/16 Season Ticket Holders will
automatically be entered into the Season Ticket selection process for the
Club's future Stratford home.

As part of that migration process, all Season-Ticket Holders will be invited
to individual appointments to select the best seat for them and give them a
chance to group together with family and friends in the new stadium, as well
as those they currently sit with at the Boleyn Ground.

Demand is expected to be exceptionally high, so the Club urges supporters
wishing to join the waiting list to do so promptly. Academy Members can
register online from 9am on Thursday 28 August at www.whufcboxoffice.com on
the phone via 0871 529 1966 and selecting option three, or in person at the
Alpari Stand Ticket Office. The registration process then opens to all
supporters from 9am on Saturday 30 August.

FAQs

As a Season Ticket Holder, do I have to join the waiting list?

No. Existing Season Ticket Holders will, of course, have priority virtue of
the traditional renewal process and so will not need to join the waiting
list.

I'm a Season Ticket Holder and I'd like an additional seat(s) for the final
season. Need I join the waiting list?

No. As has always been the case, Season Ticket Holders will be granted the
opportunity to relocate and/or purchase additional tickets prior to the
renewal deadline.

Having joined the waiting list, will I definitely get a Season Ticket for
next year?

Supporters will be added to the final season waiting list on a first-come,
first-served basis and allocated their Season Tickets accordingly. But with
demand likely to exceed capacity, a place on the waiting list does not
automatically guarantee a Season Ticket.

If I'm successful, how many tickets will I be entitled to?

Each successful application will be entitled to one Season Ticket per client
reference number.

Am I guaranteed to be in a particular price band or section of the Stadium?

No, all price bands and areas are subject to availability.

What if I want to join the waiting list in a group?

Absolutely, but each supporter in the group booking will require their
client reference number and the collective registration fee is to be paid in
one transaction.
Not registering together is likely to result in successful Season Ticket
applications being processed and located separately.

What happens if demand exceeds capacity? Will I remain on the waiting list
for the new Stadium?

Should there the waiting list exceed the capacity that the Boleyn Ground is
able to accommodate, those who are unsuccessful for the 2015/16 season will
instead be offered the opportunity to join the waiting list for a 2016/17
Season Ticket, subject to availability.

Do I get back my £10 back?

The registration fee is non-refundable, however, if due to lack of available
seats we are unable to offer you a Season Ticket for the final season at the
Boleyn Ground, you will instead be offered the opportunity to join the
waiting list for a 2016/17 Season Ticket, subject to availability.

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Diame disappointed at cup exit
WHUFC.com
Mohamed Diame wanted to reward the Hammers supporters for their terrific
backing on Tuesday
27.08.2014

Mohamed Diame was disappointed that the Hammers could not reward the fans
for their tremendous support at the Boleyn Ground on Tuesday night. A crowd
of nearly 29,000 turned out for the Capital One Cup tie against Sheffield
United, but the vast majority went home on the wrong end of a penalty
shootout defeat. The Blades prevailed 5-4 from the spot after a Winston Reid
own-goal cancelled out Diafra Sakho's opener and Diame felt the Londoners
should have made more of their chances. "We just missed too many chances,"
he explained. "We had a lot of opportunities in the first half and we didn't
score [enough of them]. "When you don't score it's always hard to win the
game. I feel sorry for the fans because they were behind the team from the
beginning to the end of the game. "It's a shame we didn't win this game at
home, but we need to keep going now and focus on the league. "We missed
chances against Tottenham and didn't win the game, we took our chances
against Crystal Palace and we won. "We have to keep focused and keep going.
We're doing great work with Teddy Sheringham in front of goal, so we have to
keep working and try to score goals."

Diame is fully focused on getting back on track when the Hammers welcome
Southampton to east London on Saturday for a Kids for a Quid game, for which
tickets are available here. He added: "Every time we play at home we need to
play for the three points. It's going to be a big game because Southampton
are a good, strong team. "I saw them against Liverpool and they played well.
We need to be ready for this game and make sure we take the three points."

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Modibo Maiga: Malian signs for Metz on loan from West Ham
BBC.co.uk

Malian striker Modibo Maiga has joined French side Metz on loan from English
Premier League club West Ham. The 26-year-old will spend the rest of the
season at Metz, who also have an option to buy the player. The deal is the
second between the clubs this month after Diafra Sakho joined West Ham in a
permanent move. Maiga spent the second half of last season loaned out to QPR
and has played only 31 times for West Ham since he joined the Londoners in
July 2012. He has already had experience of France's top flight, having
played for Le Mans and Sochaux. Maiga has played 31 times for his country
and scored five goal for the the Eagles.

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West Ham fail with Mexes bid
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 27th August 2014
By: Staff Writer

West Ham are reported to have failed with a bid to sign Milan defender
Philippe Mexes on loan. The 32-year-old central defender is surplus to
requirements at the San Siro, where Milan are seeking to offload both Mexes
and team mate Michael Essien ahead of next week's transfer deadline. However
the former French international centre half won't be coming to West Ham
after i Rossoneri rejected United's loan proposal - according to Corriere
dello Sport. A regular starter for Milan during the 2013/14 season, Mexes'
long career has also taken in stints at Auxerre and Roma. He also
represented France on 29 occasions between 2002-2012, when he made his most
recent appearance for the national team. Sam Allardyce remains desperate to
add another central defender to his squad ahead of the transfer window
deadline. 15-year-old Reece Oxford was named on the bench against Sheffield
United last night due to the lack of options currently available to the
manager. Currently, Allardyce has just three recognised central defenders in
his pack - James Tomkins, James Collins and Winston Reid - with the future
of the latter still shrouded in uncertainly.

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Stranded on Green Street
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 27th August 2014
By: Staff Writer

Hundreds of fans were left stranded on Green Street last night as West Ham
struggled to cope with an unprecedented demand for tickets. This was the
scene outside the Boleyn Ground five minutes before kick off last night as
several hundred supporters queued to collect tickets they had booked online
for West Ham's Capital One Cup tie against Sheffield United.

And despite the numbers outside and an earlier accident on the A406 that
delayed many more fans, the decision was taken for the game to kick off on
time.
At the time, the queue extended beyond Ken's Cafe - some considerable
distance from the ground. As a result of the delays, some fans were still
entering the ground AT HALF TIME. One fan posting on the KUMB forum this
morning said: "Had they not increased ticket prices on the day, forcing
people to pre-book online, it wouldn't have been so bad. "Most people in
that queue were collecting tickets that had been booked over the bank
holiday weekend. I was one of the lucky ones who only missed 20 minutes of
the game!"

And fellow supporter zinger549 added: "One of the stewards said there were
3,500 people collecting tickets, hence the long queue. "She said she'd
asked if we could just use our email confirmation [to get in] as it had the
seat number on, but they said no."

A spokesperson for the club told KUMB: "Despite asking fans to arrive early,
a large queue began to form in Green Street around 6.30pm. "Unfortunately
we only have 20 ticket windows and there was a huge demand for tickets, with
some 5,000 sold over the weekend alone. "Due to the Bank Holiday we couldn't
post all of them, meaning there were a large number of collections. The club
had already paid Royal Mail to do an extra collection. "We got through them
as quickly as we could but the increased demand combined with major problems
on the roads caused delays."

And on the question of why kick-off wasn't temporarily delayed in order to
allow hundreds more fans to enter the ground, the spokesperson added: "The
Police and referee, who make the decision, wouldn't have allowed it. It was
their decision."

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Maiga departs
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 27th August 2014
By: Staff Writer

West Ham striker Modibo Maiga has, as expected, completed a loan move to FC
Metz. Maiga, who has been frozen out of the first team set-up at the Boleyn
since returning from a loan spell at Queens Park Rangers last season has
joined the Ligue 1 newcomers for the rest of the 2014/15 season with view to
a permanent deal - as revealed here on KUMB last week. West Ham are
understood to be paying a healthy portion of Maiga's salary but will be
delighted that the former Sochaux forward, who was deemed surplus to
requirements at the club, has moved on.

Signed by Sam Allardyce in July 2012 on a four-year contract (with an option
for an additional two years), the £5million striker failed to settle in
England and made just 19 starts for the Hammers during his stay at the club.
Maiga's tally of just six goals for West Ham consisted of three in the early
rounds of the Carling/Capital One Cup and three more in the Premier League -
against Southampton (October 2012), Chelsea (December 2012) and against West
Brom (December 2013).

However it will be for his winning goal at White Hart Lane in the 2-1
Capital Cup win over Tottenham last season for which he will be most fondly
remembered by West Ham fans.

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Sheffield United moving on from Carlos Tevez after beating West Ham
Last Updated: 27/08/14 3:42pm
SSN

Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough is hoping his side's penalty shoot-out
victory over West Ham in the Capital One Cup can draw a line under the
Carlos Tevez transfer debate. The Blades triumphed 5-4 in the shoot-out
after Diafra Sakho had put West Ham in front at Upton Park before an
unfortunate Winston Reid own goal levelled the match. West Ham fans had
taunted their Sheffield United counterparts with chants about Tevez in the
first meeting of the two sides since the Blades were relegated from the
Premier League, largely thanks to the Argentine's goals for the Hammers. A
legal wrangle over Tevez's ownership eventually led to West Ham paying out
almost £30million in compensation. With plenty of ill-feeling between the
two sides continuing seven years later, Clough believes his club can now
move on from the whole affair. "It was a long time ago," he said. "I think
it was more about winning on the night for our supporters than anything in
the past. I'm sure there will still be a bit of injustice felt by our
supporters and that will not go away. "You can't keep going on with things
like that. You move on - it was seven years ago and we all move on - we are
desperate to get out of League One."

Blades goalkeeper Mark Howard kept out Enner Valencia's penalty after an
evening of frustrating the hosts, with Clough full of praise for the former
Arsenal youngster. "He has been in great form so far this season," added
Clough. "We have made him number one and we are delighted - he is from down
here and had family and friends here. "I think it was more about winning on
the night for our supporters than anything in the past. I'm sure there will
still be a bit of injustice felt by our supporters and that will not go
away. You can't keep going on with things like that. You move on - it was
seven years ago and we all move on - we are desperate to get out of League
One." "It was reminiscent of last season. We have got some great blocks in,
bodies in the way. It is good for the lads who joined us to experience that.
"It is the first time this season we have looked like a team. We are not
close to where we want to be but this is positive."

West Ham reached the semi-finals of this competition last season but it was
their wastefulness in front of goal which once again cost them, with manager
Sam Allardyce also impressed with Howard's display. "We have lost on
penalties at the end of the day," he said. "The fans know we should've won
the game. We haven't been outplayed by Sheffield United, they made life
difficult for us by playing that defensive unit. That is well within their
rights when they come here.
"We opened them up time and time again with patient, good quality football,
but at the end of the day the end product deserted us - in the main due to
their goalkeeper. "We gave an own goal away and Sheffield United had one
shot on target in the 90 minutes and one on target in extra time. "At the
end of the day, it is our fault. It was an inspired performance from their
goalkeeper - whatever we threw at him he saved it or blocked it. "From our
point of view, it is a frustrating night after good performances from
players who have just joined us, like Sakho and Enner."

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A TRANSFER WINDOW ROUND UP
By ExWHUemployee 27 Aug 2014 at 19:00
West Ham Till I Die

With less than a week left of the transfer window I think if we were to sum
up whether it has been a successful window or not at this point we would all
agree that it has and I am trying to not let yesterday's cup game affect my
judgement. It has been widely reported that the chairmen, especially Mr
Sullivan, have taken a lot more active a role in the dealings and therefore
should take a lot of the credit. The chairmen come under a lot of unfair
stick in my opinion and they have continued to spend large amounts of money
(see Sean Whetstone's posts) on new players this window, having broken our
transfer record in the two summer windows prior to this.

It is fair to say that they have brought in the type of player that we have
all wanted to see at the club. Mauro Zarate's performance at Crystal Palace
was superb and he comes with the attacking creativity and flair that we have
all been missing in recent seasons. Although it was disappointing to go out
of the cup competition he also showed that he is prepared to put effort and
fight into his performances during this game. Kevin Nolan will be out for
around two months and I believe Zarate will be a more than adequate (this is
an understatement) replacement. This signing was clearly one instigated by
the chairmen as he was a player with them at Birmingham City and I know how
much his two sons rave about him too.


I will predict now that Cheikhou Kouyate will be Hammer of the Year assuming
he doesn't get injured (which as we all know with our luck is quite
possible). He has been an immense signing and I would agree with all that
have likened him to Patrick Vieira. Of course it is extremely early days and
you cannot judge on two games but if his pre-season performances are
anything to go by too, we have ourselves a great player.


Both Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho provide new attacking options. Both
unproven in the premiership and both hard to judge as yet but both looked a
handful in their recent substitute appearances and have had good seasons
with their previous club and country. I thought that Sakho played well
during the Cup game but unfortunately Valencia became a little lost after
Sakho went off and obviously missed the crucial penalty. I still remain very
positive about both purchases.

Carl Jenkinson has played for a top four club and always looked quite solid
when I have watched the games and of course this was recognised by England
too. I personally think Joey O'Brien gets a lot of unjustified stick for his
performances and is in fact very underrated and may even keep the spot for
now but if he doesn't I think Carl will step in well.

Again you get the general positive theme here but I have also been impressed
with Cresswell. A relative of mine is an Ipswich season ticket holder and he
assured me that Cresswell did not ever have a bad game for them and offers
loads going forward as well with excellent crossing and free kick tacking.

Diego Poyet is a great talent and one who was hot property at youth level. I
think he will go on to be a brilliant acquisition and showed that this was
possible when starting his first game yesterday. Of course we also have the
returning Ravel Morrison (and summer gloves) of whose skills we are no
strangers to. All in all the squad has a much better feel to it this season.

Another positive to emerge from this window is that we haven't lost any
first team regular players either. The departures of Joe Cole, Matt Taylor,
George McCartney, Alou Diarra and Jack Collison has freed up much needed
wages and the club have been desperate to get Maiga off the wage bill too.
He has been offered a contract termination as well as being offered around
for loan/permanent transfers. The club are prepared to pay a large
percentage of his wages even if it reduce them by only a little bit to get
him out on loan and this has finally been agreed with Metz where he will be
Sakho's direct replacement.

There has been strong talk of a supposed bid for Carlton Cole but I am led
to believe that this had no substance. I wouldn't sell him anyway certainly
at least until January when we will know whether Andy Carroll has returned
successfully. Carlton isn't the player he was under Zola but I do believe he
will play better with Zarate in the side.

The only other possible departure is that of Winston Reid. Winston has been
offered a contract and has not accepted this as yet. The club and player
appear to be quite far apart on what they consider an acceptable offer and
Arsenal have been circulating and potentially turning the players head (see
the IronViews article on this) and I felt this was shown during the Cup game
where he looked half interested. I personally believe we should do all that
we can to hold onto Winston. I think he and Tomkins can establish a centre
back partnership that could serve us well for many a year going into the
Olympic Stadium.

We have been after Micah Richards for a long time and this is still the
case. Micah's versatility across the back four is seen as a major plus and
if we could secure him on a loan deal we would. Richards hasn't really
featured for City and his contract is up for renewal at the end of the
season meaning City hope to cash in on him now. We have been working hard to
get this deal to happen but at the moment City want to sell him and we would
like to loan him on shared wages. I am hoping this will change and he can be
brought in before the close of the window.

Other sites have heavily linked us with Toby Alderweireld the Belgium World
Cup defender. I believe there is interest but there will be a lot of clubs
in for him and I think we will struggle to persuade him to join us
unfortunately. The Daily Mail has also reported yesterday that we are after
Bayer Leverkusen defender Philipp Wollscheid as well a player who I know
little about.

There has also been talk of another winger joining the club. We did allow
the popular ex player Matthew Etherington to train with us to gain fitness
after the best man at his wedding, James Collins, arranged it for him.
During his time at the club Matty was an exciting player to watch. He has
been apparently looking sharp (as David Gold tweeted) but at 33 and with a
chequered past at the club he would have needed an extremely impressive
trial at the club to be considered. We had looked at Morgan Amalfitano, who
was on loan at WBA last season, but we couldn't agree terms especially with
his agent and so that transfer seems unlikely now as well.


I am pretty certain we will bring in an extra defensive player but that may
be the end of our transfer window, if that is the case I think we will all
agree it has been a successful one. Please keep following the site and my
twitter for any transfer updates.

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MAIGA LEAVES WEST HAM
By Sean Whetstone 27 Aug 2014 at 14:00
West Ham Till I Die

Modibo Maiga has officially joined French Ligue 1 side FC Metz on an initial
one season-long loan deal with the option to buy next summer thought to be
around 3 million euros. The news was confirmed this morning by Metz official
website followed shortly by West Ham.The out of favor Hammers striker could
make his debut against Lyon this Sunday.

Maiga was loaned out to QPR at the half way point last season after Harry
Redknapp came in late for him on transfer deadline day in January. QPR were
believed to have paid half of his £30,000 per week wages as part of the six
month deal. Despite scoring on his debut for the Hoops he failed to make any
real impact after eight appearances and returned to the Hammers with his
tail between his legs in the summer where he was unceremoniously relegated
to the development squad to sit in humiliation on the bench as an unused
sub. The 26-year-old forward previously played for Le Mans and Sochaux in
France scoring a combined goal tally of 39 before joining West Ham but it
didn't quite happen for him in England.

West Ham signed Metz's Senegal striker Diafra Sakho for an initial fee of
£2.5m who made an immediate impact by scoring in last night's Carling cup
game. Maiga scored 6 goals for the Hammers from 37 appearances and has just
under 2 years remaining on his contract. Metz are thought to paying just
£6,000 per week of Maiga's £30,000 per week wages but the thought is that
something is better than nothing and if he gets his scoring boots back he
could attract value in his remaining year of his contract. Maiga cost West
Ham £4.7m when he joined in July 2012 plus another £5m in wages and employer
costs.

Lets hope this brings a new start for him and let us not forget this goal he
scored for us if nothing else!

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West Ham youngsters Reece Burke and Diego Poyet show the future is bright at
Upton Park
Aug 27, 2014 10:46
OPINION BY STEVESTAMMERS
The Hammers may have been knocked out of the League Cup, but Steve Stammers
was impressed by two emerging talents
The Mirror

What a difference a matter of months makes. Last season, West Ham were
jeered off after a win that secured three valuable Premier League points
when they beat Hull 2­1.

It prompted – ill-advisedly – the hand behind the ear gesture from manager
Sam Allardyce towards the fans who were clearly unhappy with the brand of
football. Come last night and a defeat in a penalty shoot­out against League
One Sheffield United in the Capital One Cup and there was appreciation for
the style in which West Ham attempted to play.

True, not raucous cheers. But 28,000­-plus at Upton Park acknowledged that
passing and movement have been introduced. And promising young players have
been blooded in a competitive arena.

Two outstanding performances came from central defender Reece Burke and
midfield man Diego Poyet, the son of Sunderland manager Gus.

Burke looked assured and comfortable in possession but the stand­out
potential was shown by Poyet. He was always available, has an excellent
touch and passes with simplicity and accuracy – remind you of anyone else
called Poyet?

Steve BardensColossal youth: Burke scored against Sampdoria in pre-season
And Allardyce was genuinely disappointed at the club's exit. He fielded a
strong team, not an excuse for one. Lesson learned from last season when
what was tantamount to a youth team was hammered 5­0 at Nottingham Forest in
the FA Cup.

He wanted to prolong the run to give as many of his squad as possible the
chance to play in an environment in which they would be tested. The Capital
One Cup would have provided that.

But Poyet was a plus as was Burke. Just how serious he took the competition
was reflected in his substitutions – the in­form Stewart Downing, the
inspirational Mark Noble and the ever­dangerous Mauro Zarate. Indeed it took
an amazing save from United goalkeeper Mark Howard to deny Downing a repeat
of his heroics at Selhurst Park last Saturday in the 3­1 win against Crystal
Palace.

However, do not get the impression that the Barking Road had been
transformed into Disneyland. Improvement is needed from the likes of Enner
Valenica. The Ecuador international looked short against Sheffield United.
True, it was his first competitive start but at £ 12 million, more was
expected. But United's defence snuffed him out a tad too easily. His missed
penalty was decisive and that summed up his night.

Poyet was more impressive. And so was Burke. Neither is likely to figure
against Southampton on Saturday but they will figure prominently in the
years to come. And both will be better for last night.

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QPR plot Mo Diame transfer from West Ham to add beef to their midfield for
fight against relegation
Aug 26, 2014 22:30 By Alan Nixon
The Hammers are ready to sell Senegalese midfielder Hoops boss Harry
Redknapp has been tracking since this time last season for a bargain fee
The Mirror

QPR boss Harry Redknapp is ready to snap up West Ham midfielder Momo Diame
in a surprise deal. Redknapp has been trailing the powerful Senegalese star
for a year and Sam Allardyce will now let him go for a bargain fee to make
way for a signing of his own. Diame is on the fringes of the Hammers' side
after losing his place and he is happy to head across London. Redknapp,
whose west Londoners are pointless and goalless after two games back in the
top flight, wants more strength in his midfield and the former Wigan giant
will give him that.

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New Irons striker worries
Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 27, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Carlton Cole may be back in action against Southampton this weekend after
manager Sam Allardyce revealed that Diafra Sakho has suffered a back injury.
Cole may have expected his appearances to be few and far between with the
arrival of the Frenchman and Enner Valencia but instead is becoming a
regular.
Allardyce explained that Valencia had been forced to play 120 minutes
against Sheffield United instead of the expected 60 because of the Sakho
blow.
He said: "Considering Enner's not played a game since the World Cup, that
was going to be his first 60 minutes or so but Sakho tweaked his back so
he's had to play 120 minutes." Allardyce threw no further light on whether
Sakho would be available for Saturday's game raising predictions that Cole
would perhaps again appear in the lone striker role.

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Red hot keeper on Irons radar
Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 27, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

West Ham are keen to sign Southend first choice keeper Daniel Bentley
according to his girlfriend on social media today. The wannabe WAG posted
'West Ham want to sign my boyfriend, Premier League here we come!' Shrimpers
goalkeeper Daniel Bentley is also being considered for an England under 21
call-up after he was recently watched by scouts from the international set
up at Carlisle United last Saturday. Basildon-born Bentley began his career
with Arsenal, aged eight only to be released by the Gunners in 2008, before
he was snapped up by Southend. Bentley played for their Under-18s before he
was handed a professional contract in the summer of 2009. A loan spell at
Braintree Town was followed by a big step up taking over from the injured
Paul Smith. Southend United manager Phil Brown previously dismissed
speculation in July linking goalkeeper Daniel Bentley with a move to West
Ham saying ""I heard the rumour and wanted to check it out so I gave Sam a
call in New Zealand, you have to do these things to cover yourself,
especially if you're going to lose your first choice goalkeeper. "However,
Sam never made any reference to wanting to bring Daniel in."

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Troubled Rennes defender linked with Hammers
Posted by Sean Whetstone on August 27, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Rennes' central defender Jean Armel Kana Biyik is in talks to join the
Hammers according to L'Equipe. The player recently held talks with Palermo
and has been linked with Arsenal, Hull City and Crystal Palace in recent
weeks. Rennes have made it obviously clear that they have no intention of
holding onto the player this transfer window after problems early this year.
The troubled player was suspended by his club Rennes after he was involved
in confrontations with fans. The French Ligue 1 side ordered the player
train apart from the first-team squad and the reserves until the end of the
season as well as being fined. Kana-Biyik exchanged insults with some of
the club's supporters and was involved in another altercation after training
in May this year. It is alleged that Kana-Biyik – whose father Andre and
uncle Francois Omam-Biyik played were also Cameroon internationals – stepped
out of his vehicle and tried to come to blows with members of Rennes' most
prominent ultra group before being held back by security guards.

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Hammers on QPR/Diame link
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 27, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Mo Diame's future still looks locked into West Ham despite new reports that
he could be on his way to Queens Park Rangers. A newspaper story emerged
this morning claiming that the Senegal midfielder could become a late
transfer window target for Loftus Road boss Harry Redknapp. The report
claims the former Hammers boss has trailed the player for a year and that
Sam Allardyce would let him go. However, a well placed Irons source told
ClaretandHugh: "These rumours about Mo just go on and on. "There has been
absolutely no contact from Rangers and time is getting short if they want
to. The same applies to Everton with whom he has also been linked."

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Sullivan wishes Maiga well
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 27, 2014 in Whispers
Calret & Hugh

West Ham co owner David Sullivan has wished Modibo Maiga well as he leaves
the club for a season-long spell at Metz. The striker – as revealed by
ClaretandHugh several days ago – has finally made his move across the
channel. And co-chairman Sullivan – speaking to us exclusively today said:
"We wish him well, it is just a loan and we are paying the bulk of his
wages. "But it is a chance for the player to put himself in the shop window
– we wish him well."
Metz announced this morning on their website that the player was joining
them. Maiga has scored 6 goals for the Hammers from 37 appearances and has
just under two years remaining on his contract.

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Sam Baldock: Brighton & Hove Albion sign Bristol City striker
BBC.co.uk

Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion have signed striker Sam Baldock
from League One Bristol City for an undisclosed fee. The 25-year-old joined
City from West Ham in August 2012 and the Robins captain scored 26 goals in
all competitions in 2013-14. Baldock had been the subject of several bids
from Albion during the summer transfer window. "We rejected six offers from
them," said City chief executive John Pelling. "We entered this transfer
window with the intention of keeping Sam, however, Brighton's persistence
has finally seen them come up with an offer which suited both the club and
Sam." The League One golden boot winner, who started his career at MK Dons,
was in the final year of his contract at Ashton Gate. Seagulls boss Sami
Hyypia told the Brighton website: "Sam was one of our key summer attacking
targets. "He's a predator, instinctive in front of goal and his career goal
record is excellent. He's played and scored goals at this level." Baldock,
who made his debut for the Dons as a 16-year-old in December 2005, has
scored 84 goals in 241 career appearances.

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