Daily WHUFC News - 12th April 2016

Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic said West Ham United's Andy Carroll-based game plan worked
superbly against Arsenal on Saturday. The manager revealed that he started
Carroll ahead of the Club's other strikers because of his ability to make
the most of crosses into the opposition penalty area – a theory the No9
proved by netting an outstanding hat-trick from three balls into the box
from wide areas. Two headers and a spectacular volley left Bilic and the
watching fans and media alike speculating about what the England centre
forward can achieve for Club and country if he stays fit between now and the
season's end. "We have good strikers, of course, and Andy is fit now and he
looked really sharp and we hoped we were going to have success like this,
with space on the flanks which we could use to put in good crosses," Bilic
explained. "We have a few players who can bend the ball in really well –
Payet, Lanzini, Antonio, Cresswell and Noble when he goes wide – and
basically you are putting the ball in the box, it's more likely to find Andy
than the defenders. "He has done it against Liverpool, against Chelsea and
now against Arsenal, so it was a good decision."

When asked why Carroll has not been able to produce such goods on a
consistent basis, the manager told the press to look no further than the
fitness issues which have blighted his West Ham and England career in recent
years. Bilic would not be drawn on whether the hat-trick hero will be
deployed again when Manchester United visit in the Emirates FA Cup
sixth-round replay on Wednesday evening – but he did say Diafra Sakho and
Alex Song are unlikely to be fit to take part. "I'm not blaming him but it's
a fact that he's out every now and then," observed the manager. "And it's a
fact that when he's got consistency he's like he was in this game. "The
medical team and the Club are doing everything they can with Andy and he is
doing it, but he should be even better if he can stay away from those
injuries for a few years, because it's a waste for West Ham, it's a waste
for England, but it's the biggest waste for him. "What more can I say about
Andy Carroll? If he goes to bed at ten, he should go to bed at nine-thirty
now! He has to do something, but I am not a medical expert or voodoo – I'm
just his manager speaking about that and I know he loves football. "It's not
the training, because when he trains, he loves football. He's not one of
those who doesn't try in training. When we play five-a-side, he wants to win
and he gives everything. "Will he start against Man United? I hope he's
going to be fit for Man United. I don't think Sakho or Song will be fit for
that game."

Having been asked repeatedly for his observations about the offside decision
that ruled out Manuel Lanzini's opening goal against the Gunners, Bilic was
reluctant to speak on the subject with Monday's newspaper reporters.
However, he did comment that his West Ham side could have been thrashed had
Arsenal added a third goal before Carroll struck twice in a matter of
minutes before half-time. "I decided not to talk about it," he told the
journalists. "They are all asking about it and I like to share my opinion
because it affects my job and my mood. "It was nil-nil when we had a goal
disallowed and we could have lost five-nil if they had scored another one at
two-nil. I would like to talk about those decisions but if I talk about them
in the last four weeks in a row then I found it ridiculous. I ain't going to
talk about it. "We should be third in the table, maybe not third because I
don't know the gaps and all that, but fourth definitely, without a doubt. I
know we should be fourth, but maybe not third. I'll say fourth!"

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Lanzini - We're positive
WHUFC.com

Manuel Lanzini feels there are plenty of positives to take from the 3-3 draw
with Arsenal, with the Hammers showing plenty of character and commitment to
get themselves back in the game having trailed by two. As the game went on,
the Argentine fought well against a strong Arsenal midfield and tried to
drive the side forward on the break. Lanzini told whufc.com: "When you go
2-0 down in the first half, you know that it is always going to be difficult
to come back to get something out of the game. But we then started to move
the ball around a bit better and things got better. "It was very end to end
and the balance shifted between the two sides during the game. We were up
against a good side with a talented midfield and we knew that before the
game. "We knew that we needed to break up their rhythm, but at first, we
didn't manage to do that and that's why we struggled a bit. When we were
able to break up their movement, we got ourselves back into the game and
into a position to at least draw the game. "The team showed a lot of
character to get a point from the game. It is slightly frustrating that we
weren't able to take the three points, but on the whole, I think we take a
lot of positives from it and we will now concentrate on Wednesday's cup game
against Manchester United."

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Loan round up
WHUFC.com

West Ham loan stars Reece Burke and Josh Cullen are both playing major roles
in Bradford City's late promotion charge in League One. The pair played all
90 minutes as the Bantams beat Swindon Town 1-0 on Saturday, with the
victory moving City up to third in the division. Billy Clarke got the
game's only goal, converting after a long throw in the 20th minute.
Bradford, with five games to play, are now six points below Burton Albion in
second.

Elsewhere in League One, Elliot Lee was on a winning side as Colchester
United picked up a vital away win at Blackpool. The Us were 1-0 victors
thanks to Chris Porter's second half strike, and the win provides hope for
Colchester as they look to avoid the drop. Lee had the best chance of a
goalless first half, as he fired just wide via a deflection.

Martin Samuelsen's Peterborough United, however, were less fortunate, as
they were beaten 2-1 by Rochdale. The Norweigan was a second half substitute
for Graham Westley's team.

There was also defeat for right-back Kyle Knoyle, on loan at Dundee United,
as Inverness Caledonian Thistle were 2-0 winners at Tanadice. Knoyle had one
of Dundee's best opportunities in the second half, forcing visiting stopper
Owain Fon Williams to make a save.

Finally, Sam Westley was an unused substitute in Dutch side VVV Venlo's 3-1
away win in the Eerste Divisie over MVV Maastricht on Friday.

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Westley - We're gutted but proud
WHUFC.com

Academy manager Terry Westley praised his Development Squad's passion and
desire despite defeat to Aston Villa on Monday night. The young Hammers
twice equalised in the game but were dealt the cruel, late blow when the
hosts struck in the 88th minute to win 3-2. But Westley was proud of the
spirit the Hammers showed to fight their way back into the match on two
occasions. He said: "We're gutted but proud in many ways. The way the
players in the second half of the season have really responded and the run
of games we had undefeated [is great]. "Tonight we needed a win so we had to
keep pushing and it just shows the incredible passion and desire these
players have to keep coming back. "We took it right to the very end. We had
chances right until the final whistle. We were totally committed."

The conditions were difficult for the U21s, as the rain continued to come
down in stair-rods during the first half. "I think the conditions affected
our game," Westley continued. "We really passed the ball and there were
patches first half when we dominated and tried to get it down.
"There was one stage when I thought it was going to be called off. The ball
started to get stuck in the water but thankfully towards the second half it
started to ease. "But it was full-blooded, heart on your sleeve stuff. We
scored two, should have defended better, but unfortunately we'll miss out on
the top five."

The youngsters now have the final of the Premier League Cup, in which they
face Hull City at both the Boleyn Ground and the KC Stadium, to focus on.
"The players have a great Cup final to look forward to now at the last
season at the Boleyn. "These players don't want to be disappointed like they
are now. In many ways, this can act as a catalyst for us to go on and make
sure that we win the Cup."

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Ladies held in final fixture
WHUFC.com

West Ham Ladies completed their 2015/16 season with a goalless draw at home
to Queens Park Rangers on Sunday afternoon. The Hammers completed their
slate of 22 FA Women's Premier League Southern Division fixtures by holding
the Hoops to a stalemate at AFC Hornchurch. The result meant Marc Nurse's
side ended the season with just one defeat in their final four matches – a
marked improvement on the run of heavy defeats they suffered in February.
However, Sunday's result means West Ham will finish tenth of the 12 teams in
the Southern Division, ahead of Plymouth Argyle and Forest Green Rovers,
after winning just five of their 22 matches. The highlight of an at-times
testing campaign came in early March, when captain Katie Bottom's penalty
secured a memorable 1-0 derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the Boleyn
Ground. The club will now take the summer months to take stock and rebuild
ahead of the 2016/17 campaign.

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From the Boardroom - David Sullivan
WHUFC.com

This is a big week for the Club with our big FA Cup quarter final replay
against Manchester United on Wednesday night and we go into the game off the
back of a thrilling 3-3 draw with Arsenal on Saturday. I was delighted to
see Andy Carroll score a hat-trick and he once again showed the quality he
can bring to the team. He was unstoppable at times and had ten attempts on
goal during the game which was fantastic to see. We all hope he can continue
this impressive form until the end of the season and stay among the goals as
he is a major threat to any team. After staging an excellent comeback from
two goals down, we all felt a bit disappointed that we could not hold onto
the victory and had to settle for a draw.
The game could have easily finished 5-3 and yet again big decisions are not
going in our favour. It was clear to see that Manuel Lanzini was onside when
he put the ball in the net but the assistant referee raised his flag. It is
supposed to balance out over a season, but it hasn't for us so far. We've
had one penalty while Leicester have had eight! But on a positive note we
showed our fighting qualities once again and have shown throughout the
season that we are never beaten and a lot of credit has to go to Slaven and
his backroom staff for creating such a positive attitude among the players.
We are now all looking forward to a special night under the lights in our
final ever cup tie at the Boleyn Ground.
I would love to see the club play at Wembley again and we know the incentive
of beating United and reaching the semi finals of the FA Cup.

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Former Player Interview - Alan Curbishley
WHUFC.com

Alan Curbishley enjoyed a memorable spell at West Ham United as both a
player and a manager. Curbishley made his debut for the Hammers back in
March 1975 against Chelsea and went on to make 97 appearances during his
four year spell at the Boleyn Ground. The talented midfielder eventually
made the switch into management and after a successful 15 year spell in
charge of Charlton, he returned to his boyhood club when he was appointed
manager of the Hammers back in December 2006. Curbishley pulled off the
great escape when he helped the Club win seven of their final nine games to
stay in the Premier League. The biggest drama came at Old Trafford on the
final day of the season when West Ham needed a result to stay up and Carlos
Tevez continued his amazing form when he scored the winning goal against
Manchester United to make it seven goals in his final ten games.
Curbishley said: "Funnily enough I could not get any kind of result against
Manchester United when I was at Charlton but when I came to West Ham I
quickly got rid of that winning my first three games against them. "The
final day win at Old Trafford was great and we knew we had to get something.
The support was fantastic and we took thousands of fans to Wigan and
Manchester United. "Whenever I see footage of the game you see Mark Noble
jumping over his team-mates at the end of the game and that summed it all up
that day. "I don't think Manchester United will be looking forward to this
game with the atmosphere that will be created and I am looking forward to
it."

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ExWHUEmployee Exclusive Column: Sakho details revealed, Top Targets already
in talks and Collins to play?!
April 11, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
ExWHUEmployee

The Arsenal game was an amazing spectacle and yet frustrating at the same
time. I thought attacking wise we played really well. Carroll, obviously
was superb; Payet, Antonio, Lanzini and Kouyate all helped out well with the
attack. As did Cresswell who put in some superb crosses. Defensively we
have looked a lot less solid since Collins has been injured. I took a lot
of abuse for suggesting this on Saturday but I honestly believe we are far
more stable with the Ginger Pele in. He is in the form of his life and he
is a leader as well. He controls that defensive line and is respected by
all the players. Bilic, having had doubts originally, rates him very
highly. For me the best partnership (and this doesn't necessarily mean who
I think are the best players) is Collins and Ogbonna. I believe Ogbonna's
pace works well alongside Ginge's aerial power.

People seemed to take this as a slating, on my behalf, of Winston Reid.
This just isn't the case. I rate Winston very highly too and I believe on
his day there is no better centre back. It is great to have this
competition for centre back places when you also throw in Tomkins, Oxford,
Burke and Henry who can play there too. I am lead to believe that Collins
will return to the starting 11 against Manchester United and Randolph will
also play (as he has in the Cup games). Again, I rate Adrian very highly
but there have been a couple of errors recently and I think it will be good
to have Randolph play another game. I also believe we have been missing Sam
Byram but he should also be back for the Leicester game, as he is cup-tied
for Manchester United, giving us a fully strength side to choose from.

I have deliberately avoided commenting about the Ref's standards in this
game again as it seems to be a regular thing but for me video technology is
essential now. It would put to bed all this conspiracy theories for a
start.


As I said when the team was announced Sakho is not "injured". I actually
knew that he wasn't playing on Friday and deliberately held off saying
anything because I have been told that the club has been mad at me for doing
this before. Although in fairness if you had seen Sakho's snapchats you
probably would have had a strong suspicion that he wasn't playing, due to
the rant and then the lateness of his posts. If Arsenal had known that
Carroll was starting I wouldn't have been surprised if they played
Mertesacker instead due to his height. I actually felt Carroll playing was
the right decision because Arsenal have always struggled to deal with more
physical forwards.

I have learnt from a journalist friend that you must use the word allegedly
when discussing controversial stories and so everything I say now is
"alleged" information. I knew this story was about to break and for those
who follow me on twitter you would have seen I said he wasn't injured
straight away (before anyone else) and then said the story will break in the
papers, which it has. The reason I didn't want to say is that I only like
to bring positive news about the club. I often hear negative stories, which
I don't put out. I have to respect the strong relationships I have with
people in club and putting out negative stories compromises that a little
bit, I am often advised not to as well. In the last week I have been asked
to remove two stories from my columns as the club wanted certain things kept
quiet.

Ultimately though I am a huge fan, I go to all home games (breaking short
family holidays like I did this week to attend) and I go to about 10 away
games. I don't want negative stories out there about the club especially on
the eve of a massive cup quarter final. Now that the finer details of the
story have been broken by these newspapers now I can talk about it.

Sakho was at training on Friday and took part. You only need to look at the
official sites photos from the event to see this. Sources of mine at the
training ground confirmed that he was there too. He was, so I am told
(allegedly and all this business) advised that he will not start on Friday.
He didn't respond well to this and stormed off. During this he was
allegedly wound up by another player for not being selected, who again
without saying too much, is fairly easy to work out. He then told the club
he was "injured" and couldn't play on Saturday. He missed a fans signing
session in the week but this was down to having checks on another injury
apparently. The snapchat rants were also supposedly not aimed at the club
but at an individual, I suggest aimed perhaps at the player who had been
winding him up but cannot confirm this to be true. This player who is also
involved is unlikely to figure much more himself either again.

The bottom line is Sakho has become frustrated at seeing Payet get a huge
pay rise, Carroll command the salary that he does and hear of the club
looking for a new 20 goal a season forward or two. The pursuit of these
forwards has been well documented and I know first-hand that our chairman is
already in discussions. I have brought the names of these forwards in many
column before so I won't go over them again but some top options are being
explored and there may even be more than one.

Sakho is also aware of interest from other clubs. There was a bid for him
lodged in January which we rejected but another transfer destination has
already been potentially lined up for Sakho to move to in the summer. I
know the name of the club but will not break it now, this club play in
another league to us but have had a great season in it. They will be playing
European football next year. Whilst the deal isn't finalised there has been
discussions.

The thing frustrating people in the club is that we have superb creativity
from the likes of Payet, Lanzini, Antonio, and Cresswell and so on but we
don't have someone who finishes them regularly. Both Carroll and Sakho have
that potential but are continuously injured.

The club feel that with a regular goalscorer we could achieve so much, you
only have to look at the other clubs at the top of the league:
Leicester-Vardy and Tottenham-Kane to see what can be achieved. Sakho has
been quite a controversial figure whilst at the club: there were the
allegations which have been rejected now involving his girlfriend, his car
crash and the occasional mood swing. David Sullivan has done a lot for him.
He brought him to the club, from the French second division, even though Sam
made it clear he wanted Wickham ahead of him and that is who we initially
bid for. At the end of season awards Sakho dedicated his trophy to David
Sullivan and he has supported him through his troubles.

It may be time, as much as I hate to say it, for both to go their separate
ways. Personally I hope we can put it all behind us now and finish the
season without it. The club obviously feel the same and this is why there
has been no comment other than to say the "party line" that he is injured,
the injury that was checked out in the week, which his agent has also said.
I understand this because by commenting it confirms the situation and we
really need to all remain united and get to the end of the season. Let us
all hope it is forgotten about, we accept it was a "genuine injury" and he
plays and scores in future games.

The future is so bright. The quality of the players that we are lining up
is testimony to that. We are looking to strengthen at youth level too and
the stadium plans are fantastic. There is so much that has to be kept quiet
on this but trust me the plans are huge and exciting and whilst I am going
to miss Upton Park, these plans make it all worthwhile.

I was lucky enough to go to the chairman's house on Monday and have a good
chat with him, alongside the West Ham Way Tv crew and SDCC as they were
filming a great quiz feature with the Sullivan lads. Speaking to DS you can
see the passion and enthusiasm he has for the club. He has massive plans
and a huge determination to pull them off. We have a wealthy chairman but
more importantly we have a fan as well. You just have to look at the
situation that Aston Villa or Newcastle are now in to realise how important
that factor is!


As far as the site goes. We shall be announcing the winner of the Matthew
Etherington signed shirt this week. We also have our West Ham Way shirts to
buy for £20, it would be great to see some of you support the site by buying
them please contact me to do so, as this website is provided at a negative
cost to myself and any money goes back into the site. You also get entered
into a competition to win another prize (likely to be the new home shirt)
and at the moment your odds of winning are great. I am in talks with
various companies about advertising on the site, we have many different
packages catered to your price range. Remember to follow us on Facebook,
snapchat, Instagram (we have a new account), the website and twitter of
course.

A top journalist who is one of the ones I respect most is talking to Sakho's
agent today and he or I will bring further updates but I think it is
important that we move on. I hope him and Bilic can sort it out today and
that he does feature against United because this is one of the most
important games we have had since the Play Off final! Wednesday, the
atmosphere will be electric!! I cannot wait and it is this that we need to
focus on.

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Monday musings: Robbed, again
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th April 2016
By: Graeme Howlett

Slaven Bilic refused to criticise referee Craig Pawson following West Ham
United's 3-3 draw against Arsenal on Saturday for fear of sounding
"ridiculous". Bilic - whose team were denied a deserved three points by yet
more contentious decisions - has always been uncomfortable using his press
conferences to castigate officials for their shortcomings. And it's probably
just as well he opted not to examine Pawson's mistakes, as those of us in
attendance may have been there all night otherwise! Pawson - like Bobby
Madley at Stamford Bridge and Martin Atkinson at Old Trafford in the weeks
preceding this highly-anticipated London derby - gave virtually every 50/50
decision in favour of the visitors, including three crucial goal-related
decisions that altered the course of the game. The 36-year-old official -
who was jeered off the pitch at the final whistle, much like Mark
Clattenburg following the clash with Crystal Palace last weekend - ruled out
a perfectly good Manuel Lanzini goal, allowed a marginally-offside Mesuit
Ozil strike to stand before overturning a Dimitri Payet effort as punishment
for Andy Carroll committing a foul (that was a 50/50 challenge) moments
before in the build-up. Pawson's erratic performance left Bilic and around
35,000 West Ham supporters fuming, and wondering just what could have been
had the PGMOL's 'finest' performed both fairly and adequately this season.
By rights, West Ham should already be in the semi finals of the FA Cup
(instead of facing a replay against Manchester United on Wednesday night)
and in the top four of the Premier League - a position denied them as a
result of a string of mystifyingly-poor calls. And when former Tottenham
star Gary Lineker - no great fan of the Hammers - suggests on Match of the
Day that Bilic and his players have every right to feel hard done by, you
know it's not simply paranoia that leads one to wonder if everything is
above board here. Sadly Pawson's shortcomings overshadowed what proved to be
a thrilling London derby, the last in Upton Park and one that will be fondly
remembered for Andy Carroll's stunning hat-trick - almost certainly the last
ever to be scored in a competitive fixture at the Boleyn. Unsurprisingly,
the goal-fest led to renewed calls for Carroll to be reintroduced to the
England squad, who are preparing for this summer's European Championships in
France. Whilst I'm clearly biased, there is nobody in this country as adept
in the air as the big, likeable Geordie and it'd be a smart move by Roy
Hodgson to take him along.
However having seen the likes of Aaron Cresswell and the in-form Mark Noble
continuously denied a crack at the national team by the myopic Hodgson, I -
and thousands of fellow West Ham fans - won't be holding our breath...

* An abridged version of this article first appeared in the Echo newspaper.
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the
author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be
attributed to, KUMB.com.

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LLDC ordered to spill the beans on OS deal
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th April 2016
By: Staff Writer

The details pertaining to West Ham United's occupancy of the Olympic Stadium
are to be revealed, after an appeal against the original decision by the
Information Commissioner was rejected.

The London Legacy Development Corporation were told today that barring a
fresh appeal they must finally publicise full conditions of the contract
between the corporation and West Ham United FC, who begin a 99-year lease at
the Stratford complex this summer.

And that news has delighted members of the fans coalition, a body comprising
of supporters from 14 clubs who have been calling for transparacy regarding
the deal for the last two years.

"We're naturally delighted with the outcome, as we see this as an issue of
fairness to the taxpayer, to clubs near and far, and to football as a
whole," said a spokesman for the group.

"We now respectfully request that the LLDC do what is right, waive the right
to an appeal, and publish the deal in full so that it can be properly
assessed and its implications understood.

"Naturally, due process has to be completed, and though the LLDC's appeal
has been dismissed, it will be their decision as to whether they want to
continue to pursue a case that has fallen at every hurdle – with the further
financial cost to the taxpayer that will bring."

Supporters involved in the coalition include fans from Tottenham, Charlton,
AFC Wimbledon, Leicester City, Orient and Fulham.

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West Ham tracking Argentine striker Gustavo Bou with view to £9million
summer bid
18:29, 11 APR 2016 UPDATED 18:30, 11 APR 2016
BY ED MALYON
The Hammers are in the market for a new front man and have sent scouts to
watch Bou on numerous occasions since the turn of the year
The Mirror

West Ham United are following Racing Club striker Gustavo Bou with a view to
a £9million move for the Argentine forward. The 26-year-old Bou was a late
bloomer but has become one of the most feared strikers in South America
since joining Racing where he has scored 43 goals in 50 games.
Scouts have been to watch the poacher several times since the turn of the
year, and he has been promised a summer exit after being denied a massive
payday when Racing rejected Beijing Guouan's bid in late February. The
Hammers are expecting to add to their forward line this summer, with Diafra
Sakho's future in doubt , and could dip into the Argentine market that
previously brought them Mauro Zarate. Compatriot Manuel Lanzini, who played
in River Plate's youth team with Bou, will also be staying at the club after
agreeing a deal to make his loan from Al-Jazira permanent.

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Hammers scout South American goal machine
Posted by Sean Whetstone on April 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

The Hammers are tracking Racing Club striker Gustavo Bou with a view to a
£9million move for the Argentine forward according to reports originating in
Argentina.The 26-year-old Bou one of the most prolific strikers in South
America since joining Racing where he has scored 43 goals in 50 games.
The report in Ole' claims West Ham scouts have been to watch the striker
several times since the turn of the year, and it is claimed he has been
promised a summer exit after being denied a massive payday when Racing
rejected Beijing Guouan's bid in late February.

Compatriot Manuel Lanzini, who played in River Plate's youth team with Bou.
Bou went on to play 32 appearances for River Plate senior team going on loan
to Olimpo, Liga De Quito and Gimnasia La Plata during his six years there.
He joined Racing club as a free agent in August 2014

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Rooney to make come back at Boleyn Ground
Posted by Sean Whetstone on April 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Manchester United say Wayne Rooney is poised to make a comeback at the
Boleyn Ground on Wednesday in the FA Cup sixth round replay.

Wayne Rooney started tonight for Manchester United Under 21's in a game at
Old Trafford against Middlesbrough U21's. He was replaced on sixty minutes
unscathed.

Rooney continues his recovery from a knee injury but Louis van Gaal was
cautious about the striker's sharpness upon his return. "We have to wait and
see if that is the case," Van Gaal said. "He shall play on Monday 60
minutes. We will see how he is doing because he is more than two months out
of the game. "Of course he is a great striker but he has to show already if
he is in certain shape. It is always like that."

Rooney has scored 11 goals in all competitions for Manchester United this
season including seven in his last eight outings.

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Diafra Sakho happy at West Ham despite reports striker is unsettled
By Dev Trehan
Last Updated: 11/04/16 11:39am
SSN

Diafra Sakho is not at loggerheads with West Ham despite a cryptic
expletive-laden message posted by the striker on social media at the
weekend, Sky sources understand. Widespread reports surfaced of a fall-out
between Sakho and Hammers boss Slaven Bilic at training on Friday when the
Senegal international did not feature in the matchday squad for the Premier
League visit of Arsenal at the weekend. But Bilic insisisted after
Saturday's 3-3 draw with the Gunners - in which Sakho's replacement Andy
Carroll scored a hat-trick - that the 26-year-old had in fact reported an
injury that kept him out of the Arsenal game.
West Ham co-chairman David Gold reinforced Bilic's claim in a Twitter
message posted on Saturday, suggesting Sakho was unwell but should be in
contention to return to the squad for the FA Cup quarter-final replay
against Manchester United on Wednesday night. Sources close to the player
have since insisted the message - posted on the social media platform
Snapchat - was a private matter and not aimed at Bilic or West Ham in any
way whatsoever.
Further reports had claimed Sakho has become increasingly unsettled due to
West Ham's pursuit of a new striker this summer, while it has also been
reported he has become frustrated at seeing contact talks stall. But Sky
sources understand that these reports are wide of the mark and talk of a new
deal is premature, with Sakho signing an improved contract at West Ham
within the last 18 months. Sakho, who joined West Ham from Metz in 2014, has
scored six goals for the club this season.

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Fears growing over Sakho's future
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Diafra Sakho's future is on the line today with the unhappy striker set to
meet boss Slaven Bilic for the first time since his training ground problems
last Thursday. And given Slav's refusal to entertain strops from players –
as demonstrated by his treatment of Morgan Amalfitano soon after his arrival
– there may be some stormy waters ahead for the Senegal striker.
The general view appears to be that Sak is likely to face disciplinary
action with most believing he will be on the bench at best for the
Manchester United game. This may have been confirmed by our best source
inside the club claimed this morning who said: "His problems are 80 per cent
about not being picked Saturday." But he added ominously: " Sadly, there's
always the possibility sadly that somebody somewhere may be trying to
engineer a move."

ClaretandHugh was the first media outlet to report the problems with the
manager later claiming he wasn't picked because the striker had reported a
minor injury. However Slav had told BT ahead of the game that he was not
injured which led to confusion over the situation in general. The mainstream
media has picked up on the story only this morning with The Mirror claiming
Sak was already unsettled after his latest contract talks stalled, while
Dimitri Payet and Cheikhou Kouyate have been handed improved deals. And they
add: "He is also understood to be upset by the club's intention to land a
big-name striker in the summer, which would push him further down the
pecking order."

After reporting the alleged training ground problems they add: "Sakho is
said to have reacted badly to discovering he would not be starting against
the Gunners, with hat-trick hero Andy Carroll getting the nod instead. After
training on Friday, and despite still being included in Bilic's matchday
squad, Sakho declared he had a knee injury. He was a notable absentee on the
Hammers' team sheet on Saturday. He also posted a foul-mouthed message on
social media, which said: "When I am hated I don't give a f**k, I do
everything to be more hated."
The message on Snapchat – and its timing – appears to have gone down
particularly badly with heavy metal music lover Bilic. The Mail says that
when asked about it, the Irons boss replied: 'That's a good one. That's
taken from the band Godsmack. No, leave it.' Godsmack are a heavy metal band
from Massachusetts.

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Sakho's anguish deserves sympathy
Posted by Sean Whetstone on April 11, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Although it has become clear over the last few hours that Diafra Sakho could
be on his way from West Ham in the summer, his recent behaviour on snapchat
may be easier to understand than many consider. Top ITK ExWHUEmloyee has
confirmed ClaretandHugh's story of earlier in the day that a move is very
much on this summer. We quoted our own top source as saying that somebody
somewhere may be trying to engineer a move for him " and Ex adds that "a
move has potentially been lined up for him."

However, Sakho's outburst on snapchat was troubling, although may be
explained by personal circumstances which many would have trouble handling.
We have been told that the social media message posted on Friday was a
private matter and not aimed at Bilic or West Ham in any way whatsoever. It
is know that Difra Sakho lives alone in Emerson Park, Essex in a £3m home
away from his former partner and daughter who remain in France. He had told
the Daily Express earlier this year:"Of course my daughter misses me and I
miss her. But we are on Skype all of the time and I try to chat to her. We
are still both adapting – both her and me – to the situation. She is not
that far away and she does come to visit frequently, which makes me very
happy of course. "But when I lived with my mother when I was growing up, my
father did exactly the same thing. He went off to earn money for the family.
"My dad was away from home all the time. He was a bus driver between Senegal
and Guinea-Bissau. I effectively grew up without my father. "My dad would
come back once a month or two but as a family we accepted it and it did not
mean he did not love us. On the contrary, he did all of this because he did
love us. That was the path that he showed us. He helped us a huge amount and
we were always grateful for that."

Friends of the striker say he is lonely and has found it difficult to make
friends in this country. Meanwhile, he yesterday posted a photo on Snapchat
of his daughter arriving at an airport so possibly he has been given some
time off to be with her. In another twist his former girlfriend, Mya Hassan
gave birth to a girl two weeks ago. Mya was dating the West Ham striker
until he allegedly physically assault and threatened her which led to him
to be arrested by the Metropolitan police in London, though he denied those
claims after he was released.
Mya posted pictures of her new daughter with balloons saying 'Sadia Sakho'
suggesting Diafra Sakho is the father of her child. Whatever the rights and
wrongs of the entire affair it must be a tough time for the Senegalese
striker. He has our sympathies – loneliness itself is a killer – never mind
the other problems.

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Diafra Sakho's West Ham future in doubt after striker's strop leaves Slaven
Bilic fuming
22:30, 10 APR 2016
BY ADRIAN KAJUMBA
The Sengal international appeared to throw a strop and rule himself out of
Saturday's 3-3 draw against Arsenal
The Mirror

Diafra Sakho's West Ham future is in doubt after leaving manager Slaven
Bilic fuming. Striker Sakho faces crunch talks after appearing to throw a
strop and rule himself out of Saturday's 3-3 draw against Arsenal . The
Senegal international was already unsettled after his latest contract talks
stalled, while Dimitri Payet and Cheikhou Kouyate have been handed improved
deals.
He is also understood to be upset by the club's intention to land a big-name
striker in the summer, which would push him further down the pecking order.
Sakho is said to have reacted badly to discovering he would not be starting
against the Gunners, with hat-trick hero Andy Carroll getting the nod
instead. After training on Friday, and despite still being included in
Bilic's matchday squad, Sakho declared he had a knee injury. He was a
notable absentee on the Hammers' team sheet on Saturday. He also posted a
foul-mouthed message on social media, which said: "When I am hated I don't
give a f**k, I do everything to be more hated." Sources close to Sakho claim
the message was nothing to do with him being dropped, but he still faces a
fine and dressing down for his outburst.

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Man Utd's Juan Mata focuses on FA Cup replay at West Ham
Last Updated: 11/04/16 1:04pm
SSN

Juan Mata remains upbeat despite Manchester United's 3-0 defeat at Tottenham
on Sunday and says he is already looking forward to Wednesday's FA Cup
replay at West Ham. United's chances of claiming a top-four finish in the
Premier League suffered a massive setback at the weekend and the Spaniard
admits it is important to play another match as soon as possible. The winner
of the midweek fixture in east London will secure an FA Cup semi-final clash
against Everton at Wembley later this month. As for the Tottenham game, Mata
said: "Conceding three goals in just seven minutes is tough to take for
everyone, especially when you feel that you were doing a few good things
before that. It's actually one of the most important games of the season. "I
think it's fair to say that during the first half, the game was even. We had
a good start and they pushed in the last few minutes before the break.
"However, the first goal was very painful for us and the opponents took
advantage of it. "I think it's good to play the next game as soon as
possible because it allows the team to move on from White Hart Lane and
focus completely on the match against West Ham. "It's actually one of the
most important games of the season and we can't afford to feel sad or upset
when preparing for it. "We have a fantastic opportunity to make it to
Wembley and give our fans what they deserve: a reason for joy this season."

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Lanzini says Hammers ready for Emirates FA Cup replay
www.thefa.com
By FA Staff
11 Apr 2016

Manuel Lanzini believes West Ham can use the character shown in their game
with Arsenal to their advantage in Wednesday's Emirates FA Cup tie with
Manchester United. The Hammers came back from two goals down to draw level
and then take a 3-2 lead in Saturday's London derby with the Gunners, thanks
to a hat-trick from Andy Carroll. But even though Arsenal found an
equaliser to level the score up at 3-3, Lanzini is taking the positives out
of the match as they switch their attentions to the sixth round replay with
United. "When you go 2-0 down in the first half, you know that it is always
going to be difficult to come back to get something out of the game,"
admitted the Argentine. "But we then started to move the ball around a bit
better and things got better. It was very end to end and the balance shifted
between the two sides during the game. We were up against a good side with a
talented midfield and we knew that before the game. "We knew that we needed
to break up their rhythm, but at first, we didn't manage to do that and
that's why we struggled a bit. "When we were able to break up their
movement, we got ourselves back into the game and into a position to at
least draw the game."

There's now a spot at Wembley and a semi-final against Everton to play for
when Louis Van Gaal's Reds arrive at Upton Park for what will be the last
ever FA Cup tie to be played at the Boleyn. And Lanzini says Slaven Bilic's
men can put the disappointment of only getting a point on Saturday behind
them and take confidence from it. "The team showed a lot of character to get
a point from the game," he told WHUFC.co.uk "It is slightly frustrating that
we weren't able to take the three points, but on the whole, I think we take
a lot of positives from it. "We will now concentrate on Wednesday's cup game
against Manchester United."

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West Ham Olympic Stadium deal: LLDC ordered to publish contract details
• Tribunal reject appeal from LLDC over publishing details of deal
• West Ham will pay £15m towards £701m conversion of stadium
Owen Gibson
@owen_g
Monday 11 April 2016 15.45 BST Last modified on Monday 11 April 2016 15.50
BST

The London Legacy Development Corporation has been ordered to publish the
details of its controversial deal with West Ham over the Olympic Stadium in
full, following a failed appeal to the Information Tribunal. The LLDC, which
operates the Olympic Park on behalf of City Hall, had argued that making the
details of the contract public would harm commercial negotiations between
its appointed stadium operator, Vinci, and other potential tenants and
sponsors. It has been confirmed that West Ham will pay £15m towards the
conversion of the £701m stadium to make it suitable for both football and
athletics, but other details – including annual rent, understood to be
around £2.5m, and the specifics of other payments – have so far been
withheld. The Information Tribunal, upholding an earlier decision by the
Information Commissioner that the contract should be published in full under
Freedom of Information rules, decided unanimously to reject the appeal.

It said the fact that anchor tenants West Ham, who will move into the 60,000
capacity stadium at the end of the season, did not choose to appear before
the Tribunal harmed the LLDC's case. And it was not convinced of the LLDC's
case that disclosing details of the 99-year lease agreement with West Ham,
which makes it the anchor tenant during the football season, would
significantly harm negotiations with other potential users.

Unless it decides to appeal again, a decision that can only be made on
limited legal grounds and would increase costs that have already risen
beyond £21,000, the LLDC has 35 days to publish the contract in full. A
determined Freedom of Information campaign that was led by Richard Hunt of
the Charlton Athletic Supporters Trust, who presented his own evidence at
the Tribunal, expanded to include a coalition of 14 clubs concerned that
there was not enough transparency over the use of public money to convert
the stadium. "We're naturally delighted with the outcome, as we see this as
an issue of fairness to the taxpayer, to clubs near and far, and to football
as a whole," said a spokesman for the coalition. "We now respectfully
request that the LLDC do what is right, waive the right to an appeal, and
publish the deal in full so that it can be properly assessed and its
implications understood."

"Naturally, due process has to be completed, and though the LLDC's appeal
has been dismissed, it will be their decision as to whether they want to
continue to pursue a case that has fallen at every hurdle – with the further
financial cost to the taxpayer that will bring."

West Ham and outgoing London Mayor Boris Johnson have continually argued
that only a Premier League football club could provide the necessary income
and profile to establish the Olympic Stadium without the need for ongoing
subsidy from the taxpayer. The largest chunk of funding for the
transformation costs come from a one-off settlement of £148.8m from the
exchequer in 2010. Newham council has provided £40m, West Ham £15m, almost
£40m comes from the original £9.3bn budget for the Olympics, and a further
£25m from the government.

The cost of the conversion soared from the original estimate of £160m when
the decision was taken to award West Ham a 99-year lease after an earlier
process had collapsed amid acrimony and legal challenge. Johnson had
initially said he would be "perfectly happy" to publish the details of the
contract, but the LLDC decided to appeal to the Information Commissioner's
decision.
The spokesman for the coalition of 14 clubs, which launched a public
petition that attracted 25,000 signatures within a few days, added: "We
believe that the tribunal stood up for what is right, namely the right of
members of the public to know how their assets are being used, and money is
being spent. "The very reason we launched this campaign was because there
was considerable doubt about the use of a major public asset, and the money
being spent. Don't forget that these are terms granted to a privately owned
business: a Premier League football club who will next year be in receipt of
more than £100m per-season just for turning up."

The LLDC will also be obliged to reveal which costs it is meeting, on
matchdays and elsewhere, and which are being met by West Ham. The exact
terms of the lease, including a negotiated discount if West Ham are
relegated, will also have to be revealed for the first time. During a long
game of legal ping-pong with those who sought more transparency, the LLDC
would reveal only that West Ham retained all the money from ticket sales and
that the annual usage fee covers matchday costs.

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PSG interested in West Ham's Dimitri Payet as Tottenham eye Victor Wanyama -
Monday's transfer gossip
SAM LONG 23 minutes
Evening Standard

The Premier League season will soon be over and fans' attention will turn to
the transfer window. With clubs in England's top tier set to benefit from
the funds of a newly-agreed broadcast deal, spending is expected to be
significant. The established elite have a bit of a job on their hands, given
how some of them have been usurped by success stories such as Tottenham and
Leicester this term. Spurs appear to be preparing themselves for a season in
the Champions League by targeting two midfielders. Gremio's Wallace and
Southampton's Victor Wanyama are two names to have cropped up across the
back pages, with both men believed to be of interest to Mauricio Pochettino.
Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, meanwhile, is trying to be lured
back to Southampton by former teammate Jose Fonte. But perhaps the biggest
story of the lot is one which involves West Ham talisman Dimitri Payet. PSG
are interested in the Hammers' fan favourite and Slaven Bilic is said to
have slapped a £40m price tag on Payet's head to ward off potential suitors.

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England cannot consider West Ham striker Andy Carroll for Euro 2016 after
'one good game', says Alan Shearer
TOM DOYLE
Evening Standard

Former England striker Alan Shearer has looked to pour cold water on calls
for Andy Carroll to be selected for England's Euro 2016 squad. The West Ham
striker bagged a hat-trick in Saturday's 3-3 thriller at the Boleyn Ground
against Arsenal, causing havoc among the Gunners defence. It has seen calls
for the striker to be recalled to the national setup, with 64% of Standard
Sport readers believing Carroll deserves his place in France this summer,
following a poll over the weekend. But Shearer, who worked with Carroll
during their time at Newcastle United, believes it's premature to consider
him for selection, before citing his injury record. "There is no doubt he
would offer us a different option," wrote Shearer in his column for the Sun.
"I was with him at Newcastle so I know the ability he has — when he gets the
right delivery he is unplayable. But we have seen that ability for three or
four games in a row before, then he goes and gets injured. "That has always
been the case with Andy and that is why, at this moment in time, he should
not be considered for England," he continued. "He has had one good game but
plenty of other English strikers have been doing it all season and are
rightly ahead of him. Yes, if he can stay fit and go on a scoring run for
the next six games, the Euros question could maybe be asked again. "But it
remains a very big if because history tells you that an injury is just
around the corner."

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West Ham vs Manchester United: Hammers may need penalties to reach FA Cup
semi-finals, says Michael Owen
ALEX CONSTANTINOU
Evening Standard

Michael Owen believes West Ham will need to find a little extra to beat his
former club Manchester United in the FA cup quarter-final replay between the
sides at Upton Park on Wednesday night. The first leg ended 1-1 and the
ex-England striker, who spent three years at old Trafford from 2009, is
expecting a draw after 90 minutes. BetVictor brand ambassador Owen said:
"Wembley is at stake and it's an extremely difficult game to predict.
Nothing could separate the sides at Old Trafford and I think this might be
going all the way to extra-time and penalties."
Owen is predicting the match will finish 1-1, which is priced at 6-1. A
draw is available at 12-5, while a similar outcome with both teams scoring
is 18-5. In the outright market for the FA Cup, Everton are the 5-2
favourites followed by 7-2 shots Watford and Crystal Palace. United are 4s
and you can get 9-2 on West Ham.

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Slaven Bilic provides Diafra Sakho and Alex Song fitness update ahead of
Manchester United
London 24
11:36 11 April 2016
Pete Evans

West Ham are set to face Manchester United at Upton Park on Wednesday night
without Diafra Sakho and Alex Song. 0 Sakho was left out of the squad that
drew 3-3 with Arsenal having reported a minor injury amid rumours that he is
facing showdown talks with Slaven Bilic this week. Andy Carroll was given
the nod in Sakho's place and his first Premier League start since January
saw him net a memorable hat-trick and complete 90 minutes. While Bilic
wouldn't confirm Carroll would start again in the FA Cup tie with Louis van
Gaal's men he revealed that Sakho, and midfielder Song, look to be facing a
losing battle to feature. "Will he (Carroll) start against Man United? I
hope he's going to be fit for Man United," he told the club's official
website. "I don't think Sakho or Song will be fit for that game."

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West Ham captain Mark Noble: 'Unplayable' Andy Carroll should be considered
for Euro 2016
KEN DYER
Evening STandard

West Ham captain Mark Noble believes Andy Carroll, who replaced Diafra Sakho
and scored a hat-trick in the 3-3 draw with Arsenal, deserves serious
consideration from England coach Roy Hodgson when he picks his squad for
this summer's Euros. "A hundred per cent he would provide something
different," said Noble. "He's had a few injuries and he takes a lot of
stick. He gets those injuries because he puts his body on the line for the
team and you can't knock a player who does that. "When he's fit and raring
to go he's unplayable at times and he showed that against Arsenal."

Noble is also clinging to the hope of an England recall, especially
following the knee injury to Jordan Henderson, which is likely to mean the
Liverpool midfielder will miss this summer's tournament. "I'd love to go but
it's completely out of my hands," he said. "It would be fair to say I'm
playing the best football in my career so far but we'll see."

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