Daily WHUFC News - 26th April 2016

Manager on Monday

Slaven Bilic has paid tribute to the hard work carried out by his backroom
staff to provide him with a fit and strong squad for the run-in. The West
Ham United manager had a full selection to pick from for Wednesday's 3-1
Barclays Premier League win over Watford. With four games to go and a
top-six finish to fight for, Bilic has publicly thanked his staff for their
commitment to the cause – particularly during a tough Christmas period, when
a number of concurrent injuries and suspensions left the Hammers' resources
stretched. At certain times, West Ham were without playmakers Dimitri Payet
and Manuel Lanzini, strikers Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho and defenders
James Collins and James Tomkins and loanee Carl Jenkinson. However, the
Hammers battled through those absences to remain unbeaten from 29 November
until 16 January. In all, West Ham have lost just nine of 47 matches in all
competitions under the Croatian.
With the coaching staff, fitness coach Miljenko Rak, head of medical and
sports science Stijn Vandenbroucke and their backroom colleagues working
hard to keep players fit and well, Bilic is now reaping the benefit of their
planning and methods. "Credit goes to the Medical team, the Sports Science
team and the Fitness team and to the whole staff, of course," said the
manager, whose side sit sixth in the table ahead of Saturday's trip to West
Bromwich Albion. "There was only one period in late October, November and
December – a long one – but there was only one game against Liverpool when
we were really restricted and very thin. "The guys from the Medical, Sports
Science and all that didn't stop and we didn't lose our heads and now and
over the last five or six games we are really in great shape and can cater
for all eventualities. "It's great for us, so I would like to say a big
'Thanks' to them because they have done a great job."

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Juventus to open new Stadium
WHUFC.com

West Ham United are delighted and honoured to announce that Juventus will
provide the opposition for the historic opening fixture at the Club's new
home. The Hammers will welcome the Italian giants to the Stadium on Queen
Elizabeth Olympic Park on Sunday 7 August 2016 at 1pm, as the two sides
compete for the Betway Cup. Put simply, the Old Lady are one of the world's
biggest and most-successful clubs, with two UEFA Champions League trophies,
three UEFA Cups and more Serie A titles to their name than any other club.
Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold said the visit of the Italian
club to east London would be a fitting start to life at the Club's wonderful
60,000-capacity arena. "We are delighted to be marking such a monumental day
in West Ham United's history by welcoming one of the world's biggest clubs
to our fantastic new home," they said, in a joint-statement. "It was always
our intention to open the new 60,000-capacity Stadium on Queen Elizabeth
Olympic Park with a fixture fitting of the occasion, and the visit of the
reigning Italian champions Juventus is most certainly that.
"We are hugely excited and honoured by this wonderful opening fixture
against a historic club which shares many of the values we cherish here at
West Ham. "There has been an enormous amount of work done over the past few
years to ready the stadium for our first game and we cannot wait to show our
fans and the wider football world how incredible it will look. "This will be
a game you'll want to tell your grandkids you were at. Sunday 7 August just
can't come soon enough!"

West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic added: "It will be a privilege to face
one of the biggest clubs in the world in our opening game at the new
Stadium. Like us, they are a club steeped in tradition, so it is fitting
that together we will create history with this match. "We hope this will be
the first of many games against Europe's top sides at our new home as we
begin the journey of turning West Ham United into a team capable of
competing with the best teams from across the continent. I know my staff and
players are very excited about what next season has in store."

West Ham and Juventus have never met previously, either in European
competition or in friendly action. However, there are some notable links
between the two historic clubs, with the impressive trio of Paolo Di Canio,
Liam Brady and current star Angelo Ogbonna having worn the colours of both.
Ogbonna himself is looking forward to welcoming many of his former teammates
to east London for the Betway Cup battle. "When I was told we were opening
the new Stadium with a match against Juventus, I could only smile, because
it is the perfect match for the occasion" said the Hammers centre-half. "I
spent two years with Juventus and they are without doubt one of the biggest
clubs in the world – I was honoured to wear the black and white shirt.
"Now, I am honoured to wear the Claret and Blue of West Ham United and I am
looking forward to taking to the pitch in front of 60,000 fans to face my
old team."

In 1973, Bobby Moore made his 108th and final England appearance against an
Italy side that included Juventus quartet Dino Zoff, Luciano Spinosi, Franco
Causio and Fabio Capello. Fast forward to the present day and Juventus are
unquestionably the biggest and best club in Italian football – and one of
the biggest and best in Europe. Formed in 1897, Juve have won the Serie A
title in each of the last four seasons and are on course to lift the trophy
for a fifth consecutive year in May. Managed by Massimiliano Allegri, La
Vecchia Signora possess a star-studded squad that includes self-confessed
West Ham fan and legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and fellow Italy
internationals Giorgio Chiellini, Claudio Marchisio, Andrea Barzagli and
Leonardo Bonucci. Alongside them, Allegri has a battery of top players,
including Dimitri Payet's France teammate Paul Pogba, Switzerland wing-back
Stephan Lichtsteiner, Germany midfielder Sami Khedira and a man Slaven Bilic
knows well, Croatia centre forward Mario Mandzukic.

Tickets for the Betway Cup will be available from just £20 for Adults and
£10 for Children and will go on sale to 2016/17 Season Ticket Holders at
12noon on Monday 25 April 2016 at eticketing.co.uk/whufc or via 0871 529
1966 (option 4). Season Ticket Holders will have until 9am Monday 9 May to
book their seat. After that tickets will be available to 2015/16 Academy
Members and supporters on the Priority List.
‎
Please note any Season Ticket Holder wishing to purchase online must
activate their account at eticketing.co.uk/whufc before purchasing their
ticket.

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Westley - It's still all to play for
WHUFC.com

Speaking after the Development Squad's 1-0 victory in the first leg of the
Barclays U21 Premier League final, Terry Westley said he was delighted to
have overcome a stubborn Hull City. The visiting Tigers proved formidable
opponents, solid in defence while a threat on the counter as it took the
Hammers until the 90th minute to break their opponents down as substitute
Djair Parfitt-Williams pounced on Doneil Henry's header. In what was the
last U21 match ever at the Boleyn Ground, in front of an impressive audience
of more than 10,000 Hammers, Westley reflected: "It was a tough game, like
any cup final would be. We didn't expect them to roll over for us, and I
thought Hull were very good. "I think there was a little bit of nerves,
due to the youthfulness of our players we have to except that, five of our
players tonight can still play for the youth team. "We weren't quite as good
as we have been for the majority of the season, and for that reason, taking
a 1-0 lead into the second leg, I'll take that."

Goalscorer Parfitt-Williams, who has now netted four times in the claret and
blues' cup campaign made an instant impact since returning from injury.
Westley continued: "I'm delighted for Djair because he has worked so hard to
become available for this game. He knocked on the door about a week ago and
said I think I can play. But he hasn't played for two and half months so we
had to start him on the bench, so credit to him and all the staff who have
helped him get back to quickly. "The goal will be great for his confidence
and we are delighted to have him back."

In little more than a week, the Hammers make the journey north for the
return leg and Westley and his players are under no illusions of how
difficult the task in hand will be. He explained: "It's a tough game now; we
know what we're in for. That goal has obviously given the tie a completely
different dynamic because they will have to come at us at some point. "So
that might open it up for us, but it'll be tough, it's all to play for."

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Andy Carroll and Slaven Bilic: West Ham duo avoid Football Association
action
BBC.co.uk

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic and striker Andy Carroll will not be charged by
the Football Association over their comments about referee Jon Moss.
Bilic has been "reminded of his responsibilities" and Carroll "warned as to
his future conduct" after the duo criticised Moss following the 2-2 draw
with Leicester City on 17 April. Carroll said Moss tried to "even things up"
with the award of a late penalty. Bilic suggested the referee had been
"influenced" by the home crowd. Moss sent off Leicester striker Jamie Vardy
for diving when his side led 1-0, before awarding West Ham a controversial
penalty, which Carroll converted to equalise. The visitors then took the
lead, before Moss gave Leicester an injury-time penalty for Carroll's nudge
on Jeffrey Schlupp, which substitute Leonardo Ulloa converted to rescue a
point. "People say he shouldn't be influenced [by the crowd], but this is
real life," Bilic told Match of the Day after the game.

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No FA sanction for Carroll or Bilic
KUMb.com
Filed: Monday, 25th April 2016
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United's Slaven Bilic and Andy Carroll have escaped a potential
fine or ban by the Football Asociation after it was decided neither had a
case to answer.

The FA wrote to both individuals following the recent 2-2 draw with
Leicester City at the King Power Stadium asking them to explain comments
both made about official Jonathan Moss.

However it was confirmed this evening (Monday) that neither would face any
sanctions as a result - although, according to the BBC, Bilic was "reminded
of his responsibilities" and Carroll "warned as to his future conduct" by
the game's ruling body.

Carroll, who was adjudged to have failed Leicester substitute Leonardo Ulloa
in the closing stages of the game called Moss' decision to award a spot kick
against him "a poor decision".

"I think he's trying to even it up and I think a lot of people have said
that," retorted Carroll. "It's not acceptable, week-in, week-out we've had
bad decisions.

"Four decisions went against us. When we had our penalty, Wes Morgan said:
'he doesn't know what he's doing, he's been bad all game.' It's happening
every week and it's unacceptable."

Bilic, speaking immediately after the game told the press: "If you watch a
replay of our penalty you see the pulling and all that. If you watch their
penalty you will see a dive."

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Monday Musings: A week of reflection
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 25th April 2016
By: Graeme Howlett

With the FA Cup semi finals in full swing, Slaven Bilic and his West Ham
United squad were afforded a rare weekend off.

Although the manager and his players would no doubt have preferred to be in
action on Saturday afternoon against Everton at Wembley, the recent quarter
final replay defeat at the hands of Manchester United put paid to the
Hammers' chances of going any further in the competition.

Of course, by rights West Ham should have been in the semi final without the
need for a replay, but referee Martin Atkinson somehow failed to spot
Bastian Schweinsteiger's blatant shove on goalkeeper Darren Randolph
milliseconds before Anthony Martial's late, late equaliser at Old Trafford
in the first meeting.

And that's been the story for West Ham in recent weeks, where a sting of
mystifying decisions have essentially killed off any lingering hopes the
Hammers may have harboured of qualifying for the Champions League for the
first time in their history.

Whilst those may be bitter blows for Bilic, the popular Croat should take
solace from a string of outstanding achievements so far season, his first as
a manager in the Premier League.

Last weekend's 3-1 win against Watford extended West Ham's unbeaten run at
home to 15 Premier League games, a top flight record for United. And with
just four games of the season left to play the Hammers have 56 points with a
positive (+14) goal difference.

That in itself may appear to be relatively unremarkable, but West Ham's
record points tally in a 38-game campaign is 57, achieved on Harry
Redknapp's watch nearly 20 years ago, meaning the current squad merely need
one more point to match it.

And as incredible as it may seem, you have to go back to 1985/86 and the
much-vaunted 'Boys of '86' to find West Ham last finishing a season in the
top flight with a positive goal difference, which barring a total collapse
will be emulated in a few weeks' time.

Bilic has already started making plans for the 2016/17 campaign, which will
commence in August at the Olympic Stadium (which will be known as something
quite different by then due to naming rights).

And it's to youth that he's currently turned, with the capture of
highly-rated striker Toni Martinez (19) from Valencia and, so it seems,
Portuguese midfielder Domingos Quina - still only 16 - from Chelsea's
Academy.

KUMB.com exclusively revealed last month that Bilic has already moved to
sign 25-year-old Norwegian defensive midfielder Havard Nordtveit from German
Bundesliga side BMG; he'll replace Alex Song who is returning to Barca.

So whilst this season may not be ending quite as we'd hoped, there's still
plenty of reasons to be cheerful for Bilic, his squad and us fans as the
curtain begins to close on a campaign that began way back in July against
Andorran minnows Lusitanos in the Europa League qualifying rounds.

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£50 for a friendly? What happened to affordable football?
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 25th April 2016
By: Staff Writer

A number of West Ham supporters have reacted angrily to news that some will
be asked to pay up to £50 to watch the team tackle Juventus in a pre-season
friendly this August.

It was confirmed this morning that West Ham will face the Italian champions
at the Olympic Stadium on 7 August in their first major fixture at the new
stadium.

However news that Band 1 season ticket holders will be asked to pay £40 to
attend - and 1966 Club season ticket holders a whacking £50 each - has not
gone down well with fans who have purchased season tickets in the more
expensive areas of the ground.

Speaking on the KUMB Forum, Dwightster was one of many who failed to
understand why the club will be charging Band One season ticket holders more
than twice as much as Band Four members. "It should be £20 across the
board," he said, "as they did for the FA Cup and Europa League Qualification
matches."

Brentford Hammer, a Band One season ticket holder said he would be
boycotting the game as a result of the pricing structure. "£50 is too steep
for a friendly," he said. "As others are saying, it should be £20 across the
board. I'm not paying £50; I will wait to see if we have a Euro qualifier
with hopefully more sensible pricing."

And Hockley Hammer suggested that the club's marketing policy should be
reviewed, given the cheaper prices for recent FA Cup tickets.

"I have to pay £35 to watch a pre-season friendly in the new stadium a few
weeks after I paid £30 to watch an FA Cup quarter final," he said. "So much
for the affordable football quotes coming from the board.

"I've spent a fortune on this club and put up with all the hype of the new
stadium, which I was quite happy about. I know its a pre-season friendly,
but I expected a bit more from the board."

Giantsteps was another season ticket holder disappointed by the news. "I've
just logged on to that eticketing site; 30 sheets for my seat. Why did they
not just make this a universal price for all seating bands? It's only a
friendly, after all.

"A sign of things to come, no doubt."

However not everyone was disappointed - KUMB member Barry Green, for one, is
a happy Hammer. "I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I got on and off the
site in minutes and sorted my ticket. I've never seen any European teams
apart from our few at the start of this season, and they can't really be
compared."

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Hammers interested in Iorfa?
April 25, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
BKHammer

According to the Sun, Crystal Palace are looking to sign the 20-year-old
from Wolves for £3m this summer. But sources have told Africafootball.com:
"Several other Premier League clubs including Southampton and West Ham are
equally interested in Iorfa. "The player has great potential and of recent
he has shown great versatility by also playing as a central defender, away
from his familiar rightback role." The England U21 has made more than 60
appearances in the Championship and League One. Iorfa signed a new
long-term deal last November to keep him at Wolves, but evidently some clubs
believe that he could be prised away from the Midlands for the right offer.
Iorfa is one of several players that West Ham are looking to add ahead of
their move to the Olympic Stadium next season. Slaven Bilic's side are also
being linked with Celta Vigo attacker Nolito and Borussia Monchengladbach's
defensive midfielder Havard Nordtveit although our own ExWHUEmployee has
already confirmed that the deal for Nordtveit has already been completed and
will be announced by the club at the end of the season.

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West Ham United to play Juventus at Olympic Stadium
By Paul Gilmour at the Olympic Stadium
Last Updated: 25/04/16 9:44am
SSN

West Ham's first opponents at the Olympic Stadium will be Italian champions
Juventus. The multiple Serie A winners will officially mark the club's move
with a friendly on August 7.
Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ pitch side at their new home, West Ham
midfielder Mark Noble said: "It's amazing. Juventus is a club full of
history and I think it suits the stadium that our first game here will be
against them. "I am pretty sure the fans will be excited now. I know we are
for sure. To get in here and play the first game on what will be an amazing
pitch in front of a full house will be really exciting. On Sunday,
Juventus edged closer to retaining the title as goals from Mario Mandzukic
and Alvaro Moratta gave them a 2-1 victory at Fiorentina. They will secure
the league if Napoli drop points away to Roma on Monday evening. Hammers'
former Juventus defender Angelo Ogbonna, who won two league titles in Turin,
said: "I am really excited for the game. This is a positive time for the
club, we are doing really well and this is an amazing stadium"

West Ham have two competitive games remaining at the Boleyn Ground, their
home of 112 years. The first is against Swansea May 7, before hosting
Manchester United three days later. The east London club lie sixth, eight
points away from the Champions League positions with four matches remaining,
including a game in hand on Manchester City and Arsenal. Behind them,
Liverpool and Southampton are closing in with Jurgen Klopp's side a point
behind and Southampton two points back. But Noble insists they are looking
no further than their next game as they bid to mark their move to Stratford
with European football next season. "We have West Brom away coming up and
with Tony Pulis in charge we know they will be hard to beat," he said. "But
we have put ourselves in a position to go and enjoy games and we just need
to keep putting points on the table and see where that takes us. "We've had
a fantastic season, but we have four games to go and if we can pick up
points in those I am pretty sure we'll finish in the European spots."

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Striker deal could be a real 'snip'
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 25, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham's latest signing Toni Martinez could turn out to be a real snip for
the club.

The teenager signed from Valencia earlier in the month netting more than 100
times over the past four seasons.

The 18 year old was also part of the Spain U19 squad which won the 2015 UEFA
European Championship title but for all that the Hammers have struck a deal
which could see them come out well on top on performance and financial
terms.

ClaretandHugh was told this afternoon that the deal is structured to the
youngster's progress and that should he eventually break into the first team
the club will pay no more than 1 million euros.

We were told: "He's a good player and it's very worthwhile taking a punt on
these promising youngsters on these sort of deals as it is there's little to
lose and they can turn out to be very worthwhile.

On joining Martnez said: "For me, it's a great opportunity to be here and I
hope to make the most of being at such a big club," said Martinez, who will
celebrate his 19th birthday in June.

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Meet West Ham's new billionaire owner
Posted by Sean Whetstone on April 25, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham co-owner and joint chairman, David Sullivan is now a billionaire
according to the 2016 Sunday Times rich list. Mr Sullivan crossed the £1bn
mark after his wealth grew by more than £150m in the last year. The Times
has calculated Sullivan's 51 per cent stake is now worth a cool £400million
valuing the club at over £800m. Away from football Sullivan runs three
companies – Conegate Ltd, Roldvale Trading Ltd & Gc Co No. 102 Ltd according
to the latest Sunday Times Rich List – with net assets of £414m plus a
property portfolio worth in the region of £300m. His property company called
Conegate, owns property in London including Russell & Bromley's flagship
shopbuildings in Oxford Street near to Bond Street tube station. The 67 year
old other investments include race horses, premium phones lines and
publishing, including the Sunday Sport which he reacquired for £50,000 in
2011. In the 2015 Sunday Times Rich list the he was credited with an £815m
fortune. In 2013 fellow co-owner, David Gold's wealth was estimated at
around £350m but the latest news would mean Gold's 35.1% stake in West Ham
has increased to around £280m on top of his business empire which includes
Ann Summers which has revenues of over £100m per year.

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Give it a rest Sam
Posted by Sean Whetstone on April 25, 2016 in News
C and H

Former boss can't help himself by suggesting Sunderland is a bigger club
than West Ham in his latest dig at the Hammers. Big Sam told the Telegraph
"Retirement isn't on the horizon, I don't think so, there is a lot to be
talked about at the end of the season, but I've got a lot more to give. I've
got no regrets about taking this job." "I contemplated retirement. I rotated
as a pundit at the start of the season, I didn't think a job I wanted would
come up as soon as it did. It caught me by surprise. I couldn't say no to
Sunderland. I was here as a player, I worked as a coach under Peter Reid and
coming back here as a manager was not something I could turn down." "I do
have an emotional bond. It's a huge club. It's a bigger club than West Ham,
or at least it is prior to West Ham's move into the Olympic Stadium." "I
could have had longer off, but I knew what this club is; I knew about the
facilities, the stadium, it's a big, big club. This is a relatively deprived
region in terms of wages, but it's vibrant and there is a passionate love of
football up here. That was very important for me.I think the thing that
makes it unique up here is the percentage of people who live in Sunderland
who come to support their team every week," he explained. "It far outweighs
other towns and cities across the country."

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Hammers map out defender's future
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 25, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
Exclusive

West Ham have no plans to recall Reece Burke from loan duty next season and
are hoping that the likely Bradford City Player of the Year will remain at
Bradford City as a Championship performer. Reece is the overwhelming
favourite to become the League One team's player of the year but with
Winston Reid, Angelo Ogbonna, James Tomkins and James Collins in front of
him, and Reece Oxford still on the squad fringes, Burke will need to wait
his turn. That is likely to come at the start of the 2017/18 season when
James Collins comes to the end of a new contract. The Hammers hope Burke can
get a season at Championship level and want City to cement their place in
the play off places over the next two games and go on to snatch a place at
the higher level. A well placed insider told ClaretandHugh: "Like everybody
else we have heard and seen the reports and Reece has had an astonishingly
good season up there. "We are delighted with the progress he has made and
ideally would like him to stay there as a Championship player because he's
clearly loved to bits by the fans and playing at a club where he is such a
favourite can only help his confidence."

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Paul Pogba and his Juventus team-mates set to be West Ham's first opponents
at Olympic Stadium after opening ceremony
West Ham will face Juventus at the Olympic Stadium on August 7
Teams will compete for the Betway Cup after an opening ceremony
Match takes place one week before Premier League season opener
The Hammers will move to the 60,000 seat stadium from Upton Park
Stars such as Paul Pogba and Gianluigi Buffon could be on display
By RORY BRIGSTOCK-BARRON FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 10:05, 25 April 2016 | UPDATED: 10:41, 25 April 2016

West Ham's chances of bringing Champions League football to the Olympic
Stadium next season may be all but extinguished but their new stomping
ground is still set to be christened by one of Europe's elite. The Hammers
have announced that they will take on Juventus for the Betway Cup on August
7, following an opening ceremony at the 60,000-seater stadium. West Ham move
from Upton Park to their new home in Stratford next season and will host the
likely Serie A champions a week before the Premier League campaign.
Joint-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold told the club website: 'We are
delighted to be marking such a monumental day in West Ham United's history
by welcoming one of the world's biggest clubs to our fantastic new home. 'It
was always our intention to open the new 60,000-capacity Stadium on Queen
Elizabeth Olympic Park with a fixture fitting of the occasion, and the visit
of the reigning Italian champions Juventus is most certainly that. 'We are
hugely excited and honoured by this wonderful opening fixture against a
historic club which shares many of the values we cherish here at West Ham.
'There has been an enormous amount of work done over the past few years to
ready the stadium for our first game and we cannot wait to show our fans and
the wider football world how incredible it will look. 'This will be a game
you'll want to tell your grandkids you were at. Sunday, August 7 just can't
come soon enough!' Barring summer transfers, Hammers fans should see the
likes of Paul Pogba, Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini grace the pitch
at their new home - which was the centre-piece of the 2012 Olympic Games in
London. The game takes place the day after the traditional curtain raiser of
the Premier League season, the Community Shield.

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West Ham to welcome Juventus in their first game at Olympic Stadium
• Serie A leaders will come to Stratford week before Premier League begins
• 'This will be a game to tell your grandkids you were at' club chairmen say
The Guardian
Monday 25 April 2016 09.47 BST Last modified on Monday 25 April 2016 10.43
BST

West Ham's first game in the Olympic Stadium will be a friendly against
Serie A leaders Juventus. The Hammers move from Upton Park to their new home
in Stratford next season and will host Juve a week before the campaign
starts, on Sunday, 7 August. The joint-chairmen David Sullivan and David
Gold told the club website: "We are delighted to be marking such a
monumental day in West Ham United's history by welcoming one of the world's
biggest clubs to our fantastic new home. "It was always our intention to
open the new 60,000-capacity Stadium on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with a
fixture fitting of the occasion, and the visit of the reigning Italian
champions Juventus is most certainly that. "We are hugely excited and
honoured by this wonderful opening fixture against a historic club which
shares many of the values we cherish here at West Ham. "There has been an
enormous amount of work done over the past few years to ready the stadium
for our first game and we cannot wait to show our fans and the wider
football world how incredible it will look. "This will be a game you'll want
to tell your grandkids you were at. Sunday, August 7 just can't come soon
enough!"

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