Daily WHUFC News - 2nd April 2016

Preview - Crystal Palace
WHUFC.com

The background

West Ham United kick-off a run of three straight home games on Saturday when they welcome London rivals Crystal Palace to the Boleyn Ground.

Fresh from the final international break of the season, West Ham will hope to move into the top four with victory over the out-of-form Eagles.

Palace are without a league win in 2016, but have performed better in the FA Cup, booking a Wembley date with Watford by defeating Reading in the last round.

Alan Pardew's men were riding high at Christmas, but are now nervously looking over their shoulders as the gap between them at the bottom three narrows.

West Ham, meanwhile, are unbeaten in five league matches and will be hopeful of continuing their push for Europe on Saturday.
The history

West Ham have only met Palace 33 times in Premier League, Football League and FA Cup action.

The Hammers hold the upper hand, with 15 victories to Palace's seven – and it wasn't until 1992 that the south Londoners managed to get the better of their cross-city rivals.

In recent times, however, Palace's fortunes have improved – in E13 at least. West Ham have won at Selhurst Park on both of their last two visits, a feat also achieved by Palace at the Boleyn Ground.

Last season, a Glenn Murray double was added to by Scott Dann to seal a 3-1 victory for the Eagles.
The match

Team news

West Ham United

James Tomkins returns to the fold after being missing since early February with a calf problem.

However, fellow defenders Sam Byram and James Collins miss out with injuries.
Crystal Palace

The Eagles will monitor the fitness of injury doubts Mile Jedinak, Yohan Cabaye and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Connor Wickham, James McArthur and one-time Hammers loanee Marouane Chamakh are all out.
Match info

Saturday's referee is Mark Clattenburg. The Tyne and Wear official has overseen 37 games this season, issuing 118 yellow cards and five red cards. He will be assisted by Simon Beck and Jake Collin. Dean Whitestone is the fourth official.
The previous four meetings between these sides have produced away wins - with the last three ending in 3-1 scorelines.
The Hammers' last home win against Palace was in a second tier match in October 2003, when Neil Mellor netted twice in a 3-0 victory.
The Hammers are unbeaten in 12 successive Premier League home games (W7, D5) - their best run since a 14-match streak in the 1997/98 season.
Dimitri Payet has created 221 goalscoring chances since the start of last season, more than any other player in the top five European leagues in that time.
Palace are the only side in the top seven tiers of English football without a league win in 2016.
The Eagles have won just one of their six Premier League London derbies this season, losing five of those matches.
Ticketing, travel, coverage and other info

Tickets for this match have SOLD OUT, but may become available online as Season Ticket Holders relist.
The District and Hammersmith & City lines are set to serve Upton Park station as normal on Saturday. Click here for the latest Tube information and here for National Rail.
A sunny afternoon is anticipated on Saturday, with highs of 14C (57F).
If you're not heading to the game, make sure you keep up to date with the action on our digital channels. The whufc.com Match Centre will have live audio commentary, in-running stats, photos and more, while you can get involved in the conversation on social using #WHUCRY

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Tombides - It was emotional
WHUFc.com

Taylor Tombides says words can't describe the moment in which he scored during Monday's Mark Noble Testimonial. The 20-year-old, brother of former Hammers player Dylan who sadly passed away from cancer in April 2013, scored the final goal of the game as he coolly dinked in the West Ham All Stars' fifth in a 6-5 defeat. It was an emotional moment for Taylor, who said he wanted to do something special for his brother to mark the occasion. "It was unbelievable," he said. "Words can't describe how that was, to play with so many legends and with such a great West Ham squad. It was just amazing. "I wanted to do something everyone would remember and not just be a name on the pitch, so I went for the dink and thank god it worked. "It felt great to do it for my brother wearing his shirt."

Saturday's clash against Crystal Palace marks the lift-off of the DT38 Foundation, which raises awareness of testicular cancer in Dylan's name.
"My Mum works non-stop for the DT38, making sure everything runs smoothly and she's always trying to do new things," continued Taylor. "It was brilliant from Mark [Noble] to raise more awareness for DT38 [at his Testimonial] and I can't thank him and West Ham enough for what they have done for us. "It was an emotional occasion and it's brilliant to get everyone more aware of the foundation."

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Moses - It is always emotional against Palace
WHUFC.com

Victor Moses admits it is always emotional for him when he plays against Crystal Palace but hopes to make it a memorable double against his former club this weekend. Moses will never forget his spell at Selhurst Park after he made his professional debut for the Eagles aged just 16 back in 2007. The Nigeria international came through the youth ranks at Palace and went on to make 69 appearances where he became a fans favourite during his three-year spell in the first-team. Moses has since enjoyed impressive spells with Wigan, Chelsea, Liverpool and Stoke before securing a season-long loan move to West Ham United this season. And the talented winger is now fully focused on making sure the Hammers enjoy a successful end to the campaign as they look to keep alive their hopes of securing a European spot come the end of the season. Despite Crystal Palace not winning in the Premier League since December, Moses knows the dangers they will pose to his side. But after securing an impressive 3-1 victory at Selhurst Park back in October from which Moses helped set up the first goal for Carl Jenkinson, the 25-year-old hopes his side can maintain their impressive home run and come away with another crucial three points. Moses said: "It is always emotional when I play against Crystal Palace. I started there when I was young and progressed from from the youth team into the first-team. "I have lots of good memories there and the staff and manager always looked after me. I really enjoyed my time at Palace. "My old team-mates like Sean Scannell call me and ask me how I feel about facing my old club but that is part of football. "The most important thing now is that I am a West Ham player and we just need to concentrate on making sure we get the three points. We are looking good in training and we need to keep doing what we are good at. "Crystal Palace will want the victory on Saturday and I am sure they will be doing everything to stay in the Premier League. They will come to the Boleyn Ground and will want to express themselves. "But we need to focus on our tactics and try to stop them as we look to come away with the victory and get into the top four."

Moses still has fond memories of the victory over Palace at Selhurst Park back in October and the way his side managed to complete a memorable start to the season on their travels following famous wins over Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City. Moses added: "Selhurst Park is not an easy place to go as Palace have quality players and they were flying at the time, but we managed to come away with a 3-1 win. "We had good spirit and momentum and it was a great game for us. I am sure they will want revenge but we are ready for the task and we are looking forward to the game."

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From the Treatment Room
WHUFC.com

Head of Medical and Sports Science Stijn Vandenbroucke issues an update – in association with Spire Roding Hospical...

Hello everyone and welcome to the latest From the Treatment Room after a one-week international break!

We are coming to the end of the break now and we had some very good performances from our players who were on international duty.

We had a good number of players representing their countries and it is always an anxious time waiting for them to return to Chadwell Heath, as sometimes the exact details of injuries and illnesses can be difficult to come by when they are in far-flung locations.

Dimitri Payet and Darren Randolph were back with us and trained on Thursday, while Cheikhou Kouyate and Victor Moses were back on Friday morning after their respective AFCON qualifiers with Senegal and Nigeria.

For the remaining members of the squad, we had a good balance between rest and training and had an unbelievable event with the Mark Noble Testimonial, where we were pleased that everybody came through the match and the penalty shootout unscathed!

We have two injuries at the moment with Sam Byram and James Collins, but both players are close to making a return and will train with the first-team next week.

We will be raising awareness for the DT38 Foundation at the Crystal Palace game on Saturday, and as a medical department who knew, greatly liked and worked with Dylan Tombides during his time at the Club, this is something that is very important to me and my staff.

Dylan was an amazing young man who never stopped smiling, no matter how difficult or painful his treatment became. He is an inspiration to all of us and his legacy lives on in the charity set up in his memory.

We have also organised a testicular cancer awareness day with Spire Roding Hospital – the Club's Official Private Hospital – and Dylan's mother Tracy Tombides, where fans will be invited to attend a mobile screening suite outside the Boleyn Ground on Saturday and be tested if they have any concerns whatsoever. We will also be offering ultrasound scans on site as well.

As a man and as a medical professional, I feel it is very important to screen for these things. Unfortunately we have seen what can happen when diseases like testicular cancer are not diagnosed early enough and we want to save lives in the future.

Stijn Vandenbroucke
Head of Medical and Sports Science

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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com

I am sure everyone had a fantastic day attending the Mark Noble Testimonial on Monday and it turned out to be a festival of entertainment from start to finish.

The game had everything you could wish for including Adrian running the length of the pitch to score, Dean Ashton producing one of the goals of the season, Taylor Tombides netting an emotional goal and a penalty shoot-out. What more could you ask for!

It was fantastic entertainment and the fans loved it. It was an extraordinary goal from Dean Ashton and showed the talents of the man. It was pure genius.

It is so sad that we lost a player of his ability so early in his career through injury but he is a legend with the supporters and deserved all the praise he got on the day.

There were legends performing all over the pitch and I want to say well done to everyone who took part. It was a fitting tribute to Mark who is Mr West Ham and an accolade he so richly deserves.

The support was magnificent and to get a sell-out crowd shows what the fans feel about him. This wasn't for personal gain and all the proceeds are going to three charities which Mark feels so strongly about.

The international break is difficult for any manager as there are a number of players away with their countries and do not return until the eve of the game this weekend.

But on the positive front, we have been able to get some of our injured players back to full fitness which is always a good sign.

We should be confident heading into the Crystal Palace game. The victory away at Selhurst Park earlier in the season was very impressive.

We had just beaten Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City on our travels but Palace were flying high at the time and their home form was outstanding.

We came away with a 3-1 win and then started to think that we could be a top six team this season.

I am sure that Palace will be desperate to win on Saturday, considering their position in the table.

They are a wounded animal at the moment and it is a local derby, but on current form we will be very confident and hopeful that we can maintain our superb record at the Boleyn Ground this season.

It has been another memorable week for Dimitri Payet following his spectacular goal for France and we know he is a special player.

He has scored some memorable free-kicks for West Ham this season and then he does the same for his country.

At the moment he is probably the best free-kick specialist in the world and right now teams will be be terrified about giving away a foul on the edge of the penalty box when they are playing against him. We certainly know what he is capable of doing from set-pieces.

We have got eight games remaining in the Premier League and these are exciting times.

I just hope that we can avoid any more injuries. If we do then we have a real chance of doing something special.

We are paying tribute to our overseas fans for the Crystal Palace game on Saturday.

I didn't realise how many international followers the Club has got and since I have been on social media I have been stunned by the numbers around the world.

They have a real affection for our football Club and the time they take to communicate with us.

I take my hat off to them because it must be hard to support us from thousands of miles across the world but we are so grateful and I cannot thank them enough. I hope the numbers will only grow when we move into the new Stadium.

We are also raising awareness for the DT38 Foundation this weekend.

We have such fond memories of a young man in Dylan Tombides whose life was cut short but he will always be remembered.

It is so important that we raise awareness and I urge all young men to be aware of the dangers and see a doctor if they are unsure about anything and deal with it instantly.

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First and Last - Aaron Cresswell
WHUFC.com

As West Ham United continue the final season at the Boleyn Ground, we've asked the players for some memorable firsts and lasts from their careers and lives. In this edition, Aaron Cresswell goes under the spotlight…

FIRSTS

Who is the first player you would call up for a pub quiz?
It would definitely not be Andy Carroll. He thinks he is clever but he is not. I would most probably go for Joey O'Brien.

What was the first car you owned?
It was a Ford Ka. My Dad bought it for me off the scrapyard and I had that for about a year. I saved some money and then bought a Ford Fiesta when I was at Tranmere.

What was your first position when you started playing football?
I was actually a centre-forward and I used to bang goals in for fun! I was about ten at the time but when I signed for Liverpool they literally converted me to left-back and I never changed.

What is the first rule you would change in football?
I would bring in technology like they have in cricket and tennis where you can review a decision immediately. I would like to see video footage to find out the right decision.

What is the first initiation you had to do at a club?
When I was at Tranmere we used to clean the boots and at Christmas you would have to sing and if you didn't sing, you would not get a bonus off the player whose boots you had been cleaning all year. I sang 'Wonderwall' by Oasis but it didn't go down too well and I had a few cakes and whatever else was in the canteen at the time thrown at me. But I got my £50 bonus!

LASTS

What is the last concert you went to?
I went to see Ed Sheeran at Wembley. He is popular with the boys and he was very good. He is one of the best I have seen and I would definitely go back to see him.

Who is the last player you would take fashion advice from?
James Tomkins. He is sponsored by a certain big brand and he wears them six days a week. He will then come in wearing these tight jeans and high top balenciagas and hasn't got a clue what he is doing!

Talk us through the last goal you scored?
It was against Aston Villa back on Boxing Day. I remember Michail getting the ball and he literally switched play and then I took a touch and struck the ball from the edge of the box into the bottom corner to put us into the lead just before half-time.

Who was the last shirt you collected after a game?
I got Bastian Schweinsteiger's shirt after the game at Old Trafford which is a decent one to add to the collection.

What was the last meal you cooked at home?
I cooked my missus a little stir fry – it is the only thing I can cook, apart from beans on toast! I will let her say if she liked it.

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Pardew worried by Payet power
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 1st April 2016
By: Staff Writer

Alan Pardew has told his Crystal Palace players not to concede free kicks in and around the penalty area tomorrow. The former West Ham and Charlton boss revealed that he is concerned by the threat provided by Dimitri Payet and his dead ball prowess. "Payet's accuracy at the moment means he is able to score from 30 yards," said Pardew, speaking to the media ahead of tomorrow's London derby. "The free-kick he scored against Manchester United and the one he scored for France cleared the wall by about six or seven feet and still found the net. He has the confidence at the moment, so we need to be on our guard against him. "Outside of the Leicester boys he is the best outfield player this year; a player that came with a big reputation, but he has more than enhanced it."

However Pardew, whose side have dropped like a stone in recent weeks having gone 13 Premier League matches without a win - their most recent being on 19 December last year - warned his players that West Ham pose a threat from several other areas too. "There are lots of other assets to West Ham," he added. "Michail Antonio, who I had at Southampton, is scoring from wide areas and is a constant threat. The likes of Manuel Lanzini draw fouls too; they have players who take people on so you get these free-kick situations."

Although Palace remain seven points clear of the relegation places at present, Pardew says he is in no doubt that his team are embroiled in a relegation battle. "I've had people say to me that we are fine but we are not," he said. "We have no momentum in the League. We have to get a victory. We are going to have to grind it out and fight for everything. We need to get the points as quickly as we can."

However Palace's cause tomorrow won't be helped by the absence of key players such as Yohan Cabaye, Emmanuel Adebayor and Mile Jedinak, all of whom are considered doubtful for this weekend. "We've got a couple with knocks," confirmed Pardew. "Yohan Cabaye's got a knock, Mile's got a knock. We're not sure whether they're going to make it. Connor did the warm up today, we're hoping he gets some football next week. So that will be great news for us."McArthur is progressing, but still some way off."

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Punch drunk? Jason predicts Palace win
WHUFC.com
Filed: Friday, 1st April 2016
By: Staff Writer

Crystal Palace winger Jason Puncheon believes Crystal Palace can upset the apple cart and take all three points from tomorrow's London derby against West Ham.

The 29-year-old Croydon-born midfielder told his club's website that despite Palace having failed to win in the Premier League since December last year - in stark contrast to their FA Cup form - the Eagles have i within them to secure a win at the Boleyn this Saturday.

"On our day we can go toe to toe with anyone," said Puncheon. "I don't think West Ham will be going into the game thinking they're going to get an easy three points.

"We're unhappy with where we are but we're looking forward to the weekend and I believe in our ability to get the three points.

"In the last few games things haven't gone our way but it's really time for us to stand up and be counted as players – we can't have any excuses after the game on Saturday.

"We had ambition at the start of the season to beat what we did last year, and for whatever reason it hasn't happened. I think the Cup run has helped us, though some people may say it's hindered us.

"This year has been disappointing but the last few weeks have definitely been a lot more positive - we just haven't got the rub of the green. I think the last few games we've shown we can play in that way and we're going to West Ham in a positive mood and hopefully we can take that onto the pitch."

Despite his confident outlook, Puncheon - who was at Southampton with current Hammer Michail Antonio - believes West Ham have enjoyed a thoroughly impressive season under Slaven Bilic's leadership.

"West Ham have had a fantastic season," he said. "They coped well even though they lost some of their players [to injury] and that's credit to them and their manager.

"You look at their players; Lanzini, Payet, Noble, and Antonio, who has done really well from Southampton. They've got a lot of players in good moments but we need to break that up on Saturday."

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West Ham v Crystal Palace preview: Eagles trio to face fitness tests
By Pete Hall
Last Updated: 01/04/16 12:16pm
SSN

Crystal Palace will assess the fitness of key trio Yohan Cabaye, Mile Jedinak and Emmanuel Adebayor ahead of their trip to West Ham. Without a league win since December 19, Palace have been dragged into a relegation battle, when previously it had seemed another top half finish was a near-certainty. The Eagles are seven points clear of the relegation zone, but with eight games to go, that could all change very quickly.

The Hammers represent as tough a challenge as any at the moment, having won three of their last four in the league. As result, Slaven Bilic's men have top four aspirations after a superb campaign, and with their star men firing on all cylinders, who would bet against the Olympic Stadium housing Champions League football next season?

Team news

West Ham boss Bilic will hope the recent international break has not taken its toll on his squad ahead. Enner Valencia, Cheikhou Kouyate and Victor Moses all racked up the air miles and returned to training on Friday - but there is good news for Bilic as James Tomkins is fit following a calf problem. The game comes too soon for fellow defenders Sam Byram - out since February with a muscular injury - and James Collins (hamstring), but both are progressing well.

Palace midfield duo Cabaye and Jedinak and striker Adebayor all returned from international duty carrying knocks. Connor Wickham (adductor), James McArthur (ankle) and Marouane Chamakh (hip) are still recovering from injuries.

Opta stats

The last three Premier League meetings between West Ham and Crystal Palace have ended as 3-1 away wins.
The two sides have met nine times in the Premier League with both winning four and drawing one.

Crystal Palace sat 5th in the Premier League at the end of 2015. Since then they have dropped to 16th. They are the only side in the top four tiers yet to win in 2016.

Cabaye has scored three goals in his last two Premier League appearances against West Ham.

Since the start of last season, Dimitri Payet has created 221 chances, more than any other player in the top five European leagues in that time.

The Eagles have won just one of their six Premier League London derbies this season (W1 L5).

Wilfried Zaha has won more fouls than any other player this season (77).

The Hammers have conceded the highest proportion of top flight goals in the first half of matches this season (60%).

West Ham have scored the most goals in the top flight in the last 15 minutes of matches (14).

Crystal Palace have conceded the joint-most in this period (14 along with Newcastle).

Merson's prediction

West Ham are flying at the moment and Palace are on a slippery slope. I think the Hammers will win and move above Man City in the table.

Palace are seven points above the bottom three but they are not out of trouble. They just can't win at the moment and if they lose this then they will be looking nervously over their shoulders.

PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1 (Sky Bet's odds: 14/1)

Betting

West Ham are marginally odds-on for the victory at 19/20 with Sky Bet as Crystal Palace go up against odds of 14/5 to cause an upset and 5/2 to secure a draw. Diafra Sakho heads the first goalscorer market at 5/1 followed by Dimitri Payet (11/2), while Connor Wickham is considered the visitors' main threat at 13/2.

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Crystal Palace are next in West Ham star Dimitri Payet's sights and have a cunning plan: Concede NO free-kicks
22:30, 31 MAR 2016 UPDATED 23:01, 31 MAR 2016
BY NEIL MCLEMAN
The Frenchman added to his superb season — and Alan Pardew's worries — by slamming in another sensational set-piece goal for his country in midweek
The Mirror

Alan Pardew has told his Crystal Palace players not to concede any free-kicks near goal after Dimitri Payet's latest dead-ball heroics. The West Ham star, who scored a stunner of a set-piece at Old Trafford earlier this month, netted from 37 yards for France against Russia on Tuesday with another unstoppable shot. Payet's brilliant performances on his recall to Les Bleus has seen Hammers boss Slaven Bilic claim his emergence will help persuade other quality players to sign for West Ham next season. But more immediately, Pardew's team have to stop the Reunion Islander as they seek to end a run of 13 Premier League games without a win dating back to before Christmas. "That is a big part of our defensive work not to give away any silly free-kicks, staying on your feet, working on your feet," said the former Hammers boss. "It's easier said than done — Lanzini running in behind and their type of players, they draw fouls. They've got players who take people on so you get these free-kick situations. "His accuracy at the moment is [such that] from 30 yards he seems to be very able to score. That's difficult. The free-kick he hit at Man United and the one for France cleared the wall by about six, seven, eight feet. It still found its way into the net. Amazing. "He has this super-confidence at the minute — or uber-confidence to use a new word. We need to be on our guard against him. "Without doubt, outside the Leicester boys, he is the best outfield player in my opinion this year. He did come [from previous club Marseille] with a big reputation but he's more than enhanced it."

Payet has scored 12 goals this season – including four free kicks – and surey booked his place for Euro 2016 with his displays over the past week against Holland and Russia. And with the looming move to the 60,000-capacity Olympic Stadium for next season, Bilic said Payet has been a great advert for the club. "Payet has raised his game by playing for West Ham and that can change things," said the Hammers' boss. "Because of him and because of more players, they should think now that if they are going to West Ham it is a step up in their career if anything. "It is great for him and great for us. He was very confident before but he will become even more confident now. "It is a big boost for him before the last games of the season."

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Slaven Bilic warns West Ham must stay grounded despite Champions League ambitions
22:30, 1 APR 2016
BY NEIL MCLEMAN
West Ham are in the mix for the top four ahead of their move to the Olympic Stadium but Bilic insists the club must manage their next step carefully
The Mirror

Slaven Bilic has warned the speed of change at West Ham is "happening a little bit too fast" as he revealed the club is being flooded with offers to sign new players. The Hammers are in the running for a Champions League place and the FA Cup in the Croat's first season in charge. And next season's move to the Olympic Stadium is also proving a big draw to East London. But in a coded message to fans and the owners, Bilic said the ambitious club had to be careful over managing the step to the next level. The Irons boss, whose side can overtake millionaires Manchester City on Saturday, said: "I got so many calls from players, from agents and players that are offering themselves through the agents. "A year ago it was simply not possible. They were not on our list, they were on the list above us. Now that's happening. Whether it's rumours or we are back-ups.
"At least we are back-ups. It's happening but for me my honest opinion is it's happening a little bit too fast. We can't stop it unless we play bad which you don't want of course."

Bilic has repeatedly knocked down suggestions the club could sign superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic although a top striker remains a priority. Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette, Michy Batshuayi of Marseille's, Manchester City's Wilfried Bony and Swansea's Andre Ayew are on the hit list. The Croat added: "We are not trying to make a big signing to attract the people to buy season tickets. We sold them anyway. "If we are talking about big signings it's good players who will improve our team and that's not the most important thing, that's the only thing based on what we are trying to get from players if we are going to get them. With the greatest respect we are not going to sign Ronaldinho for West Ham."

The visit of Crystal Palace starts a run of three home games at atmospheric Upton Park – with only six left before the move to Stratford. "You can only hope that we're going to get that kind of atmosphere when we move to the Olympic Stadium," Bilic added. "It's going to be impossible to make a replica of that. It's going to be a great atmosphere but it's going to be different like it's different at at the Emirates to Highbury or Schalke's old stadium to their new one. "We are looking forward to it but it's going to be hard to make a fortress at the Olympic Stadium. Upton Park is brilliant and it's hopefully it's going to be brilliant for the next six games."

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Victor Camarasa a target?
April 1, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
BKHammer

According to Spanish publication Fichajes, West Ham United have targeted Levante midfielder Victor Camarasa as they begin to prepare for their first season in the Olympic Stadium. The Hammers are said to have already enquired about the Spain Under-21 international, who has previously attracted interest from the likes of Atletico Madrid, Stoke City, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United. Reportedly, the relegation-threatened Levante are likely to hold out for 12 million euros (£9.5m), the size of the midfielder's buy-out clause, but they would be forced to negotiate if they went down. This season, the 21-year-old anchorman has played 28 games, scoring twice and registering three assists. He has managed 1.3 tackles and one interception per game this term, averaging a pass completion rate of 85%. Certainly something that could be useful for Slaven Bilic's men. The highly-rated midfielder, who is noted for his ball-winning, positioning and physical abilities, probably would love to move to London as there is almost no chance left for Levante to stay in La Liga. With Alex Song likely to leave West Ham at the end of the season, the Spanish player, with a £9.5m buy-out clause, could be a good addition for Bilic, who wants to bolster the squad as the Hammers are very close to qualify for European competitions.

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Emenike to return to Fenerbahce?
April 1, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
BKHammer

West Ham United striker Emmanuel Emenike is expected to return to Fenerbahce at the end of the season. The Turkish sports paper Fotomac has reported that the Hammers are unwilling to match Fenerbahce's valuation and have turned their attention towards other targets. West Ham were reported to have had an €11 million buy-out clause option that they would have been forced to activate if Emenike made 10 Premier League appearances. However, the Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has denied reports of a clause. Speaking to Fanatik Bilic stated, "It is absurd we would never have agreed to such a clause and that the club have no obligation to sign him." Emenike spent the first half of the season on loan at Al Ain scoring seven times in 11 appearances.
The Nigeria international has two goals in all competitions for West Ham this season. West Ham take on Crystal Palace in the Premier League this weekend as they look to secure a fourth place finish.

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Mark Noble's testimonial-The Hollywood script
March 31, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
ExWHUEmployee

We knew this game was going to be special, we knew it was going to be magical and we knew it would be more than just a testimonial but did we know it would be the perfectly scripted, tear jerking, once in a life time celebrations of all things good about the club? Probably not.
If Carlsberg did testimonials and if Hollywood wrote them this would be it. So where do I start with this game? For me seeing so many of my heroes on the pitch again was amazing in itself but all the sub plots that came with this story took my breath away.

Let us start with Taylor Tombides. Some of the money that was made from the match was rightly donated to DT38 foundation in memory of his brother Dylan who tragically lost his life. The fact that Taylor scored a great goal and looked up to the skies was such an emotional moment and certainly made my eyes fill up. The Tombides' are such an inspirational family and this was a magical moment.

Then you can take Dean Ashton's goal. Ashton had it all, big, powerful, good on the ground and in air and surprisingly quick for a big man. We should be talking about him going to the Euros in France right now and whether he would finish another season with 20 goals but unfortunately his career was tragically cut short before he had even reached his prime. I genuinely believe this injury set us back massively as a club because with a fit Dean Ashton we wouldn't have struggled in some of the seasons we did. For him to score that goal just reminded us of the talent he had. I am delighted for him that he will always have that goal on record and boy what a goal that was. It literally couldn't have been better, the technique and the power would have beaten any goalkeeper regardless of the match. That moment could have gone so wrong with him missing the ball and falling flat on his back, or gone how it did. Wow.

The next sub plot was Darren Blewitt. I have known Darren for a while now and knew of his story way before it has started to become more public this week. He is a die-hard fan who loves the club and sadly got so close to playing for the claret and blue but just fell short. We spoke to Darren before the match in our interview and just watch that and see his passion and excitement. For him to finally get the chance, to not only play in front of a packed Upton Park, but to score the best penalty of the day was sublime and no one deserved it more than him. His twitter page is so worth a follow and shows the thin line between having a 9-5 job and being a top quality professional footballer. He was brilliant as a youngster and extremely highly rated but due to things (that we will cover in our interviews) it never quite worked out!

Then let's take the returning hero Paolo Di Canio. Just seeing this man on the pitch again brought the emotions to me. Taking corners from the Bobby Moore end where there was always Italian flags in tribute to him brought back so many good times. My word I feel privileged to have watched this man play when I was aged in my late teens/early twenties, when going away and drinking lots at matches was the norm! To see him again and hear Paolo Di Canio ringing around the stadium again brought so many happy memories back to me.

Speaking of club legends another special moment was Trevor Brooking and Billy Bonds (do you get any bigger legends?!) being on the pitch and waving to the fans before the game too. Both looking very well and both looking like they wished they could both play. We have the Trevor Brooking stand at Upton Park, for me it is essential that Billy Bonds is also honoured at the Olympic Stadium.

The goalkeepers played their part too. Of course Adrian with his amazing "FIFA goal" and penalty miss celebration added two of the funniest moments of the game and then another great photo moment was Jimmy Walker on the back of Ludo replicating our 2005 playoff victory.

Seeing Julian Dicks on the pitch was another special moment, whilst this hero can barely move due his knee condition you could see the quality his left foot still had. Bishop brought his A class passing game and was spraying it about with ease, notably providing the assist for Ashton's goal and Moncur was here, there and everywhere again and thankfully didn't injure any of our players. It was like being back in the 90's again.

It was also great to see the Ferdinand brothers play on the same team together. Rio is one of my favourite all time hammers and I wish he had spent more years in our shirt.

Seeing the three West Ham Way Writers Jack Collison (who we interviewed before), Danny Gabbidon and Matthew Etherington (who has kindly donated a signed testimonial shirt to us to give away https://twitter.com/WestHamWaycouk/status/715309707959930880 ) playing together again was great. All three have been an absolute pleasure to work with and I love the passion they all have for the club. I felt proud of what they and our site stood for at that moment too. We are all passionate West Ham fans.

There we so many other stories that I could go on about but this is why this game will always be remembered and I am so glad I attended.

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Jack Sullivan's Exclusive Column: Lanzini deal discussed plus can we make the top four?!
March 24, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Jack Sullivan

Hello, I've not done one of these for a while but I really feel West Ham are doing some great things at the moment and moving in the right direction.
As the season only has 7 more league games left, we are moving towards the business end of the season....as DS would say! Our whole squad is almost back to full fitness and I really feel that the last 3 games have shown how good we are. If you didn't see this week, we signed Lanzini for the next 4 years with a 2 year option! I think the Chelsea game showed our real class, some of the football we played was fantastic - anyone would think we were the title winners. For the first time I really feel that top 4 is very very possible.

We have 7 very important games and time will tell where we finish, however I still feel this season has been great. We are also still in the FA cup and I don't think we will ever get a better chance to win it. Man U is on the 13th April and I'm really looking forward to it, I can't see why we can't win.

The one problem I have with West Ham at the moment is that Mark Noble, Cresswell and Antonio are still training with us and not with bloody England! We are 5th in the table and I really feel hard done by. I look at that England team and I know that our player are better than the ones that have been picked....which is very frustrating and it must be for our players too! However Payet has been picked for France again and I'm over the moon for him.

I hope you are all going to Mark's match and I'm sure it will be a really special day.

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"Bradford City are the right club with the right manager for our young stars" says West Ham academy chief
April 1, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
BKHammer
Exclusive Interview with Telegraph & Argus

Should City end a 12-year exile and return to the Championship, there will be a huge nod of appreciation in the direction of West Ham.
The current play-off push has been built around an "all-in-it together" spirit engendered by Phil Parkinson. There are no star names single-handedly propelling the club forward.
But that's not to say there is no stand-out quality within the ranks – and you need look no further than two of the youngest.
Reece Burke has been a revelation since landing on the Valley Parade doorstep in the wake of a chastening opening fortnight of the season.

Josh Cullen arrived in February but already looks a class fixture in the engine room. "An old head on very young shoulders" as Parkinson describes him.
Both 19-year-olds look to have a bright future in the game.
Their Premier League parent club think so – and they appreciate the role that City have played in bringing the two of them on.
Packing them off to Yorkshire was not a case of "out of sight, out of mind"; far from it. West Ham watch the two youngsters just as meticulously as if they were still under their wing at the club's Chadwell Heath training base.

Speaking exclusively to the Telegraph & Argus, academy manager Terry Westley revealed how the Hammers keep close tabs on their progress.
"With any of our players who go out on loan there has to be a plan," he said. "We don't just send them out and hope for the best.
"People watch them, we get reports on the training and what fitness work they are doing, we check their interviews with the press. It's a complete overhaul of the player.
"We also look at their behaviour off the pitch and how they do socially looking after themselves being away from their parents and girlfriends.
"It's the whole holistic experience, part of that growing up.
"That's part and parcel of the project to send them out and you see the difference.
"Reece comes back down here when they have a day off or like when he was injured with his arm. You notice he's really grown up in his stature and confidence.

"He knows he is going to be a professional footballer. The real question is at what level?"
Westley revealed West Ham also vet potential destinations carefully. They have to be the proper fit.
He has known Parkinson a long time and was confident that City would offer the perfect education into "real" football.
"We felt Bradford were the right club with the right manager. He's got good credentials.
"I know Phil from way back in his Colchester days. I'm originally from Ipswich.
"We've a good relationship and I know he looks after players properly.
"We sent them to Bradford because we felt it was a good team who would push for promotion and that's been the case.
"Both of those players can play in the Championship minimum and this was their first taste of going out to play league football at a very young age.
"We are very keen on making sure the right players go to the right clubs and that relationship has worked this year."
Few will argue with Westley's view that Burke has been "one of the best" centre halves in the division. The defender is attracting plenty of interest.
The born-and-bred West Ham fan may have a tough decision to make in the summer but Westley regards him very much as one of their own.
He said: "We absolutely see him as a West Ham player and a potential first-teamer. I think he has got a shot.

"He has combined being up against seasoned pros for Bradford with playing for England under-20s and can't be far off the 21s. Let's see if he can break into it at West Ham.
"A lot of it is mentality. They are not spoiled, they work hard every time they step on the pitch. That's a big credit to the pair of them.
"They want to get promotion, both want to win and will give everything to achieve that."
Cullen made his senior debut at Anfield in August but West Ham boss Slaven Bilic felt he needed games under his belt during the second half of the season. Westley revealed that Parkinson agreed to take him blind.
"Phil hadn't seen him play," he added, "but I told him to take Josh before a Championship club did.
"After his first game for Bradford, Phil rang me raving about him and said he looks like he's been playing for months.
"I wasn't surprised because he's a terrific character who won't accept second best.
"We lost 4-3 in an under-21 game at Blackburn after we were 3-1 up at half-time. After the game, Josh took the team talk because he was so annoyed – that just shows he's a winner."
The most likely scenario for next season is to loan them both back out in the Championship. Promotion could well give City first dibs.
West Ham would have no qualms about pushing other young starlets in City's direction and talks have already taken place.
Valley Parade chief scout Tim Breacker, a former Hammers defender, liaises closely with their academy head of recruitment Dave Hunt.

With the abolition of the short-term loan system, there will have to be a different approach for Football League clubs. They can't afford to dither.
"Watch this space," said Westley. "It's going to be an interesting dilemma for clubs in the Football League.
"Before they could take someone and if it didn't work, could send them back early. You can't do that now because each loan will run from window to window.
"That's why clubs are contacting us now about both of those two as well as (Martin) Samuelson at Peterborough and (Lewis) Page, who has done well at Cambridge.
"They'll all start pre-season with the first team, go on their trip then we'll make the decision which ones should go out straight away and who should stay with us until the second half of the season.
"We've had a conversation already with Bradford as we know it's worked. It's a club we will definitely deal with again in the future."

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Irons could rule roost without ref howlers
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 1, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

When Slaven Bilic moaned that the penalty wrongly awarded against West Ham at Chelsea was merely the latest in a long line of injustices to strike his side this season, he had a point.

In fact, the disgruntled Irons manager may have had four points – going by the calculations of national newspaperman HARRY PRATT'S Hypothetical Premier League, where video is used to correct referee howlers over the course of the campaign.

Forget about being in the thick of the race for Champions League qualification – as they are in real-life – in our parallel universe the Hammers are eyeing an even bigger prize…ruling the English elite supreme.

Yes, an astonishing Double is still a distinct possibility for the FA Cup quarter-finalists.

That's because in the latest HPL Wk 31 table, Bilic's Irons find themselves only four points behind leaders Leicester City. And, lest we forget, the Londoners have a game in hand on Claudio Ranieri's Foxes.

No, this not an April Fool's joke. This is just a sideways glimpse into the future and how fortune does not always even itself up over the course of a campaign.

For if Leicester are the luckiest of the title challengers, having amassed EIGHT points too many, West Ham are the unluckiest as they are down by FOUR.

In between, Tottenham are still second but have four points too many in the official standings. Then it's Arsenal in third (one point better off in the HPL) and Manchester City, who have three too few in real-life.

Can you imagine the five-way title scrap we would be enjoying with TV referees already in operation?

HARRY PRATT is currently with Express Newspapers and has worked for Sky Sports, Football365, and Hayters.

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Irons to join 'magnificent seven'
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 31, 2016 in News
C and H

West Ham are all set to join the "Magnificent Seven." The move to the OS will push them into the football stratosphere after th capacity was increased to 60,000 on pure public demand.
The club look likely to sell out every game next season and that will make it the seventh highest attended stadium in Europe, and the second highest in England behind Manchester United.
It puts us ahead of Arsenal, Ajax, PSG, Inter and Roma.

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Pardew's 'stop Payet' plan easier said than done
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 1, 2016 in News
C and H

Palace boss Alan Pardew is running scared of Dimi Payet – or more accurately – his free kicks. And the former Irons boss has told his team to make sure they concede no set pieces against the deadly Hammers hero anywhere near goal. Dimi's conversion rate from free kicks to goals is around 50 per cent this season and again showed what he's all about with a 37 yards stunner for France against Russia on Tuesday. It seems a bit like stating the obvious but Pardew declared: ""That is a big part of our defensive work not to give away any silly free-kicks, staying on your feet, working on your feet. "It's easier said than done — Lanzini running in behind and their type of players, they draw fouls. They've got players who take people on so you get these free-kick situations. "His accuracy at the moment is [such that] from 30 yards he seems to be very able to score. That's difficult. The free-kick he hit at Man United and the one for France cleared the wall by about six, seven, eight feet. It still found its way into the net. Amazing. "He has this super-confidence at the minute — or uber-confidence to use a new word. We need to be on our guard against him."

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Slav frets as Palace beckons
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 1, 2016 in News
C and H

Slaven Bilic admits to some deep concerns over tomorrow's game against Crystal Palace. He fears the international break has disrupted the team's preparation and is worried the game will come too soon for some players. He said: ""This international break, on one hand we didn't want it because we had that momentum and we want things to continue and keep coming because we were buzzing. "On the other hand, because we played many games it was not bad for us, we rest a bit and we train hard and after that we rested again. "Some players went to play international games, we are still not back totally and that is why this game against Crystal Palace is coming too soon. Some of th players are not bck until today and the manager said: Cheikhou Kouyate, Victor Moses and Enner Valencia had a long trip, (Dimitri) Payet is back from France, it is not ideal but we will have to get back immediately into the shape that we were before the international break."

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DG's "we'll win" wind-up at his Palace work staff
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 1, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
Exclusive

David Gold is expecting his largely Palace-supporting workforce to arrive pretty miserable on Moday morning after being beaten by the Hammers. He explained that being positioned where it was the company had attracted many Palace fans down the years and that there's always plenty of banter between him and them. He said: "Of course it is all friendly but we all now how we feel when we lose at the weekend and "Ive got us to win by two goals to nil." After speaking to ClaretandHugh he later tweeted his view which will have had many at his offices reacting to the banter. But he said: "I fancy us wherever we are and whoever we are playing these days but although they are on a long run of 13 League games without a win it will be tough – even tougher than usual as they are heading into trouble. "We are on such a high at the moment and I'm very confident but you can take nothing for granted."

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Dimitri Payet's success can attract more stars to West Ham, says Slaven Bilic
By Rory O'Callaghan
Last Updated: 01/04/16 6:51am
SSN

Slaven Bilic believes Dimitri Payet's recent international success could help West Ham attract more big-name players this summer. Payet has been a revelation for the Hammers since signing from Marseille last summer and was rewarded with a new five-year deal in February. The midfielder's impressive Premier League displays earned a recall into Didier Deschamps' France squad for the friendlies against the Netherlands and Russia in March. Payet produced a man-of-the-match performance against the Dutch on Friday night and capped a fine international break with a superb goal against Russia on Tuesday. Bilic is hoping the 29-year-old can replicate that form against Crystal Palace on Saturday and feels the player's return to the international fold will show others they can improve their careers by moving to the club. "Maybe some of the French players or press who knew how good he was were thinking, 'That is it, no chance with the national team or anything'," said Bilic, speaking about Payet's move to West Ham last year. "'OK you are going to be living in London at a good club and make good money, and that is it.' But Payet has raised his game by playing for West Ham and that can change things. "Because of him and because of more players, they should think now that if they are going to West Ham it is a step up in their career if anything."
Bilic also feels Payet's international form will benefit the Hammers as West Ham continue their pursuit of a Champions League place. "It is great for him and great for us," said Bilic. "In one hand you'd love him to be with us, train and rest, but it is great. "He was very confident before but he will become even more confident now. At the end of the day he didn't go for holiday - he was training with top-quality players and a top-quality coach. "His situation regarding France has changed a lot. I read that before these couple of games many people were asking why he was not in - he had good games, he was man of the match against Holland and then came on against Russia and scored that wonderful free-kick. "To get into a team full of quality in every position is great for him in the first place, it is good for us, he is playing for us and it is a big boost for him before the last games of the season."

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West Ham to win FA Cup or make the Champions League — what would the Hammers prefer?
ExWHUEmployee WHY I'm split on European nights or silverware at last
The Sun
By EXWHUEMPLOYEE, from thewesthamway.co.uk
10:32, 1 Apr 2016

Champions League or FA Cup win. What would be better for West Ham? When I was asked this question, I was quite certain in my answer: Champions League place for sure. The more I have thought about this though, especially on the back of Mark Noble's testimonial, the more I am swaying the other way. Ideally we would take both and I believe that realistically both are possible. For once this season, nearly all our players are back from injury. We have already achieved so much having lost Payet, Lanzini, Sakho, Carroll, Valencia Reid, Collins and many others for large parts of the season — so with them fit why can we not kick on further? The reason why I originally preferred the Champions League is because of the financial gain and the ability to attract top name players, which we seek to do in the summer. If we secured the Champions League place we would no doubt be able to land the marquee forward that we so desperately want to sign, the likes of Michy Batshuayi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic who I mentioned in my last column. All my life I have watched Champions League matches which my Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool supporting friends have attended, and looked on in envy at. Imagining the Champions League anthem echoing around Upton Park was something I could only dream of, so to be that close to having it myself is something so special. My worry is that we will finish fourth, be knocked out before we qualify for the Champions League group stages stages and be in the Europa League without having a trophy behind us. This is part of the reason for my opinion swaying although it is a rather negative opinion, which is unlike me.
I went to Mark Noble's testimonial and we hold ex-players in such high regard — but in all fairness only the likes of the older generations actually won anything for the club. The last time we won the cup was in 1980, before I was born, and every member of that team or the 1964 and 1975 cup team is regarded as a club legend. It is about time we had some more trophy winning legends. To bow out of the Boleyn Ground as FA Cup winners and to have a parade from Upton Park to the new stadium would be an amazing and emotional way to say goodbye to our home since 1904. This win would go down in history and would be remembered for ever and my issue here is, could the same be said for finishing fourth? I don't think it carries the same weight as a trophy win. I am hoping that Champions League football is something that we can realistically achieve quite regularly when we move to the Olympic Stadium. If we have more good signings behind us, our squad should be even more capable of dealing with the extra demands than it is now. Let's face it though the fact that this is even a question to answer at this stage of the season shows what an amazing job Slaven Bilic and the board have done. We are moving to a 60,00 capacity stadium that will be sold out and we have the likes of Dimitri Payet gracing the turf. Our history is glorious and magical, our future could be even brighter. If we win the FA Cup or qualify for the Champions League I believe it is the start of our rise in stature. If we manage to do both, well we are already way into our journey into a Premier League force.

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'Our businesses will be hammered when West Ham move to the Olympic Stadium'
JOHN DUNNE
Evening Standard

Businesses based around West Ham United's current home say they are facing a battle for survival as the club prepares to move to the Olympic Stadium next season. Cafes and pubs which see a surge in customers on match days fear they will not be able to stay open without their boost from football fans. They include Nathan's pie and mash shop in Barking Road, a family business that has spanned four generations and counts former West Ham players and managers including Rio Ferdinand and Harry Redknapp among its regulars. Owner Richard Nathan, 44, said the shop was "manic" on match days but now faces an uncertain future: "It is obviously very worrying and we don't know what's going to happen. We hope fans who set off for games from round here will still come and eat first or come on their way back. "We have received a lot of support and we are staying where we are for now — we are not giving up."

When West Ham leave, the Boleyn Ground will be replaced by a residential development which could provide new customers. Nathan's has also been boosted by a Facebook campaign calling for regulars to rally round. The Boleyn pub, which had served beers to hundreds of thousands of fans over the years, will also be hit. A barmaid said: "On match days we have 25 extra staff on and serve hundreds upon hundreds of pints every hour. The buzz is amazing and we are going to miss it so much. We are hoping some fans travelling to games will still some for a pint but it is very much the end of an era and very sad." Sinan Ozaner, of The Best Turkish Kebab House in Barking Road, added: "We have been here 26 years and have served kebabs to loads of famous West Ham faces, including owner David Gold. We wish them well and we have our regulars, but it obviously will make a difference to us. The executive have been good customers and we hope the move is a success."

Andy Tillman, who runs his A&A pie and mash business out of a van, said he would be travelling to the area around the Olympic Stadium on match days. The stadium is to have a capacity of 60,000 for football games. Mr Tillman, 46, said: "We have been operating from a pub on home matches and are now taking the van down to the Olympic Stadium so that fans can still get some traditional East End grub. "For us it's not all bad news. We love the Hammers and are looking forward to a bright future." Plans for the Boleyn Ground site, to be called "East End Village", include 700 homes Fans and residents are expected to vote on naming apartment blocks after West Ham legends such as Bobby Moore, Trevor Brooking, Geoff Hurst and Billy Bonds

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Will West Ham qualify for the Champions League? With Payet, the dream will not fade and die this time
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

If Leicester had not been the big story of this Premier League campaign, then surely West Ham would have taken centre stage. In less than a season Slaven Bilic, who was hauled onto the shoulders of adoring Besiktas fans as he left Turkey, has won his way into thousands of East End hearts with what he has achieved at West Ham. Now Bilic and his team look ahead to the last eight matches of this most marvellous and unexpected of seasons — with optimism and confidence. They sit, as they have done for much of the season, just a little under the radar but still firmly in touch with the holy grail of Champions League qualification. They are just a point behind fourth-place Manchester City — and would surely have been two points above Manuel Pelligrini's faltering team had not crucial decisions gone against them in their 2-2 draw at Chelsea almost two weeks ago.

Can Bilic's team keep going, though, can they cope with the pressure as it begins to crank up and up and up?

"Pressure?" asks Bilic with that disarming smile. "Do you call this pressure? "If it is pressure, it is positive. Real pressure is what clubs like Newcastle, Sunderland and Norwich are experiencing right now. Us? We are just enjoying it. The players can't wait for the next game."

There are some who say that to maintain the momentum right up to the finishing line, you need to have done it before.

There is another school of thought, however, with Leicester as the star pupil, who flourish under the banner of 'ignorance is bliss,' or in other words: Keep calm and carry on winning.

West Ham, though, are like any of the top half a dozen teams in the Premier League — they need to keep their star players fit.

In West Ham's case it's just one player really: Dimitri Payet.

When the magician from Reunion Island was injured for six weeks at the end of last year, West Ham's season stuttered yet they dug in admirably, drawing games they could well have lost.

When their match-winner returned on New Year's Day, things began to pick up. Already the London Premier League Player of the Year, Payet will be a contender for the national Player of the Year award, along with Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane.

His trademark free-kicks have thrilled fans and he showed his brilliance again on Tuesday, thumping in a superb set-piece effort for France against Russia.

If Payet can carry on terrorising defences — and scaring the living daylights out of goalkeepers — then West Ham will surely believe they can make that fourth spot their own.

What is also in their favour is that the clock is counting down on their last season at their atmospheric Boleyn. Unbeaten there since August, West Ham are determined to squeeze every last ounce of energy and emotion out of the old place, before they go upmarket and move to Stratford.

Their co-owner David Sullivan is not one to hide his light under a bushel.

Back in October wise mean shook their heads when he said: "I know it's unlikely but we could finish fourth. In football we're here to dream."

Now, with West Ham in buoyant mood as they approach the final straight, Sullivan's feisty prophecy could indeed become reality.

So, yes, West Ham will finish fourth and just for once, those bubbles will not fade and die.

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West Ham's Dimitri Payet outperforming Arsenal's best players, says Paolo Di Canio
DOUGLAS PYPER
Evening Standard

West Ham legend Paolo Di Canio says Dimitri Payet is one of the buys of the season and performing better than anyone at Arsenal or Manchester City. The Hammers bought Payet in the summer from Marseille for £12million and the Frenchman has enjoyed a dream first season in England. The France international has scored eight goals in 22 starts despite missing two months of the season after suffering an ankle injury in the 1-1 draw with Everton in early November. His goals and assists have propelled the club to the brink of Champions League qualification, while only a replay against Manchester United at the Boleyn Ground next month stands between Slaven Bilic's men and the FA Cup semi-final. Di Canio, 47, said, "Payet is a fantastic footballer. He can be a cracker for a few years to come. He works hard for the team, off–the-ball as well as on it. "Look at the top footballers, at Arsenal or Manchester City, and they are not doing it like Payet. He is one of the best signings this year in the Premier League." Payet's form won him a recall to the France squad after a year away from the national set-up and he the midfielder marked his Les Bleus return with a sublime long-range free kick against Russia at the Stade de France. Earlier in the year the 28-year-old was linked with a move to the Chinese Super League, prompting the Hammers to tie him down to a bumper new contract which will keep him in East London until 2021. But Di Canio, who this week returned to West Ham to take part in Mark Noble's testimonial, believes Bilic must also take credit for West Ham's upturn this term. The Italian added: "You see that the club's mentality, the methodology and the philosophy has changed completely. "There is a brain and mentality and work ethic, which is all thanks to Bilic. This club can now look forward to the future."

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West Ham captain Mark Noble should not give up on England, says Chris Powell
SAM LONG Evening Standard
EXCLUSIVE

Former West Ham left back Chris Powell has urged Mark Noble not to give up on his dream of playing for England. The midfielder has featured in all but one of the Hammers' Premier League games this season and is a key member of Slaven Bilic's side, who are just one point outside of the Champions League places. Unfortunately for Noble, his stellar club form has not led to international recognition and he continues to be overlooked by Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson. The 28-year-old captained England's Under-21 side earlier in his career yet appears to have paid the price for emerging during an era in which England were blessed with the talent of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, among others. But Powell, who is currently supporting Jeff Stelling's 'Men United March', is adamant Noble should not discount the possibility of a call up in the future even if he fails to feature at Euro 2016. "It's going to be tough for Mark now," Powell told Standard Sport. "I was 31 when I got my call up and Mark is 28 now so you never say never. "The World Cup is two years away and if he carries on the way he's been playing you just can't deny him. "The timing has been tough for him. He's been outstanding in an exceptional season for West Ham. "But it just so happens that there have been one or two others that have been playing ever so well," Powell added. Although Noble has not been recognised at international level he remains highly regarded at the Boleyn Ground and has clocked up 12 years of loyal service in east London. The midfielder was rewarded with a testimonial last week and Powell, who featured in the charity game, believes Noble deserves a chance to pull on the famous Three Lions shirt. "He hasn't got the call up and it's a real shame because a man of his quality really should be donning the white shirt. "It hasn't happened but let's hope it may happen in the next season or two," he insisted. Intrepid television presenter Jeff Stelling has embarked on an epic charity walk in March to help tame prostate cancer. Teaming up with leading men's health organisation Prostate Cancer UK, the long-standing Soccer Saturday host completed 10 walking marathons in 10 days, from boyhood club Hartlepool United to Wembley, earlier this week. Clocking in at 262 miles, Jeff's Men United March saw him check in on 32 football clubs while Carlsberg signed up as a supporting sponsor.

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West Ham are one place off the Champions League and have been linked with Zlatan Ibrahimovic... Slaven Bilic is in dreamland
Slaven Bilic's West Ham currently sit fifth in the Premier League table
Three games in 12 days could cap a sensational season for the Hammers
They have chance to earn Champions League spot and reach FA Cup final
West Ham have even been linked with a move for PSG's Zlatan Ibrahimovic
By RIATH AL-SAMARRAI FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 22:33, 31 March 2016 | UPDATED: 22:33, 31 March 2016

Slaven Bilic has never been one to shout about grand possibilities, but even the whisperer of West Ham is struggling to talk down the opportunity that has presented itself in east London.
Leicester have cast a big and brilliant shadow over the rest this season but it ought to be lost on no-one that West Ham are dancing a merry jig in the darkness. The coming fortnight has the power to shape whether this will be merely a very good season or an exceptional one. They face Crystal Palace on Saturday, top-four rivals Arsenal a week later and the replay of their FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United the following Wednesday. Three games, 12 days, three key steps to what once seemed the absurd possibility of Champions League qualification and an FA Cup triumph. West Ham are still blowing their bubbles and, so far, this one has not burst. Take Bilic's body language on Friday: raised eyebrows, shakes of the head at mentions of signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic. West Ham's manager as much as anyone has been taken aback by the speed of the ascent. It is not so long since the summer decision to part with Sam Allardyce was quite reasonably deemed a gamble.
The move to the Olympic Stadium would have been wrecked by demotion to the Championship; now there is a real prospect that it will open to the sound of the Champions League music. 'During our season, the Press, the fans, the team, me as a manager and the staff, we have modified our goals,' said Bilic. 'All I'm asking from us is to sacrifice everything in the next six or eight weeks and try to do it because it is there. 'It is that stage of the season. Everything you have played so far was important and puts you in a situation where you are. The season doesn't start now but it is now you have to do it.' In no area is the change in status more glaring than in the names linked with the club. Having confirmed West Ham were on the brink of signing Toni Martinez, an 18-year-old wonderkid from Valencia, Bilic found himself answering questions about Ibrahimovic, the rock star of Paris Saint-Germain who has been highlighted as a target by co-owner David Sullivan. 'Nothing is unrealistic but I said my opinion — I can't see Ibrahimovic playing for West Ham,' Bilic said. But they do see themselves as fit to land big names — £20million-rated Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi is a summer target — and success this season means they will not have to work so hard on their sales pitches. That is partially the legacy of Dimitri Payet, who turned 29 this week and is a contender for player of the season. Bilic said: 'Maybe some of the French players or Press who knew how good he was were thinking, 'That is it, Payet now has no chance with the national team. OK, you are going to be living in London and make good money and that is it'. 'But Payet has raised his game by playing for West Ham and that can change things. Players should think now that if they are going to West Ham it is a step up in their career if anything.' The elevation of Payet will be nothing compared to that awaiting their club if they do hit their revised targets. With just two defeats in 22 games, there is no doubt they are coming in hot. The fascinating mystery is whether they can stay on the road in the crucial two months ahead. If they can, Bilic will have something well worth shouting about.

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