Daily WHUFC News - 18th May 2016

Antonio - The best is yet to come
WHUFC.com

Michail Antonio has relished his first season in the Premier League and believes the best is yet to come as the Hammers prepare for a historic move into the new Stadium during the summer.
Antonio was forced to wait patiently for his chance but he never looked back after coming on as a first half substitute during the 0-0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford back in December. The 26-year-old has scored nine goals for the Hammers and has produced some memorable celebrations along the way. Antonio was on the scoresheet once again during the final game against Stoke on Sunday, but his side failed to hold onto their early lead and were unable to take anything from the Britannia Stadium. But despite the disappointment of missing out on a top six finish, Antonio feels the team should still be proud of what they have achieved and hopes to be celebrating a place in the Europa League next season. Antonio said: "I thought we were all over them during the first half and we should have killed the game off but we didn't manage to. "When you play in the Premier League every team has quality and they managed to get back into the game and come away with the three points. "In the second half we had even more opportunities but it wasn't our day. We finished in seventh place and we would have taken that at the start of the season. "We just want to push on now and hopefully we can build on this for next year. This season will be remembered by a lot of fans and it is only going to get better!
"I will definitely be watching the FA Cup Final and hope we can get into Europe if United win. I am sure all the players will be buzzing if we can do that. "We have had a great season and that would be a great way to top it off and reward what we have done this year."
Antonio always dreamed of playing in the Premier League and got his wish when he secured a big money move from Nottingham Forest last summer. The talented winger is now hoping he can grow even stronger when the club move into the new Stadium and hopes to enjoy even more success next season. Antonio added: "I have really enjoyed my first season in the Premier League and to score nine goals has been fantastic. "I have been able to score a lot of them playing at right back so I could have had even more. "I have taken things in my stride and hopefully next year I can build on it."

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Midfielder Makasi signs new contract
WHUFC.com

West Ham United are delighted to announce that all-action midfielder Moses Makasi has signed a new contract with the club. The 20-year-old midfielder played a crucial part in the Development Squad's truimphant U21 Premier League Cup success, and his efforts have been rewarded with a new one-year deal. In total this season, Makasi made 13 starts for the Dev Squad as well as a further six appearances, scoring twice. Speaking after signing his new deal, a delighted Makasi said: "I'm very happy, it hasn't all been easy and a lot of hard work has gone into it. Hard work will always get you far in life so hopefully I can push myself and make it to the first team squad. "I can feel that I've improved. At the start of the season I didn't think I was where I needed to be but now I feel a lot closer to being a first team player, obviously there's still a long way to go."

Looking back at what has been a highly productive campaign for the south Londoner, the midfielder summarised his season, saying: "The 21s have been flying this year, the start of this season we struggled to win games. "I was out on loan at the time, it was a very good experience but also a reality check, because it made me realise I wanted to be at a Premier League club. I came back, worked hard and got a new contract, so I'm happy. "I'd like to thank all my coaches, particularly Liam Manning; he's been there throughout for me, when I was at Chelmsford, helping me with my individual plan, doing my clips, everything."

Having earned a further year at his beloved Hammers, Makasi knows he faces a crucial 12 months to prove himself worthy of a place in the first team. Despite this season having just ended, he is already looking forward to trying to catch Slaven Bilic's eye in pre-season. He continued: "There's a big pre-season coming up because that's the chance to impress the manager.
"You've just got to work hard and the opportunities will come. Obviously the first team are doing well so it's hard but you have to be ready in case the opportunities do come up. "You never know what's going to happen, players leave, injuries, there's always opportunities, you just have to be ready to step up and take the chance. "This is definitely the place to be with the new stadium just round the corner. The Academy is doing well and the first team are pushing for a top six finish so hopefully we get more talented players coming through."

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Young Hammers edged out in final
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's Development Squad came agonizingly close to lifting the ICGT 2016 trophy as they were beaten on penalties by Brazilian side Atletico Paranaense. Trying to secure their second piece of silverware in as many weeks after lifting the U21 Premier League Cup, the Hammers were beaten 6-5 on penalties in the final. New striker Antonio Martinez equalised late on to take the final to spot kicks, helping him to clinch the joint-top scorer award with three goals. Earlier in the three day tournament, held in Uitgeest, Holland, the Hammers topped the group after winning all three of their group games, beating FC Uitgeest 2-0, and AZ Alkmaar and Cruizero 1-0. Having progressed to the semi-finals, the young Hammers faced Greek giants Panathanaikos, Spanish striker Martinez was on hand to earn a 1-1 draw before reaching the final having won on penalties. Unfortunately the Hammers' luck ran out in the final as the Brazilians secured the title. Some of the same squad face a quick turnaround as they prepare to fly out to compete in the Hong Kong Soccer Sevens tournament.
The Hammers have been drawn in Group D with Premier League Champions Leicester City, HKFA U21 and Singapore Cricket Club. Speaking ahead of the tournament, right-back Alex Pike said: "Having played last year, I know it's a great tournament to be part of. "We finished runners so it would be great to go one step further. All the lads are really looking forward to it."

Hammers squad: Nathan Trott (GK), Alex Pike, Lewis Page, Tunji Akinola, Moses Makasi, Grady Diangana, Matt Carter, Noha Sylvestre, Sam Ford, Jahmal Hector-Ingram

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From the Terraces - Joe Difford
WHUFC.com

Fan blogger Joe Difford looks back at Sunday's final defeat to Stoke City...

Sunday's game was billed as our most important game in club history, but although it caused us to lose our guaranteed place in the Europa League, the season as a whole has been massive in our progression.

After Tuesday's farewell to the Boleyn Ground and the dramatic win over Manchester United, it was always going to be tough to maintain that intensity on the final day of the season.

Stoke away is always a tough fixture for any side, and despite us silencing the home crowd in the first 45, except for a few boos here and there, the hosts turned the game around through sheer determination.

Having picked up a knock against United, Dimitri Payet was forced to watch on from the side lines, and his creative spark and ability to create something from nothing was missed as we failed to score a second goal from 19 shots.

Michail Antonio opened the scoring in his more natural attacking role, excellently chesting down the ball from a corner before turning in the box and firing home. With the Euros fast approaching, it just doesn't make sense to leave the winger at home, as he has been the best English wide man all season, and Sunday's goal emphasised that.

Despite all of our pressure and chances, Lady Luck seemed intent on keeping us out of the Europa League, as Diafra Sakho's effort hit the side netting before Cheikhou Kouyate saw his effort literally an inch from crossing the line, but Glenn Whelan and goal line technology kept it at 1-0.

Giannelli Imbula equalised with a seemingly simple effort, as he waded through a sea of claret and blue with ease, before firing into the corner from 20 yards out. Charlie Adam then almost scored another one of his wonder goals from the half way line, but Darren Randolph got his fingertips to it, twice, to poke it over the bar.

The ball just didn't seem to want to go in the net for us, and Stoke took their chances, winning the game with minutes to go. An Adam corner was met by the head of substitute Mame Biram Diouf and he powered it home before running off to celebrate acrobatically.

It was a bitterly frustrating end to the season and our hopes of European qualification now rest on the outcome of the FA Cup final, but we should still look back on the season and be proud to be Hammers.

Avoiding relegation was Slaven Bilic's initial goal and he has taken us to 7th place, our second highest finish in Premier League history. We had a great run in the FA Cup and could have been in a Champions League spot had it not been for a number of refereeing mistakes, but after missing so many chances at Stoke, we can't put the blame solely on officials.

Next season we could have European football to welcome the Olympic Stadium and with a few top signings, there is no reason why we cannot continue to compete with England's elite.

Our record against last season's top four show that we are capable of beating anyone, and with a bigger squad and more fans cheering us on, who knows where Bilic could take West Ham United.

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The Big Interview - Slaven Bilic
WHUFC.com

It has been almost a year since Slaven Bilic made an emotional return to West Ham United as manager, but he has cherished every moment in a memorable final season at the Boleyn Ground. The Hammers secured seventh place which was their highest top flight finish since 2002 and broke a number of records in the process scoring the most goals, accumulating the highest number of points in the Premier League and the best goal difference since 1986. Bilic created a team spirit which saw him get the best out of his players and his passion and commitment throughout the campaign saw him become an even bigger hero with the West Ham supporters. With the players now jetting off on their summer holidays, Bilic is now preparing for life in the new Stadium and he is determined to see his team grow even stronger.

I believe this been has been a terrific season for us at West Ham. We have already begun the planning to try and make next season even better but now hopefully everyone – the players, the staff and the board – will be able to take some holiday and be fresh when we return. My staff and I enjoyed our first season with West Ham very much. I am not someone who looks at statistics too much but someone pointed out that we were never out of the top ten in the Premier League and that is pretty good. We were fighting basically until the very end- even theoretically for the Champions League qualification. We played some good football, we broke some records at the club and if you add a good run in the FA Cup, it adds up to a very good season for us.

BEST MOMENT: We played many good games and there were a lot of really good moments. Going right back to the start, the opening day victory over Arsenal was one; the win in style at Liverpool after more than 50 years was another; then of course my first home win against Newcastle was memorable. There are other candidates though – the home win against both Chelsea and Spurs, our victory at Everton; the FA Cup win over Liverpool with that last minute goal.

The biggest moment, if I have to choose just one, has to be last week's win over Manchester United. That was more than a game, it was more than fighting for European qualification. It was the last game at the Boleyn Ground and we just wanted to win it. To do it in the way we did, with a lot of energy and to be up, down and then up again – that is definitely the one for me.

WORST MOMENT: There haven't been many which is good. First of all I would say the couple of early home defeats, against Leicester and especially Bournemouth. Sunday's last game defeat at Stoke was frustrating because we played well but the ball just didn't want to go in. Maybe the lowest point was the replay of the FA Cup at home to Manchester United because our plan was to win the competition if we could.

TOUGHEST OPPONENT: I can't pick one out because when we were in the red zone, we could cope with anyone and any team. I didn't see any team that I would say: "If we could nick a point today it would be brilliant." When you drop off just a little though, when you are not crazy to win, you can easily come unstuck – as we did against Bournemouth at home, Watford and Spurs away plus the FA Cup match against Manchester United. When we are good though, we are very good.

ANY REGRETS? No, none. We gave everything, we worked 24/7. Of course, after every game you don't win, you wonder if you could have done anything differently but that happens to everyone.

HAS ANYTHING SURPRISED YOU? It did help me that I had been here before, as a player, so it was more like coming back to the place where you were.
Even so though, the intensity of this league is always a surprise when you arrive. You are not playing all the time but it feels like that. Even that is not negative though. My staff and I spoke about this a lot during the season. We enjoyed it very much.

WHICH PLAYER HAS IMPROVED THE MOST? That's a difficult one because this is my first season here and I would like to assess something like this over at least a couple of seasons. Those who watched West Ham last year would maybe have a better idea but, from the beginning of this season, players such as Aaron Cresswell, Mark Noble and Michail Antonio have gone forward.

ONE WISH FOR NEXT SEASON: One wish is not enough really. First of all, I would like to keep the kind of dedication everyone has showed this season, the team spirit and to try and keep it all the time, without the little blips or dips. The second wish would be to take the energy and atmosphere from the crowd at the Boleyn Ground, wrap it up and take it with us to our new home. That is a real key for me.

WHAT HAS IMPRESSED YOU MOST ABOUT THE PREMIER LEAGUE? The intensity and the unpredictability and I am not talking about Leicester now.
It is more than ten years since I retired from playing and I have spoken to many managers from England when I was Croatia coach and when I was managing in Russia and Turkey. They all said that every game is so tough and they were contrasting it with different leagues around Europe where that wasn't the case. They would give the example of Spain and Barcelona or Real Madrid; France with Paris St Germain, Italy with Juventus or Germany with Bayern Munich where there are a few games where the difference in class is so big, it is easy. They were telling me that was not the case in England but I wasn't convinced. Now I am here, they are right. It is more here than anywhere else.

ANY MINUSES? None. I have loved my first season back in England.

This article is courtesy of the Evening Standard.

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From the Newsroom - Season Review
WHUFC.com

Rob Draper is the Chief Football Writer for the Mail on Sunday and has nothing but admiration for the job Slaven Bilic has performed at West Ham. He expects even bigger things when the Hammers move into the new Stadium and sees no reason why they cannot challenge for a Champions League place.


I am sure the majority of West Ham United supporters have enjoyed the incredible season that they have witnessed under Slaven Bilic and I am no different.

It has been a remarkable journey under the Croatian coach and we all knew that he was a charismatic individual and tactically very good from his successful time in charge of Croatia.

This was always going to be a really important year with it being the final ever season at the Boleyn Ground but they have made it one to remember.

The infrastructure is very good at the club and the board have got things right on the transfer front with some very good signings over the last two years.

It has not been a one-off with the signings of Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini and they were also very successful the year before with the arrivals of Aaron Cresswell and Cheikhou Kouyate.

Payet has turned out to be one of the buys of the season and it is very exciting to see with the club preparing for the move into the new Stadium.

When I look back at the season it has been a lot better than what I expected and even though they had to settle for seventh place, I think they can still be very happy with that they achieved.

You only have to look at the ticket sales for next season to see how big the club are becoming with 52,000 season-ticket holders and they should be going for the Champions League.

All eyes will be on Payet once again but he certainly didn't disappoint in his first season and other teams are probably kicking themselves that they didn't go for him.

He is clearly enjoying himself in England and no-one could have imagined he would become one of the top players in the Premier League in such a short space of time.

It brings back memories of when Gianfranco Zola first arrived in England and we had the first major wave of Spanish players like Juan Mata and David Silva who have that creative vision and can change a game.

Payet got off to a great start and has a passionate crowd behind him which he seems to feed off. He has kicked on and his confidence has now grown even higher.

There are other players like Michail Antonio who have come through and that is very encouraging to see. They have a good mix of players.

Aaron Cresswell has had another impressive season and he is unlucky not to have been included in the England squad for the Euro Finals. You can say the same about Mark Noble.

I am really intrigued to see how the team will perform at the new Stadium. This is certainly football in a new era with the move away from the Boleyn Ground.

With a major retail outlet just next door, the whole family can now come along to see the game and the fact there are over 50,000 season-ticket holders is extraordinary. They can be distinct as a Premier League club.

I am still digesting the fact that Leicester have won the title but it has shown that nothing is impossible in football.

There is no reason why West Ham United cannot break into the top four and get Champions League football. If they manage to do that, who knows what is possible after that. These are exciting times for the Hammers!

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily the opinions held by West Ham United

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Payet named as KUMB Player of the Year
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 17th May 2016
By: Staff Writer #2

Dimitri Payet has been named as the 2015/16 KUMB.com Player of the Year.

It was a fantastic night for the 29-year-old talisman, who also landed the Best Signing of the Year award and Goal of the Season gong - for his incredible free kick against Crystal Palace - at tonight's live awards ceremony, staged in Stratford Westfield.

Elsewhere Reece Oxford, who made 12 appearances for the first team this season - half of which came before his 17th birthday last December - was named Young Player of the Year, whilst Michail Antonio was nominated as Most Improved Player.

In any other year, your Most Memorable Match would almost certainly have been West Ham's first win at Anfield for 53 years - however that was a distant second to the last ever first team fixture at the Boleyn Ground, the 3-2 win against Manchester United.

In the remaining categories, Carlton Cole was named as your Most Missed player, Dean Ashton as KUMB Podcast Guest of the Year and referee's inconsistency as your Greatest Disappointment.

Carl Jenkinson picked up the unwanted Worst Player of the Year award, Nikica Jelavic was considered to be your Worst Signing of the Year and Roy Hodgson was named as Hackett of the Year for failing to hand a single cap to a West Ham player this season.

To see the results in full, visit the KUMB Awards home page.

* We'll have more from tonight's live show - including a Q&A with special guests Marlon Harewood and Anton Ferdinand - later this week.

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West Ham to auction off footballing memorabilia from Boleyn Ground
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 17/05/16 1:15pm
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A cache of unique pieces of footballing history will be up for auction from Wednesday as West Ham begin to sell off memorabilia and furnishings from the Boleyn Ground. Hammers fans will be able to bid for thousands of artefacts - from turnstiles and home team baths to Slaven Bilic's office chair and Sam Allardyce's fax machine - as the club leaves their home of 112 years and heads for the Olympic Stadium. Other items include the club's corner flags, goalposts, home showers, the famous 'Home of the Academy' sign from the tunnel, the actual John Lyall double gates, the Paolo Di Canio Lounge sign and even the bubble-making machine. One debate recently has been whether West Ham played at Upton Park or the Boleyn Ground. The sign 'Welcome to Upton Park - home of the Hammers' would suggest the former. West Ham say some items were not considered for auction, including the World Cup winners medals and England caps of Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters. The stadium contents online auction will open on Wednesday, May 18 and close on June 8 and 9, while the football memorabilia online auction will open next week and close on June 13 and 14. Proceeds from the auction will be invested in the club's youth academy. A live webcast auction at the Boleyn Ground will take place on Saturday, June 4.

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Swansea City yet to receive offer for Andre Ayew
By Andy Charles
Last Updated: 17/05/16 4:00pm
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Swansea City are yet to receive an offer from either Sunderland or West Ham for striker Andre Ayew, Sky sources understand. The two clubs have been linked with a move for the Ghana international, who said earlier this week his future at the club would be dependent on a summer talk with chairman Huw Jenkins. Ayew, who finished the season with 12 goals to top Swansea's scoring chart. was heavily linked with Sunderland during the January transfer window, while West Ham are also in the market for at least one striker. It is understood Jenkins would listen to offers of £15m for the 26-year-old, who was born in France and spent the first nine years of his professional career with Marseille before moving to south Wales. Ayew has three years remaining on his contract and, after Swansea's 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Sunday, he said: "I'm happy here. If I have to stay, fine. If I have to leave, I have to leave. "What is important for me is that I keep doing my work, and in football the truth of today is not the truth of tomorrow. "We'll see what's going to happen, we'll have a discussion and see the way forward."

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Reece Oxford rejects new West Ham contract - Sky sources
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 17/05/16 9:29pm
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West Ham's Reece Oxford has rejected a new deal with the club, Sky sources understand. It is also understood it would take a bid in excess of £10m for the Hammers to consider selling the 17-year-old, who can play in defence or midfield. Oxford, who is under contract until 2018, is regarded by West Ham as the brightest prospect to come through the club's academy since Rio Ferdinand. He made his debut in the 3-0 first leg win of their Europa League first qualifying round tie with Andorran side Lusitanos in July 2015. Oxford went on to become the youngest Premier League player in the Hammers' history when he started their opening game of the season, a 2-0 win away to Arsenal that set the tone for an impressive campaign for Slaven Bilic's side. He has since played a further 11 games for the Hammers but his last may have come as a substitute in the 3-0 win over West Brom at the Hawthorns on April 30.

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West Ham have £31m bid for Alexandre Lacazette rejected
By Andy Charles
Last Updated: 17/05/16 9:35pm
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West Ham have had a £31m bid for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette rejected by the Ligue 1 side, Sky sources understand. The Hammers are keen to add to their attacking options and it is understood they were rebuffed by Bournemouth on Monday when they made an offer for striker Callum Wilson and winger Matt Ritchie. Slaven Bilic's side have also been linked with Liverpool forward Christian Benteke and Marseille's Michy Batshuayi, as well as Lacazette. The 24-year-old was a target for Newcastle last season, both in the summer and January, and he has been a prolific goalscorer for his club over the last three seasons. He scored 27 times in 33 league appearances in 2014-15 and added a further 21 league goals this season and only signed a new four-year contract at Lyon in August. West Ham's co-owner David Sullivan said last week, as the club was preparing to say farewell to the Boleyn Ground, that a number of bids for strikers had been made or were being plotted. They have already agreed a deal to bring Norway midfielder Havard Nordtveit to the club when the transfer window opens.

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Irons summer wages pot boosted by departures
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on May 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
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Exclusive

West Ham are sitting on a fresh £7 million wage pot after the departure of loaned players from the season. The club have seen Carl Jenkinson (£2 million in loan fee and wages) return to Arsenal following injury and others who will now be on their way back plus one who will be released will give the club further £5 million. Alex Song's wage and loan fee of £2 million is available along with £1.5 million for Victor Moses and a further £1.5 for Emmanuel Emineke.
On top of that the club will allow Joey O'Brien to leave which will add another £1 million to the cash available for new players. With the club now actively looking to offload Enner Valencia for around £12 million to China and with a further £1.2 million windfall from Middlesbrough's promotion following the transfer of Stewart Downing, the summer outlook is set fair.
It means that if the club get the price they want for Valencia, the manager will have around £20 million at his disposal before the club touch any of the TV money. ClaretandHugh was told this morning: "We have our plans in place and clearly there is a chink of money available from the departure of the loanees immediately."

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No bids for Cherries duo
Posted by Sean Whetstone on May 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
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Reports from Sky Sources that Bournemouth have rejected a £25m bid from West Ham for striker Callum Wilson and midfielder Matt Ritchie are wide of the mark Claret and Hugh understands.
Sky Sports claim the Hammers have been told Wilson and Ritchie are not for sale and, at the moment and conveniently added the Irons are not planning to make any further offers. The whole report has left the club are bemused and officially marks the start of silly season.
We understand no bids have been tabled for the duo and the club do not value the pair anywhere close to £25m touted should they ever decide to make a move.
The 2016 summer transfer window opens on Thursday, June 9th and closes on Wednesday, August 31th two and a half weeks after the start of the 2016/17 Premier League season. With the new TV broadcast deal starting in 2016/17, clubs may break the £1bn transfer fees spent in 2015/2016 season.

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Boleyn auction raises fans' anxieties
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on May 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
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The club has announced that the first of three end of season auctions for Irons memorabilia begins tomorrow morning (Wed). And in the picture above you will see some of the items the club has decided to put under the 'hammer'. The club says in its website announcement that "Wednesday's auction presents an unique opportunity to become the proud new owner of a precious Boleyn Ground keepsake as the Club prepares to embark on an exciting new chapter in Hammers history. "

However, at the ClaretandHugh facebook group a different view is being taken by some and here's some random comments from members:

O Just having a look at the West Ham Auction site I can't understand why some of these Lots are on there. They are part of our West Ham history, not fixtures & fittings from the ground. 😞
O Wondered that myself. It seems a lot of items are up there that belong to all of us, in that very important 'spiritual' sense
O I thought same
O They are part of our history but where would they keep them otherwise?
O Do you remember Arsenal selling off all their memorabilia every 10 years, to save space? Thought we were moving to a bigger stadium? Bad move!
O I understand that we are moving into a bigger stadium but all the pieces that are sold via the auction will be replaced by new items across the OS like signs, pictures, equipment etc. So there wouldn't be space as it would be taken up by new things.
O Don't buy that. Many of those items were presented to commemorate events at the club which are part of our history-not seats/signs that are too big to move. VERY disappointed DG & DS!
O Yes, for commemorative items given to the club I agree those should be kept at the club as they are unique pieces. Only some things should have been auctioned.
O Does seem odd???
O All the shirts from the stairwells are up for grabs. Selling everything it seems. I guess its because they only have the shop and ticket office/offices at the OS. No back area at the actual stadium that they can use. Great shame.

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West Ham Academy clear out
Posted by Sean Whetstone on May 17, 2016 in News
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According to the reliable WHUFC Youth blog, several of the clubs U21s and second year scholars will depart the West Ham Academy in the summer. In addition to Elliot Lee who has already confirmed he is leaving, Leo Chambers, Jaanai Gordon, Nathan Mavila, Amos Nasha, Ross Elsom, Tim Brown, Clarke Bogard and Matt Carter will all leave the Hammers after not being offered new contracts, with the exception of Carter who declined a professional deal and has trained with Bournemouth.

WHUFC Youth say: "Second year professional Moses Makasi will sign a new deal, as well as second year scholars Grady Diangana and Noha Sylvestre who will join the U21s permanently next season alongside Sam Howes, Josh Pask, Marcus Browne and George Dobson."

Lee and Chambers were in their final U21 season at the club and with the club looking to sign players for the first team summer, they have been allowed to move on. Striker Gordon, winger Mavila and defensive midfielder Nasha were entering their final U21-eligible year and despite the latter two being involved in the Europa League, with Nasha making his debut, they have been released.

Mavila has been on trial at Perugia and Sligo Rovers may seek to make Gordon's deal permanent on a free and Nasha will likely be on the radar of many clubs."

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Nordveit believes we're "something special"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on May 17, 2016 in News
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Havard Nordtveit believes that West Ham is the perfect club for him because the team has something special. Speaking to the official site he said: "It has always been a dream for me to play in the Premier League and now I have a big opportunity to do that for West Ham – I cannot wait to start "This team has something special, a spirit in the team that I can fit into. I will work hard and hopefully I can get some good moments at this club. "I'm a player who can play many roles on the pitch, but I'm from Norway so maybe a little bit more running, tackles and try to spread a few balls around me. "I'm looking forward to showing what I can do, but hopefully I have something to help West Ham achieve even more." Meanwhile – as reported on ClaretandHugh a couple of days ago, the club has launched a £30 million bid for a top European striker believed to be Alexandre Lacazette That was confirmed on Sky Sport News by David Sullivan who said: "Whatever happens, we'll bring a top striker in."

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Irons to sign relegated players? No No No
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on May 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
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So the silly season is officially underway with Sky Sports and the Sun setting hares running which simply do not exist. And along the way they are leaving the impression that West Ham United is very much the same sort of club this year as it was last. After a season which most see as the start of something bigger and bigger they associate us with relegated players and two in particular two from Bournemouth whom they value together at £25 million. The reason for the price tag is obvious – that is mentioned because the club has made it clear they have £25 million to spend on a striker so it gets attached to every prospect the media want to name. LAZY! Among the names that have been thrown out over the last few days have been Nathan Redmond and Robby Brady from relegated Norwich City plus Andros Townsend and Georginio Wijnaldum from relegated Newcastle and Idrissa Gueye from Aston Villa. The Bournemouth pair of Callum Wilson and Matt Ritchie is a flyer of immense proportions which was immediately knocked back by the Hammers via CandH. Oh and by the way the story was first reported over a year ago.
I can tell you here and now that none of those are in the frame and that all our energies are being directed towards Alexandre Lacazette in Europe whilst Christian Benteke and Jamie Vardy – although unlikely – have also been on the target list. None of the players above have been named to me privately or publicly at any stage – we are looking at bigger and better in all areas of our operation and these pieces of fiction are becoming par for the course. We are now a big club with a big future looking to buy big players. Forget this stuff which makes us look small time because it's simply not true.

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Eddie Howe fuming after West Ham's double bid for Callum Wilson and Matt Ritchie... as Bournemouth manager insists it was wrong of them to bid before their last game
Manchester United 3-1 Bournemouth: Click here for Sportsmail's report
Eddie Howe admits West Ham bid for Callum Wilson and Matt Ritchie
The Bournemouth boss was not happy with the timing of their bids
West Ham bid a day before Bournemouth's final game of the season
By Jack Gaughan for MailOnline
Published: 22:31, 17 May 2016 | Updated: 22:50, 17 May 2016

Eddie Howe was left fuming at West Ham's double bid for Callum Wilson and Matt Ritchie, labelling their timing as 'bizarre'. The Bournemouth manager was angry at the joint offer - which was rejected out of hand by the Cherries - arriving a day before their final game of the season at Manchester United. Howe claimed the money on offer was less than the quoted £25million, and said: 'We had a bid yesterday evening. The disappointing thing from my perspective is why the bid has come the day before a game. 'You have the whole season to bid for players. I don't understand that. They were two players who were due to play and there's a lot of speculation surrounding their futures. That was bizarre.'
Bournemouth have no intention of selling their better players as they start planning for a second season in the Premier League. 'It was rejected. We don't need to sell,' he added. 'We've got a really ambitious owner. We want to improve our squad. 'Our biggest challenge is going to be keeping the players we have. We love the guys we're working with. We respect them as people.'


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Give us Samuelsen plea going to Davids
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on May 17, 2016 in Fans Forum, News, Whispers
C and H

Peterborough United director of football will again attempt to Martin Samuelsen back to the club next season after appointing former Hammer Grant McCann as the new Posh boss.

The Posh replaced manager Graham Westley with the 36 year old Irishman as they want a return to the free flowing Irons-type football they love to play.

And speaking exclusively to ClaretandHugh tonight Barry said: "We are relying on West Ham to get us promoted via a man brought up in the West Ham Way and Martin who is a true Irons type player."

He explained that although he had advised the Davids to send teenager Martin out to a Championship club after his spell with The Posh last season, the appointment of McCann – who was with the Hammers from the age of 18 until he was 23 – meant that he had to try to get the young Norwegian back to London Road.

He said: "Grant loves Martin and the boy had a very close relationship with him last season when he was a member of the Westley backroom team.

He said: "Having now appointed Grant as our manager we need to reunite him with Martin because he is a priority player for us in the new set up.

"I shall be talking to the Davids because he will get regular first team football under our new manager who sees him as a key player in the way he wants to play."
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Reece Oxford valuation revealed
Posted by Sean Whetstone on May 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Sky Sports News say West Ham will entertain bids in excess of £10 million for West Ham youngster Reece Oxford rather than face picking up compensation in a year and a half's time after his alleged refusal to agree to a new contract. Oxford has 18 months left on a two-year contract he signed in December on his 17th birthday but the club are keen to tie him down to a long term deal on his 18th birthday this December.

Last week ,Claret and Hugh revealed The Hammers and representatives of Reece Oxford have yet to reach agreement. Reece is thought to earn £7,000 per week on his current deal but his representatives are said to want a significant increase on that deal in return for agreeing to commit his long-term future to the Hammers.

Reece Oxford has taken to twitter himself to play down the reports by saying "Wow rumours will be rumours !😂😴"

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