Monday, August 29

Daily WHUFC News - 29th August 2016

Preview - Man City
WHUFC.com

Where and when?
Manchester City v West Ham United
Premier League
Etihad Stadium
Sunday 28 August 2016, 4pm BST
What's the story?
West Ham United will look to bounce back following their European exit when
they travel to early Premier League leaders Manchester City on Sunday.

Slaven Bilic's men suffered the disappointment of defeat in the UEFA Europa
League to Romanian side Astra Giurgiu for the second year in succession in
midweek and will hope for exactly the same response as last season.

Then, the Hammers followed a loss to Astra by heading to Emirates Stadium as
underdogs and defeating Arsenal 2-0.

This time the task takes them to the blue half of Manchester, with the east
Londoners tasked with ending Pep Guardiola's 100 per cent start to life in
the hotseat with the Citizens.

In the league, Manchester City have defeated Sunderland 2-1 and Stoke City
4-1 in their opening two fixtures, giving them top spot on goal difference
ahead of local rivals Manchester United, Hull City and Chelsea.

That success was matched in UEFA Champions League qualification, with a 5-0
win over Steaua Bucharest in Romania being backed up with a 1-0 win in
Manchester to ensure progress to the group stage.

West Ham, meanwhile, secured their first league win of the season last
weekend, when Michail Antonio's late goal saw off AFC Bournemouth.

With the first international break of the season following this fixture,
both teams will be keen to sign off in positive fashion.
Team news
Slaven Bilic will hope his team's injury problems will begin to ease going
into this international break, with Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini both
closing in on a return.

Bilic said in his pre-match press conference that one of the pair could be
involved in Manchester, with Mark Noble also set to return to the fold after
sitting out in midweek.

Havard Nordtveit was withdrawn at half time against Astra after suffering a
kick to the same foot he bruised against Chelsea, and will miss the trip to
Etihad Stadium.

Aaron Cresswell, Andy Carroll (both knee), Sofiane Feghouli, and Andre Ayew
(both thigh) are all out, but Arthur Masuaku returns to the squad after
being ineligible for Thursday's loss.
Any links between the two?
West Ham's former Manchester City academy midfielder Martin Samuelsen has
this week joined Sky Bet Championship side Blackburn Rovers on a season-long
loan so won't be at Etihad Stadium to take on his former team.

Last season the Hammers triumphed 2-1 at Etihad Stadium, when goals from
Victor Moses and Diafra Sakho gave them a platform to withstand Kevin de
Bruyne's reply and a City onslaught to take the points.

At the Boleyn Ground, West Ham were twice pegged back in a 2-2 draw, with
Enner Valencia's double being matched by a brace from Sergio Aguero.
How do I get to the game?
Click here for information on how to get to Etihad Stadium and here for the
latest news on the trains.
How can I watch the game?
The match is being broadcast live in the UK by Sky Sports.

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Teenage midfielder pleased with solid start
WHUFC.com

Young midfielder Alfie Lewis impressed in West Ham PL2's clash at Swansea
City on Friday night
The 16-year-old starred as the Hammers enjoyed the majority of possession
He was left disappointed with the defeat and felt the visitors should have
had more

Midfielder Alfie Lewis was disappointed to come away from the Liberty
Stadium empty handed on Friday after the Hammers performed well but were
eventually beaten 2-0 by Swansea City.

The 16-year-old started in West Ham United PL2's midfield and showed his
maturity, impressing as the Hammers dominated possession particularly in the
opening period.

Manager Terry Westley sung Lewis' praises after the game, and the teenager
admitted he is feeling confident after a great start to the campaign.

He said: "It's early in the season, but it's good to start well and I want
to build on that now. I've scored two in two for the U18s this season and
I'm really confident at the moment as it's gone well for me.

"I've got to keep it going and keep performing now to a consistent level.

"In the first half against Swansea, we kept the ball very well and were
unlucky not to be in the lead and then second half, I don't think they
really deserved the game overall with the chances we created and got, so
it's tough on us for sure.

"I thought I did well in midfield. It's always tough getting up and down the
pitch but I think I did OK and I just need to build on this performance to
try and get into the squad and team for the next game as well."

The youngster played in the centre with the more experienced Moses Makasi
and now is looking ahead to the side's EFL Trophy tie against Coventry City
on Tuesday.

"I think Moses and I in midfield controlled the game well first half, but
the whole team maybe lacked a little bit of quality in the final third and
that's why we didn't win the game.

"You have to make chances and take them and I think our final ball was
lacking a bit, so it's frustrating for us.

"If I'm involved with the lads, I'm really looking forward to Tuesday at
Coventry. I think the EFL Trophy will be tough for us, and there's a lot of
competition. Playing against first teams, it's going to be hard.

"With our squad as well, there are a lot of players looking for first team
appearances, so it's a chance for the younger lads to push on and take the
opportunity.

"This season for me, of course I want to cement my place in the 23s and also
play 18s football obviously too. Hopefully it will be a bit of both for me
this campaign."

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Fernandes - 'I want to become a top player'
WHUFC.com

Switzerland U21 international Edimilson Fernandes wants to make his mark
after completing his move to West Ham United. The all-action midfielder has
joined the Hammers on a four-year contract from Swiss Super League club FC
Sion and is now targeting his first opportunity to impress in Claret and
Blue. The 20-year-old told whufc.com is relishing the chance to play in
front of 57,000 fans at London Stadium and 'adding excitement' to Slaven
Bilic's side.

Welcome to West Ham United, what was it that made you want to sign here this
summer?

"I am really happy to be here at West Ham United, it is a new challenge for
me and now it is down to me to work hard to become a top player."

You were introduced to the London Stadium crowd on Thursday. What did you
make of our new home?

"Obviously, I had never been to London Stadium before as it is new, I will
be working to my best to get to the top. It is a large stadium, I have also
played at Anfield here in England, but this stadium is really big and
impressive.

What can the supporters expect to see from Edimilson Fernandes?

"I am a player capable of getting the game going and adding excitement to
the action on the pitch."

You arrive at the Club at an exciting time for the Club – how exciting is
that for you personally?

"I didn't really expect to join the Club at this time in my career, but I am
delighted to be here and London is a fantastic city, so I am looking forward
to working hard to get there."

How much of an influence did Slaven Bilic have in you joining the Club?

"I didn't know the manager before, but I spoke to the manager before signing
and the conversation was very positive and I appreciate this opportunity."

I bet you can't wait to play in a midfield alongside Manuel Lanzini, Dimitri
Payet, Mark Noble, Cheikhou Kouyate and others?

"I am really excited to get an opportunity to play with these great players.
I watched the Euros from home and it makes me proud to now call some of them
my teammates."

How much do you know about the Premier League?

"I have always watched the Premier League and the games here are crazy. The
speed of the games is something which is different and I am really looking
forward to being able to play in this league."

We had Swiss international Valon Behrami who was a fans' favourite here, how
well do you know him? And would you hope to emulate his success in Claret
and Blue?

"Of course I think I can be as popular as him, but that will come from
working hard here and that is what I plan to do."

What would you like to achieve here as a player?

"I want to continue to improve my game and then to break into the first
team. I need to work hard in training and then the manager will make the
decision as to when I am ready."

To move to London is a big decision, how do you feel about the move?

"I am ready for this next chapter. London is not like Switzerland, it is a
lot bigger but I am more than ready for it."

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FORWARD THINKING-A LOOK AT SOME OF OUR LESS SUCCESSFUL STRIKERS
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 27 AUGUST 2016 AT 9:33PM
TheWestHamWay,couk
Paulo Wancope
Written by @neilpt7e

Forward Thinking

So as I'm writing this nursing a hangover from hell and still miffed at our
awful performance last night we could be on the verge of another record
signing.

Simone Zaza looks to be joining our ranks from Juve. The first player I've
seen who seems to suffer from a leg stutter. Will he be a success? We will
have to see, probably after a 4-5 month layoff once he picks up an injury
before he even kicks a ball in anger, knowing our luck!

I thought I would look back at some of our forward signings that haven't
really been that successful.

David Kelly

Signed from Walsall where he scored an impressive 63 goals in 147
appearances. Kelly who suffered from a hip disorder in his childhood had
already represented the Republic of Ireland despite playing in the third
division. It's fair to say that 'Ned' didn't have the best of time with us
only managing 7 goals in 41 appearances. He was one of John Lyall's last
signings as he was sacked the following summer due to our relegation.

Iain Dowie

So bad we signed him twice. His first time with us saw the part time model
score 4 goals in his brief spell which only lasted 12 games. To be fair he
was signed to cover for the injured Trevor Morley who had been stabbed by
his wife! Following our promotion and the return of Morley saw Dowie sold to
Southampton. He returned in 1995 and in 3 seasons 69 games he managed 9
goals! Oh actually 10 but one was for Stockport! He also played upfront with
another part time model Dani, I wondered where Ben Stiller got his idea for
Zoolander!

Lee Chapman

Signed from Portsmouth, Lee managed 11 goals in 51 appearances and was so
awful he was replaced by a fan (Steve Davies) in a pre-season against
Oxford. Davies actually scored in a 4-0 win for the 'ammers.

Marco Boogers

Redknapp supposedly signed him on the back of watching a video tape of him
playing (although Boogers refutes this) and we signed him for £1,000,000
from Sparta Rotterdam. In his first match he came on as a substitute and
then proceeded to take Gary Neille out waist high and got sent off. He
apparently went missing for a few days after that and following a
misunderstanding from a telephone conversation between a PA at West Ham and
a Clubcall reporter the Sun ran with a headline of 'Barmy Boogers Living in
a Caravan'! Marco suffered with a knee injury and played his last of 4 games
in a 4-2 defeat to Villa.

Florin Radiciou

I've already covered Florin's 11 game career with us in a previous article
so I will leave you with this little known fact. Florin is one of only two
players to of played in Europe's top five divisions (England, Spain,
Germany, Italy and France)!

Samassi Abou

Samassi was signed from AS Cannes for £250,000. In three seasons he played
22 games and scored 5 goals. I can remember him standing the wrong side of
the post defending a corner and using the F word on Soccer AM!

Paulo Wanchope

Signed from Derby for £3.5 million the scorer of Derby County's greatest
ever goal (as voted by fans) Paulo managed 12 goals in 35 games. Probably
one of the most frustrating player's I've seen at West Ham he honestly went
from 'World Beater' to 'Panel Beater' in a matter of seconds. At one point
my mates and I were convinced he had a twin and it was a lottery as to which
one turned up! Last I saw he had resigned as Costa Rica's national manager
due to an after match fight with a steward!

Titi Camara

Signed with Rigobert Song from Liverpool at the age of 57 (roughly) Titi
scored no goals in 14 appearances. On signing for us he spoke about how is
was here to play and score goals which worked out well for the OAP.

Serhiy Rebrov

Signed from Tottenham on a Free even though they paid £11 million for him,
Serhiy only managed the one goal in 27 appearances. I think it's fair to say
Tottenham ruined him!

Benni McCarthy

Arrived from Blackburn for an 'undisclosed Fee' probably a KFC bargain
bucket! The overweight South African only played 11 games and failed to
score. He received £1.5 million for tearing up his contract. Then shot down
to Burger King to see how many whoppers he could get…. 385,604 apparently!!

Modibo Maiga

The Mali international signed from Sochaux where he bagged 24 goals in 59
games. Despite scoring against Chelsea and Tottenham he only managed 4 in 34
for us. He never looked like recapturing his Sochaux form and he took
himself off to Saudi Arabia.

Enner Valencia

I feel a bit bad for including him but 8 goals in 51 games is very
disappointing. Despite his impressive record for Ecuador his confidence is
about as shot as his ability to trap a ball! Think he leave and knowing our
luck he will rediscover his form and probably score 20+ goals for his next
team!

Should Zaza sign let's hope he doesn't end up on this list!

Up the 'ammers

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TRANSFER UPDATE&EXCLUSIVE: REECE BURKE TO JOIN WIGAN ON LOAN NEXT WEEK
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 27 AUGUST 2016 AT 10:15AM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 01: Reece Burke of West Ham United during the first
day of pre-season training at Chadwell Heath on July 1, 2016 in London,
England. (Photo by Avril Husband/West Ham United via Getty Images)
Talented youngster Reece Burke is due to join Wigan on a season long loan
next week. This move follows on from our disappointing exit from Europe
meaning Reece is unlikely to get as many first team games as he could of had
we remained in the tournament. Burke recently signed a new four year deal
and is seen as the natural successor to James Collins at the club. A move
to Championship club Wigan should give him even more vital experience before
becoming a first team regular at the club.

Burke's move could mean that the club look to loan a right back until the
end of the season to provide competition to Sam Byram. Bilic could still
use Antonio as the back up right back but it is thought that the manager has
now accepted that he is much more useful on the wing and will not be moulded
into the "World Class" right back that Bilic originally thought that he
could be. We could turn to Arsenal for this loan player with both Calum
Chambers, who has been made available for a loan, or Mathieu Debuchy, who
has been told he can leave the club but apparently wishes to stay in London.
Both players would provide significant competition for Byram and this would
be welcome at the club.

We have also been told that Payet should remain at the club and he, Lanzini
and Noble have recovered from their injuries in time to be in the squad for
Sunday.

Should the club be able to shift some more players before Wednesday then we
could see Bony join us as well as Zaza. Zaza is expected to be announced
today (Saturday).



For the best transfer deadline day coverage SDCC , myself and special guest
Jack Sullivan will be on air on our radio station Phoenix 98Fm from 9pm to
the close of the window. You will not miss a trick.

The new West Ham Way app is set to launch on Monday too, download that and
you will not miss anything that happens in the West Ham world.

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LONDON STADIUM, THE VERDICT
BY BEN COOPER ON 27 AUGUST 2016 AT 11:35PM
TheWesTahmWay.co.uk

This article was written by Richard Oses.

I finally got to go to my first game at the new stadium on Thursday.

Those who follow my articles and Facebook page (facebook.com/bubblesfanzine)
will know me as quite a positive person, so I will continue to put a
positive spin in this article as best I can.

First of all, I want to quickly touch on the game itself. Astra knew they
were not the better footballing side and that they would have to play mind
games and get under the skin of the West Ham players. Lessons from last
year's exit were clearly not learnt, whether that is down to the manager or
the players, remains to be seen but every time the Hammers had any sort of
momentum it was broken up by "injuries" to an Astra player or time wasting
from their goal kicks and throw ins. West Ham did not know how to cope with
the mind games and ultimately it cost them their place in the group stages.



I do not want to dwell on the game and result too much, we move on and aim
for silverware in the cup knowing that 9 key players are due to return to
the squad and once they do we will see a very top class West Ham side once
again.

I didn't know what to expect from our new home as I set off from Newport in
Wales. My old match day routine was centred around pre match drinks at the
supporters club and enjoying watching the queue outside Nathan's pie and
mash, the build up to the game was usually heightened by the crowds walking
down Barking road and Green street, the smell of the onions frying from the
various burger vans and all the other familiar sights and smells unique to
that area.

I knew Stratford would be different to that but I didn't understand to what
extent it would be.
As I left Stratford station I headed right and walked across what I thought
would be the main bridge but it turned out to be the one further to the left
but I sill got the wow factor, as in the distance the massive stadium
started to emerge. It really is a sight to behold, one which I found breath
taking. It reminded me of being a child and the feeling I had in the pit of
my stomach was very nostalgic and reminiscent of Christmas day.

The first thing that struck me upon approaching the stadium was the street
food vendors. Domino's pizza is a stark contrast to Ercan chip shop or
Nathan's. I know it seems like quite an anal observation but the pre-match
build up felt more like a trip to Wembley for an exhibition game rather than
approaching a West Ham home game. Those sights, smells and sounds were a big
part of my match day experience and the grubby streets of Upton Park were
replaced with the sterile and shiny surroundings of the Olympic Park and
Westfield with its posh looking bars like the Cow.

This isn't a negative point per say, more so an observation on my behalf of
a small detail that to me makes a difference but to you might be neither
here nor there.

I didn't waste much time getting into the stadium after taking some
mandatory selfies outside, and I ended up through the turnstiles. I loved it
inside, I was extremely impressed inside the concourse, plenty of room,
plenty of toilets and plenty of food and drink stalls.



The one thing that really used to get on my nerves at the Boleyn or any
other stadium for that matter, was the split between upper tier and lower
tier. If you sat in the upper tier, you had a specific set of turnstiles and
they led to a staircase with five or six flights to the concourse. In the
London stadium, each block gives you access to both lower and upper tier
with ease. I think the layout is very impressive, both tiers in the east
stand are very close to each other and to me, that is a great bonus as I
hated climbing up so many stairs before.

I found my seat in no time at all, I happened to be sat dead on the half way
line in the second row from the front of the upper tier (row 32).

I had expected the pitch to look miles away but in all honesty, the view was
world class. Sitting in my seat and taking in the view and my surroundings
really left me in absolute awe of the place. I had a huge grin on my face
and I am nothing other than hugely impressed with the work that has gone in
to making this stadium a fantastic venue to watch sports in.

The next thing on my list of observations was to get a feel of what the
atmosphere would be like, bearing in mind this was a general sale game
rather than a league game where you do tend to get a different mix of fans.
The initial round of blowing bubbles before kick off when the players left
the tunnel was deafening and spine tingling.
I picked up on how much louder the extra 20,000 people made the singing
sound. As a whole, throughout the game, for my liking, there was enough
atmosphere and various busts of ironic "stand up if you love West Ham" in
response to the no standing rules.

This brings me nicely onto a few issues I picked up on as the match played
out and it saddens me to have to write this next part.
At Upton Park, some people stood, some people sat down. But you always knew
which parts of the stadium would do which, usually Bobby Moore and Chav
corner had the standing up and the bulk of the songs, and the rest were sat
down.
I'm usually in-between, I loved standing as a youngster but I now have
severe back problems which makes it a lot harder for me to stand for long
periods of time. I respect the rules and others around me that like to sit
except when we stand up to sing Bubbles or there is am exciting attacking
move which might lead to a goal being scored.

As much as I understand the club's stance on standing due to the council and
stadium operator's rules, I got the feeling that the enforcement of these
rules was a tad on the heavy handed side. I didn't see any harm in the odd
"stand up if you love West Ham" and at least 75% were sat down the rest of
the time. I think that once people settle into groups of standing and
sitting, no one will have any issues with it. The stewards need to
understand these things more than they presently do and give people a chance
to show their passion and sit down again before being so heavy handed.

One of the big issues on this subject, as I understand it is that at Upton
Park, West Ham employed their own security and as I mentioned already,
everyone had their own areas of the stadium for standing. Over here, the
stadium provides the security rather than the club and there is a big lack
of understanding from them.

Another situation which caused a big issue from what I witnessed on Thursday
seems to be the amount of non-West Ham fans. Especially where I was sat in
the East Stand. I have no idea whether this is down to cheaper ticket prices
or how it has materialised, but I have never witnessed anything as bizarre
at a West Ham game in my entire life.

The group in the row in front of me had no idea who West Ham were playing or
what competition it was in. They were there to enjoy a night out at a
football game but ended up chatting all game and taking various selfies as
well as whatsapping friends or checking emails.

Then there was a group of lads behind me of which one of them openly
admitted he was not a West Ham supporter but had purchased a season ticket
"because why not? It's cheap and I work in the area".

At half time, a friend of mine came over to see me and told me he had seen
someone in the toilets wearing a Crystal Palace shirt. I also spotted an
Arsenal shirt and a Man United shirt.

This would never have happened at Upton Park. I felt disgusted by it, and
salt was rubbed in the wound by the fact these people were giving me filthy
looks for simply singing COME ON YOU IRONS and Bubbles! I was a West Ham fan
at a home game, joining in with my fellow home supporters, singing the
songs, creating a atmosphere but being looked at like a scum bag for daring
to sing around them because they were all there for a quiet chit chat and a
nice evening.
I mentioned an exhibition game at Wembley type atmosphere and feeling before
the game as I approached the stadium. Well this was the case inside where I
was sat as well.

I am a traditional, old school Hammer who has embraced the move to Stratford
with open arms and an open mind. I applaud Mr's Gold and Sullivan, I take my
hat off to Mrs Brady. They have worked wonders for this club and I still
think that the move was important for the future of the club. It is a
fantastic stadium and it looks a lot like a West Ham home ground, largely
down to the hard work and craft put in to its conversion. However, it will
not feel like home if non-West Ham fans are buying tickets and the stadium's
own security staff are taking control of things they have no right to
control. The stadium needs to be managed the same way that West Ham managed
the Boleyn ground.

Despite my obvious ranting and negativity, I cannot offer a solution to
anyone as to how to stop these people buying a ticket. However they did it
at Upton Park would be a start!

I am not naive enough to think it would be exactly the same! I'll get used
to eating pizza rather than Pie and Mash. I can get used to the shiny and
sterile walk to the ground. I can get used to everything because I know it
is for the greater good. I love the stadium and the views are fantastic. I
love our directors and the manager. I detest how much control has been given
up to a third party stadium operator and their staff. Get that control back,
get rid of the fake fans, and you will have a fortress and intimidating home
atmosphere once again.

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Slaven Bilic claims West Ham can cause an upset against Manchester City
By Rory O'Callaghan
Last Updated: 27/08/16 1:47pm
SSN

Slaven Bilic has backed his West Ham side to cause an upset against
Manchester City for the second consecutive season.

The Hammers head to the Etihad in the Premier League on Sunday and Bilic
will be hoping for a repeat of last season's corresponding fixture, which
West Ham won 2-1 - thanks to goals from Victor Moses and Diafra Sakho.

The Hammers go into the game on the back of a disappointing Europa League
play-off defeat to Astra Giurgiu on Thursday evening.

However, despite that result, Bilic is confident his side can cause an upset
in Manchester this weekend.

"It wasn't very likely last year because they had started great and had 15
points from five games without conceding a goal," Bilic said at his
pre-match press conference.

"But we played a really good game. We scored twice in the first half.

"In the second half they put us under pressure and were really dominating
and creating a few chances, but they missed them and we were good in
defending the box. Then we made that huge win.

"There's no reason why we shouldn't do it this season. We know it's a big
challenge, not only regarding our injury situation, but we are hoping and
our whole plan is to have a good game and to get something out of it.

"It's going to be hard, of course. They've shown already they are top-class
players and they've gelled.

"They were the most impressive in their Champions League game against Steaua
in Bucharest, but what gives us hope is that Sunderland made it hard for
them and so did Stoke - the result was 4-1 but it was not that easy and the
game was very even for a long period.

"Man City were Man City last year and we can do it again."

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West Ham still keen on Wilfried Bony loan despite landing Simone Zaza
22:30, 26 AUG 2016
BY DARREN LEWIS
The Juventus striker is on the verge of joining the Hammers and Slaven Bilic
is eager to bolster his attack further
The Mirror

Slaven Bilic has not given up on a potential loan deal for Wilfried Bony
despite landing £25million Simone Zaza from Juventus.

The West Ham boss remains angry that his side have missed out on the Europa
League group stages for the second successive year to Romanian side Astra
Giurgiu.

He will spend the final week of the window sorting out his attack to ensure
the Hammers do not suffer similarly in the League.

Enner Valencia remains a target for both Aston Villa who have already had an
ambitious bid rejected.
Loan signing Jonathan Calleri has made an unconvincing start while
injury-prone Andy Carroll is out for up to six weeks with a knee injury.

Claudio VillaSimone Zaza is set to sign for the Hammers
Bilic has admitted to being delighted to have finally landed Italy striker
Zaza, who scored five goals in 19 Serie A appearances last season.

He said: "It's very positive and it's a boost. We've been trying for a long
time now to get a top-quality striker and he was always mentioned."

Despite Bilic's claims to the contrary, Bony is still an option for a
short-term deal until January when he is expected to leave Manchester City
for China.

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West Ham told Andre Ayew can be fit in a FORTNIGHT not four months using
traditional Ghanaian remedies
22:30, 27 AUG 2016 UPDATED 22:50, 27 AUG 2016
BY STEVE GOODMAN
Frontman signed for £20.5m then injured just 20 minutes into his debut is
meant to be out until November — but his national FA have a cunning plan
The Mirror

West Ham's crocked record buy Andre Ayew has been summoned home by Ghana FA
chiefs... to be treated with HERBAL MEDICINE, writes Steve Goodman in the
Sunday People. The striker, a £20.5million summer signing from Swansea,
injured his thigh 20 minutes into his debut against Chelsea. The Hammers'
boss Slaven Bilic has confirmed Ayew will be sidelined until the end of
November. But Ghana's technical director has urged the 26-year-old to return
home so he can undergo plant and herbal treatments – insisting they will get
Ayew fit in just a fortnight. And Oti Akenteng said he will press the
player's dad, Ghana legend Abedi Pele, to order his son back. Akenteng said:
"There are a lot of herbal medical doctors, who can use traditional medicine
to cure Andre Ayew's injury in just two weeks.
"I will speak to his father about that. "I believe that if he comes to
Ghana and returns as a fit person, his manager would have no other option
than to use him."

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WEST HAM ACCIDENTALLY ANNOUNCE SIGNING OF SIMONE ZAZA
MICHAEL OLIVER
ReadestHam.com

West Ham have inadvertently announced the signing of Simone Zaza on a
season-long loan from Juventus – by publishing an interview with Angelo
Ogbonna about his arrival.

His arrival hasn't 'officially' been announced by West Ham, nor have
Juventus 'officially' confirmed his departure, but the above piece says for
certain that Zaza has joined the club

'Zaza became the ninth major signing of the summer when he completed a
season-long loan from Juventus and looks set to make his first appearance
against Watford on 10 September.' read the Official Site.

The deal is a season-long loan with an option to buy next summer. Zaza made
just 19 appearances for Juventus last season following his move from
Sassuolo, scoring 5 goals.

Having missed out on Bacca, Lacazette, Batshuayi and God knows how many
other strikers, West Ham finally land their marquee signing.

Update: West Ham have now removed the Ogbonna interview on their site, but
not before social media got their hands on it!

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