Preview - Carolina RailHawks
WHUFC.com
West Ham United complete US Tour by facing NASL side Carolina Railhawks
Pre-season game is second of two being played as part of 12-day US Tour
Hammers seeking victory after going down to 3-0 defeat at MLS club Seattle Sounders
When and where?
Carolina RailHawks v West Ham United
Pre-season Match
Tuesday 12 July 2016, 8pm ET (Wednesday 13 July, 1am BST)
WakeMed Soccer Park, 201 Soccer Park Drive, Cary, NC 27511
What's the story?
West Ham United complete their two-match pre-season US Tour by taking on ambitious NASL club Carolina RailHawks in the town of Cary, North Carolina.
Like their previous opponents, Seattle Sounders of the MLS, the RailHawks are in the middle of their domestic season, having played 12 of their 20 regular Conference fixtures.
Coached by former Northern Ireland international forward Colin Clarke, the RailHawks sit sixth in the combined summer/fall league table following a 4-1 victory over Joe Cole's Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday evening.
West Ham will be seeking to add more valuable match-time for their senior players and the many promising youngsters who are with the squad in the US, with avoiding injury also a major aim.
That said, Slaven Bilic has said publicly that he wants to end the tour on a high following a 3-0 defeat in Seattle, to give something back to the many American fans who have turned out to support the Hammers Stateside.
Team news?
West Ham will again be without their Euro 2016 and a number of other international players, including Dimitri Payet, James Collins, Angelo Ogbonna, Darren Randolph, Cheikhou Kouyate and Enner Valencia. Diafra Sakho has not travelled to the US due to illness, while Michail Antonio remained in London to attend the birth of his baby daughter.
The RailHawks boast a cosmopolitan squad containing no fewer than three Englishmen in the shape of former Oldham Athletic defender Paul Black, midfielder Matt Watson and ex-Hamilton Academical centre-half Simon Mensing.
The hosts' stars are creative midfielder and NASL Player of the Week Nazmi Albadawi and new signing Matt Fondy, who scored his first goal for the club against the Rowdies and finished as the leading scorer in the USL – the third-tier of professional soccer in the United States – in 2015.
Any links between the two?
In a word, no, until now! Well, there is one tenuous link, as head coach Clarke played and scored against the Hammers during his time with Southampton, Queens Park Rangers and Portsmouth in the 1980s.
Fans of the two clubs are set to strengthen the new ties that now exist with a pre-match social event at the London Bridge Pub at 110 East Hargett Street in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, while a Support Diversity Tailgate party will take place in Parking Lot C at WakeMed Soccer Park on match night.
How do I get tickets?
Click here to secure seats for Tuesday's match.
How do I get to the match?
Click here for details of what is going on at WakeMed Soccer Park on Tuesday, including a fly-over and a fireworks display
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Dylan Tombides honoured in Champions Place
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have honoured the late Dylan Tombides with the laying of a Champions Place stone at the Hammers' new home on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The Australian-born Academy starlet, who tragically succumbed to testicular cancer in April 2014, joined the Hammers at the age of 15, before making his senior bow in the League Cup in September 2012.
His parents Tracy and Jim, brother Taylor and education officer of Dylan's namesake charity DT38 Natasha Evans were all on site to mark the poignant moment. Dylan's mother, Tracy, described the occasion as a proud one for the family and even stumbled upon a second stone in Dylan's honour, commissioned by relatives back in Australia. It's a huge honour to be invited here and it's certainly something we will cherish," Tracy confirmed. "It's wonderful that we're able to keep his memory alive and the message that he's giving, so to actually have somewhere that we can visit him, visit his stone and visit his memorial, it's a huge honour for the family. "It's a really poignant thing for us to have him included in Champions Place. I'm sure myself and the family and many Australian visitors up here, and other Hammers fans will make a point of coming down and seeing his stone."
Dylan's memorial stone is the first of a number of a legends stones to stand in tribute to famous West Ham faces, with tributes to Hammers heroes and supporters sat side by side in the specially-designed landscaped walkway. "I'm sure he would be really proud," Tracy added. "He would say, 'well I'm the youngest, so I should be going first anyhow', but yes, he would be looking down on us with a smile. "It's a proud moment for us all and to have us all together on this occasion, we're not always together in London like this, so it's obviously a special occasion for us all to be here when this is happening."
Dylan's brother Taylor, a fellow graduate of the Academy of Football, offered a vote of thanks to the Club for honouring his late sibling's memory. "It's an amazing thing and we can't thank West Ham enough for what they've done for Dylan and his name," he said. "It was great to be able to witness such a beautiful moment and knowing that it's going to be here for the rest of time that West Ham are going to be at this Stadium, it's a beautiful thing to know. "Every time I come to a game here I'll be making sure I walk past here just to say hello to it, just to see it, before I go and watch West Ham hopefully win every time!"
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Hammers land Tore
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce that Gokhan Tore has joined the Club on a season-long loan for a fee of £2.5million with the option to buy for a further £10million. Tore, 24, has been one of the star performers at Besiktas and played a big part in helping them finish above Fenerbahce to win the Super Lig title. He is no stranger to playing in England having been brought through the youth ranks at Chelsea. Slaven Bilic knows all about the talented winger having managed him during his spell in charge of Besiktas and knows the qualities he will bring to the first-team squad next season. Tore will add width, pace and trickery and is relishing the chance to showcase his talents in the Premier League.
Tore said: "I am very happy to be at West Ham. I watched many games that they played last season and saw how passionate the fans are. That made me want to come here and I am looking forward to playing in front of them. "Slaven was also a big factor in me coming here and he is a great manager. He is the main man and knows me very well. I could not have said no to him. "He is the best manager I have worked under and he is like a father to the players. You feel like you are family."
Having been brought up in Cologne, Germany, Tore showed from an early age that he was destined to play at the highest level and came through the youth ranks at Bayer Leverkusen before being spotted by Chelsea and made the move to west London in 2009. The talented winger spent most of his time in the reserves but learned a great deal from his time training with the first-team squad. Tore signed for Hamburg in 2011 and made his senior debut against Borussia Dortmund. Following a brief spell in Russia where he spent a season-long loan at Rubin Kazan, Tore really made a name for himself when he joined Besiktas on loan in June 2013. After scoring on his debut against Trabzonspor, he went on to cement his place in the team and made a permanent move to the Turkish club in August 2014.
Tore celebrated a major achievement when he helped Besiktas win the title last season scoring four goals and creating six assists in 24 appearances. Having learned a great deal playing under Bilic, Tore is now relishing the chance to link up with the Croatian coach once again at West Ham United and hopes to become an even stronger player. Tore will start his pre-season preparations at the Club's training ground while the rest of the first-team finish their pre-season tour to America.
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Gokhan Tore - Ten Fast Facts
WHUFC.com
Find out more about Turkish winger Gokhan Tore who has joined on loan from Besiktas…
- Tore was born in Cologne in Germany but to Turkish parents, and he has gone on to represent Turkey at international level
- The winger has represented his country from U15 to senior level, and has 26 full caps
- After spells in Germany as a youngster with SV Adler Dellbrück and Bayer Leverkusen, Tore joined Premier League side Chelsea when he was 17
- Tore made his Blues debut in a friendly against Crystal Palace in July 2010, but never played a competitive fixture
- After returning to Germany to join Hamburg, Tore enjoyed a spell from 2012 to 2014 in Russia with Rubin Kazan
- A successful loan spell with Besiktas in 2013/14 – who were being managed by current Hammers boss Slaven Bilic – led to a permanent transfer the following campaign
- Tore played 35 times for the Turkish club last season, scoring six times, as they clinched the league title
- Those six goals added to the 13 he had already scored in the previous two campaigns for the Super Lig champions
- He becomes the Hammers' third summer signing after the Club moved quickly to capture Havard Nordtveit and Sofiane Feghouli
- You can join more than 211,000 others by following the winger on Twitter @Gokhan_Tore7
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Bilic – We want to make our fans happy
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic says West Ham United will do their best to make their American and travelling fans happy by beating Carolina RailHawks.
The Hammers contest their second pre-season fixture at a 10,000 sell-out WakeMed Soccer Park on Tuesday evening, when they will take on the NASL RailHawks.
West Ham come into the game eleven days into pre-season, while their ambitious hosts are just past the midway point of their own campaign, but Bilic told a packed press conference his squad will go out with the intention of putting in a good performance and winning the game.
Slaven, what are your initial thoughts on being here in North Carolina?
"It's a big honour and a big privilege for us to be here, especially when we see how warm we are welcomed and how many fans we have here, it's great. We came here as part of our pre-season and we are impressed by the facilities we have been given, which are ideal for us.
"We are looking forward to Tuesday's game and we think it's going to be quite a competitive one and we will definitely try to make our fans happy on the night."
What has been the best thing about your US Tour so far?
"All the players have said that here and in Seattle that we are quite amazed by the people, who are very nice and have welcomed us with their arms wide open. They are really friendly and everybody seems to be happy that we are here.
"The second reason we are so happy is because of the facilities because they are great. Both at the Seattle Seahawks and here in Cary it has really worked for us, plus the weather has given us perfect conditions for this stage of the pre-season."
What are your thoughts on soccer in the United States as a whole?
"We say it is growing but it has been growing for 20 years. I remember when I was here with my national team [Croatia] in 1991 as a player, and at that time they told us soccer was already the No1 sport in schools and colleges.
"I expected it to not overtake football, baseball, basketball or hockey, but to grow, and 25 years later it is growing. The big proof of that is the league and the fact European players are coming here and it's big.
"We played against Seattle and nearly 40,000 turned out, then they played LA Galaxy in the MLS on Saturday and 67,000 fans were expected. I know that it will not overtake those other sports I mentioned, but it is not only growing bigger, it is already big in the United States."
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Henry's happy North American return
WHUFC.com
Canada defender Doneil Henry is delighted to be representing West Ham United on his home continent.
The former Toronto FC man travelled south of the border dozens of times during his career with the MLS franchise, appearing all over the United States for the Canadian club.
Henry hopes West Ham's visit will boost his hopes of making a bigger impact at the Club this coming campaign.
"It feels great to be back closer to home, on the same time zone [as Toronto] with great weather and great surroundings to get into pre-season right away and get our fitness back and get our legs going and get some results," said Henry.
"It was a big experience and opportunity for me to go over to Europe and see what it was like to train with a Premier League team and I thought it benefitted me a lot. After doing that, I felt like I could play anywhere in the world.
"Just being around top-calibre players day-in, day-out and seeing how they carry themselves as professionals was really good, so with us coming over here, hopefully some of that can rub off on them and they can take something from it."
While the Carolina RailHawks may represent new opposition for the 23-year-old, he will come up against a familiar foe on Tuesday evening in the shape of fellow Canada U23 international defender Drew Beckie.
"Myself and Becks were on the U23 Olympic team when I was 19 and he's a great guy, always optimistic and had a great influence on that team," Henry confirmed. "He's a great representative of Canadian football."
Henry is hoping he can represent himself well during West Ham's US Tour and, he hopes, catch the eye of manager Slaven Bilic ahead of the 2016/17 season.
After an injury-affected campaign last time out restricted him to just two senior club appearances, the defender impressed for Canada in their end-of-season internationals with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.
Now, he wants to continue that form in a Hammers shirt.
"It's still really early in pre-season, so we're definitely working on our fitness, so Tuesday's game will give young guys like me a chance to kind of make another impression on the gaffer and show we're ready to play and capable of getting into the team," he confirmed.
"I'll keep working hard, learn every day and just keep showing the right mentality."
Finally, Henry had a word of thanks for the Claret and Blue Army, who turned out in great numbers to an Open Training session at WakeMed Soccer Park on Sunday.
"It's amazing to come so far and see how many West Ham supporters there are all over the world, so it's important to show them respect, so we all went over and gave them a clap and signed some autographs and stuff."
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New Stadium progress report
WHUFC.com
The 'West Ham' seating pattern in the newly-configured East Stand of London Stadium is nearing completion.
With the Hammers' first game at their new home on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park just weeks away, the finishing West Ham touches are now being applied to the former Olympic Stadium.
Among them, the words 'West Ham' are taking shape in the East Stand, which will house well in excess of 20,000 Hammers fans on a matchday.
Beneath them sit the iconic crossed hammers, all part of the Club's new seating design, which features the famous claret and blue, while preserving the iconic shard design synonymous with London 2012.
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EXWHUEMPLOYEE TRANSFER ROUND UP
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 10 JULY 2016 AT 10:28PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
So here is the daily round up where I try to bring you the news from around the club as we are about to approach what is a very important week in our history.
Tore move to be completed
As I have said for the last few days this deal should be completed tomorrow due to the reopening of the Turkish offices following Eid. It is interesting to note that the Sullivans are at the Olympic Stadium tomorrow and perhaps he will be the first person to have his photos taken there when signing. I do think however that the photos may well be held over until the home shirt launches next Saturday.
Bacca discussions to take place at the start of this week
Talks with Bacca are due to begin to convince him to agree a similar wage structure to Payet and complete his move to the club. There are still negotiations needed to take place before the deal is completed and I sense there may be a bit of bartering involved but the club are hopeful that we will get there. The deal will have a number of performance related clauses and will represent a huge coup.
Talks with agents whilst in the South of France
The Sullivans have been holidaying in Nice in the South of France. It has been amusing hearing from both of the sons on WhatsApp and following the trip on Snap Chat and seeing what they have got up to there. Whilst fun is being had by all you know that David Sullivan is still working non-stop on transfers. Ben Yedder is someone who we have monitored for a while now, as I have mentioned previously. He was due to join Sevilla and then former West Ham manager target Unai Emery left the club and the deal seems to have stalled. This could allow us to move for the player although there is a lot of competition including from Spurs (shock!) and Leicester. One thing that is worth noting is that he has the same agent as Michy Batshuayi called Messa N'Diaye, who works closely with Mark McKay, who is one of David Sullivan's favourite agents to work with. His Toulouse teammate Martin Braithwaite is also a target too which I have previously tweeted and his agents are Boutique Transfers (who are also Winston Reid's agents) who also work closely with McKay. We have added new targets to the list as the likes of Benteke and Pelle look to be joining other clubs. I have spoken often about who these targets are. Someone who we may add to the list if we do not progress with some of the deals is Senegal international Moussa Konate who has scored regularly for Sion. The African Nations Cup though could put us off any move.
Euro 2016 players need a rest
The players are entitled to a minimum of three weeks rest between seasons. Whilst the players got some of that before the tournament there will be a need for them to rest after the tournament too. Unfortunately for us this year we will also be affected by the Olympics and the African Nations Cup.
Forum Launch
As you can tell there hasn't been much change from yesterday so there isn't as much to report. All I can say is that next week should be a really big one for the club. We launched our forum today and we would love for you to get involved and comment on this and other articles. We want to build up some regular discussion and myself, the Sullivans and our other writers will all aim to get involved from time to time. We will have two regular admins that will be working on the site to keep the discussions going.
Donations scandal
Having been involved in some strange interactions last night with a few people I decided to sleep on our donations request and with the help of many of my followers decided that we would simply have a donations tab on the site. The tab is found on the main menu and if you wish you can contribute to help us expand into other areas and develop what we can offer the supporters. If you would rather give to charities like DT38 and Jonjo we would encourage that and if you would rather not do anything, well you don't have to!
Anyway I am very excited about this coming week. We have some interesting articles coming. We will be hearing from a former international forward who used to play for us and should be starting a regular feature on the site, Jack Sullivan has said he will do a Q and A answer session with the site and we will be providing regular updates on what should be a week of transfers.
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EXWHUEMPLOYEE NEWS ROUND UP
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 11 JULY 2016 AT 9:21PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
So as we predicted yesterday today would be an eventful day…
Tore signs
As we have been saying for months, the deal was not "done" until it was completed last week. Originally it looked like we would sign him permanently but David Sullivan wanted reassurances on the player so asked for the deal to be converted to a loan deal. This is what held it up for so long and eventually it was agreed last week. The official site is reporting that we paid £2.5m for the loan deal and that a further £10m will be paid to make it permanently. If you take into account signing on fees and agent's commissions these deals are usually more than the reported figures.
Bacca talks
Talks have started and there appears to be a little way to go with Bacca's demands. The club are confident that an agreement will be reached and that Bacca will be our man.
Forwards with Italian Links
So today we have been linked with Manolo Gabbiadini and it is said that the Napoli forward is now our number one target. He is someone that we are aware of and have scouted but I do not believe he is the number one target at this stage. Khouma Babacar plays for Fiorentina and is another Senegalese forward. Again, I think he is someone that we discussed in France. He is 23 and physical. He could be someone we take a gamble on but I believe there are other targets ahead of him at this point (as I have recently reported). Pelle, the Italian former Southampton forward, has joined Chinese side Shandong Lueng and is obviously no longer a target.
Heineken become the official lager supplier at the Olympic Stadium
This is news that I reported in my column in April and news that I was delighted that David Sullivan JNR has confirmed on his twitter feed today. There are many lagers and different drinks that come under this huge brand. For me it is great news for me as someone in my family is fairly high up in the company and this should give the site a number of opportunities. The company were in the running for the naming rights to the stadium but were out bid by the Indian company Mahindra.
Vermaelen to join for £10m
The club have one more been linked to Barcelona and former Arsenal defender Vermaelen. We would not pay this figure for someone who is extremely injury prone when we already have injury prone defenders. Reid, Collins and Ogbonna will fight for the two places and will be pushed by youngsters Burke and Oxford for the position too. It is also worth mentioning that Doneil Henry is still aiming to feature too. The money will be spend elsewhere with Rico Henry still a target.
Sullivans SnapChat
It is well known that I get on very well with both of the Sullivans and I have a lot of respect for them. They are all very down to earth and do many things behind the scenes to help supports and arrange things for fans who have had unfortunate circumstances. They do not like to show off about it but they act well beyond their years and the club is in great hands. They both fully support the site too which is always nice ;-). It is well worth following DaveSulley (his username) on SnapChat to see the pictures from the Olympic Stadium which you cannot help but be impressed by.
The West Ham Way Update
I would like to thank all of the West Ham Way Team for the work that they put into the site. It is a great team of people who are all enthusiastic about the site and the club. We are pleased with the progress that we are making and I believe having @MitchFY66 doing midday and afternoon summaries will keep you fully up to date with the news. @mrben471 is running our new forum superbly with some great discussions taking place. We would love our followers to join and discuss the topics. We of course are no way near as big as our friends at HammersChat or KUMB and we do not intend to be either because they are the best at what they do but we hope to generate some discussion with our readers.
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11/07/16 LUNCHTIME NEWS ROUND-UP!
BY MITCH FOYLE-YORK ON 11 JULY 2016 AT 12:36PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Dylan Tombides commemorated in Champions Place:
Today we saw a stone laid at Champions Place, Olympic Stadium,to commemorate the late Dylan Tombides, who tragically passed away at the age of twenty from testicular cancer. The stone is rather large and easy to recognize, as it is marked with a wonderful portrait of Dylan, as well as many other dates and facts surrounding Dylan's portrait. It is a heart warming touch by the club and everyone involved, a touch which will ensure Dylan is remembered for many centuries to come.
Brom to Battle it Out with Sunderland for Sakho?
According to the Sunderland Echo, Tony Pulis will fight Sam Allardyce and the Sunderland board for the signature of West Ham forward Diafra Sakho. Sakho has worked with Big Sam in the past (obviously), so perhaps this could work in Sunderland's favor. With our very own-and very reliable- EXWHUEMPLOYEE confirming that Sakho looks very likely to leave the club this summer, this is certainly a story to keep your eye on!
Cristiano Ronaldo's mother angry at Payet?!?
The Independent have this morning said that Ronaldo's mother is not a happy bunny with West Ham's very own superstar Dimitri Payet! Ronaldo was subbed off from the Euro 2016 final after just playing for 15 minutes, after Payet injured him; though it did seem accidental. However, Dolores (Ronaldo's mother) disagrees! She tweeted (translated from Portuguese): "I cannot see my son in this way, the game is about kicking the ball, not hurting the opponent."Oh dear Dimitri! However, with Zidane confirming a Madrid move for Payet is unlikely, I don't think Dimi is worried about bumping into Dolores anytime soon.
Hammers in for Onazi?
According to CaughtOffside and Nigerian newspaper Punch, West Ham and Sunderland are battling it out for Lazio Midfielder Onazi. The twenty-three year old played twenty two times for Lazio last season, including sixteen starts for the Italian club. Punch claim that the Nigerian is valued at around £7 million by Lazio. However, with the Hammers pretty cramped up in the CM area already, I can't help but feel as though this story may just be a little bit far fetched. However, it might not be. So keep your eye on The West Ham way for the latest transfer news, especially with David Sullivan Jnr Tweeting that this could be a very busy week for West Ham United!
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GOKHAN TORE SIGNS!
BY MITCH FOYLE-YORK ON 11 JULY 2016 AT 1:10PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
After, what seems like years of waiting, former Besiktas winger Gokhan Tore is OFFICIALLY a West Ham United player. West Ham Way's EXWHUEMPLOYEE brought us step by step updates of news on Tore's transfer. EXWHUEMPLOYEE delivered to us in-depth information about the transfer fee. The transfer is a loan with an option to buy, however, the loan fee is believed to be around 5-6 million pounds. We also have the option to trigger this move into a permanent transfer, but this would cost us an extra £5 million (roughly).
I am very familiar with Tore, and have watched him play both in the Europa League and the Turkish League many times. He is a very exciting player, and one who-I think-could have a big role to play in both our Europa and EPL campaigns. He is left footed and prefers to play on the right wing, this is because he likes to cut inside onto his left foot and look to create chances. He is, however, not a big goal scorer. Though, you could argue, that if he does get 6-8 goals from the wing in the Prem that would be considered more than acceptable. But either way, I expect his assists to over shadow his goals next season by quite a lot.
There is always a risk factor when bringing a player over from leagues like the Turkish League, especially after Tore just had a season hit with injuries. However, it is common knowledge that Tore works very well with Bilic, and Tore has proven himself in the Europa League against teams like Spurs and Liverpool; so, I am confident he will be able to adapt to the Premier League, and become a key figure in our upcoming season.
No matter what you make of Tore, there is no denying that the board are working very hard to get top quality signings pulled over the line. Keep checking The West Ham Way website and Twitter account for the latest news. It sounds as though this could be a very busy week for West Ham, so keep your fingers crossed and eyes peeled!
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11/07/16 AFTERNOON NEWS ROUND-UP!
BY MITCH FOYLE-YORK ON 11 JULY 2016 AT 4:28PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Tore Signs:
After what feels like years of waiting, West Ham have finally announced the signing of Turkish winger Gokhan Tore from Besiktas, on loan with an option to buy. This transfer was commentated on by our own ExWHUEmployee, so keep an eye out for all his upcoming columns! Personally, I am very excited about this signing, as I have seen how good he can be in both the Europa League and the Turkish League; and I believe he might just be a key player for all our campaigns in this upcoming season.
Hammers to Swoop for Another Besiktas Eagle?
According to FootballInsider247, West Ham are ready to make a £5 million bid for unsettled Besiktas CAM Jose Sosa. It is reported that the Argentinian play maker is unsettled at Besiktas, and has, reportedly, skipped the last two training sessions. Perhaps he is trying to force a move from the Turkish giants? Does he want to reunite with old friends Bilic and Tore?
Payet Named in Euro 2016 Team of the Tournament:
West Ham's very own Dimitri Payet has been named in the 2016 Euros Team of the Season, as selected by UEFA officials. Payet scored three times during the tournament, as well as registering two assists, and creating the most chances (24) out of anyone in the whole competition. Well deserved Dimi!
West Ham target to Wolfsburg?
Recognized West Ham target Simone Zaza seems to be edging closer to a move to Wolfsburg, according to TuttoSport. The Italian international striker, who seems to have become famous for his rather odd penalty run up against Germany, could be making a £25 million move to the German giants. This offer is believed to be quite a way over what West Ham were ever willing to pay for Zaza.
With what looks to be a very exciting week ahead for West Ham, follow us here at The West Ham Way for all the latest news and gossip! My West Ham Way colleague and legend of West Ham twitter ExWHUEmployee usually has a column out every night, bringing you the latest inside information, so make sure you're ready to catch that later on tonight!
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Thank you, West Ham family
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th July 2016
By: Staff Writer
KUMB member Dean Window has issued a special 'thank you' to the team from West Ham who attended his sick son's bedside following an appeal by the family. A number of players took time out from their pre-season training regime to visit Dean's son Joel in hospital, after the youngster - who was born with severe aortic stenosis - fell ill last weekend. And Dean - formerly from Romford but now based in the US - revealed that he and his family were deeply grateful for the visit, which was arranged at late notice.
"To everyone who shared the #helpjoel hashtag, contacted both clubs and purged their contact lists to make today happen for my boy, my family can't thank you enough," he wrote on the KUMB Forum. "Seeing Julian Dicks, Adrian, Mark Noble, Winston Reid and Raphael Spiegel from West Ham, Steven Miller from the Carolina Railhawks and the many others who were part of the party who came to visit my sick son hospital because of the amazing reaction on the Internet, today my family come before you incredibly humbled. "Between Twitter, West Ham United, Carolina Railhawks and some incredible people (including one of my favourite footballers) you not only made our son famous but you showed just how much our little boy is loved and how many people are actually pulling for him."
Window, a former regular at the Boleyn Ground before moving to America several years ago revealed how Joel suddenly fell ill whilst they were watching football on the TV together.
"This time last Sunday, Joel and I were napping in between the quarter finals of Euro 2016 and we were not prepared at all for what followed with just how quickly our brave little boy got sick, so very sick. "We love Joel with all of our heart and try to help him beat everything that is thrown his way, but last Sunday night we had all that almost taken away from us when Joel's heart stopped beating. "Here we are nearly a week later and our son is still sick, but is slowly getting better - and that is all that matters. "W are feeling incredibly humble today just as we were when all this started on Wednesday evening with a couple of texts from David Sullivan Jr to my good lady wife. Everything that has happened since? Thank you, thank you, thank you."
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Pike impresses on trial
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th July 2016
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United youngster Alex Pike played 45 minutes for Charlton Athletic in their 4-1 win against Welling United on Saturday afternoon. And the youngster, who is set to join the Addicks on loan for the rest of the season did his chances no harm with a solid performance in front of new manager Russell Slade. "I was pleased with him," said the manager post-match. "We spoke to West Ham and they were more than happy for us to have a look at him. "He's only been in for a couple of days but I've been pleased with him – he's put in a nice little performance there."
Pike was one of four trialists to feature in the pre-season friendly; he was joined by Emmanuel Sonupe (Spurs), Lewis Buxton (ex-Rotherham) and Andrew Crofts (ex-Brighton). Former Hammer Alou Cisse was also due to feature in the game, but sustained a hairline fracture of the foot during the warm-up. Charlton's goals were scored by Nicky Ajose (3) and El-Hadji Ba; you may watch highlights from the match below.
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West Ham set for Carlos Bacca talks over transfer from AC Milan - Sky sources
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 11/07/16 6:10pm
SSN
West Ham will meet with Carlos Bacca's representatives this week to discuss personal terms over a club record move to the Olympic Stadium, according to Sky sources. The Hammers have activated the £26m release clause in the forward's current contract at AC Milan and will now hope to persuade him to join the club. If terms can be agreed, Bacca would become Slaven Bilic's sixth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Gokhan Tore, Sofiane Feghouli, Toni Martinez, Havard Nordtveit and Domingos Quina. The Colombia international would also become the most expensive purchase in West Ham's 121-year history, exceeding the £15m spent on the signing of Andy Carroll from Liverpool in 2013. Bacca, 29, joined AC Milan from Sevilla only last summer and enjoyed a superb first season in Italy, scoring 20 goals in 42 appearances. He scored 49 goals during two seasons at Sevilla, helping the Spanish side win the Europa League in 2014 and 2015. West Ham co-owner David Sullivan told Sky Sports News HQ in May he was confident of securing a "top class forward" ahead of the club's first season at the Olympic Stadium, but has since failed with moves to sign Alexandre Lacazette, Michy Batshuayi and Callum Wilson.
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Europa League third qualifying round draw: Friday
Published: Monday 11 July 2016, 16.51CET
AZ Alkmaar, Saint-Étienne, West Ham United and Hertha Berlin are among 25 teams entering the competition when the third qualifying round draw is streamed live at 13:00CEST on Friday.
UEFA.com
AZ Alkmaar, Lille and West Ham United are among 25 teams entering the UEFA Europa League when the third qualifying round draw is streamed live on UEFA.com at 13:00CEST on Friday.
Who enters and when?
Draw procedure
• In the seeding pots released on the morning of the draw, the teams are ranked by their coefficient or, in the case of clubs emerging from the 33 second qualifying round ties (played on 14 and 21 July), by the higher of the two coefficients involved – with 29 sides classified as seeded.
• The teams are further split into five groups containing an equal number of seeded and unseeded contenders. Each seeded club will meet an unseeded opponent from within the same group.
• Group 1 will be drawn separately to the other groups as it has a different number of teams.
• Ties played on 28 July and 4 August.
Seeded
AZ Alkmaar (NED) 43.612
Genk (BEL) 36.000 or Budućnost Podgorica (MNE)
Lille (FRA) 29.549
Saint-Étienne (FRA) 26.049
Gent (BEL) 25.000
Krasnodar (RUS) 24.216
Rapid Wien (AUT) 23.520
Slovan Liberec (CZE) 22.085
Maribor (SVN) 21.625 or Levski Sofia (BUL)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) 20.225 or Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
Spartak Moskva (RUS) 19.216
Austria Wien (AUT) 19.020 or Kukës (ALB)
Partizan (SRB) 16.925 or Zagłebie Lubin (POL)
West Ham United (ENG) 16.256
Hertha Berlin (GER) 16.035
Panathinaikos (GRE) 14.940
Midtjylland (DEN) 14.720 or Vaduz (LIE)
Rijeka (CRO) 14.275
Sassuolo (ITA) 14.087
Rio Ave (POR) 13.616
Vorskla Poltava (UKR) 11.976
Maccabi Haifa (ISR) 11.725 or Nõmme Kalju (EST)
HJK Helsinki (FIN) 10.980 or Beroe Stara Zagora (BUL)
Hajduk Split (CRO) 10.775 or laşi (ROU)
Arouca (POR) 10.616
Apollon Limassol (CYP) 10.435
Mladá Boleslav (CZE) 10.085
Dinamo Minsk (BLR) 10.000 or St Patrick's Athletic (IRL)
Omonia (CYP) 9.935 or Beitar Jerusalem (ISR)
Top ten 2015/16 Europa League goals
Unseeded
Grasshoppers (SUI) 9.755 or KR Reykjavík (ISL)
Neftçi PFK (AZE) 9.725 or Shkëndija (MKD)
AEK Larnaca (CYP) 9.435 or Cliftonville (NIR)
Oleksandriya (UKR) 8.976
AIK Solna (SWE) 8.975 or Europa (GIB)
Slovan Bratislava (SVK) 8.900 or Jelgava (LVA)
Luzern (SUI) 8.775
Videoton (HUN) 8.725 or Čukarički (SRB)
AEK Athens (GRE) 7.940
Vojvodina (SRB) 7.925 or Connah's Quay (WAL)
İstanbul Başakşehir (TUR) 7.920
Strømsgodset (NOR) 7.850 or SønderjyskE (DEN)
Shakhtyor Soligorsk (BLR) 7.500 or Domžale (SVN)
Spartak Trnava (SVK) 7.400 or Shirak (ARM)
Brøndby (DEN) 7.220 or Hibernian (SCO)
Heracles (NED) 7.112
Pandurii Târgu Jiu (ROU) 7.076
Osmanlıspor* (TUR) 6.920 or Zimbru Chisinau (MDA)
Slavia Praha (CZE) 6.585 or Levadia Tallinn (EST)
Debrecen (HUN) 6.475 or Torpedo-Belaz Zhodino (BLR)
IFK Göteborg (SWE) 6.475 or Piast Gliwice (POL)
Hearts (SCO) 6.460 or Birkirkara (MLT)
Admira Wacker Mödling (AUT) 6.020 or Käpäz (AZE)
Ventspils (LVA) 6.075 or Aberdeen (SCO)
Häcken (SWE) 5.975 or Cork City (IRL)
Giannina (GRE) 5.940 or Odd (NOR)
Lokomotiva Zagreb (CRO) 5.775 or RoPS Rovaniemi (FIN)
Qäbälä (AZE) 5.225 or MTK Budapest (HUN)
Viitorul Constanţa (ROU) 5.076
*Participation subject to ongoing CAS proceedings
Byes
Play-off round (draw 5 August)
15 transfer from UEFA Champions League third qualifying round
Group stage (draw 26 August)
Schalke (GER)
Zenit (RUS)
Manchester United (ENG)
Athletic Club (ESP)
Internazionale Milano (ITA)
Fiorentina (ITA)
Braga (POR)
Standard Liège (BEL)
Celta Vigo (ESP)
Feyenoord (NED)
Mainz (GER)
FC Zürich (SUI)
Southampton (ENG)
Nice (FRA)
Zorya Luhansk (UKR)
Konyaspor (TUR)
10 transfer from UEFA Champions League play-off round
Round of 32 (draw 12 December)
8 transfer from UEFA Champions League group stage
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West Ham sign Gokhan Tore: Slaven Bilic a 'big factor' in winger's decision to join Hammers
SAM LONG
Evening Standard
New West Ham signing Gokhan Tore believes he was unable to say no to Slaven Bilic after the Croatian manager made an approach for his services. The 24-year-old, who worked under Bilic at Besiktas, has joined the Hammers on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent deal should he impress. Such a feat is the winger managed at Besiktas earlier in is career after initially joining the Turkish club on a temporary basis before being deemed worthy of a permanent move by Bilic in 2014. And Bilic clearly had a profound effect on the Turkey international during the pair's time together as the 47-year-old's presence was a key reason behind Tore's decision to move to east London. "I am very happy to be at West Ham. I watched many games that they played last season and saw how passionate the fans are," he told the club's official website. "That made me want to come here and I am looking forward to playing in front of them. "Slaven was also a big factor in me coming here and he is a great manager. "He is the main man and knows me very well. I could not have said no to him. "He is the best manager I have worked under and he is like a father to the players. You feel like you are family," he added. West Ham finished seventh in the Premier League last season and will be hopeful they can build on such an achievement during their first season at the Olympic Stadium. Tore represents the club's third major signing of the summer following the arrival of Harvard Nordtveit, Sofiane Feghouli and Toni Martinez.
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Don't blame referee Mark Clattenburg for Dimitri Payet injuring Cristiano Ronaldo, says Howard Webb
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
Mark Clattenburg does not bear any responsibility for Cristiano Ronaldo's injury in the Euro 2016 final, nor should he have booked Dimitri Payet for the tackle, according to 2010 World Cup Final referee Howard Webb. Portugal captain Ronaldo's first-half injury was among the most significant talking points of a drab first 90 minutes of the final, the tournament being won in extra time through substitute Eder's low strike. Payet has come under heavy criticism for his tackle on Ronaldo, which forced the talismanic forward off in the 25th minute after seven minutes in which the 31-year-old battled to stay on the pitch. No foul was given against Payet, never mind a booking, but Webb believed his fellow referee made the right call.
"No one should blame Mark for [Ronaldo's injury," Webb wrote in the Times. "If he hadn't been injured no one would have mentioned the tackle, which tells you it wasn't controversial. "The most that Mark could have given was a free kick. A yellow card would have been very harsh – and wouldn't have helped Ronaldo anyway. "Payet went in with a bit of force, but nothing exceptional. It was just a clash of knees, which can happen. It was obviously very bad luck for Ronaldo and disappointing for the final – but it would be wrong to blame Mark for it."
Refereeing the Euro 2016 final completed a treble of major competitions for Clattenburg, who also took charge of the Champions League and FA Cup finals. And Webb, who faced stern criticism for his lenient refereeing of the 2010 World Cup Final between the Netherlands and Spain, was impressed by his compatriot's display. "I thought that Mark Clattenburg had a good game," he wrote. "You can't overestimate the pressure of refereeing a match where hundreds of millions of people are watching on TV… "Mark was helped by the players, but he showed some yellow cards when he needed to, which helped to keep a lid on things whenever there was a danger that it might boil over. "I think ultimately no one will actually remember who refereed this game – which is what you want as an official."
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West Ham send a message to Payet after Euro 2016 heartbreak
HITC
Sean Lunt
France were beaten by Portugal in the final of Euro 2016 on Sunday. West Ham United have sent a message to Dimitri Payet on Twitter following France's loss in the final of Euro 2016. The hosts were beaten in extra time of the tournament on Sunday evening as a goal from striker Eder secured the trophy for Portugal. It was a superb strike from the former Swansea City man, and more than worthy of winning the tournament for his country after a final that had proved to be a tight affair between the two sides. While they celebrated, it was heartbreak for the hosts as they failed to win the tournament on home soil. Payet will have been particularly disappointed given the level of performance he has put in across the summer.
West Ham were keen to try to temper that though, by telling him they were proud of his performances.
West Ham United FC ✔ @whufc_official
Proud of you @dimpayet17! Just wasn't to be for @equipedefrance tonight #Euro2016Final
11:01 PM - 10 Jul 2016
193 193 Retweets 685 685 likes
The Hammers will now be hoping that Payet can carry on his fine form from this summer into next season. He has announced himself as a top star in France, and West Ham will need him at his best if they are to challenge for a European place or more.
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West Ham star Dimitri Payet named Euro 2016 player of the tournament after impressive displays for France
RICHARD PARRY
Evening STandard
West Ham star Dimitri Payet has been named as Euro 2016's player of the tournament. Payet scored three goals during France's run to final, where they lost 1-0 to Portugal in the Stade de France on Sunday night. The 29-year-old returned to the national side following a scintillating first season with the Hammers, where he scored nine goals and supplied 12 assists in his debut season in the Premier League. A statement on Uefa's official website read: "Dimitri Payet ended Uefa Euro 2016 where he started it, on top of the Player Barometer ahead of Antoine Griezmann and Gareth Bale, while Rui Patrício overtook Manuel Neuer as top goalkeeper."
Payet's moment of the tournament came in France's opening match, where he scored a dramatic late winner in their opening game against Romania. His second goal came in the 2-0 victory over Albania, before the West Ham star scored his third in the quarter-final victory over Iceland. He finishes above compatriot, and Golden Boot winner, Antoine Griezmann, and Wales star Gareth Bale.
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West Ham and France star Dimitri Payet: I didn't mean to hurt Cristiano Ronaldo, I'm not the bad guy
JAMES BENGE
Evening STandard
Dimitri Payet has said he had no intention to cause injury to Cristiano Ronaldo after the France forward's tackle forced his opponent to leave the pitch in Sunday's Euro 2016 final.
The Real Madrid forward exited the Stade de France pitch in tears just 25 minutes into his second international final, seven minutes after a hefty tackle from Payet had left him carrying a severe injury. Ronaldo attempted to continue through the pain but had to be carried off on a stretcher, tearing off his captain's armband in frustration. The Stade de France rose to applaud the three-time Ballon d'Or winner. "It was a challenge, that's all, period," Payet told reporters. "I regained the possession and if I hurt him it was not intentional. "It's not in my nature to be a bad guy on the pitch. There is no question about it."
Payet, France's hero in group stage wins over Romania and Albania, was to be jeered by Portuguese fans for the remainder of the match until he was substituted by Didier Deschamps before the hour mark, Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman. Chief among Payet's critics was Ronaldo's mother Dolores, who seemed to disagree with the West Ham forward. As she watched on in the stadium she tweeted: "I cannot see my son in this way. "The game is about kicking the ball, not hurting the opponent."
However their captain's absence seemed to galvanise Portugal, who held firm against France's attacking riches before claiming the winner in extra time, former Swansea striker Eder hitting a low shot past Hugo Lloris. France, the pre-match favourites, failed to live up to the lofty expectations brought about after their 2-0 victory over world champions Germany in Thursday's semi-final. Golden Boot winner Antoine Griezmann and Payet were particularly indifferent but the latter felt that there was not a great deal of difference between their performances in the two games.
"We're disappointed," Payet said. "We were under the impression we were the ones with the possession and the better chances but we missed that goal that could unblock the situation. On the very few chances they got, they were able to score. "A goal decided all. A goal that we couldn't score ourselves. The Portuguese side were more efficient.
"I think that if we could have scored we could have forced them to play more offensively and we could have counter-attacked. At the end that goal is cruel. "We didn't score for a lot of reasons. We were able to score two goals against Germany while they got the possession. It is kind of the same game but the other way around."
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Napoli hope to sign Roberto Pereyra before West Ham make late move
HITC
Olly Dawes
Napoli are reportedly hoping to make sure West Ham don't land Roberto Pereyra. According to Sky Italia's Gianluca Di Marzio, Napoli will meet with the agent of Roberto Pereyra in a bid to make sure the Juventus playmaker doesn't move to West Ham United or Zenit St. Petersburg. Pereyra, 25, came up through the ranks with River Plate in his native Argentina, but his potential earned him a big move to Udinese in the summer of 2011. Pereyra's impressive displays with Udinese, where he scored eight goals in 98 games, earned him a 2014 move to Serie A rivals Juventus, where first-team football has been hard to come by. During Pereyra's time with the Turin giants, manager Massimiliano Allegri has had the likes of Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, Claudio Marchisio, Paul Pogba and Sami Khedira at his disposal, meaning Pereyra has been a bit-part player, making just 13 league appearances last season.
Now, Pereyra - who has ten Argentina caps to his name - is looking to leave Juventus in order to play games elsewhere, and Napoli appear to be leading the race for his signature.
Sky Italia's Gianluca Di Marzio reports that Napoli are meeting with Pereyra's agent later today in order to try and strike a deal - and they want to rush through the move because they are concerned that West Ham and Zenit St. Petersburg could make late moves for the player. The Hammers have already signed winger Sofiane Feghouli, but could add another playmaker as competition for Dimitri Payet and Pereyra's compatriot Manuel Lanzini. The Daily Mail reported back in May that West Ham wanted to lure Pereyra to East London, and two months on, Napoli are worried that they will finally firm up their interest as his Juventus exit draws closer - and it now remains to be seen whether Slaven Bilic's men do attempt to beat Napoli to his signature.
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Shearer and Ferdinand react to Payet's tackle on Ronaldo
HITC
Dan Coombs
Both pundits absolved West Ham's Dimitri Payet of blame. BBC pundits Alan Shearer and Rio Ferdinand moved to defend West Ham ace Dimitri Payet after his tackle brought Cristiano Ronaldo's Euro 2016 final to a premature end. Payet tackled Ronaldo early in the game, and the Portugal star went down in agony clutching his knee. While he at first tried to continue, he was substituted off minutes later in tears, knowing the opportunity may not come again. Asked in the Match of the Day studio at half-time during the live broadcast of the France v Portugal final, Alan Shearer and Rio Ferdinand both insisted there was no malice in Payet's challenge. Shearer said: "I don't think there is any blame on Payet. It's a strong hard challenge, it's unlucky. That's all you can say about it."
His ex-England colleague Ferdinand added: "He didn't have intention to hurt Ronaldo. He wanted to be physical, but unfortunately his [Ronaldo's] studs got caught." The Hammers star was substituted early on in the second half, having failed to make an impact offensively. Unfortunately Payet's final will be remembered for his unintentional contribution, which is a shame given how outstanding he was early on in the tournament for Les Bleus.
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West Ham could be the big winners from Euro 2016 final
HITC
Dan Coombs
Real Madrid were linked with wanting to sign Dimitri Payet from West Ham... but will they now? Dimitri Payet's early heroics at Euro 2016 had West Ham fans on edge, worried that their superstar midfielder could become a target for one of Europe's elite clubs. Indeed it did not take long for Spanish giants Real Madrid to be linked with bringing him on board as one of their Galacticos. The 11 times European champions invariably get who they want, and especially after major tournaments, see Brazil's Ronaldo in 2002, and James Colombia's James Rodriguez in 2014. If any club could force West Ham's hand, it would be them.
The Telegraph reported last month that Real were keen on signing Payet and were closely monitoring him, but the events of the final in Paris last night certainly worked in West Ham's favour. Not only was Payet substituted early in the second half without scoring and raising his transfer value - his tackle on Portugal's Ronaldo may have wiped out any chance of Real getting involved. Payet's challenge early in the first half ended Ronaldo's game, resulting in a knee injury. While just an accident, it was nonetheless a chastening experience for Ronaldo, ruining his final, one which may not come again on an international stage. Will Ronaldo, an influential if not domineering figure in Real's dressing room, want to be reminded of this on a daily basis if he saw Payet rock up as a teammate later this summer? It's hard to see it happening, and for West Ham supporters, and fans of the Premier League they should rejoice, it's more than likely Payet will be appearing at the Olympic Stadium in August and not the Bernabeu.
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Dimitri Payet explains his Cristiano Ronaldo tackle
HITC
Subhankar Mondal
The West Ham United star made a tackle on the Real Madrid ace during the Euro 2016 final between Portugal and France. West Ham United attacking midfielder Dimitri Payet has been quoted as saying by FourFourTwo that he did not intend to hurt Cristiano Ronaldo. Payet made what appeared to be a rough tackle on the Real Madrid star in the first half the Euro 2016 final between Portugal and France at Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Sunday evening. Ronaldo suffered a knee injury as a result of the tackle and had to be stretched off soon after. Portugal eventually went on to win the final in extra time, thanks to Eder's stunning strike in the 109th minute of the encounter.
West Ham star Payet has made it clear that he did not intend to hurt Ronaldo. "No, it was a challenge, that's all, period," FourFourTwo quotes Payet as saying about his tackle on Ronaldo. "I regained the possession and if I hurt him it was not intentional. It's not in my nature to be a bad guy on the pitch. There is no question about it."
Payet did not play well for France in the Euro 2016 final against Portugal, but overall he had a good tournament. The West Ham attacking midfielder scored three goals and created 24 chances in seven matches at the 2016 European Championship. The 29-year-old former Marseille star had a pass accuracy of 84% and a shot accuracy of 50%, and won 18 dribbles and three tackles.
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LOOKING AHEAD TO A SPECIAL SEASON - PANIC IS NO OPTION
By HamburgHammer 11 Jul 2016 at 08:00
WTID
This is just a quick one to give you all my musings with my regular column likely to continue once the new season has kicked off. Speaking of which and also looking at the pic above reminds me of the fact that my flights have been booked so I can be at our new place in time for our first league match there against the mighty Bournemouth.
Yes, this greedy German would have prefered some more glamourous rival for the occasion, someone like Spurs, Man Utd., Man City, maybe a Liverpool or Everton, at least a local derby like Watford or Palace. Alas it was not to be and Bournemouth it is.
It'll be strange of course for all of us changing routines tried and tested in dozens of years watching the Hammers play their football at the Boleyn.
But if you read through internet blogs and go on Youtube you already find that West Ham fans are busy browsing our new surroundings, checking out pubs and restaurants, walking distances to the stadium etc. so that ultimately new routines can be put into place. It'll take time of course and the football our lads play will have a vital role to play in making the OS our new home proper – we need some good memories made in that stadium next season. The early signs are promising.
Apparently we are looking at upgrades virtually all over the pitch. Which means there will be tough decisions to make for the owners and Bilic. Players who for one reason or another can no longer be guaranteed regular starts (and are unhappy with a squad role) will be shipped out, even if they've had a long-term association with the Hammers like Tomkins. The likes of Emenike and O'Brien are gone, Sakho and Valencia are almost certain to follow them out of the club and some youngsters like Hendrie and Knoyle have been sent out on loan to further their development and give them regular minutes on the pitch rather than splinters in their backsides.
I don't mean to jump the gun, but this week is highly likely to be of enormous significance in our transfer window as we will learn this week if Carlos Bacca will indeed be coming to West Ham as the proverbial 20 goal a season striker. What I've seen of the man on clips and read about in various articles we will get a natural finisher who would be spending his peak years in East London. Don't start about people moaning about his age. Unless a player has to rely on blistering pace to bring out the best in his skills age should not be too much of a factor – with Bacca pace is one string to his bow, but there are others: Natural instinct, good shooting technique, also decent heading ability.
Make no mistake: West Ham with the help of Payet (I'm certain he will indeed stay), Cresswell, Feghouli and Lanzini will create countless opportunities for strikers this season and Bacca would be the perfect target man to make the net bulge time and time again. By all accounts we have also finally secured the services of Bilic's favourite target, Goekhan Tore which I've seen quite regularly in his younger years while playing for Hamburg SV.
Back then he obviously wasn't the finished article yet which is no surprise as even now Goekhan is still young and if Bilic wants him that's good enough for me.
So what does Tore give you ? A great dribbler, very pacy, also a decent shooter of the ball with both feet. He runs tirelessly and has fantastic acceleration which should be brilliant for counter attacks. He's comfortable on both flanks and comes with a full array of tricks and flicks. What can be frustrating sometimes is him overdoing the trickery, failing to pass the ball when a teammate is a better option. Also his tracking back and defensive contribution has been called into question at times, but with Bilic I can see that changing rather quickly. The good thing of course is that he will come on loan with an option to buy, so if it doesn't work out we save some money in the process and buy someone else instead.
Another great attacking option, rumoured to be on his way to West Ham is this guy:
Wissam Ben Yedder is an attacking midfielder/striker playing for Toulouse who will be 26 in August – again West Ham might get a reasonably priced player here during his peak years. Yedder again is a natural finisher, but also has an eye for a quick decisive pass or through ball. Offside awareness is not his strongest points and like Tore he's not keen on tracking back much or chasing the ball. In terms of putting it in the net though he is a very good option to have in your squad and for sure a very decent upgrade on Valencia or even Sakho.
If the above mentioned signings really come off we are pretty much set for an exciting season filled with attacking football and goals galore.
One thing that should not go under the radar though is the shrewd business we have done already for very little money or even on free deals.
Havard Nordveit, arriving from Borussia Moenchengladbach (I know you all just love that name), could be the pick of the bunch and getting him on a free is downright sensational. Again, a very versatile player (Bilic doesn't seem keen on signing players who are only comfortable in one position), very capable playing as a CB, but also very useful as defensive midfielder or RB, Nordveit was a cornerstone of a very exciting young Moenchengladbach side, they would have loved to keep him and nobody in that club has a bad word to say about the Norwegian (Samuelsen will be glad to have a fellow Viking at the club now).
Nordveit has a bullet for a shot and could be, where's my tin hat, an alternative option for freekicks – can you imagine opposing goalkeepers wetting their pants, trying to guess if to expect an elegant Payet curler into the top corner or a thunderbolt from Nordveit hitting the net just a fraction of a second after the ref has blown his whistle ?
Then we have the young Spanish striker Martinez who may get a look in this season in the first team, Feghouli, another winger arriving on a free who is rumoured to potentially having the same kind of impact for West Ham as Payet did last season. And there's also the young attacker we picked up from Chelsea, Domingos Quina from Portugal, a wonderkid with bags of skill, a dribbler and shooter who can go upfront or on either wing, mixing and matching players very much the main theme again here.
Blimey, this took a bit longer than expected, but it could be a really exciting week for West Ham – don't forget that later this week we will also learn our opposition for the Europa League qualifying round. That's it for now, I hope to meet some of you guys again for the first league game at the Olympic Stadium which should be another cracking occasion to share some banter, pints and laughs. Looking forward to that like a starving lion would to an all you kind eat zebra buffet. COYI!
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 12
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