Daily WHUFC News - 14th February

Billy McKinlay - A coach for all seasons
WHUFC.com

Few British coaches have amassed as many different experiences as West Ham United assistant Billy McKinlay. Still just 48, relatively young in the world of management, the Scot has coached an international team, Premier League players, scholars and young professionals, assisted and scouted in England and Spain and managed clubs in the Premier League and Norwegian top-flight. McKinlay has put together this impressive resume in the space of 13 years, having been appointed to his first role in coaching at Fulham by then-manager Chris Coleman in 2005. The former Dundee United, Blackburn Rovers and Scotland midfielder started out as a reserve-team player-coach at Craven Cottage before working his way up to the role of first-team coach under Dutchman Martin Jol.

In 2012, he also took on a part-time role assisting Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill, a man he had previously played alongside for four seasons at Tannadice. When Jol was sacked after a 3-0 defeat at West Ham United in December 2013, McKinlay departed with him, ending a ten-year association with the west London club. Undeterred, the Glaswegian moved to Watford in September 2014, serving as first-team coach under Oscar Garcia before replacing him a few days later due to the Spaniard's ill-health.

McKinlay was promoted to manager, leading the Hornets to a win, a draw and third in the Championship before being removed by Watford owner Gino Pozzo after just eight days in charge! Having given up his role with Northern Ireland, McKinlay found himself unemployed, before taking up his first coaching role under compatriot David Moyes at Real Sociedad in November 2014.

After a year in Spain, he took up his second managerial role, this time taking charge of Norwegian Tippeligaen club Stabaek, where he remained for seven months before being reunited with Moyes at Sunderland, where he worked as both a scout and coach until being following his boss to West Ham United last November.

Since then, the pair, alongside Alan Irvine, Stuart Pearce and Chris Woods, have worked morning, noon and night to improve the Hammers' fortunes – a role McKinlay told the Official Programme he has relished. "Personally, I've really enjoyed it, working with the staff, the boss and the players," he confirmed. "Everybody has been first-class with the way they have welcomed us in. "We've been working from Day One, having realised how big a club this is, and that's been reiterated to me on many occasions. "We've had some good results and some tough ones, but everyone is working hard and pushing in the right direction, so I can't thank everybody – the groundsmen, the chefs, the media team – enough for making me feel really welcome since we came in."

While training grounds are places full of banter and fun, they are also places of work, and McKinlay and his fellow coaches have been putting in long hours in an attempt to steer their new employers up the table. "There's plenty of work to be done. We need another shed-load of points to make sure we're safe, so we're under no illusions and everybody shares the same opinion about that. "The manager sets a great example with his work ethic. I've worked with him before, as have Alan and Chris, and we knew we would be putting in the hours and working with great intensity, so it's something we're used to and will continue to do that."

In a recent interview, Moyes praised McKinlay for his 'really good eye for a player', his meticulous approach and the 'light-hearted' personality he brings to the coaching staff. McKinlay himself is flattered by his manager's words. "As always, as coaches we are here to support the manager in any way he deems necessary and we've all got strengths. "One thing I don't like to do is talk about myself, but the manager has used some kind words there. "I'm keen to learn, keen to get involved in everything and have always tried to be logical with my work and methodical in how I analyse and approach things, even if it might not look like it at times because I'm a bit more light-hearted than some people. "I try to find solutions to what we're going to come up against, whether that be players or teams and what they do, and I like to be detailed in what I am looking for, working out the whys and what is required. "Within all that, there's character in there and, after all, footballers are human beings and there is always a time for everything, including smiles."

As one of a trio of assistants, McKinlay's role is slightly fluid, with Moyes using all three as a brains trust to ensure all his coaching, management, analytic and other bases are covered. The management team meet twice every day to discuss training, coaching, treatment, scouting and anything else that needs to be done, with Moyes deciding which of McKinlay, Irvine or Pearce are best suited to each individual role.

While the manager is most definitely in charge, there is also democracy in the coaches' room, with each encouraged to share their expertise and opinions when they see fit. "We're pretty intense and detailed at the training ground during the week, then on matchdays Alan sits up in the stand and communicates with me on the bench. "I see my role as, among other things, to say the right thing at the right time, when I need to say it, and get my message across appropriately. "I don't feel a necessity to have an opinion on everything, but I try to contribute to what we're trying to achieve in the best way possible. "We've got a lot of experience here and we all have contributions to make."

McKinlay's experiences have shaped his own coaching and management career, with the ups he has enjoyed and downs he has endured giving him a wide-ranging view of football and how the game works. While he might like to take back some of the decisions he has made, the straight-talking Scotsman is naturally optimistic and positive about the future. "Back at Fulham, I was fortunate that Chris Coleman, who I'd played with at Blackburn, gave me the opportunity to work there, which was a good start for me, then Ray Lewington came in as head of coaching and helped me so much. "What I always wanted was to be self-sufficient in my coaching and be able to coach to the best of my ability, and I was fortunate that Ray gave me his time and his knowledge in the early part of my career. Martin then gave me the opportunity to step up to the first team for two-and-a-half years. "I then managed Watford for a short period of time before having a brilliant year in Spain working under the boss, coaching and living abroad, which was terrific for me and a great learning period. "I worked under Michael with Northern Ireland and my biggest disappointment about going to Watford was that I gave up that job. "I had a spell in Norway which didn't go as well as I'd hoped, then came back to work here, back with the manager again. "I've been well-travelled and worked with some great people at some great clubs, and long may that trend continue."

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Joao Mario - From Lion to Iron
WHUFC.com

Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Paolo Futre, Simao, Nani, Nuno Valente, Luis Boa Morte, Ricardo Queresma, Joao Moutinho, Miguel Veloso, Adrien Silva, William Carvalho, Cedric Soares, Eric Dier…

If West Ham United is England's Academy of Football, then Sporting Lisbon is Portugual's equivalent, producing some of the finest and most-decorated players in the country's history. One name missing from that list is that of Joao Mario, who spent 12 years with the Lions, man and boy, developing into the playmaker who was part of Portugal's greatest-ever success, winning UEFA Euro 2016.

As West Ham's youngsters take inspiration from seeing photographs of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters, Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole at the Club's historic Chadwell Heath training ground, the young Joao Mario was motivated by similar images of Ronaldo and Figo at the Academia Sporting, situated across the River Tagus from Lisbon in the town of Alcochete.

"I was playing for FC Porto until I was ten, then my Mum moved to Lisbon to work and live, so I moved there too and changed club to Sporting, where I stayed for 12 years," explained the 25-year-old, whose parents moved to Portugal from Angola before he was born. "Sporting is a great club in a city of two huge clubs, Sporting and Benfica. I was glad to play for the Green and Whites for so long. It was an honour and I learnt everything there, so I am thankful and grateful to Sporting for that. "Like West Ham, Sporting is a club which forms a lot of future stars for our national team, both today and in the past. It's really hard to reach the first team there, but I worked hard and I made it. "They give you every chance to prove your talent, so it's a really good club for young boys. Sporting have the eye to find the right players, then they have good coaches there who have the right mentality and vision for the young players, which is the most important thing. "When I was a kid, I guess Cristiano was my hero, as the year I joined Sporting was the year he moved to Manchester United, so his pictures were all around our Academy. He is my number one reference and now playing alongside him in the national team is amazing."

While Ronaldo's game is based on his athleticism and pace, as much as his technical ability, Joao Mario is a more traditional creative midfielder, slighter in build and more reliant on his touch than his strength or speed. When the pair combine, as they did at Euro 2016 in a team that also included Sporting Academy graduates Nani, Adrien Silva and William Carvalho, they can make for an unstoppable force. "In Portugal, we have an attacking mentality, so that's why we have so many technical ball players, so I guess that's the reason we have so many options up front for the national team."

While Ronaldo was an unbridled success during his six years in England, many of those names listed above did not make the same success of their time in the Premier League. Futre's knee problems restricted him to just a handful of appearances in Claret and Blue and, while Boa Morte won the title with Arsenal, injuries also affected his West Ham career. Joao Mario is determined that he will be remembered fondly for his appearances in Claret and Blue, regardless of whether or not his loan deal is made permanent in the summer. "I will try to do my best. It's important for me to show my quality in a West Ham shirt. I am glad to be here and I will give everything. "I have played in two Premier League games now, with different results, and I can see right away that the game is really fast and physical. "The intensity of the English game is high and that's good for me because it will add things to my game that I don't have yet. I'm happy to be playing at this level and will try to improve myself every time I go onto the pitch."

*A longer version of this interview appeared in Saturday's Official Programme for the visit of Watford, which you can order here!

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Ray: Hammers 'dominated' against Keynsham Town
WHUFC.com

Karen Ray is thrilled with how her West Ham United Ladies 'dominated' the play in the 7-0 victory over Keynsham Town on Sunday.

The Ladies booked their place in the FA WPL Plate semi-final thanks to a hat-trick from Amber Stobbs, two goals from Leanne Mabey, an early finish by Kelly Wealthall and a late own-goal by the away side.

It wasn't just the phenomenal attacking display that Ray took pride in, however. The clean-sheet was also worthy of a mention for the interim head coach, with the Hammers undefeated in their six matches in 2018.

"We controlled the game," Ray insisted. "It is key that we set the tempo and create chances. Today we showed we have depth in the squad as we made two changes to the starting line-up. The players still go the win and dominated the game throughout on our home turf, in front of our own fans.

"Of course, the score line is exciting and I am delighted that we managed to put seven goals away, some of which were extremely brilliantly crafted goals with poised finishes. We showed today that we have the ability to score a wide variety of goals and how clinical we can be at times.

"I think it's important to recognise that we are also keeping clean sheets at the moment. Dominating in attack is important but not conceding is vital. In the last six games, we have only conceded twice, and scored 23 times."

Stobbs's hat-trick, including a sensational second finish, takes the No10 up to 11 goals in all competitions this season, and Ray has hailed the effort and professionalism of the vice-captain both on and off the field.

She continued: "Amber is a very good player, and also a true leader. As our vice-captain, she lives like a professional and it is showing in her performances. The goals and assists she is bringing to games is down to her dedication, not only in training but off the pitch.

"She analyses training sessions and games, she does extra sessions, she gets adequate rest and recovery and she works very hard in training along with everyone else."

Ray does admit that, despite the vast scoreline, she still wants to see improvements in her side's performances, although is satisfied with how the team have been playing in recent contests.
"We weren't at our best today and, after last week's performance against Crystal Palace, we need to find our grit again. I want the girls to not only get a great score-line but to match that with a magical performance. "I am admittedly tough on the players, because my expectations are high. I know more than anyone what they are capable of because I see their commitment and hunger in training. They deserve full credit for the turnaround in results and deep down I am in awe of them."

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Browne delighted to get off the mark with Spurs goal
WHUFC.com

Marcus Browne enjoyed a 'great feeling' as his first goal of the season earned West Ham United's U23s an important point in Monday's London derby against Tottenham Hotspur. The Hammers twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Spurs in Premier League 2 at Dagenham's Chigwell Construction Stadium, though Terry Westley's men were on top for much of the contest. And Browne – skipper for the second consecutive U23 fixture – was at the heart of much of the hosts' dangerous attacking play, testing the keeper on a number of occasions himself before keeping his cool from the penalty spot with 20 minutes remaining to level the scores. Having bagged from 12 yards after Jahmal Hector-Ingram was fouled inside the penalty area, the forward recalled a memorable moment for himself. "Yeah it was a really good feeling," he said. "It always is to score, and even more so because it was my first of the season and I've been out injured for a while. "I couldn't dwell on it too much, though, because my goal made it 2-2 I was more focused on getting the game started again to try and push on to grab the winner.

"We played well, created lots of chances and probably could have won the game. But looking back on the goal, I'm really happy to have grabbed it and an assist as well. "I think we had more than enough chances to put the game to bed, but we didn't and it allowed them to stay in the game."

Browne has suffered with a number of injury problems this campaign – notably a back issue that kept him out until recently – but now feels as though he is beginning to approach his best. "I'm pleased with how far I've come physically in the last few weeks, for sure, and I'm starting to have a positive influence on games and make a mark," he explained. "I still don't feel like I'm at 100 per cent yet which, for me, means I have more to give which I see as a positive. But I'll continue working hard trying to get back to 100 per cent. "There's always a bit more responsibility being captain as well, which I have been in the last two, but I feel like I'm a natural leader in the team so it's a job I was willing to take on and confident in doing."

Browne impressed in last week's defeat to Sunderland, earning praise from manager Westley, and was a constant thorn in Spurs' side on Monday, showing up in pockets of space between the midfield and defence and causing Wayne Burnett's side problems. And the 20-year-old believes he is best suited to the No10 role, where he gets the chance to pick up the ball and drive at defenders from deep. "That's my favoured position, definitely," he concluded. "I try and make it as hard as possible for the opponents to deal with me and I try to get things going and get attacks started. "I feel like I did that in parts of the game. For me making being different and impacting the game and being an obvious influence is key for me. "But overall we felt hard done by coming away with a point considering the chances we had but we dust ourselves down and go again."

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Manning: It could have been even better against Spurs
WHUFC.com

West Ham United U23 coach Liam Manning believes it could have been an even better night for his side after they twice fought back after falling behind to draw 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur. It was the hosts who dominated the London derby clash in Dagenham, missing a number of opportunities in an end-to-end first half before nearly stealing all three points in a cagier second.

Nevertheless, it was still a point gained for the Hammers who went into the fixture looking to pick themselves up on the back of two defeats. Maiden strikes of the season from Domingos Quina and Marcus Browne earned the draw and with the team's performance, Manning thought they could have even gone on to nick it. He said: "We got off to a bad start after three minutes but after we completely got on top and controlled the game. We missed a lot of chances before then getting back into the game and they obviously got another one on the counter. "We're pleased with the point but with the chances we had, we would have liked to have won the game. "Spurs looked dangerous on the counter attack but we spoke about it at half time and I think you could tell; we were more solid and I don't really remember Nathan [Trott] making many saves. We looked the more likely. "I think we adapted to the difficult conditions better than they did and we'll take the point and we'd have liked the three but it is what it is."

Browne's equaliser – the Hammers' second – came from the penalty spot after sub Jahmal Hector-Ingram had been fouled, and the Premier League 2 side's assistant boss was delighted to see the captain – as well as Quina – get off the mark for the campaign. "The goal will hopefully give Marcus a boost going forward after he'd been out for a while, and his performances since he returned has been superb," Manning continued. "He will hopefully continue to look a threat and you give him a few more chances, he'll score those. "With Domingos, he's got to score or create goals and the fact he got in the box tonight is testament that he's taking it on board and learning from that. "We made the point to the players before the game about what a big game it was, that rivalry and ultimately we want to aspire to be better than them."It was a really good competitive game and our lads stood up to it and we really deserved at least a point."

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Hugill: Home debut was a big moment for me
WHUFC.com

Jordan Hugill will never forget the final moments of West Ham United's 2-0 victory over Watford on Saturday. The January signing was called from the bench to replace Chicharito and make his London Stadium bow as David Moyes' men secured a vital three points against the Hornets. Hugill loved the experience and says it has left him hungry for more as the east Londoners look for a strong finish to the campaign. "To get on for my home debut was a big moment for me, and getting the three points makes it even sweeter so it's a great day overall," he explained. "I was ready to come on at any time – as soon as it got into the second half I was thinking that I had a chance. To get the call was brilliant, it went like that but it was a brilliant experience to play in front of the fans. "I'm excited for the rest of the season. The boys were excellent all over the pitch, it was great to get the two goals and I'm sure the defenders will be happy with the clean sheet too. "It's always important to get points against the teams close to you in the table – you don't want them getting away from you so it was a good day to get the points."

Hugill says settling in with the Hammers hasn't been a problem at all due to the welcoming nature of the squad. He added: "Everyone's been really good to me, the players, staff, everybody. The lads have made it much easier for me to settle in because they're a good group. "I'm doing bits after training just to get myself prepared and ready for when I'm needed. When I get the call I'll be ready for it."

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MAKE NO MISTAKE DAVID MOYES WILL BE NEGOTIATING FROM A POSITION OF STRENGTH WHEN CONTRACT TALKS START
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 12 FEBRUARY 2018 AT 9:30PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by @farehamhammer

It is not all doom and gloom is it? A good performance in beating Watford 2-0. The transformation of Bambi on ice Angelo Ogbonna, too a top defender, is a miracle on par of when Jesus turned water into wine. I don't know what Moyes has done with Angelo on the training ground, but it certainly works. The Italian international has been turning in top class performances for some time now. It is nice seeing Hernandez's confidence ebb back into him, thanks to a couple of goals. Mario, although he faded, was skilful and showed great awareness of what was going on around him, certainly knows how to use space. Kouyate is also back to his best. In goal Adrian made a few sharp reflex saves, and his distribution was excellent. West Ham have always been at their best when they've got a talisman in the team. A player who is a bit special, one who can produce that bit of magic, to almost single handily win a game on their own. It's painful but I will say it: Payet, before that Benayoun, Tevez and Di Canio spring to mind.

Marko Arnautovic is certainly that type of player. Most that is good about West Ham's play, flows through Arnautovic. Pace, power, skilful and goals is what Arnie brings to the party. At 6.4 he is obviously difficult to knock off the ball, but what impresses me most is his quick feet, enabling him to beat people so easily. True, it was not a perfect performance, but the team is developing nicely under David Moyes. There is a unity between the manager and team, a far cry from the last few weeks of Bilic's reign. David Moyes has been up against it from the start, a poor unbalanced and paper-thin squad, lacking fitness in general. Not backed at all during the transfer window. But, make no mistake about it, Moyes is a tough tough cookie. Tougher than any managerial appointment Gold and Sullivan have ever made… and he has boxed The Chairman into a corner.

Moyes, is as skilful at manipulating the media as The Chairman are. At the beginning of the transfer window Moyes had this to say. "The squad is not big enough, we need midfielders". Sullivan said, "We are going to sign young players of 23, 25, 26 from places like South America "About a week later Moyes said: "We are looking to add quality, NO lucky dips". In other words, he told Sullivan: "If you can't get me a decent player, I will rather make do with what I have than have a bum of the month dumped on me" At a later press conference he said: "We have put bids in but none of them are near" Then a hint of phantom 'bids', "I have quickly discovered how things work at West Ham, we are linked to about thirty players" All the time subtly pointing fingers at The Board. Drip drip as a result the fans really turned on The Board. Moyes has beaten Gold and Sullivan, the ultimate media whores at their own game. Game set and match to the canny Scot.



You only have to see Sullivan's latest interview and statements to the written media, to realise that they would like Moyes to manage The Club for years to come. They are going to go all out to secure the Scot on a permanent deal. Once they do get around the table to discuss a new contract, Moyes will want full say over transfers and what his budget is, he will make sure everything is cast in stone. He will be calling the shots, it will either be his way or be gone as simple as that. The days of leaks, cheapies, freebies will be a thing of the past. How Gold and Sullivan react? Well they must know the game is up, the days of giving a manager 25m in the transfer window are gone. Sullivan subtly admits that in the interview: "We have not been 'ambitious' enough "I can see them giving Moyes between £50m-£70 million in the transfer window. Yes, it may not be 100m that some are demanding, but if you know what you are doing it will allow you to bring some quality in.

Whether one likes Gold and Sullivan or not, when they really want a player they get them. Payet, Hernandez and Arnautovic spring to mind. It will be up to them to deliver Moyes top targets, not third fourth or fifth targets. Granted you don't always succeed in doing so, but working in tandem with Moyes, I foresee a far better window than the last couple of years. When I listen to other fans moaning about their Clubs, I realise the big problems with ALL Club is expectations. Whether a Club can afford it or not fans want to see their Club competing with the top six Clubs. If someone says to me: "Where has the dough gone?" I can at least say: "Perhaps some is being put away in preparation to buying The London Stadium "Not feasible Fareham?" The pressure must be growing on Sadiq Khan to cut his losses and strike a deal. The tax payer is not going to fund The London Stadium forever. Try being a Southampton or a Liverpool supporter. The Saints are in the bottom three having sold Virgil van Dijk for £75m and only brought in on player for £16m. This has been the pattern at Saints for the last three years.

Big fears and questions on the South Coast, where the money has disappeared to. Same story at Liverpool, they sold Coutinho for £142m bought Van Dijk for 75m. Fans begged them to bring in a replacement for Coutinho, not a bloody chance, £100 million profit stayed in the bank. West Ham's support has always been a broad 'Church', different viewpoints and opinions, but at the same time extremely loyal with an intense passion for The Club. We have a real hunger for success and deserve success, I believe that is what we will achieve. At Everton, Moyes controlled every aspect at The Club-the virtual Godfather. That stood Everton in good stead. I can see him doing EXACTLY the same at West Ham! G&S the self-styled 'Messiahs'? The Godfather will sort them out! The rest of the season? Licking my lips at the prospect of seeing; Lanzini! Super Mario! Hernandez and Arnie on the same pitch. Flowing, inventive football on the deck? The West Ham way? Got it in one!

We are more than a football Club, we're a way of life!

COYI!!

Farehamhammer!!!

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Gold invited to anti-Board demo
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 13th February 2018
By: Staff Writer

David Gold has been offered the opportunity to speak to thousands of West Ham United supporters who intend to march against the Board next month.
The co-chairman, who has clearly been rocked by the level of support for next month's march responded to a message from organisers, the Real West Ham Fans Action Group in which it was suggested that the club had gone backwards under the ownership of Gold and partner David Sullivan. "10 years ago we owned our own stadium and everyone loved it," read a missive from the Group, posted on Monday morning. "10 years on our home has been knocked down and we now play in an athletics stadium that a lot of fans hate... progress at its finest."

Shortly before midnight last night (Monday), Gold responded to the tweet by claiming that West Ham United was on the verge of entering administration prior to his and Sullivan's intervention in 2010, when there were several parties interested in purchasing the club.

"Ten years ago the stadium was (for all intents and purposes) owned by the banks," he replied. "Just before we arrived the banks were demanding the club sell [Scott] Parker, [Robert] Green and [Carlton] Cole to pay down some of the debt, as the club had broke its covenant and was on the brink of administration."

And that response led to an open invitation from the organisers to Gold, who was asked to explain himself directly to the fans. "The fans want truthful honest answers," replied the Action Group. "This is our open invite for you to come and speak to the fans. Come and be a speaker at our march and tell the fans the truth."

Gold - who previously agreed to be interviewed by KUMB.com in 2010, but has rejected all attempts since to arrange it - is yet to confirm whether he will accept the Group's invite. West Ham fans will march in Stratford on 10 March.

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Moyes winning the 100 days war
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 13th February 2018
By: Paul Walker

There's revolution in the air and David Sullivan and his board are finding that it is coming at them from more than one direction.

There's the noisy revolution, the one planned for March 10 by the rank and file boys, the Real West Ham Fans Action Group, who won't be sidetracked by any amount of PR from Sullivan via his TalkSport puppet Jim White or the tame interview on the in-house West Ham TV, the one that didn't ask any tough questions.

But it's the other revolution, the quiet one that David Moyes has waged in his short time at the club, that may well have taken Sullivan by surprise.

It was 100 days in charge for the Scot this week, and it is this spell and the changes that have occurred in such a short space of time on the playing side that interests me most, rather than the excellent efforts of Andy Swallow and the boys (I think they can look after themselves nicely now).

They are getting the publicity, and as long as there is no trouble en route from Stratford Park to the LS, they'll get their message across just fine.

Sullivan and the club have been rattled by all this, more than a few minds have been concentrating on appeasing the fans (Saturday's programme content in particular) and answering some of their complaints. Sullivan has twice now appealed for unity, which I find faintly annoying.

There is a clear difference between the manager and the team, and the owners. I have never known our fans not to be united in support of the team, and the players generally. You only had to listen to the support on Saturday for the excellent win over Watford.

Frankly, if I never heard another word from Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady, that would be just fine, so stop trying to suggest that the fan base lacks unity when it comes to supporting our team.

It is what we are seeing from Moyes at the moment that certainly fills me with growing enthusiasm. Anyone who thinks he will not be manager next season has not been paying attention, which makes his interview with the frequently lubricated Alan Brazil on TalkSport a little irritating.

Brazil was on about Moyes leaving at the end of the season. Clearly he had not seen that suggestion shot down last week by the club and manager. Frankly even if we are relegated(three more wins please) I believe Moyes will ,and should, be given a long term contract.

So much has changed, or will be changed, already. And for me it was the words from both manager and chairman that Sully will be "standing aside" from transfer dealings in the future that really caught the attention. Blimey, the world and his wife have been telling control-freak Sullivan that for years but Moyes has sorted it in three months.

Of course everyone is saying nice things about each other, to save face. But it is clear that a lot of discussions have been going on behind the scenes, and now everyone is talking about changes in the football structure at the club for next season. So Moyes won't be here? Nonsense.

I sense that there has been a point recently, probably as the transfer window descended into chaos, that Moyes made it clear that if he stayed on, he would not tolerate any interference in transfers and selection of players from the board. Not negotiable. Just like it was when Moyes had Bill Kenwright as his chairman at Everton.

And the shock is that Sullivan has agreed. No doubt he has seen how Moyes has hauled a dysfunctional, disinterested squad up from the relegation zone to mid-table, the job is not done yet but Moyes' stamp is now on everything that Sullivan can see.

And the predicted Armageddon of relegation is drifting away, not quite gone but certainly allowing the board to breath easier. And maybe they can see that the sort of policies that saw Birmingham relegated twice from the Premier League under their tenure, and more than a few relegation battles at West Ham in their time, need to be addressed.

Handed over the to football professionals rather than part time 'director of football.' A proper, modern analysis system, massive video information, increased scouting, a new head of recruitment.

Honestly, why would any sane owner put himself into the firing line every transfer window when he can delegate to someone he trusts? That has always defeated me, Sully surely doesn't need the aggro, pressure and abuse on a twice yearly basis.

Moyes has more than steadied the ship. It was never going to be pretty, he was never going to be flamboyant and all over the back pages. He doesn't do anything else but functional, organised, methodical and calm problem saving.

We have gone unbeaten in five games at the LS for the first time. We have lost only one of nine matches there since he took over in November, conceding just seven. Gone are the days when we have to score three to get anything from a game, like it was under Slav's Kamikaze cavaliers.

Yes, I loved Slav and his style, but frequently the pack of cards on the pitch collapsed into disarray at the first sign of adversity.

We were being told we were the worst-coached side in the top flight, now Moyes has produced a team and plan that gives a passable impression of a Premier League team. We have lost just five of the 16 league games under Moyes' control, the players and fan can see a plan, and that was sadly lacking under Slav.

Sullivan can see a good thing when it smacks him in the face. There's too much cash at stake now for gambles.

So Sullivan is talking of "only the manager can sign players". Sully will "delegate the whole thing, players will be scouted five or six times". And the key point for me: "WE WON'T SIGN A PLAYER THE MANAGER HAS NEVER SEEN PLAY".

Just stop and take that in for a second. It presumably means we have been signing players the managers have not seen play. Heaven forbid. You can tell Moyes put his foot down during January when he remarked that ' we would not be doing things a certain way.'

There was friction, the 'dithering Dave' label was floated again, scandalous that really. That emerged at Manchester United when Moyes took time to make decisions as soon as he arrived and was hounded for it.

At Everton there was occasionally disquiet on the same lines… but the answer to that was (in no particular order Tim Cahill, Leighton Baines, Steven Pienaar, Phil Jagielka, Tim Howard, Phil Neville, Seamus Coleman, Kevin Kilbane, Stephen Naysmith, Andrew Johnson, Joseph Yobo, Kevin Mirallas… I could go on.

We would have accepted the majority of those signings, cheap but all a success. Moyes may dither, but he won't waste the club's money. And Sullivan knows a lot about that.

Moyes has re-aligned his ambitions. He admits to going to Old Trafford to give himself an easier chance to win trophies. Now he can see a project with us, and he insists he is happy to try to recreate the Everton policy, long term. What we need is careful planning, a structure and no more vanity signings. (Yes, I mean Joe Hart.)

Someone said to me last weekend that they would not be over-bothered if Moyes did go, but they really liked his backroom set-up. I think you don't get one without the other.

But there is so much more than has been happening quietly around this squad. About the first thing Moyes did was to stop the leaks or team news and injuries, something that played into opponents' hands and flooded every week leading up to a match.

Then there's the discipline. The axing of Michail Antonio for poor timekeeping could have backfired, but fortune favoured the brave and we beat West Brom and Antonio was in the office the following morning to apologise. Soon after he was saying how he wanted to play on the left, and on Saturday we saw him in that wing-back role creating the first goal. He needs to be fitter and stronger, but he's a beast to play against when he really fancies it.

We also have a plan. Three centre backs, Aaron Cresswell playing well as the left side of that trio, and Arthur Masuaku and now Antonio on the left. I don't believe Patrice Evra will be anything else but cover.

Adrian has been reinstated in goal, James Collins and Mark Noble are also back in favour. Marko Arnautovic is hungry again and moved to play through the middle to great effect. Moyes has found an effective role for Chicharito while Angelo Ogbonna and Cheikhou Kouyate are in their best form of the season.

Moyes has been moved to say this week that "maybe the players were looking for a change of attitude". Careful not to criticise the previous regime but he said what everyone is thinking. Players need direction, a plan they can see working and their roles defined. They are getting that now. And they are being worked hard on the training ground.

There have been some blips. Newcastle was a game we should have won, Brighton was a shambles again, and the cup ties seemed to be an inconvenience for Moyes, having been charged initially to just save our skins in the Premier League.

Moyes has also diligently shifted through the youth players, the ones everyone was crying out to be given a chance, and done just that. Declan Rice and Josh Cullen are the best of the bunch, and they are part of the squad.

I am not trying to paint too rosy a picture here, we have some tough games coming up that could seriously expose us again. But I am just trying to highlight the string of positive decisions that Moyes and his coaches have made, problems that have been around for a while, but ones that the Scot has tried to solve, one by one. There was an awful lot to do.

So while Moyes and the team have been living and playing in their own bubble, the chairman has been trying to placate the angry brigade. He's got enough on his hands with that, so why on earth would he want to touch a transfer again or interfere in the playing side?

Maybe, just maybe, he has started to learn how to delegate. And Moyes, needing to firmly re-establish himself in the top flight, has grasped the opportunity with open arms.

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, KUMB.com.

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Keep the statue in Upton Park, say fans
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 13th February 2018
By: Staff Writer

A snap KUMB poll has resulted in around three-quarters or respondents voting in favour of keeping the Champions statue in Upton Park.

The statue, which features all three Hammers to represent England in the 1966 World Cup Final - Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters and Everton's Ray Wilson - has been the subject of much discussion since West Ham United moves to Stratford in the summer of 2016.

And a snap poll taken on the KUMB Forum has seen 75 per cent of respondents voting to leave the statue on the junction of Green Street and Barking Road - with less than a quarter of fans believing the statue should be moved.

"Leave it, it belongs there," wrote KUMB member matthewbd. "Build a new one for the London Stadium. Moore, Hurst and Peters played in East Ham. Any sign that we used to play there has all but gone, so let's leave something."

However sutts07 believes that the statue should be close to where the team are playing. "Assuming our owners would never spend money on a new version, I'd actually prefer to see it over at Stratford now personally," he penned.

"I totally understand people wanting it to remain in the Upton Park area but for me, we have moved now and we are not going back. It'd give me that little feeling of pride in my stomach each time I walk past it on the way to the ground."

Meanwhile a number of businesses in Upton Park have clubbed together to produce a poster calling for the Champions statue to remain where it was initially installed.

Entitled 'Save our Statue', the poster - which you may see below - urges members of the public to write to Newham's Mayor, Sir Robin Wales in order to express their objection to any plans to move the statue. An online petition is also available.

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ANDY CARROLL: THE FORGOTTEN MAN?
By Tony Hanna 13 Feb 2018 at 08:00
WTID

Well, that three points takes a bit of the pressure off although wins for Huddersfield and Newcastle only helped to create more congestion again in the relegation battle. The 2-0 win against Watford was again a match of two halves. The performance in the first half should have seen us go clear as with a little luck the disallowed goal was so close to call it could have easily been given; there was a good penalty shout turned down and an Arnie miss which should have been buried. Add those to the goal we did score and the fact Watford created nothing it should have been game over, sit back and relax and watch us knock the ball around for the final 45 minutes. But we rarely do easy do we? Watford dominated the game in the second half albeit without really threatening but relief came when Arnie put the game to bed with minutes to spare. The other good news is that there were no new injuries and we saw starts for both Antonio and Arnautovic who have been sidelined recently.

Which brings me to an interview David Moyes did last week. When questioned about who was fit and not for the game against Watford he advised that Arnautovic had been training last week but Lanzini was still a week or two away. Fonte was training but lacked some match practice, Reid had a throat infection (which I took no notice of when I did my predictor – damn), and Obiang and Fernandes were both long term injuries. Notice anything? Obiang and Fernandes look certain to miss the rest of the season but Moyes still mentioned them. It might have been an over sight but there was no mention of Andy Carroll. It was a similar story two weeks ago when a match commentator reeled our list of injuries off – but forgot to mention Carroll. Physio room have Carroll down for a return in mid-April whilst some quarters suggest he may be out for the season but one thing is for sure – he certainly seems to be the forgotten player. In past seasons an injury to the big fella would have had us in crisis mode. Arnautovic is the man now and at last Chico is starting to work his socks off and score -the Moyes warning of you don't play unless you run seems to be hitting home at last.

But what of Andy? In the January window rumours abounded that Chelsea wanted to sign him until the news of his latest injury scuppered that quick smart. From what I can ascertain he has been on around 75 grand a week for some time, which in fact is about the same as what Patrice Evra is on! What seemed a lot of money a few seasons ago is pretty much average nowadays. Basically, his injury record has not put him in a position to demand a better deal. Andy Carroll joined on loan in August 2012 and I was there for the final game of the season against Reading when many fans sang "Andy Carroll, we want you to stay". I must admit it was not a song I sang but I sort of hoped he would sign a permanent deal. Well Andy did of course sign and five and a half years later we can look back on his career with a mixture of feelings, with frustration probably being at the top of most fans lists. He has averaged eighteen appearances and 5.3 goals per season and has not hit double figures in the premier League in six seasons. Aged 29 now and with just over one year of his contract left I have little doubt if Andy had been fit a few weeks ago our owners would have sold him to Chelsea or anyone else who may have been interested. Why not? There is no way he will get a contract extension and at the end of next season he is a free agent.

Sir Alf Ramsey once said of our own Martin Peters that he was a player ten years ahead of his time. He was referring to the Martin's vision on the field and his versatility. For me Andy is a player best suited to the game played 30-40 years ago. That is not to discredit the player, far from it, he would have loved playing in the seventies. The likes of Andy Gray and Joe Royle enjoyed great careers playing with a similar style and even in the nineties Duncan Ferguson did the same. Andy does have good feet and control, his hold up play is excellent and in the air there is no centre forward in the country better. But of course there are two big problems. One is his injury record and the other is that teams with Carroll in the side are almost forced to change their intended route to goal to accommodate him. When Brendan Rodgers took over at Liverpool in June 2012 he immediately saw that Andy did not fit the style of football he wanted to play and Sam Allardyce's West Ham was a perfect fit for the big man and a loan deal was quickly sorted.

It is not like it is a reoccurring injury that has blighted the player. There have been a plethora of different ones. If he misses the rest of this season his only Premier League goals of this campaign both came in the same match v West Brom. These two goals highlighted what a talent he could of, should have been. A towering leap with a bullet header followed by a side footed shot from an acute angle showing all the guile that belittles any thoughts that he is totally one dimensional. For further proof take a look at his goal against Crystal Palace last season in the video clip below. I am sure if another good offer came in for Andy Carroll in the summer window we would take it with relish. However, on what is now just an average wage at the club, if an offer was not forthcoming I would be happy to keep him if only as an impact player off the bench. What's your views and if Andy was to be sold off before playing for the Hammers again, how would you look back on his career?

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