Daily WHUFC News - 28th April 2018

Team news: Adrian's chance to impress and Obiang's imminent comeback
WHUFC.com

David Moyes has urged Adrian to take his chance to impress in Sunday's Premier League clash with Manchester City. The Spanish goalkeeper returns to the starting XI with on-loan Joe Hart ineligible to face his parent club, and Moyes expects the No13 to be in for a busy afternoon against the champions. However, Adrian excelled in the narrow 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture at the Etihad before Christmas and the manager is backing him to produce the goods again at London Stadium. "I hope he plays that well against Man City that he is available for the next one, that's the plan," said the boss, when asked if Adrian has the opportunity to stake his claim for the final four games of the Premier League campaign, and to start next season as the first-choice stopper. "If you get in and you do well, you're never going to play Man City without your goalkeeper having to play well, you've got to play well so we need a big game from Adrian on Sunday."

Moyes was also asked if Hart would remain in east London, but refused to be drawn on the futures of either of his two senior goalkeepers. "There are certainly no talks about whether it's Adrian or Joe Hart or anybody because until we are in a position of safety, we won't me making any decisions like that where we are going to be. So no, we've not discussed them."

On the injury front, Moyes is expecting to have the same squad, bar Hart, available to face Pep Guardiola's side to the one which drew at home with Stoke City and lost out late on at Arsenal. Manuel Lanzini is pushing for a return to the starting XI, while young goalkeeper Nathan Trott is set to be promoted to the first-team squad. While he may not be available to face City, midfielder Pedro Obiang is edging closer to a return from the knee injury he suffered in the Emirates FA Cup tie at Wigan Athletic in late January and could be fit for the final three games of the season against Leicester City, Manchester United and Everton. "I think near enough everybody is back," Moyes confirmed. "There is a chance that Pedro Obiang could be among us maybe for the last week of the season but at the moment, everybody who was available last weekend is available for Sunday."

Aside from the ineligible Hart, Winston Reid (knee), James Collins (hamstring), Sam Byram (ankle) and Michail Antonio (hamstring) remain on the sidelines.

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West Ham Ladies agree landmark Academy partnership with Barking Abbey School
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Ladies has agreed a partnership with Barking Abbey School Specialist Sports College to host the Club's Academy from the beginning of the 2018/19 season. The Hammers and the award-winning Barking Abbey Girls Football Academy, which was created in 2009, will join forces this summer to provide technical, vocational and educational training for aspiring female footballers aged between 16-18. West Ham United Ladies general manager Karen Ray believes the agreement will prove hugely positive for the Club, the school and the dozens of teenage players who will benefit every season. "We are very excited about this partnership and by the prospect of opening a flourishing and successful Academy," said Ray, who has guided West Ham United Ladies first-team through a 13-match unbeaten run which included two cup final victories. "This Academy will enable West Ham United Ladies to provide the additional development training required to increases opportunities for the girls participating in the Academy to become professional footballers.

"Our partnership with Barking Abbey School Specialist Sports College will also enable us to offer a multitude of academic courses – 25 A Level and five Level 3 BTEC National Courses – all of which are important for the holistic well-being of our student athletes and can potentially put them onto our higher education pathway with the University of East London, further enhancing their dual career opportunities. "Continuing the long-held ethos of West Ham United's world-famous Academy of Football, this partnership is about not just producing good footballers, but good people. The holistic development of individuals is paramount, with the players' physical and emotional wellbeing being a top priority."

Barking Abbey head coach Keith Boanas is relishing the prospect of working alongside West Ham United Ladies. "The aim of both Barking Abbey School and West Ham United Ladies is to develop girls capable of producing elite performance, so this partnership is a great fit for both parties, all in all," said Boanas, who holds a UEFA Pro Licence and has nearly 20 years of coaching experience in the women's game. Under my predecessor Sharon Brownlie, who now works for the Football Association, Barking Abbey developed a long track record of producing young players who have gone on to secure college scholarships in the United States and play at a high level in the women's game in both the US and this country. "In the future, we anticipate that this partnership with West Ham United will enable us to provide a pathway through the Academy to the elite level of the game in this country for players of an international standard, benefiting the player, the school, the club and the England national team."

Barking Abbey School's Sports Academy has won widespread acclaim, with OFSTED praising its 'unique blend of academic study, expert coaching, personalised training and high-quality competition'. The School's Girls Football Academy was created in 2009 and provides promising young student-athletes with access to a structured programme of high level training and fixtures, while also providing them with the opportunity to pursue their academic studies and coaching qualifications West Ham United Ladies striker Kelly Wealthall was on target as Barking Abbey retained the ESFA Schools' Cup last month again to fire the school through to the ECFA Premier League Cup final. To complete an impressive hat-trick, they are also through to the ECFA Premier League Women's Play-Off quarter-finals.

*If the West Ham United Ladies/Barking Abbey School Academy could be of interest to you, please email Keith Boanas at boanask@barkingabbeyschool.co.uk

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West Ham Ladies stars inspire the next generation
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Ladies stars Cara Connatser and Rosie Kmita paid a visit to the Club's Under-12s side recently to give out some valuable advice. The pair have been an important part of the 13-match unbeaten run Karen Ray's team have enjoyed since the turn of the year – a spell which has yielded two trophies as well as a climb up the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division table. Now, as the Hammers get behind the Football Association's Girls' Football week, which aims to raise participation in the sport, the pair were on hand to help inspire the next generation.

West Ham Ladies host Lewes in their penultimate game of the season at Rush Green this Sunday (kick-off 2pm). Admission is free for Season Ticket Holders, Claret Members and all Under-16s. Adult tickets are otherwise priced at £3

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Rice: It's great to be part of this West Ham squad
WHUFC.com

Declan Rice says the 'close' support structure at West Ham United has been a major reason behind his breakout season in Claret and Blue. The teenager made it back-to-back Young Hammer of the Year awards this week, adding another accolade to a campaign that has seen him make 27 first-team appearances and a senior debut for the Republic of Ireland national team. While Rice's own attitude and talent have shone through, the ball-playing centre-half was quick to express his gratitude for the support and mentoring he has received both before and during this standout season, from his old Academy coaches, first-team staff and teammates alike. "You've only got to go into the Academy to see how much work is going. There are so many top people there working. Everyone has got an individual mentor and they are bringing top players through and now we are beating Manchester City and Manchester United, which shows how well we're doing as an Academy. "Credit to Terry Westley and his staff – Liam Manning, Steve Potts and Mark Phillips – for giving loads of players their opportunities. He's always putting good words in and trying to make you better as player. A massive thank you to all them for getting me to this point."

Rice graduated/ from the U23s to the first-team squad at the end of last season and his character, ability and willingness to learn have seen his older colleagues quickly accept the 19-year-old into the dressing room. Among those who have been most welcoming has been Hammer of the Year Marko Arnautovic, who lives near to Rice's family home in west London and often shares the morning drive into Rush Green with his young teammate. "All of the boys have been there for me and I think they're pleased to see a youngster come through," Rice revealed. "To be honest, I've been lucky to come through with this group of lads, who all look after me and have all been in my position, the likes of Joe Hart, Nobes, Ginge and Andy Carroll, everyone really. "That's the thing about this squad. We're all so close that anyone can go to anyone. It's great to be part of this squad and I can't wait to be part of it for a long time in the future.

"Marko has been like a brother to me. He's been excellent. We live quite close to each other and he sometimes brings me into training and we've got on really well since pre-season. Credit to him. He's been fantastic this year and he deserves everything he gets."

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Zoepfl: I couldn't have won award without my teammates
WHUFC.com

Ellie Zoepfl was quick to thank her West Ham United Ladies teammates after collecting the first Ladies Players' Player of the Year sponsored by Spire London East Hospital award at Wednesday's Player Awards. Zoepfl, who has scored an outstanding ten goals in 13 games for the Ladies as Karen Ray's side have gone unbeaten throughout 2018, got the vote from her fellow players to take the trophy ahead of a number of other outstanding performers, including Hannah Wheeler and Kelly Wealthall. But the American remained modest on receiving her prize, saying her achievements would not have been possible without the teammates around her. She said: "It feels really really good to win this award, but I wouldn't be anywhere without my teammates. "This has been my first season at the Club and I appreciate everything that has been done for me. The players and coaching staff give me the confidence to play how I've been playing. "Its been really easy to settle in since joining the Club earlier this season, the girls have been great and the coaching staff really supportive."

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Joe Hart and Adrian West Ham futures on hold until safety is secured, says David Moyes
JACK ROSSER
ES Sport

David Moyes has called on Adrian to repeat his heroics from the Etihad as he once more replaces Joe Hart against Manchester City. Having been kept out of the side under both Slaven Bilic and Moyes until the December meeting in Manchester, the Spanish 'keeper grasped his opportunity with both hands making a string of fine saves to keep the England international out of the side until the meeting with Burnley in April. With Hart once more ineligible to face his parent club, Adrian has another chance to take the number one spot back for the remainder of the season.
With the place up for grabs Moyes is hoping for another performance to make his choice for the final three Premier League games an easier one. "I hope he plays that well against Man City that he is available for the next one, that's the plan," the Hammers manager told reporters. "If you get in and you do well, you're never going to play Man City without your goalkeeper having to play well, you've got to play well so we need a big game from Adrian on Sunday." With both Hart and Adrian's futures up for debate this summer there is plenty at stake for both 'keepers, however, Moyes insists no decisions will be made before Premier League safety is assured. "There is certainly no talks about whether it's Adrian or Joe Hart or anybody until we are in a position of safety," he added. "We won't me making any decisions like that where we are going to be. "So no, we've not discussed them."

London Stadium has been both a help and a hindrance to West Ham at times this season. However, with the World Athletics Championships having forced the east Londoners out of their new home for the opening games of the season, three of their four remaining games are in Stratford. Despite another season of turmoil, though, Moyes and his squad feel ever more comfortable at London Stadium, and are looking to harness the home support during the run-in. "None of the games are easy, our home games are hard as well but if we had the choice then we'd have those three games at home. "Let's get the crowd behind us, who have been really good at home. I think the crowd and the players have really grown into the stadium much better. "Since the start when I first came it feels better and in my short time here, I think we are enjoying it a bit more now so hopefully that shows in the performances and the results."

Manchester City are, without doubt, the toughest of guests to entertain this season, however, a strong performance on Sunday would go a long way to assuring safety sooner rather than later

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World Cup 2018: Why England must take Joe Hart to Russia
By Rachel Brown-Finnis
Former England goalkeeper and BBC pundit
BBC.co.uk

Everyone who says Joe Hart is not good enough to go to this summer's World Cup is missing the point - the West Ham goalkeeper is not England's best number one any more, but he is our best number three. Based on how well he is playing, of course Hart should not be on the plane to Russia. Out of all the regular goalkeepers in Europe's top five leagues, there are only two with a worse shot-to-save ratio this season.

West Ham keeper Joe Hart has saved 53 of the 91 shots on target he has faced in the Premier League this season. Of the 125 goalkeepers to have faced 20 or more shots in Europe's top five leagues - England, France, Spain, Italy and Germany - only two have a worse save % - Southampton's Alex McCarthy with 56.6% and Alberto Brignoli of Italian side Benevento with 56.3% Burnley's Nick Pope, who realistically is Hart's main rival for a place in the squad, is at the other end of that scale. While Hart has had a mostly miserable season and made several obvious errors, Pope has had an amazing one and been inspirational for his team.
But form is not the factor that England manager Gareth Southgate will be considering when he makes his decision about who will be back-up to Jordan Pickford and Jack Butland, despite everything Pope has going for him.

Nick Pope has the second-best save percentage in the Premier League this season, behind Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea (80.5%). Pope is ranked sixth in that statistic in Europe's big five leagues. The role of a third-choice keeper at a major tournament involves many things, but they hardly ever get on the pitch. Since 1934, only four out of the 435 teams to compete at World Cup finals have used all three of their keepers - and the last team to do it were Greece in 1994, after they had been eliminated.

Instead of looking for someone who might shine if they get a chance, Southgate will be looking for the right character and someone he can trust to support his team-mates and be a positive influence on the whole squad. That is not playing down what the role entails, though. I have heard being the number three goalkeeper described as simply being a cheerleader but, having done it at a major finals myself, there is a heck of a lot more to it than that. Yes, you are there to support the team, but you can be very influential while you do it. Do not underestimate the job by thinking Hart would just be going to Russia to help out in shooting practice.

Hart's form irrelevant

It has been suggested that Hart is playing his way out of Southgate's plans for Russia with performances like the one he put in against Stoke last week, when his fumble cost West Ham a goal with the England manager watching on. I don't think that is the case - nor does it matter that Hart cannot try to impress this weekend because he is ineligible to face Manchester City, his parent club. The things Southgate wants to see are more to do with what he will get from Hart in a training camp with a tight-knit environment, and he knows that already. If he makes it, these will be Hart's fifth major finals and his third World Cup - he has been first choice at all of them apart from the 2010 World Cup, when he was third choice. His experience will be invaluable to Pickford and Butland, who have played at several age-group finals but have been to only one tournament at senior level between them - in 2012, when John Ruddy's broken finger in training saw Butland bumped up from the standby list.

Gareth Southgate and Joe Hart

Joe Hart has been in every squad Gareth Southgate has named as interim or permanent England manager since he took charge in September 2016. In the 16 games that Southgate has been England manager, Hart has played in 11 of them and the only competitive game he has not featured in was the win over Lithuania in October 2017 just after England had qualified for the World Cup I know Southgate has shown himself to be a brave manager who is willing to make changes with some of his selections, but this is slightly different. It comes down to personality, not ability, and, despite calling Pope up into his last squad in March, Southgate cannot be sure of what he is like when he is away for five or six weeks - especially compared to Hart. In this situation I would expect him to go with what he knows.

Experience can improve the blend of the squad

The ranking of first, second and third keeper in any squad is usually clearly defined, and they will be this time too. I think Southgate will go for Pickford, Butland and Hart - in that order. Unlike any of the outfield players, the third-choice keeper does not travel to any tournament expecting to play, so Hart will have no illusions there. He will be aware of the dynamic that a group of keepers has at international level, and the part he has to play in it - which is to do everything he can to support the number one and number two during the tournament. While the second choice is looking to excel in training and has to be ready to step in at almost any time, including during games, the number three - or 23 in terms of their usual shirt number - is usually in the stand during matches. Hart will also be playing third fiddle to what the other two keepers need in training in the build-up to matches, but he is still important because of his knowledge - what he can suggest during those drills and also by offering some analysis and feedback before and afterwards. He would also be Pickford's confidant, and his go-to person for information on scenarios that the young Everton keeper has not been in before. Although it is possible Pickford may not want to seek advice from Hart, it is not even an option for him with Butland and Pope as the other keepers. I also think Hart would improve the blend of the whole squad. One of the things I like about Southgate is that he has given young players and new faces a chance, but an experienced older player can still bring something to the mix if they are still motivated. I don't know him personally but I am sure Hart's attitude is right. Southgate knows him well and he would not consistently pick him otherwise. Put all that together and he is the best fit to be the number three.

Who will be England's number one?

Joe Hart (second from left) has 75 England caps - the other three contenders have a total of nine between them. Jordan Pickford (far left) made his debut against Germany in November and won his second cap against the Netherlands in March. He is yet to concede a goal for the senior England team I am a huge fan of Pope, and put him on my shortlist for the player of the season because of the impact he has had in his first campaign in the Burnley team. While form is not important for the third-choice keeper, you could definitely argue that it should decide who is England's number one. On that basis, Pope who would be first choice, not fourth. He has played well consistently for the past few months too, not just recently. But it appears goalkeeper distribution is something that matters a lot to Southgate too, because of the way he wants England to play. That seems to give Pickford the edge, because he is excellent at it, and I would agree with that choice based on the same criteria that Southgate is using. We do not see Butland play out from the back very often for Stoke, or Pope for Burnley. Hart has never really looked comfortable doing it, which is one of the reasons his career has stalled. Pickford's ability with his feet is his big strength over the other keepers but he is also extremely confident, which makes me think he is ready for this stage. He does not make many mistakes but I don't think an error would faze him, which is crucial.

When Pickford joined Everton for £30m in June 2017, his manager during a loan spell at Preston, Simon Grayson, said: "He is vocal and he is a winner. He loves the pressure of being the best he can. He will be looking at the England situation at the moment and thinking the next port of call is to be England's number one. We felt he could have played outfield with the quality of his feet." You could argue a case for each of the keepers I have mentioned, though. It is unusual that England don't have an established number one at this late stage before a World Cup, but I don't see it as a problem - it is an exciting time. Hart did not really have any sort of steady competition during the years he was number one, so it is refreshing for Pickford and Pope to emerge now as well as seeing Butland stay consistently fit. That has coincided with Hart's dip in form to produce the situation we are in. However, there is no need to panic. We are not sure who will take the position long term, but we have some excellent goalkeepers to choose from. Rachel Brown-Finnis was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

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No special treatment for Rice, insists Moyes
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 27th April 2018
By: Staff Writer

David Moyes has defended his decision to publicly criticise teenager Declan Rice following his error in the 4-1 defeat at Arsenal last weekend. The 19-year-old rookie, making only his 22nd Premier League appearance was castigated by the Scottish boss for failing to deal with a cross that led to the Gunners' second goal.
And despite the vast majority of supporters having subsequently accused Moyes of unfairly criticising the new Irish international, the manager insists that he was right to highlight the youngster's error - and, apparently, earlier faults too. "I thought we had done a good job last weekend against Arsenal," he told the Evening Standard. "That changed in the last eight minutes. Young Declan Rice has done great for us, but I don't think we can hide the fact that he should have just headed the ball away for their second goal. That's football. "If it was any player, I would have said the same thing. It doesn't matter whether you're 19 or 29, the message has to be the same. Of course, we understand he's a young, developing player, but you cannot hide the facts and that was a poor decision he made.

"Declan knows what he did and he's had one or two incidents this season. To be fair, though, his form in general has been very good, he's steadied down so we hope it is a blip and that he won't make a similar mistake again. "The truth is there are very few 19-year-old central defenders in the Premier League - if any. One of the reasons is should a young defender make a mistake and it costs the team, it costs the manager as well - and, ultimately, points."

Rice was introduced to the first team earlier in the season following lengthy injuries to established first team defenders Winston Reid and Angelo Ogbonna. Meanwhile the Board also sold established central defender Jose Fonte to Dalian Yifang for £5million in February.

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Moyes' 'keeper conundrum
KUMb.com
Filed: Friday, 27th April 2018
By: Staff Writer

David Moyes is still undecided which of his two goalkeepers to use for the remainder of the season. With the inconsistent Joe Hart unavailable to play against his parent club Manchester City this weekend, Moyes will revert to employing Adrian who last featured in the 4-1 defeat at Swansea at the beginning of March.
And according to Moyes, the Spanish stopper could secure the goalkeeper's jersey for the remainder of the campign if he impresses against the new Premier League champions.

"With Joe Hart ineligible for Sunday's game, Adrian comes back in," Moyes said in his Evening Standard column. "I've spoken with both goalkeepers over the last week. I thought that Joe's performance against Arsenal was really solid, similar to that against Chelsea a couple of weeks previously. "Yes, he made a mistake against Stoke, but what you do is bounce back and that is exactly what he did at the Emirates, where he made several really good saves. Now, though, Adrian has his chance and if he plays well against Manchester City, then I will stick with him. "It always has to be a case of getting into the team, grabbing that jersey and showing what you can do. We only have three games to go after Sunday and, should he play well, he'll stay in."

Moyes, whose continued appointment is backed by just 40 per cent of supporters according to a recent KUMB Forum poll, also used his column to congratulate Marko Arnautovic who was named as the latest Hammer of the Year earlier this week. "Marko has been an important member of the team and his goals have been valuable for us throughout the season," said Moyes, who has been widely credited with improving the Austrian international's fortunes. "I hope he continues to improve his game, keeps his work rate high and goes on to score many more for the club."

A tale of two 'keepers

Joe Hart: Pld 23; Conceded 37; Ave 1.6 gpg.
Adrian: Pld 18; Conceded 26; Ave 1.4 gpg.

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Hart set for La Liga role?
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 27th April 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham's on-loan goalkeeper Joe Hart could be heading for La Liga this summer. According to news emanating from Spain, the England international is one of Spanish club Sevilla's top targets this summer - with the Andalusians ready to do business with parent club Manchester City. Gol Digital claim that Los Rojiblancos have already made an offer for the 31-year-old, who has spent the season on loan at the Olympic Stadium, after West Ham confirmed thay would not be seeking to make Hart's stay permanent. Seville are keen to find a permanent solution to their goalkeeper problem, with neither Sergio Rico nor David Soria managing to convince manager Vincenzo Montella that they are the solution.
Hart's departure could potentially leave West Ham without a first team goalkeeper this summer, with fellow Hammer Adrian being similarly courted by former club Real Betis who are keen to be reunited with a player they sold to the Hammers in 2013. The Shrewsbury-born stopper, whose short-term contract at West Ham is worth in excess of £100,000 per week has featured on 23 occasions for United so far this season, conceding 37 goals at an average 1.6 goal per game.

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WEST HAM JOIN THE RACE TO SIGN JONNY EVANS
GEORGE ROGAN @georgerogan97
readWestHam

West Ham are looking sign West Brom defender Johnny Evans this summer, report the Mirror. Evans has a £3 million relegation release clause in his contract and is known to be on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs. Crystal Palace, Everton, Leicester and Newcastle are all interested in the Northern Irishmanm who will be high demand after a number of impressive seasons for club and country. West Brom are currently 20th in the Premier League and their relegation could be confirmed this weekend with three games still left to play. The Baggies are braced to lose the 30-year-old for a cut-price fee after rejecting a bid of £21 million for him from Manchester City last summer. The Hammers are looking to bring in a new centre-back this summer and with over 200 games of experience in the league, Evans looks the perfect fit. His current wages are around £50,000 a week, but Evans will likely want a pay rise and that should be no problem for the East London club as they look to bolster their side and finish in the top half next season.

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How West Ham might look next season after David Moyes' £60m transfer revolution
We're expecting a few new arrivals in east London this summer as the squad gets an overhaul
Football London
BySam Inkersole
West Ham Correspondent
12:00, 27 APR 2018

Should David Moyes stay as West Ham manager after the end of this season, providing the club is still in the Premier League of course, he is expected to be handed a war chest to overhaul the squad. The manager has already been scouting targets ahead of next season despite safety in the top-flight not being fully assured just yet after the 1-1 draw against Stoke City on Monday, with the Hammers three points away from the magical 40 which is generally enough for survival.
After two seasons of struggle on the pitch since leaving the Boleyn Ground and moving to the London Stadium in the summer of 2016, the squad is in need of a revolution, an overhaul if you will. That will mean players coming in but also, players coming out. As always, the Hammers have been linked with plenty of players over the last couple of months, it's part and parcel of being associated with the club and if they signed everyone they have been linked with, the squad could be about 100 players deep. But, lets be sensible for a minute and look at realistic targets who the club have been rumoured to make a move for and that would fit in the squad. For a bit of fun, this is how West Ham could look next season if Moyes was to complete a bit of a transfer overhaul in E20.

In goal, Sam Johntone could be the answer. The Manchester United stopper has had an excellent season on-loan at Aston Villa but a lot will depend on whether the Villains are promoted back to the Premier League as no doubt they'll have first option. With Joe Hart and Adrian not impressing this season at West Ham, the club were linked with a swoop for Johnstone in March and will likely be after a new keeper this summer.

In defence, there isn't too much change with the only new addition potentially being Fulham right back Ryan Fredericks, who has been scouted a number of times by the Hammers and is out of contract at Craven Cottage this summer. Fredericks has yet to commit to a new deal in west London and again, a lot could depend on how the Cottagers perform in the play-offs.

Midfield could see a bit of a change with two new faces in the shape of Fulham captain Tom Cairney, heavily linked with a move to east London in January with an apparent £20m bid rejected. Cairney was also suspiciously spotted right behind David Moyes in the dugout at Stamford Bridge earlier this month.

Leander Dendoncker is the other new face, having come very close to a move to the Hammers in January. There are reports that Atletico Madrid have a 20m euro option to sign him but they don't have to if they don't want to so the Hammers aren't out of the running. A new central midfielder or two is a must for the Hammers this summer. They came close to getting him in January, the player wanted the move, but it fell through on deadline day.

The other potential new face is Xherdan Shaqiri of Stoke, who is certain to leave the club if they are relegated this summer. Everton and Crystal Palace have also been linked as well as the Hammers for a player that Moyes could see as a challenge, much like he revolutionised Marko Arnautovic since taking over. Shaqiri, on his day, is a mercurial talent but you just never know which Shaqiri is going to turn up on any given matchday.

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Leon Britton posts reminiscent Tweet about joining West Ham's academy
HITC
Will Butcher

Swansea City midfielder Britton started out at Arsenal before chancing his arms at West Ham. Swansea City midfielder Leon Britton has recalled his decision to turn down a professional deal at Arsenal to join West Ham United on Twitter, posting sarcastically "that decision worked out well". The 35-year-old midfielder remains on the books at Swansea though his current contract with the club is set to expire at the end of the season, in a campaign in which he took temporary charge of the side for two matches. Britton joined Arsenal's academy aged just nine in 1991, but after seven years he chose to turn a professional contract down to move across London to West Ham in 1998. However, five years in east London failed to produce even one senior Hammers appearance and Britton posted on Twitter to reminisce about his decision to join West Ham.

Leon Britton
✔
@Britts_7
Throw back to nearly 20 years ago when Arsenal offered me terms as an apprentice and professional. Turned it down to join West Ham thinking I would get a better opportunity, that decision worked out well 🙈😂 #TBT

5:49 PM - Apr 26, 2018

In his final year at West Ham, Britton joined Swansea on loan for the 2002-03 season and completed the move on a permanent basis at the end of his loan after being named Player of the Year with the Welsh side. Britton remained at Swansea until joining Sheffield United in 2010, but rejoined the Welsh side just a year later. It remains to be seen if the England youth international will stay on at the Liberty Stadium this summer.

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Davie Selke is West Ham's most exciting transfer target in ages
HITC
Danny Owen

Premier League duo West Ham and Brighton and Hove Albion want Germany U21 striker Davie Selke from Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin. If West Ham had signed Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Patrice Evra and Javier Hernandez about five or six years ago, they would have the nucleus of a fantastic Premier League side. But that is the problem. The Hammers signed those once top class performers well past their peak and, perhaps unsurprisingly, fans have been left underwhelmed with their big name signings failing to make the required impact. Reports in SportBILD, however, claim that West Ham are targeting a deal far removed from last years' attempts to sign once world class players on a cheap. It is understood that they and Premier League rivals Brighton are both interested in Hertha Berlin's Davie Selke, who has all the potential and the raw talent to be a future Germany number nine. The 23-year-old, who is understood to be valued at around £18 million, has recovered from an underwhelming stint at RB Leipzig and has starred for Hertha this season. Powerful, quick and blessed with a 6ft 3ins frame, Selke has scored a very impressive 12 goals in 20 starts this season and has been by far the most dangerous attacker at Pal Dardai's disposal. This excellent breakthrough season has followed a fine summer with the Germany U21s, for whom he helped win the European Championships, scoring a brilliant dividing header along the way against England in the semi-finals. West Ham were first linked with Selke in January 2017, according to The Mail, and now would be the right time to sign a player who, unlike so many of their recent signings, has a very bright career ahead of him.

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THE INFLUENCE OF LEGACY - YOU'LL REAP WHAT YOU SOW
By Goatygav 27 Apr 2018 at 08:00
WTID

Arsenal should, very carefully, appoint the right manager to continue, as well as enhance, Arsene Wenger's legacy.

There are a whole raft of kids coming through the ranks at Arsenal. Over the period of his tenure Monsieur Wenger has nurtured and brought through youth prospects successfully. Their academy has produced some of the best talent in the country with technical proficiency. The players that have come through the yout system there can't speak of him too highly – often crediting him with the great start that he gave them in the game. To a surprising extent in fact. The recent interview with Theo Walcott was a prime example of the esteem that players hold Arsene in.

Will West Ham take such care in to consideration when appointing the next gaffer? Ok – we're a completely different club with a manager who certainly doesn't hold the same sway over the running of the club as Arsene did but should that detract from the concept of having the right balance between player recruitment and youth development? Not for me it doesn't. And that's one aspect of David Moyes' MO that I do like. If he's given the job then we're likely to see more of our young prospects given a chance in the team.

Since his arrival Declan Rice has been a regular starting berth, albeit by getting his chance through injuries to central defenders, and has visibly grown. One of the highlights of the season was Declan's MOTM performance for Ireland and West Ham a few weeks back. So pleased for the lad who I hope stays on to become a club legend for us in years to come.

Declan is not the only one. Josh Cullen has made 5 appearances for the first team this season and has done a decent job when given his chance. Other who've progressed this term have been Quina, with 4 outings, Burke with 3, Martinez played 3 and Oxford and Holland on 1 (would probably have been more if not for injury). Not all of these were played by David Moyes however there's more than just a hint that players will be given a fair crack at the whip rather than played for 90 minutes then consigned back to the development squad, or loan, after a single mistake or poor game.

I hear a great deal of 'he's not the manager to take us to the next level' but he is a manager to build youthful teams who develop together and play fast paced, incisive football. At both Preston and Everton Moyes seemed to have a talent for taking players with good potential and integrating them in to a system where everyone knew their job and what was expected whilst getting the best out of them. It was a completely different story at Manchester United, Real Sociedad and Sunderland where the task was more immediate and, sadly for David Moyes, too short lived for him to make a significant impact. Since joining West Ham he's certainly improved the performances of Mark Noble and others – most notably Marko Arnoutovic who's looking a shoe in for HOTY after picking up the Player's Player of the Year award last night (as I write). Perhaps it's time to invest in the future rather than looking no further than the end of our noses.

In summary I wouldn't be too upset if David Moyes is given the job next season. I'm not suggesting that I'm 100% in favour of a contract for the Scot but I'm certainly not completely against the idea of him getting the gig. Given time I do believe that he'll give us a team to be proud of once more filled with talented, young professionals, some of whom will be home grown, playing to a reconginsable system and identity.

Lastly a big congrats to the winners at the awards. Well deserved to all. Pedro definitely deserved the goal of the season, Arnie for both of his awards, glad Declan got the recognition for the young player, Conor Coventry's Dylan Tombides award and Ellie Zoepfl for the inaugural 'Ladies Players Player'. The ladies have gone on an incredible winning run, chalking up an amazing 32(thirty two) goals scored and only 2 conceded in the last 6 games incorporating two cup final wins :O! Brilliant stuff.

I was particularly pleased to see Ken Brown given the lifetime achievement award. A solid centre back and popular member of that great team of the late '50's and '60's I'm so pleased to see him recognised with the great honour.

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