Cole wants stadium move to bring glory
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Joe Cole believes the club's plan to move to the Olympic
Stadium will bring it success
26.03.2013
Joe Cole is sure that the Olympic Stadium will provide a fantastic new home
for the Hammers. The West Ham United Academy product, who rejoined the club
from Liverpool in January, was present as the plans for the Olympic
Stadium's conversion were unveiled. And having played in the Champions
League at the best stadiums Europe has to offer, Cole is certain the
Hammers' new ground will provide an equally-inspiring venue. He told West
Ham TV: "It's not just important for the players but for the punters too
[being close to the pitch]. They want to be close to us and that's the
beauty of the Premier League, the fans are right on top of you. "That's
vital and they've got that with this [the plans for the new stadium]. We're
really excited - it's an historic day for the club.
"Coming here as a young lad, the Boleyn Ground didn't even have the Bobby
Moore Stand or the Alpari Stand. Seeing where the club's come from to where
we're moving to is great. "I'm sure the punters will love it when it's all
done. It's going to be unbelievable. "It brings a lot of things not just to
the club but to the East End. Jobs and everything else, it's going to leave
a really good legacy for after the Olympics. "With all the things that
happened there last summer, that's still firmly in people's minds. Now we
want to put on great nights for the fans, European nights - that has to be
the plan. You've got to look high, we want to play the top clubs in Europe,
the Barcelonas, the Milans. "That's the dream for everyone, the owners are
West Ham people. They want it to happen, we want it to happen. The gaffer's
done a great job, he's excited by it, so it's a great time and we want to
bring some big nights there for the punters."
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Moncur delighted with new deal
WHUFC.com
West Ham United youngster George Moncur has put pen-to-paper on a new
contract with the club
26.03.2013
West Ham United youngster George Moncur is looking forward to the prospect
of following in his father's footsteps after putting pen-to-paper on a new
two-year deal, with the option for a third, at the Boleyn Ground. Moncur's
dad John played 205 games in a nine-year spell with the Hammers after making
the move to E13 from Swindon Town. Now 19-year-old George is delighted to be
taking his first steps along the same road by earning the chance to impress
at West Ham. He made his first team debut earlier this season in the
Hammers' victory over Crewe Alexandra in the Capital One Cup, and after
progressing well with the Development Squad this year, has his sights set on
more involvement at that level. "I'm over the moon to have signed my new
contract," he said. "It's great to play at this football club, so to sign
for another two years is really great for me and my development. "Hopefully
it'll continue to go as well as it has done so far. They've put their faith
in me and I want to repay them by producing good performances out on the
pitch. "If I keep on doing what I'm doing then hopefully a first team chance
will come. Obviously my old man played here for quite a while, so it would
be nice to follow in his footsteps and make that progression to the first
team."
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West Ham youngster George Moncur has a signed a two-year deal
Last Updated: March 26, 2013 11:25am
West Ham Till I Die
West Ham youngster George Moncur is looking forward to following in his
father's footsteps after signing a two-year deal, with an option for a
third, with the club. Moncur's dad John played 205 games for West Ham in a
nine-year spell with the Hammers and the 19-year-old is delighted to be
following the same path.
The highly-rated youngster made his first team debut in the Capital One Cup
win over Crewe and has been progressing well with the Development squad this
season. Moncur said: "I am over the moon to have signed my new contract. It
is great to play at this football club, so to sign for another two years is
really great for me and my development. "Hopefully it will continue to go as
well as it has so far. They have put faith in me and I want to repay them by
putting some good performances out on the pitch. "If I keep on doing what I
am doing then hopefully a first team chance will come. Obviously my old man
played here for quite a while, so it would be nice to follow in his
footsteps and make that progression to the first team."
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Carlton Cole: Pampered kids should feel privileged to rub shoulders with the
senior players. They need to get back to cleaning boots and stop taking
things for granted
By LAURIE WHITWELL
PUBLISHED: 00:16, 27 March 2013 | UPDATED: 00:16, 27 March 2013
Daily Mail
Carlton Cole is in a reflective mood. Looking back to his past,
contemplating his present and speculating on a future away from the club he
loves. Whenever the West Ham striker speaks, he does so plainly and
honestly, and despite the delicate nature of his current situation, this
interview is no different. He speaks plainly about his desire for a shot at
regaining a starting berth at Upton Park, his conclusion that life may lie
abroad should a new deal not materialise in the summer and his opinion that
'pampered' youth-team players need to learn respect for their elders. The
last point is one which Cole, in forthright mood, makes effusively. The
former England and Chelsea striker, now 29, believes too many of today's
generation live a gilded existence and lack the work ethic he employed in
his teenage years. He thinks old-school methods must be reintroduced,
starting with cleaning boots.
'I was speaking to my kit man about this,' Cole says. 'When I was young and
first went to a Premier League side I was working hard trying to make it. I
got my first pro contract at 17. I was travelling with the team, going up
north, but still I had to wash Dennis Wise's boots at that age. 'To get to
home matches I used to walk through the crowd of people going to the game
and then I'd be on the bench. This is when I'd already made my debut. After
away games I had to wait for everyone to come off the coach and take the kit
skip out to where it was supposed to be. 'Now these kids don't have to do
that. They think everything comes easy. I did a lot of stuff. I used to play
a Premier League game and get on a bus to go home. These kids are getting
driven home now, you know what I mean?' Cole laughs as he asks that
rhetorical question - default mode for a man with a megawatt smile - but the
undercurrent is serious. In his eyes, the lightening of expectations on
academy players has led to a slip in manners. 'Honestly, I think there's too
much pampering,' he says. 'People might batter me, at the FA or whatever,
but I think they need to go back to the roots. These kids need to know it's
a job. Because they're rubbing shoulders with us they're taking it for
granted. They get showered and leave their kit on the floor. There's a skip
there to put the kit in but they're leaving it on the floor. I'm like,
"What?". They're not respecting. 'We try to talk to them, they don't listen.
It should be a privilege for them to be around us really. We've been there
and done it but they don't understand that. They're thinking, "Ah this is
normal. I'll talk to Carlton any time I want." They go around bragging to
their mates. They've got to be washing players' boots so you've got that
authority over them. 'I would give them some Christmas bonus money, "You've
done well this year, go and spend that, it's on me." I used to be buzzing
for that Christmas bonus. That came in handy! I used to buy my family's
presents. It's all changed now.'
Cole is ruminating in a Romford leisure centre, where he has come to offer
advice to children taking part in the FA Vauxhall Football Mash Up - a
grassroots initiative providing coaching to those who might otherwise be
unable to keep playing. Coaches from the FA and West Ham have run the
session and Cole has fielded questions about making it as a professional. 'I
was working six days a week to try and get to where I got to when I was
young,' he says. 'I sacrificed all my mates. I tell my brother what I went
through. He's 15 and has trials for Sunderland and QPR. Ivan Thompson Cole
is his name. He's going to get there if he tries his hardest and stops
listening to outside influences. A problem he had was thinking that, because
he's got me, he could get into any club. 'These young kids have got to
understand they'll get knockbacks. I got knocked back from Brentford when I
was young. "Sorry mate, we're not giving you a contract." Six months later I
got into Chelsea. I'm like, "What scout have you got there then? He can't
see talent!"'
Fourteen-mile bicycle rides for evening training sessions were made daily,
with paper rounds before school the following morning. 'I was going there on
my own in the dark,' he says. 'My hands would be frosty but I got rewarded
for my hard efforts and ended up playing for England. These kids have got to
understand it's not easy.' Right now it's not easy for Cole. His West Ham
contract runs out in the summer and Andy Carroll is preferred in the sole
striker role. Marouane Chamakh joined on loan in January and there were
reports Cole was told he could leave, sparking links with Reading, Norwich
and even Kasimpasa in Turkey. 'I wasn't ready to leave in January,' says
Cole. 'Other clubs talked to the agents but I didn't listen. I was still
focused on West Ham. 'At the end of the day you've got to make sure you're
in the manager's thoughts. Otherwise you're just wasting your time and the
manager will get rid of you anyway.
'It's all about actions. It's not about speaking, "I'm gonna do this, I'm
gonna do that." If the manager sees I'm trying hard he's got to be fair, but
if the guy's doing it in front of you, you've got to wait your chance. 'Me
and Andy get on like a house on fire. He bounces ideas off me, I bounce
ideas off him. It's only because of the formation that we don't bot play.
'I could partner anyone. Hopefully, if we did change to a 4-4-2, I'd get a
look in.'
Cole was brilliant in the 3-1 win over Chelsea this season, when he scored
and bullied Branislav Ivanovic, but since Carroll's return from injury his
roles have been cameos. 'I've seen a lot of strikers come and go at this
club. I've been here seven years,' Cole adds. 'You've got to understand it's
not a joke. If another striker comes in I'll welcome him with open arms but
I'm always there to push you. Right now I'm not playing but I'm still
pushing Andy to make sure he plays well. 'My contract is up in the summer,
it's the first time I've ever been in this position. It's no slight on my
behalf or the club's behalf why it's like that. Rob Green went to the end of
his contract, got offered another deal but said, "No, I want a different
future". Other players, like Matthew Upson, have gone through the same
thing. 'I know what I want in my life, there's a lot of stuff that can
happen from now until the end of the season but it's still open. Mr Sullivan
and Mr Gold (West Ham's owners) are going to speak about everybody's future
once we know where we are in the league. It's a bit premature at the moment.
'When we know where we are then we can close that deal. If I'm not going to
close that deal at West Ham I might close it somewhere else. I've got to
weigh up my options.' What would Cole, who took a 50 per cent pay cut during
last season's stay in the Championship before scoring in the play-off final
at Wembley, like to happen? 'I love the club with all my heart and I want to
see them do well,' he says. 'If I can be a part of that, I'm a part of that.
'If not, I wish them all the best. Sometimes you have to part ways. It
happens. I could stay in the Premier League, go abroad. I'm open right now.
If I'm not with West Ham, anything's possible.'
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, March 27
Tuesday, March 26
Daily WHUFC News - 26th March 2013
'It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity'
WHUFC.com
Joint-Chairman David Gold has told West Ham TV of his excitement about the
club's move to the Olympic Stadium
25.03.2013
Joint-Chairman David Gold believes West Ham United's move to the Olympic
Stadium will provide a huge boost to both the club and the area where he
grew up. Mr Gold was born in Stepney and raised in east London, spending
time living in Green Street just a stone's throw from the Boleyn Ground and
playing football for West Ham Boys as a child. From there, he showed great
ambition to become a hugely successful businessman, enabling him - alongside
David Sullivan - to take charge of the club he loves in January 2010. The
Joint-Chairman says West Ham should grasp the 'fantastic opportunity'
afforded to the club by moving to Stratford. "I am delighted because I think
this announcement is a momentous one for the club," he told West Ham TV. "I
think it is a fantastic opportunity and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and
I'm excited about the outcome. I think it is a good deal for West Ham
United."
Mr Gold said the Board now looked forward to sharing the detailed plans for
the Olympic Stadium with Hammers supporters. "This is an important
announcement for the fans and I apologise to them because we have been
restricted in what we have said by confidentiality agreements. We've not
been able to share with you the upsides of this deal and been able to say
we're going to have retractable seating, a new roof and that coming to this
stadium will be like coming home. "It's not only an iconic stadium in
England, but it is iconic across the world. This will be fifth-largest
football stadium in Great Britain which will give us the opportunuity to
build for the future. It will have affordable pricing and give us the
opportunities to compete with the very best."
As a lifelong West Ham fan himself, Mr Gold is already excited about the
prospect of seeing more world-class players pulling on the famous claret and
blue shirt following the club's move to Stratford in 2016. "There is
absolutely no question that the increased revenues from many sources that
this will generate will help us to reduce the debt that burdens our football
club. We are not as competitive as we should be because of the debt burden
we inherited, so if we remove the debt and increase our incomes [it can only
benefit us]. "It's not just that, but players want to come to play at a
special place. I've experienced that, with players wanting to play in
London. If you add that draw by offering a world-class stadium, then of
course you will win some of the battles where a player is considering going
to other clubs. We now have a better opportunity to secure those top-class
players."
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Hill happy with Stratford switch
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Supporters' Club Chairman Ken Hill is 100 per cent behind
the club's move to the Olympic Stadium
25.03.2013
Ken Hill has been watching West Ham United at the Boleyn Ground for more
than 60 years, but he is 100 per cent behind the club's move to the Olympic
Stadium. Now 63, lifelong fan Hill is the Chairman of the West Ham United
Supporters' Club and a Season Ticket Holder. The former soldier and amateur
goalkeeper, who names fellow stoppers Jim Standen and Lawrie Leslie among
his favourite all-time West Ham players, attended his first home match at
the age of six months in 1951. While he has great affection and many fond
memories of watching his heroes at the Boleyn Ground, Hill is adamant that
becoming anchor tenant of the iconic Stratford venue is the right decision
for everyone associated with the club. "Personally, I am delighted," said
Hill. "I think the club has needed this for quite some time and the plans
are absolutely fantastic. "My first thought when I saw the plans was 'When
can I get my Season Ticket?'. Secondly, I thought it was really well
laid-out and it needs to be embraced and everyone can see the pitch quite
comfortably. "Without a doubt, I think this is a move that the club needs to
make. We need to move to a new stadium to compete with the big clubs and
hopefully, before I kick the bucket, I can see my team playing in Europe."
As Chairman of the Supporters' Club, just a short pass away from the Boleyn
Ground in Castle Street, Hill meets and greets fans from all over the world
at every home fixture. He believes moving to the Olympic Stadium will
attract thousand upon thousand more supporters to cheer the Hammers on.
Having been among the 40,000-odd Hammers who attended the npower
Championship Play-Off final at Wembley last year, Hill is also confident
that the club will have no problem filling their new home. "I do feel that
the bigger the stadium, obviously the more people we will be able to get in
there. Also, we'll be able to get more revenue coming in which hopefully
will be put into the team. "I started coming over to the Boleyn Ground in
the late 1950s and I can remember the Chicken Run being a shed, basically,
and being built up from there. It's obviously got bigger and bigger but we
have to move now to get even bigger still. "Without a doubt, we can fill the
Olympic Stadium. I was impressed by Wembley in May and the Olympic Stadium
is going to be very similar. I'm impressed with Stratford as well. "We have
got very vocal support and, once the team start playing well, the fans will
be down there straight away singing 'Bubbles' and all their other songs and
everyone will join in. "The reason it is called Stratford International is
because everybody will be coming to Stratford."
The artist's impressions of the renovated Olympic Stadium reveal that West
Ham will truly make the iconic venue the Hammers' new home, with the Club
Store, Ticket Office and administrative offices all being based in
Stratford. "If we could take what we've got here at the Boleyn Ground - the
memorabilia and other bits and pieces - then I think it would set it off. If
we can make it as much of a home as we have at Upton Park, we'll be halfway
there. We'd like to get our Supporters' Club over to the Olympic Stadium but
that is for negotiation at a later date."
Hill closed by issuing the following personal message to any of his fellow
supporters who may still be sceptical about the move, pointing to the
success enjoyed by Barclays Premier League champions Manchester City since
their move to Eastlands as an example of what could happen to West Ham in
the future.
"As in any walk of life, people are scared of change. I would say 'Go into
it with an open mind' and don't close your mind to it before you know what
is going on. If you like it, get over there are soon as you can and, if you
don't, you're basically not a West Ham supporter. "I am sure there were some
sceptical people when Manchester City moved, but you support the team and
you will have your memories of Upton Park that you'll never forget, anyway.
They'll always be with you and bring a lump to your throat, but you've got
to move with the times."
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Oh I do like to be beside the seaside
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 25th March 2013
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce's former number two Phil Brown has been named as the new
manager of Southend United. Brown, who had been out of work since being
fired by Preston North End in December 2011 replaces the outgoing Paul
Sturrock, who was fired last week despite leading the Shrimpers to the
Johnson's Paint Trophy Final at Wembley next month. As a result of the close
personal relationship between Brown and Allardyce - who worked together at
Blackpool and then Bolton for six years - it is likely that a number of West
Ham's youngsters may now be heading to Roots Hall in order to gain valuable
league experience. In the past 12 months the likes of Robert Hall, Blair
Turgott and Danny Potts have all spent time out on loan in Leagues 1 and 2,
where Southend - who are still an outside bet for promotion from the fourth
tier - currently play. The last young Hammer to spend time on loan at Roots
Hall was Junior Stanislas. Now at Burnley, the former Academy product played
nine for the Shrimpers during the 2008/09 season.
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Bony discussions under way
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 25th March 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United are locked in talks with Ivorian international striker
Ivorian Wilfried Bony. The highly-rated 24-year-old currently plays for
Dutch club Vitesse, for whom he has scored an incredible 26 goals in just 24
appearances this season. And despite being courted by a string of top clubs
across Europe - including fellow English teams such as Fulham and Chelsea -
West Ham are poised to land the 6' hitman, who is contracted to Arnhem until
2015. Bony's agent is understood to have flown into London last night and
was due to meet representatives of the club today. Despite having just over
a year left on his current contract, the Ivorian is valued at around
£14million by his current club. Bony - who trialled for Liverpool in 2007
but failed to land a contract at Anfield - started his career in the Ivory
Coast with Premier Division club Issia Wazi. In 2007, he spent a season on
loan with Sparta Prague before making that deal permanent the following
summer. During his three seasons in Prague, in which he was part of the
squad which won both the Gambrinus Liga and the Czech Republic Football
Supercup, Bony avergaed a goal every three games - and it was that keen eye
for goal which prompted Vitesse to pay £4million to take his to the
Netherlands. His first season - the 2011/12 campaign - ended with his as
Vitesse's top scorer with 12 goals (despite having only signed in January,
midway through the campaign). He is the Eredivisie's leading goalscorer
this season, with his tally of 26 goals - six more than his closest
competitor, Heerenveen's Alfred Finnbogason (who currently has 20).
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Talking points
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 25th March 2013
By: James Guill
With some of the squad's recent performances, including the loss to Aston
Villa on February 10th, some fans are concerned whether West Ham will be
able to stave off relegation at the end of the season.
It seems a foregone conclusion at this point that Reading and Queens Park
Rangers will be two of the three teams relegated as both have just 23 points
so far. Wigan are currently sitting in 18th spot with 27 points with Aston
Villa just three points above.
At present, West Ham are just six point above Wigan with nine games
remaining. Barring Wigan playing out of their minds for the remainder of the
season, I estimate that West Ham need about 10 points to stay up. We are
going to look at the remaining schedule to see where we might get those
points...
West Brom: March 30th
West Brom have been struggling since the first weekend of the year and went
winless in the Premier League until February 11th. Having won just three out
of their last 10 in the league (including a draw against Stoke City most
recently), this could be a great spot to pick up a win. The Hammers drew at
the Hawthorns in December and with distractions surrounding some of West
Brom's squad, West Ham should pull this one off.
Liverpool: April 7th
Liverpool exhibited some weakness on March 16th after losing to Southampton
and it has been confirmed that Joe Allen is out for the season. However,
looking at other recent performances from the club, we are led to believe
that the Southampton loss was a one-off as opposed to a long term problem
for the club. Sadly, I see this game ending in defeat.
Southampton: April 13th
Southampton are one of those clubs that most look at as an easy win, but
have just enough talent to pull off an upset if your squad is not playing
competent football. Liverpool and Manchester City have both recently found
this out the hard way. The Saints are one of the teams between West Ham and
Wigan and are just four points ahead to stay up. If the Hammers play
competent football, this should be an easy win; we won 4-1 back in September
and should do so again.
Manchester United: April 17th
If there is one game where West Ham could pull off a surprise victory or
even a draw, this would be the one. While it is true that Man U have the
title all but won, they have had trouble against the Hammers in all three
games this season and managed to score just four goals. The Red Devils
continued a trend of major gaming companies backing Premier League football
clubs and recently landed bwin.com as a sponsor - and their new sponsor is
expecting the club to perform. I'm not saying this will be a win, but a draw
is not beyond the realms of possibility. However if Man U play to form, this
will be a defeat so we will count it as such in our final stats for this
analysis.
Wigan Athletic: April 20th
Wigan's form this year could be best described as sporadic. Impressive
performances against Everton and Reading are easily outweighed by thrashings
taken at the hands of Chelsea, Liverpool, and others. Only Aston Villa,
Reading, and Queens Park Rangers have a worse goal difference and are, not
surprisingly, the other three teams battling against relegation. Unless the
Hammers have a nightmare against Wigan, this should go down as a win for the
squad.
Manchester City: April 27th
The defending champs have struggled of late. They have lost to Everton,
barely defeated Aston Villa, lost to Southampton, and drew with lowly QPR.
The Hammer drew against Manchester City earlier this year, and there is
nothing in their recent performances to indicate that the result will be any
different this time around. An off-day by Man City could result in a
surprise defeat, but I'm going to call this one a draw right now.
Newcastle United: May 4th
Newcastle are level with the Hammers presently on 33 points. Both squad have
had up-and-down seasons, winning or drawing games they should have lost and
losing matches that should have easily yielded three points. Unless the
squad happens to pull off an upset victory against City and come in playing
inspired football, I think we'll be looking at a draw here.
Everton: May 12th
Everton have had a fantastic season and are challenging for a top four spot.
They are currently just two points behind fifth-placed Arsenal. The Blues
have shown they have the ability to have an off game - such as their loss to
Wigan - but they also have the ability to cross swords with the best as
exhibited in their early season defeat of Manchester United and their recent
defeat of Manchester City. We won't sugar-coat this one; this will be a
defeat.
Reading: May 19th
Reading have only won five games in the Premier League this season - and one
of those wins was against the Hammers. Reading's last win was in early
February against Sunderland and the club aren't exactly playing inspired
football right now (and have also recently parted company with Brian
McDermott). Expect West Ham to avenge this loss with a 2-0 victory on the
final day of the season.
If my projections hold accurate, West Ham will pick up 14 points during the
remainder of the season and stay up comfortably on 47 points. Considering
that we probably only need a couple of wins having accrued 33 already, this
does give us a bit of room for manouvre should a game or two not go as
expected.
Essentially, I expect West Ham to be in the Premier League next year and
hopefully Sam Allardyce will make a few moves during the summer - or even
earlier if the weekend's Wilfried Bony stories are to be believed - to allow
the team to compete for a top ten spot next season.
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Transfer news: Vitesse Arnhem striker Wilfried Bony quiet on West Ham link
By Giscard Gourizro. Last Updated: March 25, 2013 12:27pm
SSN
Wilfried Bony has refused to confirm if he is set to seal a move to England,
with West Ham United strongly linked. Vitesse Arnhem striker Bony is
currently on international duty with Ivory Coast and scored in Saturday's
World Cup qualifying win over Gambia. Reports in Holland and England claim
West Ham were close to agreeing a £12million club record deal for Bony. The
player himself has never hidden his desire to move to England, but he admits
but he did not want to comment on West Ham's reported bid. "I am an
ambitious player, I am enjoying my football in the Netherlands but I expect
to move to a bigger league if I am doing well, I can't change that," he told
Sky Sports. "I love the Premier League and want to play here if there is an
opportunity. "But now I am happy we won a game for Ivory Coast after missing
an opportunity in South Africa to win the Nations Cup."
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Big Sam's Hammers' D-Day
By ANDREW DILLON
Last Updated: 26th March 2013
The Sun
SAM ALLARDYCE has been warned not to price himself out of a new deal at West
Ham. Big Sam's £2.25million-a-year contract expires in June and an extension
depends on the 58-year-old boss keeping Hammers up. Joint-chairman David
Sullivan said: "Once the end of the season comes we will sit down with Sam.
"If he wants to stay and is reasonable with his demands, then he will stay.
We hope to then work out a deal."
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Come and get me! West Ham target Wilfried Bony expresses wish to play in the
Prem
The Mirror
25 Mar 2013 17:16
Dean Mouhtaropoulos
West Ham target Wilfried Bony has declared his love for the English Premier
League and revealed that he is expecting to move this summer. The Ivory
Coast and Vitesse Arnhem hotshot is valued at some £14million by his club,
but told Voetbal International sees that as no barrier to a sale. "I love
the Premier League and I would like to play if the opportunity is there. I
am an ambitious player. "I enjoy playing football in the Netherlands, but I
expect a transfer to a bigger league with how I am doing. I can't change
that." Bony, 24, has scored 26 goals for Vitesse this season – making him
top scorer in the Eredivisie – and is expected to be named Player of the
Year in the Dutch leagues. Since his £4m capture from Sparta Prague, the
forward's brute strength and explosive pace have brought him to the
attention of many scouts, including those of Liverpool, Fulham and Chelsea -
who have players already on loan in Arnhem. It is West Ham who are thought
to have stolen a march on their Premier League rivals though, and they will
be delighted with the Ivorians latest declarations after he failed to
engineer a move in January (though not through a lack of trying).
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Hammered down: West Ham warn Sam Allardyce to be "reasonable" in pay talks
The Mirror
25 Mar 2013 22:30
David Sullivan has warned Sam Allardyce not to price himself out of a new
contract at West Ham. The Irons' co-owner will sit down and negotiate a new
deal with his manager at the end of the season. The former Bolton and
Newcastle boss, who agreed a two-year contract in June 2011, received a big
bonus to get West Ham back into the Premier League. The Irons are putting
£15million into converting the Olympic Stadium for football, and Sullivan
said: "At the end of the season, we will sit down with Sam. "If he wants to
stay and is reasonable with his demands, he will stay." West Ham are in 14th
place in the Premier League on 33 points - six points clear of the drop zone
- with nine games remaining.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Joint-Chairman David Gold has told West Ham TV of his excitement about the
club's move to the Olympic Stadium
25.03.2013
Joint-Chairman David Gold believes West Ham United's move to the Olympic
Stadium will provide a huge boost to both the club and the area where he
grew up. Mr Gold was born in Stepney and raised in east London, spending
time living in Green Street just a stone's throw from the Boleyn Ground and
playing football for West Ham Boys as a child. From there, he showed great
ambition to become a hugely successful businessman, enabling him - alongside
David Sullivan - to take charge of the club he loves in January 2010. The
Joint-Chairman says West Ham should grasp the 'fantastic opportunity'
afforded to the club by moving to Stratford. "I am delighted because I think
this announcement is a momentous one for the club," he told West Ham TV. "I
think it is a fantastic opportunity and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and
I'm excited about the outcome. I think it is a good deal for West Ham
United."
Mr Gold said the Board now looked forward to sharing the detailed plans for
the Olympic Stadium with Hammers supporters. "This is an important
announcement for the fans and I apologise to them because we have been
restricted in what we have said by confidentiality agreements. We've not
been able to share with you the upsides of this deal and been able to say
we're going to have retractable seating, a new roof and that coming to this
stadium will be like coming home. "It's not only an iconic stadium in
England, but it is iconic across the world. This will be fifth-largest
football stadium in Great Britain which will give us the opportunuity to
build for the future. It will have affordable pricing and give us the
opportunities to compete with the very best."
As a lifelong West Ham fan himself, Mr Gold is already excited about the
prospect of seeing more world-class players pulling on the famous claret and
blue shirt following the club's move to Stratford in 2016. "There is
absolutely no question that the increased revenues from many sources that
this will generate will help us to reduce the debt that burdens our football
club. We are not as competitive as we should be because of the debt burden
we inherited, so if we remove the debt and increase our incomes [it can only
benefit us]. "It's not just that, but players want to come to play at a
special place. I've experienced that, with players wanting to play in
London. If you add that draw by offering a world-class stadium, then of
course you will win some of the battles where a player is considering going
to other clubs. We now have a better opportunity to secure those top-class
players."
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Hill happy with Stratford switch
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Supporters' Club Chairman Ken Hill is 100 per cent behind
the club's move to the Olympic Stadium
25.03.2013
Ken Hill has been watching West Ham United at the Boleyn Ground for more
than 60 years, but he is 100 per cent behind the club's move to the Olympic
Stadium. Now 63, lifelong fan Hill is the Chairman of the West Ham United
Supporters' Club and a Season Ticket Holder. The former soldier and amateur
goalkeeper, who names fellow stoppers Jim Standen and Lawrie Leslie among
his favourite all-time West Ham players, attended his first home match at
the age of six months in 1951. While he has great affection and many fond
memories of watching his heroes at the Boleyn Ground, Hill is adamant that
becoming anchor tenant of the iconic Stratford venue is the right decision
for everyone associated with the club. "Personally, I am delighted," said
Hill. "I think the club has needed this for quite some time and the plans
are absolutely fantastic. "My first thought when I saw the plans was 'When
can I get my Season Ticket?'. Secondly, I thought it was really well
laid-out and it needs to be embraced and everyone can see the pitch quite
comfortably. "Without a doubt, I think this is a move that the club needs to
make. We need to move to a new stadium to compete with the big clubs and
hopefully, before I kick the bucket, I can see my team playing in Europe."
As Chairman of the Supporters' Club, just a short pass away from the Boleyn
Ground in Castle Street, Hill meets and greets fans from all over the world
at every home fixture. He believes moving to the Olympic Stadium will
attract thousand upon thousand more supporters to cheer the Hammers on.
Having been among the 40,000-odd Hammers who attended the npower
Championship Play-Off final at Wembley last year, Hill is also confident
that the club will have no problem filling their new home. "I do feel that
the bigger the stadium, obviously the more people we will be able to get in
there. Also, we'll be able to get more revenue coming in which hopefully
will be put into the team. "I started coming over to the Boleyn Ground in
the late 1950s and I can remember the Chicken Run being a shed, basically,
and being built up from there. It's obviously got bigger and bigger but we
have to move now to get even bigger still. "Without a doubt, we can fill the
Olympic Stadium. I was impressed by Wembley in May and the Olympic Stadium
is going to be very similar. I'm impressed with Stratford as well. "We have
got very vocal support and, once the team start playing well, the fans will
be down there straight away singing 'Bubbles' and all their other songs and
everyone will join in. "The reason it is called Stratford International is
because everybody will be coming to Stratford."
The artist's impressions of the renovated Olympic Stadium reveal that West
Ham will truly make the iconic venue the Hammers' new home, with the Club
Store, Ticket Office and administrative offices all being based in
Stratford. "If we could take what we've got here at the Boleyn Ground - the
memorabilia and other bits and pieces - then I think it would set it off. If
we can make it as much of a home as we have at Upton Park, we'll be halfway
there. We'd like to get our Supporters' Club over to the Olympic Stadium but
that is for negotiation at a later date."
Hill closed by issuing the following personal message to any of his fellow
supporters who may still be sceptical about the move, pointing to the
success enjoyed by Barclays Premier League champions Manchester City since
their move to Eastlands as an example of what could happen to West Ham in
the future.
"As in any walk of life, people are scared of change. I would say 'Go into
it with an open mind' and don't close your mind to it before you know what
is going on. If you like it, get over there are soon as you can and, if you
don't, you're basically not a West Ham supporter. "I am sure there were some
sceptical people when Manchester City moved, but you support the team and
you will have your memories of Upton Park that you'll never forget, anyway.
They'll always be with you and bring a lump to your throat, but you've got
to move with the times."
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Oh I do like to be beside the seaside
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 25th March 2013
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce's former number two Phil Brown has been named as the new
manager of Southend United. Brown, who had been out of work since being
fired by Preston North End in December 2011 replaces the outgoing Paul
Sturrock, who was fired last week despite leading the Shrimpers to the
Johnson's Paint Trophy Final at Wembley next month. As a result of the close
personal relationship between Brown and Allardyce - who worked together at
Blackpool and then Bolton for six years - it is likely that a number of West
Ham's youngsters may now be heading to Roots Hall in order to gain valuable
league experience. In the past 12 months the likes of Robert Hall, Blair
Turgott and Danny Potts have all spent time out on loan in Leagues 1 and 2,
where Southend - who are still an outside bet for promotion from the fourth
tier - currently play. The last young Hammer to spend time on loan at Roots
Hall was Junior Stanislas. Now at Burnley, the former Academy product played
nine for the Shrimpers during the 2008/09 season.
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Bony discussions under way
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 25th March 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United are locked in talks with Ivorian international striker
Ivorian Wilfried Bony. The highly-rated 24-year-old currently plays for
Dutch club Vitesse, for whom he has scored an incredible 26 goals in just 24
appearances this season. And despite being courted by a string of top clubs
across Europe - including fellow English teams such as Fulham and Chelsea -
West Ham are poised to land the 6' hitman, who is contracted to Arnhem until
2015. Bony's agent is understood to have flown into London last night and
was due to meet representatives of the club today. Despite having just over
a year left on his current contract, the Ivorian is valued at around
£14million by his current club. Bony - who trialled for Liverpool in 2007
but failed to land a contract at Anfield - started his career in the Ivory
Coast with Premier Division club Issia Wazi. In 2007, he spent a season on
loan with Sparta Prague before making that deal permanent the following
summer. During his three seasons in Prague, in which he was part of the
squad which won both the Gambrinus Liga and the Czech Republic Football
Supercup, Bony avergaed a goal every three games - and it was that keen eye
for goal which prompted Vitesse to pay £4million to take his to the
Netherlands. His first season - the 2011/12 campaign - ended with his as
Vitesse's top scorer with 12 goals (despite having only signed in January,
midway through the campaign). He is the Eredivisie's leading goalscorer
this season, with his tally of 26 goals - six more than his closest
competitor, Heerenveen's Alfred Finnbogason (who currently has 20).
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Talking points
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 25th March 2013
By: James Guill
With some of the squad's recent performances, including the loss to Aston
Villa on February 10th, some fans are concerned whether West Ham will be
able to stave off relegation at the end of the season.
It seems a foregone conclusion at this point that Reading and Queens Park
Rangers will be two of the three teams relegated as both have just 23 points
so far. Wigan are currently sitting in 18th spot with 27 points with Aston
Villa just three points above.
At present, West Ham are just six point above Wigan with nine games
remaining. Barring Wigan playing out of their minds for the remainder of the
season, I estimate that West Ham need about 10 points to stay up. We are
going to look at the remaining schedule to see where we might get those
points...
West Brom: March 30th
West Brom have been struggling since the first weekend of the year and went
winless in the Premier League until February 11th. Having won just three out
of their last 10 in the league (including a draw against Stoke City most
recently), this could be a great spot to pick up a win. The Hammers drew at
the Hawthorns in December and with distractions surrounding some of West
Brom's squad, West Ham should pull this one off.
Liverpool: April 7th
Liverpool exhibited some weakness on March 16th after losing to Southampton
and it has been confirmed that Joe Allen is out for the season. However,
looking at other recent performances from the club, we are led to believe
that the Southampton loss was a one-off as opposed to a long term problem
for the club. Sadly, I see this game ending in defeat.
Southampton: April 13th
Southampton are one of those clubs that most look at as an easy win, but
have just enough talent to pull off an upset if your squad is not playing
competent football. Liverpool and Manchester City have both recently found
this out the hard way. The Saints are one of the teams between West Ham and
Wigan and are just four points ahead to stay up. If the Hammers play
competent football, this should be an easy win; we won 4-1 back in September
and should do so again.
Manchester United: April 17th
If there is one game where West Ham could pull off a surprise victory or
even a draw, this would be the one. While it is true that Man U have the
title all but won, they have had trouble against the Hammers in all three
games this season and managed to score just four goals. The Red Devils
continued a trend of major gaming companies backing Premier League football
clubs and recently landed bwin.com as a sponsor - and their new sponsor is
expecting the club to perform. I'm not saying this will be a win, but a draw
is not beyond the realms of possibility. However if Man U play to form, this
will be a defeat so we will count it as such in our final stats for this
analysis.
Wigan Athletic: April 20th
Wigan's form this year could be best described as sporadic. Impressive
performances against Everton and Reading are easily outweighed by thrashings
taken at the hands of Chelsea, Liverpool, and others. Only Aston Villa,
Reading, and Queens Park Rangers have a worse goal difference and are, not
surprisingly, the other three teams battling against relegation. Unless the
Hammers have a nightmare against Wigan, this should go down as a win for the
squad.
Manchester City: April 27th
The defending champs have struggled of late. They have lost to Everton,
barely defeated Aston Villa, lost to Southampton, and drew with lowly QPR.
The Hammer drew against Manchester City earlier this year, and there is
nothing in their recent performances to indicate that the result will be any
different this time around. An off-day by Man City could result in a
surprise defeat, but I'm going to call this one a draw right now.
Newcastle United: May 4th
Newcastle are level with the Hammers presently on 33 points. Both squad have
had up-and-down seasons, winning or drawing games they should have lost and
losing matches that should have easily yielded three points. Unless the
squad happens to pull off an upset victory against City and come in playing
inspired football, I think we'll be looking at a draw here.
Everton: May 12th
Everton have had a fantastic season and are challenging for a top four spot.
They are currently just two points behind fifth-placed Arsenal. The Blues
have shown they have the ability to have an off game - such as their loss to
Wigan - but they also have the ability to cross swords with the best as
exhibited in their early season defeat of Manchester United and their recent
defeat of Manchester City. We won't sugar-coat this one; this will be a
defeat.
Reading: May 19th
Reading have only won five games in the Premier League this season - and one
of those wins was against the Hammers. Reading's last win was in early
February against Sunderland and the club aren't exactly playing inspired
football right now (and have also recently parted company with Brian
McDermott). Expect West Ham to avenge this loss with a 2-0 victory on the
final day of the season.
If my projections hold accurate, West Ham will pick up 14 points during the
remainder of the season and stay up comfortably on 47 points. Considering
that we probably only need a couple of wins having accrued 33 already, this
does give us a bit of room for manouvre should a game or two not go as
expected.
Essentially, I expect West Ham to be in the Premier League next year and
hopefully Sam Allardyce will make a few moves during the summer - or even
earlier if the weekend's Wilfried Bony stories are to be believed - to allow
the team to compete for a top ten spot next season.
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Transfer news: Vitesse Arnhem striker Wilfried Bony quiet on West Ham link
By Giscard Gourizro. Last Updated: March 25, 2013 12:27pm
SSN
Wilfried Bony has refused to confirm if he is set to seal a move to England,
with West Ham United strongly linked. Vitesse Arnhem striker Bony is
currently on international duty with Ivory Coast and scored in Saturday's
World Cup qualifying win over Gambia. Reports in Holland and England claim
West Ham were close to agreeing a £12million club record deal for Bony. The
player himself has never hidden his desire to move to England, but he admits
but he did not want to comment on West Ham's reported bid. "I am an
ambitious player, I am enjoying my football in the Netherlands but I expect
to move to a bigger league if I am doing well, I can't change that," he told
Sky Sports. "I love the Premier League and want to play here if there is an
opportunity. "But now I am happy we won a game for Ivory Coast after missing
an opportunity in South Africa to win the Nations Cup."
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Big Sam's Hammers' D-Day
By ANDREW DILLON
Last Updated: 26th March 2013
The Sun
SAM ALLARDYCE has been warned not to price himself out of a new deal at West
Ham. Big Sam's £2.25million-a-year contract expires in June and an extension
depends on the 58-year-old boss keeping Hammers up. Joint-chairman David
Sullivan said: "Once the end of the season comes we will sit down with Sam.
"If he wants to stay and is reasonable with his demands, then he will stay.
We hope to then work out a deal."
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Come and get me! West Ham target Wilfried Bony expresses wish to play in the
Prem
The Mirror
25 Mar 2013 17:16
Dean Mouhtaropoulos
West Ham target Wilfried Bony has declared his love for the English Premier
League and revealed that he is expecting to move this summer. The Ivory
Coast and Vitesse Arnhem hotshot is valued at some £14million by his club,
but told Voetbal International sees that as no barrier to a sale. "I love
the Premier League and I would like to play if the opportunity is there. I
am an ambitious player. "I enjoy playing football in the Netherlands, but I
expect a transfer to a bigger league with how I am doing. I can't change
that." Bony, 24, has scored 26 goals for Vitesse this season – making him
top scorer in the Eredivisie – and is expected to be named Player of the
Year in the Dutch leagues. Since his £4m capture from Sparta Prague, the
forward's brute strength and explosive pace have brought him to the
attention of many scouts, including those of Liverpool, Fulham and Chelsea -
who have players already on loan in Arnhem. It is West Ham who are thought
to have stolen a march on their Premier League rivals though, and they will
be delighted with the Ivorians latest declarations after he failed to
engineer a move in January (though not through a lack of trying).
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Hammered down: West Ham warn Sam Allardyce to be "reasonable" in pay talks
The Mirror
25 Mar 2013 22:30
David Sullivan has warned Sam Allardyce not to price himself out of a new
contract at West Ham. The Irons' co-owner will sit down and negotiate a new
deal with his manager at the end of the season. The former Bolton and
Newcastle boss, who agreed a two-year contract in June 2011, received a big
bonus to get West Ham back into the Premier League. The Irons are putting
£15million into converting the Olympic Stadium for football, and Sullivan
said: "At the end of the season, we will sit down with Sam. "If he wants to
stay and is reasonable with his demands, he will stay." West Ham are in 14th
place in the Premier League on 33 points - six points clear of the drop zone
- with nine games remaining.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Monday, March 25
Daily WHUFC News - 25th March 2013
Cole impressed by Stadium plans
WHUFC.com
West Ham United striker Carlton Cole is looking forward to the club's move
to the Olympic Stadium
24.03.2013
West Ham United striker Carlton Cole says the club's move to the Olympic
Stadium will help its presence in the community grow even bigger. Mayor of
London Boris Johnson announced on Friday that the Hammers had been given the
right to make the Olympic Stadium their home from 2016. Cole, who scored one
of West Ham's goals in their play-off final victory at Wembley last May, is
looking forward to seeing the club develop with a new 54,000-capacity home.
"I'm very impressed by the plans," he said, "I knew it was going to be
impressive when it was unveiled and now the club can plan to make it a home
for West Ham United. "It's very exciting times. You look to the future to
make things brighter and this is a great plan. The owners have got the fans'
interests at heart - the Olympic Stadium will be more accessible to get to
than the Boleyn, and tickets will be more accessible too. "That's the main
thing at the end of the day - the community matters to West Ham and that's
what's spurring this project on. "Moving there gives the club a massive
platform to help the community. Everyone is excited in and around West Ham,
all the players too. "It's a great opportunity to help the club move on to
the next level."
The stadium will now undergo a transformation to turn it into a football
ground with retractable seats covering the athletics track, following its
success in hosting last summer's Olympic Games. Cole cannot wait to see the
Hammers build upon the legendary stories already told inside the venue
during that unforgettable summer. He added: "Usain Bolt came here, lit up
the stage, Mo Farah my friend came here and got his golds. There have been
some great athletes in there already, and hopefully there'll be more great
athletes coming through our youth system to play there. "I came here during
the Olympics and it was a brilliant atmosphere. The noise level was unreal
and our fans are going to raise the roof, so it's going to be good."
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James Tomkins hoping to turn out for West Ham at Olympic Stadium
Last Updated: March 24, 2013 6:01pm
SSN
James Tomkins is determined to earn himself a new contract at West Ham
United and represent the club at the Olympic Stadium. The Hammers are set to
move out of their Upton Park home and take up residence at the base of
London 2012 in time for the 2016/17 campaign. Tomkins is aware of how
special the atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium promises to be, having formed
part of Team GB last summer. He is desperate to experience the thrill of
competing on such a stage for his boyhood club, but acknowledges that he
will first have to convince West Ham that he is deserving of fresh terms.
"My contract expires just before it happens but hopefully I will still be
around because, just like all the fans, I am looking forward to that
occasion."
Tomkins told the Sunday Express: "It seems so far away right now but it will
come soon. It should be a brilliant moment. "My contract expires just before
it happens but hopefully I will still be around because, just like all the
fans, I am looking forward to that occasion. "This has been my club since I
was eight. It's hard to see me ever being anywhere else because I have been
here so long, and my family are as excited as I am. "To see their son
potentially playing there makes them very proud. And being a local boy, I
will be doubly proud to be there."
Allardyce
It remains to be seen who will make up the West Ham playing and coaching
staff when they move into their new home, but Tomkins feels current coach
Sam Allardyce should be given every chance to guide the club into an
exciting new era. He added: "He is doing a great job here. "He got us
promoted at the first time of asking and you can't ask for much more,
really."
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Younes Belhanda and Henri Bedimo can leave Montpellier in the summer
By Giscard Gourizro. Last Updated: March 24, 2013 8:29pm
SSN
Montpellier president Louis Nicollin has confirmed reported Premier League
targets Younes Belhanda and Henri Bedimo can leave the club in the summer.
Belhanda has been linked with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the past and
saw a January move to Fenerbahce fall through after the two clubs failed to
agree a fee. The Moroccan playmaker is now expected to leave the reigning
champions at the end of the season and is set to be joined by left-back
Bedimo.
West Ham United have previously been mooted as admirers of the Cameroon
international, while former Portsmouth striker John Utaka could also leave
Montpellier. Nicollin told the French media: "Bedimo and Belhanda can leave.
I am waiting for different offers. "Apart from those two, we can keep the
rest of the squad. Utaka can also leave, but he is expensive."
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Tony Cottee Interview Part 1: 'I Wish I Had Stayed at West Ham For My Whole
Career'
West Ham Till I Die
Last Friday I met Tony Cottee in my office in Westminster for an interview
that was scheduled to last an hour. In the end it lasted an hour and three
quarters. As usual I will publish it in several parts. This section was the
first twelve minutes and concentrates on Tony's views on the move to the
Olympic Stadium.
We are talking on the morning of the announcement that West Ham have got the
lease on the Olympic Stadium. Do you think that's a good thing?
I actually do believe it's a good thing. I don't want to leave Upton Park. I
don't think any sane West Ham fan can honestly say they want to leave Upton
Park. All the memories are there for me, not just as a player but as a
supporter too. Growing up in the 1970s, all the fantastic games I went to
see, all the memories that are there as a supporter, and secondly as a
player – what I achieved as a player, the goals I scored. All my history,
all my family's history, which goes back to the very start, it's all at
Upton Park. Do I want to leave the ground? No of course I don't, but I've to
be honest. I am fed up with West Ham being and also-ran club, settling for
mid-table mediocrity in the Premier League, if we're lucky, occasionally
dropping down into the Championship, something we have already done twice in
the 21sst century. I want the club to progress and hand on heart I don't
believe the club can progress at Upton Park. In terms of going to the
ground, although it's a great experience when you're actually there you
can't park, the Tube is a nightmare. Most West Ham fans don't live around
the ground any more. Nearly everyone is traveling or commuting into the
ground and purely from that point of view, Stratford is a good thing. It's
the best connected train station in Europe. It's got to be a plus to get
there. There are many, many reasons. I want to see the club get to the next
level.
Why is that West Have have always seemed to lack ambition?
You go back to the mid 1960s with all that success before the World Cup, the
1986 side. Everyone thought we ought to kick on then but the Board appeared
not to have the ambition to do so. Now seems to be the first time they've
said, yes, we want to be one of the biggest teams in the country. Yes
you're right. A lot of the problems come down to money. My Dad always tells
the story of Harry Hooper back in the 1950s. He was one of our best players
and West Ham sold him to cash in. In the 1960s we had wonderful players,
World Cup winners and we still didn't really achieve anything. In the 1970s
we began to try things – we signed Phil Parkes for a world record fee for a
goalkeeper, let's not forget that. We built up a really good team in 1986
and like with any good team when you've had a good season you need to get
two or three really good players and we didn't do that. We never bought
those players and the club then got relegated.
Presumably that was why you decided you had to leave, in the end.
I got frustrated. Exactly. Ultimately you could say it wasn't the right
decision because I didn't win anything at Everton and I then came back to
the club. Sitting here talking to you today I wish I had stayed at West Ham
my whole career because West Ham is my club and you look back and You think
'I wish I had done what Trevor Brooking did and played for West Ham my whole
career'. Steve Potts is another one. Alvin Martin, although he played for
Orient, didn't he, at the end? I wish I had stayed at West Ham my whole
career. There's going to be a lot of talk over the next few years about how
West Ham get to the next level. Talking is all well and good but there's got
to be a strategy in place to take the club to the next level. We've got to
clear the debt, first and foremost. You can't have a successful football
club when there are £70-£80 million worth of debt so one of the key things
for me has got to be that if we sell Upton Park that money must be used to
clear the debt and restore the club to a sound financial footing.
Do you think that can be achieved under the current ownership or do you
think they will have to bring in a third party investor?
I think ultimately we might have to look at another investor. I think things
are still a bit of a mess in terms of the last bit of the shareholding. I
think the Icelandic bank still own 35% of the shares so that needs to be
cleared up. Perhaps we could get in a big hitting investor, but whether they
would be allowed to invest who knows. After all, we have got the financial
fair play coming into operation. Moving to the Olympic Stadium is the right
thing. It's the right thing for us as a football club, but talk is cheap. We
have got to act and make sure that the club moves in the right direction.
Do you think football fans in general can be quite short-sighted and that
they tend to think with their hearts rather than their heads?
I actually feel sorry for the fans in a way, but it's not the club's fault.
They have been involved in a very lengthy legal battle which meant that they
had to abide by NDAs (Non Disclosure Agreements). They couldn't talk about
so they have been very limited in what information it can put out to the
fans. So that fans make a judgement and think why on earth do we want to go
to Stratford, we play at Upton Park. And of course there are concerns that
go beyond that, and they were my concerns when I actually sat down and
talked to the club. I told them I would not support a project which means we
would go a stadium with an athletics track round a football field. It
doesn't work. It has never worked anywhere round the world. It was important
for me to see the plans, and I have been very privileged to see the plans
before the bulk of the fans. I have been very impressed with what I have
seen. With the retractable seating and the roof, which will mean a great
atmosphere, it will be the right thing for the fans. I do feel sorry for the
fans because they haven't see the plans. They are making a judgement on
what's been fed to them. There's been a lot of scaremongering about the
running track and how far you are away from the pitch, but I think if you
talk to anyone who went to the Olympics, they all said what a great view it
was.
I went and I walked right up to the back of the top tier and thought 'would
I want to sit here'? And I thought, yes, absolutely.
Yes, I have done it myself. Absolutely right. The top tier is not a problem.
The problem is the lower tier, where they have got to bring the fans nearer
to the pitch. There is also a problem with the toilets, the corporate
hospitality. It is just ridiculous that we built a stadium for the Olympics
without the foresight of thinking it would have to be used for football
afterwards.
Blame Ken Livingstone for that.
Exactly, Yes. There are a lot of people who should hang their heads in shame
through what happened seven or eight years ago, as great as the Olympics
were.
If you talk to fans from other London clubs they all say 'well you'll never
fill it'. Will we?
I understand people thinking that way. I think the opposite. I don't think
60,000 is enough for a successful West Ham team. I really don't. I think we
are that big a club. You have only got to look at the Play-Off Final. OK, it
was a Play-Off Final and it was at Wembley, I understand that but we could
easily have sold 120,000 tickets for that. That would have been all West Ham
fans, forget the Blackpool fans. There has always been a demand for tickets
from a successful West Ham United Football Club. OK, when we play Wigan at
home, are we going to fill it? I think the answer to that is 'no' if we are
not successful, so then the club would have to look at what they have
already spoken about – reducing admission prices and making it viable for
families and doing the Kids for a Quid, which has been a fantastic
invention.
Yes, it has been a success, but for some games at Upton Park this season
it's been a struggle to fill the ground to capacity. OK, it was on TV, but
there were tickets on the day for Spurs at home.
Is that not down to the cost? If you've got two kids it costs you at least
£200 for the day out if you include travel, programme and a bite to eat.
Think about the Man U game next month, there won't be any concessions if
you're not a season ticket holder. I think the season ticket is a great
deal. Bobby Moore Lower, £600 or whatever it might be, is fantastic value
for money but if you want to go to a one off game as a Dad with two boys,
there's no change out of £200. You can't afford that.
Presumably in the Olympic Stadium they will allow more away fans, which I
think could be great for the atmosphere.
I don't know whether there's a limit in terms of per centages but I think
there will be more scope for away fans but they will be up in the Gods
rather than in the prime seats.
If they do really cheap deals for home games that rather plays into what
Barry Hearn has been arguing doesn't it? He thinks it could lead to the end
of Leyton Orient. Does that concern you at all?
It does concern me because I am a believer in the pyramid system in England.
We have 92 fantastic football clubs. I don't want to see any football team
go out of business, like Portsmouth. It's a disgrace what has happened at
Portsmouth. Coventry are in trouble, so many other teams too. For Orient it
will be very difficult. The only thing I would say is that if West Ham were
moving into another London Borough the I would have real reservations about
it. It didn't stack up for Tottenham because they would have been moving
from Haringey into Newham. It wasn't right and it wasn't fair but West Ham
are moving within the same borough. Indeed, you could argue they are moving
nearer to their spiritual home, which is the Memorial Ground, where they
played. People don't realise West Ham played at another ground before Upton
Park. But at the same time, you've got to feel sorry for Orient. Barry, as I
expected, has fought a fantastic fight. He has done what is right for his
football club, and I do fear for Orient. They might have to move grounds,
maybe make a little profit on Brisbane Road and move to Harlow or Romford or
wherever it might be and create a new football club. It is a shame but it is
just the modern way of life and West Ham have got to what is right for West
Ham.
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West Ham are the ONLY option for the Olympic Stadium this side of a
bulldozer
By MARTIN SAMUEL
PUBLISHED: 23:36, 24 March 2013 | UPDATED: 23:36, 24 March 2013
Daily Mail
Buildings are like people. Without care, they get sick. You wouldn't
recognise London's Olympic Stadium now. It is brand new but, in its own way,
derelict. After September 9, when the Paralympics ended, the folk from LOCOG
moved through like a retreating Soviet army. Everything of use or worth that
wasn't nailed down, and some things that were, disappeared. Carpet tiles,
wallpaper, lights. A recent visitor said one of the offices still had a
plant in the corner, but it was dead. Yet the electric remains on, security
men still patrol, and the rates and overheads need to be met, as always. The
seats, which are filthy and have a nasty film developing on them, will need
to be thoroughly cleaned before the IAAF Diamond League visit in July.
Unused stadiums are expensive. The new Wembley Stadium was not constructed
using any of the material from its predecessor, because that was reduced to
rubble in 2003. By then, it had lain empty for three years, at a cost of
£2million per month in staff, lost revenue, plus the steady drain of keeping
teams of lawyers and architects on retainers for re-launch day. To refurbish
the old stadium after just three years empty would have cost £200m. So there
is the alternative. We can keep the Olympic Stadium as it is, rotting from
the inside with costs rising exponentially, or we can move on. All the
bleating about the tenancy of West Ham United ignores one simple fact. In
the last year, any man with a plan could have bid for the Olympic Stadium.
You, me, UK Athletics, Leyton Orient, Simon Cowell — the entire country
could have had a crack at getting it working again. And at the end of that
process, a Premier League football club was still the only viable game in
town.
Now ignore the carping and think what would have happened had West Ham
walked away. What would be the future? A Formula One track for a race that
doesn't exist? The location of a university that nobody has heard of? Home
to a football club that fills, on average, 3,867 seats? West Ham were the
only option this side of a bulldozer.
It was considered better value to knock down the Don Valley Stadium in
Sheffield than let it continue as a declining sports facility. The Olympic
Stadium could have eventually gone the same way. Who owns it now? You do.
For another 99 years at least. It doesn't belong to West Ham, any more than
a council tenant owns his flat. The stadium is public property and the
football club will rent. Others will join. Individual concert promoters, the
organisers of the Rugby World Cup. West Ham are only anchor tenants. So you
haven't been stiffed, ripped off or deprived of legacy. Those left to sweep
up after a very expensive mistake made the best of it.
Lord Coe, Ken Livingstone and Tessa Jowell were the architects of this
80,000-capacity cock-up, and are lucky the rebound is not greater. Their
refusal to even entertain a post-Olympic football option was so pig-headed
that David Bernstein, who as the chairman of Manchester City and later of
Wembley Stadium Limited, had overseen two huge and recent arena projects,
did not receive a single call to seek his advice or experience. Football was
to play no part in the Olympic legacy. Realism had no chance against
well-honed prejudices.
Remove West Ham this morning and what would the nation actually own? An
unlovely concrete bowl, minus a roof, in a part of London that
gentrification forgot. A non-starter as a winter venue, unappealing even in
the English summer, it would now sit empty at vast maintenance cost,
becoming more obsolete with each passing year. So whatever deal West Ham
are getting, it is better than plan B. That is why Karren Brady, who
masterminded the project for the club, could afford to drive a hard bargain.
The only option was to find new life and West Ham stood for life. Four
thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire, sang The Beatles — and one giant
financial black chasm wherever an Olympic stadium rises without a post-Games
anchor tenant. The Bird's Nest in Beijing is now a Segway race track.
So forget this falsehood that the people owned a thriving stadium. The
Olympics ended six months ago. The country was left with an empty, unused,
relic off an A12 flyover, which would in time have served only as a reminder
of another opportunity lost by our sporting and political leaders.
They are the guilty parties here. West Ham merely cleaned up their mess.
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Bonus Andy Dunn: West Ham move hard to stomach, Greg Dyke needs to ruffle
feathers and Oxlade-Chamberlain shines
By Andy Dunn
The Mirror
24 Mar 2013 07:29
Hammers Olympic Stadium move makes a mockery of legacy, but it was the only
option writes Andy Dunn
Agreed, it is a national disgrace.
Agreed, when you get a shiny new £600million stadium for £15m, you've had a
result, big time.
Agreed, when you will only have to pay £2m a year rent and you will be given
an annual £70m by your sports league, you are laughing yourself silly.
Agreed, it is fundamentally immoral that a Premier League football club is
becoming the beneficiary of such considerable public largesse while
hospitals are being closed and defence budgets cut.
Agreed, the transfer of the Olympic Stadium to West Ham makes a mockery of
all the noble talk of legacy.
Agreed, the organisers now have a hell of a lot to answer for.
But the fact remains no one presented a better solution. There was not a
more palatable option on the table.
The stadium's long-term future was an expensive cock-up from the start.
And there have been too many post-Olympic white elephants, too many
facilities left to rot for the West Ham bid to be ignored.
It leaves a sour taste – but we are going to have to swallow it.
Dyke needs to shake up the Premier League
No nonsense: Dyke must tell it how it is
GETTY
At first glance, it is hard to fathom why anyone was surprised when Greg
Dyke was announced as the Football Association's chairman-elect.
White, very well-off, male in his sixties succeeds white, very well-off,
male in his sixties, who himself succeeded white, very well-off, male in
his sixties.
And becomes chairman of an organisation that has long been dominated by
white, very well-off, males in their sixties.
But at least Dyke seems to have a confrontational streak. Because while
David Bernstein has been a steadying influence – rocking few boats – the
FA now needs to establish that it is fit for purpose. In fact, it first
needs to establish what its purpose is. It needs to reclaim its right to
govern.
It needs Dyke to stand up to the Premier League.
While on a PR tour to rightly highlight the fine charitable and community
work done by the Premier League, its chief, Richard Scudamore, was asked
about the Callum McManaman challenge.
He said the FA should have taken action. It was a shamefully populist
response. If he believes that, then maybe he can advise his Premier League
chairmen to tell the FA they should still be able to take retrospective
action even if an official has seen the incident.
In case you did not know, the Premier League is against the idea. But
Scudamore says this case was 'exceptional'.
It wasn't really. It just happened to be headline news as Scudamore was
doing the media rounds. And there is nothing 'exceptional' about the Premier
League giving the FA a sly dig when it is already on the ropes.
Which is why we can only hope that – under Dyke – the FA insists on its
right to govern. We all know that the refusal to re-referee is a nonsense.
The FA should tell the leagues, tell the so-called stakeholders, to sling
their hooks.
Don't even consult them.
A couple of months ago, Dyke lamented the attitude of the FA back when the
notion of a Premier League was first mooted. Dyke explained: "I remember
the five clubs decided they would only break away if they could get the FA
onside.
"They went to see Bert Millichip [chairman] and Graham Kelly [chief
executive], who didn't ask for anything. They so hated the Football League
they were just happy to shaft them.
"It was ridiculous; they could have had anything – a league of 16 clubs,
players released for England, a quota of English players... I'm surprised
the FA hasn't tried to assert itself since..."
Aren't we all?
Well, now is your chance Greg. Over to you.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United striker Carlton Cole is looking forward to the club's move
to the Olympic Stadium
24.03.2013
West Ham United striker Carlton Cole says the club's move to the Olympic
Stadium will help its presence in the community grow even bigger. Mayor of
London Boris Johnson announced on Friday that the Hammers had been given the
right to make the Olympic Stadium their home from 2016. Cole, who scored one
of West Ham's goals in their play-off final victory at Wembley last May, is
looking forward to seeing the club develop with a new 54,000-capacity home.
"I'm very impressed by the plans," he said, "I knew it was going to be
impressive when it was unveiled and now the club can plan to make it a home
for West Ham United. "It's very exciting times. You look to the future to
make things brighter and this is a great plan. The owners have got the fans'
interests at heart - the Olympic Stadium will be more accessible to get to
than the Boleyn, and tickets will be more accessible too. "That's the main
thing at the end of the day - the community matters to West Ham and that's
what's spurring this project on. "Moving there gives the club a massive
platform to help the community. Everyone is excited in and around West Ham,
all the players too. "It's a great opportunity to help the club move on to
the next level."
The stadium will now undergo a transformation to turn it into a football
ground with retractable seats covering the athletics track, following its
success in hosting last summer's Olympic Games. Cole cannot wait to see the
Hammers build upon the legendary stories already told inside the venue
during that unforgettable summer. He added: "Usain Bolt came here, lit up
the stage, Mo Farah my friend came here and got his golds. There have been
some great athletes in there already, and hopefully there'll be more great
athletes coming through our youth system to play there. "I came here during
the Olympics and it was a brilliant atmosphere. The noise level was unreal
and our fans are going to raise the roof, so it's going to be good."
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James Tomkins hoping to turn out for West Ham at Olympic Stadium
Last Updated: March 24, 2013 6:01pm
SSN
James Tomkins is determined to earn himself a new contract at West Ham
United and represent the club at the Olympic Stadium. The Hammers are set to
move out of their Upton Park home and take up residence at the base of
London 2012 in time for the 2016/17 campaign. Tomkins is aware of how
special the atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium promises to be, having formed
part of Team GB last summer. He is desperate to experience the thrill of
competing on such a stage for his boyhood club, but acknowledges that he
will first have to convince West Ham that he is deserving of fresh terms.
"My contract expires just before it happens but hopefully I will still be
around because, just like all the fans, I am looking forward to that
occasion."
Tomkins told the Sunday Express: "It seems so far away right now but it will
come soon. It should be a brilliant moment. "My contract expires just before
it happens but hopefully I will still be around because, just like all the
fans, I am looking forward to that occasion. "This has been my club since I
was eight. It's hard to see me ever being anywhere else because I have been
here so long, and my family are as excited as I am. "To see their son
potentially playing there makes them very proud. And being a local boy, I
will be doubly proud to be there."
Allardyce
It remains to be seen who will make up the West Ham playing and coaching
staff when they move into their new home, but Tomkins feels current coach
Sam Allardyce should be given every chance to guide the club into an
exciting new era. He added: "He is doing a great job here. "He got us
promoted at the first time of asking and you can't ask for much more,
really."
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Younes Belhanda and Henri Bedimo can leave Montpellier in the summer
By Giscard Gourizro. Last Updated: March 24, 2013 8:29pm
SSN
Montpellier president Louis Nicollin has confirmed reported Premier League
targets Younes Belhanda and Henri Bedimo can leave the club in the summer.
Belhanda has been linked with Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the past and
saw a January move to Fenerbahce fall through after the two clubs failed to
agree a fee. The Moroccan playmaker is now expected to leave the reigning
champions at the end of the season and is set to be joined by left-back
Bedimo.
West Ham United have previously been mooted as admirers of the Cameroon
international, while former Portsmouth striker John Utaka could also leave
Montpellier. Nicollin told the French media: "Bedimo and Belhanda can leave.
I am waiting for different offers. "Apart from those two, we can keep the
rest of the squad. Utaka can also leave, but he is expensive."
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Tony Cottee Interview Part 1: 'I Wish I Had Stayed at West Ham For My Whole
Career'
West Ham Till I Die
Last Friday I met Tony Cottee in my office in Westminster for an interview
that was scheduled to last an hour. In the end it lasted an hour and three
quarters. As usual I will publish it in several parts. This section was the
first twelve minutes and concentrates on Tony's views on the move to the
Olympic Stadium.
We are talking on the morning of the announcement that West Ham have got the
lease on the Olympic Stadium. Do you think that's a good thing?
I actually do believe it's a good thing. I don't want to leave Upton Park. I
don't think any sane West Ham fan can honestly say they want to leave Upton
Park. All the memories are there for me, not just as a player but as a
supporter too. Growing up in the 1970s, all the fantastic games I went to
see, all the memories that are there as a supporter, and secondly as a
player – what I achieved as a player, the goals I scored. All my history,
all my family's history, which goes back to the very start, it's all at
Upton Park. Do I want to leave the ground? No of course I don't, but I've to
be honest. I am fed up with West Ham being and also-ran club, settling for
mid-table mediocrity in the Premier League, if we're lucky, occasionally
dropping down into the Championship, something we have already done twice in
the 21sst century. I want the club to progress and hand on heart I don't
believe the club can progress at Upton Park. In terms of going to the
ground, although it's a great experience when you're actually there you
can't park, the Tube is a nightmare. Most West Ham fans don't live around
the ground any more. Nearly everyone is traveling or commuting into the
ground and purely from that point of view, Stratford is a good thing. It's
the best connected train station in Europe. It's got to be a plus to get
there. There are many, many reasons. I want to see the club get to the next
level.
Why is that West Have have always seemed to lack ambition?
You go back to the mid 1960s with all that success before the World Cup, the
1986 side. Everyone thought we ought to kick on then but the Board appeared
not to have the ambition to do so. Now seems to be the first time they've
said, yes, we want to be one of the biggest teams in the country. Yes
you're right. A lot of the problems come down to money. My Dad always tells
the story of Harry Hooper back in the 1950s. He was one of our best players
and West Ham sold him to cash in. In the 1960s we had wonderful players,
World Cup winners and we still didn't really achieve anything. In the 1970s
we began to try things – we signed Phil Parkes for a world record fee for a
goalkeeper, let's not forget that. We built up a really good team in 1986
and like with any good team when you've had a good season you need to get
two or three really good players and we didn't do that. We never bought
those players and the club then got relegated.
Presumably that was why you decided you had to leave, in the end.
I got frustrated. Exactly. Ultimately you could say it wasn't the right
decision because I didn't win anything at Everton and I then came back to
the club. Sitting here talking to you today I wish I had stayed at West Ham
my whole career because West Ham is my club and you look back and You think
'I wish I had done what Trevor Brooking did and played for West Ham my whole
career'. Steve Potts is another one. Alvin Martin, although he played for
Orient, didn't he, at the end? I wish I had stayed at West Ham my whole
career. There's going to be a lot of talk over the next few years about how
West Ham get to the next level. Talking is all well and good but there's got
to be a strategy in place to take the club to the next level. We've got to
clear the debt, first and foremost. You can't have a successful football
club when there are £70-£80 million worth of debt so one of the key things
for me has got to be that if we sell Upton Park that money must be used to
clear the debt and restore the club to a sound financial footing.
Do you think that can be achieved under the current ownership or do you
think they will have to bring in a third party investor?
I think ultimately we might have to look at another investor. I think things
are still a bit of a mess in terms of the last bit of the shareholding. I
think the Icelandic bank still own 35% of the shares so that needs to be
cleared up. Perhaps we could get in a big hitting investor, but whether they
would be allowed to invest who knows. After all, we have got the financial
fair play coming into operation. Moving to the Olympic Stadium is the right
thing. It's the right thing for us as a football club, but talk is cheap. We
have got to act and make sure that the club moves in the right direction.
Do you think football fans in general can be quite short-sighted and that
they tend to think with their hearts rather than their heads?
I actually feel sorry for the fans in a way, but it's not the club's fault.
They have been involved in a very lengthy legal battle which meant that they
had to abide by NDAs (Non Disclosure Agreements). They couldn't talk about
so they have been very limited in what information it can put out to the
fans. So that fans make a judgement and think why on earth do we want to go
to Stratford, we play at Upton Park. And of course there are concerns that
go beyond that, and they were my concerns when I actually sat down and
talked to the club. I told them I would not support a project which means we
would go a stadium with an athletics track round a football field. It
doesn't work. It has never worked anywhere round the world. It was important
for me to see the plans, and I have been very privileged to see the plans
before the bulk of the fans. I have been very impressed with what I have
seen. With the retractable seating and the roof, which will mean a great
atmosphere, it will be the right thing for the fans. I do feel sorry for the
fans because they haven't see the plans. They are making a judgement on
what's been fed to them. There's been a lot of scaremongering about the
running track and how far you are away from the pitch, but I think if you
talk to anyone who went to the Olympics, they all said what a great view it
was.
I went and I walked right up to the back of the top tier and thought 'would
I want to sit here'? And I thought, yes, absolutely.
Yes, I have done it myself. Absolutely right. The top tier is not a problem.
The problem is the lower tier, where they have got to bring the fans nearer
to the pitch. There is also a problem with the toilets, the corporate
hospitality. It is just ridiculous that we built a stadium for the Olympics
without the foresight of thinking it would have to be used for football
afterwards.
Blame Ken Livingstone for that.
Exactly, Yes. There are a lot of people who should hang their heads in shame
through what happened seven or eight years ago, as great as the Olympics
were.
If you talk to fans from other London clubs they all say 'well you'll never
fill it'. Will we?
I understand people thinking that way. I think the opposite. I don't think
60,000 is enough for a successful West Ham team. I really don't. I think we
are that big a club. You have only got to look at the Play-Off Final. OK, it
was a Play-Off Final and it was at Wembley, I understand that but we could
easily have sold 120,000 tickets for that. That would have been all West Ham
fans, forget the Blackpool fans. There has always been a demand for tickets
from a successful West Ham United Football Club. OK, when we play Wigan at
home, are we going to fill it? I think the answer to that is 'no' if we are
not successful, so then the club would have to look at what they have
already spoken about – reducing admission prices and making it viable for
families and doing the Kids for a Quid, which has been a fantastic
invention.
Yes, it has been a success, but for some games at Upton Park this season
it's been a struggle to fill the ground to capacity. OK, it was on TV, but
there were tickets on the day for Spurs at home.
Is that not down to the cost? If you've got two kids it costs you at least
£200 for the day out if you include travel, programme and a bite to eat.
Think about the Man U game next month, there won't be any concessions if
you're not a season ticket holder. I think the season ticket is a great
deal. Bobby Moore Lower, £600 or whatever it might be, is fantastic value
for money but if you want to go to a one off game as a Dad with two boys,
there's no change out of £200. You can't afford that.
Presumably in the Olympic Stadium they will allow more away fans, which I
think could be great for the atmosphere.
I don't know whether there's a limit in terms of per centages but I think
there will be more scope for away fans but they will be up in the Gods
rather than in the prime seats.
If they do really cheap deals for home games that rather plays into what
Barry Hearn has been arguing doesn't it? He thinks it could lead to the end
of Leyton Orient. Does that concern you at all?
It does concern me because I am a believer in the pyramid system in England.
We have 92 fantastic football clubs. I don't want to see any football team
go out of business, like Portsmouth. It's a disgrace what has happened at
Portsmouth. Coventry are in trouble, so many other teams too. For Orient it
will be very difficult. The only thing I would say is that if West Ham were
moving into another London Borough the I would have real reservations about
it. It didn't stack up for Tottenham because they would have been moving
from Haringey into Newham. It wasn't right and it wasn't fair but West Ham
are moving within the same borough. Indeed, you could argue they are moving
nearer to their spiritual home, which is the Memorial Ground, where they
played. People don't realise West Ham played at another ground before Upton
Park. But at the same time, you've got to feel sorry for Orient. Barry, as I
expected, has fought a fantastic fight. He has done what is right for his
football club, and I do fear for Orient. They might have to move grounds,
maybe make a little profit on Brisbane Road and move to Harlow or Romford or
wherever it might be and create a new football club. It is a shame but it is
just the modern way of life and West Ham have got to what is right for West
Ham.
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West Ham are the ONLY option for the Olympic Stadium this side of a
bulldozer
By MARTIN SAMUEL
PUBLISHED: 23:36, 24 March 2013 | UPDATED: 23:36, 24 March 2013
Daily Mail
Buildings are like people. Without care, they get sick. You wouldn't
recognise London's Olympic Stadium now. It is brand new but, in its own way,
derelict. After September 9, when the Paralympics ended, the folk from LOCOG
moved through like a retreating Soviet army. Everything of use or worth that
wasn't nailed down, and some things that were, disappeared. Carpet tiles,
wallpaper, lights. A recent visitor said one of the offices still had a
plant in the corner, but it was dead. Yet the electric remains on, security
men still patrol, and the rates and overheads need to be met, as always. The
seats, which are filthy and have a nasty film developing on them, will need
to be thoroughly cleaned before the IAAF Diamond League visit in July.
Unused stadiums are expensive. The new Wembley Stadium was not constructed
using any of the material from its predecessor, because that was reduced to
rubble in 2003. By then, it had lain empty for three years, at a cost of
£2million per month in staff, lost revenue, plus the steady drain of keeping
teams of lawyers and architects on retainers for re-launch day. To refurbish
the old stadium after just three years empty would have cost £200m. So there
is the alternative. We can keep the Olympic Stadium as it is, rotting from
the inside with costs rising exponentially, or we can move on. All the
bleating about the tenancy of West Ham United ignores one simple fact. In
the last year, any man with a plan could have bid for the Olympic Stadium.
You, me, UK Athletics, Leyton Orient, Simon Cowell — the entire country
could have had a crack at getting it working again. And at the end of that
process, a Premier League football club was still the only viable game in
town.
Now ignore the carping and think what would have happened had West Ham
walked away. What would be the future? A Formula One track for a race that
doesn't exist? The location of a university that nobody has heard of? Home
to a football club that fills, on average, 3,867 seats? West Ham were the
only option this side of a bulldozer.
It was considered better value to knock down the Don Valley Stadium in
Sheffield than let it continue as a declining sports facility. The Olympic
Stadium could have eventually gone the same way. Who owns it now? You do.
For another 99 years at least. It doesn't belong to West Ham, any more than
a council tenant owns his flat. The stadium is public property and the
football club will rent. Others will join. Individual concert promoters, the
organisers of the Rugby World Cup. West Ham are only anchor tenants. So you
haven't been stiffed, ripped off or deprived of legacy. Those left to sweep
up after a very expensive mistake made the best of it.
Lord Coe, Ken Livingstone and Tessa Jowell were the architects of this
80,000-capacity cock-up, and are lucky the rebound is not greater. Their
refusal to even entertain a post-Olympic football option was so pig-headed
that David Bernstein, who as the chairman of Manchester City and later of
Wembley Stadium Limited, had overseen two huge and recent arena projects,
did not receive a single call to seek his advice or experience. Football was
to play no part in the Olympic legacy. Realism had no chance against
well-honed prejudices.
Remove West Ham this morning and what would the nation actually own? An
unlovely concrete bowl, minus a roof, in a part of London that
gentrification forgot. A non-starter as a winter venue, unappealing even in
the English summer, it would now sit empty at vast maintenance cost,
becoming more obsolete with each passing year. So whatever deal West Ham
are getting, it is better than plan B. That is why Karren Brady, who
masterminded the project for the club, could afford to drive a hard bargain.
The only option was to find new life and West Ham stood for life. Four
thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire, sang The Beatles — and one giant
financial black chasm wherever an Olympic stadium rises without a post-Games
anchor tenant. The Bird's Nest in Beijing is now a Segway race track.
So forget this falsehood that the people owned a thriving stadium. The
Olympics ended six months ago. The country was left with an empty, unused,
relic off an A12 flyover, which would in time have served only as a reminder
of another opportunity lost by our sporting and political leaders.
They are the guilty parties here. West Ham merely cleaned up their mess.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bonus Andy Dunn: West Ham move hard to stomach, Greg Dyke needs to ruffle
feathers and Oxlade-Chamberlain shines
By Andy Dunn
The Mirror
24 Mar 2013 07:29
Hammers Olympic Stadium move makes a mockery of legacy, but it was the only
option writes Andy Dunn
Agreed, it is a national disgrace.
Agreed, when you get a shiny new £600million stadium for £15m, you've had a
result, big time.
Agreed, when you will only have to pay £2m a year rent and you will be given
an annual £70m by your sports league, you are laughing yourself silly.
Agreed, it is fundamentally immoral that a Premier League football club is
becoming the beneficiary of such considerable public largesse while
hospitals are being closed and defence budgets cut.
Agreed, the transfer of the Olympic Stadium to West Ham makes a mockery of
all the noble talk of legacy.
Agreed, the organisers now have a hell of a lot to answer for.
But the fact remains no one presented a better solution. There was not a
more palatable option on the table.
The stadium's long-term future was an expensive cock-up from the start.
And there have been too many post-Olympic white elephants, too many
facilities left to rot for the West Ham bid to be ignored.
It leaves a sour taste – but we are going to have to swallow it.
Dyke needs to shake up the Premier League
No nonsense: Dyke must tell it how it is
GETTY
At first glance, it is hard to fathom why anyone was surprised when Greg
Dyke was announced as the Football Association's chairman-elect.
White, very well-off, male in his sixties succeeds white, very well-off,
male in his sixties, who himself succeeded white, very well-off, male in
his sixties.
And becomes chairman of an organisation that has long been dominated by
white, very well-off, males in their sixties.
But at least Dyke seems to have a confrontational streak. Because while
David Bernstein has been a steadying influence – rocking few boats – the
FA now needs to establish that it is fit for purpose. In fact, it first
needs to establish what its purpose is. It needs to reclaim its right to
govern.
It needs Dyke to stand up to the Premier League.
While on a PR tour to rightly highlight the fine charitable and community
work done by the Premier League, its chief, Richard Scudamore, was asked
about the Callum McManaman challenge.
He said the FA should have taken action. It was a shamefully populist
response. If he believes that, then maybe he can advise his Premier League
chairmen to tell the FA they should still be able to take retrospective
action even if an official has seen the incident.
In case you did not know, the Premier League is against the idea. But
Scudamore says this case was 'exceptional'.
It wasn't really. It just happened to be headline news as Scudamore was
doing the media rounds. And there is nothing 'exceptional' about the Premier
League giving the FA a sly dig when it is already on the ropes.
Which is why we can only hope that – under Dyke – the FA insists on its
right to govern. We all know that the refusal to re-referee is a nonsense.
The FA should tell the leagues, tell the so-called stakeholders, to sling
their hooks.
Don't even consult them.
A couple of months ago, Dyke lamented the attitude of the FA back when the
notion of a Premier League was first mooted. Dyke explained: "I remember
the five clubs decided they would only break away if they could get the FA
onside.
"They went to see Bert Millichip [chairman] and Graham Kelly [chief
executive], who didn't ask for anything. They so hated the Football League
they were just happy to shaft them.
"It was ridiculous; they could have had anything – a league of 16 clubs,
players released for England, a quota of English players... I'm surprised
the FA hasn't tried to assert itself since..."
Aren't we all?
Well, now is your chance Greg. Over to you.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Sunday, March 24
Daily WHUFC News - 24th March 2013
Big Sam backs Stratford switch
WHUFC.com
Manager Sam Allardyce believes moving to the Olympic Stadium will provide a
huge boost to West Ham United
23.03.2013
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has thrown his support behind the
club's move to the Olympic Stadium. The Hammers will make the switch to
Stratford in 2016 and Big Sam believes the announcement that the club will
become anchor tenants could be a turning point in Hammers history. The
manager has shared his hugely positive thoughts regarding the impending move
with the official website here: "Friday's news that West Ham United have
been confirmed as the Olympic Stadium's anchor tenant, is for me, one of the
biggest and most positive developments in the history of the club. "West Ham
are a traditional, community-based club with a rich history but the
opportunities to create a new legacy by moving the few miles along the road
to Stratford, are limitless. By going into the Olympic Stadium, this club
has an opportunity to develop and grow bigger than it's ever been before.
"We will be moving into a stadium that already has its own history and
legacy. No-one will forget the great moments that happened there during the
Olympics. "People around the world watched on their TV screens last summer
and were suitably impressed by the venue and the organisation which went
into making the Olympic events there so memorable. Now we are going in there
to forge our own memories and history in that unique stadium within the
Olympic Park. "And it's not just the stadium. Everything around it, the
infrastructure, supports the move. A once run-down area is new, vibrant and
has everything you need to help you enjoy a day out. It has restaurants,
shops, the transport system is good - ideal for example, if you want a
family day out. "The move will also have terrific and positive implications
for the surrounding area, in view of development and jobs. I've seen the
designs and my opinion is that, once all the development is completes, it
will be one of the best stadiums in the country along with Wembley and the
Emirates. There will be slightly bigger stadiums around but, as they say,
size isn't everything. "I still believe the Reebok at Bolton is still one of
the best venues in English football yet its capacity is less then 29,000.
Not only was it a superb football stadium when it was built but it was also
all-encompassing as far as the local community was concerned. It has
function rooms of varying sizes, it had executive boxes - a hotel. The
Olympic Stadium will be almost twice as big and, from what I understand,
will also have great facilities. "There have been understandable concerns
amongst the West Ham supporters about the distance between the pitch and the
spectators but the retractable seating should solve that problem and, in
some cases, put the fans nearer to the action than Wembley Stadium. "There
is nothing I can see that is negative about this move. It could take a
little while for the team to settle down in their new environment but I
don't see that as a big problem - it's natural until everyone becomes
accustomed to their new home. "From a football point of view as well, it
will be important that we learn from other new stadiums and do our homework
on the playing surface. "I know West Ham have already been speaking to a
number of top clubs such as Arsenal, because their pitch is as near
perfection as you can get.
"There will inevitably be some who will not want to leave Upton Park. I
understand that. It was the same at Bolton and what made things even more
difficult was that the new stadium was at Horwich, seven miles out of town.
Bolton fans were anxious but they came to realise that the club could never
have progressed had they remained at Burnden Park. The club began to attract
top players because it made progress on the field and the new stadium was
integral to that improvement. "The Reebok was already up and running when I
was appointed manager in 1999. I remember wandering down to the club after
my first game in charge against Crewe and walking out onto the pitch. I
looked around the place and realised that this impressive new stadium had
provided Bolton with an opportunity to go to places it had only ever
dreamed about before. "To have built a football stadium such as the one West
Ham will move to in 2016 would have cost the club the sort of money they
could never have been able to afford. "My message to the fans who are
worried that West Ham's rich history will be forgotten when we move is that
they should be re-assured - that won't happen. This club are rightly proud
of their heritage and their footprint will be all over their new home. The
past will never be forgotten but if West Ham want to improve in the future,
the club needs to move into a venue like this one. "Friday's announcement
signals an exciting new era for West Ham United. It is a momentous day for
the club, the supporters and the local area."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Captain's blog
WHUFC.com
West Ham United skipper Kevin Nolan speaks of his excitement of the club's
plans for the Olympic Stadium
23.03.2013
Friday was a momentous day in the history of West Ham United. The Mayor of
London, Boris Johnson, announced that we have been given the right to make
the Olympic Stadium our home and it was fantastic to be there to see the
plans get unveiled. I'm very excited and delighted that the deal is finally
over the line. It's a massive thing for West Ham and it's about us producing
everything on the pitch and making sure that when we do move into there
we're in the higher echelons of the Premier League. Now we've got this
stadium it's going to be even better for the supporters, they can get here
very easily. The transport links to the ground are fantastic and there's no
doubt that this stadium is going to push us into the big boys territory. We
could have sold out Wembley ourselves last year, and when we go to the
Olympic Stadium people are going to want to go there because of what the
Olympics brought us. It gripped the nation. The support we got at Wembley
was fantastic and I'm sure we can get that week in, week out with our
supporter base. I've spoken about that since I came to the club. This is the
right move for us. We're positive, we want to step up and be involved in
European nights and things like that. Now everyone can see the visuals, I'm
sure they'll be excited as us. We're just hoping we can prolong our careers
now so we can play in there! Our job now is to make sure this club is in a
very good position when we do move in there.
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It's time for change
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 23rd March 2013
By: Jack Bowers
'Fortune's always hiding, I've looked everywhere'. A quote from 'Bubbles'
that's seemed right for West Ham United; where is the fortune, the luck the
progress?
For years, the Hammers faithful have seen their London rivals Chelsea,
Tottenham and Arsenal all progress and win silverware while we sit back and
suffer relegations and, at best, mid-table tedium.
But yesterday - Friday, 22nd March - could prove to be the historic date
where West Ham actually start to find their fortune and start to narrow the
gap that separates them from London's big three.
Because today is the day we signed a 99-year-lease for the Olympic Stadium.
Plans are set for a 54,000, UEFA category 4, multi-purpose stadium. Whatever
side of the fence you are sitting on, the move will happen, West Ham will
leave the Boleyn Ground, their home of 109 years and start a new adventure.
Yet many West Ham supporters question the move to the Olympic Stadium.
Understandably, people who own businesses in the Upton Park area - or live
close to the ground - object to the move.
Many shops, pubs and pie & mash restaurants will close down the second the
final, final whistle is blown at Upton Park. Realistically they won't
survive without the club. The vast majority of their income comes from a
match day and with the club moving on they won't have much option but to
close.
Without West Ham that area as we know it will be a distant memory in ten
years' time. However, for purely footballing reasons the move needs to
happen.
The Olympic Stadium is the future. By moving just two miles - yet still
within the borough of Newham - West Ham will eradicate their debt, triple in
value and become eye-catching for players, managers and potential investors.
In one short cab journey, West Ham transform from just 'another London club'
to the most attractive business in the capital.
The designs for the stadium are striking and from the early architectural
images, it genuinely looks like a world class stadium. There are plenty of
plans to make it 'West Ham', and any doubts about the move have been
answered.
For the majority of fans the sticking point was the running track, and
understandably too. I had the privilege of watching some of the summer
Olympics at the stadium and while I could see all the action, it wouldn't
have been good for football.
I wasn't sold by the idea of carrying binoculars with me so I could see Mark
Noble bang in a penalty at the other end of the pitch; when you go to
football you want to see all the action.
But the issue of the running track was swiftly sorted by London Major Boris
Johnson who said: "We are moving the seats, we are moving the goal posts and
we are moving the roof." The stadium will be fit for football.
Nothing has ever divided opinion amongst West Ham fans like this move has.
And, as I see on social networks it seems to be a divide from the young
generation to the old (with exceptions, of course).
You can understand older supporters' reluctance to move. I would find it
hard to move from a place where I had seen Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Trevor
Brooking, Billy Bonds and other legends give their all for the shirt; a
ground where I had seen the Chicken Run intimidate every single opposition
fan in England and where I had been able to watch the team play great
football and be a success.
But football has changed; it's no longer about loyalty and watching heroes.
The younger generation, are brought up in a time where glory hunters
prevail, the only thing that matters at school, university or work is that
your team wins. My generation have never known West Ham to be a real
success, they see this as the move to ignite a formidable future - and it
is.
The harsh truth is West Ham will not progress at Upton Park, not properly.
At best we may sneak into Europe through a good cup run and have a magic
European night under the lights but our home performances have been poor for
well over a decade.
My dad, older members of my family and friends talk about great games, great
legends but honestly I can count the memorable games at Upton Park I've
seen, the games that you will take to your grave, the games that make the
hairs on the back of your neck stand up, on just one hand.
Lots of Olympic Stadium naysayers argue that you can't leave a fortress but
Upton Park isn't a fortress, not anymore, not in my football going days.
Let's have a look at our win percentage records in the top flight since
2006: 06/07- 42%. 07/08- 32%. 08/09- 45%. 09/10- 30%. 10/11-25%. Not exactly
intimidating for other sides.
Granted, we've had some bad teams in that period but the reality is, in
terms of home form, we don't have anything to lose by moving to Stratford.
We're not like Arsenal; they left an actual fortress in Highbury and have
not been able to emulate anywhere near as good a home record as they had. So
there is nothing to lose by moving.
The other scepticism people have is about filling the ground. But providing
we're in the top flight filling 54,000 will not be a problem, not in the
slightest. We've sold out in our last 13 games, and for the play-off Final
the demand for tickets was breathtaking, with a reported 70k+ applying to
the club.
So let's say, to keep the maths simple, 4,000 away fans turn up. West Ham
needs to fill an extra 15,000. With cheap tickets, family campaigns and
superb train links from Essex to Stratford, there is no doubt that we can
fill it.
It's understandable that opinion will be divided but take away our emotional
attachment from Upton Park, we need a move. There is no doubt it's a gamble.
But it's a gamble worth taking. Worst case scenario, we don't fill the
ground, the atmosphere is poor and we struggle to move forward.
The best case scenario, we move there, with the support of our fans,
generate a great atmosphere and have the best stadium in the country and
finally… after decades of waiting, find our fortune.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Premier League: West Ham ready to 'buy better' after Olympic Stadium deal
Last Updated: March 23, 2013 1:13pm
SSN
West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan plans to invest in the transfer market
after the Premier League club were named as anchor tenants of the Olympic
Stadium. The Hammers are scheduled to move into the iconic venue for the
start of the 2016/17 season once further redevelopment work has taken place
to turn it into a 54,000 capacity football arena. Sullivan believes securing
UEFA Champions League football is a realistic target for the East London
outfit, but admits they will always struggle to compete with the riches
available to Manchester City and Chelsea. "We realise we have to buy better,
spend more money. It's a gradual process. It'll take time to build the
team." He said: "We realise we have to buy better, spend more money. It's a
gradual process. It'll take time to build the team. Hands on hearts it is
very hard to compete with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, who have
external benefactors. "It is hard to compete with the guy who owns Abu Dhabi
and doesn't pay any tax. It is difficult to compete with Roman Abramovich,
who owns half of Russia. "Manchester United is a very special club. It is
hard to match those three but over time we hope to close the gap. Our
ambition is still to finish third or fourth in the table.
West Ham's exciting future
"We put £32m in last year. As David Gold says though 'I have 150 shops not
150 oil wells'. I didn't earn £16m last year, so I am now spending my
savings."
Sullivan claims he is set to hold talks to bring in a player who would be
'the biggest signing in our history' and believes that in the coming years
the club will be able to spend more on new faces. He added: "For a club of
our size we spend big money. If we spend £12-14m on a player this summer, in
three years we may spend £30-40m. We have a number of targets but it's about
spending wisely. "I'm seeing someone on Monday, funnily enough, that if it
comes off will be the biggest signing in our history." "Often you need a
bit of luck. I'm seeing someone on Monday, funnily enough, that if it comes
off will be the biggest signing in our history. We lack goals in the team,
we have got to sign a top-class striker. "West Ham is a community club, you
have to remember that. It's not all about winning with West Ham. It is about
giving back, about getting people in at affordable prices and playing the
right way. "It's a difficult balance but we hope season by season it'll get
better. But really it's about who spends most on wages and transfer fees and
it is hard to buck that trend for more than one or two seasons."
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Barcelona midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos likes the Premier League
By Francisco Acedo. Last Updated: March 23, 2013 2:22pm
SSN
Barcelona midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos says he would prefer to move to the
Premier League if he leaves the club. Dos Santos, the younger brother of
former Tottenham attacker Giovani, has struggled to make an impression on
the first team at Camp Nou. The Mexico international has been linked with
Everton and West Ham United, and playing in England appeals to the
22-year-old. "If I leave Barcelona, my preferred destination is the Premier
League," Dos Santos told RAC1. He has acknowledged his frustration at
failing to play regularly for Barcelona, but he believes he is benefiting
from the experience of being with Tito Vilanova's squad. Dos Santos added:
"I am not content with just a few minutes of game time, but this Barcelona
squad is incredible and I am learning a lot with this experience. "Really, I
am not sorry to have stayed at the club because we are the best in the
world."
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Is Wilfred Bony the Prospective New Signing?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
The Daily Mirror have reported that West Ham are lining up a £14m deal of
Vitesse Arnhem's Ivory Coast striker, Wilfred Bony. The 24 year old striker
has been described as the new Didier Drogba and is the top scocer in
Holland's Eredivisie League, with 26 goals. It does not derive from the most
reliable of source, but if true, it would be a very good signing, an
ambitious signing and a clear indicator that things are changing for the
better down Upton Park way. Could this be the top striker, whose agent the
club are meeting on Monday?
There is also a disturbing report in the Mirror that Robert Hall current
contract is in its final months and there is a stand off over a new deal.
The report states that a number of clubs are monitoring the situation and
will step in if a new deal is not agreed. If we lose Hall we could receive
as little as £500,000 for one of the best prospects in the country. I have
no idea if there is any truth in this, but if there is the club must get
Hall signed to a new long term deal and in contention for a first team place
when he returns from injury. The fans will not be happy if we lose a top
class youngster to the likes of Liverpool.
Personally, I now want to see the likes of Hall, Turgott, Chambers and
Famino getting in to the first team frame. Yesterday's statement by David
Sullivan that we will, in future, be looking to bring better quality players
to West Ham is most welcome, but that needs to coupled with the continuing
development of our own talent. Hall has done very well at Birmingham City
this season, Turgott is looking very good and I think Famino and Chambers
are real prospects. In addition, both Spence and Potts should rightly be
playing regular first team football now. Obviously, Sam Allardyce does not
agree, but hopefully he will give the youngsters a chance once we are safe
this season.
Hopefully, the announcement of the tenancy of the Olympic Stadium will give
everyone a boost. It will also send out a clear message that West Ham are a
force on the rise in the PL. Of course, there is still Leyton Orient's
application for a judicial review of the selection process, but there seems
to be general agreement that the processes are sound and it will fail.
Personally, I really do not believe the West Ham at the Olympic Stadium will
affect their average 4,000 gates. I have always found Orient fans to be a
separate breed, who follow their team regardless of having West Ham as
neighbours. In fact, it is a bit insulting to those Orient 'die hards' to
suggest that they will suddenly change affiliation. Surely if they were
going to do that they would have done it before this. After all Upton Park
is only a relatively short journey from Waltham Forest. But it is not really
about that, there are obviously other issues of financial advantage
involved.
Meanwhile, there is a report in the Sunday People that the West Ham board
will consider bringing Harry Redknapp back to manage the club, if they
cannot reach agreement on a new deal with Sam Allardyce. I really do not see
that this report has any basis in fact. It is unlikely that the club will
willingly part company with Allardyce and, if they did, would they
necessarily go for Redknapp? In addition, Harry Redknapp is not that popular
these days with the West Ham supporters, especially after his stint in
charge at Spurs. And that has to be a factor. This smacks of a manufactured
story to me, a newspaper speculating to create a story, the classic 2 + 2 =
5!
Saturday's match against WBA is going to be very important. Win that and we
will be on 36 points and within touching distance of safety. We need to
secure safety as quickly as possible and then we can hopefully relax and
enjoy the final two or three matches of the season.
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lets Tell it How it Actually Is!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
The majority response of the press and media, to the confirmation of West
Ham's anchor tenancy of the Olympic Stadium, has been one of outrage on
behalf of the beleagued tax payer and over stretched public purse.
Lets take a prime example, Des Kelly's column in the Daily Mail. He argues
with indignation that the club are 'receiving' £630m of real estate for a
mere £15m up front and £2m annual rent. But just what exactly does he mean
by using the word 'receiving.' Actually, we are renting the Stadium on a 99
year lease, not purchasing it. How many tenants actually pay money up front
to help finance works on the structure and fabric of a property, which is an
asset that they do not own? Yet, that is exactly what West Ham have agreed
to do. More than that, they have accepted that income from naming rights,
catering and hospitality will be shared with the public purse. Most
extraordinary of all, is that West Ham, as a privately owned football club,
have also agreed that a % of a sale of the club will also go to that very
same public purse. Has Mr Kelly stopped to consider that that £2m annual
rent amounts to £198m over the full 99 year term or just how much will be
generated from the the other elements, when West Ham make the Stadium a
sporting and commerical success? It would be interesting to see income
projections for those elements of the deal and I am sure that these will be
made available in due course. In the meantime, you can safely assume that
the figures involved will be substantial!
Mr Kelly, then proceeds to argue that West Ham should have just moved in to
a totally unsuitable Stadium and paid for the adaptions themselves!! So, a
tenant moves in and then pays for the full restructuring work on a stadium
that they do not even own! Yeah, right, like that is going to happen! That
is amazing enough, but he then proceeds to trump it by suggesting that, as
an alternative, the proceeds of the sale of Upton Park should be paid direct
to the Treasury! This is a privately owned football club, and its prime
property asset, that we are talking about here. And that club does not have
the right to sell that asset and use it as it sees fit for the benefit of
its business? That is an argument that is both unrealistic and serves only
to play to gallery!
Then we have the City of Sheffield introduced in to the equation.
Apparently, while West Ham are the beneficiaries of a alleged £630m present
from the tax payer, the poor citizens of Sheffield are being deprived of
their Don Valley Stadium! The Don Valley Stadium was a built for a specific
athletics event (THe World Youth Games) and later fell in to dis-use.
Indeed, the Don Valley Stadium is a 25,000 seat arena, which has totally
failed as a stand alone athletics facility. Despite attempting to enlist a
football league football team and Rugby League Team, to boost its financial
viability, those initiatives also failed. Much as Leyton Orient's tenancy of
a c.20,000 seat athletics stadium would also probably have failed, if the OS
had gone in that particular direction. The scale of the failure is reflected
in the fact that Sheffield City Council were subsidizing it annually to the
tune of £700,000. All of these inconvenient facts show why this is an
ill-advised example to draw upon. Because, and this should be underlined,
the fate of the Don Valley Stadium could very well have prefigured that of
an Olympic Stadium without a PL anchor club.
Mr Kelly, then follows up this own goal, with the obligatory, but inaccurate
reference to West Ham's move to Stratford threatening he future of plucky
little lower league club, Leyton Orient! We all know what the true situation
is relating to Orient, so I will not bother restating it here! He then
concludes by commenting on the owners of West Ham Utd, making unnecessary
references to the industry in which they were formerly engaged. At the end
of the day, what has that got to do with anything relating to West Ham
taking up the tenancy of the OS? Absolutely nothing.
But Mr Kelly is not alone, in taking a critical and indignant line in the
national press. While, a lot of the TV coverage has also been heavily biased
in terms of the negative slant it has put upon the deal.
The truth is that former Minister of Sport and Sheffield MP, Richard Caborn,
is right to criticise the original mistakes in not designing football usage
in to the original stadium design. The further investment necessary to
restructure the stadium is a logical outcome of this folly. Mr Caborn does
not like the deal with West Ham, but what is the alternative, to reject it
and create another Don Valley Stadium in Stratford? The truth is that the
bullet must now be biten to give the OS and the Olympic Park the best
possible chance of a successful future. And West Ham's tenancy is integral
to bringing that about. As such, lets accept it, drop the outrage, tell it
like it is and then move on.
As for West Ham Utd, they should emphasize the concessions that they have
made to put this deal in place. Concessions that will prove lucrative to the
fabled public purse. Because this is not a one sided deal, there are
benefits on both sides. And, moreover, it is the best possible option for
both West Ham Utd and the future of the Olympic Park. It is, arguably, the
only viable 'game in town' and the alternative of a 'white elephant' stadium
in a stagnant Olympic Park is too terrible to contemplate. Finally, the
benefits to the communities in East London must be stressed. It is all about
delivering the post-2012 community and sporting legacy, with West Ham Utd
and their strong partnerships leading the way in ensuring that it happens.
What better and more positive response can there ultimately be?
SJ. Chandos.
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Bony no phoney for Sam
By MEL HENDERSON
Published: 23rd March 2013
The Sun
WEST HAM are on the brink of smashing their transfer record with a
£12million raid for goal machine Wilfried Bony. The Ivory Coast
international has been in stunning form for Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem this
season. He is the leading marksman in Holland with 26 goals in 24 league
games, including an incredible 10 in his last six. Bony, 24, has netted 46
times in 63 appearances since his £4m switch from Czech outfit Sparta Prague
in January 2011. He is under contract with the Dutch club until 2015 but is
desperate to move to the Premier League. The Hammers are close to agreeing a
deal that will see Bony complete the season with title-chasing Vitesse
before moving to London in the summer. The player's representatives are due
in the capital tomorrow for talks with West Ham co-owners David Gold and
David Sullivan, whose current biggest buy is £10.75m Matt Jarvis from
Wolves. Bony wanted to move in January but Vitesse insisted he stay put as
they try to land a Champions League place. Boss Sam Allardyce wants more
firepower as it seems likely that Liverpool hitman Andy Carroll will not be
extending his loan spell at Upton Park.
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Cole's a big fan of Big Sam
The Sun
Published: 23rd March 2013
JOE COLE says West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has done a "phenomenal job" and
hopes he stays. Big Sam took over relegated Hammers in 2011 and got them up
at the first attempt. The club are now 14th in the Premier League. But
Allardyce's contract is up at the end of the season and talks on a new deal
are not set to start until survival is secure. Hammers star Cole said: "He's
a great manager. The club was in a bad state and he has done a phenomenal
job."
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Drogba 2.0: West Ham close to £14m capture of Ivory Coast striker Wilfried
Bony
The Mirror
23 Mar 2013 22:30
Dean Mouhtaropoulos
West Ham are on the brink of sealing a £14million deal for Ivory Coast
powerhouse Wilfried Bony. The Hammers are set to announce the capture of the
Ivory Coast striker from Vitesse Arnhem this week after agreeing the move
with the cash-strapped Dutch club. Bony, 24, has been described as the new
Didier Drogba because of his physical style and scoring prowess. He has
scored 26 goals for Vitesse this season – making him top scorer in the
Eredivisie – and is expected to be named Holland's Player of the Year. Bony,
a £4m capture from Sparta Prague just over two years ago, is set to move to
Upton Park in the summer. Bony packs over 13stone of muscle in his 5ft 9ins
frame and has an explosive style. He has scored 11 goals in his last seven
games for club and country and was targeted by Newcastle in January. He was
a member of the Ivory Coast squad who reached the quarter-finals of the
African Nations Cup in South Africa in February. Bony's capture is a major
coup for the Hammers, who have been given the go-ahead to move the Olympic
Stadium at Stratford in 2016. His arrival means that the club are unlikely
to take up a £15m option to sign Andy Carroll. The Hammers paid Liverpool
£2m to take the England striker on loan for the season, but he has scored
just three times after being hit by injury.
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Hall pass: Liverpool keeping track of England youngster's stand off with
West Ham
The Mirror
Charlie Crowhurst
Liverpool have been alerted to England Under-19 forward Robert Hall's
contract stand-off with West Ham, exclusive by Matt Law. The Reds, Fulham
and Southampton are all chasing Hall, who could be available for as little
as £500,000 at the end of the season. Hall is one of the brightest prospects
in the country and has shone on loan at Birmingham. His current West Ham
contract is due to expire in the summer and, unless he signs a new deal, the
19-year-old will only cost a compensation fee.
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Any old Iron: West Ham want Harry Redknapp to lead them into Olympic Stadium
The Mirror
23 Mar 2013 23:00
Ross Kinnaird
Harry Redknapp will be asked to lead West Ham towards the Olympic Stadium if
they part company with Sam Allardyce, writes the Sunday People. Senior board
members want QPR chief Redknapp to make a sensational return to the club he
managed from 1994 to 2001. Allardyce, who spent the international break on
holiday in Dubai, is out of contract at the end of the season and has yet to
open talks on a new deal. Big Sam has said he will wait until the Hammers
Premier League status is assured before starting contract talks. But it is
increasingly unlikely that he will stay on despite guiding the East End club
back to the top flight last season. And Redknapp, struggling to keep QPR in
the Premier League, will be prominent on the list of potential successors at
the club, who are due to move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016. West Ham are
well aware that brokering a deal to take him back across London will not be
easy, not least because he has a QPR contract until June 2015. There would
also be some opposition to Redknapp at board level, as well as from some
supporters. The Hammers were confirmed as tenants of the Olympic Stadium on
Friday – but while co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan, vice-chairman
Karren Brady and several players were there for the announcement, Allardyce
was absent. A club spokesman insisted there had never any plans for
Allardyce to be at the announcement.
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West Ham's move inspires James Tomkins
Daily Express
By: Colin Mafham
Published: Sun, March 24, 2013
IT'S not all that long ago that James Tomkins stepped out at the Olympic
Stadium in front of an 80,000 crowd, a tear in his eye and goosebumps
everywhere else. James Tomkins has no doubt the 54,000-seater stadium will
be filled when West Ham move in That was last summer during a memorable
London Olympics opening ceremony in which he paraded proudly with the Great
Britain football squad. Hardly surprising, then, that Tomkins is now
desperate to do it all again, this time when the West Ham club he has been
with since he was just eight years of age move into the Olympic Stadium and
play their first match there in August 2016. There is one slight snag. The
young defender's contract expires two months before then . . . which is why
he would dearly like to be offered an extension to it sooner rather than
later, so he can be guaranteed a place in the history of the only football
club he's ever wanted to play for. And will ever play for, if he has any say
in it.
That's the dream and Tomkins and his family, all big Hammers fans, are
clinging firmly to it after a £100million deal to enable West Ham to move
into the Olympic Stadium for the start of the 2016/17 season – and for
another 100 years thereafter – was approved by the London Legacy Development
Corporation and Mayor of London Boris Johnson last week.
And Tomkins, who will be 24 next week, would love to lead West Ham out when
that magic moment arrives. "It is an historic stadium and for us to go in
there is a massive thing for the club and the community," he says.
"I was there for the Olympics and I remember it all being full when we were
doing the lapwith Great Britain. To get anything like that will be one hell
of an atmosphere.
"I had goosebumps, everything like that. Now I am just looking forward to
that day again when all the fans are in there. For that to happen for me
will be a brilliant moment which I will really look forward to.
Tomkins (right) and West Ham teammates outside the Olympic stadium
This has been my club since I was eight. It's hard to see me ever being
anywhere else because I have been here so long, and my family are excited
just like I am.
James Tomkins
"It seems far away right now but it will soon come. It should be a brilliant
moment.
"My contract expires just before it happens but hopefully I will still be
around because, just like all the fans, I am looking forward to that
occasion.
"This has been my club since I was eight. It's hard to see me ever being
anywhere else because I have been here so long, and my family are excited
just like I am.
"To see their son potentially playing there makes them very proud. And being
a local boy, I will be doubly proud to be there."
Tomkins has no doubt that West Ham will fill the 54,000 seats available once
the stadium has been redeveloped.
"Our stadium is always packed out," he says. "We will fill that stadium and
the atmosphere will be fantastic as well.
"The distance from the pitch to the seats will be brought closer and we are
all looking forward to it. All the viewing and the sights for the fans are
going to be even better than they are now."
In the meantime Tomkins is concentrating on the here and now, and the need
to ensure that West Ham are playing Premier League football next season.
"We're not quite out of the relegation fight yet," he warns. "There are
still a lot of teams that can be sucked in and we need to concentrate on
some important games ahead."
But Tomkins is confident they can do it and, hopefully with manager Sam
Allardyce still around, the pair of them will share that iconic move – even
though it is three years away.
Despite speculation about Big Sam's immediate future, Tomkins insists he is
the man to take them up to another level.
"He is doing a great job here," Tomkins adds.
"He got us promoted at the first time of asking and you can't ask for much
more, really."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Manager Sam Allardyce believes moving to the Olympic Stadium will provide a
huge boost to West Ham United
23.03.2013
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has thrown his support behind the
club's move to the Olympic Stadium. The Hammers will make the switch to
Stratford in 2016 and Big Sam believes the announcement that the club will
become anchor tenants could be a turning point in Hammers history. The
manager has shared his hugely positive thoughts regarding the impending move
with the official website here: "Friday's news that West Ham United have
been confirmed as the Olympic Stadium's anchor tenant, is for me, one of the
biggest and most positive developments in the history of the club. "West Ham
are a traditional, community-based club with a rich history but the
opportunities to create a new legacy by moving the few miles along the road
to Stratford, are limitless. By going into the Olympic Stadium, this club
has an opportunity to develop and grow bigger than it's ever been before.
"We will be moving into a stadium that already has its own history and
legacy. No-one will forget the great moments that happened there during the
Olympics. "People around the world watched on their TV screens last summer
and were suitably impressed by the venue and the organisation which went
into making the Olympic events there so memorable. Now we are going in there
to forge our own memories and history in that unique stadium within the
Olympic Park. "And it's not just the stadium. Everything around it, the
infrastructure, supports the move. A once run-down area is new, vibrant and
has everything you need to help you enjoy a day out. It has restaurants,
shops, the transport system is good - ideal for example, if you want a
family day out. "The move will also have terrific and positive implications
for the surrounding area, in view of development and jobs. I've seen the
designs and my opinion is that, once all the development is completes, it
will be one of the best stadiums in the country along with Wembley and the
Emirates. There will be slightly bigger stadiums around but, as they say,
size isn't everything. "I still believe the Reebok at Bolton is still one of
the best venues in English football yet its capacity is less then 29,000.
Not only was it a superb football stadium when it was built but it was also
all-encompassing as far as the local community was concerned. It has
function rooms of varying sizes, it had executive boxes - a hotel. The
Olympic Stadium will be almost twice as big and, from what I understand,
will also have great facilities. "There have been understandable concerns
amongst the West Ham supporters about the distance between the pitch and the
spectators but the retractable seating should solve that problem and, in
some cases, put the fans nearer to the action than Wembley Stadium. "There
is nothing I can see that is negative about this move. It could take a
little while for the team to settle down in their new environment but I
don't see that as a big problem - it's natural until everyone becomes
accustomed to their new home. "From a football point of view as well, it
will be important that we learn from other new stadiums and do our homework
on the playing surface. "I know West Ham have already been speaking to a
number of top clubs such as Arsenal, because their pitch is as near
perfection as you can get.
"There will inevitably be some who will not want to leave Upton Park. I
understand that. It was the same at Bolton and what made things even more
difficult was that the new stadium was at Horwich, seven miles out of town.
Bolton fans were anxious but they came to realise that the club could never
have progressed had they remained at Burnden Park. The club began to attract
top players because it made progress on the field and the new stadium was
integral to that improvement. "The Reebok was already up and running when I
was appointed manager in 1999. I remember wandering down to the club after
my first game in charge against Crewe and walking out onto the pitch. I
looked around the place and realised that this impressive new stadium had
provided Bolton with an opportunity to go to places it had only ever
dreamed about before. "To have built a football stadium such as the one West
Ham will move to in 2016 would have cost the club the sort of money they
could never have been able to afford. "My message to the fans who are
worried that West Ham's rich history will be forgotten when we move is that
they should be re-assured - that won't happen. This club are rightly proud
of their heritage and their footprint will be all over their new home. The
past will never be forgotten but if West Ham want to improve in the future,
the club needs to move into a venue like this one. "Friday's announcement
signals an exciting new era for West Ham United. It is a momentous day for
the club, the supporters and the local area."
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Captain's blog
WHUFC.com
West Ham United skipper Kevin Nolan speaks of his excitement of the club's
plans for the Olympic Stadium
23.03.2013
Friday was a momentous day in the history of West Ham United. The Mayor of
London, Boris Johnson, announced that we have been given the right to make
the Olympic Stadium our home and it was fantastic to be there to see the
plans get unveiled. I'm very excited and delighted that the deal is finally
over the line. It's a massive thing for West Ham and it's about us producing
everything on the pitch and making sure that when we do move into there
we're in the higher echelons of the Premier League. Now we've got this
stadium it's going to be even better for the supporters, they can get here
very easily. The transport links to the ground are fantastic and there's no
doubt that this stadium is going to push us into the big boys territory. We
could have sold out Wembley ourselves last year, and when we go to the
Olympic Stadium people are going to want to go there because of what the
Olympics brought us. It gripped the nation. The support we got at Wembley
was fantastic and I'm sure we can get that week in, week out with our
supporter base. I've spoken about that since I came to the club. This is the
right move for us. We're positive, we want to step up and be involved in
European nights and things like that. Now everyone can see the visuals, I'm
sure they'll be excited as us. We're just hoping we can prolong our careers
now so we can play in there! Our job now is to make sure this club is in a
very good position when we do move in there.
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It's time for change
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 23rd March 2013
By: Jack Bowers
'Fortune's always hiding, I've looked everywhere'. A quote from 'Bubbles'
that's seemed right for West Ham United; where is the fortune, the luck the
progress?
For years, the Hammers faithful have seen their London rivals Chelsea,
Tottenham and Arsenal all progress and win silverware while we sit back and
suffer relegations and, at best, mid-table tedium.
But yesterday - Friday, 22nd March - could prove to be the historic date
where West Ham actually start to find their fortune and start to narrow the
gap that separates them from London's big three.
Because today is the day we signed a 99-year-lease for the Olympic Stadium.
Plans are set for a 54,000, UEFA category 4, multi-purpose stadium. Whatever
side of the fence you are sitting on, the move will happen, West Ham will
leave the Boleyn Ground, their home of 109 years and start a new adventure.
Yet many West Ham supporters question the move to the Olympic Stadium.
Understandably, people who own businesses in the Upton Park area - or live
close to the ground - object to the move.
Many shops, pubs and pie & mash restaurants will close down the second the
final, final whistle is blown at Upton Park. Realistically they won't
survive without the club. The vast majority of their income comes from a
match day and with the club moving on they won't have much option but to
close.
Without West Ham that area as we know it will be a distant memory in ten
years' time. However, for purely footballing reasons the move needs to
happen.
The Olympic Stadium is the future. By moving just two miles - yet still
within the borough of Newham - West Ham will eradicate their debt, triple in
value and become eye-catching for players, managers and potential investors.
In one short cab journey, West Ham transform from just 'another London club'
to the most attractive business in the capital.
The designs for the stadium are striking and from the early architectural
images, it genuinely looks like a world class stadium. There are plenty of
plans to make it 'West Ham', and any doubts about the move have been
answered.
For the majority of fans the sticking point was the running track, and
understandably too. I had the privilege of watching some of the summer
Olympics at the stadium and while I could see all the action, it wouldn't
have been good for football.
I wasn't sold by the idea of carrying binoculars with me so I could see Mark
Noble bang in a penalty at the other end of the pitch; when you go to
football you want to see all the action.
But the issue of the running track was swiftly sorted by London Major Boris
Johnson who said: "We are moving the seats, we are moving the goal posts and
we are moving the roof." The stadium will be fit for football.
Nothing has ever divided opinion amongst West Ham fans like this move has.
And, as I see on social networks it seems to be a divide from the young
generation to the old (with exceptions, of course).
You can understand older supporters' reluctance to move. I would find it
hard to move from a place where I had seen Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Trevor
Brooking, Billy Bonds and other legends give their all for the shirt; a
ground where I had seen the Chicken Run intimidate every single opposition
fan in England and where I had been able to watch the team play great
football and be a success.
But football has changed; it's no longer about loyalty and watching heroes.
The younger generation, are brought up in a time where glory hunters
prevail, the only thing that matters at school, university or work is that
your team wins. My generation have never known West Ham to be a real
success, they see this as the move to ignite a formidable future - and it
is.
The harsh truth is West Ham will not progress at Upton Park, not properly.
At best we may sneak into Europe through a good cup run and have a magic
European night under the lights but our home performances have been poor for
well over a decade.
My dad, older members of my family and friends talk about great games, great
legends but honestly I can count the memorable games at Upton Park I've
seen, the games that you will take to your grave, the games that make the
hairs on the back of your neck stand up, on just one hand.
Lots of Olympic Stadium naysayers argue that you can't leave a fortress but
Upton Park isn't a fortress, not anymore, not in my football going days.
Let's have a look at our win percentage records in the top flight since
2006: 06/07- 42%. 07/08- 32%. 08/09- 45%. 09/10- 30%. 10/11-25%. Not exactly
intimidating for other sides.
Granted, we've had some bad teams in that period but the reality is, in
terms of home form, we don't have anything to lose by moving to Stratford.
We're not like Arsenal; they left an actual fortress in Highbury and have
not been able to emulate anywhere near as good a home record as they had. So
there is nothing to lose by moving.
The other scepticism people have is about filling the ground. But providing
we're in the top flight filling 54,000 will not be a problem, not in the
slightest. We've sold out in our last 13 games, and for the play-off Final
the demand for tickets was breathtaking, with a reported 70k+ applying to
the club.
So let's say, to keep the maths simple, 4,000 away fans turn up. West Ham
needs to fill an extra 15,000. With cheap tickets, family campaigns and
superb train links from Essex to Stratford, there is no doubt that we can
fill it.
It's understandable that opinion will be divided but take away our emotional
attachment from Upton Park, we need a move. There is no doubt it's a gamble.
But it's a gamble worth taking. Worst case scenario, we don't fill the
ground, the atmosphere is poor and we struggle to move forward.
The best case scenario, we move there, with the support of our fans,
generate a great atmosphere and have the best stadium in the country and
finally… after decades of waiting, find our fortune.
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Premier League: West Ham ready to 'buy better' after Olympic Stadium deal
Last Updated: March 23, 2013 1:13pm
SSN
West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan plans to invest in the transfer market
after the Premier League club were named as anchor tenants of the Olympic
Stadium. The Hammers are scheduled to move into the iconic venue for the
start of the 2016/17 season once further redevelopment work has taken place
to turn it into a 54,000 capacity football arena. Sullivan believes securing
UEFA Champions League football is a realistic target for the East London
outfit, but admits they will always struggle to compete with the riches
available to Manchester City and Chelsea. "We realise we have to buy better,
spend more money. It's a gradual process. It'll take time to build the
team." He said: "We realise we have to buy better, spend more money. It's a
gradual process. It'll take time to build the team. Hands on hearts it is
very hard to compete with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, who have
external benefactors. "It is hard to compete with the guy who owns Abu Dhabi
and doesn't pay any tax. It is difficult to compete with Roman Abramovich,
who owns half of Russia. "Manchester United is a very special club. It is
hard to match those three but over time we hope to close the gap. Our
ambition is still to finish third or fourth in the table.
West Ham's exciting future
"We put £32m in last year. As David Gold says though 'I have 150 shops not
150 oil wells'. I didn't earn £16m last year, so I am now spending my
savings."
Sullivan claims he is set to hold talks to bring in a player who would be
'the biggest signing in our history' and believes that in the coming years
the club will be able to spend more on new faces. He added: "For a club of
our size we spend big money. If we spend £12-14m on a player this summer, in
three years we may spend £30-40m. We have a number of targets but it's about
spending wisely. "I'm seeing someone on Monday, funnily enough, that if it
comes off will be the biggest signing in our history." "Often you need a
bit of luck. I'm seeing someone on Monday, funnily enough, that if it comes
off will be the biggest signing in our history. We lack goals in the team,
we have got to sign a top-class striker. "West Ham is a community club, you
have to remember that. It's not all about winning with West Ham. It is about
giving back, about getting people in at affordable prices and playing the
right way. "It's a difficult balance but we hope season by season it'll get
better. But really it's about who spends most on wages and transfer fees and
it is hard to buck that trend for more than one or two seasons."
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Barcelona midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos likes the Premier League
By Francisco Acedo. Last Updated: March 23, 2013 2:22pm
SSN
Barcelona midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos says he would prefer to move to the
Premier League if he leaves the club. Dos Santos, the younger brother of
former Tottenham attacker Giovani, has struggled to make an impression on
the first team at Camp Nou. The Mexico international has been linked with
Everton and West Ham United, and playing in England appeals to the
22-year-old. "If I leave Barcelona, my preferred destination is the Premier
League," Dos Santos told RAC1. He has acknowledged his frustration at
failing to play regularly for Barcelona, but he believes he is benefiting
from the experience of being with Tito Vilanova's squad. Dos Santos added:
"I am not content with just a few minutes of game time, but this Barcelona
squad is incredible and I am learning a lot with this experience. "Really, I
am not sorry to have stayed at the club because we are the best in the
world."
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Is Wilfred Bony the Prospective New Signing?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
The Daily Mirror have reported that West Ham are lining up a £14m deal of
Vitesse Arnhem's Ivory Coast striker, Wilfred Bony. The 24 year old striker
has been described as the new Didier Drogba and is the top scocer in
Holland's Eredivisie League, with 26 goals. It does not derive from the most
reliable of source, but if true, it would be a very good signing, an
ambitious signing and a clear indicator that things are changing for the
better down Upton Park way. Could this be the top striker, whose agent the
club are meeting on Monday?
There is also a disturbing report in the Mirror that Robert Hall current
contract is in its final months and there is a stand off over a new deal.
The report states that a number of clubs are monitoring the situation and
will step in if a new deal is not agreed. If we lose Hall we could receive
as little as £500,000 for one of the best prospects in the country. I have
no idea if there is any truth in this, but if there is the club must get
Hall signed to a new long term deal and in contention for a first team place
when he returns from injury. The fans will not be happy if we lose a top
class youngster to the likes of Liverpool.
Personally, I now want to see the likes of Hall, Turgott, Chambers and
Famino getting in to the first team frame. Yesterday's statement by David
Sullivan that we will, in future, be looking to bring better quality players
to West Ham is most welcome, but that needs to coupled with the continuing
development of our own talent. Hall has done very well at Birmingham City
this season, Turgott is looking very good and I think Famino and Chambers
are real prospects. In addition, both Spence and Potts should rightly be
playing regular first team football now. Obviously, Sam Allardyce does not
agree, but hopefully he will give the youngsters a chance once we are safe
this season.
Hopefully, the announcement of the tenancy of the Olympic Stadium will give
everyone a boost. It will also send out a clear message that West Ham are a
force on the rise in the PL. Of course, there is still Leyton Orient's
application for a judicial review of the selection process, but there seems
to be general agreement that the processes are sound and it will fail.
Personally, I really do not believe the West Ham at the Olympic Stadium will
affect their average 4,000 gates. I have always found Orient fans to be a
separate breed, who follow their team regardless of having West Ham as
neighbours. In fact, it is a bit insulting to those Orient 'die hards' to
suggest that they will suddenly change affiliation. Surely if they were
going to do that they would have done it before this. After all Upton Park
is only a relatively short journey from Waltham Forest. But it is not really
about that, there are obviously other issues of financial advantage
involved.
Meanwhile, there is a report in the Sunday People that the West Ham board
will consider bringing Harry Redknapp back to manage the club, if they
cannot reach agreement on a new deal with Sam Allardyce. I really do not see
that this report has any basis in fact. It is unlikely that the club will
willingly part company with Allardyce and, if they did, would they
necessarily go for Redknapp? In addition, Harry Redknapp is not that popular
these days with the West Ham supporters, especially after his stint in
charge at Spurs. And that has to be a factor. This smacks of a manufactured
story to me, a newspaper speculating to create a story, the classic 2 + 2 =
5!
Saturday's match against WBA is going to be very important. Win that and we
will be on 36 points and within touching distance of safety. We need to
secure safety as quickly as possible and then we can hopefully relax and
enjoy the final two or three matches of the season.
SJ. Chandos.
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Lets Tell it How it Actually Is!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
The majority response of the press and media, to the confirmation of West
Ham's anchor tenancy of the Olympic Stadium, has been one of outrage on
behalf of the beleagued tax payer and over stretched public purse.
Lets take a prime example, Des Kelly's column in the Daily Mail. He argues
with indignation that the club are 'receiving' £630m of real estate for a
mere £15m up front and £2m annual rent. But just what exactly does he mean
by using the word 'receiving.' Actually, we are renting the Stadium on a 99
year lease, not purchasing it. How many tenants actually pay money up front
to help finance works on the structure and fabric of a property, which is an
asset that they do not own? Yet, that is exactly what West Ham have agreed
to do. More than that, they have accepted that income from naming rights,
catering and hospitality will be shared with the public purse. Most
extraordinary of all, is that West Ham, as a privately owned football club,
have also agreed that a % of a sale of the club will also go to that very
same public purse. Has Mr Kelly stopped to consider that that £2m annual
rent amounts to £198m over the full 99 year term or just how much will be
generated from the the other elements, when West Ham make the Stadium a
sporting and commerical success? It would be interesting to see income
projections for those elements of the deal and I am sure that these will be
made available in due course. In the meantime, you can safely assume that
the figures involved will be substantial!
Mr Kelly, then proceeds to argue that West Ham should have just moved in to
a totally unsuitable Stadium and paid for the adaptions themselves!! So, a
tenant moves in and then pays for the full restructuring work on a stadium
that they do not even own! Yeah, right, like that is going to happen! That
is amazing enough, but he then proceeds to trump it by suggesting that, as
an alternative, the proceeds of the sale of Upton Park should be paid direct
to the Treasury! This is a privately owned football club, and its prime
property asset, that we are talking about here. And that club does not have
the right to sell that asset and use it as it sees fit for the benefit of
its business? That is an argument that is both unrealistic and serves only
to play to gallery!
Then we have the City of Sheffield introduced in to the equation.
Apparently, while West Ham are the beneficiaries of a alleged £630m present
from the tax payer, the poor citizens of Sheffield are being deprived of
their Don Valley Stadium! The Don Valley Stadium was a built for a specific
athletics event (THe World Youth Games) and later fell in to dis-use.
Indeed, the Don Valley Stadium is a 25,000 seat arena, which has totally
failed as a stand alone athletics facility. Despite attempting to enlist a
football league football team and Rugby League Team, to boost its financial
viability, those initiatives also failed. Much as Leyton Orient's tenancy of
a c.20,000 seat athletics stadium would also probably have failed, if the OS
had gone in that particular direction. The scale of the failure is reflected
in the fact that Sheffield City Council were subsidizing it annually to the
tune of £700,000. All of these inconvenient facts show why this is an
ill-advised example to draw upon. Because, and this should be underlined,
the fate of the Don Valley Stadium could very well have prefigured that of
an Olympic Stadium without a PL anchor club.
Mr Kelly, then follows up this own goal, with the obligatory, but inaccurate
reference to West Ham's move to Stratford threatening he future of plucky
little lower league club, Leyton Orient! We all know what the true situation
is relating to Orient, so I will not bother restating it here! He then
concludes by commenting on the owners of West Ham Utd, making unnecessary
references to the industry in which they were formerly engaged. At the end
of the day, what has that got to do with anything relating to West Ham
taking up the tenancy of the OS? Absolutely nothing.
But Mr Kelly is not alone, in taking a critical and indignant line in the
national press. While, a lot of the TV coverage has also been heavily biased
in terms of the negative slant it has put upon the deal.
The truth is that former Minister of Sport and Sheffield MP, Richard Caborn,
is right to criticise the original mistakes in not designing football usage
in to the original stadium design. The further investment necessary to
restructure the stadium is a logical outcome of this folly. Mr Caborn does
not like the deal with West Ham, but what is the alternative, to reject it
and create another Don Valley Stadium in Stratford? The truth is that the
bullet must now be biten to give the OS and the Olympic Park the best
possible chance of a successful future. And West Ham's tenancy is integral
to bringing that about. As such, lets accept it, drop the outrage, tell it
like it is and then move on.
As for West Ham Utd, they should emphasize the concessions that they have
made to put this deal in place. Concessions that will prove lucrative to the
fabled public purse. Because this is not a one sided deal, there are
benefits on both sides. And, moreover, it is the best possible option for
both West Ham Utd and the future of the Olympic Park. It is, arguably, the
only viable 'game in town' and the alternative of a 'white elephant' stadium
in a stagnant Olympic Park is too terrible to contemplate. Finally, the
benefits to the communities in East London must be stressed. It is all about
delivering the post-2012 community and sporting legacy, with West Ham Utd
and their strong partnerships leading the way in ensuring that it happens.
What better and more positive response can there ultimately be?
SJ. Chandos.
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Bony no phoney for Sam
By MEL HENDERSON
Published: 23rd March 2013
The Sun
WEST HAM are on the brink of smashing their transfer record with a
£12million raid for goal machine Wilfried Bony. The Ivory Coast
international has been in stunning form for Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem this
season. He is the leading marksman in Holland with 26 goals in 24 league
games, including an incredible 10 in his last six. Bony, 24, has netted 46
times in 63 appearances since his £4m switch from Czech outfit Sparta Prague
in January 2011. He is under contract with the Dutch club until 2015 but is
desperate to move to the Premier League. The Hammers are close to agreeing a
deal that will see Bony complete the season with title-chasing Vitesse
before moving to London in the summer. The player's representatives are due
in the capital tomorrow for talks with West Ham co-owners David Gold and
David Sullivan, whose current biggest buy is £10.75m Matt Jarvis from
Wolves. Bony wanted to move in January but Vitesse insisted he stay put as
they try to land a Champions League place. Boss Sam Allardyce wants more
firepower as it seems likely that Liverpool hitman Andy Carroll will not be
extending his loan spell at Upton Park.
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Cole's a big fan of Big Sam
The Sun
Published: 23rd March 2013
JOE COLE says West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has done a "phenomenal job" and
hopes he stays. Big Sam took over relegated Hammers in 2011 and got them up
at the first attempt. The club are now 14th in the Premier League. But
Allardyce's contract is up at the end of the season and talks on a new deal
are not set to start until survival is secure. Hammers star Cole said: "He's
a great manager. The club was in a bad state and he has done a phenomenal
job."
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Drogba 2.0: West Ham close to £14m capture of Ivory Coast striker Wilfried
Bony
The Mirror
23 Mar 2013 22:30
Dean Mouhtaropoulos
West Ham are on the brink of sealing a £14million deal for Ivory Coast
powerhouse Wilfried Bony. The Hammers are set to announce the capture of the
Ivory Coast striker from Vitesse Arnhem this week after agreeing the move
with the cash-strapped Dutch club. Bony, 24, has been described as the new
Didier Drogba because of his physical style and scoring prowess. He has
scored 26 goals for Vitesse this season – making him top scorer in the
Eredivisie – and is expected to be named Holland's Player of the Year. Bony,
a £4m capture from Sparta Prague just over two years ago, is set to move to
Upton Park in the summer. Bony packs over 13stone of muscle in his 5ft 9ins
frame and has an explosive style. He has scored 11 goals in his last seven
games for club and country and was targeted by Newcastle in January. He was
a member of the Ivory Coast squad who reached the quarter-finals of the
African Nations Cup in South Africa in February. Bony's capture is a major
coup for the Hammers, who have been given the go-ahead to move the Olympic
Stadium at Stratford in 2016. His arrival means that the club are unlikely
to take up a £15m option to sign Andy Carroll. The Hammers paid Liverpool
£2m to take the England striker on loan for the season, but he has scored
just three times after being hit by injury.
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Hall pass: Liverpool keeping track of England youngster's stand off with
West Ham
The Mirror
Charlie Crowhurst
Liverpool have been alerted to England Under-19 forward Robert Hall's
contract stand-off with West Ham, exclusive by Matt Law. The Reds, Fulham
and Southampton are all chasing Hall, who could be available for as little
as £500,000 at the end of the season. Hall is one of the brightest prospects
in the country and has shone on loan at Birmingham. His current West Ham
contract is due to expire in the summer and, unless he signs a new deal, the
19-year-old will only cost a compensation fee.
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Any old Iron: West Ham want Harry Redknapp to lead them into Olympic Stadium
The Mirror
23 Mar 2013 23:00
Ross Kinnaird
Harry Redknapp will be asked to lead West Ham towards the Olympic Stadium if
they part company with Sam Allardyce, writes the Sunday People. Senior board
members want QPR chief Redknapp to make a sensational return to the club he
managed from 1994 to 2001. Allardyce, who spent the international break on
holiday in Dubai, is out of contract at the end of the season and has yet to
open talks on a new deal. Big Sam has said he will wait until the Hammers
Premier League status is assured before starting contract talks. But it is
increasingly unlikely that he will stay on despite guiding the East End club
back to the top flight last season. And Redknapp, struggling to keep QPR in
the Premier League, will be prominent on the list of potential successors at
the club, who are due to move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016. West Ham are
well aware that brokering a deal to take him back across London will not be
easy, not least because he has a QPR contract until June 2015. There would
also be some opposition to Redknapp at board level, as well as from some
supporters. The Hammers were confirmed as tenants of the Olympic Stadium on
Friday – but while co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan, vice-chairman
Karren Brady and several players were there for the announcement, Allardyce
was absent. A club spokesman insisted there had never any plans for
Allardyce to be at the announcement.
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West Ham's move inspires James Tomkins
Daily Express
By: Colin Mafham
Published: Sun, March 24, 2013
IT'S not all that long ago that James Tomkins stepped out at the Olympic
Stadium in front of an 80,000 crowd, a tear in his eye and goosebumps
everywhere else. James Tomkins has no doubt the 54,000-seater stadium will
be filled when West Ham move in That was last summer during a memorable
London Olympics opening ceremony in which he paraded proudly with the Great
Britain football squad. Hardly surprising, then, that Tomkins is now
desperate to do it all again, this time when the West Ham club he has been
with since he was just eight years of age move into the Olympic Stadium and
play their first match there in August 2016. There is one slight snag. The
young defender's contract expires two months before then . . . which is why
he would dearly like to be offered an extension to it sooner rather than
later, so he can be guaranteed a place in the history of the only football
club he's ever wanted to play for. And will ever play for, if he has any say
in it.
That's the dream and Tomkins and his family, all big Hammers fans, are
clinging firmly to it after a £100million deal to enable West Ham to move
into the Olympic Stadium for the start of the 2016/17 season – and for
another 100 years thereafter – was approved by the London Legacy Development
Corporation and Mayor of London Boris Johnson last week.
And Tomkins, who will be 24 next week, would love to lead West Ham out when
that magic moment arrives. "It is an historic stadium and for us to go in
there is a massive thing for the club and the community," he says.
"I was there for the Olympics and I remember it all being full when we were
doing the lapwith Great Britain. To get anything like that will be one hell
of an atmosphere.
"I had goosebumps, everything like that. Now I am just looking forward to
that day again when all the fans are in there. For that to happen for me
will be a brilliant moment which I will really look forward to.
Tomkins (right) and West Ham teammates outside the Olympic stadium
This has been my club since I was eight. It's hard to see me ever being
anywhere else because I have been here so long, and my family are excited
just like I am.
James Tomkins
"It seems far away right now but it will soon come. It should be a brilliant
moment.
"My contract expires just before it happens but hopefully I will still be
around because, just like all the fans, I am looking forward to that
occasion.
"This has been my club since I was eight. It's hard to see me ever being
anywhere else because I have been here so long, and my family are excited
just like I am.
"To see their son potentially playing there makes them very proud. And being
a local boy, I will be doubly proud to be there."
Tomkins has no doubt that West Ham will fill the 54,000 seats available once
the stadium has been redeveloped.
"Our stadium is always packed out," he says. "We will fill that stadium and
the atmosphere will be fantastic as well.
"The distance from the pitch to the seats will be brought closer and we are
all looking forward to it. All the viewing and the sights for the fans are
going to be even better than they are now."
In the meantime Tomkins is concentrating on the here and now, and the need
to ensure that West Ham are playing Premier League football next season.
"We're not quite out of the relegation fight yet," he warns. "There are
still a lot of teams that can be sucked in and we need to concentrate on
some important games ahead."
But Tomkins is confident they can do it and, hopefully with manager Sam
Allardyce still around, the pair of them will share that iconic move – even
though it is three years away.
Despite speculation about Big Sam's immediate future, Tomkins insists he is
the man to take them up to another level.
"He is doing a great job here," Tomkins adds.
"He got us promoted at the first time of asking and you can't ask for much
more, really."
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