Opening days to remember
WHUFC.com
We take a look back at six classic opening day West Ham United fixtures
17.06.2014
As Hammers fans gear up for Wednesday's 2014/15 fixture release, we take a look back at six classic opening day victories.
West Ham United 3-1 Blackburn Rovers
Premier League
13 August 2005
The Hammers were back in the top flight following a two-year absence and they ensured they would return with a bang by defeating Blackburn Rovers 3-1. Alan Pardew's men also had to show their battling qualities to make sure of the result after falling 1-0 down to Andy Todd's 18th-minute opener. They still trailed 1-0 at the break, but came roaring back after the interval to give them the perfect start to the campaign. Teddy Sheringham notched the equaliser immediately upon the game's resumption, then Nigel Reo-Coker and Matthew Etherington gave the Hammers a winning position. It meant the Hammers got off to a perfect start, setting them up for a ninth-place finish and run to the FA Cup final.
West Ham United 3-1 Charlton Athletic
Premier League
19 August 2006
Twelve months further on and the Hammers gained an identical result to kick-off the 2006/07 campaign. It was a London derby at the Boleyn Ground as Charlton Athletic came to visit, and just as in the previous year, West Ham had to come from behind to claim the points. Darren Bent's penalty gave the Addicks an interval lead, but Bobby Zamora's double after Charlton's Djimi Traore was sent-off put the Hammers in command. Debutant Carlton Cole then scored an injury time goal seconds after coming on for his debut to secure the points as the vast majority of the 34,937 crowd went home happy.
West Ham United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League
7 August 1999
Harry Redknapp's Hammers made the perfect start to the 1999/00 Premier League season, with this precious victory over London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur at the Boleyn Ground. While this was the Club's first league game of the new season, West Ham were well into their stride come 7 August, having already come through four Intertoto Cup clashes unscathed. With a total of just five goals in those European clashes, this rather went to form too, being settled by a solitary strike. A comparatively well-rested Spurs held firm for the best part of 45 minutes, before Frank Lampard struck the eventual winner on the stroke of half-time, much to the approval of most of the 26,010-strong crowd. As it turned out, this was the first of eleven home league wins that season, as Redknapp guided West Ham to a creditable ninth-place finish, just two points above Spurs.
West Ham United 1-0 Coventry City
Division One
23 August 1986
Fresh from the Club's best-ever league finish from the Boys of '86, West Ham United got the next season off to the perfect start by defeating Coventry City 1-0.
The goal came via a stunning free-kick from Tony Gale, and Coventry were unable to respond. The Hammers went top with an away win at Manchester United in their next fixture, although their form would not last over the season and they ended in 15th place.
West Ham United 2-1 Wigan Athletic
Premier League
16 August 2008
The 2008/09 season could hardly have started any more positively for the Hammers. Just ten minutes had been played by the time Dean Ashton fired Alan Curbishley's men into a 2-0 lead. The striker's goals with three and ten minutes on the clock put West Ham in a commanding position, one which Wigan could not recover from, despite Amr Zaki's 47th-minute strike. Curbishley would only remain at the Club for another month, however, and under Gianfranco Zola West Ham went on to finish ninth in the league.
West Ham United 1-0 Aston Villa
Premier League
18 August 2012
The last game comes from two years ago, as once again the Hammers continued the momentum of a promotion from the second tier by making a good start to life in the top flight. Aston Villa were the visitors to E13, but it would not be a happy trip as the Hammers sent them home pointless. Kevin Nolan scored the only goal of the game, turning home Ricardo Vaz Te's low cross with 40 minutes on the clock. British Olympians Nicola Adams, Mark Hunter, Andy Baddeley Jo Pavey and Yamile Aldama were also introduced to the crowd on a summer's afternoon to remember just six days after the London 2012 Olympic Games had ended.
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Ironworks set for endurance row
WHUFC.com
The Thames Ironworks Heritage Trust is gearing up for a busy summer of fundraising
17.06.2014
West Ham United's move to the Olympic Stadium is a move back home. Just ask the Thames Ironworks Heritage Trust.
Steeped in West Ham's shipbuilding beginnings, founder, chairman and lifelong Hammer Gavin Redknap has grand plans, culminating in Ironworks lifeboats taking to the River Lea as they did a century ago.
Launched in December, the Trust has intervened in the nick of time, with two of the last remaining Ironworks boats already back in West Ham hands. Once restored and water worthy, the Trust's boats could yet ferry supporters to and from the Olympic Stadium on matchday, rightly restoring the Ironworks to West Ham's here and now.
"It's a new start for the Club, but it's also a reminder that when we do bring these boats back, it's actually a move back home, in many ways, to where the Thames Ironworks originally were, on the banks of the River Lea," Redknap told West Ham TV.
"This is the last opportunity to save the history of the Ironworks and to restore some of the boats they made. We're talking about 100 years since something like this has been attempted in east London itself, so it's really important that we bring this back and place that stamp on the area.
"The drive has always come from West Ham fans, all the trustees are West Ham fans. It's really important that West Ham fans continue to support this, because first and foremost it's about our heritage."
Gavin Redknap TIHT
Redknap aboard the John Ryburn, the second of the Ironworks fleet
Patrick O'Connor is one such supporter itching to play his part and hopes to give the fundraising drive a considerable boost with an ambitious endurance row. Three five-man gigs will set off from Southend Pier on Saturday 2 August, embarking on a 38-mile journey taking them as close to the Olympic Stadium as possible.
While a row along the Thames may be an appealing exploit in itself, O'Connor maintains his motivations are very much West Ham driven.
"It's all about West Ham. It goes from the crossed hammers on the badge to the 'Up the Hammers' and 'Come on you Irons,' you just can't get away from it. West Ham are Thames Ironworks and vice versa. It will always be that way. It's great to somehow bring a bit of living history to the new Stadium.
"We heard about the project - we're West Ham through and through - and thought we've got to get involved, it's just too big an opportunity. I've got a reputation for coming up with stupid ideas, so let's get in a boat to the Olympic Stadium and, basically, that's it!
"It's going to be a hard slog, but it's for a great cause. I'm looking forward to the day, but I'm also really looking forward to seeing these boats finished, moored up at the Stadium and being able to brag to the grandkids saying we were part of that.
"The Ironworks lifeboats will be back on the water and I just think it's phenomenal. To be able to walk up to the best football ground in the country, as it will be, brand spanking new, and say 'here's our history,' it's here, it's around us. It's going to be great to have the old and the new together. It will be fantastic."
As part of reconciling the old with the new, the Trust plans to initially recruit half-a-dozen apprentices to restore the boats to their former glories. Redknap knows the process is likely to be a lengthy one, but one that merits both time and investment.
"We think that it's worth it because we're going to be employing a load of young people, getting them apprentice work and eventually giving them life-skills.
"We're looking to get six apprentices working on the boats themselves, though over time that will probably increase. When it comes to the service side of things, we're going to be giving kids jobs, teaching them how to master boats, teaching them how to give guided tours of the Olympic Park and so we are talking about eventually employing dozens of youngsters."
Such is the support behind the cause that rower O'Connor has had no trouble recruiting fellow oarsmen, admitting the West Ham fleet might have been bigger but for logistics. And however tough the task ahead is, the Trust's fundraiser-in-chief admits it bears little comparison to that which the original Ironworks lifeboat crews faced.
He added: "To be fair, when these lifeboats were first built, they were rowed in rough weather. They didn't go out for pleasure cruises. They were taken out in stormy seas to rescue sinking ships and those fellows rowed them. I think I'm a quite tasty rower but these guys, they were different gravy."
O'Connor, meanwhile, is banking on people's generosity of spirit to drive the Trust forward in the coming months, confident that his endurance row can spark interest, as well as donations.
"This row is not going to raise enough money to restore these on its own. But it's not just about raising funds, it's about raising awareness. We know we're onto something special here and I'm sure the more people that know about it, the more will want to get involved. If people want to help, contact the Trust, but also spread the word, tell people what it's all about."
You can follow the Thames Ironworks Heritage Trust on Facebook here, or visit the mydonate page for August's endurance row.
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West Ham United at the World Cup - '86
WHUFC.com
Alvin Martin and Frank McAvennie were rewarded for a fine season by travelling to Mexico 1986
17.06.2014
Alvin Martin and Frank McAvennie will never forget the experience of playing at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. England centre-back Martin and Scotland striker Frank McAvennie had helped West Ham United to finish a record high of third in Division One in 1985/86, earning them both the opportunity to shine on football's biggest stage. Then 27, Martin had made his England debut against Brazil in 1981, but he missed the 1982 FIFA World Cup finals in Spain before forcing his way into Bobby Robson's thoughts for Mexico. After watching Terry Butcher and Terry Fenwick start England's three Group F matches against Portugal, Morocco and Poland, the Hammer was drafted into the starting XI at the expense of Fenwick for the Round of 16 tie with Paraguay in Mexico City.
England won comfortably, 3-0, with Gary Lineker scoring twice and Peter Beardsley once, to set up a quarter-final meeting with Maradona's Argentina.
Martin could have expected to keep his place for the last-eight clash, but instead Robson recalled Fenwick, Maradona scored one outstanding individual goal and one with his hand and, despite Lineker's late consolation, England were out. While Martin could be forgiven for being bitter about missing the opportunity to help England reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final, instead he appreciates the one chance he was given to appear at the finals. "I had 22 years as a club player at West Ham, but people around the country will always recognise you more for your international experiences," said Martin, whose 17th and final England cap came in a 1-0 friendly defeat in Sweden in September 1986. "I had the experience of playing at the World Cup in 1986, which I shall never forget. Sir Bobby Robson picked me against Paraguay in the second round and then left me out against Argentina in the quarter-finals. "I still look back and wonder why I was dropped, but Maradona would have done the same to me as he did to the other defenders that day!"
McAvennie's Mexico 1986 experience was even briefer, lasting just 59 minutes and two substitute appearances in total as Scotland were eliminated at the group stage. The blond-haired forward had been capped just twice - in the two-legged World Cup qualifying Play-Off victory over Australia - when he boarded the plane with the Tartan Army. While McAvennie hoped to partner Charlie Nicholas, manager Alex Ferguson had other ideas, picking Dundee United's Paul Sturrock alongside the Arsenal man. "I had scored 29 goals for West Ham that season. I was on fire and only Gary Lineker, with one goal more than me, could better my record," McAvennie told the Daily Record in a 2010 interview. "In my mind I was a certainty to start up front with Charlie Nicholas, particularly after scoring the goal at Hampden that had beaten Australia and taken us to the World Cup as play-off winners. "But Fergie had other ideas. He went with Paul Sturrock, who I don't think had scored 29 goals in his career up to that point."
Even face-to-face talks with Ferguson failed to earn the then 26-year-old a starting place, and he had to make do with substitute appearances in the Group E defeats by Denmark and West Germany. "I took my grievance to Alex. He said to me, 'I'm the manager and I pick the team'. I replied, 'I'm the player left out and I don't have to agree with you'. "We didn't score a goal while going down to Denmark in our first match and I think the press attention devoted to Charlie and me before that match might have done for me."
With Scotland needing to win to have any chance of progressing to the last 16, McAvennie was then left out altogether as ten-man Uruguay held Ferguson's men to a goalless draw in their final group match. While he was again disappointed to be overlooked, the West Ham man was not susprised. "I know why I got the heave from the team and the bench," he continued. "I'd questioned the manager's judgment and paid the price by being dropped. One goal in three games told its own story and that's why the memory of 1986 will always be tinged with sadness for me. "It was fantastic for me to be part of a World Cup squad but we shot ourselves in the foot that year."
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Cheikhou Kouyate completes West Ham move
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 17th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham have completed the €9million signing of Anderlecht defender Cheikhou Kouyate. According to De Standaard, the Senegal international has signed a four-year contract with the Hammers after successfully completing a medical yesterday. The Hammers are reported to have paid circa €9million - approximately £7.2million - for the highly-rated 24-year-old, who has been on West Ham's radar for several weeks. Anderlecht are set to replace Kouyate with Polish international Gregorz Krychowiak, who was also watched extensively by West Ham in recent months. Although at the time of writing the signing is yet to be confirmed by West Ham United, Kouyate becomes the club's second new arrival of the summer following the capture of Argentinian forward Mauro Zarate last month.
Cheikhou 'Wile E' Kouyate: Season stats
2013/14: Anderlecht P46 G1 Y4 R2
2012/13: Anderlecht P45 G1 Y7 R1
2011/12: Anderlecht P48 G0 Y4 R0
2010/11: Anderlecht P33 G2 Y6 R0
2009/10: Anderlecht P33 G2 Y2 R0
2008/09: KV Kortkijk P30 G3 Y2 R1
2007/08: Brussels FC P10 G0 Y1 R0
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PABLO ARMERO THE DANCE MACHINE
By Sean Whetstone 17 Jun 2014 at 20:32
West Ham Till I Die
Former Hammer Pablo Armero gave Colombia the lead in the fifth minute against Greece last Saturday. Armero's scuffed shot was not the finest finish we have seen in the World Cup so far, but his elaborate dance celebration in front of the Colombia bench was certainly one of the best celebrations so far. That was the 27 year old's second International goal in 54 appearances Colombia. While at West Ham Armero told the official website "I am a left full-back, who likes to work in defence. I am a good defender, strong and quick, but I also like attacking. I like to go to the front and make good crosses. I will give good defending to the team, and good attacking too and hopefully I will help my team mates to win games."
Armero impressed well in training at West Ham and the talk of a permanent deal at the end of the season died out after he broke into the first team but managed demonstrated the odd defensive lapse which helped cool interest in a permanent deal. According to rumour, Razvan Rat who was later replace Amero was disposed of because of his failure to adhere to instruction, and getting into a habit of being too far up field, and too far out of position. Next season with our new attacking coach and entertaining football promised it is interesting that we are still not keen on full backs go like to go up the pitch too far. If we wanted entertainment Armero's dance routine could replace the Hammerettes at half time.
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FORMER HOMESICK HAMMER COULD RETURN TO PREMIER LEAGUE
By Sean Whetstone 17 Jun 2014 at 18:00
West Ham Till I Die
Former Hammer Valon Behrami is refusing to discuss a possible Premier League return until after the World Cup.
The midfielder – whose tackle for Switzerland in the build-up to the winning goal in Sunday's World Cup game against Ecuador was arguably the best defensive action of his career showed he still has what he takes.
His departure came in 2011 as he claimed home sickness and injuries which eventually saw West Ham sell him for £1.7m to Fiorentiana, a £2.3m loss on what we paid Lazio in 2008. He has been recently linked to Spurs and Inter Milan but has dismissed transfer talk until after the tournament. Levy has admired Behrami for years and is likely to tempt the 29 year old with a bid during the summer.
He is said to be unhappy at Napoli with limited opportunities in the first team under Rafa Benetiz. The Switzerland international has started just 15 Serie A games for Napoli last season failing to find the net in any of them. He is also upset after being robbed twice in Naples. He was robbed at gunpoint by two men on a scooter of his £5,000 Hublot watch as he sat in his car and this year he had his car stolen.
Behrami spent almost three seasons at West Ham making 63 appearances and scoring 4 goals once said he does not think that he would have enjoyed the direct style with which Sam Allardyce has become associated."I don't really like it because I like to play like Zola wants to play — every time with the ball, every time try to be attractive as well,"
I understand a return to West Ham is extremely unlikely considering the way he engineered his move away from the Hammers in 2011.
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WEST HAM INTERESTED IN ORIENT MIDFIELDER
By Sean Whetstone 17 Jun 2014 at 16:08
West Ham Till I Die
Leyton Orient midfielder Moses Odubajo is attracting attention from West Ham and Spurs.The 20-year old winger enjoyed an impressive season for the O's in League One and has been scouted extensively by Premier League clubs, with Spurs and West Ham leading the chase for his signature. Odubajo is under contract with Orient for another year but the club are expected to offer him new terms in order to try and persuade him to stay, despite the talk of top-flight interest, with the asking price likely to be around the £4million mark. Odubajo scored 12 goals in all competitions for Orient last term and was a regular as they just missed out on promotion to the Championship, losing to Rotherham United in the play-off final on penalties. Do you think Barry Hearn will be keen to do a deal with us?
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KOUYATE POISED TO JOIN THE HAMMERS
By Sean Whetstone 17 Jun 2014 at 14:00
West Ham Till I Die
West Ham hope to complete the signing of Anderlecht's Cheikhou Kouyate today or tomorrow following a medical at Holly House Hospital in Buckhurst Hill yesterday.
The medical was confirmed by WHTID author EXEmployee yesterday and an announcement on his signing will probably be made by the Chairman's son's Jack Sullivan on twitter later before official confirmation on WHUFC.com some hours later.
The 6' 4" player is expected to sign a four year deal with West Ham costing an initial fee of £6.8m which is just under Anderlecht valuation of 9 million euros.
The 24 year centre back who can also play in a defensive midfield role was being monitored by a number of clubs across Europe including Valencia, Arsenal, Everton and Manchester City but it now appears West Ham have won the race to sign him..He started his professional career in Brussels coming through the youth ranks before joining Anderlecht in 2008. Kouyaté has made 145 appearances for Anderlecht.
Speaking to an Anderlecht supporter last month called @ForumAnderlecht over twitter he told me "He will not stay [at Anderlecht] Galatasary did an offer and he refused. Valencia did big offer, he doesnt know. He wants premier league. If West Ham pays the same as Valencia,he will choose West Ham I think. If they do offer of 8 m euro's, he will go"
His last goal came on 15th May away against Waregem in the play off finals where he grabbed the opener on 15 minutes. he was in this same match where he made his miss of the season. Anderlecht went on to win that game 2-1.
Kouyate received 2 red cards and 4 yellows last season so he will have to watch his discipline in the Premier League.
Ironically it appears to be Valencia's financial troubles which seem to have helped persuade Anderlecht to sell to the hammers. Spanish clubs have a reputation in delaying payment of transfer fees despite giving financial guarantees. The player is also know to have preferred a move to England rather than Spain.
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West Ham want Marcos Alonso for bargain £1.5million as Spanish left-back loves life in England
Jun 17, 2014 22:30 By Alan Nixon
The Mirror
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is ready to swoop for Spanish left-back Marcos Alonso - and give him his third spell in England. The Hammers are close to agreeing a bargain deal for Fiorentina defender Alonso, who played for Bolton and was at Sunderland on loan last season. Alonso is prepared to quit the Serie A side permanently and talks are advanced on a move to London. Allardyce needs a left back after losing George McCartney at the end of his contract and talented Alonso fits the bill. He hopes to agree a fee of around £1.5 million for Alonso, who has settled in English football and helped Sunderland to survive in the Premier League and reach the Capital One Cup Final last season. The cash-conscious club switched to Alonso after being priced out of a deal for French left back Timothée Kolodziejczak at Nice.
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West Ham's David Sullivan denies undermining Allardyce by hiring attack coach Teddy Sheringham
Jun 17, 2014 22:00 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror
Like everyone else, David Sullivan has been enjoying this most entertaining of World Cups. The feast of football in Brazil has come in stark contrast to the famine at Sullivan's West Ham United last season which left fans unhappy, the club frustrated and manager Sam Allardyce's job in serious doubt. Faced with open revolt from the Hammers' fans demanding Big Sam's sacking, the end-of-season review normally conducted by Sullivan, his co-owner David Gold and vice-chairman Karren Brady took on a far greater significance. But they stood by their man, and Sullivan dismisses the idea they bottled it because top-flight survival is all-important for the planned move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016. "You can't just look to stay up," he said. "It is not acceptable to our supporters to say, 'We've survived. We've had a very good campaign.' "We are not Norwich. We are not Fulham. We are not Reading. We are West Ham United. "Our supporters are realistic. They know it is a huge and difficult task to break into the top six. But we must be aiming for that, even if we don't achieve it."
They have recruited an attacking coach – former Irons and England striker Teddy Sheringham – to boost Allardyce's coaching staff. Yet even that has been interpreted as the rug being pulled from under the feet of a man famed for doing things his way. Sullivan disgrees, though. "We had a lot of people approach us to become our attacking coach and Sam picked the one he wanted," he said. "Yes, we suggested the idea, but Sam liked it. "We didn't undermine him at all.
"I think he has analysed the performance of the team last year and agreed that we would like to score more goals. It was a weakness of the team and he has brought in an expert to try and improve that. "Teddy has played at the highest level. If you combine his game intelligence with the level he has played at, I do not believe that he won't improve our attacking ideas, whether it is the way we take our corners, our free-kicks, or just our overall strategy. "I believe we will be a better team for having him as part of our management set-up."
Sheringham, 48, spent three years at West Ham as a player between 2004 and 2007 and returns on a non-contract basis. The former Manchester United and Tottenham striker, who clinched the Treble with the Old Trafford giants in 1999, scored 30 goals for the Hammers in just 49 appearances. He will now look to inspire an Upton Park attack that managed just 40 in 38 Premier League matches last season. Sullivan added: "I don't think we have undermined Sam at all with this. We've been very honest with him. He is in the last year of his contract and he knows we have to have a better performance because the fans won't stand for it otherwise. He is not stupid."
Questioned about the view that perhaps the Hammers' hierarchy are being dictated to by the fans too much, Sullivan said: "It's quite the opposite. They voted 80-20 per cent to sack the manager. We didn't sack the manager."
And asked who decides whether the football is entertaining enough next season, he smiled: "There will be games where the going gets tough. But equally I hope we whack somebody 4-0 and put on a display. So judge us over the season."
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Hull v Irons on Day 1 says leaked fixture list
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 17, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
The Hammers will start the next campaign away at Hull City …assuming that a leaked fixture list to Twitter can be believed! An image doing the rounds on the social network purports to show the opening day fixtures including a mouthwatering clash which sees Arsenal travelling to Anfield. The official fixture list is due to be announced tomorrow morning at 9am, so it remains to be seen if these fixtures could turn out to be true.
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Irons question alleged Kouyate 'statement'
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 17, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham United are tonight unsure whether an alleged public farewell message from potential £7.5 million signing Cheikhou Kouyaté is genuine! The defender appeared to post an emotional farewell on a page which possessed a mere 500 plus 'likes' - hardly the norm for a top European player. As reported on ClaretandHugh, the player's advisers have been in talks with the club all day and a deal is close after interest from Valencia and others had looked to derail it. A Hammers source commented: "We don't know if that supposed FB thing is for real. It looks dubious as there are very few likes for a top footballer after all. "Anyway the deal is not done and if and when it is the the first place it would be announced is on the selling club's website."
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Cheikhou Kouyate 'clinches £7m move to West Ham' as Hammers shape up for top six
Towering Anderlecht centre back set to bolter Sam Allardyce's back line
Hammers saw off competition from Valencia for Kouyate's signature
Second West Ham summer signing after Argentinian striker Mauro Zarate
By OLIVER TODD
PUBLISHED: 18:03, 17 June 2014 | UPDATED: 18:03, 17 June 2014
Daily Mail
West Ham have signed Anderlecht centre back Cheikhou Kouyate on a four-year-deal after completing a medical, according to reports in Belgium. Valencia had shown interest in the 24-year-old, who can also play in midfield, but the Hammers appear to have seen off the Spanish side's interest to secure Kouyate's signature. Kouyate has spent his entire senior career in Belgium but now looks set to join Sam Allardyce's side for a fee of around £7million as they look to secure a top-six finish in line with co-owner David Gold's aspirations. The Senegal international passed his medical and put pen to paper on a four-year deal on Tuesday to secure a dream move to the Premier League. It looks set to be a summer of big change for the Hammers after a disappointing season with fans unhappy at the lack of progress under Allardyce's stewardship. Teddy Sheringham has joined the Upton Park outfit as an attacking coach, while Argentinian striker Mauro Zarate joined on a three-year deal from Velez Sarsfield. Allardyce also has his eye on further strengthening his defence, with Manchester City defenders Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards potential targets.
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Daily WHUFC News - 17th June 2014
'I'd be all for a badge change'
WHUFC.com
West Ham United legend Tony Cottee believes the time is right to update the Club crest
16.06.2014
Tony Cottee has West Ham inked on his birth certificate and etched in his heart. The Forest Gate-born Hammers legend grew up in east London on a diet of Moore, Hurst and Peters, absorbed by imagery of the famous crossed hammers on the equally famous claret and blue. Now 48, very little has changed for Cottee in that regard, with those staples of Hammers heritage still the be all and end all. But as West Ham United march toward an exciting future at the Olympic Stadium, Cottee concurs that the time is probably nigh to evolve the Club crest. "I'd be all for a change of badge," Cottee confirmed. "I don't think the Club has changed it for quite a while now. When we go to the new Stadium, we're hopefully starting a new era in terms of competing on and off the pitch, and looking at the Club badge, I think, would be a good idea. "You look at that badge, you look at those hammers and as long as you've got the hammers, you've got West Ham. That's all we need. I'm a West Ham fan and I will always be a West Ham fan. "I've got a birth certificate which says 'birthplace: West Ham.' I'm very proud of that and I love showing it to people. "I grew up in a great era to be a West Ham fan. Then, of course, I played for the Club and now I'm back to being a supporter. You have what goes on in your personal life but I would say West Ham as a Club runs very near to my heart."
Though Cottee was but a toddler when Bobby Moore lifted the World Cup, his West Ham associations extend beyond his own memories. Where the crest is concerned, Cottee calls upon Hammers greats of the 50s, no less, for his first point of reference. He continued: "The likes of Malcolm Allison, John Bond and Noel Cantwell, wonderful players, and the badge was just simply crossed hammers. I grew up looking at all those images. "Of course, the badge has developed over the years and with progress, coming into the 21st century, you accept that the badges change a little bit, but I think those iconic hammers are the things as a kid that stood out for me."
Cottee reckons that his affinity with the crossed hammers is one shared by Hammers fans the world over. And if the hammers are sacred, Cottee concedes that the Boleyn Castle's relevance will surely be diminished by the switch to Stratford. "Looking at the current badge, you've obviously got the castle on there, which probably goes back to the times of Anne Boleyn and then the Boleyn Ground. If we're moving to Stratford, which we are, there could be a case for maybe dropping the Castle. That's only me, personally, saying that. "But the one thing that must stay is the crossed hammers. All our fans, I think there a million across the world, and if you spoke to them all, nearly all of them would say we have to keep the hammers. You've got to keep the wording, West Ham, in some form or another in the badge too, but the crossed hammers for me are the real important thing."
Above all else, however, Cottee is adamant that Hammers fans be given the opportunity to have their say on the matter, with online consultation live as of Monday morning. "What I do hope the Club do is take in the considerations of the supporters because without the supporters you don't have a football club. Let's speak to as many fans as possible, maybe have an online campaign, or whatever it may be. I think it's always nice when the supporters are asked their opinion. I'm a supporter and I'd like to keep the hammers!"
Supporters are also invited to explore the Club's plans during the next two open consultation sessions at the Boleyn Ground, scheduled for Thursday 19 and Monday 23 June.
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West Ham United at the World Cup - '82
WHUFC.com
Ron Greenwood and Trevor Brooking represented West Ham United at the FIFA World Cup in Spain
16.06.2014
England failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals of 1974 and 1978, meaning West Ham United had no representation at either tournament. It was a very different story in 1982, however, as former West Ham manager Ron Greenwood had taken over from Don Revie in 1977, when the ex-Leeds United boss resigned to take charge of the United Arab Emirates. Greenwood steered England to the 1982 finals in Spain, where future Hammer Peter Shilton conceded just one goal in Group Four as France (3-1), Czechoslovakia (2-0) and Kuwait (1-0) all fell by the wayside. As England prepared to face West Germany and Spain in the second stage, Group B, Greenwood was desperately hoping that his former Hammers player Trevor Brooking would finally overcome the groin injury that had prevented him from kicking a ball in any of his country's first four matches. Following a goalless draw with the Germans, though, it was now win or bust against the hosts. Greenwood, Brooking and company needed a two-goal victory to qualify for the semi-finals. With the match deadlocked at 0-0, the manager knew he had to gamble with Brooking and Kevin Keegan. "I decided to play my two trump cards," wrote the England boss in his autobiography Yours Sincerely recounting the moment when he called for Brooking and Keegan. "I signalled to both Brooking and Keegan that I wanted them on and, with 27 minutes left, they stepped into football's biggest event for the first time in their long careers. It was a marvellous moment for them - and for me too. "Neither was perfectly fit but, at this point, risks were worth taking. And both could have scored. Keegan headed wide and Brooking, who immediately injected new skill into the game, made his own opening but somehow the Spanish 'keeper Luis Arconada managed to get in the way. "Spain nil, England nil. It was all over.
"We hadn't been able to use Brooking or Keegan who were the engine of our side and that was a tragedy because we would've gone all the way with those two."
Instead, the dejected Three Lions headed for home still unbeaten in five matches, while the Germans progressed all the way to the final where they lost 3-1 to Italy. "The 1982 World Cup was probably one of the biggest disappointments of my career," admitted Brooking, who won the last of 47 England caps with that late outing in Madrid. "Having got to Spain, it was my last opportunity to play in the tournament and it was so frustrating to have been kept out with a groin injury until half-hour from the end of the final game." West Ham's third representative at the 1982 FIFA World Cup was Belgium striker, Francois van der Elst. Van der Elst appeared just once, as a half-time substitute in the 3-0 second group-stage defeat by Poland in Barcelona.
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Rat going Greek: transfer latest
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 16th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Razvan Rat, who failed spectacularly at West Ham last year has agreed to join Greek outfit PAOK. The experienced Romanian, who rattled up more than 100 appearances in the Champions League failed to settle in England and moved to Spain after just 20 appearances in claret and blue. He played 10 times for Primera Liga outfit Rayo Vallecano between January and May but failed to secure a permanent deal, hence his move to the Greek superleague.
* West Ham, Sunderland and Hull City are three Premier League clubs being suggested as possible destinations for Lazio's Angolan-born, Belgian full back Luis Pedro Cavanda. The 23-year-old, who has represented Belgium at Under 18, Under 19 and Under 21 level is keen to play in England according to his agent Ulisse Savini. That one via SkySport24.
* The M*****, almost certainly speculatively, are running with a story claiming the Hammers are back in for Ecuadorian winger Jefferson Montero. Montero, a former team mate of current West Ham 'keeper Adrian (at Real Betis) played 77 minutes of his nation's 2-1 defeat to Switzerland at the World Cup yesterday. He was initially linked with a move to West Ham last summer.
* Joleon Lescott, the Manchester City defender who has been on West Ham's radar for what seems like an age is close to sealing a move to Hull City. KUMB sources state that Lescott is poised to sign a two-year contract worth £56,000-per-week sometime this week.
* West Ham are one of several clubs beingl inked with a move for Ligue 1 Lorient's Vincent Aboubakar. A Cameroon international playing in his second World Cup despite only enjoying his 22nd birthday back in January, the striker is also reported to be on the radar of newly-promoted Leicester and Chelsea.
* We still haven't managed to sell Modibo Miaga or Alou Diarra.
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Contract talks imminent
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 16th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham appear to have finally won the race to sign Anderlecht defender Cheikhou Kouyate. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the Belgian club have accepted West Ham's €7.5million offer for the highly-rated £24-year-old having rejected the advances of Spanish club Valencia. It is believed that the Hammers are set to offer the Senegalese international a four year contract to lure him to London, to where he is now expected to travel imminently for contract talks. West Ham are thought to have been given the edge in the race by Anderlecht manager Herman Van Holsbeeck, who is understood to be reluctant to trade with Spanish clubs for Kouyate's signature. That is as the result of the transfer involving Mohammed Tchite and Racing Santader, for which Anderlecht had to request the involvement of UEFA to resolve. Anderlecht are said to be running the rule over Grzegorz Krychowiak, who has also been on West Ham's radar, as a potential replacement for Kouyate.
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Have your say on the new crest design
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 16th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have released a video detailing the planned changes to the club crest. Earlier this month it was announced that the club were set to consult supporters over a possible new crest to tie in with its impending move to the Olympic Stadium. The initial stage of that process began at the weekend when West Ham held the first of three events in which fans are invited to the Boleyn Ground in order to discuss the plans; the two remaining events being set for this Thursday (19th June) and next Monday (23rd). That has been followed by the release of a 13-minute-long video to that explains the history of the club's current crest before highlighting some of the elements that could be used to identify and create a new, "future proof", design.
Charged with conceiving the new design is the Kensington-based WTF Creative agency. Creative Director Neil Felton, speaking on the video describes the assignment as "a project very close to my heart, something I feel very strongly about and want to get right for all the West Ham faithful."
Felton, a season ticket holder at West Ham for 30 years explains in the video how the current crest was deconstructed to separate the different elements contained within. Extensive research into how each element of the crest came to be was also undertaken.
"A focus on detail is crucial in this type of project," explains Felton. "Like our values, we want it [the crest] to be traditional, contemporary and future-proof all at once. As we have throughout this process, we've referred to history for our inspiration."
And with regards to the hotly-disputed potential addition of the word 'London' to the new design, he added: "Our intent of bringing some recognition of our location to the crest is all abouut signalling our ambition to compete at the highest level and to be recognised on a global stage."
The video is available to all supporters with a ticket purchase history to view the video, which may be seen here. You will need your provide your client reference number before accessing the short film.
In addition to the three consultation events mentioned previously, West Ham have also announced plans for a Q&A on whufc.com 'early next week' at which supporters may have their questions regarding the changes to the crest answered.
Once again the club stated that there were no plans afoot to amend the club's name, nor would any proposed changes to the crest proceed without the backing of the supporters. West Ham have appointed YouGov - who were responsible for the Olympic Stadium survey in May 2013 - to run the poll.
Who are WTF Creative?
WTF Creative - named after founders Mike Williams, Dave Tuffney and Neil Felton - is based close to Kensington High Street and describes itself as "a dynamic democratic agency".
Founded in 2006, the company provides a number of services including brand and communications strategy, corporate identity plus advertising and design. Previous clients include HBO (Sopranos, Game of Thrones), Warner Bros. (Harry Potter, Batman Arkham City) and Channel 4 (Inbetweeners).
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
John Brooks wanted by host of Premier League clubs
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @graemebailey | Last Updated: 12/06/14 7:05pm
SSN
A host of Premier League clubs are battling to land American starlet John Brooks, Sky Sports understands. The 21-year-old central defender was born and raised in Berlin and came through the youth tanks at his local club Hertha, before rejecting a move to Bayern Munich when he was a teenager. He made his debut for Hertha in 2012 and has since became an integral part of their first-team squad. Brooks represented both USA and Germany at youth level before deciding to commit his international future to America. Now he is set to feature at the World Cup finals and a number of Premier League clubs are poised to make a move. Sky Sports understands Aston Villa, Stoke City, Everton, West Ham and Newcastle are all ready to swoop for Brooks, who has three years left on his current deal at the Olympic Stadion. There is also interest from elsewhere in the Bundesliga and France, but Sky Sports understands that Brooks would like to continue his career in England.
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WEST HAM'S GLOBAL AMBITION
By Sean Whetstone 16 Jun 2014 at 12:52
West Ham Till I Die
West Ham have launched an online consultation over the future of the West Ham badge. They want a new crest to establish the club firmly on the international stage and reinforce our European ambitions.
Among the subjects up for discussion is the shape of the shield, the typography,the retirement of the Boleyn castle and adding the words London 1895 to the badge.
A 14 minute video presented by West Ham stadium announcer Martin Godleman has been released after which any West Ham supporter with a client reference can send in their views. Supporters are then asked in a questionnaire by SMG Yougov which elements of the current Club Crest are most important to them? Options include The shield, Colours, Typography, The Boleyn Castle and The Hammers. Supporters are then asked what, if anything would you like to see changed, again the options are The shield, Colours, Typography, The Boleyn Castle and The Hammers together with other, none of the above and don't know
"Since the consultation process was announced, the Board have made clear that this process is categorically not about looking at a name change and no updates will be made to the crest unless Hammers fans back the move. Therefore, to ensure transparency and fairness, they have appointed independent survey company SMG YouGov to run and administer the consultation and polling. As previously explained, the Hammers' current offering has not been changed since 1999 and the Club see the move to its stunning new home as a now or never opportunity to better reflect and celebrate the things that make West Ham so special, particularly its rich history The Club have already received some valuable feedback from the Supporter Advisory Board, which has helped shape the content of the presentation.There were clearly some areas that the SAB members were more widely supportive of and other areas that they wanted the Club to look at in more detail. Their feedback so far suggested there was broad support for a more traditional crest as used during the 50s, with the crossed hammers given more prominence.There were also discussions at the SAB meetings about potentially adding a representation of the Club's new home (the Olympic Stadium) to the crest, during which the Club explained its preference for no graphical representation of any Hammers stadium, either past or present, to allow the strong symbol of the crossed hammers to shine through. That view appears to have been generally supported by the SAB. The possibility of further highlighting the Club's standing in London by reflecting that in some way on the Club's crest was also debated. Some members fed back that it was an appropriate reflection of the Club's direction, while others felt that 1895 should be added to better demonstrate West Ham's standing and history. Others said they favoured a return to a more traditional, retro crest only."
The deadline for submitting feedback will be Friday 27 June at 5pm.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham trailing Lazio defender
Alexander Stebbings
HITC
Sam Allardyce is thought to be interested in signing Lazio defender Luis Pedro Cavanda as the Hammers boss looks to strengthen for next season. Numbers are falling in the defensive ranks at Upton Park after Pablo Armero returned to Napoli and George McCartney was released from the club following the end of his contract. Whilst the Hammers appear to be close on a deal to sign Cheikhou Kouyate from Anderlecht, Allardyce is reportedly already looking elsewhere for further recruits. The 23-year-old right-back has played the whole of his career in Italy and has previously been involved with the Belgian under-21 set up.
Cavanda signed for Lazio at youth level but has only ever made 38 first team appearances for the Roman side in Serie A, enjoying his best run of games towards the end of last season. The Angolan-born Belgian could be a shrewd signing for West Ham, still at a young age the defender has his best years ahead of him and seems to be gaining plaudits due to some impressive performances. Cavanda is thought to have interested Arsene Wenger once upon a time and was linked with a move to Arsenal following an impressive debut. The then 20-year-old was tasked with marking former World Player of the Year and World Cup winner Ronaldinho and put in a brave shift, eventually keeping the Brazilian occupied and out of the game for the full ninety minutes. The possible deal to sign Cavanda may strike fear into Hammers fans regarding the future of Guy Demel. Demel has been one of West Ham's more promising players over recent seasons and there has been some speculation to suggest the Ivorian could be set for a move back to the Bundesliga, though nothing has yet materialised.
Still at an early stage it is difficult to tell just how much interest there is coming from West Ham's side and indeed how much Lazio would be interested to sell.
Cavanda signed a contract last July that extend his stay at the Serie A side to 2018, so West Ham may have to make a serious cash offer if they are to lure the defender to the Premier League.
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WHUFC.com
West Ham United legend Tony Cottee believes the time is right to update the Club crest
16.06.2014
Tony Cottee has West Ham inked on his birth certificate and etched in his heart. The Forest Gate-born Hammers legend grew up in east London on a diet of Moore, Hurst and Peters, absorbed by imagery of the famous crossed hammers on the equally famous claret and blue. Now 48, very little has changed for Cottee in that regard, with those staples of Hammers heritage still the be all and end all. But as West Ham United march toward an exciting future at the Olympic Stadium, Cottee concurs that the time is probably nigh to evolve the Club crest. "I'd be all for a change of badge," Cottee confirmed. "I don't think the Club has changed it for quite a while now. When we go to the new Stadium, we're hopefully starting a new era in terms of competing on and off the pitch, and looking at the Club badge, I think, would be a good idea. "You look at that badge, you look at those hammers and as long as you've got the hammers, you've got West Ham. That's all we need. I'm a West Ham fan and I will always be a West Ham fan. "I've got a birth certificate which says 'birthplace: West Ham.' I'm very proud of that and I love showing it to people. "I grew up in a great era to be a West Ham fan. Then, of course, I played for the Club and now I'm back to being a supporter. You have what goes on in your personal life but I would say West Ham as a Club runs very near to my heart."
Though Cottee was but a toddler when Bobby Moore lifted the World Cup, his West Ham associations extend beyond his own memories. Where the crest is concerned, Cottee calls upon Hammers greats of the 50s, no less, for his first point of reference. He continued: "The likes of Malcolm Allison, John Bond and Noel Cantwell, wonderful players, and the badge was just simply crossed hammers. I grew up looking at all those images. "Of course, the badge has developed over the years and with progress, coming into the 21st century, you accept that the badges change a little bit, but I think those iconic hammers are the things as a kid that stood out for me."
Cottee reckons that his affinity with the crossed hammers is one shared by Hammers fans the world over. And if the hammers are sacred, Cottee concedes that the Boleyn Castle's relevance will surely be diminished by the switch to Stratford. "Looking at the current badge, you've obviously got the castle on there, which probably goes back to the times of Anne Boleyn and then the Boleyn Ground. If we're moving to Stratford, which we are, there could be a case for maybe dropping the Castle. That's only me, personally, saying that. "But the one thing that must stay is the crossed hammers. All our fans, I think there a million across the world, and if you spoke to them all, nearly all of them would say we have to keep the hammers. You've got to keep the wording, West Ham, in some form or another in the badge too, but the crossed hammers for me are the real important thing."
Above all else, however, Cottee is adamant that Hammers fans be given the opportunity to have their say on the matter, with online consultation live as of Monday morning. "What I do hope the Club do is take in the considerations of the supporters because without the supporters you don't have a football club. Let's speak to as many fans as possible, maybe have an online campaign, or whatever it may be. I think it's always nice when the supporters are asked their opinion. I'm a supporter and I'd like to keep the hammers!"
Supporters are also invited to explore the Club's plans during the next two open consultation sessions at the Boleyn Ground, scheduled for Thursday 19 and Monday 23 June.
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West Ham United at the World Cup - '82
WHUFC.com
Ron Greenwood and Trevor Brooking represented West Ham United at the FIFA World Cup in Spain
16.06.2014
England failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals of 1974 and 1978, meaning West Ham United had no representation at either tournament. It was a very different story in 1982, however, as former West Ham manager Ron Greenwood had taken over from Don Revie in 1977, when the ex-Leeds United boss resigned to take charge of the United Arab Emirates. Greenwood steered England to the 1982 finals in Spain, where future Hammer Peter Shilton conceded just one goal in Group Four as France (3-1), Czechoslovakia (2-0) and Kuwait (1-0) all fell by the wayside. As England prepared to face West Germany and Spain in the second stage, Group B, Greenwood was desperately hoping that his former Hammers player Trevor Brooking would finally overcome the groin injury that had prevented him from kicking a ball in any of his country's first four matches. Following a goalless draw with the Germans, though, it was now win or bust against the hosts. Greenwood, Brooking and company needed a two-goal victory to qualify for the semi-finals. With the match deadlocked at 0-0, the manager knew he had to gamble with Brooking and Kevin Keegan. "I decided to play my two trump cards," wrote the England boss in his autobiography Yours Sincerely recounting the moment when he called for Brooking and Keegan. "I signalled to both Brooking and Keegan that I wanted them on and, with 27 minutes left, they stepped into football's biggest event for the first time in their long careers. It was a marvellous moment for them - and for me too. "Neither was perfectly fit but, at this point, risks were worth taking. And both could have scored. Keegan headed wide and Brooking, who immediately injected new skill into the game, made his own opening but somehow the Spanish 'keeper Luis Arconada managed to get in the way. "Spain nil, England nil. It was all over.
"We hadn't been able to use Brooking or Keegan who were the engine of our side and that was a tragedy because we would've gone all the way with those two."
Instead, the dejected Three Lions headed for home still unbeaten in five matches, while the Germans progressed all the way to the final where they lost 3-1 to Italy. "The 1982 World Cup was probably one of the biggest disappointments of my career," admitted Brooking, who won the last of 47 England caps with that late outing in Madrid. "Having got to Spain, it was my last opportunity to play in the tournament and it was so frustrating to have been kept out with a groin injury until half-hour from the end of the final game." West Ham's third representative at the 1982 FIFA World Cup was Belgium striker, Francois van der Elst. Van der Elst appeared just once, as a half-time substitute in the 3-0 second group-stage defeat by Poland in Barcelona.
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Rat going Greek: transfer latest
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 16th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Razvan Rat, who failed spectacularly at West Ham last year has agreed to join Greek outfit PAOK. The experienced Romanian, who rattled up more than 100 appearances in the Champions League failed to settle in England and moved to Spain after just 20 appearances in claret and blue. He played 10 times for Primera Liga outfit Rayo Vallecano between January and May but failed to secure a permanent deal, hence his move to the Greek superleague.
* West Ham, Sunderland and Hull City are three Premier League clubs being suggested as possible destinations for Lazio's Angolan-born, Belgian full back Luis Pedro Cavanda. The 23-year-old, who has represented Belgium at Under 18, Under 19 and Under 21 level is keen to play in England according to his agent Ulisse Savini. That one via SkySport24.
* The M*****, almost certainly speculatively, are running with a story claiming the Hammers are back in for Ecuadorian winger Jefferson Montero. Montero, a former team mate of current West Ham 'keeper Adrian (at Real Betis) played 77 minutes of his nation's 2-1 defeat to Switzerland at the World Cup yesterday. He was initially linked with a move to West Ham last summer.
* Joleon Lescott, the Manchester City defender who has been on West Ham's radar for what seems like an age is close to sealing a move to Hull City. KUMB sources state that Lescott is poised to sign a two-year contract worth £56,000-per-week sometime this week.
* West Ham are one of several clubs beingl inked with a move for Ligue 1 Lorient's Vincent Aboubakar. A Cameroon international playing in his second World Cup despite only enjoying his 22nd birthday back in January, the striker is also reported to be on the radar of newly-promoted Leicester and Chelsea.
* We still haven't managed to sell Modibo Miaga or Alou Diarra.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Contract talks imminent
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 16th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham appear to have finally won the race to sign Anderlecht defender Cheikhou Kouyate. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, the Belgian club have accepted West Ham's €7.5million offer for the highly-rated £24-year-old having rejected the advances of Spanish club Valencia. It is believed that the Hammers are set to offer the Senegalese international a four year contract to lure him to London, to where he is now expected to travel imminently for contract talks. West Ham are thought to have been given the edge in the race by Anderlecht manager Herman Van Holsbeeck, who is understood to be reluctant to trade with Spanish clubs for Kouyate's signature. That is as the result of the transfer involving Mohammed Tchite and Racing Santader, for which Anderlecht had to request the involvement of UEFA to resolve. Anderlecht are said to be running the rule over Grzegorz Krychowiak, who has also been on West Ham's radar, as a potential replacement for Kouyate.
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Have your say on the new crest design
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 16th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have released a video detailing the planned changes to the club crest. Earlier this month it was announced that the club were set to consult supporters over a possible new crest to tie in with its impending move to the Olympic Stadium. The initial stage of that process began at the weekend when West Ham held the first of three events in which fans are invited to the Boleyn Ground in order to discuss the plans; the two remaining events being set for this Thursday (19th June) and next Monday (23rd). That has been followed by the release of a 13-minute-long video to that explains the history of the club's current crest before highlighting some of the elements that could be used to identify and create a new, "future proof", design.
Charged with conceiving the new design is the Kensington-based WTF Creative agency. Creative Director Neil Felton, speaking on the video describes the assignment as "a project very close to my heart, something I feel very strongly about and want to get right for all the West Ham faithful."
Felton, a season ticket holder at West Ham for 30 years explains in the video how the current crest was deconstructed to separate the different elements contained within. Extensive research into how each element of the crest came to be was also undertaken.
"A focus on detail is crucial in this type of project," explains Felton. "Like our values, we want it [the crest] to be traditional, contemporary and future-proof all at once. As we have throughout this process, we've referred to history for our inspiration."
And with regards to the hotly-disputed potential addition of the word 'London' to the new design, he added: "Our intent of bringing some recognition of our location to the crest is all abouut signalling our ambition to compete at the highest level and to be recognised on a global stage."
The video is available to all supporters with a ticket purchase history to view the video, which may be seen here. You will need your provide your client reference number before accessing the short film.
In addition to the three consultation events mentioned previously, West Ham have also announced plans for a Q&A on whufc.com 'early next week' at which supporters may have their questions regarding the changes to the crest answered.
Once again the club stated that there were no plans afoot to amend the club's name, nor would any proposed changes to the crest proceed without the backing of the supporters. West Ham have appointed YouGov - who were responsible for the Olympic Stadium survey in May 2013 - to run the poll.
Who are WTF Creative?
WTF Creative - named after founders Mike Williams, Dave Tuffney and Neil Felton - is based close to Kensington High Street and describes itself as "a dynamic democratic agency".
Founded in 2006, the company provides a number of services including brand and communications strategy, corporate identity plus advertising and design. Previous clients include HBO (Sopranos, Game of Thrones), Warner Bros. (Harry Potter, Batman Arkham City) and Channel 4 (Inbetweeners).
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
John Brooks wanted by host of Premier League clubs
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @graemebailey | Last Updated: 12/06/14 7:05pm
SSN
A host of Premier League clubs are battling to land American starlet John Brooks, Sky Sports understands. The 21-year-old central defender was born and raised in Berlin and came through the youth tanks at his local club Hertha, before rejecting a move to Bayern Munich when he was a teenager. He made his debut for Hertha in 2012 and has since became an integral part of their first-team squad. Brooks represented both USA and Germany at youth level before deciding to commit his international future to America. Now he is set to feature at the World Cup finals and a number of Premier League clubs are poised to make a move. Sky Sports understands Aston Villa, Stoke City, Everton, West Ham and Newcastle are all ready to swoop for Brooks, who has three years left on his current deal at the Olympic Stadion. There is also interest from elsewhere in the Bundesliga and France, but Sky Sports understands that Brooks would like to continue his career in England.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM'S GLOBAL AMBITION
By Sean Whetstone 16 Jun 2014 at 12:52
West Ham Till I Die
West Ham have launched an online consultation over the future of the West Ham badge. They want a new crest to establish the club firmly on the international stage and reinforce our European ambitions.
Among the subjects up for discussion is the shape of the shield, the typography,the retirement of the Boleyn castle and adding the words London 1895 to the badge.
A 14 minute video presented by West Ham stadium announcer Martin Godleman has been released after which any West Ham supporter with a client reference can send in their views. Supporters are then asked in a questionnaire by SMG Yougov which elements of the current Club Crest are most important to them? Options include The shield, Colours, Typography, The Boleyn Castle and The Hammers. Supporters are then asked what, if anything would you like to see changed, again the options are The shield, Colours, Typography, The Boleyn Castle and The Hammers together with other, none of the above and don't know
"Since the consultation process was announced, the Board have made clear that this process is categorically not about looking at a name change and no updates will be made to the crest unless Hammers fans back the move. Therefore, to ensure transparency and fairness, they have appointed independent survey company SMG YouGov to run and administer the consultation and polling. As previously explained, the Hammers' current offering has not been changed since 1999 and the Club see the move to its stunning new home as a now or never opportunity to better reflect and celebrate the things that make West Ham so special, particularly its rich history The Club have already received some valuable feedback from the Supporter Advisory Board, which has helped shape the content of the presentation.There were clearly some areas that the SAB members were more widely supportive of and other areas that they wanted the Club to look at in more detail. Their feedback so far suggested there was broad support for a more traditional crest as used during the 50s, with the crossed hammers given more prominence.There were also discussions at the SAB meetings about potentially adding a representation of the Club's new home (the Olympic Stadium) to the crest, during which the Club explained its preference for no graphical representation of any Hammers stadium, either past or present, to allow the strong symbol of the crossed hammers to shine through. That view appears to have been generally supported by the SAB. The possibility of further highlighting the Club's standing in London by reflecting that in some way on the Club's crest was also debated. Some members fed back that it was an appropriate reflection of the Club's direction, while others felt that 1895 should be added to better demonstrate West Ham's standing and history. Others said they favoured a return to a more traditional, retro crest only."
The deadline for submitting feedback will be Friday 27 June at 5pm.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham trailing Lazio defender
Alexander Stebbings
HITC
Sam Allardyce is thought to be interested in signing Lazio defender Luis Pedro Cavanda as the Hammers boss looks to strengthen for next season. Numbers are falling in the defensive ranks at Upton Park after Pablo Armero returned to Napoli and George McCartney was released from the club following the end of his contract. Whilst the Hammers appear to be close on a deal to sign Cheikhou Kouyate from Anderlecht, Allardyce is reportedly already looking elsewhere for further recruits. The 23-year-old right-back has played the whole of his career in Italy and has previously been involved with the Belgian under-21 set up.
Cavanda signed for Lazio at youth level but has only ever made 38 first team appearances for the Roman side in Serie A, enjoying his best run of games towards the end of last season. The Angolan-born Belgian could be a shrewd signing for West Ham, still at a young age the defender has his best years ahead of him and seems to be gaining plaudits due to some impressive performances. Cavanda is thought to have interested Arsene Wenger once upon a time and was linked with a move to Arsenal following an impressive debut. The then 20-year-old was tasked with marking former World Player of the Year and World Cup winner Ronaldinho and put in a brave shift, eventually keeping the Brazilian occupied and out of the game for the full ninety minutes. The possible deal to sign Cavanda may strike fear into Hammers fans regarding the future of Guy Demel. Demel has been one of West Ham's more promising players over recent seasons and there has been some speculation to suggest the Ivorian could be set for a move back to the Bundesliga, though nothing has yet materialised.
Still at an early stage it is difficult to tell just how much interest there is coming from West Ham's side and indeed how much Lazio would be interested to sell.
Cavanda signed a contract last July that extend his stay at the Serie A side to 2018, so West Ham may have to make a serious cash offer if they are to lure the defender to the Premier League.
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Monday, June 16
Daily WHUFC News - 16th June 2014
Jussi's green fingers
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Jussi Jaaskelainen has swapped his goalkeeper gloves for
gardening gloves this summer
15.06.2014
West Ham United stopper Jussi Jaaskelainen has swapped his goalkeeper gloves
for gardening gloves during his close-season break. While many footballers
pack up their suitcases and head off to sunnier climes during the months of
May and June, Jaaskelainen instead headed to the family home in Lancashire.
With his children still at school, the 39-year-old celebrated signing a new
one-year deal with the Hammers by indulging in a spot of weeding in his
garden!
"My boys are still in school, so I've been up north before we're going back
to Finland for two weeks," said the popular Finn. "Before then, I'm going to
do some work around the house and get my garden sorted!"
While he enjoys messing about on his own lawn, it is on a different type of
grass that Jaaskelainen excels on a daily basis. Pre-season training ahead
of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season is now less than a month away
and the 39-year-old has already begun preparations for his 23rd campaign as
a professional footballer. "It's nice to have a break. When I was younger I
used to go away with the national team and only have about ten days to two
weeks off. I have been at home, but I've been training to make sure I'm
ready when we come back and work hard in pre-season training on 3 July. "I
am looking forward to coming back, definitely."
Part of West Ham's pre-season schedule will take them to New Zealand for the
two-match Football United Tour in late July, where they will take on
A-League sides Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC. Jaaskelainen is not only
looking forward to visiting and playing in a new country, but also the fact
that temperatures in New Zealand will be much lower than those he has
experienced on previous pre-season tours. "It's going to be a great
experience. I've never been to New Zealand before so I'm definitely looking
forward to it. I was hoping it wouldn't get too hot for us, but then I
discovered it would be winter down there, so that's brilliant. I'll have to
bring my hat to go along with my gloves!"
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That Was The Season That Was 2013-14 - Part Two
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 13th June 2014
By: Gordon Thrower
Having got pre-season out of the way, in part two of our look back on the
2013-2014, Gordon Thrower covers the first three months of the season. Will
Andy Carroll be making his first start of the season? Is Harry Redknapp's
grasp of the truth even more tenuous than that of Joe Kinnear? The answers
are "No" and "Probably". For further detail read on......
August
And so the season starts. Joe Cole and Kevin Nolan are on target as serial
whipping boys Cardiff are dispatched with some comfort. The 2-0 win looks
like putting us top for a bit until Aston Villa add a late goal to win 3-1
at the library. Which almost compensates for not being top. Billy Bonds
receives his lifetime achievement award and seem genuinely touched by the
warmth of the reception he receives.
We head north for our next match where we draw 0-0 with Newcastle. Which
sounds about right. No goals conceded then in two. The same weekend sees
Cardiff beat a strangely complacent Man City 3-2 at home. Funny old game.
With the window closing any day now we get linked with Honduran striker
Roger Rojas. Ramjet (as nobody else will call him) arrives in London with a
loan with option to buy deal on the table. Jack Sullivan tweets that the
work permit paperwork has gone in for the player who has 21 goals in his
last 18 matches to his name. Nothing can possibly go wrong with this one.
The club announces – again initially via Jack Sulivan's twitter account –
that something has gone wrong as the deal to sign Rojas collapses when the
player fails his medical.
Back on the pitch we safely negotiate the 2nd round of the League Cup
beating Cheltenham Town 2-1. A stunning Vaz Te free-kick and another
Morrison effort give us a 2-1 win at the Boleyn. The one down side of the
win is the knee ligament injury sustained by Alou Diarra, which is thought
to be serious enough to keep him out for the season.
Vaz Te follows up his League Cup goal with a transfer request. Guess whose
twitter account breaks the news. Allardyce agrees that the player can go if
an appropriate bid is received.
The club comes out of a tribunal hearing potentially £2m richer from the
sale of Rob Hall to Bolton. The complicated structure involves a fee of
£450,000 plus so much a game up to the maximum of £2m. Plus some sort of
share of any fee from any future transfer.
We get our first defeat of the season courtesy of a lack-lustre performance
v Stoke. It still takes a dodgy dive and some blocking in the wall from the
resulting free-kick to beat us. So the departure of Pulis has changed little
then.
September
Transfer deadline day interrupts everything. Vaz Te is off to Palace, then
Swansea. We are linked variously with loan moves or Dember Ba, Ronan Lukaku,
Jermain Defoe and a clutch of mystery unnamed players. None of whom arrive
in time for the deadline.
The failure to sign a new striker prevents Vaz Te from leaving and it is
announced that Carlton Cole, who, as a free agent, is outside the scope of
the transfer window, will be rejoining the club having failed to find new
employment following hi release at the end of last season. Cole announce
that he is overchuffed at the deal. Unfortunately, the club's fitness staff
announce that Cole is actually "overfed" and confirm that the player will
not be rejoining the club after all. Or maybe he will if he can get fit.
Possibly.
With an England break in the offing, those not involved jet off to Barcelona
here they defeat Espanyol 1-0 in a friendly, courtesy of a Noble penalty.
England, for their part, stroll to a 4-0 win over Moldova followed by a
laboured 0-0 draw against Ukraine.
There's another setback for Andy Carroll as his troublesome heel lets him
down once more in training. The news prompts a move for free-agent Mladen
Petric, who, like Carlton Cole, is not fit enough to make an immediate
appearance in the squad.
Strange goings on in Wales where James Collins is left out of the squad for
their Word Cup qualifiers. When injuries hit, the Taffs manager Coleman
claims Collins has refused to join up with the squad. Which comes as news to
Collins who doesn't get so much as a text message asking him to turn up in
the first place. As if they have mobile phones in Wales anyway.
As we return to League action the affair has upset Collins so much that he
misses a sitter away at Southampton. Nolan also has a goal incorrectly
disallowed for offside. Jaaskalainen has a decent game to keep the home side
at bay as the match ends up goalless.
Matchday announcer Jeremy Nicholas throws in the towel. With Mrs N being
unwell, a 60% pay cut from the club means that he can no longer afford to
turn down other work on matchdays. Good timing there Ms Brady.
The already poor standard of refereeing in this country is confirmed as for
the third match in a row, decisions from the officials cost us dearly. We
lose 3-2 to Everton, thanks largely to having to see out the match with 10
men when Mark Noble picks up a second yellow, referee Lee Mason deciding
that winning the ball in a tackle is worthy of a second yellow whilst
Barkley's stamp on Morrison isn't worth a first. Morrison and Noble (pen)
are on target as the ref goes unpunished.
Back to the League Cup and an "experimental but still stronger than the last
round" team defeat perennial whipping boys Cardiff 3-2 despite letting a 2-0
lead slip. Morrison – in under 20 seconds again opens the scoring. Jarvis
with a comedy finish to round off an otherwise splendid move adds a second.
The game should be sewn up well before Cardiff pull back two dubious looking
efforts – a foul and an offside – level the scores. Vaz Te celebrates not
ending up at Crystal Palace with a last minute header to spare us from extra
time and see us through to the next round where Burnley await.
We thought the refereeing had been poor in the Everton match but it was spot
on compared with the efforts of Kevin Friend in the next match. Hull's Brady
stands waiting for a challenge and when none comes he throws himself to the
floor anyway. A bemused Joey O'B is adjudged to be the culprit, presumably
on the grounds that he was the only player with in six feet of the diving
cheat. Brady manages to recover from the imagined foul to convert the
penalty. Up the other end Livermore plays basketball in front of the ref who
ponders "I'm sure the law says something about that but I'm buggered if I
can remember what" as we are denied a spot kick and any share of the points
by refereeing incompetency.
The interaction of the officials in the last three league games has left us
ending the month one spot above the relegation places. Those who are stupid
enough to believe that "these things even themselves out" ought to be
booking tickets for next season's so-called Champions League final.
The month ends with Collison and Henderson being shipped out on loan to
Bournemouth whose first opponents are going to be Millwall. Enjoy yourselves
lads.
October
Collison and Henderson feature as Bournemouth give Millwall a two goal start
before sticking away five without reply. A Bournemouth player is hit by a
coin thrown from the scum section. The standard statement from the club
about how they're hard done by and they've worked wonders to distance the
club from such moronic actions is notably absent.
It's all doom and gloom as the prospect of going to White Hart Lane looms.
Even the thought of being able to laugh at the most deluded set of
supporters outside Anfield doesn't lighten the mood. Which makes what
happens next even more glorious. The first half is pretty even with Nolan
arguably having the best chance of the half, putting a clever Noble
free-kick just wide. Jaaskalainen denies Defoe early in the second half
before we gain a corner. Reid's heaer is cleared off the line by Nolan but
the Kiwi stabs away the rebound. Vaz Te plays a one-two off the keeper to
double the lead and Ravel Morrison waltzes down half the pitch and through
the Spurs "defence" to make it three at what is now known at the 03 arena.
The match is a tactical triumph for Allardyce who effectively plays with no
strikers in a Spanish stylie.
A former Spurs manager has his new book out and his memory is selective and
unreliable as ever. He bemoans the failure of an FA committee to give him
the England job saying that they "don't know anything about football" -
meanwhile he claims to have been "the people's choice " for the job. I don't
know about you but I'm old fashioned enough to think that I'd prefer Sir
Trevor to pick the England manager rather than a few Sun readers who have
been asked "would you like Redknapp as England manager or shall we stamp on
this puppy?"
England get over a frustrating first half to beat Montenegro 4-1 before
turning over Poland 2-0 to seal qualification for the World Cup in Brazil.
Since we've now beaten Poland in just about every qualification group since,
is there any chance we can stop showing the highlights of the 1973 Wembley
draw that stopped us going to Germany?
Gus Poyet takes over at Sunderland from Paolo Di Canio who gets the tin tack
after a string of unimpressive results and rumours of mutiny amongst the
playing staff. Blimey. Never saw that coming. Failed politician and genocide
apologist Dave Miliband is sadly (and that word is used quite incorrectly)
unavailable for comment.
Also on his bike in October is Ian Holloway whose walks when his Palace side
gets a thumping from an average Fulham team. Meanwhile the Redknapp
autobiography is roundly ridiculed as even the usually taciturn Billy Bonds
MBE is moved to point out that the tome bears about as much relationship to
the truth as a Joe Kinnear press conference. "He's been a bit liberal with
the truth" and "pathetic" are two of the comments that Billy makes during
the excellent kumb.com podcast which gets widely quoted in the national
papers, some of whom even remember to give us credit.
Brendan Rodgers is the latest person to query the book. "When I took over
the England job Rodgers was going to be my no.2". Says the book."Was I?"
said Rodgers, pointing out that all he had said was that he might think
about it in the event that Redknapp actually got the job.
Back on the pitch we go down 3-1 at home to Man City. Vaz Te's overhead kick
is the one bright spot of the game as the "false no.9" tactic is shown up to
be effective only against really poor teams like Tottenham.
The snappily-named Asteroid 2013 TV135 is discovered and it is announced
that it has a 1:63,000 chance of colliding with Earth. Queues form at
bookies nationwide as punters dither as to whether to put their money on a
Fernando Torres goal or the asteroid.
A storm in a teacup brews as it is revealed that a load of tickets were sold
to community groups for the Man City match for a fiver. The row erupts as a
group of Muslim supporters hold a prayer session during the match underneath
the Sir Trevor Brooking stand. Some supporters feel that the prayer session
is out of place whilst others are more naused-off by the fact that tickets
for a top category (and therefore rather expensive) match were given away
for a fiver. The club denies that any particular religious or racial group
were targeted for the tickets and issues a wide and extensive list of groups
that have benefited from the scheme, though the revelation that a local
doctor was amongst the recipients of the cheapos didn't improve the mood
amongst those priced out of the match.
Much needed light relief comes courtesy yet again of Henry Redknapp esq. Who
is persuaded by someone who hadn't quite thought it through to do a Q&A on
Twitter. The whole thing grinds to a halt as a stream of questions appear
such as:
"Please can you help train my dog? I can't get him to sit, or beg, yet you
got yours to open an off-shore bank account."
"I've dropped a load of pins. I don't want to tread on them. Can I ask about
tacks avoidance?" and
"Is it coincidence the building you owned in Southsea burnt down after you
were denied planning permission to turn it into luxury flats?".
One final question of "have you sacked your PR yet" also goes unanswered,
though we can make an educated guess.
The league month draws to a close with a 0-0 draw away at Swansea. The lack
of striking options is all too prevalent as defenders and midfielders miss a
number of good chances to give us all three points. Forward options are
reduced even further by the news that Ricardo Vaz Te has dislocated his
shoulder resulting in a lengthy absence.
There's just time in the month to fit in a trip to Burnley who are beaten
2-0 in the League Cup at Turf Moor. Taylor and Collison are both on target
from the spot to send us through to the quarter finals, where we are given a
bye into the semis courtesy of us being drawn away to Spurs.
So the first three calendar months of the year leaves us a point above the
drop zone. Our strikers consist of a confidence-free Maiga and two free
agents of limited fitness.
Concerned?
You bet.
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Favourite West Ham highlanders
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 14th June 2014
By: Staff Writer #3
At the moment, Scotland is hotter than a fried Mars bar wrapped in fried
Oreos.
The independence referendum is in the news and come September we may see a
historical split between England and Scotland. Change is already in the air.
A couple of weeks ago it could be read that some Scots had already jumped
the gun and created a Scottish lotto – a true sign of independence if
anything. Signs of sectarianism have also been seen, not least on the
stands.
It's not yet clear whether an independent Scotland would be part of the EU.
Should they decide to opt-out, Scottish players would most likely have to
apply for a work permit to play for West Ham or any of the other clubs.
We could see a situation where Scottish players face the same restrictions
as, for example, South American players. Would this make it harder for us to
get Scottish talent to join the squad?
West Ham United has had several iconic Scots on the squad. Who is your
favourite Hammers highlander? Here are ours...
1. Christian Dailly
This is the Scot who rose through the ranks to become a celebrated cult
hero. Dailly played seven years for the Hammers and recorded over 190
appearances. His curly hair together with some truly exceptional footballing
skills have made him part of the West Ham legacy. When was the last time you
sang "Oh Christian Dailly / You are the love of my life / Oh Christian
Dailly / I'd let you shag my wife / Oh Christian Dailly / I want curly hair
too" in the shower?
2. Frank McAvennie
Who can forget about hard-partying, KUMB Awards-guesting, playboy Frank
McAvennie? The boys of 86' almost made what no other West Ham squad have
done before. Frank McAvennie was one of the key members of the squad who
ended up third in the highest division, an all time high for Hammers.
When the fairly unknown St. Mirren player joined the squad he created a
formidable partnership with Tony Cottee. McAvennie was somewhat of a playboy
at the time and could be seen donning impossible silk suits, always a
bombshell blonde by his side. Was McAvennie the greatest Scot that ever
played for West Ham?
3. Ray Stewart
His nickname was Tonka and he scored penalties. Lots of them. He was a
pretty good full back too, back in the days when Scottish footballers were
still decent and regularly featured in what is now known as the Premier
League.
John Lyall bought the 19-year-old Stewart south of the border in the summer
of '79, when he signed the young full-back from Dundee for a fee of
£400,000. Stewart scored the first of over 50 penalties for the Hammers in a
2-1 win against Burnley that year, but it is his spot-kicks against Aston
Villa (FA Cup quarter-final 1980) and Liverpool (League Cup Final 1981) for
which he is most fondly remembered.
4. John Lyall? No - King Kenny
John wasn't really Scottish even though his middle name was Angus and his
parents hailed from the Isle of Lewis and Kirriemuir, which kind of sounds
like an ITV period drama. So by declaring John's entry void so we'll have
Kenny Dalglish instead, who spent a week on trial at Chadwell Heath before
settling for second best at Anfield...
5. Don Hutchinson
It is remarkable that West Ham has had two of the most controversial top
Scottish footballers on the squad. On an ill-fated holiday in Ayia Napa in
1994, pictures surfaced depicting Hutchinson - then at Liverpool - naked,
save for a Budweiser label. When West Ham drafted him he was hence nicknamed
after the American brew. In a separate incident, he was spotted flashing a
group of video-filming female students, telling them to "Zoom in on this!"
How do you think Hutchinson stood up as a footballer for his squad? Let us
know in the comments section below.
Some other Scottish Hammers
Bob Allan (79 appearances for the Ironworks and West Ham, 1899-1903); Tommy
Allison (165 apps, 1903-09); Jimmy Andrews (120 apps, 1951-55); Sandy Clark
(34 apps, 1982-83); Norman Corbett (103 apps, 1936-50); Dave Gardner (80
apps, 1904-07); Billy Grassam (179 apps, 1900-03, 1906-09); Lawrie Lesley
(61 apps, 1961-63); Tommy McAlister (100 apps, 1981-89); Archie Macauley (91
apps, 1937-47); Robbie Stockdale (9 apps, 2003/04); Peter Grant (Alan
Pardew's former assistant); Steve Clarke (Franco Zola's former assistant) -
then there's Tom McAlister; Tommy McQueen; Jimmy Lindsay; John Cushley;
James Jackson; Neil Orr; Bobby Ferguson; John Dick...
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West Ham set to swoop for Ecuador's £4million-rated winger Jefferson Montero
Jun 15, 2014 09:00 By Alan Nixon
The Ecuadorian has impressed Big Sam and his scouts as he looks to bring in
some new faces as he sets about re-inventing the Hammers attack
The Mirror
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is making a £4million move for Ecuador's World
Cup winger Jefferson Montero, writes Alan Nixon in the Sunday People.
Allardyce wants speedy Montero at Upton Park – who plays on either flank –
to join from Mexican side Monarcas Morelia. The Hammers chief sent his top
scout to watch 24-year-old Montero against England in the recent World Cup
warm-up and has been trying to sort a deal since. Montero, who spent his
early years with Valencia and Real Betis in Spain, wants a switch to
England. Allardyce has turned to Montero after failing to land French
starlet M'Baye Niang from AC Milan.
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EXCLUSIVE: Kouyate deal – the latest
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
ClaretandHugh can confirm the deal to bring Cheikhou Kouyate to West Ham is
unwinding and the chances of it happening are now around 25 per cent!
Rumours have been circulating in the European press all day that the deal
was in trouble and that has now been confirmed to us by a trusted Upton Park
source. The Anderlecht defender – heavily wooed by Valencia before the
Hammers stepped in – now looks likely to opt for the Spanish club after they
returned with a bid of around none million euros. The big
defender/midfielder had been expected to arrive in London for a medical
tomorrow but Valencia made a late move and appear to have hijacked the deal.
The ClaretandHugh's source said: "The deal began to unwind on Friday night
and has gone from 90 per cent to 25 but we have many players we are trying
to bring in."
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Hammers respond to Montero speculation
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham United have today all but dismissed stories that Sam Allardyce is
to make a £4 million move for Ecuador's World Cup winger Jefferson Montero.
The report in a Sunday newspaper claims the Hammers boss wans to woo the
player to Upton Park from Mexican side Monarcas Morelia. And it adds that a
club scout watched the 24-year-old in the recent World Cup warm-up and has
been trying to sort a deal since. However, when ClaretandHugh put the story
on our club source today, the response was immediate and firm: "No more
than one per cent interest or chance of getting him if it were stronger." He
added: "There are many names on our list and we are pursuing some of them
strongly. "We have read the story but to suggest we are keen would be
misleading to the fans and to put the interest higher one per cent would be
wrong !"
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Irons alert to Downing and Demel "rumours"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham have saved around £5.5 million on their wage bill so far this
summer! And there's a possibility that another £4.5 million could be freed
up if rumours involving Guy Demel and Stewart Downing prove a reality and
are seen as acceptable sales. The Hammers have released George McCartney,
Joe Cole, Jack Collison and Matt Taylor which has freed up the £5.5 million.
And we were told that although no inquiries or bids have been received, the
club is aware of rumours concerning the right full back and winger. A source
told us: "We are aware of reports linking Guy with a move back to Hamburg
and there is a story we've heard about Stewart Downing. It's no more than
that at this moment. "And whatever happens on those fronts will be
managerial decisions but I guess it's fair to say that something could
happen in those positions if te rumours turn out to be correct."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Cheikhou Kouyate edges closer to West Ham move, following Anderlecht
defender's medical with Hammers
West Ham hope to announce signing of Anderlecht's Cheikhou Kouyate on Monday
following a medical
Kouyate is a defender by nature but can fit into midfield role
Hammers look to have seen off competition from Valencia
By SIMON JONES
PUBLISHED: 23:40, 15 June 2014 | UPDATED: 00:01, 16 June 2014
Daily Mail
West Ham hope to complete the signing of Anderlecht's Cheikhou Kouyate on
Monday following a medical. The Senegalese defender was on the wish-list of
La Liga's Valencia but it seems the Hammers have fought off competition to
bag the 24-year-old. A £7million deal is expected to be hashed out for the
player who can also play in a midfield role. Sam Allardyce has been given an
ultimatum by West Ham's co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan. The pair
have demanded the Hammers boss provides more entertainment next season, and
that would start with more flair in the side. Teddy Sherringham has joined
the Upton Park outfit as an attacking coach, while Argentinian striker Mauro
Zarate joined on a three-year deal from Velez Sarsfield. At the other end,
Allardyce has his eye on Manchester City defenders Joleon Lescott and Micah
Richards, and also goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon.
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WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Jussi Jaaskelainen has swapped his goalkeeper gloves for
gardening gloves this summer
15.06.2014
West Ham United stopper Jussi Jaaskelainen has swapped his goalkeeper gloves
for gardening gloves during his close-season break. While many footballers
pack up their suitcases and head off to sunnier climes during the months of
May and June, Jaaskelainen instead headed to the family home in Lancashire.
With his children still at school, the 39-year-old celebrated signing a new
one-year deal with the Hammers by indulging in a spot of weeding in his
garden!
"My boys are still in school, so I've been up north before we're going back
to Finland for two weeks," said the popular Finn. "Before then, I'm going to
do some work around the house and get my garden sorted!"
While he enjoys messing about on his own lawn, it is on a different type of
grass that Jaaskelainen excels on a daily basis. Pre-season training ahead
of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season is now less than a month away
and the 39-year-old has already begun preparations for his 23rd campaign as
a professional footballer. "It's nice to have a break. When I was younger I
used to go away with the national team and only have about ten days to two
weeks off. I have been at home, but I've been training to make sure I'm
ready when we come back and work hard in pre-season training on 3 July. "I
am looking forward to coming back, definitely."
Part of West Ham's pre-season schedule will take them to New Zealand for the
two-match Football United Tour in late July, where they will take on
A-League sides Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC. Jaaskelainen is not only
looking forward to visiting and playing in a new country, but also the fact
that temperatures in New Zealand will be much lower than those he has
experienced on previous pre-season tours. "It's going to be a great
experience. I've never been to New Zealand before so I'm definitely looking
forward to it. I was hoping it wouldn't get too hot for us, but then I
discovered it would be winter down there, so that's brilliant. I'll have to
bring my hat to go along with my gloves!"
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That Was The Season That Was 2013-14 - Part Two
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 13th June 2014
By: Gordon Thrower
Having got pre-season out of the way, in part two of our look back on the
2013-2014, Gordon Thrower covers the first three months of the season. Will
Andy Carroll be making his first start of the season? Is Harry Redknapp's
grasp of the truth even more tenuous than that of Joe Kinnear? The answers
are "No" and "Probably". For further detail read on......
August
And so the season starts. Joe Cole and Kevin Nolan are on target as serial
whipping boys Cardiff are dispatched with some comfort. The 2-0 win looks
like putting us top for a bit until Aston Villa add a late goal to win 3-1
at the library. Which almost compensates for not being top. Billy Bonds
receives his lifetime achievement award and seem genuinely touched by the
warmth of the reception he receives.
We head north for our next match where we draw 0-0 with Newcastle. Which
sounds about right. No goals conceded then in two. The same weekend sees
Cardiff beat a strangely complacent Man City 3-2 at home. Funny old game.
With the window closing any day now we get linked with Honduran striker
Roger Rojas. Ramjet (as nobody else will call him) arrives in London with a
loan with option to buy deal on the table. Jack Sullivan tweets that the
work permit paperwork has gone in for the player who has 21 goals in his
last 18 matches to his name. Nothing can possibly go wrong with this one.
The club announces – again initially via Jack Sulivan's twitter account –
that something has gone wrong as the deal to sign Rojas collapses when the
player fails his medical.
Back on the pitch we safely negotiate the 2nd round of the League Cup
beating Cheltenham Town 2-1. A stunning Vaz Te free-kick and another
Morrison effort give us a 2-1 win at the Boleyn. The one down side of the
win is the knee ligament injury sustained by Alou Diarra, which is thought
to be serious enough to keep him out for the season.
Vaz Te follows up his League Cup goal with a transfer request. Guess whose
twitter account breaks the news. Allardyce agrees that the player can go if
an appropriate bid is received.
The club comes out of a tribunal hearing potentially £2m richer from the
sale of Rob Hall to Bolton. The complicated structure involves a fee of
£450,000 plus so much a game up to the maximum of £2m. Plus some sort of
share of any fee from any future transfer.
We get our first defeat of the season courtesy of a lack-lustre performance
v Stoke. It still takes a dodgy dive and some blocking in the wall from the
resulting free-kick to beat us. So the departure of Pulis has changed little
then.
September
Transfer deadline day interrupts everything. Vaz Te is off to Palace, then
Swansea. We are linked variously with loan moves or Dember Ba, Ronan Lukaku,
Jermain Defoe and a clutch of mystery unnamed players. None of whom arrive
in time for the deadline.
The failure to sign a new striker prevents Vaz Te from leaving and it is
announced that Carlton Cole, who, as a free agent, is outside the scope of
the transfer window, will be rejoining the club having failed to find new
employment following hi release at the end of last season. Cole announce
that he is overchuffed at the deal. Unfortunately, the club's fitness staff
announce that Cole is actually "overfed" and confirm that the player will
not be rejoining the club after all. Or maybe he will if he can get fit.
Possibly.
With an England break in the offing, those not involved jet off to Barcelona
here they defeat Espanyol 1-0 in a friendly, courtesy of a Noble penalty.
England, for their part, stroll to a 4-0 win over Moldova followed by a
laboured 0-0 draw against Ukraine.
There's another setback for Andy Carroll as his troublesome heel lets him
down once more in training. The news prompts a move for free-agent Mladen
Petric, who, like Carlton Cole, is not fit enough to make an immediate
appearance in the squad.
Strange goings on in Wales where James Collins is left out of the squad for
their Word Cup qualifiers. When injuries hit, the Taffs manager Coleman
claims Collins has refused to join up with the squad. Which comes as news to
Collins who doesn't get so much as a text message asking him to turn up in
the first place. As if they have mobile phones in Wales anyway.
As we return to League action the affair has upset Collins so much that he
misses a sitter away at Southampton. Nolan also has a goal incorrectly
disallowed for offside. Jaaskalainen has a decent game to keep the home side
at bay as the match ends up goalless.
Matchday announcer Jeremy Nicholas throws in the towel. With Mrs N being
unwell, a 60% pay cut from the club means that he can no longer afford to
turn down other work on matchdays. Good timing there Ms Brady.
The already poor standard of refereeing in this country is confirmed as for
the third match in a row, decisions from the officials cost us dearly. We
lose 3-2 to Everton, thanks largely to having to see out the match with 10
men when Mark Noble picks up a second yellow, referee Lee Mason deciding
that winning the ball in a tackle is worthy of a second yellow whilst
Barkley's stamp on Morrison isn't worth a first. Morrison and Noble (pen)
are on target as the ref goes unpunished.
Back to the League Cup and an "experimental but still stronger than the last
round" team defeat perennial whipping boys Cardiff 3-2 despite letting a 2-0
lead slip. Morrison – in under 20 seconds again opens the scoring. Jarvis
with a comedy finish to round off an otherwise splendid move adds a second.
The game should be sewn up well before Cardiff pull back two dubious looking
efforts – a foul and an offside – level the scores. Vaz Te celebrates not
ending up at Crystal Palace with a last minute header to spare us from extra
time and see us through to the next round where Burnley await.
We thought the refereeing had been poor in the Everton match but it was spot
on compared with the efforts of Kevin Friend in the next match. Hull's Brady
stands waiting for a challenge and when none comes he throws himself to the
floor anyway. A bemused Joey O'B is adjudged to be the culprit, presumably
on the grounds that he was the only player with in six feet of the diving
cheat. Brady manages to recover from the imagined foul to convert the
penalty. Up the other end Livermore plays basketball in front of the ref who
ponders "I'm sure the law says something about that but I'm buggered if I
can remember what" as we are denied a spot kick and any share of the points
by refereeing incompetency.
The interaction of the officials in the last three league games has left us
ending the month one spot above the relegation places. Those who are stupid
enough to believe that "these things even themselves out" ought to be
booking tickets for next season's so-called Champions League final.
The month ends with Collison and Henderson being shipped out on loan to
Bournemouth whose first opponents are going to be Millwall. Enjoy yourselves
lads.
October
Collison and Henderson feature as Bournemouth give Millwall a two goal start
before sticking away five without reply. A Bournemouth player is hit by a
coin thrown from the scum section. The standard statement from the club
about how they're hard done by and they've worked wonders to distance the
club from such moronic actions is notably absent.
It's all doom and gloom as the prospect of going to White Hart Lane looms.
Even the thought of being able to laugh at the most deluded set of
supporters outside Anfield doesn't lighten the mood. Which makes what
happens next even more glorious. The first half is pretty even with Nolan
arguably having the best chance of the half, putting a clever Noble
free-kick just wide. Jaaskalainen denies Defoe early in the second half
before we gain a corner. Reid's heaer is cleared off the line by Nolan but
the Kiwi stabs away the rebound. Vaz Te plays a one-two off the keeper to
double the lead and Ravel Morrison waltzes down half the pitch and through
the Spurs "defence" to make it three at what is now known at the 03 arena.
The match is a tactical triumph for Allardyce who effectively plays with no
strikers in a Spanish stylie.
A former Spurs manager has his new book out and his memory is selective and
unreliable as ever. He bemoans the failure of an FA committee to give him
the England job saying that they "don't know anything about football" -
meanwhile he claims to have been "the people's choice " for the job. I don't
know about you but I'm old fashioned enough to think that I'd prefer Sir
Trevor to pick the England manager rather than a few Sun readers who have
been asked "would you like Redknapp as England manager or shall we stamp on
this puppy?"
England get over a frustrating first half to beat Montenegro 4-1 before
turning over Poland 2-0 to seal qualification for the World Cup in Brazil.
Since we've now beaten Poland in just about every qualification group since,
is there any chance we can stop showing the highlights of the 1973 Wembley
draw that stopped us going to Germany?
Gus Poyet takes over at Sunderland from Paolo Di Canio who gets the tin tack
after a string of unimpressive results and rumours of mutiny amongst the
playing staff. Blimey. Never saw that coming. Failed politician and genocide
apologist Dave Miliband is sadly (and that word is used quite incorrectly)
unavailable for comment.
Also on his bike in October is Ian Holloway whose walks when his Palace side
gets a thumping from an average Fulham team. Meanwhile the Redknapp
autobiography is roundly ridiculed as even the usually taciturn Billy Bonds
MBE is moved to point out that the tome bears about as much relationship to
the truth as a Joe Kinnear press conference. "He's been a bit liberal with
the truth" and "pathetic" are two of the comments that Billy makes during
the excellent kumb.com podcast which gets widely quoted in the national
papers, some of whom even remember to give us credit.
Brendan Rodgers is the latest person to query the book. "When I took over
the England job Rodgers was going to be my no.2". Says the book."Was I?"
said Rodgers, pointing out that all he had said was that he might think
about it in the event that Redknapp actually got the job.
Back on the pitch we go down 3-1 at home to Man City. Vaz Te's overhead kick
is the one bright spot of the game as the "false no.9" tactic is shown up to
be effective only against really poor teams like Tottenham.
The snappily-named Asteroid 2013 TV135 is discovered and it is announced
that it has a 1:63,000 chance of colliding with Earth. Queues form at
bookies nationwide as punters dither as to whether to put their money on a
Fernando Torres goal or the asteroid.
A storm in a teacup brews as it is revealed that a load of tickets were sold
to community groups for the Man City match for a fiver. The row erupts as a
group of Muslim supporters hold a prayer session during the match underneath
the Sir Trevor Brooking stand. Some supporters feel that the prayer session
is out of place whilst others are more naused-off by the fact that tickets
for a top category (and therefore rather expensive) match were given away
for a fiver. The club denies that any particular religious or racial group
were targeted for the tickets and issues a wide and extensive list of groups
that have benefited from the scheme, though the revelation that a local
doctor was amongst the recipients of the cheapos didn't improve the mood
amongst those priced out of the match.
Much needed light relief comes courtesy yet again of Henry Redknapp esq. Who
is persuaded by someone who hadn't quite thought it through to do a Q&A on
Twitter. The whole thing grinds to a halt as a stream of questions appear
such as:
"Please can you help train my dog? I can't get him to sit, or beg, yet you
got yours to open an off-shore bank account."
"I've dropped a load of pins. I don't want to tread on them. Can I ask about
tacks avoidance?" and
"Is it coincidence the building you owned in Southsea burnt down after you
were denied planning permission to turn it into luxury flats?".
One final question of "have you sacked your PR yet" also goes unanswered,
though we can make an educated guess.
The league month draws to a close with a 0-0 draw away at Swansea. The lack
of striking options is all too prevalent as defenders and midfielders miss a
number of good chances to give us all three points. Forward options are
reduced even further by the news that Ricardo Vaz Te has dislocated his
shoulder resulting in a lengthy absence.
There's just time in the month to fit in a trip to Burnley who are beaten
2-0 in the League Cup at Turf Moor. Taylor and Collison are both on target
from the spot to send us through to the quarter finals, where we are given a
bye into the semis courtesy of us being drawn away to Spurs.
So the first three calendar months of the year leaves us a point above the
drop zone. Our strikers consist of a confidence-free Maiga and two free
agents of limited fitness.
Concerned?
You bet.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Favourite West Ham highlanders
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 14th June 2014
By: Staff Writer #3
At the moment, Scotland is hotter than a fried Mars bar wrapped in fried
Oreos.
The independence referendum is in the news and come September we may see a
historical split between England and Scotland. Change is already in the air.
A couple of weeks ago it could be read that some Scots had already jumped
the gun and created a Scottish lotto – a true sign of independence if
anything. Signs of sectarianism have also been seen, not least on the
stands.
It's not yet clear whether an independent Scotland would be part of the EU.
Should they decide to opt-out, Scottish players would most likely have to
apply for a work permit to play for West Ham or any of the other clubs.
We could see a situation where Scottish players face the same restrictions
as, for example, South American players. Would this make it harder for us to
get Scottish talent to join the squad?
West Ham United has had several iconic Scots on the squad. Who is your
favourite Hammers highlander? Here are ours...
1. Christian Dailly
This is the Scot who rose through the ranks to become a celebrated cult
hero. Dailly played seven years for the Hammers and recorded over 190
appearances. His curly hair together with some truly exceptional footballing
skills have made him part of the West Ham legacy. When was the last time you
sang "Oh Christian Dailly / You are the love of my life / Oh Christian
Dailly / I'd let you shag my wife / Oh Christian Dailly / I want curly hair
too" in the shower?
2. Frank McAvennie
Who can forget about hard-partying, KUMB Awards-guesting, playboy Frank
McAvennie? The boys of 86' almost made what no other West Ham squad have
done before. Frank McAvennie was one of the key members of the squad who
ended up third in the highest division, an all time high for Hammers.
When the fairly unknown St. Mirren player joined the squad he created a
formidable partnership with Tony Cottee. McAvennie was somewhat of a playboy
at the time and could be seen donning impossible silk suits, always a
bombshell blonde by his side. Was McAvennie the greatest Scot that ever
played for West Ham?
3. Ray Stewart
His nickname was Tonka and he scored penalties. Lots of them. He was a
pretty good full back too, back in the days when Scottish footballers were
still decent and regularly featured in what is now known as the Premier
League.
John Lyall bought the 19-year-old Stewart south of the border in the summer
of '79, when he signed the young full-back from Dundee for a fee of
£400,000. Stewart scored the first of over 50 penalties for the Hammers in a
2-1 win against Burnley that year, but it is his spot-kicks against Aston
Villa (FA Cup quarter-final 1980) and Liverpool (League Cup Final 1981) for
which he is most fondly remembered.
4. John Lyall? No - King Kenny
John wasn't really Scottish even though his middle name was Angus and his
parents hailed from the Isle of Lewis and Kirriemuir, which kind of sounds
like an ITV period drama. So by declaring John's entry void so we'll have
Kenny Dalglish instead, who spent a week on trial at Chadwell Heath before
settling for second best at Anfield...
5. Don Hutchinson
It is remarkable that West Ham has had two of the most controversial top
Scottish footballers on the squad. On an ill-fated holiday in Ayia Napa in
1994, pictures surfaced depicting Hutchinson - then at Liverpool - naked,
save for a Budweiser label. When West Ham drafted him he was hence nicknamed
after the American brew. In a separate incident, he was spotted flashing a
group of video-filming female students, telling them to "Zoom in on this!"
How do you think Hutchinson stood up as a footballer for his squad? Let us
know in the comments section below.
Some other Scottish Hammers
Bob Allan (79 appearances for the Ironworks and West Ham, 1899-1903); Tommy
Allison (165 apps, 1903-09); Jimmy Andrews (120 apps, 1951-55); Sandy Clark
(34 apps, 1982-83); Norman Corbett (103 apps, 1936-50); Dave Gardner (80
apps, 1904-07); Billy Grassam (179 apps, 1900-03, 1906-09); Lawrie Lesley
(61 apps, 1961-63); Tommy McAlister (100 apps, 1981-89); Archie Macauley (91
apps, 1937-47); Robbie Stockdale (9 apps, 2003/04); Peter Grant (Alan
Pardew's former assistant); Steve Clarke (Franco Zola's former assistant) -
then there's Tom McAlister; Tommy McQueen; Jimmy Lindsay; John Cushley;
James Jackson; Neil Orr; Bobby Ferguson; John Dick...
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham set to swoop for Ecuador's £4million-rated winger Jefferson Montero
Jun 15, 2014 09:00 By Alan Nixon
The Ecuadorian has impressed Big Sam and his scouts as he looks to bring in
some new faces as he sets about re-inventing the Hammers attack
The Mirror
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is making a £4million move for Ecuador's World
Cup winger Jefferson Montero, writes Alan Nixon in the Sunday People.
Allardyce wants speedy Montero at Upton Park – who plays on either flank –
to join from Mexican side Monarcas Morelia. The Hammers chief sent his top
scout to watch 24-year-old Montero against England in the recent World Cup
warm-up and has been trying to sort a deal since. Montero, who spent his
early years with Valencia and Real Betis in Spain, wants a switch to
England. Allardyce has turned to Montero after failing to land French
starlet M'Baye Niang from AC Milan.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
EXCLUSIVE: Kouyate deal – the latest
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
ClaretandHugh can confirm the deal to bring Cheikhou Kouyate to West Ham is
unwinding and the chances of it happening are now around 25 per cent!
Rumours have been circulating in the European press all day that the deal
was in trouble and that has now been confirmed to us by a trusted Upton Park
source. The Anderlecht defender – heavily wooed by Valencia before the
Hammers stepped in – now looks likely to opt for the Spanish club after they
returned with a bid of around none million euros. The big
defender/midfielder had been expected to arrive in London for a medical
tomorrow but Valencia made a late move and appear to have hijacked the deal.
The ClaretandHugh's source said: "The deal began to unwind on Friday night
and has gone from 90 per cent to 25 but we have many players we are trying
to bring in."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers respond to Montero speculation
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham United have today all but dismissed stories that Sam Allardyce is
to make a £4 million move for Ecuador's World Cup winger Jefferson Montero.
The report in a Sunday newspaper claims the Hammers boss wans to woo the
player to Upton Park from Mexican side Monarcas Morelia. And it adds that a
club scout watched the 24-year-old in the recent World Cup warm-up and has
been trying to sort a deal since. However, when ClaretandHugh put the story
on our club source today, the response was immediate and firm: "No more
than one per cent interest or chance of getting him if it were stronger." He
added: "There are many names on our list and we are pursuing some of them
strongly. "We have read the story but to suggest we are keen would be
misleading to the fans and to put the interest higher one per cent would be
wrong !"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons alert to Downing and Demel "rumours"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham have saved around £5.5 million on their wage bill so far this
summer! And there's a possibility that another £4.5 million could be freed
up if rumours involving Guy Demel and Stewart Downing prove a reality and
are seen as acceptable sales. The Hammers have released George McCartney,
Joe Cole, Jack Collison and Matt Taylor which has freed up the £5.5 million.
And we were told that although no inquiries or bids have been received, the
club is aware of rumours concerning the right full back and winger. A source
told us: "We are aware of reports linking Guy with a move back to Hamburg
and there is a story we've heard about Stewart Downing. It's no more than
that at this moment. "And whatever happens on those fronts will be
managerial decisions but I guess it's fair to say that something could
happen in those positions if te rumours turn out to be correct."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Cheikhou Kouyate edges closer to West Ham move, following Anderlecht
defender's medical with Hammers
West Ham hope to announce signing of Anderlecht's Cheikhou Kouyate on Monday
following a medical
Kouyate is a defender by nature but can fit into midfield role
Hammers look to have seen off competition from Valencia
By SIMON JONES
PUBLISHED: 23:40, 15 June 2014 | UPDATED: 00:01, 16 June 2014
Daily Mail
West Ham hope to complete the signing of Anderlecht's Cheikhou Kouyate on
Monday following a medical. The Senegalese defender was on the wish-list of
La Liga's Valencia but it seems the Hammers have fought off competition to
bag the 24-year-old. A £7million deal is expected to be hashed out for the
player who can also play in a midfield role. Sam Allardyce has been given an
ultimatum by West Ham's co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan. The pair
have demanded the Hammers boss provides more entertainment next season, and
that would start with more flair in the side. Teddy Sherringham has joined
the Upton Park outfit as an attacking coach, while Argentinian striker Mauro
Zarate joined on a three-year deal from Velez Sarsfield. At the other end,
Allardyce has his eye on Manchester City defenders Joleon Lescott and Micah
Richards, and also goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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Sunday, June 15
Daily WHUFC News - 15th June 2014
On this day - 15 June
WHUFC.com
A look back into the Hammers archives on this date in the calendar
15.06.2014
Anniversary
England 3-0 Denmark
FIFA World Cup Finals Second Round
15 June 2002
West Ham United winger Trevor Sinclair was involved on this day 12 years ago
as England secured their place in the quarter finals of the 2002 World Cup
in Japan and South Korea. The Three Lions made their way through the group
stage with draws against Sweden and Nigeria, along with a famous win over
Argentina, to earn a last-16 match against Denmark. Sinclair, then 29,
earned a starting spot on the left hand side of midfield for his eighth
England cap, and Sven-Goran Eriksson's men were soon celebrating as Rio
Ferdinand gave them a fifth minute lead. Michael Owen doubled the advantage
with 22 minutes played and Emile Heskey made the game safe before half time.
England maintained their 3-0 advantage to the end of the contest, but their
adventure was to end in the next round as Brazil came from behind to defeat
them 2-1.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PABLO ARMERO & WILFRED BONY MAKE AN EARLY WORLD CUP IMPACT, AS ENGLAND LOSE
THEIR OPENING MATCH!
By S J Chandos 15 Jun 2014 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
He may not have made the desired impact last season on loan at West Ham, but
Pablo Armero certainly did yesterday in Columbia's comprehensive 3-0 World
Cup victory over Greece. Armero scored the quickest goal, to date, of this
summer's World Cup Finals, before the contest was settled by a second half
strikes from Teofilo Gutierrez and James Rodriguez. There may not be many
Hammers connections at this summer's World Cup Finals, but this is one of
the few, no matter how tenuous! I guess it does raise the question of
exactly what went wrong for Armero at West Ham? There were reports that Sam
Allardyce was impressed with the player in training and he did reasonably
well in his few first team appearances, so why did the club not pursue a
permanent deal? Perhaps, at the end of the day, Armero just did not do
enough to convince in his first team appearances last season? Or maybe the
club wanted a deal, but could we not agree a fee with Napoli and/or terms
with the player? It would be interesting to know what occurred on that
score?
Another player that could have been playing for West Ham last season, also
made a positive impact yesterday at the World Cup. Wilfred Bony scored Ivory
Coast's equalizer in their 2-1 victory over Japan. And what a good goal it
was too, a powerful and well directed header from a ball in from the flanks.
How we could have benefited from his goal power last season! The rumour at
the time was that Bony rejected us in favour of an alternative move to
Swansea. However, it has since been suggested that the club actually had a
£8m deal lined up, and the player had agreed the move, but the focus instead
mysteriously shifted to other targets. If true, not following through with
the deal was a very poor decision, as ultimately confirmed by his great
success in front of goal for Swansea last season. It has recently been
reported that it would cost the club something in the region of £19m to
correct that mistake this summer!
It was disappointing that Andy Carroll was left out of England's final 23
man squad. However, it was far from surprising considering Carroll's injury
wrecked season and his poor haul of 2 PL goals. Then there was Ricky
Lambert's superior goal scoring record at Southampton to consider. These
facts taken together, determined Carroll's eventual exclusion. But is Glen
Hoddle correct in his assessment that England may come to regret the absence
of Carroll's power in the air and ability to disrupt opposition defences?
Perhaps, but it is all purely academic now. What Carroll needs to do is
firmly concentrate on his fitness and form and force his way back in to the
frame for the Euro-2016 qualififers and the 2018 World Cup. There is only
one route back to international football for him and that is by scoring
goals a plenty for West Ham Utd. As long as he maintains that focus he will
be fine.
The 1-2 defeat to Italy was also genuinely disappointing, especially when
you consider the promise of some of England's forward play. And the fact
that the likes of Sterling, Sturridge and Barkley did so well. However,
England's problems were largely defensive in nature. We conceeded two very
poor goals and exhbited defensive problems that must be solved quickly. As
stated, our attacking display was good, the key criticism, in that respect,
being that we did not take the numerous chances that we created.
But in the final analysis, it was a close fought match and we can come away
feeling hard done by. A 2-2 draw would have been a much fairer result.
Still, there was an almost universal pre-match call for the squad's
promising youngsters to be given their chance, they were and now we must
show some patience. This is a tournament where there is little expectation
of an England victory, so we have the latitude to play without fear and give
our promising players genuine big tournament experience. The truth is that
the real value of Brazil-2014 for England is likely to really manifest
itself in Euro-2016 and Russia-2018. But having said that, there is every
chance that England can still retreive the situation and qualify for the 2nd
round. In all probability we will not win it, but we must try to advance as
far as possible in the competition and, thereby, maximise the positive
learning experience for our young prospects.
The Italy result is a test of character for our young players; as well as
Roy Hodgson's ability to adjust things, motivate the players and secure the
results that we need in the next two matches. Can they do it? Lets hope so.
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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WHUFC.com
A look back into the Hammers archives on this date in the calendar
15.06.2014
Anniversary
England 3-0 Denmark
FIFA World Cup Finals Second Round
15 June 2002
West Ham United winger Trevor Sinclair was involved on this day 12 years ago
as England secured their place in the quarter finals of the 2002 World Cup
in Japan and South Korea. The Three Lions made their way through the group
stage with draws against Sweden and Nigeria, along with a famous win over
Argentina, to earn a last-16 match against Denmark. Sinclair, then 29,
earned a starting spot on the left hand side of midfield for his eighth
England cap, and Sven-Goran Eriksson's men were soon celebrating as Rio
Ferdinand gave them a fifth minute lead. Michael Owen doubled the advantage
with 22 minutes played and Emile Heskey made the game safe before half time.
England maintained their 3-0 advantage to the end of the contest, but their
adventure was to end in the next round as Brazil came from behind to defeat
them 2-1.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PABLO ARMERO & WILFRED BONY MAKE AN EARLY WORLD CUP IMPACT, AS ENGLAND LOSE
THEIR OPENING MATCH!
By S J Chandos 15 Jun 2014 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
He may not have made the desired impact last season on loan at West Ham, but
Pablo Armero certainly did yesterday in Columbia's comprehensive 3-0 World
Cup victory over Greece. Armero scored the quickest goal, to date, of this
summer's World Cup Finals, before the contest was settled by a second half
strikes from Teofilo Gutierrez and James Rodriguez. There may not be many
Hammers connections at this summer's World Cup Finals, but this is one of
the few, no matter how tenuous! I guess it does raise the question of
exactly what went wrong for Armero at West Ham? There were reports that Sam
Allardyce was impressed with the player in training and he did reasonably
well in his few first team appearances, so why did the club not pursue a
permanent deal? Perhaps, at the end of the day, Armero just did not do
enough to convince in his first team appearances last season? Or maybe the
club wanted a deal, but could we not agree a fee with Napoli and/or terms
with the player? It would be interesting to know what occurred on that
score?
Another player that could have been playing for West Ham last season, also
made a positive impact yesterday at the World Cup. Wilfred Bony scored Ivory
Coast's equalizer in their 2-1 victory over Japan. And what a good goal it
was too, a powerful and well directed header from a ball in from the flanks.
How we could have benefited from his goal power last season! The rumour at
the time was that Bony rejected us in favour of an alternative move to
Swansea. However, it has since been suggested that the club actually had a
£8m deal lined up, and the player had agreed the move, but the focus instead
mysteriously shifted to other targets. If true, not following through with
the deal was a very poor decision, as ultimately confirmed by his great
success in front of goal for Swansea last season. It has recently been
reported that it would cost the club something in the region of £19m to
correct that mistake this summer!
It was disappointing that Andy Carroll was left out of England's final 23
man squad. However, it was far from surprising considering Carroll's injury
wrecked season and his poor haul of 2 PL goals. Then there was Ricky
Lambert's superior goal scoring record at Southampton to consider. These
facts taken together, determined Carroll's eventual exclusion. But is Glen
Hoddle correct in his assessment that England may come to regret the absence
of Carroll's power in the air and ability to disrupt opposition defences?
Perhaps, but it is all purely academic now. What Carroll needs to do is
firmly concentrate on his fitness and form and force his way back in to the
frame for the Euro-2016 qualififers and the 2018 World Cup. There is only
one route back to international football for him and that is by scoring
goals a plenty for West Ham Utd. As long as he maintains that focus he will
be fine.
The 1-2 defeat to Italy was also genuinely disappointing, especially when
you consider the promise of some of England's forward play. And the fact
that the likes of Sterling, Sturridge and Barkley did so well. However,
England's problems were largely defensive in nature. We conceeded two very
poor goals and exhbited defensive problems that must be solved quickly. As
stated, our attacking display was good, the key criticism, in that respect,
being that we did not take the numerous chances that we created.
But in the final analysis, it was a close fought match and we can come away
feeling hard done by. A 2-2 draw would have been a much fairer result.
Still, there was an almost universal pre-match call for the squad's
promising youngsters to be given their chance, they were and now we must
show some patience. This is a tournament where there is little expectation
of an England victory, so we have the latitude to play without fear and give
our promising players genuine big tournament experience. The truth is that
the real value of Brazil-2014 for England is likely to really manifest
itself in Euro-2016 and Russia-2018. But having said that, there is every
chance that England can still retreive the situation and qualify for the 2nd
round. In all probability we will not win it, but we must try to advance as
far as possible in the competition and, thereby, maximise the positive
learning experience for our young prospects.
The Italy result is a test of character for our young players; as well as
Roy Hodgson's ability to adjust things, motivate the players and secure the
results that we need in the next two matches. Can they do it? Lets hope so.
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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Saturday, June 14
Daily WHUFC News - 14th June 2014
Hammers launch crest consultation
WHUFC.com
The Hammers have launched fan consultation on whether the Club should
consider evolving its crest
14.06.2014
West Ham United are pleased to announce that the start of the detailed
supporter consultation on whether the Club should consider evolving its
crest will start on Saturday. The view that it is worth exploring has been
generally supported so far by the small groups that the Club have consulted
with, including its Supporter Advisory Board. The Club are keen to examine
the available options as the work being undertaken in the lead up to the
move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016 offers an opportunity to get things
right from the very start. To ensure all fans have the opportunity to have
their say, the Club is hosting the first of three in-person consultation
sessions at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday, where fans will be able to
discuss their ideas with staff before providing written feedback. The three
events will be held on Saturday 14 June between 10am and 1pm, Thursday 19
June between 4pm and 7pm and Monday 23 June between 4pm and 7pm. Supporters
should note that, as above, the event originally planned for Tuesday 24 June
has been moved to ensure it does not clash with England's FIFA World Cup
match with Costa Rica. From early next week there will also be an
opportunity for fans to view an online video presentation that provides a
detailed examination of the different elements of the current crest and
summarises the exhaustive research the Club have undertaken thus far.
Supporters will then have the opportunity to offer their feedback via an
online form. The feedback provided by supporters through these channels will
then be analysed by the Club to ascertain whether there is a desire among
the Club's most loyal fans to evolve the crest. If it is found that there
is, then the Club will continue its work by utilising fans' feedback on the
most important elements of the crest to inform the creative direction. This
will allow them to further explore the routes that are most popular among
supporters, with a view to presenting an alternative for consideration by
the fanbase.
In this scenario supporters will still have the final say as they would be
given the opportunity to approve any new iterations or opt to retain the
current crest.
To help further inform supporters, the Club will also respond to any further
questions arising via a Q+A here on whufc.com early next week.
Since the consultation process was announced, the Board have made clear that
this process is categorically not about looking at a name change and no
updates will be made to the crest unless Hammers fans back the move.
Therefore, to ensure transparency and fairness, they have appointed
independent survey company SMG YouGov to run and administer the consultation
and polling.
As previously explained, the Hammers' current offering has not been changed
since 1999 and the Club see the move to its stunning new home as a now or
never opportunity to better reflect and celebrate the things that make West
Ham so special, particularly its rich history.
The Club have already received some valuable feedback from the Supporter
Advisory Board, which has helped shape the content of the presentation.
There were clearly some areas that the SAB members were more widely
supportive of and other areas that they wanted the Club to look at in more
detail. Their feedback so far suggested there was broad support for a more
traditional crest as used during the 50s, with the crossed hammers given
more prominence.
There were also discussions at the SAB meetings about potentially adding a
representation of the Club's new home (the Olympic Stadium) to the crest,
during which the Club explained its preference for no graphical
representation of any Hammers stadium, either past or present, to allow the
strong symbol of the crossed hammers to shine through. That view appears to
have been generally supported by the SAB.
The possibility of further highlighting the Club's standing in London by
reflecting that in some way on the Club's crest was also debated. Some
members fed back that it was an appropriate reflection of the Club's
direction, while others felt that 1895 should be added to better demonstrate
West Ham's standing and history. Others said they favoured a return to a
more traditional, retro crest only.
To enable as wide a section of the fanbase to have their say as possible,
the consultation is open to all supporters with a ticket purchase history.
This includes all existing and former Season Ticket Holders, members, both
domestic and international and previous matchday ticket buyers aged 16 and
over.
A Club Client Reference Number will be required to submit online or
in-person consultation feedback/access the poll. All responses will be
verified upon completion to ensure robustness of the process and to check
for duplications. Any duplicate entrants or invalid client reference numbers
will not be counted. The deadline for submitting feedback will be Friday 27
June at 5pm.
The Club would like to thank all participating fans in advance for sharing
their thoughts on this important topic.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Joint-Chairman targets key additions
WHUFC.com
Joint-Chairman David Sullivan is sure the Hammers will shortly secure a key
target
13.06.2014
Joint-Chairman David Sullivan is confident that the Hammers' hard work in
the transfer market is about to bear fruit. Having secured their place in
the Barclays Premier League with a strong second half of the 2013/14
campaign, the Joint-Chairman's focus this summer is on building a squad
capable of pushing up the league table and entertaining the Boleyn Ground
crowd on a regular basis. The Hammers have already captured the signature of
striker Mauro Zarate, who top scored in the Argentine Primera Division last
season, and have their eyes on a number of exciting new additions as they
prepare for a third season back in the top flight. Manager Sam Allardyce has
been identifying players all over the world since the close of the campaign
and Mr Sullivan revealed that the Club are close to capturing one of their
prime targets. He said: "We've been working extremely hard to bring in the
players we know we need to improve the squad ever since the end of the
season, and I believe we are very close to putting the finishing touches on
a transfer that will excite us all. "Should we land this player, we would
have had to beat off competition from some of Europe's top sides, and for me
that shows the direction we are taking as a Club right now.
"We all know we need to improve from what we achieved last year, and this
summer's recruitment is going to be key to that. We have already made what I
am sure is going to prove to be an outstanding signing to increase our
firepower up front, and we will make several more across the board as the
summer goes on."
One of the biggest plus points from the 2013/14 campaign was the Hammers'
resilience at the back as they secured 14 clean sheets. However, goals were
in shorter demand than desired at the other end and the Joint-Chairman has
already set about addressing that issue. The Club have secured the services
of Teddy Sheringham as attacking coach as they go about the aim of scoring
more goals this season and Mr Sullivan is clear on the type of player he,
and Allardyce, are targeting. He added: "We want to see players who can play
in any of the three attacking positions and score goals and who have a
proven record of scoring goals. "We want people who take on players and go
past them, people who can shoot from the edge of the penalty box, people
with movement, because there is not enough movement and speed in our team.
"We hope, by bringing in slightly younger players, we will also get a bit
more from the players we've got, because they know their name is not
automatically going to appear on that teamsheet every match - there is going
to be somebody pushing hard for every single place. "We're going to have two
players in every position competing for that place in the team. We do need
players with a proven track record and that's what we'll be trying to do."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammer Taka's Italian job
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Takahiro Yamamoto will be working with England's group
rivals Italy at the 2014 FIFA World Cup
13.06.2014
West Ham United won the FIFA World Cup in 1966, but a Hammers employee will
be doing his own little bit to scupper England's chances at the 2014 finals.
Athletic trainer Takahiro Yamamoto will be travelling to Brazil with the
Italy squad due to his previous working relationship with Gli Azzurri
manager Cesare Prandelli at Serie A clubs Parma and Fiorentina. Yamamoto
worked with the pair in his role as the personal therapist for Japan
superstar Hidetoshi Nakata, who became Asian football's biggest star during
a successful seven-year spell in Italy. He later followed Nakata to Sam
Allardyce's Bolton Wanderers in 2005. The story came full circle when,
having joined West Ham in 2009, Big Sam joined the therapist in east London
two years later! For Yamamoto, the prospect of working at a FIFA World Cup
finals with his old colleague Prandelli and a number of players he treated
during his time in Italy is an exciting one. The Italians, of course, open
their Group D campaign by facing England at the Arena Amazonia in Manaus on
14 June. "The story is that I will be going to the World Cup with Italy,
whose management and coaching staff I know well because when I was in Italy
we were at the same club, Fiorentina," said Yamamoto. "Last December, the
fitness coach called me and said 'After the season, if you are free, come
with us!' and I agreed. "I have had injections for yellow fever and taken
tablets for malaria because the first game against England is in the Amazon
jungle. The doctor said I had to have these. "I am excited because this is
my first World Cup. In 2006, I went to Germany as a supporter to watch, so
this will be the first time working at a World Cup and it will be a great
experience.
"It's very, very interesting because the first game is against England.
Prandelli is very strict and very professional and I like him and his
methods. I also know some of the players - the defender Giorgio Chiellini
and left-back Manuel Pasqual - from Fiorentina. Maybe I know three or four
of them. "I first went to Italy with Nakata, to Roma, then Parma and
Fiorentina, always with him. I then came to Bolton with Sam, which is
interesting, because I always seem to work with the same managers!"
Known as 'The Machine' for his amazing strength and flexibility, Yamamoto is
a popular figure for the rejuvenating treatment he gives to players
suffering from a wide variety of ailments, aches and pains. Whether it be
stretches, exercises or acupuncture, the Japanese therapist works his magic
regularly at Chadwell Heath and will now do likewise with the Italian
national team. "I will be preparing the players for the games and training
then, after the game, I will hold recovrery sessions. Mainly, I will be
doing soft tissue work, as well as some mobilisation and stretching. I will
also do some exercise, which I did a lot before in Italy with the players to
work on their core stability."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Competition for every place is key - Sullivan
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 13th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Co-owner David Sullivan insists that there will be competition in all areas
of Sam Allardyce's squad by the end of the summer transfer window. Sullivan,
speaking to fans via whufc.com in the week in which season tickets for the
forthcoming 2014/15 season went on general sale also hinted at an imminent
signing, who he described as a "top player". "We've been working extremely
hard to bring in the players we know we need to improve the squad ever since
the end of the season, and I believe we are very close to putting the
finishing touches on a transfer that will excite us all," he said. "Should
we land this player, we would have had to beat off competition from some of
Europe's top sides, and for me that shows the direction we are taking as a
Club right now. "We're going to have two players in every position competing
for that place in the team. We do need players with a proven track record
and that's what we'll be trying to do." Key to the success of the window
according to Sullivan is the addition of additional firepower in the final
third. "We want to see players who can play in any of the three attacking
positions and score goals and who have a proven record of scoring goals," he
stated. "We want people who take on players and go past them, people who can
shoot from the edge of the penalty box, people with movement - because there
is not enough movement and speed in our team. By bringing in slightly
younger players, we will also get a bit more from the players we've got. "We
all know we need to improve from what we achieved last year, and this
summer's recruitment is going to be key to that."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
£90k-per-game star calls it a day
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 13th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
The player who cost West Ham United £90,000 per game in the Championship has
retired, blaming money for killing the game. David Bentley made just five
appearances for West Ham during the 2011/12 season before injury curtailed
his season-long loan from Tottenham, just two months into his contract.
However due to a clause in his contract which prevented West Ham from
cancelling the loan until January, West Ham were obliged to pay the player's
wages in full until then - a staggering £450,000 in total or £90,000 for
every appearance Bentley made in claret and blue. A tearful Bentley, now
29, told Sky Sports News: "The game's changed a lot. It's different. When I
first started it was enjoyable. Now it's a little bit robotic and the social
media side of things has made it boring. The money that's come into the game
has made it boring and predictable. "My life has gone in a different
direction now and I felt like it was time to call it a day. The love of the
game went a little bit and i didn't want to carry on. Life's full of ifs and
buts, but I'm happy with the way my career went. There were some highs and
some lows." Following his return to parent club Tottenham in January 2012,
Bentley spent three months in Russia on loan with Premier League side FC
Rostov before returning to the UK to join former club Blackburn, also on
loan, in Feburary 2013. However he was to make just seven appearances for
Rovers before returning to Spurs, who released him on a free transfer at the
end of the 2012/13 season - since when he has been without a club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
CHEIKHOU KOUYATE: A VERY SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL SIGNING!
By S J Chandos 14 Jun 2014 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
David Sullivan has been quoted, in a article on the offical West Ham
website, discussing the anticipated signing of a major player, who is
guaranteed to excite the fans! He also confirmed that the hard work put in
to delivering our transfer strategy should see a number of other key
signings over the course of the summer. However, it is the imminent arrival
of this unnamed major signing that has really captured the imagination.
Although Mr Sullivan refused to name the player, it is generally accepted
that the potential new acquisition is Anderlect's Cheikhou Kouyate. It is
known that the Belgian club have accepted West Ham's c.£7m bid for the
player and Kouyate is very keen to play in the English Premier League. That
latter factor has been vital in giving us an advantage over the likes of
Seville and Valencia in the race for his signature. The very latest rumour
is that Kouyate will be arriving in London on Monday to complete a medical
and finalise the move.
I do not feel that David Sullivan's emphasis upon the significance of this
signing is misplaced. There is a lot of interest in the player and it will
be a coup to successfully close the deal. That is undoubtedly true, but for
me, the real significance is the contribution that Kouyate can make to
facilitating a more expansive playing style next season. I see Kouyate
playing regularly in tandem with Mark Noble as a dual defensive anchor, in a
4-2-3-1 formation. That is a winning combination, with Noble's workrate,
vision and distribution being allied to Kouyate's strength, power and
passing ability. The partnership will provide an effective shield for the
defence and allow the full-backs to push forward down the flanks. In
addition, it will give the creative players, ahead of them, an
unpreccedented assurance to push forward, minimising our vulnerability to
swift counter-attacks. As I have said previously, at 6ft 4inches, Kouyate
will be a massive, dominating figure and the type of powerful presence that
we have not seen in midfield at West Ham since the late M.V. Foe.
Of course, if they cannot agree a new contract with Winston Reid, then it
could be that Kouyate will play primarily as a centre-back, alongside James
Tomkins or James Collins. Regardless, he will undoubtedly provide cover at
centre-back, and play a certain number of games there, but I hope that Reid
stays and Kouyate is allowed to form this formidable new partnership with
Noble. I suppose we should not 'count our chickens till they hatch'. There
is always the possibility of a deal being derailed by some last minute hitch
or hijacked by a rival club. So, we cannot be totally confident until the
signing is formally notified on the offical club website. All things being
equal, that should happen on Monday or Tuesday of next week.
So, who else is likely to join the club over the course of the summer? I
guess that the fact that Jussi has signed a new 1 year contract means that
another goal keeper will not now be joining us this summer. Least ways, that
is a reasonable assumption, but we shall see? We definitely need to sign at
least two full-backs. We can probably get by with Demel, O'Brien and
Chambers at right-back. There are some rumours about a bid for Man City's
Micah Richards, although I am not sure how realistic those stories are?
While, as we know, the club are currently tracking up to four new options at
left-back. The most familiar of these is Norwich City's Martin Olsson, a
player that Sam Allardyce had previously attempted to sign from Blackburn
Rovers. We are also going to require major reinforcements in midfield, with
Joe Cole and Jack Collison's release, the apparent failure to agree a new
deal with Matt Taylor and the continuing speculation pertaining to the
futures of Mo Diame and Ravel Morrison. Hopefully, the club will reach
agreement with Morrison and Diame on new contracts and this will reduce the
scale of the midfield augmentation necessary. Even that will still probably
mean adding a couple of midfielders, probably on loan. One deal I would
certainly be in favour of is a season long loan deal for Jack Rodwell from
Man City; and the addition of Seb Larson on a Bosman could also prove to be
a good signing. In terms of other midfielders that we have recently been
linked with, our bid to sign Jack Colbeck, on a Bosman, floundered on an
existing pre-contract agreement that the player had with Newcastle Utd and
the trail seems to have gone distinctly cold in our Bosman pursuit of Gareth
Barry.
Up front, we have Jarvis, Carroll, Cole, Zarate, Lee and Downing. We have
hitherto been linked with M'Baye Niang, Gomis and Mane and it appears that
all three potential deals have stalled for different reasons. The truth is
that we need at least one more major signing up front, probably two to be on
the safe side. In bringing in those signings, we need technique and pace and
the flexibility to play our strikers in different combinations. The signing
of Zarate is a good start, but there is further work to be done in this key
area of the squad. It remains to be seen if there will be any striker exits,
beyond Vaz Te and Maiga? Or if the sale of a major asset, like Jarvis, will
prove necessary to facilitate other deals?
Finally, it is clear, based on David Sullivan's comments, that the club have
finally got the message about the importance of tactical flexibility and
competition for places within the squad. They have always been major
pre-requsites for success in the modern game. Players should never be
guaranteed their starting places, that only breeds complacency and stagnant
levels of performance (as was perhaps amply demonstrated last season?). This
summer should see some major changes at the club, changes that are long over
due and much needed. I know many fans are skeptical, but it is clear that
the board are genuinely trying to improve the situation and build for a
better future. We need to give them the benefit of the doubt until they have
completed the club's transfer business and we are able to take a definitive
view on the strength and quality of the outcomes achieved.
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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WHUFC.com
The Hammers have launched fan consultation on whether the Club should
consider evolving its crest
14.06.2014
West Ham United are pleased to announce that the start of the detailed
supporter consultation on whether the Club should consider evolving its
crest will start on Saturday. The view that it is worth exploring has been
generally supported so far by the small groups that the Club have consulted
with, including its Supporter Advisory Board. The Club are keen to examine
the available options as the work being undertaken in the lead up to the
move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016 offers an opportunity to get things
right from the very start. To ensure all fans have the opportunity to have
their say, the Club is hosting the first of three in-person consultation
sessions at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday, where fans will be able to
discuss their ideas with staff before providing written feedback. The three
events will be held on Saturday 14 June between 10am and 1pm, Thursday 19
June between 4pm and 7pm and Monday 23 June between 4pm and 7pm. Supporters
should note that, as above, the event originally planned for Tuesday 24 June
has been moved to ensure it does not clash with England's FIFA World Cup
match with Costa Rica. From early next week there will also be an
opportunity for fans to view an online video presentation that provides a
detailed examination of the different elements of the current crest and
summarises the exhaustive research the Club have undertaken thus far.
Supporters will then have the opportunity to offer their feedback via an
online form. The feedback provided by supporters through these channels will
then be analysed by the Club to ascertain whether there is a desire among
the Club's most loyal fans to evolve the crest. If it is found that there
is, then the Club will continue its work by utilising fans' feedback on the
most important elements of the crest to inform the creative direction. This
will allow them to further explore the routes that are most popular among
supporters, with a view to presenting an alternative for consideration by
the fanbase.
In this scenario supporters will still have the final say as they would be
given the opportunity to approve any new iterations or opt to retain the
current crest.
To help further inform supporters, the Club will also respond to any further
questions arising via a Q+A here on whufc.com early next week.
Since the consultation process was announced, the Board have made clear that
this process is categorically not about looking at a name change and no
updates will be made to the crest unless Hammers fans back the move.
Therefore, to ensure transparency and fairness, they have appointed
independent survey company SMG YouGov to run and administer the consultation
and polling.
As previously explained, the Hammers' current offering has not been changed
since 1999 and the Club see the move to its stunning new home as a now or
never opportunity to better reflect and celebrate the things that make West
Ham so special, particularly its rich history.
The Club have already received some valuable feedback from the Supporter
Advisory Board, which has helped shape the content of the presentation.
There were clearly some areas that the SAB members were more widely
supportive of and other areas that they wanted the Club to look at in more
detail. Their feedback so far suggested there was broad support for a more
traditional crest as used during the 50s, with the crossed hammers given
more prominence.
There were also discussions at the SAB meetings about potentially adding a
representation of the Club's new home (the Olympic Stadium) to the crest,
during which the Club explained its preference for no graphical
representation of any Hammers stadium, either past or present, to allow the
strong symbol of the crossed hammers to shine through. That view appears to
have been generally supported by the SAB.
The possibility of further highlighting the Club's standing in London by
reflecting that in some way on the Club's crest was also debated. Some
members fed back that it was an appropriate reflection of the Club's
direction, while others felt that 1895 should be added to better demonstrate
West Ham's standing and history. Others said they favoured a return to a
more traditional, retro crest only.
To enable as wide a section of the fanbase to have their say as possible,
the consultation is open to all supporters with a ticket purchase history.
This includes all existing and former Season Ticket Holders, members, both
domestic and international and previous matchday ticket buyers aged 16 and
over.
A Club Client Reference Number will be required to submit online or
in-person consultation feedback/access the poll. All responses will be
verified upon completion to ensure robustness of the process and to check
for duplications. Any duplicate entrants or invalid client reference numbers
will not be counted. The deadline for submitting feedback will be Friday 27
June at 5pm.
The Club would like to thank all participating fans in advance for sharing
their thoughts on this important topic.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Joint-Chairman targets key additions
WHUFC.com
Joint-Chairman David Sullivan is sure the Hammers will shortly secure a key
target
13.06.2014
Joint-Chairman David Sullivan is confident that the Hammers' hard work in
the transfer market is about to bear fruit. Having secured their place in
the Barclays Premier League with a strong second half of the 2013/14
campaign, the Joint-Chairman's focus this summer is on building a squad
capable of pushing up the league table and entertaining the Boleyn Ground
crowd on a regular basis. The Hammers have already captured the signature of
striker Mauro Zarate, who top scored in the Argentine Primera Division last
season, and have their eyes on a number of exciting new additions as they
prepare for a third season back in the top flight. Manager Sam Allardyce has
been identifying players all over the world since the close of the campaign
and Mr Sullivan revealed that the Club are close to capturing one of their
prime targets. He said: "We've been working extremely hard to bring in the
players we know we need to improve the squad ever since the end of the
season, and I believe we are very close to putting the finishing touches on
a transfer that will excite us all. "Should we land this player, we would
have had to beat off competition from some of Europe's top sides, and for me
that shows the direction we are taking as a Club right now.
"We all know we need to improve from what we achieved last year, and this
summer's recruitment is going to be key to that. We have already made what I
am sure is going to prove to be an outstanding signing to increase our
firepower up front, and we will make several more across the board as the
summer goes on."
One of the biggest plus points from the 2013/14 campaign was the Hammers'
resilience at the back as they secured 14 clean sheets. However, goals were
in shorter demand than desired at the other end and the Joint-Chairman has
already set about addressing that issue. The Club have secured the services
of Teddy Sheringham as attacking coach as they go about the aim of scoring
more goals this season and Mr Sullivan is clear on the type of player he,
and Allardyce, are targeting. He added: "We want to see players who can play
in any of the three attacking positions and score goals and who have a
proven record of scoring goals. "We want people who take on players and go
past them, people who can shoot from the edge of the penalty box, people
with movement, because there is not enough movement and speed in our team.
"We hope, by bringing in slightly younger players, we will also get a bit
more from the players we've got, because they know their name is not
automatically going to appear on that teamsheet every match - there is going
to be somebody pushing hard for every single place. "We're going to have two
players in every position competing for that place in the team. We do need
players with a proven track record and that's what we'll be trying to do."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammer Taka's Italian job
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Takahiro Yamamoto will be working with England's group
rivals Italy at the 2014 FIFA World Cup
13.06.2014
West Ham United won the FIFA World Cup in 1966, but a Hammers employee will
be doing his own little bit to scupper England's chances at the 2014 finals.
Athletic trainer Takahiro Yamamoto will be travelling to Brazil with the
Italy squad due to his previous working relationship with Gli Azzurri
manager Cesare Prandelli at Serie A clubs Parma and Fiorentina. Yamamoto
worked with the pair in his role as the personal therapist for Japan
superstar Hidetoshi Nakata, who became Asian football's biggest star during
a successful seven-year spell in Italy. He later followed Nakata to Sam
Allardyce's Bolton Wanderers in 2005. The story came full circle when,
having joined West Ham in 2009, Big Sam joined the therapist in east London
two years later! For Yamamoto, the prospect of working at a FIFA World Cup
finals with his old colleague Prandelli and a number of players he treated
during his time in Italy is an exciting one. The Italians, of course, open
their Group D campaign by facing England at the Arena Amazonia in Manaus on
14 June. "The story is that I will be going to the World Cup with Italy,
whose management and coaching staff I know well because when I was in Italy
we were at the same club, Fiorentina," said Yamamoto. "Last December, the
fitness coach called me and said 'After the season, if you are free, come
with us!' and I agreed. "I have had injections for yellow fever and taken
tablets for malaria because the first game against England is in the Amazon
jungle. The doctor said I had to have these. "I am excited because this is
my first World Cup. In 2006, I went to Germany as a supporter to watch, so
this will be the first time working at a World Cup and it will be a great
experience.
"It's very, very interesting because the first game is against England.
Prandelli is very strict and very professional and I like him and his
methods. I also know some of the players - the defender Giorgio Chiellini
and left-back Manuel Pasqual - from Fiorentina. Maybe I know three or four
of them. "I first went to Italy with Nakata, to Roma, then Parma and
Fiorentina, always with him. I then came to Bolton with Sam, which is
interesting, because I always seem to work with the same managers!"
Known as 'The Machine' for his amazing strength and flexibility, Yamamoto is
a popular figure for the rejuvenating treatment he gives to players
suffering from a wide variety of ailments, aches and pains. Whether it be
stretches, exercises or acupuncture, the Japanese therapist works his magic
regularly at Chadwell Heath and will now do likewise with the Italian
national team. "I will be preparing the players for the games and training
then, after the game, I will hold recovrery sessions. Mainly, I will be
doing soft tissue work, as well as some mobilisation and stretching. I will
also do some exercise, which I did a lot before in Italy with the players to
work on their core stability."
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Competition for every place is key - Sullivan
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 13th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Co-owner David Sullivan insists that there will be competition in all areas
of Sam Allardyce's squad by the end of the summer transfer window. Sullivan,
speaking to fans via whufc.com in the week in which season tickets for the
forthcoming 2014/15 season went on general sale also hinted at an imminent
signing, who he described as a "top player". "We've been working extremely
hard to bring in the players we know we need to improve the squad ever since
the end of the season, and I believe we are very close to putting the
finishing touches on a transfer that will excite us all," he said. "Should
we land this player, we would have had to beat off competition from some of
Europe's top sides, and for me that shows the direction we are taking as a
Club right now. "We're going to have two players in every position competing
for that place in the team. We do need players with a proven track record
and that's what we'll be trying to do." Key to the success of the window
according to Sullivan is the addition of additional firepower in the final
third. "We want to see players who can play in any of the three attacking
positions and score goals and who have a proven record of scoring goals," he
stated. "We want people who take on players and go past them, people who can
shoot from the edge of the penalty box, people with movement - because there
is not enough movement and speed in our team. By bringing in slightly
younger players, we will also get a bit more from the players we've got. "We
all know we need to improve from what we achieved last year, and this
summer's recruitment is going to be key to that."
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£90k-per-game star calls it a day
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 13th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
The player who cost West Ham United £90,000 per game in the Championship has
retired, blaming money for killing the game. David Bentley made just five
appearances for West Ham during the 2011/12 season before injury curtailed
his season-long loan from Tottenham, just two months into his contract.
However due to a clause in his contract which prevented West Ham from
cancelling the loan until January, West Ham were obliged to pay the player's
wages in full until then - a staggering £450,000 in total or £90,000 for
every appearance Bentley made in claret and blue. A tearful Bentley, now
29, told Sky Sports News: "The game's changed a lot. It's different. When I
first started it was enjoyable. Now it's a little bit robotic and the social
media side of things has made it boring. The money that's come into the game
has made it boring and predictable. "My life has gone in a different
direction now and I felt like it was time to call it a day. The love of the
game went a little bit and i didn't want to carry on. Life's full of ifs and
buts, but I'm happy with the way my career went. There were some highs and
some lows." Following his return to parent club Tottenham in January 2012,
Bentley spent three months in Russia on loan with Premier League side FC
Rostov before returning to the UK to join former club Blackburn, also on
loan, in Feburary 2013. However he was to make just seven appearances for
Rovers before returning to Spurs, who released him on a free transfer at the
end of the 2012/13 season - since when he has been without a club.
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CHEIKHOU KOUYATE: A VERY SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL SIGNING!
By S J Chandos 14 Jun 2014 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
David Sullivan has been quoted, in a article on the offical West Ham
website, discussing the anticipated signing of a major player, who is
guaranteed to excite the fans! He also confirmed that the hard work put in
to delivering our transfer strategy should see a number of other key
signings over the course of the summer. However, it is the imminent arrival
of this unnamed major signing that has really captured the imagination.
Although Mr Sullivan refused to name the player, it is generally accepted
that the potential new acquisition is Anderlect's Cheikhou Kouyate. It is
known that the Belgian club have accepted West Ham's c.£7m bid for the
player and Kouyate is very keen to play in the English Premier League. That
latter factor has been vital in giving us an advantage over the likes of
Seville and Valencia in the race for his signature. The very latest rumour
is that Kouyate will be arriving in London on Monday to complete a medical
and finalise the move.
I do not feel that David Sullivan's emphasis upon the significance of this
signing is misplaced. There is a lot of interest in the player and it will
be a coup to successfully close the deal. That is undoubtedly true, but for
me, the real significance is the contribution that Kouyate can make to
facilitating a more expansive playing style next season. I see Kouyate
playing regularly in tandem with Mark Noble as a dual defensive anchor, in a
4-2-3-1 formation. That is a winning combination, with Noble's workrate,
vision and distribution being allied to Kouyate's strength, power and
passing ability. The partnership will provide an effective shield for the
defence and allow the full-backs to push forward down the flanks. In
addition, it will give the creative players, ahead of them, an
unpreccedented assurance to push forward, minimising our vulnerability to
swift counter-attacks. As I have said previously, at 6ft 4inches, Kouyate
will be a massive, dominating figure and the type of powerful presence that
we have not seen in midfield at West Ham since the late M.V. Foe.
Of course, if they cannot agree a new contract with Winston Reid, then it
could be that Kouyate will play primarily as a centre-back, alongside James
Tomkins or James Collins. Regardless, he will undoubtedly provide cover at
centre-back, and play a certain number of games there, but I hope that Reid
stays and Kouyate is allowed to form this formidable new partnership with
Noble. I suppose we should not 'count our chickens till they hatch'. There
is always the possibility of a deal being derailed by some last minute hitch
or hijacked by a rival club. So, we cannot be totally confident until the
signing is formally notified on the offical club website. All things being
equal, that should happen on Monday or Tuesday of next week.
So, who else is likely to join the club over the course of the summer? I
guess that the fact that Jussi has signed a new 1 year contract means that
another goal keeper will not now be joining us this summer. Least ways, that
is a reasonable assumption, but we shall see? We definitely need to sign at
least two full-backs. We can probably get by with Demel, O'Brien and
Chambers at right-back. There are some rumours about a bid for Man City's
Micah Richards, although I am not sure how realistic those stories are?
While, as we know, the club are currently tracking up to four new options at
left-back. The most familiar of these is Norwich City's Martin Olsson, a
player that Sam Allardyce had previously attempted to sign from Blackburn
Rovers. We are also going to require major reinforcements in midfield, with
Joe Cole and Jack Collison's release, the apparent failure to agree a new
deal with Matt Taylor and the continuing speculation pertaining to the
futures of Mo Diame and Ravel Morrison. Hopefully, the club will reach
agreement with Morrison and Diame on new contracts and this will reduce the
scale of the midfield augmentation necessary. Even that will still probably
mean adding a couple of midfielders, probably on loan. One deal I would
certainly be in favour of is a season long loan deal for Jack Rodwell from
Man City; and the addition of Seb Larson on a Bosman could also prove to be
a good signing. In terms of other midfielders that we have recently been
linked with, our bid to sign Jack Colbeck, on a Bosman, floundered on an
existing pre-contract agreement that the player had with Newcastle Utd and
the trail seems to have gone distinctly cold in our Bosman pursuit of Gareth
Barry.
Up front, we have Jarvis, Carroll, Cole, Zarate, Lee and Downing. We have
hitherto been linked with M'Baye Niang, Gomis and Mane and it appears that
all three potential deals have stalled for different reasons. The truth is
that we need at least one more major signing up front, probably two to be on
the safe side. In bringing in those signings, we need technique and pace and
the flexibility to play our strikers in different combinations. The signing
of Zarate is a good start, but there is further work to be done in this key
area of the squad. It remains to be seen if there will be any striker exits,
beyond Vaz Te and Maiga? Or if the sale of a major asset, like Jarvis, will
prove necessary to facilitate other deals?
Finally, it is clear, based on David Sullivan's comments, that the club have
finally got the message about the importance of tactical flexibility and
competition for places within the squad. They have always been major
pre-requsites for success in the modern game. Players should never be
guaranteed their starting places, that only breeds complacency and stagnant
levels of performance (as was perhaps amply demonstrated last season?). This
summer should see some major changes at the club, changes that are long over
due and much needed. I know many fans are skeptical, but it is clear that
the board are genuinely trying to improve the situation and build for a
better future. We need to give them the benefit of the doubt until they have
completed the club's transfer business and we are able to take a definitive
view on the strength and quality of the outcomes achieved.
SJ. Chandos.
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