Pair receive call-ups
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's band of internationals have a busy period ahead in the
final break from domestic football of 2016. The 2018 FIFA World Cup
qualifiers continue, with no fewer than a dozen senior Hammers hoping to
feature.
Starting in European Group A, Dimitri Payet's France welcome Sweden to Paris
on Friday 11 November, having picked up four points from their opening two
fixtures.
In Group B, Edimilson Fernandes will hope to be included in the unbeaten
Switzerland squad for their home game with the Faroe Islands in Lucerne on
13 November.
Group C is where Havard Nordtveit and goalscorer Martin Samuelsen will hope
Norway can build on their 4-1 win over San Marino when they head to the
Czech Republic on 11 November.
Darren Randolph and James Collins could both be in action in Group D, where
Republic of Ireland travel to Austria and Wales host Serbia respectively.
Both have already received call-ups from their respective nations and will
hope to get some game-time.
In Group F, Michail Antonio will be hopeful of another call-up for England's
mouth-watering qualifier with Scotland at Wembley on Remembrance Day – and
friendly with Spain at the same venue the following Tuesday.
Finally in Europe, Group G is where Angelo Ogbonna's Italy travel to Vaduz
to face Liechtenstein.
Cheikhou Kouyate's Senegal travel to Polokwane to face South Africa in
African Round 3 Group D on 12 November, looking to build on their 2-0
victory over Cape Verde in their opening fixture.
In Group B, Sofiane Feghouli's Algeria travel to Nigeria on the same date,
having drawn 1-1 at home with Cameroon in their opening match.
In Group E, Andre Ayew will hope to make a triumphant return to the national
team when Ghana travel to Egypt. The Black Stars – managed by former Hammers
boss Avram Grant – were held goalless at home by Uganda last time out.
Winston Reid is set for the longest trip, with New Zealand facing New
Caledonia home and away in their opening Oceania Round 3 Group A fixtures.
The home leg will take place in Auckland on 12 November, with the return in
Kone three days later.
Away from the competitive fixtures, Doneil Henry's Canada travel to South
Korea for a friendly.
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Noble backs Penguin Waddle
WHUFC.com
Patron Mark Noble has given his support to Richard House Children's
Hospice's annual fundraising 2016 Penguin Waddle.
The event will see participants embark on a scenic walk through central
London from 6.30pm on Tuesday 15 November, raising funds for the
Beckton-based hospice, which supports children and young people with
life-limiting conditions.
The Singology choir and our fashionista host Josh Newis-Smith will warm up
participants in the shadow of St Pauls Cathedral in Paternoster Square,
before the walk weaves its way through the capital to end at a fantastic
Penguin Party with DJ at the Scoop by Tower Bridge.
The event is ideal for all the family and for just a £25 registration fee
plus £50 minimum sponsorship, supporters will get their own penguin outfit,
and will join hundreds of other penguins in this festive 1.3-mile waddle.
Family and group discounts are available.
Sign up using the code 'West Ham' to receive a £5 discount on the standard
registration fee. Minimum sponsorship applies.
Contact Tom on 020 7540 0228 or email tommu@richardhouse.org.uk for more
information.
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Noble pleased to be back at London Stadium
WHUFC.com
West Ham United captain Mark Noble is looking forward to playing at London
Stadium once again and hopes the fans will generate another special
atmosphere against Stoke.
Noble believes the team produced one of their best performances of the
season in the last home game to record a memorable win over Chelsea in the
EFL Cup.
The Hammers fans turned out in their thousands once again and saw Cheikhou
Kouyate and Edimilson Fernandes score the goals to help them set up a
quarter final showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Despite the disappointing defeat against Everton last weekend which ended
the Hammers four match unbeaten run, Noble is convinced the team can get
straight back on the winning trail and build on recent home victories
against Sunderland and Chelsea.
Noble said: "We have made the big move into London Stadium and it was going
to take time to get used to our new surroundings, but the victory over
Chelsea has really made it feel like home and I am really pleased about
that.
"We have beaten Bournemouth, Sunderland and Chelsea at home and have not
really struggled despite what some reports have said. We have to deal with
that and hopefully get another victory against Stoke.
"We were getting hammered a month ago for the way we were defending and
should other things change.
"We then produced a fantastic performance against Chelsea and it was a
fantastic evening with great support. We didn't really get recognised for
that.
"Hopefully that will change against Stoke, but we know it will be another
tough encounter as Stoke have won their last three Premier League games."
Noble has enjoyed playing in a new wing-back system and feels it has played
a major part in helping the team turn their season around.
Noble added: "Slaven has changed the system in recent games and I am really
enjoying it.
"Changing to three at the back and players like Pedro and Edimilson coming
into the team has been a major bonus and the teams looks better for it.
"We look a lot more solid and it has given us the foundation to go on and
win games."
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From the Terraces
WHUFC.com
Fan blogger Joe Difford returns with his latest look at the Hammers…
After last season's phenomenal comeback at Goodison Park that saw Dimitri
Payet poke home a last minute winner, fans were optimistic about Sunday's
game with Everton. What raised expectations even more was the fact that we
had confidently beaten a strong Chelsea side last Wednesday in the EFL Cup
and made it four games unbeaten.
Unfortunately for us, Romelu Lukaku continued his remarkable goal scoring
record against the Hammers, and we were unable to pick up the three points
that would have taken us almost into the top half of the Premier League
table.
Michail Antonio, who was playing as a striker once again, was lively from
the off, beating anyone who tried to stand in his way, but unfortunately his
instinct to run out to the flanks combined with our lack of a fit and firing
striker meant that his efforts were in vein.
Manuel Lanzini and Payet did what everyone expected, and dazzled with their
interplay and neat one touch passing, carving the Everton defence open on a
number of occasions.
Up the other end of the field, Adrian was back to his best, making a number
of world class saves, including one special stop where he managed to extend
an arm mid-dive to keep out an effort from close range.
But just as it seemed we could push for an opener, Lukaku did what he does
best, slotting home against Slaven Bilic and Co. after some fast and
impressive build up play.
1-0 would have been a tough result to take but one that wouldn't hurt too
much considering our form at Goodison Park over the years, but the second
goal was frustrating as we were in their half and looking to snatch an
equaliser.
Everton broke on the counter and moved the ball out wide, before crossing to
the back post where Ross Barkley was waiting to volley home an impressive
effort into the bottom corner.
After three fantastic wins on the trot, a loss away isn't the worst result,
but with a tough run of fixtures coming up in November and December that
include Spurs, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United, we must take all
three points when Stoke City visit next week.
Unfortunately, Winston Reid picked up a yellow card and will miss the game,
but it could be a great opportunity for James Collins or Reece Oxford to
step up and impress alongside the experienced Angelo Ogbonna and Cheikhou
Kouyate.
Fans will also be hoping to see more of Edimilson Fernandes who has been
excellent in his first two Premier League appearances for the club.
The start to the season hasn't been perfect, and the loss to Everton
undoubtedly hurt our momentum, but if we can get Simone Zaza or perhaps
Ashley Fletcher to open their goal scoring accounts, we could turn this
great football into great results.
For more West Ham fan views or to join the conversation visit www.90min.com
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those
of West Ham United
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Loan stars make brief return to Chadwell Heath
WHUFC.com
The Academy of Football's loan stars returned to Chadwell Heath last week as
they took a break from their busy schedules to catch up with fellow players
and staff.
In total, seven players made the trips back from their respective loan clubs
to East London, including Josh Cullen, Reece Burke and Martin Samuelsen.
The day started with a talk from Academy Director Terry Westley who went
through each player's development plans as well as watching through some
highlights from the individual's performances during their loan spells.
The players then headed outside for a brief and very light training session
before coming back inside for a full Sunday roast, as they caught up with
each other over lunch.
Westley was keen to stress the importance of the day and said he hoped the
players would take a huge amount for the experience.
"The purpose of this day is to get everyone back together and remind them
that they're West Ham players," he said.
"Sometimes, these days remind us of the quality we have at the Club who are
out on loan.
"Our U23s and U18s are doing very well this season and we're holding our own
here but you cannot forget about the quality we have out there."
The Academy of Football puts in a lot of hard work to make sure they are up
to date on the progress of the players they have out on loan.
Their continuous graft and commitment to developing young players has paid
off, as the appearance numbers of Academy players in the West Ham United
First Team and at other clubs on loan has massively increased over the past
few seasons.
"The Club has been brilliant. Everyone at the Academy has been in constant
contact with us, making sure everything is alright," said Josh Cullen,
currently on loan at Bradford City.
"We had the meeting this morning and you can see how in-depth they go into
match reports. There is someone at every game watching us so they're keeping
close tabs on us and that's good to know."
"Terry, Liam, everyone at West Ham are doing a great job following the
progress of the loan players," added Martin Samuelsen, currently on loan at
Blackburn Rovers.
"Today, getting all the players in together is really good and beneficial. I
couldn't praise them (the Academy) enough."
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Cole - It is great to be back
WHUFC.com
Hello everyone,
It is nice to be back at West Ham and I am just trying to keep myself fit.
It is the end of the season in the America and I want to keep ticking over
and plan to be here for a couple of months. The gaffer has allowed me to
stay over and use the facilities and train with the team until January. It
has been unbelievable since I went to the States and I have really enjoyed
myself playing for Sacramento Republic. It is very different culture wise
and the fans are a lot different. It is a bit of a contrast to what we
experience in England. It has been a great experience for me.
London Stadium is unbelievable and a bit different to what I am used to in
America! It is a great Stadium and I have the experience of playing in front
of so many West Ham fans when we played at Wembley in the Play-Off Final. I
cannot imagine what that must be like every week. It must be unbelievable
for the players because I will never forget the atmosphere that was created
by the Hammers fans at Wembley that day and that will always be in my mind.
I still take a lot of pride for being part of the team that got us back into
the Premier League and scoring one of the goals, but a lot has happened
since then.
The owners have done really well for the Club and changed things around. The
only way is up now. The fans turned out in their thousands for us that day
and having that every home game in the Premier League and other competitions
must be a dream for the players to play in front of. I came back for the EFL
Cup game against Chelsea and although it was two of my former Clubs in
action, it was nice to see West Ham come away with the victory. I had a
feeling they were going to win because every time I have come back they have
always beaten a big team so I was very happy to see that happen. I was happy
to see Cheikhou get on the scoresheet and to see his confidence come back
and show the level of performance he was producing last season. It was nice
to see the boys enjoying their game.
Nobes and Ginge are still going strong – they are going as strong as Ginge's
beard at the moment! The gaffer is a great manager to play under and you can
see they are still enjoying themselves. I think we will have another strong
season. The confidence has come back now and the players are all pulling in
the same direction.
We obviously had to get used to playing in the new Stadium and it would have
taken a bit of time to adjust but the last two home wins have made a big
difference. I can see it getting better from now on. I would have loved the
chance to play alongside Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet and it is all
about timing in life! I always loved to play with great players and I was
fortunate enough that I had the chance to do that at West Ham. But you look
at someone like Payet who has been nominated for the Ballon d'Or and that is
a great achievement. That just shows you what he has done since he arrived
at West Ham and how the Club has grown as well.
I hope to see everyone soon.
Coley
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Get your Stoke tickets on the Ticket Exchange
WHUFC.com
Tickets available on Ticket Exchange for 5 November game against Stoke City
Stoke game is a sell-out but some Season Ticket Holders have made their
seats available to purchase
Earn money back to redeem against your Season Ticket renewal
You don't have to miss out on the sold-out visit of Stoke City on Saturday -
as tickets are available on the Ticket Exchange! With over 55,000 supporters
on the Waiting List, demand to watch the Hammers live in action has never
been greater. The visit of Stoke City on 5 November sold out to Claret
Members in the Ticket Ballot - as all Premier League games at London Stadium
have. Our Ticket Exhange allows Season Ticket Holders the fantastic
opportunity to earn money back if they cannot attend a game, while making a
fellow Hammers supportet happy.
Relist your ticket for this - or any - league fixture and if it purchased
you will receive ticket credit, which you can use towards future ticket
purchases, including your Season Ticket renewal. Once a Season Ticket
Holder's ticket has been exchanged, his or her Season Card will be disabled
for the game, while the buyer's Claret Membership Card will be activated. If
you are not a Claret Member, you will be able to print your ticket at home.
The credit for the ticket sale will be made available in the seller's Season
Ticket Holder account, minus a 10% administrative charge.
For full details of how to release your seat to the Ticket Exchange, and for
terms and conditions, please click here to view our helpful User Guide.
Season Ticket Holder seats which become available on the Ticket Exchange
will be available to purchase online here.
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London Stadium: Campaigners welcome investigation into rising costs
BBC.co.uk
Campaigners have welcomed the start of an investigation by London Mayor
Sadiq Khan into a £50m rise in the cost of converting West Ham's London
Stadium. The outlay to modify the Olympic venue has risen from £272m to
£323m. The investigation will look into inherited issues, including the cost
of moving retractable seating. "This is a breakthrough in our long campaign
to highlight the intolerable burden on taxpayers," read a statement from the
Olympic Stadium Coalition. "We have never objected to the idea of West Ham
playing at the stadium; the question is simply one of how much the club
should pay, and how much the taxpayer should be expected to fund."
West Ham, having won the right to be anchor tenants for the Olympic Stadium
in 2013, played their first game there in August, after 112 years at Upton
Park. The Premier League club contributes £2.5m a year in rent, after paying
a one-off £15m towards the conversion cost. The Olympic Stadium Coalition,
which is comprised of 14 supporters' trusts and groups, said taxpayers
deserved to be made "fully aware" of how much they are paying. It added: "We
hope to be able to meet the mayor to present him with the significant
information that we have gathered about the operational costs of the
stadium. "The mayor's investigation is good new starting point, but it is
only a start."
The investigation is "fully supported" by Mayor of Newham Sir Robin Wales,
whose borough co-owns the stadium after investing £40m. And John O'Connell,
chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "For too long the details
of this shabby deal were kept in secret and lacked proper scrutiny, so Sadiq
Khan is absolutely right to look again at the case. "It's now down to those
in charge of the inquiry to get to the bottom of how West Ham were gifted
the deal of the century while ensuring their investigation doesn't end up
costing the taxpayer as much as the stadium."
West Ham's move to the London Stadium has been marred by fan violence,
leading the club to issue a five-point security plan to prevent further
disorder.
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WEST HAM'S FIRST – AND WORST – FOREIGN STRIKERS
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 1 NOVEMBER 2016 AT 10:43PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
West Ham's first – and worst – foreign strikers by @sid_lambert
Another season, another West Ham striker crisis. As Simone Zaza continues to
disappoint – and Andy Carroll continues to disappear – we're all wondering
when we're finally going to get a reliable frontman. Zaza is the latest in a
long line of foreign forwards who've flattered to deceive in claret and
blue. Historically our continental shopping trips haven't always provided
value for money. This week, we look back to when Harry Redknapp first
plundered foreign markets – with very mixed results.
In many respects, West Ham's progress during the Nineties was summed up by
our strikers. We started with Clive Allen and Trevor Morley, and ended with
the mercurial talents of Paolo Di Canio and Fredi Kanoute leading the line.
In the space of a decade we'd transformed from a perennial yo-yo club to an
established top tier outfit. Much of that progress was due to the transfer
policy of Harry Redknapp. The deal-maker supreme was unafraid to shop
abroad. Defensive reinforcements Marc Rieper and Slaven Bilic, both signed
for a pittance, justified his strategy. However, before the arrival of Di
Canio, Redknapp had a decidedly mixed record when it came to foreign
strikers. Here are some of those whose time in claret and blue didn't quite
hit the same heights.
Paolo Futre
In the late Eighties Paolo Futre was in the conversation as the greatest
footballer on earth. As a teenager, he was compared to Maradona. However, by
1995 the Atletico Madrid and Porto hero was set for the scrapheap. Injuries
meant he'd barely played in four seasons. Quite how he passed the medical at
Upton Park is a mystery. It was common knowledge that his knee was held
together by little more than chewing gum and a piece of string. Nonetheless,
Redknapp took a punt on the maestro. Whilst Futre's limbs struggled to stay
intact, there were no such concerns about his volcanic temperament. His
intended debut, away at Arsenal, was marred by an outburst that has since
become the stuff of legend. The Portuguese was furious to learn that his
preferred squad number, 10, had been allocated to John Moncur. The dressing
room stood in shock as Futre promptly dressed back into his civvies and
marched out of Highbury in disgust. Later in the game, Redknapp was forced
to field madcap keeper Les Sealey as an emergency striker. Within a week
Futre's legal team had negotiated the return of his favoured squad number,
in exchange for a cash sum and letting Moncur holiday at his villa in the
Algarve. When he did finally play, there were brief flashes of Futre's
former genius. An exciting cameo against Coventry was followed by a virtuoso
showing against Southampton. His fourth – and final – start for the club
came on a sunny September afternoon at home to Wimbledon. After a typically
robust encounter with the Dons' midfield, Futre was left prone on the turf.
His game, and effectively his career, was over. West Ham went on to lose
2-0, and one of the most gifted players of his generation was upstaged by
Efan Ekoku.
Marco Boogers
Arguably Redknapp's most high-profile failure, the Dutch target man arrived
from Sparta Rotterdam for £1m in the summer of 1995. His scoring record in
the Eredivisie did little to excite and it was later revealed that Redknapp
had never actually seen him play. The striker was red-carded in only his
second appearance off for a horrific tackle on Gary Neville, just moments
after coming on as substitute. Struggling with a pre-existing knee injury,
Boogers returned home for treatment. Within weeks The Sun reported, falsely,
that "Barmy Boogers" was hiding away in a caravan, shielding himself from
the pressure of the Premier League. Despite the club's denial, it remains
the epitaph to Boogers' career in England. Four forgettable substitute
appearances (all of which ended in defeat), no goals, one red card and
labelled a madman by the country's most popular paper. In some ways, perhaps
it's better than the truth. Boogers was ultimately replaced by the goal-shy
Iain Dowie.
By that stage his humiliation was complete.
Paulo Wanchope
According to Redknapp, Paulo Wanchope could pose a problem to any defence in
the Premier League. The Costa Rican burst onto the scene at Derby, scoring a
wonderful solo goal at Old Trafford. The rangy forward was a mixture of
muscle and madness, capable of fancy footwork that belied a man of his
stature. However, for all his flicks and tricks, Wanchope's scoring record
was distinctly average. Having scored only nine goals the previous season,
there were a few eyebrows raised when Redknapp parted with £3.5m for his
services in 1999. His debut against Heerenveen in the Intertoto Cup did
little to bolster confidence as the striker missed two absolute sitters. He
got off the mark in the return leg in what was a microcosm of his career at
Upton Park. Sometimes brilliant, sometimes utterly inept, he was a source of
consistent frustration. A two-month goal drought at the turn of the year
didn't silence the doubters. He did return to form slightly towards the end
of the season, though by then many supporters had their sights set on a more
reliable target man. How do you solve a problem like Paulo Wanchope? Buy
Fredi Kanoute.
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West Ham's Olympic Stadium deal explained: from Water City to the London
Stadium
Owen Gibson
Wednesday 2 November 2016 13.30 GMT Last modified on Wednesday 2 November
2016 14.11 GMT
The Guardian
The total cost of converting the Olympic Stadium from an athletics stadium
into a multi-use venue has soared to £323m, taking the overall cost of West
Ham United's new home to £752m – largely borne by taxpayers. How did we get
here?
How long have you got? The story begins in 2003 when Lord Rogers wrote to
Tony Blair suggesting a stadium in Stratford built for football with interim
use for athletics as the centrepiece of any Olympics bid, to be funded by
joint tenancy between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham. The so-called Water
City scheme foundered over land issues. Once the bid was won in 2005, with
Sebastian Coe's promise to retain the running track as a legacy for
athletics one factor in swinging votes, there was a determination to get on
with building – issues with spiralling costs and delays at Wembley and the
embarrassing Picketts Lock fiasco (where plans to host the 2005 World
Athletics Championships had to be abandoned) were weighing heavy on the
minds of Olympic officials and ministers. Tentative talks with football
clubs, including West Ham, had proved inconclusive. As such, at a fateful
meeting of the Olympic board in February 2007, it was decided to press on
with building an athletics stadium that could easily be "demounted" to
become a community facility with a 25,000-seat capacity but was harder to
convert to a football stadium. In effect, discussions over the future use of
the stadium were parked.
When did football re-enter the equation?
With Boris Johnson, and his love of eye-catching projects, replacing Ken
Livingstone in 2008 and the coalition government coming to power in 2010 the
idea of finding a solution that would enable the stadium to be retained as a
larger, dual use facility gained momentum. In order to make the finances
work, a Premier League football club was considered a prerequisite. The then
Olympic Park Legacy Company launched a contest for the stadium. Encouraged
to provide West Ham with some competition by Johnson, Spurs proposed to
knock down the stadium and rebuild it for football, upgrading Crystal Palace
as an athletics venue. That idea met a furious backlash from Coe and others
involved in the Olympic bid who said it would be a betrayal of the promised
athletics legacy. Following a bitter, controversial battle - including
allegations of spying, phone hacking and industrial espionage – West Ham
were awarded the stadium in February 2011.
Why did they did not move in sooner?
The plan for West Ham to take over the stadium was challenged in the courts
by Spurs and Leyton Orient and the whole plan had to be scrapped amid "legal
paralysis" when a complaint was made to the European Commission on state aid
grounds. The contest was relaunched, with West Ham – effectively by now the
only game in town – this time emerging as tenants rather than leaseholders
following a long and bruising negotiation. The 99-year agreement was finally
confirmed in March 2013 and work began in earnest to convert the stadium so
it could become West Ham's home ground in the winter and used for athletics,
concerts and other events in the summer.
What was the bill for the conversion?
Because the original canopy only covered two-third of the seats, the initial
estimated cost was £160m to build a new cantilevered roof, the largest of
its kind in the world – using technology developed for use on North Sea oil
rigs – and to install 21,000 state of the art retractable seats that would
bring the lower tiers closer to the action and assuage fears of fans who
worried it would not be suitable for football. Permanent toilets, catering
facilities, executive boxes and so on also had to be built. In essence, the
stadium had to be almost rebuilt from scratch from the inside out as a
54,000 capacity dual-use arena.
Who paid what?
The largest chunk of funding for the transformation comes from a one-off
settlement of £148.8m from the exchequer in 2010. On top of that Newham
council provided £40m through a loan (in return for a 35% stake), almost
£40m came from the original £9.3bn budget for the Olympics and a further
£25m from the government. UK Athletics invested £1m and the London Marathon
Charitable Trust provided £3.5m.
West Ham agreed to pay £15m towards the overall conversion costs, plus a
basic £2.5m a year in rent. The rest of the conversion budget is funded by
LLDC. Following a long freedom of information battle, campaigners eventually
uncovered the detailed terms of the contract – including extra payments by
West Ham if they succeeded on the pitch but reductions in the annual rent if
they were relegated. In return the joint venture between London Legacy
Development Corporation (LLDC) and Newham council that owns the stadium
meets all the running costs. Under various formulae, West Ham also share in
profits from hospitality and catering.
Critics said West Ham had secured "the deal of the century" at the expense
of the taxpayer. The club, who hoped to use the move from Upton Park as a
springboard to boost revenues, attendance and their status (as signified by
adding the word London to their badge), contended that only they could offer
the stadium a sustainable future free of subsidy and that the deal was fair
for all parties.
Why did costs rise?
It quickly became clear that the £160m budgeted would not be enough. First,
the costs rose to £193.3m as a result of difficulties that the constructors
Balfour Beatty experienced building the cantilevered roof and in the face of
challenging weather conditions. Then in June last year the price tag rose to
£272m. This was presented as a final budget, although with the caveat that
costs could yet rise further. As the blame game intensified, Johnson turned
on the pre-Games planners. "A very bad call was made when those in charge at
the time backed a stadium construction plan that would leave the Olympic
Park with a much smaller, mouldering and tumbleweed ridden arena following
the Games," he said. "Following that plan would have literally torn the
heart out of the park and put at risk the incredible economic regeneration
we are now seeing in east London."
And now the cost has risen even further?
Yes. It is now estimated that the total bill for the conversion will be at
least £323m - more than twice the original estimate. Added to the final cost
of building the Olympic Stadium (put at £429m by the Olympic Delivery
Authority) the final bill for the rebuilt, renamed London Stadium now stands
at £752m.
Why has the bill risen again?
One issue is the fact that the retractable seats – supposed to be the jewel
in the crown of the design – have encountered issues that have pushed costs
from £300,000 to an estimated £8m. It has also emerged that they will take
longer to shift from "football mode" to "athletics mode" than anticipated,
threatening the revenue-generating potential for the French operators,
Vinci, employed on a 20-year contract. Another factor is the cost of the
ambitious wrap and huge digital screen that will soon greet fans when they
arrive at the stadium. Following typically intensive negotiations with West
Ham, the E20 Stadium Partnership (the special purpose vehicle formed by
Newham and LLDC that owns the stadium) is meeting most of the costs.
Why has the London mayor Sadiq Khan launched an inquiry now?
Partly to get to the bottom of what has gone wrong. But also because,
politically, it makes sense for an incoming Labour mayor to pin the blame
for the problems on Johnson's administration. It may not be a coincidence
that the new inquiry, which will report jointly to Newham council, comes as
Khan also questions his spending on everything from the regeneration project
at Old Oak Common in the north-west of the city – like the stadium, this
week branded "a mess" – to plans for the Garden Bridge over the Thames.
The new inquiry also comes at a particularly sensitive time for LLDC and for
West Ham. Already under pressure, rightly or wrongly, over the perception
that West Ham were gifted the stadium at the expense of taxpayers, the first
few months in their new home have been far from smooth for the east London
club. Serious problems with the "migration" of fans from Upton Park to the
London Stadium and issues with stewarding have cast a pall.
Last week, the negative publicity continued with television pictures of fans
posturing and hurling seats and coins inside the stadium during the EFL Cup
tie against Chelsea. The various relationships between West Ham, the stadium
operators LS185, LLDC and Newham have remained strained. The new questions
over rising costs and how they are met will only increase that tension.
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West Ham unlikely to play at London Stadium until September next season due
to World Athletics Championships seating delay
MATT MAJENDIE, MARCO GIACOMELLI
Evening Standard
West Ham are confident they can handle any disruption caused by issues over
the retractable seating at the London Stadium. The Hammers are unlikely to
play at home next term until September because of the delay in converting
the stadium back to football following a summer of athletics there. Standard
Sport understands it could take up to 15 days for seating to be moved back
into place but the World Athletics Championships end on August 13, which is
likely to be the day after the Premier League season kicks off. In the
original plans for the multi-use stadium it was thought it would take only
five days but the company behind that proposal, Alto Seating Solutions, has
gone into liquidation. Under the original proposal it was going to cost
£300,000 to move the seating but the process is now being put out to tender
and it is thought it could cost up to £8million. No date has been set for
the start of the next Premier League season but it is likely to be August
12. Given the World Athletics Championships finish the next day, West Ham
will ask the Premier League to be away on the opening day of the season and
the following week too when they shoud be at home. They would then be away
in the third round of League matches, meaning they would not play at the
London Stadium until mid-September.
This arrangement would mirror the one Liverpool had this year when they
moved their second match of the campaign — against Burnley — to Turf Moor as
Anfield was still being redeveloped. As well as the World Athletics
Championships, which start on August 4, the stadium will also host a round
of the Diamond League on July 9 with the World ParaAthletics Championships
beginning five days later. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced an inquiry
into the cost of converting the stadium, which has risen from £272m to
£323m.
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Tory MP slams 'astronomical' cost of West Ham Olympic Stadium deal
JOE MURPHY
Evening Standard
A senior Conservative MP today hit out at the "incredibly generous" deal
given to West Ham to take over the former Olympic Stadium. Damian Collins,
chairman of the Commons culture committee, backed an inquiry into the
"astronomical" cost to taxpayers approved by ex-Mayor Boris Johnson. He said
the probe, announced by new Mayor Sadiq Khan, should ask whether Mr Johnson
"was determined to get Premier League football to the stadium at almost any
cost". Mr Collins told BBC Radio 4: "These costs seem to be out of control.
I think most people would say West Ham have got an unbelievably good deal.
Lessons should be learned from this saga."
Mr Khan has expressed "deep concern" at the £50 million hike in the cost of
turning the Olympic Stadium — now the London Stadium — from an athletics
venue into a multi-purpose 60,000-seat venue fit for top-flight football. Mr
Collins said Manchester City paid half of a £40 million bill for converting
the former Commonwealth Games stadium, while West Ham paid £15 million and a
low rent for a transformation costing over £300 million.
West Ham have a 99-year lease and pay an annual rent of £2.5 million. Mr
Khan said: "I am deeply concerned by the serious financial issues with the
Olympic Stadium.
"It has emerged that my predecessor oversaw a dramatic increase in costs as
well as a series of poor decisions. In short, he left a complete financial
mess." The inquiry will look for savings and improvements. There has been
widespread criticism of the deal from politicians and supporters of rival
clubs. Recent West Ham games at the stadium have also been marred by
violence among fans. The chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, John
O'Connell said: "For too long the details of this shabby deal were kept
secret so Sadiq Khan is right to look again at the case.
Instead of focusing anger on West Ham for taking advantage of this
ludicrously generous taxpayer-funded subsidy, we should be demanding
explanations from those that signed off on this agreement." The probe will
look into the retractable seating that gets football fans closer to the
pitch. It is understood the seats are not as "retractable" as the Greater
London Authority — the Stratford venue's owner — was led to believe, and
takes 15 days to remove or replace. This undermines plans for concerts and
other events. Depeche Mode are set to play on June 3. The GLA says the
"final comparable cost" for converting the stadium is now £309 million with
a further £14 million set aside for "essential enhancements". That produces
a conversion bill of £323 million and final cost for the stadium of £752
million. Allies of Mr Johnson accused Mr Khan of "whingeing". One said:
"Sadiq Khan has done nothing for the Olympic Park. "He has done nothing
for any regeneration sites. He criticises spending on the Olympic Stadium
when his own deputy mayor Jules Pipe was on the London Legacy Development
Corporation and approved the whole package.
"He needs to stop whingeing and come up with ideas of his own. The Olympic
Park is the greatest regeneration site in Europe." The site is being
transformed into the "Olympicopolis" arts quarter, featuring the V&A,
university campuses and Sadler's Wells. A former official involved in the
stadium talks warned that "talking down the stadium will destroy any chance
of a naming rights deal", potentially costing the GLA some £5 million a
year.
West Ham declined to comment.
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Anger over massive cost of converting Olympic stadium for West Ham
Ashitha Nagesh for Metro.co.uk
Wednesday 2 Nov 2016 9:59 am
Sadiq Khan is launching an probe into the soaring costs of converting the
Olympic Stadium for use by West Ham football club. The Premier League club
moved to the stadium this season, but there have already been several
incidents of crowd trouble and complaints about a lack of atmosphere. Khan,
however, is more concerned about a £51million hike in the cost of converting
the stadium from its Olympic configuration into a 60,000-seat multi-purpose
venue. 'The mayor is deeply concerned about the finances of the Olympic
Stadium, which have clearly been left in a total and utter mess by the
previous administration at City Hall,' a spokesperson for Khan said.
'The former mayor announced just last year that the total cost for
transforming the stadium was £272million. In reality, this is £323million –
a difference of more than £50million.'
Estimated cost of converting the stadium
New estimate £323,000,000
Original estimate £272,000,000
Cost of moving the 'retractable' seats
Current estimate £8,000,000
Original estimate £300,000
When contacted for a response, West Ham chose not to comment.
The club has a 99-year lease on the venue and pays an annual rent of
£2.5million, which covers almost all of their costs. It has also contributed
£15million towards the conversion costs, but the public is covering the
rest. John O'Connell, the chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, told
PA: 'For too long the details of this shabby deal were kept in secret and
lacked proper scrutiny, so Sadiq Khan is absolutely right to look again at
the case. 'But instead of focusing our anger on West Ham for taking
advantage of this ludicrously generous taxpayer-funded subsidy, we should
instead be demanding explanations from those that signed off on this
agreement and ask how they ever thought that this offered value to those of
us footing the bill. 'It's now down the those in charge of the inquiry to
get to the bottom of how West Ham were gifted the deal of the century while
ensuring their investigation doesn't end up costing the taxpayer as much as
the stadium.'
What's the big issue?
The main problem with the stadium is the 'retractable' seats, which aren't
so retractable after all. Apparently the Greater London Authority (which
owns the venue) was led to believe the seats were retractable, when in fact
they take 15 days to remove or replace. This means there are now extra costs
and delays – which is a major concern given that the stadium's business plan
depends on concerts and other events being held there during the off-season.
For example, Depeche Mode are supposed to be performing at the stadium on
June 3. The original estimate for moving the retractable seats was around
£300,000 – a figure that is now believed to have been wildly optimistic. Sky
News has suggested that the cost is closer to £8million.
London Assembly member Andrew Dismore said: 'This is a staggering burden to
place on taxpayers. It's only a year ago that Boris Johnson promised both
full transparency and that no more public money would be spent on this
project. 'Londoners must now add the stupendous costs of retracting the
seating to the other numerous poor deals for the taxpayer the West Ham
contract contains. 'Boris even went so far as boasting about the rental
income from West Ham, which at £2.5m per season can now be seen to be a drop
in the ocean when compared with the cost of retracting the seats. 'Londoners
will rightly want to know how they ended up bearing the costs of the former
mayor's disastrous negotiations.'
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Sadiq Khan orders inquiry into Olympic Stadium as cost of converting it for
West Ham soars by £51m
HATTY COLLIER
Evening Standard
Sadiq Khan today ordered an inquiry into the finances of the Olympic Stadium
after it emerged that the total cost of converting the arena for West Ham's
use has soared by £51m. The Mayor announced the investigation after learning
that the conversion cost had increased from £272m to £323m. The price of
retractable seating, installed to improve the view for football, was one of
the main factors behind the cost rise, which triggered Mr Khan's decision,
Sky News reported. The cost of the seats is said to have risen from an
estimated £300,000 to £8m. Deputy mayor Jules Pipe told Sky News: "Last
year the previous administration told the public that the costs had risen in
total to around £270m. "The new Mayor has now been told that cost will be
over £320m. "Understandably, Sadiq has ordered an investigation as to why
those two figures are so wildly different. "As the new administration at
City Hall clearing up the mess of the previous administration, we need to
make sure that the stadium runs on a sustainable basis and it is affordable
to London."
The stadium has been beset by problems in recent months after violent
clashes broke out between fans at the football venue. Engineers have said
work to move the retractable seating could take 30 days each season – three
times as long as the five days initially predicted. The extra days' work
could threaten planned events, including athletics and concerts, or even
delay West Ham's return for the start of the new football season. Former
mayor Boris Johnson had agreed to West Ham's request to install the seating
as a quick and cost-effective way for the stadium to be converted for
athletics and other events. Mr Pipe said the investigation would look at all
aspects of the stadium. He added that renegotiating the deal with West Ham
would be difficult. The total cost of the stadium is now £752m, which is
taxpayer funded besides a £15m contribution from West Ham. A spokesperson
for the Mayor of London said: "The Mayor is deeply concerned about the
finances of the Olympic Stadium, which have clearly been left in a total and
utter mess by the previous administration at City Hall. "The former Mayor
announced just last year that the total cost for transforming the stadium
was £272 million. In reality this is £323 million – a difference of more
than £50 million. "Sadiq has ordered a detailed investigation into the full
range of financial issues surrounding the stadium. "We remain committed to
the future of the stadium as a venue for football and other sporting and
cultural activities. "We are confident that London will host a fantastic
World Athletics and Para Athletics Championships in 2017."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, November 3
Wednesday, November 2
Daily WHUFC News - 2nd November 2016
Manning delighted with win over WBA
WHUFC.com
West Ham United PL2 ran out 2-1 winners over West Bromwich Albion on Monday
night
The result moves the Hammers up to third in Premier League 2 Division 2
Assistant manager Liam Manning was delighted with the performance
PL2 assistant manager Liam Manning praised his side's commitment and desire
as they battled to a 2-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion at the Chigwell
Construction Stadium. The Hammers cruised to a 2-0 first half lead thanks
to an own goal from Baggies defender Jack Fitzwater and a header from Ashley
Fletcher. Dara O'Shea rifled home from the edge of the box in stoppage time
but it wasn't enough as the Hammers leapfrogged their opponents to third in
Premier League 2 Division 2. "We knew it was going to be a tough game
tonight. They (West Brom) are doing well in the league and have some good
players, but our lads really stepped up tonight," said Manning. "It wasn't
the prettiest of games but the lads were resolute, dug in and stuck together
as a team all night long so I'm delighted with how the lads did tonight."
Manager Terry Westley welcomed First Team stars Jonathan Calleri and Ashley
Fletcher to the starting eleven and there was also a return to PL2 action
for Martin Samuelsen. The Norwegian has been on loan at Blackburn Rovers
this season, but did not feature in their match at the weekend so came into
a fresh-looking Hammers PL2 line up. Westley's men got off to the perfect
start when Fletcher turned brilliantly in the penalty area and crossed, only
for Fitzwater to knock the ball into his own net. The Hammers controlled the
rest of the first half and doubled their lead on the half hour mark when
Fletcher headed in Calleri's inviting cross. In the second half, West Brom
tried to force the issue but came up against a brick wall of a defence in
the form of Sam Westley, Alex Pike, Declan Rice and Vashon Neufville. The
home side had chances to add to their lead through Marcus Browne, who forced
a great save from Albion keeper Jack Rose on the hour mark, and Calleri, who
twice went close. The visitors did score a late consolation after O'Shea's
powerful drive, but it was the Hammers who moved up to third in the league
table with the victory. "There's a big emphasis on development and how the
lads perform and sticking to our philosophy. But we do it because we want to
win," added Manning. "I don't think you'll find anybody who doesn't want to
win, staff included. It will be nice to finish up there, so we can build on
the (Premier League) Cup win last year."
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Fletcher hails important PL2 win
WHUFC.com
Ashley Fletcher was on the scoresheet as West Ham United PL2 beat West
Bromwich Albion 2-1 on Monday evening
The Hammers are now up to third in Premier League 2 Division 2 after their
second win in a row.
Fletcher afterwards said he was very happy to get 90 minutes under his belt
Ashley Fletcher hailed the importance of West Ham United PL2's victory over
West Bromwich Albion, as it saw the Hammers go above their opponents in the
league standings. Fletcher was on the scoresheet as a new-look PL2 line-up
cruised to a 2-0 lead inside half an hour. The Hammers No9 for the evening
created the first and headed in the second before West Brom's Dara O'Shea
scored a consolation goal from long range to make the final score 2-1. The
21-year-old was an unused substitute for Slaven Bilic in Saturday's defeat
to Everton but was pleased to 90 minutes on Monday evening. "I've been
involved with the First Team and I'm really enjoying myself but obviously I
want to be playing games as well," said Fletcher. "I came tonight to get 90
minutes in my legs and hopefully when my chance does come in the First Team
I can be ready and take it."
PL2 boss Terry Westley made three changes from the side which battled to a
1-0 win at Middlesbrough last Friday. Martin Samuelsen, who's currently on
loan at Blackburn Rovers, Jonathan Calleri and Fletcher all came into the
starting eleven. The Hammers took a fortituitous lead on seven minutes but
it was earned after brilliant play by Fletcher. He swivelled in the area and
crossed low and hard, only for Baggies defender Jack Fitzwater to fire into
his own net. Fletcher was again amongst the action for the second goal of
the game 25 minutes later - Calleri whipped in a teasing cross after being
played in by Domingos Quina and the Hammers striker planted his header into
the top corner. Albion did score a late consolation after Dara O'Shea
rifled home from the edge of the box but the Hammers held on to what was a
vital three points in their quest for promotion from Premier League 2
Division 2. They're now third, having leapfrogged their opponents with
victory, and Fletcher knew just how important the win was. "It was important
to beat West Brom tonight because we knew they were above us in the league.
For us to overtake them, it's massive and I'm glad I could get on the
scoresheet to help the team," Fletcher added. "The standard is so high here
(in Premier League 2). We've got really good players so for me to come and
play with the lads, get 90 minutes and score is very pleasing."
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Cresswell - I am enjoying the new system
WHUFC.com
Aaron Cresswell says he is relishing the chance to play in a new wing-back
system and hopes to get straight back on the winning trail when the Hammers
host Stoke on Saturday. Cresswell was forced to miss the start of the season
with a knee ligament injury, but he has made a speedy recovery and a timely
return to first-team action.
The Hammers full-back has wasted no time settling into a new formation which
Slaven Bilic has introduced in recent weeks playing three at the back and
two wing-backs.
The move coincided with West Ham enjoying their best run of form as they
went four games unbeaten and saw the team record big victories over Crystal
Palace, Sunderland and Chelsea. Despite the minor setback against Everton on
Sunday, Cresswell is confident they can get back to winning ways this
weekend and says the new system is helping him to show his attacking
qualities. Cresswell said: "I am enjoying the new system. It's nice to get
forward in that formation, trying to create and get up the field to get the
ball in the box, it suits me. "I was saying to the fitness coach and the
physio that I'm feeling better than Wednesday night. It takes time, you can
do all the training in the world but you can't beat getting minutes on the
pitch. "The knee feels good and I am looking forward to the next few games."
The Hammers will be looking to build on recent home victories against
Sunderland and Chelsea and with Stoke just above them in the table, some
reports have suggested it is a must-win game for the Hammers. But Cresswell
strongly disagrees with that theory and says his side have already taken big
steps to turn their season around and will be hoping for another big victory
in front of their own fans. Cresswell said: "Stoke is not a must win game.
Of course we want to win it but it is not must win. "We don't deserve to
label it that because we have had some good results recently and been on a
good run. "We just need to get back to that again this weekend."
Cresswell is refusing to use the memorable win over Chelsea in the EFL Cup
last Wednesday as an excuse for his side's defeat against Everton and says
it would have been a different story if his side had been more clinical in
front of goal. "I don't think the Chelsea game took it out of us. We felt
more than okay in the first half and we had more than enough time to recover
from Chelsea, so we cannot use that as an excuse. "It was down to us taking
our chances, which we didn't do, but we go again next weekend. "We went in
at half time at 0-0 and to be fair, they [Everton] came out all guns blazing
and pegged us back, got the goal and we were chasing the game. "He's
[Lukaku] a tough one, one of the best in world football, he was excellent,
it's a shame we can't stop him. "It's frustrating not to take one of the
chances in first half and he made us pay."
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The Big Interview - Edimilson Fernandes
WHUFC.com
It has been a dream start to life in England for Edimilson Fernandes and he
has played a major role in the Hammers revival in recent games. Fernandes
arrived with a big pedigree following his move from FC Sion during the
summer and has already shown his quality and versatility playing in a number
of different positions and getting on the scoresheet during the memorable
EFL Cup win over Chelsea. The Switzerland U21 international is now hoping to
build on his early success and become a major star for the east London Club
over the next few years....
Edimilson, it has been an incredible start to your career in the Premier
League. Can you tell us about your introduction to top flight football and
why you chose to make the big move to England?
EF: "I was 17 when I made my debut in the Swiss Super League. Playing
first-team football at that age was a shock to me, but it all started from
there and my career has continued to grow. "I always had the ambition of
coming to play in the Premier League, but I never imagine it would be
possible. "I watched the Premier League on television in Switzerland a lot.
I watched Manchester United and enjoyed watching them and their players. My
cousin Gelson played for Manchester City and I also liked them, but I
preferred Manchester United!"
You have a big footballing influence in your family with your cousins Gelson
and Manuel having experience of playing in England. How often do you speak
with them and did they influence your decision to join West Ham?
EF: "I spoke to my cousin Gelson before I joined West Ham. In fact, I speak
to Gelson every day about living in England and the Premier League, and we
both agree it's one of the best leagues in the world. "All of the advice he
has given me has been really useful, and everything he has told me about
English football has come true. Unfortunately, Manuel doesn't speak French,
so I have not spoken to him!"
Have you ever played in the same team as Gelson and how much would you love
to play for the Switzerland at a major tournament?
EF: "I have trained together with Gelson with the national team, but we've
never played together in a team. "I was called-up asked to train with the
squad, but I have not played for Switzerland just yet. If I continue to play
for West Ham, for my club, then after that then the opportunity came to play
for the national team, that would be great. "Although we don't play the same
way, if I could achieve what he has achieved in his career, that would be
amazing. If could do more, that would be even better!"
How much have you been impressed with London Stadium and playing in front of
nearly 60,000 fans. How big a part did that play in your decision to join
the Hammers?
EF: "When I came over for the first time, they took me to see the Stadium
and I really like it. The Stadium is magnificent, I really enjoy playing
there, as do all the players. "When you play in front of 57,000 fans it
gives you goosebumps, it's an amazing feeling and it helps you to play to
your best. "It is a brilliant Stadium and to play in front of 57,000 fans
who push you forward is an unbelievable feeling."
You seem to have wasted no time settling into your new surroundings and feel
very confident on the pitch. How much has it helped you having players who
can speak French in the dressing room?
EF: "It really helps to have them here, and to be honest I didn't realise
there were so many French speakers at the Club, but it is obvious that is
going to be really helpful to me. "We have Dimitri Payet, Cheik Kouyate,
Diafra Sakho, Sofiane Feghouli, Arthur Masuaku and Andre Ayew, so there are
lots of us who can communicate easily."
Did you think you would make such an impact so early on in your career at
West Ham and force your way into the starting line-up?
EF: "When West Ham wanted to sign me, the manager told me that he was going
to count on me, but that I needed to work hard in training to get into the
team.
"At the start I was afraid to leave my old club, so I spoke to the president
and the club and took the plane over to West Ham. In the beginning it was
very scary, but now it's great."
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London Stadium: Sadiq Khan orders investigation over rising costs
BBC.co.uk
"Deeply concerned" London Mayor Sadiq Khan has ordered an investigation into
a £50m increase in the cost of converting West Ham's London Stadium. In
2015, former mayor Boris Johnson said the change from an Olympics arena to a
football stadium would cost £272m, a figure which has now risen to £323m.
The investigation will look into inherited issues including the cost of
moving the retractable seating. A stadium expert has said the ground should
be knocked down and rebuilt. Paul Fletcher, who has built or advised on more
than 30 new grounds, said it should be rebuilt as fans are too far from the
pitch so it is not suitable for football.
The club declined to comment when contacted by BBC Sport.
A spokesperson for the London Mayor said: "The mayor is deeply concerned
about the finances of the Olympic Stadium, which have clearly been left in a
total and utter mess by the previous administration at City Hall. "Sadiq has
ordered a detailed investigation into the full range of financial issues
surrounding the stadium."
Part of the reason for the increase is a rise in the cost to install and
operate the retractable seating, which can be removed for concerts and
athletics events. The cost of £8m a year is up from an estimated cost of
£300,000 because the company originally contracted for the job had gone
bust, reports BBC sports editor Dan Roan.
It means stadium operators London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and
the London taxpayer will need to pick up the additional costs, with Premier
League side West Ham contributing £2.5m-a-year rent, plus the one-off £15m
for the conversion cost. John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers'
Alliance, said: "For too long the details of this shabby deal were kept in
secret and lacked proper scrutiny so Sadiq Khan is absolutely right to look
again at the case.
"It's now down to those in charge of the inquiry to get to the bottom of how
West Ham were gifted the deal of the century while ensuring their
investigation doesn't end up costing the taxpayer as much as the stadium."
West Ham won the bid to occupy the Olympic Stadium in March 2013 and played
their first game there in August 2016, after 112 years at Upton Park.
However, their move has been marred by fan violence, leading the club to
issue a five-point security plan to prevent further disorder.
Analysis
Dan Roan, BBC sports editor
It may have been the centrepiece of London's glorious 2012 Games, but the
story of the Olympic Stadium is becoming more and more troubled.
Last year the BBC revealed West Ham were getting the running costs of their
new home paid for them. Its suitability as a football venue is under fierce
scrutiny because of disorder at matches. A proposed naming rights partner
has walked away. And now there is renewed focus on the finances of a stadium
that has had to be built twice, at an overall cost of £750m.
The soaring costs effectively end any hope of the stadium breaking even
within five years. The LLDC will try to reduce running costs and look to
install more efficient hydraulic retractable seating. But the fear will be
that until then, the staging of some summer concerts and events - crucial
for the stadium's finances - will be affected because of the time it takes
to reconfigure the arena at the end of each season.
Once again there will be tough questions about those originally responsible
for the stadium's legacy, the remarkable deal West Ham struck, and why it
was not designed for dual-use from the very beginning.
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West Ham football Christmas hamper conman found guilty
BBC.co.uk
A conman who tricked former England manager Sam Allardyce and striker Andy
Carroll out of thousands of pounds has been convicted of fraud. Stephen
Ackerman, 48, from Loughton, Essex, was found guilty of 18 counts of fraud
totalling more than £60,000 He visited West Ham football club's training
ground to sell players and backroom staff luxury Christmas hampers in
December 2014. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard £13,270 was taken from Mr
Allardyce. Ackerman will be sentenced later this month.
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard Ackerman, who went by the name Mark Kingston,
took payment for the hampers using a handheld chip and pin device. But
Ackerman never supplied the goods and in the following weeks some of the
victims noticed unauthorised payments, running into thousands of pounds,
charged to their bank accounts.
Acting Det Sgt Jamie Snell, from Newham CID, said: "Ackerman preyed on the
trust of people he approached and essentially told an elaborate pack of lies
in order to get them to part with their cash. "He defrauded a total of
£61,047 from his victims and thought that due to their fame they would never
report the matter to the police. "He is a confident and accomplished
fraudster and we are delighted to have received this verdict from the jury
today."
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Stoke attempting to contact fans with tickets for West Ham fixture
Last Updated: 01/11/16 4:12pm
SSN
Stoke are trying to contact a group of fans after West Ham re-issued tickets
for their Premier League match on Saturday. The move comes as West Ham
attempt to improve segregation inside the London Stadium. Last week, the
Hammers announced significant changes to their segregation policy after
violence erupted between rival fans at their EFL Cup game against Chelsea.
Stoke have sold out their allocation of 2,900 away tickets and are working
hard to contact 85 supporters previously seated in Block 117, who have been
moved. The supporters affected are seated in Block 117 Rows 2-15, Seats
122-124, plus Rows 16-25, Seats 122-125. Stoke have asked fans with tickets
for the areas in question to contact the club's ticket office as soon as
possible. In a bid to avoid a repeat of last Wednesday's violent scenes at
the former Olympic Stadium, West Ham plan to create more distance between
rival fans.
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Mayor Sadiq Khan orders probe into soaring costs at London Stadium
By Paul Kelso, Sky News sports correspondent
Last Updated: 01/11/16 6:40pm
SSN
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has ordered an investigation into the finances of
London Stadium after being told the total cost of converting the arena for
use by West Ham has soared by £51m more than previously revealed.
Mayor Khan announced his investigation after Sky News learned that the
estimated annual cost of moving "retractable" seats, installed to improve
the view for football, has risen to £8m, and that moving the seats back and
forth for summer events including athletics could take a month.
The original estimate was it would cost just £300,000 and take only five
days to move the seats at the end of the football season and another five to
move them back after the summer. Engineers now estimate it could take 15
days to move the seats in each direction.
The seating issue threatens the viability of the stadium's summer schedule,
which next summer includes concerts as well as athletics, and could even
delay West Ham's return for the start of the new football season.
The increase, calculated by stadium operators in the last fortnight, takes
the cost of converting the arena for football from £272m to £323m. This
includes £309m of "comparable" costs, and £14m of "further enhancements",
including expenditure on seating and stewarding.
It takes the total cost of the stadium to £752m, all of which has been met
by the taxpayer apart from a £15m contribution from West Ham.
Khan is said to be deeply concerned at the cost increase and deputy mayor
Jules Pipe told Sky News they have inherited "a mess" from previous mayor,
Boris Johnson.
"Last year the previous administration told the public that the costs had
risen in total to around £270m. The new Mayor has now been told that cost
will be over £320m," Pipe said.
"Understandably Sadiq has ordered an investigation as to why those two
figures are so wildly different. As the new administration at City Hall
clearing up the mess of the previous administration, we need to make sure
that the stadium runs on a sustainable basis and it is affordable to
London."
Pipe said the investigation would look at all aspects of the stadium
including the deal agreed with West Ham, but indicated there was little room
for renegotiation.
"The previous administration did give a good deal to West Ham but it is a
legally binding contract. It will be up to the review to decide how best to
protect the purse of Londoners," he added.
Johnson agreed to West Ham's request to install retractable seating in order
to improve the view for football, and it was intended to allow the stadium
to be quickly and cheaply converted for athletics and other events.
While the seats are described as "retractable", in fact the job of moving
the seats is largely manual. Rather than sliding on wheels or airbeds as at
the Stade de France, the stands are effectively demountable structures that
have to be broken up and shifted by hand.
The problem is complicated by the fact that the original seat contractor,
Alto Seating Solutions, has gone into liquidation.
Warnings that retro-fitting the system would prove costly and problematic
have proved accurate, and may impact on the stadium schedule.
A summer concert series is currently due to begin just three weeks after
West Ham's last home game, with a Depeche Mode concert on June 3.
The World Championships meanwhile end on August 13, 2017, and while they are
unlikely to be disrupted it could delay West Ham's first home game.
Their first two matches of the 2017-18 season are understood to have already
been scheduled to be away from home, but the building work could prevent
them playing at home until September.
The seating issue is the latest problem to beset the stadium which was the
centrepiece of London 2012.
West Ham's move has been dogged by violence inside and outside the stadium,
raising questions about its viability as a football venue.
Last week coins were thrown at Chelsea fans including children during an EFL
Cup tie, and police made six arrests as they battled to keep supporters
apart.
A proposed naming rights deal has also collapsed, with some blaming negative
publicity arising from the violence.
The stadium's legacy has been problematic from the outset. The original plan
of reducing it to a permanent 25,000 seat athletics arena was abandoned when
it failed to attract any sporting tenants.
A £100m offer from West Ham back in 2008 was rejected by government, and the
football solution, with a capacity of 60,000, was approved.
West Ham and Tottenham, who wanted to demolish it and build a football-only
arena, competed for the tenancy with West Ham victorious in large part
because they would tolerate the retention of the track.
In talks with Johnson and the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC)
however they argued for a new lower tier of seating closer to the pitch to
improve the view.
The existing lower tier of seats, initially intended as the only permanent
part of the stadium, was dug out and the new seats retrofitted.
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West Ham trio Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll, Arthur Masuaku targetting returns
for Tottenham clash
By Lyall Thomas
Last Updated: 01/11/16 9:46am
SSN
West Ham are hoping Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll and Arthur Masuaku will be
available for their Premier League clash at Tottenham on November 19. Sakho,
who almost left the club in the summer, has not played for the Hammers at
all this season because of an ongoing back injury, which has troubled the
26-year-old since 2014.
Carroll was ruled out back in August when he picked up a knee injury against
Astra Giurgiu in a Europa League qualifier, which was only meant to sideline
him for six weeks. Masuaku, who signed from Olympiakos in the summer, was
sidelined for a minimum of six weeks when he picked up his own knee injury
in the EFL Cup match against Accrington Stanley on September 29. West Ham
co-chairman David Gold confirmed on Twitter on Monday the trio "should be
back after the international break", which takes place of the weekend of
November 12 and 13. The Hammers have had a difficult start to the season,
sitting just above the bottom three with just three wins from their opening
10 Premier League games.
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Rip it up and start again
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 1st November 2016
By: Staff Writer
A stadium expert has claimed that the only way to correct the problems with
the design of the Olympic Stadium is to knock it down and start from
scratch. Advisor Paul Fletcher has been involved with the creation of
several new stadia in England including Bolton's Macron Stadium and Coventry
City's Ricoh Arena. And he also hit out at the likes of Seb Coe and Tessa
Jowell who were instrumental in deciding that the stadium should be designed
with athletics in mind, long-term, rather than football. "Either we go on as
we are for the next 30 or 40 years or we knock it down and start again,"
Fletcher, speaking to the BBC, said. "I said [at the time] what you must do
is design a football stadium that converts to an athletics stadium for two
weeks of its lifetime. When I build my football stadiums, my number one
concern is the spectator. "What they've done is tried to convert an
athletics stadium into a football pitch and, in my opinion, it doesn't work.
The building was almost built when they started to talk to West Ham. "There
was only going to be one end user and it was only going to be West Ham.
Everyone in those days spoke about legacy. The only legacy was going to be
as a football stadium and they should have been talking to West Ham and ask
them what they want."
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Meeting of the West Ham United Independent Supporters Association – WHUISA
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 1st November 2016
By: Paul Christmas
You are all invited to attend the next meeting of WHUISA which will take
place this Saturday, 5 November at the Hammers Social Club (HSC) in Castle
Street next to the old (Boleyn) ground. The HSC will open from 10am, entry
is free and the meeting will be held upstairs. Start time is 12 noon sharp
and we aim to be finished by 1.30pm to get across to the new place for the
Stoke City annihilation.
A lot of hard work has gone on since the last meeting with good progress
being made. At time of writing over 500 people have pledged their support on
the Facebook page. A WHUISA website is in preparation for a more formal
launch of the association where you will be able to join. Work for the
meeting is ongoing but an agenda will be set shortly and will include
feedback on the future of the HSC while a number of nominations for an
interim committee have been received. Hustings and elections will take
place during the meeting. Anyone else wishing to be considered please let me
know by e-mail on pchristmas@btinternet.com and you must be at the meeting
on Saturday. I would also like to draw your attention to a Charity race
night and curry in aid of the Bobby Moore and Cancer research Funds. It will
be held at the HSC straight after the Stoke match and tickets cost £5 which
can be bought on the door and include your curry.
Please find time to support Bobby and the HSC. Your backing is greatly
appreciated.
Always West Ham,
Paul Christmas
Interim Chair WHUISA
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Ipswich Town scouting West Ham striker over potential move 0
BY ADAM ALLCROFT ON NOV 1, 2016 CHAMPIONSHIP, FEATURED, IPSWICH TOWN,
NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOUR, TRANSFERS
Ipswich Town have been scouting West Ham United's Ashley Fletcher over a
potential move in January according to a report from Read West Ham.
the72.co.uk
When the 20-year-old striker became a free agent in the summer following his
release from Manchester United, he became one of the most tracked players in
the country with many clubs including Barnsley and Leeds United being
interested in signing him. However they ended up failing as Fletcher elected
to stay in the Premier League and sign a deal with West Ham.
However he hasn't had a good time since joining the Hammers. While the East
London club have struggled to adjust to their new surroundings since moving
to the London Stadium, Fletcher has struggled just to get onto the pitch and
has only made six appearances for the club since moving there in January.
This has led to reports that Fletcher may end moving away from West Ham, at
least on a temporary deal, in January and Leeds have already been linked
with another move for him.
But now another Championship club could be about to make a move for Fletcher
after it emerged that Ipswich had been scouting him. Ipswich showed that
they were serious about a potential move as head coach Mick McCarthy and
assistant manager Terry Connor both attended the U23s match against West
Bromwich Albion and they will have definitely been impressed with what they
saw. In the game Fletcher scored and made an assist as the young Hammers got
a 2-1 win over West Brom. Now it will up to the Tractor Boys to see if they
will make a bid in January.
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From England: A possible Zaza-Gabbiadini exchange deal
http://www.calciomercato.com/
01 November at 13:07
According to reports in The Sun, West Ham United are ready to offer
misfiring Simone Zaza to Napoli in exchange for Manolo Gabbiadini. The
25-year-old Italian international striker joined the Hammers on-loan from
Juventus in the summer but the Premier League club will be forced to pay the
Italian club £17.7 million when the player completes 10 appearances. Manager
Slaven Bilic is reportedly keen to off-load Zaza as soon as possible and
it's believed that the East London club are prepared to offer the player
plus £22.5 million to Napoli to bring Gabbiadini to the capital. Napoli boss
Maurizio Sarri is a known admirer of Zaza and was close to landing him last
summer before the player opted to head to England. Aware of this admiration,
Bilic is believed to want to get the deal done in January and with relations
between Gabbiadini and the vesuviani at an all-time low, he may just get his
wish in the new year.
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West Ham boost as Diafra Sakho returns to full training after back injury as
Andy Carroll and Arthur Masuaku also near return to fitness
Diafra Sakho has trained fully with West Ham for the first time this season
Striker has not played a single minute for the Hammers this campaign
His return comes as a boost to manager Slaven Bilic
West Ham take on Stoke City in their next Premier League match
By KIERAN GILL FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 10:43, 1 November 2016 | UPDATED: 10:43, 1 November 2016
West Ham striker Diafra Sakho is taking part in full training for the first
time this season on Tuesday and should be available after the international
break. The 26-year-old has not played for West Ham so far this season
because of a back problem but the Senegal international is joining the first
team at their training ground ahead of schedule. Sakho's return to full
fitness after the break will be a boost to Slaven Bilic, whose West Ham side
sit fourth bottom in the Premier League. The players had Monday off after
their 2-0 loss to Everton on Sunday, but are now preparing to play Stoke
City before the international break begins. Sakho was eased back into
training with the Under-23s last week but was not in the squad for their
Premier League 2 game against West Bromwich Albion on Monday night. It was
West Brom who had to pull out of a £16million deal for Sakho in August
because his medical showed a muscular injury in his back, Sportsmail
understands. Andy Carroll and Arthur Masuaku are also in line to return
after the international break.
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Will Andre Ayew's return push Ashley Fletcher closer to Leeds United loan?
HITC
Dan Coombs
West Ham forward has returned from injury, limited Ashley Fletcher's
chances, who has been interesting Leeds United. Leeds United were outdone in
their efforts to sign Ashley Fletcher on a permanent basis this summer as
the striker chose to sign with West Ham instead. Fletcher, 19, had let his
Manchester United contract expire and was hot property after helping fire
Barnsley to League One promotion in 2015/16. The Sun reported last week that
Leeds are hoping to pursue their interest and land Fletcher on a loan deal
in January, with manager Garry Monk keen on the player. West Ham have barely
played Fletcher in the Premier League, with the striker accumulating 151
minutes across six appearances, and yet to score. Now the Hammers' big money
summer signing Andre Ayew is back in action, and Fletcher has been pushed
further aside. Ayew was signed for £20 million in the summer from Swansea
City, yet was immediately sidelined through injury. The Ghanaian
international has made two substitute appearances in the last week for West
Ham, and is getting back to full fitness. Fletcher was on the bench
alongside him away to Everton, but did not make it onto the pitch. With Andy
Carroll also a contender to return from injury before the transfer window,
Fletcher's chances to make an impact may already have passed him by, the
upcoming EFL Cup game against Manchester United aside. He is at risk of this
season becoming a lost one if he gets into a situation where he is not even
making the bench each week, and a loan move makes sense. At Leeds he may not
be an automatic starter either with Chris Wood scoring regularly and Marcus
Antonsson chipping in; but with games being played twice a week, there is
greater need for rotation. With the Whites pushing hard for a play-off
place, Fletcher could be a difference maker and even earn his second
promotion in as many seasons.
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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp eyes Bundesliga raid: Chelsea and West Ham also
interested
By UCHE AMAKO
PUBLISHED: 09:20, Tue, Nov 1, 2016 | UPDATED: 09:26, Tue, Nov 1, 2016
Express.co.uk
The 22-year-old left back was linked with a move to Liverpool last season
but opted to remain with the Bundesliga club. But he is yet to sign a new
deal and would be free to agree a pre-contract with another club in January.
And according to German newspaper Bild, Liverpool, Chelsea and West Ham are
all watching Kolasinac's situation. The full-back is quoted as saying: "It
must match for both sides. I have no time pressure." Schalke's sporting
director Christian Heidel added: "Sead is a real Schalke boy - we would like
to keep him." Jurgen Klopp snapped up defender Joel Matip from Schalke on a
free transfer in February after he entered the final year of his contract.
And with doubts over left-back Alberto Moreno, a move for Kolasinac is a
genuine possibility.
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West Ham FC transfer news: AC Milan keen to take Hammers flop Simone Zaza
back to Italy
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
AC Milan are ready to offer Simone Zaza a route out of West Ham. The striker
is currently on loan at the Hammers from Juventus but he has struggled to
adapt to the Premier League. It has sparked rumours that the 25-year-old is
ready to return to Italy in January and Napoli have already shown an
interest. However, according to Calciomercato, Milan are also working hard
on bringing Zaza to the San Siro. The Italian club have been tracking the
forward since September, when they first heard he could be off in January.
West Ham's decision to cancel Zaza's loan is likely to rest on them signing
another striker and they have been linked with Torino's Andrea Belotti and
Manolo Gabbiadini of Napoli.
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ALL WE ARE SAYING, IS GIVE US A GOAL.
By Tony Hanna 1 Nov 2016 at 08:00
WestHamTillIDie
This season has been like a circus ride for West Ham fans so far, but that
is not so unusual is it? Some dismal displays followed by a nice little run,
followed by reverting to type against our annual bogey team, Everton. All
this whilst trying to settle into what is the powder keg Olympic Stadium.
Sorry, just can't bring myself to call it the London Stadium. We currently
sit in seventeenth place and after the Stoke game this weekend a four game
run looms against Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool away,
sandwiched with a home match against Arsenal. We can also throw in a LC
quarter final in Manchester for good measure. Now, I know we often surprise
ourselves with results against the big guns, but if the obvious happens we
will likely still be hovering around the relegation zone by mid December. To
be honest, I very much doubt we will get relegated but this season of
transition is proving to be pretty tough.
In my view, for Premier League teams to be successful they need at least one
proven goal scoring striker. Cream will always eventually rise to the top
and whilst average teams can make themselves very hard to beat with coaches
making their teams disciplined and very well organised, it is unlikely that
will be enough to achieve honours. A team that can share their goals around
can be successful too, but a proven goal scorer will surely take them to the
next level? Vardy was an integral part of Leicester's bombshell last season
and look how Suarez almost single handedly did the same for Liverpool three
seasons ago, only to fall at the last hurdle. Aguerro's goals for City have
been the catalyst for their recent successes and where would Spurs have
finished without Harry Kane? Yes, these are all good sides but a proven goal
scorer makes the difference between a good side and a very good side. Even
when these top strikers aren't scoring, they are constantly making enough
diversions and distractions for others in their team to score.
So to us then. Over the past few seasons we have had Andy Carroll and Diafra
Sakho. When we have had either of them on the pitch we have looked a much
more potent force. The trouble is, getting them on the pitch. With the
expected transfer of Sakho to West Brom prior to the seasons start, our
owners were brandishing around their plan of signing a 20 goal a season
striker. The list of names on their bucket list was eventually whittled down
and we ended up with Zaza and Calleri. Both on loan deals thankfully. The
form of our most used striker this season, Zaza, has been nothing short of
awful. I don't care who he has played for before, whether he has played for
Italy, what other famous managers have thought enough about him to sign him,
the fact is he has been dreadful for us. He hasn't even looked like scoring
a goal and his movement to drag defenders out of position to open up space
for Payet and Lanzini is almost non existent. This has to have an effect on
our overall play. Quality strikers do much more than just score goals – they
create so much space and opportunity just with their presence and guile.
That is something that our current lot are not doing with the exception of
Antonio. It is not surprising to see some upturn in our fortunes when Slav
decided to turn our right back into a striker!
We have brought in Zaza, Calleri, Fletcher and Ayew this season to join
Carroll and Sakho and after SIXTEEN competitive games so far this season not
ONE has scored a goal! Some of those mentioned have not had much, or if any,
game time but those facts still make disturbing reading. When you also take
into account that Payet is in the top four chance creators this season in
the Premier League it is dismal. The stats get even worse when you consider
that Antonio is our leading goal scorer with five goals, but since being
actually played as a striker he has failed to find the back of the net
either. Ayew is already getting quite a bit of flak on the blog, but for me
he will offer the side quite a lot once he is fully fit and given a run in
the side. Some may argue he is not a recognised striker anyway, but for me
that is what the club bought him for. Given the loan terms apparently in
place for Zaza I will be amazed if he makes many more appearances for the
club. One of the frustrating things for the fans is the cloak and daggers
stuff sprouted by the owners and the medical team about the impending
returns of Carroll and Sakho. The continual maze of contradictions regarding
the pair would pale into insignificance if we had another striker at the
club scoring a few? But, we don't!
Please check back after the match for the results.
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Conman, 48, who tricked ex-England boss Sam Allardyce and West Ham stars
Andy Caroll and Kevin Nolan out of thousands in a Christmas hamper scam is
found guilty of fraud
Stephen Ackerman, 48, sold luxury hampers to West Ham staff and players
Ex-England manager Sam Allardyce and striker Andy Carroll were targeted
Ackerman took payments on a chip and PIN device and was later arrested
By STEPHANIE LINNING FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 19:22, 31 October 2016 | UPDATED: 21:36, 31 October 2016
A man who conned former England manager Sam Allardyce out of thousands of
pounds in a Christmas hamper scam has been found guilty of fraud. Stephen
Ackerman, 48, of Loughton, Essex, touted luxury goods and champagne to West
Ham staff and players, taking payments with a chip and PIN device. Thousands
of pounds were later taken from the same accounts in unauthorised payments.
Among those targeted was Andy Carroll, 27, who paid £2,500 for bogus goods
before his account was raided for a further £10,500, the court heard. Former
captain Kevin Nolan, 34, former defender James Tomkins, 27, former full-back
Joey O'Brien and defender Aaron Cresswell, 26, also lost money in the scam.
Ackerman was today found guilty of 18 counts of fraud, totalling more than
£60,000 at Snaresbrook Crown Court, London. The court heard how Ackerman
used the pseudonym Mark Kingston when he visited the West Ham training
ground in east London in December 2014. He took payment from a number of
players and staff using a handheld chip and PIN device. Allardyce was
fleeced out of money after paying for six bottles of wine and six bottles of
champagne while in charge of the football club, the court heard. James
Tomkins, now at Crystal Palace, handed over £750 while Cresswell paid £180.
But the deliveries never appeared and unauthorised payments totaling
thousands of pounds were taken from victims' accounts in the following
weeks. Allardyce had a total of £13,000 taken and Tomkins lost £30,000 in
unauthorised transactions, the jury was heard. O'Brien, who left the club in
July after five years, is said to have lost £1,950 in total. Nolan was also
targeted in the scam. The Premier League stars reported the matter to
police. Ackerman was caught after search warrants were carried out at
addresses linked to him throughout Essex and Hertfordshire. Investigations
also showed that his vehicle was close to the training ground immediately
before and after the fraudster had arrived and left the venue. Acting
Detective Sergeant Jamie Snell, from Newham CID, said: 'Ackerman preyed on
the trust of people he approached and essentially told an elaborate pack of
lies in order to get them to part with their cash. 'He defrauded a total of
£61,047 from his victims and thought that due to their fame they would never
report the matter to the police. 'He is a confident and accomplished
fraudster and we are delighted to have received this verdict from the jury
today.' Ackerman will be sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on November
25.
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West Ham striker crisis: Bilic readying bold change as latest Lacazette hope
is dashed
WEST HAM are in dire straits over their striker crisis with Slaven Bilic
reportedly ready to turn to Diafra Sakho to save them.
By JACK STAPLEHURST
PUBLISHED: 05:19, Tue, Nov 1, 2016 | UPDATED: 06:01, Tue, Nov 1, 2016
Express.co.uk
The Hammers' summer signings up front have failed to deliver so far, leaving
the club in 17th spot with 10 games gone. Simone Zaza has flopped since his
arrival on a season-long loan from Juventus with a view to a permanent deal.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Calleri has not been up to standard, youngster Ashley
Fletcher is still developing and £20.5m record buy Andre Ayew has missed the
majority of the campaign up to now through injury. West Ham's ambition in
the summer transfer window was to land a prolific goalscorer to complement
their creative stars such as Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini. But European
aspirations have been put on hold with the club currently fighting to pull
away from the relegation places at the London Stadium.
According to the Mirror, Alexandre Lacazette remains a highly optimistic
target for West Ham, having chased the Lyon hitman throughout the window.
The France international rejected the Hammers, but it is claimed the club
are exploring all options amid their goalscoring dilemma. None of Bilic's
strikers have scored in any competition yet this term, and any thoughts of
going back in again for Lacazette appear to have been quashed. Lyon are keen
to hand the 25-year-old a new deal, as club president Jean Michel Aulas on
Saturday said: "I would like for us to be able to extend Alexandre's
contract." The highly-rated striker preferred a switch to Arsenal in the
summer but no move materialised, and now Lyon want his future secured
following his nine goals in nine games to start the new season. In the near
future, Bilic will apparently push for a return to the team for Sakho as
soon as possible. The 26-year-old has endured a host of injury problems
since arriving in east London but shown the club he is a goalscorer. Despite
growing unhappy last season after not being offered a new deal and nearly
leaving for West Brom this summer, West Ham are preparing to reintroduce
him.
Sakho has been recovering from a long-term back issue, causing him to fail a
medical with the Baggies, but he returned to first-team training finally
yesterday, having worked with the Under-23s last week. The striker needs to
get up to match fitness, meaning an appearance at home to Stoke in the
Premier League on Saturday is doubtful, leaving Michail Antonio likely to be
their make-shift striker once again. However, after the international break,
Bilic is reportedly expected to deploy the Senegal international up top to
rediscover West Ham's attacking threat. Sakho's attitude has apparently
softened and he has rebuilt bridges at the London Stadium.
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Injury and suspension double impact for West Ham ahead of crucial Stoke
clash
HITC
Damien Lucas
West Ham United saw their chances of victory over Stoke City this coming
Saturday increase on Monday night. The Hammers take on the Potters at the
London Stadium knowing a victory is crucial having slipped down to 17th
place following defeat to Everton last time out. Meanwhile Stoke are fresh
from beating Swansea City 3-1 on Monday night and sit 12th in the table.
A win would lift Slaven Bilic's side above Mark Hughes' men in the
increasingly congested Premier League standings going into the November
international break and ahead of a hellish month of fixtures which sees the
East Londoners face Spurs, a double header against Manchester United at Old
Trafford, Arsenal and Liverpool in a row. That gives the Stoke game added
significance in West Ham's season and their chances of victory have been
increased after the visitors saw two of their key players likely ruled out
of the game on Monday night.
First Swiss star Xherdan Shaqiri limped off half an hour into the win over
the Swans through injury and looks highly unlikely to be able to feature in
five days time against the Hammers.
Stoke City's Xherdan Shaqiri looks dejected after going off injured
Stoke City's Xherdan Shaqiri looks dejected after going off injured
The playmaker was injured after a robust challenge from Wales defender Neil
Taylor much to the anger of the Stoke fans at the Bet 365 Stadium.
Then with the win all but secured Marko Arnautovic was harshly booked late
on for a tackle on Leroy Fer when replays clearly showed he won the ball
cleanly.
Stoke City's Marko Arnautovic looks dejected
Stoke City's Marko Arnautovic picked up a fifth booking and a suspension
SEE ALSO:
Chelsea midfielder gets it horribly wrong after questioning West Ham fear
factor
Slaven Bilic shares what he told Simone Zaza after his performance against
Crystal Palace
West Ham to ban 200 supporters after derby trouble against Chelsea
It was the Austrian's fifth booking of the season which rules him out of the
trip to West Ham and cannot be appealed.
The Hammers will be missing key defender Winston Reid for the same reason
but will be confident of victory given the double blow to Stoke.
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Ditch the rabonas: Five things we learned from West Ham's defeat at Everton
HITC
Damien Lucas
Five things we learned from West Ham United's 2-0 defeat to Everton at the
weekend.
The Hammers slipped to a sixth defeat from their first 10 Premier League
games at Goodison Park last time out. The defeat was made all the more
frustrating by the fact the Hammers could not make their first half
dominance pay at Goodison Park with a series of missed chances. Here are
five things we learned about the Hammers from the game.
1) Confidence is still fragile despite mini-revival
West Ham showed that their confidence is still very fragile as heads visibly
dropped when they conceded a sloppy goal in the second half. Slaven Bilic's
side had won three games in a row, including that cup win over Chelsea, and
were unbeaten in four going into the game. But as soon as Lukaku put the
Toffees ahead the Hammers looked beaten. It is worrying given the
mini-revival Bilic has overseen in recent weeks and supporters want to see
more courage and determination from their side in those scenarios like they
displayed last season.
2) Some players still haven't learned their lessons from Watford
West Ham were lambasted after their 4-2 home defeat to Watford earlier this
season after throwing away a 2-0 lead. A series of rabonas from Manuel
Lanzini and Dimitri Payet at 2-0 inspired Watford to launch their remarkable
comeback according to Hornets star Troy Deeney who accused Bilic's side of
'taking the mickey' out of them. But while Hammers fans want to see their
side play with flair, it appears some of them haven't learned their lesson.
At 1-0 down against Everton Lanzini was guilty again of overdoing it as he
attempted a ridiculous rabona shot from outside the box rather than keeping
a very dangerous attack alive. Payet kept trying to beat players in tight
positions rather than pass and keep the move going too.
3) Zaza is being readied for hasty West Ham exit
If Simone Zaza can't get into a West Ham side that is not scoring freely and
where his three rivals for a starting spot are injured or not fully fit then
it doesn't bode well. Used as a substitute yet again in favour of winger
Michail Antonio, Zaza clocked up another appearance on his way to activating
the 14-game obligation to buy clause for a whopping £25 million.
That will not be allowed to happen, though, if this game is anything to go
by. Bilic clearly doesn't trust the player and with good reason, the Italian
striker has not even come close to a goal with a quarter of the season gone.
4) Obiang proves Bilic must put the team first not the individual
One criticism that can be levelled at Bilic is that he seems afraid to upset
his star players, even if they are not performing. How Pedro Obiang,
arguably West Ham's best player at Goodison Park and certainly their best
player in the last month, was withdrawn at 1-0 while the likes of Mark
Noble, Dimitri Payet and Antonio stayed on the pitch was beyond most Hammers
fans. Obiang's absence left a gaping hole in midfield which Everton quickly
exploited to make it 2-0 and kill the game. Managers like Ronald Koeman,
Jurgen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola make decisions for the
good of the team as Koeman's recent decision to drop Ross Berkley proves.
Bilic got this one wrong and it did not go unnoticed either.
5) West Ham are not out of the woods yet
While West Ham should have more than enough quality to avoid a relegation
battle, their performance at Everton showed they are not out of the woods
yet. They had turned a corner and Everton is a tough place to go, especially
for West Ham who have lost more to the Blues than any other club in their
history. But with a poor goal difference the Hammers are sat 16th in the
table just three points off the bottom three and with a hellish fixture list
looming in the next month including consecutive games against Spurs, a
double header against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Arsenal and
Liverpool. They need to roll their sleeves up and prove they want to make a
success of their season, especially after Bilic admitted even he could see
the complacency in his side this season.
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West Ham forward Andre Ayew vows to 'be ready' when Slaven Bilic needs him
SAM LONG
Evening Standard
West Ham forward Andre Ayew has vowed to "be ready" when Slaven Bilic
decides he is ready to make his second start of the season. Ayew joined the
Hammers from Swansea in the summer but endured a disastrous start to his
career in east London, picking up a thigh injury just minutes into his
debut. A frustrating spell on the sidelines followed, which coincided with
West Ham's concerning slump in form, but Ayew made his Premier League
comeback in Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Everton. The 26-year-old was delighted to
get more minutes under his belt and is hopeful he will soon be deemed worthy
of a place in Bilic's starting line up. "The injury feels good and I am
working hard. Things are going well and hopefully I can continue like this.
"It is up to the manager when I am ready to start a game but the most
important thing is that we continue to work hard and try and win games. When
the gaffer needs me I will be ready."
Defeat at Goodison Park ended West Ham's unbeaten run of three top-flight
games but Ayew is adamant his teammates should not be disheartened after
coming up short against Ronald Koeman's men. The Hammers host Stoke this
weekend and Ayew is eyeing all three points: "We cannot forget the work we
have put into the last three games because of one defeat and Everton are a
good team," insisted the Ghana international. "We need to learn from our
mistakes and get back to winning ways against Stoke. "We know it will be
another tough games but we are in front of our fans and we can beat them at
home if we do what we have to do." The Hammers have not been at their best
on home soil this season but could climb into the top half of the table with
victory over Mark Hughes' side on Saturday.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United PL2 ran out 2-1 winners over West Bromwich Albion on Monday
night
The result moves the Hammers up to third in Premier League 2 Division 2
Assistant manager Liam Manning was delighted with the performance
PL2 assistant manager Liam Manning praised his side's commitment and desire
as they battled to a 2-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion at the Chigwell
Construction Stadium. The Hammers cruised to a 2-0 first half lead thanks
to an own goal from Baggies defender Jack Fitzwater and a header from Ashley
Fletcher. Dara O'Shea rifled home from the edge of the box in stoppage time
but it wasn't enough as the Hammers leapfrogged their opponents to third in
Premier League 2 Division 2. "We knew it was going to be a tough game
tonight. They (West Brom) are doing well in the league and have some good
players, but our lads really stepped up tonight," said Manning. "It wasn't
the prettiest of games but the lads were resolute, dug in and stuck together
as a team all night long so I'm delighted with how the lads did tonight."
Manager Terry Westley welcomed First Team stars Jonathan Calleri and Ashley
Fletcher to the starting eleven and there was also a return to PL2 action
for Martin Samuelsen. The Norwegian has been on loan at Blackburn Rovers
this season, but did not feature in their match at the weekend so came into
a fresh-looking Hammers PL2 line up. Westley's men got off to the perfect
start when Fletcher turned brilliantly in the penalty area and crossed, only
for Fitzwater to knock the ball into his own net. The Hammers controlled the
rest of the first half and doubled their lead on the half hour mark when
Fletcher headed in Calleri's inviting cross. In the second half, West Brom
tried to force the issue but came up against a brick wall of a defence in
the form of Sam Westley, Alex Pike, Declan Rice and Vashon Neufville. The
home side had chances to add to their lead through Marcus Browne, who forced
a great save from Albion keeper Jack Rose on the hour mark, and Calleri, who
twice went close. The visitors did score a late consolation after O'Shea's
powerful drive, but it was the Hammers who moved up to third in the league
table with the victory. "There's a big emphasis on development and how the
lads perform and sticking to our philosophy. But we do it because we want to
win," added Manning. "I don't think you'll find anybody who doesn't want to
win, staff included. It will be nice to finish up there, so we can build on
the (Premier League) Cup win last year."
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Fletcher hails important PL2 win
WHUFC.com
Ashley Fletcher was on the scoresheet as West Ham United PL2 beat West
Bromwich Albion 2-1 on Monday evening
The Hammers are now up to third in Premier League 2 Division 2 after their
second win in a row.
Fletcher afterwards said he was very happy to get 90 minutes under his belt
Ashley Fletcher hailed the importance of West Ham United PL2's victory over
West Bromwich Albion, as it saw the Hammers go above their opponents in the
league standings. Fletcher was on the scoresheet as a new-look PL2 line-up
cruised to a 2-0 lead inside half an hour. The Hammers No9 for the evening
created the first and headed in the second before West Brom's Dara O'Shea
scored a consolation goal from long range to make the final score 2-1. The
21-year-old was an unused substitute for Slaven Bilic in Saturday's defeat
to Everton but was pleased to 90 minutes on Monday evening. "I've been
involved with the First Team and I'm really enjoying myself but obviously I
want to be playing games as well," said Fletcher. "I came tonight to get 90
minutes in my legs and hopefully when my chance does come in the First Team
I can be ready and take it."
PL2 boss Terry Westley made three changes from the side which battled to a
1-0 win at Middlesbrough last Friday. Martin Samuelsen, who's currently on
loan at Blackburn Rovers, Jonathan Calleri and Fletcher all came into the
starting eleven. The Hammers took a fortituitous lead on seven minutes but
it was earned after brilliant play by Fletcher. He swivelled in the area and
crossed low and hard, only for Baggies defender Jack Fitzwater to fire into
his own net. Fletcher was again amongst the action for the second goal of
the game 25 minutes later - Calleri whipped in a teasing cross after being
played in by Domingos Quina and the Hammers striker planted his header into
the top corner. Albion did score a late consolation after Dara O'Shea
rifled home from the edge of the box but the Hammers held on to what was a
vital three points in their quest for promotion from Premier League 2
Division 2. They're now third, having leapfrogged their opponents with
victory, and Fletcher knew just how important the win was. "It was important
to beat West Brom tonight because we knew they were above us in the league.
For us to overtake them, it's massive and I'm glad I could get on the
scoresheet to help the team," Fletcher added. "The standard is so high here
(in Premier League 2). We've got really good players so for me to come and
play with the lads, get 90 minutes and score is very pleasing."
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Cresswell - I am enjoying the new system
WHUFC.com
Aaron Cresswell says he is relishing the chance to play in a new wing-back
system and hopes to get straight back on the winning trail when the Hammers
host Stoke on Saturday. Cresswell was forced to miss the start of the season
with a knee ligament injury, but he has made a speedy recovery and a timely
return to first-team action.
The Hammers full-back has wasted no time settling into a new formation which
Slaven Bilic has introduced in recent weeks playing three at the back and
two wing-backs.
The move coincided with West Ham enjoying their best run of form as they
went four games unbeaten and saw the team record big victories over Crystal
Palace, Sunderland and Chelsea. Despite the minor setback against Everton on
Sunday, Cresswell is confident they can get back to winning ways this
weekend and says the new system is helping him to show his attacking
qualities. Cresswell said: "I am enjoying the new system. It's nice to get
forward in that formation, trying to create and get up the field to get the
ball in the box, it suits me. "I was saying to the fitness coach and the
physio that I'm feeling better than Wednesday night. It takes time, you can
do all the training in the world but you can't beat getting minutes on the
pitch. "The knee feels good and I am looking forward to the next few games."
The Hammers will be looking to build on recent home victories against
Sunderland and Chelsea and with Stoke just above them in the table, some
reports have suggested it is a must-win game for the Hammers. But Cresswell
strongly disagrees with that theory and says his side have already taken big
steps to turn their season around and will be hoping for another big victory
in front of their own fans. Cresswell said: "Stoke is not a must win game.
Of course we want to win it but it is not must win. "We don't deserve to
label it that because we have had some good results recently and been on a
good run. "We just need to get back to that again this weekend."
Cresswell is refusing to use the memorable win over Chelsea in the EFL Cup
last Wednesday as an excuse for his side's defeat against Everton and says
it would have been a different story if his side had been more clinical in
front of goal. "I don't think the Chelsea game took it out of us. We felt
more than okay in the first half and we had more than enough time to recover
from Chelsea, so we cannot use that as an excuse. "It was down to us taking
our chances, which we didn't do, but we go again next weekend. "We went in
at half time at 0-0 and to be fair, they [Everton] came out all guns blazing
and pegged us back, got the goal and we were chasing the game. "He's
[Lukaku] a tough one, one of the best in world football, he was excellent,
it's a shame we can't stop him. "It's frustrating not to take one of the
chances in first half and he made us pay."
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The Big Interview - Edimilson Fernandes
WHUFC.com
It has been a dream start to life in England for Edimilson Fernandes and he
has played a major role in the Hammers revival in recent games. Fernandes
arrived with a big pedigree following his move from FC Sion during the
summer and has already shown his quality and versatility playing in a number
of different positions and getting on the scoresheet during the memorable
EFL Cup win over Chelsea. The Switzerland U21 international is now hoping to
build on his early success and become a major star for the east London Club
over the next few years....
Edimilson, it has been an incredible start to your career in the Premier
League. Can you tell us about your introduction to top flight football and
why you chose to make the big move to England?
EF: "I was 17 when I made my debut in the Swiss Super League. Playing
first-team football at that age was a shock to me, but it all started from
there and my career has continued to grow. "I always had the ambition of
coming to play in the Premier League, but I never imagine it would be
possible. "I watched the Premier League on television in Switzerland a lot.
I watched Manchester United and enjoyed watching them and their players. My
cousin Gelson played for Manchester City and I also liked them, but I
preferred Manchester United!"
You have a big footballing influence in your family with your cousins Gelson
and Manuel having experience of playing in England. How often do you speak
with them and did they influence your decision to join West Ham?
EF: "I spoke to my cousin Gelson before I joined West Ham. In fact, I speak
to Gelson every day about living in England and the Premier League, and we
both agree it's one of the best leagues in the world. "All of the advice he
has given me has been really useful, and everything he has told me about
English football has come true. Unfortunately, Manuel doesn't speak French,
so I have not spoken to him!"
Have you ever played in the same team as Gelson and how much would you love
to play for the Switzerland at a major tournament?
EF: "I have trained together with Gelson with the national team, but we've
never played together in a team. "I was called-up asked to train with the
squad, but I have not played for Switzerland just yet. If I continue to play
for West Ham, for my club, then after that then the opportunity came to play
for the national team, that would be great. "Although we don't play the same
way, if I could achieve what he has achieved in his career, that would be
amazing. If could do more, that would be even better!"
How much have you been impressed with London Stadium and playing in front of
nearly 60,000 fans. How big a part did that play in your decision to join
the Hammers?
EF: "When I came over for the first time, they took me to see the Stadium
and I really like it. The Stadium is magnificent, I really enjoy playing
there, as do all the players. "When you play in front of 57,000 fans it
gives you goosebumps, it's an amazing feeling and it helps you to play to
your best. "It is a brilliant Stadium and to play in front of 57,000 fans
who push you forward is an unbelievable feeling."
You seem to have wasted no time settling into your new surroundings and feel
very confident on the pitch. How much has it helped you having players who
can speak French in the dressing room?
EF: "It really helps to have them here, and to be honest I didn't realise
there were so many French speakers at the Club, but it is obvious that is
going to be really helpful to me. "We have Dimitri Payet, Cheik Kouyate,
Diafra Sakho, Sofiane Feghouli, Arthur Masuaku and Andre Ayew, so there are
lots of us who can communicate easily."
Did you think you would make such an impact so early on in your career at
West Ham and force your way into the starting line-up?
EF: "When West Ham wanted to sign me, the manager told me that he was going
to count on me, but that I needed to work hard in training to get into the
team.
"At the start I was afraid to leave my old club, so I spoke to the president
and the club and took the plane over to West Ham. In the beginning it was
very scary, but now it's great."
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London Stadium: Sadiq Khan orders investigation over rising costs
BBC.co.uk
"Deeply concerned" London Mayor Sadiq Khan has ordered an investigation into
a £50m increase in the cost of converting West Ham's London Stadium. In
2015, former mayor Boris Johnson said the change from an Olympics arena to a
football stadium would cost £272m, a figure which has now risen to £323m.
The investigation will look into inherited issues including the cost of
moving the retractable seating. A stadium expert has said the ground should
be knocked down and rebuilt. Paul Fletcher, who has built or advised on more
than 30 new grounds, said it should be rebuilt as fans are too far from the
pitch so it is not suitable for football.
The club declined to comment when contacted by BBC Sport.
A spokesperson for the London Mayor said: "The mayor is deeply concerned
about the finances of the Olympic Stadium, which have clearly been left in a
total and utter mess by the previous administration at City Hall. "Sadiq has
ordered a detailed investigation into the full range of financial issues
surrounding the stadium."
Part of the reason for the increase is a rise in the cost to install and
operate the retractable seating, which can be removed for concerts and
athletics events. The cost of £8m a year is up from an estimated cost of
£300,000 because the company originally contracted for the job had gone
bust, reports BBC sports editor Dan Roan.
It means stadium operators London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and
the London taxpayer will need to pick up the additional costs, with Premier
League side West Ham contributing £2.5m-a-year rent, plus the one-off £15m
for the conversion cost. John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers'
Alliance, said: "For too long the details of this shabby deal were kept in
secret and lacked proper scrutiny so Sadiq Khan is absolutely right to look
again at the case.
"It's now down to those in charge of the inquiry to get to the bottom of how
West Ham were gifted the deal of the century while ensuring their
investigation doesn't end up costing the taxpayer as much as the stadium."
West Ham won the bid to occupy the Olympic Stadium in March 2013 and played
their first game there in August 2016, after 112 years at Upton Park.
However, their move has been marred by fan violence, leading the club to
issue a five-point security plan to prevent further disorder.
Analysis
Dan Roan, BBC sports editor
It may have been the centrepiece of London's glorious 2012 Games, but the
story of the Olympic Stadium is becoming more and more troubled.
Last year the BBC revealed West Ham were getting the running costs of their
new home paid for them. Its suitability as a football venue is under fierce
scrutiny because of disorder at matches. A proposed naming rights partner
has walked away. And now there is renewed focus on the finances of a stadium
that has had to be built twice, at an overall cost of £750m.
The soaring costs effectively end any hope of the stadium breaking even
within five years. The LLDC will try to reduce running costs and look to
install more efficient hydraulic retractable seating. But the fear will be
that until then, the staging of some summer concerts and events - crucial
for the stadium's finances - will be affected because of the time it takes
to reconfigure the arena at the end of each season.
Once again there will be tough questions about those originally responsible
for the stadium's legacy, the remarkable deal West Ham struck, and why it
was not designed for dual-use from the very beginning.
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West Ham football Christmas hamper conman found guilty
BBC.co.uk
A conman who tricked former England manager Sam Allardyce and striker Andy
Carroll out of thousands of pounds has been convicted of fraud. Stephen
Ackerman, 48, from Loughton, Essex, was found guilty of 18 counts of fraud
totalling more than £60,000 He visited West Ham football club's training
ground to sell players and backroom staff luxury Christmas hampers in
December 2014. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard £13,270 was taken from Mr
Allardyce. Ackerman will be sentenced later this month.
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard Ackerman, who went by the name Mark Kingston,
took payment for the hampers using a handheld chip and pin device. But
Ackerman never supplied the goods and in the following weeks some of the
victims noticed unauthorised payments, running into thousands of pounds,
charged to their bank accounts.
Acting Det Sgt Jamie Snell, from Newham CID, said: "Ackerman preyed on the
trust of people he approached and essentially told an elaborate pack of lies
in order to get them to part with their cash. "He defrauded a total of
£61,047 from his victims and thought that due to their fame they would never
report the matter to the police. "He is a confident and accomplished
fraudster and we are delighted to have received this verdict from the jury
today."
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Stoke attempting to contact fans with tickets for West Ham fixture
Last Updated: 01/11/16 4:12pm
SSN
Stoke are trying to contact a group of fans after West Ham re-issued tickets
for their Premier League match on Saturday. The move comes as West Ham
attempt to improve segregation inside the London Stadium. Last week, the
Hammers announced significant changes to their segregation policy after
violence erupted between rival fans at their EFL Cup game against Chelsea.
Stoke have sold out their allocation of 2,900 away tickets and are working
hard to contact 85 supporters previously seated in Block 117, who have been
moved. The supporters affected are seated in Block 117 Rows 2-15, Seats
122-124, plus Rows 16-25, Seats 122-125. Stoke have asked fans with tickets
for the areas in question to contact the club's ticket office as soon as
possible. In a bid to avoid a repeat of last Wednesday's violent scenes at
the former Olympic Stadium, West Ham plan to create more distance between
rival fans.
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Mayor Sadiq Khan orders probe into soaring costs at London Stadium
By Paul Kelso, Sky News sports correspondent
Last Updated: 01/11/16 6:40pm
SSN
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has ordered an investigation into the finances of
London Stadium after being told the total cost of converting the arena for
use by West Ham has soared by £51m more than previously revealed.
Mayor Khan announced his investigation after Sky News learned that the
estimated annual cost of moving "retractable" seats, installed to improve
the view for football, has risen to £8m, and that moving the seats back and
forth for summer events including athletics could take a month.
The original estimate was it would cost just £300,000 and take only five
days to move the seats at the end of the football season and another five to
move them back after the summer. Engineers now estimate it could take 15
days to move the seats in each direction.
The seating issue threatens the viability of the stadium's summer schedule,
which next summer includes concerts as well as athletics, and could even
delay West Ham's return for the start of the new football season.
The increase, calculated by stadium operators in the last fortnight, takes
the cost of converting the arena for football from £272m to £323m. This
includes £309m of "comparable" costs, and £14m of "further enhancements",
including expenditure on seating and stewarding.
It takes the total cost of the stadium to £752m, all of which has been met
by the taxpayer apart from a £15m contribution from West Ham.
Khan is said to be deeply concerned at the cost increase and deputy mayor
Jules Pipe told Sky News they have inherited "a mess" from previous mayor,
Boris Johnson.
"Last year the previous administration told the public that the costs had
risen in total to around £270m. The new Mayor has now been told that cost
will be over £320m," Pipe said.
"Understandably Sadiq has ordered an investigation as to why those two
figures are so wildly different. As the new administration at City Hall
clearing up the mess of the previous administration, we need to make sure
that the stadium runs on a sustainable basis and it is affordable to
London."
Pipe said the investigation would look at all aspects of the stadium
including the deal agreed with West Ham, but indicated there was little room
for renegotiation.
"The previous administration did give a good deal to West Ham but it is a
legally binding contract. It will be up to the review to decide how best to
protect the purse of Londoners," he added.
Johnson agreed to West Ham's request to install retractable seating in order
to improve the view for football, and it was intended to allow the stadium
to be quickly and cheaply converted for athletics and other events.
While the seats are described as "retractable", in fact the job of moving
the seats is largely manual. Rather than sliding on wheels or airbeds as at
the Stade de France, the stands are effectively demountable structures that
have to be broken up and shifted by hand.
The problem is complicated by the fact that the original seat contractor,
Alto Seating Solutions, has gone into liquidation.
Warnings that retro-fitting the system would prove costly and problematic
have proved accurate, and may impact on the stadium schedule.
A summer concert series is currently due to begin just three weeks after
West Ham's last home game, with a Depeche Mode concert on June 3.
The World Championships meanwhile end on August 13, 2017, and while they are
unlikely to be disrupted it could delay West Ham's first home game.
Their first two matches of the 2017-18 season are understood to have already
been scheduled to be away from home, but the building work could prevent
them playing at home until September.
The seating issue is the latest problem to beset the stadium which was the
centrepiece of London 2012.
West Ham's move has been dogged by violence inside and outside the stadium,
raising questions about its viability as a football venue.
Last week coins were thrown at Chelsea fans including children during an EFL
Cup tie, and police made six arrests as they battled to keep supporters
apart.
A proposed naming rights deal has also collapsed, with some blaming negative
publicity arising from the violence.
The stadium's legacy has been problematic from the outset. The original plan
of reducing it to a permanent 25,000 seat athletics arena was abandoned when
it failed to attract any sporting tenants.
A £100m offer from West Ham back in 2008 was rejected by government, and the
football solution, with a capacity of 60,000, was approved.
West Ham and Tottenham, who wanted to demolish it and build a football-only
arena, competed for the tenancy with West Ham victorious in large part
because they would tolerate the retention of the track.
In talks with Johnson and the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC)
however they argued for a new lower tier of seating closer to the pitch to
improve the view.
The existing lower tier of seats, initially intended as the only permanent
part of the stadium, was dug out and the new seats retrofitted.
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West Ham trio Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll, Arthur Masuaku targetting returns
for Tottenham clash
By Lyall Thomas
Last Updated: 01/11/16 9:46am
SSN
West Ham are hoping Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll and Arthur Masuaku will be
available for their Premier League clash at Tottenham on November 19. Sakho,
who almost left the club in the summer, has not played for the Hammers at
all this season because of an ongoing back injury, which has troubled the
26-year-old since 2014.
Carroll was ruled out back in August when he picked up a knee injury against
Astra Giurgiu in a Europa League qualifier, which was only meant to sideline
him for six weeks. Masuaku, who signed from Olympiakos in the summer, was
sidelined for a minimum of six weeks when he picked up his own knee injury
in the EFL Cup match against Accrington Stanley on September 29. West Ham
co-chairman David Gold confirmed on Twitter on Monday the trio "should be
back after the international break", which takes place of the weekend of
November 12 and 13. The Hammers have had a difficult start to the season,
sitting just above the bottom three with just three wins from their opening
10 Premier League games.
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Rip it up and start again
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 1st November 2016
By: Staff Writer
A stadium expert has claimed that the only way to correct the problems with
the design of the Olympic Stadium is to knock it down and start from
scratch. Advisor Paul Fletcher has been involved with the creation of
several new stadia in England including Bolton's Macron Stadium and Coventry
City's Ricoh Arena. And he also hit out at the likes of Seb Coe and Tessa
Jowell who were instrumental in deciding that the stadium should be designed
with athletics in mind, long-term, rather than football. "Either we go on as
we are for the next 30 or 40 years or we knock it down and start again,"
Fletcher, speaking to the BBC, said. "I said [at the time] what you must do
is design a football stadium that converts to an athletics stadium for two
weeks of its lifetime. When I build my football stadiums, my number one
concern is the spectator. "What they've done is tried to convert an
athletics stadium into a football pitch and, in my opinion, it doesn't work.
The building was almost built when they started to talk to West Ham. "There
was only going to be one end user and it was only going to be West Ham.
Everyone in those days spoke about legacy. The only legacy was going to be
as a football stadium and they should have been talking to West Ham and ask
them what they want."
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Meeting of the West Ham United Independent Supporters Association – WHUISA
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 1st November 2016
By: Paul Christmas
You are all invited to attend the next meeting of WHUISA which will take
place this Saturday, 5 November at the Hammers Social Club (HSC) in Castle
Street next to the old (Boleyn) ground. The HSC will open from 10am, entry
is free and the meeting will be held upstairs. Start time is 12 noon sharp
and we aim to be finished by 1.30pm to get across to the new place for the
Stoke City annihilation.
A lot of hard work has gone on since the last meeting with good progress
being made. At time of writing over 500 people have pledged their support on
the Facebook page. A WHUISA website is in preparation for a more formal
launch of the association where you will be able to join. Work for the
meeting is ongoing but an agenda will be set shortly and will include
feedback on the future of the HSC while a number of nominations for an
interim committee have been received. Hustings and elections will take
place during the meeting. Anyone else wishing to be considered please let me
know by e-mail on pchristmas@btinternet.com and you must be at the meeting
on Saturday. I would also like to draw your attention to a Charity race
night and curry in aid of the Bobby Moore and Cancer research Funds. It will
be held at the HSC straight after the Stoke match and tickets cost £5 which
can be bought on the door and include your curry.
Please find time to support Bobby and the HSC. Your backing is greatly
appreciated.
Always West Ham,
Paul Christmas
Interim Chair WHUISA
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Ipswich Town scouting West Ham striker over potential move 0
BY ADAM ALLCROFT ON NOV 1, 2016 CHAMPIONSHIP, FEATURED, IPSWICH TOWN,
NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOUR, TRANSFERS
Ipswich Town have been scouting West Ham United's Ashley Fletcher over a
potential move in January according to a report from Read West Ham.
the72.co.uk
When the 20-year-old striker became a free agent in the summer following his
release from Manchester United, he became one of the most tracked players in
the country with many clubs including Barnsley and Leeds United being
interested in signing him. However they ended up failing as Fletcher elected
to stay in the Premier League and sign a deal with West Ham.
However he hasn't had a good time since joining the Hammers. While the East
London club have struggled to adjust to their new surroundings since moving
to the London Stadium, Fletcher has struggled just to get onto the pitch and
has only made six appearances for the club since moving there in January.
This has led to reports that Fletcher may end moving away from West Ham, at
least on a temporary deal, in January and Leeds have already been linked
with another move for him.
But now another Championship club could be about to make a move for Fletcher
after it emerged that Ipswich had been scouting him. Ipswich showed that
they were serious about a potential move as head coach Mick McCarthy and
assistant manager Terry Connor both attended the U23s match against West
Bromwich Albion and they will have definitely been impressed with what they
saw. In the game Fletcher scored and made an assist as the young Hammers got
a 2-1 win over West Brom. Now it will up to the Tractor Boys to see if they
will make a bid in January.
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From England: A possible Zaza-Gabbiadini exchange deal
http://www.calciomercato.com/
01 November at 13:07
According to reports in The Sun, West Ham United are ready to offer
misfiring Simone Zaza to Napoli in exchange for Manolo Gabbiadini. The
25-year-old Italian international striker joined the Hammers on-loan from
Juventus in the summer but the Premier League club will be forced to pay the
Italian club £17.7 million when the player completes 10 appearances. Manager
Slaven Bilic is reportedly keen to off-load Zaza as soon as possible and
it's believed that the East London club are prepared to offer the player
plus £22.5 million to Napoli to bring Gabbiadini to the capital. Napoli boss
Maurizio Sarri is a known admirer of Zaza and was close to landing him last
summer before the player opted to head to England. Aware of this admiration,
Bilic is believed to want to get the deal done in January and with relations
between Gabbiadini and the vesuviani at an all-time low, he may just get his
wish in the new year.
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West Ham boost as Diafra Sakho returns to full training after back injury as
Andy Carroll and Arthur Masuaku also near return to fitness
Diafra Sakho has trained fully with West Ham for the first time this season
Striker has not played a single minute for the Hammers this campaign
His return comes as a boost to manager Slaven Bilic
West Ham take on Stoke City in their next Premier League match
By KIERAN GILL FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 10:43, 1 November 2016 | UPDATED: 10:43, 1 November 2016
West Ham striker Diafra Sakho is taking part in full training for the first
time this season on Tuesday and should be available after the international
break. The 26-year-old has not played for West Ham so far this season
because of a back problem but the Senegal international is joining the first
team at their training ground ahead of schedule. Sakho's return to full
fitness after the break will be a boost to Slaven Bilic, whose West Ham side
sit fourth bottom in the Premier League. The players had Monday off after
their 2-0 loss to Everton on Sunday, but are now preparing to play Stoke
City before the international break begins. Sakho was eased back into
training with the Under-23s last week but was not in the squad for their
Premier League 2 game against West Bromwich Albion on Monday night. It was
West Brom who had to pull out of a £16million deal for Sakho in August
because his medical showed a muscular injury in his back, Sportsmail
understands. Andy Carroll and Arthur Masuaku are also in line to return
after the international break.
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Will Andre Ayew's return push Ashley Fletcher closer to Leeds United loan?
HITC
Dan Coombs
West Ham forward has returned from injury, limited Ashley Fletcher's
chances, who has been interesting Leeds United. Leeds United were outdone in
their efforts to sign Ashley Fletcher on a permanent basis this summer as
the striker chose to sign with West Ham instead. Fletcher, 19, had let his
Manchester United contract expire and was hot property after helping fire
Barnsley to League One promotion in 2015/16. The Sun reported last week that
Leeds are hoping to pursue their interest and land Fletcher on a loan deal
in January, with manager Garry Monk keen on the player. West Ham have barely
played Fletcher in the Premier League, with the striker accumulating 151
minutes across six appearances, and yet to score. Now the Hammers' big money
summer signing Andre Ayew is back in action, and Fletcher has been pushed
further aside. Ayew was signed for £20 million in the summer from Swansea
City, yet was immediately sidelined through injury. The Ghanaian
international has made two substitute appearances in the last week for West
Ham, and is getting back to full fitness. Fletcher was on the bench
alongside him away to Everton, but did not make it onto the pitch. With Andy
Carroll also a contender to return from injury before the transfer window,
Fletcher's chances to make an impact may already have passed him by, the
upcoming EFL Cup game against Manchester United aside. He is at risk of this
season becoming a lost one if he gets into a situation where he is not even
making the bench each week, and a loan move makes sense. At Leeds he may not
be an automatic starter either with Chris Wood scoring regularly and Marcus
Antonsson chipping in; but with games being played twice a week, there is
greater need for rotation. With the Whites pushing hard for a play-off
place, Fletcher could be a difference maker and even earn his second
promotion in as many seasons.
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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp eyes Bundesliga raid: Chelsea and West Ham also
interested
By UCHE AMAKO
PUBLISHED: 09:20, Tue, Nov 1, 2016 | UPDATED: 09:26, Tue, Nov 1, 2016
Express.co.uk
The 22-year-old left back was linked with a move to Liverpool last season
but opted to remain with the Bundesliga club. But he is yet to sign a new
deal and would be free to agree a pre-contract with another club in January.
And according to German newspaper Bild, Liverpool, Chelsea and West Ham are
all watching Kolasinac's situation. The full-back is quoted as saying: "It
must match for both sides. I have no time pressure." Schalke's sporting
director Christian Heidel added: "Sead is a real Schalke boy - we would like
to keep him." Jurgen Klopp snapped up defender Joel Matip from Schalke on a
free transfer in February after he entered the final year of his contract.
And with doubts over left-back Alberto Moreno, a move for Kolasinac is a
genuine possibility.
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West Ham FC transfer news: AC Milan keen to take Hammers flop Simone Zaza
back to Italy
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
AC Milan are ready to offer Simone Zaza a route out of West Ham. The striker
is currently on loan at the Hammers from Juventus but he has struggled to
adapt to the Premier League. It has sparked rumours that the 25-year-old is
ready to return to Italy in January and Napoli have already shown an
interest. However, according to Calciomercato, Milan are also working hard
on bringing Zaza to the San Siro. The Italian club have been tracking the
forward since September, when they first heard he could be off in January.
West Ham's decision to cancel Zaza's loan is likely to rest on them signing
another striker and they have been linked with Torino's Andrea Belotti and
Manolo Gabbiadini of Napoli.
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ALL WE ARE SAYING, IS GIVE US A GOAL.
By Tony Hanna 1 Nov 2016 at 08:00
WestHamTillIDie
This season has been like a circus ride for West Ham fans so far, but that
is not so unusual is it? Some dismal displays followed by a nice little run,
followed by reverting to type against our annual bogey team, Everton. All
this whilst trying to settle into what is the powder keg Olympic Stadium.
Sorry, just can't bring myself to call it the London Stadium. We currently
sit in seventeenth place and after the Stoke game this weekend a four game
run looms against Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool away,
sandwiched with a home match against Arsenal. We can also throw in a LC
quarter final in Manchester for good measure. Now, I know we often surprise
ourselves with results against the big guns, but if the obvious happens we
will likely still be hovering around the relegation zone by mid December. To
be honest, I very much doubt we will get relegated but this season of
transition is proving to be pretty tough.
In my view, for Premier League teams to be successful they need at least one
proven goal scoring striker. Cream will always eventually rise to the top
and whilst average teams can make themselves very hard to beat with coaches
making their teams disciplined and very well organised, it is unlikely that
will be enough to achieve honours. A team that can share their goals around
can be successful too, but a proven goal scorer will surely take them to the
next level? Vardy was an integral part of Leicester's bombshell last season
and look how Suarez almost single handedly did the same for Liverpool three
seasons ago, only to fall at the last hurdle. Aguerro's goals for City have
been the catalyst for their recent successes and where would Spurs have
finished without Harry Kane? Yes, these are all good sides but a proven goal
scorer makes the difference between a good side and a very good side. Even
when these top strikers aren't scoring, they are constantly making enough
diversions and distractions for others in their team to score.
So to us then. Over the past few seasons we have had Andy Carroll and Diafra
Sakho. When we have had either of them on the pitch we have looked a much
more potent force. The trouble is, getting them on the pitch. With the
expected transfer of Sakho to West Brom prior to the seasons start, our
owners were brandishing around their plan of signing a 20 goal a season
striker. The list of names on their bucket list was eventually whittled down
and we ended up with Zaza and Calleri. Both on loan deals thankfully. The
form of our most used striker this season, Zaza, has been nothing short of
awful. I don't care who he has played for before, whether he has played for
Italy, what other famous managers have thought enough about him to sign him,
the fact is he has been dreadful for us. He hasn't even looked like scoring
a goal and his movement to drag defenders out of position to open up space
for Payet and Lanzini is almost non existent. This has to have an effect on
our overall play. Quality strikers do much more than just score goals – they
create so much space and opportunity just with their presence and guile.
That is something that our current lot are not doing with the exception of
Antonio. It is not surprising to see some upturn in our fortunes when Slav
decided to turn our right back into a striker!
We have brought in Zaza, Calleri, Fletcher and Ayew this season to join
Carroll and Sakho and after SIXTEEN competitive games so far this season not
ONE has scored a goal! Some of those mentioned have not had much, or if any,
game time but those facts still make disturbing reading. When you also take
into account that Payet is in the top four chance creators this season in
the Premier League it is dismal. The stats get even worse when you consider
that Antonio is our leading goal scorer with five goals, but since being
actually played as a striker he has failed to find the back of the net
either. Ayew is already getting quite a bit of flak on the blog, but for me
he will offer the side quite a lot once he is fully fit and given a run in
the side. Some may argue he is not a recognised striker anyway, but for me
that is what the club bought him for. Given the loan terms apparently in
place for Zaza I will be amazed if he makes many more appearances for the
club. One of the frustrating things for the fans is the cloak and daggers
stuff sprouted by the owners and the medical team about the impending
returns of Carroll and Sakho. The continual maze of contradictions regarding
the pair would pale into insignificance if we had another striker at the
club scoring a few? But, we don't!
Please check back after the match for the results.
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Conman, 48, who tricked ex-England boss Sam Allardyce and West Ham stars
Andy Caroll and Kevin Nolan out of thousands in a Christmas hamper scam is
found guilty of fraud
Stephen Ackerman, 48, sold luxury hampers to West Ham staff and players
Ex-England manager Sam Allardyce and striker Andy Carroll were targeted
Ackerman took payments on a chip and PIN device and was later arrested
By STEPHANIE LINNING FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 19:22, 31 October 2016 | UPDATED: 21:36, 31 October 2016
A man who conned former England manager Sam Allardyce out of thousands of
pounds in a Christmas hamper scam has been found guilty of fraud. Stephen
Ackerman, 48, of Loughton, Essex, touted luxury goods and champagne to West
Ham staff and players, taking payments with a chip and PIN device. Thousands
of pounds were later taken from the same accounts in unauthorised payments.
Among those targeted was Andy Carroll, 27, who paid £2,500 for bogus goods
before his account was raided for a further £10,500, the court heard. Former
captain Kevin Nolan, 34, former defender James Tomkins, 27, former full-back
Joey O'Brien and defender Aaron Cresswell, 26, also lost money in the scam.
Ackerman was today found guilty of 18 counts of fraud, totalling more than
£60,000 at Snaresbrook Crown Court, London. The court heard how Ackerman
used the pseudonym Mark Kingston when he visited the West Ham training
ground in east London in December 2014. He took payment from a number of
players and staff using a handheld chip and PIN device. Allardyce was
fleeced out of money after paying for six bottles of wine and six bottles of
champagne while in charge of the football club, the court heard. James
Tomkins, now at Crystal Palace, handed over £750 while Cresswell paid £180.
But the deliveries never appeared and unauthorised payments totaling
thousands of pounds were taken from victims' accounts in the following
weeks. Allardyce had a total of £13,000 taken and Tomkins lost £30,000 in
unauthorised transactions, the jury was heard. O'Brien, who left the club in
July after five years, is said to have lost £1,950 in total. Nolan was also
targeted in the scam. The Premier League stars reported the matter to
police. Ackerman was caught after search warrants were carried out at
addresses linked to him throughout Essex and Hertfordshire. Investigations
also showed that his vehicle was close to the training ground immediately
before and after the fraudster had arrived and left the venue. Acting
Detective Sergeant Jamie Snell, from Newham CID, said: 'Ackerman preyed on
the trust of people he approached and essentially told an elaborate pack of
lies in order to get them to part with their cash. 'He defrauded a total of
£61,047 from his victims and thought that due to their fame they would never
report the matter to the police. 'He is a confident and accomplished
fraudster and we are delighted to have received this verdict from the jury
today.' Ackerman will be sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on November
25.
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West Ham striker crisis: Bilic readying bold change as latest Lacazette hope
is dashed
WEST HAM are in dire straits over their striker crisis with Slaven Bilic
reportedly ready to turn to Diafra Sakho to save them.
By JACK STAPLEHURST
PUBLISHED: 05:19, Tue, Nov 1, 2016 | UPDATED: 06:01, Tue, Nov 1, 2016
Express.co.uk
The Hammers' summer signings up front have failed to deliver so far, leaving
the club in 17th spot with 10 games gone. Simone Zaza has flopped since his
arrival on a season-long loan from Juventus with a view to a permanent deal.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Calleri has not been up to standard, youngster Ashley
Fletcher is still developing and £20.5m record buy Andre Ayew has missed the
majority of the campaign up to now through injury. West Ham's ambition in
the summer transfer window was to land a prolific goalscorer to complement
their creative stars such as Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini. But European
aspirations have been put on hold with the club currently fighting to pull
away from the relegation places at the London Stadium.
According to the Mirror, Alexandre Lacazette remains a highly optimistic
target for West Ham, having chased the Lyon hitman throughout the window.
The France international rejected the Hammers, but it is claimed the club
are exploring all options amid their goalscoring dilemma. None of Bilic's
strikers have scored in any competition yet this term, and any thoughts of
going back in again for Lacazette appear to have been quashed. Lyon are keen
to hand the 25-year-old a new deal, as club president Jean Michel Aulas on
Saturday said: "I would like for us to be able to extend Alexandre's
contract." The highly-rated striker preferred a switch to Arsenal in the
summer but no move materialised, and now Lyon want his future secured
following his nine goals in nine games to start the new season. In the near
future, Bilic will apparently push for a return to the team for Sakho as
soon as possible. The 26-year-old has endured a host of injury problems
since arriving in east London but shown the club he is a goalscorer. Despite
growing unhappy last season after not being offered a new deal and nearly
leaving for West Brom this summer, West Ham are preparing to reintroduce
him.
Sakho has been recovering from a long-term back issue, causing him to fail a
medical with the Baggies, but he returned to first-team training finally
yesterday, having worked with the Under-23s last week. The striker needs to
get up to match fitness, meaning an appearance at home to Stoke in the
Premier League on Saturday is doubtful, leaving Michail Antonio likely to be
their make-shift striker once again. However, after the international break,
Bilic is reportedly expected to deploy the Senegal international up top to
rediscover West Ham's attacking threat. Sakho's attitude has apparently
softened and he has rebuilt bridges at the London Stadium.
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Injury and suspension double impact for West Ham ahead of crucial Stoke
clash
HITC
Damien Lucas
West Ham United saw their chances of victory over Stoke City this coming
Saturday increase on Monday night. The Hammers take on the Potters at the
London Stadium knowing a victory is crucial having slipped down to 17th
place following defeat to Everton last time out. Meanwhile Stoke are fresh
from beating Swansea City 3-1 on Monday night and sit 12th in the table.
A win would lift Slaven Bilic's side above Mark Hughes' men in the
increasingly congested Premier League standings going into the November
international break and ahead of a hellish month of fixtures which sees the
East Londoners face Spurs, a double header against Manchester United at Old
Trafford, Arsenal and Liverpool in a row. That gives the Stoke game added
significance in West Ham's season and their chances of victory have been
increased after the visitors saw two of their key players likely ruled out
of the game on Monday night.
First Swiss star Xherdan Shaqiri limped off half an hour into the win over
the Swans through injury and looks highly unlikely to be able to feature in
five days time against the Hammers.
Stoke City's Xherdan Shaqiri looks dejected after going off injured
Stoke City's Xherdan Shaqiri looks dejected after going off injured
The playmaker was injured after a robust challenge from Wales defender Neil
Taylor much to the anger of the Stoke fans at the Bet 365 Stadium.
Then with the win all but secured Marko Arnautovic was harshly booked late
on for a tackle on Leroy Fer when replays clearly showed he won the ball
cleanly.
Stoke City's Marko Arnautovic looks dejected
Stoke City's Marko Arnautovic picked up a fifth booking and a suspension
SEE ALSO:
Chelsea midfielder gets it horribly wrong after questioning West Ham fear
factor
Slaven Bilic shares what he told Simone Zaza after his performance against
Crystal Palace
West Ham to ban 200 supporters after derby trouble against Chelsea
It was the Austrian's fifth booking of the season which rules him out of the
trip to West Ham and cannot be appealed.
The Hammers will be missing key defender Winston Reid for the same reason
but will be confident of victory given the double blow to Stoke.
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Ditch the rabonas: Five things we learned from West Ham's defeat at Everton
HITC
Damien Lucas
Five things we learned from West Ham United's 2-0 defeat to Everton at the
weekend.
The Hammers slipped to a sixth defeat from their first 10 Premier League
games at Goodison Park last time out. The defeat was made all the more
frustrating by the fact the Hammers could not make their first half
dominance pay at Goodison Park with a series of missed chances. Here are
five things we learned about the Hammers from the game.
1) Confidence is still fragile despite mini-revival
West Ham showed that their confidence is still very fragile as heads visibly
dropped when they conceded a sloppy goal in the second half. Slaven Bilic's
side had won three games in a row, including that cup win over Chelsea, and
were unbeaten in four going into the game. But as soon as Lukaku put the
Toffees ahead the Hammers looked beaten. It is worrying given the
mini-revival Bilic has overseen in recent weeks and supporters want to see
more courage and determination from their side in those scenarios like they
displayed last season.
2) Some players still haven't learned their lessons from Watford
West Ham were lambasted after their 4-2 home defeat to Watford earlier this
season after throwing away a 2-0 lead. A series of rabonas from Manuel
Lanzini and Dimitri Payet at 2-0 inspired Watford to launch their remarkable
comeback according to Hornets star Troy Deeney who accused Bilic's side of
'taking the mickey' out of them. But while Hammers fans want to see their
side play with flair, it appears some of them haven't learned their lesson.
At 1-0 down against Everton Lanzini was guilty again of overdoing it as he
attempted a ridiculous rabona shot from outside the box rather than keeping
a very dangerous attack alive. Payet kept trying to beat players in tight
positions rather than pass and keep the move going too.
3) Zaza is being readied for hasty West Ham exit
If Simone Zaza can't get into a West Ham side that is not scoring freely and
where his three rivals for a starting spot are injured or not fully fit then
it doesn't bode well. Used as a substitute yet again in favour of winger
Michail Antonio, Zaza clocked up another appearance on his way to activating
the 14-game obligation to buy clause for a whopping £25 million.
That will not be allowed to happen, though, if this game is anything to go
by. Bilic clearly doesn't trust the player and with good reason, the Italian
striker has not even come close to a goal with a quarter of the season gone.
4) Obiang proves Bilic must put the team first not the individual
One criticism that can be levelled at Bilic is that he seems afraid to upset
his star players, even if they are not performing. How Pedro Obiang,
arguably West Ham's best player at Goodison Park and certainly their best
player in the last month, was withdrawn at 1-0 while the likes of Mark
Noble, Dimitri Payet and Antonio stayed on the pitch was beyond most Hammers
fans. Obiang's absence left a gaping hole in midfield which Everton quickly
exploited to make it 2-0 and kill the game. Managers like Ronald Koeman,
Jurgen Klopp, Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola make decisions for the
good of the team as Koeman's recent decision to drop Ross Berkley proves.
Bilic got this one wrong and it did not go unnoticed either.
5) West Ham are not out of the woods yet
While West Ham should have more than enough quality to avoid a relegation
battle, their performance at Everton showed they are not out of the woods
yet. They had turned a corner and Everton is a tough place to go, especially
for West Ham who have lost more to the Blues than any other club in their
history. But with a poor goal difference the Hammers are sat 16th in the
table just three points off the bottom three and with a hellish fixture list
looming in the next month including consecutive games against Spurs, a
double header against Manchester United at Old Trafford, Arsenal and
Liverpool. They need to roll their sleeves up and prove they want to make a
success of their season, especially after Bilic admitted even he could see
the complacency in his side this season.
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West Ham forward Andre Ayew vows to 'be ready' when Slaven Bilic needs him
SAM LONG
Evening Standard
West Ham forward Andre Ayew has vowed to "be ready" when Slaven Bilic
decides he is ready to make his second start of the season. Ayew joined the
Hammers from Swansea in the summer but endured a disastrous start to his
career in east London, picking up a thigh injury just minutes into his
debut. A frustrating spell on the sidelines followed, which coincided with
West Ham's concerning slump in form, but Ayew made his Premier League
comeback in Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Everton. The 26-year-old was delighted to
get more minutes under his belt and is hopeful he will soon be deemed worthy
of a place in Bilic's starting line up. "The injury feels good and I am
working hard. Things are going well and hopefully I can continue like this.
"It is up to the manager when I am ready to start a game but the most
important thing is that we continue to work hard and try and win games. When
the gaffer needs me I will be ready."
Defeat at Goodison Park ended West Ham's unbeaten run of three top-flight
games but Ayew is adamant his teammates should not be disheartened after
coming up short against Ronald Koeman's men. The Hammers host Stoke this
weekend and Ayew is eyeing all three points: "We cannot forget the work we
have put into the last three games because of one defeat and Everton are a
good team," insisted the Ghana international. "We need to learn from our
mistakes and get back to winning ways against Stoke. "We know it will be
another tough games but we are in front of our fans and we can beat them at
home if we do what we have to do." The Hammers have not been at their best
on home soil this season but could climb into the top half of the table with
victory over Mark Hughes' side on Saturday.
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