Arnautovic crowned Betway Hammer of the Year
WHUFC.com
Marko Arnautovic has been crowned as the 2017/18 Betway Hammer of the Year.
The Austria international forward has been recognised for his outstanding
season for West Ham United by becoming the 40th different player to win the
acclaim of the Claret and Blue Army. Arnautovic, who has scored ten goals
and registered four assists in 31 appearances, won 68 per cent of the vote,
with Declan Rice finishing as runner-up, and Pablo Zabaleta third. "This
award that I have received today, I am very happy and very proud," he said.
"I want to keep doing my job for this Club because I came here to do my job
and everybody has seen what I can do and that I'm very happy to be here and
I want to keep doing it. "I want to thank every single fan who supports West
Ham for this award. It means a lot to me. It was hard for me at the
beginning of the season but now it's going well and I want to do my job for
many years to come. We are not finished yet. "I try to do my best. The
gaffer gave me some advice which was to run hard and do my best and I did
it. All the players helped me. I love them and they love me - you can hear
this! "The best moment? Of course scoring goals is a good moment for me, but
to receive these awards is the best moment so far for me. I'll do my best in
the last four games, I'll give everything and then we're going to go on
holiday and come back and do better next season. "Thank you all for this and
I love you all!"
Arnautovic has enjoyed a superb debut season in E20, scoring those ten goals
in his last 16 Premier League appearances, during a hot run of form over the
winter and spring months Having signed for a Club record fee from Stoke City
in the summer, Arnautovic's first goal for the Hammers was a memorable one,
as he fired David Moyes' men to a 1-0 London Stadium triumph over Chelsea in
December. He followed that with four more strikes before 2017 was out – one
at his former side Stoke, another against Newcastle and a Boxing Day brace
at AFC Bournemouth. Arnautovic's appetite for goals showed no sign of
slowing as the calendar turned over into 2018, with vital contributions at
Huddersfield Town and against Watford and Southampton at home, helping the
Hammers to important victories.
He reached double figures with a fierce strike in last Sunday's defeat at
Arsenal, becoming the first Hammer to hit ten Premier League goals in a
season since Diafra Sakho in 2014/15. Arnautovic's Hammer of the Year
honours capped his three trophies at the 2017/18 Player Awards brought to by
Betway in aid of the Academy, which were held at InterContinental London –
The O2 on Wednesday night.
Award Winners
Betway Hammer of the Year – Marko Arnautovic
Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by JM Sealant Contracts – Ken Brown
Goal of the Season sponsored by Mulalley & Co – Pedro Obiang v Tottenham
Hotspur
Signing of the Season sponsored by Lycamobile – Marko Arnautovic
Players' Player of the Season sponsored by Peter Rayney Tax Consulting –
Marko Arnautovic
Young Player of the Year sponsored by Eurostat Office Supplies – Declan Rice
Dylan Tombides Award sponsored by Blue Cube Security – Conor Coventry
Ladies Players' Player of the Year sponsored by Spire London East Hospital
– Ellie Zoepf
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Magical Marko named Players' Player of the Year
WHUFC.com
Marko Arnautovic picked up his second award of the night when he was named
2017/18 Players' Player of the Year sponsored by Peter Rayney Tax
Consulting.
Arnautovic won the acclaim of his fellow players after smashing in ten goals
– six of them coming in winning efforts – since his summer 2017 move from
Stoke City.
The Austrian is a popular figure in the dressing room and he beat off
competition from the likes of Pablo Zabaleta, Declan Rice, Angelo Ogbonna
and Aaron Cresswell to follow Manuel Lanzini in winning this prize.
Arnautovic was earlier named the Signing of the Season sponsored by
Lycamobile
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Ellie Zoepfl wins inaugural Ladies Players' Player of the Year prize
WHUFC.com
Ellie Zoepfl is the inaugural Ladies Players' Player of the Year sponsored
by Spire London East Hospital. Zoepfl has been one of the outstanding
performers in a landmark campaign for the Ladies, who have lifted two
trophies in recent weeks while going unbeaten in the whole of 2018 to date –
a run that has stretched for 13 games. American midfielder Zoepfl has been
in unstoppable form since linking up with the Hammers in November, netting
ten goals in 13 games and playing a key role in the success of Karen Ray's
side. Zoepfl was one of a number of contenders for this award, with the
likes of defender Hannah Wheeler and striker Kelly Wealthall pushing her
hard for the prize. "It feels really really good to win this award, but I
wouldn't be anywhere without my teammates," she said modestly.
"With the change of coaching, we've changed the attitude among the players
and it has been amazing. We've won two trophies and winning is fun so it's
been a really fun season. "We don't want the season to end! We're just
getting into our groove and if we had been like this at the start of the
season we would have probably been at the top of the table. This has been my
first season at the Club and I appreciate everything that has been done for
me. The players and coaching staff give me the confidence to play how I've
been playing."
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Obiang collects Goal of the Season prize for Wembley scorcher
WHUFC.com
Pedro Obiang's outstanding strike at Tottenham Hotspur has won the Club's
2017/18 Goal of the Season award, sponsored by Mulalley & Co. The Spaniard's
scorcher at Wembley Stadium was the winner of the whufc.com fan vote,
polling 59 percent, ahead of Chicharito's individual strike at Brighton &
Hove Albion in second. Marko Arnautovic's volley in the home 3-0 victory
over Southampton was in third place. Obiang's goal was one that will live
long in the memory of Hammers fans, as he picked up possession midway inside
the Spurs half with seemingly little on. He looked for a pass, but instead
spied an opportunity to shoot from 30 yards, taking the chance with real
aplomb as his right-footed rocket flew past Hugo Lloris and rifled into the
top left-hand corner. "For me it was something different because every day
in training I try to shoot differently towards the far post, but this time I
went for the near post and it went in!" he smiled. "It was really nice and a
really emotional goal, especially because it was at Wembley too!"
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Arnautovic wins Signing of the Season
WHUFC.com
Marko Arnautovic has capped a fine debut campaign in Claret and Blue by
being named the 2017/18 Signing of the Season sponsored by Lycamobile. The
29-year-old forward, who has scored ten goals and laid on a further four
more in his first 31 appearances as a Hammer, beat off competiton from
Chicharito and Pablo Zabaleta to lift the award. Arnautovic was a clear
winner of the whufc.com fan poll, taking 74 per cent of the vote, and he was
thrilled to pick up the first trophy of the evening. The No7 joins the likes
of Edimilson Fernandes, Dimitri Payet and Adrian in winning this award in
recent years. Stay right here to find out all the award winners from the
2018 Player Awards brought to you by Betway in aid of the Academy.
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Declan Rice retains Young Hammer of the Year prize
WHUFC.com
Declan Rice has won the Young Hammer of the Year sponsored by Eurostat
Office Supplies for the second season in a row. Nineteen-year-old Rice has
made his mark in a terrific campaign after debuting on the final day of
2016/17, building on that by appearing in the Premier League a further 22
times so far this term.
The versatile youngster recently made his senior Republic of Ireland debut,
winning the Man of the Match award to cap a remarkable campaign which has
seen him perform admirably at centre-half and in midfield. After stepping
off the bench in the season opener at Manchester United, Rice has gone from
strength-to-strength, playing some part in all but one of the Hammers'
top-flight games in 2018 and earning praise from his fellow players and fans
alike. "There were other great candidates who have had great years, so I'm
very grateful that I've done enough to win this award for a second straight
year," he said. "It's been a great year and I can't wait to end it strongly.
"It's been an amazing year. I was picking up this award last year and I was
talking about loan options, but now I've made 30-odd appearances, have had
some praise from some top, top people and I'm loving every minute of it and
I can't wait to play more games and win more trophies in the future."
Rice has played in huge games this season, including the 3-2 EFL Cup win
over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley and the recent 1-1 Premier League draw at
his boyhood club Chelsea, but it was another match which he picked as his
standout moment of 2017/18 so far. "It was the game against Southampton
which we won 3-0. There was so much pressure in that game, as we'd come back
after three weeks and we won 3-0. "For the manager to put me in and trust me
and for us to get a clean sheet and win, that was my proudest and best
moment of the season."
Rice expressed his gratitude for the support and mentoring he has received
this standout season, from his old Academy coaches, the first-team staff and
teammates alike. "You've only got to go into the Academy to see how much
work is going. There are so many top people there working and they are
bringing top players through and the U23s are beating Manchester City and
Manchester United, which shows how well we're doing. "Credit to Terry
Westley and his staff – Liam Manning, Steve Potts and Mark Phillips – for
giving players their opportunities and making them better. A massive thank
you to all them for getting me to this point. "All of my teammates have been
there for me. I've been lucky to come through with this group of lads, who
have all been in my position, the likes of Joe Hart and Marko Arnautovic,
who are like older brothers to me, and Nobes, Ginge and Andy Carroll.
"That's the thing about this squad. We're all so close that anyone can go to
anyone and it's great to be part of this squad."
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Conor Coventry wins Dylan Tombides Award
WHUFC.com
Eighteen-year-old midfielder Conor Coventry is the winner of the 2017/18
Dylan Tombides Award sponsored by Blue Cube Security, recognising an
outstanding season for the youngster with the Academy. Coventry, who has
been capped by the Republic of Ireland up to U19 level, has featured
regularly for the Premier League 2 side this season, playing ten games as
Terry Westley's side achieved a top half finish in their first season back
at the top tier of U23 football. With four EFL Trophy and four U18 Premier
League appearances also under his belt, Coventry has made great strides over
the past twelve months, beating fellow nominees Ben Johnson, Ajibola Alese
and Domingos Quina to lift the prize. Named in memory of the sadly departed
Dylan Tombides, this award recognises the Academy Player of the Year and
after collecting the trophy Coventry could not hide his delight. "Dylan left
a great legacy at the Club, to so win the award named after him is a great
feeling," he said. "I'm really proud. "It's been a big season for me -
appearing against senior teams in the Checkatrade Trophy, and going to both
Man City and Man United away in PL2 and winning was great. I'd pick out the
United game as the highlight, I played well that day and it was a great win.
"It was always a target to play PL2 this year, but I didn't expect to play
as much as I did. I'm very pleased with the season, it's been a success.
"Seeing Declan Rice play so many times for the first team this season is a
massive inspiration. It drives everyone to work harder and keep trying and
it just shows us we can get there."
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Arnautovic thanks 'every single fan' for Hammer of the Year award
WHUFC.com
Marko Arnautovic has thanked 'every single West Ham fan' after being crowned
Hammer of the Year for the first time. The Austrian attacker continued his
outstanding debut season in Claret and Blue by winning the supporters' vote
for their player of the season, which was announced at Wednesday's 2018
Player Awards, brought to you by Betway in aid of the Academy, at the
Intercontinental London – The O2. Speaking to West Ham TV amidst loud and
widespread acclaim from his teammates – Pablo Zabaleta thanked Arnautovic
for letting the players attend 'his party' – the No7 was quick to pay
tribute to tens of thousands of supporters who now sing his name every
matchday. "I want to thank every single fan who supports West Ham for this
award," he said, before telling his West Ham teammates to keep up their
cheering! "It means a lot to me. It was hard for me at the beginning of the
season but now it's going well and I want to do my job for many years to
come. We are not finished yet. "This award that I have received, I am very
happy and very proud. I want to keep doing my job for this Club because I
came here to do my job and everybody has seen what I can do and that I'm
very happy to be here and I want to keep doing it. "I try to do my best. The
gaffer gave me some advice which was to run hard and do my best and I did
it. All the players helped me. I love them and they love me – you can hear
this!"
Arnautovic has formed a close bond with the Claret and Blue Army following
his Club-record move from Stoke City last summer, overcoming a difficult
start to plunder ten Premier League goals and impress all with his
work-rate, commitment and passion for the cause. With four top-flight
matches left to play, starting with Sunday's visit of champions Manchester
City, the recently-turned 29-year-old is looking to repay the fans' support
with another important goal or two at London Stadium "The best moment so
far? Of course, every time I score a goal is a good moment for me, but to
receive these awards is the best moment so far for me. "I'll do my best in
the last four games, I'll give everything and then we're going to go on
holiday and come back and do better next season. "Thank you all for this and
I love you all!"
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Hammers heroes to feature in Team Isla fundraising match
WHUFC.com
A host of Hammers favourites from years gone by will pull on their boots
again to raise funds for brave Isla Caton. Isla, from Hornchurch in Essex,
was diagnosed with a rare child cancer called Neuroblastoma – the same
disease which tragically took the life of heroic young Sunderland fan
Bradley Lowery last year – in March 2017. The three-year-old's family, who
are all lifelong West Ham United supporters, are trying to raise £400,000 to
take Isla to the United States for immunotherapy – which involves the
injection of an antibody therapy – not currently available in this country.
The next fundraising event will take place on Sunday 6 May at Redbridge FC
in the shape of a star-studded football match between Team Celebrity and
Team Isla.
Among those who have confirmed their participation are former West Ham
players Jack Collison, Paul Konchesky, Matty Etherington, Jimmy Walker,
Rufus Brevett, Kenny Brown and Marlon Harewood. They will be joined by West
Ham-supporting boxers Mark Little and Sammy McNess, snooker player Mark
King, The Apprentice star Sofiane Khelfa, comedian Neg Dupree and reality TV
star Jeff Brazier.
Tickets for the match, which will kick-off at 2pm at Oakside Stadium, are
priced at £10 for Adults, £5 for Children aged between two and 12 and free
for youngsters aged one and under. Family tickets for two Adults and two
Children are available for £26.
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Moyes: We're going to need the fans to make sure we get over the line
WHUFC.com
David Moyes says the support of a capacity London Stadium crowd will be
vital to West Ham United's chances of beating Manchester City. The Hammers
will go into Sunday's fixture with the Premier League champions as
outsiders, but manager Moyes believes the Claret and Blue Army can play a
big part in the Hammers upsetting the odds. Speaking at Wednesday's Player
Awards, brought to by Betway in aid of the Academy, the Scot encouraged West
Ham fans to recreate the atmosphere which inspired his team to a 3-0 home
victory over Southampton at the end of March.
"On the day against Southampton, I thought the supporters were right there
for us and supporters understand when they're really needed, and they
understood how much they were needed on that day, just like we're going to
need them in the next three home games," he told host Alvin Martin, his
staff, players and 600 guests at the Intercontinental London at the O2.
"We're going to need 60,000 people helping us to make sure we get over the
line and we get in the right place.
"I want my team to play much better in games and to continue to improve. We
had the disappointing day against Burnley, when it affected the players, so
to play as well as we did against Southampton, it showed what it meant to
them and we bounced right back. "We had a brilliant first half and I think
that day was a really important day, not only for the players but also for
the Club as well. From that, the players have grown as well, with more
confidence and more self-belief. We're playing well at the moment and
hopefully they continue to do that."
As a former Celtic player and Everton and Manchester United manager, Moyes
has plenty of experience of working in high-pressure environments with
demanding supporters. The boss, who turned 55 on Wednesday, is relishing
those surroundings as well in east London and is hoping the passion shines
through again on Sunday afternoon. "I draw comparisons to Glasgow, as
Glasgow is probably similar to the East End of London in many ways, as
supporters are tough, rough, know exactly what they want and let you know
when it's not going well. "When you've been in cities like Glasgow and
Liverpool and at passionate football clubs, coming to West Ham, you know
exactly what you're getting. "When you used to come to Upton Park, you knew
exactly what you were getting over the years and I don't think that's
changed."
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The men who put West Ham United on the map
WHUFC.com
Saturday 26 April 1958 remains a pivotal date in the history of West Ham
United.
Playing 250 miles away at Middlesbrough, in the final match of the season,
goals from John Dick, Vic Keeble and Malcolm Musgrove sealed a 3-1 victory
for Ted Fenton's team.
More importantly, the two points secured the old Second Division title for
the Hammers and promotion back to the top tier of English football after 26
years.
Over 1,000 jubilant Hammers fans were packed on the platform at Kings Cross
station to welcome captain Noel Cantwell and his team-mates as they stepped
off their train as champions.
For Cantwell and his close friend Malcolm Allison, it was a long-awaited
reward for their creative and modern approach, cooked up at Cassetari's Café
on Barking Road – the origins of the famed 'Academy'.
The goals for Dick and Keeble made it 50 in total from the prolific strike
partnership. What made their tally even remarkable was the fact that neither
had scored a league goal between them until late October!
In fact, back-up striker Billy Dare had initially been the main man in front
of goal, scoring ten goals in the first ten games – five of which ended in
defeat
Once Dick and Keeble clicked, however, so did the team. With the steady
hands of Ernie Gregory between the sticks, a formidable back line of John
Bond, Ken Brown and Cantwell ably supported by the tigerish Andy Malcolm
ahead of them, and the likes of Mike Grice, John Smith and Malcolm Musgrove
pulling the strings in attacking areas, the preparation of the last few
years finally paid off.
Fenton's men lost just three more matches during the remainder of the
season, broke the Club record for its biggest victory with an 8-0 thrashing
of Rotherham United in March, and finished the campaign having netted 101
goals.
Long-serving chairman Reg Pratt said at the time: "This is, indeed, a
wonderful moment for us. It is said that if you want something badly enough
you'll get it in the end. We have waited for this occasion for a very long
time, and now regard our present success not so much as an end but as a new
beginning, a challenge, a spur to greater efforts."
Those celebratory words could not have been more prophetic, as the Club went
on to enjoy their golden period of the mid 1960s, culminating in three
homegrown players leading England to the greatest triumph in world football.
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KHAN'S ANTI-WEST HAM VENDETTA?
By Blind Hammer 26 Apr 2018 at 08:00
WTID
Blind hammer investigates possible motivations underlying mayoral hostility
towards West HAM.
I voted for Sadiq khan. I support many of his initiatives. I am a lifelong
Labour voter. I have no political agenda feeding my criticisms here. I am
nevertheless saddened by his apparent hostility towards West ham and its
supporters.
Let us review the basics. In the process of allocating first virtual
ownership and then, once this collapsed, tenancy of the London Stadium, West
Ham had to win, in a competitive process, not once but twice. At no stage,
despite the most snide of allusions from the Mayoral office has anybody
established that West Ham did anything wrong. Instead the club are lambasted
for negotiating what is cynically described as "a good deal". What is
unspoken but constantly insinuated, is that the deal is not just good but
unfair. It is suggested that West Ham somehow pulled the wool over the eyes
of poor naïve and deluded LLDC negotiators. Dark villains of skilful West
Ham lawyers duped the Government representatives into an unfeasible Business
Plan. This cheating negotiating strategy, robbing the tax payer, needs
redressing.
The problem is that this bizarre description has no basis in reality.
Instead it exists purely to support a political agenda. The description of
West Ham as skilled City Slick financial negotiators able to out manoeuvre
the cream of government Lawyers will baffle most. Whilst arguably some
incompetence may be attributed to government representatives, the depiction
of smart brained West Ham operators is less convincing. Remember this is a
club which has failed to negotiate basic football transfers with clubs like
Sporting Lisbon.
Khan Seemed disappointed after his investment into the Moore-Stephens
inquiry. The report did not deliver expected condemnation. What is striking
is the lack of fit between Moore-Stephens and the Mayoral response. At no
time did Moore-Stephen attribute any blame to West Ham. He does however
criticise LLDC negotiators for not achieving a better deal. This point is
mute. There is no evidence given the competitive process that any better
deal was available. Moore-Stephens unconvincingly argues that a "no deal"
could have pressured better terms. In reality a "No deal" approach would
have placed more pressure on the State and legacy ambitions than West Ham.
What is inescapable and foremost in Moore-Stephens is his focus on the
budgetary pressures and long term infeasibility of hosting Athletics. A
solution must be found to the crippling need to annually relocate seating.
The failure to deliver income from naming rights also figure but
overwhelmingly budgetary pressures will not be relieved until a political
nettle is grasped to resolve the accommodation of Athletics.
It is little short of astonishing then that the mayoral response to
Moore-Stephens does not highlight this dysfunctional Athletics Business
Structure. Instead it focusses overwhelmingly on the deal with West Ham. It
is hard to conclude that this is driven by anything but cynical political
posturing.
The problem is that it is not just West Ham but UK Athletics who have rights
in the Stadium. Any breach will result in compensation. The political as
well as financial fall out from this failure would be considerable. The
responsibility for breakdown would lay unequivocally with those who
originally envisioned the shared use Model. The "National Athletics Legacy"
would lie in ruins. The politically uncomfortable consequence is that West
Ham would emerge as the major benefactor. It would be politically most
expedient then if blame and consequent financial accountability could be
somehow deflected to West Ham.
It appears then that Khan's has decided his best strategy is to scapegoat
West Ham. If he can achieve this he may shift at least some of the
responsibility for this collapse. If the Stadium has no future as a vehicle
for an Athletics Legacy then someone else should pay. He may want to force
West Ham to assume responsibility by re-locating the duty to compensate from
the State to them. Such a strategy is only viable if he can sustain a view
that West Ham, and not the State planners, are the real villains.
Such an approach seems to explain the constant negativity and obfuscation
which has characterised Khan's direct dealings. Correspondence released by
Freedom of Information request show Karen Brady pleading with Khan to meet
positively and plan together a future for the Stadium. Repeatedly Khan
Rejects these overtures by claiming his diary is full or referring issues to
junior Managers. He did not agree to meet West Ham until this year. Despite
showing an extraordinary reluctance to talk directly, he has in contrast,
hurled himself onto any negative available public bandwagon to criticise
West Ham and/or its supporters.
Objectively this campaign of hostility is puzzling. West Ham is the only
Stadium partners which significantly provide income for the Business Model.
They are the only partners which have offered any extra infrastructyural
investment. The response of E20 and the LLDC has been to block any positive
development of the Stadium, whether this relates to maximising capacity,
installing pitch surrounds, or making ridiculous demands for payments to
facilitate concourse TV. They are determined to negatively "work to rule" in
an attempt to force a renegotiation. Rather than working with West Ham to
deliver Stadium legacy potentials they seem determined to create a series of
increasingly desperate bickering legal disputes. These will come to Court
later in the year. In contrast UK Athletics are seen as pristine with no
responsibility for current Stadium difficulties. This approach does not help
anybody, least of all, in delivering the Olympic Legacy.
The shared Use Athletics model is now widely seen as disastrous.
Disentangling this will be complicated. Yet the attempt to vilify West Ham
for this failure of vision smacks of desperate measure by the increasingly
desperate. Some are frantic to avoid political accountability for this
debacle. Yet whipping up hostility to a football club and its supporters has
risks.
Football is tribal. Unfortunately rivalries, especially amongst London clubs
can easily develop into levels of hatred and violence. Hatred of opposition
supporters, though objectively illogical, can result in not just mayhem and
disorder but serious physical harm. West Ham and its supporters may be one
of the few remaining minorities against which it may be legal/conceivable to
raise a hostile negative prejudice. The whipping up of this antagonistic
narrative in the hope of achieving a longer term political objective is
particularly unsavoury. Yet khan must know that to indulge in this game has
risks. A vendetta which supports a campaign of vindictiveness could provide
validation for those football rivals with hatred and violence in their
hearts. These opposition rivals could grasp any justification for their
assaults. If the anti-West Ham campaign spills over into a return to the
lethal viciousness which has marred our game in the past all those presently
playing political games will have to look to their consciences. I
desperately hope that Khan adjusts his approach, and even at this stage
repudiates the torrent of anti-West ham briefings. He should instead agree
to work positively with the club. Whether this all descends into court
battles later this year or even worse physical battles from opposition fans
will provide a litmus test.
David Griffith
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Revealed: The big-money bonus David Moyes could receive if West Ham avoid
relegation
The Hammers are on the path to survival and the manager is going to be
rewarded in kind
By Sam Inkersole
West Ham Correspondent
07:46, 26 APR 2018
David Moyes is in line for a decent wedge of cash dropping in to his bank
account if he keeps West Ham in the Premier League this season, according to
West Ham news site Claret & Hugh. Moyes is seemingly steering the club to
safety despite the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday afternoon as Moyes' side
sit six points clear of the drop zone with just four games of the season to
go. The Scotsman was employed back in November to replace Slaven Bilic on
an apparent £15,000 a week deal until the end of this season with the sole
purpose of keeping the club in the Premier League. It's been known that the
57-year-old would be in line to get some sort of bonus at the end of this
season if top-flight status was preserved and now, C&H claim they know the
figures.
The Hammers boss could be set to pocket anywhere between £1.25m and £2.1m
should West Ham remain a Premier League team next season. The lower figure
will be paid if the Hammers finish in 17th, one spot out of the drop zone,
and scaled up to a maximum of the high figure for any further positions
gained in the table between now and the end of the season. Survival will
also trigger new contract negotiations between West Ham and Moyes, with the
club seemingly happy with his displays as boss so far and the discipline he
has instilled in the squad as they inch slowly towards survival. Moyes could
be in line for a contract of £200,000-£250,000 a month to remain in charge
at the London Stadium. if he decides to carry on in east London for the near
future. The manager has insisted near enough every week that negotiations
over any possible new deal would not take place until West Ham's place in th
Premier League for next season is absolutely assured.
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Former Manchester United youngster drops massive hint about wanting West Ham
return
The midfielder stayed at Upton Park between 2012 and 2015 before moving on
to pastures
Football London
Sam Ikersole
Former West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison has dropped a hint on Instagram he
fancies a return to West Ham, more than three years after leaving the club
having made just 18 appearances. The 25-year-old midfielder is currently
plying his trade with Mexican Liga MX side Atlas Guadalajara, where has
scored three times in 18 appearances since signing on loan from Lazio.
Morrison arrived at West Ham in 2012 but after a series of loans away,
departed the club having been brought to east London by Sam Allardyce as it
didn't pan out quite how either party wanted, eventually leaving permanently
in 2015. West Ham fans saw glimpses of what Morrison could offer and
displayed during his time at Manchester United, something that led to former
Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson saying Morrison was, supposedly telling former
West Ham defender Rio Ferdinand that Morrison was a "genius."
Now seemingly rebuilding his career in Mexico having had loan spells at
Cardiff City, QPR and Birmingham, Morrison might be keen on a switch back to
London if you believe what he has posted on Instagram. The midfielder posted
a video on his social media scoring an absolute peach of a chip in training
for Atlas and it led to cult Hammers hero Carlton Cole sending him a reply,
saying: "Bro time to come back to England."
Morrison saw Cole's reply and sent one back in kind, adding: "Bring me back
to West Ham you have the power."
Now, whether Morrison was messing around or was being serious, only he
knows. But, could you imagine if he did make his way back to east London?
You suspect Hammers fans would be delighted and want to see it happen.
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West Ham's Adrian wants exit if Moyes stays, mystery English club interested
HITC
Olly Dawes
West Ham United could lose goalkeeper Adrian this summer. According to The
Sun, West Ham United goalkeeper Adrian wants to leave the club this summer
if manager David Moyes stays beyond the end of the season. The Hammers still
aren't safe from relegation just yet, meaning David Moyes' future isn't
secure either, and most of the focus is on who West Ham could sign to boost
their squad this summer. However, some players will be leaving, such as
James Collins, and reports now suggest that another Hammers veteran is
eyeing the London Stadium exit door. The Sun report that West Ham goalkeeper
Adrian is keen to leave the club this summer if Moyes keeps his job, though
he does still have a year left on his contract. It's claimed that the
Spaniard isn't happy that he has been dropped for Joe Hart, and is even more
bemused that the England international has kept his place despite recent
errors. The report notes that Adrian is keen to stay in the Premier League
though, and one mystery club have already registered an interest in his
signature ahead of the summer transfer window. Adrian, 31, will be in goal
against Manchester City this weekend due to Hart's ineligibility, but that
could prove to be his final appearance in a West Ham shirt.
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'Bring me back'; Ravel Morrison pleads for West Ham return on Instagram
HITC
Danny Owen
Ravel Morrison was released by West Ham United back in 2015 and has not
played in the Premier League since. Now, Carlton Cole may be quite the cult
hero at West Ham but it seems a little unlikely that he would have the power
to open the doors for former players to return to the London Stadium. Though
that has not stopped the one and only Ravel Morrison from asking his former
Hammers team-mate to put in a good word on Instagram.
pic.twitter.com/OC75Nh6tzT
Morrison is perhaps one of the most infamous examples of wasted talent
English football has seen in the 21st century. He had the natural ability to
rival any other homegrown talent of his generation but moments like that
wonderfull solo goal against Tottenham Hotspur back in 2013 have been
distinctly few and far between.
With a string of problems following him around off the field, legendary
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson decided Morrison wasn't worth
the hassle. And nor, in the end, did his West Ham boss Sam Allardyce. "He
was the biggest waste of talent I ever worked with," Allardyce told Sky
Sports in 2017, as reported by the Manchester Evening News, two years after
Morrison was released by The Hammers.
Since then, the now 25-year-old has managed a grand total of four Serie A
appearances for Lazio and, rather bizarrely, finds himself on loan at
Mexican outfit Atlas. But it seems that eye for the spectacular has never
left him, posting a video of him scoring a glorious chip in training for the
Liga MX side on his Instagram page.
Though a West Ham return, even though Allardyce has gone, seems very
unlikely indeed - regardless of what Carlton Cole says.
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Adrian could be set to make his final appearance for West Ham United on
Sunday
HITC
John Verrall
West Ham United are due to take on Manchester City this weekend. Adrian
could be set to make his 142nd and last appearance for West Ham United, if
reports in The Sun about his desire to leave are true. Adrian will
reportedly depart West Ham if David Moyes stays in charge, which is looking
increasingly likely. The Spaniard's departure would end his five year stay
at the London club, but he could have a chance to say goodbye to the Hammers
fans this weekend. Adrian has lost his place in West Ham's goal to Joe Hart
this season, but the Manchester City loanee is ineligible this weekend. Due
to the terms in his loan, Hart is not allowed to keep goal for West Ham on
Sunday which could present Adrian with the chance to play at the London
Stadium for one final time.
Should West Ham let Adrian go?
Adrian has been a good servant of West Ham, but his departure cannot be seen
as a major blow. The 31-year-old is a solid stopper, but he is not of the
quality required to be a permanent starter for West Ham. And Moyes will
surely have a new goalkeeper near the very top of his transfer wishlist this
summer.
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Olympic Stadium overlooked for World Cup dates
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 26th April 2018
By: Staff Writer
The Olympic Stadium will NOT be used as one of the 11 venues to stage
matches in next summer's Cricket World Cup, it has been confirmed. Despite
lengthy negotiations in recent weeks and months during which the Stratford
arena was mooted as a possible venue, it was announced today that the
stadium will not be used by the England & Wales Cricket Board from May to
June 2019. The stadium, which enjoyed a capacity of 80,000 for 2012 Games
can comfortably seat more than twice as many spectators as the largest
stadium chosen - Lords, which has a capacity of some 30,000 - but has been
overlooked for unknown reasons.
The possibility of its use had initially been raised by the International
Cricket Council, who are said to have been encouraged by the use of large
stadiums in Australia and New Zealand at the last tournament in 2015. As a
result, the Final will be hosted at Lords on 14 July. The 11 venues selected
to host the ten-team World Cup by the E&WCB are as follows: Bristol;
Cardiff; Chester-le-Street; Edgbaston; Headingley; Lord's; Old Trafford; The
Oval; Taunton; Trent Bridge and Southampton.
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Arnie claims Hammer of the Year gong
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 26th April 2018
By: Staff Writer
Marko Arnautovic has been named Hammer of the Year - in his first full
season at the club. The Austrian international scooped the main award at
last night's lavish Player Awards Ceremony - as well as the Signing of the
Season and Players Player of the Season awards.
Meanwhile Declan Rice wan named as Young Player of the Year, Pedro Obiang
took Goal of the Season (so far) for his outstanding effort against
Tottenham and Conor Coventry took the Dylan Tombides Award.
* Keep an eye on Knees up Mother Brown for the 21st Annual KUMB.com Awards
voting form, which will be available from early May. Categories this season
are as follows:
- Player of the Year (held by Manuel Lanzini)
- Young Player of the Year (held by Edimilson Fernandes)
- Goal of the Season (held by Andy Carroll v Crystal Palace)
- Most Memorable Match (1-0 vs Tottenham)
- Best Signing (held by Edimilson Fernandes)
- Most Improved Player (held by Pedro Obiang)
- Most Missed (held by Dimitri Payet)
- Worst Player (held by Gokhan Tore)
- Worst Signing (held by Simone Zaza)
- Greatest Disappoitnment (leaving the Boleyn Ground)
- Hackett of the Year (held by Dimitri Payet)
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Snodgrass nominated as Championship Player of the Year
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 26th April 2018
By: Staff Writer
Robert Snodgrass has been nominated by Match of the Day Magazine for
Championship Player of the Year. The 31-year-old - on whom a £12million
price tag has been set by West Ham - has enjoyed a successful season in the
Championship with Villa, who are closing in on a place in the Football
League play-offs and are keen to retain his services. And he is currently
running second in a five-man poll to find the league's best player of
2017/18 behind Wolves' Ruben Neves, who leads the pack with 43% of the votes
at time of writing (considerably ahead of Snodgrass with 19%).
Meanwhile the Scottish international has hinted that he could be set to stay
at Aston Villa - following a tweet to the club's new kit designer. A
reasonably-innocuous tweet from Snodgrass to designer Luke Roper (of Luke
1977) has excited fans of the Birmingham-based club who are keen to see him
stay at Villa Park - whether that be in a Premier League or Championship
side next season.
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Fans' support breeds confidence, claims Moyes
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 26th April 2018
By: Staff Writer
David Moyes has once again called upon the West Ham United fan base to steer
the team towards Premier League survival. Last weekend's defeat at Arsenal
left the Hammers 15th in the Premier League and six points clear of the drop
zone, with four matches of the season left to play. However the interim
manager was taking no chances and called upon "60,000 people" to help steer
the club to safety. "Against Southampton the supporters were right there for
us," Moyes said during last night's speech at the Player Awards. "We had
the disappointing day against Burnley, when it affected the players, so to
play as well as we did against Southampton showed what it meant to them and
we bounced right back. "From that, the players have grown with more
confidence and more self-belief. We're playing well at the moment and
hopefully they continue to do that. I want my team to play much better in
games and to continue to improve. "Supporters understand when they're
really needed, and they understood how much they were needed on that day,
just like we're going to need them in the next three home games. "We're
going to need 60,000 people helping us to make sure we get over the line and
we get in the right place."
However Moyes left some fans scratching their heads when he claimed the
Olympic Stadium was comparable to the Boleyn Ground in terms of intimacy and
atmosphere. "Coming to West Ham, you know exactly what you're getting," he
said. "When you used to come to Upton Park, you knew exactly what you were
getting over the years - and I don't think that's changed."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, April 27
Thursday, April 26
Daily WHUFC News - 26th April 2018
'Wonderful' Ken Brown set to receive Lifetime Achievement Award
WHUFC.com
"A pillar of the side at centre-half, a stopper who never gave in and a
brilliant header of the ball. He had the most wonderful personality – he was
a pleasing, friendly man who was always smiling, and I knew I could count on
him."
So said legendary West Ham United manager Ron Greenwood when referring to
Ken Brown in his autobiography, Yours Sincerely. In a record-breaking era
that saw the likes of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters, Ronnie Boyce,
Johnny Byrne and John Bond star in the Claret and Blue, that is quite a
compliment.
Yet it is nothing less than fully deserved by a man who will forever hold
the unique honour of being the only Hammer to have played in the 1957/58
Second Division title-winning campaign, the 1964 FA Cup final victory and
the 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup triumph – the three momentous
achievements that put West Ham United on the map and earned the Club global
recognition during that golden period.
Born on 16 February 1934, just around the corner from the Boleyn Ground in
Forest Gate, Ken was playing amateur football for local Dagenham side
Neville United when Hammers boss Ted Fenton signed him on professional forms
at the age of 17 in October 1951. National Service slowed his early progress
but Ken was handed a senior debut a week after his 19th birthday in February
1953, in a 1-1 draw at Rotherham United, and made a handful of appearances
during the next three seasons before establishing himself as the Club's
first-choice centre-half in the memorable 1957/58 campaign. The record books
show that Ken played in 41 of the 42 Second Division games as Fenton's team,
led by the goalscoring power of John Dick and Vic Keeble, surged to the
title and brought top-flight league football back to Upton Park for the
first time in 26 years.
Just months later, Brown lined up in a First Division match against
Manchester United alongside a 17-year-old Bobby Moore – marking the start of
a defensive partnership that would become the rock upon which the Club's
success of the 1960s was built. Winner of the Hammer of the Year award at
the end of that 1958/59 season, Brown won a solitary full England cap in a
2-1 win over Northern Ireland in November 1959, but the best was still to
come as the dawn of a new decade and the arrival of Ron Greenwood saw him
establish the connection with Moore that led to the double Wembley triumph
in 1964 and 1965.
In May 1967, after making his 474th and final senior appearance for the
Hammers a few months earlier, he was awarded a Testimonial – in which a
newly-signed Billy Bonds made his first appearance – before joining old
friend John Bond at Torquay United in a £4,000 deal. After hanging up his
boots in 1970 following a spell with Hereford United, he began a long and
successful coaching and managerial career that saw him assist Bond at
Bournemouth and Norwich, before taking charge at Carrow Road and leading the
Canaries to a League Cup success in 1985 and promotion to the top flight a
year later. The Brown association at West Ham continued in the early 1990s
when Ken's son Kenny signed from Plymouth Argyle and became a firm
favourite, following in his Dad's footsteps by enjoying a promotion-winning
campaign in 1992/93.
This evening, Ken becomes the sixth Hammer to be honoured with the Lifetime
Achievement Award, following in the footsteps of his former team-mates Bobby
Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters, and Sir Trevor Brooking and Billy
Bonds.
*You can follow live coverage of the 2017/18 Player Awards, brought to you
by Betway in aid of the Academy, on whufc.com and across the Club's social
media channels this evening.
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Joao Mario: Sunday is a chance to show our quality
WHUFC.com
Joao Mario is looking forward to testing himself against the best on Sunday,
when West Ham United welcome champions Manchester City to London Stadium.
Pep Guardiola's men sealed the Premier League title a couple of weeks back,
following an astonishing season which has seen them amass 90 points from 34
games to date. The task facing the Hammers on Sunday is undoubtedly a tough
one, but Mario believes the team he joined on loan from Inter Milan in
January can go one better than the narrow 2-1 loss they suffered in
Manchester earlier this season. "We're up against a hard team on Sunday and
it is not going to be an easy game, but we're at home and we're going to
try, with our fans behind us, [to get a result]," the Euro 2016 winner said.
"Everyone enjoys watching the way Manchester City play. They have amazing
football players and they are an incredible team. "This is when you can show
your quality, playing against big teams. We will try to find the space and
do our best."
Mario has made a positive impact during his temporary stay in E20, showing
the qualities which have earned him 33 Portugal caps, and he wants to do his
bit to help the Hammers make sure of their top flight status as soon as
possible. "I'm really enjoying my time here," the No18 added. "The team is
improving a lot, and playing in the Premier League is amazing for me. I
think it's the best championship in the world, so I'm really happy to be
here. "Playing in the Premier League was a goal for me, so I'll keep going
but the most important thing is guaranteeing our safety."
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Pearce backs West Ham rookie Rice to 'spring back' from Arsenal
disappointment
WHUFC.com
Stuart Pearce has backed Declan Rice to bounce back from the disappointment
the youngster felt after Sunday's Premier League defeat at Arsenal. Showing
the maturity which has already served him so well in his short senior
career, Rice has vowed to learn from the mistake he made in allowing Aaron
Ramsey's cross to pass into the net for the Gunners' second goal at the
Emirates Stadium. First-team manager's assistant Pearce welcomed Rice's
reaction and, on the day the Hammer of the Year will be crowned at the
2017/18 Player Awards brought to you by Betway in aid of the Academy,
suggested the Irish teenager had been one of West Ham United's true standout
performers during a challenging season.
"It's one of those where you have to be supportive to young players, but
it's also one of those where you have to grow up very quickly because, if
you're given a shirt in the Premier League, you're expected to do a man's
job, even if it says you're a very young man above the door," said Pearce,
who celebrated his 56th birthday on Tuesday. "Moments like that, the
relevance to me is how you spring back from it and how you learn from it. "I
hark back to my career and in my second or third game at the start of my
professional career [with Coventry City against Luton Town in 1983], I
scored an own-goal and all of a sudden I thought 'Wowee', but it was about
how I learned from it and making sure that same mistake doesn't happen
again. "When that ball flashes across our box again, Dec will be looking to
put his head and feet on everything and that's the beauty of it. In general,
his matchplay was very good and has been over the last month and a half, so
he has to keep building on that and learning from mistakes. "We face
Manchester City on Sunday and we will be tested because we're playing
against an outstanding side in this division, but that's the level you've
got to attain to. There's no point setting your standards much, much lower –
you've got to attain to the best team in the league and try to match them
equivalently."
Having backed Pearce also looked ahead to Wednesday's Player Awards, which
will be attended by the first-team squad and hundreds of supporters at the
InterContinental London – The O2. The former defender was crowned Hammer of
the Year himself in 2000/01, when he totalled 42 appearances at the age of
38 to lead West Ham to Premier League safety. "I was just warming up! Nobody
told me couldn't play 40-odd games a season in those days. These days, they
tell you that you need to rest, but I broke the mould a little bit! "I had
two fantastic seasons at this Club and got back in the England side as a
37-year-old. I then broke my shin bone and thought that was the end of my
playing career, but I came back the second season and it was fantastic to be
on the pitch alongside some really talented players in Paolo Di Canio, Rio
Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole and Frank Lampard."
And whoever wins this year, Pearce says that player should be proud of his
achievement. "Over the course of a season, you can't turn around and say
there haven't been some big plusses. Certainly Marko [Arnautovic] has done
well, scoring goals, particularly since the new manager has come through the
door. "Declan has staked a claim at being a first-team player, so there have
been some real solid performances through the group. It's right and proper
we celebrate that and how well the players have done. "It's like everything,
if you don't think you've done well enough this season when everything pans
out, well, learn by it and improve next year."
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Top ten a pipe dream under current regime?
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 25th April 2018
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's record under the club's current administration is the
worst in the Premier League era. Since the old Division One disappeared in
1992, following the formation of the Premier League in a breakaway from the
Football League, West Ham have had three majority owners - Terry Brown
(1992-2006), Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson/Straumur (2006-2010) and David Sullivan
& David Gold (since 2010). And whilst teams on the much-maligned Brown's
watch averaged a 14th-place finish, and under the Icelandics'
far-shorter-lived reign an even more impressive 11th, performances under the
Sullivan/Gold banner have resulted in an average finish of just 15th - the
lowest of all three majority owners.
The shy Brown, who was eventually hounded out of the club following a storm
of protests and negative publicity in the first half of the noughties saw
the club achieve seven top ten finishes on his watch (14 seasons in total),
including United's second-highest top-flight finish of 5th under Harry
Redknapp in 1998/99.
And whilst West Ham also finished in the top half of the table twice in the
Icelandics three seasons (under Alan Curbishley and Gianfranco Zola), they
have managed it just once since Sullivan and Gold arrived at the club eight
years ago - in the final, emotional season at The Boleyn Ground (Slaven
Bilic).
In terms of Cup competitions, the Brown era resulted in the club reaching
five quarter finals and one final (the 2006 FA Cup Final) whilst there was
just the one quarter final during Gudmundsson's three-year tenure.
However since Sullivan and Gold arrived at the club there have been four
quarter final appearances and two semi finals - both in the League Cup -
although two were in the duo's first season (an FA Cup quarter final and a
League Cup semi) under Avram Grant, which also resulted in relegation to the
Championship.
Brown & Cearns
Seasons: 2nd* (92/93); 13th (93/94); 14th (94/95); 10th (95/96); 14th
(96/97); 8th (97/98); 5th (98/99); 9th (99/00); 15th (00/01); 7th (01/02);
18th (02/03); 4th* (03/04); 6th* (04/05); 9th (05/06)
Average position: 14th
Top ten finishes: 7/14 (50%)
Relegations: 1 (2002/03)
Gudmundsson & Magnusson
Seasons: 15th (06/07); 10th (07/08); 9th (08/09)
Average position: 11th
Top ten finishes: 2/3 (67%)
Relegations: 0
Sullivan & Gold
Seasons: 17th (09/10); 20th (10/11); 3rd* (11/12); 10th (12/13); 13th
(13/14); 12th (14/15); 7th (15/16); 11th (16/17); 15th (17/18)
Average position: 15th
Top ten finishes: 1/9 (11%)
Relegations: 1 (2010/11)
* Denotes a season in the Championship (second tier)
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Moyes statistically West Ham's worst
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 25th April 2018
By: Staff Writer
David Moyes is statistically West Ham United's worst-ever full-time manager.
The current managerial incumbent, who took over from Slaven Bilic last
November has achieved a win ratio of just 23.53% since succeeding the Croat,
who himself departed after two-and-a-half years in the role with a ratio of
38.3%.
Moyes, who has currently overseen 27 matches, had led the Hammers to just
seven wins during that time - against Chelsea, Stoke, West Brom,
Huddersfield, Watford, Southampton and Shrewsbury (FA Cup replay). Of those
seven victories, only one came against a team in the upper half of the
Premier League.
Of West Ham's 'top-flight only' managers, Alan Curbishley tops the pile with
a score of 39.44% - close followed by Bilic. However club legend Billy Bonds
still holds the overall highest score with a win ratio of 43.61% - although
his four years in charge included two in the old Second Division plus a
relegation inbetween.
All managerial win records
1. Billy Bonds (1990-94) 43.61%
2. Charlie Paynter (1932-50) 41.25%
3. Alan Pardew (2003-06) 41.10%
4. John Lyall (1974-89) 40.00%
5. Ted Fenton (1950-61) 39.88%
6. Alan Curbishley (2006-08) 39.44%
7. Syd King (1902-32) 38.87%
8. Slaven Bilic (2015-17) 38.30%
9. Sam Allardyce (2011-15) 37.57%
10. Harry Redknapp (1994-01) 37.00%
11. Lou Macari (1989-90) 35.90%
12. Ron Greenwood (1961-74) 35.87%
13. Avram Grant (2010-11) 31.91%
14. Glenn Roeder (2001-03) 30.49%
15. Franco Zola (2008-10) 28.75%
16. David Moyes (2017-) 23.53%
Top flight-only win records
1. Alan Curbishley (2006-08) 39.44%
2. Slaven Bilic (2015-17) 38.30%
3. Harry Redknapp (1994-01) 37.00%
4. Ron Greenwood (1961-74) 35.87%
5. Avram Grant (2010-11) 31.91%
6. Franco Zola (2008-10) 28.75%
7. David Moyes (2017-) 23.53%
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West Ham set to offer new contract to Declan Rice
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 25/04/18 12:21pm
SSN
West Ham are poised to offer defender Declan Rice a new long-term contract,
according to Sky sources. The new deal intends to recognise the development
made by the 19-year-old centre-back in the past year, which has seen him
become a regular in the first-team squad. Rice has one year remaining on his
current contract at the London Stadium, although West Ham have the option to
extend the existing deal by a further year. He has featured 27 times for the
Hammers so far this season and made his international debut for the Republic
of Ireland in March. Rice had previously made his first-team debut for West
Ham on the final day of the 2016/17 Premier League season, coming on as an
89th-minute substitute in the 2-1 win at Burnley. He was named West Ham's
young player of the year for 2017 after captaining the club's U23 side to
promotion to the Premier League 2.
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RICE IS A QUICK LEARNER AND AN 'OBSCENE EFFORT' IS REQUIRED AGAINST MAN
CITY!
By S J Chandos 25 Apr 2018 at 08:00
WTID
Only West Ham United FC could lose a match so convincingly in the last eight
minutes! Seriously though, it does beggar belief the way in which we played
so well against Arsenal and were in line to win a vital away point, only to
blow it at that late stage. Yes, the team probably tired in the latter
stages and the nature of Arsenal's second goal was particularly galling, but
(as Arnautovic has subsequently said) we should have maintained our shape
and discipline even after that reverse. Instead we unravelled in a quite
worrying fashion.
Still, perhaps we should console ourselves with the thought that we did not
expect much at the Emirates and now just move on to the next match, versus
Man City, this coming Sunday. Only first, I think it needs stating that
overall we deserved the point at the Emirates, but that the same old
defensive mistakes (at the very death) cost us the result. Lets hope that we
can get firmly on top of those defensive lapses and they do not ultimately
prove our undoing in the run-in to this turbulent and frustrating season.
Incidentally, my view on the post-match Moyes-Rice controversy is that the
Manager was obviously too honest in his response to the media's questions.
He should have delivered a more diplomatic response and saved the frank
honesty for the dressing room. As it is, social media have jumped on it and
created a big fuss and that does no one any good in this present situation.
The truth of the matter is that Declan Rice is a youngster of great natural
ability and it is that which underpins his outstanding performances this
season. But as a 19 year old, he is (naturally) still short on that other
vital ingredient, experience. And it is experience that tells a player what
to do in a split second situation like that, if you have it, you react
automatically/instinctively and clear the danger. Rice does not have it yet,
got caught in two minds and unfortunately took the wrong course of action.
Ironically, costly as the mistake probably was, it will ultimately add to
Rice's experience and ensure that in future he will make the right decision
in similar situations.
The one thing I do know about Declan Rice is that he is a quick learner, he
has amply shown that this season, and this incident will probably be a key
lesson in his journey towards becoming a top class international defender.
His ability to learn from mistakes/situations and progress is what
distinguishes him from other promising players at the club who have not made
the same progress. I am a fan of Reece Oxford, but there is no doubt that
Rice has superseded him in the race to become a first team regular. And
perhaps that is why, it is about a positive attitude, learning lessons and
continually progressing your game. One player has, the other, hitherto, has
not to anything like the same degree!
Well, 'thank goodness for Ashley Barnes' of Burnley (as David Hautzig stated
in his recent match review). Indeed! That scrappy Clarets equaliser against
Stoke City could yet prove vital to the outcome of the relegation battle. It
is pretty much clear that if Stoke City lose to Liverpool this coming
weekend (as the form book says they should) then they are going to be
relegated. Southampton (as the club presently in 18th place) have shown a
consistent inability to win matches and if that trend continues then they
should occupy the third and final relegation place. Also in the relegation
mix are Huddersfield and Swansea and it is still possible that it could be
one of those two (rather than the Hammers) who fall through the trap door if
Saints somehow manage to save themselves at the 11th hour. But, lets not
rely on the deficiencies and negative results of others.The best possible
response is to win this weekend to (hopefully, if Bournemouth do the
business in the south coast derby) create a 9 points gap over Southampton.
If not, then we need at least a point from the Man City match and hope that
we can then complete the job up at Leicester City.
No one denies that beating Man City is a very tough task, in facing both the
best team in English football and the newly crowned PL champions. But we are
at home and if the history of West Ham United FC proves anything (for
example, see Fergie, Man Utd and an obscene effort!), it is that a highly
motivated team (playing above itself) can get a result against even the best
opposition. Hopefully, Man City will take their foot off the accelerator
(now the title is in the bag and they are out of the Champions League) and
the minds of all those multi-million pound City Stars will turn to keeping
fit for this summer's World Cup in Russia.
I know that is probably wishful thinking, but what the hell! After all,
stranger things have happened!
SJ. Chandos.
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West Ham pursing Davie Selke, but face battle with Brighton
HITC
Olly Dawes
West Ham United are reportedly keen on Davie Selke. According to SportBILD,
West Ham United are interested in signing Hertha Berlin striker Davie Selke
– but face competition from Premier League rivals Brighton and Hove Albion.
Selke, 23, made his name with Werder Bremen, but made the surprise decision
to drop into the second tier with RB Leipzig after 10 goals in 33 games for
the Bundesliga side. The 6ft 3in striker failed to really impress with
Leipzig, scoring just 14 times in 53 games, before being sold on to Hertha
Berlin last summer in a move which has certainly paid off. Selke has scored
12 times in all competitions this season, an impressive tally given that he
has only started 20 games for Hertha, and his displays appear to be
attracting interest.
SportBILD report that West Ham United are keen to land Selke this summer,
but face a battle with Brighton and Hove Albion for his signature. The
Hammers may have added Jordan Hugill in January, but with no starts since
his deadline day move from Preston North End, it would be little surprise to
see them move for another striker. Brighton had great success in the German
market with the signing of Pascal Gross last summer, and could return for
Selke – though it would be a little bit of a surprise given that they signed
both Jurgen Locadia and Leonardo Ulloa in January.
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West Ham reject chance to sign Joe Hart from Manchester City
Sean Kearns
Wednesday 25 Apr 2018 5:37 pm
Metro.co.uk
West Ham have decided against signing Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart
this summer, Metro.co.uk understands. The England stopper joined the Hammers
on a season-long loan last summer after West Ham agreed to pay half of his
£120,000-a-week wages. Hart spent the previous campaign with Serie A side
Torino but opted to move back to the Premier League to boost his chances of
earning a spot in England's World Cup squad this summer. However, Hart's
endured a difficult campaign in east London and has managed just 19
appearances in the league after David Moyes turned to Adrian following his
appointment at the London Stadium. Hart has made 19 league appearances for
the Hammers (Picture: Getty) Manchester City included an option to buy
agreement in their deal with West Ham but the Hammers have opted not to take
up the opportunity. Metro.co.uk understands the Hammers also plan on letting
Adrian leave the club and want a new No.1 to takeover in the summer. Ederson
is City's long-term no.1 (Picture: Getty) Hart signed a new five-year deal
with City in 2014 but he enters the final year of his contract this summer.
Pep Guardiola signed Claudio Bravo as Hart's replacement in 2016 and made
Ederson the most expensive goalkeeper of all time when the Brazilian signed
for £35m from Benfica last summer. Hart will speak with City this summer to
seek clarification over his summer and he's likely to be told to find a new
club.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
"A pillar of the side at centre-half, a stopper who never gave in and a
brilliant header of the ball. He had the most wonderful personality – he was
a pleasing, friendly man who was always smiling, and I knew I could count on
him."
So said legendary West Ham United manager Ron Greenwood when referring to
Ken Brown in his autobiography, Yours Sincerely. In a record-breaking era
that saw the likes of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters, Ronnie Boyce,
Johnny Byrne and John Bond star in the Claret and Blue, that is quite a
compliment.
Yet it is nothing less than fully deserved by a man who will forever hold
the unique honour of being the only Hammer to have played in the 1957/58
Second Division title-winning campaign, the 1964 FA Cup final victory and
the 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup triumph – the three momentous
achievements that put West Ham United on the map and earned the Club global
recognition during that golden period.
Born on 16 February 1934, just around the corner from the Boleyn Ground in
Forest Gate, Ken was playing amateur football for local Dagenham side
Neville United when Hammers boss Ted Fenton signed him on professional forms
at the age of 17 in October 1951. National Service slowed his early progress
but Ken was handed a senior debut a week after his 19th birthday in February
1953, in a 1-1 draw at Rotherham United, and made a handful of appearances
during the next three seasons before establishing himself as the Club's
first-choice centre-half in the memorable 1957/58 campaign. The record books
show that Ken played in 41 of the 42 Second Division games as Fenton's team,
led by the goalscoring power of John Dick and Vic Keeble, surged to the
title and brought top-flight league football back to Upton Park for the
first time in 26 years.
Just months later, Brown lined up in a First Division match against
Manchester United alongside a 17-year-old Bobby Moore – marking the start of
a defensive partnership that would become the rock upon which the Club's
success of the 1960s was built. Winner of the Hammer of the Year award at
the end of that 1958/59 season, Brown won a solitary full England cap in a
2-1 win over Northern Ireland in November 1959, but the best was still to
come as the dawn of a new decade and the arrival of Ron Greenwood saw him
establish the connection with Moore that led to the double Wembley triumph
in 1964 and 1965.
In May 1967, after making his 474th and final senior appearance for the
Hammers a few months earlier, he was awarded a Testimonial – in which a
newly-signed Billy Bonds made his first appearance – before joining old
friend John Bond at Torquay United in a £4,000 deal. After hanging up his
boots in 1970 following a spell with Hereford United, he began a long and
successful coaching and managerial career that saw him assist Bond at
Bournemouth and Norwich, before taking charge at Carrow Road and leading the
Canaries to a League Cup success in 1985 and promotion to the top flight a
year later. The Brown association at West Ham continued in the early 1990s
when Ken's son Kenny signed from Plymouth Argyle and became a firm
favourite, following in his Dad's footsteps by enjoying a promotion-winning
campaign in 1992/93.
This evening, Ken becomes the sixth Hammer to be honoured with the Lifetime
Achievement Award, following in the footsteps of his former team-mates Bobby
Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters, and Sir Trevor Brooking and Billy
Bonds.
*You can follow live coverage of the 2017/18 Player Awards, brought to you
by Betway in aid of the Academy, on whufc.com and across the Club's social
media channels this evening.
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Joao Mario: Sunday is a chance to show our quality
WHUFC.com
Joao Mario is looking forward to testing himself against the best on Sunday,
when West Ham United welcome champions Manchester City to London Stadium.
Pep Guardiola's men sealed the Premier League title a couple of weeks back,
following an astonishing season which has seen them amass 90 points from 34
games to date. The task facing the Hammers on Sunday is undoubtedly a tough
one, but Mario believes the team he joined on loan from Inter Milan in
January can go one better than the narrow 2-1 loss they suffered in
Manchester earlier this season. "We're up against a hard team on Sunday and
it is not going to be an easy game, but we're at home and we're going to
try, with our fans behind us, [to get a result]," the Euro 2016 winner said.
"Everyone enjoys watching the way Manchester City play. They have amazing
football players and they are an incredible team. "This is when you can show
your quality, playing against big teams. We will try to find the space and
do our best."
Mario has made a positive impact during his temporary stay in E20, showing
the qualities which have earned him 33 Portugal caps, and he wants to do his
bit to help the Hammers make sure of their top flight status as soon as
possible. "I'm really enjoying my time here," the No18 added. "The team is
improving a lot, and playing in the Premier League is amazing for me. I
think it's the best championship in the world, so I'm really happy to be
here. "Playing in the Premier League was a goal for me, so I'll keep going
but the most important thing is guaranteeing our safety."
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Pearce backs West Ham rookie Rice to 'spring back' from Arsenal
disappointment
WHUFC.com
Stuart Pearce has backed Declan Rice to bounce back from the disappointment
the youngster felt after Sunday's Premier League defeat at Arsenal. Showing
the maturity which has already served him so well in his short senior
career, Rice has vowed to learn from the mistake he made in allowing Aaron
Ramsey's cross to pass into the net for the Gunners' second goal at the
Emirates Stadium. First-team manager's assistant Pearce welcomed Rice's
reaction and, on the day the Hammer of the Year will be crowned at the
2017/18 Player Awards brought to you by Betway in aid of the Academy,
suggested the Irish teenager had been one of West Ham United's true standout
performers during a challenging season.
"It's one of those where you have to be supportive to young players, but
it's also one of those where you have to grow up very quickly because, if
you're given a shirt in the Premier League, you're expected to do a man's
job, even if it says you're a very young man above the door," said Pearce,
who celebrated his 56th birthday on Tuesday. "Moments like that, the
relevance to me is how you spring back from it and how you learn from it. "I
hark back to my career and in my second or third game at the start of my
professional career [with Coventry City against Luton Town in 1983], I
scored an own-goal and all of a sudden I thought 'Wowee', but it was about
how I learned from it and making sure that same mistake doesn't happen
again. "When that ball flashes across our box again, Dec will be looking to
put his head and feet on everything and that's the beauty of it. In general,
his matchplay was very good and has been over the last month and a half, so
he has to keep building on that and learning from mistakes. "We face
Manchester City on Sunday and we will be tested because we're playing
against an outstanding side in this division, but that's the level you've
got to attain to. There's no point setting your standards much, much lower –
you've got to attain to the best team in the league and try to match them
equivalently."
Having backed Pearce also looked ahead to Wednesday's Player Awards, which
will be attended by the first-team squad and hundreds of supporters at the
InterContinental London – The O2. The former defender was crowned Hammer of
the Year himself in 2000/01, when he totalled 42 appearances at the age of
38 to lead West Ham to Premier League safety. "I was just warming up! Nobody
told me couldn't play 40-odd games a season in those days. These days, they
tell you that you need to rest, but I broke the mould a little bit! "I had
two fantastic seasons at this Club and got back in the England side as a
37-year-old. I then broke my shin bone and thought that was the end of my
playing career, but I came back the second season and it was fantastic to be
on the pitch alongside some really talented players in Paolo Di Canio, Rio
Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole and Frank Lampard."
And whoever wins this year, Pearce says that player should be proud of his
achievement. "Over the course of a season, you can't turn around and say
there haven't been some big plusses. Certainly Marko [Arnautovic] has done
well, scoring goals, particularly since the new manager has come through the
door. "Declan has staked a claim at being a first-team player, so there have
been some real solid performances through the group. It's right and proper
we celebrate that and how well the players have done. "It's like everything,
if you don't think you've done well enough this season when everything pans
out, well, learn by it and improve next year."
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Top ten a pipe dream under current regime?
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 25th April 2018
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's record under the club's current administration is the
worst in the Premier League era. Since the old Division One disappeared in
1992, following the formation of the Premier League in a breakaway from the
Football League, West Ham have had three majority owners - Terry Brown
(1992-2006), Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson/Straumur (2006-2010) and David Sullivan
& David Gold (since 2010). And whilst teams on the much-maligned Brown's
watch averaged a 14th-place finish, and under the Icelandics'
far-shorter-lived reign an even more impressive 11th, performances under the
Sullivan/Gold banner have resulted in an average finish of just 15th - the
lowest of all three majority owners.
The shy Brown, who was eventually hounded out of the club following a storm
of protests and negative publicity in the first half of the noughties saw
the club achieve seven top ten finishes on his watch (14 seasons in total),
including United's second-highest top-flight finish of 5th under Harry
Redknapp in 1998/99.
And whilst West Ham also finished in the top half of the table twice in the
Icelandics three seasons (under Alan Curbishley and Gianfranco Zola), they
have managed it just once since Sullivan and Gold arrived at the club eight
years ago - in the final, emotional season at The Boleyn Ground (Slaven
Bilic).
In terms of Cup competitions, the Brown era resulted in the club reaching
five quarter finals and one final (the 2006 FA Cup Final) whilst there was
just the one quarter final during Gudmundsson's three-year tenure.
However since Sullivan and Gold arrived at the club there have been four
quarter final appearances and two semi finals - both in the League Cup -
although two were in the duo's first season (an FA Cup quarter final and a
League Cup semi) under Avram Grant, which also resulted in relegation to the
Championship.
Brown & Cearns
Seasons: 2nd* (92/93); 13th (93/94); 14th (94/95); 10th (95/96); 14th
(96/97); 8th (97/98); 5th (98/99); 9th (99/00); 15th (00/01); 7th (01/02);
18th (02/03); 4th* (03/04); 6th* (04/05); 9th (05/06)
Average position: 14th
Top ten finishes: 7/14 (50%)
Relegations: 1 (2002/03)
Gudmundsson & Magnusson
Seasons: 15th (06/07); 10th (07/08); 9th (08/09)
Average position: 11th
Top ten finishes: 2/3 (67%)
Relegations: 0
Sullivan & Gold
Seasons: 17th (09/10); 20th (10/11); 3rd* (11/12); 10th (12/13); 13th
(13/14); 12th (14/15); 7th (15/16); 11th (16/17); 15th (17/18)
Average position: 15th
Top ten finishes: 1/9 (11%)
Relegations: 1 (2010/11)
* Denotes a season in the Championship (second tier)
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Moyes statistically West Ham's worst
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 25th April 2018
By: Staff Writer
David Moyes is statistically West Ham United's worst-ever full-time manager.
The current managerial incumbent, who took over from Slaven Bilic last
November has achieved a win ratio of just 23.53% since succeeding the Croat,
who himself departed after two-and-a-half years in the role with a ratio of
38.3%.
Moyes, who has currently overseen 27 matches, had led the Hammers to just
seven wins during that time - against Chelsea, Stoke, West Brom,
Huddersfield, Watford, Southampton and Shrewsbury (FA Cup replay). Of those
seven victories, only one came against a team in the upper half of the
Premier League.
Of West Ham's 'top-flight only' managers, Alan Curbishley tops the pile with
a score of 39.44% - close followed by Bilic. However club legend Billy Bonds
still holds the overall highest score with a win ratio of 43.61% - although
his four years in charge included two in the old Second Division plus a
relegation inbetween.
All managerial win records
1. Billy Bonds (1990-94) 43.61%
2. Charlie Paynter (1932-50) 41.25%
3. Alan Pardew (2003-06) 41.10%
4. John Lyall (1974-89) 40.00%
5. Ted Fenton (1950-61) 39.88%
6. Alan Curbishley (2006-08) 39.44%
7. Syd King (1902-32) 38.87%
8. Slaven Bilic (2015-17) 38.30%
9. Sam Allardyce (2011-15) 37.57%
10. Harry Redknapp (1994-01) 37.00%
11. Lou Macari (1989-90) 35.90%
12. Ron Greenwood (1961-74) 35.87%
13. Avram Grant (2010-11) 31.91%
14. Glenn Roeder (2001-03) 30.49%
15. Franco Zola (2008-10) 28.75%
16. David Moyes (2017-) 23.53%
Top flight-only win records
1. Alan Curbishley (2006-08) 39.44%
2. Slaven Bilic (2015-17) 38.30%
3. Harry Redknapp (1994-01) 37.00%
4. Ron Greenwood (1961-74) 35.87%
5. Avram Grant (2010-11) 31.91%
6. Franco Zola (2008-10) 28.75%
7. David Moyes (2017-) 23.53%
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West Ham set to offer new contract to Declan Rice
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 25/04/18 12:21pm
SSN
West Ham are poised to offer defender Declan Rice a new long-term contract,
according to Sky sources. The new deal intends to recognise the development
made by the 19-year-old centre-back in the past year, which has seen him
become a regular in the first-team squad. Rice has one year remaining on his
current contract at the London Stadium, although West Ham have the option to
extend the existing deal by a further year. He has featured 27 times for the
Hammers so far this season and made his international debut for the Republic
of Ireland in March. Rice had previously made his first-team debut for West
Ham on the final day of the 2016/17 Premier League season, coming on as an
89th-minute substitute in the 2-1 win at Burnley. He was named West Ham's
young player of the year for 2017 after captaining the club's U23 side to
promotion to the Premier League 2.
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RICE IS A QUICK LEARNER AND AN 'OBSCENE EFFORT' IS REQUIRED AGAINST MAN
CITY!
By S J Chandos 25 Apr 2018 at 08:00
WTID
Only West Ham United FC could lose a match so convincingly in the last eight
minutes! Seriously though, it does beggar belief the way in which we played
so well against Arsenal and were in line to win a vital away point, only to
blow it at that late stage. Yes, the team probably tired in the latter
stages and the nature of Arsenal's second goal was particularly galling, but
(as Arnautovic has subsequently said) we should have maintained our shape
and discipline even after that reverse. Instead we unravelled in a quite
worrying fashion.
Still, perhaps we should console ourselves with the thought that we did not
expect much at the Emirates and now just move on to the next match, versus
Man City, this coming Sunday. Only first, I think it needs stating that
overall we deserved the point at the Emirates, but that the same old
defensive mistakes (at the very death) cost us the result. Lets hope that we
can get firmly on top of those defensive lapses and they do not ultimately
prove our undoing in the run-in to this turbulent and frustrating season.
Incidentally, my view on the post-match Moyes-Rice controversy is that the
Manager was obviously too honest in his response to the media's questions.
He should have delivered a more diplomatic response and saved the frank
honesty for the dressing room. As it is, social media have jumped on it and
created a big fuss and that does no one any good in this present situation.
The truth of the matter is that Declan Rice is a youngster of great natural
ability and it is that which underpins his outstanding performances this
season. But as a 19 year old, he is (naturally) still short on that other
vital ingredient, experience. And it is experience that tells a player what
to do in a split second situation like that, if you have it, you react
automatically/instinctively and clear the danger. Rice does not have it yet,
got caught in two minds and unfortunately took the wrong course of action.
Ironically, costly as the mistake probably was, it will ultimately add to
Rice's experience and ensure that in future he will make the right decision
in similar situations.
The one thing I do know about Declan Rice is that he is a quick learner, he
has amply shown that this season, and this incident will probably be a key
lesson in his journey towards becoming a top class international defender.
His ability to learn from mistakes/situations and progress is what
distinguishes him from other promising players at the club who have not made
the same progress. I am a fan of Reece Oxford, but there is no doubt that
Rice has superseded him in the race to become a first team regular. And
perhaps that is why, it is about a positive attitude, learning lessons and
continually progressing your game. One player has, the other, hitherto, has
not to anything like the same degree!
Well, 'thank goodness for Ashley Barnes' of Burnley (as David Hautzig stated
in his recent match review). Indeed! That scrappy Clarets equaliser against
Stoke City could yet prove vital to the outcome of the relegation battle. It
is pretty much clear that if Stoke City lose to Liverpool this coming
weekend (as the form book says they should) then they are going to be
relegated. Southampton (as the club presently in 18th place) have shown a
consistent inability to win matches and if that trend continues then they
should occupy the third and final relegation place. Also in the relegation
mix are Huddersfield and Swansea and it is still possible that it could be
one of those two (rather than the Hammers) who fall through the trap door if
Saints somehow manage to save themselves at the 11th hour. But, lets not
rely on the deficiencies and negative results of others.The best possible
response is to win this weekend to (hopefully, if Bournemouth do the
business in the south coast derby) create a 9 points gap over Southampton.
If not, then we need at least a point from the Man City match and hope that
we can then complete the job up at Leicester City.
No one denies that beating Man City is a very tough task, in facing both the
best team in English football and the newly crowned PL champions. But we are
at home and if the history of West Ham United FC proves anything (for
example, see Fergie, Man Utd and an obscene effort!), it is that a highly
motivated team (playing above itself) can get a result against even the best
opposition. Hopefully, Man City will take their foot off the accelerator
(now the title is in the bag and they are out of the Champions League) and
the minds of all those multi-million pound City Stars will turn to keeping
fit for this summer's World Cup in Russia.
I know that is probably wishful thinking, but what the hell! After all,
stranger things have happened!
SJ. Chandos.
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West Ham pursing Davie Selke, but face battle with Brighton
HITC
Olly Dawes
West Ham United are reportedly keen on Davie Selke. According to SportBILD,
West Ham United are interested in signing Hertha Berlin striker Davie Selke
– but face competition from Premier League rivals Brighton and Hove Albion.
Selke, 23, made his name with Werder Bremen, but made the surprise decision
to drop into the second tier with RB Leipzig after 10 goals in 33 games for
the Bundesliga side. The 6ft 3in striker failed to really impress with
Leipzig, scoring just 14 times in 53 games, before being sold on to Hertha
Berlin last summer in a move which has certainly paid off. Selke has scored
12 times in all competitions this season, an impressive tally given that he
has only started 20 games for Hertha, and his displays appear to be
attracting interest.
SportBILD report that West Ham United are keen to land Selke this summer,
but face a battle with Brighton and Hove Albion for his signature. The
Hammers may have added Jordan Hugill in January, but with no starts since
his deadline day move from Preston North End, it would be little surprise to
see them move for another striker. Brighton had great success in the German
market with the signing of Pascal Gross last summer, and could return for
Selke – though it would be a little bit of a surprise given that they signed
both Jurgen Locadia and Leonardo Ulloa in January.
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West Ham reject chance to sign Joe Hart from Manchester City
Sean Kearns
Wednesday 25 Apr 2018 5:37 pm
Metro.co.uk
West Ham have decided against signing Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart
this summer, Metro.co.uk understands. The England stopper joined the Hammers
on a season-long loan last summer after West Ham agreed to pay half of his
£120,000-a-week wages. Hart spent the previous campaign with Serie A side
Torino but opted to move back to the Premier League to boost his chances of
earning a spot in England's World Cup squad this summer. However, Hart's
endured a difficult campaign in east London and has managed just 19
appearances in the league after David Moyes turned to Adrian following his
appointment at the London Stadium. Hart has made 19 league appearances for
the Hammers (Picture: Getty) Manchester City included an option to buy
agreement in their deal with West Ham but the Hammers have opted not to take
up the opportunity. Metro.co.uk understands the Hammers also plan on letting
Adrian leave the club and want a new No.1 to takeover in the summer. Ederson
is City's long-term no.1 (Picture: Getty) Hart signed a new five-year deal
with City in 2014 but he enters the final year of his contract this summer.
Pep Guardiola signed Claudio Bravo as Hart's replacement in 2016 and made
Ederson the most expensive goalkeeper of all time when the Brazilian signed
for £35m from Benfica last summer. Hart will speak with City this summer to
seek clarification over his summer and he's likely to be told to find a new
club.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, April 25
Daily WHUFC News - 25th April 2018
West Ham Ladies' Karen Ray nominated for Sport Education Award
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies General Manager Karen Ray has been nominated for an
award in Outstanding Services to Education at Premier Sport Network's 2018
Behind the Scenes awards. Ray, who has overseen the Ladies' 13-match
unbeaten run at the start of 2018 - a sequence that has yielded two trophies
- will discover whether she has won the award, which recognises the work she
has done in spearheading the Ladies' programme at the Hammers, at a ceremony
in Manchester next week. Speaking during the FA's Girls' Football Week,
which aims to raise participation among girls in the game, Ray paid tribute
to the work of her entire team of staff behind the scenes. She said: "I had
no expectations other to go and enjoy the event, so to find this out and be
recognised for the things that go on behind the scenes is nice. It's
exciting, but there are so many more people who should be awarded this, so
it's not only for me! "Without Jackie Ferdinand's [Head of Safeguarding]
trust in me to look after the girls, we wouldn't be where we are in terms of
the care we are able to offer the girls. As a whole there are so many
individuals who give back to what goes on, and so many departments support
me to give the support the girls need both on and off the pitch.
"It's about breaking down barriers and changing people's perceptions of
women's football. The club have really taken everything on board and
respected my pushes, and the fact I'm able to educate people about the sport
– it's nice to be recognised for it. "The biggest thing I can say is that we
have a managing director, Jack Sullivan, who has chosen this as his
department to dive in to. He's been brilliant at educating people in and
around the club about the women's sport. "The intrinsic learning which
happens in the football environment is really important, but ultimately the
education part for me is beyond the football pitch. "The natural thing for
me is coaching the team, but when we step away from that I like to think I'm
educating the girls so far beyond the sport, in terms of things like time
management and empowering the girls – it's really important to me, teaching
them how to be resilient both on the football pitch and off it."
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Adrian eager to take Manchester City opportunity
WHUFC.com
Adrian is eager to make the most of the opportunity to help West Ham United
secure Premier League safety when they welcome Manchester City to London
Stadium. With City loanee Joe Hart ineligible, the Spaniard will return to
the starting XI against the champions on Sunday and is likely to have plenty
of chances to show his goalkeeping ability. With four games left to play,
Adrian wants his performance against the Citizens to give manager David
Moyes no option but to select him between the sticks for the remainder of
the season. "Obviously I am ready to help the team and to help us get some
good points and to be safe as soon as possible," said the No13. "I want to
be in the team until the end of the season and to show everyone that I am
still here and performing at a good level. I will always do my best on the
pitch. "I feel I am more than ready to play. I was waiting for the
opportunity to play after my last game, so I have been working with
intensity and so hard over the last few weeks and now my moment has arrived.
"This is a different situation because Joe can't play, but nevertheless it
is an opportunity for me to play and I have to show how I am now."
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THE MANAGERIAL MERRY-GO-ROUND!
AUTHOR: KEVIN SLADE. PUBLISHED: 24 APRIL 2018 AT 8:20PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Kevin Slade @KevinSladeSDCC
David Moyes; A man who was once hand-picked by undoubtably the most
successful manager the game has ever seen, to take over one of the most
successful football clubs in world football. Since then, his career has
plunged into a downward spiral leaving him with a severely damaged
reputation. I had to empathise with David during his miserable eight month
tenure with the 20x league champions, as any manager was destined to fail in
the first season after Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement. But his failure to
attract and sign playing staff of the highest quality for one of the world's
super clubs is a testament to his ability, or lack of, as a football
manager. After Manchester United's worst ever campaign in the Premier
League, he was sacked after just eight months into his six year contract.
It was no coincidence that he was also handed the P45 after just twelve
months in charge at Real Sociedad for a dismal start to the 2015/2016 season
with his defensive style of play which led to a string of unflattering
results. We all know what happened at Sunderland – signing over-the-hill
dross and packing the squad to the rafters with loanee's that wouldn't make
the cut on a Sunday morning on the Hackney Marshes. Relegation soon loomed,
and after pledging to stay with Sunderland the day they were mathematically
relegated, he jumped ship the day after the season ended. Classy!
Surely after four disastrous years with three different clubs, & still out
of a job, nobody would touch David Moyes with a barge pole, right? Enter
David Sullivan, David Gold, and Karren Brady of West Ham United. The Board's
choice ahead of Slaven Bilic to succeed Sam Allardyce (Yes, you read that
correctly), has now ironically replaced Slaven Bilic to rescue us from the
grasp of the relegation trap door. I still stand by my word that I believe
we would have gone down under Slav. He had to go. Purely because he had more
than enough time to turn it around, and couldn't. Whilst I'm beginning to
sound like a spoilt brat, just bare with me for second and think about this
– Slaven Bilic is a man with class that had a fairy tale relationship with
the supporters, but as a manager, he completely lost it and we were heading
for the championship without a shadow of a doubt. David Moyes instilled
fitness, structure, and discipline to a fragile squad of players that were
vast becoming the Premier League whipping boys. But that's all he's done.
Apart from beating Chelsea, nothing has convinced me that moyes deserves a
contract. The Huddersfield, Stoke away, and Southampton results aren't
convincing enough either – we should be dispatching of those teams with the
team we have anyway.
So, six months to save us from the clutches of the championship David was
given, which seemed like a good deal for all parties last November. A change
of manager & backroom staff for the lads, a chance for Moyes to restore his
reputation by saving West Ham United from relegation, and a bit of a lift
for the fans in the hope we will actually see a few decent results. If David
can achieve what he was brought in to do by finishing 17th or above, happy
days for all parties. However, having heard David Gold on our radio show
state that he in fact interviewed David Moyes originally and wants to see
him "Manage West Ham for many years to come" has left me completely &
utterly deflated for many years to come! His record with the Toffees isn't
impressive enough to warrant him A full time job at West Ham, as Mr Gold
continually reminded us of this particular passage of time that he plucked
from his managerial career. His biggest achievement was getting Everton into
the Champions League in 2005, which to his credit, was of course a fantastic
achievement. Well if that's a reason to employ him full time for an
achievement thirteen years ago, then we might as well offer David O'leary a
job for doing the same with Leeds!
He was brought in to do a job – keep us up by any means necessary, and we
can start again in the summer. That, I can live with. I can live with
watching defensive, negative, ugly, long hoof ball football for six months
if it ensures safety. What I can't live with is mediocrity and flirting with
relegation for another few years playing the same style of football, if not
worse, than the man the board had to relieve of his duties on the request of
the fan base back in 2015. We've moved to Stratford totally against our will
for what we believed in on the absolute basis we would progress as a
football club. Challenge for European football, challenge for the domestic
cups, challenge our rivals, just to give us something to be excited about
for once. Not to be given David Moyes and his negative/defensive style of
play and inability to attract top players. For as long as I can remember
we've been searching for an out & out goal scorer, and we finally have our
hands on one in Chicharito. He will be the first player demanding to leave
in the summer if Moyes is kept on, and if he does leave the board need to
pack their bags & go too for their lack of ambition and plethora of below
average managerial appointments. Avram Grant, Sam Allardyce, Slaven Bilic,
David Moyes (Potentially). Excuse me for the lack of enthusiasm but I didn't
give up my life & soul for this!
Lanzini is another player i can see following Chicharito if David Moyes is
appointed full time, which is my biggest fear. Manu will flourish under the
right manager and really fulfil his potential to become a top, top player.
With our strongest starting eleven we could compete for the top 7-8 with the
exception of a few additions in some areas, which will leave the task to
maintain equilibrium and consistency, to put a stamp on the club with a
brand of football that we can actually be identified with and lay the
foundations to build from the bottom upwards and really turn West Ham United
into competitors… The man to carry out such a job is Rafa Benitez. He's been
at the helm of the top clubs and has the medals to prove it. He dragged
Newcastle up from the second tier on a shoe-string budget and has stabilised
the club in the premier league with a championship squad. He is concrete
proof that a good manager doesn't have to spend £200m in a transfer window,
which will be music to the board's ears. He will get our players playing and
will attract the players to progress and compete. I didn't choose to give up
so much history at the Boleyn Ground to continually watch our board take
cheap gambles and walk the tight rope of relegation. I gave up everything
that meant so much to me, my family, and my friends to watch little old West
Ham finally become a club that we could only ever dream of becoming…
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COULD THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPEN…..
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 23 APRIL 2018 AT 9:47PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by @gingesteel
Earlier this week a legend of the game retired his role of manager at
Arsenal Football Club. Aresene Wenger will retire as one of the best
managers to ever grace the game of football. In his time, he earned three
premier league titles and managed the only team to not lose a single Premier
League match – the Invincibles. He never finished outside of the top 6 and
only twice did he fail to finish in the top 4. Without a doubt, Arsene
Wenger will be missed from the world of football managers.
Earlier this week news also broke that Arsene Wenger might be interested in
a chief management position, such as Director of Football, but was not
interested in doing so at Arsenal. This has been reported in a number of
newspapers such as the Daily Star and the Telegraph.
(https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/697542/Arsene-Wenger-Arsenal-Eve
rton-news-gossip &
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/04/20/monaco-everton-may-offer-rap
id-arsene-wenger-routes-back/). Of course, with football journalism you can
never be too sure how much truth there is behind a story like this. But if
this story begins to materialize in summer, I believe, that in the wake of
recent transfer windows, it would be the board's obligation to place an
honest-to-goodness attempt to bring Wenger as a DoF of West Ham.
Is this realistic? The honest answer is that the chances are slim to none.
On our end, it seems that the board have decided they want David Moyes to
lead West Ham next year without a Director of Football. Furthermore, it is
not confirmed that Wenger will become a DoF in the first place. And if he
did, it is much more realistic that he may join his former club, Monaco as
their DoF, or perhaps even Everton as they look to more on from Big Sam. If
Wenger joins Monoco or Everton, it is not the end of the world. If anything,
it was always the expected outcome. But I would at least like to see the
board actually look into the possibility of bringing him to the club. While
it is a long shot, West Ham is a new project with loads of potential (great
fans, large stadium, London club) and Wenger may be interested in joining a
budding club with high aspirations.
In my opinion, this would be a massive step in the right direction towards
bridging the gap between the fans and the board, created by DS and DG. They
have been promoting this façade of "World class team in a world class
stadium" for years and hiding behind their empty promises. Earlier this
year, David Gold stated that he believes West Ham will be competing for
Euorpa League football in 5 years. For me, this is simply impossible without
an ambitious move like this. Furthermore, it would be long, long overdue.
Even the most patient and level-headed fan who supported the board until
only very recently (such as I) would admit that they are beginning to look
like con-artists in the football business for a quick buck. Their business
skills are hard to deny, but their football skills are very poor. So far
they have failed to show anything that even resembles ambition.
The reality remains that Moyes is likely not the man to take us to Europe
(much more on that later). So while it is highly unlikely we will see Wenger
as DoF for the Claret and Blue next season, West Ham have no hope of moving
on to this "next level" without a big name in charge. It is time to see the
board take some action and at least attempt to bring Arsene Wenger to East
London if he does indeed take a DoF position in the Premier League.
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TRANSFER TARGETS IDEAL FOR PENNY PINCHERS: A SELECTION
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 24 APRIL 2018 AT 9:06PM
TheWesThamWay.co.uk
Written by Steven McCarthy @StevenMcCarthy9
First up, the ultimate penny pinchers market – the Free Agent!
I know, there is never really such a thing as a "free" transfer anymore,
with those pesky agents demanding huge sums, but this is a season when there
really is a number of top players available with no Club or pesky Wine
Loving Chairman for our owners to be branded with dildo tags or fall out
with, so these could all be smart moves. Before I get into the article, I
have left out the obvious choices of Fellaini and Blind, with the chosen
representing what I think would be the most tempting to the board
financially. Remember how much the 2 Daves love a bargain or ability to be
sold for profit….or at least just consider me an eternal optimist and go
easy on me with some of the choices!
First up, is the most obvious of all on this list – Jack Wilshere:
The Great White Hope of the English National Side, we saw him compared to
the likes of Xavi, Scholes and Pirlo from day one and whilst we all know he
is a West Ham fan, that love of the club seems to have been symbiotic with
him having a fondness for injuries, as if he were already a Hammer in more
than just mind!
I don't want to be too harsh on the lad, because I love watching him as a
footballer and I think if we were able to get him on a reduced wage of
around 70,000 a week or a high, pay as you play, to match his Arsenal wages,
then it could be a fantastic move! However this move has all the signs of a
Gold & Sulli special, the "ambitious" signing to state our intent and add
quality only to just hide our clear lack of depth till he inevitably picks
up a knock. Therefore, unless we get Jack late on after a couple more
Central Midfielders are signed, I think we should him avoid at all costs! At
26 he still has the potential to be a long term addition and even turn a
profit should Lewin be able to keep him on the pitch regularly.
I've also chosen not to include more CM's yet, as I think this is an area we
need to spend in and if the likes of Southampton and Stoke go down, then
Badou NDiaye, Joe Allen, Ward-Prowse, Lemina and Romeu should be near the
top of our shopping lists!
Up next a player who I genuinely had to Yahoo search check because he's been
around so long, I didn't believe Google when it told me he doesn't turn 23
until July. That is the talented comfort eater that is, Luke Shaw! (I'm
sorry Luke, I saw too many memes of you as Üter from The Simpsons being
whipped by Mourinho's towel!) Now I know that at Left Back we have a couple
of options available in Cresswell and Masuaku, however both are susceptible
to either lapsing in concentration or not quite performing their defensive
duties fully. Which is why I would sign Shaw to give us the option of
pushing Masuaku forward with his quick feet and excellent eye for a pass,
with the fallback of 2 young English left footers to overlap with pace or
allow Cresswell to move into a Left sided Centre Back position. With the
incredibly good PR machine that is Evra hopefully retiring at the end of the
season, he would be an ideal replacement.
Moving over to the opposite side of the pitch, two choices are players who
both offer very different approaches in terms of club level. Ryan Fredericks
being the more realistic of the 2, with a solid frame, 6ft height and
blistering pace, he is more than built for the English game and with Zaba as
his mentor/rival for a spot in the starting lineup I think you could see his
weakest element of composure going forward improve. Fredericks is versatile
and can play a midfield and defensive role on both the left and right sides,
making him a handy addition to a side not exactly known for staying injury
free!
The ambitious choice, well….I'll get my hard hat on for this because this
one really is a long shot. Achraf Hakimi, a fast, athletic and talented on
the ball, 19 year old whose contract at Real Madrid runs out in July. Very
much a raw talent at the moment, he has huge potential, he shows a work rate
and reading of the game I've seen in a certain young Hammer this season. And
although rumours of Italian Clubs and a potential new contract are out
there, the last solid rumour I can remember, was a move to Newcastle! I
think we have a lot to offer with Premiership game time under the guise and
teaching of Zaba being a tempting proposition to any young player.
I personally like both the above players and if we signed Fredericks, I
think Byram's days could be numbered, so why not try and sign a youngster
who signals a chance to turn a huge profit for the club should he develop as
projected. The players chosen give us numerous options on both the left and
right side of the pitch in defence and attack, so we should be able to field
a strong bench even with West Hams famous Ancient Burial Ground style injury
curse on the squad. Moving into the forward areas of the pitch we have some
attacking options, my last somewhat realistic pick is Jonathan Bamba, a
player we have been linked with previously. I am a big fan of the young
French man who is out of contract at St.Etienne in the Summer, and he has a
big future ahead of him. Bamba's pace, skill on the ball, great passing and
wicked right foot should make him a hit with fans at any club, however the
area that impresses me the most for such a young player is his work rate!
Bamba isn't a juggernaut of a player physique wise like Antonio, but he uses
his frame and low centre of gravity incredibly well to stay on his feet and
often win back possession for his side, which was something an incredibly
talented French player we previously signed did not do half as much…
Whilst I am not going to build up expectations of a youngster too much,
there is a lot to like about this player and signs he could go one to be at
any top club in European football. For me, his ability to play across the
front 3 and performances lead me to believe this would be a costly free
transfer, but one I can see being the most fruitful on and off the pitch.
I'lll end my round up with a bit of a long shot! But with rumours of 2 of
our highest profile players in Lanzini and Hernandez potentially looking to
leave, we could well see a huge sum in transfers and wages available. So why
not go all out and aim big with my Pie In The Sky Pick! Shakhtar Donetsk's
small, pacey and creative attacker Bernard! The 25 year old Brazilian has
made no secret of his ambition to play in one of Europe's top leagues and
with some good performances in the Uefa Champions League and a great goals
and assist record in Europe I think he will be monitored by numerous clubs.
3 goals and 3 assists in said Champions League, 3 goals and 4 assists in the
Europa League and a great 14 goals and 24 assists in 95 Ukrainian League
games I think he won't come cheap, but why not look to make a statement. I
believe Leicester is a winnable games for us, with the clubs around us
facing tough fixtures, and relegation a mathematical long shot, I think we
can get safe and look to chase signings in the window! Let's finish the
season behind the team and voice our desire to see change and ambition in
the market from our owners, away from the 90 minutes on the pitch!
I'm @StevenMcCarthy9 on Twitter and if you let me know what you think of the
picks and article below, I'll pick more transfer targets and free agents to
sign.
COYI's!!!!
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ARE WE LEARNING FROM OUR MISTAKES?
By Tony Hanna 24 Apr 2018 at 08:00
WTID
Moyes in or Moyes out? Moysiah or Dinosaur? Well, if we go down he will be
gone for sure and in my opinion if we stay up he will be with us for at
least another season. Personally, I thought he pulled all the right strings
on Sunday with the possible exception of playing Mario instead of Lanzini.
But there again I am not privy to just how fit the latter is following his
injury lay off. Moyes made all the right substitutions at the right time –
again in my opinion. Hart deserved another game as Adrian's chance will come
next weekend anyway, against City. We were never going to take the game to
Arsenal. They have a 100% home record against teams outside the top six and
even with weakened team selections they put three past Stoke and Southampton
in recent weeks. At the 80 minute mark we looked like we were getting a
point which in our current predicament would have been gold. Until that
mistake from Rice. Hart last week – Rice this week, but players are human
and the only thing we can hold onto is that they learn from their mistakes.
But do they? Do they really go back on the training ground and work on their
own weaknesses, or is it just back to the same stuff they were doing last
week. I would really like to know. I am sure the best of the best do, but do
our players?
When I was eighteen I had joined a new football team. The manager soon had
me taking all the free kicks and corners. But a few games into the season we
were playing a Cup match and we were 3-0 down at half time against Leyton, a
team we were expected to beat. We pulled the deficit back to 3-2 and with
the last kick of the game we were awarded a penalty. The manager was
pointing at me to take the penalty. I had never taken a penalty in senior
football before and as I placed the ball on the spot I had no plan other
than to blast it as hard as I could. I managed to do that but the ball
sailed over the bar. Walking off after that game I felt distraught having
let my team mates down. "Don't worry Tone, it's Ok" was something I heard
several times from my team mates, but I knew deep down it was me that had
let the team down. The manager came up to me and said "you better put some
practice in lad because you will be taking the next penalty we get". Good
job my best mate was one of the best keepers in the district because I spent
hours with him on a routine that included my run up, body shape for
deception on delivery and hitting the exact same spot inside the post to the
keepers right. I only missed one more penalty in my playing days. So when I
see the National team getting beaten in penalty shoots outs and they turn up
for the next World Cup and the manager says "no, we don't practice
penalties" I just cringe. These players are far more talented and dedicated
than I ever was, but now they are at the top are they practising the right
things, ironing out their weaknesses and really working on improving rather
than just stagnating or staying comfortable. With some of the things I keep
seeing with West Ham I have my doubts.
My self- indulgent journey back in time to my own playing days was a prelude
to Declan Rice's error against Arsenal and even to Joe Hart's the week
before. When I see a young player making a game changing mistake it often
takes me back to how I felt after that penalty miss. Moyes defended Hart for
his error against Stoke but put blame on Rice a week later. He knows the
players better than us and hopefully his remarks are well judged
psychologically. I would like to think that there was a rational reasoning
for his different responses. But at training this week will we be practicing
crosses coming in at Joe Hart with Rice in front of him? Will their
communication be worked upon? Should the keeper be calling "away" or only
calling when the ball needs to be left. I could go on but you get the drift.
Because for some time our free kick and corner kick routines have been
pathetic. There has been almost no creativity in working on new set piece
variations to catch out opponents. Bang it into the box but fail to beat the
first defender is a common theme. Another area where we are really poor is
keeping possession from our own throw ins. I was listening to an ex player
the other day, forgive me as I can't remember who it was, but he was a
player who moved from the Championship to the Premier League. He said the
first thing that struck him in training was that his PL club didn't practice
throw in routines. "In the Championship we would spend several hours every
week just on those" he stated. I bet you we don't practice ours at West Ham!
Monreal scored the first goal for Arsenal from a corner – a set piece. He
was Cresswell's "man" but found three or more yards of space from the moment
the corner was taken to the time he shot home. Before the ball went in
Masuaku was protecting the near post but seemed to move away from his
station to allow Hart more room to make a save – for the first two goals it
was all about our defenders not taking responsibility. It really was a
comedy of errors but they seem to be occurring every week.
The other area that leaves a lot to be desired is keeping the ball in the
corner from corner kicks or playing the short one. The one in the last
minute at Chelsea that went pear shaped was followed by the very next corner
West Ham had at home to Stoke where the pass back to the corner taker put
him offside. Both were abysmal and totally inept. Surely, if we are going to
waste time then put Arnie and Kouyate in the corner, rather than Cullen and
Noble. Makes sense doesn't it – getting around those two big lumps would be
rather more difficult! So, back to my first paragraph about Dinosaur or
Moysiah? He told us he would get the players fitter, which he probably did
but we don't know for certain. But has he made the players better? Has he
got them working on their mistakes and deficiencies or are we just going
through the same motions at training every week. Because the manager we need
is the one that is doing the former.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies General Manager Karen Ray has been nominated for an
award in Outstanding Services to Education at Premier Sport Network's 2018
Behind the Scenes awards. Ray, who has overseen the Ladies' 13-match
unbeaten run at the start of 2018 - a sequence that has yielded two trophies
- will discover whether she has won the award, which recognises the work she
has done in spearheading the Ladies' programme at the Hammers, at a ceremony
in Manchester next week. Speaking during the FA's Girls' Football Week,
which aims to raise participation among girls in the game, Ray paid tribute
to the work of her entire team of staff behind the scenes. She said: "I had
no expectations other to go and enjoy the event, so to find this out and be
recognised for the things that go on behind the scenes is nice. It's
exciting, but there are so many more people who should be awarded this, so
it's not only for me! "Without Jackie Ferdinand's [Head of Safeguarding]
trust in me to look after the girls, we wouldn't be where we are in terms of
the care we are able to offer the girls. As a whole there are so many
individuals who give back to what goes on, and so many departments support
me to give the support the girls need both on and off the pitch.
"It's about breaking down barriers and changing people's perceptions of
women's football. The club have really taken everything on board and
respected my pushes, and the fact I'm able to educate people about the sport
– it's nice to be recognised for it. "The biggest thing I can say is that we
have a managing director, Jack Sullivan, who has chosen this as his
department to dive in to. He's been brilliant at educating people in and
around the club about the women's sport. "The intrinsic learning which
happens in the football environment is really important, but ultimately the
education part for me is beyond the football pitch. "The natural thing for
me is coaching the team, but when we step away from that I like to think I'm
educating the girls so far beyond the sport, in terms of things like time
management and empowering the girls – it's really important to me, teaching
them how to be resilient both on the football pitch and off it."
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Adrian eager to take Manchester City opportunity
WHUFC.com
Adrian is eager to make the most of the opportunity to help West Ham United
secure Premier League safety when they welcome Manchester City to London
Stadium. With City loanee Joe Hart ineligible, the Spaniard will return to
the starting XI against the champions on Sunday and is likely to have plenty
of chances to show his goalkeeping ability. With four games left to play,
Adrian wants his performance against the Citizens to give manager David
Moyes no option but to select him between the sticks for the remainder of
the season. "Obviously I am ready to help the team and to help us get some
good points and to be safe as soon as possible," said the No13. "I want to
be in the team until the end of the season and to show everyone that I am
still here and performing at a good level. I will always do my best on the
pitch. "I feel I am more than ready to play. I was waiting for the
opportunity to play after my last game, so I have been working with
intensity and so hard over the last few weeks and now my moment has arrived.
"This is a different situation because Joe can't play, but nevertheless it
is an opportunity for me to play and I have to show how I am now."
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THE MANAGERIAL MERRY-GO-ROUND!
AUTHOR: KEVIN SLADE. PUBLISHED: 24 APRIL 2018 AT 8:20PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Kevin Slade @KevinSladeSDCC
David Moyes; A man who was once hand-picked by undoubtably the most
successful manager the game has ever seen, to take over one of the most
successful football clubs in world football. Since then, his career has
plunged into a downward spiral leaving him with a severely damaged
reputation. I had to empathise with David during his miserable eight month
tenure with the 20x league champions, as any manager was destined to fail in
the first season after Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement. But his failure to
attract and sign playing staff of the highest quality for one of the world's
super clubs is a testament to his ability, or lack of, as a football
manager. After Manchester United's worst ever campaign in the Premier
League, he was sacked after just eight months into his six year contract.
It was no coincidence that he was also handed the P45 after just twelve
months in charge at Real Sociedad for a dismal start to the 2015/2016 season
with his defensive style of play which led to a string of unflattering
results. We all know what happened at Sunderland – signing over-the-hill
dross and packing the squad to the rafters with loanee's that wouldn't make
the cut on a Sunday morning on the Hackney Marshes. Relegation soon loomed,
and after pledging to stay with Sunderland the day they were mathematically
relegated, he jumped ship the day after the season ended. Classy!
Surely after four disastrous years with three different clubs, & still out
of a job, nobody would touch David Moyes with a barge pole, right? Enter
David Sullivan, David Gold, and Karren Brady of West Ham United. The Board's
choice ahead of Slaven Bilic to succeed Sam Allardyce (Yes, you read that
correctly), has now ironically replaced Slaven Bilic to rescue us from the
grasp of the relegation trap door. I still stand by my word that I believe
we would have gone down under Slav. He had to go. Purely because he had more
than enough time to turn it around, and couldn't. Whilst I'm beginning to
sound like a spoilt brat, just bare with me for second and think about this
– Slaven Bilic is a man with class that had a fairy tale relationship with
the supporters, but as a manager, he completely lost it and we were heading
for the championship without a shadow of a doubt. David Moyes instilled
fitness, structure, and discipline to a fragile squad of players that were
vast becoming the Premier League whipping boys. But that's all he's done.
Apart from beating Chelsea, nothing has convinced me that moyes deserves a
contract. The Huddersfield, Stoke away, and Southampton results aren't
convincing enough either – we should be dispatching of those teams with the
team we have anyway.
So, six months to save us from the clutches of the championship David was
given, which seemed like a good deal for all parties last November. A change
of manager & backroom staff for the lads, a chance for Moyes to restore his
reputation by saving West Ham United from relegation, and a bit of a lift
for the fans in the hope we will actually see a few decent results. If David
can achieve what he was brought in to do by finishing 17th or above, happy
days for all parties. However, having heard David Gold on our radio show
state that he in fact interviewed David Moyes originally and wants to see
him "Manage West Ham for many years to come" has left me completely &
utterly deflated for many years to come! His record with the Toffees isn't
impressive enough to warrant him A full time job at West Ham, as Mr Gold
continually reminded us of this particular passage of time that he plucked
from his managerial career. His biggest achievement was getting Everton into
the Champions League in 2005, which to his credit, was of course a fantastic
achievement. Well if that's a reason to employ him full time for an
achievement thirteen years ago, then we might as well offer David O'leary a
job for doing the same with Leeds!
He was brought in to do a job – keep us up by any means necessary, and we
can start again in the summer. That, I can live with. I can live with
watching defensive, negative, ugly, long hoof ball football for six months
if it ensures safety. What I can't live with is mediocrity and flirting with
relegation for another few years playing the same style of football, if not
worse, than the man the board had to relieve of his duties on the request of
the fan base back in 2015. We've moved to Stratford totally against our will
for what we believed in on the absolute basis we would progress as a
football club. Challenge for European football, challenge for the domestic
cups, challenge our rivals, just to give us something to be excited about
for once. Not to be given David Moyes and his negative/defensive style of
play and inability to attract top players. For as long as I can remember
we've been searching for an out & out goal scorer, and we finally have our
hands on one in Chicharito. He will be the first player demanding to leave
in the summer if Moyes is kept on, and if he does leave the board need to
pack their bags & go too for their lack of ambition and plethora of below
average managerial appointments. Avram Grant, Sam Allardyce, Slaven Bilic,
David Moyes (Potentially). Excuse me for the lack of enthusiasm but I didn't
give up my life & soul for this!
Lanzini is another player i can see following Chicharito if David Moyes is
appointed full time, which is my biggest fear. Manu will flourish under the
right manager and really fulfil his potential to become a top, top player.
With our strongest starting eleven we could compete for the top 7-8 with the
exception of a few additions in some areas, which will leave the task to
maintain equilibrium and consistency, to put a stamp on the club with a
brand of football that we can actually be identified with and lay the
foundations to build from the bottom upwards and really turn West Ham United
into competitors… The man to carry out such a job is Rafa Benitez. He's been
at the helm of the top clubs and has the medals to prove it. He dragged
Newcastle up from the second tier on a shoe-string budget and has stabilised
the club in the premier league with a championship squad. He is concrete
proof that a good manager doesn't have to spend £200m in a transfer window,
which will be music to the board's ears. He will get our players playing and
will attract the players to progress and compete. I didn't choose to give up
so much history at the Boleyn Ground to continually watch our board take
cheap gambles and walk the tight rope of relegation. I gave up everything
that meant so much to me, my family, and my friends to watch little old West
Ham finally become a club that we could only ever dream of becoming…
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COULD THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPEN…..
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 23 APRIL 2018 AT 9:47PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by @gingesteel
Earlier this week a legend of the game retired his role of manager at
Arsenal Football Club. Aresene Wenger will retire as one of the best
managers to ever grace the game of football. In his time, he earned three
premier league titles and managed the only team to not lose a single Premier
League match – the Invincibles. He never finished outside of the top 6 and
only twice did he fail to finish in the top 4. Without a doubt, Arsene
Wenger will be missed from the world of football managers.
Earlier this week news also broke that Arsene Wenger might be interested in
a chief management position, such as Director of Football, but was not
interested in doing so at Arsenal. This has been reported in a number of
newspapers such as the Daily Star and the Telegraph.
(https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/697542/Arsene-Wenger-Arsenal-Eve
rton-news-gossip &
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/04/20/monaco-everton-may-offer-rap
id-arsene-wenger-routes-back/). Of course, with football journalism you can
never be too sure how much truth there is behind a story like this. But if
this story begins to materialize in summer, I believe, that in the wake of
recent transfer windows, it would be the board's obligation to place an
honest-to-goodness attempt to bring Wenger as a DoF of West Ham.
Is this realistic? The honest answer is that the chances are slim to none.
On our end, it seems that the board have decided they want David Moyes to
lead West Ham next year without a Director of Football. Furthermore, it is
not confirmed that Wenger will become a DoF in the first place. And if he
did, it is much more realistic that he may join his former club, Monaco as
their DoF, or perhaps even Everton as they look to more on from Big Sam. If
Wenger joins Monoco or Everton, it is not the end of the world. If anything,
it was always the expected outcome. But I would at least like to see the
board actually look into the possibility of bringing him to the club. While
it is a long shot, West Ham is a new project with loads of potential (great
fans, large stadium, London club) and Wenger may be interested in joining a
budding club with high aspirations.
In my opinion, this would be a massive step in the right direction towards
bridging the gap between the fans and the board, created by DS and DG. They
have been promoting this façade of "World class team in a world class
stadium" for years and hiding behind their empty promises. Earlier this
year, David Gold stated that he believes West Ham will be competing for
Euorpa League football in 5 years. For me, this is simply impossible without
an ambitious move like this. Furthermore, it would be long, long overdue.
Even the most patient and level-headed fan who supported the board until
only very recently (such as I) would admit that they are beginning to look
like con-artists in the football business for a quick buck. Their business
skills are hard to deny, but their football skills are very poor. So far
they have failed to show anything that even resembles ambition.
The reality remains that Moyes is likely not the man to take us to Europe
(much more on that later). So while it is highly unlikely we will see Wenger
as DoF for the Claret and Blue next season, West Ham have no hope of moving
on to this "next level" without a big name in charge. It is time to see the
board take some action and at least attempt to bring Arsene Wenger to East
London if he does indeed take a DoF position in the Premier League.
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TRANSFER TARGETS IDEAL FOR PENNY PINCHERS: A SELECTION
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 24 APRIL 2018 AT 9:06PM
TheWesThamWay.co.uk
Written by Steven McCarthy @StevenMcCarthy9
First up, the ultimate penny pinchers market – the Free Agent!
I know, there is never really such a thing as a "free" transfer anymore,
with those pesky agents demanding huge sums, but this is a season when there
really is a number of top players available with no Club or pesky Wine
Loving Chairman for our owners to be branded with dildo tags or fall out
with, so these could all be smart moves. Before I get into the article, I
have left out the obvious choices of Fellaini and Blind, with the chosen
representing what I think would be the most tempting to the board
financially. Remember how much the 2 Daves love a bargain or ability to be
sold for profit….or at least just consider me an eternal optimist and go
easy on me with some of the choices!
First up, is the most obvious of all on this list – Jack Wilshere:
The Great White Hope of the English National Side, we saw him compared to
the likes of Xavi, Scholes and Pirlo from day one and whilst we all know he
is a West Ham fan, that love of the club seems to have been symbiotic with
him having a fondness for injuries, as if he were already a Hammer in more
than just mind!
I don't want to be too harsh on the lad, because I love watching him as a
footballer and I think if we were able to get him on a reduced wage of
around 70,000 a week or a high, pay as you play, to match his Arsenal wages,
then it could be a fantastic move! However this move has all the signs of a
Gold & Sulli special, the "ambitious" signing to state our intent and add
quality only to just hide our clear lack of depth till he inevitably picks
up a knock. Therefore, unless we get Jack late on after a couple more
Central Midfielders are signed, I think we should him avoid at all costs! At
26 he still has the potential to be a long term addition and even turn a
profit should Lewin be able to keep him on the pitch regularly.
I've also chosen not to include more CM's yet, as I think this is an area we
need to spend in and if the likes of Southampton and Stoke go down, then
Badou NDiaye, Joe Allen, Ward-Prowse, Lemina and Romeu should be near the
top of our shopping lists!
Up next a player who I genuinely had to Yahoo search check because he's been
around so long, I didn't believe Google when it told me he doesn't turn 23
until July. That is the talented comfort eater that is, Luke Shaw! (I'm
sorry Luke, I saw too many memes of you as Üter from The Simpsons being
whipped by Mourinho's towel!) Now I know that at Left Back we have a couple
of options available in Cresswell and Masuaku, however both are susceptible
to either lapsing in concentration or not quite performing their defensive
duties fully. Which is why I would sign Shaw to give us the option of
pushing Masuaku forward with his quick feet and excellent eye for a pass,
with the fallback of 2 young English left footers to overlap with pace or
allow Cresswell to move into a Left sided Centre Back position. With the
incredibly good PR machine that is Evra hopefully retiring at the end of the
season, he would be an ideal replacement.
Moving over to the opposite side of the pitch, two choices are players who
both offer very different approaches in terms of club level. Ryan Fredericks
being the more realistic of the 2, with a solid frame, 6ft height and
blistering pace, he is more than built for the English game and with Zaba as
his mentor/rival for a spot in the starting lineup I think you could see his
weakest element of composure going forward improve. Fredericks is versatile
and can play a midfield and defensive role on both the left and right sides,
making him a handy addition to a side not exactly known for staying injury
free!
The ambitious choice, well….I'll get my hard hat on for this because this
one really is a long shot. Achraf Hakimi, a fast, athletic and talented on
the ball, 19 year old whose contract at Real Madrid runs out in July. Very
much a raw talent at the moment, he has huge potential, he shows a work rate
and reading of the game I've seen in a certain young Hammer this season. And
although rumours of Italian Clubs and a potential new contract are out
there, the last solid rumour I can remember, was a move to Newcastle! I
think we have a lot to offer with Premiership game time under the guise and
teaching of Zaba being a tempting proposition to any young player.
I personally like both the above players and if we signed Fredericks, I
think Byram's days could be numbered, so why not try and sign a youngster
who signals a chance to turn a huge profit for the club should he develop as
projected. The players chosen give us numerous options on both the left and
right side of the pitch in defence and attack, so we should be able to field
a strong bench even with West Hams famous Ancient Burial Ground style injury
curse on the squad. Moving into the forward areas of the pitch we have some
attacking options, my last somewhat realistic pick is Jonathan Bamba, a
player we have been linked with previously. I am a big fan of the young
French man who is out of contract at St.Etienne in the Summer, and he has a
big future ahead of him. Bamba's pace, skill on the ball, great passing and
wicked right foot should make him a hit with fans at any club, however the
area that impresses me the most for such a young player is his work rate!
Bamba isn't a juggernaut of a player physique wise like Antonio, but he uses
his frame and low centre of gravity incredibly well to stay on his feet and
often win back possession for his side, which was something an incredibly
talented French player we previously signed did not do half as much…
Whilst I am not going to build up expectations of a youngster too much,
there is a lot to like about this player and signs he could go one to be at
any top club in European football. For me, his ability to play across the
front 3 and performances lead me to believe this would be a costly free
transfer, but one I can see being the most fruitful on and off the pitch.
I'lll end my round up with a bit of a long shot! But with rumours of 2 of
our highest profile players in Lanzini and Hernandez potentially looking to
leave, we could well see a huge sum in transfers and wages available. So why
not go all out and aim big with my Pie In The Sky Pick! Shakhtar Donetsk's
small, pacey and creative attacker Bernard! The 25 year old Brazilian has
made no secret of his ambition to play in one of Europe's top leagues and
with some good performances in the Uefa Champions League and a great goals
and assist record in Europe I think he will be monitored by numerous clubs.
3 goals and 3 assists in said Champions League, 3 goals and 4 assists in the
Europa League and a great 14 goals and 24 assists in 95 Ukrainian League
games I think he won't come cheap, but why not look to make a statement. I
believe Leicester is a winnable games for us, with the clubs around us
facing tough fixtures, and relegation a mathematical long shot, I think we
can get safe and look to chase signings in the window! Let's finish the
season behind the team and voice our desire to see change and ambition in
the market from our owners, away from the 90 minutes on the pitch!
I'm @StevenMcCarthy9 on Twitter and if you let me know what you think of the
picks and article below, I'll pick more transfer targets and free agents to
sign.
COYI's!!!!
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ARE WE LEARNING FROM OUR MISTAKES?
By Tony Hanna 24 Apr 2018 at 08:00
WTID
Moyes in or Moyes out? Moysiah or Dinosaur? Well, if we go down he will be
gone for sure and in my opinion if we stay up he will be with us for at
least another season. Personally, I thought he pulled all the right strings
on Sunday with the possible exception of playing Mario instead of Lanzini.
But there again I am not privy to just how fit the latter is following his
injury lay off. Moyes made all the right substitutions at the right time –
again in my opinion. Hart deserved another game as Adrian's chance will come
next weekend anyway, against City. We were never going to take the game to
Arsenal. They have a 100% home record against teams outside the top six and
even with weakened team selections they put three past Stoke and Southampton
in recent weeks. At the 80 minute mark we looked like we were getting a
point which in our current predicament would have been gold. Until that
mistake from Rice. Hart last week – Rice this week, but players are human
and the only thing we can hold onto is that they learn from their mistakes.
But do they? Do they really go back on the training ground and work on their
own weaknesses, or is it just back to the same stuff they were doing last
week. I would really like to know. I am sure the best of the best do, but do
our players?
When I was eighteen I had joined a new football team. The manager soon had
me taking all the free kicks and corners. But a few games into the season we
were playing a Cup match and we were 3-0 down at half time against Leyton, a
team we were expected to beat. We pulled the deficit back to 3-2 and with
the last kick of the game we were awarded a penalty. The manager was
pointing at me to take the penalty. I had never taken a penalty in senior
football before and as I placed the ball on the spot I had no plan other
than to blast it as hard as I could. I managed to do that but the ball
sailed over the bar. Walking off after that game I felt distraught having
let my team mates down. "Don't worry Tone, it's Ok" was something I heard
several times from my team mates, but I knew deep down it was me that had
let the team down. The manager came up to me and said "you better put some
practice in lad because you will be taking the next penalty we get". Good
job my best mate was one of the best keepers in the district because I spent
hours with him on a routine that included my run up, body shape for
deception on delivery and hitting the exact same spot inside the post to the
keepers right. I only missed one more penalty in my playing days. So when I
see the National team getting beaten in penalty shoots outs and they turn up
for the next World Cup and the manager says "no, we don't practice
penalties" I just cringe. These players are far more talented and dedicated
than I ever was, but now they are at the top are they practising the right
things, ironing out their weaknesses and really working on improving rather
than just stagnating or staying comfortable. With some of the things I keep
seeing with West Ham I have my doubts.
My self- indulgent journey back in time to my own playing days was a prelude
to Declan Rice's error against Arsenal and even to Joe Hart's the week
before. When I see a young player making a game changing mistake it often
takes me back to how I felt after that penalty miss. Moyes defended Hart for
his error against Stoke but put blame on Rice a week later. He knows the
players better than us and hopefully his remarks are well judged
psychologically. I would like to think that there was a rational reasoning
for his different responses. But at training this week will we be practicing
crosses coming in at Joe Hart with Rice in front of him? Will their
communication be worked upon? Should the keeper be calling "away" or only
calling when the ball needs to be left. I could go on but you get the drift.
Because for some time our free kick and corner kick routines have been
pathetic. There has been almost no creativity in working on new set piece
variations to catch out opponents. Bang it into the box but fail to beat the
first defender is a common theme. Another area where we are really poor is
keeping possession from our own throw ins. I was listening to an ex player
the other day, forgive me as I can't remember who it was, but he was a
player who moved from the Championship to the Premier League. He said the
first thing that struck him in training was that his PL club didn't practice
throw in routines. "In the Championship we would spend several hours every
week just on those" he stated. I bet you we don't practice ours at West Ham!
Monreal scored the first goal for Arsenal from a corner – a set piece. He
was Cresswell's "man" but found three or more yards of space from the moment
the corner was taken to the time he shot home. Before the ball went in
Masuaku was protecting the near post but seemed to move away from his
station to allow Hart more room to make a save – for the first two goals it
was all about our defenders not taking responsibility. It really was a
comedy of errors but they seem to be occurring every week.
The other area that leaves a lot to be desired is keeping the ball in the
corner from corner kicks or playing the short one. The one in the last
minute at Chelsea that went pear shaped was followed by the very next corner
West Ham had at home to Stoke where the pass back to the corner taker put
him offside. Both were abysmal and totally inept. Surely, if we are going to
waste time then put Arnie and Kouyate in the corner, rather than Cullen and
Noble. Makes sense doesn't it – getting around those two big lumps would be
rather more difficult! So, back to my first paragraph about Dinosaur or
Moysiah? He told us he would get the players fitter, which he probably did
but we don't know for certain. But has he made the players better? Has he
got them working on their mistakes and deficiencies or are we just going
through the same motions at training every week. Because the manager we need
is the one that is doing the former.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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