From the Newsroom
WHUFC.com
The London Evening Standard's Ken Dyer says West Ham United will benefit from the international break...
I thought it was a cracking game at Chelsea on Saturday, even if West Ham United were denied another famous away win late on. It was end to end and both teams went at it hammer and tongs.
West Ham are going to be disappointed for the second successive game but, as Guus Hiddink said, maybe a draw was probably a fair result on the balance of play, but having been in front twice West Ham would be disappointed not to have won. Slaven Bilic was spitting feathers and understandably because that's two games running where penalty incidents haven't gone his way – the Dimitri Payet one at Manchester United and now the Ruben Loftus-Cheek one at Chelsea. From where I was, it looked as if it was maybe outside the box and if there was any contact, I'm not sure. It did look as if it was outside and the referee Robert Madley did think about it and took his time. Maybe he got something in his ear from the linesman, but then he gave it. As a West Ham fan, the temptation is to be pleased with a draw at Chelsea, but we're higher than them in the table and I think the players saw that as two points dropped. Certainly if you looked at their faces as they came off, they looked very disappointed, and I'm sure that's the way Slaven looked at it as well. It was the 89th minute and you should be able to hold out, and West Ham had also had one or two chances before that to put the game out of sight. As Slaven said, Paris Saint-Germain couldn't score three goals at Chelsea, so it's no disgrace. It's easy to be a bit despondent but really once the dust settles, they are coming to places like Stamford Bridge and to be disappointed not to win is a sign of how far they have come. West Ham scored two cracking goals. I thought Manuel Lanzini was superb. In the first half, especially, he was taking up positions where they just couldn't handle him and he was linking well with Payet and scored a cracking goal. Then what a great substitution for the second goal! Andy Carroll came on and he took it really well. Andy is being used an 'impact sub' by Slaven and I can see why he likes to use him like that because by the time he comes on the game has opened up and if you put it up there, he will win it in the air. Andy had another great chance to score one or two more and, although he got one, he won't be happy because he wants to start matches. I'm sure when he is 100 per cent fit, he will start. Finally, I think this international break comes at a good time for West Ham, but Slaven will be on tenterhooks until his players come back from international duty fit and well. Notoriously, games after the international break, particularly when they have had to travel a long way, can be difficult and we are at home to Arsenal. It's been relentless the last few weeks, so I think the lads will enjoy a little breather.
The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of West Ham United.
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Stunning New Stadium wrap design revealed
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are pleased to confirm that a planning application has been submitted by E20 LLP for a spectacular wrap solution for the former Olympic Stadium, which, if approved, promises to set a new benchmark in world stadia. The Club and its stadium partners have worked tirelessly with leading digital experts to develop an optimum solution that would revolutionise the exterior of the Stadium. It would see the largest digital screens in Europe, measuring a massive 83m by 12m, installed on the outside of the Stadium. If approved, the new installation will provide immense benefit to all partners of the Stadium, enabling events throughout the year, including West Ham United matches, to have a highly-visible, cutting edge digital platform for content, information and promotional material, all in glorious HD. For West Ham matches, Hammers fans will be able to enjoy clips of their heroes past and present as they make their approach to the world-famous venue they will call home from August. So expect goals from Dimitri Payet or classic clips from Bobby Moore's heyday to enthral the Claret and Blue Army on their way in to the Stadium. And crucial to that end, the screens would be designed to respond to different brightness settings, meaning definition remains at an optimum level for day or night games in any weather condition. The exciting new plans – which replace the previously submitted application - also include including prominent, Olympic legacy-inspired Claret and Blue shards and the Club's crest and colours, in addition to branding and advertising. This is key to the Club's absolute commitment to ensuring the Stadium looks and feels like the unmistakable home of West Ham United. Now that the above proposal has been submitted for consideration, West Ham United and its Stadium partners will be working hard with the planning authority to reach an agreeable outcome. A response is expected within the next eight weeks, to allow installation to take place between May and July.
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Westley - We've gained vital experience
WHUFC.com
Development squad manager Terry Westley believes his side's experiences this season will help prepare his squad if the first team calls next campaign. The young Hammers progressed to the final of the Under-21 Premier League Cup last week after an extra-time win over Liverpool, and they are currently fifth in their league table. And Westley thinks the involvement in both competitions, as well as valuable loan spells for some members of the squad, have been vital in the team's progression. He said: "With the Under-21s being so competitive in the league, with an awful lot of younger players playing, and the run in the cup, we hope they'll kick on next pre-season. "Some of them will be ready for the first team and for Slaven [Bilic] and will be able to help. Add the Under-18s qualifying in the top section in their league, and we look really strong. "Lewis Page at Cambridge, Josh Cullen and Reece Burke at Bradford, Martin Samuelsen at Peterborough…they've all had great experiences that will stand them in good stead to progress next season. "It's pleasing how many young players we've been able to field. The emergence of Declan Rice, who has done very well in the 18s and has played in the 21s, is great, George Dobson is an Under-18 but playing for the 21s – the same with Marcus Browne. "The team has done well to cap off the season with a cup final in the last year of the stadium being available to us so it's a great way for them to end the campaign."
Westley also explained how important getting the balance right between playing academy football and getting senior experience on loan is. "It depends on who the individual is, but both types of experience are vital. Some clubs will tell you it's all about a loan, but others will say if you're 18 and good enough you'll have a go in the team. You might not need a loan.
"Look at [Luke] Shaw, [James] Ward-Prowse, [Alex] Oxlade-Chamberlain and [Theo] Walcott at Southampton – they all never went on loan. But then at Spurs, [Ryan] Mason, [Tom] Carroll, [Harry] Kane and [Andros] Townsend – they all had a lot of loans. "It just proves it depends on where the player is on his pathway. "I think Samuelsen, Cullen and Burke, after a loan in the Football League, have got to prove next pre-season that they're ready to help the first team and help the manager. "It's a competitive Under-21 programme, pushing players up age-groups, so it's good for us and it's been a good season so far."
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Antonio heads home
WHUFC.com
Michail Antonio put plenty of smiles on faces when he returned to first club Tooting & Mitcham FC to coach youngsters. The in-form No30 came through the ranks at the south London club, which he joined as an U12 and progressed to the first team while still a teenager. Antonio coached the club's Kickers and caught up with plenty of familiar faces - and West Ham TV were on hand to catch all the action.
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Enner set for Ecuador return
WHUFC.com
Enner Valencia is looking forward to pulling on the famous yellow shirt of the Ecuador national team again this week. The West Ham United forward returns to Los Amarillos duty for the first time since appearing at the Copa America in June 2015. A pair of ankle injuries have ruled Valencia out of Ecuador's record-breaking start to their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, which has seen them win four matches out of four to go top of the ultra-competitive South American group. The country may have a population of a little more than 16 million, but Ecuador have already pulled off a first-ever win in Argentina, followed by home victories over Bolivia and Uruguay and a 3-1 success in Venezuela. Next up come the visit of fourth-place Paraguay on Thursday, followed by a trip to neighbours Colombia on Tuesday 29 March. "We play against Paraguay in Quito and then Colombia away," said the No11. "They are two very difficult games, but Ecuador is now performing very well. We will hope to get three points at home and then Colombia will be very tough, but we will try our best again. "The whole country is behind us. We are doing fantastic and everyone is confident. To be top of the table is a fantastic performance. "I am also looking forward to seeing my family again, as I have not been home since the Copa America last June. It is hot there now, too!"
At club level, Valencia returned to the West Ham starting XI for Saturday's 2-2 draw at Chelsea, where he gave a typically energetic performance at both ends of the pitch. "It was a very good game and I was very happy to start the game and contribute to a good result," he said, speaking in his rapidly improving English. "It was very good for my confidence. I am very happy with all the Club and the fans and I'll keep working hard for them."
While he did not get on the scoresheet himself, Valencia was delighted for fellow South American Manuel Lanzini, who curled in an exquisite opener. Later, super-sub Andy Carroll scored within seconds of his arrival on the pitch to put West Ham 2-1 up, only for a controversial late penalty to secure a scarcely-deserved draw for the Blues. "Manu's goal was unbelievable," Valencia confirmed. "He is a fantastic player and he has the capability to be one of the best players with West Ham. I know him from his time in South America and now he is a very good player here in England. He has good technique and he scored a fantastic goal on Saturday. "Andy, too, is unbelievable. He was on the pitch for about 20 seconds and he scored a goal!"
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Reid - Noble deserves all the praise
WHUFC.com
West Ham United defender Winston Reid has nothing but admiration for the way Mark Noble has stayed so loyal to the Hammers and says he deserves his day in the spotlight at his Testimonial match on Monday. Reid has been fortunate enough to play alongside Noble for the last six-years and has enjoyed many memorable moments with the West Ham captain. The New Zealand international will never forget being part of the side alongside Noble that won the memorable Play-Off Final at Wembley against Blackpool to gain promotion back into the Premier League. And he is looking forward to paying tribute to the talented midfielder in front of another sell-out crowd at the Boleyn Ground on Easter Monday. Reid said: "Mark thoroughly deserves everything that he's getting. There are not many players that stay with the same team for this long, but Mark's from the area and he's been here all his life. "I hope he enjoys the game. I'm sure he's been through some difficult times during the years he's been at West Ham, but now especially with this good season, you can see how much it really means to him. "When we were promoted from the play-offs [together], it was a special moment for everyone connected with the Club but you could see the relief on his face, and that was a great moment."
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Farewell Boleyn - From the Newsroom
WHUFC.com
Nigel Clarke is one of the most well known faces in British Journalism and has been covering top flight football for over 50-years. He is a big admirer of the Hammers and can boast to be one of the closest friends former England captain Bobby Moore had with the media.
Clarke has worked for some of the biggest newspapers in the country including the Daily Mirror and Daily Express and will be sad to see West Ham leave the Boleyn Ground at the end of the season.
I have covered top flight football for a number of years and been to some of the best stadiums in Europe but I have to say that the Boleyn Ground has always been one of my favourite grounds to cover a big match.
I will never forget when we used to go up to Ron Greenwood's office inside the ground after a game and he would give out his pearls of wisdom and share his thoughts on the result. He was very upfront and always answered your questions.
I was very fortunate that I struck up a very close relationship with Bobby Moore and one of the biggest things for me after covering a West Ham game was spending the evening with the players at the Britannia Arms in Plaistow.
Myself, Mooro, Frank Lampard and Graham Paddon would sit there for hours discussing football.
It was total education and I learned so much about the game from talking to them. You would listen to established people and they knew you would not betray them. I was fascinated by the fact that Bobby had such a will to win.
We had a long lasting friendship and and Bobby was one of the greatest football players I have ever met. I used to go down to the Boleyn Ground on a Sunday morning if he was having treatment with the physio Rob Jenkins and we would talk even more about the great game.
I cried so much when Bobby died and one of my biggest every memories of going to the Boleyn Ground was immediately after the news had broken about his death and I was overwhelmed by the amount of tributes that had been made and the flowers that greeted you when you walked inside the gates.
I will always remember Upton Park and it always stood for something very special. They wanted to be the best and there have been some tremendous times there over the years.
The people are always nice and friendly and the biggest factor is they are homegrown and understand the traditions of the club. It is all about the family in the East End.
You feel the warmth and friendliness when you walk inside the stadium and I still love covering games there.
There have been so many stories associated with the famous old ground and from a reporters point of view it was always great to speak with players in the tunnel after a game.
The biggest challenge was getting an interview with Billy Bonds as he would have a bath and would then disappear out of the ground!
In more recent times it has been fun interviewing the likes of Frank McAvennie and Paolo Di Canio who was a real character.
We would have to wait ages for Paolo but trust me it was well worth it and he would always give you a story. He would come out of the dressing room with his tie done up the wrong way and he would be wearing different colour socks. He was a unique individual.
He always seemed to know what the press wanted from him and would sometimes stand there winking at you while he was talking. We were never sure how much he was winding us up!
I have covered so many games through the years but my standout memory has to be the Hammers 7-0 win over a strong Leeds side.
I think Bobby hit 105 out of 106 passes that night and it was the most complete demonstration of how to play the game. I can still remember the noise the crowd made and it was something very special.
The Boleyn Ground was part of my upbringing and I will miss the old ground terribly.
The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of West Ham United
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Borg Off
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 23rd March 2016
By: Staff Writer No.3
Academy product Oscar Borg is on the verge of signing for Premier League basement club Aston Villa. The 18 year-old left back, who can also operate further forward, joined the Irons at the age of 13 and has featured at both U18 and Development Squad level in recent years. In 2014 Borg looked set to join Manchester United after a successful trial spell. However, the clubs failed to agree a compensation package for the youngster, who qualifies for both England and Turkey at international level. Since then it appears that the player, who was, perhaps unfairly, likened to Gareth Bale in his playing style, has failed to progres as well as the club might have liked. It is undrstood that Villa have offered Borg a two and a quarter year contract.This would keep the player in Birmingham until June 2018 as the Villains embark on a rebuilding programme in advance of what will almost certainly be relegation to the Championship at the end of this season.
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New Lanzini deal shows West Ham are on the verge of something special, says club legend Trevor Brooking
March 23, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
BKHammer
Sir Trevor Brooking spoke to the Evening Standard and hailed West Ham's permanent capture of Manuel Lanzini and feels his old club are on the verge of something special.
Joint-chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan have spent around £9million to turn Argentinian midfielder Lanzini's loan deal from UAE side Al Jazira into a four-year contract, with the option of a further two years. The 23-year-old, who scored his sixth goal of the season at Chelsea on Saturday, has joined Dimitri Payet and Cheikhou Kouyate in signing long-term contracts with the Hammers. And with the club set to wave goodbye to Upton Park and move into the Olympic Stadium next season, former Hammers midfielder Brooking feels the future is looking bright.
"It's great," he said. "I was asking the two Daves if they had sorted Lanzini out just a couple of weeks ago. "He was outstanding until he got injured earlier this season. Then he came back and he and Dimitri Payet together are great. It's good to sort him, Payet and Kouyate out for the next few years. "People can say what's to stop big clubs still coming in for them, but if I was a player on the platform that they are given at West Ham, a club where the fans enjoy watching you and now with the new stadium, it's a great opportunity for them and anyone else who comes in. "With three or four new players, the right sort of people, I think they can be very dangerous next year."
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ExWHUEmployee Exlusive: Payet and Bilic shortlisted for Barclay's Player and Manager of the Month
March 22, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
ExWHUEmployee
We are delighted to announce, exclusively, that Dimitri Payet with his 1 goal, 3 assists and scintillating performances has been shortlisted for the prestigious Barclays Player of the Month award.
The nominees are:
Dimitri Payet
Harry Kane-Tottenham
Wes Morgan-Leicester City
Riyad Mahrez-Leicester City
Graziano Pelle-Southampton
Ashley Williams-Swansea
Following on from Payet's nomination, Super Slaven Bilic has also been shortlisted in the manager's award having guided West Ham to wins over Spurs and Everton and a draw at Chelsea (which we all know should have been a win if it was not for the referee).
The nominees are:
Slaven Bilic
Eddie Howe-Bournemouth
Francesco Guidolin-Swansea
Claudio Ranieri-Leicester City
Congratulations to the both of them!
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Why always us? Or am I just paranoid
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 21st March 2016
By: Paul Walker
Consider, if you dare, what would happen if the disgraceful refereeing decisions that have overwhelmed West Ham these past two matches had happened to Manchester United.
Can you image the purple rage of old Fergie if his side had been denied a place in the FA Cup semi-finals and then been robbed of a Champions League qualification place in successive matches?
Two games against Manchester United and then Chelsea that could have defined our season, both games we should have won, our two biggest matches of the campaign against not just two of England's biggest clubs but two of the world's very biggest.
And we have done so well, received praise from all quarters and have put down markers now on what we are capable of. I cannot praise Slav and this fired-up, compelling squad enough for what they have achieved already, with so much more to come.
But they always seem to be fighting against the odds. These have not been the run-of-the-mill cock ups we see every game, but definitive mistakes that could cost West Ham millions.
We all know what would have happened if it had been Man U on the receiving end. Fergie would have screamed blue murder for days, David Gill would have been pressurising from within the FA and refereeing careers would have been fatefully damaged. Just ask Andy D'Urso!
There would have been days of media overkill, deep analysis, pages of moaning. But we all know that such misfortunes rarely, if ever, befall the likes of Manchester United, they just seem to happen to us.
Now I know it is easy to sink into a claret and blue bias here. Mistakes do happen, these things eventually even themselves out. Or so we are told.
But they don't do they? Because a couple of sets of statistics published recently do seem to suggest that West Ham get the rough end of these decisions more than anyone else!
And you sense that there is a growing anger from within the corridors of power at the Boleyn, and it's coming from the very top. David Gold has ventured into twitter of late to carefully bemoan the current unsatisfactory state of play.
Firstly there was a remarkable survey that looked into mistakes by officials that have seen goals wrongly awarded against teams, and had seen their own efforts wrongly ruled out. West Ham had suffered the most of both.
Then there was an even more interesting investigation into penalties awarded. You guessed it, over the past four seasons we have been awarded fewer than any other team in the top flight. And amazingly, not been awarded one penalty in four seasons in an away match.
Just think about that for a second. I am not sure whether this survey included this incomplete season or not, so lets say for arguments sake that we have played 75 away league games in the past four seasons. That's 6,750 minutes play. Or another way, 112.5 hours football. That's 4.6 days.
Are we seriously expected to accept that not one foul on a West Ham player in the penalty area has occurred during nearly five continuous days of football? I doubt David Gold accepts that for one minute.
So is this just unlucky, or do referees just not like us? Or maybe we didn't get the phone call from the referees' mafia that said we would be looked after because we were a big club? (Sorry, this sort of stuff does make you paranoid.)
The penalties survey makes interesting reading. Not only did we not get an away penalty in four years, we only had nine at home. In that time, Manchester United had 20 spot kicks, ten away. Manchester City and Liverpool had the most, 26, with Chelsea 25 and Arsenal 18.
Now I accept that clubs with better players will find their opponents committing more fouls against them. But to this degree? I am not having that.
The big club/little club syndrome has always been there, whether officialdom likes it or not. Take, for example, that ridiculous penalty awarded to Liverpool in the final seconds at Crystal Palace.
Christian Bennteke going down after a tiny connection with Damien Delaney's knee. Our old boss Alan Pardew went potty and insisted that sort of penalty would never be awarded to his team. The statistic suggest he was right.
Now for our own recent problems. Dimitri Payet was clipped from behind in the FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford. Howard Webb, on BT Sport, Dermot Gallagher on Sky and Graham Poll in the Daily Mail all agreed it was a penalty. Why would Payet have gone down in that position if he hadn't been fouled?
But ever since we have seen the full might of the Manchester United media machine turned against him. Louis Van Gaal said it was "more or less" a foul. Make your mind up pal, you have done a pretty good job of character assassination.
Of course, he went down too easily claims the deluded Dutchman. Almost as easily as the way Anthony Martial went down when mildly caught by Nathaniel Clyne in the Europa League match with Liverpool a few days later. He flew through the air in true Ashley Young style. Didn't hear anyone at Man U doubting hat decision, did we?
And then there was the obvious foul by Bastian Schweinsteiger on Darren Randolph, it was too obvious for words but it still cost us victory and Manchester United's equaliser should not have counted.
That, by the way, is the same German midfielder who smashed his arm into Winston Reid's face during the league game there in December, and was only punished later because Mark Clattenburg had failed to see it from ten yards away..maybe his hair gel and fake tan got in his eyes.
And now we have another shocking decision by Bobby Madley at Chelsea, a referee who does not know how to mark out ten yards, by the way.
The supposed connection between Michail Antonio and Ruben Loftus-Cheek was clearly outside the box. Madley was also not in a good enough position to give a spot-kick anyway.
The Chelsea lad clipped his own heels, dived into the box and got a penalty, Payet went down under a limited connection and didn't get a penalty. Martial went down the same way, dived, and got one. Benteke was barely touched, dived and got a spot-kick. See a pattern there? Big clubs get, small clubs don't.
And how many clubs have had to appeal, successfully, against three bad sendings-off in a year like us? Adrian, Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate have all had red cards rescinded. That is a very high figure, surely.
So my paranoia has taken over. And I wonder if our leaders are starting to feel the same way? They will be aware of al these facts and injustices and I bet someone, somewhere has had a word or two about it all.
Will things change? Unlikely. Will Payet get booked for diving some time soon? You can bet on it, thanks to loopy Louis.
But not even dodgy referees can spoil this season. Slav's men seem able to take things in their stride, attack at every opportunity and are giving us one hell of a ride.
European football, though, is going to be tough to attain. With none of the current top four still in the FA Cup, qualification will now not get to sixth place. So we have to cling onto what we have. And for a change I am not betting against that!
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, KUMB.com.
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West Ham reveal plans for Olympic Stadium 'wrap-around' screens
Last Updated: 23/03/16 5:07pm
SSN
West Ham have released images of how they hope their new stadium will look next season. The club will move into the Olympic Stadium in the summer and their game against Manchester United on May 10 will be the last at Upton Park, their home since 1904. The club have revealed they hope to cover the outside of the Olympic Stadium in giant digital screens which they claim will be the largest in Europe at 83 metres long. The screens will show clips of past and present players on match days. The Olympic Park's management company, E20 LLP, have submitted planning permission and West Ham should know by the end of the current season whether the scheme has been given the green light. A statement on the club's website read: "For West Ham matches, Hammers fans will be able to enjoy clips of their heroes past and present as they make their approach to the world-famous venue they will call home from August. "So expect goals from Dimitri Payet or classic clips from Bobby Moore's heyday to enthral the Claret and Blue Army on their way in to the Stadium. "The exciting new plans - which replace the previously submitted application - also include including prominent, Olympic legacy-inspired Claret and Blue shards and the Club's crest and colours, in addition to branding and advertising. "This is key to the Club's absolute commitment to ensuring the Stadium looks and feels like the unmistakable home of West Ham United."
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West Ham loanee Alex Song set for Barcelona return in summer after disappointing season
17:13, 23 MAR 2016 UPDATED 17:13, 23 MAR 2016
BY JOHN CROSS
Song has only made 15 appearances for the Hammers as his season has been hampered by injuries, meaning he could depart the club
The Mirror
Alex Song looks set to return to Barcelona this summer. West Ham signed Song on a season-long loan from Barcelona last summer and a new contract would kick in based on appearances. But Song, 28, has struggled to make the same impact this season as during his impressive first year at West Ham and it looks increasingly likely he will go back to the Nou Camp. West Ham could still try to do a cut-price permanent deal, especially if they clinch a place in Europe which would boost their chances of agreeing a contract. Cameroon international Song has made just 15 appearances this term largely because of injuries and is no longer an automatic choice. Barcelona would be willing to do a permanent deal and there would be no shortage of takers with Song keen to stay in the Premier League.
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Ex-West Ham player gets three years jail after glassing bouncer in face in parking row
17:04, 23 MAR 2016 UPDATED 17:13, 23 MAR 2016
BY PETER STUBLEY
Simon Williams suffered horrific cuts from his temple to his shoulder, including two severed arteries, after Izzy Iriekpen lashed out with a glass in his hand
The Mirror
A former West Ham footballer who glassed a bouncer in the face in a parking rage row over a Porsche has been jailed for three years and three months. Izzy Iriekpen, 33, left martial arts expert Simon Williams needing emergency surgery to repair two severed arteries in his neck. Mr Williams ended up with 61 stitches on the horrific cuts stretching from his temple to his shoulder after the attack outside a pub in the famous Notting Hill area of London. Iriekpen, who captained the 1999 FA Youth Cup winning team featuring Joe Cole and Michael Carrick, claimed he forgot that he was holding the glass when he lashed out in self defence. But prosecutors said the former centre-half simply lost his temper because he felt "disrespected" by Mr Williams in front of a female friend. The Old Bailey heard the attack happened outside at the Westbourne Tavern in Notting Hill while it was showing a World Cup game on Friday 4 July 2014. Mr Williams went over to speak to Iriekpen at around 6.30pm after noticing the ex-footballer had moved outside the barrier around the pub with a drink in his hand. Iriekpen appeared to be talking animatedly on the phone and moments later his female friend Ofa Lesuma pulled up in a black Porsche.
Mr Williams, who has held a security license for 25 years and worked at the Westbourne Tavern for eight years, said he asked Miss Lesuma to move the car because it was blocking the pavement. The bouncer told the court that Iriekpen became angry at his interruption and told him "don't talk to me like that" or "don't talk to her like that". Mr Williams said he went to restrain Iriekpen but the footballer grabbed his throat. "He was not happy, he was very angry. He put his thumbs into my Adam's Apple and I remember thinking it was a totally disproportionate responses to what's happened and it shocked me."
Iriekpen then smashed Mr Williams on the left side of the head with the glass in his hand. "I felt a massive bang to my head, it was like an explosion," said the bouncer. Iriekpen left the scene in the Porsche driven by Miss Lesuma but was later arrested. He told the Old Bailey that he punched a second bouncer, Ymer Topuzi, because he "was being a bully". Iriekpen said he swung the hand holding the glass in self defence because he "just wanted to get away from them". He said: "Both of them are on me… so I have just swung and felt like I have hit his head and the glass just shattered and I saw a little bit of blood on his head, but my hand was open and bleeding. His barrister, Anand Beharrylal, asked: "Did you think you had a glass in your hand?"
Iriekpen replied: "I didn't have time to think. I had two people on top of me. I just wanted to get away from them." Prosecutor James Vine told the Old Bailey that Iriekpen deliberately glassed Mr Williams. Mr Vine added: "He did not appreciate being shown what he considered disrespect by these two bouncers. It was plain anger. "The Crown say he hit him with the glass he meant to cause him serious harm and that's why he did it."
He was loaned out to Leyton Orient and Cambridge United in 2002 and 2003 respectively, before joining Swansea, then in League Two, on a free transfer. After being part of the Swans' promotion-winning campaign in 2005, Iriekpen had stints at Scunthorpe United, Bristol City, and Scottish side Hamilton Academical before retiring due to injury in 2009. Iriekpen, Paddington, west London, was convicted of unlawfully wounding Mr Williams but cleared of the more serious charge of wounding with intent. He was also cleared of common assault against Mr Topuzi.
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Report: Foxes eye Irons defender
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 23, 2016 in News
C and H
Morning reports claim that Leicester City boss is keen on making a shock swoop for Reece Burke And The Sun claims Burke is ready to entertain such an offer and the chance of Champions League football. However, it takes a leap of the imagination to accept that he would go from a loan spell with Bradford City to such exalted heights or that the Hammers are ready to let him go. He remains a key figure in the club's future with James Collins reaching the veteran stage and an Irons source told ClaretandHugh : "He's been getting rave reports and our own scouts have kept an eye on his progress. He's a very good player and not one we wouldn't want to lose. Burke has played five league games for the Irons and Ranieri is impressed with his versatility in being able to fill both central defence and right back positions
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England holds on to CL League 4th spot
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 23, 2016 in News
C and H
Uefa has announced England will retain four Champions League places until at least the end of the 2017-18 season. The Premier League had faced a challenge from Italy – which currently has only three spots – as a result of a fall in its rating in UEFA's coefficient system. But the progress of Manchester City and Liverpool to the quarter-finals of this season's Champions League and Europa League respectively, while Roma, Juventus and Lazio have all been eliminated from European competition, has reversed the situation. The news will be a big boost for the Hammers , Manchester United and Manchester City, all of whom are competing for a place in the top four with eight games remaining this season. Arsenal fans should also be relieved as their side will be in the Champions League next season even if they slip to yet another fourth-placed finish.
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DS warns cash may not help big boys
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 23, 2016 in News
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David Sullivan has warned 'flashing the cash 'isn't going to help big clubs win back their elite Premier League standings next season. And instead – taking a dig at Manchester United – he said: "They might buy a pile of players that make them worse. Look at Man United, two years in a row they have spent a fortune and either only got into fourth or didn't make it at all."
Speaking to The Mirror's Darren Lewis he said: "It's possible that next year will be the same as this year, that the order has changed for ever. "There is more money lower down. You've got Stoke taking an £18million player (Giannelli Imbula). You've got West Brom taking £12m players (Salomon Rondon)." He also believes the 'London Factor' will play a huge factor in the market adding: "With 60-70 per cent of players, it is a major advantage. We know about clubs up north signing players and telling them, 'We're only an hour from London' — but they leave out the fact that that's [if you travel] by private jet or helicopter!" Sullivan admits he's delighted with Claudio Ranieri's success at Leicester and not necessarily for the club's sake adding: "It takes the pressure off us! "If they weren't there, we'd be the sole topic of conversation: 'Are West Ham going to make top four? Will they do it?' "So it really pleases me that we are slipping through under the Leicester umbrella." "Fourth for us would be beyond our wildest dreams. I'm glad City have got [their Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain] as a distraction. We have the FA Cup, but it is not two legs."
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Sullivan: "Our team doesn't need major surgery"
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 23, 2016 in News
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David Sullivan has told the Sun newspaper that while Beneke is a player the club admire most clubs would struggle to afford his huge wages. The chairman reconfirms the club's commitment to find a twenty goal a season striker "He's a player we admire but the problem is that he is on huge wages that no club can afford. What we don't have is 20-25 goal a season striker. If we did we'd be even higher up the table. "Andy has scored some big goals this season. Four doesn't sound much but they have been huge goals and he has made a huge impact coming off the bench. He is a 'chaos' player but maybe a real top, top consistent goalscorer."
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Sullivan confirms Benteke too pricey at £120k
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 23, 2016 in News, Whispers
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David Sullivan has confirmed ClaretandHugh' s story that Christian Benteke will not be joining West Ham at a fee of around £120k a week. The Mirror claimed in a headline this morning that the Irons want him but just as CandH had revealed, whilst Slaven Bilic is an admirer, the wage puts him out of the frame. Sullivan told reporter Darren Lewis " "The problem is he is on such a huge wage no club can afford him. But he is a player that we admire." FALL_OF_THE_KRAYS_FB_IMAGE1[7]On Monday our major source revealed to us when discussing the £32.m Liverpool front man: " "They aren't the sort of wages we will pay. He added: "If it were it just the case of a transfer fee there would be no problem but any new front man will have to fit into the FFP regulations."
Meanwhile, the chairman's latest movie – Fall of the Krays – will be released on Easter Monday and we will be running a competition for copies to run at the same time. bSullivan told ClaretandHugh this morning (Wed): "I think it's a far Better film than Rise of the Krays , but like 'Rise' it shows the Krays as they really were-very violent, nasty, gansters. I would warn potential viewers that there are two scenes of graphic violence that might shock them.
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Goodbye to one …big doubt over other
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 23, 2016 in News, Whispers
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West Ham are close to making the final decision on Alex Song's future at the club. The midfielder had hoped to land a two year deal at the end of the summer but that is now looking increasingly unlikely after he has been missing from the team over recent weeks. That is understood to be as a result of the normal procedure of loaning clubs placing a clause in the deal that sees the deal become automatically permanent should the player make a certain number of first team appearances. ClaretandHugh was told: "There's still time for Alex to earn his deal but the jury remains out at this stage." Meanwhile Emmanuele Emenike will be rejoining his parent club Fenerbahce at the end of the season as the Hammers boss Slaven Bilic clears the decks to bring in his big striker signing. We were told: "Emmy has done well but it's now well known we are ready to go in for one of several big strikers and that changes the game."
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Lanzini deal – the finances
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 23, 2016 in News, Whispers
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West Ham's new £9 million star signing Manu Lanzini has signed a weekly deal worth around £40k a week with the club. The Argentine was on a weekly wage of around £25k a week whilst on loan but his new deal carries a £40k-£45k basic plus appearance and goal bonuses. The 23 year old has agreed a new four year deal worth around £10 million with a two year option in the club's favour as chairman and de facto Director of Football David Sullivan develops the squad. A well placed source told ClaretandHugh: "It was a comfortable deal to organise. The player was always keen to join and the finances were relatively straightforward. Everybody is very settled with the contract. Manu has signed a long term deal with an option."
"It's great to have our three big players – Payet, Kouyate and Manu settled at this stage as we can now concentrate solely on bringing in the striker we need."
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Giant TV screens to replace OS digital wrap
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 23, 2016 in News, Whispers
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West Ham have announced that a planning application has been submitted by E20 LLP for a replacement wrap solution for the former Olympic Stadium after the previous design was abandoned.
The Club say it has worked with its stadium partners tirelessly to develop an optimum solution that would see the largest digital screens in Europe, measuring a massive 83m by 12m, installed on the outside of the Stadium.
If approved, Hammers fans will be able to enjoy clips of their heroes past and present in High Definition as they make their approach to the world-famous venue they will call home from August. And crucial to that end, the screens would be designed to respond to different brightness settings, meaning definition remains at an optimum level for day or night games in any weather condition.
The new plans – which replace the previously submitted application – also include Olympic legacy-inspired Claret and Blue shards and the Club's crest and colours, in addition to branding and advertising to support the Club's commitment to ensuring the Stadium looks and feels like the unmistakable home of West Ham. Now that the above proposal has been submitted for consideration, West Ham United and its Stadium partners will be working hard with the planning authority to reach an agreeable outcome. A response is expected within the next eight weeks, to allow installation to take place between May and July.
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COULD CARRICK RETURN, IS IT A GOOD IDEA?
By S J Chandos 23 Mar 2016 at 08:00
WTID
There were a number of reports yesterday, suggesting that West Ham might be interested in signing Michael Carrick on a Bosman deal, if Man United fail to offer him a contract extension this close season. Carrick has publicly stated that he wishes to stay at Old Trafford, but it is possible that he could move on as they (with or without a new manager?) look to rebuild this summer. If that is the case, a last 'swan song' at the Olympic Stadium, and a return to his first club, might possibly appeal to Carrick.
What are the pros and cons? Well, in terms of pros, Carrick remains a very proficient and effective footballer, with excellent pass completion rates and the ability to retain possession. He exercises enormous influence on the pitch and controls 'the levers' with a range of accurate passing from a deep lying/defensive midfield position. Carrick has amassed a wealth of top class experience, including challenging for major honours, playing in the Champions League and at international level. If West Ham do qualify for the Champions League (or alternatively the Europa League) would the club not benefit hugely by bringing in a player with that type of invaluable experience. It would be a short-term, transitional, signing, but look at how influential 35 year old Esteban Cambiasso was for Leicester City was last season and the key role he played in the transition to where the Foxes now find themselves. Indeed, were not West Ham so impressed with Cambiasso last season that they tried to sign him in the summer, before he opted to join Greek side, Olympiacos. The Hammers were also interested in Gareth Barry before he joined Everton, another veteran midfielder who pulls the strings in a deep lying role. So, we may have a unwritten rule about not signing anyone over 27/28, but there are clearly exceptions if the player is experienced, talented and influential enough.
As for the cons, well obviously, there is Carrick's age. He turns 35 years of age this summer. There is also his personal terms. Carrick is probably on £100,000 plus at Manchester United. He would come on a Boseman, but it is unlikely that West Ham would pay that sort of wage. So, would Carrick accept a lower wage as a final swansong and pay day? He is a Academy graduate and maybe a return would appeal on a certain level? But, there might be far more financially attractive packages on offer from US and China, that is a distinct possibility? Finally, if the reports are true that the club have signed Norwegian defensive-midfielder, Havard Nordtveit on a pre-contract agreement, then would they also move for Carrick? I guess it all depends on Bilic's assessment of what the squad needs to help it to respond positively to the extra demands placed on it by a possible European campaign? Others might argue that if the player is no longer good enough for Manchester United, why should he be good enough for a resurgent, aspirant and upwardly mobile West Ham United? Now that is a definite moot point, but things in football are not always that logical nor straightforward! Otherwise, what ambitious top tier team would have looked at Cambiasso and Barry when they, respectively, left Inter-Milan and Man City?
My own view is that it is a move that makes perfect sense (in playing terms) as a short-term, transitional, signing. Carrick has the skill, experience and profile to excel with West Ham for a season or two. Particularly, his experience. If the Hammers enter the Champions League, the recruitment of an older head, with the relevant experience, in that key position, could prove invaluable. And, more to the point, Carrick would share that experience and impart it to our outstanding young prospects like Reece Oxford and Josh Cullen. It could prove to be a masterstroke, a bit like Leicester City's signing of Cambiasso. In the final analysis, it all depends on what the club's other summer priorities are and the level of resources that need to be committed to land them? We shall see? Personally, I would be surprised if Manchester United did not offer Carrick a one year contract extension, but if they do not then it does open up some interesting possibilities.
What is your view, does bringing in an experienced deep lying/defensive midfielder, like Carrick, make sense in the right circumstances? Should he be an exception to the general rule about not signing players over a certain age? Or is the proposed move unrealistic and/or undesirable and, if so, why is that the case?
SJ. Chandos.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, March 24
Wednesday, March 23
Daily WHUFC News - 23rd March 2016
Payet - We're ready to pounce
WHUFC.com
Dimitri Payet says the Hammers are ready to pounce, should any of their rivals for a top four place in the Barclays Premier League slip up over the closing portion of the 2015/16 season.
After a run of eleven points from their last five games, Slaven Bilic's men find themselves just a point behind fourth placed Manchester City. That has sparked talk in the media about a challenge for UEFA Champions League football from the Hammers, and although Payet is not getting ahead of himself, he believes the east Londoners can push those established front-runners all the way. He said: "We are there waiting to pounce should the opportunity present itself and if we finish in the top five, then that will be a great achievement for us. "At Chelsea, we were a couple of minutes or a few metres from the victory. For their first, we felt that the wall was too far back and for their second, it seems that the foul happened outside of the box. This is why we are disappointed with the result. "But we played well. We went there to win and we gave it all we could and you have to remember that we were playing against Chelsea. We made a couple of mistakes that they took advantage of and that's the reason we leave thinking that we have lost two points."
Payet departed from Stamford Bridge to link up with the France squad for their international friendlies against the Netherlands and Russia. With France hosting the European Championship finals this summer, the Hammers No27 would love to be involved and he credits the team atmosphere at West Ham for helping him show his best form. He added: "We have a good group who get on well, so it hasn't been difficult to adapt to the game here. We are happy to be playing here and for a player like myself, this can only be of benefit to my game."
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The Big Interview - Mark Noble
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble is gearing up for one of the biggest weeks during his career at West Ham United as he prepares to celebrate his Testimonial with the club on Easter Monday.
Noble made his debut for the Club back in 2004 and has gone on to make 356 appearances during a memorable spell at the Boleyn Ground.
The talented midfielder has been one of the star performers once again this season and has played a major role in helping the Hammers challenge for a European spot.
The players are now gearing up for a busy end to the season and Noble has no doubts there is enough quality in the squad to make it a memorable end to the campaign.
Mark, it was a disappointing way to finish the draw with Chelsea. How upset were you that the team were unable to come away with all three points at Stamford Bridge?
MN: "It shows how far the club has come that we are coming to places like Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford and we are disappointed to only be coming away with a draw.
"You can see by the way we are playing and passing the ball and that it is a credit to the team and the players.
"We can come to these big clubs now and not have that fear factor. We fully believe that we can win. We got the point against Chelsea but we were unlucky not to come away with all three points."
You have obviously been at West Ham for a long period. Is this one of the best teams you have been a part of?
MN: "For sure it is the best team. You can see by the players we have got and the players we are bringing off the substitutes bench that we have got a great squad.
"We showed that once again in the Chelsea game with Andy Carroll coming off the bench and getting on the scoresheet. Emenike also came on and did great for us."
You see the quality from the players every day in training but that first goal from Manuel Lanzini was pretty special. How impressed were you with the goal and the quality of players that are now playing for the Club?
MN: "He is a very good player. We need to take games like Chelsea and Manchester United and realise how far we have come.
"That is what we have got now. We have got a great blend of players and we all get on well together. That is why we are doing so well."
The Club have had great away support all season. How impressed have you been with the fans
MN: "They are always great and we can never complain about them whether it is Newcastle, Sunderland or Chelsea.
"The West Ham fans are the best in the world and they have shown that once again this season."
Will the Chelsea result affect the players over the international break or will they come back with an even bigger point to prove"
MN: "It will be difficult but we need to have the rest as we have a lot of midweek games coming up and we need to be geared up for that.
"The way we have been performing I am sure we will be looking forward to it."
The Hammers are now up to fifth in the table and challenging for a European spot. These are certainly exciting times for the club and you must be excited by your Testimonial which is coming up on Monday at the Boleyn Ground?
MN: "I am over the moon with how things have gone and I don't want it to end.
"We have got a lot of big games coming up and I am looking forward to my Testimonial on Monday which is going to be a bit of fun for everyone.
"We can then look forward to the final part of the season."
The Testimonial is going to be a great day for yourself and everyone connected with the Club. What are you most looking forward to?
MN: "I am really looking forward to the whole day. It is more about the fans and seeing some of their heroes coming back to play.
"I am looking forward to seeing as many players back as I can and let's try and make a good day of it."
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Johnson - Nobes always had it in him
WHUFC,com
Ex-West Ham United right-back Glen Johnson says Mark Noble, even from a young age, has always possessed the qualities needed to be a top Premier League footballer.
The Hammers skipper's Testimonial match will be played at the Boleyn Ground on Monday 28 March and Johnson is part of the All Stars team that Noble will face.
And the Stoke City man had nothing but praise for his former teammate as he spoke ahead of the match.
He said: "I remember playing with Mark back when he was 14 and he came to train with the first team.
"Even then, at that young age, you could see he had the sort of ability to be the type of guy that could move on and become the type of player he has.
"I remember Joe Cole certainly saying that the boy played well and is doing all the right things and has got a good head on his shoulders, so he couldn't have been any better at that age."
Johnson thinks Noble, who has been at the Club almost 13 years, might be one of the last players around to be a one-club man.
"It's great these days when players can stay at one club and dominate his position as he has done for many years.
"Nowadays, players seem to move clubs more often and he's probably one of the last that can stay at a club for that length of time with [Jamie] Carragher and Stevie [Gerrard] moving on.
"I don't think many more will do it."
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Replay date confirmed
WHUFC.com
The Football Association have today confirmed that The Emirates FA Cup sixth-round replay between West Ham United and Manchester United is to be played at 7pm on Wednesday 13 April.
The mouth-watering fixture will be the final FA Cup tie to be played at the Boleyn Ground.
Extensive discussions have taken place with all associated parties regarding the scheduling of this fixture since the two clubs drew 1-1 at Old Trafford, with limited options available.
The FA recognises the agreed date may not be an ideal solution for all but believed it was the most appropriate available within the congested football calendar.
FA Chief Executive Martin Glenn said: "We have worked closely with all parties concerned to come up with the best possible outcome. In so doing, we have sought to take into account the needs of fans, clubs, leagues and broadcasters – and balanced these considerations against the wider fixture schedule."
Tickets for this fixture, which will kick-off at an earlier than usual time of 7.00pm, are currently on sale to Season Ticket Holders.
Ticket prices are as follows:
Season Ticket Holders
Adults £30, Over-65s and Under-21s £20, Under-16s £15
Members and General Sale
Adults £35, Over-65s and Under-21s £25, Under-16s £20
Sale Dates
Season Ticket Holders 9am Saturday 19 March
Season Ticket Relocations 9am Thursday 24 March
Members 9am Saturday 26 March
General Sale 10am Monday 28 March*
Buy now at whufcboxoffice.com, over the telephone on 0871 529 1966^ or in person from the Betway Stand Ticket Office
*Subject to availability
^Calls are charged at 13p/min plus your phone provider's access charge
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ExWHUEmployee's exclusive column: Top targets revealed, injury updates, Internationals and more
March 21, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
ExWHUEmployee
Robbed. I can't think of any other way to describe what happened at Chelsea. We played really well and deserved to be in the top four going into the international break and if it had not been for another shocking referee decision, a FA Cup Semi Final too. I really wish something could be done about all these wrong decisions. I mean in fairness, from where I was, it did look a penalty but I wasn't near the incident and didn't have the option to consult two linesmen as well.
The game did confirm to me why I am so proud to be a West Ham fan. Was such a great atmosphere and the passion we all have is just brilliant to be a part of. I met up with Kev and Dave from SDCC before the game for some pre match beers (although I didn't actually get to drink one) and all of us agreed the future is so exciting as a West Ham fan.
I thought we played really well and I thought Cresswell and Lanzini were brilliant. Lanzini is due to sign before April as has always been the case. The club just wanted to see whether he would overcome his injury and not get injured again and the Chelsea game proved this. I cannot believe how many news stories have been given to retelling this story about Lanzini joining over and over again. I have seen "exclusives" left, right and centre for a story that hasn't changed since the start of the season really as they wanted to wait as long as possible to see whether he was worth signing.
Sam Byram was due to play against Chelsea and was actually selected at right back. He picked up a knock in training but isn't expected to be out for very long. With Byram at right back, Antonio was due to be right wing instead of Valencia. That said I think both Antonio and Valencia played well. The good news is Byram should be fit soon, as well as Collins and Tomkins. If we do not get any injuries over the international break we could have a fully strength side available for what is surely one of the most crucial periods in our history.
I cannot wait for the following games and the Mark Noble testimonial will be special. Every one of the West Ham Way's ex-player writers is involved so I expect to be able to obtain some excellent exclusives, photos and opinions about the day. The West Ham Way Tv will be filming before and after the game so please come and speak to us.
The testimonial game brought up some strange interactions with the England team. Most of you are aware in my column I wrote how the club believed that Noble was going to be called up. The main reason I know this was because plans had been agreed should Mark be called up for his testimonial about how he will still be a part of it. One member of the backroom staff, who is also employed by England in the same capacity had also been informed that a call up was likely. You can tell from the reaction afterwards of senior board members and Mark Noble himself that there was some belief. There was also talk that Antonio could get a call up as well. This does all appear to be rubbish as with Sterling pulling out this was the perfect opportunity to draft in Antonio. I think we just have to accept that Roy has a serious issue with the club and any international call up is now extremely unlikely under his reign.
The FA Cup tie with Manchester United on Wednesday 6th April at 7:00 o'clock has been a difficult one to organise. The problem is the match isn't meant to take place then because it clashes with Manchester City's Champions' League game and the FA face a punishment as a result. Therefore the club is in a difficult position as they need to get the tickets sorted and the match arrangements but the FA has asked them to be aware that they may have to rearrange it. It is pretty certain to take place on this day and the reason for the 7 kick-off is that it doesn't directly clash with the City game but we shall see if UEFA decide to take any further action.
In terms of players the club will not be making huge amounts of signings but significant ones. We want a new forward and new winger and a central midfielder. It is important to remember that we have already spent money on Byram and will do on Lanzini so part of our budget is already spent. We have signed Håvard Nordtveit and he will be the defensive midfielder who is likely to replace Alex Song. Although there is a small chance he will still get a contract.
We have a number of wingers, as Victor Moses will not be signed, on the radar with the main three being Tore, Sisto and Georginio Wijnaldum of Newcastle. Reports of Tore having already agreed a deal were far from the mark. No deal has been agreed. We have been keen for a long time but we are no way near a deal and are still exploring all options. Again with this story there have been a lot of guessing from, he has signed a deal, he may have signed a deal, he hasn't, he has, he hasn't again, and in short he hasn't. This is where the story stays until we approach the summer. Yes we want to move early but for example interest in Wijnaldum may be stepped up if Newcastle go down and this is unknown at the moment.
The other position that we want to strengthen has been well documented. We want a top quality forward. As if by magic today Sky suddenly announced our top three targets as an "exclusive". The top three targets are correct (Batshuayi, Lacazette and Benteke although interest is cooling on the Liverpool forward). We also have a keen interest in Jonathan Calleri who was Carlos Tevez's strike partner in Argentina until recently. I have reported these transfers in pretty much all my columns so I do wonder what "info" sky suddenly received to name all three.
It was great news that Kouyate signed a new deal, this is something that again I spoke of in my previous column. He is seen as a key player for the future. One other player is expected to land a new deal in the next few weeks too. The youth team are doing brilliant and there could be contracts signed from there too. I have been hearing great reports on the progress of Burke and Cullen at Bradford City and of course Samulesen's success at Peterborough has also been well documented.
I have mentioned the final game at the Boleyn Ground being an "especially arranged charity match" and there has been a few hints of this on twitter this week. The club are still yet to finalise the first friendly game at the Olympic stadium but they are still working on that team being Barcelona. If this doesn't happen they have other big clubs lined up.
The spirt at the club is amazing at the moment and everyone is positive and pulling in the right direction we will continue to grow and sell out our new stadium. There is no better club in the world to support.
At the West Ham Way we continue to grow and grow too and are hitting some really good internet figures now. We are competing with some of the other WHUFC sites despite not being on News Now .
There are a number of exciting things planned in the pipe line and I am sure you will enjoy them when they are launched. We should be launching some of our West Ham Way T-shirts in the next week or so and I hope these will be popular. I will run a few competitions around these too. There are many other things coming this way. We are still looking for advertising though. Adverts can be for sponsoring some of our features, like my column or some of our other key features. This money will continue to go into improving the site.
Finally I would like to say that it really is a superb time to be a fan and things continue to get better and better. We are always proud of our great club but this season we have even more reasons to be. COYI
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One to Watch: Malcom
March 21, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
RJTHEGAME
MALCOM
Age: 19 years
Nationality: Brazilian
Current Team: Bordeaux
This week we have a player who was instrumental in helping Corinthians win the Brazilian 2015 Campeonato. He then got his move to Ligue 1 moving to Bordeaux back in January. I feel he is an exceptional young winger with big potential! Malcom has good speed, crossing, dribbling skills and is capable of scoring some powerful goals. He has a powerful shot with good technique, his finishing can improve but he still scores goals. He is a very promising talent who I think will come into his own in the French league. Malcom has great acceleration with pace, plays on either flank very well and could even play as a striker if needed. Pretty consistent in his play and can only get better. He is small and he makes great runs from deep , draws players onto him to open up defences. He is definitely better as a winger for me. He gets me off my seat watching him because he makes things happen in a positive way for his teams. Very dangerous player, you can't give him too much space because he will have a shot with his hammer of a left peg. I feel he would be a great investment for a team in the future.
STRENGTHS : Crossing - Technique - Long shots - Dribbling
WEAKNESSES : Finishing - Aerial duels
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Premier League
Saturday, 19th March 2016
Chelsea 2 West Ham United 2
by Gordon Thrower
KUMB.com
I guess a billion quid buys you a lot of referee, eh Roman?
I was joined for this one by Maltese and Mrs Hammer whose visit to these shores enabled me to start to repay a billionth of some of the hospitality afforded to me during my visit to their lovely island during for our Europa League match against Birkikara back in July. We joined the Romford boat party where tourists watching us pass under Thames bridges seemed bemused by some of the singing – I just don't think they understood.
Coming ashore in West London we popped into a Kings Road café for a cup of something non-alcoholic and warming, noting a rather svelte Frank Lampard senior having a cuppa by the door. He looks thinner now than when he was playing. And certainly a lot thinner than his son.
Team news was that Sakho returned to the starting line-up. Antonio continued at right-back despite the potential availability of Byram. Team: Adrian, Antonio, Cresswell, Reid, Ogbonna, Noble, Kouyate, Lanzini, Valencia, Payet, Sakho.
Well although this was a match in which, though we were by far the better of the two sides, the first clearish chance went to the home side as Remy found what was to be a rare bit of space on their right hand side. Adrian stood tall though and saved well with his legs.
Much will be written later in this report (and elsewhere) about referee Madley but it's worth noting that, quite apart from that which is to come, he had an appalling match from start to finish. Quite early on in the proceedings it transpired it was open season on Sakho with Cahill and Terry being given carte blanche to wrestle the striker to the floor at every opportunity. If you dust Sakho's neck you'll find Terry's fingerprints all over it, such was the brazen nature of the home defence and the spineless incompetence of Madley's handling of the match.
Despite playing against twelve men we began to settle into the game and it was no surprise when we took the lead on 17 minutes, though, in a season in which we've been treated to some sweet goals, this one was a danger to diabetics. Breaking out from deep Valencia won the first header, Sakho the second and we found ourselves with Payet in possession.
Payet fed Lanzini who looked up and curved an absolute beaut over Courtois into the net. How sweet? The government want to stick a tax on it, that's how sweet. It would have been nice to have seen the goal replayed on the big screen but, although every Chelsea half chance was replayed half a dozen times from twelve different angles in super slo-mo, an actual goal to the opposition didn't seem worthy of the same consideration. As if proof were needed that you can't buy class.
It would be over estimating the influence of the home support to say that the goal silenced them, the whistle for the start of the game seemed to do that trick. To be fair they had little to impress them as only a last ditch tackle from Cahill prevented Sakho getting on the end of Payet's through ball. Kouyate should have done a bit better with a header from a corner then Cresswell got into good position after another fine flowing move, including a sublime backheel from Lanzini. The left back's low shot was deflected wide by Cahill.
Clearly the home side were not going to get anywhere within the laws of the game so, ably assisted by the gullible Madley, they proceeded to revert to type. Kenedy threw himself to the floor clutching his face after a slight – and accidental – brush on the cheek from Noble. The lengthy spell of "treatment" was more window dressing than of necessity, Chelsea having sacked their last honest medic in favour of individuals willing to sacrifice their Hippocratic oath when told to do so. Willian's free-kick was wide but we hadn't seen the end of the home side's dishonesty.
As the half drew to a close Reid cut out a long ball but slipped in doing so. The defender blocked off Oscar to give away a free-kick and pick up a yellow card in the process. Madley measured out 12 yards and, for bad measure, Fabregas pulled the ball back another yard. Now this was bad enough but when the players pointed out that they were now about 13 yards away from the ball, even when confronted with the evidence Madley shook his head and confirmed that the distance was 10 yards. Predictably Fabregas put away the free-kick. You expect dishonesty from Chelsea – look how their owner made his money. Sadly we're now getting to the stage where officials routinely lie to protect their own backsides.
There was just about time for Madley to caution Ogbonna for breaking the Official Secrets Act by revealing that he wasn't fit to referee before the half time whistle. Madley's contribution to the home side's cause being underlined by the escort back to the changing room afforded to him by the staff.
At half time there was a kids' penalty shoot-out to look at. The announcer likened one effort to "John Hollins in the 1970's against Arsenal – if you remember that". A laughable comment given the infinitesimally small chance that any of the home "support" had the slightest idea of the club's existence prior to 2003. In fact so sensitive are they to their lack of historical knowledge they parade a flag up one end suggesting that a club formed as late as 1905 was "London's First"!
The second half started and, although the home side had a little more of the play we always looked the more likely to score and we should have increased the lead on 57 minutes. Adrian claimed a corner and immediately released Sakho who burst forward before releasing Cresswell on the overlap. Cresswell's shot sent Courtois the wrong way but was a fraction high, cannoning off the crossbar before running out of play on the far side.
Cresswell, like Sakho, seemed to have offended the moron in the middle, being brought down at both ends but failing to gain the free-kick that even he home side were expecting. On the hour, presumably to give his windpipe a break from Terry's headlocks, Sakho was withdrawn with Carroll coming on to replace him. We didn't have to wait long for the no.9 to make an impression.
The impressive Kouyate robbed Oscar and fed Lanzini who fed Payet. Payet's pass split the defenders and the onside Carroll's slightly less than clean contact was, nevertheless, good enough to beat Courtois at his near post to restore the lead and ensure that at least one corner of the ground continued to make some noise.
The best effort from the home side came with 15 left to play as Oscar's shot was blocked by Cresswell, Fabregas's follow-up overhead kick was a couple of feet too high. At this point Eminike came on for Valencia whose efforts had been more defensive in their outlook than usual. It was a replacement of attacking intent.
Eminike moved forward with intend and laid it off to Carroll who played in Payet, whose attempt at a curler into the top corner was thwarted by a deflection. This prompted a succession of corners. Carroll brought a save out of Courtois.
With 8 left on the clock Obiang replaced Lanzini who received generous applause for his efforts. Carroll then found Eminike with a first-time ball down the right. Eminike got to the goal line forcing a corner out of Ivanovic who cleared with Carroll lurking. Payet's corner was met cleanly by the no. 9 but Traore was able to hook clear from just in front of his own goal-line.
So, with the prospect of Chelsea scoring a legitimate goal on a par with the chances of finding an honest referee in the Premier League they resorted to their usual tactic of relying on the gullibility of the officials.
Willian moved forward and played the ball through to sub Loftus-Cheek. There may have been the tiniest hint of contact by Antonio but it took place well outside of the box. It certainly wasn't enough to send the sub to the floor as evidenced by the fact that he was then able to take a few steps into the box, whereupon, with Antonio a good couple of feet away, he clipped the back of his own leg. Only a moron would have given a penalty.
Unfortunately, being a moron is considered to be a prime qualification at PGMOL Towers and Madley is a prime example of the sub species. Fabregas dispatched the penalty and Adrian got a yellow for kicking the ball away in protest at one of the worst 90 minuyes from an official I've seen in a long while – and this in a season that's seen refereeing performances plumb new depths.
As if to underline just how little of a clue Madley had, we won a rare free-kick which prompted a load of pushing and shoving. Madley stood in the middle of it all with the air of someone who knew he ought to be doing something but couldn't quite work out what it was, so he would hang on just in case someone who did have a clue what was happening happened to be passing by.
There was just enough time for Payet to see a free-kick saved and that was it. Madley had four stewards helping him back to the sanctuary of the changing room where, if he bothered to give his performance a second thought at all, it was probably to think that he couldn't give a toss because no punishment would ever be forthcoming.
Meanwhile it speaks volumes of the gulf in class between the clubs that the rather ignorant home support were happy to praise a performance from their expensively assembled mercenaries that relied totally on the efforts of the man in the middle to save them from a deserved defeat. I suppose it makes a welcome change from their defending racism. Ignorance is indeed bliss.
A bit of a break now before a season-defining run of games coming up. By that time we should be up to full strength in the squad. Let's hope that, whatever happens between now and the end of the season, our fate lies in our own hands and not those of those imbeciles at PGMOL.
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Bilic transfer kitty could get big boost
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 22, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
The Hammers are set to hand boss Slaven Bilic a summer transfer kitty of around £35 million although £12 million of that will immediately be spent on completing deals for Manu Lanzini and Sam Byram. However should the Irons finish in the Champions League places the war chest could be boosted by a few more millions as the club strides on into its new era. As reported elsewhere on the site, the vast majority of the available cash will be used for a new striker as the club hunt for a player who can fit their wage policy without breaking through the FFP regulations. The season's budget is much the same as last year although a Champions League bonus would see the club probably looking at back up left and right sided defenders. However, by and large the squad looks strong in most areas thus allowing some elaborate spending in the front position. Our main source said: " We are strong in most areas now thanks to a great window last summer . The idea now is to improve as we shuffle the pack from season to season."
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Bilic transfer kitty could get big boost
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 22, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
The Hammers are set to hand boss Slaven Bilic a summer transfer kitty of around £35 million although £12 million of that will immediately be spent on completing deals for Manu Lanzini and Sam Byram. However should the Irons finish in the Champions League places the war chest could be boosted by a few more millions as the club strides on into its new era. As reported elsewhere on the site, the vast majority of the available cash will be used for a new striker as the club hunt for a player who can fit their wage policy without breaking through the FFP regulations. The season's budget is much the same as last year although a Champions League bonus would see the club probably looking at back up left and right sided defenders. However, by and large the squad looks strong in most areas thus allowing some elaborate spending in the front position. Our main source said: " We are strong in most areas now thanks to a great window last summer . The idea now is to improve as we shuffle the pack from season to season."
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Manuel Lanzini to permanently sign for West Ham on four-year deal
Last Updated: 22/03/16 11:34am
SSN
West Ham have agreed a permanent deal to sign Manuel Lanzini from Al Jazira, according to co-chairman David Sullivan. The 23-year-old Argentine attacker, who has been superb since signing on a season-long loan from the UAE club, will complete the deal when the transfer window reopens this summer. Speaking about the possibility of qualifying for the Champions League this season, Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan told the Daily Mail: "I know it's worth about 12m euros (£9.4m), and you can hardly get a player for that."We've just signed Lanzini on a permanent deal for that sort of money." Jack Sullivan, David's son, also tweeted on Tuesday that Lanzini will sign a four-year deal. He said: "?@jsullivanwhu: Lanzini is a WHU player for the next 4 seasons, with a further 2 year option." Lanzini has scored six goals in 22 appearances in all competitions under boss Slaven Bilic this season. He began his career at River Plate, spending some time on loan with Fluminense, before joining Al Jazira in 2014.
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Sullivan confirms OS is sold out!
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 22, 2016 in News
C and H
West Ham chairman, David Sullivan has confirmed West Ham have now sold out their initial 54,000 capacity of the Olympic Stadium. However, he admits the club could have earned more if he had raised the prices but decided to price to please rather than extort money from fans. Sullivan told the Daily Mail: "We're sold out at 54,000, which is the current capacity. We will increase it to 60,000 for the start of next season, subject to planning. "And the year after, we might go to 66,000. Football is about taking your chances and this is a chance. "We could have got £10m more by raising the prices at the Olympic Stadium, but we have gone for prices to please rather than extort money from our fans."
West Ham are thought to have sold close to 43,000 season tickets so far and 3,700 corporate seats. A further 3,000 seats are reserved for away fans, the minimum away allocation set for a stadium this size by the Premier League. "The remaining 4,000 seats will be available for general sale to home supporters, another requirement by the Premier League that at least 5% of tickets are available to home supporters who are not season ticket holders. West Ham have previously revealed they have sold over 8,000 £99 season tickets to the Under 16's and over 3,000 £289 season tickets for band 5 seats.
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FA Cup replay date could be in doubt
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 22, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham have been forced to amend their official website with updated details on the FA Cup replay with Manchester United in April. Originally on Friday night, the club confirmed the date was set was for Wednesday 6th April at 7pm. That page mysteriously disappeared by Saturday morning and today the club have been forced to retract their previous statement by saying "Please note that the date for this fixture is yet to be confirmed." The Manchester United official website also have no details of the proposed replay date. The problem centres around the issue that the proposed date falls on a Champions League night for the last eight and therefore breaks an agreement with UEFA not to play domestic . Manchester City face Paris Saint-German in the first leg of the quarter final of the Champions League. The FA could face a fine from the UEFA or in the worst case scenario be forced to re-schedule the match. BT Sports own the exclusive rights to the UEFA Champions League and are unlikely to happy with the fixture clash even though they also own the FA Cup TV rights with the BBC.
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Slav's delight as we keep our best
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 21, 2016 in News
C and H
Slaven Bilic is thrilled that the Irons are getting and KEEPING their best players. The manager got his mind off the Chelsea disappointment to tell whufc.com: Cheikhou [Kouyate] signed, which is great for the club. and Dimitri [Payet] is in the national team. "It shows that the players are enjoying playing for West Ham and they feel that the Club is moving forward.
"They like to work hard when they know that the board is not just trying, but that they are keeping the best players. It's great to have them all. "We are playing good. We have a good team, we have momentum, we have character and we are defending well with numbers and passion. "When we have the ball we are calm, and we're calm at the back. The midfield and up-front has pace and quality so it's great to work with this team."
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Sullivan confirms Lanzini deal
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 22, 2016 in News
C and H
West Ham Chairman, David Sullivan appears to have confirmed the Manu Lanzini deal is now complete. ClaretandHugh announced on Saturday the deal would be sorted within and revealed week to ten days and that has now happened. During a Daily Mail interview Sullivan replied to a wuestion about Champions League qualification: "I know it's worth about €12m (£9.4m). And you can hardly get a player for that! We've just signed Lanzini on a permanent deal for that sort of money. Juventus went all the way last season and it was worth €67m (£52m) to them. And we're not going to go all the way, are we?"
On how the Payet came about Sullivan said: "Mark McKay, the agent, came to me and I checked his stats. Payet: best assists in France, third best in Europe." "We were talking to the then Marseille manager Marcelo Bielsa about coming to West Ham and we said: 'Who is the one player you would bring?' He said Payet." "Later I said to Slaven: 'What do you think of Payet?' And he said: 'I'd love him — not only will he achieve great things, but he will make the other players better. They will get passes they wouldn't normally get and score goals they wouldn't normally score.'" "So the negotiations went on and on, the fee went up and up, the wages went up and up. It started at £6million and wages of £40,000 a week and ended up at… well, that's confidential… but a lot of money. He's worth it."
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Manchester United's FA Cup replay at West Ham to be played on April 6... despite UEFA guidelines saying domestic football should not be played on Champions League nights
Manchester United drew 1-1 with West Ham in the FA Cup on March 13
The quarter-final replay at Upton Park can only be scheduled for April 6
The Football Association can expect a fine from UEFA because they have decided to play the replay on a Champions League night
PSG host Manchester City while Real Madrid face Wolfsburg that night
By LUKE AUGUSTUS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 10:46, 22 March 2016 | UPDATED: 12:08, 22 March 2016
The FA are on a collision course with UEFA once more after West Ham's FA Cup quarter-final replay against Manchester United was pencilled in for the same day as the Champions League last eight. The Premier League rivals are set to face each other on April 6 following their 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on March 13. However, the new date clashes with two Champions League ties as Manchester City are at Paris Saint-Germain and Wolfsburg entertain Real Madrid in their first legs. The FA Cup tie at Upton Park will kick-off earlier than usual at 7pm, in an attempt to minimise the crossover but it still breaks UEFA's rule that domestic games must end 30 minutes before the European matches kick-off. Another date isn't feasible for West Ham or United due to their busy domestic schedules - with the winners set to face Everton in a Wembley semi-final on April 23. Prior to then, West Ham face Crystal Palace (April 2), Arsenal (April 9), Leicester (April 17) and Watford (April 20). Meanwhile, the Red Devils take on Everton (April 3), Tottenham (April 10), Aston Villa (April 16) and Palace (April 20) after the international break. It'll be the second time this season that an FA Cup game will take place on a Champions League night following Arsenal's 4-0 fifth-round replay win at Hull on March 8. That tie started at 7pm but overlapped with Real Madrid's last-16 second leg win over Roma and Wolfsburg's triumph against Gent. The move means clubs could now lose out on UEFA cash. When the problem has occurred in the past - for Premier League games - £1million was withheld from a solidarity payment of £10m paid to the FA to be split equally among the 20 clubs in the top division for youth development and community projects. The FA were also fined £42,000.
WEST HAM'S POSSIBLE REMAINING FIXTURES THIS SEASON
April 2 - Crystal Palace (H) - Premier League
April 6 - Manchester United (H) - FA Cup
April 9 - Arsenal (H) - Premier League
April 17 - Leicester (A) - Premier League
April 20 - Watford (H)- Premier League
*April 23 - Everton (N) - FA Cup
April 30 - West Brom (A) - Premier League
May 7 - Swansea (H) - Premier League
May 10 - Man Utd (H) - Premier League
May 15 - Stoke (A) - Premier League
*May 21 - C. Palace/Watford (N) - FA Cup
*These fixtures are pending on progression in the FA Cup.
MANCHESTER UNITED'S POSSIBLE REMAINING FIXTURES THIS SEASON
April 3 - Everton (H) - Premier League
April 6 - West Ham (A) - FA Cup
April 10 - Tottenham (A) - Premier League
April 16 - Aston Villa (H) - Premier League
April 20 - Crystal Palace (H) - Premier League
*April 23 - Everton (N) - FA Cup
May 1 - Leicester (H) - Premier League
May 7 - Norwich (A) - Premier League
May 10 - West Ham (A) - Premier League
May 15 - Bournemouth (H) - Premier League
*May 21 - C. Palace/Watford (N) - FA Cup
*These fixtures are pending on progression in the FA Cup.
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Manuel Lanzini signs permanent deal with West Ham in £9m move
• Argentinian midfielder signs four-year contract at West Ham
• Midfielder was on season-long loan from Al Jazira
Press Association
Tuesday 22 March 2016 12.03 GMT Last modified on Tuesday 22 March 2016 12.16 GMT
Guardian.com
West Ham have completed the signing of Manuel Lanzini on a four-year contract from Al Jazira. The 23-year-old midfielder had been on loan from the UAE club and has sealed a permanent switch to Upton Park. The deal, which includes an option for a further two years, is understood to be worth around £9m. Jack Sullivan, the son of West Ham's joint-chairman David Sullivan, confirmed the news on Twitter. He wrote: "Lanzini is a WHU player for the next 4 seasons, with a further 2 year option." Slaven Bilic has now secured the futures of three of his key players after Dimitri Payet and Cheikhou Kouyaté recently signed long-term contracts. Lanzini is back to full fitness following a spell on the sidelines with a thigh injury. The Argentinian scored his sixth goal of the season with a fine 20-yard curling shot in the 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Saturday.
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West Ham owner confirms forward transfer
DAVID SULLIVAN has revealed that West Ham have signed Manuel Lanzini on a permanent basis.
By JAMES GRAY
PUBLISHED: 08:55, Tue, Mar 22, 2016 | UPDATED: 09:17, Tue, Mar 22, 2016
Express.co.uk
Lanzini is currently on loan at Upton Park from UAE outfit Al Jazira Club having signed a season-long deal in July 2015. But the deal is said to have contained a buy option and Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has been open about his desire to keep the player at the club. And now Sullivan has let slip in an interview with the Mail that Lanzini will make his move permanent this summer. The 67-year-old had been asked about his thoughts on West Ham potentially finishing fourth and entering the Champions League at the qualifying stage when he made the revelation.
"I know it's worth about £9.4m," Sullivan said. "And you can hardly get a player for that! "We've just signed Lanzini on a permanent deal for that sort of money." With Lanzini lining up for a second season alongside Dimitri Payet, West Ham will sport one of the most potent attacking lines in the Premier League next season.
And the club are desperately hoping they can christen their new home, the Olympic Stadium, with Champions League football. "I hope Leicester win the league and we win the FA Cup [West Ham have a replay against Manchester United for a place in the semi-final] and finish fourth," Sullivan added. "Imagine starting in the new stadium with that on our CV. "We're sold out at 54,000, which is the current capacity. "We will increase it to 60,000 for the start of next season, subject to planning. "And the year after, we might go to 66,000. "Football is about taking your chances and this is a chance."
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West Ham were right to fume about penalty given against Chelsea... contact was made on Ruben Loftus-cheek outside the area
West Ham were fuming that penalty was awarded in clash with Chelsea
Referee Bobby Madley gave spot kick after foul on Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Michail Antonio's trip appeared to be outside the area on the midfielder
By GRAHAM POLL FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 23:00, 20 March 2016 | UPDATED: 12:09, 21 March 2016
West Ham were understandably disappointed to concede the late penalty. Referee Bobby Madley was right in detecting Michail Antonio's trip on Ruben Loftus-Cheek but contact was outside the area. Madley seemed unsure of the position and looked over to his assistant. One can only assume he told Madley the foul was inside the area. West Ham also had justifiable complaints about Cesc Fabregas scoring from a free-kick, as Madley positioned their defensive wall 12 yards back instead of the required 10.
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West Ham set aside £40m to secure top striker amid interest in Liverpool and Ligue 1 stars
WEST HAM are prepared to pay a staggering £40million to land the striker of their dreams this summer, according to reports.
By JACK STAPLEHURST
PUBLISHED: 22:29, Mon, Mar 21, 2016 | UPDATED: 22:54, Mon, Mar 21, 2016
Express.co.uk
Slaven Bilic's side are targeting a top-class goalscorer to help establish the Hammers as one of the Premier League's most imposing teams. Ahead of their move to the Olympic Stadium in just a few months time, West Ham are already lining up forwards across Europe as potential targets. According to Sky Sports, co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold are willing to more than double the east London club's transfer record as a statement of intent going ahead. England international Andy Carroll is West Ham's current record signing, as the 27-year-old cost £15m from Liverpool in 2013. And the Hammers could head back to Anfield for their next historic deal, with Christian Benteke reportedly on their radar. The former Aston Villa hitman has struggled to make a name for himself under Jurgen Klopp and he could face a swift exit this summer for potentially less than the £32.5m Liverpool paid for him. Meanwhile, Marseille's Michy Batshuayi and Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette are both also being monitored by the Hammers. Having seen Dimitri Payet's impact to the team in his first season since arriving at Upton Park from Marseille, the Hammers are tempted to land 22-year-old Batshuayi too to reunite the pair. Tottenham are providing competition for him though, and a deal would reportedly cost in excess of £30m. Lacazette's goalscoring prowess in France over the last two seasons has made him one of Europe's most in-demand strikers. Newcastle were rebuffed in January, but with European football on the cards for West Ham, a big budget and the forward indicating he wants to move to the Premier League, a deal being agreed is not beyond them. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was also a high-profile name linked with the Hammers of late, but Bilic was quick to deny the possibility of him joining despite the fact he'd be available on a free transfer, leaving just wages to worry about. If fifth-placed West Ham can secure a Champions League place this term, their appeal to top-level strikers will only increase for the summer.
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As the race for Champions League slots hots up, Sportsmail asks West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan... can the Hammers nail fourth place?
West Ham are one point off fourth place with eight games to play
Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan is looking towards Europe
But Sullivan insists he is not feeling the pressure after stunning season
'I hope Leicester win the league and we win the Cup and finish fourth'
By LEE CLAYTON FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 22:00, 21 March 2016 | UPDATED: 03:04, 22 March 2016
The league table shows West Ham in an unlikely fifth position and scrapping for a Champions League place. Co-chairman David Sullivan is studying the form and calculating what it all means.
Here he answers questions set by Head of Sport LEE CLAYTON.
Are you feeling the pressure?
No. Pressure is being where Norwich, Sunderland and Newcastle are. And Crystal Palace, they're not safe yet. Alan Pardew is a good manager but they will all be breathing heavily. That's pressure. Sam Allardyce has come back like a tiger and he could lead Sunderland to salvation. He's recharged after he needed a rest. No, I'm glad to be away from all that.
When you look at the league table, what do you see?
Leicester. The Leicester miracle. And then I see Stoke, going well and queuing up behind us. I want to look up but I also want to defend the position we are in.
What are you doing to keep your mind clear?
I am the financier and executive producer for Fall of the Krays — which is out next Monday on DVD, make sure you mention that. British films are my hobby. I love the locations, the stories, the accents. Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins, Peter Sellers. I fell in love with it then and now it is giving me a light distraction, but only a light one.
But there will be nerves in the Manchester City and Manchester United boardrooms...
United are coming again — they have five home games and three away games remaining. The same as us. They are still in the FA Cup and they are turning a corner. They will fancy finishing fourth. City? They made a big mistake announcing a change of manager in the middle of the season. It has demotivated their players. Half of them know they will be out when Pep Guardiola comes. They have the ex-Barcelona people and some of their people look down on us. In the past, they always beat us. They beat us 9-0 in the League Cup the other season, but nobody has all the answers. The last two matches — a 2-2 draw at Chelsea, following a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup at Manchester United... the form is good.We're dreaming of what can happen and we're playing great football. At United and Chelsea we deserved to win. We passed the ball in a wizardly fashion. Do you know we haven't had a penalty away in four years and we have the least number of penalties in the league in those four years? We're due some luck.
What has manager Slaven Bilic brought to the club?
He was a gamble — I told him that. And now I've told him he is looking less of a gamble! He impresses me, he is passionate and he talks with sense and intelligence. In my 25 years in football I have listened to some of my managers speak after a game and thought: 'Who is he kidding? Does he think we are stupid?' But Slaven calls it and I like the way he calls it.
If we've been lucky, Slaven will say that. If we've played badly, he will say that. The fans have got someone who feels the game as they do. And he fights like mad for his players. When they had fines owed to the club, he came and fought for them and had the fines removed. I'm not sure I liked that... it cost us a few quid! But he fought for them. Fines for indiscipline, that sort of thing. He has a gravitas, a strength. I am proud of him and respect him. Now can he do it again next season?
And what about Dimitri Payet?
We are not a one-man team. You look at Sunderland and those goals from Jermain Defoe — and their survival is in his hands. You say Payet and, yes, he is our star, but I can say (Manuel) Lanzini, (Michail) Antonio, (Mark) Noble, (Cheikhou) Kouyate. We've just given Kouyate a new deal, even though he had more than four years on his last one. We want to reward excellence. They have all played their part.
How did the Payet deal come about?
Mark McKay, the agent, came to me and I checked his stats. Payet: best assists in France, third best in Europe. We were talking to the then Marseille manager Marcelo Bielsa about coming to West Ham and we said: 'Who is the one player you would bring?' He said Payet. Later I said to Slaven: 'What do you think of Payet?' And he said: 'I'd love him — not only will he achieve great things, but he will make the other players better. They will get passes they wouldn't normally get and score goals they wouldn't normally score.' So the negotiations went on and on, the fee went up and up, the wages went up and up. It started at £6million and wages of £40,000 a week and ended up at... well, that's confidential... but a lot of money. He's worth it.
What has been the best moment of the season?
I hope it is still to come. I want West Ham to get to Wembley and win the FA Cup. That's the priority. So far? Too many! Beating Spurs at home after they humiliated us at their place. Winning 3-0 at Liverpool, winning 2-1 at Manchester City, coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Everton, Payet's free-kick at Manchester United. But all that is tempered by the fact we never turned up at Watford or Newcastle and we didn't turn up until the last 15 minutes at Norwich. Those performances still irk.
Are you allowing yourself to think of reaching the Champions League?
You can't allow yourself to think about that. I'm too busy! Sorting the Manchester United FA Cup replay time. And anyway, if you finish fourth, you don't qualify, you have to pre-qualify.
And we would be unseeded, so it would be a difficult fixture against the third-best team in Spain, or something like that. I had my eye on Arsenal and third, but we needed Everton to get something and they didn't.
So you have thought about it ...
I know it's worth about €12m (£9.4m). And you can hardly get a player for that! We've just signed Lanzini on a permanent deal for that sort of money. Juventus went all the way last season and it was worth €67m (£52m) to them. And we're not going to go all the way, are we? We could have got £10m more by raising the prices at the Olympic Stadium, but we have gone for prices to please rather than extort money from our fans.
How are the sales going?
We're sold out at 54,000, which is the current capacity. We will increase it to 60,000 for the start of next season, subject to planning. And the year after, we might go to 66,000. Football is about taking your chances and this is a chance. Chelsea will be very strong again next season, mark my words. The competition will be fierce but we are loving being among it. It's a season you never want to end. I hope Leicester win the league and we win the Cup and finish fourth. Imagine starting in the new stadium with that on our cv...
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Paolo Di Canio admits 'it's an honour and privilege' to play in Mark Noble testimonial as he prepares for return to Boleyn Ground
Paolo Di Canio has posted a short video on Facebook thanking Mark Noble
Di Canio will feature for a West Ham All-Stars side in Noble's testimonial
He plays at Boleyn Ground one final time before Olympic Stadium switch
Noble is to be honoured for 15-year service to Hammers on Easter Monday
By BEN GROUNDS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 20:20, 21 March 2016 | UPDATED: 22:23, 21 March 2016
Paolo Di Canio has revealed his gratitude at being given the chance to play one final time at the Boleyn Ground, with the former West Ham forward set to be involved in Mark Noble's testimonial. Di Canio remains a fans' favourite of Hammers supporters since his departure in August 2003, and the player signed from Sheffield Wednesday for £1.75million cannot wait to experience the Upton Park atmosphere once more before this summer's move to the Olympic Stadium. West Ham are using the forthcoming international break to honour Noble's service to the club, with the 28-year-old midfielder coming to the end of his 12th season as an active member of the Premier League club's first-team. Di Canio will be part of a West Ham United All-Stars side that shall face members of the senior squad who are not on international duty on Easter Monday, and the Italian was keen to send a message of thanks to the current captain.
'Hi mate, I'm training to get fit for the 28th of March,' Di Canio begins in a short video posted on the club's official Facebook page. 'It's a great honour and privilege for me. Thanks for two reasons: firstly, you gave me a chance to play with my old team-mates at the Boleyn Ground. Fantastic! Secondly, you've reunited me with my second family, claret and blue fans.
'I can't forget it and I can't wait to join you and the rest of my family. So, see you there on the 28th of March.'
Di Canio signs off in his own inimitable style, providing viewers with a short rendition of 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' before ending with a cross-armed 'Hammers' salute. The former Sheffield Wednesday player made a big impact during his four-and-a-half-year stay, scoring 52 goals in 141 appearances for the Irons, and while his time in east London didn't overlap with Noble in the senior squad, the 47-year-old will no doubt have been aware of a precocious talent coming through the ranks. Noble has been heavily touted for an international call-up with England this season, but he was overlooked once more by Roy Hodgson for the forthcoming friendlies against Germany and Holland. The Hammers are fifth in the Premier League, a point off a Champions League berth with eight games remaining, and Noble - who has scored 34 goals in 304 league appearances for the club - can focus his attention fully on ending the season strongly as a key component of Slaven Bilic's side. But he will enjoy being reunited with a number of those he has played alongside since arriving as a 13-year-old schoolboy, with Rio Ferdinand, Anton Ferdinand, Matthew Etherington, Carlton Cole, Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker among those confirmed to be attending what shall be a memorable occasion.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Dimitri Payet says the Hammers are ready to pounce, should any of their rivals for a top four place in the Barclays Premier League slip up over the closing portion of the 2015/16 season.
After a run of eleven points from their last five games, Slaven Bilic's men find themselves just a point behind fourth placed Manchester City. That has sparked talk in the media about a challenge for UEFA Champions League football from the Hammers, and although Payet is not getting ahead of himself, he believes the east Londoners can push those established front-runners all the way. He said: "We are there waiting to pounce should the opportunity present itself and if we finish in the top five, then that will be a great achievement for us. "At Chelsea, we were a couple of minutes or a few metres from the victory. For their first, we felt that the wall was too far back and for their second, it seems that the foul happened outside of the box. This is why we are disappointed with the result. "But we played well. We went there to win and we gave it all we could and you have to remember that we were playing against Chelsea. We made a couple of mistakes that they took advantage of and that's the reason we leave thinking that we have lost two points."
Payet departed from Stamford Bridge to link up with the France squad for their international friendlies against the Netherlands and Russia. With France hosting the European Championship finals this summer, the Hammers No27 would love to be involved and he credits the team atmosphere at West Ham for helping him show his best form. He added: "We have a good group who get on well, so it hasn't been difficult to adapt to the game here. We are happy to be playing here and for a player like myself, this can only be of benefit to my game."
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The Big Interview - Mark Noble
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble is gearing up for one of the biggest weeks during his career at West Ham United as he prepares to celebrate his Testimonial with the club on Easter Monday.
Noble made his debut for the Club back in 2004 and has gone on to make 356 appearances during a memorable spell at the Boleyn Ground.
The talented midfielder has been one of the star performers once again this season and has played a major role in helping the Hammers challenge for a European spot.
The players are now gearing up for a busy end to the season and Noble has no doubts there is enough quality in the squad to make it a memorable end to the campaign.
Mark, it was a disappointing way to finish the draw with Chelsea. How upset were you that the team were unable to come away with all three points at Stamford Bridge?
MN: "It shows how far the club has come that we are coming to places like Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford and we are disappointed to only be coming away with a draw.
"You can see by the way we are playing and passing the ball and that it is a credit to the team and the players.
"We can come to these big clubs now and not have that fear factor. We fully believe that we can win. We got the point against Chelsea but we were unlucky not to come away with all three points."
You have obviously been at West Ham for a long period. Is this one of the best teams you have been a part of?
MN: "For sure it is the best team. You can see by the players we have got and the players we are bringing off the substitutes bench that we have got a great squad.
"We showed that once again in the Chelsea game with Andy Carroll coming off the bench and getting on the scoresheet. Emenike also came on and did great for us."
You see the quality from the players every day in training but that first goal from Manuel Lanzini was pretty special. How impressed were you with the goal and the quality of players that are now playing for the Club?
MN: "He is a very good player. We need to take games like Chelsea and Manchester United and realise how far we have come.
"That is what we have got now. We have got a great blend of players and we all get on well together. That is why we are doing so well."
The Club have had great away support all season. How impressed have you been with the fans
MN: "They are always great and we can never complain about them whether it is Newcastle, Sunderland or Chelsea.
"The West Ham fans are the best in the world and they have shown that once again this season."
Will the Chelsea result affect the players over the international break or will they come back with an even bigger point to prove"
MN: "It will be difficult but we need to have the rest as we have a lot of midweek games coming up and we need to be geared up for that.
"The way we have been performing I am sure we will be looking forward to it."
The Hammers are now up to fifth in the table and challenging for a European spot. These are certainly exciting times for the club and you must be excited by your Testimonial which is coming up on Monday at the Boleyn Ground?
MN: "I am over the moon with how things have gone and I don't want it to end.
"We have got a lot of big games coming up and I am looking forward to my Testimonial on Monday which is going to be a bit of fun for everyone.
"We can then look forward to the final part of the season."
The Testimonial is going to be a great day for yourself and everyone connected with the Club. What are you most looking forward to?
MN: "I am really looking forward to the whole day. It is more about the fans and seeing some of their heroes coming back to play.
"I am looking forward to seeing as many players back as I can and let's try and make a good day of it."
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Johnson - Nobes always had it in him
WHUFC,com
Ex-West Ham United right-back Glen Johnson says Mark Noble, even from a young age, has always possessed the qualities needed to be a top Premier League footballer.
The Hammers skipper's Testimonial match will be played at the Boleyn Ground on Monday 28 March and Johnson is part of the All Stars team that Noble will face.
And the Stoke City man had nothing but praise for his former teammate as he spoke ahead of the match.
He said: "I remember playing with Mark back when he was 14 and he came to train with the first team.
"Even then, at that young age, you could see he had the sort of ability to be the type of guy that could move on and become the type of player he has.
"I remember Joe Cole certainly saying that the boy played well and is doing all the right things and has got a good head on his shoulders, so he couldn't have been any better at that age."
Johnson thinks Noble, who has been at the Club almost 13 years, might be one of the last players around to be a one-club man.
"It's great these days when players can stay at one club and dominate his position as he has done for many years.
"Nowadays, players seem to move clubs more often and he's probably one of the last that can stay at a club for that length of time with [Jamie] Carragher and Stevie [Gerrard] moving on.
"I don't think many more will do it."
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Replay date confirmed
WHUFC.com
The Football Association have today confirmed that The Emirates FA Cup sixth-round replay between West Ham United and Manchester United is to be played at 7pm on Wednesday 13 April.
The mouth-watering fixture will be the final FA Cup tie to be played at the Boleyn Ground.
Extensive discussions have taken place with all associated parties regarding the scheduling of this fixture since the two clubs drew 1-1 at Old Trafford, with limited options available.
The FA recognises the agreed date may not be an ideal solution for all but believed it was the most appropriate available within the congested football calendar.
FA Chief Executive Martin Glenn said: "We have worked closely with all parties concerned to come up with the best possible outcome. In so doing, we have sought to take into account the needs of fans, clubs, leagues and broadcasters – and balanced these considerations against the wider fixture schedule."
Tickets for this fixture, which will kick-off at an earlier than usual time of 7.00pm, are currently on sale to Season Ticket Holders.
Ticket prices are as follows:
Season Ticket Holders
Adults £30, Over-65s and Under-21s £20, Under-16s £15
Members and General Sale
Adults £35, Over-65s and Under-21s £25, Under-16s £20
Sale Dates
Season Ticket Holders 9am Saturday 19 March
Season Ticket Relocations 9am Thursday 24 March
Members 9am Saturday 26 March
General Sale 10am Monday 28 March*
Buy now at whufcboxoffice.com, over the telephone on 0871 529 1966^ or in person from the Betway Stand Ticket Office
*Subject to availability
^Calls are charged at 13p/min plus your phone provider's access charge
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ExWHUEmployee's exclusive column: Top targets revealed, injury updates, Internationals and more
March 21, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
ExWHUEmployee
Robbed. I can't think of any other way to describe what happened at Chelsea. We played really well and deserved to be in the top four going into the international break and if it had not been for another shocking referee decision, a FA Cup Semi Final too. I really wish something could be done about all these wrong decisions. I mean in fairness, from where I was, it did look a penalty but I wasn't near the incident and didn't have the option to consult two linesmen as well.
The game did confirm to me why I am so proud to be a West Ham fan. Was such a great atmosphere and the passion we all have is just brilliant to be a part of. I met up with Kev and Dave from SDCC before the game for some pre match beers (although I didn't actually get to drink one) and all of us agreed the future is so exciting as a West Ham fan.
I thought we played really well and I thought Cresswell and Lanzini were brilliant. Lanzini is due to sign before April as has always been the case. The club just wanted to see whether he would overcome his injury and not get injured again and the Chelsea game proved this. I cannot believe how many news stories have been given to retelling this story about Lanzini joining over and over again. I have seen "exclusives" left, right and centre for a story that hasn't changed since the start of the season really as they wanted to wait as long as possible to see whether he was worth signing.
Sam Byram was due to play against Chelsea and was actually selected at right back. He picked up a knock in training but isn't expected to be out for very long. With Byram at right back, Antonio was due to be right wing instead of Valencia. That said I think both Antonio and Valencia played well. The good news is Byram should be fit soon, as well as Collins and Tomkins. If we do not get any injuries over the international break we could have a fully strength side available for what is surely one of the most crucial periods in our history.
I cannot wait for the following games and the Mark Noble testimonial will be special. Every one of the West Ham Way's ex-player writers is involved so I expect to be able to obtain some excellent exclusives, photos and opinions about the day. The West Ham Way Tv will be filming before and after the game so please come and speak to us.
The testimonial game brought up some strange interactions with the England team. Most of you are aware in my column I wrote how the club believed that Noble was going to be called up. The main reason I know this was because plans had been agreed should Mark be called up for his testimonial about how he will still be a part of it. One member of the backroom staff, who is also employed by England in the same capacity had also been informed that a call up was likely. You can tell from the reaction afterwards of senior board members and Mark Noble himself that there was some belief. There was also talk that Antonio could get a call up as well. This does all appear to be rubbish as with Sterling pulling out this was the perfect opportunity to draft in Antonio. I think we just have to accept that Roy has a serious issue with the club and any international call up is now extremely unlikely under his reign.
The FA Cup tie with Manchester United on Wednesday 6th April at 7:00 o'clock has been a difficult one to organise. The problem is the match isn't meant to take place then because it clashes with Manchester City's Champions' League game and the FA face a punishment as a result. Therefore the club is in a difficult position as they need to get the tickets sorted and the match arrangements but the FA has asked them to be aware that they may have to rearrange it. It is pretty certain to take place on this day and the reason for the 7 kick-off is that it doesn't directly clash with the City game but we shall see if UEFA decide to take any further action.
In terms of players the club will not be making huge amounts of signings but significant ones. We want a new forward and new winger and a central midfielder. It is important to remember that we have already spent money on Byram and will do on Lanzini so part of our budget is already spent. We have signed Håvard Nordtveit and he will be the defensive midfielder who is likely to replace Alex Song. Although there is a small chance he will still get a contract.
We have a number of wingers, as Victor Moses will not be signed, on the radar with the main three being Tore, Sisto and Georginio Wijnaldum of Newcastle. Reports of Tore having already agreed a deal were far from the mark. No deal has been agreed. We have been keen for a long time but we are no way near a deal and are still exploring all options. Again with this story there have been a lot of guessing from, he has signed a deal, he may have signed a deal, he hasn't, he has, he hasn't again, and in short he hasn't. This is where the story stays until we approach the summer. Yes we want to move early but for example interest in Wijnaldum may be stepped up if Newcastle go down and this is unknown at the moment.
The other position that we want to strengthen has been well documented. We want a top quality forward. As if by magic today Sky suddenly announced our top three targets as an "exclusive". The top three targets are correct (Batshuayi, Lacazette and Benteke although interest is cooling on the Liverpool forward). We also have a keen interest in Jonathan Calleri who was Carlos Tevez's strike partner in Argentina until recently. I have reported these transfers in pretty much all my columns so I do wonder what "info" sky suddenly received to name all three.
It was great news that Kouyate signed a new deal, this is something that again I spoke of in my previous column. He is seen as a key player for the future. One other player is expected to land a new deal in the next few weeks too. The youth team are doing brilliant and there could be contracts signed from there too. I have been hearing great reports on the progress of Burke and Cullen at Bradford City and of course Samulesen's success at Peterborough has also been well documented.
I have mentioned the final game at the Boleyn Ground being an "especially arranged charity match" and there has been a few hints of this on twitter this week. The club are still yet to finalise the first friendly game at the Olympic stadium but they are still working on that team being Barcelona. If this doesn't happen they have other big clubs lined up.
The spirt at the club is amazing at the moment and everyone is positive and pulling in the right direction we will continue to grow and sell out our new stadium. There is no better club in the world to support.
At the West Ham Way we continue to grow and grow too and are hitting some really good internet figures now. We are competing with some of the other WHUFC sites despite not being on News Now .
There are a number of exciting things planned in the pipe line and I am sure you will enjoy them when they are launched. We should be launching some of our West Ham Way T-shirts in the next week or so and I hope these will be popular. I will run a few competitions around these too. There are many other things coming this way. We are still looking for advertising though. Adverts can be for sponsoring some of our features, like my column or some of our other key features. This money will continue to go into improving the site.
Finally I would like to say that it really is a superb time to be a fan and things continue to get better and better. We are always proud of our great club but this season we have even more reasons to be. COYI
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One to Watch: Malcom
March 21, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
RJTHEGAME
MALCOM
Age: 19 years
Nationality: Brazilian
Current Team: Bordeaux
This week we have a player who was instrumental in helping Corinthians win the Brazilian 2015 Campeonato. He then got his move to Ligue 1 moving to Bordeaux back in January. I feel he is an exceptional young winger with big potential! Malcom has good speed, crossing, dribbling skills and is capable of scoring some powerful goals. He has a powerful shot with good technique, his finishing can improve but he still scores goals. He is a very promising talent who I think will come into his own in the French league. Malcom has great acceleration with pace, plays on either flank very well and could even play as a striker if needed. Pretty consistent in his play and can only get better. He is small and he makes great runs from deep , draws players onto him to open up defences. He is definitely better as a winger for me. He gets me off my seat watching him because he makes things happen in a positive way for his teams. Very dangerous player, you can't give him too much space because he will have a shot with his hammer of a left peg. I feel he would be a great investment for a team in the future.
STRENGTHS : Crossing - Technique - Long shots - Dribbling
WEAKNESSES : Finishing - Aerial duels
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Premier League
Saturday, 19th March 2016
Chelsea 2 West Ham United 2
by Gordon Thrower
KUMB.com
I guess a billion quid buys you a lot of referee, eh Roman?
I was joined for this one by Maltese and Mrs Hammer whose visit to these shores enabled me to start to repay a billionth of some of the hospitality afforded to me during my visit to their lovely island during for our Europa League match against Birkikara back in July. We joined the Romford boat party where tourists watching us pass under Thames bridges seemed bemused by some of the singing – I just don't think they understood.
Coming ashore in West London we popped into a Kings Road café for a cup of something non-alcoholic and warming, noting a rather svelte Frank Lampard senior having a cuppa by the door. He looks thinner now than when he was playing. And certainly a lot thinner than his son.
Team news was that Sakho returned to the starting line-up. Antonio continued at right-back despite the potential availability of Byram. Team: Adrian, Antonio, Cresswell, Reid, Ogbonna, Noble, Kouyate, Lanzini, Valencia, Payet, Sakho.
Well although this was a match in which, though we were by far the better of the two sides, the first clearish chance went to the home side as Remy found what was to be a rare bit of space on their right hand side. Adrian stood tall though and saved well with his legs.
Much will be written later in this report (and elsewhere) about referee Madley but it's worth noting that, quite apart from that which is to come, he had an appalling match from start to finish. Quite early on in the proceedings it transpired it was open season on Sakho with Cahill and Terry being given carte blanche to wrestle the striker to the floor at every opportunity. If you dust Sakho's neck you'll find Terry's fingerprints all over it, such was the brazen nature of the home defence and the spineless incompetence of Madley's handling of the match.
Despite playing against twelve men we began to settle into the game and it was no surprise when we took the lead on 17 minutes, though, in a season in which we've been treated to some sweet goals, this one was a danger to diabetics. Breaking out from deep Valencia won the first header, Sakho the second and we found ourselves with Payet in possession.
Payet fed Lanzini who looked up and curved an absolute beaut over Courtois into the net. How sweet? The government want to stick a tax on it, that's how sweet. It would have been nice to have seen the goal replayed on the big screen but, although every Chelsea half chance was replayed half a dozen times from twelve different angles in super slo-mo, an actual goal to the opposition didn't seem worthy of the same consideration. As if proof were needed that you can't buy class.
It would be over estimating the influence of the home support to say that the goal silenced them, the whistle for the start of the game seemed to do that trick. To be fair they had little to impress them as only a last ditch tackle from Cahill prevented Sakho getting on the end of Payet's through ball. Kouyate should have done a bit better with a header from a corner then Cresswell got into good position after another fine flowing move, including a sublime backheel from Lanzini. The left back's low shot was deflected wide by Cahill.
Clearly the home side were not going to get anywhere within the laws of the game so, ably assisted by the gullible Madley, they proceeded to revert to type. Kenedy threw himself to the floor clutching his face after a slight – and accidental – brush on the cheek from Noble. The lengthy spell of "treatment" was more window dressing than of necessity, Chelsea having sacked their last honest medic in favour of individuals willing to sacrifice their Hippocratic oath when told to do so. Willian's free-kick was wide but we hadn't seen the end of the home side's dishonesty.
As the half drew to a close Reid cut out a long ball but slipped in doing so. The defender blocked off Oscar to give away a free-kick and pick up a yellow card in the process. Madley measured out 12 yards and, for bad measure, Fabregas pulled the ball back another yard. Now this was bad enough but when the players pointed out that they were now about 13 yards away from the ball, even when confronted with the evidence Madley shook his head and confirmed that the distance was 10 yards. Predictably Fabregas put away the free-kick. You expect dishonesty from Chelsea – look how their owner made his money. Sadly we're now getting to the stage where officials routinely lie to protect their own backsides.
There was just about time for Madley to caution Ogbonna for breaking the Official Secrets Act by revealing that he wasn't fit to referee before the half time whistle. Madley's contribution to the home side's cause being underlined by the escort back to the changing room afforded to him by the staff.
At half time there was a kids' penalty shoot-out to look at. The announcer likened one effort to "John Hollins in the 1970's against Arsenal – if you remember that". A laughable comment given the infinitesimally small chance that any of the home "support" had the slightest idea of the club's existence prior to 2003. In fact so sensitive are they to their lack of historical knowledge they parade a flag up one end suggesting that a club formed as late as 1905 was "London's First"!
The second half started and, although the home side had a little more of the play we always looked the more likely to score and we should have increased the lead on 57 minutes. Adrian claimed a corner and immediately released Sakho who burst forward before releasing Cresswell on the overlap. Cresswell's shot sent Courtois the wrong way but was a fraction high, cannoning off the crossbar before running out of play on the far side.
Cresswell, like Sakho, seemed to have offended the moron in the middle, being brought down at both ends but failing to gain the free-kick that even he home side were expecting. On the hour, presumably to give his windpipe a break from Terry's headlocks, Sakho was withdrawn with Carroll coming on to replace him. We didn't have to wait long for the no.9 to make an impression.
The impressive Kouyate robbed Oscar and fed Lanzini who fed Payet. Payet's pass split the defenders and the onside Carroll's slightly less than clean contact was, nevertheless, good enough to beat Courtois at his near post to restore the lead and ensure that at least one corner of the ground continued to make some noise.
The best effort from the home side came with 15 left to play as Oscar's shot was blocked by Cresswell, Fabregas's follow-up overhead kick was a couple of feet too high. At this point Eminike came on for Valencia whose efforts had been more defensive in their outlook than usual. It was a replacement of attacking intent.
Eminike moved forward with intend and laid it off to Carroll who played in Payet, whose attempt at a curler into the top corner was thwarted by a deflection. This prompted a succession of corners. Carroll brought a save out of Courtois.
With 8 left on the clock Obiang replaced Lanzini who received generous applause for his efforts. Carroll then found Eminike with a first-time ball down the right. Eminike got to the goal line forcing a corner out of Ivanovic who cleared with Carroll lurking. Payet's corner was met cleanly by the no. 9 but Traore was able to hook clear from just in front of his own goal-line.
So, with the prospect of Chelsea scoring a legitimate goal on a par with the chances of finding an honest referee in the Premier League they resorted to their usual tactic of relying on the gullibility of the officials.
Willian moved forward and played the ball through to sub Loftus-Cheek. There may have been the tiniest hint of contact by Antonio but it took place well outside of the box. It certainly wasn't enough to send the sub to the floor as evidenced by the fact that he was then able to take a few steps into the box, whereupon, with Antonio a good couple of feet away, he clipped the back of his own leg. Only a moron would have given a penalty.
Unfortunately, being a moron is considered to be a prime qualification at PGMOL Towers and Madley is a prime example of the sub species. Fabregas dispatched the penalty and Adrian got a yellow for kicking the ball away in protest at one of the worst 90 minuyes from an official I've seen in a long while – and this in a season that's seen refereeing performances plumb new depths.
As if to underline just how little of a clue Madley had, we won a rare free-kick which prompted a load of pushing and shoving. Madley stood in the middle of it all with the air of someone who knew he ought to be doing something but couldn't quite work out what it was, so he would hang on just in case someone who did have a clue what was happening happened to be passing by.
There was just enough time for Payet to see a free-kick saved and that was it. Madley had four stewards helping him back to the sanctuary of the changing room where, if he bothered to give his performance a second thought at all, it was probably to think that he couldn't give a toss because no punishment would ever be forthcoming.
Meanwhile it speaks volumes of the gulf in class between the clubs that the rather ignorant home support were happy to praise a performance from their expensively assembled mercenaries that relied totally on the efforts of the man in the middle to save them from a deserved defeat. I suppose it makes a welcome change from their defending racism. Ignorance is indeed bliss.
A bit of a break now before a season-defining run of games coming up. By that time we should be up to full strength in the squad. Let's hope that, whatever happens between now and the end of the season, our fate lies in our own hands and not those of those imbeciles at PGMOL.
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Bilic transfer kitty could get big boost
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 22, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
The Hammers are set to hand boss Slaven Bilic a summer transfer kitty of around £35 million although £12 million of that will immediately be spent on completing deals for Manu Lanzini and Sam Byram. However should the Irons finish in the Champions League places the war chest could be boosted by a few more millions as the club strides on into its new era. As reported elsewhere on the site, the vast majority of the available cash will be used for a new striker as the club hunt for a player who can fit their wage policy without breaking through the FFP regulations. The season's budget is much the same as last year although a Champions League bonus would see the club probably looking at back up left and right sided defenders. However, by and large the squad looks strong in most areas thus allowing some elaborate spending in the front position. Our main source said: " We are strong in most areas now thanks to a great window last summer . The idea now is to improve as we shuffle the pack from season to season."
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Bilic transfer kitty could get big boost
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 22, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
The Hammers are set to hand boss Slaven Bilic a summer transfer kitty of around £35 million although £12 million of that will immediately be spent on completing deals for Manu Lanzini and Sam Byram. However should the Irons finish in the Champions League places the war chest could be boosted by a few more millions as the club strides on into its new era. As reported elsewhere on the site, the vast majority of the available cash will be used for a new striker as the club hunt for a player who can fit their wage policy without breaking through the FFP regulations. The season's budget is much the same as last year although a Champions League bonus would see the club probably looking at back up left and right sided defenders. However, by and large the squad looks strong in most areas thus allowing some elaborate spending in the front position. Our main source said: " We are strong in most areas now thanks to a great window last summer . The idea now is to improve as we shuffle the pack from season to season."
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Manuel Lanzini to permanently sign for West Ham on four-year deal
Last Updated: 22/03/16 11:34am
SSN
West Ham have agreed a permanent deal to sign Manuel Lanzini from Al Jazira, according to co-chairman David Sullivan. The 23-year-old Argentine attacker, who has been superb since signing on a season-long loan from the UAE club, will complete the deal when the transfer window reopens this summer. Speaking about the possibility of qualifying for the Champions League this season, Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan told the Daily Mail: "I know it's worth about 12m euros (£9.4m), and you can hardly get a player for that."We've just signed Lanzini on a permanent deal for that sort of money." Jack Sullivan, David's son, also tweeted on Tuesday that Lanzini will sign a four-year deal. He said: "?@jsullivanwhu: Lanzini is a WHU player for the next 4 seasons, with a further 2 year option." Lanzini has scored six goals in 22 appearances in all competitions under boss Slaven Bilic this season. He began his career at River Plate, spending some time on loan with Fluminense, before joining Al Jazira in 2014.
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Sullivan confirms OS is sold out!
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 22, 2016 in News
C and H
West Ham chairman, David Sullivan has confirmed West Ham have now sold out their initial 54,000 capacity of the Olympic Stadium. However, he admits the club could have earned more if he had raised the prices but decided to price to please rather than extort money from fans. Sullivan told the Daily Mail: "We're sold out at 54,000, which is the current capacity. We will increase it to 60,000 for the start of next season, subject to planning. "And the year after, we might go to 66,000. Football is about taking your chances and this is a chance. "We could have got £10m more by raising the prices at the Olympic Stadium, but we have gone for prices to please rather than extort money from our fans."
West Ham are thought to have sold close to 43,000 season tickets so far and 3,700 corporate seats. A further 3,000 seats are reserved for away fans, the minimum away allocation set for a stadium this size by the Premier League. "The remaining 4,000 seats will be available for general sale to home supporters, another requirement by the Premier League that at least 5% of tickets are available to home supporters who are not season ticket holders. West Ham have previously revealed they have sold over 8,000 £99 season tickets to the Under 16's and over 3,000 £289 season tickets for band 5 seats.
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FA Cup replay date could be in doubt
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 22, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham have been forced to amend their official website with updated details on the FA Cup replay with Manchester United in April. Originally on Friday night, the club confirmed the date was set was for Wednesday 6th April at 7pm. That page mysteriously disappeared by Saturday morning and today the club have been forced to retract their previous statement by saying "Please note that the date for this fixture is yet to be confirmed." The Manchester United official website also have no details of the proposed replay date. The problem centres around the issue that the proposed date falls on a Champions League night for the last eight and therefore breaks an agreement with UEFA not to play domestic . Manchester City face Paris Saint-German in the first leg of the quarter final of the Champions League. The FA could face a fine from the UEFA or in the worst case scenario be forced to re-schedule the match. BT Sports own the exclusive rights to the UEFA Champions League and are unlikely to happy with the fixture clash even though they also own the FA Cup TV rights with the BBC.
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Slav's delight as we keep our best
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 21, 2016 in News
C and H
Slaven Bilic is thrilled that the Irons are getting and KEEPING their best players. The manager got his mind off the Chelsea disappointment to tell whufc.com: Cheikhou [Kouyate] signed, which is great for the club. and Dimitri [Payet] is in the national team. "It shows that the players are enjoying playing for West Ham and they feel that the Club is moving forward.
"They like to work hard when they know that the board is not just trying, but that they are keeping the best players. It's great to have them all. "We are playing good. We have a good team, we have momentum, we have character and we are defending well with numbers and passion. "When we have the ball we are calm, and we're calm at the back. The midfield and up-front has pace and quality so it's great to work with this team."
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Sullivan confirms Lanzini deal
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 22, 2016 in News
C and H
West Ham Chairman, David Sullivan appears to have confirmed the Manu Lanzini deal is now complete. ClaretandHugh announced on Saturday the deal would be sorted within and revealed week to ten days and that has now happened. During a Daily Mail interview Sullivan replied to a wuestion about Champions League qualification: "I know it's worth about €12m (£9.4m). And you can hardly get a player for that! We've just signed Lanzini on a permanent deal for that sort of money. Juventus went all the way last season and it was worth €67m (£52m) to them. And we're not going to go all the way, are we?"
On how the Payet came about Sullivan said: "Mark McKay, the agent, came to me and I checked his stats. Payet: best assists in France, third best in Europe." "We were talking to the then Marseille manager Marcelo Bielsa about coming to West Ham and we said: 'Who is the one player you would bring?' He said Payet." "Later I said to Slaven: 'What do you think of Payet?' And he said: 'I'd love him — not only will he achieve great things, but he will make the other players better. They will get passes they wouldn't normally get and score goals they wouldn't normally score.'" "So the negotiations went on and on, the fee went up and up, the wages went up and up. It started at £6million and wages of £40,000 a week and ended up at… well, that's confidential… but a lot of money. He's worth it."
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Manchester United's FA Cup replay at West Ham to be played on April 6... despite UEFA guidelines saying domestic football should not be played on Champions League nights
Manchester United drew 1-1 with West Ham in the FA Cup on March 13
The quarter-final replay at Upton Park can only be scheduled for April 6
The Football Association can expect a fine from UEFA because they have decided to play the replay on a Champions League night
PSG host Manchester City while Real Madrid face Wolfsburg that night
By LUKE AUGUSTUS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 10:46, 22 March 2016 | UPDATED: 12:08, 22 March 2016
The FA are on a collision course with UEFA once more after West Ham's FA Cup quarter-final replay against Manchester United was pencilled in for the same day as the Champions League last eight. The Premier League rivals are set to face each other on April 6 following their 1-1 draw at Old Trafford on March 13. However, the new date clashes with two Champions League ties as Manchester City are at Paris Saint-Germain and Wolfsburg entertain Real Madrid in their first legs. The FA Cup tie at Upton Park will kick-off earlier than usual at 7pm, in an attempt to minimise the crossover but it still breaks UEFA's rule that domestic games must end 30 minutes before the European matches kick-off. Another date isn't feasible for West Ham or United due to their busy domestic schedules - with the winners set to face Everton in a Wembley semi-final on April 23. Prior to then, West Ham face Crystal Palace (April 2), Arsenal (April 9), Leicester (April 17) and Watford (April 20). Meanwhile, the Red Devils take on Everton (April 3), Tottenham (April 10), Aston Villa (April 16) and Palace (April 20) after the international break. It'll be the second time this season that an FA Cup game will take place on a Champions League night following Arsenal's 4-0 fifth-round replay win at Hull on March 8. That tie started at 7pm but overlapped with Real Madrid's last-16 second leg win over Roma and Wolfsburg's triumph against Gent. The move means clubs could now lose out on UEFA cash. When the problem has occurred in the past - for Premier League games - £1million was withheld from a solidarity payment of £10m paid to the FA to be split equally among the 20 clubs in the top division for youth development and community projects. The FA were also fined £42,000.
WEST HAM'S POSSIBLE REMAINING FIXTURES THIS SEASON
April 2 - Crystal Palace (H) - Premier League
April 6 - Manchester United (H) - FA Cup
April 9 - Arsenal (H) - Premier League
April 17 - Leicester (A) - Premier League
April 20 - Watford (H)- Premier League
*April 23 - Everton (N) - FA Cup
April 30 - West Brom (A) - Premier League
May 7 - Swansea (H) - Premier League
May 10 - Man Utd (H) - Premier League
May 15 - Stoke (A) - Premier League
*May 21 - C. Palace/Watford (N) - FA Cup
*These fixtures are pending on progression in the FA Cup.
MANCHESTER UNITED'S POSSIBLE REMAINING FIXTURES THIS SEASON
April 3 - Everton (H) - Premier League
April 6 - West Ham (A) - FA Cup
April 10 - Tottenham (A) - Premier League
April 16 - Aston Villa (H) - Premier League
April 20 - Crystal Palace (H) - Premier League
*April 23 - Everton (N) - FA Cup
May 1 - Leicester (H) - Premier League
May 7 - Norwich (A) - Premier League
May 10 - West Ham (A) - Premier League
May 15 - Bournemouth (H) - Premier League
*May 21 - C. Palace/Watford (N) - FA Cup
*These fixtures are pending on progression in the FA Cup.
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Manuel Lanzini signs permanent deal with West Ham in £9m move
• Argentinian midfielder signs four-year contract at West Ham
• Midfielder was on season-long loan from Al Jazira
Press Association
Tuesday 22 March 2016 12.03 GMT Last modified on Tuesday 22 March 2016 12.16 GMT
Guardian.com
West Ham have completed the signing of Manuel Lanzini on a four-year contract from Al Jazira. The 23-year-old midfielder had been on loan from the UAE club and has sealed a permanent switch to Upton Park. The deal, which includes an option for a further two years, is understood to be worth around £9m. Jack Sullivan, the son of West Ham's joint-chairman David Sullivan, confirmed the news on Twitter. He wrote: "Lanzini is a WHU player for the next 4 seasons, with a further 2 year option." Slaven Bilic has now secured the futures of three of his key players after Dimitri Payet and Cheikhou Kouyaté recently signed long-term contracts. Lanzini is back to full fitness following a spell on the sidelines with a thigh injury. The Argentinian scored his sixth goal of the season with a fine 20-yard curling shot in the 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Saturday.
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West Ham owner confirms forward transfer
DAVID SULLIVAN has revealed that West Ham have signed Manuel Lanzini on a permanent basis.
By JAMES GRAY
PUBLISHED: 08:55, Tue, Mar 22, 2016 | UPDATED: 09:17, Tue, Mar 22, 2016
Express.co.uk
Lanzini is currently on loan at Upton Park from UAE outfit Al Jazira Club having signed a season-long deal in July 2015. But the deal is said to have contained a buy option and Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has been open about his desire to keep the player at the club. And now Sullivan has let slip in an interview with the Mail that Lanzini will make his move permanent this summer. The 67-year-old had been asked about his thoughts on West Ham potentially finishing fourth and entering the Champions League at the qualifying stage when he made the revelation.
"I know it's worth about £9.4m," Sullivan said. "And you can hardly get a player for that! "We've just signed Lanzini on a permanent deal for that sort of money." With Lanzini lining up for a second season alongside Dimitri Payet, West Ham will sport one of the most potent attacking lines in the Premier League next season.
And the club are desperately hoping they can christen their new home, the Olympic Stadium, with Champions League football. "I hope Leicester win the league and we win the FA Cup [West Ham have a replay against Manchester United for a place in the semi-final] and finish fourth," Sullivan added. "Imagine starting in the new stadium with that on our CV. "We're sold out at 54,000, which is the current capacity. "We will increase it to 60,000 for the start of next season, subject to planning. "And the year after, we might go to 66,000. "Football is about taking your chances and this is a chance."
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West Ham were right to fume about penalty given against Chelsea... contact was made on Ruben Loftus-cheek outside the area
West Ham were fuming that penalty was awarded in clash with Chelsea
Referee Bobby Madley gave spot kick after foul on Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Michail Antonio's trip appeared to be outside the area on the midfielder
By GRAHAM POLL FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 23:00, 20 March 2016 | UPDATED: 12:09, 21 March 2016
West Ham were understandably disappointed to concede the late penalty. Referee Bobby Madley was right in detecting Michail Antonio's trip on Ruben Loftus-Cheek but contact was outside the area. Madley seemed unsure of the position and looked over to his assistant. One can only assume he told Madley the foul was inside the area. West Ham also had justifiable complaints about Cesc Fabregas scoring from a free-kick, as Madley positioned their defensive wall 12 yards back instead of the required 10.
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West Ham set aside £40m to secure top striker amid interest in Liverpool and Ligue 1 stars
WEST HAM are prepared to pay a staggering £40million to land the striker of their dreams this summer, according to reports.
By JACK STAPLEHURST
PUBLISHED: 22:29, Mon, Mar 21, 2016 | UPDATED: 22:54, Mon, Mar 21, 2016
Express.co.uk
Slaven Bilic's side are targeting a top-class goalscorer to help establish the Hammers as one of the Premier League's most imposing teams. Ahead of their move to the Olympic Stadium in just a few months time, West Ham are already lining up forwards across Europe as potential targets. According to Sky Sports, co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold are willing to more than double the east London club's transfer record as a statement of intent going ahead. England international Andy Carroll is West Ham's current record signing, as the 27-year-old cost £15m from Liverpool in 2013. And the Hammers could head back to Anfield for their next historic deal, with Christian Benteke reportedly on their radar. The former Aston Villa hitman has struggled to make a name for himself under Jurgen Klopp and he could face a swift exit this summer for potentially less than the £32.5m Liverpool paid for him. Meanwhile, Marseille's Michy Batshuayi and Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette are both also being monitored by the Hammers. Having seen Dimitri Payet's impact to the team in his first season since arriving at Upton Park from Marseille, the Hammers are tempted to land 22-year-old Batshuayi too to reunite the pair. Tottenham are providing competition for him though, and a deal would reportedly cost in excess of £30m. Lacazette's goalscoring prowess in France over the last two seasons has made him one of Europe's most in-demand strikers. Newcastle were rebuffed in January, but with European football on the cards for West Ham, a big budget and the forward indicating he wants to move to the Premier League, a deal being agreed is not beyond them. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was also a high-profile name linked with the Hammers of late, but Bilic was quick to deny the possibility of him joining despite the fact he'd be available on a free transfer, leaving just wages to worry about. If fifth-placed West Ham can secure a Champions League place this term, their appeal to top-level strikers will only increase for the summer.
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As the race for Champions League slots hots up, Sportsmail asks West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan... can the Hammers nail fourth place?
West Ham are one point off fourth place with eight games to play
Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan is looking towards Europe
But Sullivan insists he is not feeling the pressure after stunning season
'I hope Leicester win the league and we win the Cup and finish fourth'
By LEE CLAYTON FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 22:00, 21 March 2016 | UPDATED: 03:04, 22 March 2016
The league table shows West Ham in an unlikely fifth position and scrapping for a Champions League place. Co-chairman David Sullivan is studying the form and calculating what it all means.
Here he answers questions set by Head of Sport LEE CLAYTON.
Are you feeling the pressure?
No. Pressure is being where Norwich, Sunderland and Newcastle are. And Crystal Palace, they're not safe yet. Alan Pardew is a good manager but they will all be breathing heavily. That's pressure. Sam Allardyce has come back like a tiger and he could lead Sunderland to salvation. He's recharged after he needed a rest. No, I'm glad to be away from all that.
When you look at the league table, what do you see?
Leicester. The Leicester miracle. And then I see Stoke, going well and queuing up behind us. I want to look up but I also want to defend the position we are in.
What are you doing to keep your mind clear?
I am the financier and executive producer for Fall of the Krays — which is out next Monday on DVD, make sure you mention that. British films are my hobby. I love the locations, the stories, the accents. Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins, Peter Sellers. I fell in love with it then and now it is giving me a light distraction, but only a light one.
But there will be nerves in the Manchester City and Manchester United boardrooms...
United are coming again — they have five home games and three away games remaining. The same as us. They are still in the FA Cup and they are turning a corner. They will fancy finishing fourth. City? They made a big mistake announcing a change of manager in the middle of the season. It has demotivated their players. Half of them know they will be out when Pep Guardiola comes. They have the ex-Barcelona people and some of their people look down on us. In the past, they always beat us. They beat us 9-0 in the League Cup the other season, but nobody has all the answers. The last two matches — a 2-2 draw at Chelsea, following a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup at Manchester United... the form is good.We're dreaming of what can happen and we're playing great football. At United and Chelsea we deserved to win. We passed the ball in a wizardly fashion. Do you know we haven't had a penalty away in four years and we have the least number of penalties in the league in those four years? We're due some luck.
What has manager Slaven Bilic brought to the club?
He was a gamble — I told him that. And now I've told him he is looking less of a gamble! He impresses me, he is passionate and he talks with sense and intelligence. In my 25 years in football I have listened to some of my managers speak after a game and thought: 'Who is he kidding? Does he think we are stupid?' But Slaven calls it and I like the way he calls it.
If we've been lucky, Slaven will say that. If we've played badly, he will say that. The fans have got someone who feels the game as they do. And he fights like mad for his players. When they had fines owed to the club, he came and fought for them and had the fines removed. I'm not sure I liked that... it cost us a few quid! But he fought for them. Fines for indiscipline, that sort of thing. He has a gravitas, a strength. I am proud of him and respect him. Now can he do it again next season?
And what about Dimitri Payet?
We are not a one-man team. You look at Sunderland and those goals from Jermain Defoe — and their survival is in his hands. You say Payet and, yes, he is our star, but I can say (Manuel) Lanzini, (Michail) Antonio, (Mark) Noble, (Cheikhou) Kouyate. We've just given Kouyate a new deal, even though he had more than four years on his last one. We want to reward excellence. They have all played their part.
How did the Payet deal come about?
Mark McKay, the agent, came to me and I checked his stats. Payet: best assists in France, third best in Europe. We were talking to the then Marseille manager Marcelo Bielsa about coming to West Ham and we said: 'Who is the one player you would bring?' He said Payet. Later I said to Slaven: 'What do you think of Payet?' And he said: 'I'd love him — not only will he achieve great things, but he will make the other players better. They will get passes they wouldn't normally get and score goals they wouldn't normally score.' So the negotiations went on and on, the fee went up and up, the wages went up and up. It started at £6million and wages of £40,000 a week and ended up at... well, that's confidential... but a lot of money. He's worth it.
What has been the best moment of the season?
I hope it is still to come. I want West Ham to get to Wembley and win the FA Cup. That's the priority. So far? Too many! Beating Spurs at home after they humiliated us at their place. Winning 3-0 at Liverpool, winning 2-1 at Manchester City, coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Everton, Payet's free-kick at Manchester United. But all that is tempered by the fact we never turned up at Watford or Newcastle and we didn't turn up until the last 15 minutes at Norwich. Those performances still irk.
Are you allowing yourself to think of reaching the Champions League?
You can't allow yourself to think about that. I'm too busy! Sorting the Manchester United FA Cup replay time. And anyway, if you finish fourth, you don't qualify, you have to pre-qualify.
And we would be unseeded, so it would be a difficult fixture against the third-best team in Spain, or something like that. I had my eye on Arsenal and third, but we needed Everton to get something and they didn't.
So you have thought about it ...
I know it's worth about €12m (£9.4m). And you can hardly get a player for that! We've just signed Lanzini on a permanent deal for that sort of money. Juventus went all the way last season and it was worth €67m (£52m) to them. And we're not going to go all the way, are we? We could have got £10m more by raising the prices at the Olympic Stadium, but we have gone for prices to please rather than extort money from our fans.
How are the sales going?
We're sold out at 54,000, which is the current capacity. We will increase it to 60,000 for the start of next season, subject to planning. And the year after, we might go to 66,000. Football is about taking your chances and this is a chance. Chelsea will be very strong again next season, mark my words. The competition will be fierce but we are loving being among it. It's a season you never want to end. I hope Leicester win the league and we win the Cup and finish fourth. Imagine starting in the new stadium with that on our cv...
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Paolo Di Canio admits 'it's an honour and privilege' to play in Mark Noble testimonial as he prepares for return to Boleyn Ground
Paolo Di Canio has posted a short video on Facebook thanking Mark Noble
Di Canio will feature for a West Ham All-Stars side in Noble's testimonial
He plays at Boleyn Ground one final time before Olympic Stadium switch
Noble is to be honoured for 15-year service to Hammers on Easter Monday
By BEN GROUNDS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 20:20, 21 March 2016 | UPDATED: 22:23, 21 March 2016
Paolo Di Canio has revealed his gratitude at being given the chance to play one final time at the Boleyn Ground, with the former West Ham forward set to be involved in Mark Noble's testimonial. Di Canio remains a fans' favourite of Hammers supporters since his departure in August 2003, and the player signed from Sheffield Wednesday for £1.75million cannot wait to experience the Upton Park atmosphere once more before this summer's move to the Olympic Stadium. West Ham are using the forthcoming international break to honour Noble's service to the club, with the 28-year-old midfielder coming to the end of his 12th season as an active member of the Premier League club's first-team. Di Canio will be part of a West Ham United All-Stars side that shall face members of the senior squad who are not on international duty on Easter Monday, and the Italian was keen to send a message of thanks to the current captain.
'Hi mate, I'm training to get fit for the 28th of March,' Di Canio begins in a short video posted on the club's official Facebook page. 'It's a great honour and privilege for me. Thanks for two reasons: firstly, you gave me a chance to play with my old team-mates at the Boleyn Ground. Fantastic! Secondly, you've reunited me with my second family, claret and blue fans.
'I can't forget it and I can't wait to join you and the rest of my family. So, see you there on the 28th of March.'
Di Canio signs off in his own inimitable style, providing viewers with a short rendition of 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles' before ending with a cross-armed 'Hammers' salute. The former Sheffield Wednesday player made a big impact during his four-and-a-half-year stay, scoring 52 goals in 141 appearances for the Irons, and while his time in east London didn't overlap with Noble in the senior squad, the 47-year-old will no doubt have been aware of a precocious talent coming through the ranks. Noble has been heavily touted for an international call-up with England this season, but he was overlooked once more by Roy Hodgson for the forthcoming friendlies against Germany and Holland. The Hammers are fifth in the Premier League, a point off a Champions League berth with eight games remaining, and Noble - who has scored 34 goals in 304 league appearances for the club - can focus his attention fully on ending the season strongly as a key component of Slaven Bilic's side. But he will enjoy being reunited with a number of those he has played alongside since arriving as a 13-year-old schoolboy, with Rio Ferdinand, Anton Ferdinand, Matthew Etherington, Carlton Cole, Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker among those confirmed to be attending what shall be a memorable occasion.
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