WHUFC.com
Supporters in the Greenwood and Lyall Lounge can have the chance to meet
David Gold on 23 March
09.03.2010
West Ham United chairman David Gold will be the special guest in the
Greenwood and Lyall Lounge for the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers on
Tuesday 23 March. In keeping with the owners' commitment to listening to
what fans have to say, Mr Gold will take part in a Q & A session with those
gathered in the Greenwood and Lyall Lounge within the Bobby Moore Stand.
That will be followed by the small matter of a Barclays Premier League night
under the lights at the Boleyn. Supporters who snap up this package, which
costs just £100 per person plus VAT, will take their place in special VIP
seating that offers a fantastic view of the action from behind the Bobby
Moore Stand goal. The deal also offers a three-course menu with
complimentary matchday programmes and tea and coffee throughout the evening.
For more information on matchday hospitality and sponsorship opportunities
for this or any other game, please call our sales team on 0871 221 2700 or
email corporatesales@westhamunited.co.uk
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Yallop encouraged by Dyer
WHUFC.com
San Jose Earthquakes coach Frank Yallop had words of encouragement for old
pal Kieron Dyer
08.03.2010
San Jose Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop was happy to see a familiar
face in the shape of West Ham United midfielder Kieron Dyer at this week's
friendly between the clubs. Yallop was coming towards the end of his 14-year
stay at Ipswich Town as Dyer emerged through the club's youth system to star
at Portman Road. On Monday, the pair's paths crossed again as the
Earthquakes beat the Hammers 2-0 in a specially-arranged match at the Boleyn
Ground. Dyer continued his comeback from a hamstring injury to play for 65
minutes, and old friend Yallop believes the England player has a part to
play before the end of the Barclays Premier League season. "Kieron was a
young boy when I left Ipswich in 1996. It's never easy coming back from
injury and we had quite a lot of the ball at times, so he didn't really get
to show what he can do, but it's great to see him back playing. "I spoke to
Kieron before the game, as I hadn't seen him since I brought the MLS
Generation adidas development squad over and we played West Ham in December
2008, so I just hope he gets back to full fitness."
While Yallop was happy to see Dyer back in action, he was understandably
delighted by the performance of his own players, who secured victory
courtesy of a Jordan Spence own-goal and a smart finish from Jamaica
international forward Ryan Johnson. "It was obviously a good result for us
and we did the right things in the game that we were looking for. I was
pleased with the outcome and the performance. Everyone was good. It was a
good team performance. "I think it's great for the players to perform at
Upton Park. Although there was obviously no crowd in, it's such a fantastic
stadium and I think it really lifted our game. We were excited to be here
and it really showed in our performance. "It's been a good trip so far. We
had a disappointing year in the MLS last year and we had a lot of guys out
injured, but we've added a lot of good players and we're expecting to have a
good year."
Looking ahead, Yallop's Earthquakes will play further friendlies against
Tottenham Hotspur and Colorado Rapids in London before beginning their 2010
MLS campaign against reigning champions Real Salt Lake in California on 27
March. After a tough 2009 campaign, which saw them finish bottom of the
Western Conference, the Watford-born former Canada international is hoping
for better things this time around. At the same time, the 45-year-old is
also looking forward to watching the country of his birth take on the
country he calls home at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. "It's going to be a good
game at the World Cup. I think England are obviously going to be favourites,
but the USA have got some good players and they can beat them. It'll be
tough for the Americans, but opening games can be funny, but I'd expect
England to win. "The game continues to grow in the US. We've got a lot of
new teams coming into the league. We're at 16 teams and we have another two
coming to join us and we'll hopefully get to 20 teams within four to five
years. "All the teams are getting their own stadiums, which is great,
because we borrow a stadium at the moment. It will be nice for us and some
of the other teams to have a home and hopefully it can really take off."
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'Let's do something special'
WHUFC.com
Valon Behrami insists West Ham United must travel to Chelsea with victory in
mind this weekend
09.03.2010
Valon Behrami has challenged his West Ham United team-mates to "do something
special" by winning at Chelsea on Saturday. The Switzerland midfielder was
part of the Hammers team that drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge last season - and
the No21 is desperate to go one better by securing a victory over Carlo
Ancelotti's team. To do so, West Ham will have to secure their first away
success in 14 matches, having not won on their travels since beating
Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League
season. However, Chelsea were beaten on their own patch in their last home
league fixture - going down 4-2 to Manchester City - and Behrami has called
on his colleagues to be at their very best, both mentally and physically,
this weekend. "The approach has got to be different from the last game [a
2-1 defeat by Bolton Wanderers]. Already, when you play teams like this
[Chelsea] it's going to be different, but after Saturday we need to do
something special like go away and win the games. "We can do something
special, I think, but we all have to be at 100 per cent and be at 100 per
cent mentally and physically. That is not so easy, because if anybody
doesn't give 100 per cent, we can't win the games. "We have time. Every
time, you have time, but we have had a lot of chances to get out of this
situation and we didn't do it, so now the time is shorter. We have a few
other home games and that's where we have to change our mentality."
Behrami believes West Ham must go to Chelsea believing they can beat them,
insisting that a positive mindset is vital to achieving a positive result.
"For me, I think it's going to be mentally hard. Physically, I'm sure the
statistics will show that we ran more than the other team, but really the
big thing is the mentality. With this team last year, without three or four
players, we would go and play and play very well and get some good results.
It's now just in our minds, as our attitude can change everything."
Looking back on Saturday's defeat by Bolton, Behrami echoed the sentiments
of manager Gianfranco Zola that a slow start - Kevin Davies and Jack
Wilshere put the Trotters 2-0 up within 16 minutes - had scuppered the
Hammers' hopes. "It was a big disappointment for us because we didn't expect
this performance. We didn't prepare for the game like this and it was one of
the worst games we have played under Mister these last two years. I'm very
disappointed because we've lost a big chance and now it's going to be hard.
"The way we started, the mentality how we started was poor I think, compared
to the Hull City game when we started very well. When you start in the
Premier League like we did in the opening 20 minutes, every single mistake
will be punished. "We are really disappointed and now it will be very hard.
It was already hard and it will be harder now."
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Behrami - It's in our minds
Hammers star demanding mental toughness
Last updated: 9th March 2010
SSN
West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami has called for his team-mates to improve
their mentality as they fight for Premier League survival. The Hammers
slipped closer to the drop zone after Saturday's 2-1 home defeat to Bolton,
a game which Behrami described as one of their worst under manager
Gianfranco Zola. Back-to-back away games against Chelsea and Arsenal now
await Zola's side and Behrami knows that mental toughness is the key to
their safety. "It was deeply disappointing for us (against Bolton). It was
one of our worst games with Mr Zola in the last two years. We lost a big
chance," said Behrami. "If you look at the statistics, we run more than
other teams - but the big thing is our mentality. So it is on our mind and
our attitude. "When you make technical mistakes you can work on them. Easy.
You just keep working hard. "But the problem is bigger when it is mental. It
is very difficult to work on that. Time is running short. We have to change
something as the situation now is not good for us. "We can do something
special but we have to all play 100 per cent. Every player needs to give 100
per cent mentally and physically. That is not so easy. If only one player
gives 80 per cent we can't win the game."
"It was already hard and now it will be harder still."
Conceding the first goal has been bane of West Ham's season in the top
flight, with the London side failing to go on and win in any of those games.
Within 16 minutes of their game against Bolton on Saturday the Hammers were
trailing 2-0, and Zola knows they can't afford teams that luxury. "It's
been a season when we haven't got going as well as we would have wanted.
That is the thing that frustrates me most," said Zola. "The Bolton game is
going to be a big lesson for everybody in that respect. "We need to get some
points away from home."
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West Ham defender to join Argyle after loss
Tuesday, March 09, 2010, 22:43
Thisisplymouth.co.uk
PLYMOUTH Argyle are to sign West Ham United's 20-year-old defender Bondz
N'Gala on a one month loan. His arrival follows the Greens' 2-0 away defeat
to Queens Park Rangers last night, which plunged them deeper into relegation
trouble. The Pilgrims were outclassed by their west London hosts, who won
the Championship clash with goals from the penalty spot from Moroccan ace
Adel Taarabt and another from Damion Stewart in the second half. Second from
bottom Argyle remain seven points from safety and with just 12 matches left
to rescue themselves from relegation to League One. Bottom-placed
Peterborough United closed in on head coach Paul Mariner's Pilgrims with a
1-0 victory over Sheffield United. The only good news for Argyle was they
have not lost ground on their nearest strugglers Crystal Palace and
Sheffield Wednesday, who remain on 37 points after the pair lost 1-0 to
Bristol City and West Bromwich Albion, respectively. If Argyle are to keep
their place in the second tier of English football, the pressure is on for
them now to win their next Championship match – away to Coventry City on
Saturday.
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http://www.justgiving.com/vyperz
I am running the BUPA 10k on May 31st and raising money for the Bobby Moore
Cancer Fund
Please donate generously! Thanks.
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