WHUFC.com
Wales legend Neville Southall believes the Hammers are the favourites to win
the Championship title
18.06.2011
Neville Southall believes West Ham United have the perfect management team
to lead the club to promotion next season. The former Wales goalkeeper is a
big fan of manager Sam Allardyce, while he played alongside new assistant
manager Neil McDonald during a hugely-successful playing career at Everton.
Southall believes the bookmakers have rightly installed the Hammers as
favourites to secure a return to the Premier League at the first time of
asking. "Neil is a very serious fellow," the 52-year-old told West Ham TV.
"He's got a deep football knowledge and was a really, really good player in
several positions and I think working with a larger-than-life character like
Sam Allardyce, he is a good foil for him. "Sam is a good motivator and is
really clever behind the scenes. He's well into sports psychology and will
bring in all the technology. I think he'll bring something different and
what West Ham have lacked for years, which is steel, with somebody in the
middle of midfield who can dig a bit - and that's something they'll need
next year. "It's not going to be easy - it's going to be a cup final every
week. It's going to be hard work for them, but I think if Sam can bring in a
bit of steel and protection, then I think they'll keep more clean sheets and
win more games. "I think West Ham will go straight back up. I think they've
brought in a terrific manager, a really good coach in Neil and I think
they've got some tremendous players as well."
Among those players are two of Southall's compatriots - Danny Gabbidon and
Jack Collison - both of whom the Llandudno-born stopper believes have an
important role to play for club and country in the future. "Danny and Jack
are really good players and you need to keep hold of your best players, if
you can. With the crowd and the facilities you've got here, I think you'll
go straight back up."
"Danny is a good player and if he can have an injury-free season, that'll be
really good for him. He has missed a run of games for a long time. If he can
play ten or 15 games on the bounce, then that'll be good for him. "Jack is a
really good player and is still relatively young and will fit into Gary
Speed's team very well. I think he'll be successful with Wales as Wales have
got a very good young squad at the moment."
Southall believes that West Ham's riches are not just limited to the two
Welshmen, however. With a good blend of experience and youth available to
Allardyce, he believes the Hammers are in the box seat when it comes to
securing the Championship title come May 2012. "I think West Ham have got a
very good young squad at the moment and I think more of the youngsters will
get a chance next season. That'll be a boost for the Academy lads, because
they'll be looking at the first team and thinking 'I can get in there'. "All
in all, for me you've got one of the best managers in football, a really
good coach, some of the best supporters in the land and a great ground, so
there's no reason why you shouldn't have success."
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Barrera ready for Guatemala
WHUFC.com
Pablo Barrera's Mexico face Guatemala in the CONCACAF Gold Cup
quarter-finals on Saturday
18.06.2011
Pablo Barrera and his Mexico team-mates continue their quest for CONCACAF
Gold Cup glory when they take on Guatemala on Saturday. The West Ham United
winger and his compatriots have been in outstanding form, scoring 14 goals
on their way to winning all three of their group-stage fixtures with ease.
El Salvador and Cuba were both defeated 5-0 before the Hammers star hit the
target himself in a 4-1 victory over Costa Rica. Next up for El Tri is a
quarter-final clash with Guatemala, who finished third in their group behind
Jamaica and Honduras. The last-eight clash will take place at the
82,500-capacity New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey - the
home of the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets American football teams.
While the match is likely to be less physical than those contested by the
Giants and Jets, Barrera expects the Guatemalans to provide a stern test for
the defending champions - particularly as Mexico have lost five players
after traces of the banned substance clenbuterol were found in their urine.
Second tests on the same players have since come back negative, but the
favourites find themselves with just 17 players to choose from for the
remainder of the tournament. "All opponents are tough, but we are working
very well and with much encouragement. We continue with the same goal of
becoming champions." Coverage of Mexico's quarter-final meeting with
Guatemala will be screened by British Eurosport 2. The three other
last-eight ties pit Jonathan Spector's United States against Jamaica, Costa
Rica against Honduras and Panama against El Salvador. The final will take
place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Saturday 25 June.
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West Ham owners hand club loan life line
Published 23:00 18/06/11 By Paul Smith
The Mirror
David Sullivan and David Gold have given the club an interest free £30m
loan to keep West Ham afloat. And co-owner Sullivan doesn't hold out much
hope of seeing the money again He said: "I'm not sure people understand the
debt at West Ham. "I would like to see a club in a worse financial
position. The debts exceed the value of the club and criticism following
relegation hurt us. "We have now put in £30m to keep the club afloat and
fund transfers. We expect that figure to rise."
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