KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 31st July 2011
By: Staff Writer
Contrary to reports in some newspapers, West Ham have not yet signed Jlloyd
Samuel. It was reported in at least two newspapers this morning that a deal
to sign the Trinidad and Tobago international had been completed. However
KUMB.com understands that those reports are premature with Sam Allardyce set
to make a final decision later in the week, ahead of the start of the
2011/12 Championship campaign against Cardiff City next weekend. Samuel made
his debut in claret and blue in the 2-0 win against Zaragoza yesterday.
Assistant manger Neil McDonald told whufc.com: "Jlloyd has got a good
pedigree and a good CV, so we've got him in, trained him for a couple of
days and got a good look at him on Saturday. "He's enjoyed what he's done
and we've enjoyed having him, so I'm sure the manager will sit down with him
and see what the situation is next week."
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Djimi Djimi
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 31st July 2011
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce could be set to land his fifth signing of the season in former
Liverpool full back Djimi Traore. The 31-year-old left back, who can also
operate in the centre of defence is currently available on a free transfer
after being released by French club Monaco at the end of last season.
Hammers boss Sam Allardyce has, according to SkySports, flown to meet the
6'3" defender last night in order to discuss terms regarding a permanent
contract. The French-born Malian international began his career with Laval
where he spent three years before joining Liverpool in 1999 in a £500,000
deal. Having made only 88 first team appearances over the course of the
next seven years, Traore joined Charlton in 2006; the Addicks paying
£2million for his services. After a largely disappointing spell at the
Valley, Traore was on the move again a year later when he was snapped up by
Portsmouth. However that move also turned sour with the player sent out on
loan to Rennes and then-Championship side Birmingham. In 2009 Monaco snapped
up Traore on a free transfer. He was released following the culmination of
his two year contract with Les Rouge et Blanc at the end of the 2010/11
season having made just seven appearances last season.
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Allardyce aware of 'burden'
Hammers boss would expect sack if he fails to win promotion
Last Updated: July 31, 2011 3:11pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce feels he will be sacked if he fails to secure promotion back
to the Premier League during his first season in charge at West Ham United.
The former Bolton and Blackburn boss signed a two-year contract to succeed
Avram Grant in June after the Israeli was dismissed following the club's
relegation to the Championship. Allardyce has so far strengthened his squad
with four new signings ahead of a promotion push, with Kevin Nolan,
Abdoulaye Faye, Matt Taylor and Joey O'Brien all having played under him at
Bolton. He is aware of the expectations at West Ham this season and is
confident he can live up to the burden of securing an immediate return to
the top flight. "It is a massive burden on my shoulders but that's why I do
the job," said Allardyce. "It's my responsibility to get them there and if I
don't I'll be sacked [but] I've got the experience to get the best out the
players." Allardyce added: "We have got stability in the owners, they are
few and far between as they are from this country, their businesses are in
this country and they are West Ham fans."
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Nolan claims broken promises
Former Toon skipper claims he shook on a deal with Llambias
Last Updated: July 31, 2011 4:10pm
SSN
Kevin Nolan has revealed that a break down in trust with club officials
forced him to leave Newcastle. The midfielder surprisingly joined relegated
West Ham this summer after failing to agree the long-term contract extension
that he wanted at St James' Park. Nolan had been one of the most influential
captains in the Premier League last season, scoring 12 goals, but still
decided to move to Upton Park. The 29-year-old wanted to stay at Newcastle,
however, the club have claimed that he would not have justified a new
five-year contract. And Nolan claims that represents an unfulfilled promise,
as he said in the Sunday Mirror: "I envisaged spending the rest of my career
at the club. I was settled, happy and I adored the supporters. "Perhaps I
was just naive. I thought I had a good relationship with the board. But when
it all came to a head in the summer I knew my time was coming to an end."
Laughable
"But ultimately I was forced out because I lost trust in key people at the
club and when you lose trust in people it's almost impossible to regain it.
"From January and shortly following the sale of Andy Carroll to Liverpool, I
was involved in ongoing discussions about signing a new contract between
four and five years. "I discussed the deal at length with managing director
Derek Llambias and even shook hands on it. In my book when you do that
man-to-man you expect them to see it through.
"But what we talked about and what they finally offered me was laughable.
They did a U-turn on what we agreed. They showed me no respect. I felt
totally betrayed.
"Then they had the nerve to claim I rejected a new contract. What contract?
A deferred option to increase my deal by 12 months with a bonus that hinged
on the success of the team on the pitch the following season. "Perhaps I was
just naive. I thought I had a good relationship with the board. But when it
all came to a head in the summer I knew my time was coming to an end. "I had
given the club everything but they didn't want to give me anything in
return, just broken promises. I simply couldn't work with people like that.
There was no way back for me."
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Should Freddie Sears play wide or as a second striker?
July 31st, 2011 - 10:57 pm by S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
Freddie Sears scored a good goal, on Saturday, in the 2-0 defeat of Real
Zaragoza. Following on from his excellent strike against FC Copenhagen,
Sears seems to really be getting his eye in nicely this pre-season. I
always felt that there were a lot more goals to come from Freddie. He is a
natural goal scorer, but some youngsters take a bit longer to make the
transition to first team football. Additionally, self-confidence is a big
factor in goal scoring and Sears appears to be rapidly acquiring it!
I suppose the interesting question is whether Sears' future is as an out and
out striker or a wide player, with the ability to regularly get in the box
and weigh in with his share of goals? I suspect that he may eventually
revert back to playing as a second striker, feeding off a target man. For
the time being, Sears should continue to play out wide. However, this could
change, especially if we fail to land Shane Long or another goal poacher to
play alongside Cole, Piquionne or Nouble. Perhaps the wide player/striker
dichotomy would be rendered irrelevant if Sears played in a 4-3-3, where he
both provided width and supported the main striker? Although I have a
feeling that Allardyce may not share Zola and Grant's preference for that
particular formation. Whatever, the club have been patient with Sears and
now is the time for the Academy product to start delivering the goods,
wherever he is deployed.
It now appears that JL. Samuel may join the club. He did well enough on
Saturday and he could be a good Bosman signing. We appear to be preparing
to go into the season with O'Brien and Spence covering the right-back spot.
Joey O'Brien could prove to be an inspired signing. He was a very good
prospect at Bolton and has been unlucky with injuries over the last two
years. Hopefully, his fitness problems are now over and Sam Allardyce can
help him get his career back on track. While I view Jordan Spence as
primarily a centre-back, who also has the ability to play at right
full-back. I sincerely hope that he gets some decent playing time at
right-back, this season, and the experience gained helps him secure his
future tenure at centre-back. Indeed, I have high hopes that the
Tomkins-Spence central defensive combination will eventually become a
fixture for West Ham Utd FC and, hopefully, England.
This is a big season for Mark Noble. He needs to really make the midfield
anchor role his own. With his vision and range of passing, he should do
very well there. However, he also needs to tighten up in defensive areas
and stop needlessly giving away silly free-kicks in dangerous positions. I
am sure that this is an aspect of his game that Sam Allardyce will help him
to rectify. As regards Scott Parker, will he stay or will he go? Basically,
the odds are that Spurs wil try to pull off a late deal, but will their,
likely, c4-5m offer meet West Ham's valuation? Spurs will state that it is
a fair fee for a 30 year old, with little sell on value; while West Ham will
stress that he is the Sports Writers Player of the Year and a current
England International. We shall see what transpires? If he does stay (even
if only until January) it will be a big boost to our automatic promotion
prospects. In contrast, Green and Cole look increasingly likely to stay
and, again, it will be an achievement if they do.
There is a load of loose talk doing the rounds at the moment about 'West Ham
Wanderers.' As I stated a few weeks ago, Allardyce is merely pursuing the
sensible policy of bringing in a core of new players that he knows and, more
importantly, who know each other. Putting together a new squad is
inevitably going to cause some dislocation and there may be a period before
it properly gels. What Allardyce is attempting to do is minimise that
dislocation by grafting an experienced core of former playing on to a
reconstituted and re-energised Hammers squad. Hopefully this strategy will
work in double quick time and help deliver good early season results.
Sam Allardyce is to be applauded for his work so far. He has made some good
signings, lifted the Hammers players from their post-relegation hangover,
given the youngsters ample opportunities to shine in pre-season and created
a new, positive ethos at the club. Tactically, he seems to be
familiarising the squad with playing two or three alternative formations and
is making good progress in addressing the fatal weaknesses exhibited last
season. We have tightened up at the back and Allardyce has, presumably,
impressed upon the whole squad the collective responsibility for defending
higher up the pitch. Indeed, in pre-season, West Ham have worked hard at
their pressing play when not in possession. Finally, Allardyce and his
support team have set about improving squad fitness levels. That physical
improvement should continue and pay real dividends during the course of the
season.
Elsewhere, Shane Long has recently made a positive statement about joining
the club. Regardless of his qualification about not being upset if he stays
at Reading FC, it could be interpreted as a subtle invitation to 'come and
get him.' Lets hope that West Ham up the bid and make the deal happen this
week. He is a crucial bit of the jigsaw that is currently missing, his
arrival could have a similar positive impact as when John Lyall signed Paul
Goddard in the summer prior to the 1980-81 promotion season. Long is not as
accomplished a player as Goddard, but he would still bring a vital, missing
guile and technical ability to our strike force; as well as a track record
as a 20 plus goal scorer in last season's Championship.
Anyway, we can speculate on progress in pre-season, but it all becomes real
with the opening fixture of the season. Cardiff City are a reasonable
initial test, but we should emerge with a win. Hopefully, along with the
three points, we will see ample evidence of defensive solidarity, collective
cohesion and some good movement, passing and attacking play. Just as
importantly, I shall also be looking for signs of real commitment and an
emerging will to win, because it is the presence of those latter, twin
factors that could eventually make the difference between winning and losing
tough way fixtures at places like Millwall and Barnsley. Here's hoping!
SJ. Chandos
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