WHUFC.com
West Ham United's players are back in training ahead of Saturday's trip to
Coventry City
14.11.2011
West Ham United's players were back out on the training pitch on Monday
after a welcome weekend off. The Hammers resume their npower Championship
promotion challenge with a trip to Coventry City on Saturday, having won
three and drawn the other of their previous four matches. With more than
6,000 fans heading up to the Ricoh Arena to cheer their heroes on, hopes are
high that the run can be extended to five. Sam Allardyce's side sit second
in the table, but the manager will not allow his players to rest on their
laurels as they embark on the second third of the campaign following the
international break. Big Sam was putting his players through their paces on
Monday afternoon, with the welcome sights of both Guy Demel and Joey O'Brien
training with the first-team squad and Gary O'Neil joining in for some light
work with Ian Hendon's development squad. After an activation session
indoors, the Hammers made their way out on to the pitches under gloomy
skies. Thankfully, as our exclusive photographs show, the players were able
to keep tabs on each other in the darkness as they were wearing
high-visibility bibs.
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Hendon urges Whyteleafe support
WHUFC.com
Ian Hendon is hoping plenty of fans come out to watch his youngsters and Guy
Demel on Tuesday
14.11.2011
Development squad coach Ian Hendon has urged fans to leave the comfort of
their living rooms to cheer on the Hammers' young stars on Tuesday. Hendon
will take his team to Ryman League Division One South side Whyteleafe for a
special friendly match organised through Joint Chairman David Gold's role as
Patron at the Surrey club. Tickets are just £8 for adults and £5 for
concessions. While England's friendly with Sweden may tempt many football
fans to spend the evening on the sofa in front of the television, Hendon has
called for supporters to come out and support both West Ham and Whyteleafe.
"The Joint Chairman is a Patron at Whyteleafe and we were originally going
to play this game in the pre-season, but it wasn't played so we have
re-arranged it for this week following discussions with their Chairman,"
Hendon confirmed. "For Whyteleafe's benefit, lets hope the supporters turn
out in their droves and they get a good attendance. I'm sure it will be a
better game of football than any they can watch on the telly!"
Hendon's players have been used to taking on Football League opposition in
recent weeks, so Tuesday's game against a team of part-timers will present
an unfamiliar challenge. The development squad coach will have a squad
consisting mainly of young professionals at his disposal, but he is
confident they will be able to handle whatever approach taken by the home
side. "It'll most definitely be a challenge because they are a men's team
playing competitive football week-in, week-out. We've got fairly young
squad but these games are difficult so we'll be taking it seriously and
looking forward to a good competitive game.
"To be honest, we won't know what sort of style Whyteleafe will play until
we get there and the game starts. They could be giants and get the ball
forward quickly that way, or they might get the ball down and play. We'll
have to be prepared for both. "One thing is for sure and that's that we know
how we're going to play and whatever they put out against us and however
they play, we won't change that."
The star name in Hendon's side is set to be Ivory Coast international Guy
Demel, who could make his second appearance after two months out with a
hamstring problem, while first-team goalkeeper Peter Kurucz may also be
involved. Alongside that experienced pair will be the likes of Olly Lee,
Jordan Brown, Dominic Vose and Cristian Montano, who have all recently
returned from loan spells in the npower Football League. Young professionals
George Moncur, Brian Montenegro and Eoin Wearen and a number of promising
Academy scholars will also be involved. "Guy played for 45 minutes at
Gillingham last week and we'll be looking to give him an hour on Tuesday.
We'll play it by ear and as long as he is fine, we'll keep him out there for
as long as possible. "The same goes for Peter. We'll be looking to give him
a good run now that he's come back to fitness. It'll be a good run out for
those two, while it's also another opportunity for those lads who have come
back from loan spells to press their claim to push themselves towards the
first-team squad."
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West Ham recall Yeovil Town loan goalkeeper Marek Stech
Page last updated at 11:57 GMT, Monday, 14 November 2011
BBC.co.uk
West Ham have recalled goalkeeper Marek Stech from his loan spell at League
One side Yeovil five days early. The 21-year-old joined the Glovers on a
month-long deal in October and kept one clean sheet in five appearances.
Yeovil started the season with loanee Jed Steer as their first-choice, but
he returned to Norwich because of injury. They were forced to field coach
Gareth Stewart in their FA Cup win over Hereford on Saturday as Stech was on
duty with Czech Republic Under-21s.
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'Keeper returns
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 14th November 2011
By: Staff Writer
Marek Stech has been recalled from his loan spell at League One strugglers
Yeovil. The Glovers, currently bottom of the nation's third tier had
intially arranged to keep the 21-year-old goalkeeper at Huish Park until
19th November, meaning he could play in this weekend's South West derby
against Exeter. However West Ham have cut short his loan by five days,
insisting that he return to London immediately. It is unknown at present why
he has been recalled early.
Stech made five appearances for the Glovers during his four weeks on loan,
during which they failed to win a single game. The young Hammer played in
three draws (against Colchester, Stevenage and Orient) and two defeats (at
home to Carlisle and Huddersfield). Stech - who also featured for the Czech
Republic under-21's against Armenia during his month away - leaves Huish
Park with the best wishes of his temporary club, who said: "Marek goes back
to the Boleyn Ground with all good wishes from everyone at Huish Park for a
long and successful career."
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International bright young thing
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 14th November 2011
By: Henry Lowe
Cristian Montano is one of the hottest prospects to emerge at the Boleyn
Ground in recent times. The 19-year-old striker is ticking all the boxes and
looks like he really could be something for the future. He completed a loan
stint at Notts County earlier in the season scoring four goals in 11
appearances (only four of those being starts). County boss and former Irons
man Martin Allen raved about him during his time in Nottingham. Montano
returned to Chadwell Heath before going out on loan again to League Two side
Swindon Town, where he linked up with another on-loan Hammer Ahmed Abdulla
working under Hammers great Di Canio. Speaking to whufc.com recently,
Montano said: "I'm very happy with what I've achieved so far and obviously
want to continue and get more first-team games. It's first-team football
that I want to be playing now because I've tasted it. It's what I want to be
doing and I want to carry on doing. "The loan at County is probably the best
thing I've done in football. I made my debut, played first-team football and
scored some goals in League One, which is obviously a good standard of
football and only one division below West Ham."
So why, when the young star was playing so well, did he change clubs? He
returned to us for a matter of days before going off to Swindon (from where
he has since returned). I think it was most likely the lure of Di Canio that
brought Montano to Swindon. He himself admitted that he is a big admirer of
the Italian. Di Canio gave West Ham such good service that I believe we
would be happy to send out our young talent to play for him and, more
importantly, learn from the legend.
Di Canio holds a high profile in the world of football due to his level of
ability and his no-nonsense style. The Italian great is currently doing
Swindon a good service, they are sixth in the league and only three points
below Cheltenham in third place.
It is understandable why Allardyce would want his young players learning
from someone with not only the ability to play the game to a high standard,
but also an in-depth knowledge of the game. Cristian Montano is destined for
greatness. The young attacker is receiving rave reviews wherever he is
playing, he holds a lot of promise for the future of West Ham. When
injuryies started taking their toll on Big Sam's side he admitted himself
that he was thinking about bringing Montano back and considering giving him
some playing time.
After the recent home game against Leicester I stayed behind to ask
Allardyce some questions about the young Colombian. He stated that Montano
is one of the brightest prospects at the Boleyn Ground at the moment along
with George Moncur and Oliver Lee. I also asked Allardyce why he chose to
end Montano's spell at Notts County and send him to Swindon. "Cristian is a
very bright prospect for me," he said, "and although he was playing
outstandingly at Notts I felt that he needed a change."
It is always good for the players to experience different grounds and
different atmouspheres as it helps a youngster get a feel for the game and
what fans think. I also thought that sending Cristian to Swindon would be a
good opportunity to learn from a former West Ham great and also a fellow
attacker. Although Cristian ultimately failed to impress at the County
Ground it seems Allardyce wants his players to pick up knowledge of playing
under different managers with different tactics, as that will help them
become adaptable to future plans. Montano is a really exciting prospect at
the moment and who knows, maybe one day his name will be up in lights at the
Boleyn.
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Stech recalled by Hammers
Last Updated: November 14, 2011 1:54pm
SSN
Czech goalkeeper Marek Stech has been recalled from his loan spell at Yeovil
Town by West Ham United. The 21-year-old goalkeeper made five appearances
during a month-long stay at Huish Park. He helped the Glovers to three draws
in that period, keeping a clean sheet against Stevenage. Stech's departure
leaves boss Terry Skiverton light in the goalkeeping department - coach
Gareth Stewart turned out in Saturday's FA Cup win over Hereford as Stech
was away on international duty with Czech Republic Under-21s. Jed Steer
began the season in goal for Town but injury forced him to return to parent
club Norwich.
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Brown eyes fresh loan
Hammers youngster hoping to leave on loan again
Last Updated: November 14, 2011 2:20pm
SSN
West Ham defender Jordan Brown wants another loan spell away from Upton Park
following a disappointing stint at Aldershot. The 20-year-old left-back was
with the Shots for two months but was restricted to just four first-team
appearances. Brown accepts things did not go the way he wanted and he now
hopes for another stint away from West Ham in order to do things 'properly'.
"Obviously it didn't work out the way I wanted it to because I wanted to be
playing more games," he told West Ham's official website. "But I learnt a
lot from it mentally, to try to stay strong when you're not getting in the
team, so it was a good thing but not as good as I wanted it to be. "I feel
like I still need to go out on loan and do it properly, get a run of games
under my belt and show people what I can do. "There is a doubt at the moment
because people will be asking why I wasn't playing."
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Why West Ham Supporters Are Deserving Of More Credit
Date: 14th November 2011 at 2:29 pm
Written by Brad Pinard
FootballFancast.com
There have been plenty of highs and lows at Upton Park over the past ten
years or so, with managers and players coming in and out on a yearly basis
have made it extremely difficult for consistency and stability for the
Hammers fans. A second spell in the Championship in the space of 7 years for
West Ham has made the supporters more passionate and loyal than ever.
Areas of the media and rival supporters brand Hammers fans hard to please
and fickle, something that is an understandable opinion but they will find
it hard to back the statement up. With the farce that has been the running
of the club since the Icelandic group took over in 2006, it has been tough
to watch at Upton Park, but the clubs' fans have never turned their back on
their side and turn up week in week out.
This season has been a prime example of the support that is one of the best
in country. The East-End club do not have the biggest stadium in the
Championship but do have the highest attendances in the league. For a club
that has been relegated after a dismal show last season that takes loyalty
to consistently turn up each week and get behind your team. Away from home
it is a similar story that has been the real positive from relegation in my
opinion.
West Ham will consistently sell out their away end at opposition's stadiums
but this season has seen the club take that to another level. Once the
allocation is sold out, the co-chairman applies for more tickets and that is
something that the poorly supported clubs with bigger grounds are more than
happy to accept.
For example a record breaking 6,800 Hammers will be at the Ricoh Arena on
Saturday for the league visit to Coventry after there were 5,000 at Hull a
week ago. The club have confirmed that the 4,700 tickets available for
Reading away in two weeks time have also been snapped up, emphasising the
terrific support this season for the promotion favourites.
Newcastle United had a similar situation when they were in the Championship
a few years ago, going on to become a strong Premier League force once again
and that is the long term aim for West Ham. For a team in the Championship
to be supported as well as the Hammers have been this season is remarkable
and people questioning their loyalty should rethink that.
The majority of supporters I have spoken to are fully behind Sam Allardyce
and the owners; despite what the press may tell you; and with the club
sitting second in the Championship table, there are reasons for optimism for
all Hammers fans and it is the start of something special at Upton Park with
everyone singing from the same hymn sheet once again.
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