Julien looks back
WHUFC.com
The latest Hammers favourite to speak to the West Ham TV cameras is Julien Faubert
02.08.2011
Julien Faubert has been one of the bright spots of the Hammers summer. The flying Frenchman sat down with the West Ham TV cameras today to reflect on his five favourite matches. Faubert had plenty to choose from, having played at the highest level in France and Europe with RC Girondins de Bordeaux. He also scored on his international debut for Les Bleus and there was the small matter of a season's best performance from any Hammer against Hull City two campaigns ago. Of that latter memory, he said: "I gave a great pass to Carlton and I scored as well. It also came just after the bad time when I lost my mum. I remember this well because I had all the support from my fans and team-mates. I hope to have some new things to remember this season."
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Hammers draw at Sutton
WHUFC.com
Ian Hendon's youngsters earned a creditable 2-2 draw away to Sutton United on Tuesday
03.08.2011
West Ham United's development squad continued their steady progress this summer with a 2-2 draw at Sutton United on Tuesday. The Ryman Premier League champions had the edge in terms of experience against a youthful Hammers squad but Ian Hendon's team put up a spirited performance. None of the Academy aces on view had tasted first-team action for West Ham United but that did not stop them ultimately ensuring it finished honours even. Anthony Riviere put Sutton one up, only for Robert Hall to equalise with a fine long-range effort - his third strike in two matches. It was all-square at the break before substitute Dominic Vose put Hendon's side in front with another well-taken goal. However, Sam Page was able to head a Sutton equaliser and the home side continued to make it a competitive contest right to the end. The development squad are still without the injured Jordan Brown and Matt Fry, while Hendon continues to give plenty of match experience to the new intake of Under-18s, including young forward Elliott Lee.
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Jordan's Bristol-bound
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 3rd August 2011
By: Staff Writer
Academy graduate Jordan Spence is poised to return to Bristol City on loan. The 21-year-old right-back looked set to be involved in Sam Allardyce's first team plans for the forthcoming Championship campaign after featuring heavily in pre-season. However with Joey O'Brien now signed on permanent terms - backed up by Julien Faubert - Allardyce appears to have reached the conclusion that Spence would be better off playing regular football at Ashton Gate, where he spent three months on loan last season. Spence, communicating via his Twitter account said tonight: "Back in Bristol," - before later tweeting "a loan deal has been agreed". However that second message had disappeared by the early hours of the morning (Wednesday) and KUMB.com understands that the deal - whilst likely to be confirmed shortly - is yet to be rubber-stamped.
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Birmingham City sign ex-West Ham man Jonathan Spector
Page last updated at 11:53 GMT, Tuesday, 2 August 2011 12:53 UK
BBC.co.uk
Birmingham City have signed US international Jonathan Spector on a free transfer. The 25-year-old defender, who has signed a two-year deal at Blues, left West Ham United in June. The Illinois-born player, who can also feature in midfield, began his career in England with Manchester United. He went on to make eight appearances for the Old Trafford side, before signing for the Hammers in 2006, making 111 appearances for the London side. Spector is the seventh new arrival at St Andrew's, with his signing coming after manager Chris Hughton bemoaned his side's lack of depth. The versatile former Charlton loanee was picked up by Manchester United scouts after being spotted playing for the USA's Under-17 side. Despite three years at Old Trafford, he failed to win a regular first team place, and joined Charlton on loan in 2005 before arriving at Upton Park on a permanent deal in 2006.
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Where next for Upson?
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 2nd August 2011
By: Staff Writer
Of the 16 players either sold or released by West Ham since the end of last season only five are still without a new club. And the most high profile of those is former club captain Matthew Upson who, despite being linked with a string of lower half Premier League clubs throughout the summer, is still yet to sign for anyone.
In addition to Upson, fellow internationals Lars Jacobsen and Thomas Hitzlsperger are yet to secure new contracts. German international Hitzlsperger has been strongly linked with a move to Wolves in the past week although like Upson, he remains a free agent.
Meanwhile the majority of the Academy youngsters released by the club have landed contracts elsewhere - including midfielder Anthony Edgar (Yeovil) and Holmar Eyjolfsson (Bochum).
The dear departed
Premier League
Demba Ba: Newcastle Utd (free transfer)
Wayne Bridge: Manchester City (end of loan)
Kieron Dyer: QPR (free transfer)
Danny Gabbidon: QPR (free transfer)
Robbie Keane: Tottenham (end of loan)
The Championship
Jonathan Spector: Birmingham City (free transfer)
League One
Anthony Edgar: Yeovil Town (free transfer)
European Leagues
Manuel Da Costa: Locomotiv Moscow (Russian Premier League, €1.5m)
Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson: VfL Bochum (Bundesliga 2, free transfer)
Radoslav Kovac: FC Basel (Swiss Super League, £500,000)
Victor Obinna: Lokomotiv Moscow (Russian Premier League, end of loan)
Unattached
Thomas Hitzlsperger; Lars Jacobsen; Matthew Upson.
Filip Modelski is currently on trial with GKS Belchatow (Poland) whilst the whereabouts of Adam Street, who returned to Canada earlier in the year are currently unknwon.
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Gradel: Leeds haven't offered me a new deal
Published 22:40 02/08/11 By Football Spy
The Mirror
Max Gradel has revealed Leeds have yet to offer him a new contract as he mulls over his future. The £5million-rated winger is wanted by West Ham, Fulham, Swansea and Newcastle after his 18-goal haul last season. Gradel, 23, wants to fire Leeds back into the Premier League, but is out of contract next summer and said: "I can't sign a deal when there is no deal. "I've been waiting for a contract but I haven't been offered a new deal yet. "My wish was to do it as early as possible, like, last January, but unfortunately it's not down to me, it's down to the club. I've said I want to take this club to the Premier League, but you can't guarantee what's going to happen. "Every player is working hard on the pitch because he has a target and that target is not just to play for Leeds, but to play in the top league. "It would be great if it was Leeds, but I want to play in the Premier League." Leeds fans have seen Jermaine Beckford, Bradley Johnson and Neil Kilkenny leave on free transfers because they were not tied down to new deals. They fear the same will happen with prize pair Gradel and Robert Snodgrass, whose contract ends in 2013, unless they get promotion. Gradel, whose side open up their Championship campaign at Southampton on Saturday, added: "It's a strange and difficult situation, but I just want to focus on playing. It's a big challenge to follow on from last season, but my aim is to score more than 18 goals. "I will have more pressure, but that doesn't worry me. I had a good season but will try to do better."
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Foxes join Hammers in hunt to sign Long from Reading
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 12:28 PM on 2nd August 2011
Daily Mail
Leicester manager Sven Goran Eriksson has joined West Ham in the race to sign Shane Long after he admitted it would be a 'dream' to sign the Reading striker.
Eriksson expects the 24-year-old to be snapped up by a Barclays Premier League side after he scored 23 goals in the Championship last season but is still hoping he can convince him to move to the King Power Stadium. The former England manager will also no doubt have been encouraged by the Republic of Ireland international's comments of last week when he said he would consider a move to West Ham. The Hammers, who were relegated from the top-flight last season, had a £6million bid for Long rejected by the Royals last week but the Londoners have yet to come back with an improved offer. That has given Eriksson hope he may be able to land Long as he is desperate for a proven goal-scorer. The Tipperary native has just one year remaining his contract and is valued by Reading at £8m. Long would become Leicester's record signing if they were successful in bringing him to the King Power Stadium as it would eclipse the £5.5m they paid Reading for defender Matt Mills last month. The former England manager, otherwise, has warned that unless the Foxes sign a 'big name' they can forget about promotion to the Premier League this season. When asked about the possibility of signing Long, Eriksson confirmed: 'To be honest, he is one on the list, but he may end up in the Premier League this season, so it will be difficult, but he is one we have worked with. 'We are working on taking in one or two more and if we are going to do that it is going to be a big name, important players otherwise we are not going to do anything. We are working on it and it would be a dream to take in someone who can score over 20 goals.'
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Allardyce hints at West Ham stay for Faubert and Ilunga
TalkSPort
By Alex Shaw
Tuesday, August 2
Sam Allardyce has hinted West Ham duo Herita Ilunga and Julien Faubert could yet have futures at the club having been impressed with their attitude in pre-season.
Fabuert was dumped from the West Ham squad in January last season and did not feature in a single game for the Hammers in the second half of the campaign.
The defender, 28, moved to Upton Park for around £6m in 2009 and spent a thoroughly underwhelming spell on loan at Real Madrid two seasons ago. He fell asleep while sitting on the substitutes bench during one match and only made two appearances in total.
Avram Grant chose not to play the Frenchman from the end of January onwards last season while Ilunga also missed the second half of the season as well.
But the duo are back in training and Allardyce has handed them a lifeline. "Certainly Julien Faubert has had some heavy criticism from a distance, I hear," Allardyce said. "He got frozen out of the squad last January, as well as Herita Ilunga but their application has been no problem for me at all. "And while they may consider their futures because of the way they have been treated before, their application to the team and the training has been no problem. "It's made it easy for me to consider them to play for West Ham. So I'm pleased about that."
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West Ham United chase Leeds United target Jlloyd Samuel
by Rob MacDonald. Published Tue 02 Aug 2011 15:00, Last updated: 2011-08-02
ClickLancashire.com
According to reports West Ham United are interested in Bolton Wanderers full-back Jlloyd Samuel. The People claims the 30-year-old spent last week training at the club's Chadwell Heath complex and impressed Allardyce sufficiently to be offered a deal by the Hammers. Left-back Samuel was a free agent after his four-year deal at the Reebok expired. He was loaned to Cardiff in March, but only played six games for the Bluebirds. Leeds United boss Simon Grayson had showed an interest in Samuel, but Allardyce stepped in and the player will be reunited with his former manager, and another of his old team-mates, Kevin Nolan.
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West Ham are the most expensive club in the Championship BBC survey claims
9:46am Tuesday 2nd August 2011
Guardian Series
By Simon Mail »
West Ham are the most expensive club in the Championship, according to a BBC survey. The BBC website asked every club in the top four English divisions and the Scottish Premier League for their cheapest and most expensive adult tickets and their prices for a cup of tea, a programme, and a pie so they could work out the average cost of a day out. The Hammers' cheapest ticket is £32 and most expensive is £47. Their matchday programme costs £3.50 and they charge £3 for a pie and £1.80 for a cup of tea. This meant the average cost for a day out at Upton Park is £40.30. Blackburn Rovers offered the best deal in the Premier League at £17.50, Rochdale and Preston led the way in League One and Rotherham and Torquay in League Two, while Inverness are the best value for money in the Scottish Premier League. John Nagle, head of communications at the Football League, said attendances in recent years have been the highest for 50 years. The BBC report stated Arsenal have the most expensive ticket in domestic football at £100 for one of five category A games but despite the high prices in the top flight, the Premier League say grounds have been 92 per cent full in each of the last three seasons. Newcastle United were the only club out of the 104 surveyed who did not reveal their prices.
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Hammer time! Reading striker Long tells West Ham to come and get him
By STEVE SKERRY
Last updated at 9:56 AM on 2nd August 2011
Daily Mail
Shane Long has upped the ante in his bid to leave Reading, by admitting he would jump at the chance to join the Royals' Championship rivals West Ham. The Hammers had a £6million bid for the Republic of Ireland striker rejected last week, with the offer falling short of the £8m asking price slapped on the player by Reading, who have stated they will not sell the 24-year-old to a Championship club. 'I'm staying out of it and letting everybody else get on with it,' said Long. 'If it was true they were interested, West Ham are a big club, so it would definitely be something for me to think about.'
His enthusiasm to sign for West Ham is expected to see the Londoners return with an improved offer, although West Bromwich and Leicester are also interested.
The Ireland international insists he is not 'dying' to leave the Madejski Stadium and claimed he would be happy to see out the last remaining year of his contract.
Getting a move back to the Premier League is Long's priority but with no top-flight sides seemingly stepping up their interest in him at the moment, a move to East London could be his best option. 'I wouldn't be that disappointed if nothing happened and I stayed at Reading,' he said. 'I'm happy here and I like playing under the manager [Brian McDermott]. If an offer comes in and the club accepted it then that's different but I'm not dying to get out.'
Reading rate Long at £8m and are willing to hold out until they get their price. West Ham legend Paolo Di Canio hopes his former club sign Long as he believes the striker can help win them promotion back to the Barclays Premier League. The Italian, now manager at Swindon Town, watched in awe at Long's display which saw him score from the penalty against his side in the Royals' 2-1 pre-season win at the County Ground at the weekend. Di Canio, who spent four seasons with the Hammers, making more than 100 appearances and scoring close to 50 goals, says there is no doubt the Irishman is capable of playing in the top-flight this season.
He said: 'He can play at the top level and I followed him last year. He is a clever player and has great skill and ability who could play in a Premier League side. West Ham are no longer in the Premier League, but I hope they can sign him because he is an intelligent striker. He would be a good signing for West Ham.'
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We've still not received any bids for Parker, insists Hammers boss Allardyce
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 9:31 AM on 2nd August 2011
Daily Mail
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has revealed that the club have not had any offers for midfielder Scott Parker. The England international was expected to be snapped up quickly this summer after the Hammers' relegation from the Barclays Premier League with Aston Villa and Chelsea both linked with the player. But Allardyce insists West Ham have received no bids and it now looks increasingly likely that Parker, who was so impressive last season, will start Sunday's Championship opener against Cardiff. Although the former Bolton boss admits he is planning for life without the 30-year-old as he expects that a Premier League club may come in for him once the season has started. Allardyce claims Parker is desperate to play in the top-flight and could still leave before the summer transfer window slams shut on August 31. 'I'm planning for life with and without Scott Parker,' said Allardyce. 'If the right club comes with the right money then we are going to release Scott because he wants to play in the Premier League. We do need the finances that will bring.'
Allardyce did reveal that West Ham had received bids for striker Carlton Cole, who has turned down a move to Stoke, and goalkeeper Robert Green. He described the offer for Green from West Bromwich as an 'insult'. We've only received a bid for Carlton Cole that was good enough for us to accept. We had an insult of a bid from West Brom for Robert Green and that was rejected straight away, but we haven't had any bid at all for Scott Parker at the moment. 'But that can all change when we get into August because people pick up injuries, they start to wonder whether they've got what they really need, the mayhem will continue until the end of August.'
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West Ham being favourites is no surprise
COMMENT ⋅ 2 AUG 11 ⋅ SEASON PREVIEW 2011/12 ⋅
NoNayNever.net
Michael Bailey takes a look at the teams which could be challenging for silverware at the end of the season and their summer acquisitions.
According to a leading bookmaker, the favourites for promotion are West Ham United. It's not surprising that they are up there and one signing really stands out when looking at their squad – Kevin Nolan. Brought to the club to presumably fulfil Scott Parker's role should he move on, Nolan will become the lynchpin of their side with his swashbuckling style and tough tackling. Big Sam has also brought in the likes of Abdoulaye Faye, Matt Taylor and Joey O'Brien to create a team more than capable of bouncing straight back into the Premier League.
Leicester City are only two signings short of being able to field a brand new team after their spending spree. Sven-Göran Eriksson has brought in a solid back line with the likes of Kasper Schmeichel, Sean St Ledger and Paul Konchesky coming in. Michael Johnson could well be the best signing of the nine to join the club. He's come in on a season long loan from Manchester City and should he stay injury free and get some game time under his belt he could easily be one of the best midfielders in the league.
Over at the City Ground, Nottingham Forest have only made two signings so far in the form of Andy Reid from Blackpool and Jonathan Greening from Fulham. Reid has obvious quality but his inability to keep his weight under control has been his biggest demon and this could be the main factor as to whether he'll be successful in his second spell at the club.
Newly-promoted Brighton could well be this season's surprise package. Having moved into the brand new Amex Stadium the club have paid out some serious cash to capture the likes of Craig Mackail-Smith, Will Hoskins and Will Buckley. Mackail-Smith is the man to keep an eye on having been linked with Premier League clubs Everton, QPR and Norwich. Having scored 35 goals last season for Peterborough United, it'll be interesting to see if he can reproduce this kind of return in the Championship.
With four weeks left before the transfer window closes it remains to be seen if some of the quieter clubs such as Middlesbrough, Southampton and obviously Burnley, make the moves that could well shape their season.
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Quinn ready for Hammers test
Tuesday 2nd August 2011 10:11
TeamTalk
Cardiff defender Paul Quinn has told manager Malky Mackay he is fit and ready for the season opener at West Ham on Sunday. Quinn proved his fitness by playing the full 90 minutes in an Under-21s match against Blue Square Bet South side Weston. The 26-year-old is now looking forward to helping the Bluebirds push for promotion again this year after narrowly missing out last season. "It was great to get the chance to play after being out for a while and I was delighted to play the whole 90 minutes at Weston," Quinn told the South Wales Echo. "I spoke to the manager and said if he needs me against West Ham, I'm ready. "It's going to be a long, hard Championship season and everybody in the squad is likely to be needed at some stage. I'm fit and available."
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Nolan: Hammers there to be shot at
Tuesday 2nd August 2011 10:18
TeamTalk
New signing Kevin Nolan has warned that teams will be out to claim a big scalp against West Ham, starting with Cardiff on the opening weekend. Nolan signed from Newcastle this summer and is determined to take the Hammers back to the Premier League at the first attempt. But the 29-year-old accepts a lot of clubs will treat any West Ham fixture like a cup final. "This club doesn't belong in the Championship and we have to make sure we don't stay here either," Nolan told the Western Mail. "Opposing teams will come to Upton Park looking for a major scalp. You're a team to be shot at. "But, if we apply ourselves on the pitch and get the supporters right behind us, I see no reason why we shouldn't be celebrating come April/May."
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