WHUFC.com
Strength and conditioning coach Mathew Monte-Colombo has spoken to West Ham TV
01.03.2012
West Ham United's strength and conditioning coach Matthew Monte-Colombo has told West Ham TV about some of the tricks that have helped the Hammers through their tough run of recent fixtures. The Hammers' physical fitness and mental resilience were tested to the maximum during the club's recent trio of games when they were forced to play with ten men. Big Sam's side played for a total of 184 minutes a man down against Millwall, Southampton and Blackpool, but showed great tenacity to emerge with seven points from a possible nine. Monte-Colombo explained how the performance in those three matches was down to a combination of meticulous planning and unyielding team spirit. "It was an extreme situation having a player sent-off in three straight games and when it happened, as a medical department, we had to rely on the work that we had done previously," Monte-Colombo, who joined West Ham from tonight's opponents Watford in 2010, told West Ham TV. "It is a massive testament to the players because a lot of it just came down to their heart and guts. The players showed that they are united as a team and that they will stick together, whatever the circumstances. "In terms of the preparation that went into it, we can track that as far back as pre-season and the work and the planning that went into it. "The coaches sat down and put things in place and I believe we do a lot more than other clubs in terms of our preparation work. We are very science-led as to how long we do certain exercises for. We have had training sessions where the team plays with ten men so that the players know what their roles are in that situation.
That hard work and preparation would have been in evidence during the Hammers' warm weather training this week. The players and management are due back in tomorrow morning at Chadwell Heath for the final planning for Sunday's game with Cardiff. "We have a lot of players who go that extra yard and spend extra time in the gym doing injury-reduction work and if you look at those three games, a large amount of the players who were on the pitch are those who do that extra work. "The new players who have come in have a really good work ethos and that has really helped the team and is testament to them. "We prepare them as well as we can with nutrition and physical preparation, but a large amount comes down to what is in their hearts, at the end of the day."
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Stand-in skipper makes his Mark
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble is hoping to continue his fine run of form during Sunday's game with Cardiff City
01.03.2012
Mark Noble will relinquish the captain's armband when West Ham United travel to Carling Cup runners-up Cardiff City on Sunday but will doubtless still lead by example. The trip to south Wales will see Kevin Nolan back as skipper after a three-match ban but Noble has certainly come to the fore in his absence. The homegrown Hammer has had to shoulder extra responsibility ever since Nolan was shown a red card early in the dramatic derby victory against Millwall. Noble certainly gave star turns in the goalless draw against leaders Southampton and away in the 4-1 thumping of Blackpool, especially when the team were rocked by losing Matt Taylor and Robert Green to red cards respectively. He was then singled out for special praise by Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman in Saturday's goalless draw. The Scottish coach hailed Noble as the division's best player after the capital clash and no one came closer than the No16 to unlocking the Eagles rearguard with his precise passing.
The 24-year-old would gladly have swapped such personal plaudits for all three points, especially as the stalemate meant the Hammers have dropped back to second place in hugely competitive npower Championship, albeit with a game in hand on Southampton. "We look back at it now and we should have won the game, especially in the second half," Noble said. "We know teams are going to come to Upton Park and make it hard for us. We are the boys to beat. Palace did in the first half and it is disappointing. "We should have scored a couple of goals in the second half - Sam Baldock had a couple, Carlton Cole a header and the little scramble late on - but it is a clean sheet and another point and we are still on target for where we want to be."
Sam Allardyce's men will hope their Welsh hosts on Sunday will be drained after a Wembley extra-time epic that saw them lose on penalties to Liverpool on Sunday, but Noble acknowledged he and his team-mates have also been put through it of late. Not that he is one for making excuses. "We played with ten men for three games but the adrenalin has helped us get three fantastic results, Millwall, Southampton and Blackpool away. They don't come much bigger and we went into the Palace game expecting to win. "Sometimes it doesn't work out. We kept a clean sheet, that is an important thing but unfortunately we didn't get a goal."
Taking on Cardiff will also evoke memories of the shock opening-day defeat by the Bluebirds at the Boleyn, and Noble said the team have not altered their ambition since August. It is all about staying confident and avoiding complacency. "We haven't looked back from the first minute of the season. Our aim is to get promoted , that is the main thing. We are still on target, we are still looking forward. Hopefully the boys keep getting clean sheets and scoring goals. We will achieve what we want to do."
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Hammers Opening Doors
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are backing an FA-led campaign to tackle homophobia in the game
01.03.2012
West Ham United were this week invited by The Football Association to be part of a high-profile summit aimed at tackling homophobia and transphobia. At the launch of the Opening Doors and Joining In campaign at Wembley Stadium, respected names from across the football family came together to air their views. They included two former Hammers midfielders in Bobby Barnes, representing the Professional Footballers' Association, and The FA's Director of Football Development Sir Trevor Brooking - as well as the club's HR Director Michael Kerr. All present confirmed their support for a drive to help lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGB&T) communities get actively involved without fear of discrimination or prejudice. The event included a six-point FA action plan promoting inclusion, widening diversity in the game and addressing discrimination in all its forms - education, visibility, partnership,recognition, reporting and monitoring.
The issue has been brought into the public consciousness around a TV documentary by Amal Fashanu about her uncle, the former West Ham United forward Justin Fashanu who committed suicide aged 37 in 1998. Fashanu was the first openly gay footballer to come out in top-level English football. Barnes, who took part in an awareness session with the Hammers squad last week, said footballers had done much in kicking out discrimination within the game, especially in terms of racism, and said they could lead the way again in terms of homophobia and transphobia. A new poster campaign will be shown in dressing rooms around the country simply saying 'gay or straight, we are all winners'.
The PFA assistant chief executive added: "I am very proud to be here. It is a necessary step on the road to equality and inclusion in football. [In football], we don't give ourselves the credit we are due as an industry. Because of the fact football has such a resonance and reach, we can affect such areas." Sir Trevor spoke about the need to focus on those just coming into the game. Inrecalling his playing days and ongoing work with aspiring youngsters, he spoke of the need for greater education and setting the right example. "We have to make sure we treat everyone the same," he said. FA General Secretary Alex Horne had opened the conference and set the tone for a frank exchange of views which demonstrated how far the game has come, but also how far is still to go. The key going forward was to ensure an environment where discrimination will not be tolerated, and The FA outlined how they will, and already are, take a strong stance in punishing those who discriminate. Horne said: "If someone is gay, we want them to feel secure if they choose to be open and know they will not be subject to abuse or ridicule."
Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone made clear that whilst this was another positive step and a "red letter day", there was still work to be done. "Everything I heard today made me think that this was a genuine, committed serious step forward. This is day one; we'll see where we are on day 366. That will be the test."
A successful session concluded with an address from Club England Managing Director Adrian Bevington, who underlined that there was a desire to have a 'so what' mentality in the game, should anyone choose to be open about their sexuality. Work would continue to remove barriers and to ensure an eternal legacy where individuals are judged only on their football merits. He said: "We want to ensure that if any player wishes to be open about their sexuality, then they can do it with the full support of the FA. We want a "So what?" culture in football."
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Did he mean it?
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 1st March 2012
By: Staff Writer
Henri Lansbury scored a stunning goal for England's under 21s as the Young Lions trounced Belgium 4-0 at the Riverside Stadium - but opinions are divided as to whether it was intentional or otherwise. Lansbury, who is on loan with West Ham for the current season scored the opening goal of the game after just ten minutes.
Having received the ball wide on the left, the midfielder - who added a second eight minutes into the second half - sent the ball towards the penalty box under pressure from a opposing defender. As Lansbury's cross travelled towards the penalty area the swirling wind inside the stadium caught the ball and it swerved viciously before dipping under the crossbar to give Brian Eastwick's side the lead.
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West Ham and Ipswich big losers if Pompey points are wiped out
Published 22:30 01/03/12 By Neil McLeman
The Mirror
West Ham and Ipswich will be the other big losers if Portsmouth go out of business and their results are wiped from the records. The Hammers would fall out of the automatic promotion places after having the six points deducted from their two Championship wins over the Fratton Park club this season. And at the other end of the table, Ipswich, who have also completed a double over Pompey this term, would slide down to within six points of the drop zone. However, if the unthinkable does happen and Portsmouth vanish from the league table, only two other teams would be relegated to League One, instead of the usual three. Ironically, Paul Jewell's Tractor Boys had bids for three Portsmouth players rejected during the January transfer window – keeper Stephen Henderson, centre-back Jason Pearce and utility man Joel Ward, who were all reluctant to leave the south coast club. No club has gone out of business during the season since Fourth Division Aldershot back in March 1992. But administrator Trevor Birch yesterday warned Pompey fans (right)that a club with over £100million of debts must find new money quickly to avoid a doomsday scenario. Portsmouth are scheduled to play their final match of the season on April 28 at Nottingham Forest. But Birch said: "Unless something significant happens, there is a real possibility that we may not be able to fulfil the season's fixtures. "The more we uncover, the worse the picture appears to get. Liquidation is an option at this moment in time."
Pompey became the first Premier League club to enter administration and to be deducted points as they were relegated in 2010. They were plunged into their latest financial crisis in November when Russian owner Vladimir Antonov was arrested over alleged fraud at a Lithuanian bank. Administrators PFK took over last month as Portsmouth were deducted another 10 points and nosedived down the table. Birch has also discovered that £2.2m in Premier League parachute payments will be paid to previous owner Sacha Gaydamak under an agreement struck in 2010. The club had been expecting the first £640,000 next month, and Birch added: "We are able to continue to early or mid-April. I thought I could plug the gap until the end of the season, but I'm not so sure. Increased crowds or loan fees from farming out players won't be enough. "We are looking at all possible options for raising further revenues in the very short term, but we realise that there is only so much that can be realistically achieved. "Any potential bidders will need to be prepared to make a major investment in the club because the outlook for next season looks challenging unless we can sell some players in the summer. "There is interest, but nobody is knocking my door down."
Portsmouth council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson said: "For two years people have been trying to find new owners for the club, but the levels of debt swamping this club makes it very difficult to see who would want to take it on. "Going bust is a real possibility because the debt is so huge."
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Collison urges Green to sign
Thursday 1st March 2012 10:20
TeamTalk
West Ham midfielder Jack Collison has promised Rob Green "a few rib shots" if he does not put pen to paper on a new contract soon. Green's fine form this season has helped the Hammers into the Championship's top two and earned him an England recall, but his current deal runs out in the summer. "Greeny has been a massive part of the team and he's a world-class keeper, there's no doubt about that," said Collison. "Some of the saves he makes are just unbelievable but you can see from how hard he works, he gives the team confidence to go and play."It would be nice to get him pinned down. I might have to start having a couple of words with him and give him a few rib shots to get him to sign. "He has been brilliant for us this season and long may it continue."
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Tony Cottee Column: Having quality on the bench is vital for West Ham in March
London 24
Tony Cottee, London24 West Ham Columnist
Thursday, March 1, 2012
12:00 PM
I think that the best way to describe Saturday's goalless draw with Crystal Palace was 'flat'. From the start I thought that the team looked a little leggy, and was just lacking that killer pass. The Hammers never really got going and to be honest Palace could well have gone in at half-time 2-0 up. However, after the break, West Ham came out a new side and almost the entire half was played in Palace's territory. And credit must go to the visitors for the way that they set themselves up. I like Dougie Freedman and I think he is a young, exciting and good manager and he deserves praise for his side's performance on Saturday. I was particularly impressed with Wilfried Zaha, and I think that Palace will do well to keep him in the summer as there will no doubt be many Premier League clubs interested in him. Sam Allardyce hinted that he perhaps should have rotated his squad for the game and I think it is easy to say that in hindsight. However, I can also see Sam's logic in sticking with the same players that performed so well at Blackpool the previous week. I just thought that we lacked something up front and I felt a little sorry for Nicky Maynard. Maynard doesn't have the big physical presence of someone like Carlton Cole, so when the ball is played to him, it doesn't always stick. However, the second-half performance from West Ham was a lot better. I thought that Cole made a big difference when he came on and I am a big fan of what he offers to the team. Another striker that made a big impact was Sam Baldock and I thought Saturday showed the importance of being able to bring on top strikers from the bench.
West Ham are going to need that quality this month, with eight games coming up during March. This month could well determine where the Hammers finish at the end of the season. Baldock's movement was like a breath of fresh air and I am sure he will be disappointed at not converting one of his two clear-cut chances in the game. However, I think it would be harsh for fans to blame him as he hasn't had much game time recently. It is a real catch 22 situation for Sam at the moment as he wants to play football and wants to score goals, but having been out of the team for some time, when he comes back he may well be a little rusty and a little short of match fitness, but he mustn't be afraid of missing chances. I think we have to give him credit for getting into those positions in the first place. I have to say that I understood why the fans were booing at half-time as the team hadn't played well and we were expecting a better performance. The fans pay good money to watchtheir team and if they are not entertained then I don't begrudge them for showing that by booing and voicing their opinions. However, the second half was a lot better so I didn't like the booing at the final whistle. This Sunday gives the Hammers the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways with a tough trip to Cardiff, who most fans will be hoping are still suffering following their league-cup exploits. It won't be an easy game, but I think the returning Kevin Nolan could boost the team and lead them to victory.
Tony Cottee was talking to Nathaniel John
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American international set to make West Ham debut
By talkSPORT
Thursday, March 1, 2012
American international George John could finally make his debut for West Ham against Cardiff on Sunday if Winston Reid fails to recover from a head injury. Reid was taken off just before half-time during New Zealand's 3-2 defeat against Jamaica and is now facing a race against time to prove his fitness for the televised clash.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has been short of central defenders for the majority of the season and brought in John from the MLS on a two-month loan following his impressive displays for FC Dallas. John has been forced to wait patiently for his chance, but with his loan spell due to run out in two weeks, he is desperate to show that he can compete at the highest level and secure a permanent deal with the east London club. Allardyce has moved James Tomkins into a midfield position in recent weeks and will be reluctant to change his formation if Reid fails to overcome his injury.
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