WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan is looking forward to getting back to action following the end
of his three-match ban
03.03.2012
We have a busy week in the league coming up. Sunday's game at Cardiff is
swiftly followed by two home matches with Watford and Doncaster. This is
what they call the business end of the season and our run-in, with eight
games in March and then another six in April, is certainly a packed schedule
but this is what the Championship is all about and we all can't wait to get
stuck into each and every game. Off the pitch, we went off for some
warm-weather training for a few days earlier this week. Time was spent
recuperating and re-charging batteries and enjoying training in the
sunshine. It was certainly no jolly-up, we didn't take our eye off the ball
- we did our training sessions out there and yes, we had some enjoyment when
it was allowed, but the main focus was still on preparing ourselves to push
on for the rest of the season.
These trips are important - ever since I have worked with the gaffer he
seems to know how to do these right and likes to get this sort of break in
the schedule. It does give you a chance of some good team-bonding, you have
the chance to get away from your normal everyday surroundings and it is good
for team spirit. Togetherness in the squad has been boss all season but is
really good now and that is important as we push on.
For our new boys who joined us in January, it was an opportunity for them to
really be part of the squad for the first time, to get settled in and know
what we are all about. Sometimes you see a different side to some of the
boys, who are maybe normally more quieter, they come out of their shell a
bit in a more relaxed atmosphere. There were some who did that, but I am not
going to name names! But it was fun but at the same time, especially for the
boys who have played in all the games over the last few weeks.
For a few the game against Crystal Palace may have been just one match too
many, as in the three games before that, we got seven points playing with
just ten men. We were maybe a bit leggy in that match so the trip I think
came at the right time and we would like to thank the Chairmen for fronting
the trip for us and hopefully batteries are fully charged again for the
business end of the season.
For me personally, I am absolutely delighted that my three-match ban has
finished at last! It has seemed like 30 games not three! It killed me that
our match against Peterborough last month was called off and then with the
Blackpool game being moved to midweek, it just seemed to make it all longer!
I just tried to be there for the lads during this time, I was kicking every
ball while watching the games and the lads, I am sure you will agree, have
been fantastic and worked really hard to get results. With, as I say, only
the Crystal Palace match being the one where we looked a bit jaded, but it
was still a point and a clean sheet.
My ban is complete and I am just raring to go and be a part of the matchday
squad again - I have been keeping myself sharp but I am so looking forward
to being back and if I am not selected to start, I will hopefully be on the
bench and can assure you whatever happens, I am ready and raring to go when
called upon.
Cardiff hit us with a sucker punch at home in the first game of the season -
it was a game I felt we deserved to get a draw from, maybe even win it
ourselves so it was quite harsh, their late goal on us.
So we go there knowing they might be a wounded animal from losing the
Carling Cup final last week, a tough game but a challenge we are all up for.
Thank you to all of you who will be making the long trip to Wales to see us
play, the fantastic support you give us will again help us in what we will
be trying to do. Remember to get your tickets for our home games coming up
this week against Watford and Doncaster.
I have spoken about the togetherness in the squad and it is important that
all of you stick with us as we all go into what is an important time for the
club and we can achieve what we want to, together.
Come on you Irons!
Kevin Nolan
Captain
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Match Preview: Cardiff City v West Ham
March 3rd, 2012 - 6:53 pm by Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Di e
I always said that one team would pull ahead of the pack, and that team
seems to be Reading. I'd thought it would be Birmingham, to be honest.
Reading are now only one point behind us, but have played two games more. So
we need to get something out of the Cardiff game - a win. Cardiff are
certainly no pushovers, but maybe it's a good time to be playing them,
following their exertions in the Carling Cup Final next weekend.
With Winston Reid out, following a head injury sustained while playing in
New Zealand in midweek, it is likely that James Tomkins will return to
central defence, and not before time. I hope he remains there. He will no
doubt be replaced in midfield by Kevin Nolan. Matt Taylor is still
suspended, which is a pity. I reckon Carlton Cole will return up front, and
probably play alone. So how about this for a lineup?
Green, Tomkins, Faye, O'Brien, McCartney, Noble, Nolan, Collison, Faubert,
Vaz Te, Cole.
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My First West Ham Game: Iain Dale
March 3rd, 2012 - 11:25 am by Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
This is the first in what will hopefully be a successful series, where we
can all post about our first West Ham game. If you'd like me to post your
memory, just email me up to 500 words to iain@iaindale.com.
We all remember the first time we saw West Ham play. My first game was an
end of season testimonial at my local club, Cambridge United. I was nine
years old at the time. To be honest I don't remember an awful lot about it
apart from being tremendously excited about going. I had been badgering my
Dad for ages to be allowed to go. I was a recent convert to West Ham, having
for some reason supported Manchester United. My recollection is that I
switched my allegiances when Man U were relegated, but that must be an
invented memory, as they weren't relegated for another two seasons. I think
it must have been my best friend at primary school, Roger Sizer, who
persuaded me to switch, as he and his family were avid Hammers fans. Anyway,
back to the game, the Hammers lined up like this.
Ferguson, Heffer, McDowell, Bonds, Taylor, Boyce, Redknapp, Holland, Hurst,
Robson, Durrell. Subs Barnes and Ayris
West Ham lost 3-2 with Patsy Holland and Heffer scoring the Hammers goals.
The game was a testimonial for former Southend and Cambridge player Trevor
Roberts against a combined Cambridge/Southend side.
Until I was sent the lineup last week I hadn't realised I actually saw Harry
Redknapp and Geoff Hurst play. It's just a pity I don't remember anything
about the game. Apart from the fact we stood.
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Mackay puts pressure on Hammers stars
Football.betsplay.com
Cardiff boss Malky Mackay believes the pressure is on the West Ham players
to deliver top-flight football ahead of Sunday's clash with the Hammers
(Cardiff 6/4, West Ham 9/5, draw 23/10 Match Prices with bet365).
The two sides will go head-to-head at the Cardiff City Stadium with the
Londoners currently second in the table and looking good for automatic
promotion back to the Premier League. The Bluebirds are sixth in the
standings and can now concentrate their efforts fully on making the
play-offs after losing out to Liverpool in the Carling Cup final last
Sunday. Cardiff have come up just short in their attempts to reach England's
top division in recent years with play-off heartache commonplace for their
fans. But the hope is that they might finally get over the line this time
around although it looks set to be via the play-off route once again, with a
significant gap to make up to the top two.
Mackay knows the importance of every point gained at this stage of the
season and will be looking for all three against Sam Allardyce's men this
weekend, and he has attempted to up the ante for the capital encounter by
reminding the West Ham stars of the pressure they are under to succeed
(Cardiff 1-0 Winners 7/1 with bet365).
"There is an expectation and pressure for them to be playing Premier League
football," he said. "Sam Allardyce and his players certainly won?t take that
for granted.
"They have a big squad, a strong team and a wage bill which means they are
expected to go back up to the top flight this season."
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Cardiff v West Ham: Hammers to compound Bluebirds' heartache
West Ham's fine away record should see them come through a tricky trip to
Cardiff
News.ladbrokes.com
By the time West Ham rock up in Cardiff, the Bluebirds' Carling Cup hangover
might have just begun to subside, but the Hammers, boasting the best away
record in the division, look set to pile on the misery at 9/5. Having won
just one of their last five in the Championship, Cardiff are in serious
danger of seeing their promotion push derailed and will very likely be
outside the play-off places come kick-off. West Ham have won nine and drawn
three of their 16 league fixtures on the road and will be out for revenge,
after a last-gasp Kenny Miller strike snatched victory for the Welsh side on
the opening weekend of the season. Most recently on their travels, Sam
Allardyce's side put four past Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, despite seeing
goalkeeper Robert Green dismissed before the hour. And West Ham will be
boosted by the return of skipper Kevin Nolan, after serving a three-match
suspension. The Hammers have won just one of five games in all competitions
in his absence.
Allardyce's men have won three and drawn the other of the four away games in
which Nolan has scored and he's 6/1 to mark his return with the opening
goal.
But Malky Mackay's side are a force to be reckoned with in front of their
own fans, having won ten and only lost three of 15 league encounters at the
Cardiff City Stadium. Though it's worth noting the three sides who have
snatched all three points - Middlesbrough, Brighton and Blackpool - are all
fellow promotion contenders. The Bluebirds are 6/4 to complete the double
over the east Londoners. Elsewhere, West Ham have lead at the break in five
of their last seven league clashes and backing the visitors to win having
lead at the break is available at 7/2.
As for total goals, there have been over 2.5 in each of Cardiff's last five
in all competitions and West Ham's last two away games have seen a total of
11 fly in. Over 2.5 goals is on offer at 1/1.
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FA deny Brooking reports
Claims FA official and Redknapp do not see eye-to-eye rejected
Last Updated: March 3, 2012 9:14pm
SSN
Sir Trevor Brooking has no issues with any of the contenders to be the new
England manager, Football Association general secretary Alex Horne has
insisted. There have been reports that Brooking and Harry Redknapp, the
Tottenham manager who is the overwhelming favourite to be named as Fabio
Capello's successor, do not see eye-to-eye. Brooking is the FA's director of
football development and one of the four FA officials who will pick the next
England manager. But Horne, part of the quartet along with FA chairman David
Bernstein and Club England managing director Adrian Bevington, has moved to
quash those claims. He said: "As far as Trevor Brooking is concerned he has
never expressed a personal reservation about any of the candidates. "I am
not commenting on specific candidates and Trevor's relationship with them,
other than to say he hasn't got a problem with any of the candidates."
Categoric
Horne denied that the FA were causing clubs to be unsettled by not taking
immediate steps to appoint a manager. He added: "I don't accept that no. We
are clearly not doing anything for a few weeks on this to be respectful of
the season. "We are working on a timetable for the back end of the season
but we are not fixing that timetable. "We have got a list of people that we
are looking at and recognising that a lot of them are employed, so we are
not disturbing anyone's season at the moment."
Horne said the FA would approach any club first for permission if the
candidate is employed. "I will be absolutely categoric we will go through
the front door," he said. "If we make a decision that we are going for a
candidate and they are employed by a club, we will go through the front door
- but not yet."
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JACK COLLISON TARGETS BLUEBIRDS REVENGE
Daily Express
Jack Collison is gunning for revenge against Cardiff City today
Sunday March 4,2012
By Sunday Express reporter
JACK COLLISON is gunning for revenge against Cardiff City today.
Championship title favourites West Ham suffered an opening-day loss to the
Bluebirds and Wales midfielder Collison reckons the Hammers owe their
promotion rivals one in the Welsh capital. Collison, 23, said: "We want to
get revenge. They nicked a late goal and that has stuck - not just with me
but the whole of the team." Kenny Miller's 90th-minute winner at Upton Park
handed new Cardiff boss Malky Mackay a dream start.
Yet Scotland striker Miller was a Cardiff villain in last Sunday's Carling
Cup final defeat, when he missed a last-gasp chance to sink Liverpool. But
team-mate Don Cowie believes the ex-Rangers hitman will bounce back at the
Cardiff City Stadium. Cowie said: "He won't let missing a chance bring him
down. "Of course he is disappointed as he expects to hit the target and
score - it's the standard he sets. I'm sure he will be looking to get the
winning goal against West Ham."
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