Daily WHUFC News - 12th June 2012

Hendon gearing up for new season
WHUFC.com
Development Squad coach Ian Hendon is having a busy summer as he prepares
for the 2012/13 campaign
11.06.2012

While his players enjoy a well-earned summer break, West Ham United
Development Squad coach Ian Hendon is already busy preparing for the 2012/13
season.
Hendon and his players only completed their 2011/12 campaign on 20 May, when
they defeated host club Hong Kong FC to win the Plate competition at the
HKFC Citibank International Soccer Sevens. The Development Squad will return
to training on Monday 25 June before heading to Russia for the VTB Lev
Yashin Cup in Moscow in early July. After a host of pre-season fixtures, the
Hammers' second string will compete in the newly-formed Professional
Development League. whufc.com caught up with Hendon at Chadwell Heath this
week to discuss his and his team's preparations for the new season.

Hendo, you finished the season with a trip to the HKFC Citibank
International Soccer Sevens in Hong Kong, where you won the Plate
competition. How did the trip go?

IH - We had an end-of-season trip to Hong Kong. I know West Ham had played
there a few times before and I've played there myself in the Veterans
tournament. It's a good competition and is unbelievably well organised. It
was good for the players to go and face some foreign opposition and some
strong British sides, including Leicester City and Celtic. It was a good
trip all-round.

I understand that the boys had a bit of a late night celebrating the
Play-Off final victory, but were up early on the Sunday morning to take to
the pitch themselves?

IH - That's right. We were always going to celebrate getting to the Premier
League, that's for sure. We did enjoy the evening but credit to the boys
because they got up in the morning and won their quarter-final against Hong
Kong Dragons 3-0, won the semi-final against Kitchee FC 2-0 and the final
3-0, so they acted professionally on the day and played very well.

While the players are enjoying their summer break, you will be at work
earning your coaching badges?

IH - I will. I am off to Belfast in Northern Ireland to continue my own
development on a coaching front. I'll be on a week-long course and I'm quite
looking forward to that and to adding another string to my bow. It's always
good to continue your personal development and this will go towards me
getting my UEFA Pro Licence. The gaffer [Sam Allardyce], Macca [Neil
McDonald] and Wally [Downes] have all done it and I'm working towards it
myself now.

The Development Squad are back in a week before the first team as you are
off to Russia in early July?

IH - Yes, we have to come in early as we're off to a pre-season tournament
in Moscow. Having spoken to the physios and sports scientists they feel it
would be beneficial to come back a week early in preparation for that. We
can get a bit of fitness work into the lads and prepare properly for the
trip. We don't want to go over there and get injuries because the lads are
not ready for it.

The VTB Lev Yashin Cup should be a good challenge for the Development Squad,
with some good teams taking part?

IH - We'll be in a foreign country, which is something different in itself.
I've never been to Russia myself, so it'll be all new for me. We have had
someone go over and visit and take part in a press conference and it looks
like a big, well-organised tournament. We have spoken to the German club
Freiburg, who won it last year and are taking part again, and their
representatives told us how well it was run last time. We're in good hands
there and it will be a good test for us during the six
days that we're there. Hopefully we'll do well and enjoy it.

You have also organised a number of pre-season fixtures against non-league
and npower Football League opposition, which will get the boys ready for the
2012/13 season, haven't you?

IH - The Moscow trip, if we're honest, has probably come a week or two
early, but we can't be choosy and it is a good tournament for us to go to.
We're going to come back and settle into games against non-league opposition
and then build-up to playing against strong League Two sides. My group is
predominantly young players so the pre-season will be a good test for them.
In total, I think we have got about eleven games, so it'll be tough. But
that's what we want because we want to be fit coming out of the end of it
and ready to go when the new Professional Development League starts.

Finally, can you tell us about the Professional Development League, which
will replace the Premier Reserve League in the new season?

IH - The Premier Reserve League has been done away with and this will be
replaced by the Professional Development League, which will mainly be for
Under-21 players. It has not been decided how many over-age players will be
allowed in each team, but I'm sure it will be three or four. It's a reserve
league, as such, but under a different title. Initially, I think it will be
regionalised up until Christmas. Then, if you are in the top two you go into
another group for after Christmas. The higher you finish in the regional
league, the stronger the opposition you will be playing later in the season.
It's important we do well in that. It will add some structure and
competition to our season, rather than us going here, there and everywhere
playing friendlies.

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Grays game confirmed
WHUFC.com
A West Ham United XI will help mark the opening of Grays' new Rush Green
Stadium
11.06.2012

A West Ham United XI will take on Grays Athletic on Friday 20 July on a
special night for the Essex side. Before the match, which kicks-off at
7.45pm, Joint-Chairman David Sullivan will open Grays' new Rush Green
Stadium. Hakan Hayrettin's side, who finished fifth in Isthmian League
Division One last season, will welcome West Ham for the fourth time in five
years, having beaten the Hammers 2-1 in 2008, lost by the same scoreline in
2009 and gone down to a 5-1 defeat a year ago.
Tickets will be priced at £10 for Adults and £5 for Concessions.

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The Five Players You Want West Ham to Sell
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die

Five hundred of you have voted since 9am this morning, and these are the
five players you think West Ham should sell over the summer. No great
surprises as to who 98% of you think should be flogged off, but I am
slightly surprised by number 3, Joey O'Brien.

1. Freddie Piquionne 98%
2. Freddie Sears 88%
3. Joey O'Brien 38%
4. Gary O'Neil 30%
5. Marech Stech 29%

Other interesting stats were...

24% Guy Demel
22% Jordan Spence
17% Sam Baldock
8% Carlton Cole
0% Ricardo Vaz Te

And if the single person who voted for James Tomkins to be sold would like
to own up, I will happily certify them insane.

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QPR snap up England keeper Green on £50k-a-week following West Ham exit
By LAURA WILLIAMSON
PUBLISHED: 22:51, 11 June 2012 | UPDATED: 22:51, 11 June 2012
Daily Mail

Robert Green is set to join QPR after agreeing a £50,000-a-week deal to move
across London. The England goalkeeper, 32, is a free agent after West Ham
refused to meet his pay demands and failed to agree a new contract. QPR are
anxious to bolster their defence after narrowly avoiding relegation last
season and opted for Green after briefly considering Tottenham goalkeeper
Heurelho Gomes. The current No 1 at Loftus Road, Paddy Kenny, looks likely
to re-join former boss Neil Warnock at Leeds United.

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West Ham set to increase offer to £4m for Norwich striker Holt
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:50, 11 June 2012 | UPDATED: 22:50, 11 June 2012
Daily Mail

West Ham are set to raise their offer for Norwich City striker Grant Holt.
Sam Allardyce had a £3.5million bid rejected but will now offer £4m for the
31-year-old.
Allardyce is also keen on a defender, with Dijon's former France Under 21
centre back Samuel Souprayen, 23, Charlton's Chris Solly and Newcastle's
Danny Simpson among his targets.

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Hearn hits back at 'patronising' West Ham
Guardian Series
2:39pm Monday 11th June 2012 in Waltham Forest News By Daniel Binns

Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn described West Ham's comments as
patronising. LEYTON Orient Chairman Barry Hearn has hit back at rival club
West Ham after it mocked his suggestion that the two football teams could
share the Olympic stadium after the Games. The O's fear they will lose fans
and go out of business if a high-profile team moves into the arena, which is
less than a mile from their current ground in Brisbane Road, Leyton. In an
earlier interview with the Waltham Forest Guardian, Mr Hearn said sharing
the stadium in Stratford would be a "lesser of evils" and ensure the
survival of Leyton Orient. But West Ham responded in a statement by saying
it was "amused" by Mr Hearn's "ever-changing position". Mr Hearn previously
said the stadium was not suitable for watching football but has changed his
mind following suggestions that retractable seating could be built over the
athletics track. In a new statement released at the weekend, Mr Hearn
attacked West Ham and called on Olympic legacy bosses to take him seriously.
He said: "West Ham's statement last week which referred to my 'ever-changing
position' is patronising to say the least. "A major club moving on to our
doorstep would undoubtedly damage us." He added: "I am glad West Ham think
we are providing them with a constant source of amusement - we are a small
community club with 130 years of history fighting to stay in business and
they need to understand that we shall continue to challenge any decision
that places the future of our football club in doubt. "We deserve proper
consideration and respect."

Mr Hearn said he is due to meet and discuss his proposals with Olympic
legacy bosses, who will make the final decision on who runs the stadium
after the Games.
He added that fans will be fully consulted on any possible changes. A deal
on who will run the stadium post-Games is expected to be signed in October.

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West Ham eyeing move for Charlton defender
By talkSPORT | Monday, June 11, 2012

West Ham are poised to make a move for Charlton defender Chris Solly. Sam
Allardyce is looking to bolster his defence and has been impressed with the
performances of Solly, who was voted Charlton's player of the year last
season. With Julien Faubert leaving the club during the summer, Allardyce
wants to sign another right sided player and give his side every chance of
staying in the top-light. Solly, 21, played a major role in helping Charlton
gain promotion into the Championship and the south London club will want a
sizeable sum to part with their star defender.

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Conman who fleeced former Aston Villa star John Carew must pay £45k
by Nick McCarthy, Birmingham Mail
Jun 11 2012

A CROOK who fleeced former Aston Villa star John Carew in a deal for two
Porsche supercars has been ordered to hand over £45,000 of his ill-gotten
gains – or face more jail time. Richard Esprit will spend another 16 months
in prison unless he coughs up the cash. The demand came after he was jailed
for an original 40 months in January last year for duping Carew out of
almost £250,000 in deals for a Porsche Cayenne Gemballa and a 997. A judge
at Birmingham Crown Court said Esprit used "the verbal equivalent of smoke
and mirrors" to steal from the ex-Holte End favourite. His trial heard the
45-year-old befriended the striker and took payment for the cars. But he
failed to deliver the Gemballa, took back the 997 after problems with its
paperwork and pocketed £46,000 from the sale of a BMW belonging to the
Norway international. Judge Rupert Mayo, who also heard the Proceeds of
Crime hearing in Northampton, condemned him during sentencing last year for
taking advantage of someone who regarded him as a friend. He told the car
dealer: "In March to June of 2007 you obtained nearly a quarter of a million
pounds from John Carew by fraud. "You sought to hide the raw truth with the
verbal equivalent of smoke and mirrors. "This case truly crosses the custody
threshold." Esprit, of Wraysbury, near Staines, west London, was said to
have used some of the stolen money to make mortgage payments while ignoring
the parlous state of his car dealer business. He was jailed after being
convicted of two counts of theft and two of fraud following a trial in
December 2010 at which Carew gave evidence. Judge Mayo gave Esprit four
months to hand over a total of £45,234.72.

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Bolton Wanderers keeper Jaaskelainen joins West Ham United
by Kieran Evans. Published Mon 11 Jun 2012 09:13, Last updated: 2012-06-11
Click Lancashire

According to reports departing Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Jussi
Jaaskelainen has agreed a deal with West Ham United. The Sunday Mirror
claims the Finn has agreed a two-year deal with old boss Sam Allardyce to
join West Ham. The veteran keeper has accepted terms after rejecting an
offer to stay with Wanderers on a reduced salary following their relegation
to the Championship.

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