Daily WHUFC News - 20th June 2012

'I can't wait to get started'
WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan cannot wait for the new season to start after West Ham United's
fixtures were released
19.06.2012

West Ham United captain Kevin Nolan is looking forward to the start of the
new season and is relishing a home start. The Hammers face Aston Villa at
the Boleyn Ground on 18 August and the skipper is delighted to be in front
of the home fans as the club start life again as a Premier League outfit. He
said: "It is a home game to get us started, which is great for us. Aston
Villa are a very good side and have a new manager so their players will be
looking to impress, but we will be aiming to kick-off the new campaign in a
positive way on our own ground and look to try and win the game if we can
and get ourselves off the mark. "There can be some strange results early in
the season as all the teams look to settle into their routines, but if we
can make a solid start, then that will be good for us. Nothing is sorted
early in the season, but if we can start as well as we can do, then we give
ourselves something to build on."

After kicking-off at home, West Ham travel to Swansea City for the first
away fixture on 25 August, before coming back home again to face London
neighbours Fulham on 1 September. Sunderland are the next visitors to east
London before the end of that month (22 September), following a trip to
Norwich shortly before (15 September). Nolan scored his first goal in
Hammers colours in last season's first away fixture in the npower
Championship against Doncaster Rovers - the first of 13 goals notched up by
the attacking midfielder last season as he helped lead the team to
promotion. The 29-year-old is in no doubt that the West Ham fans will be
behind their team in their usual passionate fashion once more. "I am sure
all our fans can't wait for the season to begin and to know we are back in
the Premier League only makes it more exciting. It makes it real again to
see the games and when they are. I am sure our fans will do their best to
help us do what we can to get off to a good start. "I know I am looking
forward to the new season as I am sure the other lads are - after getting
promoted and everything calming down, people go away for a bit of a break.
But seeing the fixtures come out, it brings the new season to everyone's
attention again and I for one can't wait to get started."

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Nothing doing on Olsson or Zaha, say clubs
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 19th June 2012
By: Staff Writer

Both West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace have refuted claims that
players of theirs have been the subject of attention from West Ham United.

Within the last few hours, both Albion sporting and technical director Dan
Ashworth and Palace co-chairman Steve Parish have spoken our to deny that
the Hammers have contacted either club with regards to central defender
Jonas Olsson or winger Wilfried Zaha.

Baggies director Ashworth, whose Swedish defender Olsson has been linked
with both West Ham and Tottenham within the past few days told the BBC: "We
certainly haven't heard anything from anyone.

"Jonas is still under contract here, he's an important player and an
important part of our future."

Meanwhile Parish, who has been in charge at Selhurst Park since his CPFC2010
consortium wrestled control of the club from its previous owners two years
ago said via Twitter: "We haven't had any contact from West Ham actually
ever about anything.

"Hope that clears things up. Smokescreen?"

Elsewhere today there is very little transfer news with regards to West Ham,
so much so that the dailies continue to focus on the 'Rob Green to QPR'
story as they scramble to fill their column inches.

Green, who is currently deputising for Joe Hart at the European
Championships is now only 48 hours away from signing for the Rs according to
one particular tabloid - which unless someone can see into the future and
predict a defeat for England against Ukraine tonight, is rather unlikely to
happen given that he shall still be in Eastern Europe.

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Clarke wants to keep Olsson
West Brom under no pressure to sell West Ham target
Last Updated: June 19, 2012 12:53pm
SSN

New West Bromwich Albion manager Steve Clarke is hoping to keep hold of
Jonas Olsson after the defender was targeted by West Ham United. Olsson only
has one year remaining on his contract at The Hawthorns and the Sweden
international will not make a decision on his future until after Euro 2012.
The centre-half is wanted by promoted West Ham, and has also been linked
with a string of clubs, but Clarke is keen to hang on to the 28-year-old.
"Yes," said Clarke when asked at his unveiling if he wanted to keep Olsson.
"Ideally for me I want to keep all the contracted players and I'd like to
bring in another two or three players that can help me.
"Jonas is a key player for the team and the club, and I will do what I can
to keep him here."

Important

The Baggies' sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth also insisted that
there is no pressure to sell Olsson, who joined the club from NEC Nijmegen
four years ago. Ashworth said: "He is one of our most important players and
we would like to keep him like we did last year with Youssouf Mulumbu and
Peter Odemwingie last year. "We're trying to build a squad not sell our best
players. "There wasn't a huge outlay on the transfer so we don't need to
make a huge amount of money back if he decided to run the contract down. "We
would have to weigh it up and consider whether there is a transfer offer
that meets the value of either getting a replacement or losing Jonas for the
season."

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A Day of Pouring Cold Water on Hot Transfer Rumours!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

Yesterday saw a lot of cold water poured on some of the hottest West Ham
transfer rumours. Firstly, it emerged that Yakubu might not be headed down
Upton Park way, but rather off to the far more lucrative Chinese League.
Then, WBA publicly denied that Jonas Olsson was leaving the club for West
Ham or anywhere else. And finally, the Crystal Palace Chairman maintained
that there had not been any contact with West Ham over a possible deal for
Wilfred Zaha! So, what do we make of these very public denials? Is it just
the selling clubs 'playing games' ahead of a deal, perhaps with a view to
drumming alternative interest and a possible auction to drive up the
transfer fee? Or do our transfer targets, in reality, lie elsewhere?

On the plus side, reports continue to insist that Mo Diame will sign for the
club in the next few days.

Elsewhere, congratulations to Hodgson and England on topping their Euro 2012
group and reaching the quarter-finals. Hodgson is a vastly experienced
manager, who knows how to organise a side and get the maximum out of his
players. He has got them in to a system that they clearly understand and
feel comfortable with and it is starting to show. It was not a great
performance against the Ukraine, but (a bit like West Ham in the play-off
Final) Hodgson's England Team dug in, fought and emerged as winners. Lets
hope that they gel further as a team in advance of the quarter-final match
with Italy.

Italy will be a challenge, but not as great a one as the Spanish. England
are now at the business end of Euro 2012 and Italy, Germany and Spain
probably stand between us and the title. It will be tough, but all you can
ask is that England play with the organisation and skill to restore some
pride after the World Cup debacle in South Africa. Even if we do not win,
hopefully this competition will see the Three Lions finally turn the corner
to better times.

SJ.Chandos.

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Big Sam ups Holt offer
The Sun
Published: Today at 01:04

WEST HAM last night increased their bid for Grant Holt to £5.5million in an
attempt to test Norwich's resolve. Big Sam's got a Gut feelingNorwich
Russell up a new dealNew boss Chris won't Grant exit The Hammers' initial
offer of £3m was turned down. Boss Sam Allardyce wants Holt, who scored 17
goals last season, to beef up his forward line following promotion to the
Premier League. The deal starts at £3.5m but goes up by £2m on appearances.
City have already turned down a transfer request made by Holt at the end of
the season.

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Royals Maig up to nab Mali hotshot
The Sun
Published: Today at 01:04

READING plan to battle West Ham for Sochaux striker The French club have
rejected a £4million Hammers bid and now Royals officials are set to move
for the 24-year-old Mali ace.

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Winston Reid turns down Olympic Games spot
Last updated 11:41 20/06/2012
Stuff.co.nz

All Whites' defender Winston Reid has chosen club over country, turning down
the chance to represent New Zealand at the London Olympics. Reid was set to
be named as one of three over-age players - along with Ryan Nelsen and Shane
Smeltz - in the New Zealand under-23 team to take part in the Games. Instead
he will turn his focus to cementing his spot in the first team of his
newly-promoted English Premier club West Ham United. West Ham are set to
embark on three-game preseason tour of Europe at the same time as the
Olympic tournament. Reid told Radiosport he, not West Ham manager Sam
Allardyce, had made the decision to withdraw from selection. "At the end of
the day it was my decision and I felt what I was doing was the right
decision." "I'm not saying I didn't want to go to the Olympics or play for
New Zealand, because I would have loved to, but I've got other commitments
right now and in the long run that will hopefully benefit myself and New
Zealand as well," he said. Reid joined West Ham from Danish club FC
Midtjylland at the end of 2010/11 season. He made four starts that season as
the club were relegated from the Premier League to The Championship. He
cemented a starting spot last season as West Ham climbed back into the top
flight and is determined to be regular feature in the Premier League this
season. "It would be different if I'd been at the club for six or seven
years and I'd been playing regularly then maybe I could have done it, but I
needed to work hard this pre-season and make sure the spot's mine at West
Ham," he said. Reid said he had discussed the dilemma with All Whites'
captain and fellow Premier League defender Nelsen. "I've text Nelly (Nelsen)
a couple of times in the past weeks, you could say that maybe I'm in the
same circumstances as he was a couple of years back. Of course I'd love to
be at the Olympics, but I'll hopefully get the opportunity to take part in
one later on in my career."

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West Ham United close in on former Wigan midfielder
Guardian Series
5:40pm Tuesday 19th June 2012 in News

West Ham United are believed to be on the verge of signing former Wigan
midfielder Mohamed Diame. The 25-year-old, whose contract expired at the end
of last season, is close to agreeing a deal to move to Upton Park. The
Senegalese midfielder is one of Sam Allardyce's top targets and would be a
powerful addition to the newly-promoted side's squad.

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