Daily WHUFC News - 11th July 2012

Boreham Wood 1-1 West Ham United FT
WHUFC.com
Sam Baldock scores again as the Hammers are held at Meadow Park
10.07.2012

Boreham Wood v West Ham United
Pre-season match
Meadow Park
Tuesday 10 July
Kick-off: 7.30pm
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Final score - Boreham Wood 1-1 West Ham United

92 mins - There is the chance, and Maynard misses it. Morrison works Russell
low to his left with a rasping drive. The goalkeeper cannot hold on and the
ball pops out to Maynard, but the No8 cannot hit the target and his
left-foot shot flies wide. The final whistle is blown as the goal kick is
pumped upfield. The PA announcer wishes West Ham luck in the Premier League
this season. Very nice of him. Well, result-wise it's not ideal, but it's
more gametime in the players' legs and they'll go forward to Southend United
on Saturday. See you there!
91 mins - Reid picks out Potts with a crossfield pass, but his cross is cut
out.
90 mins - Into the final minute. A Boreham Wood player is down and needs the
physio on. We are going to have just one extra minute, so it's going to need
something special, and fast!
88 mins - It's been a good workout for West Ham. They've been pushed hard by
Boreham Wood tonight and it's looking like they will be settling for a draw
unless they can conjure a winner late on.
86 mins - So close to a superb winner for the Hammers! Brilliant football
involving Turgott, Morrison and Potts before Taylor swings over an
inch-perfect cross for Nolan. The No4 usually buries them, but instead his
header bounces down off the underside of the crossbar, the inside of the
post and out! Chambers tries to convert the rebound, but his acrobatic
effort flies over.
84 mins - The ball drops to Effiong in the box and he swings his left foot
at it, but the shot goes out of the ground. Groans from the home fans, who
could see his eyes lighting up and a shock win for the hosts!
83 mins - The home coaching staff are sensing a bit of an upset here and are
barking out instructions to their players. Wearen has to make a strong
challenge on the edge of his own penalty area before a shot takes a
deflection and loops high into the air before being caught by Larkins.
82 mins - Reynolds is replaced by Sam Doolan.
81 mins - Into the final ten minutes. Can West Ham find a winner? Nolan
tries to pick out the run of Maynard, but Russell is out quickly to clear
into the stand.
79 mins - West Ham break and Maynard's shot is deflected wide, but the
corner is easily headed clear.
78 mins - Chambers defends well this time, blocking Hutton's cross behind.
The corner comes over and Nolan heads clear. The ball comes back in and
Larkins makes a fine and brave stop to block Reynolds' shot. The follow-up
effort is screwed wide.
76 mins - Of the West Ham players on show since the break, Chambers and
Turgott have combined well down the right. Nolan has put himself about, too.
75 mins - It's Hastings on for home skipper Mario Noto.
74 mins - Potts gets to the byline, but he was at full pelt and his
first-time cross is a bit deep. Nolan makes something of it with his head,
but the ball loops into the arms of the goalkeeper. Another Wood sub will be
on shortly...
73 mins - West Ham are back in charge, but they are not working Russell as
hard as they would like, I'm sure.
70 mins - Turgott is getting involved more and more, but his first two
crosses are too close to Russell before he is stopped trying to dribble
through the middle of the home defence. Check out an exclusive photo gallery
from tonight's game here.
65 mins - Action at both ends! First, Larkins is out smartly to defy Effiong
before the Hammers break and Russell makes a decent save with his feet to
deny Maynard. From the resulting corner, the cross is just in front of
Wearen at the far post.
61 mins - Scott-Morris and Close are on for Nunn and Riza.
59 mins - Boreham Wood are preparing substitutes Lee Close and Harvey
Scott-Morris.
58 mins - Better. Morrison, Potts and Nolan are all involved before O'Neil
finds Turgott, whose cross is blocked. Meanwhile, Vaz Te has a crowd around
him on the touchline as he signs autographs.
57 mins - While it is pre-season, West Ham will want to win this game for
their pride, more than anything. Captain Nolan is shouting out instructions
to his colleagues.
55 mins - O'Neil is penalised for an aerial challenge. Hutton swings the
free-kick in and West Ham scramble the ball away. The non-league side are on
the front foot.
54 mins - You can see the goal has given the Wood a confidence boost, as it
always seem to when a side score. The nature of the goal was the most
annoying aspect, as it was avoidable. Effiong did finish it well, though.
51 mins - GOAL! Effiong scores. Wearen's backpass is easily cut out by Riza
and he draws Reid before finding the unmarked Effiong, who confidently slams
the ball past Larkins and into the net.
50 mins - Morrison is seeing plenty of the ball already. He swings a pass
out right to Chambers, whose cross is won in the air by Nolan, but the
header loops wide.
48 mins - Wearen makes a sliding challenge on Effiong and West Ham break.
Morrison turns and makes 25 yards before trying to slide in Maynard, but the
striker is eased out by Garrard. Goal kick.
47 mins - This will be a real test for the Blue Square Bet South side
against a totally fresh Hammers XI. The fresh Wood player, Effiong, is HUGE!
He must be 6'4 tall at least.
46 mins - West Ham nearly double their lead straight away as Nolan gets in
behind. He prods the ball past the goalkeeper, but Maynard cannot get there
in time to finish and the hosts clear.

The hosts also make a change, with Buchanan being replaced by Inih Effiong.

So, after half-time we'll see the likes of Nolan, Maynard Taylor and O'Neil,
but it's a big evening for goalkeeper Jake Larkins, defender Leo Chambers
and Blair Turgott. Fitness coach Eamon Swift is out there putting the
Second-half XI through their warm-up...

Half-time score - Boreham Wood 0-1 West Ham United

46 mins - Into the one minute of added time... A promising West Ham attack
peters out after superb defensive play from Ruddock and the half-time
whistle is blown to warm applause from, among others, the local Mayor!
45 mins - Noble rolls the free-kick sideways to Vaz Te, but he is closed
down quickly and his shot lacks power.
44 mins - First-half positives are the goal from Baldock, the lively
wingplay from Fanimo - who has just won another free-kick - and assured
displays from a predominantly young back four. Ruddock has also caught the
eye at times on his big night.
43 mins - Half-time is nearly upon us and the hordes of West Ham
replacements are out warming up on the touchline. Boreham Wood are probing
again. Buchanan loses his marker with a neat bit of trickery, but his shot
takes a nick and rolls harmlessly through to Jaaskelainen.
41 mins - Vaz Te runs at Nunn again before finding Baldock. He elects to
shoot but his attempted curler is off-target. Goal kick.
40 mins - A slight break in play as Pelly Ruddock has the physio on. He's
soon back on, is the captain.

38 mins - Jaaskelainen in action again! This time, the No22 dives low to his
left to push aside a drive from left-back Mark Jones. The ball falls to a
West Ham player and the Hammers break. Fanimo beats one man before shooting
a couple of yards over the top.
36 mins - Shows how much I know! Montgomery lets fly from the corner of the
penalty area and Jaaskelainen makes a decent stop. West Ham break but Vaz Te
is run out of it by Nunn. The right-back has really stuck to his task
against the Wembley hero.
34 mins - The Hammers have taken the upper hand since the goal. They win
another free-kick, but Noble's delivery is too close to Russell, who catches
well down low.
32 mins - There he goes again, running on to Noble's short, low free-kick
and seeing his shot blocked behind. Noble's corner is headed clear. The No16
gets another go and Luke Garrard is there to head clear.
31 mins - Baldock never stops moving. If you watch him, he is constantly
running along the opposition back four looking for space and an area to spin
into to receive a through ball. Defender Reynolds decides the best way to
stop this is to trip him up. Free-kick to West Ham...
27 mins - GOAL! Baldock has his goal now! Vaz Te is sent clear down the
middle and looks favourite to shoot himself. Instead, he cuts inside on to
his right foot and slides the ball sideways for the unmarked Baldock. The
No7 shoots and his effort takes a slight deflection off a defender on its
way past Russell. Two in two for Baldock!
24 mins - Good battling work from Moncur to win the ball back in midfield.
He pokes it forward to Vaz Te, who dribbles before finding Baldock on the
edge of the box. The striker adjusts well to hit the shot first-time and it
beats Russell but cannons away off the left-hand post! So close to a second
pre-season goal in two games for Baldock. Ruddock tries to keep the attack
going but is crowded out.
22 mins - Another attack from the hosts and this time Kenzer Lee heads clear
from inside his own penalty area. The young Hammers just need to settle down
and be a little more careful in possession. You can hear the likes of Noble
encouraging them to do just that.
21 mins - And they arguably should be ahead. The corner finds centre-back
Callum Reynolds completely unmarked about 12 yards out. He rises, cranes his
neck and powers the header a yard over the top. Good chance to at least work
Jaaskelainen, that...
20 mins - Vaz Te has the physio on for a knock on the head, but it's nothing
serious and he's back on after some magic sponge treatment. Boreham Wood win
another corner. They've more than held their own so far.
17 mins - Vaz Te tries to run right-back Nunn, but the defender sticks to
his task well and nicks possession. Good battle, that. It was Fanimo again
with the through ball. Playing on the right, the left-footed England U18
winger looks a real threat.
14 mins - Fantastic chance for Ruddock on his big night. Fanimo curls over a
superb cross and the No15 is all alone in the middle of the penalty area. He
elects to volley instead of controlling and gets it a bit wrong. The Wood
clear. Shame for Ruddock.
12 mins - Hutton picks up a loose ball in midfield, brings it forward 20
yards and shoots, but Spence and Lee combine to make the block.
11 mins - The dugout is not quite big enough for the Hammers, who are lined
up along the touchline in front of me. Kevin Nolan is smiling as he signs
some autographs and poses for photos with fans. Fanimo crosses low, but the
ball is cleared at the near post.
9 mins - The sun is now shining. You couldn't make this weather up!
7 mins - Now the Wood have a corner as Riza's shot is deflected well wide.
The corner is fired in low by Montgomery but the shot is high and over the
crossbar and out of the stadium from midfielder Isaac.
6 mins - Oooh! McCartney gets forward down the left, draws a defender and
finds Vaz Te. He does a few step-overs before laying the ball back for
Moncur to strike first-time. It's curling slightly away from Russell, but
the keeper dives to his left to push the ball away. Good strike, good save.
The hosts clear.
5 mins - That's smart work from the goalkeeper. Spence is challenged by Riza
in the air and the ball drops down behind the defender, but Jaaskelainen is
out fast to dive on the wet turf and make the catch before the striker can
pounce on it.
3 mins - A first attack from Boreham Wood ends with an overhit through ball
that Jaaskelainen is out to collect low down. It's a first West Ham start
for the Finn after he appeared as a substitute at FK Austria Wien on
Saturday.
2 mins - Vaz Te wins a corner. Noble curls the ball over to the near post
where Vaz Te slides in and helps the ball on. Kenzer Lee attacks the ball at
the far post but his effort on the stretch is wide. Unlucky for the
youngster.
1 min - West Ham will want to get through the game with no injuries and Vaz
Te doesn't look happy as he is felled by right-back Nunn. Free-kick.

7.30pm - Boreham Wood get the game underway...

7.29pm - Pelly Ruddock has a big smile on his face as he shakes hands with
his ex-team-mates. It's a proud night for the teenager.

7.26pm - Assistant manager for the day Rob Burgess-Allen is in the Away
dugout with Neil McDonald, Big Sam and Martyn Margetson. Here come the two
teams...

7.23pm - The two West Ham teams have headed back inside, but a small number
of players have joined Joint Chairman David Gold in parading the Play-Off
trophy around the pitch. Dan Potts, Winston Reid, Matt Taylor and Nicky
Maynard are there with Mr Gold as the rain has, thankfully, relented.

7.15pm - The plan is for the Second half XI to parade the npower
Championship Play-Off trophy before kick-off. If that remains the plan, it
might get a bit wet!

7.05pm - It was sunny when we got here. It is now absolutely bucketing down,
as you can see from the pictures in our official Facebook site gallery here.

6.50pm - Pelly Ruddock, who joined West Ham from Boreham Wood midway through
last season, has the honour of captaining the Hammers tonight. Nice touch
from Big Sam. Kevin Nolan will skipper the side after half-time.

6.45pm - OK, we have the teams. West Ham United will again field two
different XIs in each half.
First half XI: Jaaskelainen, Driver, McCartney, Spence, K.Lee, Noble,
Moncur, Ruddock, Fanimo, Vaz Te, Baldock
Second half XI: Larkins, Chambers, Wearen, Reid, Potts, Morrison, O'Neil,
Turgott, Taylor, Nolan, Maynard
Subs: Baxter, Shaw, Powell

6.05pm - Many of the West Ham players have already arrived at Meadow Park.
The likes of Mark Noble, Ricardo Vaz Te and Jussi Jaaskelainen are here, as
are Sam Baldock, Jordan Spence and Nicky Maynard, who have been out for a
stroll on what looks to be an immaculate playing surface.

Good evening and welcome to Hertfordshire for West Ham United's second
pre-season fixture ahead of the 2012/13 Barclays Premier League campaign.
The Hammers will take on Blue Square Bet South side Boreham Wood tonight,
with a bumper crowd expected at Meadow Park for the Club's first pre-season
game on British soil.

On Saturday, West Ham completed their first week back in training by facing
Austrian Bundesliga side FK Austria Wien in Vienna, going down to a 3-1
defeat despite Sam Baldock's fourth-minute goal giving them the lead. In the
end, having been back in training themselves for three weeks, the hosts'
superior fitness shone through.

Tonight, manager Sam Allardyce will be back in the dugout after spending
last week working on bringing in new recruits. Just as Neil McDonald did in
Vienna, Big Sam is expected to experiment this evening while giving his
players more valuable game time in the run up to the big kick-off at home to
Aston Villa on 18 August.
Joining Big Sam and McDonald will be Rob Burgess-Allen, the lucky supporter
who successfully bid to become Assistant Manager for the Day at last
season's Awards Dinner. Burgess-Allen has been with the squad all day at
Chadwell Heath, travelled with the squad on the team coach and is in the
dressing room pre and post-match.

Among the players in West Ham's squad tonight is midfielder Pelly Ruddock.
The teenager joined the Hammers from Boreham Wood last winter after coming
through the non-league club's PASE (Programme for Academic and Sporting
Excellence) scheme.

Boreham Wood, for their part, finished eighth in the Blue Square Bet South
table last season. The most recognisable name in the hosts' squad is Omer
Riza, a midfielder who spent two-and-a-half years with West Ham between 1999
and 2002 but did not make a first-team appearance for the Club.
Formed in 1948, the Wood have spent the majority of their existence in the
Isthmian League, gaining promotion to Blue Square Bet South via the Isthmian
League Premier Division Play-Offs in 2010.

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Big Sam welcomes new assistant
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce is preparing for his first game in charge this season with
some help from an unusual source
10.07.2012

Sam Allardyce is excited about taking charge of his first West Ham United
game this pre-season against Boreham Wood tonight as he welcomes a new
assistant manager to his coaching team. Rob Burgess-Allen won the right to
be Big Sam's right-hand man for the day during the auction at the Player
Awards back in May and arrived at Chadwell Heath early on Tuesday in a
chauffeur-driven Bentley to prepare for the game with the squad. Regular
assistant manager Neil McDonald will be on hand to offer some words of
wisdom to Rob, whose new boss thinks it will offer a good taste of what goes
on behind-the-scenes on a matchday. "Rob can get a bit of insight and be
close to the way we prepare and do things at this stage of the season, which
is a lot more relaxed than later on in the season when the games are coming
thick and fast," Allardyce said. "I'm looking for him to be a good
communicator and introduce himself to the lads. He should just enjoy himself
and enjoy the fact that he's helping the Academy by bidding for the prize
and I hope he get value from what he has done. We'll welcome him and
hopefully give him a good day to remember. "I'm looking forward to seeing
Rob arrive in his chauffeur-driven Bentley to see the look on Neil
McDonald's face to say 'Why do I never get treated like that?'"

The match has been arranged as part of the transfer of Development Squad
midfielder Pelly Ruddock from The Wood to West Ham in December. As such, it
is expected that Big Sam will start with a strong team at Meadow Park,
before introducing some younger players such Ruddock, Kenzer Lee, Leo
Chambers and Blair Turgott later on in the game. "It's going to be a good
day as we got one of their young players in and part of the deal was to play
a pre-season game. As early as this is, it's good for the first-team squad
to get in another 45 minutes. It helps Boreham Wood and it helps our lads in
their preparation."

With the Hammers' trip to Austria last week focusing on intensive training
work, Big Sam stayed in the UK to focus on securing more new faces for West
Ham's Barclays Premier League return. He was in regular contact with
McDonald and the coaching staff and was pleased with the progress the team
made while they were there. "Everyone seems to be moving along quite well.
There was a small incident with Guy Demel got caught in the eye but he
should be back in a couple of days.
"Right now, our main is to improve the quality of the squad and get some new
faces in as quickly as possible. That has been the most difficult task of
the summer."

West Ham United have been allocated 2,250 tickets for tonight's game, which
kicks-off at 7.30pm. Tickets are available on the gate from £16 for adults
and £10 concessions. Please see whufc.com's ticket news page for more
information.

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Boreham Wood 1 West Ham Utd 1
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 10th July 2012
By: Staff Writer

Little Sam once again staked a claim for a place in Big Sam'a first team
plans for next season when he grabbed a second goal inside a week at Meadow
Park tonight.
The former MK Dons striker, who endured a frustrating second half of last
season after he was constantly overlooked followed up his goal against
Austria Wien on Saturday with another against the Conference South side
tonight. However Baldock's goal still wasn't enough to produce a win as West
Ham stuttered against the plucky non-leaguers, who were unlucky not to grab
a surprise win from the game. In the end the home side had to settle for a
draw despite looking more the more likely to grab a winner, after Inih
Effiong capitalised on a mistake by Eoin Wearen to score the home side's
goal just six minutes into the second half.

We'll have more details from Meadow Park for you shortly...

West Ham Utd: Jaaskelainen (Larkins 46), Driver (Chambers 46), McCartney
(Potts 46), Spence (Reid 46), K.Lee (Wearen 46), Noble (Taylor 46), Moncur
(O'Neil 46), Ruddock (Morrison 46), Fanimo (Turgott 46), Vaz Te (Nolan 46),
Baldock (Maynard 46).

Subs not used: Baxter, Shaw, Powell.

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CK-R on trial
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 10th July 2012
By: Staff Writer

West Ham have taken former Sheffield United striker Colin Kazim-Richards on
trial. The Leytonstone-born forward, a former Arsenal youth team player has
joined the Hammers at Chadwell Heath this week in order that Sam Allarcye
may run the rule over him. Now 25, Kazim-Ricards has been playing abroad for
the last five years having moved from Sheffield United to Fenerbahce in
2007. Having spent three-and-a-half mostly successful years in Turkey he was
shipped off to French club Toulouse on loan in January 2010, having fallen
out with then-Fenerbahce boss Cristoph Daum following a much-publicised car
accident. After returning to Turkey, Kazim-Richards spent the first half of
the 2010/11 campaign back with Fenerbahce before they terminated his
contract - upon which, he moved to fellow Turkish club Galatasaray. However
after just half a season with Gala - during which he scored against his
former club - he moved to Greece in order to join Olympiakos on loan for the
second half of the 2011/12 campaign. Despite having the option to make the
dela pemanent this summer Kazim-Richards was not retained by the
Piraeus-based club and has since returned to Turkey, since when he has been
invited to West Ham for a trial. Whilst he is not expected to feature at
Boreham Wood tonight, Kazim-Richards could make an appearance for the
Hammers when they travel to Southend this weekend.

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Allardyce: my 'difficult' transfer window
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 10th July 2012
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce has admitted that his search for new players this summer has
been a frustrating experience. The West Ham boss, who takes his team for the
first time in pre-season this evening when they visit non-league Boreham
Wood told whufc.com that he had endured a 'difficult' time trying to make
additions to the squad that won a return to the top flight via the play-off
Final in May. Having been linked with a whole host of potential signings
since the beginning of June, Allardyce, who remained in the UK last week
whilst the first team squad travelled to Austria, has managed to bag four
players - not one of whom has commanded anything more than a nominal
transfer fee. Goalkeepers Stephen Henderson and Jussi Jaaskelainen, former
loanee George McCartney and ex-Wigan midfielder Momo Diame have all joined
the squad for next season, however Allardyce readily admits that his squad
still requires further improvement. "Right now, our main aim is to improve
the quality of the squad and get some new faces in as quickly as possible,"
he said. "That has been the most difficult task of the summer."

Looking ahead to tonight's game, which was arranged as part of the deal that
took young midfielder Pelly Ruddock from Boreham Wood to West Ham last
winter, Allardyce believes that the match will be a good exercise for his
players who only returned from their midsummer break ten days ago. "As early
as this is, it's good for the first-team squad to get in another 45
minutes," said Allardyce, who will be taking a full-strength squad to Meadow
Park tonight. "It helps Boreham Wood and it helps our lads in their
preparation. It's going to be a good day."

* Guy Demel, who travelled with the squad to Austria last week but didn't
feature against Austria Wien on Saturday missed out as the result of a minor
injury. "There was a small incident with Guy [who] got caught in the eye,
but he should be back in a couple of days," revealed Allardyce.

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Big Sam eyes more additions
Boss still working on 'improving quality' of Hammers squad
Last Updated: July 10, 2012 5:27pm
SSN

Sam Allardyce is keen to add more new faces to his West Ham squad 'as
quickly as possible' as they prepare for their return to the Premier League.
The Hammers have already brought in four fresh signings with the captures of
goalkeepers Jussi Jaaskelainen and Stephen Henderson, midfielder Mohamed
Diame and defender George McCartney. But manager Allardyce says he has not
finished bolstering his squad, with several out-of-contract players having
already left. He told the club's official website: "Right now, our main
(aim) is to improve the quality of the squad and get some new faces in as
quickly as possible. "That has been the most difficult task of the summer."
West Ham have been linked with a host of targets ahead of their return to
the top-flight following promotion last season, including Inter Milan
veteran Dejan Stankovic and Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku.

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Can You Imagine Andy Carroll in Claret & Blue?
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die

The rumours have been circulating all evening, and tomorrow's Daily Mail has
the story that West Ham are trying to secure the services of England striker
Andy Carroll on a year long loan. Yes, you read that right. It will no doubt
be seen by some as the owners giving us all hope that a star player is about
to be signed, only for it to come to nowt, but according to Lee Clayton, a
football journalist and Hammers fan, they are deadly serious.

As it happens, I am quite a fan of Carroll. He has had a torrid time at
Liverpool. mainly because he was never played in the right position. His
record at Newcastle shows what he is capable of. OK, many of his goals were
in the Championship, but he scored 14 in 33 Premier League appearances for
Newcastle, which is a good record. Six in 42 for Liverpool is not so
impressive. But to balance that, he's scored 6 in 18 England games at all
levels and 2 in 7 full internationals.

After the season he had last year, his performances at Euro 2012 were highly
creditable and it was obvious to see that no defender relished playing
against him.

Do I think he would come to West Ham? In all honesty, no I don't. But
stranger things have happened. I suspect much might depend on what kind of
relationship he enjoyed with Sam Allardyce when he was at Newcastle.
Allardyce picked him 4 times but then packed him off on loan to Preston
where he only scored 1 goal in 11 games. And then of course, we should
remember that Kevin Nolan is his best mate.

* There are also rumours that a deal for a foreign striker has been agreed.
No idea who.
* Sam Baldock scored in the 1-1 draw at Borehamwood earlier - his second
goal in two games.

UPDATE: Here's an extract from the Mail piece...

West Ham are set to launch an ambitious bid for England striker Andy
Carroll. Sam Allardyce wants to make a marquee signing ahead of his club's
return to the Barclays Premier League and West Ham's owners are prepared to
break their budget for the Liverpool No 9. However, they face stiff
competition from Fulham, who are prepared to offer Clint Dempsey plus cash
as part of any deal, while there is also interest from Italy. West Ham are
proposing an initial loan with a view to buying Carroll for around
£15million. That would represent a huge loss for Liverpool, who signed the
forward for £35m in January 2011.

But Carroll, 23, is facing an uncertain future at Anfield after Liverpool
manager Brendan Rodgers refused to dismiss the idea he could leave on loan.
Significantly, Rodgers would not give any assurances about Carroll's future
when presented with the opportunity on Monday and a switch to Upton Park
could prove enticing. Allardyce's style of play would suit Carroll, while he
would also link up with close friend and former Newcastle captain Kevin
Nolan.

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Colin Kazim-Richards on Trial, as the Joselu Speculation Resurfaces!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

Kumb have reported that West Ham have taken former Sheffield United forward
Colin Kazim-Richards on trial. Kazim-Richards has been playing abroad for
the last five years, having moved from Sheffield United to Fenerbahce in
2007. Still only 25 years of age, the Leytonstone born forward has been
invited to the club's Chadwell Heath training base so that West Ham can
assess the player's fitness and form. Finally, the Joselu from Real Madrid
speculation has resurfaced. Allegedly, the club are prepared to go up to £6m
in order to capture the German born centre-forward. Originally, Real Madrid
wanted £7m, but it is reported that West Ham are trying to cut a deal with
the Spanish giants. I think it is a case of believing it when we see it
happen!

SJ. Chandos.

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Sam's a Carr dealer
The Sun
By PHIL THOMAS
Last Updated: 11th July 2012

ANDY CARROLL is a sensational transfer target for West Ham's Sam Allardyce.
But the £35million hitman insisted last night he aims to stay at Liverpool
to fight for his place. Boss Brendan Rodgers had revealed he is ready to
loan out the Anfield record buy. Italian giants AC Milan are keen, but
Hammers owner David Sullivan believes it would be the perfect opportunity to
reunite the Geordie hitman with ex-Newcastle manager Allardyce. Sullivan is
backing a season-long loan even though they may have to pay his
£80,000-a-week wages. However, the Hammers will hope they can strike a deal
similar to Manchester City's arrangement with Spurs over Emmanuel Adebayor
last season. Another key player in the deal will be West Ham skipper Kevin
Nolan, who is Carroll's best mate from their Newcastle days. But last night
a close friend of Carroll's revealed: "There is no chance of Andy leaving
Liverpool. He is staying put. "So AC Milan can forget it and he won't be
going back to Newcastle or joining West Ham either — on loan or otherwise."

Carroll, 23, has failed to make a big impact on Merseyside and scored only
four goals last season. Rodgers said on Monday: "A loan is something I would
have to look at. It can benefit the club in the long term." Roma have
confirmed Liverpool are interested in Italy striker Fabio Borini. The ace,
21, worked with Rodgers at Chelsea's Academy and Swansea. Roma director
Walter Sabatini said: "There is a real interest from Liverpool."

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Clyne to fly from Eagles
The Sun
Published: 10th July 2012

CRYSTAL PALACE have admitted defeat in their bid to keep Nathaniel Clyne and
are ready to offload the wantaway defender. The right-back, 21, is out of
contract at Selhurst Park but the Eagles will still receive a compensation
fee due to his age. Manchester United, Newcastle and West Ham have all been
linked with the England Under-21 star. Palace chairman Steve Parish said:
"We need to do a deal with Clyne. "There is a bit of action in the
background and we know there is a lot of interest. "It is just about sorting
out who it is best to go to and who will put the right money on the table.
We're all working to get an outcome. "Clubs don't want to go down the
tribunal route. It is a game of cat and mouse on the fee — we've just got to
let that play out."

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Cockney Carroll! West Ham plotting shock one-year loan swoop for big Andy
The Mirror

Andy Carroll is ready to fight for his Anfield future...despite becoming a
sensational target for West Ham. The London club have joined the chase to
capture the England striker, and believe they have a trump card over AC
Milan, who have also expressed their admiration for the Liverpool forward.
Route one natural: Carroll could stick his head on it for Big Sam at West
Ham Carroll's best mate and mentor is Hammers midfielder Kevin Nolan, and
boss Sam Allardyce believes that relationship could tip the balance in his
favour. Senior figures at West Ham confirmed they are ready to approach
Liverpool with a proposal for a year-long loan deal for a player who played
under Allardyce at Newcastle. The stumbling block would be money, with West
Ham unlikely to be able to afford wages that are around the £80,000 a week
mark - a figure that would present few problems for Milan. New Reds manager
Brendan Rodgers has admitted he will assess whether Carroll can fit into his
plans over the coming pre-season weeks, and prove he can operate in the new
system that will be adopted at Anfield.

Rodgers revealed earlier this week he could be persuaded to let the centre
forward go out on loan, with Milan the most likely destination given their
ability to pay the full amount of the striker's wages. Yet Carroll himself
has responded to suggestions his future at Liverpool is again under
pressure, by insisting he is prepared to fight for the right to be there
once more. The striker spent much of last year battling against the
skepticism of then manager Kenny Dalglish, who - according to Manchester
City - tried to arrange a swap deal involving Carlos Tevez last winter. That
arrangement fell through, and Carroll responded with some fine end of the
season form to not only revive his Anfield fortunes, but also force himself
into the England squad to play a role at Euro 2012. An impressive goal
against Sweden seemed to have settled his Reds future, but apparently cut
little ice with Rodgers, who wants to move away from a 4-4-2 formation, and
introduce a free-flowing three man forward line, without a traditional
centre forward.

The Liverpool boss is close to pulling off a deal to bring exciting young
Italian forward Fabio Borini to Anfield, and is also interested in Chelsea
striker Daniel Sturridge. While that suggests there is little chance of
regular games for Carroll at Anfield, sources close to the player have
insisted he will not leave without a fight, and is ready to scrap for the
chance show his new manager what he can do. The player has spoken at length
with Rodgers already, and expressed his desire to stay, even though the
manager made clear his preference for a progression towards a different
style at Anfield. Milan have confirmed their interest and already
investigated the prospect of a loan deal, but there is no enthusiasm from
within the Carroll camp for a move to Italy, and that could offer West Ham
some hope, given the player's close relationship with Nolan. Liverpool would
be more comfortable with letting Carroll go to a foreign club, reducing the
prospect of him returning to haunt them in the Premier League. They already
have a relationship with AC after agreeing a year long loan deal for Alberto
Aquilani last season.

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Jaaskelainen makes bow for West Ham as Big Sam's side draw at Boreham Wood
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 02:54, 11 July 2012 | UPDATED: 02:55, 11 July 2012
Daily Mail

Jussi Jaaskelainen made his West Ham bow as Sam Allardyce's side were held
to a 1-1 draw in a pre-season friendly at Boreham Wood. Sam Baldock followed
up his goal in the 3-1 defeat to Austria Vienna with the opening strike
after 27 minutes, finishing off some fine work from the lively Ricardo Va
Te. Despite being in control for much for the game, the Hammers - who
fielded two different sides for each half - were pegged back after the break
with Inih Effiong punishing some lacklustre defending.

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Sam Allardyce wants to sign Liverpool's Andy Carroll for West Ham
• West Ham believed to want England striker on loan
• Permanent transfer for £15m could follow
Share 38
Staff and agencies
The Guardian, Wednesday 11 July 2012

Sam Allardyce is believed to be about to make a bid for Liverpool's England
striker Andy Carroll. West Ham are proposing an initial loan with a view to
buying the 23-year-old for around £15m who signed from Newcastle United for
£35m in January, 2011. West Ham, returning to the Premier League after their
relegation last year, may face opposition for Carroll from a number of other
clubs after reports emerged suggesting Liverpool had let it be known that
they were willing to listen to offers for the player.

Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, said on Monday that the possibility
of loaning Carroll is "something I would have to look at" although he did
indicate that he would give the forward time to see if he would fit into his
plans at Anfield.

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Now Hammers want Liverpool's Carroll! Big Sam seeks loan deal for Kop misfit
By SIMON JONES and DOMINIC KING
PUBLISHED: 22:50, 10 July 2012 | UPDATED: 22:50, 10 July 2012
Daily Mail

West Ham are set to launch an ambitious bid for England striker Andy
Carroll. Sam Allardyce wants to make a marquee signing ahead of his club's
return to the Barclays Premier League and West Ham's owners are prepared to
break their budget for the Liverpool No 9. However, they face stiff
competition from Fulham, who are prepared to offer Clint Dempsey plus cash
as part of any deal, while there is also interest from Italy. West Ham are
proposing an initial loan with a view to buying Carroll for around
£15million. That would represent a huge loss for Liverpool, who signed the
forward for £35m in January 2011. But Carroll, 23, is facing an uncertain
future at Anfield after Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers refused to
dismiss the idea he could leave on loan. Fulham could yet hold a trump card
with Dempsey as Rodgers is a confirmed admirer of the USA forward, who is in
the final 12 months of his contract at Craven Cottage. The interest from
Italy in Carroll, who is on holiday, is not just from AC Milan but it is
debatable whether a move to Serie A would appeal to him. Carroll, who has
scored 11 goals in 59 appearances for Liverpool, has not given any
indication he wants to leave Merseyside but may struggle for regular starts
in Rodgers' new regime.

Significantly, Rodgers would not give any assurances about Carroll's future
when presented with the opportunity on Monday and a switch to Upton Park
could prove enticing. Allardyce's style of play would suit Carroll, while he
would also link up with close friend and former Newcastle captain Kevin
Nolan. Rodgers is expected to make Fabio Borini his first signing in a £10m
deal after Roma confirmed Liverpool's interest. The new Kop boss is just as
keen on tying down Luis Suarez, whose deal runs to June 2016. Liverpool want
to extend his contract and increase his £80,000-a-week pay to be in line
with the club's highest earners. When asked if the club were any closer to
announcing Suarez's new deal, Rodgers said: 'We hope so. He has really
bought into what we are trying to do. He was really excited about how we
played at Swansea last year.'

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*********NOT STRICTLY WEST HAM RELATED ***************

Prem captains accused in betting scam
Saints legend Lundekvam reveals 'fraud'
The Sun
By DAN KING, Sport Uncovered
Last Updated: 11th July 2012

A SENSATIONAL betting scandal rocked the Premier League last night. Former
Southampton captain Claus Lundekvam has blown the lid on systematic fraud by
top-flight players. The stars made thousands of pounds by spot-fixing — just
like the three jailed Pakistan cricketers. Lundekvam, 39, insists other
Premier League skippers colluded with the betting scam. In a series of
startling interviews in his native Norway, Lundekvam claimed that he and
fellow Saints aces raked in thousands betting on their own games — for a
spell, doing it 'almost every week'. He alleged they used club staff to put
big stakes on incidents like the first throw-in or corner, that they
conspired with captains from opposing teams to ensure the bets came off and
that the problem was rife in a Premier League where players lived in a
'bubble'.

Lundekvam, who played for Saints from 1996 to 2008 and won 40 Norway caps,
said: "It's not something I'm proud of. "For a while we did this almost
every week. We made a fair bit of money. We could make deals with the
opposing captain about, for example, betting on the first throw, the first
corner, who started with the ball, a yellow card or a penalty. "Those were
the sorts of thing we had influence over."

But Lundekvam insisted he and his team-mates had never doctored the result
of a game. He added: "The results were never on the agenda. That is
something I would never have done. We were professional competitors. Even
though what we did, of course, was illegal, it was just a fun thing." The
English and global football authorities, not to mention the police and the
Premier League's millions of fans worldwide, are unlikely to take the same
view. Betting on penalties, in particular, would take the fixing into new
territory since the outcome of matches would clearly be affected if a goal
was scored. And Lundekvam, who fell into cocaine and alcohol abuse after
retiring in 2008, insists it was not just Saints players who were breaking
the law and FA rules. He declared: "I know it happened at other clubs as
well. "We footballers live in a bubble. It was part of the lifestyle and the
excitement. Whatever we could bet on, we bet on."

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We made deals with opposing captains every single week
The Sun
By DAN KING, Sport Uncovered
Last Updated: 11th July 2012

WHEN Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier claimed he had taken part in a
failed betting coup, some in English football treated it as a bit of a joke.
Good old Le Tiss, they thought. A God on the pitch but he could not even
pull off a simple scam with a throw-in. But no one should be laughing any
more. Because the alleged incident in 1995 against Wimbledon was not a
one-off. It now appears spot-fixing was rife. Not only at Southampton, but
throughout the Premier League. And with the continuing expansion in legal
and illegal betting markets all over the world, the suspicion must be that
it is still going on. And that all the football folk who slammed cricket
corruption when the News of the World exposed the Pakistan cheats need to
take a long, hard look at their own game. Claus Lundekvam became a
Southampton hero having arrived at The Dell to play alongside Le Tissier a
year after the Wimbledon match. Now he may be remembered as the man who
exposed another of English football's dirty little secrets. And one of the
most shocking things about his account of spot-fixing is... how easy it all
was. The former Norway international said: "It's something I was involved in
for a number of years in England. "I bet on my own matches. There were often
several players who put money in the pot — several hundred pounds each,
sometimes a thousand each. "We would then give the money to one of the staff
who would put the money on for us, so we didn't have to do it ourselves and
so create suspicion. We would bet for example on the first throw-in. "We
would have an agreement with the opposing team that whoever had the kick-off
would pass the ball back to a defender who would then play it forward down
the channel where an opposing defender would kick the ball out for a
throw-in. "It's a pretty normal start to a game, no one would have suspected
and it was very easy for us to control the little things like that. "We
could make deals with the opposing captain in relating to betting on the
first throw, the first corner, who started with the ball, a yellow card, a
penalty. "For a while we did this almost every week." His claims of
conspiracy with players on other teams imply widespread corruption. And
Lundekvam is adamant that Southampton players were not the only ones
breaking FA rules and the law of the land by betting on matches in which
they were involved. He added: "I'm not proud of being part of this. "We were
far from alone in this but that doesn't help. I know it happened at other
clubs. It was accepted... in matches at the end of the 1990s. "The bookies
were open to betting on these kind of things and it was easy for us to
manipulate. "I do not think it was sporting or morally right for us to do
what we did. But we had a chance to do it then, and that's just how it was.
"Even though what we did was illegal, it was quite fun to be part of. "We
made a fair amount of money on this. I can't really remember how much. But
we made money on it even though the odds weren't always high. "Even when the
odds weren't high, they were safe bets." But were the players not earning
enough money as players in one of the richest leagues in the world?
Lundekvam, now 39, said: "Yes, absolutely. We footballers live in a bubble.
"We are betting all the time when we are together, whether it's card games
on the bus or something else. "It's part of our lifestyle, the adrenalin and
the excitement. Whatever we could bet on, we bet on it." Stories of players
like Steve Claridge losing hundreds of thousands on the horses and rows
between England stars over card schools have long been public knowledge. But
apart from Le Tissier's sort-of-confession, this is the first-time a Premier
League player has admitted doing exactly what Pakistan cricketers Salman
Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were found guilty of. In recent years,
there has been greater concern about lower league matches being corrupted by
betting.

In 2009, the FA handed down bans to three Accrington Stanley players and one
from Bury who had bet on a League Two clash in 2008 between the two clubs. A
number of games in the old Football Conference — a competition now sponsored
by betting firm Blue Square — have also come under suspicion. And earlier
this month Kettering chairman George Rolls was banned from football for five
years after more than 3,000 breaches of betting regulations between 2007-10
— when he had been chairman at Cambridge United and Weymouth — and for
misconduct relating to the investigation. But the Premier League has
remained pretty much undisturbed by betting scandals since the 1990s. Former
Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobelaar and ex-Wimbledon players John Fashanu
and Hans Segers were all cleared of allegations of match-fixing. No players
were implicated in the bizarre case of Far Eastern betting syndicates trying
to rig games by interfering with floodlights. Lundekvam's allegations raise
fresh doubts about the English game. Although the FA rules on betting were
less strict back in the late 1990s, he knew that what he and his fellow
stars were doing was in breach of those regulations and of the law. The
Premier League said last night that betting was an issue for the FA.
Rolls was charged under the Rule E8 of current FA regulations which make it
very clear that any 'participant' — from a board member to a player to a tea
lady — is forbidden from betting on any competition in which their club is
involved. They are also forbidden from passing on any information which they
know or suspect will be used for gambling.

An FA spokesman declined to comment on Lundekvam's claims but said:
"Participants are consistently reminded they cannot bet on any competition
in which they are involved. "The FA has strict policies on this and our
sanctions are wide-ranging. "All participants also have a duty to report any
such activity. "Football works closely with the gambling industry to monitor
all markets and activity and we have a unit focused on maintaining the
integrity of the sport."

Of course, there is a distinction between breaking rules on betting and
match-fixing. But the fans who pay big money to watch Premier League matches
and the hundreds of millions of armchair supporters who watch the game on TV
will now be less certain whether they can trust what they are seeing.
Lundekvam's allegations came as a result of a betting scandal unfolding in
Norway. He said it would be naive to think that such things did not go on in
Norwegian football.
The same could now be said of the English game.

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