Daily WHUFC News - 13th July 2012

Macca pleased with workout
WHUFC.com
Neil McDonald was happy to see the players come through another tough
pre-season workout
12.07.2012

West Ham United assistant manager Neil McDonald was pleased with what he
deemed as another good workout for the Hammers in the 1-1 draw at Boreham
Wood on Tuesday night. Sam Baldock scored for the second consecutive
pre-season friendly to put Hammers ahead before the home side equalised just
after the break.
"It was a good work-out," said McDonald. "Although it would have been nice
to have won, it is not about results, it is about building up the fitness,
building up the endurance as well, something which we have been working hard
on for the last week and a half. "I thought it was a really, really good 45
minutes for the first-team boys and now we move on to more training for the
rest of the week and look forward to getting another game under our belts on
Saturday against Southend."

The Hammers played a different XI for each half to allow the senior players
a good run-out, as well letting younger players grab a chance including
former Wood player Pelly Ruddock, who captained the side for the first 45
minutes against his former club. With Southend United up next for the
Hammers on Saturday, followed by matches at Oxford United and Colchester
United within the next ten days, preparation for the new season is already
in full flow. "We have come back a bit earlier than others. We had a fairly
good break and we wanted to come back and make sure that every player hits
the ground running. You can space it all the sessions out nicely and no one
gets stale. "We want to come in, work them hard, give them a little bit of
rest and then work them again. Let's hope the strategy works in the first
game against Aston Villa."

McDonald was pleased to also be able to offer some game time to next
generation of Hammers stars. Ruddock was joined in the first half by Jake
Larkins, George Moncur, Matthias Fanimo and Callum Driver. "It was great to
give some of the younger boys some game time. Pelly came from Boreham Wood
last year and he has settled down at the club well. It was good experience
for him to captain the side in the first half against the club he used to
play for."

James Tomkins and new signing Mohamed Diame were two of the absentees due to
the pair being called up to represent Great Britain and Senegal respectively
at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Although not available for the Hammers
during that time, McDonald is happy that both players will be up to speed
before the start of the season. "It is okay them both being there - they are
going to be playing quality games in a quality competition. They will be
playing in front of huge crowds. It is not as if they are away and not
training so pre-season will be good for them and I think it will be a
feel-good factor for everybody when they come back. "No matter how they get
on, the other players will be asking them about the whole experience. That
feeling will re-bound and will energise everyone and be good for when we
start."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Maynard out to impress
Hammers striker has no regrets about January switch
Last Updated: July 12, 2012 12:42pm
SSN

Nicky Maynard says his decision to move to West Ham has been justified by
their promotion to the Premier League. The striker was criticised for
leaving Bristol City in January as some suggested his reasons for switching
were money-motivated. Maynard stressed at the time that he had opted to head
to Upton Park because he was convinced they would give him the opportunity
to play at the highest level. He is now gearing up for the new season and is
determined to help West Ham retain their top-flight status. "It is every
English footballer's dream to play in the Premier League and that is the
main reason I left Bristol City," the 25-year-old told London 24.

Self-belief

"I wanted to play in the Premier League as quickly as possible. West Ham
came in for me, who were in the Championship at the time, but I knew that
they would go into the Premier League. "I am here now and it is down to me
to produce and stay in the top flight with West Ham." Maynard hit three
goals for the Hammers as they clinched promotion via the play-offs, and he
is confident he can hold down a regular starting berth next season. "I
believe in my ability and I believe I can do the job," he stated. "The
gaffer has got so many strikers he can choose from, so it is down to us to
catch the eye in pre-season and try and win a place for the opening game."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Is the Guti Deal a Goner?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

According to Talk Sport, trialist Guti has failed to agree terms with the
club on a short-term contract. Hence, the former Real Madrid midfielder has
now allegedly moved to announce his retirement as a player. And it would
seem that a new coaching role at Real beckons! This has only come from one
media source, but if accurate, one must question the wisdom of the move in
the first place. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained I suppose? That is
the name of the trialist game.

Elsewhere in the media, the focus is almost exclusively on the Andy Carroll
to West Ham story. Apparently Carroll is due for showdown talks with Brendan
Rogers before a decisision on a loan or permanent is made. There is a lot of
talk around whether, given the right circumstances, Liverpool would prefer a
loan or permanent transfer? Some sources seem to believe that the latter
course of action is Liverpool's preference and that Fulham may steal a march
by agreeing a part-exchange deal involving Clint Dempsey. Personally, even
allowing for Dempsey's valuation, I would not see Fulham as a club that
would spend that kind of transfer fee. Although, some would also say that
same about West Ham and an alleged permanent transfer fee, one year hence,
of £15m!

You really cannot blame supporters for being cynical, afterall we have been
here quite a few times in the past with the likes of Beckham and Tevez. But
it does make sense if you look at it from the board's perspective. The right
loan deal would see us secure a current England international, for the
duration of the forthcoming season, for little more than his c.£70,000
salary costs, and there is even a suggestion that Liverpool might contribute
to that. Alternatively, it is being suggested that Liverpool may be seeking
a season long loan fee. Whatever the case, an alleged West ham insider has
been quoted as stating that the deal has about a 10% chance of being
completed. Attach whatever importance that you will to that quote. There are
obvious links between Carroll and the club, in the form of Allardyce and
Nolan, but we shall have to wait and see whether they might be a significant
factor?

Amidst the Carroll media feeding frenzy, Clint Dempsey's potential
availability has been largely mentioned as an addendum to the big story.
Dempsey is a player that many fans would like to see at Upton Park. It is
one of those 'in the last year of his contract' scenarios, so whoever
entices Fulham to sell will undoubtedly get a good value deal. Still, if
Liverpool are actually interested, then it is likely to be a done deal,
whether part of a move for Carroll or separate from it.

This is turning out to be a frustrating transfer window, even though it is
early and there is still plenty of time left for further deals. Often a big
deal provides the financial catalyst that sets off a number of subsiduary
moves in the transfer market. As always, all we can do is monitor the
situation and hope that we get some more quality additions to the squad.

SJ. Chandos.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ain't about the cha-ching, cha-ching: West Ham balk at "crazy" £11m price
tag on Wolves winger Jarvis
The Mirror

Wanderers boss Stale Solbakken has admitted he'd be prepared to sell both
Jarvis and striker Steven Fletcher. Wolves have been told by West Ham they
have no chance of getting the £11million they want for winger Matt Jarvis.
Wanderers boss Stale Solbakken has admitted he'd be prepared to sell both
Jarvis and striker Steven Fletcher. Stoke are also keen on 26-year-old
Jarvis but the amount of money sought by the Molineux club has been
described as 'crazy'. West Ham have already bid £4m for the made it clear to
Wolves that they have no intention of increasing their bid to anywhere near
double figures.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Unhappy Hammer: Ricardo Vaz Te ready to quit West Ham over wage demands
The Mirror

The former Barnsley striker feels he deserves similar cash to their other
star men like Team GB defender James Tomkins on around £35,000-a-week .
Ricardo Vaz Te is ­considering quitting West Ham after being turned down for
a second mega wage rise by club chiefs. Portuguese forward Vaz Te was a
revelation at Upton Park last season after a bargain £500,000 January switch
from Barnsley. The marksman ended up bagging 24 goals, with 12 for the
Hammers including their play-off winner against Blackpool at Wembley. That
got him hugs and kisses from Sam Allardyce. But their next meeting might not
be so cordial after Vaz Te's nasty surprise for his gaffer. MirrorSport has
learned that the 24-year-old is weighing up a future away from the London
club. He wants a team to challenge for a top-10 Premier League finish and is
not encouraged by West Ham's transfer activity so far.

Vaz Te also feels after his heroics last season, he deserves parity with the
club's top earners – some of whom are on nearly double his wages. Vaz Te has
held recent talks with Allardyce but remains unhappy with his terms. His pay
has virtually doubled to £20,000 a week thanks to a clause in his contract
after the Hammers reached the top flight. But he feels he should pocket as
much as other stars, such as Team GB defender James Tomkins, who is on
£35,000 a week. Now Vaz Te is considering his options and may even slap in a
transfer request. That would be bad news for those Hammers fans who have
been hero-worshipping him.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Olympic Stadium: West Ham and Leyton Orient Both Want To Move In
LBC
Thursday 12th July 2012

LBC 97.3 can reveal both West Ham Utd and Leyton Orient football clubs are
bidding to move into the Olympic Stadium after London 2012. The London
Legacy Development Corporation has confirmed it received four official bids
by this lunchtime's latest deadline. It's the third time the bidding process
has been run, after the LLDC re-opened the process in May and the Hammers
were thwarted with taking over of the stadium last year because of legal
challenges. Whoever is chosen will be 'concessionaries' or tenants sharing
the stadium along with UK Athletics. The 2017 World Athletics Championships
will also be staged in Stratford.

A decision isn't expected til September at the earliest with the aim of
using the Stadium in 2014. A spokesperson for the London Legacy Development
Corporation said "The London Legacy Development Corporation has received
four bids from parties interested in becoming concessionaires of the Stadium
after the Games. The Legacy Corporation will assess the bid submissions to
determine the winning concessionaires to occupy the Stadium alongside
athletics."

But our Olympics Correspondent John Cushing's understands both West Ham Utd
and Leyton Orient are definitely 2 of the 4. It's believed the Premier
League newboys see their long term future away from Upton Park and in the
Olympic Park with the aim of creating a long term legacy for the Stadium.
The O's have also re-entered the process with a source telling us it would
be a 'dream' to move in but admits it would be a gamble too. Both clubs are
restricted from talking about it officially because of confidentially
clauses.

But the University of East London has confirmed to LBC 97.3 its withdrawn
its bid, in partnership with Essex Cricket Club, for the latest process. A
University of East London spokesperson said "The University of East London
has decided that it will not be proceeding with its submission in relation
to the Olympic Stadium. As a university, we continue to have a strong
interest in ensuring students and staff can gain full benefit from the
world-class facilities within the Olympic Park, as well as contributing to
the overall legacy of the London 2012 Games."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Is West Ham start easy or fixtures fraught with danger?
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Thursday, July 12, 2012
12:50 PM


West Ham's opening six games avoid any of the big Premier League teams, but
does that mean it is a soft start?

There must have been many West Ham fans jumping for joy when the fixture
list came out last month. Not only were the Hammers back in the Premier
League, they had also been given the sort of fixtures in the first six games
that they could only have dreamed about. One man who was certainly pleased
with the fixtures was manager Sam Allardyce, according to striker Nicky
Maynard. "The gaffer has already said to us that when you look at the first
few games, they could have been a lot harder," revealed Maynard after
Tuesday night's 1-1 friendly draw at Boreham Wood. "But it is still down to
us to get off to a great start and the better start we have, the better
chance of staying in the league. "If we can do that, then come Christmas
time we can start enjoying our football a lot more without the worry of
relegation."

It sounds idyllic, but there were words of caution from experienced and wise
head Matt Taylor who is not taken in by the idea of easy games. "For me,
every game in the Premier League is not an easy game," insisted Taylor. "I
have never played in an easy game in the Premier League and this season will
be the same. A lot of teams might go into a game against Manchester United
in a different mindset to a game against a lesser team, which I think is
wrong. "We're going into every game this season believing we can win,
because if you don't have that winning mentality, then I don't think there
is any point in playing."

One thing is for certain, although as Taylor says, there are no easy games
in the top flight, there are certainly some that are easier than others.
Looking at West Ham's clashes against the likes of Swansea City, Norwich
City, Sunderland and QPR, they will certainly be looking to take advantage
and post some early points.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Moore will be expected from West Ham's James Tomkins as he goes for gold
The Evening Standard
Simon Johnson
12 July 2012

Not for the first time in his career, James Tomkins is trying to ignore talk
that he can emulate West Ham legend Bobby Moore. Ever since he progressed
through the Upton Park academy, where he started out as a forward before
becoming a centre-half, Moore's name has been consistently linked with his
own. Unsurprisingly, the 23-year-old has always regarded England's World
Cup-winning captain as a source of inspiration but trying to follow in his
footsteps has proved a heavy burden. Tomkins has not had a chance to make an
impression in the senior England team yet, although he has appeared at all
levels from Under-16s to Under-21s.

However, Tomkins is in Stuart Pearce's Great Britain squad for the Olympics
and hopes to win a gold medal in the final on August 11 at Wembley, where
Moore lifted football's greatest prize in 1966. Naturally, the chance to
follow in Moore's footsteps has stirred up more comparisons with his hero
but, as Tomkins prepares for a warm-up friendly against Brazil on July 20,
he is doing his best not to let it distract him from achieving his goals.
Asked if was feeling the weight of expectations on his shoulders, Tomkins
said: "Yeah, of course. I feel as though I'm representing West Ham as I'm
the only player here, it's a big honour. "In terms of what Bobby Moore
achieved, I don't try to think about that too much. His achievements were
unbelievable and to get anywhere near that would be massive but I just take
each game as it comes and try to get in the team. "The Olympics is going to
be an incredible experience for all of us, we've just got to try to take it
all in. I'm looking forward to the Games, taking part for Great Britain.

"It's going to be unbelievable being in London as well — the Olympic Park is
so local to me. "I've seen so much building work going on there over the
years, I've seen it develop and it's a massive place. "I've been travelling
past it every day for years now and it's going to be incredible for the
whole country."

One of Moore's most famous games for England was when he starred against the
Brazil side that boasted Pele, Rivelino and Tostao at the 1970 World Cup.
Now Tomkins is hoping to get the chance to shine against the latest
generation of Brazilian stars such as Neymar, Hulk, Lucas Moura and Oscar at
Middlesbrough next Friday. He said: "You know what to expect when it comes
to Brazil. They are technically very good and we'll have periods of the game
where we might not have too much of the ball, so we'll have to be very
disciplined as a team. "I've watched Brazil so many times over the years and
you know they bring up the young lads the exact same way. I'm looking
forward to it as an experience of another country I've not played before and
hopefully I can be part of the match."

Tomkins is one of 13 English players named in coach Pearce's 18-man squad,
with the rest of the contingent, including captain Ryan Giggs, coming from
Wales.
It is still early days but Tomkins insists things have been progressing well
at the squad's training camp at Loughborough University. He said: "All the
lads here are familiar faces, there are a few Welsh lads here who I've
either played against or who have been at West Ham in the past. All the lads
seem to be getting on well, there's a good atmosphere this early on. "It's
early doors but we're just training and working to get to know each other.
It's a very talented group, so the lads don't need much training to get into
the swing of things."

Great Britain begin their Olympic campaign against Senegal on July 26,
before facing United Arab Emirates and Uruguay in their other group games.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham fail to agree terms with Guti
By talkSPORT | Thursday, July 12, 2012

West Ham's hopes of making a sensational swoop for former Real Madrid star
Guti have been ended after the midfielder announced he is set to retire
instead.
The 35-year-old had been training at Upton Park and was a free agent having
been released by Turkish side Besiktas. The Hammers were hopeful of agreeing
a deal for the playmaker, who is regarded as a legend and one of the
original Galacticos at Real, having spent 15 years at the club where he made
more than 500 appearances. But Guti was unable to agree terms with West Ham
and has now told Spanish newspaper AS that he will stop playing and take a
coaching course at Real's Valdebebas training ground instead.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gale: Carroll an Ideal Fit for Hammers
Tony Gale believes Andy Carroll would be a perfect fit for West Ham United
should Liverpool make him available for loan
By NICK HOWSON: Subscribe to Nick's RSS feed
July 12, 2012 10:41 AM GMT
Ibtimes.co.uk

Former West Ham United defender Tony Gale believes Andy Carroll would be an
ideal signing for The Hammers should Liverpool make him available for a
loan.
Reds manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted he is considering allowing Carroll
to spend the coming season on loan, and co-owner David Gold says the club
would be open to a move for the England international. And Gale, who made
300 appearances for West Ham between 1984 and 1994, is adamant that given
how Rodgers' footballing philosophy conflicts with Carroll physic, the
Liverpool forward would be at home with Sam Allardyce's side. Carroll scored
nine goals in his first full season for Liverpool. "With the links to Sam
[Allardyce] and Kevin Nolan, it could fit," Gale said. "You don't move for
friendships' sake but Kevin had a big influence on him at Newcastle and
tried to help him when he had a few wild times." "I don't think Carroll
will fit into Brendan Rodgers' style of play at Liverpool, with the way the
ball is moved about," he added. "If Liverpool play that way, which they
will, you'd think it will have to be [Luis] Suarez up front, so you wonder
where Andy would fit in.
"Brendan is pretty set in the way he wants to play and he's going to stick
to that philosophy - three in midfield, two out wide, one up front - but the
movement and the way they interchange won't suit Andy. "If you've got a
centre-forward like Andy Carroll you have to play to his strengths.

Rodgers earned a reputation for preferring a cautious passing game during
his time at Reading and Swansea City, rather than the direct style Liverpool
have often employed during Carroll's 18-month Reds career. While wholesale
changes aren't expected ahead of the new campaign, having finished a
disappointing eighth in the Premier League last season, and missed out on
qualification for the Champions League for a third successive year, Rodgers
is expected to adopt his own style at Anfield.

Meanwhile, West Ham, who earned promotion via the Championship play offs
last season, have already brought in goalkeeping pair Stephen Henderson and
Jussi Jaaskelainen, as well as George McCartney and Mohamed Diame. Gale
believes the addition of Carroll would play into the style of play manager
Allardyce has adopted at Upton Park. "The style would be different at West
Ham. I'm not saying it would be all long ball, but if you get wide and get
crosses in that's when he's at his best," he added. "He's still raw, he's
not got a lot of experience, and he needs game time. But when he's at his
best, and you saw that at Newcastle, he's a handful - a proper,
old-fashioned handful - and they're a rare breed. "Strikers are the
difference between staying in the Premier League and going out of it. And if
someone like Carroll becomes available you've got to get him in. Staying in
the Premier League is vital."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Vaz Te a happy Hammer
KUMb.com
Filed: Thursday, 12th July 2012
By: Staff Writer

West Ham's play-off hero Ricardo Vaz Te says he is happy with life at West
Ham as he prepares to return to the Premier League for the first time in
nearly four years. The last time the 25-year-old forward, who scored the
winning goal against Blackpool in May's Championship play-off Final,
featured in the English top flight was back in September 2008 when he played
in Bolton's 2-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford. And it has
been more than SIX years since he last scored a Premier League goal, with
his last coming on the final day of the 2005/06 season when he scored the
only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Birmingham.

And whilst he expressed his delight at being part of Sam Allardyce's latest
squad, Vaz Te admitted that he still harbours ambitions to play in his home
country at some stage, for the first time in his career. "I have another two
years on my contract and I'm happy at West Ham," he told a tabloid
newspaper. "But if something came up I'd analyse it. "I've never had the
chance to play in Portugal; if I did, of course I'd sit down with people and
study the offer."

Having represented his country at under 17, under 19, under 20, under 21 and
under 23 level Vaz Te - who moved to West Ham from Barnsley in the last
transfer window for just £500,000 - felt he had an outside chance of making
the Portuguese squad for the recent Euro 2012 Finals. That call failed to
arrive despite his outstanding form at West Ham in the final few months of
the 2011/12 campaign; something that RVT expressed his disappointment at.
"Without devaluing the players who were called up, I think I deserved to be
named," he insisted. More Sharing ServicesShare| Share on facebook Share on
twitter Share on email Share on print

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammer time for Modibo: Big Sam set to seal £4.5m deal for Maiga, but pulls
out of move for Gallas
The Mirror

Sam Allardyce is poised to take Sochaux striker Modibo Maiga to West Ham for
£4.5million. But the Hammers have pulled OUT of a move for veteran Spurs
defender William Gallas. It had been believed Frenchman Gallas would be keen
to cut his losses with new signing Jan Vertonghen poised to take his place
at White Hart Lane.
But the exorbitant wage demands of Gallas are proving too much for Hammers
who have decided to look elsewhere. Malian forward Maiga, 24, can also play
as a winger and has also been chased by Reading. But Allardyce has moved
quickly to strike a deal for the player on Thursday. The Hammers are now
confident of completing Maiga's signing over the next few days.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham defender Tomkins relishing chance to go for gold at the Olympics
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 00:23, 13 July 2012 | UPDATED: 01:31, 13 July 2012
Daily Mail

Local boy James Tomkins is struggling to take in how close he is to becoming
an Olympian. The Basildon-born defender has been at West Ham since he was
seven.
Almost every day since he heard London were going to host the Games in 2005,
he has travelled past the site upon which Usain Bolt will lead the charge
for glory in the 100m final on August 5. Yet never did Tomkins realistically
feel he had a chance of being involved until the countdown began to Stuart
Pearce announcing his Team GB squad.

Now Tomkins knows he will be a central figure, first at Old Trafford on July
26 when Great Britain open their campaign against Senegal, and then at
Wembley three days later when Group A outsiders UAE are the visitors. 'I
never expected it,' said the 23-year-old. 'All the years since we knew it
was coming to London, you never once thought you'd be taking part in it.
'I've seen so much building work going on over the years. I've been
travelling past it everyday. 'It's going to be incredible for the whole
country. We can't wait for it to begin.' It marks the next stage of what has
already turned out to be a year to remember for Tomkins following West Ham's
return to the Premier League. Although the Hammers have been more synonymous
with struggle for far too long now, their history is littered with stardust,
none more so than England's World Cup-winning skipper Bobby Moore, whose
feats on the international stage provide Tomkins with a pretty stiff target
to aim at. 'I feel like I'm representing West Ham as I'm the only player
here," said Tomkins. It's a big honour. I don't try to think of what Bobby
Moore achieved too much.
'What he did was unbelievable. To get anywhere near that would be massive.'

Tomkins is trying to soak everything in, which includes learning preparation
techniques from the likes of Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy during the present
training camp in Spain. It is the infusion of Welshmen that has made this
tournament such a unique experience, with the Football Association refusing
to state whether they will now consider participation in further Olympics.
'It feels weird saying I am taking part for Great Britain having represented
England all these years,' Tomkins said.
'But it's something I know I'll look back on in years to come and be very
proud and honoured to have been part of.'

Once they return from their training camp, Team GB will have just one
opportunity to work on their team patterns in a proper game, when Brazil
visit the Riverside Stadium as part of a double-header on July 20 that also
includes Hope Powell's women's outfit in action against Sweden. Any mention
of Brazil, at any age group, attracts special attention and this group in
particular look to be worth watching given the presence of
superstar-in-waiting Neymar, plus Manchester United defender Rafael and
much-touted Porto striker Hulk, one of three overage players. 'I've watched
Brazil so many times,' said Tomkins. 'They bring up their young lads in
exactly the same way. 'Thinking about it Middlesbrough had a few Brazilians
over the years. 'We know what to expect. Technically they will be very good
and we'll have periods of the game where we might not have too much of the
ball, so we'll have to be very disciplined.'

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://vyperz.blogspot.com