Daily WHUFC News - 14th October 2012

Macca passing on his expertise
WHUFC.com
Neil McDonald and Sam Allardyce are working hard to bring the Academy
youngsters closer to the first team
13.10.2012

There has always been a link between West Ham United's Academy and the first
team. Most will point out the many famous players that have started life in
Academy before making it through to wear the claret and blue of the senior
side. But the link is not just about the players of the past and present. A
new and extremely strong link between Sam Allardyce and his coaching staff
and Academy Director Tony Carr and his staff looks to have the future of the
Academy in good hands. Assistant manager Neil McDonald, who runs
professional ProSoccerSessions for coaches of all levels, gave an in-house
session at the Hammers' Chadwell Heath training ground to Academy coaches
recently. Working alongside the session McDonald was giving to those coaches
on the course, Academy coaches joined in and took part in demonstrations and
exercises based on roles and responsibilities in defence. McDonald said: "I
was asked by Tony [Carr] and Paul [Heffer, assistant Academy Director] to
put on an in-service coaching session for their coaching staff, working
alongside my ProSoccerSessions and this is what I did, mixing the two
together. "It was all about roles and responsibilities in defence, working
in units and then as 11v11 in different formations. I did a PowerPoint
presentation on what I was going to do and how I was going to go about it.
"It went really well, I enjoy doing these sessions anyway but I got great
feedback from the Academy coaches and that can only be good for the club as
a whole."

It was the first time such a session had been held for the Academy coaching
staff by a member of the first-team coaching staff. Carr explained: "We have
obviously watched training sessions for the first team, but this is the
first time a senior first-team coach has given a session and a presentation
like this to the Academy. "It is great - it is important for us and credit
should go to Sam [Allardyce] and Neil for doing this session. It does create
another strong link between bringing the young lads through. "Sam has got
the club back in the Barclays Premier League at the first attempt and is
keen to develop really strong links in all departments, which, as Neil says,
can only bode well for the club. He wants that link and relation from bottom
to top and it is another improvement here at the club, with us all working
together in the right direction."

McDonald will be holding another ProSoccerSession, which the Academy coaches
will be part of, on Wednesday 17 October at the training ground. This time
the theme will be roles and responsibilities in attack. "I was surprised
that the Academy has never had this input before, so it made me feel good,"
added McDonald "Showing them what and how the first-team work and what
things they can take to implement with the Academy players was good and will
hopefully benefit all round."

Neil McDonald's ProSoccerSession, Wednesday 17 October, Chadwell Heath
training ground, 6.30-9pm - for more details and to apply to attend go to
http://www.prosoccersessions.co.uk/index.html

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Prem stars caught up in riots
The Sun
By PHIL FOX
Published: 8 hrs ago

DIDIER DROGBA was attacked by a fan during an African Nations Cup riot last
night. The former Chelsea striker had just scored a penalty for Ivory Coast
when a Senegal supporter charged on to the pitch. Security men stopped the
thug from reaching Drogba - but that only sparked worse trouble. Manchester
City stars Kolo and Yaya Toure, Newcastle's Cheick Tiote and Arsenal star
Gervinho were among the Ivory Coast players left cowering as missiles were
hurled from the stands. But a statement from the Etihad confirmed: "Early
reports suggest the Toure brothers are unharmed." It added: "Disturbances
broke out as Didier Drogba put the Elephants 2-0 up, after what was deemed a
controversial penalty decision. "Fires were started in the stands and
missiles were launched on to the pitch." Drogba's second goal of the night
had made it 2-0 on the night - and 6-2 on aggregate - but celebrations soon
turned to horror. Senegal fans started the mayhem by burning objects in the
stands, causing a haze of smoke over the stadium and forcing the match to be
abandoned with 76 minutes on the clock.
Police herded dozens of Ivory Coast fans into the middle of the pitch - and
cars were finally driven on to help them escape as tear gas was fired at the
Senegal fans. Riot cops then escorted the Ivory Coast team away from the
Leopold Sedar Senghor Stadium. Security forces also made sure the Senegal
team - which included Newcastle pair Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, along with
West Ham's Mohamed Diame - were taken safely away from the ground. But as
the rioting continued, there were reports of angry clashes outside, with
bottles being thrown and people being taken away on stretchers. Senegal now
face sanctions from the Confederation of African Football. Sources from
inside the country said: "The match was halted and the Lions of Senegal will
not qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations."

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Yoss or no, Sam
Published: 8 hrs ago
The Sun

YOSSI BENAYOUN is desperate to play his way into Sam Allardyce's plans at
West Ham. The Israeli has hardly had a look in since returning to Upton Park
on loan from Chelsea in August. Now the midfielder has lost his
international spot after being axed for the World Cup double-header against
Luxembourg. Benayoun, 32, said: "There is an option to extend my loan. "My
ambition is to be here for a full season and to make it a good one. It's
great to be here but there's strength in depth."

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WEST HAM STRIKING GOLD
Express.co.uk
Sunday October 14,2012
By Ricco: On the inside of football

WEST Ham co-owner David Gold will soon find himself turfed out of his Upton
Park directors' box seat by a Ryder Cup hero. Gold, who was transfixed by
the 'Miracle of Medinah', revealed that someone tweeted him asking if he
would invite Francesco Molinari, one of TeamEurope, to a West Ham game
because the Italian was a Hammers fan. "I replied to say he was so welcome I
would even give him my seat," said Gold. "Amazingly, considering their
celebrations, I got a response from Francesco within an hour to say he'd be
honoured to take up my offer!

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