Daily WHUFC News - 16th December 2012

Cole stoked for West Brom return
WHUFC.com
Carlton Cole is looking to get one over his mentor and West Bromwich Albion
manager Steve Clarke
16.12.2012

Carlton Cole hopes to play just as big a part this Sunday against West
Bromwich Albion as he did the last time West Ham United visited The
Hawthorns.
Back in February 2011, Cole was among the scorers when the Hammers roared
back from 3-0 down at half-time to grab a thrilling 3-3 draw. The match had
plenty of drama, not only did the team claw their way back from defeat with
a brave header from Cole and a brace from Demba Ba, but it also saw an
inspirational half-time team talk delivered by then-Hammers midfielder Scott
Parker. Now flourishing under Sam Allardyce, whom Cole says is a 'top-notch'
manager, the No9 is looking to strike again and hopes that his team can
collect three points instead of one this time around. "I know we lost our
last game against Liverpool but I don't think it was a game we should have
lost," said Cole, "but the positives were that we played well against a team
like Liverpool. They are still a big team and no one can take away from us
the way we played against them. "We were just disappointed that we didn't
take the opportunity to win the game, but we are doing well and hopefully we
can do the same against West Brom and get a result."

Cole will come up against a West Brom side which is now managed by his
former Chelsea coach and ex-West Ham assistant manager Steve Clarke, as well
as another former West Ham man in coach Kevin Keen. "Steve was my coach when
I was a youth-team player at Chelsea. He was the one who pushed me through
to the first team. Jim Duffy had been there before that, but Steve replaced
him and I have always appreciated what he did for me. "He gave me a chance
and when he came to West Ham, it was like a blessing in disguise. I was
like, wow, Steve Clarke is here and he is going to get the best out of me,
because he knows me as a player. With him and Gianfranco Zola, it helped my
game. "I'm happy to see him with the No1 baton. He is doing what I thought
he could do because he knows about tactics. He learnt a lot from Jose
Mourinho and took it all on board. He is making West Brom into a good team
and I am pleased for him. But I have a few tricks up my sleeve, so hopefully
I can outwit him!"

While Cole had to play more of a role from the bench for much of this season
before Andy Carroll's injury saw him recalled to the starting XI in recent
weeks, he is enjoying life under Big Sam and being part of the team's solid
start to the season. The striker spoke to the press this week ahead of
Sunday's match and revealed how the manager has kept him concentrating on
the right things. "The gaffer has been top-notch to keep me in terms of
focus. It's a really hard skill to keep a player happy who has been playing
regularly but is then out of the team. When he first arrived, he said to me
that the secret to being a manager is keeping the ones that are not playing
happier than the ones that are playing. Full credit to him, because he's
doing his job and I know this is my chance now to make an impact. "In the
last two games I know I have made our fans happy and it's been a privilege
to play under Sam. The whole team is thriving under him and the atmosphere
is great around the place. "The manager has brought in the right people. He
may look to strengthen the team again, but we will also have injured players
coming back which will be key for us. Right now, we're looking to the future
and everyone's in a happy place."

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Captain's Blog
WHUFC.com
West Ham United skipper Kevin Nolan writes ahead of Sunday's trip to West
Bromwich Albion
15.12.2012

Hello to all and I hope everyone has had a good week. We put everything into
last Sunday's game against Liverpool and I think all of you who were there
and saw the match may have been going out of the stadium a bit bewildered by
the result. It was tough to take, especially after losing Mo Diame to injury
during the game. He had been such an influential figure for us in the team
and was having such a fantastic match, so to lose him for a few weeks now is
disappointing. But it was another good performance from us. We were
disappointed of course with the goals we conceded, but these have been
things we have been working on in training this week again to put right
ahead of our trip to West Bromwich Albion. We have just come out of what was
a tricky schedule of games for us. We break the games down into eight-game
slots with targets and we have met them both so far. It is now about
starting another little mini-league, with new targets for another eight
games and looking to achieve them again. If we can keep doing that, we can
look at the bigger picture and we can be where we want to be at the end of
the season.

As for West Brom, Steve Clarke and Kevin Keen are in charge there - two
former West Ham fellas who you will know well. We are really looking forward
to going there and matching them, because they are a fantastic side. We hope
that their bubble has burst a bit and we can go there on Sunday and get a
result. They will be a tough side to come up against, I don't think I have
ever been involved in an easy game at The Hawthorns, but we go there with
confidence.
We have a few injuries but it is about us all pulling together even more and
sticking close and working hard for each other and the team.I just think,
with us all mucking in together, we can get through times when we have a few
injuries or whatever. That is what we are all about as a team - if we put
the hard work in then hopefully we can get the results we deserve at the end
of it.

This week we saw what the possible plans could be if we are given the
Olympic Stadium to be our new home. I think it will be fantastic for the
club. Our Vice-Chairman, Karren Brady, came down to the training ground to
give us a presentation and to fill us in with what is happening at this
stage of the process and what the plans are. I must say, I was taken aback
about how superb it will look if we get the Stadium and I think it is going
to be absolutely magnificent for us, I really do. I think, as a club, we can
do the Olympic Stadium absolute justice. With our fans, we can not only fill
it but it will be fantastic for our club and for the whole of east London.
We would make sure it is a Stadium full of life and I think, as a club, it
will help us move on and build great teams for the future.
It will help us move towards bigger and better things, put us among the
elite facility-wise and help bring more top players to the club.

The last few days have seen us visit Whipps Cross Hospital and the Richard
House Children's Hospice.It was nice to get out in the community and spread
some Christmas cheer. Obviously the people we visited are going through
difficult times, but attending these events and visits is definitely
something myself and all the lads feel very passionate about. I would like,
on behalf of all of us, thank the hospital and the hospice for the time they
gave us to come in and see them. We know how much hard work and sacrifice is
made by the people working there. They are there for us if we need them, so
it was great to go there and put smiles on a few faces.

There is an update to the tea-making rota that I mentioned in my last blog.
Since then, I have seen our Head of Performance Analysis, David Woodfine
make a cup of tea - well, two to be fair - in the last three weeks. He made
one for himself and I think he made one for Jack Collison. That's
fantastic,, because he's learning and obviously he saw my comments on his
tea-making or lack of it in my last blog! So it is a thumbs-up for Woody, as
there has been a definite improvement on that front and it might mean I get
a cuppa off him as a Christmas present! I would like to finish off by saying
a big thank you to all of you who will be travelling to West Brom on Sunday
to cheer us on and, of course, all of you everywhere who will be willing us
to get a good result.

Come on you Irons!
Kevin Nolan
Captain

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West Bromwich Albion v West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 15th December 2012
By: Preview Percy

Next we visit The Hawthorns, home of West Bromwich Albion for a 4pm kick-off
on Sunday. I can't see any engineering work is due to take place on any of
the normal routes up there but as ever check before you travel.

The Baggies (or "men in ill-fitting trousers" as it was once allegedly
translated into Chinese) have enjoyed a fine start to the season having won
eight, drawn two and lost six of their 16 matches so far. This leaves them
in sixth place on 26 points, four places and four points above us. Current
form has been slightly less impressive.

Whilst out of their last six they've won three (2-1 away at Wigan, 2-1 at
home to Chelsea and 4-2 away at Sunderland) and lost three (3-1 at Swansea,
1-0 at home to Stoke and 2-0 away at Arsenal) the three defeats have come in
their last three matches. They haven't won since November 24th and will
therefore be seeking to end the run that continued last weekend thanks to
yet another disgraceful display of diving at the Emirates. Assisted it has
to be said by yet another substandard performance in the middle from Mike
Jones. Incidentally, I am indebted to all 200 of you who chose to share the
"now he's been to Bradford, Corzola knows what a real dive is" text message
with me.

The run of defeats has come too late to avoid manager Steve Clarke from
picking up the dreaded "Manager of the Month" award (is it still sponsored
by Bells Whisky?). Clarke of course is no stranger to us having had the job
of assisting Gianfranco Zola in his ultimately unsuccessful spell at the
Boleyn, an era that preceded the even less successful Avram Grant era.

Zola and Clarke were unfortunate in that their tenure included the
"rudderless ship" period in which the club was owned by those Icelandic
chaps who had been charged with sorting out the mess left by the previous
Icelandic chaps. This included trying to save banks and effectively sorting
out a whole country, so it was possibly quite understandable that they
didn't get themselves overly involved in the running of a football club.

Unfortunately, this situation meant that funding for the club was
effectively done on a hand to mouth basis, investment in the team was next
to nothing, a situation not helped by the fact that what meagre resources
there were got wasted on the likes of Savio. When the current owners came in
they were keen to install their own man and, once Zola had been dismissed,
Clarke went soon after. After a spell working with Dalglish at Liverpool
(presumably as an interpreter) Clarke left to join West Brom, a job that
became his first full-blown managerial role.

First choice 'keeper is Ben Foster who finally abandoned what looked as if
it was going to be a whole career on loan from Man Utd when he signed a full
proper grown-up contract with the Throstles. Like myself, Foster has made
himself "temporarily unavailable" for England selection, citing his desire
to prolong his club career by giving himself more recovery time between
matches, the idea being that he would avoid niggling injuries.

There is therefore some irony (in the incorrect Alanis Morrissette-type use
of that word) in the fact that a recurring groin problem has kept him on the
sidelines in recent weeks and the usual sources suggest that a late fitness
test will be required to see if he is fit for Sunday. The weirdly-named Boaz
Myhill will deputise should Foster not make the cut.

Another on the Late Fitness Test list is defender Liam Ridgewell. Ridgewell
is, technically, an ex-Hammer having spent a nominal two years at the
Academy. However, he had effectively left the club long before his eventual
official move to Villa, with whom he was an FA Youth Cup winner. Maybe it's
the funny accent or something in the water but having moved up to the
Midlands he seems pretty settled in the area and his career now involves
spells with Villa, Birmingham City and West Brom.

It's probably fair to say that the local branch of Pickfords doesn't get any
excitement out of transfer speculation when his name is involved and
supporters of Wolves and Walsall are probably quietly waiting their turn for
him to turn up as his career winds down. Ridgewell recently hit the
headlines as photographs of him wiping his backside with £20 notes appeared
on the web. The photos were apparently taken 8 months ago but it's only
recently that the good people of the West Midlands took offence, mainly
because few people in that part of the world had ever seen a £20 note.

In midfield they will have James Morrison. Morrison, was capped at every age
level for England but when it came to full recognition he decided to pledge
his allegiance to Scotland having (like many others) discovered the
existence of a Scottish grandmother at almost exactly the same time that he
realised that his chances of a full England cap were virtually non-existent.


He is usually used on the wing or as an attacking midfielder but reports out
of Smethwick suggest that he may be used in a withdrawn role if Argentinian
midfielder Claudio Yacob fails to recover from a hamstring injury (another
late fitness test case). Meanwhile, Morrison is the only Midlands-based
Scottish international footballer to be interred in the famous Pere Lachaise
cemetery in Paris, though the Rugby League careers of Edith Piaf, Gertrude
Stein and Oscar Wilde are, of course, well-documented.

Up front they will have top scorer (seven goals) Shane Long. Think Kevin
Nolan but more irritating. Long was discovered in 2004 by a chap called Pat
Dolan who was then manager of Cork City. Dagenham-born Dolan left the
Leesiders in 2005 and shortly after Reading signed both Long and Kevin Doyle
having allegedly become aware of confidential release clauses in the
players' contracts.

Nobody's quite sure how Reading might have become aware of such release
clauses and we're sure that the fact that Reading coach (and former Hammer)
Eamonn Dolan is Pat Dolan's twin brother is totally coincidental. Long has a
habit of committing those horrible niggly fouls that wind players up almost
as much as the full over the ball two-footer so a spot of discipline won't
go amiss this weekend.

Also available up front will be Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku
famously refused to hold the Champions League trophy on the grounds that he
hadn't felt involved in winning it, an honourable position to take that
obviously didn't occur to John Terry. In his native Belgium Lukaku was
awarded the 2011 "Belgian Ebony Shoe" award, the oddly-named trophy given to
the best player in the Belgian League of African descent. Previous winners
of the award include Mido, who was most disappointed to discover that the
award was a "shoe" rather than a "chew".

Lukaku is second top scorer to Long having found the net five times this
season. However, the fact that 10 of his 14 league appearances have come
from the bench suggests that he's been used as an "impact sub" (as opposed
to all those substitutions that are made in the hope that the new player
will have no influence on the game at all, I suppose). Lukaku was at one
point linked with a move to the Boleyn, but only by a slightly hard of
hearing journalist after a good lunch.

Lukaku has been behind Uzbek-Nigerian Peter Odemwingie. Odemwingie arrived a
few years back having had horrible racist abuse from supporters at his
former club Lokomotiv Moscow, who presumably would rather have someone like
John Terry in the team. The Muscovites celebrated Odemwingie's departure
with the same sort of enthusiasm as a Scouser getting a dole cheque. It's
not recorded what punishment UEFA dished out but rumours persist that the
Russians were fined three packets of digestives for their actions, a fine
which, if confirmed, would still be a record today for a racial offence.

Unusually this week for Crimewatch corner we look to the coaching staff
rather than the players for the award recipient – though there is an
honourable mention for midfielder Scott Allan who is on loan at Pompey and
was questioned by Hampshire plod over his running over of a pedestrian last
month. However, Academy coach Mark O'Shea is the clear winner of this week's
award.

O'Shea was arrested back in April after allegations of a sexual nature were
made against him. A look at the internet failed to establish how the case
had progressed, though those of you who like to make up your own punchlines
to this sort of thing will no doubt be chortling over the fact that there is
a Mark O'Shea at a local safari park whose main job there appears to be
"snake handler".

Us? One was highly disappointed last week to not get anything out of that
one – heck I'd have been slightly miffed with a draw. The turning point was
obviously Diame's injury and he'll be a big miss for however long it's going
to be. The player himself suggested three weeks but I reckon there was
something lost in translation for that one. In Diame and Cole, who was a
revelation, we had the two best players on the pitch and neither deserved to
be on the losing side.

Hilariously, one thick scouser (tautology I know) pointed to the five
minutes of stoppage time at the end of the second half as evidence of some
sort of FA conspiracy, ignoring the fact that Diame's injury, the various
second half substitutions and the scousers' habit of going down in fake
agony every few seconds during stoppage time all contributed to the added
time. Meanwhile if you want a conspiracy involving the most corrupt club in
the country you could do worse than look at the authorities' continued
failure to take any action over their transfer activities for which any
other club would have been in big trouble by now.

Injury news is not great. Apart from Diame, who joins the long termers
Carroll, Vaz Te Collison and Diarra (a name beginning to sound suspiciously
like Dyer), we'll also be without Benayoun whose been sent back to Chelsea
to get his knee sorted out, and probably McCartney who, having recovered
from a recent ankle problem, has now managed to do his knee in whilst
training. Bare bones then.

Now I'm an old codger who whiles away his days here at the Avram Grant Rest
Home For the Bewildered going all rheumy-eyed at all the matches that I've
seen over the years that have elapsed since I first suggested to a
10-year-old Arnold Hills that he might want to think about setting up a
football team when he grew up.

Whilst I wouldn't in anyway profess to be more of an expert than the
management, I would say that all the games that I have seen over those years
have given me some sort of knowledge about the game and one thing that I'm
pretty sure of is this: James Tomkins – fine defender. Not so fine in
midfield. Now I don't see them in training but the Tomkins in midfield
experiment is one that I've never felt too comfortable with – and I suspect
that the player may be of similar opinion so, if we have any left that are
fit to play, I'd prefer to see a midfielder in midfield this weekend. If
that's ok.

Prediction? Quite simply I think that this one will end up evens. With that
in mind, Mr Winstone will be receiving the contents of the Avram Grant Rest
Home Collection to provide Liam Ridgewell with something more suitable with
which to wipe his bum (£2.50 and a Liverpool scarf) with a view to the whole
darn lot going on a 2-2 draw and hang the consequences!

Enjoy the game!


When last we met at the Hawthorns: Drew 3-3 (February 2011). File this match
in the section marked "Bonkers". Winston Reid had a complete nightmare,
conceding an OG and being fortunate to get away with a clear penalty shout
as we went 3-0 down. Cole had a goal wrongly chalked off for offside. In the
second half full debutant Dember Ba picked up a couple either side of a
brave Cole header and both sides failed to take good chances to take all
three points. Winston Reid is much better these days.

Referee: Phil Dowd. Notoriously calorifically-challenged official who will
need a rest break just after the toss-up. Last seen at the Boleyn hauling
his carcass around during the 3-1 home defeat to Arsenal. Hopefully he's got
his breath back by now.

Danger Man: Shane Long. Top scorer and a right horrible little so and so to
boot.

Daft Fact Of The Week: The world of science and mathematics continues to be
baffled by a phenomenon called "The Hawthorns Paradox". The average home
gate up there is a shade over 25,000 each match. However, apart from Frank
Skinner, and the bloke who wrote "New Tricks" and gave all the characters
Baggies-related names, statistically speaking West Brom supporters do not
actually exist.

You don't believe me? Ok ask yourself this: Do you, or does anyone you know
actually know a West Brom fan? Thought not. It has been postulated that they
come from another dimension each week - a theory backed up by the fact that
their ground is the highest above sea-level in England which means that they
are closer to any wormhole in space that might exist over Smethwick. Or
something. (Note to Ed:– can we afford Dr Brian Cox to check this out? Ed's
note: No).

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West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says Carlton Cole could keep Andy Carroll out of
side
Last Updated: December 15, 2012 2:36pm
SSN

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce insists striker Andy Carroll has got a job on
his hands getting back into the starting line-up after the recent hot form
shown by Carlton Cole. The Liverpool loanee is expected to be sidelined
with a knee injury until mid-January, which has paved the way for stand-in
Cole to enjoy a rare run in the team. Cole scored a powerful header past
Petr Cech on his return to the side and set up another in the Hammers' 3-1
win against Chelsea,before turning in another eye-catching display in their
defeat to Liverpool last weekend. And Allardyce has backed the 29-year-old
to take his opportunity, with a busy Christmas period coming up for the
club.

He said: "Carlton has contributed well. He has not played quite as much as
he'd wanted to but, when he has got the chance, he's done the business. "We
now need him to continue that. With Andy out for a number of weeks, Carlton
can establish himself in the team and keep his place. It'll be Andy's
problem to get back in. "In fact if Carlton's playing that well when Andy
gets back, it's nearly impossible for me to leave him out. Allardyce admits
the Hammers are ahead of where he thought they would be at this point of the
season with the club having taken 22 points from their opening 16 games and
just four points off the top four. Allardyce added: "We're slightly ahead of
where we thought we might be in terms of points but that's good news for us.
"This period is a concern, though, as we are talking about having 14
first-team players fit. That's all, right now."

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West Ham captain Kevin Nolan looking to inflict fourth straight defeat on
West Brom
Last Updated: December 15, 2012 1:42pm
SSN

West Ham captain Kevin Nolan hopes that West Brom's recent poor form will
continue at The Hawthorns on Sunday. Steve Clarke's side were the big
surprise of the season as they stormed to third in the Premier League with
four wins in a row last month. But the Baggies have since lost their last
three matches, and Nolan believes his side have a great chance to atone for
last week's defeat to Liverpool. "We are really looking forward to going
there and matching them, because they are a fantastic side," he said. "We
hope that their bubble has burst a bit and we can go there on Sunday and get
a result. "They will be a tough side to come up against, I don't think I
have ever been involved in an easy game at The Hawthorns, but we go there
with confidence. "We have just come out of what was a tricky schedule of
games for us. We break the games down into eight-game slots with targets and
we have met them both so far. "We have a few injuries but it is about us all
pulling together even more and sticking close and working hard for each
other and the team."

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Double up for Diame
Exclusive
By PHIL THOMAS
Published: 15th December 2012
The Sun

MOHAMED DIAME is in line for a new double-your-money deal at West Ham —
despite being sidelined for the next 12 weeks. The Senegal midfielder, 25,
is out until March after tearing a hamstring during last week's 3-2 defeat
to Liverpool. But that has not stopped the Hammers offering to boost his
wages to £60,000 a week to scare off Arsenal. Diame will get the bumper pay
rise as long as he agrees to having a buy-out clause also doubled to
£7million. He has been a sensation since moving to Upton Park after Wigan
released him in the summer and the club are confident he will put pen to
paper.

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Cole: Clarke won't bully me
The Sun
By CARL LONG
Published: 15th December 2012

CARLTON COLE has vowed to beat Steve Clarke's 'bullying' tactics when he
faces his old mentor's West Brom side today. West Ham striker Cole credits
the Baggies boss with playing a big part in his development at both Chelsea
and Upton Park where the Scot was Gianfranco Zola's right-hand man. But
despite their relationship, he has promised not to go easy on Clarke's team
at The Hawthorns — and says the Scot could be in for a few surprises. Cole
said: "I worked with Steve Clarke when I was a youth-team player at Chelsea
— he was the one who pushed me through to the first team. I've always
appreciated him from then.
"I know he gave me my chance and when he came to West Ham, it was a blessing
in disguise. "I was like, 'Wow, we've got Steve Clarke here, he's going to
get the best out of me — I know he loves me as a player'. It helped me. "I
know he's going to try to bully me. He thinks he knows me but I've got a few
tricks up my sleeve nowadays. Hopefully, I can outwit him."

Clarke, who is in his first job as a manager, has excelled since arriving in
the West Midlands this summer, with the Baggies launching a shock assault on
the Premier League's top four. Cole says he is not surprised by how well the
49-year-old has adapted from being a No 2 to becoming a manager. He added:
"I'm so happy to see him as a No 1. "He's doing what I always knew he could
do because he knows a lot about tactics. "He learned a lot from Jose
Mourinho and took a lot on board, and that's what's happening now. "He has
taken West Brom from being a mediocre team to a really good team, so I'm
really happy for him."

Cole has thrived during fellow striker Andy Carroll's injury absence. He
scored and provided an assist during the 3-1 win against his old club
Chelsea and then troubled Liverpool's defence in last week's 3-2 defeat. But
he feels the arrival of the giant Geordie on loan from Anfield has helped
him to up his game. Cole, who has been at West Ham since the summer of 2006,
said: "I had to up the level again and you need that as a striker.
"Sometimes you need someone to push you. "You can always learn from someone
else's game, you can learn from other people's strengths. "Andy Carroll is a
fantastic player and I need to show what I can do as well. "He's doing the
same thing, showing what he can do — and now I'm pushing him."

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Hammered: West Ham have just 14 fit players for tricky trip to West Brom
The Mirror
15 Dec 2012 09:30
By Graham Moody

Sam Allardyce's injury headache at West Ham has left him with just 14 fit
first-team players for their game against West Brom on Sunday. George
McCartney jarred his knee in training this week to join six other first-team
regulars on the treatment table, and leave Allardyce to fill his bench with
players from his development squad. Although Jack Collison resumed training
this week after a knee injury, he will not be risked until the New Year at
the earliest and, with no one else near a comeback, Allardyce is keeping his
fingers crossed the jinx doesn't strike again at the Hawthorns "At this
moment in time, we needed not to have any more injuries, unfortunately, we
have," he said. "I think we're talking about 14 fit first-team players fit,
that's all. I've had this kind of crisis before, you work so hard to avoid
this type of thing but when you look at the injuries, apart from Mo Diame
(hamstring), all of them are trauma injuries, which mean they've happened in
a tackle or a change of direction. "It's a huge concern for us, but, like
everything else, it will be no excuse, because nobody allows you to use
injuries as an excuse, so we've got to go and get on with it. "What we can't
afford is any more injuries. And we can't afford any suspensions to either
James Collins or Winston Reid, who are the two who are on four bookings at
the moment. "They've been on four bookings for the last four games and
neither of them has got booked. But now I've mentioned it, knowing my luck
they'll both get booked on Sunday."

One player to benefit from the injuries is Carlton Cole, who has started the
past two games, since Andy Carroll was ruled out for six weeks with a knee
problem, and will lead the line again on Sunday. "When Carlton has got the
opportunity he's done the business and we need him to continue that," added
Allardyce. "Because Andy is out for a number of weeks he can establish
himself in the team and he can keep his place if he continues like that,
because it will be Andy's problem to get back in. "If Carlton continues to
play as well as he's played and score goals, then when Andy gets it will be
nearly impossible for me to leave him out." Yossi Benayoun (knee), Ricardo
Vaz Te (shoulder) and Alou Diarra (thigh) are West Ham's other crocks.

Clarke: 'Don't make me angry...'
By Brendan McLoughlin

Steve Clarke has insisted he can be 'Mr Nasty', after defending his time at
West Ham with Gianfranco Zola. Boss Zola and No.2 Clarke were axed by the
Hammers in 2010 after escaping the drop by a place. West Ham insiders
claimed the pair were too nice – but the club were relegated under Avram
Grant the following year. "I've never actually been called too nice before,"
said Clarke. ­"Obviously the owners didn't know me too well. "I think people
who know me realise there's an edge there if it needs to be there. Hopefully
the players here never see it. "It doesn't mean to say you have to go around
being a nasty guy all the time to get that image."

Clarke believes the credit crunch wrecked any hopes of success for him and
Zola under then-owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson. The Hammers were then bought
in January 2010 by David Gold and David Sullivan, who by May had sacked the
duo. Clarke added: "There were a lot of extenuating circumstances. When I
first went into that job it was on the promise that we'd always have money
to spend and would push on into the top six. "But within a fortnight of
being in the club, the credit crunch collapse happened. The Icelandic
owner's bank went bust and the circumstances changed completely. "There was
a gradual erosion of the squad and it was an achievement just to keep West
Ham in the Premier League that year. "That second season was a lot more
difficult, the year before we'd finished ninth. "They had to decide what is
the best way forward for their club, and that's what Mr Sullivan and Mr Gold
did at the time."

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Loic who's talking: West Ham plan move for Marseille striker Remy
The Mirror
15 Dec 2012 23:00

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce will target Marseille striker Loic Remy in the
January transfer window, writes the Sunday People. The Hammers manager fears
that the lack of a prolific goalscorer will scupper their season. Joint
Upton Park owners David Sullivan and David Gold are willing to back
Allardyce – and Remy is Big Sam's top choice. The France striker, 26 next
month, has scored 39 goals in 95 games for Marseille since joining them for
£13million in 2010. Marseille want around £10m for Remy, who is also on
Arsenal's radar. Allardyce is ready to give Momo Diame a new deal – to make
his £3.5m release clause null and void. The Senegalese midfielder has been a
big hit since signing on a free from Wigan. Meanwhile, Allardyce is also
chasing Argentinian centre-half Lisandro Lopez, writes Alan Nixon. Allardyce
sent his chief scout to watch the classy defender and is keen on the
£3million-rated Arsenal de Sarandi star, who is also wanted by Brazilian
side Palmeiras in the January window. Lopez is a ball-playing centre-back
who would bring a touch of style to the Hammers side as Allardyce looks to
build on an impressive start. The 23-year-old is open to coming to the
Premier League and holds an EU passport so would not need a work permit,
while his wage demands are also sensible.

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Magic man: Carlton Cole warns West Brom boss he has some new tricks
The Mirror
15 Dec 2012 22:30

Carlton Cole has warned West Brom boss Steve Clarke to watch out for his box
of tricks when West Ham travel to The ­Hawthorns today. The Hammers striker,
restored to the first-team in Andy Carroll's injury-enforced ­absence, knows
Clarke from their time ­together at Chelsea and Upton Park. Cole hailed the
Scot for helping him make his breakthrough at Stamford Bridge, but ­insists
he will be going all out to outfox his old pal. He said: "When I was a
youth-team player at Chelsea, Steve Clarke was the one who pushed me through
to the ­first-team. I've always appreciated him from then. "When he came to
­Upton Park, I was like, 'Wow, we've got Steve Clarke here, he's going to
get the best out of me, I know he loves me as a player', and it helped me. I
know he's going to try and bully me, but I've got a few tricks up my sleeve.
Hopefully, I can outwit him."

Cole also hailed strike rival Carroll for getting the best out of him. "I
had to up the level again and you need that as a striker," he said. "Andy
Carroll is a ­fantastic player and I needed to show what I could do as well,
and now I'm pushing him." Meanwhile, West Ham boss Sam Allardyce will target
Marseille striker Loic Remy in the January transfer window.

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