WHUFC.com
The Joint-Chairman is looking forward to a positive and successful 2012
04.01.2012
Joint-Chairman David Gold has spoken exclusively to West Ham TV about his
hopes for a positive and successful 2012. Mr Gold was in good spirits
following the 1-0 npower Championship victory over Coventry City, happily
discussing the team's return to form, the January transfer window and his
use of social networking. The Joint-Chairman also looked back on the two
years since he and David Sullivan took control of the club in January 2010.
The interview followed Mr Sullivan updating fans at the start of the window
about the club's likely activity this month. Click here to read the story.
So, was beating Coventry City the best way to start the year?
It was desperately needed. We've hadn't won in five games and we were
getting nervous and wondering 'Are we good enough, are we what we believe we
are' - and that is contenders to win the division. We needed that boost to
say 'Don't panic' because we've been plagued with injuries over the last few
games. Against Derby we had four players out through suspension; that's not
going to happen with many clubs and that certainly won't happen to us again
for the rest of the season. So although it was a struggle, and we'll read in
the papers that it was just 1-0, in fact it was a bit more decisive than
that. Their keeper probably had the game of his life and I'm in no doubt he
was the man-of-the-match. If we had scored earlier we could have won two or
three nil. As it was we ended up struggling to hang on as is always the case
when you're 1-0 up, it doesn't matter who you are, you always end up
struggling to keep the opposition out. But we did it and we battled. It was
a bit ugly because you're looking to pass the ball and pass your way out of
trouble rather than kicking your way out of trouble but that's the nature of
the game.
You are working 24/7 to bring in new players. Can you talk about the list of
targets and where we will be looking to strengthen this month?
I'm on Twitter for my sins and I'm bombarded with one question, which is
'who are we going to be bringing in'. I think today showed that we're a lot
stronger and people are coming back. If we can, we are looking to strengthen
the squad. The minute you make an announcement that you are looking at
anyone in particular it makes it much more difficult to negotiate. It is
sufficient to say that David Sullivan, Sam and myself are looking to
strengthen the squad, but we have to be patient.
You are prolific on Twitter. You have said that you couldn't sleep the other
night so you jumped on there to talk to a few of our supporters. You must
enjoy it?
It's a double-edged sword. Yes I enjoy it as I get lots of feedback but
you've got to be careful that it doesn't overwhelm you. I get over 1,000
tweets a day and you can't answer them all as it's impossible. People have
been very nice to me and wishing me a happy New Year and wishing West Ham
well for the rest of the season. You can't answer them individually, though,
but I do my best and I try to pick out the more interesting questions to
answer for everyone else that has to look at them.
This month marks your second anniversary of being back at West Ham United.
Has it gone quickly?
We've had some ups and downs. The worst experience in footballing terms is
to get relegated and I've taken that very personally. Now it's about
bouncing back and how well we bounce back. We're all in this together and
there's no way that we can do it on our own and there's no way that the
players can do it on their own or the manager can do it on his own or the
fans of this great football club can. The important thing is that we stick
together during the difficult times. The players talk about how they feel
about the support they get from the fans, about being together and wanting
and willing them to win and being supportive.
There have been a couple of stories about players going out in January. Do
you need to sell players or are there prospects that some players might go
out?
You could put the questions the other way around. Can we afford to bring in
new players? All new acquisitions will have to be paid for by David Sullivan
and myself. It's not our intention to burden the football club with any
further debt. It's important that we reduce debt and not increase it or at
least hold it to its current level.
Do players have to go? It's not a question of 'do they have to go'; we don't
want them to go. We want to keep our best players, we've got a very tough
four months to go and we've got through the first half of the season and
we're in good shape as we're equal top as we speak. There was a massive
closing of the gap on Monday and I know that we felt that we might struggle
to beat Coventry but if their keeper hadn't had the best game of his life
we'd have probably won the game two or three nil. We don't want to lose any
of our best players.
It's very difficult for a Chairman of a football club to say 'That's
definitely not going to happen'. No supporter wants to lose any of their
good players and we want to keep our best players as our focus is 100 per
cent on promotion and you don't gain promotion if you start selling your
best players.
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Rob ready for action
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's England U19 forward is eyeing more opportunities after
making his first-team debut
04.01.2012
Rob Hall has long been considered one of West Ham United's brightest
prospects. The 18-year-old, who joined the club at the age of nine in 2003,
completed a fantastic 18 months by making an eye-catching first-team debut
in the 2-1 npower Championship defeat at Derby County on New Year's Eve.
Hall helped England to win the UEFA European Under-17 Championship in
Liechtenstein in 2010 before signing his first professional contract at the
Boleyn Ground in October of the same year. After impressing at reserve-team
level for the Hammers, the forward joined League Two club Oxford United on
loan in September 2011, scoring six goals in 14 appearances. The teenager's
impressive performances at the Kassam Stadium led to Sam Allardyce bringing
Hall back to east London in December and handing him his first-team bow at
Pride Park. "It was a good start and a good experience," Hall told West Ham
TV. "We were unlucky to go down 2-0 early and didn't make a great start, but
it was great for me to get on the pitch and try to show what I can do. "It
just gives me that bit more hunger to be in the manager's thoughts.
Hopefully I did a bit of that at Derby. I can only keep working hard in
training and learn the game as I go along. I think I'm doing that so
hopefully I can do all right."
Hall made an immediate impact at Pride Park, playing a one-two with Joey
O'Brien before seeing a low shot blocked by the Derby defence. The youngster
hopes his eleven-minute cameo is a sign of things to come for him in a
claret and blue shirt. "I've been told to start demanding the ball a bit
more and, playing with better players, I'm going to get the ball a lot more.
I got into a little pocket and Tonks [James Tomkins] managed to find me with
a great pass. I got the ball into Joey and when I got it back I had a shot,
but they were diving to stop the goal and they did that."
While he has now tasted first-team football at a relatively tender age and
has already achieved so much at international level - he has also been
capped by England at U18 and U19 levels - Hall knows there is a long way to
go before he has truly arrived as a professional footballer. With a
supportive family, coaching staff and team-mates behind him, however, the
Aylesbury-born player has everything in place to make the most of his
undoubted potential. "I wouldn't go too far and start saying I am a
first-team player. I think I need to do a lot more and work harder and stake
more of a claim, then I'll start feeling more relaxed. I can't be relaxed at
the stage I am at now. "Being at Oxford taught me a lot and made me more
mature and helped me to grow up a lot quicker. Coming back to West Ham has
helped me grow up even more. The year ended on a high for me. "I don't know
what 2012 will hold for me because I try not to think about it too much. I
just take life day by day. No doubt my parents will keep my feet on the
ground. Everybody says 2012 is going to be a good year, so hopefully it can
be."
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Kebe set for Royals exit
McDermott admits it will be hard to keep sought-after winger
Last Updated: January 4, 2012 11:40am
SSN
Reading manager Brian McDermott has admitted that he is losing his fight to
keep winger Jimmy Kebe at the Madejski Stadium. Kebe refused an offer to
become Royals' highest earner earlier this season while a bid from West Ham
United has already been rebuffed. Big-spending Leicester City have also
previously shown an interest in the 27-year-old and McDermott is virtually
resigned to losing one of his prized assests. "We either have to do a
contract here, or my gut feeling, is that if a contract is not signed at
Reading, then something will happen somewhere else," he told the Reading
Post. "There will be interest from other parties, I know that. "We've had
interest and we've had a bid. We turned it down, but that's all I will say."
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Poll Result: We Want Jordan Rhodes!
January 5th, 2012 - 1:35 am by Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
On the morning the Daily Mail reports we have upped our bid for Jordan
Rhodes (and the Daily Star reports James Tomkins has handed in a transfer
request – gulp), this is the result of the Striker Poll. I gave you a list
of transfer targets and asked which one striker you'd most like to sign.
More than 1,000 of you voted.
Jordan Rhodes 43%
Bobby Zamora 18%
Nicky Maynard 15%
Billy Sharpe 14%
Peter Whittingham 6%
Andy Johnson 4%
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Tomkins in mega-offer
The Sun
WEST HAM are ready to hand James Tomkins a five-year deal worth around
£25,000 a week to head off interest from Newcastle. That contract would
double the 22-year-old defender's current salary and include a sizeable
appearance bonus. An insider said: "Tomkins is seen as a focal point of the
future at the club." The Hammers are also preparing a fresh £4million bid
for Huddersfield's Jordan Rhodes.
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Allardyce v Everton over in-demand striker
Published 22:30 04/01/12 By Alan Nixon
The Mirror
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is making a new £4million bid for Huddersfield's
Jordan Rhodes - and hopes to get an answer at the weekend. Allardyce is
trying to offer more money than Premier League Everton are able to pay, and
his offer will also push Celtic out of the chase for the new Scotland
striker. Rhodes has rattled in 20 goals this season in League One. While he
would accept a personal promotion to the Championship leaders, Huddersfield
are desperate to keep him in the hope he can fire them into the second tier.
West Ham will press Terriers owner Dean Hoyle for a decision when he returns
from holiday this weekend. Everton could find the cash to nab Rhodes if it
was spread evenly over the length of his contract, but Hammers have edged in
front of the Toffees with their large bid.
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David Gold: 'West Ham star is not for sale'
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
8:30 AM
West Ham co-chairman David Gold has insisted that star defender James
Tomkins is not for sale despite a bid from Newcastle United and interest
from Tottenham Hotspur. The form of the 22-year-old centre half has been
outstanding over the festive period, but Gold looked to reassure nervous
fans. "Let me say that as far as James Tomkins is concerned, he is a West
Ham player through and through. He has come through the Academy, he is loved
by the fans, he has fought his way up, even since we have been here, and he
has now come to the forefront and is a quality player," said Gold. "We want
to keep James Tomkins, we really do want to keep him. I think it is fair to
say he is not for sale."
That statement will be heartening to the fans who have also heard rumours
that leading scorer Carlton Cole could move in January. "We don't want to
lose any of our players," insisted the co-owner. "It is very difficult for a
chairman of a football club to turn round and say this is definitely not
going to happen. "No supporter wants to lose any of its good players and we
want to keep our best players because our focus is 100 per cent on promotion
and you don't gain promotion if you start selling.
"So I can promise you that we will do everything we can to keep our best
players. "I would say that for instance, I could say I want £20million for
my house, but it is not for sale at £20million because nobody is going to
pay that sort of money. "But we all know that if for some reason, somebody
wanted my house because he knew that there was an oil well underneath it. I
am going to sell it at £20million unless I know that as well. "What can I
say? If they offer me £20million for my house it is for sale. "I suppose the
bottom line is we know that Fernando Torres wasn't for sale until Roman
Abramovich came in and offered £50million for him."
We are unlikely to see any £50million bids for West Ham's players and so it
would seem likely that Tomkins and Cole will stay, at least until the end of
the season.
But Gold prefers to concentrate on purchases rather than sales. "If we can,
we are looking to strengthen the squad," he said. "But what I keep telling
everybody, the minute you announce you are looking for anybody, it makes it
difficult to negotiate. "Sufficient to say that David Sullivan, Sam and
myself are all looking to strengthen the squad, but we have to be patient.
"All new acquisitions will have to be paid for by David Sullivan and myself.
"It is not our intention to burden the club with further debt. It is
important that we reduce debt or hold it to its current level."
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Budweiser signs up Sam Allardyce and Ian Holloway for radio ad
By Sara Kimberley, campaignlive.co.uk, 04 January 2012, 12:45PM
www.brandrepublic.com
Budweiser has signed up football managers Sam Allardyce and Ian Holloway to
star in radio ads highlighting its sponsorship of the FA Cup, which reaches
its third round this weekend. The 30- and 60-second radio ads have been
created by Anomaly London and feature the West Ham United manager Allardyce
and Blackpool manager Holloway giving their own rousing team talks. They
stress the importance of a great atmosphere, team spirit and support of the
crowd, before listeners realise the managers are talking about preparations
for a good night out after they chant: "Grab some buds". The ads will run
throughout The FA Cup third, fourth and fifth rounds. The FA Cup fifth-round
ad will feature another British manager to be confirmed later in the season.
Iain Newell, Western European marketing director at Budweiser, said: "As
lead partner of The FA Cup, Budweiser is committed to promoting this iconic
tournament like never before. "What better way to demonstrate this than by
recruiting some of the biggest voices in UK football to front this radio
campaign? These men perfectly sum up what it means to be part of and lead a
team, and the adverts create a real sense of the anticipation of good
times."
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West Ham United hunt Spurs defender
4:10pm Wednesday 4th January 2012 in News
Guardian Series
West Ham United are reportedly keen on signing Spurs defender Sebastien
Bassong. The Hammers want to boost their squad in the hope of winning
automatic promotion from the Championship this season. Bassong is out of
favour with Tottenham and West Ham are hoping to bring the 25-year-old to
Upton Park in a loan deal.
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Hall targets successful 2012
Wednesday 4th January 2012 14:45
TalkSport
West Ham striker Rob Hall hopes 2012 will be the season he establishes
himself in the first team at Upton Park. Hall joined the Hammers at the age
of nine and has impressed this season during a loan spell with Oxford where
he scored six times in 14 appearances. That prompted Sam Allardyce to bring
the 18-year-old back to the club and give him his first-team debut at Derby
on New Year's Eve. "I wouldn't go too far and start saying I am a first-team
player," Hall told the club's official website. "I think I need to do a lot
more and work harder and stake more of a claim, then I'll start feeling more
relaxed. I can't be relaxed at the stage I am now.
"Being at Oxford taught me a lot and made me more mature and helped me to
grow up a lot quicker. "Everybody says 2012 is going to be a good year, so
hopefully it can be."
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Hammers chiefs to fund signings
Last Updated: 04/01/12 at 17:22 Post Comment
Football365
West Ham joint-chairman David Gold has revealed that any new signings the
club make this January will be funded by himself and David Sullivan.The
Hammers have been linked with a host of players including Jordan Rhodes and
Jimmy Kebe as they aim to return to the Premier League at the first attempt.
In an interview published on the club's official website, Gold said: "I'm on
Twitter, for my sins, and I'm bombarded with one question which is 'who are
we going to be bringing in?'. "The minute you make an announcement that you
are looking at anyone in particular it makes it much more difficult to
negotiate. "All new acquisitions will have to be paid for by David Sullivan
and myself. It's not our intention to burden the football club with any
further debt. "It's important that we reduce debt and not increase it or at
least hold it to its current level."
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West Ham improve bid to sign Huddersfield striker Rhodes
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 10:30 PM on 4th January 2012
Daily Mail
West Ham have offered £4million for Huddersfield striker Jordan Rhodes, 21,
after having a £3m bid rejected. Sam Allardyce also wants Tottenham defender
Sebastien Bassong, 25, on loan but has been rebuffed in a move for Reading
winger Jimmy Kebe, 27
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