Daily WHUFC News - 27th April 2012

Big Sam on: Hull City
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce has wants his side to focus solely on beating Hull City on
Saturday
26.04.2012

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce wants his players to focus on their
job in hand and put the Southampton result at the back of their mind when
Hull City visit the Boleyn Ground on Saturday. With West Ham just two points
off Southampton and an automatic promotion place there is all to play for at
Saturday's Season Finale, for which there just 250 tickets left. Big Sam
wants his squad to making sure they take the three points from Hull first
and foremost, before they think of any slip up by the Saints, who play host
to Coventry City.

How are the nerves approaching Saturday?

SA: I don't think we are too nervous because we only have slim chance. Most
of the pressure lies with Southampton on the day because they have more to
lose than we do. We have to rely on Coventry doing a big favour for us at St
Marys which is going to be difficult. But you never know do you? Anything
can happen under the pressures of a final game of the season when so much is
at stake. There can be a twist and a turn along the way and if there is and
it's in our favour we must make sure we are in a position to take advantage.
We need to focus on getting a result against Hull by 3-0 or more. So from
the very start it's a difficult task for us but it's a task we must try and
meet. Only after we have done that can we look to see how Southampton have
faired against Coventry. Winning by three or more is our only objective for
Saturday right now.

Do you think a draw is the more likely result than a Coventry win at St
Mary's?

SA: Everyone will look at their away record and see it hasn't been that
great this year. But then again we didn't expect to draw against Doncaster
Rovers or against Watford but we did so you never know. If Coventry are
going to do us a favour I think a draw is as much as we can ask for. I'm
sure the fans will keep us in touch on Saturday, if we get the right kind of
roar I think we will know is what happening at Southampton. We are going to
have to try and emulate the type of start we had against Brighton to give
ourselves a fighting chance. If we don't get the result and Coventry have
managed to get one then that will be a big disappointment. We need to do our
job properly.

The 6-0 win over Brighton at home shows that the goalscoring jinx has gone?

SA: Yes it was a great start to the game and a terrific performance over
all. Aside from some other excellent results at home, the win against
Brighton was the best this season. That is what we must do against Hull. Our
Leicester performance showed we can handle the end of season pressure. It
was a mature and quality performance by the entire team that gave us our
just rewards. A win is what we wanted and a win is what we got to take it to
the final day of the season. As slim a chance as it is we want to put
ourselves in a position where we can take advantage of any slip by
Southampton.

Is the message to the players that you cannot be distracted on Saturday by
what is happening elsewhere?

SA: Yes we will handle it as professionally as we did against Leicester and
hopefully produce that type of performance again. If we take our chances
then we should have enough to beat Hull - it's by how many that is the
question. To stand a good chance of getting into that second spot we need to
score three to get ahead on goal difference. We must be careful with regards
to injuries and sending-offs. If things don't go our way on Saturday we will
have a game on Thursday so we must make sure that we keep as near to full
strength squad as we can. Our momentum is fantastic at the moment we have
only lost one game in 17 so hopefully we can take that forward into the
Play-Offs if needs be. As I said what we don't want to happen on Saturday is
to come off the field having not taken advantage of a slip up by
Southampton. That would be my biggest concern; we need to win the game and
then we can look towards the Southampton result.

With a need to score goals on Saturday, will we see a more attacking line
up?

SA: I don't think so because I think we create more chances than any team in
this division anyway. Our ratio of attempts at goal is probably the greatest
in the division our problem has been the percentage we have converted into
goals, hence why we are where we are.

Any team news ahead of the final game?

SA: I think Nicky Maynard, Joey O'Brien and John Carew may miss out through
injury. But we have George McCartney back in training, which is fantastic
news. McCartney has been one of our most consistent players this season so
it's great to have him back for the final game. Other than that I think we
have a good squad to choose from.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce hails 'magnificent' West Ham achievements
BBC.co.uk

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says they will have had a great season even if
they miss out on automatic promotion. The Hammers need to win on Saturday
and hope Southampton drop points in order to finish second in the
Championship. He told BBC London 94.9: "Considering the turnover of players
and the state of the club when I walked in, this is a happy club now with a
soul. "We know we were good enough to clinch first or second but where we've
come from we've had a magnificent season." He added: "There's been peaks and
troughs but overall the team has gone through the whole season losing only
eight [league] games. "That is a magnificent achievement whether we finish
third or second." If Southampton draw at home to Coventry, West Ham would
need to beat Hull by a margin of three or four goals - depending on how many
Southampton score - to clinch an immediate return to the Premier League.
Allardyce has called on his players to do all they can and fulfil their half
of the equation just in case Saints drop points. "We don't want to come off
the field and not having taken advantage of a slip-up by Southampton," he
continued. "Let's do the job. If it's not to be, it's not to be. "But at
least we'll finish on a high. We've only lost one game in 17 and our
momentum will take us forwards into the play-offs if need be."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A Thorn in your side?
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 26th April 2012
By: Staff Writer

Coventry boss Andy Thorn says his team will be doing their best to upset the
apple cart at St Mary's this weekend - despite the Sky Blues having nothing
to play for but professional pride. City's gutless display at home to bottom
club Doncaster last weekend confirmed the club's relegation from the
Championship. A 2-0 defeat - their 23rd reversal of the current campaign -
was enough to condemn them to League One football next season. Having won
just one league game away from home during the current campaign, Thorn's
side are expected to provide little resistance when they face
promotion-chasing Southampton this weekend, with the Saints needing a win to
confirm their place in next season's Premier League. However Thorn - a
born-and-bred Londoner - says that his Coventry side will not be rolling
over for anybody - adding that he wants his team to end their campaign with
a performance to remember. "If people think we're going to go there and lay
down then fine," he told a press-conference this morning. "But we are going
there to try and affect things and put some pride back into the shirt for
the fans who have been brilliant for us. "We go to Southampton and we need
to get some pride back. If you cant get up for this game you need to look at
yourself - and all of our lads are up for it.
"We want to end the season with a bit of dignity; we want to give some pride
back to the shirt. The season as a whole has been tough but I said to the
boys this morning that Saturday is a chance to affect things, affect the
league and get a bit of pride back."

West Ham's only chance of snatching the second promotion spot from
Southampton's grasp is by virtue of an unlikely Coventry win - or draw, IF
the Hammers can simultaneously rack up a big win against Hull at the Boleyn
Ground. And Coventry captain Gary McSheffrey echoed his manager's comments
by stating that he and his team mates will be doing their utmost to aid West
Ham's cause. "We're professionals and we still have a job to do," he said.
"Hopefully the lads can go into this last game and play with a bit of
freedom and go into the summer with a bit of pride. "The first few days
[since our relegation was confirmed] have been gutting, but we've tried to
get on as normal because we still have a big game on Saturday."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce calls for focus
Hammers chief hopes for Coventry favour
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated: April
26, 2012 5:27pm
SSN

Sam Allardyce has urged his West Ham players to concentrate on the job in
hand on Saturday, rather than be distracted by what is happening elsewhere.
The Hammers will be condemned to the play-offs if second-placed Southampton
beat relegated Coventry at St Mary's. But if they are to take advantage of
any slip-up on the South Coast, Allardyce's side have to win their home game
against Hull City, live on Sky Sports HD2. "I don't think we are too nervous
because we only have a slim chance," said Allardyce. "Most of the pressure
lies with Southampton because they have more to lose. We have to rely on
Coventry doing us a big favour which is going to be difficult. But you never
know, do you? Anything can happen under the pressures of a final game of the
season when so much is at stake. "There can be a twist and a turn along the
way and if there is, and it's in our favour, we must make sure we are in a
position to take advantage."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Soul man Sam fired Hammers
The Sun
By PAT SHEEHAN
Published: Today at 00:14

SAM ALLARDYCE insists he has helped put the soul back into West Ham after
relegation ripped the club apart last season. The Hammers boss goes into
tomorrow's promotion crunch against Hull at Upton Park knowing no matter
what his team do, their fate will be decided 140 miles away when
second-placed Southampton face relegated Coventry. A victory for Saints will
condemn West Ham to the play-offs. But Allardyce reckons massive strides
have been taken to repair the damage the drop brought to the club.
Allardyce, who took over from the axed Avram Grant last summer, said:
"Considering the state of the club when I walked through the door, this is a
happy place now. It has a soul again. "The doom and gloom was something you
could smell, taste and feel as a manager. When you walk into a situation
like that, you have to rip the backside out of it and start again. I did
this as quickly as I could." West Ham's finances are still in a precarious
position following the fall- out from the banking collapse that wreaked
havoc at Upton Park. But promotion to the Premier League is worth £90m,
although Allardyce says the cash quickly gets eaten up in the top-flight. He
said: "Promotion is not going to make you much money because you need to
spend it on huge transfer fees and wages for players to compete."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tony Cottee Column: I'm keeping the faith, but believe Wembley is West Ham's
destiny
Tony Cottee, London24 West Ham Columnist
Thursday, April 26, 2012
11:08 AM

What a brilliant way for West Ham to round off their away games for the
season on Monday night with a superb win at another of my old clubs,
Leicester City. The Hammers had a whole heap of pressure on them following
Southampton's loss at Middlesbrough the weekend before, but I thought that
we dealt with it amazingly well. It would have been easy for us to have been
beaten, but we showed real courage and determination to come from a goal
down to secure three points. The Foxes scored a good goal to be fair, but it
was disappointing from our point of view to concede at a point where we were
dominating the game. However, West Ham showed tremendous spirit to equalise
just five minutes later through Winston Reid, who I think when fit is a
great central defender, in our box and the opposition's.
As soon as we scored and silenced the home crowd, I knew that there was only
one team that was going to go on and win the game. We came out all guns
firing in the second half and it was just a matter of time before we started
creating chances. And just before the hour mark, Jack Collison scored a
great goal to give us the lead for the first time. I was delighted to see
Jack back in the team and back on the scoresheet as it has been a really
difficult last two years for him. Since his knee injury, he has had to work
really hard to get back into the first team and it just goes to show the
confidence that Sam Allardyce has in the Wales international to play him
every week at this crucial part of the season. The one negative for me on
Monday is that we didn't manage to score any more goals as goal difference
could well be crucial, but the important thing was getting the three points
to remain within striking distance of Southampton. The victory also gives us
some momentum going into the last game and what could possibly be the
play-offs.

I feel like our destiny is not in our own hands, and I fully expect
Southampton to beat Coventry, but who knows? Stranger things have happened
in football before, just look at what happened in the Nou Camp with Chelsea
and Barcelona! All the Hammers can do now is make sure that they beat Hull
City this Saturday and make sure that it is by as many goals as possible.
The Tigers have had a funny season really with their change of manager, but
they have players like Matty Fryatt and Aaron McLean that will pose a threat
to our defence. I think that we will have too much for Hull though and that
another win will keep the confidence high. The last home game of the season
is always great to play in and the sold out atmosphere should be fantastic.
Personally, I still think that a Wembley play-off final is West Ham's
destiny this season, and it would be a just reward for all of the fans that
have stuck by the club through thick and thin. As is stands, the Hammers
would play Cardiff City in the play-off semi-finals and I think that the
Bluebirds along with Middlesbrough would be my preferred opponents. I think
that Blackpool and Birmingham are dangerous sides, and a final against
either of those two teams would be dangerous. However, we will cross that
bridge if or when it comes to that.
For now, all we can do is get behind the team and cheer them on to what
could be three vital points this weekend.

Come on you Irons!

Tony Cottee was talking to Nathaniel John

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce: West Ham had no soul when I arrived
London 24
Nathaniel John, West Ham Correspondent
Thursday, April 26, 2012
1:25 PM

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has revealed how the club had 'no soul' when he
arrived at the start of last summer, following the Hammers' relegation from
the Premier League. The former Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle boss was
appointed by co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan in June of last year,
and has guided the Upton Park outfit to an outside chance of automatic
promotion heading into the last game of the season. However, the 57-year-old
admitted that when he arrived, things were very different to what they are
now. "This is now a happy club, it has a soul," he said. "It didn't have a
soul when I arrived so we've enjoyed the season, but we are disappointed
that we are where we are as we were good enough to clinch one of the top two
spot, but then again from where we have come from it is still a magnificent
season. "The club got relegated and it was not very nice, the doom and gloom
that was around the place was something that you could smell, taste and feel
as a manager. "It was something that I had to rip the backside out of and
start again, which I did as quick as I could. "To have only lost eight games
all season is a magnificent achievement considering the turnover of players
that we have had, and considering the state of the club when I walked
through the door."

The Hammers were hot favourites for automatic promotion at the start of the
season, but a succession of poor results at home during the last few months
of the campaign has seen West Ham slip out of the top two. However,
Allardyce is adamant that his men have had a strong and successful season.
"We are kicking ourselves, but that is football," he said. "We have had to
live with the expectation all season, and that has made the opposition
always give that bit more where were the big scalp. "In the end we slipped
up too many times by drawing at home. "It's disappointing but we have still
had a very good season. "To play 45 games and only lose eight and to beat
the club's away record is fantastic."


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

http://vyperz.blogspot.com