Daily WHUFC News - 10th May 2012

Collison could feature
WHUFC.com
Jack Collison's shoulder injury is not as bad as first feared but he reamins
50/50 for Wembley
09.05.2012

West Ham United midfielder Jack Collison's shoulder injury is not as bad as
first feared and he could yet make the Play-Off final. Collison suffered a
shoulder injury during Monday's npower Championship Play-Off semi-final
second leg victory over Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground and was taken to
hospital for a precautionary scan. After receiving the results of this scan,
the injury is not as bad as first feared, but the No10 will be having
further tests over the coming days to assess his expected recovery time.
Collison is currently rated at 50/50 to be available for the final at
Wembley on Saturday 19 May. The Wales international has made 34 appearances
for West Ham this season, scoring six goals, including both in the 2-0
npower Championship Play-Off semi-final first leg win at Cardiff on 3 May.

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The Big Interview - Mark Noble
WHUFC.com
The Hammer of the Year is looking forward to returning to Wembley for the
npower Championship Play-Off final
09.05.2012

Mark Noble cannot wait to run out at Wembley to represent his beloved West
Ham United in the 2012 npower Championship Play-Off final. The Hammer of the
Year, who is the sole survivor from West Ham's triumphant 2005
Play-Off-winning squad, appeared at the new national stadium for England
Under-21s in September 2008.
That night, Noble created a goal that evening as England beat Portugal 2-0
to cement their place at the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
finals. Nearly three years on, the No16 will be playing for an even bigger
prize - promotion to the Premier League.

Mark, we're off to the Play-Off final seven years on from your first one and
it is at Wembley. You must be delighted?

MN - Yeah, I'm over the moon. Obviously the way the boys played in both legs
was fantastic. We knew Cardiff wasn't going to be an easy game when we drew
them, so we went into both legs committed and really took the game to them.
We fully deserved what we came out with.

Aside from the opening five minutes of the first leg in Wales, we didn't let
Cardiff City settle at all, did we?

MN - We knew they were going to start like that there, anyway. We got a bit
of luck with them hitting the crossbar in the first few minutes, but over
the two legs, I don't think anybody can say we didn't fully deserve our 5-0
aggregate win. We're just looking forward to Wembley now.

We showed that there was no hangover or disappointment from missing out on
automatic promotion, didn't we?

MN - I think the disappointment was shown after not getting automatic
promotion, which is what we set ourselves out for. We let ourselves down
because with the squad of players we've got, we should have got it but we
drew too many games. The next best thing is going up through the Play-Offs
and we're going to try our hardest to do that.

It was a bit of a blow to see Jack Collison go off with a shoulder injury,
because he has really shown his class in recent weeks, hasn't he?

MN - Yeah, he has. He has scored some really important goals for us.
Hopefully, touch wood and fingers crossed that he's fine and he can recover
before the final.

You have played at Wembley once before for England Under-21s. What is it
like to run out there?

MN - It's a lovely stadium to play at. It's a fantastic place. A few of the
boys went to watch the Chelsea v Liverpool FA Cup final the other day and
said it was unbelievable. I think it added to the motivation to want to go
there. I'm sure we'll sell our allocation of tickets and hopefully we can go
there and play like we have done in the semi-final.

Is it going to be different playing at Wembley in a West Ham United shirt?

MN - The new Wembley is a fantastic stadium and hopefully it'll be full to
capacity and we can really enjoy the day. It's about enjoying it, even
though the pressure is going to be on, but that's what we're paid to do - to
play under pressure.

What is the mentality among the squad now, with the job only half-done?

MN - I think a few of the boys will get together and go out and let our hair
done a little. We've got 12 days until the final so next week we'll get our
heads down and prepare for the final as we have done all season. We'll go to
Wembley fully prepared for the game.

As a Hammers fan, you must know how important it is for the supporters to
return to Wembley after a 31-year absence?

MN - Yes, but not just because I'm a fan, but because they have paid their
money to come and watch us every week. The support we have had away from
home has been unbelievable and it's been fantastic at home. The hard work
the boys have put in to get there is just a little 'Thank you' for their
support and we're going to need it fully at Wembley.

The team appears to be in the best form of the season at the moment?

MN - Yes, we are. Obviously we have come into the Play-Offs in a good vein
of form. We've now won three home games on the trot and it's been a good end
to the season for us. We were gutted to miss out on automatic promotion, but
this is the next best thing. If you heard the atmosphere on Monday, it was
unbelievable.

The style of football in recent weeks has been outstanding, so the wide open
spaces at Wembley could suit you down to the ground?

MN - Hopefully. Everybody runs that bit further and that bit faster in
finals but we need to approach the game like we have done every other game
this season. It's an away game for us and we're pretty good on the road, so
if we approach it like that, hopefully we can come away with the result we
want.

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David Gold looking forward to Wembley Way
WHUFC.com
Joint-Chairman David Gold is looking forward to the Hammers trip to Wembley
and possible promotion to the Premier League
09.05.2012

Joint-Chairman David Gold has told West Ham TV how much he is looking
forward to the Hammers' first visit to Wembley in 31 years. Mr Gold spoke to
the club's online television channel just moments after Monday's 3-0 npower
Championship semi-final second-leg victory over Cardiff City - a win that
sets up a final date with Blackpool at the Home of Football on Saturday 19
May. Now, the Joint-Chairman cannot wait for his trip to Wembley to come
around. "Monday was fantastic," said Mr Gold. "We started off with a
two-goal lead which made it very comfortable. Overall we have won the tie
5-0 with two clean sheets and the theory of our Achilles heel being our home
form has gone. We were outstanding, the players are confident and are coming
into great form. "We are back to our best. We slipped up in March, we drew a
number of games that we shouldn't have done and Reading went on an
unbelievable run, a once in a lifetime run. That is the only reason we are
in the Play-Offs."

Mr Gold believes the way the team has played during the closing weeks of the
season means they deserve a spot in the top-flight for next season.
"The way we have been playing, the goals we have been scoring and the
results we have been getting means we should be playing in the Premier
League. We have a bit of work to do of course to get there. "We have to go
to Wembley and it should be a fantastic day and let's hope we can finish the
job."

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Allardyce - we can handle pressure
Boss calling for Cardiff repeat at Wembley
Last Updated: May 9, 2012 9:50am
SSN

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is confident his side can handle the pressure
of a Wembley play-off final and secure promotion back to the Premier League.
The Hammers were denied automatic promotion on the final day of the regular
Championship season by Southampton, setting up a play-off semi-final tie
with Cardiff City. The Londoners subsequently breezed past Malky Mackay's
men, winning 2-0 in Cardiff before a 3-0 victory at Upton Park on Monday
rounded off a 5-0 aggregate rout. Allardyce will now lead his team out at
Wembley in the final against either Birmingham or Blackpool,who play the
second leg of their semi-final at St Andrew's on Wednesday evening. The
former Bolton boss insists his side will not be overawed by the occasion on
19th May and is confident of reaching the promised land of the Premier
League should they perform like they did against the Bluebirds. He said:
"I've no doubts we'll handle this pressure. It's a better stage to go and
deliver on, isn't it, Wembley?

Very difficult

"I don't know who I would prefer to play - whoever we play it's going to be
very difficult. "We can now look forward to it and make sure we deliver what
we've all wanted right from day one. "We'll be difficult to beat if we
reproduce the performances against Cardiff. "We've all delivered - whether
we can deliver in the final now is the ask."

The Championship play-off final is widely considered the richest game in
world football given the immense wealth on offer to those who make it up to
the Premier League. Having managed three Premier League sides Allardyce is
all too aware of the riches on offer in England's top flight.

More pressure

However, Allardyce admits he felt more pressure trying to keep his former
side Bolton in the top flight back on the final day of the 2002/03 season
than he does preparing for Wembley today. He added: "We had to beat
Middlesbrough at home and by doing so we sent West Ham down, so I probably
shouldn't mention it!
"But that was more pressure than a Wembley final. "We were chasing the
millions as always and chasing Premier League status. "It was massive
because Bolton are still in the Premier League. That's nine years times
£50million - which is a big bank-roll."

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It's Blackpool!
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 9th May 2012
By: Staff Writer

West Ham will face Blackpool in the Championship play-off Final at Wembley
in ten days time after the Tangerines drew 2-2 at Birmingham this evening.
Ian Holloway's side just about managed to hang on despite being put under
intensive pressure for the last 20 minutes, having thrown away what appeared
to be an unassailable two-goal advantage on the night. Stephen Dobbie put
Blackpool ahead in tonight's second leg on the stroke of half time before
Matt Phillips doubled their lead just three minutes after the restart,
putting 'Pool 3-0 ahead in the tie. But two goals in nine minutes for
Birmingham - by Nikola Zigic and Curtis Davies - left the visitors hanging
on for the last 22 minutes. West Ham will almost certainly go into the Final
as favourites having trounced Blackpool on both occasions in which the two
sides have previously met this season. Sam Allardyce's side ran out 4-0
winners at the Boleyn Ground back in October when a Sam Baldock brace plus
efforts from John Carew and Jack Collison secured a comfortable win. And the
Irons went one better back in February of this year when they trounced
Blackpool 4-1 at Bloomfield Road despite playing with only ten men for
almost the entire second half, after Robert Green was erroneously dismissed
by referee Oliver Langford (whose decision was later overturned).

Play-off semi final results

First Leg
Cardiff City 0-2 West Ham Utd
Blackpool 1-0 Birmingham City

Second Leg
West Ham Utd 3-0 Cardiff City (West Ham win 5-0 on agg.)
Birmingham City 2-2 Blackpool (Blackpool win 3-2 on agg.)

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So, it's the Seasiders at Wembley - Good Result?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

We face Holloway's Blackpool at Wembley. On paper Blackpool are the less
problematic of the two potential opponents. We have had a few problems with
Brum over recent seasons, whereas we have beaten the Seasiders home and away
in the same period. But, it is crucial that we reject complacency and do not
act as if we have the game won already, that way lies a big fall. If we play
to our potential, and continue our recent form, we can beat them. We cannot
let the 'under dogs' win the day, we need to go out an prove beyond any
shadow of a doubt, that we are far the better team and thoroughly deserve
promotion. In short, we have to earn it, keeping our nerve and making our
superiority count in that vital, winner takes all, 90 minutes at Wembley.

It will certainly be a good open match and hopefully that will help us.
Blackpool are an honest team that play good football. Congratulations to
them in beating the 'spoilers' from Brum and reaching the Final. And what a
decent, honest, manager Holloway is. On TV he admitted that he was glad to
be at Wembley and that it was going to be a tough task in the Final, no
false bravado, no Malky type delusions. A good chap and a good football man.

But there can only be one winner at Wembley and we must make sure that it is
us! No doubt the media will start 'bigging up' Blackpool's chances, we need
to ignore that and go out there with total conviction and application to win
the day.

SJ. Chandos.

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West Ham's Baldock on Town Wish List
Wed 09th May 2012 23:30
Tetd.co.uk

West Ham's Sam Baldock is amongst the strikers on Blues boss Paul Jewell's
summer wish list. The 23-year-old joined the Hammers from the MK Dons last
August for a fee reported to be worth £2.75 million with add-ons. Despite
scoring five goals in his first six starts for the Upton Park club, Baldock
has found it increasingly hard to break into Sam Allardyce's side,
particularly since the additions of Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard in
March. While with West Ham he has made 11 starts and 13 sub appearances,
scoring those five early goals. For the MK Dons, Aylesbury Vale-born Baldock
netted 43 times in 82 starts and 42 games from the bench having come through
their youth system. Due to his lack of opportunities with the Hammers, the
5ft 7in tall striker, whose younger brother George is still with the MK
Dons, is likely to be available this summer, either on loan or on a
permanent basis. He has three years left on his contract. The winner of two
England caps at the U20 World Cup in Egypt in 2009, Baldock has been on the
Blues' radar for a while. At last November's Supporters Club AGM, Jewell
confirmed that he had been monitored prior to his move to West Ham. The
Blues boss has said that another striker is amongst his summer targets with
Tamás Priskin having moved to Alania Vladikavkaz in January and Nathan
Ellington set to leave the club.

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Ex-Liverpool striker Mellor forced to quit with knee injury at just 29
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 17:12, 9 May 2012 | UPDATED: 17:48, 9 May 2012
Daily Mail

Preston striker Neil Mellor has been forced to retire from professional
injury through injury. The 29-year-old former Liverpool forward has
struggled to regain full fitness since damaging his knee against MK Dons in
2011 and has decided to quit following medical advice. Cut short: Neil
Mellor's playing days are over after a long struggle with a knee injury 'I
have agreed to keep lines of communication open with Graham Westley just in
case I come across a miracle cure but realistically, and regrettably, this
is the end of my playing days,' said Mellor. Preston manager Westley added:
'The team's record without Neil this season says everything about the man
and character that he is. I'm gutted that I didn't get the chance to work
with him beyond his cameo against Bury. Devastated: Preston manager Graham
Westley said he was 'gutted' that Mellor was forced to retire He has had a
tough decision to make, but he has no real choice in the matter. Everybody
here will wish him the very best.' Mellor started his career at Liverpool
and made 21 appearances after making his debut against Ipswich at Anfield in
December 2002. A highlight of his days at Liverpool was his blistering
volley against Arsenal in 2004. With the game poised at 1-1, Mellor's goal
clinched the game from Arsene Wenger's side. He signed for Preston in the
summer of 2006 after loan spells at West Ham and Wigan and made his last
appearance for North End as a late substitute against Bury in March.

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Irons Insight: West Ham should not get too carried away with semi-final
triumph
Matt Porter, London24 West Ham blogger
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
2:13 PM
London 24

I think it has taken until today for things to finally sink in. As we walked
down the stairs after the full-time whistle at the Boleyn on Monday, I was
feeling pretty delighted with the team's performance, but a little concerned
with the level of celebration displayed by fans and players alike.
Considering that pre-season expectations were that we would win automatic
promotion, and rightly so, I had my reservations about going over the top
with glee after winning a play-off semi-final. When you bear in mind the
amount of Guinness I'd already consumed that day, I was surprisingly
downbeat about the whole situation! But now, with Wembley tickets bought and
a big day out to plan, the excitement factor has kicked in. It's a bit of a
cliche in the Football League, but if you could guarantee victory, most fans
would choose the Wembley final over the automatic promotion route every day.
If I had been judging my enjoyment of going to watch West Ham by the quality
of the football, I'd have given up long ago, so I'm glad I've finally come
round to my senses. I've been to the new Wembley plenty of times to watch
England, I've even been to a League Cup final there as a complete neutral,
but the prospect of watching West Ham playing there, well who knows when
we'll get the chance again?
I am sure the atmosphere surrounding the whole day will be electric, and on
the basis of recent performances, confidence will be high in the team's
chances of victory, whoever the opposition are. I'll be watching tonight's
match between Birmingham and Blackpool keenly, although I haven't got a clue
who I'd rather won.

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Carew's not broke! Hammers striker's agent denies bankruptcy issue
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 09:45, 9 May 2012 | UPDATED: 10:24, 9 May 2012
Daily Mail

John Carew's agent has denied the striker is broke, despite the West Ham
striker being declared bankrupt in March. Per Flod blamed the issue on a
misunderstanding with French Tax authorities and claims Carew has 'lots more
money' and will pay off anything he owes - believed to be a six-figure sum.
The 32-year-old Norwegian striker was issued a bankruptcy order on March 5
after being petitioned in the High Court on January 16. Flod told the
Mirror: 'It's a tax bill from France. He needs to pay some tax and it's
being discussed.' He explained how the bill was accrued from the forward's
time at Lyon, who he left for Aston Villa in 2007, and puts the incident
down to miscommunication. 'It's all because the French government is
refusing to communicate through his UK address,' said Flod. 'They have been
sending all the correspondence to his address in France, but he no longer
lives there. 'He has not refused to pay it. Then they declared him bankrupt
and John didn't even know about it. Now it's going to be paid. 'He has lots
more money than this. This is not a big thing.' The 6ft 5in target man has
been having trouble on the field too, only managing to score twice during an
injury hit season - with his last goal coming in October.

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West Ham United and England goalkeeper could move to Spain and join Malaga
10:15am Wednesday 9th May 2012 in News
Guardian Series

West Ham United goalkeeper Robert Green could move to Malaga this summer.
The England shot stopper is out of contract at the end of the season and has
been linked with a number of clubs. Big spending Malaga are reportedly
interested in him and if they can secure Champions League football could
persuade Green to join them.

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