Daily WHUFC News - 7th July 2012

West Ham United in Austria - Friday
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's pre-season training camp is coming to a close in Bad
Waltersdorf
06.07.2012

West Ham United's pre-season training camp in south east Austria may be
approaching it's conclusion, but that does not mean the hard work has
stopped. After breakfast, the Hammers were back on the training pitch in Bad
Waltersdorf on Friday morning and will finish the day with a session in the
gym in the late afternoon.
After the players had loosened up individually in the gym this morning, the
group headed on to the grass for a range of drills before joining first-team
coach Wally Downes for a competitive crossing and finishing session. With
the staff keeping score, the players went through a succession of drills
aimed at improving their crossing, movement in the penalty area, shooting
and heading. With Jussi Jaaskelainen and Stephen Henderson eager to impress
and keep their team-mates at bay, the scene was set for a battle in the
sunshine.

Like all professional sportsmen, the players were desperate to show what
they could do inside the penalty area. First, a pass-and-move drill saw all
the outfield players take turns at crossing and finishing before Downes
split them into smaller groups for two further exercises. Left-footers Matt
Taylor, George McCartney and Dan Potts delivered crosses from their usual
flank, while Mark Noble, Jordan Spence and James Tomkins swung balls in from
the right. Inside the penalty area, the attacking midfielders, forwards and
centre-backs took turns to get on the end of the crosses. After half-an-hour
of intense action, Ricardo Vaz Te came out on top with seven goals to his
name, edging out Noble, Winston Reid and youngster Sebastian Lletget. With
that, it was time for the players to stretch-off and head for the ice baths
before jumping on to their mountain bikes for the ride back up the hill to
the team hotel.

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Noble loving it all
WHUFC.com
Newly-married Mark Noble is enjoying life on and off the football pitch
06.07.2012

Mark Noble has plenty of reasons to be happy. West Ham United's No16 ended
last season by helping the Club to gain promotion to the Barclays Premier
League and being voted Hammer of the Year for the first time. Over the
summer, Noble also became a husband, marrying childhood sweetheart Carly in
a ceremony in central London. Speaking to West Ham TV at the Club's
pre-season training camp in Austria, the midfielder revealed that he is
happy, fit and cannot wait for the new season to get underway. "The weather
has been lovely and hot and you need to sweat in pre-season to get that
extra bit of weight off you that you put on in the summer!" said Noble. "The
lads have been training hard at lovely facilities. It's in the middle of
nowhere, but it's been enjoyable. "I think we have started really well. The
training has been hard but not stupidly so. The balls have been involved all
the time and it makes you work a bit harder with them. "It's been thoroughly
enjoyable. We have worked hard and also had some time off and played some
golf, so it's been enjoyable."

Another experience that was 'thoroughly enjoyable' for Noble was getting
married. "I got married a week after the Play-Off final. I went straight off
on my stag do to Dubai for a week then came back and got married. We had
great weather like we've had in Austria, so we got lucky. "I've thoroughly
enjoyed my summer. It was fantastic that we got promoted and I could really
enjoy myself. It was one of the best summer's I've had and I cannot wait to
get back into it now."

Noble is set to be involved in Saturday's opening pre-season match against
FK Austria Wien. To hear his exclusive thoughts ahead of that game, on West
Ham's Barclays Premier League challenge and watch his interview in full, log
in or subscribe to West Ham TV by clicking on the link below.

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Macca pleased with pre-season start
WHUFC.com
Neil McDonald hailed the Hammers' positive approach to their pre-season
training camp
07.07.2012

Neil McDonald has hailed West Ham United's pre-season training camp in
Austria a success. The Hammers have been in the village of Bad Waltersdorf
since Monday, working hard on their fitness on the pitch and in both the gym
and swimming pool. West Ham will complete their stay in central Europe by
taking on 23-times Bundesliga champions FK Austria Wien in Vienna on
Saturday afternoon. With manager Sam Allardyce remaining in England to work
on prospective new arrivals, No2 McDonald has been in charge in Austria and
told whufc.com has been happy with the squad's start to the 2012/13
campaign.

Macca, it appears to have been a very productive week in perfect
surroundings in Austria?

NM - It's been great. We have had some good training sessions and they've
had plenty of the ball. They have worked on their fitness as well and done a
little bit of technical work, which is excellent. It's been fantastically
hot, but everybody has come through it reasonably well and we're all looking
forward to the game now just to finish the week off.

The players must have been pleased to see the ball so often during their
first few training sessions? It is all a far cry from when you were playing
in the 1980s!

NM - It is totally different from when I used to play, of course, but I
think the boys work even harder with the ball than they think they do.
That's the reason why we get them out and they enjoy it. It's great to see
them passing and moving and scoring a few goals as well, so it's been good
for them.

Have you been generally pleased with the level of fitness among the players?

NM - It's still very, very early. That is the first week done and we've
still got a lot to do. The boys have worked hard and we'll see if it pays
off in the game on Saturday.

Aside from the players, the staff have also worked extremely hard to ensure
the training camp has run smoothly. It is a huge logistical operation, isn't
it?

NM - That's part of our jobs, to make sure that when the players turn up
that everything is sorted for them. We did that all last year and it makes
it nice and comfortable and relaxed for the players. It gives them a chance
to concentrate on what they need to do and that is to play football and win
matches. That is what we have done in pre-season for them - we get out here
early it's not just a case of turning up and training. It is well
thought-out and I think the lads appreciate it.

The new signings appear to have integrated into the squad quickly. Would
that be fair?

NM - Yes. Mo [Diame] has slipped into things nice and easily. It's nice when
you sign a player who has Premier League experience before and he's been
fantastic. Jussi [Jaaskelainen] knows what the Premier League is all about
and he's been training with Hendo [Stephen Henderson], so there is good
competition for places in different positions. Whoever is going to get the
nod will deserve it.

Finally, we are taking on FK Austria Wien on Saturday. They have been in
pre-season training for a few weeks longer than us, so do you expect the
boys to have to work hard against such opposition?

NM - That's right. I think they are two or three weeks ahead of us so it'll
be hard work, but then it always is in the first game back. The majority of
the boys will play just the 45 minutes so hopefully it'll be the perfect end
to a perfect week.

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Hammers heat up in Die Thermenregion
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have spent the week in Austria's thermal spa capital Bad
Waltersdorf
06.07.2012

West Ham United's players have a spring in their steps after spending a week
training in Austria's thermal spa capital of Bad Waltersdorf. The
picturesque village 75 miles south of Vienna has become synonymous with its
piping hot natural spring water, which attracts visitors from all over the
world to experience its healing properties. The Hammers were able to enjoy
the benefits of the spa during their free time, but the vast majority of the
week was given over to training in warm sunshine at the Thermenstadion
(Thermal Stadium) home of local club UC Bad Waltersdorf and the local
swimming pool. With outdoor sporting activities also high on the agenda, the
facilities used by assistant manager Neil McDonald and his squad were
outstanding and fit the pre-season bill perfectly - as they have done for
the likes of Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Borussia Dortmund, Werder Bremen,
Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Anzhi Makhachkala, Hertha Berlin and the Czech
Republic, New Zealand and Israel national teams in recent years.

Bad Waltersdorf tourism association chairman Gernot Deutsch told West Ham TV
how the region had literally struck gold while drilling for oil in the early
1970s.
"It is beautiful here and it is one of only two spa regions in Austria. We
have the Heiltherme public healing spa mainly used by elderly people and the
H2O spa which is a health spa aimed at kids and families. "Between these two
spas we have created a lot of hotels and a lot of sports facilities. The
biggest advantage is that everything is within walking distance, so you can
reach every part of the town easily."

With a population of around 2,000 people, Bad Waltersdorf is situated in the
south east of the Styria region, just a few miles from the borders with
Hungary and Slovenia. However, unlike most European tourist destinations,
the high season for holidaymakers is during the cooler months of the year,
when people warm up with a visit to the spa. "Bad Waltersdorf has around
2,000 inhabitants and we also have around 2,000 beds for our guests. It's a
small village and it's all about thermal water. "Before, it was a very poor
area - the poorest in Austria. People were waiting for some new industry to
come but it was just agriculture. "About 30 years ago, a big Austrian
company tried to drill for oil but all they found was hot water and the
region just blew up. It is great what happened. "Out of being a poor region
we are now one of the best tourism regions in Austria. We are very proud to
host people from all over the world - especially West Ham United. "The
summer time is the low season for us, so a few years ago we made a deal with
the local government to create the football stadium and now we have the
great possibility to host football clubs and it is a big advantage for us at
this time of the year."

Bad Waltersdorf may be small in terms of size, but the village certainly has
big-time sports facilities for the visiting clubs. Aside from the stadium
and two other training pitches, there are indoor and outdoor tennis courts,
a swimming pool and 18-hole golf course. "It is fantastic. We have
co-operation with International Football Camps Styria and they are doing a
great job. Across Styria they have created football camps and we have hosted
some of the best and biggest clubs in the world, as well as smaller clubs
from Austria. "We have perfect conditions for holding training camps and
this makes us very proud."

Now West Ham have visited Bad Waltersdorf, Deutsch issued a personal invite
to the Club's supporters to enjoy the same benefits by taking a holiday in
the area.
"It would be great for the fans to visit. Bad Waltersdorf is famous
throughout the world for welcoming the famous football clubs, but it also
should be known for being a health region and a great place to spend a
vacation. "It would be great if the fans come to see the spa and the
facilities and use the hot water because if they have better health, they
can support their team much better!"

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Dan ready to be the man
WHUFC.com
Dan Potts is keen to become a first-team regular for West Ham United as soon
as he can
06.07.2012

He might be just a few months past his 18th birthday, but Dan Potts has
ambitions on becoming a Barclays Premier League regular this season. The
teenager established himself as the Hammers' Under-18 captain, impressing
manager Sam Allardyce before being called into the first-team squad and
making his debut against Barnsley in December 2011. Then just 17, Potts made
four appearances in December and January, catching the eye of the coaching
staff and supporters alike with his poise, maturity and all-round ability.
Now, the left-back is setting himself the target of forcing his way into Big
Sam's plans on a weekly basis. "I've had my taste and that will stay with me
forever," he told whufc.com in an exclusive interview in Bad Waltersdorf.
"That was my dream and it'll stay with me forever. "I want to push for my
place and start. I don't want to be thought of as a squad player. I want to
be playing for West Ham United. I don't think it's a matter of age. I think
if you are good enough then you will play. "Obviously we were down in the
Championship last year and the Premier League is another step up in terms of
quality but that is where I want to play my football. "I am still developing
but I'm at the stage where, if I'm technically good enough, then I will
play. I'm going to keep working in the gym and during training sessions and
hopefully I'll get my chance."

The return of George McCartney on a permanent basis will give Potts plenty
of competition for the left-back berth, but the youngster has nothing but
praise for his positional rival. A Premier League player himself for the
majority of his career, Potts sees McCartney as a perfect person and player
to try and emulate. "George has had a great career and I'm glad he has
signed for us because he is a great role model for me. "I watched him play
last year and he was voted Players' Player of the Year and I thought he
fully deserved it. He's a very consistent player and has had a good career
and is an established left-back."

While he may have to wait for his Premier League opportunity, Potts is
relishing the opportunity to train alongside top-class players on a daily
basis. Out in Austria, he has been working as hard as anyone during the
pre-season training camp and now cannot wait for the matches to begin in the
shape of a meeting with FK Austria Wien on Saturday evening. "It's been a
great experience for me coming away with the boys. I've been used to
pre-season with the Academy and this is a big step up. It's a lot harder,
especially in temperatures like this. "I think everyone is in the same boat.
Everyone has had time off and has come back in and looked in good nick
during the sessions. Training has been a decent standard throughout and
we're all going to push on from here. "It's a big year for the Club and for
the whole squad in general and for me. Like every year, you want to come
back and prove yourself and start afresh. "The buzz is still there from
after we got promoted. Pre-season is hard work but you've got to do it
because it's part and parcel of being a footballer. "These players know what
it is all about because they are Premier League players and they want to
stay there."

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Boreham Wood set to face Premier League new boys West Ham United
Borehamwoodtimes.co.uk
2:40pm Friday 6th July 2012 in Sport

Boreham Wood will face Premier League opposition on Tuesday when they
entertain West Ham United. Wood are preparing themselves for a bumper
opening to their pre-season campaign at Meadow Park. Irons boss Sam
Allardyce rolls into town complete with his first team squad and a very
special piece of silverware.
This will be the Hammers' first match in England since their victory at
Wembley and they plan to parade their Championship play-off trophy for all
their fans to see.
Wood manager Ian Allinson said: "We're expecting a big crowd and a fine
family occasion. "We are grateful that Sam recognises the work that goes in
in grass roots football and this visit is to honour the signing of one of
our PASE products, Pelly Ruddock, by the Hammers last season. "To kick off
our pre-season against a newly-promoted Premier League side is a real
honour."

Allinson has been busy shaping his squad for the coming season, with talks
and negotiations running since the end of April. Wood finished a commendable
eighth in the Blue Square Bet South League last year which was just outside
the play-offs. It was a season plagued by injuries to key players and there
is a firm belief that a play-off place is not out of the question in the
coming campaign. Strikers Elliot Buchanan and Donovan Simmonds are two of
Allinson's recent additions, arriving from Newport County and Dover Athletic
respectively. They will line up against the likes of Ricardo Vaz Te, Carlton
Cole, Mark Noble and Kevin Nolan. New signings Jussi Jaaskelainen and
Mohamed Diame could also feature. Tickets for the game which starts at
7.30pm are on sale via the Boreham Wood FC website.

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Jussi to battle for vacant No.1 shirt at West Ham
London 24
Nathaniel John, West Ham Correspondent
Friday, July 6, 2012
9:00 AM

New West Ham keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen is delighted to be working with Sam
Allardyce again after joining the Hammers on a free transfer. The
37-year-old put pen to paper on a one-year deal with an option of an
additional year last month, but only officially joined the club on Sunday
when his deal with Bolton Wanderers expired. "I'm absolutely delighted to be
here under Big Sam again, having worked with him before for a few seasons,"
he said. "It happened very quickly because when my agent said that West Ham
were interested I told him to sort it straight away because I know how Big
Sam works, how well he looks after the players and how good his backroom
staff are. "They were the factors behind why I wanted to come here."

Following the departure of Rob Green to Queens Park Rangers, the West Ham
No.1 jersey is up for grabs, and Jaaskelainen is keen to stake his claim on
the shirt, under some stiff competition from fellow new arrival Stephen
Henderson. However, having battled with Adam Bogdan last season at Bolton
for the same prize, Jaaskelainen is determined to re-establish himself as
one of the best keepers in the Premier League. "At the start of pre-season,
all the goalkeepers are in the same place, but obviously I want to go and
get the No.1 place and keep that consistent level I have done over the
years," he said. Having made the move down to the capital, Jaaskelainen is
looking forward to seeing what London life has to offer, but admits that his
job will always come first. "The main focus is playing for West Ham and to
work hard for this football club and if I get to see London then that's
good, but it's not my main focus," he added. "Pre-season is a little bit
different this time because I didn't play any games this year, so all
off-season I've been looking forward to coming back and training again.
"Hopefully I can play here for the next two or three years."

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