Daily WHUFC News - 19th October 2012

Southampton match preview
WHUFC.com
All the big-match build-up ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier League visit
of the Saints
18.10.2012

WEST HAM UNITED V SOUTHAMPTON
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 20 OCTOBER 2012
KICK-OFF: 3PM
REFEREE: NEIL SWARBRICK

FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV

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Introduction
• West Ham United face Southampton at the Boleyn Ground looking to bounce
back to winning ways following their first home Barclays Premier League
defeat last time out against Arsenal on 6 October.
• Going into the weekend, West Ham United sit in eighth on eleven points,
while Southampton sit 17th on four points.
• Southampton managed a 2-2 draw last time out against Fulham pn 7 October,
with central defender Jose Fonte scoring both goals, including a last-minute
equaliser.
• Andy Carroll is likely to start after returning to full fitness against
QPR and Arsenal for West Ham United before featuring for England in their
2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiying win over San Marino on 12 October.
• Southampton are yet to pick up any points on the road this season, having
lost at Manchester City (2-3), Arsenal (1-6) and Everton (1-3). The Saints
have let in more goals on their travels (12) than any other club in the
Barclays Premier League.
• West Ham United's top scorer this season is currently Kevin Nolan with
three. Southampton's leading marksman is Rickie Lambert, who has scored four
times.
• The clubs met twice last season in the npower Championship. Southampton
won the first meeting at St Mary's 1-0 in October 2011, with the reverse
fixture at the Boleyn Ground in February this year ending 1-1. Both games
were played on a Tuesday night and Jos Hooiveld scored in both fixtures for
the Saints. Mark Noble's penalty was West Ham's sole strike against
Southampton last term.
• West Ham United's clash with Southampton is one of eight Barclays Premier
League fixtures being played on Saturday. The others are as follows
(kick-off 3pm unless stated): Fulham v Aston Villa, Liverpool v Reading,
Manchester United v Stoke City, Norwich City v Arsenal (5.30pm), Swansea
City v Wigan Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea (12.45pm) and West
Bromwich Albion v Manchester City.

Last Time Out
Saturday 6 October 2012
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United 1-3 Arsenal
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Reid, McCartney, Collins, Demel (Tomkins 73),
Nolan, Jarvis, Noble, Diame (Cole 82), Carroll, Vaz Te (Taylor 64).
Subs not used: Henderson, Benayoun, O'Neil, Maiga.
Goal: Diame 21
Sunday 7 October 2012
Barclays Premier League
Southampton 2-2 Fulham
Southampton: Gazzaniga, Yoshida, Fonte, Fox, Richardson (Hooiveld 8),
Scneiderlin, S Davis, Lallana, Puncheon (Chaplow 61), Lambert (Guly 67),
Rodriguez.
Subs not used: K Davis, Reeves, Ward-Prowse, Mayuka.
Goals: Fonte 4, 90

Previous meeting
• The most-recent meeting between the two sides came on 14 February 2012 and
ended in a 1-1 draw at the Boleyn Ground. West Ham United sat top of the
npower Championship table, with the Saints just one point behind in second
place. Eventual champions Reading were six points behind in sixth. Mark
Noble opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 21 minutes, but not
before Matt Taylor had been sent-off following an altercation with Billy
Sharp in the lead-up to Noble's penalty. Despite West Ham being reduced to
ten men, it took until 15 minutes from time before the Saints drew level
when Jos Hooiveld poked home from close range to snatch a point.
West Ham United: Green, Reid, Tomkins, Faye, O'Brien, Faubert, Collison
(McCartney 21), Taylor, Noble, Cole (Maynard 65), Vaz Te (O'Neil 71).
Subs not used: Lansbury, Baldock
Southampton: Davis, Richardson (Connolly 80), Fonte, Fox, Hooiveld,
Schneiderlin, Cork, Guly (Puncheon 55), Lallana, Lambert, Sharp (Hammond
83).
Subs not used: Martin, Lee

Background
• Saints goalkeeper Kelvin Davis had a trial at West Ham United in summer
2010 but a move could not be agreed and he re-joined Southampton.
• Southampton full-back Frazer Richardson scored the only goal when Stoke
City won 1-0 against West Ham United on 9 December 2003. He was on loan from
Leeds United at the time.
• West Ham United have been drawn to meet Southampton three times in the FA
Cup - and have gone on to reach the final twice. The Hammers overcame the
Saints after two replays in 1922/23, when they were beaten by Bolton
Wanderers in the first-ever final at Wembley. In 1974/75, West Ham defeated
Southampton 2-1 at The Dell in the third round.
• The first-ever meeting between the two clubs at the Boleyn Ground was a
Southern League Division One fixture at The Dell on 16 December 1899. Then
known as Thames Ironworks FC, Ken McKay scored the visitors' goal in a 3-1
defeat.
• The Hammers' most-recent league victory over Southampton took place
exactly eleven years ago on 20 October 2001 when Frederic Kanoute scored
both goals in a 2-0 Premier League win at the Boleyn Ground.
• West Ham United and Southampton met 20 times in the Premier League between
1993 and 2003. The Hammers won eight times, Southampton six and there were
six draws.
• Southampton's best result at the Boleyn Ground was the 4-2 Premier League
victory achieved over West Ham United on 25 April 1998.
• The largest crowd to attend a West Ham United versus Southampton fixture
was the 35,000 who were at the Division Two fixture at the Boleyn Ground on
13 November 1948. The match finished in a 1-1 draw.
• West Ham United have beaten Southampton 4-0 at home on three occasions -
their biggest victories over the Saints at the Boleyn Ground. All three were
in the old Division Two. The first occasion was on 27 March 1937, with Len
Goulden scoring twice. The second was on 12 April 1947, with Frank Neary
netting a brace, while the third was on 19 April 1952, with Terry Woodgate
getting two goals.

Last six meetings
(Barclays Premier League unless stated)

14 February 2012 - West Ham United 1-1 Southampton (Championship)
18 October 2011 - Southampton 1-0 West Ham United (Championship)
5 April 2003 - Southampton 1-1 West Ham United
2 December 2002 - West Ham United 0-1 Southampton
30 January 2002 - Southampton 2-0 West Ham United
20 October 2001 - West Ham United 2-0 Southampton
Overall record v Southampton (all competitions) W 36 D 27 L 30

Ten-year records
West Ham United
2011/12 Championship 3rd (promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (relegated to Championship)
2009/10 Premier League 17th
2008/09 Premier League 9th
2007/08 Premier League 10th
2006/07 Premier League 15th
2005/06 Premier League 9th
2004/05 Championship 6th (promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th
2002/03 Premier League 18th (relegated to Championship)
Southampton
2011/12 Championship 2nd (promoted to Premier League)
2010/11 League One 2nd (promoted to Championship)
2009/10 League One 7th
2008/09 Championship 23rd (relegated to League One)
2007/08 Championship 20th
2006/07 Championship 6th
2005/06 Championship 12th
2004/05 Premier League 20th (relegated to Championship)
2003/04 Premier League 12th
2002/03 Premier League 8th


Referee
• The referee will be Neil Swarbrick.
• Swarbrick began refereeing at the age of 29 and within six years he had
been promoted to the National List of assistant referees in 2005.
• Now 42, Swarbrick made his way up the leagues via the Football Conference
and the npower Football League before receiving his first Barclays Premier
League appointment on 11 December 2010. He was officially promoted to the
Select Group of top-flight referees in June 2011.
• So far this season Swarbrick has taken charge of six matches in all
competitions, including two Barclays Premier League fixtures.
• He has taken charge of three West Ham United fixtures in the past, the
most recent being the 2-0 npower Championship Play-Off semi-final first-leg
win at Cardiff City on 3 May 2012.
• Swarbrick has been the man in the middle for five Southampton matches, the
most recent being the 2-2 south coast npower Championship derby with
Portsmouth at St Mary's on 7 April 2012.

Team News
• Ricardo Vaz Te is definitely out after undergoing surgery on a dislocated
shoulder suffered in the 3-1 home Barclays Premier League defeat by Arsenal
on 6 October. Yossi Benayoun, Matt Taylor or Gary O'Neil will deputise.
• Guy Demel (leg) and Winston Reid (back) are both facing races to be fit
after being forced to miss out on international duty for Ivory Coast and New
Zealand respectively. Joey O'Brien and James Tomkins are fit and standing by
to come in, if required.
• France midfielder Alou Diarra continues to be sidelined by a thigh injury.
• Goalkeeper Stephen Henderson has joined npower Championship club Ipswich
Town on a three-month loan, meaning Raphael Spiegel will serve as Jussi
Jaaskelainen's No2. Ravel Morrison is on a season-long loan at npower
Championship club Birmingham City.
• For Southampton, record signing Gaston Ramirez is sidelined with a thigh
injury the Uruguay midfielder suffered in training. England Under-21 and
Team GB midfielder Jack Cork is also out with a leg injury. Right-back
Nathaniel Clyne is expected to be fit after recovering from a leg injury
that ruled him out of England Under-21's UEFA European Championship
qualifier in Serbia in midweek.

Old Boys
• West Ham United's all-time leading goalscorer Vic Watson moved to
Southampton after 15 seasons as a Hammer in 1935. Watson would spend the
1935/36 season at The Dell, scoring 14 goals in 36 appearances to finish as
the Saints' leading goalscorer in Division Two before retiring in summer
1936 at the age of 38.
• Among the other players to have played for both clubs are William Adams,
Eyal Berkovic, Wayne Bridge, Henri Camara, Alistair Campbell, Frank
Costello, Christian Dailly, Calum Davenport, Iain Dowie, Bob Fairman, Jack
Foster, Horace Glover, Richard Hall, Jimmy Harris, Fred Harrison, Joe
Kirkup, George Kitchen, Alex McDonald, Walter Pollard, Nigel Quashie, Albert
Roles, Robbie Slater, David Speedie, Vic Watson, Arthur Wilson, Richard
Wright.
General Information
• Standard tickets for the game against Southampton are now completely sold
out.
• There is significant disruption to public transport on Saturday. Please
click here to see if these changes affect you.
• The weather forecast for Saturday is partly cloudy with temperatures
reaching a maximum of 16C (61F).

Welcome to our Sponsors
• Saturday's Match Sponsors will be Channel Commercials PLC and Matchball
Sponsors will be S.H.E Maritime Serivces Ltd.

• Channel Commercials is an established commercial vehicle and LCV dealer in
Kent, providing sales, parts and servicing for DAF Trucks and Nissan vans.
Alongside new and used trucks, vans and buses, Channel Commercials provides
an impressive portfolio of additional products and services, including a
fully-equipped paint and body shop where accident repair, shot blasting and
signwriting are carried out, as well as a specialist engineering and
fabrication department which specialises in commercial vehicle modification,
welding and rail wagon maintenance. As a leading commercial vehicle dealer
in Kent, Channel Commercials also has factory-trained technicians at four
locations (Ashford, Strood, Sevenoaks and Canterbury) who are able to offer
24-hour servicing for commercial vehicles. For full details, click here.

• S.H.E Maritime Serivces Ltd is a non-vessel operating carrier (NVOCC) with
partners throughout the world. S.H.E Maritime Serivces Ltd's core business
is the handling of less than container load (LCL) and full container load
(FCL) cargo to and from numerous worldwide locations. A complete summary of
the import and export services we operate can be found online here.

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U18s to return to action
WHUFC.com
Nick Haycock's young Hammers will host Bolton Wanderers at Little Heath on
Saturday morning
18.10.2012

West Ham United's promising youngsters return to action when Nick Haycock's
side host Bolton Wanderers in the Barclays U18 Premier League at Little
Heath on Saturday, with kick-off at 11am. Due to the recent international
break, the Hammers have not played since being defeated 1-0 by Blackburn
Rovers at home on 6 October, and Haycock said he and his players could not
wait to get back on the pitch after a well-earned rest. "The international
break came round at a nice time because the first-year scholars had had a
hard pre-season and needed a weekend without a game to re-charge their
batteries," confirmed the U18s coach.
"We had a couple of boys away on international duty - Kieran Sadlier did
very well with Republic of Ireland U19s again - and had some of the younger
ones on stand-by for England. "During the last couple of weeks, I've had the
chance to get the squad together and do a seven-game review and look at what
we have and haven't done well and what we can improve on both individually
and collectively. "We'll try to put what we've learnt out on to the pitch
and hopefully the result will be a good performance against Bolton at the
weekend."

While wins and points are always welcomed, Haycock pointed out that player
development and producing future first-team squad members are the primary
goals of the Academy. With a number of scholars already impressing for the
club's table-topping Development Squad, the U18s coach pointed to a system
that is working. The club was delighted to receive the highest Category One
status as part of the new Elite Player Performance Plan, which is aimed at
giving clubs more time on the training pitch with young players, while also
providing for their educational, social, medical and - if required,
residential needs. Last week, more than 400 Academy players and family
members attended an evening at which the Academy's ambitions and
philosophies were explained. "The whole mantra is about developing players
and the whole idea is that the Under-21s (Development Squad) looks like the
next first team. That might be made up of teenagers and young professionals,
but whoever they are must look like a first-team player of the future. "All
the way down the system, that is how we work. We want to promote young
players up to the next level whenever we can. As an example, Manny Onnariase
has played every game for the Under-18s this season and he is still a
schoolboy. "Our performances and team shape have been good in our games so
far and the games we have lost have been down to mistakes, lack of
concentration at set pieces or loose passes out from the back. Those are
understandable in young players. "We've been in every game and even the ones
we have lost, on another day with a little bit more sharper play in the
final third, we could have got something out of them as well. "Obviously it
is about winning as well, but after overcoming the disappointment, we then
sit down every week and analyse what every boy has done well and what he
needs to work on - technically, tactically, physically and mentally. "There
are programmes in place for every boy and every week it is about further
developing each individual player. The pleasing thing for us as an Academy
is that the Under-21s look like a good side full of promise and their
performances have resulted in them getting time on the pitch for the first
team in the Capital One Cup."

Assistant manager Neil McDonald has also taken a keen interest in the
Academy, holding two in-service training sessions for Academy coaches to
learn new approaches and drills to help to develop their own skills. "Macca
has showed that close link and has said to all the staff that the youth
teams are about trying to learn the game. We should try to win, but the
result isn't important. It becomes more so at the Development Squad level,
where you cannot make as many mistakes, then in the first team you can't
make any mistakes because you will get punished. "That is where we are at as
an Academy and I am delighted to be playing the part in it that I am at the
moment."

Saturday's match at Little Heath, Hainault Road, Romford, RM6 5SS, will
kick-off at 11am, with admission and parking both free.

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Macca's Dev Squad delight
WHUFC.com
Neil McDonald is delighted with the progress of the Development Squad this
season
18.10.2012

Neil McDonald has praised the Development Squad for their performances and
progress during the first part of the 2012/13 season. 'Macca' regularly
attends the Barclays Under-21 Premier League fixtures to check in on Ian
Hendon's rising stars and he has been encouraged by what he has seen.
Speaking to whufc.com, Macca hailed their 2-0 win against Blackburn Rovers
ten days ago - their fifth win in seven games this season. "Their
performances have been absolutely fantastic this season," he said. "I
watched them against Blackburn Rovers and they thoroughly deserved their
victory. "They outplayed Blackburn from start to finish and it was a
fantastic result. They are all full of confidence, which is great."

Paul McCallum and Matthias Fanimo got the goals that night in a tough
contest and Macca was impressed by the maturity of their play. "It was a
hard-fought win and games like that are a massive part of their development.
They worked hard for each and it was tough to create chances but when they
did they took them. Blackburn hardly got over the half way line in the
second half."

Macca is also a firm believer that confidence is key to a player's form and
both he and Sam Allardyce are content in the knowledge that the Hammers'
youngsters will be in fine fettle should they be needed. "Winning and
playing well within the Development Squad will only breed confidence and
help them to integrate into the first team. It is great to see the younger
players coming through and playing well and that is why I always attend the
games because they are good to watch."

Fanimo, Rob Hall, Dylan Tombides, Danny Potts and Jordan Spence have all
featured for Allardyce's side this season and Macca backed more youngsters
to do the same before too long. "We have a couple of players who have
already made cameo appearances and they have to play on a consistent basis
to get into the team. "At the moment they are doing just that, which is
fantastic because you very rarely get that off young players. "They work
very hard to close the opposition down and keep their shape and they take
their chances when they come along. They are also top of the league now and
playing very well so long may it continue."

The Development Squad are next in action on Monday night away at Bolton
Wanderers. The match will be held at the Lancashire FA, with kick-off at
7pm. whufc.com will have further pre-match build-up over the weekend.

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Big Sam blasts FA
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th October 2012
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce has hit out at New Zealand Football after they insisted
Winston Reid make the trip home for the All Whites' World Cup 2014
qualifying match against Tahiti.

Reid, who was nursing an injury sustained during West Ham's 3-1 defeat at
home to Arsenal a fortnight ago was ordered back to New Zealand by the NZF -
the country's equivalent of the English FA - for the match, which the Kiwis
won 3-0.

That result gave them an aggregate win of 5-0 and edged them closer to
another appearance in the Finals. However Allardyce was critical of the
decision to call Reid - who was an unused substitute - back for the game.

"I don't see any sense in calling them over and particularly that far,
because they are injured," he said. "I don't see any sense it in at all. I
also think there was an underlining factor that they didn't trust him or us
that he was injured.

"There's another underlining factor that tells me that the players are
brought there and then they're put under enormous pressure to play, because
of the loyalties to the country by the coaches and certain political
elements which they have to resist.

"On one hand I'm all for international football - but it doesn't make any
sense to take them because they can't play. I don't understand that at all."

Reid, who has been suffering with a back spasm could make his return to West
Ham's first team against Southampton at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday -
despite having undertaken a mammoth 48-hour flight this week.

Should the in-form centre half not be considered fit to play, James Tomkins
is on standby to deputise.

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Rodgers: no Carroll recall
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th October 2012
By: Staff Writer

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says he has no intention of recalling Andy
Carroll from his loan at West Ham in January. The under-fire Rodgers, who
only took over at Anfield in the summer has the option of recalling the
England international should he so choose when the transfer window re-opens
in January of next year. However taking Carroll back to Merseyside is not an
option he is currently comtemplating, according to comments he made earlier
today - despite his squad having just one fit striker at present. "Andy has
obviously gone out to get games," said Rodgers. "We have people watching
when he plays and they report back on how he is doing. [But recalling him]
isn't something I have considered, to be honest."

Carroll moved to Liverpool in January 2011 for a British record transfer fee
of £35million - but when Rodgers moved from Swansea to Liverpool earlier
this year he made it clear that the 23-year-old Geordie wasn't part of his
immediate plans. West Ham signed Carroll on a season-long loan on the
penultimate day of the summer transfer window.

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West Ham boss Sam Allardyce unhappy with Winston Reid's New Zealand call
Last Updated: October 18, 2012 8:13pm
SSN

Sam Allardyce has expressed his unhappiness after West Ham United defender
Winston Reid was called up by New Zealand despite carrying an injury.
Reid travelled halfway round the world for New Zealand's games against
Tahiti, but was unable to play due to a back injury sustained earlier this
month.
He is now doubtful for the Hammers' game against Southamptonon Saturday and
Allardyce questioned the wisdom of the call-up. "I don't see any sense in
calling them over and particularly that far, because they are injured. I
don't see any sense it in at all," said the West Ham manager. "I also think
there was an underlining factor that they didn't trust him or us that he was
injured. "There's another underlining factor that tells me that the players
are brought there and then they're put under enormous pressure to play,
because of the loyalties to the country by the coaches and certain political
elements which they have to resist.
"On one hand I'm all for international football but it doesn't make any
sense to take them because they can't play. I don't understand that at all,"
he said.
Allardyce is also relieved to have Mohamed Diame and Guy Demel back at Upton
Park unscathed after riots forced the Senegal v Ivory Coast Africa Cup of
Nations qualifier to be abandoned on Sunday. Diame was shielded by police as
he fled to the dressing room late in the second half when crowd violence in
the stadium erupted on to the pitch. He added: "We had two very important
players away in that horrific situation ... they've come back okay."

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Carroll stinger
By PHIL THOMAS
Last Updated: 19th October 2012
The Sun

BRENDAN RODGERS has no plans to recall Andy Carroll to Anfield in January
despite Liverpool's striker crisis. The giant Geordie is on a season-long
loan at West Ham but the Reds have the option of bringing him back to
Merseyside in the next transfer window. Luis Suarez is Rodgers' only fit
senior striker after Fabio Borini was ruled out for three months with a
broken metatarsal. Yet when asked if a Carroll return was on the cards,
Rodgers insisted: "It's not something I am considering, to be honest.
"Andy's gone there to get games and obviously we have people watching him
and how he's doing. "The Fabio situation has just come up but, although it's
not ideal, they're the cards we've been dealt." A lack of funds forced
Rodgers to fast-track rookies such as Raheem Sterling, Suso and Andre
Wisdom. But the manager said: "Not every young player can play." Kop keeper
Pepe Reina is struggling to make tomorrow's home game against Reading after
hurting a hamstring on international duty with Spain. Brad Jones is on
standby.

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Reid the riot act: West Ham livid star had to fly to New Zealand with a bad
back
The Mirror
Richard Heathcote

Sam Allardyce has ­questioned the sense of Winston Reid's call-up by New
Zealand for their ­internationals with Tahiti over the past week. The
defender did little more than cheer on his All Whites ­team-mates after
making the 24-hour journey with a back injury he sustained earlier this
month. Reid remains a doubt for West Ham's match with Southampton this
weekend, much to manager Big Sam's ­frustration. "I don't see any sense in
calling them over – ­particularly that far – because they are injured. I
don't see any sense it in at all," he said. "I also think there was an
underlying factor that they didn't trust him, or us, that he was really
injured. "I think the players are brought there and then put under enormous
pressure to play, because of the loyalties to the country by the coaches and
certain political elements which they have to resist. "I'm all for
international football, but it doesn't make any sense to take them because
they can't play."

Allardyce is also relieved to have Mohamed Diame and Guy Demel back
unscathed after riots forced the Senegal v Ivory Coast Africa Cup of Nations
match to be ­abandoned. Diame was shielded by police as he fled to the
dressing room when crowd violence in the stadium erupted on to the pitch.
"We had two very important players away in that horrific situation, but
they've come back OK," Allardyce added

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West Ham manager Sam Allardyce claims rugby players behave much worse than
footballers on the pitch
By John Percy10:00PM BST 18 Oct 2012
The Telegraph

Allardyce, the West Ham manager, is convinced that criticism of footballers
is motivated by jealousy and severe offences in other sports are overlooked.
The success of British athletes at the Olympics this year increased the
focus on the behaviour of Premier League footballers, with recent scrutiny
surrounding John Terry's Football Association charge for racially abusing
Anton Ferdinand and Ashley Cole's Twitter attack on the governing body. Luis
Suárez has also been accused of diving after a string of recent high-profile
incidents to further damage the reputation of the national game but
Allardyce insists football does not deserve such negative coverage in
comparison to other sports. He said: "I think that the game is a volatile
contest so people will lose their temper, but nobody seems to highlight the
fact that rugby players stamp on each others heads, gouge each others eyes,
and that seems to be acceptable. "Or fans go to watch ice hockey players
beat themselves up with the sticks and that also seems acceptable, but a
footballer kicks somebody, or does something that's slightly untoward to the
rules and it's 'lock them away, ban them for life'.

"There's a lot of jealousy around the way football is in this country, I
think, and as it's known as the peoples' game, then I think more and more
people complain about the price, whereas all the other sports it's not quite
the same. "So, it's something we have to live with. In comparing it to the
Olympics, it's not as fierce a competition, because there's not that
day-to-day, week-to-week, competitive edge. It's a build-up of four years –
a very dedicated four years of course – and the delight of winning and the
end of it must be one of the biggest highs anybody's ever experienced."

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Carroll stays at West Ham
FRIDAY 19 OCTOBER 2012
by Gareth Purnell
19 October 2012 01:01 AM

Brendan Rodgers says he will not recall the £35m striker Andy Carroll from
loan in January, despite Liverpool's shortage of players up front. Fabio
Borini could be out for up to three months after requiring surgery on a
broken foot, leaving Rodgers with Luis Suarez as his only recognised
first-team striker. But the Liverpool manager said he has not even thought
about recalling Carroll from his season-long loan at West Ham. "It isn't
something I have considered," Rodgers said. "Andy has obviously gone out to
get games. We have people watching and they report back on how he is doing.
But with Fabio's injury just coming up we will assess it from there."

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