Daily WHUFC News - 14th May 2013

Nolan welcomes Big Sam stay
WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan has welcomed the news that Sam Allardyce has pledged his future
to West Ham United
13.05.2013

Kevin Nolan is delighted to have the opportunity to make it a decade of
being captain for Sam Allardyce after the West Ham United manager signed a
new contract with the Club. Nolan began his career playing for Big Sam at
Bolton Wanderers and after the pair were reunited at the Boleyn Ground two
years ago, the West Ham No4 has become an intrinsic part of the Hammers'
progress under Allardyce. The possibility of now working under his
long-standing mentor for several more years fills Nolan with obvious
excitement and after recently scoring his 100th career goal against Wigan
Athletic, he is targeting further milestones during that period. "I'm
delighted that he's signed," Nolan said. "He has deserved it and it puts
everything to bed. It's about him now going away and drawing up what he
wants for next season. If you want this club to move forward I don't think
there is a better man to have at the helm. "I've worked under him at Bolton
and I know what he's about. Not just on the pitch but behind the scenes.
It's fantastic news for him and his family and fantastic news for us lads. I
just hope that we can get a few new faces that will help us kick on again
next season. "I've just enjoyed working with him and I have a great working
relationship with him. I've been his skipper for more than eight years in
total and I've just got that relationship where he gives me all the
responsibility in the dressing room. "I'm just delighted to be able to work
with him in the next few years that he's here. I'm delighted that I'm going
to be able to work under him and keep this club moving forward because I
certainly believe we've got the right personnel and a core squad to add to
in the summer."

Nolan's first step is to make sure that West Ham achieve the formidable feat
of finishing in the top ten following their return to the Barclays Premier
League last summer. To guarantee that, the Hammers will need to overcome
already-relegated Reading in the season finale at the Boleyn Ground on
Sunday; a day that has been designated 'Show Your Colours Day' by the Club.
"Although finishing in the top ten is an added incentive to beat Reading,
it's all about ourselves and we've all been like that this year. We are
tenth which is good and the ball is in our court which we always wanted.
We've been indifferent away from home this season and our main points have
come from home so we're expecting a win. "Finishing in the top ten would be
a massive achievement and you've got to look at it as a whole spectrum and
we've been brilliant this year. Over the season we've been good enough to be
in that top ten. We've been very unlucky at home and have only lost to four
sides - Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham and Arsenal. "It's been a great season
at home for us but we've got to continue it on Sunday. We were favourites at
the beginning of the season to go down after getting promoted by the
Play-Offs but we've done the job that we knew we could do and got into a
position that we thought we should be at the end of the season and that's in
the top ten."

If a victory against the Royals can indeed be secured, then 'Nobby' believes
it will provide a great selling point to potential new arrivals that Big Sam
and the Board target over the summer months. With the unwavering financial
support of Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold to assist that
search, Nolan is predicting bright times at the Boleyn Ground next season.
"I think we're good enough to be in the top ten and good enough to persuade
the Chairmen, who have been fantastic, that we're good enough to push for it
again next season. It's short steps though and top ten would be a very good
finish for us this year and it's what we'll be aiming for again next year so
we've got to make sure we bring in the players that will help us achieve
that."

The full squad were back in first thing on Monday morning as they sought to
right the wrongs of Sunday's defeat at Everton. Nolan believes that although
the result was disappointing, a win against the Royals will leave everyone
with a sweet taste in their mouth as they head off for their summer breaks.
"It was disappointing to lose to Everton to be honest. It was probably one
of our worst performances in the last eight to ten weeks. Sometimes you get
those days and we've got to pick ourselves us and look forward to Reading
and make sure we get three points at home. "We might have got caught up in
the emotion of everything that had gone on with Everton and it was just one
of those things. We weren't good enough and they deserved to win. We did
have some chances but their keeper pulled off some great saves. "Jussi has
pulled off some great saves for us and on another day we could have been
going in at 1-1 but it wasn't to be and we were very disappointed."

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Ladies suffer painful end to season
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies goalkeeper Toni-Anne Wayne was injured in their final
game of the season
13.05.2013

The 2012/13 season ended painfully for West Ham United Ladies goalkeeper
Toni-Anne Wayne, who suffered cracked ribs and bruising to the sternum and
hip after colliding with a post in Sunday's FA Women's Premier League
Southern Division fixture at Reading. The game came to a premature end with
Reading leading 3-2 as Wayne's injuries required an ambulance to be called,
although she was released from hospital later on Sunday. West Ham were
hoping to halt a run of seven games without a victory and goals from Rosey
Sullivan and Katie Bottom at least gave the title-winning Royals a scare.
They nevertheless proved too strong, however, and notched three goals of
their own to hold a slender advantage as the game neared its conclusion.
Nine minutes were left on the clock when away keeper Wayne suffered her
injury, and Reading were awarded the points after the decision was taken the
abandon the game. West Ham end the campaign with 22 points from their 16
games - enough to secure a mid-table sixth position in the table.

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Hammers to host UK Asian Community Cup
WHUFC.com
West Ham United will play host to the 2013 UK Asian Community Cup, which
starts on Saturday 18 May
13.05.2013

West Ham United will play host to the 2013 UK Asian Community Cup. Now in
its tenth year, the UK Asian Community Cup is an annual football festival
organised by London Tigers, an award-winning organisation working
London-wise to provide sporting and life opportunities for disadvantaged
communities.
The tournament is being sponsored by the Club's principal partners SBOBET,
the world's leading Asian handicap specialist bookmakers, and supported by
The Canary Wharf Group. The festival creates a pathway for Asians towards
mainstream football and provides a platform for amateur Asian teams to
showcase their talents. At the same time, the festival also aims to help
kick racism out of football, with up to four non-Asian players allowed on
the field of play in each team. Players from countries as wide-ranging as
Bangladesh, Brazil and Bulgaria have taken part in previous tournaments. The
preliminary rounds of the 2013 UK Asian Community Cup will be held at Rush
Green over the weekend of 18-19 May. There, more than 300 players are set to
turn out for 16 teams during the group stages on the Saturday, with
quarter-finals and semi-finals to be held on the Sunday. Supporters are
welcome to attend, with admission free of charge.
The final will be staged at the Boleyn Ground on Wednesday 12 June, with
kick-off at 7.30pm.

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Allardyce looking ahead
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 13th May 2013
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce believes that stability is key as he looks to mould a West Ham
United team for the future and beyond. Following months of speculation over
his future, Allardyce finally signed a new contract with the Hammers last
weekend and is now looking forward to another two years in London. However
having retained Premier League status for another season at least, Big Sam -
whose team face Reading at the Boleyn Ground in their final game of the
campaign his coming weekend - believes that the days of mass squad changes
are over for now. "I am very pleased about signing my new contract but I
wasn't expecting that it was ever going to be a problem," he said. "There
was a lot of speculation but it's over and done with now and we can
concentrate on building for a new season. "I hope there will be less
business to be done as there has been over my first two years. I hope there
will be single figures in terms of playing coming in, unlike the double
figures or beyond it [of previous pre-seasons]. "It will bring us more
stability but I've got to choose the right player to make us better for next
season and not think about standing still, even though we have had a
fantastic season this season."

And despite the lucrative new TV deal that will see each Premier League
club's coffers boosted by up to £70million per season, Allardyce maintains
that he will still have to work within a strict budget. "The planning has
started, but it's about affordability for us," he explained. "On the money
side of it, there is some there but it's not fortunes. We've got to improve
the team that we've got, which has played to its maximum. "A lot of the team
that we've got were free transfers and we've got to go from that to getting
better players. We've got to go into the market for them and increase the
overall salary, wage budget and transfer fees because we've got to try and
get better. "As we all know, that is a very difficult job to do today, to
pick players to come in and be good enough to play in the Premier League."

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West Ham boss Sam Allardyce already planning for next season
Last Updated: May 13, 2013 3:45pm
SSN

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce says he is already planning for the
next Premier League season after signing his new contract, but that he will
not be making wholesale changes to his playing squad. The Hammers boss was
left deflated following Sunday's 2-0 league defeat at Everton, but preferred
to look to the future after signing his two-year deal at the weekend. "I am
very pleased about signing my new contract but I wasn't expecting that it
was ever going to be a problem," Allardyce told the club's official website.
"There was a lot of speculation but it's over and done with now and we can
concentrate on building for a new season. "Really, trying to get better is
our main priority, of course. I hope there will be less business to be done
as there has been over my first two years. "I hope there will be single
figures in terms of players coming in, unlike the double figures or beyond.
"It will bring us more stability but I've got to choose the right player to
make us better for next season and not think about standing still, even
though we have had a fantastic season this season."

The 58-year-old was conscious though that his side would have to rediscover
the outstanding away form they showed during his first season at the helm if
they are to improve in 2013/14. "It has gone to plan," he added. "One
disappointing thing this season, for me, has been away from home. We've gone
back to the old West Ham syndrome where it's very difficult to go away and
play away from home and win. "We've not found that to be very easy at all
this season. We have managed to win three away from home and we have got
some very good draws at Liverpool and Southampton when we needed them. "At
the end of the day, our players played like they had the sun and the beach
in their minds. They played like they were on their holidays before they
really are. "The buoyant Everton were always going to come out all guns
blazing and we had to match that, but of course we didn't find the tempo and
time to contend with Everton's very good play and they deserved to win."

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Geordie boy: A look back at Andy Carroll's roller coaster season
13 May 2013 08:00
The Mirror

Andy Carroll enjoyed a barnstorming finish to the Premier League campaign.
The big Geordie centre forward has caught the eye while on loan at West Ham
- and now he is hoping to force his way back into England boss Roy Hodgson's
plans. Carroll deserves special praise and highlighting as we near the end
of the season and our series of National Treasures. Carroll is the latest
player to feature in our new series National Treasures. The Best of British
who stand out from the crowd. Over the last few weeks we have been looking
at a few home grown players who have become National Treasures. Our new and
final part of our Vauxhall campaign highlights British stars who are shining
brightly in the Premier League. We'd love you, our readers, to get involved
and tell us what you think of players: whether they are world class and how
they fare against their opponents. This week we're looking at a very
talented striker: Andy Carroll
Caroll has enjoyed a roller coaster season - but has finished on a high. The
Liverpool striker found himself out of favour at Anfield and was loaned out
to West Ham where Sam Allardyce appears to have got the best out of him.
Carroll has been scoring goals, winding up defenders and knocking over
keepers. In fact, the West Ham striker has been a real throwback to a
classic old fashioned number nine centre forward. West Ham boss Allardyce
would love to sign him from Liverpool but may face stiff competition from
clubs including Newcastle while the price tag may be an issue as he went to
Anfield for £35m. But there are a different set of rules for a striker -
especially one with many good years of goals ahead of him. Carroll will
surely still have plenty to offer in his career after finding it tough to
fit in under Brendan Rodgers' footballing philosophy at Anfield. An English
striker who can score goals and entertain will always attract attention and
excite fans up and down the country. He also offers a lot of hope for
England boss Roy Hodgson as he looks to try and bring in a classic centre
forward in his squad to complement the other strikers. Carroll is rebuilding
his reputation, confidence and career at Upton Park. And there's no doubt he
can be a big player for club and country in the future. That's why Andy
Carroll is a great example when it comes to being a National Treasure. We
would welcome your comments, views and which players would have shone
brightly this season to be recognised as a National Treasure.

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Hammers strike blow
Exclusive
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: 4 hrs ago
The Sun

WEST HAM could lose their entire strike force on Sunday with Carlton Cole
and Andy Carroll both likely to depart. Long-serving striker Cole will say
his Upton Park farewell against Reading having failed to win a new contract.
The former Chelsea ace, 29, joined the Hammers in 2006 but rejected new
terms last season. Now, after just two goals this season, Cole will be the
first summer casualty of boss Sam Allardyce's squad. Meanwhile, West Ham are
at loggerheads with Liverpool over a deal for on-loan striker Carroll. The
Hammers insist they can afford only £10million for the Geordie, who has four
goals in seven games.
Carroll, 24, will return to Anfield unless a deal can be struck but
Liverpool are holding out for £17m. Allardyce is eyeing Ivory Coast hitman
Wilfried Bony, who plays for Dutch club Vitesse, as a replacement.

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