The Big Interview - Nick Haycock
WHUFC.com
West Ham United U21s manager Nick Haycock on tactics, challenging senior
professionals and loan moves
30.07.2013
Player development is very much a team game at West Ham United. Nick Haycock
takes charge of the Hammers' Under-21 side, overseeing the progress of
players as they make the vital step up from Academy to senior football. With
such an important job, Haycock takes huge pride in his role within the Club
- a role that sees him work closely with manager Sam Allardyce, assistant
Neil McDonald, first-team coach Ian Hendon and Under-18s manager Steve
Potts.
Speaking to West Ham TV following Monday's 1-0 defeat at League Two side
Southend United - a match his youngsters dominated against Phil Brown's team
- Haycock discussed player development, tactics, loan moves and the
possibility of the Hammers fielding a side in the non-league.
If that was a boxing match at Southend United, it would have been stopped in
West Ham's favour well before the end! What was your assessment of a harsh
1-0 defeat at Roots Hall?
NH: "I read Macca's comments building up the game and Ian came and watched
the game and they were saying that Development football is now about playing
against League Two opposition and that making mistakes costs you points,
because they are now in that world," he said. "That being said, I was
delighted with the way we played. We've been working hard in pre-season on
working the ball between the lines and finding the space. I thought we were
excellent in the first half and could have scored five or six. It was there
for the taking. "Funnily enough, with us not taking our chances, we knew
they would get one through an error or maybe from a set piece and I was
disappointed with the way we conceded the goal. If we can just tidy that up,
then we're going to have a good season. "Ian will have been delighted with
the performance. There were some young lads playing against professional
players who are playing in League Two."
How did you feel your young professionals and scholars measured up against
seasoned professionals at Roots Hall?
NH: "We have been saying at meetings with the Premier League in recent
months that we would like to put a team to compete in the Conference to give
the boys the opportunity of playing for points. It showed [on Monday] that
we'd be capable of doing that, or maybe even higher than that. "It's
something that English football probably needs to look at. The Development
league is good but that next step at the age of 20 or 21, if you cannot make
the first team because the average age is going up because of the money in
the game, it's something most definitely worth considering,"
You employed a new 4-4-1-1 formation on Monday, different from the usual
4-3-3 system used. How did you feel your players responded to that change?
NH: "We had two days work on that, I woke up Sunday morning and thought
'We've got to try a different style in a game because we've had three games
playing with the holding midfield player. Through the Academy we have a
philosophy and we just switch the point around in the midfield so you're
playing somebody off the striker. "We transmitted it to the pitch on Sunday
and trained again on Monday with the players who had come back from Germany
and I thought they adapted to it well. There were some disciplined
performances out there and I was delighted with the boys acquitted
themselves."
The Development Squad go to Isthmian League Premier Division side AFC
Hornchurch on Saturday for your final pre-season game. What sort of
challenge are you expecting and what sort of squad will you take to Bridge
Avenue?
NH: "We've had a meeting and the whole goal of pre-season is to challenge
everyone at the right level and to make sure everyone gets minutes. Without
going into too much detail, some of the boys will go with the first team and
the youth team are going to the Eurofoot Tournament in Belgium, so rather
than keeping boys to be subs for me the strongest possible team will go to
Eurofoot to get that experience. "We may be a little bit lighter at the
weekend, but it's an opportunity for the boys who have not played as many
minutes to do so, while giving the utmost respect to Hornchurch, who are our
local neighbours and have a good link and association with the Club. We'll
be doing our bit for them as well. "In terms of the game, it'll be
interesting to see, because I've got to make sure the lads who played at
Southend get themselves equally up for Saturday and not just think 'It's
Hornchurch and we're not playing at Roots Hall'. That'll be interesting for
their development. "As I said to the four boys coming back, I thought they
were excellent in the way they acquitted themselves because what you don't
want is players going away with the first team, thinking they have made it
and them not performing well for us. It will always be about putting in the
performances that do yourself justice and help you push on in your career,
whatever bit of grass you are on."
Finally, a number of our young players will be targeted by other clubs for
loan moves. How do West Ham decide which players are suitable for loans and
which should remain under your own wing?
NH: "That is done with Sam, Neil, Ian and myself chatting about the player,
looking at the club they would go to and making sure they are going to get
an experience there and that they are going to play. The major consideration
is that they are going to play. "Myself, Ian and the scouts will go and
watch them as much as we can and we also have a back-up support system
within the Club in terms of sports science. If the club we send them to
doesn't have the facilities or the personnel, we make sure we monitor them
through ours to make sure they stay up to date with their programmes because
they are still our players.
"They are going out to develop into players we want to play in the Premier
League, so it's a group decision and up to Sam ultimately and rightly so."
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Cole hails Carroll influence
WHUFC.com
Joe Cole believes Andy Carroll is set to produce his best skills
30.07.2013
Joe Cole has seen first hand the transformation Andy Carroll has undergone
since first arriving at the Boleyn Ground a year ago. Frustrated after a
season-and-a-half at Liverpool, Carroll rediscovered his best form after
returning to fitness with the Hammers and signed permanently for Sam
Allardyce's men this summer. Cole, a teammate of the big Geordie at Anfield
as well as in east London, was thrilled to see him at his best towards the
end of last season and believes there is more to come from the No9. He told
West Ham TV: "I've played with Andy at Liverpool and West Ham and the player
who is playing for West Ham is full of confidence, strong, aggressive and
you can see what a great player he is. "He had a difficult time at
Liverpool, but the West Ham Andy Carroll is a real handful and a top player.
He'll be looking at getting in the England squad and he can be anything he
wants to be. "You can look at a [Didier] Drogba, that's the level he can get
to. He's a good lad and we're glad to have him here."
Carroll is facing a race against time to be fit for the start of the new
Barclays Premier League season, and Cole was involved as part of a front
three alongside Ricardo Vaz Te and Modibo Maiga in Saturday's win against
Eintracht Braunschweig. Maiga notched twice at the Eintracht-Stadion and
Cole is happy to see the rest of the striking unit coming into form too. He
added: "The gaffer had a look at Ricardo in the No9 position [on Saturday].
When Andy is the central striker you rely on his attributes, and without him
we have to alter the style a little bit. "Who knows, he might make the start
of the season, but it was great to see Modibo Maiga score two goals on
Saturday as it's always important for your strikers to score goals."
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Under-18s hold off Charlton comeback
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's youngsters registered a 3-2 victory in their latest
warm-up match
30.07.2013
West Ham United's Under-18s continued their preparations for the new season
with a thrilling victory over their Charlton Athletic counterparts on
Tuesday afternoon. Steve Potts' team travelled to south London to take on
the Addicks at their Sparrows Lane training ground and quickly stamped their
authority on the contest. Jordan Brown, a first year scholar who joined the
Academy from Arsenal this summer, notched twice before the break to put the
Hammers in a commanding position. But Charlton came roaring back in the
second half to level thanks to goals from Mehawl Martin and Tomi Adeloye.
Their efforts were to prove in vain however, as Marcio Martins popped up
with a last-minute winner to give the Hammers the perfect send off for their
participation in the Eurofoot Tournament in Belgium from Friday. Under-18s
manager Steve Potts (pictured) said: "It was a deserved win. We had the
chances to make it more comfortable, and you never know what might happen
when a team gets it back to 2-1. "So to respond positively when they brought
it back to 2-2 was excellent and I was pleased with the workout."
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West Ham look to Swedish international
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 30th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are being linked with a move for Malmo midfielder and captain
Jiloan Hamad. The 22-year-old Swede, who was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, is
out of contract with the former European giants later this year and,
according to reports emanating from Scandinavia this afternoon, can count
West Ham as one of several of admirers. That's according to one Swedish
source at least, who claim that West Ham have been in touch with Hamad's
agent with view to a potential permanent deal - despite Malmo's Sporting
Director Per Ågren refusing to confirm whether United had indeed expressed
an interest. "I have no comment to make," a tight-lipped Agren told Fotboll
Skanalen. "I'm sure there are a few clubs interested, but expressing an
interest is very different to signing the player."
As Hamad, who is primarily employed as a winger has less than six months
remaining on the two-year contract he signed with MFF back in 2011, the
six-times capped Swdish international is allowed to talk to other clubs.
Last season (2012) he scored six goals and contributed nine assists for
Malmo in the Allsvenskan, whilst he was an unused substitute in Sweden's
famous 4-2 win against England at the Friends Arena in November 2012. In
this year's Allsvenskan (which runs from March 2013 to November 2013), Hamad
has already scored five times whilst providing a further four assists from
the wing.
The 5'8" wide man began his career in Sweden with lower league club BK
Forward, with whom he spent two years as a pro from 2006 until 2008 before
Malmo spotted his potential. After barely featuring in his first season at
the Swedbank Stadion, it was at the age of 18 that Hamad made the
breakthrough into Malmo's first team squad and he went on to make 20
appearances in 2009, mostly on the right wing. After Guillermo Molins was
sold to Anderlecht in 2001, Hamad made the right wing spot his own and he
was integral to the side that clinched a place in the 2011/12 Champions
League. He is also lauded for having scored the goal that knocked Scottish
champions Rangers out of the competition. Having signed a new deal with the
club at the end of 2011, Hamad was made captain the following year - an
impressive achievment for a player who was still only 21 at the time. Whilst
still on the fringes of the squad, he has already been selected for Sweden's
forthcoming 2013 Winter Tour.
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Give us a Kalou
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 30th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are holding talks with the representatives of Lille forward Salomon
Kalou, according to reports. According to this morning's L'Equipe, Kalou's
agent is in London to hold preliminary discussions with West Ham after the
27-year-old's current club accepted a £3.5million offer for the former
Chelsea man. However, as widely reported already, Kalou is understood to be
keen to play as a pivotal striker - and that's something West Ham are unable
to offer due to the recent club record signing of Andy Carroll, who will
fulfil that particular role. According to the article, Kalou has rejected
the opportunity to move to West Bromwich Albion, who have also been heavily
linked to the Ivorian international. Turkish club Trabzonspor were also said
to be interested. Lille are thought to be keen to seel the player, whose
current contract expires in 2015, in order to free the necessary funds to
allow them to sign former Portsmouth star John Utaka, currently with
Montpellier.
Elsewhere today the Hammers are being linked with a move for Dutch
international Khalid Boulahrouz. Now 31, the defender is currently under
contract with Sporting Lisbon - with whom he signed a two year contract in
2012 - but, according to sources in France, is set to be the target of an
imminent bid from West Ham. The 35-times capped defender previously spent a
year in the Premier League when playing for Chelsea between 2006 and 2007.
However a succession of injuries led to him being loaned to Seville for the
duration of the 2007-08 season, before joining Stuttgart on a permanent deal
in July 2008.
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Ghana defender Samuel Inkoom is hoping to leave Dnipro
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated: July
30, 2013 10:53am
SSN
A host of clubs have been alerted to the availability of Ghana defender
Samuel Inkoom as he seeks a move away from Dnipro. Inkoom has found himself
out of favour at Dnipro under Juande Ramos and spent the second half of last
season on loan at Bastia. The 24-year-old, who has been linked with the
likes of West Ham, Sporting Lisbon and Hamburg in the past, is now back at
Dnipro, but he is keen to move on as it appears he does not figure in Ramos'
plans. Inkoom's agent, Christian Emile, has confirmed they are talking with
Dnipro about securing a move away elsewhere. "The situation with Samuel is
incomprehensible," Emile told Sky Sports. "It was Ramos that wanted Dnipro
to pay a significant transfer fee to acquire his services from Basel and now
the same coach has completely frozen him out. "The problem is a personal one
that neither myself, the player or club hierarchy understand. "Last month
Samuel earned his 40th international cap and played an important role in
helping Ghana move closer to World Cup qualification, yet he has come back
to Dnipro and it is clear that he is still not in the coach's plans. "We are
talking with Dnipro to find a swift resolution, the player must continue his
career elsewhere."
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Norwich boss Chris Hughton rejects West Ham link with Robert Snodgrass
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated: July
30, 2013 3:31pm
SSN
Norwich boss Chris Hughton has warned clubs off making a move for winger
Robert Snodgrass. West Ham have been credited with an interest in former
Leeds star Snodgrass after he impressed at Carrow Road last season. Hughton
has ruled out selling Snodgrass and insists the Scotland international
remains central to his plans. "I think it's testament to how well the
players have done but we are in a good place at the moment," Hughton told
the Pink Un. "We want to ensure we keep hold of our best players and we are
a club at the moment that doesn't need to sell. "We are looking to
strengthen and not let players go. He (Snodgrass) is definitely a player who
is very much in our plans."
Meanwhile, Hughton has refused to rule out a move for Juventus striker Fabio
Quagliarella. Reports in Italy have claimed Norwich have made a bid for
Quagliarella as Hughton looks to add the Italian to his attacking ranks
following the arrivals of Gary Hooper and Ricky van Wolfswinkel. Hughton is
aware of the rumours linking him with Quagliarella, but he is not giving
anything away on his pursuit of the 30-year-old. "I've heard and seen those
reports in the press," added Hughton. "But it's exactly the same as our work
with Gary (Hooper) - from our side we worked in the correct way, very much
behind the scenes and until there was something official to say we didn't
say it. "I think the fact there are some players that are being linked with
us in some ways is a good thing because it means we are trying to be
pro-active and we are trying to improve. But certainly until there is
anything to say we will wait."
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Sam Allardyce wants French ace Loic Remy
SAM ALLARDYCE is facing a fight to convince £6m Loic Remy to swap QPR for
West Ham.
Daily Star
By Adrian Kajumba/Published 31st July 2013
Allardyce will revive his interest in Chelsea striker Demba Ba if he fails
to capture Remy. But the Hammers boss wants to pair Remy with his big summer
signing Andy Carroll to form a new-look attack. West Ham are in advanced
negotiations with Remy over a permanent move to Upton Park. But the
ex-Marseille star and his advisors are waiting to see what other offers come
his way. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew wants the hitman to become the next
Frenchman to sign on at St James' Park but only on loan, However, the
expected offers from the Premier League's big boys have not materialised.
Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton and Liverpool were linked with Remy earlier in
the summer but now have other targets. "West Ham are in advanced
negotiations with Remy over a permanent move to Upton Park." Remy's
situation is complicated after he was arrested on suspicion of rape in May
and bailed until September, an allegation he denies. The 26-year-old, who
has a £6m relegation release clause, hit six goals in 13 starts for QPR
after joining in January for £8m. Ba is Allardyce's fallback option. He
hit seven goals in 12 games during a successful half-season spell at West
Ham back in 2011. Ba insists he is determined to stay at Stamford Bridge,
even if they sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United. But Allardyce
believes he can tempt the Senegal star with the offer of regular first-team
football if his bid to land Remy collapses. Allardyce also hopes to tie up a
deal for ex-Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou, who is in talks over a £3m move
from French side Lille.
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Newcastle look to loan West Ham target Loic Remy as move for Gomis hits
stalemate
NEWCASTLE want to take QPR striker Loic Remy on-loan next season and make
the Frenchman their first signing of the summer.
Daily Star
By Nick Lustig/Published 30th July 2013
Harry Redknapp is desperate to get Remy off the club's wage bill as he seeks
to free up funds for new additions to his squad. The north-east side have
tabled a small fee as well as offering to take on the player's wages in full
to tempt Redknapp to temporarily part with the striker. West Ham are also
interested in the 26-year-old and are monitoring the situation. The French
international may be heading back to the Premier LeagueThe French
international may be heading back to the Premier League QPR were relegated
in May despite the best efforts of the strikerQPR were relegated in May
despite the best efforts of the striker
"Harry Redknapp is desperate to get Remy off the club's wage bill" Remy
scored six times during his stay at Loftus Road, after joining the club in
the January transfer window from Marseille for £8m. The Magpies are
currently facing difficulties in their pursuit of Bafetimbi Gomis, but
remain in talks over a deal for the French international. Newcastle are not
willing to pay more than £6.9m for the Lyon forward, whose contract expires
next summer. Manager Alan Pardew had hoped to bring in at least two new
strikers to the club and will move for Aston Villa's Darren Bent if both
moves fail to materialise. The return of Joe Kinnear to the club as Director
of Football has held up a number of moves for Pardew's summer transfer
targets. However the former Southampton manager is now pushing Kinnear to
finalise deals for his targets or face losing them.
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Salomon Kalou unsure about West Ham switch despite fee being agreed
Daily Express
By: Ben Jefferson
Published: Tue, July 30, 2013
Reports in France suggest that Sam Allardyce has had a £3m bid accepted for
the former Chelsea player and the player's representatives are en route to
London to negotiate personal terms. But, according to L'Equipe, a move is
far from being concluded. New Lille coach Rene Girard is thought to be keen
to push through a move to fund new arrivals, but Kalou is not sold on a
return to English football. Kalou found his feet in Ligue 1 in the second
half of last season after struggling initially, and may not want to relocate
again just yet. The 27-year-old Ivorian has a contract with Lille until 2016
and is under no compulsion to contemplate a move. Allardyce also seems to
think that Kalou's preferred position could be an issue preventing a move.
Whether it comes off in terms of which position he wants to play could be
the stumbling block. Kalou was often used as a wide-player coming off the
bench during his time at Chelsea, and is thought to prefer a role as an
out-and-out striker. Allardyce said over the weekend: "His record at
Chelsea, his goalscoring record in France and his age, is very appealing to
us. But whether it comes off in terms of which position he wants to play
could be the stumbling block."
Kalou has already reportedly turned down moves to West Bromwich Albion,
where he could have teamed up again with Nicolas Anelka, and Trabzonspor in
Turkey. Valencia are also thought to hold an interest in taking Kalou to
Spain if a move to West Ham falls through.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 31
Tuesday, July 30
Daily WHUFC News - 30th July 2013
Manager on Monday
WHUFC.om
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce reflects on the tour of Germany
29.07.2013
Sam Allardyce is delighted with the progress he witnessed from his West Ham
United side over their tour of Germany. The Hammers bounced back from a 4-1
defeat to Mainz at the start of the trip, to train solidly and then defeat
both Hamburg and Eintracht Braunschweig, notching three goals in each game.
With the season three weeks away, that step up in intensity was what the
manager wanted to see and he is pleased with the position the Hammers
currently find themselves in. He explained: "When we first arrived in
Germany we put a youngish side out against Mainz, and because we'd won four
games on the trot, I think we got caught a little bit cold by the Mainz
team. "They are a bit in advance of us because they start the season earlier
than we do. That showed that we weren't quite at the level where we need to
be and we got beaten handsomely in the end. "That turned us around to say we
need to get our basics better in the next game. We put a stronger side out,
more of the first team, and we came away with a comfortable victory against
Hamburg. "We had the not-so-good and then the much, much better and it's
important to see the progression. "It was a good training camp over the
eleven days we were in Germany; we've had good training facilities and a
great welcome from everybody here. "Because of the weather, and the way
we've got these facilities, we've been able to focus on having two or three
sessions a day. In the end that should stand the lads in good stead for the
start of the season on 17 August."
West Ham were among the first Barclays Premier League sides back in
pre-season training from 1 July and Allardyce says that early start is
necessary with the ever-increasing physical demands of the top flight. He
added: "The change in fitness over the last five years has been one of the
biggest improvements of football in the Barclays Premier League. "You can
see the increase in the physical activity that a player has to reach in a
game of football from the stats that are gathered. "That fitness is the
first part of our training in pre-season, to get that level as best we
possibly can, and then from here on it it's more about the technical and
tactical side, mentally switching the lads on. "Those who are better
prepared mentally and physically get the early results that you need and
when you get the early results you can see what benefit you get."
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Second chance for Mo
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 29th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
Salomon Kalou's decision to reject West Ham's overtures could open the gate
for an unexpected return for Modibo Maiga. The Malian international barely
featured for West Ham last year despite Sam Allardyce paying £5million to
bring him to London from Sochaux a year ago this month and look destined to
leave the club this summer. Since the end of last season West Ham have
signed Andy Carroll on a permanent basis and made several offers to fellow
strikers - all to no avail, with Kalou being just the latest to turn West
Ham down. But that could allow Maiga - who has featured in most of West
Ham's pre-season fixtures - to challenge for a place in the first team
squad, especially with Carroll currently injured and unlikely to be fully
fit by the start of the season next month. Indeed, Allardyce's assistant
Neil McDonald hinted at the possibility of Maiga being promoted when asked
about the 25-year-old forward at the weekend. "If the penny drops on where
we want him to run and play the ball to, Maiga has one hell of a chance of
starting the season," he said. Maiga, who made just 19 appearances for West
Ham last season - most of which came from the bench - opened his pre-season
account with a brace against Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday, a game in
which he also grabbed an assist. He managed to score just four goals last
season - against Crewe, Wigan, Southampton and Chelsea - only one of which
came after September 2012. Sam Allardyce admitted at the weekend that the
race for Kalou had hit rocky ground as a result of the player not wishing to
play second fiddle to Andy Carroll or feature in a wide role. "We understand
the player wants to come back and play in England," said Allardyce.
"Obviously from his record at Chelsea, his goalscoring record this season in
France and his age he's very appealing to us. "Whether that'll come off or
not [we'll see] but the regular, [central] position he wants to play may
have been the stumbling block."
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Cole has one eye on World Cup
KUMb.com
Filed: Monday, 29th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
Joe Cole has refused to rule out a return to the international stage, with
the World Cup in Rio less than a year away. The 31-year-old midfielder
returned to West Ham last summer after ten years away and immediately
settled back into the swing of things in east London. And whilst the end of
the 2012/13 season was affected by injury, Cole believes that with a bit of
luck - conbined with some good on-pitch performances - his chances of making
the plane to Rio might not be as futile as may have been the case six months
ago. "The main thing for me is to get in the West Ham team, play as many
games as I can and play well," he said. "Then we'll see what happens from
there. "I think any English player would be looking at that, because to go
to a World Cup and perform for your country is the pinnacle of your career.
But first and foremost, for me, is playing well for West Ham."
Another Hammer who will be challenging for a place on the plane to South
America next summer is striker Andy Carroll, who earlier in pre-season
signed a long-term, permanent deal with West Ham. And Cole, who also played
with the 24-year-old forward at Liverpool, believes that Carroll has the
potential to be one of the very best. "The player who's playing for West Ham
is full of confidence, strong and aggressive. You can see what a great
player he is," lauded Cole.
"He had a difficult time at Liverpool but the West Ham Andy Carroll is a top
player and a real handful. He'll be looking to get in the England squad as
he's scored goals for England. He's a good lad and we're glad to have him in
our team. "He can be anything he wants to be. Look at Didier Drogba - that's
the level he can get to."
However Cole admits that thoughts of Brazil will be placed firmly in the
back of his mind once the 2013/14 Premier League campaign kicks off in
earnest when West Ham host newly-promoted Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground
on Saturday, 17th August. "You get excited every year, you want to play and
you want to do well," said Cole. "We start with Cardiff at home and
everyone's saying what a good game that is for West Ham but on the other
hand, Cardiff are coming up for the first time in years so it's going to be
a tough fixture. "We want to get a result in that game and we know it's
going to be tough."
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Allardyce: fitness is key
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 29th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce admits that he is pleased with the progress made during West
Ham's whistle-stop tour of Germany. Despite opening the three-match tour
with a disappointing 4-1 hammering at the hands of Bundesliga outfit Mainz
last weekend, Allardyce's side regrouped to secure comfortable wins over
Hamburg (3-1) and Eintracht Braunschweig (3-0) on Saturday afternoon. Now
back on British soil, Allardyce revealed that there were plenty of positives
to take from the trip. "It was a good camp over the eleven days we were in
Germany," he admitted. "We had good training facilities and a great welcome
from everybody. "Because of the weather we were able to focus on having two
or three sessions a day. In the end that should stand the lads in good stead
for the start of the season on 17th August. "The change in fitness over the
last five years has been one of the biggest improvements of football in the
Barclays Premier League. You can see the increase in the physical activity
that a player has to reach in a game of football from the stats that are
gathered. That fitness is the first part of our training in pre-season, to
get that level as best we possibly can, and then from here on it's more
about the technical and tactical side, mentally switching the lads on.
"Those who are better prepared mentally and physically get the early results
that you need and when you get the early results you can see what benefit
you get."
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West Ham assistant Neil McDonald backs Mobido Maiga to start
Last Updated: July 29, 2013 4:08pm
SSN
West Ham assistant manager Neil McDonald believes Mali forward Mobido Maiga
can seize his chance if handed a starting role in the early stages of the
Premier League season. The Hammers find themselves short on options in
attack with £15m signing Andy Carroll struggling for pre-season fitness -
and McDonald has handed Maiga hope he may be the man to fill the void.
McDonald told the club's website: "Modibo is in the team to score goals and
interlink and that side of his game was much better than it has been. "He
was running in behind and causing problems, which is great to see as it
stretches teams. It was a huge improvement on the last few games we've
played. "Modibo's ability is there as we paid a fair bit of money for him.
When you sign new players sometimes they take a bit longer to settle into
the team. "He has just been waiting for his chance to show what he can do
and hopefully he can score goals on a regular basis, try to work out where
we want him to run to, hold the ball up and interlink. He's got one hell of
a chance to start the season." Maiga found the net consistently for French
club Sochaux before arriving at Upton Park in last summer for an undisclosed
fee.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Southampton don't plan to sell Rickie Lambert and Gaston Ramirez
Last Updated: July 29, 2013 7:10pm
SSN
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino is not planning to let Rickie
Lambert and Gaston Ramirez leave the club during the transfer window.
Lambert was Saints' top scorer in the Premier League last season after
netting 15 times, but he has been linked with a reunion with former manager
Nigel Adkins at Reading.
West Ham United are also reported to have shown an interest in the
31-year-old, but Pochettino is adamant Lambert is a key part of his plans
for the coming season. "We count on Rickie," said Pochettino in the Daily
Echo following the weekend friendly against Besiktas. "We are happy with
him. I didn't know there was any interest in him. This is a surprise for
me." Uruguay attacker Ramirez only joined Southampton 12 months ago from
Bologna and scored five goals in the Premier League last term. He has been
linked with a return to Serie A with Inter Milan, but Pochettino is not
worried about the prospect of losing Ramirez.
Pochettino added: "I just listen to Gaston. Not his agent. Gaston is happy
here and we expect him to stay and to put a lot into the team."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carroll can be our Euro star
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: 29th July 2013
The Sun
KEVIN NOLAN says Andy Carroll could fire a European push for West Ham. Nolan
topped the club's goal chart with 10 last season as the Hammers finished
10th on their return to the Premier League. But with Carroll's loan from
Liverpool made permanent in a £16million deal, the skipper is expecting much
more this term. Nolan said: "We're looking for double figures — me, Andy,
all the strikers have to chip in with a fair amount if we want to finish top
10 again. "The expectancy within the camp is to do better than last season.
We want to make sure we're 10th or above this year." And Hammers boss Sam
Allardyce could boost his attack with a move for £8m-rated Nigerian striker
Emmanuel Emenike. Reports in Russia suggest West Ham are set to open talks
with Spartak Moscow over a move for the 26-year-old.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.om
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce reflects on the tour of Germany
29.07.2013
Sam Allardyce is delighted with the progress he witnessed from his West Ham
United side over their tour of Germany. The Hammers bounced back from a 4-1
defeat to Mainz at the start of the trip, to train solidly and then defeat
both Hamburg and Eintracht Braunschweig, notching three goals in each game.
With the season three weeks away, that step up in intensity was what the
manager wanted to see and he is pleased with the position the Hammers
currently find themselves in. He explained: "When we first arrived in
Germany we put a youngish side out against Mainz, and because we'd won four
games on the trot, I think we got caught a little bit cold by the Mainz
team. "They are a bit in advance of us because they start the season earlier
than we do. That showed that we weren't quite at the level where we need to
be and we got beaten handsomely in the end. "That turned us around to say we
need to get our basics better in the next game. We put a stronger side out,
more of the first team, and we came away with a comfortable victory against
Hamburg. "We had the not-so-good and then the much, much better and it's
important to see the progression. "It was a good training camp over the
eleven days we were in Germany; we've had good training facilities and a
great welcome from everybody here. "Because of the weather, and the way
we've got these facilities, we've been able to focus on having two or three
sessions a day. In the end that should stand the lads in good stead for the
start of the season on 17 August."
West Ham were among the first Barclays Premier League sides back in
pre-season training from 1 July and Allardyce says that early start is
necessary with the ever-increasing physical demands of the top flight. He
added: "The change in fitness over the last five years has been one of the
biggest improvements of football in the Barclays Premier League. "You can
see the increase in the physical activity that a player has to reach in a
game of football from the stats that are gathered. "That fitness is the
first part of our training in pre-season, to get that level as best we
possibly can, and then from here on it it's more about the technical and
tactical side, mentally switching the lads on. "Those who are better
prepared mentally and physically get the early results that you need and
when you get the early results you can see what benefit you get."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Second chance for Mo
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 29th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
Salomon Kalou's decision to reject West Ham's overtures could open the gate
for an unexpected return for Modibo Maiga. The Malian international barely
featured for West Ham last year despite Sam Allardyce paying £5million to
bring him to London from Sochaux a year ago this month and look destined to
leave the club this summer. Since the end of last season West Ham have
signed Andy Carroll on a permanent basis and made several offers to fellow
strikers - all to no avail, with Kalou being just the latest to turn West
Ham down. But that could allow Maiga - who has featured in most of West
Ham's pre-season fixtures - to challenge for a place in the first team
squad, especially with Carroll currently injured and unlikely to be fully
fit by the start of the season next month. Indeed, Allardyce's assistant
Neil McDonald hinted at the possibility of Maiga being promoted when asked
about the 25-year-old forward at the weekend. "If the penny drops on where
we want him to run and play the ball to, Maiga has one hell of a chance of
starting the season," he said. Maiga, who made just 19 appearances for West
Ham last season - most of which came from the bench - opened his pre-season
account with a brace against Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday, a game in
which he also grabbed an assist. He managed to score just four goals last
season - against Crewe, Wigan, Southampton and Chelsea - only one of which
came after September 2012. Sam Allardyce admitted at the weekend that the
race for Kalou had hit rocky ground as a result of the player not wishing to
play second fiddle to Andy Carroll or feature in a wide role. "We understand
the player wants to come back and play in England," said Allardyce.
"Obviously from his record at Chelsea, his goalscoring record this season in
France and his age he's very appealing to us. "Whether that'll come off or
not [we'll see] but the regular, [central] position he wants to play may
have been the stumbling block."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Cole has one eye on World Cup
KUMb.com
Filed: Monday, 29th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
Joe Cole has refused to rule out a return to the international stage, with
the World Cup in Rio less than a year away. The 31-year-old midfielder
returned to West Ham last summer after ten years away and immediately
settled back into the swing of things in east London. And whilst the end of
the 2012/13 season was affected by injury, Cole believes that with a bit of
luck - conbined with some good on-pitch performances - his chances of making
the plane to Rio might not be as futile as may have been the case six months
ago. "The main thing for me is to get in the West Ham team, play as many
games as I can and play well," he said. "Then we'll see what happens from
there. "I think any English player would be looking at that, because to go
to a World Cup and perform for your country is the pinnacle of your career.
But first and foremost, for me, is playing well for West Ham."
Another Hammer who will be challenging for a place on the plane to South
America next summer is striker Andy Carroll, who earlier in pre-season
signed a long-term, permanent deal with West Ham. And Cole, who also played
with the 24-year-old forward at Liverpool, believes that Carroll has the
potential to be one of the very best. "The player who's playing for West Ham
is full of confidence, strong and aggressive. You can see what a great
player he is," lauded Cole.
"He had a difficult time at Liverpool but the West Ham Andy Carroll is a top
player and a real handful. He'll be looking to get in the England squad as
he's scored goals for England. He's a good lad and we're glad to have him in
our team. "He can be anything he wants to be. Look at Didier Drogba - that's
the level he can get to."
However Cole admits that thoughts of Brazil will be placed firmly in the
back of his mind once the 2013/14 Premier League campaign kicks off in
earnest when West Ham host newly-promoted Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground
on Saturday, 17th August. "You get excited every year, you want to play and
you want to do well," said Cole. "We start with Cardiff at home and
everyone's saying what a good game that is for West Ham but on the other
hand, Cardiff are coming up for the first time in years so it's going to be
a tough fixture. "We want to get a result in that game and we know it's
going to be tough."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce: fitness is key
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 29th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce admits that he is pleased with the progress made during West
Ham's whistle-stop tour of Germany. Despite opening the three-match tour
with a disappointing 4-1 hammering at the hands of Bundesliga outfit Mainz
last weekend, Allardyce's side regrouped to secure comfortable wins over
Hamburg (3-1) and Eintracht Braunschweig (3-0) on Saturday afternoon. Now
back on British soil, Allardyce revealed that there were plenty of positives
to take from the trip. "It was a good camp over the eleven days we were in
Germany," he admitted. "We had good training facilities and a great welcome
from everybody. "Because of the weather we were able to focus on having two
or three sessions a day. In the end that should stand the lads in good stead
for the start of the season on 17th August. "The change in fitness over the
last five years has been one of the biggest improvements of football in the
Barclays Premier League. You can see the increase in the physical activity
that a player has to reach in a game of football from the stats that are
gathered. That fitness is the first part of our training in pre-season, to
get that level as best we possibly can, and then from here on it's more
about the technical and tactical side, mentally switching the lads on.
"Those who are better prepared mentally and physically get the early results
that you need and when you get the early results you can see what benefit
you get."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham assistant Neil McDonald backs Mobido Maiga to start
Last Updated: July 29, 2013 4:08pm
SSN
West Ham assistant manager Neil McDonald believes Mali forward Mobido Maiga
can seize his chance if handed a starting role in the early stages of the
Premier League season. The Hammers find themselves short on options in
attack with £15m signing Andy Carroll struggling for pre-season fitness -
and McDonald has handed Maiga hope he may be the man to fill the void.
McDonald told the club's website: "Modibo is in the team to score goals and
interlink and that side of his game was much better than it has been. "He
was running in behind and causing problems, which is great to see as it
stretches teams. It was a huge improvement on the last few games we've
played. "Modibo's ability is there as we paid a fair bit of money for him.
When you sign new players sometimes they take a bit longer to settle into
the team. "He has just been waiting for his chance to show what he can do
and hopefully he can score goals on a regular basis, try to work out where
we want him to run to, hold the ball up and interlink. He's got one hell of
a chance to start the season." Maiga found the net consistently for French
club Sochaux before arriving at Upton Park in last summer for an undisclosed
fee.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Southampton don't plan to sell Rickie Lambert and Gaston Ramirez
Last Updated: July 29, 2013 7:10pm
SSN
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino is not planning to let Rickie
Lambert and Gaston Ramirez leave the club during the transfer window.
Lambert was Saints' top scorer in the Premier League last season after
netting 15 times, but he has been linked with a reunion with former manager
Nigel Adkins at Reading.
West Ham United are also reported to have shown an interest in the
31-year-old, but Pochettino is adamant Lambert is a key part of his plans
for the coming season. "We count on Rickie," said Pochettino in the Daily
Echo following the weekend friendly against Besiktas. "We are happy with
him. I didn't know there was any interest in him. This is a surprise for
me." Uruguay attacker Ramirez only joined Southampton 12 months ago from
Bologna and scored five goals in the Premier League last term. He has been
linked with a return to Serie A with Inter Milan, but Pochettino is not
worried about the prospect of losing Ramirez.
Pochettino added: "I just listen to Gaston. Not his agent. Gaston is happy
here and we expect him to stay and to put a lot into the team."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carroll can be our Euro star
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: 29th July 2013
The Sun
KEVIN NOLAN says Andy Carroll could fire a European push for West Ham. Nolan
topped the club's goal chart with 10 last season as the Hammers finished
10th on their return to the Premier League. But with Carroll's loan from
Liverpool made permanent in a £16million deal, the skipper is expecting much
more this term. Nolan said: "We're looking for double figures — me, Andy,
all the strikers have to chip in with a fair amount if we want to finish top
10 again. "The expectancy within the camp is to do better than last season.
We want to make sure we're 10th or above this year." And Hammers boss Sam
Allardyce could boost his attack with a move for £8m-rated Nigerian striker
Emmanuel Emenike. Reports in Russia suggest West Ham are set to open talks
with Spartak Moscow over a move for the 26-year-old.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Monday, July 29
Daily WHUFC News - 29th July 2013
Hard work paying off for Cole
WHUFC.com
Joe Cole is feeling strong after a productive month of pre-season training
28.07.2013
Joe Cole completed his first 90 minute run-out of pre-season on Saturday and
is feeling ready for a big season in West Ham United colours. The
31-year-old rejoined the Hammers last January and contributed two goals in
eleven league games in the second half of the campaign. With the big
kick-off now less than three weeks away, Cole enjoyed a productive tour of
Germany, which alongside his full-match appearance against Eintracht
Braunschweig also yielded a goal against Mainz. "It has been a good tour,"
he told West Ham TV. "We have been all over the country. The Mainz game gave
us the kick up the backside we needed and then we kicked on from there. "We
passed the ball well and pressed well and we look fit which is the main
thing. We have come away without any injuries which is always a bonus at
this time of the year so it was a good time. "I feel ready good and it is
always good to get your first 90 minutes out of the way which I did on
Saturday. I felt my running was getting stronger as the game went on and it
was good that my body held out. All the hard work is paying off. "I am going
to start the season looking in good shape."
Modibo Maiga notched a double in Saturday's 3-0 win at Braunschweig and Cole
was delighted to see him come into form, with the first Barclays Premier
League game at home to Cardiff City looming. He added: "It was great to see
Modibo score two goals on Saturday and it is always important for your
strikers to be scoring goals. "You get excited every year at this stage and
everyone wants to do well. "We have got Cardiff at home which everyone says
is a good game for West Ham, but on the other hand they have got promoted
into the top flight for the first time in years and it will be a tough
fixture. "We want to get a result in that game. We know it will be a tough
game."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Eintracht Braunschweig 0-3 West Ham Utd
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 27th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham's pre-season trip to Germany ended with a comfortable win as United
brushed aside the challenge of hosts Eintracht Braunschweig. Having opened
their tour with a fairly hefty 4-1 reversal against Mainz 05 last weekend,
Sam Allardyce's first team squad refound their form in midweek when
recording a comfortable 3-1 win over Hamburg SV. And like that previous
outing, West Ham's final test of the tour ended in victory when they
completed a second win with the space of just four days through goals from
Modibo Maiga and Mo Diame. The goal that gave West Ham the lead was somewhat
fortuitous as Ermin Bicakcic's attempted pass clipped the United striker,
who was attempting to intercept the ball, before spinning beyond the reach
of stranded goalkeeper Davan and into the back of the net. However there was
no luck involved when the Hammers doubled their lead three minutes from the
break as goalscorer Maiga combined with midfield partner Diame, who made it
2-0 with a cheeky backheel. Still reeling from having fallen two behnd, the
home side were in complete disarray 60 seconds later when Maiga added his
second of the day and West Ham's third. A dreadful backpass directly from
the kick-off allowed the 25-year-old Malian to go round the 'keeper before
placing the ball into an empty net, giving the Irons a 3-0 half time
advantage - a lead they maintained for the remainder of the game with no
further goals arriving after the break.
Later this week West Ham - albeit a 'West Ham XI' as opposed to the full
first team squad - travel to Southend (Monday) and Hornchurch (Saturday).
The first team's next - and final - pre-season outing comes against Pacos de
Ferreira a fortnight from now (Saturday, 10th August).
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Joe Cole dreaming of England World Cup spot but West Ham come first
Last Updated: July 28, 2013 6:40pm
SSN
Joe Cole is hopeful of catching Roy Hodgson's eye if he can help West Ham
improve on last season's 10th-placed finish. The last of Cole's 56 England
caps came in the 4-1 World Cup defeat to Germany in South Africa three years
ago. But next summer's tournament in Brazil is a long-term target for the
midfielder, whose immediate focus is on performing for his club. Cole,
speaking after a 3-0 defeat of Eintracht Braunschweig on West Ham's tour of
Germany, told Sky Sports News: "We want to finish higher than last year.
"The main thing for me is to get in the West Ham team, play as many games as
I can, play well and we'll see what happens from there. "But I think any
Englishman will be looking at the World Cup. It's the pinnacle of a career
to go to a World Cup and play for your country. "It's the best thing you can
do. But first and foremost for me is playing well for West Ham."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carlton Cole discussing personal terms with St Etienne
By Pete O'Rourke. Last Updated: July 28, 2013 3:42pm
SSN
Sky Sports understands Carlton Cole is in France discussing personal terms
over a move to St Etienne. The former West Ham forward is out of contract
and has emerged as a target for the Ligue 1 club as they look to replace
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who joined Borussia Dortmund this summer. Cole is
believed to be excited about the prospect of playing Europa League football
for St Etienne after the club qualified for the competition by finishing
fifth last season. The 29-year-old England international began his career at
Chelsea before spending seven seasons with the Hammers, scoring 48 league
goals for the club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Joe Cole is feeling strong after a productive month of pre-season training
28.07.2013
Joe Cole completed his first 90 minute run-out of pre-season on Saturday and
is feeling ready for a big season in West Ham United colours. The
31-year-old rejoined the Hammers last January and contributed two goals in
eleven league games in the second half of the campaign. With the big
kick-off now less than three weeks away, Cole enjoyed a productive tour of
Germany, which alongside his full-match appearance against Eintracht
Braunschweig also yielded a goal against Mainz. "It has been a good tour,"
he told West Ham TV. "We have been all over the country. The Mainz game gave
us the kick up the backside we needed and then we kicked on from there. "We
passed the ball well and pressed well and we look fit which is the main
thing. We have come away without any injuries which is always a bonus at
this time of the year so it was a good time. "I feel ready good and it is
always good to get your first 90 minutes out of the way which I did on
Saturday. I felt my running was getting stronger as the game went on and it
was good that my body held out. All the hard work is paying off. "I am going
to start the season looking in good shape."
Modibo Maiga notched a double in Saturday's 3-0 win at Braunschweig and Cole
was delighted to see him come into form, with the first Barclays Premier
League game at home to Cardiff City looming. He added: "It was great to see
Modibo score two goals on Saturday and it is always important for your
strikers to be scoring goals. "You get excited every year at this stage and
everyone wants to do well. "We have got Cardiff at home which everyone says
is a good game for West Ham, but on the other hand they have got promoted
into the top flight for the first time in years and it will be a tough
fixture. "We want to get a result in that game. We know it will be a tough
game."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Eintracht Braunschweig 0-3 West Ham Utd
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 27th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham's pre-season trip to Germany ended with a comfortable win as United
brushed aside the challenge of hosts Eintracht Braunschweig. Having opened
their tour with a fairly hefty 4-1 reversal against Mainz 05 last weekend,
Sam Allardyce's first team squad refound their form in midweek when
recording a comfortable 3-1 win over Hamburg SV. And like that previous
outing, West Ham's final test of the tour ended in victory when they
completed a second win with the space of just four days through goals from
Modibo Maiga and Mo Diame. The goal that gave West Ham the lead was somewhat
fortuitous as Ermin Bicakcic's attempted pass clipped the United striker,
who was attempting to intercept the ball, before spinning beyond the reach
of stranded goalkeeper Davan and into the back of the net. However there was
no luck involved when the Hammers doubled their lead three minutes from the
break as goalscorer Maiga combined with midfield partner Diame, who made it
2-0 with a cheeky backheel. Still reeling from having fallen two behnd, the
home side were in complete disarray 60 seconds later when Maiga added his
second of the day and West Ham's third. A dreadful backpass directly from
the kick-off allowed the 25-year-old Malian to go round the 'keeper before
placing the ball into an empty net, giving the Irons a 3-0 half time
advantage - a lead they maintained for the remainder of the game with no
further goals arriving after the break.
Later this week West Ham - albeit a 'West Ham XI' as opposed to the full
first team squad - travel to Southend (Monday) and Hornchurch (Saturday).
The first team's next - and final - pre-season outing comes against Pacos de
Ferreira a fortnight from now (Saturday, 10th August).
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Joe Cole dreaming of England World Cup spot but West Ham come first
Last Updated: July 28, 2013 6:40pm
SSN
Joe Cole is hopeful of catching Roy Hodgson's eye if he can help West Ham
improve on last season's 10th-placed finish. The last of Cole's 56 England
caps came in the 4-1 World Cup defeat to Germany in South Africa three years
ago. But next summer's tournament in Brazil is a long-term target for the
midfielder, whose immediate focus is on performing for his club. Cole,
speaking after a 3-0 defeat of Eintracht Braunschweig on West Ham's tour of
Germany, told Sky Sports News: "We want to finish higher than last year.
"The main thing for me is to get in the West Ham team, play as many games as
I can, play well and we'll see what happens from there. "But I think any
Englishman will be looking at the World Cup. It's the pinnacle of a career
to go to a World Cup and play for your country. "It's the best thing you can
do. But first and foremost for me is playing well for West Ham."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carlton Cole discussing personal terms with St Etienne
By Pete O'Rourke. Last Updated: July 28, 2013 3:42pm
SSN
Sky Sports understands Carlton Cole is in France discussing personal terms
over a move to St Etienne. The former West Ham forward is out of contract
and has emerged as a target for the Ligue 1 club as they look to replace
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who joined Borussia Dortmund this summer. Cole is
believed to be excited about the prospect of playing Europa League football
for St Etienne after the club qualified for the competition by finishing
fifth last season. The 29-year-old England international began his career at
Chelsea before spending seven seasons with the Hammers, scoring 48 league
goals for the club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Sunday, July 28
Daily WHUFC News - 28th July 2013
A message from the Vice-Chairman
WHUFC.com
Vice-Chairman Karren Brady writes an open letter to mark one year since the
2012 Olympic Games
27.07.2013
As preparations to move my Club West Ham United to the iconic Olympic
Stadium gather pace, the one-year marker offers a chance to reflect on what
legacy has been left so far and, more importantly, what we can look forward
to in the years ahead. I, for one, am excited about what the future holds as
I truly believe that we will enjoy the best legacy left by any Olympic Games
in recent memory. We will play a significant role in making sure we keep the
Olympic flame burning bright - for the next 99 years at least!
Without question, our new home, the stunning jewel in the crown of the Queen
Elizabeth Olympic Park, is the most important physical legacy of the 2012
Games. Back in March we were awarded the proud title of anchor
concessionaire by London Mayor Boris Johnson on behalf of her Majesty's
Government. They identified that West Ham United provided the best long-term
legacy for the Olympic Stadium. They shared in our vision and could see our
unwavering commitment to ensuring it kept its status as one of the great
sporting venues in the world.
It was the focal point of one of the proudest summers for Great Britain for
a generation so we fully understand and relish the responsibility we have to
our fans, to Londoners and the rest of the United Kingdom who, like me, hold
the venue in a special place in their hearts. No-one is more committed than
my Board and I to ensuring that the Stadium is still held in that esteem for
generations to come.
We make two simple promises. The first is that following the Stadium's
groundbreaking conversion into a world-class UEFA Category Four football
stadium for the start of the 2016/17 season, it will remain an inclusive and
accessible beacon for young people who will be actively encouraged to come
to enjoy sport and to be inspired.
The second is that it will continue to be a Stadium that London and the rest
of the United Kingdom can be proud of. The draw of Premier League football
means people from all over the United Kingdom and beyond will still visit
the Queen Elizabeth Park every other week, while the TV cameras will
broadcast the action to a global audience of 4.7 billion people. We are
already one of the top 30 football brands in the world but with our
commitment to bringing in world-class talent and the draw of our new home,
people across the globe will sit up and take notice of what's going on in
east London.
Since we became involved in football, David Sullivan, David Gold and I have
been committed to offering affordable football to all. We pioneered the
popular Kids for a Quid programme; now widely recognised throughout the game
as a successful way to inspire young people through access to elite sport.
Last season alone West Ham hosted six such fixtures, which resulted in a 23%
increase in young people enjoying Premier League football at the Club.
That trend will only continue as our move will give nearly 20,000 more
supporters the chance to experience our fantastic product on a regular
basis. We are also committed to access schemes that will offer up to 100,000
free and affordable tickets to the most deprived community groups.
Our award-winning Community Sports Trust will ensure that, all year round,
the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is a hub for education and sport for the
community. It is something West Ham United has been doing since our
inception as Thames Ironworks FC in 1895 when Arnold Hills built our first
home, the Memorial Grounds, just a mile from the Olympic Park as a focal
point for the community. His legacy lives on today as my Board and I take
our commitments to the local community very seriously. Although the Olympic
flame was extinguished nearly 12 months ago, we will ensure it continues to
burn bright in East London.
Looking back at the past 12 months since the dramatic closing ceremony, we
have seized the opportunity to capture young peoples' imaginations and
engage them in sport in a way that simply would not have been possible had
the Olympic Games been awarded to another city back in 2005.
We were proud to host the final of The Kickz Cup, a nationwide campaign
which uses football to bring deprived communities together and engage young
people. 18,000 youngsters in the Olympic boroughs of Newham and Tower
Hamlets alone engaged with West Ham's Kickz project and we are expecting an
even greater number this season.
In June we broke new ground as, for the first time in its history, the
Boleyn Ground hosted the finals of the UK Asian Community Cup, providing an
opportunity to open our doors to new groups within our community. I'm
pleased to report the response has been phenomenal. At West Ham we are
excited by the opportunity the Olympic Stadium provides to widen our reach
and are pro-actively engaging with all groups within OUR community to ensure
that it will feel like home to everyone.
To ensure we maximise the opportunity to make sure the Olympic Games wasn't
just a golden flash in a generation's upbringing, I have recently appointed
a highly experienced new Head of Community, Joe Lyons, who will oversee the
vast expansion of our community department and operations. Joe has hit the
ground running and the young people of east London are already feeling the
benefit of his expertise and passion.
Over the coming years, thousands of young people will be inspired by our
community coaches' expertise, with the chance to be coached, trained or
educated in the Queen Elizabeth Park a major draw from 2016 onwards.
From a West Ham perspective, once we were awarded the stadium and the
constraints of confidentiality were lifted, we have been hard at work to
inform and consult our supporters about our historic move. Over 100,000
people watched a video I presented on the plans for the incredible
conversion and I've personally read hundreds of emails we have received from
supporters. We've launched a new microsite and opened up new channels for
supporters to get in touch with the Club.
The West Ham fans continue to amaze me with their passion and loyalty and I
know that by working together we will make sure that the Olympic Stadium -
the country's most famous sporting monument - will continue to serve West
Ham United, the east end and the rest of the country for many years to come.
It is an honour to be offered that chance and we won't let you down. On
behalf of everyone at West Ham United, we look forward to welcoming you in
2016.
Karren Brady
West Ham United Vice-Chairman
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers set for Shrimpers test
WHUFC.com
West Ham United will send a team to face League Two club Southend United on
Monday evening
28.07.2013
West Ham United will send a team to face League Two club Southend United on
Monday evening. The Hammers will make the short trip down the A13 to take on
Phil Brown's Shrimpers at Roots Hall, with kick-off at the seaside set for
7.45pm. With West Ham having returned from their pre-season tour of Germany
on Saturday evening, the Hammers will send a squad containing both players
with first-team experience and promising youngsters to face his former
assistant's side. "It'll be a brilliant experience for whoever plays," said
assistant manager Neil McDonald. "I'm sure Phil will play his strongest team
because they are getting very close to the start of their season. "We had
four young lads away with us who have impressed us in pre-season so far in
Dan Potts, Elliot Lee, Pelly Ruddock and Seb Lletget. They'll all be really
looking forward to playing on Monday because they've seen what the first
team can do and have been on the edge and they want more of that. "To play
against what will be a strong Southend team will do them the world of good."
McDonald said West Ham fans would also have the opportunity to see other
future stars in the making at Roots Hall, with the likes of Paul McCallum,
George Moncur and Kieran Sadlier also set to be involved. "This is a chance
for them to stake a claim. They are slowly getting there. The ones we took
away with us on tour to Germany aquitted themselves really well and this
will be one of their biggest tests. "It's a game against a team from League
Two who were chasing promotion and were there or thereabouts in the
Play-Offs last year. I'm sure they'll do the same this season under Phil
Brown."
Sam Allardyce's No2 added that the chance to take on seasoned professionals
like former Hammers youngster Freddy Eastwood would be a hugely beneficial
experience for the young professionals. "It's a total step up from playing
Development football, of course. It's a scenario where they have to learn
not to get beaten if they don't win. If you make a bad pass, it could cost
you the game, when, with all due respect, if you do it in a Development
Squad game you go on to the next game and try not to do it again. "If you do
it against first-team players, nine times out of ten they will punish you so
it'll be a big test for the boys."
Southend finished eleventh in League Two last season, while also reaching
the final of the Football League Trophy at Wembley, where they were beaten
by Crewe Alexandra. Brown has been busy in the transfer market as he
prepares for his first full season in charge at Roots Hall, allowing four
players to leave and bringing in new captain John White, Ben Coker (both
Colchester United) and winger Will Atkinson from Bradford City.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Maiga impact delights Macca
WHUFC.com
Neil McDonald has praised Modibo Maiga's performance in the 3-0 win at
Eintracht Braunschweig
27.07.2013
West Ham United assistant manager Neil McDonald believes Modibo Maiga is
hitting form at just the right time after his starring role in West Ham
United's 3-0 victory against Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday afternoon.
The Mali striker hit two goals and set up a third as the Hammers signed off
their German tour in style. After opening the scoring with a somewhat
fortunate goal from 30 yards, a strong run and cross set up Momo Diame for
the second before the West Ham No12 concluded the scoring by rounding the
goalkeeper and slotting into an empty net. "Modibo is in the team to score
goals and interlink and that side of his game was much better than it has
been," McDonald said. "He was running in behind and causing problems, which
is great to see as it stretches teams. It was a huge improvement on the last
few games we've played. "Modibo's ability is there as we paid a fair bit of
money for him. When you sign new players sometimes they take a bit longer to
settle into the team. He's just been waiting for his chance to show what he
can do and hopefully he can score goals on a regular basis, try to work out
where we want him to run to, hold the ball up and interlink. He's got one
hell of a chance to start the season."
After a cagey start from both sides, Sam Allardyce's team soon found their
tempo and began dominating proceedings through some incisive midfield
passing. Captain for the day Mark Noble was at the centre of most of the
visitors' positive play, but he was matched by nearly every player in claret
and blue, from Adrian in goal right through to Maiga up front. "It was a
really good performance---. It was very hot in stadium but we've certainly
upped our performances since we've come out to Germany. The manager is very
happy with everyone's performance. We passed the ball very well and the
movement was good. We put it into space and capitalised and scored a few
goals."
The Hammers' comprehensive victory concluded a hugely productive tour of
Germany that saw the team come on leaps and bounds in terms of performances
and fitness. After losing their first game 4-1 against SFV Mainz 05, an
impressive 3-1 win against SV Hamburger followed, before Saturday's victory
in the Stadion Eintracht. "We're delighted, not just for the victory but for
the performances after getting beaten in our first game against Mainz. The
players have upped their game a touch, are a lot fitter and are doing the
things that the manager and coaching staff are asking of them. That's all we
can do at this stage.
"The penny is just starting to drop and the hard work we're doing on the
training pitch is showing in games. We've scored three goals and kept a
clean sheet, which is even more pleasing."
While Maiga will deservedly earn the headlines for his performance, former
Everton and Newcastle United defender McDonald says that with the rest of
the squad all but finalised, the hunt for more firepower to support Maiga
and Andy Carroll will continue. "I know there are a lot of names being
bandied about but I do feel that we need another striker to provide
competition for places. I think we've got good competition for every other
place in the team at the moment and over the three games in Germany,
everyone played their part and impressed when they got their opportunity."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Modibo Maiga scores twice as West Ham beat Eintracht Braunschweig 3-0
Last Updated: July 27, 2013 7:52pm
SSN
Modibo Maiga scored twice as West Ham ended their tour of Germany with a 3-0
win over newly-promoted Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Braunschweig. Maiga put
Sam Allardyce's side ahead in bizarre circumstances after 22 minutes when
Ermin Bicakcic's attempted clearance hit the forward and looped in over
stranded goalkeeper Daniel Davan. Maiga then set up the second for Mohamed
Diame to score with a backheeled finish in the 42nd minute before scoring
his second and West Ham's third of the afternoon a minute before half-time
when he latched onto a wayward backpass to round Davan and score.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'Back to the future' with Jelavic, the structure of a deal to sign Loic Remy
and Maiga comes good in Germany!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
There are reports that Everton striker Nikica Jelavic is not in favour with
new boss, Robert Martinez. Even allowing for Jelavic's brace in yesterday's
pre-season fixture against Blackburn Rovers, there is a suggestion that
Martinez might be considering moving him out to generate transfer funds. If
so, and in view of recent disappointments in recruiting a new striker, could
West Ham be well advised to 'go back to the future' to put in a c.£5m bid
for his services? You will recall that we originally tried to sign Jelavic
from Glasgow Rangers during our promotion season in the Championship. The
obstacle to the deal was the player's reluctance to, if only temporarily,
drop down a tier to the Championship, and he subsequently signed for Moyes'
PL Everton FC. It is a deal well worth considering and would represent
excellent value for money. Especially if the proposed signing of Loic Remy
does not materialise for the well publicised reasons. Then follow that up
with deals for Kalou or the excellent Robert Snodgrass and the prolific
Rhodes (if only!) and we are virtually sorted for the big August kick off.
However, it does appear that Loic Remy is Sam Allardyce's principal target.
If so they will have to move smartly as it has been reported that Newcastle
Utd have now made a concrete transfer bid for Remy. And the deal that they
are proposing is probably the way forward! Take him on a season long loan
(with a break clause for the club if events render the player unavailable),
with a view to permanent deal in July 2014. Hopefully that will build in
safeguards if Remy's much publicised legal case goes the wrong way.
Presumably that will be resolved one way or the other by this time next
season. That is the correct structure for a deal, now all we have to do is
offer the player superior terms and pay a better loan fee than Newcastle Utd
for a one year loan deal. The added advantage for West Ham is that the full
fee for a permanent move is deferred for 12 months, in a similar way as the
Carroll loan deal last season. That permanent fee, of course, should be
fixed with a first option to sign the player if all goes well.
Elsewhere, I am delighted that Maiga appears to have come good in the last
pre-season match in Germany. Maiga scored twice in an impressive 0-3 win
yesterday over Eintracht Braunschweig. Granted he did not know much about
the opener on 22 minutes, as a poor goal keeper clearance hit Maiga and
rebounded in to the net. However, his second and West Ham's third goal, on
42 minutes, was an example of taking advantage of poor defending to convert
clinically. In between, Maiga was also integral to the creation of a goal
for Mo Diame. He controlled the ball and centred smartly for Diame to score
with a clever and technically accomplished back heel in to the corner of the
net on 44 minutes. Could Maiga emerge this season? He has the technical
skills and footballing intelligence to do so. Last season he made a good
impact in the few appearances that he made in the cup and PL, both as a
taker and maker of goals. The only doubts are work rate and his ability to
stand up the physical demands of the PL. Disprove those reservations and
Maiga could be almost as good as having a new player next season. If not
then he will be traded to bring in other players before the summer transfer
window deadline. I hope it is a case of the former scenario over the latter!
Nevertheless, if this proves not to be, the more goals Maiga scores in
pre-season the higher the monetary value of any such outward bound deal.
The excellent thing is that for the second match in a row, West Ham have
wrapped up a match in 45 minutes and then controlled the match and shut up
shop at the back. This is very clinical and very unlike past West Ham sides.
Long may that continue and, who knows, maybe the addition of the right
striker(s) will allow us in future to finish off the game in 45 minutes and
then go on to further punish the opposition with more goals in the second
half!
Finally, it is a great bonus that Alou Diarra has come back and buckled down
so well in pre-season. A fit and in-form Diarra has a major role to play
next season and it renders unnecessary one bit of previously planned
transfer business. With this development the club were able to avoid a move
for Ludovic Sane and redirect the transfer/wage resources to our striker
priorities. Also Razvan Rat is shaping up very well. He is an experienced
and class left-back and his presence makes us stronger defensively. All he
needs to do is avoid any major injury problems and we are sorted at
left-back for the season, especially with McCartney, Potts, JOB and Famino
as cover. Things are looking good, add the right striker(s) and get Carroll
back to fitness and we are set for another good season. Anything above 10th
place and a good cup run should be our twin targets for next season. COYI!
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kalou to snub Hammers move
Published: 27th July 2013
The Sun
SALOMON KALOU added to Sam Allardyce's striking woes by appearing to snub a
move to West Ham. The ex-Chelsea star, 27, now at Lille, looks set to turn
down Hammers' offer to return to England. Andy Carroll's heel injury has
left boss Allardyce short of options. But Modibo Maiga staked his claim with
two goals in Germany. Hammers assistant Neil McDonald said: "If the penny
drops on where we want him to run and play the ball to, Maiga has one hell
of a chance of starting the season." Mohamed Diame netted No 3 against
Braunschweig.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham plot Robert Snodgrass transfer from Norwich as attacking shake-up
continues
27 Jul 2013 23:00
The Mirror
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is lining up a shock £5million bid for
Norwich ace Robert Snodgrass, writes Alan Nixon of the Sunday People. Big
Sam wants funds for a surprise splash on the Scotland winger, who has been a
big hit since joining the Canaries from Leeds. Snodgrass may be interested
if the Hammers are offering good wages, but Norwich manager Chris Hughton is
likely to try to price him out of the move. West Ham are short of attacking
options and Snodgrass, who can play down either flank, would be a major plus
for them. Allardyce spent heavily on Liverpool and England striker Andy
Carroll, but his West Ham chiefs have hinted there could be more cash for
another attacking player. Snodgrass – who is in line to face England at
Wembley next month – may be attracted by a move to London.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Vice-Chairman Karren Brady writes an open letter to mark one year since the
2012 Olympic Games
27.07.2013
As preparations to move my Club West Ham United to the iconic Olympic
Stadium gather pace, the one-year marker offers a chance to reflect on what
legacy has been left so far and, more importantly, what we can look forward
to in the years ahead. I, for one, am excited about what the future holds as
I truly believe that we will enjoy the best legacy left by any Olympic Games
in recent memory. We will play a significant role in making sure we keep the
Olympic flame burning bright - for the next 99 years at least!
Without question, our new home, the stunning jewel in the crown of the Queen
Elizabeth Olympic Park, is the most important physical legacy of the 2012
Games. Back in March we were awarded the proud title of anchor
concessionaire by London Mayor Boris Johnson on behalf of her Majesty's
Government. They identified that West Ham United provided the best long-term
legacy for the Olympic Stadium. They shared in our vision and could see our
unwavering commitment to ensuring it kept its status as one of the great
sporting venues in the world.
It was the focal point of one of the proudest summers for Great Britain for
a generation so we fully understand and relish the responsibility we have to
our fans, to Londoners and the rest of the United Kingdom who, like me, hold
the venue in a special place in their hearts. No-one is more committed than
my Board and I to ensuring that the Stadium is still held in that esteem for
generations to come.
We make two simple promises. The first is that following the Stadium's
groundbreaking conversion into a world-class UEFA Category Four football
stadium for the start of the 2016/17 season, it will remain an inclusive and
accessible beacon for young people who will be actively encouraged to come
to enjoy sport and to be inspired.
The second is that it will continue to be a Stadium that London and the rest
of the United Kingdom can be proud of. The draw of Premier League football
means people from all over the United Kingdom and beyond will still visit
the Queen Elizabeth Park every other week, while the TV cameras will
broadcast the action to a global audience of 4.7 billion people. We are
already one of the top 30 football brands in the world but with our
commitment to bringing in world-class talent and the draw of our new home,
people across the globe will sit up and take notice of what's going on in
east London.
Since we became involved in football, David Sullivan, David Gold and I have
been committed to offering affordable football to all. We pioneered the
popular Kids for a Quid programme; now widely recognised throughout the game
as a successful way to inspire young people through access to elite sport.
Last season alone West Ham hosted six such fixtures, which resulted in a 23%
increase in young people enjoying Premier League football at the Club.
That trend will only continue as our move will give nearly 20,000 more
supporters the chance to experience our fantastic product on a regular
basis. We are also committed to access schemes that will offer up to 100,000
free and affordable tickets to the most deprived community groups.
Our award-winning Community Sports Trust will ensure that, all year round,
the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is a hub for education and sport for the
community. It is something West Ham United has been doing since our
inception as Thames Ironworks FC in 1895 when Arnold Hills built our first
home, the Memorial Grounds, just a mile from the Olympic Park as a focal
point for the community. His legacy lives on today as my Board and I take
our commitments to the local community very seriously. Although the Olympic
flame was extinguished nearly 12 months ago, we will ensure it continues to
burn bright in East London.
Looking back at the past 12 months since the dramatic closing ceremony, we
have seized the opportunity to capture young peoples' imaginations and
engage them in sport in a way that simply would not have been possible had
the Olympic Games been awarded to another city back in 2005.
We were proud to host the final of The Kickz Cup, a nationwide campaign
which uses football to bring deprived communities together and engage young
people. 18,000 youngsters in the Olympic boroughs of Newham and Tower
Hamlets alone engaged with West Ham's Kickz project and we are expecting an
even greater number this season.
In June we broke new ground as, for the first time in its history, the
Boleyn Ground hosted the finals of the UK Asian Community Cup, providing an
opportunity to open our doors to new groups within our community. I'm
pleased to report the response has been phenomenal. At West Ham we are
excited by the opportunity the Olympic Stadium provides to widen our reach
and are pro-actively engaging with all groups within OUR community to ensure
that it will feel like home to everyone.
To ensure we maximise the opportunity to make sure the Olympic Games wasn't
just a golden flash in a generation's upbringing, I have recently appointed
a highly experienced new Head of Community, Joe Lyons, who will oversee the
vast expansion of our community department and operations. Joe has hit the
ground running and the young people of east London are already feeling the
benefit of his expertise and passion.
Over the coming years, thousands of young people will be inspired by our
community coaches' expertise, with the chance to be coached, trained or
educated in the Queen Elizabeth Park a major draw from 2016 onwards.
From a West Ham perspective, once we were awarded the stadium and the
constraints of confidentiality were lifted, we have been hard at work to
inform and consult our supporters about our historic move. Over 100,000
people watched a video I presented on the plans for the incredible
conversion and I've personally read hundreds of emails we have received from
supporters. We've launched a new microsite and opened up new channels for
supporters to get in touch with the Club.
The West Ham fans continue to amaze me with their passion and loyalty and I
know that by working together we will make sure that the Olympic Stadium -
the country's most famous sporting monument - will continue to serve West
Ham United, the east end and the rest of the country for many years to come.
It is an honour to be offered that chance and we won't let you down. On
behalf of everyone at West Ham United, we look forward to welcoming you in
2016.
Karren Brady
West Ham United Vice-Chairman
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers set for Shrimpers test
WHUFC.com
West Ham United will send a team to face League Two club Southend United on
Monday evening
28.07.2013
West Ham United will send a team to face League Two club Southend United on
Monday evening. The Hammers will make the short trip down the A13 to take on
Phil Brown's Shrimpers at Roots Hall, with kick-off at the seaside set for
7.45pm. With West Ham having returned from their pre-season tour of Germany
on Saturday evening, the Hammers will send a squad containing both players
with first-team experience and promising youngsters to face his former
assistant's side. "It'll be a brilliant experience for whoever plays," said
assistant manager Neil McDonald. "I'm sure Phil will play his strongest team
because they are getting very close to the start of their season. "We had
four young lads away with us who have impressed us in pre-season so far in
Dan Potts, Elliot Lee, Pelly Ruddock and Seb Lletget. They'll all be really
looking forward to playing on Monday because they've seen what the first
team can do and have been on the edge and they want more of that. "To play
against what will be a strong Southend team will do them the world of good."
McDonald said West Ham fans would also have the opportunity to see other
future stars in the making at Roots Hall, with the likes of Paul McCallum,
George Moncur and Kieran Sadlier also set to be involved. "This is a chance
for them to stake a claim. They are slowly getting there. The ones we took
away with us on tour to Germany aquitted themselves really well and this
will be one of their biggest tests. "It's a game against a team from League
Two who were chasing promotion and were there or thereabouts in the
Play-Offs last year. I'm sure they'll do the same this season under Phil
Brown."
Sam Allardyce's No2 added that the chance to take on seasoned professionals
like former Hammers youngster Freddy Eastwood would be a hugely beneficial
experience for the young professionals. "It's a total step up from playing
Development football, of course. It's a scenario where they have to learn
not to get beaten if they don't win. If you make a bad pass, it could cost
you the game, when, with all due respect, if you do it in a Development
Squad game you go on to the next game and try not to do it again. "If you do
it against first-team players, nine times out of ten they will punish you so
it'll be a big test for the boys."
Southend finished eleventh in League Two last season, while also reaching
the final of the Football League Trophy at Wembley, where they were beaten
by Crewe Alexandra. Brown has been busy in the transfer market as he
prepares for his first full season in charge at Roots Hall, allowing four
players to leave and bringing in new captain John White, Ben Coker (both
Colchester United) and winger Will Atkinson from Bradford City.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Maiga impact delights Macca
WHUFC.com
Neil McDonald has praised Modibo Maiga's performance in the 3-0 win at
Eintracht Braunschweig
27.07.2013
West Ham United assistant manager Neil McDonald believes Modibo Maiga is
hitting form at just the right time after his starring role in West Ham
United's 3-0 victory against Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday afternoon.
The Mali striker hit two goals and set up a third as the Hammers signed off
their German tour in style. After opening the scoring with a somewhat
fortunate goal from 30 yards, a strong run and cross set up Momo Diame for
the second before the West Ham No12 concluded the scoring by rounding the
goalkeeper and slotting into an empty net. "Modibo is in the team to score
goals and interlink and that side of his game was much better than it has
been," McDonald said. "He was running in behind and causing problems, which
is great to see as it stretches teams. It was a huge improvement on the last
few games we've played. "Modibo's ability is there as we paid a fair bit of
money for him. When you sign new players sometimes they take a bit longer to
settle into the team. He's just been waiting for his chance to show what he
can do and hopefully he can score goals on a regular basis, try to work out
where we want him to run to, hold the ball up and interlink. He's got one
hell of a chance to start the season."
After a cagey start from both sides, Sam Allardyce's team soon found their
tempo and began dominating proceedings through some incisive midfield
passing. Captain for the day Mark Noble was at the centre of most of the
visitors' positive play, but he was matched by nearly every player in claret
and blue, from Adrian in goal right through to Maiga up front. "It was a
really good performance---. It was very hot in stadium but we've certainly
upped our performances since we've come out to Germany. The manager is very
happy with everyone's performance. We passed the ball very well and the
movement was good. We put it into space and capitalised and scored a few
goals."
The Hammers' comprehensive victory concluded a hugely productive tour of
Germany that saw the team come on leaps and bounds in terms of performances
and fitness. After losing their first game 4-1 against SFV Mainz 05, an
impressive 3-1 win against SV Hamburger followed, before Saturday's victory
in the Stadion Eintracht. "We're delighted, not just for the victory but for
the performances after getting beaten in our first game against Mainz. The
players have upped their game a touch, are a lot fitter and are doing the
things that the manager and coaching staff are asking of them. That's all we
can do at this stage.
"The penny is just starting to drop and the hard work we're doing on the
training pitch is showing in games. We've scored three goals and kept a
clean sheet, which is even more pleasing."
While Maiga will deservedly earn the headlines for his performance, former
Everton and Newcastle United defender McDonald says that with the rest of
the squad all but finalised, the hunt for more firepower to support Maiga
and Andy Carroll will continue. "I know there are a lot of names being
bandied about but I do feel that we need another striker to provide
competition for places. I think we've got good competition for every other
place in the team at the moment and over the three games in Germany,
everyone played their part and impressed when they got their opportunity."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Modibo Maiga scores twice as West Ham beat Eintracht Braunschweig 3-0
Last Updated: July 27, 2013 7:52pm
SSN
Modibo Maiga scored twice as West Ham ended their tour of Germany with a 3-0
win over newly-promoted Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Braunschweig. Maiga put
Sam Allardyce's side ahead in bizarre circumstances after 22 minutes when
Ermin Bicakcic's attempted clearance hit the forward and looped in over
stranded goalkeeper Daniel Davan. Maiga then set up the second for Mohamed
Diame to score with a backheeled finish in the 42nd minute before scoring
his second and West Ham's third of the afternoon a minute before half-time
when he latched onto a wayward backpass to round Davan and score.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'Back to the future' with Jelavic, the structure of a deal to sign Loic Remy
and Maiga comes good in Germany!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
There are reports that Everton striker Nikica Jelavic is not in favour with
new boss, Robert Martinez. Even allowing for Jelavic's brace in yesterday's
pre-season fixture against Blackburn Rovers, there is a suggestion that
Martinez might be considering moving him out to generate transfer funds. If
so, and in view of recent disappointments in recruiting a new striker, could
West Ham be well advised to 'go back to the future' to put in a c.£5m bid
for his services? You will recall that we originally tried to sign Jelavic
from Glasgow Rangers during our promotion season in the Championship. The
obstacle to the deal was the player's reluctance to, if only temporarily,
drop down a tier to the Championship, and he subsequently signed for Moyes'
PL Everton FC. It is a deal well worth considering and would represent
excellent value for money. Especially if the proposed signing of Loic Remy
does not materialise for the well publicised reasons. Then follow that up
with deals for Kalou or the excellent Robert Snodgrass and the prolific
Rhodes (if only!) and we are virtually sorted for the big August kick off.
However, it does appear that Loic Remy is Sam Allardyce's principal target.
If so they will have to move smartly as it has been reported that Newcastle
Utd have now made a concrete transfer bid for Remy. And the deal that they
are proposing is probably the way forward! Take him on a season long loan
(with a break clause for the club if events render the player unavailable),
with a view to permanent deal in July 2014. Hopefully that will build in
safeguards if Remy's much publicised legal case goes the wrong way.
Presumably that will be resolved one way or the other by this time next
season. That is the correct structure for a deal, now all we have to do is
offer the player superior terms and pay a better loan fee than Newcastle Utd
for a one year loan deal. The added advantage for West Ham is that the full
fee for a permanent move is deferred for 12 months, in a similar way as the
Carroll loan deal last season. That permanent fee, of course, should be
fixed with a first option to sign the player if all goes well.
Elsewhere, I am delighted that Maiga appears to have come good in the last
pre-season match in Germany. Maiga scored twice in an impressive 0-3 win
yesterday over Eintracht Braunschweig. Granted he did not know much about
the opener on 22 minutes, as a poor goal keeper clearance hit Maiga and
rebounded in to the net. However, his second and West Ham's third goal, on
42 minutes, was an example of taking advantage of poor defending to convert
clinically. In between, Maiga was also integral to the creation of a goal
for Mo Diame. He controlled the ball and centred smartly for Diame to score
with a clever and technically accomplished back heel in to the corner of the
net on 44 minutes. Could Maiga emerge this season? He has the technical
skills and footballing intelligence to do so. Last season he made a good
impact in the few appearances that he made in the cup and PL, both as a
taker and maker of goals. The only doubts are work rate and his ability to
stand up the physical demands of the PL. Disprove those reservations and
Maiga could be almost as good as having a new player next season. If not
then he will be traded to bring in other players before the summer transfer
window deadline. I hope it is a case of the former scenario over the latter!
Nevertheless, if this proves not to be, the more goals Maiga scores in
pre-season the higher the monetary value of any such outward bound deal.
The excellent thing is that for the second match in a row, West Ham have
wrapped up a match in 45 minutes and then controlled the match and shut up
shop at the back. This is very clinical and very unlike past West Ham sides.
Long may that continue and, who knows, maybe the addition of the right
striker(s) will allow us in future to finish off the game in 45 minutes and
then go on to further punish the opposition with more goals in the second
half!
Finally, it is a great bonus that Alou Diarra has come back and buckled down
so well in pre-season. A fit and in-form Diarra has a major role to play
next season and it renders unnecessary one bit of previously planned
transfer business. With this development the club were able to avoid a move
for Ludovic Sane and redirect the transfer/wage resources to our striker
priorities. Also Razvan Rat is shaping up very well. He is an experienced
and class left-back and his presence makes us stronger defensively. All he
needs to do is avoid any major injury problems and we are sorted at
left-back for the season, especially with McCartney, Potts, JOB and Famino
as cover. Things are looking good, add the right striker(s) and get Carroll
back to fitness and we are set for another good season. Anything above 10th
place and a good cup run should be our twin targets for next season. COYI!
SJ. Chandos.
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Kalou to snub Hammers move
Published: 27th July 2013
The Sun
SALOMON KALOU added to Sam Allardyce's striking woes by appearing to snub a
move to West Ham. The ex-Chelsea star, 27, now at Lille, looks set to turn
down Hammers' offer to return to England. Andy Carroll's heel injury has
left boss Allardyce short of options. But Modibo Maiga staked his claim with
two goals in Germany. Hammers assistant Neil McDonald said: "If the penny
drops on where we want him to run and play the ball to, Maiga has one hell
of a chance of starting the season." Mohamed Diame netted No 3 against
Braunschweig.
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West Ham plot Robert Snodgrass transfer from Norwich as attacking shake-up
continues
27 Jul 2013 23:00
The Mirror
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is lining up a shock £5million bid for
Norwich ace Robert Snodgrass, writes Alan Nixon of the Sunday People. Big
Sam wants funds for a surprise splash on the Scotland winger, who has been a
big hit since joining the Canaries from Leeds. Snodgrass may be interested
if the Hammers are offering good wages, but Norwich manager Chris Hughton is
likely to try to price him out of the move. West Ham are short of attacking
options and Snodgrass, who can play down either flank, would be a major plus
for them. Allardyce spent heavily on Liverpool and England striker Andy
Carroll, but his West Ham chiefs have hinted there could be more cash for
another attacking player. Snodgrass – who is in line to face England at
Wembley next month – may be attracted by a move to London.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Saturday, July 27
Daily WHUFC News - 27th July 2013
Jussi looks for big finish
WHUFC.com
Hammers goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen wants the tour of Germany to end on a high
27.07.2013
West Ham United play the third and final game of their German tour on Saturday, with goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen hoping to end on a high. The Hammers' sharpness visibly rose from their 4-1 defeat at Mainz to the 3-1 victory over Hamburg and the Finnish stopper wants that upward curve to continue. He says pre-season is a vitally important time between the posts as stoppers aim to get back to their best. Jaaskelainen explained: "The last couple of weeks have been a bit harder work and the games are getting tougher, but it has been a good pre-season so far. "It's important for the outfield players to get their match fitness and from a goalkeeper's point of view it's more about getting your eyes in and getting your shot-stopping and reactions going. "In the games it's all about the decision-making. If you make mistakes in the games, that's how you learn and get back to the level where you need to be."
The 38-year-old faces more competition for his place in goal this season with the arrival of Adrian from Real Betis, but he welcomes the challenge and says it will only help him improve. He continued: "When you play in the Premier League, everybody wants to play there and competition is always going to be tough.
"The gaffer has added one more keeper to the first team and we've got four now. We need that because the season is long. "You want to work together as hard as you can and as a keeper's union we look after each other and Adrian has settled in well."
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Eintracht Braunschweig match preview
WHUFC.com
All the key info ahead of Saturday's game at Eintracht Braunschweig
27.07.2013
EINTRACHT BRAUNSCHWEIG v WEST HAM UNUTED
PRE-SEASON MATCH
EINTRACHT-STADION
SATURDAY 27 JULY 2013
KICK-OFF: 3.30PM (CEST)
Introduction
• West Ham United play the third and final match of their Germany tour on Saturday when they take on newly-promoted Bundesliga club Eintracht Braunchsweig.
• West Ham returned to form on Tuesday to defeat Hamburger SV 3-1, having been beaten 4-1 by FSV Mainz 05 in their first match on tour. Matt Jarvis was involved in all three goals against Hamburg, supplying corners for Alou Diarra and James Tomkins to net, before winning the penalty which Ravel Morrison converted.
• It has been a productive pre-season so far for the Hammers, with the loss to Mainz the only reverse suffered since their return to pre-season training. Cork City (6-2), Boreham Wood (3-0), AFC Bournemouth (2-0) and Colchester United (2-1) were all seen off before West Ham departed for Germany.
• Eintracht Braunschweig were involved in two friendly matches last weekend, losing 4-0 to Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, but beating Turkish club Caykur Rizespor by a solitary goal on Sunday.
Team News
West Ham United
• James McCartney and Andy Carroll remain the only Hammers players sidelined with knee and heel injuries respectively. The likes of Joe Cole, Mark Noble and Winston Reid will be looking for more game time after sitting on the bench against Hamburg..
Background
• Eintracht Braunschweig completed the long road back to the top flight last season after a 28-year absence. Having spent most of their history up to 1985 playing elite football and qualifying for the European Cup once and UEFA Cup three times, they dropped down to the third tier, but spent virtually all of last season in the promotion places of 2. Bundesliga and ended up finishing second.
• They won the German championship in 1967 and made the quarter-finals of the European Cup the following year, eventually being knocked out by Italian giants Juventus in a play-off, after the initial tie ended 3-3 on aggregate.
• They possess a familiar face in their ranks, having signed striker Simeon Jackson from Norwich City this summer. Jackson, a Canada international, notched 17 goals in 73 league appearances for the Canaries.
Last Time Out
Tuesday 23 July July 2013
Pre-Season Match
Hamburger SV 1-3 West Ham United
West Ham United: Henderson; Demel (Ruddock 79), Collins (Reid 61), Tomkins, Rat; Diarra (Noble 66), Diame (Whitehead 83), Nolan; Morrison (Taylor 66), Maiga, Jarvis
Goals: Diarra 15, Tomkins 28, Morrison pen 45
Sunday 21 July
Pre-Season Match
Eintracht Braunschweig 1-0 Caykur Rizespor
Eintracht Braunschweig: Petkovic; Reichel, Dogan, Henn, Elabdellaoui (Washausen 72); Kruppke (Pfitzner 72), Theuerkauf, Vrancic, Boland; Ademi, Jackson
Goal: Kruppke 42
All-time meetings
The clubs have never met in competitive football
Ten-year records
West Ham United
2012/13 Premier League 10th
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted 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 Division One 4th
Eintracht Braunschweig
2012/13 2. Bundesliga 2nd (promoted to Bundesliga)
2011/12 2. Bundesliga 8th
2010/11 3. Liga 1st (promoted to 2. Bundesliga)
2009/10 3. Liga 4th
2008/09 3. Liga 13th
2007/08 Regionalliga Nord 10th
2006/07 2. Bundesliga 18th (relegated to Regionalliga Nord)
2005/06 2. Bundesliga 12th
2004/05 Regionalliga Nord 1st (promoted to 2. Bundesliga)
2003/04 Regionalliga Nord 6th
General Information
• Eintracht Braunschweig play in the 25,540-capacity Eintracht-Stadion. Tickets are available on matchday with details here.
• Temperatures are expected to reach 32C on a muggy day in Germany, with a chance of rain in the late afternoon.
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West Ham full-back Razvan Rat hopes for European football at Upton Park
Last Updated: July 26, 2013 1:55pm
SSN
West Ham full-back Razvan Rat says that he hopes to play European football with his new side, following his move from Shakhtar Donetsk. The 32-year old was Sam Allardyce's first signing of the summer, joining on a free transfer having spent 10 years with the Ukrainian side, with whom he lifted the UEFA Cup in 2009. Rat was a regular fixture during Shakhtar's Champions League campaign, which saw them reach the knock-out stages last season, and the Romanian believes that experience will help him to adapt to life in the Premier League. "The Champions League is a great tournament; I think the Premier League is quite a similar level so it's not so big of a difference," he told Sky Sports News. "But I hope West Ham will perform much better this year than the previous season and to get a good place to play in Europe."
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Lille's Salomon Kalou appeals to West Ham, Sam Allardyce confirms
Last Updated: July 26, 2013 10:52pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce has confirmed West Ham United's interest in bringing Salomon Kalou back to the Premier League from Lille. Kalou spent six years at Chelsea before making the move last summer to France, where he enjoyed a productive debut campaign. The 27-year-old has previously admitted that he misses Premier League football and has been linked with a number of English clubs, including West Bromwich Albion. West Ham are also keeping tabs on Kalou and Allardyce believes it would be a good deal for the club, but he is not sure whether it will happen. "As far as I know, back at West Ham, I think the chairman is speaking with the player's agent," Allardyce told Sky Sports News. "We understand the player wants to come back and play in England, whether that is with us or with whoever, we are having a look at it. "Obviously from his record at Chelsea, and his goalscoring record this season in France, and his age, he is very appealing to us. "But whether that will come off or not in terms or what regular position he wants to play, may be the stumbling block."
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West Ham co-chairman David Gold excited by Olympic Stadium move
Last Updated: July 26, 2013 3:03pm
SSN
West Ham United co-chairman David Gold believes the club's move to the Olympic Stadium could help transform them into one of London's top Premier League clubs. Earlier this year, West Ham were announced as anchor tenants for the stadium after agreeing terms on a 99-year lease with the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC). The Hammers are planning to move to the stadium from Upton Park in time for the beginning of the 2016/2017 season, a prospect that excites Gold. "It's an opportunity. It's an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime," said Gold. "We have always been in the shadow of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham. "There's no denying it, they have always been bigger clubs, they have had bigger stadiums and that's been the key. "Our stadium all the way through the generations has never matched those three clubs. "Therein lies the difficulty because we are probably not that far behind in terms of fan bases. "You could argue Arsenal have reached their potential with their new stadium and everything. You could argue that with Chelsea with the huge money created by their owner. "With West Ham we are now on our move, our surge."
Gold feels this is an exciting period in West Ham's history. Under manager Sam Allardyce, West Ham finished 10th in their first season back in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship. The Hammers have signalled their intent to continue that progress by signing Andy Carroll on a permanent deal from Liverpool for a club-record fee of £15m. Gold believes the timing of the stadium move is ideal after the club recorded their highest average league attendance for home matches in their 118-year history last season. "I hope the fans are as excited as me," added Gold. "It gives us an opportunity to take our football club kicking and screaming into a new era. "A new era - and into a stadium that will be fit for purpose. "It will have a facility for 54,000 which will give us the opportunity to have more affordable seating and more affordable football."
Gold was speaking after attending an event for the football inclusion campaign Kick It Out ahead of their 'Season of Action' which begins next week. Kick It Out are organising a series of events to mark 20 years of campaigning to make football safer and less intimidating for under-represented communities.
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Give us a Kalou
By GEORGE LYONS Published: 26th July 2013
The Sun
WEST HAM have opened talks with former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou. But Hammers boss Sam Allardyce admits he faces a fight to clinch his signature.
Kalou, 27, is keen to return to England just one season after leaving Stamford Bridge for French outfit Lille. Allardyce said: "The chairman is speaking with the player's agent. We understand he wants to come back and play in England and we are having a look at it. "His record at Chelsea, his scoring record in France and his age is very appealing. But which position he wants to play could be a stumbling block."
Midfielder ALOU DIARRA has made his peace with Hammers. The £2million French star, 32, looked to be on his way out after making just one league start in his debut season. But after going to Rennes on loan in January he has made up with Allardyce. Diarra said: "I want to fight this season with West Ham. I will give 100 per cent in training and wait for my chance."
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Rat's tale
Published: 26th July 2013
The Sun
NEW West Ham signing Razvan Rat says he wants to be loved as much as TV namesake Roland. The laid-back Romanian has revealed how Joe Cole taught him all about the puppet on the Hammers' pre-season tour. And defender Razvan insists he has no problem with being compared to the famous rodent — as Roland was a telly hit. Rat said: "It's funny for me because I was sharing a room with Joe Cole in the first period of pre-season. "He was telling me everything about the character Roland Rat and I think it was loved by the people. "I hope to be loved by the fans of West Ham, so it is funny for me. "I was watching the song and I know many things about Roland Rat, so it will be interesting."
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West Ham line up former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou as Zapata move falters
20 Jul 2013 23:00
The Mirror
West Ham United are lining up a £2.5million bid for Salomon Kalou, writes the Sunday People. The Hammers want to get him back to the Premier League from French side Lille as Sam Allardyce bulks up his front options. Striker Andy Carroll is ruled out of the start of the season and Colombian Duvan Zapata failed in his bid for a work permit. It has led Allardyce to consider new targets - and 27-year-old former Chelsea star Kalou has emerged as a man he would love to sign. West Ham have discovered he has a buy-out clause in his contract so will now step up their interest. Les Dogues will be reluctant to lose any more attacking talent, with new signing Florin Thauvin already angling for a move away from Le Grand Stade Metropole.
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Southampton weigh up Duvan Zapata bid after work permit scuppers Columbian striker's West Ham transfer
24 Jul 2013 22:30
The Mirror
Colombian striker Duvan Zapata still hopes to land a Premier League club despite West Ham pulling out of a deal to sign him. The Hammers aborted a £6.7million deal for Zapata with his Argentine club Estudiantes due to UK work permit problems. Hot-shot Zapata, 22, has since returned to the Estudiantes' side and scored. And now top-flight rivals Southampton are investigating whether they could have more success beating red tape to land him.
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West Ham lose interest in Juventus frontman Quagliarella as Allardyce draws up list of alternative striking options
By JOHN DRAYTON
Daily Mail
PUBLISHED: 23:00, 26 July 2013 | UPDATED: 23:00, 26 July 2013
West Ham are unlikely to pursue interest in Juventus striker Fabio Quagliarella. Manager Sam Allardyce is working through a list of targets including Udinese's Matej Vydra who is also interesting West Brom. Quagiarella has been made available but his wages and £9m fee are considered too expensive for a 30-year-old. Juventus are also keen to sell Alessandro Matri, 28, who has attracted enquiries from Everton and Liverpool but will cost £10m.
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West Ham midfielder to get trial for QPR
By Paul Warburton Jul 26 2013
Fulham Chronicle
A MASS of QPR players are expected to turn out tomorrow (Saturday) in a behind closed doors friendly against Leyton Orient. Although the nucleus of the team expected to face Sheffield Wednesday in the season opener got a leg stretcher against Southend on Friday, the likes of Ali Faurlin and free agent Gary O'Neill plus others are hoping to get as many minutes on a pitch as possible to help manager Harry Redknapp make up his mind over their futures.
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Five Zapata alternatives for West Ham
by Nick Harris
Here Is The City
Having seen a move for Duvan Zapata break down due to problems regarding a work permit, West Ham United will have to look elsewhere to bolster their strike force this summer.
Here are five candidates to partner Andy Carroll next season...
Silvestre Varela
The Portugal international is reportedly available for around £6.5million, and has scored 25 goals in 90 appearances for Porto since 2009. Varela can play either on the wings or as a central striker, and has recently urged West Ham to follow up their reported interest in him.
Matej Vydra
The Udinese striker enjoyed a fantastic season on loan at Watford last season, scoring 20 times to be chosen as the Championship Player of the Year. Vydra is ready for a step up to the top flight, and the Serie A side apparently value him at around £8million, with West Brom also in the hunt for the 21-year-old.
Loic Remy
QPR are hopeful they will be able to keep the France international at the club, but they are also realistic that a Premier League club might swoop for the 26-year-old. Remy could be available for around the £8million QPR paid for him in January, and impressed in his short spell in the Premier League last season, scoring six times in 14 games.
Demba Ba
The Senegalese striker has said he would like to stay at Chelsea and fight for a place regardless of whether Jose Mourinho is successful in his pursuit of Wayne Rooney, but that decision might be taken out of his hands if the Blues are keen to move Ba on this summer. Ba scored seven times in 12 games for West Ham in the 2010-11 season, and has proven with Newcastle United since that when he plays regularly, he can be relied on to find the back of the net.
Fabio Quagliarella
The 30-year-old Juventus striker is reportedly available this summer after the Serie A champions signed Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez, and West Ham one of a host of English clubs interested in Quagliarella. Norwich City apparently had a bid of around £8million rejected recently, suggesting Quagliarella would not be the cheapest option on this list, but his experience and quality could be perfect for West Ham next season.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Hammers goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen wants the tour of Germany to end on a high
27.07.2013
West Ham United play the third and final game of their German tour on Saturday, with goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen hoping to end on a high. The Hammers' sharpness visibly rose from their 4-1 defeat at Mainz to the 3-1 victory over Hamburg and the Finnish stopper wants that upward curve to continue. He says pre-season is a vitally important time between the posts as stoppers aim to get back to their best. Jaaskelainen explained: "The last couple of weeks have been a bit harder work and the games are getting tougher, but it has been a good pre-season so far. "It's important for the outfield players to get their match fitness and from a goalkeeper's point of view it's more about getting your eyes in and getting your shot-stopping and reactions going. "In the games it's all about the decision-making. If you make mistakes in the games, that's how you learn and get back to the level where you need to be."
The 38-year-old faces more competition for his place in goal this season with the arrival of Adrian from Real Betis, but he welcomes the challenge and says it will only help him improve. He continued: "When you play in the Premier League, everybody wants to play there and competition is always going to be tough.
"The gaffer has added one more keeper to the first team and we've got four now. We need that because the season is long. "You want to work together as hard as you can and as a keeper's union we look after each other and Adrian has settled in well."
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Eintracht Braunschweig match preview
WHUFC.com
All the key info ahead of Saturday's game at Eintracht Braunschweig
27.07.2013
EINTRACHT BRAUNSCHWEIG v WEST HAM UNUTED
PRE-SEASON MATCH
EINTRACHT-STADION
SATURDAY 27 JULY 2013
KICK-OFF: 3.30PM (CEST)
Introduction
• West Ham United play the third and final match of their Germany tour on Saturday when they take on newly-promoted Bundesliga club Eintracht Braunchsweig.
• West Ham returned to form on Tuesday to defeat Hamburger SV 3-1, having been beaten 4-1 by FSV Mainz 05 in their first match on tour. Matt Jarvis was involved in all three goals against Hamburg, supplying corners for Alou Diarra and James Tomkins to net, before winning the penalty which Ravel Morrison converted.
• It has been a productive pre-season so far for the Hammers, with the loss to Mainz the only reverse suffered since their return to pre-season training. Cork City (6-2), Boreham Wood (3-0), AFC Bournemouth (2-0) and Colchester United (2-1) were all seen off before West Ham departed for Germany.
• Eintracht Braunschweig were involved in two friendly matches last weekend, losing 4-0 to Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, but beating Turkish club Caykur Rizespor by a solitary goal on Sunday.
Team News
West Ham United
• James McCartney and Andy Carroll remain the only Hammers players sidelined with knee and heel injuries respectively. The likes of Joe Cole, Mark Noble and Winston Reid will be looking for more game time after sitting on the bench against Hamburg..
Background
• Eintracht Braunschweig completed the long road back to the top flight last season after a 28-year absence. Having spent most of their history up to 1985 playing elite football and qualifying for the European Cup once and UEFA Cup three times, they dropped down to the third tier, but spent virtually all of last season in the promotion places of 2. Bundesliga and ended up finishing second.
• They won the German championship in 1967 and made the quarter-finals of the European Cup the following year, eventually being knocked out by Italian giants Juventus in a play-off, after the initial tie ended 3-3 on aggregate.
• They possess a familiar face in their ranks, having signed striker Simeon Jackson from Norwich City this summer. Jackson, a Canada international, notched 17 goals in 73 league appearances for the Canaries.
Last Time Out
Tuesday 23 July July 2013
Pre-Season Match
Hamburger SV 1-3 West Ham United
West Ham United: Henderson; Demel (Ruddock 79), Collins (Reid 61), Tomkins, Rat; Diarra (Noble 66), Diame (Whitehead 83), Nolan; Morrison (Taylor 66), Maiga, Jarvis
Goals: Diarra 15, Tomkins 28, Morrison pen 45
Sunday 21 July
Pre-Season Match
Eintracht Braunschweig 1-0 Caykur Rizespor
Eintracht Braunschweig: Petkovic; Reichel, Dogan, Henn, Elabdellaoui (Washausen 72); Kruppke (Pfitzner 72), Theuerkauf, Vrancic, Boland; Ademi, Jackson
Goal: Kruppke 42
All-time meetings
The clubs have never met in competitive football
Ten-year records
West Ham United
2012/13 Premier League 10th
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted 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 Division One 4th
Eintracht Braunschweig
2012/13 2. Bundesliga 2nd (promoted to Bundesliga)
2011/12 2. Bundesliga 8th
2010/11 3. Liga 1st (promoted to 2. Bundesliga)
2009/10 3. Liga 4th
2008/09 3. Liga 13th
2007/08 Regionalliga Nord 10th
2006/07 2. Bundesliga 18th (relegated to Regionalliga Nord)
2005/06 2. Bundesliga 12th
2004/05 Regionalliga Nord 1st (promoted to 2. Bundesliga)
2003/04 Regionalliga Nord 6th
General Information
• Eintracht Braunschweig play in the 25,540-capacity Eintracht-Stadion. Tickets are available on matchday with details here.
• Temperatures are expected to reach 32C on a muggy day in Germany, with a chance of rain in the late afternoon.
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West Ham full-back Razvan Rat hopes for European football at Upton Park
Last Updated: July 26, 2013 1:55pm
SSN
West Ham full-back Razvan Rat says that he hopes to play European football with his new side, following his move from Shakhtar Donetsk. The 32-year old was Sam Allardyce's first signing of the summer, joining on a free transfer having spent 10 years with the Ukrainian side, with whom he lifted the UEFA Cup in 2009. Rat was a regular fixture during Shakhtar's Champions League campaign, which saw them reach the knock-out stages last season, and the Romanian believes that experience will help him to adapt to life in the Premier League. "The Champions League is a great tournament; I think the Premier League is quite a similar level so it's not so big of a difference," he told Sky Sports News. "But I hope West Ham will perform much better this year than the previous season and to get a good place to play in Europe."
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Lille's Salomon Kalou appeals to West Ham, Sam Allardyce confirms
Last Updated: July 26, 2013 10:52pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce has confirmed West Ham United's interest in bringing Salomon Kalou back to the Premier League from Lille. Kalou spent six years at Chelsea before making the move last summer to France, where he enjoyed a productive debut campaign. The 27-year-old has previously admitted that he misses Premier League football and has been linked with a number of English clubs, including West Bromwich Albion. West Ham are also keeping tabs on Kalou and Allardyce believes it would be a good deal for the club, but he is not sure whether it will happen. "As far as I know, back at West Ham, I think the chairman is speaking with the player's agent," Allardyce told Sky Sports News. "We understand the player wants to come back and play in England, whether that is with us or with whoever, we are having a look at it. "Obviously from his record at Chelsea, and his goalscoring record this season in France, and his age, he is very appealing to us. "But whether that will come off or not in terms or what regular position he wants to play, may be the stumbling block."
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West Ham co-chairman David Gold excited by Olympic Stadium move
Last Updated: July 26, 2013 3:03pm
SSN
West Ham United co-chairman David Gold believes the club's move to the Olympic Stadium could help transform them into one of London's top Premier League clubs. Earlier this year, West Ham were announced as anchor tenants for the stadium after agreeing terms on a 99-year lease with the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC). The Hammers are planning to move to the stadium from Upton Park in time for the beginning of the 2016/2017 season, a prospect that excites Gold. "It's an opportunity. It's an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime," said Gold. "We have always been in the shadow of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham. "There's no denying it, they have always been bigger clubs, they have had bigger stadiums and that's been the key. "Our stadium all the way through the generations has never matched those three clubs. "Therein lies the difficulty because we are probably not that far behind in terms of fan bases. "You could argue Arsenal have reached their potential with their new stadium and everything. You could argue that with Chelsea with the huge money created by their owner. "With West Ham we are now on our move, our surge."
Gold feels this is an exciting period in West Ham's history. Under manager Sam Allardyce, West Ham finished 10th in their first season back in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship. The Hammers have signalled their intent to continue that progress by signing Andy Carroll on a permanent deal from Liverpool for a club-record fee of £15m. Gold believes the timing of the stadium move is ideal after the club recorded their highest average league attendance for home matches in their 118-year history last season. "I hope the fans are as excited as me," added Gold. "It gives us an opportunity to take our football club kicking and screaming into a new era. "A new era - and into a stadium that will be fit for purpose. "It will have a facility for 54,000 which will give us the opportunity to have more affordable seating and more affordable football."
Gold was speaking after attending an event for the football inclusion campaign Kick It Out ahead of their 'Season of Action' which begins next week. Kick It Out are organising a series of events to mark 20 years of campaigning to make football safer and less intimidating for under-represented communities.
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Give us a Kalou
By GEORGE LYONS Published: 26th July 2013
The Sun
WEST HAM have opened talks with former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou. But Hammers boss Sam Allardyce admits he faces a fight to clinch his signature.
Kalou, 27, is keen to return to England just one season after leaving Stamford Bridge for French outfit Lille. Allardyce said: "The chairman is speaking with the player's agent. We understand he wants to come back and play in England and we are having a look at it. "His record at Chelsea, his scoring record in France and his age is very appealing. But which position he wants to play could be a stumbling block."
Midfielder ALOU DIARRA has made his peace with Hammers. The £2million French star, 32, looked to be on his way out after making just one league start in his debut season. But after going to Rennes on loan in January he has made up with Allardyce. Diarra said: "I want to fight this season with West Ham. I will give 100 per cent in training and wait for my chance."
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Rat's tale
Published: 26th July 2013
The Sun
NEW West Ham signing Razvan Rat says he wants to be loved as much as TV namesake Roland. The laid-back Romanian has revealed how Joe Cole taught him all about the puppet on the Hammers' pre-season tour. And defender Razvan insists he has no problem with being compared to the famous rodent — as Roland was a telly hit. Rat said: "It's funny for me because I was sharing a room with Joe Cole in the first period of pre-season. "He was telling me everything about the character Roland Rat and I think it was loved by the people. "I hope to be loved by the fans of West Ham, so it is funny for me. "I was watching the song and I know many things about Roland Rat, so it will be interesting."
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West Ham line up former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou as Zapata move falters
20 Jul 2013 23:00
The Mirror
West Ham United are lining up a £2.5million bid for Salomon Kalou, writes the Sunday People. The Hammers want to get him back to the Premier League from French side Lille as Sam Allardyce bulks up his front options. Striker Andy Carroll is ruled out of the start of the season and Colombian Duvan Zapata failed in his bid for a work permit. It has led Allardyce to consider new targets - and 27-year-old former Chelsea star Kalou has emerged as a man he would love to sign. West Ham have discovered he has a buy-out clause in his contract so will now step up their interest. Les Dogues will be reluctant to lose any more attacking talent, with new signing Florin Thauvin already angling for a move away from Le Grand Stade Metropole.
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Southampton weigh up Duvan Zapata bid after work permit scuppers Columbian striker's West Ham transfer
24 Jul 2013 22:30
The Mirror
Colombian striker Duvan Zapata still hopes to land a Premier League club despite West Ham pulling out of a deal to sign him. The Hammers aborted a £6.7million deal for Zapata with his Argentine club Estudiantes due to UK work permit problems. Hot-shot Zapata, 22, has since returned to the Estudiantes' side and scored. And now top-flight rivals Southampton are investigating whether they could have more success beating red tape to land him.
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West Ham lose interest in Juventus frontman Quagliarella as Allardyce draws up list of alternative striking options
By JOHN DRAYTON
Daily Mail
PUBLISHED: 23:00, 26 July 2013 | UPDATED: 23:00, 26 July 2013
West Ham are unlikely to pursue interest in Juventus striker Fabio Quagliarella. Manager Sam Allardyce is working through a list of targets including Udinese's Matej Vydra who is also interesting West Brom. Quagiarella has been made available but his wages and £9m fee are considered too expensive for a 30-year-old. Juventus are also keen to sell Alessandro Matri, 28, who has attracted enquiries from Everton and Liverpool but will cost £10m.
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West Ham midfielder to get trial for QPR
By Paul Warburton Jul 26 2013
Fulham Chronicle
A MASS of QPR players are expected to turn out tomorrow (Saturday) in a behind closed doors friendly against Leyton Orient. Although the nucleus of the team expected to face Sheffield Wednesday in the season opener got a leg stretcher against Southend on Friday, the likes of Ali Faurlin and free agent Gary O'Neill plus others are hoping to get as many minutes on a pitch as possible to help manager Harry Redknapp make up his mind over their futures.
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Five Zapata alternatives for West Ham
by Nick Harris
Here Is The City
Having seen a move for Duvan Zapata break down due to problems regarding a work permit, West Ham United will have to look elsewhere to bolster their strike force this summer.
Here are five candidates to partner Andy Carroll next season...
Silvestre Varela
The Portugal international is reportedly available for around £6.5million, and has scored 25 goals in 90 appearances for Porto since 2009. Varela can play either on the wings or as a central striker, and has recently urged West Ham to follow up their reported interest in him.
Matej Vydra
The Udinese striker enjoyed a fantastic season on loan at Watford last season, scoring 20 times to be chosen as the Championship Player of the Year. Vydra is ready for a step up to the top flight, and the Serie A side apparently value him at around £8million, with West Brom also in the hunt for the 21-year-old.
Loic Remy
QPR are hopeful they will be able to keep the France international at the club, but they are also realistic that a Premier League club might swoop for the 26-year-old. Remy could be available for around the £8million QPR paid for him in January, and impressed in his short spell in the Premier League last season, scoring six times in 14 games.
Demba Ba
The Senegalese striker has said he would like to stay at Chelsea and fight for a place regardless of whether Jose Mourinho is successful in his pursuit of Wayne Rooney, but that decision might be taken out of his hands if the Blues are keen to move Ba on this summer. Ba scored seven times in 12 games for West Ham in the 2010-11 season, and has proven with Newcastle United since that when he plays regularly, he can be relied on to find the back of the net.
Fabio Quagliarella
The 30-year-old Juventus striker is reportedly available this summer after the Serie A champions signed Fernando Llorente and Carlos Tevez, and West Ham one of a host of English clubs interested in Quagliarella. Norwich City apparently had a bid of around £8million rejected recently, suggesting Quagliarella would not be the cheapest option on this list, but his experience and quality could be perfect for West Ham next season.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, July 26
Daily WHUFC News - 26th JUly 2013
Haycock reflects on Braintree loss
WHUFC.com
Development Squad coach Nick Haycock reflects on a 3-2 pre-season defeat at
Braintree Town
25.07.2013
Nick Haycock says his West Ham United Development Squad will continue to
learn from their experiences following a 3-2 pre-season defeat at Conference
National club Braintree Town. The Hammers played the better football for
long periods at The Amlin Stadium and led 2-1 just after half-time, only for
naive defending to allow Alan Devonshire's side to snatch the victory. The
U21s have now played three pre-season matches, beating Swansea City 4-0
before being edged out 3-2 by both an experienced Wolverhampton Wanderers
team and now a strong Braintree squad. Paul McCallum and Kieran Sadlier
scored two fine goals for Haycock's youngsters on Wednesday, but the
Development Squad coach admitted his players still have work to do if they
are to earn a first-team opportunity. "It'll always be about performances in
pre-season and you are looking for the work you do on the training field to
transmit to the pitch come matchday," he explained. "As you go through
pre-season you tighten up and fine-tune certain things. "At Braintree, I
don't think we passed the ball as well as we did against Wolves, where we
were excellent at times. We conceded from set plays against Wolves and we
worked on that this week, but sometimes young teams make naive decisions and
there is some sloppiness in there. "We played against a team that finished
ninth in the Conference and play a certain type of football where they are
effective. We knew how they were going to play and so it was about us
dealing with that and then coming back with our game. In fits and spells, we
got our game going, but there were some good things, some sloppy things and
some naive things. "That's what the training field is for and, come Southend
on Monday, we're hoping to put some of that right."
McCallum scored his fourth goal in four pre-season appearances following
fine work from Blair Turgott and George Moncur to level just before
half-time. Sadlier then stole the show with a fantastic individual strike
two minutes after the break, only for Braintree to take advantage of two
slack pieces of defending to snatch the win. "They were fantastic goals and
that's the disappointment because Kieran Sadlier's effort should have been
the winning goal. Because they played 4-4-2, we said to our three
midfielders to be a bit braver and try to get goal-side of their midfield
and dominate them in the middle and release the wide players. "We felt we
had quality in the wide areas to make goalscoring chances with passes in
behind full-backs etcetera. Kieran has that ability and I don't know if we
gave him enough of the ball. "We had a lot of possession, but what they have
to learn is that it's not just about keeping the football. You've got to
work the ball to try to carve open the opposition and we weren't as good as
we were against Swansea and Wolves."
With the first-team squad and staff away in Germany, Haycock said he would
be reporting back to Sam Allardyce, Neil McDonald and Ian Hendon. Likewise,
the Development Squad coach has an interest in how the likes of Sebastian
Lletget, Elliot Lee, Pelly Ruddock, Danny Whitehead and Dan Potts are
faring.
"Neil and Ian particularly ask me for reports on the games and I speak to
them on a daily basis to see how our lads are doing out there. They also
want to know how these boys are doing because, at the end of the day, with
the Financial Fair Play rules, it will always be about trying to promote
from within to strengthen the squad. "Sebby has already done well against
Colchester and hopefully he'll have had a good ten days in Germany. Elliot
is out there, Pelly is out there and Danny has been brought into the Club
and gone with the first team. Dan Potts has been on the fringes of it for
about 18 months. "It's great because they'll get more experience there than
they would with us. Other clubs would put their strongest team out at
Under-21 level but the whole philosophy of West Ham United is to challenge
the player correctly. Some young players need a loan move and some need more
Under-21 football. "If we win a league or cup, that is second to the
objective of challenging the players. That is something fully endorsed by
Sam. I'm looking forward to the challenge. As you can see from the way Sam
runs the Football Club, it's about a team of people. I don't look at it as
me running the Under-21s - we coach players through the phase of between 17
and 21 and it's up to me and Steve to polish them. "Sam has always had a big
backroom team and I can see why because he sets everyone individual
physical, tactical and psychological targets. He has a fantastic team of
people behind him and we're a collective. "As a group, we are looking
forward to the season and pushing the players on to that next level. It's a
fantastic club to work for."
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Diarra vows to fight for the Hammers
WHUFC.com
French midfielder Alou Diarra is keen to prove his worth in a West Ham
United shirt
25.07.2013
Alou Diarra is determined to fight for West Ham United in the new Barclays
Premier League season. The France international wants to make use of a
strong summer by grasping an opportunity to shine following a spell on loan
at Rennes last term. Having returned to the Boleyn Ground for pre-season,
Diarra has expressed his desire to make an impact in a claret and blue
shirt. He believes a full preparatory programme, which was not possible for
him last year, will prove to be a huge help and he cannot wait for the next
friendly against Eintracht Braunschweig. "I want to fight this season with
West Ham," he exclusively told West Ham TV. "I'll give 100 per cent in
training and I'll wait for my chance. "I want to give my best for West Ham
and we'll see. I'm ready to play in the Premier League now. "Pre-season has
gone well. We work hard every day, and we've only lost one game so it has
been a good start for us."
Having joined the Hammers only just before the start of last season, Diarra
did not feel the benefits of pre-season training and he believes that had an
impact on his play. So, having played a full part this term, he is sure he
will return as a stronger player. "It is a very different pre-season for
me," he explained. "It's a big chance for a player to be fit and for me it
is much better being involved from the start this year. I missed it last
season, so it was hard to come back.
"That was difficult, but now I have this chance to start with the squad, so
that is good for me. "I feel good at the moment. I can run, and move, but
it's not 100 per cent yet. There are three weeks left to get ready for the
Premier League and I want to fight this season with West Ham."
Diarra has already scored two summer goals, against Cork City and Hamburger
SV, and he would love to add to that tally in competitive football. He
added: "I've scored two goals in the pre-season, and it has been nice to
attack the ball and score. It's good for me and good for the team, but I'd
prefer to score in the Premier League. "Hamburger is a good team from the
Bundesliga. We did very well in the last game against them, we looked strong
and scored twice from set plays. It was a good game and it showed we can do
well against strong teams. "Last season we came tenth and we think we can do
better. That's the next step and I think we can aim to improve our
position."
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'We are getting there'
WHUFC.com
Hammers defender James Tomkins is feeling the benefits of summer games
against European sides
25.07.2013
West Ham United central defender James Tomkins is relishing the opportunity
of testing himself against top-quality European opposition in pre-season.
The Hammers have already played Bundesliga sides FSV Mainz 05 and Hamburger
SV this week, and have another meeting with a top-flight German outfit in
Eintracht Braunchweig, before UEFA Champions League qualifiers Pacos de
Ferreira visit the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 10 August. Tomkins, who scored
a header from a Matt Jarvis corner in Tuesday's 3-1 win over Hamburg, says
facing teams of that stature will only help sharpen the Hammers ahead of the
big kick-off at home to Cardiff City on Saturday 17 August. He told
whufc.com: "It's been good to test ourselves against quality opposition this
week in Germany. Mainz were obviously a really good team, they were sharp
and you can tell that their league starts a bit earlier than ours. "We're
getting there, though, and getting stronger and stronger with each game. It
was a good victory for us against Hamburg the other day, They are obviously
a good team and we want to continue our good form in pre-season when we play
again on Saturday. "We've only lost one and we always look to improve and
get our fitness up, so Saturday's match against Braunschweig gives us the
chance to do that."
Tomkins was delighted to open his pre-season account with a header that
became something of his trademark during the Hammers' march to promotion in
2011/12. Now, the centre-back wants to find the net on a regular basis again
after a barren 2012/13. "It was nice to score and set plays were one of our
strong points last year. We've continued that at the start of pre-season and
we could maybe have scored a few more from set pieces."
German teams set the standard in the UEFA Champions League last year, with
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund reaching the Wembley final, so Tomkins
has been watching this week's opponents carefully as the Hammers look to
build for the coming season. He added: "Everyone's looking at the German
league at the minute, because they have proven that they are one of the best
right now. That was showen by the Champions League last year. "Bayern Munich
and Dortmund are very good teams and hopefully English football can have a
strong year in the Champions League this season. "As a club, we had a good
year last season and obviously we hope to improve - that's what we want to
do as players. Tenth was good for us having been promoted from the
Championship and hopefully we can build on that this year."
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Alou Diarra is determined to fight for a West Ham spot
Last Updated: July 25, 2013 7:32pm
SSN
Alou Diarra says he is determined to fight for his West Ham United place in
the Premier League season. The France international spent a successful spell
on loan at Ligue 1 club Rennes last term but has returned to the Boleyn
Ground in the best of form ready to make the most of his second opportunity.
He has made just six appearances for the Hammers since arriving in east
London from Marseille for £2million in 2012. "I want to fight this season
with West Ham," he told West Ham TV. "I'll give 100 per cent in training and
I'll wait for my chance. "I want to give my best for West Ham and we'll see.
I'm ready to play in the Premier League now. "Pre-season has gone well. We
work hard every day, and we've only lost one game so it has been a good
start for us." Diarra blamed missing out on a full pre-season for not
playing a full part in last term's impressive 10th placed finish. "It is a
very different pre-season for me," the Frenchman added. "It's a big chance
for a player to be fit and for me it is much better being involved from the
start this year. I missed it last season, so it was hard to come back. "That
was difficult, but now I have this chance to start with the squad, so that
is good for me. "I feel good at the moment. I can run, and move, but it's
not 100 per cent yet. There are three weeks left to get ready for the
Premier League and I want to fight this season with West Ham."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Development Squad coach Nick Haycock reflects on a 3-2 pre-season defeat at
Braintree Town
25.07.2013
Nick Haycock says his West Ham United Development Squad will continue to
learn from their experiences following a 3-2 pre-season defeat at Conference
National club Braintree Town. The Hammers played the better football for
long periods at The Amlin Stadium and led 2-1 just after half-time, only for
naive defending to allow Alan Devonshire's side to snatch the victory. The
U21s have now played three pre-season matches, beating Swansea City 4-0
before being edged out 3-2 by both an experienced Wolverhampton Wanderers
team and now a strong Braintree squad. Paul McCallum and Kieran Sadlier
scored two fine goals for Haycock's youngsters on Wednesday, but the
Development Squad coach admitted his players still have work to do if they
are to earn a first-team opportunity. "It'll always be about performances in
pre-season and you are looking for the work you do on the training field to
transmit to the pitch come matchday," he explained. "As you go through
pre-season you tighten up and fine-tune certain things. "At Braintree, I
don't think we passed the ball as well as we did against Wolves, where we
were excellent at times. We conceded from set plays against Wolves and we
worked on that this week, but sometimes young teams make naive decisions and
there is some sloppiness in there. "We played against a team that finished
ninth in the Conference and play a certain type of football where they are
effective. We knew how they were going to play and so it was about us
dealing with that and then coming back with our game. In fits and spells, we
got our game going, but there were some good things, some sloppy things and
some naive things. "That's what the training field is for and, come Southend
on Monday, we're hoping to put some of that right."
McCallum scored his fourth goal in four pre-season appearances following
fine work from Blair Turgott and George Moncur to level just before
half-time. Sadlier then stole the show with a fantastic individual strike
two minutes after the break, only for Braintree to take advantage of two
slack pieces of defending to snatch the win. "They were fantastic goals and
that's the disappointment because Kieran Sadlier's effort should have been
the winning goal. Because they played 4-4-2, we said to our three
midfielders to be a bit braver and try to get goal-side of their midfield
and dominate them in the middle and release the wide players. "We felt we
had quality in the wide areas to make goalscoring chances with passes in
behind full-backs etcetera. Kieran has that ability and I don't know if we
gave him enough of the ball. "We had a lot of possession, but what they have
to learn is that it's not just about keeping the football. You've got to
work the ball to try to carve open the opposition and we weren't as good as
we were against Swansea and Wolves."
With the first-team squad and staff away in Germany, Haycock said he would
be reporting back to Sam Allardyce, Neil McDonald and Ian Hendon. Likewise,
the Development Squad coach has an interest in how the likes of Sebastian
Lletget, Elliot Lee, Pelly Ruddock, Danny Whitehead and Dan Potts are
faring.
"Neil and Ian particularly ask me for reports on the games and I speak to
them on a daily basis to see how our lads are doing out there. They also
want to know how these boys are doing because, at the end of the day, with
the Financial Fair Play rules, it will always be about trying to promote
from within to strengthen the squad. "Sebby has already done well against
Colchester and hopefully he'll have had a good ten days in Germany. Elliot
is out there, Pelly is out there and Danny has been brought into the Club
and gone with the first team. Dan Potts has been on the fringes of it for
about 18 months. "It's great because they'll get more experience there than
they would with us. Other clubs would put their strongest team out at
Under-21 level but the whole philosophy of West Ham United is to challenge
the player correctly. Some young players need a loan move and some need more
Under-21 football. "If we win a league or cup, that is second to the
objective of challenging the players. That is something fully endorsed by
Sam. I'm looking forward to the challenge. As you can see from the way Sam
runs the Football Club, it's about a team of people. I don't look at it as
me running the Under-21s - we coach players through the phase of between 17
and 21 and it's up to me and Steve to polish them. "Sam has always had a big
backroom team and I can see why because he sets everyone individual
physical, tactical and psychological targets. He has a fantastic team of
people behind him and we're a collective. "As a group, we are looking
forward to the season and pushing the players on to that next level. It's a
fantastic club to work for."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diarra vows to fight for the Hammers
WHUFC.com
French midfielder Alou Diarra is keen to prove his worth in a West Ham
United shirt
25.07.2013
Alou Diarra is determined to fight for West Ham United in the new Barclays
Premier League season. The France international wants to make use of a
strong summer by grasping an opportunity to shine following a spell on loan
at Rennes last term. Having returned to the Boleyn Ground for pre-season,
Diarra has expressed his desire to make an impact in a claret and blue
shirt. He believes a full preparatory programme, which was not possible for
him last year, will prove to be a huge help and he cannot wait for the next
friendly against Eintracht Braunschweig. "I want to fight this season with
West Ham," he exclusively told West Ham TV. "I'll give 100 per cent in
training and I'll wait for my chance. "I want to give my best for West Ham
and we'll see. I'm ready to play in the Premier League now. "Pre-season has
gone well. We work hard every day, and we've only lost one game so it has
been a good start for us."
Having joined the Hammers only just before the start of last season, Diarra
did not feel the benefits of pre-season training and he believes that had an
impact on his play. So, having played a full part this term, he is sure he
will return as a stronger player. "It is a very different pre-season for
me," he explained. "It's a big chance for a player to be fit and for me it
is much better being involved from the start this year. I missed it last
season, so it was hard to come back.
"That was difficult, but now I have this chance to start with the squad, so
that is good for me. "I feel good at the moment. I can run, and move, but
it's not 100 per cent yet. There are three weeks left to get ready for the
Premier League and I want to fight this season with West Ham."
Diarra has already scored two summer goals, against Cork City and Hamburger
SV, and he would love to add to that tally in competitive football. He
added: "I've scored two goals in the pre-season, and it has been nice to
attack the ball and score. It's good for me and good for the team, but I'd
prefer to score in the Premier League. "Hamburger is a good team from the
Bundesliga. We did very well in the last game against them, we looked strong
and scored twice from set plays. It was a good game and it showed we can do
well against strong teams. "Last season we came tenth and we think we can do
better. That's the next step and I think we can aim to improve our
position."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'We are getting there'
WHUFC.com
Hammers defender James Tomkins is feeling the benefits of summer games
against European sides
25.07.2013
West Ham United central defender James Tomkins is relishing the opportunity
of testing himself against top-quality European opposition in pre-season.
The Hammers have already played Bundesliga sides FSV Mainz 05 and Hamburger
SV this week, and have another meeting with a top-flight German outfit in
Eintracht Braunchweig, before UEFA Champions League qualifiers Pacos de
Ferreira visit the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 10 August. Tomkins, who scored
a header from a Matt Jarvis corner in Tuesday's 3-1 win over Hamburg, says
facing teams of that stature will only help sharpen the Hammers ahead of the
big kick-off at home to Cardiff City on Saturday 17 August. He told
whufc.com: "It's been good to test ourselves against quality opposition this
week in Germany. Mainz were obviously a really good team, they were sharp
and you can tell that their league starts a bit earlier than ours. "We're
getting there, though, and getting stronger and stronger with each game. It
was a good victory for us against Hamburg the other day, They are obviously
a good team and we want to continue our good form in pre-season when we play
again on Saturday. "We've only lost one and we always look to improve and
get our fitness up, so Saturday's match against Braunschweig gives us the
chance to do that."
Tomkins was delighted to open his pre-season account with a header that
became something of his trademark during the Hammers' march to promotion in
2011/12. Now, the centre-back wants to find the net on a regular basis again
after a barren 2012/13. "It was nice to score and set plays were one of our
strong points last year. We've continued that at the start of pre-season and
we could maybe have scored a few more from set pieces."
German teams set the standard in the UEFA Champions League last year, with
Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund reaching the Wembley final, so Tomkins
has been watching this week's opponents carefully as the Hammers look to
build for the coming season. He added: "Everyone's looking at the German
league at the minute, because they have proven that they are one of the best
right now. That was showen by the Champions League last year. "Bayern Munich
and Dortmund are very good teams and hopefully English football can have a
strong year in the Champions League this season. "As a club, we had a good
year last season and obviously we hope to improve - that's what we want to
do as players. Tenth was good for us having been promoted from the
Championship and hopefully we can build on that this year."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Alou Diarra is determined to fight for a West Ham spot
Last Updated: July 25, 2013 7:32pm
SSN
Alou Diarra says he is determined to fight for his West Ham United place in
the Premier League season. The France international spent a successful spell
on loan at Ligue 1 club Rennes last term but has returned to the Boleyn
Ground in the best of form ready to make the most of his second opportunity.
He has made just six appearances for the Hammers since arriving in east
London from Marseille for £2million in 2012. "I want to fight this season
with West Ham," he told West Ham TV. "I'll give 100 per cent in training and
I'll wait for my chance. "I want to give my best for West Ham and we'll see.
I'm ready to play in the Premier League now. "Pre-season has gone well. We
work hard every day, and we've only lost one game so it has been a good
start for us." Diarra blamed missing out on a full pre-season for not
playing a full part in last term's impressive 10th placed finish. "It is a
very different pre-season for me," the Frenchman added. "It's a big chance
for a player to be fit and for me it is much better being involved from the
start this year. I missed it last season, so it was hard to come back. "That
was difficult, but now I have this chance to start with the squad, so that
is good for me. "I feel good at the moment. I can run, and move, but it's
not 100 per cent yet. There are three weeks left to get ready for the
Premier League and I want to fight this season with West Ham."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, July 25
Daily WHUFC News - 25th July 2013
Macca delighted with improvement
WHUFC.com
Hammers assistant manager Neil McDonald was pleased to see an improved display against Hamburg
24.07.2013
West Ham United assistant manager Neil McDonald was thrilled with the way his side bounced back from defeat to Mainz by beating Hamburger SV 3-1 in the second game of their German tour on Tuesday. The Hammers produced a super display of counter-attacking football to get the better of Hamburg, who finished seventh in the Bundesliga last term. It was a far improved display from the Londoners and McDonald was pleased with the outcome. "It was an excellent response," he explained. "I said after the game on Saturday that it was all about performance, and everybody's performance was a lot better, and that's very pleasing. "We took our chances very well and played some decent football at times. A lot of players have had some really good field time, which is great and we move on to the next game now."
All three of West Ham's goals - scored by Alou Diarra, James Tomkins and Ravel Morrison - were supplied by Matt Jarvis and McDonald had special praise for the winger. "Matt Jarvis was in excellent form," he continued. "He got at his man, he crossed the ball, he took his man on and he drove into the box. That's what we've been trying to get him to do since he came to the football club. "Hopefully the penny's dropped and we'll have a few more performances like that where he's creating goals and setting chances up for everybody."
McDonald explained that the improvement in performance came in all areas, exactly what he wants to see in pre-season. He added: "In possession we moved the ball on more quickly and a lot brighter. People were available more and then when we didn't have the ball we worked on our shape to pinch it back. We did that much better. "We're working on field time for the lads, getting their time up where we can and a lot of them are almost ready for 90 minutes now. Along with the training and the last game we have in Germany, that will do them the world of good. "They'll be at a level where we want them to be knowing that there are still two or three weeks until the start of the season. "We'll want exactly the same when we play Eintracht Braunschweig [on Saturday], another good performance with good tempo when we have the ball. "We'll want a good shape when we're out of possession, making us hard to break down and that gives you a chance to play some good football and a chance not to concede. That's what we've been working on in training as well as in matches."
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Braintree 3-2 West Ham United XI FT
WHUFC.com
Nick Haycock's Development Squad are edged out by the odd goal in five by Alan Devonshire's Braintree Town
24.07.2013
BRAINTREE TOWN v WEST HAM UNUTED XI
PRE-SEASON MATCH
THE AMLIN STADIUM
WEDNESDAY 24 JULY 2013
KICK-OFF: 7.45PM
Final score - Braintree Town 3-2 West Ham United XI
91 mins - A couple of seconds past the 90 minutes and the final whistle is blown. Goals from McCallum and Sadlier are not quite enough and Braintree's win is met with a loud cheer from the home fans. It's been entertaining. The Development Squad return to action on Saturday, when they travel to Manchester City. Thanks for joining us. We'll have post-match reaction and highlights on West Ham TV and whufc.com soon.
90 mins - Braintree are finishing on top as they win a corner that Burke does welll to head clear from under his own crossbar. West Ham eventually scramble the ball away, but a late equaliser is looking unlikely.
88 mins - West Ham win a corner, but the ball is headed over the top. Is that the visitors' final chance gone? They will be disappointed to lose this as they have generally given a good account of themselves. A couple of pieces of loose defensive play have cost the Hammers dear so far.
84 mins - Another change. Akapale replaces Habergham. I am told he has 'pace to burn'. He has six minutes to burn it.
82 mins - Tombides has a go from a free-kick about 30 yards out and it's a great hit from the Australian. He gets it up and over the wall before the ball dips viciously and McDonald has to go down to his right to make the save at the base of the post. Good stuff from the striker.
80 mins - As things approach a conclusion now here in Braintree, I should say that the Hammers will be sending a team to another non-league side in the shape of AFC Hornchurch on Saturday 3 August. Tickets for the 3pm kick-off are priced at £10 for Adults and £5 for Concessions and U16s. You will be able to buy tickets on the day at The Stadium in Bridge Avenue. The first team do not have a fixture that weekend, so Big Sam may choose to send some senior players down to Hornchurch for a run out.
76 mins - Two more changes for each side. West Ham replace Driver and Spence with Burke and Harney, while Braintree bring on Cox and Carney for Wells and Holman.
75 mins - Some anxious moments at the back for the Hammers as Habergham's cross from the left is hacked clear by a flying Wearen. Marks was threatening in behind to make it 4-2.
72 mins - Goal! Braintree are back in front. After the Hammers fail to clear a corner, Sparkes' initial shot is blocked but the ball falls to Holman, who smashes it past Spiegel from about 12 yards. West Ham have it all to do again.
71 mins - It's a cliche, but the game has lost its pattern a bit with all the changes. West Ham have a very young team on now, with only goalkeeper Spiegel, centre-back Spence and right-back Driver remaining from the starting XI.
68 mins - Peters comes on for Griffiths for the home side.
65 mins - Seven changes from the Hammers. On come Page, Cullen, Amoo, Maguire and Dylan Tombides. Off go Shaw, Moncur, Sadlier, Turgott and McCallum.
62 mins - Braintree replace Symons with Charlie Wassmer, who I am informed is a trialist. I can also inform you that he is tall, blond and wearing lime green boots.
61 mins - Spiegel elects to stay on his line rather than come for Sparkes' cross. Marks reacts quickly and catches his volley flush, but its straight at Spiegel from about a yard out! It's a great save, but a little fortunate.
60 mins - Turgott wins a corner, which he takes himself and finds the head of McCallum. The striker makes a good contact, but the ball flies over the top. Before West Ham make a raft of substitutions, I should mention the superb selection of conifer trees on the far side of the ground. They are basically giant Christmas trees. Very good.
58 mins - Two chances in quick succession for Braintree. First, Holman fires a shot just past the top corner, then Spiegel has to be brave to dive on the ball after it had squirmed through Wearen's legs and nearly fallen to Marks.
54 mins - Driver and Turgott combine before the latter crosses low for McCallum. The goalkeeper dives out, catches and then collides with his defender, losing the ball in the process. Thankfully for the hosts, it rolls to safety and is cleared away.
50 mins - Goal! The lead didn't last for long. A high dropping cross from deep on the right lands in exactly the right place for the unmarked Sparkes to send a controlled left-foot volley past Spiegel. Very impressive finish, but the Braintree player had a lot of time and space.
47 mins - GOAL! Fantastic goal from Sadlier. He picks up the ball wide on the left, races inside his full-back and curls an unstoppable shot past McDonald and inside the far post from about 20 yards. Great individual skill from the Republic of Ireland U19 forward.
46 mins - We're off again. A few changes from Nick Haycock at the break, with Wearen replacing Chambers at centre-back and Miles and Marlow on for Bywater and Makasi in midfield. Braintree have brought on McDonald for Hamman in goal, while Matt Paine has replaced goalscorer Davis in midfield.
Half-time score - Braintree Town 1-1 West Ham United XI
46 mins - Spence is penalised for fouling Holman just outside the penalty area. The No10 himself takes the free-kick and curls the ball around the wall and just past the far post. After the ball thuds into the advertising board, the half-time whistle is blown. Honours even at the break.
43 mins - GOAL! McCallum has his goal now. Blair Turgott races down the right and cuts the ball back to Moncur on the edge of the penalty area. It's a bit awkward and bobbles up, so Moncur can't hit it first-time. Instead, he takes a touch, makes a yard and drives a low cross-shot that eludes the defender and allows McCallum to tap in from a couple of yards.
41 mins - West Ham think they have an equaliser as McCallum taps in at the second attempt after Griffiths had blocked his initial effort. However, the assistant has his flag raised, presumably for offside against McCallum from Bywater's initial through ball.
37 mins - The floodlights are on here now at the Amlin Stadium as the sun sets on another gorgeous day. West Ham are playing the better football, but they are not finding it at all easy to break down the home defence. They do have another corner, though, as Sadlier's cross is blocked behind. Moncur delivers another great ball, but it eludes its target.
32 mins - Better. Moncur and Sadlier exchange passes before Moncur plays a second one-two with McCallum and spreads play wide right to Driver. He takes a nice touch into his stride and smacks a low shot that takes at least one deflection off a defender before goalkeeper Hamman saves low to his left. Good football recognised by applause from the stands.
30 mins - Nicky Symons catches a sweet strike on the half-volley from about 30 yards, but thankfully it is close enough for Spiegel to catch after moving a yard to two to his right. West Ham break and win a corner, but Moncur's left-wing delivery is easily cleared. It's quite an even contest now, to be fair.
26 mins - Alan Devonshire has really done a fantastic job here at Braintree. The 1980 FA Cup winner and former England winger is running a Conference National side on a budget the fraction of the size of many of his rivals. Braintree are part-timers, but the vast majority of sides in the same division are full-time, with many of them recent Football League clubs like Luton Town, Hereford United, Macclesfield Town and Grimsby Town. The Iron finished ninth last season - some achievement.
24 mins - Another corner for West Ham as Shaw forces Wells to put the ball behind. It comes to nothing, though.
23 mins - The ball drops to No10 Holman about 30 yards out. He has a chance to shoot, but makes a hash of it and drags the ball well wide of the left-hand post.
21 mins - Massey puts a Turgott cross behind for a corner. Chance for Turgott himself to create something. And he nearly does for Chambers as the defender sees first a header and then a well-taken volley cleared off the line. The ball flies away for another corner, which comes to nothing as Chambers is whistled for a push at the far post.
20 mins - Shaw is harshly penalised by the assistant referee for a foul on Chez Isaac. Davis crosses and Simmons rises and heads the ball high and wide. Dangerous delivery from the goalscorer.
17 mins - The goal wasn't exactly against the run of play, but the Hammers had shaded the opening period before Davis' strike. Bywater gets in behind again and tries to lob the ball over the goalkeeper from an acute angle. He gets a little too much on it, however, and the ball lands past the far post and the lurking Paul McCallum.
13 mins - Goal! Braintree have carried more of a threat and big striker Sean Marks forces Chambers to concede a throw. It is hurled over and Bywater's clearance falls to Kenny Davis on the edge of the box. He smashes the first-time show low through the legs and into the bottom right-hand corner. Braintree lead.
11 mins - Don't forget, you can get your tickets to watch the Hammers take on UEFA Champions League qualifiers Pacos de Ferreira now. We host the Portuguese side at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 10 August at 3pm. For full ticket details, click here.
7 mins - Great football there as Bywater slips in Shaw down the left wing. He clips over the cross first-time and Massey has to be alert to head over his own crossbar. The Hammers work the corner and then play some delightful stuff in and around the box. Braintree stand firm and don't let their opponents get a shot away. Finally, the ball is lifted over the defence for Sadlier, but he is caught just offside. Really easy on the eye, this football.
5 mins - West Ham have started well. They are knocking the ball around confidently on a nice playing surface here at Braintree. The challenge will be to overcome the fact the visitors are playing bigger, stronger, older players.
2 mins - The corner comes over and is cleared as far as Sadlier on the edge of the box, but his shot is charged down and the Iron clear their lines eventually.
50 secs - West Ham fashion an early opportunity as Bywater digs a cross out from the left wing. It skims off the head of a defender and drops to Turgott. He takes a touch and sees his shot deflected behind by Habergham for a corner.
7.44pm - A few seconds early, West Ham get things underway here on a lovely sunny evening in north Essex.
7.40pm - Here come the two tyeams. West Ham are in their home kit of claret and blue, while Braintree look like a team of Blackpool impersonators. The home side are in all-orange. The Hammers are being captained by Callum Driver tonight.
Good evening and welcome to a sunny Amlin Stadium for tonight's pre-season match between Alan Devonshire's Braintree Town and West Ham United's Development Squad.
With Sam Allardyce's first team away in Germany, Nick Haycock has brought a young and relatively inexperienced squad to Essex. However, with the likes of Raphael Spiegel, Jordan Spence, Callum Driver, George Moncur, Blair Turgott and Paul McCallum in the line-up, there are still plenty of recognisable faces on show.
Haycock will also give Leo Chambers and Eoin Wearen another chance to work on their fitness as the pair step-up their respective returns from long-term knee injuries. There is also the welcome sight of Dylan Tombides' name among the substitutes.
After thrashing Swansea City 4-0 at Little Heath on 16 July, the Under-21s pushed an experienced Wolverhampton Wanderers side all the way before going down to a narrow 3-2 defeat on Saturday. McCallum (pictured) has scored in both matches and will look to hit the net again after impressing in the first team's pre-season match against Cork City earlier this month.
Hammers legend Devonshire's Braintree have also been busy in pre-season, beating League Two side Southend United 2-1 before holding another team from the same division, Portsmouth, to a goalless draw. On Saturday, the Iron were beaten 4-1 by League One club Colchester United.
Braintree Town: Hamman, Griffiths, Habergham, Wells, Massey, Isaac, Sparkes, Davis, Simmons, Marks, Holman
Subs: McDonald, Cox, Carney, Paine, Peters, Wassmer, Akapele
West Ham United XI: Spiegel, Driver, Shaw, Chambers, Spence, Makasi, Moncur, Bywater, Turgott, McCallum, Sadlier
Subs: Guzman, Burke, Marlow, Wearen, Page, Harney, Cullen, Miles, Amoo, D.Tombides, Maguire
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Guy's hard graft paying off
WHUFC.com
Guy Demel was glad to see West Ham United's tough schedule pay off against former side Hamburger SV
23.07.2013
Guy Demel believes Tuesday's impressive 3-1 win against Hamburger SV is a result of the hard work the West Ham United squad have put in during their time in Germany. A headed goal apiece from Alou Diarra and James Tomkins and a penalty from Ravel Morrison wrapped up an encouraging result against the team that finished seventh in last season's Bundesliga. The result more than made up for the disappointing start to the three-game German tour, when the Hammers lost 4-1 to FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday, with Demel citing the intense training schedule as the key reason for the turnaround in fortune. "It was a great response to the defeat against Mainz on Saturday," Demel told West Ham TV. "I think the lads on Saturday didn't have a great game but the most important thing is the physical work during the friendly games. "As a team we learned from that mistake and as a team we responded. We worked hard during the week and it is good to win when you're in pre-season as it gives you the confidence to keep working hard."
Although Demel added his usual attacking threat to a much-improved collective defensive showing, it was the Hammers' forward play that really impressed. Central to that was Matt Jarvis, who provided assists for all three goals - two corners for Diarra and Tomkins and a tricky run that ended in a foul to win Morrison's penalty. "Hamburg are a team that like to keep the ball and try to go forward but as a team we were compact and when we won the ball we looked to use outlets like Matt to go forward. "When you have a player like Matt or Modibo [Maiga], who can hold the ball and win headers, along with Ravel, who is a good talent, then you can play the counter-attacking football. We know Matt's quality as we know if you can find space in behind he will cause the opposition problems."
Tuesday's result at the Flensburger Stadion was all the more special for Demel as he spent seven years at Hamburg before joining West Ham. He spent much of his time in the tunnel area before and after the game catching up with old friends. Although he admits it was nice to reminisce with his former colleagues, his focus now is very much on his life in London and exceeding last season's tenth-place Barclays Premier League finish. "It was nice to see some old team-mates and the fans of the Club. But my life is in London now with West Ham so I focus on that. I enjoyed my time in Hamburg but I don't think about the past and I only look forward. "I played seven seasons and I always gave my best and the fans liked that which was why they gave me a good reception. "With West Ham, we're going to try to finish at least as high again. I think other people would be happy to stay in the league but we are West Ham and we must have more expectation than that."
Overall, the former Ivory Coast international feels the seven days spent in Germany so far has been worthwhile, adding that the fitness levels are even better than at this stage last summer. "It has been a great week in Germany. The first game gave us an idea of how far along we were. Although it was hard, it was important to have that physical test. I think we will get better and better and we are fitter than we were at this stage last season so we should be fitter at the start of the season. "The Gaffer told us to we have to push for more than that as this season is going to be harder than last season, so we must all focus on being fit for the new season and deliver a new season that will make our fans happy."
West Ham will complete their stay in Germany by taking on Bundesliga new boys Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday afternoon, with kick-off at the Eintracht-Stadion at 3.30pm local time.
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Karren Brady: West Ham's Olympic Stadium move is not on the cheap
Last Updated: July 24, 2013 3:41pm
SSN
West Ham's Karren Brady has insisted that the club have not been allowed to use London's Olympic Stadium 'on the cheap.' The Hammers' vice-chairman went to Parliament on Wednesday to explain that West Ham must pay off all of their bank debt before they move to the iconic stadium. The Premier League team have debts of £70m, with half of that bank debt secured on Upton Park, and which has to be cleared when the ground is sold ahead of the move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016. Brady, giving evidence to the House of Lords committee on Olympic and Paralympic legacy said the club was not getting the stadium on the cheap and that the deal was good value to the tax-payer. She pointed out: "West Ham is not getting a free stadium. The stadium was built for the Olympics and what are we going to do with it? "Across the world stadiums that are not used die. Without anchor tenants the cost would be huge to the tax payer."
As for selling Upton Park, she added: "We did have a tentative deal but that fell away. "We hope the money generated from the sale of Upton Park will be enough to fulfil our commitment and to help pay off some of our bank debt. "When we bought the club and took on more than £100m of debt that was guaranteed on the ground. "We have to pay off all our bank debt to move, we can't take the debt with us. "If there is any excess from the sale it will meet some of that debt but I don't expect there will be."
At the same meeting, Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn said that West Ham's planned move 'was not certain' because of his on-going judicial review and legal action against the Premier League. Hearn wants his club to ground-share with West Ham and use just the lower tier for Orient's matches. Hearn said: "This is not a done deal. West Ham have an agreement but I have a judicial review outstanding and litigation with the Premier League that West Ham even moving would be a breach of Premier League rules. "We have ended up in situation where we have gifted £500m of tax-payers' money to a Premier League club that has a turnover of more than £100m. "It's a wonderful gift but if I was an Arsenal fan I would wonder why we bothered paying to build a new stadium.
"This is state sponsorship beyond my wildest dreams. In effect it's rent free as they have ability to develop Upton Park."
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The bookies get it wrong, as the Hammers outclass Hamburg!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
Some things never change. And one of those is West Ham United FC's continuing propensity to confound the odds. Following on from from the 4-1 defeat to FSV Mainz, some of the more prominent on-line bookie websites were confidently predicting that Hamburg (Van der Vaart on all) would just have too much for the Hammers to cope with in Tuesday evening's fixture. Well, as it turns out, nothing was further from the truth! West Ham outclassed Hamburg with relative ease, racing in to a 0-2 lead by the 28th minute. Both goals originated from pin point Matt Jarvis centres that found Diarra and Tomkins (respectively) to score from well taken headers.
With Van der Vaart briefly coming more in to the game, the Netherlands international found the head of Westermann from a well executed corner, in the 42nd minute, to cut the deficit and raise German expectations of an equaliser. However, this West Ham side is made of sterner stuff than many of its precursors and they duly dashed those expectations on the stroke of half time. A pacy run down the left, from that man Jarvis, solicited an ill advised foul by Diekmeier in the penalty area. The resultant penalty was expertly converted by the ever improving Ravel Morrison and West Ham then very professionally controlled the pace of the game, and shut up shop at the back, in the final 45 minutes.
The West Ham starting line up was as follows:
Henderson, Demel, Rat, Collins, Tomkins, Diarra, Nolan (Capt), Diame, Morrison, Maiga, Jarvis
So, who says the bookies always get it right!! But seriously, the performance was very encouraging and shows the team learnt from the FSV Mainz defeat and accordingly upped their game against better opposition. Overall, the squad have hitherto shaped up very well in pre-season and the signs are good for the new campaign, but we do need to secure that extra strength in depth and cutting edge up front. If we can secure Kalou from Lille, he can provide the pace and finishing ability down the right flank and then it is a matter of adding at least another striker to deputise for Carroll. That new striker must be able to both lead the forward line and play off Carroll as a second striker, otherwise we may be looking at two deals, probably a permanent deal and a loan.
On the striker acquisition front, there were reports today that Undinese's Czech international striker, Matej Vydra, is keen to join West Ham. At least that is according to his agent, who has gone public in stating his client's keenness to move to Upton Park. The pacy striker scored over 20 goals, last season, on loan to Zola's Watford and was voted the Championship player of the season. At 21 years of age, Vydra is a good prospect and could combine very well with Carroll in a classic front two striking combination. Could he fulfil the right sided forward role, if the Kalou deal does not materialise? Almost certainly. However, it is very doubtful that he could deputise like-for-like for Carroll, unless Sam Allardyce pairs him with Maiga or Vaz Te to form a very different type of strike force. Well, Allardyce could confound us all, on this one, but the odds are probably against that happening by choice. So, if the mooted £5m deal is done for Vydra, then the another deal is likely for a tall and powerful centre forward, possibly on loan.
Crouch would be one possibility, but I would prefer to see a deal done with Blackburn Rovers for Jordan Rhodes. The Scottish international striker has been a prolific finisher at every level at which he has played. As such, I do not feel that it is a large gamble for a PL club to sign him. More like a 'racing certainty,' as far as such a thing exists in football. Arguably, we should consider offering Blackburn any two of Vaz Te, Taylor or Henderson to oil the wheels of a deal. Any Championship side would welcome a proven Championship goal scorer like Vaz Te, Taylor offers valuable experience and Henderson has the potential to be a good keeper. If he stays, Vaz Te could prove the doubters wrong next season and rediscover his goal scoring touch. However, although that is a possibility, would anyone seriously not gamble on that to secure an exciting talent like Rhodes? Of course, Blackburn Rovers may well decide that they wish to base their promotion challenge next season firmly on Rhodes' goal scoring ability. However, c£8/9m and a player exchange (for say Vaz Te and Taylor) could be tempting because they get two good players and £8/9m to reinvest in their squad. No chance of that happening? Maybe, but Rovers have not exactly been distinguished by the soundness of their decision-making in the last two or three seasons. So, perhaps that run could continue and include an unlikely deal for Rhodes?
One of the major positives in pre-season has been the way in which the midfield players have been regularly finding the back of the net. If that trend continues in to the new season, and we secure the desired cutting edge up front, then that would bode very well for the future. But arguably the key is still pace. We need to sign players like Kalou or Vydra with the pace to catch out opposition defences, particularly away from home, where we were often too static and predictable last season. I would love to see us play a fast counter-attacking game, which we have not witnessed since the days of Craig Bellemy. That tactic is perfect for away fixtures, where the home teams push forward and leave gaps at the back which can be ruthlessly exploited by pace. Ideally, I would also have liked to see more of that quality in the full-back positions, but the defence is more or less settled. As such, the best chance is that Spence and/or Potts get a chance to impress in the new season. With a reinvigorated Alou Diarra available to shield and cover the defence, we could have the extra assurance at the back to encourage, in some fixtures,the attacking flair of Spence and Potts to push forward down the flanks. Well, at least we can postulate about the possibility! Whether it happens is another matter!
Finally, David Sullivan recently undertook a Q&A session on twitter and the key message was that the transfer emphasis is upon attack. No surprises there. But there was also an interesting reference to a willingness to secure Scott Parker's return from Spurs. Although not a priority, David Sullivan admitted that a deal for Parker would be welcomed if it could be done within the club's transfer and salary budget. On the transfer budget, he clearly stated that money for further transfers was available, but the real obstacle was the new Fair Play rules capping the total player salary budget at the club. And for the doubters, David Sullivan also made it perfectly clear that Sam Allardyce picks the transfer targets and has the final say on which players actually join the club. He was pretty emphatic on that point and probably wanted to squash once-and-for-all any internet speculation that in the past players have been imposed upon on the manager (i.e. BNM and Paulista). This player imposition theory is novel, but does anyone really believe that a strong manager like Allardyce would accept such a practice, even if the club were remotely inclined to do it? Which, it seems apparently, they are not!
SJ. Chandos.
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West Ham face £35million debt repayments before Olympic Stadium move
24 Jul 2013 15:26
The Mirror
Karren Brady has today admitted that West Ham United will have to clear around £35million worth of debt before they move into the Olympic Stadium in 2016.
The Hammers are £70million in the red and half of that is tied into their Upton Park home. Brady, speaking at the House of Lords' committee on Olympic and Paralympic legacy today, is also wary that the club's current home will need to be sold soon in order to ease the financial burden on owners David Sullivan and David Gold. "We did have a tentative deal to sell Upton Park but that fell away," she said this morning. "We hope the money generated from the sale of Upton Park will be enough to fulfil our commitment and to help pay off some of our bank debt. "When we bought the club we took on more than £100million of debt that was guaranteed on the ground. We have to pay off all our bank debt to move, we can't take the debt with us. "If there is any excess it will meet some of that debt but I don't expect there will be."
Manager Sam Allardyce has been backed reasonably well in the transfer market this summer, notably parting with £15million to sign Andy Carroll from Liverpool. However one of the areas which may suffer in the club's plans to repay the sum may be player recruitment. The club, though, will be optimistic in their ability to do so without too much disruption to first-team affairs.
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West Ham United are believed to be interested in Porto winger Silvestre Varela
Guardian Series
3:00pm Wednesday 24th July 2013 in News
West Ham United have been linked with a move for FC Porto winger Silvestre Varela. The Hammers are believed to be interested in a move for the 28-year-old who has won three Portuguese titles during his four years with the Dragons. According to the Daily Mail, Turkish club Besiktas had a £5 million bid rejected by Porto which could give the Irons a better chance of completing a deal.
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West Ham United must pay £70m bank debt before Olympic Stadium move
• Karren Brady: club not getting ground on the cheap
• West Ham plan not a done deal, insists Orient's Barry Hearn
Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 24 July 2013 16.55 BST
West Ham United will have to pay off all of their bank debt before their move to the Olympic Stadium, according to the club's vice-chairman, Karren Brady.
West Ham have debts of £70m, with half of that bank debt secured on Upton Park and which has to be cleared when the ground is sold ahead of the move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016. Brady, giving evidence to the House of Lords committee on Olympic and Paralympic legacy on Wednesday, also insisted the club were not getting the stadium on the cheap and the deal was good value to the taxpayer. The Premier League club did have a buyer in place for Upton Park but that fell through because of delays to the deal to become Olympic Stadium tenants. Brady also stated that the sluggish property market means she expects income projections from the sale to be down 50% on 2010. Brady added that she did not expect the sale would cover much more than the lump sum the club will have to pay to the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to move to the Olympic venue. She said: "We did have a tentative deal [for Upton Park] but that fell away. We hope the money generated from the sale of Upton Park will be enough to fulfil our commitment and to help pay off some of our bank debt. "When we bought the club and took on more than £100m of debt, that was guaranteed on the ground. We have to pay off all our bank debt to move, we can't take the debt with us. If there is any excess [from the sale of Upton Park] it will meet some of that debt but I don't expect there will be."
Brady was asked to respond to a claim by the former sports minister Richard Caborn that West Ham were getting the £600m stadium for only £15m, plus £2m-a-year rent, with the taxpayer picking up the tab. Brady defended the deal, however, and said: "The alternative scenario does not bear thinking about. West Ham is not getting a free stadium. The stadium was built for the Olympics and what are we going to do with it? Across the world, stadiums that are not used die. Without anchor tenants the cost would be huge to the taxpayer."
She added that West Ham would generate "many hundreds of millions of pounds" over the 100-year lease. The committee also heard from Leyton Orient's chairman, Barry Hearn, who insisted West Ham's move was "not a done deal" because of his continuing judicial review and legal action against the Premier League. Hearn wants his club to be able to groundshare with West Ham and use only the lower tier for Orient's matches. He also described the LLDC's deal with West Ham as "state sponsorship beyond my wildest dreams".
Hearn said: "This is not a done deal. West Ham have an agreement but I have a judicial review outstanding and litigation with the Premier League that [means] West Ham even moving would be a breach of Premier League rules. "We have ended up in situation where we have gifted £500m of taxpayers' money to a Premier League club that has a turnover of more than £100m. It's a wonderful gift but if I was an Arsenal fan I would wonder why we bothered paying to build a new stadium. "This is state sponsorship beyond my wildest dreams. In effect, it's rent free as they have the ability to develop Upton Park."
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West Ham to clear debt before move to Olympic Stadium
Standard.co.uk
Published: 24 July 2013 Updated: 14:45, 24 July 2013
West Ham must pay off all their bank debt before they move to the Olympic Stadium, vice‑chairman Karren Brady revealed today. The Hammers have debts of £70million, half of that bank debt secured on Upton Park, and that has to be cleared when the ground is sold ahead of the move in 2016. If they failed to raise the necessary £35m then co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan would make up the shortfall to ensure the club could take up the 99-year lease. The club had a buyer for Upton Park but that fell through due to the delays in the deal to be tenants.Brady added she did not expect the sale would cover much more than the lump sum the club must pay to the London Legacy Development Corporation to move to the Olympic venue. She said: "We had a tentative deal [for Upton Park] but that fell away. We hope the money generated from the sale will be enough to fulfil our commitment and help pay off some of our bank debt. "When we bought the club and took on more than £100m of debt that was guaranteed on the ground. We have to pay off all our bank debt to move, we can't take the debt with us. If there is any excess [from Upton Park sale] it will meet some of that debt but I don't expect there will be."
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Barry Hearn: I'll Fight West Ham Bullies to the Death for Olympic Stadium
By DOMINIC GOVER: Subscribe to Dominic's RSS feed | July 24, 2013 1:45 PM GMT
IBTimes.co.uk
Barry Hearn has taken his war for the legacy of the Olympic Games to Parliament by again warning that Premier League West Ham United will kill his small east London club. Sports promoter Hearn delivered a lively case to the Lords' Olympic and Paralympics Legacy Committee for why League One minnows Leyton Orient must get a place in the Queeen Elizabeth stadium. Orient are fighting against the decision by Olympic legacy bosses to hand sole occupancy to the Hammers from 2016. A judicial review and a legal claim against the Premier League is underway, amid fears Orient ticket sales will be hit hard if the Hammers move in next door to Brisbane Road - where the O's play.
Hearn told IBTimes UK that Olympic officials and the Premier League club have a big fight on their hands to keep out Orient. Shortly after giving evidence, he said: "What is going on here? We need to know what is going on behind closed doors. Someone does not want us in the room and I want to be told to my face why that is. "We need to know just what the hell is going on here. It's good that people like the panel are asking questions and that can only be valuable."
Hearn told IBTimes UK Orient are being muscled out of the Games' legacy by bigger, richer players. "I do not like bullies and nobody doe," he said. "I have an awful lot on my plate with my other businesses, but I'm very passionate about Leyton Orient and it's unfortunate that this passion is being ignored and people are ignoring a common sense solution."
Under the terms of the deal, West Ham will pay £15m up front for the stadium, plus £2.5m a year from 2016. The taxpayer has ploughed almost £70m towards conversion costs totalling around £150m. Officials claim making West Ham the tenant of the 80,000 stadium is the best way to ensure it is used regularly. But Hearn told Lords today (Wednesday) that poses an existential threat to the smaller club. "The Premier League is everywhere," he said. "It's such a strong brand. Kids will turn on to a Premier League club every day of the week. They don't think: "I'll fight my corner at my local club." We lose 400 die-hards every year and they get replaced for 400 kids who come to their local team. If you have a Premier League club on your doorstep offering free tickets, do you honestly think they're going to Orient?
"Orient are the forgotten tribe of the East End and I don't think we'll die quietly. I don't know anything other than fighting for something which I think is the genuine legacy of the Olympics. This is not a done deal."
West Ham say owners David Gold and David Sullivan are devoted to the club, will share costs with the public and boast a proud east London heritage.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Hammers assistant manager Neil McDonald was pleased to see an improved display against Hamburg
24.07.2013
West Ham United assistant manager Neil McDonald was thrilled with the way his side bounced back from defeat to Mainz by beating Hamburger SV 3-1 in the second game of their German tour on Tuesday. The Hammers produced a super display of counter-attacking football to get the better of Hamburg, who finished seventh in the Bundesliga last term. It was a far improved display from the Londoners and McDonald was pleased with the outcome. "It was an excellent response," he explained. "I said after the game on Saturday that it was all about performance, and everybody's performance was a lot better, and that's very pleasing. "We took our chances very well and played some decent football at times. A lot of players have had some really good field time, which is great and we move on to the next game now."
All three of West Ham's goals - scored by Alou Diarra, James Tomkins and Ravel Morrison - were supplied by Matt Jarvis and McDonald had special praise for the winger. "Matt Jarvis was in excellent form," he continued. "He got at his man, he crossed the ball, he took his man on and he drove into the box. That's what we've been trying to get him to do since he came to the football club. "Hopefully the penny's dropped and we'll have a few more performances like that where he's creating goals and setting chances up for everybody."
McDonald explained that the improvement in performance came in all areas, exactly what he wants to see in pre-season. He added: "In possession we moved the ball on more quickly and a lot brighter. People were available more and then when we didn't have the ball we worked on our shape to pinch it back. We did that much better. "We're working on field time for the lads, getting their time up where we can and a lot of them are almost ready for 90 minutes now. Along with the training and the last game we have in Germany, that will do them the world of good. "They'll be at a level where we want them to be knowing that there are still two or three weeks until the start of the season. "We'll want exactly the same when we play Eintracht Braunschweig [on Saturday], another good performance with good tempo when we have the ball. "We'll want a good shape when we're out of possession, making us hard to break down and that gives you a chance to play some good football and a chance not to concede. That's what we've been working on in training as well as in matches."
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Braintree 3-2 West Ham United XI FT
WHUFC.com
Nick Haycock's Development Squad are edged out by the odd goal in five by Alan Devonshire's Braintree Town
24.07.2013
BRAINTREE TOWN v WEST HAM UNUTED XI
PRE-SEASON MATCH
THE AMLIN STADIUM
WEDNESDAY 24 JULY 2013
KICK-OFF: 7.45PM
Final score - Braintree Town 3-2 West Ham United XI
91 mins - A couple of seconds past the 90 minutes and the final whistle is blown. Goals from McCallum and Sadlier are not quite enough and Braintree's win is met with a loud cheer from the home fans. It's been entertaining. The Development Squad return to action on Saturday, when they travel to Manchester City. Thanks for joining us. We'll have post-match reaction and highlights on West Ham TV and whufc.com soon.
90 mins - Braintree are finishing on top as they win a corner that Burke does welll to head clear from under his own crossbar. West Ham eventually scramble the ball away, but a late equaliser is looking unlikely.
88 mins - West Ham win a corner, but the ball is headed over the top. Is that the visitors' final chance gone? They will be disappointed to lose this as they have generally given a good account of themselves. A couple of pieces of loose defensive play have cost the Hammers dear so far.
84 mins - Another change. Akapale replaces Habergham. I am told he has 'pace to burn'. He has six minutes to burn it.
82 mins - Tombides has a go from a free-kick about 30 yards out and it's a great hit from the Australian. He gets it up and over the wall before the ball dips viciously and McDonald has to go down to his right to make the save at the base of the post. Good stuff from the striker.
80 mins - As things approach a conclusion now here in Braintree, I should say that the Hammers will be sending a team to another non-league side in the shape of AFC Hornchurch on Saturday 3 August. Tickets for the 3pm kick-off are priced at £10 for Adults and £5 for Concessions and U16s. You will be able to buy tickets on the day at The Stadium in Bridge Avenue. The first team do not have a fixture that weekend, so Big Sam may choose to send some senior players down to Hornchurch for a run out.
76 mins - Two more changes for each side. West Ham replace Driver and Spence with Burke and Harney, while Braintree bring on Cox and Carney for Wells and Holman.
75 mins - Some anxious moments at the back for the Hammers as Habergham's cross from the left is hacked clear by a flying Wearen. Marks was threatening in behind to make it 4-2.
72 mins - Goal! Braintree are back in front. After the Hammers fail to clear a corner, Sparkes' initial shot is blocked but the ball falls to Holman, who smashes it past Spiegel from about 12 yards. West Ham have it all to do again.
71 mins - It's a cliche, but the game has lost its pattern a bit with all the changes. West Ham have a very young team on now, with only goalkeeper Spiegel, centre-back Spence and right-back Driver remaining from the starting XI.
68 mins - Peters comes on for Griffiths for the home side.
65 mins - Seven changes from the Hammers. On come Page, Cullen, Amoo, Maguire and Dylan Tombides. Off go Shaw, Moncur, Sadlier, Turgott and McCallum.
62 mins - Braintree replace Symons with Charlie Wassmer, who I am informed is a trialist. I can also inform you that he is tall, blond and wearing lime green boots.
61 mins - Spiegel elects to stay on his line rather than come for Sparkes' cross. Marks reacts quickly and catches his volley flush, but its straight at Spiegel from about a yard out! It's a great save, but a little fortunate.
60 mins - Turgott wins a corner, which he takes himself and finds the head of McCallum. The striker makes a good contact, but the ball flies over the top. Before West Ham make a raft of substitutions, I should mention the superb selection of conifer trees on the far side of the ground. They are basically giant Christmas trees. Very good.
58 mins - Two chances in quick succession for Braintree. First, Holman fires a shot just past the top corner, then Spiegel has to be brave to dive on the ball after it had squirmed through Wearen's legs and nearly fallen to Marks.
54 mins - Driver and Turgott combine before the latter crosses low for McCallum. The goalkeeper dives out, catches and then collides with his defender, losing the ball in the process. Thankfully for the hosts, it rolls to safety and is cleared away.
50 mins - Goal! The lead didn't last for long. A high dropping cross from deep on the right lands in exactly the right place for the unmarked Sparkes to send a controlled left-foot volley past Spiegel. Very impressive finish, but the Braintree player had a lot of time and space.
47 mins - GOAL! Fantastic goal from Sadlier. He picks up the ball wide on the left, races inside his full-back and curls an unstoppable shot past McDonald and inside the far post from about 20 yards. Great individual skill from the Republic of Ireland U19 forward.
46 mins - We're off again. A few changes from Nick Haycock at the break, with Wearen replacing Chambers at centre-back and Miles and Marlow on for Bywater and Makasi in midfield. Braintree have brought on McDonald for Hamman in goal, while Matt Paine has replaced goalscorer Davis in midfield.
Half-time score - Braintree Town 1-1 West Ham United XI
46 mins - Spence is penalised for fouling Holman just outside the penalty area. The No10 himself takes the free-kick and curls the ball around the wall and just past the far post. After the ball thuds into the advertising board, the half-time whistle is blown. Honours even at the break.
43 mins - GOAL! McCallum has his goal now. Blair Turgott races down the right and cuts the ball back to Moncur on the edge of the penalty area. It's a bit awkward and bobbles up, so Moncur can't hit it first-time. Instead, he takes a touch, makes a yard and drives a low cross-shot that eludes the defender and allows McCallum to tap in from a couple of yards.
41 mins - West Ham think they have an equaliser as McCallum taps in at the second attempt after Griffiths had blocked his initial effort. However, the assistant has his flag raised, presumably for offside against McCallum from Bywater's initial through ball.
37 mins - The floodlights are on here now at the Amlin Stadium as the sun sets on another gorgeous day. West Ham are playing the better football, but they are not finding it at all easy to break down the home defence. They do have another corner, though, as Sadlier's cross is blocked behind. Moncur delivers another great ball, but it eludes its target.
32 mins - Better. Moncur and Sadlier exchange passes before Moncur plays a second one-two with McCallum and spreads play wide right to Driver. He takes a nice touch into his stride and smacks a low shot that takes at least one deflection off a defender before goalkeeper Hamman saves low to his left. Good football recognised by applause from the stands.
30 mins - Nicky Symons catches a sweet strike on the half-volley from about 30 yards, but thankfully it is close enough for Spiegel to catch after moving a yard to two to his right. West Ham break and win a corner, but Moncur's left-wing delivery is easily cleared. It's quite an even contest now, to be fair.
26 mins - Alan Devonshire has really done a fantastic job here at Braintree. The 1980 FA Cup winner and former England winger is running a Conference National side on a budget the fraction of the size of many of his rivals. Braintree are part-timers, but the vast majority of sides in the same division are full-time, with many of them recent Football League clubs like Luton Town, Hereford United, Macclesfield Town and Grimsby Town. The Iron finished ninth last season - some achievement.
24 mins - Another corner for West Ham as Shaw forces Wells to put the ball behind. It comes to nothing, though.
23 mins - The ball drops to No10 Holman about 30 yards out. He has a chance to shoot, but makes a hash of it and drags the ball well wide of the left-hand post.
21 mins - Massey puts a Turgott cross behind for a corner. Chance for Turgott himself to create something. And he nearly does for Chambers as the defender sees first a header and then a well-taken volley cleared off the line. The ball flies away for another corner, which comes to nothing as Chambers is whistled for a push at the far post.
20 mins - Shaw is harshly penalised by the assistant referee for a foul on Chez Isaac. Davis crosses and Simmons rises and heads the ball high and wide. Dangerous delivery from the goalscorer.
17 mins - The goal wasn't exactly against the run of play, but the Hammers had shaded the opening period before Davis' strike. Bywater gets in behind again and tries to lob the ball over the goalkeeper from an acute angle. He gets a little too much on it, however, and the ball lands past the far post and the lurking Paul McCallum.
13 mins - Goal! Braintree have carried more of a threat and big striker Sean Marks forces Chambers to concede a throw. It is hurled over and Bywater's clearance falls to Kenny Davis on the edge of the box. He smashes the first-time show low through the legs and into the bottom right-hand corner. Braintree lead.
11 mins - Don't forget, you can get your tickets to watch the Hammers take on UEFA Champions League qualifiers Pacos de Ferreira now. We host the Portuguese side at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 10 August at 3pm. For full ticket details, click here.
7 mins - Great football there as Bywater slips in Shaw down the left wing. He clips over the cross first-time and Massey has to be alert to head over his own crossbar. The Hammers work the corner and then play some delightful stuff in and around the box. Braintree stand firm and don't let their opponents get a shot away. Finally, the ball is lifted over the defence for Sadlier, but he is caught just offside. Really easy on the eye, this football.
5 mins - West Ham have started well. They are knocking the ball around confidently on a nice playing surface here at Braintree. The challenge will be to overcome the fact the visitors are playing bigger, stronger, older players.
2 mins - The corner comes over and is cleared as far as Sadlier on the edge of the box, but his shot is charged down and the Iron clear their lines eventually.
50 secs - West Ham fashion an early opportunity as Bywater digs a cross out from the left wing. It skims off the head of a defender and drops to Turgott. He takes a touch and sees his shot deflected behind by Habergham for a corner.
7.44pm - A few seconds early, West Ham get things underway here on a lovely sunny evening in north Essex.
7.40pm - Here come the two tyeams. West Ham are in their home kit of claret and blue, while Braintree look like a team of Blackpool impersonators. The home side are in all-orange. The Hammers are being captained by Callum Driver tonight.
Good evening and welcome to a sunny Amlin Stadium for tonight's pre-season match between Alan Devonshire's Braintree Town and West Ham United's Development Squad.
With Sam Allardyce's first team away in Germany, Nick Haycock has brought a young and relatively inexperienced squad to Essex. However, with the likes of Raphael Spiegel, Jordan Spence, Callum Driver, George Moncur, Blair Turgott and Paul McCallum in the line-up, there are still plenty of recognisable faces on show.
Haycock will also give Leo Chambers and Eoin Wearen another chance to work on their fitness as the pair step-up their respective returns from long-term knee injuries. There is also the welcome sight of Dylan Tombides' name among the substitutes.
After thrashing Swansea City 4-0 at Little Heath on 16 July, the Under-21s pushed an experienced Wolverhampton Wanderers side all the way before going down to a narrow 3-2 defeat on Saturday. McCallum (pictured) has scored in both matches and will look to hit the net again after impressing in the first team's pre-season match against Cork City earlier this month.
Hammers legend Devonshire's Braintree have also been busy in pre-season, beating League Two side Southend United 2-1 before holding another team from the same division, Portsmouth, to a goalless draw. On Saturday, the Iron were beaten 4-1 by League One club Colchester United.
Braintree Town: Hamman, Griffiths, Habergham, Wells, Massey, Isaac, Sparkes, Davis, Simmons, Marks, Holman
Subs: McDonald, Cox, Carney, Paine, Peters, Wassmer, Akapele
West Ham United XI: Spiegel, Driver, Shaw, Chambers, Spence, Makasi, Moncur, Bywater, Turgott, McCallum, Sadlier
Subs: Guzman, Burke, Marlow, Wearen, Page, Harney, Cullen, Miles, Amoo, D.Tombides, Maguire
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Guy's hard graft paying off
WHUFC.com
Guy Demel was glad to see West Ham United's tough schedule pay off against former side Hamburger SV
23.07.2013
Guy Demel believes Tuesday's impressive 3-1 win against Hamburger SV is a result of the hard work the West Ham United squad have put in during their time in Germany. A headed goal apiece from Alou Diarra and James Tomkins and a penalty from Ravel Morrison wrapped up an encouraging result against the team that finished seventh in last season's Bundesliga. The result more than made up for the disappointing start to the three-game German tour, when the Hammers lost 4-1 to FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday, with Demel citing the intense training schedule as the key reason for the turnaround in fortune. "It was a great response to the defeat against Mainz on Saturday," Demel told West Ham TV. "I think the lads on Saturday didn't have a great game but the most important thing is the physical work during the friendly games. "As a team we learned from that mistake and as a team we responded. We worked hard during the week and it is good to win when you're in pre-season as it gives you the confidence to keep working hard."
Although Demel added his usual attacking threat to a much-improved collective defensive showing, it was the Hammers' forward play that really impressed. Central to that was Matt Jarvis, who provided assists for all three goals - two corners for Diarra and Tomkins and a tricky run that ended in a foul to win Morrison's penalty. "Hamburg are a team that like to keep the ball and try to go forward but as a team we were compact and when we won the ball we looked to use outlets like Matt to go forward. "When you have a player like Matt or Modibo [Maiga], who can hold the ball and win headers, along with Ravel, who is a good talent, then you can play the counter-attacking football. We know Matt's quality as we know if you can find space in behind he will cause the opposition problems."
Tuesday's result at the Flensburger Stadion was all the more special for Demel as he spent seven years at Hamburg before joining West Ham. He spent much of his time in the tunnel area before and after the game catching up with old friends. Although he admits it was nice to reminisce with his former colleagues, his focus now is very much on his life in London and exceeding last season's tenth-place Barclays Premier League finish. "It was nice to see some old team-mates and the fans of the Club. But my life is in London now with West Ham so I focus on that. I enjoyed my time in Hamburg but I don't think about the past and I only look forward. "I played seven seasons and I always gave my best and the fans liked that which was why they gave me a good reception. "With West Ham, we're going to try to finish at least as high again. I think other people would be happy to stay in the league but we are West Ham and we must have more expectation than that."
Overall, the former Ivory Coast international feels the seven days spent in Germany so far has been worthwhile, adding that the fitness levels are even better than at this stage last summer. "It has been a great week in Germany. The first game gave us an idea of how far along we were. Although it was hard, it was important to have that physical test. I think we will get better and better and we are fitter than we were at this stage last season so we should be fitter at the start of the season. "The Gaffer told us to we have to push for more than that as this season is going to be harder than last season, so we must all focus on being fit for the new season and deliver a new season that will make our fans happy."
West Ham will complete their stay in Germany by taking on Bundesliga new boys Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday afternoon, with kick-off at the Eintracht-Stadion at 3.30pm local time.
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Karren Brady: West Ham's Olympic Stadium move is not on the cheap
Last Updated: July 24, 2013 3:41pm
SSN
West Ham's Karren Brady has insisted that the club have not been allowed to use London's Olympic Stadium 'on the cheap.' The Hammers' vice-chairman went to Parliament on Wednesday to explain that West Ham must pay off all of their bank debt before they move to the iconic stadium. The Premier League team have debts of £70m, with half of that bank debt secured on Upton Park, and which has to be cleared when the ground is sold ahead of the move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016. Brady, giving evidence to the House of Lords committee on Olympic and Paralympic legacy said the club was not getting the stadium on the cheap and that the deal was good value to the tax-payer. She pointed out: "West Ham is not getting a free stadium. The stadium was built for the Olympics and what are we going to do with it? "Across the world stadiums that are not used die. Without anchor tenants the cost would be huge to the tax payer."
As for selling Upton Park, she added: "We did have a tentative deal but that fell away. "We hope the money generated from the sale of Upton Park will be enough to fulfil our commitment and to help pay off some of our bank debt. "When we bought the club and took on more than £100m of debt that was guaranteed on the ground. "We have to pay off all our bank debt to move, we can't take the debt with us. "If there is any excess from the sale it will meet some of that debt but I don't expect there will be."
At the same meeting, Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn said that West Ham's planned move 'was not certain' because of his on-going judicial review and legal action against the Premier League. Hearn wants his club to ground-share with West Ham and use just the lower tier for Orient's matches. Hearn said: "This is not a done deal. West Ham have an agreement but I have a judicial review outstanding and litigation with the Premier League that West Ham even moving would be a breach of Premier League rules. "We have ended up in situation where we have gifted £500m of tax-payers' money to a Premier League club that has a turnover of more than £100m. "It's a wonderful gift but if I was an Arsenal fan I would wonder why we bothered paying to build a new stadium.
"This is state sponsorship beyond my wildest dreams. In effect it's rent free as they have ability to develop Upton Park."
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The bookies get it wrong, as the Hammers outclass Hamburg!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
Some things never change. And one of those is West Ham United FC's continuing propensity to confound the odds. Following on from from the 4-1 defeat to FSV Mainz, some of the more prominent on-line bookie websites were confidently predicting that Hamburg (Van der Vaart on all) would just have too much for the Hammers to cope with in Tuesday evening's fixture. Well, as it turns out, nothing was further from the truth! West Ham outclassed Hamburg with relative ease, racing in to a 0-2 lead by the 28th minute. Both goals originated from pin point Matt Jarvis centres that found Diarra and Tomkins (respectively) to score from well taken headers.
With Van der Vaart briefly coming more in to the game, the Netherlands international found the head of Westermann from a well executed corner, in the 42nd minute, to cut the deficit and raise German expectations of an equaliser. However, this West Ham side is made of sterner stuff than many of its precursors and they duly dashed those expectations on the stroke of half time. A pacy run down the left, from that man Jarvis, solicited an ill advised foul by Diekmeier in the penalty area. The resultant penalty was expertly converted by the ever improving Ravel Morrison and West Ham then very professionally controlled the pace of the game, and shut up shop at the back, in the final 45 minutes.
The West Ham starting line up was as follows:
Henderson, Demel, Rat, Collins, Tomkins, Diarra, Nolan (Capt), Diame, Morrison, Maiga, Jarvis
So, who says the bookies always get it right!! But seriously, the performance was very encouraging and shows the team learnt from the FSV Mainz defeat and accordingly upped their game against better opposition. Overall, the squad have hitherto shaped up very well in pre-season and the signs are good for the new campaign, but we do need to secure that extra strength in depth and cutting edge up front. If we can secure Kalou from Lille, he can provide the pace and finishing ability down the right flank and then it is a matter of adding at least another striker to deputise for Carroll. That new striker must be able to both lead the forward line and play off Carroll as a second striker, otherwise we may be looking at two deals, probably a permanent deal and a loan.
On the striker acquisition front, there were reports today that Undinese's Czech international striker, Matej Vydra, is keen to join West Ham. At least that is according to his agent, who has gone public in stating his client's keenness to move to Upton Park. The pacy striker scored over 20 goals, last season, on loan to Zola's Watford and was voted the Championship player of the season. At 21 years of age, Vydra is a good prospect and could combine very well with Carroll in a classic front two striking combination. Could he fulfil the right sided forward role, if the Kalou deal does not materialise? Almost certainly. However, it is very doubtful that he could deputise like-for-like for Carroll, unless Sam Allardyce pairs him with Maiga or Vaz Te to form a very different type of strike force. Well, Allardyce could confound us all, on this one, but the odds are probably against that happening by choice. So, if the mooted £5m deal is done for Vydra, then the another deal is likely for a tall and powerful centre forward, possibly on loan.
Crouch would be one possibility, but I would prefer to see a deal done with Blackburn Rovers for Jordan Rhodes. The Scottish international striker has been a prolific finisher at every level at which he has played. As such, I do not feel that it is a large gamble for a PL club to sign him. More like a 'racing certainty,' as far as such a thing exists in football. Arguably, we should consider offering Blackburn any two of Vaz Te, Taylor or Henderson to oil the wheels of a deal. Any Championship side would welcome a proven Championship goal scorer like Vaz Te, Taylor offers valuable experience and Henderson has the potential to be a good keeper. If he stays, Vaz Te could prove the doubters wrong next season and rediscover his goal scoring touch. However, although that is a possibility, would anyone seriously not gamble on that to secure an exciting talent like Rhodes? Of course, Blackburn Rovers may well decide that they wish to base their promotion challenge next season firmly on Rhodes' goal scoring ability. However, c£8/9m and a player exchange (for say Vaz Te and Taylor) could be tempting because they get two good players and £8/9m to reinvest in their squad. No chance of that happening? Maybe, but Rovers have not exactly been distinguished by the soundness of their decision-making in the last two or three seasons. So, perhaps that run could continue and include an unlikely deal for Rhodes?
One of the major positives in pre-season has been the way in which the midfield players have been regularly finding the back of the net. If that trend continues in to the new season, and we secure the desired cutting edge up front, then that would bode very well for the future. But arguably the key is still pace. We need to sign players like Kalou or Vydra with the pace to catch out opposition defences, particularly away from home, where we were often too static and predictable last season. I would love to see us play a fast counter-attacking game, which we have not witnessed since the days of Craig Bellemy. That tactic is perfect for away fixtures, where the home teams push forward and leave gaps at the back which can be ruthlessly exploited by pace. Ideally, I would also have liked to see more of that quality in the full-back positions, but the defence is more or less settled. As such, the best chance is that Spence and/or Potts get a chance to impress in the new season. With a reinvigorated Alou Diarra available to shield and cover the defence, we could have the extra assurance at the back to encourage, in some fixtures,the attacking flair of Spence and Potts to push forward down the flanks. Well, at least we can postulate about the possibility! Whether it happens is another matter!
Finally, David Sullivan recently undertook a Q&A session on twitter and the key message was that the transfer emphasis is upon attack. No surprises there. But there was also an interesting reference to a willingness to secure Scott Parker's return from Spurs. Although not a priority, David Sullivan admitted that a deal for Parker would be welcomed if it could be done within the club's transfer and salary budget. On the transfer budget, he clearly stated that money for further transfers was available, but the real obstacle was the new Fair Play rules capping the total player salary budget at the club. And for the doubters, David Sullivan also made it perfectly clear that Sam Allardyce picks the transfer targets and has the final say on which players actually join the club. He was pretty emphatic on that point and probably wanted to squash once-and-for-all any internet speculation that in the past players have been imposed upon on the manager (i.e. BNM and Paulista). This player imposition theory is novel, but does anyone really believe that a strong manager like Allardyce would accept such a practice, even if the club were remotely inclined to do it? Which, it seems apparently, they are not!
SJ. Chandos.
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West Ham face £35million debt repayments before Olympic Stadium move
24 Jul 2013 15:26
The Mirror
Karren Brady has today admitted that West Ham United will have to clear around £35million worth of debt before they move into the Olympic Stadium in 2016.
The Hammers are £70million in the red and half of that is tied into their Upton Park home. Brady, speaking at the House of Lords' committee on Olympic and Paralympic legacy today, is also wary that the club's current home will need to be sold soon in order to ease the financial burden on owners David Sullivan and David Gold. "We did have a tentative deal to sell Upton Park but that fell away," she said this morning. "We hope the money generated from the sale of Upton Park will be enough to fulfil our commitment and to help pay off some of our bank debt. "When we bought the club we took on more than £100million of debt that was guaranteed on the ground. We have to pay off all our bank debt to move, we can't take the debt with us. "If there is any excess it will meet some of that debt but I don't expect there will be."
Manager Sam Allardyce has been backed reasonably well in the transfer market this summer, notably parting with £15million to sign Andy Carroll from Liverpool. However one of the areas which may suffer in the club's plans to repay the sum may be player recruitment. The club, though, will be optimistic in their ability to do so without too much disruption to first-team affairs.
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West Ham United are believed to be interested in Porto winger Silvestre Varela
Guardian Series
3:00pm Wednesday 24th July 2013 in News
West Ham United have been linked with a move for FC Porto winger Silvestre Varela. The Hammers are believed to be interested in a move for the 28-year-old who has won three Portuguese titles during his four years with the Dragons. According to the Daily Mail, Turkish club Besiktas had a £5 million bid rejected by Porto which could give the Irons a better chance of completing a deal.
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West Ham United must pay £70m bank debt before Olympic Stadium move
• Karren Brady: club not getting ground on the cheap
• West Ham plan not a done deal, insists Orient's Barry Hearn
Press Association
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 24 July 2013 16.55 BST
West Ham United will have to pay off all of their bank debt before their move to the Olympic Stadium, according to the club's vice-chairman, Karren Brady.
West Ham have debts of £70m, with half of that bank debt secured on Upton Park and which has to be cleared when the ground is sold ahead of the move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016. Brady, giving evidence to the House of Lords committee on Olympic and Paralympic legacy on Wednesday, also insisted the club were not getting the stadium on the cheap and the deal was good value to the taxpayer. The Premier League club did have a buyer in place for Upton Park but that fell through because of delays to the deal to become Olympic Stadium tenants. Brady also stated that the sluggish property market means she expects income projections from the sale to be down 50% on 2010. Brady added that she did not expect the sale would cover much more than the lump sum the club will have to pay to the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to move to the Olympic venue. She said: "We did have a tentative deal [for Upton Park] but that fell away. We hope the money generated from the sale of Upton Park will be enough to fulfil our commitment and to help pay off some of our bank debt. "When we bought the club and took on more than £100m of debt, that was guaranteed on the ground. We have to pay off all our bank debt to move, we can't take the debt with us. If there is any excess [from the sale of Upton Park] it will meet some of that debt but I don't expect there will be."
Brady was asked to respond to a claim by the former sports minister Richard Caborn that West Ham were getting the £600m stadium for only £15m, plus £2m-a-year rent, with the taxpayer picking up the tab. Brady defended the deal, however, and said: "The alternative scenario does not bear thinking about. West Ham is not getting a free stadium. The stadium was built for the Olympics and what are we going to do with it? Across the world, stadiums that are not used die. Without anchor tenants the cost would be huge to the taxpayer."
She added that West Ham would generate "many hundreds of millions of pounds" over the 100-year lease. The committee also heard from Leyton Orient's chairman, Barry Hearn, who insisted West Ham's move was "not a done deal" because of his continuing judicial review and legal action against the Premier League. Hearn wants his club to be able to groundshare with West Ham and use only the lower tier for Orient's matches. He also described the LLDC's deal with West Ham as "state sponsorship beyond my wildest dreams".
Hearn said: "This is not a done deal. West Ham have an agreement but I have a judicial review outstanding and litigation with the Premier League that [means] West Ham even moving would be a breach of Premier League rules. "We have ended up in situation where we have gifted £500m of taxpayers' money to a Premier League club that has a turnover of more than £100m. It's a wonderful gift but if I was an Arsenal fan I would wonder why we bothered paying to build a new stadium. "This is state sponsorship beyond my wildest dreams. In effect, it's rent free as they have the ability to develop Upton Park."
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West Ham to clear debt before move to Olympic Stadium
Standard.co.uk
Published: 24 July 2013 Updated: 14:45, 24 July 2013
West Ham must pay off all their bank debt before they move to the Olympic Stadium, vice‑chairman Karren Brady revealed today. The Hammers have debts of £70million, half of that bank debt secured on Upton Park, and that has to be cleared when the ground is sold ahead of the move in 2016. If they failed to raise the necessary £35m then co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan would make up the shortfall to ensure the club could take up the 99-year lease. The club had a buyer for Upton Park but that fell through due to the delays in the deal to be tenants.Brady added she did not expect the sale would cover much more than the lump sum the club must pay to the London Legacy Development Corporation to move to the Olympic venue. She said: "We had a tentative deal [for Upton Park] but that fell away. We hope the money generated from the sale will be enough to fulfil our commitment and help pay off some of our bank debt. "When we bought the club and took on more than £100m of debt that was guaranteed on the ground. We have to pay off all our bank debt to move, we can't take the debt with us. If there is any excess [from Upton Park sale] it will meet some of that debt but I don't expect there will be."
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Barry Hearn: I'll Fight West Ham Bullies to the Death for Olympic Stadium
By DOMINIC GOVER: Subscribe to Dominic's RSS feed | July 24, 2013 1:45 PM GMT
IBTimes.co.uk
Barry Hearn has taken his war for the legacy of the Olympic Games to Parliament by again warning that Premier League West Ham United will kill his small east London club. Sports promoter Hearn delivered a lively case to the Lords' Olympic and Paralympics Legacy Committee for why League One minnows Leyton Orient must get a place in the Queeen Elizabeth stadium. Orient are fighting against the decision by Olympic legacy bosses to hand sole occupancy to the Hammers from 2016. A judicial review and a legal claim against the Premier League is underway, amid fears Orient ticket sales will be hit hard if the Hammers move in next door to Brisbane Road - where the O's play.
Hearn told IBTimes UK that Olympic officials and the Premier League club have a big fight on their hands to keep out Orient. Shortly after giving evidence, he said: "What is going on here? We need to know what is going on behind closed doors. Someone does not want us in the room and I want to be told to my face why that is. "We need to know just what the hell is going on here. It's good that people like the panel are asking questions and that can only be valuable."
Hearn told IBTimes UK Orient are being muscled out of the Games' legacy by bigger, richer players. "I do not like bullies and nobody doe," he said. "I have an awful lot on my plate with my other businesses, but I'm very passionate about Leyton Orient and it's unfortunate that this passion is being ignored and people are ignoring a common sense solution."
Under the terms of the deal, West Ham will pay £15m up front for the stadium, plus £2.5m a year from 2016. The taxpayer has ploughed almost £70m towards conversion costs totalling around £150m. Officials claim making West Ham the tenant of the 80,000 stadium is the best way to ensure it is used regularly. But Hearn told Lords today (Wednesday) that poses an existential threat to the smaller club. "The Premier League is everywhere," he said. "It's such a strong brand. Kids will turn on to a Premier League club every day of the week. They don't think: "I'll fight my corner at my local club." We lose 400 die-hards every year and they get replaced for 400 kids who come to their local team. If you have a Premier League club on your doorstep offering free tickets, do you honestly think they're going to Orient?
"Orient are the forgotten tribe of the East End and I don't think we'll die quietly. I don't know anything other than fighting for something which I think is the genuine legacy of the Olympics. This is not a done deal."
West Ham say owners David Gold and David Sullivan are devoted to the club, will share costs with the public and boast a proud east London heritage.
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