Daily WHUFC News - 10th July 2013

Young duo eyeing progression
WHUFC.com
Paul McCallum and Dan Potts are looking to make their mark after impressing
against Cork City
09.07.2013

West Ham United youngsters Paul McCallum and Dan Potts are looking to make
their mark after impressing in Sunday's pre-season victory at Cork City.
McCallum made the most of his opportunity to shine by scoring with a
powerful header, while Potts was the only Hammer to complete the full 90
minutes at Turner's Cross. Speaking to West Ham TV, the two teenagers were
happy to have been given the chance to get more first-team minutes under
their belts in Ireland. For McCallum, his goal marked the end of a whirlwind
week that started with him training with the Under-21s at Chadwell Heath.

"Yes, I started the week with the 21s and didn't think I had a sniff of
coming out here," confirmed the 19-year-old forward. "I got a phone call
during a gym session and had to fly over that night. I came over here and
I'm just delighted to be given the chance to show the Gaffer what I can do.
I'm even happier that I got a goal."

For the former Dulwich Hamlet youngster, who joined West Ham at the age of
17 in January 2011, the opportunity to train and play with experienced
internationals at an overseas training camp is one he relished. "It's a huge
experience for me. I had never been away with the first team before and we
never went away in non-league. I'm just delighted to be here."

McCallum's goal arrived in the second half when he rose to nod in fellow
youngster Danny Whitehead's clipped cross, and the forward then added an
assist by holding off a defender to set up Ravel Morrison. "To be fair, I
tihnk everybody would put their money on me scoring a header. I'd have put
my house on it. Then, for Ravel's goal, I showed a bit of pace to get in
behind and I've not really got pace! I've out-muscled the left-back, who was
only about 5'6, but I'm still buzzing off it! I cut it back for Rav when I
probably should have gone for goal myself and got my second."

Potts has more first-team experience than his fellow teenager, having
featured ten times under Sam Allardyce, and the England Under-20 defender is
eager for more. With the manager having trimmed his squad ahead of the
2013/14 Barclays Premier League campaign, the left-back knows he and his
fellow Under-21s have a chance to stake a claim for a regular place in the
matchday squad. "I'm definitely looking for more. Every year, especially in
pre-season, as a young lad you want to set your stall out for the rest of
the season. You know, pre-season games are going to give you chances and you
have to take those chances to show the Gaffer what you can do and if you're
good enough to step up to the Premier League. "Definitely, this year is a
massive year for everyone at the Club."

McCallum knows his physical approach and imposing 6'3 frame make him an
archetypal Big Sam forward. With just Andy Carroll and Modibo Maiga ahead
him in the pecking order, he is desperate to muscle his way into the
first-team reckoning. "We have only got two strikers at the Club at the
moment in Maiga and Andy and I don't know if the manager will sign another
one. I've got to watch Andy because he is the main striker here and I've got
to do what he does, add it to my game and see if I can get my chance."

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Big Sam hails top flight diversity
WHUFC.com
Hammers boss Sam Allardyce believes the Barclays Premier League is the most
inclusive in the world
09.07.2013

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce was interviewed for a BBC programme on
Muslim footballers in the Barclays Premier League, which aired on Sunday.
Forty Muslim players now feature in the top flight of English football and
Big Sam believes that is an indicator of how inclusive the game is. Speaking
on The Muslim Premier League, Allardyce explained how the Hammers embrace
players from all cultures. He said: "We're fortunate enough to have a
chaplain who comes in on a regular basis. The chaplain is well-versed with
the lads and is adept at talking to the players, particularly about their
religious beliefs. "He does quite a bit of the liasion with me to help the
players for their particular way or their particular need. You have to make
sure you have a prayer room, halal meat if you need it. That's all very,
very important to you to make sure everybody is integrated into the club. "I
think we live in a multicultural society full stop. Our integration is one
of the best in the world. While you'll never get rid of some of the problems
that occur between religions or race, generally in this country and
particularly in football we're all blessed to be footballers and we're all
blessed to be together. "We choose to get on together because that helps you
to become a better team and if you're a better team you live life a better
way. There shouldn't be anything that causes you too many frictions or
frustrations when you're getting paid for something you love doing. The team
spirit and integration at West Ham has been fantastic."

The Hammers have shown themselves to be at the forefront of inclusion in
football through their successful Community Sports Trust, which was the
first in the country to launch a scheme targeted at the Asian community back
in 1998. The Asians in Football scheme aims to increase participation in
football among the local Asian community in Tower Hamlets and Newham, as
well as training up Asian coaches. As the scheme has progressed, the Hammers
have also hosted the UK Asian Community Cup at the Boleyn Ground, and are
opening up pathways for talent from the Asian community through to
mainstream football. Rashid Abba, Social Inclusion Projects Manager at the
West Ham United Community Sports Trust said: "When West Ham launched the
Asians in Football scheme in 1998, no other club had done that. It has gone
on to be hugely successful and the work of the Trust here can be used as an
example for other clubs to follow.
"At the Community Sports Trust we have coaches from all different
backgrounds, so it is very diverse and it reflects our local community."

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Is Kuz the Man?
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 9th July 2013
By: Staff Writer

West Ham are being linked with a move for Inter's Serbian international
midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic. According to Sky Sports Italy the Hammers
have made tentative enquiries into the availablity of the 25-year-old, who
only joined the Italian giants from German Bundesliga side Stuttgart six
months ago.
Born in Switzerland to Bosnian Serb expat parents, Kuzmanovic is one of a
few players to have represented two countries at international level. He
appeared for the Swiss Under 21s on four occasions before becoming a full
Serbian international in 2007 - for whom he has since featured on 47
occasions. The central midfielder began his pro career with FC Basel in 2005
before joining Italian side Fiorentina two years later, having snubbed
fellow Italians Palermo in the process. After two successful years in Italy
with La Viola, Kuzmanovic moved to Stuttgart in 2009 for a fee of around
£7million. Having continued to impress in the Bundesliga, it was no
surprise when major clubs began to show interest; Stuttgart are said to have
rejected a £23million bid from Chelsea in 2011 whilst Jeventus and Lazio
were also listed as admirers. But a series of minor injuries from the
beginning of 2012 led to Kuzmanovic losing his place in the first team squad
at Stuttgart and after relations with the club turned sour, he agreed to
return to Italy in order to join Inter, for an undisclosed fee. Kuzmanovic
made his debut for Inter in a 3-1 defeat away to Siena at the beginning of
February and went on to appear 13 times (including three from the bench) for
Inter in the second half of the 2012/13 season.

Other players linked with West Ham in the past 24 hours include Liverpool's
Stewart Downing, Lille's Salomon Kalou (again) and West Brom's Graham
Dorrans (who United first bid for three years ago).

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The Only Way Is Up
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 9th July 2013
By: Ed Brooks

A new dawn is on the horizon. When you consider the arrival of Andy Carroll
in a club record transfer, a new kit deal with sportswear supergiants adidas
and a forthcoming 54,000 stadium, all on the back of a top-10 finish in the
Premier League, the future undeniably looks rosy for those in claret and
blue.

The club, commendably led by Davids Gold and Sullivan, has cut off ties with
its recent turbulent history, instead forging a new direction, one which
surely can only promise further improvement and success. Every aspect of the
club is growing and evolving, ensuring that it is an exciting time to
support West Ham.

The club's transfer policy can be seen to have adopted a new strategy; West
Ham is no longer regarded as a selling club. For the first time in many
summers West Ham's prize assets are not being touted around lazily in the
gossip columns; there is no distinct possibility of any key players
departing.

Earlier this month Gold quashed the possibility selling James Tomkins,
asserting that: "This is no longer a selling club. We are moving forward
into a big future and we will therefore be keeping our biggest players;
James is one of them."

Instead, West Ham is the club linked with everyone and anyone, though the
club's ambition is reflected in this; so far this summer we have been linked
with loan moves for Wilfried Zaha, Romelu Lukaku, and Demba Ba and, perhaps
more sensationally, Antonio Valencia and James Milner amongst many others.

It seems that West Ham is establishing a new reputation as a club with an
unrelenting desire for self-improvement and success. This can be largely
attributed to the efforts of Gold and Sullivan in their stewardship of the
club. They, along with Allardyce, have recognised the overachievement of the
side last year, a squad containing many Championship standard players who,
it must be said, performed outstandingly.

It is for this reason that a proactive transfer policy has been adopted, in
the form of substantial investment and astute short-term deals. West Ham's
unofficial publicity chief - teenager Jack Sullivan - has promised two to
four more signings in this transfer window to build on a so-far fruitful
summer period. Whilst investment is essential in order to progress on the
field next season, the current playing squad has many positives.

The squad can be seen to have a healthy mix of young and old; of upcoming
and established players. The remarkable improvement of Winston Reid over the
last two seasons has seen him rise to prominence in a team littered with
natural leaders. The regular presence of Reid, Jussi Jaaskelainen, James
Collins, Mark Noble, and Kevin Nolan in the starting line-up ensures that
the team displays the steel and fighting spirit required to grind out
results in the top league.

Furthermore, the increasing effectiveness of Matt Jarvis towards the latter
stages of last season provides another source of excitement. His flair and
ability to send crosses into dangerous areas was particularly effective when
combined with Andy Carroll's aerial threat, and so Carroll's permanent
transfer ensures that the relationship between the two successive club
record signings can continue to flourish in the coming years.

The combined cost of these two players amounts to over £25million, a
significant and concrete illustration of the club's willingness to invest.
The players' ages (Jarvis, 27; Carroll, 24) demonstrates the club's ambition
to source English players with career longevity. Such investment signifies
the ambition and determination of Gold and Sullivan to improve the club year
on year, and the wider long-term goal to establish West Ham as a major force
within English football.

So, as the players and staff prepare to return for pre-season training, the
club can be seen to be at its healthiest for years. Admirably led by Gold
and Sullivan, stability and longevity are the terms that are shaping the
team's progression. Gone are the days of the rash, uninformed decision
making that saw players like Freddie Ljungberg and Kieron Dyer brought in on
unsustainable and unjustified contracts.

The forthcoming season should promise further improvement, both on the pitch
and off it. The ambition is undeniably there; now all that needs to follow
is the results.

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Awards for a Rewarding Season
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 9th July 2013
By: Julie Stewart

From a completely unbiased point of view, the 2012/13 season was pretty
decent for the Hammers.

Finishing top ten is never a bad thing and there were plenty of highlights
along the way. Not to mention the fact that the best home goal scoring
record outside of the top four surely provided something for the faithful to
sing about.

There is always room for improvement and the securing of the on-going
services of Andy Carroll cannot hurt, but before the anticipation of the new
season begins in earnest, here is a look back in a completely random and not
too serious manner. You have heard of the Oscars, well here are the Josephs
(named after West Ham's own diminutive bloke with a touch of gold, Joe
Cole). Roll out the claret and blue carpet and let the fun begin...

Best Scouser in a Midfield Role

Admittedly there is not an awful lot of competition for this one. Unless
they are hiding it well there are not many extras from 'Bread' in the team.
Even with the lack of competition Kevin Nolan deserves recognition. The
tenacious, Toxteth born, 31-year-old is a 'lead by example' captain, having
scored ten Premier League goals from his midfield position in the 2012/13
season, including the end of season hat-trick at home to Reading. So now
Kevin has a Joseph to add to that match ball.

Best Striker in a Ponytail-Wearing Role

Now there may be a need for a recount in the hairstyle stakes, but whatever
your opinion on the luscious locks, Andy Carroll gets extra votes for being
one of the best 'traditional centre forwards' around. With seven goals in
twenty two Premier League appearances he always makes his presence felt. We
really do not want him to cut that hair either. Andy already has a bit of a
tendency to pick up injuries and we all know what happened to Samson when
his hair was cut.

Best Art Direction

Not really related to last season but the new kit pictures are classic. The
'footballers looking all mean and moody' theme is very 'Magnificent Seven'
except these heroes tend to shoot at goal and run around a football pitch as
opposed to shooting at 'bad guys' and riding around the Wild West. A Joseph
to everyone involved, in the spirit of generosity.

The Joseph for that Person who is Good and Important but you Have Never
Heard of Them

Everyone has seen the highlights of The Academy Awards when they whizz
through lots of awards and you wonder who those people are on the screen.
This Joseph goes to head groundsman Dougie Robertson. He may be known in
footballing circles but no-one would guess him in the mystery guest spot on
'A Question of Sport'. He is the relatively anonymous, but completely vital,
cog in the West Ham wheel.

Most Popular Sequel

The awards were named after him; it has to be the prodigal son, Joe Cole.
Having started his career at West Ham, before leaving to grace the teams of
Chelsea, Liverpool, and Lille, the midfield magician is back home. We could
not give Joe a statue of himself; that would just be weird. So we would need
to look at other award possibilities. We could take look at these awards
available to purchase after all a little glistening is a good thing. Or
maybe Mr Cole would be happy with watching a DVD of his team in the
performance that wins the final Joseph.

Most Satisfying Victorious Role

There are plenty of possibilities for a winner here. From an outside point
of view it would seem that there would be great satisfaction in beating one
of the teams that a lot of football fans love to hate; Chelsea. In anyone's
eyes a 3-1 defeat of any top four club is a pretty big deal. Awards to the
whole winning team for this one.

So that is it, the Josephs are over, the after show parties are about to
begin and the claret and blue carpet has been stored away for another year.
This season may not quite have been a champagne one but the wine has
definitely been sparkling; let's hope that next season The Josephs are an
even bigger celebration.

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Chelsea looking to tie down Islam Feruz to a new deal at Stamford Bridge
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated: July
9, 2013 3:02pm
SSN

Sky Sports understands Chelsea are in talks with Islam Feruz about a new
deal with a number of Premier League rivals weighing up moves for the
teenager.
The 17-year-old is regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in the UK
after bursting onto the scene with Celtic. Chelsea snapped up Feruz from
Celtic in September 2011 after he turned down a professional contract at
Celtic Park and he is highly-regarded within the corridors of power at
Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are keen to tie down Feruz to a new long-term deal as they see him
as one for the future, but the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United,
Manchester City, Liverpool, West Ham and Fulham are all monitoring his
contract situation in West London.

The skilful attacker, who turns 18 in September, has impressed for Chelsea's
Under 21s and in the Next Gen series over the last couple of seasons and it
has been suggested he could be included in Chelsea's first-team plans during
pre-season this summer.

Should Chelsea secure Feruz on a new deal a host of sides are thought to be
keen on taking the Scotland Under 21 international on loan.

West Brom, Crystal Palace, Wigan, Brighton, QPR, Birmingham, Reading, Bolton
and Blackpool are all believed to have expressed an interest in taking Feruz
on a temporary basis if Chelsea decide to loan him out.

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Tomkins rumours spoil positive vibe
Posted by Peter Thorne
ESPN

West Ham could be making a mistake if they are entertaining offers for James
Tomkins. Supporters of West Ham United have long known that relative success
for the club depends on the number of steps taken back whenever one is taken
forward; for rest assured, no matter how claret-and-blue tinted your
spectacles are, the faithful know that there has always been a 'crunchy with
the smooth' element to contend with, and that distant light at the end of
the tunnel will surely involve a thundering train. The only good times --
and they never seem to last for long -- are those when, at best, a nifty
sidestep is involved.

You can understand then the disquieting murmurs emanating from the East End
at rumours that an enquiry from Newcastle United about defender James
Tomkins was met -- not with a full rebuff as it was last season and should
have been this -- but reputedly with the suggestion of 6-million-pound price
tag.

It's true that those same rumours also surmise that the asking fee has
caused the North-Eastern side to consider whether they want to pursue the
matter further or not, but that is scant consolation. These worrying stories
have gained further credence because former Newcastle and Sunderland
centre-back Titus Bramble has been training with the Hammers, featured in a
notable 6-2 friendly win over Cork City and has been tagged as 'good enough
for the Premiership' by manager Sam Allardyce just last week. Please, say it
ain't so, Joe!

Tomkins is a popular local lad and most fans were seeing him possibly
bracketed with Alvin Martin and even Rio Ferdinand after West Ham's play-off
final success at the end of the 2011-12 season ensured a short stay in the
Championship. Tomkins was even thought good enough to join the GB squad for
last summer's Olympics but -- as further proof that things don't always go
as they should at the Boleyn -- Tomkins suffered from the football squad's
appalling performances in what was otherwise a Team GB triumph in virtually
every other sport.

Joining the West Ham squad late for preseason training following the
Olympics, Tomkins never seemed to capture his form. When he did play due to
injuries to James Collins, he struggled to strike up the partnership with
Winston Reid he had the previous season. Nevertheless, there were few fans
who didn't think the Basildon-born 24-year-old would find his form again
sooner rather than later and, at very worst, the player could provide
excellent cover in what is a fairly thin roster.

Considering West Ham were so keen to get Tomkins to extend his contract back
in early 2012, it's difficult to see what the player has done to even allow
a suggestion that he might be surplus to requirements -- particularly at the
price being quoted.

Hopefully, these rumours are just the result of some scurrilous
tittle-tattle because few fans would see the advantage of losing Tomkins and
gaining Bramble, even if the fee would plug a few holes in the bank balance.


Fingers crossed then for more positive suggestions the club have been
seriously considering making a bid for Stewart Downing. The winger looks
surplus to requirements at Liverpool and Big Sam apparently likes the idea
of two wingers supplying Andy Carroll with crosses. It does seem a Plan A
that is likely to cost in the region of another £15m -- money that may be
better spent holding onto a local defender and trying to strategise a Plan B
-- but the fact the Hammers are even involved in this type of rumour is
encouraging.

Also on the plus side is the news that the notoriously difficult Ravel
Morrison -- loaned to last season to Birmingham City, where he was highly
thought of by the fans and the local media -- has returned to the Hammers
fold a new and highly motivated young man.

Morrison was the man who was tagged by Sir Alex Ferguson as "Manchester
United's most technically gifted player since Paul Scholes" when he first
broke into the ranks at Old Trafford, but Fergie tired of Morrison's antics
and allowed the player to join West Ham where he hoped -- without much
faith, we suspect -- that Allardyce might be able to achieve what the
famously volatile Scot couldn't.

There wasn't much suggestion of any Road-to-Damascus type revelation early
on when the midfielder signed for West Ham in January of 2012, but
Morrison's inclusion in this preseason's games and, more important, the
favourable quotes coming from the coaching staff are suggesting that the
Hammers may have effectively gained a potent option.

Perhaps I'm being unnecessarily pessimistic, but I do sense Morrison will
always be hard work and West Ham supporters would do well to not get overly
excited by the promise of a 20-year-old with a delicate past and no
Premiership history to speak of. But it would undoubtedly be a feather in
the cap of Big Sam if he could succeed with Morrison where Sir Alex
couldn't.

So, some preseason positives that we don't want spoilt by silly-season
transfer speculation. Let's hope Tomkins benefits from a proper preseason
and shows the manager and board why the Hammers don't want to take a step
back as the club -- encouragingly for early July -- continue to push
forward.

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West Ham considering Downing bid
ESPN staff
July 9, 2013

West Ham are weighing up a move for Liverpool winger Stewart Downing, a
source has told ESPN. Hammers manager Sam Allardyce is shaping up his squad
for the new campaign and is considering Downing, 28, as an option, although
no bid has yet been made. The England international has had a difficult time
at Anfield since arriving from Aston Villa for £20 million in 2011, but did
manage to improve over the second half of last season. It is unlikely,
though, that the Reds would recoup anything like that fee if they were to
agree to a sale. Allardyce is looking at the possibility of reuniting
Downing with Andy Carroll, who completed a permanent move from Liverpool to
West Ham on June 19, in a deal worth an initial £15.5 million. Downing
failed to score or provide a single assist in the Premier League during his
first season at Anfield, while he then had a tough start to his second
campaign, following the arrival of Brendan Rodgers to replace Kenny Dalglish
as manager. The winger frequently found himself playing out of position at
left-back, and also had his attitude questioned publicly by Rodgers in the
early weeks of the season. Downing was linked with a November loan move to
Championship side Middlesbrough - his first club - and was told by the Reds
boss that he was free to leave. However, the former Villa man responded with
greatly improved displays, earning praise from his manager in the process.
He scored his first league goal for Liverpool against Fulham on December 22
and won back a regular place on the wing.

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