The season starts here!
WHUFC.com
West Ham United were back to business on the first day of pre-season
01.07.2013
The countdown to the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League kick-off is officially
underway, as West Ham United's players and staff returned to their Chadwell
Heath training ground to signal the start of pre-season. The Hammers'
first-team squad were put through their paces under the watchful eye of
assistant manager Neil McDonald, ahead of Tuesday's trip to the Republic of
Ireland. Macca was delighted to get the group back together and hopes a
productive pre-season will pave the way for another fine start to the
campaign. He told West Ham TV: "We've had a good break. The boys are back in
for their first day, which is great and they all look in good nick.
Everybody's fighting fit, we've had a quick session and then we're off to
Cork, so it's off and running as quick as we possibly can. "We've got
several weeks to be ready for the Cardiff game and that's the most important
date. We started last season by getting 14 points out of the first eight
games, which set us up for a really good season. "So it's vitally important
that we hit the ground running. If we can push them on a little bit further
than we did last season then they'll all be in good shape for that first
game on 17 August."
As well as a whole host of familiar faces, the Hammers' ranks were boosted
by the summer's new recruits, with Razvan Rat, goalkeeper Adrian and
youngster Danny Whitehead among those on show. Andy Carroll was also present
as he continues his treatment for a heel injury, while Mohamed Diame was the
only absentee, having been given extra time to rest after spending part of
June on FIFA World Cup qualifying duty with Senegal. "It's always good to
get new players in as early as we possibly can," Macca continued. "We've
managed to get Adrian, we've got Rat and Andy Carroll as well. It just
freshens the whole place up, gives everybody a boost and there's competition
for places which is what the manager wants. "We're really pleased [that
Andy's signed], his contribution last season was great. Get him fit, put the
ball in the right areas and he'll score lots of goals for us, because he's a
fantastic player."
Meanwhile, head of sports medicine Andy Rolls explained what the players can
expect in the coming days, with the next six weeks already meticulously
planned. The Hammers are among the first clubs to get back to the training
field and Rolls expects the additional time to aid a smooth transition.
"The initial stage is basics really - height, weight and percentage of body
fat. We make sure no one has overindulged too much, which they won't have
done, because they're a good group. It's all about getting them in, getting
things organised and making sure things run smoothly. "We know we're back
in probably earlier than a lot of clubs, but we just use that time to our
advantage and just take a little bit of time on stuff. "On Tuesday we fly
to Cork and then pre-season will start more there. There will be three
sessions a day, an early morning session, a football session and then injury
prevention and gym session in the afternoon.
"It will be big spaces [to begin with]. Then over the six-week period the
pitches will become smaller and the intensity will become higher, as we
prepare for the Premier League season."
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Nobby's raring to go
WHUFC.com
West Ham United skipper Kevin Nolan is pleased to be back in pre-season
training
01.07.2013
Kevin Nolan believes the Hammers' early return to pre-season will help give
them a headstart on their Barclays Premier League rivals as the countdown to
the 2013/14 campaign begins. Nolan joined his teammates as they began their
pre-season preparations at the Club's Chadwell Heath training base on Monday
before heading off to a week-long training camp in Ireland, which begins on
Tuesday. West Ham United face their first game of the summer on Sunday when
they face League of Ireland side Cork City at Turner's Cross and Nolan is
sure the programme manager Sam Allardyce has put together will stand the
Londoners in good stead for the campaign ahead. He told West Ham TV: "I
think the first couple of weeks of pre-season are about consolidating,
getting a fitness base and making sure you don't pick up too many injuries
early on. "Looking at all the boys, we've done the bits and bobs we were set
out to do by the fitness team over the summer, and we've got our first game
on Sunday which we're looking forward to. "We've got to make sure that
step-by-step we get fitter and fitter, and are ready and raring to go when
we face Cardiff at the Boleyn Ground for the first game of the season. "I
think we're one of the first Premier League teams back with the season seven
weeks away. Sam's always done it this way, I've always found that he does it
the right way and the plan is that we get off to another fantastic start
this season."
As for the first day back, Nolan revealed it is not quite the shock to the
system as it was in years gone by. He added: "It's more of a meet-and-greet,
because obviously the hard work starts on Tuesday in Ireland. We had a bit
of a light jog, but nothing too heavy, like the old days when you'd come in
and run until you were sick. "It's not like that now, it's about building
fitness. This is the start of a seven-week period to get ready for Cardiff.
"They've got it spot on here. I've worked with the gaffer and Macca
[assistant manager Neil McDonald] for a long time and I know they get it
right. I'm looking forward to a good week in Ireland with the boys, catching
up on the banter and with what everyone's done over the last six weeks."
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Hall departs
WHUFC.com
England U19 forward Rob Hall has joined npower Championship side Bolton
Wanderers
01.07.2013
West Ham United can confirm that England U19 forward Rob Hall has joined
npower Championship side Bolton Wanderers on a three-year contract. Hall
departs the Boleyn Ground after spending 12 years with the Hammers, having
opted to move to the Reebok Stadium after his contract expired on 30 June.
Compensation will need to be agreed by the clubs in due course. After coming
through the Academy ranks, the 19-year-old made his senior made his
first-team debut in a 2-1 Championship defeat at Derby County on New Year's
Eve 2011. In total, he made seven senior appearances for West Ham. Having
previously enjoyed loan spells at League Two club Oxford United and League
One side MK Dons, Hall impressed at Championship level for Birmingham City
and Bolton last term, tempting Trotters boss Dougie Freedman to move for the
forward this summer. West Ham United would like to thank Rob for his hard
work and wish him every success in his future career.
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Titus Bramble training with West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 1st July 2013
By: Staff Writer
Former Sunderland defender Titus Bramble was a surprise addition to the
first team squad who returned to training at Chadwell Heath this morning.
With the brief summer break over, Sam Allardyce's squad - including new
additions Adrian San Miguel del Castillo, Danny Whitehead plus club record
signing Andy Carroll - reported back to the club's training ground for their
first session of pre-season. But there was also one unexpected face in the
crowd who arrived shortly after 10am - that of 31-year-old Titus Bramble,
who is currently out of contract having been released by the Black Cats at
the end of last season.
Bramble, of course, has previously been linked with a move to east London as
a back-up for the first choice defensive partnership of James Collins and
KUMB.com Player of the Year Winston Reid. However the sight of the
error-prone defender at Chadwell Heath has met with a fairly resounding
chorus of disapproval from Hammers fans this morning.
Paolo Mulgrew, posting on Twitter said: "Please God, West Ham DO NOT sign
Titus Bramble!" - thoughts echoed by Carys Baker who retorted: "Today
couldn't get much worse - and now I find out Titus Bramble is training with
us."
Bramble began his career with home town club Ipswich Town, before making a
£6million switch to Newcastle United in 2002. At the end of his five-year
contract on Tyneside he joined Steve Bruce's Wigan Athletic on a free
transfer, signing a two-year deal. Rewarded for his good form at the DW
Stadium - where he was voted both Player of the Year and Player's Player of
the Year in 2009 - with an extended one-year contract, Bramble rejoined
Bruce at his new club Sunderland in 2010. But his return to the North East
proved to be a troubled one; in 2011, Bramble was fined by Sunderland for
bringing the club into disrepute after he was charged with sexual assault.
He later appeared in court charged with two counts of sexual assault and one
of urinating in a public place, before being cleared of all charges. Now 31,
Bramble was made a free agent at the end of the 2012/13 season when he was
released by new Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio - who he called "a strange
person who thinks he knows everything". Only last month he rejected the
opportunity to return to former club Ipswich.
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The dangers in rushing to judgement
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 1st July 2013
By: David Hautzig
There is a pretty decent bar to watch some football near where I live called
Wolf's Biergarten. It's a Bayern Munich stronghold, but the beer is very
good as are the sausages. It doesn't hurt that the manager is a West Ham
supporter, so when I decide to watch a game away from home that's where I
end up. Which is not often.
I am very anxious during our games, so I don't make good company. I'm also
very superstitious, with far-fetched ideas that where I watch a game can
absolutely affect the outcome. But during the 2010 World Cup, while I wanted
the United States to do well I was able to watch the games without having a
defibrillator handy.
June 15, 2010. I'm sipping some ale the manager recommended while casually
watching Slovakia try to hang on to their 1-0 lead over New Zealand. The
Kiwis had looked like a pretty decent side if I remember correctly, and I
was probably rooting a bit more for them.
93rd minute, a ball is played into the box and headed home by some guy named
Winston Reid. A little cheer went up, more in surprise than any sense of
support. I thought this Reid fella took his chance well, and I remember some
guy sitting somewhere behind me commenting that he had played a relatively
good game.
Fast forward to the first game of the season in 2010. No need to waste time
going over what happened that day. We all know. And the rest of his season
wasn't much better, although I'm not sure it could have gotten much worse.
So when relegation was confirmed, I doubt many of us would have wanted
someone signed under the train wreck that was and likely still is Moron
Grant to stick around. At the time it was akin to saving a tumour in a glass
jar after removal.
Hit the fast forward button again. Hold it down a little longer, because we
are speeding through two seasons now instead of one. Mr. Reid has just
completed two stellar years on our back line. Voted Hammer of the Year.
Instead of Tweeting that he has to go, Tweeters are worrying about a top
four side coming in for him.
Before you start making a list of players and managers who were given far
more time than they deserved, let me throw my hands up and say "I know". But
there is a tendency now to rush to judgment on what constitutes success and
failure. Billions of pounds in real and potential revenue can do that to an
otherwise patient and rational person.
Take Matt Jarvis for example. Go to virtually any blog and you will find a
nation divided. Some are pleased with his first year, others bemoan how much
was supposedly spent on him. Can we really judge him to be either a success
or failure after one season? Every time he touched the ball I thought
something might come of it. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Andy Carroll
thought the same thing.
Personally, I don't give a toss how much we paid for him or any other player
for that matter. Not my money. And regardless of how you feel about our
chairmen as football people, anybody that denies they are clever business
people are delusional and in need of treatment. If they need to perform some
creative accounting to work the transfer market they will certainly do so.
The Andy Carroll transfer is still scrutinised by some, even criticised.
That's fine. The press is there to not only report but to analyse and help
lead public discussions on topics from healthcare to goalkeeping. But
handing down a verdict before any evidence is presented is ridiculous.
The guy is just starting a contract that could last eight years, yet if you
read Mark Alford of the Daily Mail you'd think you stepped into a time
machine, traveled a few years down a wormhole, and saw what a disaster the
signing had become. In his article recently arguing that Carroll is not
worth the money West Ham paid, he tries his hand at one liners.
"There are rumours that Andy Carroll is set to be given a new boot deal.
They might as well be glass slippers for the number of times he'll receive
the ball to his feet at West Ham," says Mr. Alford.
If Henny Youngman were still with us, he'd have little reason to feel
threatened.
We are at a very interesting and possibly exciting juncture in West Ham's
recent history. Even though I have only been supporting the club since the
early 1990s, my gut tells me something different is happening. Yeah, there
was euphoria when Eggy took the wheel, pushed the pedal down hard, and
started spending money like it came out of a board game.
I'm told doing cocaine can feel like that, but often with dangerous and self
destructive consequences.
Now there seems to be a plan for West Ham. Like a good chess player (such an
overused metaphor but it works) the two Davids and the one Karren are not
only seeing the next move, but the next five moves. They are being
methodical. They are showing patience. And in our case, it may be more than
a virtue.
It may be a jackpot.
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Titus Bramble training with West Ham following Sunderland exit
Last Updated: July 1, 2013 5:51pm
SSN
Free agent defender Titus Bramble is training with West Ham as he continues
his search for a new club. The 31-year-old was not offered a new deal by
Sunderland and, with his contract expiring on Sunday night, he linked up
with the Hammers in a bid to maintain his fitness. Bramble made 51
appearances for the Wearsiders after being signed for £1m from Wigan by then
manager Steve Bruce during the summer of 2010. He has also been linked with
a move to Turkish club Besiktas. West Ham travel to Ireland on Tuesday for
an intensive training camp but it remains to be seen if Bramble will make
that trip. Their other high-profile signings were also at Chadwell Heath on
Monday morning, although Andy Carroll did not join keeper Adrian and
left-back Razvan Rat as he is still on a rehabilitation programme after
injuring his heel towards the end of last season.
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West Ham winger Robert Hall completes Bolton switch
Last Updated: July 1, 2013 7:41pm
SSN
Bolton have signed winger Robert Hall on a three-year contract from Premier
League club West Ham. Wanderers are still in talks with West Ham over a
compensation package for the teenager after his contract recently expired at
the Boleyn Ground. The 19-year-old, who can also operate as a striker, spent
the final weeks of last season on loan at the Reebok Stadium and featured on
the final day against Lancashire neighbours Blackpool. An England youth
international, Hall has previously enjoyed loan spells at Oxford United, MK
Dons and Birmingham City before joining up with Dougie Freedman's side.
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