U21s kick-off international week
WHUFC.com
Ravel Morrison and Raphael Spiegel could both be in UEFA European U21
Championship qualifying action
14.11.2013
Ravel Morrison and Raphael Spiegel could both be in 2015 UEFA European U21
Championship qualifying action on Thursday as West Ham United's players
kick-off a busy week of international matches. Midfielder Morrison is
expected to be a key figure for England as they continue their qualifying
round Group 1 campaign by hosting Finland at stadiummk in Milton Keynes on
Thursday at 7.45pm. After a fine start to 2013/14 for the Hammers, the
20-year-old was rewarded with his maiden U21 caps in qualifying victories in
San Marino and at home to Lithuania - a game in which he scored twice in
October. Gareth Southgate's England top Group 1 with ten points from four
games, level on points with Wales and ahead of Finland, Moldova, Lithuania
and San Marino. Following Thursday's meeting with Finland, the U21s welcome
San Marino to Greenhous Meadow, Shrewsbury, on Tuesday 19 November.
Swiss goalkeeper Spiegel (pictured) has also been in impressive form this
season, making seven appearances for West Ham's Barclays U21 Premier
League-topping Development Squad. An experienced age-group international,
the 20-year-old former Grasshopper Club Zurich stopper has started all three
games for Switzerland in their qualifying round Group 5 campaign, keeping
clean sheets in wins in Latvia and Liechtenstein before losing out 2-0 at
home to Croatia in October. Switzerland will hope to gain revenge for that
defeat when they take on Croatia at the Stadion Aldo Drosina in Pula on
Thursday evening. The Swiss face another Eastern European test on Monday 18
November when they welcome Ukraine to the Arena Thun in Thun.
The ten group winners and four runners-up with the best record against the
teams first, third, fourth and fifth in their sections advance to the
Play-Offs in October 2014. The seven Play-Off winners will then play home
and away, with the winners advancing to the finals alongside the hosts Czech
Republic.
The UEFA European U21 Championship finals will take place in Czech Republic
between 17-30 June 2015.
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Jarvis keen to score more
WHUFC.com
Matt Jarvis is hoping to find the net more regularly after scoring twice in
a friendly win over Gillingham
14.11.2013
Matt Jarvis hopes he can take his goal scoring exploits into the Barclays
Premier League after bagging a brace against Gillingham at Rush Green on
Monday.
The winger got a West Ham United XI's third and fourth goals in a 9-0 win
over his former club as an experienced side got some valuable playing time
during the international break. Jarvis is yet to net in the Club's league
campaign but did manage to score in the 3-2 Capital One Cup win over Cardiff
City and the wide man is targeting more goals after his double against his
former club. The No7 told West Ham TV: "You always want to score goals and
it doesn't matter what game it is you still want to get on the score sheet
and I'm pleased to have done that. "It would be nice to carry on scoring, it
helps your confidence and hopefully I can keep that going."
Jarvis started his career with Gillingham and spent four years plying his
trade with the Kent based club before leaving for Wolverhampton Wanderers,
from whom he joined the Hammers. The winger admits that he prefers to play
matches over the course of an international break and was especially pleased
to have played against a team that he looks fondly upon. "I loved it. It was
a brilliant time, they gave me my chance and I really enjoyed it. "Obviously
not many of the players I played with are still there but there are a few
staff I know so it's always nice to see them. "Sometimes it's better to play
a game rather than just work hard in training because it's just easier to
get your head round playing games rather than just trying to work hard in
the smaller group."
The two week break gives the Hammers a chance to regroup after they suffered
a disappointing defeat by the Canaries at the weekend. The 27-year-old was a
late substitute in Saturday's 3-1 defeat by Norwich City at Carrow Road and
believes the team's failure to make the most of chances cost them dear. He
said: "We were so on top in the first half and just couldn't take our
chances. We had numerous opportunities to really put the game to bed but
unfortunately it wasn't the case. "They came out fighting in the second half
and once they got the first goal it lifted them and it was really hard to
turn the game around."
After the international break Chelsea will be the next visitors to the
Boleyn Ground and Jarvis is hoping the memory of a 3-1 win over the Blues
last season can be replicated on Saturday 23 November. "You look back to one
of our best games last season, that was at home to Chelsea and hopefully we
can do the same. "We need to put it right and hopefully we can do that at
home in front of the crowd and many more watching on Sky. "You can look back
and it's still the same squad, the same players, there might be one or two
different but you can still take confidence from the way we performed last
season. I'm really hoping we can get the crowd going and get a nice three
points to put on the board."
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Moore artwork to go under the hammer
WHUFC.com
A unique painting of West Ham United and England great Bobby Moore OBE is to
be auctioned for charity
13.11.2013
A unique painting of West Ham United and England great Bobby Moore OBE is to
be auctioned for charity. Painted by New Zealand-born artist Katy Wakefield,
who now lives in London's East End, the artwork is one of a number specially
commissioned for the exclusive group of players who have worn the Three
Lions on more than 100 occasions. Moore is among the England internationals
to be honoured at the Club Wembley 100-Cap Club Charity Auction, held at
Searcys The Gherkin, 30 St Mary Axe, London EC3A 8EP on Monday 18 November.
England's 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning captain is one of just eight players
who have passed a century of appearances for England, playing 108 times and
scoring two goals between 1962 and 1973. Goalkeeper Peter Shilton (125
caps), midfielder David Beckham (115 caps, 17 goals), Bobby Charlton (106
caps, 49 goals) and Billy Wright (105 caps, 3 goals) have all completed
their outstanding playing careers, while midfielder Steven Gerrard (107
caps, 21 goals), full-back Ashley Cole (105 caps) and West Ham Academy
graduate Frank Lampard (102 caps, 29 goals) will hope to add to their
formidable tallies.
Artworks specially commissioned for the exclusive group of eight will be
auctioned, with all proceeds going to The FA's official charity partner,
Teenage Cancer Trust, and the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK.
Artists whose works will go under the hammer include comedian Vic Reeves,
Horace Panter from Ska legends The Specials and political satirist Gerald
Scarfe.
For further information on how to attend the invite-only auction, please
email andrew.tkaczyk@seven.co.uk
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England U21 boss Gareth Southgate says there's no row between Wilfried Zaha
and Ravel Morrison
Last Updated: November 14, 2013 11:00am
SSN
England Under-21 manager Gareth Southgate insists that Wilfried Zaha and
Ravel Morrison have settled their differences, following an on-field bust-up
last month. "I think we have to have an appreciation of each other's
characters. We're a strong team because we've got that diversity of
character, we respond in different ways." The U21 boss believes that the
wingers are indispensable to the England side, despite last month's
unsavoury incident. "Those two are the types of players they are because
they live slightly on the edge in terms of their responses and emotions,"
added Southgate. "We have to understand we need all of those types of people
to be a successful team. Those guys will win us matches."
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ENGLAND AND THE INTERNATIONAL BREAKS
By Tony Hanna 14 Nov 2013 at 15:38
West Ham Till I Die
Increasingly over the last few years, I have heard and read that the average
English football fan is becoming less and less interested in the National
side. I know some fans that do not even watch England play any more. I guess
those of us that were lucky and old enough to watch the 1966 World Cup
success can at least say we have seen them win something. Especially for the
younger generation, it has been a long hard road since then for England.
Back in that era and beyond, the England friendly and competitive qualifying
games were played midweek and were sandwiched between the domestic games
played at 3pm on a Saturday. There were no International breaks to endure
and the players involved would have little rest and even less time to settle
into new surroundings. The definition of the International break was to help
our National sides personnel blend in together and acclimatise away from
their domestic scene. It was to give support to the National teams manager
and give him more time with the players. Back in the sixties and early
seventies the England games were rarely shown live on TV and sometimes not
at all despite the general football public craving it. Back in those days
the English football fan did support and want to see England play and win.
They did want to see their own teams players play for their country. It was
a badge of honour as our club should know more than most. After all, wasn't
it West Ham that really won the World Cup in '66?
But fast forward to today and often the matches are shrugged off by the fans
and players. Nowadays, many fans do not want to see their teams players
picked for fear of injury or burnout. How many times have we seen England
players pull out of the friendly matches, to only make miraculous recoveries
to play for their domestic clubs soon after? Is it this perceived nonchalant
approach to playing for your country that has turned the fan off or perhaps
the dismal record of not even reaching a major final for nearly 50 years? Is
supporting West Ham or any other club for that matter, much more important
than the National team? I guess the question must be asked in an article of
this nature. What would you prefer – West Ham to win the Premier League or
England to win the World Cup?
But back to the International breaks themselves. This is the third one
already this season and I am sure there will be those who say it is required
when less than a year from a World Cup. Here we are though, half way through
November and the Hammers have played just eleven League games. The stop
start nature of it all can make you stir crazy! What has made it worse for
us is that two of the breaks have followed our worst two performances of the
season – a home loss to Stoke and an away capitulation at Norwich. To have
to suffer two weeks of getting over those two events is like a judge
doubling your prison sentence. How great it was that the other International
two week break followed our best game of the season. The 3-0 walloping of
the Spuds! But even after a few days of wallowing in our own glory along
came old 'Arry who just had to divert our attention away to other less
palatable matters.
So, how do we cope with International breaks and do we care about the
National team? Whilst I have centred the topic towards England, this site
does encompass fans from around the World so I am sure those fans may also
have a viewpoint about their own country's side and how important it ranks
for them?
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GOONER TO JOIN WEST HAM BOARD AS MANAGING DIRECTOR
By Sean Whetstone 14 Nov 2013 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
West Ham have recruited Arsenal's Marketing Director Angus Kinnear to join
the West Ham board as Managing Director from the new year. At Arsenal he was
responsible for domestic and international marketing, the club's move to the
Emirates Stadium and making Arsenal a growing global brand in world
football.
Previously, Angus worked in brand management at Procter & Gamble before
heading up sports and youth marketing at Coca-Cola Great Britain, working
with the Athens Olympic Games, UEFA European Football Championships, IRB
Rugby World Cup and the Football League. Angus is also a board member of the
Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Although he has been at Arsenal since 2004 I understand he is in fact a
Luton Town fan. So maybe he is more of a 'Hatter' than a 'Gooner'
Yesterday the club announced that "As Managing Director, Angus will join the
Board and be responsible for the Club's current and future Commercial and
Sponsorship operations together with other specific areas relating to the
Stadium migration."
Angus Kinnear was quoted on WHUFC.com "I am thrilled to be joining West Ham
United. Opportunities to help lead a world-famous Club into an iconic new
home do not come around often, so it was a challenge that was too good to
turn down."
Back in 2005 Marketing Magazine said of Angus "According to one ad agency
boss, who worked with Kinnear at Coca-Cola, he has an easygoing nature, a
penchant for Karaoke and a reputation as a 'rebel and a hell-raiser'"
CAREER HISTORY
1996-2000: Brand manager, Laundry and Homecare, Procter & Gamble UK and
Europe
2000-2002 Brand strategy consultant, Mountainview
2002-2004 Senior group brand manager, youth brands, Coca-Cola GB
2004-2010 Marketing manager, Arsenal Football Club
2010-2013 Marketing director, Arsenal Football Club
West Ham Commercial Director Departs
Barry Webber
West Ham's current Commercial Director Barry Webber will become the new CEO
of Stevenage Football Club in the new year it has also been announced.
Webber said in an article which can be found here "I have greatly enjoyed my
time at West Ham and will leave with very fond memories of the club, the
staff and the fans"
Barry was previously Commercial Director at Newcastle United as well as
Sport Commercial Manager at AEG Sponsorship and Sponsorship Sales at the
International Tennis Federation before joining West Ham.
He becomes one of the youngest CEO's in the Football League at the age of
36.
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The Cottee Column: Jussi has been excellent
Dave Evans
Thursday, November 14, 2013
5:01 PM
London 24
It was a mistake by Jussi Jaaskelainen, a bad mistake which cost us a goal,
but we need to think about how many points he has saved for West Ham this
season and last. Jussi had a shaky start when he first arrived at the club,
but in the past year or so, you have to say that he has been as consistent
as just about anybody in the team. I was pleased that Big Sam didn't
criticise him too much because he is still a very good goalkeeper in my eyes
and that was just a blip.
As to letting in another stunning free kick, it is about time that we
stopped conceding these free kicks on the edge of the box. We have been
unlucky because so many have flown in this season, but if they don't get the
chance, then we don't concede a goal.
Apart from that I am not sure what else we can do. Some teams put a player
on the line, but that means the strikers can crowd the goalkeeper, so I am
not sure that is the answer. Looking back on the Norwich game you have to
say it is a really bad defeat, especially when you consider how well we
played in the first half. The problem was that we didn't kill Norwich off
when we had the chance. We have to take our chances.
Kevin Nolan is suffering at the moment. Last year he scored 10 goals and I
always say that if a player scores 10 goals then you should stay in the
Premier League. He is clearly missing playing alongside a striker and Andy
Carroll in particular and I think Sam has to go for a striker from the start
from now on.
There is two weeks to the next game and that gives Carlton Cole a little
longer to get fitter. I would like to see him start the next game, even if
it is only for an hour from the start.
Winston absence is a big blow
With Winston Reid on the injured list now, it means that West Ham are
without their best defender and their best striker at the same time. Without
a doubt, Winston has been the best player in the last couple of seasons and
deservedly won the Hammer of the Year trophy last term. It is also a great
shame that he will not be able to play for New Zealand in their World Cup
play-off against Mexico, though I am sure the club secretary will be
relieved that they don't have to pay out that £100,00 for his private jet
flight to Mexico! He will be badly missed by the Hammers. His partnership
with James Tomkins has been getting better and better in recent weeks, but
fortunately we have a ready made replacement in James Collins. No game this
weekend, but I don't mind these international breaks. It gives a chance for
clubs like Leyton Orient and Dagenham & Redbridge to take the spotlight and
that is a good thing.
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