Daily WHUFC News - 11th January 2013

Big Sam on: Sunderland
WHUFC.com
The manager has spoken to the media ahead of West Ham United's visit to the
Stadium of Light
10.01.2013

Sam Allardyce wants West Ham United to extend their unbeaten start to 2013
when they travel to Sunderland in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday.
The Hammers opened the New Year by overcoming Norwich City 2-1 before
holding Manchester United to a thrilling 2-2 FA Cup with Budweiser
third-round draw at the Boleyn Ground last weekend. Now, Big Sam is hoping
his team can overcome the absence of a number of important players through
injury by scoring a positive result against Martin O'Neill's men at the
Stadium of Light.

Sam, could you start by giving us your team news ahead of Saturday's trip to
the Stadium of Light?

SA: "We've got the same squad as last week and we've added Marouane Chamakh
on loan from Arsenal, who we obviously hope will play a big part in us
getting some good results between now and the end of the season. He is also
cover for Modibo Maiga, who went off to the Africa Cup of Nations last week.
Other than that, we've got the same squad as Andy Carroll, George McCartney,
Mo Diame and Joey O'Brien are not fit yet. Dan Potts is with us and he did a
great job last week and hopefully he'll continue in that position, continue
to improve and perform as he did against Manchester United."

How much longer do you expect Andy to be out for?

SA: "It's difficult to put an actual timescale on it. I would expect it
would be no longer than a couple of weeks now. He is doing some
straight-line running and has been doing that for a few days. If he doesn't
feel anything, then we'll progress onto interval running and some change of
direction work and then introduce the ball. Then, he'll hopefully come back
with the other players as quickly as possible. It could be a few days or it
could be a bit longer than that, depending on his progression. We're
assessing him day-by-day now."

What do you expect Marouane Chamakh to contribute to the cause?

SA: "We have got a lot of games coming up. He won't be able to play in the
FA Cup replay at Manchester United because he wasn't registered in time for
the first game. From there on and from this Saturday, he'll be available."

How will you manage Joe Cole's workload between now and the end of the
season?

SA: "We will take it game-by-game. Part of every manager's job is managing
players for their sake. It's not always about joining in training every day
and every week for me, and it hasn't been for many years for me. Lots of
players don't come together in the squad until Thursday and Friday and then
play on the Saturday because they need to do other things during the week to
maintain their level of fitness. I have a prevention policy rather than a
cure policy which has obviously been tested to the hilt recently with the
number of injuries we've had. Saying that, they have been more trauma
injuries than muscle tears, so we'll do what is needed with Joe as we do
with many players."

Do you have a message for Joint-Chairman David Gold, who has been taken ill
this week?

SA: "All the players wish him well. We found out on Wednesday that he is
poorly so we'll get a message to him and we obviously wish him a speedy
recovery."

The transfer window is open. What can you update us on in terms of possible
targets?

SA: "In terms as what we're doing at the moment, we're as active as everyone
else. If there is a player there who we feel will improve the squad, we'll
try to move for him. If I was strengthening anywhere at the moment, it would
be in the left-back position because of our injury problems in that area.
We're only looking at that position at the minute."

Are you surprised with how Sunderland have performed this season?

SA: "I don't know why they haven't kicked on after last season, but I do
know they have improved over Christmas and that has given their team a lot
more confidence. It has been results rather than performances that have not
come because they have not converted the chances they have created. They
have not got too many goalscorers apart from Steven Fletcher and they have
sort of paid a price for that in result terms. Performances, particularly at
home, have been very good according to our reports, so it'll be a tough game
away from home. We want to play as well as we did against Manchester United
to achieve a result at Sunderland - anything less than that will make it
difficult for us."

Steven Fletcher has been a success story for Sunderland since joining them
last summer. What have you made of his impact?

SA: "He's been tremendous. When you see where Sunderland would be if he
hadn't scored the goals he scored, his goals have been like gold in terms of
the results they have brought Sunderland this season. Without those goals,
they'd have struggled more than they already have. The importance of a
goalscorer is massive. If you've got that goalscorer, then it's a massive
bonus for you."

Finally, you have started 2013 well. Are you happy with how things are
going?

SA: "I'm happy that we've recovered well from a disappointing Christmas
based on results and the loss of lots of players to injury, which has made
life difficult for us. I think we've performed exceptionally well against
Norwich and Manchester United in our last two games, so I hope we will
continue to produce displays like that on a consistent basis in the New
Year."

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Club to raise £50k for Bobby Moore Fund
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are targeting to raise 50,000 pounds for the Bobby Moore
Fund for Cancer Research UK this season
08.01.2013

West Ham United are delighted to announce a target to raise £50,000 for the
Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK this season. Since being established
in memory of the legendary West Ham and England captain by his widow
Stephanie Moore MBE in 1993, the charity has raised nearly £19million for
research and to raise awareness of bowel cancer - the disease which took the
life of the great centre-back at the age of 51. In the two decades since
Moore's passing, more than 300,000 people have lost their lives to bowel
cancer in the UK alone. The club, which has worked closely with the charity
for many years, has already raised more than £20,000.

To kick-start the initiative, Joint-Chairman David Sullivan has made a
generous personal donation of £10,000. Manager Sam Allardyce followed suit
by has kindly agreeing to donate the fee he receives for his weekly Evening
Standard column to the Fund over the course of the 2012/13 season, raising
more than £5,000 so far.

The club's Principal Partner SBOBET also got behind the initiative by
marking the fourth anniversary of their partnership activity by donating
£5,000.
Two home fixtures have also been designated as Bobby Moore Fund Awareness
Matches - the Barclays Premier League visits of Tottenham Hotspur and
Manchester United on 25 February and 9 March 2013 respectively. The Spurs
fixture will mark 20 years since Moore's tragic and untimely passing and the
club is planning a fitting tribute to the great defender involving
supporters and members of the Moore family.

Ricardo Vaz Te has also got in on the act, donating the boots in which he
scored his unforgettable npower Championship Play-Off final winner for
auction. The No12 has signed the footwear, and supporters should keep a
close eye on the official website - whufc.com - for details of how and where
to bid for a unique piece of Hammers memorabilia.

West Ham United Joint-Chairman David Sullivan said the club was delighted to
be working closely with a charity that is close to the hearts of everyone
associated with the Hammers. "I am very proud that West Ham United and the
Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK will once again be working in
partnership. Everyone at the club holds Bobby in the highest esteem and is
committed to fighting the disease which robbed England of its finest-ever
defender and captain. "The work the Fund does is tremendous and for such an
important cause and there is no doubt that It helps to save lives every
single year. While raising the profile of such a worthy cause, we will be
able to ensure Bobby's legacy lives on at the heart of his club."

Bobby Moore Fund Senior Manager Ali Cleveland welcomed the club's
announcement, saying: "The Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK is
grateful to be the beneficiary of West Ham's target to raise £50,000 for
vital bowel cancer research and looks forward to working with the club this
season."

You can also get involved by taking part in one of the many fundraising
events and projects organised by the club.

Earlier this month, the Hammers further boosted their fundraising total by
purchasing a table at the Bobby Moore Fund Celebrity Sports Quiz enabling
assistant
manager Neil McDonald, first-team squad members George Moncur, Sebastian
Lletget and Matthias Fanimo as well Hammers fan and Olympic rowing Gold
medallist Mark Hunter to attend the high-profile event. The event, which
attracted around 500 people and was hosted by ITV football commentator Clive
Tyldesley and Sky Sports presenters Jeff Stelling, Clare Tomlinson and Max
Rushden and BBC Sport presenter Hazel Irvine, raised £224,202 for the
charity.
In January, manager Sam Allardyce will be among the diners at a Dining With
The Stars evening at the Grade I listed Gibson Hall in the heart of the City
of London, when an exquisite five-course meal will be cooked by a group of
Michelin starred chefs. Prices start from £250 per ticket, with VIP tickets
and Chef's table tickets also available. To book tickets, or to discuss
sponsorship opportunities, please email davina.yanful@cancer.org.uk

If you would like to help West Ham to reach their £50,000 fundraising target
and raise valuable funds for the Bobby Moore Fund, please email
officialcharitiesBMF@westhamunited.co.uk
For more information about the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK,
click here.

About the Bobby Moore Fund
• The Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK raises vital funds for
research into bowel cancer and increases public awareness of the disease
• The Fund was set up by Stephanie Moore MBE in memory of her husband,
footballer Bobby Moore, after his death from the disease in 1993, at just 51
• Since it was set up, the Fund has gone from strength to strength and now
raises over £1.5 million every year through a variety of fundraising events
with over £18.8 million pounds raised in total
• The charity also raises awareness through hard hitting campaigns such as
'There is Moore to know' featuring members of the England football team and
delivered in partnership with the England Footballers Foundation
• For more information click here or visit the Bobby Moore Fund Facebook
page here.

About Cancer Research UK
• Cancer Research UK is the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to
saving lives through research
• The charity's pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment
of cancer has helped save millions of lives
• Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving
research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on every pound
donated
• Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already
seen survival rates in the UK double in the last forty years.
• Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through
the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses
• Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is
to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how
to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1861,

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Not strictly WHU , but you gotta love Paolo!

Paolo Di Canio on hand of Suarez, paying for players and tiramisu
BBC.co.uk
Swindon manager Paolo Di Canio, one of football's most controversial and
colourful characters, gives his views in his latest column for BBC Sport.


Sportsmanship is a dying art

Luis Suarez has received a lot of criticism for handling the ball before
scoring Liverpool's second against Mansfield in the FA Cup. For me, a
player has to be genuine at all times. If, after one second, a player
realised what he had done was dishonest, then he should tell the referee. It
is not fair to take advantage of such a situation. So if Suarez did it
intentionally and realised he was wrong, then in my opinion he should have
confessed. But we are all different. Would I act if one of my players did
something that was seen as bad sportsmanship? It depends on the seriousness
of the situation, but obviously if it is something really wrong and is far
from the idea of good sportsmanship, I would consider taking action. I won
the Fifa Fair Play award in 2001 when I decided to catch the ball rather
than shoot while then Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard was injured, but sadly
I don't think we will see that kind of act often in the future. It seems to
me that the new generation has grown up with the idea that you are
intelligent and more clever than others if you benefit from a bad action or
situation. You see it on reality television shows, where some people become
famous just for acting in a bad way. In football, we are seeing more
players diving at minimal contact. Of course, not every player is dishonest,
but I don't think we will see many acts of good sportsmanship in the future.
Maybe when a team is winning 3-0 and players do it to receive praise, but
otherwise I cannot see it.

Less money, more glory

Last weekend, I said I would use my money to keep players at Swindon. I was
very serious when I said that. If using my own money helps Swindon achieve
promotion, then it is something I will do. Money has never been a priority
for me. Obviously, I still need to be paid, but it is more important for me
to live my life with a bit less money and have more glory. This is my view
in football and also in life. Anything I can do to achieve this I will do.
Already this season I donated my image rights to Villa Stuart - a sport
clinic in Rome that is one of the best in Europe - in exchange for free
treatment and rehabilitation for my injured players. We only pay for the
surgery, but the use of expertise, machinery and accommodation is all free
and all thanks to Paolo Di Canio. I do this because I want success for
myself and my players, so I don't mind having a little less money to do
this. I would feel ashamed to know that something could be achieved if I
invest some money, but I didn't. Football can be greedy. That is typical in
an industry where there is a chance to make lots of money. But I would
rather be paid one pound to manage a team that has a good plan to achieve
success than be paid lots of money to manage a club where the team and plan
is not very good. I have to confess, though, I have not always been like
this. When I was a boy, I stole my brother's bike and sold it to buy some
pick-and-mix sweets for me and my friend. I did share the sweets, so it was
one bad action and one good action.

Barthez tried to confuse me

I would love to see West Ham get a result at Manchester United in their FA
Cup replay on Wednesday because it would be great to see their fans
celebrating at Old Trafford again. The game will bring back very good
memories for me because I scored the winning goal there for West Ham, also
in the FA Cup in 2001, when Manchester United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez
stood with his hand in the air, claiming I was offside. He tried to stop me
and confuse me by putting his hand up like directors do in theatre when
actors are auditioning, but my view in life is always to act first, then
discuss the consequences. I brought this into my football career, so my
only thought at the time was to put the ball in the net and then check what
the linesman was doing.

One of my team-mates in that game was Joe Cole, and I am delighted to see he
has gone back to West Ham. I played alongside Roberto Baggio. For me, Cole
was as good as him at 16. He was an amazing talent and the fact he did very
well at West Ham and moved to Chelsea proved that he was a very good player.

He was one of the most talented players at West Ham and the fact his
development was while Paolo Di Canio was there I am sure helped him. He
will probably say it didn't, but a lot of young players, like Michael
Carrick for instance, have said that Paolo Di Canio helped them, so I am
happy to think that in their achievements there is a little bit of Paolo Di
Canio in them.

Paolo cooks the best

I like tradition in England, so on Christmas Day I tried to mix a
traditional turkey dinner with Italian food. I cooked a roast, which was
beautiful, and also a Tiramisu, which I make a lot because it is the best. I
tried not to eat too much, though, because I am on a diet. Before
Christmas, I also went to Stonehenge for the winter solstice. Swindon had
just beaten Tranmere 5-0 and I waited until 4am before going there to see
the sunrise. It was raining and I didn't see anything, so I left and went
straight to training.

Paolo Di Canio was speaking to BBC Sport's Gary Rose.

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Chairman David Gold's condition improving
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 10th January 2013
By: Staff Writer

The daughter of co-Chairman David Gold, who is in hospital suffering with
pneumonia, has revealed that her father's condition is slowly improving.
Jacqueline Gold, the eldest of David Gold's two daughters has revealed that
her father's condition has stabalised and that there has been some
improvement since he was first admitted 48 hours ago. Speaking via Twitter
today, Ms Gold said: "I have spoken to my dad who sounds much better after a
good night. He continues to sound better in himself. Thank you to everyone
for your support." Ms Gold's younger sister Vanessa also took to the social
network to thank well-wishers for their messages of support.

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Di Canio backing West Ham for Old Trafford surprise
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 10th January 2013
By: Staff Writer

Former Hammer Paolo Di Canio hopes that West Ham can defy the odds and win
their FA Cup replay against Manchester United - just as Harry Redknapp's
underdogs did 12 years ago. 12 years ago this month, Di Canio struck in the
76th minute to score the only goal of a tightly-fought fourth round contest
in front of 10,000 delirious Hammers fans. And the Italian forward, now
exceeding all expectations as manager of Swindon hopes that history can
repeat itself when the current West Ham side attempt to emulate that famous
victory. "I would love to see West Ham get a result at Manchester United in
their FA Cup replay on Wednesday because it would be great to see their fans
celebrating at Old Trafford again," he told the BBC i nhis weekly column.
"The game will bring back very good memories for me because I scored the
winning goal there when Manchester United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez stood
with his hand in the air, claiming I was offside. "He tried to stop me and
confuse me by putting his hand up like directors do in theatre when actors
are auditioning, but my view in life is always to act first, then discuss
the consequences. "I brought this into my football career, so my only
thought at the time was to put the ball in the net and then check what the
linesman was doing."

And key to West Ham's chances, says Di Canio, is former team mate Joe Cole
who is the only player from Sam Allardyce's squad who was involved on that
historic day. "I am delighted to see he has gone back to West Ham," said Di
Canio. "I played alongside Roberto Baggio and for me, Cole was as good as
him at 16. He was an amazing talent and the fact he did very well at West
Ham and moved to Chelsea proved that he was a very good player."

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Andy Carroll: return imminent
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 10th January 2013
By: Staff Writer

Andy Carroll should be back in action within "a couple of weeks", according
to Sam Allardyce. The England striker has been out of action since the end
of November and was initially expected to be sidelined until the beginning
of February. However according to Allardyce, the 23-year-old - who is on
loan at the Boleyn Ground until the end of the season - should be back in
contention for a first team spot within a fortnight. "It's difficult to put
an actual timescale on it, but I would expect it would be no longer than a
couple of weeks now," Allardyce, speaking to the press ahead of the trip to
Sunderland, said. "He is doing some straight-line running and has been doing
that for a few days. If he doesn't feel anything, then we'll progress onto
interval running and some change of direction work and then introduce the
ball. "Then he'll hopefully come back, with the other players, as quickly
as possible. It could be a few days or it could be a bit longer than that,
depending on his progression. We're assessing him day-by-day now."

Allardyce also revealed that there were no set dates for the return of Mo
Diame, George McCartney or Joey O'Brien - although the former is also
expected to challenge for a first team place within the next two weeks.

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Sam Allardyce confirms interest in Blackburn's Martin Olsson
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 10th January 2013
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce has revealed that negotiations with Blackburn Rovers over
defender Martin Olsson are continuing, despite the Championship club placing
a £7million price tag on the Swedish defender. It was revealed earlier this
week that West Ham had bid around £2million for the 24-year-old, an offer
that was immediately rejected by the Ewood Park-based club. However
Allardyce, speaking to the press this morning ahead of this weekend's trip
to Sunderland, admitted that he was still interested in acquiring the
services of the Swedish international. "We have made an enquiry.
Negotiations are ongoing at the moment," he said. "I think that if I was
strengthening anywhere at the moment it would be in the left back position
because of our injury problems in that area."
However Allardyce denied reports that he was looking to strengthen in other
areas - such as in goal, a position with which Olsson's team mate at
Blackburn, Paul Robison, has been heavily linked with. "We are only looking
at that position at the minute," he said.

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Blackburn considering bid from West Ham for defender Martin Olsson
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @graemebailey. Last Updated: January 10,
2013 2:09pm
SSN

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed the club are chasing the
signature of Sweden defender Martin Olsson from Blackburn Rovers. The
Hammers have long been linked with a move for Olsson as Allardyce knows him
well from his time in charge at Ewood Park. The 24-year-old has never hidden
his desire to move back to the Premier League following Rovers' relegation
and the east Londoners believe a deal can be done. A figure of around
£7million has been reported in the media but Allardyce dismissed that number
and said: "I don't think that's true, no. "Negotiations are ongoing."

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West Ham forward Andy Carroll could be fit again by the end of the month
Last Updated: January 10, 2013 4:21pm
SSN

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is hopeful of having Andy Carroll back in
full training in the next few weeks. The England striker is on loan from
Liverpool but has not featured since the defeat to Manchester United in
November due to a knee problem. Allardyce is optimistic that Carroll will be
involved again soon, although his progress is being monitored day by day.
"It's a bit difficult to put an actual time on it but I would expect it will
be no longer than a couple of weeks now," said the Hammers boss. "He's doing
some straight line running, has been doing that for a few days. "If he
doesn't feel anything then we'll progress on to interval running and change
of direction, then introduce the ball, then hopefully come back with the
players as soon as possible. "It could be a few days. It could be a bit
longer than that just depending on his progression day by day now."

Problems

Joe Cole is another arrival from Liverpool who has had his injury problems
and his new manager is keen not to push the midfielder too hard despite his
starring role against United on Saturday. "We'll take that game by game,"
added Allardyce. "A part of everybody's management is about managing your
players for their sake. It's not always about joining in training every day
of every week for me and it hasn't been for many years now. "Lots of players
don't come together in our squad till Thursday or Friday then play on the
Saturday because they need to do other things in the week to make sure they
maintain their level of fitness. "We try to have a prevention policy rather
than a cure policy."

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Marseille midfielder Charles Kabore keen on making a move to the Premier
League
By Giscard Gourizro. Last Updated: January 10, 2013 1:24pm
SSN

Marseille midfielder Charles Kabore has declared that he would welcome the
opportunity to complete a switch to England. Premier League clubs have been
credited with holding an interest in Kabore in the past, and speculation
suggests Stoke and West Ham could be tempted to make a move. The Burkina
Faso international is currently away on Africa Cup of Nations duty, but a
deal could be put in place which will allow him to link up with a new
employer upon his return to Europe. A move to Turkey has been touted, but
Kabore admits his preference would be to head for English shores. The
24-year-old still has over two years left to run on his current contract at
Marseille, but reports suggest he could be bought out of that agreement for
around £2million. "I have a contract with Marseille until June 2015 so I can
hold out for a move to England," said Kabore. "I love English football. I
have contacts with some clubs in other leagues, but my priority is to play
in the best league in the world."

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Fortress Upton Park - a vital cliché
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 10th January 2013
By: Lucy Woolford

Cast your eye back 12 months to January 2012, when West Ham United were
kicking off the second half of their nPower Championship season.

We were coming off the back of a poor December consisting of four points
from five games. January saw us gain a positive nine points out of a
possible 12. But we were about to enter a period that would see us crowned
'draw specialists' at our very own Upton Park, which saw the pressure mount
on Sam Allardyce and co.

In February and March 2012, we drew five home games in a row followed by a
loss and another draw. In fact, after beating Millwall during a lunch-time
kick off on February 4th, we didn't win another game at the Boleyn until
April 14th when we thumped Brighton 6-0. It does pose the question of what
could have been, and how we could have showed that league who was boss, but
as it was at the time, Upton Park just wasn't as daunting to traveling teams
as it should have been. It was a good opportunity for them to come at us and
we just didn't deal with that pressure.

Now we find ourselves doing reasonably well in the Premier League. I accept
we've had a dip in form after what was a fantastic start to a season from
which we expected little, but that's no surprise with the long list of
injuries and suspensions we have been plagued by. We have however, managed
to turn around this negativity that surrounded our home ground last season,
and on many occasions before that. Whilst it's great to win away league
fixtures, they key to an all round season is to be consistent at your home
ground.

If, like me, you find that commentators referring to Upton Park as a
"fortress" is a bit of a habit, then maybe it's about time it returned to
its previous glory. It's not far off it now.

This season we have picked up 15 points out of the 33 available to us at
home (45 per cent). That doesn't sound brilliant as a statistic, I know, but
compare it to the eight we have taken from 27 available at away grounds (30
per cent) and it's not bad. It is understandable that during a time when we
couldn't win at home for love nor money, home fans got frustrated,
questioned why they paid x-amount every other week to watch a former Premier
League side draw against Championship level opponents - but now our home
matches are drawing more positivity.

Unfortunately I don't get to many home games these days, but I've attended
three away games this season; two were terrible games (Wigan and West Brom)
but the trip to St James' Park was much better. Luckily for me a lot of our
home matches have been broadcast on television, and some of the games I have
watched at Upton Park have produced the best football I think I've ever seen
us play.

I think I am still in disbelief about the way we played against Fulham back
in September. I have never been stunned into silence at half time, but I
was. We may have caught Fulham on a bad day, but still, I've seen us catch
teams on bad days and not capitalise the way we did on that day. The
passing, movement and brains on show that day were pure class and the Boleyn
Ground had the atmosphere to match. That captured what our ground stands for
and how players and crowd feed off each other.

I fully support the call to sing Sam Allardyce's name (however we manage to
fit it into a chant!). I have heard murmurs coming through the speakers, but
I want more. We've found a man who can actually turn this club around (with
the help of decent financial backing) and who seems to be enjoying himself.
I see him as a good long term investment, not the usual interim that we have
had in the last few years. He has installed belief in the players and staff
and introduced a more relaxed way about the side, encouraging them to enjoy
their football in front of their own 30,000 supporters.

Maybe the term "fortress" won't be applied to the Olympic Stadium, so we
should absolutely make the most of what so many teams see as a difficult
ground to come to. We need to make it intimidating, because if our away form
keeps dipping then home points will be vital in holding a decent league
position.

We've hosted a lot of "big" teams already this season so in theory we should
have an easier home run to the end of the season. However, the team must not
take that for granted as they so often do. It seems as though our ability to
gain points (or at least put in a performance) against bigger clubs is
there, it's just against teams who we should beat that we struggle.

I definitely believe that the Boleyn Ground holds the keys to a good season,
whether that be this one or the next. "Fortress Upton Park" may be a cheesy
cliché, but it's a phrase that we'd like to keep. For years to come, even
after we have (maybe) moved, let us say: "I used to go to the fortress".

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David Gold illness will not affect West Ham's January transfer business
insists Sam Allardyce
Co-chairman is in hospital recovering from pneumonia
MARK BRYANS THURSDAY 10 JANUARY 2013
Independent

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce does not believe the illness of the club's
co-chairman David Gold will affect business in the January transfer window.
Gold, 76, is in hospital recovering from pneumonia after being taken ill
following the FA Cup third-round clash with Manchester United. Allardyce
said he had yet to speak to Gold, who also needed hospital treatment for
cholangitis and septicaemia in March 2011, but wished him well and moved to
assure supporters the club's recruitment drive will not falter in his
absence. "Myself and all the players will be wishing him well today. I only
found out yesterday that he was poorly," Allardyce said. "We will get a
message to him in the very near future and wish him a speedy recovery. "I
think that there's always a communication line to him if David needs to (be
contacted). In terms of what we're doing at the moment, we're as active as
everybody else. "If there's a player there that we think can improve the
squad we'll try to move on him."

One player who is certainly a target for the Hammers is Blackburn left-back
Martin Olsson. Reports earlier in the week had suggested Rovers wanted at
least £7million for the 24-year-old Sweden international but Allardyce
reckons that is wide of the mark. "I don't think that's true, no, but we
have made an enquiry," he said. Allardyce said there were "ongoing
negotiations" and added: "I think that if I was strengthening anywhere at
the moment it would be in the left-back position because of our injury
problems in that area at the moment. We are only looking at that position at
the minute."

Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh completed a loan move to Upton Park earlier
this week and Allardyce confirmed he will go straight into his squad for
this weekend's Barclays Premier League clash at Sunderland. Fellow loanee
Andy Carroll remains sidelined through injury but Allardyce is hopeful to
have the England forward back by the end of the month. "It's a bit difficult
to put an actual time on it but I would expect it will be no longer than a
couple of weeks now," Allardyce said. "He's doing some straight line
running, has been doing that for a few days. If he doesn't feel anything
then we'll progress on to interval running and change of direction, then
introduce the ball, then hopefully come back with the players as soon as
possible. "It could be a few days. It could be a bit longer than that just
depending on his progression day by day now."

Chamakh signed a week after Allardyce secured a deal to take Joe Cole back
to West Ham, with the former Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder making an
impressive return in the FA Cup draw with United. The 31-year-old has
struggled with injuries in recent years and could not break into the
Liverpool side on a regular basis after spending last season on loan at
French Ligue 1 outfit Lille. Cole scored for the Reds in their 3-2 win at
Upton Park last month but Allardyce is keen not to push the England
international too much. "We'll take that game by game," he said. "A part of
everybody's management is about managing your players for their sake. It's
not always about joining in training every day of every week for me and it
hasn't been for many years now. "Lots of players don't come together in our
squad till Thursday or Friday then play on the Saturday because they need to
do other things in the week to make sure they maintain their level of
fitness. "We try to have a prevention policy rather than a cure policy."

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Can West Ham Get the Best Out of Marouane Chamakh?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

Sam Allardyce has been reported as stating that he feels that Arsenal did
not, perhaps, make best use of Marouane Chamakh's strengths as a striker. He
pointed out that Chamakh is a striker, who excels at getting between
defenders to win and convert balls crossed in from the wide areas. That was
a feature of his play during his prior successful spell in French football,
yet Arsenal did not play to his strengths by getting the pre-requisite
crosses in to him. And this is something that Allardyce will look to put
right during Chamakh's time at West Ham!

Another encouraging point made recently by the West Ham manager is that, in
effect, a meritocracy will govern the selection of our strikers. Carroll,
Cole and Chamakh will each be given their opportunities to lead the line.
The player who retains the position will be the one who performs
consistantly well. If standards slip then that player is out and one of the
other two will get their chance and then the same criteria will apply to
them and so on. This is what West Ham have lacked far too often in the past,
genuine competition for places that drives up overall performance levels.
it's great to see it in place at long last. Presumably, the same stringent
selection criteria will also apply to the other ten first team positions as
well?

Talking of performance levels, the club have confirmed that Joe Cole will
have a tailored fitness regime to meet his specific needs as a player, with
a prior history of injury absence. This could mean that during the week, he
follows a separate fitness programme and joins the rest of the squad for
full training on the Thursday before a match. It is a sensible approach and
one designed to reduce the risk of wear and tear and unnecessary stress on
the player's joints and soft tissue. Joe Cole needs to be fit to play
matches, he is no good to us marooned on the sidelines with reccurring,
niggling injuries. It does, however, beg the question whether he will be
able to play two full 90 minute matches a week in future, if required to do
so? Or, maybe, it is just a matter of structuring and managing the training
sessions? Whatever the case, lets manage Joe Cole carefully to secure the
best possible outputs from him on the field of play. He is a key player that
can make a big difference to the quality of our play and the club must do
whatever it takes to maximize his number of competitive matches during the
course of the season..

With rumours of Paul Robinson possibly signing for the club, what of,
Stephen Henderson, our keeper out on loan?. Well, he has returned to West
Ham this week for treatment to a foot injury. However, the Ipswich Town
Manager, Mick McCarthy, has stated his intention to try to get Henderson
back on loan at Portman Road, once he has recovered from injury. Apparently,
Henderson is also keen to return there, so could his days be numbered at
Upton Park. If so, expect a new keeper to sign fo sign for us in the January
window. Will it be Robinson, from Blackburn Rovers, quite possibly? In which
case, the predicted double signing from Rovers could materialise, if the
current negotiations over a deal for Martin Olsson are successfully
concluded?

Elsewhere, in terms of the ongoing flow of transfer speculation, we were
linked with a fresh name yesterday. This time it was 24 year old, defensive
midfielder, Charles Kabore, of Marsailles. Apparently, Marsailles are open
to selling the player, who they are keen to move off the books because of
his relatively high salary. He has certainly had a good season so far with
Marsailles. But is there a genuine interest in the player from Upton Park?
It's another one of those wait and see situations?

Finally, Paolo Di Canio has predicted that the current West Ham side could
emulate the achievements of the Hammers side 12 years ago, which went to Old
Trafford and won a famous Third Round FA Cup Tie. That match has gone down
in Hammers folklore for the nature of the victory and, more particularly,
the winning goal by the magical Di Canio. Lets hope that Di Canio is right
that a repeat could be on the cards this coming Wednesday evening!

SJ. Chandos.

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Carroll's back for Hammers
Exclusive
By CHARLIE WYETT and PAT SHEEHAN
Published: 6 hrs ago
The Sun

ANDY CARROLL is set to return for West Ham on Saturday week. The on-loan
striker has made a quicker recovery than expected after being sidelined
since November 28 with a knee injury. West Ham feared Carroll, 24, could be
out until early February but he has responded to treatment. While the FA Cup
replay at Manchester United next Wednesday will come too early, he will be
ready for the home Premier League clash with QPR. Carroll has scored just
once for West Ham since being farmed out on loan by Liverpool. Fellow
Hammers strike ace Marouane Chamakh is set to make his debut at Sunderland
on Saturday on loan from Arsenal. And boss Sam Allardyce reckons he will get
more out of the striker than Arsene Wenger — despite being written off as a
flop. But Big Sam said: "It's about him proving to himself and helping us by
scoring more goals and producing performances we can get excited about.
"He's good in the air and getting between defenders from crosses. We can
provide the materials and ammunition for him to get a few goals."

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You're missing a trick with Chamakh, Arsene! Big Sam backs Arsenal flop to
shine at West Ham
By LAURIE WHITWELL
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 10 January 2013 | UPDATED: 22:30, 10 January 2013
Daily Mail

Arsenal missed a trick with Marouane Chamakh by failing to give him the
right type of chances. That is the view of Sam Allardyce, who believes the
Moroccan striker can rediscover the form which fired Bordeaux to the French
title at West Ham. Chamakh scored 56 goals in Ligue 1 as well as netting
five times in the Champions League in 2009/10. But after moving to the
Emirates on a free transfer three years ago he has failed to spark, scoring
just one goal all last season.
He has two in four appearances this campaign and signed a six-month loan
deal at Upton Park. Allardyce said: 'He's itching and hungry to get back
and show what he can do. We'll try and get him to be that goal threat that
he was ultimately at Bordeaux. Obviously he's been very disappointed with
his lack of involvement at Arsenal. 'I think Arsene Wenger must've thought
he's good enough for Arsenal and we'll play to his strengths. With Emmanuel
Adebayor they used to cross balls so I don' t know why they didn't for
Chamakh. Now with Olivier Giroud, they will cross balls for him. Obviously
it hasn't worked there but hopefully it will work for us. 'We'll give him
the platform by feeding him the right type of balls. You provide the service
he needs in terms of how he plays. He's exceptionally good in the air and
he's really good at getting between defenders from crosses. We can provide
the ammunition for him to hopefully get a few goals.' Chamakh, who could
make his debut on Saturday at Sunderland, will battle Carlton Cole and Andy
Carroll, when he is fit, for the sole striking spot.
'For all three of them there's a challenge for places,' he said. 'Play your
best and keep the shirt. If you don't play your best you lose the shirt. All
three of them will get the chance to play and whoever plays the best will
stay in for me.'

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