Daily WHUFC News - 17th June 2013

Diame skippers Senegal to win
WHUFC.com
Senegal remain in the hunt for World Cup qualification after beating Liberia
2-0 on Sunday
16.06.2013

West Ham United's Mohamed Diame captained Senegal to a vital 2-0 win over
Liberia in qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Diame played
the 90 minutes as Senegal claimed the points to remain on top of Group J in
African qualification. Two goals from Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse
were enough to see off Liberia in Monrovia and keep his country on track for
Brazil. With one game of this group stage remaining, Senegal lead Uganda by
a single point, with a home fixture against their qualification rivals to
come in September. The group winners will then go on to play a two-legged
play-off against one of the other nine group victors in Africa, with the
successful nations in those ties claiming a place in next summer's World Cup
finals.

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Devonshire pleased with progress
WHUFC.com
West Ham United legend Alan Devonshire expects the Club to continue their
improvement next season
16.06.2013

Alan Devonshire is sure the Hammers will continue to progress with manager
Sam Allardyce at the helm. The West Ham United legend was impressed with his
old Club's efforts last season to secure a tenth place finish in the
Barclays Premier League. He is sure they are not finished there, and that
with a couple of additions this summer, could aim even higher in 2013/14. He
told West Ham TV: "I thought we'd do okay last season. We finished tenth,
and hopefully we can build on that next year and in the coming years. "I
think Sam knows he needs three or four players that can improve [the squad].
There are places where we can improve and that's where he'll be looking this
summer. "It's a process now of building ourselves in the Premier League and
improving every year. "There's a real stability around the Club - I don't
think Sam has ever struggled with his teams in the Premier League. He's done
a good job and I'm looking forward to the next couple of years."

Devonshire, who played 448 games for the Club in the 1970s and 80s, is now
manager of Braintree Town, who also enjoyed a successful 2012/13 campaign.
He explained: "We did great. We finished ninth in the Conference and we did
the double over Luton and beat sides at our place when they were top of the
league. "A lot of credit goes to the players for a fantastic year, they've
done ever so well. "Realistically, Braintree's aim is staying in the league
until we get a new ground. That's the ideal situation."

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West Ham close to getting Andy Carroll decision
Last Updated: June 16, 2013 2:02pm
SSN

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed Andy Carroll is just
days away from giving his answer on a £100,000-a-week permanent move to
Upton Park. Both Allardyce and Carroll are currently abroad on holiday but
the striker is expected to sign a six-year deal worth more than £15m when he
returns. The 24-year-old England international spent last season on loan
with the Hammers from parent club Liverpool, who will not only lose £20m on
the player they bought from Newcastle United in January 2011, but also hand
him a £2m 'golden goodbye' payment because he did not request a transfer.
"We are both out of the country but most of the negotiations are done and
the financial agreement between us and Liverpool is in place," Allardyce
told the Sunday People. "It's about communicating with Andy and his agent
between London, here in Spain where I am and Florida where Andy is. "I've no
real need to speak to him over his decision. I've spoken to him enough times
so he knows what I think and it's up to him. "He's back in the next few days
so we should have a definitive answer by the end of next week."

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Carroll's big test
By SHAUN CUSTIS
Last Updated: 17th June 2013
The Sun

ANDY CARROLL is facing the biggest test of his career this week — the West
Ham medical. The England striker is set to make a £16million move from
Liverpool and his £100,000-a-week wages on a six-year contract make the deal
worth around £47m. The Hammers are desperate to land Carroll, 24, but want
to ensure the big Geordie has no long-term medical issues. Carroll has a
worrying injury history — with thigh, hamstring, knee and heel problems — so
he will face the most stringent medical the club has ever performed. A
Hammers source said: "The club really wants Andy but the medical needs to be
a tough one.
"When he joined on loan he only got a relatively quick check-up. This time
it will be different. "This is a huge deal for West Ham and one which
represents a real commitment by the club."

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Three reasons why Demba Ba should return to West Ham United
by Vincent Ralph
@VincentRalph1
Here Is The City

Following reports that West Ham are interested in re-signing the Chelsea
striker, Vincent Ralph suggests three reasons why it would be the right
move. Reports last week suggested West Ham were keen to bring Demba Ba back
to the club, as one half of a new-look strike-force with Andy Carroll.
Around the same time, the Chelsea striker's agent went on record to say Ba
wished to remain at Stamford Bridge, that he was prepared to fight for his
place in a forward-line that may – by the time the season starts – look
markedly different from the one that ended the last campaign. But the
28-year-old could do well to reconsider his options in light of Chelsea's
transfer dealings and Sam Allardyce's apparent interest.

Here are three reasons why:

IOU

It could be argued that footballers don't owe their former clubs anything.
It is after all a job, a business, and players move as regularly as any
other "product". And yet Ba's transfer to Upton Park in 2011 was if not a
leap of faith, certainly a bit of a jump. Following his failed medical at
Stoke City that saw the move collapse, West Ham signed the striker on a
three-year pay-as-you-play deal.

Following their relegation from the Premier League a release-clause saw Ba
move on. But he should remember that the Hammers took a risk when no one
else would.

Even before his move to the Britannia Stadium fell through, he had failed a
previous medical when Hoffenheim tried to sell him to Stuttgart. That West
Ham saw his potential and took a chance should mean something.

Competition for places is about to get a lot harder

With Ba and Fernando Torres Chelsea's only recognised (or in the Spaniard's
case barely-recognised) strikers last season, the Senegal striker got plenty
of game time following his January move from Newcastle. But with the return
of the blossoming Romelu Lukaku, the signing of Andre Schurrle, and the
almost certain arrival of at least one new out-and-out frontman, Ba's record
of just two league goals in 14 appearances for the Blues may grant him a
place on the bench at best.

At West Ham, he would start every game for which he was available. And
should Andy Carroll ultimately arrive in a much-mooted but not yet accepted
£15million deal, he would benefit considerably from the England
international's presence and specific set of skills.

The World Cup

Perhaps it shouldn't be a factor in itself, but how many times have you
heard of players moving in an attempt to secure a place in a World Cup
squad? To be honest, Ba is likely to go to Brazil regardless of the club he
plays for, so important is he to Senegal. But should they qualify, Ba would
be of far more use to them off the back of a prolific season than one spent
predominantly on the bench.

The 28-year-old has shown what he can do when given a run of games, most
emphatically during his outstanding spell at St James' Park.

With the quality of signings linked with West Ham this summer, Ba could
repeat and possibly even exceed those feats.

Given his age, he will want to be playing all the time. And while for now he
may believe he can convince Jose Mourinho to give him a chance, should Hulk
or Edinson Cavani arrive as has been much reported, Ba's time could be just
about up.

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