Daily WHUFC News - 13th January 2014

Macca on Monday
WHUFC.com
Neil McDonald believes the unity at West Ham United helped secure the vital
win at Cardiff City
12.01.2014

Neil McDonald hailed the strength of character across every level at West
Ham United following Saturday's crucial 2-0 win at Cardiff City. The West
Ham United manager was delighted to see all sections of the Club play their
part in the win that lifted the Hammers out of the bottom three of the
Barclays Premier League. McDonald insisted the unwavering support of the
travelling claret and blue army, a visit to the dressing from Joint-Chairman
David Gold before and after the game and the presence of suspended club
captain Kevin Nolan on the touchline showed the unity helped bring create a
unified front that secured the Hammers's first win of 2014. "The owners have
shown over the past week that the team spirit is there and they're fighting
for the manager and the manager is the right person for this football club,"
McDonald said. "Mr Gold always comes down to the dressing room and it's
always great to see him. He was a happy man on Saturday night. If we don't
win then he tries to pick the guys up and if we do he enjoys the craic with
the lads. I'm sure he was very happy on Saturday night. "Kevin is the club
captain and he said he wanted to come. We also brought James Collins with us
and they came and supported their team-mates, which is absolutely brilliant.
"It shows that everyone is battling together and trying to do the right
thing."

'Macca', as he is more commonly known at Chadwell Heath, admitted the
coaching staff faced a challenge to pick the players up following two heavy
cup defeats at the start of the week. But with special, light-hearted
training sessions on Thursday and some open and frank discussions, the
players responded in perfect fashion in Wales, with a battling display that
saw Big Sam's side leapfrog their hosts in the table. "When we came in on
Thursday they were feeling a bit sorry for themselves but they came in and
did some jovial stuff with the ball. The manager changed the team a touch to
give it fresh legs. He rested one or two and it gave everyone else a lift.
They are still focused and it shows they are up for the fight and we're back
on track in the league. We've got three points, kept a clean sheet and moved
out of the bottom three. "It's always good to beat teams in and around you
and it's the first 'double' we've completed since we came back to the
Premier League. We've seemed to have a strangle hold over Cardiff for the
last few games we've played and we were full of confidence coming in to the
match. We nullified their strengths and weaknesses and put the ball in the
back of the net, which is a big improvement."

The return of record-signing Andy Carroll to the matchday squad appeared to
give everyone a huge lift as the travelling support welcomed the England
international back by repeatedly singing his name. He came on to replace
opening goalscorer Carlton Cole, who had led line the brilliantly, in the
72nd minute and quickly made his mark on the game by setting up captain Mark
Noble to slot the ball home for the killer second goal. "We were down in the
numbers; especially the defensive side and we've had to play people out of
position. That's very difficult against a top team - you need your best
players against them. We had a couple back on Saturday, even though James
Tomkins was sent off, we have got Andy Carroll back, Ricardo Vaz Te played a
development squad game on Friday and we're hoping that we've got a few more
coming back. Hopefully that will make our team a lot stronger. "We've got to
build Andy's match fitness up but be careful not to push him too far or too
fast. I don't think we're concerned about his foot injury and we've just go
to make sure he doesn't get another injury. It was good to see him coming on
for 20 minutes and making an impact. "We have got a behind closed door match
planned so he can play alongside Ricardo Vaz Te and James Collins might be
involved as well. It just keeps them ticking over and I can't wait to see
them all back on the pitch together."

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Nobes leading by example
WHUFC.com
Captain-for-the-day Mark Noble was happy to reward the Hammers fans with a
win
12.01.2014

Mark Noble paid tribute to the West Ham United fans who travelled over land
to get behind the team during the crucial 2-0 win at Cardiff City on
Saturday.
After two difficult results in the cup to start off the week, Noble
captained the Hammers to a fine win in Wales to sign it off in style. He
capped off an impressive individual performance with the decisive second
goal in the 93rd minute, before going to show his appreciation for the
jubilant claret and blue army after the final whistle. "With Kev out I was
the captain and I have to lead by example," Noble said: "Getting a goal and
getting the three points with ten men for 25 minutes away from home is tough
to do. I'm happy and it's nice to give the fans something back. They've paid
a lot of money over the past two weeks with the away games we've had and we
went home on a much happier coach. "The lads dug in together and to get the
goal and hold on was superb. Cardiff came at us and put us under pressure
and it was attack versus defence. In the 93rd minute I managed to get the
ball in the box and luckily enough I slotted it away."
At the relatively young age of 26, Noble clearly relishes being the Hammers'
longest-serving player, after coming through the Club's Academy as a
youngster. Like the all Hammers fans, he has been through the highs and lows
as a player and believes that the only way to ride out tough times is to
keep a unified front, from the top to bottom of the Club. "It's been tough,
but I've been at West Ham and I'm pretty used to it! It goes over my head
but the players coming over have never experienced it before and it's been
tough for them. "We've stuck together as a Club and it was big that the
Chairman came out and backed the gaffer and stayed behind him. As a result
we have gone to a tough place with a new manager and come away with three
points."

Like everyone connected to the Club, the main concern for Noble after the
game was to ensure that full-back Guy Demel was in good health following a
sickening collision with fellow defender Roger Johnson in the early stages
of the game. The Ivory Coast international needed nearly ten minutes of
treatment on the pitch before being stretchered off and taken to hospital,
where he remained overnight for observation as a precaution. "It was tough
and I did not realise how bad the injury was initially so all our thoughts
are with him. We actually started quite well and put them under pressure and
had a few corners and a few chances and the stoppage broke the play up. We
had to get back going and we managed to score a goal and the rest is
history."

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Dylan relishing international return
WHUFC.com
Dylan Tombides returns to Australia duty at the AFC U22 Championship finals
in Oman this week
12.01.2014

Dylan Tombides will make an emotional return to international action with
Australia this week. Two-and-a-half years after being diagnosed with
testicular cancer while in action for his country at the 2011 FIFA U-17
World Cup finals, the West Ham United forward will be on AFC U22
Championship duty in Oman.
Australia kicked-off their Group C campaign with a 1-0 win over Kuwait on
Sunday before returning to the Oman Police Stadium to face Iran on Tuesday
and Japan on Thursday. Should they finish in the top two in their group,
Aurelio Vidmar's squad will reach the quarter-finals. Tombides, 19, is
naturally excited about pulling on an Australia again. "It's a massive
honour," he confirmed to West Ham TV. "It's been a long time since I pulled
the green and gold shirt on so I'm thrilled and looking forward to it
massively. "It's a big tournament for Australia. I spoke to the manager
about it and it's looking forward to the 2016 Olympic Games, so he has
talked to me about that. This is the lead-up to that and the squad is a
group of boys looking to be involved in the Olympics, so it's fantastic to
be there. "I'm looking forward to it. We have had pre-season trips to Dubai
with West Ham and the teams we met out there were always quick and lively,
so I'm expecting them to be similar. It'll be a good competition."

For Tombides, a return to international duty is especially pertinent
considering it was during a random drug test following a FIFA U-17 World Cup
fixture in Mexico that his illness was initially spotted. The treatment the
striker received following its discovery saved his life. "It'll be very
emotional. It's good to be back in the frame of things after two years or so
when I haven't put an Australian top on. At the time, I wouldn't think [a
return] would be possible, so I'm thrilled to be back."

While Tombides is looking forward to his return to international duty, he
can also look back proudly on an encouraging opening half of the 2013/14
season at West Ham. "It's been a very eventful season. I've had my ups and
downs, not that I couldn't get in the team, but that my health kept me out
of the team. My health obviously comes first, but when the opportunity comes
to play, I want to be there."

Away from the pitch, Tombides has also got himself involved in raising
awareness of male cancer, attending a number of fundraising events. In
November, he was invited to the 'One For The Boys' dinner for Cancer
Awareness at Harrods by host and Hollywood film star Samuel L. Jackson. "He
hosted a private event at Harrods for the 'One For The Boys' charity which
was a great night," said Tombides. "We had the chef Michael Caines cook for
us and the food was amazing. Samuel L. Jackson was a lovely genuine bloke
and it was a fun night. "Peter Andre was there as well. I'd already met him
at an event at Stratford and being Australian we had a bit in common and got
chatting away! It was a fantastic night and I loved it."

Finally, when asked for his hopes for 2014, Tombides gave a simple, honest
and moving response. "My health. I'd take health any day of the week. I want
to get back to my usual self again. Football, health and living are
important to me and I don't want to see anyone struggle through any
illnesses. I know what it's like to go through that so I wish everyone a
healthy 2014."

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'That was a win that we needed'
WHUFC.com
Carlton Cole was delighted to score again as West Ham United won 2-0 at
Cardiff City on Saturday
12.01.2014

Carlton Cole's commitment and determination were there for all to see in
West Ham United's 2-0 Barclays Premier League victory at Cardiff City on
Saturday.
The striker bagged his fourth goal since returning to the Club on a
short-term contract to set the Hammers on course for a confidence-boosting
victory. While everyone could marvel over the accuracy of Cole's first-half
finish at the end of a sweeping move involving Matt Taylor and Matt Jarvis,
what fans will not know is that the striker played for half-an-hour with a
stiff neck! "Obviously that was a win that we needed to get and both before
and after my goal we defended well, bedded in and it gave us the platform to
go on and win the game," said the No24. "It was important that we kept a
clean sheet because it meant that we would get something from the game,
especially away from home. We needed to get at least a point, so the three
points were exactly what was required. That was a real boost for us. "In the
first half, my neck was gone! I had a spasm so I put in a shift as best I
could after the goal, really, and I was determined to carry on until the
manager was ready to make a change. "That's the whole point of a squad. You
need all your players to be ready to go on the field and any time and make
an impact. I have scored a few goals now this season and it shows the value
of having a good squad and good morale as well.
"If you're not starting, you can't sulk because when you get in, you can't
let the boys down. That's what the changes did, because everyone who came on
did their jobs for the team."

Cole said Saturday's victory showed that the spirit among the players and
staff remains strong, despite the shock of two heavy cup defeats in recent
days.
"At the end of the day, if you read the newspapers, the media will always
paint a bad picture of what is going on in the camp if results are not good.
"We already know what is going on in our camp, so we don't need anyone else
to tell us from outside. We're OK and we knew, if we got games like this,
things could come together. "We scored at the right time, defended
resiliently and I am happy for the boys."

Always a popular figure among the Claret and Blue Army, Cole joined his
team-mates in thanking the 2,000-odd supporters who made their way to
Cardiff at the end of a difficult week. The striker said the victory, capped
by Mark Noble's added-time clincher, was for those loyal, loud and proud
fans. "The fans are massive for us. They travelled to Cardiff and deserved
to get something out of the game. They were telling us that recent results
weren't good enough and we know that. "We conceded eleven goals in two
games, but we knew our main focus was the Premier League because that's our
bread and butter. We were riled up for the game, put in a good performance
and got the job done in the end."

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Burke rues Baggies defeat
WHUFC.com
Reece Burke felt the Development Squad were far from their best after defeat
on Friday night
12.01.2014

Reece Burke felt the Development Squad were under-par in their defeat
against West Bromwich Albion at Rush Green on Friday night. It was not the
ideal start to 2014 for the Under-21s, who resumed Barclays U21 Premier
League action after not having played a league game since November 2013. The
game was Burke's second U21 appearance of the week after he played in the
U21 Premier League Cup defeat to Chelsea on Monday and the defender felt the
team were well below what they expect of themselves. He told West Ham TV:
"Normally in the U21s we can put in decent performances and normally we can
do better than we did today. "It's a shame that it got away but it's
something we've got to learn from. In the next game we've got to come out
and show people what we've got. "People are saying that we aren't that good
at the moment due to the performance against Forest and obviously it wasn't
a very good performance there."

The 17-year-old has experienced a meteoric rise recently, being plucked from
Steve Potts' U18s and handed his professional debut for the Club. Burke was
a surprise inclusion for the FA Cup with Budweiser third round tie and came
off the bench to replace Alou Diarra after 55 minutes. The defender was
delighted to make his first senior appearance for West Ham whilst admitting
he felt he could have played better. "When I came on against Forest, to be
honest with you, I didn't think I did that well. After the Forest game I
played an U21 game against Chelsea and that picked me back up and today
helped as well. I've just got to learn from it and get back to how I play.
"I knew about two days before. You've got to prepare as if you're going to
come on but it was something which I didn't expect and obviously I'm very
happy that I did come on."

He added: "You're buzzing. You hear all the crowd and you just want to come
on, I just wish I'd played well to be fair. It was a great experience for me
and it can only make me a better player." After his first taste of
professional football, the tall defender is looking forward to continuing
his progress with whichever team he is picked to play for. Burke has been a
key component of the U18s this season but has begun to feature regularly for
Nick Haycocks U21s and says he is aiming to stay at that level. "It's where
I want to be. Youth team football is my age but playing for the U21s is a
better experience with better players that will help me develop more."

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West Ham's Guy Demel released from hospital after head injury
BBC.co.uk

West Ham defender Guy Demel has been released from hospital after suffering
a head injury during Saturday's 2-0 win away at Cardiff. Demel, 32, required
oxygen as he left on a stretcher after falling awkwardly following what
seemed an innocuous collision with City's Fraizer Campbell. The Ivory Coast
international suffered concussion and was unconscious for several minutes. A
red card for fit-again James Tomkins added to West Ham's defensive problems.
Tomkins, who was back in the starting XI having missed the previous three
games through injury, received two yellow cards and will be suspended for
one match. Sam Allardyce is also without injured central defensive duo
Winston Reid and James Collins. Prior to Saturday's 1-0 league win, West Ham
had conceded 11 goals in the previous two matches.

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There's only one Mark Noble
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 13th January 2014
By: Paul Walker

We haven't had too many days to remember this season - apart from every time
we play Spurs - so Saturday's outstanding performance at Cardiff will live
long in the memory.

Mainly because it was so unexpected after the harrowing week Big Sam and the
boys (plus the infants) have forced us to endure.

And a few myths were put to rest. Had Sam lost the dressing room..no..were
we unfit…no…had the team spirit gone..no….do the players still want to play
for the manager, seemingly yes.

A week of media overdrive regarding when, not if, Sam would be sacked, was
the backdrop. Plus our impending financial meltdown if we do go down.

But we all know that there is no chance of Sam being axed now. At the
station on the way home I bumped into an old mate, Gary Jacob of the Times,
who always writes some decent stuff on the Irons.

He said that the Davids had never had any intention to sack Sam, they
couldn't find a better alternative and were just looking for some glimmer of
light in the current crisis to move on and back their manager.

And the way they both did interviews in the car pack at Cardiff said
everything about them, they may not always be right but they could easily
have hidden themselves away.

Now a couple of weeks ago I wrote a piece begging for strong management, and
I admit I could not see it coming from the current management and board, so
bad had things got.

But what we have had, may not be the outcome of strong management many had
hoped, but the Davids have shown strength to hold their nerves and to
strongly back their man. Sam, too, has pulled the squad together. That's
strong management.

I noticed that Ravel Morrison was not even on the bench in Cardiff, having
been so for the defeat by Manchester City at the Etihad. Sam said something
after that to try to explain why he felt the team were backing him by
suggesting there is always one or two disgruntled players who will rock the
boat.

The non-stop briefings about Morrison's future by his entourage could easily
have been what Sam was talking about. It struck me that Morrison has never
played in a poor side in his life, so sheltered a life has he led in
Manchester schools football and at Old Trafford. Now he seems not to know
how to handle it apart from sulking.

In his absence on Saturday, the spirit looked so much better. The clips of
video showing our players being congratulated by Nolan and James Collins in
the tunnel after the game said everything about our spirit. I suppose I just
needed to see it first hand.

It must be said though that the 2-0 win in Cardiff was only the first brick
in the wall of our recovery. There is Newcastle and Chelsea next, so there
is every chance the vultures will be hovering again soon. We need to produce
a long, consistent run now to get ourselves away from the bottom, otherwise
the all-round effort, battling and character shown at Cardiff will be
wasted.

But for now, just enjoy the moment, as the 2,000 plus of us singing away in
the away section did.

All the lads on the pitch deserved credit, in particular Adrian, Jack
Collison and Matt Taylor. And that is more than can be said for the abject
displays at Nottingham Forest and Manchester City. It is hard to remember a
week where so many of us have been shaken to the core by what we have
witnessed, and with me approaching pension age in March, I have seen some
rubbish at West Ham!

I don't want to make light of what happened at City, but I never really
believed our players were not trying. They were at a low ebb confidence
wise, easily deflated, over run and out played, by a wonderful City side.
They just couldn't cope with world-class players. More backbone, certainly,
was needed and Sam did at least achieve that at Cardiff.

But one person stood out head and shoulders above the rest; Mark Noble take
a bow. He's always been my favourite of the modern era, if he wasn't playing
he'd probably be sitting with the rest of us in the Bobby Moore Lower.

Installed as captain while Kevin Nolan takes his ever-extending winter
break, Noble was stunning. Covering for everyone, all over the pitch,
leading by example and when his lungs must have been bursting he managed to
get out of defence in those final seconds to take Andy Carroll's pass and
bury the Welsh club, right in front of the away support who were going
mental.

What is it about football that inspires people to cuddle and hug the fat,
tattooed guy next to you? (think I'll leave that one there.)

And too his credit, boring old Alan Hansen, surely now on borrowed time on
MotD, gave Noble full credit for his performance. I just hope Noble's
display can put an end to the nonsense and snipping he gets from some fans.
Noble cares, just like you and me, and it shows.

I got to Cardiff not only to see the team arrive, but to watch the pre-match
preparation (I know that will amuse my match-going mates at the Boleyn who
always want that extra pint and I always moan that we will miss the start).

But Saturday gave me the chance to watch body language and judge how the
squad are. You all, no doubt, witnessed Nolan and Joe Cole celebrating at
the end together on TV, and it showed they cared, too. Beforehand, Nolan was
heading into the ground laughing and joking with the players, doing the job
Sam clearly wants him to do.

And there was an interesting mini-session in the build-up which saw Matt
Jarvis, while most of the lads had disappeared to the dressing room, going
through a practice all of his own. Taking a pass on the wing, he ran,
jinked, and crossed in shadow boxing mood - no opposition obviously -
looking for the timing and accuracy that has not always been on show of
late.

He did it maybe two dozen times, and what do we get just before the break.
Noble to Matt Taylor, Taylor out to Jarvis and then first time into Carlton
Cole for the first goal. A small detail, maybe, but significant.

Also time, I feel, for a little praise for Roger Johnson, a player - with
respect - that none of us expect to see playing once the injury crisis ends
or a new defender arrives. We probably only turned to him in desperation
anyway, there has got to be a reason why you are bombed out by Wolves and
playing in the third tier for Sheffield Wednesday. Arriving pissed-up for
training probably didn't help his cause!

But the game before he joined us, he had been facing non-league strikers in
an FA Cup tie at Macclesfield, then he is thrown in at the very deepest end
and finds himself facing some of the best players in the world. Yaya Toure
to name just one. I was not surprised he was backing away so fast and almost
ended up standing in the away end with the rest of us!

But against mere mortals like Cardiff, he can at least get tackles in and
win the ball in the air. He was once a top defender at Birmingham (surely
that's how we happened upon him with our Gold/Sullivan/Brady Brummie
connection), and he might just rediscover that level, who knows?

He arrived after that embarrassing defeat at Forest, the perceptions of
which were made worse I am sure you all agree, by some really appalling ITV
coverage. Chubby Chiles, sneering evil Roy Keane and motor mouth Lee Dixon
were shocking, failing to even begin to understand why Sam did what he did.

My issue with Sam on that game is he threw in far too many kids all at once.
They coped, just, for an hour but in the end the pace and strength of a
Championship side overwhelmed them. But ITV were clearly so angry that their
flagship match had been reduced to a testimonial by Sam's team selection,
Keane and Dixon were in full flow.

Keane started to doubt the professionalism of our players, after also
slagging off Forest's Greg Halford for his time at Sunderland. Now this is
the same Keane who showed such great professionalism by walking out on his
country at the World Cup because he didn 't like the training camp, also the
same player who had too be bailed at the local nick by his own manager at
Manchester United after a late night escapade.

Also the same player who ended Alf Haarland's career with a wicked tackle.
And he is preaching too us?

Then there was Dixon, seemingly still locked into the dark ages of George
Graham's 4-4-2, who kept moaning about our three at the back. I am sure Sam
set it up that way with Alou Diarra there to try to protect Dan Potts and
Callum Driver. They also clearly didn't have any research on several of our
players, Reece Burke at just 17, was a mystery to them. That's being
unprofessional lads, when you are working in the media.

One good day in Cardiff does not wipe away the memory of what had happened
earlier in the month and season, but it is a start. Get Joleon Lescott in, a
couple of strikers and we could turn the corner. But as the away lot were
signing on Saturday, we are now winning abroad!

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Pellegrini: no Lescott deal
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 12th January 2014
By: Staff Writer

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has confirmed that Joleon Lescott
will not be allowed to leave on loan - yet. Speaking after their 2-1 win at
Newcastle this afternoon, the Chilean confirmed that the 30-year-old England
defender - who, it has been reported, has been offered a lucrative deal to
move to West Ham - will remain in Manchester for the forseeable future.

City, who are hoping to sign a new central defender this window and have
already seen a bid for Real Madrid's Pepe rejected, are unwilling to part
company with Lescott until a suitable replacement has been acquired.

"I am not talking about any loan at the moment," Pellegrini told reporters
after this afternoon's win on Tyneside. "When this transfer window is over
at the end of January, we will see what happens. At the moment, Joleon will
stay here with the team."

Lescott moved to Manchester in 2009 when City were also considering making a
bid for West Ham captain Matthew Upson, who was linked with a £15million
move.

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Demel leaves hospital
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 12th January 2014
By: Staff Writer

Guy Demel has been released from hospital following an overnight stay. West
Ham's right back was admitted to hospital yesterday afternoon after falling
awkwardly during the 2-0 win at Cardiff with the game just a matter of
minutes old. Initial reports suggested that he had sustained a broken elbow
and facial damage, however West Ham this morning confirmed that Demel was
kept in overnight as the result of concussion from a head injury and
released early today.
It is not know at this stage whether Demel - who received treatment on the
pitch in Cardiff for some ten minutes before being stretchered off - will be
passed fit to face Newcastle next week.

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Hammers in for two more
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 12th January 2014
By: Staff Writer

West Ham are being linked with moves for a central defender and a winger
this morning. Today's Telegraph runs with a story claiming that United have
agreed terms with Manchester City over the permanent transfer of Joleon
Lescott. Jason Burt reports that Lescott will be paid £90,000-per-week until
the end of the season with a three years contract worth £70,000-a-week to
follwo thereafter. However crucially the 31-year-old is yet to agree to the
move, although he is considered likely to leave the Etihad during the
current transfer window as his current contract expires in six months' time.
In other news, the coach of Levski Sofia, Antony Zdravkov, has claimed that
West Ham have made an approach for their 23-year-old winger winger Garry
Rodriguez. "An offer was received yesterday afternoon," Zdravkov told
Bulgarian medie. "He will undergo a medical in a team from the English
Premier League. This team is West Ham. Now everything depends on the player
and his agent."

Born in Rotterdam, the 5'8" Rodrigues is a pacy wide man who features at
international level for Cape Verde, the country where both his parents were
born. After failing to make the grade at Den Haag he spent a brief spell on
loan with Dordrecht before making a permanent switch to Sofia last February.

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West Ham's Guy Demel released from hospital after suffering concussion
Last Updated: 12/01/14 1:03pm
SSN

West Ham defender Guy Demel has been released from hospital after suffering
concussion during the 2-0 win at Cardiff. The right-back collided with
team-mate Roger Johnson and needed treatment with oxygen on the pitch before
being carried off on a stretcher wearing a neckbrace. The Ivory Coast
right-back subsequently spent Saturday night in hospital, before being
released on Sunday morning. Demel was also thought to have suffered a
suspected dislocated elbow as well as facial injuries to add to West Ham's
lengthy injury list. Assistant manager Neil McDonald said after the game:
"He has taken a bad knock on his head and he has gone to hospital so we are
just waiting on the doctor to come back to give us an idea on how he is, but
I am sure he is in good hands. "I think it showed we have got players who
put their body on the line which is great and we need to do that more often.
"And if we get a couple of injuries then it gives somebody else the chance
to come in and, as long as we stick together and work hard for each other,
then we will get our just rewards, just like we did today."

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Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini insists Joleon Lescott is not moving
to West Ham
Last Updated: 12/01/14 8:48pm
SSN

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has denied claims that defender
Joleon Lescott will move to West Ham on loan. Reports on Sunday suggested
Hammers manager Sam Allardyce was on the brink of striking a deal with City
to land the England defender until the end of the season. Speaking after his
team's 2-0 victory at Newcastle, Pellegrini insisted Lescott would be
staying at City. When asked if the 31-year-old was joining West Ham on loan,
Pellegrini said: "No, no. I am not talking about any loan at the moment. "I
repeat, when this transfer window is over at the end of January, we will see
what happens. At the moment, Joleon will stay here with the team." Lescott,
who moved to City from Everton in 2009 for £22million, has played 15 times
under Pellegrini this season.

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West Ham won't sack Sam Allardyce this season vows David Gold despite
relegation battle
Jan 12, 2014 22:31 By Darren Lewis 0 Comments
The Mirror

Sam Allardyce has been assured he will be West Ham manager for the rest of
the season - AND that the club are ready to spend money to get out of
relegation trouble, with Joleon Lescott having agreed a move from Manchester
City. Allardyce steered the injury-hit Hammers to an impressive 2-0 win at
Cardiff on Saturday, their first in the Premier League since November. When
asked whether Big Sam would remain in charge going into the summer, club
chairman David Gold said: "Absolutely. "Listen, you can never say never
about anything but what I would say to you is that our judgement is that Sam
is the man that we brought in. He has done everything we have asked of him."

Club record-signing England striker Andy Carroll also returned from a
six-month injury lay-off to set up the clinching goal at Cardiff and bring
the feel-good factor back to Upton Park. West Ham are now poised to tie up a
lucrative £90,000-a-week loan deal for defender Lescott - with an option for
another three years if the club stay up. They are also set to hijack Hull's
£6.5million move for Everton striker Nikica Jelavic to boost their striking
options, and are still talking to Carlton Cole in a bid to prevent
Saturday's goal hero leaving when his short-term contract expires after next
weekend's match against Newcastle.

Gold, meanwhile, believes the club's backing for Allardyce has been
vindicated, and insisted they were not frightened out of sacking him by a
potential £4m compensation claim. Gold said: "Compensation in football
terms, that is what you do. You meet your compensation. That is not the
reason [we haven't sacked him]. The reason is that we believed in the man
who got us promoted and got us to tenth position last season. He is the man
who brought in the players.
"Unfortunately, and forgive me for reiterating it, he is the man who brought
in a centre forward [Carroll] who unfortunately had a bizarre injury that
lasted six months. "Well he is back. Although the ball at times looked like
a bar of soap, it was wonderful to see him and he made the goal. That is
what great players do." Gold also insisted he and partner David Sullivan
remained loyal to Big Sam because they could see that he hadn't lost the
dressing room. "At the moment, there is a groundswell of anti-Sam feeling,
but I think its 50-50," he went on. "If its 50-50, the casting vote is with
the board and that's the bottom line. The bottom line is that the board is
going to make the decision. If you believe that the manager has lost the
dressing room that's a different matter. "But I'm a chairman that goes to
the training ground every week. I see the players. I see the players before
the kick-off of every game. And I've been around the business for 24 years.
Its not like I've been chairman for a few months. "I've got to say that they
are 100 per cent behind Sam. They work for him. Of course, the victory today
[Saturday] was so important because morale is a big issue. "We are in the
bottom three, heads are down, everything is going wrong for us, we get a
player sent off, we don't get penalties, the opposition do, the season has
been a very difficult one. "The manager - I'm sure he would agree - has had
a lot of misfortune, a lot of poor luck."

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West Ham's Andy Carroll is finally back - just in time to face hometown club
Newcastle
Jan 12, 2014 22:30 By Darren Lewis 0 Comments
The Mirror
Michael Steele

His team-mates were still savouring victory in Cardiff, but Andy Carroll was
looking ahead to Newcastle next week. The big Geordie had made his first
appearance for West Ham since the end of last season, and since he made his
loan from Liverpool permanent in the summer. He came on as substitute and
set up Mark Noble's stoppage-time goal, the Hammers' second, to secure the
points and take the club out of the bottom three. All the headlines
wondering when he would make his return after signing permanently for a club
record-breaking £15.5million last summer are over. The England striker,
however, was thinking about the club that sold him for that incredible
£35million fee three years ago. Carroll said: "The next game is Newcastle
and hopefully I get a few more minutes against them and we get a win there
too. Yes, of course it is nostalgic. They are my home town and I am just
looking forward to it really, it could have been anyone. "I am just over
the moon about the game coming up as I have been out for too long, so it is
fantastic to be back."

Hammers chairman David Gold joked afterwards: "I thought he treated the ball
a bit like a bar of soap. He couldn't hang on to it! But we're happy. You
could see that he lifted the fans, he lifted the team. Everybody was so
pleased to see him on the pitch and it was a nice pass to Mark Noble, who
finished and took all the pressure off us."

Carroll agreed, adding: "I did OK after a few dodgy touches! I needed the
pass for the goal to forget about them! It was a fantastic feeling being out
there.
"It has been a bit frustrating and terrible for us. Coming back, I can
forget about all of that and just think about football. I can't stand being
on the sidelines. It drives me crazy. "I tried my best to get back to be
fit. It was prolonged with other things and I got injured again. So it was
disappointing but I am back now so I am concentrating on getting match fit."

The win – West Ham's first in the league since November 30 – was not without
its setbacks. Centre-back James Tomkins was sent off for two bookable
offences and right-back Guy Demel was carried off with a nasty-looking head
injury early on. Demel was on the floor for around eight minutes after
colliding with team-mate Roger Johnson as they challenged Fraizer Campbell
for a high ball and needed oxygen and a neck brace before eventually being
taken to hospital.

Gold tweeted afterwards: "Demel suffered concussion and was unconscious for
several minutes. He will remain overnight in hospital."

Carlton Cole scored after 42 minutes from close range to put West Ham ahead
after Kim Bo-Kyung had hit the bar with a deflected effort. Hammers keeper
Adrian pulled off a superb save to keep out Campbell in the second half and
preserve his side's lead. Then came the introduction of Carroll, whose ball
in from the right set Noble free to rifle home under the body of David
Marshall. Cardiff, in their first home game under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, look
a side in need of surgery. It is no surprise that the Norwegian wants
Wilfried Zaha on loan from his old club Manchester United. But Zaha needs to
be the first of many signings, with their quality seriously lacking. In
contrast, this win was totally deserved by the Hammers, who have ludicrously
taken flak for standing by Allardyce.
English football needs to decide what it wants. Jeremy Peace at West Brom is
called trigger-happy when he sacks Steve Clarke. Ditto, Daniel Levy at
Spurs.
Then Gold and David Sullivan back their manager and are called clueless.
Midfielder Jack Collison paid tribute to Allardyce. He said: "He's been in
the game a long time. He has been magnificent. It's up to us to build on
this three points."

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West Ham United fan tells owners David Gold and David Sullivan to 'name
their price' in online petition
Jan 12, 2014 15:19 By Liam Prenderville 1 Comments
The Mirror

Hammers fan Andy Payne has set up the campaign after becoming increasingly
frustrated with the current state of affairs at Upton Park

A West Ham United supporter has urged the club's owners to sell up - by
launching an online petition. The Hammers are 17th in the Premier League
table, just a point ahead of bottom-placed Crystal Palace after a
disappointing first half of the season. Yesterday's 2-0 win over Cardiff
appeared to lift some of the pressure on boss Sam Allardyce but the club's
supporters have made clear who they want to step aside - owners David Gold
and David Sullivan. The man behind the movement is Andy Payne - who has
outlined his mission for the club to become a fan-owned outfit - via his
petition page at change.org. His statement read: "West Ham United are an
English professional football club with a proud history and many fans who go
back generations. "The club faces relegation from the Premier League but
worse than that, it requires a new direction. A change of ownership is
needed and the owners should be given the option to sell the club for the
price that they name." Payne goes on to identify clubs in Germany, Sweden
and Turkey who have shown how successful such ownership can be - whilst also
paying tribute AFC Wimbledon and Portsmouth for the steps they have taken in
recent years. And while Gold and Sullivan are not expected to sell up any
time soon, the Hammers' supporter has clearly outlined his attentions. He
continued: "To the owners of West Ham United, we ask you to name your price
and we will then run a 90-day campaign to crowdfund that asking price, and
place West Ham United in the hands of football fan ownership. The duo have
recently pledged their support to under-fire Allardyce but are unlikely to
respond positively to this latest attempt.

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