Daily WHUFC News - 16th January 2014

Cole signs new 18-month deal
WHUFC.com
Centre forward Carlton Cole has signed a new 18-month contract with West Ham
United
15.01.2014

West Ham United are delighted to confirm that Carlton Cole has signed a new
18-month contract with the Club. The England centre forward has been in fine
form since re-joining the Hammers on a short-term contract in October 2013,
scoring four Barclays Premier League goals in eleven appearances. In all
Cole, who also spent seven seasons at the Club between August 2006 and last
May, has scored 63 goals in 251 games in Claret and Blue. Cole's impressive
performances this term have been rewarded with a new deal and the striker is
now set to play an important role for the Hammers during the second half of
the season and beyond. A real fans' favourite, the 30-year-old ranks
joint-16th on the list West Ham's all-time leading goalscorers, tied with
1920s favourite Vivian Gibbins and ahead of the likes of Frank McAvennie,
Stan Earle and Paolo Di Canio.

A powerful presence, Cole initially joined West Ham from Chelsea in July
2006, scoring with his first touch on his debut in a 3-1 home Premier League
win over Charlton Athletic the following month. After two seasons on the
fringe of the starting XI, Cole became a central figure for the Hammers
during the 2008/09 campaign, during which he netted 12 goals in all
competitions. Cole would finish as West Ham's leading goalscorer in four
straight seasons between 2008/09 and 2011/12. Cole's form saw the one-time
England U19, U20 and U21 international earn a senior debut against Spain in
February 2009. He now has seven senior caps to his name.

The most-famous of Cole's West Ham strikes came at Wembley in May 2012, when
his first-half goal put Sam Allardyce's side on the way to a 2-1
Championship Play-Off final victory over Blackpool and promotion back to the
Premier League. Following his return to the Boleyn Ground earlier this
season, Cole has netted four times in just four starts and seven substitute
appearances, scoring in vital Barclays Premier League wins at home to Fulham
and away at Cardiff City. Prior to his initial spell with West Ham, Cole
began his career with Chelsea, making his first-team debut for Chelsea in a
3-0 home Premier League win over Everton on 6 April 2002. He scored his
first senior goal on his first Chelsea start in a 2-0 Premier League win at
Middlesbrough three weeks later.
Cole totalled 35 appearances and eight goals during five years at Stamford
Bridge, while also enjoying loan spells with Championship side Wolverhampton
Wanderers and Premier League sides Charlton and Aston Villa.

Away from the pitch, Cole has long supported community and charitable
causes, while he is also a talented DJ. The Official Website and West Ham TV
will have exclusive reaction from Carlton on Wednesday afternoon.

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The Big Interview - Andy Carroll
WHUFC.com
Andy Carroll reflects on his return from injury and looks ahead to a big
weekend
15.01.2014

It has been a long, hard road back to fitness for West Ham United striker
Andy Carroll. The 25-year-old striker, who joined the Club on a permanent
basis last summer following a successful 2012/13 season spent on loan from
Liverpool, was made to wait for his second Hammers' debut by a foot problem.
Having now made his seasonal bow, coming on as a substitute for Carlton Cole
with 18 minutes of Saturday's 2-0 Barclays Premier League victory over
Cardiff City remaining, the big Geordie is keen to press on. West Ham take
on Carroll's hometown club Newcastle United at the Boleyn Ground next, with
the No9 looking to help push the Hammers futher up the table.

Andy, Saturday was your first appearance of the season due to injury. How
frustrating has it been to spend that long on the sidelines?

AC: "It has been a massive nightmare to be honest. I went off to Belgium and
then to Holland, to fix it [the injury] but now I am feeling really good and
all I want to do is play football. "I just want to forget about the past
months with the injury and just look forward to playing more football for
West Ham."

How hard has it been to watch on as the team struggled for form in the first
part of the season?

AC: "It has been a bit frustrating, and terrible for us obviously. Coming
back I can just 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
try and get back to be fit. It was prolonged and I got injured again. So it
was disappointing but I am back now so I am concentrating on getting match
fit. It was really fantastic to be back out there on Saturday."

You've been at the Club for a year-and-a-half now, so you know more than
most about the team spirit here. Was the win on Saturday evidence that the
players are committed to turning the season around?

AC: "I just think that the lads have been working hard as ever. We have had
our chances and not taken them and it has not run for us. We have to just
forget about everything and look forward now. "I think everyone could see
the commitment of the lads, everyone is training hard and you could see the
reaction of what the win meant for all of us, the lads on the pitch, those
who didn't play and the staff. "It also showed in that we kept going after
Guy [Demel] went off injured and then we were down to ten men when Tonka
[James Tomkins] was sent off. But we held it together and got the second
goal and the win got us out of the bottom three which was a big boost for
us."

Next up is a home game against your old club, Newcastle United. How much are
you looking forward to that one?

AC: "Hopefully I get a few more minutes against them and we get a win this
Saturday too. Yes of course it is nostalgic for me, it is my home town but I
am just looking forward to it really, to play again. "I am just over the
moon about a game coming up as I have been out for too long, so it is
fantastic to be back."

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'I want to help the team push on'
WHUFC.com
Carlton Cole put pen-to-paper on a new deal with the Club today and has told
of his delight at doing so
15.01.2014

Carlton Cole has expressed his delight after signing a new contract which
will keep him at West Ham United until summer 2015. The contract is reward
for the striker whose performances since he re-joined the Club in October
2013 have seen him net four Barclays Premier League goals in eleven
appearances. Cole has worked hard to regain full match fitness since
returning to play for Sam Allardyce and the fans' favourite believes his
efforts have paid dividends. He told West Ham TV: "I'm really happy. I've
worked hard to get to the position I'm in right now. The manager asked me to
come back in the summer and I've worked hard to get my match fitness and
I've scored a few goals whilst doing that. "My main aim was to get back fit,
play some games and put myself about making sure that I had a future here.
That's what I've done and the Club's rewarded me. I can't thank them enough.
Now I just want to help the team push on and get further up the table."

In all, Cole has played 251 games in Claret and Blue, notching himself 63
goals and picking up seven England caps along the way. The 30-year-old says
he always knew he could contribute after returning to east London and is
thankful for the opportunity to do so. "I've always believed that I can
score goals and that's the main thing as a striker, you want to score goals
and help the team win. That's what I'm here to do and hopefully I'll get
more chances to do that."

The forward helped the Hammers pick up a morale boosting win over Cardiff
City at the weekend, a result which moved the Club out of the relegation
zone on goal difference. Cole swept home the first goal against the
Bluebirds, a goal which took his tally to four for the season and meant he
has already doubled his haul from last season. Whilst choosing to keep
personal targets to himself, the No24 has his eyes firmly set on keeping
West Ham in the Premier League after putting pen-to-paper on his new deal.
"I've never said that I've got targets but I have my own targets in my head.
Hopefully I can get to where I want to get to. First and foremost it's all
about Premier League survival, we're down there fighting it out and we just
need to stay up and then work from there next season. "Cardiff was a
must-win game for us. They're down there with us as well so we needed to
stamp our authority over the teams that are in our position.
"It was always going to be a hard game going to Cardiff but now we're in a
better position than we were when we went there. Now we've got to focus on
getting higher up the table."

The challenge for Cole and his teammates now is to achieve back-to-back wins
for the first time since the Hammers were promoted back to the top-flight in
2012, a fact which the frontman is well aware of. "The manager knows that's
a big fault of ours. We're at home in the next game and we want to get a
home win to go with our away win and make it back-to-back wins. "The manager
knows what we need to do and hopefully we'll go out there, fight and get the
result. Any result that comes our way at the minute is what we need."

Saturday's visitors to the Boleyn Ground, Newcastle United, are on a run of
four straight defeats but Cole is adamant that the team's performance must
be right, regardless of the opposition. "For me, it doesn't matter who we're
playing, every game is a cup final for us because of the position that we're
in.
"Whether it's Newcastle or Manchester United, we still need to go out there,
put up a performance and make sure we get the vital goals and clean sheets."

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Hammers recruit Rogan
WHUFC.com
Dominic Rogan has joined the Club's Sports Science and Medical Department
15.01.2014

West Ham United would like to welcome Dominic Rogan to the Club as part of a
revamped Sports Science and Sports Medicine department Rogan has joined the
following six successful years with Everton and a spell with Russian Premier
League club Anzhi Makhachkala. The University of Manchester graduate takes a
keen interest in sports science and sports medicine and admits he cannot
wait to get started in his new role. "I am delighted to join West Ham United
and I'm looking forward to meeting the staff and players," said Rogan, who
hails from Preston in Lancashire. "Everyone knows the manager's reputation
and he is obviously one of the pioneers of sports science and sports
medicine. "West Ham is a Premier League Club with a great fanbase and is an
innovative Club in terms of sports and medicine and the fitness department.
It's a privilege to be working for a Club with such kudos and prestige as
West Ham."

Rogan explained that he has gained a wealth of experience of working at the
highest level in English and European football. At Everton, where he worked
with one of the smallest squads in the Barclays Premier League, Rogan helped
David Moyes to field a consistent starting XI as the Toffees challenged for
top-six finishes year after year. Last season, he spent a period working at
Anzhi, where he treated stars including current Chelsea pair Samuel Eto'o
and Willian and a host of Russia internationals. Now, Rogan is back in the
Barclays Premier League and looking forward to a new challenge. "I started
at Goodison Park in 2007 and I spent six fantastic years at Everton, first
under Mick Rathbone as assistant physio and then for the last three years as
run-on physio under Danny Donachie on David Moyes' staff. I enjoyed a lot of
success at Everton and we had a relatively good injury record. "Last year, I
had the opportunity to go to Anzhi to head up the medical department there
as Head Physiotherapist. "Now, I am here at West Ham United and I am looking
forward to working in the Premier League again."

Rogan explained that the role of a First Team Physiotherapist is an intense
and challenging one, with the overall aim as having as many players as
possible available for selection by the manager on a matchday. "The thing
about football is that, while every day follows a rough skeletal structure,
no two days are the same and it often changes. "The overall aim for every
physio is to make the players more resilient and more robust and to try to
keep injuries to a minimum. Football is very demanding so all of our efforts
are focused on keeping players fit or getting them back fit and strong so
their chances of being injured again are as small as possible."

Rogan's arrival follows the departure of Head of Sports Medicine and Sports
Science Andy Rolls. The Club would like to thank Andy for his hard work and
wish him all the very best for his future career.

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Ravel Morrison: West Ham complain about Fulham to Premier League
BBC.co.uk

West Ham have complained to the Premier League after Fulham manager Rene
Meulensteen claimed Hammers midfielder Ravel Morrison wanted to sign for
them. Morrison, who has only 18 months left on his Upton Park contract,
worked with Meulensteen when the Dutchman was assistant manager at
Manchester United. West Ham are unhappy that Meulensteen said: "Yes, I think
he does want to come [to Craven Cottage]." The Premier League has not
confirmed receipt of any official complaint.

Ravel Morrison's career
Born: 2 February 1993, Wythenshawe, south Manchester
Man Utd: Comes through academy to make his debut on 26 October 2010 but only
makes three first-team appearances
West Ham: Joins Hammers in January 2012 on a three-and-a-half year deal
after then-United boss Sir Alex Ferguson calls his wage demands
"unrealistic"
Goes on loan to Birmingham City for the 2012-13 season, scoring three goals
in 30 games
Scores four goals in eight appearances on return to West Ham in 2013-14

After watching Fulham beat Norwich 3-0 in their FA Cup third-round replay on
Tuesday, Meulensteen - who took over from sacked compatriot Martin Jol in
December - confirmed his interest in signing England Under-21 international
Morrison. "We have put in a bid that has been knocked back," he said.
"He would add pace, power, unpredictability and a real attacking threat."
Meulensteen said it was too early to tell whether any deal can be struck
before the transfer window closes at the end of January. "We got knocked
back, it got rejected, and so we need to review it and move on," he added.
"I've explained how I think about the situation [to the Fulham board], so
we'll have to wait and see what happens."

West Ham's complaint is likely to surround Premier League ruling T.8
concerning "statements made publicly by or on behalf of a club expressing
interest in acquiring the registration of a contract player". If the Premier
League deems Fulham to be in breach of the rules the Cottagers could face a
reprimand or fine.
It is also possible the case could be referred to the Football Association.
Morrison, 20, has scored five times in 20 appearances since moving to Upton
Park two years ago from United.

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Striker Carlton Cole signs new 18-month West Ham contract
BBC.co.uk

West Ham striker Carlton Cole has signed a new 18-month contract after
rejoining the club on a short-term deal in October. Cole, 30, was released
in May after struggling for form in his seventh season with the club. But he
started training with the Hammers again in September and signed a
three-month deal in October.
He has scored four Premier League goals in 11 appearances, with three in his
last six matches. QPR had been interested in signing the former England
international if the Hammers, who have struggled for attacking options
because of Andy Carroll's injury problems, could not agree an extension.
Cole, who scored in West Ham's 2-1 Championship play-off final win over
Blackpool in 2012, is 16th on the club's list of all-time top-scorers. He
moved to Upton Park for an undisclosed fee from Chelsea in 2006.

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Rogan in, Rolls out
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 15th January 2014
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United have confirmed the departure of the former Head of Medicine
and Sports Science, Andy Rolls. As revealed here on KUMB yesterday, Rolls
left his post after four-and-a-half years as head of the Club's medical team
earlier this week. That was confirmed by the Hammers in a statement on
whufc.com this afternoon. "The Club would like to thank Andy for his hard
work and wish him all the very best for his future career," it read. West
Ham have also announced the arrival of former Everton and Anzhi coach
Dominic Rogan, who joins United "as part of a revamped Sports Science and
Sports Medicine department". "I am delighted to join West Ham United and I'm
looking forward to meeting the staff and players," he told the Club's
website. "Everyone knows the manager's reputation and he is obviously one of
the pioneers of sports science and sports medicine. "I started at Goodison
Park in 2007 and I spent six fantastic years at Everton. Last year, I had
the opportunity to go to Anzhi to head up the medical department there as
Head Physiotherapist. Now, I am looking forward to working in the Premier
League again. "West Ham is a club with a great fan base and an innovative
Club in terms of sports and medicine and the fitness department. It's a
privilege to be working for a Club with such kudos and prestige."

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Rangers eye Maiga
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 15th January 2014
By: Staff Writer

Modibo Maiga could be set to leave West Ham United after Carlton Cole
secured a new 18-month contract with the club. Maiga, who has struggled to
make an impact at the club since moving to England via Sochaux in July 2012
is on the radar of Championship side Queens Park Rangers. Harry Redknapp,
who was also keen on signing Carlton Cole is understood to have turned his
attention to the Malian after failing to land the 30-year-old former English
international. Maiga, 26, has scored just three Premier League goals for
West Ham during his two year tenure in East London. His most recent goal
came in last month's 3-3 draw against West Brom. West Ham are close to
signing a second striker, Monaco Lacina Traore on loan for the rest of the
current campaign.

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New deal for CC
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 15th January 2014
By: Staff Writer

Carlton Cole has signed a new 18-month contract with West Ham. The
30-year-old striker earned the new deal - said to worth in the region of
£40,000 per week - having impressed with his attitude and application since
returning to the club on a short term deal last October. Since signing that
three-month deal, which followed three months during which he was out of
work, Cole has featured on 14 occasions for West Ham scoring four times -
including strikes against Arsenal and Manchester United. Initially signed by
Alan Pardew from Chelsea in 2006 for £2million, Cole didn't get off to the
best of starts at West Ham when he claimed that the move would act as a
"stepping stone" for him. However he soon became a firm crowd favourite and
news of his new contract has (mostly) been well-received by fans. West Ham
will be hoping to tie up a second new deal for a striker later this week
when Lacina Traore puts pen to paper on a short-term loan switch. The
Monaco striker is understood to have successfully completed a medical having
received a work permit for his short stay in England yesterday and is
expected to be confirmed as a Hammer imminently.

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Hammers complain as Morrison prepares to leave
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 15th January 2014
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United are understood to have made a complaint to the Premier
League regarding comments made by Fulham manager René Meulensteen.
The Hammers are reported to have contacted the governing body after the
Dutch coach told the press that United midfielder Ravel Morrison,
mysteriously absent in recent weeks despite being declared fit at Christmas,
wanted to move to Craven Cottage. "Yes, we did make a bid," Meulensteen said
following Fulham's 3-0 FA Cup replay win over Norwich. Yes, I think he does
want to come. He would add pace, power, unpredictability and a real
attacking threat. I don't know what the situation is now, because that's
left with our director Alistair Macintosh."

Morrison's short career at the Boleyn Ground has been littered with tales of
training ground bust-ups and a series of other incidents. Sam Allardyce is
believed to have finally lost patience with the talented youngster, who now
faces being bombed out of his second club withint three years. West Ham are
hoping to secure around £10million for the sale of the England Under 21, who
moved to east London two years ago this month.

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Striker Carlton Cole agrees 18-month deal at West Ham
Last Updated: 15/01/14 1:27pm
SSN

Carlton Cole has committed his future to West Ham after agreeing a new
18-month contract. The 30-year-old frontman was released by the Hammers last
summer as a previous deal came to an end. He was, however, unable to find
another club and was allowed to train with the Upton Park outfit in an
effort to stay sharp. Cole did enough to convince Sam Allardyce that he was
deserving of a second chance and penned a short-term agreement in October.
West Ham's faith has been rewarded with four goals in 12 appearances in all
competitions. A number of rival clubs were linked with the England
international as he considered his future options, but Cole has decided to
stay in east London.

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West Ham complain to Premier League over Rene Meulensteen comments about
Ravel Morrison
Last Updated: 15/01/14 12:26pm
SSN

West Ham United have made a complaint to the Premier League over comments
made by Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen about Ravel Morrison, according to
Sky sources. Speaking on Tuesday night after the FA Cup replay against
Norwich, Meulensteen admitted that Fulham had had a bid for Morrison
rejected by West Ham. Meulensteen coached Morrison through Manchester
United's youth systems during his time at Old Trafford.


Morrison to Fulham?
"Yes, we did make a bid," Meulensteen said after the 3-0 win over Norwich.
"Yes, I think he does want to come. "He would add pace, power,
unpredictability and a real attacking threat. I don't know what the
situation is now, because that's left with our director Alistair Macintosh."
United academy product Morrison has impressed at Upton Park this season
after a loan spell with Birmingham last term. Morrison had struggled to
settle in London after leaving Old Trafford in January 2012, but has hit
form in this campaign.

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Boris Johnson insists 'no more public money spent on converting Olympic
Stadium'
Last Updated: 15/01/14 3:19pm
SSN

London Mayor Boris Johnson has revealed no further public money will be
spent on converting the Olympic Stadium into a football ground. Last week it
was announced the cost of turning the Stratford showpiece, which West Ham
will take over as tenants in 2016, would be £154m, with much of it coming
from the taxpayer. There had been fears further monies would be required to
convert the 80,000-seater arena but Mayor Johnson is adamant the spending
has stopped.

Mayor on Olympic Stadium
Speaking to the London Assembly he said: "With the cash we are putting in
now, we will be able to deliver a solution for the stadium that gives
Premier League football in the winter, athletics in the summer plus a whole
load of other things. "This is a knockout, iconic venue for London and
thanks to the deal we have done once this capital investment is made there
will be no further charge to the public purse, indeed I believe we may even
make a turn on it. "That again is very, very different from any other
Olympic city, most of whom have had real difficulties with their stadiums."

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Andy Carroll excited to return to action for West Ham after injury
'nightmare'
Last Updated: 15/01/14 3:47pm
SSN

Andy Carroll admits he wants to put a "nightmare" few months behind him
after finally returning to action for West Ham. The 25-year-old striker came
off the bench to play 18 minutes and finally make his Hammers debut in
Saturday's 2-0 Premier League win at Cardiff after recovering from a
long-term foot injury having joined on a permanent basis from Liverpool in
the summer. And the England man hopes he can help the club pull clear of the
relegation zone, starting with victory over his hometown club Newcastle at
Upton Park on Saturday. "It has been a massive nightmare to be honest. I
went off to Belgium and then to Holland, to fix it [the injury] but now I am
feeling really good and all I want to do is play football," he told the club
website. "I just want to forget about the past months with the injury and
just look forward to playing more football for West Ham. I can't stand being
on the sidelines. It drives me crazy. "I tried my best to try and get back
to be fit. It was prolonged and I got injured again. So it was disappointing
but I am back now so I am concentrating on getting match fit. It was really
fantastic to be back out there on Saturday. "Hopefully I get a few more
minutes against Newcastle and we get a win this Saturday too. Yes of course
it is nostalgic for me, it is my home town but I am just looking forward to
it really, to play again. "I am just over the moon about a game coming up as
I have been out for too long, so it is fantastic to be back."

Carroll said the win at Cardiff showed the spirit of everyone at the club
despite previous heavy cup defeats to Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.
"We have had our chances and not taken them and it has not run for us. We
have to just forget about everything and look forward now," he added. "I
think everyone could see the commitment of the lads, everyone is training
hard and you could see the reaction of what the win meant for all of us, the
lads on the pitch, those who didn't play and the staff."

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GENTLE GIANT GRANTED WORK PERMIT FOR WEST HAM MOVE
By Sean Whetstone 15 Jan 2014 at 14:07
West Ham Till I Die

West Ham's appeal hearing for Lacina Traoré has been successful and he has
been granted a work permit. Reports claim that West Ham are confident of
completing the Ivory Coast striker's loan move from Monaco in the next 48
hours.

Traoré, nicknamed the 'gentle giant' is a 6ft 8in forward, who only moved to
Monaco from Anzhi Makhachkala earlier this month but was made available for
loan as his chances of being in the starting team are likely to be limited
in the short-term.

West Ham quickly agreed a deal with Monaco but, with the 23-year-old's seven
caps for his country failing to qualify for a work permit, they were forced
to lodge an appeal to gain clearance for his move under the "exceptional
talent" criteria to a FA appointed six man appeal panel. Sam Allardyce and
West Ham secretary Andy Pincher appeared in front of the panel made up of a
representative of the Football Association, Premier League, Professional
Footballers' Association together with three independent footballing experts
on Monday, with their go ahead having prompted the approval from the Home
Office for the move to be finalised.

Lacina Traoré has scored 13 goals from 29 appearances for Russian side Anzhi
Makhachkala after joining them on 29th June 2012. On 4th January 2014 Traoré
was sold signing a four a half year contract with Monaco in a transfer
believed to worth £8.6m.

It is claimed that the player has already been medically assessed in France
but is unlikely to be match fit given that he arrives after the winter break
in the Russian domestic season which has not played since October, he is
expected to complete the formalities of the transfer in the next 48 hours
but has still to agree personal terms with West ham.

There are some claims he could be paid as much as £45,000 a week during his
loan spell with West Ham.

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THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX FOR BIG SHAM'S REPLACEMENT
By Tony McDonald 15 Jan 2014 at 08:32
West Ham Till I Die

WHENEVER there is talk of Big Sham's eventual successor (and a 2-0 win at
fellow strugglers Cardiff last Saturday shouldn't tempt anyone to believe
that he deserves to be kept on), insular members of the media and supporters
who can't see beyond Dover trot out the usual potential candidates . . ..

.. . . Malky Mackay, Paolo Di Canio, Slaven Bilic, Harry Redknapp, etc, etc.

Even a man of David Sullivan's limited football knowledge has apparently
dismissed the credentials of Mackay as a man whose Cardiff team were faring
only marginally better than West Ham before the former Hammers centre-back
inevitably got the elbow.

Malky is clearly a good, decent bloke, a man of honest integrity and the way
he handled himself throughout his torturous last weeks at Cardiff was
admirable. But his Cardiff team were barely less attractive to watch than
the dross BS serves up week in, week out. He got Watford promoted, but so
what? BS did the same at West Ham. It doesn't necessarily make Malky the man
to lead us out of the mire.

There are few of us who didn't appreciate Di Canio as a gifted player,
especially if you didn't attend away matches north of Watford, but his
antics at both Swindon and Sunderland show that he still has much to learn
about management – and particularly man-management.

In a recent interview for EX magazine, Pop Robson commented how he had
observed PDC at close quarters in his role as Sunderland's chief scout in
the brief period before he and most of the other backroom staff were
released and Paolo brought in his own Italian imports to work for him. Pop
said that while Di Canio appears to be a good coach, his handling of players
off the field leaves quite a bit to be desired.

I hope Paolo goes on to become a great manager – and maybe he will do so at
West Ham at some point in the future – but I fear that he may well join a
group of other former top players with fiery temperaments who have failed to
adapt to management in Paul Ince and Roy Keane. They demanded such high
standards of themselves as players that they find it very difficult to
suffer the inadequacies of lesser mortals under their charge. It remains to
be seen how long Blackpool will retain Ince's services beyond the day when
his talented son Tom moves on to a bigger club.

Having played for Croatia, who are no slouches at international level, 44
times and managed them for six years from 2006 until 2012, the 45-year-old
Slaven Bilic is always likely to be mentioned as a possible West Ham manager
of the future. In fact, he wasn't a million miles from being appointed when
Gianfranco Zola got the nod.

After a disappointing season In Russia managing Lokomotiv Moscow, Bilic is
now in year one of a three-year contract in Istanbul for Besiktas, who are
currently fourth in the Turkish league. He lacks long-term experience of
club management and the hands-on, day-to-day role that isn't required of
international coaches, although that doesn't mean he wouldn't succeed at
West Ham.

Opinion on whether Harry Redknapp would be the right man to replace BS is
divided. Some will never forgive him for the manner of Billy Bonds'
undignified departure, even though Bonzo later admitted to me in interview
for the book, West Ham United: The Managers, that he never enjoyed managing
and, he pointed out, the club had no hesitation in paying up the full
three-year term of his contract despite him having effectively walked away
from West Ham.

The pro-Redknapp lobby view the current and vastly experienced QPR boss in a
'devil you know' way. Under him, the football will undoubtedly be much more
entertaining and as Harry has never been slow to remind those who question
his achievements, he never took the Hammers down in his seven years at the
helm between 1994 and 2001.

All sorts of accusations have been thrown in Redknapp's direction but fans
are fickle. A couple of wins in a style not seen under BS and the prodigal
son will soon be welcomed back into the West ham family by the majority.

If QPR fail to gain promotion back to the Premier League at the end of this
season, whether their chairman would want to keep him or not, I'd be
surprised if Redknapp wanted to stay there for what would be an increasingly
difficult time. Balancing the urgent need for promotion at the second
attempt with a rapidly shrinking transfer and wages budget and impending FA
sanctions against the club, based on their expenditure-to-turnover over the
past few seasons, is a challenge Harry probably doesn't need at his time in
life.

By contrast, he would probably view a return to Upton Park as unfinished
business, a last chance to make his mark in the Premier League, and I
believe he would be tempted to accept the challenge if the terms were right.
But at almost 67, the board may regard him as past his sell-by date,
although the game is littered with managers older than him who have gone on
to achieve.

For the long-term good of the club, I'd like to see the West Ham board think
outside the box when considering their next appointment. That's why I'm very
interested to see how West Brom's new boss, Pepe Mel, will fare in his first
stint at Premier League management. No doubt many reacted to his recent
appointment by asking 'Pepe who?' but the WBA board should be congratulated
on their boldness in backing a man who has done well managing on a
shoestring for Real Betis in Spain.

I like Mel's philosophy and would urge our board to apply the same
principles and ethos expressed by Mel, who said upon his WBA appointment:
"We will try to create a team that plays attractively for the fans so that
they can relate to the team. We will look to create a style of play that
identifies us. Possession of the ball will be the most important thing for
us."

Music to the ears of most West Ham traditionalists of a certain age who were
brought up on the principles and beliefs of football purists Ron Greenwood
and John Lyall.

The board shouldn't simply appoint a manager and give him carte blanche to
do whatever he likes with the team in terms of tampering with its
established style – in the way BS was allowed to abandon West Ham's
long-held tradition for trying to play attacking, enterprising football and
adopt the overly cautious, negative and long-ball approach for which he
became renowned, and widely condemned, throughout his time at Bolton.
(Before you rush to point out that we didn't always play attacking and
enterprising football under a number of managers who preceded BS, I must
emphasise the word 'trying'. It's not always possible to play with style
but, for many of us, at least the intent should always be there.)

It is not as if BS arrived at West Ham with a proven track record of success
and a trophy cabinet laden with personal success to justify his modus
operandi. On the contrary. Aside from various promotions from the lower
divisions, he has failed to win a single major trophy in 25 years of
management.

The West Ham owners need to read up the history books and remind themselves
(or perhaps even to discover?) what our club once stood for, why it became
respected throughout Europe in the 60s and early 70s. They should lay down
their philosophy in the same way, for example, the Swansea board did when
appointing Roberto Martinez (what a shrewd move Everton made in taking him
from Wigan and how I would've loved West Ham to have recruited him), Brendan
Rodgers and Michael Laudrup. At Swansea, the managers have changed in a
relatively short period but the fundamental ethos laid down by the board has
not. They want their team to play in a certain way and all of their
successive managers know they must adhere to it. In the same way a company
chairman doesn't employ a new managing director and allow him to run things
on a whim or to significantly change company policy.

Barcelona didn't appoint Jose Mourinho when he was desperate to take the job
that eventually went instead to Pep Guardiola. Not because they didn't rate
him as a first class coach, but because they didn't trust him to represent
their club in the image they insist they must portray to the rest of the
world. They feared Mourinho would alienate sections of the media and
possibly bring the club into disrepute, so they chose one of their own
disciples for whom the Barca way was ingrained in his DNA. They trusted
Guardiola because they knew he knew and understood the Barca way.

When people debate whether BS should be sacked now or at the end of the
season, they tend to throw up their arms and ask 'who else is out there?'.
But there are other Pepe Mel's out there if the West Ham board care to cast
their eyes further afield, to places such as Spain and Holland, where
preaching possession football that is pleasing on the eye is usually a
pre-requisite of taking a management post.

Personally, I like the look of the Celta Vigo manager Luis Enrique, whom
some of you will recall captained Spain (62 caps) and Barcelona, as well as
Real Madrid, in the 90s and early noughties. He played 364 games and scored
88 goals combined as an attacking midfielder for the top two clubs in Spain,
two of the biggest in the world. Not a bad pedigree.

After retiring as a player, he managed Barcelona's B team for three seasons
before an unhappy year with Roma in Italy. Now, despite a very restricted
budget, he is doing a good job in his first season at Celta Vigo, who play
an open, attacking brand of football. Regular viewers of Sky's La Liga
coverage may have recently seen Celta create a number of great chances in a
game they ended up losing, 3-0, at Real Madrid, who were very much second
best until Ronaldo settled it with a couple of very late goals.

I'm not saying Enrique, 43, would necessarily want to leave Spain for East
London but I mention him and Pepe Mel as examples of young managers who
preach attacking, passing and entertaining football and who would fit into
the original West Ham United template – an identity sadly lost under BS.

Keep an eye on the progress of Luis Enrique. I hope the West Ham owners do,
too.

*Tony McDonald is editor of EX, the unofficial West Ham retro magazine which
launched in 2002. Issue 69, including part one of an exclusive interview
with Frank Lampard senior, is out now at www.ex-hammers.com

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers set for back room reshuffle
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 15th January 2014
By: Staff Writer

West Ham's former Head of Sports Medicine Andy Rolls could be on his way to
a Premier League rival - whilst a popular former member of the back room is
set to return. Rolls' colleague Matthew Monte-Colombo revealed yesterday
that the former Watford Head of Medicine had left West Ham after
four-and-a-half years with the club, since when KUMB has learned that Rolls
is poised to join Arsene Wenger's backroom staff at Arsenal. Meanwhile Stijn
Vandenbroucke, who spent three years at West Ham between 2009 and 2012
before moving to Russia to become Anzhi Makhachkala's first team physio is
thought to be set for a return to London. Since leaving Anzhi in August last
year, the Belgian has worked as a consultant for Dynamo Moscow. Likely to
join Vandenbroucke at West Ham as a replacement for Rolls is Dominic Rogan,
who worked alongside the Belgian at Anzhi briefly last summer - an
appointment that followed a six-year spell with Everton.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham ready new Rickie Lambert transfer bid as Southampton stars consider
their futures
Jan 15, 2014 22:30 By Darren Lewis 0 Comments
The Mirror

West Ham are to make a renewed bid to sign England striker Rickie Lambert
now that Nicola Cortese has quit Southampton. The Hammers had an approach
rejected by the Saints' then-executive chairman Cortese before the winter
transfer window opened. But with the south coast club now in turmoil after
Wednesday's events, Lambert is among a string of players now considering
their futures - and West Ham are set to swoop for the 31-year-old. The
Londoners had been watching developments before Cortese's resignation was
confirmed on Wednesday night. The cash to fund a move for Lambert could come
from the sale of England Under-21 star Ravel Morrison. Mirror Sport
understands Fulham will have to double their offer to £8million if they want
the Hammers' attacking midfielder. Cottagers chief executive Alistair
McIntosh is set to return with a bid of £5m for the 20-year-old, but angry
West Ham are refusing to be manipulated into selling Morrison for less than
their valuation.

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West Ham's Modibo Maiga in transfer talks with QPR after Hammers hand
Carlton Cole new deal
Jan 15, 2014 22:29 By Alan Nixon 0 Comments
The Mirror

Championship promotion chasers looking to sign the striker on loan or buy
him for a low fee plus a bonus for the Irons if he helps them go up

Queens Park Rangers boss Harry Redknapp is ready to snap up striker Modibo
Maiga from former employers West Ham - in a bargain deal. Maiga is available
after the Hammers' boss Sam Allardyce - who has awarded fellow striker
Carlton Cole a new contract to replace a short-team deal that expired this
month - decided he would not figure in the club's survival fight. The
26-year-old is now in talks with the Championship promotion chasers about a
move from east London to west London. Redknapp will take Mali international
Maiga on loan or for a low fee including a promotion bonus, as he tries to
find new firepower to take the Hoops straight back up affer last season's
relegation. Maiga is willing to step down a level as QPR are chasing an
instant return to the top flight - and he wouldn't have to leave London.
West Ham's relegation battle rivals Fulham were also interested in Maiga,
but while his indifferent form has put them off, Redknapp thinks he can
revive him in the Championship.

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Premier League investigating West Ham's complaint over Fulham's Ravel
Morrison pursuit
Jan 15, 2014 19:40 By Darren Lewis, Joe Mewis

The Mirror

The Premier League issue a statement confirming that the Hammers have
complained over the approach for the England Under-21 star

The Premier League have issued a statement saying they have received a
complaint from West Ham regarding "comments made by a Fulham official".
Earlier it had emerged that the Hammers were set to make a complaint over
the Cottagers' pursuit of England Under-21 midfielder Ravel Morrison, after
Fulham boss Rene Meulensteen said that Morrison wanted to join the club. The
statement from the Premier League reads: "The Premier League has received a
complaint from West Ham United regarding certain comments made by a Fulham
official and is currently looking into the matter." The complaint follows
Rene Meulensteen's comments following his side's win over Norwich in the FA
Cup, when he said: "It got rejected. So we will review it and move on. I've
left it with [Fulham CEO] Alistair Mackintosh. "He does want to come here.
I've known him obviously for a long, long time but the thing is this - we
have to wait and see."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Fulham transfer target Ravel Morrison will cost the Cottagers £8m
as dispute deepens
Jan 15, 2014 22:30 By Darren Lewis

Fulham will have to DOUBLE their offer to £8million if they want to land
West Ham star Ravel Morrison. The west London club are set to return with a
bid of £5m for the England Under-21 player. But the angry Hammers are
refusing to be manipulated into selling the attacking midfielder for less
than their valuation.
The Irons have protested to the Premier League after Cottagers boss Rene
Meulensteen revealed that he was confident Morrison – who he worked with at
Manchester United – would want to join him at Fulham. A Premier League
statement said: "We have received a complaint from West Ham regarding
certain comments made by a Fulham official and we are currently looking into
the matter." Asked if the 20-year-old wanted to quit Upton Park for Craven
Cottage, Meulensteen – who confirmed on Tuesday that Fulham had seen a bid
rejected – said: "Yes. I have known him a long time. Yes. He does want to
come here."

The unhappy Hammers believe Meulensteen's comments indicated he had spoken
to Morrison without first obtaining their permission. Fulham insisted on
Wednesday that their manager was simply answering a journalist's query in
the press conference that followed the club's 3-0 FA Cup victory over
Norwich.
A spokeswoman said: "When asked the question regarding the player Ravel
Morrison, Rene Meulensteen answered, honestly, that a bid had been made to
West Ham United for the player and that the bid had been rejected."

Morrison has a year and a half remaining on his contract and West Ham are
keen to tie him to a new deal, but negotiations have so far been
unsuccessful.
The relegation-threatened Irons were upbeat on Wednesday night, however,
after 6ft 8in Ivory Coast striker Lacina Traore was granted a work permit to
join them on loan from Monaco. The 23-year-old was understood to have passed
a preliminary medical and the Hammers hope to receive international
clearance in time for him to play against Newcastle on Saturday. Whatever
happens, they will be able to count on the services of Carlton Cole after
the forward agreed a new 18-month deal, worth £40,000-a-week. Cole had been
out of contract after his short-term deal at the club expired on Monday. The
30-year-old has scored four goals in 11 Premier League matches so far this
term.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
QPR eye loan swoop for West Ham misfit Maiga as Redknapp steps up striker
search
By SIMON JONES
PUBLISHED: 23:37, 15 January 2014 | UPDATED: 23:38, 15 January 2014
Daily Mail

QPR are considering a loan move for West Ham striker Modibo Maiga. The
misfiring Mali marksman has managed just two goals in 19 games for the
Hammers and has been given the green light to leave Upton Park. Maiga
trained with the Championship promotion-chasers earlier this week and R's
boss Harry Redknapp is weighing up a move for the 26-year-old.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lambert considering transfer - source
January 15, 2014
By ESPN Staff

West Ham United are expected to step up their interest in Southampton
striker Rickie Lambert, with ESPN sources confirming that the England
striker would be interested in the move. Lambert has been the talisman of
Southampton's rise from the third tier of English football into a Premier
League force since Alan Pardew signed him for the Saints back in 2009,
scoring more than a century of goals for the south coast club. His fairy
tale rise to the top was completed as he earned an England call-up last
year, with his hopes of making the cut for the Roy Hodgson's final squad for
next summer's World Cup finals very much alive after a solid season in the
Premier League. News that he may be entering his final days at Southampton
will be a further blow to supporters who are already concerned that the
departure of executive chairman Nicola Cortese on Wednesday threatens the
stability of the club. Cortese's exit may well be swiftly followed by that
of manager Mauricio Pochettino, who had vowed to quit if the executive
chairman left the club. An ESPN FC source said Lambert will consider a move
to West Ham despite their current relegation concerns and uncertainty over
the future of boss Sam Allardyce, with a final lucrative move appealing to
the 31-year-old target man.

West Ham's initial approach to sign Lambert was made in mid-December, a
source said. The encouragement the London club were given by Saints
officials fueled their hope that a deal can be struck, especially now that
Cortese has left Southampton and the club in in something of a state of
flux, the source said.
Lambert's arrival would be a massive boost to West Ham, who have been
desperately short of strikers all season after they spend much of their
summer transfer kitty on Andy Carroll, who has played just 18 minutes of
first team football all season.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham dig in over Fulham's 'approach' for Ravel Morrison
The Independent
Premier League set to investigate if player was tapped up by Rene
Meulensteen
SAM WALLACE Author Biography Wednesday 15 January 2014

It was not the first time that Ravel Morrison found himself at the centre of
controversy in his young career but in the case of the Fulham tapping-up
row, the West Ham midfielder can say at least that this one is not a mess of
his own making.

When he was asked about a putative bid to sign the Englishman on Tuesday
night after Fulham's 3-0 victory over Norwich City, Rene Meulensteen did not
just stop at saying that a bid had been placed. Asked by newspaper reporters
whether he thought Morrison would like to move to Fulham, the club's manager
replied "Yes".

The kindest thing you can say about that remark is that it is the naivety of
a new manager just learning the ropes when it comes to playing a close hand
on transfer dealings.

The Premier League is expected to announce an investigation of Meulensteen,
who is potentially in contravention of regulation T8 which dictates "a
statement made publicly by or on behalf of a club [about signing another
club's player]... shall be treated as an indirect approach".

For the Fulham manager to know that Morrison wanted to leave West Ham there
would have had to have been some contact, either direct or otherwise – an
illegal approach that is forbidden under the Premier League rules T3 that
deal with the tapping-up of players.

No one would suggest that Meulensteen is about to face a saga as protracted
and serious as the most infamous tapping-up inquiry in recent times, around
Ashley Cole and Chelsea. Nor that he is the only manager to do it.

Rather, he has made the mistake of potentially incriminating himself. It did
not help that West Ham officials were aggrieved to see the offending remark
from Meulensteen on the Fulham website this morning, since taken down.

Sources at West Ham denied suggestions that Morrison has fallen out with
manager Sam Allardyce over his representatives. The former Manchester United
academy player uses the agent Nick Rubery and is 18 months from the end of
his West Ham contract. He was signed by West Ham from United two years ago
and while the club say that they would like to keep him, he is straying
close to the end of his deal.

It is understood that Fulham bid £4m for the 20-year-old, an offer that was
dismissed out of hand by West Ham. While Meulensteen said on Tuesday night
that Fulham would bid again for Morrison, the mood at West Ham was that they
would not entertain any offer from a fellow relegation candidate, let alone
one they claim has made an illegal approach.

As for Fulham, they are unperturbed by the allegations made against them and
claim that Meulensteen had simply said he believed the player wanted to come
to the club in response to a direct question.

At least Meulensteen would be under no illusions as to the kind of player he
would take on with Morrison, having played a part in his development at
United.

The quirks of Morrison's behaviour at the United training ground became the
stuff of legend at the club before Sir Alex Ferguson and academy director
Brian McClair finally ran out of patience with him.

As a United player at Carrington, Morrison was nicknamed by his peers "the
eel" for his capacity to slip away unnoticed and often not return for days.

On occasions they were able to track him down playing five-a-side football
with his friends on the Power League pitches near the Trafford Centre. The
attempts by senior players to talk him round were well-documented. In the
end, his unexplained absences at United convinced the club to give up on an
undoubted talent.

His breakthrough this season into the West Ham team, and for England
Under-21s, have convinced some that he has turned a corner in his career.
His goal against Tottenham in the 3-0 win at White Hart Lane in the league
this season, as well as other performances, including the home win against
Fulham in November, have demonstrated what a rare talent he is. So too, for
the Under-21s, although he raised concerns with his on-field clash with
Wilfried Zaha.

The general consensus is that, for all the discussion of a reformed
character, Morrison will always present a challenge to any manager who takes
him on and he is an interesting choice for a club fighting relegation. For
now, his performances and his youth are sufficient that there will always be
someone willing to give him a chance.

Despite the problems West Ham had with him initially, he has never been in
the same kind of trouble he encountered in his last year at United when he
pleaded guilty to two charges of intimidating a witness and was given a
12-month referral order.

The Premier League asked Fulham for their observations on the tapping-up
claims and will hope for a swift resolution. Where it leaves Morrison's
career at West Ham is open to question.
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