Daily WHUFC News - 28th March 2014

'I'm very excited about my future'
WHUFC.com
Elliot Lee has high hopes for his Hammers future after agreeing a new
two-and-a-half year deal
27.03.2014

West Ham United starlet Elliot Lee is setting his sights on a successful
2014/15 campaign after putting pen to paper on a new two-and-a-half year
deal with the Club. Nineteen-year-old Lee looks destined to miss the final
weeks of the season with an ankle injury, but is excited nonetheless at what
the future holds.
An eventful 12 months have seen the teenage forward make his first Barclays
Premier League appearance for the Hammers and celebrate a maiden senior goal
while on loan at Colchester United. And though it may not all have gone
precisely to plan, Lee reckons the new contract has come at the perfect
time.
He told West Ham TV: "I'm really pleased. It has been in the balance for
quite a while now and I'm happy we've got it all sorted and I'm looking
forward to the future. "There was a friendly [against Leyton Orient] and
unfortunately I've torn a ligament in my ankle which probably puts me out
for the remainder of the season. It's going to take about eight weeks until
it's back to normal, but I'm looking at the positives. I'll be back fitter
and stronger for pre-season and will hopefully push on from there. "I was on
a downer missing the end of the season but signing a new contract puts me up
again and I'm looking forward to next season and hopefully there are good
things to look forward to. "I'm missing the last few weeks of training and
games. Obviously I would have liked to have maybe got a chance toward the
end of this season, but hopefully now I can push in pre-season, impress a
few people and see what happens."

Reflecting on the past year, Lee acknowledged that he had gained a great
deal from a month spent on loan with the U's and expects the experience to
stand him in good stead. That said, last season's Academy Player of the Year
admits he has plenty to learn and is keen to further his development in
senior football.
He continued: "There have been good times and bad times, like any season.
I'd say overall it has been an OK season, hopefully it'll be better next
season and I'm sure there are better things to come. "Every day that I
train, I'm learning and progressing and I want to get better every single
day that I come into training. "I learned a lot from my loan spell, I really
did. It was a good experience at Colchester and I'm happy to have got my
first goal. I've come back a better player and I look forward to maybe
playing in the first team next season or another loan. "I think it's great
to get out there and learn your trade at a senior level, being around senior
players. It's nice to be around a first team and playing league football,
which is a really good experience for us all."

As for his future at the Hammers, Lee is relishing the prospect of a further
two-and-a-half years at the Club that he calls home. Lee has now spent some
12 years in Claret and Blue and is thrilled that the Hammers continue to
show faith in him and his ability. "I hope it [the future] holds bright
things. I'm very excited about my future at this Club. I've been here since
I was seven, so my dream is to play for the first team one day and hopefully
that will happen. "I'm really happy to sign this new deal and like I said
I've been here since a young age, so I only want to play for West Ham and
I'm happy that I'm here for another few years and I look forward to
hopefully playing in the first team. "All I want to do is play football, so
that was the only decision to be made. I believe that I can play for this
first team one day and that's the aim. "It's any boy's dream to play for the
first team and I've had two appearances now from the bench and I hope there
will be many more to come. Once you get a little taste of it, you want more
and more. Unfortunately it hasn't worked out for me that way this season,
but hopefully next season will be a different story."

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A message from Mark Noble
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble reflects on last night's vital 2-1 Barclays Premier League
victory against Hull City
27.03.2014

Hello everyone,

Wednesday night's win over Hull City was a massive victory for us. It meant
we went above them in the table and now have 34 points with seven matches
still to play. We go to Sunderland on Monday night with confidence and
knowing that a win at the Stadium of Light would edge us very close to
safety in the Barclays Premier League. On Wednesday night, Hull went down to
ten men and the expectation gets bigger, and we felt that. As teams have
found against us this season - Swansea City and Cardiff City - it can be
difficult to play against ten men, because you automatically run that little
bit further and try that little bit harder to make up for being a man down.
You've got to keep the ball and not force things because, with ten, the
opposition sit behind the ball and make it hard for you. Hull certainly did
that on Wednesday, but we handled them and got the three points we so badly
needed.

At the end of the day, they are a Barclays Premier League team and they've
beaten some good sides this season. With ten men, they kept possession well
and tried to sit in and play on the break, but we defended well and Adrian
hardly had a save to make. I appreciate that we did not play our best
football and that, at times, it wasn't pretty. More than anyone, I am keen
to get the ball down and play, but sometimes it just doesn't happen for you
as a team and as individuals, no matter how hard you try. Although it wasn't
our best performance, we did not fall short on effort and that has been a
consistent theme during our recent upturn in form. Our win at Cardiff, draw
at Chelsea and the four wins in February were all secured with your
fantastic backing. I know people will say I am biased, but on our day we
undoubtedly have the best fans in the country.

On behalf of all of the players, I can say that your support really can make
a difference. We will always perform better when we are feeling relaxed and
comfortable - as you would in any job - and I must admit the anxiety from
the stands can spill onto the pitch and get into our minds, as much as we
try to ignore it.

When that happens, some players can be affected and they make mistakes that
they would not normally make. I think you could see that in our performance
last night as we made mistakes we would not normally make and didn't retain
the ball as well as we have done in previous games. For that reason, I would
ask that you to give your backing to the boys because I can tell you that we
are giving 100 per cent for the shirt and 100 per cent for West Ham United.
We know that you have spent your hard earned money to watch us and we
desperately want to put a show on for you in every game. Things might not
always go our way, but that is never through a lack of effort. Together we
are stronger, so let's stick together and make sure we get as many points as
possible from our last seven games. I know we will be going up to Sunderland
on Monday to try and pick up another vital three points and I'd like to
thank those fans who are making the long trip up there to support us.

Come on you Irons!
Nobes

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Dev Squad set for Boleyn run-out
WHUFC.com
Season Ticket Holders can watch the Hammers' U21 side take on Middlesbrough
for free
27.03.2014

Season Ticket Holders can watch Friday night's Barclays U21 Premier League
fixture against Middlesbrough at the Boleyn Ground for free. Nick Haycock's
side take on Boro is a 7pm kick-off at the Boleyn Ground as the Hammers look
to take a step back towards the end of season play-offs. An indifferent run
of form has seen West Ham slip down to eighth in the 22-team table, but a
strong end to the campaign could result in them securing a top-four finish.
Middlesbrough have endured a tough season, only winning five of their 18
matches to date, and they sit ten points behind the Hammers.

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Turgott joins Daggers on loan
WHUFC.com
Hammers youngster Blair Turgott has signed on loan for League Two side
Dagenham & Redbridge
27.03.2014

West Ham United youngster Blair Turgott has joined Sky Bet League Two side
Dagenham & Redbridge on a youth loan basis until the end of the season. The
19-year-old winger made his Hammers first team debut in this season's FA Cup
with Budweiser defeat at Nottingham Forest, and has scored twice in 14
appearances for the Development Squad this term. His spell at Dagenham will
be his third loan of the campaign, after he featured four times for
Colchester United, scoring once, and on one occasion for Rotherham United.
He was also a League Cup finalist last season during his time on loan at
fellow League Two side Bradford City. Dagenham currently sit tenth in their
division, seven points off the play-off positions, and Turgott could make
his debut in Saturday's home game against Oxford United. The Bromley-born
player will link up with former Hammer Zavon Hines at Victoria Road.

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Blair Turgott: Dagenham sign West Ham midfielder on loan
BBC.co.uk

West Ham midfielder Blair Turgott has joined League Two side Dagenham &
Redbridge on a youth loan deal until the end of the season. The 19-year-old
had a loan spell at League One Rotherham in January, but was recalled after
just one appearance. Turgott also spent time on loan at loan spell at
Colchester earlier this term. He made his Hammers debut in between his first
two loan spells this term, coming off the bench in their 5-0 FA Cup loss at
Nottingham Forest. Turgott went out on loan in League Two last season,
making 11 appearances for Bradford and helping them reach the League Cup
final, when he was an unused substitute in the 5-0 defeat by Swansea City.

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Mark Noble pleads with fans who booed side after win
BBC.co.uk

West Ham's Mark Noble has pleaded with the fans who booed his side during
their win over Hull to back the team. Sections of the Upton Park crowd
jeered at half-time and full-time as the Hammers struggled to beat their
opponents' 10 men. Noble scored the first goal of the 2-1 win from a penalty
after Hull goalkeeper Allan McGregor was sent off. "I must admit the anxiety
from the stands can spill on to the pitch and get into our minds," said
Noble. "When that happens, some players can be affected and they make
mistakes that they would not normally make. I think you could see that in
our performance last night," the midfielder added on the club's website. "I
would ask that you give your backing to the boys because I can tell you that
we are giving 100% for the shirt and 100% for West Ham United."

Hammers manager Sam Allardyce cupped his hand to his ear in response to the
booing following the final whistle, and subsequently criticised those West
Ham supporters who had aired their frustrations. Noble admitted that his
side had not been at their most fluent, saying: "I appreciate that we did
not play our best football and that, at times, it wasn't pretty. "But
sometimes it just doesn't happen for you as a team and as individuals, no
matter how hard you try. "We know that you have spent your hard-earned money
to watch us and we desperately want to put a show on for you in every game.
"Together we are stronger, so let's stick together and make sure we get as
many points as possible from our last seven games."

West Ham are 11th in the Premier League with 34 points from 31 games.

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Win or lose, they're on the boos
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 27th March 2014
By: Staff Writer

Norwich City manager Chris Hughton believes that the boo-boys who criticised
Sam Allardyce and his team last night - despite them beating Hull City 2-1 -
are here to stay. Allardyce and his team were jeered by a vocal minority of
last night's 31,003 crowd at the final whistle despite securing the three
points that almost certainly takes them to within one more win of Premier
League safety. And Forest Gate-born Hughton, who played for West Ham between
1990 and 1992 told reporters earlier this afternoon that whilst
disappointing, criticism of that nature is something that Premier League
managers and players have to put up with now. It's always disappointing and
surprising to see but I think that's the modern game now," he said. "There
are more expectations from supporters and as a manager, it's something that
you have to accept is part and parcel of the game and not let it disrupt
anything that you want to do with your football club. "But it's one of many
factors in the game that's changed a little bit. Supporters will spend more
money now to watch a football match than they have ever done and with that,
expectation levels rise. "You're always going to get circumstances where a
supporter or a section of supporters will make that known. If we're speaking
about last night, that's not the only time you've heard it and certainly not
the only ground at which you would have heard it."

Meanwhile one of Allardyce's predecessors at the Boleyn Ground, Alan Pardew,
claimed that he too had been the victim of naysayers during his tenure at
West Ham. "It's not a nice feeling to be booed when you're standing on the
sideline after a game you have won," he told the Telegraph. "I vaguely
recall having it a couple of times at West Ham myself. "When the game is
ugly, it's an ugly game. It's not tactics, it just is. It's just ugly and he
had one of them against Hull. Always at West Ham, as with Newcastle, you
have to win pretty. "I don't think any West Ham fans would deny they are
demanding. Most of them would say, yeah, we're hard bastards to please. In a
nice way."

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New deal for young striker
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 27th March 2014
By: Staff Writer

Young striker Elliot Lee has signed a two-and-a-half year contract extension
with the Hammers. The 19-year-old son of former Hammer Rob Lee - who is out
for the rest of the season with a torn ligament - will now remain at West
Ham until the end of the 2015/16 season, after which the Hammers are due to
move to the Olympic Stadium. "I'm really pleased," he told whufc.tv. "It has
been in the balance for quite a while now and I'm happy we've got it all
sorted and I'm looking forward to the future. "Unfortunately I'm probably
out for the remainder of the season. It's going to take about eight weeks
until it's back to normal, but I'm looking at the positives. I'll be back
fitter and stronger for pre-season and will hopefully push on from there."

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Unity is the key to our success
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 27th March 2014
By: Staff Writer

Mark Noble has responded to supporters in the wake of booing from a minority
of last night's 31,000 crowd. Sam Allardyce admitted after the game that it
was the first time he'd ever heard jeers from supporters following a match
that his team had won. That response prompted Noble to issue a plea for
unity to all West Ham supporters. "Your support really can make a
difference," wrote the midfielder. "We will always perform better when we
are feeling relaxed and comfortable - as you would in any job - and I must
admit the anxiety from the stands can spill onto the pitch and get into our
minds, as much as we try to ignore it. "When that happens, some players can
be affected and they make mistakes that they would not normally make. I
think you could see that in our performance last night as we made mistakes
we would not normally make and didn't retain the ball as well as we have
done in previous games. "For that reason, I would ask that you to give your
backing to the boys because I can tell you that we are giving 100 per cent
for the shirt and 100 per cent for West Ham United. We know that you have
spent your hard earned money to watch us and we desperately want to put a
show on for you in every game."

"Things might not always go our way, but that is never through a lack of
effort. Together we are stronger, so let's stick together and make sure we
get as many points as possible from our last seven games." The first of
those games comes next Monday evening when West Ham travel to Sunderland,
knowing that victory at the Stadium of Light would all but guarantee Premier
League survival this season. The Hammers are currently nine points clear of
the Black Cats, who sit in 18th position having gone down 2-1 at Liverpool
last night.

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West Ham striker Elliot Lee pens new deal at Upton Park
Last Updated: 27/03/14 7:45pm
SSN

West Ham United youngster Elliot Lee has spoke of his delight after penning
a new two-and-a-half year deal at Upton Park. The 19-year-old striker made
his Premier League debut as a late substitute in August's 1-0 defeat at home
to Stoke, while he has since gained first-team experience on loan at
Colchester earlier this season. After progressing through the club's youth
system, Lee made his Hammers debut in January of last year, coming off the
bench in an FA Cup replay defeat to Manchester United. An ankle problem is
likely to rule the striker out of action for the remainder of the campaign,
but he admitted his joy at the new contract and says he is looking to make
an impression next season. He told West Ham TV: "I'm really happy to sign
this new deal and like I said I've been here since a young age, so I only
want to play for West Ham. "I'm happy that I'm here for another few years
and I look forward to hopefully playing in the first team. "All I want to do
is play football, so that was the only decision to be made. I believe that I
can play for this first team one day and that's the aim. "It's any boy's
dream to play for the first team and I've had two appearances now from the
bench and I hope there will be many more to come. "Once you get a little
taste of it, you want more and more. Unfortunately it hasn't worked out for
me that way this season, but hopefully next season will be a different
story."

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West Ham's Mark Noble issues appeal to angry fans
Last Updated: 27/03/14 5:09pm
SSN

West Ham's Mark Noble has appealed to fans to get behind the team after boos
spoiled Wednesday's win over Hull City.Some Hammers fans jeered their side
off the pitch at Upton Park despite witnessing a vital 2-1 win over 10-man
Hull that lifted them further away from the relegation places. Manager Sam
Allardyce cupped his ear towards the stands as he left the pitch and
admitted afterwards he "couldn't believe" they were taunting him and his
players following a key victory. Noble believes their display was hardly a
lesson in total football, but warned supporters that anxiety in the stands
can resonate onto the pitch and affect their performances. "I appreciate
that we did not play our best football and that it wasn't pretty at times.
More than anyone, I'm keen to get the ball down and play but sometimes it
just doesn't happen for you," he told the club's official website. West Ham
manager Sam Allardyce said he was shocked to be booed by fans at full time,
after his side won 2-1 against Hull. "On behalf of all of the players, I can
say that your support really can make a difference. But I must admit the
anxiety from the stands can spill onto the pitch and get into our minds, as
much as we try to ignore it. "When that happens, some players can be
affected and they make mistakes that they would not normally make - and that
happened last night. "For that reason, I would ask that you give your
backing to the boys because I can tell you that we are giving 100 per cent
for the club. We will always perform better when we are feeling relaxed and
comfortable - as you would in any job."

West Ham's win lifted them to 11th in the Premier League, nine points clear
of the drop zone, and just four points short of Allardyce's 38-point target
to survive.

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THE SAM CONUNDRUM
By Tony Hanna 27 Mar 2014 at 17:13
West Ham Till I Die

Well, what happened at Upton Park last night certainly created an emotion
from the crowd that we had not seen for some while, if ever before? A
winning West Ham team booed off the field by sections of the crowd. If any
of the players or the manager read the comments on this site or any other
West Ham fan site for that matter, they certainly would know by now that
many Hammer fans are not happy with the type of football we are playing
under Sam Allardyce. The Upton Park crowd at match days however has been
fairly quiet on the matter until last night. To be fair, we have played some
reasonable stuff under Sam at times but for the main, and certainly since
points have become more and more important, some of the football served up
has been dire. I am not a paying customer this season but like most fans
that live abroad we still make the effort to pay for Pay TV and also to get
up at 2am or worse in the morning to follow our club. However, I have also
followed West Ham home and away in the past and have seen many awful
seasons, but one thing I would never do is boo my team or manager. My
decision not to do that though does not make it wrong for others to do so as
that is their prerogative. I just wish they would show their frustration in
other ways. Put it this way, if Sam is here next season we won't have too
much of a problem getting match day tickets.

So, the conundrum has resurfaced again about points or entertainment and
style? It is impossible to say with certainty that if Sam manages a team
they will not get relegated but most pundits say he is the man any club
would want if survival is paramount. Survival is important and whilst we
have been relegated and come back up again many times before, the move to
the Olympic Stadium seems to be making this particular battle even more
important than ever. However, West Ham fans have never supported this club
for glory or titles, even before the flood of money into what became the
Premier League made this ambition beyond our reach. Let's face it, nowadays
teams outside the elite six are playing to avoid relegation each season.
That makes it three out of fourteen of these clubs will not survive each
season, pretty much a one in five chance you are going to be playing in the
Championship each and every season. West Ham fans have been brought up on
the clubs traditions and if playing well and losing happened it was often
accepted with grace in the past. However, I also can't remember any time we
were relegated in the past that I was happy because we played good football!

So when Sam cupped his ear to the boos after the game last night it brought
me back to the time he thought we were deluded. Does he have a point? Are
West Ham fans so entrenched in the belief we need to be entertained whatever
the result? I don't think we are, but we do want to see our team play in a
much more attractive style than we are currently. And there comes the
conundrum again. We are not going to get that with Sam. We knew what we were
getting when he came here and he has not disappointed. If Sam were to be
moved on at the end of the season we may see the new manager install a more
attractive style of football at Upton Park. But who will that be and will he
keep us up as well? Mr Sullivan and Mr Gold will have to make a huge
decision in the not too distant future and with their money on the line it
will be the most important decision in their football careers.

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West Ham consider ending Sam Allardyce's reign after fans boo their win over
Hull
Mar 27, 2014 18:26 By Mike Walters

Sam Allardyce could be forced out by fan power after West Ham were booed off
despite a vital win. Big Sam's relationship with loyal East enders reached
breaking point in the dismal 2-1 victory over Hull, which moved the Hammers
to the brink of Premier League safety. Taken aback by the jeers which
greeted his side's desperate struggle to hold off the Tigers' 10 men,
Allardyce cupped an ear defiantly on the final whistle - and later
complained he had never heard such a negative reaction to a critical result
in his 43 years as a player or manager. Local-hero midfielder Mark Noble has
also stated the fans' grumbling is not helping the players. But the Irons,
stoically supportive of Allardyce in his three-year reign at Upton Park, are
considering a change of course, with Michael Laudrup and Malky Mackay among
the likely targets who could replace dour pragmatism with the style the fans
want to see. The Irons manager has now sent an open letter to disgruntled
fans, insisting the result was all that mattered and preaching: "Sometimes
you need to win ugly."

But Allardyce's mail-shot may not save his job beyond this season as rather
than winning ugly, the fed-up supporters want a beauty contest. West Ham's
co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan have remained steadfast in their
support of Allardyce, but it is never a good sign for any manager when his
team are booed off after winning at home. Patience with Big Sam's no-frills
pragmatism among fans appeared exhausted as the Hammers were outplayed by
Hull, who had only 10 men for 65 minutes after keeper Allan McGregor was
sent off.

In his open letter to supporters, Allardyce called it "a very unusual night"
and insisted: "It wasn't about anything else other than winning the game,
and if we could have won with a lot more flair and ability, that would have
been fine. "But when we woke up this morning. we knew we were that much
closer to surviving in this great league for another year and trying to
build on what we've done over the last two years. "For the first time this
season we had to play against 10 men. Where normally we have had to play
with 10 men and won, last night the opposition have gone down to 10 men and
not won, and I think everyone should really remember that."

Allardyce, who restored West Ham to the Premier League at the first attempt
after Avram Grant had guided them to relegation in 2011, is on course to
maintain West Ham's top-flight status until 2016, when they are due to move
into the Olympic stadium. Gold, responding to the fans' discontent on
Wednesday night, tweeted: "Every season we remain in the Premier League, we
will get stronger and closer to going to the OS (Olympic Stadium) debt-free.
This must be our priority."

But answering another follower in Twitter, he described the performance as
"dogged, determined, lacked flair but three very important points."

Former Hammers striker Tony Cottee admitted on talkSPORT: "I do have some
sympathy with the fans - they pay a lot of money, and if you are spending up
to £60 to watch a game, you want a bit more entertainment.

"I've heard West Ham booed off many times before, but that's the first time
I've heard it after winning a match."

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West Ham's Mark Noble tells boo-boy supporters: Your moaning makes us play
even worse
Mar 27, 2014 16:09 By Darren Lewis

Mark Noble has pleaded with West Ham's fans not to wreck the club's survival
bid by turning against the players. The Upton Park club's stars sat in the
dressing room after the final whistle stunned at being booed off the pitch -
despite beating 10-man Hull to put themselves within touching distance of
top-flight safety. Manager Sam Allardyce criticised the supporters in his
post-match press conference and now Noble has defended his Hammers. In a
statement aimed at the fans, he said: "I appreciate that we did not play our
best football [against Hull] and that, at times, it wasn't pretty. "More
than anyone, I am keen to get the ball down and play, but sometimes it just
doesn't happen for you as a team and as individuals, no matter how hard you
try. "On behalf of all of the players, I can say that your support really
can make a difference. We will always perform better when we are feeling
relaxed and comfortable - as you would in any job - and I must admit the
anxiety from the stands can spill onto the pitch and get into our minds, as
much as we try to ignore it. "When that happens, some players can be
affected and they make mistakes that they would not normally make. "I think
you could see that in our performance last night, as we made mistakes we
would not normally make and didn't retain the ball as well as we have done
in previous games. "For that reason, I would ask that you give your backing
to the boys because I can tell you that we are giving 100 per cent for the
shirt and 100 per cent for West Ham."

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Why Mark Noble should be in England's squad for the World Cup this summer
Mar 27, 2014 14:02
OPINION BY DANSILVER

With his tenacious tackling, simple but effective use of the ball and
ability to drop back into a holding midfield role when needed, Mark Noble
has plenty of attributes that could embellish England's expected extended
rearguard action in Brazil. And from his tenure captaining the Under-21s at
the 2009 European Championships, he also has crucial experience of being
eliminated from a major tournament in an embarrassing manner by the Germans.
Noble's impressive performances for underwhelming West Ham this season bring
to mind the maxim that it's harder to be play well in a bad team than a good
one. For reasons best known to himself, Sam Allardyce assembled an army of
English midfielders in East London, and while most have attracted attention
for the wrong reasons (Kevin Nolan's indiscipline, Ravel Morrison's
inconsistency, Joe Cole's inevitable decline), Noble has gone about his
anchorman role with a minimum of fuss.
However, there's one quality that truly sets Noble apart from rivals like
Gareth Barry, James Milner and Tom Cleverley - and it's one that could make
all the difference should the Three Lions manage to escape the group stage
and roam the unpredictable savannahs that are the knockout rounds. And that
is his deadly efficiency from 12 yards. Few Englishmen would dread the
penalty shoot-out less than Noble. His successful spot kick that set up the
Hammers' victory against Hull on Wednesday night was his 13th in the Premier
League , moving him level with Carlos Tevez at 16th in the all-time charts
with a conversion rate of 86.7%. In fact, there are only two contemporary
England players above him: Frank Lampard, who has hit 43 from 49, and
Leighton Baines, who tops the list with a perfect dozen.

It may seem strange to advocate designating a precious berth in Roy
Hodgson's spot for what amounts to an American Football-style special team
position - but then it's also strange to think a nation would suffer
shootout eliminations from six major tournaments in 24 years and not seek to
address the problem. And surely for that reason alone, Mark Noble deserves
his seat on the plane.

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