Daily WHUFC News - 26th September 2014

On this day - 25 September
WHUFC.com
Dylan Tombides made his sole first team appearance on this day two years ago
25.09.2014

Anniversary
West Ham United 1-4 Wigan Athletic
Carling Cup Round Three
25 September 2012
Dylan Tombides made his one and only first team appearance for the Hammers
on this day two years ago. Whilst the game was not one that will be
remembered by West Ham fans, it was one the sadly departed Tombides would
forever cherish. He entered the fray with six minutes left of the tie,
replacing Gary O'Neil just before Jordi Gomez stroked home Wigan's fourth
from the penalty spot. Tombides' appearance marked an impressive rise
through the Academy at the Hammers following his move to England at the age
of 15. The Australian forward had been capped by his country at U17 level
and appeared at that age group's FIFA World Cup the year before his West Ham
bow. Later in 2011 he was diagnosed with the testicular cancer which would
tragically claim his life, yet he bravely battled through treatment and
featured not only in this match, but Development Squad fixtures and the 2014
AFC U22 Championships for Australia.He sadly passed away at the age of 20 on
18 April 2014, with a minutes' applause held in his honour at the Barclays
Premier League match against Crystal Palace the following day.

Complete record
1920 Cardiff City 0-0 West Ham United (Division Two)
1926 West Ham United 1-2 Sunderland (Division One)
1937 West Ham United 2-0 Blackburn Rovers (Division Two)
1948 West Ham United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Division Two)
1954 West Ham United 2-0 Port Vale (Division Two)
1965 West Ham United 1-1 Blackpool (Division One)
1971 West Ham United 2-1 Stoke City (Division One)
1974 West Ham United 3-0 Birmingham City (Division One)
1976 West Ham United 1-1 Sunderland (Division One)
1982 West Ham United 4-1 Manchester City (Division One)
1993 Newcastle United 2-0 West Ham United (Premier League)
1994 West Ham United 0-2 Arsenal (Premier League)
1999 Coventry City 1-0 West Ham United (Premier League)
2010 West Ham United 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Premier League)
2012 West Ham United 1-4 Wigan Athletic (League Cup Round Three)
Played 15, Won 7, Drawn 3, Lost 5, Scored 19, Conceded 15

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Kev's closing in on return
WHUFc.com
Kevin Nolan is soon to resume full training and expects to be back in
first-team action within the fortnight
24.09.2014

West Ham United skipper Kevin Nolan has earmarked the Barclays Premier
League visit of Queens Park Rangers for a possible return to action,
following a prolonged spell on the sidelines with a fractured shoulder.

The Hammers' No4 is due to resume training at the end of this week and could
yet figure for the Development Squad against Sunderland at the Boleyn Ground
on Monday evening.

Frustrating though his lay-off has been, Nolan has delighted in watching his
team-mates impress and is now desperate to play his part in the coming
weeks.

"The lads have done fantastically well," he told West Ham TV. "It's been
really tough for me, because I rarely have to sit out, but great watching
the lads do so well and everyone at the training ground's upbeat. But I'm in
and around the boys now, back training with them and hoping to be back in
the next week or so. I'm really looking forward to getting in the mix and
trying to get my place back.
"The lads have been great over the last couple of games and the system the
manager's chosen, with the way's he wanted us to play, has really suited the
boys. Fingers crossed we can continue it over the coming months and if we
can get through Christmas in and around that top ten, then we can look to
push on."

Above all, the 32-year-old hailed an outstanding summer of recruitment, with
West Ham's new boys taking the Premier League in their stride. Their obvious
football quality aside, the new additions are prepared to put in the hard
yards too, with Nolan adamant that they took little time to buy into the
Club's philosophy.
"The new boys have all settled in really well, which is massive and has been
the key to the success. They've come in with the ethos that I try to instil
in everyone and every team that I've captained. The boys have been brilliant
since they've come in and you're seeing now how much more quality West Ham
have got and the calibre of squad we've been able to assemble in the
summer."

Those exciting signings will, no doubt, play a pivotal part in the Club's
immediate future, one in which the former Olympic Stadium will figure
prominently. Following Tuesday's Club London launch and the opening of a New
Stadium Reservation Centre in Stratford, Nolan continues to be wowed by all
that he hears and sees of the Hammers' future home and plans to ensure that
the football matches the surroundings.

He continued: "It just looks unbelievable, the standard of everything that's
going to be on offer for fans and for us players. Everything about it is
going to be top notch and it gives you that little bit extra motivation to
hopefully still be around in 2016.

"First and foremost, we have to make sure that we keep doing as we are and
get this Club back to where we feel we belong and that's in and around the
top ten and pushing upwards. It's a steady process of building year upon
year and the quality of the squad this season is much higher than it has
been in previous seasons.

"You've got to realise that when players see that Stadium, they're going to
want to play for West Ham. So it only bodes well for the future."

And while Nolan anticipates rapid progress on the pitch, he expects the
supporter experience at the new Stadium to be an exceptional one too.
"When you see all the visuals, if that all comes off, it's going to be some
place and a place, where as a supporter, you get everything you need.
Imagine walking up that walkway to the game every week, with all the claret
and blue everywhere, the 'Come on you Irons'. It has taken us into the 21st
century and that's what this Club needed. It will take us to the next level.
It will be fantastic."

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From the Academy
WHUFc.com
Academy Manager Terry Westley pens his exclusive column for the Official
Website
25.09.2014

Hello everyone,

The U18s have made a good start to the season and go into this Saturday's
fixture at Reading unbeaten in their opening five Barclays U18 Premier
League matches. That record is all the more impressive when you consider
that it has coincided with some younger players playing too.

It's a combination of getting results at U18 level but also having U16
players involved too. The U21s have also got U18s and U17s in their squads
and I think that shows we're on the right track. That means we're ticking
the right boxes in terms of being development coaches.
I'm delighted we're winning matches as that is good for confidence but also
for individuals like schoolboys Vashon Neufville and Jahmal Hector-Ingram.
If you then look at Reece Oxford, he's missed the U18s by going straight
into the U21s, really. Steve Potts and Mark Phillips must be very pleased
with the work they are doing.
Looking at the Southampton game, which we won 3-2 after coming back from two
goals down - that shows great character, good temperament and they
demonstrated the work the two coaches are doing. The players are on a roll
at the moment, they're enjoying training and having to work hard to stay in
the team.
The U18s have scored eleven goals in their opening five matches, with Jordan
Brown scoring four and Jahmal getting his first at that level against
Southampton.
The week before, Jahmal scored against Chelsea at U16 level and has been
selected for England. We need to try and make room for these players. He has
to be at his absolute maximum the whole time when he plays at U18 level.
It's the same for the other schoolboys too - when they play U18 football
they're being pushed. It's also important that when they do drop back down
to their own age-group that they play properly. Playing an age lower helps
give them more time on the ball and let them dominate a game.
With Jordan, he's doing very well in matches and training and I think he's
close to the U21s.
At the other end of the pitch, the U21s tightened up defensively and were
rewarded with a 1-1 draw at Fulham last time out.
It's a toss-up which way you want to go as an Academy. You can decide to
play young players and play expansively or make sure you're tight at the
back and make sure you defend properly. We played expansively in the first
few games and created numerous chances against Tottenham, Manchester City
and Southampton, but we didn't win any of those games.
What the Fulham game showed was that if you sit a little bit deeper and
defend more than you express yourself, you can also get a good performance.
We ground out a result and a good point. Now, we're looking for a
combination and a balance of the two. I want to see players express
themselves while also defending properly.
This weekend, the U18s travel to Reading, who also produce a lot of good
players. Having worked with the Premier League in the last three years I'd
say they have one of the better Academies, even though they're not on a
massive budget. They rely a lot of home-grown players and work with the
players right the way through.
They work hard and their desire as a group and staff is excellent. They
produce good players and I think it will be a tough game.
Finally, you may have read in the Programme at the weekend about the
partnership we have with Robert Clack School, which means we can educate and
train the schoolboys full-time at Rush Green between the ages of 14-16.
The first two-year cycle ended in the summer and our schoolboys did well in
their GSCE results, which was very pleasing.
The concept and the partnership West Ham have put in place is as good as
anywhere in the country. The school is a hundred metres away from the
training ground. The boys get educated at the Club, they stay and play
football. The results show that their predicted grades have gone up. The
concept is fantastic.
We want to make sure our elite schoolboy players are part of this process,
being educated and training with us as they develop and, hopefully, become
first-team players.
If the elite players are all living, studying and training within the Club,
then this will increase the togetherness and they'll come through the system
together. The young players will learn from the behaviour and the culture of
the elite players.
We want to see scenarios where U21s are living with U13 and U14s at the
Academy House, looking after them and talking about the game with them. That
is the holistic approach we are after and, when it happens, I would hope our
achievements in the classroom and on the pitch will improve still further.

Terry Westley

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Big Sam on: Manchester United
WHUFC.com
The manager held his pre-Manchester United press conference on Thursday
25.09.2014

Sam Allardyce spoke to the media on Thursday morning ahead of Saturday's
Barclays Premier League trip to Manchester United. The manager gave an
update on injury news, spoke about Manchester United's form, and that of his
own side following last weekend's fine victory over Liverpool.

Morning Sam, any injury news for us?

SA: "Cheikhou Kouyate has had a problem, he's out for six weeks. It's a blow
due to his performances. We don't have more new injuries to worry about.
"Kevin Nolan is training today for the first time, he won't be included for
the squad against Manchester United. Same with Matt Jarvis. There's an U21
game on Monday they'll probably play a part of. It's good to have those two
players back in full training, so that leaves Andy Carrooll. Kouyate and
Joey O'Brien out, hopefully not for long. "The squad is confident and the
new guys have shown what they can do. They've got a tough game against
Manchester United where they can test their skills and abilities. Old
Trafford can be daunting for some players but hopefully it won't be for our
players."

How soon for Andy Carroll, some suggestions it can be December?

SA: "We don't want to put a time on it, it might be sooner but we don't want
to rush him back. It all depends how the rehabilitation goes. We have to be
ultra-careful and if we feel an extra week will do him good then that's what
we'll do.
"When he's back hopefully he'll be back for good. We can only guess at a day
for when he'll be back. In and around late-November or early-December I
think."

You said he's at a crossroads, what did you mean by that?

SA. "He has to overcome the injuries he's had. His career has been stunted
by injuries since his time at Liverpool really. We have to try and find a
solution. Ryan Giggs is an example, he had lots of hamstring injuries but
managed to find a way to overcome it. Obviously he played until he was 40.
We have to do that with Andy now, look at different methods and techniques
away from day-to-day training. When we do get it sorted, he'll grow and
become the player that we know he is. He's tuned 25 now and moving into the
peak of his career hopefully in peak condition. He needs a sustained run in
the team and when he gets that he'll be great for us."

What do you make of Manchester United? Excellent against QPR and then there
was the Leicester game...

SA: "I don't think they had a problem until the penalty. Even at 3-2 I
thought they would kick on again. I was surprised they lost their focus in
the way they did. A bad decision went against them but they didn't react to
it well. Leicester took full advantage of that, but up to 3-1 they looked
good, they were creating chances. "There were specific moments in the game,
like Falcao hitting the bar and that would have been it. But Leicester came
back and did very well. "We need to make sure we limit their chances and use
the possession we do have when we have it. We have to be as good at taking
the ball off them as we were against Liverpool last week. We're going to
have to dampen the outstanding talent that they do have and the exploit the
defensive weaknesses."

Five games in and Van Gaal has two points less than Moyes. Are we obsessing
about a foreign manager again?

SA: "It takes time to get players gelling together. It's not an excuse, it's
an actual fact. When they settle in that's a bonus as they have done here.
There is so much to consider with a new player, you can't expect to walk
into a club and know every player's strengths and weaknesses after two days.
You can't do that overnight. It takes time for everyone to get to know each
other. United have already changed the system once to find a solution.
They've got a few injuries, particularly defensive ones, so another
opportunity for us to exploit.
"We are going into the game with confidence, and as underdogs. Hopefully we
can go out and continue our good performances and get a result."

Do you expect to be playing a lot of counter attacking football?

SA: " I would have thought so, yes. The quality of United's team may drive
us back and if we are to contain their abilities on the ball we have to have
a compact unit. When we have the ball we have to break into the spaces they
are going to leave.They will attack us because Manchester United fans demand
that they do. There will be spells when we have to do some deep defending,
I'm sure. But if we're as good as we were against Liverpool then we can
cause them one or two problems. As always we'll have to be as clinical in
our finishing as we were last week, that is the key. We can't afford to miss
the chances we get."

Do you think this is a good time to play Manchester United coming off the
back of a defeat?

SA: "No, I think there'll be a backlash. The determination of the Manchester
United players and the demand on them means I'm sure they will be fired up.
They'll be hurting after the Leicester game and they'll know the only way
they can put it right is go out and put on a good performance."

For the injured guys looking in, what advice to you give to them?

SA: "They should say to themselves they need to get fit and fight their way
back into the team. That will hopefully be their attitude. It may not be as
easy as it was before but that leaves me in a very difficult position. It's
tough when you have to sometimes leave people out of the team and even the
bench. That's why squads nowadays have 25 players in it. We need to keep
that squad as fit and competitive as possible as we can. "You don't want the
team picking itself. You want the players on the pitch knowing that if they
slip up there's another player desperately waiting to take his place."

What psychological advantage do you have over Manchester United?

SA: "We go into the game with the confidence coming off the Liverpool
result. We have played well for the majority of the season. We have to
believe we can give a similar type of performance on Saturday. That'll have
to be the minimum we give. We have to hope we get the breaks at the right
time."

Any thoughts about Ravel Morrison going on loan to Cardiff?

SA: "It's first team football for Rav. It's important he's playing first
team football elsewhere. Cardiff are a very good club, trying to get back
into the Premier League. They have a good squad of players. He can go and
play some football. We'll keep an eye on him and come December we'll make a
decision regarding Rav because he's running into the last year of his
contract now."

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Mediawatch - 25 September
WHUFC.com
Our daily look at the West Ham United stories making the news
25.09.2014

Sam Allardyce's interview with The Sun dominates the headlines today, with
the manager talking about being relaxed at the possibility of signing a new
contract with West Ham United. In a second piece taken from the same
interview, Big Sam discusses Manchester United in depth ahead of Saturday's
trip to Old Trafford. The Evening Standard have been speaking to captain
Kevin Nolan about his impending return from a fractured shoulder and the
competition for places within the West Ham squad. Elsewhere, London24 has
taken quotes from Diego Poyet's whufc.com Big Interview concentrating on his
hopes of winning a place in the starting XI with Cheikhou Kouyate absent
through injuries.

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West Ham manager Sam Allardyce fears Manchester United
BBC.co.uk

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce fears his side could be on the
receiving end of a Manchester United backlash at Old Trafford on Saturday.
United have won just one of the first five Premier League games - against
QPR - under Louis van Gaal and lost 5-3 at Leicester City in their last
outing. "They will be pretty down about that performance," said Allardyce.
"But they'll be really fired up to make sure that they try and perform like
they did against QPR and beat us."

West Ham start the weekend eighth in the table following a 3-1 home victory
against Liverpool on 20 September. But the Hammers have not beaten United in
the last 11 attempts in the league. Last season West Ham went down 3-1 at
Old Trafford before losing 2-0 at home, with Wayne Rooney scoring both
goals, the first a brilliant lob from just inside the Hammers' half.

Allardyce knows the likes of Rooney, Radamel Falcao and Angel Di Maria will
be desperate to atone last weekend's defeat when United lost after
squandering a 3-1 lead to newly-promoted Leicester. Asked if it was a good
time to face Van Gaal's side, the Hammers boss added: "No. I'm thinking a
backlash. "They will be hurting and they know the only way they can put that
right is to get out on to the field and punish us for it. "We will have to
be careful about that. "A draw would be great for me, anything more than a
draw would be outstanding as far as I'm concerned. "My players have got to
look forward to a tough game at Old Trafford now and test their skills and
test their ability at a stadium that can obviously be daunting for some
players."

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Clinical and compact
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 25th September 2014
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce believes West Ham may have to curb their attacking intent in
order to get anything out of this weekend's trip to Old Trafford.

Having watched his team take four points from their last two outings at Hull
and at home to Liverpool last weekend, morale is high in the Hammers camp as
they prepare for what is traditionally one of the season's toughest tests.

However with West Ham in good form and Manchester United having shipped five
at Leicester last weekend, there couldn't be a better time to play a team
who once dominated domestic football but now find themselves struggling to
emulate their previous achievements.

Despite that defeat, the Reds' forward line remains one of the most
expensively-assembled in world football.

Whilst their defensive woes have been well-documented the likes of Rooney,
van Persie, Falcao and Di Maria remain a constant threat - something that
Allardyce, who is still seeking his first win over Man U as a West Ham
manager acknowledged during his pre-match press conference this morning.

"The quality of United's team may drive us back and if we are to contain
their abilities on the ball we have to have a compact unit," he surmised.
"When we have the ball we have to break into the spaces they are going to
leave.

"They will attack us because Manchester United fans demand that they do.
There will be spells when we have to do some deep defending, I'm sure. But
if we're as good as we were against Liverpool then we can cause them one or
two problems.

"As always we'll have to be as clinical in our finishing as we were last
week, that is the key. We can't afford to miss the chances we get.

"We need to make sure we limit their chances and use the possession we do
have when we have it. We have to be as good at taking the ball off them as
we were against Liverpool last week. We're going to have to dampen the
outstanding talent that they do have and the exploit the defensive
weaknesses.

"We are going into the game with confidence, and as underdogs. Hopefully we
can go out, continue our good performances and get a result."

To read Big Sam's pre-Man Utd presser in full, visit whufc.com.


Sam Allardyce vs Manchester United: the record so far

2013/13
28 Nov 2012 (Premier League): Man Utd 1-0 West Ham Utd
5 Jan 2013 (FA Cup): West Ham Utd 2-2 Man Utd (Collins 2)
16 Jan 2013 (FA Cup replay): Man Utd 1-0 West Ham Utd
17 Apr 2013: West Ham Utd 2-2 Man Utd (Vaz Te, Diame)

2013/14
2 Dec 2013 (Premier League): Man Utd 3-1 West Ham Utd (C Cole)
22 Mar 2013 (Premier League): West Ham Utd 0-2 Man Utd

Totals: Played 6; Won 0; Drawn 2; Lost 4; For 5 Against 11.

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Nolan and Jarvis on the comeback trail
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 25th September 2014
By: Staff Writer

Kevin Nolan and Matt Jarvis are set to make their respective returns from
injury on Monday. Wide-man Jarvis is yet to kick a ball this season whilst
club captain Nolan has been out of contention since the opening weeks of the
campaign, having sustained a fractured shoulder. However Sam Allardyce
confirmed during a press conference this morning that the duo are set to
feature on Monday night when the Under 21s take on Sunderland at the Boleyn
Ground. "Kevin Nolan is training today for the first time but he won't be
included for the squad against Manchester United. Same with Matt Jarvis,"
said Allardyce. "There's an U21 game on Monday they'll probably play a part
of. It's good to have those two players back in full training which that
leaves Andy Carroll, Cheikhou Kouyate and Joey O'Brien out, hopefully not
for long."

And despite suggestions a fortnight ago that Carroll could be set to return
sooner than initially expected, Allardyce suggested the striker is unlikely
to feature again until close to Christmas."We don't want to put a time on
it," he said. "It might be sooner but we don't want to rush him back. It all
depends how the rehabilitation goes. "We have to be ultra-careful and if we
feel an extra week will do him good then that's what we'll do. When he's
back hopefully he'll be back for good. We can only guess at a day for when
he'll be back. In and around late-November or early-December, I think."

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Mears hoping for Premier League return
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 25th September 2014
By: Staff Writer

Former Hammer Tyrone Mears is hoping to secure a contract with Premier
League Everton. Now 31, the former right back - who was signed by Alan
Pardew from Preston eight years ago, in 2006 - is currently on trial with
the Merseysiders having been released by Championship club Bolton at the end
of last season. One of the country's most highly-rated young full backs when
he arrived at West Ham, Mears' career in east London was blighted by injury.

After just half-a-season at the Boleyn - which equated to a mere six
appearances - he was farmed out on loan to Championship side Derby County by
Pardew's replacement Alan Curbishley, having made just three first team
starts; a deal made permanent that summer (£1million).

A year later Mears surprised the football world when he secured a loan move
from the Rams to top French club Marseille. However that season-long loan
was also interrupted by injury, with the full back only making four
appearances that season.

Mears returned to England in the summer of 2009 when Burnley paid £500,000
to bring him back to the UK. It was the defender's most productive spell of
an injury-ravaged career, as he went on to make nearly 90 appearances for
the Clarets in a two-year spell and win the club's Player of the Year award
in 2011.

In 2001 Bolton snapped the Stockport-born right back up on a free transfer.
Sadly for Mears, injury yet again derailed much of his time at the Reebok
Stadium - with a broken leg keeping him sidelined for much of his first
season at Wanderers.

Now fully recovered from a numerous injuries that have restricted him to
less than 250 competitive appearances in a career spanning 13 years, Mears
is hoping to tie up a deal with Everton who are searching for a back-up to
John Stones and 33-year-old Tony Hibbert.

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Sam Allardyce fears West Ham face Manchester United backlash
Last Updated: 25/09/14 2:40pm
SSN

Sam Allardyce fears a backlash from Manchester United's big names when he
takes his buoyant West Ham to Old Trafford on Saturday.
Allardyce believes the likes of Wayne Rooney, Radamel Falcao and Angel di
Maria will be hurting deeply from the way the Red Devils let a two-goal lead
slip to lose 5-3 at Leicester on Sunday. When asked if it was a good time to
face Louis van Gaal's side, the West Ham boss said: "No. I'm thinking a
backlash. "I think that because of the determination of the Manchester
United players and the fact they are playing at Old Trafford. "I know
there's quite a lot of new players playing there but certainly the demand of
Manchester United is huge and they'll be really fired up to make sure that
they try and perform like they did against QPR and beat us. "They will be
pretty down about that performance they gave at Leicester and they will be
hurting and they know the only way they can put that right is to get out
onto the field and punish us for it - so we will have to be careful about
that. "A draw would be great for me, anything more than a draw would be
outstanding as far as I'm concerned. "They (the West Ham players) have got
to look forward to a tough game at Old Trafford now and test their skills
and test their ability at a stadium that can obviously be daunting for some
players. "Hopefully our new players won't be daunted about the prospect of
playing at Old Trafford on Saturday."

The Hammers travel to Old Trafford in good heart following a 3-1 home win
over Liverpool last weekend. Many will still see the hosts as favourites
going into the game and they enjoyed a comfortable 4-0 victory over QPR on
their last home outing. But they have struggled for consistency despite van
Gaal's £150million summer spending spree and their vulnerabilities in
defence were highlighted again by Leicester.
Allardyce sympathises with Van Gaal's problems with integrating his new
recruits into the set-up at Old Trafford. West Ham themselves have brought
in nine new faces since the end of last season and Allardyce insists getting
so many new players to gel is not an easy task for anyone. "It's not an
excuse, it is an actual fact," he said. "If you've got your players to
settle quicker then that is a bonus when you have brought in as many players
as I have and as many players as Man United have. "Irrespective of the
talent, you've got to work as a team and to do that you need to understand
each other - you need time. "You can't just walk into a club for two days
and say 'I know his strengths and weaknesses, I know his talent'."

Allardyce admitted the loss for up to six weeks of one of his summer
signings, Senegal international midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate (groin injury),
was a 'blow'. Captain Kevin Nolan is back training but will not feature at
Old Trafford, while Ravel Morrison has been loaned to Championship side
Cardiff.

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West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce comes to David Moyes' defence
Last Updated: 25/09/14 8:37am
SSN

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has defended David Moyes' time as
Manchester United manager. The Scotsman succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson as the
Red Devils boss last summer but was sacked four games before the end of the
season after failing to secure them a place in the top four of the Premier
League. The only major signing that United made last summer was that of
midfielder Marouane Fellaini from Everton for £27.5million, and they brought
in Spanish playmaker Juan Mata from Chelsea for £37.1m in January. In
contrast this summer, following the appointment of Louis van Gaal as the
manager, United have signed Ander Herrera (£29m), Luke Shaw (£27m), Marcos
Rojo (£16m), Angel di Maria (£59.7m), Daley Blind (£14m), Vanja Milinkovic
(sent back to FK Vojvodina on loan) and Radamel Falcao (on loan from AS
Monaco).

Allardyce has now questioned United's failure to sign the players that Moyes
wanted when he was in charge of the club. "If I was sat at home in David's
shoes, I would be wondering why they didn't spend the £150m with me," he
told The Sun. "There was a complacency by United in not going out and
delivering the signings David felt he needed. Now there's a panic on. "If I
was sat at home in David's shoes, I would be wondering why they didn't spend
the £150m with me." "He will obviously look at what he might have done
better but he should have got the players and he tells me he didn't get any
of them. "It was difficult enough taking over from Alex Ferguson but if,
when you take over, you don't get what you want, it's so much harder. "It
was a great shame because he'd done everything right at Everton and Sir Alex
saw the fact he wanted to build at United like he had done at Everton. "I'm
not so sure anybody would have been successful in that season – history
tells you that. Look at other examples, like when Brian Clough took over
from a legend in Don Revie at Leeds and only lasted 44 days."

New deal

Allardyce's own future at West Ham has been the subject of scrutiny after a
tough year last season. The 59-year-old's current contract with the Premier
League club runs out in June 2015, but he has yet to be offered a new
deal.However, Allardyce is not worried and said: "I've not been offered
anything but it's not an issue, like it's not an issue, like it wasn't last
time. "The team will speak for itself with results and that will put me in a
position to make the owners want to start negotiations if and when they are
ready. "I'm not saying whether I want to stay or not. If I say I want to
stay and three or four results go against me and I get the bullet, then it
sounds silly. "What I will say if I'm comfortable with my life, myself and
the job I'm doing working with the players."

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ANOTHER UNDEFEATED WEEKEND THE TARGET FOR WEST HAM
By Tommy Wathen 25 Sep 2014 at 21:00
West Ham Till I Die

West Ham United's Development Squad, U18's and Ladies are all aiming to
continue their good form this weekend after all gaining results last week.

I was personally at the U18's game and first team games on Saturday, along
with the Ladies win on Sunday which made it a nice 3/3 weekend for me which
makes the weekend that much sweeter.

Nick Haycock's Development Squad kicked off the run of fixtures over the
weekend when they drew 1-1 away at Fulham U21 on Friday night thanks to
Elliott Lee's goal, before goals from Jahmal Hector-Ingram, Jordan Brown and
Kieran Bailey helped the Hammers U18 side come from behind to beat
Southampton 3-2 at Little Heath on Saturday morning.

Then on Sunday afternoon, Julian Dicks watched winger Sarah McCrea netted a
hat trick, along with goals from striker Vicky Kinsman and captain Stacey
Little, as his Ladies team put five goals past Plymouth Ladies to win 5-2 at
Mill Field.

This weekend's fixtures are spread out over the whole weekend. On Saturday
morning at 11am, Steve Potts and his U18 side travel to Reading U18 hoping
to continue their unbeaten start to this season.

Following that, West Ham United Ladies are in action against Portsmouth
Ladies at Aveley FC's Mill Field on Sunday afternoon. Kick off for that
fixture has been bought forward to 1pm, with admission priced at £4 adults
and £2 U16's.

On Monday night, West Ham's Development Squad host Sunderland at Upton Park.
Kick off in that game is at 7pm with admission likely to be free for season
ticket holders and around £2 for non-season ticket holders. Keep an eye on
whufc.com for confirmed details later this weekend.

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WHO WILL PAY FOR ELECTRONIC WRAP?
By Sean Whetstone 25 Sep 2014 at 17:00
West Ham till I Die

News broke this week of a planned electronic wrap around the rebuild Olympic
Stadium presumably using LED technology to make the outside of the Olympic
Stadium is one giant curved screen to brand it West Ham on the 25 days per
year we are guaranteed the stadium as winter anchor concessionaires.

It is a clever move by the club and the LLDC but it indicates that West Ham
branding may not be so permanent at the new stadium but just switched on
during match days. What will happen on non match days is unclear and I guess
it is possibility it becomes a glorified advertising screen on non match
days for hire to recoup the £600m+ it has cost to build the stadium .

I also understand they will be extensive use of mood lighting to create a
West Ham feel on match days, I believe this means they will use the latest
lighting to project claret and blue themes in the mainly white stadium.

What will happen to the black and white seats remains unclear, the club have
publicly said they are looking at the possibility of sponsored seat covers
or whether the seats could be coloured in some way but complete replacement
seems very unlikely in my opinion and completely against the environmental
policy of the LLDC.

This didn't stop David Gold making a bold claim on twitter yesterday that
"The black and white seats will be changed. dg" when asked "Why are the
seats white in OS? , don't like the look of that !" by one fan.

In reality all these ideas need both planning permission approval and
funding before they can become a reality.

The redevelopment with retractable seating is estimated to cost £195m on top
of the £429m it cost to build the first time. £185m of that redevelopment
cost will come from tax payers with just £15m from West Ham. Costs could
also increase up from that due to complications with the roof contract after
cracks were found in the steel work.

I can't see the tax payers stomaching more cash for this LED wrap and
replacing all the seats just to make it feel more like home for West Ham
fans. The only obvious answer is sponsorship and advertising.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WILL POYET OR AMALFITANO STEP UP AT OLD TRAFFORD?
By S J Chandos 25 Sep 2014 at 13:00
West Ham till I Die

The confirmation of Kouyate's six week injury absence is an undoubted blow.
As a signing, he is proving everything that I originally predicted, a
massive and dynamic influence in our midfield unit. Indeed, the
Noble-Kouyate-Song combination could be a key factor in delivering a 8 PL
finish for the club this season. One can only hope that he has a speedy
recovery. But injury is unfortunately part and parcel of the game and
hopefully the squad now has the strength in depth depth to enable us to
cope.

I anticipate that Sam Allardyce would want to continue with the formation
that proved so successful against Liverpool. At its heart was a a solid
midfield triumvirite who were absolutely crucial in delivering an impressive
victory. Plus, hopefully, Stewart Downing will continue in the more central
play-maker role that he has excelled in recently, in a 4-3-1-2 system. The
obvious deputy for Kouyate is Diego Poyet, who can easily slot in along side
Mark Noble and Alex Song. But will Sam Allardyce be brave enough to select
the 19 year old prospect? I certainly hope that he does. Essentially, if
Poyet is good enough (which the indicators are that he is), then he is old
enough. Also, he will have the benefit of experienced midfield partners
alongside him and there is no reason why he cannot come in to the side and
deliver a good performance. After all, that is what a competitive squad
ethos is all about. Players train, compete for a first team chance and then
grab the opportunity with both hands when it comes along.

Poyet certainly seems clear that he is ready for the opportunity and will
give it 100%. He has been quoted as stating that:

'If the opportunity came, I can tell you now that that I'd give it
everything I have got. I will leave everything I have got on the pitch.'

Whilst simultaneously demonstrating a good attitude and belief in the
current squad:

'If I am on the bench and have to wait for my chance, I'll be supporting the
boys. That's how I am. We a squad and it is the squad that will help us do
well this season.'

I certainly believe that Poyet should get his chance up at Old Trafford. The
question is will Sam Allardyce concur or will he prefer to draft in a more
experienced player, such as Morgan Amalfitano? Amalfitano could play in the
midfield three, although he will need to adapt his game to do so. In
particular, he will be required to play a more disciplined role and put in
his share of the graft. As readers will know, I am a big fan of Amalfitano,
although I ideally prefer to see him play in a more advanced attacking
position. However, there is little doubt he is a viable alternative in this
role. While a longer shot could see Collins come in to defence and Tomkins
moved in to midfield, as he has done in the past, admittedly with variable
results. Arguably, this is a selection of the last resort and there are
better options available.

Of course, there is also the possibility that Allardyce might go for a more
defensive 4-5-1, with both Poyet and Amalfitano selected. But that would
ultimately mean sacrificing Sakho or Valencia, thus undermining our cutting
edge in the final third. Would the manager do that after the outstanding
performances put in by both strikers against Liverpool? It would be
surprisiing, especially with Man Utd exhibiting some notable defensive
vulnerabilities at present. If Leicester City were able to exploit those
vulnerabilities, then we certainly should be able to do the same.

Regardless of the significance of Kouyate's absence, confidence in the squad
must be very high after the victory over Liverpool. Arguably, whilst
ensuring that we have a solid shape, we should not be overly negative in our
tactics. Rather, we must look to utilise that self-confidence to deliver
another good result. We have the attacking players to hurt Man Utd and they
must be encouraged, not curtailed, in that endeavour.

So, for me, it is Poyet deputising and the same formation deployed that was
so effective against Liverpool, but we shall see?

Elsewhere, it has been confirmed that Ravel Morrison has been farmed out on
loan to Cardiff City until Christmas. I can see the logic in Morrison
getting in some regular first team football, especially as he is currently
competing with the likes of Downing, Zarate and Amalfitano for a starting
spot at West Ham. But it does raise question marks about his future at the
club. I know that there are complicating factors, in the form of his much
publicised pending court case, but I still sincerely hope that he will
eventually sign a new contract with the club. He is a huge talent and it
would be a great pity to see him realise it elsewhere, especially as we had
the original foresight to sign him from Man Utd.

Unfortunately, regardless of comments to the contrary, I do get the distinct
impression that Morrison is only heading in one direction under the current
management and that is towards the exit door. We shall see in the fullness
of time whether the West Ham board really do have ideas/ambitions to the
contrary where this particular player is concerned?

SJ. Chandos.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED
By Bianca Westwood 25 Sep 2014 at 08:00
West Ham till I Die

It may have been five days ago but I'm still buzzing. It feels weird though.
Being so upbeat and buoyant. With my fellow fans basking in the glow of two
monumental performances in a week. I cast my mind back and admittedly my
memory is not what it once was but I can't remember a time where the feeling
of positivity among us was as strong and as ubiquitous. No I'm not getting
carried away. Yes I know it's only two games on the spin. But come on!!!!!

All of a sudden we seem to have a team!


Going one up so early against a side like Liverpool is always nice. It's a
pleasant experience. You celebrate but only semi-enthusiastically in truth
because there's always that nagging bark in the depths of your monkey mind,
terrorised and traumatised by years of squandered leads and hope in vain. It
pours ice-cold water onto your untethered joy and slaps some sense into you
and your glee and says "calm down dear…it won't last."

But it's a lovely little buffer to have which is an unexpected bonus.

Then a second goal appears. Even more sublime than the first. What the….???

Now you let loose a bit more. Looking around you wild-eyed at your mates in
a frenzy. Mentally asking the questions…is this really happening? Is this
for real?? Unless, like me, you're in the dour confines of the press box,
locked in a strange mute paralysis, like you're gagged and wearing a
straitjacket, unable to speak or move for fear of disturbing the
professionals at work. Surrounded by poker faces, expressionless journos
bellowing into mics, furiously scribbling notes or tap tap tapping tweets. A
tiny involuntary squeak escapes. A spasm of movement, a flinch. I check
myself and smile broadly instead.

Is it full time yet? No actually there are 83 minutes left. Oh good God!

I know from years of experience that two is still not enough. A painful
memory surfaces momentarily. The Millennium stadium. Ecstasy and agony
combined. I bat it away. We can do this! Our diamond is shining brighter
than theirs!

The Claret & Blue press high. High energy. High tempo. High octane.

It's like an East End revolution! A cockney boys revolt. Liverpool have been
blown apart.

Wave after wave of attacks are launched. The intensity of the encounter
surprises me. Sakho and Valencia dovetail like spitfires. Seeking possession
like missiles. There's no fear, the demand is there and, finally, so is the
supply! Balls like bombs launched into danger areas. The red army in
retreat. Gone AWOL. Winston Reid the general leads his defensive line
calmly. Downing, Noble and Song are marshalling the midfield. The stalwart
and one-time saviour Stevie is struggling to maintain his usual grip and the
Napoleonic Rodgers looks perturbed on the touchline. Allardici grins and
chomps on his gum. It's your move.

Brendan balks and changes it up. It has an immediate impact. Sterling's
sweet strike snaffles one back. Uh-oh here we go.

The roar of the crowd slowly fades. Tension and fear creep into our hearts
and minds. Our fortunes always hiding. From my seat I mentally will the
legions to sing up. Our troops seem weary. Kouyate, kicked from pillar to
post, looks battle-scarred but bravely fights on. Jenkinson makes his
presence known swiftly. Adrian shields his goal like a man possessed.
Amalfitano goes on for A Song. James Collins steams into challenges with all
the subtlety of a tornado. Flattening everything in his wake. Every
Liverpool affront dwindles to nothing. Corners crumble. Attacks are stifled.
The wall holds!

Instead…what's this? Stewart Downing, revitalised, again shows the quality
of his technique and his vision. He produces the kind of pass that evokes
the finesse of Sheringham himself. Amalfitano coolly slips the ball into the
waiting net. It's over.

Another colossal performance. This time in the warm and grateful embrace of
home.

The dust settles…the build up to another engagement begins. A second
excruciating memory dances before my eyes. The one and only time I've made
the journey to Old Trafford as a fan. The road to hell. An overheated engine
on the M6. So much for the Ford Orion. We arrive at half time. Missing
Wanchope's opener. No matter. We're 3-1 down.
We sing our songs. Our voices constant. But unlike my friend's extinguished
Orion, United's constellation sparkles. Scholes, Beckham & Solskjaer make it
seven. We trudge out in the depths of depression.

We've had our glorious league moments in Stretford since. Defoe and Tevez
leading the charge.

Yet again the red opponent awaits. This time a devil! But something tells me
we can ride with this one. We live in hope. As I said…all of a sudden we
seem to have a team. And I believe that, like Foxes, we can steal away with
the spoils….

Good luck up there.

B

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham new boy Enner Valencia learned about the club watching hooligan
movie Green Street
Sep 25, 2014 22:30 By Darren Lewis
World Cup striker says despite the film's portrayal of Hammers fans he has
found them far friendlier than their counterparts in his homeland Ecuador
The Mirror

Enner Valencia is pleased that the perception he got of his new club West
Ham watching TV back in South America was nothing like the reality. The
£12million World Cup star, who has been an instant hit with Hammers fans
this season, knew of the club from watching films such as Green Street.
While that movie starring Lord Of The Rings actor Elijah Wood focuses on a
fictitious hooligan element, however, Valencia maintains he is delighted
with the way that the club and their supporters have conducted themselves
since his arrival.The Ecuadorian said: "I knew about West Ham mainly from
watching films and I know that the supporters were very passionate. I don't
remember the names of all the films, but I remember Green Street."I
respected the fact that they are vey passionate supporters and when I found
out I was coming here I didn't know what to expect."But here in England, the
fans are respectful in the sense that in South America if you lose a match
you can't even go out in the street."Here, after we lost the opening game
[against Tottenham] people stayed in the stadium and showed their support.
That's something I really liked."

In fact, Valencia has found the backing of West Ham's fans to be totally
different at odds with the pressure he found himself under at his first
club, Emelec, back in Ecuador. Explaining how his team found once themselves
under siege from angry fans after one key defeat, Valencia said: "It was a
derby, the Clasico, and our main rivals were top of the league."We had to
beat them in order to move onto the same points and we couldn't get the win.
It was very difficult to get everyone out of the stadium!"

One stadium West Ham cannot wait to get into is the Olympic version which
Valencia hopes to lead them into in two seasons' time as a heavyweight
Premier League outfit.The 25-year-old was the biggest of the wave of
signings that many fans believe have given the club their best squad for
years.Optimism is high going into Saturday's trip to Manchester United to
take on Radamel Falcao, Wayne Rooney and co.
But Valencia maintains he is simply living the dream having come this far
from humble beginnings."I come from a very poor background." he said, "In
order to buy my first boots I had to go and work with my dad on a farm,
milking cows. I had to sell the milk and stuff in order to afford to buy my
first boots. PAWest Ham's Olympic StadiumThe shape of things to come:
Artist's impression of West Ham playing at the Olympic Stadium "Now I'm
extremely happy. Very, very thankful to be here and I am trying to enjoy
every minute. I have said it many times during the World Cup as well. The
Premier League, I used to watch it on the television and now, being here, I
am living the dream.
"The culture here in England is very, very different to South America. The
main thing for me is the language barrier at the moment. But I am improving
my English and the fact that people here are very respectful is something
that is very good."The versatile attacker, who netted a screamer in the 2-2
draw at Hull, went on: "I hope I can continue to score and to help the team
to get as high up the table as possible."Everyone loves to play against
Manchester United and if you get the chance you would love to beat them."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Matt Jarvis available for Saturday
Posted by Sean Whetstone on September 25, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

West Ham joint Chairman David Gold claims that Matt Jarvis is now fit and
available for selection this Saturday as the Hammers travel to Old Trafford.
The 28-year-old winger has missed the Hammers first five games of the new
season after picking up a thigh injury during pre-season.Jarvis made 34
appearances for West Ham last season scoring four goals and is keen to get
back on-the-pitch. He previously told the club's official website 'I was
very frustrated to pick up the injury, so yeah I really want to get back,
work hard and try and get back in the team. I'm gutted I'm injured, I can't
believe it. I did all pre-season and then missed all the games. I'm really
looking forward to getting back.'Back in 2012 West Ham have smashed their
transfer fee record with a £10.75m swoop for Matt Jarvis from Wolves.Whether
he can regain his first team place remains the unanswered question.Sam seems
to disagree with his chairman by saying "Kevin Nolan is training today for
the first time but he won't be included for the squad against Manchester
United. Same with Matt Jarvis"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Black, white, pink, blue, orange…it must be Song!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on September 25, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

He may be one of the best players to arrive at West Ham for many a moon but
Mark Noble is right, Alex Song has to be the worst dresser in the club. No
hang on, let's be a little more honest. He may even be the worst in the
world given the garb he's decided to adorn himself with in this picture.
Here he is on his way to training and it's probably fair to say that boss
Sam Allardyce will slaughtered him!
The picture emerged on Twitter and demonstrated that perhaps the boy from
Barcelona needs a little help with colour coordination!

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