Daily WHUFC News - 31st December 2014

Big Sam on: West Bromwich Albion
WHUFC.com
The manager speaks to the press ahead of Thursday's game against West
Bromwich Albion
30.12.2014

Sam Allardyce faced the media on Tuesday morning ahead ot the New Year's Day
meeting with West Bromwich Albion. With the Hammers facing a third game in
the space of a week, the manager spoke on team news, the West Brom
managerial situation and more.

Good morning Sam, frosty morning today, does that affect your training
plans?

SA: "No, we have undersoil heating under one of our training pitches so it's
soft enough for us to go out and do some football. At this stage of the
season with the heavy schedule it's more for the players who haven't played
as much to keep their fitness up. I think we've done well over the last two
games but we just don't have anything to show for it. "Thankfully injuries
are at a minimum. The only player out is James Tomkins through suspension so
James Collins will come in and we also have Carl Jenkinson available again
who has been outstanding for us. We're facing West Brom, obviously without a
manager, it's mainly recuperating from Arsenal and trying to ensure we
perform to our best on Thursday."

Your third game in seven days, do you rotate the squad again?

SA: "James Collins will come in but we'll assess the rest of the squad
nearer the time. We out passed Arsenal for the first time ever even though
we didn't win. So we can certainly take some positives and a lot of
confidence into the West Brom game."

Is it an advantage or disadvantage playing West Brom, considering they
sacked their manager last night?

SA: "I think initially it can be a disadvantage. When West Brom experienced
change last year we played them soon after and we lost 1-0. For us it's
about trying to re-establish our winning ways because we had a run of seven
unbeaten at home. "West Brom will be a tough game, I saw their game against
Manchester City and they created a lot of chances. They'll be a threat and
we need to be aware of that. It was a tough 2-1 win for us earlier in the
year."

News on the grapevine is that Tony Pulis may take over at West Brom, will
that be a bit of a worry for you?

SA: "I don't know how much effect you can have in such a short space of
time. It's about being aware of what they are and we need to be spot on. We
need to make sure there's no hangover from the two defeats and hit the sort
of form we showed against Arsenal."

With all the managerial changes in the last few days, does anything surprise
you in football anymore?

SA: "No, not a lot suprises me today. The game is results driven, and more
than ever before. If you don't get the results then clubs change the manager
quicker than they ever did before. When we get closer to a transfer window
it seems to have an effect and force a few hands.

What's the situation with Mauro Zarate at the moment, is he having a medical
at QPR?

SA: "Yes he is."

Do you anticipate he'll be going out on loan soon?

SA: "Yes I would."

Yesterday, the club posted record post tax profits, as a year, how would you
sum up 2014?

SA: "I think 2014 has been a good year. Our media man Rob Pritchard who
writes my programme notes gave me a stat the other day that said we got 56
points in the calendar year. So that's very pleasing. So if you add the
profit to that it makes me wonder why I got so much stick but there you go.
We had a tough patch in January but since then we've had a magnificent year.
So from a financial year and a progress point of view we've grown and
developed a lot which is very pleasing to see."

How do the achievements of 2014 compare with the other highlights of your
career?

SA: "It's up there with revitalising Notts County after the only relegation
I've ever experienced. We were champions the next year. Then at Bolton, I
did a similar to job to here. We got promoted then struggled for a few years
but after that we really pushed on. Years four, five and six were some
fantastic years. We had cup finals as well as European places. So hopefully
we're on a similar path at West Ham. We've invested in the squad, bought
some young players in who will hopefully be here for a while and take the
Club to the next level."

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Vote for your Player of the Month
WHUFC.com
Voting is open for December's Player of the Month
30.12.2014

Voting is now open for the whufc.com Player of the Month for December. It
was another successful month for the Hammers, despite defeat at its end
against Chelsea and Arsenal, with ten points collected from six games.
There were plenty of goals scored and positives to take and you can pick
from our shortlist of five below.

Adrian
The goalkeeper was in outstanding form during December, making a string of
fine saves to keep the Hammers in the games against Chelsea and Arsenal. The
No13 also kept a clean sheet in the 2-0 victory over Leicester City.

James Tomkins
Tomkins started the month with a bang, nodding home the Hammers' winner in
their 2-1 success at West Bromwich Albion. He missed the game at Chelsea
through injury, but featured in the remainder of the month's matches as West
Ham kept their fine form going.

Alex Song
The on-loan Barcelona midfielder continues to impress at the heart of the
Hammers' midfield, proving himself an influential figure throughout the
month. He started the victories against Swansea and Leicester, as well as
giving a man-of-the-match performance in the 1-1 draw at Sunderland.

Stewart Downing
Stewart Downing's fine season shows no sign of slowing with December proving
to be another vintage month for the No11. He notched vital goals against
both Sunderland and Leicester City to take his season's tally to four.

Andy Carroll
The big No9 has returned to action with a bang since overcoming his ankle
injury, enjoying an outstanding December. A brace of towering headers
against Swansea was followed by a deft finish against Leicester as the
striker bagged his first goals of the season.

Vote at whufc.com

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Morgan bemoans bad luck
WHUFC.com
Morgan Amalfitano felt his West Ham United side did enough to merit a point
against Arsenal on Sunday
30.12.2014

Morgan Amalfitano says West Ham United can count themselves unlucky to have
departed the Boleyn Ground empty handed on Sunday. The Hammers mounted a
formidable second-half comeback against Arsenal, having earlier conceded
twice in the space of three minutes as the first half drew to a close.
Though their efforts were ultimately to no avail, the Frenchman was still
able to take heart from a spirited Barclays Premier League showing. He
told West Ham TV: "We're disappointed because we've shown our quality on
Sunday, particularly by comparison to the game two days earlier at Chelsea.
We've been a bit unlucky. It's a question of small details and so it's a
shame to lose out. "We couldn't get back on level terms but the game was an
even one in the second half. We've just not had the fortune to score the
equaliser. "Had we not conceded those two late goals in the first half, it
would have been a different game altogether. We gave it our best but it's
not been enough and that's disappointing."

Restored to the starting XI for the first time since the start of December,
Amalfitano was a bright spark in a competitive West Ham midfield. Though his
performance was certainly a good one, the 29-year-old is only interested in
earning points for his team. He continued: "I give my best but it's true
that when we don't win, we're always disappointed as a team. I gave it my
all on Sunday as I always do. You try to do things for the team and bring
all that you can, but the fact remains we're disappointed."

Attention now turns to the New Year's Day visit of Amalfitano's former club
West Bromwich Albion, themselves on a run of three successive defeats. The
midfielder is thankful that the games are coming thick and fast, thereby
providing another opportunity to make amends. "We need to win [against West
Brom]. We're at home and we've not lost many there, so it's for us to win
the game. As I've said, we're disappointed but the next game's not far away
and we go again to take the three points against West Brom."

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Hammers report strong results
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have published their accounts for year ending 31 May 2014
29.12.2014

West Ham United are pleased to announce a record group profit before tax of
£10.3m following a successful 2013/14 for the Club both on and off the
pitch. This is a significant improvement on last year's loss before tax of
£3.5m. As the team overcame a difficult start to the season to finish 13th
in the Barclays Premier League, the Club increased revenues to an all-time
high. Turnover was up to £114.8m compared to £89.8m the previous year,
helped by the new Broadcast deal and an increase in most other income
sources. The wage/turnover ratio also decreased to 55.6% against 62.6% last
year, the lowest ratio since this was first calculated 15 years ago. It all
added up to a fine year for the Club, who finish 2014 in sixth position
following their best-ever Premier League start. August 2015 will bring the
beginning of the Club's final season at the Boleyn Ground ahead of the move
to a stunning new home in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2016 and the
commercial opportunities that will create.

Joint-Chairman David Sullivan said: "My Board and I are satisfied with the
achievements we have made in the 2013/14 season, the highlights for us being
retaining our Premier League status and reaching the semi-final of the
Capital One Cup, signing an agreement to sell the Boleyn Ground in
preparation for our move to the Olympic Stadium for the 2016/17 season, and
our fantastic support despite our many injuries and therefore subsequent
challenging performances on the pitch.

"We continue to believe we will deliver both on and off the pitch by
investing in the team, the brand and managing the business well."
Vice-Chairman Karren Brady added: "Through the hard work of a fantastic,
dedicated, loyal and determined team both on and off the pitch the club has
grown in size, revenue and in stature this season. The management team off
the pitch were able to capitalise and maximise on all the opportunities the
manager and the team delivered on the pitch."

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Sam Allardyce expects Mauro Zarate to leave West Ham
BBC.co.uk

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce expects Mauro Zarate to move to QPR on loan
in the January transfer window. Allardyce added that the player was
undergoing a medical on Tuesday. The 27-year-old Argentina striker has
scored twice in eight appearances for the Hammers since joining from Velez
Sarsfield last summer. Zarate was quoted in the national press as saying
that Allardyce refused to play him because he was signed by Hammers
co-chairman David Sullivan.

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Sam Allardyce: Mauro Zarate not good enough for West Ham
BBC.co.uk

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce will let Argentina striker Mauro Zarate join QPR
on loan because he "wasn't good enough" to play regularly at Upton Park.
Zarate, 27, was quoted in the national press as saying that Allardyce
refused to play him because he was signed by Hammers co-chairman David
Sullivan. Allardyce claimed that was "not true" and offered an alternative
reason. "He wasn't good enough," Allardyce, 60, replied when asked why
Zarate had not featured more for the Hammers. Zarate has scored twice in
eight appearances for the Hammers since he joined from Velez Sarsfield last
summer. He has fallen behind fellow summer signings Enner Valencia and
Diafra Sakho in the pecking order, while Allardyce also has Carlton Cole and
Andy Carroll at his disposal. "I base my feelings on what I consider to be
the best team. It's a professional, clinical decision, not an emotional
one," added Allardyce. "Mauro is not good enough to play as regularly as he
wants compared to the others. It's as simple as that."

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Kelly eyes three points at the Boleyn
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 30th December 2014
By: Staff Writer

West Brom's caretaker manager Rob Kelly says he could do with "a bit of good
luck" when his side tackle West Ham United at the Boleyn on New Year's Day.
Kelly - who has no interest in taking the position on a full-time basis -
was asked late last night to take temporary charge of the team following the
dismissal of Alan Irvine. This morning, just a matter of hours later, he
addressed the media ahead of the trip to east London. Explaining the current
position at the club, he said: "I got a phone call last night from Alan
[Irvine]. I was then asked to prepare the team as best we can for the
forthcoming fixture against West Ham. "It wasn't a shock or surprise and we
came into work. That's what we do. We've just prepared as we would have done
with Alan, as it was the right thing to do. "It's an experience I've been
asked to do so I'll get on with it, along with Keith [Downing] and Dean
[Kiely], to the best of our ability. We'll do as best as we possibly can to
go and get a result down at West Ham. "The players know how important the
game is. They're obviously disappointed that Alan has gone as they've got a
lot of respect for him not just as a coach, but as a person. "But they're
professionals and they've all been through changes of managers, so most of
them will know how to cope and get on with it. We'll do our very best to go
and get a result for the fans - and we could always do with a bit of good
luck."

Kelly - who previously managed Leicester from 2006 to 2007 - was also full
of praise for the Irons' management duo of Sam Allardyce and Neil McDonald.
"I'm not surprised by West Ham's form," he added. "I don't know Sam
personally but I know Neil well and they've moved forward. Sam's doing a
fantastic job. "People think they just put balls in your box, but they've
got other assets and parts to their games that make them really difficult
opponents. I'm not overly surprised [by their form]. They ask questions of
you in the last third. They're obviously very good at throwing balls into
your box with Andy Carroll and one or two others. They've got some good
individual players, but so have we. "We're aware of their threats, we're
aware of their capabilities. We only played them a month ago and it was a
good game, one we felt we should have got something out of. "While being
aware of what they can do, we've also got some weapons ourselves that we'll
try and work on."

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Enner Valencia named 'Best Legionnaire'
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 30th December 2014
By: Staff Writer

West Ham's Ecuador international Enner Valencia has been named as the
country's best export of 2014, according to a local poll. In a survey
conducted by Monday Sports, Valencia was named as 'Best Legionnaire' - or
best player to play abroad - by coaches in Ecuador's Serie A and Serie B
(the equivalent of England's Premier League and Championship). Valencia -
who scored three times for Ecuador at last summer's World Cup Finals - beat
Manchester United's Antonio Valencia and Swansea City's Jefferson Montero
into second and third place respectively. The 25-year-old has scored three
times for West Ham in 17 appearances since moving to London in the summer;
those goals coming against against Hull, Burnley and Stoke. He is yet to
score at the Boleyn Ground.

* In the same poll, Emelec striker Miler Bolanos was named Ecuador's Player
of the Year having scored 19 goals for his club this season.
The uncapped 24-year-old, who previously spent a season on loan at Chivas in
the MLS in 2012/13 before returning to Ecuador 18 months ago took 11 of the
28 votes in winning the ballot.

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Newcastle want James Tomkins - again
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 30th December 2014
By: Staff Writer

Not for the first time, Newcastle United are being linked with a transfer
window move for West Ham central defender James Tomkins.
The Magpies, who are on the verge of announcing the departure of Alan Pardew
are nonetheless reported by the Times and Telegraph to be considering making
an offer for the 25-year-old centre half, who made his 200th appearance for
the Irons against Arsenal on Sunday.

* In terms of potential arrivals - and specifically strikers, now that Mauro
Zarate is on his way to Queens Park Rangers - one name that refuses to go
away is that of Islam Slimani, Sporting's Algerian international striker.
Out of contract at the end of the season, Slimani has been linked with a
move to West Ham since the January transfer window last year and was top of
United's wish-list last summer, along with Enner Valencia. That move fell
through with his current club demanding £12million for his services - funds
that were eventually invested in Valencia instead. However if reports are to
be believed, West Ham's interest has not subsided.

* In other transfer news, former Hammer Tyrone Mears has left the UK to join
Seattle Sounders. Now 31, Mears - who spent one season at the Boleyn
(2006/07) - has left Bolton, who he has represented for the last three
years, to join the MLS side.

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Allardyce confirms Zarate departure
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 30th December 2014
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce has confirmed that Mauro Zarate has been allowed to join
Queens Park Rangers on loan for the remainder of the season.
Speaking in his press conference at Chadwell Heath this morning, Big Sam was
asked whether Zarate was on his way to west London. "Yes he is," he replied
tersely. The boss, speaking ahead of the visit of managerless West Brom on
New Year's Day also confirmed that James Collins would replace James
Tomkins, who is suspended having picked up a fifth booking of the season
against Arsenal. And he was delighted that bar Tomkins and the outgoing
Zarate, he has a fully-fit squad to choose from. "Thankfully injuries are at
a minimum. The only player out is Tomkins through suspension so James
Collins will come in," he confirmed. "We also have Carl Jenkinson available
again who has been outstanding for us. We're facing West Brom, obviously
without a manager, it's mainly recuperating from Arsenal and trying to
ensure we perform to our best on Thursday."

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Hammers to face managerless West Brom
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 30th December 2014
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United's next opponents will go into the game manager-less, after
they sacked Alan Irvine late tonight. The Hammers will be looking to bounce
back against the Baggies on New Years Day, following back-to-back defeats
against Chelsea and Arsenal over Christmas - the first time this season
United have lost two consecutive matches. And they will do so with Albion in
utter turmoil following the departure of the under-fire Irvine, who has only
been in charge at the Hawthorns since the summer. Albion's Technical
Director Terry Burton said:"We appointed Alan in the summer convinced that
we had taken on one of the foremost coaches in the UK and nothing that has
happened since then has altered our view. "Alan has impressed everyone with
his manner, dedication and diligence but he knows that results have simply
not been good enough. This was a decision taken with regret but sadly driven
by necessity."

Assistant Head Coach Rob Kelly has been named as temporary coach and will be
in charge when Albion visit the Boleyn Ground on Thursday. He will be
assisted by Keith Downing, whilst West Brom hope to announce the name of
Irvine's successor by the weekend.

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West Ham striker Mauro Zarate is having a medical at QPR
Last Updated: 30/12/14 11:22am
SSN

West Ham striker Mauro Zarate is undergoing a medical at QPR ahead of a
proposed loan move to Loftus Road. Zarate, who has scored two goals this
season, has struggled to secure a place in Sam Allardyce's side after
falling down the pecking order behind Andy Carroll, Diafra Sakho and Carlton
Cole. The 27-year-old, who joined the Hammers from Argentine side Velez
Sarsfield in the summer, has played just eight times this season and will
join up with Harry Redknapp's side in a bid to get more first team football.
Zararte has hit out at his lack of opportunities at Upton Park claiming the
fact he was brought in by co-chairman David Sullivan rather than Allardyce
is the real reason behind his lack of chances. "I respect the other strikers
at the club who have done a good job," he is quoted as saying. "But I
believe my record entitles me to respect and I have not had that from the
manager. The chairman has confidence in me. I know this because he brought
me to the club. "But for this reason the manager has refused to play me. He
did not want me. I made it clear many weeks ago that I wanted to leave."

QPR have also been linked with former Tottenham duo Jermaine Defoe and
Robbie Keane but Redknapp has played down the rumours.

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Merson's predictions: Chelsea and Manchester City to get back to winning
ways
Sky Sports pundit also tips wins for Newcastle, QPR and West Ham
SSN

West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion

Allardyce was not expecting West Ham to be beaten by Arsenal on Sunday,
claims Merson I expect West Ham to win this. I did not expect them to get
beaten by Arsenal if I am being totally honest, I thought they had been
playing well enough to cause them real problems at home. And I think they
will be majorly disappointed with that result. In fact, I think Sam
Allardyce was shocked with that result, I don't think he thought he would
get beaten.

As for West Brom, if they get Tony Pulis, then that is bad, bad news for all
the teams at the bottom because they will stay up, and that will be one of
them out of the equation, it is as simple as that. All their rivals will not
want Tony to be their manager, if I am being honest.

So I am going to go 2-0 to West Ham there.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0

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Sam Allardyce keeps focus away from West Brom managerial question
Last Updated: 30/12/14 1:52pm
SSN

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce cannot afford to worry about the managerial
situation at West Brom ahead of their New Year's Day clash.
The Hammers will start 2015 in sixth place in the Premier League, despite
defeats by Chelsea and Arsenal in their last two games, and they look to get
their quest for Europe back on track against the managerless Baggies, who
fired Alan Irvine on Monday. Allardyce expects the decision to fire up West
Brom's players, and he has recent experience of such a change, but he is
keen to stress no change in the way he is preparing his side for Thursday,
whoever might end up in the opposing dugout.

Talented

"Initially, it can be a disadvantage," Allardyce said. "West Brom players
have experienced change, we had it last year and played West Brom when they
changed their manager - we lost 1-0. "For us, it's about trying to
re-establish our own form and results. Arsenal was the first home game we
had lost in seven and I didn't think we deserved to lose it. We've just got
to try and get back to winning ways.
"Whatever position West Brom are in now, they are still a talented side. I
watched the Manchester City game and I saw how many opportunities they
missed. "When we played them at their place it was a real tough 2-1 victory
for us, one that we had to be very resilient to try and get, so we'll have
to be very careful on New Year's Day about how we approach the game."

No hangover

Tony Pulis is favourite to take over from Irvine, and could be installed in
time for the trip to Upton Park, but Allardyce expects current members of
the West Brom coaching staff to set them up and feels a new manager, whoever
it might be, will need time to bring in his working practices. "I don't know
how much effect you can have as a manager if you haven't worked with a
team," he added. "You might have an effect with what you might say before
the game but I am sure he'll leave it to the lads who are in charge to pick
the team. We'll wait and see. "Like I said, it's all about being aware of
what they are in terms of their ability, and we have to make sure we are
spot on, with no hangover from the two defeats we've suffered."

No surprise

And Allardyce admits he is not shocked to see managers under pressure as the
January transfer window approaches. Along with Irvine, Crystal Palace fired
Neil Warnock and Newcastle could be looking for a new manager if Alan Pardew
makes the move to Selhurst Park.
"I don't think it has surprised me. The game is results driven, more than
ever before, and if you don't get results clubs change managers more
regularly," he said. "When it comes up to a transfer window it also looks
like it has a major effect on owners where they see they have a manager who
may have proposed some players to bring in in the window, and they may have
taken the opinion they would sooner give that to a new manager."

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MAURO ZARATE TO JOIN QPR ON LOAN?
By S J Chandos 30 Dec 2014 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die

According to a recent report in the Daily Mirror, Mauro Zarate is on the
cusp of a loan move to QPR for the remainder of the season. If this story is
true, it is a development that hardly comes as a surprise to most Hammers
fans. It has been clear for some considerable time that the player is
marginal to the current manager's plans. And this is regardless of the fact
that the player has impressed in his eight first team appearances;
exhibiting abilities, and a style of play, that are markedly different to
our other main strikers. One had hoped that with Sakho's absence on
international duty at the forthcoming African Cup of Nations tournament,
there might have been a window of opportunity for Zarate to get a sustained
run in the first team. Unfortunately, that now appears to be a vain hope, at
least for the time being.

The Mirror article also attributes quotes to Zarate, which are to the effect
that he has been marginalised by the manager because he was signed by David
Sullivan. This, of course, gives substance to a rumour that has been
circulating since the beginning of the season. Does this parting salvo mean
that the loan deal is a prelude to a permanent exit in the summer? Well, I
guess that all depends on who is in the Managerial hot seat next summer and
whether they rate Zarate? That issue is far from clear cut at the moment,
with negotiations on a contract extension for Allardyce deferred until
April-May.

I found David Sullivan's recently quoted comments on Sam Allardyce's future
at the club very interesting. Particularly, the suggestion that Allardyce
could price himself out of a new deal or (more cryptically) that he might
chose to exit the club on a high. My view is that the board invested
significant funds to create a strong squad, one that is well equipped to
secure European qualification. The revamped squad are currently genuine
contenders for a Champions League place. Failure to achieve at least Europa
League qualification (given the strong performance in the first half of the
season) could be viewed critically by the West Ham board and, of course,
within that context, the incumbent manager may be held responsible.

Claret and Hugh have argued that there is an element of risk in Zarate
moving to QPR on loan, in the sense that if he performs well then that will
reflect badly on the decision to dispose of his services. That effect could
even be doubled if Harry Redknapp also acquires Ravel Morrison in January
and gets him fit and performing to his full potential. Is this really the
end for Zarate at the club? Perhaps, but alternatively it could prove to be
a temporary move, pending developments next summer. As well as being a
diplomatic manouvre (appeasing the manager), the loan will also help reduce
the first team wage bill, in the short-term, and increase the scope for one
or two potential additions in the January window; ahead of a second phase of
squad improvement next summer. Beyond this, could Zarate yet return to a
further augmented squad in 2015-16? We shall see as events unfold?

Finally, a word or two on the double Christmas reverse to Chelsea and
Arsenal. The Boxing Day defeat at Stamford Bridge was hugely disappointing
because the starting selection effectively cost us the game in the first
half. However, we can count ourselves very unfortunate to lose the Arsenal
match. My major criticism is that the players obviously let the double blow
of Song's disallowed goal and the award of a soft penalty to effect their
concentration. That lapse led to Welbeck's goal and us suddenly finding
ourselves 0-2 down against the run of play. At the end of the day, this was
to prove the true difference between losing and gaining a point.

Regardless, West Ham gave a good account of themselves and demonstrated just
how far they have come this season. Arsene Wenger, despite his standard
mantra that his side deserved the win, looked a very relieved manager in the
post-match conference. Plus, the Arsenal team 'selfie' and
self-congratulatory tweets by the gooner players, represents a back-handed
compliment to this very good West Ham Utd side. Arsenal clearly had to dig
very deep for victory and saw it has a major result against a genuine rival.
That response is very significant. Although Podalski was just being
ridiculous in tweeting that the gooners support could ever 'take over' Upton
Park. It has not happened in the last 100 plus years, so it is unlikely to
happen now. But, the Hammers support at their place, now that is another
matter entirely!

We need to place the Arsenal defeat in the file marked 'lessons learnt –
season 2014/15' and move on to secure a victory over WBA on New Years Day.
We were bound to have back-to-back defeats at some point in the season. The
important thing, much like Southampton have done recently, is to recover
from any bad run and get back on track as quickly as possible. It is all to
play for and the 3rd & 4th places are still within easy striking distance.
Indeed, the forthcoming Arsenal Vs Southampton fixture gives us the perfect
opportunity to retrieve ground. I know many Hammers fans think Champions
League qualification fanciful, but I feel it is both a possibility and an
exceptional opportunity. We, as a club, must be totally committed and single
minded in its pursuit. All I ask is that the squad do their very best, as
they have done so far this season, to ensure that we are in the final mix.
Do that and there is always a chance.

What a truly great thing it would be to bring Champions League football to
Upton Park in our last season at the ground! And what a tribute to the grand
old stadium and the great players that have represented the club there over
the years. It is admittedly a dream, but dreams can come true if there is
sufficient motivation and discipline to turn them in to reality. COYI !

SJ. Chandos.

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West Ham facing Alex Song blow with Cameroon ready to stage Africa Cup of
Nations call-up U-turn
Dec 30, 2014 10:34 By Darren Lewis
The midfielder was initially left out of his country's squad for next
month's tournament, but Head Coach Volker Finke is considering recalling him
The Mirror

West Ham are facing a fresh blow with the news that Cameroon are ready to
stage a U-turn and call Alex Song up for the Africa Cup of Nations. The east
Londoners were initially delighted last week after the 27-year-old
midfielder was left out of Head Coach Volker Finke's squad for the
competition, which starts on January 17. But fans are now set to plead with
the former Arsenal star, on loan from Barcelona, to stay after sources close
to the Cameroon set-up claimed his country still wants him. A decision is
expected to be made soon. Should his recall be confirmed, Song could miss
his club's FA Cup game against Everton and their League clashes against
Swansea, Hull and Liverpool.

Song has been frozen out of his country's international set-up since being
sent off in their 4-0 defeat at the World Cup for elbowing Croatia's Mario
Mandzukic. When the squad for the AFCON was named last week Finke stuck
mainly to the players that he used in the country's successful qualifying
campaign. Pressure is understood to have been put on Finke, however, to
reach out to Song after his impressive performances in the Premier League
this season.

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Mauro Zarate joins QPR and slams West Ham boss Sam Allardyce over 'lack of
respect'
Dec 29, 2014 22:30 By Darren Lewis
The striker has joined the R's until the end of the season and accused the
Hammers boss of refusing to play him because he was signed by chairman David
Sullivan
The Mirror

Harry Redknapp has sealed a deal to take Mauro Zarate to Queens Park Rangers
on loan until the end of the season. And the 27-year-old West Ham striker
has aimed a furious parting shot at Sam Allardyce, accusing the Hammers boss
of refusing to play him because he was signed by chairman David Sullivan.
Zarate, set to undergo a medical on Tuesday, said: "I now have the chance to
play for a coach who has faith in me and will not allow his personal
feelings to get in the way of what is good for the team. "I respect the
other strikers at the club who have done a good job. "But I believe my
record entitles me to respect and I have not had that from the manager. "The
chairman has confidence in me. I know this because he brought me to the
club. "But for this reason the manager has refused to play me. He did not
want me."

Zarate has made just eight ­appearances under Allardyce, scoring twice. He
has still found himself out of Big Sam's plans behind Diafra Sakho, Andy
Carroll and Carlton Cole. He added: "I made it clear many weeks ago that I
wanted to leave. "I wanted to go to a club where I was appreciated. Where I
could play every week as the manager at West Ham has made it difficult for
me ever since I arrived. "I now believe that at QPR under Redknapp, a coach
I respect, I will get the chance to show that I can score goals and that I
can be an important player to the team." The deal is now set to be confirmed
when the transfer window reopens, subject to the relevant paperwork.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce warns West Ham stars to expect West Brom backlash following
Alan Irvine sacking
Dec 30, 2014 13:26 By Neil McLeman
Irvine was shown the door by Albion after a poor run of form saw them slip
towards the relegation places, but Allardyce is wary of the positive
reaction from WBA
The Mirror

Sam Allardyce has warned his West Ham players to expect a West Brom backlash
after the sacking of Alan Irvine. The Hammers boss said Tony Pulis will not
be able to affect his new team if he is appointed before their New Year's
Day clash. But the Hammers boss warned the Baggies will still be difficult
opponents as his side seeks to avoid a Christmas "hangover". West Brom drew
3-3 at Upton Park last December under caretaker manager Keith Downing in a
match best remembered for Nicolas Anelka's quenelle gesture. And Allardyce
said: "I think initially it can be a disadvantage for us when West Brom
players have experienced change. We did it last year when we played them
when they had lost their manager. "But we have to try and re-establish our
home results, not our form. It was our first home we had lost in seven and I
don't think we deserved to lose it. "We have just got to try and get back to
winning ways. West Brom, whatever position they are at the moment, are a
talented side I think. "I watched the Man City game and I saw the amount of
chances WBA actually missed against Man City. I think that when we played
them at our place, it was a really tough 2-1 victory for us. "One that we
had to be very resilient to try and get so I think we have to be very
careful on New Year's Day about how we approach the game."

Former Stoke and Crystal Palace boss Pulis is the favourite to take the
Hawthorns job. But Allardyce, whose side have lost their last two games to
Chelsea and Arsenal, said: "I don't know how much affect you can have as a
manager if you have not worked with a team. "He can affect things by what he
might say before the game but I am sure he will leave it to the lads who are
in charge to certainly select the team if that is the case. "We will wait
and see. But it is all about being aware of their abilities but also being
sure we are spot on.
"On New Year's Day and there is no hangover from the two defeats we have
suffered and we hopefully get back to winning ways. And to do that, we have
to hit the kind of form we hit against Arsenal on the 28th."

James Tomkins is suspended after picking up a fifth yellow card so James
Collins will return along with Carl Jenkinson.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
RAFA SILVA COULD BE UPTON PARK-BOUND AS WEST HAM SHIP OUT ZARATE
One out could be counter-acted with one in as the Hammers look to get
January deals done early
30 December 2014
Ladbrokes.com

On the same day that Sam Allardyce confirms that he expects Mauro Zarate to
end the season on loan at QPR, West Ham are reportedly eyeing up a loan deal
of their own, with Braga midfielder Rafa Silva rumoured to be en route to
east London for the rest of the campaign.
While getting rid of one player who is rarely given a chance to shine and
signing one in a similar mould may seem a strange move, it might not be
Zarate's playing ability that has seen him shown the door. There had been
rumours that the Argentine had fallen out with the Hammers boss behind the
scenes, going some way to explain his potential exit.

So who is the man likely to come in a replace him? Rafa Silva has been a
mainstay in the Braga side that currently third in the Liga Sagres, and has
been making a name for himself in his homeland. With plenty of skills and
tricks in the bag, he could be a handful for Premier League defences and has
the pace and passing ability to slice through opposition back-lines. A deal
to the end of the season, with an option to make it permanent at the
conclusion of the campaign is apparently in the offing, and it could be a
shrewd bit of business for the Upton Park side. He made his breakthrough
into the Portuguese senior side towards the start of 2014, and was a member
of their World Cup squad in Brazil, although he failed to make an appearance
when Paulo Bento's side suffered an early exit. At 21-years-old there is
probably plenty of improvement left from the creative midfielder, and could
be one for the future for a side who look like they are on the up. First
though, the Hammers will have to halt a two game slide that has seen them
taste defeat to both Chelsea and Arsenal. A visit of West Brom on New Year's
Day is next up, as the Irons look to maintain their challenge on the top
six, and outrun their odds of 4/1.

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West Ham boss Sam Allardyce tells Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho to stop
moaning
JOSE MOURINHO has been told to stop moaning.
Daily Star
By Tim Gray / Published 30th December 2014

The Chelsea boss claims there is a vendetta against his league leaders with
rival bosses, tv pundits and even referees conspiring together. But West Ham
boss Sam Allardyce reckons the Special One os talking nonsense. Mourinho
blew his top on Sunday after Cesc Fabregas was wrongly booked for diving
against Southampton. "It's just that, like anybody else, the referees and
the assistant referees, with the pressure they work under, have to try to
get better when it comes to making decisions"Before that he was upset with
Allardyce after he accused Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic of taking a
dive in the Hammers' Boxing Day defeat at Stamford Bridge. He reckons his
players - including Gary Cahill, Willian and Diego Costa - are being
unfairly targetted. But Allardyce hit back yesterday and said: "Name and
shame them? What's he on about?" Allardyce insists his side have suffered
just as much from questionable refereeing decisions.
He said: "Is there a campaign against West Ham? No, I don't think that's the
case. "It's just that, like anybody else, the referees and the assistant
referees, with the pressure they work under, have to try to get better when
it comes to making decisions. "Morgan Amalfitano should have had a blatant
penalty in the last few minutes of the game (against Arsenal) and because he
didn't dive over like Santi Cazorla dived over then it's never going to be
given when it should be given. "When you are impeded by the opposition and
it stops you doing it then the referee has to be brave enough to give it.
"Unfortunately, referees are not brave enough to give those penalties
because of the whole atmosphere surrounding these arenas that we play in, it
doesn't look like one.

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Nolan contract clause 100 per cent FALSE
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 30, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Wild rumours doing the rounds for years that Kevin Nolan has a special
clause in his deal ensuring he makes the field of play if in the squad are
100 PER CENT FALSE! As we head into the New year ClaretandHugh made it our
business to find out once and for all the truth or otherwise of what sounds
one of the dodgiest claims ever! We were prompted by the piece on another
Hammers website writted by Twitter Hammers source @ExWHUemployee. Ex
admitted he didn't believe it to be the case despite finding – after
checking the record books – that Nolan appears to have featured at some
stage every time he's been in the squad, "if only for a minute."
But he wrote: "However, I do not think this is written in his contract but I
thought it was an interesting statistic." Today we put the claims on two
insiders extremely close to the situation and was told: "That is a totally
ridiculous claim – no club or manager would ever agree such a clause. It is
100 per cent b……s" That's good enough for us – however attractive it maybe
to believe the opposite!

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Record turnover/record profit but still in debt
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 30, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

West Ham accounts released this week show a record turnover of close to
£115m, an increase of nearly £25m and a record profit on paper of £10.3m
after many years of losses. The figures are impressive on paper but it
doesn't alter the fact that the Hammers are massively in debt although it is
now under control.

Despite the £10m profit Chairmen Gold and Sullivan injected another £3.5m of
cash in shareholders loans to bring the total they have loaned the club to
close to £50m. Although external and bank debt has reduced significantly the
shareholders have taken the debt burden including refinancing the bank debt
which the Icelandic's and David Sullivan took on personally. A trusted
source told Claret and Hugh "To reduce the debt from £110m to £70m you have
to make £40m profit somewhere/some years. "We lost £30m the year where we
were in the championship and we've spend money improving or trying to
improve the team, rather than running West Ham United like an accountant
would run it."

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Hammers valued at £400m
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 30, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

West Ham have been valued at £400m and Joint Chairman David Sullivan has
suggested he would still welcome an investor to take 20% of the Hammers off
his hands for around £80m. The two Davids bought 50% of the club for around
£52m in 2010 valuing the club at £105m. The purchase took the form of cash
to the Icelandic owners plus injection of cash into the club to help running
costs. Since the takeover Gold and Sullivan have increased their
shareholding to 86.2% with Sullivan retaining a controlling share of 51.1%.
A trusted source close to the club told Claret and Hugh that the owners have
always wanted someone to join them and were still hoping for that to be the
case.
He said: "Now it is unlikely but of course you never know. It could be a
group of people or one person, but its very unlikely." West Ham accounts
released this week show that Gold and Sullivan have loaned the club £49.2m
over the four years with over£6m in accrued interest to date increasing at a
rate of around £3m per year. The chairman invested another £3m of their own
money in the last financial year in share holders despite the club making a
paper profit of £10.3m.

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Hammers continue use of pay day loans
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 30, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

West Ham accounts released yesterday have confirmed the Hammers continue to
rely on loans from the mysterious Vibrac Corporation. The accounts published
yesterday at Companies House reveal they borrowed £15m as a pay day loan in
August 2013. It was repaid in August 2014. It then took out a further £18m
short term loan recently in August 2014 against future Premier League TV
income. The Vibrac Corporation's involvement in football is not a new
phenomenen with Everton borrowing £13 million back in 2011 at a rate of 10
per cent interest and the club has have renewed that facility every year
since. It is not known who owns the Vibrac corporation but they are based in
the same building as BCR Sports, the company through which Robert Earl
controls his stake in Everton FC. In the past a similar facility was also
provided to Southampton and Fulham to enable the club to borrow against
future guaranteed income.

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Zarate: It was always going to end in tears
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 30, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

It was absolutely nailed on that the Mauro Zarate signing would end in tears
– Mauro's ways are not Sam's ways! Many, many readers predicted it and sadly
all those fears came to pass yesterday with the player making his feelings
about Sam Allardyce very well known as he prepares for a Loftus Road exit.
The history of the signing is well known with the two Davids suggesting to
Sam Allardyce that he might be a decent buy and the manager agreeing.
That's the way it works at West Ham and all the stuff about this one being a
Sullivan signing and that one an Allardyce deal, is wrong. It remains a
consultative process. Had the bookies been offering odds the player would
have been on his way by January, however, I'd have been shovelling my
hard-earned over the counter. Zarate is not a work rate player beloved of
our manager. He's a skilled striker/poacher with lots of tricks and
invention. These are not trademarks of the Allardyce brand of management.
Zarate's departure was as near a given therefore as it's possible to get.
The player also has a big personality edge having previous in his approach
to clubs if it goes wrong! Remember he went AWOL from Lazio claiming
sickness before being discovered taken an unofficial holiday! Thus, when he
eventually allowed his frustration to boil over yesterday and an explosion
of words were directed at the manager nobody should have been surprised.

Whether he was correct to do so is neither here nor there. He is what he is
and claimed he hasn't been offered a decent chance. Anyone arguing? Before
sitting down to write this I was told by an insider: " We feel the player
needed games and that he will get them at QPR. Then we will assess if he's
good enough for our first team next season. "The player was very frustrated
not playing and its not good to have unhappy players around the camp." All
of that avoids the hard fact that he is clearly considered more dispensable
than let's say Kevin Nolan or Carlton Cole which frankly seems an absurdity.
Whatever people may or may think of Harry Redknapp nobody would disagree
that he knows a player. That it's him again who has come in to nick a guy
who personally I think is a class act continues to reflect the fact that Sam
Allardyce prefers grafting to giftings. And that all this has taken place a
few days before Diafra Sakho disappears for the African Nations Cup makes
the thinking almost incomprehensible.

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