Daily WHUFC News - 29th September 2014

'It was a day I'll never forget'
WHUFC.com
Diego Poyet reflects on a memorable first Barclays Premier League start for West Ham United
28.09.2014

Diego Poyet felt a mixture of pride and disappointment after his full Barclays Premier League debut for West Ham United ended in a 2-1 defeat at Manchester United. The 19-year-old was drafted into the starting XI on Friday after fellow midfielder Mark Noble suffered a calf injury in training. Facing the likes of Wayne Rooney, Angel di Maria, Robin van Persie and Radamel Falcao was always likely to be a baptism of fire for the teenager, but he recovered from the shock of falling two goals down within 22 minutes to produce an increasingly assured display in front of the back four. Diafra Sakho pulled a goal back on 37 minutes before Rooney was sent-off and Poyet was replaced by Kevin Nolan with 15 minutes to go. Nolan then saw a late goal controversially disallowed for offside, which only served to heighten the Hammers' frustrations Speaking to West Ham TV, the former Charlton Athletic youngster looked back with mixed emotions on his maiden top-flight start. "It all happened very quickly, as Nobes picked up an injury on Friday in training and the Gaffer put me straight in, so it was a hard first start for me but a day I'll never forget, despite the disappointment of the result," said the No23. "They had two chances and scored them both and we found ourselves 2-0 down. We knew we would have a chance or two and we took one to go in 2-1 at half-time. We knew we'd get a few more chances in the second half and we did, especially after the sending-off. "We were a bit disappointed not to get a point at the end, with Nobby's goal which was ruled offside, but we've only got ourselves to blame after going 2-0 down after 25 minutes. It's very difficult to come back from 2-0 down, especially at Old Trafford."

Poyet himself clearly grew into the game as he got to grips with the sheer pace and intensity of Barclays Premier League football. Now he has had a taste, it is no surprise that the young midfielder wants more opportunities to prove himself at the highest level. "It was my first taste of it from the start - I got on at Crystal Palace but that wasn't the same - and to play against top-class players like they have got at Man United was hard, especially at the start. "I was trying to do my job and, after having a chat at half-time, I felt more comfortable in the second half and I think we played well as a team in the second half as well. "This is a day I will never forget, for the right reasons. I know we have got a big squad, but I'm going to keep my head down, keep training hard and take it one game at a time. Hopefully we can pick up some good results, too."

Rather than shuffle his midfielders around to bring in a more experienced attacking option, manager Sam Allardyce showed great faith in Poyet by giving him the anchor role - faith he hopes to repay repeatedly over the coming weeks and months. With a father Gus who has guided his career after himself playing for Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Uruguay, it should come as no surprise that the youngster has the maturity, ability and temperament to deal with the challenges in front of him. "I've been patient and I'm very happy to be here. I have to say thanks to the Gaffer for giving me a chance of making my first start in the Premier League and I hope I repaid him because I did as well as I can."

Having made his full league debut, Poyet now hopes to feature again in Sunday's home fixture with Queens Park Rangers. "It's obviously a bit disappointing that we didn't get anything at Man United, but we have a big chance at home next weekend to get at least a point on the board and hopefully three. "I'm looking forward to it. I'll be back at training on Monday and working as hard as I can."

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Bywater ready for Black Cats
WHUFC.com
Kieran Bywater is hoping to drive the Dev Squad to their first win of the season at the Boleyn Ground on Monday
26.09.2014

West Ham United midfielder Kieran Bywater is optimistic ahead the Development Squad's game with Sunderland at the Boleyn Ground on Monday evening. The 19-year-old has continued his good form from last season where he scored 17 goals in 30 appearances for the U18s, by netting against Tottenham in the opening game of this season. The Dev Squad are still searching for their first win after five league games, however Bywater is confident their first win is not far away. Assessing the season so far, Bywater said: "We feel we should have more points than we've got. In our first couple of games we played well but were unlucky not to get a win. Then we had a blip against Liverpool but otherwise we've done ok. I'm really looking forward to the game against Sunderland on Monday night."

Bywater's performances last season saw him nominated for the Dylan Tombides Award, given the club's outstanding Academy scholar for 2013/14. Although he missed out on that to Josh Cullen, Bywater's efforts were rewarded later in the summer as he signed his first professional contract. Speaking about how his transition from U18 to U21 football went, he said: "I found it pretty comfortable to be honest. I played a few U21 games when I was 17. So now I've played quite a few U21 matches. I'm trying to stamp my mark on U21 football and I'll try to push on from there."

Last time out the Dev Squad put in a good performance as they drew 1-1 away with Fulham: "Yeah I think we played well. We were much more solid than we were in the previous game against Liverpool. We had a lot more passes but we still could have moved it quicker. I was played in a slightly different position so it was about adapting to that."

Speaking about his excitement at playing at the Boleyn Ground again, Bywater said: "Yes it's always exciting. Hopefully we'll get a win and that will help us push on for rest of the season. So I'm definitely looking forward to that." Sunderland have also struggled at the start of this season having taken four points from their first four games. However, they beat Tottenham 2-1 in their last match as they look to get their season back on track. "I think it will be a tough game. All the games this year have been tough games, they all are at this level. We have to be on our game and concentrate. I'm ready to give a good performance for the team and try and get a win.
In the same fixture last season, Bywater scored a last minute winner that sealed West Ham's status as an U21 Premier League Division One team.

Bywater remembers the game well: "It was the last game of the season - it was meant to be a cross but it got a deflection. They credited me with the goal so that was nice. I've scored once this season so hopefully I can add that too. It can only benefit the team if I have a good performance."

West Ham play Sunderland on Monday at the Boleyn Ground, with kick-off at 7pm. Tickets are priced at £4 for adults and £2 for U16s. Admission for season tickets holders is FREE.

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ANDY CARROLL TO BE FLOGGED IN THE JANUARY SALES?
By Iain Dale 28 Sep 2014 at 12:09
West Ham Till I Die

This is what appears in the Mail on Sunday today concerning the future of Andy Carroll at Upton Park. Rob Shepherd is a West Ham fan and very well informed…

West Ham will put Andy Carroll up for sale in January. But just who do the Hammers offload the injury-stricken striker to? Newcastle would take him back, but only if he agreed to drop his wages – which are in the region of £85,000-a-week. They would only be prepared to pay a transfer fee around £8million for a player they sold to Liverpool for £35m. West Ham paid £17m for Carroll two summers ago. I am told co-owner David Sullivan wants Carroll off the books. Stoke may be interested. Or possibly QPR.

If this is true, I think it's madness. Carroll, when fit, is a superb player and strikes fear into any team that he plays against. Because of his injury record we wouldn't stand a hope of recouping the majority of the £17 million we paid, or indeed the millions he has cost in wages. He needs to be given at least a season to prove himself and then we need to take a judgement, but to get rid of him in January would be ridiculous. In my humble opinion!

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Hayden Mullins jokes HE should be Argentina captain after keeping Javier Mascherano out of West Ham team
Sep 28, 2014 14:54 By Dean Jones
Mascherano played for Argentina in the World Cup final this summer but he remembers the time he was unsettled in London and was resigned to the bench
The Mirror

Hayden Mullins became an unlikely World Cup talking point over the summer. As Argentina's Javier Mascherano booked a place in the final in Rio de Janeiro, someone reminded him that eight years earlier he could not get a regular place in the West Ham team – and it was Mullins who kept him out. Mascherano said: "When I could not play at West Ham I went to train every day to be a better player. "I did not have the chance to play in the games I wanted to but when I went to Liverpool I had the chance to show my quality."

Mascherano had arrived in east London with Carlos Tevez to sign for the Hammers in August 2006, only to have defensive midfielder Mullins keep him out of the side. But as Mascherano prepared to face Germany in the Maracana in July, Mullins was busy plotting his pre-season schedule at Notts County."I should be captaining Argentina!" Mullins laughs. "What went wrong?"

Mullins, who spent six years at Upton Park, said: "In all seriousness Mascherano is a top guy and an absolute world class player. It wasn't really me keeping him out the team, it was more to do with the fact that he had just arrived in English football. "He really is a top pro, everyone can see how good he is. I remember when him and Carlos arrived at West Ham, they really were a cut above the rest. It was only a matter of time before he got into his stride. "As soon as he went to Liverpool and had a manager who spoke Spanish you could see he was flourishing. When he ended up at Barcelona it was no surprise to me at all."

Mullins, now 35, is not the type of player to buy into hype but he caused a bit of a stir himself when he first arrived on the scene.
He broke through as a teenager at Crystal Palace and Terry Venables gave him a debut at the age of 19.Showing the type of form to suggest he would become a great English talent, he became Alan Pardew's first signing at West Ham in 2003. He made 179 league appearances for the Irons, who clearly still hold a place in his heart. Mullins added: "Those days are up there as highlights in my career. As well as playing with Tevez and Mascherano, playing with Teddy Sheringham was a real big thing as well because he was a class act. "You only learn from people like that, and as you play with them you also hear their stories. It would be a crime if you didn't learn from experiences like that. "As you get older you try to look after yourself so that you can play as long as possible, but you never know for sure what exactly you should be doing. "One year you are told you should be doing yoga, the next you are told you should be ­going swimming! But I have been lucky with injuries and I've tried to look after myself."

As a result of that professionalism, Mullins is still going strong. Shaun Derry gave him a ­permanent deal at Notts County in June and he is ­desperate to stay in the game as long as possible. He said: "Players can find it hard to get a club as they get older. "Darren Ambrose is a good example of how tough it can be. He only just joined Ipswich recently and has been a top player. "People my age like Peter Lovenkrands and Clinton Morrison haven't got a club at the moment. "But I am loving it at County. Shaun Derry seems to be taking this job in his stride and the team is really starting to gel. "And I have dropped back to centre-back where there is less running involved. It is a lot easier on the lungs and legs! "I'm 35 now and have started to think about what I'll do next. This summer I'm going to do the B coaching licence and try to stay in the game. "It only seems like yesterday that I was breaking through at Palace and I remember you used to hear older players talking about how quick your career goes by. "That really is true – and I want to be involved in the game for as long as I can."

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Gold: 'I really liked Jenkinson'
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on September 28, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

David Gold is sticking to a prediction he made several weeks ago that Andy Carroll will be back in action by November. The co-chairman told ClaretandHugh: "Talk to Andy and he will say the end of October, talk to the medics and they will say the end of November. "I've always been in the middle so I'll be surprised if he's not back by mid November. "He's going to be kicking ball this week an isn't that far away from rejoining the first team squad. "He has had both his major injury problems sorted out and should be good for the long term now – we are looking a stronger and stronger squad." And commenting on yesterday's 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford he said: "Considering we had three top players out I thought we were great and I really liked Jenkinson."

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"Poyet/Sakho show top class recruitment policy'
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on September 28, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

I was delighted to seem Diafra Sakho destroy my 26 year old record of a new Hammer scoring in his first three games. God, that makes me feel old! Diafra has now scored in his last four and that record could stand for even longer than mine. Let me be the first to congratulate him. He's a real sparky character and one of my favourite Hammers for some time. Watching him you would think he'd been at the club a few years rather than a few weeks. He was excellent again at Old Trafford yesterday and is already a huge terrace favourite – that's gonna grow and grow. I thought the team – with three regular first teamers missing – put in an outstanding performance and I would single out Diego Poyet for a special word of praise. He was called up late and to be launched into a game like that really was a baptism by fire but he was outstanding and was entirely unfazed. He looks a real prospect and shows the club's recruitment policy this season has been absolute top class.

Morgan Amalfitano did very well and overall it was a performance which promised an awful lot for the future. There's real quality in this Irons side and I'm at the stage where I am looking forward to every game. We look better and better with each outing but there was one big low point for me – the first goal by Rooney. Everybody is giving it the big one and calling it a great goal but I think Winston Reid could have done a lot better. He should have held his position better until hopefully players got in around him – he's a good defender and I don't like to knock but I think he has some responsibility for the goal.

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Shaw's nonsense on disallowed Nolan 'goal'
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on September 28, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Just occasionally – and this is such a time – footballers say such utterly stupid things it simply takes the breath away! Step forward Luke Shaw! Before we go any further let me say straight away that my first reaction when watching Kevin Nolan's disallowed goal yesterday was that it was offside. Equally, I also thought that had Wayne Rooney acted towards Stewart Downing in the street as he had done on the pitch he could justifiably be facing charges of common assault or worse in court. Shaw, meanwhile, is either ridiculously loyal to his mate Roo or doesn't actually understand the rules of the game for here is his assessment of why Nolan's strike should have been chalked off. He said: "My heart sank [when Nolan's shot went in]. It was close. We haven't had much luck either with decisions. "We have actually had a lot of bad luck, especially with Wazza's red card as I would say there was a handball before that but the referee didn't stop play."

Listen son, it's only a handball if the ref says so and taking someone down at the knees isn't acceptable in any circumstances. Trying to sugar coat such a horrendous 'attack' from his captain at club and perhaps eventually international level, may make him feel better but to everyone with a sense of balance and fair play it makes him mug of the week! And all those fans who applauded Rooney (oh sorry) WAZZA (sigh) off the pitch, stand beside the one eyed geezer from Southampton.

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Selling Carroll not an option
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on September 28, 2014 in Whispers
Claret * Hugh

Much speculation is arising over whether the club may be preparing to accept a bid should they receive one in January or next summer, given the striker's various injury problems. However, the club believes that with the plantar fascia problem he suffered last season is now totally under control and the 'loose ankle problem' – rebuilt via surgery – will see him return fine for the long term given normal circumstances We were told that at this moment the club believe he is probably worth around £10 million on the open market. But a well placed insider added: "Four or five goals on his return and that would go up to around £15m-£20m."

And he added that the club were very aware of the rumours that they would be ready to sell if the right offer was made but that this was not in the "smallest part of their thinking." Sam Allardyce made it clear that Carroll needs to keep himself in top nick and that further long term injuries are unacceptable. But our source said: "The idea of selling Andy is not an option – we have waited a long time to see the lad at his best. The idea of selling has never been mentioned"

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West Ham's Diafra Sakho could still face action from FA over clash with Manchester United's Luke Shaw
Forward appeared to butt teenager during 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford - with the defender insisting his complaint to assistant referee was ignored
Telegraph.co.uk
By Mark Ogden10:30PM BST 28 Sep 2014

Diafra Sakho could be facing retrospective action by the Football Association and a three-match ban for violent conduct after the West Ham United forward appeared to butt Luke Shaw during the second half of the 2-1 defeat against Manchester United. Shaw, the England full-back who made his competitive debut for United on Saturday following his £28 million summer transfer from Southampton, emerged from Old Trafford with a heavily bruised left eye following the clash with the Senegalese forward. Shaw refused to comment on the alleged incident, but sources close to the 19-year-old defender have claimed that he complained to the assistant referee Andrew Garratt, who chose not to alert the referee, Lee Mason. Such a move could have led to further action at the time. Mason had earlier dismissed Wayne Rooney, the United captain, for a professional foul on Stewart Downing. The alleged incident between Shaw and Sakho was not highlighted by television coverage over the weekend, but the FA has access to the footage from over thirty cameras in position at every Premier League game and is within its power to request any video evidence of alleged infringements.

The former United defender Rio Ferdinand was given a four-match suspension in January 2010 as a result of an off-the-ball incident with Hull City forward Craig Fagan, which was not broadcast on television but later identified by the FA's disciplinary unit. Sakho, a summer signing from the French club Metz, scored West Ham's goal during the defeat at Old Trafford and received a second-half booking for a foul. But with neither Garratt nor Mason taking action for the alleged incident with Shaw, the 24-year-old forward's fate is now set to rest in the hands of the FA and its decision over whether to take action against the player.

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