Daily WHUFC News - 18th January 2015

Preview - Hull City
WHUFC.com
All the need-to-know information ahead of Sunday's game against Hull City
17.01.2015

WEST HAM UNITED v HULL CITY
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
BOLEYN GROUND
SUNDAY 18 JANUARY 2015
KICK-OFF: 1.30PM
REFEREE: MARTIN ATKINSON

In brief

The Hammers return to Barclays Premier League action on Sunday when they
host struggling Hull City. The Tigers are in their second season back in the
top flight, but having reached the FA Cup final last term, they have found
the going tougher this time around. With a lengthy injury list, Steve Bruce
has rarely been able to consistently select the same players and their form
has understandably suffered. They currently sit 18th in the Barclays Premier
League table, with 19 points from their 21 games. West Ham are 14 points
better off and reside seventh place in the rankings.

Who are they?
Hull City were formed in 1904, following earlier attempts to establish a
football club in a Rugby League dominated city. They reached the top flight
for the first time in their history in 2008 and returned to the Barclays
Premier League in 2013. The Tigers' greatest achievement in cup competitions
came in 2014, when they reached the FA Cup final, but were defeated after
extra time by Arsenal. Home is the KC Stadium, where Hull moved to in 2002
after 52 years at Boothferry Park.

Team news
West Ham United
The Hammers could welcome back Winston Reid and Guy Demel to their squad
after the pair resumed light training late in the week. Diafra Sakho (back)
is out, whilst Cheikhou Kouyate is away at the Africa Cup of Nations with
Senegal.

Hull City
The Tigers are hopeful of having Gaston Ramirez and Sone Aluko fit to play
after they returned to training on Friday. However, Nikica Jelavic and Abel
Hernandez both limped out of last weekend's defeat at West Bromwich Albion
and face lengthy spells out.

Referee
Sunday's referee is Martin Atkinson. The West Riding based referee has taken
charge of three games involving West Ham this season - the Hammers' 2-2 draw
away at Hull City, the 2-1 win over Manchester City and the 2-0 win against
Leicester City

One to watch
West Ham United
Enner Valencia bagged his first Boleyn Ground goal in midweek and is keen to
back it up with a strike in the league against Hull City.
It was against the Tigers that he announced his arrival in English football,
with a stunning long-range striker that left keeper Allan McGregor with no
chance. With four goals to his tally this term, another on Sunday could go a
long way to giving West Ham the result they crave.

Hull City
Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jake Livermore has come to the fore at
Hull City. The 25-year-old spent last season on loan at the KC Stadium
before making the move from White Hart Lane permanent in the summer. He
featured 36 times in league action for Spurs and has one goal to his name
this year, coming in a 2-1 defeat against his former team.

Tickets
Tickets for this match have SOLD OUT.
Travel
No disruption is expected on the eastern branch of the District line on
Sunday.
Weather
Sunday is expected to be a cloudy but dry day. Temperature at kick-off is
predicted to be a chilly 3C (37F).
Last meeting
Hull City 2-2 West Ham United
Barclays Premier League
Monday 15 September 2014
Hull led twice in this enthralling Monday Night Football encounter on
Humberside, before the Hammers twice came back to earn a point.
Abel Hernandez opened the scoring with a first half header, before Enner
Valencia's stunning strike made it 1-1.
Ex-Hammer Mohamed Diame made it 2-1, but Diafra Sakho's first Premier League
goal ensured the points would be shared.
Hull City: McGregor, Davies, Dawson, Robertson, Huddlestone, Livermore,
Diame (Ramirez 79), Elmohamady, Quinn (Brady 58), Hernandez (Ben Arfa 79),
Jelavic
Subs: Harper, Rosenior, Chester, Meyler
West Ham United: Adrian, Reid, Cresswell, Tomkins, Demel (Jenkinson 76),
Kouyate, Downing, Noble, Zarate (Song 62), Sakho (Amalfitano 87), Valencia
Subs: Jaaskelainen, Collins, Vaz Te, Cole

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Vaz moves on
WHUFC.com
Ricardo Vaz Te has had his contract with the Club terminated by mutual
consent
17.01.2015

West Ham United can confirm that Ricardo Vaz Te has had his contract with
the Club terminated by mutual consent. Vaz Te will always be held in high
esteem by everyone connected with West Ham after a memorable late winner in
a Play-Off final win against Blackpool at Wembley in May 2012. The
Portuguese forward joined the Hammers in January that year and scored a
crucial 12 goals for Big Sam's side as they returned to the top flight at
the first time of asking. The 28-year-old has found appearances harder to
come by in recent seasons and has featured for the first team just five
times this season. His departure will mean he is now free to pursue
opportunities with other Clubs.

Vaz Te said: "It has been a pleasure to be at a Club like West Ham. It was a
fantastic opportunity and I am so grateful for having played here.
Everything I achieved here and all my game time and my life off the pitch
has been amazing. "I will never forget that day at Wembley - it was so
special for me and for all of the fans involved. That is the kind of moment
you don't intend to forget. I'm very fortunate to have had that moment and
I'm pleased I could do that for the fans, for the Club and for my
team-mates. "I would like to thank the West Ham fans and to tell them to
keep supporting the Club through what is going to be an exciting time over
the next few years."

Everyone at West Ham United would like to thank Ricardo for his efforts
while at the Club and wish him well for his future career.

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West Ham terminate Ricardo Vaz Te's contract
BBC.co.uk

West Ham have cancelled forward Ricardo Vaz Te's contract with the club by
mutual consent. The 28-year-old signed for the Hammers in January 2012 and
scored the winner in the Championship play-off final at Wembley in May that
year. Vaz Te has played just five games this season but said: "Everything I
achieved here and all my game time and my life off the pitch has been
amazing. "I'll never forget that day at Wembley. It was so special for me
and the fans." He added: "That is the kind of moment you don't intend to
forget. I'm very fortunate to have had that moment and I'm pleased I could
do that for the fans, for the club and for my team-mates."

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Play-off winner Vaz Te bids farewell
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 17th January 2015
By: Staff Writer

Ricardo Vaz te has said his goodbyes to his team mates ahead of a move to
Turkey. Vaz Te, who scored the goal that fired West Ham United back into the
Premier League at Wembley in May 2011 is set to join Turkish Super Lig club
Akhisar Belediyespor. The 28-year-old spent three years at West Ham
following a £750,000 switch from Barnsley. This is how he announced the
move.

Ricardo Vaz Tê @RicardoVazTe_
To everyone involved at west ham united, its been a privilege to play for ur
club. Each and everyone of you will have a place in my heart

Ricardo Vaz Tê @RicardoVazTe_
I have made some amazing memories and, met amazing people which i will
cherish for the rest of my life. Thank you i love you all

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West Ham host Hull City at Upton Park live on Super Sunday
Last Updated: 17/01/15 9:12pm
SSN
.
West Ham welcome Hull City to Upton Park hoping to get back to winning ways
in the Premier League. Sam Allardyce's side have gone four games without a
win in the league which has seen them drop down to seventh in the table.
However, the Hammers will be confident of victory back in front of their own
fans – they have lost just one of their last nine at Upton Park - and
against a Hull side they have won their last five home matches against.
Steve Bruce's Hull have suffered differing fortunes to West Ham so far this
season and find themselves in the relegation zone, just two points off the
bottom. Bruce's injury-hit side have struggled on the road, winning just one
of their last 10 league matches away from the KC Stadium and face an uphill
battle for a positive result bearing in mind their dismal record in east
London.

Team news

Allardyce is hoping for a double defensive fitness boost ahead of the visit
of Hull. Winston Reid (ankle) missed the FA Cup third-round replay win over
Everton on Tuesday but is now back in training, as is full-back Guy Demel
who has been sidelined since the turn of the year with a muscle problem.
That means only top-scorer Diafra Sakho (back) and Cheikhou Kouyate
(international duty) are definite absentees.

Hull are hoping Gaston Ramirez and Sone Aluko will be fit to play some
part, with the pair returning to training on Friday morning. Abel Hernandez
and Nikica Jelavic limped off during last week's defeat to West Brom and
both face lengthy spells on the sidelines.

West Ham United's Winston Reid could return to Sam Allardyce's starting
line-up

Opta stats

West Ham have won five and lost just one of the last eight league meetings
with Hull City.
Hull have cleared seven shots off the line in the Premier League this
season, more than any other side.
The Hammers have scored the most headed goals in the Premier League this
season (14).
Only Aston Villa (56) have fired in fewer shots on target this season than
Hull City (61).
Allardyce's side have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight Premier
League matches, but they have also only failed to score once during this
run.

Hull manager Steve Bruce says that he made an enquiry about Blackburn
striker Remy Gestede, but that the deal is a 'non starter'
Hull have conceded eight goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches, more
than any other team.

Merson's prediction

I worry for Hull. They weren't letting in any goals last season. They were
solid. But I look at them now and they don't look like scoring goals - Bruce
has got two forwards out for six weeks. They're another team who I thought
would have gone for Jermain Defoe. I don't know if it was the money or the
wages but they need a goalscorer and I don't see them beating West Ham.
On-loan West Ham defender Carl Jenkinson disusses the attitude of his
team-mate Winston Reid amidst rumours regarding his future If they lose
another game and the teams around them win, they'll be deeper into that
bottom three. I think West Ham are a decent team, and they've been
under-rated to be fair and they went through in the FA Cup against Everton.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (Sky Bet odds 6/1)

Betting

West Ham are odds-on with Sky Bet to see off 4/1 shots Hull in Super
Sunday's early kick-off. The Hammers (7/10) will be looking to get back to
winning ways after successive league draws with West Brom and Swansea,
having drifted out to 11/2 to secure a top-six finish this term. Allardyce's
side also have a great record against the Tigers and won the last two
meetings at Upton Park 2-1, a 13/2 shot this time. The in-form Andy Carroll
is 4/1 to net the opener, while the visitors could struggle for goals
without injured strikers Jelavic and Hernandez, making the Hammers to win to
nil attractive at 7/4.

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Ricardo Vaz Te leaves West Ham by mutual consent
Last Updated: 17/01/15 4:09pm
SSN

West Ham have confirmed striker Ricardo Vaz Te has had his contract at the
Boleyn Ground terminated by mutual consent. The Portuguese joined the
Hammers in January 2012 and scored 12 goals before the end of the season to
propel the team to the Premier League. And that haul included a late winner
in the Championship play-off final victory against Blackpool at Wembley. But
the 28-year-old has found appearances harder to come by in recent seasons
and he has played just five times this season for West Ham. While Vaz Te
concedes leaving the club has been a difficult decision, he departs with
happy memories of his time in east London. "It has been a pleasure to be at
a club like West Ham. It was a fantastic opportunity and I am so grateful
for having played here," Vaz Te said. "Everything I achieved here and all my
game time and my life off the pitch has been amazing. "I will never forget
that day at Wembley - it was so special for me and for all of the fans
involved. "That is the kind of moment you don't intend to forget. I'm very
fortunate to have had that moment and I'm pleased I could do that for the
fans, for the club and for my team-mates. "I would like to thank the West
Ham fans and to tell them to keep supporting the club through what is going
to be an exciting time over the next few years."

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West Brom eye transfer of West Ham's Matt Jarvis but face Crystal Palace
beating them to Rudy Gestede
Jan 17, 2015 22:30 By Tom Hopkinson
Hammers will let ex-Wolves winger they bought for £7.5m in summer 2012 leave
if the right bid comes in PLUS: It's Pardew vs Pulis for Blackburn striker
The Mirror

Tony Pulis is on the lookout for a pacy wide-boy this month with West Ham's
Matt Jarvis on his shortlist, writes Tom Hopkinson in the Sunday People. The
28-year-old, who still has two-and-a-half years to run on his Upton Park
deal, has only made six appearances for the Irons this season and will be
allowed to leave if the right offer comes in. The Baggies are, however, set
to miss out on Blackburn striker Rudy Gestede, 26, with relegation rivals
Crystal Palace in pole position to sign the 12-goal Benin international.

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West Ham's Big Sam has silenced the boo boys this season says midfielder
Mark Noble
Jan 17, 2015 22:30 By Steve Stammers
Midfielder reckons team spirit that pulled the Hammers through the tough
times is now pushing them towards Europe PLUS: That bust-up with James
Tomkins
The Mirror

Mark Noble was in no doubt. When Hull come to East London on Sunday
afternoon there will be a significant ­difference in the ­atmosphere at
Upton Park than on the last occasion that the Humberside outfit visited. At
that time, West Ham fans were dreading that this season might bring trips to
Bolton, in the ­Championship. Now they sing of coming for Barcelona, in the
Champions League, next term. Contrast with that visit by Hull in March last
year – that saw West Ham win 2-1... and still get jeered off the pitch. The
supporters vented their frustration at the style of football on show and the
poor quality of the game. Sam Allardyce reacted – perhaps ill-advisedly – by
cupping his hand behind his ear in disbelief at the reaction after a
victory. Fast forward to this season and the Hammers are well-established in
the top 10, are in the fourth round of the FA Cup and there is a feel-good
factor around the club – as midfielder Noble acknowledged. "I remember that
Hull game and the frustrations we had," he said. "We won, but they went down
to 10 men and we scored last to win."

Two days later, Noble put an open letter on the club website asking fans to
support rather than harangue the players. "I remember writing a ­statement
on the website saying it was hard for the boys who were the ­confidence
players – and the crowd getting on their backs would just make it worse."

Noble's words carry ­considerable weight among Hammers fans. As a
home-grown, he has a certain status. He spoke, they listened. The next week,
the crowd were fantastic," he said. "I think they realised the position we
were in. "It was tough. We were playing without a striker for a lot of the
season and we did not have a lot of fit players. We needed the crowd behind
us." West Ham's position then was a perilous one. Going into Christmas 2013,
relegation was a real threat. "If we didn't have the team spirit we'd have
probably gone down," Noble said. "But we had a meeting at Christmas, and
said 'this is not good enough for this football club'. "We won four games on
the bounce and that took us from second bottom to 10th."

The festive period was a happier one this time around. Noble said: "There is
pressure still but it is different now we are in a good position. The
pressure now is to win to stay up there. We are expected to win games now."
The vibe around the training ground is now a positive one. "That comes from
just winning games," said Noble. "We were down in the dumps last year when
we were second bottom.
Now we have time to push on. There is no point in resting on what we have
done. We still have half a season left and we can push on and win more
games. "This league is unforgiving. You look at Everton – they have some top
players. But you have a bad little roll of results and you are in a
relegation scrap. "Some of the teams put a couple of wins together and
suddenly you see them overtake you. It is then you have to dig in and look
out for each other."

Noble made light of the on-field spat with team-mate James Tomkins during
the FA Cup replay win over Everton last Tuesday. "It was a little
frustration on both our parts," said Noble, who revealed that the duo are
both friends and neighbours. "With them going down to 10 men and then
scoring, it was frustrating. But me and Tomks are like that all the time in
training. We've done it in the past. It is not the first time – and it
certainly won't be the last. "We live in the same road – so I might walk
down and egg his house!"

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Ravel Morrison transfer would be "deal of the century" for ANY Premier
League club, says agent
Jan 17, 2015 12:48 By Aaron Flanagan
The under-fire midfielder has been told that he has no future at West Ham
but Barry Silkman thinks someone should snap him up
The M irror

Barry Silkman believes anyone who snaps up Ravel Morrison will have bagged
themselves the "deal of the century". Morrison is expected to leave West Ham
during the January transfer window after being bombed from his loan spell at
Cardiff City two weeks early last month.
And the Hammers' assistant manager Neil McDonald told media that there would
be no return to Upton Park for Morrison last month. Morrison has gained a
reputation as one of England's most naturally gifted players but
off-the-field problems have blown his ca‎reer off course.
The controversial star has been widely expected to sign a pre-contract with
Lazio, as he prepares for a move at the end of the season.
But with Morrison set to become available, former pro-turned-agent Silkman
says that a player with his ability could get into a top Premier League team
straight away. Speaking to talkSPORT Kick-Off, Silkman said: "Wherever he
goes is his last chance. Ravel could get into Arsenal's team tomorrow. His
ability is unbelievable, he is fantastic. "Whoever gets Ravel now will get
the best deal that's been done this century in football." Premier League
clubs Queens Park Rangers and Aston Villa have also been linked with moves
for Morrison, but it is thought it might be beneficial for the midfielder to
head abroad and start fresh. But Silkman added: "Personally, if I was a
Premier League manager, I would now be desperate to take him until the end
of the season." Morrison remains with West Ham but is not expected to be in
the squad for Sunday's visit of Hull City. He as cleared on Thursday of
attacking an ex-girlfriend and her mother due to contradictory evidence in
court.

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Sam Allardyce urges Alex Song to make West Ham move permanent – and ignore
Liverpool advances
Jan 16, 2015 22:30 By Jon West
The Cameroonian has impressed in his loan spell at Upton Park, catching the
eye of Brendan Rodgers among others
The Mirror

Sam Allardyce has told Alex Song to stick with the Hammers - because he's
guaranteed to play. A deal is on the table for the Barcelona man to make his
loan stint permanent, but Liverpool are keen to hijack it and know they are
regarded as the bigger club. But Allardyce reckoned the Cameroon midfielder
had made that mistake in the past by leaving Arsenal for the Nou Camp. He
said: "Clubs might have a bigger history and tradition than ours but it is
not always the case that they will succeed against you. "In the end Alex
moved to Barcelona which he thought was one hell of a move for him at the
time and unfortunately he did not play, or as much as he wanted to.
"So it is fine being at these clubs but it is not that good if you are not
playing if you are a footballer contrary to what most people think." West
Ham take on Hull at home on Sunday and are keen to close the gap on the
teams above them jostling for European places.
Hull are in the bottom three but Allardyce backed his pal Steve Bruce to
save the Tigers. He said: "He knows as well as well as I do you need to use
your experience and keep the pressure off your players until some of your
key players come back from injury and then you know your results will
improve."

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Alpari crash: Boleyn final season cash cow
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 17, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

The collapse of West Ham sponsor Alpari UK yesterday could see interest
rocket among companies looking to cash in on a final Boleyn season. There
will be massive focus on the Irons on their last season in our legendary
stadium and that is a once-in-a-lifetime sponsorship opportunity. Alpari UK
sealed a three year deal in 2013 worth £9m to become the shirt sponsor and
rename the West stand to the Alpari stand. They paid the cash in
instalments which is standard practise in the football industry and are
thought to have around £4m of the £9m sponsorship outstanding.

Once West Ham have agreed to terminate the current sponsorship deal with
administrators acting for Alpari it will have a green light to both secure
a temporary sponsor for this season plus a permanent sponsor for next
season. The club is keen to avoid a situation like 2008 when a iron on patch
covered the XL Holiday logo after they suffered a similar fate. West Ham are
understood to be in advanced discussions with three companies with the
possibility of more sponsors coming forward as news of Alpari's collapse
spreads. Although West Ham have a potential financial black hole of £4m, the
summer signings and the success on the field this season coupled with the
last season at the Boleyn and the imminent move to Olympic Stadium should
drive the price up over and above the price Alpari paid. Companies may be
willing to part with £5m or £6m for the chance to ride the coat tails of our
recent successes and if that happens we will make a profit from the demise
of Alpari trading.

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Irons have major midfield issues
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 17, 2015 in Whispers
By Rich Sprent
Claret & Hugh

Now the euphoria of the Cup win over Everton is beginning to settle its time
to look at how the team actually played. The game was a barometer for
Premier League outfits outside the top four and while many will look at the
first signs of a partnership developing between Carroll and Valencia I
believe it is the midfield that again attracts worrying glances. It was
glaringly obvious that Song was not fully match fit and his substitution was
inevitable. Noble got about a fair bit in the first half but once the
Cameroonian left the field he and Nolan looked sluggish and made things
difficult. The lack of back four protection the team having to drop deeper
and deeper to compensate.
Jarvis looks lost having to receive the ball and pass it around. Nolan
provides experience and makes a fair number of interceptions but his lack of
pace is exposed with only Noble beside him. With both of them together it
promotes deeper defending to compensate for their lack of pace and movement.
It also promotes longer passing from the defence to relieve the pressure.
Imagine how good it must look to see Andy Carroll up there when you have the
ball as a centre half. That the pass needs to be of quality and have good
support from a pedestrian centre midfield is the issue. Amalfitano provides
a good touch and has desire to go past players. He requires movement around
him however. Having 50 per cent of the midfield unable to provide agile
support makes his workload very difficult. It cannot always be left to
Downing to pick up the ball and make something happen.

Sakho and Valencia provided a very different outlet as a partnership. Both
are pacy and make unselfish channel runs. With Carroll however, it needs
quicker support from the midfield. Make no bones about it, Carroll IS
devastating to play against. That Jagielka left the field wearing
practically a camouflage jersey is testament to the times he had to pick
himself up of the Boleyn turf. Valencia began wide left and made good
connecting runs from play off of Carroll. The partnership is a work in
progress and will require help from the engine room to flourish. Hull will
provide a very different test tomorrow. With a fully fit midfield we should
prevail. But life without a Song looks very pedestrian

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Hammers to kill off injury-hit Tigers
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 17, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that West Ham will end their winless
run tomorrow (Sun) by beating Hull City. I'm going for a two nil win with
the front two AC and Enner Valencia grabbing one apiece. It was really great
to see that partnership developing so well against Everton and it can only
get better and better. Enner is a far post player but he's going to have to
accept that Andy is better at that than him and change his game. There were
nice signs of that happening on Tuesday night and I think the pair of them
will prove too much for Hull who are really struggling at the moment. The
will be without their first-choice strike pairing after losing both Nikica
Jelavic and Abel Hernandez in a damaging 1-0 loss at West Brom last weekend.
Sone Aluko and Gaston Ramirez could be back but beyond that Steve Bruce's
options are limited to Tom Ince, Robbie Brady and Yannick Sagbo, a trio who
have yet to score in the Premier League this season. There will be a
fantastic atmosphere inside Upton Park following that amazing FA Cup replay
win and with the crowd in full voice, Hull well weakened and the adrenalin
still flowing among the Hammers boys I can see only one result. It has to be
the Irons – no doubt in my mind!

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Nothing new in Morrison hatchet job
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 17, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

If as they say there's no smoke without fire, the Daily Mail has started a
new blaze today over a certain Ravel Morrison – the big question is WHY?.
With the word 'source' appearing regularly the piece confirms that the
player has been banned from West Ham's first-team training ground since
returning from an unsuccessful Cardiff City loan spell. Most of what follows
is well known but one new suggestion is that the Irons lost patience whe
suspicions arose he had been driving without a licence.

The Mail claim a 'source' "who was keen to defend Morrison," told them: 'He
hasn't done that (driven) for weeks and weeks.'
There are claims Morrison went AWOL for a few days during the Christmas
period of 2013 and that records of the reason – emergency dental work – have
been given to the club. The dental situation is nothing new and as
ClaretandHugh reported this at the time, David Gold happily explained that
was the case.Then comes stories of missed training sessions and a well
publicised story of Sam Allardyce attempting to woo him into the camp of his
own agent Mark Curtis. It concludes with stories of previous court cases
which now have whiskers on them and date back to 2011.

The piece appears to be a mixture well know former history, suspicions,
allegations and 'sources' giving their comments. Apart from the suggested
allegation that he was driving around without a licence there's little here
that wasn't know previously. However, it does demonstrate why the Hammers
have decided against giving the kid a new contract and maybe that's the
reason for the article! It truly is time for both sides to move on – who's
right and who's wrong is now a total irrelevancy.

IT'S OVER and I'm afraid this new piece really does make a meal out very
little. On the face of it you have to wonder whether there's some propoganda
being promoted in what really does look like a hatchet job!

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DG bids Vaz farewell
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 17, 2015 in Whispers
Calret & Hugh

David Gold has taken time out to wish Ricardo Vaz Te all the very best as
his three year West Ham spell came to an end. He and the club came to a
mutual agreement that has allowed the player to walk away and grab the
chance of first team football in Turkey. He is joining Super Lig outfit
Akhisar Municipality afetr being unable to make any impact on the first team
squad at the Boleyn. He will, of course, be best remembered for scoring the
winning goal in the 87th minute in the Wembley Play off final. And Gold
recalled that when tweeting: "Good bye Ricardo Vaz Te we will never forget
your last minute goal you scored at Wembley. Good luck. dg"

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Irons gaining edge in Song race
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 17, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

West Ham believe the odds of the club landing Alex Song are marginally
better than fifty/fifty and that may be down to the player's wife Olivia
(right). Despite reports in The Sun that a "deal is on the table" to make
his move to the club permanent, that is not the case.
However, the Irons are ready compete fiercely to get their man at the end of
the campaign and that may even involve them going as high as £90k a week on
his personal terms. That though will be dependent on the transfer fee being
demanded by Barcelona who are expected to want around £10 million which
would make such personal terms possible. A club source explained: "It's far
too early to start making hard and fast predictions and these are obviously
estimates and guess-timates but they are our early thoughts. "Olivia is
quite influential in this because London is her preferred city globally and
for various reasons Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and of course QPR out of the
running it looks good for us. "Here, he becomes our leader and first name on
the team sheet. All of that will be very appealing to him, we're sure."
Liverpool are still reported as being interested but our source claimed: "I
think he'd stay here at £10k a week rather than go to merseyside. I think
it's a lifestyle thing on that front. Hammers boss Sam Allardyce is reported
as saying: He said: "He came through as a kid at Arsenal and then it was
Barcelona so he has had nothing other than playing for top clubs in Europe.
"Our aspirations are to get there and a player like him would help us,
that's the one thing we can sell him — particularly going to a new stadium
with 54,000 people in." He added: "Clubs might have a bigger history and
tradition than ours but it is not always the case that they will succeed
against you. "Alex moved to Barcelona which he thought was one hell of a
move and unfortunately he did not play, or as much as he wanted. It's fine
being at these clubs but it's not if you're not playing."

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Alpari's name remains on Irons shirts
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 17, 2015 in Whispers
Clart & Hugh

Bust Hammers sponsor Alpari UK's name will remain on West Ham shirts – at
least for now! West Ham would be in breach of contract should they
unilaterally decided to remove the shirt branding in advance of Sunday's
home game against Hull City. The club will first hold talks with the
administrators before making a decision whether to cancel the existing
sponsorship contract. The levels of losses for Alpari are so huge running,
into tens of millions, it is extremely unlikely that the administrators
would be able to honor the sponsorship contract with West Ham and pay the
next installment of the £4m remaining in the contract. A senior source close
to West Ham told Claret and Hugh "We are looking for replacements, it will
take a few weeks. At the moment we can't even take Alpari off the shirts or
the administrator might sue us for breach of contract."

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Marcus Nilsson to train with West Ham as club look to bolster defensive
options
West Ham defender Winston Reid is out of contract at West Ham
Sweden international Marcus Nilsson was released by Kalmar FF
Hammers have cancelled the contract of Ricardo Vaz Te by mutual consent
By SIMON JONES FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 17 January 2015 | UPDATED: 22:30, 17 January 2015

West Ham will take a look at Sweden international defender Marcus Nilsson in
training this week. The 26-year-old centre-back is out of contract and could
replace Winston Reid, who is poised to leave the club. Nilsson, who has one
cap for his country, has recently become a free agent following his release
by Kalmar FF. West Ham have cancelled the contract of Ricardo Vaz Te by
mutual consent. Hull, QPR and Watford have been sounded out over the
28-year-old striker. Vaz Te signed for the Hammers in January 2012 and in
the Championship play-off final at Wembley in May that year.

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West Ham end wage dispute with rebel Ravel Morrison
HITC
Sean Lunt

The club comes to an agreement with Ravel Morrison, with the midfielder
looking set to leave during January. Ravel Morrison has resolved his £60,000
wage dispute with West Ham reports the Telegraph. The player had called in
the Professional Footballer Association after West Ham withheld four-weeks
wages as a result of fines for misconduct. However, the pair have now come
to an agreement that will see him pocket just £15,000 in salary and pay
three-weeks wages worth of fines to the club. The resolution looks to have
paved the way for him to exit the club, although the fact that West Ham
insist they have followed the disciplinary procedure fully, suggests there
is no ill-feeling between the two parties. Having said that, the player does
look certain to leave Upton Park during the January transfer window, and
manager Sam Allardyce currently has his training with the U21 squad. With
his contract running out in the summer, he is free to sign a pre-contract
agreement, and talks with Italian side Lazio were being rumoured by Sky
Sports earlier this week.

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Ravel Morrison a step closer to moving to Lazio on free transfer in summer
after West Ham United midfielder is offered deal
Ravel Morrison will be allowed to leave West Ham United on a free transfer
Reports in Italy suggest Morrison offered £500,000 a year from Lazio
Lazio have offered Morrison a contract for him to move Italy in the summer
Morrison's agents have tried to secure a move to an English club
But Premier League sides are concerned by Morrison's disciplinary record
By MATT LAWTON FOR MAIL ONLINE
PUBLISHED: 14:27, 17 January 2015 | UPDATED: 14:28, 17 January 2015

Ravel Morrison appears to be a step closer to securing a summer move to
Lazio. A team of agents flew to Rome on Friday to discuss a possible
transfer for the out-of-favour West Ham United midfielder. And reports in
Italy now suggest a three-hour meeting with Lazio's technical staff
concluded in an offer of £500,000 a year plus bonuses for the 21-year-old.
Ravel Morrison has been offered a contract worth £500,000 a year by Italian
club Lazio West Ham are allowing Morrison to leave Upton Park on a free
after manager Sam Allardyce lost patience with one of England's most
talented but controversial footballers. Here in England his representatives
have told prospective employers he seeks only £15,000 a week - his current
salary at West Ha m - and will even waive his right to any compensation
should a club want to terminate his contract if he steps out of line. But
the Italians seem to be showing more interest than clubs in the Premier
League, who see Morrison as a risk despite three assault charges against him
being withdrawn at Manchester Crown Court earlier this week.

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