Daily WHUFC News - 6th February 2015

View on the Visitors - Man Utd
WHUFC.com
Stretford End Season Ticket Holder Aidan Edwards gives us the lowdown on
Sunday's visitors
05.02.2015

What have you made of Manchester United's season so far?

It has been a pretty mixed season. We started poorly with a squad lacking in
confidence, taking just two points from the first three games against
Swansea, Sunderland and Burnley. Overall, it has been another transitional
season for United, with a new manager who has a particular way of playing.
There has been a big change in personnel since Louis van Gaal took over
eight months ago. As well as six high profile summer signings, van Gaal has
overseen the departures of nineteen players.

United have been hampered with injuries, which has led to a number of
players making the step up from the under 21s, including James Wilson, Tyler
Blackett and Paddy McNair. Additional positives are that United currently
find themselves in third place, having lost just one of the last sixteen
games. Whilst the football hasn't been as free flowing as we have enjoyed in
the past, the team is grinding out great results, playing with much more
confidence and belief.
Who in particular has been playing well for United?
David de Gea, obviously. He has made several crucial saves this season and
has single handedly won games for us. He is a big reason why we are where
they are in the league. At just 24 years old, it is frightening that he is
yet to reach his peak as a goalkeeper and so it is important with his
contract expiring in the summer of 2016 that we sign him on a long term
deal.

Daley Blind has also been quietly impressive and has settled quickly at
United. He is an intelligent footballer who builds up all the attacks whilst
offering protection to the defence, bringing confidence and calmness. Blind
is also versatile, demonstrating the ability to perform in a number of
positions which has been useful this season considering the number of
injuries we have suffered.
What have you made of West Ham more generally this season?
I've been very impressed with West Ham this season, they've done very well.
Particularly the resurgence of Stewart Downing. I think Sam Allardyce has
done a good job, especially in the transfer window, all his signings have
done well. Alex Song was a very shrewd bit of business and I hope they keep
hold of him.

Considering the pressure Allardyce was under last season, to have turned it
round so quickly is a great achievement. He deserves all the credit for
adopting a more positive, fluid approach and it's paid off, I think they
deserve to be where they are in the league.
What is your prediction for Sunday's score?
I'll go positive and say 2-1 Man United.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
DEADLINE DUD
By Bianca Westwood 5 Feb 2015 at 09:31
West ham till I Die

It wasn't the best deadline day was it? I wasn't expecting monumental things
but it ended up being somewhat of a nonevent. I'm just pleased we weren't
subjected to witnessing the prancing and profane fools and their sex toys
gurning behind my poor, frozen Sky colleagues. Enough was enough on that
score!

As far as West Ham's transfer activities go it was one big fat failure but
it was certainly not for the want of trying. It appears the chairmen and
their minions worked their socks off trying to garner some interest and get
those all-important signatures on the dotted line but as we all know January
is a bit of a bitch and you can't always get what you want. I'm not going to
lose too much sleep over Darren Fletcher or Bafetimbi Gomis if I'm honest.
What I explicitly didn't want was Emmanuel Adebayor and luckily I didn't get
what I didn't want…if that makes sense. The ex Arsenal & Tottenham striker
does talk a good game and definitely makes an impressive initial impact but
he has failed to deliver in recent seasons, he's another big target man that
we'd probably end up lumping the ball towards and furthermore did I mention
he talks a lot? And not in a good way. He courts far too much controversy
for my liking and West Ham have a superb dressing room at the moment. We
don't need anyone messing with that harmony thanks. Veto all you like Mr
Levy. You can keep him…and Kaboul. At least it meant that Winston didn't go
the other way. That would have ruffled a few claret and blue feathers. Too
many of our finest have left the club for lily white pastures. I say never
again! My step dad reminded me recently of the time as a (clearly quite
aggressive) little girl, I leaned over the wall above the tunnel at Upton
Park and shouted "JUDAS!" at Paul Allen as he left the field. He even looked
at me quite apologetically. I obviously wasn't impressed with treachery then
and nothing has changed since! Leave us for WHL at your peril!

Reid remaining with us was the biggest plus for me. In the land of the blind
the one-eyed man is king and we'd struggle hard without him with a fully fit
squad, let alone with a defensive injury list as long as your arm. He's a
terrific player and has been brilliant for us this season. He's really come
into his own and has developed into a solid, quality defender. It's a
temporary stay of execution I wager but I'd be confident that his departure
in the summer will give us a lot more time over the next few months to
identify a more adequate replacement.

I felt for Carlton Cole who almost got caught up in a Peter Odemwingie type
scenario. He's been an able and loyal servant for us over the years. Not
hugely prolific but like Bobby Zamora before him some of his goals were
absolutely instrumental in our limited success. It must be tough for him to
be bandied about as he has been lately. Released last season then
humiliatingly dragged back to Chadwell Heath in the no striker era, he
returned with no complaints and a positive attitude, used sparingly this
term (which he no doubt understands), then touted around to all-comers only
to have the plug pulled on a decent move to West Brom in the final hour.
Sucks to be him! I don't think Carlton will be quite as smiley and good
egg-ish as he was the last time round. Nor should he be. As Alan Curbishley
so succinctly put it, sometimes the 'moral situation' is forgotten. Will
Cole get a contract in the summer as beneficial as the one Pulis was
offering? I doubt it. This period of his working life is crucial. He's in
the twilight of his career and might struggle to get a Premier League deal
at all. Who owes what to whom here? Yes he's gotten as much as he's given at
West Ham, both financially and professionally so there's an argument to say
that we don't owe him anything. Yet it's a shame that he now has to see out
his time with us almost certainly on the bench and undoubtedly at a club
where he knows he's no longer wanted. He's a superb professional and will
probably conduct himself in the right way and with minimal fuss but it still
stinks. Am I wrong here? I know it may be 'just business'. I love this club
with every fibre of my being. I support our team, our manager and our board
to the hilt, and I'm the first one who would prioritise our interests, but a
modicum of decency towards one of our most devoted employees would have been
nice. Stay classy West Ham!

Now we face a tumultuous few weeks with some tough fixtures and some bare
bones at the back. At least the FIFA rap was relatively lenient. Expulsion
from the FA cup would have been a categorical disaster. After the Tevez
legal saga we didn't need that kind of negativity hanging over us again. I'm
sensing that the dip in league form will continue for the foreseeable so I'm
pinning my meagre hopes to the Challenge Cup mast. I still have the glint of
silverware in my eye! I'm certainly not as buoyant as I was a few weeks ago
but as we all know only too well, the life of a Hammers fan is defined by
polarities. We lurch from pleasure to pain, despair to euphoria, devastation
to success…all in the blink of an eye. We've just got to roll with it.

Come on you Irons!!

B x

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE BOLEYN GROUND
By Sean Whetstone 5 Feb 2015 at 16:00
West Ham till I Die

Guest post by Nigel Kahn


On Tuesday evening I attended a public consultation exhibition in regards to
the Boleyn Ground redevelopment. Held in the Church hall across the road
from the West Ham Supporters club in Castle Street we were shown various
plans outlining the submitted plans by architects on behalf of the
developers, Galliard group, present on the night were members of the
architectural team, developers and the company tasked with Marketing the
development, who were able to answer any questions that you may care to
answer.

Perhaps as a sure sign that I am finally coming to terms with the move was
in a way enlightening and informative. For all the pictures that you see the
best way to get a better understanding of what is being proposed was the
scale model that was in the centre of the Hall, showing in 3d the size of
the buildings and layout of the roads and seeing how it all sits within what
is currently sitting there.

The centre of attraction for West Ham fans is that through the middle of the
development will be a Piazza, not a word I ever thought I'd see in regards
Upton Park. The entrance to the Piazza will be roughly where the John Lyall
Gates are and will run all the way through to Castle Street. Sitting in the
exact spot of where the current pitch centre spot is will be a Statue that
will be called 'The Kick Off' It is likely to be a football or could be two
players actually kicking off. Also dotted along this central route will be
other statues of Iron legends with special dates in the clubs history marked
out among the paving.


They also plan to put lights in the floor that light up at evening the
original touchlines of the pitch, which from the Piazza may not look special
but if viewed from above could be a nice touch. Personally I would like to
have seen the pitch area being left completely clear of buildings, two
blocks are proposed one to the north and one to the south of the centre
circle each unit housing 44 apartments. So with the removal of 88 of the
flats or just 10% of the development, the pitch could have been kept as a
park, a place for kids to play football and possibly dream the dreams we all
did as kids of being on the pitch playing.

The plan is to build around 880 apartments, flats & houses, with 6%
allocated as shared ownership. Underground car parking will be available,
only for 350 cars though, but amazingly the plan is for over 1,200 bicycle
bays. Quite how they plan to restrict car ownership amongst the residents
remains to be seen but I suppose that is down to those that live on and
around the development. Castle street is being re-opened up all the way from
Green Street to Priory Road, as it used to be for many years until the
Boleyn ground was built up.

Shops will be part of the Development as well but no major chain will be
allowed to take a unit to try and protect Queens Road Market. The idea, as
explained to me, is that the shops should complement the market not detract
or take customers away.A nursery, teacher training building and a new
Library to replace the existing one further down the road are all things
considered, it looks impressive, even to me who believes that this
development should never have seen the light of day.

The problem with the plans is that they never live up to the original look,
and never has it seemed take into consideration the local residents who will
live on the edge. Most of the handful of people in the hall at the time I
was there were local residents, and those I heard were not impressed with
the view. Parking as I highlighted was one concern, especially the lack of
it, as from their point of view they will only find somewhere else to park
rather than not have a car. Considering the impact of match day traffic was
one of the many reasons for not expanding the Boleyn, it seems with the club
moving that may be an issue that locals may have to still face, except
rather than just 24 days of the year, now 365 days.

Two other Reasons for the non-expansion of the Boleyn ground, or rather the
East stand, were the Bus Garage and that any new stand would block the light
of the flats behind it. As we know the bus garage shut years ago so that
reason has gone, and as for the light problem, it is proposed that two
blocks of flats will be built along Priory Road in the space vacated by the
East Stand, these blocks will be eleven stories high, the flats behind are
only nine, the current East Stand is according to the developer's own plans
four to six. Make of that what you will but I think it does raise questions
of the way the club gave out information as to why they needed to move.

As someone who still believes the move is wrong, for the fans and the club,
seeing what it will become will take a lot of getting used to, looking at it
as a West Ham fan, the fact the site will still reflect a little of the
ground that was once there for 112 years was a positive, as someone who was
born and brought up in the area, this development does nothing for the local
community.

Shared ownership is not affordable housing, 95% of the development will be
privately owned, with the prices these flats will command, looking at other
local developments, they will be out of reach of the majority of young
people living in the area, and when rented out the rent rates locally are
crippling. As a comparison, in a Canning Town new development two bed
apartments are £1,500 a month. This of course is out of the clubs hands and
is more a social problem than a football problem, but it still leaves a bad
taste in the mouth of many. Outside the Hall, local action group the friends
of Queens market were leafleting, highlighted the lack of affordable housing
in the area and protesting against another piece of local land being taken
away and used for profit rather than the community the local council claims
it serves. They have a website for information and a petition which you can
sign, go to www.friendsofqueensmarket.org.uk for more information.

As the end of the Boleyn Ground gets nearer I'm sure more will come out into
the public domain in regards the development and that in turn may highlight
some of the information the club used to persuade fans that we had no choice
to move. Then and only then will we know the truth.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Diafra Sakho row may see Bristol City protest FIFA NOT kicking
them out of FA Cup
22:30, 4 February 2015 By Darren Lewis
League One club "disappointed and considering its options" after Hammers are
only fined for playing Senegal striker during Africa Cup of Nations
The Mirror

West Ham face a fresh FA Cup battle with Bristol City after FIFA's decision
not to kick the Irons out of the competition. The League One club are
"considering" whether to protest after world football's governing body
contracted their own rules by only fining the Irons £71,000 for fielding
striker Diafra Sakho at Ashton Gate last month. Sakho pulled out of
Senegal's squad for the Africa Cup of Nations with a back injury but scored
the winner for West Ham 18 days later in their FA Cup Fourth Round tie to
knock City out. If FIFA had applied their rules, City would have been
reinstated and West Ham - set to play West Brom in the fifth round next
Saturday - dumped out.
A statement from the Robins said: "The club is disappointed with the penalty
handed down by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and is considering its
options."

FIFA launched an investigation after Senegal angrily complained about
Sakho's FA Cup appearance. The FIFA rules state that a player cannot play
for his club if he is meant to be on international duty. Article 5 reads: "A
player who has been called up by his association for one of its
representative teams is, unless otherwise agreed by the relevant
association, not entitled to play for the club with which he is registered
during the period for which he has been released or should have been
released."

Article 6.2 adds: "If a club refuses to release a player or neglects to do
so despite the provisions of this annexe, the Fifa Players' Status Committee
shall furthermore request the association to which the club belongs to
declare any match(es) in which the player took part to have been lost by the
club concerned. "Any match contested according to the cup system shall be
regarded as having been won by the opposing team, irrespective of the
score."

It was angry Senegal - furious that Sakho played for West Ham 48 hours after
they were knocked out of the Africa Cup of Nations - who complained to FIFA.
West Ham insisted Sakho had a back injury that prevented him from flying and
claim he was driven to Ashton Gate in a limousine for the FA Cup tie. The
east Londoners are not trying to draw a line under the affair. A Hammers'
statement said: "The club and the player have received the decision and will
now be focusing their concentration on the game against Manchester United on
Sunday."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll has a VERY surprising taste in pets
19:30, 5 February 2015 By Richard Innes
Until we saw this video, we struggled to believe the big centre-forward
ACTUALLY had these dogs at home
The Mirror

On the football pitch, Andy Carroll is a beast of a man. The powerful West
Ham No9 doesn't just head a football better than any other living human
being. He's an intimidating weapon of a footballer, regularly used to bully
opposition defences.

Even off the pitch, he looks like a real man's man. 6ft 4ins tall, hairy,
bearded and a proud Geordie… you could imagine him working as miner,
bricklayer or something equally masculine.

So, what sort of dog do you think this old-fashioned "bloke" goes home to? A
big Alsatian? A Staff? Maybe a loveable Labrador?

Nope. Andy goes home to… well, we're not sure exactly what breed his dogs
are. Take a look at the video and see for yourself. One looks a bit like a
chihuahua, but let's just say they are the type of canines sometimes found
in the handbags of rich girls in California.

You might think Carroll would claim the dogs belong to his other half,
former TOWIE star Billi Mucklow. But no, Andy is so smitten with the tiny
creatures, they're all over his Instagram page - today, he even posted the
video above, of them trying to escape their pen.

Anyone else notice the dog's double bed in the background?

Well, in fairness to Andy, we guess they are pretty cute. But we would still
prefer to see him with some lions…

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham will reignite their interest in QPR defender Steven Caulker if
Rangers get relegated
18:25, 5 February 2015 By James Nursey
The Hammers attempted to sign the former Cardiff centre-half on deadline
day, but were scuppered by Hoops chairman Tony Fernandes
The Mirror

West Ham will return for Steven Caulker if QPR go down. MirrorSport can
reveal the Hammers moved for Rangers' centre-back Caulker on deadline day to
bolster their defence. Loftus Road chairman Tony Fernandes snubbed their
interest despite initial talks. But Hammers boss Sam Allardyce and chairman
David Sullivan intend to keep Caulker on their radar as they will lose
Winston Reid this summer. Caulker, a 6ft 3in former Spurs stopper, went down
with Cardiff last season but still earned a summer move back to the Premier
League. And Caulker will want to stay in the top-flight again should
19th-placed QPR be relegated. West Ham also have an interest in Genk's
Senegalese centre-back Kara Mbodj, who is likely to be sold this summer.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
FIFA/Sakho outcome will suit FA
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 5, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

The Football Association will have breathed a collective sigh of relief
after Fifa hit the Hammers with just a small fine yesterday.
For most of those assessing the situation privately believe the Irons could
easily have been kicked out of the competition. Fifa regulations said as
much so the decision to fine the club just £71k was seen as an almighty let
off by most observers. And given that we had earned £90k from the win over
Bristol City, the club remains in profit from the competition. The FA are
highly unlikely to entertain appeals after being kept in touch with
developments at Fifa throughout yesterday. Any punishment involving our
expulsion would have thrown their competition into chaos and a source close
to the English ruling body said: "The fine suits everybody." West Ham's near
silence on the matter indeed speaks volumes – we had a bit of a lucky get
off.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
East stand could have been redeveloped
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 5, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

New planning documents submitted by the Galliard group last week reveal that
the Boleyn Ground East stand could have been redeveloped to make it a 40,000
seat stadium without moving home to the Olympic Stadium.

The Hammers were originally granted planning permission to redevelop the
East stand back in 1999 when planning permission as granted to redevelop the
West Stand. Planning was granted again in 2006 when new plans were submitted
which can be seen above. This new East stand would of taken the Boleyn
Ground capacity to 40,356. This permission expired after three years before
the present owners took charge of the club.

Arguments given during the first bid for the Olympic Stadium against
reviving the East Stand redevelopment were the close proximity of the Upton
Park Bus Garage and that any new East stand would block the light of the
flats behind it. Upton Park bus garage was shut down a few years ago after
the largest bus garage in London was built close to West Ham underground
station so that reason has gone.

As for the light problem, Galliard now propose that two blocks of high rise
flats will be built along Priory Road in the space vacated by the East
Stand, these blocks will be eleven stories high while the existing flats
behind are only nine stories, the current East Stand is according to the
developer is between 4-6 stories. It does raise the question whether the
redevelopment of the East Stand was more viable than we were led to believe
before our bid for the Olympic stadium.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammer joins St Mirren
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 5, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

West Ham youngster Kieran Sadlier has joined St Mirren until the end of the
season, following his release by the Hammers earlier this week.

The 20-year-old midfielder who is also a republic of Ireland Under-21
international has agreed a contract until the end of the season having
failed to make the breakthrough at West Ham's Academy. Speaking to the St
Mirren club website manager Gary Teale "Kieran has had a good development at
West Ham and also being involved with the Irish Under-21 team. He was very
keen to come up to Scotland when I spoke to him before the transfer window
closed and negotiated his release from West Ham to come up to St Mirren. He
showed great enthusiasm and ambition that he wanted to play first-team
football – hopefully he will be of great benefit to ourselves going
forward."

Sadlier took to Twitter to thank well-wishers following his exit from West
Ham saying "I'd like to say thanks to my team mates, the staff and all the
fans for the amazing 10 years I've spent at West Ham! End of an era! I can't
wait to get started with St Mirren up in Scotland! A new chapter in my
life!And thanks to both sets of fans for the messages"

Eighties Hammers Hero Frank McAvennie spend five years at St Mirren playing
135 matches and scoring 48 goals before joining West Ham in 1985.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Locals want Boleyn Ground to become a park
Posted by Sean Whetstone on February 5, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Local resident group Friends of Queens Market have called on Newham Council
to ensure all the flats on being built on the Boleyn Ground are developed as
social housing units. And they have also called for the Boleyn Ground
football pitch to become a public park.

The stadium will be demolished in 2016 after 112 of use by West Ham when we
move to the Olympic Stadium. Property developers Galliard purchased the
site and have put in a planning application to Newham Council to build a
"village" of 838 homes.
They are proposing only 51 flats are 'shared ownership' but for the majority
of residents in Newham believe they will cost too much. Galliard provide
homes at the luxury end of the market. In their recent development in
Canning Town, the price of a 2 bedroom flat starting at £435,000 and a 2
bedroom apartment penthouse reaching £610,000.
If the 838 flats reach anything close to the £435,000 price tag of the
Canning town apartments this could raise over £350 million for the Galliard
group in property sales. The Friends claim The Boleyn Ground will be another
private development in Newham that local residents can't afford.

On page 40 of the planning application Galliard claims:"It would not be
viable to deliver any affordable housing as part of this scheme."

Following a competitive bidding process, West Ham United selected Galliard
Group as the purchaser for the site ahead of a number of other national and
international companies.

The Club was impressed with Galliard Group's links to the local community
and their commitment to honouring the history of the Hammers at the Boleyn
Ground as part of their proposed development.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons wait and see 'injury crisis'
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 5, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Irons fans are set to discover whether the "injury crisis" involving five
players is as serious as they have been led to believe over the next couple
of weeks. Manager Sam Allardyce described the situation as a crisis
immediately after the Liverpool defeat in which James Collins and Winston
Reid picked up hamstring niggles. Carl Jenkinson and James Tomkins both
missed the game but are expected to return to the side against Manchester
United on Sunday. Chiek Kouyate is reportedly carrying a calf strain and
training ground sources claim Collins may be more likely than Reid to
recover for the game. Andy Carroll, meanwhile is expected to be out for a
fortnight with an ankle problem.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Parkesy: "We need the deadly duo against United"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 5, 2015 in Whispers
Calret & Hugh

Phil Parkes has urged manager Sam Allardyce to return the deadly duo –
Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia to the top of the Irons attack on Sunday. He
believes Manchester United is a match made for the pace and mobility of the
pair declaring: "Their defence could really struggle against those two."

United have been getting some results and it's always a tough game but Sak
and Valencia bring so much to the party and have more to unsettle United
than most. Speaking exclusively to ClaretandHugh he said: "We've only beaten
Leicester, Hull and Bristol City in our last 11 games and this would be a
good game to kick start things again but I think it will need those two in
the team if we are to manage it. "I was at my old club QPR for the recent
visit of United and I thought their defence was absolutely awful – Diafra
and Enner could really move it about . I just hope that's the way Sam
Allardyce decides to play it."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://vyperz.blogspot.com



---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
http://www.avast.com