Daily WHUFC News - 11th October 2015

Enner ready for action
WHUFC.com

Enner Valencia cannot wait to make his first-team return after making a
successful comeback from a serious leg injury. The No11 caught the eye
during a late cameo in Friday's 4-3 friendly defeat by Reading at the Boleyn
Ground, running hard, looking sharp and setting up a late goal for Andy
Carroll. The Ecuador forward is now looking to improve his match-fitness and
catch the attention of manager Slaven Bilic, with the hope of returning to
West Ham United's starting XI. "I'm very happy that I managed to play 15
minutes," the South American told West Ham TV. "I'm just getting ready now
for when the league comes back."

For Valencia, his recent injury setback could not have come at a more
inopportune moment – just minutes after he had scored his first goal of the
season in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round first-leg tie with
Astra Giurgiu back in early August. The 25-year-old's leg issues saw him
miss West Ham's opening eight Barclays Premier League matches, but he is now
back in business and eager to make up for lost time. "I was looking forward
to this season, and was very excited at the start," he revealed.
"Unfortunately I got that setback where I got injured in the first game I
played. I'm looking forward to what's to come and very happy to be available
for the manager."

While he may not have been available himself, Valencia has kept a close eye
on proceedings on the pitch, watching the Hammers make a strong start to the
2015/16 campaign. "The team is playing very well the way they are playing.
The players that are starting are doing very well and I have to work hard to
get my place back. "I watched every single game; our away form has been
fantastic. We've not been as good at home but we are working on that.
Hopefully our home form will improve."

While Club comes first, Valencia has also maintained contact with his
national side, Ecuador, who made a stunning start to qualification for the
2018 FIFA World Cup. The man who scored three times at the 2014 finals
stayed up late to watch his compatriots score a 2-0 win in Argentina in
their opening qualifier – their first-ever such victory in Buenos Aires. "It
was an unbelievable game," he smiled. "It was the first time that Ecuador
won in Argentina in World Cup qualifying. I am very excited and looking
forward to get back into the national team and being with my teammates as
well."

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Wanchope checks in
WHUFC.com

Evening Standard correspondent Ken Dyer managed to snare elusive ex-West Ham
United forward Paulo Wanchope

I was down at Chadwell Heath recently to interview James Collins for the
Evening Standard. As I walked across the car park I noticed a lone figure
standing there. He smiled – I smiled back and walked on. You know the
feeling, the one where you think the face looks faintly familiar – but you
just can't put a name to it. It was minutes later – the cogs turn a little
more slowly these days – before I cracked it. It was, I felt pretty sure,
Paulo Wanchope, once of West Ham United, Derby County and Manchester City. I
took the opportunity to retrace my steps, introduce myself and confirm that
it was indeed the 39-year-old former Costa Rica striker who spent the
1999/00 season with us, scoring 15 goals in 47 appearances and forging a
fruitful and always entertaining partnership with Paolo Di Canio.

Paulo, who scored 45 goals in 73 caps for his country, joined West Ham
following a successful spell at Derby. He moved onto Manchester City a year
later and after spells in Spain, Qatar, Japan, Argentina and the United
States, retired eight years ago.

Three weeks ago, following discussions with the Costa Rica Football
Federation, Paulo resigned his position as Costa Rica head coach, which is
why I found him keenly observing Slaven Bilic's training session.

"I've been here for two weeks," he explained. "I came here to watch some
training sessions at clubs and talk about football with a few people I know.
Hopefully I will have the chance to come over to England to work. I took all
my coaching badges here in England.

"I had a few jobs in clubs back home then the Costa Rica FA gave me the
opportunity to work with the Under-21s. I then became assistant coach of the
senior team during the World Cup in Brazil.

"I was appointed national team coach after the World Cup for one year but
resigned three weeks ago, so now I'm over here to see some old friends.

"I've been at Manchester City and also Everton because they have a Costa
Rican player there – Brian Oviedo. I'm also going to see another Costa
Rican, Joel Campbell, who is at Arsenal."

So what does Paulo remember of his time at the Hammers?

"I have fond memories of my time here," he says. "Harry Redknapp was the
manager and his assistant was Frank Lampard. They were good days because
there were some very good players here – Frank Lampard jnr., Rio Ferdinand,
Paolo Di Canio, Trevor Sinclair – I really enjoyed it here.

"I improved a lot as a player here because I was around other very good
players."
I improved a lot as a player here because I was around other very good
players
Paulo Wanchope
In fact, Paulo's partnership with Paolo produced 31 goals and helped the
club to ninth spot in the Premier League table.

He was finally sold to Manchester City for £3.65m, following the arrival at
West Ham of Croatia star Davor Suker and Mali striker Frederic Kanoute.

"I went from West Ham to spend four seasons at Manchester City. It was quite
a good time there also, with good players and coaching staff," he recalls.
"I was also at Derby County with Jim Smith. I am always grateful to England
and the clubs here because they helped me a great deal in my professional
career.

"I was here eight years in all as a player and now I'm looking forward to
working here as a coach. Football-wise England is incredible and everyone
wants to work here.

"My family too, are looking forward to the possibility. We have two
children. My daughter, who is 12, was born here and we also have a son, aged
seven.

"I also have dual nationality so we feel we really have a close affinity
with this country."

As for the present Paulo is delighted with the way things have gone so far
for his old club.

"It is incredible what West Ham are doing in the Premier League," he says.
"I'm here to look at their training sessions, what they are doing on a daily
basis. I'm interested to know the secret of their success!"

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Gold: "I liked Ravel but got nowhere with him"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on October 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
EXCLUSIVE

David Gold has warned Ravel Morrison that he will be thirty years old
"before he knows it" and will be saying: "Oh God, put my life on rewind and
let me start again."

The co chairman have his views in an exclusive ClaretandHugh inerview after
a national newspaper had run a two-part interview with the Lazio player in
which he is quoted as saying that life at West Ham "messed with his head."

The co-chairman claimed he constantly had a metaphorical arm around the
player's shoulder when he was at Upton Park and told us: "I really began to
believe I was having an impact and getting through to him. "But then I
realised that in reality what I was saying was going in one ear and out of
the other. He was quiet and respectful. We talked a lot and you think you
are getting somewhere but but then it turns out to be a waste of time. "He
had a lot of people try to help him here from those who would put an arm
around his shoulder to those who took a tougher approach but it just didn't
work and its such a shame. He's such a talent and I really hope it works out
for him but he has to beat those demons. "He could get to thirty and look
back saying 'Oh God, put my life on rewind and let me start again." "From a
purely footballing point of view it was a shame for him and us. He could
have been a big player and on the other front we had a £20 million
footballer on our hands who then became worth two bob! I don't blame Sam
(Allardyce) or anyone else at this club for what happened. We really did all
try to help and I really hope it works out for him at Lazio and in the
future as I genuinely like Ravel."

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Irons explain their Klopp connection
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on October 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham were the quickest club out of the blocks when Jurgen Klopp decided
to quit Borussia Dortmund back in the summer. As Klopp mania grips the Kop
this weekend, ClaretandHugh was told this morning the Irons board moved in
very quickly as they tried to tie up a deal with the German.

Stressing though that they could hardly be happier in finally appointing
Slaven Bilic as manager, a top level source explained to us exclusively: "At
the time Klopp was the name on everybody's lips and of course we were more
than interested. "You only have to look at the fever going on around
Merseyside to understand how highly this man is rated and yes we were keen
at that time. "We spoke to his agents and in fact made a very big offer but
the timing was wrong because they came back to us saying he wanted a break
from the game to get Dortmund out of his system. "That's probably all true
but it's also fair to assume that Klopp wanted the opportunity of managing
a club he perceived to be bigger than us."

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