Obiang hopeful of swift return
WHUFC.com
For West Ham United midfielder Pedro Obiang, this weekend's international
break has come at a good time, with the Spaniard slogging away to return to
full fitness. The former Sampdoria man suffered a quadriceps injury in
training prior to the Hammers' 2-0 Barclays Premier League at Watford but
insists he is now firmly on the mend. And following injuries sustained by
Dimitri Payet and Enner Valencia against Everton, the 23-year-old is
naturally desperate to get back playing to boost Slaven Bilic's squad.
"I'm feeling better now and I'm training hard to hopefully join the rest of
the guys, but these things happen," he told whufc.com. "I just want to get
back as soon as I can to help the team. We're focusing on the areas where
I'm feeling a bit of discomfort so that next week I can start training again
with the rest of the team. "I'm very much looking forward to the next match
against Tottenham as I am with every game, as it represents a new
opportunity to play. "I really hope that I have recovered by then and I can
be part of the squad, so that I can make the fans happier."
Injury setback aside, Obiang is positively thrilled with how his first few
months in England have panned out, with plenty to smile about, on and off
the pitch. He continued: "I can divide my time here into three sections.
The first, of course, is the football. There are no words to describe how
well it's going, as we're having a great season. "The second part is the
personal side of things. I'm here with my partner, she loves London and,
when we can, we try to go out and sample what London has to offer. "Thirdly,
the fans. They get behind us on the pitch and they're very respectful off
it."
The Hammers' first signing under Bilic, Obiang was speaking at the launch of
the third annual Lycamobile Cup, hosted by the West Ham United Foundation in
Beckton. The tournament culminates in a summer Finals Day at the Boleyn
Ground and the Spaniard was reminded of his maiden outing at a major
football venue, back in September 2010. "The first time I played in a big
stadium was against Juventus, my first team debut for Sampdoria.
"It really was like a Playstation match, with all the slow-mo's, the
emotion, your heart is going at 200 miles an hour and it really makes you
feel, for that brief moment, that you've become a star."
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U18s too cunning for Foxes
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's youngsters returned to winning ways with an impressive 2-0
Barclays U18 Premier League Southern Division victory at Leicester City on
Saturday afternoon.
After a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Spurs last weekend halted a seven-game
unbeaten streak, the Hammers got themselves ahead when Tunji Akinola popped
up in the penalty area to score his second goal in two games.
Shortly thereafter, Grady Diangana wasted an opportunity to make it 2-0 as
he was denied from the penalty spot, but captain Noha Sylvestre spared his
blushes by timing a run into the box perfectly to finish and double the
visitors' lead minutes later.
West Ham made a number of changes to the side that fell to defeat at Spurs
Lodge seven days previously. England youth international Jahmal
Hector-Ingram came into the Hammers attack to replace Oscar Borg, whilst
14-year-old defender Ajibola Alese made his first U18 start in place of the
unavailable Declan Rice. Tim Brown also replaced absent England U19
international Sam Howes in goal.
The Academy started extremely well and immediately went on the front foot at
the Foxes' Belvoir Drive home. Hector-Ingram, alongside Diagana and Idris
Kanu, caused the home defenders a number of problems with their strength and
pace in attack.
After 20 minutes, West Ham led. From Matt Carter's corner, Akinola rose
highest in the penalty box and headed home confidently past Leicester
goalkeeper Max Bramley.
Around five minutes later, the Hammers had a golden opportunity to double
their lead when a low cross from right-back Jake Eggleton found
Hector-Ingram in the box. The striker, who featured in a midweek first-team
friendly win over Crystal Palace at the Boleyn Ground, was dragged to the
floor by a home defender. Unfortunately though, Diangana's shot from the
spot was saved well by Bramley.
The second goal for the visitors did arrive just a few minutes later,
though, as Sylvestre picked the ball up in the middle of the pitch and found
Hector-Ingram on the wing. The lively striker headed for the byline before
cutting back for the Swiss skipper to finish from 16 yards out.
Into the second half and Leicester began playing a more direct style of
football as they looked for a route back into the game. However, Hammers
goalkeeper Brown was on form and made a number of fine saves.
West Ham had chances of their own in the second half as they looked to
extend their lead, but neither Joe Powell nor Hector-Ingram could beat
Bramley at the end of swift counter-attacking moves.
The Hammers will look to continue a new unbeaten streak when they host
Norwich City at Little Heath on Saturday 21 November 2015 in the Barclays
U18 Premier League. Kick-off is scheduled for 11am, with parking and
admission both free!
West Ham's players will be looking to impress again as they begin the
countdown to the FA Youth Cup third-round tie at Derby County, which will be
played in late November or early December.
U18s: Brown, Eggleton, Akinola, Alese, Neufville, Carter, Sylvestre (c),
Diangana, Powell, Hector-Ingram, Kanu
Subs not used: Matrevics (GK), Coventry, Wells, Lewis, Longelo.
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West Ham fans have flag confiscated at England game after Spanish officials
mistake Hammers emblem for Nazi symbol
22:30, 14 NOV 2015
BY STEVE BATES
Stewards and officials in Alicante mistook the crossed hammers crest for a
Nazi-supporting banner, prompting angry scenes
The Mirror
West Ham supporters following England had their flags confiscated in
Alicante after Spanish officials mistook the crossed hammers emblem as a
Nazi symbol. Angry scenes erupted at the Estadio Jose Rico Perez on Friday
night as stewards and officials took down the white and red flags of St
George emblazoned with the crossed hammers crest and West Ham United .
Furious Irons supporters explained to stewards that the sign was their club
crest and tried to prevent them being taken down. But local organisers at
Spain's game with England claimed in their view that the emblem was a
Nazi-supporting banner, contravened regulations and was not allowed to be
displayed. FA security officials at the game tried to defuse the dispute,
explaining the flags had absolutely no Nazi connotations. But even they were
ignored by the Spanish authorities, who took the flags after a stand-off.
It's traditional for fans following England away to display a flag of St
George with the name of their own clubs or towns across the middle. At the
end of the game the fans were told their flags were being destroyed.
An FA security official said: "Spanish officials believed the crossed hammer
emblem was a Nazi-style badge. We intervened to try to explain there was
nothing wrong with the flags. "At the end of the match when the fans asked
for them to be returned the local authorities refused. There was nothing
more we could do."
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Lanzini can hurry up his big move
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 14, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Manuel Lanzini can clinch his eight million euros move to the club over the
next 12 weeks as he bids to fill the massive hole left behind by Dimitri
Payet's absence.
The 22 year old is set to grow up fast as he becomes playmaker-in-chief
during the French star's lay off and his amazing goal in the last match
against Everton could even be an indication of greater things to come.
The Hammers had all but made up their minds to activate the option they have
agreed with his parent club Al Jaziera a the end of the season but will be
under pressure now to sort it out in January.
Should the player produce the sort of form which minimise the loss of Payet
then the Hammers could go in earlier than they had planned,
We were told: "Eight million sounds expensive but this boy s showing it to
be cheap and if he produces what we hope then it will be an absolute
bargain.
"It's better to judge over an entire season but if he comes though this
period with flying colours then it could happen in January.
"But as we have said before the fee agreed is agreed and the deal is
unbreakable – we are certain of that."
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Irons set to break spending records
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 14, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham are ready to spend big again in next summer's transfer market –
probably even outstripping this year's £35 million outlay.
We may be headed for a quiet January with zero cash available for players
and FFP levels reached, but next summer will be a different proposition.
The club has regularly made it clear that the final Boleyn year and the
opener at the Olympic Stadium are the most important in the club's history
when our future must be secured.
Ahead of this season David Gold made it clear to this site that relegation
in the final year of at Upton Park was unthinkable in any circumstances
which is why the board exceeded all other transfer market spends in the
summer.
They see next season in exactly the same way and Slaven Bilic could be
handed up to £50 million as the club moves to the often mentioned "next
level."
ClaretandHugh was told during conversations earlier today: "Next season is
massive, quite as big as this one in a very different way – we are building
a club for the future and that will take money, possibly more than before.
Premier League status is everything!
"We are ready to meet the challenge.There will be departures and we will be
looking at young and hungry performers. We are changing the profile in the
transfer market. It costs money and we are ready for that."
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Double boost for Hammers
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 14, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Diafra Sakho and Alex Song are bang on course for returns to action against
Spurs. David Gold has been insistent for several weeks that Song would be
back fot either Everton or Spurs and it seems that is set to prove the case
along with the striker. Both players have been given a November 22 return
date by the generally pretty accurate physioroom.com who generally get
things pretty well nailed on. They are also reporting that Dimitri Payet has
sustained a high ankle injury ahead of his visit to hospital for surgery on
Monday . And they may have thrown a little light on the Enner Valencia
situation claiming he has an ankle issue with other sources having said over
recent days the nature of the injury is unclear.
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Sad DG sends sympathy as Paris suffers
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 14, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
David Gold has sent his sympathies to everybody caught up in the tragic
events of Paris. GoldThe club's co chairman was quickly off the mark to let
his feelings be known as the world tried to absorb the events of the last 24
ours. And there was a bright note as the French Football Federation
announced they would be going ahead with the planned match against England
at Wembley on Tuesday evening. Gold declared in his message: "I'm deeply
saddened to learn of the tragic events in Paris. It's a sad day and my
thoughts and sympathies go out to all those affected." Meanwhile David
Sullivan told ClaretandHugh: "What can one say? It's a very sad day for the
world."
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Italians maintain interest in Irons midfielder
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 14, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H
Napoli are maintaining their interest in trying to sign Pedro Obiang on a
loan deal in January. The Italians were keen on the midfielder when he
decided to snub them in favour of a move to Upton Park in the summer.
However, injury problems and our strength in the middle of the park have
seen him unable to nail a permanent position in the side and that's enco
uraged Napoli to keep up their interest in him. Reports in the Italian media
claim the two clubs have been in contact over a possible plan of him joining
Napoli until the end of the season. A Hammers source admitted: "There is
interest but no decisions have been made at this stage. As is always the
case we will need to see where things are with injuries and the like come
the time."
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