Daily WHUFC News - 11th December 2015

Slaven speaks - Stoke City
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic held his pre-match briefing with the broadcast media ahead of Saturday's Boleyn Ground Barclays Premier League date with Stoke City. However, this weekend's match was low down the agenda when it came to questioning of the manager, who was quizzed about the injury issues which are currently affecting his Hammers squad. The manager revealed timeframes for injuries suffered by Winston Reid and Victor Moses, some more positive news regarding Manuel Lanzini, and also talked about plans to move first-team training sessions from Chadwell Heath to Rush Green.

What can you tell us about Winston Reid's injury, which was reported on Wednesday evening?

SB: "Winston has injured his hamstring in the training session on Wednesday and he will go for a scan on Friday. Then we will see how long he is out for. It doesn't look good. Has has done it before and it's one of them, when they tell you four to six weeks. It doesn't look to be a small one. "It happened in the very beginning of the training in the activation, like a long warm-up. Straight after, he slipped and he felt it rupture, so it's most definitely a rupture and we're going to see on Friday exactly how long it's going to be. It's not just going to be the Stoke game, it will be longer. We will know more after the scan."

Slaven, you also lost Victor Moses at Manchester United, so can you update us with regard to his injury situation?

SB: "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's blow. We now have six injuries. Before the Everton game we had a full squad and they were all training and all fit and everything. First, against Everton we had two injuries with Valencia and Payet, both of them from tackles. After the international break, we've had four injuries, starting with Sakho, then Lanzini, Moses and now Winston Reid. "Of course it's a big blow for us because they are six very important players, but we are going to move on and we have to get over this period without them. We have a good medical team that will usually bring the players back very soon, so we have to compensate their absence with team-work, like we did against Manchester United. That was really good, so I want us to continue the way we are playing.

What impact does losing your main goalscorers and assist-makers to injury have on the way you will approach matches?

SB: "It's logical that they created and scored most of our chances and goals, because they were the ones who played in those positions - left, right, up front or behind. They were doing their job really good and we're going to miss them of course, because they're great players. That's why we got them and they've been playing regularly. "It's a good thing Valencia is back now and he's training with us today, so we'll see if he is in good shape in terms of fitness and in terms of if he is available. He is a great player and we're delighted he is back. "It's going to be hard without players like Lanzini, Payet, Moses and Sakho, but we played without almost all of them against Manchester United and still we created enough chances to score goals.
"As I said, when all the players were available it was also about the squad. Now, we have a tinier squad but it's time for those those players to step up. "It's impossible to compensate for these players individually, but with team-work and spirit that we have already got, we know we can do it. It's time for those players who didn't play that much, but worked hard in training, to step up and for the rest of the team to help them and for us to continue."

Do you have a theory as to why you have suffered so many injuries in recent weeks?

SB: "It's the million dollar question. On the one hand you see it happening at many Premier League clubs, but to be fair I don't care about other clubs in that sense. "There have been a lot of things said since I came here about the pitches that we have here at Chadwell Heath, and they're not ideal. If you saw Reidy's injury, he slipped because our pitches are very soft on the surface, but underneath they are very, very hard, so that's the worst combination. "Not only this year, but throughout the years we have a history in that and the players are moaning as they are not happy about the quality of the pitches. "So, I've decided that we are a club in transition regarding our training facilities and we are planning to move next season to Rush Green, but because of the quality of the pitches we're going to go there earlier. "I've decided, from Monday, we are going to move to Rush Green and start to train there because we can't continue to miss this much players with these kind of pitches, which are not in good shape. "We're going to move on Monday. The plan was to go next year, but because of the situation we're going to do it now. "I don't see any other reason because we have a good medical team and good players and the sessions are good, and I told you that since I came here it was an issue - last year, two years ago or five years ago. It has nothing to do with the groundsmen or the medical staff - it's just the way the ground is here."

How do you try to be positive in this current situation?

SB: "I am not trying to be positive - I am very positive. I said to the players it is time for us to show that we can get over the injuries. "The season is very long and in every season you more or less have these situations. One day, you think 'Do we have too many players?' and 'Can you keep them all happy?' and then in basically no time you have the totally opposite situation. "No matter how hard it is, you have to stay positive and I am. We have a good team and I'm sure we're going to show that we can play without those players, who we're going to try to bring back as soon as possible."

Will you buy players in January?

SB: "I said four weeks ago that I was quite happy and we'd only sign a player if an exceptional one became available, or if someone goes, then we would have to replace them. "In every club there is always room for one player to come, but only if he is exceptional or can make the team better. Now, if we think about Stoke or Swansea, we want to have two or even three players!
"These are not long, long term injuries. valencia is back and I hope Lanzini will be back for the Swansea game. Dimitri Payet looks really good and has come back for treatment. His ankle is very, very stable and who knows what will happen in two or three weeks. "I am not hoping but expecting a few of them to come back very, very soon and when they do, there is no need for new players, except if we find one who is exceptional."

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Chadwell Chatter - Manuel Lanzini
WHUFC.com

Hola!

On Wednesday I was lucky enough to visit our fantastic new stadium in Stratford for a tour alongside Joint-Chairman David Gold, Aaron Cresswell, Reece Oxford and some lucky competition winners. It is a very impressive stadium, not only the stands and the pitch but all the other facilities; they are just excellent. I think the move is really going to give West Ham a boost and that is obviously very important. I really think the fans and the players will enjoy it and I'm sure we'll have some successful years in the near future. Throughout my career I have been lucky enough to play in some fantastic stadiums so far, I think this stadium is going to be absolutely incredible, all footballers will want to come and play here and it'll help the Club grow.

One of the most important things is that the fans, I'm sure, are going to enjoy coming here, and we're going to be relaxed about putting on a really good show.
I'd also like to thank all the West Ham fans who have wished me a speedy recovery since getting injured last week, it honestly means a lot! One of the most frustrating things about being injured is the uncertainty, the not knowing how long it'll take to recover and return to full fitness. Trust me when I say I am as desperate to return to action as you are. Thankfully my recovery is going well and I may be able to return in a few weeks. I'm feeling a lot better now, I'm hoping to get back as soon as possible, there's nothing like the feeling of running out on the pitch every weekend so I'm hoping for a quick recovery and hopefully I get back to the level I was playing at before the injury.

We're nearly half way through the season and I think overall we've had a fantastic start. Despite having a few disappointing results recently I think we can bounce back and continue on our good run. We have a few injuries now which doesn't help but we have good, strong squad and I am confident we can cope.

See you soon!

Manu

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View on the Visitors - Stoke City
WHUFC.com

Stoke Sentinel's sports reporter Pete Smith lifts the lid on Saturday's visitors. Stoke come into this game off the back of the 2-0 win over Manchester City and one defeat in six. It all seems to be going well at the moment?

"Absolutely, the team are hitting new heights. Against City, they tried a new formation and it clearly worked very, very well. They looked like a slick attacking side which hasn't always been the case. There's a real feeling that this is the best Stoke side in a generation, the likes we haven't seen for 40 odd years.

"The result last weekend was unreal, it was certainly the crowing result of the season so far and it shouldn't be overlooked how good they really were."

It's not just Stoke's league form, but a League Cup semi-final with Liverpool to look forward to?

"Yes, and it's something the fans are quite rightly really looking forward too. For Stoke, it has been all about avoiding relegation for a long time, and more recently getting into the top ten. The next stage upward is challenging for a trophy. They last won the League Cup back in 1972 so it's something the fans would dearly love to win again."

Presumably Mark Hughes is a popular figure at the Britannia?

"He can't put a foot wrong in the fans' eyes! People haven't forgotten all the good work Tony Pulis did in laying the foundations, but Mark Hughes has taken them that step further. The vast majority of transfers have worked well, tactically he's spot on and the fans are right behind him."

Jack Butland has been sensational this season
Which players have stood out for you this season so far?

"Jack Butland has been the star of the season so far, he was man of the match in almost every game right at the start. The fact we haven't missed Asmir Begovic shows how good he really is, he's still young too.

"Since Ryan Shawcross has returned from injury the defence has looked much more solid, they picked up a few more clean sheets too. His return to fitness and form is remarkable really considering he had major back surgery in the summer.

"Then obviously the forward trio of Marko Arnautovic, Xherdan Shaqiri and Bojan Krkic have stolen the headlines, and rightly so. Their quality is obvious for all to see."

Having said all that, what is Stoke's Achilles heel?

"In most departments they've been solid so far, they haven't conceded many goals, in fact they've tended to concede more goals against the smaller sides, Watford and Sunderland, then the big teams."

In all likelihood, this is the last time Stoke play at the Boleyn Ground, what memories stick out for you about this stadium?

"It has to be the 1972 League Cup semi-final which has gone down as one of the greatest League Cup games ever. West Ham won away 2-1, meaning Stoke had to come to the Boleyn Ground and get a result to progress to the final. In particular Gordan Bank's penalty save late on from Geoff Hurst is one of the defining moments in Stoke City's history."

How do you think Saturday's game will pan out?

"It'll be a tight game; neither side will give much away so I think it'll be a 1-1 draw."

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Rio - Slaven is doing a great job
WHUFc.com

Former Hammer Rio Ferdinand praised the effect current manager Slaven Bilic has had since he returned to the Club in the summer. Ferdinand, one of the greatest players to have come through the famous Academy of Football, made 158 appearances for the Claret and Blues, winning the illustrious Hammer of the Year award in 1998. The defensive duo overlapped at the Boleyn Ground for two seasons between 1995 and 1997 and when asked about his former teammate, the south Londoner had nothing but praise: "He has done really well; I was shocked that no one tried to hire him before now to be honest. He was great for Croatia; he's a real good guy.
"I always got on well with him when we played together. When he came back to West Ham, I called him, gave him a bit of advice, and obviously he's taking it all on board! But seriously, he's a top lad, a top manager and I really get on with him."

Like many fans and pundits, some of the results Bilic has orchestrated in his short tenure so far have caught the imagination and allowed the West Ham faithful to dream big once more. With wins over Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City already secured, Ferdinand clearly believes West Ham are on the right track: "They've been a great surprise this year; they've had some fantastic results. "Dimitri Payet is a massive loss, I was surprised that he wasn't picked up before now. He's a great coup for West Ham and he's proved in the first few months how talented he is. "If they can get him back soon I'm sure they'll have a strong second half of the season. In terms of a target, I think West Ham have got to be happy with a top 10, top eight finish."

Having come through the Academy alongside the likes of Michael Carrick and Joe Cole, Ferdinand left West Ham in 2000 for Leeds United before joining Manchester United where he won a staggering six Premier League titles as well as the Champions League in 2008. On his return to Boleyn Ground, his first since retiring as a professional footballer, he reflected on where it all began: May 5 1996, a 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday. He recounted: "My debut has to be my stand out memory, I remember coming out, standing on the touchline with Harry Redknapp, it was the stuff of dreams. I envisaged it for a couple of years before it happened, but until it happens, you're never really sure if you're ever going to get there. "On the day, the fans were so loud and really supportive; they really got behind me as a home-grown, young player. It was a great feeling that day. "I remember the great atmosphere, for any young player to come through at a club; you never get that type of love or adulation anywhere else. When you come through a club's youth system, the fans definitely see a part of themselves in you; they definitely feel a part of your journey. Every fan loves to see their club producing young, exciting talent. "I've got loads of memories here; it's a beautiful place to play football. It hasn't got long left, I've always liked being able to see the flats above the stand, but yes, great memories."

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Hammers on the home straight
WHUFC.com

West Ham United report more Season Tickets already sold for 2016/17 season than in any other in their history
Number of people on the Priority List exceeds available Season Tickets several times over
New CGI shows stunning new claret and blue detail around concourse area, keeping promise to supporters

West Ham United are delighted to announce that they have already sold more Season Tickets for their first season in the former Olympic Stadium than in any other year in the Club's history, despite there still being nine months to go until their first game.

The Hammers passed the milestone last month, and, with the iconic venue winning plaudits the world over during the Rugby World Cup and Slaven Bilic bringing entertaining football back to E13, demand for tickets to see West Ham in Stratford in the 2016/17 season continues to surpass all expectations.

The Club have pledged to do all they can to help as many Hammers fans as possible get a Season Ticket, but, as there are now several times as many fans on the Priority List as Season Tickets available, it is imperative that any supporter on the Priority List attends their Reservation Centre appointment when they are offered one next year.

Furthermore, any supporter wishing to buy a Season Ticket for next season is urged to join the Priority List immediately to stand any chance of securing a seat.

Due to the unprecedented demand, the Club can confirm that in the event that any member of the Priority List does not get an appointment at the Reservation Centre for next season, they will be offered the chance to join the Priority List for Season Tickets for the 2017/18 season.
Details of the Priority List sales process can be found here.

With the sales period for existing Season Ticket Holders set to conclude in January, the Club have today announced how the process for new Season Ticket sales at the UEFA Category Four venue will work for members of the Priority List.

Work resumes

The Club have released a new CGI showing how the stunning claret and blue colouring in the concourse of the Bobby Moore Stand, which will further ensure the Stadium truly looks and feels like West Ham's new home. The image shows how Hammers legend Moore's shirt will proudly adorn the stand carrying his name, with huge crossed hammers standing guard alongside it.

Those improvements will be just one of a number of key changes made following the recommencement of work at the new Stadium as preparations for West Ham United's first game at their stunning new home in Stratford enter their final phase.

The successful run of summer and autumn events required a pause in the construction timetable, but, following the Race of Champions finale last month, the contractors have now resumed their work in earnest. A number of major changes are set to take place to ensure the world-class venue is ready for the arrival of the Claret and Blue Army in August 2016.

To celebrate the resumption of the construction period, Hammers trio Aaron Cresswell, Manuel Lanzini and Reece Oxford accompanied Joint-Chairman David Gold on a tour of the new Stadium, together with a handful of lucky competition winners made up of Founders, supporters who have already selected their seats, and members of the New Stadium Season Ticket Priority List.

Commenting on today's announcements, West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said: "I am both delighted and proud to be providing such positive updates today.

"Firstly, our confirmation of further extensive West Ham detail throughout the Stadium ties in perfectly with the contractors commencing the major overhaul needed to ready the Stadium for our first game there next August.

"The new designs further add to those we announced earlier this year, which will see 'West Ham' spelt in the new 'Kop' style East Stand, a claret crossed hammers design adorning three stands and claret and blue featuring inside and outside the new Stadium.

"We have always promised our supporters that this will look and feel like the home of West Ham United and today's new CGI is further evidence that we have been true to our word.

"Secondly, it is fantastic news that we have now sold more Season Tickets for next season than in any other in our history, and that is with nine months still to go before our first game. Demand for Season Tickets has surpassed all of our expectations and that is testament to the rapid progress we have seen on and off the pitch over the past few years.

"We desperately want as many Hammers fans as possible to sample what will be an unbelievable experience of watching their team in this stunning new venue, so I would urge anyone already on the Priority List to make sure they seize their opportunity when it comes around. And I would encourage anyone yet to join to do so immediately to stand any chance of getting what will be the hottest ticket in London come August 2016."

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Priority List process explained
WHUFC.com

West Ham United are pleased to announce the sales process for supporters on the New Stadium Season Ticket Priority List.

Now that the seat selection process for existing Season Ticket Holders is nearing the end, supporters on the Priority List can expect to start receiving their Reservation Centre appointments in the New Year.

From the beginning of January, the Reservation Centre will begin contacting supporters on the Priority List to schedule their seat selection appointments. Following the call, each group will need to confirm their booking with a £10 appointment confirmation fee, which will be deducted from the final cost of their Season Ticket.

Supporters will be contacted based on the order in which they joined the Priority List and, with several times as many names on the Priority List as available seats, we ask that supporters are patient during this process.

With demand so high, it is vitally important that you attend your appointment to avoid missing out. Similarly, rescheduling your appointment will impact your choice of seats.

When you confirm your Season Ticket seat for the Club's momentous first season in the new Stadium, you can join our founding fathers by being recognised as a Founder. This is a one-time opportunity for your Founding status to be proudly displayed, for all to see, acknowledging how you helped to build our exciting future.

If you buy a Season Ticket in our new home, you can also share your priority with two friends or family members who can join you at your Reservation Centre appointment so you can select your seats all together.

You can confirm your additional supporters when you receive your phone call to schedule your appointment. Supporters are therefore advised to consider who they wish to bring with them in the run-up to January, so that you have all the appropriate details to hand.

On the day of the appointment you can expect a presentation about the Stadium and you will then be invited to select your new seats using the state-of-the-art Virtual Venue. The new software allows you to virtually 'sit' in your seat at the new Stadium to check out the views.

Once you have chosen your seats, you will be required to pay 25 per cent of your Season Ticket value. The remaining balance is payable by Sunday 1 May. Please note if your appointment is on or after 1 April 2016 you will be required to pay in full.

A Monthly Payment Plan is available courtesy of V12 Season Ticket Finance, for which you can apply in person during your appointment.

Due to the unprecedented demand, the Club can confirm that in the event that any member of the Priority List does not get an appointment at the Reservation Centre for next season, they will be offered the chance to join the Priority List for Season Tickets for the 2017/18 season.

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West Ham move training grounds months ahead of schedule
BBC.co.uk

West Ham will move to their new training ground months ahead of schedule as they attempt to combat a growing injury list. Winston Reid and Victor Moses have joined Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho and Manuel Lanzini on the sidelines. The Rush Green site is unfinished but the pitches are in use and they will begin training there from Monday. "The Chadwell Heath pitches are soft on top but hard underneath, which is the worst combination," said Slaven Bilic. "The pitches are better there than here. We can live without the great dressing room, the kitchens and the free area for now."
The Hammers were due to relocate to their new Rush Green HQ, where they currently play under-21 games, at the start of next season. But Bilic said they "can't continue to risk" using the pitches at their current Chadwell Heath base. 'It doesn't look good'

Reid and Moses are facing up to six weeks on the sidelines with hamstring problems. Centre-back Reid was injured during training and will get the results of a scan on Friday. "It doesn't look good," said Bilic, whose side host Stoke on Saturday. "It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture." Moses, on loan from Chelsea, suffered his injury in a goalless draw at Manchester United last weekend. Bilic added: "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. "Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."

Attacking midfielder Payet and striker Sakho are both out until February, while Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem suffered in training. Bilic could have Enner Valencia back to face Stoke after the striker's five-week absence with an ankle injury.

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David Gold says new stadium will help West Ham reach new levels
By Amy Lewis, Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 10/12/15 3:01pm
SSN

West Ham co-chairman David Gold believes the club can claim a top-six finish - and that their new stadium will help them build on that success next season. The Hammers are due to move into the Olympic Stadium for the start of the 2016/17 season and the final phases of the construction work are already underway.
"We dream of the impossible where we pursue the impossible," said Gold. "I would still say to you that our ambition is to finish in the top half of the division. Can we finish higher, in the top six? Yes we can."

The club revealed they have sold more season tickets for their first season in the Olympic Stadium than any other previous campaign with 30,000 seats already taken up out of the 54,000 capacity. And Gold expects to have capacity crowds at nearly all of their matches at their new home. West Ham co-chairman David Gold is targeting a top six finish this season and says they want to bring European football to the Olympic Stadium. "Everyone was very dubious as to whether we could fill the stadium," he said. "We were confident with all the work we did and all the enquiries we made. The reality is that we are going to be coming very close to filling this stadium with season ticket holders. "Let alone the thousands who would want to come because they would want to see this iconic stadium."

West Ham will have to make extra payments if they finish in the top 10 of the Premier League. The contract also states they have to pay an additional fee if they win the FA Cup or qualify for the Europa League or Champions League. The club will not have to pay for turnstile operators, much of the security and steward personnel and catering staff on match days. Gold defends the importance of West Ham's contribution. "There's no doubt that a lot of people feel this has been funded by the taxpayer but without West Ham this wouldn't have happened," he said. After hosting international events such as the Rugby World Cup over the summer, the stadium's construction work is expected to be ready by late spring. Defender Aaron Cresswell visited the ground and says he looking forward to playing at the club's new home. "This is the first time I have been here at the stadium of course it is fantastic facilities," he said. "I'm not too sure the manager is going to be too happy with the pitch but it's going to be ready in time for the new season. Doing a mini tour around the inside bits and it looks fantastic."

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Bastian Schweinsteiger given three-match ban for elbowing Winston Reid.
By Paul Vinnell
Last Updated: 10/12/15 5:28pm
SSN

Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will serve a three-match suspension for elbowing West Ham's Winston Reid. The ban begins with immediate effect after the Germany captain accepted an FA charge for violent conduct. The incident, last Saturday at Old Trafford, was not seen by the match officials but was caught on video. Schweinsteiger caught Reid in the throat as the players battled for position from a first-half free-kick during the 0-0 draw.

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Chadwell Heath pitch is too firm and causes injuries!
December 10, 2015
thewesthamway.co.uk
Matthew Etherington

Hi all, first and foremost we have a very tough game coming at the weekend, Stoke are starting to fire on all cylinders. Shaquiri, Arnoutavic, Bojan are all in form. A very decent side.

The reason for this post is the injuries we have at the club right now, it's ridiculous. I can only speak of my time at this great club and say that the training ground was always way too firm, don't get me wrong the surface was pristine but always liable for injuries. It was like literally training on a road for 2 hours every day. Eventually your muscles say enough, there come the injuries, either during training or on a match day. I was there for five seasons and every pre-season the pitches would get re-layed. Still too firm. When I went back to train last summer (2014) the training ground was still way too hard and nothing had changed. I had a muscle injury myself within a few days. At Stoke's training ground with decent pitches (plenty of rain also!) we had minimal injuries, me and my groins/muscles injuries, in the early years at Stoke, were absolutely fine.

People will say "Premier League pitches are the same now, so get on with it". They are not. Chadwell Heath is a lot firmer than any training ground/Premier League pitch I have played football on. I'm sure the Chairmen, who have done such an admirable job since taking over, know this. I think we all agree it needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Thankfully this appears to now be the case with the club moving to Rush Green on Monday as opposed to the end of the season. You do have to question why it has taken so many injuries to make this happen however. I don't believe the medical team are at fault either, personnel has changed a few times over several years and we still seem to get numerous injuries every season lets hope the move to Rush Green now solves the problems.

COYI
Matty.

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Caretaker Rants: Parker haters you should be ashamed!!
December 10, 2015
WestHamWay.co.uk
@caretaker_rants

Hard working, a grafter, 100% committed. These are just a few qualities which we love to see in a player at West Ham. Three times Hammer of the Year, almost single handily keeping the club up one year, winning the Football Writers Player of the Year award when we finished rock bottom of the league. A few milestones which you can say wouldn't be possible without having the initial qualities I mentioned. Scott Parker had, and achieved everything I have mentioned so far, yet it was almost three years ago that he was shamefully booed by a large number of our supporters on his return to Upton Park, something which I have never forgotten and ultimately will go down as one of my lowest moments at the ground.

This isn't a biography on him so I won't bore you with a factfile on Scott but I think we can all agree that his performances and level of consistency during his four years with the club (and in particular the last two) were at a level not seen by anyone for years and probably haven't been seen since. Someone who knew nothing about Scott could be mistaken for thinking he had left in the same circumstances that surrounded Paul Ince perhaps, which could explain why he was booed on his return, but this was certainly not the case.

After getting relegated in 2011 Scott was awarded the Football Writers Player of the Year which is a prestigious honour and to my knowledge has never been given to someone at a club which finished bottom of the league. Scott had started playing regularly for England, and we all knew deep down that he wasn't going to hang around in the Championship and lose the place that he had worked so hard to earn, nor could any of us deny him a move when you consider what he had done for the club.
Now comes the controversial part, Scott eventually joined Spurs very late on in the transfer window. Spurs had just finished fifth in the league and were a club progressing and whilst they are rivals of ours, and of course I would have preferred to see him in another shirt, I didn't begrudge him that move, especially since he was/is a Spurs fan. Then a lot of fans started to turn bitter and sour, all sorts of nonsense emerged from fans who had read in The Sun (of all rags) that Scott had threatened to go on strike if he didn't get his move to Spurs. Scott did place a transfer request to seal his move to Spurs, something which is a common procedure with football players, but at no point would he ever have dreamed of refusing to play if he didn't get his move.

Scott started the season with us and played four games with us, at the time nobody questioned his commitment, and why should they? This guy was one of us out there, giving everything he had for the shirt. Yet as soon as he left people were saying that 'his heart wasn't in it' and that he was 'dodging tackles' for fear of getting injured. Statements that were absolutely bull$hit and an insult to Scott. Another classic line was that he had left to earn more money as he was greedy. We were paying him such a high salary that I doubt he earnt much more money at Spurs, if at all.
So what if he went so Spurs? Are we West Ham fans or anti Spurs fans? To this day I still find it childish and pathetic that so many ignorant fans somehow forget everything he did for us and simply want to focus on the fact that he joined Spurs. As I said before, Scott is a spurs fan, so why the hell should he be denied a move to his club? If, for example Mark Noble had been a Crystal Palace player and joined us we would all laugh at Palace fans and consider them small minded in their hatred aimed towards Mark. Joe Cole refused to sign a new contract with the club when we finished 7th yet that didn't seem to bother people and he is often referred to as a West Ham legend, but he certainly didn't contribute as must to the club as Scott did on the field. Michael Carrick also went to spurs, yet he always gets a good reception on his return, and rightly so.

Scott openly said after the game that he was disappointed and upset at getting booed, so that tells you all you need to know about the guy, he didn't stick the knife in and mention the fact that Spurs had won the game late on, he simply stated what a great time he had at the club and how he was proud of his time here, and that is why I am still disgusted by what I witnessed that day.

Agree or disagree, let me know @caretaker_rants. Thanks for reading and take care people.

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Watch out…Paolo's tweeting!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

It looks like DiCanio…it feels like DiCanio and may well be DiCanio. But until the blue tick appears beside his twitter name @OfficialDiCanio there's no 100 per cent certainty. Still it looks like the legend has now emerged on the social network having announced his arrival like this:

Paolo Di Canio ‏@OfficialDiCanio 51 mins51 minutes ago
Delighted to finally be on Twitter! Looking forward to hearing from you all #yesitreallyisme

If it really is the main man then we can stand by for some serious fun over the next few years for Paolo is certain to become a very controversial figure. So welcome to the playground Paolo – err hopefully, We look forward to hearing from you. Within just a couple of hours PDC has collected over 700 followers, seen his first tweet retweeted 50 times and liked 59.

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Olympic Stadium LED wrap approved
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

The London Legacy Development Corporation has confirmed that the proposed LED Stadium Wrap for the former Olympic Stadium has been granted planning permission on the 27th October, subject to conditions of operation and impact mitigation. The procurement process for the new wrap is ongoing and a preferred contractor should be announced before the end of the year. The news was published in LLDC's board meeting from 24th November.

The wrap will stretch around the north, east and south sides of the Stadium and would be capable of displaying moving, colour content. The LEDs will be housed in a structure attached to back of the existing Stadium bowl. Hours of usage will be limited so as to be sensitive to neighbouring uses and ecology. The west side of the Stadium, facing the Fish Island Conservation Area, will not have any LEDs.

The LLDC say the wrap is intended to fulfil the following objectives:

Enhance the Stadium aesthetics and provide a creative, feature lighting installation;
Provide flexibility to reflect the look and feel of events taking place within the multi-use Stadium;
Provide a positive community asset – promote the wider Park, whilst ensuring content is sensitive to neighbours and neighbouring uses;
Provide the opportunity for Stadium naming rights partner activation.

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Rush Green Planning Permission approved
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Planning permission to transform Rush Green into a state of the art training facility has been approved by London Borough of Havering this week with minor conditions attached.

The full planning decision published three days ago can be found HERE . The council puts certain conditions on the transformation of Rush Green and requests further information where they claim insufficient information was supplied in the original planning application on behalf of West Ham.

Earlier today Slaven Bilic announced that the first team would be moving to Rush Green on Monday but the current ground also has basic facilities and the first team will need to slum it until the transformation of Rush Green is complete.

In February 2009, West Ham entered into an option agreement to purchase the freehold interest in the 29 acre Rush Green Ford Sports Ground from the Ford Motor Company. In September the same year, they completed the acquisition of the property for a sum of £1.4 million.

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Gaffer gets right response after shock
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Slaven Bilic's out-of-the-blue decision to move the first team squad to Rush Green from Chadwell Heath came as a surprise to everybody inside the club today.

The manager had told nobody outside of his coaching staff what he had in mind but has immediately received the full backing of the board.

Whilst he clearly doesn't KNOW that Chadwell Heath is responsible for the injury record at the club he suspects that the soft/hard ground may be responsible.

And with start of the art training pitches in place at Rush Green he is determined to eliminate any last risk.

A club source said: "Nobody knew about the decision until today. We thought the changeover would take place next season but the facilities are in place and it's the manager's decision. He will get all the support he requires.

"There are three world class pitches at Rush Green – all of which had laser beams used on them to make sure they were 100 per cent level.

"Not everybody is of the view that Chadwell Heath is the sole problem but all the facilities are in place at Rush Green and if the manager wants to use them it's entirely his decision.

It could have the effect of freshening everybody up as well."

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West Ham ranked 8th in injury table
Posted by Sean Whetstone on December 9, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Despite the growing Injury list with Lanzini and Reid added in the last week, West Ham only sit in 8th place with regards to the most number of injuries in the Premier League. With Enner Valencia set to return as soon as Saturday, West Ham could drop as low as 10th in the Premier League in terms of number of injured squad players.

1st Newcastle 10 Injuries
2nd Bournemouth 9 Injuries
3rd Manchester United 9 Injuries
4th Arsenal 7 Injuries
5th Liverpool 7 Injuries
6th Manchester City 7 Injuries
7th Everton 6 Injuries
8th West Ham 6 Injuries (Payet, Valencia, Lanzini, Sakho, Reid and Moses)
9th Spurs 5 Injuries
10th Aston Villa 5 Injuries
11th Southampton 4 Injuries
12th Sunderland 4 Injuries

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Irons to move from Chadwell Heath
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Slaven Bilic has announced the squad is on its way from its Chadwell Heath training headquarters. The news comes at more or less the same time as the crushing news that Winston Reid is set to miss the next four weeks with a new hamstring injury – his third in less than a year. Many fans have been questioning the Chadwell Heath facilities for a long time and whilst the announcement is a shock, there is absolutely no question that it will be met with widespread relief. The manager made the news public in his morning press conference ahead of the weekend match against Stoke City which sees the squad without Reid, Payet, Moses, Lanzini and Sakho. Bilic declared: "We were planning on moving the training ground to Rush Green at the end of the season, now we are moving that forward. "We will be training at Rush Green from Monday. The pitches here at Chadwell Heath are soft on top, but hard underneath which is the worse combination. So I have made the decision to go to Rush Green where the pitches are better."

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Reid's worrying injury history
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Winston Reid's injury problems – and his hamstring in particular – are becoming a regular issue in his West Ham career. The central defender – always an awesome presence when available – has now gone down with his third 'hammy' problem inside 11 months. And in football season terms that can be translated to nine games missed as a result and laid off for a total of 53 days.
Within the same 11 months the central defender has also suffered thigh muscle strains and hip problems which saw him miss 56 days and eight games. And back in the 13/14 season the Kiwi was laid off for a total of 85 days which saw him miss 16 games.

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Boots issue raised again on injuries
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on December 10, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

A story suggesting in part that the boots worn by players may be contributing towards the injuries suffered by Premier League players is again doing the rounds on social media following the shocking injury crisis at Upton Park. The Mail Online published a story back in October saying that six Premier League stars who suffered devastating cruciate ligament injury blows in the last six weeks were wearing Nike boots. The players were Danny Ings ( Liverpool), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Tim Krul (Newcastle), Tyrone Mings (Bournemouth), Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) and Max Gradel (Bournemouth). A quick check on Google has shown this morning that Winston Reid – who has suffered his third ligament injury in less than a year – is also using Nike boots along with Enner Valencia, Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet. However, there is absolutely no evidence connecting the Irons injuries to the brand of boots the players wear and within the Mail story a footwear industry source said: "Injuries are part and parcel of the game and have always occurred. What brand is being used is a complete coincidence – this has nothing to do with boots!"
Injury data analyst Ben Dinnery is quoted as saying: "Nothing shouts out that this is a problem with football and certainly not Nike. "In almost every case there has been some form of coming together with either the turf or an opponent. I know that Eddie Howe and Sean Dyche have investigated and found that the injuries were unavoidable." And a West Ham source, when asked by ClaretandHugh whether we should be over-worried by Winston's injury record over the past 12 months said: "No, it really is down to bad luck."

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West Ham pair Winston Reid and Victor Moses out for rest of year
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 10/12/15 10:59am
SSN

West Ham duo Winston Reid and Victor Moses have been ruled out until the new year with hamstring injuries. Defender Reid was injured in training on Wednesday and could be set for a long spell out, with the results of a scan expected on Friday. Jack Sullivan, son of Hammers' joint-chairman David Sullivan, tweeted: "Very bad news. Reid injured in training 4-6 weeks with hamstring. But some players will return faster than anticipated due to hard work."
On-loan Chelsea winger Moses sustained a similar injury against Manchester United last weekend and manager Slaven Bilic fears he will not be available for up to six weeks. They are the latest additions to a growing casualty list at Upton Park which threatens to derail their fine start to the season. West Ham have already lost Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho until February while Manuel Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem. Enner Valencia has been out for five weeks with an ankle injury but he could give Bilic a boost by being added to the squad to face Stoke on Saturday. On Reid, Bilic said: "It doesn't look good. It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture. "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."

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West Ham's Olympic Stadium to include Sir Trevor Brooking Stand as club sell more season tickets than ever before
West Ham are in their final season at Upton Park ahead of the big move
Slaven Bilic's side will ply their trade at the Olympic Stadium next year
David Gold toured the new ground with three players on Wednesday
By MATT BARLOW FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:01, 10 December 2015 | UPDATED: 12:01, 10 December 2015

As West Ham prepare for their last Christmas at the Boleyn Ground they are also busy decorating the Olympic Stadium ready for the big move next year. New computer-generated images have been released as the project enters its final phase, detailing how parts of the venue will look when they move from Upton Park to their new home in Stratford in the summer. There will be claret everywhere - and some blue - with Bobby Moore's No.6 shirt above the concourse of the stand which will carry his name. A stand will also be named after Sir Trevor Brooking, as at Upton Park, and the crossed hammers design will be on display in the lower tier seats of 54,000-capacity arena. West Ham have already sold more season tickets for next season than at any other season in the club's history, thanks to a bigger capacity at the new venue and price cuts which mean adult season tickets start at £289. Numbers have not been revealed but Sportsmail understands the club is on track to have sold 35,000 season tickets for 2016/17 by the end of this year, an increase of about 10,000 on this season. Each current season ticket holder has been invited to buy an additional two before sales are opened in February to those on a waiting list of more than 20,000. Co-chairman David Gold toured the site yesterday with three players – Manuel Lanzini, Aaron Cresswell and Reece Oxford – and some competitions winners. They settled into what will be the home-team dressing room as Gold pointed out how it was big enough for 25 players, and therefore meets UEFA criteria. 'We're ready for Europe,' said Gold, as he led the entourage through the claret-and-blue tiled shower rooms, across a warm-up track for athletes, down the tunnel and out onto a horribly churned-up pitch, a result of the 'Race of Champions' motor sport bonanza last month. A brand new Desso pitch will be installed next year and overseen by head groundsman Dougie Robertson.
With the Rugby World Cup matches and other autumn events over, the construction work have restarted to make the stadium ready for its new tenants. The interior and a new on-site club store will start to take shape next month and West Ham are working to further personalise the stadium subject to planning permission. Vice-chairman Karren Brady said: 'The new designs further add to those we announced earlier this year, which will see 'West Ham' spelt in the new 'Kop' style East Stand, a claret crossed hammers design adorning three stands and claret and blue featuring inside and outside the new Stadium. 'We have always promised our supporters that this will look and feel like the home of West Ham United and today's new CGI is further evidence that we have been true to our word. 'Secondly, it is fantastic news that we have now sold more season tickets for next season than in any other in our history, and that is with nine months still to go before our first game. 'Demand has surpassed all of our expectations and that is testament to the rapid progress we have seen on and off the pitch over the past few years.
'We desperately want as many Hammers fans as possible to sample what will be an unbelievable experience of watching their team in this stunning new venue, so I would urge anyone already on the Priority List to make sure they seize their opportunity when it comes around. 'And I would encourage anyone yet to join to do so immediately to stand any chance of getting what will be the hottest ticket in London come August 2016.'

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West Ham join crowded race to sign Boca Juniors goal machine Jonathan Calleri
HITC
Olly Dawes

West Ham are the latest club to be linked with a move for Boca Juniors star Jonathan Calleri. According to Calcio Mercato, West Ham have made contact with the representatives of Boca Juniors striker Jonathan Calleri. The Hammers have been hit by a stunning run of injuries in the final third, with Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini, Victor Moses, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia all on the treatment table. Fans now unsurprisingly want to see West Ham bring in a new striker in January, and reports suggest that the Upton Park hierarchy are at least exploring that possibility. Calcio Mercato report that West Ham have contacted the representatives of Boca Juniors hero Jonathan Calleri, who is attracting plenty of interest from English clubs. Stoke City were suggested to be leading the race for his signature over the summer according to The Mirror, whilst Argentine newspaper Ole published a shocking report earlier this season, suggesting that Championship club Brighton were pursuing a stunning deal to bring Calleri to the South Coast. Earlier this week, Marca claimed that Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are pursuing the 22-year-old ahead of the January transfer window, with both clubs needing attacking reinforcements. Now, it appears that West Ham have entered the race for Calleri's signature, and after racking up 21 goals and 11 assists in 53 games for Boca, it's no surprise that clubs are queueing up the Argentine hitman - and the Hammers may now be hoping to pip their rivals to his signature.

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West Ham open talks with Chelsea transfer target Jonathan Calleri – report
Will Giles for Metro.co.uk
Thursday 10 Dec 2015 9:45 am

West Ham have held talks with Chelsea transfer target Jonathan Calleri, according to reports. Calleri, 22, is set to leave Boca Juniors imminently after appearing to bid farewell to the club on Twitter. Chelsea and Inter are both believed to be keen on the player, but according to Calciomercato, West Ham have entered into talks with the player's entourage. It's claimed that Inter are struggling to finance a deal for the Argentinean, and although Chelsea will likely be seen as a more favourable destination than West Ham, Slaven Bilic could go all out for the striker given the injury crisis that has engulfed his squad.

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West Ham's Winston Reid and Victor Moses out until new year with injuries
• Defender Reid hurt in training session during week
• Moses suffered problem against Manchester United
Thursday 10 December 2015 10.42 GMT Last modified on Thursday 10 December 2015 10.44 GMT
The Guardian

West Ham's Winston Reid and Victor Moses have been ruled out until the new year with hamstring injuries. The defender Reid was injured in training on Wednesday and could be set for a long spell out, with the results of a scan expected on Friday. The on-loan Chelsea winger Moses picked up his injury against Manchester United last weekend and his manager Slaven Bilic has ruled him out for four to six weeks. They are the latest additions to a growing casualty list at Upton Park which threatens to derail their fine start to the season. The Hammers have already lost Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho until February while Manuel Lanzini is out for six weeks with a thigh problem suffered in training. Enner Valencia has been out for five weeks with an ankle injury but he could give Bilic a boost by being added to the squad to face Stoke on Saturday. Bilic said: "Reid got injured in training, it doesn't look good. It's one of those they tell you is four to six weeks but it doesn't look like a small one. He slipped and felt it rupture. "Victor is out for four to six weeks. It's a blow, we have had six injuries since the Everton game. Before that we had a full squad, then Payet and Valencia were injured against Everton and now we have four muscle injuries."

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