Daily WHUFC News - 18th February 2015

Quartet return to training
WHUFC.com
James Collins, Winston Reid, Diego Poyet and Matt Jarvis are all back in
training ahead of the weekend
17.02.2015

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce is set to be handed an injury boost
this week after central defenders James Collins and Winston Reid returned to
training at Chadwell Heath. The pair missed the Hammers' last three matches
with hamstring problems, meaning Cheikhou Kouyate had to fill in at centre
half alongside James Tomkins, but took a full part in Tuesday's training
session as Big Sam's team prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.
They had been joined on the sidelines by Matt Jarvis and Diego Poyet in
recent weeks, but the manager now has a near fully-fit squad, with only Andy
Carroll absent at present. The striker underwent surgery on his knee injury
on Tuesday, with further news of his condition expected in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Cheikhou Kouyate departed training early on Tuesday after landing
awkwardly on his arm, but has been given the all-clear to train on Wednesday
after going to hospital for a medical assessment.

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Lights go up at the new Stadium
WHUFC.com
Work has begun to install the floodlights at West Ham United's magnificent
new Stadium
17.02.2015

Installation of the first of 14 brand new floodlight towers to the former
Olympic Stadium has begun. The famous floodlights of the 2012 Games are soon
to illuminate the Stratford skyline once more, as they are secured into
place at West Ham United's stunning new home.

They will retain their iconic triangular design but hang inverted below the
Stadium's new roof, providing tremendous illumination to the field of play
and ensuring the unmistakable atmosphere of watching the Hammers under the
lights will continue. The new floodlight paddles will each house between
eight and 41 lamps, many of which are original lamps that shone over the
Stadium during London 2012.
Each floodlight measures 18 metres in length and weighs 45 tonnes - that's
twice the length of an old London Routemaster and almost six times as heavy.
Unsurprisingly therefore, lifting each floodlight into place is a huge
mechanical feat, taking up to 12 hours in total for each light. Club
Ambassador and West Ham stalwart Tony Carr MBE visited the Stadium to see
the first light going up and was stunned at the project's scale. "We've all
seen the light panels as they were during the Olympics, they were such a big
part of the iconic look of the Stadium, so it's quite something to see them
up close," he said. "It's an exciting moment, just being here you can see
how striking the lights will look when they are all in place and switched
on, sitting under the new roof. I have not been to the Stadium for nearly
two years and it's really changed since then, it's quite incredible to see
the transformation so far. The roof makes such a difference and you can see
the halo building, where the turnstiles, catering and other facilities will
be, is nearly finished. "This is the first time I have been in the Stadium
when the running track has been covered over too and that really does change
everything. Being there in the stand, looking out I could honestly picture
it, with a match in full swing and fans singing away. "It's going to be sad
to leave the Boleyn Ground, I personally have so many special memories of
the place but I know what this move will do for the Club and I'm genuinely
excited about seeing the Stadium fully transformed. I think we are going to
have a ground that we can be really proud to call home."

As work began on the floodlight towers, the steel frame for the halo that
surrounds the base of the Stadium has been completed. This structure will
contain 96 turnstiles, 33 catering outlets and close to 1,000 toilets. Time
lapse cameras have captured footage of the work undertaken to complete the
halo's steel frame as well as many other elements of the Stadium's
transformation you can view all the progress here.

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Big Sam hoping for injury improvement
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce is targeting a stronger squad and an improved performance at
Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday
16.02.2015

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce is expecting several familiar faces
back to bolster his battle-weary squad for Sunday's big London derby with
Tottenham Hotspur. The likes of James Collins, Winston Reid and Diego Poyet
are set to return to training this week as Big Sam plots a repeat of last
season's unforgettable 3-0 at White Hart Lane. He will also certainly be
hoping that no more of the squad that were knocked out of the FA Cup at West
Bromwich Albion on Saturday will be missing, following Morgan Amalfitano's
red card and subsequent three-game suspension. "We've got a good recovery
period now," the manager explained. "We'll have our usual post-game routine
and then it's the big derby on Sunday against Spurs. We'll have some of our
injured players back to bolster the squad, which will help, and hopefully
we'll bounce straight back at Tottenham. "Alex Song was playing his third
game in six days on Sunday so he was fatiguing and Diafra Sakho is another
player we have to look after due to his back problem. We brought them off
early on Saturday when we were 3-0 down so they could be ready for Sunday."

The exertions of three games in just shy of six days evidently took their
toll on the Hammers, who were second best for much of the fifth-round tie at
the Hawthorns. After battling draws at home to Manchester United last Sunday
and away to Southampton last Wednesday, Big Sam felt some of his players
were more than a little jaded. "It was a game too far for us based on our
Premier League fixtures over the past week. They didn't give us the right
opportunity to go to West Brom and play better to try and win the tie. It
was a game too far for us and we can see that in the players. As hard as
they wanted to get through, their energy levels couldn't get them there.
"The players have given everything in a short space of time but it wasn't
good enough on Saturday. The FA Cup is gone and we wanted it to go as far as
we could but if we hadn't had the Premier League fixtures we would have
given a better account of ourselves."

Due to the game being an FA Cup tie, the Claret and Blue Army's numbers were
swelled to some 5,500 and they made their presence felt from the off. Sadly,
it was to turn out to be a disappointing day for them and everyone else
connected to the Club. When fans are happy they cheer and applaud you and
say how well you've done and when they're not so happy they show their
disappointment. My professional job as a manager is to get the players out
on the pitch to entertain the supporters as much as we can, which is what
we've done for 80 or 90 per cent of the season. We now have to try to bounce
back as quickly as possible and finish the season strongly."

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On this day - 17 February
WHUFC.com
West Ham recorded an important win over London rivals Chelsea on this day in
1996
17.02.2015

Classic match
Chelsea 1-2 West Ham United
Premier League
17 February 1996

West Ham United arrived at Stamford Bridge having been humbled 3-0 at
Division One side Grimsby Town in an FA Cup fourth-round replay in their
previous fixture - missing out on a potential fifth-round meeting with
Chelsea. However, Harry Redknapp's Hammers turned things around by pulling
off a stunning Premier League victory over the Blues in west London. With
Julian Dicks playing in a central defensive role, West Ham stormed to their
fourth consecutive Premier League win, despite falling behind to Gavin
Peacock's 13th-minute opener.
Dicks himself headed in the equaliser just after the hour mark before
midfielder Danny Williamson completed the turnaround with 18 minutes
remaining, silencing the majority of the 25,252-strong crowd inside the
three-sided Stamford Bridge.

Complete record - 17 February
1923 West Ham United 0-0 Barnsley (Division Two)
1934 Grimsby Town 1-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
1951 Sheffield United 1-1 West Ham United (Division Two)
1962 Leicester City 2-2 West Ham United (Division One)
1964 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-2 West Ham United (Division One)
1968 Stoke City 0-3 West Ham United (FA Cup)
1973 West Ham United 2-1 West Bromwich Albion (Division One)
1996 Chelsea 1-2 West Ham United (Premier League)
2001 Sunderland 0-1 West Ham United (FA Cup)
Played 9, Won 5, Drawn 4, Lost 0, Scored 14, Conceded 6

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West Ham deny 'Sam sacked' rumours
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 17th February 2015
By: Staff Writer

West Ham have denied speculation that manager Sam Allardyce has been fired
today. Rumours emerged this afternoon that suggested the 60-year-old had
been given his marching orders following a disagreement with the club's
owners. However a club spokesman told KUMB this afternoon that as far as he
was aware, there was no truth whatsoever to the speculation. Earlier today
Allardyce met co-owner David Gold at Chadwell Heath to discuss a number of
matters regarding the squad and recruitment. The manager is believed to
have been particularly disappointed at the decision to sign Brazilian
striker Nene, which is one of the matter said to have been discussed. Within
hours of the meeting ending, it was claimed that Allardyce had been fired
following further disagreements regarding player policy. However West Ham
have since denied the rumours, with the spokesman insisting that Allardyce
remains in situ at the club. Less than 48 hours earlier a group of fans
accosted co-owner David Sullivan in the car park at West Bromwich Albion to
demand the dismissal of Allardyce, who is nearing the end of his two-year
contract at the club.

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Nene trains with West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 17th February 2015
By: Staff Writer

Free agent Nene enjoyed a training session with his new team mates at
Chadwell Heath this morning. The 33-year-old is on the verge of joining West
Ham on a short-term contract and trained with the rest of the squad at the
club's training complex today. Nene, who paused to sign autographs and have
pictures taken with fans after the session is expected to be offered a
contract until the end of the season.

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Kouyate rushed to hospital after training ground accident
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 17th February 2015
By: Staff Writer

Cheik Kouyate has been taken to hospital for tests after suffering an arm
injury during training at Chadwell Heath this morning. The Senegal
international fell awkwardly during a session at Chadwell Heath this morning
and it is suspected that he may have broken either his arm or wrist.
Kouyate, who had played West Ham's last two matches as an emergency centre
half could now be out of action for several weeks. He joins fellow
midfielder Morgan Amalfitano - who yesterday received a three-match
suspension for his dismissal at West Brom on Saturday - on the sidelines.
Fortunately for Sam Allardyce, both Winston Reid and James Collins, who we
revealed earlier this morning is poised to land a new contract, are expected
to return in time for the short trip to Tottenham on Sunday.

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West Ham look to Nene to solve striker problems
Last Updated: 17/02/15 1:22pm
SSN

Former Paris Saint-Germain forward Nene is undergoing a medical ahead of a
potential move to West Ham, the Press Association understands.
The 33-year-old is available on a free transfer after leaving Qatar side
Al-Gharafa in January and would help ease the injury concerns of Hammers
manager Sam Allardyce following a long-term injury to club-record signing
Andy Carroll. West Ham confirmed on Friday that Carroll will miss the
remainder of the season as he requires surgery on a knee ligament injury
suffered in the 0-0 draw at Southampton last week.
Allardyce can call upon Carlton Cole and summer signings Enner Valencia and
Diafra Sakho in attack but co-chairman David Sullivan confirmed they were
looking to sign an attacking player who is a free agent. Nene fits that
category and has a decent scoring record in Spain and France, where his 21
goals in 35 Ligue 1 games for PSG saw him finish joint-top goalscorer in
2011-12 along with Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, who played for
Montpellier at the time.

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REPORT ON THE FIRST MEETING OF WHUFC LGBT SUPPORTERS GROUP
By Iain Dale 17 Feb 2015 at 16:17
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by Peter Scrivener

On a very cold Wednesday evening in January a group of 12 people arrived at
Upton Park for a meeting, no one really knew what to expect, no one knew
what was going to happen but we knew we were all there for the same
reason-to support and play a part in establishing a West Ham United LGBT
Supporters Group.

The beginnings of the group began after Jim Dolan set up a Twitter account
in the hope of bringing together other LGBT West Ham supporters-not for the
sake of stamping our feet and waving great big pink flags all over the
ground but more so to have a presence, for people to know that there were
others out there. In a very short space of time the Twitter group gained
hundreds of followers and caught the attention of both West Ham United and
the Gay Football Supporters Network who both expressed interest in making
the group 'official'. After an initial meeting between Jim, the GFSN and
West Ham to establish the roots and purpose of the group invites sent out to
those who had expressed an interest in being part of the Supporters Group to
attend yesterday's meeting.

After introductions and teas and coffees (and biscuits…the biscuits were
nice!) we went round the room and everyone had the chance to talk about why
they were there, why this was important to them and what they wanted from
the group. It was so positive to hear everyone wanting the same from the
group-to have a presence, to show others that there are LGBT West Ham fans
out there and to help shape the changing image of the club as it goes
through a big period of transition and, of course, the move to our new
stadium.

It's really important to highlight just how great West Ham have been in
supporting the group. James, our contact at West Ham, has been pivotal in
getting things moving and the clubs commitment to making the group work has
been excellent-not least because of the amazing view we had of the pitch
from the meeting room! The club have been developing a great new platform
for their website which will make it far more interactive for supporters to
get involved and, although we can't say too much about this right now, the
Club want us to be at the forefront of the launch when it happens. The
atmosphere of the meeting was summed up perfectly when a member of the group
commented "West Ham have been so supportive and they're giving us such a
great platform from which to launch-we need to take this opportunity with
both hands and run with it"

Soon we will be polling for a new name for the group and there were some
strong suggestions made during the meeting, the GSFN are going to be making
contact with everyone who has registered interest in the group with
information about electing Chairs and a Secretary. We are aiming for an
official launch soon and once a date is confirmed West Ham have expressed
some keenness to get as many people to attend as possible for a great
pitch-side photo-it will be a great way to support the launch and will give
us the chance to show all the other Supporters Groups how it's done-to
facilitate as many people attending as possible it is likely the launch will
coincide with a home game fixture.

Anyone wanting to know more about the group or wishing to join can do so by
checking out the groups Twitter @Prideofirons which is being updated
regularly with news and information or you can visit out facebook page
www.facebook.com/prideofirons.

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SEEING THE LIGHT
By Brian Williams 17 Feb 2015 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die

I hate early kick-offs. I'm no great lover of BT's television coverage
either. Put the two together and I am not a happy Hammer.

I'm not blaming Saturday's abject surrender at the Hawthorns entirely on the
fact the game started at 12.45, but it certainly didn't help. Rarely does
West Ham play well when it has barely rubbed the sleep from its eyes – which
is bad news when you consider our next two games kick off at noon and 12.45.

There was a time I used to follow snooker quite closely (this was the time
when the leading players weren't all so young they could have been my
grandchildren). Like most of the UK, I was desperate for Jimmy White to win
the world title at least once. And I'm convinced he would have done it if
all his frames had been played in the hours of darkness.

Some things are just not meant to be done in the morning, and playing
snooker is one of them. Jimmy was brilliant when the sun had set, but the
hours of daylight clearly didn't suit him. Perhaps that's why Count Dracula
never excelled at the game.

I will concede that 12.45 isn't technically the morning, but in footballing
terms it might just as well be. That's why any game that starts before 3pm
is regarded as an early kick-off.

To be honest, West Ham would play all their games later still if I had my
way. We all know the Hammers play better under lights – even if the stats
don't always tell the same story.

In our Saturday–Tuesday grind of the Championship in 2011/12 we had five
home games that kicked off at 7.45 – and we didn't win a single one of them.
Four draws and a defeat against Ipswich produced a miserable return from a
possible 15 points. On top of that, there were two games in the twilight
zone. The 5.20 starts saw us beat Derby 3–1 and draw 3–3 with Birmingham in
a real rollercoaster of an affair. Those old fashioned 3 o'clock kick-offs,
however, were really good for us. Played 11; won 8; lost 2; drew 1. Goals
for: 26. Goals against: 13. Points: 25.

Since being back in the Premier League we have won a few and lost a few,
none more painfully of course than when Tottenham came from behind to snatch
victory in the dying seconds with that wonder goal from Gareth Bale two
years ago.

Yet who needs ice-cold statistics when your heart tells you something
different? Every Hammer knows that floodlights lift Upton Park out of the
gloom and transform it into a theatre. You get a different crowd at evening
kick-offs – not quite the uncompromising support of an away game, but
certainly more vocal than the lunchtime crowd. There's a totally different
feel about the whole experience. The team simply plays better.

Fancy a few random facts about floodlighting? Of course you do! West Ham
first played under lights at Upton Park in April 1953, when we beat
Tottenham 2–1 in a friendly. At that stage floodlighting was still
considered too unreliable for League games.

The lights did famously fail more than 40 years later, but that was down to
skulduggery rather than technical problems. We had just come back from 2–0
down against Palace to equalise in the 60th minute when the ground was
plunged into darkness. No one could find a shilling for the meter, which
meant the game had to be abandoned and a crooked betting syndicate based in
the Far East which had gone for the draw cleaned up.

Arnold Hills, the father of West Ham, experimented with floodlighting when
he founded Thames Ironworks FC back in 1895. The first night game took place
nine days before Christmas. Apparently, there were 10 lights, each said to
have the power of 2,000 candles and the ball was dipped in a bucket of
whitewash beforehand.

We've all got our favourite game under lights. There were those classic
encounters under the floodlights at Upton Park back in the 70s and 80s
against European sides with exotic names like Ararat Yerevan, Dinamo Tbilisi
and Politehnica Timisoara. More recently there was that 4–0 thrashing of Man
Utd in the snow when Jonathan Spector played like Pelé. And there was the
2–0 victory in the second leg of the play-off semi-final against Ipswich
that took us to the Millennium Stadium – blimey, the ground was rocking that
night.

My favourite game under lights? That was a League Cup tie against the
all-conquering Liverpool. It was 1988 – almost half a lifetime ago now – but
I can still picture the goals as if the game were played yesterday. More
interestingly, perhaps, I recall the feeling of total confidence that we
would win.

This was Liverpool, right? They were the reigning champions. And, back in
those days, the big boys didn't put out weakened teams in Cup games – they
wanted to win. In the League, we were deep in relegation trouble. Even so,
well before we took our seats in the West Stand I just knew we were going to
triumph that night. It wasn't hope – it was absolute certainty. A rare
sensation for any West Ham supporter, I admit. But it's a fantastic feeling
when it happens.

My optimism was well founded. With Alan Devonshire playing brilliantly on
the flank and Liam Brady demonstrating all his old skill in midfield, we
took the Scousers apart. The first goal was truly sensational. I was in line
with Paul Ince when he hit the volley from the edge of the box – if he'd
leapt much higher he would have been considered a danger to passing aircraft
– and then struck the ball as sweetly as any ball has been struck before or
since. Minutes later we were two up – Ince again, this time with his head.
The boy was clearly destined to be a West Ham legend. It was obvious to
anyone with eyes to see that only by doing something sensationally stupid
would he be denied his rightful place in the pantheon of Upton Park greats.
(Oh, I don't know what exactly – being photographed in another club's shirt,
perhaps? But who'd be enough of a prat to do that?)

Kenny Dalglish's team pulled one back from the penalty spot, but my faith
waivered not one jot, scintilla or iota. (To be honest, I'm not sure what
that adds up to in real money – but, take my word for it, I kept the faith.)
Then, in the second half, we restored our two-goal lead courtesy of
Liverpool's international defender Steve Staunton, who deftly headed an
aimless David Kelly cross into his own net. And, as the red wall formed
while Tony Gale lined up a free kick, I was utterly sure this would be the
crowning glory of a fabulous performance. Up, over – and in. 4–1. What a
truly magical night!

Right then, let's forget all this early kick-off nonsense and start a
petition or something to ensure the mighty WHU only ever comes out at night.
Of course, somebody in authority may want to see some evidence to back up
the case with some hard evidence, which is where you come in. I'm happy to
open any formal proceedings with the Liverpool game, but I'll need some back
up. So, what was your favourite game under lights? And why? In the immortal
words of Delia, let's be havin' you …

PS I'd just like to thank Liddy publicly for her recent review of Nearly
Reach The Sky – A Farewell to Upton Park. It was a brilliant piece of
writing. I know I hardly need remind WHTID regulars, but Lids is a diamond.
This site is very lucky to have her. BW.

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West Ham's Cheikou Kouyate rushed to hospital during training with suspected
broken arm
12:37, 17 February 2015 By Ed Malyon
The midfielder has been outstanding this season for the Hammers but could
now be out for a period after a training injury
The Mirror

West Ham fear Cheikou Kouyate could miss a chunk of their season after he
was rushed to hospital during training. The Senegalese midfielder is thought
to have broken his arm in an accident at the Hammers' Chadwell Heath HQ.
Since signing in the summer, the Senegalese international has established
himself as a regular in Sam Allardyce's side, starting 17 Premier League
games in midfield and also at centre-half. The 25-year-old has also scored
goals against both Arsenal and Manchester United, and last featured in
Saturday's FA Cup mauling at the hands of West Bromwich Albion. While thy
are not yet sure on Kouyate's prognosis, the utility man is extremely
doubtful for this weekend's London derby at White Hart Lane.

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ALLARDYCE SACKING STORY DENIED!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 17, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

Rogue stories that Sam Allardyce has been sacked as West Ham United boss are
"100 per cent untrue." The story appeared on websites this afternoon and was
taken down almost as quickly when the record was put straight, ClaretandHugh
received telephone calls claiming the manager had parted company with the
club but with with co-chairman David Sullivan at his 97 year old mother's
hospital bedside it seemed seriously unlikely. And a few moments ago a high
level source told us: "That is 100 per cent untrue. Sam is still in his
job." However, as this site reported earlier today the 60 year old boss now
looks to be in his last few weeks as the Irons chief with the hunt for a
replacement underway.

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Simeone dream as Irons start boss hunt
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 17, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

West Ham have rubbished speculation that Sam Allardyce – as the world's 13th
best paid boss – receives a bigger salary than Atletico Madrid's Diego
Simeone. And the reason they know that is because they are currently
scouring the world looking for a replacement for the manager at the end of
the season. The Daily Mail's Adrian Durham wrote this morning that Allardyce
earned more than Simeone but in one phone call from ClaretandHugh a top
Irons insider said: "Diego is on 5million euros plus huge bonuses. There is
also a 4m buyout on his contract, that goes to 12m shortly "West Ham would
obviously want Diego but the truth is that he really wants Manchester City
or Bayern Munich and thus we are not an easy sell!" The Irons intend to
spend the next eight weeks seeing who is available and whether West Ham
interests those who interest us. A Hammers source told us exclusively: "All
the clubs that sacked managers hired the 'usual suspects 'We are scouring
the world. Wed love Simeone, but its 100/1 shot." Meanwhile the reliable
ExWHUemployee has tweeted this afternoon: "Club already lining up potential
Sam replacements

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Sam: The future seems clear!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 17, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

You would need to be rather lacking in perception not to understand the way
things are going at Upton Park right now. A season so rich with promise at
one point has turned sour and as always the full media attention is turning
onto the manager and his future. The Mail and TalkSport's Adrian Durham is
the latest from the media mob to put the boot in. Nothing is ever written in
the tablets of stones required by many fans but the smoke signals coming out
of the Boleyn seem pretty clear.

Sam Allardyce is facing the dodgiest moment of his Hammers reign – change it
seems to me is now the name of the game. My personal reading of the
situation is that the only issue remaining is whether the club can find a
manager they consider an upgrade on the current boss. If they are successful
in doing so, I believe Sam Allardyce's time in charge will come to an end
this summer. There's a massive atmosphere of disappointment across the club
right now and although 13 weeks is an eternity in football it's hard to see
too much changing in the time left. There's much muttering and murmuring
going on, the like of which many haven't heard previously. This is NOT a
"For or against Sam article" however much some will want to pretend it is.
It's simply that the signs right now seem clear! Change is on the agenda
with the one important proviso that precisely the right person is found to
lead the Irons into their last Boleyn season and a new era beyond. Let's put
it another way: No ClaretandHugh Poll is required!

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Gold: "There has to be a response"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 17, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

David Gold insists the team can bounce back from the shocking events of West
Brom with a top display against Spurs. And he's aware too that the climate
among the fans can turn as quickly as a goal against the run of play. He
said: "There are plenty of reasons we can use for the defeat – injuries, too
many games in the week and all the rest of it but at the end of it all we
are out of the FA Cup and that is a massive disappointment. "We really do
need to see the team pick itself up and produce a top performance against
Spurs – for the sake of us all there has to be a response. "Pride has been
hurt and of course other events took place which are deeply disappointing so
it's important we have a big end to the troubles with a top performance. "I
think we can give a top account of ourselves. It's Spurs so nobody will need
any winding-up. We have everybody bar Andy Carroll fit and there can be no
feeling sorry for ourselves."

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Good news at last for Hammers
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on February 17, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh

West Ham will be back to full strength for the trip to White Hart Lane on
Sunday – Andy Carroll excepted. Much has been made in the national
newspapers today that Winston Reid will return – possibly against his next
club. But we have learned that everybody is now fit as the Hammers look to
win back the fans after the shocking defeat in the fifth round of the FA Cup
at the Hawthorns. Alex Song has recovered from a knock and James Collins –
along with Reid – is over a hamstring problem. That West Brom defeat has
heaped pressure on manager Sam Allardyce to come away with a result on
Sunday following a run of league results which has seen the team collect one
win from the last nine. A source told ClaretandHugh: "Spurs are right on top
of their game at the moment but everybody here is looking for a response
after last weekend."

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Ex-PSG forward Nene has medical ahead of West Ham move, report says
ESPN

ESPN FC's Mark Donaldson and Tommy Smyth lament Andy Carroll's bad luck as
he is excepted to miss the rest of the season with a torn knee ligament.
Former Paris Saint-Germain forward Nene is undergoing a medical ahead of a
potential move to West Ham, Press Association Sport reported. The
33-year-old Brazilian is available on a free transfer after leaving Qatar
outfit Al-Gharafa in January and would be a welcome addition to Sam
Allardyce's squad following a knee injury to club-record signing Andy
Carroll. The Hammers confirmed on Friday that Carroll will miss the
remainder of the season as he is set to have surgery on a knee ligament
injury suffered in a goalless draw at Southampton last week. Allardyce has
Carlton Cole and summer signings Enner Valencia and Diafra Sakho as his
options in attack at the moment but co-chairman David Sullivan confirmed
that West Ham were scouring the globe in search of free agents who they
could sign outside of the transfer window.

Nene fits that bill and would bring a proven track record of scoring goals,
both in Spain and France, where his 21 goals in 35 Ligue 1 games for PSG saw
him finish joint-top goalscorer in 2011-12 along with Olivier Giroud -- then
of Montpellier. Fitness may be an issue as West Ham would want someone who
will be available sooner rather than later but, having only ended his spell
in the Middle East last month, Nene should not require too much time to get
up to speed

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Bookies slash odds on Sam Allardyce leaving West Ham amid David Moyes and
Slaven Bilic speculation
Simon Osborn for Metro.co.ukTuesday 17 Feb 2015 5:11 pm
Metro.co.uk

Bookies have slashed the odds on Sam Allardyce leaving West Ham after a
flood of money was placed on Big Sam being the next Premier League manager
to leave his job. The former Bolton boss's odds were cut from 25-1 to 6-1
after punters reacted to comments made by Hammers co-owner David Sullivan.
'That is 100 per cent not true,' Sullivan said when asked if Allardyce had
been offered a new four-year deal at Upton Park. 'We won't even look at it
until either there are a few games left or when the season is over.' The
comment ramped up speculation that the 60-year-old could leave at the end of
the season, with the Daily Telegraph reporting David Moyes and Hammers old
boy Slaven Bilic are both contenders to replace him in east London. Bilic
spent 18 months at Upton Park as a West Ham player after being signed by
Harry Redknapp and still holds a strong affection for the club, while Moyes
currently earns less than half of Allardyce's £3million-per-year contract
with Real Sociedad in Spain. 'This is the strongest Premier League season
West Ham has had in years but their performance in the 4-0 loss against West
Brom on Saturday was abhorrent in the eyes of the fans,' said Michael
Bowers, Football Trader for Betfair. 'This afternoon we've seen a huge
flurry of bets and have been forced to cut Sam from 25/1 to 6/1 and bets are
still coming in at that price.'

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West Ham transfer target Nene 'undergoing medical before signing short-term
deal at club'
Vaishali Bhardwaj for Metro.co.ukTuesday 17 Feb 2015 4:56 pm
Metro.co.uk

West Ham are moving closer to finding a replacement for injured striker Andy
Carroll, with former Paris Saint-Germain winger Nene reportedly undergoing a
medical at the club on Tuesday. According to The Evening Standard, the
33-year-old Brazilian has arrived in London to go through the medical tests
before signing a deal with the Hammers until the end of the season. Nene,
who can play in a variety of attacking positions, is currently without a
club after becoming a free agent following his departure from Qatari side Al
Gharafa in January. West Ham see the Brazilian as a replacement for Carroll,
who was ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury he sustained
during the east London outfit's goalless draw at Southampton last week.
Should Nene finalise a move to Upton Park in the coming days, he would bring
his record of 36 goals in 79 games for PSG with him to the club.

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Hammers handed major boost after Kouyate injury scare
16:21 17 February 2015
London24
Jack Green

West Ham's Cheikhou Kouyate has been given the all clear after suffering an
injury that was feared to be a broken arm. The Senegalese midfielder fell
awkwardly during training and was taken to hospital for a medical
assessment. The Hammers have confirmed, however, that the 25-year-old is not
seriously injured, and he is expected to be ready for Sunday's clash with
Tottenham at White Hart Lane. "Cheikhou Kouyate departed training early on
Tuesday after landing awkwardly on his arm, but has been given the all-clear
to train on Wednesday after going to hospital for a medical assessment," a
statement on the club website said. West Ham fans received more good news
today as James Collins, Winston Reid, Diego Poyet and Matt Jarvis all
returned to training. Winston Reid's return to fitness is particularly
important. The defender – who was linked to Tottenham and Arsenal during the
January transfer window – has missed the past three matches with a hamstring
injury. Kouyate is a natural central midfielder, but he has been filling in
at centre back in Reid and Collins' absence.
He has turned in some admirable performances despite being played out of
position, and he even got on the scoresheet in the 1-1 draw with Manchester
United.

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West Ham target David Moyes and Slaven Bilic to replace Sam Allardyce
Co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold will check on duo's availability
with current manager under fire and out of contract in the summer
The Telegraph
By Matt Law
4:18PM GMT 17 Feb 2015

West Ham United will make checks on the availability of David Moyes and
Slaven Bilic as the club line up possible replacements for manager Sam
Allardyce. But West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold face a
battle to convince Moyes to leave Real Sociedad after just six months, with
the former Manchester United manager enjoying life in Spain and already
planning for next season. Allardyce's contract is due to expire at the end
of the season and Sullivan has already publicly insisted than any
negotiations over a new deal will not happen before the summer. Some West
Ham sources rate Allardyce's chances of being handed a new contract as low
as five per cent, despite the fact the club are eighth in the Premier League
table, eight points behind fourth-placed Southampton.

What is clear is that Sullivan and Gold have started a process of carefully
assessing their options ahead of deciding whether or not to let Allardyce
go, with Moyes and Bilic the men of particular interest to the West Ham
chiefs. Moyes has been viewed as the perfect profile of manager to take over
from Allardyce by Upton Park insiders since the Scotsman was sacked by
Manchester United last April. The 51-year-old is still greatly admired for
the fine work he did during 11 years at Everton, during which time the
Merseyside club qualified for the Champions League and regularly challenged
for a top-four place.

Sullivan and Gold believe West Ham will be capable of similar achievements
once the club make their highly-anticipated move into the Olympic Stadium.
Moyes was appointed Real Sociedad manager in November and signed an 18-month
contract with the Spanish club, who are 12th in La Liga. His reported wages
of £1.5m-a-year are significantly less than the £3m-a-year Allardyce
currently earns at West Ham.
Associates of Moyes, however, insist he is extremely happy with his work and
life in Spain, and is currently making transfer plans for the summer with
Burnley striker Danny Ings a target.

Sociedad have already promised Moyes he will have money to spend and it will
take a big effort from Sullivan and Gold to convince him to leave Spain so
quickly. Bilic may be easier to tempt to Upton Park than Moyes, despite the
fact the former Croatia international is currently preparing for a Europa
League tie against Liverpool with Besiktas, who are top of the Turkish Super
League. Ex-defender Bilic spent 18 months at Upton Park as a West Ham player
after being signed by Harry Redknapp in January 1996 and still holds a
strong affection for the club. Despite the fact Bilic has managed Croatia
and now Besiktas, Sullivan and Gold will be wary of the fact the 46-year-old
has no experience of managing in the Premier League. Knocking Liverpool out
of the Europa League would certainly enhance his prospects.

Bilic himself has made it clear he would like to return to England as a
manager, saying: "Managing in the Premier League is a question I get asked,
not only about England - but mostly - and whatever you say, it sounds not
fair to someone. I really like it here at Besiktas, I like this job, it's a
massive club. "I'm enjoying it big time. But, of course, I would say that,
one day, I would be interested in England, of course I would. "I've been
there, I've played there, l liked it there - wherever I go there. Okay, I'm
not a huge star, but I feel people like me there and I spent my best years -
and not only in football - there. "It's also the Premier League. If we have
dinner, and there are big screens to watch, and there is no Turkish game,
then we watch Premier League. That is the league that is most followed."

Allardyce's future was put firmly back on the agenda at the weekend after
West Ham fans called on Sullivan to sack him following the club's 4-0 FA Cup
defeat to West Bromwich Albion. Tensions between Allardyce and Sullivan have
once again been highlighted by the club's bid to try to sign free agent
Nene. Sullivan has instigated the move for the Brazilian forward, just as he
won a tug of war with Allardyce to sign Diafra Sakho, who is West Ham's top
scorer this season and has been a huge success.

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