West Ham face compensation risk over state aid for Olympic Stadium refit
• Prior approval' for deal was not sought from European Commission
• Club could be liable for 'millions' if EC ruled state aid rules broken
Monday 20 April 2015 22.52 BST
The Guardian
Fresh questions have been raised over whether West Ham's deal to move into
the Olympic Stadium contravenes European state aid laws, potentially leaving
the club liable for millions in compensation.
London Assembly members, European state aid experts and lawyers have
questioned why the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and the London Legacy
Development Corporation did not obtain "prior approval" from the European
Commission before signing the deal with West Ham.
One London Assembly member claimed the LLDC was "in denial" while several
state aid experts consulted by the Guardian said it would have been
"prudent" to gain approval to avoid problems down the line.
Question of state aid still lingers over West Ham's luxurious new home
Read more
By not getting the agreement signed off before concluding the deal with West
Ham, the LLDC has left itself open to a 10-year window for challenges from
anyone who feels disadvantaged by West Ham's deal, understood to be worth
£2.5m a year plus a slice of catering revenues.
That could include rival clubs at home and abroad and, if the EC eventually
found the LLDC had broken state aid rules, West Ham could be liable for
millions. Theoretically, if found in breach the total bill could equate to
the £138.9m it is costing the public purse to convert the stadium for
football use plus the difference between the £2.5m and whatever the EC
decided the market rate was.
The controversial saga that led West Ham to be awarded a 99-year licence
agreement last year was marked by legal challenges, espionage allegations
and furious rows over the legacy and cost. In October it emerged the total
cost of the stadium had risen to £619m, including the post-Games conversion
to install retractable seats and a full roof after the construction of the
cantilevered canopy had turned out to be more expensive than expected.
As well as paying a fee understood to be in the region of £2.5m for their
licence agreement, West Ham also agreed to pay £15m towards the £193.9m
conversion costs and argues that its presence will help raise more from
naming rights. The rest of the cost of building the stadium and converting
it into a "multi-use" arena has been met from public funds.
Information obtained by the Charlton Supporters Trust under the Freedom of
Information Act and seen by the Guardian shows West Ham's £15m contribution
does not have to be paid until the club receive the proceeds from the sale
of Upton Park.
The original process to find a new tenant for the stadium, won by West Ham
following a bitter battle with Tottenham Hotspur, had to be annulled after
being paralysed by legal challenge. As well as concerns over the state aid
issue, Leyton Orient had sought a judicial review of the decision.
One legal expert told the Guardian she was surprised the LLDC had not sought
prior approval – effectively a get-out-of-jail card for projects that
involve injections of public funds – after agreeing a deal with West Ham
under a new tender process. "I'm surprised they didn't do it. In the Treaty
there is a blanket prohibition on state aid, which is controlled by the EC.
There are then a set of issues and circumstances that are considered
compatible state aid rather than illegal," said the lawyer Hayley Green of
Ashford LLP.
The test, she said, was not whether the LLDC had run a fair tender process
but whether it had acted in the same way as a private company would have
done in the same circumstances. "From a pure state-aid law point of view, if
there has been an advantage that has the potential to distort competition
within the football market there may well have been illegal state aid," she
said. "The state aid will have arrived on the date they agreed the
commitment. There is a 10-year window from there. There could be challenges
up to 10 years."
Andrew Boff, a Conservative Assembly member, said he had raised the issue
some time ago and was yet to receive a reply from Johnson or the LLDC, which
is chaired by the mayor. "It comes very close to the idea of state aid. You
would have thought the best way, bearing in mind the problems they had last
time, would be to do the nip and tuck and send a reference to the
Commission. The fact they haven't requested that from the Commission is
concerning," said Boff, who has followed issues surrounding the Olympic
legacy closely.
"There is obviously a taxpayers interest in terms of the £40m [loan] from
Newham and the £630m in the stadium. We are not arguing against any kind of
investment from the taxpayer. [But] you've got to be open about it and what
you're doing. They seem to be in a state of denial. Any objective observer
would say 'you really should get someone to look at this'."
Once West Ham move into the 54,000 capacity stadium at the start of the
2016-17 season they will have primacy of use during the football season, but
UK Athletics have been promised 20 days during the summer and a stadium
operator has been appointed to stage other sporting and music events.
In return for investing £40m for a share in the Special Purpose Vehicle that
owns the stadium, Newham Council has also been guaranteed access to the
stadium and up to 100,000 tickets a year to West Ham matches.
The prospect of further legal wrangling will dismay West Ham fans
contemplating the move to the Olympic Stadium, which has been billed as an
opportunity to catch up with their London rivals in terms of revenue
generation.
The Charlton Supporters Trust submitted a formal complaint last year
claiming that the LLDC, or the SPV, had broken state aid rules. West Ham
cited the fact no further action was taken as evidence it had not
contravened the rules but critics arguethe EC could still take action and
had simply decided not to take things further for the time being.
Both the LLDC and West Ham said they were totally confident the deal was
consistent with state aid regulations. Asked by the Guardian whether he was
confident the deal complied Johnson said: "They can bog off. It's totally
ridiculous. I can never exclude that some lawyer will come up with some
ridiculous interpretation of article 105 of the EU treaty or whatever but
I'm as confident as I can be that it isn't going to be a problem."
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Tuesday, April 21
Daily WHUFC News - 21st April 2015
Loan round up
WHUFC.com
Sean Maguire scored twice for Accrington Stanley in a man-of-the-match
performance against Stevenage. Accrington were a man down inside the first
minute when Nicky Hunt was sent off, yet it did not deter Maguire as the
Irish forward opened the scoring after 15 minutes.
Stevenage drew level four minutes later through Simon Walton's penalty, yet
Maguire was on hand to restore the host's lead with a powerful shot. His
brace appeared to have secured the three points right until Chris
Beardsley's hooked shot in the 89th minute secured a point.
Modibo Maiga scored in FC Metz' 3-1 win over fellow Ligue Un strugglers
Lens. Florent Malouda opened the scoring after 13 minutes before Bouna
Sarr's penalty extended their lead. Maiga scored with ten minutes to go to
seal the victory before Aristote Madiani scored a consolation goal late on.
Jaanai Gordon scored a spectacular 25-yard goal to open his account for
Nuneaton Town against Woking. His impressive strike put the hosts ahead
before Kevin Betsy's 53rd minute goal levelled the match.
Elliot Lee played 87 minutes of Luton Town's 3-0 win over Hartlepool United
to keep their Play-Off hopes alive. Cameron McGeehan headed the hatters into
the lead after just five minutes on the clock before Jake howells' penalty
doubled their advantage.
Into the second half, Scott Griffiths scored to seal the comfortable
victory.
Tim Brown played the full game as Canvey Island secured a 1-1 draw away with
Leiston. Tom Winter gave the hosts a half time before Jack Simmons scored
against his former club to secure his side a point.
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Ladies lose 2-1 to Lewes
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Lewes
Ladies at Rush Green on Sunday 19 April. After going into the weekend's
game off the back of picking up seven points from three games in a grueling
week, the Hammers looked likely to extend their unbeaten run to four games
when Emma Sherwood fired in an excellent half volley from 30 yards. However,
in the second half, goals from Clare Trafford and Cherelle Khassal secured
the three points, turning the game on it's head. Ladies manager Julian Dicks
was forced into a couple of changes ahead of the visit of Lewes to Rush
Green. Left back Katie Bottom failed a pre-match fitness test and was
replaced by Vicky King, while April Bowers continued illness saw her miss
out with Jade Smith stepping into the starting eleven.
During the opening 20 minutes, the Hammers looked unccharacteristically
sluggish as they gifted possession to Lewes on several occasions, although
the visitors failed to punish the Hammers. Against the run of play, West Ham
pushed themselves ahead when Sherwood unleashed a long range strike that
caught Lewes' keeper Allison Cowling out and ended up in the back of the
net. The goal gave the hosts confidence and they ended the half strongly,
looking more confident in possession as they fought off any response by
Lewes.
However, it didn't take long into the second half for the equaliser to come
as the hosts failed to clear their lines and Trafford was well placed in the
penalty area to divert a long range strike into the corner of the net. That
goal rattled Dicks' side and Lewes were unlucky not to go further ahead when
the referee waved away appeals for a penalty when Danica Revell tripped up a
visiting striker in the penalty area. With 72 minutes on the clock, captain
Stacey Little made an uncharacteristic mistake at the back, allowing
talented forward Khassal to burst through and finish low past Hammers keeper
Nikki Duncan. The hosts rallied and almost got back into the game, but
neither Vicky Kinsman nor Adele Sale could convert their chances. West Ham
now head into their final two FA Women's Premier League South matches this
season with 34 points from 20 games this season.
They host Brighton & Hove Albion at Rush Green in their next fixture on
Sunday 26 April at 2pm, before ending their season away to Portsmouth a
fortnight later. Between their final two league fixtures, they also have a
London FA Capital Women's Cup Final against Charlton Athletic at Harrow
Borough FC on Wednesday 6 May. Kick-off in the final is at 7:30pm.
Ladies: Duncan, King, Revell, Little (c), Stimson (Xidhas), Smith, Clifton
(Sale), Sherwood, Mellors, Kinsman, Blanchflower.
Subs not used: Bottom.
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Phillips praises Kanu's impact
WHUFC.com
U18 coach Mark Phillips was impressed with the quality on show as the
Hammers defeated Liverpool 3-2 at Little Heath. Liverpool forward Toni Gomes
put the visitors ahead, before Matt Carter's bending corner was de-flected
in to level the scores. The visitors retook the lead when Herbie Kane
smashed in from over 20 yards before 15-year-old Idris Kanu came off the
bench to score two goals in the final seven minutes. Speaking after the
game, Phillips described how impressed he was with his sides' performance.
"It was a really good quality match against a team full of young players
like ourselves. All things considered, both teams put in a really good
performance," said Phillips. "Liverpool started much better than us. They
looked sharper all over the pitch but after that first 15 minutes, we
started to look like the stronger team. "Going into the second half, they
deserved to lead because we gave away a sloppy goal but we got ourselves
back into the game quickly. "Once Liverpool got their second goal, we
really needed to work harder and show our character to get ourselves back
into the game. "I'm delighted with the outcome because Liverpool Football
Club will always have a wealth of talent. They had one lad playing called
Ovie Ejaria that I coached as an U9 at Arsenal so I knew that they were
going to be a tough team. "That said, we showed great character and
determination from our lads because they never gave up despite going behind
twice and we are all happy to have taken the three points."
When looking back at the goals that his side scored on Saturday, Phillips
was delighted with Carter's role in the Hammers' first goal, but reserved a
special mention for Kanu after the match. "I don't want to steal Matty
Carter's thunder but I looked at the video after the game and it worked out
that his corner looped over to the back post, hit the back of a defender on
the line and went in. Fair play to him though as it was a fantastic corner
putting it in a really dangerous position. "With Idris' goals, you have to
remember that he's an U15, playing up several levels. He scored a goal
earlier in the day to defeat Liverpool on the other pitch and because we
were low on numbers with the U21's playing on Friday night, we thought we'd
give him another chance to impress from the bench. "The first goal that
Idris scored came against the run of play. He came on and played without
fear like he usually does and once he had the first, his confidence was
there to grab a second."
Speaking after scoring his first brace for the U18s, the goal-scoring hero
Kanu said he was delight-ed with grabbing the important goals in both the
U15's and U18's games against Liverpool. "After playing a full 90 minutes
for the U15's and getting a goal, I enjoyed being picked to come on for the
U18's to make the difference," said Kanu. "I'm quite young compared to some
of the other lads in the U18's so whenever I get selected, all I want to do
is to try and make an impact. I think I definitely achieved that and it's
always nice to end a match with a couple of goals to your name. "My aim now
is to continue to play football at U18 level and to keep adapting and
learning to make myself a better player. That will put me in a position next
season to be a regular at a higher age group and look towards playing in the
U21 football soon too."
The Hammers next Barclays U18 Premier League Tier Two Play-Off match is a
long trip north when they face Sunderland away on Saturday 2 May, which
Phillips admitted is area of the country that the Academy rarely take any
points from. Phillips continued: "We've never gone to the North East and
come away with a result, whether that's against Newcastle, Sunderland or
Middlesbrough." "We have a week off now to prepare ourselves for the long
trip and hopefully we can head into the game with that stat in mind as it
sets us a target of coming away with at least a draw."
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Man City 2-0 West Ham: What has gone wrong with the Hammers?
BBC.co.uk
MOTD2 pundit Jason Roberts explains why West Ham's performance in their 2-0
defeat by Manchester City was evidence of the issues facing Hammers boss Sam
Allardyce, whose team were fourth at Christmas but have won only two out of
16 Premier League games since then.
Sam Allardyce's position as West Ham manager has been in doubt for a while
now, and I think we saw on Sunday how the growing uncertainty over his
future is affecting his team. When you are a player, you look to your
manager for leadership, especially when you are playing a brand of football
like Allardyce's, which demands discipline and commitment to the cause. I
know from playing under him at Blackburn that those are the key factors in a
successful 'Big Sam' side, and I did not see any of them in the Hammers'
display in their defeat at Manchester City on Sunday. nstead, I saw a team
who did not look like they were buying into the philosophy of hard work and
organisation that I know Allardyce usually installs in his players.
West Ham did not even do the basics' I was at Upton Park in October when
West Ham beat City 2-1, and it was a fantastic performance.
At that stage of the season, they were producing a brand of football that
even I was surprised about. The hallmarks of an Allardyce team were still
there - they went long when they had to, they were a threat at set-pieces,
they closed people down and they were committed.
But their players also seemed to have far more freedom than usual when they
received the ball. It was refreshing, and great to watch.
Injuries have held West Ham back, but there are bigger issues to blame for
the way their season has gone downhill in the last few months.
Nine of the team who started against City on Sunday also started that game
but they were unrecognisable with their performance at Etihad Stadium. Far
from playing with any freedom, they were not even doing the basics that you
would expect from an Allardyce side. They were not getting the ball forward
in the first place, let alone winning any knockdowns. Time and time again
they were caught in possession in their own half and they were not doing
enough to get it back. That meant City had lots of space when they attacked,
and it turned into a extremely comfortable afternoon for them.
At Blackburn, Allardyce was always very pragmatic - he would always target
certain games for wins, usually at home. He would not have said that City
away was a place where you could go out and go for the three points. His
approach for games like that was to make clear to the players that we
started with a point, and the aim was to work hard to try to leave with one
too. So Sunday's result in itself would not have been an issue for him. It
is the manner of the defeat that will cause him most concern. His side did
not put in any effort.
With performances like that, I can see why West Ham have won just one of
their last 11 games. West Ham could not recover after going behind to James
Collins' own goal at Etihad Stadium They had a similar run last season but
it is not a sequence of results you would associate with Allardyce as a
manager, and I certainly did not experience a run like that under him at
Blackburn. One reason for that was that his man-management skills with
players were very good - when things were going well, he made things easy
for us. When we played badly, then he would make things really bad. I
remember times when we put in performances like that and we were hauled in
at 6am the next day for training.
At the moment, though, it looks like Allardyce is having a problem
motivating his players. For me, that is a by-product of the uncertainty over
his future. It is no secret that his contract is up at the end of the
season, that there is a constant stream of stories about who is going to
replace him, and there has been a lack of support for him from above. That
all helps the players - or at least some of them - to not give the
commitment he needs for his teams to be successful.
'The players don't need to impress Allardyce'
It is not just the players. For most people watching the situation, myself
included, it looks as if Allardyce will not be in charge next season. But
the way the situation has been handled has been messy and I think it has
undermined West Ham's season. When a team of players know the manager might
not be in charge for the longer term, then it is harder to motivate the
group. They don't need to impress you.
When he was Tottenham manager, Tim Sherwood came out with that quote about
being a supply teacher, and he is exactly right. Ask Newcastle boss John
Carver too. That is the problem Allardyce has to deal with at the moment -
it will be very difficult for him to turn things round before the end of the
season, unless he gets a new contract. If that happens, the players will
recognise they are playing for their futures under this manager. At the
moment, though, it is easy for them to think that if a new man does come in,
it offers them a clean slate.
'Hammers fans should be careful what they wish for'
The way West Ham's season has gone has hardly helped Allardyce either, but I
don't think that is all his fault. The Hammers were fourth at Christmas, but
if the Premier League had started on Boxing Day they would be 15th, three
points off the bottom. They still have a chance of a top-10 finish which,
for West Ham, would be an excellent achievement but on the back of their
current form it feels like they have had a bad season when they really
haven't. I know Allardyce has always had a frosty relationship with the
Hammers fans, but I would give a message of caution to the supporters
putting pressure on him now. They have the right to do that of course, but
they should be careful what they wish for because they will have to live
with the consequences. West Ham are a big club who are about to move to the
Olympic Stadium, and I am sure there will be a lot of people interested in
the job if Allardyce does leave. But they have to make sure they get the
right man to ensure the club continues in the right direction. Under Sam,
regardless of whether you like his brand of football, the club did that. I
would stick with him. Jason Roberts was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
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Silva to live despite Kouyate 'assault'
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 20th April 2015
By: Staff Writer
Manchester City's David Silva has not suffered any lasting damage from the
collision with Cheik Kouyate during yesterday's Premier League at the
Etihad. The Spanish international received oxygen and was taken off the
field on stretcher after the two players collided during City's comfortable
2-0 win. However it was confirmed this morning that he had not broken a
cheekbone, as initially feared. Yesterday a panel of Sky pundits decided
unanimously that West Ham's Senegal international had deliberately planted
an elbow in the face of City's Spanish midfielder as the two crossed paths.
Niall Quinn - no stranger to an elbow or two himself during his playing days
- was one of the first to condemn Kouyate for what he perceived as a
deliberate foul. "Having seen the replay I must say that it was a nasty
challenge," he said. "Obviously we have the benefit of sharper replays and
you see he comes down on to his face with the power of his elbow. That's not
good. I'm not going to stand here and defend that as a mistake, as an
accident. "The important thing is David Silva, because it didn't look good
for him at all. Our thoughts are with him and we don't know exactly how he
is yet."
Former England manager Glenn Hoddle also weighed into Kouyate, stating:
"Very dangerous. There's intent, I agree. He's actually come down – he knows
he's taller. When you hold a player off it's normally with a straight arm
but he's gone with a bent arm and he's come down to make contact."
However the verdict reached by Quinn, Hoddle and one or two others was
dismissed by a number of Hammers fans commenting on the KUMB Forum this
morning. "He doesn't swing his arm back, he just caught him on the
downswing," wrote smuts. "I didn't even think it was a booking. The City
players didn't make much of it either."
Comments echoed by fellow KUMB member somerset-hammer, who added: "Have i
got my claret and blue specs on? Having seen the 'elbow' a dozen times I'm
convinced he [Kouyate] didn't mean it. "Yet Sky are running their mouths
off, highlighting the situation which could lead to Kouyate being punished -
and talking like Silva is on his death bed! "It wasn't that bad, surely?"
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Pellegrini happy with yellow card
KUMb.com
Filed: Monday, 20th April 2015
By: Staff Writer
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini had dismissed claims for
retrospective action against West Ham United's Cheik Kouyate. The Senegal
midfielder has been accused of dangerous play by Sky Sports pundits Niall
Quinn and Glenn Hoddle after accidentally catching David Silva with his
forearm as the two collided during Sunday's match at the Etihad.
However Pellegrini, who was relieved to hear the news that Silva has since
been discharged from hospital with no lasting damage, believes that referee
Anthony Taylor made the correct decision by only issuing Kouyate with a
yellow card. "The referee was very near the players," Pellegrini told the
BBC. "He decided what happened was worth as yellow card. "I hope it was an
accidental and I'm not supposing that it was intentional. I don't think any
player wants to damage another player. The referee was there, he said it was
a yellow card and nothing more happened."
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Managerial uncertainly costing Hammers points, says Roberts
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 20th April 2015
By: Staff Writer
BBC pundit and former Blackburn striker Jason Roberts believes West Ham's
recent results have suffered as a result of the uncertainly regarding Sam
Allardyce's future. Roberts, who worked under Big Sam at Ewood Park during
the manager's two-year tenure at the Lancashire club claimed that
Allardyce's squad are currently exhibiting a lack of "discipline and
commitment to the cause", as the season reaches its end. "When you are a
player you look to your manager for leadership, especially when you are
playing a brand of football like Allardyce's," said Roberts. "I know from
playing under him at Blackburn that those are the key factors in a
successful 'Big Sam' side, and I did not see any of them in the Hammers'
display in their defeat at Manchester City on Sunday. "Instead, I saw a team
who did not look like they were buying into the philosophy of hard work and
organisation that I know Allardyce usually installs in his players. "Far
from playing with any freedom, they were not even doing the basics that you
would expect from an Allardyce side. They were not getting the ball forward
in the first place, let alone winning any knockdowns. "Time and time again
they were caught in possession in their own half and they were not doing
enough to get it back. That meant City had lots of space when they attacked,
and it turned into a extremely comfortable afternoon for them."
Roberts, who announced his retirement last year following a string of
injuries also believes Allardyce is also finding motivation an issue -
something he also blames on the current uncertainly regarding the manager's
position. "It is no secret that his contract is up at the end of the season,
that there is a constant stream of stories about who is going to replace
him, and there has been a lack of support for him from above. "That all
helps the players - or at least some of them - to not give the commitment he
needs for his teams to be successful. When a team of players know the
manager might not be in charge for the longer term, then it is harder to
motivate the group. They don't need to impress you. "It is not just the
players. For most people watching the situation, myself included, it looks
as if Allardyce will not be in charge next season. But the way the situation
has been handled has been messy and I think it has undermined West Ham's
season."
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The return of Roeder
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 20th April 2015
By: Staff Writer
Former Hammers boss Glenn Roeder has returned to football as part of a
unique three-man managerial panel at Sheffield Wednesday. The Championship
club confirmed this morning that Roeder, who managed West Ham between 2001
and 2003 had been appointed alongside Adam Pearson to "form two parts of
what is effectively a three-man sporting director by committee alongside
head coach Stuart Gray." Pearson, the former owner of Hull City will report
to the Wednesday board "on business-related strategies across all areas of
Hillsborough" according to the Yorkshire-based club. Meanwhile Roeder, 59,
has been appointed to "focus specifically on the football side of the
operation, drawing on an impressive pedigree initially as a player with the
likes of QPR, Newcastle United and Watford".
Wednesday chairman Dejphon Chansiri said: "Adam and Glenn are seasoned
football professionals and I am delighted they are joining us on this
exciting journey, which we all intend will lead to the Premier League. "To
achieve that ambition, it is imperative for the prosperity of our club that
anyone I introduce is of absolutely the right football calibre and both Adam
and Glenn meet this requirement.
"They will work alongside our head coach Stuart Gray having been carefully
selected to focus on a clearly defined scope of responsibility deemed vital
to the club's interests and future successes, on and off the pitch. "
Roeder, a surprise choice to replace the ourgoing Harry Redknapp in the
summer of 2001 led West Ham to one of their highest-ever top flight league
finishes the following season (2001/02). However the wheels soon fell off
and Roeder saw his side relegated the following season with a league-record
42 points from his sickbed, a matter of weeks after he almost lost his life
when collapsing at work due to a brain tumour.
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Carl Jenkinson insists West Ham will not rest on their laurels
Last Updated: 20/04/15 3:42pm
SSN
West Ham defender Carl Jenkinson insists the Hammers are determined not to
let their season fizzle out. Sam Allardyce's side have slipped down the
Premier League table to 10th place after a run of just one win in 11 games.
Their latest disappointing result came at Manchester City on Sunday as they
lost 2-0 and they are now completely out of contention for a European berth,
while relegation is not an issue.
Despite the Etihad reverse, Jenkinson said: "People in our dressing room are
fired up. If you came in the changing room after the game you'd see that.
"People aren't resting on their laurels, people aren't happy finishing
mid-table. We want to kick on. We have got something to prove now because we
have been on a bad run of games and we want to put that right. We owe that
to ourselves and the fans."
Jenkinson felt West Ham paid the price for their mistakes against City and
does not believe the team are much doing much differently from the early
part of the season. He said: "I wouldn't want to blame it on luck but a few
things haven't gone our way lately and we have conceded some late goals. "I
think this was a different story - we made a couple of mistakes and got
punished. "Of course we have got to work on our performances but if you look
at the last 10 games, our performances haven't been bad at all. "We have had
some really good performances but teams have scored late goals against us
and we have ended up getting a point instead of three. It has been a bit
frustrating. "I just think early on in the season we were finishing
everything. Everything we got was going in the back of net and at important
times of the game. "We have gone ahead in recent games but never killed the
games off and have ended up conceding cheaply towards the end of the game.
Of course that is a real kick in the teeth. "It is not nice blaming things
on luck - you make your own luck - but that has been the story of our last
couple of months."
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WEST HAM UNITED?
By Iain Dale 20 Apr 2015 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by Anonymous
With West Ham right now, one thing is apparent – while the sword of Damocles
looms ominously above our manager – there can be no peace, no brotherhood
and sisterhood among us, the fans. Everywhere you turn, people are unhappy.
Some object to the manager continuing to lead our team in to the final year
at the Boleyn. Others are simply tired of hearing the matter being brought
up once more and are more than happy to berate those who have had enough of
Big Sam.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of a managerial change, to me this discontent
points to a deeper truth that we have yet to face – we are not really West
Ham United right now. Shame on us. Maybe it's the rose tinted specs that
have come back out again, but I remember times when being West Ham felt like
family. Of course it still is in lots of ways, but now it's feels like a
family with fairly major schism. The elephant in the room, if you like,
which now both sides are increasingly reluctant to bring up, is of course
the managerial situation. It is a situation that needs resolving, urgently.
It is important that the club appreciate the true nature of the schism at
the heart of our club – not, as you might suspect, the issue of does
Allardyce stay or go, but, more importantly, why has the fan base become so
divided?
In my view, the chairmen first need to acknowledge the need to heal the
split that has occurred among us fans. Maybe we need to ask ourselves once
more what it means to support our great club?
What exactly are we signed up to when we are, for the most part, born into
this great tradition? A lifetime of nearlys, what-ifs and maybes?
Promotions, relegations, and dead season ends? A team that tries hard but
produces little of real, lasting substance? Are we really content with the
short-termism that has prevailed at first team level for so long? Are we
really so scared of losing premiership status that we can't try to implement
a policy of expansive football in the tradition of our great club?
Whether we accept these as the trials and tribulations of a West Ham fan or
not, what I cannot accept is the deep division among us fans. We simply have
to find a way to heal these wounds and reunite.
Our fabled tradition – the West Ham Way – whether historical reality or not,
could and, in the view of many, perhaps should become a firm philosophical
identity enshrined within our club. I personally can clearly see the value
of such a unifying philosophy – something that connects us fans to the
passion for good football. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel that a clear
commitment to such a style of football would be very well received by the
majority of fans. It may not get a 100% approval rating, but it would
definitely be an improvement on the internal wrangling and divisive
discussions that our present footballing philosophy has brought.
Another value that many would like to see enshrined within our great club is
a firm commitment to youth development and progression. A coherent
commitment to a certain attractive way of playing, from the earliest levels
within our club to the first team would certainly help prepare youth squad
players for life a the pinnacle of our great club.
Certainly having youth players used to playing the same style of football as
the first team would help the manager – whoever it is – not to undermine our
whole youth system.
Ultimately, whether our chairmen decide to stick or twist is not the issue
here, it seems to me that, if we choose to take it, there is an opportunity
here to unite the fans behind a way of playing that goes beyond the ongoing
discussion over the manager's future. If the manager can be told in what
seem like extremely loose terms to 'play more attractive football', why can
this not be expressed more clearly as a detailed commitment to a style of
football that many feel is appropriate for our great club? The time has come
for us to start being West Ham United once more, and I for one would welcome
any actions that can help us achieve this.
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LEROY tells Daves: Release Sam NOW!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 20, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
It's time for a change of manager and I don't mean at the end of the season
– I mean NOW! Yesterday's performance at Manchester showed me that Sam
Allardyce looks to have reached the point of no return and as a result the
two Davids should thank him for his service and part company. The season is
limping towards the most depressing climax possible and all of Sam's body
language looked like that of a man who may be going through the motions.
Such has been the discussion about his future it can hard;ly be any wonder
if he feels that way as the message is now firmly out there that it's all
over. Given the results since Christmas is that any wonder? I'm sure his
situation is getting to the players and what we need now is a caretaker boss
with the players wondering whether there's a possible future boss watching
from the stands. That will immediately wind them up to better performances
and if it doesn't then we don't want them at the club anyway. At the moment
things are hopeless. The manager looking as if he's off, the team not
looking like a team and the best fans on the planet being sold short.
Yesterday's performance at Manchester City was very poor. Here they were
playing a team short on confidence and form yet they were simply brushed
aside. I'm sure they were interested but quite honestly it didn't look like
it for long periods! Something NOW has to change.
As the chief pundit/analyst of this site there's something else I want to
say. The result of our poll today shows that 87 per cent want a change of
manager. There's many who have tried to dub ClaretandHugh an anti-Sam site.
Having known the site owner a lot of years I'd put it another way – it's an
honest site which is why I came to work for it. I'm certainly not anti-Sam.
I think he is a very good manager who will have no trouble finding another
club but I don't think he's the right man to take us to the next level. He's
done a very good job but doesn't look like the guy to take us to the Olympic
Stadium and beyond, so rather than let things limp on, lets put everyone –
including Sam -out of their misery and call it a day. Tomorrow I will let
you know who I think should take over!
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POLL: 87pc want new West Ham boss
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 20, 2015 in Whispers
Clart & Hugh
Nearly 87 per cent of West Ham fans voting in a poll of managerial
candidates want a change from Sam Allardyce! ClaretandHugh this morning sent
the results of the poll to David Sullivan and David Gold as they muse the 60
year old's end of season position. The poll was our biggest ever attracting
a total of 2464 votes and was launched just before Jurgen Klopp's
availability became known. The response to a ClaretandHugh story making it
clear the Hammers had been in touch with the German produced some of the
biggest "traffic" of the year suggesting he would have top of the poll. But
of those named the result was as follows (in terms of vote percentages):
1/Rafa Benitez 24.23 per cent
Bielsa (1)2/ Slaven Bilic 21.1 per cent
3/Marcelo Bielsa 19.68 per cent
4/ Sam Allardyce 13.35 per cent
5/David Moyes 9.74 per cent
6/ Eddie Howe 7.83 per cent
7/ Roberto Di Matteo 4.06
The result was very much in line with a poll which closed last Friday night
over at www.westhamworld.co.uk where the present manager was relegated to
righth place in a list of managerial candidate,
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Allardyce: Double bid over City a hindrance
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 20, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Sam Allardyce has claimed the challenge to do the double over Manchester
City may have proved a hindrance to the West Ham side which was well beaten
at the Etihad yesterday. Under-pressure Allardyce reckons their early season
win over City is a level they cannot reach at the moment. He said: "We beat
Man City at home this year so to have to beat them twice in one season was a
major factor when you're dealing with our budget compared to theirs. "We're
going to take a lot of credit from the players that beat Man City in
October. "It was a big task. We haven't managed to get anything out of it.
We've got a few games to go where if we play our best they're winnable. "We
can't afford to make mistakes like we did with the goals, and we can't
afford to miss the chances we did in the second half."
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New denials over £20m Chelsea Cresswell link
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 20, 2015 in Whispers
Claret 7 Hugh
In the absence of any real stories several newspapers are reporting that
West Ham will allow Aaron Cresswell to join Chelsea this summer.
The only difference to previous reportage is that they have put a price of
£20 million on the left back and likely Hammer of the Year.
The story has now been repeated ad nauseum – apart from the price tag –
which is presumably thrown in to freshen it up a little.
However, we have again been told the club has received no bid and won't
welcome one as it would send out all the wrong signals to any bosses the
club may be currently watching. We were told: "Things are in a state of flux
here but to be selling our best players isn't the way to wood top people to
the club. "We are preparing a new deal for Aaron which will be put to him
round about Christmas. The rest is all about agents chattering to each
other"
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Will Bielsa's failure at Marseille deter West Ham United this summer?
HITC
Andrew Gibney
Marcelo Bielsa has failed to sustain Marseille's challenge in Ligue 1 this
season. In a recent poll that was run on HITC, West Ham United fans voted
Marcelo Bielsa as the second-most popular man in the frame to replace Sam
Allardyce this summer. The current Olympique de Marseille boss finished just
1% behind former Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez and has been linked with the
Hammers by the Daily Mirror – but is he really the ideal man to join the
Hammers this summer?
Bielsa moved to Marseille in a blaze of glory, but quickly the shine was
taken off the move when he fell out with President Vincent Labrune over
transfer targets. Brazilian defender Doria – the captain of the under-21
national team – was signed on deadline day, but as he was not on the
approved Bielsa-list, he never featured for the first-team and is currently
back in Brazil on loan.
This battle of wills was indicative of Bielsa forcing his style onto
Marseille and showing Labrune who was in charge.
All was forgiven when the results were backed up on the pitch. Marseille
lead the early charge, going top of the Ligue 1 table after 10 games. After
failing to win their opening two games, they would pick up 24 points from
eight games and held a seven point gap over Paris Saint-Germain.
Striker André-Pierre Gignac was enjoying his best ever start to a season and
everything looked wonderful on the Riviera.
Then someone hit the brakes. 10 games later Marseille's lead at the top had
gone, Lyon sat in first place, OM had failed to win five of those games and
everything had been thrown into doubt.
From the end of October when Gignac's injury time goal beat Caen 2-1,
Marseille failed to win away from home until the 6th of March. The eight
game run without a win also saw them eliminated from the Coupe de France and
Coupe de la Ligue.
For Bielsa it was the same old problems. His style of play is just not
sustainable for a whole season. Once he settles on an XI, he runs them into
the ground. When his system works, it is beautiful to watch, but it becomes
very predictable and when he players start to tire, teams are able to
counter-act against it.
Marseille have only won four games since the turn of the year, none of them
against teams in the top half. There current run of three defeats in a row
has seen them slip down to fourth place. Champions League football looked a
certainty early in the season, but now it is merely a dream.
If Bielsa were to arrive at Upton Park, the fans would welcome him with open
arms, but there is nothing to suggest he has taken anything from his
failures. His teams succumb to the same downfall every time and West Ham
would start like a house on fire, but then ultimately end up in a pile of
ashes.
In the cut and thrust world of the Premier League, you may not be able to
get away with such a poor second half of the season, and it could do more
harm in good.
In theory, Bielsa is a great name and a great coach, in reality, his style
and theories are not sustainable. If Big Sam does move on, this is one
option the Hammers should steer clear of.
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Why Cresswell should ignore Chelsea links and stick with West Ham
HITC
Lewis Doe
West Ham United defender Aaron Cresswell would be better served sticking
with the Hammers. The Daily Mirror has reported that a £20 million fee will
apparently be good enough to poach Aaron Cresswell away from Upton Park and
into the clutches of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea. Creswell has been superb in
his first season with the Hammers and with Filipe Luis tipped to head back
to Atletico Madrid after a frustrating season, by the same paper, Creswell
is reportedly the man who has been identified to replace him. It seems like
a no-brainer in the respect that Chelsea are playing in Europe, Jose
Mourinho is a more sophisticated manager than Sam Allardyce and he could
earn more money as a result. However, it's not the best move for him for a
number of reasons, starting with the argument that he's likely to play much
more if he stays part of the squad at Upton Park. Although Cesar Azpilicueta
is a right-back, his performances at left-back, Cresswell's position, have
been so good that it's made it virtually impossible for Luis to have any
impact at Stamford Bridge. Luis is a defender that Chelsea paid £16 million
for, according to the Daily Mail, after he'd won a La Liga title with
Atletico Madrid, narrowly missing out on Champions League success. It
demonstrates the high standards and the quality Creswell would experience
and at 25-years-old, he's at a stage of his career where he needs to be
playing week in and week out. Chelsea are a team who have thrown cash at
transfers in the past, only for players to come into the squad and not
really play any significant role in the first team. If he stays at West Ham
then he has the chance to be part of something special with the move to the
Olympic Stadium for the 2016/2017 season and the possibility of a new
manager for next season, both things which could help advance his game. He's
just got to show that little bit of loyalty which can go a long way.
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Jason Roberts compares Allardyce to Sherwood, condemns 'messy situation' at
West Ham
HITC
Olly Dawes
Jason Roberts believes that West Ham's players have virtually given up.
Pundit Jason Roberts has told the BBC that West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is
in a similar situation to Tim Sherwood at Tottenham last season and
Newcastle's John Carver this term. Allardyce is currently under increasing
pressure as West Ham boss having led the team to just two wins in 2015,
which is a big difference from the impressive early season form, which had
seen the Hammers challenging for a place in European football. Sunday's 2-0
defeat against Manchester City was another blow for Allardyce, and with his
contract set to expire this summer, the expectation is that 'Big Sam' will
depart from the Upton Park dugout at the end of the season. The London
Evening Standard recently reported that the Hammers were considering moves
to appoint one of Slaven Bilic, Rafael Benitez and David Moyes with the West
Ham hierarchy clearly looking to make an ambitious appointment ahead of the
club's move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016.
Allardyce still has some weeks to go until a decision is made over his
contract, but it seems that the West Ham players have downed tools for the
season until they know who the manager next season is. That's an idea that
former Blackburn striker Jason Roberts agrees with, as the pundit told BBC -
and whilst he is bound to defend Allardyce given that he played under him at
Blackburn, he compared the situation to Tim Sherwood and John Carver's
interim spells as Tottenham and Newcastle manager.
"It is not just the players. For most people watching the situation, myself
included, it looks as if Allardyce will not be in charge next season," said
Roberts. "But the way the situation has been handled has been messy and I
think it has undermined West Ham's season.
"When a team of players know the manager might not be in charge for the
longer term, then it is harder to motivate the group. They don't need to
impress you. When he was Tottenham manager, Tim Sherwood came out with that
quote about being a supply teacher, and he is exactly right. Ask Newcastle
boss John Carver too. That is the problem Allardyce has to deal with at the
moment," he added.
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Carl Jenkinson explains what West Ham have failed to do recently
HITC
Billy Hawkins
West Ham have conceded a number of late goals recently. The Hammers have
been struggling in 2015, and Carl Jenkinson has told Sky Sports why their
failure to kill off games is costing the team. The on-loan Arsenal full-back
said: "I just think early on in the season we were finishing everything.
Everything we got was going in the back of net and at important times of the
game. "We have gone ahead in recent games but never killed the games off and
have ended up conceding cheaply towards the end of the game. Of course that
is a real kick in the teeth." In two of the last three fixtures, the Hammers
have conceded in the final minutes of games to drop valuable points. A
Leicester winner and a Stoke equaliser have stopped Sam Allardyce's men
guarantee their top 10 finish, and just two wins in 2015 look to have forced
the club into the lower half of the table. It does not look as if their form
is set to improve any time soon, and after starting the season in such an
impressive manner - attacking play was rife with goals and a good defensive
record - the East London club have lost all the ability that took them into
the top four.
It is incredible to think such a change could occur, and it is hard to see
why it would, and such excuses as injury, fatigue and a lack of squad depth
have all been aimed at the team. Allardyce should take some of the blame,
although a lot is directed at him needlessly, but his building of the squad
does deserve some criticism. Regardless, Jenkinson has highlighted a key
flaw that West Ham have been culpable of continuing to purvey, and it is
something that they really need to stop as we head into the final weeks of
the season.
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Is Carlos Tevez's West Ham return back on after recent comments on his
future?
HITC
Billy Hawkins
Carlos Tevez has opened the door on his future once again, leaving a return
to the Hammers a possibility. As reported by the Daily Mail, Tevez revealed
that he is yet to decide on his future, and will wait until the end of the
season, going against claims that he is set to return to Argentina this
summer. "I don't know if I will leave," the forward said. "I've not yet
decided what to do. But it's not right to speak about it now and, as I said,
the Bianconeri fans will be the first to know what I decide." The Argentine
forward has one year left on his contract at the end of this campaign, and
he has been linked with a return to Boca Juniors, whom he played for in his
homeland at the beginning of his career.
These links are reported in the same Mail story, but the claims that he is
yet to decide on his future once again open the door to a possible return to
West Ham, where Tevez, 31, is universally beloved. Despite spending just one
season at the Boleyn Ground, Tevez's seven goals in 29 games were vital as
the Hammers secured Premier League survival, and he has been linked with a
transfer back to East London earlier this year.
According to talkSPORT, club co-owner David Gold admitted that he was
preparing offers for 'world-class' players, with Tevez at the top of that
shortlist. There have been no visible moves for the forward, although that
may have been due to the reported agreement with Boca, and this latest
admission from him may increase the Hammers interest in signing him.
At 31, Tevez still has a few years of top level football in him, and he has
arguably improved since his time at the Boleyn Ground. Signing him would be
both a clever and romanticised transfer for West Ham, and there is no
doubting that he would seriously consider a return to the Hammers. It is up
to West Ham to make a move for Tevez, and they really should consider it
with his future once again up in the air.
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WHUFC.com
Sean Maguire scored twice for Accrington Stanley in a man-of-the-match
performance against Stevenage. Accrington were a man down inside the first
minute when Nicky Hunt was sent off, yet it did not deter Maguire as the
Irish forward opened the scoring after 15 minutes.
Stevenage drew level four minutes later through Simon Walton's penalty, yet
Maguire was on hand to restore the host's lead with a powerful shot. His
brace appeared to have secured the three points right until Chris
Beardsley's hooked shot in the 89th minute secured a point.
Modibo Maiga scored in FC Metz' 3-1 win over fellow Ligue Un strugglers
Lens. Florent Malouda opened the scoring after 13 minutes before Bouna
Sarr's penalty extended their lead. Maiga scored with ten minutes to go to
seal the victory before Aristote Madiani scored a consolation goal late on.
Jaanai Gordon scored a spectacular 25-yard goal to open his account for
Nuneaton Town against Woking. His impressive strike put the hosts ahead
before Kevin Betsy's 53rd minute goal levelled the match.
Elliot Lee played 87 minutes of Luton Town's 3-0 win over Hartlepool United
to keep their Play-Off hopes alive. Cameron McGeehan headed the hatters into
the lead after just five minutes on the clock before Jake howells' penalty
doubled their advantage.
Into the second half, Scott Griffiths scored to seal the comfortable
victory.
Tim Brown played the full game as Canvey Island secured a 1-1 draw away with
Leiston. Tom Winter gave the hosts a half time before Jack Simmons scored
against his former club to secure his side a point.
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Ladies lose 2-1 to Lewes
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Lewes
Ladies at Rush Green on Sunday 19 April. After going into the weekend's
game off the back of picking up seven points from three games in a grueling
week, the Hammers looked likely to extend their unbeaten run to four games
when Emma Sherwood fired in an excellent half volley from 30 yards. However,
in the second half, goals from Clare Trafford and Cherelle Khassal secured
the three points, turning the game on it's head. Ladies manager Julian Dicks
was forced into a couple of changes ahead of the visit of Lewes to Rush
Green. Left back Katie Bottom failed a pre-match fitness test and was
replaced by Vicky King, while April Bowers continued illness saw her miss
out with Jade Smith stepping into the starting eleven.
During the opening 20 minutes, the Hammers looked unccharacteristically
sluggish as they gifted possession to Lewes on several occasions, although
the visitors failed to punish the Hammers. Against the run of play, West Ham
pushed themselves ahead when Sherwood unleashed a long range strike that
caught Lewes' keeper Allison Cowling out and ended up in the back of the
net. The goal gave the hosts confidence and they ended the half strongly,
looking more confident in possession as they fought off any response by
Lewes.
However, it didn't take long into the second half for the equaliser to come
as the hosts failed to clear their lines and Trafford was well placed in the
penalty area to divert a long range strike into the corner of the net. That
goal rattled Dicks' side and Lewes were unlucky not to go further ahead when
the referee waved away appeals for a penalty when Danica Revell tripped up a
visiting striker in the penalty area. With 72 minutes on the clock, captain
Stacey Little made an uncharacteristic mistake at the back, allowing
talented forward Khassal to burst through and finish low past Hammers keeper
Nikki Duncan. The hosts rallied and almost got back into the game, but
neither Vicky Kinsman nor Adele Sale could convert their chances. West Ham
now head into their final two FA Women's Premier League South matches this
season with 34 points from 20 games this season.
They host Brighton & Hove Albion at Rush Green in their next fixture on
Sunday 26 April at 2pm, before ending their season away to Portsmouth a
fortnight later. Between their final two league fixtures, they also have a
London FA Capital Women's Cup Final against Charlton Athletic at Harrow
Borough FC on Wednesday 6 May. Kick-off in the final is at 7:30pm.
Ladies: Duncan, King, Revell, Little (c), Stimson (Xidhas), Smith, Clifton
(Sale), Sherwood, Mellors, Kinsman, Blanchflower.
Subs not used: Bottom.
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Phillips praises Kanu's impact
WHUFC.com
U18 coach Mark Phillips was impressed with the quality on show as the
Hammers defeated Liverpool 3-2 at Little Heath. Liverpool forward Toni Gomes
put the visitors ahead, before Matt Carter's bending corner was de-flected
in to level the scores. The visitors retook the lead when Herbie Kane
smashed in from over 20 yards before 15-year-old Idris Kanu came off the
bench to score two goals in the final seven minutes. Speaking after the
game, Phillips described how impressed he was with his sides' performance.
"It was a really good quality match against a team full of young players
like ourselves. All things considered, both teams put in a really good
performance," said Phillips. "Liverpool started much better than us. They
looked sharper all over the pitch but after that first 15 minutes, we
started to look like the stronger team. "Going into the second half, they
deserved to lead because we gave away a sloppy goal but we got ourselves
back into the game quickly. "Once Liverpool got their second goal, we
really needed to work harder and show our character to get ourselves back
into the game. "I'm delighted with the outcome because Liverpool Football
Club will always have a wealth of talent. They had one lad playing called
Ovie Ejaria that I coached as an U9 at Arsenal so I knew that they were
going to be a tough team. "That said, we showed great character and
determination from our lads because they never gave up despite going behind
twice and we are all happy to have taken the three points."
When looking back at the goals that his side scored on Saturday, Phillips
was delighted with Carter's role in the Hammers' first goal, but reserved a
special mention for Kanu after the match. "I don't want to steal Matty
Carter's thunder but I looked at the video after the game and it worked out
that his corner looped over to the back post, hit the back of a defender on
the line and went in. Fair play to him though as it was a fantastic corner
putting it in a really dangerous position. "With Idris' goals, you have to
remember that he's an U15, playing up several levels. He scored a goal
earlier in the day to defeat Liverpool on the other pitch and because we
were low on numbers with the U21's playing on Friday night, we thought we'd
give him another chance to impress from the bench. "The first goal that
Idris scored came against the run of play. He came on and played without
fear like he usually does and once he had the first, his confidence was
there to grab a second."
Speaking after scoring his first brace for the U18s, the goal-scoring hero
Kanu said he was delight-ed with grabbing the important goals in both the
U15's and U18's games against Liverpool. "After playing a full 90 minutes
for the U15's and getting a goal, I enjoyed being picked to come on for the
U18's to make the difference," said Kanu. "I'm quite young compared to some
of the other lads in the U18's so whenever I get selected, all I want to do
is to try and make an impact. I think I definitely achieved that and it's
always nice to end a match with a couple of goals to your name. "My aim now
is to continue to play football at U18 level and to keep adapting and
learning to make myself a better player. That will put me in a position next
season to be a regular at a higher age group and look towards playing in the
U21 football soon too."
The Hammers next Barclays U18 Premier League Tier Two Play-Off match is a
long trip north when they face Sunderland away on Saturday 2 May, which
Phillips admitted is area of the country that the Academy rarely take any
points from. Phillips continued: "We've never gone to the North East and
come away with a result, whether that's against Newcastle, Sunderland or
Middlesbrough." "We have a week off now to prepare ourselves for the long
trip and hopefully we can head into the game with that stat in mind as it
sets us a target of coming away with at least a draw."
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Man City 2-0 West Ham: What has gone wrong with the Hammers?
BBC.co.uk
MOTD2 pundit Jason Roberts explains why West Ham's performance in their 2-0
defeat by Manchester City was evidence of the issues facing Hammers boss Sam
Allardyce, whose team were fourth at Christmas but have won only two out of
16 Premier League games since then.
Sam Allardyce's position as West Ham manager has been in doubt for a while
now, and I think we saw on Sunday how the growing uncertainty over his
future is affecting his team. When you are a player, you look to your
manager for leadership, especially when you are playing a brand of football
like Allardyce's, which demands discipline and commitment to the cause. I
know from playing under him at Blackburn that those are the key factors in a
successful 'Big Sam' side, and I did not see any of them in the Hammers'
display in their defeat at Manchester City on Sunday. nstead, I saw a team
who did not look like they were buying into the philosophy of hard work and
organisation that I know Allardyce usually installs in his players.
West Ham did not even do the basics' I was at Upton Park in October when
West Ham beat City 2-1, and it was a fantastic performance.
At that stage of the season, they were producing a brand of football that
even I was surprised about. The hallmarks of an Allardyce team were still
there - they went long when they had to, they were a threat at set-pieces,
they closed people down and they were committed.
But their players also seemed to have far more freedom than usual when they
received the ball. It was refreshing, and great to watch.
Injuries have held West Ham back, but there are bigger issues to blame for
the way their season has gone downhill in the last few months.
Nine of the team who started against City on Sunday also started that game
but they were unrecognisable with their performance at Etihad Stadium. Far
from playing with any freedom, they were not even doing the basics that you
would expect from an Allardyce side. They were not getting the ball forward
in the first place, let alone winning any knockdowns. Time and time again
they were caught in possession in their own half and they were not doing
enough to get it back. That meant City had lots of space when they attacked,
and it turned into a extremely comfortable afternoon for them.
At Blackburn, Allardyce was always very pragmatic - he would always target
certain games for wins, usually at home. He would not have said that City
away was a place where you could go out and go for the three points. His
approach for games like that was to make clear to the players that we
started with a point, and the aim was to work hard to try to leave with one
too. So Sunday's result in itself would not have been an issue for him. It
is the manner of the defeat that will cause him most concern. His side did
not put in any effort.
With performances like that, I can see why West Ham have won just one of
their last 11 games. West Ham could not recover after going behind to James
Collins' own goal at Etihad Stadium They had a similar run last season but
it is not a sequence of results you would associate with Allardyce as a
manager, and I certainly did not experience a run like that under him at
Blackburn. One reason for that was that his man-management skills with
players were very good - when things were going well, he made things easy
for us. When we played badly, then he would make things really bad. I
remember times when we put in performances like that and we were hauled in
at 6am the next day for training.
At the moment, though, it looks like Allardyce is having a problem
motivating his players. For me, that is a by-product of the uncertainty over
his future. It is no secret that his contract is up at the end of the
season, that there is a constant stream of stories about who is going to
replace him, and there has been a lack of support for him from above. That
all helps the players - or at least some of them - to not give the
commitment he needs for his teams to be successful.
'The players don't need to impress Allardyce'
It is not just the players. For most people watching the situation, myself
included, it looks as if Allardyce will not be in charge next season. But
the way the situation has been handled has been messy and I think it has
undermined West Ham's season. When a team of players know the manager might
not be in charge for the longer term, then it is harder to motivate the
group. They don't need to impress you.
When he was Tottenham manager, Tim Sherwood came out with that quote about
being a supply teacher, and he is exactly right. Ask Newcastle boss John
Carver too. That is the problem Allardyce has to deal with at the moment -
it will be very difficult for him to turn things round before the end of the
season, unless he gets a new contract. If that happens, the players will
recognise they are playing for their futures under this manager. At the
moment, though, it is easy for them to think that if a new man does come in,
it offers them a clean slate.
'Hammers fans should be careful what they wish for'
The way West Ham's season has gone has hardly helped Allardyce either, but I
don't think that is all his fault. The Hammers were fourth at Christmas, but
if the Premier League had started on Boxing Day they would be 15th, three
points off the bottom. They still have a chance of a top-10 finish which,
for West Ham, would be an excellent achievement but on the back of their
current form it feels like they have had a bad season when they really
haven't. I know Allardyce has always had a frosty relationship with the
Hammers fans, but I would give a message of caution to the supporters
putting pressure on him now. They have the right to do that of course, but
they should be careful what they wish for because they will have to live
with the consequences. West Ham are a big club who are about to move to the
Olympic Stadium, and I am sure there will be a lot of people interested in
the job if Allardyce does leave. But they have to make sure they get the
right man to ensure the club continues in the right direction. Under Sam,
regardless of whether you like his brand of football, the club did that. I
would stick with him. Jason Roberts was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
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Silva to live despite Kouyate 'assault'
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 20th April 2015
By: Staff Writer
Manchester City's David Silva has not suffered any lasting damage from the
collision with Cheik Kouyate during yesterday's Premier League at the
Etihad. The Spanish international received oxygen and was taken off the
field on stretcher after the two players collided during City's comfortable
2-0 win. However it was confirmed this morning that he had not broken a
cheekbone, as initially feared. Yesterday a panel of Sky pundits decided
unanimously that West Ham's Senegal international had deliberately planted
an elbow in the face of City's Spanish midfielder as the two crossed paths.
Niall Quinn - no stranger to an elbow or two himself during his playing days
- was one of the first to condemn Kouyate for what he perceived as a
deliberate foul. "Having seen the replay I must say that it was a nasty
challenge," he said. "Obviously we have the benefit of sharper replays and
you see he comes down on to his face with the power of his elbow. That's not
good. I'm not going to stand here and defend that as a mistake, as an
accident. "The important thing is David Silva, because it didn't look good
for him at all. Our thoughts are with him and we don't know exactly how he
is yet."
Former England manager Glenn Hoddle also weighed into Kouyate, stating:
"Very dangerous. There's intent, I agree. He's actually come down – he knows
he's taller. When you hold a player off it's normally with a straight arm
but he's gone with a bent arm and he's come down to make contact."
However the verdict reached by Quinn, Hoddle and one or two others was
dismissed by a number of Hammers fans commenting on the KUMB Forum this
morning. "He doesn't swing his arm back, he just caught him on the
downswing," wrote smuts. "I didn't even think it was a booking. The City
players didn't make much of it either."
Comments echoed by fellow KUMB member somerset-hammer, who added: "Have i
got my claret and blue specs on? Having seen the 'elbow' a dozen times I'm
convinced he [Kouyate] didn't mean it. "Yet Sky are running their mouths
off, highlighting the situation which could lead to Kouyate being punished -
and talking like Silva is on his death bed! "It wasn't that bad, surely?"
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Pellegrini happy with yellow card
KUMb.com
Filed: Monday, 20th April 2015
By: Staff Writer
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini had dismissed claims for
retrospective action against West Ham United's Cheik Kouyate. The Senegal
midfielder has been accused of dangerous play by Sky Sports pundits Niall
Quinn and Glenn Hoddle after accidentally catching David Silva with his
forearm as the two collided during Sunday's match at the Etihad.
However Pellegrini, who was relieved to hear the news that Silva has since
been discharged from hospital with no lasting damage, believes that referee
Anthony Taylor made the correct decision by only issuing Kouyate with a
yellow card. "The referee was very near the players," Pellegrini told the
BBC. "He decided what happened was worth as yellow card. "I hope it was an
accidental and I'm not supposing that it was intentional. I don't think any
player wants to damage another player. The referee was there, he said it was
a yellow card and nothing more happened."
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Managerial uncertainly costing Hammers points, says Roberts
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 20th April 2015
By: Staff Writer
BBC pundit and former Blackburn striker Jason Roberts believes West Ham's
recent results have suffered as a result of the uncertainly regarding Sam
Allardyce's future. Roberts, who worked under Big Sam at Ewood Park during
the manager's two-year tenure at the Lancashire club claimed that
Allardyce's squad are currently exhibiting a lack of "discipline and
commitment to the cause", as the season reaches its end. "When you are a
player you look to your manager for leadership, especially when you are
playing a brand of football like Allardyce's," said Roberts. "I know from
playing under him at Blackburn that those are the key factors in a
successful 'Big Sam' side, and I did not see any of them in the Hammers'
display in their defeat at Manchester City on Sunday. "Instead, I saw a team
who did not look like they were buying into the philosophy of hard work and
organisation that I know Allardyce usually installs in his players. "Far
from playing with any freedom, they were not even doing the basics that you
would expect from an Allardyce side. They were not getting the ball forward
in the first place, let alone winning any knockdowns. "Time and time again
they were caught in possession in their own half and they were not doing
enough to get it back. That meant City had lots of space when they attacked,
and it turned into a extremely comfortable afternoon for them."
Roberts, who announced his retirement last year following a string of
injuries also believes Allardyce is also finding motivation an issue -
something he also blames on the current uncertainly regarding the manager's
position. "It is no secret that his contract is up at the end of the season,
that there is a constant stream of stories about who is going to replace
him, and there has been a lack of support for him from above. "That all
helps the players - or at least some of them - to not give the commitment he
needs for his teams to be successful. When a team of players know the
manager might not be in charge for the longer term, then it is harder to
motivate the group. They don't need to impress you. "It is not just the
players. For most people watching the situation, myself included, it looks
as if Allardyce will not be in charge next season. But the way the situation
has been handled has been messy and I think it has undermined West Ham's
season."
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The return of Roeder
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 20th April 2015
By: Staff Writer
Former Hammers boss Glenn Roeder has returned to football as part of a
unique three-man managerial panel at Sheffield Wednesday. The Championship
club confirmed this morning that Roeder, who managed West Ham between 2001
and 2003 had been appointed alongside Adam Pearson to "form two parts of
what is effectively a three-man sporting director by committee alongside
head coach Stuart Gray." Pearson, the former owner of Hull City will report
to the Wednesday board "on business-related strategies across all areas of
Hillsborough" according to the Yorkshire-based club. Meanwhile Roeder, 59,
has been appointed to "focus specifically on the football side of the
operation, drawing on an impressive pedigree initially as a player with the
likes of QPR, Newcastle United and Watford".
Wednesday chairman Dejphon Chansiri said: "Adam and Glenn are seasoned
football professionals and I am delighted they are joining us on this
exciting journey, which we all intend will lead to the Premier League. "To
achieve that ambition, it is imperative for the prosperity of our club that
anyone I introduce is of absolutely the right football calibre and both Adam
and Glenn meet this requirement.
"They will work alongside our head coach Stuart Gray having been carefully
selected to focus on a clearly defined scope of responsibility deemed vital
to the club's interests and future successes, on and off the pitch. "
Roeder, a surprise choice to replace the ourgoing Harry Redknapp in the
summer of 2001 led West Ham to one of their highest-ever top flight league
finishes the following season (2001/02). However the wheels soon fell off
and Roeder saw his side relegated the following season with a league-record
42 points from his sickbed, a matter of weeks after he almost lost his life
when collapsing at work due to a brain tumour.
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Carl Jenkinson insists West Ham will not rest on their laurels
Last Updated: 20/04/15 3:42pm
SSN
West Ham defender Carl Jenkinson insists the Hammers are determined not to
let their season fizzle out. Sam Allardyce's side have slipped down the
Premier League table to 10th place after a run of just one win in 11 games.
Their latest disappointing result came at Manchester City on Sunday as they
lost 2-0 and they are now completely out of contention for a European berth,
while relegation is not an issue.
Despite the Etihad reverse, Jenkinson said: "People in our dressing room are
fired up. If you came in the changing room after the game you'd see that.
"People aren't resting on their laurels, people aren't happy finishing
mid-table. We want to kick on. We have got something to prove now because we
have been on a bad run of games and we want to put that right. We owe that
to ourselves and the fans."
Jenkinson felt West Ham paid the price for their mistakes against City and
does not believe the team are much doing much differently from the early
part of the season. He said: "I wouldn't want to blame it on luck but a few
things haven't gone our way lately and we have conceded some late goals. "I
think this was a different story - we made a couple of mistakes and got
punished. "Of course we have got to work on our performances but if you look
at the last 10 games, our performances haven't been bad at all. "We have had
some really good performances but teams have scored late goals against us
and we have ended up getting a point instead of three. It has been a bit
frustrating. "I just think early on in the season we were finishing
everything. Everything we got was going in the back of net and at important
times of the game. "We have gone ahead in recent games but never killed the
games off and have ended up conceding cheaply towards the end of the game.
Of course that is a real kick in the teeth. "It is not nice blaming things
on luck - you make your own luck - but that has been the story of our last
couple of months."
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WEST HAM UNITED?
By Iain Dale 20 Apr 2015 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by Anonymous
With West Ham right now, one thing is apparent – while the sword of Damocles
looms ominously above our manager – there can be no peace, no brotherhood
and sisterhood among us, the fans. Everywhere you turn, people are unhappy.
Some object to the manager continuing to lead our team in to the final year
at the Boleyn. Others are simply tired of hearing the matter being brought
up once more and are more than happy to berate those who have had enough of
Big Sam.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of a managerial change, to me this discontent
points to a deeper truth that we have yet to face – we are not really West
Ham United right now. Shame on us. Maybe it's the rose tinted specs that
have come back out again, but I remember times when being West Ham felt like
family. Of course it still is in lots of ways, but now it's feels like a
family with fairly major schism. The elephant in the room, if you like,
which now both sides are increasingly reluctant to bring up, is of course
the managerial situation. It is a situation that needs resolving, urgently.
It is important that the club appreciate the true nature of the schism at
the heart of our club – not, as you might suspect, the issue of does
Allardyce stay or go, but, more importantly, why has the fan base become so
divided?
In my view, the chairmen first need to acknowledge the need to heal the
split that has occurred among us fans. Maybe we need to ask ourselves once
more what it means to support our great club?
What exactly are we signed up to when we are, for the most part, born into
this great tradition? A lifetime of nearlys, what-ifs and maybes?
Promotions, relegations, and dead season ends? A team that tries hard but
produces little of real, lasting substance? Are we really content with the
short-termism that has prevailed at first team level for so long? Are we
really so scared of losing premiership status that we can't try to implement
a policy of expansive football in the tradition of our great club?
Whether we accept these as the trials and tribulations of a West Ham fan or
not, what I cannot accept is the deep division among us fans. We simply have
to find a way to heal these wounds and reunite.
Our fabled tradition – the West Ham Way – whether historical reality or not,
could and, in the view of many, perhaps should become a firm philosophical
identity enshrined within our club. I personally can clearly see the value
of such a unifying philosophy – something that connects us fans to the
passion for good football. Maybe I'm wrong, but I feel that a clear
commitment to such a style of football would be very well received by the
majority of fans. It may not get a 100% approval rating, but it would
definitely be an improvement on the internal wrangling and divisive
discussions that our present footballing philosophy has brought.
Another value that many would like to see enshrined within our great club is
a firm commitment to youth development and progression. A coherent
commitment to a certain attractive way of playing, from the earliest levels
within our club to the first team would certainly help prepare youth squad
players for life a the pinnacle of our great club.
Certainly having youth players used to playing the same style of football as
the first team would help the manager – whoever it is – not to undermine our
whole youth system.
Ultimately, whether our chairmen decide to stick or twist is not the issue
here, it seems to me that, if we choose to take it, there is an opportunity
here to unite the fans behind a way of playing that goes beyond the ongoing
discussion over the manager's future. If the manager can be told in what
seem like extremely loose terms to 'play more attractive football', why can
this not be expressed more clearly as a detailed commitment to a style of
football that many feel is appropriate for our great club? The time has come
for us to start being West Ham United once more, and I for one would welcome
any actions that can help us achieve this.
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LEROY tells Daves: Release Sam NOW!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 20, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
It's time for a change of manager and I don't mean at the end of the season
– I mean NOW! Yesterday's performance at Manchester showed me that Sam
Allardyce looks to have reached the point of no return and as a result the
two Davids should thank him for his service and part company. The season is
limping towards the most depressing climax possible and all of Sam's body
language looked like that of a man who may be going through the motions.
Such has been the discussion about his future it can hard;ly be any wonder
if he feels that way as the message is now firmly out there that it's all
over. Given the results since Christmas is that any wonder? I'm sure his
situation is getting to the players and what we need now is a caretaker boss
with the players wondering whether there's a possible future boss watching
from the stands. That will immediately wind them up to better performances
and if it doesn't then we don't want them at the club anyway. At the moment
things are hopeless. The manager looking as if he's off, the team not
looking like a team and the best fans on the planet being sold short.
Yesterday's performance at Manchester City was very poor. Here they were
playing a team short on confidence and form yet they were simply brushed
aside. I'm sure they were interested but quite honestly it didn't look like
it for long periods! Something NOW has to change.
As the chief pundit/analyst of this site there's something else I want to
say. The result of our poll today shows that 87 per cent want a change of
manager. There's many who have tried to dub ClaretandHugh an anti-Sam site.
Having known the site owner a lot of years I'd put it another way – it's an
honest site which is why I came to work for it. I'm certainly not anti-Sam.
I think he is a very good manager who will have no trouble finding another
club but I don't think he's the right man to take us to the next level. He's
done a very good job but doesn't look like the guy to take us to the Olympic
Stadium and beyond, so rather than let things limp on, lets put everyone –
including Sam -out of their misery and call it a day. Tomorrow I will let
you know who I think should take over!
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POLL: 87pc want new West Ham boss
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 20, 2015 in Whispers
Clart & Hugh
Nearly 87 per cent of West Ham fans voting in a poll of managerial
candidates want a change from Sam Allardyce! ClaretandHugh this morning sent
the results of the poll to David Sullivan and David Gold as they muse the 60
year old's end of season position. The poll was our biggest ever attracting
a total of 2464 votes and was launched just before Jurgen Klopp's
availability became known. The response to a ClaretandHugh story making it
clear the Hammers had been in touch with the German produced some of the
biggest "traffic" of the year suggesting he would have top of the poll. But
of those named the result was as follows (in terms of vote percentages):
1/Rafa Benitez 24.23 per cent
Bielsa (1)2/ Slaven Bilic 21.1 per cent
3/Marcelo Bielsa 19.68 per cent
4/ Sam Allardyce 13.35 per cent
5/David Moyes 9.74 per cent
6/ Eddie Howe 7.83 per cent
7/ Roberto Di Matteo 4.06
The result was very much in line with a poll which closed last Friday night
over at www.westhamworld.co.uk where the present manager was relegated to
righth place in a list of managerial candidate,
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Allardyce: Double bid over City a hindrance
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 20, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Sam Allardyce has claimed the challenge to do the double over Manchester
City may have proved a hindrance to the West Ham side which was well beaten
at the Etihad yesterday. Under-pressure Allardyce reckons their early season
win over City is a level they cannot reach at the moment. He said: "We beat
Man City at home this year so to have to beat them twice in one season was a
major factor when you're dealing with our budget compared to theirs. "We're
going to take a lot of credit from the players that beat Man City in
October. "It was a big task. We haven't managed to get anything out of it.
We've got a few games to go where if we play our best they're winnable. "We
can't afford to make mistakes like we did with the goals, and we can't
afford to miss the chances we did in the second half."
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New denials over £20m Chelsea Cresswell link
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on April 20, 2015 in Whispers
Claret 7 Hugh
In the absence of any real stories several newspapers are reporting that
West Ham will allow Aaron Cresswell to join Chelsea this summer.
The only difference to previous reportage is that they have put a price of
£20 million on the left back and likely Hammer of the Year.
The story has now been repeated ad nauseum – apart from the price tag –
which is presumably thrown in to freshen it up a little.
However, we have again been told the club has received no bid and won't
welcome one as it would send out all the wrong signals to any bosses the
club may be currently watching. We were told: "Things are in a state of flux
here but to be selling our best players isn't the way to wood top people to
the club. "We are preparing a new deal for Aaron which will be put to him
round about Christmas. The rest is all about agents chattering to each
other"
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Will Bielsa's failure at Marseille deter West Ham United this summer?
HITC
Andrew Gibney
Marcelo Bielsa has failed to sustain Marseille's challenge in Ligue 1 this
season. In a recent poll that was run on HITC, West Ham United fans voted
Marcelo Bielsa as the second-most popular man in the frame to replace Sam
Allardyce this summer. The current Olympique de Marseille boss finished just
1% behind former Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez and has been linked with the
Hammers by the Daily Mirror – but is he really the ideal man to join the
Hammers this summer?
Bielsa moved to Marseille in a blaze of glory, but quickly the shine was
taken off the move when he fell out with President Vincent Labrune over
transfer targets. Brazilian defender Doria – the captain of the under-21
national team – was signed on deadline day, but as he was not on the
approved Bielsa-list, he never featured for the first-team and is currently
back in Brazil on loan.
This battle of wills was indicative of Bielsa forcing his style onto
Marseille and showing Labrune who was in charge.
All was forgiven when the results were backed up on the pitch. Marseille
lead the early charge, going top of the Ligue 1 table after 10 games. After
failing to win their opening two games, they would pick up 24 points from
eight games and held a seven point gap over Paris Saint-Germain.
Striker André-Pierre Gignac was enjoying his best ever start to a season and
everything looked wonderful on the Riviera.
Then someone hit the brakes. 10 games later Marseille's lead at the top had
gone, Lyon sat in first place, OM had failed to win five of those games and
everything had been thrown into doubt.
From the end of October when Gignac's injury time goal beat Caen 2-1,
Marseille failed to win away from home until the 6th of March. The eight
game run without a win also saw them eliminated from the Coupe de France and
Coupe de la Ligue.
For Bielsa it was the same old problems. His style of play is just not
sustainable for a whole season. Once he settles on an XI, he runs them into
the ground. When his system works, it is beautiful to watch, but it becomes
very predictable and when he players start to tire, teams are able to
counter-act against it.
Marseille have only won four games since the turn of the year, none of them
against teams in the top half. There current run of three defeats in a row
has seen them slip down to fourth place. Champions League football looked a
certainty early in the season, but now it is merely a dream.
If Bielsa were to arrive at Upton Park, the fans would welcome him with open
arms, but there is nothing to suggest he has taken anything from his
failures. His teams succumb to the same downfall every time and West Ham
would start like a house on fire, but then ultimately end up in a pile of
ashes.
In the cut and thrust world of the Premier League, you may not be able to
get away with such a poor second half of the season, and it could do more
harm in good.
In theory, Bielsa is a great name and a great coach, in reality, his style
and theories are not sustainable. If Big Sam does move on, this is one
option the Hammers should steer clear of.
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Why Cresswell should ignore Chelsea links and stick with West Ham
HITC
Lewis Doe
West Ham United defender Aaron Cresswell would be better served sticking
with the Hammers. The Daily Mirror has reported that a £20 million fee will
apparently be good enough to poach Aaron Cresswell away from Upton Park and
into the clutches of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea. Creswell has been superb in
his first season with the Hammers and with Filipe Luis tipped to head back
to Atletico Madrid after a frustrating season, by the same paper, Creswell
is reportedly the man who has been identified to replace him. It seems like
a no-brainer in the respect that Chelsea are playing in Europe, Jose
Mourinho is a more sophisticated manager than Sam Allardyce and he could
earn more money as a result. However, it's not the best move for him for a
number of reasons, starting with the argument that he's likely to play much
more if he stays part of the squad at Upton Park. Although Cesar Azpilicueta
is a right-back, his performances at left-back, Cresswell's position, have
been so good that it's made it virtually impossible for Luis to have any
impact at Stamford Bridge. Luis is a defender that Chelsea paid £16 million
for, according to the Daily Mail, after he'd won a La Liga title with
Atletico Madrid, narrowly missing out on Champions League success. It
demonstrates the high standards and the quality Creswell would experience
and at 25-years-old, he's at a stage of his career where he needs to be
playing week in and week out. Chelsea are a team who have thrown cash at
transfers in the past, only for players to come into the squad and not
really play any significant role in the first team. If he stays at West Ham
then he has the chance to be part of something special with the move to the
Olympic Stadium for the 2016/2017 season and the possibility of a new
manager for next season, both things which could help advance his game. He's
just got to show that little bit of loyalty which can go a long way.
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Jason Roberts compares Allardyce to Sherwood, condemns 'messy situation' at
West Ham
HITC
Olly Dawes
Jason Roberts believes that West Ham's players have virtually given up.
Pundit Jason Roberts has told the BBC that West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is
in a similar situation to Tim Sherwood at Tottenham last season and
Newcastle's John Carver this term. Allardyce is currently under increasing
pressure as West Ham boss having led the team to just two wins in 2015,
which is a big difference from the impressive early season form, which had
seen the Hammers challenging for a place in European football. Sunday's 2-0
defeat against Manchester City was another blow for Allardyce, and with his
contract set to expire this summer, the expectation is that 'Big Sam' will
depart from the Upton Park dugout at the end of the season. The London
Evening Standard recently reported that the Hammers were considering moves
to appoint one of Slaven Bilic, Rafael Benitez and David Moyes with the West
Ham hierarchy clearly looking to make an ambitious appointment ahead of the
club's move to the Olympic Stadium in 2016.
Allardyce still has some weeks to go until a decision is made over his
contract, but it seems that the West Ham players have downed tools for the
season until they know who the manager next season is. That's an idea that
former Blackburn striker Jason Roberts agrees with, as the pundit told BBC -
and whilst he is bound to defend Allardyce given that he played under him at
Blackburn, he compared the situation to Tim Sherwood and John Carver's
interim spells as Tottenham and Newcastle manager.
"It is not just the players. For most people watching the situation, myself
included, it looks as if Allardyce will not be in charge next season," said
Roberts. "But the way the situation has been handled has been messy and I
think it has undermined West Ham's season.
"When a team of players know the manager might not be in charge for the
longer term, then it is harder to motivate the group. They don't need to
impress you. When he was Tottenham manager, Tim Sherwood came out with that
quote about being a supply teacher, and he is exactly right. Ask Newcastle
boss John Carver too. That is the problem Allardyce has to deal with at the
moment," he added.
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Carl Jenkinson explains what West Ham have failed to do recently
HITC
Billy Hawkins
West Ham have conceded a number of late goals recently. The Hammers have
been struggling in 2015, and Carl Jenkinson has told Sky Sports why their
failure to kill off games is costing the team. The on-loan Arsenal full-back
said: "I just think early on in the season we were finishing everything.
Everything we got was going in the back of net and at important times of the
game. "We have gone ahead in recent games but never killed the games off and
have ended up conceding cheaply towards the end of the game. Of course that
is a real kick in the teeth." In two of the last three fixtures, the Hammers
have conceded in the final minutes of games to drop valuable points. A
Leicester winner and a Stoke equaliser have stopped Sam Allardyce's men
guarantee their top 10 finish, and just two wins in 2015 look to have forced
the club into the lower half of the table. It does not look as if their form
is set to improve any time soon, and after starting the season in such an
impressive manner - attacking play was rife with goals and a good defensive
record - the East London club have lost all the ability that took them into
the top four.
It is incredible to think such a change could occur, and it is hard to see
why it would, and such excuses as injury, fatigue and a lack of squad depth
have all been aimed at the team. Allardyce should take some of the blame,
although a lot is directed at him needlessly, but his building of the squad
does deserve some criticism. Regardless, Jenkinson has highlighted a key
flaw that West Ham have been culpable of continuing to purvey, and it is
something that they really need to stop as we head into the final weeks of
the season.
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Is Carlos Tevez's West Ham return back on after recent comments on his
future?
HITC
Billy Hawkins
Carlos Tevez has opened the door on his future once again, leaving a return
to the Hammers a possibility. As reported by the Daily Mail, Tevez revealed
that he is yet to decide on his future, and will wait until the end of the
season, going against claims that he is set to return to Argentina this
summer. "I don't know if I will leave," the forward said. "I've not yet
decided what to do. But it's not right to speak about it now and, as I said,
the Bianconeri fans will be the first to know what I decide." The Argentine
forward has one year left on his contract at the end of this campaign, and
he has been linked with a return to Boca Juniors, whom he played for in his
homeland at the beginning of his career.
These links are reported in the same Mail story, but the claims that he is
yet to decide on his future once again open the door to a possible return to
West Ham, where Tevez, 31, is universally beloved. Despite spending just one
season at the Boleyn Ground, Tevez's seven goals in 29 games were vital as
the Hammers secured Premier League survival, and he has been linked with a
transfer back to East London earlier this year.
According to talkSPORT, club co-owner David Gold admitted that he was
preparing offers for 'world-class' players, with Tevez at the top of that
shortlist. There have been no visible moves for the forward, although that
may have been due to the reported agreement with Boca, and this latest
admission from him may increase the Hammers interest in signing him.
At 31, Tevez still has a few years of top level football in him, and he has
arguably improved since his time at the Boleyn Ground. Signing him would be
both a clever and romanticised transfer for West Ham, and there is no
doubting that he would seriously consider a return to the Hammers. It is up
to West Ham to make a move for Tevez, and they really should consider it
with his future once again up in the air.
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