Daily WHUFC News - 16th June 2015

Kouyate helps Senegal to victory
WHUFC.com

Cheikhou Kouyate ended his 2014/15 season by helping Senegal get their 2017 Orange Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign off to a winning start on Saturday. The Lions of Teranga made no mistake in their home clash with Burundi, running out 3-1 winners to set the early pace in Group K. Burundi made their hosts work for the points in Dakar, however, as a goal from Fiston Abdul Rasak cancelled out Moussa Konate's early opener. Senegal would not be denied, and a 63rd minute strike from Stoke City striker Mame Biram Diouf was followed up by a late goal from Southampton's Saido Mane to seal the points. Kouyate started in Senegal's success and was pleased to come through the test. He said: "Burundi were a disciplined team and even at 3-1, the game was not finished. It's not easy in games like that, but we stayed focused to the end."

Senegal's next qualifier sees them take on Namibia, who lost their opener 1-0 to Niger, in early September.

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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com

I was thrilled to meet up with Slaven Bilic when he came back to the Boleyn Ground on Friday and we then showed him around our magnificent new Stadium. It is a great day for the Club when you are seeing the manager in more familiar surroundings at his football Club and then showing him the new Stadium which he was just spellbound by. I was at the ground six weeks ago but I could not believe the progress that has been made since that time.

Every time you go you cannot help but be excited by the sheer size and it is just magnificent. Slaven was seriously impressed and he has been around and seen some of the best stadiums around Europe. I know Slaven has been talking about his love for the Boleyn Ground as well and he cannot wait to get back managing there. He spoke about the tiny streets as he approaches the stadium and I know that feeling as well, having been brought up in the area. I remember the back streets around the Boleyn Ground and there were times there was hardly any cars on the streets and we would be playing football and cricket in the area.

Now the streets are packed with cars and I have got great memories. I can understand exactly what Slaven is saying. Slaven is special to the fans and he was the fans favourite throughout the managerial process. It is when all those things come together and you could sum it up by saying this is 'West Ham's time.'
The new manager, saying goodbye to the Boleyn Ground which is going to be emotional for everyone and then the new adventure of going into the new Stadium.


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EXCLUSIVE: Bilic Video Part Two
WHUFC.com

Slaven Bilic has pledged to get his West Ham United side playing attractive and entertaining football. The new manager has arrived in east London with a reputation for coaching sides which employ a possession-based brand of football that would no doubt go down a storm with the Claret and Blue Army. With Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold calling for a return to the traditions of the 'West Ham Way', Bilic's preferred style of play he will be music to the ears of the Board and supporters alike. "I like my teams to play total football but nowadays in football you cannot just play one way and a one-sided team," he told West Ham TV. "You have to do both – you have to be a good as a defensive unit and you have to attack with numbers.
"It is easy to talk now, but I'm going to say what I'm going to try to do. The philosophy is that we want to be solid but I want to have the ball and possession. I love the ball and have done with all the teams I have managed so far. "My hometown team Hajduk Split had the aim to win the league every year, the Croatian national team was in the top ten in the FIFA rankings for six years and were expected to win every game, whether it was against Germany, England or Andorra. "Lokomotiv Moscow was also a club that wants to finish in the top five and with Besiktas, the plan before the season is to try to win the league, so I got used to it. "The fans can expect that we will try to be dominant, play with the ball and try to play good football. I'm very optimistic that we're going to be successful in that, but also we have to be very stable. "The defensive and organisation will give you the privilege to play with flair. Everything comes from good organisation."

Mr Sullivan revealed that Bilic had arrived for his interview armed with observations gleaned from watching hour upon hour of West Ham matches from last season. The new manager hugely impressed his new employer with his expert knowledge of each individual and the squad as a whole. "Even before there were any sort of rumours, I followed West Ham because I'm crazy about football and I watch the Premier League like everyone all over the world. Almost every game is on TV, whether you are in Russia or Turkey or anywhere! "Before the end of the season, I was concentrating on Besiktas because it was a very intense season and it is a great club, but after the end of the season and talks started, then I watched a lot of games and was very excited by the quality of the players. "I was excited by how they played in the first half of the season and impresed by some individual players. I've now watched them closer and there are a lot of things we can improve, many things were really good, and with the addition of a few players I am realistically very optimistic. "We have a good team and we have a chance. This is a very difficult league and it all comes down to two or three games and getting that little bit of luck you need and we can do really, really well. "That's why I came. If I was pessimistic, what is the point? I am really optimistic we can do well."

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Hammers appoint Woods as goalkeeping coach
WHUFC.com

West Ham United have appointed former England international Chris Woods as the Club's new goalkeeping coach. The 55-year-old, who won 43 caps for his country between 1985-1993, has extensive experience of coaching in the Barclays Premier League, having worked at Everton and Manchester United over the last two decades. He will become part of new manager Slaven Bilic's backroom team as the Hammers prepare for the 2015/16 campaign. Woods said: "I am thrilled to be joining West Ham United. It is a Club with a great history and tradition. "I've known Slaven from my time at Everton and we go back a long way even though we have gone on our different paths since he left Goodison Park. "It will be great for me to get back working alongside him and I am pleased to be given the opportunity. "Slaven has his own ideas and puts his own stamp on the team that he manages. "It is certainly an exciting time for me to be coming to West Ham and I am looking forward to working with the goalkeepers. "I saw Adrian in action last season and I will be hoping to bring something to his game and the other keepers at the Club. "It is brilliant for the Club to be back in Europe and you want to be playing in the top competitions."

Woods still has fond memories of his playing days and used to relish playing in the East End of London. Woods added: "I used to enjoy playing at the Boleyn Ground – especially in a night game under the lights. "It has been amazing to see the stadium grow as it has done now and the atmosphere is still second to none."

Woods enjoyed a long and successful playing career, forming part of the Nottingham Forest squad which won the European Cup in 1979 before going on to earn four Scottish Premier Division medals with Rangers and play a part in a League Cup triumph at Norwich City. He also turned out for Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday on the way to making over 700 senior appearances, while he also travelled to four major tournaments with England. The Lincolnshire-born stopper then moved into coaching, first taking up a role under Walter Smith at Everton in 1998. He would go on to enjoy a long association with David Moyes, acting as his goalkeeping coach throughout the Scot's tenure at Goodison Park before moving with him to Manchester United in 2013.

Alongside his club work, Woods also served as goalkeeping coach to the United States national team. West Ham United can confirm that four members of the first-team backroom staff have left the Club. West Ham United would like to thank assistant manager Neil McDonald, first-team coach Ian Hendon, goalkeeper coach Bobby Mimms and head of recruitment Martyn Glover for their hard work and commitment during their time at the Club and wish them well for their future careers.

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From the Newsroom - Simon Hart
WHUFC.com

Freelance journalist and Evertonian Simon Hart on why the appointment of Chris Woods as goalkeeping coach is good news for the Hammers…

Chris Woods was part of a very successful backroom staff at Everton, who helped to build very strong foundations at the club. They brought in good players and good characters and there was a real sense of unity, which brought the best out of players. He's seen how players can develop within the right structures and Tim Howard is a case in point. He probably arrived at Everton with his confidence maybe a little damaged by what happened at Manchester United, and developed into one of the Premier League's best goalkeepers with Chris Woods playing an integral part in that. The relationship between him and Tim Howard must have been special, because he then became the USA goalkeeping coach too. Jurgen Klinsmann, who as a German must have worked with some pretty good goalkeepers in his time, must respect what he can bring.

So, not only does Chris bring Premier League experience, but World Cup experience too, from that American team who got to the last 16 in Brazil last summer. Before that, Chris went to Manchester United along with David Moyes, Steve Round, Jimmy Lumsden and Phil Neville. Like many people at the top of their industries, to get into Moyes' circle may not be easy, but Chris obviously became a trusted lieutenant.
Of course, It was Walter Smith who brought him to Everton back in 1998 so he must be very respected if Moyes kept him on. He brought in Alan Irvine from Newcastle, and Mike Rathbone too, but kept Chris Woods, which says something in itself. Slaven Bilic was also a player at Everton, and it's not the first time there's been a connection between the clubs, with the likes of Tony Cottee, Ian Bishop and Mark Ward, so Chris adds to that line!

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Boleyn Insider
WHUFC.com

In our exciting new feature on whufc.com, the Boleyn Insider blog will bring you exclusive insight into the behind-the-scenes goings on at the Boleyn Ground. The Boleyn Insider will try to offer a digest on the latest gossip from around the Club and the major transfer speculation surrounding the first-team. In today's blog, he looks at potential signings that could be made under new manager Slaven Bilic.

We have seen a lot of speculation linking players with the Club over the weekend ranging from Dimitri Payet to Diego Perotti. My understanding is that the Club are looking at a number of targets and are confident they can sign two more players in the next seven days.
The Club have wasted no time bringing in Darren Randolph and Pedro Obiang and I believe there will be more big name arrivals in the near future. The Boleyn Insider told you last week that the Club were close to appointing a goalkeeping coach and I have been proved right after Chris Woods was announced as the first member of Slaven Bilic's backroom staff. With the players set to return to first-team training at the end of the month and all eyes focused on the club playing in the Europa League, I can confirm that the draw for the first qualifying round will take place next Monday. You should stay tuned to whufc.com where you can get all the latest information. I will bring you more news as and when I have it.

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of West Ham United

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EXCLUSIVE: Sullivan on transfers
WHUFC.com

In another exclusive interview on whufc.com, West Ham United Joint-Chairman David Sullivan says the club are doing everything they can to bring in more new signings during the summer. With Slaven Bilic being unveiled as the new manager last week, the Club have been working hard behind the scenes to strengthen the squad and have already announced the signings of Darren Randolph from Birmingham and Pedro Obiang from Sampdoria. With the players set to return for pre-season training at the end of June, Mr Sullivan hopes he will be able to land several more targets before the new season gets underway Sullivan said: "I hope we will have a few more players with one or two very exciting signings. We will be making bids for players and will see what will develop over the coming weeks. "We know we need to strengthen the squad and have competition for places. We are not panicking and know we have plenty of time."

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Last man standing finally falls
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 15th June 2015
By: Staff Writer

Former Head of Recruitment Martyn Glover has left West Ham - the last of Sam Allardyce's men to move on. Glover, who previously spent more than a decade at Blackburn Rovers was appointed as Big Sam's chief scout at West Ham in 2011, shortly after the manager arrived at the club. But he has now followed Ian Hendon (Orient), Teddy Sheringham (Stevenage) and Neil McDonald (Blackpool) out of Upton Park - and straight into a new post with Championship club Leeds United. Speaking about his new role, Glover told the Yorkshire Evening Post: ""Obviously things were coming to an end at West Ham and it was about trying to get something sorted and establish where I might be next.
It came out of the blue (at Leeds) to some extent and it's a nice opportunity and I am delighted. It is nice to get things sanctioned one and for all and I can finally actually start to get on with the job."

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Gold tells fan to "pull yourself together man"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

David Gold is clearly adopting a different approach to life on Twitter after taking his fair share of abuse down the years. The co chairman has firmly taken a follower to task after he declared himself"disappointed by the spin and lies over the move" (to the Olympic Stadium). The fan had opened his tweet by declaring: "Thanks for selling our home without giving the fans a say in the matter." Gold has been attacked at various times over the move from the Boleyn but was in no mood to soft pedal on the matter any further. Instead he said: "Pull your self together man, you are a West Ham supporter, start behaving like one. Be proud and loud. dg."

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TC: "We'll be safe under Slav"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

Tony Cottee -having regularly pleaded the case that Sam Allardyce would have been a safe pair of hands for our last season at the Boleyn – doesn't believe the Hammers are in any danger of the drop under Slaven Bilic. And he admitted: "He would have been my Number One choice given the board had decided to make the change and he will bring real passion, excitement and a great way of playing to the club. Speaking to ClaretandHugh he said: "I know how he feels about this club and I see no dangers at all next season. He finished third in the Turkish League with a team that didn't have a home ground. That's a big achievement "He was handed the third largest transfer budget in the League and finished third – you can't say fairer than that."

Cottee said that when discussing the Sam Allardyce issue separate questions had to be addressed explaining: "From a business point of view he was a safe bet but I understand why the fans were unhappy with the football. "I thought he was the best person to carry on from a business point of view but when the decision was made to bring in Slaven I was more than comfortable with that. He will be fine but we will need some players of quality. That's a certainty. With the right finanical backing he'll find them. "He's a passionate and intelligent guy who won't accept anything less than 100 per cent. We are gonna be fine and more important than anything else, our fans are going to love him. "Even after 18 years he remains a passionate Hammer and that means so much for this fabulous club and the supporters.".

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McAvennie is ClaretandHugh star signing
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

West Ham striking legend Frankie McAvennie is joining ClaretandHugh as a regular columnist. He will join another new face in Irons 'character' JohnMoncur and our regular pundit Leroy Rosenior commenting on all the burning issues affecting the club. We will be adding great new surprise names to our line up as the summer goes by thus bringing our loyal and growing band of followers the very best coverage of the Irons on the net. Frankie Mac's first column of the summer will be published later today when he discusses how he feels about the departure of Sam Allardyce and what we can look forward to under Slaven Bilic. It's a great read ….don't miss it.

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Slav: "My Irons will play with flair."
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2015 in News, Whispers
C ADN H

Boss Slaven Bilic has claimed his Irons will be "successful" in dominating games by playing 'flair' football. With the Hammers on the move to the OS in 2016, he plans to introduce a different brand of football under the new boss than that often endured under previous manager Sam Allardyce. Slav told West Ham TV: "The fans can expect that we will try to be dominant, play with the ball and try to play good football. I'm very optimistic that we're going to be successful in that, but also we have to be very stable. "The defensive and organisation will give you the privilege to play with flair. Everything comes from good organisation."

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No rest for Kouyate
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 15, 2015 in Videos, Whispers
C AND H

Hammer Cheikhou Kouyate helped Senegal get their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign off to a winning start over the weekend. The 25 year old midfielder played 90 minutes as Senegal beat Burundi 3-1. Sakho was absent from the Senegal squad as he recovers from injury.

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McAvennie: "I'm relieved Sam's gone"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2015 in News, Super Mc's Blogs, Whispers
C AND H

I really was never a Sam Allardyce man and like many others was relieved when he and the club parted company at the end of the season. Perhaps now we can get back to playing football under a bloke I have a high regard for- Slaven Bilic. There were other problems beyond Sam's styleof football. You do not disrespect the fans with a cupped hand to the ear or of denying our DNA – we are West Ham and there is a West Ham Way Sam. Nor do you take down pictures of the club's greats and replace them with such Kevin Nolan holding a play-off winner's trophy – dearie me.
Speaking of Kevin Nolan, how did he ever get back into the team on a regular basis.Last season I saw him as a player to bring on maybe for the last half an hour not as a regular. Then – after the brilliant start with Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia up front – back came Andy Carroll to join Nolan and slowly but surely the wheels came off as we went back to Sam's Plan A. It was not good to watch, nor did it get results. It had to end – and I believe the board have got it spot on in saying "thank you and goodbye." We needed to reclaim the footballing traditions of this club and I reckon Slav will will do that. We are moving on. It's Slav's first Premier League job of course but I see no risks. He has managed a very good Croatia team and did well enough in Turkey. He knows players and will bring some passers of the ball in.He knows our ways and could be here for a long time. I see no dangers of relegation or of being close to it. And best of all I am looking forward to a West Ham season again

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Chris Woods joins West Ham as goalkeeping coach
Last Updated: 15/06/15 5:26pm
SSN

Chris Woods has joined West Ham as the club's new goalkeeping coach. The 55-year-old, who won 43 England caps between 1985 and 1993, has previously worked at Everton, Manchester United and with the United States national team, and becomes the first addition to new manager Slaven Bilic's backroom staff. Woods said: "I am thrilled to be joining West Ham United. It is a club with a great history and tradition. "I've known Slaven from my time at Everton and we go back a long way even though we have gone on our different paths since he left Goodison Park. "It will be great for me to get back working alongside him and I am pleased to be given the opportunity. Slaven has his own ideas and puts his own stamp on the team that he manages. "It is certainly an exciting time for me to be coming to West Ham and I am looking forward to working with the goalkeepers. "I saw Adrian in action last season and I will be hoping to bring something to his game and the other keepers at the club. "It is brilliant for the club to be back in Europe and you want to be playing in the top competitions."

Woods replaces Bobby Mimms, who is one of four coaches who have left the club. Assistant manager Neil McDonald, who has become Blackpool's boss, first-team coach Ian Hendon, who has become Leyton Orient's manager, and head of recruitment Martyn Glover have all moved on.

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Dean Ashton feels West Ham's Slaven Bilic needs to be busy in summer market
By Nick Lustig
Last Updated: 15/06/15 6:37pm
SSN

Former West Ham forward Dean Ashton believes his old club need to make half a dozen quality signings this summer if they are to compete in the top half of the Premier League next season. New Hammers boss Slaven Bilic was confirmed as Sam Allardyce's successor last Tuesday and has since been linked with big money swoops for out-of-favour Chelsea forward Loic Remy and want-away Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Yohan Cabaye. Bilic, 46, made it clear on his arrival at Upton Park last week that his ambition is to finish his debut managerial season in England in the top ten. But Ashton insists the former Croatia manager will need to improve his squad significantly to stand any chance of achieving that goal. Former England international Ashton, who spent three years with the Hammers up until his retirement in 2009, says both Remy and Cabaye would be top class additions to Bilic's squad, if he decides to splash the cash on the former Newcastle United duo.
"Both Remy and Cabaye would be fantastic signings for West Ham. Remy is a top-class forward and has the pace to strike fear into any defence. That kind of pace is something that every Premier League side needs and it is something that West Ham did have at the start of last season with [Diafra] Sakho and [Enner] Valencia. Pace had been missing from their attack for a while until then," Ashton told Sky Sports. "Cabaye is also a top-class player. The way he can control things in the middle of the park, when he is on his game, is on another level. That is another side of West Ham's game that they are desperately in need of - a creative midfielder, who can pick a pass and set the forwards on their way. "Mark Noble is probably the most creative player for West Ham at the moment and he is more of holding midfielder. So it would be a massive coup to get a player like Cabaye, who can be that playmaker, distribute the defence splitting passes and bring that winning mentality to the club. "Both of them have played at the highest level and West Ham will want players that are always striving to reach the top."

West Ham - who qualified for the Europa League via the Fair Play League last season - kick-off their new season on July 2 in the first qualifying round of European football's secondary competition. And Ashton feels the added burden of European football means the East Londoners have no choice but to be extremely active in the summer transfer window. "They probably need at least half a dozen signings and that has to be quality as well. The biggest thing West Ham struggled with last season was not having quality to come in when first-team players were out injured," the 31-year-old added. "They are in the Europa League this season and that could turn out to be a real big problem for West Ham with the amount of matches they may to have play if they qualify for the group stage. "The players that come in will need to be of a certain quality and able to really add something to the first-team, so there is some real strength in depth there."

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West Ham players wanted Marcelo Bielsa as new manager rather than Slaven Bilic says Guy Demel
16:10, 15 JUNE 2015
BY DARREN LEWIS
The departing Ivorian says that the current Marseille boss was the choice of the playing staff at Upton Park rather than the Croatian coach
The Mirror

West Ham's players wanted Marcelo Bielsa as their new boss and not Slaven Bilic - according to Guy Demel. The Upton Park board opted last week for the Croatian former Besiktas boss over experienced Bielsa, who took Marseille into Europe on a tight budget last season. But Demel, set to leave the club on a free transfer on July 1, said: "When the rumour came out we talked about it in the locker room with Morgan [Amalfitano] and other French-speaking players. "Given the results and the performances of Marseille last season, we thought [Bielsa] would be a good choice."

Ivorian Demel, 34, went on: "It's a big job that has been offered but, unfortunately for West Ham, it did not happen." Bilic meanwhile has told Hammers fans to expect the kind of football that the club claimed they did not get enough of under Sam Allardyce. Bilic said: "The fans can expect that we will try to be dominant, play with the ball and try to play good football. "I'm very optimistic that we're going to be successful in that, but also we have to be very stable. "The defensive organisation will give you the privilege to play with flair. Everything comes from good organisation."

[PeterR - so Demel actually didn't mention Bilic - sh*t journalism as usual from the Mirror]

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Two more signings in the next 7 days
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 15, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

The club's in house ITK has revealed that West Ham expect to sign two more players within the next week. Speaking on the highky amusing Boleyn Insider column the insider told us "My understanding is that the Club are looking at a number of targets and are confident they can sign two more players in the next seven days." The Boleyn Insider went on to pat himself on the back that he got the appointment of the new goal keeping coach spot on after Chris Woods was announced today. Finally he went on to reveal the draw for the Europa league will happen next Monday on 22nd June. I Didn't know that was a secret? I am sure UEFA publish that on their website. The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of Claret and Hugh :)

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Baby boy for Andy and Billi
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

Andy Carroll's fiancee Billi Mucklow has given birth to a baby boy. The Irons striker and former The Only Way Is Essex reality star announced the news by posting photos of their young family on Instagram. Carroll is seen cradling his son and the footballer wrote: "Welcome To The World Little AC!! 9 Months Of Cooking And What A Wonderful Job You Have Done @billimucklow." Mucklow wrote: "Welcome To The World Our Beautiful Baby Boy @andytcarroll You Are My Rock Love My Boys More Than Anything Best Feeling In The World! #BabyCarroll #LittleAC." The couple got engaged in November last year.

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Former England keeper joins Slav's staff
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 15, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

Former England international Chris Woods has been appointed as the club's new goalkeeping coach. Woods, 55, won 43 caps for his country between 1985 and 1993 and will become part of new manager Slaven Bilic's backroom team. Woods said on www.whufc.com: "I am thrilled to be joining West Ham United. It is a club with a great history and tradition. "I've known Slaven from my time at Everton and we go back a long way even though we have gone on our different paths since he left Goodison Park. "It will be great for me to get back working alongside him and I am pleased to be given the opportunity. "Slaven has his own ideas and puts his own stamp on the team that he manages."

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West Ham chase £15million Charlie Austin to join strike force
09:15, 15 JUNE 2015
BY GILES BROADBENT
The Wharf

West Ham have joined the queue for £15million striker Charlie Austin as relegated QPR look to sell off their prized assets. The Irons would join Southampton, Chelsea and Newcastle in pursuing the 25-year-old who was with the England senior squad in Slovenia for the 3-2 Euro 2016 qualifier victory, although he never made it to the pitch Newcastle will consider themselves front of the queue have been tracking the player and with new manager Steve McClaren keen to net a big early signing. Southampton may be hampered by sales in the pipeline with money from Morgan Schneiderlin deal key to unlocking any bid. Chelsea would not be able to offer Austin regular first-team football, which is understood to be Austin's preference.
West Ham have been pursuing a striker for a while and Loic Remy is another in the sights of new manager Slaven Bilic who is also reportedly interested in Leicester City's star midfielder Esteban Cambiasso and £6million Marseille winger Dimitri Payet. The club have also attempted to scotch rumours that big-money, injury-prone striker Andy Carroll will be returning to Newcastle. Co-chairman David Gold said: "There have been a lot of suggestions that he would like a move 'home' but Andy is now very happy and settled in London. He will be here next season.
"He's our record signing and the best is yet to come from him. It could be a very big season for him and us."

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WEST HAM MAY YET SNATCH CHARLIE AUSTIN FROM NEWCASTLE'S GRASP
Money has been coming for the 18-goal striker to stay in London with the Hammers this year
15 June 2015
Ladbrokes.com

Priced at 2/9 to join Newcastle United this summer, it may look as if Charlie Austin's future is decided. But are West Ham about to come in and change all that? A report in the London Evening Standard suggests Slaven Bilic has set his sights on bringing the QPR striker to the Boleyn Ground, and the market has moved accordingly. A flurry of interest in Ladbrokes' betting on Austin's next club saw the Upton Park outfit go from 18/1 to 6/1 in the space of 24 hours. The north-east still looks his likely destination, but it appears far from the done deal it seemed last week. With a price tag of £15m on his head, the 25-year-old wouldn't come cheap, but with an excellent season in a poor Rangers side behind him, his acquisition could be a big piece of business. Throw in his surely-imminent introduction onto the international scene, and the former Swindon striker may be seen as a worthwhile investment.

A move for the forward has already been urged by former Hammer Dean Ashton. "If it was me in charge at West Ham, I'd go out straight away and put the money down QPR want for Charlie Austin," he told the Daily Star. "He scored 18 Premier League goals last season in a team which was struggling. "I know what it's like to play in teams when you're not playing every week and it's tough. You only get a few chances and he's so clinical."

The east London side remain behind or level with Newcastle, Chelsea (3/1) and Southampton (6/1) in the betting to secure his signature, though with the champions seemingly intent on bringing in Radamel Falcao, they may yet step aside. And with little interest in the Saints in Ladbrokes' market, the money suggests the Irons are the side in pole position to sneak in should any move to Steve McClaren's side fall through.

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West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: I like my teams to play total football
Evening Standard
KEN DYER
Published: 15 June 2015 Updated: 12:03, 15 June 2015

Slaven Bilic wants West Ham to play "total football" next season. The new Hammers manager, who is back in Croatia after a flying visit to London on Friday, also revealed he is "excited" about the quality of his squad and that with the addition of several new faces, he is optimistic about a successful season ahead. As the club were today reported to be interested in £15million-rated QPR striker Charlie Austin, Bilic said in an interview with West Ham TV: "I like my teams to play total football but nowadays you cannot just play one way and be a one-sided team. "You have to do both — you have to be a good defensive unit and you have to attack with numbers. "It is easy to talk now but the philosophy is that we want to be solid but I want to have the ball and possession. I love the ball and have done with all the teams I have managed so far. "My hometown team, Hajduk Split, had the aim to win the league every year, the Croatian national team was in the top 10 in the FIFA rankings for six years and were expected to win every game, whether it was against Germany, England or Andorra. "Lokomotiv Moscow was also a club that wanted to finish in the top five and with Besiktas, the plan before the season was to try to win the league, so I got used to it. "Before the end of the season, I was concentrating on Besiktas because it was a very intense season and it is a great club but after the end and when talks started, then I watched a lot of West Ham games. I was very excited by the quality of their players. "I was excited by how they played in the first half of the season and impressed by some individual players. "I've now watched them more closely and there are a lot of things we can improve, many things were really good, and with the addition of a few players I am realistically very optimistic."

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Why Newcastle-linked striker Andy Carroll would be no great loss to West Ham
HITC
Damien Lucas

West Ham United's most expensive ever player Andy Carroll has been linked with a return home to Newcastle United, but his departure would be no great loss. The likes of the Mirror have reported that Andy Carroll's first club Newcastle are seriously weighing up a move for their former player. And that should be music to the East Londoners' ears because the Hammers simply cannot rely on their injury-prone record £18 million signing anymore. With every injury - and generally there is a long-term one every season for the 26-year-old - his value rapidly decreases. No-one is doubting the target man's work ethic. But after just 46 appearances in three years at West Ham, much like the man who brought him to the club Sam Allardyce, the relationship has reached a natural conclusion. When Carroll was signed on loan from Anfield by Big Sam in 2012, it seemed a match made in heaven. The club even inexplicably wasted more than £10 million on flop Matt Jarvis to provide the ammunition for the 6ft 4 star. Here was a player who cost Liverpool a record £35 million just the year before leading the attack at the Boleyn. Things could not have started much better for the big Geordie as he set up two goals during a towering display in 3–0 home win against Fulham. But a lengthy injury, two words that have cast a shadow over the 26-year-old's career so far, restricted him to just 24 appearances and seven goals that season. He made a long-awaited comeback during the following February and scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Swansea. But in the last game of that season at home to Reading, he was injured yet again. Nevertheless the Hammers were unperturbed and pressed ahead with sanctioning the biggest transfer in their history and gave him a six-year contract despite his well documented injury problems. It is a deal which outspoken West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has since admitted he wouldn't have done with the benefit of hindsight.

Two years on, and four long-term injuries later, Carroll has become little more than an expensive bonus for West Ham. When he is fit and firing there are not many better all-round forwards in the Premier League. But that is half the problem - he very rarely is. In the two years since making his move to Upton Park permanent, Carroll has made just 27 appearances, scoring seven goals. With Slaven Bilic in place now many West Ham fans have started looking to a future without Carroll despite being split over the striker in a HITC poll last month. The truth is, Bilic will be under the microscope next season, over his style of football more than anything given most West Ham fans' disdain for the tactics employed by their former boss. And the former Besiktas manager simply cannot afford to rely on Carroll's availability, let alone shape a team or squad around him. If Newcastle's interest is genuine the Hammers could do a lot worse than recoup some good money for him now and ignore any paranoid thoughts of 'what if he stays fit?' because it is one big 'if'. The England man may still be relatively young but there is nothing to suggest his injury woes are going to go away anytime soon. And given his hefty weekly wage at the Hammers, Bilic - like Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool before him - could decide it is money much better spent elsewhere.

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Report: West Ham beaten by Aston Villa in race for Micah Richards
HITC
Olly Dawes

West Ham have reportedly failed in a move to sign defender Micah Richards. According to The Sun, West Ham United have missed out on a deal for out-of-contract defender Micah Richards, with Aston Villa set to secure a move. The Hammers appointed Slaven Bilic as the club's new manager last week, with the 46-year-old returning to Upton Park 18 years after leaving as a player. Whilst the Croatian needs time to assess his squad, he did oversee one signing just a day after his arrival, snapping up Sampdoria midfielder Pedro Obiang. Now, more reinforcements will be needed ahead of the club's Europa League qualifiers this summer, and right back could be a problem given that loan star Carl Jenkinson has now returned to Arsenal - and The Sun believe that the Hammers have failed in a move to sign Micah Richards. The 26-year-old is a free agent having seen his Manchester City contract expire, and would have been earmarked as a replacement for Jenkinson, only for the report to suggest that West Ham have now lost out in the race to sign the former England international. The Sun suggest that it's Aston Villa who West Ham have lost out to in the race to sign Richards, with Tim Sherwood keen to improve his squad this summer. It's also added that Bilic is looking to add defensive options and will look elsewhere after losing out on Richards, with The Mirror recently reporting that Bilic wants to reunite with former Tottenham defender Vedran Corluka this summer.

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Greenland Shenhua make €14m bid for West Ham target Demba Ba
Posted by Emre Sarigul June 15, 2015
turkishfootball.com

Besiktas will hold a board meeting today to regarding Demba Ba's future at the club following a €14 million bid from Greenland Shenhua according to Fanatik. The report claims that Besiktas could be tempted to take a significant profit and part ways with the Senegalese international. Ba joined the Black Eagles on a €7 million move from Chelsea last season and will turn 30 this year. The Sun have also reported that former Besiktas boss Slaven Bilic is reported to be considering bringing Ba back to West Ham. The Senegalese international has also received a €10 million offer from UAE outfit Al Ahli according to Fotomaç. Ba scored a career high 27 goals for the Black Eagles in all competitions last season. The prolific striker has years of Premier League experience behind him having played for Chelsea, Newcastle United and West Ham United. Recently appointed Besiktas manager Senol Günes has however, been keen on keeping hold of Ba next season.

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