Daily WHUFC News - 14th August 2015

The Big Interview - Cheikhou Kouyate
WHUFC.com

Cheikhou Kouyate made the perfect start to life back in the top flight this season with the crucial opening goal against Arsenal last Sunday. The West Ham United midfielder produced a commanding display at the heart of the Hammers midfield and forged a great partnership with Mark Noble and Reece Oxford who was making his Pre mier League debut. Kouyate is now hoping to become a regular part of Slaven Bilic's team and wants to achieve big things with the east London Club this season.

Cheikhou, it was the perfect start at Arsenal last Sunday. How pleased were you with the performance at Emirates Stadium?

"It's a magnificent start, even more so away from home against Arsenal. It's a magnificent stadium, it's a dream to play there. To go there for the first game and to win there, it's exceptional. "I remember last year, I scored my first goal against Arsenal here at home in December. Now I've scored my first goal in my first game and it's a dream start. Hopefully that there will be more goals to come."

It was a magnificent start from our new summer signing Dimitri Payet. How excited are you by his arrival at the Club?

"He has extraordinary vision. The first game that he played here, we played together, he gave me the ball and I missed. The second one was against Norwich, I missed again, and he said it will be third time lucky. Sunday he gave me the third one and I scored, so he was right. To think that was only his first game, away from home, against Arsenal, he has shown all his talent. He gave Arsenal's defenders a tough time, I really hope he's going to continue like that."

What more can you say about your fellow midfielder Reece Oxford who played just behind you and has such confidence for a young man?

"He's someone who listens. If I have one piece of advice to give him, it's only to continue to do that, continue to work hard and continue to listen. We must not forget, he is still so young."

We now turn our attentions to play Leicester on Saturday. They looked very impressive in their opening game against Sunderland scoring four goals and you must be expecting another tough game?

"We are in the Premier League and all the matches are difficult. Each weekend you have a match which is super difficult, there is no such thing as an easy game. We found that out last year.
"Leicester have started well, they finished last season in confident fashion, because they finished so well. They've started well now, they scored four, so Saturday's not going to be easy.
"If we want to do something, we have to take the points. We're playing at home and we have to try to take the three points."

Do you think this is a good opportunity at home to make it two wins out of two?

"We have to do it on the pitch, not talk about it. We've got to prepare well this week in training, just as we did before Arsenal. We've the opportunity to make it six points out of six, but so do they. "They'll come here with confidence, but we're confident too. We'll battle for every ball, as the manager demands of us. We have to show the desire to win the game and for that we have to start the game strongly."

Dimitri Payet has said that the game at Arsenal felt like a home game because our travelling support were so good. Do you agree with him?

"The three thousand in the stands, I'm not sure how many, were fantastic. We heard them at the start, before the warm-up, at the start of the game, at the end of the game. "Dimitri is right, it's like playing at home. He said to me, when we were playing the friendlies, 'the supporters are already there', and he asked me, 'is it always like that here?' "I told him, you've seen nothing yet, that's just the start, but during the match, 'they'll be there for us throughout the game'. The supporters here are extraordinary."

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Pedro preparing for Hammers bow
WHUFC.com

Pedro Obiang is back in training and ready to show what West Ham United fans why the Club brought him to the Barclays Premier League. The Spanish midfielder joined the Hammers from Italian Serie A side UC Sampdoria two months ago, but a niggling leg injury has restricted him to just a single pre-season appearance – against Peterborough United on 11 July. This week, the 23-year-old returned to full training and he is hopeful of making up for lost time by making his competitive debut in Saturday's Barclays Premier League visit of Leicester City. "This week I was finally training with the whole squad, and I'm looking forward to giving a slight headache to the manager to show that I'm ready to play!" he told West Ham TV. "Mainly my injury was fatigue, but I didn't realise at first. I had a little bit of pain, but I kept training and may have overdone it a bit. I was just as a precautionary measure that I wasn't ready for the Arsenal match. I could have been, but it I feel good now, and it's all good."
While he has played just 61 minutes in a Claret and Blue shirt, Obiang has received hundreds of tweets from West Ham supporters wishing him well. Now that his debut is rapidly approaching, the midfielder is looking forward to repaying their support. "Truthfully it has been a while, and I have received a lot of messages showing the affection and support from all the West Ham fans, and yes, the truth is that I want to show them what I can do, so I want to show that I can play for this squad." It will be a matter of time, there is no problem, my English teacher will be arriving on 1 September, and I will hope to be speaking English soon!

While he has not been available himself, Obiang has kept a close eye on his teammates' progress and was a thrilled observer as West Ham won 2-0 at Arsenal on Sunday – a match in which his absence gave 16-year-old Reece Oxford a chance to make his own Barclays Premier League debut. "The match was very smart tactically, there was a lot of heart and passion in all of the players, and all of them gave 100 per cent," he said. "They all gave everything they had, for example, I saw Mauro, going back and marking, so everyone gave their very best, and that is what led us to victory over Arsenal. "I'm very happy for Reece because this has happened to me before as well, as a youngster, and sometimes the misfortune for someone brings an opportunity for another, and he did exactly what he had to do. "He performed very well, had a very good match, it was not easy to play on that pitch, against a club like Arsenal, and he is definitely going to be a player with a bright future, and might give me some difficulties to get into the squad in the future."

Now he is fit and ready to play, Obiang's next challenge is to learn English, as he conducted his latest West Ham TV interview through a translator. "It will be a matter of time, there is no problem, my English teacher will be arriving on 1 September, and I will hope to be speaking English soon!"

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New appointment to the Board
WHUFC.com

West Ham United are pleased to confirm that Executive Director Marketing and Communications Tara Warren has been promoted to the Club's Board. Ms Warren was recommended for promotion to the Board by CEO and Vice Chairman Karren Brady. Tara played a lead supporting role assisting her during the three long and complicated processes that ultimately led to West Ham being named anchor concessionaire and has been a key figure in setting and implementing the organisation's marketing and sales strategy since. Speaking of the appointment, Ms Warren, who has worked for West Ham United for more than six years, said: "I would like to thank our Chairmen and particularly our Vice-Chairman, Karren Brady, for their guidance and leadership. I truly believe in their vision for West Ham and their ability to deliver it, something which is already evident from our recent trajectory." West Ham United Vide-Chairman Karren Brady added: "I would like to congratulate Tara on her richly-deserved promotion to the Club's Board. It is a testament to her commitment and ability that we have made this decision. "The next few years will be like no other as we say a fitting farewell to the Boleyn Ground before delivering a new Stadium that will exceed our supporters' expectations. It is vital we have skilled and knowledgable staff like Tara there to support us along the way."

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From the Treatment Room
WHUFC.com

Hello everyone,

We have some positive news this week regarding a number of players, to go with the positive result we achieved at Arsenal on Sunday!
First, Pedro Obiang has been in full training this week after returning from his leg muscle injury. He is fit and available. As the manager has said, Andy Carroll is also working well on his rehabilitation and has been training in a group with the Development Squad, as well as doing individual strength and conditioning work with the medical staff. Enner Valencia continues to work on his rehabilitation following the leg injury he suffered in the UEFA Europa League against Astra Giurgiu on 30 July.

Joey O'Brien is recovering from the minor hamstring injury he suffered in the same game and will return to first-team training on Sunday.
Finally, Lewis Page suffered an ankle ligament injury in the second leg with Astra in Romania on 6 August and will be out for four to six weeks. He is recovering and receiving treatment from the Academy medical staff.

Stijn Vandenbroucke
Head of Medical and Sports Science

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Boleyn Insider
WHUFC.com

It has been a great week for the Club following the memorable 2-0 win over Arsenal last Sunday. But I have been told that work continues behind the scenes to bring in another striker to the squad and the Club's hierarchy remain confident that they will be able to strengthen the squad even further before the transfer window closes at the end of August. With Enner Valencia facing a spell on the sidelines and Andy Carroll working his way back to full fitness, the Hammers would like more competition in the forward line. My sources have told me that the Club have compiled a list of 12 strikers that they are considering and they include some big name players who currently play in the Premier League. My understanding is that the Club want to sign a proven forward, but they want to ensure they get the best possible deal for West Ham United. This is a big final season at the Boleyn Ground and with the move into the new Stadium next summer the team will be pushing hard to secure a top half finish. I know that negotiations will continue behind the scenes to attract a quality forward, but there is unlikely to be a new arrival before the Club play their next league game against Leicester on Saturday.

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Diafra Sakho: West Ham striker 'training normally' after arrest
BBC.co.uk

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says striker Diafra Sakho has been training as normal despite his arrest. The Senegal international was arrested, allegedly on suspicion of assault, three days before starting Sunday's 2-0 Premier League win at Arsenal. "Of course I'm concerned," said Bilic at his news conference before Leicester visit Upton Park on Saturday. "I spoke with him. But he looks very positive, he's not worried about it. I am happy with him." Bilic also confirmed midfielder Morgan Amalfitano is no longer in the first team and explained why West Ham did not sign former England international Joey Barton.

Amalfitano was left out of the squad for the opening weekend victory at Emirates Stadium. It was reported that the 30-year-old, who has one cap for France, had missed a team meeting and his manager had made him train with the youth team. Bilic said he has had a "quiet meeting" with Amalfitano, who arrived at Upton Park from Marseille last summer, to explain the situation, adding: "He's not in the first team any more and that is it. "My first job is to protect the team, to keep the team as a unit in the best possible way. "If I feel that someone is damaging it in a way, I have to react - and I did that."

'Bad timing for Barton'

West Ham pulled out of talks to sign former QPR captain and free agent Joey Barton this week following protests from fans. But Bilic said the fans' reaction was not the only factor in the decision not to give the 32-year-old midfielder a contract. "It was altogether. Not just one thing. "We were thinking about Joey and I like him as a player. We discussed, we had some talks and ideas about him. But after that we decided, and Joey also, not to do it. "It was not the best timing."

Watch more from Slaven Bilic on Football Focus, Saturday 15 August at 12.15 BST on BBC One and online.

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Andy Carroll on first team return
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 13th August 2015
By: Staff Writer

Andy Carroll should be back in the first team picture very soon - and the big striker says he can't wait. The 26-year-old forward has been out of action since February when he sustained cruciate ligament damage during a goalless draw at Southampton. And following months of respite and rehabilitation, West Ham's number nine is almost ready to make his return - which can't come soon enough. "I'm looking forward to it; it's been a long time since I've been on the pitch," he told West Ham's website. "There's not long to go now so I'm looking forward to being back. "I've been working hard and I'm nearly fit now, so it's all positive. I've been working hard and hopefully I'll be back by the end of the month, like the gaffer said. "I just can't wait to get back. It's the last season here so it's a good time to be here and play here. I'm looking forward to getting back and getting a few goals here. "It's great when you play at home for any club but it's fantastic here when you've got all the fans behind you. "

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Carlton Cole back at Chadwell Heath
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 13th August 2015
By: Staff Writer

Carlton Cole is back at Chadwell Heath - where he is currently training with West Ham.

KUMB has learned that the former Hammers striker, 32 in a few weeks' time, has reappeared at the club's training ground where he has been keeping fit with the Under 21s squad.

And whilst there are currently no plans to offer the former Chelsea youngster another short-term contract, with less than three weeeks of the transfer window to go the chance of Cole returning - once again - cannot be completely ruled out.

Cole initially left West Ham at the end of the 2012/13 season seven years after Alan Pardew signed him from Chelsea in a £2million switch.

However after just four months away from the Boleyn Ground - and with West Ham failing to land their key summer targets - he returned on a short-term contract (six months), which led to a new 18-month contract in January 2014.

Cole's final (final) appearance for the club came in the 2-0 defeat at Newcastle on the final day of last season. In all he has made 292 appearances for the Hammers, scoring 68 goals.

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Diafra Sakho to feature against Leicester despite arrest
Last Updated: 13/08/15 1:35pm
SSN
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Slaven Bilic says there were a number of factors that contributed to the breakdown of Joey Barton's proposed move to West Ham. West Ham boss Slaven Bilic says he will consider playing Diafra Sakho against Leicester on Saturday, despite the striker's recent arrest. The Senegal international, 25, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend in London on August 6. Bilic admitted he was concerned about the striker's situation but insisted Sakho was training as normal ahead of the Premier League fixture at the Boleyn Ground. "Well, he's training," Bilic said. "He played against Arsenal. He was here every day, he looks okay, he looks happy, he's not worried. For all these things I'm happy. "For all the other aspects of this problem you should talk to Diafra. Of course I'm concerned, I spoke with him. But he looks very positive, he's not worried about it. Therefore, he trained normally this week. I am happy with him."

The former Croatia and Besiktas manager also revealed that Morgan Amalfitano will not play against Leicester. The 30-year-old was not included in West Ham's squad for the 2-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates and also failed to feature in the club's open training session on Tuesday. It later emerged that the French midfielder, who signed a new two-year contract in March, had missed a team meeting and was made to train with the youth team as a result. "He's not in the first team anymore and that is it," said Bilic. "I have to protect the team. I said it to players at the start, these things are not new. They are more or less the same at every football club. "My first job is to protect the team, to keep the team as a unit in the best possible way. And if I feel that someone is damaging it in a way, I have to react. And I did that. "It was nothing or nowhere near what was in the papers. It was not brawling in front of players. This was just a quiet meeting between the two of us where I explained the situation. I had to do it to keep the harmony, to keep everything in place."

Bilic also denied that Joey Barton's proposed Upton Park move fell through as a result of the widespread negative reaction to the deal by West Ham supporters. "No, no, it was all together. Not just one thing," said Bilic. "We were thinking about Joey and I like him as a player. "We discussed, we had some talks and ideas about him. But after that we decided and Joey also not to do it. "It was not the best timing. Joey is great lad and a good player. He wished us well and we also want to wish him well."

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NOBLE ASPIRATION
By Jo Phillips 13 Aug 2015 at 18:00
WHTID

Jo Phillips is a new writer for WHTID. She sits next to Iain in the West Stand and has a background in broadcasting and communications. She will be writing for the site every week

It's not often I've wanted to be inside the mind of a teenage boy but I can't help wondering what's been going on in Reece Oxford's head since Sunday.
Of course, the best possible start to the season under Bilic and with that, the cocktail of promise, hopes and dreams that hook us Hammers –sometimes to be realised, often dashed.

While other 16 year olds contemplate GCSE results, conduct a war of attrition with parents and siblings through the summer holidays and hormones play havoc with their burgeoning love lives, Reece Oxford has the heavy mantle of expectation pinned firmly to his young shoulders.

He's not the first and nor will be the last young player whose skill and promise excited and inspires fans and commentators. Talented, apparently unfazed and, from what we've seen and heard, a sensible, grounded boy whose headline grabbing debut is the result of years of hard work, discipline and commitment.

Ravel Morrison, the boy wonder of 2013 whose role in the memorable 3-0 victory over Spurs is now playing for Lazio which some may argue demonstrates his unfulfilled potential. Certainly his off pitch attitude stretched the patience of managers and coaches. Freddie Sears was our darling when he stormed on as a sub against Blackburn in 2008, and is now at Ipswich where, if Aaron Cresswell's anything to go by, is a good club to hone those boyhood skills.

West Ham has a good track record with young players – Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Jermain Defoe and Frank Lampard but surely there is no better role model than Mark Noble. Sometimes inspirational but always absolutely solid, hard working, utterly committed and loyal.For fans it is a privilege to have seen him maturing as a player and as a leader. The polar opposite must surely be Raheem Sterling who may well be worth nearly £50m to Man City and whose talent has been reduced to a commodity to be hawked around to the highest bidder, rewarding the young man with a life of luxury where loyalty doesn't count for ought.

It's exciting to see a new talent like Reece Oxford and, at the risk of sounding like fellow Hammers fan Ray Winstone in character, young Oxford is part of the family. Since Sunday, he's acquired thousands of perfidious aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins among us West Ham fans who'll watch his progress, not uncritically. We'll cheer his success, sympathise when it's not going so well and keep a close eye on him. The West Ham family is close, often dysfunctional and scratchy at times but in true East End style, what we value very highly is loyalty. So, Reece stick with us for a while and look to Mark Noble to see the real rewards of respect and affection from the fans. Wherever your career takes you, you'll never forget the feeling last Sunday. Nor will we.

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RUMOUR ROUND-UP: MIDFIELDER HEADS TOWARDS EXIT?
By Reece Bateman 13 Aug 2015 at 13:59
WHTID

Shoot? are reporting that France midfielder Morgan Amalfitano could be the subject of interest from former club West Brom. The former France international has allegedly been made to train with the under-18 squad due to a row with Bilic so any interest would surely end his time at Upton Park. Having read some comments yesterday I see that a lot would be quite happy to lose Amalfitano but I wouldn't. Although not an obvious starter for us he can more than do a job coming on as a sub and has a knack for unlocking defences. He always looks like he is trying and working for the shirt so if he does leave I will be sorry to see him go.

Former Arsenal player Carlos Vela is the latest striker to be linked with a move to West Ham. It is claimed here? that West Ham are ahead of a host of teams across Europe in the race for the Mexican international. He is not quite the out and out striker we crave but is quite similar to Zarate. He can play in the hole behind the strikers or support someone up top so could be a good addition because of his versatility. Whether he is now ready for the Premier League after being cast aside by Arsenal & West Brom is another matter though…

Another striker linked to West Ham today is Valencia's Alvaro Negredo. The Metro? say West Ham are interested in signing him on a season long loan which would be accepted by Valencia. When he was at Manchester City a few seasons ago he hit the ground running and looked like a player who had been playing in England for years but injuries and loss of form saw him shipped out on loan to Spain. I would welcome him to West Ham with open arms! Although he did have a dry patch at City he is clearly a very good striker and would give us a different dynamic if he joined. Of all the strikers we have been linked with I think this could well be the best deal for West Ham, no just in terms of finances, but signing a player that will immediately improve the team.

And finally it would seem that West Ham, along with the likes of Sunderland, have been put off of pursuing a deal for Tottenham midfielder Moussa Dembele. This report claims Spurs want around "£15 million for the player which does seem top heavy but what else would you expect from Levy? I don't see our board sanctioning a deal like this when the striker situation is yet to be resolved.

Also, as a small aside, want to congratulate new signing Martin Samuelsen on receiving 3 B's in his A-Levels today! Hopefully he will force his way into the West Ham line-up at some point this season and won't need to put those qualifications to use for some time!

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Emmanuel Adebayor wants West Ham move after stalling on Aston Villa switch
0 COMMENTS17:30, 13 AUGUST 2015
BY DARREN LEWIS
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed he has no future at White Hart Lane leaving the Togolese striker in limbo
The Mirror

Emmanuel Adebayor stalled on his Aston Villa transfer because he is still holding out for a switch to West Ham. The Irons are in turn hopeful that a loan deal can be resurrected this month - despite the poor relationship between the two clubs and the bitter fall-out from the striker's aborted Deadline Day move back in January. Although West Ham are in the hunt for Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez they are still pursuing several other options as the Reds have so far been insistent that Hernandez will not be sold. Mauricio Pochettino has today reiterated that Adebayor, in the final year of his contract, has no future at Tottenham. But Adebayor does want to remain in the capital and is hoping Levy would rather stomach a move for him to Upton Park than continue to paying him for another 11 months. He had been expected to join Villa on loan last month after agreeing terms with Midlands club. He had travelled to Villa's Bodymoor Heath training ground and held talks with boss Tim Sherwood, under whom he worked at Spurs. But while there were no problems with money with Villa able to meet Adebayor's £100,000-a-week wage demands, the club moved on to other targets after he kept them waiting. Adebayor's move to West Ham was blocked by Daniel Levy eight months ago because, while the Spurs chairman was prepared to part-fund the player's £100,000-a-week wages for other clubs, he did not want to do so for the Irons. Furious Hammers co-chairman David Gold, who had urged supporters to wait up for the beat-the-deadline deal at the time, subsequently took to Twitter to deliver an icy blast at Levy. He Tweeted: "No matter how hard you try there are people out there that you just can't do business with."
At Tottenham, anger erupted behind the scenes and Adebayor was frozen out from the first team after giving a TV interview confirming his move had been vetoed. During pre-season he has been training with the Development squad after Pochettino made it clear he would no longer work with the first team.

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Transfer news: More striker frustration for Irons
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 13, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

West Ham's hunt for a new striker has taken another frustrating twist when loan target Raul Jiminez had a last minute change of heart about joining the club. After taking several days to make his mind up between the Irons on loan, or Benfica on a five-year deal, it seemed the Irons had a great chance of landing their man. A source close to the deal revealed West Ham had received a call from Atletico Madrid explaining that the player would be on a flight to London in order to sign for the club. But, shortly after midnight, a member of the player's advisory team rang again to say that Jimenez had changed his mind and had opted to sign for the Portugese side. Our source explained: "Frustrating doesn't begin to sum it up! But the thing is done now and he is joining the Portuguese. "The club is hunting high and low and have several names on their target list but the prices are silly and it's a very tough call."

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Moaning Morgan's swipe at rising Irons star Oxford
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 13, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

Moaning Piers Morgan – the professional Arsenal fan with a divine right to whinge at the first available opportunity – would appear to be suffering from a severe dose of sour grapes! Almost a week after the Hammers secured a resounding 2-0 win at the Emirates, the C-List TV celebrity and former newspaper editor still hasn't recovered from the drubbing handed out by Bilic's boys.

He is seemingly unable to cope with the Reece Oxford factor and moaned in his latest Twitter offering: "One of them was only 16??????? Is this a joke? #AFCvWHUFC"

Poor old Piers eh? The geezer really does need to get over himself and learn that Arsenal do not have a monopoly on results and that losing is as much a part of the game as winning. Maybe it would help if he were to learn that now and again hugely gifted youngsters come along who defy the norm. Please tweet him and let Morgan know that Reece grew up as an Arsenal fan – but preferred to stay with the Irons when Arsene Wenger came knocking. Hardly surprising given Arene Wenger's track record (or lack of it!) in playing English youngsters!

Grow up Morgan and realise that "West Ham has Talent" :-)

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Tevez is back – bang in Sheffield United faces!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 13, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

A massive billboard poster of Carlos Tevez in his West Ham kit has been slapped in riht the faces of Sheffield United fans – . The Sheffield Telegraph reports that the poster feet from Bramall Lane ground – appears to show Tevez celebrating the goal that relegated the Blades from the Premier League in 2007. The advert has been taken out by Sky Sports and features the catchline 'Sky Sports and the Premier League – 23 years and counting'. The poster is likely to provoke fury among many Blades fans, still bitter over what became known as the Tevez Affair.

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Report: French eye quick move for Amalfitano
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 12, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

Morgan Amalfitano could soon be on his way out of Upton Park if reports in France linking him with St Etienne are correct. The midfielder has been banned from Chadwell Heath by boss Slaven Bilic after missing a team meeting and alleged other disciplinary offences. Tonight however there's strong speculation that he is wanted across the channel and that the Hammers are keen to do a deal. St Etinenne have been interested in the player for some time and his West Ham dilemma will presumably encourage them to move in. Bilic also said the former West Brom star "gave him attitude" and with St-Etienne are in desperate need of a winger after recently selling Max Gradel to Premier League new boys Bournemouth, see the former France international as a decent option.

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Kouyate full of praise for Payet and fans
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 12, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

Chiek Kouyate has revealed how he made it third time lucky to fulfil Dimitri Payet's prophecy. The midfielder got on the end of the playmaker's brilliant free kick and then said: " The first game that he played here, we played together, he gave me the ball and I missed. "The second one was against Norwich, I missed again, and he said it will be third time lucky. Sunday he gave me the third one and I scored, so he was right. He has extraordinary vision." Speaking to the official site at www.whufc.com he added: "To think that was only his first game, away from home, against Arsenal, he has shown all his talent. He gave Arsenal's defenders a tough time, I really hope he's going to continue like that." "The three thousand in the stands, I'm not sure how many, were fantastic. We heard them at the start, before the warm-up, at the start of the game, at the end of the game." Payet had commented that it was like playing and Kouyate said: "Dimitri is right. He said to me, when we were playing the friendlies, 'the supporters are already there', and he asked me, 'is it always like that here?' "I told him, you've seen nothing yet, that's just the start, but during the match, 'they'll be there for us throughout the game'. The supporters here are extraordinary."

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Exclusive: "Horrible" Hernandez bid stuttering on
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 12, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

West Ham are in involved in "horrible" negotiations to bring Javier Hernandez to Upton Park. The club have made the Manchester United striker their No1 transfer target – but the Old Trafford club are forcing negotiators to "go round in circles" as talks stutter on. The Hammers upped their original £9 million bid by £3m yesterday, but United are refusing to budge on the player, insisting he's not for sale. But the Irons, led by Slaven Bilic, believe that if he was a real first-team contender, who would hardly have been an unused sub if he was wearing Claret and Blue (as he was against Spurs on the opening day of the season). The Irons have been told it may be a different situation if United bring in a couple of strikers, but in the meantime he's off limits. ClaretandHugh was told exclusively by a highly placed course: "We are going around in circles with them. They say they won't sell him but then discuss the offer. "We intend to keep trying as he's a big target for us. But at he moment we are going around in circles and, to be honest, it's horrible."

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Sakho set to play legal process
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 13, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

Diafra Sakho will retain his place in the Irons line-up despite his reported arrest for alleged assault. The Senegal striker is understood to be denying the allegations against him and the club will allow the legal proceedings to take their normal course. The 25-year-old was reportedly arrested last Thursday, three days before West Ham's shock 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League. Police held the sportsman on suspicion of attacking a girlfriend in east London. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Officers from Tower Hamlets have arrested a man on suspicion of common assault, criminal damage and malicious communication. "The 25-year-old was arrested on Thursday 6 August at an address in Emerson Park, Hornchurch. "He was taken to an east London police station and has been bailed to a date in late September."

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Nolan drops a heavy hint
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 13, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

Kevin Nolan has again dropped some heavy…ish hints that his time at West Ham may be running out. The 33 year old has been discussing the future captaincy of the club as strong speculation grows that he will be gone by the end of the transfer window. Indeed, had there not been such outrage over the possible arrival of Joey Barton it may have happened sooner rather than later but it looks nailed on regardless. In the meantime Nolan looks to be preparing the ground for his exit with comments about his successor as skipper and Mark Noble is his choice. He told the official site: "He is fantastic boy. I enjoyed my time here with him, I hope he has learnt from the way I have skippered the side and the way I am with everyone. "He tells me he has learnt a lot. "He has definitely got to be skipper of this club, well that's who I am tipping anyway, in the next year or so. You can see how much Sunday meant to him."

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Slav tips two 'Bilic babes' for the top
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 13, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

Irons chief Slaven Bilic reckons West Ham's future is safe with the tenagers that are coming through the Aademy. Reece Oxford is but one of those who can break into the Irons team according to the new boss who is clearly excited by the new generation. He has backed the club's academy to continue rolling out the next generation of Hammers and declared: 'I was 19 when I made my debut in Yugoslavia but these days 16-year-old kids are not like 16-year-old kids when I was 16,' Bilic. 'I would not say they are more clever these days but they are certainly more mature and maybe better prepared as well to play these big games that are shown on TV. He told The Sun: "In my time, they were not mature at all or were exceptional like him. Of course there are other youngsters close to making the breakthrough here – midfielder, Josh Cullen at 19, is another. 'Those two are definitely knocking on the first-team door but there are more. It's so important to a manager like me what happens behind the scenes and not just on the pitch. The West Ham academy deserves huge credit.'

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Transfer news: Irons in new bid for Spurs' Adebayor
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 13, 2015 in News, Whispers
C AND H

Emmanuel Adebayor is reportedly back on the Hammers wanted list as the club continues its striker search. According to the London Evening Standard, the club has up to a dozen targets in mind although ClaretandHugh has been told many of those would be on a loan basis as the club continues to keep its money in the bank as it seeks to prise Javier Hernandez out of Old Trafford. Adebayor, who has scored 35 Premier League goals in 92 appearances for Tottenham, has also attracted interest from Aston Villa, and the north Londoners are keen to sell him for around £5 million. But, despite Daniel Levy's previous reluctance to do a wage sharing deal, the Spurs chairman's stance has weakened in recent days and the club may now consider such an arrangement in order to get a substantial amount of his wages off their books.

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West Ham close to signing Chelsea star? (not Remy)
By James Jones - Aug 12, 2015 4

West Ham are closing in on a deal for Chelsea's Victor Moses, according to growing rumours on Twitter. The Hammers recently pulled out of a deal to sign Joey Barton after a fan backlash and also missed out on the loan signing of Atletico Madrid's Raul Jimenez after the Mexican opted to sign for Benfica instead. But varying reports on Twitter this afternoon claim that Moses could be heading to the Boleyn Ground before the transfer window closes – thought it's worth pointing out that these are just rumours and are in now way being reported as fact just yet. The Nigerian spent last season on loan at Stoke City and impressed hugely before an injury picked up against West Ham in April ruled him out for the rest of the campaign. The 24-year-old, who featured in Chelsea's Community Shield defeat to Arsenal before being left out of the Blues' opening day of the season meeting with Swansea, looks to be out of favour at Stamford Bridge. Hammers boss Slaven Bilic did hint that the club are close to signing a player – a striker – at last night's Fans Forum at the Boleyn Ground. Although Moses isn't a striker, he is predominantly an attack minded winger who could, if needed, be utilised in a striker's role. It is not yet clear what the terms of the deal are, or even if these rumours have any substance to them, but Hammers fans appear to be split in opinion regarding Moses' potential arrival.

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BAGGIES JOIN ASTON VILLA IN RACE TO SIGN WEST HAM MAN
By Ste Hoare
irons in the circle

West Brom have reportedly joined Aston Villa and Saint-Etienne in the race to sign troublesome West Ham midfielder Morgan Amalfitano. Hammer's manager Slaven Bilic and Amalfitano recently had a huge training ground bust-up where the player 'gave attitude' to Bilic, ending with the player being banished to train with the youth squad. According to L'Equipe, the 30-year-old is wanted by 'two English clubs', believed to be the Baggies and Villa. However, Ligue 1 side Saint-Etienne are leading the race for the Frenchman. They remain 'very interested' in bringing him back to France, and manager Christophe Gaultier had a phone call with Amalfitano yesterday evening over a possible move. Unfortunately for them, Amalfitano's £40,000-a-week wages could be a stumbling block, which opens the door for a move to a fellow Premier League side who can handle those financial demands. Saint-Etienne are hoping that West Ham will cover some of his wages in order to seal a loan move back to France, but it's unsure whether they would consider that option. Amalfitano signed a new two-year deal with the London club in the middle of last season, but he could leave much earlier than anyone expected. West Brom could be a strong candidate for his signature, as they initially signed Amalfitano on a season-long loan two seasons ago, where he impressed enough to earn a permanent move to the Premier League but opted for West Ham over a stay in the Midlands.

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Pedro Obiang ready to give Slaven Bilic a midfield headache at West Ham
HITC
Damien Lucas

One of West Ham United's big summer signings Pedro Obiang says he is ready to make his Premier League debut after returning from a pre-season injury. The Spanish Under 21 international was the first signing after Slaven Bilic's appointment back in June when West Ham landed him from Italian side Sampdoria and he has told the club's website that he is ready to make an impact.
But the 6ft 1in box-to-box midfielder has been restricted to just one appearance so far at Peterborough in pre-season due to a persistent leg injury. Obiang, who played 132 games for Sampdoria after leaving Atletico Madrid as a youngster, will bolster Bilic's midfield options as they prepare for Saturday's clash with Leicester City at Upton Park. And the pass-master has told West Ham's official website he is hoping to give his new boss a selection headache, although he concedes the brilliant opening day 2-0 win over Arsenal will make it difficult to force his way into the starting line-up. "This week I was finally training with the whole squad, and I'm looking forward to giving a slight headache to the manager to show that I'm ready to play," he told whufc.com. "Truthfully it has been a while, and I have received a lot of messages showing the affection and support from all the West Ham fans, and yes, the truth is that I want to show them what I can do, so I want to show that I can play for this squad."

Spaniard is fighting fit

The 23-year-old has revealed he could have played against Arsenal but missed the curtain raiser as a precaution. After completing his big move Obiang was thrust straight into pre-season and he said his eagerness to train in order to impress may have made the injury worse. He is back now, though, but how will he fit into Bilic's midfield, particularly coming off the back of such an outstanding performance at the Emirates? Similar in style to Carrick, pass master will add a new dimension to West Ham's midfield Somewhat unsurprisingly for a Spaniard, the biggest asset Obiang has in his armoury is his passing quality and range. While the Hammers have the combative qualities of Mark Noble, the attacking brilliance of Dimitri Payet and the raw youthful promise of Reece Oxford in the centre of the park Obiang will offer that ability to not only to break up play, but also to use his passing to open up teams on the counter attack. It was a tactic that worked to perfection at Arsenal and can only be improved by Obiang's return to fitness. An accurate comparison for Hammers fans would be Michael Carrick.

Who would make way?

His return to fitness begs the question, just who would Obiang displace? The obvious one would be Reece Oxford give his tender years. But the giant 16-year-old was so impressive against the Gunners, and so composed, that Bilic may be tempted to keep him in against Leicester. Noble was probably West Ham's worst player overall in a superb team performance so he is another who could find himself under threat. Given his lack of pre-season match action, Bilic will probably want to ease Obiang into things and may well decide to introduce him from the bench over the next few matches.

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West Ham planning 'surprise second bid' for 23-goal striker
By James Jones - Aug 13, 2015 0
westhamworld.co.uk

West Ham are considering an ambitious move for Valencia striker Alvaro Negredo this summer, according to Metro. The Hammers had a £14.5million bid for him rejected in 2013 before the Spain international eventually joined Manchester City for £16.5million from Sevilla later on that summer. Negredo went on to enjoy a successful maiden season in England, scoring 23 goals in 48 first team outings, as well as helping City lift the Capital One Cup and Premier League title. But the 29-year-old was shipped out on loan to Valencia after just one season, in a move that included an obligatory purchase clause with Valencia, meaning the La Liga outfit had to buy him at the end of the season (this summer) for a fee believed to be in the region of €27million.
But it is claimed Valencia manager Nuno Santo is no longer keen on keeping Negredo at the club and is eager to offload him before the transfer window closes in a few weeks. Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has admitted he is in the market for another striker but has refused to shed any light on who he has his sights on. The club have so far been heavily linked with Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez and QPR's Charlie Austin, but both deals currently look increasingly unlikely to materialise. With Andy Carroll still sidelined through injury and Enner Valencia ruled out until October, it's no secret that the Hammers are desperate to bolster their attacking options. It's still not clear what the terms of the deal may be, but a loan deal would probably be more attractive the Hammers given the fact Negredo was shipped out of Man City and Valencia in quick succession.

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Allardyce suggests why Bilic benefits from West Ham not signing Barton
HITC
Lewis Doe

Former West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has attempted to explain how Slaven Bilic will benefit from the club not signing Joey Barton. Former West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce told talkSPORT that he doesn't feel Slaven Bilic needed the extra pressure or criticism from signing Joey Barton. Hammers co-owner and co-chairman David Gold confirmed on his Twitter account that the Hammers wouldn't be signing Barton, as speculation mounted that a move was imminent. Allardyce was quizzed by the radio station over the situation, suggesting that Barton's arrival may have inserted a small wedge between the manager and the club's supporters who have so far taken to him well. "I don't think you need the added pressure if the fans aren't happy with a player, even as good a player as Joey Barton," he told talkSPORT. "You get enough pressure as it is as manager without adding to it yourself. So it's probably the right decision in the end, as much as I am disappointed for Joey."

Importance of a positive relationship

Allardyce is the perfect example of what can happen to a manager who doesn't really have the full support of the West Ham fans behind him. Any individual in any job will always feel more comfortable and will be more productive if he knows that he's fully supported in that position. Fortunately for Bilic, he's in a position where there is time left in the transfer window for him to make extra changes if he feels he needs to and he's benefiting from a squad where he's already got some good back-up options. It's also significant that West Ham are out of the Europa League, which reduces the number of matches the team has to play and in turn, the strain over the key players currently in the team.

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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic: Why I disciplined Morgan Amalfitano
RICHARD PARRY Thursday 13 August 2015 07:32 BST0 comments
Evening Standard

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has explained the reasons behind the action taken against midfielder Morgan Amalfitano. According to reports on Wednesday, Bilic ordered the French midfielder to keep away from the first team squad and report instead to the Under-21s following a bust-up in pre-season. Writing in his weekly column for Standard Sport, Bilic confirmed the French midfielder had been disciplined following a 'breach of rules'. "The news is out that I have disciplined one of my players - Morgan Amalfitano - for a breach of rules," said Bilic. "I would just say that my first and foremost job is to protect the whole team - myself, the staff and players." "If I see anything or anyone threatening to harm the atmosphere and transgress those rules, then it has to be stopped. I haven't changed much - Sam Allardyce had some great rules and I am sure they haven't changed for a long time. "They are basic rules and if they are under threat, then I have to step in. I have to protect the team.

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Reece Oxford is just the start... there are more youngsters ready for the first team, reveals West Ham boss Slaven Bilic
By MARTIN DOMIN FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 08:03, 13 August 2015 | UPDATED: 08:19, 13 August 2015

Slaven Bilic has revealed Reece Oxford is the first of several teenagers ready to break into the West Ham first team. The 16-year-old impressed on his Premier League debut as Billic's side began their campaign with a 2-0 win over Arsenal last Sunday. And the Croatian manager backed the club's academy to continue rolling out the next generation of Hammers. 'I was 19 when I made my debut in Yugoslavia but these days 16-year-old kids are not like 16-year-old kids when I was 16,' Bilic told The Sun. 'I would not say they are more clever these days but they are certainly more mature and maybe better prepared as well to play these big games that are shown on TV. 'In my time, they were not mature at all or were exceptional like him. Of course there are other youngsters close to making the breakthrough here - midfielder, Josh Cullen at 19, is another. 'Those two are definitely knocking on the first-team door but there are more. It's so important to a manager like me what happens behind the scenes and not just on the pitch. The West Ham academy deserves huge credit.' Goals from Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate shocked the Gunners on the opening weekend at the Emirates. And Bilic insisted his side were far from fortunate. 'We didn't go there and just steal the result, we deserved it. We were the better side,' he added.

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'It's all good' West Ham handed injury boost ahead of Leicester showdown
London 24
08:34 13 August 2015 Pete Evans

Pedro Obiang is back in training and says he is ready to make his West Ham debut on Saturday. The 23-year-old Spanish midfielder has not pulled on a Hammers shirt since July 11 in a friendly against Peterborough due to a niggling leg injury and he was left out as a precaution against Arsenal. Having watched on as West Ham shocked the Gunners Obiang is now back in full training and ready to be involed at Upton Park against the Foxes. Both sides started the season with emphatic victories and many are predicting a memorable encounter this Saturday. "This week I was finally training with the whole squad, and I'm looking forward to giving a slight headache to the manager to show that I'm ready to play!" he told West Ham TV. "Mainly my injury was fatigue, but I didn't realise at first. I had a little bit of pain, but I kept training and may have overdone it a bit. I was just as a precautionary measure that I wasn't ready for the Arsenal match. I could have been, but it I feel good now, and it's all good. "I have received a lot of messages showing the affection and support from all the West Ham fans, and yes, the truth is that I want to show them what I can do, so I want to show that I can play for this squad." London24 Sport will be at Slaven Billic's pre-match press conference so bookmark our homepage for all the latest ahead of kick off.

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Ex-West Ham striker Paulo Wanchope resigns as Costa Rica boss after altercation with a child and security official at youth game
CHARLIE DORIS Wednesday 12 August 2015 20:39 BST0 comments
Evening STandard

Paulo Wanchope has resigned from his position as Costa Rica manager after being filmed engaging in a pitch side brawl with a security guard at his country's Under-23 fixture against Panama.
Wanchope's role became untenable following the outburst that also saw him push a child. In the incredible footage, the ex-West Ham forward stormed towards the pitch slamming a gate open and shoving a child before turning back and launching himself at a security guard - leading to the pair having a violent brawl. Although the reasons for Wanchope's behaviour are yet to be confirmed, the former Costa Rica manager, who was a national hero in his country during his playing career, seemed to be incensed with an on-field incident during their Concacaf Qualifying match for the 2016 Olympics. Wanchope was the assistant of former boss Jorge Luis Pinto before taking over his post in February. The former Premier League player also led Costa Rica to a dismal Gold Cup campaign which saw them eliminated without winning a single game.

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WEST HAM ALREADY LOOKING TO REPLACE FLOP SUMMER SIGNING
By Joe Burrows 10 hours ago
readwestham.com

West Ham are said to have approached Queens Park Rangers about a possible deal to bring Robert Green back to East London. Following Jussi Jaaskelainen's departure to Wigan, West Ham boss Slaven Bilic is searching for an experienced goalkeeper to act as cover for first choice Adrian. They thought they found that goalkeeper in former Birmingham stopper Darren Randolph who signed a one-year deal with the club in June. However, following a string of poor performances in the Europa League and in pre-season, Bilic is looking to replace him already with former fan-favourite Green. The former England international featured in QPR's 2-0 defeat to Charlton on Saturday, and Rangers boss Chris Ramsey wants to keep hold of the 35-year-old shot stopper.
Although Ramsey doesn't want to sell the player who spent six years at the Boleyn Ground, QPR are trying to offload the high earners and the goalkeeper who is on £50,000 a week falls into that category. Green enjoyed a successful season in the Premier League last season, looking comfortable when called upon. This could have influenced why Bilic believes he could be a good player to have as a back-up goalkeeper. With only one year left on Green's contract, the Hammers may be able to tempt Rangers into a deal.

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West Ham rebel Morgan Amalfitano a transfer target for Saint-Etienne after Slaven Bilic bust-up
0 COMMENTS22:00, 12 AUGUST 2015
BY DARREN LEWIS
The Ligue 1 side are one of several clubs interested in midfielder banished from the first-team's training ground PLUS: Barton and Sakho latest
The Mirror

Exiled West Ham midfielder Morgan Amalfitano is a target for Saint-Etienne. We revealed on Tuesday that the 30-year-old French midfielder had been banished from the first team by new manager Slaven Bilic after a bust-up between the pair. Amalfitano has been told to stay away from the Hammers' Chadwell Heath HQ and is training with their Under-21s at the nearby Rush Green facility. Former Marseille star Amalfitano had missed a team meeting and is understand to have "shown attitude" to Bilic when confronted. West Ham are now ready to listen to offers and French side St Etienne are among several clubs interested. Meanwhile, former West Ham boss Sam Allardyce believes they were right to decide against signing Joey Barton. The Irons had been in advanced talks over a deal with the controversial midfielder before pulling out amid concern from fans, And Allardyce told talkSPORT: "I don't think you need the added pressure if the fans aren't happy with a player, even as good a player as Joey Barton. "I had it when El Hadji Diouf with us when I first got there and there was a big reaction against him. You get enough pressure as it is as manager without adding to it yourself. "So it's probably the right decision in the end — as much as I am disappointed for Joey."

* DIAFRA SAKHO is set to keep his place in the team despite his arrest for alleged assault. The striker is understood to be denying the allegations against him and the club are waiting for the legal process to take its course.

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Can Valencia's Alvaro Negredo reignite his career with a loan transfer to West Ham?
Jason Pettigrove for Metro.co.uk
Thursday 13 Aug 2015 12:02 am

Valencia's Alvaro Negredo could well be making a swift return to the Premier League if recent reports are proved to be correct. Spanish sources indicate that Los Che manager Nuno Santo is no fan of the big target man and has sanctioned a loan move for the player. Loaned to Valencia by Manchester City, the deal included an obligatory purchase at the end of the loan, but it appears that Santo is keen to get Negredo off of the books whether by hook or by crook. Slaven Bilic is a fan of the more traditional centre-forward having worked with Demba Ba to great effect at Besiktas. It's also worth casting a cursory eye over the Hammers' performance at Arsenal to check the east Londoners are chock full of big, muscular exponents. Arguably Negredo fits right into that team dynamic and West Ham's interest in the player isn't new of course. In 2013, whilst Negredo was still plying his trade at Sevilla, the Hammers lodged a £14.5million bid which was ultimately refused by the club and the player himself. It's a sign of how quickly things change in football that the player would probably pay his own travel to Upton Park if it meant he would get a spot on the team. Andy Carroll remains an injury nightmare and with Enner Valencia out for three months at least, a proven goalscorer is needed.
Negredo, like so many other burly centre-forwards, thrives on decent service. Supporters can often be under the misapprehension that by not getting involved throughout a move, a particular player is somehow 'lazy' or under utilised. Intricate passing triangles has never been Negredo's meat and drink however and his purchase would certainly not require him to get involved to that extent. Ditto Carroll when fit. Goals are his currency and in the right team, with wide men who deliver on a consistent basis, Negredo will profit handsomely. There are bound to be question marks as to his suitability given that he has been canned by both Man City and Valencia in quick succession, but both Pellegrini and Santo are looking to play a different style which doesn't suit the Spaniard's natural game. Don't forget that the player scored 23 goals in 33 games in a lightning-quick start for City and is still only 29 years of age with a few good seasons in him yet. Adept at hold-up play and bringing others into the fold, and as decent a target man as you'll find for the price, West Ham could do worse than taking a punt.

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Tony Carr shares his tales from West Ham's academy
By Brentwood Gazette | Posted: August 13, 2015

A GENUINE West Ham legend has visited the Phoenix FM studio in Brentwood to talk about his sporting career at Upton Park Tony Carr, who ran West Ham's youth academy for 41 years, spoke to Paul Golder about his early life as a West Ham supporter and youth player, which led to a role on the coaching staff. His talents led to the discovery of many future England players including ex-Brentwood School pupil Frank Lampard, as well as Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Glen Johnson, Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick. Seven of the 23 players in the England World Cup squad in 2010 were coached as youth players by Tony. He also met up with two of the Phoenix FM team, Bob Simpson and Steve Roach, who were among the many youth players Tony has trained.
Tony is now 64 but still acts as an ambassador for the club. He was appointed MBE in 2010 for services to football. Station chairman Paul Golder said: "It would have been an absolute pleasure to have welcomed Tony to the studio even if I wasn't a West Ham fan. "He was an absolute gentleman and could have talked all day about his experiences. "It's a must-listen for anyone interested in football history, no matter who they support." The interview can be heard on Saturday at 8pm and will also be available on the Phoenix FM website after that date.
Guests coming up on Phoenix FM in the next week include Fran Smith from Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary and Darren Parker from the Essex Badger Protection Group. There will also be live music from The Albino Peaches, CJ2, Lauren Cresswell and Roisin O'Hagan

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Tottenham raise demands by £3m for Sunderland, Chelsea and West Ham target
TOTTENHAM have slapped a £15million price tag of Mousa Dembele to stave off Sunderland's interest in the player, according to reports.
By JOE SHORT
PUBLISHED: 06:28, Thu, Aug 13, 2015 | UPDATED: 06:40, Thu, Aug 13, 2015
Express.co.uk

Dembele, 28, has been earmarked as a 'dream signing' at the Stadium of Light as manager Dick Advocaat seeks midfield recruits, claim the Star. And West Ham and Chelsea have both been linked with the former Fulham ace. The Hammers were reportedly willing to raid their London rivals for the player with a £12m bid thought to have been prepared in June. And Blues boss Jose Mourinho was also understood to be considering an offer earlier this summer when Oscar's future was in doubt. But it appears Sunderland are leading the race to sign him, although they will hope to lower Spurs' asking price before the transfer window is out. Belgium international Dembele joined Spurs for £15m in 2012 after a successful stint at Craven Cottage. The midfielder, who has two years remaining on his contract, started in Spurs' Premier League opener against Manchester United last weekend. But, while manager Mauricio Pochettino insists the player is part of his plans for the new campaign, it is understood Spurs are prepared to cash in on him if the price is right.

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Slaven Bilic: Beating Arsenal was terrific but West Ham will be in danger if we drop below that level
SLAVEN BILIC
Thursday 13 August 2015 07:17 BST0 comments
Evening Standard

When you win a match you don't want the next one for six months so you can keep enjoying the feeling — when you lose, though, you want the next one the day after tomorrow. Not my words but those of Miroslav Blazevic, Croatia's most famous ever manager, who led the country to third place at the 1998 World Cup. It's certainly true because everyone here at the club would love to enjoy the feeling and emotion of our terrific win at Arsenal to linger longer — but it's not possible. When the players came back into the Emirates dressing-room at full-time on Sunday, I said to them: "Guys, it's a brilliant start and especially against a team like Arsenal but unfortunately it's only a good beginning rather than a great finish."
I'm not saying we should forget about that marvellous win, though. No, we have to take everything that is positive from that match in terms of confidence and pattern. Of course, we need to make good use of that positivity but from the moment the game finished, it would be suicidal to start preening ourselves, thinking: "We are good, bring on Leicester — or Barcelona!" It was a great start yes but that's it.

It certainly wasn't perfect, in fact I wasn't happy at half-time. I have watched the game again and perhaps the first half was better than I thought at the time but I gave the players more than a little bit of stick at half-time — and there was no better time to do it because we were already 1-0 up. The best situation in which to criticise your players is either when you are winning or after you have won. I told them that I can live with the fact that some of the Arsenal players might have better skills, they may well even be the quickest team in the country. However, they looked more hungry than us in that first half, more aggressive, more concentrated on the second ball and that is the department where I know we should be as good, if not better, than them. The way our players responded in the second half was brilliant. We were much better, all over the pitch. I wasn't just delighted with the three points but it was the way we did it, especially towards the end of the game. Yes, they had their moments — they are Arsenal after all — but it wasn't that we stole that win by tackling them nastily or wasting time because their crowd would have gone mad at that.

Our fans were great, of course, but the proof that we had deserved our win were the home supporters. Our players said some of them applauded them off at the end, which confirms that we had done it in style. I spoke with Arsene Wenger afterwards in his office. Of course, Arsene was not happy with the result but he did say we deserved it.

Now we have two home games – against Leicester on Saturday and then Bournemouth the week after - and the expectation will be higher. That is normal and it is my job to cope with that.
The other thing is that, although we have some players who are new to the Premier League, they are also experienced, they are from big clubs in France and Italy. You don't have to have played in the Premier League to know this is supposed to be the hardest league in the world - that every game is a new challenge. Arsenal may be better than Leicester but Leicester are good enough as they showed in their opening game against Sunderland. If we are even five per cent below what we should be we will be in big danger. I think we will be good, though, because we know we will have to be as compact, as hard, as concentrated, as aggressive, to win this match. Every game is different but if you are compact, if you are solid, if you defend with numbers, you have a good chance. Some teams may go wide, some, like Arsenal, tend to go more centrally, some play long balls but whatever happens, we need to stay compact defensively.

I have been asked if there has been any reaction back in Croatia or in Turkey where I managed. Yes, they have been writing about it because in both countries, they follow the Premier League closely but I want to keep this low profile. As I said before, it's just the start. The news is out that I have disciplined one of my players - Morgan Amalfitano - for a breach of rules. I would just say that my first and foremost job is to protect the whole team - myself, the staff and players. If I see anything or anyone threatening to harm the atmosphere and transgress those rules, then it has to be stopped. I haven't changed much - Sam Allardyce had some great rules and I am sure they haven't changed for a long time. They are basic rules and if they are under threat, then I have to step in. I have to protect the team.

Talking about keeping a lid on things, we are going to have to try and manage the situation regarding Reece Oxford, following his terrific Premier League debut for us. When I was here as a player I remember Joe Cole as a young lad. Joe was too young to train with us but Harry Redknapp told me even then that Sir Alex Ferguson was asking on a daily basis about Joe. We can't expect people to ignore Reece after that display. I am 46 years old but he made an impact on me. I would think that every West Ham supporter and many neutral football fans would feel the same way - it is human nature. It is natural that some people will go over the top with their reaction, even if Reece himself is totally stable. His environment will change, it is impossible to think otherwise. We can't stop that completely but we have to control it, monitor it - manage it. On the pitch is easier, it is just me, my staff and him. Outside, though, it will be more of a challenge. It has happened also to Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and the one player who coped with it the better than anyone - David Beckham. He was a 'one-off,' a showbiz personality but someone who was also so hungry to succeed in football. For others, however, not only their careers have been ruined but in some cases, their lives. It is easy not to notice, especially when people keep telling you it's the managers' fault, the agents' fault, the media's fault. This club have been good at dealing with these situations in the past, though, with Cole, Lampard, Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Jermain Defoe - and they all progressed.

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