Daily WHUFC News - 27th November 2015

View on the Visitors - West Bromwich Albion
WHUFC.com

West Bromwich Albion correspondent Paul Suart for The Birmingham Mail lifts
the lid on Sunday's visitors

A huge win for the Baggies last weekend over Arsenal, how important could
that result be?

"It was a huge win really especially considering they had back-to-back
defeats before that, so it was very important to get back to winning ways. I
think it was also important because it showed they can compete with the big
teams in the division. It was also Albion's first comeback win under Tony
Pulis, so to come back from behind against a team like Arsenal was massive."

How would you summarise West Brom's season so far?

"It's been very hit and miss, they've struggled to find any kind of
consistency. Generally away from home they've been extremely tight and hard
to break down. I don't think they've actually conceded a goal in the first
half of a match yet, so that shows how organised and disciplined Pulis has
got his side, and how hard they are to break down when playing away."

Who for you has been the stand out performers, which players have caught
your eye?

"James McClean has done very well over the last month, he has really stood
out. He was fabulous against Arsenal, tracking back to help Chris Brunt deal
with Alexis Sanchez and then bombing forward. His work rate is just
phenomenal; he has got such an engine on him. He's always so committed and
full blooded in the tackle, while improving his end product too.

"In terms of the new signings, Jonny Evans has been easily the best, he's
barely put a foot wrong at the heart of defence; he's been brilliant."

The Baggies spent a lot of money on Salomon Rondon, what have you made of
him so far?

"He's a good player, he's taken a while to adjust to the pace and the power
of the English game, he's definitely equipped for it. He's quite speedy and
mobile, a willing runner down the channels and exceptional in the air. He's
slowly but surely working on his hold-up play. He's struggled a little bit
after each international break because he has to come back from South
America playing for Venezuela, so he's adjusting to that as well."

In all likelihood, this is the Baggies' last visit to the Boleyn Ground,
what memories do you have of this stadium?

"I'm fairly new to sports reporting actually so this will be my first and
probably last visit to the Boleyn Ground. As an outsider, it's always been a
place where the fans are very passionate and really get involved, it's quite
an intimate place. From watching games on TV it looks like quite a cosy
ground, so definitely a tough place for any team to come and play at."

What is your prediction for Sunday's score?

"I'll go with 1-1, which I think West Brom would take. An away point is
always useful, and I know West Ham are missing a few key players. I'm sure
West Brom will set up to frustrate and I'll think they'll be able to do that
for most of the game but they won't be able to hold them out for a full 90
minutes."

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'Cheikhou Jackson' wants Hammers to beat it
WHUFC.com

Snappy dresser 'Cheikhou Jackson' Kouyate wants West Ham United to 'Beat It'
when they face West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

The midfielder turned heads when he arrived at Chadwell Heath dressed head
to toe in a Michael Jackson-eque black outfit this week, topped by a very
fetching wide-rimmed fedora hat.

Kouyate's 'Bad' appearance led to him being given the nickname 'Cheikhou
Jackson' by captain Mark Noble, while teammates lined up to take selfies
with West Ham's very own 'Man in the Mirror'.

"It's true everybody was very funny as they all seemed to like my clothes!"
he laughed "I came in and Mark Noble saw me and he immediately called me
'Cheikhou Jackson' and I like it.

"I like my clothes and this is the new look. Sometimes, you have to change
your look!"

Kouyate is also keen that West Ham change their results, with the team
currently on a run of three Barclays Premier League matches without a win.

The No8 gave everything at White Hart Lane last weekend, hitting the
crossbar with a fantastic scissor-kick, but still ended up on the end of bad
a 4-1 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur.

He is anxious not to suffer the same disappointment when the Hammers host
West Bromwich Albion on Sunday – a game which promises to be a 'Thriller' at
the Boleyn Ground.

"Last week was a bad week," he admitted. "We just have to forget this game,
all the players and supporters, and look forward to the West Bromwich game.

"West Ham need the victory and need the points and we will go into battle to
earn the three points.

"This is not an easy game. This is a very difficult team to play against,
but we've been working hard this week and have good preparation for this
game.

Looking further forward, Kouyate is preparing for his second festive season
in English football.

As a practising Muslim, the midfielder does not celebrate Christmas himself,
but he knows how important this time of year is for football.

"I like Christmas but I don't celebrate it myself so there is no party for
me!" he explained. "But I have a lot of friends who will celebrate so it is
a nice time for them and I hope we can get some good results for them."

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Boleyn Memories - Alan Devonshire

Alan Devonshire will always be regarded as one of the biggest legends in
West Ham United's history and is considered one of the greatest midfielders
to have ever put on a claret and blue shirt. The talented midfielder made
448 appearances for the Hammers scoring 32 goals during his memorable
14-year spell in east London. Devonshire has many magical memories playing
at the Boleyn Ground and says he will never forget the unique atmosphere
that was created by the supporters. Devonshire said: "I remember the
atmosphere in the tunnel and it was unbelievable. It used to make the hairs
on the back of my neck stand up. The night games at the Boleyn Ground were
magnificent occasions. "Bonzo was great to play alongside and I played with
the best keeper I have ever seen in Phil Parkes. He should have got more
caps for England. "The 1985/86 season was one of the standout memories and
we came so close to winning the league. If we had not had a backlog of games
I am sure we would have won the title. I have spoken to people from
Liverpool and Everton and they said we were the best team that season. "I
always had a great rapport with the fans and they are the best for me. They
stood with me when I had a knee injury and I had to change my game, but they
always got behind me and I will always be thankful for that."

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Fans slam pitch ban decision
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 26th November 2015
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United supporters have slammed the decision not to allow them onto
the Boleyn Ground pitch after the club's final ever home game in Upton Park.
Following KUMB.com's exclusive revelation yesterday that West Ham would be
hiring extra stewards to ensure fans do not encroach onto the playing
surface after the match with Swansea, in order to protect it for subsequent
commercial events, supporters accused the club of "greed".

KUMB member OllyWHU6 said: "It just doesn't make sense. It will also foster
so much ill-will between fans and ownership. Karren Brady, as much as she
has her flaws, must know that alienating a customer base before a major
transition is reckless."

Fellow member Row X insisted that staging corporate events after the final
first team match would be an insult. "The club are just trying to get every
last penny out of the ground, and have stupidly arranged events after the
final game of the season," he said.

"In my view, the last ever football kicked at the ground should be a
competitive game involving West Ham United - not Dave and his mates from the
pub in a five-a-side game."

That view was echoed by Whitters, who added: "The last game should be a
competitive fixture involving the first team. I went to a football dinner a
year or so ago and Richard Keys was boasting how he was the last person to
score at Highfield Road.

"I would hate the same to happen to us, with some ex-cast member of
Eastenders or X Factor contestant having that honour."

Meanwhile claretcloggy, who will travelling from the Netherlands for the
game, also admitted his disappointment. "I've been saving up for a few
months now. Never have i walked onto a football pitch as a fan, but I was
certainly planning on doing it for this occasion," he said.

"This feels so incredibly cruel and really like a slap in the face by the
Board. It honestly makes my blood boil that they would deny us, the
lifeblood of the club, this opportunity."

And Maltab believes the decision is financially-motivated, suggested that
the club have good reason to prevent people onto the playing surface. "I
reckon the club will set up an auction site," he said.

"A free for all with people scrapping to dig pieces of the pitch up, and
ripping up things, would be a sad way to see the BG go. Although it's
probably every West Ham United fan's dream to go on the pitch, where their
idols once played."

Supporters were also angered by the decision as co-chairman David Gold told
a meeting of season ticket holders in December 2013 that the club were
planning a huge party ON THE PITCH to mark the landmark final game.

And others were deeply concerned that the input of the much-maligned
Supporter's Advisory Board had effectively been ignored.

"It was stated in the SAB focus groups on a number of occasions, and agreed
by the marketing director, that the final game on the pitch would be the
last competitive fixture," wrote Mr Dallas. "I'm glad to see the sum total
of nil was achieved by all the input, questionnaires and fans' opinion."

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Drogba fan on West Ham's radar
KUMb.com
Filed: Thursday, 26th November 2015
By: Staff Writer

West Ham are understood to have sent scouts to watch goalscoring sensation
Gohi Bi Cyriac.

The 25-year-old Ivory Coast international has scored 10 times already this
season for his current club Oostende in the Belgian Pro League, having moved
to the club from Anderlecht last season.

And it has been reported that both West Ham and fellow Premier League side
Crystal Palace have been keeping tabs on Cyriac, who scored the only goal in
his country's 1-0 World Cup qualifying win against Liberia earlier this
month (see below) and confesses to being a huge fan of former Chelsea star
Didier Drogba.

"I'm happy about that. I like those clubs. They would be a challenge for
me," Cyriac said when asked about interest from West Ham and the Eagles. "I
was told they were in the stadium [recently] and that there is interest, but
I am just concentrating on playing for my club.

"I would be happy to play in the best league in the world one day. It is
very physical and referees play with a good spirit and don't stop the
attacks all the time. I like the Premier League a lot; when I was a kid I
liked Wayne Rooney and I met Didier Drogba playing for the Ivory Coast.

"He has given me lots of advice. He is like a father figure. He has helped
me a lot. But right now I want to help Oostende qualify for Europe."

Having began his career with ASEC Mimosas in Abidjan, Cyriac moved to Europe
in 2009 after signing a five-year contract with Standard Liege. Three years
later he was snapped up by Anderlecht, where he featured alongside West Ham
midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate, but failed to impress.

That led to a move to his current club earlier this year, for whom he has
already reached double figures in the league. His goals have helped left KVO
to third place in the Belgian Pro League, just two point behind current
leaders Gent and two ahead of his former club Anderlecht.

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Three year deal awaits player if all goes well
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 26, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

ClaretandHugh understands that Alex Song will be offered a three year deal
next summer should he make a successful comeback from injury. Initially, the
manager was believed ready to offer the Barcelona loanee a two year contract
but is now understood to be ready with a three year deal if things go well.
Sources inside the club are disappointed the midfielder didn't get longer on
the pitch last Sunday but are hoping he will start or get an extended
run-out against West Brom. With the injury to Dmitri Payet, Song's return
could hardly be more timely as the Hammers look for more creativity. And
Bilic is understood to have agreed that a three year deal will be on the
table should Song return to the early season form of last season and hold it
throughout the campaign. We were told: "Alex has impressed the boss with his
determination and application during his recovery and is a hugely popular
individual inside the club. "If he can recapture the early season form that
made him such a favourite there is a three year deal waiting for him."

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Super Frankie Mc gives his Carroll verdict
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 26, 2015 in News, Super Mc's Blogs,
Whispers
C and H

I've decided to join the Andy Carroll debate which has been concentrating
minds since last Sunday and before. But let me get this out of the way
first, the performance against Spurs was horrible and I don't really want to
think about it for long. Sadly for Andy it just didn't work for him and in
fact hasn't since he came back into the team. I'm honestly not sure if he is
fully fit but whether he is or not, the fact remains that West Ham – who
have been producing the unpredictable this season – were thoroughly
predictable at White Hart Lane. I agree 100 per cent with those who say
Sakho must go through the middle – that's as clear as day after last weekend
and was even before his lay off. I don't see how that leaves a place for
Carroll – who is without doubt a very good player – in the team He was fine
under Sam Allardyce because that was the way the previous manager played but
we are a changed team under Slav. I'm hoping that Alex Song is fit and if so
would play him in a midfield five of himself, Kouyate, Lanzini, Obiang and
Moses.
Songy is capable of providing the craft and guile we hare missing as a
result of Payet's absence and that midfield behind Sakho up front looks
strong.

It forces Kouyate into a holding role in front of the back four
unfortunately but the midfield looks strong and has goals in it. I think I'd
stay with Jenkinson at right back for now whilst bringing back Ogbonna
alongside Reid with Cresswell on the left of course. We need a top
performance after last weekend. It really was awful and we want no more
displays like that this season.

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This return just isn't going to happen
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 26, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

News that Ravel Morrison is set to leave Lazio for "personal reasons" has
again started the same old 'will he won't he" rumours circulating.

But many of those on social media crying out for him to come back to West
Ham are missing one very serious point.

If he couldn't make it into West Ham team without the likes of Payet and
Lanzini around, how would he ever expect to get into one with them.

"Personal reasons " can of course cover a multitude of issues but if we are
entirely honest "personal reasons have too often been the problem in
Ravel's life.

Incredibly, many, failing to see the multitude of problems and increasingly
heavy baggage the player brings have been screaming for him to return.

But a source told us: "It's such an old chestnut and it's just not going to
happen. Simple. With everybody fit and firing can anyone really see a place
for Ravel in the set-up anyway. We wish him well but we have been there and
done that."

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Cottee: "We can't use same excuse for defeats"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 26, 2015 in News
C and H

Tony Cottee has told West Ham they really cannot use the absence of Dimi
Payet as the reason for a dip in form. The former striker – talking about
the defeat at Spurs – said: "We were without Dimitri Payet of course and
though he is our best player, we can't keep using his absence as an excuse.
Going on about him being injured may well be justified for a couple of
weeks, but we have to get over it and set up another team who can be
successful and pick up the points we need to cling on to the top six going
into Christmas. He told London24.com: We get a chance to make up for the
Tottenham loss this Sunday when we take on West Brom, but it is certainly
not going to be easy. I think all the teams in the Premier League this
season have strengthened, including West Brom, who had a great result
against Arsenal last weekend. You can't go around saying that 'it is West
Brom this weekend, we will win that', it doesn't work that way. You have to
work hard for any win in this league. We need to bounce back and I am going
for a 2-0 win. I will be there myself on Sunday so I would like to see a
better display and a nice win.

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Good news from treatment room
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 26, 2015 in News
C and H

Pedro Obiang has been declared fit for action on Sunday! Head of Medical and
Sports Science Stijn Vandenbroucke has revealed in his latest update: "He
returned to training with the group last week following his recovery from a
quadriceps injury. Pedro has now got more training days under his belt. He
will be available for selection on Sunday." Speaking to the club's official
website he added: "Dimitri Payet and Enner Valencia are both in a period of
immobilisation and wearing a boot. We will look to start their
rehabilitation next week and take their treatment to the next stage. Darren
Randolph is still recovering from the knee injury he suffered while on
international duty with Republic of Ireland. Finally, Reece Oxford had a
nasty fall in Monday's Development Squad win over Derby County and was taken
off as a precautionary measure at half-time. Reece will return to training
this week with a view to being available for selection this weekend."

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Gold in Lord Sugar mickey-taking jibe
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 26, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

David Gold has taken the mickey out of former Spurs owner Lord Sugar on
Twitter. The architect of 'The Apprentice' show who of course employs Karren
Brady as one of his judges on the show, decided to appear on the daytime TV
show Loose Women recently. This led to some of the usual banter involving
himself and regular sparring partner on the social network, Piers Morgan,
who himself had appeared on the show. Lord-Sugar-and-Piers-MorganApparently,
women in the audience had shrieked that the good Lord was sexier than Morgan
and Sugar who then produced a rather sad image of a certificate from the
show declaring he was officially a 'loose man." All of this left Gold
entirely unmoved and he decided to intervene in the discussion between the
warring parties of Arsenal (Morgan) and Sugar. Having seen the certificate
appear, he declared: "That reminds me, I must paint my fence."

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No regrets at not joining Hammers
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on November 26, 2015 in News, Whispers
C and H

Andre Ayew admits he has no regrets about not joining West ham in the summer
after becoming a main target for the club Ayew has scored six goals in 14
appearances for Swansea and was a main target of Slaven Bilic but his
decision to make the move to Wales opened up the way for the Irons to land
Dimitri Payet. Ayew claims he has no regrets saying: "Before I signed for
Swansea, I had offers from big clubs. It was a choice that I really thought
about. "I took my time, weighed up the positives and the negatives, my age,
what I want to achieve in football and how I was going to get there. "With
my family, I took the decision to go to Swansea, somewhere where I had the
confidence of the manager and the president at 100%. "I really wanted to
take my time to adapt to this league, in a good team. I did not want to go
to a team where I would not play, that would not try to create, score goals.
"Swansea gave me everything that I wanted, in terms of football and
financially. Now, I am ambitious and we will see what happens.

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THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
By Jo Phillips 26 Nov 2015 at 08:00
WTID

Football is, often unfairly, used as a barometer of a nation, a set of
attitudes or behaviours that have nothing to do with the game.Football fans
are lumped together regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or social class in
a way that any self respecting social scientist would find lazy and
indicative of nothing. There is no more reason to judge the tens of
thousands of people who go to matches each week than the same number who go
shopping or to rock concerts. But, as we all know, there is something that
eternally fascinates people about football fans – the tribalism, the
gladiatorial contest, the clothes, the songs and the humour – outward signs
that conveniently mark football fans from the rest of the population.

We are scrutinised more, tarred with a brush of brutality and bad behaviour
that is mercifully now outdated and often the subject of astonishment when
we behave perfectly normally. Of course, tens of thousands of noisy people
descending on suburban streets will have an impact. The economy of football,
locally, nationally and internationally dwarfs many FTSE companies and other
industries.

And, of course the behaviour of players, fans and managers will always get
headlines not least because it's all so very public and quite often they're
behaving like total pillocks.
In the past ten days we've seen the incredible sight of Wembley, dressed for
the England France game where the discipline, respect and genuine human
warmth was moving and appropriate even if the singing wasn't quite up to the
mark. Most of us who've been at Upton Park in early November will have been
moved by the silence to mark Remembrance Day, the wreath laying and the
sight of immaculately uniformed service men and women marching round the
ground. Because football is a spectacle, full of noise and action, it is the
contrast of utter silence and stillness just seconds before the raucousness
of a game that makes it so remarkable and moving. Because it brings together
people who would otherwise have no common ground, it creates a unity that is
hard to find in daily life.

How sad then that at the weekend, a fan was stabbed outside White Hart Lane.
Football can't take responsibility for idiots with knives or mindless
violence and thuggery but because it happened at a game, inevitably it
raises fears that are not that far buried, of the bad old days of football
matches being an excuse for fighting.
Earlier this week, a young Muslim woman was subjected to racist abuse while
travelling on a train near Newcastle. Football fans were among those that
came to her defence and cheered when the abusive passenger got off. Some
reports of this incident barely disguised amazement that people "wearing
replica football tops" would be among those who stood up for decency.

Why?

Football fans are just normal people, the good, the bad and the ugly. And
the less said about that ugly game on Sunday, the better.

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Lets make changes against WBA
November 25, 2015
thewesthamway.co.uk
Jack Sullivan

Spurs away is a Sunday we can all forget. Lets be honest, this was by far
our worst performance this season and Spurs were on the top of their game.
Even though I hate to say it, I reckon they have a really good chance of
making the top 4. They pressured very well and put our defences under a lot
of pressure which we don't like playing against, as we have made the most
defence errors so far this season and made two again on Sunday. We need to
cut this out of our game in my opinion, but at the same time I understand
why we are making them as we are playing much better football so far this
year.

We had some horrible performances from a few players on Sunday, but I would
struggle to tell you who had a good performance, apart from Reid, maybe
Kouyate and Sakho at times. Lanzini scored a great goal and also showed
some flashes of a real player and maybe a good replacement for Payet for the
next three months. They always say you learn more about the team when you
lose than when you win and I really believe this is true against Spurs and
we maybe learnt that three in the heart of midfield may have paid off. At
the same time I think the idea was to play Carroll and to get balls into the
box, as Giroud and Arsenal did it very well a few weeks before.

Everyone was gutted with the performance, from the board to the players and
manger! We all know for the fans it's a huge game, which Bilic did say in
his interview after. I really liked how Bilic was so honest in his
interview and took credit for the loss, which I have massive respect for.
He spoke to my Dad on Monday and they both agree 1 point from the last 3
games just wasn't good enough. He had some idea on how to change it and I'm
sure he will! Viva Bilic!!!

I am really loooking forward to the West Brom game too, although it is not
going to be an easy game. They are a very hard team to break down,
especially away from home. For we should win it though. I would make a
few changes, maybe bring in Ogbonna and move Sakho up front, Our next six
games are all winnable! I really hope we can hold our position and I really
believe that we can!!

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Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish is at the crossroads - he really must
grow up
Aston Villa prodigy must copy former England stalwart Rio Ferdinand and
escape the drinking culture while young, writes Sam Wallace
Telegraph.co.uk
Sam Wallace By Sam Wallace, Chief Football Writer

Reading the chapter "Getting Hammered" in Rio Ferdinand's first
autobiography, about the drinking culture at West Ham United in the
mid-1990s, is a bit like watching one of those particularly bibulous
episodes of Mad Men. There is so much booze involved that by the end of it
you feel a bit tipsy yourself, whether you have had a drink or not.
Young Ferdinand was out every Saturday night for a big one and then back to
meet Frank Lampard on a Sunday afternoon for another session into the early
hours. The pair were up early for training on Monday morning and then a
party somewhere on Monday night. "I would be drinking alcopops and Jack
Daniels four days a week minimum," Ferdinand recalls, "I never thought,
'Jesus, I'm pissed a lot'. I was enjoying it. It was part of the culture and
I was locked into it."

Twenty years on, the boys of the Premier League would never get away with
the kind of intake that would have floored even Roger Sterling, never mind
Raheem Sterling, just as the Ferdinand generation learned that they could
not expect the same leeway as their 1980s predecessors. The restrictions on
a professional footballer have never been higher in the modern game, as the
power and stamina levels go up and the GPS tracking stats offer no place to
hide.

Which brings us to Jack Grealish, last season's prodigy, sparko in Tenerife
last summer, and back out on the town in Manchester on a night-out that has
seen him busted down to Aston Villa's Under-21s at exactly the time his
hometown club find themselves in big trouble. There has to be some slack cut
for a young man who has spent his teenage years in the developmental
hot-house of elite football, but at some point Grealish, 20, would do well
to look around him and wonder why there are so few others spending Saturday
nights the same way. For the likes of Harry Kane, Ross Barkley and Dele Alli
the penny has dropped that it is hard enough making a career in the world's
richest league, without earning a reputation as trouble. If it is the case
that these are just rare nights out for Grealish then he would do well to
note that just as crucial to his career is the way that he is perceived - by
coaches, prospective clubs, even international managers. If Grealish thinks
that the pictures and videos of him are unrepresentative of the life he
leads then he should put some distance between himself and the people who
are taking them.

The consensus on Grealish is that he is gifted on the pitch and likeable off
it, albeit long considered one of the least likely at Villa's academy to
obtain a basic pass grade in common sense. There is despair in some quarters
that Remi Garde and his staff gave permission to Grealish, and others, to
leave the Villa party that departed Goodison Park on Saturday night and
travel home separately.

Grealish found himself on his way to Manchester and then to Birmingham, his
home patch where he is always likely to attract attention. To most
20-years-olds a restriction on Saturday nights would seem most unfair, but
then he is a 20-year-old who plays Premier League football. If he could not
see that a night-out after a 4-0 defeat was inappropriate then it needed
someone older and wiser to point it out to him.

It is a gilded cage that the current generation of prodigies in English
football find themselves in and Grealish is no exception: his current deal
can earn him more than £20,000 a week with bonuses. It is not his fault that
he finds himself young, homegrown and talented at a time when, like never
before, English football is making millionaires of English boys, but it is
something he needs to deal with.

In reaching a Premier League first team in his teens, he has come through
one of the most exacting challenges in professional sport and in an ideal
world probably would be allowed a few drinks occasionally without having to
concern himself with the camera phones clicking around him. But this is the
Premier League of 2015 where the scrutiny is relentless, and the sooner you
accept the rules of engagement, the better.

That is what Kane has done and the rewards have been obvious. Grealish
himself is managed by the agents Jonathan Barnett and David Manasseh who,
among others, have overseen the hugely successful career of the abstemious
Gareth Bale. Moreover, Grealish is playing for a club where there will be
opportunities and, unlike his peers at more successful clubs, he has a
precious chance to play.

For a 20-year-old with money to burn, friends to collude with and the
weekend stretching out ahead of him, it must be a powerful temptation.
Re-reading Ferdinand's stories of smoking and drinking on the team coach
with Slaven Bilic, Julian Dicks and Bernard Lama, one thing is obvious: if
he had been playing 20 years later it would have been very different.
"Some of the players were the worst influence a young lad could ever have,"
he writes, "Smoking, drinking, gambling, clubbing – they did it all." Even
at 21, he knew he had to get out of West Ham. As Grealish trains with his
Under-21s peers this week as he can either curse his bad luck at being born
in the wrong era, or make the grown-up decision that something – someone –
has to change.

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West Ham fly 11,000 miles to pluck young prodigy from 300 footballers at New
Zealand training session
HITC
Damien Lucas

West Ham United have cast their net all the way to New Zealand in the search
for new talent. The Hammers are famous for their Academy and have a rich
history of launching the careers of many celebrated internationals. From
England's World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore right through to Reece
Oxford, who became the youngest player in West Ham's history this season.
Well now Auckland teenager Lewis Tiller will get his chance after the club
plucked him out of a crowd of 300 at a training session 11,000 miles from
East London. Tiller, 17, has been selected to play for the West Ham Under
18s squad after being spotted by Hammers officials on a scouting mission
recently. The young Kiwi will undoubtedly be made to feel more at home by
Hammers first team star Winston Reid, who captains the New Zealand national
side. Tiller must have some talent too. He was the only player from the
300-strong training session to be selected to be part of a training and
development squad at West Ham's London base. But West Ham were so impressed
they instead selected him to be part of the Under 18 setup. His old coach is
not surprised at the youngster's progress, though.

'It's a huge feat'

Jim Evans, head coach and director of football at Lewis' former club, Waiuku
AFC, told the NZ Herald the fact Tiller was the only player to be selected
from the entire continent speaks volumes about his talent. "Definitely,
huge, it's a massive deal," Evans told the NZ Herald. "Lewis was a young,
promising player who had benefited both physically and mentally from
training and playing with his older teammates. "To actually be the one
picked out of so many players is a feat in itself, it's a huge feat. "So you
have to be surprised and he's probably surprised too but am I surprised with
his ambition and commitment to the sport? No."

Perfect timing

Tiller may be signing for the Hammers at just the right time too. Fans had
grown fed up at seeing their famous Academy ignored by former manager Sam
Allardyce. Players like American Seb Lletget were released by Big Sam and
have gone on to show they should have been given more of a chance. But
Allardyce departed in the summer and his replacement Slaven Bilic is a
manager who cares about the long-term development of the club. Bilic has a
proven track record of developing young talent for the very top particularly
during his time with the Croatian national team. The former defender has
also proved this season that age is nothing but a number to him, handing
16-year-old Reece Oxford his Premier League debut against Arsenal in a
memorable 2-0 win, in which the teen was voted man of the match.

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