Daily WHUFC News - 9th January 2016

Preview - Wolves
WHUFC.com

The background

West Ham United's Emirates FA Cup adventure for 2016 begins on Saturday with
a third round visit of Sky Bet Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Hammers take a break from Barclays Premier League action having risen
back to sixth in the table with back-to-back wins either side of the New
Year.

Southampton and Liverpool were both seen off at the Boleyn Ground and Slaven
Bilic will be hoping to make it a hat-trick of home wins in his first FA Cup
tie as boss.

Wolves sit eleventh in the Championship table, seven points shy of the
play-off positions having taken 34 points from 25 games, but are on a good
run of form.

Kenny Jackett's men have won their last three outings, defeating Reading,
Charlton Athletic and Brighton & Hove Albion without conceding a goal.

They are four-time FA Cup winners, last lifting the famous trophy in 1960.
The history

West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers have met twice before in the FA
Cup.

The first meeting was also the first time the clubs faced off in any
competition, with the then-Southern League Hammers defeating their Football
League opponents 5-1 in 1910.

The second cup tie was more recent – in 2004 – when goals from Brian Deane,
Marlon Harewood and David Connolly gave the Hammers a 3-1 fourth round win
at Molineux.

Overall, West Ham and Wolves have played each other 60 times, with the
Hammers winning 28 times to the Midlanders' 18

The match

Team news

West Ham United

Winston Reid returns to the West Ham United squad for the visit of Wolves,
having recovered from a hamstring injury.

Dimitri Payet could start after making his comeback from his ankle problem
in last week's victory over Liverpool, but Manuel Lanzini is out after
limping off during the same game.

Victor Moses and Diafra Sakho (both hamstring) remain sidelined, although a
return for Moses is not far away.
Wolverhampton Wanderers

For Wolves, winger Jordan Graham is a doubt after suffering an ankle knock
and Michai Zyro may come in in his place.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is in contention to start following injury, but
Sheyi Ojo is unavailable after his parent club Liverpool cut short his loan
at Molineux.
Match info

Saturday's referee is Manchester official Anthony Taylor. His assistants are
Constantine Hatzidakis and Adam Hopkins. The fourth official is Kevin
Johnson.
West Ham enjoyed a fantastic start to their head-to-head meetings with
Wolves, winning eleven and drawing three of the opening 14 fixtures before
losing 5-0 at Molineux in a First Division match on 11 April 1960.
Bobby Moore scored the only double of his career in a 4-2 First Division win
over Wolves at the Boleyn Ground on 18 December 1961.
Liam Brady scored on his final appearance in a West Ham shirt in a 4-0
Second Division victory over Wolves here on 5 May 1990 – the last game of
the Republic of Ireland great's illustrious career.
Wolves' most-recent visit to E13 was on New Year's Day 2011, when West Ham
ran out 2-0 Premier League winners courtesy of a Ronald Zubar own-goal and a
strike from Academy graduate Freddie Sears.

Ticketing, travel, coverage and other news

Tickets for Saturday's game against Wolves have SOLD OUT.
District and Hammersmith & City line trains will be serving Upton Park on
Saturday, but please note that trains will not be running on the far eastern
end of the District line, between Upminster and Barking. Replacement buses
will operate. Click here for the latest news on TfL services and here for
National Rail.
A damp day is expected in east London on Saturday, with temperature at
kick-off of 10C (50F).
If you are not heading to the game on Saturday, make sure you keep up to
date on all the action on our digital channels. The whufc.com match centre
will have live audio commentary, text updates, in-running photos, stats and
more, and you can get involved in the conversation on social using the
hashtag #WHUWOL.

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Collins ready for FA Cup glory
WHUFC.com

James Collins has enjoyed many memorable moments at West Ham United during
his lengthy spell at the Boleyn Ground – but the Ginger Pele still has one
painful memory that he is determined to get out of his system. Collins is
still plagued by the FA Cup Final defeat against Liverpool back in 2006
after the Hammers came within seconds of winning their first piece of major
silverware since 1980. Few could forget the events that unfolded at the
Millennium Stadium when West Ham were leading 3-2 heading into injury time
and Steven Gerrard broke the hearts of the Hammers supporters when he fired
an unstoppable shot past Shaka Hislop into the corner of the net to force
the game into extra-time. Liverpool ended up winning 3-1 on penalties and it
was a moment that Collins, who was on the substitutes bench that day, has
failed to get out of his system. Collins said: "It is still one of the
biggest disappointments of my career not winning the FA Cup that season. We
had a great run and got to the final. "We had some great games leading up to
the final and obviously the game against Middlesbrough in the semi-final at
Villa Park was massive when we won 1-0. "Being in Cardiff for the Final was
massive for my family and a special day but gutted overall to have lost it.
We did so well during the game and to lose on penalties was disastrous. It
is still something I think about every time I play in the Cup. "If you look
back at the game and that moment at the end, you just want Lionel Scaloni to
let the ball run out for a throw-in and it is game over. "But unfortunately
he has hooked it into the middle of the pitch and everyone knows what
happened next. "I remember sitting on the bench next to Matthew Etherington
who came off and saying 'we have won the FA Cup – it is unbelievable'. Fate
took it's course and of course we lost it in the end."

Collins knows he can put things right by steering West Ham to FA Cup glory
this season and feels it would be the perfect ending for the Hammers as they
prepare to leave the Boleyn Ground during the summer. The 32-year-old
believes the Club are genuine contenders to go all the way and believes they
have enough quality in the squad to compete against any team. Collins added:
"Any opportunity to win the FA Cup is massive, but to do it in our final
ever season at the Boleyn Ground would be incredible. It would be a great
journey for both the players and the fans. "I think this is one of our best
chances to win it and this is certainly the strongest squad we have had for
a long time. "If the manager wants to make changes early on we can still
field a very strong time. The players who have not been playing recently are
itching to get some game time and they will do just as good a job as the
ones who have been playing. "It is a good time for us and we are doing
better in the league than we normally do at this stage. We had a good
Christmas with result and there is every chance we can do well in the FA
Cup. "Wolves will be wanting to do well against a Premier League side but we
are in a rich vein of form at the moment and are playing well and can
hopefully get another good result on Saturday."

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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com

What a way for us to start 2016 and it was a memorable victory over
Liverpool last weekend.

We have beaten the mighty Liverpool home and away this season with a 5-0
aggregate scoreline and I am sure that has never been done before in the
Club's history.

Slaven has said that it would be difficult for any side if they were missing
six of their best players but we still managed to get points on the board
during that tricky period and it is no co-incidence that we get our
important players back on the pitch and the victories start to come again.

It proves what we have been saying and I am sure all the supporters were
delighted with the all-round performance.

It was obviously disappointing to see Manuel Lanzini come off with the same
injury and that was the only dampener on a great performance.

He looked brilliant in the opening stages and had that great shot which hit
the post. Let's hope he can make a quick recovery and comes back strong
again.

It does give other players the chance to shine and the best example of that
has been Michail Antonio who was man of the match against Southampton and
produced another great display against Liverpool.

He has certainly grasped his opportunity and got his rewards with two goals
in two games. He never stops running and works so hard for the team.

James Collins was also outstanding and he was my man of the match against
Liverpool. He has continued his great form this season and you could not ask
for more passion and determination that he gives you during a game. The
whole defence were fantastic in helping us come away with another clean
sheet.

To top things off we then see Dimitri Payet back in action and what more can
I say about him.

He can become an all-time great and a legend at West Ham United. He has all
the attributes of the great players we have had at this special football
club over the years.

He lifted the crowd when he came on and looked like he had never been away.
He is a joy to watch.

We now turn our attentions to the Emirates FA Cup and it would be fantastic
if we could go all the way this season and win the competition.

I could not think of anything more fitting for our final ever season at the
Boleyn Ground.

I am fortunate enough to have seen West Ham win three FA Cup Finals at
Wembley against Preston, Fulham and Arsenal and nothing beats seeing your
team win a major trophy.

I was excited as a youngster to see us beat Preston and then the game
against Fulham was very interesting as Bobby Moore was playing against us
and they also had Alan Mullery.

I see Alan Taylor who comes to the home games and he stole the show with two
goals.

I will never forget the victory over the mighty Arsenal in 1980 who were the
strong favourites to win the game. Sir Trevor Brooking scored a rare header
and it was an unbelievable day.

We have certainly come close in recent times with that heartbreaking defeat
against Liverpool back in 2006. It was as if time stood still when the ball
fell to the one player on the pitch you didn't want it to and their name was
on the trophy.

We have had some memorable victories this season, but the whole world is
watching you when you win the FA Cup and it is a fantastic moment. The
emotion of winning a cup is like no other.

I am entitled to dream and I would also love to see the team finish as high
as possible in the Premier League.

With the likes of Payet, Carroll, Reid and Moses coming back from injury, we
have a squad good enough to achieve that.

Wolves are on a decent run of form having won the last three games, but we
are the favourites to win the game and I know Slaven will put out a strong
side who can win the tie.

The transfer window has now re-opened once again and it is great that we go
into this period without us having to buy a certain player.

If we had a weakness I would want to strengthen the squad, but that is not
the case.

I agree with Slaven that if something exceptional comes along we will look
at it, but we have a good squad of players and we are all excited about the
second half of the season.

Enjoy the game on Saturday.

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From the Treatment Room
WHUFC.com

Head of Medical and Sports Science Stijn Vandenbroucke issues his latest
update – with Spire Roding Hospital...

We arrive in 2016 with the team in good form and with everyone around the
Club feeling positive.

It is FA Cup third round weekend, an important and exciting weekend for
football fans and all people involved in football.

It has been a good Christmas and a great New Year, winning against
Southampton and Liverpool but unfortunately we picked up injuries.

Finding the good balance between fitness and freshness is key to get through
this exciting period.

We have a three-match week coming up and some players are more fatigued than
others but at the end of the day all teams have to find a way to cope, play,
recover and train to the best of their abilities.

The positive news starts with Winston Reid, Winston has been in full
training with the squad all week and is available for selection against
Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Dimitri Payet came through the Liverpool game without any reaction to his
previous ankle injury and is fit to play against Wolves.

Manuel Lanzini re-injured his quadriceps in the win over Liverpool, which
will rule him out for several weeks.

The first game, post injury, is not the biggest risk for a player. The first
game back players are involved for limited minutes, fresh and are playing on
a wave of 'excitement'.

Unfortunately Manuel got injured in his second game and he will rest for a
week followed by the rehab at Chadwell Heath. We'll have more news next
week.

Victor Moses will return to full training with the squad on Monday. Victor
returned to his parent club Chelsea for a part of his rehab before returning
to West Ham last week.

He has been training with our rehab fitness coach and working towards
getting the required level of fitness under his belt.

Diafra Sakho has also returned to the training ground this week after a
period of limited rehab, to let the body heal.

Diaf's rehab is initially focussed on gaining muscle strength and restoring
the optimal movement patterns enabling us to push on the next few weeks.

We will have a better idea of when Diaf will be ready to play at the end of
next week.

As I said at the beginning, we are positive about where we are at the
moment, and will continue to work hard with the players and the staff to
achieve good things this season.

Stijn Vandenbroucke
Head of Medical and Sports Science

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New Stadium – Final call for existing STHs
WHUFC.com

All Reservation Centre appointment invitations for existing Season Ticket
Holders have now been issued.

Therefore, all existing Season Ticket Holders wishing to secure seats at
West Ham United's new home should have either already had their appointment
or have an appointment pending.

If, for whatever reason, that is not the case, supporters are asked to call
the Reservation Centre urgently on 0808 110 2016.

Given the volume of supporters on the Season Ticket Priority List, this is a
final opportunity to take advantage of your priority status as an existing
Season Ticket Holder.

The Club have long since surpassed record Season Ticket sales and will
shortly begin scheduling appointments for supporters on the Priority List,
based on the order in which they joined.

Meanwhile, for Season Ticket Holders who have already renewed, there will be
a final opportunity to invite friends and family to join them as Founders.

Supporters who, until now, have only invited one fellow Hammers fan, or
indeed none at all, to join them as a new Season Ticket Holder, can take
advantage of an exclusive five day Founders Amnesty Window.

With the final Band 4 appointments fast approaching, the Amnesty Window will
open on Wednesday 27 January and run until Sunday 31 January.

Supporters wishing to take this last chance to bring friends and family
members with them are asked to complete a short online form at >
amnesty.whufc.com, where you can select whether you would prefer to select
additional seats either over the phone or in person at the New Stadium
Reservation Centre in Westfield Stratford City.

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U18s looking to complete Royals' double
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's U18s return to action this Saturday, their first
competitive game in 2016, with a tough away fixture with Reading.

Steve Potts' side are looking to complete the double over the Royals
following a 1-0 win earlier in the season thanks to an Idris Kanu netted a
14th minute.

The Royals are currently second in the Barclays U18 Premier League South
Division with 35 points from 18 games, five points off league leader's
Chelsea.

Meanwhile the Hammers are looking to kick start their campaign to finish in
the top four and therefore qualify for the Elite round of the Play Offs.

After recent defeats to Derby County and Chelsea, the Claret and Blues find
themselves seventh, however a win on Saturday could see them leapfrog
Arsenal before next weekend's home tie with Aston Villa.

The Hammers play Reading U18's at Reading FC Training Ground on Saturday 9
January, kick off is 11am.

Make sure you follow @whufc_official and whufc.com for updates, a match
report and reaction.

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West Ham v Wolves
KO 15:00
8 January 2016

FA CUP THIRD ROUND
Venue: Upton Park Date: Saturday, 9 January Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC local radio, Final Score

TEAM NEWS

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic will field a strong side but midfielder Manuel
Lanzini is out with a thigh problem. Midfielder Dimitri Payet could start
after returning to action last weekend and defender Winston Reid could
feature after overcoming a hamstring problem.
New signing Michal Zyro could make his debut in midfield for Wolves. Keeper
Emi Martinez (thigh) returns. Defender Kortney Hause is out with a hamstring
problem and winger Jordan Graham (ankle) is a 50-50 prospect.

MATCH FACTS

West Ham have faced Wolves twice in the FA Cup, with the Hammers winning on
both occasions in 1910 (5-1) and 2004 (3-1), but this is the first and only
tie to take place at Upton Park.
The Hammers have won only one of their past nine FA Cup games (L5 D3).
Wolves have failed to score in five of their past eight cup matches.
Wolves have lost their last four FA Cup ties in a row against higher-ranked
opposition.

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West Ham v Wolves preview: Hammers without Manuel Lanzini
Last Updated: 08/01/16 9:27pm
SSN

Manuel Lanzini has been ruled out for West Ham's third round FA Cup tie with
Wolves. West Ham will be without Manuel Lanzini when they host Wolves in the
FA Cup third round on Saturday. The Argentinian midfielder suffered a
recurrence of a thigh injury against Liverpool last weekend and faces
another few weeks on the sidelines. Defender Winston Reid could return after
a hamstring problem but winger Victor Moses (hamstring) and striker Diafra
Sakho (thigh) are still missing. Kenny Jackett could hand a Wolves debut to
winger Michal Zyro, who signed from Legia Warsaw on a three-and-a-half-year
deal earlier this month.
Wolves' Jordan Graham is rated as 50/50 for the trip to Upton Park.
Goalkeeper Emi Martinez is back after a thigh injury which has kept him out
since November but defender Kortney Hause remains sidelined with a hamstring
problem. Jordan Graham is rated 50-50 by Jackett after suffering an ankle
injury in the 1-0 win at Brighton and will be assessed, with Wolves due to
make a decision on Friday. One man they will definitely be without is Sheyi
Ojo. The midfielder was due to spend the season at Molineux but has been
recalled by parent club Liverpool after a lack of match action in recent
weeks.

Opta stats

West Ham have faced Wolves twice in the FA Cup, with the Hammers winning on
both occasions in 1910 (5-1) and 2004 (3-1), but this is the first and only
tie to take place at Upton Park.
The Hammers have won only one of their last nine FA Cup games (L5 D3).
Wolves have failed to score in five of their last eight Cup matches.
Wolves have lost their last four FA Cup ties in a row against higher-ranked
opposition.

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Slaven Bilic targets FA Cup success with West Ham
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 08/01/16 11:53pm
SSN

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic would rather win the FA Cup than qualify for
the Champions League. Bilic made the claim ahead of the Hammers' third round
clash with Sky Bet Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Boleyn
Ground. His statement of intent will be music to the ears of West Ham
supporters, who were angry when previous manager Sam Allardyce fielded a
team of youngsters in a 5-0 third round defeat at Nottingham Forest two
years ago. Allardyce was concentrating his resources on a relegation battle
but, with West Ham currently sixth in the Premier League, Bilic can turn his
attentions to bringing a first FA Cup in 36 years to east London. Asked if
he would rather finish in the top four or lift the famous old trophy, Bilic
said: "I would like to win the cup. Of course. "Over the Champions League?
Yes. It is a cup! Win the cup and I can hold it up. Get in the Champions
League and I have to buy a magazine to show the league table and shout 'look
where we are, look where we are'. "The proof is silverware. So I would
prefer to win the FA Cup...and then finish fifth or sixth! "The FA Cup is
special. There was a stage before they changed the format of the Champions
League when the cup was good because through the cup you would qualify for
the Cup Winners' Cup and only the league champions would go through to the
European Cup. "But then they changed it and made it the Champions League.
Suddenly it was more important to finish in the top three or four in the
league than to win the cup. "But in England, the FA Cup for me never lost
its value."

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Can Slaven Bilic's West Ham kick on now Dimitri Payet is back?
By Adam Bate
Last Updated: 07/01/16 2:47pm
SSN

Slaven Bilic has managed West Ham's injuries and Dimitri Payet is back. Can
they get even better?

For much of December, there wasn't a lot for West Ham supporters to shout
about. Their three goalless draws in a row were as many as Sam Allardyce's
side had last season in total. On the face of it, this was not the
excitement promised. However, the truth is that West Ham supporters will be
encouraged by the way that coach Slaven Bilic has navigated a path through
their injury-hit winter.

Bilic expects quiet January
Slaven Bilic expects no new signings at West Ham during January. It's been
quite a list. Key defender Winston Reid was injured midway through that
period; so was Victor Moses. Diafra Sakho picked up a thigh strain in late
November, Enner Valencia has been eased back and Dimitri Payet missed the
entire month of December. Only Manchester United have used more players this
season. Under the circumstances, just picking up points felt like a victory.
Even so, it was in the balance. Draws, and there were five in a row in the
end, produce sequences that can go either way. But home wins over
Southampton and Liverpool either side of New Year have put a different spin
on it. Bilic's side are on the longest unbeaten run in the Premier League.
In half a season, he has shown that he's a coach who can handle a variety of
styles and circumstances.

Unbeaten run

West Ham are the only Premier League team to be unbeaten in their last eight
games. There were the surprise highlights of early season. West Ham took
maximum points from their first three away games against Arsenal, Liverpool
and Manchester City, showcasing the team's counter-punching credentials. And
while a 4-3 home defeat to Bournemouth suggested his side is less
comfortable when the onus is on them, the Hammers have not been beaten in
front of their own fans since. How they'd love to keep that run going in
their final season at the Boleyn Ground.
In some senses, the improvements have been marginal. The statistics show
that West Ham have had similar levels of possession with the number of short
passes increasing slightly and the amount of long balls remaining the same.
Allardyce would no doubt have appreciated the defensive resolve that has
seen the team concede only twice in six games.

Resilient West Ham

Slaven Bilic's men have made 102 blocks in the Premier League this season,
more than any other team. West Ham are the only team to make more than 100
blocks this season and having spent so long leading the big teams, they've
had to embrace the backs-to-the-wall mentality. That's suited James Collins,
who says he's in the form of his life. "Sometimes we defend a little bit too
much," he told the club website. "It is a bit last-gasp, but that is how I
like to play the game." Bilic has been able to fuse this work ethic and
organisation with the addition of some flair in the final third. As a
result, when his West Ham do attack, they are dangerous. Only three teams
have scored more goals from open play this season. They've already got 23
goals this way, having scored only 29 times from open play in the entirety
of last season.
Michail Antonio finished off one such move for the opening goal against
Liverpool last time out. "It's not a surprise that we're producing these
kind of performances," he said. "We've shown it right from the start of the
season when we beat all the top boys. We've had a bit of a dip with the
injuries, but players are coming back, the squad is getting strong again and
now we can keep pushing on."

There is certainly the possibility there to improve the team's position
given the run of games ahead. Although Manchester City visit Upton Park
later this month, six of the next seven games are against sides currently in
the bottom eight. That's an opportunity for a side that's only four points
shy of the final Champions League qualification berth. Andy Carroll will not
be sold in the transfer window, says West Ham boss Slaven Bilic. West Ham
fans can be a pessimistic bunch and the instinct for a club that's finished
higher than sixth only once in the past 30 years is to look down the table
rather than up. But the prospect of getting to March in the mix demands
optimism. "The squad is great, the manager is great and the staff are great,
and everyone's enjoying it," said Andy Carroll this week. Long may it
continue.

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West Ham manager Slaven Bilic would rather win the FA Cup than a Champions
League place
22:30, 8 JAN 2016
BY DARREN LEWIS
The Hammers kick off their bid to lift the trophy at home to Championship
Wolves with the boss insisting the true mark of success is silverware
The Mirror

Slaven Bilic claims he would rather win the FA Cup than qualify for the
Champions League. West Ham kick off their bid to lift the trophy at home
against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. Bilic believes the sixth-placed
Hammers would rather savour a triumphant trip to Wembley to crown their
final year at Upton Park than be dwarfed by the big names in European
football's elite competition next season. The Croat said: "I would like to
win the Cup. It is a cup. Win the Cup and I can hold it up. "Get in the
Champions League and I have to buy a magazine to show them the league table
and shout, 'Look where we are! Look where we are!' "The proof is silverware.
So I would prefer to win the FA Cup – and finish fifth or sixth!" Bilic is
under orders from the Hammers hierarchy to do better than predecessor Sam
Allardyce, whose 4-0 humiliation at West Brom last season saw co-owner David
Sullivan confronted by angry fans in the car park afterwards. The former
defender played in the home defeat by then-Second Division Wrexham in 1997,
where supporters invaded the pitch at the final whistle to hurl abuse at
chairman Terry Brown. Bilic ignored police advice to step out on to the
Upton Park forecourt to try to appease the mob. He recalled: "They scored
near the end of the game – it was a cracker from like 25 yards and I
remember the bad atmosphere afterwards. "The fans were there and we had
police on horses. I remember I came out to talk to them because the fans
were demanding new players because we were struggling. "Iain Dowie had got
injured, Tony Cottee went to the Far East and we were without options up
front. "That's when we bought Johnny Hartson and Paul Kitson and they helped
keep us up. But of course that game was a bad memory." There is far more
strength in depth at the club these days and in their final season before
moving to the Olympic Stadium, the fringe players have a chance to impress.
"It's about competition now with a few players coming back from injury,"
said Bilic. "It gives me the belief they can go far and be a really good
side."

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ExWHUEmployee FA Cup Column
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 8, 2016 in News, Whispers FA Cup Column
By @ExWHUEmployee

It has been a while since I last wrote for Claret and Hugh but I am pleased
to write another article for the site before what I believe to be a very
important game for the club. I apologise for the lack of columns recently
but as some of you know I have also been starting my own website up at
www.thewesthamway.co.uk be sure to pop by and check us out too.

The F.A Cup match against Wolves is a game that we must and will take
seriously. In our last season at Upton Park we need to try and extend it as
much as possible and another few home FA Cup ties and hopefully a quarter
final would really send off our magnificent stadium in style.

Some of my favourite moments at the stadium have been in the FA Cup. In my
first ever season as a season ticket holder I witnessed my hero Stuart
Slater destroy Everton in Quarter final. I remember the emotion of being
knocked out by Arsenal on penalties in 1998 again at the quarter final stage
and facing all my mates at school the next day. It is fair to say that I
still feel the romance of the cup.

Yes the FA Cup has lost some of the glamour in the UK than it had when I was
a kid but it is still a special trophy. The cup is watched all around the
world and is arguably just as notorious now as it was in the past in many
countries. There is a larger global audience now with countries such as the
USA and those in Asia becoming more fanatical about our beautiful game so in
some ways it is just as big.

The Wolves game has already sold out and this would be the case for any
future games too and so the occasions would all be special and worth putting
a strong side out which Bilic does intend to do.

If we could progress well in the cup and perhaps even reach the final and
heaven forbid win it really would be the most magical way for us to leave
the stadium, home to so many special FA cup memories. My dad must have told
me his day at the 1980 FA Cup final so many times that I couldn't count now
and to be able to do this in the last season at the Boleyn Ground would be
the utopian send-off that the old girl truly deserves.

I have been "lucky" enough to have already been to two FA Cup Semi Finals in
my life time and to one final (the Liverpool one) and those games will
forever live in my memory. Imagine what it would be like to experience us
winning the FA Cup. I wasn't born the last time we did and as the years
tick by less and less of us have had that privilege and surely this has to
change soon?

I read an interesting omen today that the last time we did the double over
Liverpool was the first time we won the FA Cup. I am a great believer in
stories and fate and I can't help but think this could be history repeated.

It would also be a superb thing to start the new season at the Olympic
stadium with European football available too. I know we didn't take it as a
priority this year but this was because we entered so early if we won the FA
cup we would enter much further into the competition and have a normal
preseason!

It is fitting for me that we play Wolves in the match, the same team who we
played after Bobby Moore's death. That game lives in my memory and I am
glad we get to play them again after they contributed to an emotional day in
1993.

The atmosphere will be buzzing and it is also a great chance for us to get a
few players fitness up as well. I cannot wait for this match and I hope to
here Que Sera Sera around the Boleyn Ground at some point on Saturday as
that timeless classic's days are numbered at the stadium like most things.
The matches are running out but let's have a long FA Cup run to extend those
days that little bit longer!!

COYI EXWHUEmployee

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Former Hammers Hero signs for Sky Blues
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 7, 2016 in News C and H

Hammers Hero Joe Cole has penned a permanent deal to stay at Coventry City
until the end of the season after being on loan there since October. 34 year
old Cole has made seven appearances for the Sky Blues, scoring once, and
boss Tony Mowbray has praised his impact for the Sky Bet League One
promotion hopefuls. Mowbray told the club's official site: "Since he joined
the club, I've really enjoyed working with Joe and delighted to see him sign
on for the rest of the season". "Our staff have worked hard with him to
build up his fitness and physicality, and we've seen Joe really buy into
what we're trying to do here." "He's great to have around the dressing room
and the rest of the squad feed off his experience, and I'm sure it'll have a
positive impact on our younger players as well." "I only see his
performances for the club getting better and he is a fantastic option to
have from now until the end of the season." Cole only played 16 times for
Villa after a switch from West Ham in 2014 following his second spell with
the Hammers but had only made once appearance for them this season.

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Bilic: "I would rather win the FA Cup"
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 8, 2016 in News, Whispers C and H

West Ham Manager Slaven Bilic says he would rather win the FA Cup then
qualify for the Champions league. "I would rather win the FA Cup than get a
place in the Champions League - all day long. Ideally finishing fifth or
sixth as well would be nice. I want to win silverware. I remember the FA Cup
about 20 years ago and still now the final can't be bigger. It's a
celebration.
"We're doing well in the Premier League and we're not looking for anything
to make up for it. We're not in a position to worry about league position so
we want to progress in the cup. small_320_David_Sullivan"We went out of the
Capital One Cup earlier in the season against Leicester City in extra time
but we gave out best in that game. We see the FA Cup as an opportunity to
progress. The FA Cup has never lost its value and it's special to the fans."
In the past two seasons the Hammers have crashed out of the FA Cup in
embarrassing fashion under the former manager. They were hammered 5-0 by
Nottingham Forest two seasons ago when Allardyce famously put the kids to
the sword and then endured a 4-0 thrashing inflicted on them by West
Bromwich Albion last season. Creepy AllardyceAllardyce was accused of
disrespecting the FA Cup when West Ham's smattering of first-team regulars,
six players under 21 and three debutants were put to the sword in the 5-0
humiliation against Forest. Last season West Ham co-owner David Sullivan was
confronted by angry fans outside The Hawthorns after the Hammers' 4-0 FA Cup
defeat. Shocking video footage shows Sullivan responding to abuse from a
group of supporters after he left the ground before full-time after what he
described as West Ham's 'worst performance of the season'. The fans were
heard abusing and swearing at the club's co-owner and urging him to sack
manager Sam Allardyce at the time.

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Former Hammer joins Arsenal's coaching staff Posted by Sean Whetstone on
January 8, 2016 in News, Whispers C and H

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed former Hammer Freddie Ljungberg
is helping the club's under-15 side as he looks to qualify for his coaching
badges. According to the Press Association, Ljungberg will remain with
Arsenal's under-15s until the end of the 2015-16 season. The Swede announced
his excitement at the prospect of coaching at Arsenal via his official
Twitter account, with Ljungberg. "Hope everyone had a happy new year.
Enjoying my last week in Cape Town before I go home to coach Arsenals u-15!
V excited :-) Arsenal"

Ljungberg joined West Ham in July 2007 on a four year contract after nine
years are Arsenal but West Ham and Ljungberg agreed to terminate his
contract by mutual agreement in 2008 just one year later. At the time, the
31 year old Ljungberg said in a statement on the club's website: "I gave my
all at West Ham and enjoyed my time there but the decision is the best for
the both of us. Now I will take my time to consider my football future." He
made 25 league appearances during his only year at West Ham, scoring twice.

He was rumoured to have been on a wage of £85,000-a-week for his four-year
contract at West Ham. Reports at the time claimed that Ljungberg received a
one-off payment of £6 million for his early departure. In the financial
accounts of that year the finance wrote about Kieron Dyer and Freddie
Ljungberg "Two players who signed in the summer 2007 transfer window, one of
whom has since left the club, have started a combined total of 32 games and
will have cost the group £34m over the term of their contracts."

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Slav's the man - no teacher's pets in sight Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on
January 8, 2016 in News, Whispers C and H By Brian Neil Gay

WITH the halfway point reached this season it is interesting to note that
while in terms of points wise we are in a similar position to last year it
feels so much better this time around.
It was this time last year of course that the great slide was underway as
the trap door opened and our form fell away. We all know what torture it was
attending or watching matches between January and May 2015.

So just why is there this feeling that we are in a much better place this
year? Has Slaven Billic really made that much difference? He's had injuries
to contend with just as Sam Allardyce faced last year so what is different?

For some clues to the answers let's look at the festive period from the last
two years, a time which in reality has not been that productive for the
Irons for many a year. Under Sam Allardyce we went into the 2014 Xmas period
the form team in the top 4 and looking good. Then the injuries kicked in and
without Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia's up front double act, the form that
had taken us towards the top was about to crumble and disintegrate. We
simply could not cope.

Under Billic we entered the 2015 Xmas period already battered and
beleaguered with numerous injuries to our first 11 yet we have managed to
have go several games unbeaten with a largely makeshift 1st 11. They
weathered the storm and with first Lanzini and then Payet returning, the
team were back to winning ways suggesting that the slide of last year will
not be repeated.
The fact that we went through those matches without key players unbeaten
would seem to me to be down to the way Billic has managed the second, third
and fourth choice players in the squad.
Yes you can point out that SB has been furnished with a deeper squad than SA
before him but ironically it's players from the previous charges squad that
Billic is making into better players.

A classic case in point is James Collins in what he describes as being, and
it is difficult to argue with him, in the form of his life. Told he was
fourth choice CB at the start of the season JC has knuckled down and grafted
and taken his chance with both hands. I wonder if anyone told they were
fourth choice under SA would have put that sort of effort in?

James Tomkins is another who looked to be at best third choice for his 1st
team place but rather than consider a move he's battled hard impressing
Billic enough to go from being a makeshift RB to one who is now considered
above to original first choice for that position Carl Jenkinson.

Two examples of guys in the background putting the effort in and impressing
the gaffer. Two guys who are Irons assets too.

Michail Antonio is another after the joy of signing for a PL side he's had
to wait patiently working hard in training. Can't be easy when you have been
one of the top goalscorers in the Championship, used to being the main man,
look at Patrick Bamford's experience at Palace. Michail is another working
not only for himself but for the gaffer, prepared to wait for his chance
rather than look for a loan and regular first team runs elsewhere. Unlike
Bamford, Michail waited, worked and his chance came when another of our
expensive loans Victor Moses was injured. He might be raw and a bit wild at
times but the effort is there for all to see, the potential too and now he's
scoring who knows how far he will go? Let's be honest Moses for all his at
times excellence is hit or miss and he's been that way for a a few years now
and is in danger of becoming a short term journeyman.

Let's move onto Andy Carroll. His last few displays for me have been pretty
much better than anything I saw from him under Allardyce, more rounded more
complete but still with the end result he is known for. Could this be down
to the fact that he is no longer taken for granted as the main man who the
team is built around but one who has to fight for his place? On the evidence
of his form now and the way his rehab from injury has been handled, this
time it seems to me that yes he very much does want to perform for the
gaffer. No toys thrown, no prima donna off field displays , just a
willingness to accept and battle for his place. This suggests to me The
gaffer has orted him.

Even Enner Valencia's, recent contributions, without Diafra Sakho alongside
him, have been far more effective than any from last season when he was
without DS as a partner. I think the boss must be getting more from EV too.
It is also good to see improvement in the newer signings like Angleo Ogbonna
and Pedro Obiang their recent efforts much better than the early form.
With some of these stand-ins showing their best form it could be difficult
for the like of Winston Reid and Moses to get back in straight away and that
can only be good to maintain a high standard all round. For me these are all
the signs that Billic as a man manger is right up there, he's not one to
have teacher's pets, no one is guaranteed their place and everyone has to
work for it. Yet it is the sign of largely settled squad, if any of them had
any doubt about dissent, step out of line and you can expect to become the
next Morgan Amalfitano.

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Collison to return to West Ham
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 8, 2016 in News, Whispers C and H

Former Hammer Jack Collison will return to the Boleyn Ground one last time
to play in Mark Noble's testimonial on 28th March. Jack tweeted "Honoured to
have been asked to play in the Mark Noble testimonial.. Can't wait to go
back to the Boleyn" Earlier this week Barry Fry has revealed that Jack
Collison's playing career is coming to a sad end but that his managerial
career is ready to take off at Peterborough United. West Ham released him
with a heavy heart at the end of last season and although Ipswich Town
handed him a short-term contract in September, he injured his left knee in a
practice match and was unable to make a single appearance for Mick
McCarthy's side. Fry has revealed on MooreThanJustAPodcast that it only
remains for Jack to make the final decision to retire. He explains the
player has seen consultants and reveals all the medical advice he's
received.

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Joe Cole agrees to Boleyn Ground return
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 8, 2016 in News, Whispers C and H

Joe Cole has been the latest former Hammer to agree to a Boleyn Ground
return for Mark Noble's testimonial. Noble posted a photo of a young Joe
Cole in a West Ham shirt saying "Confirmed!!! What a man"

Cole yesterday agreed to a permanent free transfer to stay at Coventry City
until the end of the season after being on loan there since October from
Villa. The 34 year old Cole has made seven appearances for the Sky Blues
this season, scoring once. Cole only played just 16 times for Villa after a
switch from West Ham in 2014 following his second spell with the Hammers.

Joe Cole joins Jack Collison, Dean Ashton, Gary O'Neil, Jimmy Walker, Ravel
Morrison, Carlton Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Trevor Sinclair who have all
announced they will be taking part in Nobes' special Easter day. Paolo Di
Canio is also thought to have been approached by Noble and has accepted
while Carlos Tevez and Gianfranco Zola have been approached but have yet to
confirm their availability.

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"I nearly signed James Collins" "Ex left back and the full monty"
January 7, 2016
The WestHamWay.co.uk
Kenny Brown

I was looking forward to having a lazy Saturday morning and watching the
Liverpool game on TV. A late call on Friday evening changed that and I was
instead getting ready to get picked up and taken to the game !My mate had a
spare ticket and thankfully picked up the phone to me. Even better, it was
in the Chicken Run !

I got picked up and the three of us headed to a local cafe. We stopped at
one and there was only 1 person in there, Keith Rowland smashing his way
through a full monty ha ha. Keith used to live with me when he moved up
from Bournemouth. We've remained good friends. Half hour later and were on
our way to Upton Park through the usual traffic up the Barking Road !

We all didn't know what to expect from the game and all would have taken a
draw beforehand. When Liverpool come to Upton Park, its never a
disappointing game and Saturday's was no exception. I really enjoy watching
West Ham this season, they work hard, look solid defensively and are
exciting going forward. It was my first chance to watch Antonio live and he
was very impressive. Physically strong, quick and powerful, at times
Liverpool could not handle him.

His goal summed up his afternoon, making a sliding tackle on the edge of our
box and then arriving at the opposite end to head home from 6 yards out 9
seconds later. For me though, the stand out player by a mile was James
Collins, Benteke didn't get a kick or header all afternoon. Taking nothing
away from us, but i was disappointed with Liverpool and think thats the
worst Liverpool side Ive seen. It was also good to see Payet making a 20
minute cameo appearance after his injury. All in all what a great way to
see in 2016 and we can now put the League to one side and concentrate on a
good Cup run.

Little story was I tried to buy Ginge when he was a kid at Cardiff City and
I was Manager at Barry Town. I went and watched a reserve game and he was
playing as a centre forward. Big, aggressive and a real handful. Lennie
Lawrence was the Manager at the time but thought too much of him to let him
go. Proved to be a wise decision !

Saturday brings Wolves to Upton Park in the 3rd round of the FA Cup but I
will be up at Everton watching our Dag & Red 1st team. FA Cup games are
always special and my best memory was scoring at Wycombe in a 2-0 win in the
4th round. All the press and TV were predicting a Cup shock but we were
comfortable winners with TC and myself scoring the goals.I came on as a 2nd
half substitute and scored our 2nd goal with a header from a Michael Hughes
cross.

Good memories.

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Don Hutchison reacts on Twitter to Pardew's Warnock comments, discusses West
Ham fallout HITC Tim Poole

The former West Ham midfielder was impressed with the Crystal Palace boss's
'refreshing' honesty. Don Hutchison is a big fan of Crystal Palace boss Alan
Pardew's response when questioned about Neil Warnock on Thursday afternoon.
Indeed, Hutchison worked with Pardew at West Ham United and admits there was
some fallout, with the two hardly being 'best of mates.' However, he took to
Twitter on Thursday to praise the former West Ham boss, who completely
dismissed talk of his Crystal Palace predecessor Warnock at a press
conference. The 54-year-old was initially asked about Warnock's suggestion
that Charlie Austin would be a good fit for Palace, as reported by the
Guardian among others.

Come off brilliantly

Unless you're Warnock himself, it's hard not to be impressed by Pardew's
retort. The Palace boss often divides opinion and isn't afraid to give his
own. On this occasion, though, it's come off brilliantly. Rarely has a
Premier League manager responded with such succinct venom, looking all the
better for it instead of the usual press-conference waffle produced by
coaches.
Pardew may well be remembered in a hit-and-miss fashion by West Ham fans -
and Hutchison himself - but Crystal Palace fans have every reason to love
him right now.

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West Ham troll Mark Lawrenson after BBC pundit predicts another Hammers
defeat VAISHALI BHARDWAJ 11 minutes ago0 comments Eveing Standard

West Ham have once again trolled BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson after the former
Liverpool defender predicted yet another defeat for the Hammers this
weekend. Writing in his column for BBC Sport, Lawrenson said West Ham could
lose to Championship side Wolves in their FA Cup third round clash at Upton
Park on Saturday, despite the Hammers having secured a morale-boosting
victory over Liverpool last weekend. After talking about the other FA Cup
ties, Lawrenson wrote: "I also have a feeling that West Ham might slip up
against Wolves, who were struggling until recently but have won three in a
row since Christmas."
Lawrenson has already predicted 13 losses - and just two wins - in the
Premier League for Slaven Bilic's side before his FA Cup one which, if had
happened, would have left the Hammers sitting second from bottom in the
table and not in sixth place, where they currently are. Unsurprisingly,
then, such predictions from the ex-Liverpool man has resulted in West Ham's
Twitter account flagging up Lawrenson's inaccurate foretelling abilities on
the social network site.

The Hammers wrote on their Twitter account on Thursday night: "LAWRO: We are
sure you are all as surprised as we were that Lawro has predicted #WestHam
will lose on Saturday!" The tweet resulted in fans also having their say on
Lawrenson's predictions, with some of the best responses listed below.

Neil Ewins @neilorange63
@whufc_official Has he EVER predicted a West Ham win...?
8:01 PM - 7 Jan 2016

Rob James Cook @RobJCook1
@whufc_official as a wolves fan i'm shocked!
7:43 PM - 7 Jan 2016

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Slaven Bilic: West Ham fans won't ask 'who is this player?' We'll respect FA
Cup SLAVEN BILIC 3 hours ago0 comments Evening Standard

We have a break from the Premier League and I can definitely say I am
thrilled about the prospect of meeting Wolves in the third round of the FA
Cup tomorrow. The FA Cup, even when I was growing up in Croatia, was a big,
big thing. Of course, it is much more difficult to win the League, but the
Cup gives almost any club hope that they can work a miracle. When I was in
the early stages of my days as a player, the Cups in all the European
countries were big because if you won you went on to participate in the
Cup-winners' Cup the following season. Back then, every club tried to win
the Cup, but as things have moved on, the emphasis has changed, along with
the European club competitions and it has become more, let's say,
interesting to finish third or fourth in the League than to win the Cup in
some countries.

As a result, the big clubs in Italy started doing their best to exit from
the Cup and select second teams for those games. However, in England, the FA
Cup still has that magical feel, despite all the changes and other
priorities. Also, in Germany, the Cup remains a big thing. To be fair, the
Italian clubs are going back to the way things used to be and are again
treating their Cup seriously - the way it should be. In none of these other
countries does the Cup have quite the appeal or the reputation of the FA
Cup. It stands alone in that respect.
It was - and still is - a big, big thing.

Bilic on the Olympic Stadium...

I was back at the Olympic Stadium this week to give a tour to a young
competition winner called Ross Miller and his family. I've been three times
now and each time I'm excited because it's simply a great stadium. I think
Ross was a little overwhelmed by it all! Kids don't try to hide their
emotions and his jaw hit the floor when he saw it. It's still amazing for
us, let alone for him. We're in the middle of the season and we're totally
focused on it, but still we are looking forward to moving to our fantastic
new home. From a playing point of view, I did not enjoy great success in the
Cup. I had just arrived in London and was awaiting my work permit when West
Ham played their third-round tie at Upton Park in January, 1996. Honestly, I
can't remember the opposition, but I remember that we won. It was the first
time I had watched West Ham live. The following season, we were drawn away
to Wrexham. I didn't play in the first game, which ended in a draw - my son
Leo was born while it was taking place - but I was in the team for the
replay, which we lost 1-0. I remember it was by far the lowest point of that
season. That was my memory of the Cup at West Ham - not the best, to be
fair. David Sullivan has promised the fans we will be fielding a strong team
for tomorrow's match against Wolves and I completely agree with that. Yes,
we have an important Premier League match at Bournemouth three days later,
but I have options. I want to give some players a chance to start, because
perhaps they have been out with injuries, while it will be an opportunity to
rest a few others because of the busy schedule we have had. You only have to
look at Liverpool's injuries this week to see what happens when fatigue sets
in. Even if we make changes, though, it's not going to be new players who
haven't played much but rather players who have been involved regularly up
to now. I can promise the fans they won't be looking at the team and asking,
"Who is this in our team?"

Of course, though, we must be aware the Bournemouth game comes quickly
afterwards and just lately we have played many games. We would like not to
take a risk with one or two of the players, but we are aiming to progress in
the Cup as far as possible, so we have to find the balance. One player who
definitely won't be out there is Manuel Lanzini. He has suffered a
recurrence of the same thigh injury and, once again, we don't know if he
will be out for four weeks - or six. We will miss him, because he's been an
influential player for us but, hopefully, when he does return we'll still be
on the Cup trail.

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West Ham transfers: Slaven Bilic tells us Andy Carroll is not for sale, but
Hammers could loan young stars SLAVEN BILIC 59 minutes ago0 comments
Evening Standard

The opening of the transfer window has inevitably meant an avalanche of
speculation and rumours. Basically, from our point of view, we are counting
on the players we have in the squad.
No one has approached us directly about anyone yet and, as far as I am
concerned, I want everyone to stay. We don't have the biggest squad - yes,
it is sufficient when everyone is fit - and are not looking to offload
players. There will be a few of our younger players who haven't had the
opportunity to play a lot but are definitely in my head as prospects for the
future who could go out on loan. That's because only that way will they
show me and my staff that they are ready to jump into the team when their
chance comes around next season. For the rest - and that includes Andy
Carroll - we are not looking to part with them. Every time Andy plays well
or scores a goal there is more talk about either him playing for England
again or attracting the interest of one or two other clubs. He is our
player, though, and we are expecting a lot from him for the rest of this
season.

WE'VE RUSHED BACK INTO OUR HQ
We've returned to our training headquarters at Chadwell Heath after moving a
couple of miles down the road to Rush Green for several weeks to give the
pitches time to repair. To be fair, Rush Green is not yet ready for the
first team to train there regularly, but the boys didn't moan at all and the
pitches there were okay. They've started working at Rush Green, meanwhile,
and there are plans for a brand new centre there, so we look forward to
returning when it is all finished. In the meantime, I have no doubts that
the facilities at Chadwell Heath are perfectly adequate for the rest of the
season.

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West Ham transfer news: Slaven Bilic targets Juventus striker Simone Zaza
KEN DYER 19 minutes ago0 comments Evening Standard

West Ham are interested in bringing in Juventus and Italy striker Simone
Zaza on loan this month. The Upton Park club tried to sign the 24-year-old
last summer but are considering returning with a loan bid during the
transfer window. Tottenham have also been linked with the player. However,
the move is likely to depend on whether there are any departures this month
as West Ham say they have reached their wage cap for the season. One player
who has been rumoured to be a possible departure is Argentine striker Mauro
Zarate, who has been linked with Spanish club Malaga. Zaza, who has scored
one goal in seven international appearances, has had limited game time for
Juventus this season but the Serie A champions insist they want to keep him
for the remainder of the season. West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has already
said he is anticipating a quiet January.

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Angelo Ogbonna: West Ham are as tough as Juventus SAM LONG 13 hours ago0
comments Evening Standard

Angelo Ogbonna believes West Ham have matched the mentality and resilience
of Juventus during the east Londoners' recent injury crisis. Slaven Bilic's
side have enjoyed an impressive start to the season and currently occupy
sixth place in the table - just four points adrift of the top four. The
Hammers' form - which included a disappointing run of five successive draws
- has been achieved without the services of several key players and the
defender has been impressed with the manner in which Slaven Bilic's side
have coped with setbacks this term. "We have had a bad period because Manuel
Lanzini, Dimitri Payet, Enner Valencia, Victor Moses and Diafra Sakho have
been injured," he told the Sun. "But we changed our system really quickly.
Also our tactics. It's not been easy but in that period we have only lost
once in eight. "Do I recognise this mentality and resilience from Juventus?
Yes I do. "We have a lot of character to change, to suffer, to maintain our
temperament," Ogbonna insisted. The central defender won two Serie A titles
with Juventus before his summer move to Upton Park but has no regrets about
his decision to swap Turin for east London. West Ham are expected to compete
for a place in Europe during the second half of the season and Ogbonna has
not ruled out a top-four finish ahead of the club's move to the Olympic
Stadium. "When I came from Juventus I felt there was an opportunity for me
and the club. I knew the coach and the quality of the players. "Can we
finish in the top four? Why not? "We have to take care of ourselves and
focus on what we want to do. We will see at the end of the season."

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