Manager on Monday
WHUFc.com
Slaven Bilic has reflected on Saturday's disappointing Barclays Premier
League defeat away to Newcastle, and said his team must put it behind them
and put the lessons learned to good use in their upcoming encounters. West
Ham found themselves two goals down within the first 15 minutes on Tyneside,
and could never recover with that mountain to climb. And the Hammers manager
admitted he was baffled by his team's early setbacks. "We prepared the game
all week", he said, "so I felt we were going to start better. We were the
team that should have started with more confidence than them. "We were
unbeaten for a number of games, and we were counting on confidence to be on
our side, but unfortunately that wasn't the case."
Ayoze Perez and Georgino Wijnaldum scored for Newcastle during a whirlwind
start at a wintry St James' Park, and Nikica Jelavic's early second-half
strike was not enough to bring West Ham back into contention. "We have to
give them credit", said the gaffer, "they started bright and good, but
definitely we helped them in that, and when you are ahead at home, your
confidence is sky high."
After the downer of the opening period, the boss was pleased by his team's
second-half reaction, even if it was not ultimately enough to rescue a
result. "We needed the half-time talk and the 15-minute break to come back
into the shape and condition that is required when you play in the Premier
League," he revealed. He admitted the West Ham players themselves were
shocked at the outcome of the first half, and did not need telling that they
had to come out fighting. "In the second half, we can talk about positive
things: good spirit; turning the game a little bit around; scoring a goal,
putting them under pressure, and having a great chance to equalise."
But ultimately, the manager said, there could be no complaints about the
result. "We could have nicked a point, and it wouldn't have been the first
time, but we have to admit that they were better. They deserved to beat us,
especially with their performance in the first half."
However, the manager struck a determined note when looking ahead to the rest
of the season, and said that his team must not be deflected from their goals
by one bad result. "Nothing has changed", he said. "The season so far is
very positive. You have to win as many games as possible, but you can also
lose games – we are not Real Madrid."
Nevertheless, the message from the manager to his players is clear: they
will not finish this season the way they deserve to if they start games as
slowly as they did on Saturday. He will expect them to start putting that
right from the kick-off when Manchester City visit the Boleyn Ground on
Saturday.
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Adrian - We need to forget this result
WHUFC.com
Adrian was disappointed to see the Hammers impressive unbeaten run finally
come to an end, but hopes they can put things right against Manchester City
next weekend. West Ham suffered their first Premier League defeat in nine
games as Newcastle's impressive first half display helped them come away
with a 2-1 victory. The Hammers were a different force in the second half
and after Nikica Jelavic helped them back into the game, they had several
opportunities to come away with a draw. But Adrian says they were made to
pay for such a poor start and were always facing an uphill struggle to take
anything from the game. Adrian said: "It is disappointing that our unbeaten
run has come to an end. We were disappointed with our performance in the
first half and they started the game very strong as they are fighting for
their lives. "We woke up when it was 2-0 and in the second half we started
to play much better and had chances to make it 2-2. But it was too much in
the end. "We knew they would start strong as they are fighting for their
position and they needed the three points. "But we are in a good position in
the table and need to keep going and maintain the form we have shown in
recent weeks and show our best performances."
Adrian could do nothing to stop Ayoze Perez and Georginio Wijnaldum firing
the north east club into a two-goal lead, but showed once again why he is
rated so highly with a number of outstanding saves in the second half. But
he could not enjoy the journey back to London as the Hammers suffered their
first loss in the league since the defeat against Tottenham at the end of
November. He added: "It is normal when we are trying to attack and score the
equaliser that they will have chances as well and we gave them space, but it
was lucky for me to keep the score at 2-1. "However it counts for nothing as
we could not take any points from the game."
Adrian is already looking ahead to the showdown clash against Manchester
City at the Boleyn Ground next Saturday and hopes they can record another
memorable double following the 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium back in
September. "We need to forget this result and concentrate on the next game
against Manchester City at home. "We are playing well and have showed great
performances from the start. I think it will be a great game. "The Premier
League is very tight at the moment and anything is possible. We just need to
show 100 per cent from the start and not just the second half, like we did
against Newcastle."
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Ogbonna vows to bounce back
WHUFC.com
Angelo Ogbonna is sure the Hammers will bounce back swiftly from defeat at
Newcastle United. The defender was bitterly disappointed to see his team's
eight-game unbeaten run evaporate in the north east but is sure a return to
winning ways won't be far away. He said: "We were not at our game in the
first half. It was really sloppy from us. We needed to be much more powerful
than that. "Newcastle were good but we have to think of ourselves and we
lost because we didn't bring our game here."
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Loan round up
WHUFC.com
Stephen Hendrie impressed during his competitive debut in English football
during Southend United's 0-0 away draw at Peterborough United. The Scottish
U21 international left-back has joined the Shrimpers on an initial one-month
loan. The valuable away point halts Southend's run of three defeats, leaving
the Shrimpers just three points off the much coveted Play Off spots.
Exciting Norwegian winger Martin Samuelsen played the full game for Posh who
are currently sixth.
Reece Burke has had his loan at Bradford City extended until the end of the
season. The England U20 international has impressed during his time in West
Yorkshire and the announcement was greeted with widespread positivity from
the Bantams fans. After beating Oldham Athletic 1-0 on Saturday, Bradford
are tenth in League One, just four points off the Play Off spots.
Lewis Page played the full game for Cambridge United as they secured a 0-0
draw away at Luton Town. Page was close to helping the U's take the lead as
his cross was converted by Ben Williamson yet it was chalked off for a foul
in the build up. United are 12th in League Two.
Clarke Bogard's Tilbury FC unbeaten run finally came to an end at the hands
of Aveley. A goal either side was enough to secure the three points for the
visitors, which ended Tilbury's 18 match unbeaten run.
Ross Elsom was an unused substitute in the defeat.
Tim Brown's Chelmsford City slipped to a 4-1 defeat away at Margate. Lewis
Taylor put the hosts into a commanding lead netting two penalties inside the
first ten minutes.
Danny Green extended the lead before Taylor completed his hat-trick.
Diego Poyet played 81 minutes in Charlton Athletic's 6-0 drubbing away at
Hull City. In Jose Riga's first game back in his second spell as manager,
the Addicks poor form continued at the KC Stadium as a first half Abel
Hernandez hat-trick and a Robert Snodgrass goal put the hosts 4-0 up by
half-time. Former Hammer Mo Diame got in on the goalscoring act before Isaac
Hayden wrapped up the victory. Poyet was replaced by former Hammer Ricardo
Vaz Te with nine minutes remaining.
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Kemp takes heart from Villa victory
WHUFC.com
Winger Danny Kemp was delighted to net his first West Ham United goal and
help his team to a dramatic 2-1 Barclays U18 Premier League South victory
over Aston Villa. It took 71 minutes for the deadlock to be broken when
Kemp, who joined the Hammers from Chelsea in November 2015, picked up the
ball just outside the box and smashed a low shot into the bottom corner of
the net.
With two minutes left of normal time, the Midlands side equalised from close
range through Harvey Knibbs, only for Hammers trialist Sam Ford to bury an
injury-time winner to confirm all three points for the hosts. Speaking to
whufc.com after the game, Kemp spoke about how he had a feeling that he was
going to open his account for the season against the Villans – securing
three important points in the process. "We are all delighted with the
result, especially because we all felt like we deserved the three points,"
admitted Kemp. "It was a good performance and we managed to get 1-0 up, but
sat back and let it slip when we allowed Villa back into the game. "We
worked hard, though, and managed to get a goal in the last minute after some
nice play, so we are happy with the result. "I'm also delighted to finally
get off the mark with my scoring and I hope it will be the first of many. I
had a feeling before the game that I was going to score because I've been
playing regularly, having shots and getting assists but was yet to score.
"It's always nice to score, but it's even better when you contribute towards
the team getting the three points."
Since joining the Hammers, Kemp has been a regular in the U18s' starting XI,
featuring six times, while he has also made two appearances for Terry
Westley's Development Squad. All things considered, Kemp admitted that he
was delighted how his career is going since signing from Chelsea. "I've been
playing regularly since joining West Ham so obviously I'm really enjoying it
here at the moment," he revealed. "It's a fantastic atmosphere to be working
in, surrounded by good staff and a good team spirit both during training and
out on the pitch, so it's going really well."
Also giving his post-match reaction after the game, U18s coach Mark Phillips
told how he believes that the right team came out of the game with all three
points at the weekend. "It was quite a strange game if I'm being honest,
although over the 90 minutes and like I told the boys after the game, I felt
like West Ham deserved to win the game," added Phillips. "We were having a
really good second half up until we scored, which was when I thought Villa
really came out at us and were troubling us and quite rightly deserved their
equaliser. "When we got the winning goal in injury time, it actually came
against the run of play but I still believe that we 100% deserved all three
points from the game on Saturday. "Without a shadow out doubt though, no
matter how much we deserved it, there is some relief that we managed to get
the win after conceding so late."
Kemp said the team would take heart from ending their five-match winless run
in such morale-boosting circumstances, and will look to make it back-to-back
victories when they welcome Southampton to Little Heath this coming Saturday
at 11am. "Looking back to last month away to Derby in the FA Youth Cup when
we lost 3-1, I still feel like we deserved something from that game but
that's football sometimes and you get days like this when you manage to
secure the points when you deserve them."
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Lee loaned to Colchester
WHUFC.com
West Ham United can confirm that striker Elliot Lee has joined League One
club Colchester United on loan until the end of the 2015/16 season. The
21-year-old returns to the Essex club for a second spell, having scored his
maiden league goal in a 2-2 League One draw with Rotherham United in
November 2013. Since then, Lee has netted his first goal for the Hammers,
scoring in a UEFA Europa League second qualifying victory over FC Lusitanos
in Andorra last July. The forward previously made his first-team debut in a
Premier League fixture with Stoke City in August 2013 and has also had loan
stints with Southend United, Luton Town and Blackpool. In all, Lee has
scored five goals in 25 career appearances. Lee could make his second
Colchester 'debut' in Tuesday's League One fixture with Fleetwood at the
Weston Homes Community Stadium. Lee is also eligible to play in the Emirates
FA Cup, where the U's will host Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City in the
fourth round.
The Academy graduate becomes the latest Hammer to go out on loan, joining
Diego Poyet (Charlton Athletic), Stephen Hendrie (Southend United), Martin
Samuelsen (Peterborough United), Reece Burke (Bradford City), Lewis Page
(Cambridge United), Sam Westley (VVV Venlo), Sam Howes (Wealdstone), Clarke
Bogard and Ross Elsom (Tilbury) and Tim Brown (Chelmsford City).
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ExWHUEmployee's column: Read the Byram and other transfer story FACTS
January 18, 2016
WestHamWay.co.uk
ExWHUEmployee
So here is my latest column and I apologise for the lateness, I had a lot of
work to do with my other job and for once it had to take priority. Shocking
I know!
The Newcastle game was rather disappointing but then again we were due a
performance like that. As I said during the game, I love the fact that
despite being 2-0 down at half time I never felt like the game is over at
that stage where as I would of in the past. There wasn't really much
positives to talk about other than Jelavic scoring again. I thought there
were some poor performances all over the pitch but as I said we cannot
complain, it had to happen sooner or later. A real test will be how we
respond to Manchester City coming to us this weekend. A win and the
Newcastle game will be quickly forgotten.
Ok on to the stuff that I know most of you read my columns for…..transfers.
As I have said throughout my columns on www.thewesthamway.co.uk firstly in
November, then December and now: Sam Byram was the main target for the
January window/summer window and still is. The plan was originally to try
and sign him in the summer when his contract was up. The reason for this is
obviously the signing fee would be cheaper, we would have to pay
compensation because of his age, but it wouldn't have been a huge fee. The
other reason is our wages situation, as you know we stick very carefully
within the FFP rules and his wages would take us over our agreed wage limit.
Everton have submitted a bid which was accepted by Leeds (thought to be
around 3m-4m with clauses) and the player had discussed terms with Everton
and this forced our hand earlier than we had planned. We therefore had to
move now or lose the player. We made our move but didn't offer as much of
a down payment as Everton, so we have worked out a different package.
Within the package we have offered to loan Byram back to Leeds as part of
the deal (something I have explained in tweets and columns). The reason for
doing this is that we then wouldn't pay his wages until his loan expired in
the summer. The loans of Carl Jenkinson, Victor Moses, Alex Song and Manuel
Lanzini would have expired by then so the wages would be able to be spent on
Byram and of course other players without going over the limit. It is
likely, at this stage that only Lanzini will join permanently from those
three so there will be plenty of wages to then use. Byram wouldn't actually
command that much in wages anyway, as he is on a low contract at Leeds.
Everton had offered to sign him now. Something which appealed to Leeds as
they could then reuse the cash this window and they would not loan him back.
We have offered slightly less in terms of down payments and we want to loan
him back. Leeds, as of yesterday preferred Everton's deal to ours. Sam
Byram is originally from Thurrock in Essex, three members of his family are
season ticket holders at West Ham and so he fancies a move to us. So we
were desperately trying to get Leeds to accept our bid and take him back on
loan, if they do, we will sign him. This bid now looks like it has been
accepted. I am lead to believe that it will be us that he chooses and
that's what he wants to happen and he will force a move to West Ham. His
agent has indicated to me that this is the case too. His first interview
with us, should he join, should say just that. Everton fans will give me
stick if he does now join Everton, which is still possible if our deal falls
through, but I am sorry these are the FACTS.
In terms of other transfer deals. The situation with Zarate and Jelavic
remains unclear. The club are open to offers from a number of players
including for these two but now with Andy Carroll out for a month or so it
is unsure whether we can afford to sell either. Zarate missed the match at
Newcastle and people "speculated" that this meant he was on his way. This
isn't the case, he is still nursing a knee injury which he sustained during
his time at QPR and occasionally it flairs up. We will still be open to
offers for these two but we need to be certain that other deals for
replacements could happen.
As I reported during the week we have had two young forwards on trial with
the development teams: Sam Ford of Ipswich and Offrande Zanzala of Derby.
It is great that Slaven is eyeing up youth talent with many others on the
radar. He also values loaning out youngsters too, so every youngster is
available for this.
In other news don't read any of these stories going around until it is
confirmed by us at TheWestHamWay.co.uk there are too many to rubbish but
pretty much all are. The fact that people even believed the Balotelli story
over the weekend baffled me in itself.
There is a strong chance that other than Byram we will add one more
established face. This face will shock a view and is very hard to work out
if you don't know. He is definitely going to leave his currently club and
is looking for a move. We are a serious front runner and it would be a risk
but one worth taking if we pull it off. I cannot say much more because the
club do not want any information leaked in case it doesn't happen.
On the injury front Sakho is recovering well and is less than a month away
from a return which will be a massive boost. I also have exciting news
regarding the stadium to bring you in the week as well. TheWestHamWay.co.uk
should be quite visible at the Manchester City game so come and chat to us
if you see us and also visit The Rib Man before the game for the best
pre-match meal.
Thanks for reading COYI
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Just how good are we? Dave Sullivan answers.....
January 17, 2016
westhamway.co.uk
Dave Sullivan
Hello! Dave Sullivan (better known at @davesulley) here. I am delighted to
write my first article for http://Thewesthamway.co.uk following in my
younger brother's footsteps, a bit like the Neville brothers did in early
December (and much like the older brother Gary, I hope that I get the
permanent job!) I don't write often, so stick with me!
I was given the choice of a couple of titles to write about and I decided to
go with "How good is the West Ham team?" I chose this title, because the
other day I was amazed by the fact that "middle table" West Ham United are
only four points behind "title challengers" Tottenham. This is compounded
by the fact we have had our (in my view) best player missing since the 7th
November. Payet started his first game since injury, against Bournemouth on
Tuesday and he won the game for us, once again showing the world just how
good he is. During the time he was out injured we drew 5 games and I think
if Payet had been available, we would have scored the extra goal needed in
at least 2 of those to convert a draw into a win, therefore we would have an
extra 4 points and be ahead of the "title contenders". Correct me if I am
wrong, but surely that would make West Ham title contenders as well? To
compound this, the amount of very high quality teams we have simply out
played, home and away does lead to the question... Just how good are we?
Well I think it's only fair to start at the base of our team and in my view
one of the most underrated players in the league. If you were to ask random
football fans to name the best premier league goalkeeper, most fans would
name David De Gea or Cech. I really don't think Adrian is far off this
standard and is up there with the best shot stoppers in the league (if not
the best). Since joining, the 29 year olds value has trebled and this is no
coincidence. Many a time Adrian has pulled a miraculous save out of the
bag, where we all wonder how did he get to that?! Although he does
occasionally make mistakes, such as Southampton away last year, I think
there is no questioning he is up with the best. All goalkeepers make
mistakes,it's an occupational hazard. If a goalkeeper makes one small
mistake everyone remembers it, but nobody remembers the shot the striker put
wide. Also simply due to his personality he is a very valuable player,
always smiling and very passionate, he quickly became a fans favourite and
with moments like Everton in the FA cup, it is not a surprise.
Up next, the defence - In the early season this appeared to be our weak
point. I may be wrong, but until mid December we had committed the most
errors leading to goals in the premier League, often multiple errors coming
in the same game. Watford away and Bournemouth at home come to mind (I
didn't see Bournemouth, it was the only home game I've missed this season,
but Ive been informed by my sources it was not a bad one to miss!) In
recent times our defensive woes seemed to have vanished, please bear in
mind, I'm writing this before Newcastle. Five clean sheets in our last 8
games and only conceding more than 1 goal in 1 game out of the last 11. If
this defensive run continues, we are in serious good stead, especially when
all our forwards are back. "If you don't concede a goal you can't lose the
game". Many members of our defence are highly rated by other teams.
According to many national papers, Aaron Cresswell was linked with champions
Chelsea in the summer for a £20M move. Ogbonna has played 41 times for
Juventus over 2 season and 10 occasions for Italy, anyone with a record like
this is obviously of the highest calibre. Also looking at Ogbonna,
physically he is built for the premier league, very big and at 6'3 it has
taken him no time to adjust. I could do this for every member of our
defence but this article would be far too long, so now on to the midfield!
This for me is a hard one as I have no idea who our best midfield even is.
For me you can't mention the midfield without mentioning Noble. Every game
Noble plays with amazing passion, energy and really encapsulates what West
Ham fans want to see. I feel on his day he is as good as anyone in the
league, especially when he is playing in more of a defensive role which
involves a lot of running. Nothing is better than Mark doing a crunching
tackle on the edge of our area and starting one of our famous counter
attacks this season! We also have Alex Song who is only 28 years old and
arguably has the most experience in our squad, at the highest level. In
pre-season anyone in the league would have taken him. Obiang has just
broken into the first team and I feel is very technically gifted, he is
always so composed on the ball and shows moments of real quality, especially
at such a young age. Probably my favourite midfielder reminds me of Patrick
Viera, both born in Senegal and hold huge physical presence on the pitch,
it's Kouyate. I feel he is a vital player in our midfield as he has so much
energy, which is very important when the tough gets going and is a huge
boost late on in games. I honestly value Kouyate in terms of monetary value
as within the top 5 players in our squad. I feel he is often very
overlooked, especially by journalists and other fans. Lanzini, who is only
22 was hailed as the new messi at the age of 18 and it is clear to see why,
not only is he a player of quality but makes everyone around him play
better. He has been compared by Slaven Bilic as a young Luka Modric. We
also have the very talented young Reece Oxford who one day could be one of
the greats, although predominately a centre back he can play as a holding
midfielder, as we saw at Arsenal away when Özil was comfortably in his back
pocket. It's clear to see why there is a selection problem and I think our
midfield especially in terms of strength in depth rivals any team in the
league. I'm not saying it's the best... but it gives any teams midfield a
run for their money, which has been seen on multiple occasions this year.
This is getting rather longer than I had hoped to write, so I'll try and get
through this quick, as I am sure you all have things to do! So on to the
forwards:
Dimitri Payet, not much more needs to be said. Great at dead ball
situations, speed, strength, technical ability and flair. In my opinion he
rivals Özil and if I was in my fathers shoes, I would only be tempted to
sell him for a bid of £50M+. Where else would you find a player who you
know plays that well in the premier league? Fun fact, Alex Song's middle
name is also Dimitri. Andy Carroll on his day is a force and such a
handful, there is a reason he was once sold for £35 million. I just hope
Andy Carroll overcomes his injury issues, as when he gets a good run in the
team he always starts scoring. Up there with the best target men in the
league with Bony and Giroud. Now to Enner Valencia, we had to fight off 2
huge European sides and on occasion has shown what he is capable of. He
again is of the highest quality, but injuries have made it hard for him. I
feel this season Enner may show his potential and do with West Ham what he
did with Pachua, where he scored 18 in 23. Many often forget Enner was
linked with a £30M move to Chelsea last January. Yet another player of ours
valued at £20M+ is Sakho, who has also had injury issues. When he is fit he
is invaluable and very hard to play against, shutting down defences and
scoring goals, scoring 12 goals in his first 26 games in England. On the
wings we have two very direct, strong and fast players, who have shown they
are capable of not only creating goals but scoring them and generally
causing chaos. Antonio won both free kicks against Bournemouth, it is no
wonder we have selection issues! Earlier in the season when everyone was
fit, we were the highest scoring team in the league averaging over 2 goals
per game. So again we when everyone is fit we are as good as the vast
majority of the league.
To conclude, I feel we have a few players in a few positions who are up with
the best in the league and as we have proven on many occasions this season,
on our day we are as good as anyone. I think Europe could be a possibility,
so 6th place or higher. In order for us to compete at a top top level we
need: injuries to be in our favour, Dimitri to keep up his form and the
defence to continue how they are playing. After all, there is a reason why
we have equaled our unbeaten record in the premier league. These are
exciting times for West Ham, the sky really is the limit. Lets just hope,
as our famous song goes, our dreams and aspirations don't "fade and die" and
that instead I'll be seeing you all next year at the Camp Nou
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O dear - Hendon fired after seven months
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 18th January 2016
By: Staff Writer
Former West Ham first team coach Ian Hendon has been fired by Leyton Orient
- just seven months after accepting the managerial post at Brisbane Road.
Hendon, who was part of Sam Allardyce's back room team joined the O's last
May after learning that the current Sunderland manager was set to lose his
job at the Boleyn. However he was handed his cards earlier today following a
dreadful run that culminated in just four wins from their last 21 fixtures.
Breaking the news on their website, a statement on behalf of the League Two
club read: "The club can confirm that Ian Hendon has been relieved of his
role as Head Coach of Leyton Orient. "The club would like to thank Ian for
his commitment and passion during his time at Leyton Orient and would like
to wish him the best in his future endeavours. "Assistant Manager Andy
Hessenthaler will be assuming Ian's duties on an interim basis as Caretaker
Manager. Leyton Orient will make an announcement at such time as a new
appointment is made. "
Hendon arrived at West Ham via Gillingham in 2011 as Development Coach, but
was later promoted to First Team Coach. The former Tottenham defender -
whose previous management roles have included spells at Barnet and Dover
Athletic - spent four years at the Boleyn. The only surviving members of
Allardyce's former Back Room team are fitness coaches Eamon Swift and Stijn
Vandenbroucke, who has been with the club - on and off - since 2009. Neil
McDonald (Blackpool), Wally Downes (free agent), Andy Rolls (Arsenal) and
Hendon have all left in the past 18 months.
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Leeds defender Sam Byram will not be moving to Everton
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 18/01/16 9:45pm
SSN
Leeds defender Sam Byram will not be making a transfer window switch to
Everton, according to Sky sources. West Ham look to be in pole position to
sign the in-demand right-back, having reportedly matched Everton's offer.
Everton boss Roberto Martinez confirmed last week that they had made an
approach and Sky sources reported that a deal was subsequently agreed
between the two clubs, but West Ham then entered the fray, giving Byram a
decision to make. Byram was left out of the Leeds 18-man matchday squad at
the weekend and Whites boss Steve Evans revealed on Saturday that the
22-year-old had been given permission to speak to Everton by Leeds president
Massimo Cellino.
But the defender, who can also play in midfield, will now hold talks with
West Ham, and appears to be set for a move to Upton Park unless there are
any further twists in the tale. Byram is a product of the Leeds academy,
making over 140 appearances since debuting in 2012 but, with his current
contract set to expire at the end of the season, Cellino has opted to cash
in on the player.
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Andy Carroll targets West Ham's clash with Southampton for return
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 18/01/16 1:09pm
SSN
Andy Carroll is hoping to return from his hamstring injury earlier than
originally expected, according to Sky sources. The West Ham forward was
ruled out for a month after suffering the problem in the 3-1 victory over
Bournemouth last week. Carroll underwent a scan on the injury last Thursday
and West Ham subsequently confirmed they expected to be without the
27-year-old until mid-February. However, Sky sources understand Carroll is
targeting a return against Southampton on Monday Night Football on February
8 - live on Sky Sports 1 HD. Carroll, who was absent for Saturday's 2-1
defeat at former club Newcastle, will still miss the Premier League matches
with Manchester City and Aston Villa as well as the FA Cup fourth round tie
with either Exeter City or Liverpool on January 30.
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FA take no action over Jonjo Shelvey incident with Enner Valencia
By Jefferson Lake
Last Updated: 18/01/16 5:51pm
SSN
Jonjo Shelvey will face no disciplinary action for his off-the-ball incident
with Enner Valencia in Newcastle's win over West Ham on Saturday. In the
39th minute of the match, in which Shelvey made his debut following a £12m
transfer from Swansea City, the midfielder appeared to barge Valencia over
as play continued. The incident was not seen by the referee and was
therefore referred to the Football Association's independent video review
panel, which is manned by three former referees. The panel decided that the
incident did not warrant a red card and that no further action will be taken
against the former Charlton and Liverpool midfielder. The England
international played a part in both his side's goals in a debut which drew
praise from Newcastle manager Steve McClaren. "Jonjo showed his quality,"
McClaren told Sky Sports after the game. "In our team we've got good players
around him and he will get better and better. But I thought his performance
was very good."
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DREAMS DON'T NECESSARILY FADE AND DIE, FORTUNE ISN'T ALWAYS HIDING
By Benjamin Cronin 18 Jan 2016 at 19:10 228 comments
WTID
Embed from Getty Images
BREAKING: West Ham beat Everton to sign Sam Byram – it's in The Guardian.
Leeds chairman Massimo Cellino said…
"I'm really sorry for Everton because they really acted like gentlemen, but
Sam chose West Ham."
Momentum has been building in the last few weeks and our fixture against
Newcastle on Saturday afternoon presented a great opportunity to continue
our fine run of results and set a new club record of nine games unbeaten in
the Premier League. Unfortunately, it was an opportunity that we couldn't
take advantage of. The confidence piercing through the squad and our fans
couldn't be converted into a win and our wonderful start to the new year
came to a halt, after coming up against a team that appears to be in the
middle of a mini revival. Some may claim they saw it coming, others might be
lamenting the 'same old West Ham', but this result was quite a big turning
point in the season. Not for the club or the players, not for the coaching
staff but for me, as a fan.
The game itself didn't make for the greatest viewing. It could be said that
the writing was on the wall from as early as four minutes in. Mark Noble was
caught in possession in the centre circle, Newcastle broke quickly and
Adrian had to get down quickly to deny Ayoze Perez. It was only a matter of
minutes later that Perez managed to find the net, converting neatly from the
edge of the box after some decent build up play in midfield. Whether it was
the Harry Potter chants ringing in his ears or the need to justify his £12m
fee, I'm not too sure, but Jonjo Shelvey seemed intent on getting one up on
the West Ham fans. The quality of his cutting pass that found Wijnaldum to
lay off to Perez for the opener was surpassed less than ten minutes later,
when he spread a 60-yard ball to the feet of full-back Daryl Janmaat, with
the square ball across the area and tap-in from Wijnaldum seemingly
inevitable once they got in behind our back four.
I've often highlighted how this season has been different to many before it
due to the 'character' we've shown from the very outset. Not fearing the so
called 'big teams' in the Premier League, showing an ability to stay in
games when the opposition are playing well, managing to take the game to the
opposition when many would expect us to sit back and, what has been
highlighted in our most recent fixtures, being capable of coming from behind
to get something out of a game. It's something I haven't been used to in my
time as a West Ham fan and something we certainly haven't seen much of in
the past few years. Whilst watching the game at St. James' Park, I initially
doubted if this character was present, if we had any left, or if we'd used
it all up against Southampton, Liverpool and Bournemouth.
One thing Bilic hasn't been scared to do this season is change things up
when it isn't working out. Saturday was no different and at half-time, off
came Obiang and on went Jelavic. Within five minutes, we were back in the
game. I instantly cursed myself for doubting if we had the character to make
a game of it or not. Soon enough, I was almost expecting a famous 3-2
comeback win and yet another point to make on why we should be seen as a top
four contender. Of course, now I know how stupid that sounds but the
wonderful thing about this season is that when I'd previously write us off
after going one down, I now genuinely think a game is still winnable when
we're trailing by two. Granted, we had a couple of chances to level it but
at points, we looked wide open at the back and Newcastle could have just as
easily made it three or four. It feels strange to say it but this weekend's
fixture is perhaps one of the very few that we didn't really deserve
anything out of the game. I'm sure many will argue we should have come away
with a point but putting all my West Ham bias aside, Newcastle looked like a
different team to the one from the first half of the season and 2-1 may have
even flattered us.
A loss is never a good thing to take from a game, we all know that much.
Unfortunately, this is the Premier League, where losses are inevitable and
sometimes they come against the teams you least expect them to. Although I
already felt like we've been watching a different team play to the one from
last season, this loss is the first time I've felt like a different fan to
the one from last season. It might have taken me 22 games, some of you may
have had a moment of realisation a lot sooner, some might not feel any
different and others will never feel any different. I guess it's personal.
There's been plenty of talk of transition, how we are embarking on a journey
that will change the club's history forever and I'll be honest, this is the
first time I've really felt like a part of that journey. They'll be a
plethora of ups and downs in the sixteen games that remain this season and
we're fortunate enough to be fighting for places at the top end of the
table, rather than the bottom. Come the end of the season, we'll have a huge
emotional goodbye to say but until then, I fully intend on enjoying
everything that comes in between. There's no pressure of relegation, the
season has been as unpredictable as ever for everyone involved, so instead
of getting frustrated and angry about not winning a game we probably
expected to, let's appreciate the rest of it while we can.
COYI!
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Hammers make Oxford position crystal clear
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
Seventeen year old Reece Oxford has yet again been linked to a move to four
of the so called top six clubs in the Premier League. The London Evening
Standard has this morning recycled an old story to claim he is on the short
list of Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool. West ham
Chairman David Sullivan told Sky Sports earlier this year "We would only let
fringe players go or if someone made an offer we couldn't refuse. We are not
going to selling players for £10m or £20m, we are a non selling club."
And ClaretandHugh was told again this morning: "It's the usual silly season
stuff. There is no question of Reece being allowed to leave."
The highly-rated centre-back joined West Ham United as an U13 after Spurs
rejected him and was named among the substitutes for the League Cup
second-round defeat by Sheffield United on 27 August 2014, aged 15. He was
capped by England at U17 level, captaining the side at the Nordic Tournament
in Denmark in July/August 2014. He became West Ham's youngest ever player
when making his debut against FC Lusitans on 2 July last year. He was in the
starting line-up for the Hammers' opening day Barclays Premier League 2-0
victory at Arsenal.
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Slav: "We're not real Madrid"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 18, 2016 in News
C and H
Slaven Bilic has made it clear he is pretty happy with the way things have
gone this season and sent a timely reminder to fans upset over Saturday's
defeat at Newcastle. The manager declared: "Nothing has changed.The season
so far is very positive. You have to win as many games as possible, but you
can also lose games – we are not Real Madrid." Our problems were clear from
the start of a game where once again we allowed the opposition to charge at
us from the start and allow Newcastle's confidence to sky rocket. Indeed it
was so obvious that even the usually non critical official site came close
to having a moan-up when saying in the Manager of Monday column:
'Nevertheless, the message from the manager to his players is clear: they
will not finish this season the way they deserve to if they start games as
slowly as they did on Saturday. He will expect them to start putting that
right from the kick-off when Manchester City visit the Boleyn Ground on
Saturday.'
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Hammers hovering on defender
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham are continuing to monitor the Sam Byram talks very closely. Everton
are understood to be in talks with the defender and his advisers over his
personal terms but all parties are aware of the Hammers interest.
ClaretandHugh was told late last night that the club are in the background
awaiting any developments but with the transfer window still open for
another two weeks there is no panic. The Hammers will be keen to do a deal
based on him being a free transfer in the summer which could allow them to
outbid Everton's current offers to the player by some distance. However,
that raises the issue of other clubs entering the race although the Toffees
and the Irons are the only two to have shown an interest so far. However,
should the Irons be forced to intervene over the next fortnight it means
that the two Davids will have to dig into their personal finds to complete
the transfer as there is none available in the club.
But there remains the issue of the wage bill which has reached the FFP limit
although there maybe some room for manouevre given Matt Jarvis' departure
and others of which the club are aware but we aren't!
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Official: Hammers most improved team in Europe
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham's owners have taken a colossal amount of stick over the last five
years but finally the penny is dropping – they have done a job and a half.
Were that to be a personal opinion based on nothing then I'd expect to be
accused of sucking up to the Davids as in some peoples' view you aren't
allowed to say anything complimentary without that being the case. Having
got that out of the way here's the fact as recently tweeted by the Premier
League:
Eng Prem Lge @EngPremLge
It's official, Premier League West Ham are the most improved team in all of
Europe:
In a great article which needs to be read by all fans, we are reminded that
the likes of Winston Reid, Aaron Cresswell, Cheikhou Kouyate, Enner
Valencia, Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini have all been targeted by top six
sides, and they would probably slot into a top team's squad. Set against
that perhaps we should remember that five years ago that compared with
asquad which included such as Kieron Dyer, Carlton Cole, Luis Boa Morte,
Matthew Upson, Jonathon Spector and Freddie Sears.
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Gold questions whether Austin was a bargain
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham Chairman, David Gold has suggested Charlie Austin wasn't the
bargain some Hammers fans think Southampton got when they snapped him up on
a four and a half year deal for a transfer fee believed to be £4m. Hammers
manager Slaven Bilic last week confirmed West Ham were no longer interested
in signing the former QPR striker but confirmed the Irons were interested
last summer before pursuing other options. Speaking at a pre-match press
conference, Bilic was asked whether West Ham would rekindle their interest
in Charlie Austin: "He is a good player and he has been linked with most of
the clubs when they got relegated because of his record and everything. So
we were also among those clubs in the summer but we have chosen other
options, now we are not looking for that type of player"
After the signing by Southampton David Gold weighed into debate over the
weekend by responding to a supporter who had Tweeted him saying '4 mill is a
bargain Austin is a brilliant player one of the best English strikers there
is right now.' Gold's response was 'Is he a bargain if his wages are
£100,000 per week? dg'. Austin's estimated annual £5.2m per wages over four
and a half years will total £23.4m so a hefty £27.4m investment for the
Saints for a striker who is currently injured and once failed a medical at
Hull.
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Balotelli blanked by Irons
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
Mario Balotelli has no interest in a Premier League return despite currently
being linked with his former club Liverpool and the Irons. The on-loan
Liverpool striker is happy in Italy on loan with his former club AC Milan
after a woeful first season at Anfield. And there has been strong
speculation over the last 24 hours that the Irons could be interested in
bringing back to England. The controversial star was linked with West Ham
over the weekend but ClaretandHugh has learned the Iron have no interest. A
Hammers insider said: "Someone would have to leave for us to consider
bringing anyone in as there is no cash for purchases and we are up to our
limit on FFP. "He has also collected a lot of baggage. The manager has a
great dressing room spirit going and wouldn't want to take the slightest
chance with that as he showed during the Morgan Amalfitano problem. "We have
four strikers and though there's a chance that Nikica Jelavic may move on
this window we would not be looking at Balotelli as an option.
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Zarate linked with a return to Italy
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham striker Mauro Zarate has been linked with a return to Italy.
Corriere dello Sport says Fiorentina are weighing up a move for Zarate to
replace Giuseppe Rossi who could be included as part of the deal in the
opposite direction to West Ham. Mauro Zarate was notably absent again from
the 18 man squad that faced Newcastle on Saturday. His exclusion came after
Bilic claimed he should be fit for the Newcastle match, suggesting he missed
Bournemouth's game on Tuesday evening due to cramp.
Slav told the assembled media earlier this week "On Zarate, he felt (pain)
before the Bournemouth game in training the day before he was shooting some
free kicks and all that then he felt a bit (of pain), but was just a kind of
cramp so he is also training today and should be fit for Saturday and that
is basically it"
Zarate's absence over the last two games has created much speculation he
could be outbound in this January transfer window and he could have played
his last game in a Claret and Blue shirt. We have been told that West Ham
are ready to allow Mauro Zarate to leave the club if an offer of around £3
million were to emerge out of Europe. ClaretandHugh have been told whilst
there have been no firm bids for the Argentinian so far, the club is ready
to listen to bids for him. Within Zarate's 11 year career he has moved
either permanently or on loan eight times. A senior insider told
ClaretandHugh: "There has been no official approach from anywhere". That was
quickly followed by the source adding: "It wouldn't be a great surprise to
be honest were we to get one later on in the window. Should bids come in
then we will certainly be ready to listen."
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Hammers edge closer to first January signing
Posted by Sean Whetstone on January 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
It seems only a matter of time before Essex boy Sam Byram is confirmed as
West Ham's first signing of the January transfer window. The twenty-two year
old had previously agreed to join Everton but Leeds owner Massimo Cellino
reportedly said: 'I'm really sorry for Everton because they really acted
like gentlemen, but Sam chose West Ham.'
Byram is a product of the Leeds academy, making over 140 appearances since
debuting in 2012 but, with his current contract set to expire at the end of
the season, Cellino has opted to cash in on the player with a transfer fee
believed to be around £3.7m.
The Essex lad is understood to be a boyhood West Ham fan and it said this
will be his dream come true. Director of Recruitment Tony Henry is said to
highly rate the lad who can either play right back or right midfield as they
try to replicate the success the Hammers have enjoyed with Arron Cresswell
from Ipswich.
Chairman's son Jack Sullivan posted on twitter earlier "Maybe a surprise
signing in the next 48 hrs" but it appears the cat is out of the bag
following Cellino comments. He is understood to have agreed personal terms
but he still needs to sign on the dotted line in the next 48 hours to become
a Hammer.
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Hammers get firm with wanted duo
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on January 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H
West Ham have received only loan bids for Mauro Zarate and are unready to
let him leave given the current injury problems. And a possible move for
Nikicia Jelavic is no further forward with a Hammers insider telling the
ClaretandHugh the club needs both players at the moment.
Speculation started in the Italian media today (Mon) that Fiorentina had
joined Malaga in a possible bid for the Argentinian. But our top source
revealed today that the only interest in the front man has been on a loan
deal and that he is more important to the club than to be allowed out on
that basis in the current circumstances. Jelavic is understood to interest a
Chinese club but our source said: "We can't allow either of them to leave as
things stand at the moment."
Both players remain important members of the squad – Jelavic in particular
with Andy Carroll injured – and Diafra Sakho not due back until early
February. Zarate has been told that he too is required to stay at the club
but that could change if the injury siruation improves or a firm bid comes
in for a permanent move.
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West Ham leapfrog Everton in race for Sam Byram as Hammers offer Leeds
starlet first-team football
20:38, 18 JAN 2016 UPDATED 20:40, 18 JAN 2016
BY DAVID ANDERSON
Byram is unlikely to dislodge Seamus Coleman at Goodison Park and would see
his chances of first-team football boosted by a move south
The Mirror
West Ham have jumped ahead of Everton in the race to sign Sam Byram from
Leeds. Everton have agreed a £3.7million fee with Leeds for the highly-rated
Byram, who can play on the right side of defence or midfield. But Byram is
understood to have met both clubs yesterday and is leaning towards West Ham
because they can offer him first-team football. Byram likes Everton boss
Roberto Martinez, but is aware that they see him as a right-back, where
Seamus Coleman is firmly established in the Blues defence. West Ham have
been playing James Tomkins at right-back and Byram is likely to given a
chance in the first-team.
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PASS THE PAYET PLEASE - I THINK YOU HAVE OUR PLAYER...
By HamburgHammer 18 Jan 2016 at 08:00
WTID
Most of you guys and gals will know by now I'm not a big fan of the British
pundits. That's down to a lot of reasons the biggest of which is probably
the reluctance of most them to give West Ham credit or even acknowledge our
club may be on the verge of something big with our move to the OS. Another
reason is their inabilty to accept that things can change, that English
football is changing as we speak and that the balance of power in the
Premier League is shifting.
The latest one to give me the hump is Paul Merson, as a former Arsenal
player it's probably not surprising that he had a condescending dig at West
Ham.
In his Daily Star column (yeah, right!) he said the following:
bq..
Dimitri Payet is some player. You can see why West Ham have missed him, he's
up there with Mesut Ozil for me. He is different class and it's great to see
players like that in the Premier League. He scores goals, picks people out,
takes people on, and his touch is brilliant.
p.
So far so good. But then he comes out with this ever so predictable gem:
bq.
I'd be shocked if he's still at West Ham next season because everyone will
be in for him. He's got it all. He must be the best buy of the summer
window. Whoever convinced him to join them needs a big pat on the back.
p.
It's the same old assumption that it simly isn't allowed to happen that good
or even great players do play at clubs perceived as inferior like West Ham.
Or Leicester. Or Stoke. Whenever a player delivers and shows credentials
pundits immediately assume that said player simply has to leave for bigger
and better times at Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal or further abroad Barcelona or
Real Madrid. They simply assume that those clubs have a divine right to get
these players to join their armada of superstars, apparently because their
skills and talent are wasted elsewhere.
This riles me up no end. We all know how much money rules the modern game.We
know that more often than not big clubs do get their players if the offer
just enough money to turn the player's head and as a consequence the lesser
club ultimately has to give in and yield to player power and big bucks being
thrown about. It usually happens that way and if you are a lazy pundit it's
easy to assume that Payet will be next in line. But look at the bigger
picture and things are less straightforward suddenly.
Point 1 – and quite a significant one- is how much Payet is enjoying his
time at West Ham. He is the undisputed heart and soul of our team, if he
plays well we usually win. He makes our team tick, the other players all
tend to look better and more efficient when he's in the side, the fans love
him and he loves them back. The "Achy Breaky We'Ve got Payet" ditty is the
perfect illustration of a club finding a future legend and a player finding
his spiritual home. Payet is the 2016 version of DiCanio, without the mad
tendencies and fascist leanings of course. Payet has mentioned in interviews
how much he loves playing at West Ham, how honoured he is to have the fans
singing a song about him (suggesting then this never happened for him in
Marseille). If he left for where the grass is supposed to be greener he'd be
almost certain to lose all this immediately. He'd be one star player getting
lost in the crowd of other stars, he'd not even be guaranteed to start games
while he is very much the first player on the teamsheet for West Ham.
Point 2 – the money. By all accounts we got the steal of the season, getting
Payet for a transfer fee of only 10.7 million Pounds. Apparently he was
losing money at Marseille due to French tax laws, but his wages at West Ham
are certainly modest for a player of his standard. French paper L'Equipe
claims he gets about 3 million Euros a year including appearance fees.
Rumoured base salary amounts to roughly 35K a week. If that is not a bargain
I don't know what is. All of which bears the question: Why did he join West
Ham in the first place and not a club actually playing for first place in
the league ?
Point 3 – the stats. When we signed Payet he was known to be the originator
of more successful through balls, also known as killer passes, than anyone
else, bar Lionel Messi, a slightly more expensive superstar footballer. In
36 games for Marseille last season he scored seven goals himself (from
midfield) while adding a massive 17 assists. So it wasn't exactly rocket
science to figure that Payet is a very good, creative and efficient
playmaker. Yet he wasn't signed by Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Man U. It
bears the question: Why not ?
Point 4 – the age. Payet is 29 years old, he was 28 when we signed him. That
apparently makes you a pensioner almost in the modern game. I can only
assume that big clubs shy away from signing "older" players as they fear
increasing injury risks, the player losing his natural pace or ending up
with someone with next to no resell value at the end of his stint at the
club.
I don't know how many other clubs were in for Payet last summer and I also
don't know if there were any big clubs among them. All I know is that Dmitri
Payet signed for West Ham. There must have been a reason or two for that.
Point 5 – the gaffer. And the stadium. I truly believe our club hierarchy,
Gold, Sullivan, Brady and also Slaven Bilic must have done a stellar job to
sell West Ham to Payet. They must have presented us as a London club on the
up, with the pending move to the OS being the most exciting time in this
club's history. They maybe told him about the passionate and loyal fanbase
or showed him footage of other Hammers heroes of the past, Moore, Brooking,
Devonshire, Di Canio, Tevez. They probably told Payet how fantastic a city
London was to live in for his little family. How turning West Ham into a
club playing in the Champions League one day would be a project worth
joining and that he would be the centrepiece of that projext on the pitch.
IF that is how they got Payet and IF that is what ultimately convinced Payet
to join than I'm not surprised that he's a Hammer now, playing for probably
half the wages he might have got elsewhere.
Putting all of this together I have a strong belief that Payet is a player
who like all players cares about money. However, he seems to care even more
about being loved at his club, about being at the center of things, about
running the show and yes, maybe about becoming a legend at a club on the up
rather than being an also-ran at Chelsea or Barcelona. I like that attitude
in a player, but of course I cannot be entirely sure this is the case with
Payet as I do not know him personally. But the fact that he is at West Ham
alone speaks volumes in my view.
As for other clubs falling over each other in their pursuit to sign him up
in the summer, I can imagine that a lot of clubs will try. But then again we
signed Payet on a five year deal with the club option to extend for another
year. I've heard of no release fees and so the only way a transfer will
happen is if Payet is no longer happy at West Ham. I don't see West Ham
willing to sell, even for 20 or 25 million, the club will be well aware of
how important it is to have a character and player like him aboard when we
move into the OS. We are likely to sign more good players to complement
Payet, not take him out of the equation. Payet at this point should not be
for sale, simple as. This is a decision that is not just about money, it's
about ambition, belief in what you're trying to achieve at the club. It's
about telling other clubs: We are no longer a selling club, we are the ones
who choose the players that can leave our club. I'd even go as far as to
suggest: If Payet is sold next summer Bilic will walk. And who would want
that ?
So in reply to Mr.Merson: Yes, there will be plenty of clubs trying to sign
Payet because they have seen his class, talent and skills. But "We've got
Payet, Dmitri Payet. I just don't think you understand." Yes, he's got his
own song at West Ham. He feels the love of the fans, he is happy. This is
something money can't buy. And it is a lesson some pundits may have to learn
the hard way.
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West Ham to sign Sam Byram for £3.7m after Leeds owner Massimo Cellino
admits the right back has turned down Everton
Sam Byram had agreed personal terms with Everton after a £3.7m offer
But the 22-year-old Leeds United right back has turned down Everton
Byram is set to sign for West Ham after agreeing to a £3.7m transfer
By SIMON JONES FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 21:17, 18 January 2016 | UPDATED: 21:22, 18 January 2016
West Ham are set to sign Sam Byram for £3.7million after the Leeds United
right back turned down Everton. Byram, 22, had agreed personal terms with
the Blues but Leeds owner Massimo Cellino said: 'I'm really sorry for
Everton because they really acted like gentlemen, but Sam chose West Ham.'
The Hammers matched Everton's offer for the 22-year-old, who trained with
Leeds on Monday as he considered his options.
Byram was likely persuaded to join West Ham because the club are in a better
position to offer first-team football. The Hammers had been in the market
for a right-back with Carl Jenkinson, who is on loan from Arsenal, failing
to impress this season. His poor form has seen James Tomkins play in the
position. At Everton, Byram would have been competing with Seamus Coleman
for the right-back slot. Leeds, Blackburn Rovers and Spartak Moscow,
meanwhile, have all enquired about taking Everton winger Aiden McGeady on
loan.
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MANCHESTER UNITED UP THE ANTE IN RACE TO SIGN 'NEW RIO FERDINAND'
news.ladbrokes.com
Manchester United are reported to have upped their interest in West Ham's
promising defender Reece Oxford. United are long-time admirers of the
17-year-old who has drawn comparisons with Hammers alumni Rio Ferdinand The
Red Devils have been monitoring the progress of the teenager in the hope
that he would continue to develop at Upton Park but with Manchester City,
Chelsea and Liverpool also alerted to the youngster's ability a move is now
being mooted before the transfer window slams shut in just under two weeks'
time. Oxford is indeed in high demand with Fulham fronting a queue of
Championship clubs hoping to land the teen on loan but the chance to emulate
Ferdinand is said to have put United in pole position. The London-born
youngster is already 6ft 3in and cut a commanding figure when captaining
England's U17s at the European Championships. However, despite putting in a
solid display against Arsenal in August, a game in which he kept Mesut Ozil
unusually quiet, Irons boss Slaven Bilic has afforded Oxford just four
league appearances this term. Louis van Gaal's reputation for putting faith
in youth – with the likes of Luke Shaw, Jesse Lingard, Cameron
Borthwick-Jackson and Anthony Martial just a few of the names to have been
relied upon at Old Trafford this year – could also play a major part in
Oxford's decision and with Chris Smalling flourishing in recent season a
move to the north-west could also have positive implication for England.
United have kept 11 clean sheets so far this season and will attempt to make
it 12 when they take on Southampton this weekend, a game for which the Red
Devils are priced as 17/20 favourites. Another clean sheet can be backed at
11/10 and another resolute performance at the back could well convince
Oxford that Old Trafford is the best place for him to further his career.
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Karren Brady gives transfer window advice to Aston Villa and Randy Lerner
HITC
Olly Dawes
Karren Brady believes it's time for Aston Villa to plan for the
Championship. West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady has told The Sun
that she thinks Aston Villa should avoid making expensive signings during
this month's transfer window. Villa sit bottom of the Premier League table
having won just twice so far this term, and Saturday's 1-1 home draw against
Leicester City means that they are currently nine points from safety.
Relegation seems inevitable for Villa this season, barring a miraculous
escape, but that puts their January transfer plans in question. Some fans
are keen to see Villa splash the cash on some quality new signings in a
desperate bid to achieve survival, whilst others think it's time to plan for
the Championship, and avoid making any big-money deals this month. So far,
Villa are yet to make any signings at all, so it's unclear exactly what
manager Remi Garde's plan is, and the first new arrival - whenever it may be
- could give a big indication to what Villa are thinking.
Now, West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady has spoken to The Sun about
Villa's situation, commenting on the supporters' frustration, as was evident
in the 1-1 draw away at League Two side Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup just
over a week ago. Brady also gave owner Randy Lerner some advice, stating
that it's too late for a spending spree in January, and the American should
instead keep his hand in his pocket and plan for next season. "Their fans
are in such murderous mode they don't know who to push down the chute first
— owner Randy Lerner, boss Remi Garde (below) or the players," said Brady.
"Lerner, trying to sell the club for years, must know the price will be
obliterated by relegation, yet he could also be throwing good money after
bad if he allows permanent transfers in January. Many fans will want heavy
spending but I wouldn't, it's too late. Time, I think, to plan for next
season," she added.
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Owner's son hints at January transfer business
Date: 18th January 2016 at 2:34 pm
Written by: Matt Bourne | Comments (0)
foreverwestham.com
It's no secret that West Ham are not going to splash the cash in this
current transfer window but there has still been an abundance of players
linked to the Hammers this month. Whether it's Balotelli or Mirallas, the
Hammers have a new name their supposedly moving for this week. Although
these moves appear hugely unlikely this month, Jack Sullivan has fueled
speculation that West Ham may move for someone in the current window.
Although the tweet does not give anything away, it does suggest that Bilic
may move for someone if the deal suits the club. It is understood that the
Hammers are keeping a close eye on the Sam Byram situation, especially after
Everton tabled a bid for the talented Leeds United right-back. However, the
Yorkshire Post are reporting that the signing could be announced by the
Toffees today as the defender has agreed personal terms with the 22-year-old
defender. The lack of options up front for the Hammers may force Bilic to
move for a striker on loan. The likes of Simeone Zaza and most recently
Burak Yilmaz have been the subject of speculation linking the players with
moves to Upton Park.
Whether a deal can be struck to bring in a striker this month remains to be
seen but Jack Sullivan is certainly suggesting that the club are not
completely writing this window off.
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The unbeaten streak may be over, but it's not all negative for West Ham
Date: 18th January 2016 at 2:40 pm
Written by: James Pearson | Comments (0)
foreverwestham.com
The 2-1 defeat at St James Park has been hard to take over the last few
days. West Ham fans were left wondering why a team floundering at the bottom
of the Premier League table managed to rather comfortably defeat a West Ham
side that should of been full of confidence after a nine match unbeaten run
and the midweek turnaround against Bournemouth. The one thing that this
shows is the improvement of our club this season. Nine games unbeaten, we
lose one and suddenly it seems like the end of the world. We now expect to
win the majority of games we play in, or certainly not to lose them.
St James Park is a tough place to go to at the best of times. Newcastle have
been struggling, but got a late equalizer against Manchester United midweek,
have been slowly picking up form and made a £12 million signing in Jonjo
Shelvey who bolstered their midfield dramatically. They showed real desire
from the start against us, and carried this throughout the game. They scored
early and were eyeing up a second straight away, then could have ended up
scoring four or five. It was the kind of performance from Newcastle that has
typified West Ham this season. Desire and great attitude in abundance, plus
some real quality in the final third.
Our performance lacked a lot of the things that we have shown this season,
especially in recent games. Jelavic done well to grab his equalizer and it
was a great time to score, but after that West Ham didn't do enough.
Newcastle were still the ones pressing for their third goal, and a couple of
chances aside, we were deserved losers in the end.
There are still positives for us to take to the Manchester City game at the
weekend. Adrian made some fantastic saves, keeping us in the game at times.
Payet didn't have his greatest of games, mainly because he was left playing
wide instead of through the middle where he thrives. It would be surprising
if this didn't open Bilic's eyes that Payet needs to play in his favoured
position. Payet still created 3 chances against Newcastle and had some top
class moments, but he didn't get enough of the ball in the right areas to
really hurt Newcastle.
Moses came on, giving us another option for the City game. Obiang carried on
his recent good form, showing what he can bring to this team. It is likely
Reid may also be back at the weekend, which can only be a positive thing.
The goals we conceded weren't particularly sloppy, the second goal was great
football and difficult to do anything about. The first goal could have been
stopped but was a great strike from Ayoze Perez. The goals weren't the most
disappointing aspect, but the reaction to them wasn't what we have come to
expect from Slaven Bilic's side.
In terms of the team, we have lost one game in ten so a little perspective
is important, there is no doubt that we can get back to winning ways against
City if we show the desire and team spirit that has been second nature to
West Ham this season. The Newcastle game should now be forgotten about,
every team has good and bad days and there hasn't been many bad days for
West Ham United this season.
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Wolfsburg to rival West Ham and Crystal Palace to sign out-of-favour
Juventus striker Simone Zaza
By talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) | Monday, January 18, 2016
West Ham and Crystal Palace target Simone Zaza is wanted by German club
Wolfsburg. The 24-year-old is not starting many games at Juventus this
season, with Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata ahead of him in the pecking
order. And he has options to move to the Premier League where a few clubs
are in need of firepower. The Hammers and Eagles have both been hit by
injuries to their attacking players around the halfway point of the season.
The hamstring strain Andy Carroll has picked up for Slaven Bilic's side was
particularly cruel as the forward had just returned to form. Zaza would be
able to lead the line for either club but he is now a target for the
Bundesliga side. The former Sassuolo man has started just three Serie A
games this season and returned an impressive three goals.
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Oxford among trio made available by West Ham
Date published: Monday 18th January 2016 12:33
TeamTalk
West Ham are prepared to allow young trio Reece Oxford, Elliot Lee and Josh
Cullen go out on loan, sources have told TEAMtalk.com. West Ham boss Slaven
Bilic has informed the three players he is happy for them to go out on loan
to the Football League until the end of the season to gain some valuable
first-team experience. Highly-rated defender Oxford, who has made eight
appearances for West Ham so far this season after being handed his debut in
the win over Arsenal on the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign,
was linked with a move to Manchester City in Monday's Paper Talk. Midfielder
Cullen, who has come through the ranks at Upton Park, made his Premier
League debut as a substitute in the win over Liverpool at Anfield. Forward
Lee has just recently returned to West Ham after a loan spell at Blackpool,
where he made four appearances at Bloomfield Road and is poised to make a
loan switch to Colchester. The trio are well down the pecking order in
Bilic's plans and he feels they would be best served to go out on loan and
get some action under their belts.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Besiktas star not interested in West Ham move
Posted by Eren Sarigul January 18, 2016
http://www.turkish-football.com/
Besiktas midfielder Veli Kavlak has stated that he is not interested in a
move to West Ham United. The hard working midfielder has been sidelined this
season due to an injury and is yet to make an appearances for the Black
Eagles. "Currently I am not interested in a move to West Ham United," Kavlak
was quoted as saying by the daily newspaper Radikal. "I recently signed a
four year contract extension with Besiktas." Kavlak played under Bilic
during the 46-year-old's two-year spell at Besiktas. The hard working
midfielder was born in Austria but is also a Turkish citizen through his
parents. The 25-year-old joined Besiktas for £600,000 from Rapid Vienna in
2011 and has eight goals and 14 assists in 144 appearances for the Black
Eagles. Besiktas take on Trabzonspor in the Turkish Super Lig on Sunday.
Their game against Mersin Idmanyurdu last weekend was abandoned due to poor
weather conditions.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Elliot Lee set for Colchester loan
HITC
John August
HITC Sport understands the West Ham forward is set for a League One loan
move. West Ham striker Elliot Lee has agreed a deal to join Colchester
United on loan until the end of the season, HITC Sport understands from
sources close to the club. Lee has just returned to West Ham after a spell
out on loan at Blackpool earlier this season. The 21-year-old started the
season at West Ham making three appearances in the Europa League qualifying
rounds and scoring the winner against FC Lusitans, but after the Hammers
failed to reach the group stages Lee saw his first-team opportunities
disappear. Lee joined Blackpool on loan in November and made four
appearances during his spell at Bloomfield Road. Lee, who is the son of
former Newcastle and England midfielder Rob Lee, is highly-regarded within
the corridors of power at Upton Park and Hammers boss Slaven Bilic is known
to rate Lee feeling a loan switch will boost his game-time levels. The
talented forward had spells out on loan at Southend United and Luton Town
last season, scoring three goals in 11 outings for Luton after his stint at
Southend was cut short by injury, and West Ham feel he would be best served
to go out on loan for remainder of the season to continue his development
with regular first-team football.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Joey Barton admits his surprise over Dimitri Payet
HITC
Subhankar Mondal
Joey Barton says that he has been impressed with West Ham United star
Dimitri Payet's performances this season. Burnley midfielder Joey Barton
said on the Matchday Live with Fletch & Sav show on BT Sport 1 on Saturday
morning (January 16) that he is surprised with Dimitri Payet's performances
for West Ham United so far this season. "I didn't think he would have the
same impact," said Barton. "He has been phenomenal. He probably is at this
point (the signing of the summer)."
Payet joined West Ham from Ligue 1 side Marseille in the summer of 2015. The
attacking midfielder has struggled with injuries this season, but when fit
he has been absolutely superb. The 28-year-old France international has
scored six goals and created 53 chances in 15 Premier League games so far
this campaign. Payet has a pass accuracy of 81% and a shot accuracy of 68%,
and has won one header, 33 headers and nine tackles. West Ham are sixth in
the Premier League table at the moment with 35 points from 22 matches.
Slaven Bilic's side are just four points behind Tottenham Hotspur, who are
currently fourth in the standings and occupy the final Champions League
spot.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kevin Mirallas trying to persuade Roberto Martinez to let him leave Everton;
West Ham and Monaco remain interested
HITC
Billy Hawkins
West Ham and Monaco want to sign Everton's Kevin Mirallas. Kevin Mirallas is
hoping to leave Everton this month, Belgian media outlet HLN reports. The
Belgian winger has been linked with an exit from Goodison Park since the
summer, with him not a guaranteed part of Roberto Martinez's plans. The
Mirror reported six months ago that the winger had been the subject of a £6
million bid from West Ham, but that offer was rejected by Everton, with
Martinez not keen to cash in on him. However, Mirallas, 28, has started just
three league games all season, and he is fearing for his international place
with Belgium ahead of Euro 2016 this summer. He wants to be playing
consistent football in the second half of the season, and the report claims
he has been holding talks with Martinez to try and convince the head coach
to let him leave Merseyside. There have been no indications that Martinez
has accepted such terms, and Mirallas was even included in Everton's team at
the weekend, scoring a fantastic goal in the 3-3 draw with Chelsea. However,
the report claims that the Hammers remain interested in the winger - as well
as AS Monaco - and if this start was a one off, Mirallas will continue to
push for a move throughout the rest of the transfer window.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United youngster Reece Oxford wanted by Fulham on loan
HITC
John Verrall
Reece Oxford has made eight senior appearances for West Ham United so far
this season. According to The Sun, Fulham are trying to sign West Ham United
youngster Reece Oxford on loan.
Oxford is the Hammers' prized prospect, and the likes of Manchester City,
Chelsea and Liverpool are all said to be tracking the England youth
international. However, West Ham are understood to be determined to keep
hold of the 17-year-old and would rather he left temporarily than
permanently. Oxford is keen to get first team football, but Slaven Bilic has
been cautious with utilising the youngster. The Croatian boss has played the
academy graduate in eight matches this season, with his performance against
Arsenal being particularly memorable.
Fulham are hopeful of agreeing a deal for Oxford, though, as they feel they
could give him regular action. The Cottagers are currently in 19th place in
the Championship table, and they feel that Oxford would add steel to their
squad.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham prepare improved €8m bid for Galatasaray striker Burak Yilmaz
Posted by Eren Sarigul January 18, 2016
http://www.turkish-football.com/
West Ham are preparing a new bid for Galatasaray's star striker Burak
Yilmaz. The Hammers have set aside up to €8 million for the Turkish
international according to RadyoSpor. The Sports radio station go onto say
that West Ham are expected to table a bid for Yilmaz before the end of the
transfer window. Yilmaz is understood to be unhappy at Galatasaray after
being jeered by fans over the weekend. Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has openly
stated in the past that he is a fan of the Galatasaray star who he knows
well having coached in Turkey for two-seasons before joining West Ham.
"Burak Yilmaz is a player who has scored over 60 goals in his last two
seasons of course I think he is a very good striker," Bilic was quoted as
saying on Lig Tv.
Yilmaz has lifted the league title and the Turkish Cup twice since joining
the club. Yilmaz has three-years left on his contract and is paid in the
region of £2.5 million per-season.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, January 19
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