Daily WHUFC News - 14th June 2016

From the Newsroom
WHUFC.com

Italian sports journalist and author Gabriele Marcotti says Angelo Ogbonna earned his place in Italy's Euro 2016 squad…

It's a big transition coming to the Premier League and playing for a club like West Ham after being in a situation at Juventus where he trained a certain way. They would have double training sessions and there would be a lot more tactical instructions and here the game is a bit different, so I think it perhaps took Angelo a little bit of time to get used to it. Once he found his measure, he started to contribute. Something he has told me personally and that the senior players like Mark Noble and James Collins, who have been at the club a long time, went out of their way to make the newcomers feel welcome. West Ham have had a lot of players from a lot of different parts of the world over the last few years and the senior players have gone out of their way to make them feel welcome and include them in the squad. It's a credit to them and it's something we often under-estimate. Clubs sign players on good wages but often dump them in a new city where they don't know the language, but his transition to West Ham was made easily because the leaders in the dressing room went out of their way to make Angelo feel more comfortable. Once that became clear and he got into the starting XI, I think he has thrived.

Angelo is one of four centre-backs who have been picked by Italy manager Antonio Conte for Euro 2016, ironically alongside three of his old Juventus teammates. One of the reasons he left Juventus was to get more playing time at West Ham, although ironically he came into a club with senior centre-halves in Reid, Tomkins and Collins. However, he is a very versatile player and that's a reason why he has been included by Italy. He can also play at left-back and it's a position he played when he was younger, but West Ham fans haven't seen that as they have a fantastic left-back in Aaron Cresswell. Angelo also has tremendous football and tactical understanding and is very comfortable with managers who provide very complicated instructions, as that's what he was used to in Italy. Conte knows he can drop fancy schemes and Angelo is a very intelligent guy and can take those on board very easily.

Without getting too granular, a lot of people see Italy playing 3-5-2 but it's not quite like that – when they defend it's a back four and one of the wing-backs will slot in and one of the centre-backs will go into a full-back position. When they attack it is going to be a 3-3-4 formation with the full-backs way up the pitch. It's a hybrid system and not easy to take on board, but Angelo certainly has the athleticism and intelligence to do it. In my opinion this is the least-talented Italy squad in 50-60 years and they've lost two certain starters in midfield in Claudio Marchisio and Marco Verratti, so Conte has gone with a lot of versatile and intelligent players who can play multiple positions. Now, we will have to see how that formula works in practice at Euro 2016.

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Former Player Blog - Ken Brown
WHUFC.com

Ken Brown will never forget his spell at West Ham United where he made 474 appearances for the Club and forged a memorable partnership with Bobby Moore. Brown spent 14 years with the east London Club and was influential in helping the Hammers win the FA Cup in 1964 and the European Cup Winners' Cup a year later. With the Club making a historic move into the new Stadium this summer, Brown says he will always remember the magical times he enjoyed at the Boleyn Ground.....

I was brought up at West Ham and had the best years of my life. I used to come into the Boleyn Ground in the early days with a fella called Dick Walker who taught me how to approach football and I have never forgotten that. There have been lots of other people at the club who have all made me feel welcome and always wanted me to do well. I didn't expect to be named Hammer of the Year but when I look back now it is something that I fully appreciate. No matter what anyone says no-one will ever take my memories away from this place. From day one it was such a pleasure to play with all my old team-mates. Dick Walker encouraged me how to behave as a footballer and everyone loved him. I would always try to live in his footsteps. Bobby Moore was different class. He was two or three steps ahead of anyone he played against and he was an incredible player. It was a privilege to play next to him. He certainly made my life a lot easier! The wonderful managers including Ron Greenwood who was fantastic for me and put so many ideas into our heads. I sometimes thought that I wasn't good enough to play under Ron because he had so many brainwaves of perfection that I could never live up to that! But I had so many magical memories and of course it was a pleasure for me to see my son Kenny play for the Hammers as well. I will take so many memories with me from the Boleyn Ground and it is a bit of everything that made it so special.

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Valencia's Ecuador reach Copa quarters
WHUFC.com

Enner Valencia scored one and set up two as Ecuador thrashed Haiti 4-0 to qualify for the 2016 Copa America quarter-finals on Sunday night. Ecuador's victory, combined with Brazil's shock 1-0 defeat by Peru, saw Valencia and company finish second behind the Peruvians in Group B and qualify for the last-eight. The West Ham United forward continued his fine run of form with another impressive display for El Tri, putting the South Americans ahead in the ninth minute at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Christian Noboa played in the West Ham striker and he made no mistake in dispatching the ball past goalkeeper Johnny Placide. Just nine minutes later, Valencia turned provider when he collected a long ball from Walter Ayovi, beat defender Romain Genevois, drew Placide and set up Jaime Ayovi to tap into an empty net. Ecuador went further ahead when Noboa met Swansea City winger Jefferson Montero's cross on the half-volley and they wrapped it up 12 minutes from time when Hammers star Valencia beat the offside trap and assisted namesake and Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia to fire home.

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Impressive Randolph helps Ireland to draw
WHUFC.com

Darren Randolph produced a fine individual performance as the Republic of Ireland were cruelly denied a UEFA Euro 2016 Group E victory over Sweden. The West Ham United goalkeeper was in outstanding form against Zlatan Ibrahimovic and company in Paris, only for a freak own-goal from defender Ciaran Clark to secure the Swedes a 1-1 draw. Earlier, Norwich City midfielder Wes Hoolahan – who pipped Randolph to the Man of the Match award – had fired Ireland into a deserved second-half lead. The Hammers stopper was then called into action, making a fine save to prevent Clark from putting through his own net and commanding his penalty area in imperious fashion. However, that man Ibrahimovic's awkward cross was headed home by Aston Villa centre-back Clark, leaving Randolph no chance. Ireland's draw means they will likely need to beat either Italy or Belgium in their final two group-stage fixtures to reach the round of 16.

The Boys in Green face the fancied Belgians in Bordeaux on Saturday afternoon at 14.00 BST, before closing out the opening round against Angelo Ogbonna's Italy in Lille next Wednesday evening at 20.00 BST. Something will have to give for Martin O'Neill's team to qualify, seeing Ireland have not beaten Belgium in 50 years, and their only previous win over Italy came through West Ham Academy graduate Ray Houghton's famous goal at the 1994 FIFA World Cup finals in the United States.

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The Insider
WHUFC.com

Speculation continues to intensify over which new players will be arriving at West Ham United during the summer. There have been a number of top stars linked with the Club in recent weeks as Slaven Bilic looks to make his squad even stronger for the historic move into the new Stadium.
The Club have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring in new additions and it is my understanding that there could be a major addition to the squad in the near future. I have been told that a top international player will be undergoing a medical with the Club and they hope to conclude a deal within the next 72 hours. There has been a lot of speculation linking the Hammers with moves for Besiktas duo Gokhan Tore and Atiba Hutchinson.

My sources have told me that negotiations have taken place and although the club remain hopeful, there is still some way to go before a deal can be agreed. I have been assured that there are many irons in the fire and the club will continue to get the best possible deals. Reports in the media have also linked Angelo Ogbonna with a move back to Serie A as Roma lead the chase to sign him. Ogbonna has been rewarded for his impressive form at West Ham with a call-up to the Italy squad for the Euro Finals in France. I have been told categorically that the talented defender is not for sale and will not be going anywhere. He remains a major part of the squad for next season.

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West Ham launch £32million offer
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 13th June 2016
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United are reported to have returned to Lyon with an improved offer for striker Alexandre Lacazette. David Amoyal, a columnist for gianlucadimarzio.com has reported within the last couple of hours that West Ham have launched a fresh bid for the highly-rated striker worth in the region of £32million - approximately €40million. The offer is now said to be in the hands of Lyon chiefs, who must decide whether to accept what would be a record-breaking transfer fee for West Ham or hold out for an improved bid from elsewhere. However the chances of that happening appear to be slim, with fellow suitors Tottenham and PSG reported in recent days to have moved onto other targets. West Ham launched an initial bid for the 24-year-old goalscorer last month when the club offered Lyon £26million. The club's current record transfer fee stands at £15million, the fee paid to Liverpool for Andy Carroll three years ago.

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EXWHUEMPLOYEE EXCLUSIVE: TRANSFER UPDATES, LACAZETTE- WINGERS TO JOIN BUT NO RBS
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 13 JUNE 2016 AT 1:15PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

This column was written yesterday during the day and send to the fanzine editor's, for which I have evidence, yesterday. I am writing this because on a popular forum "The binman" (me) apparently claims news after it was out. I am not going to say much more as it is childish and people clearly on a wind up but there was only one person who said Feghouli that was the winger that Jack spoke about (I must have heard it whilst picking up the banana skins)

As I said in my last column on the website it is important to remember that it is early days in the transfer window and not to panic. It is hard not to get carried away when the chairman has spoken of the exciting deals that we are trying to land but I am very confident that these will come. With the Euros and the Copa America in full swing now the transfers will take a bit of a hold now while we use these as a further opportunity to scout some of the players.

I will confirm it in the fanzine but I have deliberately avoided saying it on my twitter account. The club are not looking to sign another right back. Slaven Bilic surprisingly still believes that Antonio has the potential to be a brilliant right back and he also says that Byram and Tomkins provide him with enough options here. The club will use the money instead to buy at least two wingers possibly three.

We have 100% put in an offer for Feghouli of Valencia, he is a temperamental and skilful Algerian winger. There have been a number of clubs interested in him and we are said to be in pole position. He will be a free transfer and this gives us the option to spend money elsewhere. Tore is the winger that Bilic really wants to bring to the club having worked with him at Besiktas and this is likely to happen. Another player that we are trying to bring in from Besiktas is Atiba Hutchinson who is a defensive midfielder but the Canadian also play at right back, this move depends largely on Obiang staying or not. Matt Ritchie was on the radar and is someone we would consider if the fee was right (around £5m) because he is British born. As reported elsewhere the club are aware of Sosa from Besiktas because he obviously played with Bilic and again depending on player departures his future is unclear.

In terms of forwards we haven't ruled out signing Lacazette yet. He is clearly good friends with Payet and if he stays (which I think he will despite Madrid circulating) than this could tempt Lacazette. We will not give up on signing him until he has joined another club. Originally it did seem like he would join PSG but they seem to be tempted by signing a "bigger" name now to replace talisman Ibrahimovic. If this is the case Lacazette will be left with less options and Payet and his agent could be enough to lure him. Calleri is still an option too as well as Bacca. The Spanish forward Nolito could be an option and he is out of contract in a year. They face a lot of competition to sign him though, as is the case with most of forward. Minchy Batshuayi's wage demands have put Tottenham off signing him as they have a very strict wage structure.
One thing for certain is that the club will sign at least five players and have a substantial budget to do it. We really should not panic yet and have faith that DS will sign the players that we require as he has done in the last two windows.

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2015/16 in review: December & January
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 13th June 2016
By: Graeme Howlett

Join us as we take a look back at the 2015/16 season through the eyes of KUMB Editor Graeme Howlett, who penned a weekly column for the Echo newspaper throughout the campaign.

Today we look back at December and January in part five of our review...


20 December

West Ham secured a fifth draw in seven appearances at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday afternoon - although there was very little else to cheer on a dreadfully dull day in South Wales.

Slaven Bilic will probably be one of the few to return from Swansea satisfied with the result, being as he was without half of his favoured first team. However it was a dreadfully dour spectacle from the perspective of the club's travelling supporters, who saw West Ham eke out a third successive goalless draw for the first time in Premier League history.

On the face of it, a point away from home looks like a decent return - and James Collins in defence and goalkeeper Adrian were both magnificent in preserving a third successive clean sheet. However given Swansea's lowly Premier League position - and that West Ham enjoyed just 27 per cent of possession - it's no wonder there were rumblings of discontent amongst the West Ham fanbase post-match.

Minus the likes of Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini and Diafra Sakho, West Ham pose very little threat in the final third of the field. With Andy Carroll also ruled out at the weekend, Bilic was left with just Mauro Zarate and Nikica Jelavic in attack - one of whom is frustratingly inconsistent, the other consistently substandard.

Despite those shortcomings, West Ham still managed to conjure up 11 shots at goal - even though just two of those were on target. Fortunately the hosts were just as profligate, with only two of their 21 efforts finding their intended target.

West Ham stay on the road for their next outing, away to Aston Villa on Boxing Day. The Villains have endured an even worse opening half of the season than Swansea, having failed to win since the opening day of the season and taking just seven points from their opening 17 matches.

So it's with renewed optimism that Bilic's boys go into that one, before completing their Christmas programme with home fixtures against Southampton (28th December) and Liverpool (2nd January) - two teams who, like Swansea, are in less than sensational form and must be considered beatable.

Prior to that, it just remains for me to wish all of my readers a very happy Christmas and thank you for following this column so far this season. Let's hope Santa can bring us at least one more win before the curtain falls on 2015. Come on you Irons!


27 December

Following the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Boxing Day, it's now two months since West Ham United fans have been able to celebrate a win. Merry Christmas, everybody!

On the face of it, that appears to be a desperate situation - although it's also the case that the Hammers have only been beaten twice during that period (at Tottenham and Watford).

Six draws in West Ham's last eight matches have kept the wolves from Slaven Bilic's door, although the first voices of discontent have been heard following the last two outings - both of which ended in stalemate - at lowly Swansea and Villa.

West Ham enjoyed just 27 per cent of possession in their goalless draw at the Liberty Stadium last week and whilst that figure was marginally better at Villa Park (41 per cent), there is growing concern regarding the squad's ability to cope with such an extensive injury list.

No less than SIX players who would be in contention for a spot in the starting XI were absent at Villa Park, where West Ham rarely threatened - despite scoring their first goal in four games (ironically perhaps by marauding defender Aaron Cresswell).

Yet given a bit more luck - and assistance from referee Mike Dean - the Hammers could have returned to London with all three points.

As it was Bilic's side were denied two penalty appeals - one, a cast-iron 'hand ball' shout against Ashley Westwood deep into added-on time - and to add insult to injury, conceded an equaliser from the spot after Angelo Ogbonna was deemed to have impeded Rudy Gestede when TV replays suggested the Villa man should have been penalised for shirt-pulling.

Defensively, West Ham are coping admirably without key man Winston Reid, who is out until February. James Collins, who agreed a two-year contract extension on Christmas Eve has been superb since winning a recall to the side and James Tomkins has performed admirably at full back, where he has been preferred to Carl Jenkinson in recent weeks.

However it's a different story entirely at the other end of the field, where the Hammers are struggling to make an impact having scored just once in their last four outings - and not having scored more than once since that last win against Chelsea back in October.

The club's crippling injury list should be reduced this week with Andy Carroll, Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini all expected to be available for the clash with Liverpool at the Boleyn on 2 January. Given the team's recent slide down the table, it's imperative that all three hit the ground running.


3 January

Not content with winning at Anfield for the first time since 1963 earlier in the season, West Ham completed the double over Liverpool at the Boleyn on Saturday with a thoroughly satisfying team performance.

The 2-0 win - courtesy of goals from Michail Antonio and Liverpool's record signing, Andy Carroll - means that the Hammers have put five goals past the once-mighty Merseysiders this season without reply and also ensured Slaven Bilic's team completed the double over Liverpool from the first time in 51 years.

Although Jurgen Klopp's arrival hints at a promising future for the Reds, the current squad is one of the weakest to have visited east London in the last half century and West Ham's win was no fluke, nor surprise. Despite seeing less of the ball the Irons were by far the better team on the day, created more goalscoring opportunities and could have won by an even greater margin.

All in all it was an overwhelmingly positive day for West Ham, who also welcomed the creative genius of Dimitri Payet back into the side. The French international wasted no time in showing the Boleyn faithful what they had missed in recent weeks as a sublime exhibition of trickery left three opponents looking foolish within seconds of his introduction as a second half substitute.

But West Ham being West Ham, something had to go wrong - and the sight of Manuel Lanzini limping off whilst clutching his thigh after just 39 minutes - in only his second game since returning from injury - was an all-too depressingly familiar sight in a season in which most of the club's key players have suffered from a serious injury at some stage.

The Argentine midfielder joins key men Winston Reid and Diafra Sakho on the sidelines - whilst Alex Song, Angelo Ogbonna, Enner Valencia, Andy Carroll and the aforementioned Payet have also experienced major injuries this season.

Yet West Ham continue to confound their critics and ended the day sixth in the Premier League - and remain unbeaten since losing at Tottenham back in November, some eight matches previously. Seven of the team's 32 points arrived over Christmas too - hopefully putting to bed the myth that West Ham come down with the Christmas decorations!

Next weekend the FA Cup takes centre stage as West Ham welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Boleyn Ground for the final time before we up sticks and move to Stratford this summer.

There have been some memorable meetings between the two teams over the years, although few will come close to matching the Barclays Division 1 clash in March 1993 when the current Championship side were the first visitors to an emotional Boleyn Ground awash with wreaths and flowers following the untimely death of Bobby Moore.


10 January

It may not have been the most memorable game ever to feature at the Boleyn Ground, but West Ham are in the hat for the fourth round of the FA Cup after successfully navigating a potential banana skin against Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Nikica Jelavic's first goal since moving to east London back in September was good enough to send Slaven Bilic's team through to the next stage of the competition, although a packed Boleyn Ground had to wait until five minutes from the end of normal time to celebrate the game's only goal.

Until that point the 30-year-old striker, signed by West Ham on transfer deadline day last September had been largely anonymous - although that could equally apply to most, if not all of his teammates too. However he was in the right place at the right time to convert Andy Carroll's delivery and send Wolves tumbling out of the Cup.

Although he made a number of changes to his starting XI, Slaven Bilic insisted prior to the game that the competition remains a priority. "Win a Cup and I could hold it up!", he told the media when asked if he'd prefer to win a trophy or qualify for the Champions League. And that was music to the ears of Hammers fans who have been starved of success having witnessed West Ham fail to lift a proper trophy for 35 years (1999's Intertoto Cup success notwithstanding).

For a team with a notable FA Cup pedigree, West Ham's form in recent seasons has been atrocious. The Hammers have progressed beyond the fifth round of the competition just once since appearing in the 2005/06 Final a decade ago - whilst having failed to get past the initial (third round) stage three times in the last four years under Sam Allardyce, whose utter contempt for the Cups was no secret.

Of course Lady Luck has a major role to play in any successful Cup run. Draw the likes of Colchester or Peterborough at home in the next round and you stand a good chance of progressing further; get a trip to The Emirates or the City of Manchester Stadium and your chances are greatly reduced, even if West Ham have won at both already this season!

Following Monday's evening's Cup draw (which takes place live on BBC1), it's off to Bournemouth where West Ham will be attempting to make a better fist of things than the last occasion upon which the two teams met. Back in August, the Cherries secured a surprise 4-3 win at the Boleyn Ground in what was only Bilic's third Premier League game.

Since that disappointment, West Ham have only been beaten twice in the league (by Watford and Tottenham) - a run of 17 games and a very impressive statistic to take into the second half of the campaign.

Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, KUMB.com.

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With love from Slaven
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 13th June 2016
By: Staff Writer

Slaven Bilic sent Dimitri Payet a text ahead of his Euro 16 debut for France telling him he'll be the best player at the tournament. And Bilic, who is acting as a pundit for ITV during their coverage of the championships also stated how proud he was to boast Friday's night's match-winner in his squad. "Before France played Romania on Friday night, I texted Dimitri Payet to wish him all the best," he said. ""The text read: 'Enjoy it, you have nothing to prove, you are the best player there.' "I wasn't wrong, was I? He was fantastic, not only with his late match-winning goal but overall. France were playing everything through him. And he got his chance because of his brilliant season at West Ham.
"We are proud he is at our club. Some will say it is a double-edged sword for West Ham, and myself and that if Dimitri continues to play like that, there will be other big clubs circling. "I don't think about that though. We are so proud to have him and apart from Luka Modric, or someone else from the Croatia team, I would like nothing better than if he was the player of the tournament. "After that, what happens, happens but we know he is happy at West Ham."

Bilic, who also revealed he tried to sign Payet whilst manager of Besiktas, his previous club, refused to take the credit for Payet's rapid emergence ontot the world stage,
"Since he came to our club he has improved again," he added. "He has matured, he has been consistent. Yes, my staff and I at West Ham have helped him but mainly he's done it himself. "It was easy because his team-mates at West Ham recognised he was that special player. They also saw he was humble, he didn't want special treatment and he was happy to be there. He was also prepared to do the 'dirty' work to the level of his capabilities. "I don't think that his performances will encourage a club bigger than us to try and get him — I just enjoy his football and I am glad for him."

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Zarate surplus to requirements again
KUMB,com
Filed: Monday, 13th June 2016
By: Staff Writer

Former Hammer Mauro Zarate could be set to leave Fiorentina this summer - just six months after joining the Serie A side. Slaven Bilic offloaded the Argentine striker during the winter transfer window having been unimpressed by Zarate's contribution during the manager's first six months at West Ham. Since then the 29-year-old has made 17 appearances for La Viola, but crucially scoring just three goals. And fresh reports emerging from Italy (Di Marzio) this weekend suggest that Fiorentina boss Paulo Sousa is already willing to sell the much-travelled forward in order to fund a replacement - such as Partizan youngster Nemanja Mihajlovic. Since leaving Lazio in 2013, where he had spent the preceding five seasons, Zarate has featured for five clubs - including Queens Park Rangers, to whom he was sent on loan by Sam Allardyce in January 2015 before being sent back just two months later. He made just 14 Premier League starts for the Hammers after joining on a free transfer in May 2014.

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Valencia strike fires La Tri into QFs
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 13th June 2016
By: Staff Writer

Enner Valencia's second goal of the Copa America was the catalyst for Ecuador's 4-0 win against Haiti last night - a victory that sent La Tri into a quarter final clash with hosts USA. The West Ham forward opened his account for the tournament in the 2-2 draw with eventual group winners Peru on Wednesday evening. And he doubled his account in East Rutherford when he scored the first of four goals as Ecuador breezed past the group's whipping boys. Rostov midfielder Christian Noboa was involved in the build-up to the 11th-minute striker which Valencia despatched with aplomb - before strikes from Jaime Ayoví (20 minutes), Christian Noboa (57) and Antonio Valencia (78) sealed the win and secured passage into the competitions' knock-out phase. Peru's surprise 1-0 win over Brazil in Group B's other game ensured they topped the group, leaving La Blanquirroja facing a tie with Colombia in the quarter finals whilst the Brazilians failed to qualify. Ecuador will face the USA this Friday, 17 June

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Ogbonna more than happy in England
by Brian Knox on 12 June 2016 at 12:59pm
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

Quoted by Inside Futbol, West Ham United defender Angelo Ogbonna has played down speculation linking him with a move to Roma. It was reported this week that the 28-year-old, who joined West Ham from Juventus last summer, had courted interest from his former club's Serie A rivals (Gianluca Di Marzio). However, the Italy international, who is with the Azzurri for Euro 2016 and had never played club football outside his country before this past season, says that he has retained no nostalgia for Italian football whatsoever in a claim which is sure to please West Ham supporters. "The English league is very good," he told a press conference, via Inside Futbol."There the players are chosen on the basis of merit; I have no nostalgia for Serie A."
The news will undoubtedly please fans, given how excellent the centre-back looked during his first season in England, but it was also reported by Di Marzio that Chelsea were also interested. Italy manager Antonio Conte will take charge of the Blues this summer following Euro 2016. Ogbonna is a big part of what manager Slaven Bilic is trying to build with the Irons, so keeping him at the club would be a massive priority.

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Gabbiadini Bundesliga bound despite Hammers interest?
by Brian Knox on 12 June 2016 at 2:00pm
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

Manolo Gabbiadini seems to be heading to Germany, as Wolfsburg and Schalke 04 emerge as favourites for the Napoli striker. He struggled for playing time this season, mainly thanks to the extraordinary form of record-shattering Gonzalo Higuain. He still managed to score nine goals with three assists in 30 competitive games. As negotiations are at an advanced stage for Pescara hitman Gianluca Lapadula, the 24-year-old is expected to move on. There is interest from Italy with Inter, Milan and his old club Bologna. Premier League sides West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City are also tracking his progress. However, the Corriere dello Sport is confident the Bundesliga will be Gabbiadini's next destination. Wolfsburg had already tried to sign him in January, but they face competition from Schalke 04.

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Hammers up their offer for Lacazette?
by Brian Knox on 13 June 2016 at 11:48am
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

West Ham have submitted a club-record £32m bid to sign Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette this summer. According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, West Ham want to make another big splash in the Ligue 1 market a year after signing Dimitri Payet from Marseille. The Hammers have been linked with a move for Lacazette for much of the summer with the club reportedly having already seen a £26m offer for the striker turned down. However, they have upped their bid to £32m, again reminding Lyon that they are prepared to pay a huge fee for their star striker. Lyon are yet to respond to the offer which they will continue to consider. Despite scoring 23 goals this past season – his third straight season scoring 20+ goals in French football, Lacazette was omitted from France's Euro 2016 squad by manager Didier Deschamps in favour of the likes of Kingsley Coman and Anthony Martial.
The 25-year-old striker looks destined to leave Lyon this summer with the likes of Barcelona, Manchester United and Arsenal all having been linked with moves for the Frenchman.
West Ham are determined to land a big-money striker before the start of the season and their latest offer for Lacazette is a real statement of intent.

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Feghouli set to agree 3 year deal with Hammers?
by Brian Knox on 13 June 2016 at 11:41am
TheWestHamWay.co.uk

Former Valencia winger Sofiane Feghouli is expected to join West Ham this summer after agreeing terms to a three-year deal. According to French source L'Equipe, there was a very hotly contested race to sign the attacker the summer who has finally opted for a move to East London with the Hammers. The Algerian international ran down his contract with the La Liga outfit so he could have his pick of clubs this summer and after receiving offers from the likes of Manchester United, Sevilla, Villarreal, Inter Milan and Fenerbahce, Feghouli will join West Ham on a three-year deal. It's understood that the 26-year-old had a sit down with Slaven Bilic, who showed the most desire in securing his signature this summer, and has bought into the project in place at West Ham and impressed with the direction the club are heading in. Feghouli plays primarily as a right-winger but can operate across the attacking midfield line and would offer another goal-threat from that area of the pitch along with the likes of Dimitri Payet, Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini. The report states that West Ham hope to complete the transfer of Sofiane Feghouli this week which would represent a remarkable coup for the club considering the European interest in his services.

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Slaven Bilic: I texted Dimitri Payet 'you are the best'
By Peter Gilbert
Last Updated: 13/06/16 9:48am
SSN

Slaven Billic has revealed he told Dimitri Payet he was the 'best player' at Euro 2016 before the West Ham midfielder's match-winning performance for France. Payet snatched a 2-1 victory over Romania for the hosts when he found the target with a stunning curling shot in the 89th minute of their opening match of the tournament on Friday night. "Before France played Romania on Friday night, I texted Dimitri Payet to wish him all the best," wrote the Hammers boss in the Daily Mail. "The text read: 'Enjoy it, you have nothing to prove, you are the best player there.' "I wasn't wrong, was I? He was fantastic, not only with his late match-winning goal but overall. France were playing everything through him.
"When he was on the left side they attacked on that side - when he went into the middle they did the same. "It is incredible how, in this strong French team, most of the players, when they had the ball, were looking for Dimitri. It's amazing, particularly because he hasn't been a regular for the French team. He had to prove himself. "He got his chance because of his brilliant season at West Ham. We are proud he is at our club - and, yes, he has a long contract!"

The West Ham boss, who is working as a TV pundit during the tournament, said he is proud to have Payet as a player and added that he does not care if the 29-year-old's starring role for the hosts is likely to attract the attention of other clubs. "Some will say it is a double-edged sword for West Ham, and myself and that if Dimitri continues to play like that, there will be other big clubs circling. "I don't think about that though. We are so proud to have him and apart from Luka Modric, or someone else from the Croatia team, I would like nothing better than if he was the player of the tournament. "After that, what happens, happens but we know he is happy at West Ham."

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Slaven Bilic confirms he wants to sign Atiba Hutchinson and Gokhan Tore for West Ham
By Paul Vinnell
Last Updated: 13/06/16 11:05am
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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has confirmed he wants to sign Besiktas duo Atiba Hutchinson and Gokhan Tore. Canada international Hutchinson, 33, established himself at Turkish champions Besiktas under Bilic and can play as a holding midfielder or right-back. Tore, 24, once a Chelsea youth team player, is a left winger and Turkey international. "Yes I want Gokhan Tore and Atiba Hutchinson, they are targets," Bilic told Turkish television. "We also have others but they are major targets. "Will it happen? Nobody can say yet but we want him." "I want one transfer for both. More than one thing has to happen for this deal. When a club wants a player it depends on how much [Besiktas] want to sell a player and how much they are asking. "There is a lot written in the Turkish press that is untrue. But I know them [Tore and Hutchinson], I spent two years with them."

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West Ham forward Diafra Sakho tells Slaven Bilic he wants to leave - Sky sources
By Sky Sports News HQ
Last Updated: 13/06/16 2:30pm
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Diafra Sakho has told Slaven Bilic he wants to leave West Ham this summer, according to Sky sources. Sky sources understand the Hammers forward spoke with Bilic over the weekend and asked to be sold ahead of next season. Sunderland are keen on Sakho and tabled an £11m bid to sign him earlier this month. The 26-year-old was signed by Sam Allardyce, now of Sunderland, from Metz in the summer of 2014 and was the top scorer for West Ham the following season with 12 goals in 26 games. He was not as prolific last term, finishing with seven Premier League goals after missing time between November and March due to a thigh injury.
West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan told Sky Sports News HQ in May he was confident of securing a "top class forward" ahead of the club's move to the Olympic Stadium. They have already had bids for Carlos Bacca, Alexandre Lacazette and Callum Wilson turned down, while Sky sources understand they remain interested in Michy Batshuayi and Christian Benteke.

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Sakho wants to move on
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 13, 2016 in News, Whispers
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Diafra Sakho has reportedly asked to leave the Irons following what the Mail calls "a revised offer from Sunderland." The report claims Sak and Slaven Bilic have met and the striker has revealed he sees his future away from the club. Sunderland have made a revised offer of around £12m for Sakho with manager Sam Allardyce being reported as keen to get a deal done quickly. However, the Hammers have already told ClaretandHugh that the original bid for the striker was nowhere near the £11m reported earlier and contained clauses which would have seen the striker having to play 30 games a season minimum for them to get the figure. They value Sakho at a minimum of £15m anyway so it seems there may be a long way to go on these negotiations whether Sakho wants a move or not. A source told us this afternoon: "The situation is as it always has been – no players will be leaving this club until we have better players to replace them."

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Hammers linked with Barcelona striker
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 13, 2016 in News, Whispers
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Unfortunately, it is not Neymar or Suarez we have been linked to but a Barcelona B striker called Sandro Ramirez. According to Spanish media outlet 'Sport' West Ham are interested in the services of Ramirez.

The report says sporting director of Barcelona, Robert Fernandez has announced that Sandro Ramirez , has permission to leave Barcelona and seek a new club, they say there have been many clubs which have contacted the player and his representatives to hear their offers.

The twenty year old Barcelona graduate has spent the last two seasons with the Barca first team, making just 17 La Liga appearances.He only scored three goals during 2015-16, a hat trick against Villanovense in the Copa del Rey.

The article says Slaven Bilic has had good scouting reports about the player and, according to the newspaper, they recommended the club make a bid for him. Ramirez is said to have received an offer from Turkish club Galatasary. Spurs were linked with a £10m bid for the striker in the January transfer window. He is thought to be valued at around 8 million Euros.

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Gonzo's "I'm sorry" letter to Slav
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 13, 2016 in Fans Forum, Hammers Chat, News, Whispers
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Dear Mr Bilic,

I would like to humbly apologise to you and make an honest admission . . . . . . . . . .I never really wanted you. Before you turn on your heels and walk away in disgust please let me explain.

You were never my first choice Slaven, there is a fella called Rafa Benitez (you may know him, he's friends with Sam Allardyce I think) who has won lots of trophies and he was really my first choice. At one point it actually looked like Rafa was going to arrive but in the end he spurned me and went to Spain to manage his boyhood club who have a really good player with an earing apparently. As it turned out East London was too far away from Spain which is strange because he has since moved to a Championship club in the North East.

Just as I was getting over my rejection it was suggested that Rafa's predecessor Carlo Ancelotti might fancy coming to Green Street directly from Madrid. The word on the grapevine was that he really liked London and still had an apartment here but unfortunately he had a bit of a sore knee so was unable to take the job and instead he went back to his house on Lake Como (strange choice) to await a call from Bayern Munich.

By this point I was starting to get used to rejection but I'd set my eyes on a new potential candidate who was leaving his job in Germany, his club were near the bottom of the league but they used to be decent and that was good enough for me. He had an amusing demeanor, could grow a full beard as opposed to my patchy effort and he managed to look cool in glasses. Unfortunately he decided that he wanted to have a year away from the game and travel the world (it turned out 4 months and a move to Merseyside would suffice) .

I am ashamed to say that even at this desperate stage I still did not want you Slaven, I even posted on the internet that I thought Eddie Howe would be a better match. In all honesty I think I was still wounded from you walking out and leaving us for Everton all those years ago and the way you treated that famous Dutch manger Schteve Van McClaren did you no favours either.

Anyway, I had now set my sights on another famous coach. Well I say famous, I'd never actually heard of him but everyone else said he was really talented and that was a decent enough endorsement. His name was Unai Emery, I thought he sounded a bit odd if I'm honest but he'd just won the UEFA Cup or whatever it's called these days.

I usually think that tournament is a bit crap, it's the one Man U will participate in next season alongside us but who cares . . . a trophy is a trophy right? Our Chairman Mr Sullivan promised to make Emery the 9th highest paid manager in the world which would have been amazing because our last coach was the 13th best manager in the world so I was excited.

You can probably guess what happened next, he turned us down to remain at Sevilla for half the money and contest a trophy called the Champions League which funnily enough doesn't even require it's entrants to be Champions. I could accept that rejection if I'm honest, my third choice was David Moyes and surely he would want the job.

Our owners like to appoint a British manager (with the exception of the Israeli one but that is a very different letter entirely) and surely he would prefer come to East London and be rich rather than fight relegation in Spain and appear in the TV studio.
I was now down to you and some bloke from Marseilles who was a bit of a nutter and could not speak English and it was at this point that I realised you were my man . . . . . . .it was never in doubt.

The truth is that I got it wrong and I hope that you can forgive me, you have given me back my West Ham and I now look forward to every game with a genuine belief that we can win and be entertained at the same time. I love the way you seem to try and play as many attackers as you can and if it's not working you chuck some more on the pitch just for good measure.

Remarkably I'm even excited about the Europa League, you've masterminded victories against Arsenal,Chelsea, City, Man U, Spurs and Liverpool and as a result my normal paranoia and defeatist realism has been replaced with hope.

Thanks for the hope and the happiness Mr Bilic and sorry I thought Eddie Howe was better than you.
Lots of Love
Gonzo

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No delay on Olympic Stadium conversion
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 13, 2016 in News, Whispers
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Despite rumours on social media and West Ham chat forums, there will be no delay in finishing the Olympic Stadium before the start of the Premier League season.

Supporters attending the final days of the Farewell Boleyn tour were incorrectly told of possible delays of up to 11 weeks.

It was added that the Premier League would be asked to look at the possibility of playing our first four league games away from home if the stadium was not finished. Both this rumours are not true.

ClaretandHugh understands while building work stopped for seven days to host the AC/DC concert, the stadium is on schedule to host the great Newham run followed by the Athletics anniversary games at the end of July.

Once the athletics finish on Sunday 24th the conversion to football mode can begin which should take a maximum of ten days.

Worst case scenario is the retractable seating is completed on Wednesday 3rd August ready for a Europa League third round match on Thursday 4th August. Should West Ham draw an Europa League home tie on Thursday 28th July they will simply ask UEFA to swap their home and away legs around.

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Winger agrees three year deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 13, 2016 in News
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Algerian international Sofiane Feghouli is expected to join West Ham this summer after agreeing terms to a three-year deal. According to French source L'Equipe, the former Valencia winger has opted for a move to East London with the Hammers. It's understood that the 26-year-old had a sit down with Slaven Bilic, who showed the most desire in securing his signature this summer. Feghouli plays primarily as a right-winger but can operate across the attacking midfield line and would offer another goal-threat from that area of the pitch along with the likes of Dimitri Payet, Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini. The report adds the Irons are expecting to complete the deal this week .

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I texted Dimitri Payet to tell him: 'You are the best player there' before he lit up Euro 2016 - and I'm loving my work as an ITV pundit
Dimitri Payet scored the winning goal for France in Euro 2016 opener
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic not worried about bigger clubs coming in for Payet and insists his star man is happy at the club
Former Croatia manager Bilic impressed by Luka Modric in their win
Bilic gave Modric his debut for Croatia Under 21s
By SLAVEN BILIC FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 12 June 2016 | UPDATED: 10:47, 13 June 2016

Before France played Romania on Friday night, I texted Dimitri Payet to wish him all the best. The text read: 'Enjoy it, you have nothing to prove, you are the best player there.'
I wasn't wrong, was I? He was fantastic, not only with his late match-winning goal but overall. France were playing everything through him. When he was on the left side they attacked on that side — when he went into the middle they did the same. It is incredible how, in this strong French team, most of the players, when they had the ball, were looking for Dimitri. It's amazing, particularly because he hasn't been a regular for the French team. He had to prove himself. He got his chance because of his brilliant season at West Ham. We are proud he is at our club — and, yes, he has a long contract! He has practically forced the France coach Didier Deschamps to give him an opportunity but up until the other night they were all friendly matches. Everything about him was great, he was making other players better, he was making simple passes, through balls, he was making an assist for Olivier Giroud — and then he was topping it off with that thing; that flick he has done in the middle of the park so many times for West Ham, which is good for the crowd and gives confidence to the team. His goal on Friday night, when it came, was unbelievable. We are all glad for him and that is what he needed. Of course, he isn't going to score like that every time but now I am expecting him to play better and better. And some will say it is a double-edged sword for West Ham, and myself and that if Dimitri continues to play like that, there will be other big clubs circling. I don't think about that though. We are so proud to have him and apart from Luka Modric, or someone else from the Croatia team, I would like nothing better than if he was the player of the tournament. After that, what happens, happens but we know he is happy at West Ham.

I don't think that his performances will encourage a club bigger than us to try and get him — I just enjoy his football and I am glad for him. When I was at the Turkish club Besiktas I tried to get him there but it was quite impossible. He was already playing in a big league for Olympique Marseille, one of the biggest clubs in Europe, and he had proved himself for them. OK, he maybe hadn't had such a great season as he went on to have at West Ham but he was a key player for them too. Since he came to our club he has improved again. He has matured, he has been consistent. Yes, I and my staff at the club have helped him but mainly he's done it himself. It was easy because his team-mates at West Ham recognised he was that special player. They also saw he was humble, he didn't want special treatment and he was happy to be there. He was also prepared to do the 'dirty' work to the level of his capabilities.

He will never be a Mark Noble or a Cheikhou Kouyate in a defensive way, but he is always trying, he is coming back into position and pressing when he can. When the other players recognised that, they were more than happy to run a few extra yards to cover him. That is ideal for the manager. I didn't have to tell them, 'Listen, you have to do this or that'. It became natural for them. And Dimitri is like other special players, he is emotional. He cried after he scored that fantastic goal the other night and also when he came off the pitch with a few minutes to go. He knew he had to prove himself. Now he has broken through that barrier. He is one of the lads, though. From what I have seen last season they all like him and because of that, he feels important. They respect him and it is reciprocated.

As for England, I thought they were excellent. OK, Russia were poor but that was because England played so well. They deserved to win, big-time but the problem is that when they say at the end, 'We controlled the game,' that is a delusion. You can be in control only when, in the dying minutes, you are at least two goals up. However, I don't see that England, despite that draw, are under enormous pressure. If I was Roy Hodgson, I would focus totally on the positive. Sometimes, when you are not happy with the result, you will go to the players and say: 'Guys, let's forget about this game, let's put it to bed.' After this game, though, I would say: 'Let's talk about it, because we were good.' I'm enjoying working on the Euros for ITV and being in Paris. My family is here and it good to be with them. It is good to talk about the game with football people. I like to have fun when I do the TV. It is not a seminar — the viewers want to be entertained as well as informed.


Modric the master
Talking about little masters, I watched another one on Sunday — Luka Modric. He is extra special to me because, as the Under-21 coach of Croatia, I gave him his first cap when he was two years younger than the rest — and then made him captain because I saw he was responsible and reliable. Luka is a magnificent player, not only with his skill when he has the ball but with his incredible thirst for work when the opposition have possession. He tracks back, he doesn't stop for 90 minutes, he gives everything on the pitch and not all players of his kind are prepared to do that. I was privileged last week to present him with his Croatian player of the year award in Zagreb.

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Diafra Sakho hands Slaven Bilic huge blow as he asks to leave West Ham United following more interest from Sunderland
Diafra Sakho has attracted a revised bid from Premier League Sunderland
By SIMON JONES FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 14:29, 13 June 2016 | UPDATED: 14:37, 13 June 2016

Diafra Sakho has asked to leave West Ham after Sunderland put in a revised bid for the striker. The 26-year-old has spoken to manager Slaven Bilic and told him that he sees his future away from West Ham as the club continue to press to recruit more forwards. West Ham have made a revised offer for Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette, remain in talks over Valencia free agent Sofiane Feghouli while Bilic has confirmed his desire to bring in Gokhan Toure and 33-year-old right-back Atiba Hutchinson from Besiktas. Sunderland have made a revised offer of around £12million for Sakho and manager Sam Allardyce is keen to get a deal done quickly. Sakho has spoken to Allardyce and is keen on the chance of more regular football at the Stadium of Light. He has scored 19 goals in 49 games since joining from Metz for £3.5million and has interest from other clubs such as West Brom, Crystal Palace and clubs abroad but is hopeful of West Ham agreeing a deal with Sunderland. Allardyce, who has an interest in Rennes defender Cheikh M'Bengue, has released Steven Fletcher who is weighing up offers from abroad while Danny Graham has also been released and has spoken to Celtic and Blackburn Rovers. Wes Brown and goalkeeper Steve Harper were also released last week while Allardyce is looking to sell Jeremain Lens, Emanuele Giaccherini, Jordi Gomez, Liam Bridcutt, Will Buckley, Adam Matthews and Santiago Vergini.

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