Manchester City v West Ham United: All you need to know
WHUFC.com
West Ham United complete their pre-season schedule when they take on Premier League rivals Manchester City in The Super Match.
The fixture has become an annual event, with Manchester City hosting leading European opposition in a city outside England. In recent seasons, the Citizens have faced Arsenal in Gothenburg, Sweden, VfB Stuttgart in the German club's home stadium, and Arsenal in both Helsinki, Finland and Beijing, China.
Here, we let you know where to watch, who will be in action and much more about West Ham's sixth pre-season fixture...
Where and when?
West Ham United v Manchester City, Friday 4 August 2017, 3pm BST, Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavik, Iceland
Where to watch?
Fans can follow the game on Twitter at @westhamutd. A full report, reaction and highlights will be available on whufc.com. The match will be shown live in the UK on Eurosport 1 and the Eurosport Player.
Matchday squads
West Ham United: Hart, Adrian, Zabaleta, Byram, Masuaku, Fonte, Collins, Ogbonna, Rice, Obiang, Makasi, Noble, Fernandes, Snodgrass, Arnautovic, Holland, Ayew, Chicharito, Martinez
Manchester City: Ederson, Grimshaw, Muric, Walker, Danilo, Kompany, Stones, Sterling, Aguero, Mangala, De Bruyne, Sane, Silva, Bernardo, Fernandinho, Roberts, Otamendi, Jesus, Zinchenko, Toure, Adarabioyo, Diaz, Foden
Team news
West Ham United will take a slimmed-down squad to Reykjavik, having allowed a number of players to travel home direct from the Club's pre-season tour of Germany. Aaron Cresswell and Manuel Lanzini have minor issues and Winston Reid is suspended, Diafra Sakho will continue his return from back surgery, while young goalkeeper Rihards Matrevics has been released from first-team duty. Sakho and Reid are expected to feature for the U23s in a behind-closed-doors match on Saturday. Sofiane Feghouli, Andy Carroll and Michail Antonio are back in England. Mark Noble is expected to return from a toe injury.
Meet the opposition
Manchester City are arguably English football's team of the 2010s so far. Since being taken over by Emirati owners in 2008, City have won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups.
City have spent hundreds of millions of pounds on new players over the past decade, signing talent from all over the world. The most-successful imports have been Argentina striker Sergio Aguero, Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure and Belgians Vincent Kompany and Kevin De Bruyne.
Aguero netted 32 goals last season, but Spanish manager Pep Guardiola was unable to guide his new club to the Premier League title, finishing third. City are also desperate to make their mark in the UEFA Champions League, having reached the semi-finals in 2015/16.
Player to watch
Joe Hart will be unable to play against his parent club under the terms of his loan agreement, but England's No1 will be available to feature against Manchester City in Iceland on Friday.
The 30-year-old joined City eleven years ago from Shrewsbury Town, going on to make 348 appearances and win two Premier League titles.
Hart made his West Ham debut against Werder Bremen on Saturday and is set for his second appearance for the Club in Reykjavik.
Previous visit
West Ham United have NEVER visited Iceland before, nor have the Hammers faced Icelandic opposition previously.
However, two current Hammers have played or coached at Reykjavik's Laugardalsvollur national stadium - Slaven Bilic took Croatia U21s there for a European Championship qualifier in September 2005, while Winston Reid lined up for Denmark U21s at the same venue in August 2008.
Did you know?
Iceland's national stadium, Laugardalsvöllur hosted its first football match in 1957 between Iceland and Norway. It was officially opened on 17 June 1959. However, floodlights were not installed until 1992. It seats 9,800 and has a total capacity of 15,000.
West Ham United have never fielded an Icelandic player in a competitive fixture. However, current Iceland international defender Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson spent three years with the Club as a youngster between 2008-11.
Chicharito will be hoping for a change in fortune on Friday. In five career appearances against Manchester City, he has lost on four occasions and never tasted victory!
How to get there
The easiest way to reach the stadium from the centre of Reykjavik is to walk! It's a 25-30 minute stroll along the main thoroughfare Laugavegur. This road then becomes Suðurlandsbraut and the floodlights will appear on the left-hand side. Turn down Reykjavegur and the ground is on the right.
How to buy tickets
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Ex-Hammer Holmar Eyjolfsson predicts Iceland excitement
WHUFC.com
Former Hammer Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson says his home country of Iceland will come to a standstill for West Ham United's Super Match with Manchester City.
Slaven Bilic's side travel to Reykjavik to take on City at Laugardalsvöllur national stadium on Friday 4 August – the first time two Premier League teams have met on the Nordic island.
With English football being hugely popular, coupled the recent exploits of Iceland national team, who beat England to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2016, Maccabi Haifa defender Eyjolfsson says West Ham's visit will elicit huge interest.
"The Premier League is so popular in Iceland you don't understand," said Eyjolfsson, who joined West Ham at the age of 18 in 2008 and spent three years in east London. "If there is a Premier League game on TV when the Icelandic League games are on, people won't go to the stadium.
"They have even moved the Icelandic League matches to Sunday nights and Mondays so they don't clash!
"The West Ham versus Manchester City game is therefore going to attract a massive amount of interest and excitement among Icelandic football supporters."
Eyjolfsson himself has also generated plenty of excitement since leaving West Ham for Germany club Bochum in 2011.
Since then, the former Development Squad regular has featured nearly 50 times in the 2. Bundesliga before winning back-to-back Norwegian League and Cup doubles and appearing in the UEFA Europa League for Rosenborg.
In December 2016, he moved to Israeli Premier League club Maccabi Haifa, and the 26-year-old puts many of his career achievements down to the grounding he received with West Ham.
"It gave me a good grounding," he confirmed. "I was pretty young and when a Premier League club comes and knocks on your door, you say yes!
"It was a big step up for me from the Icelandic League to the Premier League in England, so it took me some time to get used to it, living by myself and getting used to a new country and city, but it was a fantastic experience overall.
"I trained with proven Premier League players like James Collins and Mark Noble, who are still with the club, as well as Matthew Upson and Scott Parker, so in many ways my time at West Ham were the period when a boy turned into a man!
"I moved to Bochum and German football taught me professionalism, how to push myself and give my best at all times, while my time in Norway was the best period of my career so far, winning two doubles and playing against teams like Lazio and St Etienne in the UEFA Europa League group stage."
"I moved to Israel and it has been another new and interesting experience, not only on the pitch but on a personal level too. I have a partner and young daughter and Israel has been a fantastic place for us to live. Football-wise, we have big expectations for the new season too."
I trained with proven Premier League players like James Collins and Mark Noble, who are still with the club, as well as Matthew Upson and Scott Parker, so in many ways my time at West Ham were the period when a boy turned into a man!
In Israel, Eyjolfsson came across two familiar faces last season in the shape of former Hammers Yossi Benayoun and Tal Ben-Haim.
"Yossi is 37 now but I played against him twice last season he is still a fantastic player," he confirmed. "He can run for days!
"I also spoke to Tal about our time at West Ham, which was kind of strange considering we are the other side of Europe!"
Having already won trophies and international recognition, Eyjolfsson is now hoping to enjoy a productive 2017/18 campaign with Maccabi Haifa and win selection for Iceland's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals.
After missing his country's unforgettable Euro 2016, the centre-back has been named in four of Iceland's first five squads in 2018 World Cup qualifying.
"It is unbelievable what my country has achieved, a country of 300,000 people, in football," he said. "As Icelanders, we know what we can do and what we can't do and we don't try to do anything we can't do, like play Tiki Taka football!
"We have a hard-working mentality and some key players like Gylfi Sigurdsson, who can strike the ball like nobody else.
"I was in the squad before and after Euro 2016, so it was disappointing to miss out on being part of it, but I will give my best this season for Maccabi Haifa and hopefully that will be enough to earn me another call-up!"
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Cullen and Burke raring to go at Bolton
WHUFC.com
They say a week is a long time in football. For Josh Cullen, that well-worn cliché could be altered to just two days!
On Sunday morning, the 21-year-old Hammers midfielder woke up at the Landhaus Wachtelhof Hotel in Rotenburg, Germany, hours after playing 60 minutes for Slaven Bilic's team in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen in the second leg of their Betway Cup clash.
Just 24 hours later, he was back at the Club's Rush Green training ground, putting pen to paper on a new three-year contract, before then heading straight up the M6 with fellow Academy graduate Reece Burke to sign a five-month loan agreement with Bolton Wanderers.
The Hammers pair met their new team-mates and manager Phil Parkinson at their first training session on Tuesday morning and, with a Championship curtain-raiser against Leeds United at the Macron Stadium lined up on Sunday, a whirlwind 48 hours left Cullen in excited mood.
"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I spoke to the gaffer and we've both agreed that the best thing for me is to go and get some time in the Championship and we'll take it from there.
"Obviously the manager still sees my future here and he has said that to me.
"I've signed a new contract, so that's good, and I'll keep playing games and hopefully come back in January or next season and play for West Ham, because that's my dream and what I'll continue to try and do."
Having impressed Bilic and his staff during both his loan spell at League One Bradford last season and at the pre-season training camps in Austria and Germany in recent weeks, Cullen's new deal at London Stadium is a clear sign that his long-term future is very much in the claret and blue.
However, with the likes of Pedro Obiang, Cheikou Kouyate, Mark Noble, Manuel Lanzini and Edimilson Fernandes vying for central midfield berths at London Stadium, the opportunity of regular first team football in the Championship – with a manager he knows well and respects – will ensure a more productive 2017/18 campaign for the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international.
"Phil Parkinson being at Bolton was obviously a big factor in my decision," he said. "I know how he works, he knows how I work and we had a good relationship when I worked with him before, so I'm looking forward to linking back up with him.
"Hopefully I can get the games under my belt and put good performances in and keep learning and get more experience.
"They've just come up so it's going to be a challenge as we'll be playing against some massive clubs who have come down from the Premier League, but I'm looking forward to the challenge.
"And it'll be good to have Reece up there with me as he's a great lad. Hopefully we can both do well."
The pair could make their Trotters debuts in Sunday's Championship opener against Leeds United and Burke cannot wait.
He said: "I'm really glad the deal is done. I can't wait to get started and our first game is this week, so hopefully I can train well and get a chance to start in that one. I've not played against Leeds before but it's a big game and I'd love to be involved.
"I'm going to work hard and try and get as many games as I can this year; that's what a loan move is all about.
"Last season didn't go as well as I wanted it to because of injuries but hopefully this season will be different."
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Bilic: West Ham should take inspiration from Iceland's achievements
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic is wants his players to take inspiration from playing at the home stadium of world football's greatest underdogs.
West Ham United are in Iceland to take on Manchester City in The Super Match on Friday afternoon – the first fixture between two Premier League teams to be played on the North Atlantic island.
And with the Hammers facing the Citizens just nine days before the Premier League season kicks-off at another of the top-flight's big guns, Manchester United, Bilic is hoping a little bit of Icelandic magic will rub off on his squad.
"Iceland are a good team," said the manager, who led Croatia U21s to victory in Iceland back in 2005, and watched his own senior national team beaten by Lars Lagerback's side in a vital 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Reykjavik just seven weeks ago.
"Now Iceland are expecting to qualify for the World Cup, which puts a bit of pressure on the players and how are they going to react? A few years ago, whatever they did was a success so they couldn't lose, but now it's a bit different.
"Iceland brought so much to world football and the Euros over the last few years and it was amazing to watch them on the pitch and in the stands."
So, is there a parallel between Iceland upsetting the international football order and West Ham defeating two of the Premier League's top sides over the next fortnight?
"We have to believe, because if you don't believe then you don't have a chance anyway," he said. "First, you have to believe and dream and then make your plans accordingly.
"Everything is possible and every year one national team like Iceland or one club in a league, whatever that league is – Genoa in Italy, Hoffenheim in Germany or Leicester in England a couple of seasons ago – does it and you have to be positive that it can be you."
While The Super Match – an annual fixture hosted by Manchester City against another leading European side – is ostensibly a friendly fixture, Bilic is also acutely aware that it will see the Hammers face one of the best teams in world football.
For that reason, a positive performance and result will give his own squad a massive confidence boost ahead of their visit to Old Trafford on 13 August.
"Every result helps and of course it gives you the proof you are searching for as a manager and as a player, as individuals and as a team," he confirmed. "For example, when we were playing well against Werder Bremen, you could see our confidence rise and so it is important.
"I'm sure we have trained really good in Germany and in Austria and we are going to be ready for the start of the season. We are aiming for the game against Man United, but first we have Man City and all the players are still fighting for the jerseys. Tomorrow's game counts for that, of course."
Team news-wise, Bilic admitted Cheikhou Kouyate will be out for 'a longer period, not long, long, long but long enough'., but there was more positive news regarding the absent Manuel Lanzini and Aaron Cresswell, who will be out for 'a week'.
Mark Noble returns to the squad after missing two pre-season with a toe injury, while Chicharito will again be involved as he continues to build up his match fitness.
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Collins looking forward to Iceland experience
WHUFC.com
James Collins admits this week's trip to Iceland will bring back fond memories of his experiences at last year's European Championship finals in France.
The Hammers left their pre-season training camp in Germany today to fly to Reykjavik ahead of tomorrow's prestigious friendly clash against Manchester City in the national stadium.
Collins was a member of the Wales team that reached the semi-finals at Euro 2016 - a tournament that will also be remembered for the exploits of Iceland, who beat England in the second round and earned huge respect thanks to their wholehearted approach and band of loyal supporters.
The 33-year-old defender appeared in Wales's last-four defeat against eventual winners Portugal last summer and is looking forward to being reminded of the Icelandic impact a year on.
"The fans that Iceland took out to the Euros were unbelievable," he says. "So to go out there and experience that support again, in what will be a competitive game, should be enjoyable.
"Hopefully we might see the famous 'thunderclap' – the Wales fans and our team kind of adopted that from Iceland last summer, so it would be great to see it live again.
"And we know there is a big West Ham following out in Scandinavia so I'm sure we'll have a lot of support on Friday. Wherever we go, the fans turn up in their numbers and never disappoint us."
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Cullen signs new pro contract
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 3rd August 2017
By: Staff Writer
Josh Cullen has signed a new professional contract with West Ham - just three days after being sent to Bolton on loan. Cullen and stable mate Reece Burke have both joined the Totters on an initial half-season loan, but not before the former put pen to paper on a new contract that ties the youngster to the club until 2020.
Writing via his twitter profile, Cullen revealed the big news earlier today (Thursday).
"Pleased to have joined @OfficialBWFC on loan! Looking forward to getting the season started," he wrote, before adding: "Also delighted to have signed a new deal with @WestHamUtd ⚒ Excited to see what the future holds."
The 21-year-old has previously spent two spells on loan at Bradford in the last two seasons and was named as the Bantams' Player of the Year for their most recent campaign (2016/17). Speaking back in May, Cullen stressed that he was hoping to win a place in Slaven Bilic's first team squad this season. "The whole process of me going out on loan is to try and get in West Ham's first team," he told the Yorkshire Post. "Hopefully, I will be in West Ham's plans. If not, then a Championship club is probably the next step for me."
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Three reasons for West Ham fans to be positive despite poor results in pre-season
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 2nd August 2017
By: Staff Writer #3
West Ham rounded off their pre-season tour of Germany with a 3-3 draw against minnow Altona 93, which saw captain for the night Winston Reid sent off before half-time in his first game back from injury. The draw means that the Hammers have come through their tour with one loss and two draws, having faced Werder Bremen twice in the Betway Cup beforehand.
Slaven Bilic's side, then, have picked up just one win in their entire pre-season thus far, a 2-1 triumph over fellow Londoners Fulham in Austria, with Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side in Iceland to come before the Premier League season gets underway with a trip to Old Trafford.
After all the excitement surrounding the additions of Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Marko Arnautovic and, most recently, Javier Hernandez all that may make rather bleak reading, however, we can turn to an age old footballing cliché that it's not the result which matters in pre-season, it's all about the fitness and performance levels.
While it is an adage which has been hugely overused, it's true that the results really don't matter, so long as players get fitter and fitter as the games go by, and are showing signs of understanding in training there is little to worry about.
With that in mind, there are plenty of positives Hammers fans can take from the little jaunt around Germany.
Marko Arnautovic
The Austrian winger arrived from Stoke City with a hefty £23m price-tag, not a lot in the context of this summer but for a club such as West Ham and for a player of his level – it's more than enough, and a reputation for being a bit of a hot-head. However, across the German tour the former Werder Bremen man shone as he looked to impress upon his new fanbase and management team. The 28-year-old, brought in as a readymade option for the first team, looked just that, ready to go when Bilic's side face Manchester United on the opening weekend. Bilic will be hoping he can continue to integrate with the squad and the other new signings if they are to take anything from a game in which they are clear underdogs, with Jose Mourinho's men 1/3 (odds taken 02/08/17) to take all three points with Betway.
Declan Rice
The Hammers take pride in being the 'Academy of Football', with the phrase emblazoned across the touchline at London Stadium, just as it had been at Upton Park. That said, it's been a while since any youngsters made the step up and became a regular in the first team, with Mark Noble really the last to really establish himself in claret and blue. However, given the form of 18-year-old Declan Rice in Germany, fans could well be treated to the next rising star this season. Whether he was deployed as a centre-half or in central midfield the youngster shone and was arguably the most impressive player on tour. With Reece Burke and Josh Cullen both heading to Bolton on loan, it seems a temporary move for Rice is unlikely this summer, affording him the chance to step up in the cups or even the Premier League depending on how Bilic's side cope with injury this season, which takes us to the third positive.
Injuries
Aside from skipper Noble, who picked up an ankle injury in the first clash with Werder Bremen, the Hammers escaped lightly when it comes to injuries this summer. Given the club's record when it comes to injuries in recent seasons, and their supposed penchant for bringing in injury prone players, the staff will have been watching with keen interest over the early stages of the preparations. Last term, as the Hammers returned to form after a horrendous Christmas period, they were once again hampered by injuries to key players such as Andy Carroll, Michail Antonio and Winston Reid. Their early success when it comes to keeping players fit will be a source of hope that a clean bill of health can be kept for the majority of the season to come.
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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West Ham 2017/18 season preview: Will new summer signings inspire the Hammers?
Last Updated: 02/08/17 7:28pm
SSN
Will West Ham's new summer signings inspire their season? Read our 2017/18 season preview with expert views from Soccer Saturday pundit Charlie Nicholas.
Finishing position: 11th (-4)
Total points: 45 (-17)
Europa League: Play-off round
FA Cup: Third round
EFL Cup: Fifth round
Top league scorer: Michail Antonio (9)
Key stat: Home form was the bedrock for West Ham as they finished seventh in their final season at Upton Park. By contrast, erratic results at the London Stadium blighted their first term in their new surroundings as they took 25 points there, following 34 at the Boleyn a campaign earlier. Slaven Bilic's team were often frustrated, losing 22 points from winning positions.
Major ins: Pablo Zabaleta (free), Joe Hart (Man City, loan), Marko Arnautovic (Stoke, £25m), Javier Hernandez (Bayer Leverkusen, £16m).
Major outs: Darren Randolph (Middlesbrough, £5m), Reece Oxford (Borussia Monchengladbach, loan), Havard Nordtveit (Hoffenheim, £8m), Enner Valencia (Tigres, undisclosed), Ashley Fletcher (Middlesbrough, £6.5m).
CHARLIE NICHOLAS' VIEW
Can new signings help West Ham kick on?
NICHOLAS: Well Slaven Bilic has gone for more of ready-made summer signings. Robert Snodgrass didn't really fit in and neither did Jose Fonte but he's gone with the same approach with Hernandez, Zabaleta, Arnautovic and Hart. Hart is a big bonus. There were a lot of mistakes at the back and if he can get them organised then they'll improve a lot, but I do think they need somebody else at the back, they can't keep relying on James Collins to come in.
Which of their players are you most excited about watching?
NICHOLAS: What is it that's going to make the big difference to West Ham? For me, it is Hart. A goalkeeper who is used to challenging for titles is a big boost for them. Against the bigger teams he'll make a big difference, when the big saves are there to make. He'll be relishing those games. Chicharito could score a lot of goals if they create enough chances, but that's a big 'if', especially with Manuel Lanzini being too inconsistent. What is it that's going to make the big difference to West Ham? For me, it is Hart.
What are the challenges facing the manager this season?
NICHOLAS: He can't afford another season like last one. Too many things went wrong and the club will demand more order this time round.
What are their strengths?
NICHOLAS: I think the strength will be what they had to go through last season. The change of the stadium, the defensive sloppiness, the tough decisions which Bilic had to make. They wanted to challenge the top six but they ended up closer to the bottom three but they've had a season to bed into the new stadium and I think you'll see them with more of a purpose this season. They should be stronger because of what they learnt from last season.
What are their weaknesses?
NICHOLAS: They need to be harder to beat. They were thrashed too many times last season, especially in London. It was embarrassing how they turned up against Tottenham to stop them winning the title because that sort of performance was so uncharacteristic given the way they rolled over against the other top sides.
Where will they finish this season and why?
NICHOLAS: Unless Bilic adds some more players and keeps Winston Reid, I still see too many weakness. I don't see them finishing above 10th.
Back West Ham at odds of 4/7 with Sky Bet to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
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OUR MIDFIELD IS OUR SOFT UNDERBELLY
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 3 AUGUST 2017 AT 9:19PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by FarehamHammer @ farehamhammer
Yes, I know David Sullivan amongst others, think we are in good shape as far as our midfield is concerned. I disagree. We need a defensive midfielder and another creative one. Our midfield more often than not, gets outplayed by the opposition, even against teams struggling against relegation. You only need to look at the stats, to get the true story, more often than not we concede possession, by something like 64%-36%. We lack pace, creativity and movement, nothing going forward. Slow pedestrian passes, then as soon as the opposition closes us down quickly, the ball is shovelled back to a under pressure defence. Who hoof the ball forward as though it was a hot potato. A lot of people think our main problems are due to a poor defence and lack of strikers. True to an extent, yes! But when you have a poor midfield who offer no protection to the defence, and create nothing for the strikers, what does one expect? It's so frustrating for the strikers that they have to drop so deep to receive the ball, they are almost on the half way line by the time they get it.
Christ on a bike! The strikers need to receive the ball on the front foot, in around the opposition's penalty area to hurt them! They need the opposition retreating on the back foot. You do that either with a creative midfielder, who is able to carry the ball forward. Or having a couple of pacey and tricky wingers, who can get round the opposition defence creating chances that way. It's not rocket science! When we do go forward we either run out of ideas, as a result we either pass straight to the opposition, we lose possession, the opposition break quickly, and have a free run at goal. No protection for the defence whatsoever. It goes without saying that Manuel Lanzini is huge for us, he has really stepped up to the plate since Dimitri Payet's departure. However, it is no use playing him out wide. We need him in the middle dictating play! Another problem is that when Lanzini, is injured or can't play we really struggle to create anything. We need another creative influence in the side.
Speaking of Lanzini, rumours are starting to circulate that Liverpool are in for him, even if Continho does not go to Barcelona. We are told he is "happy at West Ham and loves the Club". Heard that one before? Of course we have! DIMITRI PAYET!! I may be cynical here, I notice his interview on the Official Site has gone, his injury is rather mysterious to say the least. Initially I thought here we go again! Gold and Sullivan have bought new signings on the back of flogging Lanzini. But that is just me being too cynical! I like many am DESPERATE for Manuel Lanzini to stay, but we have to accept that every single club is a selling club today. Players are like houses, every time a player moves, his agents make big dough. Star players get tapped up and they move for big dough. I'm NOT saying Lanzini WANTS to go or HAS been tapped up… but it is a possibility. Hopefully we will not do what we did with Payet, in our desperation to keep him, bow to his every demand! GIVING HIM A MILLION POUND 'LOYALTY' BONUS! It's like knighting someone for an act of treason!
As painful as it is, if he does want out deal with it now, make sure we squeeze every last drop out of a buying club. Then get to work in revamping our midfield .One player I would love to see The Club sign is Ryad Boudebouz, an attacking midfielder who plays for Montpellier. A very good player. When he carries the ball forward defences open up like The Red Sea. Let's hope that we have a fit and ready to go, Manuel Lanzini, come the opening day of the season. One midfielder being constantly linked with The Club, has been Arsenal's Jack Wilshire. On paper Jack Wilshire working in tandem with Manuel Lanzini is a mouth-watering prospect. Jack Wilshire at his best is an exceptionally gifted footballer. Although open minded about signing Wilshire, I do have reservations. The big question in my mind is: have his injuries taken its toll on Jack? He has had mixed reviews regards his spell down on The South Coast with Bournemouth. Some Bournemouth fans will tell you he was very good, others will tell you he was distinctly average, only there to sell shirts. The facts are he started off well, but by the latter end of the season he couldn't get into the side. As a result Bournemouth never took up the option to buy him. Although to be fair some say, he had a fallout with Eddie Howe the Bournemouth manager.
I'm always nervous about signing someone from Arsenal. Apart from John Hartson, I cannot think of too many players that have made the journey from, North London to East London, that have been successful. It is a tough one regards Wilshire, but Noble, Obiang and Kouyate together is too much of the same, square pegs in a round hole. However, I think that it's worth taking a gamble on Wilshire, he would be more than capable of providing the creative spark in the middle of the park. Wilshire is only 26, Gary Lewin, our chief of the medical section, obviously knows him from working with him when they were both at Arsenal, It's a case of managing Jack the Lad carefully in my opinion. Let's look more closely at the other midfielders at The Club. Fernandes has been the surprise package of last year's signings .A good all round midfielder. He is a good tackler, reads the game well, shoots well, good defensively and has a good array of passing ability. He can only get better. Then we have one of my favourite players! Kouyate! I love his pace and power when surging forward…but I think he would be best suited as centre back. At times he goes missing, he is not a defensive midfielder or a creative one. At times he goes walk about and loses his man. I think he could be converted to an outstanding centre back, able to carry the ball out of defence with pace and power. One of the first names on the team sheet should be Pedro Obiang, a brilliant all-rounder in midfield. Obiang would certainly be able to do the job as a defensive midfielder should it be required.
Last but not least, we get to The Club Captain Mark Noble. Look the guy has been a great servant to The Club, and does not deserve the abuse he gets on social media and the rest. But it's not being disrespectful to say he should not be in the team. Why? The answer keep getting is because he is 'West ham'. On that basis we should all be in the team, because we are all 'West Ham'. Sorry but Noble's place must be under threat. We have paid the price for our policy of: Reserved For: Mark Noble. Which has resulted in an unbalanced midfield, lack of pace, creativity, and movement. The big problem with Noble is, he is slow in movement and thought. When closed down quickly, Noble is either dispossessed, passes the ball straight to the opposition who have a free run on goal, shovels the ball back to a under pressure defence or he commits a foul. Noble, offers no goal threat, passes sideways, backwards anywhere but forward. Last season moving into The London Stadium, being the local boy he was made Club Captain, however Pablo Zabaleta has been brought in to provide leadership, and has being doing so in Austria and Germany. It does not mean that it is necessary the end of Mark Noble. If played slightly deeper and he has movement ahead of him, he is a master of switching play with beautiful timed and weighted passes. The ball is very much in the boy from Canning Town's court. There is no room for sentimental choices in football. There is surgery needed in our midfield, as it's not as good as many think. Another creative midfielder, a defensive midfielder and getting the balance right is so important. It's the difference between a lower half of the finish and a top half finish. We have got to banish last season's blues, over to you Slaven.
We are more than a football Club, We're a way of life! COYI!!!
Farehamhammer!!!
(Edited By Danny Twigg)
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West Ham Season Preview #13 - Diafra Sakho's Last Chance
The striker is surplus to requirements and has a lot to prove
by Jack Kavanagh@JackKavanagh Aug 3, 2017, 8:34am EDT
bracethehammer.sbnation.com
As I covered in my summary of Diafra Sakho's performance's last season, he couldn't stay on the pitch. He appeared in just four games and contributed a solitary goal during this time. Summer 2016 was unstable for the striker, a £16 million transfer to West Bromwich Albion collapsed. Disappointing because there's no way West Ham United would get anywhere close to that money for Sakho after the 2016/17 season. In a season of lows, the lone highlight came with Sakho's solitary goal of the 2016/17, heading in a Dimitri Payet cross in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United. "You would think that after his various injury issues, constant rumors of him possibly leaving the club and arrival of Javier Hernandez last week that Diafra Sakho's days at West Ham United are numbered."
Throw in constant reports of rows with Slaven Bilic, and it would appear that Sakho's time in East London is drawing to a close. However, quotes from David Sullivan suggest the contrary: "I think you need a bit of luck with injuries and we've had no luck with injuries. At the moment Mr. Diafra Sakho is 100% good and that will make a huge difference in the season."
Regardless of what the chairman thinks, Sakho is surplus to requirements. Javier Hernandez will look to lead the line, while Andy Carroll will be the second choice - which probably relegates Sakho to featuring in cup games.
The last 2 seasons
Games:
Andy Carroll: 45
Diafra Sakho 25
Constant injuries to Sakho and Carroll spurred West Ham to bring in a durable striker, Hernandez. Simply, Sakho needs to stay fit, recapture the form of his first season with West Ham, where the he scored 10 league goals in 23 games. We've heard more about Sakho for his off-field antics, his attitude stinks. He's been a disruptive influence in the dressing room for the past couple of seasons, I sincerely hope that this doesn't continue. These aren't lofty targets. Play football and don't upset people. However, knowing how Sakho has behaved in recent times, he is likely to miserably fail at both of these objectives.
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West Ham vs Man City squad absences explained as Manuel Lanzini misses Iceland trip
Eight West Ham players are not on the plane to Iceland for the final pre-season fixture vs Man City
Football London
BYTOM MARSHALL-BAILEY
12:30, 3 AUG 2017UPDATED12:31, 3 AUG 2017
West Ham have named a 19-man squad to travel to Iceland for their final pre-season friendly against Manchester City - but there are some notable absentees from the party flying to Reykjavik. The Hammers face Pep Guardiola's side ahead of their Premier League opener against City's Manchester rivals United next Sunday at Old Trafford and each of their new four signings are included in the squad. Javier Hernandez could make his first start after a 20-minute cameo in West Ham's final friendly of their tour of Germany against Altona 93, while Joe Hart and Pablo Zabaleta are in contention to face their former side. Aaron Cresswell and Manuel Lanzini were involved in Germany but have will stay at home for the fixture on Friday afternoon due to what the club describe as 'minor issues' while Winston Reid misses out through suspension following a red card against Altona. Reid could be involved in a behind-closed-doors friendly game for the U23 side on Saturday and he could be joined by Diafra Sakho as the Hammers striker continues his recovery from back surgery.
Sofiane Feghouli, Andy Carroll and Michail Antonio are back in England as they continue their respective rehabilitations from injury while youth team goalkeepers Rihards Matrevics and Joseph Anang have been released from first-team duty.
West Ham United squad in full
Goalkeepers: Hart, Adrian.
Defenders: Zabaleta, Byram, Masuaku, Fonte, Collins, Ogbonna, Rice.
Midfielders: Obiang, Makasi, Noble, Fernandes, Snodgrass, Arnautovic, Holland, Ayew.
Strikers: Chicharito, Martinez.
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The West Ham United players who will benefit most from Javier Hernandez's arrival
West Ham news includes the impact of Javier Hernandez on Slaven Bilic's team
Football London
BYTOM MARSHALL-BAILEY
11:35, 3 AUG 2017UPDATED11:36, 3 AUG 2017
There were some clues from West Ham's friendly draw with Altona 93 of what qualities Javier Hernandez will bring to the West Ham attack. Hernandez will provide a skillset which differs almost entirely to the current options available to Slaven Bilic in Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho and with both players still recovering from injury, the Mexican will be expected to hit the ground running. The Hammers' key summer signing made his debut on Tuesday evening and provided enough evidence within a 20-minute cameo to suggest he can provide Bilic's side with more than just firepower in attack. "Obviously when you have quality in the team like we have, it's easier to go in the pitch and try to think like them," he said following his first outing. "We have a lot of quality and a lot of different types of players and ways of playing, so it's easy and we're going to have a very good season, I hope. "When the games go on, we are going to feel better with each other after each game. We will build our chemistry like a team and hopefully we can get the proper results in the Premier League."
His performance featured two goalscoring attempts which were narrowly missed, a chance carved open for Edimilson Fernandes to net a winning goal and he almost forced a penalty too in an eventful Hammers bow. Fans are rightly excited by the prospect of a proven goalscorer leading the line and the coaching staff have already been impressed with the way in which he has settled into life with his new club. "He was a plus point from this game," assistant Nikola Jurcevic said.
"He spent a few days with us and played about 20 minutes which was very important for him to feel how he will play with West Ham United. "In this moment he is not 100 per cent physically fit, but he is working hard and for him it was very important for him to play 20 minutes. He showed in that short time that he is a very different offensive player. "He likes to have the ball in space, he is always on the offside line and I think he will be a really important player for us."
Hernandez has been bought primarily to provide the goals on a sustained basis that the injury-plagued pair of Carroll and Sakho simply couldn't last season, but the Mexican will be tasked with far more than that as the lone frontman in Bilic's likely 4-2-3-1 system. Too often last season an over-reliance on the three players operating behind Jonathan Calleri and makeshift forward Michail Antonio was all too apparent and Hernandez's all-round play has come on enough at Bayer Leverkusen to suggest he can allow others to thrive. The 29-year-old's game is not solely based on his speed and ability to play on the shoulder but to drift into wide areas, stretch defences and also drop deep to receive possession and allow others alongside him in attacking positions to make runs off him. It bodes well for Marko Arnautovic, who too often at Stoke last season was seen as the player to produce a moment of magic from wide areas, while Antonio will benefit from playing in his favoured wide right role. Bilic's front four last season resembled a jigsaw puzzle missing the final piece, but in Hernandez he may have found exactly that. His presence at the tip of the Hammers' attack will also please Manuel Lanzini, whose goalscoring form last season masked some of the Hammers' attacking deficiencies, and the prospect of the Argentine and Hernandez linking up is a mouthwatering one for West Ham fans. Hernandez's movement across the frontline, Arnautovic's ability to go either way and Antonio's direct style will give Lanzini runners to find in the final third. Mourinho never quite found the optimum method to use him within his formation, with the Frenchman not fully finding his feet as a marauding midfielder with licence to attack and create.
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Andre Ayew not threatened by West Ham United's new signings
Published on: 03 August 2017
GhanaSoccer.net
Ghana's Andre Ayew says he does not feel threatened and is rather excited that the club has been able to attract some big name signings. The Ghanaian has seen his club record deal smashed by the arrival of Marko Anautovic. "We already had good players in the squad and now we've added some more good players, so that's really important for a club like West Ham to get to another level". "It's good and I'm happy to see these good players coming in", said Ayew, who provided a superb assist for young Spanish striker Toni Martinez's goal against Werder Bremen on Saturday. "To get a player of his experience and quality is very good".
Ayew scored 6 league goals though he saw his first half of the season yanked due to a thigh injury on his debut.
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HAMMERS HANGING BEHIND IN HAMBURG
By HamburgHammer 3 Aug 2017 at 08:00 1 comment
WTID
It should have been a glorious footballing feast…in theory. Okay, at the very least we should have beaten those part timers of Altona comfortably, even taking into account the fact that Altona's season was already in full swing (having played one league and one cup game already) and West Ham were still trying to improve their match fitness mainly without suffering any injuries to our players at this crucial stage with the first league game at Manchester United just around the corner.
I won't say anything here about the Monday before the game when I welcomed Fallingegirl to my city as he will pen his own guest article on his Hamburg experiences I understand.
On matchday I met up with Liam early in the afternoon, another fellow Hammer from another West Ham forum who had travelled over for the game from Brentwood.
We shook hands at the entrance of St.Pauli's famous Millerntor Stadion before going on the stadium tour which surprisingly was still on despite St.Pauli being scheduled to play Stoke in a preseason friendly just four hours later.
So it came as no surprise that our group bumped into the busy St.Pauli kitman in the dressing room who promptly but politely threw us out again after two minutes as he had work to do obviously.
It is such an amazing stadium (just under 30k capacity) despite having been modernised on all four sides about five years ago to effectively replace the older stadium that used to stand there in the very same location.
Despite being a state of the art stadium it still oozes the character, values and traditions of the club that resides there. For example they do have a corporate VIP section of course, but even the guests in those areas don't get a red carpet treatment. They have to enter through a simple cobblestoned entrance and and have to get to their lounges via the same stairs used by supporters sitting in the cheap seats.
The lounges are special insofar as they all look different and the sponsors using them have kitted each one out in a distinctively unique design and style, so there is a pirate themed bar for instance, a chamber resembling a mountain cabin in the Alps, another one recreating the look of the dressing room in the old stadium and many more.
When I was stepping out onto one of the balconies of a lounge, looking down at the pitch it reminded me of a moment more than two years ago when I was spending the night at the West Ham hotel at Upton Park, admiring the green grass of the Boleyn just below, so close you almost felt you could touch the blades of grass with your fingertips.
I am sure that 90% (or more) of the West Ham fans would love to watch home games from a stadium like the Millerntor where St.Pauli play (only a claret and blue version of course).
After the tour we met up with the radio guy from the local radio station and took the bus over to Altona and as could be expected the buses were absolutely heaving with fans from both sides travelling to the game. My first action was to buy a half and half scarf. I usually despise those matchday souvenirs, to me they represent part of what is wrong with modern football and I never buy them when attending a Premier League game, but this was a special occasion after all, my beloved West Ham playing a team FROM my birthplace and hometown Hamburg IN Hamburg, nevermind it was the wrong Hamburg team, but still…LOL
I still maintain though that the task of organising this game must have been slightly overwhelming for a club of Altona's stature.
I had a bad feeling already when ordering the tickets for this game online as the process was flawed and people ended up getting the wrong tickets. This manifested itself further when entering the stadium. I had been told in advance that Altona for some reason seemed keen to use an approach based on nationality when segregating fans.
So German fans were supposed to go in the home ends to the other Germans, no matter if they supported West Ham or Altona while apparently English fans only were supposed to be allowed into the designated away section.
Fallingegirl for some reason ended up entering through the main entrance, watching the game surrounded by Altona fans while being in full West Ham gear. Apparently a lot of tickets weren't actually checked thoroughly by stewards upon stadium entry. Other West Ham fans from Germany in claret and blue were following in Fallingegirl's footsteps as apparently stewards had told them to do just that. I was already in the away section when the radio guy nearly got me chucked out unwittingly by telling the stewards about the fact I was a local Hammers fan with a German passport he was doing a feature on.
It turned out there were plenty of German Hammers fans there after all, both from Hamburg and the surrounding area which means I am now officially no longer the only Hammer in the village…:-)
I will now try to stay in touch with some of them and hopefully we can find an Irish Bar or something that will allow us to watch West Ham together on a big screen or telly on a more regular basis, we will see.
I have spoken before about my disappointment that the West Ham-Concordia game never materialised and my being even more disappointed that Altona were ultimately successful with their bid. I am now more convinced than ever that something doesn't add up financially here. I actually wrote an email to the local sponsors who were mentioned in the local press when the fixture was announced to get a bit more information on this and how 4th level Altona were actually able to make it all happen.
I wasn't surprised I never heard back from them…
Again, I cannot confirm the actual match fee asked by West Ham on this blog, but it is a significant sum and surely totally out of the financial reach of a club like Altona.
Even with the help of the local sponsor the match fee would be far too high to warrant the game to go ahead without someone losing money and certainly Altona can't have earned anything from this in money terms, especially after only selling 5000 tickets when their ground could hold nearly twice as many.
I am convinced that either West Ham lowered their asking price for the match fee to suit Altona or it was a case of someone knowing someone and owing them a business favour. I am highly biased of course as a Concordia fan here, with wounded pride maybe clouding my judgment, but this contest seemed dodgy from the beginning.
I doubt we will ever hear the truth about what really happened there to be honest.
The game didn't make a lot of sense in terms of the gulf between the quality of the two teams (even though that gulf of course wasn't apparent in the game itself). I heard that Altona had to upgrade the dressing room for their visitors at short notice as the standards were not quite up to the standards expected by "posh" West Ham.
Maybe that was part of the problem: West Ham seemed to expect a glorified practise session with spectators in the stands, Altona on the other hand gave them a proper game, wanting it more, running more, being up for it to a degree that apparently surprised or even shocked our players.
There was one punch up in the away section, forcing the police to drop the sausages they were munching on and intervene. Apparently it wasn't even a West Ham fan causing the aggro but a Halle fan from East Germany sporting fascist tattoos and trying desperately to pick a fight. Halle were even playing a game that day.
So to take the bizarre effort of ordering a ticket for this game weeks ago and then travelling for hours just to pick a fight and ending up being frogmarched out of the ground is quite an impressive display of stupidity.
Football wise there were some positive news for me after all when I learned that Concordia had won their cup game at Wentorf by a 5:0 scoreline.
So at least one of my teams on the night lived up to their status as favourites.
So, what do I take away from the last few preseason days encountered with West Ham ? Well, I was a bit disappointed, with the games itself obviously, but also with the closed training session on Thursday and what seemed to me like players that were not caring about the German fans that much, giving away vibes of being distant, disinterested or bored. To put this into perspective though, I have also heard stories of the team being very good with certain other individuals and kids, making their day in the process.
So maybe I was just unlucky and we were actually discussing this issue during our farewell beers outside a restaurant in Altona on Tuesday evening, me, Fallingegirl, Ebi, the German Hammer from near Cologne and his son Tommy (biggest Tomkins fan on the planet). We all agreed that it's not really worth it getting attached to the players or expecting any of them to behave in an overly friendly or jolly manner with the fans. You are bound to get disappointed if the players don't react in the way you would like them to.
Same with the decisions of the board. Owners come and go, but the fans will still be there with new owners in charge. We established there is one thing that really is at the focus for us all when it comes to supporting West Ham and why we will hopefully continue to do so for many years to come: It is the bond between Hammers fans worldwide, helping each other out, having each other's back, having a good time together and being there for each other.
I have met quite a few new friends in the last few days who share my love for West Ham, fellow Germans, but also from Essex and Greater Manchester. Yes, West Ham are a football club first and foremost and we want to see them win games. Maybe even want to see them get to the next level sometime in our lifetime. But as long as there are still West Ham fans looking out for one another it doesn't matter too much what happens on the pitch.
We didn't pick West Ham (or get chosen by West Ham in some cases) for glory or bragging rights. It's because of, pardon the pathos, being part of the West Ham family.
And the preseason tour of Germany has given me a strong indication that the West Ham family is very much alive and kicking. And that's the biggest positive I take away from our preseason travels in Germany. COYI!
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Reid back to captain All Whites
9:13 am today
Radionz.co.nz
West Ham defender Winston Reid has been named to make his return for New Zealand in next month's World Cup qualifiers against the Solomon Islands. Reid missed the Confederations Cup after undergoing knee surgery and was also unavailable for the two international windows prior to that tournament. He will captain the side in the home and away matches in Auckland and Honiara, with the winner of the tie advancing to an intercontinental playoff for a World Cup spot in November. Coach Anthony Hudson says it's his most experienced squad as Reid teams up with the pairing of Leeds United striker Chris Wood and midfielder Ryan Thomas for the first time as New Zealand looks to book their place in the Intercontinental Playoff in November. "This is probably our strongest squad and it is great to have Winston back," said Hudson. "I am pleased because a few years ago the aim was to go into this last stretch [of qualifying] and have everyone available."
Alongside all of the experience, there are two new faces in the All Whites squad with striker Myer Bevan (Vancouver Whitecaps) and goalkeeper Ollie Sail (Wellington Phoenix) hoping to make their debuts for the national team. It is hoped Bevan can provide some depth at the centre forward position behind Wood, who led the English Championship in goals last season. Hudson has been impressed by what he's seen of the 20-year-old Bevan so far. "Myer did really well in the U-20 World Cup and now he is playing professional football and doing well for his club. In our context he deserves a chance. There is a lot that I like about him. Not just as a player, but as a character he has got a great attitude. He is hungry and fearless and I am looking forward to seeing him play. "Ollie we know. He has been to a few of our camps since I have been here. He is a good young keeper. We wanted to bring Ollie into our environment and see how he is doing."
Hudson has had some time to review the team's effort at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia where they lost 2-0 to Russia, 2-1 to Mexico and 4-0 to Portugal. He says were a lot of positives and some good periods of attacking play against world class teams, but they have plenty to work on. "I am incredibly hard on myself and the team. I have a lot of belief in this team and high expectations. I believe that this team could do some really big things and because of that I came away from the Confederations Cup in Russia disappointed," he said. "If we tidy a few things up then we could be turning those sorts of performances into results. With a bit of improvement in certain areas we can put ourselves in a position to win against those teams - that is the next step for this team."
All Whites Squad for the World Cup Qualifier against Solomon Islands in September:
Kosta BARBAROUSES Melbourne Victory, Australia, 42 (3)
Myer BEVAN Vancouver Whitecaps, Canada, 0 (0)
Michael BOXALL Minnesota United, USA, 27 (0)
Kip COLVEY San Jose Earthquakes, USA, 11 (0)
Tom DOYLE Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand, 6 (0)
Andrew DURANTE Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand, 20 (0)
Dane INGHAM Brisbane Roar, Australia, 4 (0)
Stefan MARINOVIC Vancouver Whitecaps, Canada, 19 (0)
Michael McGLINCHEY Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand, 48 (4)
Glen MOSS Newcastle Jets, Australia, 29 (0)
Monty PATTERSON Ipswich Town, England, 13 (1)
Winston REID West Ham United, England, 21 (1)
Marco ROJAS SC Heerenveen, Netherlands, 37 (5)
Storm ROUX Central Coast Mariners, Australia, 7 (0)
Oliver SAIL Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand, 0 (0)
Shane SMELTZ Borneo, Indonesia, 57 (24)
Tommy SMITH Ipswich Town, England, 35 (2)
Ryan THOMAS PEC Zwolle, Netherlands, 14 (2)
Themi TZIMOPOULOS PAS Giannina, Greece, 11 (1)
Chris WOOD Leeds United, England, 52 (20)
Deklan WYNNE Vancouver Whitecaps, Canada, 11 (0)
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What has changed at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park five years after London 2012?
Plans for the Stratford site include 24,000 new homes and new headquarters for the Financial Conduct Authority and Transport for London
The Wharf
BY LAURA ENFIELD
06:00, 3 AUG 2017
A total of 24,000 homes will be built on and around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park by 2031. Many could be lived in by the 40,000 people expected to work there by 2025, with a raft of jobs created from the development of a new cultural and education district on the Stratford site. It will include new campuses for University College London and UAL's London College of Fashion, Victoria and Albert Museum, the Smithsonian, and Sadler's Wells Theatre. Work is also underway on new neighbourhoods East Wick and Sweetwater, which will contain 1,500 homes, schools and commercial spaces.
And building has started on business hub International Quarter London , with two new headquarters being created for the Financial Conduct Authority and Transport for London as well as four million sq ft of new workspace, 333 new homes at Glasshouse Gardens and over 52,000 sq ft of shops and facilities. Over 25,000 people will work there when complete.
London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) has revealed a snapshot of the evolution of the campus five years after it played host to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. CGI of International Quarter London. It will include 4 million sq. ft. of new workspace, 333 new homes at Glasshouse Gardens and over 52,000 sq. ft. of shops and facilities. (Image: LLDC) The development began in 2005 with 200 buildings and 52 electricity pylons removed and 200 hectares of brownfield land, waterways, and rail lines transformed.
In total, 14 temporary and permanent venues were built to house the 17,000 athletes and officials from 204 nations. The regeneration also saw 20km of new roads added, 13km of new tunnels created, 26 bridges developed and 80 hectares of parkland added to the site. Bosses said that 75p in every £1 that was spent for the Games, had legacy benefits.
Following the Olympics and Paralympics an 18 month programme saw all eight venues transformed for use by the public and athletes. The temporary seating wings at the London Aquatics Centre were removed, brand new BMX, road and mountain bike tracks were built at Lee Valley VeloPark, and the London Stadium, now home to West Ham, had new lights, seating, and the world's largest single cantilevered roof installed. Today the Park is open 24 hours, entry is free and over 16 million people have visited, more recently to attend concerts such as Depeche Mode and the World ParaAthletics Championships.
From Friday, August 4-13 the London Stadium will play host to thousands of spectators and athletes from across the world for the IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium. The London Aquatics Centre (LAC) has welcomed 2.5 million visitors and hosts swimming lessons for 1,400 school children a week. Two million have visited Lee Valley VeloPark, and 1.5 million the Copper Box Arena (CBA). Mittal Orbit is now home to the world's tallest and longest tunnel slide and the Park has the largest free-to-access wifi network in an urban parkland. Neighbouring Westfield Stratford City shopping centre sees almost 50 million people passing through its doors every year.
But bosses stressed the Park, now recognised as a European Smart, Sustainable District, is not just for sports and shopping visitors. East Village, the former Athletes' Village, is fully occupied by a verieity og food and drink traders and Here East, the former Press and Broadcast Centre, is home to tenants such as BT Sport, Loughborough University London, Plexal, and Studio Wayne McGregor.
Residents have moved into the first new neighbourhood, Chobham Manor, one of five to be built over the next decade. And the first school Mossbourne Riverside Academy opened in September 2016. The Active People, Active Park programme has also seen the legacy stretch out into the community with 260,300 free sporting opportunities offered since 2014, and a dedicated £1.7 million programme, Motivate East, taking almost 90,000 free sporting opportunities to disabled people.
The Park has also supported the creation of the Global Disability Innovation Hub which brings together partners, local communities, academics, and disabled people to drive innovation, co-design, and think creatively. LLDC chief executive David Goldstone said: "So much has changed at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in the last five years. "Since London 2012, homes have been built, thousands of jobs have been created and millions of people have visited the venues and events at the Park. "And there's even more to come; from world class universities and museums to new schools and businesses."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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