Daily WHUFC News - 28th November 2017

Moyes: Mark's Noble response, fantastic support and getting one over Everton
WHUFC.com

Manager David Moyes sat down with the media ahead of his midweek Premier League return to Everton. However, while the West Ham United manager had warm words for his former club and caretaker manager David Unsworth, he insisted there will be no room for sentiment at Goodison Park on Wednesday evening. Moyes also talked positively about the way his players have responded to his methods since he took charge three weeks ago, and praised captain Mark Noble for his response to being left out of the starting XI last time out...

We've got to get better and better

The players are most definitely responding to the messages we are giving them, both in training and in matches, but they are very basic messages we are giving them so far. I thought it was a really good response on Friday night, particularly after we went 1-0 down early on. The players did a lot of good things, but we've got to do more things better yet, so we've got to keep at it and also try to improve the football as well. But the basics, running around, doing the hard miles, that's a given now.

Mark's Noble response

I was asked about leaving the Club captain Mark Noble out of the starting XI to face Leicester City and whether I was 'making a statement' with my team selection, but I can assure you it wasn't anything to do with making a statement. If anyone rallies West Ham United and the players then it's Mark Noble. I'm no expert on Mark, as I've only been here two weeks or so, but the people who know him speak so highly of him. I can only say that in the time I've been with him, even today, he's driving everyone on, making sure we do the right things in training and making sure the standards are right. As you would expect, Mark responded to being selected among the substitutes in the right way, but he also wants to play and be part of the team. He'll certainly be a part of the squad at Everton on Wednesday. We'll need to wait and see whether he starts or not as we have competition for places, but there is no problem playing him because he's a good player. We decided to go with a bit more pace in the wide areas, brought Arthur Masuaku in on the left and Manuel Lanzini in the middle of the pitch and that is why we did it, to give ourselves a bit more added speed.

The supporters were fan-tastic

I must say again that I thought the supporters did a brilliant job rallying the team on Friday night. I can understand their disappointment with results this season, but the other night they got right behind their team and gave us every chance of winning. It's been mentioned by everybody what it was like at London Stadium on Friday evening. I think a lot of people thought maybe they could not generate a similar atmosphere to Upton Park, but they tell me the Chelsea game last year was a terrific atmosphere and I thought the game on Friday was very good considering it was only one-each at the time. The supporters could see the players trying to fight back and win the game so great credit to them, as they really got behind the players.

No room for sentiment

I spent eleven seasons at Everton as manager but there will be no room for sentiment when I go back to Goodison Park on Wednesday night because I need to win with West Ham. It's really important we try and pick up three points. We got our first point last week and we need a first clean sheet and a first three points. I'm hoping to get them when I go back to Goodison. That said, I very much have sympathy with Everton's own predicament because that club was part of my life, part of my family's life, for a great deal of time. I don't think many managers will do eleven years at a club again, but I've been away a long while now, and I've been back as well, and I'm going back again, and it's a great place – I know the staff, the people behind scenes, a lot of the players and I know David Unsworth very well. He scored 25 seconds into my first game as manager so I'll always remember Unsy for that and he's a good lad as well.

My focus is West Ham now, though. I'll always look out for Everton but, at the moment, I can only focus on making sure it's West Ham who are out of trouble and not at the bottom.

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Moyes exercising caution ahead of Everton test
WHUFC.com

David Moyes will not be rushing injured players back into the West Ham United first team for this week's clash with Everton as the manager keeps one eye on a busy festive fixture list. West Ham travel to Goodison Park on Wednesday for Moyes's third match in charge of the Hammers, with the side beginning to brace itself for an accumulation of matches before the end of the year. The Irons will play eight competitive contests in December, starting with Manchester City away at the weekend, and Moyes is eager to ensure his players are fully prepared for the manic schedule.

With that in mind the West Ham United boss is reluctant to force back the Club's current group of players on the sidelines – including Chicharito, Michail Antonio, and James Collins – with Moyes indicating that the Mexican striker did not train on Monday while suggesting the latter duo are still working their way back "We have a couple of knocks and niggles but nothing to be overly concerned about," Moyes told his press-conference. "I'll wait until tomorrow to see for sure. "Chicharito has not trained today, so he's going to be a few days or a bit longer at this rate. But we want him back fit, because we have so many games coming up. "It's the same for James Collins and even Michail Antonio. We have to be really careful because our squad isn't the biggest. It's important to get these boys fit and ready to play."

All three are yet to play under Moyes since the Scotsman was appointed West Ham United manager. Chicharito has been out with a hamstring injury, sustained on international duty at the start of the month, while Antonio's last appearance for the Hammers was against Crystal Palace. Collins meanwhile is still recovering from an ankle injury that the Welsh defender suffered in September's draw at West Brom. One player who could be involved on Wednesday is Club captain Mark Noble. The midfielder was left out of the starting XI for Friday's draw with Leicester City but Moyes has confirmed he will be in the squad for the Everton game. Moyes added: "If anyone is going to rally West Ham United, it's Mark Noble. In the time I've been with him, he's driving everybody on and making sure everyone is doing the right thing in training. "He took [being left out] the right way as you'd expect. He will certainly be part of the squad at Everton."

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West Ham United trial new away ticket sales method
WHUFC.com

In response to feedback from supporters and discussions at last week's Supporter Advisory Board meeting, West Ham United will be trialling a new method for away ticket sales to allow more Season Ticket Holders and Claret Members the opportunity to follow the Hammers on the road.

The new system will see ten per cent of every away allocation reserved for our 52,000 Season Ticket Holders and Claret Members to purchase on a first come, first served basis, once the first 90 per cent of the allocation have been allocated as standard by Season Ticket Holder Priority Points.

West Ham United hope the new system will enable as many supporters to follow the team away from home, while still offering priority to those loyal fans who currently travel week in, week out.

Those who narrowly miss out via Season Ticket Holder Priority Points will effectively have another chance to secure a seat, while our Season Ticket Holders and Claret Members – consisting of Hammers supporters both in the UK and abroad - can begin to build Priority Points and attend games they historically would not be able to.

The new sales method will be trialled over five upcoming away matches, beginning with the trip to Stoke City on 16 December, followed by the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Arsenal, the visit to Tottenham Hotspur on 31 December, Huddersfield Town on 13 January and Brighton and Hove Albion on 3 February.

Full ticket allocations will be taken for each of these fixtures to allow as many supporters as possible the opportunity to attend. A further 800 seats have already been requested from Stoke City, taking the total allocation to 3,200.

Furthermore, the Hammers Ticket Office have secured a further 2,040 tickets for the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Emirates Stadium, meaning over 7,000 supporters will be in attendance. Tickets will be available to Season Ticket Holders with 6 or more Priority Points from 4pm on Wednesday 29 November, at a price of £20 for adults or £10 for concessions.

The away fixture at Bournemouth on Boxing Day is not included in the trial. The Club can confirm we have requested our maximum allocation of 1,300 at the Vitality Stadium, but due to the fact that the figure is significantly lower than other matches, we believe it is right to allocate the full amount to our most loyal travelling fans.

The Season Ticket Holders and Claret Members sale period will begin 24 hours after the initial 90 per cent of the allocation has sold out. Once the trial period has taken place, there will be a full review of the system before it is decided whether it will become permanent.

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Chicharito: I'm close to returning
WHUFC.com

Chicharito is closing in on a return from a hamstring injury and would love to be involved when the Hammers travel to Manchester City on Sunday. The Mexico international has been absent since suffering the injury on international duty at the start of November but could return to training with David Moyes' squad this week. Chicharito faced many battles against Sunday's opponents during his Manchester United days and is keen to get back scoring as soon as possible. "Hopefully I'm close to returning," he said. "Hopefully this week I can get involved with the team, we're going to see. "With this type of injury you have to be careful because it is a hamstring and sometimes the best thing is that you [don't rush] but I'm feeling very good, and we'll see if I can get involved with the team this week. "Of course I have memories of playing against Manchester City but that game is a at the end of the week. We have a midweek game against Everton away first and we need to think step-by-step. We will try to get the three points there. "We're coming up to the busiest time in the Premier League. Hopefully for us and the Hammers fans it will be a good moment."

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David Moyes' Everton legacy: How the West Ham boss will be remembered at Goodison
WHUFC.com

Liverpool-born journalist, author and Everton supporter Simon Hart shines a light on the sparkling work done by David Moyes...

"He's the one who made me push myself to a level I didn't expect to at the age I was." The words are from Sylvain Distin, and they belong to a conversation that took place in a hospitality box at Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium in the summer of 2015. We were speaking for a Saturday interview in the Independent and he was reflecting on the managers he had learned most from in English football.

Sir Bobby Robson got a mention and Harry Redknapp too but it was David Moyes, he told me, whose approach had helped him become the foreign outfield player with most appearances in Premier League history. "When I signed for Everton, I thought I might play the first year and then the second year I'd be on the bench," said the now retired defender. "But he made me feel like I should never give up and always fight, no matter what. I was a bit like that but he reinforced it. In the end, I played six years."

You can find many similar testimonies about the new West Ham United manager from players with whom he worked with during his eleven years at Goodison Park – model professionals like Phil Neville, Tim Howard and Leon Osman. It feels pertinent to raise this now given the debate that accompanied Moyes's appointment as manager at another of the famous names of English football.

The world of football is brimming with opinions. And yet the insights of those who knew Moyes over his eleven years at Everton have surely a greater worth than most.

Putting my cards firmly on the table – as an Everton supporter and huge admirer of Moyes's efforts during his time on Merseyside – I still recall a conversation with Dan Donachie, the club's former head of medicine, whom I called one day for a view on the Scot's knack of drawing consistently strong performances from a tight squad of players. Donachie cited the following example of midfielder Osman playing through illness as representative of the unity of purpose fostered by Moyes. "Leon Osman woke up at two o'clock in the morning and he was vomiting until six o'clock in the morning," he said. "He had one piece of toast to eat, that was all, and he played the whole game and was one of the best players."

It was Moyes who built that team-first ethic, and it came through on the field. Everton had five top-six finishes and reached three cup semi-finals and, in 2009, the FA Cup final. They lost 2-1 to Chelsea but – in mitigation – were missing their best defender, midfielder and forward in the injured Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta and Yakubu.

It is only four and a half years now since he left Liverpool and took his well-documented path to Manchester, then San Sebastian and Sunderland. It feels longer. It was uplifting then to hear Moyes spell out on arrival at West Ham United that he has 'not got any time for any nonsense'.

It sounded like the man who showed Paul Gascoigne and David Ginola the door early on at Everton. This chimes with the view of one well-respected journalist who knows him well who told me he senses a fresh hunger in the 54-year-old.

Moyes is a man who always had a burning wish to improve footballers. A story that footballer-turned-broadcaster Pat Nevin recounts is of Moyes, a year his senior, lecturing him at half-time during a Celtic Boys Club match for shirking a tackle. "Never show a weakness" was the glaring Moyes's advice to Nevin. They weren't actually in the same team; Moyes had been watching on the sidelines but did not think twice about stepping forward to make his point. Speaking in a book I wrote about Everton in the 1980s, Here We Go, Nevin cites Moyes as a manager in the long line of men inspired by the great Celtic boss, Jock Stein. "If you know Jock, you see David Moyes. The line is obvious for those of us who were inside it."

It is worth recalling all of this as a reminder that here is a manager with a firmer foothold in the game than the wobbling weather vane of football fashion. His experiences post-Old Trafford have included improving Real Sociedad's defence during a steep-learning-curve year in Spain, and working for UEFA on their technical study team at EURO 2016.

At Everton, he is remembered first and foremost as the man who lifted the clouds and set about restoring sagging expectations after the dismal Walter Smith years. He instilled defensive solidity, brought through some talented youngsters, and had a higher success rate in the transfer market than the men who have followed him – bringing in not just good characters but some excellent footballers too. His combined £7.5m outlay on Arteta, Steven Pienaar and Tim Cahill looks even more remarkable today than it did at the time.

Last weekend I had lunch with a player whom Moyes signed from South America who spoke with awe of the work ethic he found in that dressing room and the sense of belonging among a squad of players who, thanks to Moyes's due diligence, were not the types to just pass through.

It is worth recalling too that his Everton team played some fine football. For any sceptics out there, type 'Leon Osman goal v Larissa' into YouTube. That was in October 2007. The next month, Everton demolished Sunderland 7-1. Their midfield included Arteta, Osman and Pienaar – three clever, technical footballers. Tim Cahill buzzed about infectiously. Yakubu shuffled here and there. The football was fluid and incisive. It was, incidentally, in this very week ten years ago.

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Wycombe Wanderers v West Ham United U21s: All you need to know
WHUFC.com

Terry Westley will take his West Ham United Academy side to Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday evening in the final group stage match of the Checkatrade Trophy.

Read on for more information in regards to team news, how to follow the game, and how to get there:
Where and when?

West Ham United U21s will play Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday 28 November at 7:45pm at Adams Park.

The contest is the final game in Checkatrade Trophy South Group C.
How to follow:

Tickets are still available for this Tuesday's match at Wycombe on the official West Ham eTicket website here!
Adult tickets cost £10 while U18s are available at just £5!
Live updates from Tuesday's fixture will be available through a live blog on the official West Ham United website.
Live score updates will also be available on the official Twitter account.
Match highlights will be viewable on the Club website after the contest.
Meet the opposition:
Team news:

Terry Westley has revealed Tuesday's match was in his thinking on Friday, when his side took on Arsenal, with the manager's eye on qualifying top of the Checkatrade group.

A host of U18s regulars played in the 3-0 defeat at Arsenal and the Academy Director could have one or two players back in action for the match with Wycombe.

Westley said: "Not playing one or two against Friday was in my thinking, in that we can qualify top if we don't get beat by more than two goals on Tuesday night.

"We will see if we get anyone back down from the first team squad, which will be important to us because it's against a league side – a tough game."
What they say:
"We'd like to go there and really be competitive which would then give us a nice away draw against Forest Green Rovers rather than Luton, which could be tougher If you looked at current form."
Terry Westley
Academy Director
Player to watch:

Nathan Trott was highlighted by Terry Westley following the match with Arsenal for his character and attitude, with the goalkeeper giving a strong performance despite the loss.

The 19-year-old will need to be at his best again this week if the Irons are to qualify from Group C as group leaders.
Last time out:

West Ham United:

A tricky evening at Boreham Wood last Friday saw the West Ham U23s bested 3-0 by Arsenal in Premier League 2.

Two goals from Vlad Dragomir put the Gunners in control before a late finish by Eddie Nketiah earned all three points for Arsenal.

Wycombe Wanderers:

The Chairboys moved back into the League Two play-off places with a 2-1 win over Yeovil Town on Saturday.

Finishes by Eberechi Eze and Joe Jacobson in the first half gave Wycombe the lead, with the side now sitting fifth in their division.
How to get there:
Leave the M25 at Junction 16, and follow the M40. Leave the M40 at Junction 4, joining the A4010. Move onto Lane End Road and then Hillbottom Road.
By Car
Fans are advised that the nearest train station to Wycombe Wanderer's Adams Park - High Wycombe - is a 2.5/3 mile walk.
By train

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Hart: Claret and Blue Army inspire us to play differently
WHUFC.com

Joe Hart believes the support of the Claret and Blue Army can lift West Ham United's performances to greater heights over the coming weeks and month.
The England goalkeeper said the atmosphere created by Hammers fans in Friday's Premier League draw with Leicester City at London Stadium undoubtedly gave the players a boost. In David Moyes' first home game in charge, Hart and company responded by outrunning and out-sprinting their opponents and, on balance of play, should arguably have picked up their third top-flight win of the season. "I'd like to say a big 'Thank you' to the fans as it could have gone one of two ways on Friday night and they chose to stick with us and we have put a performance in," said Hart, who was powerless to prevent Marc Albrighton's early opener for Leicester. "I was stood in goal and didn't have a lot to do second half and it would have been easy to carry on hammering us, but they were fantastic. "As good as the players are who we've got on our team, when we have their support we play differently. I'm not attaching any blame to the fans, but it meant the world to the players. "There is steam coming off the big man [Carroll] because he's ironing people out trying to score goals. That's what they want to see and the quality will come."

While the crowd most definitely played their part, Hart also revealed how manager Moyes' words were ringing in the players' ears as they took to the pitch at London Stadium. As a result, West Ham ran nearly 6km more than their visitors, sprinted 498 times to Leicester's 387, won ten more duels, delivered almost twice as many crosses and spent nearly a third of the match inside the Foxes' final third. "The manager has asked for quality, he wants goals but first and foremost he wants us to fight, be in shape and be disciplined and I think we did that on Friday. "At Watford we lost 2-0 and it wasn't great, but we missed some big chances. On Friday night, the fans stuck with us and we put a big performance in.

Next up for West Ham is a trip to struggling Everton on Wednesday evening, where Hart is desperate for his team to produce quality at both ends of the pitch and pick up a welcome three-point haul. Should the team and the fans repeat the intensity of Friday's display, victory at Goodison Park is a distinct possibility.

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Club to sponsor Club
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 27th November 2017
By: Staff Writer

After nearly 18 months of petitioning, West Ham United have finally agreed to sponsor the Hammers Supporters Club - albeit on a short-term basis. On Friday evening, shortly before the Leicester City fixture and at the end of a week in which there was much talk of anti-Board protests, the club issued a statement confirming that they would be sponsoring the Club's new premises at Stour Space "for the remainder of the 2017/18 season". "We are delighted to be able to offer our support and assistance to the Hammers Supporters Club," read a statement issued on behalf of co-chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan. "We hope it will go some way to helping them get back on their feet and re-establish the organisation as an integral part of our local community. "As we have always said, the heart and soul of West Ham United is its supporters, who have followed the Club for generations in the past and will continue to follow it for generations in the future. "The Hammers Supporters Club isn't about a connection to a stadium or a building - it is about a connection to West Ham United Football Club," continued the statement. "Our football club is now located at Stratford, and we want the Supporters Club here with us, to ensure that our rich and proud history is always recognised and cherished. "We hope, in time, that a permanent venue near to London Stadium can be secured so that the Hammers Supporters Club can provide a safe and welcome social environment for its members all year round."

The welcome news arrived at the end of a week in which a new protest group - The West Ham Fans Action Group - was formed, in order to challenge the Board's perceived mismanagement of the club.

Other headlines to appear on West Ham's 'official' website since talks of anti-Board protests arose last week include "Hart: Claret and Blue Army inspire us to play differently", "Moyes praises players and fans after London Stadium debut", "Zabaleta hails 'incredible' Claret and Blue Army" and "Lanzini hails 'incredible' West Ham United supporters".

Offering the Supporters Club a new home closer to the Olympic Stadium was one of ten requests made of the club in KUMB.com's ten point plan, which was delivered to Karren Brady back in January.

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Club accede to full allocation demands
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 27th November 2017
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United have bowed down to demands from supporters to request the full allocation of tickets at away venues for five of the club's next six matches.

Excluding the Boxing Day trip to Bournemouth, for which the full allocation of 1,100 had already been applied, the club confirmed today that they would be requesting full allocations for the trips to Stoke (16 December), Arsenal (19 December), Tottenham (31 December), Huddersfield (13 January) and Brighton, on 3 February.

News of the policy change follows demands from fans for the club to take the highest possible allocation, after West Ham's marketing department were accused of requesting a minimal amount in order to prevent losses from unsold tickets.

And in addition to the increased allocations, the club also confirmed that a percentage of additional tickets would be made available for season ticket holders and claret members who had not accrued enough points to be eligible for away trips.

That new directive has however received a lukewarm reponse from supporters posting on the KUMB Forum this afternoon, with some complaining that their efforts to gain enough priority points in order to be eligible for away tickets had effectively been a waste of time.

"The system we have works, it rewards the people who put the effort in," wrote Row X. "Currently, if you're on the cusp of getting a ticket - let's say around the seven point mark for some games - you'll probably miss out due to 10% of the tickets going to a ballot and someone on zero points jumping in before you and getting a ticket."

However the new system - which is being trialled until mid-January - was welcomed by others. "I am on eight points and I'm happy with this new system (subject to seeing it in action of course)," wrote bobd. "Anyone who goes to most of the away games won't miss out and the infrequent away-ers like myself have a chance at (almost) all games now."

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A ten point pledge of our own: update
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 27th November 2017
By: Graeme Howlett

News that West Ham have finally agreed to sponsor the official Hammers Supporters Club is thoroughly welcome - even if the timing is perhaps a little cynical.

Coming as it did in the wake of talks of anti-Board demonstrations, it's easy to see why some fans will view Mssrs Sullivan and Gold's sudden change of heart as reactive, rather than proactive. However regardless of the reasons, the move is a welcome one and guarantees the future of this particular deeply-loved institution for another few months, at the very least.

Back in January of this year, I attended a meeting of various websites, blogs and YouTube enterprises. Some of us have been writing about the club for 20 years or so, whilst others have been airing their views for no more than a matter of months. It was planned to be a regular occurrence but there was to be just one more meeting, three months later in April.

During the initial meeting with Brady and Marketing Director Tara Warren I presented a ten point plan on behalf of KUMB.com readers, with view to improving our lot at Stratford. Nearly a year on, here's how the Club have thus far responded to our plan.

1. Surround the ground with local vendors
Our readers felt it was vital to 'WestHamify' the long walk from Stratford station to the stadium. This has never looked like happening - indeed, we have heard several tales of merchandise sellers being arrested and fined for not holding the appropriate license (which is impossible to obtain anyway).

2. Make a concerted effort to re-employ as many former Boleyn Ground stewards as possible
A letter was sent to all former Boleyn Ground stewards a matter of weeks after our plan was presented urging them to contact the club with view to returning to their previous position. Very few opted to take up the offer, amidst claims of low pay and poor working conditions.

3. Install genuine, retractable seating, as promised in pre-move communications
The temporary scaffolding that was erected instead of the retractable seating promised by vice chair Karren Brady costs up to £8million to remove and re-install every summer, ensuring that the stadium runs at a loss for owners E20 LLP. There are no plans at present to abide by Brady's previous promise.

4. Offer the Supporters' Club a new home close to the new stadium
On Friday, some 10 months after our plan was presented, and in the wake of threats of anti-Board demonstrations, West Ham confirmed that they would be bankrolling the club at its new Stour Space home for the remainder of the 2017/18 season. However what happens after that is anybody's guess - presumably the Club will be back to square one.

5. Re-house the occasional visitors and day-trippers in the upper tier
Occasional visitors are still offered some of the very best seats in the house over genuine West Ham United supporters although seating concerns are fewer and far between.

6. Put the home fans first! Ensure away fans leave the stadium last, if necessary
The club continue to monitor and amend their policy with regards to stadium ingress and egress, although the issues prevalent a year or so ago have largely disappeared.

7. Provide singing and family enclosures and an accurate, up to date, seating plan
When challenged on this issue, Karren Brady insisted that the entire stadium was "family-friendly". There are currently no plans in place to introduce specific family orientated areas of the ground, nor singing or standing areas.

8. Provide additional shuttle buses from Stratford for the benefit of those experiencing difficulty with the lengthy walk
The club doubled the number of buses ferrying supporters from Stratford to the stadium in the wake of our plan - however the number available (doubled from six to 12) is still woefully insufficient to cope with the sheer number of fans whilst we've received complaints of some disabled fans being left in the rain for up to 90 minutes waiting for a bus.

9. Employ additional Supporter Liaison Officers to act as fan representatives
The club have employed a very approachable liaison officer in Jake Heath adding several volunteers to assist with support enquiries on match day. However this still pales into insignificance compared to clubs like London neighbours Arsenal, who employ up to 20 full time staff to deal with fan enquiries.

10. Treat the fans with respect and agree to engage with us on a regular basis
KUMB's ten point plan was delivered to vice chair Karren Brady last January during the first of what was planned to be a quarterly meeting between the vice chair and representatives of online supporter groups. That was followed up by a further meeting in April, since when the planned July and October meetings were cancelled by West Ham. The club finally announced a third meet for November in the wake of the appointment of David Moyes - although insist that no recording equipment can be used and demanded to know what questions would be aired beforehand.

So as you can see, even though the majority of our ten points were reasonable and easily achievable within a short period of time - excepting perhaps the installation of retractable seating, which would require major investment and some considerable time - few have been fully acted upon, despite nearly an entire calendar year having passed.

Meanwhile other promises made by Ms Brady during our meeting last January, such as the installation of shelving around the entire concourse (some areas have it, others still don't) and free wi-fi for all have likewise have similarly failed to come to fruition.

All of which leaves the impression that, as was the case with the much-maligned original version of the Supporter Advisory Board, we are merely being paid lip service by a Board who have little genuine interest in actively engaging with and working alongside the fanbase - or possibly even worse, are precluded from being able to do so as a result of the terms they struck in order to land the stadium.

The natural consequence of which is further fan unrest, which looks set to manifest itself in the shape of anti-Board protests in the coming weeks.

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David Moyes unfazed by return to Everton as West Ham boss
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 27/11/17 3:06pm
SSN

David Moyes insists his focus will be on claiming a West Ham win when he returns to Goodison Park four-and-a-half years after leaving as Everton boss. Moyes is still looking for his opening victory for the Hammers since replacing Slaven Bilic, but will be buoyed by an encouraging 1-1 draw in his first home game against Leicester on Friday. The 54-year-old Scot is now preparing for an emotional visit on Wednesday back to the club he managed between 2002 and 2013. "It's really important we get three points at Everton, so there is no room for sentiment," Moyes said in Monday's press conference. "I want a clean sheet and a win when I go back to Goodison, I'll always look out for Everton and hope they do well, but my focus now is on West Ham only."

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THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A WEST HAM AND ANYWAY, WE WILL STAY UP THIS SEASON!
By HamburgHammer 27 Nov 2017 at 07:00
WTID

At least not another embarrassing defeat. In previous seasons, under normal circumstances, a 1:1 draw at home against Leicester would not have yielded the kind of enthusiastic support and raucous noise from the West Ham home crowd. But from what I could gather from the comfort of my sofa the atmosphere at the London Stadium last Friday was fantastic, a proper defiant reaction from our fanbase, displaying a fierce in the trenches corral mentality.

The current circumstances at West Ham are anything but normal, but at least the fans did their bit and it seemed to rub off on the team who gave a much more spirited performance. They looked like they actually gave a monkey's.
The effort was certainly there, the running was a lot better, the pressing too and while there was still a clear lack of creative quality in our side this should come back in due course once the new gaffer has settled in properly and the team begin playing with more confidence and according to a clearly defined gameplan.

There has been a lot of talk in recent days about former members of the ICF taking things into their own hands in terms of letting the board know that most of our supporters are anything but happy (and why that is the case), so those guys will try and compile a list of the most pressing issues and tell the owners accordingly. It is then up to the board to act upon the suggestions from the fanbase or face significant backlash in the shape of various fan protests over the coming weeks and months.

I applaud those guys for their efforts and wish them every success, alas I am less than hopeful it will have the desired effect. The board will follow their financial roadmap to the letter, cashing in their interest payments for another three or four years until they can sell the club without the shackles of having to share a portion of their profit with the LLDC/taxpayer. Then – and only then – will they seriously consider getting out of the club.

I take a degree of comfort though from the thought that there will still be a West Ham worth rooting for in some shape or form once the current lot are gone and hopefully the latest initiative from the "Real West Ham Fans" group will help in uniting our fanbase again, making sure that as much of our club's soul as possible can be preserved, despite the actions of the current owners.

I am confident that there are still plenty of sons and daughters out there who will follow in the footsteps of their parents, uncles, aunties and grandparents and grow up to be staunch West Ham supporters. West Ham are more than just a football club and it still has a place in the hearts of thousands of people all over the globe. That must count for something.

I have no doubt that our team is good enough to see out the season with a modicum of professional pride and reach the beckoning shore of Premier League safety.
It will probably not quite be another Great Escape a la Tevez, we look far too minimalistic on the pitch for that, so it'll be more like a Late Escape than a great one, but escape we will. Of that I have no doubt.

The upcoming Everton game should be a thrilling encounter as surely Everton too are nowhere near where they expected to be in the table at the start of the season.
The pressure on them should be even bigger than on us which might work in our favour on the night. We should also have players returning back into the fold, like Hernandez and Antonio, giving us a few more options in terms of how to approach the game.

It looks to me like a switch has finally been flicked and I have no doubt that both results and performances will continue to improve as long as the players persist with showing better effort and application as that alone can and will trigger the kind of support from the Hammers faithful that is paramount if we want to maintain our league status.

In other, local German news I told you in a previous column about the agreement of the local Regionalliga Southwest to play the Chinese U20 side in a series of friendly games, not affecting the league table, but giving the lower league clubs some much needed financial boost while affording the Chinese players the opportunity to play some competitive games to get themselves ready for the Olympic Games.

There was a lot of criticism even before a ball was kicked, now the experiment has been stopped until further notice due to some football fans deciding to make a political statement by taking Tibetan flags to the first game of the Chinese team which obviously didn't go down with their players, officials and the football authorities back home.
On the one hand of course you could argue that sporting events like these should not be overshadowed by political campaigning.

On the other hand there is the right of free speech in Western Europe, so taking a flag to football should not be a reason to eject supporters from the venue or abandon the game. Then again West Ham fans have learned in recent weeks that you don't have to take a Tibetan flag to the stadium to get yourself in a spot of bother.
I never thought the idea with the Chinese U20 team playing in Germany was a brilliant one to pursue and if a Tibetan flag in the crowd is all it takes to rile up the visitors then maybe they should get their Olympic preparations done elsewhere.

To quickly update you on Reece Oxford and his exploits at a team from Germany (Borussia Moenchengladbach) his loan club surprisingly managed to deal the mighty Bayern Munich its first defeat in what felt like five years or so, beating them 2:1. Moenchengladbach are now only five points behind the league leaders from Munich and The Foals Eleven (as they are affectionately known in the country of the sausage munchers) are well on course to secure Champions league football coming to the Rhineland next season.

It's not ideal for Reece Oxford on the face of it as Moenchengladbach have no reason whatsoever to play him as things are going very well as they are at the moment, without Oxford getting any significant gametime. On the other hand they are known for developing and bringing through youngsters in a very strategic and patient manner, so his time may come, but Moenchengladbach may take their time in watching his progress and maybe even decide to buy him if they are convinced he is right for them.
They certainly won't be playing him just to do West Ham any favours.

As for the quick Concordia update (haters, please skip this section accordingly), the trip to Buchholz in Lower Saxony (representing the longest away trip of the season with their ground being 30 miles away from my flat) yielded mixed results. On the pitch it was an unmitigated disaster, with Cordi losing 0:4 to a side fighting relegation.
Concordia this season are certainly not pulling their weight and at this rate can forget any ambitions of going up one level at the end of the season. Not good.
Talking of weight though, for a food aficionado like me Buchholz offer a unique selling point to the carnivorous groundhopper: Grilled sausages made from horsemeat.
In the Oberliga Hamburg no other club serves these, but Lower Saxony is horse country, hence their unusual (and very tasty) offer on the matchday menu.

Before you kill me, I don't have a special bond with horses. I never spent any holidays on a ranch as a kid, I have never ridden a horse in my life, I don't bet on horses and I also eat pork, veal, beef or chicken. And besides, Cordi only play away at Buchholz once a season, so please forgive me if I treat myself to a horsemeat based snack once a year. And believe me, right now I am particularly grateful for any treat I can get.

Which brings me to a bit of a parish notice, closing out my column for this week. In the upcoming weeks my column may be a lot shorter than usual. There may even be certain weeks where I won't feel like penning an article at all. This is due to personal circumstances/family reasons. Quite simply, I may be absent-minded when it comes to West Ham in the next few weeks/months (although I will still come over for the Chelsea and Arsenal games), so please accept my apologies should my column not go up quite as regularly as you have been accustomed to.

COYI!!!

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