Daily WHUFC News - 14th November 2017

Moyes confirms assistants at West Ham United
WHUFC.com

David Moyes has confirmed the appointment of Alan Irvine and Stuart Pearce as his assistants at West Ham United. The manager also hopes to confirm the appointment of Billy McKinlay – currently in a caretaker role at Sunderland – as a third assistant in the coming days. Irvine will be reunited with fellow Scot Moyes, whom he has previously worked with at both Preston North End and Everton. The 59-year-old Glaswegian has managerial experience of his own, having taken the reins at Preston, Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion and was most recently at Norwich City, where he served as assistant manager to Alex Neil. "I'm delighted to be given this opportunity and am really looking forward to the challenge ahead," said Irvine, who has been assisting Moyes throughout his first week in charge. "I obviously know David well from our time together at Preston and Everton, and it was certainly a big attraction to work with him again, as was the thought of coming to a club like West Ham. "This is the sixth job I have been offered since leaving Norwich at the end of last season – some of which were very attractive - but it's the first one that has persuaded me to accept, so I hope that says a lot about how excited I am to be here. "The prospect of working in the Premier League, at a great club, and alongside David, meant that it was an opportunity I couldn't resist, and I hope that I can now make a positive contribution."

Former Manchester City and Nottingham Forest manager Pearce returns to the Hammers 16 years after a playing spell which saw him turn out 50 times in claret and blue. "I'm really looking forward to coming in and getting involved," said Pearce, who will join up with Moyes and the playing squad at Rush Green on Monday.
"The opportunity to work with David Moyes, who I have respected greatly over the years, was a big factor, as was having previously played for the club. "It's been many years since I was there for a couple of seasons, but I really enjoyed my time. The West Ham fans were fantastic to me and I'm looking forward to coming back. "It's tough times at the moment but it's a fantastic opportunity for me. I'm really excited by the challenge."

55-year-old Pearce won 78 England caps in a glittering playing career which saw him win two League Cups during a lengthy spell at Nottingham Forest along with appearing for England at three major championships. Following his time at the Boleyn Ground, Pearce's final club as a player was Manchester City, where he later took over the managerial reins in 2005. A successful seven-year period in charge of England's U21s followed, where he took the team to the 2009 UEFA U21 Championship final, with Mark Noble as captain. He also took charge of the Great Britain side at the 2012 London Olympic Games, and returned to club management for a year-long spell at Nottingham Forest in 2014. Former Dundee United, Blackburn and Leicester midfielder McKinlay, 48, worked with Moyes at both Real Sociedad and Sunderland, where he has recently been helping out on a temporary basis alongside another former Hammer, Robbie Stockdale.

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Six things you probably didn't know about Stuart Pearce
WHUFC.com

Stuart Pearce may have only just joined the Club as one of David Moyes' backroom staff, but he is far from an unkown quantity in east London. The former Hammer's no-nonsense approach endeared him to the West Ham faithful and he'll be hoping to add a new chapter to his journey with the Hammers as he takes on his new role. Here are six things that you may not have known about the Londoner affectionately known as 'Psycho'…

He started from the bottom

It might be more common to come through a club's academy and into their first team these days, but as a youngster, Pearce found his way into the professional game via the non-league route. The left-back played over 100 games for Wealdstone before joining Coventry City in the Football League.

A career elsewhere?

During his early days with Nottingham Forest, Pearce clearly thought his career in football was not for the long-haul when he took out ad-space in the matchday programme to advertise his services as an electrician! The defender would go on to make over 400 appearances for Forest, scoring more than 60 goals and winning the League Cup twice.

He was a Hammer in Europe

Stuart Pearce was part of the West Ham side that won the Intertoto Cup in 1999 and as a result, the Hammers qualified for the UEFA Cup (now known as the Europa League) through this competition.

He hasn't lost his legs...

At the tender age of just 53, Pearce made his league debut for Gloucestershire non-league side Longford after signing a one-match contract, despite retiring 13 years prior. Longford were labelled 'the worst side in the United Kingdom' having lost every single match during the 2015/16 season up to the point of Pearce's signing, conceding 179 goals in the process. Pearce stepped in to play for the side in order to bring some publicity to the grassroots level of football.
Psycho!

Pearce made 78 appearances for England, scoring five times, but is best remembered as a passionate wearer of the shirt from the above legendary picture. Screaming after scoring a penalty against Spain in Euro '96 – having missed a crucial spot-kick against West Germany in Italia '90 – it signified one of the great redemption stories of modern international football.

History with Hammers

As manager of the England U21 team, Pearce made West Ham legend Mark Noble captain of his outfit for the 2009 U21 European Championship. His team, led by the skipper, reached the final but were eventually beaten 4-0 by Germany. Psycho also signed and handed current West Ham No1 Joe Hart his Manchester City debut in 2006 while manager City.

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Pearce: We need to build togetherness
WHUFC.com

New West Ham United assistant Stuart Pearce says squad unity will be key to the Hammers climbing the table as he gets to work as part of manager David Moyes' coaching team. Pearce, 55, spent two years with the Hammers as a player and will now bring a wealth of coaching experience gained from spells in charge of Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and England U21s to his new role. West Ham's first game under Moyes' management comes at Watford on Sunday and Pearce is keen to hit the ground running. He said: "David [Moyes] is acutely aware – as we all are – of exactly where the club are at this moment in time. "It's not going to be easy, no one is expecting it to be, because the stakes are very high in the Premier League, but I think with the staff here and the squad of players, we have a great chance. "The main thing is to enhance the togetherness at the club. I've watched West Ham a lot from the outside, because it's one of my former clubs, I probably keep a closer eye on things. "I've seen a lot of them this season – I covered the Tottenham game at Wembley and the Liverpool game last week, and it is clear that everyone needs galvanizing. "Confidence has been dented and that is part of the task, to get that back on track. We need to find that togetherness again and the players are the most powerful ones of all in showing that."

Pearce's return to the training field comes nearly three years after his time as manager at Nottingham Forest came to an end and he said a return to a Premier League club was too good an opportunity to turn down. He added: "I've been doing one day a week this season at Portsmouth, helping out Kenny Jackett, who is a good friend, and I guess that has probably sparked my excitement again in regards to coaching. "The media work has been good for me, but I really feel that I've got something to offer the coaching set-up here. "It's an opportunity to work in the Premier League again, with a good squad of players – it was too good to turn down."

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Seven things you may not have known about Alan Irvine
WHUFC.com

On Sunday evening, West Ham United announced the appointment of two coaches to work alongside new manager David Moyes. We take a look at the career of former winger Alan Irvine and pick out eight facts you may not have known about the Scot…

Alan Irvine had a 15-year playing career

Former winger Irvine played over 300 games for the likes of Queens Park, Everton, Crystal Palace, Dundee United and Crystal Palace. He scored more than 30 goals with his most prolific spell coming at Selhurst Park for Palace.

As a coach, he's worked with ten different clubs

West Ham will be Irvine's eleventh club as a coach. His coaching career spans the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, from Blackburn Rovers to Norwich City. His vast experience across all levels of football means he should be a trusty sidekick for new boss David Moyes.

Irvine took Preston North End from relegation candidates to play-off contenders

As Preston boss from 2007–2009, Irvine took the club from the basement of the Championship table to a play-off place in just one and a half campaigns in charge. Eventually, the Glaswegian's team fell just short to Sheffield United after losing 2-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals.

Irvine has worked with a current Hammer before

During his time at Preston, Alan Irvine took a young Andy Carroll on loan from Newcastle United. Carroll played eleven games for the Lancashire side before returning to his parent club. While on loan at Deepdale, Carroll scored his first professional league goal – against Leicester City.
High praise from an Irish icon

Irvine has received praise from a number highly respected figures in the game but perhaps the strongest endorsement of his coaching ability came from Republic of Ireland international and Premier League winner Damien Duff. Alan Irvine is described by Duff – alongside Brian Kerr – as the most important coach of his career.

He likes to work with young players

Under Moyes, Irvine was appointed director of the Everton academy in 2011 where he helped bring through players such as Ross Barkley and Seamus Coleman into the first team. Hammers fans will now be hoping the Scot can help in the process of bringing through the next generation from the Academy of Football.

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U23s in London Stadium action this Friday - free tickets for STH and Members
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's Under-23s take on Derby County at London Stadium on Friday evening, with Season Ticket Holders and Claret Members able to book their FREE tickets now! The Hammers are in superb form, having won four and lost only one of their last six games, and you can be at London Stadium to see the future of the Hammers in action. As Terry Westley's side prepare for their second London Stadium game of the season - the first was a fantastic 4-2 win over Manchester United - supporters can pick up their tickets now. Please note that all tickets must be booked in advance.

Book tickets now

Season Ticket Holders can book tickets for free, while adult tickets are priced at £5 and concessions £3

All Ttckets must be purchased in advance and are subject to availability.

All tickets purchased online will be issued as e-tickets and you can also book tickets by calling on the phone on 0333 030 1966 or in person.

Access Cards will NOT be in use for this match.

Due to a limited capacity to this match, we cannot guarantee seats will be available on the day. Should the match sell out in advance, this will be announced on www.whufc.com and eticketing.co.uk/whufc

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Antonio: I see positive things under Moyes
WHUFC.com

"Things are going to go well" under David Moyes, according to West Ham United forward Michail Antonio. The 27-year-old, although currently out with a rib injury, has witnessed the Scottish manager's immediate impact in east London and has a positive feeling. Moyes was appointed the Hammers boss last Tuesday morning and took his first training session at Rush Green later that day. On Wednesday, the former Everton and Manchester United boss conducted a double session and Antonio believes he has already made a great impression on the squad. "Obviously I have not been able to train under him but right now, things are looking good," last season's top scorer said. "He's come in and things have been quite intense. Everything's quite different. He's out there, he's standing with the boys, he's taking training himself and he's very involved. "I see positive things. I feel like things are going to go well under him."

West Ham return to action on Sunday when they travel to Vicarage Road to face Watford following a fortnight without a match due to the international break. And Antonio is confident that, under Moyes, the side's league position is sure to improve. "With the squad that we have, we definitely shouldn't be in the situation that we are in. "With a bit of structure and more belief and confidence, we will definitely be going up the league."

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Just One Thing: Marlon Harewood on West Ham's play-off drama
WHUFC.com

When it comes to West Ham United's play-off drama, Marlon Harewood is well-placed to talk of the highs and the lows which come with the Football League's end-of-season promotion shootout. Harewood was involved in both the Hammers' play-off campaigns from the Championship in the 2003/04 and 2004/05 seasons, and we caught up with him to discuss his experience, which ended with glory against Preston North End at Cardiff in 2005. He said: "Play-off games are more hyped, more exciting and once you're there you want to win it. "That night against Ipswich [the 2004 semi-final], the fans were amazing and I can remember it like it was yesterday. Everyone was roaring, the atmosphere afterwards was really good and Matty Etherington's goal was indescribable. "It was a happier ending in 2005. I scored against Ipswich, who we had again in the semi-finals, and it was a great feeling. "We knew were going to get promoted against Preston in the final, because the atmosphere around the lads was 'we're not going to let this go again'."

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I feel pride in Ladies team despite Coventry defeat – De Carnys
WHUFC.com

Greg de Carnys admits his Ladies side just weren't on the same level as Coventry United but is proud of how they performed in their 2-1 defeat on Sunday. Despite taking the lead midway through the first half thanks to Zoe Swift's goal, the Irons fell to a disappointing defeat at Butts Park Arena as goals either side of the interval secured the victory for Coventry. Manager de Carnys can see that his side just fell short of besting Coventry during Sunday's match but is nonetheless content with the spirit of the performance and can take positives from his team's effort. "We went into the game feeling like we could get something from it," de Carnys told whufc.com. "There is a lot of belief in the dressing room. On the day though we just weren't quite as good as Coventry and that was reflected in the scoreline. "It was a tight game and that shows how far we've come. The fact we are disappointed shows we know we can look up rather than down. I can't fault the work rate the girls showed. It stands us in good stead if that's your minimum. We work hard and we try to work our way into these games. "It was a very difficult pitch to play football on. We've got players that like to move the ball and this was a tough challenge for them. The result hasn't gone our way but there were a lot of positives."

The result marks the second time this campaign that the West Ham Ladies have fallen to a 2-1 defeat against Coventry, with de Carnys particularly unhappy with the context of the loss at Rush Green. However, the manager is proud of how his side learned from the previous game and cannot find fault with what his Ladies did on the pitch on Sunday. De Carnys continued: "We prepared a game plan for this match, having played Coventry not long ago, and I think the girls stuck to it excellently for large portions of the game. I don't think I can fault the girls in terms of taking on board the information and executing the game plan well. "Ultimately though it will always come down to those moments of quality as well. Coventry are a real handful and they punished us on a couple of occasions. They are an experienced team that are doing well in the league."

Coventry's first finish came from the penalty spot, a decision which appeared contentious in the immediate aftermath. De Carnys, however, believes his defence can continue to learn from such situations and must use Sunday's example as another stepping stone. When asked about the penalty de Carnys added: "My initial reaction was we had just got caught out. If you switch off for a second against a team that's bright in the final third you're going to get caught. If you're the wrong side of someone you're taking a risk if you try and go to ground. "A few people have said they didn't think it was a penalty but I still think we can learn from a situation like that."

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David Moyes names West Ham assistant coaches, including former player Stuart Pearce
BBc.co.uk

West Ham United boss David Moyes has added former England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce, Alan Irvine and Billy McKinlay as his assistant coaches. McKinlay's appointment impacts on Moyes' old club Sunderland, as the 48-year-old was joint caretaker boss following Simon Grayson's departure. Pearce, 55, had two years with the Hammers as a player while Irvine, 59, was with Moyes at Preston and Everton. Moyes was named as Slaven Bilic's successor at West Ham last week. "I'm really looking forward to coming in and getting involved," Pearce told the club website. "The opportunity to work with David Moyes, who I have respected greatly over the years, was a big factor, as was having previously played for the club."
Sunderland are bottom of the Championship, without a win in 13 games and have now lost one of two caretaker bosses currently leading the first team. McKinlay, who was brought to Wearside by Moyes during his time in charge, and Robbie Stockdale took their first game as the Black Cats interim coaching team in the 1-0 defeat by Middlesbrough before the international break. However the Scot's departure to London Stadium means Stockdale alone will be in charge for Saturday's visit of Millwall to the Stadium of Light. "The club would like to thank Billy for his efforts during his time on Wearside," Sunderland said in a statement. "Robbie Stockdale will continue as the club's caretaker manager when the squad returns to training on Monday. "A further announcement will be made in due course."

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Trevor Sinclair in drink-drive arrest
BBc.co.uk

BBC pundit and former England footballer Trevor Sinclair has been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving, common assault and criminal damage. The 44-year-old was arrested after a woman was hit by a car, suffering minor injuries. Lancashire Police said officers responded at 20:45 GMT on Sunday to a disturbance at a home on Victory Boulevard in Lytham. It said a man had already left the property in a car. A force spokesman added: "A short time later, officers found the vehicle which had been involved in a collision with a woman pedestrian on Clifton Drive. She received minor injuries. "The driver, a 44-year-old man, was arrested on suspicion of drink driving, common assault and criminal damage. "He is currently in custody." The London-born winger, who grew up in Manchester, played 12 times for England including four caps in the 2002 World Cup. His clubs included Blackpool, QPR, West Ham, Cardiff and Manchester City.

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BILIC, THE BOARD AND MOYES
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 12 NOVEMBER 2017 AT 9:41PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Malcolm Atkins – @malatk

There has been lots written and said about recent events at the club, having had a chance to mull it all over I thought I would have a go at putting my thoughts together, looking at Bilic and his departure, the board's handling of things and the arrival of David Moyes .

I have long been a critic of Slaven Bilic and called for his departure. I have been shocked at the fans reaction to him and his leaving. While I don't believe he deserves abuse I am at a loss to understand people saying they are sad to see him go. The performances have been shocking; the most depressing thing for me was sitting at the Liverpool game watching the team be thrashed at home in an abject performance while the fans sat not in anger or disbelief but resigned acceptance, we were expecting it. I never thought I would see a West Ham crowd react so tamely to such a performance and that spoke volume about where had fallen to.

"He's a nice bloke" – He may well be but that does not mean he should of kept the job. "he's West Ham legend!" – No, he isn't. When Billy Bonds left the manager's job I thought it was handled badly but I didn't think management was for him, I felt sad because Billy Bonds IS a West Ham legend; 663 appearances over 21 years, Captain and Icon – I was gutted for him.

Slaven Bilic turned up in 1996, played really well at Centre Back, he had a clause saying he could talk to clubs if a bid hit 4 million quid, Spurs made a bid but the clause only said he could talk to them not he had to be sold, Redknapp held firm and he stayed before moving on to "bigger club" Everton for 4.5 million after 18 months and 47 games – To put that in context Mo Diame got slated for wanting a move and played 71 games.

"Slaven Bilic enjoyed a great first season" Well yes there were some high points and the final game at the Boleyn will live long in the memory, but with Payet in World Class form and a squad flying I honestly view that season as a missed opportunity. Despite the fine performances there were some defensive horrors and a failure to gain the expected points against some of the lesser lights. I honestly believe we should have been top six and had a real chance to break the top four.

Since then 14 wins from 49 premier league games tells only part of how poor we have been, I am so pleased Slaven Bilic is no longer West Ham Manager, I do not feel sorry for him, he got it badly wrong and earned seven and a half million quid for doing so. His biggest failing of all was in his inability to surround himself with a competent coaching team resulting in an unfit disorganised squad, and I cannot think of one single player who has improved under Bilic.

However, despite being one who has often defended the board, they have made a total mess of the whole Bilic situation. They should have replaced him in the summer but having failed to do so they should have got behind him. It has been clear for ages they have had reservations and they left him as a lame duck manager, it cannot have been about money, a few league places would cover the compensation, they have dithered and hesitated and let the club drift, they fired him after losing at home to Liverpool but let him carry on after losing at home to Brighton, Karen Brady's piece in the Sun was uncalled for and if what she is saying is true only highlights the Board's incompetence in leaving him in post.

Now David Moyes, I am not upset about his appointment per se but the board have appointed him almost with an apology, it is just for six months, he was available, he was good at Everton, hardly a ringing endorsement. I also worry that they have hired a guy who is suited to applying long term methods around training and organisation for a short term fix. Getting this team fit mid-season will be some challenge. However the early signs have been encouraging and I really hope he can turn things round. Right now survival will do, even though this squad are capable of much more.
My concern though is that the soap opera will continue. IF David Moyes can steer us away from trouble then we are still heading for months of speculation. There is a clear narrative that he is a short term appointment while we seek the "big name" we want. If we finish 14th – 17th then that all goes nicely, he kept us up, no fireworks, let's see who we can get, of course if we cannot attract a top name and keep Moyes we would then look foolish. What if he does better though 11th – 14th from the current position would be decent and maybe deserving of more time, certainly the "big name would have to be pushing top 8 to justify the big wages he would get compared to Moyes. If we finish 7th – 10th and/or have a decent cup run, or dare I say win one, and then surely Moyes has to stay – unless we are signing a manager and expecting a champion's league challenge! Having made a managerial change we can still expect this level of speculation over the coming months.

I do believe though that David Moyes will prove a significant upgrade and may have got really lucky because this squad, including the highly promising youngsters, has the potential to do so much better, with a bit of momentum, a bit of feel good factor, a bit of luck and a couple of signings Moyes could end up looking really good here. Get the defence organised and the fitness level up and we have potential going forward; Carroll, Chicarito, Arnautovic, Antonio, Kouyate, Noble, Obiang, Lanzini, Sakho, Obiang are all capable of playing at a higher level than they have this season while Rice, Holland, Martinez and Haksabanovic are all highly promising.

So now we await the end of the boring international break and the beginning of the next chapter. David Moyes may not be the most exciting appointment but I hope he is here for years, because that means he will have turned it around

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No truth in Serie A rumours, insists Masuaku
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 13th November 2017
By: Staff Writer

West Ham defender Arthur Masuaku has distanced himself from a report by someone claiming to be his Italian representative. On Sunday a report appeared in the Italian media in which agent Francesco Lingenti claimed he had already undergone talks with Napoli regarding a potential January move for the 24-year-old French defender. "I offered Arthur to Cristiano Giuntoli [of Napoli] three years ago, then two years ago," said Lingenti, according to CalcioNapoli24. "Now he has probably got the idea - along with Juventus, Genoa and Milan. "Of course there have been talks. The player is being watched very carefully by a few clubs, including Napoli. Serie A is our objective and hopefully he'll be there in January. "For now, Juventus, Napoli and Genoa are in the lead. However, he'd only go to Juventus if the Bianconeri sold Alex Sandro. Giuntoli has always liked him. West Ham's asking price is around €9-10m, as they paid €7m to get him from Olympiakos in 2016."

However Masuaku has since taken to social media in order to rubbish the reports, claiming that he had never met - or heard of - Mr Lingenti, who was claiming to be acting on his behalf. "In order to avoid any misunderstandings i'd like to stress out that neither me or my agent (Panos Galariotis) know Mr. from Italy," wrote the West Ham full back. "So everything that is published is completely false. "I'm only focused on helping my team achieve its goals," he added. Masuaku, who holds dual French and Congolese nationality moved to West Ham in August 2016, having signed from Greek outfit Olympiakos for €7million, after Genoa had a €4million bid rejected.

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Antonio enthused by Moyes effect
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 13th November 2017
By: Staff Writer

West Ham winger Michail Antonio believes David Moyes had made an impressive start in his new role. The 27-year-old has been unable to take part in the Scot's initial training sessions due to a rib injury, but believes the 54-year-old Scot will have a positive effect on a failing squad. "He's come in and things have been quite intense," Antonio told whufc.com. "Everything's quite different. "He's out there, he's standing with the boys, he's taking training himself and he's very involved. I see positive things. I feel like things are going to go well under him. "With the squad that we have, we definitely shouldn't be in the situation that we are in. With a bit more belief and confidence, we will definitely be going up the league."
Speaking at the weekend, Moyes insisted that everybody would be given the opportunity to shine - regardless of the condition of their relationship with his predecessor, Slaven Bilic. "It's a clean slate for the entire squad," he said. "It will obviously take time for the players to fully understand our style and methods but the initial signs are very encouraging – they've bought into what we are trying to do and that's a good base for us to build on. "Everybody will get their opportunity to impress us and there have certainly been no decisions made about individuals. There's a lot of quality here and I'm confident the players will all bring something different to the table."

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I feel cheated
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 10th November 2017
By: Ian Morgan

As a fan who has been going to West Ham since the early '90s, I'm not new to seeing a poor side that's lacking belief, fight or passion. I've seen the previous relegation fights and struggles.

But added to all of that was a enjoyable experience in the Championship and a couple of decent seasons under Big Sam. Also the fifth place finish and the flair of that Harry Redknapp team. The promotion side in the Billy Bonds era. And of course the final season at the old place!

But now, I feel that the heart has truly been ripped out of our club.

I wasn't expecting instant success but we have been fed a string of lies. Getting us to accept that leaving our home of more than 100 years was what we needed, it now seems a bitter pill to swallow.

So, January 2010. Gold and Sullivan purchased the majority sharehold in the club, and brought along with them Karren Brady. Everyone was jumping from the rafters, the club saved from the rack and ruin of the Icelandic bank disaster.

Their first priority was to take over the Olympic Stadium and move us out of Upton Park and onto the infamous 'next level'. A year later and relegation under Avram Grant, when it was there for all to see - he was no longer the man to 'keep us up' and still they didn't act.....so, relegation.

Nonetheless, we accepted our fate and rebuilt in the Championship under Big Sam. With the deal for our move to Stratford now rubber-stamped, the process began of convincing the fans.

No vote allowed, but we were told we would take up residence for the beginning of the 2016/17 season. Fans forums galore and the promise of a home that we would leave us "in no doubt was the true home of West Ham United".

Images and drapes of former players and the glory days gone by. The statue of our three World Cup winners! We were even going to have 'claret and blue' seats.....what a future it looked!

Instead, the truth. Wven on the eve of our final home game at Upton Park, the talks had started with our MARQUEE £40 million, 20 goal a season striker. Yet, somehow the 'marquee striker' turned out to be a Millets pop-up tent.

So, in the form of Zaza, we had another of the famous loans with view to a permanent deal on our books. We were told "we have never seen David Sullivan work so hard in a window", then "we tried our best". They only used that one on us three times!

Anyway, the first game in our new 'home' and I couldn't help but be totally underwhelmed with what we have been delivered:

- No sign of the digital wrap
- No drapes of former players
- No statues
- No free wi-fi
- Barely any claret and blue seats
- Rubbish non-retractable seating
- And changing our badge to adopt the word 'London'

Plus:

- Scaffolding
- Concrete blocks
- Rows of empty white seats
- Black and claret tarpaulins
- Gaps behind the goal the size of the old Chicken Run

The Board show little, if any, respect to our former players. Many of whom now feel so unwelcome that they will not step foot inside the place. The players you have chosen as 'Club Ambassadors' hardly set the pulses racing.

"A place where you are left in no doubt that you have arrived at the home of West Ham United," is how the stadium was described by Karren Brady.

If that's what she thinks is fitting, then Lord Sugar should call her out on her own ability to deliver a product. He should be able to fit it in whilst slagging our club off and making a laughing stock of us to his BBC audience.

But still, you could forgive them the first season and put it down to the massive change, but what's to follow, for me, was the final straw.

We had three away games to start the season, when we were told West Ham United would be the 'main tenant' and that we would have PRIORITY when it came to our fixtures.

Any sign of what little identity we had in our 'home ground' was stripped for the Anniversary Games. In fact they couldn't even be bothered to put it back to how they found it when we left in May.

The Sir Trevor Brooking Stand's claret tarpaulin sign is still half covered in white, empty seats. We've been made to feel as welcome as the staff and stewards make you feel at the kiosks. And let's not get started on the Westfield security!

Moving on, there will be no home game on Boxing Day for the Hammers for the foreseeable future. Great!

Our recent visit to Wembley showed what can be achieved. Spurs have made the Wembley surroundings more like 'home' for just one season than we have done with our 99-year lease.

Their former heroes are at every game proudly wearing club ties and jackets. But it's ok, we have put up a tribute to the late great Bobby Moore - that should appease the 'customers', at least.

On to the squad and manager. If Slaven Bilic wasn't fit for purpose and they had question marks over his position going into his final season, why was he not replaced in the summer!?

The players all knew he has just the one year left, it's there for all to see. There was a serious lack of effort, as was the case with Big Sam in his last six months in charge once they knew he was going.

If, three years ago, someone had offered me the squad we have now I'd have bitten their hand off. But in truth, we have an aging defence and the lack of real investment (as shown by our net spend) has left us lagging behind other, comparable teams.

These are teams that we should be more than competing with, but instead we are currently looking up at. This is hardly "the next level"...

To compete with the 'big clubs' we were informed that we must sell Upton Park and move - that's what they said. And as someone who doesn't expect instant success, I'd buy into what I was sold, but this is far from the dream.

So I put it to Mr Gold, Mr Sullivan and Lady Brady - you haven't delivered on so many levels, so in the words of Lord Sugar:"YOU'RE FIRED!"

I don't trust you! I don't believe in your lies! Lie after lie after lie... broken promises galore... you can call yourself fans, but no fan of this club would have delivered to us what you have! You'll never really care like what we do. FACT!

Terrence Brown and those before you never promised the earth, so we didn't expect it. But the constant rubbish you have fed us has now taken its toll!

I can't even motivate myself to come to watch. I don't want to watch the club I love any more, in a stadium David Sullivan claimed 95 per cent of us are happy in! You don't know or respect your fans customers and you don't want to, either!

And if your statement of intent regarding moving us to "the next level" is Mr David Moyes, then you're even worse than I thought you could be.

Now, not everyone will agree with this but it's all about opinions - and this is mine! Anyway, rant over. I must now go and look for the heart and soul you have ripped out of me.

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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THE LIVERPOOL DEFEAT: WILL IT BE ANOTHER TURNING POINT?
By rapidhammer 13 Nov 2017 at 08:00
WTID

The Liverpool game was my first "live game" in London this season. Together with three friends we had planned to spend a weekend in London at the beginning of November and watch those boys in claret & blue under the lights on Saturday evening. And maybe, well maybe, we were going to be entertained by our Austrian "hero" Marko Arnautovic. However, as we now know, we witnessed another disappointing game – the last one of manager Slaven Bilic in charge of the Irons. Have we witnessed a turning point in West Ham's fortune too?


The trip from Vienna could not have started better. British Airways had us sitting almost three hours in the plane on the runway before we were able to take off for London Heathrow. We were told about heavy fog in west London this morning, but I was sure: if it hadn't been West Ham we would have been there in time …

The weekend was going to start with a concert of blues legend John Mayall on Friday. On the Sunday we wanted to join a service at Holy Trinity Brompton. And on Saturday we thought we were going to be entertained at the London Stadium by West Ham United. Well, John Mayall at Cadogan Hall in South Kensington really was an inspiration. The 84 year old radiated positive mood playing his rhythm'n'blues and one really could feel the joy he takes from standing on stage in front of his audience and playing together with the musicians in his band.

What a contrast to this evening the atmosphere one day later in the London Stadium was! We had been slightly optimistic before the game, thought it would be "so West Ham" to beat the Reds against all odds to kick-start this Premier League season at last. We also tried not to let the sad impressions from the detour we had made on the way to Stratford stand in our way: having decided not to travel directly to the ground from central London, we got to Upton Park to catch a glimpse of the current state of the site that had been the Boleyn Ground. Afterwards we would take the bus 104 from the Boleyn to Stratford.

It was a very strange view when we walked down Green Street from Upton Park station, coming across just a huge heap of excavated earth where the West Stand had towered over the car park only a year ago. There still stands one post painted in claret where in former times the impressive landmark of the John Lyall Gates had been. The narrow Castle Street behind the former Bobby Moore Stand now looks like a wide but deserted avenue, and with Ken's Café closed and the Boleyn Pub far from overcrowded it almost seemed as if there never had been that theatre where Bubbles were blown and dreams been dreamt to be fulfilled or shattered with the final whistle …


Nevertheless the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Compassion, the numerous barbershops and Queen's Market are still there, and the World Cup sculpture is in its place at the junction of Barking Road and Green Street – where in my opinion it should remain, in commemoration of West Ham United's history at the Boleyn Ground, and not be moved to Stratford. The Champions Place in front of the London Stadium deserves to get a new statue, as new Wembley has got a Bobby Moore sculpture of its own.

Well, at Stratford there was no church but a group of singers seeking to evangelize by performing songs in the street. And we couldn't have a pint in an overcrowded pub like the Boleyn or the Queens where you can hardly understand a word talking to your fellow supporters about the upcoming game. Instead of this we got us a treat and a tea at the quiet Caffé Concerto, sitting table to table with Markus Weinzierl, the former Schalke 04 manager. Just some hours later we learned that he had not been the only manager sniffing around West Ham seeking a new job this evening. Then we managed to book a table at Jamie's Italian for dinner after the game and then we headed for the ground.


The atmosphere was slightly optimistic, as I said before, and "Bubbles" rang out like always when the players graced the pitch (without Austrian Marko Arnautovic in the starting IX, as expected). Remembrance Day celebrations were impressive and created a festive atmosphere, but from the start of the game West Ham seemed to be very nervous and lacking confidence and the players hardly were able to string some passes together. Compared to John Mayall's spirit the evening before, West Ham's attitude seemed quite uninspired and everybody was wary of making mistakes. The Irons' continual backward passing instead of making quick runs and troubling Liverpool's defence left us and our fellow supporters at growing unease, and after the Irons' first good chance had been spoilt, minutes later a West Ham corner resulted in a fast counter attack and Liverpool scored. That felt "so West Ham" in a negative way. Then Liverpool got a corner and scored again, just 3 minutes after their first goal.

"The natural state of the football fan is bitter disappointment, no matter what the score," the famous quote from "Fever Pitch" says. But in modern times it seems that being disappointed much too quickly leads to turn one's back on the team. When Liverpool had scored, a lad in front of us in motorbike clothes seized his helmet and left his seat with immediate effect. He wasn't seen on the terraces again.

During the interval we moaned about the "cheap goals" and the drama of two corners, and we wondered if Arnautovic would be given a chance to come on in the second half. But first it was Andy Carroll who Slaven Bilic chose to lead the line together with Chicharito. And things livened up from the start, the crowd got involved a little more, and with Manuel Lanzini's goal the London Stadium became a noisy place and hope rose from the terraces. But only to get slammed in the face just a minute later with Liverpool's next cheap goal!

With Liverpool having restored their two goal lead and the score 1-3, Mark Noble came off and Arnautovic got the nod. He showed some good moves immediately and seemed to try to bring West Ham back in the game, but it didn't take long and he disappeared for the rest of the match. Finally bringing Sakho 20 minutes from time just seemed a last desperate act from the manager whose time was over for sure with this defeat. In the 75th minute Liverpool's 4-1 rang the final signal for West Ham's supporters to leave their seats and let poor Slaven and his squad almost walk alone for the rest of the game, much in contrary to Liverpool's away support celebrating their win by singing a song with this title.

Usually I say that I like the English kind of support which is much more spontaneous and depending on the events on the pitch than the support from the European "Ultras" (as Rapid Vienna's "Block West") whose support is performed throughout the whole game almost no matter what the score. But this time there was almost no spontaneous cheering or singing, the atmosphere in the stadium was quite lifeless most of the time and it seemed the fans had come to the conclusion that this team was not worth being cheered on with "We're West Ham's claret and blue army". They could have needed some permanent ultra-like support, but instead of this the white spots on the terraces got bigger and bigger with the supporters heading for the exits.

My thoughts went back to the old Boleyn Ground: there have been dire games and pathetic performances which I have witnessed at Upton Park too, but I hardly remember such a melancholic and sad atmosphere after a West Ham loss at Upton Park. With the current state of the site in mind which was West Ham's former ground and the empty seats of the current stadium, this trip to London was quite a depressing one as far as football was concerned.

But as always I'm trying to take some positives from my memories and I told my friends at Jamie Oliver's afterwards that I remember having witnessed another 1-4 defeat more than a decade ago which proved to be a turning point and the beginning of a very successful time for my home town club Rapid Vienna. I had been on the terraces together with my son that game, having taken him to his first game at our home ground. Rapid Vienna lost 1-4, and this also became the last game at home before their manager was sacked.


When I looked up that result on the internet it was quite baffling that the name of Bilic appeared alongside the score. Well, of course it wasn't Slaven playing for Rapid but his fellow Croatian Mate Bilic, but the departure of the then manager shortly after this defeat lead to the appointment of Rapid's most successful coach within the last decade. With Peter Pacult at the helm Rapid Vienna was able to win the Austrian Bundesliga and to qualify several times for the Europa League, twice eliminating Aston Villa in the process.

Therefore I think that this 1-4 will also be a turning point for West Ham, as it was for Rapid Vienna 11 years ago. Though David Moyes wouldn't have been my choice as West Ham's new manager things can only get better now, and when I will be back to London in four weeks time for the Chelsea game I will watch a different team, that's for sure, I think!

Hopefully a team showing the commitment and spirit that makes them worth to be cheered on again by the brilliant support I know from former games! Let's hope the new manager (and the future results) are going to instill some confidence and the players find a new way of playing together in a positive way instead of nervously passing backward again and again.

Going back to the example of John Mayall, whose inspiring concert we enjoyed so much more this weekend than the poor performance the trip had been planned around: Let's hope there will be a radiation of positive mood around the London Stadium instead of the negativity that has been produced from the beginning of this season. Mayall's first gold album in 1969 was called "The Turning Point". Let's hope the 1-4 against Liverpool will also have been a turning point with respect to West Ham – something this season is in desperate need of.

There is a German proverb which says, "Hope is the last to die." This proverb goes with the "West Ham way", always blowing bubbles, pretty bubbles in the air. See you in December, reaching for the sky!

Come on you Irons!

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West Ham defender sparks January transfer battle in Italy with agent naming his low asking price
Juventus, AC Milan and Napoli are all keen on a move for the defender in January
Football London
ByRob Guest
07:00, 13 NOV 2017

West Ham left-back Arthur Masuaku could be on the move in January with four Serie A clubs interested in his signature. Napoli are believed to have serious interest in the 24-year-old, while Juventus, AC Milan and Genoa are also keeping tabs on his form for the Hammers. Francesco Lingenti, the player's agent, has targeted a move to Italy for the defender after his previous attempts of a move to Serie A three years ago fell through after a move looked likely. With interest in the player, Lingenti believes West Ham could cash in on him for between €9-10million once the transfer window reopens at the turn of the year. Lingenti, speaking to CalcioNapoli24.it, said: "I offered Arthur to (Napoli director of sport Cristiano) Giuntoli three years ago, then two years ago and now he has probably got the idea… along with Juventus, Genoa and Milan. "Of course there have been talks. The player is being watched very carefully by a few clubs, including Napoli. "We almost signed for Genoa three years ago, then Olympiakos created problems and the deal fell through. Juventus were the first side to send scouts for him four years ago, when he was at Valenciennes in Ligue 1. "Serie A is our objective and hopefully he'll be there in January. For now, Juventus, Napoli and Genoa are in the lead. However, he'd only go to Juventus if the Bianconeri sold Alex Sandro. "Giuntoli has always liked him. I don't know if he would be brought in to pave the way for Ghoulam's exit, but he would certainly be a luxury alternative to have. "West Ham's asking price is around €9-10m, as they paid €7m to get him from Olympiakos in 2016."

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West Ham confirm the first additions to David Moyes' staff as Stuart Pearce returns to the club
JACK ROSSER
ES Sport

West Ham have announced the appointment of David Moyes' first three assistants since most of backroom staff was cleared out in the wake of Slaven Bilic's sacking. Moyes was appointed following Monday's sacking of Bilic off the back of a 4-1 defeat to Liverpool and all but one of the Croatian's staff were also dismissed. Former West Ham and England defender Stuart Pearce has made a return to the club in a coaching role, having managed Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and England U21s in the past.Alan Irvine, who has worked with Moyes in the past and has been working at the club throughout the week, will also join the staff and says he is looking forward to working for a club like West Ham. "I'm delighted to be given this opportunity and am really looking forward to the challenge ahead," he told the club's site. "I obviously know David well from our time together at Preston and Everton, and it was certainly a big attraction to work with him again, as was the thought of coming to a club like West Ham."
The Hammers also announced the intention to bring in Billy McKinlay from his role at Sunderland, who have confirmed that the 48-year-old will be moving to east London.

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