Daily WHUFC News - 9th January 2018

Bournemouth or Wigan await replay winners in round four
WHUFC.com

The winners of the Hammers' Emirates FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury Town will travel to AFC Bournemouth or Wigan Athletic in the fourth round. Monday night's draw pitted either the Hammers or the Shrews against the winners of another replay, after the Cherries drew 2-2 at home to League One promotion chasers Wigan. Bournemouth needed a last-gasp leveller from Steve Cook to earn their replay after the Latics had at one stage led 2-0 thanks to Will Grigg and an own goal by Emerson Hyndman. Eddie Howe's men came back, and like the Hammers they will have a second opportunity to make progress. The fourth round ties will be played on the weekend of 26-29 January. Full ticketing and fixture details for the Hammers' third round replay will be confirmed shortly.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Cullen smiling again thanks to West Ham medical team
WHUFC.com

Josh Cullen is smiling again, thanks to West Ham United's quick-thinking medical staff. The midfielder had a front tooth knocked out after receiving a high boot to the face from Shrewsbury Town captain Abu Ogogo in Sunday's 0-0 Emirates FA Cup third round draw. The 10,000-strong crowd and a live BBC television audience of millions collectively winced as Cullen's incisor flew through the air before landing on the turf at Montgomery Waters Meadow.

West Ham's first-team doctor Richard Weiler and physiotherapist Fraser Young went to the 21-year-old's aid, with the former locating the rogue tooth and placing it in a cup of milk, and the latter stemming the bleeding inside Cullen's mouth with a piece of gauze. The brave player walked to the touchline, where his blood-stained shorts were replaced, but not before the Academy of Football graduate was told to re-enter the game in his underpants by coach Stuart Pearce – a man accustomed to playing through the pain barrier himself!

A fresh pair of shorts were located and Cullen was allowed to play out the remaining 15 minutes of the game before he was driven to hospital by a member of the Shrewsbury Town groundstaff. There, the tooth was replaced in the youngster's mouth and held in place with a splint. "The Doc found the tooth and put it in a cup of milk as the calcium in there helps to keep the tooth alive and as healthy as possible," Cullen explained. "A member of the Shrewsbury groundstaff took me to hospital straight after the final whistle, so I'd like to thank them, as well as the medical staff at the hospital for being top-class when I got there. "They put the tooth back in and fitted me with a little brace to keep it in place, so I haven't got a gap, even though I saw Nobes tweeted 'Mind the gap' during the game!

"When I went off and after I'd had treatment, I was waiting for the kit man to get me a new pair of No33 shorts from the dressing room and Stuart Pearce was encouraging me to go back on in my pants! He's not the sort of guy you normally say 'No' too, but the fourth official put his arm across and wouldn't let me."

Amazingly, Cullen had the same tooth loosened in an aerial challenge during the Hammers' Premier League Cup final victory over Hull City at the Boleyn Ground in April 2016, but now he is set to have it fixed once and for all.

On Monday, the Republic of Ireland U21 captain met a dental specialist and will undergo root canal treatment next week to repair the damage. In the meantime, and for a period after the surgery, Cullen will wear a gumshield to prevent further injury. "Two of my teeth need root canal treatment, which we will fit in around the games we've got coming up, and once my mouth calms down a bit. "It's being held in place by a splint across the front at the moment and I can't eat anything too hard, so I'm sticking to pasta, soft stuff and chopping my food up small to ensure I keep my energy levels up and I can get back to training at Rush Green. "To be honest, my lip is a bit swollen and that's the sorest part. The teeth are throbbing a bit, but I'm on painkillers so it's not too bad, and I just want to get back to playing football. I'll be fine!"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ray 'far from satisfied' with goalless Gillingham draw
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Ladies interim head coach Karen Ray has expressed her frustration with the team's 0-0 draw against Gillingham on Sunday. The Ladies began 2018 with a home game against the side that bested them 1-0 on the opening day of the season, in a match void of quality chances or indeed noteworthy incident.
While a share of the points was a better result than the reverse fixture against the Gills, Ray is still disappointed with large aspects of the team's performance at Rush Green. "It was a very frustrating game, and I am not someone who can hide their emotions," Ray told whufc.com. "I don't think the girls were close to being at their best and that is hard for us all to accept. We all know what we are capable of and if we aren't going to perform well we still need to find a way to win.
"I am far from satisfied with the performance; a lot of players were below their usual level."

Goalscoring opportunities were at a premium for both sides in a tricky contest over the weekend. The Hammers came closest thanks to efforts from Chloe Burr and Andria Georgiou, while Gillingham saw a free-kick drift just wide of the woodwork. While Ray was understandably concerned about the team's quality in attack the General Manager was delighted with how her side held firm to keep a clean-sheet. Ray continued: "We managed to give Gillingham very little goal scoring opportunities, which is a credit to the defensive group. However, we have to produce more quality going forward, particularly in and around the final third. Getting shots on target and being clinical in front of goal is a must, we need to attack with purpose. "Taking a point today and being disappointed shows that as a team our expectations and aspirations are high. I don't want to take anything away from Gillingham as they showed great resilience and frustrated us. They made it difficult for us to break them down, so credit to them."

The 0-0 against Gillingham was West Ham Ladies' first game in a number of weeks, after a festive break, but the Hammers went into the match without a number of first team players. Ray reckons the inclusion of these names could have turned the fixture in West Ham's favour but has called on the side to show more character ahead of the next clash, away to Brislington. "We have players still away as this game was added to our schedule late on, as well as a couple of injuries, and I think with a couple of those players here today it could have been different," Ray added. "But I also believe we need to show character. If we're going to win games in this league, we have to have different sides to us – we have to find a way to win even when we are not playing well and we have to find a way to score when we aren't on fire." "It comes down to mentality; you have to be accountable for what happens when you cross the white line and as staff we need to search for what we could have done differently and rectify it for this weekend."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Burke and Cullen impress on return to West Ham colours
WHUFC.com

Academy of Football graduates Reece Burke and Josh Cullen produced impressive performances in West Ham United's goalless Emirates FA Cup third-round draw at Shrewsbury Town on their return from loan spells at Bolton Wanderers. The Hammers were below-par at Montgomery Waters Meadow on Sunday, as manager David Moyes admitted after the tie, which will now be settled by a replay at London Stadium on the evening Tuesday 16 January. However, the two youngsters, as well as fellow Academy product Declan Rice, could be absolved of blame for West Ham's struggles in seeing off their League One opponents at the first attempt.

Republic of Ireland U21 captain Cullen was the star of the show, using the ball intelligently and making six tackles playing on the right of a three-man midfield.
A neat, tidy and combative player very much in the mould of his mentor Mark Noble, the 21-year-old returned from his loan spell at Bolton Wanderers and showed Moyes the qualities that saw him win widespread acclaim at Bradford City last season.

Cullen was always willing and available to receive possession, with his 57 touches of the ball only exceeded by the 83 made by fellow countryman Rice, 64 by fellow Bolton loanee Burke and 61 by midfield partner Pedro Obiang. The diminutive midfielder put in seven crosses – one more than all of his teammates combined – and won a team-high five free-kicks for his side.

The Westcliff-on-Sea born player also showed his courage by playing on to complete the full game, despite losing his front tooth after receiving a high boot to the face from Shrewsbury captain Abu Ogogo with 15 minutes remaining Cullen's bravery in continuing was praised by his teammates, BBC pundits Gary Lineker and Ian Wright and fans of West Ham and other clubs on social media.

Burke (above) was also impressive, playing in a right wing-back role that same him combine often with his close pal. The defender stuck to his task well, making a team-high seven tackles, along with six clearances and an interception. The 21-year-old even produced one of West Ham's two on-target goal attempts with a first-half header.

Last but by no means least, Rice continued his recent form playing on the left of Moyes' three-man defence, making six interceptions and two tackles to go alongside a team-high 83 touches and six clearances.
The 18-year-old again showed great composure, particularly when his team came under pressure from the Shrews, positioning himself superbly on numerous occasions and never being afraid to carry the ball forward when the opportunity arose. With the replay falling between two important Premier League fixtures with Huddersfield Town and FC Bournemouth, it would come as no surprise if Moyes were to again put faith in these three talented youngsters when Shrewsbury visit London Stadium a week on Tuesday.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic was right on Foxes flop
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th January 2018
By: Staff Writer

Slaven Bilic bore the brunt of heavy criticism during the summer for rejecting the opportunity to sign Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho. Co-owner David Sullivan was reported to have arranged a deal to buy the 21-year-old from Manchester City during the summer for a fee in the region of £25million. However the move collapsed after Bilic insisted that the player would be a poor fit for West Ham. At the time, Bilic was panned by many supporters for spurning the opportunity to sign the young goalscorer.

However hindsight suggests that the Croat may have been right after all, with the news that Leicester - Iheanacho's current club - are ready to offload him less than six months after striking the same £25million deal with Manchester City. Since joining the Foxes, the Nigerian international has made just two Premier League starts and was introduced as a late substitute during the weekend's FA Cup 3rd round draw with Fleetwood Town.

And new Leicester boss Claude Puel is understood to have indicated that Iheanacho - who has scored just one goal for Leicester since moving from Manchester - can leave on a permanent basis should he be able to find a new club. The biggest obstacle standing in the way of a speedy move however is the player's £115,000 weekly wage, agreed when he signed a five-year contract prior to the start of the current season.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Former Hammer favourite for Stoke role
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 8th January 2018
By: Staff Writer

Former Hammers boss Slaven Bilic is odds-on to succeed Mark Hughes as manager of Stoke City. The 49-year-old was fired by West Ham in November following a poor start to the current campaign. However he could be set to return to management within the next few days according to the bookies.

Bilic, who has remained in London with his family is currently 4/5 favourite to succeed Hughes, closely followed in the betting by Gary Rowett and former Leicester and Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill. However it is understood that the Croat has also been contacted by Football Australia with view to taking the vacant managerial position with the Socceroos, which was recently vacated by Ange Postecoglou.

Speaking recently to the media, Bilic insisted that he was ready to take up his next role in management following his departure from West Ham. "I know where I stand in the map of world managers," he told the Mail. "I can afford a break but can't switch off my phone for a year like Guardiola or Mourinho. "I was at West Ham only a few weeks ago. On the other hand, I feel so rested. I am ready. You don't always realise your batteries need recharging when you are in the middle of everything. "It's always better to go into a job at the start of the season but football can't be perfect. If the right one comes next week, it's something that comes. I have proved myself here in England; I don't feel like a stranger."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Watford interested in Swansea's Alfie Mawson
By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 08/01/18 1:52pm
SSN

Watford are rivalling West Ham with interest in Swansea defender Alfie Mawson, Sky Sports News understands. The 23-year-old England U21 international is highly sought-after following a string of impressive displays, despite the Swans' struggles at the foot of the Premier League table. Sky Sports News reported last week that West Ham boss David Moyes is targeting a new centre-back during the January transfer window after losing Jose Fonte to injury in October. West Ham want Mawson, who has 18 months left on his current contract, but Swansea do not want to sell him in the January window. Mawson insisted in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports earlier this month that he was concentrating on the ongoing relegation battle and that talk of a transfer was just that - "talk".
He said: "Whatever happens, happens. If offers come in then that is nothing to do with me. All I can do is affect my performances. I'm a Swansea player and I want to do well here. "It is flattering to hear certain things but I have got to do what I can for this club. I'm contracted for another two-and-a-half years after this, whether that is in the Championship or hopefully in the Premier League, I am signed to be here so that's all it is at the moment, it's just talk."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
THE YOUNG HAMMERS - FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL FOR THEIR FIRST TEAM OPPORTUNITY
By HamburgHammer 8 Jan 2018 at 08:00
WTID

Hooray, football is finally back in Hamburg! Alright, not the proper league stuff yet, but even at the lower league level of my second club Concordia the winter break is short and needs must. First training session of 2018 took place on Friday and yesterday there was a midseason friendly indoor tournament to help the lads burn away any excess calories of their Christmas and New Year dinners. This tournament is a quite traditional event by now, Cordi organise the whole lot and invite nine other teams from East Hamburg to compete for very little money but a lot of pride at stake. The nice thing is that it's only local derbies, in fact you can't get much more local than this, the longest trip any team had to make for this one was an 8 mile journey.

I have to admit that indoors football is not really my cup of tea, you tend to see a lot of goals, granted, but playing indoors also involves the risk of injuries waiting to happen and all those shots bouncing off the boards in a confined space make it a very acquired taste. I prefer the outdoor version.

But it was a welcome opportunity to watch some live footie again, plenty of games in quick succession, each lasting a mere ten minutes, I could also wish the other known faces from the local fan scene a Happy New Year, have some banter and also not worry too much about the results on the pitch, sorry, the basketball court.

To cut a long story short, Cordi were playing some awful football (still a bit rusty I reckon) but like an experienced horse at the end of the day they only jumped as high as they needed to, made it to the final regardless and won the trophy after a thrilling penalty shootout (What did you expect ? This is Germany!).

I made it back home, just as our Cup tie at Shrewsbury had finished which was convenient as I could put on a Hammers shirt and start watching the recording immediately…

Well, to be fair it wasn't exactly a Cup Classic, was it ? Once again we failed to put our stamp on the game, create a number of goalscoring opportunities or even pass the ball to a teammate with any conviction. And while Shrewsbury are a very talented and organised outfit they are still a League One club. So seeing us stumble and stutter our way to a replay wasn't beautiful. It would have been even more dreadful if it hadn't been for the efforts of our East London kindergarten out there, with some very decent shifts put in by Declan Rice, Reece Burke, Toni Martinez and last but not least, Mr.Josh Cullen.

Not only did he make some very tidy interceptions, playing some nice passes into the bargain, he also literally put his body on the line by way of taking a kick in the North and South. I could sympathise a lot with Cullen in that fateful moment as I lost some teeth in similar fashion when I was around the same age. To then finish the game and still throw yourself into blocks and challenges takes a lot of guts and I can only applaud young Cullen for his bravery and exemplary display of willingness to take one for the team and go right through the pain barrier.

I won't blame our youngsters for failing to take the game by the scruff of the neck and win it, for that to happen our more experienced players would have been required to play a bit more like the footballers of Premier League standard they presumably are. In fact, I'd say our youngsters were by far the best players on the pitch wearing claret and blue, grazing The New Meadow.

It's too small a sample size yet to decide if Cullen and Burke should remain on the fringes of our first team now or if we should send them back to Bolton on loan for the rest of the season (their only options now after playing in the Cup game against Shrewsbury).

I will always advocate the idea of giving our youngsters a shot at first team football. I think guys like Rice, Oxford, Burke, Cullen, Quina and Martinez all have a decent chance to make the step up, some sooner (like Rice and Oxford), others maybe later (the rest).

In any case I think it's well worth it to keep some patience with them as they are unlikely to command high transfer fees anyway should we decide to sell them.
And knowing our rather thrifty approach in the transfer market I'd rather see us showing some trust in our prospects instead of getting out the scattergun, signing some South American punts who might be able to adjust to Premier League football given some time or crash and burn quickly.

Our business in the transfer window will be highly interesting because it might give us some answers (again) in terms of the actual level of our board's ambition.
Will we be happy enough to simply replace the players we ship out ?
Or will we push the boat out just a little bit further and try to nail down a quality signing or two if possible ?

Will the owners really be happy to just stay up ? Or will we give it a genuine shot to finish at least in a more respectable midtable position ? I reckon we should go for the latter as it can only help our transfer business in the summer if we finish as high as possible.

Players surely prefer to join a club that finished 10th instead of one that only just escaped relegation on the last day of the season. I'd love to see one or two quality signings arriving in the next few weeks, but I won't be holding my breath and I will definitely continue going to bed during the transfer window!

Another quick final word on Concordia: The transfer window is open for the lower leagues in Germany as well and it's mindblowing with how much of a turnover my local side will have to cope, full on revolving door style. Six players have already left during the break, with three new faces coming in and more ins and outs to follow. Cordi have also just now filled an urgent vacancy by finally hiring a new vice president/director of football. And after playing a hugely underwhelming first half of the season they have also had to quickly adjust their short term goals and ambitions. Promotion to the next level is already out of the question for this season at least, so it looks like it'll have to be baby steps for the time being, slow and steady progress from now on. So unfortunately it's not all roses, wine and sunshine at Concordia either my dear fellow Hammers…

One thing's for sure. January won't be boring for West Ham either, with plenty of twists and turns lurking with intent, on and off the pitch. Let's hope the rollercoaster will be kind and we don't get stuck, hanging upside down in a looping…COYI!!!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

http://vyperz.blogspot.com