Daily WHUFC News - 24th March 2018

Alese plays full match in England U17s' Brazil loss
WHUFC.com

West Ham United youngster Ajibola Alese played the full contest in England's
U17's 1-0 friendly defeat against Brazil at the Pinatar Arena. Despite the
result, the Irons centre-back has spoken of his enjoyment to be playing for
Steve Cooper's England and the invaluable experience that comes with it.
Alese is no stranger to international football, having previously been
capped at U15 and U16 levels. He made his debut for the U17s earlier this
year, when he was called up to feature for the Three Lions in the Algarve
Tournament. He told whufc.com: "I am enjoying the international experience
a lot. Playing with different players that you're used to at club football
is always good, especially off the pitch to create new relationships.
"Despite losing the game I feel the team put in a good performance, and I'm
satisfied with how I did as well. It was really hot conditions, so it wasn't
easy to play in, but I'm happy with how we played."

A third cap at U17 international level for Alese is the latest step in his
comeback from injury, with the youngster missing a large portion of the
early campaign.
Having played in the first Premier League 2 match of the season, Alese has
now made four appearances at U23s level for the Hammers this season. And
the young defender is ready to maximise what he has learnt from
international football when he returns to club football with West Ham. "In
international football, if you concede first, it's so hard to come back from
a goal down. The standard of the game at this level is impressive. What I
can definitely take back from playing for England is a stronger defensive
mentality and understanding of a different type of football."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hugill off the mark and taking aim at 'massive' Southampton game
WHUFC.com

Jordan Hugill is aiming to play a part in West Ham United's 'massive'
Premier League meeting with Southampton after scoring his first goal for the
Club. The centre forward netted West Ham's third in in Wednesday's 3-1
friendly win at Dagenham & Redbridge, confidently slamming home Ben
Johnson's right-wing cross with three minutes remaining. Hugill had spoken
before the game about catching manager David Moyes' eye and he was delighted
to cap a committed performance with a goal, and now hopes to be given the
opportunity to find the net again when the Saints visit London Stadium on 31
March. "I'd like to think I gave a good account of myself," said the No12,
who has featured twice as a Premier League substitute since his January move
from Championship club Preston North End. "Obviously, the goal was good for
me and good for the team and the 90 minutes I played and the hard work I put
in should put me in the manager's mind. "But, at the end of the day it's
down to the manager and not down to me and it's one of those things where
I'll keep plugging away and plugging away and, when my time comes, I'll be
ready for it. "I'm really excited for the Southampton game, which is a
massive game for the Club and one that, if I play my part in it, I'd be
delighted. It's a massive game so hopefully we can come out on top."

Hugill showed many of the characteristics that made him such a popular
figure at Preston against the Daggers, holding the ball up, battling with
defenders, running in behind and popping up in dangerous positions inside
the Dagenham penalty area. The 25-year-old saw two shots blocked in the
opening 45 minutes and had a second-half strike ruled out for offside, so
when his reward finally came late on, the striker was naturally pleased. "It
was a good run out and I think we did well in the end. The score-line was
good for us and I was obviously delighted to get on the scoresheet. "At the
end of the day, the main thing for me was to get 90 minutes under my belt
and get that work in that I've been missing out on recently, so that was the
main thing for me. "Their lads got a few blocks on my shots on the six-yard
line, so it was a bit disappointing in the first half for me as I felt I
should have had two goals, but I kept working hard and got my reward in the
end.
"I was delighted with the finish in the end but the main thing for me, as I
said, was to get the 90 minutes."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Trott and Cullen both taste international victory
WHUFC.com

Young Hammers Nathan Trott and Josh Cullen both enjoyed international
victories on Thursday evening, for England U20 and Republic of Ireland U21
respectively.
Trott played the 90 minutes in goal for the Young Lions in Poland, who
overcame the handicap of having Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka
sent off by securing a late winner. Aston Villa striker Kienan Davis was the
man on target, scoring with just three minutes left to record a valuable
friendly victory ahead of next week's game against Portugal. Cullen,
meanwhile, skippered Ireland to victory over Iceland, as they warmed up for
a UEFA Euro U21 qualifier against Azerbaijan in the best possible way.
Ireland's Hale brothers, Ronan and Rory, scored either side of Ryan
Manning's goal to secure an impressive 3-1 win.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Austin: Ladies must not underestimate Swindon Town test
WHUFC.com

Chenise Austin has warned her West Ham United Ladies teammates not to
underestimate this weekend's opponents, her former club Swindon Town.
Sunday's fixture with Swindon is an opportunity for the Ladies to continue
their unbeaten run in 2018, with the Irons without a loss in their last
eight matches in all competitions. The Hammers take on a Swindon side that
have endured a difficult campaign in the Premier League Southern Division
this season, former Town defender Austin has cautioned her teammates against
complacency in Sunday's fixture. The centre-back has good memories of her
time at Swindon, which included a title win in her second season, but is
fully focused on securing the three points for the Hammers. "I joined
Swindon in 2014 and had three good years there," Austin recalled to
whufc.com. "We missed out on winning the league by three points in my first
season, but lifting the trophy in my second year is one of the highlights of
my career. "I really enjoyed my time with Swindon, and despite where they
are in the league we can't afford to underestimate them this weekend. They
will be up for the match and, although they've gone through a bit of a
rebuild, they are still a dangerous opponent. I really enjoyed my time there
and still speak to some of the girls I played alongside, but this Sunday is
all about us getting another three points and pushing up the league table."

This Sunday's match is a rearranged fixture and Austin is ready to finally
play against her former team. "Admittedly it's a little infuriating when a
game is called off," she continued. "But, there's not a lot we can do about
it, obviously. We live for our training sessions and then that hard work is
put into practice on a Sunday during a match, so when that match doesn't
happen it is a bit frustrating. If we can keep up our tempo and our pace
from training though, we will be okay going into any game on any Sunday."

Karen Ray's side have the opportunity to make it nine games unbeaten this
weekend and Austin believes this excellent run has been a vital factor in a
positive mood spreading through the camp. With two cup finals to look
forward to, Austin insists that, while the side is anticipating those
matches, the Ladies have their eyes firmly set on Sunday's fixture with
Swindon. She added: "The girls are all buzzing. It's great to be on this
winning streak. The atmosphere around training and during matches is really
positive at the moment. We're looking forward to the Isthmian League Cup and
WPL Plate finals, but we're fully focused on the Swindon game this week.
"We've got to take each game as they come. We want to push up the league
and, right now, this weekend's match is the most important game for us."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Argentina star Lanzini 'loves' playing for West Ham United
WHUFC.com

Manuel Lanzini has asked the Claret and Blue Army to stick behind the West
Ham United team as they fight for their Premier League lives. The popular
No10 had warm words for the supporters who regularly sing his name, praising
them for giving the players confidence whenever they step onto the pitch.
With five of the Hammers' remaining eight matches at London Stadium, that
support could play a big part in helping the team secure their top-flight
future. "We have a fantastic group of supporters who follow us everywhere,"
said Lanzini, who is currently with the Argentina national team preparing
for a friendly meeting with Italy in Manchester on Friday evening. "We're
really lucky to have this amazing, fanatical support that we do and my
message to them would be 'Have hope, please keep on supporting us and help
us'. "It's always nice to play at home as the supporters are there and you
feel them, so you get more confidence. You also feel you have a
responsibility to them to do as well as you can and, if we can keep playing
and getting results, that will see us safe. "I want to say thank you for
your support in every game. Keep going like this. We are fighting with you
and we need to stay all together."

Lanzini himself is approaching the end of his third season in east London
and should pass the 100-appearance mark for the Club before the end of the
campaign.
An influential member of the team, the attacking midfielder is regularly
linked with moves away from West Ham, but insists he is thoroughly enjoying
life a Claret and Blue shirt. "I've always said I am very happy at the Club
and it's a Club where I feel very comfortable and I really enjoy working
with this group of players. I've been here for three years now and I get on
well with a lot of people. We have a lot of big personalities here and big
players here and I truly get on well with everyone at the Club. I always
give 100 per cent to the Club. I don't know what will happen in the future,
but today I am very, very happy and I love playing here."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WWE star Seth Rollins reveals support for West Ham United
WHUFC.com

WWE Superstar Seth Rollins discovered his love for West Ham United through
playing FIFA 18. The two-time WWE Champion tells all about how he
discovered the Hammers, which other WWE Superstars play FIFA 18, and which
Iron would make the best tag-team partner…

Seth, we've heard you're a big fan of FIFA 18, especially playing as West
Ham United. What is it about the Hammers that makes them such an appealing
side to use?

To be honest, before I found West Ham, I sucked. I sucked at FIFA 18. I was
getting my butt kicked by all the Europeans in the locker room and I was
getting laughed at because of how bad I was. I kept trying a bunch of teams,
but I wasn't a big soccer guy, so I found it difficult to find a side that
suited me. I ended up playing with the Hammers one time, and I just fell in
love. I just started winning and, once you start winning, you can't stop. I
wasn't going to stop either. West Ham became my team.

Who are your top guys on FIFA 18 for West Ham United?

I like Chicharito. I like Lanzini. Those are my guys - Lanzini and
Chicharito. They are always my top goalscorers. I like all the big names and
I felt like I could get the job done with those guys better than any other
team. I've also got to give credit where it's due to Joe Hart. He's my
starting goalkeeper and he has won me a lot of games. Defensively, I'm far
from being the best FIFA player. The Hammers are a good defensive team, but
me personally not so much, so Hart has been the glue that holds it together
for me.

Has playing as West Ham on FIFA 18 made you a supporter of the Club?

I suppose it has, yeah. I don't follow the Premier League really closely but
I do enjoy hearing the stories from our European guys. They tell me about
the results now and when something happens with West Ham. It's really cool
and it was also really awesome that, when the Club found out I was a fan,
they sent me a kit with my name on. That was sweet!

Who else on the WWE roster likes playing FIFA 18?

It's a big thing for our European guys. You've got Cesaro. You've got
Sheamus and Finn Balor. Then you've also got Apollo Crews. Kalisto and Gran
Metalik play as well. We've got a well-versed array of WWE Superstars who
get into the FIFA competition. It's been a lot of fun and it's really easy
to pick up and go with on the road. For me, there's nothing better than
whooping some European butt on FIFA 18. I feel pretty proud of myself after
a win.

Who's the best in the locker room?

That's a tough one. It kind of goes all over the place. Apollo is really
good but Gran Metalik is also really good as well. It's a really tough one
to answer. I fancy myself as a player that's getting better and better
every day. I'm constantly improving and finding new tactics to use as West
Ham. I've beaten Apollo and Gran Metalik but they've also beaten me. It's a
very close group of players in that regard.

Which member of our team would make the best WWE Superstar, and would you
welcome that individual into your tag-team, The Shield?

I would have to say Marko Arnautovic. I'm not sure he would be able to get
into The Shield, mind you. That's a pretty exclusive team. But Arnautovic is
my guy.
I think he would cross over very well into the WWE. He's a big lad with
strong legs and a great attitude. I have no doubt he would make a great
character for WWE to have.

Do you have a message for the West Ham players?

Go out there, work hard and hope for some luck. West Ham is a traditional
Club that always puts their best foot forward and I hope the team can climb
up the table.

Watch Seth Rollins and all your favourite WWE Superstars LIVE when WWE Raw
and WWE SmackDown come to the O2 Arena on Monday, 14 May and Tuesday, 15
May. Tickets available from Ticketmaster.co.uk

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers set for Hong Kong dates
KUMb.com
Filed: Friday, 23rd March 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham will be returning to the Hong Kong Football Club this May for the
2018 Soccer Sevens. The Hammers, who have been taking part in the event, now
in it's 19th year, for a number of years will be accompanied this year by
fellow Premier League clubs Newcastle United and, for the first time,
Brighton & Hove Albion.
Meanwhile reigning champions Leicester City and last year's beaten
finalists, Aston Villa, are also set to feature.
The Soccer Sevens is one the world's most popular seven-a-side football
tournaments, where fans can see the stars of tomorrow and some of the
legends of the game in one exciting event. The 2017 tournament featured
teams from nine countries including newcomers from France, Germany and
Italy. This year there will be representation from England, Europe and Asia
once again. This years sevens takes place at the Hong Kong Football Club in
Happy Valley between 18-20 May, with West Ham once again preparing to send a
team from the Academy to represent the club. Tickets for the event are now
available from ticketflap.com, prices at 160HKD for Saturday or Sunday of
300HKD for a weekend pass.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bring on the Saints!
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 23rd March 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham striker Jordan Hugill is hoping to be involved in next weekend's
vital Premier League clash against Southampton. The former Preston striker,
an 'under the radar' £8million capture during the January transfer window is
yet to start a competitive fixture for United since moving from the
Championship in January.
The 25-year-old's comtribution to the first team thus far has amounted to a
total of 12 minutes of football, following late substitute appearances
against Brighton and Watford. However having grabbed his first goal for the
club earlier this week, in the 3-1 friendly win at National League Dagenham
& Redbridge on Wednesday, Hugill is hoping that he may be able to force his
way into David Moyes' plans for the home clash with the Saints. "The goal
was good for me and good for the team, and the 90 minutes I played and the
hard work I put in should put me in the manager's mind," he told whufc.com.
"But, at the end of the day it's down to the manager. "It's one of those
things where I'll keep plugging away and, when my time comes, I'll be ready
for it. I'm really excited for the Southampton game, which is a massive game
for the Club and one I'd be delighted to play my part in. "It's a massive
game so hopefully we can come out on top."

Hugill, who had endured a difficult night for scant reward prior to notching
his 87th-minute effort at Victoria Road was also delighted to get his first
90m inutes under his belt - albeit in a friendly against weaker opposition.
"It was a good run out and I think we did well in the end," he added. "I was
delighted to get on the scoresheet. The main thing for me was to get 90
minutes under my belt and get that work in that I've been missing out on
recently. "Their lads got a few blocks on my shots on the six-yard line, so
it was a bit disappointing in the first half for me as I felt I should have
had two goals, but I kept working hard and got my reward in the end."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Emergency meeting postponed
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 23rd March 2018
By: Staff Writer

An emergency meeting to determine whether the West Ham Supporters Club
should be save has been postponed. The gathering, which had been scheduled
for this Sunday has been cancelled at the last minute due to concerns over
the number of new members being signed up by existing committee members.
However members who are fighting to keep the club in business are still
urging supporters to attend the Boleyn on the corner of Green Street and
Barking Road on Sunday evening in order to deliver a vote of no confidence
in the club's existing committee.
Last year club members voted in favour of dissolving the club, winning a
poll by 17 votes to 10. However an emergency meeting was subsequently set up
for this weekend - 25 March - although that has now been postponed. One of
the key issues for those who wish to keep the Supporters Club in business is
that anyone who has been a member for longer than eight years stands -
thought to equate to around 720 members - stand to land a share of its
assets upon the club's dissolution. And as a result, each member can expect
to land a windfall of around £6,500 due to a rule in the club's constitution
that states all proceeds from the club's sale will be shared equally amongst
its long-term members.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Police to meet fan groups ahead of protests
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 23rd March 2018
By: Staff Writer

The Met Police are to stage a conference with West Ham supporter groups
ahead of next weekend's latest round of proposed anti-Board protests. At
least two separate demonstrations are being planned to take place before the
vital Premier league clash with Southampton on Saturday, 31 March. And as a
result, Police have called upon a number of prominent West Ham websites
including KUMB.com and social media groups to discuss "any areas of concern"
supporters may have regarding the policing of the events. One of the two
planned demonstrations is set to follow a similar path to that which a few
hundred supporters took from Stratford Park to the Olympic Stadium ahead of
the Burnley match earlier this month. Meanwhile a second anti-Board
demonstration is set to begin at Stratford Station at 1pm, with participants
also set to make their way towards the stadium.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The return of Reo-Coker
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 23rd March 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham's captain in the 2006 FA Cup Final has returned to England after
five years in the football wilderness. Nigel Reo-Coker, who in May 2006
became West Ham's youngest captain to lead the club into a major Final has
signed for League One side MK Dons, having been playing abroad since 2013.
"I'm very happy to get the deal over the line," he told mkdons.com. "This a
great opportunity for me and I'm thankful to Dan [Micciche] for giving me
this opportunity. "I feel good and I feel like I have good foundations to
build upon. I've enjoyed my time here so far. The atmosphere of the club
makes it so easy to settle in and everyone has been great since I've been
here – from the backroom staff to the supporters. "
Now 33, Reo-Coker joined West Ham from Wimbledon in a double swoop involving
Adam Nowland in 2004. Having led West Ham to the FA Cup Final in 2006 under
the tutelege of Alan Pardew, he joined Aston Villa the following season in
an £8.5million transfer.
After four years at Villa, the Southwark-born midfielder moved to Bolton on
a free transfer, but he stayed only one year after the Trotters were
relegated from the Premier League in his first season at the Reebok Stadium.
And a brief spell followed with Ipswich Town in the Championship, before he
opted to move abroad in order to join MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps. However
that too proved to be a short stay, with Reo-Coker being traded to fellow
MLS side Chivas in August 2014 and then to Montreal Impact a matter of weeks
later where he remained until January 2016 when his contract was cancelled
by mutual consent.
After a spell without a contract Reo-Coker landed in Spain, signing a
season-long deal with La Liga club Granada. Having failed to be offered a
contract extension he then joined Norwegian first division outfit Start in
May 2017, but hs contract was terminated the following month. Having been
out of the game since last summer, Reo-Coker has been keeping himself busy
with punditry work. However having proved his fitness to MK Dons manager
Micciche, he finds himself back where he started - in the lower echelons of
the Football League.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PHIL PARKES: "I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO SAVE OUR SEASON THIS MONTH - NOT
DESTROY IT!"
By DavidBlackmore 23 Mar 2018 at 17:00
WTID

As a two-time FA Cup winner and member of the Boys of 86, legendary Irons
goalkeeper Phil Parkes knows all about having plenty to play for at the end
of the season – but he fears that this is what could happen to the class of
2018 as well, but not in a good way.


Writing exclusively for "Blowing Bubbles
magazine":http://www.blowing-bubbles.co.uk/ , Parkes admits he is worried by
the club's current predicament, and that the fixture list may not have done
them any favours this month.

"At the start of March, I felt three more wins would be enough to keep us up
but now it's going to be tight. Fighting for your lives to stay in the
league is a horrible position to be in."

Parkes has strong opinions about the current strained relationship between
fans and the club's owners, which he does not shy away from sharing, and
says everything else should take a backseat to ensure the team stays in the
Premier League.

As well as Parkes' views, former team-mate George Parris gives his take on
the current state of things at the London Stadium in his regular column, and
Blowing Bubbles' team of reporters bring you the latest news on all things
claret and blue, including an assessment of this winter's transfer comings
and goings – or the lack of them – the future of the Bobby Moore statue, how
to repair the damage of the Tony Henry scandal, and how Michail Antonio can
recover the form that has made him such a big success in recent years.

All of this and a brutally honest interview with former Irons midfielder
Keiron Dyer – and why he thinks he will go down as the worst signing in club
history – can be found in the latest edition of Blowing Bubbles magazine,
"Out now":http://www.blowing-bubbles.co.uk/

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A TALE OF TWO KEEPERS
By Goatygav 23 Mar 2018 at 08:00
WTID

Keepers don't just command areas, stop shots and distribute the ball. Their
effect on a team is far reaching way beyond the direct physical
contribution. They can pull a defence together. Give confidence to their
centre backs which filters out to the full backs and midfield. Their
communication is a huge contributor to shape, organisation, awareness and
interplay.

Swapping keepers is generally not a good thing. In this season of ups and,
mostly, downs there's been an element of uncertainty about who should, and
has been, between the sticks.

In the pre-season friendlies Joe Hart played most of the games. Cast your
mind back before the '17-'18 campaign kicked off the dandruff-less one could
be easily heard barking commands and information to the back line. Once the
season started this character vanished and a far quieter, less confident,
version of Joe seemed to take the place of the former Manchester City
loanee.

More recently Joe's promotion from the bench has been, in my opinion, a
knee-jerk reaction to the 4 goals conceded in both of the previous two
matches against, the free scoring, Liverpool and resurgent Swansea. If
you're being extremely critical then you might find fault in a couple of
those 8 goals but I believe that it was little fault of Adrian and far more
the overall performance of the team.

Without question Joe was not fully match sharp against Burnley. The third
goal was a clear indication of this fact.

Please don't get me wrong. It really isn't that I don't like Joe Hart. I do.
He has been a hugely positive influence in and around the squad. His human
qualities are up there with the best of them and I was impressed by the way
he quickly jumped in to separate Mark Noble from the pitch invading
protestor a week ago last Saturday. When Joe arrived at the club I was
hopeful that he could put all of his trials and tribulations behind him and
have a great season with us. Not just for West Ham's sakes but for his too –
such was my sentiment towards the player. It's just that since David Moyes
took over and gave Adrian his chance he's grasped it with both hands. For
some time after DM's arrival he was consistently good with his focus and
concentration well 'in the zone'. Apart from all of that it's been quite
tough for Joe Hart knowing that Adrian is something of a talisman of the
club to boot.

I don't propose to know more than the coaching staff. I definitely don't see
everything that they see away from games in training and coaching but I
can't get away from the overriding fact that switching and swapping has done
significant damage to confidence at the back.

For me David Moyes needs to make a decision and stick by it. Perhaps
dropping Adrian has given him a reminder that his concentration levels can't
be allowed to wane and we'll see the same keeper as the one that the Scot
gave a chance to back in December in that memorable performance against
Manchester City which was followed up by the clean sheet against Chelski. If
he goes with Hart then I don't want to see another change in 2 to 3 games
time further disrupting the balance and understanding within the team. My
preference is for Adrian to play in all the remaining fixtures but I'm sure
that those who don't agree will go in to detail about their reasons to
differ and I'm really interested to hear what you have to say.

Worth considering, in the cold light of day, are the stats which bear out
Adrian's claim. The comparison is fair with both players having played 15
Premier League games each this season. Adrian has 4 clean sheets to Joe's 3.
The Spaniard has conceded 24 compared to Hart's 33 with 0 errors leading to
goals vs 3 errors leading to goals respectively. San Miguel has made 50
saves, none from the penalty spot, with 6 punches, 6 high claims, 13 sweeper
clearances and 2 catches. Joe compares with 39 saves, 1 from the penalty
spot, 3 high claims, 6 sweeper clearances and 4 catches. Adrian is
definitely coming and claiming more than Hart as well as making more saves,
letting in less goals and making less mistakes leading to goals. Those
numbers make a contribution to my opinion that Adrian is the better choice
but I genuinely believe that his relationship with the defence is more fully
developed and that back line look more comfortable, and confident, with San
Miguel behind them. Either way I believe it's decision time for David Moyes.

COYI!

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's loan army - how are Snodgrass, Oxford, Martinez and co getting
on?
There's a few players out on loan at the moment from east London
Football London
BySam Inkersole
West Ham Correspondent
16:52, 23 MAR 2018


Reece Oxford

Oxford is currently back in Germany - if he ever really wanted to come back
to London in January is up for debate - for a second loan spell of the
campaign at Borussia Monchengladbach. The defender made only three
appearances in his first stint on the continent before he was recalled by
David Moyes to come back to Rush Green, when he subsequently got injured but
made three further apeparances. Back off to Germany he went and Oxford is
currently injured again but has doubled his Bundesliga appearances tally to
six, plus an appearance in the German Cup. He's currently suffering from a
muscle fibre injury and is not expected back in action until April 12.
Sporting director at Gladbach Max Eberl is a fan of Oxford, so much so that
the club tabled a bid for him in January and so did RB Leipzig. If they come
back in again this summer, Oxford could well make his move to Germany
permanent.

Robert Snodgrass

Well, well, well. Who couldn't have predicted this? The Scotsman has had
excellent season in the Championship with Aston Villa. Some might say that's
his level but he has clearly demonstrated he still has something that
convinced West Ham to shell out £10.2m on him last January. Snodgrass has
played in 33 games for the Villains this season, bagging 12 assists and also
scoring eight goals as the club mount an automatic promotion charge on the
Championship and returning to the Premier League. Snodgrass was criticised
by both Karren Brady and David Sullivan after he left on loan so whether he
even wants to return to the Hammers remains to be seen, despite David Moyes'
best efforts to do so in January. By some distance, he has had the most
successful loan spell away from the club of anyone.

Toni Martinez

The Spanish striker scored a bucket load of goals for the U23s but has found
the step up to senior football a real struggle not only when he amde some
first team appearances for the Hammers, but on-loan as well. Martinez is
currently back in his homeland - probably the best place for him with what's
going on at the London Stadium at the moment - but while he's further away
from West Ham, he's also very far away from a first team chance. He's made
just one start on loaned at Segunda Division side Real Valladolid since he
arrived there in January. Just two other substitute appearance is the total
of his exertions. He does have a 100 per cent record in those three
appearances though - he's picked up a yellow card in every one of them.

Reece Burke

Another player who started the season away on loan, came back to West Ham
for a few games and then went back on loan again for the rest of the season.
The centre back, who scored the winner for West Ham in their FA Cup third
round replay win over Shrewsbury, returned to Bolton in January, having
started the season there as well. He struggled to get in the team for a
period just before Christmas before he returned to the Hammers but has
played well sine returning to the Macron and has made 21 appearances in all
for the Championship outfit this season, helping himself to a solitary goal
as well in the division. With West Ham short of centre backs, Burke could
have been a useful option at the moment but as it is, he's not with the club
but the talk is that he still has a future at the Hammers - if he wants it.

Moses Makasi

The Hammers midfielder joined Plymouth Argyle on loan for the remainder of
the season on transfer deadline day and to be fair to him, has done pretty
well so far.
He's scored one goal and it was an important one as well to help earn Argyle
a point against Plymouth and has been getting rave reviews from his new
teammates in the west country. Skipper Jamie Ness said: "He has done really
well, the two games he has come in. He has not played league football
before, so that's obviously a massive step up from reserve level." He's
started the last two games on the bounce as well and looks to be making the
most of his first team opportunity.

Martin Samuelsen

Sigh, another frustrating loan spell for the Norwegian youngster away from
West Ham. It was supposed to be different this time and he has started off
well at Burton Albion in his latest adventure not in east London but in
recent weeks has really struggled with injury. He's currently sidelined with
an illness which forced him to miss the last two Brewers games and also
having to withdraw from the Norway U21s squad for their upcoming friendlies.
It's yet another loan spell filled with rotten luck for the youngster, who
has has spells away with Blackburn and Peterborough go the same way.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Manuel Lanzini dismisses West Ham summer exit amid Liverpool transfer
speculation as he says: 'I am very, very happy and love playing here'
Manuel Lanzini committed his future to the club beyond the summer
The Argentine has been the subject of repeated speculation over his future
Despite recent problems, he also praised the club's 'amazing, fanatical
support'
By Patrick Boyland For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 16:42, 23 March 2018 | UPDATED: 16:51, 23 March 2018

Manuel Lanzini has played down talk of a summer move away from West Ham,
saying he is 'very, very happy' at the London Stadium. A key performer in an
otherwise disappointing season for the Hammers, Lanzini has been the subject
of consistent speculation over his future in recent months, with the likes
of Liverpool linked with a move for his signature. But in the clearest
indication yet that he is expecting to stay with West Ham beyond this
summer, the talented midfielder has reaffirmed his commitment to the East
End club. 'I've always said I am very happy at the club and it's a club
where I feel very comfortable and I really enjoy working with this group of
players,' he told West Ham's official website. 'I've been here for three
years now and I get on well with a lot of people. We have a lot of big
personalities here and big players here and I truly get on well with
everyone at the club. 'I always give 100 per cent for the club. I don't know
what will happen in the future, but today I am very, very happy and I love
playing here.'

Tensions have been high at the London Stadium of late, with several fans
invading the pitch during the recent Premier League game against Burnley and
a series of negative chants aimed towards the directors' box by a section of
the crowd. However, Lanzini instead chose to praise the club's supporters
for their continued backing in difficult circumstances. He added: 'We're
really lucky to have this amazing, fanatical support that we do and my
message to them would be "Have hope, please keep on supporting us and help
us." 'It's always nice to play at home as the supporters are there and you
feel them, so you get more confidence. You also feel you have a
responsibility to them to do as well as you can and, if we can keep playing
and getting results, that will see us safe.'

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers Drop Huge Hint As To Whether Manager Moyes Will Stay Beyond Season's
End
West Ham United
POSTED BY: LUKE GLANVILLE 23/03/2018
MooreThanJustaClub

West Ham United have hinted about the future of manager David Moyes whose
six-month contract runs out at the end of the 2017/2018 season, in an
Interview with the Scotsman on their Official Website WHUFC.com.

The Hammers are currently in the midst of a three-week break from
competitive action which culminates in the first International break of the
year and this is what the man who took over from Slaven Bilic last November
proclaimed he will be up to when the Internationals are in action.

"I'm actually going to use the end of the week and over the weekend to go
and visit the pre-season sites for where we're going to pre-season, so I'll
try and go and get that done correctly.

"On route, I'll take in a game or two and see if I can see some of the
players play in international games," announced the former Manchester United
gaffer.

"I want to do it myself and make sure that we get things right. There are
things that I'm doing that I've done in the past and I've got to go and see
two or three training sites and I'm going to spend this weekend going and
looking at pre-season camps and getting everything in place for the start of
next season, really."

With several of his first-team away on International duty with their
respective nations, including the likes of defender Angelo Ogbonna and
midfielder Manuel Lanzini, Moyes is taking the opportunity to put plans in
place for the summer.

Since taking over at London Stadium, the 54-year-old has led a revival of
the Hammers team which included an impressive run of form between the start
of December and the start of February where they only lost one Premier
League match.

Off the back of a frustrating January Transfer Window, however, rumours did
circulate about Moyes' possible departure at the conclusion of the term,
thigh they were quickly quashed by the club.

The boss' International break activities will help to put negative
speculation about his future to rest for now, although it must be noted that
the terms of his contract include an end of season discussion to decide his
possible future at the club.

The last month has seen the Irons slip back into relegation trouble with
three defeats on the spin in the English Top-Flight, meaning a rapid fall
down the bottom half to 17th and a mere two points above the bottom three.

But with nine matches remaining to turn things around once again for West
Ham and with the clear backing of the board and Hammers legends such as Tony
Cottee, not many are predicting Moyes side to drop down to the Sky Bet
Championship.

The ex-Everton leader of 11 years, should he keep the East Londoners in the
PL, will be hoping to stabilise the club much like he was able to do to the
Toffees during his highly-successful spell at Goodison Park.

The Easy London outfit have flirted with relegation in their first two
seasons since moving from the Boleyn Ground to the London Stadium now and
the sooner they get to the magic 40 points mark, the better.

Moyes and assistant Alan Irvine both flew out to Europe on Thursday, while
the players that featured in Wednesday night's #SaveTheDaggers friendly
victory over Dagenham & Redbridge recovered at Rush Green under the guidance
of Stuart Pearce and Billy McKinlay.

Moyes is in Austria viewing various different training camps, where West Ham
have journeyed in the two previous pre-seasons and is expected to catch up
with Marko Arnautovic and the Austria squad at some point.

Whereas, Irvine is viewing German locations, where the Irons have also
visited frequently in the last few summers, here is what Moyes had to say
about how his players will be training over the weekend.

"We're training with a smaller group of eight or nine players and we'll also
use it to bring up some of the young players and give them a chance to show
what they can do at the training ground as well."

When he returns to East London on Monday, the manager will be readying his
players for a relegation six-pointer with Southampton on the final day of
March at London Stadium.

Mark Hughes' Saints are a position below in 18th and it's clear to see that
whether Moyes will remain in the hot seat at the club beyond May will have a
lot to do with the upcoming clash, a defeat could see the Hammers fall into
the relegation zone with just a month-and-a-half of the season remaining,
while three points could propel them away from danger.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham fans split over future of Supporters Club as vote to decide its
fate is postponed
KEN DYER
ES Sport

A row is raging over the potential closure of the long-standing West Ham
United Supporters Club, although the vote to decide its fate has been
postponed. Formed in 1947, the group is the oldest supporters association
linked to West Ham but some of its 720 members want it dissolved and the
assets shared. The supporters club meet in their new headquarters at Stour
Place, near the London Stadium, after their previous base in Castle Street,
near the Boleyn Stadium, was closed on health and safety grounds last year.
Rule 32 of the group's constitution states should the club be dissolved, the
assets are split between those who have been members for more than eight
years. The club's assets include two properties plus the building in Castle
Street and there are thought to be between 40-50 people who would therefore
stand to receive around £6,500 each.
An Emergency General Meeting was held several months ago, when a vote ended
17-10 in favour of dissolving the club. This was followed, in January, by a
meeting of the five-strong club committee which voted unanimously against
the action. Since then, another emergency meeting voted 17-10 to arrange a
Special General Meeting at the Boleyn pub in Barking Road on Sunday. This
meeting was today postponed due to questions over members signed up by new
members of the committee. West Ham have committed around £20,000 to pay for
all hire costs of the club's headquarters at Stour Place site until the end
of this season.

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

http://vyperz.blogspot.com