Daily WHUFC News - 25th May 2018

James Collins to leave West Ham United
WHUFC.com

West Ham United can confirm that James Collins will leave the Club when his
contract expires on 30 June. Collins will depart having made 214 appearances
across two spells spanning ten seasons in Claret and Blue. The centre-half,
who turns 35 in August, initially joined the Hammers from Cardiff City
alongside close friend Danny Gabbidon in July 2005, making his debut in a
League Cup second round victory at Sheffield Wednesday in September of the
same year. He initially spent four years in east London before moving to
Aston Villa. The former Wales international returned to West Ham in the
summer of 2012 and established himself as a regular starter under Sam
Allardyce following the Club's promotion to the Premier League. Collins'
final appearance saw him don the captain's armband for the last few minutes
of the Hammers' 3-1 Premier League win over Allardyce's Everton on 13 May
2018.
Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold said: "We would like to place
on record our sincere thanks for the outstanding service James has given
West Ham United down the years. "His bravery and commitment on the pitch
were never called into question and he has played his part in establishing
the Club in the Premier League since his return in 2012. "We appreciate just
how popular James is among our fellow supporters but, with the appointment
of a new manager, we felt together that the time was right to go our
separate ways. "It goes without saying that we wish James and his family
every success in the future and they will always be welcome at London
Stadium."
Former France defender Patrice Evra will also depart when his contract
expires on 30 June. The 37-year-old arrived on a short-term contract in
February 2018 and made five appearances in Claret and Blue.
The Club will also release youngsters Korrey Henry, Rosaire Longelo and
Rihards Matrevics at the end of their scholarships. West Ham United would
like to thank all five players, and Collins in particular, for their hard
work and commitment and wish them all the best with their future careers.

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The Ginger Pele - James Collins' ten seasons in Claret and Blue
WHUFC.com

James Collins became a true hero to the Claret and Blue Army during his ten
seasons in a West Ham United shirt. The flame-haired defender was just 21
when he swapped his native South Wales and Cardiff City for the bright
lights of east London and the Hammers in July 2005. While the early months
of his West Ham career were affected by injuries, competition for places -
Anton Ferdinand, Tomas Repka, Christian Dailly and his close friend and
former Cardiff teammate Danny Gabbidon were also part of Alan Pardew's
newly-promoted squad - and six losses in his first nine appearances, Collins
waited patiently for his chance to impress, making his debut in a League Cup
second-round victory at Sheffield Wednesday in September 2005.

Collins' second season also took time to get going but, when it did, it
really took off as he returned to the team for the unforgettable nine-match
'Great Escape' from relegation, which culminated in a typically resilient
display from the defender in the 1-0 final-day win at champions Manchester
United. However, his West Ham career would take a backward step as first new
manager Alan Curbishley chose Ferdinand and Matthew Upson as his
first-choice partnership at the start of the 2007/08 season, then Collins
himself suffered a serious knee injury in a reserve-team game at Portsmouth
in January 2008, ruling him out for nine months.

Collins forced his way back into the team in October 2008 and stayed there
but, early the following season, joined Aston Villa in a £5million deal.
However, his West Ham career was far from over. After three seasons with
Villa, for whom he appeared in the 2010 League Cup final defeat by
Manchester United, the then-28-year-old returned to the Hammers for a fee of
around £2.5million in August 2012. He made a career-high 30 starts in
2012/13, scoring two memorable headers in an FA Cup third-round tie with
Manchester United under the Boleyn Ground floodlights, and was part of a
strong defensive unit that also included Winston Reid, James Tomkins and
Joey O'Brien. Collins continued to play his part as he moved into his
thirties, signing a new contract on Christmas Eve 2015, and his status among
West Ham supporters grew as quickly as his striking orange beard.

Nicknamed the Ginger Pele by the Claret and Blue Army, the proud Welshman
helped the Hammers qualify for Europe in back-to-back seasons and featured
25 times as the Club supported by his Essex-born wife Sam and her family bid
farewell to the Boleyn Ground in 2015/16. Collins was named captain for the
Boxing Day trip to AFC Bournemouth on Boxing Day 2017 and celebrated by
scoring his ninth and final goal for the Club. And it was only fitting that
the 34-year-old signed off his West Ham career by wearing the armband, which
was handed to him by his teammate and friend of the past 13 years, Mark
Noble, in the final-day victory over Everton at London Stadium in May 2018.

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West Ham United announce backroom staff departures
WHUFC.com

West Ham United can today confirm a number of departures from the first team
coaching and medical departments. Goalkeeping Coach Chris Woods, Head of
Medical Services Gary Lewin, Club Doctor Ian Beasley and Head of Fitness
Nick Davies have all left the Club with immediate effect. Following the
arrival of Manuel Pellegrini as manager, a restructuring of the coaching and
backroom staff is currently underway, with several new appointments set to
be confirmed in due course.
The Club would like to thank Chris, Gary, Ian and Nick for their excellent
service and commitment. They leave with the Club's gratitude and respect and
West Ham United wish them all the very best in the future.

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David Gold: We've appointed a winner who is still hungry for success
WHUFC.com

West Ham United Joint-Chairman David Gold has expressed his delight at
securing the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini as manager and has described
the Chilean as 'a winner still hungry for success'. The former Villarreal,
Real Madrid, Malaga and Manchester City boss arrived at London Stadium this
week on a three-year deal and has made an immediate impression with his
eagerness to gain knowledge of all areas of the Club and his vision for the
future. Speaking exclusively to West Ham TV, Mr Gold said: "I think it's
fantastic. Here is a manager of great reputation, who has been there and
done it. A man who I think has won four league titles in four different
countries, which is remarkable. "Let's hope he can do something special - I
think he will. I've only met him a couple of times, but I've found him very
warm and friendly, but very determined. Everything you see about him is
determination - he wants to know about everything. "He is a football man
but, most of all, I get the impression he is a winner. And he is still
hungry to succeed. I think that's terrific, that's what we want to see."

With the new manager now in place, the focus turns to the summer recruitment
process that will undoubtedly see new faces arrive, but the Joint-Chairman
believes that Pellegrini already has a strong base to build upon. "There is
no question that he is inheriting a decent squad," he said. "We finished
13th, but if we hadn't suffered the awful injuries we had, we could have
finished higher up the league with our full squad. "Yes, of course, we need
to add to it and, to that extent, Manuel is already planning and working on
that. I think he is talking about four or five players - as we were talking
about four or five players, and so straight away we are in agreement about
what should be done."

The Joint-Chairman spent time with the new manager on Wednesday afternoon at
the Club's Academy headquarters at Chadwell Heath, where the pair met
Academy Director Terry Westley to discuss the £3 million redevelopment plans
at the site scheduled for this summer. "Manuel wants to look at the plans,
he is excited about it and he is impressed," said Mr Gold. "He wants to know
about what it is going to deliver. He talks about the importance of young
players and I like to hear that from a manager. "I've been in this business
for 25 years and most managers talk about the here and now - what are you
going to deliver tomorrow? They don't look too much to the future, but
Manuel did - he was keen to talk about the young players, and to see the
facility and the money we are spending here."

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Manuel Pellegrini coming to West Ham is good for English football - Graham
Hunter
WHUFC.com

Journalist, author, broadcaster and Spanish football expert Graham Hunter
shares his personal experiences of West Ham United's new manager Manuel
Pellegrini...

FIRST OF ALL, I AM THRILLED that Manuel Pellegrini is back in British sport.
I like him very much as an individual and I have worked around him quite a
lot, especially at Villarreal, who were the team I covered in the UEFA
Champions League for UEFA.com. Not only did I enjoy his football a lot and
the way they played, but I really liked his integrity and the way he treated
people in general, which was quite old-school. He gives you your due if you
merit it and does not judge you on supposed ideas, but what he finds. I'm
only a journalist, but the way he treated me translates to the way he treats
his players, too. I'm also pleased that he is back because I genuinely
believe is abilities, his attitude and his contacts across European football
have much they bring to the Premier League.

WHILE I'VE GOT LINKS WITH WEST HAM through being friendly with the likes of
Russell Brand, Tony Gale, Matt Lorenzo and Frank McAvennie, and had huge
respect for John Lyall due to his links with the Scottish island of Lewis
and Harris where my mother was brought up, and therefore I have a soft spot
for the Club, but I'm still not a West Ham fan. My viewpoint is that Manuel
coming to West Ham is good for English football, because I believe he's very
talented. I think he inherited a pretty difficult job at Manchester City
which, even if you look at Pep Guardiola's first year, even with huge
investment, it was hard for him to get it right first time. I also firmly
believe that across many sectors of English football, the news of him taking
the City job was met with scepticism and 'Who is this guy?' which I don't
think he merited. Those I know at Manchester City who had to deal with him
adored him. They found him to be a gentleman, true to his word, bright about
football, and therefore I'm pleased for West Ham as this is a
forward-thinking appointment.

WEST HAM HAVE NOT WON A MAJOR TROPHY SINCE 1980 and Pellegrini's own
personal trophy cabinet is not full, either, so people can look and say
there is maybe a match there in a Club and a person who want to change their
records of achievement.

WHAT PELLEGRINI PATENTLY OFFERS IS A SHORTCUT TO PLAYERS and agents across
Europe.
If they see it is a Pellegrini project then, even though they will always
talk about the wages and the budget, they will find themselves persuaded by
who is going to be coaching them, his record and what languages he speaks.

I USED TO REPORT FROM THE UEFA ELITE CLUB COACHES FORUM IN SWITZERLAND,
which is attended by the top managers from across Europe every September.
You'd see all the big names like Mourinho, Ancelotti, Deschamps, Guardiola,
Benitez, the elite coaches in Europe, and the majority had won a European
trophy. Although Pellegrini had only got to the Champions League semi-finals
with Villarreal at that time, he was invited, too. I remember looking into
the dining room and Sir Alex Ferguson was holding a place next to him for
Pellegrini because Fergie wanted to chat to him. That is a mark of the man.
When he was with Villarreal, they faced Manchester United four times in the
Champions League, were unbeaten and did not concede a single goal.

OVERALL, PELLEGRINI IS A MAN OF TALENT AND DIGNITY. He is somebody who will
help West Ham improve their squad, can cope with the challenges of managing
the Club and proposes a style of football which is attractive and exciting.
I have my fingers crossed for him.

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Hammers represented at Premier League Primary Stars tournament
WHUFC.com

West Ham United were represented by two local primary schools on Thursday at
the annual Premier League Primary Stars tournament. The two teams - one
boys' outfit and one girls' side, brought together by the Hammers'
Foundation - enjoyed the day at Leicester City's King Power Stadium, which
saw more than 12,500 youngsters take part in the competition. It was a
successful tournament for the girls' team in particular, with the team from
Lincewood Primary School getting all the way to the semi-finals before
losing out 2-0 to eventual tournament winners Everton. The boys - from
Chirchfields Junior School - were knocked out in the group stages, however,
despite an opening fixture victory against Crystal Palace. The 1-0 win over
the Eagles was followed by 2-0 scorelines against Liverpool and Tottenham
Hotspur with a 1-0 defeat against Watford sandwiched inbetween. The girls,
meanwhile, beat both the Reds and the Hornets (2-0 and 1-0) before also
claiming three points against Palace in a 2-0 victory before a goalless draw
with Spurs.

After the tournament, West Ham Foundation's Ross Williams, the PL Primary
Stars lead, said: "Our two teams came incredibly far to reach the final
stage - with regional qualifiers held throughout the season to represent
West Ham. "We had a fantastic day, and the boys and girls did incredibly
well. It was gutting for the girls to go out in the semi-finals, but both
teams had such a memorable day that it didn't take them long to forget it
and enjoy the experience! "Primary Stars is a brilliant project, and we run
it in over 70 schools across east London and Essex. "It truly is providing
life changing opportunities for our youngsters and these sort of activities
only go to highlight that."

Bella Holloran, one of the girls from Lincewood Primary School who enjoyed
her day as part of the West Ham United girls team, said" "We had an amazing
time. It was so good to be out playing on the pitch at Leicester, and we all
had a great day. "We do Primary Stars at our school and the lessons are fun
and different, but to be given the chance to represent West Ham in this
tournament was something none of us dreamt of!"

Premier League Primary Stars uses the appeal of the Premier League and
professional football clubs to inspire children to learn, be active and
develop important life skills. Available to every primary school in England
and Wales, it inspires girls and boys aged 5-11 in the classroom, the
playground and on the sports field.

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West Ham welcome Ghana legend Stephen Appiah
WHUFC.com

Stephen Appiah is one of Ghana's greatest footballers, having starred at the
2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cup finals. Now, though, Appiah's ambition is to
become a manager, with his ultimate dream being to one day manage his
national side. The 37-year-old is an ambassador for our principal sponsors
Betway was invited to spend a week at the Club to help him kick-start his
coaching career. Appiah, who also played for Italian sides Parma and
Juventus during his career, spent time with the first team and Academy
sides, and spoke to several leading figures at the Club about what it takes
to succeed at the highest level.

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REACTION TO PELLEGRINI AND MOVEMENT IN THE TRANSFER WINDOW
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 24 MAY 2018 AT 5:45PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Corey Evans (twitter - CoreyEvans83)

Firstly, I believe that for the first time in a while, the board deserves
praise for the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini. His impressive track record
includes many trophies and also the ability to work with limited budgets
such as Malaga and also at highly demanding clubs such as Man City. Most
importantly, during his time managing in Europe he has never fallen outside
of the Champions or Europe League which is imperative for a club trying to
move onto the 'next level' like West Ham. For me, it is now imperative that
the board give him the funds to manoeuvre this squad and allow him to put
his own ideas into it. If the board fail to carry out this task, we could be
in this same position in twelve months time.

Moving on to the section in which most Irons fans take most notice at (the
transfer window), I believe we will see many ins and outs with some
extremely exciting signings. Starting in goal, with Joe Hart's loan
finishing means it is essential we get a keeper to push Adrian throughout
the season. Many reports have linked us with Jack Butland and although he is
a fantastic keeper I believe the money would be spent better elsewhere. I
recommend signing Kasper Schmeichel in the region of 15m if we could prize
him away from Leicester. Many would think this is unrealistic but I
personally think that Leicester are being remembered for their title winning
season and not as a mid table team which they are. The chance to potentially
play in Europe again with Pellegrini may tease Schmeichel and with the likes
of Mahrez and Vardy tipped to leave it could be a season of transition for
the 'Foxes'.

I expect to see many departures within the defence for West Ham this season.
With Collins and Evra coming to the end of their contracts I expect to see
Byram, Burke and Oxford all leave permanently. I hope that 'Ginger Pele'
will return as a coach and I am shocked, embarrassed and disgusted by how
badly he's been treated by the club, as are all fellow Hammers fans. All
three youngsters (Byram, Burke and Oxford) have showed promise at times but
I feel it is the right time for them to move on and free up some cash (maybe
15-20m for the three combined) for better replacements who can add more
quality to our squad.

I would go all out for Swansea defender Alfie Mawson. I think he has great
leadership qualities and could go on to be England's captain for years to
come. Similarly to Collins, he has the ability to defend (which is a dying
art these days) and put his body on the line. However, he can also play out
from the back which I feel will be a necessary with Pellegrini in charge. I
also think Cedric of Southampton would be a great addition as Pellegrini
demands full backs that have pace and can get up and down the pitch.
Zabaleta was great in my eyes last season but is now another year older and
Cedric would provide much competition for the right back spot.

Moving onto the midfield, I wouldn't be surprised to see the exits of
Snodgrass (10m), Fernandes (10m) and also youngsters Cullen (1-2m) and
Haksabanovic (2m) leave the club. We also have to consider that Joao Mario's
loan deal has now come to an end.

Taking this into consideration, I feel we need a two central midfielders and
one wide player. The two central players I think we should move for are
Stoke's Joe Allen and free agent Ki-Seung Yeung (previously of Swansea
City). Allen who would cost roughly 20m has the ability to read the game,
run his socks off and distribute the ball when needed. I believe he is one
of the most underrated midfielders in the Prem and didn't get a fair chance
at Liverpool. Whilst, Ki would be a great addition on a free to add more
competition along with the likes of Noble, Kouyate and Obiang. However, I
would not be surprised to see one of Kouyate/Obiang leave this summer.

The wide midfielder in my opinion should be either Shaqiri of Stoke or
Traore of Middlesborough. Both have the ability to play on the counter
attack and both possess lightening pace (something which our squad needs).
They would both cost around 15m and I think Traore is more realistic due to
Shaqiri having many clubs monitoring him however he would be a massive coup
for the club and he would be reunited with our 'Hammer of the Year'
Arnautovic.

With regards to attackers, I believe we will see very little movement unless
Pellegrini decides to move on Carroll. His quality is unquestionable when
fit but with twelve months left on his contract the club may want to cash
in. If so, I would fully expect Rondon of West Brom to be brought in as he
was a key player under Pellegrini at Malaga. Hernandez looks set to stay and
I think this is great news as he is one of the best strikers we've ever had
because of his natural goal scoring instincts. The only player I expect to
definitely leave upfront is Jordan Hugill and if we could recoup around 6-7m
of what we spent I would take it.

Overall, my signings I believe would cost around 80m and I think this is
attainable with Pellegrini given 50m to spend and an extra 30m through
player sales. I also feel that if we could sign Mawson, Allen or both we
could be looking at our Hammer of the Year for the 2018/19 season.

Ones to Watch:

Interestingly, Mario Balotelli, Max Meyer and Oğuzhan Özyakup contracts are
all expiring in the summer and have all previously been linked with us
before. I think Balotelli seems to have calmed down in recent years and his
goal scoring form has improved despite only playing in the French league.
With regards to Meyer, I think this would be a statement of intent from the
board and Meyer has expressed an interest in playing in the Premier League.
Meyer has unbelievable potential and could go on to become one of the best
players within Europe.

Finally, I think it is a time to be excited ahead of next season. I really
believe we can push on and attain 7th place with hopefully a good cup run.
If the fans can galvanise around Pellegrini and make the London Stadium a
tough place to visit then the good times and the 'West Ham Way' may well
return. Would love to hear your thoughts on this article, COME ON YOU
IRONS!!!

Written by Corey Evans (twitter - CoreyEvans83)

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The end for Collins
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 24th May 2018
By: Staff Writer

There will be no new contract for long-serving defender James Collins, whose
current deal expires next month. Collins was recently informed by email that
West Ham would not be offering him a new contract, before the club
backtracked and declared that the final decision would be left to incoming
manager Manuel Pellegrini. However the 34-year-old former Welsh
international clearly hadn't done enough to persuade the new boss that he
was deserving of a new deal as it was confirmed this morning that he was one
of two senior players not being retained. Co-owner David Sullivan, who
received heavy criticism last week for the manner in which Collins'
departure was handled thanked the Welshman for his service. "We would like
to place on record our sincere thanks for the outstanding service James has
given West Ham United down the years," he told whufc.com. "His bravery and
commitment on the pitch were never called into question and he has played
his part in establishing the Club in the Premier League since his return in
2012. "We appreciate just how popular James is among our fellow supporters
but, with the appointment of a new manager, we felt together that the time
was right to go our separate ways. It goes without saying that we wish James
and his family every success in the future and they will always be welcome
at London Stadium."

The other senior player not being offered new terms is veteran French
defender Partice Evra, who arrived on a free transfer in February and
featured on just five occasions in the Premier League. In addition to the
two seniors, Academy prospects Korrey Henry, Rosaire Longelo and Rihards
Matrevics are also being released by the club at the end of June.

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Decks cleared ahead of new arrivals
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 24th May 2018
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United have bid farewell to several of David Moyes' former backroom
staff. With new manager Manuel Pellegrini set to introduce his own team over
the course of the next few days, a number of medical and coaching staff have
left the club with immediate effect.

They are as follows:

Gary Lewin (Head of Medical)
The former England physio was appointed in May 2017. Lewin replaced the
outgoing Stijn Vandenbroucke having moved from Arsenal, where he had been
working with the Ladies squad.

Chris Woods (Goalkeeping Coach)
Former England international Woods leaves West Ham after three years at the
club, having been introduced by former Everton team mate Slaven Bilic in
June 2015.

Nick Davies (Head of Sport Science)
Nick first arrived at the club on Alan Curbihley's watch a decade ago,
having followed the manager from Charlton.

Ian Beasley (Club Doctor)
Formerly employed by both England and Arsenal, Beasley moved to West Ham in
July 2017 to team up with Slaven Bilic and his revamped backroom team.

The departures follow the news from earlier this month that Moyes and his
entire coaching team of Stuart Pearce, Alan Irvine and Billy McKinley had
left following the expiry of their short-term contracts.

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West Ham thank James Collins for his 'bravery and commitment' as defender
departs after 10 years' service
KEN DYER
ES Sport

West Ham have confirmed the departure of long-serving central defender James
Collins. The former Wales international, who has been at the club for a
total of 10 years in two spells and made 214 appearances, was hoping for a
new one-year contract but posted a picture on Wednesday of himself leaving
the pitch in the final game of last season, with the caption: "It's official
I will be leaving West Ham on June 30th.Heartbroken."

A big favourite with fans, Collins, 35 in August, had limited game time this
season because of injuries and with new manager Manuel Pellegrini wanting to
freshen up his squad, the writing was always going to be on the wall for the
defender. There was some ill-feeling about Collins's departure when it was
suggested he had been informed in an e-mail but the club dispute this,
claiming conversations had taken place with officials but that regulations
mean players not retained have to be informed before the third weekend in
May.

Owners David Sullivan and David Gold said: "We would like to place on record
our sincere thanks for the outstanding service James has given West Ham down
the years. "His bravery and commitment were never called into question and
he has played his part in establishing the club in the Premier League since
his return in 2012. "We appreciate just how popular James is among
supporters but with the appointment of a new manager, we felt together the
time was right to go our separate ways."

Former France defender Patrice Evra will also depart when his contract
expires on June 30.

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Manuel Pellegrini to continue David Moyes' discipline demands at West Ham
JACK ROSSER
ES Sport

David Moyes ran a tight ship in his short time as West Ham manager, and
Manuel Pellegrini is likely to follow a similar path. The former Hammers
manager demanded a level of discipline which was non-existent under his
predecessor Slaven Bilic, clashing on occasion with the likes of Michail
Antonio and Andy Carroll over time-keeping and attitude issues. It was
something the Scotsman ranked among his highest priorities, and credited as
a key factor in their Premier League survival after players told him
standards had waned under Bilic. Now former Manchester City manager
Pellegrini has taken the reins. With European football once again the
long-term target at London Stadium, he will demand three core principles
from his squad - both on and off the pitch - when they meet for pre-season.
"Usually, the first few days I'm with the players I tell them how I work
with a group, not just on the pitch but off the pitch, too," Pellegrini
wrote recently for The Coaches' Voice. "For me, there are three things that
are totally non-negotiable with players. "First of all, respect. Respect for
everything: the club, fans, journalists, coaching staff, directors. Respect
among the players themselves, that's very important. "Second is commitment,"
he continued. "I think there are a lot of ways to coach, but you have to get
the commitment of the group to your way of coaching. "And third:
performance. For me, it is not up for negotiation at all. I try to be as
objective as possible. I understand players who aren't playing can't be
happy, but my demands of them have to be exactly the same."

Pellegrini, who spent his first full day as West Ham manager meeting staff
and settling in at the Rush Green training ground, has targeted "four or
five new" signings ahead of his first season and is expected to bring in
Ruben Cousillas as assistant manager to reinforce his mantra.

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Pellegrini eyes seven West Ham signings, including Yaya Toure
HITC
Jordan Harris

A report has outlined how many signings Manuel Pellegrini would like in his
first summer as West Ham United boss. According to a report from The
Telegraph, Manuel Pellegrini is hoping to try and make seven signings during
his first summer as West Ham boss, and would like to bring Yaya Toure to the
London Stadium.
Pellegrini's appointment was confirmed earlier this week, and there was
plenty of excitement that his arrival may be the catalyst for a gradual
ascent up the Premier League table after spending much of David Moyes'
tenure battling to beat the drop. And it appears that Pellegrini has major
plans for the first few months of his tenure, with The Telegraph reporting
that he is eyeing as many as seven additions to the first-team squad during
his first window. And a move for Toure is on his radar. Toure - who has
earned £220,000-a-week at the Etihad Stadium this past season, according to
Spotrac - will soon see his Manchester City contract expire and he will be
able to discuss a free transfer to one of City's Premier League rivals if he
wishes to stay in England. The 35-year-old has worked with Pellegrini
before, and certainly made a devastating impact for City while he was
playing under the Chilean. He scored 36 goals in all competitions during
Pellegrini's first two seasons with the club, including 20 in the top flight
during the 2013/14 campaign which saw the Cityzens win their second Premier
League title. He may prove to be an expensive signing in terms of wages, but
he has to be considered to be one of the finest midfielders from the Premier
League era and will be hoping to prove at his next club that he still has a
lot to offer in the twilight years of his career. And with Pellegrini's
ideal summer appearing to involve landing Toure with another six signings
following him through the door, it appears that it may well prove to be a
very exciting window for the Irons.

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RANGERS SHOULD FORGET LANDING BURKEFeatured Image
Date: 24th May 2018 at 4:34pm
Written by: Wayne Howard
Forever WestHam

Rangers should forget about signing West Ham defender Reece Burke. He is a
promising youngster who has already played 15 times for the Hammers but is
not the answer for the Glasgow giants as they step up plans to reinforce a
defence that was far too porous in the recently completed campaign. Rangers
boss Steven Gerrard and recruitment chief Mark Allen need to set their
sights on battle-hardened warriors who are used to the pressure of
delivering at a big team. There has been speculation of interest in Martin
Skrtel, the ex-Liverpool defender now at Fenerbahce, and he is the kind of
defensive leader they need. In truth, the 54-times champions need three new
centre-backs, as Bruno Alves and Fabio Cardoso are not up to it, David Bates
has quit for Hamburg and Russell Martin has returned to Norwich City.
Rangers already have a rising defensive star in academy graduate Ross
McCrorie, who has all the tools to be an Ibrox defensive star for years,
provided they can keep him away from clubs south of the border.

The Mirror have reported that Gerrard wants to make Burke, who Transfermarkt
report stands at 6ft 2in, his next signing following his impressive campaign
on loan at Championship outfit Bolton Wanderers. Intriguingly, the The Times
claim new Hammers manager Manuel Pellegrini will listen to offers for the
club's academy product. But Rangers should steer clear. Spending big money
on a rookie for their defence would be a terrible mistake.

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WEST HAM IN FOR MAREGAFeatured Image
Date: 24th May 2018 at 3:24pm
Written by: Guy Giles
ForeverWestHam

West Ham United are in the hunt to sign prolific Porto striker Moussa Marega
this summer, according to Correio de Manha. The leading Portuguese
newspaper, as translated by Sport Witness, report that the Hammers are among
three English clubs who are in hot pursuit of the 27-year-old. Correio de
Manha claim that Porto have set an asking price of £26million, which
represents a £9million slash on the striker's release clause of £35million.
The Mali international hitman bagged an impressive 23 goals in all
competitions this season, with eight assists on top of that.

Marega had a massively prolific season for Porto as they waltzed to the
Primeira Liga title, and the 27-year-old looks ready for a step up. His
powerful, pacy play up front seemingly suits the Premier League down to a
tee, and West Ham would do brilliantly to win the race for his signature.
One thing that Marega would need to improve quickly is his hold up play and
discipline, but Manuel Pellegrini should be able to drill those in to him
soon enough. A massive bonus for the Hammers here is the £9million reduction
in price, with £26million far more affordable than the previous £35million
price tag.

Forever West Ham rating: 8/10

Likely to happen?

It looks like Marega will move on this summer, but his destination is
anyone's guess. Wolves and Aston Villa are the other English sides in the
hunt, and you would think that the Hammers have the financial might to
outmuscle either of those clubs. All that's left now is to wait and see if
the Irons' interest is genuine, which should come to light in the next few
weeks.

Forever West Ham rating: 3/10

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Could Manuel Pellegrini convince Reece Oxford to stay at West Ham United?
HITC
John Verrall

West Ham United defender Reece Oxford has been tipped for an exit this
summer. Manuel Pellegrini may be able to help convince Reece Oxford to stay
at West Ham United, if his comments in his first interview are anything to
go by. West Ham published an interview with their new manager on their
official website, and during it the Chilean boss suggested that he wanted to
give more of the club's academy players a chance. Pellegrini stressed how
important bringing through young players was to him, and that could be music
to Oxford's ears. Pellegrini said: "For me, the young players are very
important. Me and my staff will be there with the young players at the
academy. We are going to try and have the same style of football and always.
"I hope in the three years, we can bring a lot of young players to the
first-team."

If Pellegrini is true to his word, then Oxford could be one of West Ham's
academy graduates who is ready to break into his first-team straight away.
Football.London reported how Oxford was thinking about moving away from West
Ham in search of more regular action. The youngster spent last season out on
loan at Borussia Monchengladbach, and West Ham were reportedly ready to cash
in on him for £18 million. However, Pellegrini's commitment to playing
youngsters could be just what Oxford was wanting to hear. And it may suggest
that the young defender could yet make an impact at the London Stadium next
season.

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MANUEL PELLEGRINI LOOKS TO MAKE EDOUARD MENDY HIS FIRST SIGNING
BEN EMMOTT
readWestHam

Manuel Pellegrini has got his eyes set on signing a goalkeeper as his first
task as West Ham boss. The newly appointed manager is looking to sign Reims
goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. The goalkeeper was one of the players of the
season in Ligue 2 as he managed to only concede 22 goals in 34 matches,
racking up an impressive 18 clean sheets. According to the Mirror, the
25-year-old would cost the Hammers around £2 million, which would be cheap
for a keeper who has the potential to get even better. Despite interest from
numerous Championship clubs, Mendy and his team believe he is good enough to
make a name for himself in the Premier League. Joe Hart has returned to
Manchester City after his loan at the London Stadium and Adrian hasn't been
in the best form when he's played for the club, leaving Pellegrini with a
goalkeeping situation on his hands.

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INSIDER RUBBISHES THOMAS REPORTS
Date: 24th May 2018 at 9:37am
Written by: Guy Giles
ForeverWestHam

Reports suggesting Derby youngster Luke Thomas is set to become Manuel
Pellegrini's first signing at West Ham are "not true whatsoever", according
to a club insider. According to Gloucestershire Live the Hammers submitted a
£1.2million bid for the Rams Young Player of the Year, with former club
Cheltenham Town in line to receive a 15% sell-on fee for the 19-year-old.
However, as reported by West Ham site Claret and Hugh, a club source has
said that these claims are well wide of the mark as Pellegrini seeks his
first Irons incoming. The source is quoted as saying this report was "not
true whatsoever" amid this huge development.

OPINION

It had seemed like a deal for Thomas was close between the two clubs, with
reports seemingly adamant that the Hammers had tabled a bid for the
19-year-old. However, this club insider seems to think that is not the case,
and Claret and Hugh are usually spot on with their information. This is not
to say that the Hammers are not interested in Thomas, but they do not seem
to be close to a deal for the youngster. So, the search goes on for
Pellegrini's first signing, and fans will be hoping for a much bigger name
to be Pellegrini's first incoming. The Chilean has spoken about the need to
bring in four or five new players in the coming weeks, with several areas of
the squad needing reinforcements. Defence in particular needs bolstering,
with the Hammers conceding a joint league-high 68 goals in 2017/18, with
midfield also an issue.

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PELLEGRINI AND THE BOARD - A LEAP OF TRUST?
By Blind Hammer 24 May 2018 at 08:00
WTID

Blind Hammer looks at Pellegrini's strategic relationship with the Board

The excitement surrounding Pellegrini's appointment is approaching Messianic
proportions. Sir Trevor Brooking is probably correct to introduce a note of
caution and warn that patience may be required.

Yet some excitement is certainly understandable. Pellegrini is the most high
profile and successful Manager we have ever appointed.

This excitement extends to the Board. From what we hear Pellegrini will have
unprecedented control over Transfer Policy. In his first interview
Pellegrini has already talked of the need to bring in 4-5 players. If this
handover to Pellegrini is genuine it represents a remarkable volte face.
This is in high contrast to their relationship with Allardyce, Bilic and
Moyes. Instead of reserving some control they are leaping into a new level
of trust and confidence.

Whatever the complaints from supporters the numbers of Premier League
Managers who genuinely control transfer policy are vanishingly small.
Wenger's departure from Arsenal makes identifying such Managers even harder.
It is clear, for example, that differences in transfer policy between Conte
and the Chelsea Board is one of the biggest ongoing tensions at Stamford
Bridge. Pochettino has poured pressure on Tottenham by suggesting his
continued management may depend on how well Levy delivers his desired
transfer targets. Pellegrini himself complained of Board interference with
squad recruitment whilst at Real Madrid.

Whilst Madrid recruitment was distorted by their desire to hoover up Global
attacking talent, neglecting more mundane areas, most Boards interfere on
economic grounds.

Supporters rail against their Boards because of perceived penny pinching.
The reality is slightly more complicated. There is also an underlying
structural tension. Football managers come and go with alarming frequency.
West Brom had 3 managers last season. West Ham had 2, as did Crystal Palace,
Southampton, Watford, Stoke, Swansea, and Leicester. West Ham now has their
third Manager in just over 6 months, as will Stoke, Swansea and Everton.
Despite their FA Cup win Chelsea appear keen to make a change. Any logical
analysis of this turnover indicates that allowing unfettered control over
squad development invites problems. Manager A invest vast sums assembling
his squad, only to see it fail. Manager B comes along and has a different
view. He feels it is unbalanced. Both Manager A and Manager B and
potentially even manager C have little interest in investing for the longer
term, given their likely restricted tenure. They instead prioritise players
who can perform immediately. This pressure tends to outweigh concerns about
age and development. So players are recruited by Manager B and possibly
Manager C on top of the players recruited by Manager A. Yet shifting on the
failed earlier player investments may be far harder. The result are bloated
squads with expensively acquired but unsuccessful players. These mistaken
investments, often on high wages can prove difficult, if not impossible to
move on. This problem explains why teams like Sunderland and Aston Villa,
despite spending more than average, still managed to spiral into relegation.

It could be argued that a Board which does not supervise transfer priorities
fail in their duty. The existence of this tension is one of the biggest
motivators for the Director of Football role. Yet if we are to credit the
reports, this caution is precisely what the Board is prepared to jettison
for a make or potentially break new relationship with Pellegrini.

Starting out this new relationship will not be difficult. It is easy now to
express trust and confidence with a Manager of his outstanding record.
However this trust will come under immediate strain if Pellegrini is, for
whatever reason, slow in delivering the sustained improvement we all crave.
Whether the Board will honour their "hands off" approach then is much more
uncertain.

Of course Pellegrini has vast experience of dealing with Boards. Probably
the most difficult was Malaga. Malaga has been quoted as a possible template
for Pellegrini's new West Ham project. Yet this project ended in tears.

Billionaire Oil Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani purchased Malaga in June 2010. He
proceeded to invest millions bringing in top players. To oversee this
investment he recruited Pellegrini in 2011 and allowed £80 million for his
new Manager to recruit stars like Santiago Cazorla and Joris Mathijsen.
Pellegrini duly delivered Champions League qualification for Malaga yet
within a year the club was in what was described as financial meltdown. The
expensively acquired players who had delivered success for Malaga were in
turn then sold on. The reason for this was to "balance the books" and
allegedly comply with FIFA Fair Play regulations. It was reported that the
remaining players and Pellegrini himself were not paid for several months.

Given the depth of Malaga's financial collapse some may question
Pellegrini's financial acumen. Most commentators have though instead
focussed on the reportedly capricious behaviour of Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani
who is alleged to have, in the end, only a paper thin commitment to Malaga.
He is reported to have withdrawn funds because of unhappiness with local
Political factors in the Costa Del sol. In the end the Malaga story probably
warns us of the risks inherent in chasing an illusory pot of gold from an
Oil Rich investor who does not have a history of emotional commitment to a
club.
Pellegrini was probably reassured by the history of Gold and Sullivan's long
term support of West Ham. Whilst having far more limited resources they are
far less likely to pull the more limited resources they can offer.

We will wait to see whether this new trust can be sustained against the
competitive rigours of the most difficult league in the world. It is a
gamble, but for Sullivan, in particular, this is a gamble which he must feel
he has little to risk losing. West Ham could never deliver the millions
other clubs could offer. They could however offer unprecedented trust and
control. This must have attractive Pellegrini. Sullivan must feel the hand
of history judging his stewardship of West Ham. His stewardship has been
blighted by controversy. In probably the boldest decision of his control he
has made a make or break decision which could determine his legacy. It
provides at least a chance for a historic positive heritage. For this to
emerge may require patience from all, not least from all of us as fans.
COYI

David Griffith

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