Collison could feature
WHUFC.com
Jack Collison's shoulder injury is not as bad as first feared but he reamins
50/50 for Wembley
09.05.2012
West Ham United midfielder Jack Collison's shoulder injury is not as bad as
first feared and he could yet make the Play-Off final. Collison suffered a
shoulder injury during Monday's npower Championship Play-Off semi-final
second leg victory over Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground and was taken to
hospital for a precautionary scan. After receiving the results of this scan,
the injury is not as bad as first feared, but the No10 will be having
further tests over the coming days to assess his expected recovery time.
Collison is currently rated at 50/50 to be available for the final at
Wembley on Saturday 19 May. The Wales international has made 34 appearances
for West Ham this season, scoring six goals, including both in the 2-0
npower Championship Play-Off semi-final first leg win at Cardiff on 3 May.
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The Big Interview - Mark Noble
WHUFC.com
The Hammer of the Year is looking forward to returning to Wembley for the
npower Championship Play-Off final
09.05.2012
Mark Noble cannot wait to run out at Wembley to represent his beloved West
Ham United in the 2012 npower Championship Play-Off final. The Hammer of the
Year, who is the sole survivor from West Ham's triumphant 2005
Play-Off-winning squad, appeared at the new national stadium for England
Under-21s in September 2008.
That night, Noble created a goal that evening as England beat Portugal 2-0
to cement their place at the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
finals. Nearly three years on, the No16 will be playing for an even bigger
prize - promotion to the Premier League.
Mark, we're off to the Play-Off final seven years on from your first one and
it is at Wembley. You must be delighted?
MN - Yeah, I'm over the moon. Obviously the way the boys played in both legs
was fantastic. We knew Cardiff wasn't going to be an easy game when we drew
them, so we went into both legs committed and really took the game to them.
We fully deserved what we came out with.
Aside from the opening five minutes of the first leg in Wales, we didn't let
Cardiff City settle at all, did we?
MN - We knew they were going to start like that there, anyway. We got a bit
of luck with them hitting the crossbar in the first few minutes, but over
the two legs, I don't think anybody can say we didn't fully deserve our 5-0
aggregate win. We're just looking forward to Wembley now.
We showed that there was no hangover or disappointment from missing out on
automatic promotion, didn't we?
MN - I think the disappointment was shown after not getting automatic
promotion, which is what we set ourselves out for. We let ourselves down
because with the squad of players we've got, we should have got it but we
drew too many games. The next best thing is going up through the Play-Offs
and we're going to try our hardest to do that.
It was a bit of a blow to see Jack Collison go off with a shoulder injury,
because he has really shown his class in recent weeks, hasn't he?
MN - Yeah, he has. He has scored some really important goals for us.
Hopefully, touch wood and fingers crossed that he's fine and he can recover
before the final.
You have played at Wembley once before for England Under-21s. What is it
like to run out there?
MN - It's a lovely stadium to play at. It's a fantastic place. A few of the
boys went to watch the Chelsea v Liverpool FA Cup final the other day and
said it was unbelievable. I think it added to the motivation to want to go
there. I'm sure we'll sell our allocation of tickets and hopefully we can go
there and play like we have done in the semi-final.
Is it going to be different playing at Wembley in a West Ham United shirt?
MN - The new Wembley is a fantastic stadium and hopefully it'll be full to
capacity and we can really enjoy the day. It's about enjoying it, even
though the pressure is going to be on, but that's what we're paid to do - to
play under pressure.
What is the mentality among the squad now, with the job only half-done?
MN - I think a few of the boys will get together and go out and let our hair
done a little. We've got 12 days until the final so next week we'll get our
heads down and prepare for the final as we have done all season. We'll go to
Wembley fully prepared for the game.
As a Hammers fan, you must know how important it is for the supporters to
return to Wembley after a 31-year absence?
MN - Yes, but not just because I'm a fan, but because they have paid their
money to come and watch us every week. The support we have had away from
home has been unbelievable and it's been fantastic at home. The hard work
the boys have put in to get there is just a little 'Thank you' for their
support and we're going to need it fully at Wembley.
The team appears to be in the best form of the season at the moment?
MN - Yes, we are. Obviously we have come into the Play-Offs in a good vein
of form. We've now won three home games on the trot and it's been a good end
to the season for us. We were gutted to miss out on automatic promotion, but
this is the next best thing. If you heard the atmosphere on Monday, it was
unbelievable.
The style of football in recent weeks has been outstanding, so the wide open
spaces at Wembley could suit you down to the ground?
MN - Hopefully. Everybody runs that bit further and that bit faster in
finals but we need to approach the game like we have done every other game
this season. It's an away game for us and we're pretty good on the road, so
if we approach it like that, hopefully we can come away with the result we
want.
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David Gold looking forward to Wembley Way
WHUFC.com
Joint-Chairman David Gold is looking forward to the Hammers trip to Wembley
and possible promotion to the Premier League
09.05.2012
Joint-Chairman David Gold has told West Ham TV how much he is looking
forward to the Hammers' first visit to Wembley in 31 years. Mr Gold spoke to
the club's online television channel just moments after Monday's 3-0 npower
Championship semi-final second-leg victory over Cardiff City - a win that
sets up a final date with Blackpool at the Home of Football on Saturday 19
May. Now, the Joint-Chairman cannot wait for his trip to Wembley to come
around. "Monday was fantastic," said Mr Gold. "We started off with a
two-goal lead which made it very comfortable. Overall we have won the tie
5-0 with two clean sheets and the theory of our Achilles heel being our home
form has gone. We were outstanding, the players are confident and are coming
into great form. "We are back to our best. We slipped up in March, we drew a
number of games that we shouldn't have done and Reading went on an
unbelievable run, a once in a lifetime run. That is the only reason we are
in the Play-Offs."
Mr Gold believes the way the team has played during the closing weeks of the
season means they deserve a spot in the top-flight for next season.
"The way we have been playing, the goals we have been scoring and the
results we have been getting means we should be playing in the Premier
League. We have a bit of work to do of course to get there. "We have to go
to Wembley and it should be a fantastic day and let's hope we can finish the
job."
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Allardyce - we can handle pressure
Boss calling for Cardiff repeat at Wembley
Last Updated: May 9, 2012 9:50am
SSN
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is confident his side can handle the pressure
of a Wembley play-off final and secure promotion back to the Premier League.
The Hammers were denied automatic promotion on the final day of the regular
Championship season by Southampton, setting up a play-off semi-final tie
with Cardiff City. The Londoners subsequently breezed past Malky Mackay's
men, winning 2-0 in Cardiff before a 3-0 victory at Upton Park on Monday
rounded off a 5-0 aggregate rout. Allardyce will now lead his team out at
Wembley in the final against either Birmingham or Blackpool,who play the
second leg of their semi-final at St Andrew's on Wednesday evening. The
former Bolton boss insists his side will not be overawed by the occasion on
19th May and is confident of reaching the promised land of the Premier
League should they perform like they did against the Bluebirds. He said:
"I've no doubts we'll handle this pressure. It's a better stage to go and
deliver on, isn't it, Wembley?
Very difficult
"I don't know who I would prefer to play - whoever we play it's going to be
very difficult. "We can now look forward to it and make sure we deliver what
we've all wanted right from day one. "We'll be difficult to beat if we
reproduce the performances against Cardiff. "We've all delivered - whether
we can deliver in the final now is the ask."
The Championship play-off final is widely considered the richest game in
world football given the immense wealth on offer to those who make it up to
the Premier League. Having managed three Premier League sides Allardyce is
all too aware of the riches on offer in England's top flight.
More pressure
However, Allardyce admits he felt more pressure trying to keep his former
side Bolton in the top flight back on the final day of the 2002/03 season
than he does preparing for Wembley today. He added: "We had to beat
Middlesbrough at home and by doing so we sent West Ham down, so I probably
shouldn't mention it!
"But that was more pressure than a Wembley final. "We were chasing the
millions as always and chasing Premier League status. "It was massive
because Bolton are still in the Premier League. That's nine years times
£50million - which is a big bank-roll."
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It's Blackpool!
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 9th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham will face Blackpool in the Championship play-off Final at Wembley
in ten days time after the Tangerines drew 2-2 at Birmingham this evening.
Ian Holloway's side just about managed to hang on despite being put under
intensive pressure for the last 20 minutes, having thrown away what appeared
to be an unassailable two-goal advantage on the night. Stephen Dobbie put
Blackpool ahead in tonight's second leg on the stroke of half time before
Matt Phillips doubled their lead just three minutes after the restart,
putting 'Pool 3-0 ahead in the tie. But two goals in nine minutes for
Birmingham - by Nikola Zigic and Curtis Davies - left the visitors hanging
on for the last 22 minutes. West Ham will almost certainly go into the Final
as favourites having trounced Blackpool on both occasions in which the two
sides have previously met this season. Sam Allardyce's side ran out 4-0
winners at the Boleyn Ground back in October when a Sam Baldock brace plus
efforts from John Carew and Jack Collison secured a comfortable win. And the
Irons went one better back in February of this year when they trounced
Blackpool 4-1 at Bloomfield Road despite playing with only ten men for
almost the entire second half, after Robert Green was erroneously dismissed
by referee Oliver Langford (whose decision was later overturned).
Play-off semi final results
First Leg
Cardiff City 0-2 West Ham Utd
Blackpool 1-0 Birmingham City
Second Leg
West Ham Utd 3-0 Cardiff City (West Ham win 5-0 on agg.)
Birmingham City 2-2 Blackpool (Blackpool win 3-2 on agg.)
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So, it's the Seasiders at Wembley - Good Result?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
We face Holloway's Blackpool at Wembley. On paper Blackpool are the less
problematic of the two potential opponents. We have had a few problems with
Brum over recent seasons, whereas we have beaten the Seasiders home and away
in the same period. But, it is crucial that we reject complacency and do not
act as if we have the game won already, that way lies a big fall. If we play
to our potential, and continue our recent form, we can beat them. We cannot
let the 'under dogs' win the day, we need to go out an prove beyond any
shadow of a doubt, that we are far the better team and thoroughly deserve
promotion. In short, we have to earn it, keeping our nerve and making our
superiority count in that vital, winner takes all, 90 minutes at Wembley.
It will certainly be a good open match and hopefully that will help us.
Blackpool are an honest team that play good football. Congratulations to
them in beating the 'spoilers' from Brum and reaching the Final. And what a
decent, honest, manager Holloway is. On TV he admitted that he was glad to
be at Wembley and that it was going to be a tough task in the Final, no
false bravado, no Malky type delusions. A good chap and a good football man.
But there can only be one winner at Wembley and we must make sure that it is
us! No doubt the media will start 'bigging up' Blackpool's chances, we need
to ignore that and go out there with total conviction and application to win
the day.
SJ. Chandos.
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West Ham's Baldock on Town Wish List
Wed 09th May 2012 23:30
Tetd.co.uk
West Ham's Sam Baldock is amongst the strikers on Blues boss Paul Jewell's
summer wish list. The 23-year-old joined the Hammers from the MK Dons last
August for a fee reported to be worth £2.75 million with add-ons. Despite
scoring five goals in his first six starts for the Upton Park club, Baldock
has found it increasingly hard to break into Sam Allardyce's side,
particularly since the additions of Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard in
March. While with West Ham he has made 11 starts and 13 sub appearances,
scoring those five early goals. For the MK Dons, Aylesbury Vale-born Baldock
netted 43 times in 82 starts and 42 games from the bench having come through
their youth system. Due to his lack of opportunities with the Hammers, the
5ft 7in tall striker, whose younger brother George is still with the MK
Dons, is likely to be available this summer, either on loan or on a
permanent basis. He has three years left on his contract. The winner of two
England caps at the U20 World Cup in Egypt in 2009, Baldock has been on the
Blues' radar for a while. At last November's Supporters Club AGM, Jewell
confirmed that he had been monitored prior to his move to West Ham. The
Blues boss has said that another striker is amongst his summer targets with
Tamás Priskin having moved to Alania Vladikavkaz in January and Nathan
Ellington set to leave the club.
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Ex-Liverpool striker Mellor forced to quit with knee injury at just 29
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 17:12, 9 May 2012 | UPDATED: 17:48, 9 May 2012
Daily Mail
Preston striker Neil Mellor has been forced to retire from professional
injury through injury. The 29-year-old former Liverpool forward has
struggled to regain full fitness since damaging his knee against MK Dons in
2011 and has decided to quit following medical advice. Cut short: Neil
Mellor's playing days are over after a long struggle with a knee injury 'I
have agreed to keep lines of communication open with Graham Westley just in
case I come across a miracle cure but realistically, and regrettably, this
is the end of my playing days,' said Mellor. Preston manager Westley added:
'The team's record without Neil this season says everything about the man
and character that he is. I'm gutted that I didn't get the chance to work
with him beyond his cameo against Bury. Devastated: Preston manager Graham
Westley said he was 'gutted' that Mellor was forced to retire He has had a
tough decision to make, but he has no real choice in the matter. Everybody
here will wish him the very best.' Mellor started his career at Liverpool
and made 21 appearances after making his debut against Ipswich at Anfield in
December 2002. A highlight of his days at Liverpool was his blistering
volley against Arsenal in 2004. With the game poised at 1-1, Mellor's goal
clinched the game from Arsene Wenger's side. He signed for Preston in the
summer of 2006 after loan spells at West Ham and Wigan and made his last
appearance for North End as a late substitute against Bury in March.
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Irons Insight: West Ham should not get too carried away with semi-final
triumph
Matt Porter, London24 West Ham blogger
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
2:13 PM
London 24
I think it has taken until today for things to finally sink in. As we walked
down the stairs after the full-time whistle at the Boleyn on Monday, I was
feeling pretty delighted with the team's performance, but a little concerned
with the level of celebration displayed by fans and players alike.
Considering that pre-season expectations were that we would win automatic
promotion, and rightly so, I had my reservations about going over the top
with glee after winning a play-off semi-final. When you bear in mind the
amount of Guinness I'd already consumed that day, I was surprisingly
downbeat about the whole situation! But now, with Wembley tickets bought and
a big day out to plan, the excitement factor has kicked in. It's a bit of a
cliche in the Football League, but if you could guarantee victory, most fans
would choose the Wembley final over the automatic promotion route every day.
If I had been judging my enjoyment of going to watch West Ham by the quality
of the football, I'd have given up long ago, so I'm glad I've finally come
round to my senses. I've been to the new Wembley plenty of times to watch
England, I've even been to a League Cup final there as a complete neutral,
but the prospect of watching West Ham playing there, well who knows when
we'll get the chance again?
I am sure the atmosphere surrounding the whole day will be electric, and on
the basis of recent performances, confidence will be high in the team's
chances of victory, whoever the opposition are. I'll be watching tonight's
match between Birmingham and Blackpool keenly, although I haven't got a clue
who I'd rather won.
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Carew's not broke! Hammers striker's agent denies bankruptcy issue
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 09:45, 9 May 2012 | UPDATED: 10:24, 9 May 2012
Daily Mail
John Carew's agent has denied the striker is broke, despite the West Ham
striker being declared bankrupt in March. Per Flod blamed the issue on a
misunderstanding with French Tax authorities and claims Carew has 'lots more
money' and will pay off anything he owes - believed to be a six-figure sum.
The 32-year-old Norwegian striker was issued a bankruptcy order on March 5
after being petitioned in the High Court on January 16. Flod told the
Mirror: 'It's a tax bill from France. He needs to pay some tax and it's
being discussed.' He explained how the bill was accrued from the forward's
time at Lyon, who he left for Aston Villa in 2007, and puts the incident
down to miscommunication. 'It's all because the French government is
refusing to communicate through his UK address,' said Flod. 'They have been
sending all the correspondence to his address in France, but he no longer
lives there. 'He has not refused to pay it. Then they declared him bankrupt
and John didn't even know about it. Now it's going to be paid. 'He has lots
more money than this. This is not a big thing.' The 6ft 5in target man has
been having trouble on the field too, only managing to score twice during an
injury hit season - with his last goal coming in October.
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West Ham United and England goalkeeper could move to Spain and join Malaga
10:15am Wednesday 9th May 2012 in News
Guardian Series
West Ham United goalkeeper Robert Green could move to Malaga this summer.
The England shot stopper is out of contract at the end of the season and has
been linked with a number of clubs. Big spending Malaga are reportedly
interested in him and if they can secure Champions League football could
persuade Green to join them.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, May 10
Wednesday, May 9
Daily WHUFC News - 9th May 2012
Get priority for Wembley
WHUFC.com
Sign up for the 2012/13 waiting list for season tickets and get priority for
the Play-Off Final
08.05.2012
West Ham United have been inundated with requests to purchase 2012/13 season
tickets, regardless of which division the Hammers will be playing in next
season.
The Club has therefore opened up a waiting list for supporters wishing to
join and be processed immediately following the renewal deadline. Fans have
also been asking whether season ticket holders status in 2012/13 would
enable them to qualify for the priority ticketing for the npower
Championship Play-Off final at Wembley on 19 May.
The answer is 'Yes'!
Loyal supporters who join West Ham United's 2012/13 season ticket waiting
list - regardless of the outcome of Saturday 19 May's Play-Off final and
therefore with our league status not yet determined - can have this loyalty
rewarded. With their season ticket holder status for the 2012/13 season
confirmed, new applicants would therefore qualify for a ticket for the
Play-Off final. As the game falls between the two seasons, both 2011/12
season ticket holders and those committed to a 2012/13 season can qualify.
To apply for a 2012/13 season ticket, you will need to contact the Ticket
Office via a dedicated phone line 0871 222 2700 (calls 10p/min plus network
extras), select Option 3 from 9am on Wednesday 9 May and pay a £200 (VAT
included) deposit per Adult season ticket and £100 per Concession ticket.
Please note this offer excludes disabled applications as we already have a
long waiting list. During the call we will ask you for your preferred band
and Stand, which will be subject to availability and processed after current
season ticket renewals meaning you will get access to some of the best seats
at the Boleyn Ground. After you have paid your deposit, you will be able to
secure your Play-Off final ticket. Please note these two transactions must
occur on the same call and we are unable to reserve any Wembley seats for
later payment.
Prices for the 2012/13 season are yet to be released and will only be
released following the Play-Off final and confirmation of league status, but
the club can confirm that should the team be successful no season ticket
price ticket price will exceed the last published price when West Ham United
were in the Premier League in the 2010/11 season. This means that prices
will start at an amazing £525 in the Championship and just £600 in the
Premier League, while an Adult Band 1 season ticket will not exceed £850 in
the Premier League or £770 in Championship.
Your NEW 2012/13 season ticket seat will be allocated after season ticket
renewals but before general sale. This is offered on a first-come
first-served basis and the offer will be capped at 1,000 new applicants.
This offer will only be published via whufc.com and through emails to
subscribed supporters. The offer is only available until midday on Friday 11
May to enable tickets to be processed ahead of the Academy Members' sale
date.
Tickets are completely non-refundable should applicants on the waiting list
not continue with the purchase of a season ticket. The monetary deposit is
applied against the cost of the season ticket and not the Play-Off final
ticket.
West Ham United is not able to extend this offer past the given deadline.
The club looks forward to welcoming all new applicants for 2012/13.
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Nicky ready for Wembley date
WHUFC.com
Nicky Maynard netted his first Boleyn Ground goal as West Ham United won
through to Wembley
08.05.2012
When Nicky Maynard joined West Ham United in January, he stated his ambition
to help the Hammers to reach the Premier League. On Monday, the No8 netted
his first Boleyn Ground goal with a spectacular strike to complete West
Ham's 5-0 aggregate npower Championship Play-Off semi-final victory over
Cardiff City. Now, Maynard and his new team-mates are preparing for a trip
to Wembley for the final on Saturday 19 May. "Obviously we wanted to get
automatic promotion when I first came but it wasn't meant to be but we've
proved how good we are over the two legs and now it's down to us to prove it
again in the final," he told West Ham TV. While he was involved as a
substitute in both legs against Cardiff, Maynard played his part in the
victory, making an exciting cameo appearance in Wales before belting in the
icing on the cake in east London in the shape of an unstoppable angled
drive. "Being 2-0 up, maybe it was about us being complacent, them coming at
us and possibly getting a goal back and then being nervy, but we were at it
from the word go and got the goals. It was pleasing to get my first home
goal. "I was just playing along the line and Henri Lansbury has played me
in. I only had one thought in my mind and that was to get my head over the
ball and hit the target and it was nice to see it hit the back of the net."
Maynard and his colleagues were back at Chadwell Heath this morning to begin
preparations for their big day out at Wembley - the club's first appearance
at the Home of Football since the 1981 League Cup final. Understandably, the
striker cannot wait for 19 May to arrive. "When you are a professional
footballer, you want to play in front of that sort of atmosphere. It's a
massive game coming up, but we've got the players to do it and hopefully we
can get there."
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No new deal for 'keeper
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
Peter Kurucz has left West Ham United after having his contract with the
club terminated by mutual consent. The 23-year-old goalkeeper, who joined
West Ham in 2009 spent the start of this year on loan with Rochdale, with
whom he was due to stay until the end of the campaign. However his season
was wrecked just a matter of weeks after moving to Spotland when the
Hungarian sustained ligament damage during a match against Notts County.
Kurucz initially joined the Hammers on loan with an option to buy from
Ujpest Dozsa in February 2009, before making his move permanent in the
summer of that year when he put pen to paper on a four-year contract.
However his only appearance for West Ham's first team came in the 4-0 defeat
at home to Manchester United in December 2009, when he replaced the injured
Rob Gren as a 73rd-minute substitute.
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Mackay on... West Ham United
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
A disappointed - yet optimistic - Malky Mackay looks back at another
disappointing play-off semi final for Cardiff, but insists he has high hopes
for next season...
How are you feeling Malky, after that?
Of course we're disappointed. When you get to a semi-final you want to get
to Wembley. We knew it was going to be a tough task, we knew the measure of
the team we were playing against but obviously right after the game you're
disappointed that you're not there. But congratulations to West Ham, they
deservedly got to the Final and good luck to them in it.
Can you reflect yet and say what a good season it's been despite the defeat,
considering where you started?
I suppose I've had to because I've already had that question thrown at me
five or six times so far, but that's something we'll look at in the next
couple of days. It's nine months to the day since we played West Ham at
Upton Park here with seven debutants playing. If you look at it like that -
the season that's gone and the players that have joined the club to get us
to this point - our remit was to rebuild. So for us to get to the play-offs
and the Carling Cup Final in the first season I'm very, very proud of the
players that are working with us.
They couldn't have given you any more over the season, could they?
No. I think we've played maybe a quarter of a season more than West Ham in
the end with the size of the squad we had, so it was always going to be a
point where numbers come into it. Today we were missing Craig Conway and
Rudy Gestede - an out-and-out winger and a physical presence up front
similar to Carlton Cole. He played very well here on the opening day of the
season, Rudy. So to lose those two... We don't have the players or strength
in depth to walk in and take their place, unlike West Ham.
Will you be looking to make some signings in the summer?
Last summer we brought ten players into the club, we were always playing
catch-up. I recall coming in and having so few players standing there on day
one of pre-season. I'm looking at ten players running around and trying to
make sure we had a team ready for day one of the season. It was an
achievement from not a lot of people at the football club.
We've got to kick on now, we've got to try and bring strength and depth to
the squad. You can see that in West Ham. Obviously we can't get equal the
financial situation that there is at West Ham in terms of budgets, but you
see the strength and depth at the football club.
We're in there amongst Birmingham, Blackpool and West Ham, the three teams
that came down, the three teams that got the parachute payments - and we
ended up in amongst them. We've got to look now to plan for the coming
months and I'll do that as from tomorrow morning, I'll be at my desk and
I'll plan our next steps with my staff.
I've got a lot of pride with the way that the football club is beginning to
run, the people who are working at it. The directors, chief executive and
ultimately our major backers from Malaysia and our Chairman TG [Chan Tien
Ghee] who have bought into the way I want to move the club forward and
realise that to get to the next step, we need to progress again.
Coming back to this game, were you a bit disappointed with the Kenny Miller
decision? I know in the end it was 3-0 but if that was given it might have
had a bearing?
I've not actually seen it other than in the game. You're the third or fourth
person who's asked me that and I've honestly nothing to say on it because
I've not seen it again. If it had been a penalty... I don't know, was it in
your opinion?
[Welsh journalist] It was a penalty, but I might be biased!
Little things change games. The second goal over at the Cardiff City
Stadium, the deflected goal is going one way and goes in the other corner.
And we had three or four great chances that didn't go in. If that goes in,
in the first ten minutes then maybe it slightly changes things. So there's
fine lines in terms of being clinical - but West Ham were clinical today and
we weren't.
Thank you.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers' Collison injury fears
Dislocated shoulder threatens to rule midfielder out of Wembley trip
Last Updated: May 8, 2012 9:38am
SSN
Jack Collison could miss West Ham's Wembley play-off final after Sam
Allardyce admitted his shoulder injury "doesn't look good". Collison went
down under a heavy challenge from Cardiff's Ben Turner early in the second
half of Monday's Championship play-off semi-final victory over the
Bluebirds. The 23-year-old's shoulder was dislocated in the incident,
casting a huge doubt over his involvement in the Wembley game against the
winner of Wednesday's tie between Birmingham and Blackpool.
Allardyce admits he is praying that Collison can recover after playing a
pivotal role in the Hammers' two-legged win over Cardiff. "It doesn't look
good unfortunately for us," the West Ham boss told Sky Sports. "I think he
rolled over and I'm told the shoulder popped out. "The good thing is that it
went straight back in again. "We can only hope and pray because he's been
outstanding in the last two games for us."
West Ham are awaiting the results of a scan before knowing whether the Wales
international will be ruled out of the Championship play-off final on May
19th.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hungarian departs Hammers
Kurucz moves on after injury-hit stay
Last Updated: May 8, 2012 3:48pm
SSN
West Ham United have confirmed that goalkeeper Peter Kurucz has departed the
club by mutual consent. The 23-year-old joined the Hammers from Ujpest,
initially on loan, in February 2009. Kurucz made just one first-team
appearance for the club, coming on as substitute in a Premier League defeat
against Manchester United in December 2010. Injury has curtailed his
progress and he missed all of last season through a knee problem. He
returned to full fitness this term and spent a spell on loan with League One
side Rochdale, playing 11 games.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Vinny's Cardiff Report - 2nd Leg
Vinny 2:00 Tue May 8
West Ham Online
Championship Play Off Semi Final 2nd Leg
West Ham United 3 Cardiff City 0 (5-0 aggregate)
West Ham booked their place in the Play Off Final at Wembley after a
comfortable 3-0 win over Cardiff City in the 2nd leg of the Semi Final.
Any talk of nerves or even over confidence was not evident throughout the
game as we cruised to victory over a Cardiff side who offered nothing for us
to be concerned about.
Our finishing was clinical, our work rate commendable and we are now just
one game away from returning to the Premiership as we take on either
Blackpool or Birmingham City at Wembley Stadium on 19th May.
I was quite confident going into the game that we would do the job that was
required. My confidence was more down to my belief that Cardiff are just not
very good and their performance against us in the first leg was pretty
dismal considering the magnitude of the game and again they showed very
little in this performance and if I were a Cardiff fan I would be asking the
question why didn't they really go for it.
Maybe of course I am not giving our performances over both legs enough
praise as we were much organised and looked a class above our opponents. It
makes you wonder how they managed to beat us in the very first game of the
season.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable day and there has not been enough really
enjoyable days at Upton Park over the last few seasons. Everyone was in
party mode and once we got that first goal it was pretty much game over and
we could really start to relax.
We now go to Wembley for the first time since 1981 (before I was born) on
what hopefully will be a memorable occasion for all the right reasons. We
are the form team and we are looking very strong at the moment.
Play Off Semi Finals usually have their fair share of drama and I don't
recall off the top of my head a more clear cut result over the two legs. I
know we are in the second division but I am still proud of our superiority
and whenever West Ham make the opposition look second rate it always pleases
me.
The Team
I had thought that Allardyce may have brought in George McCartney for
Matthew Taylor but he stuck to the same team from the first leg which was
pretty fair considering how well they all played.
Henri Lansbury was back in the squad and on the bench.
Managing Cardiff City was former Hammer Malky McKay. The Scottish centre
half played for the club in our last stint in the 2nd division during
2004/05 season. He started 24 games scoring 2 goals.
First Half
Having had a few drinks in the Britannia in Plaistow and then a couple in
the Black Lion everything was a little bit blurry as I took my seat just
before kick off.
But everything became a lot clearer as 'Bubbles' rang out with more depth
and noise than I have heard in a while.
Upton Park was packed and this was a firm sell out. West Ham fans are often
criticised for being difficult and demanding but when we are required to get
behind the team we do it as well as anyone in the land. The atmosphere was
potent; the possibility of going to Wembley close at hand and you could feel
the excitement around the Boleyn Ground.
We had set up as a 4-4-2 and Ricardo Vaz Te took his place up front
alongside Carlton Cole and not on the wing as he did at Cardiff last
Thursday.
It was Vaz Te who had the first half chance as he attempted another overhead
kick when a long throw was put into the area towards him. The attempt was
blocked and the Cardiff keeper was able to claim.
With ten minutes gone we were looking comfortable and were unlucky not to
make more of a nice move when Tomkins swept the ball to the right for Demel
to cross into the area but his cross was cleared.
Noble was again dictating much of our place as he sat in the middle of the
park and spread the ball wide. On this occasion he got the ball to Demel who
in turn found Collison who put it through the legs of the Cardiff player and
won a corner.
The corner was swung in by Matthew Taylor and it seemed to get a touch of
Carlton Cole as it looped into the air and Kevin Nolan was on hand to nod
the ball over the line and make it 1-0.
All talk of an early Cardiff goal and a gutsy fight back all ended with this
goal from Nolan which was his 13th of the season.
'We're Going to Wembley' was being bellowed out from the West Ham faithful
and the celebratory atmosphere could really begin even with just fifteen
minutes on the clock.
Cardiff were desperate to get back into the game and did give it a little
bit of a go just after our goal. They won a throw in which long throw expert
Gunnarsson stepped up to take but he ended up taking it short. The reason
for this is they simply do not work against us as we showed in Wales in the
first leg.
They attempted many of these long throws into the area but Tomkins and Reid
were always first to them.
From their short throw we got the ball back and Jack Collison was put away
down the right hand side. The midfielder raced forward and picked out Gary
O'Neil with a perfect pass and he attempted a cushioned volley at goal which
beat the keeper but crashed off the top of the cross bar.
We were the ones looking likely to score another as we continued to control
the game. Some good control from Cole saw the striker get the ball to Noble
who again spread the ball wide, this time to Vaz Te who had come out to the
right and he set up Gary O'Neil who took his shot first time only for David
Marshall in the Cardiff goal to make a superb stop to deny him.
With half time approaching all we needed now was to get that second goal and
really kill off any hope Cardiff may have had of getting back into the game.
And with five minutes left of the first period we did just that.
O'Neil had come out to the right and linked up with Guy Demel who played a
first time pass towards Ricardo Vaz Te who rolled his marker Turner and hit
an unstoppable shot into the top corner to make it 2-0.
It was a terrific finish from a player who had proved himself capable since
his signing in January. This was his 11th goal of the season for West Ham
which is remarkable considering the amount of time he has been at the club
and that he is not always played in a striking position.
Cardiff won a free kick which was situated around 30 yard out. Taking the
set piece was Peter Whittingham who is apparently the best player Cardiff
have and there was a little bit of hype about him going into both of these
semi-finals but he put his shot well over the bar as he continued to offer
nothing to this tie at all.
Two minutes of added time were awarded by referee Mike Dean (who was
excellent) and we saw these out with much comfort.
Second Half
No changes were made at half time as the Cardiff City players made their
return to the pitch a few minutes earlier than ourselves. Maybe Malky McKay
told them to attempt to take part in this game as they hadn't bothered
during the first half.
The second half was generally one that went through the motions. Cardiff
never looked like scoring one goal never mind four or five and it was a half
of little incident.
Just after the restart Jack Collison was released down the right and
challenged fairly but hard but the Cardiff player and he went down clutching
his shoulder. It was clear that he was in some discomfort and almost
straight away the physio signalled that he would need to come off.
It has since became apparent that he had dislocated his shoulder which may
keep him out of the final which would devastating for a player who helped
get us there.
On in his place was Henri Lansbury.
Cardiff were seeing more of the ball and the noise level inside the ground
had abated a little. The tie was practically over and everyone including
Cardiff knew it.
The visitors were really struggling to create any chances and Kenny Miller
saw his long range effort go well wide of the goal much to the amusement of
the West Ham fans.
We were still bossing the game and looked in little danger. Sam Allardyce
decided to use another sub as he took off the Captain Kevin Nolan and
replaced him with the Players Player of the season George McCartney.
Nolan received a standing ovation from the West Ham supporters as McCartney
went to left back with Matthew Taylor pushing up.
The best chance of the half up until this point came with ten minutes
remaining as we broke forward and found Cole who superbly backheeled the
ball into the area and into the path of Matthew Taylor who just couldn't get
his attempt over the onrushing Marshall who smothered the ball.
'Que Sera Sera' was being sung at a much louder level now as the final
whistle was approaching.
This had been an extremely professional performance and exactly what was
required.
Allardyce made his final substitution of the game with Nicky Maynard coming
on in place of Carlton Cole who also received a standing ovation from the
crowd.
And Nicky Maynard would be on the score sheet just four minutes after coming
on as in the 90th minute Lansbury slipped the ball through to him and he
rifled an unstoppable shot into the far corner making it 3-0 and the icing
on the cake.
As the final whistle blew the majority of supporters stayed as the players
did a lap around the pitch. This was one of the best days at Upton Park we
have seen in far too long.
Player Reviews
Robert Green
I do not recall a save Robert Green had to make all game. He came for a
number of crosses and claimed well but in terms of saves I do not remember
him having to make any meaningful stops. An easy day for Greeno and
hopefully not the last time we see him play at Upton Park though I suspect
it may be.
Guy Demel
If we put that mistake against Hull aside he has been very impressive since
he made the right back position his own. He was strong and was rarely beaten
throughout the game. He got forward well and linked up with Collison in the
first half. Good stuff.
Winston Reid
Voted the official man of the match and it is not hard to see why as he was
immense putting in a monstrous display. Read the game perfectly and was
always first to the ball. Very impressive.
James Tomkins
Along with Noble he is our most consistent performer who since the beginning
of the season has been in top form. This again was no exception and he had a
very comfortable day against a Cardiff side who offered little worry to our
centre halves.
Matthew Taylor
Having been a little concerned about his recent form he has really stepped
up during both these play-off games and with McCartney back to fitness there
will be a selection headache for Allardyce when the final comes along.
Taylor was busy during this game, worked hard and was rarely troubled.
Jack Collison
His form has picked up at an incredible rate during both these games.
Although he only managed to play the first half before coming off injured he
was excellent during his time on the pitch. He won the corner that led to
the first goal and he was always in space down the right. I really hope
injury doesn't keep him out for the final as it would be horrible for him
and also we would be missing an in-form player.
Mark Noble
The nerve centre, the control room, call it what you will but that is what
Mark Noble is. He sits in the centre of midfield and picks up any loose and
is always available to receive the ball. He spreads it wide, he gets things
going and he is the start of many of our movements forward. This was another
excellent display from the Hammer Of The Year.
Kevin Nolan
His goal scoring exploits continue to impress and he was in the right place
at the right time to score his 13th goal of the season which for a
midfielder, especially at West Ham is very impressive indeed. His
performance in the final will be key to our success.
Gary O'Neil
Deserved a goal with two excellent efforts in the first time. I keep
mentioning his work rate but it really does need to be highlighted again as
it is remarkable. In the second half there was one moment where he just kept
running and closing the opposition players down. You have to look at his
inclusion in our starting eleven as the point where our form picked up as it
seems to be in direct correlation. Any previous reservation or criticism of
Gary O'Neil has been firmly rammed down our throats.
Ricardo Vaz Te
He may drift in and out of the game but he has the knack for something
special and his finish was simply brilliant.
Carlton Cole
Not as dominant as he was in the first leg but we played a lot more football
on the floor and he wasn't as isolated up front. Only had one half chance
with a header which looped onto the roof of the net but despite Maynard
scoring I expect him to start at Wembley.
Subs Used
Henri Lansbury (on for Collison 46 mins)
A decent half for Lansbury who likes to get his foot in and came away with
an assist for the third goal.
George McCartney (on for Nolan 69 mins)
Tidy and solid as he usually is. Will he get a place in the team that starts
at Wembley is the question.
Nicky Maynard (on for Cole 86 mins)
Not on for long but took his goal extremely well. A really excellent finish
and his first goal at Upton Park.
Subs Not Used: Henderson, Faubert
Bookings: Reid
Man Of The Match: Winston Reid
Cardiff City:Marshall, McNaughton, Taylor, Hudson, Turner, Lawrence,
Whittingham, Gunnarsson, McPhail, Mason, Miller
Subs: Heaton, Blake, Kiss, Cowie, Earnshaw
Attendance: 34, 682
Overall
We controlled this entire Play Off Semi Final from start to finish and I am
referring to both legs.
These two games against Cardiff have been my favourite of the season due to
atmosphere and all round team performance.
I like many worried about how we would react to the Play Off's and whilst we
have not secured our Premiership status yet both these displays against
Cardiff give me hope because all the players really stepped up and the fans
reacted to that.
Next Game – Blackpool or Birmingham City (N) Saturday 19th May Play Off
Final
West Ham were last at Wembley Stadium in 1981 for the League Cup final when
a late Ray Stewart penalty took the game to a replay against Liverpool.
We were a second division team at the time playing one of the best teams in
the country and the pressure was not entirely on us to win. This time around
things are completely different in a game which has more pressure than any
other final in England.
This sort of game shapes futures of clubs and this game will shape our
immediate future and give us one of the best days out of recent times or the
worst.
It is a extremely fine line between success and failure and any enjoyment we
have taken from the Semi Final will be long forgotten if we do not manage to
win this game.
I cannot wait for the 19th to come and with around 40,000 West Ham fans in
attendance it will an amazing occasion.
We wait for days like this to come along and it is up next.
Have a great day at Wembley and hopefully we will all be celebrating all
summer long.
Fortunes Always Hiding. I've looked everywhere
And they are at Wembley.
They have to be.
Sams View
"Well of course it could have been a nervy affair for us prior to the game
because we had got everything to lose and nothing to gain."
"We had a 2-0 lead and were wondering what Cardiff were going to do -
whether they were going to go gung-ho from the start or play the way they
usually play.
"We just said we'll play the same system that we've played in the last two
home games and put the Cardiff defence under severe pressure as early as we
possibly could. The quality of our play showed and it was key to us getting
the early goal again.
"I think, from there on, it was just a matter of time before we got more and
it nearly came really quickly when Gary O'Neil hit the crossbar. Vaz then
got his goal and I think that obviously knocked the spirit out of Cardiff.
"Then we just waited patiently and the third goal was equally as stunning as
Vaz Te's at the end. At the other end, we got a very important clean sheet
and we go into the all-important Wembley final both resilient and in an
attacking, goal-scoring mood.
"That's eight games and we're averaging three-goals-a-game over that period.
We've lost one game in 20 and it stands us in good stead for getting on the
big stage at Wembley."
"The only disappointing thing to come out of the game was that it looks like
Jack Collison has dislocated his shoulder. I know it has gone straight back
in so hopefully he'll be OK.
Everybody else is fine and we've got a really good few days now to get
recovered and start the process of build-up towards the final.
"We won't want to get anybody hurt so physical contact in training will be
kept to a minimum and everybody just needs to look after themselves now and
get themselves right physically and mentally for what will be a big, big
challenge at one of the biggest arenas in the world.
"Let's hope we can go there and deliver the type of performance we did
today."
"I went to the old Wembley with Bolton for a semi-final and won the
Play-Offs at the Millennium Stadium but they were different arenas at the
time.
"To see the West Ham fans there filling one half of that stadium is going to
be pretty special and I hope we can all come out at the end of it with what
we all hope for.
"We have another obstacle in the way who will be equally determined to go
where we want to go in either Blackpool or Birmingham, so it's about us
maintaining our form going into this vital final game of the season."
Season 2011/12 Scorers and Red Cards
Carlton Cole - 14 (14 League)
Kevin Nolan - 13 (13 League)
Ricardo Vaz Te - 11 (11 League)
Mark Noble - 8 (8 League)
Jack Collison - 6 (6 League)
Sam Baldock - 5 (5 League)
Own Goal - 4 (4 League)
Nicky Maynard - 3 (3 League)
Winston Reid - 3 (3 League)
James Tomkins - 3 (3 League)
Gary O'Neil - 2 (2 League)
John Carew - 2 (2 League)
Frederique Piquionne - 2 (2 League)
Henri Lansbury - 1 (1 League)
Papa Bouba Diop - 1 (1 League)
Joey O'Brien - 1 (1 League)
Matthew Taylor - 1 (1 League)
Julien Faubert - 1 (1 League)
Frank Nouble - 1 (1 League)
George McCartney - 1 (1 League)
Danny Collins - 1 (1 League)
Scott Parker - 1 (1 League)
Junior Stanislas - 1 (1 Cup)
Red Cards
Callum McNaughton - 1 (vs Aldershot home)
Frederique Piquionne - 1 (vs Portsmouth home)
Joey O'Brien - 1 (vs Reading away)
Jack Collison - 1 (vs Reading away)
Kevin Nolan - 1 (vs Millwall home)
Matthew Taylor - 1 (vs Southampton home)
Robert Green - 1 (vs Blackpool away)*
*rescinded by FA on appeal
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West Ham star: 'Play-offs are wrong, but we can still win it'
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
4:30 PM
West Ham midfielder Gary O'Neil is not a big fan of the play-offs,
especially when his team have just finished in third place. But when the
team go to Wembley next week, he is just glad and a little amazed to be
playing a part. "I think the fact that the season comes down to just 90
minutes is a little bit wrong," said the 28-year-old who will be going to
Wembley for the first time in his career. "It is great for the media and to
generate money, but the fact that you can be promoted or not on just 90
minutes is a little bit wrong. "You can get a stroke of bad luck on a
deflection or a refereeing decision which shapes your whole season. "But it
is what it is and it is something you have to deal with if you don't finish
in the top two."
O'Neil has been an integral part of the West Ham midfield in the last couple
of months, providing the spark and pace in the middle of the part that Mark
Noble and Kevin Nolan lack. It has been the secret of recent success, but
for O'Neil, who missed eight months of the season with a crippling ankle
injury that almost ended his career, he is just loving being a part of
things. "I didn't think I was ever going to play again at the end of last
season, so it's a big turnaround and I can't believe how many games I have
played this season – I have been really lucky," said O'Neil. "I struggled a
little bit between Thursday and the second leg, I didn't do any training at
all in between. "I think the ankle is nowhere near as good as it was, but I
don't think it affects me that much. "The longer I stay fit the better it
will get. It is still going to need managing because it was such a bad
injury, but I am just so pleased to be out there playing."
You would never know that O'Neil was in pain. His form has been superb and
twice he came close to scoring against Cardiff on Monday, hitting the bar
with one volley. "I think I have done okay," said the modest former
Middlesbrough and Portsmouth player. "I have come into a good side. The lads
have been fantastic all season, so it has made it easier for me." So victory
next week and surely O'Neil will be partying with the rest of the team? Not
a bit of it. "I'm sure a few of the single lads will be going away on a few
crazy trips," he said. "I will be sat on the beach somewhere with my ankle
up, trying to get my daughter to leave me alone for five seconds!" Sounds
idyllic and hopefully he will have a play-off winners' medal to show his
little girl.
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West Ham chairman: 'I'd rather play Birmingham than Blackpool in the final'
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
3:44 PM
West Ham co-chairman David Gold believes unpredictable Blackpool would
provide tougher opposition than his former club in the play-off final at
Wembley next week.
West Ham co-chairman David Gold has insisted that he would rather play
former club Birmingham City in next week's play-off showdown at Wembley
Stadium. Birmingham and Blackpool meet in their semi-final second leg at St
Andrews tomorrow night with the Tangerines leading by 1-0 after the first
game. But Gold is hoping that Chris Hughton's side can overturn that deficit
and make it to Wembley. "It is very hard to decide who we should play in the
final," said the co-chairman after Monday's thumping 5-0 aggregate victory
over Cardiff City. "First of all we drew both times with Birmingham City, so
you can argue that we would prefer Blackpool because we have thumped them
twice. "But somehow there is something unknown about Blackpool because of
the manager – you never know what he is going to do! "With Birmingham, what
you see is what you get, so I just think we could plan against Birmingham
better than we could against Blackpool. "Having said that, I could say what
all managers would say – I don't mind who we play as long as we are there."
Gold watched West Ham demolish Cardiff over two games in their semi-final
and he still can't believe that the team are not up already. "I have to say
we were outstanding against Cardiff," he said. "What are we doing in the
play-offs? We have been so good these last few matches that it is
disappointing that we didn't get automatic promotion because that side is
just outstanding. "The way they are playing, the football they are playing,
the goals they are scoring, they should be in the Premier League. "Now we
have got to go to Wembley which will be a fantastic day and I just hope that
we can finish the job."
Gold and co-owner David Sullivan have made no secret of the financial
problems that beset the club and of course in a strange way, if West Ham can
gain promotion via the play-offs it will be a more lucrative elevation that
automatic promotion. The co-chairman is reflective on that point though. "If
someone said to me you can either go up automatically or go up via the
play-offs, then I would say go up in the play-offs," he said. "But I don't
want to be in the play-offs. I don't want to go to Wembley unless you can
tell me that we are going to win – but there are no guarantees. "But, if we
are promoted then yes, the excitement of getting promoted via the play-offs
is just a dream come true for West Ham United."
Few would want to contemplate not going up this season, but just how serious
would failure be to the club? "Well, you know it is very, very important to
the finances of the club," he insisted. "But if we don't go up we will
survive. We have got the dedication of the owners and the financial
commitment and as long as we have that we will be fine."
For the moment though, the co-chairman just wants to revel in the thumping
victory over Cardiff City. "Remember we have won this game 5-0, two clean
sheets along the way. The theory that our Achilles heel was playing at home,
well it is not anymore, it was just outstanding," said the enthusiastic fan.
"The team spirit is everywhere you go at the club. We are back. We slipped
up and two things went wrong here. "We drew a number of games that we
shouldn't have done and Reading went on an unbelievable run. It was a once
in a lifetime run and we ended up in the play-offs. "We still have work to
do, but we have the chance to put things right."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Sign up for the 2012/13 waiting list for season tickets and get priority for
the Play-Off Final
08.05.2012
West Ham United have been inundated with requests to purchase 2012/13 season
tickets, regardless of which division the Hammers will be playing in next
season.
The Club has therefore opened up a waiting list for supporters wishing to
join and be processed immediately following the renewal deadline. Fans have
also been asking whether season ticket holders status in 2012/13 would
enable them to qualify for the priority ticketing for the npower
Championship Play-Off final at Wembley on 19 May.
The answer is 'Yes'!
Loyal supporters who join West Ham United's 2012/13 season ticket waiting
list - regardless of the outcome of Saturday 19 May's Play-Off final and
therefore with our league status not yet determined - can have this loyalty
rewarded. With their season ticket holder status for the 2012/13 season
confirmed, new applicants would therefore qualify for a ticket for the
Play-Off final. As the game falls between the two seasons, both 2011/12
season ticket holders and those committed to a 2012/13 season can qualify.
To apply for a 2012/13 season ticket, you will need to contact the Ticket
Office via a dedicated phone line 0871 222 2700 (calls 10p/min plus network
extras), select Option 3 from 9am on Wednesday 9 May and pay a £200 (VAT
included) deposit per Adult season ticket and £100 per Concession ticket.
Please note this offer excludes disabled applications as we already have a
long waiting list. During the call we will ask you for your preferred band
and Stand, which will be subject to availability and processed after current
season ticket renewals meaning you will get access to some of the best seats
at the Boleyn Ground. After you have paid your deposit, you will be able to
secure your Play-Off final ticket. Please note these two transactions must
occur on the same call and we are unable to reserve any Wembley seats for
later payment.
Prices for the 2012/13 season are yet to be released and will only be
released following the Play-Off final and confirmation of league status, but
the club can confirm that should the team be successful no season ticket
price ticket price will exceed the last published price when West Ham United
were in the Premier League in the 2010/11 season. This means that prices
will start at an amazing £525 in the Championship and just £600 in the
Premier League, while an Adult Band 1 season ticket will not exceed £850 in
the Premier League or £770 in Championship.
Your NEW 2012/13 season ticket seat will be allocated after season ticket
renewals but before general sale. This is offered on a first-come
first-served basis and the offer will be capped at 1,000 new applicants.
This offer will only be published via whufc.com and through emails to
subscribed supporters. The offer is only available until midday on Friday 11
May to enable tickets to be processed ahead of the Academy Members' sale
date.
Tickets are completely non-refundable should applicants on the waiting list
not continue with the purchase of a season ticket. The monetary deposit is
applied against the cost of the season ticket and not the Play-Off final
ticket.
West Ham United is not able to extend this offer past the given deadline.
The club looks forward to welcoming all new applicants for 2012/13.
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Nicky ready for Wembley date
WHUFC.com
Nicky Maynard netted his first Boleyn Ground goal as West Ham United won
through to Wembley
08.05.2012
When Nicky Maynard joined West Ham United in January, he stated his ambition
to help the Hammers to reach the Premier League. On Monday, the No8 netted
his first Boleyn Ground goal with a spectacular strike to complete West
Ham's 5-0 aggregate npower Championship Play-Off semi-final victory over
Cardiff City. Now, Maynard and his new team-mates are preparing for a trip
to Wembley for the final on Saturday 19 May. "Obviously we wanted to get
automatic promotion when I first came but it wasn't meant to be but we've
proved how good we are over the two legs and now it's down to us to prove it
again in the final," he told West Ham TV. While he was involved as a
substitute in both legs against Cardiff, Maynard played his part in the
victory, making an exciting cameo appearance in Wales before belting in the
icing on the cake in east London in the shape of an unstoppable angled
drive. "Being 2-0 up, maybe it was about us being complacent, them coming at
us and possibly getting a goal back and then being nervy, but we were at it
from the word go and got the goals. It was pleasing to get my first home
goal. "I was just playing along the line and Henri Lansbury has played me
in. I only had one thought in my mind and that was to get my head over the
ball and hit the target and it was nice to see it hit the back of the net."
Maynard and his colleagues were back at Chadwell Heath this morning to begin
preparations for their big day out at Wembley - the club's first appearance
at the Home of Football since the 1981 League Cup final. Understandably, the
striker cannot wait for 19 May to arrive. "When you are a professional
footballer, you want to play in front of that sort of atmosphere. It's a
massive game coming up, but we've got the players to do it and hopefully we
can get there."
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No new deal for 'keeper
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
Peter Kurucz has left West Ham United after having his contract with the
club terminated by mutual consent. The 23-year-old goalkeeper, who joined
West Ham in 2009 spent the start of this year on loan with Rochdale, with
whom he was due to stay until the end of the campaign. However his season
was wrecked just a matter of weeks after moving to Spotland when the
Hungarian sustained ligament damage during a match against Notts County.
Kurucz initially joined the Hammers on loan with an option to buy from
Ujpest Dozsa in February 2009, before making his move permanent in the
summer of that year when he put pen to paper on a four-year contract.
However his only appearance for West Ham's first team came in the 4-0 defeat
at home to Manchester United in December 2009, when he replaced the injured
Rob Gren as a 73rd-minute substitute.
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Mackay on... West Ham United
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 8th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
A disappointed - yet optimistic - Malky Mackay looks back at another
disappointing play-off semi final for Cardiff, but insists he has high hopes
for next season...
How are you feeling Malky, after that?
Of course we're disappointed. When you get to a semi-final you want to get
to Wembley. We knew it was going to be a tough task, we knew the measure of
the team we were playing against but obviously right after the game you're
disappointed that you're not there. But congratulations to West Ham, they
deservedly got to the Final and good luck to them in it.
Can you reflect yet and say what a good season it's been despite the defeat,
considering where you started?
I suppose I've had to because I've already had that question thrown at me
five or six times so far, but that's something we'll look at in the next
couple of days. It's nine months to the day since we played West Ham at
Upton Park here with seven debutants playing. If you look at it like that -
the season that's gone and the players that have joined the club to get us
to this point - our remit was to rebuild. So for us to get to the play-offs
and the Carling Cup Final in the first season I'm very, very proud of the
players that are working with us.
They couldn't have given you any more over the season, could they?
No. I think we've played maybe a quarter of a season more than West Ham in
the end with the size of the squad we had, so it was always going to be a
point where numbers come into it. Today we were missing Craig Conway and
Rudy Gestede - an out-and-out winger and a physical presence up front
similar to Carlton Cole. He played very well here on the opening day of the
season, Rudy. So to lose those two... We don't have the players or strength
in depth to walk in and take their place, unlike West Ham.
Will you be looking to make some signings in the summer?
Last summer we brought ten players into the club, we were always playing
catch-up. I recall coming in and having so few players standing there on day
one of pre-season. I'm looking at ten players running around and trying to
make sure we had a team ready for day one of the season. It was an
achievement from not a lot of people at the football club.
We've got to kick on now, we've got to try and bring strength and depth to
the squad. You can see that in West Ham. Obviously we can't get equal the
financial situation that there is at West Ham in terms of budgets, but you
see the strength and depth at the football club.
We're in there amongst Birmingham, Blackpool and West Ham, the three teams
that came down, the three teams that got the parachute payments - and we
ended up in amongst them. We've got to look now to plan for the coming
months and I'll do that as from tomorrow morning, I'll be at my desk and
I'll plan our next steps with my staff.
I've got a lot of pride with the way that the football club is beginning to
run, the people who are working at it. The directors, chief executive and
ultimately our major backers from Malaysia and our Chairman TG [Chan Tien
Ghee] who have bought into the way I want to move the club forward and
realise that to get to the next step, we need to progress again.
Coming back to this game, were you a bit disappointed with the Kenny Miller
decision? I know in the end it was 3-0 but if that was given it might have
had a bearing?
I've not actually seen it other than in the game. You're the third or fourth
person who's asked me that and I've honestly nothing to say on it because
I've not seen it again. If it had been a penalty... I don't know, was it in
your opinion?
[Welsh journalist] It was a penalty, but I might be biased!
Little things change games. The second goal over at the Cardiff City
Stadium, the deflected goal is going one way and goes in the other corner.
And we had three or four great chances that didn't go in. If that goes in,
in the first ten minutes then maybe it slightly changes things. So there's
fine lines in terms of being clinical - but West Ham were clinical today and
we weren't.
Thank you.
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Hammers' Collison injury fears
Dislocated shoulder threatens to rule midfielder out of Wembley trip
Last Updated: May 8, 2012 9:38am
SSN
Jack Collison could miss West Ham's Wembley play-off final after Sam
Allardyce admitted his shoulder injury "doesn't look good". Collison went
down under a heavy challenge from Cardiff's Ben Turner early in the second
half of Monday's Championship play-off semi-final victory over the
Bluebirds. The 23-year-old's shoulder was dislocated in the incident,
casting a huge doubt over his involvement in the Wembley game against the
winner of Wednesday's tie between Birmingham and Blackpool.
Allardyce admits he is praying that Collison can recover after playing a
pivotal role in the Hammers' two-legged win over Cardiff. "It doesn't look
good unfortunately for us," the West Ham boss told Sky Sports. "I think he
rolled over and I'm told the shoulder popped out. "The good thing is that it
went straight back in again. "We can only hope and pray because he's been
outstanding in the last two games for us."
West Ham are awaiting the results of a scan before knowing whether the Wales
international will be ruled out of the Championship play-off final on May
19th.
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Hungarian departs Hammers
Kurucz moves on after injury-hit stay
Last Updated: May 8, 2012 3:48pm
SSN
West Ham United have confirmed that goalkeeper Peter Kurucz has departed the
club by mutual consent. The 23-year-old joined the Hammers from Ujpest,
initially on loan, in February 2009. Kurucz made just one first-team
appearance for the club, coming on as substitute in a Premier League defeat
against Manchester United in December 2010. Injury has curtailed his
progress and he missed all of last season through a knee problem. He
returned to full fitness this term and spent a spell on loan with League One
side Rochdale, playing 11 games.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Vinny's Cardiff Report - 2nd Leg
Vinny 2:00 Tue May 8
West Ham Online
Championship Play Off Semi Final 2nd Leg
West Ham United 3 Cardiff City 0 (5-0 aggregate)
West Ham booked their place in the Play Off Final at Wembley after a
comfortable 3-0 win over Cardiff City in the 2nd leg of the Semi Final.
Any talk of nerves or even over confidence was not evident throughout the
game as we cruised to victory over a Cardiff side who offered nothing for us
to be concerned about.
Our finishing was clinical, our work rate commendable and we are now just
one game away from returning to the Premiership as we take on either
Blackpool or Birmingham City at Wembley Stadium on 19th May.
I was quite confident going into the game that we would do the job that was
required. My confidence was more down to my belief that Cardiff are just not
very good and their performance against us in the first leg was pretty
dismal considering the magnitude of the game and again they showed very
little in this performance and if I were a Cardiff fan I would be asking the
question why didn't they really go for it.
Maybe of course I am not giving our performances over both legs enough
praise as we were much organised and looked a class above our opponents. It
makes you wonder how they managed to beat us in the very first game of the
season.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable day and there has not been enough really
enjoyable days at Upton Park over the last few seasons. Everyone was in
party mode and once we got that first goal it was pretty much game over and
we could really start to relax.
We now go to Wembley for the first time since 1981 (before I was born) on
what hopefully will be a memorable occasion for all the right reasons. We
are the form team and we are looking very strong at the moment.
Play Off Semi Finals usually have their fair share of drama and I don't
recall off the top of my head a more clear cut result over the two legs. I
know we are in the second division but I am still proud of our superiority
and whenever West Ham make the opposition look second rate it always pleases
me.
The Team
I had thought that Allardyce may have brought in George McCartney for
Matthew Taylor but he stuck to the same team from the first leg which was
pretty fair considering how well they all played.
Henri Lansbury was back in the squad and on the bench.
Managing Cardiff City was former Hammer Malky McKay. The Scottish centre
half played for the club in our last stint in the 2nd division during
2004/05 season. He started 24 games scoring 2 goals.
First Half
Having had a few drinks in the Britannia in Plaistow and then a couple in
the Black Lion everything was a little bit blurry as I took my seat just
before kick off.
But everything became a lot clearer as 'Bubbles' rang out with more depth
and noise than I have heard in a while.
Upton Park was packed and this was a firm sell out. West Ham fans are often
criticised for being difficult and demanding but when we are required to get
behind the team we do it as well as anyone in the land. The atmosphere was
potent; the possibility of going to Wembley close at hand and you could feel
the excitement around the Boleyn Ground.
We had set up as a 4-4-2 and Ricardo Vaz Te took his place up front
alongside Carlton Cole and not on the wing as he did at Cardiff last
Thursday.
It was Vaz Te who had the first half chance as he attempted another overhead
kick when a long throw was put into the area towards him. The attempt was
blocked and the Cardiff keeper was able to claim.
With ten minutes gone we were looking comfortable and were unlucky not to
make more of a nice move when Tomkins swept the ball to the right for Demel
to cross into the area but his cross was cleared.
Noble was again dictating much of our place as he sat in the middle of the
park and spread the ball wide. On this occasion he got the ball to Demel who
in turn found Collison who put it through the legs of the Cardiff player and
won a corner.
The corner was swung in by Matthew Taylor and it seemed to get a touch of
Carlton Cole as it looped into the air and Kevin Nolan was on hand to nod
the ball over the line and make it 1-0.
All talk of an early Cardiff goal and a gutsy fight back all ended with this
goal from Nolan which was his 13th of the season.
'We're Going to Wembley' was being bellowed out from the West Ham faithful
and the celebratory atmosphere could really begin even with just fifteen
minutes on the clock.
Cardiff were desperate to get back into the game and did give it a little
bit of a go just after our goal. They won a throw in which long throw expert
Gunnarsson stepped up to take but he ended up taking it short. The reason
for this is they simply do not work against us as we showed in Wales in the
first leg.
They attempted many of these long throws into the area but Tomkins and Reid
were always first to them.
From their short throw we got the ball back and Jack Collison was put away
down the right hand side. The midfielder raced forward and picked out Gary
O'Neil with a perfect pass and he attempted a cushioned volley at goal which
beat the keeper but crashed off the top of the cross bar.
We were the ones looking likely to score another as we continued to control
the game. Some good control from Cole saw the striker get the ball to Noble
who again spread the ball wide, this time to Vaz Te who had come out to the
right and he set up Gary O'Neil who took his shot first time only for David
Marshall in the Cardiff goal to make a superb stop to deny him.
With half time approaching all we needed now was to get that second goal and
really kill off any hope Cardiff may have had of getting back into the game.
And with five minutes left of the first period we did just that.
O'Neil had come out to the right and linked up with Guy Demel who played a
first time pass towards Ricardo Vaz Te who rolled his marker Turner and hit
an unstoppable shot into the top corner to make it 2-0.
It was a terrific finish from a player who had proved himself capable since
his signing in January. This was his 11th goal of the season for West Ham
which is remarkable considering the amount of time he has been at the club
and that he is not always played in a striking position.
Cardiff won a free kick which was situated around 30 yard out. Taking the
set piece was Peter Whittingham who is apparently the best player Cardiff
have and there was a little bit of hype about him going into both of these
semi-finals but he put his shot well over the bar as he continued to offer
nothing to this tie at all.
Two minutes of added time were awarded by referee Mike Dean (who was
excellent) and we saw these out with much comfort.
Second Half
No changes were made at half time as the Cardiff City players made their
return to the pitch a few minutes earlier than ourselves. Maybe Malky McKay
told them to attempt to take part in this game as they hadn't bothered
during the first half.
The second half was generally one that went through the motions. Cardiff
never looked like scoring one goal never mind four or five and it was a half
of little incident.
Just after the restart Jack Collison was released down the right and
challenged fairly but hard but the Cardiff player and he went down clutching
his shoulder. It was clear that he was in some discomfort and almost
straight away the physio signalled that he would need to come off.
It has since became apparent that he had dislocated his shoulder which may
keep him out of the final which would devastating for a player who helped
get us there.
On in his place was Henri Lansbury.
Cardiff were seeing more of the ball and the noise level inside the ground
had abated a little. The tie was practically over and everyone including
Cardiff knew it.
The visitors were really struggling to create any chances and Kenny Miller
saw his long range effort go well wide of the goal much to the amusement of
the West Ham fans.
We were still bossing the game and looked in little danger. Sam Allardyce
decided to use another sub as he took off the Captain Kevin Nolan and
replaced him with the Players Player of the season George McCartney.
Nolan received a standing ovation from the West Ham supporters as McCartney
went to left back with Matthew Taylor pushing up.
The best chance of the half up until this point came with ten minutes
remaining as we broke forward and found Cole who superbly backheeled the
ball into the area and into the path of Matthew Taylor who just couldn't get
his attempt over the onrushing Marshall who smothered the ball.
'Que Sera Sera' was being sung at a much louder level now as the final
whistle was approaching.
This had been an extremely professional performance and exactly what was
required.
Allardyce made his final substitution of the game with Nicky Maynard coming
on in place of Carlton Cole who also received a standing ovation from the
crowd.
And Nicky Maynard would be on the score sheet just four minutes after coming
on as in the 90th minute Lansbury slipped the ball through to him and he
rifled an unstoppable shot into the far corner making it 3-0 and the icing
on the cake.
As the final whistle blew the majority of supporters stayed as the players
did a lap around the pitch. This was one of the best days at Upton Park we
have seen in far too long.
Player Reviews
Robert Green
I do not recall a save Robert Green had to make all game. He came for a
number of crosses and claimed well but in terms of saves I do not remember
him having to make any meaningful stops. An easy day for Greeno and
hopefully not the last time we see him play at Upton Park though I suspect
it may be.
Guy Demel
If we put that mistake against Hull aside he has been very impressive since
he made the right back position his own. He was strong and was rarely beaten
throughout the game. He got forward well and linked up with Collison in the
first half. Good stuff.
Winston Reid
Voted the official man of the match and it is not hard to see why as he was
immense putting in a monstrous display. Read the game perfectly and was
always first to the ball. Very impressive.
James Tomkins
Along with Noble he is our most consistent performer who since the beginning
of the season has been in top form. This again was no exception and he had a
very comfortable day against a Cardiff side who offered little worry to our
centre halves.
Matthew Taylor
Having been a little concerned about his recent form he has really stepped
up during both these play-off games and with McCartney back to fitness there
will be a selection headache for Allardyce when the final comes along.
Taylor was busy during this game, worked hard and was rarely troubled.
Jack Collison
His form has picked up at an incredible rate during both these games.
Although he only managed to play the first half before coming off injured he
was excellent during his time on the pitch. He won the corner that led to
the first goal and he was always in space down the right. I really hope
injury doesn't keep him out for the final as it would be horrible for him
and also we would be missing an in-form player.
Mark Noble
The nerve centre, the control room, call it what you will but that is what
Mark Noble is. He sits in the centre of midfield and picks up any loose and
is always available to receive the ball. He spreads it wide, he gets things
going and he is the start of many of our movements forward. This was another
excellent display from the Hammer Of The Year.
Kevin Nolan
His goal scoring exploits continue to impress and he was in the right place
at the right time to score his 13th goal of the season which for a
midfielder, especially at West Ham is very impressive indeed. His
performance in the final will be key to our success.
Gary O'Neil
Deserved a goal with two excellent efforts in the first time. I keep
mentioning his work rate but it really does need to be highlighted again as
it is remarkable. In the second half there was one moment where he just kept
running and closing the opposition players down. You have to look at his
inclusion in our starting eleven as the point where our form picked up as it
seems to be in direct correlation. Any previous reservation or criticism of
Gary O'Neil has been firmly rammed down our throats.
Ricardo Vaz Te
He may drift in and out of the game but he has the knack for something
special and his finish was simply brilliant.
Carlton Cole
Not as dominant as he was in the first leg but we played a lot more football
on the floor and he wasn't as isolated up front. Only had one half chance
with a header which looped onto the roof of the net but despite Maynard
scoring I expect him to start at Wembley.
Subs Used
Henri Lansbury (on for Collison 46 mins)
A decent half for Lansbury who likes to get his foot in and came away with
an assist for the third goal.
George McCartney (on for Nolan 69 mins)
Tidy and solid as he usually is. Will he get a place in the team that starts
at Wembley is the question.
Nicky Maynard (on for Cole 86 mins)
Not on for long but took his goal extremely well. A really excellent finish
and his first goal at Upton Park.
Subs Not Used: Henderson, Faubert
Bookings: Reid
Man Of The Match: Winston Reid
Cardiff City:Marshall, McNaughton, Taylor, Hudson, Turner, Lawrence,
Whittingham, Gunnarsson, McPhail, Mason, Miller
Subs: Heaton, Blake, Kiss, Cowie, Earnshaw
Attendance: 34, 682
Overall
We controlled this entire Play Off Semi Final from start to finish and I am
referring to both legs.
These two games against Cardiff have been my favourite of the season due to
atmosphere and all round team performance.
I like many worried about how we would react to the Play Off's and whilst we
have not secured our Premiership status yet both these displays against
Cardiff give me hope because all the players really stepped up and the fans
reacted to that.
Next Game – Blackpool or Birmingham City (N) Saturday 19th May Play Off
Final
West Ham were last at Wembley Stadium in 1981 for the League Cup final when
a late Ray Stewart penalty took the game to a replay against Liverpool.
We were a second division team at the time playing one of the best teams in
the country and the pressure was not entirely on us to win. This time around
things are completely different in a game which has more pressure than any
other final in England.
This sort of game shapes futures of clubs and this game will shape our
immediate future and give us one of the best days out of recent times or the
worst.
It is a extremely fine line between success and failure and any enjoyment we
have taken from the Semi Final will be long forgotten if we do not manage to
win this game.
I cannot wait for the 19th to come and with around 40,000 West Ham fans in
attendance it will an amazing occasion.
We wait for days like this to come along and it is up next.
Have a great day at Wembley and hopefully we will all be celebrating all
summer long.
Fortunes Always Hiding. I've looked everywhere
And they are at Wembley.
They have to be.
Sams View
"Well of course it could have been a nervy affair for us prior to the game
because we had got everything to lose and nothing to gain."
"We had a 2-0 lead and were wondering what Cardiff were going to do -
whether they were going to go gung-ho from the start or play the way they
usually play.
"We just said we'll play the same system that we've played in the last two
home games and put the Cardiff defence under severe pressure as early as we
possibly could. The quality of our play showed and it was key to us getting
the early goal again.
"I think, from there on, it was just a matter of time before we got more and
it nearly came really quickly when Gary O'Neil hit the crossbar. Vaz then
got his goal and I think that obviously knocked the spirit out of Cardiff.
"Then we just waited patiently and the third goal was equally as stunning as
Vaz Te's at the end. At the other end, we got a very important clean sheet
and we go into the all-important Wembley final both resilient and in an
attacking, goal-scoring mood.
"That's eight games and we're averaging three-goals-a-game over that period.
We've lost one game in 20 and it stands us in good stead for getting on the
big stage at Wembley."
"The only disappointing thing to come out of the game was that it looks like
Jack Collison has dislocated his shoulder. I know it has gone straight back
in so hopefully he'll be OK.
Everybody else is fine and we've got a really good few days now to get
recovered and start the process of build-up towards the final.
"We won't want to get anybody hurt so physical contact in training will be
kept to a minimum and everybody just needs to look after themselves now and
get themselves right physically and mentally for what will be a big, big
challenge at one of the biggest arenas in the world.
"Let's hope we can go there and deliver the type of performance we did
today."
"I went to the old Wembley with Bolton for a semi-final and won the
Play-Offs at the Millennium Stadium but they were different arenas at the
time.
"To see the West Ham fans there filling one half of that stadium is going to
be pretty special and I hope we can all come out at the end of it with what
we all hope for.
"We have another obstacle in the way who will be equally determined to go
where we want to go in either Blackpool or Birmingham, so it's about us
maintaining our form going into this vital final game of the season."
Season 2011/12 Scorers and Red Cards
Carlton Cole - 14 (14 League)
Kevin Nolan - 13 (13 League)
Ricardo Vaz Te - 11 (11 League)
Mark Noble - 8 (8 League)
Jack Collison - 6 (6 League)
Sam Baldock - 5 (5 League)
Own Goal - 4 (4 League)
Nicky Maynard - 3 (3 League)
Winston Reid - 3 (3 League)
James Tomkins - 3 (3 League)
Gary O'Neil - 2 (2 League)
John Carew - 2 (2 League)
Frederique Piquionne - 2 (2 League)
Henri Lansbury - 1 (1 League)
Papa Bouba Diop - 1 (1 League)
Joey O'Brien - 1 (1 League)
Matthew Taylor - 1 (1 League)
Julien Faubert - 1 (1 League)
Frank Nouble - 1 (1 League)
George McCartney - 1 (1 League)
Danny Collins - 1 (1 League)
Scott Parker - 1 (1 League)
Junior Stanislas - 1 (1 Cup)
Red Cards
Callum McNaughton - 1 (vs Aldershot home)
Frederique Piquionne - 1 (vs Portsmouth home)
Joey O'Brien - 1 (vs Reading away)
Jack Collison - 1 (vs Reading away)
Kevin Nolan - 1 (vs Millwall home)
Matthew Taylor - 1 (vs Southampton home)
Robert Green - 1 (vs Blackpool away)*
*rescinded by FA on appeal
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham star: 'Play-offs are wrong, but we can still win it'
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
4:30 PM
West Ham midfielder Gary O'Neil is not a big fan of the play-offs,
especially when his team have just finished in third place. But when the
team go to Wembley next week, he is just glad and a little amazed to be
playing a part. "I think the fact that the season comes down to just 90
minutes is a little bit wrong," said the 28-year-old who will be going to
Wembley for the first time in his career. "It is great for the media and to
generate money, but the fact that you can be promoted or not on just 90
minutes is a little bit wrong. "You can get a stroke of bad luck on a
deflection or a refereeing decision which shapes your whole season. "But it
is what it is and it is something you have to deal with if you don't finish
in the top two."
O'Neil has been an integral part of the West Ham midfield in the last couple
of months, providing the spark and pace in the middle of the part that Mark
Noble and Kevin Nolan lack. It has been the secret of recent success, but
for O'Neil, who missed eight months of the season with a crippling ankle
injury that almost ended his career, he is just loving being a part of
things. "I didn't think I was ever going to play again at the end of last
season, so it's a big turnaround and I can't believe how many games I have
played this season – I have been really lucky," said O'Neil. "I struggled a
little bit between Thursday and the second leg, I didn't do any training at
all in between. "I think the ankle is nowhere near as good as it was, but I
don't think it affects me that much. "The longer I stay fit the better it
will get. It is still going to need managing because it was such a bad
injury, but I am just so pleased to be out there playing."
You would never know that O'Neil was in pain. His form has been superb and
twice he came close to scoring against Cardiff on Monday, hitting the bar
with one volley. "I think I have done okay," said the modest former
Middlesbrough and Portsmouth player. "I have come into a good side. The lads
have been fantastic all season, so it has made it easier for me." So victory
next week and surely O'Neil will be partying with the rest of the team? Not
a bit of it. "I'm sure a few of the single lads will be going away on a few
crazy trips," he said. "I will be sat on the beach somewhere with my ankle
up, trying to get my daughter to leave me alone for five seconds!" Sounds
idyllic and hopefully he will have a play-off winners' medal to show his
little girl.
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West Ham chairman: 'I'd rather play Birmingham than Blackpool in the final'
London 24
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
3:44 PM
West Ham co-chairman David Gold believes unpredictable Blackpool would
provide tougher opposition than his former club in the play-off final at
Wembley next week.
West Ham co-chairman David Gold has insisted that he would rather play
former club Birmingham City in next week's play-off showdown at Wembley
Stadium. Birmingham and Blackpool meet in their semi-final second leg at St
Andrews tomorrow night with the Tangerines leading by 1-0 after the first
game. But Gold is hoping that Chris Hughton's side can overturn that deficit
and make it to Wembley. "It is very hard to decide who we should play in the
final," said the co-chairman after Monday's thumping 5-0 aggregate victory
over Cardiff City. "First of all we drew both times with Birmingham City, so
you can argue that we would prefer Blackpool because we have thumped them
twice. "But somehow there is something unknown about Blackpool because of
the manager – you never know what he is going to do! "With Birmingham, what
you see is what you get, so I just think we could plan against Birmingham
better than we could against Blackpool. "Having said that, I could say what
all managers would say – I don't mind who we play as long as we are there."
Gold watched West Ham demolish Cardiff over two games in their semi-final
and he still can't believe that the team are not up already. "I have to say
we were outstanding against Cardiff," he said. "What are we doing in the
play-offs? We have been so good these last few matches that it is
disappointing that we didn't get automatic promotion because that side is
just outstanding. "The way they are playing, the football they are playing,
the goals they are scoring, they should be in the Premier League. "Now we
have got to go to Wembley which will be a fantastic day and I just hope that
we can finish the job."
Gold and co-owner David Sullivan have made no secret of the financial
problems that beset the club and of course in a strange way, if West Ham can
gain promotion via the play-offs it will be a more lucrative elevation that
automatic promotion. The co-chairman is reflective on that point though. "If
someone said to me you can either go up automatically or go up via the
play-offs, then I would say go up in the play-offs," he said. "But I don't
want to be in the play-offs. I don't want to go to Wembley unless you can
tell me that we are going to win – but there are no guarantees. "But, if we
are promoted then yes, the excitement of getting promoted via the play-offs
is just a dream come true for West Ham United."
Few would want to contemplate not going up this season, but just how serious
would failure be to the club? "Well, you know it is very, very important to
the finances of the club," he insisted. "But if we don't go up we will
survive. We have got the dedication of the owners and the financial
commitment and as long as we have that we will be fine."
For the moment though, the co-chairman just wants to revel in the thumping
victory over Cardiff City. "Remember we have won this game 5-0, two clean
sheets along the way. The theory that our Achilles heel was playing at home,
well it is not anymore, it was just outstanding," said the enthusiastic fan.
"The team spirit is everywhere you go at the club. We are back. We slipped
up and two things went wrong here. "We drew a number of games that we
shouldn't have done and Reading went on an unbelievable run. It was a once
in a lifetime run and we ended up in the play-offs. "We still have work to
do, but we have the chance to put things right."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 8
Daily WHUFC News - 8th May 2012
Big Sam lauds semi-final success
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce was in bouyant mood after guiding West Ham United to Wembley for the Play-Off final
07.05.2012
Sam Allardyce was naturally on top of the world after guiding West Ham United to the npower Championship Play-Off final. Big Sam's Hammers completed a 5-0 semi-final aggregate victory over Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground courtesy of a dominant 3-0 win. Kevin Nolan set the ball rolling on 14 minutes before Ricardo Vaz Te belted in a second shortly before half-time and substitute Nicky Maynard netted a stunning late third. The manager and his players will now begin preparations for West Ham's first trip to Wembley in 31 years on Saturday 19 May, where they will face either Blackpool or Birmingham City. Big Sam told West Ham TV his players had set aside any disappointment at missing out on automatic promotion to do a thoroughly professional job against Malky Mackay's Bluebirds. "Well of course it could have been a nervy affair for us prior to the game because we had got everything to lose and nothing to gain," said the manager. "We had a 2-0 lead and were wondering what Cardiff were going to do - whether they were going to go gung-ho from the start or play the way they usually play. "We just said we'll play the same system that we've played in the last two home games and put the Cardiff defence under severe pressure as early as we possibly could. The quality of our play showed and it was key to us getting the early goal again. "I think, from there on, it was just a matter of time before we got more and it nearly came really quickly when Gary O'Neil hit the crossbar. Vaz then got his goal and I think that obviously knocked the spirit out of Cardiff. "Then we just waited patiently and the third goal was equally as stunning as Vaz Te's at the end. At the other end, we got a very important clean sheet and we go into the all-important Wembley final both resilient and in an attacking, goal-scoring mood. "That's eight games and we're averaging three-goals-a-game over that period. We've lost one game in 20 and it stands us in good stead for getting on the big stage at Wembley."
While his team are on top form at exactly the right time, Big Sam did suffer the disappointment of seeing the outstanding Jack Collison - whose skill created the corner that led to Nolan's vital opener - go off with a suspected dislocated shoulder. Whether or not the No10 recovers in time for Wembley, the manager is confident his squad is big and experienced enough to complete the job at the Home of Football. "The only disappointing thing to come out of the game was that it looks like Jack Collison has dislocated his shoulder. I know it has gone straight back in so hopefully he'll be OK. Everybody else is fine and we've got a really good few days now to get recovered and start the process of build-up towards the final. "We won't want to get anybody hurt so physical contact in training will be kept to a minimum and everybody just needs to look after themselves now and get themselves right physically and mentally for what will be a big, big challenge at one of the biggest arenas in the world. "Let's hope we can go there and deliver the type of performance we did today."
Big Sam took Bolton Wanderers to the old Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final defeat by Aston Villa in 2000 and is relishing making his managerial debut at the new 90,000 headquarters of English football. "I went to the old Wembley with Bolton for a semi-final and won the Play-Offs at the Millennium Stadium but they were different arenas at the time. "To see the West Ham fans there filling one half of that stadium is going to be pretty special and I hope we can all come out at the end of it with what we all hope for. "We have another obstacle in the way who will be equally determined to go where we want to go in either Blackpool or Birmingham, so it's about us maintaining our form going into this vital final game of the season."
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Play-Off final ticket information
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce ticket details for their big Wembley date on Saturday 19 May
07.05.2012
West Ham United are delighted to announce that the Club will receive an allocation in excess of 35,000 tickets for the npower Championship Play-Off final. The Hammers will take on either Blackpool or Birmingham City at Wembley on Saturday 19 May, with the winners gaining promotion to the Premier League. West Ham will be playing at the new Wembley for the first time and returning to the Home of Football for the first time since the 1981 League Cup final against Liverpool.
The Club's allocation would be broken down into the following price categories:
Category 1 - £100
Category 2 - £78
Category 3 - £66
Category 4 - £54
Category 5 - £38
Supporters should note that tickets will be strictly limited to ONE per Season Ticket holder or Academy/Youth Academy member.
There will be NO COACH TRAVEL to this fixture.
Selling information -
Away Match Scheme members
Tickets will be AUTOMATICALLY processed and posted by Thursday 10 May. You do not need to do anything. Please do not call to attempt to secure your ticket or attempt to pick up in person as these will be posted to your given address, with no exceptions.
Bondholders - 9am Tuesday 8 May
Call 0871 222 2700 (calls 10p/min plus network extras) via Option 3
Corporate Seasonal - 9am Tuesday 8 May
Call 0871 221 2700 (calls 10p/min plus network extras)
Season Ticket holders - 9am Wednesday 9 May
The sale of tickets for the Play-Off final will be conducted by SEE Tickets.
The Alpari Stand Ticket Office will accept NO PERSONAL CALLERS.
Supporters can purchase tickets by either of the following options:
Online - www.seetickets.com/westham
Telephone - 0844 995 9664 (calls 10p/min plus network extras)
Academy/Youth Academy members - 9am Saturday 12 May
The sale of tickets for the Play-Off final will be conducted by SEE Tickets.
The Alpari Stand Ticket Office will accept NO PERSONAL CALLERS.
Supporters can purchase tickets by either of the following options:
Online - www.seetickets.com/westham
Telephone - 0844 995 9664 (calls 10p/min plus network extras)
In the unlikely event that any tickets are still remaining, these will go on General Sale - 9am Monday 14 May
The sale of tickets for the Play-Off final will be conducted by SEE Tickets.
The Alpari Stand Ticket Office will accept NO PERSONAL CALLERS.
Supporters can purchase tickets by either of the following options:
Online - www.seetickets.com/westham
Telephone - 0844 995 9664
Disabled/Ambulant supporters
Disabled/Ambulant supporters should call 0845 217 1332 for details of how to purchase their tickets.
Corporate Hospitality
Supporters interested in Corporate Hospitality packages at Wembley should call 0871 221 2700 (calls 10p/min plus network extras) for details, prices and availability.
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Vaz Te wins SBOBET Player Poll
WHUFC.com
Hammers fans have voted Ricardo Vaz Te as their SBOBET Player of the Month for April
07.05.2012
Ricardo Vaz Te has been voted as the winner of April's SBOBET Player of the Month poll on whufc.com. The striker, who signed for the Hammers from Barnsley in January 2012, won his second consecutive Player of the Month award with a 57% share of the vote from fans. Vaz Te had a brilliant April in which he scored six goals including a hat-trick in the 6-0 win against Brighton & Hove Albion. The 25-year old Portuguese striker beat James Tomkins into second place (16%) and Carlton Cole (11%). Vaz Te was presented with his award before the Hammers's game with Cardiff City on Bank Holiday Monday.
Vaz Te's award follows previous winners James Tomkins (August), Henri Lansbury (September), Sam Baldock (October), Carlton Cole (November), Dan Potts (December), Mark Noble (January and February) and Vaz Te (March).
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West Ham boss Sam Allardyce prepared for favourites tag
BBC.co.uk
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says his team will have to deal with being favourites to win the play-off final. The Hammers will play for a place in the Premier League at Wembley on 19 May after beating Cardiff 3-0 at Upton Park to complete a 5-0 aggregate victory. "It is big pressure for us," Allardyce said. "Whoever we get, Birmingham or Blackpool, we are probably going to be favourites and have to live with that. "Hopefully we'll look forward to it and give another outstanding performance."
Allardyce was appointed West Ham manager last summer when Avram Grant was sacked following their relegation to the Championship, and they were considered favourites to make an immediate return to the top flight. They were second in early March, only one point behind the leaders, but lost ground after drawing five matches in succession as Reading and Southampton secured the two automatic promotion places. But the Hammers proved too strong for Cardiff over both legs in the play-off and now await the result of Wednesday's second-leg between Birmingham and Blackpool at St Andrew's, with the Tangerines holding a 1-0 advantage from the first game. "The response at Cardiff and this performance were terrific. I'm pleased for everybody concerned with West Ham United," Allardyce said. "We have a huge opportunity to get into the golden league, not for the money from my point of view but because that is where it all happens. "There has been a lot of hard work and it paid off today. The players excited and entertained the crowd. "We've controlled both games and tactically whatever Cardiff threw at us we dealt with. It was about how we broke them down and the attitude and energy of the players. "It's been a long time I've been in the job and dealing with pressure was something I dealt with in the early part by talking to a lot of people. I'm very nervous inside but can control it on the exterior to keep players calm."
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West Ham 3 Cardiff 0
Nolan 15′Vaz Te 40′Maynard 90′
7 May 2012
Last updated at 18:23
BBC.co.uk
West Ham sealed their place in the Championship play-off final by completing an emphatic semi-final victory over Cardiff. The Hammers came into the second leg with a firm grip on the tie courtesy of a 2-0 win in Wales last week. They strengthened this in the 15th minute when captain Kevin Nolan headed in from a Matt Taylor corner. They made sure of the win when Ricardo Vaz Te fired in a superb drive with Nicky Maynard adding a late third. Sam Allardyce's side remain on course to make amends for allowing automatic promotion to slip through their fingers. They are now just one game away from the Premier League, with either Birmingham or Blackpool representing the final hurdle at Wembley on Saturday, 19 May. It will be West Ham's first appearance at the national stadium since the 1981 League Cup final. For much of this season, United occupied a top-two spot and looked likely to earn an instant return to the Premier League, but Reading's late surge and Southampton's greater consistency throughout the campaign consigned the Hammers to an extended route to the top flight. The club finishing immediately outside the top two has been the most successful in the play-offs in the last 20 years, gaining promotion seven times. West Ham are on course to add to this record.
While West Ham's away form is the best in the Championship this season - a fact they emphasized at Cardiff City Stadium last Thursday when Jack Collison's goals gave them an impressive first-leg win - their inconsistent home form is arguably the main reason they did not attain automatic elevation. Four defeats and eight draws for the Hammers on their own turf was enough to give Cardiff hope of upsetting the odds by becoming the first team to overturn a two-goal first-leg play-off deficit at this level and thus keep alive dreams of a first top-flight season in 50 years.
However, this depended on them scoring the first goal and their failure to achieve this killed the tie. The Bluebirds had made an encouraging start - and could have had a penalty had referee Mike Dean not been unsighted for a clumsy Winston Reid challenge that felled Kenny Miller in the box - but instead they suffered a terminal blow when Nolan nodded in after Carlton Cole's initial header from Taylor's corner had been blocked. Malky Mackay's side never recovered as the home side capitalised on their position of superiority. Gary O'Neil was close to extending West Ham's lead with a side-foot volley from 12 yards that struck the top of the bar, before Vaz Te did just that with a fiercely-struck shot that flew across City keeper David Marshall and into the far top-corner of the net. The second half was a mere formality as a relaxed West Ham played out a comfortable 45 minutes, which they decorated right at the very end as substitute Maynard found space in the box to smash a shot past Marshall. The Hammers' only concern was an injury to Collison, who was taken to hospital as a precaution for a dislocated soldier.
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Allardyce on... Cardiff City
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 7th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce reflects on a job thoroughly well done - and looks ahead to the play-off Final a week next Sunday. His post-Cardiff press conference exclusively in full..
Sam: You must be delighted with the team's performance over two legs to get to Wembley?
Yeah, it's been two outstanding performances. I think that the platform was set for the players to deliver today. There was a little bit of anxiety because we were in front by two goals and also the big favourites. We were a little bit nervous about how we were going to start, what we're going to do and what Cardiff are going to do.
Obviously they were going to change the tactics a little bit with nothing to lose, just to try and go for it and see if they could get the first goal. But the start again was outstanding - the diamond we played again was terrific - and from thereon it was just a case of the lads keeping control of what they already had. We went on to win the game in fantastic style with a great performance.
The first goal, from the corner was very important - and then [we scored] two scintillating goals from [Ricardo] Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard. Arguably it could have been more but 3-0 at home, 2-0 away and two clean sheets, you can't ask for any more. The players have delivered under enormous pressure because the whole season rides on two games and whether it ends up being a brilliant one or we all end up disappointed.
Now it's down to 90 minutes at Wembley?
Well I hope it's just 90 minutes - and we win it, I don't want to go into extra time! It gives us great confidence to go on the even bigger stage at Wembley and try and give the sort of performance we gave today. Obviously that's what we hope to do. Whoever we play it's going to be very difficult, whether it's Blackpool or Birmingham. We can now look forward to it and make sure that when we get there, we try and deliver what we've all wanted right from day one.
Do you think if you reproduce the way you've played these last two games you'll be very difficult to beat?
I think so. We've got to handle the occasion and the opposition and hopefully that will produce the best performance from the players. They've certainly managed to do it under the extreme pressure we've worked under in the play-offs [so far]. There's been no nerves from the players, there's been no anxiety and there's been very few mistakes made.
There's been a lot of quality about our football and there's been a lot of desire and determination to make sure that we get where we wanted to go. Under those extreme circumstances we've delivered two outstanding performances and hopefully that will remain in the players' minds as a positive mental attitude going into the Wembley Final on 19th May.
Who would you prefer to play?
I don't really know. I'm going to watch Birmingham and Blackpool on Wednesday and I'll watch the game on TV at home. Blackpool, based on how they played that day [in the first leg] were very good but unfortunately failed to make the most of the chances they created and only got the one goal. But second leg? Birmingham have lost only one game at home all season.
So it's going to be a case of who can keep their nerve the best, I think, on Wednesday night. I'm just glad we're through and they've still got to play, so I can relax a little bit and let those two managers go through the pressures that the play-offs bring. I'll wait and see and who wins and we'll plan accordingly.
Any news on Jack Collison?
It looks like a dislocated shoulder unfortunately. We wouldn't rule him out straight away until we know the extent of the dislocation which will be done via MRI scan as quickly as possible.
Do you think there's too long a gap between now and the Final?
No I don't think so. For the players who have worked extremely hard over a 48-game season, the mini-break they can have between now and the start of our build-up preparations will be vital for them to gain the strength needed to go into such a big game. Hopefully that will give them the opportunity to deliver their capabilities as footballers because they'll have had enough time to fully recover, physically and mentally, for such a big match. So I'm glad there is that extra few days.
How does this campaign compare with all the others you've gone through considering the level of expectation?
Well only losing one in twenty now and scoring as many goals as we've scored in the last eight games - I think we've averaged three goals a game - has been a terrific period for us and a terrific season really. The disappointing thing was that had we been a little luckier and a little bit more careful with some of the home results - draws happening rather than wins - we'd have got automatic promotion, or when in the past 86 points would have been enough.
So I think it's been a fantastic season by everybody who works at West Ham United and I think that, considering where we came from at the start, it's outstanding. As it is for Blackpool and as it is for Birmingham.
We've found for the first time that the three teams who were relegated are three of the four teams in the play-offs. The turnaround that you have to do is something that needs to be handled and managed as quickly as possible and then you deliver - and we've all delivered. Whether we can deliver the final one now is the big ask. We live under that pressure and try and deliver.
Is that showing the gap is growing between the Premier League and the Championship?
No, it's getting narrower, isn't it. Look at Norwich and Swansea - and QPR if they stay up. There's three of them staying up, so I think it's not too big if you get the right group of players, the right investment and you buy wisely. If you do that then you'll have a chance; it depends how, when and what you do as a manager when you get there.
Given the expectation is this one game the most intense pressure you've been under to get a result in your career?
There was probably more pressure in year two at Bolton when we had to beat Middlesbrough at home [to stay up]. I shouldn't mention this, because West Ham went down! But we had to beat Middlesbrough at home, that was more pressure than a Wembley Final and more pressure than this because we were chasing the millions, as always. We were chasing Premier League status and having one game to do it in.
West Ham were playing Birmingham and Bolton were playing Middlesbrough at home. The good thing was we knew if we won, we stayed up and we didn't have to rely on anybody else - and we did. We went on to become a fantastic unit from thereon, the difference between the history of Bolton Wanderers and what it might have been was massive because they're still in the Premier League 11 years on. Had I not done it then, that's what - nine years x £30, £40, £50 million? A pretty big bank roll, isn't it? So there was a bit of pressure there.
So we'll handle this pressure. The thing is, it's a better stage to go on and deliver, isn't it? Wembley, rather than playing at home on your last game of the season with everybody crapping themselves in case you don't do it, you know. So we managed it then and we'll hopefully manage it now and try and get the players to deliver. I just want the players to play like they played either at Cardiff or how they played here today. Hopefully that will be enough. If they play like that we'll have a great chance of getting there.
If you get them there could you stay up with this squad of players?
I always think that any group of players that get a club promoted need to be strengthened. You've got about 26 players leaving here and 19 players coming in in one season. That's the size of the job, it's a massive turnaround. But the squad would always need to be strengthened in terms of its quality to go into the Premier League, I think.
You try and do that with whatever budget is given, but at this moment in time we're not there. We're far from being there - well, 90 minutes away from being there - and we've got to focus on that and hopefully, if we can deliver, then we can worry about what the Premier League brings.
Thank you.
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West Ham Utd 3 Cardiff City 0 (West Ham win 5-0 on aggregate)
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 7th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are on their way to Wembley after depatching Cardiff City with consummate ease. Malky Mackay's side, who finished the league campaign three places and some 11 points behind West Ham were simply no match for a rampart United side in front of a capacity crowd at the Boleyn Ground this afternoon.
First half strikes from Kevin Nolan and Ricardo Vaz Te and a last minute effort from substitute Nicky Maynard sent the Hammers through to the play-off Final - West Ham's first appearance at Wembley since 1981.
All the talk before the game had been of West Ham protecting their two-goal advantage, secured in the first leg at the Cardiff City Stadium last Thursday night.
But in the end those concerns were proved to be unwarranted as Sam Allardyce's side swept aside the challenge of Cardiff who, for the second successive game, were simply not at the races.
Such was West Ham's dominance that Rob Green made his first save of the game in the final minute of normal time. At the opposite end United racked up a string of chances and could quite easily have won by an even greater margin.
As it was they had to settle for just the three goals - although the visitors might complain that they were unlucky to be denied a penalty shout when Winston Reid appeared to trip Kenny Miller on the edge of the box with just ten minutes played.
Five minutes later and it was pretty much game over for Cardiff when Kevin Nolan pounced from virtually underneath the crossbar to give West Ham the lead from a Matt Taylor corner.
And any remaining doubts were firmly dispelled five minutes ahead of the interval when Ricardo Vaz Te scored an absolute belter that threatened to tear the net when he blasted home West Ham's second from some 15 yards or so.
Such was the Irons' dominance in that opening period that the lead could have been even more comprehensive - and would have been had City 'keeper David Marshall not managed to tip Gary O'Neil's 35th minute effort - a shot eerily reminiscent of Vaz Te's goal to come - around the post.
However there was little Marshall could so when O'Neil - who had looked like missing out on the play-offs altogether after sustaining an injury during the 2-1 over Hull City - found the crossbar with a clever volley from a Collison cross just after Nolan had given the home side the lead.
With the game in the bag and a place at Wembley assured the second half was a strange one with West Ham content to move the ball around the park without ever really threatening the Cardiff goal, much to the delight of the ebullient home crowd who at one stage cheered every pass.
Following a string of substitutions, including that of captain Nolan who left the field to a standing ovation - perhaps the first sign that he has finally been accepted by the Boleyn crowd - West Ham finally sealed the win in the last minute when substitute Nicky Maynard grabbed a third goal.
The former Bristol City striker combined beautifully with fellow sub Henri Lansbury before firing home beyond Marshall into the top far corner to put the icing n the cake on a wonderful day for West Ham.
The only black mark was a nasty injury to Jack Collison, who may now miss the Wembley showpiece after dislocating a shoulder. Sam Allardyce revealed after the game that although Collison's arm had just "popped back in" to place, he is now a serious doubt for the Final on May 19th.
Who West Ham will face a fortnight from now will be determined on Wednesday evening when Blackpool travel to Birmingham for the second leg of their semi-final with a 1-0 lead from the first leg at Bloomfield Road.
West Ham Utd 3 Cardiff City 0: match facts
West Ham Utd: Green, Demel, Taylor, Reid, Tomkins, Noble, O'Neil, Nolan (McCartney 69), Vaz Te, Collison (Lansbury 48), Cole (Maynard 86).
Subs not used: Henderson, Faubert.
Goals: Nolan (15), Vaz Te (40), Maynard (90).
Booked: Reid (68).
Shots on/off target: 6/4 (10).
Cardiff City: Marshall, McNaughton (Blake 81), Taylor, Hudson, Turner, Lawrence, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, McPhail (Cowie 76), Mason, Miller (Kiss 76).
Subs not used : Heaton, Earnshaw.
Booked: Miller (28), Hudson (50), Whittingham (80).
Shots on/off target: 2/3 (5).
Possession: West Ham Utd 54%; Cardiff City 46%.
Referee: Mike Dean (7).
Attendance: 34,682.
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Collison facing Final fitness fight
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 7th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
Jack Collison is a major doubt for Sunday week's play-off Final after dislocating a shoulder against Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground this afternoon. The Welsh international, who scored both goals in the semi final first leg at the Cardiff City Stadium last Thursday went down heavily in the opening minute of the second half and was immediately replaced. The 23-year-old was rushed straight to hospital , - but not until his dislocated shoulder was reset- where he underwent an MRI scan on the injury. And Sam Allardyce confessed after the game that the midfielder was now a major doubt for the forthcoming Wembley final. "It looks like a dislocated shoulder, unfortunately," confirmed Allardyce. "Not knowing the extend of it yet we wouldn't rule him out straight away. "Hopefully we'll know the extent of the dislocation - which will be done via MRI scan as quickly as possible - soon." Collison has made 35 appearances for West Ham so far this season, having fought back from a career-threatening injury. Of his six goals during the current campaign, half of them have come in his last three games (one against Leicester and two at Cardiff).
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Hammers cruise into Wembley final
Last updated: 7th May 2012
SSN
West Ham cruised into the Championship play-off final 5-0 on aggregate after beating Cardiff 3-0 in the semi-final second leg on Monday. The Hammers quickly shrugged off the disappointment of missing out on automatic promotion as goals from Kevin Nolan, Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard booked them a trip to Wembley for the first time in 31 years. One year on from relegation, they will now face either Blackpool or Birmingham on May 19 for a shot at returning to the top flight and the estimated £90million reward promotion brings. As for Cardiff, they began the season with victory at Upton Park but ended it suffering play-off heartache for the third successive year. Malky Mackay's side arrived in east London as huge underdogs, trailing 2-0 from the first leg in Wales last week. Both teams knew the importance of an early goal, Cardiff to haul themselves back into the tie and West Ham to kill it off. And the visitors did pose a brief threat, having a half-hearted penalty appeal turned down when Kenny Miller tumbled under Winston Reid's challenge. But it was West Ham who struck the crucial first blow from Matt Taylor's 15th-minute corner. Carlton Cole's close-range header was blocked by Cardiff skipper Mark Hudson but Nolan was on hand to nod the rebound over the line for his 13th goal of the season. It was one-way traffic from then on with a disappointing Cardiff side already resigned to their fate.
West Ham were inches from going two up when Jack Collison, the two-goal hero from the first leg, crossed to Gary O'Neil, whose first-time volley came back off the bar. O'Neil then forced a fine diving save from David Marshall with a swerving effort from outside the area. And five minutes before the interval the hosts did double their lead in style. Cardiff defender Stephen McPhail missed Guy Demel's pass but Vaz Te did not, taking the ball in his stride before blasting an unstoppable angled drive past Marshall and into the net. After the break Taylor and Reid had shots blocked while a rare Cardiff foray forward saw Liam Lawrence drive wide. But it was Hammers substitute Maynard who had the final say with a superb finish from Henri Lansbury's through-ball a minute from time. The jubilant home fans burst into a rendition of 'we're going to Wembley' - and they actually meant it for the first time since Trevor Brooking, Billy Bonds and Co lost the League Cup final to Liverpool way back in 1981.
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Allardyce hails Hammers
There is pressure to perform, admits West Ham boss
Last Updated: May 7, 2012 7:30pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce believes West Ham have a "massive opportunity" to reach the "golden league" after play-off semi-final success against Cardiff. The West Ham manager saw his team thump Cardiff 3-0 at Upton Park on Monday to seal a 5-0 aggregate win and set up a Wembley showdown with Birmingham or Blackpool on May 19. And Allardyce is delighted with the way his team has responded to the pressure they are under as favourites to reach the Premier League. "It's great," he told Sky Sports. "It's not what we ultimately wanted but now we've gone to the play-offs and we've produced two outstanding performances now under the sort of pressure we've been under all season, (albeit) different pressure in the play-offs. "But the response of the players, particularly at Cardiff to give us the platform and here to top it was terrific as far as I'm concerned. "We've got a massive opportunity now over 90 minutes to try and get into the golden league. "Not for the money from my point of view but where it all happens. "Hopefully we can hold it together and give a performance like we did today when we get to Wembley on the 19th.
Important
Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard both scored with fantastic strikes for the Hammers but it was Kevin Nolan's opener that Allardyce identified as the key goal.
"The first goal was always going to be important," he added. "We went out and played with the diamond (formation) again and tried to get the first goal as quick as we could and it paid off brilliantly for us. "We've controlled both games and been dominant in both games. Tactically whatever Cardiff had to throw us we've dealt with today. "It's about how we broke them down with the attitude of our players and the energy of the players and ultimately the quality shone through." Although West Ham remain on track for promotion, it has not been a comfortable season for the club with Allardyce questioned after the club failed to secure a top-two finish.
Nervous
And while the 57-year-old admits he is nervous, he is determined to not allow that to transmit to his players. He said: "Dealing with the pressure is something I learnt in the early part by talking to a lot of people about it. "Externally you've got to give out the right messages to the players but believe me I'm very nervous on the inside but can control it to try and help the players be calm and cool and make the right decisions for them. "Today I didn't have to make any decisions for them - they made all the right decisions themselves I'm glad to say." Asked if the pressure to get promoted remains as strong as ever, Allardyce added: "Definitely. It's a big pressure for us. Whoever we get we're probably going to be the favourites again and we've got to deal with that. "Hopefully the players can soak up the atmosphere (at Wembley) and give us another fantastic performance to get us where we want to go."
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Match Report: West Ham Utd FC 3 - Cardiff City 0 (5-0 on aggregate)
By S J Chandos West Ham Till I Die
Well, that was a superb performance. And I actually got my desired, relatively stress free match!!!
It was, indeed, a great all round display and every player stepped up to the plate and delivered the goods. Winston Reid deservedly got man of the match. He was magnficent at the back, dealing with numerous high balls in to the box. He and Tomkins are a good partnership and hopefully Reid will now start getting more credit for his contribution. Demel had his best game in a West Ham shirt, as he finally starts to shake off the 'ring rust.' Taylor also played very well and Green did everything that was asked of him, even commanding his area and taking the high balls.
Noble pulled the strings, O'Neill worked like a Trojan and Collison look very good again, before he picked up his untimely shoulder injury. I sincerely hope that he is ok for the Final. Jack derves to be at Wembley, after all he has been through over the last years or so. While Nolan popped up with the crucial, early goal to ease all our nerves. Cole also had another good game, leading the line, and Vaz Te scored one of the goals of the season. Vaz Te definitely has great potential, we need to see just how good he can be and the only way to test that is by playing in the PL.
Once Nolan scored, that was game over. They then had to come out and attack and I knew we would punish them further. But West Ham still had to do it and they set about the task with relish. All in all, part one of the mission accomplished, with flying colours! We need to enjoy the victory for a couple of days and then refocus on the Final. We have nothing to fear from Blackpool or Brum. But we have to set about the test in a ruthless way and finish the job. In short, there is no room for complacency or slip ups at Wembley.
We Hammers suffer a lot of disappointment and heart ache, but today was one of those days that reminds you why we follow this very special club. But now we must finish the job, Wembley is no place for losers and we need to make sure that we emerge as the winners come the 19 May 2012!
SJ. Chandos.
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Injury agony for West Ham's Collison as play-off hero dislocates shoulder
By SAM CUNNINGHAM
PUBLISHED: 21:41, 7 May 2012 | UPDATED: 21:41, 7 May 2012
Daily Mail
Play-off goal hero Jack Collison was in hospital on Monday night after suffering a dislocated shoulder. The West Ham and Wales midfielder, whose two goals in the first leg at Cardiff set up Monday's semi-final win, fell heavily after being tackled by defender Ben Turner a minute after half-time. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce said: 'Jack doesn't look good. His shoulder popped out, but the good thing is that it went straight back in again. With 11 days to go until the final, I would not rule him out until we know the extent of the dislocation.' After missing out on automatic promotion, the Hammers have hit form and Allardyce said: 'It gives us great confidence to go on the even bigger stage of Wembley and give the sort of performance we did today. Whoever we play it's going to be very difficult. 'We'll be difficult to beat. It's going to be who can keep their nerve. I'm just glad we're through while Birmingham and Blackpool still have to play. I can relax a bit while those two managers go through it.'
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Allardyce hails 'terrific season' after Hammers book final ticket
West Ham United 3 Cardiff City 0
JACK PITT-BROOKE UPTON PARK TUESDAY 08 MAY 2012
Independent.co.uk
The only regret is that they did not play like this sooner. West Ham United delivered arguably their best home performance of the season yesterday, beating Cardiff City 3-0 and securing their place in the Championship play-off final at Wembley – with the £90m riches on offer for promotion to the Premier League.
Even the aggregate scoreline of 5-0 does not fully convey West Ham's dominance. They were exceptional here, attacking with a confidence and fluidity far removed from much on show at the Boleyn Ground this season. At no point yesterday could any West Ham fan have been making alternative plans for 19 May, such was their comfort.
The shame, from West Ham's perspective, is that this was only their 12th home league win from twice as many attempts. Had they played like this at home all year they would be on the beach now, with, presumably, Southampton still playing for promotion.
"It has been a terrific season," Sam Allardyce said afterwards. "The disappointment is that, had we been a little luckier and a little bit more careful with some of the home results, we'd have got the automatic [promotion]."
But that is in the past and the West Ham manager was understandably thrilled. "The start was outstanding," he said. "The first goal was very important, and from there on it was a case of the lads keeping control of what they already had. We won the game in fantastic style with a great, great performance, and two scintillating goals from Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard."
This performance, combined with the 2-0 win in Cardiff last week, formed a perfect demonstration of how play-offs should be approached: with assurance, discipline and timing. "You can't ask for any more than what the players have delivered under enormous pressure," Allardyce said. "There's been no nerves from the players, there's been no anxiety. There's been very few mistakes made, and there's been a lot of quality about our football, and a lot of desire and determination to make sure we get where we want to go."
Cardiff City will not be going to Wembley, but in truth they never looked as if they would be. At no point did they appear likely to score the two goals they needed at kick-off, never mind the three, four, or the five-goal margin they lost by. Their manager, Malky Mackay, said afterwards that he "knew it was going to be tough". Had Cardiff scored first it might have been a different afternoon, but they never had the chance.
From the outset West Ham's superiority was obvious. When, in the third minute, Carlton Cole shrugged off Ben Turner to reach Jack Collison's pass, it set the tone. West Ham were stronger, brisker and more assertive throughout.
Collison started at the top of Allardyce's diamond, linking their robust midfield of Mark Noble, Kevin Nolan and Gary O'Neil with the forwards Cole and Vaz Te. It worked perfectly; with West Ham attacking with numbers and purpose. The worry for West Ham will be that Collison was forced off early in the second half with a dislocated shoulder. He will have an MRI scan in the hope of making the final.
Set pieces remain the great strength of this well-drilled, well-built side, and this was how they went ahead. Taylor whipped in a corner, Cole headed it at the near post, and Nolan finalised proceedings from one yard out.
The roar was as loud as the Boleyn Ground has been this year. Even with 75 minutes left the tie felt over.
West Ham proceeded with the licence of a team who felt this too: the influential Collison clipped a pass through to O'Neil, who hooked a volley over David Marshall and on to the bar. There was more confidence in that one move than there has been in many West Ham home performances this season.
The superiority was enough to induce cheering of every pass, even after just 38 minutes. But it was not hubristic, as West Ham passed their way to a second goal and a certain ticket.
A long string of passes climaxed with O'Neil finding Demel, who played the ball through to Vaz Te. Stephen McPhail charged out but misjudged his tackle, Vaz Te had the time to whip the ball into the far top corner.
Only in the final 10 minutes did West Ham choose to increase the pace again, because they could. Cole shuffled past two tackles and played in Taylor, whose chip did not quite rise over Marshall.
But West Ham did find that third goal they wanted, two minutes from the end. Lansbury, increasingly influential in midfield, slid a perfect pass between Andrew Taylor and Turner, on to which Nicky Maynard ran, and fired in.
West Ham United (4-1-2-1-2): Green; Demel, Tomkins, Reid, Taylor; Noble; O'Neil, Nolan (McCartney, 68); Collison (Lansbury, 49); Cole (Maynard, 86), Vaz Te. Substitutes not used Henderson, Faubert.
Cardiff City (4-4-2): Marshall; McNaughton, Hudson, Turner, Taylor; Lawrence, Gunnarsson, McPhail (Cowie, 76), Whittingham; Miller (Kiss, 76), Mason. Substitutes not used Heaton, Earnshaw, Blake.
Referee M Dean (Wirral).
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce was in bouyant mood after guiding West Ham United to Wembley for the Play-Off final
07.05.2012
Sam Allardyce was naturally on top of the world after guiding West Ham United to the npower Championship Play-Off final. Big Sam's Hammers completed a 5-0 semi-final aggregate victory over Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground courtesy of a dominant 3-0 win. Kevin Nolan set the ball rolling on 14 minutes before Ricardo Vaz Te belted in a second shortly before half-time and substitute Nicky Maynard netted a stunning late third. The manager and his players will now begin preparations for West Ham's first trip to Wembley in 31 years on Saturday 19 May, where they will face either Blackpool or Birmingham City. Big Sam told West Ham TV his players had set aside any disappointment at missing out on automatic promotion to do a thoroughly professional job against Malky Mackay's Bluebirds. "Well of course it could have been a nervy affair for us prior to the game because we had got everything to lose and nothing to gain," said the manager. "We had a 2-0 lead and were wondering what Cardiff were going to do - whether they were going to go gung-ho from the start or play the way they usually play. "We just said we'll play the same system that we've played in the last two home games and put the Cardiff defence under severe pressure as early as we possibly could. The quality of our play showed and it was key to us getting the early goal again. "I think, from there on, it was just a matter of time before we got more and it nearly came really quickly when Gary O'Neil hit the crossbar. Vaz then got his goal and I think that obviously knocked the spirit out of Cardiff. "Then we just waited patiently and the third goal was equally as stunning as Vaz Te's at the end. At the other end, we got a very important clean sheet and we go into the all-important Wembley final both resilient and in an attacking, goal-scoring mood. "That's eight games and we're averaging three-goals-a-game over that period. We've lost one game in 20 and it stands us in good stead for getting on the big stage at Wembley."
While his team are on top form at exactly the right time, Big Sam did suffer the disappointment of seeing the outstanding Jack Collison - whose skill created the corner that led to Nolan's vital opener - go off with a suspected dislocated shoulder. Whether or not the No10 recovers in time for Wembley, the manager is confident his squad is big and experienced enough to complete the job at the Home of Football. "The only disappointing thing to come out of the game was that it looks like Jack Collison has dislocated his shoulder. I know it has gone straight back in so hopefully he'll be OK. Everybody else is fine and we've got a really good few days now to get recovered and start the process of build-up towards the final. "We won't want to get anybody hurt so physical contact in training will be kept to a minimum and everybody just needs to look after themselves now and get themselves right physically and mentally for what will be a big, big challenge at one of the biggest arenas in the world. "Let's hope we can go there and deliver the type of performance we did today."
Big Sam took Bolton Wanderers to the old Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final defeat by Aston Villa in 2000 and is relishing making his managerial debut at the new 90,000 headquarters of English football. "I went to the old Wembley with Bolton for a semi-final and won the Play-Offs at the Millennium Stadium but they were different arenas at the time. "To see the West Ham fans there filling one half of that stadium is going to be pretty special and I hope we can all come out at the end of it with what we all hope for. "We have another obstacle in the way who will be equally determined to go where we want to go in either Blackpool or Birmingham, so it's about us maintaining our form going into this vital final game of the season."
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Play-Off final ticket information
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce ticket details for their big Wembley date on Saturday 19 May
07.05.2012
West Ham United are delighted to announce that the Club will receive an allocation in excess of 35,000 tickets for the npower Championship Play-Off final. The Hammers will take on either Blackpool or Birmingham City at Wembley on Saturday 19 May, with the winners gaining promotion to the Premier League. West Ham will be playing at the new Wembley for the first time and returning to the Home of Football for the first time since the 1981 League Cup final against Liverpool.
The Club's allocation would be broken down into the following price categories:
Category 1 - £100
Category 2 - £78
Category 3 - £66
Category 4 - £54
Category 5 - £38
Supporters should note that tickets will be strictly limited to ONE per Season Ticket holder or Academy/Youth Academy member.
There will be NO COACH TRAVEL to this fixture.
Selling information -
Away Match Scheme members
Tickets will be AUTOMATICALLY processed and posted by Thursday 10 May. You do not need to do anything. Please do not call to attempt to secure your ticket or attempt to pick up in person as these will be posted to your given address, with no exceptions.
Bondholders - 9am Tuesday 8 May
Call 0871 222 2700 (calls 10p/min plus network extras) via Option 3
Corporate Seasonal - 9am Tuesday 8 May
Call 0871 221 2700 (calls 10p/min plus network extras)
Season Ticket holders - 9am Wednesday 9 May
The sale of tickets for the Play-Off final will be conducted by SEE Tickets.
The Alpari Stand Ticket Office will accept NO PERSONAL CALLERS.
Supporters can purchase tickets by either of the following options:
Online - www.seetickets.com/westham
Telephone - 0844 995 9664 (calls 10p/min plus network extras)
Academy/Youth Academy members - 9am Saturday 12 May
The sale of tickets for the Play-Off final will be conducted by SEE Tickets.
The Alpari Stand Ticket Office will accept NO PERSONAL CALLERS.
Supporters can purchase tickets by either of the following options:
Online - www.seetickets.com/westham
Telephone - 0844 995 9664 (calls 10p/min plus network extras)
In the unlikely event that any tickets are still remaining, these will go on General Sale - 9am Monday 14 May
The sale of tickets for the Play-Off final will be conducted by SEE Tickets.
The Alpari Stand Ticket Office will accept NO PERSONAL CALLERS.
Supporters can purchase tickets by either of the following options:
Online - www.seetickets.com/westham
Telephone - 0844 995 9664
Disabled/Ambulant supporters
Disabled/Ambulant supporters should call 0845 217 1332 for details of how to purchase their tickets.
Corporate Hospitality
Supporters interested in Corporate Hospitality packages at Wembley should call 0871 221 2700 (calls 10p/min plus network extras) for details, prices and availability.
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Vaz Te wins SBOBET Player Poll
WHUFC.com
Hammers fans have voted Ricardo Vaz Te as their SBOBET Player of the Month for April
07.05.2012
Ricardo Vaz Te has been voted as the winner of April's SBOBET Player of the Month poll on whufc.com. The striker, who signed for the Hammers from Barnsley in January 2012, won his second consecutive Player of the Month award with a 57% share of the vote from fans. Vaz Te had a brilliant April in which he scored six goals including a hat-trick in the 6-0 win against Brighton & Hove Albion. The 25-year old Portuguese striker beat James Tomkins into second place (16%) and Carlton Cole (11%). Vaz Te was presented with his award before the Hammers's game with Cardiff City on Bank Holiday Monday.
Vaz Te's award follows previous winners James Tomkins (August), Henri Lansbury (September), Sam Baldock (October), Carlton Cole (November), Dan Potts (December), Mark Noble (January and February) and Vaz Te (March).
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West Ham boss Sam Allardyce prepared for favourites tag
BBC.co.uk
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says his team will have to deal with being favourites to win the play-off final. The Hammers will play for a place in the Premier League at Wembley on 19 May after beating Cardiff 3-0 at Upton Park to complete a 5-0 aggregate victory. "It is big pressure for us," Allardyce said. "Whoever we get, Birmingham or Blackpool, we are probably going to be favourites and have to live with that. "Hopefully we'll look forward to it and give another outstanding performance."
Allardyce was appointed West Ham manager last summer when Avram Grant was sacked following their relegation to the Championship, and they were considered favourites to make an immediate return to the top flight. They were second in early March, only one point behind the leaders, but lost ground after drawing five matches in succession as Reading and Southampton secured the two automatic promotion places. But the Hammers proved too strong for Cardiff over both legs in the play-off and now await the result of Wednesday's second-leg between Birmingham and Blackpool at St Andrew's, with the Tangerines holding a 1-0 advantage from the first game. "The response at Cardiff and this performance were terrific. I'm pleased for everybody concerned with West Ham United," Allardyce said. "We have a huge opportunity to get into the golden league, not for the money from my point of view but because that is where it all happens. "There has been a lot of hard work and it paid off today. The players excited and entertained the crowd. "We've controlled both games and tactically whatever Cardiff threw at us we dealt with. It was about how we broke them down and the attitude and energy of the players. "It's been a long time I've been in the job and dealing with pressure was something I dealt with in the early part by talking to a lot of people. I'm very nervous inside but can control it on the exterior to keep players calm."
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West Ham 3 Cardiff 0
Nolan 15′Vaz Te 40′Maynard 90′
7 May 2012
Last updated at 18:23
BBC.co.uk
West Ham sealed their place in the Championship play-off final by completing an emphatic semi-final victory over Cardiff. The Hammers came into the second leg with a firm grip on the tie courtesy of a 2-0 win in Wales last week. They strengthened this in the 15th minute when captain Kevin Nolan headed in from a Matt Taylor corner. They made sure of the win when Ricardo Vaz Te fired in a superb drive with Nicky Maynard adding a late third. Sam Allardyce's side remain on course to make amends for allowing automatic promotion to slip through their fingers. They are now just one game away from the Premier League, with either Birmingham or Blackpool representing the final hurdle at Wembley on Saturday, 19 May. It will be West Ham's first appearance at the national stadium since the 1981 League Cup final. For much of this season, United occupied a top-two spot and looked likely to earn an instant return to the Premier League, but Reading's late surge and Southampton's greater consistency throughout the campaign consigned the Hammers to an extended route to the top flight. The club finishing immediately outside the top two has been the most successful in the play-offs in the last 20 years, gaining promotion seven times. West Ham are on course to add to this record.
While West Ham's away form is the best in the Championship this season - a fact they emphasized at Cardiff City Stadium last Thursday when Jack Collison's goals gave them an impressive first-leg win - their inconsistent home form is arguably the main reason they did not attain automatic elevation. Four defeats and eight draws for the Hammers on their own turf was enough to give Cardiff hope of upsetting the odds by becoming the first team to overturn a two-goal first-leg play-off deficit at this level and thus keep alive dreams of a first top-flight season in 50 years.
However, this depended on them scoring the first goal and their failure to achieve this killed the tie. The Bluebirds had made an encouraging start - and could have had a penalty had referee Mike Dean not been unsighted for a clumsy Winston Reid challenge that felled Kenny Miller in the box - but instead they suffered a terminal blow when Nolan nodded in after Carlton Cole's initial header from Taylor's corner had been blocked. Malky Mackay's side never recovered as the home side capitalised on their position of superiority. Gary O'Neil was close to extending West Ham's lead with a side-foot volley from 12 yards that struck the top of the bar, before Vaz Te did just that with a fiercely-struck shot that flew across City keeper David Marshall and into the far top-corner of the net. The second half was a mere formality as a relaxed West Ham played out a comfortable 45 minutes, which they decorated right at the very end as substitute Maynard found space in the box to smash a shot past Marshall. The Hammers' only concern was an injury to Collison, who was taken to hospital as a precaution for a dislocated soldier.
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Allardyce on... Cardiff City
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 7th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce reflects on a job thoroughly well done - and looks ahead to the play-off Final a week next Sunday. His post-Cardiff press conference exclusively in full..
Sam: You must be delighted with the team's performance over two legs to get to Wembley?
Yeah, it's been two outstanding performances. I think that the platform was set for the players to deliver today. There was a little bit of anxiety because we were in front by two goals and also the big favourites. We were a little bit nervous about how we were going to start, what we're going to do and what Cardiff are going to do.
Obviously they were going to change the tactics a little bit with nothing to lose, just to try and go for it and see if they could get the first goal. But the start again was outstanding - the diamond we played again was terrific - and from thereon it was just a case of the lads keeping control of what they already had. We went on to win the game in fantastic style with a great performance.
The first goal, from the corner was very important - and then [we scored] two scintillating goals from [Ricardo] Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard. Arguably it could have been more but 3-0 at home, 2-0 away and two clean sheets, you can't ask for any more. The players have delivered under enormous pressure because the whole season rides on two games and whether it ends up being a brilliant one or we all end up disappointed.
Now it's down to 90 minutes at Wembley?
Well I hope it's just 90 minutes - and we win it, I don't want to go into extra time! It gives us great confidence to go on the even bigger stage at Wembley and try and give the sort of performance we gave today. Obviously that's what we hope to do. Whoever we play it's going to be very difficult, whether it's Blackpool or Birmingham. We can now look forward to it and make sure that when we get there, we try and deliver what we've all wanted right from day one.
Do you think if you reproduce the way you've played these last two games you'll be very difficult to beat?
I think so. We've got to handle the occasion and the opposition and hopefully that will produce the best performance from the players. They've certainly managed to do it under the extreme pressure we've worked under in the play-offs [so far]. There's been no nerves from the players, there's been no anxiety and there's been very few mistakes made.
There's been a lot of quality about our football and there's been a lot of desire and determination to make sure that we get where we wanted to go. Under those extreme circumstances we've delivered two outstanding performances and hopefully that will remain in the players' minds as a positive mental attitude going into the Wembley Final on 19th May.
Who would you prefer to play?
I don't really know. I'm going to watch Birmingham and Blackpool on Wednesday and I'll watch the game on TV at home. Blackpool, based on how they played that day [in the first leg] were very good but unfortunately failed to make the most of the chances they created and only got the one goal. But second leg? Birmingham have lost only one game at home all season.
So it's going to be a case of who can keep their nerve the best, I think, on Wednesday night. I'm just glad we're through and they've still got to play, so I can relax a little bit and let those two managers go through the pressures that the play-offs bring. I'll wait and see and who wins and we'll plan accordingly.
Any news on Jack Collison?
It looks like a dislocated shoulder unfortunately. We wouldn't rule him out straight away until we know the extent of the dislocation which will be done via MRI scan as quickly as possible.
Do you think there's too long a gap between now and the Final?
No I don't think so. For the players who have worked extremely hard over a 48-game season, the mini-break they can have between now and the start of our build-up preparations will be vital for them to gain the strength needed to go into such a big game. Hopefully that will give them the opportunity to deliver their capabilities as footballers because they'll have had enough time to fully recover, physically and mentally, for such a big match. So I'm glad there is that extra few days.
How does this campaign compare with all the others you've gone through considering the level of expectation?
Well only losing one in twenty now and scoring as many goals as we've scored in the last eight games - I think we've averaged three goals a game - has been a terrific period for us and a terrific season really. The disappointing thing was that had we been a little luckier and a little bit more careful with some of the home results - draws happening rather than wins - we'd have got automatic promotion, or when in the past 86 points would have been enough.
So I think it's been a fantastic season by everybody who works at West Ham United and I think that, considering where we came from at the start, it's outstanding. As it is for Blackpool and as it is for Birmingham.
We've found for the first time that the three teams who were relegated are three of the four teams in the play-offs. The turnaround that you have to do is something that needs to be handled and managed as quickly as possible and then you deliver - and we've all delivered. Whether we can deliver the final one now is the big ask. We live under that pressure and try and deliver.
Is that showing the gap is growing between the Premier League and the Championship?
No, it's getting narrower, isn't it. Look at Norwich and Swansea - and QPR if they stay up. There's three of them staying up, so I think it's not too big if you get the right group of players, the right investment and you buy wisely. If you do that then you'll have a chance; it depends how, when and what you do as a manager when you get there.
Given the expectation is this one game the most intense pressure you've been under to get a result in your career?
There was probably more pressure in year two at Bolton when we had to beat Middlesbrough at home [to stay up]. I shouldn't mention this, because West Ham went down! But we had to beat Middlesbrough at home, that was more pressure than a Wembley Final and more pressure than this because we were chasing the millions, as always. We were chasing Premier League status and having one game to do it in.
West Ham were playing Birmingham and Bolton were playing Middlesbrough at home. The good thing was we knew if we won, we stayed up and we didn't have to rely on anybody else - and we did. We went on to become a fantastic unit from thereon, the difference between the history of Bolton Wanderers and what it might have been was massive because they're still in the Premier League 11 years on. Had I not done it then, that's what - nine years x £30, £40, £50 million? A pretty big bank roll, isn't it? So there was a bit of pressure there.
So we'll handle this pressure. The thing is, it's a better stage to go on and deliver, isn't it? Wembley, rather than playing at home on your last game of the season with everybody crapping themselves in case you don't do it, you know. So we managed it then and we'll hopefully manage it now and try and get the players to deliver. I just want the players to play like they played either at Cardiff or how they played here today. Hopefully that will be enough. If they play like that we'll have a great chance of getting there.
If you get them there could you stay up with this squad of players?
I always think that any group of players that get a club promoted need to be strengthened. You've got about 26 players leaving here and 19 players coming in in one season. That's the size of the job, it's a massive turnaround. But the squad would always need to be strengthened in terms of its quality to go into the Premier League, I think.
You try and do that with whatever budget is given, but at this moment in time we're not there. We're far from being there - well, 90 minutes away from being there - and we've got to focus on that and hopefully, if we can deliver, then we can worry about what the Premier League brings.
Thank you.
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West Ham Utd 3 Cardiff City 0 (West Ham win 5-0 on aggregate)
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 7th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are on their way to Wembley after depatching Cardiff City with consummate ease. Malky Mackay's side, who finished the league campaign three places and some 11 points behind West Ham were simply no match for a rampart United side in front of a capacity crowd at the Boleyn Ground this afternoon.
First half strikes from Kevin Nolan and Ricardo Vaz Te and a last minute effort from substitute Nicky Maynard sent the Hammers through to the play-off Final - West Ham's first appearance at Wembley since 1981.
All the talk before the game had been of West Ham protecting their two-goal advantage, secured in the first leg at the Cardiff City Stadium last Thursday night.
But in the end those concerns were proved to be unwarranted as Sam Allardyce's side swept aside the challenge of Cardiff who, for the second successive game, were simply not at the races.
Such was West Ham's dominance that Rob Green made his first save of the game in the final minute of normal time. At the opposite end United racked up a string of chances and could quite easily have won by an even greater margin.
As it was they had to settle for just the three goals - although the visitors might complain that they were unlucky to be denied a penalty shout when Winston Reid appeared to trip Kenny Miller on the edge of the box with just ten minutes played.
Five minutes later and it was pretty much game over for Cardiff when Kevin Nolan pounced from virtually underneath the crossbar to give West Ham the lead from a Matt Taylor corner.
And any remaining doubts were firmly dispelled five minutes ahead of the interval when Ricardo Vaz Te scored an absolute belter that threatened to tear the net when he blasted home West Ham's second from some 15 yards or so.
Such was the Irons' dominance in that opening period that the lead could have been even more comprehensive - and would have been had City 'keeper David Marshall not managed to tip Gary O'Neil's 35th minute effort - a shot eerily reminiscent of Vaz Te's goal to come - around the post.
However there was little Marshall could so when O'Neil - who had looked like missing out on the play-offs altogether after sustaining an injury during the 2-1 over Hull City - found the crossbar with a clever volley from a Collison cross just after Nolan had given the home side the lead.
With the game in the bag and a place at Wembley assured the second half was a strange one with West Ham content to move the ball around the park without ever really threatening the Cardiff goal, much to the delight of the ebullient home crowd who at one stage cheered every pass.
Following a string of substitutions, including that of captain Nolan who left the field to a standing ovation - perhaps the first sign that he has finally been accepted by the Boleyn crowd - West Ham finally sealed the win in the last minute when substitute Nicky Maynard grabbed a third goal.
The former Bristol City striker combined beautifully with fellow sub Henri Lansbury before firing home beyond Marshall into the top far corner to put the icing n the cake on a wonderful day for West Ham.
The only black mark was a nasty injury to Jack Collison, who may now miss the Wembley showpiece after dislocating a shoulder. Sam Allardyce revealed after the game that although Collison's arm had just "popped back in" to place, he is now a serious doubt for the Final on May 19th.
Who West Ham will face a fortnight from now will be determined on Wednesday evening when Blackpool travel to Birmingham for the second leg of their semi-final with a 1-0 lead from the first leg at Bloomfield Road.
West Ham Utd 3 Cardiff City 0: match facts
West Ham Utd: Green, Demel, Taylor, Reid, Tomkins, Noble, O'Neil, Nolan (McCartney 69), Vaz Te, Collison (Lansbury 48), Cole (Maynard 86).
Subs not used: Henderson, Faubert.
Goals: Nolan (15), Vaz Te (40), Maynard (90).
Booked: Reid (68).
Shots on/off target: 6/4 (10).
Cardiff City: Marshall, McNaughton (Blake 81), Taylor, Hudson, Turner, Lawrence, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, McPhail (Cowie 76), Mason, Miller (Kiss 76).
Subs not used : Heaton, Earnshaw.
Booked: Miller (28), Hudson (50), Whittingham (80).
Shots on/off target: 2/3 (5).
Possession: West Ham Utd 54%; Cardiff City 46%.
Referee: Mike Dean (7).
Attendance: 34,682.
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Collison facing Final fitness fight
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 7th May 2012
By: Staff Writer
Jack Collison is a major doubt for Sunday week's play-off Final after dislocating a shoulder against Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground this afternoon. The Welsh international, who scored both goals in the semi final first leg at the Cardiff City Stadium last Thursday went down heavily in the opening minute of the second half and was immediately replaced. The 23-year-old was rushed straight to hospital , - but not until his dislocated shoulder was reset- where he underwent an MRI scan on the injury. And Sam Allardyce confessed after the game that the midfielder was now a major doubt for the forthcoming Wembley final. "It looks like a dislocated shoulder, unfortunately," confirmed Allardyce. "Not knowing the extend of it yet we wouldn't rule him out straight away. "Hopefully we'll know the extent of the dislocation - which will be done via MRI scan as quickly as possible - soon." Collison has made 35 appearances for West Ham so far this season, having fought back from a career-threatening injury. Of his six goals during the current campaign, half of them have come in his last three games (one against Leicester and two at Cardiff).
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Hammers cruise into Wembley final
Last updated: 7th May 2012
SSN
West Ham cruised into the Championship play-off final 5-0 on aggregate after beating Cardiff 3-0 in the semi-final second leg on Monday. The Hammers quickly shrugged off the disappointment of missing out on automatic promotion as goals from Kevin Nolan, Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard booked them a trip to Wembley for the first time in 31 years. One year on from relegation, they will now face either Blackpool or Birmingham on May 19 for a shot at returning to the top flight and the estimated £90million reward promotion brings. As for Cardiff, they began the season with victory at Upton Park but ended it suffering play-off heartache for the third successive year. Malky Mackay's side arrived in east London as huge underdogs, trailing 2-0 from the first leg in Wales last week. Both teams knew the importance of an early goal, Cardiff to haul themselves back into the tie and West Ham to kill it off. And the visitors did pose a brief threat, having a half-hearted penalty appeal turned down when Kenny Miller tumbled under Winston Reid's challenge. But it was West Ham who struck the crucial first blow from Matt Taylor's 15th-minute corner. Carlton Cole's close-range header was blocked by Cardiff skipper Mark Hudson but Nolan was on hand to nod the rebound over the line for his 13th goal of the season. It was one-way traffic from then on with a disappointing Cardiff side already resigned to their fate.
West Ham were inches from going two up when Jack Collison, the two-goal hero from the first leg, crossed to Gary O'Neil, whose first-time volley came back off the bar. O'Neil then forced a fine diving save from David Marshall with a swerving effort from outside the area. And five minutes before the interval the hosts did double their lead in style. Cardiff defender Stephen McPhail missed Guy Demel's pass but Vaz Te did not, taking the ball in his stride before blasting an unstoppable angled drive past Marshall and into the net. After the break Taylor and Reid had shots blocked while a rare Cardiff foray forward saw Liam Lawrence drive wide. But it was Hammers substitute Maynard who had the final say with a superb finish from Henri Lansbury's through-ball a minute from time. The jubilant home fans burst into a rendition of 'we're going to Wembley' - and they actually meant it for the first time since Trevor Brooking, Billy Bonds and Co lost the League Cup final to Liverpool way back in 1981.
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Allardyce hails Hammers
There is pressure to perform, admits West Ham boss
Last Updated: May 7, 2012 7:30pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce believes West Ham have a "massive opportunity" to reach the "golden league" after play-off semi-final success against Cardiff. The West Ham manager saw his team thump Cardiff 3-0 at Upton Park on Monday to seal a 5-0 aggregate win and set up a Wembley showdown with Birmingham or Blackpool on May 19. And Allardyce is delighted with the way his team has responded to the pressure they are under as favourites to reach the Premier League. "It's great," he told Sky Sports. "It's not what we ultimately wanted but now we've gone to the play-offs and we've produced two outstanding performances now under the sort of pressure we've been under all season, (albeit) different pressure in the play-offs. "But the response of the players, particularly at Cardiff to give us the platform and here to top it was terrific as far as I'm concerned. "We've got a massive opportunity now over 90 minutes to try and get into the golden league. "Not for the money from my point of view but where it all happens. "Hopefully we can hold it together and give a performance like we did today when we get to Wembley on the 19th.
Important
Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard both scored with fantastic strikes for the Hammers but it was Kevin Nolan's opener that Allardyce identified as the key goal.
"The first goal was always going to be important," he added. "We went out and played with the diamond (formation) again and tried to get the first goal as quick as we could and it paid off brilliantly for us. "We've controlled both games and been dominant in both games. Tactically whatever Cardiff had to throw us we've dealt with today. "It's about how we broke them down with the attitude of our players and the energy of the players and ultimately the quality shone through." Although West Ham remain on track for promotion, it has not been a comfortable season for the club with Allardyce questioned after the club failed to secure a top-two finish.
Nervous
And while the 57-year-old admits he is nervous, he is determined to not allow that to transmit to his players. He said: "Dealing with the pressure is something I learnt in the early part by talking to a lot of people about it. "Externally you've got to give out the right messages to the players but believe me I'm very nervous on the inside but can control it to try and help the players be calm and cool and make the right decisions for them. "Today I didn't have to make any decisions for them - they made all the right decisions themselves I'm glad to say." Asked if the pressure to get promoted remains as strong as ever, Allardyce added: "Definitely. It's a big pressure for us. Whoever we get we're probably going to be the favourites again and we've got to deal with that. "Hopefully the players can soak up the atmosphere (at Wembley) and give us another fantastic performance to get us where we want to go."
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Match Report: West Ham Utd FC 3 - Cardiff City 0 (5-0 on aggregate)
By S J Chandos West Ham Till I Die
Well, that was a superb performance. And I actually got my desired, relatively stress free match!!!
It was, indeed, a great all round display and every player stepped up to the plate and delivered the goods. Winston Reid deservedly got man of the match. He was magnficent at the back, dealing with numerous high balls in to the box. He and Tomkins are a good partnership and hopefully Reid will now start getting more credit for his contribution. Demel had his best game in a West Ham shirt, as he finally starts to shake off the 'ring rust.' Taylor also played very well and Green did everything that was asked of him, even commanding his area and taking the high balls.
Noble pulled the strings, O'Neill worked like a Trojan and Collison look very good again, before he picked up his untimely shoulder injury. I sincerely hope that he is ok for the Final. Jack derves to be at Wembley, after all he has been through over the last years or so. While Nolan popped up with the crucial, early goal to ease all our nerves. Cole also had another good game, leading the line, and Vaz Te scored one of the goals of the season. Vaz Te definitely has great potential, we need to see just how good he can be and the only way to test that is by playing in the PL.
Once Nolan scored, that was game over. They then had to come out and attack and I knew we would punish them further. But West Ham still had to do it and they set about the task with relish. All in all, part one of the mission accomplished, with flying colours! We need to enjoy the victory for a couple of days and then refocus on the Final. We have nothing to fear from Blackpool or Brum. But we have to set about the test in a ruthless way and finish the job. In short, there is no room for complacency or slip ups at Wembley.
We Hammers suffer a lot of disappointment and heart ache, but today was one of those days that reminds you why we follow this very special club. But now we must finish the job, Wembley is no place for losers and we need to make sure that we emerge as the winners come the 19 May 2012!
SJ. Chandos.
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Injury agony for West Ham's Collison as play-off hero dislocates shoulder
By SAM CUNNINGHAM
PUBLISHED: 21:41, 7 May 2012 | UPDATED: 21:41, 7 May 2012
Daily Mail
Play-off goal hero Jack Collison was in hospital on Monday night after suffering a dislocated shoulder. The West Ham and Wales midfielder, whose two goals in the first leg at Cardiff set up Monday's semi-final win, fell heavily after being tackled by defender Ben Turner a minute after half-time. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce said: 'Jack doesn't look good. His shoulder popped out, but the good thing is that it went straight back in again. With 11 days to go until the final, I would not rule him out until we know the extent of the dislocation.' After missing out on automatic promotion, the Hammers have hit form and Allardyce said: 'It gives us great confidence to go on the even bigger stage of Wembley and give the sort of performance we did today. Whoever we play it's going to be very difficult. 'We'll be difficult to beat. It's going to be who can keep their nerve. I'm just glad we're through while Birmingham and Blackpool still have to play. I can relax a bit while those two managers go through it.'
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Allardyce hails 'terrific season' after Hammers book final ticket
West Ham United 3 Cardiff City 0
JACK PITT-BROOKE UPTON PARK TUESDAY 08 MAY 2012
Independent.co.uk
The only regret is that they did not play like this sooner. West Ham United delivered arguably their best home performance of the season yesterday, beating Cardiff City 3-0 and securing their place in the Championship play-off final at Wembley – with the £90m riches on offer for promotion to the Premier League.
Even the aggregate scoreline of 5-0 does not fully convey West Ham's dominance. They were exceptional here, attacking with a confidence and fluidity far removed from much on show at the Boleyn Ground this season. At no point yesterday could any West Ham fan have been making alternative plans for 19 May, such was their comfort.
The shame, from West Ham's perspective, is that this was only their 12th home league win from twice as many attempts. Had they played like this at home all year they would be on the beach now, with, presumably, Southampton still playing for promotion.
"It has been a terrific season," Sam Allardyce said afterwards. "The disappointment is that, had we been a little luckier and a little bit more careful with some of the home results, we'd have got the automatic [promotion]."
But that is in the past and the West Ham manager was understandably thrilled. "The start was outstanding," he said. "The first goal was very important, and from there on it was a case of the lads keeping control of what they already had. We won the game in fantastic style with a great, great performance, and two scintillating goals from Ricardo Vaz Te and Nicky Maynard."
This performance, combined with the 2-0 win in Cardiff last week, formed a perfect demonstration of how play-offs should be approached: with assurance, discipline and timing. "You can't ask for any more than what the players have delivered under enormous pressure," Allardyce said. "There's been no nerves from the players, there's been no anxiety. There's been very few mistakes made, and there's been a lot of quality about our football, and a lot of desire and determination to make sure we get where we want to go."
Cardiff City will not be going to Wembley, but in truth they never looked as if they would be. At no point did they appear likely to score the two goals they needed at kick-off, never mind the three, four, or the five-goal margin they lost by. Their manager, Malky Mackay, said afterwards that he "knew it was going to be tough". Had Cardiff scored first it might have been a different afternoon, but they never had the chance.
From the outset West Ham's superiority was obvious. When, in the third minute, Carlton Cole shrugged off Ben Turner to reach Jack Collison's pass, it set the tone. West Ham were stronger, brisker and more assertive throughout.
Collison started at the top of Allardyce's diamond, linking their robust midfield of Mark Noble, Kevin Nolan and Gary O'Neil with the forwards Cole and Vaz Te. It worked perfectly; with West Ham attacking with numbers and purpose. The worry for West Ham will be that Collison was forced off early in the second half with a dislocated shoulder. He will have an MRI scan in the hope of making the final.
Set pieces remain the great strength of this well-drilled, well-built side, and this was how they went ahead. Taylor whipped in a corner, Cole headed it at the near post, and Nolan finalised proceedings from one yard out.
The roar was as loud as the Boleyn Ground has been this year. Even with 75 minutes left the tie felt over.
West Ham proceeded with the licence of a team who felt this too: the influential Collison clipped a pass through to O'Neil, who hooked a volley over David Marshall and on to the bar. There was more confidence in that one move than there has been in many West Ham home performances this season.
The superiority was enough to induce cheering of every pass, even after just 38 minutes. But it was not hubristic, as West Ham passed their way to a second goal and a certain ticket.
A long string of passes climaxed with O'Neil finding Demel, who played the ball through to Vaz Te. Stephen McPhail charged out but misjudged his tackle, Vaz Te had the time to whip the ball into the far top corner.
Only in the final 10 minutes did West Ham choose to increase the pace again, because they could. Cole shuffled past two tackles and played in Taylor, whose chip did not quite rise over Marshall.
But West Ham did find that third goal they wanted, two minutes from the end. Lansbury, increasingly influential in midfield, slid a perfect pass between Andrew Taylor and Turner, on to which Nicky Maynard ran, and fired in.
West Ham United (4-1-2-1-2): Green; Demel, Tomkins, Reid, Taylor; Noble; O'Neil, Nolan (McCartney, 68); Collison (Lansbury, 49); Cole (Maynard, 86), Vaz Te. Substitutes not used Henderson, Faubert.
Cardiff City (4-4-2): Marshall; McNaughton, Hudson, Turner, Taylor; Lawrence, Gunnarsson, McPhail (Cowie, 76), Whittingham; Miller (Kiss, 76), Mason. Substitutes not used Heaton, Earnshaw, Blake.
Referee M Dean (Wirral).
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