Daily WHUFC News - 17th August 2012

Aston Villa match preview
WHUFC.com
All the build-up ahead of West Ham United's opening Barclays Premier League
fixture
16.08.2012

WEST HAM UNITED v ASTON VILLA
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 18 AUGUST 2012
KICK-OFF: 3PM
REFEREE: MIKE DEAN
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV

Introduction
• West Ham United welcome Aston Villa to the Boleyn Ground for the first
game of the Barclays Premier League 2012/13 season.
• The Hammers are currently unbeaten in 2012 at the Boleyn Ground and will
hoping to keep up their superb record as they enter the top flight and look
to get off to a good start.
• As many as five summer signings could be making their competitive debut
for the club, with Jussi Jaaskelainen, Stephen Henderson, Mohamed Diame,
Alou Diarra and Modibo Maiga all hoping to feature.
• Two players could make their second debuts for the Hammers after
re-joining the club over the summer, George McCartney has signed a permanent
deal after spending last season on loan in east London from Sunderland,
while James Collins has also returned following a three-year spell with
Saturday's visitors Aston Villa.
• The Hammers clash with Aston Villa is one of six Barclays Premier League
ties kicking-off at 3pm on Saturday, the other games are as follows: Arsenal
v Sunderland, Fulham v Norwich, QPR v Swansea, Reading v Stoke, West
Bromwich Albion v Liverpool and Newcastle v Tottenham.
Last time out
Pre-season match
Friday 10 August 2012
SC Braga 1-1 West Ham United
West Ham United: Jaaskelainen, Demel (Potts 79), Reid, Collins (O'Neil 76),
O'Brien, Tomkins, Diame (Moncur 84), Noble, Vaz Te, Maiga, Cole (Taylor 71)
Sub not used: Henderson
Goal: Reid 89
Pre-season match
Saturday 11 August 2012
Werder Bremen 3-3 Aston Villa
Aston Villa: Given, Lichaj, Clark, Vlaar, Stevens (Bannan 65), Holman
(Ireland 65), El Ahmadi, Delph, N'Zogbia (Gardner 77), Bent, Weimann
Subs not used: Marshall, Guzan, Baker
Goals: Bent 16, 68 Clark 22
Previous meeting
• The last meeting between the two sides came in a Barclays Premier League
fixture at the Boleyn Ground on 16 April 2011. The match ended in a 2-1
defeat for West Ham United as substitute Gabriel Agbonlahor scored an
injury-time winner. The Hammers got off to the best possible start when
on-loan striker Robbie Keane opened the scoring within two minutes. After
going behind, Villa struck back in the 36th minute when Bent headed home.
Carlton Cole had an appeal for a penalty turned down before the Hammers'
misery was compounded in added-time when Agbonlahor headed home the winner.
West Ham United: Green, Jacobsen, Upson, Bridge, Da Costa (Gabbidon 14),
Noble, O'Neil (Ba 63), Hitzlsperger, Cole, Keane, Obinna (Hines 58)
Subs not used: Boffin, Spector, Piquionne, Boa Morte~
Goal: Keane 2
Aston Villa: Friedel, Dunne, Young, Walker, Collins, Downing, Reo-Coker,
Young, Petrov, Bent, Heskey (Agbonlahor 78)
Subs not used: Marshall, Cuellar, Pires, Clark, Makoun, Albrighton
Goals: Bent 36, Agbonlahor 90

Background
• West Ham United and Aston Villa have met 105 times in total in competitive
fixtures. Each club has tasted victory on 37 occasions, with 31 draws.
• The Hammers travelled to Villa Park exactly 60 years ago today on 18
August 1962. Unfortunately, Aston Villa ran out 3-1 Division One winners in
front of 37,000 fans, with Johnny Byrne bagging the visitors' goal.
• Today's game is the second time in three seasons that West Ham United and
Aston Villa have met on the opening day. Villa won 3-0 at Villa Park on 14
August 2010.
• The first-ever meeting between the two clubs proved to be a forgettable
one for West Ham United, who were beaten 5-0 at Villa Park in the FA Cup
second round on 1 February 1913.
• West Ham United's largest victory over Aston Villa came in Division One on
30 August 1958, when the newly-promoted Hammers won 7-2 at the Boleyn
Ground. A 30,506-strong crowd saw John Dick, Vic Keeble and Malcolm Musgrove
scored twice apiece and Bill Lansdowne once.
• Sam Allardyce faced Aston Villa five times as a manager during the 2009/10
season, when his Blackburn Rovers side were eliminated from the FA Cup and
League Cup by the Villans.
• West Ham United's all-time record goalscorer Vic Watson netted 18 goals in
15 appearances against Aston Villa, including three hat-tricks in November
1926, December 1929 and April 1930.
• Marlon Harewood scored West Ham United's most-recent Premier League
hat-trick when he bagged three times in a 4-0 home win over Aston Villa on
12 September 2005. He later went on to play for Villa.
• A total of 13 West Ham United players have made their debuts against
today's opponents Aston Villa - Alfred Earl, Ernest England, Alvin Martin,
Carlos Tevez, Winston Reid, Pablo Barrera, Frederic Piquionne, Archibald
Macauley, Ian Crawford, Bill Green, Craig Forrest, Paulo Alves and Matthew
Upson.

Last six metings
(Premier League unless stated)
16 April 2011 - West Ham United 1-2 Aston Villa
14 August 2010 - Aston Villa 3-0 West Ham United
17 January 2010 - Aston Villa 0-0 West Ham United
4 November 2009 - West Ham United 2-1 Aston Villa
18 April 2009 - Aston Villa 1-1 West Ham United
21 December 2008 - West Ham United 0-1 Aston Villa
Overall record v Aston Villa (all competitions) W 37 D 31 L 37

Ten-year record
West Ham United
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (33 points)
2009/10 Premier League 17th (35 points)
2008/09 Premier League 9th (51 points)
2007/08 Premier League 10th (49 points)
2006/07 Premier League 15th (41 points)
2005/06 Premier League 9th (55 points)
2004/05 Championship 6th (73 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th (74 points)
2002/03 Premier League 18th (42 points - relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th (53 points)
2000/01 Premier League 15th (42 points)
Aston Villa
2011/12 Premier League 16th (38 points)
2010/11 Premier League 9th (48 points)
2009/10 Premier League 6th (64 points)
2008/09 Premier League 6th (62 points)
2007/08 Premier League 6th (60 points)
2006/07 Premier League 11th (50 points)
2005/06 Premier League 16th (42 points)
2004/05 Premier League 10th (47 points)
2003/04 Premier League 6th (56 points)
2002/03 Premier League 16th (45 points)
2001/02 Premier League 8th (50 points)
2000/01 Premier League 8th (54 points)

Referee
• Saturday's referee is Mike Dean.
• Select Group official Dean, 44, took charge of just one West Ham United
fixture last season - the 2-0 npower Championship victory at Middlesbrough
on 29 November 2011.
• The previous campaign, Dean was the man in the middle for six Hammers
fixtures - most notably the 3-2 Barclays Premier League defeat at Wigan
Athletic on 15 May that confirmed the club's relegation. That season, the
experienced referee also took charge of West Ham's 3-0 opening-day defeat at
today's opponents Aston Villa. In all, Dean has taken charge of 29 West Ham
fixtures.
• Dean refereed Aston Villa just once last term - a 1-1 home draw with Stoke
City on 9 April 2012 - but has taken charge of the Midlands side 28 times
during his career.
• He began refereeing in 1985, starting out his career in senior football in
the Northern Premier League.
• In 2004, Dean took charge of his first international match, a friendly
between the Netherlands and Republic of Ireland at Amsterdam Arena. That
same year, he took control of the FA Community Shield between Arsenal and
Manchester United.
• In May 2006, he refereed the Championship play-off final between Leeds
United and Watford at the Millennium Stadium. In 2008, he was in charge for
the FA Cup final between Portsmouth and Cardiff City at Wembley Stadium.

Team news
• As many as nine players could make their competitive debuts for their
respective new clubs at the Boleyn Ground this weekend - Jussi Jaaskelainen,
Stephen Henderson, Mohamed Diame, Alou Diarra and Modibo Maiga for West Ham
United and Matthew Lowton, Ron Vlaar, Karim El Ahmadi and Brett Holman for
Aston Villa.
• Jack Collison is unlikely to play after failing to feature in any of the
Hammers pre-season games as he continues to manage his long-term knee
issues. However, captain Kevin Nolan is hoping to return after missing the
final pre-season match at SC Braga with a toe problem suffered at Colchester
United last month.
• France midfielder Alou Diarra is yet to make an appearance for the
Hammers, having signed on the day of the final pre-season game in Braga.
However, he has trained with his new team-mates all week and could be named
in the matchday squad.

Old boys

• James Collins swapped east London for Birmingham on 1 September 2009 for
an undisclosed fee after making 65 appearances in all competitions for West
Ham United, scoring two goals. The Wales centre-back returned to West Ham on
1 August, having scored six goals in 109 games for the Villans.

• Carlton Cole would be playing against the team where he spent the 2004/05
season on loan. Cole scored three goals in 30 league and cup appearances for
Aston Villa.
• Among the other players who have represented both clubs are Billy Askew,
Alan Curbishley, Mervyn Day, Marlon Harewood, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Ray
Houghton, David James, Fred Norris, Nigel Reo-Coker, Tony Scott, Les Sealey,
Nolberto Solano, Tommy Southren, David Unsworth and Phil Woosnam.

General Information
• Less than 1,000 tickets for Saturday's season-opener are still available
and can be purchased online here.
• The weather forecast for Saturday is for sunny intervals with a maximum
temperature of 27C (81F).
• There are no planned engineering works on the London Underground this
weekend.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam on Aston Villa
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce spoke to the media ahead of Saturday's Barclays Premier League
opener at the Boleyn Ground
16.08.2012

Sam Allardyce has revealed his excitement, expectations and thoughts on West
Ham United's Barclays Premier League return. Big Sam and his side trained at
the Boleyn Ground on Thursday and the manager was in a positive mood ahead
of the season opener against Aston Villa on Saturday when he spoke to the
media.

Welcome back. Are you more excited than most after leading West Ham United
back into the Barclays Premier League?

SA - "I think so. There is a lot of excitement around the place and it is
building the closer and closer we get to the kick-off. We will have to wait
and see how we will perform in the end, I think the only slow process has
been getting players in. We have been working extremely hard but being able
to complete signings has been very difficult indeed. We are pleased with who
we have brought in already and we are still working to bring in a few more
before the end of the window."

David Sullivan believes Alou Diarra is the best signing the club have made
this summer What are your thoughts on his view?

SA - "I'm not sure about that - time will tell. I think that everybody we
have signed will have a big part to play in how successful we are this year
because unlike most promoted football clubs we have released a lot of
players. We needed to increase the talent of the squad and decrease the age
of the squad, so we released seven or eight players which is unusual for a
promoted side. Then you have to replace those players and we are not there
yet so we have taken a risk by trying to get these players in. We have done
well but we are still a little short."

Would you agree that facing Aston Villa at home represents a comfortable
start to the season?

SA - "Everybody said that Cardiff City at home was a comfortable start last
season and we ended up getting beat 1-0 in the last minute. I don't think
there is any kind of comfortable start in the Premier League. I think there
is a possibility that we could get off to a good start if we give a good
account of ourselves. We are looking for a good performance by our players
and that may give us a chance to win the first game here at Upton Park at
the start of a new Premier League season. I think we all need to be a little
apprehensive, certainly myself. It doesn't matter how good or bad I think we
are as I won't really know until we play in the
Barclays Premier League."

Would you agree that you have a reasonable start against typically mid-table
sides?

SA - "I would agree to a certain extent in the sense that they are a
reasonable set of games because we have avoided getting the top boys on a
regular basis which is always going to be tough no matter when you play
them. We have a group of games that give us the opportunity to get off to as
good a start as we possibly can."

What are your dreams for the coming season?

SA - "My dreams are to try and get the team to finish in a position where
there has been little or no pressure on them from a relegation point of
view, so as near to a top-ten finish as we can."

Can you give us an update on the current fitness situations of James Collins
and Jack Collison?

SA - "James Collins will train tomorrow with us and Jack Collison still
hasn't trained fully with the first team since the Play-Off final last year.
James is OK but Jack is a big concern for me having missed the summer and
having not played in any of the pre-season games like we expected him to.
It's his knee - the one he had operated on two years ago. We probably played
him more than we should have towards the end of last season and he gave that
much effort and desire that it has exaggerated the injury. It's been a great
shame for him that he hasn't been able to come in with the rest of the squad
and enjoy the excitement we are all feeling ahead of the new season. He
won't need another operation but he does need some tender guidance. We
mustn't rush him back or think about rushing him back, we need to wait for
the right time for him to come back."

What kind of Aston Villa side are you expecting?

SA - "A very determined and organised side. Paul Lambert's record in terms
of moving into a new club and instantly getting results stands for itself. I
think he will get them playing a system that suits the players and get them
playing the best they possibly can. For us it's about making sure we play at
the top of our game against a side that has been established in the top
league for a very long time now. We have got some players with Premier
League experience but it's been a year since we have been there. We are
looking forward to getting back, we will deliver our best and of course try
and win as many games as we can. The first game is as important as the last
game in my opinion, and if we win the first game it gets everybody off to a
nice pleasant start. If you get three points in the bag it builds the
confidence of the club getting rid of any anxiety anybody may have or at
least reduce it."

Do you hope the euphoria of the Olympics is brought into the Boleyn Ground
this weekend?

SA - "We would certainly like to continue the atmosphere the Olympics has
brought to the East End and the entire country. It's been an outstanding
game from every aspect and every angle. I hope the euphoria spills into
Upton Park on Saturday and we can deliver the same kind of entertainment
that the Olympics provided, it was absolutely outstanding for me. I wish we
hadn't planned as far from London as I did, we tried to avoid the mayhem
when in actual fact it's been easier to get around when the Olympics is on.
Unfortunately for me I took myself out of the equation and I didn't get to
see any of the events. If I had knew what it would be like I would have
stayed here longer and gone to one or two. But what a fantastic Olympics it
has been not just for London but for everybody in Britain."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Joint-Chairman ready for big kick-off
A positive David Gold is looking forward to Saturday's Barclays Premier
League opener with Aston Villa
16.08.2012
Send Print RSS

Joint-Chairman David Gold has revealed his excitement, desire and
apprehension ahead of the 2012/13 Barclays Premier League season. Cutting
the figure of a true West Ham United fan, Mr Gold explained that despite his
optimism he still finds it hard to shun the nerves from his mind ahead of
Saturday's big kick-off at home to Aston Villa. Speaking at a special
community event at the Boleyn Ground which also saw Olympic Silver medal
winner Mark Hunter make an appearance, Mr Gold admitted to having mixed
emotions. "It is very exciting but at the same time I am very nervous," he
said. "We just want to get started now. We have a good squad and it
certainly looks like a determined one, but we won't be able to judge until
after the first game. "Even though I am nervous I think we can come out
firing on all cylinders and start well. Confidence will play a massive part
and if we get off to a good start it will be sky high."

The Hammers have only lost once at home this calendar year and after
promotion back to the big time there is a good vibe around the club, but Mr
Gold insists the Premier League will offer a very different challenge.
"There is a big difference going back into the Premier League. Each of us
have different ways of dealing with the pressure of a new season. I'm
confident, but I still can't stop myself from being equally nervous. "Around
ten years ago when I was at Birmingham City I thought we had the best team
we had ever had, but things went against us, we had injury after injury and
a lot of bad luck. "That said the lads have looked terrific this week, and
to be honest with you if we didn't come out on Saturday looking like a
Premier League team I would be very disappointed."

Mr Gold also took the time to chat to rowing hero and West Ham fan Hunter,
and the Joint-Chairman believes everyone can be inspired by the 2008 Olympic
lightweight double sculls champion. "He is a very inspirational figure, but
I must tell you I've beaten him in five sets of tennis and I want everyone
to know I've beaten the champion!" joked Mr Gold, alluding to the pair
joining local youngsters playing tennis on the Boleyn Ground pitch. "It is
amazing what he has achieved, his determination and his courage is
outstanding. "But from a motivational point of view he is a young man who
has worked very hard and quite rightly reaped the rewards. "He is not only
inspirational to the team but also the youngsters here today, it is great to
see him here."

Mr Gold, like Hunter is a lifelong West Ham supporter, and like all of us he
has been in awe of the 2012 London Olympic Games. Looking ahead, the
Joint-Chairman hopes the club can continue to embrace the Olympic spirit as
he and the club continue to champion the ethos of 'Moore Than a Club'.
"Seeing the success and positive effect of the Olympics is unbelievable,
especially seeing as I was born and raised in east London," explained Gold.
"You wouldn't have seen community days like this in the past where young
people are allowed out onto the hallowed turf, but the policy of the club is
now to make everyone feel a part of it. "We want them to embrace what we're
trying to accomplish whereas in yesteryears the only way you could get into
Upton Park was to bunk in before being chased out by the groundstaff!
"People have a good feeling that has been generated from the Olympics and we
want to keep that going, if we win on Saturday we can do that and keeping
the momentum going which is key for everybody within the community."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers to face Crewe
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have been drawn against Crewe Alexandra in the Capital One
Cup second round
15.08.2012

West Ham United will host Crewe Alexandra in the second round of the newly
branded Capital One Cup, following Wednesday afternoon's draw. It will be
the first time the two sides have met since a 1-1 draw in the Championship
back in 2005, when Teddy Sheringham looked like he had bagged the winner
until Steve Jones scored an added-time equaliser. The match could see Nicky
Maynard line up against the side he played for until 2008 before moving to
Bristol City. West Ham United will be looking to improve on last season's
League Cup showing, when they were knocked out at the first hurdle by
Aldershot Town after being reduced to ten men. The Hammers have reached the
League Cup final twice before, finishing as runners up to West Bromwich
Albion in 1966 and Liverpool in 1981. All ties will take place in the week
commencing 27 August, with the final taking place on 24 February 2013.
whufc.com will bring ticket news as soon as it is available.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Olympic Stadium move could make West Ham giants - Allardyce
BBC.co.uk

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce says the club could grow to the size of
Manchester United or Arsenal if they move to the Olympic Stadium. The
Hammers want to take over the 80,000-capacity venue after the Paralympic
Games end next month. And Allardyce claims it could see West Ham rival Old
Trafford and Emirates Stadium for size and atmosphere. "We could be that
size in a brand new stadium, with that atmosphere," he said. West Ham are
one of four bidders under consideration for the Olympic Stadium. An original
deal for the club to lease the £486m stadium was scrapped last year amid
legal wrangling. Allardyce added: "It would be awesome to walk a team out on
that pitch and say 'this is West Ham's new home and the creation of what
could possibly be a new modern history hopefully'."

Upton Park, which has a 35,000 capacity, has been West Ham's home for the
past 108 years. Meanwhile, Allardyce says West Ham's move for winger Matt
Jarvis is "stuck" as they have yet to agree a deal with Wolves. Allardyce
wants Jarvis for his team's new Premier League campaign, but Allardyce has
written off signing the 26-year-old before Saturday's opening game with
Aston Villa. "For me, it is on the backburner because Saturday is the most
important thing," said Allardyce.
"Then if it is to be done after Saturday we'll see where we are."

While Allardyce hopes to push through a deal for Jarvis, West Ham have all
but conceded defeat in their attempt to sign Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.
The Hammers made an audacious bid to prise the £35m England international
from Anfield. But Allardyce revealed: "We never agreed with Liverpool any
deal to be able to speak to Andy Carroll to see if he would join us.
"Whatever deal we put forward to Liverpool was not agreed by Liverpool. "He
would have been a massive signing for us and, like everything else, when you
see an opportunity you try to go for it."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Matt Taylor says West Ham United will play an attacking game
BBC.co.uk

West Ham midfielder Matt Taylor says the side aim to adopt an attacking
style of play in the Premier League. The Irons are back in the top flight
after winning the Championship play-off final last season. He told BBC
London: "I think we are going to see a team that goes all-out to win
football matches. "It's not going to be beautiful Barcelona football all the
time but I think you'll see us playing football as we've definitely got the
players." Hammers fans voiced their displeasure at what they saw as direct
tactics used by manager Sam Allardyce last season. Despite the desire for a
passing style, Taylor believes the Upton Park outfit will have to be
pragmatic about their chances in the Premier League. "The stadium will be
near enough full every week and people will want to see attractive football
but first and foremost, we need to win football matches," the 30-year-old
continued. "How we do that doesn't really worry me. "You want to pass and
play attractive football but at the same time you want to play football
that's effective so we're going to have to mix it and match it. "We're going
to need to keep the ball in spells. "There's going to be times when we'll
need to pass it but when we play the bigger teams we won't have as much
possession. "There are not any easy games. For the start of the season, it's
all about making sure we give a good account of ourselves in every game we
play." West Ham begin their campaign at home to Aston Villa on Saturday.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce: Morrison could have West Ham future
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 15th August 2012
By: Staff Writer

Sam Allardyce has refused to rule out a return for Ravel Morrison - despite
the youngster being packed off to Birmingham for the season. Amid a string
of rumours regarding his behaviour, the former Manchester United midfielder
- who joined West Ham just seven months ago - was loaned to the Championship
club for the season. However Allardyce has refused to rule out a return for
the higly-talented yet flawed 19-year-old former England youth international
- adding that he was rarely used last season due to inexperience. "What
Ravel needs for the first time in his life is first team football,"
Allardyce told KUMB.com. "I was striving for promotion last year and I
wasn't in the position to risk Ravel not because of his talent, but because
of his inexperience as a first team player. "So going into the Premier
League and getting where we wanted to go, he'd never played there before.
Going to Birmingham and playing for them in the Championship with a very
good young manager/coach with a great backroom staff in Terry McDermott and
Fazackerley [will do him good]."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers face home tie
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 15th August 2012
By: Staff Writer

West Ham will face Crewe Alexandra in the second round of the League Cup.
Sam Allardyce's side will face The Railwaymen at the Boleyn Ground in the
week commencing 27th August. Crewe, who have faced West Ham in the League
Cup just once previously - when they won a 1992 replay 2-0 after the first
leg ended in a goalless stalemate at the Boleyn - made the second round
having thrashed Hartlepool 5-0 last weekend.

The full draw is as follows:

Preston v Crystal Palace
Watford v Bradford City
Swansea v Barnsley
Yeovil v West Brom
Coventry City v Birmingham City
West Ham United v Crewe
Doncaster v Hull
Carlisle v Ipswich
Reading v Peterborough
Sheffield Wed v Fulham
Leicester City v Burton Albion
Burnley v Plymouth
QPR v Walsall
Stevenage v Southampton
Nott'm Forest v Wigan
Stoke v Swindon
Aston Villa v Tranmere
Crawley v Bolton
Gillingham v Middlesbrough
Northampton v Wolves
Everton v Leyton Orient
MK Dons v Blackburn
Leeds United v Oxford United
Sunderland v Morecambe
Norwich v Scunthorpe

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sullivan explains Carroll bid
West Ham had lined up 'terribly expensive' deal for Liverpool striker
Last Updated: August 15, 2012 12:21pm
SSN

David Sullivan says West Ham United had agreed a deal with Liverpool for
Andy Carroll, but the striker turned down the chance to be the focal point
of Sam Allardyce's side. Carroll's future at Liverpool has been uncertain
following the appointment of Brendan Rodgers as manager and he has been
linked with several rival Premier League clubs. West Ham were among those to
show an interest and a season-long loan deal with a view to a permanent
£17million transfer had been lined up by the promoted club. Sullivan says
the proposed deal was 'terribly expensive' for the Hammers, but he was
prepared to back Allardyce, who wanted Wolves winger Matt Jarvis to supply
the crosses for Carroll.

Perfect

"I can only talk about this because it has been put in the public domain
already," co-owner Sullivan told the Daily Mirror. "My manager wanted Andy
Carroll, so we backed him. "It was a terribly expensive deal with the loan
fee and with his wages, which were enormous - too much for a club like ours.
But, as the manager really wanted him, we were prepared to pay it." "Andy
was the perfect player for him and the style of football we play. "We play a
lot of high balls, a lot of crosses - quite exciting football, not just
humping it but clever crossing - and Sam wanted Jarvis to supply the crosses
because he is a fantastic crosser. "We had a deal in place with Liverpool to
borrow the player which automatically became a purchase if we stayed up. "We
hoped, as he had the same agent as our manager - a man we had done a lot of
business with - and he was very friendly with Kevin Nolan, our captain, that
Andy would want to come. "It was a terribly expensive deal with the loan fee
and with his wages, which were enormous - too much for a club like ours.
But, as the manager really wanted him, we were prepared to pay it. "But he
really wants to stay at Liverpool. He believes that he will get back into
the side by his performances - coming off the bench or for the reserves. He
believes the manager will have to put him back in the side. But it's wrong
to discuss what is in his mind. Only he knows that."

The England international is reported to favour a return to former club
Newcastle United, but Sullivan doubts Carroll will head back to St James'
Park. He added: "We were paying all of his wages and a huge loan fee.
Newcastle didn't even want to pay all of his wages. "This is what we are led
to believe. So Liverpool were not prepared to let him go to Newcastle. But
it may all change. Who knows?"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers' Jarvis move 'stuck'
Collins fit to face former club Villa; Collison struggling for opener
Last Updated: August 16, 2012 9:36pm
SSN

Sam Allardyce does not know if West Ham United will be able to agree a deal
with Wolverhampton Wanderers for winger Matt Jarvis. Sky Sports sources on
Thursday morning revealed the Hammers had failed in a third bid, believed to
be in the region of £9.5million, for the wide-man. Reports suggest Wolves
are holding out for £10m and it remains to be seen whether Jarvis will join
the likes of Alou Diarra and Mohamed Diame in moving to Upton Park. "It is
stuck - that's the answer," Allardyce said, speaking ahead of the season
opener against Aston Villa, when asked about the move for Jarvis. "I don't
know how that will pan out now. I think that we'll just have to wait and
see.

Backburner

"For me, it is on the backburner because Saturday is the most important
thing for me and then if it is to be done after Saturday we'll see where we
are. "We have got to try to agree something with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
That is the issue we have at the moment, before we get into what the player
wants or doesn't want." Allardyce has made no secret of his desire to add
more faces this month and he had been interested in Liverpool's Andy
Carroll, but for now he only wants a good result against Villa. "I think
there is a lot of excitement around the place, obviously because we're
getting closer and closer to kick-off," he said. "I think we have prepared
pretty well, I think the only slow process, as always, is (bringing) players
in. That has been the only slow process.

Hard work

"We have been working extremely hard at it, but to be able to complete the
signings has been very difficult indeed. "We are pleased with the players we
have brought in, but we're still waiting to bring a few more in before the
end of the window." One of the additions, James Collins, came from
Saturday's opponents Villa and is fit to face his former club after a groin
injury. However, Collins' fellow Wales international, Jack Collison,
continues to struggle with a knee injury. "James Collins will train tomorrow
fully with us and Jack Collison still hasn't trained with the first-team
squad since the play-off final," said Allardyce.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce gives up on Carroll
Hammers boss insists a deal was never agreed for Liverpool striker
Last Updated: August 16, 2012 7:55pm
SSN

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce appears to have given up the pursuit
of signing Andy Carroll after claiming a deal was never agreed with
Liverpool for the striker. The Upton Park club's co-chairman, David
Sullivan, had on Wednesday announced England international Carroll had
snubbed a move to London.
But ahead of Saturday's Premier League season-opener against Aston Villa,
Allardyce insists no £17million fee had ever been agreed with Liverpool.
Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers is thought to be prepared to sell Carroll, who
was signed by Kenny Dalglish for £35m in January 2011, but the club want as
much money as possible. And Allardyce seems to think West Ham's interest is
dead in the water, as he said: "We never agreed with Liverpool any deal to
be able to speak to Andy Carroll to see if he would join us. "Whatever deal
we put forward to Liverpool was not agreed to by Liverpool. "He would have
been a massive signing for us and, like everything else, when you see an
opportunity you try to go for it. "Then you get onto negotiations and once
that is exhausted you move on, which was a lot sooner than people actually
talked about in the media. "The negotiations were over in a couple of weeks
or so regarding whether Andy was or wasn't going to come to West Ham."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carlton Cole Interview (Part 1): 'Why I Took a Pay Cut'
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Di e

The last time I interviewed any West Ham players was back in the mid 1990s,
when I spoke to Tony Cottee and Stan Lazirides. To be honest, I don't find
many footballers that interesting. Hanging around Upton Park hoping for a
brief word with a player has never been my idea of fun, and in six years I
have never interviewed a player for this site. So why start now? Well, I had
intended to interview Sam Allardyce, but then again so did everyone else. In
the end I decided that I'd stand aside and leave him to KUMB or OLAS as I
felt it might be interesting to talk to him later in the season rather than
now. The club then asked if I'd like to interview a player. Initially, I
thought I'd say no, but then I started thinking about Carlton Cole. I've
always found him to be a bit different to most footballers. He always seemed
to me to be a really nice guy, with a bit more about him. From his tweets
you can see he has quite a range of interests. So I thought, OK, let's see
if Carlton will do it. 'How long would you need' asked the press officer.
'At least 45 minutes,' I said. There was an audible gulp. Well, I said,
these sort of conversational interviews don't really work unless they are at
least 45 minutes long. And so it was, that I rolled up at Upton Park
yesterday lunchtime for an appointment at 1pm. Several of the players were
doing press stuff on the pitch, but by 2.15 I was starting to get a bit
twitchy. And then the moment came. 'Would you like to do the interview
pitchside?' I was asked. Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth I
said yes, of course. So off we went, through the doors, and there it was,
the tunnel that the players walk through to get onto the pitch - home
dressing room on the right, away dressing room and media interview room on
the left. And so it was that for the first time in my life I emerged onto
the Upton Park pitch. What a feeling! Carlton was there in his white T shirt
and designer jeans, looking slightly smaller than I thought he would. And we
spent the next 45 minutes or so sat in the dugout on the Recaro seats
chatting about life, football and whatever else came into my mind. There
will be three or four parts to this interview. I hope you enjoy it.

ID: Have you been to any of the Olympic events?
CC: No, I haven't had a chance. We have been away a lot. I have been
watching it, though. It was a massive thing for East London, for the whole
community – schools, neighbourhoods. Everywhere got an upgrade. We've been
lucky to have it over here. I really enjoyed the athletics, and it was great
to see Mark Hunter get a medal [Mark Hunter was sitting a few yards away
from us talking to Kevin Nolan]. I'm not from Jamaica, but to see the
Jamaican 4x100 relay team get the world record was really exciting as well.
There's a massive Jamaican community here. I've also known Mo Farah since I
was at school. He's from the area where I grew up. It was great to see how
the crowd supported him and pulled him through.

ID: Have you been to the Olympic Stadium?
CC: Yes, before it was fully finished. It was still a construction site.
Scott Parker, Mark Noble and I got a tour around it before they put all the
fittings in.

ID: Do the players talk much about playing there?
CC: No. We haven't been discussing because nothing's been confirmed, so
we're just concentrating on our own little pitch here! [laughs and gestures
towards the pitch]. As players we're not really monitoring that situation.
We know it's a massive season for us so we are not really bothered with off
the field stuff at the moment.

ID: There's a lot of stuff in the press about how footballer could learn a
lot from the example set by our Olympic athletes. Do you think there's
anything footballers can learn from the way the athletes conducted
themselves?
CC: People say we don't give back to the community in any way, and we're
spoilt brats. I think that's unfair. A lot of footballers I know do huge
amounts of charity work and conduct themselves properly off the field. When
you're an athlete, you have four years to train just for that one moment. We
train for every Saturday. It's a different lifestyle. Yes, we do get paid
very well for what we do. I know how hard Mo Farah has worked, because I've
seen what he has done to get to where he is today. Sometimes these things do
work out in different ways money-wise, but that's just the way it is.

ID: Karren Brady said the other day that there are people working here in
the ticket office on £15,000 a year and players who earn double that in a
week, and she likes the players to mix with other staff so they don't lose
touch.
CC: I'm not into this big earning thing anyway. Obviously I want to have a
good lifestyle and provide for my family. If you look into the money side of
it, all people see is just the money instead of what you do as a profession.
Obviously to get me where I am today, football has treated me really well,
and I know I am privileged to be a footballer. The money bit is just a
bonus. I never concentrate on that too much. If you're driven by money, it's
a different scenario.

ID: When I asked my readers what I should ask you, several of them said:
"Can you thank him for taking a pay cut last season, because not many
footballers would have done that?"
CC: No one has to thank me for taking a pay cut. I felt I had to pay back a
bit because I had had a poor season. I can't take all the blame but I felt
responsible for what happened the season before. I was nearly driven to
Stoke as a makeweight, so I said, if I have to take a pay cut, I'll have to
take a pay cut. It would drive me on more to get us back in the Premiership.
There's no bigger reward than that, and in the fashion we did as well. I
just felt such a weight off my shoulders. It was a question of honour. I
believed in something and I went for it. I took a gamble and it paid off.

ID: When you thought you were going to Stoke, did you feel as if you were
being traded as a commodity rather than a human being? Because you clearly
didn't want to go.
CC: I can't join a football club if my heart's not really in it. I wouldn't
be happy. And to play the best football, I need to be happy. I need the
support of people and my family around me. I spoke to my family and they
said 'if you don't want to do it, don't go'. So I decided to just chill out
and work with what I had.

ID: You say you need to be happy to play good football. When Gianfranco Zola
was here he got the best out of you because he gave you more confidence. How
important is it for the manager to recognise he needs to give you confidence
to get the most out of you?
CC: It's always important but not just with me, with any player. If the fans
are on your back you can either go one way or the other. Some people will
cave in, with others it makes you stronger. You fight through it and
concentrate on what you've got to do and what is going to be best for the
team. As long as you put the team first in anything that you do, then you
can't go wrong. Obviously as a striker I have got to score goals. I have got
that added pressure on me. As long as we win the game, that's the most
important thing and if I haven't scored, then I haven't scored. If I have
contributed in the best way I could, whether it be a goal or an assist or
just being a nuisance up front, as long as we win that game, that's what
matters to me.

ID: I remember one game where you came on as a substitute and you actually
got booed before you'd even stepped onto the pitch. What goes through your
mind when you're standing there, waiting to go onto the pitch, and all you
can hear is people booing you?
CC: To be honest I don't know what to feel. I wouldn't have known, because I
am fully focussed on what I have to do. It's only afterwards when people say
'how come you got booed?' I say 'did I?' I just don't hear it as much. There
will be times when I'm getting booed and I'm not, it's a decision that's
gone against me. I don't notice it as much as people really think I do.

ID: Before you came here there was a player called Samassi Abou, and we'd
all shout 'Aboooooooo' and the TV commentators couldn't understand why we
were booing one of our own players.
CC; [laughs]. That's quite funny, that.

ID: Have you noticed a difference in the crowd response to you?
CC: Yes, definitely.

ID: I think people 'get' you as a player now in a way that they didn't a few
years ago.
CC: My sort of player is as more of a team player. Yes, I am here to score
goals but I am a team player. I've been criticised for that, which is a bit
strange. My team mates appreciate me. They get what I do. And so does the
manager. That's the most important thing. I might not be pleasing to the eye
for some fans, they might not like the way I play, but as long as I know
what I am in the team for, and I am doing my job I know the manager
appreciates what I am doing, and he needs my input for us to get the result.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carlton Cole Interview (Part 2): 'Zola Was Fantastic For Me But Avram Lost
The Dressing Room'
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die

ID: You've played under five different managers at West Ham. What's the
difference between Sam Allardyce and the others?
CC: Obviously Sam has got vast experience in the Premiership and he believes
in his way of playing. He believes that there's his way, but he believes in
going with the times as well. He will go the sports science way to prove
that you're not fit enough and that's why you're not going to play this
week. He really adapts to the times, he's been really impressive, and he's
open to suggestions as well. He knows where he wants to go. If you're not
achieving that, he'll tell you straight away. He'll sit you down. He's a
straight up guy. I think everyone knows that and if you don't like it,
you've just got to deal with it because he isn't going to change.

ID: There were a lot of games last season where we expected you to start,
but you didn't. Do you expect to start every game, or does the modern trend
for rotating a squad mean that you accept you won't start every time?
CC: I don't expect to start any game. If the manager sees fit to start with
another player that means he is fit for that game. He takes a lot of
pressure of me if I have another central striker up there. It means I can
rest, recharge my batteries and then go again. If that's the way he feels he
can get the best out of me then I am all for it. It's not that he's dropping
you, he wants the best for the team. I'll train midweek and the week after
and prove myself so I can get in the team. Competition is what you need
otherwise there's a danger you get comfortable and complacent.

ID: Is it true you can't play two games in a week.
CC: No, it's not. As long as I am managed properly. Say I play on a Saturday
and there's a game on the Tuesday, I'll probably play 70 minutes on the
Saturday, so I can recover in time. My injury hasn't been like Ledley King's
injury, it's been a bit more manageable, but at the start, when I was trying
to get used to it and my body was trying to adapt, it was a bit hard for me,
but now I've got the flow, I know what I'm doing, I know how much I can
train and how much I can't train, there's a balance there so I know my body.

ID: Are you ready for Saturday.
CC: Yeah, I'm raring to go! We had a training session today and all the lads
look sharp. We've been trying to get sharp in the matches we've had. We've
had a lot more friendlies this year in pre-season than we did last year. I
think we have had five or six more than last year. We have been trying to
get match-fit in the pre-season games. There's been a bit less training and
more matches.

ID: What's Madibo Maiga like as a player?
CC: He's a great talent, a great signing. As soon as he acclimatises, which
he is starting to do now. With the way we play, he will be a great asset to
have.

ID: Where exactly does he play?
CC: If he plays up front he would play along another striker, but in 4-5-1
or 4-3-3 he'd play on the wing. He can adapt to different positions and
that's what we need, players who can adapt and be a bit more versatile.

ID: When you read all the transfer speculation about Andy Carroll coming in,
do you think to yourself 'well, that's me done for?'
CC: I'm a central striker, we haven't got another big man up top, so what
happens if I get injured? We need someone else as well. I have already told
the manager that! [laughs]. If you want to improve yourself you have to have
competition for places. And that can only be healthy for West Ham.

ID: How important was Gianfranco Zola to you? He brought things out of you
that we hadn't seen in you before, didn't he? When he went, people wondered
how you would progress from there.
CC: Zola was fantastic for me personally. That's when I got my England
call-up and it was a turning point for me. Because he was a striker he
understood me, understood how I can play, and he believed in me. Curbs
always knew I was a good player but he just wanted me to be 100% all the
time and go at it, gung ho. But my type of striker, to be a Number 9, a hold
up player, you have to grow into it. That's what Zola found out that I
needed to do. He focussed on that in training.

ID: When you heard he had been sacked?
CC: I was obviously disappointed. I had played with him at Chelsea as well,
Steve Clarke too. So I knew him personally. These things happen, you know. I
was disappointed for him, but then again, you've got to look forward.
Forward to who was going to come in. That was obviously Avram, and I had to
try and work for him as well. I'm only a player, but I felt bad for Zola.

ID: What was it like under Avram Grant. People said that in the end he lost
the dressing room.
CC: [hesitates and laughs]. It was a weird season, a very weird season. It
was a tough season as well.

ID: Because you started on fire – was it 8 goals in 10 games? And then you
got injured for a long period. It could have been very different…
CC: Exactly. It happened. I'm not about the 'what ifs', I just focus on the
future and right now my future's with West Ham. The future's on Saturday and
I am predicting a win! I'm doing my mystic Meg!

ID: What did Scott Parker say in that half time team talk he did after we
were 3-0 down against West Brom?
CC: [laughs]. Do you know what? I actually played that up a bit too much. He
didn't really say too much but he said we had to do much better. He was
really emotional about it as well. But so was everybody else in the room. It
wasn't just about Scott Parker. It was everybody in the room. Everyone was
together. I just mentioned Scott Parker because it was the first thing that
came into my mind. But he was one of the real influences on that game.

ID: Didn't that sum up what had gone wrong under Avram Grant? That he had
lost it. It should have been him doing that rallying call, shouldn't it?
CC: Exactly, and that's one of the reasons I came out and said it. But you
had to read between the lines to understand what was going on.

ID: We all did! What formation do you prefer playing in? Obviously the way
Sam Allardyce plays is very different to what went before. Do you like a
smaller, Sam Baldock striker playing off you, or do you feel the 4-3-3 or
4-51 plays to your strength?
CC: Any of them play to my strength as I am always going to be the big guy,
but there's always going to be other players buzzing around me. As long as
there's support around me it doesn't matter whether it's 4-3-3 or 4-4-2.
It's up to players around me to get into effective positions.

ID: What did it mean to you to get an England call-up?
CC: Some players don't really care – as long as they give 100%, but if
you're an ambitious player, that's what you play for, it's the pinnacle and
it means you're doing something right for your club. Some players never get
an England callup but play brilliantly. Look how long it took Scott Parker
to get called up. Sometimes even if you're playing well at your club you
just don't get the call. Look at Nobby here [gestures over to Kevin Nolan,
who is nearby], a consistent Premiership player but I don't think he has
ever had an England call-up. Sometimes it doesn't work.

ID: Is there a bit of competition between you and Kevin Nolan. Last season
every time you scored, he seemed to. There was a point when we thought he
might overtake you!
CC: Do you know what it was? The manager gets into our heads as well. He
says 'Ah, Nobby's going to overtake you!' No way! He can't! Yes, there was a
bit of competition there, but it's all good. We've got other strikers doing
the same thing this year who will hopefully get double figures, so that can
only be a good thing for the club.

ID: Has Roy Hodgson given you a call? Do you think you are in his plans?
CC: No, we haven't been in touch. If it happens, it happens but I am not
really focussed on that right now. I am focussed on my form at club level.
That's what needs to gain me recognition, but if it doesn't that's cool.

ID: But you'll only just be 30 for the next World Cup in two years' time in
Brazil. That's got to be an aim for you?
CC: Yes, of course. You always have to have aims and targets. If I am doing
the business with West Ham, hopefully I would get the chance. There's a good
history of West Ham players playing for England!

Part Three will follow tomorrow.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WOLVES REJECT WEST HAM'S BID FOR MATT JARVIS
Daily Express
Friday August 17,2012
By Daily Express reporter

WOLVES have rejected an improved £9.5m bid from West Ham for winger Matt
Jarvis, worth £6m up front and the remainder in add-ons.

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

http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 15th August 2012

Hammers Bid wins high-profile support
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's plegde for a lasting legacy for east London has received
some famous backing
14.08.2012

West Ham United's Bid to become anchor concessionaire of the Olympic Stadium
has received widespread support from a host of high-profile names who want
to see a lasting legacy delivered to east London. In an open letter to
Londoners, big names from the world of showbusiness, sport, politics,
community and business have lent their backing to West Ham United's pledge
to build on the fantastic platform the Olympic Games have provided to help
'Put east London on the map and keep it there'. The full letter, which fans
will also see in media in the coming week, can be seen below.

Dear Londoners,

We, the under-signed, are delighted to be backing West Ham United's Bid to
occupy the Olympic Stadium post-Games. We are offering our support as
community and business leaders, representatives of the arts and figureheads
from the sporting family. Some of us are also West Ham United supporters but
we all have one thing in common: a passionate interest in East London, its
community and its future direction.

The Games have given a mouth-watering taste of what this amazing venue could
offer to visitors week in week out. But the showcase must not stop there.
West Ham has promised to help deliver the legacy promises made by Lord Coe
in 2005: promises that would directly benefit the people of East London and
the rest of the nation as a whole. This would be done through the creation
of jobs, ensuring the Stadium is regularly used by the local community and
by making elite sport accessible and affordable to all.

Karren Brady on behalf of the club, has told us of their aspirations for the
Stadium and we know first-hand that she and her team have both the passion
and the desire to deliver them.

West Ham's bid, if accepted would turn the stadium into a truly multi-use
destination that serves its community - a world-class centre for athletics,
football and as a cultural and music destination of which the nation can
continue to be proud.

Nobody is better placed to deliver the legacy than West Ham United as they
have been delivering legacies for London since 1895. The club work hard to
serve their community, with over 500,000 of their supporters hailing from
the east end of London and the surrounding areas.

We support West Ham United's bid and hope you will join us by getting behind
the club's efforts to see the legacy promise delivered and help to really
put East London on the map and keep it there.

Email: passthebaton@westhamunited.co.uk
@whufc_official #PASSTHEBATON

Thank-you all and best wishes
James Corden - Actor
Ray Winstone - Actor
Mark Hunter - Olympic medallist
Lyn Brown MP - MP West Ham
Stephen Timms - MP East Ham
Jim Fitzpatrick - MP for Poplar and Limehouse
Ben Shepherd - TV presenter
Sally Gunnell - Olympic medallist
Tony Carr MBE - Academy Director
Kevin Murphy - CEO, Excel London
Kevin Jenkins OBE - Co-founder, Community Links
Perry Fenwick - Actor

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Big Interview: Momo Diame
WHUFC.com
New arrival Mohamed Diame talks Olympics, pre-season and the Barclays
Premier League
14.08.2012

West Ham United new boy Mohamed Diame has revealed his excitement ahead of
the new Barclays Premier League season. The Senegal international captained
his country in the London 2012 Olympic Games but has now returned and played
his second game for the Hammers in Friday's 1-1 draw with SC Braga in
Portugal. The all-action midfielder produced a fine display at the Estadio
Municipal, producing strong challenges and getting forward regularly to
support his team-mates.
Speaking to whufc.com ahead of the new season, Diame stated his intention to
give his all after an Olympic experience he will never forget.

Facing SC Braga on Friday was your second game for West Ham United. How do
you feel it went?

MD - "We worked hard. We had a good game and I think we played well. The
second half was difficult and but we did what we had to and got the
equaliser and we're ready for the next game against Aston Villa on Saturday
- our first in the Barclays Premier League."

You've been away for the majority of pre-season competing in the Olympics
for Senegal. Is it good to be back now with your new team mates?

MD - "I feel good. I left around a month ago so it's nice to get back. I
think the guys are ready as well and we all feel prepared for the start of
the Barclays Premier League season."

You made it to the quarter-final stage, so did you enjoy the experience or
were you frustrated to miss out on winning an Olympic medal?

MD - "I really enjoyed the experience of competing in the Olympic football.
For me I would just to say thank you to West Ham United for allowing me to
go as it was an experience I will never forget."

Are you excited for the start of the Barclays Premier League season?

MD - "Of course I'm very excited. I'm at a new club in West Ham and I'm
looking forward to the challenge."

Are you excited about playing in front of the West Ham United fans and what
do you know about them already?

MD - "I'm ready for that. I know the fans are behind the team and every time
they are looking for a win, so I will give my best on the pitch to ensure
they go home happy."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Joey jumping at Ireland return
WHUFC.com
Joey O'Brien is itching to make his first Republic of Ireland appearance
since 2007 on Wednesday evening
14.08.2012

Joey O'Brien has revealed that he never gave up hope of making an
international return as he prepares to make his first Republic of Ireland
appearance since October 2007 on Wednesday evening. The West Ham United
player disappeared into the international wilderness after being withdrawn
at half-time in Ireland's 1-1 EURO 2008 qualifying draw with Cyprus in
Dublin, enduring a two-year injury nightmare. After battling back from
serious knee problems, O'Brien earned a two-year contract with the Hammers
in the summer of 2011 after impressing his former Bolton Wanderers manager
Sam Allardyce. The 26-year-old made 33 appearances last season to prove his
fitness and help West Ham to gain promotion to the Barclays Premier League,
catching the eye of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni in the process.

Now, he has earned an international recall and could make his fourth senior
appearance in Wednesday's friendly with Serbia in Belgrade. The Irish start
their World Cup qualifying campaign in Kazakhstan on 7 September and the
Hammers No17 would love to be involved. "I've done so much rehab in a way
that football is the easy part," he told the Irish Times. "Once I'm on the
pitch, and I'm fit, I believe I'll be playing games and nothing else
matters. "Luckily for me, he (Big Sam) got the West Ham job at the right
time and told me I could go down there to train. I trained down there for
the whole of pre-season to try and earn a contract and thankfully I did."

O'Brien also thanked Big Sam for allowing him to join up with the Ireland
squad just a few days before the big Barclays Premier League kick-off
against Aston Villa at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday. "He knows how
patriotic I am, being an Irish person over here [in England]. He hears me
every day on the training ground. He wasn't going to be able to say
anything. I love playing for my country."

For the Dubliner, pulling on the green shirt of his country again is
something O'Brien has been dreaming of. Speaking to the Irish Sun, he
recalled the memory of being awarded his first Irish cap by the late FAI
coach Noel O'Reilly after making his debut against Sweden in March 2006. The
popular full-back also revealed that his faith had played a big part in his
successful recovery from majory surgery to have a piece of his kneecap
removed in 2008. "I love playing for my country, I've a picture in my flat
of Noel O'Reilly giving me my first cap — God rest him. I knew, and people
that matter to me, they knew what it meant for me to be playing for Ireland.
"I had trust in God that I was going to get back. There were many a prayer
and novena (act of religious devotion) that kept me going. I was always a
religious person. I was brought up in it by my ma and da, going to mass
every week. I think that without it, I would not be back."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mickey Thomas condemns Wales injury withdrawals
BBC.co.uk
WALES V BONSIA-HERCEGOVINA - FRIENDLY INTERNATIONAL
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli Date: Wednesday, 15 August Kick-off: 19:45
BST
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio
Cymru. Highlights on BBC One Wales (22:45 BST)

Ex-Wales international Mickey Thomas has criticised West Ham United pair
James Collins and Jack Collison for withdrawing from Wales squad duty.
Defender Collins reported a groin injury and Collison a knee problem ahead
of Wednesday's friendly with Bosnia-Herzegovina in Llanelli. "Two players
withdrew again from the squad... Collins and Collison," Thomas told the
Radio Wales Sport programme. "They both drop out of the squad. Every time
it's the same two players." Wales manager Chris Coleman has called up
Huddersfield's Joel Lynch and Cardiff's Robert Earnshaw to replace the
Hammers pair as he prepares his side for 2014 World Cup qualifiers with
Belgium and Serbia in September.

"It's unfair, because Chris Coleman, it's his first campaign, and he wants
everyone available yet these two players yet again don't make the squad,"
Thomas added.
"If you don't want to play for Wales then why don't you just come out and be
brave enough and say it, because Chris Coleman has to prepare his team for
this massive campaign ahead."

The 23-year-old Collison has suffered a string of knee problems that began
with an initial injury in 2009, which includes the midfielder being
sidelined for 14 months after surgery and only returning to action at the
end of the 2010/11 season. Collins was not selected for the friendly against
Mexico in May and was left out of the match-day 19 against Costa Rica in
February despite having been named in the initial squad for the Gary Speed
Memorial Match. Before the Mexico game, Coleman had said: "James Collins has
lost his place with Ashley Williams really being the mainstay and Darcy
Blake has done well at international level. "They haven't done anything
wrong there. James has had a long hard season, he has had a few niggles. "I
know all about James. I'm not going to learn anything from James." Collins
had withdrawn from the friendly against Norway in November 2011 and was also
injured for the Euro 2012 qualifiers with Switzerland and Bulgaria the
previous month.

The 28-year-old was an unused substitute in the September 2011 defeat to
England and suspended for the previous game against Montenegro. The match
before that had been a friendly against Australia in August and Collins was
again an injury withdrawal before the 2-1 loss in Cardiff, while the
previous Nations Cup tournament also saw the defender absent with a groin
injury. Collins, who has won 39 Wales caps, last played for his country in
March 2011, when England won their Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff. Thomas'
fellow former Wales star Ian Walsh agreed that the withdrawals were likely
to hamper Coleman's preparations. "It's a great shame because James Collins
especially he's a very good centre-half, he's had a great move back to West
Ham," Walsh said. "Collison of course at West Ham, we saw West Ham beat
Cardiff City [in the Championship play-offs] and Collison scored two goals
at Cardiff City Stadium. "These players sometimes they do baffle everybody.
"It's going to be tough for Chris Coleman and the boys because it's a
strange time to have a game, when there's been hardly any league matches and
then all of a sudden you're going off to international duty."

Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and midfielder David Vaughan are also missing
through injury for the Bosnia game at Parc y Scarlets.

Wales squad

Goalkeepers: Jason Brown (Aberdeen), Boaz Myhill (West Bromwich Albion),
Owain Fon Williams (Tranmere Rovers).
Defenders: Darcy Blake (Cardiff City), Chris Gunter (Reading), Adam Matthews
(Celtic), Sam Ricketts (Bolton Wanderers), Neil Taylor (Swansea City),
Ashley Williams (Swansea City), Joel Lynch (Huddersfield Town).
Midfielders: Joe Allen (Liverpool), Andrew Crofts (Brighton & Hove Albion),
David Edwards (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Joe Ledley (Celtic), Aaron Ramsey
(Arsenal), Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur).
Strikers: Craig Bellamy (Cardiff City), Simon Church (Reading), Steve
Morison (Norwich City), Hal Robson-Kanu (Reading), Sam Vokes (Burnley), Rob
Earnshaw (Cardiff City).

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce viewing long-term stay
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 14th August 2012
By: Staff Writer

West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce has admitted that he would like to remain
in charge of the club beyond his current two-year contract. Allardyce, 57 -
whose current contract expires at the end of the 2012/13 season - revealed
that he would be delighted to remain in charge of the club if and when
United receive the green light to move to the home of the hugely-successful
Olympic Games at Stratford. "I want to take the club into the Olympic
Stadium because I was inspired by it," he told KUMB.com today. "If any fans
had doubts about us moving there they should have been extinguished by the
atmosphere that was created [during the games] and the facility that is
there for this club - and only three miles down the road."

Although the decision over who will be awarded preferred bidder status for
tenancy of the stadium is not expected to be announced for several weeks,
Allardyce was in no doubt that it is a necessary move should West Ham wish
to progress and challenge the nation's most successful clubs. "If this club
wants to be great, it has to go," he insisted. "Unless you redevelop Upton
Park and make it a 60,000 all-seater state-of-the-art stadium. "If you
can't do that, you've got an unbelievable arena [at Stratford] that could
create a cauldron of noise - which is what the West Ham fans do, as they
showed at Wembley [against Blackpool]. "It could be the catalyst for the
next generation, the modern-day history of this football club."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Coleman defends absent duo
Wales manager says Collison and Collins are not fit to face Bosnia
Last Updated: August 14, 2012 4:23pm
SSN

Chris Coleman has shielded Jack Collison and James Collins from criticism
after the West Ham pair withdrew from the Wales squad. Midfielder Collison
(knee) and defender Collins (groin), a recent signing from Aston Villa, both
pulled out of Wednesday's clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Llanelli over
the weekend. Joel Lynch and Robert Earnshaw have been called up as
replacements but former Wales international Mickey Thomas has still labelled
the withdrawals of Collins and Collison as 'unfair' on Coleman ahead of his
first qualifying campaign. Coleman has leapt to the defence of the duo,
though, with Collison having been dogged by knee problems in recent seasons
and Collins having not played for his country since the Euro 2012 qualifying
defeat against England in March 2011. He said: "I have seen Mickey's
comments, he is paid to give his opinion but I don't agree. "Jack Collison
has had a serious knee problem, not for six months or 12 months, but for two
or three years. "He has got through games when maybe he shouldn't have
because he wants to play, and he has even come away with Wales when maybe he
shouldn't have. "But we know Jack very well, he has a lot of desire for
football, he loves to come and play for Wales and we love having him play
for Wales, but physically he cannot do it. "He has not kicked a ball since
the play-off final, where he ran himself into the ground and had a big
impact. He has not done a lot since and he needs a rest. "We left him out of
the Mexico game as he had the play-off final coming up and he had played a
lot of football, I think it was around 30 games for West Ham, and he is
always trying to maintain his knee problem. Now he needs a complete rest.

Responsibility

"I will take some of the responsibility for naming him in the squad and then
getting information on him. "But if he is not right and he cannot play for
West Ham, how can he play for us? "James Collins, we think, has a hernia
problem which may need surgery, he can't play. He limped off in a friendly
in Portugal for West Ham so he can't play. "They are two players who will
always be in my thoughts and be there or thereabouts when I am naming my
squad." Wednesday's fixture is the final chance for Coleman to prepare for
the World Cup qualifiers which begin against Belgium in Cardiff next month.
And the former Fulham boss believes the fixture is the ideal test for his
side before the serious business gets under way. "This is an important game
against a very good team," he said. "People say they have not won for five
games but look at the sides they have lost against. France, Mexico, Brazil,
these are some of the best sides they have been up against. "They are ranked
in the top 30 and it is a good game for us ahead of the Belgium game next
month."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Is Matt Jarvis Really Worth £9 Million Or More?
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die

I'll be honest, until this pre-season, I had never heard of Matt Jarvis. He
was part of a Wolves team that got itself relegated, and relegated with
comparative ease. His teammate Steven Fletcher is said to be worth £12
million and Jarvis himself is rated at more than £10 million by the selling
club. For a winger with a career strike rate of one goal in eight games,
that's going some. But worse than that, statistics show that last season he
created only 4 assists, and 6 the season before. Admittedly, last season he
scored 9 in 39 appearances and it was his best season ever, but £9 million
is still an awful lot. Perhaps we should bear in mind that in Wolves'
promotion season he only scored 3 in 37. If we sign him. we should be very
wary of expecting too much too soon.

If speculation is to be believed, the players wants to move, but Wolves are
holding out for an improved offer from another team. West Ham have told
them, so we are informed, that if they don't accept an improved offer from
the Hammers by the end of the day, then the deal is off. If that happens
attention may well switch to Matt Phillips at Blackpool. He is the subject
of a bid from Southampton, but Ian Holloway has accused the Saints of
tapping up his player. So Blackpool may well look favourably on a bid from
us.

One final point on Matt Jarvis. It was said on the @Agent_WHU account
yesterday that Jarvis owns a house in East Sussex, but West Ham had offered
him a "living allowance" so he could have a flat in the East End. I have no
idea who is behind this Twitter account, but he does seem to have some sort
of inside information. If this is true, you have to ask why a player who
would be on a salary of in excess of £25k a week would need a further living
allowance. It's yet another example of how football finances are totally out
of control and out of kilter with the world the rest of us inhabit. As I
say, it may be fiction and hogwash, but the fact that it is eminently
believable, says it all.

UPDATE 9.27: It seems the Jarvis deal has fallen through tonight. According
to @Agent_WHU Wolves have tried to provoke a bidding war and the board have
told them where they can stick it. So Wolves have turned down bids totalling
£22 million for two players in a relegated team. Idiots.

UPDATE: 23.01 The Daily Mail is reporting that Clint Dempsey has turned down
a move to West Ham.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Fazi-oh yes
Hammers like look of Federico
Published: 14th August 2012
The Sun

WEST HAM are poised to make a move for Sevilla defender Federico Fazio.
Hammers boss Sam Allardyce is desperate to bring another central defender,
25, and the Argentine international fits the bill. Allardyce recently signed
James Collins from Aston Villa but he still feels they need more cover at
the back. He said: "We are trying to build a squad in quality terms and
strength in depth."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammer blow: We'd have built a team around Carroll reveals Sullivan
Mirror.co.uk

David Sullivan has revealed the truth about West Ham's £17million bid to
sign Andy Carroll. The Mirror revealed last month that the east Londoners
were prepared to back Sam Allardyce by splashing out a staggering £100,000 a
week to lure Liverpool striker Carroll to Upton Park. Sullivan has confirmed
Big Sam was desperate to build his team for the new season around the
England striker. The West Ham co-owner also admits Big Sam wanted Wolves
winger Matt Jarvis - for whom the Hammers have had a £6million turned down -
to provide the ammunition for Carroll. Sullivan said: "I can only talk about
this because it has been put in the public domain already. "My manager
wanted Andy Carroll, so we backed him. "Andy was the perfect player for him
and the style of football we play. "We play a lot of high balls, a lot of
crosses - quite exciting football, not just humping it but clever crossing -
and Sam wanted Jarvis to supply the crosses because he is a fantastic
crosser. "We had a deal in place with Liverpool to borrow the player which
automatically became a purchase if we stayed up. "We hoped, as he had the
same agent as our manager - a man we had done a lot of business with - and
he was very friendly with Kevin Nolan, our captain, that Andy would want to
come. "But he really wants to stay at Liverpool. He believes that he will
get back into the side by his performances - coming off the bench or for the
reserves. He believes the manager will have to put him back in the side.
"But it's wrong to discuss what is in his mind. Only he knows that." Carroll
has been tipped for a move back to hometown club Newcastle, but Sullivan
said: "We were paying all of his wages and a huge loan fee. Newcastle didn't
even want to pay all of his wages. "This is what we are led to believe. So
Liverpool were not prepared to let him go to Newcastle. But it may all
change. Who knows?"

Sullivan has since snapped up midfielder Alou Diarra for around £3million
and admitted the funds earmarked for Carroll are now being used elsewhere.
He added: "It was a terribly expensive deal with the loan fee and with his
wages, which were enormous - too much for a club like ours. "But, as the
manager really wanted him, we were prepared to pay it. "Then there was a
huge transfer fee which would have blown our budget for several years. "So,
as we buy players, the door shuts."

West Ham new boy Alou Diarra could be one of the buys of the summer, claims
Hammers chief David Sullivan. The 31-year-old defensive midfielder, who has
won the French League with Lyon and Bordeaux and played for France at Euro
2012, penned a three-year deal last week. Signed for Liverpool by Gerard
Houllier, Diarra spent three years at the club from 2002 until 2005 but
never played a senior game - not even in the cups. Sullivan explained: "He
was a boy at Liverpool. A kid. He had not come to his strength and he didnt
play a game for Liverpool. "But he is a supreme professional, and I would be
very surprised if he doesn't turn out to maybe be one of the buys of the
summer."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Our house: Sullivan says West Ham deserve the Olympic Stadium
Mirror.co.uk

It is a venue that has given us some magnificent sporting memories in just
two weeks. And David Sullivan believes the Olympic Stadium is already more
iconic than the new Wembley. The arena played host to the stellar
achievements of Mo Farah, Jess Ennis, Greg Rutherford and – of course –
Usain Bolt among others. West Ham's co-owner is confident the east Londoners
can continue the feelgood factor by winning the race for the tenancy, set to
be announced in October. Days after Hammers manager Sam Allardyce warned the
stadium would go to rack and ruin if the club doesn't move in, Sullivan
said: "The Olympic Stadium is already more iconic than the new Wembley. With
Wembley you still think of the twin towers – the old Wembley. "The new
Wembley – much better stadium as it is – is not better than the old stadium
in terms of status. There were 80 years of memories with the old stadium.
That is hard to replace. "But the whole country has seen the Olympic Stadium
and shared in some special moments there. "Everyone has their own memory.
For me, I thought Mo Farah's 5,000m win was sensational. That last lap was
­absolutely incredible. "But to win three gold medals in an hour as we did
on the first weekend was incredible as well. That's how special the stadium
is already to people. "Imagine how people would be feeling now, after all
that, if it had already been predetermined it had to come down. "When we
play there – if we get lucky enough to be awarded it – I think away teams
will relish going there. "Under the rules I can't discuss our bid. But if we
are accepted as the anchor tenant then the legacy will continue. "I think
you might get 10,000 Wigan fans there – simply because they want to come to
the Olympic Stadium, or whatever it might be called."

The promoted Hammers face Aston Villa at Upton Park in their first Premier
League game of the new season on Saturday. Asked whether the Hammers would
struggle to recreate the atmosphere of the last two weeks, Sullivan said:
"For the big games you would have full houses, and near full houses for all
the other games. It would be wonderful. "The Olympics is something special.
It will be hard to recreate the atmosphere for the 100m final – lets not kid
ourselves. "But believe me when we're playing any of the top six or eight
teams in an important game there will be a wonderful atmosphere, just like
when we played in the play-off final at Wembley. "That atmosphere was
incredible. People have said to me it was the best day of their lives."

There are three other bids being considered by London's Legacy ­Development
Corporation – the ­University College of Football ­Business, which is an
affiliate of Bucks New University, the Intelligent ­Transport Service, who
want to build a Formula One track, and League One side Leyton Orient.
Sullivan continued: "You want to keep it for this huge iconic stadium that
can be multi-purpose. You'd have lots of different events – pop concerts,
football and athletics. "We believe West Ham will give a greater legacy than
anybody else. "We've a 900,000 email address list of supporters. We can use
all that to help promote the other events at the stadum - to help athletics.
"The World Athletics Championships is going to be in there in 2017 anyway.
"Us moving there will be wonderful for sport, and wonderful for the
country."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce: Part One
Filed: Tuesday, 14th August 2012
By: Staff Writer
KUMB.com

Just four days ahead the start of the 2012/13 Premier League campaign, with
West Ham United duly restored to the top flight of English football by
virtue of May's play-off Final win against Blackpool, we sat down with
current Hammers boss Sam Allardyce to look ahead to the new season. Firing
the questions on behalf of KUMB.com was Graeme Howlett...


KUMB: Sam: thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Last season you
achieved your goal at the first ask and it was ultimately a successful
season. What would you consider a success this year?

SA: I think it all depends on how we go in the first eight to ten games. We
have to look at the first group of fixtures and ask: "What can we achieve
from this group of fixtures?" Then at the end of that period I will know
about the strengths and weaknesses of my squad and I will have a better idea
about where we might be capable of finishing.

To try and predict at this stage of the season, being a newly-promoted
side... You think you've got this or you've got that, but until it gets
tested again in the Premier League... I've got a lot of Premier League
players who have played there before but they're all having to test
themselves yet again.

A lot of teams have spent a lot of money and obviously those teams are going
to be very difficult to play against, but we've got to make sure we're ready
to compete against anybody and to try and get a result out of every game
we're going to play. The first few games are critical; we'll see where we go
from there.

KUMB: Talking about those first few games, you might say the fixture list
has been relatively kind to us?

SA: I would agree with you; they are games we've got a chance of getting a
result and a few points out of.

In this league, I always say to the players: "Lads, you're all looking
forward to playing against Manchester United and Chelsea - and we're all
looking forward to playing at Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford and The Emirates
- but at the end of the day we should be looking forward to playing against
the teams we've got a better chance of winning against."

We should all be at our best for those games and if we do that, then we will
be a very strong Premier League outfit. You can play your very best against
Manchester United; Chelsea; Arsenal; Liverpool; Man City - you could play a
really good game - and still come off having lost 2-0, or 3-1.

You know that when you play your very best against somebody around you,
somebody around the same level as you, you're probably going to come out
with a win or at least a draw. That's the most important thing, the
mentality of the players to get the results where we're more capable of
getting [them] and not waiting to produce their best performance against the
top boys.

KUMB: You mentioned going to the Emirates there; I would imagine you're
fairly keen to reacquaint yourself with Mr Wenger and his team again? You
had a few battles with him back in the day when you were at Bolton?

SA: I was with Arsene yesterday, it was very relaxed! We were talking about
the referees in the Premier League and the media rights next season, the
responsibility of the players and the managers. We've a huge responsibility
to keep promoting this fantastic Barclays Premier League which has brought
in millions and millions of pounds.

Overseas rights have been bought by 86 countries as well as our own rights
domestically, so there's a huge demand on us managers and the players. But
with the millions it brings, we have to accept it. So we have to keep
promoting the Barclays Premier League in the right way whilst we have a
responsibility to tell our players to go out there, promote it and
entertain.

Obviously the most important thing for us is winning games of football but
[also] to look after what is a great brand. I think, listening to Arsene
yesterday, it'll be great to be challenging against [someone who has been] a
fantastic coach in this country all these years.

KUMB: Going back to last year, you'd talk frequently about the targets you'd
set the team. You talked about aiming for automatic promotion, you talked
about averaging two points from every game; is that something you'll be
doing again this time?

SA: Yeah. We've done our five phases; we've done what we need to do. The
players are clear that we work in each phase to try and do the best we
possibly can because there's a great tendency in players' minds to start a
season and say: "Oh well, we haven't won but there's 37 games left to go".

That's the most dangerous thing that can happen to one of your players. They
must say from the very start that the first three points are just as
important as the last. If you get that mode of thinking then you've got a
better chance of doing well.

Breaking the season up and saying we're going to be assessing [performances]
at the end of this group of games, we're going to be either praising it,
criticising it or both. We hope it's a massive "well done" but we can
improve on this and we can improve on that.

If it's not so good we've got to say: "Look lads, we've got the next phase
to move into and we must get better immediately". That's the key for me, to
sustain consistency throughout the season.

KUMB: In terms of you personally, when you arrived here last summer you
signed a two-year contract which obviously expires at the end of this
season. How long do you see yourself being at West Ham?

SA: Only as long as I continue to win is the answer to that, in today's
volatile world of football. For me to say anything other than that based on
the statistics would just be irresponsible of me because even if I signed a
five-year contract, if I lost the first ten games [of the season] I'd
probably be getting sacked.

KUMB: How far do you think you can take West Ham United?

SA: Well I want to take them into the Olympic Stadium because I was inspired
by it. I think that if any fans had doubts about us moving there they should
have been extinguished by the atmosphere that was created [during the games]
and the facility that is there for this club - and only three miles down the
road.

KUMB: So you see a move to the Olympic Stadium as key to the club's
progression?

SA: If this club wants to be great, it has to go. Unless you redevelop Upton
Park and make it a 60,000 all-seater state-of-the-art stadium, then fine.

KUMB: Which can't happen...

SA: Which can't happen. So if you can't do that you've got an unbelievable
arena that could create a cauldron of noise - which is what the West Ham
fans do, as they showed at Wembley. It could be the catalyst for the next
generation, the modern-day history of this football club.

KUMB: You were spotted singing 'Bubbles' at Wembley; you picked the words up
pretty quickly?

SA: [laughs] I've heard it that much I can't help it! Every time I ring the
Chairman - which is mostly David Sullivan, not David Gold - generally I have
to wait for him for a short while and on comes "I'm forever blowing
bubbles..." So it does become pretty infectious in the end, you know what I
mean!?

But I understand the culture and the history of this football club and how
much it means [to the fans]. I'm ingrained in it and I want to be successful
not just for myself, but for them too. Every manager does. And every group
of players here wants to be successful - obviously for themselves and their
families, but also for the football club and for the supporters.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dempsey rejects West Ham as Fulham's bid for Dnipro's Boateng falls short
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 22:45, 14 August 2012 | UPDATED: 01:03, 15 August 2012
Daily Mail

West Ham have failed to lure Clint Dempsey, 29, from Fulham, who have had a
bid for Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk's Derek Boateng, 29, rejected. American
international Dempsey is in demand but clubs have yet to come up with the
fee that Fulham believe is suitable for the 29-year-old. He was outstanding
last season but the fact he is training away from the first team reflects a
breakdown in his relationship with the club. His contract has 11 months to
run but Fulham have valued him at £9million. Liverpool have made no secret
of their desire to sign him and would offer players such as Charlie Adam but
the Scot is reluctant to leave Anfield.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham star: I thought Bolton would have given me a chance
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
5:20 PM
London 24

West Ham star Joey O'Brien thought he would have been given the chance by
Bolton and not released. Instead, Sam Allardyce came to the midfielder's
rescue by offering him the chance to train and then helped the Hammers by
lifting them back to the Premier League, at the Trotters' expense. "I
thought at the time when I got released by the manager, I thought I was
going to get kept on at Bolton," O'Brien told The Sun. "I always backed
myself that I was going to be good enough.
"Thankfully the boss at West Ham — whom I owe a lot to in my career anyway —
he gave me the opportunity to go down training when I was released by Bolton
when I had no offers. "But in the Championship, it is physically more
demanding than the Premier League. "I looked at high-intensity stats, the
out-of-possession stats and the physical stats, the physical stats are
higher in the Championship than in the Premier League."

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

http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 14th August 2012

Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce is ready to make his final tweaks to the squad this week ahead
of Aston Villa
13.08.2012

The countdown to West Ham United's return to the Barclays Premier League is
nearly over and manager Sam Allardyce for one cannot wait to get started.
After 49 tough npower Championship games last season, culminating in a
superb Play-Off final victory against Blackpool, West Ham will see the fruit
of their labour this Saturday when Aston Villa visit the Boleyn Ground. Big
Sam has the benefit of years of experience in the top tier and knows the
Hammers will need to be at their best as they face some of world's best on a
weekly basis. "I'm always slightly nervous, apprehensive and not too sure
what we're going to be like against Premier League opposition. I think if
we're at our best we can do very well but the bottom line is we've got to be
at our best every game. We cannot afford a dip or a slip up. "In the
Championship last season we could have been at 80% and still won a game.
We'll have to be 100% every game to win in the Premier League but I'm
really, really looking forward to getting started."

With the Boleyn Ground set to be a sell-out for his first game in the
Premier League as Hammers manager, Big Sam cannot wait to hear the roar as
the team head out of the tunnel at 3pm. Confidence among the squad will be
have been boosted by the 1-1 draw with UEFA Champions League qualifiers SC
Braga on Friday evening. "It will be a special moment. Particularly with the
game being at home in the Boleyn Ground, it's important we get off to a
positive start. "The performance against Braga is more like what you want to
achieve going back into the Barclays Premier League. We've got just over a
week to work on the smaller things in terms of how we approach the Villa
game. "We will brush up our tactics both in possession and out of possession
and making sure we're spot on in getting our basics right to get the best
performance and best result we can right at the very start of the season."

With five new signings already confirmed, Big Sam's new-look Premier League
side was further boosted with the arrival of highly-rated France
international Alou Diarra on Friday. The 31-year-old midfielder will join up
with his new team-mates this week and with at least two training sessions
planned for the Boleyn Ground this week, he has plenty of scope to show his
new manager what he can do. "He's a class player with a huge amount of
experience at international and Champions League level and at the top of the
league in France. His game ratio is outstanding and his fitness is looking
good and he flew through the medical. "This lad is available to play every
week. He'll bring an awful lot to our team and we're looking forward to
settling him in and seeing what he can do".

Diarra will complement a midfield already boasting plenty of talent with
Premier League experience through the likes of Kevin Nolan, Mark Noble, Gary
O'Neil, Matt Taylor and fellow new recruit Momo Diame. Diame in particular
caught the eye against Braga on just his second appearance for the club and
Big Sam is excited to see what he can add to his midfield. "He's a talented
player and I think he will grow with us and get better and better with us.
He has that bit of quality you need when you go into the Premier League.His
passing, his closing down and his tackling and getting forward all look very
positive. "Modibo Maiga played wide right and then, moved up front and we
saw a bit of what he's about as a frontman. He received the ball well and
had a good spring in the air."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diarra dreaming of debut
WHUFC.com
New signing Alou Diarra cannot wait to pull on a West Ham United for the
first time
13.08.2012

Alou Diarra is counting down the days until his West Ham United debut. Aston
Villa visit the Boleyn Ground for the Barclays Premier League opener on
Saturday 18 August and Diarra is keen to play in front of the West Ham fans
for the first time. With supporters grabbing Season Tickets and Academy
memberships ahead of the big kick-off, Diarra is keen to reward their
passion by making his mark on his maiden appearance. "I know a lot about the
club, the history but that we have a lot of fans, who have passion for their
club and their football," said the France international. "I hope to show
them I give everything in each game and try to do my best for the team. I am
looking forward to playing for them in the Premier League this season."

For West Ham supporters, Diarra is a versatile player who operates in
defensive midfield areas and with a host of international experience playing
for his country. A double title-winner in his homeland, the 31-year-old
appeared three times for France at EURO 2012. "What can our supporters
expect from me is to work hard and give my all in every game, I like to keep
the ball, press with it and help start the attacks as well looking to help
out defensively. I know the West Ham fans will be happy if they see the team
working hard and trying to win. Sometimes it is more difficult, but you just
have to do your best."

Diarra trained with his new team-mates for the first time on Monday ahead of
the Villa clash and he received a warm welcome from his colleagues, three of
whom he knows well. "I know of Guy Demel, Mo Diame and Modibo Maiga as he
played in the French league last year, so it is nice to see those boys
here.I spoke with the manager and I know what he wants from me and it is all
about doing well for the team."

The player is well aware of the club's rich history and says he is excited
to be at West Ham as they start a fresh journey in the Barclays Premier
League. "I know of the players here before like Paolo Di Canio, Scott Parker
and before that, years ago, Bobby Moore. It is exciting for me to be here
and I am looking forward to the challenge. We know that it will be tough but
the aim is to get into a good position and keep it. "I have experience and I
hope I can help my younger team-mates and everyone around me, so we can
create a good place for the team in the Premier League this year."

Diarra is also looking to complete some unfinished business with regards the
Premier League, as he joined Liverpool as a youngster a decade ago but never
got the opportunity to show what he could do at Anfield. "I am 31 now and
ready to play in the Premier League. It is a chance I want to take well with
West Ham and want to show what I can do and help the team do as well as we
can this season. I am very much looking forward to it and I hope our fans
are too."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
New season, new system?
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 13th August 2012
By: Tom Kilbey

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our latest recruit Tom Kilbey.
Tom opens his KUMB account by looking at Sam Allardyce's current squad and
examining its strengths and weaknesses ahead of this weekend's season-opener
against Aston Villa...

With little over a week to the start of the season, now is the time to start
thinking ahead to the opener against Aston Villa. With the board still
frantically trying to secure the services of new players, our team is
starting to shape up. Let's take a look through our squad, and at a
potential new system for next year.

Goalkeeper

When going through the team, it doesn't take long before there's a debate.
Henderson or Jaaskaleinen? Youth or experience? Through pre-season, Big Sam
has alternated between the two goalkeepers, giving both a chance to impress.
I'd like to see Henderson given a chance since Jussi is definitely not the
keeper he used to be. Only time will tell.

Full Back

Unfortunately, there isn't much of a debate here. I say 'unfortunately'
because I feel that this is perhaps our weakest area. Allardyce's style is
going to be based on a solid defence, and I don't think we have this,
especially at left back.

Demel will start on the right side of defence and although he looked far
from comfortable at times last season, he is highly rated and after a few
games in pre-season he should hopefully step up.

I'd also like Jordan Spence to be given a final chance this season. Despite
not making an impact at Bristol City last season, what I've seen of him
tells me that he is a capable defender and he is reaching the age at which
we need to decide to either give him a run in the side, or let him go.

On the left side of defence our only real option is George McCartney and I
don't think he is of sufficient quality despite having a solid, if not
spectacular spell for us last season.

In the youth ranks we have Danny Potts. I am fully aware he has the
potential to be an excellent player but we are perhaps guilty of over-hyping
our youngsters. After one excellent game last season he had a couple of very
shaky performances; should we believe he can step into the role of a Premier
League player after just three first team appearances?

Centre Back

This is one position where there isn't too much of a debate. Some people are
seeing the signing of James Collins as a step back but I have always rated
him, so consider him as a good signing.

Besides him, we have the ever improving James Tomkins who should build on
his performances last season - plus we also have Winston Reid. I had my
doubts about him for the first year and a bit, but I think life in the
Championship allowed him to come on leaps and bounds and isn't a bad back up
to have.

We could perhaps do with one more centre back, but our new signing Alou
Diarra can play there if needed so we are in fairly good shape here.

Holding Midfield

We seemingly have two defensive midfielders in our team, both of whom are
among the most talented players in the squad. For this reason, I cant help
but thinking we will play with two holding midfielders.

Diarra and Diame in front of the back four would fit an Allardyce-style
defensive tactic and could be effective with the right balance. Of course,
we still have Mark Noble who could play a similar role, although I do fear
for him in a system like this as he could easily find himself shunned from
the first team.

Central Attacking Midfielder

If we did play with two defensive-minded midfielders, we would need to play
with three in front of them whose primary job would be to create and score
goals. In the middle, we would inevitably play Kevin Nolan, although we also
have the option of Jack Collison who only really impressed last season when
playing in a more advanced role.

Wingers

More than anything else, I hope that we play with genuine wingers next
season. Since we lost Matthew Etherington, we have been hugely lacking in
width, making us look bereft of ideas.

In the centre we have absolutely no creativity, making it even more critical
that we get the ball wide. I despise seeing players like Collison play out
wide like he did so often last season. Quite frankly, if we try to fit all
our midfielders into our side, we will not have a chance last season.

Although we would all like to see players like Jack in our side, we have to
realise that we must play players in the correct position so inevitably,
some will have to miss out. I hope we play with Ricardo Vaz Te and Modibo
Maiga, which would give us a genuine forward threat.

It is promising to see that we are pursuing new wingers.With a bid lodged
for Matt Jarvis and reported interest in the exciting Senegalese prospect
Pape Moussa Konaté, hopefully by Saturday we will be in a position where we
can play out-and-out wingers rather than central midfielders playing out of
position.

Strikers

I don't think there's much of a debate up top. Maiga may want to play in a
central role but surely he can be best utilised on the wing, leaving Carlton
Cole with the unenviable responsibility of being our only striker.

I think Maynard will fall short of Premier League quality and with Baldock
being sold, this only leaves us with the single striker. According to
reports, we will only sell Baldock once we get a replacement, which make
sense.

One name being mentioned is that of Louis Saha, which has been greeted with
an avalanche of criticism from many West Ham fans. I would happily have him
on a short term, free transfer. If he can get eight goals for us, and share
the workload of Carlton Cole, and provide competiton for his place, I dont
really see the problem.

People are complaining it's only a short term solution, but surely that's
exactly the point? If he can get us a few critical goals over the next two
years and help us establish ourselves as a Premier League side, I'll be very
happy. This is, of course, providing we sign young talent as well, and if we
can seal the signing of Konaté - and perhaps one other forward player - I'd
be fairly happy with our attacking options.

My system therefore, would look something like this (which could obviously
switched round in terms of personnel):

Henderson/Jaaskelainen
Demel; Tomkins; Collins; New Left Back
Diarra; Diame
Vaz Te; Nolan; Maiga
Cole


Besides this, our only other real option would be to play Diarra at centre
half alongside Tomkins and play a more conventional 4-5-1 with Noble, Diame
and Nolan across the middle. Either system could work, although I'd prefer
to play our most experienced player, with the most pedigree in his best
position which would favour the system I've outlined.

It's interesting to think that Noble will struggle to get in the team this
year with such strength in the middle of the park; I guess this is a sign of
a vast improvement in our midfield. It's just a shame that we have primarily
had success in the transfer window in the position that was already the
strongest.

Hopefully, in the next week or two, we will have similar success in the
positions that still look weak.

*Tom Kilbey may also be found on Twitter at twitter.com/tom29whu.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce in stadium warning
West Ham boss insists stadium must be used by football
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @skygraemebailey. Last Updated:
August 13, 2012 10:17am
SSN

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has warned that London needs to make
sure that the Olympic Stadium does not become a 'white elephant'. The
Hammers are one of the bidders to take the tenancy of the Stratford venue,
which hosted the closing ceremony of the London Games on Sunday. But its
future has long been the subject of debate, with the Hammers initially
denied tenancy last October following a legal dispute involving Tottenham
and Leyton Orient. The need to preserve a home for athletics at the stadium
was central to London 2012's legacy aims and they intend on hosting the
World Championship in 2017, but Allardyce insists the stadium and
surrounding park will fall into decline without the regular use provided by
Premier League football.

Crowds

"If they keep it for athletics, the only time it will ever get a big crowd
again after the Olympics is when they hold the World Championships there in
five years' time," he told The Times. "You only have to look around the
world at some of the Olympic Stadiums that have been built. They're white
elephants now. There are weeds growing there. Look at the 'Bird's Nest' in
Beijing. Look at Athens. "The Olympic Park is a fantastic place, but it
can't be left to rack and ruin. If a club with the history and fanbase and
potential of West Ham don't go there, the concern would be that the park is
left empty the vast majority of the time. "I can understand some West Ham
fans feeling that they don't want to leave the history and tradition of
Upton Park, but it's an incredible opportunity for the club to move
forward."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Are the Hammers Targeting Loic Remy?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die

There is a rumour this evening that West Ham are enquiring about the
availability of Marseille striker, Loic Remy. There appears to be two
obstacles to a potential move. Firstly, Marseille allegedly want a £18m fee
for the striker. Secondly, although open to a move to the PL, Loic allegedly
wants to move to a club competing in Europe next season. There is little
doubt that Loic Remy would be a great signing. But is he currently within
our reach?

Elsewhere, West Ham are reported to be especially keen to finalise a deal
for Wolves' winger, Matt Jarvis. The two clubs are currently in a stand-off
over West Ham's initial offer of £6m up front and £3m in add ons. Wolves
value Jarvis at £10m and West Ham will probaby need to meet that valuation,
with a deal being struck on the structure of the payments. Will Sam
Allardyce and the Board go the extra mile to land a player that they
obviously covet?

Also, the signs are that Adam Johnston could be out of favour at Man City.
The rumour is that City are preparing a £8m bid for Swansea's Scott Sinclair
and that deal could adversely impact on Johnston's postion in the squad.
Would Johnston not be a good loan option for West Ham, perhaps a one year
loan with a view to a permanent deal? Johnston is a real talent, who seems
to have lost his way at City. Could we help him get back on track? And might
the acquisition of the player give us another attacking option down the
flanks?

Finally, so it's the big kick-off this Saturday and a winning start is
essential. We can only guess what Sam Allardyce's starting line up will be?
But one thing is certain, our success or otherwise in the first two fixtures
wil probably determine the scale of our activities in transfer market in the
run up to the closure of the summer window on 31 August 2012.

SJ. Chandos.

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

http://vyperz.blogspot.com