Captain's Blog
WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan reflects on a successful week and looks ahead to Monday's visit
of Stoke City
17.11.2012
Hello everyone and I hope you are enjoying your weekends! We have had good
week, especially coming off on the back of our great win away at Newcastle
United. For obvious reasons it was a very emotional trip for me. It was
going back, for the first time since I moved to West Ham United, to
somewhere I spent two years of my career and life at, where my little boy
was born and a great place where I made a lot of life-long friends on and
off the pitch. I enjoyed my time there at Newcastle immensely and can't
thank the fans enough for the support they gave me when I was there and for
giving me a great welcome back. I was able to see a few people around the
club afterwards and had the chance to say a proper 'Goodbye' to them as I
didn't get that opportunity when I left, so that was nice to do.
I have been lucky to move on to another great club in West Ham. It was a
no-brainer for me when it happened and, while it was emotional for me last
Sunday, it was great to get the win and to score the goal. Enjoying my
football once again has been made easy with the support of all of you, the
West Ham fans.
Up at Newcastle and at Bolton Wanderers I strived to do my best and I want
to emulate that and do what I can and more here at West Ham in every way
possible.
A big 'Thank you' to all of you who travelled the long way to support us. We
could hear all of you throughout the game and the backing we get will never
cease to amaze me. To have nearly 3,000 of you cheering us on up there was
just great and I am so pleased we got the result you all deserved. We did
really well, restricting Newcastle to mainly long-range shots at goal and,
when the likes of Demba Ba got opportunities, Jussi Jaaskelainen made some
fine saves and everyone did their jobs. We played some really nice football
and we thoroughly deserved the victory. Stoke City are up next at home and
Tony Pulis has a team who have established themselves in the Premier League
and will be a big test for us. It is looking like being a sell-out again for
Monday's game, which is great, and there is nothing better than walking out
on to the pitch in front of a packed house at the Boleyn Ground with the
atmosphere that creates.
I think it will be a good match and we will be working our socks off to get
a winning result and keep our home form going. I know you appreciate what we
do if we are working as hard as we can to achieve that. We have had a solid
week on the training ground, buzzing from the win last weekend, but at the
same time keeping it all low key. All we are focusing on is the next game
and to keep working hard. Off the pitch and around the place, we had a bit
of fun as the club have brought out a special West Ham edition of the
Monopoly board game, which is available in the club stores. Myself and the
lads took a look to see where we were on it and have a go.
I am worth 300 Monopoly pounds! I did think I might have made Mayfair or
Park Lane, but when I saw that the late great Bobby Moore had that mantle, I
certainly wasn't going to argue! There was a bit of banter among the lads
with it and I am sure all of you will enjoy playing the game at Christmas
time.
There is also news to report about a new tea-making rota at our training
ground. I like my cups of tea and when I am making one for myself in the
canteen, I always ask if anyone else wants one, whoever is around, whether
it be staff or the lads. I have been making it more than most since I have
been here, but am pleased to report that I have Andy Carroll and Joey
O'Brien on a tea-making rota now, so it is not just me!
I must get our Head of Performance Analysis, David Woodfine - known as Woody
to all of us here - to be part of this rota. Woody gets up to make a cuppa
for himself, whispers 'Does anyone else want one?' and before you have heard
what he has said, he has sat back down with his cup of tea! So we need to
get him on this rota!
Back to on the pitch and it goes without saying that your support again on
Monday will be important to us. It is appreciated by each and every one of
us and we will be doing everything we can to get a result to send you all
home happy.
Come on you Irons!
Kevin Nolan
Captain
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Big Sam on Stoke City
WHUFC.com
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce spoke to the press ahead of Monday's
fixture
17.11.2012
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce was in chatty mood ahead of Monday's
Barclays Premier League fixture with Stoke City - a game for which less than
250 tickets remain available. The Hammers welcome the Potters to the Boleyn
Ground knowing victory will keep them in the top-six ahead of a run of
matches against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and
West Bromwich Albion. Speaking to the press ahead of Monday night's sell-out
clash, Big Sam spoke of the need to continue picking up points, Stoke's
strong defensive record and the high number of goals in the Barclays Premier
League this season.
Do you feel West Ham United are getting the credit you deserve for your
strong start to the season?
SA - "I don't really know, to be honest. All that we're happy with is our
own performances and results. The lads are just trying to make sure we
continue where we left off against Newcastle and try to beat Stoke City on
Monday and continue to load up the points as quick as we possibly can. The
confidence is good and I think the only problem we've got at the moment is
injuries. I think overcoming these injuries and continuing to get results is
going to be our biggest problem.
What other people are saying, the players don't seem to be too interested
in. We are getting some good publicity and rightly so because of the
position we're in being a newly-promoted side into the Barclays Premier
League."
Have you personally had enough credit for what you've achieved so far?
SA - "I think so. I think that, at the end of the day, when you continue to
get results then people cannot ignore what you're doing, both as a manager
and a group of players and coaching staff. From our point of view, most of
us have been here [in the Barclays Premier League] before - certainly I have
for a long time and we know the position we're in is a very good one. But we
know only a quarter of the season has gone, it's early days and a lot can
happen between now and the end of the season. If we're around this position
going into the last six or seven games, then that's a great season. At the
moment, it's a great start and that's all it is."
You have a tough run of games coming up, so is it important that you already
have so many points in the bag?
SA - "We thought the tough run of games started with Wigan away and then Man
City at home and Newcastle away, but we've picked up four points in those
three games. The tough phase has already begun for us and, after Stoke on
Monday we go into a run against the other big boys. We've coped very well so
far and I hope we continue to cope on Monday night because that's a big game
for us. We want to continue our home form and home results and get a very
important three points against a well-experienced and well-organised team
with a really good manager."
Are you happy with Andy Carroll's all-round contribution?
SA - "Yes. We all want, particularly Andy himself, our centre forward to
score goals, like any forward that plays the game off football. I'm
convinced that he will put the ball into the net and that will hopefully
start him on a good run. At the moment, his partnership with Kevin Nolan is
one of the key elements in us continuing to do well. Our attacking play has
been good because we can play off two players who are playing very well at
the moment. That gives us more opportunities to go and attack the oppositon
on a regular basis. Even away from home, it wasn't a case of just sitting
back at Newcastle. Our passing percentage was as high as theirs, we had as
many passes as they did and we got into the final-third an awful lot -
probably more than people expected at Newcastle. Those two players hold the
ball up and let us express ourselves from there, so they're doing a good
job. Yes, we'd like our frontmen to score more goals, but the most important
thing at the end of a game is the result, not who has scored."
West Ham United and Stoke City have good defensive records, but there have
been a lot of goals scored in the Barclays Premier League this season. Do
you
feel there has been a change in philosophy and the game has become more
attacking?
SA - "From a professional point of view, I think the defending in the
Premier League is not as good as it used to be and I think that's why there
have been more goals scored. I think that side of the game has diminished
rather than improved over the last few years. From an entertainment point of
view, that's a fantastic situation because more goals are being scored than
ever before. As a manager and as a professional it's not my cup of tea to
tell the players to not bother too much when they haven't got the ball and
not worry about defending too much because we'll score more than the
opposition.T hat's not the way to approach the game because the best teams
and the teams that win the most have the best defensive records. Getting
both defending and attacking right are critically important for me in terms
of establishing ourselves in the Premier League."
Considering Stoke City's mean defensive record, do you envisage Monday's
game being a particularly difficult one in terms of breaking down the
opposition?
SA - "Yes I do. I think that, as always, Tony Pulis's team are well-drilled
and disciplined in the way they want to play. I think that they get the
defensive side of it right, as I try to do as well. I think the improve in
the quality of their players has made them an established Premier League
side now. I think Tony probably thinks they are under-achieving a bit at the
minute with the team he has built over the last few years. He had a more
difficult start to the season in terms of fixtures than we did, so I'm sure
they'll get back to winning ways, but I hope it's not on Monday!"
Is it fair to make comparisons between yourself and Tony Pulis in terms of
footballing philosophy?
SA - "They are not the same. I'm an individual and nobody copies me and I
don't copy anybody else. I don't play like Tony. We have different systems.
We have the same philosophy in terms of we both want to defend well and make
sure our team is organised and understand what's needed to be done in terms
of game-plan. We both also have to maximise our resources to make sure that
the club is successful. When you look at what Tony has done, Stoke fill
their ground every week and have been doing so for years now. They want to
increase their capacity, so that's a measure of what Tony has done for Stoke
City."
Are Stoke City the benchmark for establishing a club in the Barclays Premier
League?
SA - "I think that it's true that Tony Pulis has had a great relationship
with his owner and that relationship has borne fruit, particularly because
they have backed him and know that they can trust him. I think that trust
has given him the finance to build year-in, year-out and that has made them
what they are today. They have improved every year in terms of the quality
of player that they have brought in. I think that's why they've been
successful, along with the team spirit they have and how organised they are.
That relationship, buying wisely and maximising resources has borne fruit
for Stoke City."
Mark Noble has said he is playing the best football of his career. Is an
England call-up a realistic proposition?
SA - "Well, he is only 25. He's not at his premium age yet. Mark is our
longest-serving player at West Ham and is still only 25. I still think he
has a good chance because he has time on his side."
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Hammers clinch Elite Group Stage spot
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Development Squad defeated West Bromwich Albion 1-0 on
Friday evening
17.11.2012
West Ham United's Development Squad clinched their place in the Barclays U21
Premier League Elite Group Stage by defeating West Bromwich Albion 1-0 at
Rush Green on Friday evening. The Hammers won for the ninth time in 12 Group
1 fixtures courtesy of another late show from striker Paul McCallum
(pictured), who followed up his late winner at Arsenal on 9 November with
another last-gasp goal. On Friday, he forward bundled home Rob Hall's
free-kick with four minutes remaining to ensure Ian Hendon's side will
finish in the top two in Group 1. McCallum has now scored six goals in
eleven Barclays U21 Premier League appearances this season.
The centre forward's intervention came at the end of a game of missed
chances. The Baggies started strongly, with Adil Nabi causing havoc on the
left wing, but it was the hosts who created their first real opening on 12
minutes. Blair Turgott, who performed extremely well on the night, drove
down the right before finding Matthias Fanimo but his drilled shot was
blocked away to safety.
Hall was next to test the opposition defence, but his darting run was
brought to an abrupt halt by Liam O'Neill, who scythed down the forward 20
yards from goal. From the resulting free-kick many in the stands thought
Hall had opened the scoring, but the ripple of the net was his curling
effort brushing the side-netting.
West Ham had the ball in the net on 21 minutes, but McCallum was denied by
an offside decision after a fine through ball from Sebastian Lletget. West
Brom were also left frustrated by the assistant referee's flag shortly
before half-time, when Nabi was denied a goal due to another offside call.
The Hammers came out for the second half firing on all cylinders but
McCallum and then Fanimo were both denied by goalkeeper Shane Lewis. The
Baggies stopper was again the hero after 62 minutes when Turgott found
himself one-on-one, but Lewis came out on top once more.
With the game seemingly meandering towards a goal-less conclusion,
midfielder George Moncur sparked his side to life in the final ten minutes,
creating a succession of half-chances and shooting narrowly wide himself.
Then, with just four minutes remaining, Hall swung in an inviting free-kick
that McCallum was able to bundle home from close-range, much to the delight
of his team-mates and the 300-plus supporters in attendance. Friday's
victory put West Ham eight points clear of second-place Arsenal and 12 ahead
of Reading and Norwich City in third and fourth and guaranteed their passage
to the Elite Group Stage. There, Hendon's side will face the best U21 sides
from across the country, including potential meetings with Tottenham
Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester United.
Next up for the Development Squad is a trip to Norwich, who the Hammers beat
2-0 in the reverse fixture at Rush Green on 28 September. The fixture will
take place at the Canaries' Colney Training Ground on Monday 26 November at
1pm.
Development Squad: Baxter, Driver, Potts, Moncur, Ruddock, Spence, Turgott,
Lletget, McCallum, Fanimo, Hall
Subs not used: Piquionne, Guzman, Powell, Shaw, E.Lee
*Development Squad defender Declan Hunt has joined Blue Square Bet Premier
side Braintree Town on month-long Youth Loan.
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West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is delighted with how his side has coped with
life back in the Premier League
Last Updated: November 17, 2012 11:20am
SSN
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has praised his side's excellent start to the
season ahead of the Sky Sports Monday Night Football clash with Stoke at
Upton Park. Allardyce's side are in the top half of the Premier League table
having been promoted from the Championship via the play-offs last season and
he believes a number of factors have contributed to their good form. "There
was a long pre-season for the players and obviously some good recruitment
that seems to be paying off at the moment and a really good team spirit is
the reason we are where we are at the moment," he told Sky Sports News. "The
way we have played, particularly in the games at home, have excited the fans
and it has got us a very good start. "Eighteen points from 11 games is an
excellent start when you have just been promoted back to the Premier League
last year via the play-offs. "Every credit must go to the squad of players
that has been used, almost to its maximum now."
Allardyce also feels he has silenced the dissenting voices from some
supporters that feared his style of play was unsuited to West Ham. "I've
shown that isn't true, the style of play has got the best out of us," he
added. "It's about winning football matches on a regular basis and
entertaining, particularly at home. We are continuing where we left off in
the play-offs." Andy Carroll has yet to score in his seven games for the
club since signing on loan from Liverpool but Allardyce revealed he is not
the sort of player who requires constant support to keep him motivated.
"He's not a luvvy-dovey, arm round the shoulder player," said Allardyce. "He
will be doing his best as always to produce a performance with a goal on
Monday, although if we are winning the games (and he doesn't score), then we
are all happy."
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Sam wants to nick Nic
By ED AARONS
Published: 17th November 2012
The Sun
SAM ALLARDYCE confirmed he wants to sign Nicolas Anelka to boost West Ham's
push for a European spot. The French striker — who agreed a £250,000-a-week
deal with Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua in January — starred for Big Sam
when he was Bolton manager before moving to Chelsea in 2008. But Hammers
boss Allardyce is hoping the 33-year-old may be tempted to take a wage cut
so he can be nearer his family. Allardyce said: "It could interest me, of
course it could. "I think Nicolas still has his family in London. So it
would be of interest if that's a possibility financially." Despite Anelka's
sulky reputation, Allardyce said: "He never was that in the time that we
worked together."
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Hammer time: West Ham set to offer Allardyce a new deal ahead of Anelka bid
The Mirror
17 Nov 2012 22:30
West Ham are ready to open contract talks with Sam Allardyce in January.
Allardyce signed a two-year deal as manager when he took over in the summer
of 2011 – with two targets. The first was to guide West Ham into the Premier
League. That was accomplished through the Championship play-offs and a 2-1
win over Blackpool at Wembley. Allardyce's second objective was to
establish West Ham in the Premier League and club insiders believe that
is nearly mission accomplished. West Ham are looking to build on a fine
start to the season when they host Stoke tomorrow. They go into the game on
the back of impressive results against Manchester City (0-0) and
Newcastle (1-0). His next target is a move for Nicolas Anelka this January.
Allardyce knows Anelka from their days at Bolton together and with Andy
Carroll failing to find the net, the West Ham boss says he would be
interested in the Shanghai Shenhua striker. Anelka is said to be on around
£190,000-a-week in China and Allardyce said: "It could interest me, of
course it could. I think Nicolas has still got his family here in London."
"It would be of interest for us if that was a possibility financially and he
wanted to come. "He was disappointed when I left Bolton. He was the reason
why we went into the top end of the table." "I probably had him at the
height of his career and he has matured into a dedicated professional."
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West Ham team news: Allardyce sweating on Jarvis and Benayoun ahead of Stoke
clash
The Mirror
17 Nov 2012 12:08
Ian Horrocks
Sam Allardyce is sweating on the fitness of a number of West Ham players
ahead of Monday night's Premier League clash with Stoke. The Hammers take on
the Potters at Upton Park in the Monday night fixture, but may have to do so
without Yossi Benayoun and Matt Jarvis, who were both substituted during
last weekend's win over Newcastle and remain doubtful, although Matthew
Taylor has returned to training. Ricardo Vaz Te (shoulder) could be out
until the new year with Jack Collison (knee) also missing for the long-term.
Provisional squad: Jaaskelainen, Spiegel, O'Brien, Reid, Collins, Tomkins,
McCartney, Demel, Taylor, Noble, Diame, Nolan, Jarvis, Benayoun, Diarra,
O'Neil, Maiga, Cole, Carroll, Spence
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TONY COTTEE: 'GIVE SAM ALLARDYCE NEW HAMMERS DEAL'
Daily Star
Tony Cottee
18th November 2012 By Carl Eldridge EXCLUSIVE
WEST HAM have been warned they face a nightmare scenario if they fail to
secure the services of manager Sam Allardyce on a new long-term contract.
Hammers boss Allardyce's deal runs out at the end of the season and
co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold have been urged to extend his stay
at Upton Park. West Ham legend Tony Cottee, 47, insists he is stunned that
the East End outfit have not yet tied down Allardyce and says it would be
disastrous if he were to leave. Allardyce takes his side into a Premier
League home clash with Stoke tomorrow night at Upton Park looking to build
on their decent start to the campaign so far. And baffled Cottee reckons
the manager's astute stewardship should be rewarded with a new deal. He
said: "Sam has done a fantastic job and I am amazed that they have not
offered him a new contract. "His contract is up at the end of the season
and I have been thinking to myself what has he got to do to actually get a
new deal. "His brief was to get the club promoted which he did, albeit
through the play-offs. And if you look at the start the club have made to
the season, you have to ask when will they offer him a new contract? "If you
do have the scenario where he leaves then you need to look at who takes
over. The club needs continuity, a settled period. They need a manager to
keep the club going in the right direction and that's what they have got
with Sam. "The players are enjoying it, as are the fans. There was just a
tiny bit of apprehension when he first took over about the style of play but
with Andy Carroll up front they are playing to his strengths. "Not everyone
can play like Barcelona but on other hand, West Ham fans do not want to see
it smashed down the pitch. "You can get a good balance and I think Sam
deserves to go on next season and for many seasons after that."
Meanwhile, Cottee reckons that in-form midfielder Kevin Nolan, 30, can
force his way into Roy Hodgson's England squad if he keeps up his dazzling
displays.
He added: "When it comes to goalscoring midfielders, there are not too many
playing better than Kevin Nolan at the moment. "He has been in top form
this season. Mark Noble has, too, but their problem is that there are just
too many top English midfielders in their way. "Come the end of the season,
if Kevin is still scoring then I think he can expect a call when England
tour Brazil in the summer, when I dare say one or two will drop out with
injury. "I really think that winning an England cap still means a lot to
players and Nolan, particularly, would love to win one at this stage of his
career." Allardyce will have to tinker with his winning formula as Yossi
Benayoun and Matt Jarvis are doubtful for the game. Ricardo Vaz Te remains
sidelined until the new year and Jack Collison is also a long-term absentee.
Allardyce said: "Confidence is good. The only problem is injuries.
Overcoming these injuries while continuing to get results is going to be our
biggest problem."
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Hammers boss Allardyce admits interest in bringing Anelka back from China in
January
By MARK BRYANS, Press Association
PUBLISHED: 23:16, 17 November 2012 | UPDATED: 23:17, 17 November 2012
Daily Mail
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce admits he would be interested in a January move
for Nicolas Anelka. The 33-year-old is currently plying his trade in China
for Shanghai Shenhua but has recently been linked with a move back to the
Barclays Premier League. Allardyce, who has guided the Hammers to sixth
place in the table after the opening 11 fixtures, signed Anelka for Bolton
for a then-club record fee in the summer of 2006 and revealed he would like
to work with the France striker once again. 'It could interest me, of course
it could,' he said. 'It would be of interest if that is a possibility
financially for us and he wanted to come. I have had no conversations with
Nicolas' agent or anything like that at this time.'
Anelka was seen as a marquee signing for Wanderers when he was signed from
Turkish side Fenerbahce and his form at the Reebok Stadium earned him a big
move to Chelsea a year and a half later. Allardyce, who has yet to see
big-name summer signing Andy Carroll score for the Hammers, believes Anelka
transformed his Bolton side into a team that could challenge at the right
end of the table. He said: 'His professionalism and dedication was why he
was such a good player and we never had problems at Bolton at the time he
was with us. "He was the difference - he was the reason we went into the top
end, the top four, rather than the top eight.'
Much has been made over the years of Anelka's demeanour on and off the pitch
but Allardyce reckons the perception of the former Arsenal and Real Madrid
forward is off the mark and hopes the family man could be tempted to head
back to London. Asked whether he ever had a problem with Anelka's
questionable temperament Allardyce said: 'He never was like that in his
entire time I had him. 'He was disappointed I left, when he came and played
for me I had him at a very, very good time - probably at the height of his
career, I would think, because he had matured into a dedicated professional.
'I think he has always been dedicated but he got sidetracked by certain
situations through his younger days but he learnt from that, his experience
across Europe. 'He had a girlfriend, who is now his wife, and his family and
I think that has matured him - I think Nicolas has still got his family here
in London, I don't think they moved out to China.'
One stumbling block for a potential deal would come if Anelka refused to
take a drop in his wages as he is currently reported to be earning around
£250,000 a week in China. He has also been linked with a return to Liverpool
or a move to fellow strugglers QPR but all three clubs would be hard pushed
to fork out the sort of money the Frenchman is currently bringing in from
Shenhua.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Sunday, November 18
Saturday, November 17
Daily WHUFC News - 17th November 2012
Matt gets booked
WHUFC.com
West Ham United midfielder Matt Taylor urged youngsters to improve their
reading skills at a community event
15.11.2012
Matt Taylor urged youngsters to improve their reading skills at a recent
community event. The popular West Ham United midfielder visited Rainham
Library in Essex to speak to a group of local schoolchildren about how
becoming a bookworm can be an enjoyable experience. Around 50 youngsters had
taken part in a summer reading scheme organised by the library and were
invited to meet the West Ham United No14 as a reward for completing a number
of books and activities. The scheme had a sporting theme, with the children
reading an array of different books on the subject. Taylor spoke about his
memories of reading at school before revealing that his favourite childhood
book was the Roald Dahl classic James and the Giant Peach. "My most vivid
memory of books when I was at school were the Roald Dahl books," said
Taylor, "purely because they were written in such a way that they got me
hooked into the story straight away. It was all about adventure and had
great animation to go along with it. "As a child, your imagination runs wild
and these books were perfect foil for that. James and the Giant Peach, which
I think a lot of children still read today and I would still read it as an
adult, was great. It was a book that certainly fired my enthusiasm to read
more."
It was then the turn of the children to question Taylor on subjects ranging
from what inspiration he got from reading to how he became a footballer.
"There were some good questions out there, it was better than a press
conference!" he joked. "Kids tell you how it is, you know where you stand
with them. I have three children of my own, so I really enjoyed speaking
with them and hope that they got as much out of this visit as I did.
"Hopefully, I have helped a few more children to want to read a few more
books and enjoy reading. "Reading is a life tool - when I get into my car in
the morning I need to read the road signs so I can travel into training. In
all walks of life we need to read and write. If you can, it opens all doors
of opportunity to you, so if we can encourage kids to read then that is one
more life skill they will have to spur them on to do more."
Taylor's visit proved popular with the children, their parents and guardians
and library staff alike. Rainham Library manager David Dennison said: "We
enjoyed meeting Matt and the children certainly enjoyed meeting him and
getting the chance to ask him questions. For them to see that someone they
look up to in a sport like football was talking to them about reading was
also really good. "The scheme we ran in the summer resulted in great
achievements for a lot of the children and the reward for their hard work
was to be here at this event and hopefully, at the end of it, encourage them
to read more and enjoy it."
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West Ham midfielder Mark Noble hopes for England call-up
By Frank Keogh
BBC Sport
West Ham midfielder Mark Noble says he is playing the best football of his
career and hopes his form could earn a first full England cap. The former
England under-21 skipper has started every game as the Hammers have risen to
sixth in the Premier League in their first season since promotion. Noble,
25, says hard work may catch the attention of England boss Roy Hodgson.
"I've just got to keep playing as well as I can for West Ham, and hopefully
that will happen," he told BBC Sport.
Mark Noble factfile
Age: 25
Debut: August 2004 League Cup v Southend
Contract: Signed new three-year deal in September
Appearances: 230
Goals: 28
Noble has thrived under manager Sam Allardyce, and has started 57 of the 60
league matches played since the former Bolton, Newcastle and Blackburn boss
took over in the summer of 2011. "He's been good for me. I'm probably
playing the best football of my career," said Noble, who represented England
at every level from under-16 to under-21. "I'm growing up. I've become
mentally and physically a much better player than I was before. I played the
whole of last season, and started nearly every game under the manager."
Noble said being selected by his country would be "the pinnacle of any
English player's career" and he would be honoured to have the chance of
playing at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. "I've got ambitions and goals and
to be involved in something like that would be fantastic, but I've got to
prove myself first," he added. "I'm just back in the Premier League this
year. If you work hard, hopefully you make those goals come true.
Noble in Premier League this season
Starts: 11 (from 11)
Minutes played: 964
Goals: 2
Chances created: 20
Total passes: 620
Pass accuracy: 83.87%
Yellow cards: 3 Reds: 0
"Every manager has their own opinions of players. At the minute I'm
thoroughly enjoying things and if that day does happen, then I will enjoy it
just that little bit more." Noble, who made his debut aged 17 for West Ham
in 2004, is the club's longest-serving player and said a friend at school
had placed a wager on him being capped by England. "When I was a kid, a mate
of mine had a bet on me playing for England. I haven't spoken to him for
years and years so hopefully he kept the betting slip," he said. "If it does
happen one day, hopefully he can skip down the bookies and get paid. I can't
remember how much he put on me but hopefully he's got it tucked away in a
draw somewhere."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gold: Beware fake Santas
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 16th November 2012
By: Staff Writer
David Gold admits that he'd be happy to bring a wealthy benefactor on board
at West Ham - but only in the right circumstances. United's septuagenarian
co-owner purchased a 51 per cent share of West Ham along with business
partner David Sullivan in January 2010. And although they recently extended
their joint ownership of the club to more than two-thirds, Gold confesses
that he'd be delighted to bring a third party on board.
However he warned that not everyone with access to vast financial sums would
necessarily be fit for purpose.
"I'd like a very wealthy person to come and join us," he told a tabloid
newspaper. "Of course, I'd welcome a Father Christmas. But then you look and
discover that it might not be the real Father Christmas.
"And you know why? Because there isn't a real Father Christmas; he doesn't
exist. In an ideal world, though, if you ask what I'd like to see happen, I
would like a very wealthy person to come and join us.
"David [Sullivan] and myself are wealthy by normal standards but not by
football standards. We would be reluctant to sell the whole football club
because we feel part of it.
"It's taken us a lifetime to earn enough money to return to our roots and we
won't give that up lightly. We're doing our best but it would be that much
easier if there were three of us."
In order to purchase West Ham, Gold and Sullivan sold previous club
Birmingham City to Asian businessman Carson Yeung. The Hong Kong tycoon in
now trying to sell the Championship club for half the figure he paid for it
having seen his business empire collapse.
It was a similar situation at West Ham five years ago when Icelandic
businessman Bjorgolffur Gudmundsson nearly destroyed West Ham when the
banking collapse wiped out his £2.3billion fortune almost overnight - a
scenario that Gold is keen to avoid revisiting.
"When we sold Birmingham we thought that, under those people, Birmingham
would probably win the Premier League within a few years. But it all turned
out a bit unfortunate," he added.
"In football, there is no certainty. There's also the danger that when you
think you're passing a club to a super-wealthy person that it can all
evaporate, as happened at Birmingham and other clubs. There's that great
danger here as well."
But should West Ham eventually find that elusive benefactor - the search for
whom would no doubt be enhanced by a move to the Olympic Stadium - Gold
believes that West Ham could challenge the very best.
"We're not going to be a top four club straightaway," he admitted, "but one
day it's possible, if there is a super-wealthy West Ham fan who wants to
come and join the club. That could change things for us.
"For now we have to do the best we can within the areas of our ability. To
grow the club and, fingers crossed, get to the Olympic Stadium which could
change our whole image [and] help us attract better players. But it all
boils down to income and we have to generate more.
"Arsenal doubled theirs by moving and Manchester City - even before Sheikh
Mansour bought the club - doubled their income by moving to a stadium that
they didn't buy, but rented. It can be done."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Olympic Stadium - The 'End Game' Cometh!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
Guardian Sports have run an article that suggests that the ongoing
negotiations between West Ham Utd FC and the LDCC have reached the 'end
game' stage. Basically, the situation is that West Ham's board want to move
to the OS and the LDCC would prefer the Hammers to be the PL anchor tenant.
However, neither party will agree it at 'any price.' West Ham are quite
rightly arguing that as tenants, the emphasis lies upon the land lord (The
LDCC) to fund the bulk of the necessary conversion works. The club could
quite reasonbly assert that the LDDC effectively 'want their cake and eat
it,' by changing the contract to a tendency, yet still expecting substantial
capital investment by the chosen tenant in a resource that they do not own.
Whereas, the LDDC, no doubt constrained by the Government, are arguing that
a PL anchor tenant cannot be secured at an unreasonable cost to the 'public
purse.'
The OS procurement process has been unduly complicated and drawn out.
Guardian Sports contend that West Ham have returned with a final 'take it or
leave' offer. They believe that West Ham's revised final offer entails a
significant increase in the club's original £10m contribution to the
estimated £160m cost of converting the stadium (ie. new roof, retractable
seating and hospitality facilities) for PL use. In addition to an estimated
£2.5m a year in rent, index-linked to RPI, Guardian Sports report that,
sources close to the negotiations have said that West Ham believe their
offer is worth an additional £6m a year to the LLDC given a commensurate
uplift in stadium naming rights and catering income. If accepted, Newham
Council have also indicated that they are prepared to increase their initial
£40m investment in return for a stake in the ownership and control of the
Stadium
The offer is designed to force the issue and get a decision. And there is no
doubt that this is necessary for all concerned, this farcial deadlock has
gone on far too long. It is time that a decision was made. Lets just hope
that it is the right one for the long-term future of the OS. This is
arguably best served by a West Ham anchor tenancy, something which, in turn,
is also in the best interests of the club. While the Mayor and Chair of the
LDDC probably favour West Ham's bid, it is thought that there are other
elements on the LDCC Board, who wish to rule PL football out of the
equation, on the grounds of cost, and develop a multi-use sports/events
facility with an alternative focus. That is the blinkered, sort-sighted,
non-strategic thinking that got the Stadium in this situation in the first
place. It is also likely to guarantee that the Stadium requires a
substantial public investment in the foreseeable future. In contrast, a deal
with West Ham/Newham Council that facilitates the £160m conversion is
undoubtably the best option for guaranteeing both the successful use of the
Stadium (both in sporting and community terms) and its financial viability.
Of course, the Coalition Government could break this deadlock, and secure
the best possible option for the Stadium, if they designated the conversion
an approved capital project and released some of the London 2012 contingency
budget to help bridge the gap financially between the LDDC and West
Ham/Newham Council negotiating positions. And they could justifiy it as a
capital project designed to create economic stimulas in East London. No
doubt all of the construction firms, sub-contractors, SMEs, suppliers and
trades people who secured work/orders via the initiative would warmly
welcome it. But unfortunately this most myopic and ideologically driven of
Governments is unlikely to do that, rejecting it on the usual 'austerity'
grounds.
It is probable that most of the major players in the LDCC know that West
Ham's involvement is crucial in the long-term success of the Stadium. If
they take the non-football route it is, arguably, far more likely that the
Stadium will become a under-utilised, publicly subsidized, 'white elephant.'
As such, it is better to bite the bullet and commit the additional
investment to give it the best possible chance of long-term sustainability
and realising the 2012 Olympic legacy. To take the non-football route would
arguably, compound past mistakes and consign the Stadium to an uncertain
future.
The OS aside, West Ham face a very interesting challenge in the form of
Stoke City on Monday evening. No doubt certain quarters will portray the
contest as that between the two major 'long ball' teams in the PL. Never
mind the fact that the opta stastics show that other teams are more direct
than West Ham and the % of 'long ball' played by us has decreased recently.
Regardless, both teams can play direct, possess physical strength and are
hard to beat. Is it not possible, in those circumstances, that the teams
might cancel each other out on the 'direct play' front and the greater
technical ability of the West Ham squad could be the deciding factor?
It's likely to be a hard fought match, but I am going for a 3-1 victory for
the Hammers. COYI!
SJ. Chandos
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I've sent DVDs to Roy
The Sun
By KARREN BRADY
Published: 16th November 2012
SAT NOV 10
SITTING at Elland Road this afternoon wearing his angry grandpa look, you
might think Ken Bates is glad to be going out of football. But I know Ken
and it is not necessarily so, even if he will be comforted by departing from
Leeds with an estimated £33million goodie bag from the sale of the club to
Bahrain investment bank GFH. Leeds have just suffered a spot of GBH
themselves at the hands of mighty Watford, and it already looks as if they
are going to miss out on what they consider their natural habitat, the
Premier League. For manager Neil Warnock, a feisty survivor himself, the new
owners might well do a QPR reprise on him. But Crafty old Ken at 80 and with
his milk float days far behind him, still knows how to bring home the real
cream.
SUN NOV 11
WEST HAM lost a leader in Scott Parker last year when we were relegated. And
the measure of Sam Allardyce as a manager is he recognised Kevin Nolan from
previous connections as the man to replace Parker, 32, in that role. Odd how
things turn out. Spurs are suffering from the long absence of Parker with an
Achilles heel injury, while 30-year-old Nolan is thriving with us. Today he
scored his fifth goal of the season — from midfield, don't forget — in our
highly satisfying win at Newcastle. Sam is also bringing a lot more out of
Mark Noble. Are you watching, Roy Hodgson? Just to be sure I've sent you
five DVDs.
MON NOV 12
IN England, baby boys are entered for Eton within hours of being born. This
was probably the case with Prime Minister David Cameron. As The Sun reveals
today, in Argentina they have a different priority. There Lionel Messi's old
club, Newell's, have signed Thiago — the two-week-old son of the world's
best footballer — on the basis that he might have inherited his father's
footballing genes. The problem is, of course, the baby's skills may be more
like Cameron's.
TUES NOV 13
IS Steven Gerrard the last of the true loyalists? You can't begin to imagine
him wearing any other club shirt but Liverpool's — rather in the way that
you couldn't see Superman in pink pants. Supporters love a player who sticks
by their colours and so they should. Yet you can make a decent case for
stating that Gerrard's stance has not worked to his advantage or the
country's. Had he moved to Chelsea to play alongside Frank Lampard he would
have won more domestic medals and England would have benefited by a settled
partnership. My feeling though is that Arsenal would have been a better
destination. Arsene Wenger would have made a world-beater of him. Still,
Gerrard is England captain again tomorrow when he wins his 100th cap, which
isn't at all bad.
WED NOV 14
I DIDN'T say it, he did. UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner describes the
Olympic Stadium process as "a farce" and while it may not be that, it is now
clear that West Ham and other bidders are in a steeplechase not a sprint. UK
Athletics and my club share a vision. We are ready and so are they. Yet it
has been announced that it could be 2016 before the stadium conversion is
complete. By the time we get to the finish line I fear I will be well and
truly knackered.
THURS NOV 15
IT HAS taken three years for Portsmouth to be confident they have a future.
And only today it was confirmed because it has been legally handed to a
supporters' trust. All but one of the Premier League clubs are determined
not to allow such ordeals by administration to affect them. So much so, that
at the shareholders' meeting in London today we are considering various
options to force clubs to get a handle on their costs and at least break
even. How these will be enforced is the difficult bit. It's so long since I
last appeared at one of the open meetings that chief executive Richard
Scudamore likens my attendance to rocking horse dung. Very rarely, if ever,
seen. Most chairman were pleased to see me. One in particular looked at me
as if I had just promised him a unicorn for Christmas and another said I
looked well, 'not a day older than 32' — I have always attracted liars. But
one was most definitely not happy with my attendance and sat positively
sullen all day.
FRI NOV 16
WORD has it that England manager Roy Hodgson and Stuart Pearce, his Under-21
coach, aren't the closest of buddies — not exactly a meeting of minds there,
I suspect. An odd link, though, is that Hodgson managed both Paul Ince, at
Inter Milan, and his son Tom, who was also in Pearce's team this week. So
what did Hodgson call you at Liverpool, Tom is asked: "Paul," he says.
Shades of another England manager Sir Bobby Robson who also had name blanks
and once famously referred to his Newcastle winger Laurent Robert as 'Lauren
Bacall'!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham U21 1 Albion U21 0
Wba.com
PUBLISHED
21:10 16th November 2012
David Oldfield's side suffer late Hammers sucker punch
ALBION suffered late heartbreak as they were defeated 1-0 by West Ham United
in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League this evening. The Baggies went into
the Rush Green Stadium clash with the top-of-the-league Hammers buoyed by
their 4-0 victory over Norwich on Sunday. But Paul McCallum's strike four
minutes from time ended Albion's hopes of picking up points at the Premier
League pace-setters. And development coach David Oldfield was pleased with
his side's display despite the disappointing nature of conceding so late in
the game. "It's certainly disappointing as the lads worked very hard and
deserved something out of the game," said Oldfield. "The game was finely
balanced and on occasions we just lacked a little bit of quality. "We
created opportunities and came very close so the nature of the defeat is
disappointing. "It's very important for us to understand the work that is
needed and to continue learning. "There are many positives to take from the
game and we need to continue to progress and continue to learn. "The defeat
hurts but we'll go again."
ALBION: Lewis; Atkinson, D Daniels, Gayle, Garmston; O'Neill, Thorne;
O'Sullivan, Roofe, A Nabi; Sawyers. Subs not used: Palmer (gk); Birch, A
Jones, C Jones, Wedderburn.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United midfielder Matt Taylor urged youngsters to improve their
reading skills at a community event
15.11.2012
Matt Taylor urged youngsters to improve their reading skills at a recent
community event. The popular West Ham United midfielder visited Rainham
Library in Essex to speak to a group of local schoolchildren about how
becoming a bookworm can be an enjoyable experience. Around 50 youngsters had
taken part in a summer reading scheme organised by the library and were
invited to meet the West Ham United No14 as a reward for completing a number
of books and activities. The scheme had a sporting theme, with the children
reading an array of different books on the subject. Taylor spoke about his
memories of reading at school before revealing that his favourite childhood
book was the Roald Dahl classic James and the Giant Peach. "My most vivid
memory of books when I was at school were the Roald Dahl books," said
Taylor, "purely because they were written in such a way that they got me
hooked into the story straight away. It was all about adventure and had
great animation to go along with it. "As a child, your imagination runs wild
and these books were perfect foil for that. James and the Giant Peach, which
I think a lot of children still read today and I would still read it as an
adult, was great. It was a book that certainly fired my enthusiasm to read
more."
It was then the turn of the children to question Taylor on subjects ranging
from what inspiration he got from reading to how he became a footballer.
"There were some good questions out there, it was better than a press
conference!" he joked. "Kids tell you how it is, you know where you stand
with them. I have three children of my own, so I really enjoyed speaking
with them and hope that they got as much out of this visit as I did.
"Hopefully, I have helped a few more children to want to read a few more
books and enjoy reading. "Reading is a life tool - when I get into my car in
the morning I need to read the road signs so I can travel into training. In
all walks of life we need to read and write. If you can, it opens all doors
of opportunity to you, so if we can encourage kids to read then that is one
more life skill they will have to spur them on to do more."
Taylor's visit proved popular with the children, their parents and guardians
and library staff alike. Rainham Library manager David Dennison said: "We
enjoyed meeting Matt and the children certainly enjoyed meeting him and
getting the chance to ask him questions. For them to see that someone they
look up to in a sport like football was talking to them about reading was
also really good. "The scheme we ran in the summer resulted in great
achievements for a lot of the children and the reward for their hard work
was to be here at this event and hopefully, at the end of it, encourage them
to read more and enjoy it."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham midfielder Mark Noble hopes for England call-up
By Frank Keogh
BBC Sport
West Ham midfielder Mark Noble says he is playing the best football of his
career and hopes his form could earn a first full England cap. The former
England under-21 skipper has started every game as the Hammers have risen to
sixth in the Premier League in their first season since promotion. Noble,
25, says hard work may catch the attention of England boss Roy Hodgson.
"I've just got to keep playing as well as I can for West Ham, and hopefully
that will happen," he told BBC Sport.
Mark Noble factfile
Age: 25
Debut: August 2004 League Cup v Southend
Contract: Signed new three-year deal in September
Appearances: 230
Goals: 28
Noble has thrived under manager Sam Allardyce, and has started 57 of the 60
league matches played since the former Bolton, Newcastle and Blackburn boss
took over in the summer of 2011. "He's been good for me. I'm probably
playing the best football of my career," said Noble, who represented England
at every level from under-16 to under-21. "I'm growing up. I've become
mentally and physically a much better player than I was before. I played the
whole of last season, and started nearly every game under the manager."
Noble said being selected by his country would be "the pinnacle of any
English player's career" and he would be honoured to have the chance of
playing at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. "I've got ambitions and goals and
to be involved in something like that would be fantastic, but I've got to
prove myself first," he added. "I'm just back in the Premier League this
year. If you work hard, hopefully you make those goals come true.
Noble in Premier League this season
Starts: 11 (from 11)
Minutes played: 964
Goals: 2
Chances created: 20
Total passes: 620
Pass accuracy: 83.87%
Yellow cards: 3 Reds: 0
"Every manager has their own opinions of players. At the minute I'm
thoroughly enjoying things and if that day does happen, then I will enjoy it
just that little bit more." Noble, who made his debut aged 17 for West Ham
in 2004, is the club's longest-serving player and said a friend at school
had placed a wager on him being capped by England. "When I was a kid, a mate
of mine had a bet on me playing for England. I haven't spoken to him for
years and years so hopefully he kept the betting slip," he said. "If it does
happen one day, hopefully he can skip down the bookies and get paid. I can't
remember how much he put on me but hopefully he's got it tucked away in a
draw somewhere."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gold: Beware fake Santas
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 16th November 2012
By: Staff Writer
David Gold admits that he'd be happy to bring a wealthy benefactor on board
at West Ham - but only in the right circumstances. United's septuagenarian
co-owner purchased a 51 per cent share of West Ham along with business
partner David Sullivan in January 2010. And although they recently extended
their joint ownership of the club to more than two-thirds, Gold confesses
that he'd be delighted to bring a third party on board.
However he warned that not everyone with access to vast financial sums would
necessarily be fit for purpose.
"I'd like a very wealthy person to come and join us," he told a tabloid
newspaper. "Of course, I'd welcome a Father Christmas. But then you look and
discover that it might not be the real Father Christmas.
"And you know why? Because there isn't a real Father Christmas; he doesn't
exist. In an ideal world, though, if you ask what I'd like to see happen, I
would like a very wealthy person to come and join us.
"David [Sullivan] and myself are wealthy by normal standards but not by
football standards. We would be reluctant to sell the whole football club
because we feel part of it.
"It's taken us a lifetime to earn enough money to return to our roots and we
won't give that up lightly. We're doing our best but it would be that much
easier if there were three of us."
In order to purchase West Ham, Gold and Sullivan sold previous club
Birmingham City to Asian businessman Carson Yeung. The Hong Kong tycoon in
now trying to sell the Championship club for half the figure he paid for it
having seen his business empire collapse.
It was a similar situation at West Ham five years ago when Icelandic
businessman Bjorgolffur Gudmundsson nearly destroyed West Ham when the
banking collapse wiped out his £2.3billion fortune almost overnight - a
scenario that Gold is keen to avoid revisiting.
"When we sold Birmingham we thought that, under those people, Birmingham
would probably win the Premier League within a few years. But it all turned
out a bit unfortunate," he added.
"In football, there is no certainty. There's also the danger that when you
think you're passing a club to a super-wealthy person that it can all
evaporate, as happened at Birmingham and other clubs. There's that great
danger here as well."
But should West Ham eventually find that elusive benefactor - the search for
whom would no doubt be enhanced by a move to the Olympic Stadium - Gold
believes that West Ham could challenge the very best.
"We're not going to be a top four club straightaway," he admitted, "but one
day it's possible, if there is a super-wealthy West Ham fan who wants to
come and join the club. That could change things for us.
"For now we have to do the best we can within the areas of our ability. To
grow the club and, fingers crossed, get to the Olympic Stadium which could
change our whole image [and] help us attract better players. But it all
boils down to income and we have to generate more.
"Arsenal doubled theirs by moving and Manchester City - even before Sheikh
Mansour bought the club - doubled their income by moving to a stadium that
they didn't buy, but rented. It can be done."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Olympic Stadium - The 'End Game' Cometh!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
Guardian Sports have run an article that suggests that the ongoing
negotiations between West Ham Utd FC and the LDCC have reached the 'end
game' stage. Basically, the situation is that West Ham's board want to move
to the OS and the LDCC would prefer the Hammers to be the PL anchor tenant.
However, neither party will agree it at 'any price.' West Ham are quite
rightly arguing that as tenants, the emphasis lies upon the land lord (The
LDCC) to fund the bulk of the necessary conversion works. The club could
quite reasonbly assert that the LDDC effectively 'want their cake and eat
it,' by changing the contract to a tendency, yet still expecting substantial
capital investment by the chosen tenant in a resource that they do not own.
Whereas, the LDDC, no doubt constrained by the Government, are arguing that
a PL anchor tenant cannot be secured at an unreasonable cost to the 'public
purse.'
The OS procurement process has been unduly complicated and drawn out.
Guardian Sports contend that West Ham have returned with a final 'take it or
leave' offer. They believe that West Ham's revised final offer entails a
significant increase in the club's original £10m contribution to the
estimated £160m cost of converting the stadium (ie. new roof, retractable
seating and hospitality facilities) for PL use. In addition to an estimated
£2.5m a year in rent, index-linked to RPI, Guardian Sports report that,
sources close to the negotiations have said that West Ham believe their
offer is worth an additional £6m a year to the LLDC given a commensurate
uplift in stadium naming rights and catering income. If accepted, Newham
Council have also indicated that they are prepared to increase their initial
£40m investment in return for a stake in the ownership and control of the
Stadium
The offer is designed to force the issue and get a decision. And there is no
doubt that this is necessary for all concerned, this farcial deadlock has
gone on far too long. It is time that a decision was made. Lets just hope
that it is the right one for the long-term future of the OS. This is
arguably best served by a West Ham anchor tenancy, something which, in turn,
is also in the best interests of the club. While the Mayor and Chair of the
LDDC probably favour West Ham's bid, it is thought that there are other
elements on the LDCC Board, who wish to rule PL football out of the
equation, on the grounds of cost, and develop a multi-use sports/events
facility with an alternative focus. That is the blinkered, sort-sighted,
non-strategic thinking that got the Stadium in this situation in the first
place. It is also likely to guarantee that the Stadium requires a
substantial public investment in the foreseeable future. In contrast, a deal
with West Ham/Newham Council that facilitates the £160m conversion is
undoubtably the best option for guaranteeing both the successful use of the
Stadium (both in sporting and community terms) and its financial viability.
Of course, the Coalition Government could break this deadlock, and secure
the best possible option for the Stadium, if they designated the conversion
an approved capital project and released some of the London 2012 contingency
budget to help bridge the gap financially between the LDDC and West
Ham/Newham Council negotiating positions. And they could justifiy it as a
capital project designed to create economic stimulas in East London. No
doubt all of the construction firms, sub-contractors, SMEs, suppliers and
trades people who secured work/orders via the initiative would warmly
welcome it. But unfortunately this most myopic and ideologically driven of
Governments is unlikely to do that, rejecting it on the usual 'austerity'
grounds.
It is probable that most of the major players in the LDCC know that West
Ham's involvement is crucial in the long-term success of the Stadium. If
they take the non-football route it is, arguably, far more likely that the
Stadium will become a under-utilised, publicly subsidized, 'white elephant.'
As such, it is better to bite the bullet and commit the additional
investment to give it the best possible chance of long-term sustainability
and realising the 2012 Olympic legacy. To take the non-football route would
arguably, compound past mistakes and consign the Stadium to an uncertain
future.
The OS aside, West Ham face a very interesting challenge in the form of
Stoke City on Monday evening. No doubt certain quarters will portray the
contest as that between the two major 'long ball' teams in the PL. Never
mind the fact that the opta stastics show that other teams are more direct
than West Ham and the % of 'long ball' played by us has decreased recently.
Regardless, both teams can play direct, possess physical strength and are
hard to beat. Is it not possible, in those circumstances, that the teams
might cancel each other out on the 'direct play' front and the greater
technical ability of the West Ham squad could be the deciding factor?
It's likely to be a hard fought match, but I am going for a 3-1 victory for
the Hammers. COYI!
SJ. Chandos
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I've sent DVDs to Roy
The Sun
By KARREN BRADY
Published: 16th November 2012
SAT NOV 10
SITTING at Elland Road this afternoon wearing his angry grandpa look, you
might think Ken Bates is glad to be going out of football. But I know Ken
and it is not necessarily so, even if he will be comforted by departing from
Leeds with an estimated £33million goodie bag from the sale of the club to
Bahrain investment bank GFH. Leeds have just suffered a spot of GBH
themselves at the hands of mighty Watford, and it already looks as if they
are going to miss out on what they consider their natural habitat, the
Premier League. For manager Neil Warnock, a feisty survivor himself, the new
owners might well do a QPR reprise on him. But Crafty old Ken at 80 and with
his milk float days far behind him, still knows how to bring home the real
cream.
SUN NOV 11
WEST HAM lost a leader in Scott Parker last year when we were relegated. And
the measure of Sam Allardyce as a manager is he recognised Kevin Nolan from
previous connections as the man to replace Parker, 32, in that role. Odd how
things turn out. Spurs are suffering from the long absence of Parker with an
Achilles heel injury, while 30-year-old Nolan is thriving with us. Today he
scored his fifth goal of the season — from midfield, don't forget — in our
highly satisfying win at Newcastle. Sam is also bringing a lot more out of
Mark Noble. Are you watching, Roy Hodgson? Just to be sure I've sent you
five DVDs.
MON NOV 12
IN England, baby boys are entered for Eton within hours of being born. This
was probably the case with Prime Minister David Cameron. As The Sun reveals
today, in Argentina they have a different priority. There Lionel Messi's old
club, Newell's, have signed Thiago — the two-week-old son of the world's
best footballer — on the basis that he might have inherited his father's
footballing genes. The problem is, of course, the baby's skills may be more
like Cameron's.
TUES NOV 13
IS Steven Gerrard the last of the true loyalists? You can't begin to imagine
him wearing any other club shirt but Liverpool's — rather in the way that
you couldn't see Superman in pink pants. Supporters love a player who sticks
by their colours and so they should. Yet you can make a decent case for
stating that Gerrard's stance has not worked to his advantage or the
country's. Had he moved to Chelsea to play alongside Frank Lampard he would
have won more domestic medals and England would have benefited by a settled
partnership. My feeling though is that Arsenal would have been a better
destination. Arsene Wenger would have made a world-beater of him. Still,
Gerrard is England captain again tomorrow when he wins his 100th cap, which
isn't at all bad.
WED NOV 14
I DIDN'T say it, he did. UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner describes the
Olympic Stadium process as "a farce" and while it may not be that, it is now
clear that West Ham and other bidders are in a steeplechase not a sprint. UK
Athletics and my club share a vision. We are ready and so are they. Yet it
has been announced that it could be 2016 before the stadium conversion is
complete. By the time we get to the finish line I fear I will be well and
truly knackered.
THURS NOV 15
IT HAS taken three years for Portsmouth to be confident they have a future.
And only today it was confirmed because it has been legally handed to a
supporters' trust. All but one of the Premier League clubs are determined
not to allow such ordeals by administration to affect them. So much so, that
at the shareholders' meeting in London today we are considering various
options to force clubs to get a handle on their costs and at least break
even. How these will be enforced is the difficult bit. It's so long since I
last appeared at one of the open meetings that chief executive Richard
Scudamore likens my attendance to rocking horse dung. Very rarely, if ever,
seen. Most chairman were pleased to see me. One in particular looked at me
as if I had just promised him a unicorn for Christmas and another said I
looked well, 'not a day older than 32' — I have always attracted liars. But
one was most definitely not happy with my attendance and sat positively
sullen all day.
FRI NOV 16
WORD has it that England manager Roy Hodgson and Stuart Pearce, his Under-21
coach, aren't the closest of buddies — not exactly a meeting of minds there,
I suspect. An odd link, though, is that Hodgson managed both Paul Ince, at
Inter Milan, and his son Tom, who was also in Pearce's team this week. So
what did Hodgson call you at Liverpool, Tom is asked: "Paul," he says.
Shades of another England manager Sir Bobby Robson who also had name blanks
and once famously referred to his Newcastle winger Laurent Robert as 'Lauren
Bacall'!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham U21 1 Albion U21 0
Wba.com
PUBLISHED
21:10 16th November 2012
David Oldfield's side suffer late Hammers sucker punch
ALBION suffered late heartbreak as they were defeated 1-0 by West Ham United
in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League this evening. The Baggies went into
the Rush Green Stadium clash with the top-of-the-league Hammers buoyed by
their 4-0 victory over Norwich on Sunday. But Paul McCallum's strike four
minutes from time ended Albion's hopes of picking up points at the Premier
League pace-setters. And development coach David Oldfield was pleased with
his side's display despite the disappointing nature of conceding so late in
the game. "It's certainly disappointing as the lads worked very hard and
deserved something out of the game," said Oldfield. "The game was finely
balanced and on occasions we just lacked a little bit of quality. "We
created opportunities and came very close so the nature of the defeat is
disappointing. "It's very important for us to understand the work that is
needed and to continue learning. "There are many positives to take from the
game and we need to continue to progress and continue to learn. "The defeat
hurts but we'll go again."
ALBION: Lewis; Atkinson, D Daniels, Gayle, Garmston; O'Neill, Thorne;
O'Sullivan, Roofe, A Nabi; Sawyers. Subs not used: Palmer (gk); Birch, A
Jones, C Jones, Wedderburn.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, November 16
Daily WHUFC News - 16th November 2012
Man of the Mo-ment
WHUFC.com
All-action West Ham United midfielder Mo Diame is quickly becoming a fans'
favourite at the Boleyn Ground
15.11.2012
Mohamed Diame believes West Ham United's strong start to the Barclays
Premier League season has vindicated his decision to join the club. The
Senegal midfielder turned down a number of approaches to move to east
London, including the opportunity to play in the UEFA Champions League for
an unnamed club.
However, with the Hammers sixth in the Barclays Premier League ahead of
Monday's visit of Stoke City to the Boleyn Ground, Diame is feeling positive
about his choice. "People did say 'Why are you going to West Ham when you
can play in the Champions League?' but they can see why I did now," the
athletic 25-year-old told West Ham TV. "It is a very big club in England and
I am very happy to be here, now I am hoping that our good performances will
continue."
The No21 linked up with West Ham on a free transfer following his departure
from Wigan Athletic, citing his desire not to be involved in a relegation
battle as a reason to move south. With the likes of Andy Carroll, Matt
Jarvis and Alou Diarra also joining Sam Allardyce's squad, the Hammers have
so far thrived in the Barclays Premier League. "That is why I came here.
When I spoke to the club I knew they were trying to build a very good team.
We are working very hard every day on the training ground and you can see it
is paying off."
Diame hailed last Sunday's 1-0 win over Newcastle United at St James' Park
as the best result of his Hammers career to date. The midfielder, who
travelled to Niger for a 1-1 international friendly draw in midweek,
produced another outstanding all-action display on Tyneside to upset his
Senegal squad-mates Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse. "It was a fantastic result
against Newcastle, probably the best since I joined the club, and we worked
very hard for the three points. The manager gave me a lot of confidence
going into the game so I tried to give it back on the pitch and I think I
did a good job."
Diame ended by taking time to praise his midfield partners Kevin Nolan and
Mark Noble as the three continue to enjoy a blossoming relationship in the
West Ham engine room. "Kevin and Mark work very hard on the pitch. They
allow me a lot of freedom and make my job a lot easier, so it is very
enjoyable playing with them."
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Hammers ready for Baggies test
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Development Squad welcome West Bromwich Albion to Rush
Green on Friday evening
15.11.2012
The Development Squad are looking forward to Friday evening's Barclays U21
Premier League Group 1 clash with West Bromwich Albion at Rush Green.
Kick-off at Rush Green is at 7pm, with admission just £3 for Adults, £1 for
Under-16s and free for Season Ticket Holders. West Ham United are going
great guns in the Barclays U21 Premier League, having won eight of their
eleven league matches, while they drew 1-1 with the Baggies in the reverse
fixture in September.
Striker Paul McCallum (pictured) netted a vital 87th-minute winner to secure
a 2-1 victory at Arsenal last time out to all but ensure the Hammers'
qualification for the post-Christmas Elite Group Stage. The result put Ian
Hendon's side five points clear at the top of the Group 1 table and leaves
them knowing a win over the Baggies would seal their qualification. "It was
great to win against Arsenal at their home ground because they had the
majority of possession," said McCallum, who has netted five goals in ten
appearances for the leaders. "That said, we took our chances and were more
creative so I think we deserved the win. "We worked very hard and we limited
them to very few chances so credit to our two lines of four because they
were very hard to break down."
McCallum also believes bouncing back from a 3-0 defeat to Reading to beat
the Gunners was of paramount importance to the squad's belief. "Confidence
would have been low if we had not won against Arsenal because none of us
turned up against Reading and it was a very poor performance. To win against
one of the best teams in the country is great and it says a lot about the
level of our Academy and Under-21s."
McCallum also believes the close bond built up within the side over a number
of years will stand them in good stead in the future. "Some of the boys have
been at the club since they were seven, so for over a decade, and they know
each others' games like the back of their hands. It provides a massive boost
and hopefully it can continue to help us against West Brom and beyond."
Having been included in Sam Allardyce's squad for the Capital One Cup ties
with Crewe Alexandra and Wigan Athletic, McCallum also revealed that he
hopes to break into the first-team set-up on a regular basis. "Hopefully I
can break into the first-team but there are Andy Carroll and Carlton Cole in
front of me and I still have a lot to learn until I get to their level. When
I go and watch the first team and train with them, I always keep an eye on
what they do and how they do it because I know it can help me improve."
Concentrating on his Development Squad role, McCallum wants to make his mark
in the Elite Group stage against the best Under-21 sides in the country.
"Hopefully we can win our league and progress into the Elite Group Stage,
but as long as the first team are playing well, which is the important
thing, I cannot really argue about not getting a chance. All I can do I keep
scoring goals for the Development Squad and, if I continue to perform,
hopefully my chance will come."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
It's better to travel
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 15th November 2012
By: Kit Robinson
Newcastle United Football Club have an arrangement with local transport to
get all fans to the ground for £10 a season. What would be the chances of
such a system being implemented between West Ham United and Transport for
London or maybe TFL and other or all London clubs?
When you consider how much TFL make from football match travel for a Premier
League weekend, it makes your eyes water. An Off-Peak zone 1-4 Oyster Travel
Card is £7.70. Approximately 216,000 Londoners will go to watch West Ham,
Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal, Fulham and QPR. You are looking at potentially
£1million a weekend from fans of just Premier League London clubs (excluding
a large number of home fans who live close by). The Newcastle transport
agreement makes around £500k a year in comparison.
I don't know the exact percentage of West Hams fans who are local, but being
as we only have 500 left for Stoke on Monday night when it is being
televised (although i know there is also a ticket offer for members etc),
that would suggest that the majority of fans are from east London or west
Essex. But it is certainly no longer the case that fans all live locally any
more. For instance, you only have to look at the cultural demographic for
the likes of Upton Park and East Ham to know that only a small number of
Asian fans attend matches but they are over 50 per cent of the population of
Newham.
A TFL football travel season ticket would be a great idea but would cut out
half of our fan base because many are from Essex, so it would also have to
work in conjunction with the club and the Essex train companies. But of
course, as soon as it was implemented then transport police would be all
over Upton Park or Stratford on match days which not only would cause delays
but could possibly lead to confrontation.
I know I would not react kindly to being held up before a match, and it
would also probably annoy people by holding them up after the long queue at
Upton Park when leaving. With regard to Stratford, maybe part of the deal to
become hosts at the Olympic Stadium would have to involve a dedicated West
Ham entrance/exit to facilitate fans only on match days? Certainly Stratford
is far more accessible than Upton Park for transport though, what with the
District line often having problems and then of course there is weekend
engineering works across the tube network.
I am surprised that the club have not sued TFL for such a poor service to
the ground on so many match days over the years. Personally, I travel about
32 miles from one side of London to the other and frankly, there are so many
problems, delays and closures that it puts me off going to Upton Park. It's
regularly a 4-5 hour round trip. I am sure there are others like me
elsewhere in and out of London, with a similar experience, on a regular
basis and so the club are losing potential revenue.
This is maybe not so much of a big deal if Upton Park is sold out but it
will be a big deal to the club if we move to Stratford and there are still
travel problems. In particular, Sundays when it's likely we would have more
matches televised but half of the tube network tends to be shut down.
If 500 people like me choose not to go because it's frankly too much hassle
and on TV, that's an emptier stadium and £20,000 lost on one match,
£380,000+ a season. 500 people seems a small number to a stadium we hope to
fill with 60k home and away fans but that figure could be much larger. We
also have to make sure that away fans have an easier journey or they may
also be put off coming in the future, so again there is potentially more
lost revenue and a stadium looking emptier than it should. As said, this is
less apparent at Upton Park but would be more acutely apparent at Stratford
should the move go ahead.
I used to have a season ticket, then i started going to about half of the
home matches a season, now i tend to go to more away matches and only four
or five home fixtures a season, because it is frankly easier and often
cheaper to go to other clubs. It didn't used to bother me about attending
televised matches but now I don't go because it takes out most of my day
travelling if kick off is not in the evening. I'm happy to dedicate up to
three hours maximum travelling a round trip to Upton Park. The problem is
that is rarely the case.
I know this may sound like whinging and it is nothing in comparison to the
experience of the fans who attended the recently cancelled England away
match in Poland or a home match I remember being rained off versus Newcastle
where they had travelled down for nothing and must have spent a fortune.
Sometimes as a fan you have to take unpredictable events on the chin
(although I certainly think the England fans in Warsaw should have been
heavily compensated for the Polish FA's stupidity) but this is a transport
problem, it's not down to the elements and it is regularly happening. I feel
that at least the club should be compensated if they are let down by the
transport franchises, but then of course, they will only be reclaiming any
payout to the club from us through their fares, set to rise again in the New
Year.
As I write, Premier League Clubs are today discussing salary wage caps for
players. It would be nice to think that with such forward thinking and
potential radical change, not only should clubs be able to manage their
finances and find an easier way to meet the costs of running a club, but
similar idea's such as cheaper transport costs for London fans also be
discussed. Ultimately, all of this money comes from us, whether it is
Tickets, Merchandise, TV subscriptions etc.
It is a sad fact that I would rather it were easier to get to see West Ham
but it could be that only a move to Stratford will facilitate that
happening, helped by its better transport links and also Crossrail opening
in 2017. But whether the move to the Olympic Stadium happens or not, the
club needs to be more proactive about travel problems and travel costs,
because ultimately it will cost them lost revenue.
However, from Crossrail to the Olympic Stadium, it is also a sad fact that
we know how slow anything takes to organise or for anyone to come to an
agreement, in London. Everyone wants a slice of the pie and of course, who
will be providing the pie? The fans of course. It would be nice if just for
a change, a great agreement could be met similar to that up at Newcastle,
which benefits the club, fans and TFL. Unfortunately you just know that if
it does ever happen, it will take years to be implemented, the fans will end
up being fleeced even more than they are already and it will still be a
pretty useless and unpredictable service from TFL.
In a similar way to how the club have stated that their attitude towards the
Olympic Stadium would be more seats at a cheaper cost but filling the
stadium, TFL need a serious think about revenue lost or gained. What would
be better, fans not using London Transport at all by not going to matches or
more fans using their services at a cheaper rate? I am sure that fans and
the clubs would agree to such a scheme but sadly I feel that TFL would be
the problem and like Boris' bike hire scheme, promises will be made about
keeping the cost low, only for them to be broken.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame is happy with life at Upton Park
Last Updated: November 15, 2012 10:57pm
SSN
West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame is happy with life at Upton Park and
believes he made the right choice to join the club in the summer. Diame
arrived on a free transfer in the summer after seeing out his contract at
Wigan. The Senegal international is believed to have rejected several other
offers to move to West Ham and the all-action midfielder has impressed in
east London. The 25-year-old has been instrumental in helping West Ham climb
up to sixth spot in the table in their first season back in the Premier
League and he feels his decision to join the Hammers has been vindicated.
"People did say 'Why are you going to West Ham when you can play in the
Champions League?' but they can see why I did now," he told West Ham TV. "It
is a very big club in England and I am very happy to be here, now I am
hoping that our good performances will continue. "That is why I came here.
When I spoke to the club I knew they were trying to build a very good team.
"We are working very hard every day on the training ground and you can see
it is paying off."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diame's Choice of Move Vindicated!
By S J Chandos
West Ham till I Die
The West Ham official website has published an interview with Mo Diame, in
which he has stated that the Hammers strong PL showing has vindicated his
decision to move to the club. In making the move, Diame apparently rejected
the chance to join a club who had qualified for this season's Champions
League. In the interview, the power house midfelder goes on to talk about
how the squad's hard work in training is paying off on the pitch; as well as
praising the contribution of his midfield partners, Mark Noble and Kevin
Nolan.
The article is timely, hot on the heels of the recent Sports Mail story
about Diame's alleged £7m release clause in his contract. No doubt it was
designed to counter that story's inference that Diame might exit in the
January window. At present, we do not know if the £7m clause exists or not,
but hopefully this interview is a strong indication that Diame is happy at
the club and prepared to stay. We certainly do not want to see the break up
of the excellent Diame-Noble-Nolan midfield partnership if at all possible.
And certainly not in the difficult January transfer window. We shall just
have to wait until the window opens to see exactly what transpires?
Elsewhere, it has been reported that Norwich City are considering bidding
for Carlton Cole in January. Cole tends to sharply divide opinion amongst
Hammers fans. Some will urge the club to cash-in and secure a replacement;
while others will argue for the retention of Cole. My own view is that Cole
will probably stay for the remainder of this season, but beyond that, who
knows? Much depends on Cole's ability to take his first team chances and
start scoring goals. In terms of incoming deals, we are reported to be
interested in Derby County's young right-back, John Brayford, Arsenal's
Andrei Arshavin and St Patrick's promising attacking midfielder, Chris
Forrester. Is there any truth in it, who knows at this stage? But it is
interesting speculation, even if it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.
A more verifiable report is that West Ham are likely to pursue their
interest in signing Chelsea youngster, Walter Figueira. Figueira is
currently on trial at West Ham and scored in the U-21 team's recent victory
over their Arsenal counter-parts. The player is out of contract this summer,
so West Ham will be looking to secure a deal for an appropriately nominal
fee.
Finally, it appears that West Ham's Chief Executive, Karren Brady, intends
to investigate the circumstances surrounding the £9m acquisition, and rapid
sale, of Savio Nsereko. While it has been reported that charges have been
made, arising from West Ham and Olympic Authority's complaints, concerning
alleged practices that supposedly took place during the original Olympic
Stadium tendering process. These are two stories that we may need to keep an
eye on in future.
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Eastern promise: West Ham chief ready to sell to a new Roman Abramovich
The Mirror
15 Nov 2012 22:31
West Ham co-owner David Gold has admitted he'd sell some of his stake in the
club if he can find an Upton Park sugar-daddy. But Gold insisted he and
partner David Sullivan will not make the mistake they did at Birmingham -
and put the future of the Hammers at risk. Gold believes the only way West
Ham can realise their ambitions of becoming a top four club is by combining
significant outside investment and their planned move to the Olympic
Stadium. That would mean handing over at least a partial share in the club
to a cash-laden investor, although Gold maintains he and Sullivan do not
want to sell lock, stock and barrel.
And while Gold accepts he could not get something for nothing from a new
income source, he pointed to the repercussions of his previous club sale to
promise there will be no repeat. Gold and Sullivan took over the Hammers in
a £105million deal in January 2010, just four months after selling their
stake in the St Andrews outfit to Hong Kong-based Carson Yeung for £80m.
"When we sold Birmingham to the Chinese owners we thought that, under those
people, within a few years, Birmingham would probably win the Premier
League," said Gold. "From what we were hearing and seeing, and what they
were spending, that was possible. "But it all turned out a bit unfortunate.
"In football, there is no certain answer - no, 'This is the plan; this will
work, that won't'. Life is not as clear-cut as that. "There's also the
danger that when you think you're passing a club to a super-wealthy person
that it can all evaporate, as happened at Birmingham and other clubs.
There's that great danger here as well. We have plenty of experience."
Gold added that the sort of money required to turn the Hammers into a
genuine force - even with the move to the Olympic Stadium, now unlikely
before 2016 - rarely exists. He said: "You have to be a billionaire to make
a major difference and there aren't many of them about. "How many Roman
Abramovichs are there? "One Roman Abramovich came along. We've seen that and
he's changed the face of Chelsea and done a remarkable job. "There isn't a
Chelsea fan who hasn't applauded what's happened to their football club
after Ken Bates. "But at the same time there are other clubs, like United
and Blackburn, where you have fans who are disenchanted with the Glazers and
Venkys. "Of course, I'd welcome a Father Christmas. But then you look and
discover that it might not be the real Father Christmas. "And you know why?
Because there isn't a real Father Christmas. He doesn't exist. "In an ideal
world, though, if you ask what I'd like to see happen, I would like a very
wealthy person to come and join us. "David and myself are wealthy by normal
standards but not by football standards.
"We would be reluctant to sell the whole football club because we feel part
of it. It's taken us a lifetime to earn enough money to return to our roots
and we won't give that up lightly. We're doing our best but it would be that
much easier if there were three of us."
Gold believes that a move from Upton Park to the Olympic Park would make a
huge difference to the club's prospects - and appeal to potential investors.
He said: "We're not going to be a top four club straightaway. "But one day,
it's possible, if there is a super-wealthy West Ham fan who wants to come
and join the club, that could change things for us. "Now we have to do the
best we can within the areas of our ability. "To grow the club, fingers
crossed to get to the Olympic Stadium which could change our whole image,
would help us attract better players. "But it all boils down to income and
we have to generate more income. "Arsenal doubled theirs by moving, City,
even before Sheikh Mansour bought the club, doubled their income by moving
to a stadium that they didn't buy, but rented. It can be done. "In the
meantime, we must keep strengthening the club and that means not selling our
best players. "There is no such thing as a 100 per cent guarantee but that
is our intention, not to sell our best players. "I want good players but I
won't want players who might bankrupt the football club. "Yossi Benayoun is
a good example. He wasn't happy, he's come back and he wants to play
football. "He took a wage cut to come to us and prove he is still a quality
player. We can't afford to take a risk that will bankrupt us."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Savio Nsereko faces trial after faking his own kidnapping in Thailand
Metro.co.uk
Former West Ham footballer Savio Nsereko is set to face trial in Germany
after reportedly faking his own kidnapping. The 23-year-old is said to have
called his family from Thailand telling them his 'captors' were demanding a
ransom of 3,000 euros (£2,400) for his safe release. Nsereko's concerned
family then contacted the country's German embassy, who brought in the
police. Suspicious of the rather small ransom demand, the police tracked
down Nsereko and arrested him. A Thai newspaper revealed Uganda-born
Nsereko, who most recently played for German third-division side SpVgg
Unterhaching but saw his contract terminated after just three months, was
broke after spending 25,000 euros while holidaying on the Thai coast and
came up with the story in a bid to restock his bank balance. The striker
moved to Upton Park in 2009 for £9million but flopped and was sold to
Fiorentina less than six months later, having made just one Premier League
start for the Hammers.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
All-action West Ham United midfielder Mo Diame is quickly becoming a fans'
favourite at the Boleyn Ground
15.11.2012
Mohamed Diame believes West Ham United's strong start to the Barclays
Premier League season has vindicated his decision to join the club. The
Senegal midfielder turned down a number of approaches to move to east
London, including the opportunity to play in the UEFA Champions League for
an unnamed club.
However, with the Hammers sixth in the Barclays Premier League ahead of
Monday's visit of Stoke City to the Boleyn Ground, Diame is feeling positive
about his choice. "People did say 'Why are you going to West Ham when you
can play in the Champions League?' but they can see why I did now," the
athletic 25-year-old told West Ham TV. "It is a very big club in England and
I am very happy to be here, now I am hoping that our good performances will
continue."
The No21 linked up with West Ham on a free transfer following his departure
from Wigan Athletic, citing his desire not to be involved in a relegation
battle as a reason to move south. With the likes of Andy Carroll, Matt
Jarvis and Alou Diarra also joining Sam Allardyce's squad, the Hammers have
so far thrived in the Barclays Premier League. "That is why I came here.
When I spoke to the club I knew they were trying to build a very good team.
We are working very hard every day on the training ground and you can see it
is paying off."
Diame hailed last Sunday's 1-0 win over Newcastle United at St James' Park
as the best result of his Hammers career to date. The midfielder, who
travelled to Niger for a 1-1 international friendly draw in midweek,
produced another outstanding all-action display on Tyneside to upset his
Senegal squad-mates Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse. "It was a fantastic result
against Newcastle, probably the best since I joined the club, and we worked
very hard for the three points. The manager gave me a lot of confidence
going into the game so I tried to give it back on the pitch and I think I
did a good job."
Diame ended by taking time to praise his midfield partners Kevin Nolan and
Mark Noble as the three continue to enjoy a blossoming relationship in the
West Ham engine room. "Kevin and Mark work very hard on the pitch. They
allow me a lot of freedom and make my job a lot easier, so it is very
enjoyable playing with them."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers ready for Baggies test
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Development Squad welcome West Bromwich Albion to Rush
Green on Friday evening
15.11.2012
The Development Squad are looking forward to Friday evening's Barclays U21
Premier League Group 1 clash with West Bromwich Albion at Rush Green.
Kick-off at Rush Green is at 7pm, with admission just £3 for Adults, £1 for
Under-16s and free for Season Ticket Holders. West Ham United are going
great guns in the Barclays U21 Premier League, having won eight of their
eleven league matches, while they drew 1-1 with the Baggies in the reverse
fixture in September.
Striker Paul McCallum (pictured) netted a vital 87th-minute winner to secure
a 2-1 victory at Arsenal last time out to all but ensure the Hammers'
qualification for the post-Christmas Elite Group Stage. The result put Ian
Hendon's side five points clear at the top of the Group 1 table and leaves
them knowing a win over the Baggies would seal their qualification. "It was
great to win against Arsenal at their home ground because they had the
majority of possession," said McCallum, who has netted five goals in ten
appearances for the leaders. "That said, we took our chances and were more
creative so I think we deserved the win. "We worked very hard and we limited
them to very few chances so credit to our two lines of four because they
were very hard to break down."
McCallum also believes bouncing back from a 3-0 defeat to Reading to beat
the Gunners was of paramount importance to the squad's belief. "Confidence
would have been low if we had not won against Arsenal because none of us
turned up against Reading and it was a very poor performance. To win against
one of the best teams in the country is great and it says a lot about the
level of our Academy and Under-21s."
McCallum also believes the close bond built up within the side over a number
of years will stand them in good stead in the future. "Some of the boys have
been at the club since they were seven, so for over a decade, and they know
each others' games like the back of their hands. It provides a massive boost
and hopefully it can continue to help us against West Brom and beyond."
Having been included in Sam Allardyce's squad for the Capital One Cup ties
with Crewe Alexandra and Wigan Athletic, McCallum also revealed that he
hopes to break into the first-team set-up on a regular basis. "Hopefully I
can break into the first-team but there are Andy Carroll and Carlton Cole in
front of me and I still have a lot to learn until I get to their level. When
I go and watch the first team and train with them, I always keep an eye on
what they do and how they do it because I know it can help me improve."
Concentrating on his Development Squad role, McCallum wants to make his mark
in the Elite Group stage against the best Under-21 sides in the country.
"Hopefully we can win our league and progress into the Elite Group Stage,
but as long as the first team are playing well, which is the important
thing, I cannot really argue about not getting a chance. All I can do I keep
scoring goals for the Development Squad and, if I continue to perform,
hopefully my chance will come."
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It's better to travel
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 15th November 2012
By: Kit Robinson
Newcastle United Football Club have an arrangement with local transport to
get all fans to the ground for £10 a season. What would be the chances of
such a system being implemented between West Ham United and Transport for
London or maybe TFL and other or all London clubs?
When you consider how much TFL make from football match travel for a Premier
League weekend, it makes your eyes water. An Off-Peak zone 1-4 Oyster Travel
Card is £7.70. Approximately 216,000 Londoners will go to watch West Ham,
Spurs, Chelsea, Arsenal, Fulham and QPR. You are looking at potentially
£1million a weekend from fans of just Premier League London clubs (excluding
a large number of home fans who live close by). The Newcastle transport
agreement makes around £500k a year in comparison.
I don't know the exact percentage of West Hams fans who are local, but being
as we only have 500 left for Stoke on Monday night when it is being
televised (although i know there is also a ticket offer for members etc),
that would suggest that the majority of fans are from east London or west
Essex. But it is certainly no longer the case that fans all live locally any
more. For instance, you only have to look at the cultural demographic for
the likes of Upton Park and East Ham to know that only a small number of
Asian fans attend matches but they are over 50 per cent of the population of
Newham.
A TFL football travel season ticket would be a great idea but would cut out
half of our fan base because many are from Essex, so it would also have to
work in conjunction with the club and the Essex train companies. But of
course, as soon as it was implemented then transport police would be all
over Upton Park or Stratford on match days which not only would cause delays
but could possibly lead to confrontation.
I know I would not react kindly to being held up before a match, and it
would also probably annoy people by holding them up after the long queue at
Upton Park when leaving. With regard to Stratford, maybe part of the deal to
become hosts at the Olympic Stadium would have to involve a dedicated West
Ham entrance/exit to facilitate fans only on match days? Certainly Stratford
is far more accessible than Upton Park for transport though, what with the
District line often having problems and then of course there is weekend
engineering works across the tube network.
I am surprised that the club have not sued TFL for such a poor service to
the ground on so many match days over the years. Personally, I travel about
32 miles from one side of London to the other and frankly, there are so many
problems, delays and closures that it puts me off going to Upton Park. It's
regularly a 4-5 hour round trip. I am sure there are others like me
elsewhere in and out of London, with a similar experience, on a regular
basis and so the club are losing potential revenue.
This is maybe not so much of a big deal if Upton Park is sold out but it
will be a big deal to the club if we move to Stratford and there are still
travel problems. In particular, Sundays when it's likely we would have more
matches televised but half of the tube network tends to be shut down.
If 500 people like me choose not to go because it's frankly too much hassle
and on TV, that's an emptier stadium and £20,000 lost on one match,
£380,000+ a season. 500 people seems a small number to a stadium we hope to
fill with 60k home and away fans but that figure could be much larger. We
also have to make sure that away fans have an easier journey or they may
also be put off coming in the future, so again there is potentially more
lost revenue and a stadium looking emptier than it should. As said, this is
less apparent at Upton Park but would be more acutely apparent at Stratford
should the move go ahead.
I used to have a season ticket, then i started going to about half of the
home matches a season, now i tend to go to more away matches and only four
or five home fixtures a season, because it is frankly easier and often
cheaper to go to other clubs. It didn't used to bother me about attending
televised matches but now I don't go because it takes out most of my day
travelling if kick off is not in the evening. I'm happy to dedicate up to
three hours maximum travelling a round trip to Upton Park. The problem is
that is rarely the case.
I know this may sound like whinging and it is nothing in comparison to the
experience of the fans who attended the recently cancelled England away
match in Poland or a home match I remember being rained off versus Newcastle
where they had travelled down for nothing and must have spent a fortune.
Sometimes as a fan you have to take unpredictable events on the chin
(although I certainly think the England fans in Warsaw should have been
heavily compensated for the Polish FA's stupidity) but this is a transport
problem, it's not down to the elements and it is regularly happening. I feel
that at least the club should be compensated if they are let down by the
transport franchises, but then of course, they will only be reclaiming any
payout to the club from us through their fares, set to rise again in the New
Year.
As I write, Premier League Clubs are today discussing salary wage caps for
players. It would be nice to think that with such forward thinking and
potential radical change, not only should clubs be able to manage their
finances and find an easier way to meet the costs of running a club, but
similar idea's such as cheaper transport costs for London fans also be
discussed. Ultimately, all of this money comes from us, whether it is
Tickets, Merchandise, TV subscriptions etc.
It is a sad fact that I would rather it were easier to get to see West Ham
but it could be that only a move to Stratford will facilitate that
happening, helped by its better transport links and also Crossrail opening
in 2017. But whether the move to the Olympic Stadium happens or not, the
club needs to be more proactive about travel problems and travel costs,
because ultimately it will cost them lost revenue.
However, from Crossrail to the Olympic Stadium, it is also a sad fact that
we know how slow anything takes to organise or for anyone to come to an
agreement, in London. Everyone wants a slice of the pie and of course, who
will be providing the pie? The fans of course. It would be nice if just for
a change, a great agreement could be met similar to that up at Newcastle,
which benefits the club, fans and TFL. Unfortunately you just know that if
it does ever happen, it will take years to be implemented, the fans will end
up being fleeced even more than they are already and it will still be a
pretty useless and unpredictable service from TFL.
In a similar way to how the club have stated that their attitude towards the
Olympic Stadium would be more seats at a cheaper cost but filling the
stadium, TFL need a serious think about revenue lost or gained. What would
be better, fans not using London Transport at all by not going to matches or
more fans using their services at a cheaper rate? I am sure that fans and
the clubs would agree to such a scheme but sadly I feel that TFL would be
the problem and like Boris' bike hire scheme, promises will be made about
keeping the cost low, only for them to be broken.
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West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame is happy with life at Upton Park
Last Updated: November 15, 2012 10:57pm
SSN
West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame is happy with life at Upton Park and
believes he made the right choice to join the club in the summer. Diame
arrived on a free transfer in the summer after seeing out his contract at
Wigan. The Senegal international is believed to have rejected several other
offers to move to West Ham and the all-action midfielder has impressed in
east London. The 25-year-old has been instrumental in helping West Ham climb
up to sixth spot in the table in their first season back in the Premier
League and he feels his decision to join the Hammers has been vindicated.
"People did say 'Why are you going to West Ham when you can play in the
Champions League?' but they can see why I did now," he told West Ham TV. "It
is a very big club in England and I am very happy to be here, now I am
hoping that our good performances will continue. "That is why I came here.
When I spoke to the club I knew they were trying to build a very good team.
"We are working very hard every day on the training ground and you can see
it is paying off."
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Diame's Choice of Move Vindicated!
By S J Chandos
West Ham till I Die
The West Ham official website has published an interview with Mo Diame, in
which he has stated that the Hammers strong PL showing has vindicated his
decision to move to the club. In making the move, Diame apparently rejected
the chance to join a club who had qualified for this season's Champions
League. In the interview, the power house midfelder goes on to talk about
how the squad's hard work in training is paying off on the pitch; as well as
praising the contribution of his midfield partners, Mark Noble and Kevin
Nolan.
The article is timely, hot on the heels of the recent Sports Mail story
about Diame's alleged £7m release clause in his contract. No doubt it was
designed to counter that story's inference that Diame might exit in the
January window. At present, we do not know if the £7m clause exists or not,
but hopefully this interview is a strong indication that Diame is happy at
the club and prepared to stay. We certainly do not want to see the break up
of the excellent Diame-Noble-Nolan midfield partnership if at all possible.
And certainly not in the difficult January transfer window. We shall just
have to wait until the window opens to see exactly what transpires?
Elsewhere, it has been reported that Norwich City are considering bidding
for Carlton Cole in January. Cole tends to sharply divide opinion amongst
Hammers fans. Some will urge the club to cash-in and secure a replacement;
while others will argue for the retention of Cole. My own view is that Cole
will probably stay for the remainder of this season, but beyond that, who
knows? Much depends on Cole's ability to take his first team chances and
start scoring goals. In terms of incoming deals, we are reported to be
interested in Derby County's young right-back, John Brayford, Arsenal's
Andrei Arshavin and St Patrick's promising attacking midfielder, Chris
Forrester. Is there any truth in it, who knows at this stage? But it is
interesting speculation, even if it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.
A more verifiable report is that West Ham are likely to pursue their
interest in signing Chelsea youngster, Walter Figueira. Figueira is
currently on trial at West Ham and scored in the U-21 team's recent victory
over their Arsenal counter-parts. The player is out of contract this summer,
so West Ham will be looking to secure a deal for an appropriately nominal
fee.
Finally, it appears that West Ham's Chief Executive, Karren Brady, intends
to investigate the circumstances surrounding the £9m acquisition, and rapid
sale, of Savio Nsereko. While it has been reported that charges have been
made, arising from West Ham and Olympic Authority's complaints, concerning
alleged practices that supposedly took place during the original Olympic
Stadium tendering process. These are two stories that we may need to keep an
eye on in future.
SJ. Chandos.
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Eastern promise: West Ham chief ready to sell to a new Roman Abramovich
The Mirror
15 Nov 2012 22:31
West Ham co-owner David Gold has admitted he'd sell some of his stake in the
club if he can find an Upton Park sugar-daddy. But Gold insisted he and
partner David Sullivan will not make the mistake they did at Birmingham -
and put the future of the Hammers at risk. Gold believes the only way West
Ham can realise their ambitions of becoming a top four club is by combining
significant outside investment and their planned move to the Olympic
Stadium. That would mean handing over at least a partial share in the club
to a cash-laden investor, although Gold maintains he and Sullivan do not
want to sell lock, stock and barrel.
And while Gold accepts he could not get something for nothing from a new
income source, he pointed to the repercussions of his previous club sale to
promise there will be no repeat. Gold and Sullivan took over the Hammers in
a £105million deal in January 2010, just four months after selling their
stake in the St Andrews outfit to Hong Kong-based Carson Yeung for £80m.
"When we sold Birmingham to the Chinese owners we thought that, under those
people, within a few years, Birmingham would probably win the Premier
League," said Gold. "From what we were hearing and seeing, and what they
were spending, that was possible. "But it all turned out a bit unfortunate.
"In football, there is no certain answer - no, 'This is the plan; this will
work, that won't'. Life is not as clear-cut as that. "There's also the
danger that when you think you're passing a club to a super-wealthy person
that it can all evaporate, as happened at Birmingham and other clubs.
There's that great danger here as well. We have plenty of experience."
Gold added that the sort of money required to turn the Hammers into a
genuine force - even with the move to the Olympic Stadium, now unlikely
before 2016 - rarely exists. He said: "You have to be a billionaire to make
a major difference and there aren't many of them about. "How many Roman
Abramovichs are there? "One Roman Abramovich came along. We've seen that and
he's changed the face of Chelsea and done a remarkable job. "There isn't a
Chelsea fan who hasn't applauded what's happened to their football club
after Ken Bates. "But at the same time there are other clubs, like United
and Blackburn, where you have fans who are disenchanted with the Glazers and
Venkys. "Of course, I'd welcome a Father Christmas. But then you look and
discover that it might not be the real Father Christmas. "And you know why?
Because there isn't a real Father Christmas. He doesn't exist. "In an ideal
world, though, if you ask what I'd like to see happen, I would like a very
wealthy person to come and join us. "David and myself are wealthy by normal
standards but not by football standards.
"We would be reluctant to sell the whole football club because we feel part
of it. It's taken us a lifetime to earn enough money to return to our roots
and we won't give that up lightly. We're doing our best but it would be that
much easier if there were three of us."
Gold believes that a move from Upton Park to the Olympic Park would make a
huge difference to the club's prospects - and appeal to potential investors.
He said: "We're not going to be a top four club straightaway. "But one day,
it's possible, if there is a super-wealthy West Ham fan who wants to come
and join the club, that could change things for us. "Now we have to do the
best we can within the areas of our ability. "To grow the club, fingers
crossed to get to the Olympic Stadium which could change our whole image,
would help us attract better players. "But it all boils down to income and
we have to generate more income. "Arsenal doubled theirs by moving, City,
even before Sheikh Mansour bought the club, doubled their income by moving
to a stadium that they didn't buy, but rented. It can be done. "In the
meantime, we must keep strengthening the club and that means not selling our
best players. "There is no such thing as a 100 per cent guarantee but that
is our intention, not to sell our best players. "I want good players but I
won't want players who might bankrupt the football club. "Yossi Benayoun is
a good example. He wasn't happy, he's come back and he wants to play
football. "He took a wage cut to come to us and prove he is still a quality
player. We can't afford to take a risk that will bankrupt us."
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Savio Nsereko faces trial after faking his own kidnapping in Thailand
Metro.co.uk
Former West Ham footballer Savio Nsereko is set to face trial in Germany
after reportedly faking his own kidnapping. The 23-year-old is said to have
called his family from Thailand telling them his 'captors' were demanding a
ransom of 3,000 euros (£2,400) for his safe release. Nsereko's concerned
family then contacted the country's German embassy, who brought in the
police. Suspicious of the rather small ransom demand, the police tracked
down Nsereko and arrested him. A Thai newspaper revealed Uganda-born
Nsereko, who most recently played for German third-division side SpVgg
Unterhaching but saw his contract terminated after just three months, was
broke after spending 25,000 euros while holidaying on the Thai coast and
came up with the story in a bid to restock his bank balance. The striker
moved to Upton Park in 2009 for £9million but flopped and was sold to
Fiorentina less than six months later, having made just one Premier League
start for the Hammers.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, November 15
Daily WHUFC News - 14th November 2012
Big Sam hails his 'happiest day'
WHUFC.com
The West Ham United manager was a welcome guest of the 2012/13 Supporter
Advisory Board
14.11.2012
Sam Allardyce has described West Ham United's npower Championship Play-Off
final victory as his 'happiest day in football'. Big Sam, who has taken
charge of nearly 800 competitive matches at Blackpool, Notts County, Bolton
Wanderers, Newcastle United, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham since 1994, led
the Hammers to promotion in his first season at the Boleyn Ground. Speaking
at a Supporter Advisory Board (SAB) meeting this week, the manager was given
a warm welcome by more than 100 fans before taking part in an enjoyable
question and answer session. Big Sam discussed a wide range of issues,
including West Ham's fine start to the Barclays Premier League season, how
he intends to establish the Hammers as a top-flight club, his pioneering use
of performance analysis, how he scouts new recruits, his standout players so
far this season and the professionalism and consistency of his squad. After
reconfirming his commitment to the continued development of young players
and his intention to send some of them out on loan later this month, the
manager was also asked to reveal the happiest moment of his 20-year
management career. "I think the happiest moment of my career was Wembley,
without a doubt" said Big Sam, to widespread nods from SAB members. "I'm not
a Bolton lad - I was born in the Midlands but I started my career at the
highest level with Bolton and they were obviously close to my heart. When I
got them into the Premier League at the Millennium Stadium against Preston
[North End in 2001] that was pretty special, but it wasn't as good as
Wembley. "It was just unbelievable when we won. Just reflecting on the
occasion, it was just a cauldron of noise and it made the hair on the back
of your neck stand up on end from the very, very start until the very, very
end. That was my happiest moment."
Big Sam was subsequently congratulated on the job he has done since taking
charge at the club 18 months ago - during which time he has won 32 and lost
just eleven of the 60 league and Play-Off matches he has taken charge of.
Led by Head of Marketing Tara Warren, the SAB has returned for a second
season in 2012/13, with more than 100 both returning and new members
advising the club on key policy issues. As was seen last season, the SAB and
its various sub-committees can and do make a very real difference to
supporters' experiences. In 2011/12, for example, the SAB helped to secure
match packages to make football 'Affordable for All' and was instrumental in
the launch of the new Junior Hammers membership scheme for 0-6 year olds.
The SAB also played a leading role in the introduction of the popular 'Moore
than a Football Club' brand, improved matchday entertainment and the
introduction of new benefits for Season Ticket Holders. This season, the
sub-committees will examine a variety of subjects, including the matchday
experience, ticketing, media, retail and the club's role in the community.
For more information about the Supporter Advisory Board, click here.
The 2012/13 Supporter Advisory Board
Keith Alder-Barber
Stuart Allen
Graeme Archer
Satvir Atkar
Steven Barlow
Tony Barritt
Catherine Bayford
Rachel Beagles
Daniel Bloom
Jack Boteler
Tim Boughen
Peter Bruce
Steve Burton
Peter Caton
Will Cheeld
Neil Clack
Daniel Clement
Marcus Clement
David Clements
Andy Connacher
Tina Cowen
Lesley Craig
Colin Crowe
Michael Crowhurst
Stuart Dean
Jill Dower
Tom Dowsett
Neil Duggan
Kevin Dunckley
Gavin Dunstan
Dee England
Saul Ettridge
Michael Evans
Tricia Evans
John Farren
Rob Ford
Paul Fox
Richard Francis
Michelle Gabriel
Johnathan Gaffney
Paul Gibson
Sherrie Goldsmith
David Hall
David Halston
Tony Harries
Graham Hatt
Benjamin Hawkes
Ian Henderson
Jack Hess
Graham Howlett
Craig Hughes
Peter Hunt
Anthony Hyams
Deniz Jaffer
Steve Joyce
Nigel Kahn
Diane Keleghar
John Kemp
Warren Kober
Adrian Leahy
Victor Lindsell
John Llewellyn
Phil Llewellyn
Kevin Markham
Ryan Marsh
Steve Marsh
Neil Martin
Dan Mason
Suzanne Mason
Gerry McCarthy
Norman McGuire
Steve Medhurst
Antoni Miziolek
Darren Morgan
Colin Morris
John Norman
Michael Nuciford
Leigh O'Connor
Cecilia O'Herlihy
Wallace Onnie
John Parry
Jonathan Penfold
Eamon Quinn
Kevin Radley
Paul Reynolds
Paul Richardson
Pete Richardson
Jason Rose
James Rutherford
Steve Ryder
Nigel Salvage
Nick Scott
Barry Shelton
Stuart Slaney
Mark Steele
Terry Stokes
Ben Surdeau
John Sussex
Dave Tate
Mark Taylor
Kishan Teli
Simon Thomson
Eleanor Tilley
Mark Tilley
Stephen Todd
Stephen Trowers
Kathryn Upton
John Walker
Ian Wearne
Sean Whetstone
Anne-Marie White
Peter Whitelock
Nick Wood
Richard Wood
Ali Worth
Ian Wicks
Trevor Wisdom
Daniel Yallop
John Yewman
Jason Zammit
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Hendo hopes best is yet to come
WHUFC.com
Ian Hendon wants his Development Squad to kick on from their table-topping
start to the season
14.11.2012
Ian Hendon will not allow the Development Squad to take their foot off the
gas despite having a five-point lead at the top of the Barclays Under-21
Premier League. Paul McCallum's 87th-minute header gave Hendon's side a
massive three points against Arsenal at London Colney on Friday, but the
manager insists not is no time to rest. Hendon now hopes his side can
continue their fine form and not only qualify for the Barclays Under-21
Elite League but win the current league in the process. "We have come this
far and have a five-point lead at the top so we want to see it out and win
it, it is no time to put our feet up, we want to win ever game," Hendon
said. "The initial aim was to qualify and get into the top three, hopefully
we have now done that but if not we will face West Brom next week and try to
win that game."
Despite their spectacular form, Hendon still insists that level of
performance will always take precedence over results at this level. "It is
always about the performances and development of the players, the fact we
are winning games and the lads are working hard for each other is a bonus.
You play against teams at this level and see they have one stand-out
individual but I have got a group of players who work hard for each other
every day of the week. It is a pleasure to coach them."
Hendon also pinpointed the togetherness within the club from top to bottom
as a contributing factor to its current success at every level. "I was not
here before Sam Allardyce came in. I came in at the same time but from what
I am told he has brought a new level on enthusiasm to every aspect of the
club. "Everyone is behind what we are trying to do, it is all about the
first-team pushing to achieve the best they can but the Development Squad
and the Academy are also going well. Everyone is pulling in the right
direction."
The former Tottenham player continued by paying tribute to the work being
done by Nick Haycock and Tony Carr in the Academy of Football. "I had
youth-team players in my side against Arsenal - Frazer Shaw stepped up again
and it shows what a good job Nick and Tony are doing in the Academy. "There
are players trying to push through into the Development Squad all the time
but my aim is to push my players into the first-team. A few have already
made their debuts this season and hopefully a few more can by May."
"Rob Hall is just one who has been involved with the first-team and you saw
why on Friday but I think it gives the rest of the lads something to aim
for. "It shows that the manager is always watching and willing to give you
an opportunity so as I said I hope a few more can be involved in the
future." Next up for Hendon's side is a home tie against West Bromwich
Albion, who held the Development Squad to a 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns. "We
face West Brom at Rush Green next Friday and if it is anything like the
reverse fixture it will be a very tough game. They had an experienced side
out with a few first-team players but our young side coped well and got a
deserved point out of the game. "It does not matter what side they bring, if
it is an experienced one we will deal with it, if it is a young side we will
deal with it, so we will take it as it comes have a good weeks training and
look forward to Friday night."
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Jussi: the number one's number one
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 14th November 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's Jussi Jaaskelainen is top of the OPTA goalkeeping stats,
according to latest figures. The 37-year-old Finnish stopper, who joined
United this summer on a free transfer has the highest 'saves to shot' ratio
of any of the Premier League's regular number ones so far this season.
Jasskelainen's score of 82 per cent is five per cent higher than his nearest
rival Simon Mignolet of Sunderland - and seven clear of Ben Foster of West
Brom and Chelsea's Petr Cech, who score 75 per cent. The former Bolton man
also tops the OPTA points rating system - which is calculated by awarding
points for saves and clean sheets - with 109 points.
England's Number One: The OPTA Saves-To-Shots Ratio Chart
(OPTA points rating in parenthesis)
1. Jussi Jaaskelainen (West Ham United) 82% (109)
2. Simon Mignolet (Sunderland) 77% (76)
3. Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion) 75% (60)
4. Petr Cech (Chelsea) 75% (72)
5. Julio Cesar (Queens Park Rangers) 73% (55)
6. Tim Krul (Newcastle United) 73% (36)
7. Michel Vorm (Swansea City) 72% (68)
8. Asmir Begovic (Stoke City) 72% (64)
9. Vito Mannone (Arsenal) 70% (51)
10. David De Gea (Manchester United) 70% (45)
11. Alex McCarthy (Reading) 69% (47)
12. Mark Schwarzer (Fulham) 68% (74)
13. Ali Al-Habsi (Wigan Athletic) 68% (69)
14. John Ruddy (Norwich) 67% (78)
15. Tim Howard (Everton) 67% (52)
16. Joe Hart (Manchester City) 67% (46)
17. Brad Guzan (Aston Villa) 66% (52)
18. Brad Friedel (Tottenham Hotspur) 60% (40)
19. Kelvin Davis (Southampton) 53% (25)
20. Jose Reina (Liverpool) 50% (23)
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Reflections
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 13th November 2012
By: Tom Kilbey
Having taken a break from writing regularly, the last few weeks have given
me a chance to reflect on where our team are.
We are well into our 'tough run', the second of Allardyce's well-documented
'phases' of the season. After a fantastic start, I was very vocal in playing
down our chances of success for the season. After a draw and a victory
against Manchester City and Newcastle respectively, surely even the most
optimistic fan would have to concede we have exceeded expectations.
Needless to say, as I look at the league table, and see us sit above many of
our more illustrious opponents, I am stunned with our start. On the back of
our best start in Premier League history, we can begin to draw some
conclusions, and our team are beginning to answer some of the questions that
we as fans, and me in particular, had before the season kicked off. Here are
a few observations that I have made this season which explain our successes
so far this year.
1) Our defence is answering its critics.
The best way to silence doubters is to perform on the pitch. I'm happy to
admit I was one of those doubters, and I am on the verge of willingly
holding my hands up. Firstly, I've never seen a West Ham player show as much
progression in a short period as Winston Reid. As I suggested last season, a
year in the Championship would work miracles in giving our defenders a
chance to gain confidence, learn the English game and develop a partnership
with each other. This has certainly been the case with Reid.
Besides the fun but somewhat irrelevant cult status he has acquired after
his winner against Millwall, the facts are that Winston is now a very good
defender. His positioning and reading of the game is fantastic, he is quick
over short distances, and is comfortable on the ball. He has progressed from
a squad player who did not inspire confidence when required to fill in, to
being one of the first names on the team sheet.
Similarly, our other centre defenders have definitely stepped up to the
plate. Both Tomkins and Collins have demonstrated they are perfectly
competent at this level, and although my preference remains to be our
academy product, I am growing more comfortable watching Collins step in.
With our full backs, despite being categorically unspectacular, McCartney
and O'Brien are quietly getting better and better, and with Demel waiting in
the wings, we are equally equipped at right back.
2) Our worries about our style of play was (largely) unfounded.
Any regular visitors to Upton Park last season will agree that, at times,
our style of play was quite frankly horrible. On regular occasions, we would
persistently lump the ball up towards Carlton Cole, who invariably struggled
to win headers, and often left us lacking any sort of creativity or cutting
edge. Allardyce's refusal to change to any sort of plan B led to much
disapproval from the fans.
This has simply not been the case this season. The one mark on this record
would be the performance against Wigan which was woeful. However, our
downfalls in that game were highlighted, and no excuses were made for our
one-dimensional tactics which dismally failed. Apart from this, the story
this season has been very different. We have used a more measured approach,
playing the ball into feet, and short passing is now used to complement the
'long ball' tactics that we are perceived to play. This allows us to gain a
degree of control of games that is essential in Premier League games.
3) Mark Noble.
The stats do not lie. By far and away the most prolific tackler in the whole
league, Mark Noble is the cog that makes our team work. He breaks up the
play so well, and demonstrates a competence on the ball in midfield that we
thought we had lost when we sold Parker to Spurs. Simply, Noble's
contribution this season are a significant factor in our successes. Besides
his tackling, the influence he provides through his passing is also
admirable.
Without meaning to sound cynical, Noble's passing is never going to be
applauded to the extent it should, simply because he is placing for a team
who play 'hoofball' every week. But he is so effective at dropping deep,
picking the ball up, and playing passes which start off attacks. His display
against Manchester City also demonstrates his ability to pick a long pass.
When Noble plays well, we play well, and if he can continue his fine form,
we will continue to pick up points.
4) Our fans have got right behind the team.
This one is not a surprise. At times last season, Upton Park was not a
particularly pleasant place to watch a game of football, let alone play
there. The fans created a negative atmosphere at times, which filtered
through to the players. Regardless of one's opinion of whether booing is
right or wrong, the performances on the pitch encouraged the fans to voice
their discontent, which affected the players on the pitch. But clearly, good
performances on the pitch and good atmospheres in the stands go hand in
hand, and our positive play this year has encouraged the fans to get behind
the club, which is fantastic news.
5) Our new signings have hit the ground running.
Last, and by no means least, our new signings have been excellent. As I've
already highlighted James Collins has showed that he is a match, at least
physically, for any forward in the league. Mo Diame is proving to be one of
the best summer signings in the entire league. He is a player in the mould
of Yaya Toure, which can only be a good thing. His strength and power allows
him to be extremely direct with his forward runs, and he is a physical force
when we do not have the ball. He is improving game on game, and his
performance against Newcastle was among his best in his short time at the
club.
Andy Carroll has enjoyed a mixed start. Critics would argue that he is yet
to net his first goal, but his all round contribution is excellent. He
provides an outlet when we are under pressure, by winning free kicks and
holding the ball up. It may be frustrating for him, but in a somewhat
paradoxical sense considering he is a striker, a goal isn't of utmost
importance. If he continues to provide goals for other players in the team,
he will prove an extremely useful asset for the team.
All in all, we are at an important stage of the season. I still insist that
we should not get carried away. It would not be unconceivable to see us go
on a winless streak with the increasing difficulty of our next few fixtures.
The fact that this seems unlikely is testament to Allardyce and his players.
Considering we have just been promoted from the Championship, our squad
possesses a level of experience and class that has not been seen since the
Newcastle squad of 2010. We do not have the same fragilities that the likes
of Reading and Southampton possess, and teams that have been promoted in
previous years and ultimately failed to consolidate their position in the
top flight.
After our best start to a season for a quarter of a century, we are almost
half way to the forty point mark, and we are well equipped to pick up the
other half and secure safety. Once we have done this, and only then, we can
look at securing a comfortable mid table finish, or even dare to look into
the top half. We will be able to bring through some of our exciting
youngsters, and look ahead to another season of progression next year. It's
certainly an exciting time to be a West Ham fan, and with a difficult run of
games, we can enjoy them without too much pressure, in the knowledge that we
are already well on the way to a respectable finish this season.
Tom Kilbey may also be found on Twitter at twitter.com/tom29whu.
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Does Nolan Deserve an England Call-Up?
West Ham Till I Die
In the aftermath of the 0-1 victory over Newcastle Utd, there has been a
fair amount of discussion generated concerning whether Kevin Nolan deserves
an England call-up. At 30 years of age, some might argue that it is a little
late in the day for that, but why? If a 31 year old Leon Osman can be called
up, why not a 30 year old Nolan?
Arguably, Nolan is that most precious of commodities, a goal scoring
midfielder. A bit like Frank Lampard Jnr, they are deadly supporting the
striker(s) and scoring from advanced positions. In doing so, they accumulate
a goal tally, in the course of a season, that some strikers would consider a
decent and productive return. Nolan has the positional instincts of a
striker in the final third, he always seems to know where to best position
himself to snap up the chances. And we are, once again, benefiting from that
this season, with his current return of 5 goals in 11 PL matches.
An added attraction for England is Nolan great understanding with Andy
Carroll. Would that not benefit the national side, in much the same way that
it has been a massive bonus at club-level. Or is it the case that while
Nolan may be useful in the PL, international football is too big a step up
for him? Can he reproduce it for England or would he struggle to do it at
that level? They are no doubt some of the issues in a 'Nolan for England'
debate. Personally, I see no reason why he should not get an opportunity.
Much like Mark Noble, the ultimate litmus test of a player's international
credentials is to test him at that level. I do not believe that anyone can
honestly say that Nolan and Noble have not earnt the chance via their
excellent respective PL displays this season.
So, is Nolan a viable choice at international level? Discuss.
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Stadium mystery: Three charged with fraud following probe into allegations
that Tottenham spied on Olympic officials
By Alex Hankin Comments
The Mirror
14 Nov 2012 16:22
The ugly tussle between West Ham and Tottenham over the future tenancy of
the Olympic Stadium will be at the centre of a court case relating to
allegations of espionage...
Three people have been charged with fraud over allegations of unlawful
obtaining of information linked to the Olympic Park, Scotland Yard has said,
according to a report by the Press Association. Detectives have been
investigating claims made by West Ham United Football Club and the Olympic
Park Legacy Company. Richard Michael Forrest, 30, Lee Stewart, 39, and
Howard Hill, 58, are all due to appear in court on November 28. The
investigation surrounds allegations that Tottenham Hotspur Football Club
spied on Olympic officials during its stadium bid. Forrest, from Crawley,
West Sussex, and Stewart, from Esher in Surrey, are both accused of
conspiracy with Hill to commit fraud by false representation. Hill, from
Stockport in Cheshire, is accused of conspiracy with the other two men to
commit the same offence. They will all appear at Westminster Magistrates'
Court later this month. Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) chairwoman
Baroness Ford claimed in November last year that Spurs had all 14 members of
her board monitored by private investigators. The north London club denied
putting officials under surveillance. There was a deal with West Ham and
Newham Council to use the stadium in Stratford, east London, after the 2012
Games, but that collapsed in October last year. Tottenham had already lost
out to West Ham in the race to become the OPLC's first choice to move into
the stadium after the Olympics. Challenges by Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton
Orient, plus an anonymous complaint to the European Commission, led to fears
that court action could drag on for years while the stadium remained empty.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
On track: West Ham remain committed to Olympic Stadium move
The Mirror
11 Oct 2012 15:55
West Ham are still committed to making the Olympic Stadium their new home
despite concerns over a possible delay in the bidding process. Applications
to take over the stadium were forced to start again after challenges from
both Tottenham and Leyton Orient to the Hammers proposed tenancy.
Nevertheless, West Ham want to become main tenants for the start of the
2014-15 season. In a statement released by West Ham said: "It is now 20
months since West Ham United were initially named as the preferred bidder to
occupy the Olympic Stadium post-Games. We are obviously disappointed, that
three bids later, a decision has yet to be reached. "We do however remain
fully committed to becoming the catalyst to galvanise the Olympic Park by
bringing people, jobs and a robust and sustainable commercial offer that
guarantees a return to the taxpayer of the money already invested."
Other bids are under consideration include one from Leyton Orient, a
football business college and a group wanting to host a Formula One race at
the Olympic Park. The £486million Olympic Stadium has already been earmarked
for 20 athletics meetings, which include the World Championships in 2017,
and will also be available for community use, with Newham Council
contributing some £40million in a loan towards the redevelopment project.
Hone said: "If we can't come to a conclusion, in the scheme of things if it
slips another month or two I would rather get the right solution. "Yes, the
stadium is tricky, but it's tricky because we want to get it right. "I would
hate to bung someone in there and see it fall apart in five years. "If it
takes a couple of extra months to get there, then so be it."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Olympic Stadium's future is taking too long to resolve
David Bond | 17:53 UK time, Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Despite claims to the contrary, Boris Johnson believes the Olympic Stadium
will be ready to reopen before the end of the Rio Games in 2016.
Nevertheless - and despite the London Mayor's optimism when talking to
London Assembly members on Wednesday - it remains a very real prospect that
a stadium widely acclaimed during London's successful Games, and which took
just three years to build, will take four years to convert. Dennis Hone, the
chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), said as
much again when he repeated his line to the London Assembly from last week
that 2015 is now the target but 2016 a possibility. Johnson added,
worryingly, that Londoners might have to be patient and recognise the
Olympic Stadium was not built to be "the kind of omni-purpose world-class
venue capable of hosting Premier League football that it should be".
So why are we in this mess?
The main reason, as Johnson suggests, is that organisers made a major
mistake by writing Premier League football out of original designs for the
legacy use of the stadium. But we've known this for years. So why is it in
danger of descending into another farce?
The process to find a long-term anchor for the stadium is stalling because
the plans to convert it for Premier League football have changed again,
increasing the cost to somewhere between £180m and £190m.
Under the original deal with West Ham, which collapsed last autumn because
of legal challenges, the Premier League team would own the freehold to the
stadium.
At that time the cost discussed was around £95m to £100m and was to be
funded from three sources - £38m from the Olympic budget of £9.3bn, £40m
from Newham Council in the form of a low interest loan, and around £20m from
the sale of Upton Park.
This would have paid to extend the roof - which currently only covers two
thirds of the seating area - add corporate hospitality facilities and
refurbish toilets.
So why has the cost almost doubled?
The main reason is the decision to add retractable seating to bring football
fans closer to the action.
Demountable seats - similar to the ones used for temporary venues like
Greenwich Park during the Games - cost less but take weeks to put up and
take down.
This potentially impacts on the commercial value of the stadium as it may
reduce the number of events that can be staged there.
So, while a retractable seating mechanism costs a lot more to factor in, the
LLDC is thought to now favour the option as it could lead to more income in
the long run.
The roof also needs an even bigger extension as it would now need to cover
the running track and the retractable seats on it.
But while the costs have gone up, the funding provision has, largely,
remained the same.
There is still £38m from the Olympic budget, a loan of £40m from Newham
(although this could be increased) and a contribution from West Ham, though,
surprisingly perhaps, this appears to have gone down to around £10m.
West Ham argue that they bring unique commercial value to the stadium
project and now believe that, as they are no longer going to own the
freehold to the stadium, it is the landlord - the mayor and LLDC - who
should bear the cost of upgrading it for football. Without them, the stadium
will become a costly millstone around taxpayers' necks, they say.
The Premier League club are understood to have submitted a package which
includes a minimum lump sum, an annual rental (around £2m) and a share of
any naming rights deal they are able to bring in. There is also haggling
going on over how the revenue from catering should be split between tenant
and landlord.
But it is the capital funding shortfall that is proving to be the big
stumbling block. So how do you plug the gap?
Johnson has already tried to raid the £377m Olympic budget underspend -
receiving a swift and negative response from the Chancellor, George Osborne.
There are London taxpayer funds available and the LLDC itself could raid
some of its own transformation budget but that could mean spending less on
other parts of the park. There is also nervousness about the legal
implications of publicly subsidising a big football club.
It is a complicated process that has not been helped by the continual
changes at the top of the LLDC. Johnson is now chairing the organisation,
having taken over from Daniel Moylan in September, while Hone, the widely
respected chief of the Olympic Delivery Authority, replaced former chief
executive Andy Altman.
West Ham remain the favourites to secure the deal as anchor tenants for a
stadium which cost £431m to build, well ahead of rival bids from Leyton
Orient Football Club, a football business school and a consortium proposing
Formula One races in the park.
Yet the LLDC could still snub West Ham, appoint an operating company and
just hire the stadium out for concerts and more occasional sporting events
like NFL matches, big rugby games, combining it with more community use.
This would allow the stadium to reopen in 2014, and avoid spending the best
part of £200m and losing valuable income while the stadium remains shut.
Without a big football team the running costs would also be lower.
Of course all this could have been avoided had the Government and the
Olympic Delivery Authority factored in Premier League football back in 2006
and 2007 when the plans were being drawn up.
It is a costly mistake which continues to overshadow all the other wonderful
achievements delivered by London's Olympic organisers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Olympic Stadium saga becoming 'a Stratford farce', says athletics chief
Ed Warner frustrated park could be dormant site until 2015
'There is one viable option – multi-use. Just get on with it'
James Riach
The Guardian, Wednesday 14 November 2012 17.34 GMT
Ed Warner, the UK Athletics chairman, does not believe the impasse over the
Olympic Stadium will threaten Britain's successful bid to host the world
championships in five years' time. The saga regarding the future of London's
Olympic Stadium has been criticised as "a Stratford farce" by the UK
Athletics chairman, Ed Warner, with negotiations surrounding the £468m
facility set to drag on until the new year.
Dennis Hone, the chief executive of the London Legacy Development
Corporation, revealed last week that if a costing agreement is reached with
West Ham United to convert the stadium into a dual football and athletics
venue then the Premier League club would not move into their new home until
2016.
However, although Warner, who is also chairman of the 2017 athletics world
championships organising committee, does not believe that the impasse will
threaten Britain's successful bid to host that event in five years' time, he
is frustrated that the Olympic Park in east London could be a dormant site
until the European hockey championships in 2015.
"I want a decision – any talk of 2016 is concerning, not for the 2017 world
championships but for getting other events there. We want the Diamond League
meeting in there, we want our trials in there, we want to see kids'
athletics in the stadium. Just as I know West Ham want to see football in
the stadium," he said.
"I wouldn't say this is a Whitehall farce, it's fast becoming a Stratford
farce. To my mind there is one absolutely viable option which is multi-use,
just get on with it and use it. There is another very viable option – I
think our friends at West Ham have been phenomenally patient over the last
few months.
"Whichever of those two routes is taken works for UK Athletics but get it
over with. We have a programme of events which that stadium can host, which
we had planned to start in the summer of 2014. We don't really want a race
with the Rio opening ceremony to the reopening of the London Olympic
Stadium."
Boris Johnson said on Wednesday: "It would be wrong to get into a proxy
discussion on negotiations with putative future tenants. The cost of doing
the stadium up in the way the people of this country would expect is
considerable. It was not designed for football, there was a decision taken
not to do it in that way," the London mayor said. "I think it very, very
unlikely we won't get the stadium open by then [the Rio 2016 Olympics
closing ceremony]."
There remains a gap between the amount West Ham are prepared to put towards
the stadium's conversion costs, which would pay for the installation of
retractable seats and a cantilevered roof, and what the LLDC believes would
be a suitable sum.
An investigator hired by Tottenham during their failed bid in 2011 to become
the Olympic Stadium's tenants has been charged by the Metropolitan police
with fraud. Howard Hill, 58, allegedly obtained the private telephone
records of the West Ham director Karren Brady in an illegal fashion.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Three charged for fraud over Spurs Olympic Stadium row with rivals West Ham
Daily Mail
Tottenham denied putting officials - including West Ham vice-chairman Karren
Brady - under surveillance
OPLC chairwoman Baroness Ford claimed that Spurs had all 14 members of her
board monitored by private investigators
By LAURA WILLIAMSON
PUBLISHED: 16:02, 14 November 2012 | UPDATED: 20:11, 14 November 2012
Three men have been charged with fraud after claims that Tottenham hired
private investigators to snoop on West Ham as the clubs battled over the
Olympic Stadium. The trio are alleged to have accessed telephone bills and
other private records of West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady illegally.
Richard Michael Forrest, Lee Stewart and Howard Hill are due to appear in
Westminster Magistrates Court on November 28 after a 14-month investigation
by the Metropolitan Police. West Ham and the Olympic Park Legacy Company
(OPLC) took legal action in July 2011 after allegations published in The
Sunday Times suggested 'the accessing of private information by illegal
means'. Baroness Ford, chairwoman of OPLC, also claimed in November last
year that all 14 members of her board 'were placed under surveillance' by
Spurs, which the club strongly denies. But Hill, 58, from Stockport, was a
senior investigator at accountancy firm PFK when Spurs hired them to conduct
an inquiry into the stadium bidding process, although a court later heard
there were 'no documents' to clarify his role. Spurs had no comment to make
but insist PFK acted independently. Hill was accused of two counts of
conspiracy to commit fraud. Forrest, 30, who is understood to run a private
investigation firm, and Stewart, 39, from Esher in Surrey, were also accused
of conspiracy with Hill to commit fraud by false representation. West Ham
declined to comment, saying it was a police matter.
West Ham, with partners Newham Council, were initially successful in their
bid for the stadium but the deal collapsed in October 2011 after challenges
from Spurs and Leyton Orient and an anonymous complaint to the European
Commission. West Ham are still the leading contenders to move into the
stadium, with a decision expected by December 5, but there is significant
disagreement over who will pay the £200million needed to convert the
80,000-seat arena into a football stadium.
The London Legacy Development Corporation confirmed last week that the
stadium will not reopen until at least August 2015. The Olympic Park is
already cut off to the public until next July, when the northern part of the
facility will open. The southern area, including the Aquatics Centre, is not
due to open until Easter 2014. UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner and sports
minister Hugh Robertson said there was no threat to the 2017 World Athletics
Championships in London, but Mayor of London Boris Johnson insisted the
stadium's legacy is not 'solely about athletics'. He said: 'That means
delivering a stadium that preferably is multi- purpose, at the heart of the
community, and able to host concerts and big set-piece events alongside
world-class sport.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Trio to face fraud trial
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 15th November 2012
By: Staff Writer
Three men have been formally charged in connection with the theft of
personal records belonging to West Ham United vice chair Karren Brady. The
trio - named as Richard Forrest, 30, Lee Stewart, 39 and Howard Hill, 58
will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 28th November to
answer fraud charges in relation to the unlawful acquisition of Brady's
private telephone records. Hill, who has since resigned from accountants PKF
was an employee of the company at the time they were hired by Tottenham
Hotspur FC to investigate the details behind West Ham's previously
successful bid to become anchor tenants at the Olympic Stadium. West Ham
United initially contacted Police in July 2011 following claims in the
Sunday Times that employees' personal records had been surreptitiously
gained by corporate investigators. In the same week the Olympic Park Legacy
Company also registered a complaint of a similar nature after it was
suggested chief executive Andrew Altman had been targeted. A second OLPC
member - Ms Dionne Knight, who was subsequently suspended following the
revelation that she had been temporarily employed by West Ham as a
consultant - was said to have been spied upon by the investigators at her
home address. The charges follow a year-long investigation by the
Metropolitan Police. A fourth individual remains on bail whilst two others
have who were arrested in connection with the affair have been released
without charge.
* Brady has revealed that she is investigating the circumstances regarding
Savio Nsereko's 2009 move from Brescia to West Ham. "Just before this board
took over, the club paid a huge amount to Brescia for the German Under-21
who took part in a handful of matches and then departed for Fiorentina at a
fraction of the price," she said in her latest tabloid column. "The deal is
something I'm investigating."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A very British farce
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 15th November 2012
By: Staff Writer
UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner has referred to the ongoing uncertainty over
the future of the Olympic Stadium as 'a Stratford farce'. Warner, who as
Chiarman of the organising committe is responsible for organising the 2017
athletics World Championships hit out today in the wake of news that the
arena is unlikely to open before 2016 - the same year as the NEXT Olympic
Games are due to take place in Rio. "Any talk of [waiting until] 2016 is
concerning, not for the 2017 World Championships but for getting other
events there," he said. "I want a decision. "We want the Diamond League
meeting in there, we want our trials in there, we want to see kids'
athletics in the stadium - just as I know West Ham want to see football in
the stadium. "I wouldn't say this is a Whitehall farce, it's fast becoming a
Stratford farce. To my mind there is one absolutely viable option which is
multi-use, just get on with it and use it. "There is another very viable
option – and I think our friends at West Ham have been phenomenally patient
over the last few months. Whichever of those two routes is taken works for
UK Athletics - but get it over with. "We have a programme of events which
that stadium can host, which we had planned to start in the summer of 2014.
We don't really want a race with the Rio opening ceremony to the reopening
of the London Olympic Stadium."
Meanwhile Sports Minister Hugh Robertson appeared to suggest that a deal
with West Ham was close to reaching fruition - although there were some
hurdles that still needed to be negotiated. "There is a commercial
negotiation going on with West Ham and it's a question of how quickly the
Mayor and the Legacy Company can close the gap," he said. "There is a
package on the table which includes the conversion costs that were built
into the budget and a contribution from the local authority and some money
that West Ham might put into it. "Then there is the bill for all the things
they would ideally want to do to have what they would see as a modern
stadium."
Central to West Ham's plans for the new-look Olympic Stadium is retractable
seating, which will cost around £200million to install. However the Treasury
recently ruled out using some of the excess funds previously allocated to
the Olympic Games for this purpose. West Ham are said to have offered an
initial lump sum plus an annual rent of around £2million to take control of
the stadium, but believe that as tenants the brunt of redevelopment costs
should be provided by the landlord - the LLDC.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
The West Ham United manager was a welcome guest of the 2012/13 Supporter
Advisory Board
14.11.2012
Sam Allardyce has described West Ham United's npower Championship Play-Off
final victory as his 'happiest day in football'. Big Sam, who has taken
charge of nearly 800 competitive matches at Blackpool, Notts County, Bolton
Wanderers, Newcastle United, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham since 1994, led
the Hammers to promotion in his first season at the Boleyn Ground. Speaking
at a Supporter Advisory Board (SAB) meeting this week, the manager was given
a warm welcome by more than 100 fans before taking part in an enjoyable
question and answer session. Big Sam discussed a wide range of issues,
including West Ham's fine start to the Barclays Premier League season, how
he intends to establish the Hammers as a top-flight club, his pioneering use
of performance analysis, how he scouts new recruits, his standout players so
far this season and the professionalism and consistency of his squad. After
reconfirming his commitment to the continued development of young players
and his intention to send some of them out on loan later this month, the
manager was also asked to reveal the happiest moment of his 20-year
management career. "I think the happiest moment of my career was Wembley,
without a doubt" said Big Sam, to widespread nods from SAB members. "I'm not
a Bolton lad - I was born in the Midlands but I started my career at the
highest level with Bolton and they were obviously close to my heart. When I
got them into the Premier League at the Millennium Stadium against Preston
[North End in 2001] that was pretty special, but it wasn't as good as
Wembley. "It was just unbelievable when we won. Just reflecting on the
occasion, it was just a cauldron of noise and it made the hair on the back
of your neck stand up on end from the very, very start until the very, very
end. That was my happiest moment."
Big Sam was subsequently congratulated on the job he has done since taking
charge at the club 18 months ago - during which time he has won 32 and lost
just eleven of the 60 league and Play-Off matches he has taken charge of.
Led by Head of Marketing Tara Warren, the SAB has returned for a second
season in 2012/13, with more than 100 both returning and new members
advising the club on key policy issues. As was seen last season, the SAB and
its various sub-committees can and do make a very real difference to
supporters' experiences. In 2011/12, for example, the SAB helped to secure
match packages to make football 'Affordable for All' and was instrumental in
the launch of the new Junior Hammers membership scheme for 0-6 year olds.
The SAB also played a leading role in the introduction of the popular 'Moore
than a Football Club' brand, improved matchday entertainment and the
introduction of new benefits for Season Ticket Holders. This season, the
sub-committees will examine a variety of subjects, including the matchday
experience, ticketing, media, retail and the club's role in the community.
For more information about the Supporter Advisory Board, click here.
The 2012/13 Supporter Advisory Board
Keith Alder-Barber
Stuart Allen
Graeme Archer
Satvir Atkar
Steven Barlow
Tony Barritt
Catherine Bayford
Rachel Beagles
Daniel Bloom
Jack Boteler
Tim Boughen
Peter Bruce
Steve Burton
Peter Caton
Will Cheeld
Neil Clack
Daniel Clement
Marcus Clement
David Clements
Andy Connacher
Tina Cowen
Lesley Craig
Colin Crowe
Michael Crowhurst
Stuart Dean
Jill Dower
Tom Dowsett
Neil Duggan
Kevin Dunckley
Gavin Dunstan
Dee England
Saul Ettridge
Michael Evans
Tricia Evans
John Farren
Rob Ford
Paul Fox
Richard Francis
Michelle Gabriel
Johnathan Gaffney
Paul Gibson
Sherrie Goldsmith
David Hall
David Halston
Tony Harries
Graham Hatt
Benjamin Hawkes
Ian Henderson
Jack Hess
Graham Howlett
Craig Hughes
Peter Hunt
Anthony Hyams
Deniz Jaffer
Steve Joyce
Nigel Kahn
Diane Keleghar
John Kemp
Warren Kober
Adrian Leahy
Victor Lindsell
John Llewellyn
Phil Llewellyn
Kevin Markham
Ryan Marsh
Steve Marsh
Neil Martin
Dan Mason
Suzanne Mason
Gerry McCarthy
Norman McGuire
Steve Medhurst
Antoni Miziolek
Darren Morgan
Colin Morris
John Norman
Michael Nuciford
Leigh O'Connor
Cecilia O'Herlihy
Wallace Onnie
John Parry
Jonathan Penfold
Eamon Quinn
Kevin Radley
Paul Reynolds
Paul Richardson
Pete Richardson
Jason Rose
James Rutherford
Steve Ryder
Nigel Salvage
Nick Scott
Barry Shelton
Stuart Slaney
Mark Steele
Terry Stokes
Ben Surdeau
John Sussex
Dave Tate
Mark Taylor
Kishan Teli
Simon Thomson
Eleanor Tilley
Mark Tilley
Stephen Todd
Stephen Trowers
Kathryn Upton
John Walker
Ian Wearne
Sean Whetstone
Anne-Marie White
Peter Whitelock
Nick Wood
Richard Wood
Ali Worth
Ian Wicks
Trevor Wisdom
Daniel Yallop
John Yewman
Jason Zammit
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hendo hopes best is yet to come
WHUFC.com
Ian Hendon wants his Development Squad to kick on from their table-topping
start to the season
14.11.2012
Ian Hendon will not allow the Development Squad to take their foot off the
gas despite having a five-point lead at the top of the Barclays Under-21
Premier League. Paul McCallum's 87th-minute header gave Hendon's side a
massive three points against Arsenal at London Colney on Friday, but the
manager insists not is no time to rest. Hendon now hopes his side can
continue their fine form and not only qualify for the Barclays Under-21
Elite League but win the current league in the process. "We have come this
far and have a five-point lead at the top so we want to see it out and win
it, it is no time to put our feet up, we want to win ever game," Hendon
said. "The initial aim was to qualify and get into the top three, hopefully
we have now done that but if not we will face West Brom next week and try to
win that game."
Despite their spectacular form, Hendon still insists that level of
performance will always take precedence over results at this level. "It is
always about the performances and development of the players, the fact we
are winning games and the lads are working hard for each other is a bonus.
You play against teams at this level and see they have one stand-out
individual but I have got a group of players who work hard for each other
every day of the week. It is a pleasure to coach them."
Hendon also pinpointed the togetherness within the club from top to bottom
as a contributing factor to its current success at every level. "I was not
here before Sam Allardyce came in. I came in at the same time but from what
I am told he has brought a new level on enthusiasm to every aspect of the
club. "Everyone is behind what we are trying to do, it is all about the
first-team pushing to achieve the best they can but the Development Squad
and the Academy are also going well. Everyone is pulling in the right
direction."
The former Tottenham player continued by paying tribute to the work being
done by Nick Haycock and Tony Carr in the Academy of Football. "I had
youth-team players in my side against Arsenal - Frazer Shaw stepped up again
and it shows what a good job Nick and Tony are doing in the Academy. "There
are players trying to push through into the Development Squad all the time
but my aim is to push my players into the first-team. A few have already
made their debuts this season and hopefully a few more can by May."
"Rob Hall is just one who has been involved with the first-team and you saw
why on Friday but I think it gives the rest of the lads something to aim
for. "It shows that the manager is always watching and willing to give you
an opportunity so as I said I hope a few more can be involved in the
future." Next up for Hendon's side is a home tie against West Bromwich
Albion, who held the Development Squad to a 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns. "We
face West Brom at Rush Green next Friday and if it is anything like the
reverse fixture it will be a very tough game. They had an experienced side
out with a few first-team players but our young side coped well and got a
deserved point out of the game. "It does not matter what side they bring, if
it is an experienced one we will deal with it, if it is a young side we will
deal with it, so we will take it as it comes have a good weeks training and
look forward to Friday night."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jussi: the number one's number one
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 14th November 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's Jussi Jaaskelainen is top of the OPTA goalkeeping stats,
according to latest figures. The 37-year-old Finnish stopper, who joined
United this summer on a free transfer has the highest 'saves to shot' ratio
of any of the Premier League's regular number ones so far this season.
Jasskelainen's score of 82 per cent is five per cent higher than his nearest
rival Simon Mignolet of Sunderland - and seven clear of Ben Foster of West
Brom and Chelsea's Petr Cech, who score 75 per cent. The former Bolton man
also tops the OPTA points rating system - which is calculated by awarding
points for saves and clean sheets - with 109 points.
England's Number One: The OPTA Saves-To-Shots Ratio Chart
(OPTA points rating in parenthesis)
1. Jussi Jaaskelainen (West Ham United) 82% (109)
2. Simon Mignolet (Sunderland) 77% (76)
3. Ben Foster (West Bromwich Albion) 75% (60)
4. Petr Cech (Chelsea) 75% (72)
5. Julio Cesar (Queens Park Rangers) 73% (55)
6. Tim Krul (Newcastle United) 73% (36)
7. Michel Vorm (Swansea City) 72% (68)
8. Asmir Begovic (Stoke City) 72% (64)
9. Vito Mannone (Arsenal) 70% (51)
10. David De Gea (Manchester United) 70% (45)
11. Alex McCarthy (Reading) 69% (47)
12. Mark Schwarzer (Fulham) 68% (74)
13. Ali Al-Habsi (Wigan Athletic) 68% (69)
14. John Ruddy (Norwich) 67% (78)
15. Tim Howard (Everton) 67% (52)
16. Joe Hart (Manchester City) 67% (46)
17. Brad Guzan (Aston Villa) 66% (52)
18. Brad Friedel (Tottenham Hotspur) 60% (40)
19. Kelvin Davis (Southampton) 53% (25)
20. Jose Reina (Liverpool) 50% (23)
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Reflections
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 13th November 2012
By: Tom Kilbey
Having taken a break from writing regularly, the last few weeks have given
me a chance to reflect on where our team are.
We are well into our 'tough run', the second of Allardyce's well-documented
'phases' of the season. After a fantastic start, I was very vocal in playing
down our chances of success for the season. After a draw and a victory
against Manchester City and Newcastle respectively, surely even the most
optimistic fan would have to concede we have exceeded expectations.
Needless to say, as I look at the league table, and see us sit above many of
our more illustrious opponents, I am stunned with our start. On the back of
our best start in Premier League history, we can begin to draw some
conclusions, and our team are beginning to answer some of the questions that
we as fans, and me in particular, had before the season kicked off. Here are
a few observations that I have made this season which explain our successes
so far this year.
1) Our defence is answering its critics.
The best way to silence doubters is to perform on the pitch. I'm happy to
admit I was one of those doubters, and I am on the verge of willingly
holding my hands up. Firstly, I've never seen a West Ham player show as much
progression in a short period as Winston Reid. As I suggested last season, a
year in the Championship would work miracles in giving our defenders a
chance to gain confidence, learn the English game and develop a partnership
with each other. This has certainly been the case with Reid.
Besides the fun but somewhat irrelevant cult status he has acquired after
his winner against Millwall, the facts are that Winston is now a very good
defender. His positioning and reading of the game is fantastic, he is quick
over short distances, and is comfortable on the ball. He has progressed from
a squad player who did not inspire confidence when required to fill in, to
being one of the first names on the team sheet.
Similarly, our other centre defenders have definitely stepped up to the
plate. Both Tomkins and Collins have demonstrated they are perfectly
competent at this level, and although my preference remains to be our
academy product, I am growing more comfortable watching Collins step in.
With our full backs, despite being categorically unspectacular, McCartney
and O'Brien are quietly getting better and better, and with Demel waiting in
the wings, we are equally equipped at right back.
2) Our worries about our style of play was (largely) unfounded.
Any regular visitors to Upton Park last season will agree that, at times,
our style of play was quite frankly horrible. On regular occasions, we would
persistently lump the ball up towards Carlton Cole, who invariably struggled
to win headers, and often left us lacking any sort of creativity or cutting
edge. Allardyce's refusal to change to any sort of plan B led to much
disapproval from the fans.
This has simply not been the case this season. The one mark on this record
would be the performance against Wigan which was woeful. However, our
downfalls in that game were highlighted, and no excuses were made for our
one-dimensional tactics which dismally failed. Apart from this, the story
this season has been very different. We have used a more measured approach,
playing the ball into feet, and short passing is now used to complement the
'long ball' tactics that we are perceived to play. This allows us to gain a
degree of control of games that is essential in Premier League games.
3) Mark Noble.
The stats do not lie. By far and away the most prolific tackler in the whole
league, Mark Noble is the cog that makes our team work. He breaks up the
play so well, and demonstrates a competence on the ball in midfield that we
thought we had lost when we sold Parker to Spurs. Simply, Noble's
contribution this season are a significant factor in our successes. Besides
his tackling, the influence he provides through his passing is also
admirable.
Without meaning to sound cynical, Noble's passing is never going to be
applauded to the extent it should, simply because he is placing for a team
who play 'hoofball' every week. But he is so effective at dropping deep,
picking the ball up, and playing passes which start off attacks. His display
against Manchester City also demonstrates his ability to pick a long pass.
When Noble plays well, we play well, and if he can continue his fine form,
we will continue to pick up points.
4) Our fans have got right behind the team.
This one is not a surprise. At times last season, Upton Park was not a
particularly pleasant place to watch a game of football, let alone play
there. The fans created a negative atmosphere at times, which filtered
through to the players. Regardless of one's opinion of whether booing is
right or wrong, the performances on the pitch encouraged the fans to voice
their discontent, which affected the players on the pitch. But clearly, good
performances on the pitch and good atmospheres in the stands go hand in
hand, and our positive play this year has encouraged the fans to get behind
the club, which is fantastic news.
5) Our new signings have hit the ground running.
Last, and by no means least, our new signings have been excellent. As I've
already highlighted James Collins has showed that he is a match, at least
physically, for any forward in the league. Mo Diame is proving to be one of
the best summer signings in the entire league. He is a player in the mould
of Yaya Toure, which can only be a good thing. His strength and power allows
him to be extremely direct with his forward runs, and he is a physical force
when we do not have the ball. He is improving game on game, and his
performance against Newcastle was among his best in his short time at the
club.
Andy Carroll has enjoyed a mixed start. Critics would argue that he is yet
to net his first goal, but his all round contribution is excellent. He
provides an outlet when we are under pressure, by winning free kicks and
holding the ball up. It may be frustrating for him, but in a somewhat
paradoxical sense considering he is a striker, a goal isn't of utmost
importance. If he continues to provide goals for other players in the team,
he will prove an extremely useful asset for the team.
All in all, we are at an important stage of the season. I still insist that
we should not get carried away. It would not be unconceivable to see us go
on a winless streak with the increasing difficulty of our next few fixtures.
The fact that this seems unlikely is testament to Allardyce and his players.
Considering we have just been promoted from the Championship, our squad
possesses a level of experience and class that has not been seen since the
Newcastle squad of 2010. We do not have the same fragilities that the likes
of Reading and Southampton possess, and teams that have been promoted in
previous years and ultimately failed to consolidate their position in the
top flight.
After our best start to a season for a quarter of a century, we are almost
half way to the forty point mark, and we are well equipped to pick up the
other half and secure safety. Once we have done this, and only then, we can
look at securing a comfortable mid table finish, or even dare to look into
the top half. We will be able to bring through some of our exciting
youngsters, and look ahead to another season of progression next year. It's
certainly an exciting time to be a West Ham fan, and with a difficult run of
games, we can enjoy them without too much pressure, in the knowledge that we
are already well on the way to a respectable finish this season.
Tom Kilbey may also be found on Twitter at twitter.com/tom29whu.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Does Nolan Deserve an England Call-Up?
West Ham Till I Die
In the aftermath of the 0-1 victory over Newcastle Utd, there has been a
fair amount of discussion generated concerning whether Kevin Nolan deserves
an England call-up. At 30 years of age, some might argue that it is a little
late in the day for that, but why? If a 31 year old Leon Osman can be called
up, why not a 30 year old Nolan?
Arguably, Nolan is that most precious of commodities, a goal scoring
midfielder. A bit like Frank Lampard Jnr, they are deadly supporting the
striker(s) and scoring from advanced positions. In doing so, they accumulate
a goal tally, in the course of a season, that some strikers would consider a
decent and productive return. Nolan has the positional instincts of a
striker in the final third, he always seems to know where to best position
himself to snap up the chances. And we are, once again, benefiting from that
this season, with his current return of 5 goals in 11 PL matches.
An added attraction for England is Nolan great understanding with Andy
Carroll. Would that not benefit the national side, in much the same way that
it has been a massive bonus at club-level. Or is it the case that while
Nolan may be useful in the PL, international football is too big a step up
for him? Can he reproduce it for England or would he struggle to do it at
that level? They are no doubt some of the issues in a 'Nolan for England'
debate. Personally, I see no reason why he should not get an opportunity.
Much like Mark Noble, the ultimate litmus test of a player's international
credentials is to test him at that level. I do not believe that anyone can
honestly say that Nolan and Noble have not earnt the chance via their
excellent respective PL displays this season.
So, is Nolan a viable choice at international level? Discuss.
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Stadium mystery: Three charged with fraud following probe into allegations
that Tottenham spied on Olympic officials
By Alex Hankin Comments
The Mirror
14 Nov 2012 16:22
The ugly tussle between West Ham and Tottenham over the future tenancy of
the Olympic Stadium will be at the centre of a court case relating to
allegations of espionage...
Three people have been charged with fraud over allegations of unlawful
obtaining of information linked to the Olympic Park, Scotland Yard has said,
according to a report by the Press Association. Detectives have been
investigating claims made by West Ham United Football Club and the Olympic
Park Legacy Company. Richard Michael Forrest, 30, Lee Stewart, 39, and
Howard Hill, 58, are all due to appear in court on November 28. The
investigation surrounds allegations that Tottenham Hotspur Football Club
spied on Olympic officials during its stadium bid. Forrest, from Crawley,
West Sussex, and Stewart, from Esher in Surrey, are both accused of
conspiracy with Hill to commit fraud by false representation. Hill, from
Stockport in Cheshire, is accused of conspiracy with the other two men to
commit the same offence. They will all appear at Westminster Magistrates'
Court later this month. Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC) chairwoman
Baroness Ford claimed in November last year that Spurs had all 14 members of
her board monitored by private investigators. The north London club denied
putting officials under surveillance. There was a deal with West Ham and
Newham Council to use the stadium in Stratford, east London, after the 2012
Games, but that collapsed in October last year. Tottenham had already lost
out to West Ham in the race to become the OPLC's first choice to move into
the stadium after the Olympics. Challenges by Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton
Orient, plus an anonymous complaint to the European Commission, led to fears
that court action could drag on for years while the stadium remained empty.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
On track: West Ham remain committed to Olympic Stadium move
The Mirror
11 Oct 2012 15:55
West Ham are still committed to making the Olympic Stadium their new home
despite concerns over a possible delay in the bidding process. Applications
to take over the stadium were forced to start again after challenges from
both Tottenham and Leyton Orient to the Hammers proposed tenancy.
Nevertheless, West Ham want to become main tenants for the start of the
2014-15 season. In a statement released by West Ham said: "It is now 20
months since West Ham United were initially named as the preferred bidder to
occupy the Olympic Stadium post-Games. We are obviously disappointed, that
three bids later, a decision has yet to be reached. "We do however remain
fully committed to becoming the catalyst to galvanise the Olympic Park by
bringing people, jobs and a robust and sustainable commercial offer that
guarantees a return to the taxpayer of the money already invested."
Other bids are under consideration include one from Leyton Orient, a
football business college and a group wanting to host a Formula One race at
the Olympic Park. The £486million Olympic Stadium has already been earmarked
for 20 athletics meetings, which include the World Championships in 2017,
and will also be available for community use, with Newham Council
contributing some £40million in a loan towards the redevelopment project.
Hone said: "If we can't come to a conclusion, in the scheme of things if it
slips another month or two I would rather get the right solution. "Yes, the
stadium is tricky, but it's tricky because we want to get it right. "I would
hate to bung someone in there and see it fall apart in five years. "If it
takes a couple of extra months to get there, then so be it."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Olympic Stadium's future is taking too long to resolve
David Bond | 17:53 UK time, Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Despite claims to the contrary, Boris Johnson believes the Olympic Stadium
will be ready to reopen before the end of the Rio Games in 2016.
Nevertheless - and despite the London Mayor's optimism when talking to
London Assembly members on Wednesday - it remains a very real prospect that
a stadium widely acclaimed during London's successful Games, and which took
just three years to build, will take four years to convert. Dennis Hone, the
chief executive of the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), said as
much again when he repeated his line to the London Assembly from last week
that 2015 is now the target but 2016 a possibility. Johnson added,
worryingly, that Londoners might have to be patient and recognise the
Olympic Stadium was not built to be "the kind of omni-purpose world-class
venue capable of hosting Premier League football that it should be".
So why are we in this mess?
The main reason, as Johnson suggests, is that organisers made a major
mistake by writing Premier League football out of original designs for the
legacy use of the stadium. But we've known this for years. So why is it in
danger of descending into another farce?
The process to find a long-term anchor for the stadium is stalling because
the plans to convert it for Premier League football have changed again,
increasing the cost to somewhere between £180m and £190m.
Under the original deal with West Ham, which collapsed last autumn because
of legal challenges, the Premier League team would own the freehold to the
stadium.
At that time the cost discussed was around £95m to £100m and was to be
funded from three sources - £38m from the Olympic budget of £9.3bn, £40m
from Newham Council in the form of a low interest loan, and around £20m from
the sale of Upton Park.
This would have paid to extend the roof - which currently only covers two
thirds of the seating area - add corporate hospitality facilities and
refurbish toilets.
So why has the cost almost doubled?
The main reason is the decision to add retractable seating to bring football
fans closer to the action.
Demountable seats - similar to the ones used for temporary venues like
Greenwich Park during the Games - cost less but take weeks to put up and
take down.
This potentially impacts on the commercial value of the stadium as it may
reduce the number of events that can be staged there.
So, while a retractable seating mechanism costs a lot more to factor in, the
LLDC is thought to now favour the option as it could lead to more income in
the long run.
The roof also needs an even bigger extension as it would now need to cover
the running track and the retractable seats on it.
But while the costs have gone up, the funding provision has, largely,
remained the same.
There is still £38m from the Olympic budget, a loan of £40m from Newham
(although this could be increased) and a contribution from West Ham, though,
surprisingly perhaps, this appears to have gone down to around £10m.
West Ham argue that they bring unique commercial value to the stadium
project and now believe that, as they are no longer going to own the
freehold to the stadium, it is the landlord - the mayor and LLDC - who
should bear the cost of upgrading it for football. Without them, the stadium
will become a costly millstone around taxpayers' necks, they say.
The Premier League club are understood to have submitted a package which
includes a minimum lump sum, an annual rental (around £2m) and a share of
any naming rights deal they are able to bring in. There is also haggling
going on over how the revenue from catering should be split between tenant
and landlord.
But it is the capital funding shortfall that is proving to be the big
stumbling block. So how do you plug the gap?
Johnson has already tried to raid the £377m Olympic budget underspend -
receiving a swift and negative response from the Chancellor, George Osborne.
There are London taxpayer funds available and the LLDC itself could raid
some of its own transformation budget but that could mean spending less on
other parts of the park. There is also nervousness about the legal
implications of publicly subsidising a big football club.
It is a complicated process that has not been helped by the continual
changes at the top of the LLDC. Johnson is now chairing the organisation,
having taken over from Daniel Moylan in September, while Hone, the widely
respected chief of the Olympic Delivery Authority, replaced former chief
executive Andy Altman.
West Ham remain the favourites to secure the deal as anchor tenants for a
stadium which cost £431m to build, well ahead of rival bids from Leyton
Orient Football Club, a football business school and a consortium proposing
Formula One races in the park.
Yet the LLDC could still snub West Ham, appoint an operating company and
just hire the stadium out for concerts and more occasional sporting events
like NFL matches, big rugby games, combining it with more community use.
This would allow the stadium to reopen in 2014, and avoid spending the best
part of £200m and losing valuable income while the stadium remains shut.
Without a big football team the running costs would also be lower.
Of course all this could have been avoided had the Government and the
Olympic Delivery Authority factored in Premier League football back in 2006
and 2007 when the plans were being drawn up.
It is a costly mistake which continues to overshadow all the other wonderful
achievements delivered by London's Olympic organisers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Olympic Stadium saga becoming 'a Stratford farce', says athletics chief
Ed Warner frustrated park could be dormant site until 2015
'There is one viable option – multi-use. Just get on with it'
James Riach
The Guardian, Wednesday 14 November 2012 17.34 GMT
Ed Warner, the UK Athletics chairman, does not believe the impasse over the
Olympic Stadium will threaten Britain's successful bid to host the world
championships in five years' time. The saga regarding the future of London's
Olympic Stadium has been criticised as "a Stratford farce" by the UK
Athletics chairman, Ed Warner, with negotiations surrounding the £468m
facility set to drag on until the new year.
Dennis Hone, the chief executive of the London Legacy Development
Corporation, revealed last week that if a costing agreement is reached with
West Ham United to convert the stadium into a dual football and athletics
venue then the Premier League club would not move into their new home until
2016.
However, although Warner, who is also chairman of the 2017 athletics world
championships organising committee, does not believe that the impasse will
threaten Britain's successful bid to host that event in five years' time, he
is frustrated that the Olympic Park in east London could be a dormant site
until the European hockey championships in 2015.
"I want a decision – any talk of 2016 is concerning, not for the 2017 world
championships but for getting other events there. We want the Diamond League
meeting in there, we want our trials in there, we want to see kids'
athletics in the stadium. Just as I know West Ham want to see football in
the stadium," he said.
"I wouldn't say this is a Whitehall farce, it's fast becoming a Stratford
farce. To my mind there is one absolutely viable option which is multi-use,
just get on with it and use it. There is another very viable option – I
think our friends at West Ham have been phenomenally patient over the last
few months.
"Whichever of those two routes is taken works for UK Athletics but get it
over with. We have a programme of events which that stadium can host, which
we had planned to start in the summer of 2014. We don't really want a race
with the Rio opening ceremony to the reopening of the London Olympic
Stadium."
Boris Johnson said on Wednesday: "It would be wrong to get into a proxy
discussion on negotiations with putative future tenants. The cost of doing
the stadium up in the way the people of this country would expect is
considerable. It was not designed for football, there was a decision taken
not to do it in that way," the London mayor said. "I think it very, very
unlikely we won't get the stadium open by then [the Rio 2016 Olympics
closing ceremony]."
There remains a gap between the amount West Ham are prepared to put towards
the stadium's conversion costs, which would pay for the installation of
retractable seats and a cantilevered roof, and what the LLDC believes would
be a suitable sum.
An investigator hired by Tottenham during their failed bid in 2011 to become
the Olympic Stadium's tenants has been charged by the Metropolitan police
with fraud. Howard Hill, 58, allegedly obtained the private telephone
records of the West Ham director Karren Brady in an illegal fashion.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Three charged for fraud over Spurs Olympic Stadium row with rivals West Ham
Daily Mail
Tottenham denied putting officials - including West Ham vice-chairman Karren
Brady - under surveillance
OPLC chairwoman Baroness Ford claimed that Spurs had all 14 members of her
board monitored by private investigators
By LAURA WILLIAMSON
PUBLISHED: 16:02, 14 November 2012 | UPDATED: 20:11, 14 November 2012
Three men have been charged with fraud after claims that Tottenham hired
private investigators to snoop on West Ham as the clubs battled over the
Olympic Stadium. The trio are alleged to have accessed telephone bills and
other private records of West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady illegally.
Richard Michael Forrest, Lee Stewart and Howard Hill are due to appear in
Westminster Magistrates Court on November 28 after a 14-month investigation
by the Metropolitan Police. West Ham and the Olympic Park Legacy Company
(OPLC) took legal action in July 2011 after allegations published in The
Sunday Times suggested 'the accessing of private information by illegal
means'. Baroness Ford, chairwoman of OPLC, also claimed in November last
year that all 14 members of her board 'were placed under surveillance' by
Spurs, which the club strongly denies. But Hill, 58, from Stockport, was a
senior investigator at accountancy firm PFK when Spurs hired them to conduct
an inquiry into the stadium bidding process, although a court later heard
there were 'no documents' to clarify his role. Spurs had no comment to make
but insist PFK acted independently. Hill was accused of two counts of
conspiracy to commit fraud. Forrest, 30, who is understood to run a private
investigation firm, and Stewart, 39, from Esher in Surrey, were also accused
of conspiracy with Hill to commit fraud by false representation. West Ham
declined to comment, saying it was a police matter.
West Ham, with partners Newham Council, were initially successful in their
bid for the stadium but the deal collapsed in October 2011 after challenges
from Spurs and Leyton Orient and an anonymous complaint to the European
Commission. West Ham are still the leading contenders to move into the
stadium, with a decision expected by December 5, but there is significant
disagreement over who will pay the £200million needed to convert the
80,000-seat arena into a football stadium.
The London Legacy Development Corporation confirmed last week that the
stadium will not reopen until at least August 2015. The Olympic Park is
already cut off to the public until next July, when the northern part of the
facility will open. The southern area, including the Aquatics Centre, is not
due to open until Easter 2014. UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner and sports
minister Hugh Robertson said there was no threat to the 2017 World Athletics
Championships in London, but Mayor of London Boris Johnson insisted the
stadium's legacy is not 'solely about athletics'. He said: 'That means
delivering a stadium that preferably is multi- purpose, at the heart of the
community, and able to host concerts and big set-piece events alongside
world-class sport.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Trio to face fraud trial
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 15th November 2012
By: Staff Writer
Three men have been formally charged in connection with the theft of
personal records belonging to West Ham United vice chair Karren Brady. The
trio - named as Richard Forrest, 30, Lee Stewart, 39 and Howard Hill, 58
will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 28th November to
answer fraud charges in relation to the unlawful acquisition of Brady's
private telephone records. Hill, who has since resigned from accountants PKF
was an employee of the company at the time they were hired by Tottenham
Hotspur FC to investigate the details behind West Ham's previously
successful bid to become anchor tenants at the Olympic Stadium. West Ham
United initially contacted Police in July 2011 following claims in the
Sunday Times that employees' personal records had been surreptitiously
gained by corporate investigators. In the same week the Olympic Park Legacy
Company also registered a complaint of a similar nature after it was
suggested chief executive Andrew Altman had been targeted. A second OLPC
member - Ms Dionne Knight, who was subsequently suspended following the
revelation that she had been temporarily employed by West Ham as a
consultant - was said to have been spied upon by the investigators at her
home address. The charges follow a year-long investigation by the
Metropolitan Police. A fourth individual remains on bail whilst two others
have who were arrested in connection with the affair have been released
without charge.
* Brady has revealed that she is investigating the circumstances regarding
Savio Nsereko's 2009 move from Brescia to West Ham. "Just before this board
took over, the club paid a huge amount to Brescia for the German Under-21
who took part in a handful of matches and then departed for Fiorentina at a
fraction of the price," she said in her latest tabloid column. "The deal is
something I'm investigating."
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A very British farce
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 15th November 2012
By: Staff Writer
UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner has referred to the ongoing uncertainty over
the future of the Olympic Stadium as 'a Stratford farce'. Warner, who as
Chiarman of the organising committe is responsible for organising the 2017
athletics World Championships hit out today in the wake of news that the
arena is unlikely to open before 2016 - the same year as the NEXT Olympic
Games are due to take place in Rio. "Any talk of [waiting until] 2016 is
concerning, not for the 2017 World Championships but for getting other
events there," he said. "I want a decision. "We want the Diamond League
meeting in there, we want our trials in there, we want to see kids'
athletics in the stadium - just as I know West Ham want to see football in
the stadium. "I wouldn't say this is a Whitehall farce, it's fast becoming a
Stratford farce. To my mind there is one absolutely viable option which is
multi-use, just get on with it and use it. "There is another very viable
option – and I think our friends at West Ham have been phenomenally patient
over the last few months. Whichever of those two routes is taken works for
UK Athletics - but get it over with. "We have a programme of events which
that stadium can host, which we had planned to start in the summer of 2014.
We don't really want a race with the Rio opening ceremony to the reopening
of the London Olympic Stadium."
Meanwhile Sports Minister Hugh Robertson appeared to suggest that a deal
with West Ham was close to reaching fruition - although there were some
hurdles that still needed to be negotiated. "There is a commercial
negotiation going on with West Ham and it's a question of how quickly the
Mayor and the Legacy Company can close the gap," he said. "There is a
package on the table which includes the conversion costs that were built
into the budget and a contribution from the local authority and some money
that West Ham might put into it. "Then there is the bill for all the things
they would ideally want to do to have what they would see as a modern
stadium."
Central to West Ham's plans for the new-look Olympic Stadium is retractable
seating, which will cost around £200million to install. However the Treasury
recently ruled out using some of the excess funds previously allocated to
the Olympic Games for this purpose. West Ham are said to have offered an
initial lump sum plus an annual rent of around £2million to take control of
the stadium, but believe that as tenants the brunt of redevelopment costs
should be provided by the landlord - the LLDC.
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