'We got caught cold'
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble admitted West Ham United had been 'naive' in allowing Liverpool
to come from behind to beat them
09.12.2012
Mark Noble admitted West Ham United had been 'naive' in surrendering the
lead in Sunday's 3-2 Barclays Premier League defeat by Liverpool. The No16
drew the Hammers level after fellow Academy graduate Glen Johnson had
smashed the Reds into an early lead. Steven Gerrard then netted an own-goal
to put West Ham 2-1 up shortly before half-time. The loss of Mohamed Diame
to a hamstring injury with 17 minutes remaining appeared to change the
course of the match, with Joe Cole putting Liverpool back on level terms
before James Collins' inadvertantly diverted Jordan Henderson's cross past a
helpless Jussi Jaaskelainen.
"We were in control for long periods of the game," said the Hammer of the
Year. "We were really comfortable - probably a little bit too comfortable.
You know that Liverpool are going to have a lot of the ball, because that's
the way Brendan [Rodgers] has sets up his team, but we were comfortable and
then got a bit naive in the end, I think. "Last week we were 2-1 up against
Chelsea and we went on and got the third goal and I think we probably hunted
for that a little bit too much and got caught cold."
Noble admitted the loss of Diame did play its part in Liverpool's victory.
"We obviously had our shape set up and we were comfortable. We knew what
everyone else's job was and then obviously he got injured and we had to
change it around a little bit and it chucked a spanner in the works. "They
managed to get a couple of goals, which was disappointing, but it shows you
how far we've come that we're sitting in the dressing room absolutely gutted
that we haven't beaten Liverpool. It shows you how far we've had as a team.
"We knew these games were going to be tough but we've come out of the last
eight games with the number of points we wanted to come out with so we can
push on now and look forward to the Christmas period and try to get more
points again."
Noble netted his 14th consecutive successful penalty, expertly placing the
ball past Pepe Reina into the bottom left-hand corner. Afterwards, the
midfielder said he was delighted to beat the Spaniard from 12 yards for the
second time, having scored a last-minute spot-kick against Liverpool at the
Boleyn Ground in January 2008. "To be honest, I took a penalty here against
him in the 93rd-minute and he went the right way that time and got close to
it that day as well! I saw him after the game and he said to me 'I'm gonna
get one soon!'. "Obviously if they go in the corner it's rare that the
'keeper saves them and I managed to hit the inside of the side-netting and
claw us back to 1-1."
Noble was not the only Academy graduate to hit the target, however, as West
Ham old boys Johnson and Cole also scored with fine efforts. "I was here
when Glen was here - I was only a kid - and we've all seen what a player
Johno is. He is probably the best right-back in England for me and he's been
doing that for a number of years now. Noble said that, while West Ham had
been left disappointed by their defeat, they had hit their points target so
far this season and would go to West Bromwich Albion hoping to pick up a
positive result next Sunday. "To be honest, we're disappointed and it shows
you how far we've come that we were 2-1 up against Liverpool and are
disappointed to have lost 3-2. We were in control and are sitting in the
dressing room gutted that we haven't got a result against Liverpool. "We
have been in every game at home. Against Arsenal, we were in it until about
70 minutes until they scored a couple of goals on the break. Today, we were
solid and gutted that Johno has put one in the top corner from 30 yards,
Joey has scored a good goal and Ginge has scored an own-goal. "We felt we
could get something out of the game and we haven't and now we have to move
on."
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Jussi nets SBOBET player prize
WHUFC.com
Jussi Jaaskelainen has been voted SBOBET Player of the Month for November
09.12.2012
Jussi Jaaskelainen has been voted as November's SBOBET Player of the Month
by users of whufc.com after gaining 33.1% of the vote. The former Finland
international started the month with an excellent display against Manchester
City, keeping a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw at the Boleyn Ground. The stopper
then followed it up with another clean sheet eight days later as runner-up
Kevin Nolan scored to give the Hammers a 1-0 win against Newcastle United.
An impressive display at home to Stoke City soon followed before another two
fantastic outings against Manchester United and Chelsea. November is the
first month in which captain Nolan has not been named as the SBOBET Player
of the Month, with the former Newcastle having to settle in second place
this time around. The midfielder received 22.4% of the vote and was as
inspirational as ever. November began in controversial circumstances as
Nolan saw a strike chalked off against City for offside. He was not to be
denied however as one week later as he diverted Joey O'Brien's shot past Tim
Krul for a 1-0 victory over Newcastle. Defender Winston Reid finished up in
third place with 17.9% of the vote just ahead of fourth place Mark Noble on
14%. Joey O'Brien was fifth after securing 8.9% of the vote following his
first-ever Barclays Premier League goal in the 1-1 draw with Stoke City.
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Loanee round-up
WHUFC.com
Five West Ham United loanees were in action for their respective clubs on
Saturday afternoon
09.12.2012
Five West Ham United players who are currently out on loan featured on
Saturday as Stephen Henderson, Rob Hall, Ravel Morrison, Dan Potts and Blair
Turgott all featured. Henderson was the man of the moment, keeping a clean
sheet as Ipswich Town ended Millwall's 13-game unbeaten run in spectacular
fashion. Two goals from DJ Campbell either side of half-time and Danny
Murphy strike gave the Tractor Boys a 3-0 npower Championship win, ending
Millwall's best run in over 41 years. Henderson was a standout performer for
Town, denying Andy Keogh, Liam Trotter and James Henry with a string of
impressive stops. Also in the Championship, Hall and Morrison both featured
for Birmingham City, with the former starting and the latter coming on as a
second half substitute as they lost 1-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers at
Molineux. Hall, who has been in impressive form throughout the season,
started up front alongside Marlon King, who scored the only goal of the
game, but unfortunately it was at the wrong end.
The npower League One clash between Colchester United and Oldham Athletic
had an extra Hammers' twist as Potts lined up alongside Freddie Sears to
take on former Hammers Academy team-mate Cristian Montano. It was Montano
who took the glory as the Latics scored either side of half-time to take a
2-0 win.
Turgott came on as a 62nd-minute substitute for Bradford City in their
npower League Two clash at home to Torquay United. The winger appeared with
the game still goalless as Bradford went on to win 1-0 courtesy of an Alan
Connelly goal with eight minutes remaining. Turgott will hope his impressive
showing will earn him a starting XI place when the Bantams take on Arsenal
in the Capital One Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday night. To hear Turgott's
thoughts on that game, click here.
Declan Hunt was an unused substitute for Braintree Town in their 2-0 Blue
Square Bet Premier victory at Southport. Paul McCallum missed AFC
Wimbledon's 1-
1 League Two draw at Barnet through suspension.
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Retractable seats important to Olympic Stadium, says Ed Warner
BBC.co.uk
Retractable seating is key to the Olympic Stadium's success, according to UK
Athletics chairman Ed Warner. West Ham United were named on Wednesday as
preferred bidders to become the stadium's main tenant. Warner says
retractable seating will mean "a stadium that can be used 52 weeks a year"
between football, athletics and entertainment events. He said the seating
would "be very commercially viable for West Ham and the other users". But
Warner, who previously branded the planned timescale to reopen the Olympic
stadium between 2015 and 2016 "a farce", admits there is frustration for
athletics surrounding the delay. "They say the stadium will reopen in August
2015 at the earliest, which is a frustration for athletics because it takes
out the summer 2015 season," he said. "I guess that means West Ham could be
there for the 2015-16 season - but that all requires planning permission,
commercial agreements being put in place, it going out to tender and it
being built on time. "Let's hope it can get open for then because they could
possibly use it for a match at the Rugby World Cup, and that would open it
up for the 2016 summer athletics season, and we're desperate to get in
there."
Although work on transforming the Olympic Stadium into a multi-sports venue
is not scheduled to begin until next autumn, it has been suggested London's
2013 Diamond League meeting may be held at the venue, with the one-year
anniversary of the London 2012 opening ceremony falling on day two of the
meet. Mayor of London Boris Johnson says West Ham's market value would be
increased significantly by winning the 99-year lease and therefore any deal
rests on club owners David Sullivan and David Gold meeting the key
condition. With so much public money invested in the stadium - first to
build it and now to convert it for top-flight football - Johnson is
concerned that the taxpayer could be left out of pocket if the duo later
decided to sell the club on. Adding retractable seating and fully extending
the roof on the venue will cost between £130m and £150m, on top of the £429m
it cost to build the stadium for the Games. The vast majority of that
conversion money will come from a mix of public funding, including a £40m
loan from Newham Council, the local authority. For some time, there has been
concern over a shortfall in the funding, especially with West Ham only
willing to commit around £15m, but sources tell me that is now less of a
problem. But when building work does begin, Warner - who became the
inaugural chairman of UK Athletics in January 2007 - says the installation
of retractable seating "allows us to use the stadium for all the athletics
we need each summer, big rock concerts, and for a full football season".
He added all levels of athletics would benefit from the year-round use,
"whether you're a school kid, a masters, a Paralympic athlete [or] an elite
Olympic athlete". "At whatever level, you get a chance to compete in that
stadium each year," Warner told BBC Sportsweek. Other bids for the stadium's
future use had been made by League One side Leyton Orient, UCFB College of
Football Business and a consortium linked to Formula 1. And Warner sees no
negatives for athletics with West Ham potentially moving to the stadium - as
long as retractable seating is implemented. "Retractable seats can be moved
very quickly in a matter of days, over the track and back again," he added.
"If that can be put together, we will get a stadium that can be used 52
weeks a year and can be very commercially viable for West Ham and other
users."
Warner also admitted athletics alone could not help sustain the stadium,
though he is keen for the sport to play an important part. "We have lobbied
vociferously for the athletics track and for use of the stadium," he said.
"The difficulty we have is it's a very short window each summer when the
best athletes peak, and what we don't want to do is be accused for the next
99 years of being a burden on the public purse. "The solution we have come
up with allows the stadium to be used all year round and allows us to get
the right athletics in there." He also noted the lack of foresight has
caused problems for the Olympic Stadium. "If they designed in retractable
seats from the start, we wouldn't be where we are now," he said. The delays
have seen costs rise on a stadium which cost £431m to build, with the
funding provision largely remaining the same. Warner also admitted the delay
was partly due to the legal bids of Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient
surrounding the take over of the Olympic Stadium.
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West Ham: Olympic Stadium move needs successful team - Allardyce
BBC.co.uk
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has warned that a move to the Olympic Stadium
will not work without a successful team. The Hammers are considering
relocating from Upton Park and have been named as preferred Olympic Stadium
bidders. "There are years of good financial management needed as well as
success on the field," Allardyce said. "There is one thing you have to bear
in mind, you cannot build a white elephant and the white elephant is a great
stadium and no team - disaster." The London Legacy Development Corporation
announced on Wednesday that West Ham were their first choice to move into
the Stratford venue, ahead of bids from League One side Leyton Orient, UCFB
College of Football Business and a consortium linked to Formula 1. The
£429m venue, which had an 80,000 capacity for the London Olympics, is likely
to be reduced to 60,000 for football matches, with retractable seating in
operation, and is not expected to fully reopen before August 2015. West Ham
vice-chairman Karren Brady has told supporters they will not make the move
unless the stadium is judged to be acceptable for hosting football. "There
is always a lot of disruption when a club decides to move form somewhere
which has a huge history," said former Bolton manager Allardyce, who has
been at the West Ham helm since June 2011. "It is always going to be
upsetting to some of the very loyal supporters we have but in the end, when
you look to what happened at places like Bolton, I couldn't have built that
sort of success without those fantastic facilities - not that a facility has
ever produced a player but it doesn't half help." West Ham returned to the
Premier League this season after beating Blackpool in the Championship
play-off final, and are eighth in the table after victory over London rivals
Chelsea last week.
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West Ham: Hamstring tear to sideline Mohamed Diame
BBC.co.uk
West Ham's Mohamed Diame could be out for three months after tearing his
hamstring during Sunday's 3-2 home defeat by Liverpool. Diame, 25, was
stretchered off with his team in the lead but Liverpool scored twice in the
closing stages to win. The Senegal midfielder has excelled since joining
from Wigan in the summer. "I would expect, in medical terms, for it to be a
grade three [injury] and that could be anything up to 12 weeks," Hammers
boss Sam Allardyce said. "It does not take a medical expert to know it is a
serious hamstring tear when he falls and stopped the way he did. For us he
is about the start and build-up of most of the creative side of our game -
he runs at them [defenders] with pace and ability that puts them on the back
foot. "That is what we have lost and what we will be missing for a number of
weeks so we are going to have to be a bit more dogged and resilient with the
players we have got available, rather than have the more creative side we
have had from Mo."
Diame returned to West Ham's starting line-up after coming on as a
substitute and scoring against Chelsea in last weekend's 3-1 victory and he
was a dominant figure at Upton Park once again. However, he was forced off
in the 73rd minute after he pulled up abruptly and fell down clutching his
leg in agony. If the French-born battler is sidelined until mid-February he
could miss 10 Premier League fixtures, as well as the FA Cup third round tie
against Manchester United on 5 January. On Friday, West Ham chairman David
Gold confirmed rumours that Diame had a release clause in his contract
after he was linked with a move away from the club following the impressive
start to his career in east London. Allardyce stated he would rather deal
with speculation about his player's future in the January transfer window
than be without him for the coming months. "I would sooner have that
aggravation in January with people trying to get him than lose him for the
period of time, eight to 12 weeks," he said. "I have had a number of
hamstring injuries myself in my time, when you go down like that you know
you have really got [a bad] one. We will wait until it has settled down and
then scan it, we will find out exactly how big the damage is and move on
from there."
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West Ham 2 Liverpool 3
9 December 2012
Last updated at 18:28
By Chris Bevan
BBC Sport
Liverpool scored two goals in three second-half minutes as they fought back
from 2-1 down to beat West Ham thanks to a late James Collins own goal. The
Reds took an early lead through a spectacular Glen Johnson strike. Mark
Noble equalised from the spot after Joe Allen handled and Steven Gerrard
headed into his own net to put the Hammers ahead at half-time. But Joe Cole
made it 2-2 with an angled drive before Jordan Henderson's cross span in off
Collins at the near post. Eight days ago, West Ham turned round a half-time
deficit to beat Chelsea but this time it was Sam Allardyce's side who were
on the wrong end of a stirring second-half comeback. Following last
weekend's win over Southampton, Liverpool have now won back-to-back Premier
League games for the first time in a year, when Kenny Dalglish was in charge
and the Reds beat QPR 1-0 on 10 December and Aston Villa 2-0 on 18 December.
This was the first time in nine attempts this season that Liverpool have won
a league game immediately after a Europa League tie. But it was an
especially unlikely Reds recovery - not only had they toiled in attack just
before their late burst of goals, they nicked the points despite being
without the suspended Luis Suarez, their only fit striker. The absence of
Suarez did not seem to matter when Johnson put Liverpool ahead in
spectacular style after 11 minutes. Gerrard spread the ball to Johnson on
the right, who cut inside before turning back on to his right foot and
rifling a ferocious drive beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen and into the top corner.
That meant Johnson has now scored in his last three league games against his
former club, and he appeared keen add to that tally whenever he picked up
the ball.
Another one of his raids down the same flank saw him leave Matt Jarvis in
his wake before teeing up Raheem Sterling who screwed a shot wide. Jarvis
was clearly struggling to fulfil his defensive duties but he fared much
better when his side came forward. From one of his crosses, Mohamed Diame
had a shot deflected wide off his own team-mate Carlton Cole, and from
another, Daniel Agger had to stretch to stop Cole from turning home. By now,
it was Liverpool under pressure but their resistance was ended in
controversial circumstances after 35 minutes. Agger cleared another Jarvis
delivery as far as Guy Demel, whose fierce first-time shot hit Allen's arm
at point-blank range. Referee Lee Probert pointed to the spot and Noble
stepped up to slot his penalty into the bottom corner beyond Pepe Reina's
dive. Probert did not endear himself any further to the travelling fans when
he chose only to caution Matt Taylor for a high and wild challenge on
Sterling soon afterwards. And things got even worse for the visitors when
Gerrard headed a Jarvis cross into his own net just before the break. There
seemed no chance of any sort of turnaround as West Ham continued to press in
the second half and Liverpool's passing game deserted them when they found
themselves near the home side's penalty area. Shelvey, who was having a
frustrating time as Suarez's replacement in the Reds' attack, saw a
deflected shot tipped over and steered a header wide.
But, just as against the Blues last weekend, Diame's participation was to
prove decisive. Against Chelsea his introduction off the bench changed the
game - this time a hamstring injury that forced him off did likewise.
Liverpool began to find a foothold in midfield and drew level thanks to
another Hammers old boy - Joe Cole providing a precise finish from
Sterling's slipped pass. Three minutes later, Collins lunged in to beat
Jonjo Shelvey to a low front-post cross from Jordan Henderson but the ball
looped off his leg and over Jaaskelainen into the net. From looking
comfortable, West Ham were left chasing the game and, despite them pumping a
series of balls into Reina's area, they were unable to rescue a point. West
Ham manager Sam Allardyce: "We were never in control of the game completely
especially against a side like Liverpool, we were not going to dominate for
the whole game. "We gave everything we could. We can't continue to play and
dominate teams we play, when we did today we got ourselves in the lead. "We
just got promoted, we are in a good run of form and there are expectations
from fans "
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers on Jonjo Shelvey's role as stand-in striker:
"In this country it is always a very traditional target man, a clear number
nine.
"Give credit to Carlton Cole today, I know him from my time at Chelsea, he
is a real handful and was outstanding today. "But you see young Jonjo at 20
years of age playing the number nine role in a different way - dropping into
midfield and combining with the midfield players to make the fourth man,
being a threat when he is in around the box, showing great feet and I
thought he was outstanding today the kid."
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Rodgers on....West Ham United
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 9th December 2012
By: Staff Writer No.2
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers gives a strangely sycophantic press corps his
views after his side's slightly fortunate win at the Boleyn...
Brendan, your thoughts on today's victory?...
It's a brilliant win for us. Sam's done a terrific job here and in
particular he's made it very difficult for teams coming here as we saw when
Chelsea arrived last week. But I thought my players were brilliant. We've
been through a lot this week in terms of travel so to get the victory and
the win I thought we thoroughly deserved it. I'm delighted for them because
they put so much into the game.
After going behind it was a great second half for you
I thought we were outstanding for the first 25 minutes with some of our play
which was capped off with a great goal from Glen Johnson, who's been
brilliant for me this season. The penalty knocked us back a bit, probably
because we thought it was a wee bit unjust. Then all of a sudden the last 20
minutes of the first half we stopped playing.
Half time was just about reinforcing to the players you've been good for 25
minutes but you have to keep playing. Keep passing and the opportunities
would come for us. In the second half we done that. Terrific spirit. We
showed that bit of steel today to get that result and it was a great
testament to the players and how hard they worked.
How do you think Shelvey did today?
Outstanding
I think today you saw the two ways of playing the no.9 role. I know Carlton
Cole from my Chelsea days he's a real handful and I thought he was
outstanding today. But you were seeing 20 year old Jonjo Shelvey playing the
no.9 role in a different way, coming into midfield and combining with the
midfield to make the fourth man. He was a threat in and around the box, he
had great feet.
I thought he was outstanding today the kid. Great credit to him because
there was a lot of pressure on him. People were trying to compare him with
Luis Suarez. He's been terrific in my time here. He's only 20 so he has a
great future ahead of him.
The role seemed to suit him a little bit more when Joe Cole came on..
That was the idea. When you have a moving no.9 it causes the back four
problems. If any of them get drawn out you have two wingers who can get
behind and penetrate.
Joe Cole's was a terrific goal. Two wingers, one combining and creating the
goal, the other breaking the line. When you see it again it's a wonderful
finish. He's had to wait for that split second for his left foot.
I'm pleased for Joe. It took him a while to get the speed of the game.
Second half he was first and foremost he was fighting for the team. After
that his quality came through.
It was a terrifically weighted pass from Sterling as well. Shows how
important it is to sort out his situation. Is there any progress on that?
Yeah that'll be fine. Raheem, as you see in that move, he was confronted by
three players, plays a great combination between them, follows the pass. His
pass was deadweight perfect for Joe.
Psychologically Brendan what does it mean to win without Luis Suarez? Some
people thought it would be the end of the world..
Well you guys did! For us there was no drama. For us my focus was about the
collective. We all share the ball, we must share the goals, share the
workload. We're not asking anyone to do more than anyone else. I had great
belief in the players, that we could score goals and create goals.
We've been doing that all season, we just haven't at times been clinical
enough and had the good fortune to rack up the goals.
You said after the Chelsea game top 8 would be an achievement. Are you
starting to re-evaluate that now?
We're trying to build a momentum. We had a difficult opening fixture list
and trying to couple that with playing in a certain was was always going to
be difficult.
Certainly over the last couple of months we've been progressing. Let's just
see where we finish. This is one of the biggest clubs in world football.
Everyone knows where it should be. We're making progress and climbing the
league. It's important for us to continue to do that.
As I said it's a massive credit to the players and how hard they've been
working. Then they'll get the reward from it.
Any thoughts on the Champions League places?
Yeah it's a very tight league this season and we're one of the top teams. We
didn't make the start but it's more about how you finish. We've supposedly
had an unbelievably bad season. Once we really hit form we'll be alright!
Jose Enrique went off early?
He was just a wee bit tight. He's suffered again. he's just come back into
the team. He played during the week and he felt a bit tight. With all the
travel he was really stiff yesterday. We gave him a go but he couldn't quite
move the same. Big credit to Stewart Downing - he'd started really well with
Glen Johnson on this side. He was maybe a wee bit disappointed to be pushed
across but I though he was terrific. He stood up to the challenge well and
got forward well. I was pleased for him.
Jordan [Henderson] did really well as well. there seemed to be a lot more
purpose about his play...
He's understanding what his role is and the importance that he has within
the group. He's done very very well. He's a terrific lad. The most important
thing is that he wants to learn. He works very hard at his game. he scored
the winner in midweek and you saw today that his ability to press and pass
the ball today was good. He made that run that created one of the goals so
I'm delighted.
You've beem at Chelsea and Swansea but the spirit in this team with all that
you've beeen through - is it comparable to, say when you were at Chelsea?
This is a unique club. It's pleasure to manage because the history that
comes with being a Liverpool player or manager is incredible. But that
spirit doesn't just happen. It comes from simplicity, from working hard,
doing the nuts and bolts of the game. Developing, learning, that's what this
group are doing. Young players have been asked to do big jobs for a club of
this status. They've been showing the mentality to come in and do it.
We'll just keep moving steadily. We don't want to be a flash in the pan. We
want to keep making progress, developing our game, developing the team. That
spirit is there for everyone to see, especially at a place like West Ham.
This is a real tough place to come. Sam's done great here.
Having to stay an extra night, all that travel, it does take its toll but
our condition was superb. That's a testament to our staff and players.
Cheers.
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Eye eye: Carroll row rumbles on
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 9th December 2012
By: Staff Writer
The photographer who claimed to be assaulted by West Ham's Andy Carroll has
hit out at the club after they attempted to play down the incident. Paddy
Cummins, who was working whilst West Ham's first team squad were in Dublin
for their Christmas party last weekend insisted that his eye had been
'gouged' by Carroll, who is said to have become annoyed at the
photographer's continued presence. Cummins' version of events - in which he
claimed to have been attacked by Carroll - have been disputed by West Ham.
"Andy agreed to have a number of pictures taken at the request of a
photographer who was waiting on the street," said the club in a statement.
"The photographer then carried on taking photos in the close proximity of
Andy and was politely asked to stop by the private security team. When he
then continued taking more photos, he was restrained by the security team
for Andy's safety. "Eyewitnesses state at no point was there any physical
contact between Andy and the photographer." However Cummins, who insists
that he was treated at Dublin's Eye & Ear hospital after the alleged
incident maintains that he was the victim of assault - whilst accusing West
Ham of jumping the gun. "They made a statement that witnesses said there was
no contact but that was less than 24 hours after the event," he told the
Herald. "And they're claiming they talked to all the witnesses. They're
claiming witnesses have come forward to them and not the Gardai." Cummins
has since handed over all of the photographs he took during the evening to
Irish police, who are yet to act.
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Allardyce on... Liverpool
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 9th December 2012
By: Staff Writer
Big Sam reflects on a game from which his side managed to snatch defeat from
the jaws of victory - and a game that resulted in more injury woes. His
post-match press conference exclusively in full...
Sam: I thought we were going to end up with a repeat of the Chelsea game,
but perhaps Diame's injury didn't help and was the turning point?
Possibly. For me we had to start the second half the way we finished the
first, the way we finished the last 30, 35 minutes. Unfortunately we didn't
get to that tempo or that level of quality and started to sit a little bit
too deep. I thought we'd seen that out and were going to come strong towards
the end like we normally do. Maybe they'd over-extend themselves, we could
hit them on the break and maybe get the third [goal].
Momo going off was obviously a blow to the more creative side of our game
today. That was lost because he was at the head of most of the attacks that
we built. So that was a blow, and then to lose the second goal was a bit of
a sickener for us again. At that point I thought "see it out today lads and
if it's not going to be, then take the draw and move on". To lose it with a
bit of a freaky own goal from Ginge was a little hard to take. It was a
bizarre game because I wouldn't have expected five goals today.
Liverpool generally keep it tight and don't concede many, but they don't
score many at the other end either - especially when they've lost Suarez who
has more than 50 per cent of the goals. You wouldn't expect us to concede
three and you wouldn't expect two players who used to be West Ham players to
score two goals either, would you? So we've got to take it on the chin.
I think that we've done the best we could and we've played as well as we
could. We're disappointed that we haven't got anything from it. More
importantly, the biggest disappointment of all is when your most creative
player leaves the field with a serious injury - or what looks like a serious
injury - on top of all the other injuries we've got at the moment. Today's
been even more disappointing because we've lost Mo as well as the game.
What are the signs on his injury?
Not good. It doesn't take a medical expert to know it's a serious hamstring
tear when you fall and stop the way he did and the pain that you get from
that. I'd expect it to be a Grade 3 in medical terms and that could be
anything up to eight, ten or 12 weeks again. We've got far too many of them
unfortuantely - not hamstrings but trauma injuries.
Andy Carroll; Yossi Benayoun; Jack Collison; Alou Diarra and now Mo. It's a
big blow to us but we'll have to try and continue with what we've got, try
and continue our good form and performances and, most importantly, try and
continue to get results.
On Diame's injury, every cloud has a silver lining - he won't be passing any
medicals in January, will he?
Ha! No, probably not now. Mind you I didn't look at that as a silver lining
after it happened; I hadn't thought about that! [laughs]
Or his agent!
Yeah. But I'd sooner have the aggravation of agents, people trying to buy
him and him playing for us like he is than do without him, let me tell you
that. We've had a really difficult period and whilst we're disappointed that
we've lost today, we've picked up some points the last eight games. We've
managed to get three points off Chelsea and Newcastle away and we drew here
with Man City and Stoke. We played well and might have won that one. So we
haven't done too bad in this period with the size of the teams that we've
played. Like I said, the most disappointing thing is the injuries that we've
collected in this period.
Can you quantify what you're losing with Diame? What sort of a player is he?
For us he's about the start and the build-up of most of the creative side of
our game. He'll receive a ball and he'll instinctively know where the
opposition player is, turn away from him and get through that barrier of
defence that the opposing team put up and then he runs at the back four. He
runs at them with pace and ability and that puts then on the backfoot and
drives their back four back into their own box. Then it's about the sort of
quality we need to find to open the opposition up.
As well as Mo Diame, the service from Matt Jarvis today was key and one of
the reasons why we got back in front. Johnson was causing us problems going
forward but Matt was causing Liverpool huge problems with his ability and
balls into the box which obviously paid dividends for us in the end. So
that's what we've lost and what we'll lose for a number of weeks. We'll have
to be a bit more dogged and resilient now with the players that we've got
having lost that creative side in midfield that we've had from Mo.
I know we're joking about passing medicals but everyone knows about the
interest in him. Have you maybe looked to secure him?
We'll he's only got a four-year contract... [laughs] There you go.
But there's a clause in his contract that everyone's talking about?
Well I don't know anything about the clause. Do you?
That's why I'm asking.
Whatever's in his contract, whatever there might be, the most disappointing
thing is I'd sooner have that aggravation in January with people trying to
get him than lose him for a period of time like eight to 12 weeks. I'm
guessing at the moment obviously because I'm not a medical man and the
medical lads can't tell. But in my experience - and I had a number of
hamstrings myself in my time, so I was quicker than people thought! - when
you go down like that you know you've really got one.
That would, for me, be a considerable period of time. You can work as hard
as you possibly can and reduce it by maybe seven to ten days or so, but that
would be the maximum. We'll wait until it settles down then we'll scan it
and find out exactly how big the damage is and move on from there.
We're trying to get the other players back - Yossi Benayoun, Vaz Te, Jack
Collison and Alou Diarra who we haven't seen. Andy Carroll as quick as we
can now, as well. That's really what the medical staff must focus on -
forget about everybody else, just focus on them and get them as fit as we
can because we're going to need them.
Are any of them close?
Well Yossi trained yesterday but still felt his knee slightly. George
[McCartney] came back yesterday as well so Yossi's probably the closest to
starting. Alou Diarra hasn't played a Premier League game yet, he hasn't
felt what it's like to play there so that would be difficult for him to go
into it in December having come back from a three-month injury lay-off.
To at least have the bodies back and bring them on from the substitutes
bench is going to be important to us - and focusing on getting Andy Carroll
back as quickly as we can. Jack Collison might be close in the next couple
of weeks to actually joining in and starting to be in the squad but he
hasn't kicked a ball since being in the play-off Final last year.
And what about Vaz Te?
Another three weeks, I think. Thank you.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diame facing extensive lay-off
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 9th December 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham midfielder Momo Diame could be out for up to three months after
tearing a hamstring against Liverpool this afternoon. The Senegalese
midfielder pulled up midway through the second half before being stretchered
off. And Sam Allardyce revealed after the game that Diame could be facing
"eight to twelve weeks" out as a result. Diame, who was instrumental in West
Ham taking a 2-1 lead in today's game will undergo a scan to determine the
extent of the injury tomorrow. West Ham were beaten 3-2.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Liverpool come from behind to beat West Ham 3-2 at Upton Park
Last Updated: December 9, 2012 7:23pm
SSN
Liverpool came from behind to stun West Ham 3-2 at Upton Park and move into
the top half of the Premier League. A second-half effort from ex-Hammer Joe
Cole and an unfortunate James Collins own goal turned the game around late
on for Brendan Rodgers' side. Another former West Ham man, Glen Johnson, had
given the visitors the lead with a superb strike but a Mark Noble penalty
and a Steven Gerrard own goal put the home side in front at the break.
Liverpool began the brighter and looked set to make light of the loss of the
suspended Luis Suarez with Jonjo Shelvey playing out of position as a
makeshift centre-forward.
Best of the Match
Man of the match: Mohamed Diame. Until his substitution through injury, the
West Ham midfielder was pulling all the strings and Liverpool looked
incapable of breaking the Hammers down. He was sorely missed and his
departure proved the catalyst for the Reds' comeback.
Goal of the match: Glen Johnson's opening strike was absolutely outrageous,
unleashing a stunning strike from 20 yards which nestled beautifully into
the top corner.
Moment of the match: Diame's injury and withdrawal really limited West Ham's
presence when going forward and as they sat back more, Liverpool were able
to carve out the opportunities they did to win the game.
Talking point: Liverpool prove they can win without Luis Suarez, could this
be a victory that inspires a much-needed winning run for the Reds?
Johnson, in particular, was causing Matt Jarvis real problems defensively
and the England right-back got his reward with the opening goal as he fired
a right-footed shot into the top corner. But West Ham had beaten Chelsea
last week after conceding the first goal and they seemed undeterred by the
setback as they pushed for an equaliser. That came when Joe Allen blocked a
fierce but wayward Mohamed Diame shot with his hand and referee Lee Probert
pointed to the spot. Noble converted the penalty in fine style with a
measured finish to the right of Pepe Reina and the momentum of the game had
shifted. So had the balance of power down the flanks as Jarvis began to
trouble Johnson in the opposite direction and it was a cross from the
£10million summer signing that provided West Ham's second. The Hammers took
a quick free-kick to Jarvis in a wide left position and he was allowed space
to curl in a right-footed cross that Gerrard could only divert with his head
past his own goalkeeper. With Carlton Cole leading the line well, West Ham
looked comfortable but it was his namesake Joe who came off the bench to
stun his old club with a neat left-footed finish on the turn. Fellow
substitute Jordan Henderson then whipped in a low cross that Shelvey and
Collins challenged for at the near post and the ball looped off the
defender's foot over the head of Jussi Jaaskelainen to complete a
topsy-turvy game and snatch all three points for the Reds.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame facing three months out after suffering
hamstring injury against Liverpool
Last Updated: December 9, 2012 8:43pm
SSN
West Ham fear midfielder Mohamed Diame will ruled out for up to three months
with a torn hamstring. Diame was hurt during Sunday's 3-2 defeat at home to
Liverpooland had to be stretchered off the pitch after pulling up near the
touchline with 17 minutes remaining. The Senegal international has been a
key player so far this season and it was after his premature exit that
Brendan Rodgers' side scored twice to complete a valuable fightback victory.
Diame will undergo medical tests but manager Sam Allardyce did not give a
positive early prognosis. "We will wait until it has settled down and then
scan it," Allardyce said. "But it does not take a medical expert to know it
is a serious hamstring tear when he falls and stopped the way he did. "I
would expect, in medical terms, for it to be a grade 3 (injury) and that
could be anything up to eight, 10 or 12 weeks. "(Diame) is about the start
and build-up of most of the creative side of our game. That is what we have
lost and what we will be missing for a number of weeks so we are going to
have to be a bit more dogged and resilient. "Mo (Diame) going off was
obviously a blow to the creative side of our game. He was in front of every
or most of the attacks we built so that was a blow. "We have got to take it
on the chin and I think we did the best we could and played as well as we
could and we are disappointed that we haven't got anything from it. "It is
disappointing to lose, but it is even more disappointing when your most
creative player leaves the field with what looks like a serious injury on
top of all the injuries we have got at the moment - so today has been
obviously more disappointing because we have lost Mo as well as losing."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce found defeat against Liverpool at Upton Park on Sunday 'hard
to take'
Last Updated: December 9, 2012 10:20pm
SSN
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce described Liverpool's winning goal at Upton
Park on Sunday as 'freaky'. The Hammers were beaten 3-2, with a James
Collins own goal 11 minutes from time sealing victory for the visitors. But
Allardyce said: "We have got to take it on the chin and I think we did the
best we could and played as well as we could and we are disappointed that we
haven't got anything from it. "It is disappointing to lose, but it is even
more disappointing when your most creative player (Mohamed Diame) leaves the
field with what looks like a serious injury. "The way we finished the last
30-35 minutes of the first half, unfortunately we didn't get to that tempo
and that level of quality and started to sit a little too deep after the
break. "I thought we had seen that out and we were going to come good at the
end like we normally do and maybe they would over-extend themselves and we
could hit them on the break and get a third. "To lose the second goal was a
bit of a sickener for us but I thought 'see it out today lads and if it is
not to be then let's get the draw and we move on'.
"But then to lose it to a freaky own goal is a little hard to take at the
minute."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diame KO hits Hammers
The Sun
Picture: RICHARD PELHAM
Published: 09th December 2012
WEST HAM fear midfielder Mohamed Diame could be out for up to 12 weeks with
a hamstring injury. Diame has been a key player for West Ham this season but
was forced off after 73 minutes in the 3-2 defeat to Liverpool. The
Senegalese star was taken off on a stretcher after pulling up near the
touchline. And Hammers boss Sam Allardyce said: "Not good, it does not take
a medical expert to know it is a serious hamstring tear when he falls and
stopped the way he did. "I would expect, in medical terms, for it to be a
grade three tear and that could be anything up to eight, 10 or 12 weeks."
Allardyce felt the loss of Diame could have been a factor in Liverpool's
comeback. WEST HAM manager reveals his star midfielder will be out for
around 12 weeks with a hamstring problem
He added: "Mo going off was obviously a blow to the creative side of our
game. "He was in front of every or most of the attacks we built so that was
a blow.
"We have got to take it on the chin and I think we did the best we could and
played as well as we could and we are disappointed that we haven't got
anything from it. "It is disappointing to lose but it is even more
disappointing when your most creative player leaves the field with what
looks like a serious injury on top of all the injuries we have got at the
moment. "So today has been obviously more disappointing because we have lost
Mo as well as losing."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Taking liberties! Joe Cole gets East End welcome, then only goes and scores!
The Mirror
9 Dec 2012 22:33
Prodigal sons of the East End are not always afforded the warm homecoming
Joe Cole enjoyed in the land of rhyming slang, as Liverpool won 3-2 at West
Ham.
When you cross the good people of West Ham, a pie and mash is worth two in
the mush – just ask Paul Ince and Frank Lampard. So Cole, his career
blighted by serious injury and with a great future behind him, would have
been gratified by the ovation on his entrance as a substitute for the
injured Jose Enrique. For 75 minutes, it looked as if his assignment on
familiar territory would prove as thankless as one of his last appearances
at Upton Park two years ago. After helping Chelsea lift the FA Cup against
Portsmouth at Wembley in 2010, Cole dashed across town to see his mate Kevin
Mitchell get wiped out inside three rounds by Aussie Michael Katsidis in a
world title fight. But just when we thought Cole's salad days were behind
him, an assured left-footed finish from Raheem Sterling's pass changed the
course of a thrilling game and jogged a few memories.
In keeping with the fashion of refusing to celebrate when you score against
your old club, Cole remembered to keep it real. "I've scored a few against
West Ham for Chelsea and never celebrated," he claimed. "But it's nice to
come back to your former club and win." Cole's first Premier League goal for
20 months, and the James Collins own goal which crowned Liverpool's
comeback, was like a cold shower the morning after a Christmas party for the
Hammers. At the end of a euphoric week in which they had beaten the European
Cup holders and were handed the keys to the Olympic stadium, they forgot to
take care of business on the pitch. Matchday compere Jeremy Nicholas also
lived to regret gently mocking England captain Steven Gerrard's own-goal
when it was replayed three times at half-time. "It was a good own-goal,
wasn't it?," he crowed. In the spirit of reciprocal appreciation, doubtless
he would agree that Joe Cole can still play a bit, can't he?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Monday, December 10
Saturday, December 8
Daily WHUFC News - 8th December 2012
Big Sam on Liverpool
WHUFC.com
The manager has spoken to the media ahead of Sunday's Barclays Premier
League visit of Liverpool
07.12.2012
Sam Allardyce has challenged his West Ham United side to reach the same
level of performance they attained in beating Chelsea last weekend when
Liverpool come to town. The Hammers go into Sunday's Barclays Premier League
fixture at the Boleyn Ground three places and three points above the Reds,
but Big Sam knows his players will not have it easy against Brendan Rodgers'
improving team. The manager shared his thoughts on a wide range of issues
during his pre-match press conference. To watch the press conference in
full, log in or subscribe to West Ham TV.
What have you made of Brendan Rodgers' start at Liverpool and what is your
take on Sunday's game?
SA - "I think it's all about having to cope with managing a club like
Liverpool which has a fantastic history and tradition. They now have a very
ambitious manager who will try to take them forward to the next level.
Brendan Rodgers is in the infancy of his reign and is just starting to get
his team playing and the results that he wants. I think it is more about his
results than the way his team is playing because it is a results-business
that we're in. I think it'll be a good game. We've looked at the situation
and from our point of view we're pleased that Luis Suarez is not playing
because he has been an outstanding centre forward in the Premier League this
season. Without him, they are not quite as big of a goal-scoring force as
they would be with him, so we want to take advantage of that on Sunday."
How do you think Brendan Rodgers has handled the pressure of managing a big
club like Liverpool?
SA - "I'm sure he will find it difficult, as every job is when you're taking
over at a new club. Everyone in Liverpool wants the club to get back to
where they think Liverpool should be - that's the expectation and that's
what he has got to try to deliver as quickly as he possibly can. I'm sure he
will continue to strengthen his team as quickly as he can."
Confidence must be flowing through your side after last weekend's victory
over Chelsea?
SA - "We all felt the euphoria of what we achieved last Saturday. Our
second-half performance was full of outstanding ability and we over-ran one
of the top teams in Europe. We hit such levels of performance in the second
half that it's now my job to sustain that because sustainability is the most
difficult thing to do in the Barclays Premier League. After performances
like that you can get a dip so it's my job to make sure we don't have a dip
after that type of performance because we'll need to be up there again to
beat a team like Liverpool. It's about the lads trying to maintain their
outstanding level from last weekend."
How pleased were you for Carlton Cole that he got his first goal of the
season against Chelsea?
SA - "It was a great comeback in terms of the fact he has waited patiently
and I think his performance overall, including the goal and the time he
scored it, was obviously a key element in us going on to win the game. I
hope he can carry it on and continue to score goals because that has been
one of our slight weaknesses - that our centre forwards haven't really
scored enough. Everyone else has because we're one of the best clubs for
sharing out goals in the Premier League. We've had lots of players scoring
goals (14 so far) but we've not had anybody rattling the goals in apart from
Kevin Nolan. Our great win came from clinical finishing and we want to
continue that if we can."
What have you made of Mohamed Diame's impact since his arrival and where
does he rank in terms of midfielders in the Barclays Premier League?
SA - "I think that he's improving since he has settled into a new
environment. With no disrespect to Wigan, who have been in the Barclays
Premier League a lot longer than we have, he has the pressure of a bigger
crowd and a bigger club and he's responded to that. I think it has made him
show his skills a little bit more. I think he has improved in his time with
us and I hope he continues to do that. Of course, he scored a really good
goal against Chelsea - not quite as the one he scored against Arsenal - so
if he can keep putting the finishing touches to some of his good midfield
play then we'll obviously have a very, very good player on our hands."
What is your reaction to West Ham United being made Highest-Ranked Bidder
for the Olympic Stadium?
SA - "I think it's outstanding news for the club for the future. I know
there is a long way to go but we're in the driving seat and I just hope they
can continue to move it forward and deliver what would be a fantastic venue
for the future of West Ham United. There is a wonderful atmosphere at Upton
Park but I think there will be a better one at the Olympic Stadium."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Van revved up for Reds
WHUFC.com
Modibo Maiga believes West Ham United can follow victory over Chelsea by
overcoming Liverpool on Sunday
07.12.2012
Modibo Maiga believes West Ham United can beat Liverpool on Sunday if they
can produce the same level of performance as they did in last weekend's win
over Chelsea. The Mali striker - nicknamed Van - netted his fourth goal in
claret and blue to secure the Hammers' 3-1 victory over Rafael Benitez's
side. The goal gave him a huge boost in confidence just six days after he
was replaced after just half-an-hour at Tottenham Hotspur. Giving his
first-ever interview in English, Maiga said West Ham would go into Sunday's
game believing they can net another victory over one of the Barclays Premier
League's established clubs. "I think we can get three points if we play the
same way we did in the second half against Chelsea because it was much
better," said the No11. "If we find the same level of performance against
Liverpool, it will be OK and no problem! "We are very happy because we had
lost two games and we came into a very important game and we won it. There
were very big celebrations after the game because we were playing against
Chelsea and it's not normal to beat Chelsea! We played a very good game in
the second half and scored three goals so we were very happy. "I had a big
chance and it was good for me and good for the team that I took it. It has
been a difficult time for me but I'm good. It was very important for my
confidence and the next game that I scored my goal."
Maiga also had words of support for fellow forwards Carlton Cole, who netted
his first goal of the season against Chelsea, and Andy Carroll, who faces a
spell on the sidelines with a knee injury. "Carlton put in a top
performance. I gave him big congratulations for his performance and I am
very happy for him. I wish Andy good luck with his injury and I hope he is
back soon." While Maiga's footballing fortunes are improving, so is his
English. Having arrived on these shores without a word of the language, the
25-year-old is now able to hold conversations with his team-mates. "English
is not a very hard language to learn like French, which is very, very hard.
It's going fine! Now, I can speak it slowly and not too much, but it is OK!"
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham v Liverpool
7 December 2012
Last updated at 13:27
By Simon Brotherton
Match of the Day commentator
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Upton Park Date: Sunday, 9 December
TEAM NEWS
West Ham are without their on-loan Liverpool striker Andy Carroll, who is
both injured and ineligible. George McCartney (ankle) and Yossi Benayoun
(knee) could make a return, but Ricardo Vaz Te, Jack Collison and Alou
Diarra are still injured.
Luis Suarez is suspended after accumulating five bookings, leaving Liverpool
without a recognised forward. Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey may be pushed higher
up the pitch, while Steven Gerrard will return after illness.
MATCH PREVIEW
West Ham will be feeling good about themselves going into this game after
that stirring second-half comeback win over Chelsea, and the news that they
are again the preferred new tenants for the Olympic Stadium. There's no
doubt Sam Allardyce's team have been the best of the promoted sides this
season. Eighth place on 22 points after 15 games is not only a bonus for
them, but a far cry from two years ago this week when they sat rock bottom
of the table with 12 points after 16 games.
Liverpool are three points behind their opponents in mid-table after a
recent run of just one defeat from the last 10 in the league, and the search
for greater consistency to go with the promise shown at times under Brendan
Rodgers is proving fruitful. A faulty plane engine left the team stranded in
Italy on Thursday night after the Europa League win over Udinese which
secured their progress to the knockout stages, but of greater disruption to
the team will be the absence of Suarez. His contribution this season has
been well documented with 10 goals in 15 appearances in the league, but the
biggest problem is that Rodgers doesn't have any other senior strikers
available to replace him. Liverpool are determined to prove they are more
than just their Uruguayan striker, of course, and have won four of the eight
Premier League matches he's missed since joining the club. But there's a
real lack of attacking alternatives at the moment, which could well lead to
midfielder Jonjo Shelvey - who is hardly free-scoring - playing further
forward.
West Ham have lost only once at home in the Premier League this season and
will be eager to get at Liverpool as they search for a big-name scalp for
the second week running. Liverpool arrive on the back of European success
and a win last week over Southampton, but they've managed just one away win
so far and the lack of striking options won't help their chances of securing
a second.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
In 32 Premier League matches between the clubs, Liverpool have won 19 and
West Ham just six.
West Ham's biggest league win against Liverpool at Upton Park came in
September 1930, a 7-0 victory. Liverpool's biggest league win at West Ham
was a 5-1 success in September 1965.
West Ham
The Hammers have not managed back-to-back wins in the league this season.
They have the fifth-best home record in the Premier League.
Sam Allardyce's side are the only team in the Premier League yet to concede
a headed goal this season.
They have yet to receive a red card this season.
Liverpool
The Reds have won five of 15 Premier League games this term.
Against Southampton, they attempted 19 shots on goal - their most in the
Premier League so far.
Luis Suarez has scored 10 league goals in 15 games, just one shy of last
season's Premier League total.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Julian Dicks Column: 7th December
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 7th December 2012
By: Julian Dicks
It's with great pleasure that we welcome West Ham United FC legend Julian
Dicks to KUMB.com. Julian shares his thoughts with the readers of Knees up
Mother Brown on a regular basis via his KUMB column, the latest of which
begins with JD's thoughts on the Olympic Stadium...
Stratford here we come
This week, West Ham were confirmed as 'preferred bidders' for the Olympic
Stadium. I love Upton Park, but football moves on. Hopefully for West Ham a
bigger ground equals more fans which means more money for us to compete with
the bigger teams and perhaps get better players in.
I think West Ham will find it difficult to attract 60,000 fans but one way
is to make it affordable for people. If you're looking at £30 for a family
of four, then fine. It's no good saying that tickets for a family are going
to cost £80 because it's just too much, many people can't afford it. If they
want to fill the stadium then they've got to make it as cheap as possible.
I think people will go if the tickets are cheap enough. I've got friends who
can't afford to go and watch them play because it's too expensive. So if you
say we've got seats that are ten quid poeple will go and watch it - even if
you're going to be quite a way from the pitch . Other than that, they're
never going to be able to watch a game.
Some people have left because the football was no good - and I'm going back
a few years now - but many can't afford to go. Others have got families now.
But it's not just about going to the game; you have to get there, the kids
want a programme plus something to eat and drink. Before you know it you've
done £150 - and some people don't earn that in a week.
Karren Brady's announcement that supporters will be polled was welcome, but
you get the impression that the board will go ahead regardless of the fans'
view. They've got an agenda and know what they want to do.
About 70 per cent of people I speak to don't want to go to the Olympic
Stadium; there's not too many who are in favour of it. David Gold might say
that 75 per cent are for it, but that's not the impression I get. Though
even if you've got a majority who don't want to go, the board will still go
ahead.
It's essential that plans for retractable seating are included. Running
tracks in the UK won't work; they might abroad but not in England because
the atmosphere is no good. The seats must go over the running track to give
the stadium an atmosphere.
When I played in front of the Chicken Run the fans could touch you on the
back. Everything was enclosed and the atmosphere at Upton Park was
fantastic. The atmosphere is not the same any more - so if you can imagine
being another 20, 30, 40 yards away the atmosphere's just not going to be
there.
Mixed results
Local derbies are all about the day, it's not about positions in the league.
West Ham didn't play very well at Tottenham and got beat. Quite simply, they
didn't turn up and that was a shame because those games are usually very
good.
Then they went to Old Trafford; you don't expect to get anything from there.
Unfortunately they got beat - and it doesn't really matter if its one-nil or
three or four-nil.
That brings us to Chelsea. I posted a message on Twitter saying that I
expected us to get something from the game because I always think that we
have a chance at home, regardless of who we play. I believe the same is
going to happen on Sunday and I expect us to get a result.
Claret & blue, through and through
Although I represented both clubs I'll be supporting West Ham on Sunday. I
was there for 11 years and only at Liverpool for a year - although I would
have been there for a bit longer had Graeme Souness stayed. I just didn't
get on with Roy Evans.
I had a fantastic time at Liverpool; it's a great club and the supporters
are fantastic. I still speak to some of the players now. But on Sunday I'll
be backing West Ham.
Although they'll be missing Luis Suarez - who is their main man up front -
on Sunday, Liverpool are still a good team with some good players and it's
not going to be easy for West Ham by any stretch of the imagination. But I
think if West Ham go about their job and replicate what they did in the
second half against Chelsea, they'll turn Liverpool over.
West Ham will be without Andy Carroll which means another chance for Carlton
Cole. Although he scored against Chelsea and did well, on previous occasions
when Andy's been out he's done nothing. He's got to step up to the plate if
he wants to keep Andy Carroll out of the team; he's got to score more goals
and he's got to work harder.
You've got to be Pingit to win it
Last week I played Fantasy Football at SkySports and this weekend I'll be
promoting Barclays' new app 'Pingit' which allows you to transfer money from
mobile to mobile. So there's no excuses any more if you're down the pub and
don't have any money - you can just 'Pingit' over!
This week I've been doing lots of interviews to promote the app, talking to
people like the Sun and the Mail Online - and I'll be down at West Ham for
the game against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon. There'll be a photo booth
there where fans can have their photo taken with me.
The photos are produced instantly, they come out straight away and I'll be
happy to sign them. I'll be there from two o'clock to half-past three and
it'll be nice to see some West Ham fans come in.
Looking back - the Bond scheme
A number of supporters are unhappy about the move to the Olympic Stadium and
that's led to whispers of possible protests from some quarters.
Twenty years ago the fans - under the banner of HISA (the Hammers Idependent
Supporters' Association) - took a stand against the board's plans to
implement a Bond scheme - which, if ratified would have left supporters
having to fork out sevral hundred pounds for the privelege of being able to
apply for a season ticket. Julian was the only player in the West Ham squad
to publically back the fans - which led to him landing himself in hot water
with the club...
They were asking people to fork out £975 to basically watch a load of sh*t.
You can't ask people to fork out that kind of money to watch crap football.
You could understand the frustration of the supporters; I think I was the
only player to come out in support of them.
I did an interview with The Sun and I got fined two weeks' wages by the club
for it. At the end of the day you're there to do a service and to stick up
for what's right - and for me, the Bond scheme was wrong.
I know Billy Bonds was against it as well, but as manager he couldn't say
anything. Not so long ago I did a Q&A with Billy and he confirmed then that
he was against it. I knew that he had been from the start, but I think that
was the first time he's come out and said anything publically.
When we played Everton at the end of February 1992, a supporter grabbed the
corner flag and planted it in the centre circle by way of protest. I've
actually met him a few times since! The first time he came up to me and
said, "you don't know me, do you?" and I said "no?" He said, "I was the
bloke who stuck the flag in the middle of the ground!"
The next home game was against Arsenal who were also protesting against
their own Bond scheme, but I remember the game for my battle with Perry
Groves. It seemed like every time he had the ball I was putting him up in
the air; he even asked George Graham if he could come off.
He does after-dinner speeches now - and he still refers to it!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kevin Nolan backs striker Carlton Cole to fill Andy Carroll void at West Ham
Last Updated: December 7, 2012 9:33am
SSN
West Ham United will not miss Andy Carroll as Carlton Cole is chomping at
the bit to prove himself, according to team-mate Kevin Nolan. On-loan
striker Carroll is facing a two-month lay-off after suffering a knee
ligament injury in the recent defeat at Manchester United. Cole was brought
into the side for last weekend's game against Chelsea and responded with a
goal in a 3-1 victory for the Hammers. Nolan is convinced that he will
carry on his fine form and ensure the absence of Carroll is not felt too
keenly. "Carlton has been chomping at the bit to get the chance to prove
himself. Hopefully his performance against Chelsea will be the standard he
sets himself," the midfielder said. "I'm sure there will be more of the same
coming up, so Andy will not be too missed for us."
West Ham will be looking to push on from a positive start to the season when
they take on Liverpool at Upton Park on Sunday.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham rely on Carlton Cole; Liverpool without suspended Luis Suarez
Last Updated: December 7, 2012 11:50am
SSN:
West Ham United will be aiming to maintain their impressive return to the
Premier League on Sunday against a Liverpool side looking to prove they can
cope without Luis Suarez. Sam Allardyce's side have collected 22 points from
their opening 15 games since winning promotion and recorded an excellent 3-1
home victory over Chelsea last weekend. Only Arsenal have beaten West Ham at
Upton Park this season and the hosts will be hoping to repeat the 3-1
victory over Liverpool in the club's last meeting in East London. Scott
Parker and Demba Ba were two of the goalscorers that day, but have since
moved on, while Liverpool's last win at West Ham was a 3-2 success back in
September 2009 which was secured by the now departed Fernando Torres and
Dirk Kuyt. Carlton Cole, who scored the last time the two clubs met, will be
given the chance to lead the line in the absence of Andy Carroll, who is on
loan from Liverpool, but would have been ineligible to play irrespective of
his current injury.
Liverpool have lost just once in 10 Premier League games, but have still
only won once on their travels this term and sit 11th in the table ahead of
the weekend's programme. A Suarez hat-trick earned that solitary away
triumph at Norwich, but the Uruguayan, who has scored over half of the Reds'
league goals, is missing through suspension.
West Ham
Last 6
3-1
1-0
3-1
1-1
0-1
0-0
West Ham boss Allardyce will welcome Yossi Benayoun back into his squad to
face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. The former Reds midfielder
missed the Hammers' 3-1 win over Chelsea as he was ineligible to appear
against his parent club. Andy Carroll (knee) could be missing for two months
but would not have been able to feature against Liverpool due to the terms
of his loan, whilst Ricardo Vaz Te (shoulder), Alou Diarra (thigh) and Jack
Collison (knee) are all definitely out.
Liverpool
Last 6
0-1
1-0
2-1
0-0
2-2
3-0
Liverpool striker Suarez is suspended for Sunday's trip to West Ham after
accumulating five bookings. Manager Brendan Rodgers has played midfielder
Jonjo Shelvey in a 'false nine' position before and could do so again as a
stop-gap with no other senior strikers fit. Captain Steven Gerrard, left out
of the Europa League squad which beat Udinese in Italy because of illness,
will be restored at Upton Park as will the rested Daniel Agger and Lucas
Leiva.
Opta Facts
Glen Johnson has had more shots without scoring than any other Premier
League player this season (24).
The last time Liverpool had fewer points from their opening 15 games was
1964-65 (based on three points for a win).
West Ham are the only team to have used three substitutions in every Premier
League game so far this term.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bigger Sam
The Sun
By TONY LITTLE
Published: 07th December 2012
SAM ALLARDYCE says West Ham's move to the Olympic Stadium could make them
bigger than Liverpool — but warned it could also become a "white elephant".
The Hammers moved a step closer to Stratford this week when they were named
the preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium by the London Legacy
Development Corporation. Big Sam knows first-hand how moving to a new
stadium can propel a club forward — after he oversaw Bolton's switch to the
state-of-the-art Reebok Stadium back in 1997. And the manager reckons his
current side could profit from swapping Upton Park for the 60,000-seater
plot two miles away at the Olympic Park. He said: "If you want to be one of
the big boys in this league, as great as Upton Park is, if you've got the
chance to move on you should. There's always a lot of disruption when a club
decides to move from a place with huge history. It's always going to be
upsetting for some of the many loyal supporters. "But when you look at what
happened at places like Bolton, I couldn't have built that sort of success
without those fantastic facilities.
"For me it's to try to build a new history. You never forget what's happened
before, it's instilled in the club, but you want to build a new history for
young fans. They want something to remember when they get older." Tomorrow's
opponents Liverpool have tried and failed to relocate from their
45,000-capacity home at Anfield — and have suffered the consequences. The
Reds currently rake in LESS THAN HALF what both Arsenal and Manchester
United make in matchday revenues over a season. And Allardyce thinks West
Ham would also overtake the Merseysiders, who have not added to their 18
English titles for 22 years, in revenue with a move to Stratford.
SAM ALLARDYCE is hoping to capitalise against Liverpool who are without
talismanic Uruguayan When asked whether West Ham could become bigger than
Liverpool with the switch, he said: "Technically, yes. "You have to judge a
football club on its revenue and its spending power. "The Olympic Park has
got a bigger facility and it could then create bigger revenues. If you
increase your spending power then you increase the size of your football
club." But Big Sam also had a stark warning for owners David Gold and David
Sullivan, who are desperate to get their feet under the table in Stratford.
The boss said: "I haven't been told how moving stadium might affect my
budget. But I would hope there's one thing you have to bear in mind. You
cannot build a white elephant. The white elephant would be a great stadium
but no team — disaster. "We have to manage our finances carefully because of
the over-riding debt at the football club. "I think the owners top that up
with their own wealth but somewhere down the line they'll want to create a
situation where that doesn't have to happen. "The long-term future is not
only a new stadium but a new training facility to go with it. Years of good
financial management are needed as well as success on the field." West Ham
are currently three points and three places above Liverpool in the table
after their memorable 3-1 win over Chelsea last weekend.
But they will be without on-loan Andy Carroll who is both injured and
ineligible against his parent club Liverpool.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A goal rush would be Andy for Carroll
The SUn
Exclusive
By GAVIN GLICKSMAN
Published: 07th December 2012
JULIAN DICKS reckons Andy Carroll will have a real battle on his hands to
earn a permanent switch to West Ham when he returns to fitness. England
international Carroll, 23, has netted just once for the Hammers since
joining on loan from Liverpool. He is currently sidelined with a knee injury
and is not expected to be back in action until the end of January. But Dicks
does not believe Sam Allardyce will ask club owners David Gold and David
Sullivan to splash the cash — unless Carroll enjoys a goal spree. The
Hammers legend told SunSport: "Andy has to do a lot more for West Ham to
keep him because he isn't going to come cheap. "I just think we need someone
who can score 20 goals a season — and I really can't see him doing that. "In
terms of his all-round game, he is good enough, but I still expect more from
him." Although Dicks is not convinced Carroll's future lies at Upton Park,
he claims the hitman could come good alongside the right strike partner. The
former left-back added: "I like him. He's a big, powerful striker who is
great in the air and takes two or three players with him when he's playing,
giving his team-mates more time and space. "But the key thing, which he
doesn't have on his side, is time. "It was never going to be a case of him
coming into West Ham and immediately scoring a goal a game. "The best
strikers we've seen in the Premier League, such as Alan Shearer and Robbie
Fowler, even they went through goal droughts. "But you always knew it was
going to be just a matter of time before they would score — and score
consistently. "With Andy, he's going to find the net, but it's the
consistency he needs to work on." Carroll's absence has given Carlton Cole
another chance to shine. He responded by netting in last weekend's 3-1 win
over Chelsea and will lead the line again when Liverpool travel to East
London tomorrow.
But Dicks does not believe the ex-Blues forward is the long-term solution to
West Ham's goal needs. He said: "When Andy arrived, it probably put
Carlton's nose out of joint a little bit. "He came in to replace Andy the
first time he got injured and didn't do a very good job, but he was good
against Chelsea. "If Carlton's scoring goals, he'll keep Andy out of the
side when he returns. "With that said, I don't think Carlton's lived up to
expectations at West Ham at all.
"He's a big, powerful fella and some days when I've watched him he's been
unplayable. When he's got the bit between his teeth, you can't stop him.
"But at other times, it looks like he's never kicked a football in his
life." With all the assets required to be one of the league's most feared
hitmen, Cole should have a reputation as one of the best goalscorers to pull
on a Hammers shirt. And Dicks reckons a lack of self-belief could be behind
the 29-year-old's erratic performances. He said: "For me, it just comes down
to your own belief and your ability. "When I was playing, I always believed
I was the best in my position and was always ready to go out and give 110
per cent. "Today's players simply don't graft as much."
With Big Sam's men currently riding high in eighth, Dicks is delighted to
see his old side doing so well in their first campaign back in the top
flight. Avoiding an immediate return to the Championship was undoubtedly
Allardyce's brief at the start of the season, but 44-year-old Dicks believes
the Hammers are capable of finishing mid-table or better. He added: "As Sam
said, the 'West Ham way' has resulted in the club getting relegated in the
past, so I'd prefer to play his way and do well than play nice football and
go down. "To be perfectly honest, I always believed West Ham would stay up
this season anyway. I genuinely think they'll finish halfway up the table
and the games I've seen so far back that up. "As I say, we've exceeded
expectations. Getting a draw against Manchester City, going to Newcastle and
winning — which not many clubs do — and then giving Chelsea a thumping. "I
wasn't surprised by the Chelsea result. At home, we've always got a chance
of winning, regardless of whether it's against your Manchester Uniteds,
Chelseas or Tottenhams."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
The manager has spoken to the media ahead of Sunday's Barclays Premier
League visit of Liverpool
07.12.2012
Sam Allardyce has challenged his West Ham United side to reach the same
level of performance they attained in beating Chelsea last weekend when
Liverpool come to town. The Hammers go into Sunday's Barclays Premier League
fixture at the Boleyn Ground three places and three points above the Reds,
but Big Sam knows his players will not have it easy against Brendan Rodgers'
improving team. The manager shared his thoughts on a wide range of issues
during his pre-match press conference. To watch the press conference in
full, log in or subscribe to West Ham TV.
What have you made of Brendan Rodgers' start at Liverpool and what is your
take on Sunday's game?
SA - "I think it's all about having to cope with managing a club like
Liverpool which has a fantastic history and tradition. They now have a very
ambitious manager who will try to take them forward to the next level.
Brendan Rodgers is in the infancy of his reign and is just starting to get
his team playing and the results that he wants. I think it is more about his
results than the way his team is playing because it is a results-business
that we're in. I think it'll be a good game. We've looked at the situation
and from our point of view we're pleased that Luis Suarez is not playing
because he has been an outstanding centre forward in the Premier League this
season. Without him, they are not quite as big of a goal-scoring force as
they would be with him, so we want to take advantage of that on Sunday."
How do you think Brendan Rodgers has handled the pressure of managing a big
club like Liverpool?
SA - "I'm sure he will find it difficult, as every job is when you're taking
over at a new club. Everyone in Liverpool wants the club to get back to
where they think Liverpool should be - that's the expectation and that's
what he has got to try to deliver as quickly as he possibly can. I'm sure he
will continue to strengthen his team as quickly as he can."
Confidence must be flowing through your side after last weekend's victory
over Chelsea?
SA - "We all felt the euphoria of what we achieved last Saturday. Our
second-half performance was full of outstanding ability and we over-ran one
of the top teams in Europe. We hit such levels of performance in the second
half that it's now my job to sustain that because sustainability is the most
difficult thing to do in the Barclays Premier League. After performances
like that you can get a dip so it's my job to make sure we don't have a dip
after that type of performance because we'll need to be up there again to
beat a team like Liverpool. It's about the lads trying to maintain their
outstanding level from last weekend."
How pleased were you for Carlton Cole that he got his first goal of the
season against Chelsea?
SA - "It was a great comeback in terms of the fact he has waited patiently
and I think his performance overall, including the goal and the time he
scored it, was obviously a key element in us going on to win the game. I
hope he can carry it on and continue to score goals because that has been
one of our slight weaknesses - that our centre forwards haven't really
scored enough. Everyone else has because we're one of the best clubs for
sharing out goals in the Premier League. We've had lots of players scoring
goals (14 so far) but we've not had anybody rattling the goals in apart from
Kevin Nolan. Our great win came from clinical finishing and we want to
continue that if we can."
What have you made of Mohamed Diame's impact since his arrival and where
does he rank in terms of midfielders in the Barclays Premier League?
SA - "I think that he's improving since he has settled into a new
environment. With no disrespect to Wigan, who have been in the Barclays
Premier League a lot longer than we have, he has the pressure of a bigger
crowd and a bigger club and he's responded to that. I think it has made him
show his skills a little bit more. I think he has improved in his time with
us and I hope he continues to do that. Of course, he scored a really good
goal against Chelsea - not quite as the one he scored against Arsenal - so
if he can keep putting the finishing touches to some of his good midfield
play then we'll obviously have a very, very good player on our hands."
What is your reaction to West Ham United being made Highest-Ranked Bidder
for the Olympic Stadium?
SA - "I think it's outstanding news for the club for the future. I know
there is a long way to go but we're in the driving seat and I just hope they
can continue to move it forward and deliver what would be a fantastic venue
for the future of West Ham United. There is a wonderful atmosphere at Upton
Park but I think there will be a better one at the Olympic Stadium."
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Van revved up for Reds
WHUFC.com
Modibo Maiga believes West Ham United can follow victory over Chelsea by
overcoming Liverpool on Sunday
07.12.2012
Modibo Maiga believes West Ham United can beat Liverpool on Sunday if they
can produce the same level of performance as they did in last weekend's win
over Chelsea. The Mali striker - nicknamed Van - netted his fourth goal in
claret and blue to secure the Hammers' 3-1 victory over Rafael Benitez's
side. The goal gave him a huge boost in confidence just six days after he
was replaced after just half-an-hour at Tottenham Hotspur. Giving his
first-ever interview in English, Maiga said West Ham would go into Sunday's
game believing they can net another victory over one of the Barclays Premier
League's established clubs. "I think we can get three points if we play the
same way we did in the second half against Chelsea because it was much
better," said the No11. "If we find the same level of performance against
Liverpool, it will be OK and no problem! "We are very happy because we had
lost two games and we came into a very important game and we won it. There
were very big celebrations after the game because we were playing against
Chelsea and it's not normal to beat Chelsea! We played a very good game in
the second half and scored three goals so we were very happy. "I had a big
chance and it was good for me and good for the team that I took it. It has
been a difficult time for me but I'm good. It was very important for my
confidence and the next game that I scored my goal."
Maiga also had words of support for fellow forwards Carlton Cole, who netted
his first goal of the season against Chelsea, and Andy Carroll, who faces a
spell on the sidelines with a knee injury. "Carlton put in a top
performance. I gave him big congratulations for his performance and I am
very happy for him. I wish Andy good luck with his injury and I hope he is
back soon." While Maiga's footballing fortunes are improving, so is his
English. Having arrived on these shores without a word of the language, the
25-year-old is now able to hold conversations with his team-mates. "English
is not a very hard language to learn like French, which is very, very hard.
It's going fine! Now, I can speak it slowly and not too much, but it is OK!"
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham v Liverpool
7 December 2012
Last updated at 13:27
By Simon Brotherton
Match of the Day commentator
BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Upton Park Date: Sunday, 9 December
TEAM NEWS
West Ham are without their on-loan Liverpool striker Andy Carroll, who is
both injured and ineligible. George McCartney (ankle) and Yossi Benayoun
(knee) could make a return, but Ricardo Vaz Te, Jack Collison and Alou
Diarra are still injured.
Luis Suarez is suspended after accumulating five bookings, leaving Liverpool
without a recognised forward. Midfielder Jonjo Shelvey may be pushed higher
up the pitch, while Steven Gerrard will return after illness.
MATCH PREVIEW
West Ham will be feeling good about themselves going into this game after
that stirring second-half comeback win over Chelsea, and the news that they
are again the preferred new tenants for the Olympic Stadium. There's no
doubt Sam Allardyce's team have been the best of the promoted sides this
season. Eighth place on 22 points after 15 games is not only a bonus for
them, but a far cry from two years ago this week when they sat rock bottom
of the table with 12 points after 16 games.
Liverpool are three points behind their opponents in mid-table after a
recent run of just one defeat from the last 10 in the league, and the search
for greater consistency to go with the promise shown at times under Brendan
Rodgers is proving fruitful. A faulty plane engine left the team stranded in
Italy on Thursday night after the Europa League win over Udinese which
secured their progress to the knockout stages, but of greater disruption to
the team will be the absence of Suarez. His contribution this season has
been well documented with 10 goals in 15 appearances in the league, but the
biggest problem is that Rodgers doesn't have any other senior strikers
available to replace him. Liverpool are determined to prove they are more
than just their Uruguayan striker, of course, and have won four of the eight
Premier League matches he's missed since joining the club. But there's a
real lack of attacking alternatives at the moment, which could well lead to
midfielder Jonjo Shelvey - who is hardly free-scoring - playing further
forward.
West Ham have lost only once at home in the Premier League this season and
will be eager to get at Liverpool as they search for a big-name scalp for
the second week running. Liverpool arrive on the back of European success
and a win last week over Southampton, but they've managed just one away win
so far and the lack of striking options won't help their chances of securing
a second.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
In 32 Premier League matches between the clubs, Liverpool have won 19 and
West Ham just six.
West Ham's biggest league win against Liverpool at Upton Park came in
September 1930, a 7-0 victory. Liverpool's biggest league win at West Ham
was a 5-1 success in September 1965.
West Ham
The Hammers have not managed back-to-back wins in the league this season.
They have the fifth-best home record in the Premier League.
Sam Allardyce's side are the only team in the Premier League yet to concede
a headed goal this season.
They have yet to receive a red card this season.
Liverpool
The Reds have won five of 15 Premier League games this term.
Against Southampton, they attempted 19 shots on goal - their most in the
Premier League so far.
Luis Suarez has scored 10 league goals in 15 games, just one shy of last
season's Premier League total.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The Julian Dicks Column: 7th December
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 7th December 2012
By: Julian Dicks
It's with great pleasure that we welcome West Ham United FC legend Julian
Dicks to KUMB.com. Julian shares his thoughts with the readers of Knees up
Mother Brown on a regular basis via his KUMB column, the latest of which
begins with JD's thoughts on the Olympic Stadium...
Stratford here we come
This week, West Ham were confirmed as 'preferred bidders' for the Olympic
Stadium. I love Upton Park, but football moves on. Hopefully for West Ham a
bigger ground equals more fans which means more money for us to compete with
the bigger teams and perhaps get better players in.
I think West Ham will find it difficult to attract 60,000 fans but one way
is to make it affordable for people. If you're looking at £30 for a family
of four, then fine. It's no good saying that tickets for a family are going
to cost £80 because it's just too much, many people can't afford it. If they
want to fill the stadium then they've got to make it as cheap as possible.
I think people will go if the tickets are cheap enough. I've got friends who
can't afford to go and watch them play because it's too expensive. So if you
say we've got seats that are ten quid poeple will go and watch it - even if
you're going to be quite a way from the pitch . Other than that, they're
never going to be able to watch a game.
Some people have left because the football was no good - and I'm going back
a few years now - but many can't afford to go. Others have got families now.
But it's not just about going to the game; you have to get there, the kids
want a programme plus something to eat and drink. Before you know it you've
done £150 - and some people don't earn that in a week.
Karren Brady's announcement that supporters will be polled was welcome, but
you get the impression that the board will go ahead regardless of the fans'
view. They've got an agenda and know what they want to do.
About 70 per cent of people I speak to don't want to go to the Olympic
Stadium; there's not too many who are in favour of it. David Gold might say
that 75 per cent are for it, but that's not the impression I get. Though
even if you've got a majority who don't want to go, the board will still go
ahead.
It's essential that plans for retractable seating are included. Running
tracks in the UK won't work; they might abroad but not in England because
the atmosphere is no good. The seats must go over the running track to give
the stadium an atmosphere.
When I played in front of the Chicken Run the fans could touch you on the
back. Everything was enclosed and the atmosphere at Upton Park was
fantastic. The atmosphere is not the same any more - so if you can imagine
being another 20, 30, 40 yards away the atmosphere's just not going to be
there.
Mixed results
Local derbies are all about the day, it's not about positions in the league.
West Ham didn't play very well at Tottenham and got beat. Quite simply, they
didn't turn up and that was a shame because those games are usually very
good.
Then they went to Old Trafford; you don't expect to get anything from there.
Unfortunately they got beat - and it doesn't really matter if its one-nil or
three or four-nil.
That brings us to Chelsea. I posted a message on Twitter saying that I
expected us to get something from the game because I always think that we
have a chance at home, regardless of who we play. I believe the same is
going to happen on Sunday and I expect us to get a result.
Claret & blue, through and through
Although I represented both clubs I'll be supporting West Ham on Sunday. I
was there for 11 years and only at Liverpool for a year - although I would
have been there for a bit longer had Graeme Souness stayed. I just didn't
get on with Roy Evans.
I had a fantastic time at Liverpool; it's a great club and the supporters
are fantastic. I still speak to some of the players now. But on Sunday I'll
be backing West Ham.
Although they'll be missing Luis Suarez - who is their main man up front -
on Sunday, Liverpool are still a good team with some good players and it's
not going to be easy for West Ham by any stretch of the imagination. But I
think if West Ham go about their job and replicate what they did in the
second half against Chelsea, they'll turn Liverpool over.
West Ham will be without Andy Carroll which means another chance for Carlton
Cole. Although he scored against Chelsea and did well, on previous occasions
when Andy's been out he's done nothing. He's got to step up to the plate if
he wants to keep Andy Carroll out of the team; he's got to score more goals
and he's got to work harder.
You've got to be Pingit to win it
Last week I played Fantasy Football at SkySports and this weekend I'll be
promoting Barclays' new app 'Pingit' which allows you to transfer money from
mobile to mobile. So there's no excuses any more if you're down the pub and
don't have any money - you can just 'Pingit' over!
This week I've been doing lots of interviews to promote the app, talking to
people like the Sun and the Mail Online - and I'll be down at West Ham for
the game against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon. There'll be a photo booth
there where fans can have their photo taken with me.
The photos are produced instantly, they come out straight away and I'll be
happy to sign them. I'll be there from two o'clock to half-past three and
it'll be nice to see some West Ham fans come in.
Looking back - the Bond scheme
A number of supporters are unhappy about the move to the Olympic Stadium and
that's led to whispers of possible protests from some quarters.
Twenty years ago the fans - under the banner of HISA (the Hammers Idependent
Supporters' Association) - took a stand against the board's plans to
implement a Bond scheme - which, if ratified would have left supporters
having to fork out sevral hundred pounds for the privelege of being able to
apply for a season ticket. Julian was the only player in the West Ham squad
to publically back the fans - which led to him landing himself in hot water
with the club...
They were asking people to fork out £975 to basically watch a load of sh*t.
You can't ask people to fork out that kind of money to watch crap football.
You could understand the frustration of the supporters; I think I was the
only player to come out in support of them.
I did an interview with The Sun and I got fined two weeks' wages by the club
for it. At the end of the day you're there to do a service and to stick up
for what's right - and for me, the Bond scheme was wrong.
I know Billy Bonds was against it as well, but as manager he couldn't say
anything. Not so long ago I did a Q&A with Billy and he confirmed then that
he was against it. I knew that he had been from the start, but I think that
was the first time he's come out and said anything publically.
When we played Everton at the end of February 1992, a supporter grabbed the
corner flag and planted it in the centre circle by way of protest. I've
actually met him a few times since! The first time he came up to me and
said, "you don't know me, do you?" and I said "no?" He said, "I was the
bloke who stuck the flag in the middle of the ground!"
The next home game was against Arsenal who were also protesting against
their own Bond scheme, but I remember the game for my battle with Perry
Groves. It seemed like every time he had the ball I was putting him up in
the air; he even asked George Graham if he could come off.
He does after-dinner speeches now - and he still refers to it!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kevin Nolan backs striker Carlton Cole to fill Andy Carroll void at West Ham
Last Updated: December 7, 2012 9:33am
SSN
West Ham United will not miss Andy Carroll as Carlton Cole is chomping at
the bit to prove himself, according to team-mate Kevin Nolan. On-loan
striker Carroll is facing a two-month lay-off after suffering a knee
ligament injury in the recent defeat at Manchester United. Cole was brought
into the side for last weekend's game against Chelsea and responded with a
goal in a 3-1 victory for the Hammers. Nolan is convinced that he will
carry on his fine form and ensure the absence of Carroll is not felt too
keenly. "Carlton has been chomping at the bit to get the chance to prove
himself. Hopefully his performance against Chelsea will be the standard he
sets himself," the midfielder said. "I'm sure there will be more of the same
coming up, so Andy will not be too missed for us."
West Ham will be looking to push on from a positive start to the season when
they take on Liverpool at Upton Park on Sunday.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham rely on Carlton Cole; Liverpool without suspended Luis Suarez
Last Updated: December 7, 2012 11:50am
SSN:
West Ham United will be aiming to maintain their impressive return to the
Premier League on Sunday against a Liverpool side looking to prove they can
cope without Luis Suarez. Sam Allardyce's side have collected 22 points from
their opening 15 games since winning promotion and recorded an excellent 3-1
home victory over Chelsea last weekend. Only Arsenal have beaten West Ham at
Upton Park this season and the hosts will be hoping to repeat the 3-1
victory over Liverpool in the club's last meeting in East London. Scott
Parker and Demba Ba were two of the goalscorers that day, but have since
moved on, while Liverpool's last win at West Ham was a 3-2 success back in
September 2009 which was secured by the now departed Fernando Torres and
Dirk Kuyt. Carlton Cole, who scored the last time the two clubs met, will be
given the chance to lead the line in the absence of Andy Carroll, who is on
loan from Liverpool, but would have been ineligible to play irrespective of
his current injury.
Liverpool have lost just once in 10 Premier League games, but have still
only won once on their travels this term and sit 11th in the table ahead of
the weekend's programme. A Suarez hat-trick earned that solitary away
triumph at Norwich, but the Uruguayan, who has scored over half of the Reds'
league goals, is missing through suspension.
West Ham
Last 6
3-1
1-0
3-1
1-1
0-1
0-0
West Ham boss Allardyce will welcome Yossi Benayoun back into his squad to
face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday. The former Reds midfielder
missed the Hammers' 3-1 win over Chelsea as he was ineligible to appear
against his parent club. Andy Carroll (knee) could be missing for two months
but would not have been able to feature against Liverpool due to the terms
of his loan, whilst Ricardo Vaz Te (shoulder), Alou Diarra (thigh) and Jack
Collison (knee) are all definitely out.
Liverpool
Last 6
0-1
1-0
2-1
0-0
2-2
3-0
Liverpool striker Suarez is suspended for Sunday's trip to West Ham after
accumulating five bookings. Manager Brendan Rodgers has played midfielder
Jonjo Shelvey in a 'false nine' position before and could do so again as a
stop-gap with no other senior strikers fit. Captain Steven Gerrard, left out
of the Europa League squad which beat Udinese in Italy because of illness,
will be restored at Upton Park as will the rested Daniel Agger and Lucas
Leiva.
Opta Facts
Glen Johnson has had more shots without scoring than any other Premier
League player this season (24).
The last time Liverpool had fewer points from their opening 15 games was
1964-65 (based on three points for a win).
West Ham are the only team to have used three substitutions in every Premier
League game so far this term.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bigger Sam
The Sun
By TONY LITTLE
Published: 07th December 2012
SAM ALLARDYCE says West Ham's move to the Olympic Stadium could make them
bigger than Liverpool — but warned it could also become a "white elephant".
The Hammers moved a step closer to Stratford this week when they were named
the preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium by the London Legacy
Development Corporation. Big Sam knows first-hand how moving to a new
stadium can propel a club forward — after he oversaw Bolton's switch to the
state-of-the-art Reebok Stadium back in 1997. And the manager reckons his
current side could profit from swapping Upton Park for the 60,000-seater
plot two miles away at the Olympic Park. He said: "If you want to be one of
the big boys in this league, as great as Upton Park is, if you've got the
chance to move on you should. There's always a lot of disruption when a club
decides to move from a place with huge history. It's always going to be
upsetting for some of the many loyal supporters. "But when you look at what
happened at places like Bolton, I couldn't have built that sort of success
without those fantastic facilities.
"For me it's to try to build a new history. You never forget what's happened
before, it's instilled in the club, but you want to build a new history for
young fans. They want something to remember when they get older." Tomorrow's
opponents Liverpool have tried and failed to relocate from their
45,000-capacity home at Anfield — and have suffered the consequences. The
Reds currently rake in LESS THAN HALF what both Arsenal and Manchester
United make in matchday revenues over a season. And Allardyce thinks West
Ham would also overtake the Merseysiders, who have not added to their 18
English titles for 22 years, in revenue with a move to Stratford.
SAM ALLARDYCE is hoping to capitalise against Liverpool who are without
talismanic Uruguayan When asked whether West Ham could become bigger than
Liverpool with the switch, he said: "Technically, yes. "You have to judge a
football club on its revenue and its spending power. "The Olympic Park has
got a bigger facility and it could then create bigger revenues. If you
increase your spending power then you increase the size of your football
club." But Big Sam also had a stark warning for owners David Gold and David
Sullivan, who are desperate to get their feet under the table in Stratford.
The boss said: "I haven't been told how moving stadium might affect my
budget. But I would hope there's one thing you have to bear in mind. You
cannot build a white elephant. The white elephant would be a great stadium
but no team — disaster. "We have to manage our finances carefully because of
the over-riding debt at the football club. "I think the owners top that up
with their own wealth but somewhere down the line they'll want to create a
situation where that doesn't have to happen. "The long-term future is not
only a new stadium but a new training facility to go with it. Years of good
financial management are needed as well as success on the field." West Ham
are currently three points and three places above Liverpool in the table
after their memorable 3-1 win over Chelsea last weekend.
But they will be without on-loan Andy Carroll who is both injured and
ineligible against his parent club Liverpool.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A goal rush would be Andy for Carroll
The SUn
Exclusive
By GAVIN GLICKSMAN
Published: 07th December 2012
JULIAN DICKS reckons Andy Carroll will have a real battle on his hands to
earn a permanent switch to West Ham when he returns to fitness. England
international Carroll, 23, has netted just once for the Hammers since
joining on loan from Liverpool. He is currently sidelined with a knee injury
and is not expected to be back in action until the end of January. But Dicks
does not believe Sam Allardyce will ask club owners David Gold and David
Sullivan to splash the cash — unless Carroll enjoys a goal spree. The
Hammers legend told SunSport: "Andy has to do a lot more for West Ham to
keep him because he isn't going to come cheap. "I just think we need someone
who can score 20 goals a season — and I really can't see him doing that. "In
terms of his all-round game, he is good enough, but I still expect more from
him." Although Dicks is not convinced Carroll's future lies at Upton Park,
he claims the hitman could come good alongside the right strike partner. The
former left-back added: "I like him. He's a big, powerful striker who is
great in the air and takes two or three players with him when he's playing,
giving his team-mates more time and space. "But the key thing, which he
doesn't have on his side, is time. "It was never going to be a case of him
coming into West Ham and immediately scoring a goal a game. "The best
strikers we've seen in the Premier League, such as Alan Shearer and Robbie
Fowler, even they went through goal droughts. "But you always knew it was
going to be just a matter of time before they would score — and score
consistently. "With Andy, he's going to find the net, but it's the
consistency he needs to work on." Carroll's absence has given Carlton Cole
another chance to shine. He responded by netting in last weekend's 3-1 win
over Chelsea and will lead the line again when Liverpool travel to East
London tomorrow.
But Dicks does not believe the ex-Blues forward is the long-term solution to
West Ham's goal needs. He said: "When Andy arrived, it probably put
Carlton's nose out of joint a little bit. "He came in to replace Andy the
first time he got injured and didn't do a very good job, but he was good
against Chelsea. "If Carlton's scoring goals, he'll keep Andy out of the
side when he returns. "With that said, I don't think Carlton's lived up to
expectations at West Ham at all.
"He's a big, powerful fella and some days when I've watched him he's been
unplayable. When he's got the bit between his teeth, you can't stop him.
"But at other times, it looks like he's never kicked a football in his
life." With all the assets required to be one of the league's most feared
hitmen, Cole should have a reputation as one of the best goalscorers to pull
on a Hammers shirt. And Dicks reckons a lack of self-belief could be behind
the 29-year-old's erratic performances. He said: "For me, it just comes down
to your own belief and your ability. "When I was playing, I always believed
I was the best in my position and was always ready to go out and give 110
per cent. "Today's players simply don't graft as much."
With Big Sam's men currently riding high in eighth, Dicks is delighted to
see his old side doing so well in their first campaign back in the top
flight. Avoiding an immediate return to the Championship was undoubtedly
Allardyce's brief at the start of the season, but 44-year-old Dicks believes
the Hammers are capable of finishing mid-table or better. He added: "As Sam
said, the 'West Ham way' has resulted in the club getting relegated in the
past, so I'd prefer to play his way and do well than play nice football and
go down. "To be perfectly honest, I always believed West Ham would stay up
this season anyway. I genuinely think they'll finish halfway up the table
and the games I've seen so far back that up. "As I say, we've exceeded
expectations. Getting a draw against Manchester City, going to Newcastle and
winning — which not many clubs do — and then giving Chelsea a thumping. "I
wasn't surprised by the Chelsea result. At home, we've always got a chance
of winning, regardless of whether it's against your Manchester Uniteds,
Chelseas or Tottenhams."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, December 7
Daily WHUFC News - 7th December 2012
Turgott targeting Arsenal appearance
WHUFC.com
Blair Turgott is aiming for a starting place when Bradford City entertain
Arsenal in the League Cup
06.12.2012
Back in September, Blair Turgott scored in West Ham United's 4-1 Barclays
U21 Premier League victory over Arsenal. On Tuesday, the 18-year-old is
hoping to take aim at the Gunners first team when Bradford City host Arsene
Wenger's side in the Capital One Cup quarter-finals. Turgott, who made his
Bantams debut in a 1-1 FA Cup second-round draw against Brentford last
weekend, is desperate to be involved when Arsenal visit Valley Parade next
Tuesday evening.
"I am able to play against Arsenal under the terms of my loan and of course
I'd love to be involved," the Bradford No26 confirmed. "We have had a couple
of games this week and I just hope that I will have played well enough to
get the nod from the manager."
The England Under-19 international winger won praise from Bradford
supporters for his fine display on his debut, when his dribbling and
crossing helped the npower League Two promotion-chasers gain a creditable
draw with League One high-fliers Brentford. "It was good," he confirmed. "It
was something different and a great game to play in. Personally, I thought I
worked myself into the game and felt more and more comfortable as it went
on. I felt I did well considering it was my first game. "When I got the ball
I did my best to be positive with it and went at their players and our team
did their best to get me the ball. I showed glimpses of what I can do."
Turgott has been made to feel welcome by Bradford manager Phil Parkinson and
his new team-mates - including former Hammers Zavon Hines and Kyel Reid.
"The gaffer has made me feel welcome and has been talking to me quite a lot
about how he thought I did on my debut. "I know Kyel and Zav from their time
at West Ham. Zav came around when I first arrived in Bradford and he has
made me feel welcome. He's been brilliant showing me around. "All of the
boys have welcomed me, to be fair. You can tell that the team has been
winning matches because everyone is buzzing."
While Turgott's focus is on Bradford, he will be taking a close interest in
Saturday's game at the Boleyn Ground. Not only could a number of his
Development Squad team-mates be involved in the Hammers' matchday squad, but
he is also close friends with Livepool winger Raheem Sterling. Turgott and
Sterling have long been England team-mates, playing alongside him at the
2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico. "I get on well with Raheem and we're
really good friends. He has played a big part for Liverpool this season so
far. I am surprised he has progressed to their first team so fast, but their
manager has put faith in him and he has not looked out of place. "He was
feeling his way in at the start of the season but now he is playing his
usual game. You can see that the other players respect him because they are
always trying to get him the ball."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Brady statement given thumbs-up
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 6th December 2012
By: Staff Writer
Supporters have welcomed a statement by vice-chair Karren Brady confirming
that the consultation process with fans will step up a gear now that the
club have been formally named as 'preferred bidders' for the Olympic
Stadium.
London mayor Boris Johnson formerly announced yesterday lunchtime that West
Ham United had been unanimously voted highest-ranked bidder by the London
Legacy Development Corporation for tenancy of the stadium.
Naturally, the news was welcomed by the board of West Ham United who have
worked diligently over the past two years to win the right to move the club
two miles across the borough of Newham to Startford.
Yet despite the club's delight, it has long been a bone of contention with a
great number of supporters that the owners have failed to fully engage the
fan base with view to the move.
Although a Supporters' Advisory Board was created and consulted at various
stages, at no point have all season ticket holders been asked for their view
- something that has angered many fans.
However that is all set to change according to Brady, who revealed after
Johnson's announcement that "a more intensive consultation process will
commence immediately".
Addressing the club's fanbase, Brady wrote: "We have been given assurances
that our full vision for a world-class stadium will be realised and we
cannot wait for you to be able to see this for yourselves.
"We, like you, have been frustrated by the constraints upon us in terms of
our ability to share our plans and can assure you that we will now share
full details as soon as we are able to.
"As part of this we stand by our commitment to conduct full supporter
consultation regarding the move, including the polling of supporters. You
can be confident that wherever there is an opportunity for West Ham to input
in the decisions going forward, our supporters will be at the forefront.
"We have already taken the first step towards this by calling an emergency
meeting of our Supporter Advisory Board on Tuesday 11th December to advise
on the best methods to consult the wider support base going forward.
"Our absolute priority is to take you on this fantastic journey with us, to
consult with you and ensure you are a part of it every step of the way. We
have high ambitions for West Ham United and will seek your full input to
ensure this iconic world-class stadium becomes a true home for our club, our
proud heritage and you, our deserving and loyal fans."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Guy calls it a day
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 6th December 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United full back Guy Demel has announced his retirement from
international football so that he may concentrate on his club career. The
31-year-old Ivory Coast defender was lined up to travel with his national
squad to the African Cup of Nations, which are being held in South Africa in
January and February of next year. However Demel, a French citizen who only
gained an Ivorian passport in 2004 is understood to have announced his
retirement from the international scene - although the reasons for this are
unknown at present. After signing for West Ham from SV Hamburg in 2011,
injury prevented the defender from playing a full 90 minutes for West Ham
until the play-off Final against Blackpool last May - some nine months after
joining the club.
However having shaken off that injury Demel has been a virtual ever-present
in the first team since and has already made more appearances for West Ham
in 2012/13 than he did in the entire 2011/12 campaign. The former Hamburg
player signed a two-year contract when joining West Ham, which is set to
expire next summer. However the club have an option to sign a Demel for a
further 12 months.
* Guy Demel - KUMB profile and match notes
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham defender Guy Demel retires from international football with Ivory
Coast
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated:
December 6, 2012 2:22pm
SSN
West Ham defender Guy Demel has announced his international retirement with
the Ivory Coast, Sky Sports understands. Demel has decided to quit the
international scene so that he can concentrate on his club career with the
Hammers. The former Arsenal man has made 35 appearances for Ivory Coast
since making his debut in 2004. Demel was a part of the Ivory Coast squad
that reached the 2006 and 2010 World Cup finals and he also helped them
qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. News of Demel's decision to quit
international football will come as a boost to West Ham boss Sam Allardyce
as it means the defender will not travel for the Africa Cup of Nations in
January.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Karren Brady looks forward to new opportunities for West Ham following
Olympic Stadium decision
Last Updated: December 6, 2012 10:04am
SSN
West Ham's vice-chairman Karren Brady has voiced her excitement over what a
potential move to the Olympic Stadium will mean for the club after they were
declared the preferred bidder. Mayor of London Boris Johnson revealed the
news on Wednesday following a meeting of the LDDC as the Hammers took a huge
step towards becoming the first tenants of the East London venue.
Contractual matters still need to be resolved before the deal is confirmed,
but Brady is already looking forward to the proposed relocation and the
opportunities it could open up. She said in The Sun: "If I had to sum up how
I feel, it would be excited. Excited at the prospects for the club, our
supporters and East London. "I'm looking forward to working with our local
partners to target groups in need of employment. I am excited at the
prospect of growing our business. "If I had to sum up how I feel, it would
be excited. Excited at the prospects for the club, our supporters and East
London."
Brady added: "I have talked a lot about our plans and meant every one of the
promises I made on behalf of West Ham. What excites me the most is that I
finally believe that the time has come to start putting those plans into
action and delivering on those promises. And that is what it has always been
about for me."
Negotiations
West Ham have been targeting the stadium for the past three years but Brady
expects the hard work to really start once final negotiations have been
completed. She added: "Of course, we have only been named highest-ranked
bidder and we still have to see the ball over the line in the final
negotiations.
"Then the hard work can really start to create a stunning new home.
"Yesterday was a fantastic day for West Ham United, but I think there are
even better times ahead."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham to Bid for Butland in the January Window?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
There have been recent reports that West Ham are considering putting in a
£5m bid to Birmingham City for their England U-21 keeper, Jack Butland. You
will also recall that Butland starred for the British Olympic team in the
summer Olympics.
With a question mark over Henderson's future at the club, allied to the fact
that the current first team custodian is 37 year old Jussi Jääskeläinen,
then it is very possible that adding a new keeper to the squad could be one
of Sam Allardyce's January priorities. If so, he could do lot worse than bid
for Butland, who has considerable maturity for his tender years. Many
consider Butland to be a future full England international keeper and the
main challenger to Hart's status as No. 1 choice. Arguably adding Butland to
the veteran former Finnish international and promising Raphael Speigel
should strengthen the club's goal keeping stable.
There are also reports that West Ham are interested in Hannover 96's
Norweign striker, Mohammed Abdellaoue. Adellaoue is apparently in the final
year of his current contract and Hannover could very well opt to cash in on
the player. However, competition for his signature could be very tough, with
the likes of Arsenal FC, Roma and Lazio reportedly interested. If there is
any truth in the reports, rather than just his agent using West Ham to stoke
up interest in Adellaoue, he could be a decent acquisition if the club can
swing a deal for a reasonable fee? Since joining Hannover 96, in August
2010, the 27 year old forward has scored 25 goals in 63 appearances.
In the aftermath of Senegal's banning from this winter's African Cup of
Nations competition, thereby ensuring the retention of Mo Diame's services,
it has now been confirmed that Guy Demel has annouced his retirement from
international football, with the Ivory Coast. This of course means that
Demel will, similiarly, stay with the club this winter. So, the only
potential absentee, in the current squad, is Maiga. That should effectively
minimise the adverse impact of the competition on West Ham in
January-February.
Finally, it seems that Leyton Orient would wecome the opportunity to ground
share the OS with West Ham! So, West Ham moving to within a mile or two of
Brisbane Road places the future of the smaller club in danger, but ground
sharing does not? There appears to be a curious rationale at play there?
Will Leyton launch another legal challenge to the current procurement
process? Not if the LLDC have done their job and overseen a water tight
process, that stands up to scrutiny and legal challenge.
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I'm so excited at what this means for West Ham
By KARREN BRADY
Published: 06th December 2012
The Sun
YESTERDAY'S unanimous decision to name West Ham United as the higher-ranking
bidder to be given the opportunity of moving to the Olympic Stadium
represents a giant step forward for the club. A move back to our home in
West Ham will play a huge part in helping us to realise our ambitious vision
to take the club to the next level. The decision guarantees a true and
lasting legacy for East London and is the best outcome for the taxpayer. The
London Legacy Development Corporation and its Chair, Boris Johnson, should
be applauded for realising that by selecting West Ham, London is well on the
way to being able to showcase yet another major destination and visitor
attraction in the Olympic Park that will further strengthen the capital's
place on the global map. Yes, there is still work to be done but the
commitment is there to make the stadium work. Now we can work openly with
the LLDC to make sure we find a solution that works for everyone. I feel
privileged on behalf of my supporters, 500,000 of whom are from East London
and Essex, to be in a position to help really deliver a true and lasting
Games legacy for London. If I had to sum up how I feel, it would be excited.
Excited at the prospects for the club, our supporters and East London. I'm
looking forward to working with our local partners to target groups in need
of employment. I am excited at the prospect of growing our business.
I am excited at the chance to work with our supporters to make this a
stadium that befits their proud history and that they can call home. The
opportunity for our club to really compete at the highest level and grow to
fit its fanbase is immense. I am excited that up to 100,000 members of the
community who wouldn't otherwise be able to access elite sport will be
inspired by watching the best league in the world free of charge. And that
local families who might not have been able to attend matches because they
simply can't afford it, will be able to come and watch Premier League
football. I will relish looking at how best to expand the services delivered
by our community department who already serve over 1.5million users in the
local area — a number that is set to grow and grow. I am excited to have the
task of filling what is arguably the world's most iconic stadium and to
ensure it becomes the 'jewel in the crown' of the Olympic Park.
I have talked a lot about our plans and meant every one of the promises I
made on behalf of West Ham. What excites me the most is that I finally
believe that the time has come to start putting those plans into action and
delivering on those promises. And that is what it has always been about for
me.
To the people of East London, I say we will ensure that the buzz you
witnessed in your area over the summer becomes a long-term fixture that will
keep the eyes of the globe on East London for generations to come. We pledge
to create over 700 new jobs and will bring over one million people a year
with us to the Park. The global exposure of having Premier League football
in the most iconic building in East London will ensure big businesses will
stick around long after the memories of superhuman athletic feats have
faded. The move will provide us with the opportunity to work with tens of
thousands more deserving youngsters in some of the poorest areas of the
country. That, for me, is a real legacy. To our supporters, I can say
exciting times for our club lie ahead. I know for some the wait has been
frustrating, but we look forward to now being able to share our vision.
We're sure that when they see our vision for the stadium, they'll be just as
excited as I am. I would like to thank the LLDC, and in particular its
chairman Boris Johnson, who deserves immense credit for the vision he has
shown in making this decision that secures a genuine, lasting legacy for
East London. I would also like to pay tribute to our two chairmen, David
Gold and David Sullivan, whose passion and steadfast belief have shone the
way since we first stated our hopes of moving to Stratford three years ago.
Finally, I would like to thank my staff at West Ham United, who have worked
so hard and diligently to help us reach this milestone. Of course, we have
only been named highest-ranked bidder and we still have to see the ball over
the line in the final negotiations. Then the hard work can really start to
create a stunning new home. Yesterday was a fantastic day for West Ham
United, but I think there are even better times ahead.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Blair Turgott is aiming for a starting place when Bradford City entertain
Arsenal in the League Cup
06.12.2012
Back in September, Blair Turgott scored in West Ham United's 4-1 Barclays
U21 Premier League victory over Arsenal. On Tuesday, the 18-year-old is
hoping to take aim at the Gunners first team when Bradford City host Arsene
Wenger's side in the Capital One Cup quarter-finals. Turgott, who made his
Bantams debut in a 1-1 FA Cup second-round draw against Brentford last
weekend, is desperate to be involved when Arsenal visit Valley Parade next
Tuesday evening.
"I am able to play against Arsenal under the terms of my loan and of course
I'd love to be involved," the Bradford No26 confirmed. "We have had a couple
of games this week and I just hope that I will have played well enough to
get the nod from the manager."
The England Under-19 international winger won praise from Bradford
supporters for his fine display on his debut, when his dribbling and
crossing helped the npower League Two promotion-chasers gain a creditable
draw with League One high-fliers Brentford. "It was good," he confirmed. "It
was something different and a great game to play in. Personally, I thought I
worked myself into the game and felt more and more comfortable as it went
on. I felt I did well considering it was my first game. "When I got the ball
I did my best to be positive with it and went at their players and our team
did their best to get me the ball. I showed glimpses of what I can do."
Turgott has been made to feel welcome by Bradford manager Phil Parkinson and
his new team-mates - including former Hammers Zavon Hines and Kyel Reid.
"The gaffer has made me feel welcome and has been talking to me quite a lot
about how he thought I did on my debut. "I know Kyel and Zav from their time
at West Ham. Zav came around when I first arrived in Bradford and he has
made me feel welcome. He's been brilliant showing me around. "All of the
boys have welcomed me, to be fair. You can tell that the team has been
winning matches because everyone is buzzing."
While Turgott's focus is on Bradford, he will be taking a close interest in
Saturday's game at the Boleyn Ground. Not only could a number of his
Development Squad team-mates be involved in the Hammers' matchday squad, but
he is also close friends with Livepool winger Raheem Sterling. Turgott and
Sterling have long been England team-mates, playing alongside him at the
2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico. "I get on well with Raheem and we're
really good friends. He has played a big part for Liverpool this season so
far. I am surprised he has progressed to their first team so fast, but their
manager has put faith in him and he has not looked out of place. "He was
feeling his way in at the start of the season but now he is playing his
usual game. You can see that the other players respect him because they are
always trying to get him the ball."
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Brady statement given thumbs-up
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 6th December 2012
By: Staff Writer
Supporters have welcomed a statement by vice-chair Karren Brady confirming
that the consultation process with fans will step up a gear now that the
club have been formally named as 'preferred bidders' for the Olympic
Stadium.
London mayor Boris Johnson formerly announced yesterday lunchtime that West
Ham United had been unanimously voted highest-ranked bidder by the London
Legacy Development Corporation for tenancy of the stadium.
Naturally, the news was welcomed by the board of West Ham United who have
worked diligently over the past two years to win the right to move the club
two miles across the borough of Newham to Startford.
Yet despite the club's delight, it has long been a bone of contention with a
great number of supporters that the owners have failed to fully engage the
fan base with view to the move.
Although a Supporters' Advisory Board was created and consulted at various
stages, at no point have all season ticket holders been asked for their view
- something that has angered many fans.
However that is all set to change according to Brady, who revealed after
Johnson's announcement that "a more intensive consultation process will
commence immediately".
Addressing the club's fanbase, Brady wrote: "We have been given assurances
that our full vision for a world-class stadium will be realised and we
cannot wait for you to be able to see this for yourselves.
"We, like you, have been frustrated by the constraints upon us in terms of
our ability to share our plans and can assure you that we will now share
full details as soon as we are able to.
"As part of this we stand by our commitment to conduct full supporter
consultation regarding the move, including the polling of supporters. You
can be confident that wherever there is an opportunity for West Ham to input
in the decisions going forward, our supporters will be at the forefront.
"We have already taken the first step towards this by calling an emergency
meeting of our Supporter Advisory Board on Tuesday 11th December to advise
on the best methods to consult the wider support base going forward.
"Our absolute priority is to take you on this fantastic journey with us, to
consult with you and ensure you are a part of it every step of the way. We
have high ambitions for West Ham United and will seek your full input to
ensure this iconic world-class stadium becomes a true home for our club, our
proud heritage and you, our deserving and loyal fans."
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Guy calls it a day
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 6th December 2012
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United full back Guy Demel has announced his retirement from
international football so that he may concentrate on his club career. The
31-year-old Ivory Coast defender was lined up to travel with his national
squad to the African Cup of Nations, which are being held in South Africa in
January and February of next year. However Demel, a French citizen who only
gained an Ivorian passport in 2004 is understood to have announced his
retirement from the international scene - although the reasons for this are
unknown at present. After signing for West Ham from SV Hamburg in 2011,
injury prevented the defender from playing a full 90 minutes for West Ham
until the play-off Final against Blackpool last May - some nine months after
joining the club.
However having shaken off that injury Demel has been a virtual ever-present
in the first team since and has already made more appearances for West Ham
in 2012/13 than he did in the entire 2011/12 campaign. The former Hamburg
player signed a two-year contract when joining West Ham, which is set to
expire next summer. However the club have an option to sign a Demel for a
further 12 months.
* Guy Demel - KUMB profile and match notes
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham defender Guy Demel retires from international football with Ivory
Coast
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated:
December 6, 2012 2:22pm
SSN
West Ham defender Guy Demel has announced his international retirement with
the Ivory Coast, Sky Sports understands. Demel has decided to quit the
international scene so that he can concentrate on his club career with the
Hammers. The former Arsenal man has made 35 appearances for Ivory Coast
since making his debut in 2004. Demel was a part of the Ivory Coast squad
that reached the 2006 and 2010 World Cup finals and he also helped them
qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. News of Demel's decision to quit
international football will come as a boost to West Ham boss Sam Allardyce
as it means the defender will not travel for the Africa Cup of Nations in
January.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Karren Brady looks forward to new opportunities for West Ham following
Olympic Stadium decision
Last Updated: December 6, 2012 10:04am
SSN
West Ham's vice-chairman Karren Brady has voiced her excitement over what a
potential move to the Olympic Stadium will mean for the club after they were
declared the preferred bidder. Mayor of London Boris Johnson revealed the
news on Wednesday following a meeting of the LDDC as the Hammers took a huge
step towards becoming the first tenants of the East London venue.
Contractual matters still need to be resolved before the deal is confirmed,
but Brady is already looking forward to the proposed relocation and the
opportunities it could open up. She said in The Sun: "If I had to sum up how
I feel, it would be excited. Excited at the prospects for the club, our
supporters and East London. "I'm looking forward to working with our local
partners to target groups in need of employment. I am excited at the
prospect of growing our business. "If I had to sum up how I feel, it would
be excited. Excited at the prospects for the club, our supporters and East
London."
Brady added: "I have talked a lot about our plans and meant every one of the
promises I made on behalf of West Ham. What excites me the most is that I
finally believe that the time has come to start putting those plans into
action and delivering on those promises. And that is what it has always been
about for me."
Negotiations
West Ham have been targeting the stadium for the past three years but Brady
expects the hard work to really start once final negotiations have been
completed. She added: "Of course, we have only been named highest-ranked
bidder and we still have to see the ball over the line in the final
negotiations.
"Then the hard work can really start to create a stunning new home.
"Yesterday was a fantastic day for West Ham United, but I think there are
even better times ahead."
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West Ham to Bid for Butland in the January Window?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
There have been recent reports that West Ham are considering putting in a
£5m bid to Birmingham City for their England U-21 keeper, Jack Butland. You
will also recall that Butland starred for the British Olympic team in the
summer Olympics.
With a question mark over Henderson's future at the club, allied to the fact
that the current first team custodian is 37 year old Jussi Jääskeläinen,
then it is very possible that adding a new keeper to the squad could be one
of Sam Allardyce's January priorities. If so, he could do lot worse than bid
for Butland, who has considerable maturity for his tender years. Many
consider Butland to be a future full England international keeper and the
main challenger to Hart's status as No. 1 choice. Arguably adding Butland to
the veteran former Finnish international and promising Raphael Speigel
should strengthen the club's goal keeping stable.
There are also reports that West Ham are interested in Hannover 96's
Norweign striker, Mohammed Abdellaoue. Adellaoue is apparently in the final
year of his current contract and Hannover could very well opt to cash in on
the player. However, competition for his signature could be very tough, with
the likes of Arsenal FC, Roma and Lazio reportedly interested. If there is
any truth in the reports, rather than just his agent using West Ham to stoke
up interest in Adellaoue, he could be a decent acquisition if the club can
swing a deal for a reasonable fee? Since joining Hannover 96, in August
2010, the 27 year old forward has scored 25 goals in 63 appearances.
In the aftermath of Senegal's banning from this winter's African Cup of
Nations competition, thereby ensuring the retention of Mo Diame's services,
it has now been confirmed that Guy Demel has annouced his retirement from
international football, with the Ivory Coast. This of course means that
Demel will, similiarly, stay with the club this winter. So, the only
potential absentee, in the current squad, is Maiga. That should effectively
minimise the adverse impact of the competition on West Ham in
January-February.
Finally, it seems that Leyton Orient would wecome the opportunity to ground
share the OS with West Ham! So, West Ham moving to within a mile or two of
Brisbane Road places the future of the smaller club in danger, but ground
sharing does not? There appears to be a curious rationale at play there?
Will Leyton launch another legal challenge to the current procurement
process? Not if the LLDC have done their job and overseen a water tight
process, that stands up to scrutiny and legal challenge.
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I'm so excited at what this means for West Ham
By KARREN BRADY
Published: 06th December 2012
The Sun
YESTERDAY'S unanimous decision to name West Ham United as the higher-ranking
bidder to be given the opportunity of moving to the Olympic Stadium
represents a giant step forward for the club. A move back to our home in
West Ham will play a huge part in helping us to realise our ambitious vision
to take the club to the next level. The decision guarantees a true and
lasting legacy for East London and is the best outcome for the taxpayer. The
London Legacy Development Corporation and its Chair, Boris Johnson, should
be applauded for realising that by selecting West Ham, London is well on the
way to being able to showcase yet another major destination and visitor
attraction in the Olympic Park that will further strengthen the capital's
place on the global map. Yes, there is still work to be done but the
commitment is there to make the stadium work. Now we can work openly with
the LLDC to make sure we find a solution that works for everyone. I feel
privileged on behalf of my supporters, 500,000 of whom are from East London
and Essex, to be in a position to help really deliver a true and lasting
Games legacy for London. If I had to sum up how I feel, it would be excited.
Excited at the prospects for the club, our supporters and East London. I'm
looking forward to working with our local partners to target groups in need
of employment. I am excited at the prospect of growing our business.
I am excited at the chance to work with our supporters to make this a
stadium that befits their proud history and that they can call home. The
opportunity for our club to really compete at the highest level and grow to
fit its fanbase is immense. I am excited that up to 100,000 members of the
community who wouldn't otherwise be able to access elite sport will be
inspired by watching the best league in the world free of charge. And that
local families who might not have been able to attend matches because they
simply can't afford it, will be able to come and watch Premier League
football. I will relish looking at how best to expand the services delivered
by our community department who already serve over 1.5million users in the
local area — a number that is set to grow and grow. I am excited to have the
task of filling what is arguably the world's most iconic stadium and to
ensure it becomes the 'jewel in the crown' of the Olympic Park.
I have talked a lot about our plans and meant every one of the promises I
made on behalf of West Ham. What excites me the most is that I finally
believe that the time has come to start putting those plans into action and
delivering on those promises. And that is what it has always been about for
me.
To the people of East London, I say we will ensure that the buzz you
witnessed in your area over the summer becomes a long-term fixture that will
keep the eyes of the globe on East London for generations to come. We pledge
to create over 700 new jobs and will bring over one million people a year
with us to the Park. The global exposure of having Premier League football
in the most iconic building in East London will ensure big businesses will
stick around long after the memories of superhuman athletic feats have
faded. The move will provide us with the opportunity to work with tens of
thousands more deserving youngsters in some of the poorest areas of the
country. That, for me, is a real legacy. To our supporters, I can say
exciting times for our club lie ahead. I know for some the wait has been
frustrating, but we look forward to now being able to share our vision.
We're sure that when they see our vision for the stadium, they'll be just as
excited as I am. I would like to thank the LLDC, and in particular its
chairman Boris Johnson, who deserves immense credit for the vision he has
shown in making this decision that secures a genuine, lasting legacy for
East London. I would also like to pay tribute to our two chairmen, David
Gold and David Sullivan, whose passion and steadfast belief have shone the
way since we first stated our hopes of moving to Stratford three years ago.
Finally, I would like to thank my staff at West Ham United, who have worked
so hard and diligently to help us reach this milestone. Of course, we have
only been named highest-ranked bidder and we still have to see the ball over
the line in the final negotiations. Then the hard work can really start to
create a stunning new home. Yesterday was a fantastic day for West Ham
United, but I think there are even better times ahead.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, December 6
Daily WHUFC News - 6th December 2012
The Big Interview - Kevin Nolan
WHUFC.com
The West Ham United captain spoke exclusively to whufc.com after Saturday's
superb victory
05.12.2012
Kevin Nolan sat down for this week's Big Interview following a magnificent
3-1 Barclays Premier League win over Chelsea. The captain said results like
the victory over the Blues at the Boleyn Ground should not come as
unexpected, such is the ability and spirit within the West Ham United squad.
Nolan also discussed the outstanding performances given by Jussi
Jaaskelainen and Carlton Cole, his hope that Andy Carroll will be fit again
soon and the visit of Liverpool to east London this coming Sunday.
Kevin, that second half display against Chelsea was some performance. The
team played fantastic, didn't they?
KN: "The gaffer made a few changes that worked out really well for us. In
the first half we did not really get going and we didn't do as well as we
should have. The game plan was to get the ball up to Coley and get round
them but it did not work. The gaffer made the changes and thankfully we
responded well, the two boys that came on, Matty Taylor and Mo Diame, really
gave us some fresh legs. Tonks (James Tomkins) and Gaz (Gary O'Neil) also
did well so it is good we have the rotation. We have a lot of lads out at
the moment like Yossi and Vaz Te so it is nice coming off such a good
performance."
We narrowly lost out to Manchester United last Wednesday but we played
really well, so perhaps the result against Chelsea was not a massive
surprise?
KN: "No of course not, we looked a bit sluggish in the game before that at
Tottenham and I think the goal seconds before half-time killed us to be
honest. Against Manchester United you lose a goal after 30 seconds and you
think 'what is going to happen here/' but we responded well. We worked hard
and that is what you have to do at Old Trafford, I think that is the first
time I have been there and walked off thinking I was disappointed to not get
something from the game. The performance was there, however, and we knew we
could carry it on at home against Chelsea because we have been performed
well in every game at the Boleyn Ground. The second half performance was
fantastic."
Carlton Cole has not featured as much as he would have liked and Mo Diame
was on the bench, but they both came on and performed really well. Does that
show the great attitude and strength within the squad?
KN: "Yes, of course. We have a great unity within the squad. A lot of new
players have come into the squad and that is what we have to try and build,
not just for eleven who will be playing but everyone in the squad. As you
say Coley has come in and played really well and shown a great attitude. He
has had to wait for his chance but he is very much part of what goes on
day-to-day at the club. We are all together as a unit and as a team. We have
a great squad here with a great camaraderie and we all want to do well and
work hard for each other. On Saturday we proved that and I am delighted for
Coley and for the other lads who stepped in and played well. It was a great
result and a result we needed, now we are looking forward to another home
game next week against Liverpool."
Would you agree that you have more than one leader on the pitch. When you
pegged Chelsea back, their heads dropped but that did not happen to you?
KN: "When you see that it definitely buoys you and it encourages you to take
the game to them. In the first half I thought they played really well and in
the end it was just about getting in at half time 1-0 down and making sure
they only had a one goal lead. Jussi Jaaskelainen has pulled off some
fantastic saves and they have got those magic players who can create
something from nothing. We knew it was important to stay in the game and the
gaffer made some changes at half time that really helped us. Like I said you
have to praise Jussi because he made some great saves and also Joey O'Brien
because he made two fantastic blocks from Juan Mata. We knew it was going to
be tough but we are a team full confidence, we believe we belong here and we
believe that at the Boleyn Ground we can beat anyone which we proved on
Saturday."
You mentioned that you are a tight unit. Is that something that is very
important, especially at this level?
KN: "It is something we have worked very hard on since I have been at the
club. We have made sure we have a very tight knit bunch of lads because it
is massively important when you go out there that the lads are going to give
you their all. When things are not going right that is when you want to look
at your mate and think is he giving me everything? I know that from my point
of view they are, we are lucky to have players of such quality because I do
think they will step up and go through a brick wall for each other. I
thought we played some great stuff against Chelsea and mixed the play up
really well, I am also delighted because it gives us 22 points with another
home game up next. It is a tough one in a tough run but we showed on
Saturday that we can achieve great results with a terrific work-rate."
Andy Carroll is now out through injury. Is the togetherness just as
important when you are out and do you need to get round him and keep his
spirits up now?
KN: "He is a big boy and he can look after himself but he will be very much
part of everything that happens. He will be in and around the lads and
hopefully he will have a speedy recovery but this is now the time for Coley
and Modibo to step up and take their chance. I thought the big man was
fantastic against his former club and I will be looking for more of the same
against Liverpool next week."
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Boris's strange call
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 5th December 2012
By: Laurence Everitt
Earlier today we discovered that West Ham are preferred bidders for the
Olympic Stadium. After numerous years, legal challenges and botched bidding
processes, we are finally close to finding out what will become of our
Olympic Stadium. All along West Ham have been in the ascendancy and it seems
likely that they will be allowed to move in some time around 2016.
Strangely, however, Boris Johnson has decided that West Ham are getting so
good a deal that, should the co-chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan sell
the club, the state should get a share of the windfall. This amounts to a
part-nationalisation of West Ham, something that surely would be an anathema
to a right-wing Tory such as Boris Johnson.
You would think that it would be troubling not only to his Thatcherite
principles but also to his common sense. There are numerous reasons why the
state shouldn't take a share of any windfall of the chairmen; here are the
ones that I feel are most pressing:
1). Investments go up as well as down - there is no guarantee that this move
will be a success. Were West Ham to get relegated (not the most unlikely
scenario), crowd levels would drop and the club could well be tenants of a
half-full stadium that leaks money. Without the fixed asset of a ground,
their future could look very insecure. This is not the sure-fire move that
the government believe it to be.
2). How much of a percentage do you take? Given that this is an arbitrary
decision, there is hardly a precedent as to how much of any windfall should
be taken by the state. Do you take 10%? 15%? 50%? Where is the justification
for the figure? How much value does the stadium actually add? Would the
state be liable for any losses should the plan not work out? Do you include
the investment that Gold and Sullivan put in to ensure club escaped from the
Championship? The only useful precedent is the City of Manchester Stadium,
which was given to Manchester City on very generous terms. Since they moved
in, Manchester City have been sold twice and guess how much of the windfall
the state took? Zilch.
3). What is the alternative to West Ham? A once a year Formula One race that
doesn't currently exist? An NFL franchise that doesn't currently exist?
Leyton Orient, who do exist, but whose gate of 4,190 in their last home game
was a bumper crowd for them? The truth is that, just like the City of
Manchester Stadium, having an established team in as anchor tenants will
provide a solid revenue base and go a long way towards paying for the
stadium.
4). The state could make a hefty profit out of the deal. As part of the
deal, the state gets to keep the naming rights of the stadium. In their
contract with the Emirates Airline, Arsenal pocket £30m a year from the
naming rights of their Ashburton Grove stadium. Clearly, Arsenal with their
constant (for now) qualification to the Champions League are a greater
proposition than West Ham. Even when you allow for the ongoing 'Farah
factor' of the association with the Olympics, as well as the extra events
that the multi-use stadium will have, you probably wouldn't get £30m a year.
But say you got £15m. Over 20 years, that would work out at £300m. Plus the
state would get the catering revenue, share of the ticket stream and an
annual rental fee of £2.5m. Which could work out as a very nice return over
the course of a 99-year lease.
5). Why should the club pay for the redevelopment of the stadium? One of the
key reasons behind Boris Johnson's demands is the large (over £100m) cost of
making the stadium fit for purpose. But he should be asking Tessa Jowell for
the money, not West Ham. In 2006, the year after London won the bid, West
Ham declared their interest in taking on the stadium after the Olympics. The
interest crystalised into a bid in January 2007 to take over the stadium,
offering £100m up front to take on the stadium as long as the design brief
of the yet unbuilt stadium was altered to include retractable seating in the
manner of the Stade de France stadium.
However, the Olympic Development Agency, headed by Tessa Jowell and Ken
Livingstone and backed by the Treasury, wanted to build an 80,000 seater
stadium, complete with temporary seats and a temporary partial roof, that
would then be reduced to a 25,000 seat capacity after the games. They went
as far as commissioning a report into the future of the stadium which was
told to explicitly ignore Premier League football from its considerations, a
staggering decision given their later U-Turns (see:
www.guardian.co.uk/...west-ham-athletics).
That you would spend £537m on what would, after the Olympics, become a
25,000 seater stadium used by athletics 20 days a year was clearly a
hare-brained idea - no wonder Ed Warner, the UK Athletics chairman called it
a 'Stratford Farce'. Now that the Treasury and other Olympic organisations
are balking at the cost of transforming a badly designed stadium, perhaps
they should consider looking at their previous staggering ineptitude rather
than looking to pass the costs on.
6). There is a fundamental underlying point - should Messrs Gold and
Sullivan want to sell a successful business, why should the state get an
extra windfall? They will already have paid Capital Gains Tax on any profit.
Since buying Birmingham for £1, they have done a good job of improving the
fortunes of the clubs they have run. Given their age (Gold is 76, Sullivan
63) it is not far fetched to see them wanting to sell rather than burden
their next generation with running the club. Having recently criticised the
French 'sans culottes', it is odd that Johnson would suggest the state
should requisition a windfall from a successful business - a strategy more
akin to Lenin's Russia than to the modern United Kingdom. It is hard to
imagine George Osbourne's next budget calling for a windfall on every Capita
or Serco share sold, or any other company that makes money off deals with
the state. So why West Ham?
Rather than being the good deal for West Ham, this is a great deal for the
country - the one option that will ensure that the Olympics legacy is not
tarnished by an unfilled, unloved stadium casting a shadow over both east
London and the Treasury's books. So why are they trying to kill the golden
goose with ridiculous demands?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A legacy for West Ham
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 5th December 2012
By: Graeme Howlett
Today represents a momentous day in the history of West Ham United Football
Club.
The prospect of moving two miles across the London borough of Newham to
Stratford, part of the original London parish of West Ham, could potentially
grant this famous old club the opportunity to rub shoulders with the giants
of the English game.
Yet that possibility is anathema to some of the club's supporters who remain
vehemently opposed to uprooting from the Boleyn Ground, our home for the
last 107 years.
The most recent poll on KUMB.com, conducted shortly after the conclusion of
the hugely-successful 2012 Olympic Games resulted in 64 per cent of
supporters voting IN FAVOUR of moving to the Olympic Stadium. However the
poll prior to that – conducted just eight months earlier – saw 61 per cent
of fans vote AGAINST the move.
The arguments from the antis are many and varied. The Boleyn Ground is our
home, they say – and a stadium that is more than sufficient for a club of
West Ham's stature. Others believe that the club has little chance of
filling 60,000 seats on a regular basis; just where will the additional
25,000 fans come from?
Others are suspicious of the co-owners' motives; is this simply just one
final pay-day for the septuagenarian David Gold and his long-term business
partner David Sullivan - a vanity project? Why would they sell a ground the
club owns to take a tenancy elsewhere? And why, despite repeated promises,
have the supporters never been fully consulted about the move? Surely
disaster that way lurks.
Yet those in favour of the move argue that this is a golden opportunity for
West Ham United that simply can't be overlooked; a once-in-a-lifetime chance
to place a club forged on the dockside of the East End shipyards by
philanthropist Arnold Hills during the latter years of the 19th century in
the upper echelons of English – and potentially European - football.
The fantastic transport links mean that supporters from all over Western
Europe will be no more than a few hours away from London. More seats mean
that the club could afford to offer cheaper tickets too, enticing back many
long-term supporters for whom Premier League football is simply too
expensive presently.
The prospect of playing in an internationally-renowned arena, in the globe's
most prestigious league would attract some of the world's best players –
players who would be affordable as a result of the added income from
lucrative sponsorship, commercial and marketing deals. Retractable seating
will bring the supporters as close to the pitch as they are at the Boleyn.
It's a no-brainer.
As in most scenarios, the truth probably lies somewhere between the two. For
those of us who once stood on the old north or south banks with our fathers
and grandfathers, leaving Upton Park will be a huge wrench – as it will have
been for those former Highbury, Roker Park and Baseball Ground stalwarts.
But perhaps, as author John Niven wrote, "It is the brave and great man who
... resists inertia and smashes on through to the far side." Or as Del Boy
Trotter would have put it, "he who dares wins, Rodders".
Regardless of the supporters' views, It is abundantly clear that West Ham
United at the Olympic Stadium is a prospect that has other London teams
seriously worried.
Daniel Levy of Tottenham Hotspur and Barry Hearn of Leyton Orient have gone
to considerable lengths to scupper West Ham's bid – whilst former Hammers
chairman Terry Brown revealed some time ago how David Dein, the ex
vice-chair of Arsenal, admitted that the prospect of West Ham moving to the
Olympic Stadium "frightened him to death".
Whatever form the move to Stratford will eventually take, it will certainly
mean the end of West Ham United as we know it. A team that was once cited as
"everyone's second favourite club", a team the great Bill Shankly described
as "nice football, nice family club – two points" will be transformed beyond
recognition.
Much has been spoken about legacy since the closing ceremony of the Olympic
games. Following Boris Johnson's announcement earlier today, all we as
long-suffering West Ham United supporters can do is place our trust in the
current owners to deliver their own legacy worthy of this great club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Barry Hearn still hoping Leyton Orient could groundshare with West Ham at
Olympic Stadium
Last Updated: December 5, 2012 4:02pm
SSN
Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has not given up hope that his club could
end up sharing the Olympic Stadium with West Ham. The Hammers have been made
preferred bidders by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to
become the new tenants of the stadium, a decision which did not surprise
Hearn. But Hearn says West Ham's move to Stratford would have a hugely
negative impact on the O's. And he believes there is a long way to go before
the agreement is signed, sealed and delivered and insists Leyton Orient will
explore every avenue before conceding defeat. "I'm disappointed," he told
Sky Sports News, "because it was our dream to move into the Olympic Stadium.
This is not the best news I have ever had in my life. But I am not going to
panic. There are certain questions to be asked about West Ham moving so
close to us. "I don't understand what harm there would be in a major Premier
League club like West Ham and a community club like ours sharing the Olympic
Stadium. It happens in France, it happens in Germany, it ticks a lot of
boxes. "And it would show that it's not just about cash. But I'm afraid in
these difficult times, and with taxpayers money involved, it is all about
cash. That's sad. "We have to take stock of the situation and move on. We're
up for ground-sharing. I understand West Ham's football tenancy is not
necessarily exclusive. "We're disappointed at stage one, but whose to say
about stage two. "One of the conditions of West Ham being the preferred
bidder is that is cleared with the relevant football authorities. That's the
key line. We believe it has not been cleared with the relevant football
authorities to the satisfaction of Leyton Orient.
"Clearly if West Ham are moving to the Olympic Park, which is 750 feet away
from our stadium, it's very difficult to believe that new fans in our local
population will enter into any season ticket applications if they have a
Premier League team on their doorstep - which wasn't there before - in a
stadium that which has a capacity where they will be able to offer
fabulously discounted deals. "Ask yourself - if you were a kid in the Leyton
area and West Ham were in the Olympic Stadium with spare capacity, where
would you go? "We are halfway through a dispute with the Premier League on
the rules. They clearly feel they have done enough of an inquiry to grant
West Ham permission. We feel they haven't."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I'm so excited at what this means for West Ham
By KARREN BRADY
Published: 6 hrs ago
The Sun
What happened to the last six Olympic stadiums
BEIJING 2008
The Bird's Nest is used only occasionally but Man City and Arsenal played
there this summer. Held the Italian version of the Community Shield in 2009
and 2011.
ATHENS
2004 Panathinaikos rent Spiros Louis stadium — and are currently struggling
to pay the electricity bill. Liverpool lost the 2007 Champions League final
there.
SYDNEY 2000
The largest Olympic stadium ever, held 110,000. It has been reduced to
70,000 for rugby, football, Aussie rules and Twenty20 international cricket
matches.
ATLANTA 1996
As soon as the 1996 Games were finished the stadium was converted into a
baseball stadium to house the Atlanta Braves. Renamed the Turner Field.
BARCELONA 1992
Was used by Espanyol for more than a decade before they moved out and
England have twice played there. Has also hosted Heineken Cup rugby.
SEOUL 1988
Now a music venue when footballing minnows Seoul United aren't in action.
Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga are among music stars to perform there.
YESTERDAY'S unanimous decision to name West Ham United as the higher-ranking
bidder to be given the opportunity of moving to the Olympic Stadium
represents a giant step forward for the club. A move back to our home in
West Ham will play a huge part in helping us to realise our ambitious vision
to take the club to the next level. The decision guarantees a true and
lasting legacy for East London and is the best outcome for the taxpayer. The
London Legacy Development Corporation and its Chair, Boris Johnson, should
be applauded for realising that by selecting West Ham, London is well on the
way to being able to showcase yet another major destination and visitor
attraction in the Olympic Park that will further strengthen the capital's
place on the global map. Yes, there is still work to be done but the
commitment is there to make the stadium work. Now we can work openly with
the LLDC to make sure we find a solution that works for everyone. I feel
privileged on behalf of my supporters, 500,000 of whom are from East London
and Essex, to be in a position to help really deliver a true and lasting
Games legacy for London. If I had to sum up how I feel, it would be excited.
Excited at the prospects for the club, our supporters and East London. I'm
looking forward to working with our local partners to target groups in need
of employment. I am excited at the prospect of growing our business.
I am excited at the chance to work with our supporters to make this a
stadium that befits their proud history and that they can call home. The
opportunity for our club to really compete at the highest level and grow to
fit its fanbase is immense. I am excited that up to 100,000 members of the
community who wouldn't otherwise be able to access elite sport will be
inspired by watching the best league in the world free of charge. And that
local families who might not have been able to attend matches because they
simply can't afford it, will be able to come and watch Premier League
football. I will relish looking at how best to expand the services delivered
by our community department who already serve over 1.5million users in the
local area — a number that is set to grow and grow. I am excited to have the
task of filling what is arguably the world's most iconic stadium and to
ensure it becomes the 'jewel in the crown' of the Olympic Park.
I have talked a lot about our plans and meant every one of the promises I
made on behalf of West Ham. What excites me the most is that I finally
believe that the time has come to start putting those plans into action and
delivering on those promises. And that is what it has always been about for
me. To the people of East London, I say we will ensure that the buzz you
witnessed in your area over the summer becomes a long-term fixture that will
keep the eyes of the globe on East London for generations to come. We pledge
to create over 700 new jobs and will bring over one million people a year
with us to the Park.
The global exposure of having Premier League football in the most iconic
building in East London will ensure big businesses will stick around long
after the memories of superhuman athletic feats have faded.
The move will provide us with the opportunity to work with tens of thousands
more deserving youngsters in some of the poorest areas of the country. That,
for me, is a real legacy. To our supporters, I can say exciting times for
our club lie ahead. I know for some the wait has been frustrating, but we
look forward to now being able to share our vision. We're sure that when
they see our vision for the stadium, they'll be just as excited as I am. I
would like to thank the LLDC, and in particular its chairman Boris Johnson,
who deserves immense credit for the vision he has shown in making this
decision that secures a genuine, lasting legacy for East London. I would
also like to pay tribute to our two chairmen, David Gold and David Sullivan,
whose passion and steadfast belief have shone the way since we first stated
our hopes of moving to Stratford three years ago. Finally, I would like to
thank my staff at West Ham United, who have worked so hard and diligently to
help us reach this milestone. Of course, we have only been named
highest-ranked bidder and we still have to see the ball over the line in the
final negotiations. Then the hard work can really start to create a stunning
new home. Yesterday was a fantastic day for West Ham United, but I think
there are even better times ahead
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
The West Ham United captain spoke exclusively to whufc.com after Saturday's
superb victory
05.12.2012
Kevin Nolan sat down for this week's Big Interview following a magnificent
3-1 Barclays Premier League win over Chelsea. The captain said results like
the victory over the Blues at the Boleyn Ground should not come as
unexpected, such is the ability and spirit within the West Ham United squad.
Nolan also discussed the outstanding performances given by Jussi
Jaaskelainen and Carlton Cole, his hope that Andy Carroll will be fit again
soon and the visit of Liverpool to east London this coming Sunday.
Kevin, that second half display against Chelsea was some performance. The
team played fantastic, didn't they?
KN: "The gaffer made a few changes that worked out really well for us. In
the first half we did not really get going and we didn't do as well as we
should have. The game plan was to get the ball up to Coley and get round
them but it did not work. The gaffer made the changes and thankfully we
responded well, the two boys that came on, Matty Taylor and Mo Diame, really
gave us some fresh legs. Tonks (James Tomkins) and Gaz (Gary O'Neil) also
did well so it is good we have the rotation. We have a lot of lads out at
the moment like Yossi and Vaz Te so it is nice coming off such a good
performance."
We narrowly lost out to Manchester United last Wednesday but we played
really well, so perhaps the result against Chelsea was not a massive
surprise?
KN: "No of course not, we looked a bit sluggish in the game before that at
Tottenham and I think the goal seconds before half-time killed us to be
honest. Against Manchester United you lose a goal after 30 seconds and you
think 'what is going to happen here/' but we responded well. We worked hard
and that is what you have to do at Old Trafford, I think that is the first
time I have been there and walked off thinking I was disappointed to not get
something from the game. The performance was there, however, and we knew we
could carry it on at home against Chelsea because we have been performed
well in every game at the Boleyn Ground. The second half performance was
fantastic."
Carlton Cole has not featured as much as he would have liked and Mo Diame
was on the bench, but they both came on and performed really well. Does that
show the great attitude and strength within the squad?
KN: "Yes, of course. We have a great unity within the squad. A lot of new
players have come into the squad and that is what we have to try and build,
not just for eleven who will be playing but everyone in the squad. As you
say Coley has come in and played really well and shown a great attitude. He
has had to wait for his chance but he is very much part of what goes on
day-to-day at the club. We are all together as a unit and as a team. We have
a great squad here with a great camaraderie and we all want to do well and
work hard for each other. On Saturday we proved that and I am delighted for
Coley and for the other lads who stepped in and played well. It was a great
result and a result we needed, now we are looking forward to another home
game next week against Liverpool."
Would you agree that you have more than one leader on the pitch. When you
pegged Chelsea back, their heads dropped but that did not happen to you?
KN: "When you see that it definitely buoys you and it encourages you to take
the game to them. In the first half I thought they played really well and in
the end it was just about getting in at half time 1-0 down and making sure
they only had a one goal lead. Jussi Jaaskelainen has pulled off some
fantastic saves and they have got those magic players who can create
something from nothing. We knew it was important to stay in the game and the
gaffer made some changes at half time that really helped us. Like I said you
have to praise Jussi because he made some great saves and also Joey O'Brien
because he made two fantastic blocks from Juan Mata. We knew it was going to
be tough but we are a team full confidence, we believe we belong here and we
believe that at the Boleyn Ground we can beat anyone which we proved on
Saturday."
You mentioned that you are a tight unit. Is that something that is very
important, especially at this level?
KN: "It is something we have worked very hard on since I have been at the
club. We have made sure we have a very tight knit bunch of lads because it
is massively important when you go out there that the lads are going to give
you their all. When things are not going right that is when you want to look
at your mate and think is he giving me everything? I know that from my point
of view they are, we are lucky to have players of such quality because I do
think they will step up and go through a brick wall for each other. I
thought we played some great stuff against Chelsea and mixed the play up
really well, I am also delighted because it gives us 22 points with another
home game up next. It is a tough one in a tough run but we showed on
Saturday that we can achieve great results with a terrific work-rate."
Andy Carroll is now out through injury. Is the togetherness just as
important when you are out and do you need to get round him and keep his
spirits up now?
KN: "He is a big boy and he can look after himself but he will be very much
part of everything that happens. He will be in and around the lads and
hopefully he will have a speedy recovery but this is now the time for Coley
and Modibo to step up and take their chance. I thought the big man was
fantastic against his former club and I will be looking for more of the same
against Liverpool next week."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Boris's strange call
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 5th December 2012
By: Laurence Everitt
Earlier today we discovered that West Ham are preferred bidders for the
Olympic Stadium. After numerous years, legal challenges and botched bidding
processes, we are finally close to finding out what will become of our
Olympic Stadium. All along West Ham have been in the ascendancy and it seems
likely that they will be allowed to move in some time around 2016.
Strangely, however, Boris Johnson has decided that West Ham are getting so
good a deal that, should the co-chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan sell
the club, the state should get a share of the windfall. This amounts to a
part-nationalisation of West Ham, something that surely would be an anathema
to a right-wing Tory such as Boris Johnson.
You would think that it would be troubling not only to his Thatcherite
principles but also to his common sense. There are numerous reasons why the
state shouldn't take a share of any windfall of the chairmen; here are the
ones that I feel are most pressing:
1). Investments go up as well as down - there is no guarantee that this move
will be a success. Were West Ham to get relegated (not the most unlikely
scenario), crowd levels would drop and the club could well be tenants of a
half-full stadium that leaks money. Without the fixed asset of a ground,
their future could look very insecure. This is not the sure-fire move that
the government believe it to be.
2). How much of a percentage do you take? Given that this is an arbitrary
decision, there is hardly a precedent as to how much of any windfall should
be taken by the state. Do you take 10%? 15%? 50%? Where is the justification
for the figure? How much value does the stadium actually add? Would the
state be liable for any losses should the plan not work out? Do you include
the investment that Gold and Sullivan put in to ensure club escaped from the
Championship? The only useful precedent is the City of Manchester Stadium,
which was given to Manchester City on very generous terms. Since they moved
in, Manchester City have been sold twice and guess how much of the windfall
the state took? Zilch.
3). What is the alternative to West Ham? A once a year Formula One race that
doesn't currently exist? An NFL franchise that doesn't currently exist?
Leyton Orient, who do exist, but whose gate of 4,190 in their last home game
was a bumper crowd for them? The truth is that, just like the City of
Manchester Stadium, having an established team in as anchor tenants will
provide a solid revenue base and go a long way towards paying for the
stadium.
4). The state could make a hefty profit out of the deal. As part of the
deal, the state gets to keep the naming rights of the stadium. In their
contract with the Emirates Airline, Arsenal pocket £30m a year from the
naming rights of their Ashburton Grove stadium. Clearly, Arsenal with their
constant (for now) qualification to the Champions League are a greater
proposition than West Ham. Even when you allow for the ongoing 'Farah
factor' of the association with the Olympics, as well as the extra events
that the multi-use stadium will have, you probably wouldn't get £30m a year.
But say you got £15m. Over 20 years, that would work out at £300m. Plus the
state would get the catering revenue, share of the ticket stream and an
annual rental fee of £2.5m. Which could work out as a very nice return over
the course of a 99-year lease.
5). Why should the club pay for the redevelopment of the stadium? One of the
key reasons behind Boris Johnson's demands is the large (over £100m) cost of
making the stadium fit for purpose. But he should be asking Tessa Jowell for
the money, not West Ham. In 2006, the year after London won the bid, West
Ham declared their interest in taking on the stadium after the Olympics. The
interest crystalised into a bid in January 2007 to take over the stadium,
offering £100m up front to take on the stadium as long as the design brief
of the yet unbuilt stadium was altered to include retractable seating in the
manner of the Stade de France stadium.
However, the Olympic Development Agency, headed by Tessa Jowell and Ken
Livingstone and backed by the Treasury, wanted to build an 80,000 seater
stadium, complete with temporary seats and a temporary partial roof, that
would then be reduced to a 25,000 seat capacity after the games. They went
as far as commissioning a report into the future of the stadium which was
told to explicitly ignore Premier League football from its considerations, a
staggering decision given their later U-Turns (see:
www.guardian.co.uk/...west-ham-athletics).
That you would spend £537m on what would, after the Olympics, become a
25,000 seater stadium used by athletics 20 days a year was clearly a
hare-brained idea - no wonder Ed Warner, the UK Athletics chairman called it
a 'Stratford Farce'. Now that the Treasury and other Olympic organisations
are balking at the cost of transforming a badly designed stadium, perhaps
they should consider looking at their previous staggering ineptitude rather
than looking to pass the costs on.
6). There is a fundamental underlying point - should Messrs Gold and
Sullivan want to sell a successful business, why should the state get an
extra windfall? They will already have paid Capital Gains Tax on any profit.
Since buying Birmingham for £1, they have done a good job of improving the
fortunes of the clubs they have run. Given their age (Gold is 76, Sullivan
63) it is not far fetched to see them wanting to sell rather than burden
their next generation with running the club. Having recently criticised the
French 'sans culottes', it is odd that Johnson would suggest the state
should requisition a windfall from a successful business - a strategy more
akin to Lenin's Russia than to the modern United Kingdom. It is hard to
imagine George Osbourne's next budget calling for a windfall on every Capita
or Serco share sold, or any other company that makes money off deals with
the state. So why West Ham?
Rather than being the good deal for West Ham, this is a great deal for the
country - the one option that will ensure that the Olympics legacy is not
tarnished by an unfilled, unloved stadium casting a shadow over both east
London and the Treasury's books. So why are they trying to kill the golden
goose with ridiculous demands?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A legacy for West Ham
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 5th December 2012
By: Graeme Howlett
Today represents a momentous day in the history of West Ham United Football
Club.
The prospect of moving two miles across the London borough of Newham to
Stratford, part of the original London parish of West Ham, could potentially
grant this famous old club the opportunity to rub shoulders with the giants
of the English game.
Yet that possibility is anathema to some of the club's supporters who remain
vehemently opposed to uprooting from the Boleyn Ground, our home for the
last 107 years.
The most recent poll on KUMB.com, conducted shortly after the conclusion of
the hugely-successful 2012 Olympic Games resulted in 64 per cent of
supporters voting IN FAVOUR of moving to the Olympic Stadium. However the
poll prior to that – conducted just eight months earlier – saw 61 per cent
of fans vote AGAINST the move.
The arguments from the antis are many and varied. The Boleyn Ground is our
home, they say – and a stadium that is more than sufficient for a club of
West Ham's stature. Others believe that the club has little chance of
filling 60,000 seats on a regular basis; just where will the additional
25,000 fans come from?
Others are suspicious of the co-owners' motives; is this simply just one
final pay-day for the septuagenarian David Gold and his long-term business
partner David Sullivan - a vanity project? Why would they sell a ground the
club owns to take a tenancy elsewhere? And why, despite repeated promises,
have the supporters never been fully consulted about the move? Surely
disaster that way lurks.
Yet those in favour of the move argue that this is a golden opportunity for
West Ham United that simply can't be overlooked; a once-in-a-lifetime chance
to place a club forged on the dockside of the East End shipyards by
philanthropist Arnold Hills during the latter years of the 19th century in
the upper echelons of English – and potentially European - football.
The fantastic transport links mean that supporters from all over Western
Europe will be no more than a few hours away from London. More seats mean
that the club could afford to offer cheaper tickets too, enticing back many
long-term supporters for whom Premier League football is simply too
expensive presently.
The prospect of playing in an internationally-renowned arena, in the globe's
most prestigious league would attract some of the world's best players –
players who would be affordable as a result of the added income from
lucrative sponsorship, commercial and marketing deals. Retractable seating
will bring the supporters as close to the pitch as they are at the Boleyn.
It's a no-brainer.
As in most scenarios, the truth probably lies somewhere between the two. For
those of us who once stood on the old north or south banks with our fathers
and grandfathers, leaving Upton Park will be a huge wrench – as it will have
been for those former Highbury, Roker Park and Baseball Ground stalwarts.
But perhaps, as author John Niven wrote, "It is the brave and great man who
... resists inertia and smashes on through to the far side." Or as Del Boy
Trotter would have put it, "he who dares wins, Rodders".
Regardless of the supporters' views, It is abundantly clear that West Ham
United at the Olympic Stadium is a prospect that has other London teams
seriously worried.
Daniel Levy of Tottenham Hotspur and Barry Hearn of Leyton Orient have gone
to considerable lengths to scupper West Ham's bid – whilst former Hammers
chairman Terry Brown revealed some time ago how David Dein, the ex
vice-chair of Arsenal, admitted that the prospect of West Ham moving to the
Olympic Stadium "frightened him to death".
Whatever form the move to Stratford will eventually take, it will certainly
mean the end of West Ham United as we know it. A team that was once cited as
"everyone's second favourite club", a team the great Bill Shankly described
as "nice football, nice family club – two points" will be transformed beyond
recognition.
Much has been spoken about legacy since the closing ceremony of the Olympic
games. Following Boris Johnson's announcement earlier today, all we as
long-suffering West Ham United supporters can do is place our trust in the
current owners to deliver their own legacy worthy of this great club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Barry Hearn still hoping Leyton Orient could groundshare with West Ham at
Olympic Stadium
Last Updated: December 5, 2012 4:02pm
SSN
Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has not given up hope that his club could
end up sharing the Olympic Stadium with West Ham. The Hammers have been made
preferred bidders by the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to
become the new tenants of the stadium, a decision which did not surprise
Hearn. But Hearn says West Ham's move to Stratford would have a hugely
negative impact on the O's. And he believes there is a long way to go before
the agreement is signed, sealed and delivered and insists Leyton Orient will
explore every avenue before conceding defeat. "I'm disappointed," he told
Sky Sports News, "because it was our dream to move into the Olympic Stadium.
This is not the best news I have ever had in my life. But I am not going to
panic. There are certain questions to be asked about West Ham moving so
close to us. "I don't understand what harm there would be in a major Premier
League club like West Ham and a community club like ours sharing the Olympic
Stadium. It happens in France, it happens in Germany, it ticks a lot of
boxes. "And it would show that it's not just about cash. But I'm afraid in
these difficult times, and with taxpayers money involved, it is all about
cash. That's sad. "We have to take stock of the situation and move on. We're
up for ground-sharing. I understand West Ham's football tenancy is not
necessarily exclusive. "We're disappointed at stage one, but whose to say
about stage two. "One of the conditions of West Ham being the preferred
bidder is that is cleared with the relevant football authorities. That's the
key line. We believe it has not been cleared with the relevant football
authorities to the satisfaction of Leyton Orient.
"Clearly if West Ham are moving to the Olympic Park, which is 750 feet away
from our stadium, it's very difficult to believe that new fans in our local
population will enter into any season ticket applications if they have a
Premier League team on their doorstep - which wasn't there before - in a
stadium that which has a capacity where they will be able to offer
fabulously discounted deals. "Ask yourself - if you were a kid in the Leyton
area and West Ham were in the Olympic Stadium with spare capacity, where
would you go? "We are halfway through a dispute with the Premier League on
the rules. They clearly feel they have done enough of an inquiry to grant
West Ham permission. We feel they haven't."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I'm so excited at what this means for West Ham
By KARREN BRADY
Published: 6 hrs ago
The Sun
What happened to the last six Olympic stadiums
BEIJING 2008
The Bird's Nest is used only occasionally but Man City and Arsenal played
there this summer. Held the Italian version of the Community Shield in 2009
and 2011.
ATHENS
2004 Panathinaikos rent Spiros Louis stadium — and are currently struggling
to pay the electricity bill. Liverpool lost the 2007 Champions League final
there.
SYDNEY 2000
The largest Olympic stadium ever, held 110,000. It has been reduced to
70,000 for rugby, football, Aussie rules and Twenty20 international cricket
matches.
ATLANTA 1996
As soon as the 1996 Games were finished the stadium was converted into a
baseball stadium to house the Atlanta Braves. Renamed the Turner Field.
BARCELONA 1992
Was used by Espanyol for more than a decade before they moved out and
England have twice played there. Has also hosted Heineken Cup rugby.
SEOUL 1988
Now a music venue when footballing minnows Seoul United aren't in action.
Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga are among music stars to perform there.
YESTERDAY'S unanimous decision to name West Ham United as the higher-ranking
bidder to be given the opportunity of moving to the Olympic Stadium
represents a giant step forward for the club. A move back to our home in
West Ham will play a huge part in helping us to realise our ambitious vision
to take the club to the next level. The decision guarantees a true and
lasting legacy for East London and is the best outcome for the taxpayer. The
London Legacy Development Corporation and its Chair, Boris Johnson, should
be applauded for realising that by selecting West Ham, London is well on the
way to being able to showcase yet another major destination and visitor
attraction in the Olympic Park that will further strengthen the capital's
place on the global map. Yes, there is still work to be done but the
commitment is there to make the stadium work. Now we can work openly with
the LLDC to make sure we find a solution that works for everyone. I feel
privileged on behalf of my supporters, 500,000 of whom are from East London
and Essex, to be in a position to help really deliver a true and lasting
Games legacy for London. If I had to sum up how I feel, it would be excited.
Excited at the prospects for the club, our supporters and East London. I'm
looking forward to working with our local partners to target groups in need
of employment. I am excited at the prospect of growing our business.
I am excited at the chance to work with our supporters to make this a
stadium that befits their proud history and that they can call home. The
opportunity for our club to really compete at the highest level and grow to
fit its fanbase is immense. I am excited that up to 100,000 members of the
community who wouldn't otherwise be able to access elite sport will be
inspired by watching the best league in the world free of charge. And that
local families who might not have been able to attend matches because they
simply can't afford it, will be able to come and watch Premier League
football. I will relish looking at how best to expand the services delivered
by our community department who already serve over 1.5million users in the
local area — a number that is set to grow and grow. I am excited to have the
task of filling what is arguably the world's most iconic stadium and to
ensure it becomes the 'jewel in the crown' of the Olympic Park.
I have talked a lot about our plans and meant every one of the promises I
made on behalf of West Ham. What excites me the most is that I finally
believe that the time has come to start putting those plans into action and
delivering on those promises. And that is what it has always been about for
me. To the people of East London, I say we will ensure that the buzz you
witnessed in your area over the summer becomes a long-term fixture that will
keep the eyes of the globe on East London for generations to come. We pledge
to create over 700 new jobs and will bring over one million people a year
with us to the Park.
The global exposure of having Premier League football in the most iconic
building in East London will ensure big businesses will stick around long
after the memories of superhuman athletic feats have faded.
The move will provide us with the opportunity to work with tens of thousands
more deserving youngsters in some of the poorest areas of the country. That,
for me, is a real legacy. To our supporters, I can say exciting times for
our club lie ahead. I know for some the wait has been frustrating, but we
look forward to now being able to share our vision. We're sure that when
they see our vision for the stadium, they'll be just as excited as I am. I
would like to thank the LLDC, and in particular its chairman Boris Johnson,
who deserves immense credit for the vision he has shown in making this
decision that secures a genuine, lasting legacy for East London. I would
also like to pay tribute to our two chairmen, David Gold and David Sullivan,
whose passion and steadfast belief have shone the way since we first stated
our hopes of moving to Stratford three years ago. Finally, I would like to
thank my staff at West Ham United, who have worked so hard and diligently to
help us reach this milestone. Of course, we have only been named
highest-ranked bidder and we still have to see the ball over the line in the
final negotiations. Then the hard work can really start to create a stunning
new home. Yesterday was a fantastic day for West Ham United, but I think
there are even better times ahead
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