Hamburger SV 1-3 West Ham United FT
WHUFC.com
The Hammers bounced back in style to defeat Hamburg 3-1 on Tuesday
23.07.2013
HAMBURGER SV v WEST HAM UNUTED
PRE-SEASON MATCH
FLENSBURGER STADION
TUESDAY 23 JULY 2013
KICK-OFF: 6.45PM (CEST)
Full time: Hamburger SV 1-3 West Ham United
90 mins Full time and the Hammers have won 3-1. A much quieter second half
but Sam Allardyce will be more than happy with that workout. A good response
to Saturday's defeat at Mainz and Matt Jarvis was on fine form to supply the
goals for Alou Diarra, James Tomkins and Ravel Morrison. Now on to
Braunschweig for Saturday's concluding game of the tour. Check whufc.com for
more reaction and match highlights.
89 mins The stadium PA informs us that Matt Jarvis has been named as man of
the match. A well-deserved award after a fine performance.
85 mins Not much to report in the way of goalmout action in the last few
minutes as the game drifts towards its conclusion. West Ham's 3-1 lead is
looking fairly safe.
83 mins Danny Whitehead is going to get a shot run out now, with the summer
signing from Stockport County replacing Mo Diame.
79 mins The Hammers make another change. Pelly Ruddock replaces Guy Demel,
who comes off to a warm round of applause from the fans of his old club.
75 mins Kerem Demirbay lines up a shot from range which flies harmlessly
over. That effort had more than a whiff of desperation about it.
71 mins Kevin Nolan takes a bit of a clatter in midfield and stays down for
a bit. He looks fit to continue though after getting to his feet gingerly,
so that moment of alarm has passed.
66 mins Two more changes from West Ham. Mark Noble and Matt Taylor are
coming on for Alou Diarrs and Ravel Morrison.
64 mins That's not a million miles away from Modibo Maiga, who eyes up a
shooting chance from 20 yards and sends the ball whistling past the post and
clattering into the stanchion supporting the net.
63 mins Here's a pic of the goal Ravel Morrison scored to put the Hammers
3-1 up on the stroke of half time. That remains the scoreline with a third
of the game to play.
Ravel Morrison scores v Hamburger SV
61 mins Time for the Hammers to make their first substitution. James Collins
is the man to make way, with Winston Reid coming on his place.
59 mins Better from Hamburg so far this half, and Stephen Henderson has been
a busy man to keep the score at 3-1. But he has done and that's good for the
Hammers as they near the hour mark.
52 mins Now it is West Ham's turn to threaten and it is no surprise that
Matt Jarvis is the man involved again. He finds himself in a one-on-one
situation with his defender and wrongfoots the goalkeeper with his shot,
only for the ball to roll against the post.
48 mins Henderson is in the action again, moving to his left to claw away
Dennis Aogo's effort after the sub took advantage of a slip from James
Collins to run in on goal.
47 mins What a save that is from Stephen Henderson! Ivo Ilicevic hits a free
kick which the Hammers stopper touches on to the post. He has to get up
quickly to block from Jiracek on the rebound and it's still 3-1.
7.52pm The referee gets the second half underway. No changes for the
Hammers. Plenty for the hosts though, Mancienne, Aogo, Rincon, Calhanoglu,
Rudnevs, Jiracek, Rajkovic, Skjelbred, Dermibay and Nafiu are on.
7.36pm The referee sounds his whistle for half-time and it has certainly
been a productive 45 minutes for the Hammers. Matt Jarvis has provided the
threat down the left and thas claimed assists on all three goals. West Ham
twice profited from corners through Alou Diarra and James Tomkins, then
Ravel Morrison notched a third after Jarvis was hauled down inside the box.
Hamburg's only reply has been through Heiko Westermann's header. 3-1 is the
interval score.
45 mins GOAL! The Hammers quicky restore their two-goal advantage though.
Matt Jarvis again makes a piercing run down the left flank and as he shifts
the ball beyond Diekmeier, he is brought down by the defender and the
referee points straight to the spot. Ravel Morrison picks up the ball and
sends the spot kick low into the left hand corner with Drobny diving the
other way. 3-1.
42 mins GOAL! And Hamburg do have their goal from the flag kick. Van der
Vaart deliveres and defender Heiko Westermann jumps highest to plant a firm
header beyond Stephen Henderson.
42 mins Hamburg would like one back before half time and Beister has a
chance to cross low when he advances into the box, but his low cross is cut
out by Tomkins and a corner is the result.
37 mins They do create a chance through Rafael van der Vaart though, who
controls inside the box, swivels and fires his shot a yard over the top.
36 mins The Hammers are looking quite comfortable in their lead and some of
the locals behind us are getting a little restless with their side's play.
29 mins Just a whisker away from three! It's that man Matt Jarvis who is
providing the threat once again and he gets to the by-line to stand up a
cross from the left which Modibo Maiga meets, only for keeper Drobny to fly
across and make the save.
28 mins GOAL! It's 2-0 and it's from another left wing Matt Jarvis corner.
We've looked threatening from every set play and this time James Tomkins has
timed his arrival perfectly to leap and nod forcefully home.
25 mins A good spell of possession there for Hamburg, but nothing of any
threat to go along with it. That's been the pattern so far, Hamburg happy to
keep the ball and West Ham happy to let them have it in front of them.
21 mins Hamburg are struggling to find any rhythm to their game and they've
just handed the Hammers a gift of a corner when Westermann heads behind when
looking for goalkeeper Drobny. Jarvis' corner is headed away though. Still
1-0.
17 mins That is some hit from Hamburg defender Milan Badelj, who smacks the
ball goalwards after a short corner routine breaks down and comes out to him
30 yards out. He strikes first time and Stephen Henderson has to fly across
to his left to make the save.
15 mins GOAL! The Hammers' pressure was building and it pays off with a
goal. Matt Jarvis delivers the corner and Alou Diarra makes the run to the
near post to flick his header home at the far. A much better start than on
Saturday!
12 mins Matt Jarvis gets his first chance to stretch his legs down the left
and his cross is a dangerous one, but Ravel Morrison can't quite reach it
and the ball squirts away off his head for a throw in.
11 mins West Ham try to make their presence in attack felt now as Mo Diame
makes a powerful run from midfield. He looks inside for the pass and picks
out Ravel Morrison, although his route to the box is blocked by a Hamburg
defender 20 yards out.
8 mins Good pressing from the Hammers as they try to win the ball back deep
in Hamburg territory. There doesn't look to be a way out for Heiko
Westermann but Alou Diarra is a little too eager in trying to tackle and a
free kick is the result.
6 mins The first shots of the game come in from Hamburg, first van der
Vaart's effort is blocked by Collins and then the rebound is thumped miles
over the bar and Stephen Henderson was never worried in goal.
4 mins Half an opening for the hosts as Beister looks to burst away down the
centre. He looks for Zoua in the right channel, but overhits the pass and it
runs out for a goal kick,
2 mins Early corner for Hamburg as Rafael van der Vaart's deep free kick is
flicked behind by James Collins. Van der Vaart is over the corner too, but
EWest Ham survive that early threat.
6.49pm And we're underway. West Ham shooting towards our left, with Hamburg
clad all in red.
6.47pm And as I type here come the teams, West Ham in white and led by
skipper Kevin Nolan, who is having a good chat with his opposite number
Rafael van der Vaart as they stride out.
6.46pm We're still awaiting the arrival of the players to the pitch, but we
shouldn't have too long to wait with kick-off close.
6.25pm The Flensburger Stadion is a modest venue, but it is filling up
nicely ahead of kick-off. Again, there is a decent contingent of Hammers
flags here, while Hamburg possess a strong supporter base in the region, so
the locals are taking the opportunity to watch their team on their doorstep.
6.15pm Both teams are going through their warm-ups with kick-off 30 minutes
away. The sprinklers are giving the pitch a good dousing of water too. Much
needed on another hot day here in Germany.
6.10pm The Hamburg team news is in and a name familiar to the Barclays
Premier League is prominent amongst them.
Rafael van der Vaart played for Tottenham Hotspur and starts this evening's
game, while ex-Chelsea man Michael Mancienne is on the bench.
Hamburger SV: Drobny, Diekmeier, Westermann, Jansen, Ilicevic, Badelj,
Sobiech, Arslan, Beister, van der Vaart, Zous
Subs: Neuhaus, Mancienne, Aogo, Rincon, Calhanoglu, Rudneva, Jiracek,
Rajkovic, Skjelbred, Demirbay, Nafiu
5.50pm We've just been handed the Hammers teamsheet. James Collins is back
after missing Saturday's game at Mainz to attend the wedding of his brother,
while there are starts too for former Hamburg man Guy Demel and goalkeeper
Stephen Henderson.
West Ham United: Henderson; Demel, Collins, Tomkins, Rat; Diarra, Diame,
Nolan; Morrison, Maiga, Jarvis
Subs: Jaaskelainen, Reid, Potts, Vaz Te, Noble, Lletget, Ruddock, Adrian,
Taylor, Lee, Whitehead, Collison
5.45pm Good evening from Flensburg for West Ham United's second game of
their pre-season tour of Germany.
Hamburger SV provide tonight's opposition as the Hammers aim to bounce back
from their 4-1 defeat to FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday. Saturday's defeat was the
first suffered by the Hammers in pre-season, following victories over Cork
City, Boreham Wood, AFC Bournemouth and Colchester United. Hamburg were
involved in a tour-team tournament last weekend, losing to Bayern Munich 4-0
on Saturday, before coming up short against Borussia Dortmund in the
third-fourth play-off. Bayern won the Telekom Cup, defeating Borussia
Monchengladbach 5-1 in the final. They finished seventh in the Bundesliga
last term so are sure to provide the Hammers with a tough test.
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Carr celebrates 40 years on the job
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Academy director Tony Carr MBE is today celebrating 40
unbroken years with the Club
23.07.2013
When the telephone rang for Tony Carr MBE in July 1973, little did he know
that a conversation with the late West Ham United manager John Lyall would
launch a career in coaching still going strong some 40 years later. Carr was
only 22 at the time and considering his future after a broken leg, amongst
other injuries, had virtually put paid to his prospects as a player. Already
aware that he enjoyed coaching, Carr had obtained the requisite coaching
badges and was a qualified PE teacher. So when Lyall offered him the chance
to come back to West Ham to work part-time in the Academy, he was only too
glad to take the plunge. 40 years on, and with a whole string of famed
Academy graduates to his name, Carr, along with a dedicated team of staff
around him, is still taking care of the next generation of Hammers. "Who
would have thought, 40 years down the line, I would still be here and doing
what I am doing," he told whufc.com. "Someone said to me, you seem to like
coaching, you enjoy it and are good, so go for it. And I did! It's great and
I still love it, that's why I am still doing it and at the Club where I
started out, you can't get much better. "My job and that of my staff is to
find the next generation of footballers and bringing those players through
to the first-team here. Many of these players have gone on to represent
their country and played at the highest level, which is something I, and we
as a Club, can be very proud of. "We first see a player at the age of eight
or nine and then try to nurture them through both as a player and as young
men. Even if they don't make it at the top level, if they still make a
career playing football, then that is success. "It is well known that the
likes of Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick have come through
and made it at the very top level. Then our very own Joe Cole, Mark Noble,
James Tomkins, Jack Collison who are all in our first team now. It's why you
do what you do and get the satisfaction of the job."
Tomkins, like many of his contemporaries, owes a great deal to Carr and the
Hammers centre-half paid tribute to his unstinting work for the Club. He
said: "I've known Tony for years, since he first brought me through the
ranks when I left school. He's had a massive influence on my career as he
helped with the big step from being a young lad in the Under-18s to playing
for the reserves and then, eventually, the first team. "I think he's been
successful because of his coaching methods and the way he goes about
training. He makes you feel loved and part of a family. West Ham has always
been a family Club and you can always go and talk to him. I'm sure he's got
a few years left in him yet but what he has achieved has been fantastic when
you look at the number of players he has delivered for West Ham. "It would
be a hard feat for anyone to replicate. It doesn't come by luck, it comes
through the hard work he has put in. We all have so much respect for him.
I'd like to wish him a happy 40th anniversary. 40 years is incredible. Tony
is a top man and I hope he stays in the game for many more years yet as he
his record speaks for itself."
Tomkins can rest assured that Carr has no plans to hang up his boots just
yet, not least with the likes of Dan Potts and Seb Lletget starting to make
an impression in senior football. "I am now in the position to watch young
Dan Potts getting his foot in the door with the first team and I had his
dad, Steve, come through as a youth player in our Academy, who's now back at
the Club managing the Under-18s. Though it does make you feel a bit old!
"Seb Lletget is another young player who has caught manager Sam Allardyce's
eye and is grabbing his chance. To be part of it all still after this time,
is still something I enjoy and relish coming into every day."
Like anything else in football, coaching has changed a great deal over the
years, and Carr, together with his colleagues, have overseen the Academy's
growth with the introduction of the Elite Player Performance Plan. The
future is also set to bring transition off the pitch and Carr feels as
privileged as ever to be a part of West Ham United. "It is an exciting time.
If we are to move forward as a Club, you have to look at everything and that
includes the Stadium you play in. I think it's good news and will hopefully
allow us to reach the next level at the Olympic Stadium. "For me, I still
have the hunger for the challenge of seeing where the next young player is
coming from and ensuring we have a successful academy. I am now in the
middle of another pre-season and still enjoying it. I feel I have a few
years in me yet!"
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Rat lends a hand in the Ticket Office
WHUFC.com
Razvan Rat showed his versatility with an eventful stint in West Ham
United's ticket office
23.07.2013
West Ham United summer signing Razvan Rat has plenty of pedigree on the
pitch and is already proving his worth off it. Prior to the Hammers' trip to
Germany, the Romanian left-back popped into the Club's ticket office to lend
a hand. Not content with being a bystander, Rat gladly took to the phones,
helping prospective Season Ticket Holders guarantee their seats for the
forthcoming Barclays Premier League campaign. While Rat might be more at
home on the football field, it is an experience he is more than happy to
repeat, if it means yet more full houses at the Boleyn Ground. "It was
interesting for me and if this helps to sell more Season Tickets, then why
not? I'll be here all the time," he told West Ham TV. "The fans are always
important. At the end of the day, we're playing for them. So I hope to see a
full Stadium every game to support us. They make the difference when they're
supporting you. Your motivation is different and your desire to win is much
higher."
While attention inevitably turns to the big kick-off against Cardiff City on
17 August, Rat also harbours hopes of playing in the Olympic Stadium, intent
on seeing out his playing days in east London. "I hope it [the Cardiff game]
will be a sell out and for West Ham to get off on the right foot, to win at
home and start the season well. I think West Ham are going to have a good
season. "I'd like to be here to play in the Olympic Stadium to see all
those people in the Stadium. It's important to be here for a long time and
to end my career here."
Speaking of Tuesday's game against Hamburger SV, Rat is expecting another
stern test. He added: "I know that they are a good team, and we must be
careful because we had a bad result on Saturday. We need to improve on what
we did then and it will be a tough game."
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Pre-season friendly: West Ham defeat Hamburg 3-1 as Matt Jarvis shines
Last Updated: July 23, 2013 9:33pm
SSN
West Ham bounced back from their heavy defeat to Mainz at the weekend with a
3-1 pre-season friendly victory over Hamburg on Tuesday night in Flensburg.
The Hammers were beaten 4-1 by Mainz in the opening match of their tour to
Germany as they suffered their first loss of the summer. But the Premier
League side enjoyed success against another Bundesliga outfit in the shape
of Hamburg, with Matt Jarvis playing a big part in the win. All four goals
were scored in the first half with Alou Diarra and James Tomkins both
heading in Jarvis corners to put West Ham 2-0 up inside 30 minutes. Hamburg
halved the deficit through Heiko Westermann in the 43rd minute but Sam
Allardyce's men added a third soon after through a Ravel Morrison penalty
after Jarvis had been brought down.
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West Ham are not getting Olympic Stadium for free stresses Brady
London24
Dave Evans
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
6:32 PM
Sir Alan Sugar's right hand woman, Karren Brady pictured in central London
as she has been announced as The Almond Board of California's new ambassador
for its latest campaign encouraging women to snack smartly. Sir Alan Sugar's
right hand woman, Karren Brady pictured in central London as she has been
announced as The Almond Board of California's new ambassador for its latest
campaign encouraging women to snack smartly.
West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady has confirmed that the club will not
receive any money from the naming rights at the Olympic Stadium in
Stratford.
Speaking in front of a House of Lords Select Committee into the legacy of
London 2012, Brady answered questions about the process and the prospect of
sharing the £538 million stadium with neighbours Leyton Orient. The Hammers
were confirmed earlier in the year as anchor tenants at the arena from 2016
after lengthy negotiations with the London Legacy Development Corporation
(LLDC), but Brady denied suggestions that West Ham had the LLDC 'over a
barrel' during the negotiations. "It was not the case," she said. "We are
not the buyer or seller of the stadium, it was put out to tender and anyone
worldwide could have bid for it. "We said we wanted to pay our own way and
there were risks. "We own our own stadium, we decide what, when and how we
do things. "We are investing a lot of money into the reconfiguration at the
stadium and the retractable seating. The whole thing could not be done
without the money we are putting in."
Brady appeared slightly ruffled when questioned about Leyton Orient and the
prospect of a groundshare after listening to the comments of their chairman
Barry Hearn, who had appeared just before her at the select committee. When
asked if the club were prepared to share the arena if the LLDC changed their
minds, she said: "It is part of a judicial review so I have to be mindful of
the answers I give, but as part of the process everybody had to agree to the
principle of groundsharing and we agreed to that. "It was up to the LLDC as
to who would share with who."
She repeated that answer three times, but when pressed, she did have some
barbed comments about Leyton Orient. "There is no precedent of groundsharing
in the UK," she said. "Leyton Orient had an average crowd of 4,200 last
season. How they would occupy a 54,000 stadium is difficult to imagine, but
that is a concern for them not me. "We are in different boroughs, we are
currently 2.9 miles away from them and that will become 1.5 miles. A Leyton
Orient fan is not going to wake up tomorrow and become a West Ham fan or
vice versa."
She continued: "The alternative doesn't bear thinking about. We are not
getting a free stadium. The stadium was built for the Olympics, but that has
now gone.
"The cost of keeping the stadium without anchor tenants would be huge to the
tax payer. "With us the legacy of the stadium and its future have been
ring-fenced and we have offered 100 years of commitment. The alternatives
were a Formula One bid, a small college which is based in Burnley and a
self-proclaimed community club."
Brady stressed that not only will they receive nothing from the naming
rights of the stadium, they will also give the LLDC a lump sum to help with
conversion cost which they intend to take from the sale of Upton Park. Any
outstanding money would then go towards the debt the club is still in, but
Brady was unable to estimate just how much cash is likely to be gleaned from
the sale. "Upton Park has not been sold so we can't determine the value.
Whatever it is, it will be a considerable loss on the investment that West
Ham have put into it. "The LLDC have asked for a lump sum and how we
generate the money for that I don't think they are overly concerned. "The
market is very difficult," she reflected. "We did have a tentative deal in
place, but that fell away because of the numerous delays and that is no
longer on the table. "We have made a financial commitment and that could
mean that all the money from Upton Park would go to it. But selling Upton
Park would create new jobs and new homes with the regeneration project in
Newham as well as 700 new jobs at the Olympic Stadium.
"There is a huge shortage of housing in Newham and we hope to help with that
problem."
West Ham are scheduled to move into the stadium for the start of the 2016/17
season and Brady confirmed that there are safeguards should the worst come
to the worst and the Hammers are relegated from the Premier League. "In the
event that we could pay any rent or guarantee their commitment, the owners
have guaranteed to meet the shortfall," she said. "If the owners sell, they
are also committed to give part of their profit to the LLDC. But David Gold
was born in Green Street, David Sullivan went to University in east London
and they have pulled their money together to buy the club they have always
supported. "They are intending to leave the club to the many generations of
their family to come."
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West Ham United must pay £70m bank debt before Olympic Stadium move
• Karren Brady: club not getting ground on the cheap
• West Ham plan not a done deal, insists Orient's Barry Hearn
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 24 July 2013 16.55 BST
West Ham United will have to pay off all of their bank debt before their
move to the Olympic Stadium, according to the club's vice-chairman, Karren
Brady.
West Ham have debts of £70m, with half of that bank debt secured on Upton
Park and which has to be cleared when the ground is sold ahead of the move
to the Olympic Stadium in 2016. Brady, giving evidence to the House of Lords
committee on Olympic and Paralympic legacy on Wednesday, also insisted the
club were not getting the stadium on the cheap and the deal was good value
to the taxpayer. The Premier League club did have a buyer in place for Upton
Park but that fell through because of delays to the deal to become Olympic
Stadium tenants. Brady also stated that the sluggish property market means
she expects income projections from the sale to be down 50% on 2010.
Brady added that she did not expect the sale would cover much more than the
lump sum the club will have to pay to the London Legacy Development
Corporation (LLDC) to move to the Olympic venue. She said: "We did have a
tentative deal [for Upton Park] but that fell away. We hope the money
generated from the sale of Upton Park will be enough to fulfil our
commitment and to help pay off some of our bank debt. "When we bought the
club and took on more than £100m of debt, that was guaranteed on the ground.
We have to pay off all our bank debt to move, we can't take the debt with
us. If there is any excess [from the sale of Upton Park] it will meet some
of that debt but I don't expect there will be."
Brady was asked to respond to a claim by the former sports minister Richard
Caborn that West Ham were getting the £600m stadium for only £15m, plus
£2m-a-year rent, with the taxpayer picking up the tab. Brady defended the
deal, however, and said: "The alternative scenario does not bear thinking
about. West Ham is not getting a free stadium. The stadium was built for the
Olympics and what are we going to do with it? Across the world, stadiums
that are not used die. Without anchor tenants the cost would be huge to the
taxpayer."
She added that West Ham would generate "many hundreds of millions of pounds"
over the 100-year lease. The committee also heard from Leyton Orient's
chairman, Barry Hearn, who insisted West Ham's move was "not a done deal"
because of his continuing judicial review and legal action against the
Premier League. Hearn wants his club to be able to groundshare with West Ham
and use only the lower tier for Orient's matches. He also described the
LLDC's deal with West Ham as "state sponsorship beyond my wildest dreams".
Hearn said: "This is not a done deal. West Ham have an agreement but I have
a judicial review outstanding and litigation with the Premier League that
[means] West Ham even moving would be a breach of Premier League rules. "We
have ended up in situation where we have gifted £500m of taxpayers' money to
a Premier League club that has a turnover of more than £100m. It's a
wonderful gift but if I was an Arsenal fan I would wonder why we bothered
paying to build a new stadium. "This is state sponsorship beyond my wildest
dreams. In effect, it's rent free as they have the ability to develop Upton
Park."
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Hearn: We were offered Olympic Stadium first
London 24
Dave Evans, Recorder Reporter
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
6:23 PM
Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has insisted that they have not given up
on moving into the Olympic Stadium with West Ham – an arena, he claims was
offered to them first, way back in 2006. Appearing in front of a House of
Lords select committee set up to look into the legacy of the Olympic Games,
Hearn was full of bravado, claiming that the deal to have West Ham as anchor
tenants is not yet ratified because of a judicial review and a case against
the Premier League. He also stated that they were the first club to be
offered the stadium for use as a football stadium. "The initial plan with
Tessa Jowell and Ken Livingstone was to leave a 25,000 stadium and we were
to use the arena," said Hearn. "We turned it down because of the athletics
track. We said that the only thing you can do was put in retractable
seating, but they said they could not afford it. "We were always intended to
be the football tenant post games in a small 25,000 stadium."
Plans have changed radically since then and the stadium will now be
converted to a 54,000 capacity with retractable seating and Hearn states
that is why he changed his mind about a move. "We came back in the moment
they said that retractable seating was going in. We were interested in a
groundshare once we knew that the view for the fans was going to be
compelling, rather than something that is happening way over there."
West Ham were confirmed as anchor tenants by the London Legacy Development
Corporation (LLDC) earlier this year, but Hearn still does not accept that
everything is now decided. "This is not a done deal," he insisted. "There is
a judicial review in the high court and there is a claim against the Premier
League.
"Commercially this move will increase West Ham's value by £100 million and
yet they are paying £2m rent a year. They are paying £20m towards the
refurbishment and they are being allowed to redevelop Upton Park."
Hearn was also critical of the LLDC and the way they went about the bidding
process which ended in West Ham's success. "I thought they were nice people
and had a certain amount of skill, but I wouldn't trust them to run a
newsagents," said Hearn. "We were slipped out, bashed up, terrorised,
bullied and made to think we are of no significance. "Is legacy just a word
or is money all that matters? In my dealings with the LLDC and with Boris
Johnson, legacy has not been mentioned, it is money that has been
mentioned."
The Orient owner confirmed he is still open to a change of mind from the
LLDC, when he was asked the question by Lord Falconer. "I would welcome it
and I would kiss you and I don't usually kiss men," he exclaimed. "We are
desperate to survive and the only way we can do that is with a groundshare."
Keen to play the innocent victim, Hearn stressed that he can't understand
what the problem is with sharing the stadium with the Hammers, despite the
various run-ins he has had with the Upton Park club over the stadium. "All I
hear is that West Ham don't want to share with Leyton Orient. I cannot come
up with one reason as to what harm we would do. The stadium could make a
profit out of us being there even at our current level. "I am completely
bemused, because it is a no brainer."
Hearn confirmed that they had offered the LLDC a rental of £500,000 a year
whilst they remain in League One, increasing to £1m in the Championship and
going up to £5m if they were ever to reach the Premier League. Without a
move, Hearn thinks that the future for the club is a bleak one. "No
youngster in our catchment area would consider going to Leyton Orient if
West Ham are at the Olympic Stadium," he said. "This would condemn Orient,
not necessarily to death, but down the divisions over a five-year period.
"Our average crowd is 5,000, moving to the Olympic Stadium is a challenge,
but it is a great challenge. We are not in this to make money, we are a
community club and as a club we live in the real world," said Hearn who has
not given up hope. "My front door is 750 yards from the Olympic Stadium. The
Olympics was about dreams, but why does that dream die after three or four
weeks? "Football club owners have dreams too."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 24
Tuesday, July 23
Daily WHUFC News - 23rd July 2013
Noble looking for quick response
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble wants West Ham United to bounce back quickly when they face
Hamburg on Tuesday
22.07.2013
Mark Noble says the mentality of West Ham United's pre-season will not be
affected by Saturday's defeat to Mainz. The Hammers lost 4-1 to the German
side, but won their previous four fixtures and Noble wants to bounce back
when they face Hamburg on Tuesday. West Ham play three games in their tour
of Germany and Noble expects them to get stronger with every match they
play. He said: "It was not the best result in the world on Saturday but it
is about getting fit in these games "We came to Germany last year and had a
similar turnout when we'd come on the back of four wins. We're finding our
feet and some of the lads played 75 minutes, so it was a brilliant workout,
exactly what we needed and now we're looking forward to the next one against
Hamburg.
"I was hoping to play the full 90 to get the fitness under my belt, but they
decided to give me 75 minutes and hopefully I'll play my part in the next
couple of games. "These German sides are good. They're technically very good
and drilled really well. It was a good workout for the lads. No-one likes
losing, even in pre-season, but the result won't come into it. "Pre-season
isn't just about getting fit, it's about getting together as a squad,
getting the new signings involved and trying to enjoy it. "We have done and
now it's Hamburg. We want to get some more training under our belts, get
ready for the next game and continue to get ready for the season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jarvis has sights set on more success
WHUFC.com
Matt Jarvis is looking forward to striking up a useful partnership with Andy
Carroll this season
22.07.2013
Matt Jarvis is looking forward to supplying the ammunition for Andy Carroll
this season. Jarvis, who delivered more crosses than any other player in the
Barclays Premier League last term, is well set to play the role of provider
again in his second year as a West Ham United player. The 27-year-old winger
is currently on tour with the Hammers in Germany and he is already looking
forward to another productive campaign. He told West Ham TV exclusively: "I
think I got better and better as the season went on. I enjoyed all of it and
hopefully I can carry on from where I left off. "Hopefully I can supply Andy
with a lot this year. If I can keep putting the crosses in, he'll try to win
everything in the box, so hopefully that will become a good partnership. "I
need to add more goals to my game from last season, and to keep up the
assists."
Sam Allardyce's men are set to take on Hamburger SV on Tuesday in the
northern German town of Flensburg, and Jarvis could well come up against a
former teammate in the shape of Michael Mancienne. The former England U21
international played alongside Jarvis at Wolverhampton Wanderers and joined
Hamburg from Chelsea in 2011. He continued: "Michael was on loan with us at
Wolves and he was a fantastic player for us at the time. I'm sure he'll be
very good for Hamburg. "I actually saw him on holiday but we didn't know we
were playing each other in pre-season at the time, so I might give him a
little call now. "It's been a good pre-season so far. It's been very warm,
which makes it tough running around in this heat, but it has been going well
and I'm looking forward to getting some more games. "Hopefully I'll get
quite a few minutes in against Hamburg, and really push on. "You always want
to play as many games as you can before the start of the season and get your
fitness as high as it possibly can, so that you can hit the ground running.
"I was a late arrival here last year, so it's beneficial to be here from the
start. You go away on tour and you spend a lot of time together - getting
together as a team is always important."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
RIP Phil Woosnam: a unique player and teacher
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 22nd July 2013
By: Paul Walker
Phil Woosnam passed away in the States this weekend at 80, a man who became
a huge name in football after he left West Ham…but to those of a certain
claret and blue vintage, he was a legend who had a massive impact on the
transformation of our club in the 1960s.
Woosie was different. A skilled and cultured passing inside forward, he
didn't arrive at the Boleyn until he was 26, having been a physics teacher
at Leyton County High School and a renowned amateur player.
The Irons bought him from Leyton Orient in 1958, where he had only just
signed professional forms after playing for the Os as an amateur, something
unheard of in modern day football.
Woosnam, born in Caersws, Montgomeryshire in 1932, he had played for Wales
schools, youth and their amateur international side and studied at Bangor
University, where he also had a spell with Wrexham and played one game in
1952 for Manchester City.
He joined the Royal Artillery and played alongside Manchester United greats
Duncan Edwards and Eddie Coleman during his army soccer career.
But teaching was his career path, and he continued as an amateur with Sutton
United and the famous Middlesex Wanderers before joining Orient. He won his
first full Wales cap while still an amateur at Orient, before making 14
appearances for his country while at Upton Park.
In fact, Woosnam - a cousin of golfer Ian - only gave up his teaching
profession when he joined Ted Fenton's squad for a then club record of
£30,000. He went straight from the classroom into our First Division team.
At the time, West Ham were still evolving into a top flight side after 26
years in the then Second Division. Champions the season before, Woosnam
arrived and instantly gave West Ham a new dimension. Clever, inventive and
with a football brain to go with his academic one.
It is hard to underestimate the influence Woosnam had on the young men
around him who progressed soon into Ron Greenwood's great side of '64, '65,
and '66. Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters, Ronnie Boyce, Joe Kirkup
and even John Lyall played alongside the Welshman.
When he arrived in '58, the players of the promotion side were, obviously,
still around. John Dick, Vic Keeble, John Bond, Ken Brown, Noel Cantwell,
Andy Malcolm, Malcolm Musgrove, John Smith and the like were the stars.
Woosnam was a vital link between West Ham's old and new generations. His
intelligence and talent helped lay the foundations for what was to come.
Although he strangely missed the key moment that established West Ham as a
new force, leaving before the 1964 Cup Final triumph.
He was sold to Aston Villa for £27,000 in 1963, a move that surprised many.
He had played 153 games for us and scored 29 goals.
The emergence of Boyce, and the signing of Johnny Byrne no doubt allowed
Greenwood to sell Woosnam. The talk at the time was that the highly
intelligent Woosnam was just a little too much of a barrack room lawyer for
Greenwood's taste. The young Welshman must have stuck out like a sore thumb
in West Ham's very East End working class dressing room, a graduate and a
very clever man.
He would have no doubt, questioned things he did not agree with, and was a
ready spokesman for the players.
But another reason was that he was a very ambitious man. The move to Villa
saw him play another 111 first team games, picking up another two caps
before making what was then a brave decision to take up a player-coach role
in the States with Atlanta Chiefs, by which time he was 34, and ended his
playing career there.
From then on, Woosnam became one of world soccer's great administrators. He
ran US soccer as their soccer league commissioner until 1982, helped in the
formation of New York Cosmos, which brought the likes of Pele to the Big
Apple. After leaving his role with the US league, he became an astute
businessman.
He was the marketing controller of US Soccer and had a major part to play in
getting the 1994 World Cup to the States. In 2003 the FA of Wales invited
Woosnam to spend time with them when they played the USA in California.
In more recent years he suffered from prostate cancer and Alzheimer's, and
died on Friday night in Atlanta. He will long be remembered for his work
promoting soccer in the States, but to West Ham fans from the 1960s, he was
the beginning of a new generation at the Boleyn.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble wants West Ham United to bounce back quickly when they face
Hamburg on Tuesday
22.07.2013
Mark Noble says the mentality of West Ham United's pre-season will not be
affected by Saturday's defeat to Mainz. The Hammers lost 4-1 to the German
side, but won their previous four fixtures and Noble wants to bounce back
when they face Hamburg on Tuesday. West Ham play three games in their tour
of Germany and Noble expects them to get stronger with every match they
play. He said: "It was not the best result in the world on Saturday but it
is about getting fit in these games "We came to Germany last year and had a
similar turnout when we'd come on the back of four wins. We're finding our
feet and some of the lads played 75 minutes, so it was a brilliant workout,
exactly what we needed and now we're looking forward to the next one against
Hamburg.
"I was hoping to play the full 90 to get the fitness under my belt, but they
decided to give me 75 minutes and hopefully I'll play my part in the next
couple of games. "These German sides are good. They're technically very good
and drilled really well. It was a good workout for the lads. No-one likes
losing, even in pre-season, but the result won't come into it. "Pre-season
isn't just about getting fit, it's about getting together as a squad,
getting the new signings involved and trying to enjoy it. "We have done and
now it's Hamburg. We want to get some more training under our belts, get
ready for the next game and continue to get ready for the season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jarvis has sights set on more success
WHUFC.com
Matt Jarvis is looking forward to striking up a useful partnership with Andy
Carroll this season
22.07.2013
Matt Jarvis is looking forward to supplying the ammunition for Andy Carroll
this season. Jarvis, who delivered more crosses than any other player in the
Barclays Premier League last term, is well set to play the role of provider
again in his second year as a West Ham United player. The 27-year-old winger
is currently on tour with the Hammers in Germany and he is already looking
forward to another productive campaign. He told West Ham TV exclusively: "I
think I got better and better as the season went on. I enjoyed all of it and
hopefully I can carry on from where I left off. "Hopefully I can supply Andy
with a lot this year. If I can keep putting the crosses in, he'll try to win
everything in the box, so hopefully that will become a good partnership. "I
need to add more goals to my game from last season, and to keep up the
assists."
Sam Allardyce's men are set to take on Hamburger SV on Tuesday in the
northern German town of Flensburg, and Jarvis could well come up against a
former teammate in the shape of Michael Mancienne. The former England U21
international played alongside Jarvis at Wolverhampton Wanderers and joined
Hamburg from Chelsea in 2011. He continued: "Michael was on loan with us at
Wolves and he was a fantastic player for us at the time. I'm sure he'll be
very good for Hamburg. "I actually saw him on holiday but we didn't know we
were playing each other in pre-season at the time, so I might give him a
little call now. "It's been a good pre-season so far. It's been very warm,
which makes it tough running around in this heat, but it has been going well
and I'm looking forward to getting some more games. "Hopefully I'll get
quite a few minutes in against Hamburg, and really push on. "You always want
to play as many games as you can before the start of the season and get your
fitness as high as it possibly can, so that you can hit the ground running.
"I was a late arrival here last year, so it's beneficial to be here from the
start. You go away on tour and you spend a lot of time together - getting
together as a team is always important."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
RIP Phil Woosnam: a unique player and teacher
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 22nd July 2013
By: Paul Walker
Phil Woosnam passed away in the States this weekend at 80, a man who became
a huge name in football after he left West Ham…but to those of a certain
claret and blue vintage, he was a legend who had a massive impact on the
transformation of our club in the 1960s.
Woosie was different. A skilled and cultured passing inside forward, he
didn't arrive at the Boleyn until he was 26, having been a physics teacher
at Leyton County High School and a renowned amateur player.
The Irons bought him from Leyton Orient in 1958, where he had only just
signed professional forms after playing for the Os as an amateur, something
unheard of in modern day football.
Woosnam, born in Caersws, Montgomeryshire in 1932, he had played for Wales
schools, youth and their amateur international side and studied at Bangor
University, where he also had a spell with Wrexham and played one game in
1952 for Manchester City.
He joined the Royal Artillery and played alongside Manchester United greats
Duncan Edwards and Eddie Coleman during his army soccer career.
But teaching was his career path, and he continued as an amateur with Sutton
United and the famous Middlesex Wanderers before joining Orient. He won his
first full Wales cap while still an amateur at Orient, before making 14
appearances for his country while at Upton Park.
In fact, Woosnam - a cousin of golfer Ian - only gave up his teaching
profession when he joined Ted Fenton's squad for a then club record of
£30,000. He went straight from the classroom into our First Division team.
At the time, West Ham were still evolving into a top flight side after 26
years in the then Second Division. Champions the season before, Woosnam
arrived and instantly gave West Ham a new dimension. Clever, inventive and
with a football brain to go with his academic one.
It is hard to underestimate the influence Woosnam had on the young men
around him who progressed soon into Ron Greenwood's great side of '64, '65,
and '66. Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters, Ronnie Boyce, Joe Kirkup
and even John Lyall played alongside the Welshman.
When he arrived in '58, the players of the promotion side were, obviously,
still around. John Dick, Vic Keeble, John Bond, Ken Brown, Noel Cantwell,
Andy Malcolm, Malcolm Musgrove, John Smith and the like were the stars.
Woosnam was a vital link between West Ham's old and new generations. His
intelligence and talent helped lay the foundations for what was to come.
Although he strangely missed the key moment that established West Ham as a
new force, leaving before the 1964 Cup Final triumph.
He was sold to Aston Villa for £27,000 in 1963, a move that surprised many.
He had played 153 games for us and scored 29 goals.
The emergence of Boyce, and the signing of Johnny Byrne no doubt allowed
Greenwood to sell Woosnam. The talk at the time was that the highly
intelligent Woosnam was just a little too much of a barrack room lawyer for
Greenwood's taste. The young Welshman must have stuck out like a sore thumb
in West Ham's very East End working class dressing room, a graduate and a
very clever man.
He would have no doubt, questioned things he did not agree with, and was a
ready spokesman for the players.
But another reason was that he was a very ambitious man. The move to Villa
saw him play another 111 first team games, picking up another two caps
before making what was then a brave decision to take up a player-coach role
in the States with Atlanta Chiefs, by which time he was 34, and ended his
playing career there.
From then on, Woosnam became one of world soccer's great administrators. He
ran US soccer as their soccer league commissioner until 1982, helped in the
formation of New York Cosmos, which brought the likes of Pele to the Big
Apple. After leaving his role with the US league, he became an astute
businessman.
He was the marketing controller of US Soccer and had a major part to play in
getting the 1994 World Cup to the States. In 2003 the FA of Wales invited
Woosnam to spend time with them when they played the USA in California.
In more recent years he suffered from prostate cancer and Alzheimer's, and
died on Friday night in Atlanta. He will long be remembered for his work
promoting soccer in the States, but to West Ham fans from the 1960s, he was
the beginning of a new generation at the Boleyn.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Monday, July 22
Daily WHUFC News - 22nd July 2013
'We'll get stronger'
WHUFC.com
Joe Cole is sure Saturday's defeat at Mainz will turn out to be a positive
experience for the Hammers
21.07.2013
Joe Cole believes West Ham United will emerge from Saturday's 4-1 loss to
FSV Mainz 05 as a stronger unit. The German side inflicted a first
pre-season defeat on the Hammers with two goals either side of half-time,
with the visitors unable to respond, apart from Cole's volleyed-strike just
after the interval.
Cole was glad for the step up in the test received and insists they will
continue to improve by the time Tuesday's match with Hamburger SV comes
around.
"It's a little wake-up call," he told West Ham TV. "We had played four good
games beforehand, but this was a real test against a good Bundesliga side
and we came up short. "The result is not too important, but we're obviously
disappointed because you play to win. It's a wake-up call and I expect us to
be stronger when we play Hamburg on Tuesday. "These are the games you need,
and they are a bit ahead of us fitness-wise. It's another big test on
Tuesday and then of course we have another [in Braunschweig] on Saturday.
"You build up gradually and we won't panic [because of this result]. The
main thing is that we all came through unscathed, we got more minutes under
our belts and now we move on."
Cole was pleased to get on the scoresheet from a personal point of view, and
even happier to get more match minutes under his belt. He continued: "It's
always nice to score a goal and I was glad to get through the 65 minutes. I
was feeling a little tight in the thigh the last few days, so I was happy to
get through. "Maybe I won't play as much on Tuesday now, as the other lads
will play, but I'll look forward to the third game and this is what it's
about. "We're on tour, we're getting fit, we're training hard. It's not
normal preparation - you're overloading before games, and it's just about
getting through pre-season.
"We'll look to get stronger as the week goes on and get good results against
Hamburg and Braunschweig."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham: David Sullivan prioritises signing another striker
BBC.co.uk
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan says signing another striker is his top
transfer priority this summer. The Hammers spent a club record £15m on Andy
Carroll last month but still want to boost their attacking options. Carlton
Cole was released at the end of last season, while loanees Marouane Chamakh
and Wellington Paulista returned to their parent clubs. Sullivan said on
Twitter: "We are happy with the rest of the team - all we need now is pace
and goals."
West Ham goalscorers 2012-13
Kevin Nolan - 10 in 38 games
Andy Carroll - 7 in 24
Modibo Maiga - 4 in 23
Mark Noble - 4 in 30
Ricardo Vaz Te - 3 in 28
Mohamed Diame - 3 in 34
Carlton Cole - 2 in 29
Marouane Chamakh - 0 in 3
Carroll, 24, completed a permanent move to Upton Park after spending last
season on loan from Liverpool, but is recovering from a foot injury and
could miss the start of the campaign. Mali international Modibo Maiga, who
has scored four goals in 23 appearances for the club, is the Hammers' only
other recognised senior forward. Sullivan recognises that further attacking
resources are required if manager Sam Allardyce's squad are to improve on
last season's 10th-place Premier League finish. A move for Duvan Zapata from
Argentine club Estudiantes failed due to work permit issues. In a Q&A
session organised through his teenage son Jack's Twitter account, Sullivan
was asked whether Allardyce was looking to sign a new full-back "We need
goalscorers not defenders," the 64-year-old said, before responding to the
possibility of midfielder Scott Parker making a return to Upton Park on loan
from Tottenham by saying: "We have to focus wages on strikers due to [a]
wage cap but would love Scott back if there was room."
Sullivan also said loan moves for Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku and Raheem
Sterling of Liverpool were unlikely. Jack Sullivan's Twitter account has
become a key source of information about the Hammers of late, with the
13-year-old also exclusively revealing the signing of Carroll on a six-year
deal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ask David Sullivan
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 21st July 2013
By: Staff Writer
This afternoon, West Ham United's co-owner David Sullivan dropped in on
Twitter to answer questions put to him by supporters.
Sullivan, posting via his son Jack's account, spent more than an hour
talking to the fans in his first ever social media-based Q&A session. You
may read all the questions and answers via Jack Sullivan's Twitter feed, or
read on below in order to save you having to constantly scroll...
@HammerRaven: Do you think we need more pace? Moses or Sinclair on loan
would be perfect. Tom Ince ideal, but obviously pricey...
DS: We need more pace with one or two extra players.
@jordanwray16: How much money is left to spend?
DS: The problem is the wages, not the money. Under PPL we are capped.
@ahmet_tempz: David do you think the atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium will
be the same as Upton Park? And are we close to any signings ?
DS: Yes. It will be different but just as good.
@HammerRaven: What do you think of our style of play? Admittedly we no
Swansea but it's pragmatic, gets results. Are you happy with it?
DS: I thought in some games we played some good and exciting football. We
don't play like Wigan - but they got relegated.
@EllisWarrenUK: Where do you expect us to finish next season?
DS: Higher than last season with a Cup run.
@TaylorWild12: Why didn't we sign Wilfried Bony?
DS: Bony wouldn't have come as backup to Andy Carroll.
@30SECONDSTOGLEN: Would Loic Remy be an option? Very good forward with pace.
DS: He is facing a serious criminal charge and therefore is a high risk
signing.
@bbyrne7: Why go for Zapata (unproven)? Demba Ba and Darren Bent are both
available...
DS: We look to sign a younger player who could be a superstar.
@H18Dalton: If money were no object, which Premier League player would you
most like to sign?
DS: Robin Van Persie from the Premier League but I would also sign Ronaldo
from Spain. Pace, what we need!
@JohnBundock: Who is our most exciting young player and will youth get a
chance still?
DS: Elliot Lee or Ravel Morrison in my opinion, but others may disagree.
@Jamie_Seagrave: Why did you buy more shares?
DS: Because I wanted to get rid of the bank and show my commitment to the
club.
@RichMaher93: Have there been any further investigation into the Savio
signing?
DS: There is no hard evidence at this time.
@themooks: Have you made a decision not to bid on Birmingham's young players
and exploit their demise?
DS: We only bid on players Sam Allardyce asks us to bid on.
@MarcOfAsgard: Are we going to eye up any full backs during this transfer
window? Demel is past his prime.
DS: We need goalscorers, not defenders.
@RichMaher9: Any chance of a Scott Parker loan return?
DS: We have to focus wages on strikers due to the wage cap, but would love
Scott back if there was room.
@TheRobTaylor: You've done a great job with David Gold and Karren Brady with
the club, are we ready to win a Cup?
DS: Hopefully, but you need a lot of luck with the draw. But the League
comes first!
@ConnorwilsonLFC: What's your favourite away stadium?
DS: Cardiff, because that is where I am from originally.
@Vansbm: By upping your stake in the club do you believe we can clear the
debt ahead of schedule?
DS: I hope we are debt free by the time we go in to the Olympic Stadium.
@SeanioF87: Have you enquired about Lukaku?
DS: We would love him but I don't think Chelsea would loan or sell him.
@Sponge_lloyd: You referred to the wage cap. Man City must have an enormous
wage bill, surely there's no point to the FFP rules?
DS: Even they can't go up by £4million next season unless they generate
extra non-TV income.
@MattPois: What strikers are we looking at? And can you stop wearing that
ridiculous Russian hat and coat next season?
DS: It's a lucky hat and coat, very warm!
@Bishy613: How pleased are you with the new Adidas kits? I think they look
fantastic.
DS: Fantastic. I particularly like the away and training kit.
@dannnnt: I played at Upton Park in a tournament this year, will I be able
to do the same when we get the Olympic Stadium?
DS: We are only tenants so I don't think so, but I am sure there will be a
deal to strike.
@LewD7: Was there anyone big you tried and failed to sign?
DS: Neymar and Lukaku three years ago, at the same time.
@WHUFCGeezer: What's been your favourite on-pitch moment since taking over
at West Ham?
DS: Beating Manchester United 4-0 in the Carling Cup and Chelsea in the
league.
@whusmudge: Do you think we are running out of time to conduct our transfer
business? We can't afford to start slowly in the Premier League.
First published on www.KUMB.com.
DS: No. We still have four weeks until the start of season and hope to sign
a striker within 10 days.
@JoshTucker__: Is there still any chance of Zapata becoming a West Ham
player?
DS: No; unfortunately he cannot get a work permit.
@harris_whu: Adrian or Jussi Jaaskelainen as first choice goalkeeper?
DS: They're both very good 'keepers but I don't pick the team.
@CameronBroome97: How long until West Ham get European football?
DS: I would love to be in Europe this time next year!
@Johnsie31: Do we still owe Sheffield Utd any money for the Carlos Tevez
saga?
DS: Yes; the last payment is next month.
@Teguhrama: Would West Ham United tour to an Asian country?
DS: If we got the right offer, of course.
@KillianYnw: Are you interested in getting Sterling on loan?
DS: We don't think he is available but I like him. Very tricky and fast!
@SanderNyland: Will there be an athletics running track around the Olympic
Stadium?
DS: No; it will be covered with seats.
@liambarwick27: What's the best goal you've seen whilst being part of West
Ham?
DS: Every goal we score is a good one for me!
@ludowhufc: Would you consider Kenwyne Jones as our number two striker, or
are we aiming higher?
DS: He doesn't score enough for me, therefore we are aiming higher.
@Hammer_Balkan: Is Tomkins going to be first choice instead of Ginge?
DS: Ask Sam, not me. I rate them both highly.
@Jamie_Seagrave: How can you call £77 affordable football ?
DS: We have many kids for a quid games and half price games, such as Cardiff
and Stoke.
@Jamie_Seagrave: Why are we playing a crap, boring team for our home
pre-season fixture?
DS: pre-season is about getting players fit, results are irrelevant.
@af_ben: Will the club name the Olympic Stadium after one of the club's
great players, ie Bobby Moore or Sir Geoff Hurst? Or Paul Ince, maybe!?
DS: Yes we are!
@nickcollier1: Do you think West Ham can achieve a top 10 finish again this
year?
DS: Yes; hopefully higher.
@johnnyfkay: Can we copy Stoke and offer free travel to away games? We have
five games in London so it wouldn't be as expensive.
DS: We are £70million in debt, maybe in the future.
@desouza1994: Would you consider signing players from the Turkish football
league? I think there is a lot of hidden talent there.
DS: Most of them cannot get work permits.
@desouza1994: How about Yilmaz?
DS: We tried to get him this time last year but he wanted to stay in Turkey.
@iGeekApple: Do you think we need some younger players in the team?
DS: Yes and no. I love experience as do I love young talent.
@MattWebby4: Did anyone activate Mo Diame's release clause last summer?
DS: No.
@Brownpants99: Why don't you get a Twitter account, then you can stop all
the stupid rumours?
DS: I would say things I should not! Also I think Jack does a good job.
@gower82: How come the smallest kit you can buy is aged two years? What
about baby Hammers?
DS: We do have lots of outfits for babies. Have a look in the West Ham
store.
@SanderNyland22: Why is it so hard to get work permits for Zapata or Turkish
players?
DS: There are strict rules for non-EU players and they have to play 75 per
cent of internationals in the last two years to qualify.
@thegibbins: Can we please give Carlton Cole some form of a role at West
Ham? Lifetme President? We miss him.
DS: Carlton is a lovely man, we offered him a fantastic long-term deal this
time last year and he turned it down. I miss him too.
@themooks: Is there any chance of getting the live updates on the official
site improved, especially for mobiles?
DS: There are updates on Twitter.
@PambouE: Have you considered Samaras as back up to Andy Carroll? Celtic
captain and can play on the wing?
DS: It is a big jump from Scotland to the EPL. Many have failed, eg Boyd.
@MitchellClark__: Don't you think Darren Bent would be a good signing?
DS: He's very injury prone, but a good player on his day.
@JayJWillo: Except for strikers, who else are we looking to buy?
DS: We are happy with the rest of the team. All we need now is pace and
goals.
@ZachRV: Can we get some sleeveless training tops so I can look buff when I
train?
DS: The training gear is fantastic. Get some scissors and a needle and
thread!
@pepeDaina: Why have we heard no news about new investors, is the £70m debt
putting them off?
DS: Probably. It would have put me and DG off if we weren't local and didn't
love the club.
@jack_fleming8: Is there any chance you can make West Ham TV free?
DS: We will look into it. The problem is we have a deal with the people who
run the website.
@RossH1983: What do you want to be when you grow up?
DS: I want to be taller, but I am 64 so I doubt that is going to happen!
@ConnorG23: I have watched many games of Norwegian football and it should
really be looked into!
DS: Not many players have come from Norway, it is a big jump.
@WHUFCTALK1: Can we improve our scouting like Porto? They bring in the best
talent in the world.
DS: They don't need work permits in Portugal for players from South America
so it is so much easier for them.
@Ben_WHU: Any chance of getting West Ham TV on Sky and showing pre-season
games, like Liverpool TV?
DS: It's not viable at the moment but is in the pipeline.
@krisbell77: Is there going to be just the one more new signing or are we
strengthening throughout the squad?
DS: Maybe more.
@harrywhu: Do you ever see West Ham winning the Premier League?
DS: One day.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
David Sullivan: A new striker the priority for West Ham but we'd love Scott
Parker
Last Updated: July 21, 2013 5:43pm
SSN
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has revealed the Hammers are determined to
bring in another new striker before the transfer window closes.
Andy Carroll has arrived at Upton Park from Liverpool on a permanent deal
this summer for a club-record transfer fee, but boss Sam Allardyce remains
short of options up front. Carlton Cole, Marouane Chamakh and Wellington are
no longer at West Ham, while Carroll is nursing a foot injury that is likely
to see him miss the start of the season. Sullivan was asked by fans on
Twitter whether Allardyce was looking to sign a new full-back or attempt to
bring midfielder Scott Parker back to the club on loan from Tottenham.
However, the 64-year-old replied to both questions by stating that a new
forward was essential. "We need goal scorers not defenders," Sullivan said
when questioned about defensive targets, before responding to the
possibility of Parker making a return by saying: "We have to focus wages on
strikers due to wage cap but would love Scott back if there was room." When
asked if there were other targets, Sullivan reiterated his stance by
replying: "We are happy with the rest of the team. All we need now is pace
and goals." Sullivan also said loan moves for Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku and
Raheem Sterling of Liverpool were unlikely and revealed the former was a
target for West Ham some years ago.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's priority is finding a goalscorer to partner Andy Carroll, admits
Sullivan
21 Jul 2013 17:25
The Mirror
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has admitted the club are targeting a
proven goalscorer in the remainder of the transfer window. The Hammers have
already broken their club transfer window this summer by completing the
permanent signing of England forward Andy Carroll. But with the former
Liverpool and Newcastle sidelines by a heel injury and only misfiring Malian
Modibo Maiga in reserve, the East Londoners look perilously light up top
heading into the new season. A move for Duvan Zapata failed due to work
permit issues but a report in the Sunday People suggested that a move for
former Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou could be in the offing. Sullivan, who
was conducting a Q&A session through his son Jack's Twitter account, didn't
reveal who the Hammers were looking at, but did confirm a new goalscorer
remains the target ahead of the new season. He was asked by fans whether Sam
Allardyce was looking to sign a new full-back or attempt to bring Scott
Parker back to the club on loan, but the 64-year-old, who now owns over 55
per cent of West Ham, replied to both Tweets stating a frontman was
essential. "We need goal scorers not defenders," he said when questioned
about defensive targets, before responding to the possibility of Parker
making a return by saying: "We have to focus wages on strikers due to wage
cap but would love Scott back if there was room." When asked if there were
other targets, Sullivan reiterated his stance by replying: "We are happy
with the rest of the team all we need now is pace and goals."
When asked whether West Ham would consider turning to Kenwyne Jones to solve
their striker shortage, Sullivan replied: "[He] doesn't score enough for me,
therefore we are aiming higher."
Sullivan also said loan moves for Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku and Raheem
Sterling of Liverpool were unlikely and revealed the former was a target for
West Ham some years ago.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Joe Cole is sure Saturday's defeat at Mainz will turn out to be a positive
experience for the Hammers
21.07.2013
Joe Cole believes West Ham United will emerge from Saturday's 4-1 loss to
FSV Mainz 05 as a stronger unit. The German side inflicted a first
pre-season defeat on the Hammers with two goals either side of half-time,
with the visitors unable to respond, apart from Cole's volleyed-strike just
after the interval.
Cole was glad for the step up in the test received and insists they will
continue to improve by the time Tuesday's match with Hamburger SV comes
around.
"It's a little wake-up call," he told West Ham TV. "We had played four good
games beforehand, but this was a real test against a good Bundesliga side
and we came up short. "The result is not too important, but we're obviously
disappointed because you play to win. It's a wake-up call and I expect us to
be stronger when we play Hamburg on Tuesday. "These are the games you need,
and they are a bit ahead of us fitness-wise. It's another big test on
Tuesday and then of course we have another [in Braunschweig] on Saturday.
"You build up gradually and we won't panic [because of this result]. The
main thing is that we all came through unscathed, we got more minutes under
our belts and now we move on."
Cole was pleased to get on the scoresheet from a personal point of view, and
even happier to get more match minutes under his belt. He continued: "It's
always nice to score a goal and I was glad to get through the 65 minutes. I
was feeling a little tight in the thigh the last few days, so I was happy to
get through. "Maybe I won't play as much on Tuesday now, as the other lads
will play, but I'll look forward to the third game and this is what it's
about. "We're on tour, we're getting fit, we're training hard. It's not
normal preparation - you're overloading before games, and it's just about
getting through pre-season.
"We'll look to get stronger as the week goes on and get good results against
Hamburg and Braunschweig."
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West Ham: David Sullivan prioritises signing another striker
BBC.co.uk
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan says signing another striker is his top
transfer priority this summer. The Hammers spent a club record £15m on Andy
Carroll last month but still want to boost their attacking options. Carlton
Cole was released at the end of last season, while loanees Marouane Chamakh
and Wellington Paulista returned to their parent clubs. Sullivan said on
Twitter: "We are happy with the rest of the team - all we need now is pace
and goals."
West Ham goalscorers 2012-13
Kevin Nolan - 10 in 38 games
Andy Carroll - 7 in 24
Modibo Maiga - 4 in 23
Mark Noble - 4 in 30
Ricardo Vaz Te - 3 in 28
Mohamed Diame - 3 in 34
Carlton Cole - 2 in 29
Marouane Chamakh - 0 in 3
Carroll, 24, completed a permanent move to Upton Park after spending last
season on loan from Liverpool, but is recovering from a foot injury and
could miss the start of the campaign. Mali international Modibo Maiga, who
has scored four goals in 23 appearances for the club, is the Hammers' only
other recognised senior forward. Sullivan recognises that further attacking
resources are required if manager Sam Allardyce's squad are to improve on
last season's 10th-place Premier League finish. A move for Duvan Zapata from
Argentine club Estudiantes failed due to work permit issues. In a Q&A
session organised through his teenage son Jack's Twitter account, Sullivan
was asked whether Allardyce was looking to sign a new full-back "We need
goalscorers not defenders," the 64-year-old said, before responding to the
possibility of midfielder Scott Parker making a return to Upton Park on loan
from Tottenham by saying: "We have to focus wages on strikers due to [a]
wage cap but would love Scott back if there was room."
Sullivan also said loan moves for Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku and Raheem
Sterling of Liverpool were unlikely. Jack Sullivan's Twitter account has
become a key source of information about the Hammers of late, with the
13-year-old also exclusively revealing the signing of Carroll on a six-year
deal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ask David Sullivan
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 21st July 2013
By: Staff Writer
This afternoon, West Ham United's co-owner David Sullivan dropped in on
Twitter to answer questions put to him by supporters.
Sullivan, posting via his son Jack's account, spent more than an hour
talking to the fans in his first ever social media-based Q&A session. You
may read all the questions and answers via Jack Sullivan's Twitter feed, or
read on below in order to save you having to constantly scroll...
@HammerRaven: Do you think we need more pace? Moses or Sinclair on loan
would be perfect. Tom Ince ideal, but obviously pricey...
DS: We need more pace with one or two extra players.
@jordanwray16: How much money is left to spend?
DS: The problem is the wages, not the money. Under PPL we are capped.
@ahmet_tempz: David do you think the atmosphere in the Olympic Stadium will
be the same as Upton Park? And are we close to any signings ?
DS: Yes. It will be different but just as good.
@HammerRaven: What do you think of our style of play? Admittedly we no
Swansea but it's pragmatic, gets results. Are you happy with it?
DS: I thought in some games we played some good and exciting football. We
don't play like Wigan - but they got relegated.
@EllisWarrenUK: Where do you expect us to finish next season?
DS: Higher than last season with a Cup run.
@TaylorWild12: Why didn't we sign Wilfried Bony?
DS: Bony wouldn't have come as backup to Andy Carroll.
@30SECONDSTOGLEN: Would Loic Remy be an option? Very good forward with pace.
DS: He is facing a serious criminal charge and therefore is a high risk
signing.
@bbyrne7: Why go for Zapata (unproven)? Demba Ba and Darren Bent are both
available...
DS: We look to sign a younger player who could be a superstar.
@H18Dalton: If money were no object, which Premier League player would you
most like to sign?
DS: Robin Van Persie from the Premier League but I would also sign Ronaldo
from Spain. Pace, what we need!
@JohnBundock: Who is our most exciting young player and will youth get a
chance still?
DS: Elliot Lee or Ravel Morrison in my opinion, but others may disagree.
@Jamie_Seagrave: Why did you buy more shares?
DS: Because I wanted to get rid of the bank and show my commitment to the
club.
@RichMaher93: Have there been any further investigation into the Savio
signing?
DS: There is no hard evidence at this time.
@themooks: Have you made a decision not to bid on Birmingham's young players
and exploit their demise?
DS: We only bid on players Sam Allardyce asks us to bid on.
@MarcOfAsgard: Are we going to eye up any full backs during this transfer
window? Demel is past his prime.
DS: We need goalscorers, not defenders.
@RichMaher9: Any chance of a Scott Parker loan return?
DS: We have to focus wages on strikers due to the wage cap, but would love
Scott back if there was room.
@TheRobTaylor: You've done a great job with David Gold and Karren Brady with
the club, are we ready to win a Cup?
DS: Hopefully, but you need a lot of luck with the draw. But the League
comes first!
@ConnorwilsonLFC: What's your favourite away stadium?
DS: Cardiff, because that is where I am from originally.
@Vansbm: By upping your stake in the club do you believe we can clear the
debt ahead of schedule?
DS: I hope we are debt free by the time we go in to the Olympic Stadium.
@SeanioF87: Have you enquired about Lukaku?
DS: We would love him but I don't think Chelsea would loan or sell him.
@Sponge_lloyd: You referred to the wage cap. Man City must have an enormous
wage bill, surely there's no point to the FFP rules?
DS: Even they can't go up by £4million next season unless they generate
extra non-TV income.
@MattPois: What strikers are we looking at? And can you stop wearing that
ridiculous Russian hat and coat next season?
DS: It's a lucky hat and coat, very warm!
@Bishy613: How pleased are you with the new Adidas kits? I think they look
fantastic.
DS: Fantastic. I particularly like the away and training kit.
@dannnnt: I played at Upton Park in a tournament this year, will I be able
to do the same when we get the Olympic Stadium?
DS: We are only tenants so I don't think so, but I am sure there will be a
deal to strike.
@LewD7: Was there anyone big you tried and failed to sign?
DS: Neymar and Lukaku three years ago, at the same time.
@WHUFCGeezer: What's been your favourite on-pitch moment since taking over
at West Ham?
DS: Beating Manchester United 4-0 in the Carling Cup and Chelsea in the
league.
@whusmudge: Do you think we are running out of time to conduct our transfer
business? We can't afford to start slowly in the Premier League.
First published on www.KUMB.com.
DS: No. We still have four weeks until the start of season and hope to sign
a striker within 10 days.
@JoshTucker__: Is there still any chance of Zapata becoming a West Ham
player?
DS: No; unfortunately he cannot get a work permit.
@harris_whu: Adrian or Jussi Jaaskelainen as first choice goalkeeper?
DS: They're both very good 'keepers but I don't pick the team.
@CameronBroome97: How long until West Ham get European football?
DS: I would love to be in Europe this time next year!
@Johnsie31: Do we still owe Sheffield Utd any money for the Carlos Tevez
saga?
DS: Yes; the last payment is next month.
@Teguhrama: Would West Ham United tour to an Asian country?
DS: If we got the right offer, of course.
@KillianYnw: Are you interested in getting Sterling on loan?
DS: We don't think he is available but I like him. Very tricky and fast!
@SanderNyland: Will there be an athletics running track around the Olympic
Stadium?
DS: No; it will be covered with seats.
@liambarwick27: What's the best goal you've seen whilst being part of West
Ham?
DS: Every goal we score is a good one for me!
@ludowhufc: Would you consider Kenwyne Jones as our number two striker, or
are we aiming higher?
DS: He doesn't score enough for me, therefore we are aiming higher.
@Hammer_Balkan: Is Tomkins going to be first choice instead of Ginge?
DS: Ask Sam, not me. I rate them both highly.
@Jamie_Seagrave: How can you call £77 affordable football ?
DS: We have many kids for a quid games and half price games, such as Cardiff
and Stoke.
@Jamie_Seagrave: Why are we playing a crap, boring team for our home
pre-season fixture?
DS: pre-season is about getting players fit, results are irrelevant.
@af_ben: Will the club name the Olympic Stadium after one of the club's
great players, ie Bobby Moore or Sir Geoff Hurst? Or Paul Ince, maybe!?
DS: Yes we are!
@nickcollier1: Do you think West Ham can achieve a top 10 finish again this
year?
DS: Yes; hopefully higher.
@johnnyfkay: Can we copy Stoke and offer free travel to away games? We have
five games in London so it wouldn't be as expensive.
DS: We are £70million in debt, maybe in the future.
@desouza1994: Would you consider signing players from the Turkish football
league? I think there is a lot of hidden talent there.
DS: Most of them cannot get work permits.
@desouza1994: How about Yilmaz?
DS: We tried to get him this time last year but he wanted to stay in Turkey.
@iGeekApple: Do you think we need some younger players in the team?
DS: Yes and no. I love experience as do I love young talent.
@MattWebby4: Did anyone activate Mo Diame's release clause last summer?
DS: No.
@Brownpants99: Why don't you get a Twitter account, then you can stop all
the stupid rumours?
DS: I would say things I should not! Also I think Jack does a good job.
@gower82: How come the smallest kit you can buy is aged two years? What
about baby Hammers?
DS: We do have lots of outfits for babies. Have a look in the West Ham
store.
@SanderNyland22: Why is it so hard to get work permits for Zapata or Turkish
players?
DS: There are strict rules for non-EU players and they have to play 75 per
cent of internationals in the last two years to qualify.
@thegibbins: Can we please give Carlton Cole some form of a role at West
Ham? Lifetme President? We miss him.
DS: Carlton is a lovely man, we offered him a fantastic long-term deal this
time last year and he turned it down. I miss him too.
@themooks: Is there any chance of getting the live updates on the official
site improved, especially for mobiles?
DS: There are updates on Twitter.
@PambouE: Have you considered Samaras as back up to Andy Carroll? Celtic
captain and can play on the wing?
DS: It is a big jump from Scotland to the EPL. Many have failed, eg Boyd.
@MitchellClark__: Don't you think Darren Bent would be a good signing?
DS: He's very injury prone, but a good player on his day.
@JayJWillo: Except for strikers, who else are we looking to buy?
DS: We are happy with the rest of the team. All we need now is pace and
goals.
@ZachRV: Can we get some sleeveless training tops so I can look buff when I
train?
DS: The training gear is fantastic. Get some scissors and a needle and
thread!
@pepeDaina: Why have we heard no news about new investors, is the £70m debt
putting them off?
DS: Probably. It would have put me and DG off if we weren't local and didn't
love the club.
@jack_fleming8: Is there any chance you can make West Ham TV free?
DS: We will look into it. The problem is we have a deal with the people who
run the website.
@RossH1983: What do you want to be when you grow up?
DS: I want to be taller, but I am 64 so I doubt that is going to happen!
@ConnorG23: I have watched many games of Norwegian football and it should
really be looked into!
DS: Not many players have come from Norway, it is a big jump.
@WHUFCTALK1: Can we improve our scouting like Porto? They bring in the best
talent in the world.
DS: They don't need work permits in Portugal for players from South America
so it is so much easier for them.
@Ben_WHU: Any chance of getting West Ham TV on Sky and showing pre-season
games, like Liverpool TV?
DS: It's not viable at the moment but is in the pipeline.
@krisbell77: Is there going to be just the one more new signing or are we
strengthening throughout the squad?
DS: Maybe more.
@harrywhu: Do you ever see West Ham winning the Premier League?
DS: One day.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
David Sullivan: A new striker the priority for West Ham but we'd love Scott
Parker
Last Updated: July 21, 2013 5:43pm
SSN
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has revealed the Hammers are determined to
bring in another new striker before the transfer window closes.
Andy Carroll has arrived at Upton Park from Liverpool on a permanent deal
this summer for a club-record transfer fee, but boss Sam Allardyce remains
short of options up front. Carlton Cole, Marouane Chamakh and Wellington are
no longer at West Ham, while Carroll is nursing a foot injury that is likely
to see him miss the start of the season. Sullivan was asked by fans on
Twitter whether Allardyce was looking to sign a new full-back or attempt to
bring midfielder Scott Parker back to the club on loan from Tottenham.
However, the 64-year-old replied to both questions by stating that a new
forward was essential. "We need goal scorers not defenders," Sullivan said
when questioned about defensive targets, before responding to the
possibility of Parker making a return by saying: "We have to focus wages on
strikers due to wage cap but would love Scott back if there was room." When
asked if there were other targets, Sullivan reiterated his stance by
replying: "We are happy with the rest of the team. All we need now is pace
and goals." Sullivan also said loan moves for Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku and
Raheem Sterling of Liverpool were unlikely and revealed the former was a
target for West Ham some years ago.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's priority is finding a goalscorer to partner Andy Carroll, admits
Sullivan
21 Jul 2013 17:25
The Mirror
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has admitted the club are targeting a
proven goalscorer in the remainder of the transfer window. The Hammers have
already broken their club transfer window this summer by completing the
permanent signing of England forward Andy Carroll. But with the former
Liverpool and Newcastle sidelines by a heel injury and only misfiring Malian
Modibo Maiga in reserve, the East Londoners look perilously light up top
heading into the new season. A move for Duvan Zapata failed due to work
permit issues but a report in the Sunday People suggested that a move for
former Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou could be in the offing. Sullivan, who
was conducting a Q&A session through his son Jack's Twitter account, didn't
reveal who the Hammers were looking at, but did confirm a new goalscorer
remains the target ahead of the new season. He was asked by fans whether Sam
Allardyce was looking to sign a new full-back or attempt to bring Scott
Parker back to the club on loan, but the 64-year-old, who now owns over 55
per cent of West Ham, replied to both Tweets stating a frontman was
essential. "We need goal scorers not defenders," he said when questioned
about defensive targets, before responding to the possibility of Parker
making a return by saying: "We have to focus wages on strikers due to wage
cap but would love Scott back if there was room." When asked if there were
other targets, Sullivan reiterated his stance by replying: "We are happy
with the rest of the team all we need now is pace and goals."
When asked whether West Ham would consider turning to Kenwyne Jones to solve
their striker shortage, Sullivan replied: "[He] doesn't score enough for me,
therefore we are aiming higher."
Sullivan also said loan moves for Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku and Raheem
Sterling of Liverpool were unlikely and revealed the former was a target for
West Ham some years ago.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Sunday, July 21
Daily WHUFC News - 21st July 2013
Macca predicting hard work ahead
WHUFC.com
West Ham United assistant manager Neil McDonald has said Saturday's defeat
to FSV Mainz 05 shows there is room for improvement
20.07.2013
Neil McDonald believes that West Ham United's 4-1 defeat at FSV Mainz 05 on
Saturday proves there is still much work to be done before the start of the
new Barclays Premier League season on 17 August. The Hammers went into the
opening fixture of their pre-season tour of Germany having won all four of
their previous warm-up matches since returning to training on 1 July. The
step up in class was notable though as the hosts raced into a two goal lead
early on. Joe Cole's clever finish offered West Ham hope just after the
break, however they would go on to suffer their first taste of defeat as a
third - from the penalty spot - and a late fourth completed the Bundesliga
outfit's win. "I think it shows us we've still got a long way to go to and a
lot of fitness to catch up on," West Ham United assistant manager McDonald
said. "Mainz played really well and showed if you move quickly to receive
the ball you've got a better chance of scoring goals. "We showed a little
bit of character in the first 20 minutes of the second half to get back in
the game through Joe Cole but then we just faded away a bit at the end.
There's still plenty to work on and still plenty to do."
While no footballer in the world likes losing matches, McDonald believes
that defeats - as well as victories - mean very little at this stage of the
season. The former Newcastle United and Everton defender also cited the fact
that Mainz's season starts two weeks earlier than their east London
visitors' as a reason why they were sharper on the day. "Defeats in
pre-season, along with victories as well I suppose, are pretty meaningless.
What we're looking for is performances all the way through. We were slightly
down on the performance on Saturday. I don't know if that was the heat or
the team we were playing against. We know we can do better. "I think you
could see Mainz were ahead and that their season starts before ours. It was
a great test and they were obviously the strongest team we've faced so far.
It shows us we've still got a lot to do on the physical side as well as the
tactical side "But that's the reason why we play these kind of teams. They
are always very technical and you have to try to work out your shape and
they do play some really good football. It's the second season we've come to
Germany and the reason we do that is because we can face quality opposition
like this and it sharpens everyone up."
That hard work will begin with a double training session on Sunday in new
surroundings after the Hammers jetted straight off to Flensburg in northern
Germany after the game. They will train for a few days near the coast before
facing Hamburg in Flensburg on Tuesday evening. "We're going to be working
hard on the fitness and doing preparation for the next game as well so
there's plenty to do. I know our game on Tuesday will be a tough test.
They'll be two weeks ahead and they will play exactly the same way Mainz
did. It will be another tough test but that's exactly why we came to Germany
- for tough tests."
McDonald saved special praise for the hundreds of Hammers fans that turned
out in the sunshine to support their team. The Claret and Blue Army was a
mix of travelling fans from the United Kingdom and fans from Germany and
together they provided plenty of noise and support for the team in white.
"The travelling Hammers fans were brilliant," he concluded. "They come and
support their team wherever they are. Most are here for a few days but I'm
sure some will stay for all three games. I'm sure they'll see stronger and
better performances as the two games go along."
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On this day - 21 July
WHUFC.com
A key moment from the West Ham United archives on this day in history
21.07.2013
Anniversary
Name: Mike Marsh
Born: 21 July 1969, Kirkby, Liverpool
Clubs: Liverpool, West Ham United, Coventry City, Galatasaray, Southend
United, Kidderminster Harriers, Southport, Boston United, Accrington Stanley
Former West Ham United midfielder Mike Marsh is today celebrating his 44th
birthday. The Liverpudlian joined the Hammers - together with David Burrows
- from Liverpool in September 1993, as part of the deal that saw Julian
Dicks move in the opposite direction. Though he was a regular in his debut
season at the Boleyn Ground, Marsh's stay in east London lasted just 15
months. Having made some 42 starts in the 1993/94 campaign, his claret and
blue career ended the following December, courtesy of a £450,000 switch to
Coventry City.
Six months thereafter and Marsh was again on the move, this time joining up
with Graeme Souness' Galatasaray in Turkey. It was another misadventure,
however, as within three months he was plying his trade back on British soil
with Southend United. Now Liverpool's first-team coach, Marsh racked up 61
outings for the Hammers, scoring twice, including in a 4-1 win at White Hart
Lane.
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West Ham lose 4-1 to Mainz in pre-season friendly
Last Updated: July 20, 2013 9:37pm
SSN
West Ham suffered their first defeat ahead of the new season as they lost
4-1 to Mainz at the Stadion am Bruchweg. The Hammers had travelled to
Germany on the back of four successive friendly victories but they were no
match for the hosts in the first half. Dani Schahin gave Mainz a
ninth-minute lead when he collected Nicolai Muller's precise pass and fired
past Jussi Jaaskelainen. The home side doubled their advantage in the 21st
minute through Muller when he raced clear down the middle after combining
well with Benedikt Saller. Mainz, who are further ahead in their pre-season
preparations, continued to dominate before the interval and Muller almost
made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time but Jaaskelainen diverted his shot
behind. West Ham improved after the interval and they were back in the game
in the 47th minute when Joe Cole volleyed home after Ricardo Vaz Te had
nodded back Mark Noble's free-kick. Modibo Maiga then went close to
equalising for the visitors before Mainz restored their two-goal cushion in
the 74th minute with Shawn Parker netting from the spot after James Tomkins
was penalised for a foul on Yunus Malli. Sebastian Polter then volleyed home
a fourth goal for the Bundesliga side from Parker's centre four minutes
later.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United assistant manager Neil McDonald has said Saturday's defeat
to FSV Mainz 05 shows there is room for improvement
20.07.2013
Neil McDonald believes that West Ham United's 4-1 defeat at FSV Mainz 05 on
Saturday proves there is still much work to be done before the start of the
new Barclays Premier League season on 17 August. The Hammers went into the
opening fixture of their pre-season tour of Germany having won all four of
their previous warm-up matches since returning to training on 1 July. The
step up in class was notable though as the hosts raced into a two goal lead
early on. Joe Cole's clever finish offered West Ham hope just after the
break, however they would go on to suffer their first taste of defeat as a
third - from the penalty spot - and a late fourth completed the Bundesliga
outfit's win. "I think it shows us we've still got a long way to go to and a
lot of fitness to catch up on," West Ham United assistant manager McDonald
said. "Mainz played really well and showed if you move quickly to receive
the ball you've got a better chance of scoring goals. "We showed a little
bit of character in the first 20 minutes of the second half to get back in
the game through Joe Cole but then we just faded away a bit at the end.
There's still plenty to work on and still plenty to do."
While no footballer in the world likes losing matches, McDonald believes
that defeats - as well as victories - mean very little at this stage of the
season. The former Newcastle United and Everton defender also cited the fact
that Mainz's season starts two weeks earlier than their east London
visitors' as a reason why they were sharper on the day. "Defeats in
pre-season, along with victories as well I suppose, are pretty meaningless.
What we're looking for is performances all the way through. We were slightly
down on the performance on Saturday. I don't know if that was the heat or
the team we were playing against. We know we can do better. "I think you
could see Mainz were ahead and that their season starts before ours. It was
a great test and they were obviously the strongest team we've faced so far.
It shows us we've still got a lot to do on the physical side as well as the
tactical side "But that's the reason why we play these kind of teams. They
are always very technical and you have to try to work out your shape and
they do play some really good football. It's the second season we've come to
Germany and the reason we do that is because we can face quality opposition
like this and it sharpens everyone up."
That hard work will begin with a double training session on Sunday in new
surroundings after the Hammers jetted straight off to Flensburg in northern
Germany after the game. They will train for a few days near the coast before
facing Hamburg in Flensburg on Tuesday evening. "We're going to be working
hard on the fitness and doing preparation for the next game as well so
there's plenty to do. I know our game on Tuesday will be a tough test.
They'll be two weeks ahead and they will play exactly the same way Mainz
did. It will be another tough test but that's exactly why we came to Germany
- for tough tests."
McDonald saved special praise for the hundreds of Hammers fans that turned
out in the sunshine to support their team. The Claret and Blue Army was a
mix of travelling fans from the United Kingdom and fans from Germany and
together they provided plenty of noise and support for the team in white.
"The travelling Hammers fans were brilliant," he concluded. "They come and
support their team wherever they are. Most are here for a few days but I'm
sure some will stay for all three games. I'm sure they'll see stronger and
better performances as the two games go along."
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On this day - 21 July
WHUFC.com
A key moment from the West Ham United archives on this day in history
21.07.2013
Anniversary
Name: Mike Marsh
Born: 21 July 1969, Kirkby, Liverpool
Clubs: Liverpool, West Ham United, Coventry City, Galatasaray, Southend
United, Kidderminster Harriers, Southport, Boston United, Accrington Stanley
Former West Ham United midfielder Mike Marsh is today celebrating his 44th
birthday. The Liverpudlian joined the Hammers - together with David Burrows
- from Liverpool in September 1993, as part of the deal that saw Julian
Dicks move in the opposite direction. Though he was a regular in his debut
season at the Boleyn Ground, Marsh's stay in east London lasted just 15
months. Having made some 42 starts in the 1993/94 campaign, his claret and
blue career ended the following December, courtesy of a £450,000 switch to
Coventry City.
Six months thereafter and Marsh was again on the move, this time joining up
with Graeme Souness' Galatasaray in Turkey. It was another misadventure,
however, as within three months he was plying his trade back on British soil
with Southend United. Now Liverpool's first-team coach, Marsh racked up 61
outings for the Hammers, scoring twice, including in a 4-1 win at White Hart
Lane.
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West Ham lose 4-1 to Mainz in pre-season friendly
Last Updated: July 20, 2013 9:37pm
SSN
West Ham suffered their first defeat ahead of the new season as they lost
4-1 to Mainz at the Stadion am Bruchweg. The Hammers had travelled to
Germany on the back of four successive friendly victories but they were no
match for the hosts in the first half. Dani Schahin gave Mainz a
ninth-minute lead when he collected Nicolai Muller's precise pass and fired
past Jussi Jaaskelainen. The home side doubled their advantage in the 21st
minute through Muller when he raced clear down the middle after combining
well with Benedikt Saller. Mainz, who are further ahead in their pre-season
preparations, continued to dominate before the interval and Muller almost
made it 3-0 on the stroke of half-time but Jaaskelainen diverted his shot
behind. West Ham improved after the interval and they were back in the game
in the 47th minute when Joe Cole volleyed home after Ricardo Vaz Te had
nodded back Mark Noble's free-kick. Modibo Maiga then went close to
equalising for the visitors before Mainz restored their two-goal cushion in
the 74th minute with Shawn Parker netting from the spot after James Tomkins
was penalised for a foul on Yunus Malli. Sebastian Polter then volleyed home
a fourth goal for the Bundesliga side from Parker's centre four minutes
later.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Saturday, July 20
Daily WHUFC News - 20th July 2013
Progress the aim for Pelly
WHUFC.com
Youngster Pelly Ruddock wants to make the most of the Club's pre-season tour
in Germany
19.07.2013
West Ham United's tour of Germany represents a golden chance for youngster
Pelly Ruddock. The midfielder has been named as part of the squad to take on
FSV Mainz, Hamburger SV and Eintracht Braunschweig in pre-season matches as
the Hammers prepare for the new Barclays Premier League campaign. Ruddock is
yet to make his senior bow in claret and blue, but will look to make the
most of an eleven-day period spent around the first team squad and manager
Sam Allardyce. He was a regular for the U21s side last season and believes
that base of experience will help him in his quest to keep on progressing.
"It's going to be good in Germany," he beamed. "Hopefully I'll play a few
games, and get minutes under my belt to show the manager what I can do.
"I'm looking forward to getting to know the players a bit more. "It helps to
play with experienced players around you. I'm developing well and being
involved around the first team can only help. "We're playing Mainz on
Saturday and I'm hoping to be involved. That's the manager's decision, but
I'll do my best in training and see what happens from there."
Ruddock has already featured twice in pre-season this summer, skippering the
team at his former side Boreham Wood, before making a substitute appearance
at Colchester United. He was delighted to feature at his old stamping ground
in the 3-0 victory and says the first few weeks of training have gone to
plan.
He continued: "Pre-season has been good, I was involved in the first team
game at Boreham Wood, training has been alright and I'm getting the fitness
back.
"I think I have pushed on a lot since I joined the Club, and I'm just hoping
that continues. I'm just going to keep on working hard, keep my fitness and
strength up and go from there. "It was good to play at Boreham Wood as they
brought me up for two years. I'm happy that they're doing well and it was
nice to captain the side there."
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Jack enjoying pre-season work
WHUFC.com
Jack Collison is relishing the chance to play a full part in West Ham
United's pre-season schedule
19.07.2013
A year ago, Jack Collison cut a frustrated figure. Three months after
playing an influential role as West Ham United regained their place in the
Barclays Premier League, a long-term knee problem forced the No10 to miss
both pre-season and the opening half of the 2012/13 campaign. Fast forward
12 months and the midfielder is a smiling, happy father of a young daughter
and is clearly enjoying the opportunity to play football regularly again.
Collison has featured in all four of the Hammers' pre-season fixtures so
far, starting three and scoring in a win at AFC Bournemouth last weekend.
Now, he has his mind set on the Club's three pre-season matches in Germany
and the start of the 2013/14 campaign in August. "Pre-season has been great
for the boys so far," he confirmed. "It's been nice to get on a little run.
It's four wins out of four and now we're in Germany where we should face
some tougher tests and give us a picture of where we're at. "It's great for
me to be out there playing matches, even pre-season matches, because I love
being out there playing football. I think it's the same for everyone. There
is a really good atmosphere in the camp already and you can see it building
and everyone is enjoying their work and already gearing towards Cardiff.
It's great."
After scoring two vital goals in the Championship Play-Off semi-final first
leg win over Cardiff in May 2012, Collison showed his eye for goal again by
netting in typically composed style at Bournemouth. "It's nice to get a goal
or two in pre-season and I should have had another one at Colchester on
Tuesday night. It's something I am looking to build on. I managed to score a
few in the Championship and didn't get as many as I'd have liked last
season, so it's something I want to improve on. "I need to get my head down,
work hard and try and put myself into the manager's thoughts for Cardiff.
It's going to be a massive day. It was great to get the goals against them
in the Play-Offs and progressing past them to go up, but what is still in
the memory is the first game under the Gaffer in the Championship when they
beat us 1-0. "We know it's going to be a tough test but come matchday we'll
be raring to go and get one over on them."
Collison and his team-mates touched down in Frankfurt on Wednesday to
prepare for a three-match tour of Germany that will see them take on
Bundesliga sides FSV Mainz, Hamburger SV and Eintracht Braunschweig over a
ten-day period. The Wales international is looking forward to the challenge
of facing continental opposition from a country whose football has earned
rave reviews in recent months. "Pre-season is a lot of hard work but it
gives you your base for the rest of the season. Looking at our fitness stats
last year, we were one of the best in the Premier League which obviously
gives us an edge going into games knowing we are fit and strong. Towards the
end of games, when other teams tire, we're looking good and we want to do
that again this year and build on what was a great campaign last season. "At
the moment, the Germans are the teams to beat. The way their teams are
built, it's as if they are made of steel so it's going to be tough. It's
something we're really looking forward to. "We've been back for three weeks
now, so it'll be nice to see where we're at as a team and what we've got to
work on. We're full of confidence and looking to work hard and also enjoy it
at the same time."
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Oscar snubs West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 19th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
Transfer target Oscar Trejo has completed a move to French club Toulouse.
The Sporting Gijon midfielder was one of a number of players being
considered by West Ham and, according to reports emanating from Spain, was
the subject of a bid by United earlier in the week. However it was confirmed
this afternoon that the 25-year-old Argentinian has opted to move to France
in order to join Toulouse instead. A statement on Sporting Gijon's website
read: "Sporting have reached an agreement with the French Toulouse for the
transfer of Oscar Trejo. The deal was finalised this afternoon. "Real
Sporting de Gijon's Argentinian forward thanks the professionalism and
dedication shown throughout his career as Atletico and wishes him every
success in this new journey that starts."
Elsewhere today it was claimed by one tabloid newspaper that West Ham were
"stepping up" their efforts to sign Loic Remy having failed to land Duvan
Zapata. However Remy is a player who has been on Sam Allardyce's hitlist
all summer - the obvious issue being the 22-year-old French striker's
involvement in a criminal investigation, which is set to go to court later
this year.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Youngster Pelly Ruddock wants to make the most of the Club's pre-season tour
in Germany
19.07.2013
West Ham United's tour of Germany represents a golden chance for youngster
Pelly Ruddock. The midfielder has been named as part of the squad to take on
FSV Mainz, Hamburger SV and Eintracht Braunschweig in pre-season matches as
the Hammers prepare for the new Barclays Premier League campaign. Ruddock is
yet to make his senior bow in claret and blue, but will look to make the
most of an eleven-day period spent around the first team squad and manager
Sam Allardyce. He was a regular for the U21s side last season and believes
that base of experience will help him in his quest to keep on progressing.
"It's going to be good in Germany," he beamed. "Hopefully I'll play a few
games, and get minutes under my belt to show the manager what I can do.
"I'm looking forward to getting to know the players a bit more. "It helps to
play with experienced players around you. I'm developing well and being
involved around the first team can only help. "We're playing Mainz on
Saturday and I'm hoping to be involved. That's the manager's decision, but
I'll do my best in training and see what happens from there."
Ruddock has already featured twice in pre-season this summer, skippering the
team at his former side Boreham Wood, before making a substitute appearance
at Colchester United. He was delighted to feature at his old stamping ground
in the 3-0 victory and says the first few weeks of training have gone to
plan.
He continued: "Pre-season has been good, I was involved in the first team
game at Boreham Wood, training has been alright and I'm getting the fitness
back.
"I think I have pushed on a lot since I joined the Club, and I'm just hoping
that continues. I'm just going to keep on working hard, keep my fitness and
strength up and go from there. "It was good to play at Boreham Wood as they
brought me up for two years. I'm happy that they're doing well and it was
nice to captain the side there."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jack enjoying pre-season work
WHUFC.com
Jack Collison is relishing the chance to play a full part in West Ham
United's pre-season schedule
19.07.2013
A year ago, Jack Collison cut a frustrated figure. Three months after
playing an influential role as West Ham United regained their place in the
Barclays Premier League, a long-term knee problem forced the No10 to miss
both pre-season and the opening half of the 2012/13 campaign. Fast forward
12 months and the midfielder is a smiling, happy father of a young daughter
and is clearly enjoying the opportunity to play football regularly again.
Collison has featured in all four of the Hammers' pre-season fixtures so
far, starting three and scoring in a win at AFC Bournemouth last weekend.
Now, he has his mind set on the Club's three pre-season matches in Germany
and the start of the 2013/14 campaign in August. "Pre-season has been great
for the boys so far," he confirmed. "It's been nice to get on a little run.
It's four wins out of four and now we're in Germany where we should face
some tougher tests and give us a picture of where we're at. "It's great for
me to be out there playing matches, even pre-season matches, because I love
being out there playing football. I think it's the same for everyone. There
is a really good atmosphere in the camp already and you can see it building
and everyone is enjoying their work and already gearing towards Cardiff.
It's great."
After scoring two vital goals in the Championship Play-Off semi-final first
leg win over Cardiff in May 2012, Collison showed his eye for goal again by
netting in typically composed style at Bournemouth. "It's nice to get a goal
or two in pre-season and I should have had another one at Colchester on
Tuesday night. It's something I am looking to build on. I managed to score a
few in the Championship and didn't get as many as I'd have liked last
season, so it's something I want to improve on. "I need to get my head down,
work hard and try and put myself into the manager's thoughts for Cardiff.
It's going to be a massive day. It was great to get the goals against them
in the Play-Offs and progressing past them to go up, but what is still in
the memory is the first game under the Gaffer in the Championship when they
beat us 1-0. "We know it's going to be a tough test but come matchday we'll
be raring to go and get one over on them."
Collison and his team-mates touched down in Frankfurt on Wednesday to
prepare for a three-match tour of Germany that will see them take on
Bundesliga sides FSV Mainz, Hamburger SV and Eintracht Braunschweig over a
ten-day period. The Wales international is looking forward to the challenge
of facing continental opposition from a country whose football has earned
rave reviews in recent months. "Pre-season is a lot of hard work but it
gives you your base for the rest of the season. Looking at our fitness stats
last year, we were one of the best in the Premier League which obviously
gives us an edge going into games knowing we are fit and strong. Towards the
end of games, when other teams tire, we're looking good and we want to do
that again this year and build on what was a great campaign last season. "At
the moment, the Germans are the teams to beat. The way their teams are
built, it's as if they are made of steel so it's going to be tough. It's
something we're really looking forward to. "We've been back for three weeks
now, so it'll be nice to see where we're at as a team and what we've got to
work on. We're full of confidence and looking to work hard and also enjoy it
at the same time."
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Oscar snubs West Ham
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 19th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
Transfer target Oscar Trejo has completed a move to French club Toulouse.
The Sporting Gijon midfielder was one of a number of players being
considered by West Ham and, according to reports emanating from Spain, was
the subject of a bid by United earlier in the week. However it was confirmed
this afternoon that the 25-year-old Argentinian has opted to move to France
in order to join Toulouse instead. A statement on Sporting Gijon's website
read: "Sporting have reached an agreement with the French Toulouse for the
transfer of Oscar Trejo. The deal was finalised this afternoon. "Real
Sporting de Gijon's Argentinian forward thanks the professionalism and
dedication shown throughout his career as Atletico and wishes him every
success in this new journey that starts."
Elsewhere today it was claimed by one tabloid newspaper that West Ham were
"stepping up" their efforts to sign Loic Remy having failed to land Duvan
Zapata. However Remy is a player who has been on Sam Allardyce's hitlist
all summer - the obvious issue being the 22-year-old French striker's
involvement in a criminal investigation, which is set to go to court later
this year.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, July 19
Daily WHUFC News - 19th July 2013
Macca looks forward to sterner tests
WHUFC.com
West Ham United assistant boss Neil McDonald says pre-season will move up a gear in Germany
18.07.2013
Neil McDonald says West Ham United are ready for the step up in class of opposition when they face FSV Mainz in the first game of their Germany tour on Saturday. Mainz finished 13th in the Bundesliga last term and this coming season will be their fifth in a row at the top level. The Hammers have recorded victories over Cork City, Boreham Wood, AFC Bournemouth and Colchester United so far this summer, and with just over a month until the big kick-off remaining, they face three games in Germany. Assistant boss McDonald was pleased with the first day of the tour, which involved a flight from Heathrow to Frankfurt and a transfer to the first base in Mainz, and is ready to kick-on. "We had a decent enough flight and then just a small journey to the hotel," he said, "We really wanted to get Tuesday's game out of their legs, so the ones who played more than the rest did a bit of a pool warmdown. "The others who didn't play so much went for a walk up and down the hills to stretch their legs off and we'll be nice and fresh for Thursday when we start the football sessions again leading up to the three games we've got, which we're really looking forward to. "The priorities for the trip are to give the players more game time, pushing them up from 60 minutes to 75 to 90 almost, and trying to get everyone through without getting injured. "The competition for places at the moment is very good because almost everybody is fit, which is great, and it's up to everybody to try and impress the manager for who he is going to pick for the first game of the season. "Pre-season is all about the first game. That's Cardiff and that's what we're working to."
The Hammes also played three games in Germany last pre-season, so McDonald is well aware of what to expect in the coming ten days. He continued: "The three games which we've picked in Germany are going to be very difficult. The three we had here last year were very, very good for the team. "We have to work on our shape because they'll be a little fitter than us as their season starts a little earlier. Then when we have the ball we have to keep it a little better, so we're not working too hard when we haven't. "There's lot of things we can work on and hopefully we can do that over the next three games."
The Hammers have been back in training for two-and-a-half weeks now and McDonald has been impressed with the progress. "It's all based around fitness," he explained. "We complement that with the ball - we have to have the base [fitness], which I think they've got and they had when they came back. They worked over the off season, and they've steadily progressed over the two weeks we've been in. "We're happy with where we are so far. We've seen a little bit of progress in every one of the games we've had - we seem to be keeping the ball better, we're certainly creating chances and we've certainly put it in the back of the net. "The three games we're going to play here will be a stiffer test, so that's a test in itself to make sure they're up for it and they're fit enough to get through a game where they'll have to work that bit harder. "We'll keep on working each day to progress the lads, that's on their fitness as well as their football ability, tactically, technically and mentally all together as individuals, as a unit and as a team.
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Nolan eyes German repeat
WHUFC.com
Hammers skipper wants Germany tour to sow the seeds for another good start
18.07.2013
West Ham United's pre-season work continued in earnest on their tour of Germany on Thursday, as the players were put through a double training session ahead of Saturday's meeting with FSV Mainz. Sam Allardyce's squad completed a series of high-intensity football drills in the morning before hitting the gym after lunch as they work towards the big kick-off, now just over a month away. Skipper Kevin Nolan, who came away on a similar tour with the Hammers a year ago, believes this eleven-day spell in Europe will prove equally beneficial. Big Sam's pre-season programme left his team in good shape last term as they claimed 14 points from their opening eight games and Nolan would love a repeat.
First of all Kevin, we seem to have taken the lovely weather along with us from back home...
KN - "It's always nice when you come away and the sun's shining. Don't get me wrong, it does make it a bit harder when you're doing your running and the intensity of training is so high - you sweat a lot! "It's a nice place, I'm glad to be here, and I'm looking forward to the next ten days."
When it is this hot, does it help with the fitness to do the work in these conditions?
KN - "I think it does, but we're pretty used to the work we do year in, year out with warm-weather training."
You were with us last year when we went on a similar trip to Germany. How beneficial was that in ensuring we got off to that good start?
KN - "The most important thing is using the games to improve our fitness levels, and make sure we're hitting the right intensity levels, distance covered, everything like that. "Mainz are a very good side, who finished last season very strongly in the German Bundesliga. It'll be a tough test on Saturday, but one that hopefully we'll get through without any injuries and with the workout that we deserve. "If we can get a win or a good result out of it then that's another bonus. "I think the manager likes a bit of similarity in the things he does. He likes to go to Europe, not to travel too far - we've done Austria, Switzerland, Germany. He knows the facilities are going to be right and everything's spot on for us and we can get our work in. "This is another tick in the right box for him, that we can get away for ten days and he can make sure we're ready and raring to go."
And to come away with the lads, training twice a day and more, does that help to bring the team together too?
KN - "We've got a few new lads and this will help them get to know the boys inside out. We've got a good unit here within the squad anyway, we've worked hard on that since I've come in. "I read somewhere that we had a turnover of 28 players in the first season, but from last year to this there won't be that big a change. We have lost a few, but we've brought in a couple and we're hoping to bring in a few more. "So it's a good squad out here and the banter's flying about. We're looking forward to what hopefully will be a successful trip, improving our fitness levels and staying injury-free."
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West Ham withdraw Zapata offer
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham's attempt to sign transfer target Duvan Zapata is in tatters after the Club were told the player would be unlikely to receive a work permit. The 22-year-old was hoping to secure a dream move to England after West Ham agreed a fee with Zapata's current club Estudiantes, thought to be in the region of £5million. However his potential move to the UK is over after West Ham revealed that they had withdrawn from the process. "We have pulled out of the Zapata deal as indications show he won't get a work permit," read a message from the Twitter account registered to Jack Sullivan. "[However] we hope to sign a replacement within 7-10 days." The major stumbling block was that Zapata - who has also interested the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Lyon, and Benfica - is yet to make a single full international appearance for Columbia.
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We need a winger - just not Downing
KUMb.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th July 2013
By: Celia Roche
West Ham need providers if they are to make full use of £15m signing Andy Carroll, but that doesn't mean Liverpool's failed winger Stewart Downing is the answer.
Earlier this week assistant boss Neil McDonald dismissed links between the Hammers and Downing, but we all know that means nothing when it comes to transfer dealings. But even the mere mention of Downing as a potential target has rightly disappointed many Hammers fans, for we know the winger isn't good enough to fulfil the role Sam Allardyce would have him do.
With Carroll in the squad, Allardyce needs midfielders to give the big man service. During his time at Liverpool, Carroll's qualities weren't put to use as Kenny Dalglish asked him to drop deep and retain possession with the midfield before careering forward and latching on to crosses. It visibly exhausted the young forward and was one of the reasons Brendan Rodgers thought him unfit for purpose.
Under Allardyce last season the striker was used as he should be – the target man – and it worked well (when he wasn't injured). His seven goals showed promise and although he didn't get as many games as a £15m striker should, there is hope he will be fit and ready for a new season.
Furthermore, with the World Cup just a year away and England boss Roy Hodgson a keen admirer, Carroll is a good price in the Premier League betting to score goals next season and we must capitalise on his hunger.
Allardyce already has Matt Jarvis, Matt Taylor and Jack Collison to distribute while Joe Cole can pick out a pass; yet what we really need is some with speed and that, apparently, is why we were linked with Downing. Sadly, the former Middlesbrough and Aston Villa man would not be a good fit. In fact, one doubts if he can even hack it at Premier League level any more.
Downing, a bit like Cole, was always seen as this young, promising flanker who would come good in the end and earn as many assists as Beckham once did. He's been lucky to escape the David Bentley exile treatment and only made the England team because he was left footed. Now football has moved away from 4-4-2 his playing style is redundant and even if he should beat a player there is no one in the Liverpool box capable of heading home.
Unlike Cole, Downing doesn't have the skill to outwit a full back and where once his speed was enough to hit the byline he now very rarely even faces the right way. Instead, the majority of his possession play involves passing back to more capable midfielders – Steven Gerrard and Joe Allen – or surrendering the ball.
Granted, Carroll would be a great target for the left-footer's deliveries but sadly they have also dissipated from his game. Last year, from 37 appearances he created just seven goals. In the Premier League, he averaged just 1.3 crosses per game – not good enough for a West Ham side that scored 27 per cent of its goals from set pieces last term.
If Allardyce is to sign a winger he shouldn't look to a failed England international ready for the Championship. We can assume the boss will set out his team in much the same as last, with two core midfielders and three playing off them linking to the lone front man. Jarvis played his part well and so did Ricardo Vaz Te but a bit of competition wouldn't go amiss.
It's unfortunate we didn't go the extra mile for new Swansea signing Wilfried Bony, who at £12m is a bargain for a player with legs and a hunger to improve. Nor were we in the running, it seems, for Norwich's new, exciting acquisition Nathan Redmond. If Allardyce is going to sign a winger, and there is still debate whether or not we actually need another midfielder, then Scott Sinclair should come relatively cheap from Manchester City.
Sinclair has wasted a year of his life at the Etihad – or at least at Man City's training ground – and after just two starts looks destined to leave this summer. Newcastle and Everton are reportedly interested but so should Allardyce be if he wants someone to hit Carroll right on the nose.
It may also be worth ringing David Moyes to see if Ashley Young is available. He is an immensely frustrating player and would maybe take time to settle at Upton Park, but few can doubt his qualities and Moyes may be happy to get rid in order to bring in new recruits.
There are options out there other than Downing if Allardyce is serious about a winger. We've strengthened at the back with Razvan Rat and Adrian arriving and now it's time to sort the middle. Let's just hope the boss doesn't shop at the Anfield fire sale.
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Hammers miss out on Milevsky
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham have had a bid for Ukranian forward Artem Milevskiy rejected, according to reports. And the 28-year-old international is now thought to be about to sign for newly-promoted Serie A side Livorno who have already held discussions with the Dynamo Kiev star, says CNN italian sports correspondent Tancredi Palmeri. Milevsky is thought to have agreed a move to Livorno in principal last week, with a season-long loan move mooted. However West Ham are said to have tried to hijack the move, although that attempt now appears to have been futile. Milevsky, who is entering the final year of his contract has spent his entire professional career at the NSC Olimpiyskiy where he is the club's fifth-highest goalscorer of all time. *Elsewhere, West Ham are said to be losing the race to sign Milan midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic. The 25-year-old Serbian international is reported to be close to joining Spanish side Malaga instead.
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West Ham eye Gijon star Oscar Trejo
KUMb.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are understood to have launched a bid to sign Sporting Gijon's Oscar Trejo. According to sources in France, the Hammers are one of three clubs interesting in landing the services of Trejo, a 25-year-old attacking midfielder. French club Toulouse are reported to have already placed a €2.1million bid for the player, who started his career with Boca Juniors in his homeland before moving to Europe in 2007. Greek side Olympiakos are also thought to be in the running, but they are not thought to be involved in discussions said to be taking place between the player and interested parties later today. Both David Sullivan and David Gold have recently spent time in France and Spain discussing potential acquisitions, although it is unknown as yet which particular players were involved. Trejo, who is yet to be capped by his country, left Argentina in order to join Mallorca six years ago. He was sent out on loan to Elche (2009/10 season) and Rayo Vallecano (2010/11) before permanently signing for Sporting Gijon in 2011.
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Could West Ham Turn to Remy?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
It appears this evening that the proposed move for Duvan Zapata has been abandoned. The obstacles to securing a work permit for the player proved just too great, considering his failure to meet the most basic criteria that he must be an international. He is undoubtedly on the verge of an international breakthrough and should figure for Coloumbia in next year's World Cup. By that time, his value will probably have trebled and then the European 'big guns' will be in for him. Alternatively, perhaps we have saved ourselves another disasterous excursion in to the South American transfer market|? Time will tell? Certainly, if the club were totally convinced of his potential then they could have bought him and loaned him out to another South American club until he met the work permit criteria. That would have been a solution, but it is doubtedful whether West Ham would sanction such a 'round-about' deal and commit £6.5m in anticipation of eventually landing the player. However, one does wonder if the regulations would have been applied so strictly if Man Utd or Chelsea had made the application? Would they have won a concession on the potential/contribution exemption?
It was good to read that David Gold has clarified that West Ham are pursuing two strikers. A centre forward to cover and compete with Andy Carroll and a second striker who can play on the right side of an attacking three. It may very well be speculation, but there are reports emerging that West Ham's attentions have now switched to Loic Remy at QPR. Personally, I would love to see a striker of Remy's ability arrive at the club. If they landed him, I would even settle for a short term deal for someone like Crouch to cover for Carroll. Another tempting possibility is Gary Hooper at Celtic. Apparently, Hooper is stalling on a move to QPR in the hope that a PL club will make a move. He could be a very good alternative purchase. The issue is whether he can make the transition from the SPL to the greater demands of the EPL? I think that he is worth a punt and the PL club that makes that 'leap of faith' could be richly rewarded. Of course, the two deals could be linked, with Hooper's move to QPR opening the way for Remy's exit. As always, it all comes down to if West Ham can afford Remy? If not, then they could do far worse then to just move directly for Gary Hooper from Celtic.
Elsewhere, David Gold has revealed on twitter that he has recently been in Spain with David Sullivan, presumably on transfer business. One can only speculate on who their potential targets might be? But the Spanish market certainly offers excellent value at reasonable prices. There are undoubtedly some further gems like Swansea's Michu to be uncovered. One such potential 'gem' could be Sporting Gijon's Oscar Trejo, who we have been linked with in a c.£2.5m deal. We need to keep a watching brief on that transfer front.
Finally, it appears that regardless of the events of last season, Sam Allardyce has welcomed Alou Diarra back in to the first team fold. it has been suggested that Gary O'Neill's exit has opened up a space for Diarra to capitalise upon. I was ok with O'Neill because I felt that he was a good functional player that performed a specific role well when called upon to do so. However, there is no doubt that Diarra is an improvement on O'Neill and strengthens the overall quality of our midfield. Diarra has figured in all of the pre-season matches so far and has done very well. Lets hope that he makes a major positive impact this season on the pitch and avoids controversy off of it.
The same could be said of Ravel Morrison, who has similiarly figured regularly in pre-season and is performing well. Hopefully, Morrison has matured as a player and an individual at Birmingham City and is now ready to make the transition. Certainly, if Morrison ticks all the pre-season boxes he should be given his first team chance. I would be very disappointed if Sam Allardyce's apparent conservatism, with regard to the youngsters, kicks in again and he returns back on loan to Birmingham City. What will that tell Morrison, and indeed the other youngsters, if that happens after he has made such excellent progress both off and on the pitch last season and accordingly had a good pre-season on his return to the club. It's the old meritocratic argument on selection, if players perform then they need to be rewarded, otherwise what is the point?
SJ. Chandos.
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Sullivan now West Ham's main man
By DAN KING
Published: 6 hrs ago
The Sun
DAVID SULLIVAN is now the main man at West Ham after boosting his stake in the club to more than half. Since their takeover in 2010, Sullivan and co-chairman David Gold had been equal partners. But earlier this month, Sullivan bought a further 25 per cent of WH Holding Limited, the Hammers' parent company, to take him to 55.6 per cent. He snapped up the shares from CB Holding, the firm which once controlled West Ham on behalf of Icelandic banks after owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson went bust. CB now have 10 per cent, with Gold on 30.6 and others, including ex-chairman Terry Brown, holding 3.8 per cent.
His move to become controlling shareholder was part of a deal to restructure £25.5million of the club's bank debts. According to the last published accounts, West Ham owed £10m to ALMC out of a total debt to banks of £30.5m. Hammers midfielder Alou Diarra is set to end his differences with boss Sam Allardyce and could remain at Upton Park next season. The former France captain, 32, failed to make any impact following his move from Marseille last summer. Diarra was angry that he was not a first-team regular and made his feelings known back in January. He was sent out on loan to Rennes but with Gary O'Neil turning down the chance to stay at West Ham, Diarra has been given a fresh chance to stake his claim.
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West Ham bid £1.8m for Sporting Gijon's in-demand midfielder Oscar Trejo
18 Jul 2013 13:31
The Mirror
West Ham have made a £1.8m bid for Sporting Gijon midfielder Oscar Trejo, according to sources in Spain. The East London club are keen to add to their squad ahead of the new season and have offered a cash plus add-ons deal for the 25-year-old Argentinean. Sam Allardyce faces stiff competition to secure this transfer for the Hammers from elsewhere though, with Toulouse also bidding and Olympiakos maintaining a strong interest. Sporting are holding out for at least £2.5m overall but Trejo does favour a move to England. West Ham have been in discussions with Trejo's agent for several days and are keen to finalise the deal by the end of the week. Trejo - a versatile attacking midfielder who can operate from both the right and left as well as up front - is desperate for a way out of Sporting and is owed wages by the club dating back several months.
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West Ham look to QPR's Loic Remy after move for Duvan Zapata is scrapped
The Daily Star
By Nick Lustig /Published 18th July 2013
WEST HAM are tonight stepping up in their efforts to sign QPR's Loic Remy after abandoning their bid for Colombian striker Duvan Zapata. Sam Allardyce is looking to bolster his forward line, with record signing Andy Carroll set to miss the start of the season due to a heel injury. The West Ham manager wanted to bring the £8m Estudiantes striker to east London, however a lack of guarantee over a work permit has seen attempts scrapped. Remy was identified as a back-up if the deal for the 22-year-old fell through and the Hammers are now readying a bid to tempt QPR to sell the Frenchman. The West Ham manager is looking to add to his striking optionsThe West Ham manager is looking to add to his striking options emy scored his first goal for QPR at Upton ParkRemy scored his first goal for QPR at Upton Park "The former Marseille striker impressed Allardyce last season, scoring on his debut against West Ham at Upton Park in 1-1 draw. " The former Marseille striker impressed Allardyce last season, scoring on his debut against West Ham at Upton Park in 1-1 draw. And the 58-year-old hopes he can convince the forward to join, with the club willing to propose an attractive wage package for the French international. Newcastle are still thought to be interested in taking Remy to the north-east, even after being spurned by the same player in the January
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United assistant boss Neil McDonald says pre-season will move up a gear in Germany
18.07.2013
Neil McDonald says West Ham United are ready for the step up in class of opposition when they face FSV Mainz in the first game of their Germany tour on Saturday. Mainz finished 13th in the Bundesliga last term and this coming season will be their fifth in a row at the top level. The Hammers have recorded victories over Cork City, Boreham Wood, AFC Bournemouth and Colchester United so far this summer, and with just over a month until the big kick-off remaining, they face three games in Germany. Assistant boss McDonald was pleased with the first day of the tour, which involved a flight from Heathrow to Frankfurt and a transfer to the first base in Mainz, and is ready to kick-on. "We had a decent enough flight and then just a small journey to the hotel," he said, "We really wanted to get Tuesday's game out of their legs, so the ones who played more than the rest did a bit of a pool warmdown. "The others who didn't play so much went for a walk up and down the hills to stretch their legs off and we'll be nice and fresh for Thursday when we start the football sessions again leading up to the three games we've got, which we're really looking forward to. "The priorities for the trip are to give the players more game time, pushing them up from 60 minutes to 75 to 90 almost, and trying to get everyone through without getting injured. "The competition for places at the moment is very good because almost everybody is fit, which is great, and it's up to everybody to try and impress the manager for who he is going to pick for the first game of the season. "Pre-season is all about the first game. That's Cardiff and that's what we're working to."
The Hammes also played three games in Germany last pre-season, so McDonald is well aware of what to expect in the coming ten days. He continued: "The three games which we've picked in Germany are going to be very difficult. The three we had here last year were very, very good for the team. "We have to work on our shape because they'll be a little fitter than us as their season starts a little earlier. Then when we have the ball we have to keep it a little better, so we're not working too hard when we haven't. "There's lot of things we can work on and hopefully we can do that over the next three games."
The Hammers have been back in training for two-and-a-half weeks now and McDonald has been impressed with the progress. "It's all based around fitness," he explained. "We complement that with the ball - we have to have the base [fitness], which I think they've got and they had when they came back. They worked over the off season, and they've steadily progressed over the two weeks we've been in. "We're happy with where we are so far. We've seen a little bit of progress in every one of the games we've had - we seem to be keeping the ball better, we're certainly creating chances and we've certainly put it in the back of the net. "The three games we're going to play here will be a stiffer test, so that's a test in itself to make sure they're up for it and they're fit enough to get through a game where they'll have to work that bit harder. "We'll keep on working each day to progress the lads, that's on their fitness as well as their football ability, tactically, technically and mentally all together as individuals, as a unit and as a team.
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Nolan eyes German repeat
WHUFC.com
Hammers skipper wants Germany tour to sow the seeds for another good start
18.07.2013
West Ham United's pre-season work continued in earnest on their tour of Germany on Thursday, as the players were put through a double training session ahead of Saturday's meeting with FSV Mainz. Sam Allardyce's squad completed a series of high-intensity football drills in the morning before hitting the gym after lunch as they work towards the big kick-off, now just over a month away. Skipper Kevin Nolan, who came away on a similar tour with the Hammers a year ago, believes this eleven-day spell in Europe will prove equally beneficial. Big Sam's pre-season programme left his team in good shape last term as they claimed 14 points from their opening eight games and Nolan would love a repeat.
First of all Kevin, we seem to have taken the lovely weather along with us from back home...
KN - "It's always nice when you come away and the sun's shining. Don't get me wrong, it does make it a bit harder when you're doing your running and the intensity of training is so high - you sweat a lot! "It's a nice place, I'm glad to be here, and I'm looking forward to the next ten days."
When it is this hot, does it help with the fitness to do the work in these conditions?
KN - "I think it does, but we're pretty used to the work we do year in, year out with warm-weather training."
You were with us last year when we went on a similar trip to Germany. How beneficial was that in ensuring we got off to that good start?
KN - "The most important thing is using the games to improve our fitness levels, and make sure we're hitting the right intensity levels, distance covered, everything like that. "Mainz are a very good side, who finished last season very strongly in the German Bundesliga. It'll be a tough test on Saturday, but one that hopefully we'll get through without any injuries and with the workout that we deserve. "If we can get a win or a good result out of it then that's another bonus. "I think the manager likes a bit of similarity in the things he does. He likes to go to Europe, not to travel too far - we've done Austria, Switzerland, Germany. He knows the facilities are going to be right and everything's spot on for us and we can get our work in. "This is another tick in the right box for him, that we can get away for ten days and he can make sure we're ready and raring to go."
And to come away with the lads, training twice a day and more, does that help to bring the team together too?
KN - "We've got a few new lads and this will help them get to know the boys inside out. We've got a good unit here within the squad anyway, we've worked hard on that since I've come in. "I read somewhere that we had a turnover of 28 players in the first season, but from last year to this there won't be that big a change. We have lost a few, but we've brought in a couple and we're hoping to bring in a few more. "So it's a good squad out here and the banter's flying about. We're looking forward to what hopefully will be a successful trip, improving our fitness levels and staying injury-free."
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West Ham withdraw Zapata offer
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham's attempt to sign transfer target Duvan Zapata is in tatters after the Club were told the player would be unlikely to receive a work permit. The 22-year-old was hoping to secure a dream move to England after West Ham agreed a fee with Zapata's current club Estudiantes, thought to be in the region of £5million. However his potential move to the UK is over after West Ham revealed that they had withdrawn from the process. "We have pulled out of the Zapata deal as indications show he won't get a work permit," read a message from the Twitter account registered to Jack Sullivan. "[However] we hope to sign a replacement within 7-10 days." The major stumbling block was that Zapata - who has also interested the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Lyon, and Benfica - is yet to make a single full international appearance for Columbia.
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We need a winger - just not Downing
KUMb.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th July 2013
By: Celia Roche
West Ham need providers if they are to make full use of £15m signing Andy Carroll, but that doesn't mean Liverpool's failed winger Stewart Downing is the answer.
Earlier this week assistant boss Neil McDonald dismissed links between the Hammers and Downing, but we all know that means nothing when it comes to transfer dealings. But even the mere mention of Downing as a potential target has rightly disappointed many Hammers fans, for we know the winger isn't good enough to fulfil the role Sam Allardyce would have him do.
With Carroll in the squad, Allardyce needs midfielders to give the big man service. During his time at Liverpool, Carroll's qualities weren't put to use as Kenny Dalglish asked him to drop deep and retain possession with the midfield before careering forward and latching on to crosses. It visibly exhausted the young forward and was one of the reasons Brendan Rodgers thought him unfit for purpose.
Under Allardyce last season the striker was used as he should be – the target man – and it worked well (when he wasn't injured). His seven goals showed promise and although he didn't get as many games as a £15m striker should, there is hope he will be fit and ready for a new season.
Furthermore, with the World Cup just a year away and England boss Roy Hodgson a keen admirer, Carroll is a good price in the Premier League betting to score goals next season and we must capitalise on his hunger.
Allardyce already has Matt Jarvis, Matt Taylor and Jack Collison to distribute while Joe Cole can pick out a pass; yet what we really need is some with speed and that, apparently, is why we were linked with Downing. Sadly, the former Middlesbrough and Aston Villa man would not be a good fit. In fact, one doubts if he can even hack it at Premier League level any more.
Downing, a bit like Cole, was always seen as this young, promising flanker who would come good in the end and earn as many assists as Beckham once did. He's been lucky to escape the David Bentley exile treatment and only made the England team because he was left footed. Now football has moved away from 4-4-2 his playing style is redundant and even if he should beat a player there is no one in the Liverpool box capable of heading home.
Unlike Cole, Downing doesn't have the skill to outwit a full back and where once his speed was enough to hit the byline he now very rarely even faces the right way. Instead, the majority of his possession play involves passing back to more capable midfielders – Steven Gerrard and Joe Allen – or surrendering the ball.
Granted, Carroll would be a great target for the left-footer's deliveries but sadly they have also dissipated from his game. Last year, from 37 appearances he created just seven goals. In the Premier League, he averaged just 1.3 crosses per game – not good enough for a West Ham side that scored 27 per cent of its goals from set pieces last term.
If Allardyce is to sign a winger he shouldn't look to a failed England international ready for the Championship. We can assume the boss will set out his team in much the same as last, with two core midfielders and three playing off them linking to the lone front man. Jarvis played his part well and so did Ricardo Vaz Te but a bit of competition wouldn't go amiss.
It's unfortunate we didn't go the extra mile for new Swansea signing Wilfried Bony, who at £12m is a bargain for a player with legs and a hunger to improve. Nor were we in the running, it seems, for Norwich's new, exciting acquisition Nathan Redmond. If Allardyce is going to sign a winger, and there is still debate whether or not we actually need another midfielder, then Scott Sinclair should come relatively cheap from Manchester City.
Sinclair has wasted a year of his life at the Etihad – or at least at Man City's training ground – and after just two starts looks destined to leave this summer. Newcastle and Everton are reportedly interested but so should Allardyce be if he wants someone to hit Carroll right on the nose.
It may also be worth ringing David Moyes to see if Ashley Young is available. He is an immensely frustrating player and would maybe take time to settle at Upton Park, but few can doubt his qualities and Moyes may be happy to get rid in order to bring in new recruits.
There are options out there other than Downing if Allardyce is serious about a winger. We've strengthened at the back with Razvan Rat and Adrian arriving and now it's time to sort the middle. Let's just hope the boss doesn't shop at the Anfield fire sale.
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Hammers miss out on Milevsky
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham have had a bid for Ukranian forward Artem Milevskiy rejected, according to reports. And the 28-year-old international is now thought to be about to sign for newly-promoted Serie A side Livorno who have already held discussions with the Dynamo Kiev star, says CNN italian sports correspondent Tancredi Palmeri. Milevsky is thought to have agreed a move to Livorno in principal last week, with a season-long loan move mooted. However West Ham are said to have tried to hijack the move, although that attempt now appears to have been futile. Milevsky, who is entering the final year of his contract has spent his entire professional career at the NSC Olimpiyskiy where he is the club's fifth-highest goalscorer of all time. *Elsewhere, West Ham are said to be losing the race to sign Milan midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic. The 25-year-old Serbian international is reported to be close to joining Spanish side Malaga instead.
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West Ham eye Gijon star Oscar Trejo
KUMb.com
Filed: Thursday, 18th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are understood to have launched a bid to sign Sporting Gijon's Oscar Trejo. According to sources in France, the Hammers are one of three clubs interesting in landing the services of Trejo, a 25-year-old attacking midfielder. French club Toulouse are reported to have already placed a €2.1million bid for the player, who started his career with Boca Juniors in his homeland before moving to Europe in 2007. Greek side Olympiakos are also thought to be in the running, but they are not thought to be involved in discussions said to be taking place between the player and interested parties later today. Both David Sullivan and David Gold have recently spent time in France and Spain discussing potential acquisitions, although it is unknown as yet which particular players were involved. Trejo, who is yet to be capped by his country, left Argentina in order to join Mallorca six years ago. He was sent out on loan to Elche (2009/10 season) and Rayo Vallecano (2010/11) before permanently signing for Sporting Gijon in 2011.
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Could West Ham Turn to Remy?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
It appears this evening that the proposed move for Duvan Zapata has been abandoned. The obstacles to securing a work permit for the player proved just too great, considering his failure to meet the most basic criteria that he must be an international. He is undoubtedly on the verge of an international breakthrough and should figure for Coloumbia in next year's World Cup. By that time, his value will probably have trebled and then the European 'big guns' will be in for him. Alternatively, perhaps we have saved ourselves another disasterous excursion in to the South American transfer market|? Time will tell? Certainly, if the club were totally convinced of his potential then they could have bought him and loaned him out to another South American club until he met the work permit criteria. That would have been a solution, but it is doubtedful whether West Ham would sanction such a 'round-about' deal and commit £6.5m in anticipation of eventually landing the player. However, one does wonder if the regulations would have been applied so strictly if Man Utd or Chelsea had made the application? Would they have won a concession on the potential/contribution exemption?
It was good to read that David Gold has clarified that West Ham are pursuing two strikers. A centre forward to cover and compete with Andy Carroll and a second striker who can play on the right side of an attacking three. It may very well be speculation, but there are reports emerging that West Ham's attentions have now switched to Loic Remy at QPR. Personally, I would love to see a striker of Remy's ability arrive at the club. If they landed him, I would even settle for a short term deal for someone like Crouch to cover for Carroll. Another tempting possibility is Gary Hooper at Celtic. Apparently, Hooper is stalling on a move to QPR in the hope that a PL club will make a move. He could be a very good alternative purchase. The issue is whether he can make the transition from the SPL to the greater demands of the EPL? I think that he is worth a punt and the PL club that makes that 'leap of faith' could be richly rewarded. Of course, the two deals could be linked, with Hooper's move to QPR opening the way for Remy's exit. As always, it all comes down to if West Ham can afford Remy? If not, then they could do far worse then to just move directly for Gary Hooper from Celtic.
Elsewhere, David Gold has revealed on twitter that he has recently been in Spain with David Sullivan, presumably on transfer business. One can only speculate on who their potential targets might be? But the Spanish market certainly offers excellent value at reasonable prices. There are undoubtedly some further gems like Swansea's Michu to be uncovered. One such potential 'gem' could be Sporting Gijon's Oscar Trejo, who we have been linked with in a c.£2.5m deal. We need to keep a watching brief on that transfer front.
Finally, it appears that regardless of the events of last season, Sam Allardyce has welcomed Alou Diarra back in to the first team fold. it has been suggested that Gary O'Neill's exit has opened up a space for Diarra to capitalise upon. I was ok with O'Neill because I felt that he was a good functional player that performed a specific role well when called upon to do so. However, there is no doubt that Diarra is an improvement on O'Neill and strengthens the overall quality of our midfield. Diarra has figured in all of the pre-season matches so far and has done very well. Lets hope that he makes a major positive impact this season on the pitch and avoids controversy off of it.
The same could be said of Ravel Morrison, who has similiarly figured regularly in pre-season and is performing well. Hopefully, Morrison has matured as a player and an individual at Birmingham City and is now ready to make the transition. Certainly, if Morrison ticks all the pre-season boxes he should be given his first team chance. I would be very disappointed if Sam Allardyce's apparent conservatism, with regard to the youngsters, kicks in again and he returns back on loan to Birmingham City. What will that tell Morrison, and indeed the other youngsters, if that happens after he has made such excellent progress both off and on the pitch last season and accordingly had a good pre-season on his return to the club. It's the old meritocratic argument on selection, if players perform then they need to be rewarded, otherwise what is the point?
SJ. Chandos.
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Sullivan now West Ham's main man
By DAN KING
Published: 6 hrs ago
The Sun
DAVID SULLIVAN is now the main man at West Ham after boosting his stake in the club to more than half. Since their takeover in 2010, Sullivan and co-chairman David Gold had been equal partners. But earlier this month, Sullivan bought a further 25 per cent of WH Holding Limited, the Hammers' parent company, to take him to 55.6 per cent. He snapped up the shares from CB Holding, the firm which once controlled West Ham on behalf of Icelandic banks after owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson went bust. CB now have 10 per cent, with Gold on 30.6 and others, including ex-chairman Terry Brown, holding 3.8 per cent.
His move to become controlling shareholder was part of a deal to restructure £25.5million of the club's bank debts. According to the last published accounts, West Ham owed £10m to ALMC out of a total debt to banks of £30.5m. Hammers midfielder Alou Diarra is set to end his differences with boss Sam Allardyce and could remain at Upton Park next season. The former France captain, 32, failed to make any impact following his move from Marseille last summer. Diarra was angry that he was not a first-team regular and made his feelings known back in January. He was sent out on loan to Rennes but with Gary O'Neil turning down the chance to stay at West Ham, Diarra has been given a fresh chance to stake his claim.
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West Ham bid £1.8m for Sporting Gijon's in-demand midfielder Oscar Trejo
18 Jul 2013 13:31
The Mirror
West Ham have made a £1.8m bid for Sporting Gijon midfielder Oscar Trejo, according to sources in Spain. The East London club are keen to add to their squad ahead of the new season and have offered a cash plus add-ons deal for the 25-year-old Argentinean. Sam Allardyce faces stiff competition to secure this transfer for the Hammers from elsewhere though, with Toulouse also bidding and Olympiakos maintaining a strong interest. Sporting are holding out for at least £2.5m overall but Trejo does favour a move to England. West Ham have been in discussions with Trejo's agent for several days and are keen to finalise the deal by the end of the week. Trejo - a versatile attacking midfielder who can operate from both the right and left as well as up front - is desperate for a way out of Sporting and is owed wages by the club dating back several months.
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West Ham look to QPR's Loic Remy after move for Duvan Zapata is scrapped
The Daily Star
By Nick Lustig /Published 18th July 2013
WEST HAM are tonight stepping up in their efforts to sign QPR's Loic Remy after abandoning their bid for Colombian striker Duvan Zapata. Sam Allardyce is looking to bolster his forward line, with record signing Andy Carroll set to miss the start of the season due to a heel injury. The West Ham manager wanted to bring the £8m Estudiantes striker to east London, however a lack of guarantee over a work permit has seen attempts scrapped. Remy was identified as a back-up if the deal for the 22-year-old fell through and the Hammers are now readying a bid to tempt QPR to sell the Frenchman. The West Ham manager is looking to add to his striking optionsThe West Ham manager is looking to add to his striking options emy scored his first goal for QPR at Upton ParkRemy scored his first goal for QPR at Upton Park "The former Marseille striker impressed Allardyce last season, scoring on his debut against West Ham at Upton Park in 1-1 draw. " The former Marseille striker impressed Allardyce last season, scoring on his debut against West Ham at Upton Park in 1-1 draw. And the 58-year-old hopes he can convince the forward to join, with the club willing to propose an attractive wage package for the French international. Newcastle are still thought to be interested in taking Remy to the north-east, even after being spurned by the same player in the January
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, July 18
Daily WHUFC News - 18th July 2013
Hammers touch down in Germany
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have arrived in Germany for their pre-season tour
17.07.2013
West Ham United have landed in Germany for the beginning of their eleven-day
pre-season tour. Fresh from Tuesday night's 2-1 victory at League One side
Colchester United, Sam Allardyce's men boarded a morning flight from
Heathrow to Frankfurt for the next stage of their pre-season preparations.
The Hammers will first stay in Mainz, where they are due to face Bundesliga
outfit FSV Mainz in a pre-season match on Saturday. That fixture is one of
three to be played on the tour - all against top-flight Bundesliga
opposition. Following the meeting with Mainz on Saturday, the Hammers travel
north to Flensburg, right on the German-Danish border, for a fixture against
Hamburger SV on Tuesday. Following a transfer to central Germany, the tour
concludes with a match against newly-promoted Eintracht Braunschweig on
Saturday 27 July. Shortly after arriving at their Mainz hotel on Wednesday
afternoon, the Hammers squad were put through their paces in a training
session.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham to decide over Duvan Zapata work-permit appeal
Last Updated: July 17, 2013 9:37am
SSN
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is still hoping to sign Duvan Zapata but has
ruled out moves for Graham Dorrans and Stewart Downing. The Hammers boss
wants to bring in Zapata, a 22-year-old Colombian striker with Argentine
outfit Estudiantes, but the move has been held up by work permit issues.
"It's whether we think we can get the work permit through, that's the only
thing," Allardyce told Sky Sports. "Based on the fact that he's not a full
international, we would have to go to a hearing. "We'd have to decide in the
next 24 hours whether - on our part or the player's part - that would be
worth doing."
One player Allardyce was happy to rule out was West Brom's Dorrans, after
being linked with a move for the midfielder earlier this week. "No interest
in Graham Dorrans," added Allardyce, after seeing his side win 2-1 against
Colchester United on Tuesday. "Graham is a midfield player and you can see
how many midfielders we had out there today." Downing is another unlikely to
be signing a deal at Upton Park this summer, according to the Hammers boss.
Allardyce claimed: "I wouldn't have thought that we could afford Stewart,
unfortunately."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
We can't Hammer out Downing deal
Published: 12 hrs ago
The Sun
SAM ALLARDYCE has ruled out a move for Stewart Downing — because he's too
expensive. The West Ham boss was keen to link up Downing with his old
Liverpool team-mate Andy Carroll, who left Anfield to sign a permanent deal
at Upton Park earlier this summer. But Allardyce has given hope of adding
the England winger to his ranks as he is out of the Hammers' price range. He
said: "I wouldn't have thought that we could afford Stewart, unfortunately."
The former Newcastle manager is hopeful of completing a move for Colombian
striker Duvan Zapata, however. He explained: "It's whether we think we can
get the work permit through, that's the only thing. "Based on the fact that
he's not a full international, we would have to go to a hearing. "We'd have
to decide in the next 24 hours whether — on our part or the player's part —
that would be worth doing." Allardyce has also confirmed the club have no
interest in signing West Brom midfielder Graham Dorrans.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham set to miss out on Inter midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic
Daily Express
Published: Wed, July 17, 2013
WEST HAM look to be disappointed in their pursuit of Inter's Zdravko
Kuzmanovic with Malaga now in pole position to sign the midfielder. The
Hammers had hoped to push ahead with a move for Kuzmanovic after Sam
Allardyce admitted he liked the Serbian international but, according to
reports in Italy, now look set to be trumped by Malaga. When asked about
Kuzmanovic on Saturday, Allardyce said: "He is a player I like, but I know
nothing about it so cannot comment." It was thought that a bid of about £5m
may be enough to bring Kuzmanovic to east London. Cross-city rivals AC Milan
were rumoured to be preparing a player exchange deal that would see Antonio
Nocerino joining Inter with Kuzmanovic heading the other way, and there is
also thought to be interest from a German club following a succesful spell
at Stuttgart prior to joining Inter. However, Malaga, with money in their
budget but a hole in their midfield following the sale sale of Isco to Real
Madrid look set to take the 25-year-old to Spain. Kuzmanovic only moved to
Inter from Stuttgart in January, when Arsenal were reportedly also
interested, but has struggled to establish himself in Milan.
Inter coach Walter Mazzarri was thought to be keen to give Kuzmanovic one
more chance to impress during pre-season but now appears happy to let the
player move on. But it now looks unlikely that the destination will be Upton
Park and Sam Allardyce will have to look elsewhere to bring in
reinforcements.
Speaking after Saturday's 2-0 friendly win at Bournemouth, Allardyce said:
"For the first time in eight years, I have got a good squad together right
at the start of pre-season. "We would like to add to that of course,
although it will only be one or two max. Position wise, we need an attacking
player first and then we will see where we go. "At this moment, it depends
on the player who is available. It needs to be a quality player who brings a
lot to the team for us to go after him."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Downing declares he's staying at Liverpool after West Ham link goes cold
London 24
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
5:56 PM
Transfer news: Liverpool winger Stewart Downing has declared he is staying
with the club despite being linked with a move to West Ham this summer.
Hammers manager Sam Allardyce yesterday played down talk that such a
transfer might happen. And Downing himself has now stressed his happiness
with how things are going for him at Liverpool. The former Aston Villa man,
who started all but one of the Reds' Premier League matches from December 9
onwards last season, told www.liverpoolfc.com: "I'm here to stay. "I'm
enjoying it - especially last season. I got a good run in the team.
Hopefully that will continue, and I need to work hard. "I want it to
continue. It's why I came here - to play in a successful team. I want that
to continue as long as possible."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have arrived in Germany for their pre-season tour
17.07.2013
West Ham United have landed in Germany for the beginning of their eleven-day
pre-season tour. Fresh from Tuesday night's 2-1 victory at League One side
Colchester United, Sam Allardyce's men boarded a morning flight from
Heathrow to Frankfurt for the next stage of their pre-season preparations.
The Hammers will first stay in Mainz, where they are due to face Bundesliga
outfit FSV Mainz in a pre-season match on Saturday. That fixture is one of
three to be played on the tour - all against top-flight Bundesliga
opposition. Following the meeting with Mainz on Saturday, the Hammers travel
north to Flensburg, right on the German-Danish border, for a fixture against
Hamburger SV on Tuesday. Following a transfer to central Germany, the tour
concludes with a match against newly-promoted Eintracht Braunschweig on
Saturday 27 July. Shortly after arriving at their Mainz hotel on Wednesday
afternoon, the Hammers squad were put through their paces in a training
session.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham to decide over Duvan Zapata work-permit appeal
Last Updated: July 17, 2013 9:37am
SSN
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is still hoping to sign Duvan Zapata but has
ruled out moves for Graham Dorrans and Stewart Downing. The Hammers boss
wants to bring in Zapata, a 22-year-old Colombian striker with Argentine
outfit Estudiantes, but the move has been held up by work permit issues.
"It's whether we think we can get the work permit through, that's the only
thing," Allardyce told Sky Sports. "Based on the fact that he's not a full
international, we would have to go to a hearing. "We'd have to decide in the
next 24 hours whether - on our part or the player's part - that would be
worth doing."
One player Allardyce was happy to rule out was West Brom's Dorrans, after
being linked with a move for the midfielder earlier this week. "No interest
in Graham Dorrans," added Allardyce, after seeing his side win 2-1 against
Colchester United on Tuesday. "Graham is a midfield player and you can see
how many midfielders we had out there today." Downing is another unlikely to
be signing a deal at Upton Park this summer, according to the Hammers boss.
Allardyce claimed: "I wouldn't have thought that we could afford Stewart,
unfortunately."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
We can't Hammer out Downing deal
Published: 12 hrs ago
The Sun
SAM ALLARDYCE has ruled out a move for Stewart Downing — because he's too
expensive. The West Ham boss was keen to link up Downing with his old
Liverpool team-mate Andy Carroll, who left Anfield to sign a permanent deal
at Upton Park earlier this summer. But Allardyce has given hope of adding
the England winger to his ranks as he is out of the Hammers' price range. He
said: "I wouldn't have thought that we could afford Stewart, unfortunately."
The former Newcastle manager is hopeful of completing a move for Colombian
striker Duvan Zapata, however. He explained: "It's whether we think we can
get the work permit through, that's the only thing. "Based on the fact that
he's not a full international, we would have to go to a hearing. "We'd have
to decide in the next 24 hours whether — on our part or the player's part —
that would be worth doing." Allardyce has also confirmed the club have no
interest in signing West Brom midfielder Graham Dorrans.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham set to miss out on Inter midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic
Daily Express
Published: Wed, July 17, 2013
WEST HAM look to be disappointed in their pursuit of Inter's Zdravko
Kuzmanovic with Malaga now in pole position to sign the midfielder. The
Hammers had hoped to push ahead with a move for Kuzmanovic after Sam
Allardyce admitted he liked the Serbian international but, according to
reports in Italy, now look set to be trumped by Malaga. When asked about
Kuzmanovic on Saturday, Allardyce said: "He is a player I like, but I know
nothing about it so cannot comment." It was thought that a bid of about £5m
may be enough to bring Kuzmanovic to east London. Cross-city rivals AC Milan
were rumoured to be preparing a player exchange deal that would see Antonio
Nocerino joining Inter with Kuzmanovic heading the other way, and there is
also thought to be interest from a German club following a succesful spell
at Stuttgart prior to joining Inter. However, Malaga, with money in their
budget but a hole in their midfield following the sale sale of Isco to Real
Madrid look set to take the 25-year-old to Spain. Kuzmanovic only moved to
Inter from Stuttgart in January, when Arsenal were reportedly also
interested, but has struggled to establish himself in Milan.
Inter coach Walter Mazzarri was thought to be keen to give Kuzmanovic one
more chance to impress during pre-season but now appears happy to let the
player move on. But it now looks unlikely that the destination will be Upton
Park and Sam Allardyce will have to look elsewhere to bring in
reinforcements.
Speaking after Saturday's 2-0 friendly win at Bournemouth, Allardyce said:
"For the first time in eight years, I have got a good squad together right
at the start of pre-season. "We would like to add to that of course,
although it will only be one or two max. Position wise, we need an attacking
player first and then we will see where we go. "At this moment, it depends
on the player who is available. It needs to be a quality player who brings a
lot to the team for us to go after him."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Downing declares he's staying at Liverpool after West Ham link goes cold
London 24
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
5:56 PM
Transfer news: Liverpool winger Stewart Downing has declared he is staying
with the club despite being linked with a move to West Ham this summer.
Hammers manager Sam Allardyce yesterday played down talk that such a
transfer might happen. And Downing himself has now stressed his happiness
with how things are going for him at Liverpool. The former Aston Villa man,
who started all but one of the Reds' Premier League matches from December 9
onwards last season, told www.liverpoolfc.com: "I'm here to stay. "I'm
enjoying it - especially last season. I got a good run in the team.
Hopefully that will continue, and I need to work hard. "I want it to
continue. It's why I came here - to play in a successful team. I want that
to continue as long as possible."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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