Squad numbers revealed
WHUFC.com
Find out who will be wearing what number in the 2013/14 season here
14.08.2013
West Ham United's new signing Stewart Downing will wear the No23 shirt for the 2013/14 season, as the full list of the Club's squad numbers were revealed on Wednesday. Fellow summer arrival Andy Carroll takes the No9 shirt, while Razvan Rat is No8 and goalkeeper Adrian No13. Sam Allardyce's men will wear the numbers for the first time at Saturday's Barclays Premier League opener against Cardiff City. The other players who have switched numbers are Alou Diarra, who moves from No23 to No18 and Ravel Morrison, who has taken the No15 shirt. Morrison will have his first name Ravel listed on the back of his shirt, while Razvan Rat's name will appear as R. Rat. The No6 shirt was retired in honour of Bobby Moore in August 2008. Shirt printing on the new adidas Hammers shirts is available from Official Club Stores for £14 baby/infant or £18 adult/junior. Click here to buy now.
The full list of squad numbers is as follows:
1. -
2. Winston Reid
3. George McCartney
4. Kevin Nolan
5. James Tomkins
6. -
7. Matthew Jarvis
8. Razvan Rat
9. Andy Carroll
10. Jack Collison
11. Modibo Maiga
12. Ricardo Vaz Te
13. Adrian
14. Matthew Taylor
15. Ravel Morrison
16. Mark Noble
17. Joey O'Brien
18. Alou Diarra
19. James Collins
20. Guy Demel
21. Mohamed Diame
22. Jussi Jaaskelainen
23. Stewart Downing
24. -
25. -
26. Joe Cole
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Olympic Stadium conversion underway!
WHUFC.com
The redevelopment of West Ham United's future Stratford home has now officially begun
14.08.2013
West Ham United players and staff had a taste of the exciting future that awaits them when they joined Board members for a ground-breaking event at the Olympic Stadium. The Hammers' visit marked the start of the construction work that will see the UK's most-iconic venue begin its transformation into a world-class, 54,000-seater UEFA Category Four football Stadium. Joint-Chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold, Vice-Chairman Karren Brady, manager Sam Allardyce, his coaching staff and entire first-team squad including the likes of Kevin Nolan, Andy Carroll and Winston Reid all had the chance to say farewell to the Olympic Stadium as we know it following the huge success of the London 2012 Games.
The historic occasion also marked the beginning of the next phase for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park's jewel in the crown and in West Ham United's journey to Stratford. The event followed a presentation by the Vice-Chairman on the plans and programme for the multi-million pound conversion. The Joint-Chairmen, meanwhile, lauded another considerable step on the path to making the iconic venue the Hammers' home. "This is the most tangible landmark yet of our move to Stratford and we are both thrilled to finally see the conversion process begin," they said. "It is fantastic to mark this occasion with those who will play such a key role in the Stadium's future - West Ham United's players and staff. "We will be playing at a state-of-the-art, UEFA Category Four Stadium and it's going to be fantastic to see it gradually begin to take shape. "Though this is just the beginning, it is yet further evidence of our commitment to delivering a world-class facility and a lasting Olympic legacy in east London."
The stunning conversion, to be managed by the E20 Stadium LLP, will see the existing athletics field removed to enable cranes to start the installation of an innovative tensile roof, twice the size of the original. At 84m, the atmospheric, transparent structure is set to become the world's largest of its kind and is scheduled to be in place for spring 2015, prior to final preparations for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. In addition to improving the already famed acoustics, the Stadium's new roof will cover every single seat and provide an opportunity to lock in the world-renowned atmosphere for which the Hammers' supporters are famous. Concessions, toilets, turnstiles, hospitality areas and a new playing surface will then be added to change the Stadium into a world-class arena more traditionally associated with elite football stadia across the globe. The Stadium will play host to five Rugby World Cup fixtures in September and October 2015, which will undoubtedly further consolidate its international status. After the conclusion of the tournament, attention then turns to the innovative retractable seating, a model to be deployed on all four sides of the ground to ensure fans are brought closer to the action on the pitch. The seats, which will enable the lower bowl to be protracted and retracted as befitting the occasion, will be finished by early 2016 before the Hammers kick-off the new football season in August that year.
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Big Sam thrilled with Downing capture
WHUFC.com
West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce is delighted to have added Stewart Downing to his squad
14.08.2013
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce is sure new arrival Stewart Downing will quickly become a key member of his team. Downing, who has 34 England caps to his name, made the move to the Boleyn Ground from Liverpool on Tuesday, becoming the Hammers' fifth summer signing after Andy Carroll, Razvan Rat, Adrian and Danny Whitehead. Allardyce has been a keen admirer of his talents for some time and is looking forward to seeing him produce his best form in a claret and blue shirt. Speaking at a Q&A event for Hammers seasonal corporate members, Big Sam said: "Stewart is a great player with a very good pedigree. "If you look at his technical and physical stats, it puts him right up there among the top players we have at the Club. "He's a talented boy with good energy, and will improve the team quality, particularly in possession. He doesn't give the ball away, he can hold it if he needs to and he can dribble as well.
"Stewart will be able to produce the kind of ball we need, and will have the opportunity to cross the ball, just as he did at Aston Villa. "To pick up two players of the quality of Stewart and Andy is good business both financially and in football terms, and they will help to improve us as an attacking unit."
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Downing excited by Hammers chance
WHUFC.com
Stewart Downing is targeting a successful season in West Ham colours after arriving from Liverpool
14.08.2013
Stewart Downing is fit and ready to go for the Barclays Premier League opener against Cardiff City after arriving on a four-year contract from Liverpool this week. The 29-year-old wingman is delighted to link up with former Reds teammates Andy Carroll and Joe Cole again and believes West Ham United are set for another successful season. He will have little time to settle in to his new surroundings before the campaign starts on Saturday, but with a full pre-season from Liverpool under his belt, he does not envisage any problems. "I'm very excited," he told West Ham TV. "it's a great opportunity for me being here, it's a great Club, a good manager to play for and I'm really excited to get going. "I'm ready and I'm fit [for Cardiff City]. I've played a decent few games for Liverpool in pre-season, so there will be no problems on that front. "It's all happened quickly in the last couple of days, shooting down here and getting things sorted, but I'm really excited and hopefully I'll play some part on Saturday."
Downing admitted he did not need too much persuading to join up with the Hammers once their interest became clear. He continued: "I met the players and the manager on Monday. He's a really good, straightforward manager. I like him, I like the way he wants to work and I'm excited by what his plans are for the team as well. "Sam didn't have to say much. You can see it's a great Club with passionate fans. The only thing he said to me were his plans for the team and how he wants to play and I'm excited by that and hopefully I can contribute in a good way this season. "With the strengths of the forward players, crossing will obviously be a strength of the team. My aim is just getting back to playing regularly and playing well, like I did at Aston Villa, get a few goals and hopefully we'll have a good season."
With a World Cup on the horizon too, Downing is hoping the move to the Boleyn Ground can provide a route back into the England squad. He added: "It's probably perfect timing for the move. I've got a season to show Roy Hodgson I can get in that squad. All I've got to do is go out and perform and then it's up to him to pick me."
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Academy to hold trials
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Academy are to hold trials for boys in school years reception and one
24.07.2013
West Ham United are pleased to announce the following trial dates for the Club's famed Academy. The trial dates are exclusively for boys born between 1 September 2008 - 31 August 2009 and 1 September 2007 - 31 August 2008, corresponding to school years reception and one. Boys can expect free and enjoyable football matches, with the chance of being selected to train free of charge at the Hammers' Academy of Football. The four trials are to be held at the following times and locations:
Monday 19 August
Venue: Harlow - Passmores Academy, Tracyes Road, Harlow, Essex, CM18 6JH
Closing date for entries: 5pm Wednesday 14 August
Players will receive confirmation by Friday 16 August 2013.
Thursday 29 August
Venue: Hornchurch - The Campion School, Wingletye Lane, Essex, RM11 3BX
Closing date for entries: 5pm Friday 23 August
Players will receive confirmation by Tuesday 27 August.
Friday 30 August 2013
Venue: Brentwood - Becket Keys Church of England School, Sawyer's Hall Lane, Brentwood CM15 9DA
Closing date for entries: 5pm Friday 23 August
Players will receive confirmation by Tuesday 27 August.
Saturday 31 August 2013
Venue: Woodford - Caterham High School, Caterham Avenue, Clayhall, Ilford, IG5 0QW
Closing date for entries 5pm Friday 23 August 2013
Players will receive confirmation by Tuesday 27 August 2013.
All times for the above venues are 10-11.30am.
All trials are to be held on Astroturf, so we ask that children are wearing suitable footwear and dressed in football clothes befitting the weather. Players must wear shin pads and we ask that everyone bring plenty of drinks. To register your son, please email jhampsheir@westhamunited.co.uk with the following details: Your son's name, date of birth, full address and post code and their current school. Or alternatively address letters to West Ham United Football Club, Saville Road, Chadwell Heath, Romford, Essex, RM6 6DT.
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Lee looking for goals
WHUFC.com
Young striker Elliot Lee started the season with a bang for the Development Squad
14.08.2013
It was a case of new season, same old story for striker Elliot Lee, whose two goals buried Aston Villa as the Development Squad got their season off to a flyer at Rush Green on Monday evening. The young forward was on hand with two poacher's strikes as the Hammers took a 2-0 lead into half-time, with Sebastian Lletget finishing the job late on for Nick Haycock's team. Lee could have had a hat-trick had he converted his easiest chance of the night, but he somehow poked the ball wide with an empty net at his mercy. Despite the miss, the prolific marksman was happy to kick the season off in style. "It was the biggest miss I've ever had," he told whufc.com. "The way I look at it, I obviously wasn't meant to score that one because I've gone onto get two goals. I could have scored that and we might have lost the game, so I look at it in a positive way. "I did lose my head for a bit after that but it's good to get the two goals and I can put that miss behind me."
The win was an excellent result against a Villa team which featured Villa first team regulars Yacouba Sylla and Marc Albrighton, both of whom limped off during the match. And whilst 18-year-old Lee might have scored two of the goals, he was quick to praise the way the team played against some tough opposition.
"We saw the team sheet and they had a few first teamers out, so it's good to get the experience of playing against them," he continued. "We've been working all week on getting in behind teams and then playing our football as well and I thought we played really well on Monday. "The gaffer said it was important to make a good start and get out of the blocks fast, and I thought we did that really well. "We blew them away first half, it was great to get two goals for myself and then we killed them off in the end. It was a great three points for us."
The match also marked the return to competitive action of Dylan Tombides, who hadn't started a game since being diagnosed with testicular cancer. Tombides is now back with the Development Squad and Lee is thrilled to have him back in the team. He added: "I'm absolutely buzzing for Dylan, I used to play with him in the youth team and we always worked well together so I'm delighted he's back."
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No more signings as Allardyce hits wage limit
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 14th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce will be forced to sell before he can boost his squad with new arrivals, says co-owner David Sullivan. Yesterday, Allardyce landed his fourth first team signing of pre-season when Stewart Downing joined fellow summer arrivals Adrian, Razvan Rat and Andy Carroll*. However the West Ham boss is unlikely to make any further additions to his squad unless he can move one or two players on first, as a result of the new Financial Fair Play rules. "We still need a few [players], but we just haven't got the money," Sullivan explained in an exclusive interview with KUMB.com. "In my programme notes for Cardiff I've explained how the wage cap works and how once you've spent your wages, you've spent your wages. "This is why I've said to the manager at every stage: "This is what we've got left, do you want to spend your money on this player?" I said to Sam [before he signed Downing]: "If you spend the money on this player then there's very, very little left and you'll have to move somebody out to get somebody in".
"If you breach your wage limit, you get a points deduction - so what you need and what you have to live with are not the same thing. It's not a question of us having to find another couple of million to put in, because we've done that anyway already on transfers this summer. You are allowed to do it on transfers, but on wages you're not."
And Sullivan revealed that the signing of Downing had taken West Ham very close to their £52million wage budget limit. "That's it, unfortunately. Now we've signed Downing we've got virtually nothing left. Somebody has to go to produce some spare wage capacity. I'd like the supporters to understand because people don't understand it and they just think, "oh get your cheque book out" - you can't, you're not allowed to under the rules. "Our total wage budget is £52million. If you spent £180million last year, you can spend £184million - but as we didn't spend £52million last year, that's it. That includes national insurance which gives us about £847,000 per week for every professional at the club including the first year pros, everything.
"It's not a lot."
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Was It Right To Spend £17.5m On Carroll?
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 14th August 2013
By: Sam Hills
With the season nearly upon us and with the close of the transfer window not far behind it, in his kumb.com debut Sam Hills wonders whether we might not have put all our striking eggs in one basket....
On the 19th June, many West Ham fans were overjoyed with the signing of England International Andy Carroll, but was it really a good decision to buy the striker?
Carroll,24, who struggled in his time at Liverpool, became a fan favourite at Upton Park and was signed by the club for £17.5m (including add-ons) after his loan spell at the club.
The majority of Hammers fans were extremely pleased with the signing of Carroll. The transfer proved to the fans that the chairmen have ambition and willingness to spend for the club, but did the club make the correct decision in dishing it all out on one player? Some feel that with a big chunk of the season's transfer and wage budget gone, they may not be able to improve the squad with better Premier league standard players.
Sadly, despite his great height and good technical ability, Carroll suffers with lots of injuries. The Forward appeared only 24 times last season due to hamstring and knee problems. He is also currently attempting to get fit for this Saturday's home game against Cardiff. Carroll is recovering from the damaged heel that has already forced him to pull out of the England squad for friendlies against Ireland, Brazil and Scotland. With injuries often occurring, is it too big of a risk to have spent that much money on a player who could miss a large part of the season?
The former Liverpool and Newcastle player was a regular starter for West Ham when he was available. He netted 7 goals in the 24 appearances made. Tweets from co-owner David Sullivan's son Jack have promised the Hammers fans another striker to partner him, however will the amount of money left after the Carroll deal be enough to secure services for the type of player that can really improve the squad?
Alongside the possible £17.5m fee of Andy Carroll, there is also the player's wages to consider. Although the speculated figure of £100,000 per week is probably wide of the mark, Carroll's salary is still a substantial part of the club's budget. Is it too much to pay for a club still in debt? The debt, which was heavily assisted by the £32m spent purely for Keiron Dyer to be at the club and the Carlos Tevez scandal which resulted in a settlement to pay £26.5m to Sheffield United, is still believed to be in the region of £70m. With Carroll's salary contributing to the wage bill, a number of important squad players may have to be sold or released by the club to balance the books.
It has been clear that West Ham needed to make lots of changes to make funds for the transfer. Carlton Cole, who proved to be a very loyal player taking a pay-cut to stay at the Hammers when they were relegated to the Championship, was released to make way for the 6ft 3in striker. There have also been other changes such as midfielder Gary O'Neil and Rob Hall leaving the club. Alou Diarra, Ricardo Vaz Te and others also look likely to depart.
Carroll proved to be an influential player in last season's great finish. During the second half of the season, he had a great turn of form and was scoring goals and assisting them. Many would agree that his game suits West Ham's current style of play and that he is one of the best players they could wish to have in that position. His strength and ability to link up play suits the formation that Sam Allardyce likes to play with the lone striker.
West Ham have shown so far in this transfer window that they are continuing to look for improvements despite the amount of money spent on luring Carroll to the club. As well as Carroll, they have already signed Romanian captain Răzvan Raț, Real Betis goalkeeper Adrian, Liverpool winger Stewart Downing and young attacking midfielder Danny Whitehead. They've proved that the spending is not over yet with interest reported in a number of players over the past few months, including Watford forward Troy Deeney and Jonjo Shelvey, who recently joined Swansea City.
With West Ham really being in the thick of it this transfer window, fans will also hope to see Allardyce give more youngsters a chance in the first team. With the transfer of Rob Hall to Bolton Wanderers, fans have commented on the apparent lack of chances for young players in the side. Some have commented on Twitter that Rob Hall's transfer in particular could come back to haunt the club.
Fans expect to push onwards and upwards after last season's excellent final position. With the club moving to the Olympic Stadium in 2016, new additions to the squad with, hopefully, what looks like more to come, supporters have increased their expectations for the future.
Whether Andy Carroll's transfer to West Ham will prove to have be good or bad for the club remains to be seen, though a finish in the top half with possibly a chance of Europe would go some way to meeting those high expectations.
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Sullivan: why we pulled out of Zapata deal
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 14th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has revealed why West Ham pulled out of the hunt to sign Columbian forward Duvan Zapata. West Ham had hoped to sign the 22-year-old Estudiantes forward last month but the deal collapsed after it was revealed that Zapata was unlikely to gain to gain a work permit as a result of never having played international football.
Sullivan, speaking exclusively to KUMB.com ahead of the new season said: "We nearly signed a striker who may end up at Queens Park Rangers, but we didn't think we could get a work permit. "He's not played a single international and our problem is that we couldn't wait a month so see if we could get a work permit, as we need players now. "There is a small chance he could get a work permit, but it's very difficult for a 22-year-old. He's not 18, he's 22 without a single full international and it's hard to see how you could bring him under the special talent rule. "There's two fantastic players ahead of him [in the national team]. But it all just went on too long and Sam wanted to use the money elsewhere."
Sullivan, who was talking to KUMB.com in an exclusive Q&A - more of which we'll bring you later - also revealed that West Ham are unlikely to make any further new signings until some players have been sold due to the wage cap imposed by the new FFP rules.
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Now for One or Two Departures!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
David Sullivan has confirmed that the club will need to move one or two players out before they can bring in further reinforcements. This is to ensure that the club complies with the salary cap imposed by the new Fair Play rules. And it appears that Nottingham Forest could be on the verge of testing the waters with a £1.5m bid for Richardo Vaz Te. In the present circumstances it is likely that West Ham will be tempted to accept the bid. Other possible options are a rumoured move by Leeds Utd for Matt Taylor and continued Ipswich Town interest in Stephen Henderson. The club could also look to move on George McCartney and, again, there will be no shortage of interest from Championship clubs. McCartney's exit very much depends whether Potts is considered ready to cover Razvan Rat in the left-back spot. A clincher might be that Joey O'Brien is also able to cover at left-back in an emergency. On the other hand, McCartney is a popular member of the squad and useful cover at both left-back and centre back.
One deal that West Ham need to think very carefully about is a move by Saint Étienne to take Maiga on a season's loan. To lose both Vaz Te and Maiga would strip the squad of its central striking options, other than Andy Carroll, and would require drastic moves in the transfer market to bring in two new additions. So, in my book its either Vaz Te or Maiga to exit, not both. As Maiga arguably has more potential, and has had a very good pre-season, I would retain his services. Unless, that is, the club have the deals lined up that will improve upon Vaz Te and Maiga and they are confident that they can complete them?
In terms of incoming deals, the latest speculation is focusing once again on a possible loan deal for Demba Ba. There has also been a bit of recent conjecture around possible West Ham and Fulham interest in Watford's Troy Deeney. Deeney certainly has the goal scoring touch in the Championship and he could be one to take a punt on at PL level. However, would West Ham be in a position to meet the mooted fee of £5m? Ba would be a season long loan and it is likely that a second player could be brought in on the same basis. The Quagliarella rumour has gone quiet, but you never know it could still happen? Again, much depends on the room for manoeuvre within the club's FP salary cap.
Finally, one player with a lot to prove this campaign is James Tomkins. Being part of the GB Olympic football squad really did him no favours at all last season. He lost vital pre-season preparation, was sparingly used by the GB team, and never recovered during the course of last season. The Reid-Collins partnerships was first choice for most of the season and Tomkins spent a lot of time covering or playing in a defensive midfield role. Hopefully, he will come back this season and cement his place alongside Reid at the centre of the defence. Tomkins is a defender with huge ability, but now he needs to iron the small faults out of his game and really push on. And this coming season is the time to do it!
ps. In central defence, keep an eye out for Leo Chambers. He is an outstanding prospect and rumour has it that he would have made his first team debut last season but for an untimely injury. He could definitely be one to watch this season.
SJ. Chandos.
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Chelsea Transfer Rumours: West Ham Return Is Demba Ba's Best Option
BY JOSHUA HAYWARD (FEATURED COLUMNIST) ON AUGUST 15, 2013
Bleacher Report
With the return of Romelu Lukaku from a season-long loan and constant rumours linking Manchester United's Wayne Rooney with a move to Stamford Bridge, Demba Ba's Chelsea future looks in doubt. And a return to West Ham is just the thing he needs. The Senegal striker signed for West Ham in January 2011 on three-year deal following a contract dispute with German side Hoffenheim and a failed medical at Stoke City, as the BBC reported.
In an interview with the BBC, he said: It was a long story but now I'm happy because it had a really good end and I am glad to be here...I am going to give everything to West Ham United. And the striker certainly kept to his word. Well, almost. Ba scored seven goals in 12 games for the Hammers and became an instant hit with the Upton Park Crowd, but he swiftly moved on following their relegation from the Premier League. The 28-year-old forward invoked a release clause in his contract that meant he could leave the East London-based side on a free transfer should they suffer relegation to the Championship. Ba turned down a £50,000 signing on fee and £55,000 per week to stay with the Hammers, according to The Guardian, before eventually signing for Newcastle United.
And in typical Demba Ba fashion, more goals came. And so did chances to better his career, as he became the first ever Senegalese player to sign for Chelsea in January 2013. Scoring two goals on his debut in a 5-1 FA Cup win over Southampton, Ba looked like he was going to reach the dizzy heights of which he would have hoped. However, the striker slipped further and further down the pecking order at the West London club, with £50 million signing Fernando Torres preferred. Ba has featured just 17 times for Chelsea since his move in January, and with rumours linking further strikers to the Blues—such as Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, as The Guardian reports—it's difficult to see the Senegal international's chances improving this campaign. However, a fourth move in three calendar years could be just what Ba needs to restart his career, with the Mirror reporting that former club West Ham look set to offer the man a move across London. We exclusively revealed West Ham's original bid to take Ba back to Upton Park, where he played in their 2010-11 relegation season, in June.
They switched their attentions to the Senegal international after failing with an attempt to take his Chelsea team-mate Romelu Lukaku on loan. Ba scored seven goals in 12 games for West Ham, his first club in English football, before moving on to Newcastle and then, last January, to the Blues. The Hammers have made a host of signings already this summer, and with the likes of Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing now at the club to provide support, Ba could quickly become a Hammers hero.
Again.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, August 15
Wednesday, August 14
Daily WHUFC News - 14th August 2013
Stewart Downing: West Ham sign Liverpool's England winger
By Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Sport
West Ham United have signed England winger Stewart Downing from Liverpool
for a fee of about £5m. The 29-year-old has agreed a four-year contract with
Sam Allardyce's side and follows striker Andy Carroll in swapping Anfield
for Upton Park.
West Ham's summer signings
Andy Carroll (£15m, Liverpool)
Stewart Downing (£5m, Liverpool)
Razvan Rat (Free, Shakhtar)
Adrian (Free, Real Betis)
Danny Whitehead (undisclosed, Stockport)
Downing was signed by Liverpool in a £20m deal from Aston Villa in 2011.
"I'm very excited. It's a great opportunity for me being here, it's a great
club and I'm really excited to get going," said Downing. "I've played a
decent few games for Liverpool in pre-season, so there will be no problems
on that front." Brendan Rodgers, who replaced Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool
boss, criticised Downing shortly after taking over at Anfield, and picked
him at left-back as well as on the wing.
Stewart Downing factfile
Age: 29
England caps: 34
England goals: 0
Teams: Middlesbrough, Sunderland (loan), Aston Villa, Liverpool, West Ham
Downing, who has 34 international caps and was part of England's Euro 2012
squad, scored five times in 45 appearances for the Reds in the 2012-13
campaign and registered seven goals in 91 matches for the club overall. He
revealed last December he had been told he could leave Anfield. Downing's
arrival is West Ham's fifth summer signing, including the permanent transfer
of Downing's former team-mate Carroll. Carroll joined Liverpool for £35m in
January 2011 but moved to West Ham in a £15m deal earlier this summer
following a season on loan with the Hammers.
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West Ham complete signing of Stewart Downing from Liverpool
Last Updated: August 13, 2013 1:37pm
SSN
West Ham have completed the signing of winger Stewart Downing from
Liverpool. The 29-year-old has joined Sam Allardyce's side on a four-year
contract for an undisclosed fee thought to be in the region of £5m. Downing,
who has won 34 caps for England, follows striker Andy Carroll in making the
summer switch from Anfield to Upton Park and is looking forward a new
chapter in his career. "I'm very excited. It's a great opportunity for me
being here, it's a great club and I'm really excited to get going," Downing
told the club's website. "I'm ready and I'm fit for the first game against
Cardiff City. I've played a decent few games for Liverpool in pre-season, so
there will be no problems on that front. "It's all happened quickly, but I'm
really excited and hoping to play a part on Saturday."
Downing began his career with Middlesbrough, making his debut as a
17-year-old in 2002. He joined Aston Villa following Boro's relegation from
the Premier League in 2009 and was voted their Player of the Season for
2010-2011. A £20m move to Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool followed in July 2011
with Downing picking up a Carling Cup winners' medal before falling out of
favour under current Reds boss Brendan Rodgers. Downing fought his way back
into first-team contention in the second half of last season but has now
opted to take up a fresh challenge with West Ham.
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Tottenham, Fulham and West Ham linked with Troy Deeney
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated:
August 13, 2013 2:14pm
SSN
Sky Sports understands Premier League trio Tottenham, Fulham and West Ham
are tracking Watford striker Troy Deeney. Deeney has started the new season
in red-hot form and his goalscoring exploits have alerted several Premier
League clubs. Tottenham are thought to be actively monitoring his progress
at Vicarage Road with Andre Villas-Boas in the market for striking
reinforcements, especially if Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor leave
White Hart Lane.
Fulham boss Martin Jol and his West Ham counterpart Sam Allardyce have both
admitted they are looking to bring in a new striker before the close of the
transfer window and Deeney is thought to figure highly on their wanted list.
Representatives from Fulham and West Ham are both thought to have watched
Deeney in action last weekend when he scored a superb hat-trick in the 6-1
win over Bournemouth. The 25-year-old is now widely regarded as the best
striker outside the Premier League having scored 20 goals last season.
Watford are desperate to keep hold of their prize asset as they look to
mount a bid for promotion to the Premier League, but manager Gianfrano Zola
admitted after the win over Bournemouth he was wary of clubs making moves to
sign Deeney. Zola, who is a big fan of Deeney and has previously admitted
the player could make the step-up to the Premier League, said at the
weekend: "The transfer window is still open - and that could be a problem."
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Liverpool Become a West Ham Feeder Club
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
Yes, I know I am late, but it's been a busy day. So Stewart Downing is pour
new number 23. It's been amusing to see all the Liverpool fans wish him good
riddance. Let's hope he has the season of his life and makes them eat their
words. The question now is who will the new striker be? The Juventus front
man who SJ Chandos wrote about below, or could it be Jermain Defoe? There
are still rumours that Maiga is going back to France, which surely means
we'd need two new strikers. Both of those would do me fine!
Sadly Scott Parker seems to be going to QPR. An odd move, if you ask me.
PS The new version of this website will launch late on Friday. I hope. No,
really. It's very different in design and functionality. God, I hope you all
like it. A lot of effort has gone into it. You will indeed be able to sign
in on a normal account OR via your Twitter or facebook accounts. Commenting
will be in realtime, a bit like Instant Messaging, so on match days you can
have proper conversations. We're roadtesting the comments system at the
moment and I am going to be emailing a few of you tonight to help me test it
out.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Demba Ba On Hammers Radar, But Who Would Make Way?
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
Well, according to the Daily Mirror a deal for Demba Ba may be back on the
cards. According to them, it all depends on West Ham selling a couple of
players to get the off the wage bill. And if a move for Ba fails, then it's
Hugo Almeida. Here's their story...
West Ham are set to make a renewed move to bring Demba Ba 'home' - but need
to offload players in order to afford the Chelsea striker... They are now
set to wield the axe to trim their bloated wage bill. We exclusively
revealed West Ham's original bid to take Ba back to Upton Park, where he
played in their 2010-11 relegation season, in June. They switched their
attentions to the Senegal international after failing with an attempt to
take his Chelsea team-mate Romelu Lukaku on loan. Ba scored seven goals in
12 games for West Ham, his first club in English football, before moving on
to Newcastle and then, last January, to the Blues. New Chelsea boss Jose
Mourinho, however, is keen to buy Wayne Rooney from Manchester United. And
Ba already has Fernando Torres and Lukaku ahead of him, regardless of what
happens with Rooney. Should West Ham miss out on the 28-year-old, they could
turn to Besiktas striker Hugo Almeida. The Portuguese hitman, 29, has been
transfer-listed by the Turkish club after refusing to take a pay-cut.
Director of football Onder Ozen said recently: "We will consider offers for
Almeida, especially if we can't reach an agreement regarding his wages."
A forward line of Carroll, Ba, Jarvis and Downing. Delicious.
But who would the players be who might leave? I'd say Matt Taylor and
Ricardo Vaz Te would be top of the list, with Modobo Maiga and Alou Diarra
following close behind.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham plan new transfer move for Chelsea's Demba Ba once they trim
wage-bill
13 Aug 2013 22:30
The Mirror
West Ham are set to make a renewed move to bring Demba Ba 'home' - but need
to offload players in order to afford the Chelsea striker. The Hammers have
signed Stewart Downing and Andy Carroll from Liverpool, defender Razvan Rat
of Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Betis keeper Adrian this summer. They are now
set to wield the axe to trim their bloated wage bill. We exclusively
revealed West Ham's original bid to take Ba back to Upton Park, where he
played in their 2010-11 relegation season, in June. They switched their
attentions to the Senegal international after failing with an attempt to
take his Chelsea team-mate Romelu Lukaku on loan. Ba scored seven goals in
12 games for West Ham, his first club in English football, before moving on
to Newcastle and then, last January, to the Blues. New Chelsea boss Jose
Mourinho, however, is keen to buy Wayne Rooney from Manchester United. And
Ba already has Fernando Torres and Lukaku ahead of him, regardless of what
happens with Rooney. Should West Ham miss out on the 28-year-old, they could
turn to Besiktas striker Hugo Almeida. The Portuguese hitman, 29, has been
transfer-listed by the Turkish club after refusing to take a pay-cut.
Director of football Onder Ozen said recently: "We will consider offers for
Almeida, especially if we can't reach an agreement regarding his wages."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
By Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Sport
West Ham United have signed England winger Stewart Downing from Liverpool
for a fee of about £5m. The 29-year-old has agreed a four-year contract with
Sam Allardyce's side and follows striker Andy Carroll in swapping Anfield
for Upton Park.
West Ham's summer signings
Andy Carroll (£15m, Liverpool)
Stewart Downing (£5m, Liverpool)
Razvan Rat (Free, Shakhtar)
Adrian (Free, Real Betis)
Danny Whitehead (undisclosed, Stockport)
Downing was signed by Liverpool in a £20m deal from Aston Villa in 2011.
"I'm very excited. It's a great opportunity for me being here, it's a great
club and I'm really excited to get going," said Downing. "I've played a
decent few games for Liverpool in pre-season, so there will be no problems
on that front." Brendan Rodgers, who replaced Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool
boss, criticised Downing shortly after taking over at Anfield, and picked
him at left-back as well as on the wing.
Stewart Downing factfile
Age: 29
England caps: 34
England goals: 0
Teams: Middlesbrough, Sunderland (loan), Aston Villa, Liverpool, West Ham
Downing, who has 34 international caps and was part of England's Euro 2012
squad, scored five times in 45 appearances for the Reds in the 2012-13
campaign and registered seven goals in 91 matches for the club overall. He
revealed last December he had been told he could leave Anfield. Downing's
arrival is West Ham's fifth summer signing, including the permanent transfer
of Downing's former team-mate Carroll. Carroll joined Liverpool for £35m in
January 2011 but moved to West Ham in a £15m deal earlier this summer
following a season on loan with the Hammers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham complete signing of Stewart Downing from Liverpool
Last Updated: August 13, 2013 1:37pm
SSN
West Ham have completed the signing of winger Stewart Downing from
Liverpool. The 29-year-old has joined Sam Allardyce's side on a four-year
contract for an undisclosed fee thought to be in the region of £5m. Downing,
who has won 34 caps for England, follows striker Andy Carroll in making the
summer switch from Anfield to Upton Park and is looking forward a new
chapter in his career. "I'm very excited. It's a great opportunity for me
being here, it's a great club and I'm really excited to get going," Downing
told the club's website. "I'm ready and I'm fit for the first game against
Cardiff City. I've played a decent few games for Liverpool in pre-season, so
there will be no problems on that front. "It's all happened quickly, but I'm
really excited and hoping to play a part on Saturday."
Downing began his career with Middlesbrough, making his debut as a
17-year-old in 2002. He joined Aston Villa following Boro's relegation from
the Premier League in 2009 and was voted their Player of the Season for
2010-2011. A £20m move to Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool followed in July 2011
with Downing picking up a Carling Cup winners' medal before falling out of
favour under current Reds boss Brendan Rodgers. Downing fought his way back
into first-team contention in the second half of last season but has now
opted to take up a fresh challenge with West Ham.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tottenham, Fulham and West Ham linked with Troy Deeney
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated:
August 13, 2013 2:14pm
SSN
Sky Sports understands Premier League trio Tottenham, Fulham and West Ham
are tracking Watford striker Troy Deeney. Deeney has started the new season
in red-hot form and his goalscoring exploits have alerted several Premier
League clubs. Tottenham are thought to be actively monitoring his progress
at Vicarage Road with Andre Villas-Boas in the market for striking
reinforcements, especially if Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor leave
White Hart Lane.
Fulham boss Martin Jol and his West Ham counterpart Sam Allardyce have both
admitted they are looking to bring in a new striker before the close of the
transfer window and Deeney is thought to figure highly on their wanted list.
Representatives from Fulham and West Ham are both thought to have watched
Deeney in action last weekend when he scored a superb hat-trick in the 6-1
win over Bournemouth. The 25-year-old is now widely regarded as the best
striker outside the Premier League having scored 20 goals last season.
Watford are desperate to keep hold of their prize asset as they look to
mount a bid for promotion to the Premier League, but manager Gianfrano Zola
admitted after the win over Bournemouth he was wary of clubs making moves to
sign Deeney. Zola, who is a big fan of Deeney and has previously admitted
the player could make the step-up to the Premier League, said at the
weekend: "The transfer window is still open - and that could be a problem."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Liverpool Become a West Ham Feeder Club
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
Yes, I know I am late, but it's been a busy day. So Stewart Downing is pour
new number 23. It's been amusing to see all the Liverpool fans wish him good
riddance. Let's hope he has the season of his life and makes them eat their
words. The question now is who will the new striker be? The Juventus front
man who SJ Chandos wrote about below, or could it be Jermain Defoe? There
are still rumours that Maiga is going back to France, which surely means
we'd need two new strikers. Both of those would do me fine!
Sadly Scott Parker seems to be going to QPR. An odd move, if you ask me.
PS The new version of this website will launch late on Friday. I hope. No,
really. It's very different in design and functionality. God, I hope you all
like it. A lot of effort has gone into it. You will indeed be able to sign
in on a normal account OR via your Twitter or facebook accounts. Commenting
will be in realtime, a bit like Instant Messaging, so on match days you can
have proper conversations. We're roadtesting the comments system at the
moment and I am going to be emailing a few of you tonight to help me test it
out.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Demba Ba On Hammers Radar, But Who Would Make Way?
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
Well, according to the Daily Mirror a deal for Demba Ba may be back on the
cards. According to them, it all depends on West Ham selling a couple of
players to get the off the wage bill. And if a move for Ba fails, then it's
Hugo Almeida. Here's their story...
West Ham are set to make a renewed move to bring Demba Ba 'home' - but need
to offload players in order to afford the Chelsea striker... They are now
set to wield the axe to trim their bloated wage bill. We exclusively
revealed West Ham's original bid to take Ba back to Upton Park, where he
played in their 2010-11 relegation season, in June. They switched their
attentions to the Senegal international after failing with an attempt to
take his Chelsea team-mate Romelu Lukaku on loan. Ba scored seven goals in
12 games for West Ham, his first club in English football, before moving on
to Newcastle and then, last January, to the Blues. New Chelsea boss Jose
Mourinho, however, is keen to buy Wayne Rooney from Manchester United. And
Ba already has Fernando Torres and Lukaku ahead of him, regardless of what
happens with Rooney. Should West Ham miss out on the 28-year-old, they could
turn to Besiktas striker Hugo Almeida. The Portuguese hitman, 29, has been
transfer-listed by the Turkish club after refusing to take a pay-cut.
Director of football Onder Ozen said recently: "We will consider offers for
Almeida, especially if we can't reach an agreement regarding his wages."
A forward line of Carroll, Ba, Jarvis and Downing. Delicious.
But who would the players be who might leave? I'd say Matt Taylor and
Ricardo Vaz Te would be top of the list, with Modobo Maiga and Alou Diarra
following close behind.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham plan new transfer move for Chelsea's Demba Ba once they trim
wage-bill
13 Aug 2013 22:30
The Mirror
West Ham are set to make a renewed move to bring Demba Ba 'home' - but need
to offload players in order to afford the Chelsea striker. The Hammers have
signed Stewart Downing and Andy Carroll from Liverpool, defender Razvan Rat
of Shakhtar Donetsk and Real Betis keeper Adrian this summer. They are now
set to wield the axe to trim their bloated wage bill. We exclusively
revealed West Ham's original bid to take Ba back to Upton Park, where he
played in their 2010-11 relegation season, in June. They switched their
attentions to the Senegal international after failing with an attempt to
take his Chelsea team-mate Romelu Lukaku on loan. Ba scored seven goals in
12 games for West Ham, his first club in English football, before moving on
to Newcastle and then, last January, to the Blues. New Chelsea boss Jose
Mourinho, however, is keen to buy Wayne Rooney from Manchester United. And
Ba already has Fernando Torres and Lukaku ahead of him, regardless of what
happens with Rooney. Should West Ham miss out on the 28-year-old, they could
turn to Besiktas striker Hugo Almeida. The Portuguese hitman, 29, has been
transfer-listed by the Turkish club after refusing to take a pay-cut.
Director of football Onder Ozen said recently: "We will consider offers for
Almeida, especially if we can't reach an agreement regarding his wages."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, August 13
Daily WHUFC News - 13th August 2013 II
Hammers capture Downing
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of England
international Stewart Downing
13.08.2013
West Ham United are delighted to announce the capture of England
international winger Stewart Downing. The 29-year-old has moved to the
Boleyn Ground from Barclays Premier League rivals Liverpool on a four-year
contract for an undisclosed fee. Capped 34 times, Downing became the
Hammers' fifth summer signing following the arrivals of fellow England star
and Reds team-mate Andy Carroll, Romania captain Razvan Rat, Spanish
goalkeeper Adrian and promising midfielder Danny Whitehead. Downing, who
also played alongside West Ham stars Joe Cole with Liverpool and England and
James Collins at Aston Villa, is looking forward to making his mark for Sam
Allardyce's side as they seek to build on last season's tenth-place finish.
"I'm very excited. It's a great opportunity for me being here, it's a great
Club and I'm really excited to get going," said the Middlesbrough-born
wideman. "I'm ready and I'm fit for the first game against Cardiff City.
I've played a decent few games for Liverpool in pre-season, so there will be
no problems on that front. "It's all happened quickly, but I'm really
excited and hoping to play a part on Saturday."
Downing was one of the first players to emerge from the famed Middlesbrough
Academy, which has produced dozens of future Boro first-team players,
including internationals Adam Johnson, James Morrison and Chris Brunt The
left-sided player was still two months shy of his 18th birthday when he made
his debut for his hometown club in a Premier League defeat at Ipswich Town
on 24 April 2002 - one of three appearances he made that season. After a
successful loan spell at nearby Sunderland in late 2003, Downing returned to
the Riverside Stadium and made himself a first-team regular during the
second half of the 2003/04 season. He ended the campaign by lifting the
League Cup at the Millennium Stadium following a 2-1 win over Sam
Allardyce's Bolton Wanderers.
The following campaign, 2004/05, Downing established himself fully as a
top-flight star, scoring six goals and creating countless more in 48
appearances for Middlesbrough and earning a senior England debut against the
Netherlands at Villa Park. Downing's star continued to rise as he inspired
Middlesbrough to the 2006 UEFA Cup final under future England manager Steve
McClaren. After being named in his country's squad for the 2006 FIFA World
Cup, where he appeared three times as a substitute, he signed a new
long-term contract with Middlesbrough in early 2008. The following season,
2008/09, Downing scored against West Ham in both an initial FA Cup
fifth-round tie and replay, but Middlesbrough would ultimately be relegated
at the Boleyn Ground in May 2009. Downing would remain in the Premier
League, though, signing for Aston Villa for a £10m fee. There, he continued
to shine, scoring eleven goals in 79 appearances over two years and being
voted Player of the Season for 2010/11. That outstanding campaign saw
Liverpool spend a reported £20m to take Downing to Anfield, with the winger
capping his first season with the Reds with a man of the match display as
Liverpool defeated Cardiff City on penalties at Wembley in February 2012. In
summer of the same year, Downing was named in Roy Hodgson's England squad
for Euro 2012, earning the most-recent of his 34 caps in a 1-0 friendly win
in Norway in the build-up to the tournament. Last season, the winger netted
five goals and chalked up nine assists for Liverpool in all competitions.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Downing is a Hammer
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 13th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
Stewart Downing has completed his move to West Ham United. As revealed by
KUMB yesterday, the 29-year-old English international put pen to paper on a
permanent four-year contract with West Ham early this morning, having
finalised the terms of his £6million move from Liverpool. "It's a great
opportunity for me being here, it's a great Club and I'm really excited to
get going," Downing told whufc.com. "It's all happened quickly, but I'm
really excited and hoping to play a part [against Cardiff] on Saturday."
Having made his name at Middlesbrough, Downing left Teeside for the first
time in his career in 2009 when he joined Aston Villa following
Middlesbrough's relegation from the Premier League in a £12million deal
(£10million + add-ons). Two years later, having become something of an
England regular, Downing was lured to Anfield for an undisclosed fee widely
thought to be worth around £20million. However it was a fee that was to
hang heavy upon his shoulders and a disappointing first season on Merseyside
saw Downing end the campaign with no goals and no assists. Despite being
criticised heavily by 'Pool fans, Downing still managed to make 45
appearances for the Reds in 2012/13 where he fared marginally better on the
goalscoring front with five to his name.
Having fallen out of favour with new Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, his
days at Anfield have been numbered for some time. Downing now joins up once
again with former Anfield team mates Joe Cole and Andy Carroll to London,
both of whom made the move from Merseyside to London earlier in the year.
He becomes Sam Allardyce's fourth first team signing of the summer transfer
window, following the arrival of Adrian, Razvan Rat and the aforementioned
Carroll.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Saint-Etienne weigh up move for West Ham hitman
By talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) | Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Saint-Etienne are weighing up a move for West Ham hitman Modibo Maiga. The
Ligue 1 side lost Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Borussia Dortmund earlier
this summer and are desperate to recruit a new forward to replace him as
soon as possible. Maiga had a difficult first season at Upton Park following
his switch from Sochaux last summer, but he has impressed in pre-season and
could feature prominently during the opening weeks of the new campaign as
Andy Carroll recovers from a heel injury. However, Saint-Etienne could test
Sam Allardyce's resolve after their president Roland Romeyer admitted his
interest in the Mali international. He told beIN Sport: "We are looking at
many ways to replace Aubameyang. We need a number nine to supplement
Brandao. We will play almost every three days. "We will try to find players
who will enhance our squad. Maiga is one of the ones we have looked at, but
there are other players. We will try to recruit as soon as possible."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Manuel Fernandes on West Ham radar
Soccernews.com
Portuguese daily Record has learned that Besiktas star Manuel Fernandes
could be leaving the club in the summer transfer window. The 27-year-old is
a key member of the squad at FIYAPI Inonu Stadium and is widely regarded as
one of Super Lig's top midfielders. However, it appears that he is searching
for a new challenge, with a number of top European sides ready to pounce.
According to Record, West Ham and Fenerbahce are believed to be leading the
race for the player's signature, and they could make their interest concrete
in the coming days. Manuel Fernandes already has some Premier League
experience, having made 30 league appearances for Portsmouth and Everton.
The former Portugal international, who played for Valencia before joining
Besiktas in January 2011, has scored a total of 13 goals in 72 Turkish Super
Lig matches for the Black Eagles. Fernandes has nine Portugal caps to his
name, but he has been out of the national team squad since September 2010.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham winners as Liverpool take £34m hit on duo
Sportsdirectnews.com
by Patrick Jennings13th August 2013 10:20am BST
Exclusive
West Ham United's signing of Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing will have seen
Liverpool lose a massive £34 million on what they originally paid for the
pair.
Carroll became the most expensive British footballer of all time when he
joined Liverpool from Newcastle United in January 2011, signing for £35m.
Downing meanwhile, arrived at Anfield in July 2011 in a £20m switch from
Aston Villa. Both have since been moved on to West Ham however. The Hammers
broke their club transfer record for Carroll, spending £15m, whilst the fee
for Downing, whose arrival at the Boleyn Ground is close to being officially
confirmed, is understood to be in the region of £6m. That brings West Ham's
total spend on the pair to £21m – a whopping £34m less than the £55m
Liverpool paid for the two players.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of England
international Stewart Downing
13.08.2013
West Ham United are delighted to announce the capture of England
international winger Stewart Downing. The 29-year-old has moved to the
Boleyn Ground from Barclays Premier League rivals Liverpool on a four-year
contract for an undisclosed fee. Capped 34 times, Downing became the
Hammers' fifth summer signing following the arrivals of fellow England star
and Reds team-mate Andy Carroll, Romania captain Razvan Rat, Spanish
goalkeeper Adrian and promising midfielder Danny Whitehead. Downing, who
also played alongside West Ham stars Joe Cole with Liverpool and England and
James Collins at Aston Villa, is looking forward to making his mark for Sam
Allardyce's side as they seek to build on last season's tenth-place finish.
"I'm very excited. It's a great opportunity for me being here, it's a great
Club and I'm really excited to get going," said the Middlesbrough-born
wideman. "I'm ready and I'm fit for the first game against Cardiff City.
I've played a decent few games for Liverpool in pre-season, so there will be
no problems on that front. "It's all happened quickly, but I'm really
excited and hoping to play a part on Saturday."
Downing was one of the first players to emerge from the famed Middlesbrough
Academy, which has produced dozens of future Boro first-team players,
including internationals Adam Johnson, James Morrison and Chris Brunt The
left-sided player was still two months shy of his 18th birthday when he made
his debut for his hometown club in a Premier League defeat at Ipswich Town
on 24 April 2002 - one of three appearances he made that season. After a
successful loan spell at nearby Sunderland in late 2003, Downing returned to
the Riverside Stadium and made himself a first-team regular during the
second half of the 2003/04 season. He ended the campaign by lifting the
League Cup at the Millennium Stadium following a 2-1 win over Sam
Allardyce's Bolton Wanderers.
The following campaign, 2004/05, Downing established himself fully as a
top-flight star, scoring six goals and creating countless more in 48
appearances for Middlesbrough and earning a senior England debut against the
Netherlands at Villa Park. Downing's star continued to rise as he inspired
Middlesbrough to the 2006 UEFA Cup final under future England manager Steve
McClaren. After being named in his country's squad for the 2006 FIFA World
Cup, where he appeared three times as a substitute, he signed a new
long-term contract with Middlesbrough in early 2008. The following season,
2008/09, Downing scored against West Ham in both an initial FA Cup
fifth-round tie and replay, but Middlesbrough would ultimately be relegated
at the Boleyn Ground in May 2009. Downing would remain in the Premier
League, though, signing for Aston Villa for a £10m fee. There, he continued
to shine, scoring eleven goals in 79 appearances over two years and being
voted Player of the Season for 2010/11. That outstanding campaign saw
Liverpool spend a reported £20m to take Downing to Anfield, with the winger
capping his first season with the Reds with a man of the match display as
Liverpool defeated Cardiff City on penalties at Wembley in February 2012. In
summer of the same year, Downing was named in Roy Hodgson's England squad
for Euro 2012, earning the most-recent of his 34 caps in a 1-0 friendly win
in Norway in the build-up to the tournament. Last season, the winger netted
five goals and chalked up nine assists for Liverpool in all competitions.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Downing is a Hammer
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 13th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
Stewart Downing has completed his move to West Ham United. As revealed by
KUMB yesterday, the 29-year-old English international put pen to paper on a
permanent four-year contract with West Ham early this morning, having
finalised the terms of his £6million move from Liverpool. "It's a great
opportunity for me being here, it's a great Club and I'm really excited to
get going," Downing told whufc.com. "It's all happened quickly, but I'm
really excited and hoping to play a part [against Cardiff] on Saturday."
Having made his name at Middlesbrough, Downing left Teeside for the first
time in his career in 2009 when he joined Aston Villa following
Middlesbrough's relegation from the Premier League in a £12million deal
(£10million + add-ons). Two years later, having become something of an
England regular, Downing was lured to Anfield for an undisclosed fee widely
thought to be worth around £20million. However it was a fee that was to
hang heavy upon his shoulders and a disappointing first season on Merseyside
saw Downing end the campaign with no goals and no assists. Despite being
criticised heavily by 'Pool fans, Downing still managed to make 45
appearances for the Reds in 2012/13 where he fared marginally better on the
goalscoring front with five to his name.
Having fallen out of favour with new Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, his
days at Anfield have been numbered for some time. Downing now joins up once
again with former Anfield team mates Joe Cole and Andy Carroll to London,
both of whom made the move from Merseyside to London earlier in the year.
He becomes Sam Allardyce's fourth first team signing of the summer transfer
window, following the arrival of Adrian, Razvan Rat and the aforementioned
Carroll.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Saint-Etienne weigh up move for West Ham hitman
By talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) | Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Saint-Etienne are weighing up a move for West Ham hitman Modibo Maiga. The
Ligue 1 side lost Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Borussia Dortmund earlier
this summer and are desperate to recruit a new forward to replace him as
soon as possible. Maiga had a difficult first season at Upton Park following
his switch from Sochaux last summer, but he has impressed in pre-season and
could feature prominently during the opening weeks of the new campaign as
Andy Carroll recovers from a heel injury. However, Saint-Etienne could test
Sam Allardyce's resolve after their president Roland Romeyer admitted his
interest in the Mali international. He told beIN Sport: "We are looking at
many ways to replace Aubameyang. We need a number nine to supplement
Brandao. We will play almost every three days. "We will try to find players
who will enhance our squad. Maiga is one of the ones we have looked at, but
there are other players. We will try to recruit as soon as possible."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Manuel Fernandes on West Ham radar
Soccernews.com
Portuguese daily Record has learned that Besiktas star Manuel Fernandes
could be leaving the club in the summer transfer window. The 27-year-old is
a key member of the squad at FIYAPI Inonu Stadium and is widely regarded as
one of Super Lig's top midfielders. However, it appears that he is searching
for a new challenge, with a number of top European sides ready to pounce.
According to Record, West Ham and Fenerbahce are believed to be leading the
race for the player's signature, and they could make their interest concrete
in the coming days. Manuel Fernandes already has some Premier League
experience, having made 30 league appearances for Portsmouth and Everton.
The former Portugal international, who played for Valencia before joining
Besiktas in January 2011, has scored a total of 13 goals in 72 Turkish Super
Lig matches for the Black Eagles. Fernandes has nine Portugal caps to his
name, but he has been out of the national team squad since September 2010.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham winners as Liverpool take £34m hit on duo
Sportsdirectnews.com
by Patrick Jennings13th August 2013 10:20am BST
Exclusive
West Ham United's signing of Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing will have seen
Liverpool lose a massive £34 million on what they originally paid for the
pair.
Carroll became the most expensive British footballer of all time when he
joined Liverpool from Newcastle United in January 2011, signing for £35m.
Downing meanwhile, arrived at Anfield in July 2011 in a £20m switch from
Aston Villa. Both have since been moved on to West Ham however. The Hammers
broke their club transfer record for Carroll, spending £15m, whilst the fee
for Downing, whose arrival at the Boleyn Ground is close to being officially
confirmed, is understood to be in the region of £6m. That brings West Ham's
total spend on the pair to £21m – a whopping £34m less than the £55m
Liverpool paid for the two players.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Daily WHUFC News - 13th August 2013
Rat grateful for warm welcome
WHUFC.com
New signing Razvan Rat was delighted to receive a welcoming reception by the
Hammers fans on Saturday
12.08.2013
Saturday's game against Pacos de Ferreira did not only give West Ham United
fans an opportunity to see their side in action before the start of the
campaign, but also gave the Club's new signings a first taste of the Boleyn
Ground experience. Razvan Rat and Adrian were both handed their home debuts
and for Romania captain Rat, it was a useful workout before the competitive
action starts. He admitted to feeling some pre-season nerves after arriving
from Shakhtar Donetsk following a ten-year spell in Ukraine, but is
relishing the chance to shine in the Barclays Premier League.
"It was interesting for me," he explained. "You're nervous because after ten
years with one team and you change, everything is changing. "It's a new
team, new tactics, a new championship, everything is different. I want to do
well and be on a high level here. "Thank you to the fans for giving me a
good reception! I didn't expect such a warm welcome so I'm happy for that,
and I hope to play many more good games here to make the fans happy."
Rat was a half-time introduction on Saturday, as goals from Ravel Morrison
and Modibo Maiga helped the Hammers towards a 2-1 victory in their final
pre-season match. The left back feels his team is in good shape ahead of
next Saturday's visit of Cardiff City. He continued: "I came on in the
second half of Saturday's game, Pacos de Ferreira was a good opponent, but
we had a good start and scored in the first minute. "We had some chances and
were pressing them, so I think it was a good game for us. "It will be a
different game with Cardiff on Saturday. We want to start with three points,
that's very important to us.
"I'm looking forward to playing in the Premier League, I see it as the same
level at the Champions League, so I'm looking forward to all games being at
the same level."
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Dylan ready for U21s opener
WHUFC.com
West Ham United youngster Dylan Tombides is looking forward to Monday's U21
season opener
12.08.2013
The Development Squad get their Barclays U21 Premier League campaign
underway on Monday evening when Aston Villa visit Rush Green Stadium.
Nick Haycock's side are embarking on a 21-game season and for 19-year-old
foward Dylan Tombides the competitive nature of the league offers a perfect
chance to progress. The Hammers enjoyed a productive season at this level
last year, qualifying for the Elite Group stage, and although a change of
format this year means the competition will be played in a more conventional
straight league set-up, Haycock's men are on the lookout for more success.
Tombides notched in the Hammers' last warm-up fixture - a 4-2 victory at AFC
Hornchurch - and after missing out on regular football as he battled
testicular cancer over the last two years, the Australian is keen to make up
for lost time. He told West Ham TV: "It's massive. It's a big relief to be
back playing again, even just to be play more than ten minutes. That's all I
could manage last year with the way everything was going. So it's fantastic
to be back, to start and to get a goal [against Hornchurch]. "It was more of
a relief than satisfaction to finally, after two years of battling, get a
goal. To celebrate with the lads is more than enough for me. Hopefully
there'll be more, fingers crossed. "They put me out on the left wing in the
last game, for more of a fitness test. I haven't played much for two years,
so it was just to see how much I could get up and down. To be fair, from
looking at my stats, I've done alright. "It's up to the coach, [where I
play]. I'd like to play off Paul McCallum or someone like that, as I like to
play in the hole there with someone to work off. But once again it's the
coach's decision and I'm just happy to be playing again more than anything.
"It's back to basics really, and back to normal for me now. I train whenever
the boys are in, do what comes best and obviously hopefully get a chance up
with the first team. "Everyone has been really, really good for me over the
last two years, supporting me and so it was lovely to repay them with a
goal."
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Dev Squad 3-0 Aston Villa FT
WHUFC.com
Elliot Lee scores twice as young Hammers ease to win
12.08.2013
WEST HAM UNITED v ASTON VILLA
BARCLAYS U21 PREMIER LEAGUE
RUSH GREEN STADIUM
MONDAY 12 AUGUST 2013
KICK-OFF: 7PM
REFEREE: MICHAEL GEORGE
Full-time score- West Ham United U21s 3-0 Aston Villa U21s
Full-time- A fantastic start to the season for Nick Haycock's team who've
produced a superb team performance to beat an experienced Aston Villa side.
Elliot Lee put a glaring early miss behind him to score twice with Sebastian
Lletget adding a third just before the end as the team cruised to a
brilliant win. Tickets for Saturday's season opener against Cardiff City are
still available via the club website.
92mins- Johnson nearly scores a consolation for the visitors but Spiegel is
there to protect his clean sheet.
90mins- GOAL! Lletget rounds off a fine evening for the young Hammers
smashing home from a few yards out following a Moncur corner.
89mins- Potts is replaced by Shaw with just a few minutes left.
88mins- Ruddock ventures forward beating a couple of players before setting
up Lletget you can't hit the target.
86mins- Nick Haycock makes his first change of the night, withdrawing the
excellent Tombides and bringing on McCallum.
84mins- Potts is forced into a great defensive clearance managing to clear
for a corner. From the corner Tombides comes to the rescue to clear a Bowery
header off the line.
81mins- With that penalty miss Gardner seems to have kicked away any hopes
Villa had of getting back into the game. And to make matters worse he sends
another decent chance also...over the bar.
78mins- Ruddock is harshly penalised for a foul on Robinson in the box.
Gardner steps up to take the penalty but sends the ball into orbit with a
shot which is of more danger to the houses behind the ground than the goal.
76mins- The away side seem to have run out of ideas as long ball after long
ball is easily dealt with. Having said that Gardener unleashes a rasping
shot which cannons off the post.
75mins- An excellent and much welcomed return to competitive action for
Tombides tonight, with the player relishing an attacking left-wing role.
72mins- Villa make their third change as Albrighton limps off to be replaced
by O'Brien.
69mins- Another chance for Lee as Potts provides a pin-point cross but the
striker can't direct his header on target.
67mins- Lee nearly notches his hat-trick after racing onto a Whitehead
through ball but Steer again comes to Villa's rescue.
65mins- Dan Potts nearly makes it three after he blocks Donacien's attempted
clearance forcing Steer into a smart save at his near post.
64mins- Turgott switches to the left flank with Tombides heading to the
right.
62mins- The tempo of the game has died down with West Ham in cruise control
and looking under little threat at the back.
59mins- Lee has done well to put his early miss behind him in front of the
382 people in attendance, some of those team-mates, who may never have let
him live it down had he not made up for it with two goals.
56mins- Ruddock at the heart of the defnce has been a dominant presence for
the Hammers tonight, evoking memories of his namesake, Neil Ruddock, with
his commanding performance.
54mins- For photos from tonight's game, click on the Facebook link above.
52mins- Villa look unable to cope with the impressive Tombides who again
beats his man but is unable to find a cross.
50mins- Webb glances a header just wide from a corner as Villa start to
apply some pressure of their own.
47mins- Donacien launches a surging run at the West Ham defence and
unleashes a powerful drive which is well dealt with by Spiegel.
46mins- Turgott rounds the keeper seconds after kick-off but Donacien is
back on the goal line to clear.
8.07pm- The teams are back out on the pitch as the second-half begins with
the Hammers in front and looking good.
49mins- The whistle goes for half-tme with Lee's two goals separating the
two teams. It could have been more had he finished off his glorious chance
early on, as it is a very pleasing first half performance from the young
Hammers.
45mins- Three minutes added on at the end of the first half with West Ham in
complete control.
42mins- Villa show signs of life as Bowery is set through but his curling
shot is well saved by Spiegel.
41mins- The creative influence of Tombides nearly helps the Hammers to a
third before half-time but his cross is dealt with by the Villa defence.
37mins- Nick Haycock's side are piling on the pressure in search of a third
but Moncur's corner is dealt with by Steer.
34mins- GOAL! Tombides wins a corner after a well worked move down the left.
Moncur delivers a brilliant ball in at the second attempt and is met by
Ruddock whose header hits the bar and falls for Lee to nod home his second
of the game.
30mins- The away side make their second change of the evening as Bateman
goes off to be replaced by Wildin.
29mins- Driver concedes a free-kick on the edge of the box, but from the
resulting kick Gardner drifts it comfrotably wide of the post.
26mins- Villa are forced into a substitution as Sylla limps off and is
replaced by Cowans.
23mins- GOAL! Tombides is in the action again as he provides the cross for
Lee tap in to score the first goal of the season for the Development squad
21mins- The returning Tombides nearly ca.ps the occasion with a goal as his
powerful effort forces Steer into a sprawling save.
19mins- Lee nearly makes amends for his earlier miss as a long-range drive
goes just wide of the post.
18mins- The home side are piling on the pressure as a well worked short
corner again sees a Moncur shot blocked as a scramble in the box ensues, but
Villa eventually clear.
17mins- Two chances in a metter of seconds for the home side as the ball
falls to Moncur and then Lletget in the penalty box but both see their shots
blocked by despairing defenders.
16mins- Bowery hits the bar with a looping header but the linesman has his
flag up on the far side, so it wouldn't have counted.
14mins- Lee wins a free kick deep in Villa territory but Moncurs cross is
headed away.
11mins- The game springs to life as Lee should put the Hammers in front but
somehow misses an open goal from eight yards. Villa themselves have a chance
to take the lead moments later when Johnson looks certain to score but for a
fine block by Potts.
10mins- Bowery surges through the middle but Ruddock produces a fine block.
8mins- Robinson cutting in from the left hits a decent shot from outside the
box but is easily dealt with by Raphael Spiegel.
5mins- Albrighton threatens down the right but his teasing cross is put
behind by Pelly Ruddock. The resulting corner was cleared by Leo Chambers.
3mins - Early pressure for the home side as an Elliot Lee cross is drilled
into the box but fails to find anyone in claret and blue.
7.02pm- Aston Villa kick-off shooting from right to left in the first half.
6.58pm - There's not a seat to be had in the stands as the players emerge
from the tunnel as they get ready to kick-off the 2013/14 season.
6.56pm - Southend boss Phil Brown arrives just before kick-off to cast an
eye over potential transfer targets.
6.53pm- Danny Whitehead is making his debut for the Hammers tonight whilst
striker Dylan Tombides is making his first competitive start since the
2010/11 season after his recovery from testicular cancer.
6.50pm- Ten minutes until kick-off and the stands are full of Academy and
Development squad players here to support Nick Haycock's team.
6.38pm - The Villa players finally emerge to begin their warm-up with the
Hammers well into their pre-match routine.
6.30pm - Fans are drifting in to Rush Green with just half an hour until
kick-off, among them is Villa manager Paul Lambert.
6.20pm - Assistant manager Neil McDonald has arrived to cast his eye over
the young Hammers who will be hoping to impress with Saturday's Barclays
Premier League kick-off looming.
6pm - We have the team news for you from Rush Green and West Ham have a
strong team starting tonight's game, while Aston Villa have also picked an
experienced starting XI.
West Ham United U21s: West Ham United: Spiegel, Driver, Potts, Chambers,
Ruddock, Moncur, Whitehead, Turgott, Lletget, D.Tombides, Lee
Subs: Nemrava, Shaw, Nasha, Sadlier, McCallum
Aston Villa U21s: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman, Webb, Gardner, Sylla,
Albrighton, Johnson, Robinson, Bowery
Subs: Watkins, Sellars, O'Brien, Wildin, Cowans
Good evening and welcome to Rush Green Stadium for tonight's opening
Barclays U21 Premier League fixture of 2013/14 between West Ham United and
Aston Villa.
Nick Haycock's youngsters will be hoping to make the same bright start they
made to last season's competition, when they raced away with the Group 1
title before Christmas before finishing sixth in the Elite Group in the New
Year.
Many of the players who did so well at Under-21 level last term will feature
again this evening, with the likes of George Moncur, Dan Potts, Sebastian
Lletget, Elliot Lee and Callum Driver all in the side to face the Villans.
There is also the welcome sight of Dylan Tombides' name in the starting XI,
with the Australian having shown great determination to battle back to
fitness after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in summer 2011.
West Ham United U21s: Spiegel, Driver, Potts, Chambers, Ruddock, Whitehead,
Turgott, Moncur, Lletget, D.Tombides, Lee
Subs: Nemrava, Shaw, Nasha, Sadlier, McCallum
Aston Villa U21s: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman, Webb, Gardner, Sylla,
Albrighton, Johnson, Robinson, Bowery
Subs: Watkins, Sellars, O'Brien, Wildin, Cowans
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Stewart Downing: West Ham close in on deal to sign Liverpool winger
BBC.co.uk
By Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Sport
West Ham United have agreed a fee with Liverpool over a deal to sign winger
Stewart Downing. The 29-year-old England international is expected to
undergo a medical and agree personal terms before completing any move to
Upton Park.
Stewart Downing factfile
Stewart Downing
Age: 29
Position: Winger
Liverpool appearances: 91
Liverpool goals: Seven
England caps: 34
England goals: 0
Former teams: Middlesbrough, Sunderland (loan) and Aston Villa
Downing was signed by Liverpool in a £20m deal from Aston Villa in July 2011
under former manager Kenny Dalglish. He was a first-team regular last season
but has failed to make a major impact while at the Merseyside club. Downing
scored five times in 45 appearances for the Reds in the 2012-13 campaign
and, overall, registered seven goals in 91 outings for the club. Liverpool
manager Brendan Rodgers criticised the former Middlesbrough player shortly
after taking over at Anfield last summer, before restoring him to the first
team and using him primarily on the wing but also at left-back. Downing
revealed last December that he had been told he could leave the club and,
despite staying with the Reds for the remainder of last season, Rodgers now
appears prepared to let him leave. If he does join West Ham, Downing will
follow striker Andy Carroll in swapping Anfield for Upton Park. Carroll
joined Liverpool for £35m in January 2011 but moved to West Ham in a
permanent £15m deal earlier this summer following a season on loan with the
Hammers.
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Maiga linked with loan move
KUMb.com
Filed: Monday, 12th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
Modibo Maiga could be set to return to France within the coming days. The
Mali international, who had played in the pivotal attacking role in Andy
Carroll's enforced pre-season absence could be on his way back to France, if
Saint-Etienne get their way. The Ligue 1 outfit, who won the opening fixture
of their 2013/14 league campign last night courtesy of a 1-0 away to
Ajaccio, are set to make Maiga their prime traget his week as they seek to
add another forward to their squad. And according to reports emanating from
the other side of the Channel, Les Verts are hoping to take the 25-year-old
striker on loan for the entirety of the 2013/14 season, with view to a
permanent transfer thereafter. Maiga, who joined West Ham in a £4.5million
switch from Sochaux 13 months ago has failed to cement a place in West Ham's
first XI, much to the frustration of the club's coaching staff who believe
that the player has the ability, but not necessarily the mental aptitude to
prove a hit in the Premier League. Sam Allardyce's number two Neil McDonald,
speaking about the player recently said: "Modibo's ability is there. When
you sign new players sometimes they take a bit longer to settle into the
team. "He's just been waiting for his chance to show what he can do and
hopefully he can score goals on a regular basis, try to work out where we
want him to run to, hold the ball up and interlink. That side of his game is
much better than it has been."
* Jack Sullivan has revealed [Monday morning] that the club hope to sign "an
International player in the next few days".
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Downing set for medical
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 12th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
Stewart Downing is set to undergo a medical ahead of a proposed £6million
move to West Ham. The Liverpool winger, who cost the Merseyside club
£20million just two years ago is on his way to West Ham for talks after the
two clubs agreed a fee for the 29-year-old England international over the
weekend. As revealed by a source on KUMB.com yesterday, Downing is poised to
sign a four-year contract with West Ham, taking the club's spending in the
summer transfer market over and above the £20million mark.
"Re Downing. My guy has just text me confirming terms are agreed on a
four-year contract. £6million."
- KUMB member 'I've Got Curly Hair Too' breaking the news on the KUMB forum
yesterday
Should Downing complete a move to West Ham, as expected, he will become the
third English international Sam Allardyce has signed from Liverpool in 2013
following the (permanent) arrival of Andy Carroll and Joe Cole back in
January. In other transfer news this morning, reports from Italy suggest
that Sunderland have moved ahead of West Ham in the race to sign Fabio
Quagliarella from Juventus. The 30-year-old forward is surplus to
requirements at the Serie A club following the arrival of Carlos Tevez from
Manchester City and is available for a knockdown fee.
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Ravel Morrison ready to shine for West Ham, says Mark Noble
Last Updated: August 12, 2013 12:04pm
SSN
Mark Noble believes Ravel Morrison is ready to make good on his talent after
impressing in pre-season for West Ham. Morrison has been in sparkling form
for the Hammers as they build up towards Saturday's Premier League opener
against Cardiff at Upton Park. The 20-year-old netted after just 16 seconds
of the 2-1 friendly win over Champions League play-off contenders Pacos de
Ferreira on Saturday - his sixth goal of the summer. Noble has been
impressed with his midfield colleague and told the Daily Mail: "He's done
brilliantly this pre-season. "He's not been late, he's turned up to every
session, he's trained hard and obviously he's getting the benefits now." The
former England Under-18 international, who has only made one competitive
appearance for the Hammers to date, spent the whole of last season on loan
at Birmingham in the Championship.
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Stewart Downing set to seal move to West Ham United
Last Updated: August 12, 2013 11:46am
SSN
Sky Sports understands Liverpool midfielder Stewart Downing is set to
undergo a medical at West Ham. The England winger looks set to end a
somewhat troubled two-year spell with Liverpool having joined from Aston
Villa for around £20million. The 29-year-old was told last season that he
was surplus to requirements by boss Brendan Rodgers, before battling his way
into his plans. But now after just 65 league games for the club, he looks
set to depart with West Ham closing in on a deal. Sky Sports understands
that a £5million deal has been agreed and Downing is due in London on Monday
to undergo a medical.
Should the deal be finalised, Downing will link up with Andy Carroll - who
finalised his permanent move from Anfield earlier this summer.
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Reasons to be Positive About Stewart Downing
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
I noticed a comment left by Left Foot in the last thread on Stewart Downing.
He alerted us to a post on the Squaka website, which is worth exploring in a
lot more detail. As I have said, I am a Downing sceptic, but not it appears
he is ours, I think we should all get behind him and support him in his
efforts to recapture the kind of form which made Liverpool pay £20 million
for him. Here's a section of Sam Parker's article...
Downing's contribution at Liverpool since his £20m move from Aston Villa has
been much maligned, notably his failure to contribute a single goal or
assist in his first season with the club. While his second season at the
club saw him improve greatly on that dismal return, his limited action
during pre-season has been a sure sign that Brendan Rodgers has decided to
dispense with the former England winger, with West Ham now willing to swoop.
Downing's return for the season in terms of concrete stats were vastly
improved in the Rodgers era, having contributed three goals in his 29
appearances for the Reds last season, completing the 90 minutes on just 17
occasions.
And Liverpool may find themselves regretting letting Downing go, with the
Middlesbrough academy product having created 66 chances for them last season
– only Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez created more. From West Ham's point of
view, Downing created more chances last season than any one of their
players, with Matt Jarvis' 46 the highest any Hammers player could muster.
Downing's 66 opportunities created resulted in five assists, while Jarvis
was not being credited for a single assist all season, scoring one goal
fewer than the man who could take his place on the left side of the West Ham
midfield as well.
Downing also recorded a pass completion rate of 83% which, while lower than
the majority of the Liverpool midfield and part of the reason Rodgers is
happy to see him depart, it is still better than most of West Ham's squad,
with only bustling central midfielder Mohamed Diame boasting a superior
average. Downing is also more prone to taking shots, having taken on 29
shots compared to Jarvis' 19, while he has completed attempts to take on
opponents 44% of the time, while Jarvis was successful on just 37% of
take-ons, though both were successful on 17 occasions apiece.
By signing Downing, West Ham will have made a significant upgrade on their
current squad, with Downing bringing greater creativity to their ranks and a
greater threat from the flanks. Hammers fans will just have to hope that he
links up with Andy Carroll at Upton Park to greater success than the duo
ever managed on Merseyside.
Well, that's perked you up, hasn't it?!
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England have Ravel Morrison on the radar now he's keeping his nose clean at
West Ham
12 Aug 2013 22:31
The Mirror
Roy Hodgson has admitted England are keeping close tabs on reformed bad-boy
Ravel Morrison, writes John Cross. Midfielder Morrison, 20, has been in
outstanding form for West Ham during their summer friendlies after time on
loan at Birmingham last season. The Hammers' boss Sam Allardyce has told him
he is in his Premier League plans and has knocked back several approaches
for a loan spell. Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson claimed
the ex-Old Trafford youngster was one of the best talents he has ever seen,
and Morrison appears to have put his old ways behind him. England seniors
boss Hodgson, who will take charge of the U21s on a one-off basis as the FA
seek manager Stuart Pearce's replacement, is watching developments and has
been impressed with Morrison's new focus. Hodgson said: "I believe Ravel has
had a very good pre-season, and it will be up to the new manager to decide
whether he wants to pick him or not."
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Is Fabio Quagliarella the next to sign?
West Ham Till I Die
There are strong rumours this evening that West Ham may have set up a season
long loan deal for Juventus' Italian international, Fabio Quagliarella.
Famed for his accurate long range shooting, Quagliarella has approximately a
1 in 3 goal scoring record in Series A over the last seven seasons. He
scored 22 goals in 67 appearances for Juventus (2010-13), 11 goals in 34
appearances for Napoli (2009-10), 25 goals in 73 appearances for Udinese
(2007-09) and 13 goals in 35 appearances for Sampdoria (2006-07).
Quagliarella has a overall club career total (including cup matches) of 116
goals in 373 appearances. As of 2010, he had also scored 6 goals in 25
appearances for Italy.
If Quagliarella is the target, and we secure his services, he will be
another impressive acquisition. He has the skill and experience to bring
something extra to the squad and, at 29 years of age, he should be at the
height of his career. Fabio Quagliarella in a West Ham shirt? Now that would
be a interesting proposition!
Elsewhere, the West Ham U-21s have given their Aston Villa peers a
footballing lesson in their first match of the season. A Villa U-21 side
containing five players with recent first team experience were
comprehensively beaten 3-0 by a rampant young Hammers side. The Hammers
dominated the match and raced to a three goal lead, thanks to a brace by Lee
and a long range effort by Lletget. Hopefully, the nature of this victory,
as well as the emphatic score line, is indicative of the strength that we
possess in our youth ranks and the fact that a number of prospects will now
start pushing for a first team place in the coming season.
Good quality signings, allied to the resumption of the Academy production
line are two twin precursors for the club significantly pushing on next
season. Lets hope that is the way that it will shape up!
SJ. Chandos.
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Match Report - WHU U21 v Aston Villa U21
Youth Reporter 11:28 Mon Aug 12
West Ham Online
West Ham United U21's 3-0 Aston Villa U21's
Team: WHU - Spiegel, Driver, Ruddock, Chambers, Potts (Shaw 88), Whitehead,
Lletget, Moncur, Turgott, D Tombides (McCallum 85), Lee. Unused Subs -
Nemrava, Nasha! Sadlier.
Villa: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman (Wildin 35), Webb, Gardner, Sylla
(Cowans 27), Albrighton (O'Brien 72mins), Johnson, Robinson, Bowery. Unused
Subs - Sellars, Watkins.
The U21 Premier League got off to a fantastic start for West Ham as they
secured a 3-0 win at their home ground on a mild night at Rush Green
Stadium. Elliot Lee gave West Ham the lead and then added a second midway
through the first half, the third came to Sebastien Lletget in the dying
moments of the thrilling contest.
It was an attacking start for West Ham playing what looked like a 4-1-4-1
formation with Whitehead playing the holding midfield role and Llegett often
further forward in the middle with Moncur. Turgott and Tombides were playing
wide with Lee the lone striker.
Despite the bright start the first real chance of the game came to Villa in
the 7th Minute,a counter attack lead to a cross from the right wing, only to
be cleared out for a corner by centre back Leo Chambers, back from a long
injury. After this early scare it was chance after chance for the home side,
the first of these was a neat through ball from Moncur to Turgott and
instead of going for glory laid of to Elliot Lee for a tap in to an open
goal, somehow he got his feet tangled and the ball rolled wide.
Villa looked dangerous on the break and a couple of times broke through the
hammers defence only to see their shot blocked by a tackle just in time,
first by the excellent Pelly Ruddock and then a couple of minutes later by
Dan Potts.
The exciting half continued as West Ham came forward with a well worked
routine between Daniel Potts and Dylan Tombides, Tombides then managed to
get the cross in to George Moncur who smashed it on the volley but was well
saved by Steer in the Villians goal, the ball came out to Turgott who
crossed into Lletget who with a similar strike to Moncur saw his shot
blocked by the defence.
The deadlock was broken with a goal from Elliot Lee in the 25th Minute, a
brilliant cross by Tombides dipped over Blair Turgott and the defence and
fell for Lee to tap it in at the far post, a well deserved lead.
Moncur who during the evening showed great skill by taking corners with his
left and right foot depending on what side it is on put a great in swinging
cross into the six yard box which Ruddock headed onto the crossbar, Elliot
Lee was on hand as he headed the rebound in to give West Ham and himself the
second goal of the game.
Unfortunately the second half wasn't nearly as exciting as the first with
the home side looking happy to keep their lead and the visitors rarely
bothering the Hammers defence. That was until Pelly Ruddock made a a great
tackle to win the ball only for the ref to wrongly point to the spot.
Gardner stepped up for Villa and hit the ball at least 6 foot over the
crossbar, it is the worst penalty I have ever seen and caused all the
spectators to laugh.
Dylan Tombides who had caused the Villa defence problems all night with his
close control, his speed and his clever play was substituted after 85 mins
to a warm round of applause, it is great to see him back after his health
problems.
The game was all but over when another Moncur corner, left footed this time,
wasn't dealt with and the ball fell to Seb Lletget who poked it home for a
very enjoyable 3-0 victory.
The new format to the premier league see the U21s in a league of 22. They
will play each other team once, either home or away, 11 away games, 10 home
games. The top four at the end of the league will go into a semi final /
final playoff with the winners being crowned champions.
The squad we have would have an excellent chance of doing well, however with
a number of scouts watching the team tonight it is thought a number will go
out on loan.
Our next home game is on Fri 23rd Aug v Tottenham, 7pm kick off at The
Boleyn. Free entry for season ticket holders. £3 for adults and £1 for kids.
Player reviews:
Spiegel - 7 - Didn't really have loads to do, but what he did he did well.
Driver - 7 - Captained the side and was part of a very strong defence.
Chambers - 7 - Played in central defence and as usual never looked hurried
or in trouble.
Ruddock - 8 - Fantastic display, very strong, never in trouble. Made a great
goal saving tackle in first half and unlucky not to score.
Potts - 7 - Strong in defence and got forward well, put in some excellent
crosses.
Whitehead - 5 - Played as a defensive midfielder and sadly gave the ball
away far too much, the two blocks in the first half by Poots and Ruddock
both game from Danny giving the ball away in dangerous positions.
Moncur - 8 - First 10 minutes he seemed to find it hard getting into the
game, but as it went on he did better and better. Always looks for the ball,
two footed and always looks to drive the team forward.
Lletget - 7 - Quieter than usual game for Seb, but got into it more in the
second half including getting the final goal.
Turgott - 6 - He was a good outlet and really should have had an assist when
he played Lee in with an unselfish through ball. Apart from that he didn't
cause Villa too many problems and defensively he didn't chase back as much
as he should have.
Tombides - 9 - A great performance, both going forward and when chasing
back. Always looking to run at the defenders and always looked dangerous.
Got a well deserved assist and also cleared a headed corner off the line.
Lee - 8 - After seeing such an easy chance go wide he did really well to not
let his head go down and did well to score his 2 goals. He nearly got a hat
trick too as a shot in the second half just went wide.
Overall it was a really good team performance, exciting football and a great
start to the league campaign.
For updates from The Academy and Development Teams please follow me on
Twitter @WillisJamieson
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
New signing Razvan Rat was delighted to receive a welcoming reception by the
Hammers fans on Saturday
12.08.2013
Saturday's game against Pacos de Ferreira did not only give West Ham United
fans an opportunity to see their side in action before the start of the
campaign, but also gave the Club's new signings a first taste of the Boleyn
Ground experience. Razvan Rat and Adrian were both handed their home debuts
and for Romania captain Rat, it was a useful workout before the competitive
action starts. He admitted to feeling some pre-season nerves after arriving
from Shakhtar Donetsk following a ten-year spell in Ukraine, but is
relishing the chance to shine in the Barclays Premier League.
"It was interesting for me," he explained. "You're nervous because after ten
years with one team and you change, everything is changing. "It's a new
team, new tactics, a new championship, everything is different. I want to do
well and be on a high level here. "Thank you to the fans for giving me a
good reception! I didn't expect such a warm welcome so I'm happy for that,
and I hope to play many more good games here to make the fans happy."
Rat was a half-time introduction on Saturday, as goals from Ravel Morrison
and Modibo Maiga helped the Hammers towards a 2-1 victory in their final
pre-season match. The left back feels his team is in good shape ahead of
next Saturday's visit of Cardiff City. He continued: "I came on in the
second half of Saturday's game, Pacos de Ferreira was a good opponent, but
we had a good start and scored in the first minute. "We had some chances and
were pressing them, so I think it was a good game for us. "It will be a
different game with Cardiff on Saturday. We want to start with three points,
that's very important to us.
"I'm looking forward to playing in the Premier League, I see it as the same
level at the Champions League, so I'm looking forward to all games being at
the same level."
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Dylan ready for U21s opener
WHUFC.com
West Ham United youngster Dylan Tombides is looking forward to Monday's U21
season opener
12.08.2013
The Development Squad get their Barclays U21 Premier League campaign
underway on Monday evening when Aston Villa visit Rush Green Stadium.
Nick Haycock's side are embarking on a 21-game season and for 19-year-old
foward Dylan Tombides the competitive nature of the league offers a perfect
chance to progress. The Hammers enjoyed a productive season at this level
last year, qualifying for the Elite Group stage, and although a change of
format this year means the competition will be played in a more conventional
straight league set-up, Haycock's men are on the lookout for more success.
Tombides notched in the Hammers' last warm-up fixture - a 4-2 victory at AFC
Hornchurch - and after missing out on regular football as he battled
testicular cancer over the last two years, the Australian is keen to make up
for lost time. He told West Ham TV: "It's massive. It's a big relief to be
back playing again, even just to be play more than ten minutes. That's all I
could manage last year with the way everything was going. So it's fantastic
to be back, to start and to get a goal [against Hornchurch]. "It was more of
a relief than satisfaction to finally, after two years of battling, get a
goal. To celebrate with the lads is more than enough for me. Hopefully
there'll be more, fingers crossed. "They put me out on the left wing in the
last game, for more of a fitness test. I haven't played much for two years,
so it was just to see how much I could get up and down. To be fair, from
looking at my stats, I've done alright. "It's up to the coach, [where I
play]. I'd like to play off Paul McCallum or someone like that, as I like to
play in the hole there with someone to work off. But once again it's the
coach's decision and I'm just happy to be playing again more than anything.
"It's back to basics really, and back to normal for me now. I train whenever
the boys are in, do what comes best and obviously hopefully get a chance up
with the first team. "Everyone has been really, really good for me over the
last two years, supporting me and so it was lovely to repay them with a
goal."
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Dev Squad 3-0 Aston Villa FT
WHUFC.com
Elliot Lee scores twice as young Hammers ease to win
12.08.2013
WEST HAM UNITED v ASTON VILLA
BARCLAYS U21 PREMIER LEAGUE
RUSH GREEN STADIUM
MONDAY 12 AUGUST 2013
KICK-OFF: 7PM
REFEREE: MICHAEL GEORGE
Full-time score- West Ham United U21s 3-0 Aston Villa U21s
Full-time- A fantastic start to the season for Nick Haycock's team who've
produced a superb team performance to beat an experienced Aston Villa side.
Elliot Lee put a glaring early miss behind him to score twice with Sebastian
Lletget adding a third just before the end as the team cruised to a
brilliant win. Tickets for Saturday's season opener against Cardiff City are
still available via the club website.
92mins- Johnson nearly scores a consolation for the visitors but Spiegel is
there to protect his clean sheet.
90mins- GOAL! Lletget rounds off a fine evening for the young Hammers
smashing home from a few yards out following a Moncur corner.
89mins- Potts is replaced by Shaw with just a few minutes left.
88mins- Ruddock ventures forward beating a couple of players before setting
up Lletget you can't hit the target.
86mins- Nick Haycock makes his first change of the night, withdrawing the
excellent Tombides and bringing on McCallum.
84mins- Potts is forced into a great defensive clearance managing to clear
for a corner. From the corner Tombides comes to the rescue to clear a Bowery
header off the line.
81mins- With that penalty miss Gardner seems to have kicked away any hopes
Villa had of getting back into the game. And to make matters worse he sends
another decent chance also...over the bar.
78mins- Ruddock is harshly penalised for a foul on Robinson in the box.
Gardner steps up to take the penalty but sends the ball into orbit with a
shot which is of more danger to the houses behind the ground than the goal.
76mins- The away side seem to have run out of ideas as long ball after long
ball is easily dealt with. Having said that Gardener unleashes a rasping
shot which cannons off the post.
75mins- An excellent and much welcomed return to competitive action for
Tombides tonight, with the player relishing an attacking left-wing role.
72mins- Villa make their third change as Albrighton limps off to be replaced
by O'Brien.
69mins- Another chance for Lee as Potts provides a pin-point cross but the
striker can't direct his header on target.
67mins- Lee nearly notches his hat-trick after racing onto a Whitehead
through ball but Steer again comes to Villa's rescue.
65mins- Dan Potts nearly makes it three after he blocks Donacien's attempted
clearance forcing Steer into a smart save at his near post.
64mins- Turgott switches to the left flank with Tombides heading to the
right.
62mins- The tempo of the game has died down with West Ham in cruise control
and looking under little threat at the back.
59mins- Lee has done well to put his early miss behind him in front of the
382 people in attendance, some of those team-mates, who may never have let
him live it down had he not made up for it with two goals.
56mins- Ruddock at the heart of the defnce has been a dominant presence for
the Hammers tonight, evoking memories of his namesake, Neil Ruddock, with
his commanding performance.
54mins- For photos from tonight's game, click on the Facebook link above.
52mins- Villa look unable to cope with the impressive Tombides who again
beats his man but is unable to find a cross.
50mins- Webb glances a header just wide from a corner as Villa start to
apply some pressure of their own.
47mins- Donacien launches a surging run at the West Ham defence and
unleashes a powerful drive which is well dealt with by Spiegel.
46mins- Turgott rounds the keeper seconds after kick-off but Donacien is
back on the goal line to clear.
8.07pm- The teams are back out on the pitch as the second-half begins with
the Hammers in front and looking good.
49mins- The whistle goes for half-tme with Lee's two goals separating the
two teams. It could have been more had he finished off his glorious chance
early on, as it is a very pleasing first half performance from the young
Hammers.
45mins- Three minutes added on at the end of the first half with West Ham in
complete control.
42mins- Villa show signs of life as Bowery is set through but his curling
shot is well saved by Spiegel.
41mins- The creative influence of Tombides nearly helps the Hammers to a
third before half-time but his cross is dealt with by the Villa defence.
37mins- Nick Haycock's side are piling on the pressure in search of a third
but Moncur's corner is dealt with by Steer.
34mins- GOAL! Tombides wins a corner after a well worked move down the left.
Moncur delivers a brilliant ball in at the second attempt and is met by
Ruddock whose header hits the bar and falls for Lee to nod home his second
of the game.
30mins- The away side make their second change of the evening as Bateman
goes off to be replaced by Wildin.
29mins- Driver concedes a free-kick on the edge of the box, but from the
resulting kick Gardner drifts it comfrotably wide of the post.
26mins- Villa are forced into a substitution as Sylla limps off and is
replaced by Cowans.
23mins- GOAL! Tombides is in the action again as he provides the cross for
Lee tap in to score the first goal of the season for the Development squad
21mins- The returning Tombides nearly ca.ps the occasion with a goal as his
powerful effort forces Steer into a sprawling save.
19mins- Lee nearly makes amends for his earlier miss as a long-range drive
goes just wide of the post.
18mins- The home side are piling on the pressure as a well worked short
corner again sees a Moncur shot blocked as a scramble in the box ensues, but
Villa eventually clear.
17mins- Two chances in a metter of seconds for the home side as the ball
falls to Moncur and then Lletget in the penalty box but both see their shots
blocked by despairing defenders.
16mins- Bowery hits the bar with a looping header but the linesman has his
flag up on the far side, so it wouldn't have counted.
14mins- Lee wins a free kick deep in Villa territory but Moncurs cross is
headed away.
11mins- The game springs to life as Lee should put the Hammers in front but
somehow misses an open goal from eight yards. Villa themselves have a chance
to take the lead moments later when Johnson looks certain to score but for a
fine block by Potts.
10mins- Bowery surges through the middle but Ruddock produces a fine block.
8mins- Robinson cutting in from the left hits a decent shot from outside the
box but is easily dealt with by Raphael Spiegel.
5mins- Albrighton threatens down the right but his teasing cross is put
behind by Pelly Ruddock. The resulting corner was cleared by Leo Chambers.
3mins - Early pressure for the home side as an Elliot Lee cross is drilled
into the box but fails to find anyone in claret and blue.
7.02pm- Aston Villa kick-off shooting from right to left in the first half.
6.58pm - There's not a seat to be had in the stands as the players emerge
from the tunnel as they get ready to kick-off the 2013/14 season.
6.56pm - Southend boss Phil Brown arrives just before kick-off to cast an
eye over potential transfer targets.
6.53pm- Danny Whitehead is making his debut for the Hammers tonight whilst
striker Dylan Tombides is making his first competitive start since the
2010/11 season after his recovery from testicular cancer.
6.50pm- Ten minutes until kick-off and the stands are full of Academy and
Development squad players here to support Nick Haycock's team.
6.38pm - The Villa players finally emerge to begin their warm-up with the
Hammers well into their pre-match routine.
6.30pm - Fans are drifting in to Rush Green with just half an hour until
kick-off, among them is Villa manager Paul Lambert.
6.20pm - Assistant manager Neil McDonald has arrived to cast his eye over
the young Hammers who will be hoping to impress with Saturday's Barclays
Premier League kick-off looming.
6pm - We have the team news for you from Rush Green and West Ham have a
strong team starting tonight's game, while Aston Villa have also picked an
experienced starting XI.
West Ham United U21s: West Ham United: Spiegel, Driver, Potts, Chambers,
Ruddock, Moncur, Whitehead, Turgott, Lletget, D.Tombides, Lee
Subs: Nemrava, Shaw, Nasha, Sadlier, McCallum
Aston Villa U21s: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman, Webb, Gardner, Sylla,
Albrighton, Johnson, Robinson, Bowery
Subs: Watkins, Sellars, O'Brien, Wildin, Cowans
Good evening and welcome to Rush Green Stadium for tonight's opening
Barclays U21 Premier League fixture of 2013/14 between West Ham United and
Aston Villa.
Nick Haycock's youngsters will be hoping to make the same bright start they
made to last season's competition, when they raced away with the Group 1
title before Christmas before finishing sixth in the Elite Group in the New
Year.
Many of the players who did so well at Under-21 level last term will feature
again this evening, with the likes of George Moncur, Dan Potts, Sebastian
Lletget, Elliot Lee and Callum Driver all in the side to face the Villans.
There is also the welcome sight of Dylan Tombides' name in the starting XI,
with the Australian having shown great determination to battle back to
fitness after being diagnosed with testicular cancer in summer 2011.
West Ham United U21s: Spiegel, Driver, Potts, Chambers, Ruddock, Whitehead,
Turgott, Moncur, Lletget, D.Tombides, Lee
Subs: Nemrava, Shaw, Nasha, Sadlier, McCallum
Aston Villa U21s: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman, Webb, Gardner, Sylla,
Albrighton, Johnson, Robinson, Bowery
Subs: Watkins, Sellars, O'Brien, Wildin, Cowans
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Stewart Downing: West Ham close in on deal to sign Liverpool winger
BBC.co.uk
By Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Sport
West Ham United have agreed a fee with Liverpool over a deal to sign winger
Stewart Downing. The 29-year-old England international is expected to
undergo a medical and agree personal terms before completing any move to
Upton Park.
Stewart Downing factfile
Stewart Downing
Age: 29
Position: Winger
Liverpool appearances: 91
Liverpool goals: Seven
England caps: 34
England goals: 0
Former teams: Middlesbrough, Sunderland (loan) and Aston Villa
Downing was signed by Liverpool in a £20m deal from Aston Villa in July 2011
under former manager Kenny Dalglish. He was a first-team regular last season
but has failed to make a major impact while at the Merseyside club. Downing
scored five times in 45 appearances for the Reds in the 2012-13 campaign
and, overall, registered seven goals in 91 outings for the club. Liverpool
manager Brendan Rodgers criticised the former Middlesbrough player shortly
after taking over at Anfield last summer, before restoring him to the first
team and using him primarily on the wing but also at left-back. Downing
revealed last December that he had been told he could leave the club and,
despite staying with the Reds for the remainder of last season, Rodgers now
appears prepared to let him leave. If he does join West Ham, Downing will
follow striker Andy Carroll in swapping Anfield for Upton Park. Carroll
joined Liverpool for £35m in January 2011 but moved to West Ham in a
permanent £15m deal earlier this summer following a season on loan with the
Hammers.
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Maiga linked with loan move
KUMb.com
Filed: Monday, 12th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
Modibo Maiga could be set to return to France within the coming days. The
Mali international, who had played in the pivotal attacking role in Andy
Carroll's enforced pre-season absence could be on his way back to France, if
Saint-Etienne get their way. The Ligue 1 outfit, who won the opening fixture
of their 2013/14 league campign last night courtesy of a 1-0 away to
Ajaccio, are set to make Maiga their prime traget his week as they seek to
add another forward to their squad. And according to reports emanating from
the other side of the Channel, Les Verts are hoping to take the 25-year-old
striker on loan for the entirety of the 2013/14 season, with view to a
permanent transfer thereafter. Maiga, who joined West Ham in a £4.5million
switch from Sochaux 13 months ago has failed to cement a place in West Ham's
first XI, much to the frustration of the club's coaching staff who believe
that the player has the ability, but not necessarily the mental aptitude to
prove a hit in the Premier League. Sam Allardyce's number two Neil McDonald,
speaking about the player recently said: "Modibo's ability is there. When
you sign new players sometimes they take a bit longer to settle into the
team. "He's just been waiting for his chance to show what he can do and
hopefully he can score goals on a regular basis, try to work out where we
want him to run to, hold the ball up and interlink. That side of his game is
much better than it has been."
* Jack Sullivan has revealed [Monday morning] that the club hope to sign "an
International player in the next few days".
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Downing set for medical
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 12th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
Stewart Downing is set to undergo a medical ahead of a proposed £6million
move to West Ham. The Liverpool winger, who cost the Merseyside club
£20million just two years ago is on his way to West Ham for talks after the
two clubs agreed a fee for the 29-year-old England international over the
weekend. As revealed by a source on KUMB.com yesterday, Downing is poised to
sign a four-year contract with West Ham, taking the club's spending in the
summer transfer market over and above the £20million mark.
"Re Downing. My guy has just text me confirming terms are agreed on a
four-year contract. £6million."
- KUMB member 'I've Got Curly Hair Too' breaking the news on the KUMB forum
yesterday
Should Downing complete a move to West Ham, as expected, he will become the
third English international Sam Allardyce has signed from Liverpool in 2013
following the (permanent) arrival of Andy Carroll and Joe Cole back in
January. In other transfer news this morning, reports from Italy suggest
that Sunderland have moved ahead of West Ham in the race to sign Fabio
Quagliarella from Juventus. The 30-year-old forward is surplus to
requirements at the Serie A club following the arrival of Carlos Tevez from
Manchester City and is available for a knockdown fee.
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Ravel Morrison ready to shine for West Ham, says Mark Noble
Last Updated: August 12, 2013 12:04pm
SSN
Mark Noble believes Ravel Morrison is ready to make good on his talent after
impressing in pre-season for West Ham. Morrison has been in sparkling form
for the Hammers as they build up towards Saturday's Premier League opener
against Cardiff at Upton Park. The 20-year-old netted after just 16 seconds
of the 2-1 friendly win over Champions League play-off contenders Pacos de
Ferreira on Saturday - his sixth goal of the summer. Noble has been
impressed with his midfield colleague and told the Daily Mail: "He's done
brilliantly this pre-season. "He's not been late, he's turned up to every
session, he's trained hard and obviously he's getting the benefits now." The
former England Under-18 international, who has only made one competitive
appearance for the Hammers to date, spent the whole of last season on loan
at Birmingham in the Championship.
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Stewart Downing set to seal move to West Ham United
Last Updated: August 12, 2013 11:46am
SSN
Sky Sports understands Liverpool midfielder Stewart Downing is set to
undergo a medical at West Ham. The England winger looks set to end a
somewhat troubled two-year spell with Liverpool having joined from Aston
Villa for around £20million. The 29-year-old was told last season that he
was surplus to requirements by boss Brendan Rodgers, before battling his way
into his plans. But now after just 65 league games for the club, he looks
set to depart with West Ham closing in on a deal. Sky Sports understands
that a £5million deal has been agreed and Downing is due in London on Monday
to undergo a medical.
Should the deal be finalised, Downing will link up with Andy Carroll - who
finalised his permanent move from Anfield earlier this summer.
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Reasons to be Positive About Stewart Downing
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
I noticed a comment left by Left Foot in the last thread on Stewart Downing.
He alerted us to a post on the Squaka website, which is worth exploring in a
lot more detail. As I have said, I am a Downing sceptic, but not it appears
he is ours, I think we should all get behind him and support him in his
efforts to recapture the kind of form which made Liverpool pay £20 million
for him. Here's a section of Sam Parker's article...
Downing's contribution at Liverpool since his £20m move from Aston Villa has
been much maligned, notably his failure to contribute a single goal or
assist in his first season with the club. While his second season at the
club saw him improve greatly on that dismal return, his limited action
during pre-season has been a sure sign that Brendan Rodgers has decided to
dispense with the former England winger, with West Ham now willing to swoop.
Downing's return for the season in terms of concrete stats were vastly
improved in the Rodgers era, having contributed three goals in his 29
appearances for the Reds last season, completing the 90 minutes on just 17
occasions.
And Liverpool may find themselves regretting letting Downing go, with the
Middlesbrough academy product having created 66 chances for them last season
– only Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez created more. From West Ham's point of
view, Downing created more chances last season than any one of their
players, with Matt Jarvis' 46 the highest any Hammers player could muster.
Downing's 66 opportunities created resulted in five assists, while Jarvis
was not being credited for a single assist all season, scoring one goal
fewer than the man who could take his place on the left side of the West Ham
midfield as well.
Downing also recorded a pass completion rate of 83% which, while lower than
the majority of the Liverpool midfield and part of the reason Rodgers is
happy to see him depart, it is still better than most of West Ham's squad,
with only bustling central midfielder Mohamed Diame boasting a superior
average. Downing is also more prone to taking shots, having taken on 29
shots compared to Jarvis' 19, while he has completed attempts to take on
opponents 44% of the time, while Jarvis was successful on just 37% of
take-ons, though both were successful on 17 occasions apiece.
By signing Downing, West Ham will have made a significant upgrade on their
current squad, with Downing bringing greater creativity to their ranks and a
greater threat from the flanks. Hammers fans will just have to hope that he
links up with Andy Carroll at Upton Park to greater success than the duo
ever managed on Merseyside.
Well, that's perked you up, hasn't it?!
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England have Ravel Morrison on the radar now he's keeping his nose clean at
West Ham
12 Aug 2013 22:31
The Mirror
Roy Hodgson has admitted England are keeping close tabs on reformed bad-boy
Ravel Morrison, writes John Cross. Midfielder Morrison, 20, has been in
outstanding form for West Ham during their summer friendlies after time on
loan at Birmingham last season. The Hammers' boss Sam Allardyce has told him
he is in his Premier League plans and has knocked back several approaches
for a loan spell. Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson claimed
the ex-Old Trafford youngster was one of the best talents he has ever seen,
and Morrison appears to have put his old ways behind him. England seniors
boss Hodgson, who will take charge of the U21s on a one-off basis as the FA
seek manager Stuart Pearce's replacement, is watching developments and has
been impressed with Morrison's new focus. Hodgson said: "I believe Ravel has
had a very good pre-season, and it will be up to the new manager to decide
whether he wants to pick him or not."
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Is Fabio Quagliarella the next to sign?
West Ham Till I Die
There are strong rumours this evening that West Ham may have set up a season
long loan deal for Juventus' Italian international, Fabio Quagliarella.
Famed for his accurate long range shooting, Quagliarella has approximately a
1 in 3 goal scoring record in Series A over the last seven seasons. He
scored 22 goals in 67 appearances for Juventus (2010-13), 11 goals in 34
appearances for Napoli (2009-10), 25 goals in 73 appearances for Udinese
(2007-09) and 13 goals in 35 appearances for Sampdoria (2006-07).
Quagliarella has a overall club career total (including cup matches) of 116
goals in 373 appearances. As of 2010, he had also scored 6 goals in 25
appearances for Italy.
If Quagliarella is the target, and we secure his services, he will be
another impressive acquisition. He has the skill and experience to bring
something extra to the squad and, at 29 years of age, he should be at the
height of his career. Fabio Quagliarella in a West Ham shirt? Now that would
be a interesting proposition!
Elsewhere, the West Ham U-21s have given their Aston Villa peers a
footballing lesson in their first match of the season. A Villa U-21 side
containing five players with recent first team experience were
comprehensively beaten 3-0 by a rampant young Hammers side. The Hammers
dominated the match and raced to a three goal lead, thanks to a brace by Lee
and a long range effort by Lletget. Hopefully, the nature of this victory,
as well as the emphatic score line, is indicative of the strength that we
possess in our youth ranks and the fact that a number of prospects will now
start pushing for a first team place in the coming season.
Good quality signings, allied to the resumption of the Academy production
line are two twin precursors for the club significantly pushing on next
season. Lets hope that is the way that it will shape up!
SJ. Chandos.
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Match Report - WHU U21 v Aston Villa U21
Youth Reporter 11:28 Mon Aug 12
West Ham Online
West Ham United U21's 3-0 Aston Villa U21's
Team: WHU - Spiegel, Driver, Ruddock, Chambers, Potts (Shaw 88), Whitehead,
Lletget, Moncur, Turgott, D Tombides (McCallum 85), Lee. Unused Subs -
Nemrava, Nasha! Sadlier.
Villa: Steer, Lyden, Donacien, Bateman (Wildin 35), Webb, Gardner, Sylla
(Cowans 27), Albrighton (O'Brien 72mins), Johnson, Robinson, Bowery. Unused
Subs - Sellars, Watkins.
The U21 Premier League got off to a fantastic start for West Ham as they
secured a 3-0 win at their home ground on a mild night at Rush Green
Stadium. Elliot Lee gave West Ham the lead and then added a second midway
through the first half, the third came to Sebastien Lletget in the dying
moments of the thrilling contest.
It was an attacking start for West Ham playing what looked like a 4-1-4-1
formation with Whitehead playing the holding midfield role and Llegett often
further forward in the middle with Moncur. Turgott and Tombides were playing
wide with Lee the lone striker.
Despite the bright start the first real chance of the game came to Villa in
the 7th Minute,a counter attack lead to a cross from the right wing, only to
be cleared out for a corner by centre back Leo Chambers, back from a long
injury. After this early scare it was chance after chance for the home side,
the first of these was a neat through ball from Moncur to Turgott and
instead of going for glory laid of to Elliot Lee for a tap in to an open
goal, somehow he got his feet tangled and the ball rolled wide.
Villa looked dangerous on the break and a couple of times broke through the
hammers defence only to see their shot blocked by a tackle just in time,
first by the excellent Pelly Ruddock and then a couple of minutes later by
Dan Potts.
The exciting half continued as West Ham came forward with a well worked
routine between Daniel Potts and Dylan Tombides, Tombides then managed to
get the cross in to George Moncur who smashed it on the volley but was well
saved by Steer in the Villians goal, the ball came out to Turgott who
crossed into Lletget who with a similar strike to Moncur saw his shot
blocked by the defence.
The deadlock was broken with a goal from Elliot Lee in the 25th Minute, a
brilliant cross by Tombides dipped over Blair Turgott and the defence and
fell for Lee to tap it in at the far post, a well deserved lead.
Moncur who during the evening showed great skill by taking corners with his
left and right foot depending on what side it is on put a great in swinging
cross into the six yard box which Ruddock headed onto the crossbar, Elliot
Lee was on hand as he headed the rebound in to give West Ham and himself the
second goal of the game.
Unfortunately the second half wasn't nearly as exciting as the first with
the home side looking happy to keep their lead and the visitors rarely
bothering the Hammers defence. That was until Pelly Ruddock made a a great
tackle to win the ball only for the ref to wrongly point to the spot.
Gardner stepped up for Villa and hit the ball at least 6 foot over the
crossbar, it is the worst penalty I have ever seen and caused all the
spectators to laugh.
Dylan Tombides who had caused the Villa defence problems all night with his
close control, his speed and his clever play was substituted after 85 mins
to a warm round of applause, it is great to see him back after his health
problems.
The game was all but over when another Moncur corner, left footed this time,
wasn't dealt with and the ball fell to Seb Lletget who poked it home for a
very enjoyable 3-0 victory.
The new format to the premier league see the U21s in a league of 22. They
will play each other team once, either home or away, 11 away games, 10 home
games. The top four at the end of the league will go into a semi final /
final playoff with the winners being crowned champions.
The squad we have would have an excellent chance of doing well, however with
a number of scouts watching the team tonight it is thought a number will go
out on loan.
Our next home game is on Fri 23rd Aug v Tottenham, 7pm kick off at The
Boleyn. Free entry for season ticket holders. £3 for adults and £1 for kids.
Player reviews:
Spiegel - 7 - Didn't really have loads to do, but what he did he did well.
Driver - 7 - Captained the side and was part of a very strong defence.
Chambers - 7 - Played in central defence and as usual never looked hurried
or in trouble.
Ruddock - 8 - Fantastic display, very strong, never in trouble. Made a great
goal saving tackle in first half and unlucky not to score.
Potts - 7 - Strong in defence and got forward well, put in some excellent
crosses.
Whitehead - 5 - Played as a defensive midfielder and sadly gave the ball
away far too much, the two blocks in the first half by Poots and Ruddock
both game from Danny giving the ball away in dangerous positions.
Moncur - 8 - First 10 minutes he seemed to find it hard getting into the
game, but as it went on he did better and better. Always looks for the ball,
two footed and always looks to drive the team forward.
Lletget - 7 - Quieter than usual game for Seb, but got into it more in the
second half including getting the final goal.
Turgott - 6 - He was a good outlet and really should have had an assist when
he played Lee in with an unselfish through ball. Apart from that he didn't
cause Villa too many problems and defensively he didn't chase back as much
as he should have.
Tombides - 9 - A great performance, both going forward and when chasing
back. Always looking to run at the defenders and always looked dangerous.
Got a well deserved assist and also cleared a headed corner off the line.
Lee - 8 - After seeing such an easy chance go wide he did really well to not
let his head go down and did well to score his 2 goals. He nearly got a hat
trick too as a shot in the second half just went wide.
Overall it was a really good team performance, exciting football and a great
start to the league campaign.
For updates from The Academy and Development Teams please follow me on
Twitter @WillisJamieson
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Monday, August 12
Daily WHUFC News - 12TH August 2013
Ravel thrilled with debut Boleyn strike
WHUFC.com
West Ham United youngster Ravel Morrison was thrilled to notch his first home goal on Saturday
11.08.2013
Ravel Morrison could not hide his delight at notching his first Boleyn Ground goal in Saturday's pre-season win over Pacos de Ferreira. The West Ham United youngster wore a broad smile as he recalled stroking the ball past Pacos keeper Antonio Filipe to give the Hammers the lead with just 16 seconds played.
Modibo Maiga notched a second as West Ham moved two in front before the break, and although the Portuguese visitors pulled one back after half time, Morrison was happy to pick up another win ahead of the big kick-off. "It was my first goal at the Boleyn Ground so it was a great feeling and I was buzzing when I scored it," he beamed. "I've never scored that quickly before and I was in two minds a little bit. I was thinking should I chip him or smash it, and I actually ended up placing it. "I didn't want to get in trouble for chipping it! "It was a good end to pre-season and i think we've had a good summer. We've only been beaten twice, so it's been good. I've really enjoyed it. "We've had a useful week against the Portuguese teams. To beat Pacos de Ferreira, who are in the Champions League this season, is good for us."
Morrison has enjoyed a terrific pre-season campaign after returning to the Club following a year on loan with Sky Bet Championship side Birmingham City.
The 20-year-old has scored six goals in West Ham's warm-up games and he is hoping to be involved when the Barclays Premier League action gets underway.
"It's been really good this pre-season," he stated. "The lads have helped me, talked me through when I'm playing. "To be honest, at the start of pre-season I thought I was going to get a few games, but I didn't think I'd play as much as I have. "It has been great to be involved and now I can't wait for the season to start against Cardiff next week. "We've come back stronger and shown in pre-season that we're going to give it a real fight to finish higher in the league. "Personally, my targets are just to try and get into the first team and play a few games."
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Hammers eye Portuguese international
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 11th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
Besiktas are considering a €3.5million offer from West Ham for Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida, according to sources in Turkey. The 29-year-old is out of contract with the Turkish club next year and the Black Eagles are said to be keen to offload the Portuguese international in order to free up space for Tottenham's Emmanuel Adebayor, who they are keen to sign. According to Fanatik, West Ham will meet representatives of the former Boavista and Werder Bremen striker early next week to thrash out personal terms. Almeida, who is out of contract soon and was thought to be considering a new three-year offer from Besiktas is privately said to be interested in a move to England. Having started his career with hometown club Associação Naval 1º de Maio, Almeida signed for Porto as a 16-year-old back in 2000. He made his first team debut three years later before enjoying loan spells with União de Leiria and Boavista.
After a third loan stint, this time in Germany, Almeida signed a four-year deal with Bundesliga club Werder Bremen in 2007 who paid €4million for his signature; the forward deciding to move as his first team opportunities at Porto became limited. He opened the 2007/08 season with seven goals in his first 12 games and went on to finish the campaign with 16 goals in all competitions. The following season - 2008/09 - Almeida scored nine times in the Bundesliga and was part of the team that made it all the way to the UEFA Cup Final. His third season in Germany also ended with him reaching double figures; his seven league goals were complemented by four in other competitions as Bremen went on to finish third in the league and qualify for the Champions League.
Almeida was well on his way to hitting double figures for a fourth successive year when Besiktas made a €2million offer for a player who had just a matter months remaining on his contract - and in December, he moved to the Turkish club signing a three-and-a-half year contract. Having made his full international debut in 2004, Almeida has gone on to represent his country on 47 occasions, scoring 17 goals.
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Hamad set for West Ham talks, says agent
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 11th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are set to hold talks with the agent of Swedish international midfielder Jiloan Hamad, according to Sport Bladet. KUMB.com revealed last month how United were being linked with a move for the 22-year-old, who is out of contract with his current club Malmo at the end of this year. And according to Ferhat Cifci, Hamad's agent and representative, the two parties are set to discuss a potential permanent transfer later today. "We will meet to talk with each other and find out how West Ham's offer looks," Cifci told Sport Bladet. "It is a good discussion to get into but nothing is certain until they have agreed terms with Malmo. Therefore, we will not discuss any personal terms. "If Jiloan continues to play like he did the last time, even bigger clubs than West Ham may become interested. We have plenty of time before the transfer window closes and a new one opens in January."
Hamad, who is primarily employed as a winger has less than six months remaining on the two-year contract he signed with MFF back in 2011 and is therefore allowed to speak to other clubs. Last season (2012) he scored six goals and contributed nine assists for Malmo in the Allsvenskan, whilst he was an unused substitute in Sweden's famous 4-2 win against England at the Friends Arena in November 2012. In this year's Allsvenskan (which runs from March 2013 to November 2013), Hamad has already scored five times whilst providing a further four assists from the wing.
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West Ham forced to withdraw new kit from general sale
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 11th August 2013
By: David Meagher
In a dramatic effort to stem the chaos that has followed the recent release of West Ham's gorgeous new home strip, the club have been forced to withdraw the kit from general sale and recall all items so far purchased in an effort to protect fans who have been exposed to 'a number of significant health and safety dangers'.
In the brief period since the strip was put on general release, a flood of dads and other middle-aged past-it losers have sustained serious back and other 'I think I've done myself a mischief' type- injuries whilst attempting all sorts of unfeasible footie acrobatics and similar antics trying to copy the skills of the incredible team of '86 on whose kit the new jersey is modelled.
While the spirit of '86 brings back memories of TC and God slamming in goals here, there and everywhere - while Alvin and the boys formed an almost impenetrable fortress in front of Phil Parkes' goal – the mid-eighties also reminds them of a time when many were still players on the disco dance floors. Reports have been flooding in of Hammers fans engaging in provocative hip thrusting and other 'tasty' dance moves whilst adorned in the new kit.
In related developments, West Ham Supporters Wives Support Network (WHSWSN) have reported a massive increase in 'wearing footie jerseys to bed' offences and are said to be preparing to lodge a formal complaint to Messrs Sullivan and Gold. These difficulties are somewhat ironic given that Mr Gold's Ann Summers products have been saving tired marriages for years with their lingerie ranges that are especially designed for the curvaceous mature woman.
Dr Adrian Shagbottom, Consultant Lead in Accident and Emergency Medicine at Basildon University Hospital has revealed how their casualty has been filled to the gills with a variety of foolish orthopaedic injuries sustained whilst wearing these new jerseys. In one particularly tragic case, a man from Laindon managed to amputate his right foot whilst attempting a Ray 'Tonka' Stewart-type tackle on the family lawnmower.
As if these tragic developments were not enough to warrant a total recall of the new attire, it has also emerged that other Hammers fans have sustained severe psychological trauma whilst wearing the new top in public places. The jersey is so attractive that it has proven irresistible to the predatory females who stalk the 21st century. Arthur Winkleweird, a fork lift driver from Pitsea, developed severe tinnitus as a result of persistent wolf whistling after attempting to do the weekly grocery shopping adorned in the kit.
Other fans have made the mistake of wearing the kit out socially and had their niteclub experiences ruined by sexual intimidation from steamed-up disco-babes. One such victim, Bob Wigglewand explained "the harassment from females was so intense that I couldn't focus on the music or even enjoy my glass of lager shandy – it ruined my night completely".
Vulnerable.
Top psychobabbleologists have warned about the particularly dangerous combination of the new jersey with Frank McAvennie-style blond highlights which it is feared could result in serious crush injuries caused by a stampede of admirers trying to fondle and caress unsuspecting Hammers fans who have been labelled by top doctors as "Dangerously shagtastic".
The strip recall will remind footie fans of similar kit disasters in the past, especially the amusing Man United 'grey' kit that was immediately withdrawn after a humiliating defeat during it first airing against Southampton in the 1990s. Blaming the colour of their away strip was just one of many excuses the wily Alex Ferguson used to try and conceal the fact that Paul 'Guvnor' Ince was no longer up to it in midfield.
Similarly, Republic of Ireland fans will feel the sting of old wounds relating to their Fluorescent orange strip disaster against Macedonia from the same period. Jason McAteer recently revealed that the real reason he launched an indiscriminate kung-fu style kick at one of the unsuspecting Macedonian's was to stop them laughing at the offensively garish Irish kit. Both of these jerseys are now much sought after collector's items, offering some hope that the two-Davids might recoup some of their outlay on the new apparel.
Meanwhile, as Hammers fans wander the streets of Europe in the sensational near gear, Dr Max Intertrigo, chief physician at one of London City's biggest STD clinics, has warned Hammer's fans to be careful how they use the new strip, especially around hunk-hungry soccer babes. In a carefully prepared statement sources close to the FA moved to calm the frenzy "While we support the use of football for personal enjoyment and in moderate quantities, we do not condone excessive use of football as a means of self-expression and cannot recommend that users engage in abuse of football (or its equipment) to promote social intercourse".
Sad and boring Arsenal and Man United fans who invest their whole identities in the success of their preferred football teams are likely to find these new guidelines devastatingly life changing. Thankfully for Gooner's fans, the club have taken a lead by releasing a new away kit that is so hilarious that it is unlikely to ever be seen in public.
For the club this this latest debacle emphasises the many challenges of managing a precious commodity like a football club that is massively steeped in tradition, including the serious dangers of releasing kits that are "simply too cool".
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West Ham scouts spotted at Ligue 1 clash
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 11th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United were one of six clubs to send representatives to watch last night's meeting between Bordeaux and Monaco, according to les Girondins. The French club took the unusual step of announcing the names of the (known) club's represented by scouts at last night's Ligue 1 clash, which the visitors won 2-0 courtesy of late goals from Emmanuel Rivière and new signing Radamel Falcao. The most likely target for West Ham's representatives was Bordeaux's 26-year-old central defender/defensive midfielder Ludovic Sane, who has been linked with a move to east London all summer. The two teams lined up as follows:
Bordeaux: Carasso; Mariano, Planus, Sane, Poundjé; Plasil (c), N'Guemo, Obraniak, Poko; Maurice-Belay, Saivet.
Monaco: Subasic; Fabinho, Carvalho, Abidal (c); Obbadi, Toulalan, Ocampos, Rodriguez, Ferreira-Carrasco; Kurzawa, Falcao.
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Defoe: What Are We Waiting For?
By Iain Dale About 11 hours ago 167 comments
West Ham Till I Die
According to the Mail on Sunday, Tottenham are offering Jermain Defoe to QPR for £6 million. Defoe is a goal machine. Well, Sam? What are you waiting for?
If I had £6 million to spend, I know who I'd spent it on. And his name isn't Stewart Downing.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United youngster Ravel Morrison was thrilled to notch his first home goal on Saturday
11.08.2013
Ravel Morrison could not hide his delight at notching his first Boleyn Ground goal in Saturday's pre-season win over Pacos de Ferreira. The West Ham United youngster wore a broad smile as he recalled stroking the ball past Pacos keeper Antonio Filipe to give the Hammers the lead with just 16 seconds played.
Modibo Maiga notched a second as West Ham moved two in front before the break, and although the Portuguese visitors pulled one back after half time, Morrison was happy to pick up another win ahead of the big kick-off. "It was my first goal at the Boleyn Ground so it was a great feeling and I was buzzing when I scored it," he beamed. "I've never scored that quickly before and I was in two minds a little bit. I was thinking should I chip him or smash it, and I actually ended up placing it. "I didn't want to get in trouble for chipping it! "It was a good end to pre-season and i think we've had a good summer. We've only been beaten twice, so it's been good. I've really enjoyed it. "We've had a useful week against the Portuguese teams. To beat Pacos de Ferreira, who are in the Champions League this season, is good for us."
Morrison has enjoyed a terrific pre-season campaign after returning to the Club following a year on loan with Sky Bet Championship side Birmingham City.
The 20-year-old has scored six goals in West Ham's warm-up games and he is hoping to be involved when the Barclays Premier League action gets underway.
"It's been really good this pre-season," he stated. "The lads have helped me, talked me through when I'm playing. "To be honest, at the start of pre-season I thought I was going to get a few games, but I didn't think I'd play as much as I have. "It has been great to be involved and now I can't wait for the season to start against Cardiff next week. "We've come back stronger and shown in pre-season that we're going to give it a real fight to finish higher in the league. "Personally, my targets are just to try and get into the first team and play a few games."
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Hammers eye Portuguese international
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 11th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
Besiktas are considering a €3.5million offer from West Ham for Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida, according to sources in Turkey. The 29-year-old is out of contract with the Turkish club next year and the Black Eagles are said to be keen to offload the Portuguese international in order to free up space for Tottenham's Emmanuel Adebayor, who they are keen to sign. According to Fanatik, West Ham will meet representatives of the former Boavista and Werder Bremen striker early next week to thrash out personal terms. Almeida, who is out of contract soon and was thought to be considering a new three-year offer from Besiktas is privately said to be interested in a move to England. Having started his career with hometown club Associação Naval 1º de Maio, Almeida signed for Porto as a 16-year-old back in 2000. He made his first team debut three years later before enjoying loan spells with União de Leiria and Boavista.
After a third loan stint, this time in Germany, Almeida signed a four-year deal with Bundesliga club Werder Bremen in 2007 who paid €4million for his signature; the forward deciding to move as his first team opportunities at Porto became limited. He opened the 2007/08 season with seven goals in his first 12 games and went on to finish the campaign with 16 goals in all competitions. The following season - 2008/09 - Almeida scored nine times in the Bundesliga and was part of the team that made it all the way to the UEFA Cup Final. His third season in Germany also ended with him reaching double figures; his seven league goals were complemented by four in other competitions as Bremen went on to finish third in the league and qualify for the Champions League.
Almeida was well on his way to hitting double figures for a fourth successive year when Besiktas made a €2million offer for a player who had just a matter months remaining on his contract - and in December, he moved to the Turkish club signing a three-and-a-half year contract. Having made his full international debut in 2004, Almeida has gone on to represent his country on 47 occasions, scoring 17 goals.
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Hamad set for West Ham talks, says agent
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 11th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are set to hold talks with the agent of Swedish international midfielder Jiloan Hamad, according to Sport Bladet. KUMB.com revealed last month how United were being linked with a move for the 22-year-old, who is out of contract with his current club Malmo at the end of this year. And according to Ferhat Cifci, Hamad's agent and representative, the two parties are set to discuss a potential permanent transfer later today. "We will meet to talk with each other and find out how West Ham's offer looks," Cifci told Sport Bladet. "It is a good discussion to get into but nothing is certain until they have agreed terms with Malmo. Therefore, we will not discuss any personal terms. "If Jiloan continues to play like he did the last time, even bigger clubs than West Ham may become interested. We have plenty of time before the transfer window closes and a new one opens in January."
Hamad, who is primarily employed as a winger has less than six months remaining on the two-year contract he signed with MFF back in 2011 and is therefore allowed to speak to other clubs. Last season (2012) he scored six goals and contributed nine assists for Malmo in the Allsvenskan, whilst he was an unused substitute in Sweden's famous 4-2 win against England at the Friends Arena in November 2012. In this year's Allsvenskan (which runs from March 2013 to November 2013), Hamad has already scored five times whilst providing a further four assists from the wing.
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West Ham forced to withdraw new kit from general sale
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 11th August 2013
By: David Meagher
In a dramatic effort to stem the chaos that has followed the recent release of West Ham's gorgeous new home strip, the club have been forced to withdraw the kit from general sale and recall all items so far purchased in an effort to protect fans who have been exposed to 'a number of significant health and safety dangers'.
In the brief period since the strip was put on general release, a flood of dads and other middle-aged past-it losers have sustained serious back and other 'I think I've done myself a mischief' type- injuries whilst attempting all sorts of unfeasible footie acrobatics and similar antics trying to copy the skills of the incredible team of '86 on whose kit the new jersey is modelled.
While the spirit of '86 brings back memories of TC and God slamming in goals here, there and everywhere - while Alvin and the boys formed an almost impenetrable fortress in front of Phil Parkes' goal – the mid-eighties also reminds them of a time when many were still players on the disco dance floors. Reports have been flooding in of Hammers fans engaging in provocative hip thrusting and other 'tasty' dance moves whilst adorned in the new kit.
In related developments, West Ham Supporters Wives Support Network (WHSWSN) have reported a massive increase in 'wearing footie jerseys to bed' offences and are said to be preparing to lodge a formal complaint to Messrs Sullivan and Gold. These difficulties are somewhat ironic given that Mr Gold's Ann Summers products have been saving tired marriages for years with their lingerie ranges that are especially designed for the curvaceous mature woman.
Dr Adrian Shagbottom, Consultant Lead in Accident and Emergency Medicine at Basildon University Hospital has revealed how their casualty has been filled to the gills with a variety of foolish orthopaedic injuries sustained whilst wearing these new jerseys. In one particularly tragic case, a man from Laindon managed to amputate his right foot whilst attempting a Ray 'Tonka' Stewart-type tackle on the family lawnmower.
As if these tragic developments were not enough to warrant a total recall of the new attire, it has also emerged that other Hammers fans have sustained severe psychological trauma whilst wearing the new top in public places. The jersey is so attractive that it has proven irresistible to the predatory females who stalk the 21st century. Arthur Winkleweird, a fork lift driver from Pitsea, developed severe tinnitus as a result of persistent wolf whistling after attempting to do the weekly grocery shopping adorned in the kit.
Other fans have made the mistake of wearing the kit out socially and had their niteclub experiences ruined by sexual intimidation from steamed-up disco-babes. One such victim, Bob Wigglewand explained "the harassment from females was so intense that I couldn't focus on the music or even enjoy my glass of lager shandy – it ruined my night completely".
Vulnerable.
Top psychobabbleologists have warned about the particularly dangerous combination of the new jersey with Frank McAvennie-style blond highlights which it is feared could result in serious crush injuries caused by a stampede of admirers trying to fondle and caress unsuspecting Hammers fans who have been labelled by top doctors as "Dangerously shagtastic".
The strip recall will remind footie fans of similar kit disasters in the past, especially the amusing Man United 'grey' kit that was immediately withdrawn after a humiliating defeat during it first airing against Southampton in the 1990s. Blaming the colour of their away strip was just one of many excuses the wily Alex Ferguson used to try and conceal the fact that Paul 'Guvnor' Ince was no longer up to it in midfield.
Similarly, Republic of Ireland fans will feel the sting of old wounds relating to their Fluorescent orange strip disaster against Macedonia from the same period. Jason McAteer recently revealed that the real reason he launched an indiscriminate kung-fu style kick at one of the unsuspecting Macedonian's was to stop them laughing at the offensively garish Irish kit. Both of these jerseys are now much sought after collector's items, offering some hope that the two-Davids might recoup some of their outlay on the new apparel.
Meanwhile, as Hammers fans wander the streets of Europe in the sensational near gear, Dr Max Intertrigo, chief physician at one of London City's biggest STD clinics, has warned Hammer's fans to be careful how they use the new strip, especially around hunk-hungry soccer babes. In a carefully prepared statement sources close to the FA moved to calm the frenzy "While we support the use of football for personal enjoyment and in moderate quantities, we do not condone excessive use of football as a means of self-expression and cannot recommend that users engage in abuse of football (or its equipment) to promote social intercourse".
Sad and boring Arsenal and Man United fans who invest their whole identities in the success of their preferred football teams are likely to find these new guidelines devastatingly life changing. Thankfully for Gooner's fans, the club have taken a lead by releasing a new away kit that is so hilarious that it is unlikely to ever be seen in public.
For the club this this latest debacle emphasises the many challenges of managing a precious commodity like a football club that is massively steeped in tradition, including the serious dangers of releasing kits that are "simply too cool".
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham scouts spotted at Ligue 1 clash
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 11th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United were one of six clubs to send representatives to watch last night's meeting between Bordeaux and Monaco, according to les Girondins. The French club took the unusual step of announcing the names of the (known) club's represented by scouts at last night's Ligue 1 clash, which the visitors won 2-0 courtesy of late goals from Emmanuel Rivière and new signing Radamel Falcao. The most likely target for West Ham's representatives was Bordeaux's 26-year-old central defender/defensive midfielder Ludovic Sane, who has been linked with a move to east London all summer. The two teams lined up as follows:
Bordeaux: Carasso; Mariano, Planus, Sane, Poundjé; Plasil (c), N'Guemo, Obraniak, Poko; Maurice-Belay, Saivet.
Monaco: Subasic; Fabinho, Carvalho, Abidal (c); Obbadi, Toulalan, Ocampos, Rodriguez, Ferreira-Carrasco; Kurzawa, Falcao.
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Defoe: What Are We Waiting For?
By Iain Dale About 11 hours ago 167 comments
West Ham Till I Die
According to the Mail on Sunday, Tottenham are offering Jermain Defoe to QPR for £6 million. Defoe is a goal machine. Well, Sam? What are you waiting for?
If I had £6 million to spend, I know who I'd spent it on. And his name isn't Stewart Downing.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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