On this day - 28 June
WHUFC.com
Two former West Ham United players were born on this date in years gone by
28.06.2014
Anniversary (1)
Arthur Banner
Born: 28 June 1918, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Clubs: Doncaster Rovers, West Ham United, Leyton Orient, Sittingbourne
A strong Yorkshire-born full-back, Arthur Banner (pictured) started his
career with Doncaster Rovers before joining West Ham United in 1938.
However, the outbreak of World War Two restricted him to just one Division
Two appearance prior to hostilities breaking out - a 2-0 win at Southampton
on 22 April 1939.
Banner played 14 times for the Hammers during the war, spending much of his
time serving in the Essex Regiment and the Royal Artillery and rising to the
rank of sergeant. After returning to Division Two duty in the third match of
the 1946/47 season at home to Leicester City, Banner would go on to make a
total of 27 senior appearances for the Hammers before departing for Leyton
Orient in 1948. He later became player-manager of Sittingbourne and coached
Ilford to the FA Amateur Cup final in 1958. Banner passed away in Thorpe
Bay, Essex, at the age of 61 in April 1980.
Anniversary (2)
Stan Johns
Born: 28 June 1924, Liverpool, England
Clubs: South Liverpool, West Ham United
Signed on 17 August 1950, 26-year-old forward Stan Johns had attracted the
attention of Merseyside giants Liverpool and Everton before opting to join
West Ham United. The striker made a fine start to his Hammers career,
scoring on his debut in a 2-1 Division Two defeat by Cardiff City at Ninian
Park on 4 September 1950. Johns found the net on his second appearance, too,
in a 3-1 defeat at Blackburn Rovers five days later. That would be as good
as it got, however, as Johns would fail to score in four subsequent matches.
Very little is known about where Johns played after West am, but he passed
away in 1985.
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West Ham on the Ponce?
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 27th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are being linked with a move for Newell's Old Boys teenage striker
Ezequiel Ponce. It has been claimed by Argentine sources that the
17-year-old - nicknamed 'Tank' - is the target of a local investment group
who are seeking to purchase 50 per cent of the player's rights. Further, it
is reported that the group intend to 'park' Ponce at West Ham - an almost
identical situation that led to a world record fine for the club in 2008
after they were found to have flouted league rules regarding third-party
influence with regard to the Tevez & Mascherano transfers. Argentinian daily
La Capita wrote: "There is an intention to pay around $4million dollars for
fifty per cent of the [player's] rights. In addition, a club in England was
also mentioned as a destination: West Ham United."
Born in 1997, Ponce made his first team debut for Newell's at the age of 16
making him the youngest player ever to feature in the Argentinian top
flight. He made 20 appearances in total for the Old Boys last season,
scoring four goals.
And in other transfer news...
* Further to our story yesterday about West Ham's apparent interest in
Emanuel Insua, the M*rror claim today that West Ham have made a £5million
bid for the uncapped full back. Insua, the brother of former Liverpool
defender Emiliano currently plies his trade with Boca Juniors in the
Argentine Primera División. Boca President Daniel Angelici said: "The West
Ham proposal is very good for the player and the club, so it becomes
difficult to keep him."
* West Ham are once again being linked with a move for former Chelsea star
Salomon Kalou. Currently playing in Ligue 1 (and the World Cup Finals),
Kalou is also said to be interesting Roma, Arsenal and Turkish side Besiktas
but will be seeking a similar wage to that the 28-year-old currently earns
at Lille.
* Bosnian defender Muhamed Besic is being linked with a move to the Premier
League with West Ham said to be one of those interested. The 21-year-old,
who featured in all three of his country's World Cup FInals group matches
currently plays for Hungarian side Ferencvaros; Cardiff City are also
reported to be monitoring the situation.
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HAMMERS ADD SIXTH LEFT BACK TO THE LIST
By Sean Whetstone 27 Jun 2014 at 12:02
West Ham Till I Die
West Ham United are in talks with yet another left back over a possible
transfer.
The Boca Juniors defender Emanuel Insua is the sixth left back target in our
sights as we make the position a priority to fill during the summer. The
23-year-old South American left-back is the younger brother of former
Liverpool defender Emiliano Insua, West Ham also have interest in Nice's
Timothee Kolodziejczak, Fiorentina's Marcos Alonso, Lorient's Raphael
Guerreiro, Milan's Urby Emanuelson and Norwich City's Martin Olssen.
Emanuel came through the Boca Juniors youth academy before breaking into the
first team in 2012 whom he has made 26 senior appearances scoring one goal.
Boca Juniors play in the Argentine Primera División.During the 2012/13
season, he was sent out on loan to Godoy Cruz Antonio Tomba for whom he made
33 appearances scoring one goal.
The deal is not as close as some tabloids are suggesting as the search for
the left back goes on while talks are ongoing.
Meanwhile talks are also ongoing with Prince Oniangue for a possible £2
million move to West Ham for the Reims defensive midfielder. I did an
article about him a couple of weeks ago when we were first linked
www.westhamtillidie.com/posts/2014/06/12/transfer-target-by-royal-appointmen
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West Ham close to transfer of Emanuel Insua from Boca Juniors
Jun 26, 2014 23:14 By Ed Malyon
Left-back set to be Hammers' third signing of the summer after Zarate and
Kouyate is Liverpool old boy Emiliano's younger brother
The Mirror
West Ham United are in talks to sign Boca Juniors defender Emanuel Insua on
a four-year deal. The 23-year-old left-back has agreed personal terms with
the Hammers, and provided the two clubs can reach a final agreement on the
fee and a payment schedule, the East Londoners could confirm the deal within
the next few days. Insua, the younger brother of Liverpool flop Emiliano,
would become the second Argentine signed by the Irons' boss Sam Allardyce
this summer after the arrival of Velez Sarsfield forward Mauro Zarate.
Allardyce is under pressure to improve the playing style at Upton Park after
a disappointing campaign. The Hammers have also signed Senegalese midfielder
Cheikhou Kouyate for a fee in the region of £7million.
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Alonso may be reason for Henry's gardening leave
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 27, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Marcos Alonso looks booked for a move to Sunderland and thus the Black Cats
decision to put the Irons recruitment head in waiting, Tony Henry, on
'gardening leave' becomes clear! Stadium of Light boss Gus Poyet has been
reported in Spanish sports paper Marca as saying: "I'm there with
'Marquitos' Alonso, I already had him for six months. We are doing
everything possible so that Fiorentina give him to us." Quite clearly,
Sunderland's departed chief scout Henry would have been heavily involved in
attempting to make the deal, and others, happen and it's entirely possible
he was working on the deal before we made our job offer to him. Having
resigned from Sunderland, had he arrived at Upton Park, he would have been
totally aware of every spit and cough involved in the Alonso deal, price,
personal terms – the lot! He would also have known that Modibo Diakite made
nine appearances for Fiorentina during a loan spell last season. Sunderland
are now expected to make a cash plus player offer for Alonso in the coming
days with Diakite going the other way – more details of which Henry would
almost certainly have had in his possession. 'Gardening leave ' is an option
used by companies to ensure departing employees can't used confidential
information – it's more than likely it has cost us the services of a very
good left back!
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West Ham target Portugal Under-21 starlet
By talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) | Friday, June 27, 2014
West Ham could switch their attentions to Lorient full-back Raphael
Guerreiro if a deal to sign Boca Juniors defender Emanuel Insua fails to
materialise.
Sam Allardyce is keen to sign another left back after he allowed George
McCartney and Pablo Armero to leave the east London club during the summer.
The West Ham boss has been strongly linked with a move for Argentine
defender Insua and reports suggested that a move could be finalised in the
next 24 hours. But the club are keeping their options open and have also
been linked with a move for Guerreiro who was one of the star performers for
Lorient in the French League last season. Liverpool were also targeting the
Portugal Under-21 international who is rated one of the best young defenders
in France.
Allardyce has stated this week that he hopes to sign five more players
before the end of August and would ideally like to sign another left back
before the team return for the start of pre-season training next week.
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Hammers press on with talks
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 27, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are still talking to Reims midfielder Prince Oniangue but continue
to insist they will take their time coming to a decision on the £2 million
midfielder.
The player has been a possible target for some weeks but is seen as one with
"raw talent" who would be a "big gamble." And that may not be the ideal
scenario as the club continue the hunt for a couple of strikers and left
back. ClaretandHugh was told: "The player is talking to the co chairman but
no hasty decisions will be made." With the club having sufficient finds to
cover four more players, theclub remains ultra careful after the likes of
Modibo Maiga and Alou Diarra, fail and simply refuse to take expensive
risks. A source said: "The player definitely has talent but no deal will be
done unless the club can get real value for money. "Nothing has changed.
It's all about doing a deal cheap enough to perhaps take the gamble."
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Hammers react to defender rumours
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 27, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham have today dismissed reports that Boca Juniors left back Emanuel
Insua is about to join the club. Reports have broken over the last 48 hours
that the club are close to signing the 23 year old. But sources inside the
Boleyn told ClaretandHugh that whilst there has been some interest, the
player is not a major target. And he repeated that talks were continuing
with four other left backs as the club look to solve their problem position.
ClaretandHugh understands these to be Lorient's Raphael Guerreiro, Milan's
Urby Emanuelson and Norwich City's Martin Olssen along with prime target
Nice's Timothee Kolodziejczak.
The Insua story first broke with some media reports claiming that we were
looking to acquire all economic rights to the player and that Boca had made
him a counter offer as a result. But our source said: "There is some
interest but we have a lot of negotiations going on in that position."
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Michu? It should have been Hammer Bony
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 27, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Try as I may to shake the feeling, I'm still haunted by last summer and
particularly Wilfried Bony. This mood has fallen with the speculation that
there have been talks between ourselves and Swansea City over Michu – who on
last season's form and injury problems looks a risk too far. Bony, wasn't,
and has gone on to prove, that he was possibly the buy of last summer and a
player on whom we had closed a deal at around £8 million He now has a £19
million buy-out clause in his contract and if we are to believe recent
reports, virtually every top club is looking at him with bidding likely to
start at around £22 million. In his first City season he managed 16 goals in
34 games which compares with two from 16 for Andy Carroll who cost twice as
much as the Ivory Coast hitman.
It would be very easy to start a blast against those involved in deciding
that the deal shouldn't have be done but we've been there a million times
and a new rant is pointless. It would also be unfair to Carroll who is now
best judged at the end of this season. However, and although it's easy to be
wise after event, to me, Bony at around £8 million was an absolute 'steal' –
a deal that should have been done pronto. It's not giving very much away to
explain that there are many inside the club who feel the same way and that
this was just one reason why the board are now taking a much closer
involvement in the transfer market. Sam Allardyce made it clear at the
beginning of the summer that he wanted two more strikers in the squad – one
has arrived in Mauro Zarate, the second is still being hunted. And it's fair
to say that if we fail to find another who can score goals at Premier League
level it will be entirely justifiable to question our scouting abilities in
this area of operation. Having failed miserably with Modibo Maiga, failed to
clinch a deal for Bony, and seen AC struggle with injury there's enormous
pressure on the manager to identify the right front man. The board will know
too that they need to close the right deal at the right price. A goalscorer
who can cover for, or play with Andy Carroll, will undoubtedly be the key
signing of the summer – such a shame it wasn't Wilfried Bony!
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West Ham hold talks with Boca Juniors left-back Emanuel Insua... and stay
keen on Timothee Kolodziejczak and Marcos Alonso
West Ham looking to bring 23-year-old Emanuel Insua to Upton Park on
four-year deal ahead of next Premier League season
By SIMON JONES
PUBLISHED: 02:08, 27 June 2014 | UPDATED: 02:08, 27 June 2014
Daily Mail
West Ham United are in talks over a possible deal for Boca Juniors defender
Emanuel Insua. The 23-year-old left-back, the younger brother of
ex-Liverpool defender Emiliano, has discussed terms with a four year deal
proposed. West Ham also have interest in Nice left-back Timothee
Kolodziejczak and Fiorentina's Marcos Alonso. Alonso is no stranger to the
Premier League, having spent time on loan at the Stadium of Light with
Sunderland last year. The 23-year-old may be keen on the move instead of
returning to Italian outfit Fiorentina, who are yet to put their faith in
the left-back in Serie A. It is understood Insua has agreed personal terms
with the Hammers. It now boils down to whether the two clubs can reach an
agreement over the next few days. He would become Sam Allardyce's second
Argentinian signing of the summer after Velez Sarsfield forward Mauro Zarate
arrived. Allardyce, under the gun to up the style of play at West Ham, is
trying to do just that and brought Senegalese midfielder Chiekhou Kouyate to
Upton Park for £7million in a bid to add flair to his squad.
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Saturday, June 28
Friday, June 27
Daily WHUFC News - 27th June 2014
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WHUFC.com
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Deano excited by Teddy role
Dean Ashton believes West Ham United's forwards will learn a lot from
attacking coach Teddy Sheringham
26.06.2014
Teddy Sheringham is the perfect man to teach West Ham United's forwards how
to open Barclays Premier League defences. That is the view of former Hammers
striker Dean Ashton, who played and trained alongside Sheringham on numerous
occasions during the pair's time at the Boleyn Ground. With the 48-year-old
returning to east London as an attacking coach in July, Ashton is excited
about the prospect of the one-time Manchester United and England star
working with the likes of Andy Carroll, Carlton Cole and new boy Mauro
Zarate. "Teddy was here when I first joined West Ham and I learned a huge
amount from him," said Ashton, who joined forces with Sheringham to fire the
Hammers to the 2006 FA Cup final. "He brought on my game a hell of a lot and
I'm sure he will do the same with the likes of Andy Carroll with the
experience he's got. "Not too many players have played as many games and
scored the goals he has done in the Premier League. He will admit that he
never had a huge amount of pace, but the way he read the game and got
himself into position when crosses came in was superb. That's what I learned
from him - where to move when the ball was in certain areas and how to make
the most of myself. "I didn't have a lot of pace myself, but I was then able
to make the most of opportunities that I learned from Teddy."
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KUMB.com
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Transfer latest
Filed: Thursday, 26th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Reports from South America claim West Ham have made enquiries into the
availability of Boca Juniors full back Emanuel Insua.
The 23-year-old, left sided defender is yet to feature for the Argentine
national team but is said to have been the subject of at least one firm
offer by West Ham, which was rejected by Xeneizes. Torino are also said to
be monitoring Insua's situation closely.
* Ross McCormack, a Hammers target since the last transfer window will not
be leaving Leeds according to new manager David Hockaday. The Whites new
boss, who was plucked out of relative obscurity (aka Forest Green Rovers) to
land the Championship job has indicated that he wants to retain the services
of the striker. "Ross is a Leeds United player who signed a four-year deal
and has put it out that he is really happy here," he said. "I'm looking
forward to coaching Ross and working with him."
* Jefferson Montero, who has recently been linked with a move to West Ham
has announced he will be leaving current club Monarcas Morelia after
receiving an offer from an unnamed European club. "It's certain that I'll
leave the league. We expect to sort it out within the next few days," he
told ESPN Deportes. "I already have an offer, the club are handling it. I
can tell you that it won't be in Mexico; it will be Europe."
* Antonio Nocerino, the Italian midfielder who spent the latter half of the
2013/14 campaign on loan at West Ham could be set to join Serie A club
Torino. Noce, who has less than 12 months of his current deal with Milan
remaining has been offered a four-year contract by Gli Azzurri and may move
before the new campaign begins.
* Sources in Europe claim that West Ham have made a firm 3million offer for
Nice's Timothy 'Kolo' Kolodziejczak. The 22-year-old, like Emanuel Insua,
plays on the left side of defence and has represented France at all levels
from Under 16 to Under 20.
* Roger Johnson will not be re-joining West Ham according to Jack Sullivan,
son of co-owner David. "Rumours of signing Johnson not true!," he tweeted.
"Even thought he is a lovely man and we wish him all the best! I know he
will do a great job somewhere." Johnson has privately revealed at the
weekend how he hoped to negotiate a new contract at West Ham following
preliminary discussions between the two parties.
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Junior's a go-go
Filed: Thursday, 26th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Junior Stanislas' return to the Premier League has been postponed after the
former Hammers winger parted company with newly-promoted Burnley.
24-year-old Stanislas, a product of Tony Carr's Chadwell Heath Academy left
the Clarets today after failing to agree terms on a new contract following
the expiration of the three-year deal he signed when moving to Burnley from
West Ham in 2011. News of his departure was confirmed by the Premier League
newcomers this afternoon. A disappointed Stanislas said: "After careful
deliberation I have decided to turn down the offer of a contract extension
with Burnley Football Club and move on to pastures new. "I would like to
thank the Burnley fans for their support over the three years and I wish my
team mates, the fans and all the staff every success for the coming season
in the Premier League."
Born in Kidbrooke, Stanislas joined West Ham at the age of 10 and stayed at
the club for the next decade before a lack of first team opportunities
forced him to look for a new club. Having made his debut under Alan
Curbishley, Stanislas made 47 first team appearances during his spell with
the Hammers, scoring eight goals - the most notable being his 87th-minute
equaliser against Millwall back in August 2009 when he scored a brace in the
Hammers' 3-1 extra time win.
* Hayden Mullins, who made 217 appearances for West Ham between 2003 and
2009 has been named as the new club captain of League One club Notts County.
Mullins, 35, replaces Alan Sheehan, now at Bradford, as captain of the club
he joined on a permanent basis last month.
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Dirty Suarez to miss Boleyn trip
Filed: Thursday, 26th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Premier League runners-up Liverpool with have to do without Luis Suarez when
they visit the Boleyn Ground on September 20. Following the World Cup biting
incident - in which Suarez was captured on TV sinking his teeth into the
shoulder of Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini - the Uruguayan international
has been banned from all football for four months. That means Suarez will
miss Liverpool's first nine games of the Premier League season, including
the trip to the Boleyn Ground on September 20th - West Ham's fifth game of
the 2014/15 season. The 27-year-old featured in the last encounter between
the two teams back in April, when Liverpool snatched a 2-1 win at the
Boleyn. During that match Suarez won a penalty for Liverpool by
deliberately kicking the ball at James Tomkins' hand, fell to the floor
theatrically on a number of occasions following minimum contact and then had
the audacity to ask the referee to book an opponent
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New deal for teenage prodigy
Filed: Thursday, 26th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham have confirmed that teenage defender Josh Pask has signed a new
deal with the club. Pask, a 16-year-old defender was the subject of interest
from a number of top flight clubs, including Arsenal, but chose instead to
remain with the Hammers whom he first joined at the age of eight. Academy
Director Tony Carr told whufc.com: "We are delighted that he has stayed
loyal to his local club. Many top clubs, including Champions League clubs,
were chasing Josh, so we were delighted to fight them off for his signature.
"He is a centre-back who is very tall and lean, quick over the ground and
good on the ball and in the air. He has a great attitude and goes about his
game in a quiet but effective way. We look forward greatly to working with
him and moving him up to the Under-21s as soon as possible."
A local lad hailing from Manor Park, Pask has already represented the Under
18s on ten occasions (starting in eight of those) and will begin life as a
full-time scholar when Chadwell Heath re-opens for pre-season training next
week.
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West Ham Till I Die
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THE LIFE OF A WEST HAM SCHOLAR
By Sean Whetstone 26 Jun 2014 at 13:19
Tony Carr was recently Interviewed by West Ham TV for about the life of a
new West Ham scholar.
"The new intake of scholars for next season starting in July begins with an
induction evening including the signing of their scholarship contracts, the
parents come with the young players. We paint the picture of what the next
two years will be about, what we expect, where we draw the line. It's their
introduction to full time football, a lot different to being at school and
just coming to train, It's a big step for these boys and it is the start of
hopefully a very long career but as we know it's full of pitfalls and all
sorts so they go in with their eyes wide open and hopefully at the end of it
in four or five years times there is one of these boys turning out for us at
the Olympic Stadium for the first team."
"We have had a day release programme during their under 16 and under 15
school years where they come out for a couple of days per week and train
like the scholars would train on a day time basis rather than just the
evenings. It prepares them a little, it like a mini scholarship for the last
couple of years but there is nothing like full time training, it's now your
job, it's now your employment. It's about being on-time, disciplines that go
with that, training every day and the demands of that, the standards that
are set so for some of them it takes a while to get used to, some hit the
ground running then hit a brick wall in October but that's part and parcel
of starting that process so hopefully we won't have too many problems this
year."
"Obviously they are going to be with us every day now, 24 × 7 in effect,
they will play Saturday and sometimes Sundays and may have to come to watch
the first team. All those things are expected of them so there no exact
routine, they have got to be prepared to be adaptable and adjust to that but
I think the most important thing they have to adjust to and the most
difficult thing to adjust to is training every day and the demands of that
training session with terms of the standard and the level you would expect
every day.Physically it pushes them to the limits, physiologically he tests
them and makes demands of them looking them constantly to improve, we've got
two years to turn them into young professionals so they is no time like the
present so every day is a challenge to them."
"Education is part of the scholarship system, we have got our own class
rooms now and we do teach in house, they will have a class room session
every day which will run from 8.30am to 10am every day, at 10 o'clock they
come into the changing rooms, get changed and go out for training for
10.30am. It's full on every day and physically, technically and mentality we
going to ask a lot of them and also they have to keep one eye on their
education in case the worst happens."
"Some find it hard to make the next level, some relish it and push on very
quickly but at this stage we just don't know so we give them all a chance,
give them all an opportunity and hopefully they will grab that opportunity
with both hands. Football and education can go hand in glove, Robert Clack
School who we have a partnership with in Dagenham is run Sir Paul Grant, a
famous headmaster, we have a great relationship and it's working very, very
well."
"They are starting work now, they are starting employment now and although
it is not a lot of money it's only apprenticeship wages they are getting
paid for it. They have to be on-time , they have to do it right, the
discipline goes with going to work every day, same if you worked in Marks
and Spencers , if you are late every day you won't last very long!"
Earlier this week WHUFC.com confirmed one of these scholars is 16 year old
promising defender Josh Pask.
The youngster has chosen to continue his development at the Academy of
Football after rejecting interest from Arsenal and several other leading
clubs.
Tony Carr MBE said:
"Many top clubs, including Champions League clubs, were chasing Josh, so we
were delighted to fight them off for his signature. Josh spent most of last
season with the Under-18s and quickly proved himself as a 16-year-old. We
now look forward to developing him over the next few seasons and hope he
will be a first-team player for West Ham in the not too distant future. Josh
has been with us since he was eight and is from Manor Park, so he is a local
boy and we are delighted that he has stayed loyal to his local Club, He is a
centre-back who is very tall and lean, quick over the ground and good on the
ball and in the air. He has a great attitude and goes about his game in a
quiet but effective way. We look forward greatly to working with him and
moving him up to the Under-21s as soon as possible."
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SAM'S SHOPPING LIST
By Sean Whetstone 26 Jun 2014 at 08:22
Sam Allardyce speaking to West Ham TV this week about transfers has said:
"Our main focus is on the outfield players at the moment, recruiting the
best players we can possibly find and hopefully we can clinch as many as we
can as quick as we can We've made many bids out there and there are many
negotiations ongoing through David Sullivan and the recruitment office,
Martin Glover and myself and we are trying all we can and too clinch as many
players as we can of the right quality as quick as we can so it's an ongoing
process day by day and hopefully we will be successful in the near future.
We particularly into a left-back position of course, I think possibly find
another centre half that would be something we look at as well as we have
gone with three centre halves last two premier League seasons and found it
difficult around Christmas particularly this Christmas when all three of our
centre halves got injured so I think one more there, midfield obviously
another area and then at least two more for the front line I think so that
gives us a nice healthy squad for strength and depth and hopefully the new
players will come in to make a big impact .We know we are short of goals and
finding goal scorers is a difficult part of our recruitment policy because
generally they are the most expensive but obviously Zarate had a very good
year in Argentina and I spoke to Jose who was rest of the world manager [In
Soccer Aid 2014] and he said when he was in Italy this guy played
very, very well in the year he was there so hopefully he can produce that
form for us when he comes to West Ham"
Update: I understand this interview was done in the run up to Soccer Aid so
slightly out of date now despite being recently released on West Ham TV, a
source close to the club revealed this morning that the Interview with Sam
was made before Kouyate was signed so the comments about another centre half
are no longer relevant because Kouyate can play in the centre back position.
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Claret & Hugh
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Irons react to Montero speculation
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 26, 2014 in Whispers
West Ham have today denied any interest in Ecuador winger Jefferson Montero
who claims to have received an offer from a European club. The 24-year-old
has been linked with the Irons along with Arsenal and Swansea in recent
weeks and says he expects to leave Mexican side Monarcas Morelia this
summer.
But as far as ClaretandHugh can ascertain he will not be on his way to the
Boleyn after a source told us: "We do not hold an interest in the player."
Montero said: "I already have an offer, the club are handling it. Let's see
where I'll go but for now I have some days off." He added: "I can tell you
that it won't be Mexico. It will be Europe and thank God we are working on
it, I hope it works out." But asked directly whether the player was involved
in talks or likely to be a a second Irons source said simply: "No."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons wage kitty covers four more signings
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 26, 2014 in Whispers
West Ham have enough in the wages pot to cover four more signings! And they
are hoping they can find buyers or loan clubs for Modibo Maiga and Alou
Diarra as that would give them an opportunity to bring in a couple more.
Reims midfielder Prince Oninague is currently holding talks with David
Sullivan and Karen Brady although as explained elsewhere on ClaretandHugh a
deal is in the balance as the manager and directors come to a decision on
the midfielder's abilities. They are working very closely on all deals and
we understand there is now agreement that in Cheikhou Kouyate they have
sufficient cover at central defence. A source explained to us: "There's just
enough left in the wages pot to cover four more players but it would really
help if the club could do something on the Modibo Maiga and Alou Diarra
fronts. "They are continuing to work on it and there's always the
possibility that clubs will come in for others of ours – it's still early
days in the transfer market."
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Hammers muse midfielder "gamble"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 26, 2014 in Whispers
Congolese international Prince Oniangue is heading for talks with Irons
co-owner David Sullivan as the club ponder a £2 million move for the Reims
defensive midfielder. The player has been on the Hammers' radar for some
weeks and the manager and chairman will run careful checks on him before any
final decision is made. The player scored eight goals from 20 games for his
club last season has made 14 international appearances for one goal. And
despite French website L'union claiming we have agreed a £2 million fee,
Claretandhugh was told this morning that "this is not a done deal." A well
placed and trusted source said: "The player is certainly going to have talks
with the co-chairman and he and the manager will then make up their minds.
"The player is still very raw and its a question of whether the bosses can
make the deal cheap enough to take the gamble."
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Young Jack kills Johnson speculation
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 26, 2014 in Whispers
Jack Sullivan has killed stone dead rumours that Roger Johnson is to get
another Upton Park deal. ClaretandHugh is too kind to declare where this one
started.
But it gained credence pretty quickly among the Hammers fans that the Wolves
loanee of last season was on his way back to the club permanently. The story
was assisted by manager Sam Allardyce's announcement that ideally he would
like another central defender despite the presence of Winston Reid, James
Tomkins and James Collins along with Cheikhou Kouyate who can cover at the
back. Young Jack was very quick to clear up the story yesterday when
tweeting emphatically: "Rumours of signing Johnson not true! Even thought he
is a lovely man and we wish him all the best! I know he will do a great job
somewhere
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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Deano excited by Teddy role
Dean Ashton believes West Ham United's forwards will learn a lot from
attacking coach Teddy Sheringham
26.06.2014
Teddy Sheringham is the perfect man to teach West Ham United's forwards how
to open Barclays Premier League defences. That is the view of former Hammers
striker Dean Ashton, who played and trained alongside Sheringham on numerous
occasions during the pair's time at the Boleyn Ground. With the 48-year-old
returning to east London as an attacking coach in July, Ashton is excited
about the prospect of the one-time Manchester United and England star
working with the likes of Andy Carroll, Carlton Cole and new boy Mauro
Zarate. "Teddy was here when I first joined West Ham and I learned a huge
amount from him," said Ashton, who joined forces with Sheringham to fire the
Hammers to the 2006 FA Cup final. "He brought on my game a hell of a lot and
I'm sure he will do the same with the likes of Andy Carroll with the
experience he's got. "Not too many players have played as many games and
scored the goals he has done in the Premier League. He will admit that he
never had a huge amount of pace, but the way he read the game and got
himself into position when crosses came in was superb. That's what I learned
from him - where to move when the ball was in certain areas and how to make
the most of myself. "I didn't have a lot of pace myself, but I was then able
to make the most of opportunities that I learned from Teddy."
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KUMB.com
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Transfer latest
Filed: Thursday, 26th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Reports from South America claim West Ham have made enquiries into the
availability of Boca Juniors full back Emanuel Insua.
The 23-year-old, left sided defender is yet to feature for the Argentine
national team but is said to have been the subject of at least one firm
offer by West Ham, which was rejected by Xeneizes. Torino are also said to
be monitoring Insua's situation closely.
* Ross McCormack, a Hammers target since the last transfer window will not
be leaving Leeds according to new manager David Hockaday. The Whites new
boss, who was plucked out of relative obscurity (aka Forest Green Rovers) to
land the Championship job has indicated that he wants to retain the services
of the striker. "Ross is a Leeds United player who signed a four-year deal
and has put it out that he is really happy here," he said. "I'm looking
forward to coaching Ross and working with him."
* Jefferson Montero, who has recently been linked with a move to West Ham
has announced he will be leaving current club Monarcas Morelia after
receiving an offer from an unnamed European club. "It's certain that I'll
leave the league. We expect to sort it out within the next few days," he
told ESPN Deportes. "I already have an offer, the club are handling it. I
can tell you that it won't be in Mexico; it will be Europe."
* Antonio Nocerino, the Italian midfielder who spent the latter half of the
2013/14 campaign on loan at West Ham could be set to join Serie A club
Torino. Noce, who has less than 12 months of his current deal with Milan
remaining has been offered a four-year contract by Gli Azzurri and may move
before the new campaign begins.
* Sources in Europe claim that West Ham have made a firm 3million offer for
Nice's Timothy 'Kolo' Kolodziejczak. The 22-year-old, like Emanuel Insua,
plays on the left side of defence and has represented France at all levels
from Under 16 to Under 20.
* Roger Johnson will not be re-joining West Ham according to Jack Sullivan,
son of co-owner David. "Rumours of signing Johnson not true!," he tweeted.
"Even thought he is a lovely man and we wish him all the best! I know he
will do a great job somewhere." Johnson has privately revealed at the
weekend how he hoped to negotiate a new contract at West Ham following
preliminary discussions between the two parties.
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Junior's a go-go
Filed: Thursday, 26th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Junior Stanislas' return to the Premier League has been postponed after the
former Hammers winger parted company with newly-promoted Burnley.
24-year-old Stanislas, a product of Tony Carr's Chadwell Heath Academy left
the Clarets today after failing to agree terms on a new contract following
the expiration of the three-year deal he signed when moving to Burnley from
West Ham in 2011. News of his departure was confirmed by the Premier League
newcomers this afternoon. A disappointed Stanislas said: "After careful
deliberation I have decided to turn down the offer of a contract extension
with Burnley Football Club and move on to pastures new. "I would like to
thank the Burnley fans for their support over the three years and I wish my
team mates, the fans and all the staff every success for the coming season
in the Premier League."
Born in Kidbrooke, Stanislas joined West Ham at the age of 10 and stayed at
the club for the next decade before a lack of first team opportunities
forced him to look for a new club. Having made his debut under Alan
Curbishley, Stanislas made 47 first team appearances during his spell with
the Hammers, scoring eight goals - the most notable being his 87th-minute
equaliser against Millwall back in August 2009 when he scored a brace in the
Hammers' 3-1 extra time win.
* Hayden Mullins, who made 217 appearances for West Ham between 2003 and
2009 has been named as the new club captain of League One club Notts County.
Mullins, 35, replaces Alan Sheehan, now at Bradford, as captain of the club
he joined on a permanent basis last month.
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Dirty Suarez to miss Boleyn trip
Filed: Thursday, 26th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Premier League runners-up Liverpool with have to do without Luis Suarez when
they visit the Boleyn Ground on September 20. Following the World Cup biting
incident - in which Suarez was captured on TV sinking his teeth into the
shoulder of Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini - the Uruguayan international
has been banned from all football for four months. That means Suarez will
miss Liverpool's first nine games of the Premier League season, including
the trip to the Boleyn Ground on September 20th - West Ham's fifth game of
the 2014/15 season. The 27-year-old featured in the last encounter between
the two teams back in April, when Liverpool snatched a 2-1 win at the
Boleyn. During that match Suarez won a penalty for Liverpool by
deliberately kicking the ball at James Tomkins' hand, fell to the floor
theatrically on a number of occasions following minimum contact and then had
the audacity to ask the referee to book an opponent
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New deal for teenage prodigy
Filed: Thursday, 26th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham have confirmed that teenage defender Josh Pask has signed a new
deal with the club. Pask, a 16-year-old defender was the subject of interest
from a number of top flight clubs, including Arsenal, but chose instead to
remain with the Hammers whom he first joined at the age of eight. Academy
Director Tony Carr told whufc.com: "We are delighted that he has stayed
loyal to his local club. Many top clubs, including Champions League clubs,
were chasing Josh, so we were delighted to fight them off for his signature.
"He is a centre-back who is very tall and lean, quick over the ground and
good on the ball and in the air. He has a great attitude and goes about his
game in a quiet but effective way. We look forward greatly to working with
him and moving him up to the Under-21s as soon as possible."
A local lad hailing from Manor Park, Pask has already represented the Under
18s on ten occasions (starting in eight of those) and will begin life as a
full-time scholar when Chadwell Heath re-opens for pre-season training next
week.
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West Ham Till I Die
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THE LIFE OF A WEST HAM SCHOLAR
By Sean Whetstone 26 Jun 2014 at 13:19
Tony Carr was recently Interviewed by West Ham TV for about the life of a
new West Ham scholar.
"The new intake of scholars for next season starting in July begins with an
induction evening including the signing of their scholarship contracts, the
parents come with the young players. We paint the picture of what the next
two years will be about, what we expect, where we draw the line. It's their
introduction to full time football, a lot different to being at school and
just coming to train, It's a big step for these boys and it is the start of
hopefully a very long career but as we know it's full of pitfalls and all
sorts so they go in with their eyes wide open and hopefully at the end of it
in four or five years times there is one of these boys turning out for us at
the Olympic Stadium for the first team."
"We have had a day release programme during their under 16 and under 15
school years where they come out for a couple of days per week and train
like the scholars would train on a day time basis rather than just the
evenings. It prepares them a little, it like a mini scholarship for the last
couple of years but there is nothing like full time training, it's now your
job, it's now your employment. It's about being on-time, disciplines that go
with that, training every day and the demands of that, the standards that
are set so for some of them it takes a while to get used to, some hit the
ground running then hit a brick wall in October but that's part and parcel
of starting that process so hopefully we won't have too many problems this
year."
"Obviously they are going to be with us every day now, 24 × 7 in effect,
they will play Saturday and sometimes Sundays and may have to come to watch
the first team. All those things are expected of them so there no exact
routine, they have got to be prepared to be adaptable and adjust to that but
I think the most important thing they have to adjust to and the most
difficult thing to adjust to is training every day and the demands of that
training session with terms of the standard and the level you would expect
every day.Physically it pushes them to the limits, physiologically he tests
them and makes demands of them looking them constantly to improve, we've got
two years to turn them into young professionals so they is no time like the
present so every day is a challenge to them."
"Education is part of the scholarship system, we have got our own class
rooms now and we do teach in house, they will have a class room session
every day which will run from 8.30am to 10am every day, at 10 o'clock they
come into the changing rooms, get changed and go out for training for
10.30am. It's full on every day and physically, technically and mentality we
going to ask a lot of them and also they have to keep one eye on their
education in case the worst happens."
"Some find it hard to make the next level, some relish it and push on very
quickly but at this stage we just don't know so we give them all a chance,
give them all an opportunity and hopefully they will grab that opportunity
with both hands. Football and education can go hand in glove, Robert Clack
School who we have a partnership with in Dagenham is run Sir Paul Grant, a
famous headmaster, we have a great relationship and it's working very, very
well."
"They are starting work now, they are starting employment now and although
it is not a lot of money it's only apprenticeship wages they are getting
paid for it. They have to be on-time , they have to do it right, the
discipline goes with going to work every day, same if you worked in Marks
and Spencers , if you are late every day you won't last very long!"
Earlier this week WHUFC.com confirmed one of these scholars is 16 year old
promising defender Josh Pask.
The youngster has chosen to continue his development at the Academy of
Football after rejecting interest from Arsenal and several other leading
clubs.
Tony Carr MBE said:
"Many top clubs, including Champions League clubs, were chasing Josh, so we
were delighted to fight them off for his signature. Josh spent most of last
season with the Under-18s and quickly proved himself as a 16-year-old. We
now look forward to developing him over the next few seasons and hope he
will be a first-team player for West Ham in the not too distant future. Josh
has been with us since he was eight and is from Manor Park, so he is a local
boy and we are delighted that he has stayed loyal to his local Club, He is a
centre-back who is very tall and lean, quick over the ground and good on the
ball and in the air. He has a great attitude and goes about his game in a
quiet but effective way. We look forward greatly to working with him and
moving him up to the Under-21s as soon as possible."
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SAM'S SHOPPING LIST
By Sean Whetstone 26 Jun 2014 at 08:22
Sam Allardyce speaking to West Ham TV this week about transfers has said:
"Our main focus is on the outfield players at the moment, recruiting the
best players we can possibly find and hopefully we can clinch as many as we
can as quick as we can We've made many bids out there and there are many
negotiations ongoing through David Sullivan and the recruitment office,
Martin Glover and myself and we are trying all we can and too clinch as many
players as we can of the right quality as quick as we can so it's an ongoing
process day by day and hopefully we will be successful in the near future.
We particularly into a left-back position of course, I think possibly find
another centre half that would be something we look at as well as we have
gone with three centre halves last two premier League seasons and found it
difficult around Christmas particularly this Christmas when all three of our
centre halves got injured so I think one more there, midfield obviously
another area and then at least two more for the front line I think so that
gives us a nice healthy squad for strength and depth and hopefully the new
players will come in to make a big impact .We know we are short of goals and
finding goal scorers is a difficult part of our recruitment policy because
generally they are the most expensive but obviously Zarate had a very good
year in Argentina and I spoke to Jose who was rest of the world manager [In
Soccer Aid 2014] and he said when he was in Italy this guy played
very, very well in the year he was there so hopefully he can produce that
form for us when he comes to West Ham"
Update: I understand this interview was done in the run up to Soccer Aid so
slightly out of date now despite being recently released on West Ham TV, a
source close to the club revealed this morning that the Interview with Sam
was made before Kouyate was signed so the comments about another centre half
are no longer relevant because Kouyate can play in the centre back position.
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Claret & Hugh
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Irons react to Montero speculation
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 26, 2014 in Whispers
West Ham have today denied any interest in Ecuador winger Jefferson Montero
who claims to have received an offer from a European club. The 24-year-old
has been linked with the Irons along with Arsenal and Swansea in recent
weeks and says he expects to leave Mexican side Monarcas Morelia this
summer.
But as far as ClaretandHugh can ascertain he will not be on his way to the
Boleyn after a source told us: "We do not hold an interest in the player."
Montero said: "I already have an offer, the club are handling it. Let's see
where I'll go but for now I have some days off." He added: "I can tell you
that it won't be Mexico. It will be Europe and thank God we are working on
it, I hope it works out." But asked directly whether the player was involved
in talks or likely to be a a second Irons source said simply: "No."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons wage kitty covers four more signings
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 26, 2014 in Whispers
West Ham have enough in the wages pot to cover four more signings! And they
are hoping they can find buyers or loan clubs for Modibo Maiga and Alou
Diarra as that would give them an opportunity to bring in a couple more.
Reims midfielder Prince Oninague is currently holding talks with David
Sullivan and Karen Brady although as explained elsewhere on ClaretandHugh a
deal is in the balance as the manager and directors come to a decision on
the midfielder's abilities. They are working very closely on all deals and
we understand there is now agreement that in Cheikhou Kouyate they have
sufficient cover at central defence. A source explained to us: "There's just
enough left in the wages pot to cover four more players but it would really
help if the club could do something on the Modibo Maiga and Alou Diarra
fronts. "They are continuing to work on it and there's always the
possibility that clubs will come in for others of ours – it's still early
days in the transfer market."
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Hammers muse midfielder "gamble"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 26, 2014 in Whispers
Congolese international Prince Oniangue is heading for talks with Irons
co-owner David Sullivan as the club ponder a £2 million move for the Reims
defensive midfielder. The player has been on the Hammers' radar for some
weeks and the manager and chairman will run careful checks on him before any
final decision is made. The player scored eight goals from 20 games for his
club last season has made 14 international appearances for one goal. And
despite French website L'union claiming we have agreed a £2 million fee,
Claretandhugh was told this morning that "this is not a done deal." A well
placed and trusted source said: "The player is certainly going to have talks
with the co-chairman and he and the manager will then make up their minds.
"The player is still very raw and its a question of whether the bosses can
make the deal cheap enough to take the gamble."
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Young Jack kills Johnson speculation
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 26, 2014 in Whispers
Jack Sullivan has killed stone dead rumours that Roger Johnson is to get
another Upton Park deal. ClaretandHugh is too kind to declare where this one
started.
But it gained credence pretty quickly among the Hammers fans that the Wolves
loanee of last season was on his way back to the club permanently. The story
was assisted by manager Sam Allardyce's announcement that ideally he would
like another central defender despite the presence of Winston Reid, James
Tomkins and James Collins along with Cheikhou Kouyate who can cover at the
back. Young Jack was very quick to clear up the story yesterday when
tweeting emphatically: "Rumours of signing Johnson not true! Even thought he
is a lovely man and we wish him all the best! I know he will do a great job
somewhere
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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Daily WHUFC News - 26th June 2014
WHUFC.com
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'He's a true warrior'
Belgian football expert Bjorn de Cock believes Cheikhou Kouyate will prove a shrewd capture
25.06.2014
West Ham United have pulled off a major coup by signing Cheikhou Kouyate, according to Belgian football expert Bjorn de Cock. De Cock, the co-founder of Low Countries football website BeNeFoot.net, believes Kouyate could make a major impact for the Hammers after arriving from Belgian Jupiler League champions RSC Anderlecht. A tall, athletic and versatile performer, De Cock says the Senegal international will impress West Ham supporters with his defensive abilities, whether he plays as a centre-back or deep-lying midfielder. "In my opinion West Ham United did well giving Kouyate a chance," wrote De Cock. "Surrounded with some good players he will give the Premier League club a lot back. "He's a true warrior and never stops running. Once you think an opponent's player breaks through you'll see that Kouyate is capable of doing some unlikely things to stop him."
After moving to the Belgian capital from his native Dakar as a 16-year-old, Kouyate was signed by FC Brussels in January 2007, starting his career in European football as a defensive midfielder. The following year, he moved to Anderlecht before immediately being loaned out to KV Kortrijk, and he continued his development as a midfielder with both clubs over the next two seasons. In 2010/11, Kouyate moved back into a central defensive role for Anderlecht, remaining there until April 2014, when new manager Besnik Hasi played him as a midfielder throughout the Jupiler League Championship Play-Offs. Kouyate's form helped Anderlecht win seven of their ten Play-Off matches to win the title for the fourth straight season. "Kouyate's most special year must have been last season," De Cock confirmed. "During the regular competition, he played as a central defender and Anderlecht struggled a lot in the middle but, after [head coach] John van den Brom's sacking and Besnik Hasi's subsequent promotion he moved the Senegalese player to Anderlecht's midfield again. "Kouyate impressed a lot and gave more space to his very talented and young team mate Youri Tielemans. Anderlecht excelled in the Play-Offs and won the title after looking knocked out in the regular season [when they finished third]. "Anderlecht stood up again and that was mainly thanks to Cheikhou Kouyate's exceptionally high-quality performances as a defensive midfielder."
De Cock said Kouyate's challenge is now to take that same level of performance into the Barclays Premier League, where he will come up against some of the finest midfielders and attackers in world football. "The Belgian league is sometimes a bit underestimated but the Premier League is by far a much stronger league of course," he wrote. "Kouyate will be at his best in West Ham United's midfield but it will be important to surround him with some technically gifted midfielders. "He's a great defensive midfielder who will win a lot of duels, both in the air and on the ground, and he will recover a lot of balls for his team."
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Pask pledges Hammers future
WHUFC.com
Promising West Ham United defender Josh Pask has pledged his long-term future to the Club
25.06.2014
West Ham United are delighted to announce that promising defender Josh Pask has pledged his long-term future to the Club. The 16-year-old has chosen to continue his development at the Academy of Football after rejecting interest from Arsenal and several other leading clubs. Academy Director Tony Carr MBE said he and his coaching staff were looking forward to working with a player who joined West Ham at the age of eight. "We are obviously delighted that Josh has decided that his long-term future lies with West Ham United," said Carr. "Many top clubs, including Champions League clubs, were chasing Josh, so we were delighted to fight them off for his signature. "Josh spent most of last season with the Under-18s and quickly proved himself as a 16-year-old. We now look forward to developing him over the next few seasons and hope he will be a first-team player for West Ham in the not too distant future."
Pask, who will commence life as a full-time scholar when the U18s return to Little Heath for pre-season training next week, is a tall and composed centre-back.
As a schoolboy, the east London-born youngster played ten times for Steve Potts' youth team last season, impressing with his maturity, composure and all-round ability as West Ham reached the Barclays U18 Premier League Play-Off semi-finals. Having overseen the development of the likes of Rio Ferdinand, James Tomkins and Potts himself during his 40-year career within the Academy, Carr is relishing the opportunity to develop another potentially top-class defender. "Josh has been with us since he was eight and is from Manor Park, so he is a local boy and we are delighted that he has stayed loyal to his local Club," Carr explained. "He is a centre-back who is very tall and lean, quick over the ground and good on the ball and in the air. He has a great attitude and goes about his game in a quiet but effective way. "We look forward greatly to working with him and moving him up to the Under-21s as soon as possible."
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NZ tour set for worldwide audience
West Ham United's Football United Tour to New Zealand will be watched by football fans all over the world
24.06.2014
West Ham United's Football United Tour to New Zealand will be watched by football fans all over the world this July. While thousands of supporters will be on hand to witness the Hammers' fixtures with A-League duo Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC, millions more will be able to watch the matches live on television. More than 20 countries have snapped up TV rights for the tour, which will also see Barclays Premier League side Newcastle United in action against the A-League pair. UK and Ireland-based West Ham fans will be able to watch both matches live and exclusive on BT Sport. To purchase BT Sport now, please click here. The Hammers' meeting with Wellington Phoenix in Auckland will kick-off at 8.30am on Wednesday 23 July UK time (7.30pm local time), while the fixture with Sydney FC in Wellington will kick-off at 3am on Sunday 27 July UK time (2pm on Saturday 26 July local time). Elsewhere, supporters living in Australia, Canada, China, France, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Malaysia, Portugal, South Africa, Thailand and the United States will all be able to watch live coverage of the two mouth-watering fixtures, as will those residing across the Balkan Peninsula in South East Europe, Middle East and North Africa.
West Ham United Managing Director Angus Kinnear said the visit of two leading English clubs to New Zealand for the first time in 29 years had caught the imagination of football supporters everywhere. "The global TV demand for the Football United Tour has reinforced the breadth and scale of West Ham's international fan base," said Kinnear. "We are delighted that the passion for the competition is being shared so widely and know it will be an excellent showcase to attract new supporters and partners who are excited by the unique trajectory West Ham are following. "The games also represent a great opportunity for our new signings to give a taste of the impact they will make on the Barclays Premier League in the coming season."
Wellington Phoenix General Manager David Dome has been equally happy with the worldwide interest in the Football United Tour. "The Football United Tour will take New Zealand to the world with at least 20 countries signing up to see two Premier League teams play in New Zealand," said Dome. "The tour of these two famous old Clubs to the bottom of the South Pacific has caused quite a stir internationally. "There has been a lot of interest in how the A-League's Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC will fare against the Premier League's West Ham and Newcastle United in a part of the world primarily known for its natural beauty and rugby! "It's a fantastic opportunity to showcase the Wellington Phoenix, the cities and the country to many millions of people from around the world."
New Zealand-based supporters unable to attend the fixtures at Eden Park and Westpac Stadium will also be able to enjoy them live on SKY Arena pay-per-view television, priced at $24.99 per game and $39.95 for the Tour. Tickets for West Ham's two Football United Tour matches are available to buy here.
BUY YOUR FOOTBALL UNITED TOUR TICKETS I PACKAGES
Football United Tour
Wellington Phoenix v West Ham United
Wednesday 23 July 2014, 7.30pm (local time)
Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand
Sydney FC v West Ham United
Saturday 26 July 2014, 2pm (local time)
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand
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KUMB.com
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Hammers linked with 'the new Laudrup'
Filed: Wednesday, 25th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Reports emanating from Spain tonight suggest that West Ham are considering a move for Real Mallorca winger Marco Asensio. The 18-year-old broke through to the Los Bermellones first team last season - following what was described by the Spanish press as "remarkable progress" - having previously represented Spain at Under 17 and Under 18 level. Born in Mallorca, Asensio was monitored as a youth by both Barcelona and Real Madrid before opting to join his hometown club and was linked with both as recently as 15 months ago. Likened by some to former Danish international Michael Laudrup, he made his senior debut for Mallorca's B Team at the beginning of the 2013/14 season before being fast-tracked into the first team, for whom he made 20 appearances between October and May (scoring once). A cash-strapped Mallorca are said to be willing to part with one of their prize assets for as little as €2million, with West Ham reported to have made their interest known.
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Nothing wrong with a little bit of bite
Filed: Wednesday, 25th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Luis Suarez's attempts to take a chunk out of Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder have resulted in the world of football demanding a lengthy ban for the flawed Uruguayan. However our very own Football Association took a very different view of an identical incident eight years ago when Tottenham's Jermain Defoe assaulted West Ham midfielder Javier Mascherano during a Premier League encounter at White Hart Lane. With the two players sat on the floor following a robust challenge by the Argentinian midfielder, Defore inexplicably leaned over before biting the current Barcelona star in an identical place to the spot in which Suarez gnawed on Chiellini.
Yet as match referee Steve Bennett witnessed the incident and (bizarrely) booked Defoe for 'aggressive behaviour', the FA declared that they could take no further action. "Because the referee has already dealt with the incident, Fifa regulations prevent us from taking retrospective action," read a statement at the time.
Mascherano, who was with West Ham for just four months was understandably perplexed by the incident and the FA's response; speaking at the time, he said: "This whole incident was incredible. Never in my professional career have I witnessed action like this and I still don't understand why the referee has not shown a red card to Defoe. "When I arrived in England journalists questioned me about the hard nature of Argentinian football. But I've never received a bite there - and I never thought I would receive a bite in the Premiership. I had a face to face with Defoe in the game but football is a sport for men - not those who want to bite."
Defoe attempted to play down the incident at the time, telling the press that he was just being playful. "The referee was standing over me and if he felt I'd done something bad he would have sent me off," he said. "When the West Ham player fouled me, I reacted in a bit of a mischievous way - my character is a little like that at times."
However by the time Suarez was accused of biting an opponent for a SECOND time in April 2013, some seven years after the Defoe incident, the FA had finally got their act in order and subsequently banned the striker for 10 games following an episode with Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic. Current estimates suggest Liverpool striker Suarez could now be facing a ban of anywhere between 20 games and two years.
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Johnson misses Wolves return
Filed: Wednesday, 25th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Roger Johnson failed to return to pre-season training with current club Wolverhampton Wanderers today - fuelling talk of a possible return to West Ham. The League One club's first team squad returned to pre-season training this morning after a short break but Johnson, who spent the latter half of last season on loan at the Boleyn Ground, was conspicuous by his absence. It was revealed here on KUMB earlier this week how Johnson was in talks with West Ham over a permanent transfer - a move that the player himself told a source hinged upon Wolves' determination to request a transfer fee. The defender made six appearances for West Ham but as reported on KUMB, has refused to return to Wolves until his situation is resolved. Johnson was one of two players who refused to return to Wanderers for pre-season today - the other being Stephen Ward, who is hoping to push through a move to Brighton & Hove Albion.
As with Johnson and West Ham, Wolves are refusing to sanction the transfer unless they receive a "six figure" fee.
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Teddy Revs up for new season
Filed: Wednesday, 25th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's new attacking coach Teddy Sheringham enjoyed a weekend in Malaysia ahead of the forthcoming 2014/15 Premier League campaign.
Sheringham, whose appointment as the club's new part-time coach was announced on May 30th was in the far east last weekend to take part in Revkan Your Padang, an event described by organisers Revive as "an initiative to revive the spirit of the field". The 48-year-old was one of a number of celebrities - the vast majority of which were local rather than international - to feature in the initiative, which gave listeners of Astro Radio the opportunity to win a makeover for their local football pitch (aka 'padang'). The match was the third game in three weeks for the All Stars team, who have been challenging randomly selected local clubs to "defend your home field" and give them the opportunity to win numerous prizes.
Sheringham - fresh from taking his UEFA coaching badges in Ireland recently - featured as his All Stars Team beat local side Team Pilihan Revive 3-1 at the Padang Awam Semanyih in Selangor. Jake Abdullah, CEO of the Kuala Lumpur-based radio station and manager of the All Stars team said: "Malaysians are avid football fans and since it is the football season, we wanted to reach out to the fans at ground level."
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West Ham make Kone enquiry
Filed: Wednesday, 25th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have enquired into the availability of Lorient defender Lamine Kone. Paris-born Kone, 25, has spent the last four years with the Ligue 1 side having joined from Chateauroux in 2010. A central defender by trade, he has represented France at all levels from Under 17 to Under 20 but is yet to make an appearance for the full national side. West Ham were one of three clubs - along with Hull and Sunderland - to be linked with a move for Kone last December, but the defender opted to remain in France. Under contract until 2016, the 6'3" defender signed a new three-year contract with Les Merlus last summer.
And in other transfer news....
* West Ham's chances of landing Fiorentina defender Marcos Alonso have slimmed after La Viola boss Vincenzo Montella revealed he would like to run the rule over the player during pre-season before making a concrete decision on his future.
Both West Ham and Sunderland, where Alonso spent the latter half of last season on loan, have made offers for the 23-year-old full back.
* Former Hammers Academy star Kyel Reid has joined League One side Preston North End on a two-year contract, reports the Lancashire Evening Post.
Now 26, Reid - who was released on a free transfer by West Ham in 2009 after making just nine first team appearances - has featured for Sheffield United, Charlton and, most recently, Bradford since leaving the Boleyn Ground.
The fee is undisclosed although thought to be nominal.
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Sky Sports News
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Sam Allardyce looking to make five more additions at West Ham
Last Updated: 25/06/14 12:30pm
Sam Allardyce would like to add five more fresh faces to his West Ham United squad, with all areas in need of strengthening. Deals for Argentine forward Mauro Zarate and Senegal international Cheikhou Kouyate have already been wrapped up, adding a goal-threat to the attacking unit and bite to the midfield.
Allardyce is, however, aware of the need to continue reshaping his ranks in the wake of West Ham's struggles in 2013/14. He has the full backing of his board to pursue top targets, with investment required if performances and results are to be improved. A number of bids are currently on the table, with West Ham now waiting on replies. Allardyce is hoping he will receive positive news on the transfer front in the near future, with additions being sought from back to front.
He told West Ham TV: "We've made many bids and there are many negotiations ongoing. "We particularly want a left-back, ideally another centre-back, a midfielder and at least two more for the front line."
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West Ham Till I Die
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MEIRELES AVAILABLE FOR CUT PRICE DEAL
By Sean Whetstone 25 Jun 2014 at 08:53
According to the Daily Star, West Ham have been offered Raul Meireles for a cut-price deal of £3 million. Sam Allardyce is known to be fond of the Portuguese World Cup midfielder after he tried to signed him in January from Fenerbahce.
The deal was blocked by the Turkish club so West Ham signed Italian midfielder Antonio Nocerino.Fenerbahce are looking to reduce their large wage bill meaning he likely to be available. Meireles is one of the clubs' highest earners at Fenerbahce.and they are likely to take a major financial hit should the Hammers take him off their hands on the cheap. His wage demands could be an issue.
The former Chelsea and Liverpool man Raul Meireles started his career as a trainee with Boavista but was loaned to Desportivo das Aves in the Liga de Honra, where he made his professional debut. After a two-year loan spell he returned to Boavista where he made his Primeira Liga debut. His performances brought Meireles to the Portuguese powerhouse, FC Porto, winning three Primeira Liga titles in a row, adding two Portuguese Cups and three Portuguese Supercups. In 2010 he moved to Liverpool for £11.5m where he won the 2011 PFA Fans' Player of the Year award following a very successful first season in Premier League. In 2011, Meireles signed for Chelsea for £12m, joining his former manager André Villas-Boas with whom he had spent a short period of time. During his debut season at Stamford Bridge, he won the 2012 UEFA Champions League and the 2011–12 FA Cup, his first titles since his arrival in England. In 2012 Chelsea agreed to sell Meireles to Turkish club Fenerbahçe for £8 million. Meireles earns €3 million per season (around £45k per week) in addition to a €10,000 (£8k) per-match bonus at Fenerbahçe.
In international football Meireles' national career began at youth level when he represented the Under-16 side at the 2000 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship in Israel. In November 2006 he was called up to the senior squad for the first time. He later represented Portugal in the UEFA Euro 2008, 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. Meireles got absolutely clattered mid-way through the first half by US midfielder Kyle Beckerman, before Beckerman appeared to elbow him in the face.After lengthy treatment, Meireles got up and quickly checked his beard was neat in place, being spotted stroking it on TV.
Someone close to the club confirmed that Meireles was offered to us at a discounted price, whetether we are seriously interested is harder to determine.
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The Mirror
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Swansea plan Michu transfer as they prepare to welcome fellow forward Bafetimbi Gomis
Jun 25, 2014 19:27 By Darren Lewis
Welshmen will listen to offers for Spaniard who was the bargain-buy hero of their march into Europe but is now said to be disillusioned
Swansea are keen to offload striker Michu. The 26-year-old goal-getter is understood to be disillusioned at the Liberty and with free agent Bafetimbi Gomis close to joining, the Swans are ready to listen to offers. Wilfried Bony took over from Michu as the club's top scorer last season with 25 goals as the one-time Spain international struggled with injury. Although West Ham and Atletico Madrid have been linked with Michu, he is believed not to be a priority for either club.
Indeed, the Hammers are more interested in signing Ivory Coast World Cup hitman Bony, but Swansea are demanding a massive £19million for him. Michu, who signed for Swansea in July 2012 for a bargain £2m, was described as the signing of that season after a string of outstanding performances. The 28-year-old's 22 goals that campaign helped the club into Europe. However, he was restricted by injuries to just 25 appearances - and only six goals - last season.
Michu has now been tipped for a reunion with old boss Michael Laudrup in Qatar. The Dane, sacked by the Swans in February, has agreed a deal to take over at the Gulf state's champions, Lekhwiya.
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Claret & Hugh
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Allardyce facing board battle
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 25, 2014 in Whispers
Sam Allardyce's hopes of landing five more signings before the end of the transfer window could see him face his first confrontation with the West Ham board.
Allardyce went public yesterday declaring he wanted a left back, two strikers, midfielder and perhaps another central defender. But ClaretandHugh understands that his hopes for a a fourth central defender may well be questioned closely by the co-owners. David Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady have made it clear they will be having a much bigger say in transfer dealings and a fourth central defender 'is seen as a 'luxury' scenario. A source told us: "The reason the club worked so hard to bring in Cheikhou Kouyate was to ensure they had central defensive cover should it be needed. "And with James Collins, Winston Reid and James Tomkins available the manager may find he will have to drop that option. "No-one is t sure why we would want another central defender and who would come as fourth choice anyway. "Kouyate has played most of his career as centre half so we do have cover and the wages are there for the other positions we are looking to fill."
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Former Iron calls for Suarez help
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 25, 2014 in Whispers
Former Hammer Don Hutchison has joined the Luis Suarez debate and declared: Let him play for no wages! The former midfielder was no stranger to controversy during his Hammers career between 1994 and left in 1996 and suffered a poor disciplinary record himself. He returned for a second spell in 2001.
He played 39 games in his first spell with the club, received eleven bookings and was sent-off once. He became known to fans and fellow players as 'Budweisser', following a drunken incident in Ayia Napa. But the 43-year-old – commenting on Suarez's problems – tweeted: "Pointless banning Suarez for years, it's not gonna fix the problem. Let him play with no wages and let docs try and rewire his brain,need help. "Ban him for years and he'll prob walk away from the game. Kids bite at schools the don't get binned for years/they get help and reform."
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Michu and the Hammers – a Swansea view
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 25, 2014 in Whispers
West Ham have been strongly linked with Swansea's Michu over recent days – a player who can thrill and irritate in almost equal measure. It's known that the two clubs have spoken and that we are taking our time on moving forward given the player's various injury problems. In the meantime we asked www.theswanseaway.co.uk to mark our card and yours on the striker.
I completely understand West Ham's interest in Michu. Big Sam has been told to play more attractive football, and the Spaniard seems to be a perfect bridge – he's tall, good in the air, and he's spent the last few seasons playing for a team renowned for a pleasing-on-the-eye style. Whether that's enough to for West Ham to overlook his injury problems of last season is a different question though. There have also been murmurings about his attitude, and possible unhappiness since Michael Laudrup's departure although the club have refuted this and there don't appear to be any real concerns, But Michu does like a strop if things aren't going his way on the field and I'm most definitely not a fan of that. If you're stropping you're probably not pressing your opponent. Get the bloody ball back and then have a moan! Truth is Michu is a player who delights and frustrates in equal measure. On his day, you'll struggle to find a cooler, more natural finisher. Off his day? Well, injuries caused the biggest problems for him last year but his form was quite poor for a good whack of 2012/13 and the beginning of 2013/14.
In his first 18 games in the Premier League he scored thirteen goals and in his next 34 he managed just seven. Ok, 17 of those games were last season when he was rocked by injury but if I'm brutally honest I'm not as much of a fan of the Spaniard as most. I think he's a great player but the problems seems to be that at 28 he still doesn't know what position he plays. He started his first season playing behind Danny Graham, before alternating between attacking midfield and centre-forward. Unfortunately though, no matter where he was supposedly operating he still plays, well, like Michu. He drops deep as "he prefers arriving in the box late" but in the Premier League – and especially for a club like the Swans – a player wandering around with disregard for tactical positioning can at times become a bit of a liability. It's disruptive for the midfield and I feel that Michu is at his best, or was at his best, when he was leading the line and we were essentially forcing him to play as a striker.
As for whether any deal is likely to be done remains to be seen. All I can say is that, we only paid £2 million and in his first season he scored twenty-two goals.
To a club like the Swans, the opportunity to make a profit on a player who really, really struggled with injury last season seems too good to pass up.
Where once there were figures in excess of £20 million pounds floating around, I feel at this moment in time the reported £6million fee West Ham are believed to be considering would be sufficient to begin negotiations with the player. He's on decent wages too (£30k plus), and again for a club the size of the Swans the chance to trim the wage bill may well be a very appealing option – a possibility further strengthened by the prolific debut season of Wilfried Bony. Without a need for Michu's goals, the Swans are quite likely to be open to talks regarding his future. As I've said though, he is a very good player. He's already shown he can score goals in the Premiership and if he can stay fit for the foreseeable future six million is a bargain. Whether the West Ham hierarchy are willing to take the risk remains to be seen. After all there's a chance he could be a one season wonder!
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Sam needs "spectacular season" to get new deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 25, 2014 in Whispers
Sam Allardyce is facing the biggest season of his managerial career as he prepares to oversee the return to pre-season training ahead of a critical West Ham 2014-15. The 59 year old is bidding to bring in a further five players, including two more strikers, knowing that he needs a massive campaign. With his contract running out next summer, Allardyce is desperate to earn another deal which will see him take the Hammers into the Olympic Stadium. But ClaretandHugh has learned that he will need to produce "a totally spectacular" campaign for that to happen. Although the 'Sam Out' campaign has cooled as the summer has kicked in, the mood within the club remains as it was at the end of last season. One of our most trusted sources made it clear that the team has to produce a top ten finish as a minimum requirement. But he added: "Sam Allardyce will need an entirely spectacular season to be looking at a new contract offer.. We can't dwell anymore on last season – it's all about what happens in 2014-15. "The requirements are now well known. We want to see the fans relationship with the manager restored and a more attacking and attractive type of football played. "It's a very big season for everybody and Sam knows where is with everything and what's required. "What won't do and what isn't acceptable is to claim that survival is an achievement – nobody wants top be hearing that again."
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'He's a true warrior'
Belgian football expert Bjorn de Cock believes Cheikhou Kouyate will prove a shrewd capture
25.06.2014
West Ham United have pulled off a major coup by signing Cheikhou Kouyate, according to Belgian football expert Bjorn de Cock. De Cock, the co-founder of Low Countries football website BeNeFoot.net, believes Kouyate could make a major impact for the Hammers after arriving from Belgian Jupiler League champions RSC Anderlecht. A tall, athletic and versatile performer, De Cock says the Senegal international will impress West Ham supporters with his defensive abilities, whether he plays as a centre-back or deep-lying midfielder. "In my opinion West Ham United did well giving Kouyate a chance," wrote De Cock. "Surrounded with some good players he will give the Premier League club a lot back. "He's a true warrior and never stops running. Once you think an opponent's player breaks through you'll see that Kouyate is capable of doing some unlikely things to stop him."
After moving to the Belgian capital from his native Dakar as a 16-year-old, Kouyate was signed by FC Brussels in January 2007, starting his career in European football as a defensive midfielder. The following year, he moved to Anderlecht before immediately being loaned out to KV Kortrijk, and he continued his development as a midfielder with both clubs over the next two seasons. In 2010/11, Kouyate moved back into a central defensive role for Anderlecht, remaining there until April 2014, when new manager Besnik Hasi played him as a midfielder throughout the Jupiler League Championship Play-Offs. Kouyate's form helped Anderlecht win seven of their ten Play-Off matches to win the title for the fourth straight season. "Kouyate's most special year must have been last season," De Cock confirmed. "During the regular competition, he played as a central defender and Anderlecht struggled a lot in the middle but, after [head coach] John van den Brom's sacking and Besnik Hasi's subsequent promotion he moved the Senegalese player to Anderlecht's midfield again. "Kouyate impressed a lot and gave more space to his very talented and young team mate Youri Tielemans. Anderlecht excelled in the Play-Offs and won the title after looking knocked out in the regular season [when they finished third]. "Anderlecht stood up again and that was mainly thanks to Cheikhou Kouyate's exceptionally high-quality performances as a defensive midfielder."
De Cock said Kouyate's challenge is now to take that same level of performance into the Barclays Premier League, where he will come up against some of the finest midfielders and attackers in world football. "The Belgian league is sometimes a bit underestimated but the Premier League is by far a much stronger league of course," he wrote. "Kouyate will be at his best in West Ham United's midfield but it will be important to surround him with some technically gifted midfielders. "He's a great defensive midfielder who will win a lot of duels, both in the air and on the ground, and he will recover a lot of balls for his team."
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Pask pledges Hammers future
WHUFC.com
Promising West Ham United defender Josh Pask has pledged his long-term future to the Club
25.06.2014
West Ham United are delighted to announce that promising defender Josh Pask has pledged his long-term future to the Club. The 16-year-old has chosen to continue his development at the Academy of Football after rejecting interest from Arsenal and several other leading clubs. Academy Director Tony Carr MBE said he and his coaching staff were looking forward to working with a player who joined West Ham at the age of eight. "We are obviously delighted that Josh has decided that his long-term future lies with West Ham United," said Carr. "Many top clubs, including Champions League clubs, were chasing Josh, so we were delighted to fight them off for his signature. "Josh spent most of last season with the Under-18s and quickly proved himself as a 16-year-old. We now look forward to developing him over the next few seasons and hope he will be a first-team player for West Ham in the not too distant future."
Pask, who will commence life as a full-time scholar when the U18s return to Little Heath for pre-season training next week, is a tall and composed centre-back.
As a schoolboy, the east London-born youngster played ten times for Steve Potts' youth team last season, impressing with his maturity, composure and all-round ability as West Ham reached the Barclays U18 Premier League Play-Off semi-finals. Having overseen the development of the likes of Rio Ferdinand, James Tomkins and Potts himself during his 40-year career within the Academy, Carr is relishing the opportunity to develop another potentially top-class defender. "Josh has been with us since he was eight and is from Manor Park, so he is a local boy and we are delighted that he has stayed loyal to his local Club," Carr explained. "He is a centre-back who is very tall and lean, quick over the ground and good on the ball and in the air. He has a great attitude and goes about his game in a quiet but effective way. "We look forward greatly to working with him and moving him up to the Under-21s as soon as possible."
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NZ tour set for worldwide audience
West Ham United's Football United Tour to New Zealand will be watched by football fans all over the world
24.06.2014
West Ham United's Football United Tour to New Zealand will be watched by football fans all over the world this July. While thousands of supporters will be on hand to witness the Hammers' fixtures with A-League duo Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC, millions more will be able to watch the matches live on television. More than 20 countries have snapped up TV rights for the tour, which will also see Barclays Premier League side Newcastle United in action against the A-League pair. UK and Ireland-based West Ham fans will be able to watch both matches live and exclusive on BT Sport. To purchase BT Sport now, please click here. The Hammers' meeting with Wellington Phoenix in Auckland will kick-off at 8.30am on Wednesday 23 July UK time (7.30pm local time), while the fixture with Sydney FC in Wellington will kick-off at 3am on Sunday 27 July UK time (2pm on Saturday 26 July local time). Elsewhere, supporters living in Australia, Canada, China, France, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Malaysia, Portugal, South Africa, Thailand and the United States will all be able to watch live coverage of the two mouth-watering fixtures, as will those residing across the Balkan Peninsula in South East Europe, Middle East and North Africa.
West Ham United Managing Director Angus Kinnear said the visit of two leading English clubs to New Zealand for the first time in 29 years had caught the imagination of football supporters everywhere. "The global TV demand for the Football United Tour has reinforced the breadth and scale of West Ham's international fan base," said Kinnear. "We are delighted that the passion for the competition is being shared so widely and know it will be an excellent showcase to attract new supporters and partners who are excited by the unique trajectory West Ham are following. "The games also represent a great opportunity for our new signings to give a taste of the impact they will make on the Barclays Premier League in the coming season."
Wellington Phoenix General Manager David Dome has been equally happy with the worldwide interest in the Football United Tour. "The Football United Tour will take New Zealand to the world with at least 20 countries signing up to see two Premier League teams play in New Zealand," said Dome. "The tour of these two famous old Clubs to the bottom of the South Pacific has caused quite a stir internationally. "There has been a lot of interest in how the A-League's Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC will fare against the Premier League's West Ham and Newcastle United in a part of the world primarily known for its natural beauty and rugby! "It's a fantastic opportunity to showcase the Wellington Phoenix, the cities and the country to many millions of people from around the world."
New Zealand-based supporters unable to attend the fixtures at Eden Park and Westpac Stadium will also be able to enjoy them live on SKY Arena pay-per-view television, priced at $24.99 per game and $39.95 for the Tour. Tickets for West Ham's two Football United Tour matches are available to buy here.
BUY YOUR FOOTBALL UNITED TOUR TICKETS I PACKAGES
Football United Tour
Wellington Phoenix v West Ham United
Wednesday 23 July 2014, 7.30pm (local time)
Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand
Sydney FC v West Ham United
Saturday 26 July 2014, 2pm (local time)
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand
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KUMB.com
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Hammers linked with 'the new Laudrup'
Filed: Wednesday, 25th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Reports emanating from Spain tonight suggest that West Ham are considering a move for Real Mallorca winger Marco Asensio. The 18-year-old broke through to the Los Bermellones first team last season - following what was described by the Spanish press as "remarkable progress" - having previously represented Spain at Under 17 and Under 18 level. Born in Mallorca, Asensio was monitored as a youth by both Barcelona and Real Madrid before opting to join his hometown club and was linked with both as recently as 15 months ago. Likened by some to former Danish international Michael Laudrup, he made his senior debut for Mallorca's B Team at the beginning of the 2013/14 season before being fast-tracked into the first team, for whom he made 20 appearances between October and May (scoring once). A cash-strapped Mallorca are said to be willing to part with one of their prize assets for as little as €2million, with West Ham reported to have made their interest known.
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Nothing wrong with a little bit of bite
Filed: Wednesday, 25th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Luis Suarez's attempts to take a chunk out of Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder have resulted in the world of football demanding a lengthy ban for the flawed Uruguayan. However our very own Football Association took a very different view of an identical incident eight years ago when Tottenham's Jermain Defoe assaulted West Ham midfielder Javier Mascherano during a Premier League encounter at White Hart Lane. With the two players sat on the floor following a robust challenge by the Argentinian midfielder, Defore inexplicably leaned over before biting the current Barcelona star in an identical place to the spot in which Suarez gnawed on Chiellini.
Yet as match referee Steve Bennett witnessed the incident and (bizarrely) booked Defoe for 'aggressive behaviour', the FA declared that they could take no further action. "Because the referee has already dealt with the incident, Fifa regulations prevent us from taking retrospective action," read a statement at the time.
Mascherano, who was with West Ham for just four months was understandably perplexed by the incident and the FA's response; speaking at the time, he said: "This whole incident was incredible. Never in my professional career have I witnessed action like this and I still don't understand why the referee has not shown a red card to Defoe. "When I arrived in England journalists questioned me about the hard nature of Argentinian football. But I've never received a bite there - and I never thought I would receive a bite in the Premiership. I had a face to face with Defoe in the game but football is a sport for men - not those who want to bite."
Defoe attempted to play down the incident at the time, telling the press that he was just being playful. "The referee was standing over me and if he felt I'd done something bad he would have sent me off," he said. "When the West Ham player fouled me, I reacted in a bit of a mischievous way - my character is a little like that at times."
However by the time Suarez was accused of biting an opponent for a SECOND time in April 2013, some seven years after the Defoe incident, the FA had finally got their act in order and subsequently banned the striker for 10 games following an episode with Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic. Current estimates suggest Liverpool striker Suarez could now be facing a ban of anywhere between 20 games and two years.
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Johnson misses Wolves return
Filed: Wednesday, 25th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Roger Johnson failed to return to pre-season training with current club Wolverhampton Wanderers today - fuelling talk of a possible return to West Ham. The League One club's first team squad returned to pre-season training this morning after a short break but Johnson, who spent the latter half of last season on loan at the Boleyn Ground, was conspicuous by his absence. It was revealed here on KUMB earlier this week how Johnson was in talks with West Ham over a permanent transfer - a move that the player himself told a source hinged upon Wolves' determination to request a transfer fee. The defender made six appearances for West Ham but as reported on KUMB, has refused to return to Wolves until his situation is resolved. Johnson was one of two players who refused to return to Wanderers for pre-season today - the other being Stephen Ward, who is hoping to push through a move to Brighton & Hove Albion.
As with Johnson and West Ham, Wolves are refusing to sanction the transfer unless they receive a "six figure" fee.
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Teddy Revs up for new season
Filed: Wednesday, 25th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's new attacking coach Teddy Sheringham enjoyed a weekend in Malaysia ahead of the forthcoming 2014/15 Premier League campaign.
Sheringham, whose appointment as the club's new part-time coach was announced on May 30th was in the far east last weekend to take part in Revkan Your Padang, an event described by organisers Revive as "an initiative to revive the spirit of the field". The 48-year-old was one of a number of celebrities - the vast majority of which were local rather than international - to feature in the initiative, which gave listeners of Astro Radio the opportunity to win a makeover for their local football pitch (aka 'padang'). The match was the third game in three weeks for the All Stars team, who have been challenging randomly selected local clubs to "defend your home field" and give them the opportunity to win numerous prizes.
Sheringham - fresh from taking his UEFA coaching badges in Ireland recently - featured as his All Stars Team beat local side Team Pilihan Revive 3-1 at the Padang Awam Semanyih in Selangor. Jake Abdullah, CEO of the Kuala Lumpur-based radio station and manager of the All Stars team said: "Malaysians are avid football fans and since it is the football season, we wanted to reach out to the fans at ground level."
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West Ham make Kone enquiry
Filed: Wednesday, 25th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have enquired into the availability of Lorient defender Lamine Kone. Paris-born Kone, 25, has spent the last four years with the Ligue 1 side having joined from Chateauroux in 2010. A central defender by trade, he has represented France at all levels from Under 17 to Under 20 but is yet to make an appearance for the full national side. West Ham were one of three clubs - along with Hull and Sunderland - to be linked with a move for Kone last December, but the defender opted to remain in France. Under contract until 2016, the 6'3" defender signed a new three-year contract with Les Merlus last summer.
And in other transfer news....
* West Ham's chances of landing Fiorentina defender Marcos Alonso have slimmed after La Viola boss Vincenzo Montella revealed he would like to run the rule over the player during pre-season before making a concrete decision on his future.
Both West Ham and Sunderland, where Alonso spent the latter half of last season on loan, have made offers for the 23-year-old full back.
* Former Hammers Academy star Kyel Reid has joined League One side Preston North End on a two-year contract, reports the Lancashire Evening Post.
Now 26, Reid - who was released on a free transfer by West Ham in 2009 after making just nine first team appearances - has featured for Sheffield United, Charlton and, most recently, Bradford since leaving the Boleyn Ground.
The fee is undisclosed although thought to be nominal.
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Sky Sports News
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Sam Allardyce looking to make five more additions at West Ham
Last Updated: 25/06/14 12:30pm
Sam Allardyce would like to add five more fresh faces to his West Ham United squad, with all areas in need of strengthening. Deals for Argentine forward Mauro Zarate and Senegal international Cheikhou Kouyate have already been wrapped up, adding a goal-threat to the attacking unit and bite to the midfield.
Allardyce is, however, aware of the need to continue reshaping his ranks in the wake of West Ham's struggles in 2013/14. He has the full backing of his board to pursue top targets, with investment required if performances and results are to be improved. A number of bids are currently on the table, with West Ham now waiting on replies. Allardyce is hoping he will receive positive news on the transfer front in the near future, with additions being sought from back to front.
He told West Ham TV: "We've made many bids and there are many negotiations ongoing. "We particularly want a left-back, ideally another centre-back, a midfielder and at least two more for the front line."
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West Ham Till I Die
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MEIRELES AVAILABLE FOR CUT PRICE DEAL
By Sean Whetstone 25 Jun 2014 at 08:53
According to the Daily Star, West Ham have been offered Raul Meireles for a cut-price deal of £3 million. Sam Allardyce is known to be fond of the Portuguese World Cup midfielder after he tried to signed him in January from Fenerbahce.
The deal was blocked by the Turkish club so West Ham signed Italian midfielder Antonio Nocerino.Fenerbahce are looking to reduce their large wage bill meaning he likely to be available. Meireles is one of the clubs' highest earners at Fenerbahce.and they are likely to take a major financial hit should the Hammers take him off their hands on the cheap. His wage demands could be an issue.
The former Chelsea and Liverpool man Raul Meireles started his career as a trainee with Boavista but was loaned to Desportivo das Aves in the Liga de Honra, where he made his professional debut. After a two-year loan spell he returned to Boavista where he made his Primeira Liga debut. His performances brought Meireles to the Portuguese powerhouse, FC Porto, winning three Primeira Liga titles in a row, adding two Portuguese Cups and three Portuguese Supercups. In 2010 he moved to Liverpool for £11.5m where he won the 2011 PFA Fans' Player of the Year award following a very successful first season in Premier League. In 2011, Meireles signed for Chelsea for £12m, joining his former manager André Villas-Boas with whom he had spent a short period of time. During his debut season at Stamford Bridge, he won the 2012 UEFA Champions League and the 2011–12 FA Cup, his first titles since his arrival in England. In 2012 Chelsea agreed to sell Meireles to Turkish club Fenerbahçe for £8 million. Meireles earns €3 million per season (around £45k per week) in addition to a €10,000 (£8k) per-match bonus at Fenerbahçe.
In international football Meireles' national career began at youth level when he represented the Under-16 side at the 2000 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship in Israel. In November 2006 he was called up to the senior squad for the first time. He later represented Portugal in the UEFA Euro 2008, 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. Meireles got absolutely clattered mid-way through the first half by US midfielder Kyle Beckerman, before Beckerman appeared to elbow him in the face.After lengthy treatment, Meireles got up and quickly checked his beard was neat in place, being spotted stroking it on TV.
Someone close to the club confirmed that Meireles was offered to us at a discounted price, whetether we are seriously interested is harder to determine.
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The Mirror
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Swansea plan Michu transfer as they prepare to welcome fellow forward Bafetimbi Gomis
Jun 25, 2014 19:27 By Darren Lewis
Welshmen will listen to offers for Spaniard who was the bargain-buy hero of their march into Europe but is now said to be disillusioned
Swansea are keen to offload striker Michu. The 26-year-old goal-getter is understood to be disillusioned at the Liberty and with free agent Bafetimbi Gomis close to joining, the Swans are ready to listen to offers. Wilfried Bony took over from Michu as the club's top scorer last season with 25 goals as the one-time Spain international struggled with injury. Although West Ham and Atletico Madrid have been linked with Michu, he is believed not to be a priority for either club.
Indeed, the Hammers are more interested in signing Ivory Coast World Cup hitman Bony, but Swansea are demanding a massive £19million for him. Michu, who signed for Swansea in July 2012 for a bargain £2m, was described as the signing of that season after a string of outstanding performances. The 28-year-old's 22 goals that campaign helped the club into Europe. However, he was restricted by injuries to just 25 appearances - and only six goals - last season.
Michu has now been tipped for a reunion with old boss Michael Laudrup in Qatar. The Dane, sacked by the Swans in February, has agreed a deal to take over at the Gulf state's champions, Lekhwiya.
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Claret & Hugh
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Allardyce facing board battle
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 25, 2014 in Whispers
Sam Allardyce's hopes of landing five more signings before the end of the transfer window could see him face his first confrontation with the West Ham board.
Allardyce went public yesterday declaring he wanted a left back, two strikers, midfielder and perhaps another central defender. But ClaretandHugh understands that his hopes for a a fourth central defender may well be questioned closely by the co-owners. David Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady have made it clear they will be having a much bigger say in transfer dealings and a fourth central defender 'is seen as a 'luxury' scenario. A source told us: "The reason the club worked so hard to bring in Cheikhou Kouyate was to ensure they had central defensive cover should it be needed. "And with James Collins, Winston Reid and James Tomkins available the manager may find he will have to drop that option. "No-one is t sure why we would want another central defender and who would come as fourth choice anyway. "Kouyate has played most of his career as centre half so we do have cover and the wages are there for the other positions we are looking to fill."
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Former Iron calls for Suarez help
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 25, 2014 in Whispers
Former Hammer Don Hutchison has joined the Luis Suarez debate and declared: Let him play for no wages! The former midfielder was no stranger to controversy during his Hammers career between 1994 and left in 1996 and suffered a poor disciplinary record himself. He returned for a second spell in 2001.
He played 39 games in his first spell with the club, received eleven bookings and was sent-off once. He became known to fans and fellow players as 'Budweisser', following a drunken incident in Ayia Napa. But the 43-year-old – commenting on Suarez's problems – tweeted: "Pointless banning Suarez for years, it's not gonna fix the problem. Let him play with no wages and let docs try and rewire his brain,need help. "Ban him for years and he'll prob walk away from the game. Kids bite at schools the don't get binned for years/they get help and reform."
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Michu and the Hammers – a Swansea view
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 25, 2014 in Whispers
West Ham have been strongly linked with Swansea's Michu over recent days – a player who can thrill and irritate in almost equal measure. It's known that the two clubs have spoken and that we are taking our time on moving forward given the player's various injury problems. In the meantime we asked www.theswanseaway.co.uk to mark our card and yours on the striker.
I completely understand West Ham's interest in Michu. Big Sam has been told to play more attractive football, and the Spaniard seems to be a perfect bridge – he's tall, good in the air, and he's spent the last few seasons playing for a team renowned for a pleasing-on-the-eye style. Whether that's enough to for West Ham to overlook his injury problems of last season is a different question though. There have also been murmurings about his attitude, and possible unhappiness since Michael Laudrup's departure although the club have refuted this and there don't appear to be any real concerns, But Michu does like a strop if things aren't going his way on the field and I'm most definitely not a fan of that. If you're stropping you're probably not pressing your opponent. Get the bloody ball back and then have a moan! Truth is Michu is a player who delights and frustrates in equal measure. On his day, you'll struggle to find a cooler, more natural finisher. Off his day? Well, injuries caused the biggest problems for him last year but his form was quite poor for a good whack of 2012/13 and the beginning of 2013/14.
In his first 18 games in the Premier League he scored thirteen goals and in his next 34 he managed just seven. Ok, 17 of those games were last season when he was rocked by injury but if I'm brutally honest I'm not as much of a fan of the Spaniard as most. I think he's a great player but the problems seems to be that at 28 he still doesn't know what position he plays. He started his first season playing behind Danny Graham, before alternating between attacking midfield and centre-forward. Unfortunately though, no matter where he was supposedly operating he still plays, well, like Michu. He drops deep as "he prefers arriving in the box late" but in the Premier League – and especially for a club like the Swans – a player wandering around with disregard for tactical positioning can at times become a bit of a liability. It's disruptive for the midfield and I feel that Michu is at his best, or was at his best, when he was leading the line and we were essentially forcing him to play as a striker.
As for whether any deal is likely to be done remains to be seen. All I can say is that, we only paid £2 million and in his first season he scored twenty-two goals.
To a club like the Swans, the opportunity to make a profit on a player who really, really struggled with injury last season seems too good to pass up.
Where once there were figures in excess of £20 million pounds floating around, I feel at this moment in time the reported £6million fee West Ham are believed to be considering would be sufficient to begin negotiations with the player. He's on decent wages too (£30k plus), and again for a club the size of the Swans the chance to trim the wage bill may well be a very appealing option – a possibility further strengthened by the prolific debut season of Wilfried Bony. Without a need for Michu's goals, the Swans are quite likely to be open to talks regarding his future. As I've said though, he is a very good player. He's already shown he can score goals in the Premiership and if he can stay fit for the foreseeable future six million is a bargain. Whether the West Ham hierarchy are willing to take the risk remains to be seen. After all there's a chance he could be a one season wonder!
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Sam needs "spectacular season" to get new deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 25, 2014 in Whispers
Sam Allardyce is facing the biggest season of his managerial career as he prepares to oversee the return to pre-season training ahead of a critical West Ham 2014-15. The 59 year old is bidding to bring in a further five players, including two more strikers, knowing that he needs a massive campaign. With his contract running out next summer, Allardyce is desperate to earn another deal which will see him take the Hammers into the Olympic Stadium. But ClaretandHugh has learned that he will need to produce "a totally spectacular" campaign for that to happen. Although the 'Sam Out' campaign has cooled as the summer has kicked in, the mood within the club remains as it was at the end of last season. One of our most trusted sources made it clear that the team has to produce a top ten finish as a minimum requirement. But he added: "Sam Allardyce will need an entirely spectacular season to be looking at a new contract offer.. We can't dwell anymore on last season – it's all about what happens in 2014-15. "The requirements are now well known. We want to see the fans relationship with the manager restored and a more attacking and attractive type of football played. "It's a very big season for everybody and Sam knows where is with everything and what's required. "What won't do and what isn't acceptable is to claim that survival is an achievement – nobody wants top be hearing that again."
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Wednesday, June 25
Daily WHUFC News - 25th June 2014
Birthday boy Nolan relishing pre-season
WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan is looking forward to West Ham United's pre-season fixtures in New Zealand and Germany
24.06.2014
West Ham United captain and birthday boy Kevin Nolan is looking forward to the Club's exciting pre-season schedule. The Hammers have confirmed a week-long Football United Tour to New Zealand in July, when they will take on Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC, and an appearance at the Schalke 04 Cup in Germany in early August, where Malaga CF and the host club will tackle Sam Allardyce's squad. West Ham will also take on Italian giants Sampdoria at home in the Marathonbet Cup on Saturday 9 August. Both trips will be well supported by West Ham fans from home and abroad - a prospect that already has skipper Nolan excited.
"Looking ahead to the summer, the Club has announced pre-season trips to New Zealand and Germany, which all the lads are naturally looking forward to," confirmed the skipper, who celebrates his 32nd birthday today. West Ham travel to New Zealand on 17 July before taking on A-League sides Wellington in Auckland on 23 July and Sydney in Wellington on 26 July. Travelling to the other side of the world is an experience usually reserved for West Ham defender and All Whites captain Winston Reid, but Nolan and his squad-mates will be joining the defender on the 11,400-mile trip this summer. "The New Zealand journey is going to be a long one, as I've seen from the look of Reidy when he returns from international duty, but we will be down there for a decent period of time and will play two games and hopefully meet a lot of our fans," Nolan continued. "Reidy has said a lot of good things about New Zealand and I am personally really looking forward to it because I've never been there on a pre-season trip. It will be a fantastic occasion for the Club and a great experience for everyone involved. "First and foremost, we will be working as hard as we can to make sure we are mentally and physically fit for the start of next season in August."
The trip to New Zealand will give West Ham and football fans in general the opportunity to see a top-flight English club play in the country for the first time since Everton visited in 1986. It is also hoped that the tour will enhance the Club's profile and increase the fanbase in a part of the world where the sport is growing quickly. "Football is such a global sport now and the Barclays Premier League is a global brand, so we know our roles and responsibilities as players to help that to grow," said Nolan. "It's surprised me how big it has got, but we play in the best league in the world in the best sport in the world, so perhaps I shouldn't be so shocked after all!"
West Ham return home following their meeting with Sydney FC and will have a few days to re-acclimatise before heading to Gelsenkirchen for the four-team Schalke 04 Cup over the weekend of 2/3 August. There, Nolan says the Hammers will gain much from taking on top-class opposition prior to the start of the 2014/15 campaign. "We're also going to the Schalke 04 Cup where we will play against two top European teams and that will give us the chance to get some good run outs under our belts before the season starts. It's also testament to how far the Club has come on in recent years in terms of the opposition who want to play us."
To complete the pre-season schedule, Nolan and company will welcome Italian Serie A side UC Sampdoria to the Boleyn Ground for the traditional curtain-raiser. The Marathonbet Cup will kick-off at 3pm on Saturday 9 August, with tickets on sale now!
West Ham United pre-season fixtures
Sat 12 July v Stevenage (The Lamex Stadium, 3pm)
Wed 16 July v Ipswich Town (Portman Road, 7.45pm)
Wed 23 July v Wellington Phoenix (Football United Tour, Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, 7.45pm local time)
Sat 26 July v Sydney FC (Football United Tour, Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand, 2pm local time)
Sat 2 Aug v Schalke 04 (Schalke 04 Cup, Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 5pm local time)
Sun 3 Aug v Malaga CF (Schalke 04 Cup, Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 3pm local time)
Sat 9 Aug v UC Sampdoria (Marathonbet Cup, Boleyn Ground, 3pm)
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No Balanta bid, says vice president
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Rumours of a multi-million bid by West Ham for Columbian defender Eder Alvarez Balanta have been denied by the player's current club. River Plate vice-president Matias Patanian, speaking in the wake of speculation suggesting the Hammers had made a bid for the highly-rated 21-year-old denied that his club has received any contact from the Hammers. "For the moment we only know officially that Juventus are making a big effort for Balanta," Patanian told local radio station Radio La Red. "We have heard what an English newspaper is saying about West Ham. "If the amount of money that the newspaper mentions is true and we receive an offer like that, then River could sit down and start negotiations as it would be close to the amount the club expects for transferring Balanta. "If the money that is being mentioned in the English media is that, then we will have to listen to them when we receive an official offer. Of course we would want to sell our players to the team that gets closest to our value."
The People claimed earlier that West Ham were set to make a £6million bid for the Colombian defender, who is currently impressing audiences at the World Cup Finals in Brazil.
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Big Sam hints at further arrivals
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce still has plenty of irons in the fire as he seeks to enhance his first team squad ahead of the new 2014/15 Premier League campaign. The manager, who has already lured Mauro Zarate and Cheikhou Kouyate to the Boleyn Ground recently admitted that he still hopes to make several additional signings between now and the beginning of September. "We've made many bids and there are many negotiations ongoing," he said. "We particularly want a left back, ideally another centre back, a midfielder and at least two more for the front line."
And with that in mind, we bring you the following...
* West Ham are reported to be in talks with Stade de Reims over a move for Prince Oniangue, who is said to be interesting several Premier League clubs. Now 25, the Paris-born Congolese international can play play in midfield or the centre of defence and will cost somewhere in the region of €3.5million.
* Swansea's 28-year-old striker Michu is reported to be the target of a £6million bid from West Ham, according to the Sun this morning. The Spanish striker enjoyed a fruitful first season at Swansea scoring 22 goals in 43 appearances but managed just six goals last season; his most recent coming in October 2013.
* Former Hammer Rio Ferdinand is poised to join newly-promoted Queens Park Rangers on a free transfer. Available on a free having been released by Manchester United at the end of last season, the 35-year-old has jumped at the chance to team up with Harry Redknapp at Loftus Road. Redknapp was behind the £18million sale of Ferdinand to Leeds from West Ham 14 years ago - from which the wheeler-dealer pocketed a cool £350,000 'bonus'.
* The Daily Express, not exactly renowned for breaking big football stories in recent years report that West Ham are set to "beat Liverpool, Man Utd and Spurs" to the signing of 24-year-old Ukraine international Yevhen Konoplyanka. Which seems unlikely. As does the prospect of Mssrs Sullivan and Gold paying Konoplyanka's £12million buy-out clause.
* 21-year-old Eder Balanta may be able to list West Ham as one of his admirers but they'll have to join the back of a long queue. The River Plate defender, who should be in action later today when Columbia take on Japan at the World Cup Finals has already been touted as a potential superstar and is available for anywhere between £3-10m, depending upon your source.
* Sources in Turkey are linking Portuguese international Raul Meireles with a move to West Ham. Now 31, the midfielder is available having failed to settle in Turkey where he currently plays for Fenerbahce. West Ham are understood to have made initial enquiries into the player's situation back in January.
* And finally in today's round-up of the latest tittle-tattle, rumour and speculative nonsense, Islam Slimani is being linked with a move to England and West Ham by the Portuguese media. The Algerian international, who West Ham enquired about during the last transfer window is valued by current club Sporting Lisbon at the €8million mark, according to O Jogo.
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Arise, Sir Clyde
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
A Minister in the Bermudan Government says former West Ham star Clyde Best should be knighted for his services to football. According to Bermudan daily the Royal Gazette, Quinton Edness has urged Bermuda's Governor George Fergusson to approach the Queen with view to securing the title for Best, who was awarded an MBE back in 2006. "Every person who was in Bermuda who knew Clyde Best at the time he was representing Bermuda overseas would urge the Governor to contact Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and request she grant him a knighthood, because of what he represented as a sports person," said Edness.
"Also for his contribution to humanity and what he had to endure to prove he was a deserving sportsman and sufficiently competent to recognised as a worthwhile human being. "All of Bermuda is very proud that he represented us and, at this particular time, he could once again represent Bermuda with the provision of a knighthood."
Now 63, Best played for West Ham between 1968 and 1976. He was one of the first black players to feature in the old Division One and in conjunction with Clive Charles and Ade Coker, became part of the first black triumverate to feature in a top-flight English team when West Ham beat Tottenham 2-0 on April Fools' Day 1972 - several years before Ron Atkinson repeated the achievement at West Bromwich Albion. A burly centre-forward, Best scored 58 goals in just over 200 appearances for West Ham before joining Tampa Bay Rowdies and the first North American soccer revolution in 1975.
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Roger 'The Relegator' Johnson to return?
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Roger Johnson could return to West Ham - if West Ham and his current club can agree terms. The central defender - cruelly dubbed 'The Relegator' having been previously involved with three Premier League drops - spent five months at the Boleyn Ground last season on loan from League One Wolverhampton Wanderers. And KUMB understands that the 31-year-old, who made six appearances for the Hammers and has just 12 months of his current contract with the Molineux-based club remaining could be in for a shock return to east London - but only if Wolves drop their demands for a transfer fee. Johnson has admitted privately that he has no plans to return to the Wanderers, despite being under contract for another year. A source said: "Currently it's a game of poker to see who cracks first; Wolves letting him go on a free or someone else buying out his contract."
* For more transfer updates, visit our earlier story here.
The super six: Roger Johnson's West Ham appearances
8th Jan: Man City 6-0 West Ham Utd (Capital One Cup)
11th Jan: Cardiff City 0-2 West Ham Utd (Premier League)
18th Jan: West Ham Utd 1-3 Newcastle Utd (Premier League)
21st Jan: West Ham Utd 0-3 Man City (Capital One Cup)
26th Mar: West Ham Utd 2-1 Hull City (Premier League)
31st Mar: Sunderland 1-2 West Ham Utd (Premier League)
Record: Played: 6; Won 3; Drawn 0; Lost 3.
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River Plate insist West Ham have not made a bid for Eder Alvarez Balanta
By Andres Garavaglia | Last Updated: 24/06/14 2:27pm
SSN
River Plate have denied that West Ham United have made a bid for their Colombian central defender Eder Alvarez Balanta. The 21-year-old, rated is as one of the best young players in South America, has been linked with Barcelona in the last 12 months, while Italian champions Juventus have made contact with River.
Now West Ham are being linked, with reports claiming a £6million offer was set to be lodged, but River have denied receiving any offer from the Premier League club. River Plate vice-president Matias Patanian told Radio La Red: "For the moment we only know, in an official way, that Juventus are making a big effort for Balanta."
Asked about West Ham, he replied: "No, we have heard what an English newspaper is saying about West Ham. "If the amount of money that the newspaper mentions is true and we receive an offer like that, then River could sit down and start negotiations as it would be close to the amount the club expects for transferring Balanta. "If the money that is being mentioned in the English media is that, then we will have to listen to them when we receive an official offer.
"Of course we would want to sell our players to the team that gets closest to our value." Balanta is currently with the Colombia squad at the World Cup finals.
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West Ham hold talks with Reims over midfielder Prince Oniangue
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @graemebailey | Last Updated: 24/06/14 2:22pm
SSN
West Ham have held talks with French side Reims over midfielder Prince Oniangue. Sky Sports understands that West Ham first made contact with the French club at the end of the season. Talks have continued between the two sides, but as yet no deal has been agreed. The Hammers have been pro-active in the transfer market this summer having already secured deals for Mauro Zarate and Cheikhou Kouyate. Manager Sam Allardyce has his eyes on a number of other deals still and Oniangue is one of those.
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BUILDING UPON OUR GREAT ICONIC BADGE
By Iain Dale 24 Jun 2014 at 17:44
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by Steven Johnson
With all the opinions relating to the rebranding of a potential new badge and the clubs recent video dissection, does it appear that the club already know what they want?
The graphics used within the clubs presentation makes you assume we will have a generic shield shape "similar to the Arsenal shield". As a die hard hammers fan but also owner of amber&green studio, a graphic design and branding company who specialises in crest design, I would like to share my version of the club badge and my rational behind my design.
My approach is to build upon the existing badge which is already strongly recognised and loved, even our co-chairman David Gold has said he likes the existing badge.
My design has a bigger, bolder prouder version of the crossed hammers, I have used the dynamic angles to create a unique shape rather then a generic shield shape or standard circle. Incased within the new dynamic shape is the most important factors of our club. The date the club was formed and a classically styled football symbolising what we are renowned for – The Academy of Football.
There has been much talk about keeping the castle, it's what I grew up with. It wasn't always part of our identity and whilst it's important not to forget our history before the castle, it is indeed one of the most iconic elements of our badge. Ask any junior hammer what is most recognisable, they will scream 'the hammers and the castle'
They are the future of our club so I have chosen to keep part of the castle and revert it to white similar to that seen on the kit used in the 1964 FA cup final, this lets the crossed hammers become the true centre piece.
From what we have read David Sullivan seems very keen to incorporate the word London. Maybe it could work? but cramming this onto a design could lead to a misunderstanding of our name and dilute our brand. London West Ham United, West Ham London I can hear our American friends mistakingly calling us!
They say football is a game of opinions, well the club badge seems to be dividing us all. With or without London I hope my design shows we will always be West Ham United.
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MICHU SIGNING SAID TO BE CLOSE, BUT SHOULD WE ALSO SIGN PETER CROUCH?
By Iain Dale 24 Jun 2014 at 07:54
West Ham Till I Die
Now, soot me down in flames if you like, but hear me out.
Peter Crouch is available from Stoke for a knockdown £1 million. OK, he's 33, but don't we need to learn the lessons from last season and have like for like cover for Andy Carroll? He plays much the same game as Carroll, has scored consistently wherever he has played. Now that we have made our Allardyce bed, we need to lie in it and recruit players who can play to a system, even if some of us don't like it.
I have always thought Crouch was a very underrated player. Just because he isn't pretty to watch doesn't mean he isn't skilful. In fact he has a very good first touch and if you look at some of the spectacular goals he has scored over the years it is testament to what a good player he actually is. He's certainly not prolific, but like Carroll, contributes much more to the team than just goals. But his 32 goals in 116 games at Stoke isn't bad. Having said that, last season he only scored 8 in 34 in the Premier League.
He's surely got to be worth paying £1 million for, as long as his weekly wage demands aren't too horrific.
The papers are full of rumours of us signing Michu from Swansea. This would be a risky signing bearing in mind he, like Carroll is very prone. There's no doubt he knows where the goal is – look at his record the season before last where he scored 18 Premier League goals in 35 games. Last season he only scored 2 in 12, but also bagged 4 in 7 Europa Cup games. The club is said to be looking at paying £6 million for his services and negotiations have reached Board level. £6 million for a 28 year old striker who has proved he can score at the top level. Doesn't seem too bad.
I think we need five strikers this season. If we pulled these two off we'd have a front line of Carroll, Zarate, Carlton Cole, Michu and Crouch. Well it's certainly better than last year, but three of those five are very injury prone – which is why we'd need 5 strikers in the squad rather than 4.
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WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan is looking forward to West Ham United's pre-season fixtures in New Zealand and Germany
24.06.2014
West Ham United captain and birthday boy Kevin Nolan is looking forward to the Club's exciting pre-season schedule. The Hammers have confirmed a week-long Football United Tour to New Zealand in July, when they will take on Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC, and an appearance at the Schalke 04 Cup in Germany in early August, where Malaga CF and the host club will tackle Sam Allardyce's squad. West Ham will also take on Italian giants Sampdoria at home in the Marathonbet Cup on Saturday 9 August. Both trips will be well supported by West Ham fans from home and abroad - a prospect that already has skipper Nolan excited.
"Looking ahead to the summer, the Club has announced pre-season trips to New Zealand and Germany, which all the lads are naturally looking forward to," confirmed the skipper, who celebrates his 32nd birthday today. West Ham travel to New Zealand on 17 July before taking on A-League sides Wellington in Auckland on 23 July and Sydney in Wellington on 26 July. Travelling to the other side of the world is an experience usually reserved for West Ham defender and All Whites captain Winston Reid, but Nolan and his squad-mates will be joining the defender on the 11,400-mile trip this summer. "The New Zealand journey is going to be a long one, as I've seen from the look of Reidy when he returns from international duty, but we will be down there for a decent period of time and will play two games and hopefully meet a lot of our fans," Nolan continued. "Reidy has said a lot of good things about New Zealand and I am personally really looking forward to it because I've never been there on a pre-season trip. It will be a fantastic occasion for the Club and a great experience for everyone involved. "First and foremost, we will be working as hard as we can to make sure we are mentally and physically fit for the start of next season in August."
The trip to New Zealand will give West Ham and football fans in general the opportunity to see a top-flight English club play in the country for the first time since Everton visited in 1986. It is also hoped that the tour will enhance the Club's profile and increase the fanbase in a part of the world where the sport is growing quickly. "Football is such a global sport now and the Barclays Premier League is a global brand, so we know our roles and responsibilities as players to help that to grow," said Nolan. "It's surprised me how big it has got, but we play in the best league in the world in the best sport in the world, so perhaps I shouldn't be so shocked after all!"
West Ham return home following their meeting with Sydney FC and will have a few days to re-acclimatise before heading to Gelsenkirchen for the four-team Schalke 04 Cup over the weekend of 2/3 August. There, Nolan says the Hammers will gain much from taking on top-class opposition prior to the start of the 2014/15 campaign. "We're also going to the Schalke 04 Cup where we will play against two top European teams and that will give us the chance to get some good run outs under our belts before the season starts. It's also testament to how far the Club has come on in recent years in terms of the opposition who want to play us."
To complete the pre-season schedule, Nolan and company will welcome Italian Serie A side UC Sampdoria to the Boleyn Ground for the traditional curtain-raiser. The Marathonbet Cup will kick-off at 3pm on Saturday 9 August, with tickets on sale now!
West Ham United pre-season fixtures
Sat 12 July v Stevenage (The Lamex Stadium, 3pm)
Wed 16 July v Ipswich Town (Portman Road, 7.45pm)
Wed 23 July v Wellington Phoenix (Football United Tour, Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, 7.45pm local time)
Sat 26 July v Sydney FC (Football United Tour, Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand, 2pm local time)
Sat 2 Aug v Schalke 04 (Schalke 04 Cup, Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 5pm local time)
Sun 3 Aug v Malaga CF (Schalke 04 Cup, Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 3pm local time)
Sat 9 Aug v UC Sampdoria (Marathonbet Cup, Boleyn Ground, 3pm)
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No Balanta bid, says vice president
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Rumours of a multi-million bid by West Ham for Columbian defender Eder Alvarez Balanta have been denied by the player's current club. River Plate vice-president Matias Patanian, speaking in the wake of speculation suggesting the Hammers had made a bid for the highly-rated 21-year-old denied that his club has received any contact from the Hammers. "For the moment we only know officially that Juventus are making a big effort for Balanta," Patanian told local radio station Radio La Red. "We have heard what an English newspaper is saying about West Ham. "If the amount of money that the newspaper mentions is true and we receive an offer like that, then River could sit down and start negotiations as it would be close to the amount the club expects for transferring Balanta. "If the money that is being mentioned in the English media is that, then we will have to listen to them when we receive an official offer. Of course we would want to sell our players to the team that gets closest to our value."
The People claimed earlier that West Ham were set to make a £6million bid for the Colombian defender, who is currently impressing audiences at the World Cup Finals in Brazil.
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Big Sam hints at further arrivals
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce still has plenty of irons in the fire as he seeks to enhance his first team squad ahead of the new 2014/15 Premier League campaign. The manager, who has already lured Mauro Zarate and Cheikhou Kouyate to the Boleyn Ground recently admitted that he still hopes to make several additional signings between now and the beginning of September. "We've made many bids and there are many negotiations ongoing," he said. "We particularly want a left back, ideally another centre back, a midfielder and at least two more for the front line."
And with that in mind, we bring you the following...
* West Ham are reported to be in talks with Stade de Reims over a move for Prince Oniangue, who is said to be interesting several Premier League clubs. Now 25, the Paris-born Congolese international can play play in midfield or the centre of defence and will cost somewhere in the region of €3.5million.
* Swansea's 28-year-old striker Michu is reported to be the target of a £6million bid from West Ham, according to the Sun this morning. The Spanish striker enjoyed a fruitful first season at Swansea scoring 22 goals in 43 appearances but managed just six goals last season; his most recent coming in October 2013.
* Former Hammer Rio Ferdinand is poised to join newly-promoted Queens Park Rangers on a free transfer. Available on a free having been released by Manchester United at the end of last season, the 35-year-old has jumped at the chance to team up with Harry Redknapp at Loftus Road. Redknapp was behind the £18million sale of Ferdinand to Leeds from West Ham 14 years ago - from which the wheeler-dealer pocketed a cool £350,000 'bonus'.
* The Daily Express, not exactly renowned for breaking big football stories in recent years report that West Ham are set to "beat Liverpool, Man Utd and Spurs" to the signing of 24-year-old Ukraine international Yevhen Konoplyanka. Which seems unlikely. As does the prospect of Mssrs Sullivan and Gold paying Konoplyanka's £12million buy-out clause.
* 21-year-old Eder Balanta may be able to list West Ham as one of his admirers but they'll have to join the back of a long queue. The River Plate defender, who should be in action later today when Columbia take on Japan at the World Cup Finals has already been touted as a potential superstar and is available for anywhere between £3-10m, depending upon your source.
* Sources in Turkey are linking Portuguese international Raul Meireles with a move to West Ham. Now 31, the midfielder is available having failed to settle in Turkey where he currently plays for Fenerbahce. West Ham are understood to have made initial enquiries into the player's situation back in January.
* And finally in today's round-up of the latest tittle-tattle, rumour and speculative nonsense, Islam Slimani is being linked with a move to England and West Ham by the Portuguese media. The Algerian international, who West Ham enquired about during the last transfer window is valued by current club Sporting Lisbon at the €8million mark, according to O Jogo.
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Arise, Sir Clyde
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
A Minister in the Bermudan Government says former West Ham star Clyde Best should be knighted for his services to football. According to Bermudan daily the Royal Gazette, Quinton Edness has urged Bermuda's Governor George Fergusson to approach the Queen with view to securing the title for Best, who was awarded an MBE back in 2006. "Every person who was in Bermuda who knew Clyde Best at the time he was representing Bermuda overseas would urge the Governor to contact Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and request she grant him a knighthood, because of what he represented as a sports person," said Edness.
"Also for his contribution to humanity and what he had to endure to prove he was a deserving sportsman and sufficiently competent to recognised as a worthwhile human being. "All of Bermuda is very proud that he represented us and, at this particular time, he could once again represent Bermuda with the provision of a knighthood."
Now 63, Best played for West Ham between 1968 and 1976. He was one of the first black players to feature in the old Division One and in conjunction with Clive Charles and Ade Coker, became part of the first black triumverate to feature in a top-flight English team when West Ham beat Tottenham 2-0 on April Fools' Day 1972 - several years before Ron Atkinson repeated the achievement at West Bromwich Albion. A burly centre-forward, Best scored 58 goals in just over 200 appearances for West Ham before joining Tampa Bay Rowdies and the first North American soccer revolution in 1975.
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Roger 'The Relegator' Johnson to return?
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th June 2014
By: Staff Writer
Roger Johnson could return to West Ham - if West Ham and his current club can agree terms. The central defender - cruelly dubbed 'The Relegator' having been previously involved with three Premier League drops - spent five months at the Boleyn Ground last season on loan from League One Wolverhampton Wanderers. And KUMB understands that the 31-year-old, who made six appearances for the Hammers and has just 12 months of his current contract with the Molineux-based club remaining could be in for a shock return to east London - but only if Wolves drop their demands for a transfer fee. Johnson has admitted privately that he has no plans to return to the Wanderers, despite being under contract for another year. A source said: "Currently it's a game of poker to see who cracks first; Wolves letting him go on a free or someone else buying out his contract."
* For more transfer updates, visit our earlier story here.
The super six: Roger Johnson's West Ham appearances
8th Jan: Man City 6-0 West Ham Utd (Capital One Cup)
11th Jan: Cardiff City 0-2 West Ham Utd (Premier League)
18th Jan: West Ham Utd 1-3 Newcastle Utd (Premier League)
21st Jan: West Ham Utd 0-3 Man City (Capital One Cup)
26th Mar: West Ham Utd 2-1 Hull City (Premier League)
31st Mar: Sunderland 1-2 West Ham Utd (Premier League)
Record: Played: 6; Won 3; Drawn 0; Lost 3.
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River Plate insist West Ham have not made a bid for Eder Alvarez Balanta
By Andres Garavaglia | Last Updated: 24/06/14 2:27pm
SSN
River Plate have denied that West Ham United have made a bid for their Colombian central defender Eder Alvarez Balanta. The 21-year-old, rated is as one of the best young players in South America, has been linked with Barcelona in the last 12 months, while Italian champions Juventus have made contact with River.
Now West Ham are being linked, with reports claiming a £6million offer was set to be lodged, but River have denied receiving any offer from the Premier League club. River Plate vice-president Matias Patanian told Radio La Red: "For the moment we only know, in an official way, that Juventus are making a big effort for Balanta."
Asked about West Ham, he replied: "No, we have heard what an English newspaper is saying about West Ham. "If the amount of money that the newspaper mentions is true and we receive an offer like that, then River could sit down and start negotiations as it would be close to the amount the club expects for transferring Balanta. "If the money that is being mentioned in the English media is that, then we will have to listen to them when we receive an official offer.
"Of course we would want to sell our players to the team that gets closest to our value." Balanta is currently with the Colombia squad at the World Cup finals.
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West Ham hold talks with Reims over midfielder Prince Oniangue
By Graeme Bailey - Tweet me: @graemebailey | Last Updated: 24/06/14 2:22pm
SSN
West Ham have held talks with French side Reims over midfielder Prince Oniangue. Sky Sports understands that West Ham first made contact with the French club at the end of the season. Talks have continued between the two sides, but as yet no deal has been agreed. The Hammers have been pro-active in the transfer market this summer having already secured deals for Mauro Zarate and Cheikhou Kouyate. Manager Sam Allardyce has his eyes on a number of other deals still and Oniangue is one of those.
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BUILDING UPON OUR GREAT ICONIC BADGE
By Iain Dale 24 Jun 2014 at 17:44
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by Steven Johnson
With all the opinions relating to the rebranding of a potential new badge and the clubs recent video dissection, does it appear that the club already know what they want?
The graphics used within the clubs presentation makes you assume we will have a generic shield shape "similar to the Arsenal shield". As a die hard hammers fan but also owner of amber&green studio, a graphic design and branding company who specialises in crest design, I would like to share my version of the club badge and my rational behind my design.
My approach is to build upon the existing badge which is already strongly recognised and loved, even our co-chairman David Gold has said he likes the existing badge.
My design has a bigger, bolder prouder version of the crossed hammers, I have used the dynamic angles to create a unique shape rather then a generic shield shape or standard circle. Incased within the new dynamic shape is the most important factors of our club. The date the club was formed and a classically styled football symbolising what we are renowned for – The Academy of Football.
There has been much talk about keeping the castle, it's what I grew up with. It wasn't always part of our identity and whilst it's important not to forget our history before the castle, it is indeed one of the most iconic elements of our badge. Ask any junior hammer what is most recognisable, they will scream 'the hammers and the castle'
They are the future of our club so I have chosen to keep part of the castle and revert it to white similar to that seen on the kit used in the 1964 FA cup final, this lets the crossed hammers become the true centre piece.
From what we have read David Sullivan seems very keen to incorporate the word London. Maybe it could work? but cramming this onto a design could lead to a misunderstanding of our name and dilute our brand. London West Ham United, West Ham London I can hear our American friends mistakingly calling us!
They say football is a game of opinions, well the club badge seems to be dividing us all. With or without London I hope my design shows we will always be West Ham United.
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MICHU SIGNING SAID TO BE CLOSE, BUT SHOULD WE ALSO SIGN PETER CROUCH?
By Iain Dale 24 Jun 2014 at 07:54
West Ham Till I Die
Now, soot me down in flames if you like, but hear me out.
Peter Crouch is available from Stoke for a knockdown £1 million. OK, he's 33, but don't we need to learn the lessons from last season and have like for like cover for Andy Carroll? He plays much the same game as Carroll, has scored consistently wherever he has played. Now that we have made our Allardyce bed, we need to lie in it and recruit players who can play to a system, even if some of us don't like it.
I have always thought Crouch was a very underrated player. Just because he isn't pretty to watch doesn't mean he isn't skilful. In fact he has a very good first touch and if you look at some of the spectacular goals he has scored over the years it is testament to what a good player he actually is. He's certainly not prolific, but like Carroll, contributes much more to the team than just goals. But his 32 goals in 116 games at Stoke isn't bad. Having said that, last season he only scored 8 in 34 in the Premier League.
He's surely got to be worth paying £1 million for, as long as his weekly wage demands aren't too horrific.
The papers are full of rumours of us signing Michu from Swansea. This would be a risky signing bearing in mind he, like Carroll is very prone. There's no doubt he knows where the goal is – look at his record the season before last where he scored 18 Premier League goals in 35 games. Last season he only scored 2 in 12, but also bagged 4 in 7 Europa Cup games. The club is said to be looking at paying £6 million for his services and negotiations have reached Board level. £6 million for a 28 year old striker who has proved he can score at the top level. Doesn't seem too bad.
I think we need five strikers this season. If we pulled these two off we'd have a front line of Carroll, Zarate, Carlton Cole, Michu and Crouch. Well it's certainly better than last year, but three of those five are very injury prone – which is why we'd need 5 strikers in the squad rather than 4.
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Tuesday, June 24
Daily WHUFC News - 24th June 2014
West Ham United at the World Cup - '10
WHUFc.com
A look back at West Ham United's involvement at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
23.06.2014
West Ham United had five players on duty for their respective countries at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Two were called up by Fabio Capello's England - goalkeeper Rob Green and defender Matt Upson, while Valon Behrami was picked by Switzerland, Jonathan Spector by the USA and Guillermo Franco by Mexico. For England, Green was selected for their opening fixture against Spector's United States. The Three Lions took an early lead through Steven Gerrard, but Green's fumble allowed Clint Dempsey to level matters five minutes before the interval and 1-1 was how it ended. Green was supplanted in goal by David James thereafter, although Upson came into the side for the third group game against Algeria and retained his spot - finding the back of the net - as England crashed out 4-1 to Germany in the second round. Spector had to be content with a watching brief for the tournament, which also ended at the second round stage as the United States lost to Ghana 2-1 after extra time.
Behrami missed out on selection for Switzerland's shock opening victory over Spain, but was back involved as Ottmar Hitzfeld's side took on Chile next up. However, the midfielder's World Cup would only last 31 minutes as he saw red and the South Americans triumphed 1-0. A 0-0 draw with Honduras meant a campaign which began with so much promise for the Swiss was over almost before it began. Guillermo Franco started all three of Mexico's group games as a 1-1 draw with hosts South Africa, a 2-0 victory over France and a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay meant they qualified as Group A runners-up. Franco then found himself on the bench as his country took on Argentina in the second round, and with Diego Maradona's team 3-0 up, Mexico called for the Hammer as they looked for a way back. Javier Hernandez did find the net, but it counted for little as La Verde's campaign ended there.
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Reid gives boost to Maori youngsters
WHUFC.com
Young Maori and Pacific Island children had the time of their lives thanks to an initiative involving Winston Reid
23.06.2014
Ten young Maori and Pacific Island children had the time of their lives thanks to an initiative by Wellington Phoenix and West Ham United's Maori defender Winston Reid. The youngsters, from the Kelvin Road School in the Auckland suburb of Papakura, love their football, but their parents have never been able to afford to buy them boots to play in. That all changed as The Phoenix partnered with Winston Reid's Aotearoa Footballers' Charitable Trust, Maori Football New Zealand and Banks Shoes to help give the youngsters get a taste of professional football. Reid, who is of Maori descent, set up the Trust following the All Whites' 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign with three other New Zealand internationals of Maori descent - Leo Bertos, Jeremy Christie and Rory Fallon. Thanks to one of the Phoenix' supporters, Banks Shoes, the children each left the Eastern Suburbs ground where the Phoenix trained with a new pair of football boots.
They were even able to enjoy a kick-around with New Zealand's only A-League team before being invited to join the players and staff for dinner at the Grand Rendezvous Hotel, where they were each presented with a Phoenix shirt, and then joined in with the players for one of the club's traditions. The first time a player or member of staff travels away from Wellington with the team they are expected to stand on a chair and sing a song, which is a daunting experience for even the most confident person.
To a boy or girl they joined in the chanting for a reluctant singer and then, to cap the night off three of the budding football stars - Amelia Luselu, Taitimu-Lee Harrison and Roine Sinanoa - stood in front of players and staff and sang! The Phoenix will face Reid and West Ham during the Hammers' Football United Tour to New Zealand, with the fixture taking place at Eden Park stadium in Auckland on Wednesday 23 July at 7.45pm. West Ham will then travel to Wellington to face another A-League side, Sydney FC, on Saturday 26 July at 2pm as part of a double-header which also includes the Phoenix's meeting with Barclays Premier League club Newcastle United.
More than 20,000 tickets have been sold for the Wellington double-header, while seats are also selling quickly for the Eden Park fixture.
Ticket prices for the West Ham v Wellington fixture start from just 59 NZD (£30.20) for Adults and 20 NZD (£10.25) for Children.
Silver ticket prices for the Westpac Stadium double-header are priced at 95 NZD (£48) for Adults, 45 NZD (£22.80) for Children and 235 NZD (£119) for a Family (Two Adults/Two Children). Gold seats are available for 129 NZD (£65.30) for Adults, 59 NZD (£29.90) for Children and 319 NZD (£160.60) for a Family (Two Adults/Two Children).
Affiliated Supporters' Clubs from New Zealand and across Australia have already revealed plans to travel to both matches, while UK-based supporters are also set to make the 11,400-mile trip to cheer on their team.
Flight, ticket and accommodation packages for the Football United Tour are also on sale now, with prices starting from as little as NZ $216 (£110) per person. For full details, click here.
Football United Tour
Wellington Phoenix v West Ham United
Wednesday 23 July 2014, 7.30pm (local time)
Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand
Sydney FC v West Ham United
Saturday 26 July 2014, 2pm (local time)
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand
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U21s pre-season schedule confirmed
WHUFc.com
West Ham United U21s will enjoy a busy pre-season ahead of the 2014/15 campaign
23.06.2014
West Ham United U21s will enjoy a busy pre-season ahead of their 2014/15 campaign. Nick Haycock's Development Squad finished the 2013/14 Barclays U21 Premier League season in ninth place, earning themselves a spot in the newly-formed Division 1 when the competition gets underway in August. Before then, Haycock's side will travel far and wide as part of their preparations, taking on Premier League, non-league and foreign opposition as the Hammers' young professionals continue their development. The pre-season schedule gets underway on home turf with the visit of Isthmian League Premier Division side AFC Hornchurch to Little Heath on Saturday 12 July. The following Tuesday, the U21s hit the road to Hampshire to take on Conference South outfit Havant and Waterlooville. The weekend of 19/20 July sees the Hammers taking part in the four-team Absolute Travel Cup at Cambridge United's R Costings Abbey Stadium. There, Haycock's squad will face continental opposition in Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk and Spanish side Espanyol. West Ham will take part in another international tournament the following week, when they travel to Germany for the Ruhr Cup, hosted by Borussia Dortmund. There, the Hammers have been drawn in Group B alongside German pair Borussia Moenchengladbach and Schalke 04, Turkish side Galatasaray and Israeli club Maccabi Netanya. On Tuesday 29 July, Alan Devonshire's Conference Premier side Braintree Town will play host to West Ham before the pre-season schedule is rounded off by a trip to another trip to a Conference Premier side in Woking on Tuesday 5 August and the visit of Aston Villa's U21s to Little Heath on Friday 8 August.
Ticket details for all the U21s' pre-season fixtures and any additions will be confirmed on whufc.com
U21s pre-season fixtures
Sat 12 July v AFC Hornchurch (Little Heath, 11am)
Tue 15 July v Havant and Waterlooville (West Leigh Park, 7.45pm)
Sat 19 July v Shakhtar Donetsk (Absolute Travel Cup, R Costings Abbey Stadium, Cambridge United FC, 2pm)
Sun 20 July v Espanyol (Absolute Travel Cup, R Costings Abbey Stadium, Cambridge United FC, 2pm)
Thu 24-Sun 27 July v Borussia Moenchengladbach/Schalke 04/Galatasaray/Maccabi Netanya (Ruhr Cup, Dortmund, Germany)
Tue 29 July v Braintree Town (Amlin Stadium, 7.45pm)
Tue 5 Aug v Woking (Kingfield Stadium, 7.45pm)
Fri 8 Aug v Aston Villa (Little Heath, 12noon)
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Hammers games go live
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 23rd June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's two friendlies in New Zealand are being broadcast live on TV. BT Sport have announced that they will be showing both of West Ham's matches on the forthcoming Football United tour, which begins on 23rd July next month, live. United's tournament-opener against hosts Wellington Phoenix is being broadcast on BT Sport from 7.00am (BST) on Wednesday, 23rd July. Their second and final fixture of the competition, against Sydney, takes place three days later (26th July) and goes live from 2.00am (BST). The other matches in the tournament take place on Tuesday, 22nd July (Sydney vs Newcastle United) and on Saturday, 26th July (Wellington Phoenix vs Newcastle United).
* It has been confirmed that West Ham will face Sampdoria in the Marathonbet Cup on Saturday, 9th August, as exclusively revealed here on KUMB last month. Tickets - priced from £15 for adults - are already available from whufc.com.
Pre-season: 2014/15
12th July: Stevenage (Lamex Stadium, 3.00pm)
16th July: Ipswich Town (Portman Road, 7.45pm)
23rd July: Wellington Phoenix (Eden Park, 7.45pm*)
26th July: Sydney (Westpac Stadium, 2.00pm*)
2nd August: Schalke 04 (Veltins Arena, 5.30pm*)
3rd August: Malaga (Veltins Arena, 3.30pm*)
9th August: Sampdoria (Boleyn Ground, 3.00pm)
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Engineering works cause more travel woes
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 23rd June 2014
By: Staff Writer
The Metropolitan Police face a logisitical nightmare after it was revealed that the District Line will be closed for the opening day of the 2014/15 Premier League season. Once again Transport for London, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to close both the District and Hammersmith & City lines - presumably for maintenance - on the opening day of the new Premier League campaign. It's also a day on which West Ham United are due to face bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur - meaning that instead of monitoring Upton Park tube, the Met will now have to spread their resources to cover the many different routes supporters of both teams will be forced to take in order to reach the Boleyn Ground. TfL - who have regularly overlooked the needs of football supporters when choosing which times to close certain routes for maintenance in recent years - have also announced that the District Line will be mostly unavailable on 20th September, when West Ham host Liverpool. There will also be problems the following month on 4th and 25th October (Queens Park Rangers and Manchester City) when further interruptions to the District Line's regular service are planned.
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West Ham United are looking to agree a deal for Dnipro winger Yevhen Konoplyanka
Guardian Series
3:50pm Monday 23rd June 2014 in News
West Ham are keen on poaching Dnipro winger Yevhen Konoplyanka from under the noses of several Premier League rivals, according to the Daily Express.
The 24-year-old Ukrainian international was due to complete a £16m move to Liverpool in January but the move fell through on deadline day when Dnipro owner Ihor Kolomoyskyi refused to sanction the deal, despite the Reds activating his release clause. Konoplyanka has also attracted interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur and a tussle for the 5ft9 and 1/2in winger's services looks likely this summer. Since making his Ukraine debut in 2010, Konoplyanka has won 37 caps for Ukraine, scoring ten times including a memorable goal against England at Wembley in qualification for the 2014 World Cup.
He scored eight times in 23 starts for Dnipro last term as they finished runners-up in the Ukrainian Premier Division.
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West Ham United can land midfield enforcer for just £3m
Date: 23rd June 2014 at 7:00 pm
Written by: Dan Prescott |
Football Transfer Tavern
We don't get many hipster Hammers in the Football Transfer Tavern but those that do venture in are happy with this latest rumour. As according to the Daily Star, the East London outfit have been offered penny farthing lover Raul Meireles for a cut-price deal of £3 million. Sam Allardyce is apparently fond of the Portuguese midfielder and not just because of his fantastic beard. The former Bolton Wanderers manager tried signing him in January from current club Fenerbahce. However the deal was blocked by the Turkish club and in the end West Ham signed Italian midfielder Antonio Nocerino who incidentally had a pretty sweet beard himself! But according to reports, a return to the Premier League could be back on as Fenerbahce look to reduce their large wage bill. Meireles is one of the clubs' highest earners and they are likely to take a major financial hit should the Hammers take him off their hands on the cheap.
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West Ham linked with Spanish wonderkid
By matt_harris | Posted: June 23, 2014
Brentwood Gazette
WEST Ham have reportedly had a bid for Spanish wonderkid Marco Asensio turned down by his club Real Mallorca. Asensio made 20 appearances for Mallorca last season, after being promoted from the club's B team, and the 18-year-old attacking midfielder is seen as one of the top talents emerging in Spain and has been watched by Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid. It is believed the Hammers made an offer of €750,000 with that rising to more than €2.5m with add-ons. But the Spanish Segunda Division side have rejected the offer and see Asensio as key to their attempts to get back in La Liga.
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WEST HAM PREPARING AMBITIOUS MOVE FOR £12M LIVERPOOL TARGET
West Ham preparing ambitious move for £12m Liverpool target
Written by James Jones | Comments(0)
West Ham are preparing a sensational move for Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United target Yevhen Konoplyanka, according to the Express. The Ukraine international was close to a switch Anfield in January before a deal collapsed in the final hour of transfer deadline day. And despite Brendan Rodgers' reportedly still hopeful of completing a deal, as well as interest from Tottenham and Man United this summer, Sam Allardyce is preparing to beat all three to the 24-year-old's signature. The winger, who has a £12million buy-out clause in his Dnipro contract, is expected to leave Ukraine this summer after coming so close to the exit door at the beginning of the year, although it is thought he isn't willing to move to a club not competing in Europe. That would instantly rule Man United and West Ham, but West Ham are hopeful of persuading him to join them in east London as they start building for a future in the Olympic Stadium.
Hammees co-chairman David Sullivan has recently spoken of the club's burning ambition to break in to the top six within the next few years, and has followed up with the capture of Mauro Zarate and Cheikhou Kouyate already this summer. And, despite it being unclear whether they will be prepared to meet Konoplyanka's release clause and the successful agree personal terms, a deal would further prove the Hammers are serious about their ambitious plans for the immediate future.
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Rav and Winston in talks after holidays
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 23, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Ravel-Morrison-2West Ham have this afternoon confirmed that talks with Winston Reid and Ravel Morrison will re-start when the defender and midfielder return from their summer holidays. ClaretandHugh revealed yesterday (Sunday) that they will be holding new contract talks with both players. Reid has been reported as wanting around £75k a week to stay at the club whilst speculation continues to swirl around Morrison's future with Swansea, QPR and Newcastle allegedly interested. A Hammers source explained to CandH: "Both players remain on holiday at the moment but talks are planned when they return."
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Neymar is already bigger in Brazil than Pele! But four years ago World Cup poster boy could have moved to West Ham for £12m
Santos rejected bids from West Ham and Chelsea for Neymar
By ROB SHEPHERD
PUBLISHED: 14:34, 23 June 2014 | UPDATED: 17:06, 23 June 2014
Daily Mail
Neymar might not be better than Pele but in many ways he is already bigger. In the modern world of sports marketing 22-year-old Neymar's image is omnipresent in Brazil. 'Neymar-keting' sees the player endorse a wide range of products from soft drinks to mobile phones and he has even appeared on the front cover of Time magazine. On Monday he will aim to endear himself further to a besotted Brazil by leading the World Cup hosts to victory against Cameroon. All this from a player who four years ago could have moved to, er, West Ham. In 2010 agent Barry Silkman alerted the club to a new Brazilian wonder player at Santos - the club where Pele played. The Hammers swiftly made a £12million bid for a player then 'unknown' in Europe. But Santos, and one suspects the Neymar family, turned the offer down. An approach from Chelsea soon after was rejected, too. Neymar moved on to Barcelona last summer.
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Irons confirm defender talks
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 23, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham have confirmed morning reports that the club remains in talks with Nice left back Timothee Kolodziejczak but that they are still looking at three others. And after seeing neither Razvan Rat and Pablo Armero solve their problem position, the club is absolutely determined to get things 100 per cent right this time around. Kolodziejczak – destined to become 'Kolo' should he finally arrive at the club – is understood to be available at around £3 million but is also being hunted by Southampton. However, a highly placed Upton Park source told ClaretandHugh exclusively a few minutes ago: "We are looking at four left backs and this guy is one of them but we are a long way from a deal at this stage. That Southampton, who see him as a possible replacement for Luke Shaw, rate demonstrates the 21 year old's quality. Norwich City's Martin Olsson is another the Hammers are tracking.
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Why West Ham are approaching this transfer window the wrong way
Monday 23 Jun 2014 12:31 pm
Metro.co.uk
Following crunch talks with the West Ham hierarchy last month, manager Sam Allardyce vowed to abide by the owners' demands to play 'exciting football' next season, and will be given a sizeable transfer budget to make this dream a reality. So far he has managed to lure ex-Birmingham loanee Mauro Zarate back to the Premier League from Argentine side Velez Sarsfield on a free transfer after the forward bought himself out of his contract with the club, and last week he finalised the signing of Anderlecht powerhouse Chiekhou Kouyate for a reported £7million. The 24-year-old centre back/defensive midfielder has Champions League experience and will add some much needed quality to the side. Not so say these aren't good signings – they are, but if you ask any pundit who follows the Premier League closely or more importantly any West Ham fan, they would've told you that at the heart of our defense and midfield is solid.
It's widely accepted that James Tomkins and Winston Reid are two of the most underrated centre-back's in the Premier League, so bringing another strong player in at that position does raise an eyebrow or two. The Hammers have also been linked with a number of central players since the end of the season. Colombia's Eder Alvarez Balanta, Fenerbache's Raul Meireles and soon to be ex-Manchester City star Gareth Barry to name but a few have all been linked with moves to West Ham in the past week. As said above, we don't need help in the positions that these players ply their trade in, we need help elsewhere, most notable in the wide areas.
Both fullback positions are in dire need of reinforcements. On the right side, 33-year old Guy Demel enters the last year of his deal at the club. Joey O'Brien, an old Sam favourite, simply cannot stay fully fit for a 38-game season. On the left side, George McCartney has been released by the club following the expiry of his contract, and loanee Pablo Armero appears to be returning to Napoli with an option to make his loan permanent not taken up. In my opinion, not enough has been done to solidify these areas of the team. It appears the Hammers are in the driving seat to sign Fiorentina left back Marcos Alonso this summer, but face competition from Sunderland, who Alonso spent last season on loan with. It also seems like a deal to sign impressive Nice defender Timothee Kolodziejczak has been put on hold.
With the way the Premier League is heading, this current West Ham team will continue to be exposed on the wings due to a lack of quality. We are seeing more and more explosive wingers enter the league, and fullbacks being given the license to bomb on forward on the overlap – the team must look to sign players who are defensively strong and can contribute going forward if they wish to return to the top 10.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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WHUFc.com
A look back at West Ham United's involvement at the 2010 FIFA World Cup
23.06.2014
West Ham United had five players on duty for their respective countries at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Two were called up by Fabio Capello's England - goalkeeper Rob Green and defender Matt Upson, while Valon Behrami was picked by Switzerland, Jonathan Spector by the USA and Guillermo Franco by Mexico. For England, Green was selected for their opening fixture against Spector's United States. The Three Lions took an early lead through Steven Gerrard, but Green's fumble allowed Clint Dempsey to level matters five minutes before the interval and 1-1 was how it ended. Green was supplanted in goal by David James thereafter, although Upson came into the side for the third group game against Algeria and retained his spot - finding the back of the net - as England crashed out 4-1 to Germany in the second round. Spector had to be content with a watching brief for the tournament, which also ended at the second round stage as the United States lost to Ghana 2-1 after extra time.
Behrami missed out on selection for Switzerland's shock opening victory over Spain, but was back involved as Ottmar Hitzfeld's side took on Chile next up. However, the midfielder's World Cup would only last 31 minutes as he saw red and the South Americans triumphed 1-0. A 0-0 draw with Honduras meant a campaign which began with so much promise for the Swiss was over almost before it began. Guillermo Franco started all three of Mexico's group games as a 1-1 draw with hosts South Africa, a 2-0 victory over France and a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay meant they qualified as Group A runners-up. Franco then found himself on the bench as his country took on Argentina in the second round, and with Diego Maradona's team 3-0 up, Mexico called for the Hammer as they looked for a way back. Javier Hernandez did find the net, but it counted for little as La Verde's campaign ended there.
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Reid gives boost to Maori youngsters
WHUFC.com
Young Maori and Pacific Island children had the time of their lives thanks to an initiative involving Winston Reid
23.06.2014
Ten young Maori and Pacific Island children had the time of their lives thanks to an initiative by Wellington Phoenix and West Ham United's Maori defender Winston Reid. The youngsters, from the Kelvin Road School in the Auckland suburb of Papakura, love their football, but their parents have never been able to afford to buy them boots to play in. That all changed as The Phoenix partnered with Winston Reid's Aotearoa Footballers' Charitable Trust, Maori Football New Zealand and Banks Shoes to help give the youngsters get a taste of professional football. Reid, who is of Maori descent, set up the Trust following the All Whites' 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign with three other New Zealand internationals of Maori descent - Leo Bertos, Jeremy Christie and Rory Fallon. Thanks to one of the Phoenix' supporters, Banks Shoes, the children each left the Eastern Suburbs ground where the Phoenix trained with a new pair of football boots.
They were even able to enjoy a kick-around with New Zealand's only A-League team before being invited to join the players and staff for dinner at the Grand Rendezvous Hotel, where they were each presented with a Phoenix shirt, and then joined in with the players for one of the club's traditions. The first time a player or member of staff travels away from Wellington with the team they are expected to stand on a chair and sing a song, which is a daunting experience for even the most confident person.
To a boy or girl they joined in the chanting for a reluctant singer and then, to cap the night off three of the budding football stars - Amelia Luselu, Taitimu-Lee Harrison and Roine Sinanoa - stood in front of players and staff and sang! The Phoenix will face Reid and West Ham during the Hammers' Football United Tour to New Zealand, with the fixture taking place at Eden Park stadium in Auckland on Wednesday 23 July at 7.45pm. West Ham will then travel to Wellington to face another A-League side, Sydney FC, on Saturday 26 July at 2pm as part of a double-header which also includes the Phoenix's meeting with Barclays Premier League club Newcastle United.
More than 20,000 tickets have been sold for the Wellington double-header, while seats are also selling quickly for the Eden Park fixture.
Ticket prices for the West Ham v Wellington fixture start from just 59 NZD (£30.20) for Adults and 20 NZD (£10.25) for Children.
Silver ticket prices for the Westpac Stadium double-header are priced at 95 NZD (£48) for Adults, 45 NZD (£22.80) for Children and 235 NZD (£119) for a Family (Two Adults/Two Children). Gold seats are available for 129 NZD (£65.30) for Adults, 59 NZD (£29.90) for Children and 319 NZD (£160.60) for a Family (Two Adults/Two Children).
Affiliated Supporters' Clubs from New Zealand and across Australia have already revealed plans to travel to both matches, while UK-based supporters are also set to make the 11,400-mile trip to cheer on their team.
Flight, ticket and accommodation packages for the Football United Tour are also on sale now, with prices starting from as little as NZ $216 (£110) per person. For full details, click here.
Football United Tour
Wellington Phoenix v West Ham United
Wednesday 23 July 2014, 7.30pm (local time)
Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand
Sydney FC v West Ham United
Saturday 26 July 2014, 2pm (local time)
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand
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U21s pre-season schedule confirmed
WHUFc.com
West Ham United U21s will enjoy a busy pre-season ahead of the 2014/15 campaign
23.06.2014
West Ham United U21s will enjoy a busy pre-season ahead of their 2014/15 campaign. Nick Haycock's Development Squad finished the 2013/14 Barclays U21 Premier League season in ninth place, earning themselves a spot in the newly-formed Division 1 when the competition gets underway in August. Before then, Haycock's side will travel far and wide as part of their preparations, taking on Premier League, non-league and foreign opposition as the Hammers' young professionals continue their development. The pre-season schedule gets underway on home turf with the visit of Isthmian League Premier Division side AFC Hornchurch to Little Heath on Saturday 12 July. The following Tuesday, the U21s hit the road to Hampshire to take on Conference South outfit Havant and Waterlooville. The weekend of 19/20 July sees the Hammers taking part in the four-team Absolute Travel Cup at Cambridge United's R Costings Abbey Stadium. There, Haycock's squad will face continental opposition in Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk and Spanish side Espanyol. West Ham will take part in another international tournament the following week, when they travel to Germany for the Ruhr Cup, hosted by Borussia Dortmund. There, the Hammers have been drawn in Group B alongside German pair Borussia Moenchengladbach and Schalke 04, Turkish side Galatasaray and Israeli club Maccabi Netanya. On Tuesday 29 July, Alan Devonshire's Conference Premier side Braintree Town will play host to West Ham before the pre-season schedule is rounded off by a trip to another trip to a Conference Premier side in Woking on Tuesday 5 August and the visit of Aston Villa's U21s to Little Heath on Friday 8 August.
Ticket details for all the U21s' pre-season fixtures and any additions will be confirmed on whufc.com
U21s pre-season fixtures
Sat 12 July v AFC Hornchurch (Little Heath, 11am)
Tue 15 July v Havant and Waterlooville (West Leigh Park, 7.45pm)
Sat 19 July v Shakhtar Donetsk (Absolute Travel Cup, R Costings Abbey Stadium, Cambridge United FC, 2pm)
Sun 20 July v Espanyol (Absolute Travel Cup, R Costings Abbey Stadium, Cambridge United FC, 2pm)
Thu 24-Sun 27 July v Borussia Moenchengladbach/Schalke 04/Galatasaray/Maccabi Netanya (Ruhr Cup, Dortmund, Germany)
Tue 29 July v Braintree Town (Amlin Stadium, 7.45pm)
Tue 5 Aug v Woking (Kingfield Stadium, 7.45pm)
Fri 8 Aug v Aston Villa (Little Heath, 12noon)
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Hammers games go live
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 23rd June 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's two friendlies in New Zealand are being broadcast live on TV. BT Sport have announced that they will be showing both of West Ham's matches on the forthcoming Football United tour, which begins on 23rd July next month, live. United's tournament-opener against hosts Wellington Phoenix is being broadcast on BT Sport from 7.00am (BST) on Wednesday, 23rd July. Their second and final fixture of the competition, against Sydney, takes place three days later (26th July) and goes live from 2.00am (BST). The other matches in the tournament take place on Tuesday, 22nd July (Sydney vs Newcastle United) and on Saturday, 26th July (Wellington Phoenix vs Newcastle United).
* It has been confirmed that West Ham will face Sampdoria in the Marathonbet Cup on Saturday, 9th August, as exclusively revealed here on KUMB last month. Tickets - priced from £15 for adults - are already available from whufc.com.
Pre-season: 2014/15
12th July: Stevenage (Lamex Stadium, 3.00pm)
16th July: Ipswich Town (Portman Road, 7.45pm)
23rd July: Wellington Phoenix (Eden Park, 7.45pm*)
26th July: Sydney (Westpac Stadium, 2.00pm*)
2nd August: Schalke 04 (Veltins Arena, 5.30pm*)
3rd August: Malaga (Veltins Arena, 3.30pm*)
9th August: Sampdoria (Boleyn Ground, 3.00pm)
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Engineering works cause more travel woes
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 23rd June 2014
By: Staff Writer
The Metropolitan Police face a logisitical nightmare after it was revealed that the District Line will be closed for the opening day of the 2014/15 Premier League season. Once again Transport for London, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to close both the District and Hammersmith & City lines - presumably for maintenance - on the opening day of the new Premier League campaign. It's also a day on which West Ham United are due to face bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur - meaning that instead of monitoring Upton Park tube, the Met will now have to spread their resources to cover the many different routes supporters of both teams will be forced to take in order to reach the Boleyn Ground. TfL - who have regularly overlooked the needs of football supporters when choosing which times to close certain routes for maintenance in recent years - have also announced that the District Line will be mostly unavailable on 20th September, when West Ham host Liverpool. There will also be problems the following month on 4th and 25th October (Queens Park Rangers and Manchester City) when further interruptions to the District Line's regular service are planned.
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West Ham United are looking to agree a deal for Dnipro winger Yevhen Konoplyanka
Guardian Series
3:50pm Monday 23rd June 2014 in News
West Ham are keen on poaching Dnipro winger Yevhen Konoplyanka from under the noses of several Premier League rivals, according to the Daily Express.
The 24-year-old Ukrainian international was due to complete a £16m move to Liverpool in January but the move fell through on deadline day when Dnipro owner Ihor Kolomoyskyi refused to sanction the deal, despite the Reds activating his release clause. Konoplyanka has also attracted interest from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur and a tussle for the 5ft9 and 1/2in winger's services looks likely this summer. Since making his Ukraine debut in 2010, Konoplyanka has won 37 caps for Ukraine, scoring ten times including a memorable goal against England at Wembley in qualification for the 2014 World Cup.
He scored eight times in 23 starts for Dnipro last term as they finished runners-up in the Ukrainian Premier Division.
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West Ham United can land midfield enforcer for just £3m
Date: 23rd June 2014 at 7:00 pm
Written by: Dan Prescott |
Football Transfer Tavern
We don't get many hipster Hammers in the Football Transfer Tavern but those that do venture in are happy with this latest rumour. As according to the Daily Star, the East London outfit have been offered penny farthing lover Raul Meireles for a cut-price deal of £3 million. Sam Allardyce is apparently fond of the Portuguese midfielder and not just because of his fantastic beard. The former Bolton Wanderers manager tried signing him in January from current club Fenerbahce. However the deal was blocked by the Turkish club and in the end West Ham signed Italian midfielder Antonio Nocerino who incidentally had a pretty sweet beard himself! But according to reports, a return to the Premier League could be back on as Fenerbahce look to reduce their large wage bill. Meireles is one of the clubs' highest earners and they are likely to take a major financial hit should the Hammers take him off their hands on the cheap.
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West Ham linked with Spanish wonderkid
By matt_harris | Posted: June 23, 2014
Brentwood Gazette
WEST Ham have reportedly had a bid for Spanish wonderkid Marco Asensio turned down by his club Real Mallorca. Asensio made 20 appearances for Mallorca last season, after being promoted from the club's B team, and the 18-year-old attacking midfielder is seen as one of the top talents emerging in Spain and has been watched by Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid. It is believed the Hammers made an offer of €750,000 with that rising to more than €2.5m with add-ons. But the Spanish Segunda Division side have rejected the offer and see Asensio as key to their attempts to get back in La Liga.
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WEST HAM PREPARING AMBITIOUS MOVE FOR £12M LIVERPOOL TARGET
West Ham preparing ambitious move for £12m Liverpool target
Written by James Jones | Comments(0)
West Ham are preparing a sensational move for Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United target Yevhen Konoplyanka, according to the Express. The Ukraine international was close to a switch Anfield in January before a deal collapsed in the final hour of transfer deadline day. And despite Brendan Rodgers' reportedly still hopeful of completing a deal, as well as interest from Tottenham and Man United this summer, Sam Allardyce is preparing to beat all three to the 24-year-old's signature. The winger, who has a £12million buy-out clause in his Dnipro contract, is expected to leave Ukraine this summer after coming so close to the exit door at the beginning of the year, although it is thought he isn't willing to move to a club not competing in Europe. That would instantly rule Man United and West Ham, but West Ham are hopeful of persuading him to join them in east London as they start building for a future in the Olympic Stadium.
Hammees co-chairman David Sullivan has recently spoken of the club's burning ambition to break in to the top six within the next few years, and has followed up with the capture of Mauro Zarate and Cheikhou Kouyate already this summer. And, despite it being unclear whether they will be prepared to meet Konoplyanka's release clause and the successful agree personal terms, a deal would further prove the Hammers are serious about their ambitious plans for the immediate future.
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Rav and Winston in talks after holidays
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 23, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Ravel-Morrison-2West Ham have this afternoon confirmed that talks with Winston Reid and Ravel Morrison will re-start when the defender and midfielder return from their summer holidays. ClaretandHugh revealed yesterday (Sunday) that they will be holding new contract talks with both players. Reid has been reported as wanting around £75k a week to stay at the club whilst speculation continues to swirl around Morrison's future with Swansea, QPR and Newcastle allegedly interested. A Hammers source explained to CandH: "Both players remain on holiday at the moment but talks are planned when they return."
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Neymar is already bigger in Brazil than Pele! But four years ago World Cup poster boy could have moved to West Ham for £12m
Santos rejected bids from West Ham and Chelsea for Neymar
By ROB SHEPHERD
PUBLISHED: 14:34, 23 June 2014 | UPDATED: 17:06, 23 June 2014
Daily Mail
Neymar might not be better than Pele but in many ways he is already bigger. In the modern world of sports marketing 22-year-old Neymar's image is omnipresent in Brazil. 'Neymar-keting' sees the player endorse a wide range of products from soft drinks to mobile phones and he has even appeared on the front cover of Time magazine. On Monday he will aim to endear himself further to a besotted Brazil by leading the World Cup hosts to victory against Cameroon. All this from a player who four years ago could have moved to, er, West Ham. In 2010 agent Barry Silkman alerted the club to a new Brazilian wonder player at Santos - the club where Pele played. The Hammers swiftly made a £12million bid for a player then 'unknown' in Europe. But Santos, and one suspects the Neymar family, turned the offer down. An approach from Chelsea soon after was rejected, too. Neymar moved on to Barcelona last summer.
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Irons confirm defender talks
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 23, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham have confirmed morning reports that the club remains in talks with Nice left back Timothee Kolodziejczak but that they are still looking at three others. And after seeing neither Razvan Rat and Pablo Armero solve their problem position, the club is absolutely determined to get things 100 per cent right this time around. Kolodziejczak – destined to become 'Kolo' should he finally arrive at the club – is understood to be available at around £3 million but is also being hunted by Southampton. However, a highly placed Upton Park source told ClaretandHugh exclusively a few minutes ago: "We are looking at four left backs and this guy is one of them but we are a long way from a deal at this stage. That Southampton, who see him as a possible replacement for Luke Shaw, rate demonstrates the 21 year old's quality. Norwich City's Martin Olsson is another the Hammers are tracking.
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Why West Ham are approaching this transfer window the wrong way
Monday 23 Jun 2014 12:31 pm
Metro.co.uk
Following crunch talks with the West Ham hierarchy last month, manager Sam Allardyce vowed to abide by the owners' demands to play 'exciting football' next season, and will be given a sizeable transfer budget to make this dream a reality. So far he has managed to lure ex-Birmingham loanee Mauro Zarate back to the Premier League from Argentine side Velez Sarsfield on a free transfer after the forward bought himself out of his contract with the club, and last week he finalised the signing of Anderlecht powerhouse Chiekhou Kouyate for a reported £7million. The 24-year-old centre back/defensive midfielder has Champions League experience and will add some much needed quality to the side. Not so say these aren't good signings – they are, but if you ask any pundit who follows the Premier League closely or more importantly any West Ham fan, they would've told you that at the heart of our defense and midfield is solid.
It's widely accepted that James Tomkins and Winston Reid are two of the most underrated centre-back's in the Premier League, so bringing another strong player in at that position does raise an eyebrow or two. The Hammers have also been linked with a number of central players since the end of the season. Colombia's Eder Alvarez Balanta, Fenerbache's Raul Meireles and soon to be ex-Manchester City star Gareth Barry to name but a few have all been linked with moves to West Ham in the past week. As said above, we don't need help in the positions that these players ply their trade in, we need help elsewhere, most notable in the wide areas.
Both fullback positions are in dire need of reinforcements. On the right side, 33-year old Guy Demel enters the last year of his deal at the club. Joey O'Brien, an old Sam favourite, simply cannot stay fully fit for a 38-game season. On the left side, George McCartney has been released by the club following the expiry of his contract, and loanee Pablo Armero appears to be returning to Napoli with an option to make his loan permanent not taken up. In my opinion, not enough has been done to solidify these areas of the team. It appears the Hammers are in the driving seat to sign Fiorentina left back Marcos Alonso this summer, but face competition from Sunderland, who Alonso spent last season on loan with. It also seems like a deal to sign impressive Nice defender Timothee Kolodziejczak has been put on hold.
With the way the Premier League is heading, this current West Ham team will continue to be exposed on the wings due to a lack of quality. We are seeing more and more explosive wingers enter the league, and fullbacks being given the license to bomb on forward on the overlap – the team must look to sign players who are defensively strong and can contribute going forward if they wish to return to the top 10.
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