Big Sam on - Arsenal
WHUFC.com
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce faced the media ahead of Saturday's
trip to the Emirates to play Arsenal. Here's what he had to say about the
benefits of warm-weather training, team news for the trip to northj London
and Arsenal's strengths and weaknessess...
Morning Sam, did you get what you wanted from your trip to Dubai?
"Yes, everyone enjoyed the break. The facilities were excellent and it was
nice to see my old pal Michel Salgado, who I had at Blackburn with me. "The
lads enjoyed the quality of the training sessions and what Dubai has to
offer. I think a little bit of rest, both mentally and physically, will help
us to win more games in the last ten games of the season. Obviously we're
all looking forward to the games and picking up as many points as possible."
It was almost like a mini winter break, which you've done quite a few times
in your career, haven't you?
"Yes, I've done it every season for 13, 14 seasons. The research by the LMA
shows the benefits of having a break and the evidence shows the risk of
injuries decreases. "Every team gets very fatigued in and around Christmas
and it takes a while to recover. I think it's a big reason why our teams
don't do that well in Europe. But for us, it's about being fresh for final
ten games and picking up as many points as possible."
Alex Song was one of the players who didn't travel, so he could work on is
fitness, so has that worked out?
"I think so. He also had a bit of a knee problem which he's been able to get
treatment for. So his fitness has come on a lot which is good for everyone."
Are there any other new injuries?
"Well we've got a concern about Enner Valencia who cut his toe quite
severely on a broken cup at home. It's been stitched together but we don't
know how serious it is yet. It was a freak accident and it remains to be
seen whether he'll be ready for Arsenal, it seems unlikely but we'll have to
wait and see."
You go to Arsenal this weekend, which is a tough game at the best of times,
but even more so without a full squad to choose from?
"Yes of course, yet again we don't have a full squad to pick from. I hope we
put in the same level of performance as we did against Chelsea.
"I watched Arsenal's game away at Manchester United and everyone could see
the quality they have. We know how difficult it is at the Emirates, where
we've actually gone in front a few times but not managed to hold on.
"We'll go there and give it our best shot and see what happens. We'll try
and do what we did against Chelsea and see if that's good enough to get us a
result."
Monaco turned them over recently, so can you learn from that game about
Arsenal's weaknesses?
"Monaco have been good at not conceding goals, something we haven't been
good at. I think they've only conceded one goal in eleven games or something
like that. Arsenal have a few weaknesses like everybody does. We have to
exploit them but also take our chances.
"I don't think we missed more chances in a game than we did against Chelsea,
or since I've first played Chelsea with Bolton in 2001. So when we get the
chances we have to take them."
Where are Arsenal's main threats?
"I think they have different threats from all over the team, which is why
they are so difficult to beat, especially at home. We conceded two goals
very quickly in the reverse fixture which was the only difference between
the two teams on the day."
Sam, you talked about the importance of being strong defensively, so how big
a loss in Winston Reid going to be?
"Well I thought when James Collins came on against Chelsea he did a
brilliant job. Obviously we have to change Carl Jenkinson because he's an
Arsenal player, too. Our lack of goal scoring power is a concern at the
moment with the injuries we've got. We don't have many alternatives to turn
to either. But I've said to the lads, if we continue to play the way we have
been doing then the results will come for us and they'll get the rewards
they deserve."
There have been reports about Manchester City's interest in Aaron Cresswell
and talk of a new contract for him...
"I wouldn't have thought there needs to be a new contract because he's got
four years left I think it is. So there's no rush or pressure. It's one for
the Chairmen but I doubt there'll be any action needed. We don't act on
anything that's all rumour and speculation."
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Enner Valencia update
WHUFC.com
Enner Valencia sustained a deep laceration of his big toe on Tuesday evening
in an accident at his home. The No31 trod on a piece of teacup, which he had
dropped, and the resulting wound required emergency hospital treatment to
clean and stitch the wound. The forward was joined at hospital by West Ham
United medical staff, who oversaw the surgery required. Manager Sam
Allardyce said Valencia could miss the weekend Barclays Premier League trip
to Arsenal. "Enner has had an accident at home and has cut his big toe quite
severely on a broken cup," said Big Sam. "It has been stitched."
"We're not exactly certain but we think it will be too soon for him be
considered for the game at Arsenal on Saturday. "It was a freak accident at
a time when we could have done without it due to our lack of available
strikers." The Ecuador striker has made 30 appearances since joining the
Hammers from Mexican side Pachuca in summer 2014, scoring five goals.
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Nene targets new Stadium stay
WHUFC.com
Though West Ham United new boy Nene is just four weeks into his Hammers
career, he is already plotting a future at the new Stadium.
The Brazilian frontman is impressed with all that he has seen of the former
Olympic Stadium and admits the prospect of playing there is an appealing
one. So while he still awaits his full debut in Claret and Blue, Nene
cannot help but think of the opening game over at Queen Elizabeth Olympic
Park in 2016. "It will be a very beautiful stadium," he said. "The Club
has been waiting for it for a long time and we are looking forward to it.
Even for me, who has just arrived, it is no different. They have shown me
some pictures, the project, and I hope to be part of the squad in the
opening match at this wonderful stadium."
For the time being, however, he is fully focussed on finding his feet in the
Barclays Premier League and insists he is all but ready to show his worth.
"I will give my best every single training session and match to show I am
ready to help the Club win matches. Sure, I still need to settle down on
Premier League pace, but I am quite happy here. "Physically, I went almost a
month without playing an official match, which is a long time. Then playing
a Premier League match, I was not used to the pace of games. So, that was my
biggest issue at the beginning. "Training sessions are different too. I
thought I would have more problems with the language, but I learned English
in Qatar which is helpful for me to communicate with everyone else."
His chance could yet come at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, with Enner
Valencia's availability thrown into doubt by a toe injury. Either way, Nene
is safe in the knowledge that he will be in good company up front. "They are
high-level players," he continued. "Diafra Sakho, just give him the ball and
let him run. He is a clever player. Valencia is also an intelligent player
and fast. So far, so good. "We talk a lot also off the pitch in order to
make this partnership improves. I look forward to playing as soon as
possible. But I still need to improve physically to play the whole game."
The 33-year-old likes what he sees of manager Sam Allardyce too, not least
that there is no let-up on the training field."He is a demanding manager,"
Nene added. "He has an English style, a tough guy, which I find good. Every
training session he demands a lot from the players. "That is good for us
never relaxing and giving our best every day. I need more time to get to
know him better. But the first impressions are very good. He seems not only
a good manager but also a great person and a competent professional."
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Six of the best Arsenal
WHUFC.com
West Ham United travel to Emirates Stadium on Saturday as Sam Allardyce's
men look to bounce back from a harsh defeat to Chelsea last time out.
Here, whufc.com takes a look at six memorable away triumphs against the
Gunners.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
Premier League
7 April 2007
The Hammers had goalkeeper Rob Green to thank as they became the first
visiting team to beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. The shot stopper was
on hand to keep out a barrage of efforts from Emmanuel Adebayor and Gilberto
Silva amongst others, to guide Alan Curbishley's West Ham to a famous
victory. With Green in fine form at one end, Bobby Zamora made another
telling contribution at the other at the end of the first half. The striker
evaded the offside trap before placing his chip over Jens Lehmann and into
the empty net to send the visiting fans into raptures.
Arsenal 2-3 West Ham
Premier League
1 February 2006
The Hammers battled to a hard-fought victory against Arsene Wegner's men at
Highbury in this Premier League encounter. Gunners' centre-back Sol Cambell
gifted West Ham their opener when his mis-kick allowed Nigel Reo-Coker to
burst through the defence and slot home past goalkeeper Jens Lehmann against
the run of play. Alan Pardew's men then found themselves 2-0 up when Bobby
Zamora, who was later replaced by debutant Dean Ashton, curled home a
stunning strike in the visitors' last game at Highbury. Thierry Henry
deflected in a speculative strike from Robert Pires to rattle the nerves of
West Ham's travelling support, but hopes of an Arsenal comeback were
diminished when Matthew Etherington fired in at the back post. Robert Pires
set-up a tense finish with a strike in the last minute but it was too little
too late for the Gunners.
Arsenal 0-1 West Ham
Premier League
5 March 1995
Former Liverpool, Everton and Sunderland midfielder Don Hutchison netted the
only goal of the game in this close Premier League encounter.
A West Ham team that contained the likes of Hammers' legends Julian Dicks
and Tony Cottee fought hard for three points against the mid-table Gunners.
The victory came in front of a 36,295 crowd at Highbury and was one of the
Hammers' more memorable matches in a season in which they finished 14th, two
places below Arsenal.
Arsenal 0-2 West Ham
Premier League
30 April 1994
Martin Allen and Trevor Morley both netted in this London derby from the
1993/94 season as the Hammers stunned the near 34,000 fans in attendance at
Highbury. Kenny Brown, Danny Williamson, Matthew Rush and Ian Bishop were
all involved in this memorable victory against the Gunners. The Hammers drew
their final two matches of the season to finish 13th in the table, while
Arsenal secured a fourth place position in the league.
Arsenal 2-3 West Ham
First Division
19 Feb 1977
This is a victory certainly not to be forgotten amongst the Claret and Blue
fans as Alan Taylor's brace guided the Hammers to an away day win in 1977.
Billy Jennings also got himself on the score sheet in the win which gained
revenge for a 2-0 loss at home to the Gunners earlier in the season. West
Ham legends Alan Devonshire, Frank Lampard Senior, Trevor Brooking and Billy
Bonds all featured, and all played key roles as the Hammers came away from
Highbury with maximum points.
Arsenal 2-3 West Ham
First Division
13 October 1928
Goals from Stanley Earle, Danny Shone and James Ruffell inspired the Hammers
to this impressive victory as the visitors ran riot in front of a crowd of
43,327 at Highbury to pen back the Gunners. Later in the season, Arsenal
exacted their revenge when they scored four goals at the Boleyn Ground to
run out 4-3 winners, despite two more goals from James Ruffell. By the end
of the season the Hammers had ended the campaign in 17th place, while
Arsenal finished ninth.
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Carlton Cole: West Ham striker fined £20,000 for abusive tweet
BBC.co.uk
West Ham striker Carlton Cole has been fined £20,000 by the Football
Association for sending abusive comments to a Tottenham fan on Twitter.
Cole, 31, has also been "severely warned" about his future conduct. He had
earlier admitted breaching the governing body's rules on players using
social media. The ex-England international wrote expletives in a response to
the fan following last month's 2-2 draw between the Hammers and London
rivals Spurs. In April 2011, Cole was fined £20,000 for comments he made on
Twitter during England's friendly with Ghana. Cole has made 17 appearances
for the Hammers this season and scored three goals.
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Enner Valencia: West Ham striker injured in 'broken cup' accident
BBC.co.uk
West Ham striker Enner Valencia is likely to miss Saturday's Premier League
match against Arsenal after cutting his toe on a broken cup.
"He had an accident at home and has cut his big toe quite severely," Hammers
manager Sam Allardyce said. "It has been stitched. "We think it will be too
soon for him be considered for the game at Arsenal." BBC Sport understands
the injury is likely to keep Valencia out for between two and three weeks.
West Ham described the injury on their website as a "deep laceration".
Ecuador international Valencia, 25, has scored four league goals this
season. Allardyce, who already has striker Andy Carroll sidelined for the
season with a knee problem, said: "It was a freak accident at a time when we
could have done without it due to our lack of available strikers. "Our lack
of goal scoring power is a worry. Not having alternatives to use is
concerning going into the last 10 games." West Ham have failed to win in
their last seven matches, scoring just four goals in the process.
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West Ham striker Enner Valencia suffers freak 'broken cup' injury
Last Updated: 12/03/15 2:32pm
SSN
West Ham are likely to be without Enner Valencia for Saturday's trip to
Arsenal after the striker suffered a freak injury. The Ecuadorian, who has
scored five goals in 30 appearances for the Hammers this season, required
stitches to a deep laceration on his toe after standing on a broken cup at
his home. His absence will be a huge blow to manager Sam Allardyce who could
have Diafra Sakho as his only fit striker at the weekend with Andy Carroll
and Carlton Cole already ruled out of the trip to the Emirates Stadium.
Speaking to the assembled media ahead of Saturday's match, Allardyce said:
"He had an accident at home and has cut his big toe quite severely on a
broken cup and that has been stitched. "We're not exactly certain but we
think it may be too soon for him to be considered for this game."A freak
accident at home is something that we didn't expect, but these are the
things that seem to happen. "And of course with it being one of our few
strikers available, again it's a big blow for us if that is the case."
Valencia isn't the first footballer to hurt himself in embarrassing
circumstances. Earlier this month, Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic injured
himself celebrating after the Capital One Cup final, a game in which he did
not play. Spain goalkeeper Sanitago Canizares missed the 2002 World Cup
after dropping a bottle of aftershave on his foot, while former England
striker Darius Vassell injured himself when he tried to remedy a swollen big
toe by drilling a hole into his foot to drain the excess blood out.
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Carlton Cole fined for breaking FA social media rules
Last Updated: 12/03/15 6:16pm
SSN
West Ham striker Carlton Cole has been fined £20,000 and severely warned
over his future conduct after he admitted breaking FA rules over social
media. The 31-year-old admitted posting a comment on his Twitter account
which was abusive and/or insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game
into disrepute, in breach of FA Rule E3. The charge related to Cole's
involvement in a Twitter altercation with a Tottenham fan following West
Ham's 2-2 draw in their Premier League game at White Hart Lane on February
22. Cole, who was also fined £20,000 by the FA in 2011 for an identical
offence, has made 17 appearances for the Hammers in all competitions this
season, scoring three goals. However, he is currently on the sidelines after
suffering a hamstring during the game against Spurs.
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NENE TO REPLACE VALENCIA AT THE EMIRATES?
By Iain Dale 12 Mar 2015 at 10:14
West Ham Till I Die
According to reports on KUMB Enner Valencia has injured himself and could be
out of the team until mid April, after dropping a cup on his foot. Yes, you
read that right.
So, if true, it looks as if we will have a rather rejigged attack against
Arsenal on Saturday. You'd assume that Nene would come in as a straight
swap, but it may also be the case that Sakho might play on his own up front
with Amalfitano or Jarvis coming in on the left. If Nene is picked it will
be a big moment for him as he has a lot to prove if he is to be offered a
permanent contract at the end of the season. He's said he wants to stay so
he can play the Olympic Stadium, which would be some feat bearing in mind he
will be 35 by then.
I'm also assuming Alex Song will be back to play against his old club,
although after his excellent performance against Chelsea Kevin Nolan would
feel very unlucky to be left out. See, I can say something nice about Kevin
Nolan!
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Zarate's £7,000 per minute for QPR
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 12, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Hammers loanee Mauro Zarate has managed just 71 minutes in a QPR shirt since
his early January arrival on loan. He has only achieved just four second
half substitutions for the Hoops against Burnley, Southampton, Sunderland
and Hull, three of which resulted in losses for the relegation threatened
club. QPR are thought to be picking up his full £40,000 per wages plus a
loan fee meaning his ten week stint so far has cost the club £500,000 which
is just over £7,000 for every minute he has spent on the pitch. Queens Park
Rangers considered sending Mauro Zarate back after discovering his shocking
lack of fitness. The Argentine was placed on an intensive fitness regime but
has struggled to find himself in the first team.
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Henry assisting Rovers against Heskey
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 12, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Hammers loanee Doneil Henry continues to impress Blackburn fans with a
crucial headed assist last night to earn Rovers a win. A late 94th minute
Jordan Rhodes strike sealed Blackburn Rovers a 1-0 win over Bolton Wanderers
on Wednesday night. As well as the assist and clean sheet, Henry also
recorded a team-leading four clearances and five interceptions to help his
side claim all three points, and manager Gary Bowyer singled him out for
particular praise on the night. "For me Doneil was outstanding," he told
BBC Radio Lancashire "To play how he did against Emile Heskey was
fantastic." The West Ham defender has linked up with the Championship club
until 6 April 2015 and made his debut against Sheffield Wednesday earning
himself man of the match hours after arriving on a train.
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Few takers for dinner with Sam at £139!
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 12, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & HUgh
Group discount Sam website Groupon are offering a discounted rate for an
afternoon three course meal with Hammers manager Sam Allardyce and the
disgraced former manger Malky Mackay. Obviously Big Sam and Malky have not
been a big enough draw for punters to pay the full price of £238.80. So you
can have the privilege of their company at a downgraded price of £139 – a
42% lack of interest discount. A three course lunch with Sam and Malky for
£139!
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DG: "Signing an icon shows what we are about"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 12, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
David Gold believes the signing of Winston Reid has sent a signal to the big
boys that West Ham are solidly on their way to the next level. Whilst
results since Christmas have been disappointing, the co chairman believes
the New Zealander's decision to pledge himself to the club for six and a
half years is a potent declaration of intent from the club. Speaking
exclusively to ClarentandHugh: "There's no smoke without fire and I'm sure
the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs were interested – that he chose to
stay with us was a massive boost to us. "We have always said we will shed
the image of being a selling club and this is a perfect example of that
coming to fruition. "His side negotiated hard down to the very last detain
and we would have expected that but it became clear over the last two to
three weeks that a deal was on. It was exciting and a big relief. "Winston
is a top player and an icon in New Zealand so to have sorted him out for six
years is brilliant and along with the signings of mark Noble and James
Tomkins shows this is a club that is displaying it's ambition ahead of our
move to the Olympic Stadium."
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DG explains Adrian option
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 12, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham last night responded to fan worries that Adrian should be signed to
a new deal by explaining: "There's no panic – we have a two year option."
The Spaniard has been hugely impressive and become a terrace cult hero since
his arrival from Real Betis but with his contract running out next summer,
many fans feared he could stolen away. The stopper has settled brilliantly
at Upton Park and is as popular in the dressing room as he is among the
fans. Co-chairman David Gold revealed to ClaretandHugh: " We are happy with
the situation as we have an option on Adrian for a further two years. "We
are currently tying down many of our players as we need to but Adrian is
very happy with us and his situation. Both sides are relaxed."
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Should West Ham sell Aaron Cresswell to fund a move for Tyrone Mings?
HITC
Billy Hawkins
Aaron Cresswell has been linked with a transfer to Manchester City, so
should West Ham sell him?
The former Ipswich Town full-back arrived at the Boleyn Ground in the
summer, and has had a massive impact in the Premier League. Touted as a
future England international, Cresswell has put in the kind of performances
that have garnered interest from some of England's top clubs - including
Manchester City. According to the London Evening Standard, the Premier
League giants have been eyeing the 25-year-old over a potential transfer,
and the Hammers are not set to offer him a new contract with four years left
on his current deal. With four years remaining, it is expected that City
would have to pay through the nose for the left-back. However, City have
deep pockets can offer as much as they want to try and lure Cresswell away
from East London and, although he has been a vital star this season, West
Ham may be tempted to cash in. And if they secure a large profit on
Cresswell, they should look to the left-back's former club for his
replacement.
Tyrone Mings has filled the void left by Cresswell at Ipswich, and put in
performances that even the 25-year-old could not match. Able to play at both
left-back and central defence, the 21-year-old has been garnering interest
from Arsenal, as per the Independent, and is considered to be one of the
brightest prospects in English football.
Ipswich are hardly in the best financial situation and if they cannot win
promotion to the Premier League, West Ham would likely be able to use a
portion of the fee received for Cresswell on securing the youngster. Mings
has excelled in a way that Cresswell never did, and being younger suggests
that he can improve even further. Not only is he a left-back, he can also
play in the centre, and the youngster would be a brilliant signing to
replace Cresswell if West Ham decide to let him leave.
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Liverpool and West Ham target Ogenyi Onazi BACK on market for £7.1m
LAZIO midfielder Ogenyi Eddy Onazi is back on the transfer market, with
Liverpool and West Ham both reportedly considering bids.
Published: 18:49, Thu, March 12, 2015
By JOE SHORT
Express.co.uk
Onazi was linked to Liverpool last December in a swap deal, with Fabio
Borini heading the opposite direction. But no deal materialised as Lazio
determined to keep hold of the 22-year-old and push for a top-three finish
in the Serie A. But just two months after the winter deadline shut it
appears the club are now willing to hear offers for Onazi as they keep apace
for Champions League places. According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello
Sport, the Nigerian is valued at £7.1million at the top end and both the
Reds and Hammers have tracked his performances this season. However, since
the turn of the year he has struggled to hold down a regular starting place
in the Rome side's midfield because of Danilo Cataldi's explosion onto the
Serie A scene. And Lazio are now willing to receive offers for their
unwanted international, who could prove a bargain acquisition for a Premier
League club.
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West Ham defender discusses extending stay with loan employers
HITC
Billy Hawkins
The 21-year-old defender is currently contracted to West Ham, but he is on
loan at Blackburn Rovers, and has admitted to Rovers Player that he would be
keen on extending his stay with the club. A Canadian international, Henry
moved to the Hammers from Apollon Limassol in January, although it was never
expected he would be part of Sam Allardyce's first-team. Two Under-21
appearances preceded his loan to Blackburn, and he already has two
first-team appearances for the Championship side. Both games have resulted
in victories and, playing in the heart of the defence, the youngster has
helped his team concede just one goal in 180 minutes of football. His loan
deal only lasts for one-month, meaning that Henry is likely to leave the
club come the start of April. However, due to the emergency loan window,
should Rovers look to extend the deal, they have until the end of this
month. Having impressed in his two outings for Gary Bowyer's side, there is
a good chance that Blackburn will look to extend the deal, and Henry has
told Rovers Player that he would be keen on staying at Ewood Park for
longer, as long as his playing situation at West Ham does not change. When
asked if he wants the loan to be extended, Henry replied: "Yeah, definitely.
If nothing's going my way back at West Ham, I definitely just want to play
as much as I can, and keep continuing to get more experience. "If I can stay
here and play matches and be involved in the squad, then definitely [I want
to stay]."
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Friday, March 13
Thursday, March 12
Daily WHUFC News - 12th March 2015
Kouyate scoops awards double
WHUFC.com
Cheikhou Kouyate has scooped a West Ham United awards double after taking
the whufc.com fan vote for Player and Goal of the Month for February. The
Senegal international enjoyed an outstanding month, scoring against both
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as filling in at centre
half in the draws with the Red Devils and Southampton. His performances have
been recognised by West Ham fans, with Kouyate polling a huge 71% of the
vote for Player of the Month, beating Aaron Cresswell (16%) in to second and
Mark Noble (6%) into third.
For Goal of the Month, Kouyate's stunning strike against Manchester United,
when he controlled the ball, before juggling and finishing on the turn, won
the vote by an even bigger margin, taking 80% of the poll. Kouyate also took
second place for his towering header at Tottenham, which polled 8% of the
vote. Enner Valencia's strike from the edge of the box against Crystal
Palace was third with 5%.
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From the Treatment Room
WHUFC.com
Winston Reid suffered a minor Grade 1 hamstring strain in the home game
against Chelsea on 4 March. Winston has been rehabbing well and will return
to training next week.
Carlton Cole suffered a Grade 2 hamstring injury at Tottenham Hotspur on 22
February. He has rehabbed well and will also return to training next week.
Andy Carroll is progressing very well following the reconstructive surgery
he underwent after sustaining a medial knee ligament injury at Southampton
on 11 February. For the first two weeks his knee was not weight-bearing, and
for next two weeks it is partially weight-bearing, which means he is still
on crutches and cannot walk normally. However, he is progressing very well.
The knee is not swollen and we are on schedule. Next Tuesday, 17 March, he
will start walking normally and we will increase his rehabilitation
programme.
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Former Player Blog - Jack Collison
WHUFC.com
Hello everyone,
I hope you are all well and enjoying what has been a good season overall for
West Ham United. As many of you will know, I spent the opening half of the
season with Ipswich Town, but at present I am not with a club and am working
to get myself fit for the start of next season. West Ham have been good
enough to allow me to work at Chadwell Heath and it's been nice to see so
many familiar and friendly faces again.
It's been a bit of a tricky one but I feel I'm at the stage of my career
where I need to think about my body. I had a few offers to get back into
playing between now and the end of the season, but I have decided to take a
step back and work with some people who I know and trust and get myself
right.
One of those people is Taka Yamamoto, a therapist who I know well from my
time with West Ham. I've been working closely with him and I'm looking to
come back somewhere in pre-season and get back to playing and enjoying my
football again. I'm not finished just yet! I could have been playing now,
but I'd have been fighting an uphill battle again and putting myself at
risk. I'm now experienced and self-disciplined enough to say 'No' and do
what is right for me, my body and my career in the long-term. I've been
keeping myself really busy, writing a book about my experiences of becoming
a footballer, setting up my own Jack Collison Soccer Schools and studying
for a degree in Sports Writing and Broadcasting at Staffordshire University.
I've also got a two-year-old daughter running about at home, too!
Everyone knows I've had my fair share of injuries over the years, but it's
been great to get my teeth into setting up my own Soccer Schools – something
I am really passionate about. We started in Bedfordshire during the February
half-term and had some really good reviews. Now we're looking to expand and,
with my link with West Ham, we're hoping to come over to the Essex area and
train up a few future Hammers! It has been nice to get my teeth into
something I am really passionate about that I want to make it good for the
kids and give something back.
I have set it up with my friend Russell Short, who I played with at
Cambridge United as a youngster and who is now a player-coach with Bury
Town. We've been working hand in hand with a good set of coaches, including
former West Ham player David Blackmore who has been training up the
goalkeepers.
I've really enjoyed it. I remember attending soccer schools as a kid myself
and it's nice to be in the position to offer them proper coaching. If we can
unearth one or two players along the way for a club like West Ham, Cambridge
or Peterborough United, then all the better.
There is so much energy at the Soccer Schools that I've probably taken more
enjoyment from them than I have from playing football over the last couple
of seasons.
If you are interested, please visit jackcollisonsoccerschool.com or follow
us on Twitter @ jcsoccerschool
I am still in contact with a lot of the lads at West Ham and the boys had a
great start to the season, with the new signings settling in really quickly
and having a massive impact. You don't often see that. Sakho and Valencia
have been different gear and if Aaron Cresswell keeps playing the way he has
been then I don't think he is too far from an England call-up. The
consistent performers like Tonks and Nobes have been doing it week-in
week-out again and have been rewarded with long-term contracts, which is
fantastic news for the Club moving into the Olympic Stadium.
It's a bit of a dry patch at the moment, but I'm sure it'll pick up and
there is no better place to start than at Arsenal in a London derby. The
boys have been away warm-weather training and I'm sure they will be raring
to go on Saturday. I made my debut at the Emirates and then scored a bit of
a worldy there two seasons ago, when we ended up getting spanked 5-1! I had
mixed feelings that night, for sure.
It will be nice to get back out there playing myself next season, so watch
this space!
Jack
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
From the Academy
WHUFc.com
Hello everyone,
While the first team have been away in Dubai on a warm-weather training camp
during a break in the fixture list, it has been a busy time at the Academy.
The Development Squad travelled to Sunderland in the Barclays U21 Premier
League on Monday evening, but unfortunately were beaten 3-0 by a strong home
side.
They have seven league games remaining and we will continue to blood young
players and give them experience of Development Squad football as the season
approaches its conclusion.
With the first team away, we were able to use the facilities at Chadwell
Heath during the early part of the week. It was really pleasing to be able
to come to Chadwell and to work with one or two of the first-team players
who did not travel and combine that with training with the younger players.
It was great to see a player of Alex Song's experience working with players
like 15-year-old Vashon Neufville, the England Under-16 left-back. That can
only help everybody.
Alex said some nice things about the sessions we put on and how they have
helped him to raise his fitness levels. He and the other seniors who joined
us gave 100 per cent at all times and that's the really important thing from
a coaching point of view. They've had four hard days, on Wednesday they are
having a day off and then the senior players are back on Thursday.
Alex was helping the young players through the session but also demanding a
lot of them, which is what we wanted. He wants to improve his fitness and
hopefully we have helped him with that. I can only praise his attitude and
speak highly about him when the first team staff get back.
From the youngsters' point of view, they can only dream or think about
playing with a player who has played at Arsenal and Barcelona. To share a
pitch with someone like that is great for everyone. It's great for all of
them who were out there. You can only learn from experiences like that.
The senior players took it seriously which is great. We often integrate the
squads to help the first team as and when it is necessary, but the last few
days gave the whole squad a chance to train alongside senior professionals.
The Development Squad's home match with Manchester City on Friday has been
postponed, but the Under-18s return to action on Saturday morning, when they
host Brighton & Hove Albion in their first Play-Off round fixture.
We've tried to do two things with the U18s this season. We want to be
competitive and we were only two points off finishing in the top four. The
horrible 2-1 home defeat by Norwich City in February was the one game that
we should have won. We dictated the game, missed opportunities and we should
have won and that would have put us in the top four.
However, we are in the middle group with Liverpool, Wolves, Derby and
Sunderland too, which should be good fixtures.
We also need to remember that we have had more U16s play for the U18s than
ever before, as well as a high number of schoolboys playing for the U21s.
The boy Joe Powell played again on Monday night. Fast-tracking players and
really testing them will be the aim for the seven games coming up.
On Saturday we've got Brighton at Rush Green and I see Vashon, Powell and
Declan Rice starting, along with some of the older players to give us some
stability. We'd like to finish strong and do well. I'm intrigued by the
young players about how well they've done, and I've said from day one that
we have some talented players here.
I saw our younger teams play Chelsea across a range of age-groups and we
were competitive. We were up against one of the best Academies in the
country and we matched them.
Come July, when it will have been a year since I joined, everyone will know
what we want to achieve and how to go about doing it.
Finally, while the first team may have just returned from the United Arab
Emirates, we are sending an U17 squad to the Hazza Bin Zayed International
Tournament in Al-Ain, Abu Dhabi, at the end of March.
These tournaments help massively with player development. If you do not play
international football, and a lot of players do not, then you do not have
many opportunities to play against foreign players.
You could make your first team debut against Sergio Aguero, for example, so
it is important our players have previous experience of that and know to
handle all the different types of players.
Our various age-groups will be part of ten tours in total – this is a big
club and we've been welcomed by some of the tournaments. The first one is in
Dubai in a few weeks and it should be a great experience for everyone
involved, but with a purpose.
In the meantime, we look forward to another busy weekend for West Ham
United.
Terry Westley
Academy Manager
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Alex Song feels West Ham can beat Arsenal on Sunday
Last Updated: 11/03/15 5:02pm
SSN
Alex Song believes West Ham can follow Monaco's example and beat his former
club Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. The Hammers head across
London looking to kickstart their Barclays Premier League campaign, having
slipped to 10th place after no wins in their last six games. And despite
Arsenal's run of seven straight home victories in the league, Song believes
West Ham can repeat Monaco's performance after the French side stunned the
Gunners with a 3-1 Champions League victory last month. "I know this stadium
very well and I know when you play with Arsenal it's very hard, but I think
Monaco is how you want to play when you play in the Emirates," Song told
West Ham's website. "The best thing to do is to try to be together, defend
together very well and when you have the opportunity to go on the counter
attack, you have to do it very well like Monaco did it. If you want to go to
the Emirates and try to play you will not have any chance to win the game
there because this stadium is very hard to play in. "You have to stay
together very compact and not give them any room, then take the opportunity
on the counter attack. "If we do this very well like Monaco did, then we can
get a good result there."
Arsenal have climbed back into the top four and are into the FA Cup
semi-finals after beating Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday night.
But the Cameroon midfielder, who is on loan from Barcelona until the end of
the season, feels the Hammers can raise their game against Arsene Wenger's
side. "We have shown a lot of things this season as a team, especially when
we play against teams at the highest level like Manchester City and
Liverpool or Tottenham," he said. "We've done very well and we need to
continue to improve in this way."
Song stayed in London this week to work on his fitness ahead of the game
while the rest of the squad were at a warm-weather camp in Dubai.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Song tunes up for Gooners clash…and a deal!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 11, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Alex Song is on a mission as he bids to impress his 'temporary' West Ham
paymasters and any who may be watching! On Saturday afternoon he returns to
Arsenal – the club he once considered "his family" – always assuming that
boss Sam Allardyce is ready to take a chance on his current deeply
disappointing form lines. In Cheltenham terms, Song has not been at the
races since Christmas with some of his harsher critics claiming that it was
his twin who returned from Africa in January! The early season talk of him
being a 'must have' player this season whilst Liverpool weighed up the
Barcelona loanee is no longer a subject of discussion in decent company
given his recent displays.
But today he emerged from a long silence to declare that because of a lack
of a proper pre-season he had stayed in England to do high intensity
training whilst most of the squad were in Dubai. He explained that he
desperately wants to make an impact back at the club he joined at 17 on
Saturday which is entirely understandable. It's hardly gone unnoticed that
the team's form has dipped at precisely the time Song's game went off the
boil and Saturday afternoon will be a key 90 minutes for him and the team. A
big performance could see us squeeze something from one of the toughest
fixtures of the season and prove again that he is the 'must have' player we
imagined him to be before Christmas.
Come on Alex. Play the right tune and all thins are possible again.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers to offer midfielder new deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 11, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Morgan Amalfitano is set to be offered a two year deal in the a summer as
the Hammers continue to secure their current squad before moving into the
transfer market.
The Frenchman will be offered a deal which takes his weekly wage from around
£20k a week to £30k after impressing on his appearances this season.
Sources inside the club have told ClaretandHugh: "Morgan is one of those we
want to keep and we are working on a deal to put in front of him.
"He certainly hasn't let himself down and is proving to be a player who can
make his presence felt.
"We have clinched the signatures of Winston Reid, Mark Noble and James
Tomkins which has made it a great late season.
"It's important that we clinch as many as we can among the current squad
before we move the strengthening in the summer market."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers look to hatch Jarvis deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 11, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are ready to let Matt Jarvis go out on loan next season and will
pay up to a third of his wages to help make it happen if necessary. Thus far
there has been no interest in the £9 million record signing who signed a
five year Upton Park deal in 2012 when signing from Wolves. There have been
bits and pieces of loan interest from the likes of West Brom but the Hammers
are hoping that his £30k a week wages will be within the reach of interested
clubs this summer with the Irons paying up to £10k. A source explained: "If
a club comes in we will look at it and if the numbers are right then a deal
can be done. Matt has two years left on his contract and needs regular
football.."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Midfielder to join Irons on a free
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 11, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Lassana Diarra will be free of the financial wrangle that has held up his
move from Lokomotiv Moscow this summer and will join the Hammers as a free
signing. Amid reports that the former Arsenal, Chelsea, Portsmouth and Real
Madrid midfielder is training at Chadwell Heath, ClaretandHugh can reveal
that the player can put all his problems behind him in June. A row between
Diarra and Lokomotiv has been rumbling on for months but with the player
entering the last year of his contract he is free to move on under a Fifa
rule.
Inter Milan and Celtic's negotiations faltered as a result of the impasse
between the player and his club but with the Hammers having provided
extensive training facilities since showing their hand a deal is very much
on for the 30 year old.
A source close to the player had told ClaretandHugh earlier: "Neither Inter
or Celtic could make the deal happen because of the financial thing but
there's a Fifa rule that a player can walk away in the last season of his
contract but in Lass' case that is from this summer."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Moyes fits Irons bill on many fronts
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 11, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
David Moyes – with just over a year left on his Real Sociedad contract – is
emerging as a clear favourite to replace Sam Allardyce should the club
decide to part company with the current boss.
The Scot's profile fits the Hammers requirements on most fronts although
neither Marseilles coach Marcelo Bielsa or Slaven Bilic has been ruled out.
However, the two Davids have shown a preference for British bosses since
they arrived in ownership at Birmingham City and Moyes was a target last
summer.
ClaretandHugh's regular sources were reluctant to comment when asked
directly by us this morning but it became clear that the former Everton and
Manchester United manager is on their minds.
Although reported keen to continue his work in developing Vallecano, Moyes
may find it difficult to resist the opportunity of overseeing the last
Boleyn season ahead of the move to our showpiece Olympic Stadium.
And with only just over a year left on his contract the Hammers would only
pay a minimal amount in compensation to the Spanish outfit!
And the Hammers have another big edge with Moyes having worked with the
board's head of recruitment Tony Henry at Everton. Henry of course reports
solely to David Sullivan.
Our source said: "The scenario is interesting but the season still has to
play itself out. Much will depend on our finish and who the alternatives are
should we decide to make a change. Obviously experience of the English
Leagues is a factor."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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WHUFC.com
Cheikhou Kouyate has scooped a West Ham United awards double after taking
the whufc.com fan vote for Player and Goal of the Month for February. The
Senegal international enjoyed an outstanding month, scoring against both
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as filling in at centre
half in the draws with the Red Devils and Southampton. His performances have
been recognised by West Ham fans, with Kouyate polling a huge 71% of the
vote for Player of the Month, beating Aaron Cresswell (16%) in to second and
Mark Noble (6%) into third.
For Goal of the Month, Kouyate's stunning strike against Manchester United,
when he controlled the ball, before juggling and finishing on the turn, won
the vote by an even bigger margin, taking 80% of the poll. Kouyate also took
second place for his towering header at Tottenham, which polled 8% of the
vote. Enner Valencia's strike from the edge of the box against Crystal
Palace was third with 5%.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
From the Treatment Room
WHUFC.com
Winston Reid suffered a minor Grade 1 hamstring strain in the home game
against Chelsea on 4 March. Winston has been rehabbing well and will return
to training next week.
Carlton Cole suffered a Grade 2 hamstring injury at Tottenham Hotspur on 22
February. He has rehabbed well and will also return to training next week.
Andy Carroll is progressing very well following the reconstructive surgery
he underwent after sustaining a medial knee ligament injury at Southampton
on 11 February. For the first two weeks his knee was not weight-bearing, and
for next two weeks it is partially weight-bearing, which means he is still
on crutches and cannot walk normally. However, he is progressing very well.
The knee is not swollen and we are on schedule. Next Tuesday, 17 March, he
will start walking normally and we will increase his rehabilitation
programme.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Former Player Blog - Jack Collison
WHUFC.com
Hello everyone,
I hope you are all well and enjoying what has been a good season overall for
West Ham United. As many of you will know, I spent the opening half of the
season with Ipswich Town, but at present I am not with a club and am working
to get myself fit for the start of next season. West Ham have been good
enough to allow me to work at Chadwell Heath and it's been nice to see so
many familiar and friendly faces again.
It's been a bit of a tricky one but I feel I'm at the stage of my career
where I need to think about my body. I had a few offers to get back into
playing between now and the end of the season, but I have decided to take a
step back and work with some people who I know and trust and get myself
right.
One of those people is Taka Yamamoto, a therapist who I know well from my
time with West Ham. I've been working closely with him and I'm looking to
come back somewhere in pre-season and get back to playing and enjoying my
football again. I'm not finished just yet! I could have been playing now,
but I'd have been fighting an uphill battle again and putting myself at
risk. I'm now experienced and self-disciplined enough to say 'No' and do
what is right for me, my body and my career in the long-term. I've been
keeping myself really busy, writing a book about my experiences of becoming
a footballer, setting up my own Jack Collison Soccer Schools and studying
for a degree in Sports Writing and Broadcasting at Staffordshire University.
I've also got a two-year-old daughter running about at home, too!
Everyone knows I've had my fair share of injuries over the years, but it's
been great to get my teeth into setting up my own Soccer Schools – something
I am really passionate about. We started in Bedfordshire during the February
half-term and had some really good reviews. Now we're looking to expand and,
with my link with West Ham, we're hoping to come over to the Essex area and
train up a few future Hammers! It has been nice to get my teeth into
something I am really passionate about that I want to make it good for the
kids and give something back.
I have set it up with my friend Russell Short, who I played with at
Cambridge United as a youngster and who is now a player-coach with Bury
Town. We've been working hand in hand with a good set of coaches, including
former West Ham player David Blackmore who has been training up the
goalkeepers.
I've really enjoyed it. I remember attending soccer schools as a kid myself
and it's nice to be in the position to offer them proper coaching. If we can
unearth one or two players along the way for a club like West Ham, Cambridge
or Peterborough United, then all the better.
There is so much energy at the Soccer Schools that I've probably taken more
enjoyment from them than I have from playing football over the last couple
of seasons.
If you are interested, please visit jackcollisonsoccerschool.com or follow
us on Twitter @ jcsoccerschool
I am still in contact with a lot of the lads at West Ham and the boys had a
great start to the season, with the new signings settling in really quickly
and having a massive impact. You don't often see that. Sakho and Valencia
have been different gear and if Aaron Cresswell keeps playing the way he has
been then I don't think he is too far from an England call-up. The
consistent performers like Tonks and Nobes have been doing it week-in
week-out again and have been rewarded with long-term contracts, which is
fantastic news for the Club moving into the Olympic Stadium.
It's a bit of a dry patch at the moment, but I'm sure it'll pick up and
there is no better place to start than at Arsenal in a London derby. The
boys have been away warm-weather training and I'm sure they will be raring
to go on Saturday. I made my debut at the Emirates and then scored a bit of
a worldy there two seasons ago, when we ended up getting spanked 5-1! I had
mixed feelings that night, for sure.
It will be nice to get back out there playing myself next season, so watch
this space!
Jack
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
From the Academy
WHUFc.com
Hello everyone,
While the first team have been away in Dubai on a warm-weather training camp
during a break in the fixture list, it has been a busy time at the Academy.
The Development Squad travelled to Sunderland in the Barclays U21 Premier
League on Monday evening, but unfortunately were beaten 3-0 by a strong home
side.
They have seven league games remaining and we will continue to blood young
players and give them experience of Development Squad football as the season
approaches its conclusion.
With the first team away, we were able to use the facilities at Chadwell
Heath during the early part of the week. It was really pleasing to be able
to come to Chadwell and to work with one or two of the first-team players
who did not travel and combine that with training with the younger players.
It was great to see a player of Alex Song's experience working with players
like 15-year-old Vashon Neufville, the England Under-16 left-back. That can
only help everybody.
Alex said some nice things about the sessions we put on and how they have
helped him to raise his fitness levels. He and the other seniors who joined
us gave 100 per cent at all times and that's the really important thing from
a coaching point of view. They've had four hard days, on Wednesday they are
having a day off and then the senior players are back on Thursday.
Alex was helping the young players through the session but also demanding a
lot of them, which is what we wanted. He wants to improve his fitness and
hopefully we have helped him with that. I can only praise his attitude and
speak highly about him when the first team staff get back.
From the youngsters' point of view, they can only dream or think about
playing with a player who has played at Arsenal and Barcelona. To share a
pitch with someone like that is great for everyone. It's great for all of
them who were out there. You can only learn from experiences like that.
The senior players took it seriously which is great. We often integrate the
squads to help the first team as and when it is necessary, but the last few
days gave the whole squad a chance to train alongside senior professionals.
The Development Squad's home match with Manchester City on Friday has been
postponed, but the Under-18s return to action on Saturday morning, when they
host Brighton & Hove Albion in their first Play-Off round fixture.
We've tried to do two things with the U18s this season. We want to be
competitive and we were only two points off finishing in the top four. The
horrible 2-1 home defeat by Norwich City in February was the one game that
we should have won. We dictated the game, missed opportunities and we should
have won and that would have put us in the top four.
However, we are in the middle group with Liverpool, Wolves, Derby and
Sunderland too, which should be good fixtures.
We also need to remember that we have had more U16s play for the U18s than
ever before, as well as a high number of schoolboys playing for the U21s.
The boy Joe Powell played again on Monday night. Fast-tracking players and
really testing them will be the aim for the seven games coming up.
On Saturday we've got Brighton at Rush Green and I see Vashon, Powell and
Declan Rice starting, along with some of the older players to give us some
stability. We'd like to finish strong and do well. I'm intrigued by the
young players about how well they've done, and I've said from day one that
we have some talented players here.
I saw our younger teams play Chelsea across a range of age-groups and we
were competitive. We were up against one of the best Academies in the
country and we matched them.
Come July, when it will have been a year since I joined, everyone will know
what we want to achieve and how to go about doing it.
Finally, while the first team may have just returned from the United Arab
Emirates, we are sending an U17 squad to the Hazza Bin Zayed International
Tournament in Al-Ain, Abu Dhabi, at the end of March.
These tournaments help massively with player development. If you do not play
international football, and a lot of players do not, then you do not have
many opportunities to play against foreign players.
You could make your first team debut against Sergio Aguero, for example, so
it is important our players have previous experience of that and know to
handle all the different types of players.
Our various age-groups will be part of ten tours in total – this is a big
club and we've been welcomed by some of the tournaments. The first one is in
Dubai in a few weeks and it should be a great experience for everyone
involved, but with a purpose.
In the meantime, we look forward to another busy weekend for West Ham
United.
Terry Westley
Academy Manager
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Alex Song feels West Ham can beat Arsenal on Sunday
Last Updated: 11/03/15 5:02pm
SSN
Alex Song believes West Ham can follow Monaco's example and beat his former
club Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. The Hammers head across
London looking to kickstart their Barclays Premier League campaign, having
slipped to 10th place after no wins in their last six games. And despite
Arsenal's run of seven straight home victories in the league, Song believes
West Ham can repeat Monaco's performance after the French side stunned the
Gunners with a 3-1 Champions League victory last month. "I know this stadium
very well and I know when you play with Arsenal it's very hard, but I think
Monaco is how you want to play when you play in the Emirates," Song told
West Ham's website. "The best thing to do is to try to be together, defend
together very well and when you have the opportunity to go on the counter
attack, you have to do it very well like Monaco did it. If you want to go to
the Emirates and try to play you will not have any chance to win the game
there because this stadium is very hard to play in. "You have to stay
together very compact and not give them any room, then take the opportunity
on the counter attack. "If we do this very well like Monaco did, then we can
get a good result there."
Arsenal have climbed back into the top four and are into the FA Cup
semi-finals after beating Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday night.
But the Cameroon midfielder, who is on loan from Barcelona until the end of
the season, feels the Hammers can raise their game against Arsene Wenger's
side. "We have shown a lot of things this season as a team, especially when
we play against teams at the highest level like Manchester City and
Liverpool or Tottenham," he said. "We've done very well and we need to
continue to improve in this way."
Song stayed in London this week to work on his fitness ahead of the game
while the rest of the squad were at a warm-weather camp in Dubai.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Song tunes up for Gooners clash…and a deal!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 11, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Alex Song is on a mission as he bids to impress his 'temporary' West Ham
paymasters and any who may be watching! On Saturday afternoon he returns to
Arsenal – the club he once considered "his family" – always assuming that
boss Sam Allardyce is ready to take a chance on his current deeply
disappointing form lines. In Cheltenham terms, Song has not been at the
races since Christmas with some of his harsher critics claiming that it was
his twin who returned from Africa in January! The early season talk of him
being a 'must have' player this season whilst Liverpool weighed up the
Barcelona loanee is no longer a subject of discussion in decent company
given his recent displays.
But today he emerged from a long silence to declare that because of a lack
of a proper pre-season he had stayed in England to do high intensity
training whilst most of the squad were in Dubai. He explained that he
desperately wants to make an impact back at the club he joined at 17 on
Saturday which is entirely understandable. It's hardly gone unnoticed that
the team's form has dipped at precisely the time Song's game went off the
boil and Saturday afternoon will be a key 90 minutes for him and the team. A
big performance could see us squeeze something from one of the toughest
fixtures of the season and prove again that he is the 'must have' player we
imagined him to be before Christmas.
Come on Alex. Play the right tune and all thins are possible again.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers to offer midfielder new deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 11, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Morgan Amalfitano is set to be offered a two year deal in the a summer as
the Hammers continue to secure their current squad before moving into the
transfer market.
The Frenchman will be offered a deal which takes his weekly wage from around
£20k a week to £30k after impressing on his appearances this season.
Sources inside the club have told ClaretandHugh: "Morgan is one of those we
want to keep and we are working on a deal to put in front of him.
"He certainly hasn't let himself down and is proving to be a player who can
make his presence felt.
"We have clinched the signatures of Winston Reid, Mark Noble and James
Tomkins which has made it a great late season.
"It's important that we clinch as many as we can among the current squad
before we move the strengthening in the summer market."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers look to hatch Jarvis deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 11, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are ready to let Matt Jarvis go out on loan next season and will
pay up to a third of his wages to help make it happen if necessary. Thus far
there has been no interest in the £9 million record signing who signed a
five year Upton Park deal in 2012 when signing from Wolves. There have been
bits and pieces of loan interest from the likes of West Brom but the Hammers
are hoping that his £30k a week wages will be within the reach of interested
clubs this summer with the Irons paying up to £10k. A source explained: "If
a club comes in we will look at it and if the numbers are right then a deal
can be done. Matt has two years left on his contract and needs regular
football.."
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Midfielder to join Irons on a free
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 11, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Lassana Diarra will be free of the financial wrangle that has held up his
move from Lokomotiv Moscow this summer and will join the Hammers as a free
signing. Amid reports that the former Arsenal, Chelsea, Portsmouth and Real
Madrid midfielder is training at Chadwell Heath, ClaretandHugh can reveal
that the player can put all his problems behind him in June. A row between
Diarra and Lokomotiv has been rumbling on for months but with the player
entering the last year of his contract he is free to move on under a Fifa
rule.
Inter Milan and Celtic's negotiations faltered as a result of the impasse
between the player and his club but with the Hammers having provided
extensive training facilities since showing their hand a deal is very much
on for the 30 year old.
A source close to the player had told ClaretandHugh earlier: "Neither Inter
or Celtic could make the deal happen because of the financial thing but
there's a Fifa rule that a player can walk away in the last season of his
contract but in Lass' case that is from this summer."
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Moyes fits Irons bill on many fronts
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 11, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
David Moyes – with just over a year left on his Real Sociedad contract – is
emerging as a clear favourite to replace Sam Allardyce should the club
decide to part company with the current boss.
The Scot's profile fits the Hammers requirements on most fronts although
neither Marseilles coach Marcelo Bielsa or Slaven Bilic has been ruled out.
However, the two Davids have shown a preference for British bosses since
they arrived in ownership at Birmingham City and Moyes was a target last
summer.
ClaretandHugh's regular sources were reluctant to comment when asked
directly by us this morning but it became clear that the former Everton and
Manchester United manager is on their minds.
Although reported keen to continue his work in developing Vallecano, Moyes
may find it difficult to resist the opportunity of overseeing the last
Boleyn season ahead of the move to our showpiece Olympic Stadium.
And with only just over a year left on his contract the Hammers would only
pay a minimal amount in compensation to the Spanish outfit!
And the Hammers have another big edge with Moyes having worked with the
board's head of recruitment Tony Henry at Everton. Henry of course reports
solely to David Sullivan.
Our source said: "The scenario is interesting but the season still has to
play itself out. Much will depend on our finish and who the alternatives are
should we decide to make a change. Obviously experience of the English
Leagues is a factor."
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Wednesday, March 11
Daily WHUFC News - 11th March 2015
Potts disappointed with Black Cats performance
WHUFC.com
Development Squad coach Steve Potts said he was very disappointed with his
team's performance in their 3-0 defeat away at Sunderland.
The Black Cats started the game the stronger and they were rewarded when
they won a penalty which Martin Smith slotted home. The second half was more
even with the Hammers having several half-chances to equalise. However it
was the hosts who wrapped up the victory late on when Rees Greenwood ran
onto Mikael Madron's incisive through-ball before Duncan Watmore scored in
the 90th minute. Speaking after the game, Potts said: "I was disappointed
all round really. We huffed and puffed but we didn't do enough with the ball
or without the ball.
"I think they had the better chances, whether the score line reflected the
game I'm not so sure. At 1-0 with ten or so minutes to go you think you're
still in the game, bu we gave three goals away from our own making."
With the Dev Squad's game with Manchester City rescheduled for later in the
season, the Hammers' next game is another tough away trip to Liverpool on
Friday 20th March. When asked what he thought his team needed to improve on,
if they are to compete with the Reds, Potts replied: "We need to use the
ball better and maintain possession better. When we don't have the ball we
need to be more resilient then what we showed tonight. "It is a very young
team and hopefully they'll learn from this quickly. They've been put in the
spotlight and it was a harsh lesson. "I thought Sunderland mixed their game
up. They tried to vary their play and stretch us, which they did. We didn't
deal with a fourty yard ball and that's how they won the penalty. They
weren't just one dimensional.'
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The Big Interview - Alex Song
WHUFC.com
Alex and Nene trained with the Development Squad for four days to improve
their fitness
Alex Song says his peak fitness and form are returning ahead of his return
to former club Arsenal on Saturday. The midfielder was given permission by
manager Sam Allardyce to remain at Chadwell Heath to train with West Ham
United's Development Squad while the first team were away in Dubai. Having
worked hard alongside young professionals and scholars for four days, the
No30 is feeling back to his best and is ready to tackle the club he
represented for six seasons between 2006 and 2012. West Ham TV caught up
with the 27-year-old ahead of his return to the Emirates.
Alex, you stayed behind to work on your fitness, so can you please talk us
through your last few days?
AS: "Yes, I think it was really good for me to work on my fitness and stay
here to work. I feel I needed to work because I didn't have a proper
pre-season. "When I was playing, I was feeling a little tightness in my
muscles and that's why I asked the Gaffer if I could stay here and work a
little bit harder before they come back. "I need to come back at the top of
my form. I have trained hard, so I'm very happy because the way we have
trained here with the Under-21s, they are doing very well. I have worked
very hard to come back to my level.
"It's good news that my fitness statistics are improving. That's why I said
to the Gaffer to stay here to work hard. Now I'm in the good way and I've
improved a lot over the last few days. "I want to come back to my fitness,
because the gap was a little bit longer between matches. I was very happy
when the staff said I am coming back in a good way, because that's the way I
want to be. That's very good news for me and for the Club as well."
Presumably, with your best fitness comes your best form?
AS: "Of course, of course. I know what I can do when I am 100 per cent, but
sometimes in football it is like this. I know I didn't do the pre-season, so
that's why it's a little bit hard today, because I didn't do it properly
last summer. "That's why I need to work extra hard and do some extra work to
come back at the top level. With the way I'm going now, I'm very happy. I
want to show the team what I can do."
You and Nene both trained with the Development Squad and your presence
seemed to lift the intensity of the session.
AS: "Yes, he is a great player. We know Nene and he has played at a high
level. For him to come here and train with the Under-21s is good for them to
learn from as well. "It is very important, because when I was this age I was
listening every time to the players with experience, because at Arsenal I
had people like Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires and I
learned a lot. "Today, they have the opportunity to have senior players with
them and they can learn from us and it's good. It was a very good training
session, very hard and with very good intensity. "We tried to show them that
to play at the top level is not easy and they have to work very hard. I'm
very happy with the way they are working."
Talking of Arsenal, you must be relishing Saturday's return to the Emirates?
AS: "Yes, it is very important because I know Arsenal. They are one part of
my life and, because I went there when I was 17, I always say it is my
family. "Today, though, I am focused on West Ham and I want to make the fans
happy. I want to play this game and give my best to help the team to win and
come back to winning. "I know this is a special game for me, but that's
football and I have to take all the emotion out and just try to play my game
and play the best football I can to help the team to win."
Arsenal are in superb form, aside from their UEFA Champions League Round of
16 first-leg defeat at home to Monaco.
AS: "I think Monaco how you want to play when you play in the Emirates. I
know this stadium very well and I know when you play with Arsenal it's very
hard. "The best thing to do is to try to be together, defend together very
well and when you have the opportunity to go on the counter attack, you have
to do it very well like Monaco did it. "If you want to go to Emirates and
try to play you will not have any chance to win the game there because this
stadium is very hard to play in. You have to stay together very compact and
not give them any room, then take the opportunity on the counter attack. "If
we do this very well like Monaco did, then we can get a good result there."
We have performed well against the best teams this season, so there is no
reason why we cannot do so again at Arsenal?
AS: "We have shown a lot of things this season as a team, especially when we
play against teams at the highest level like Manchester City and Liverpool
or Tottenham. We've done very well and we need to continue to improve in
this way. "We can play better and hopefully this game on Saturday will be a
very good test for us. It's been a long time since we won a game in the
league, so we must try to come back and try to win or get one point there.
"It will not be easy, but if we're all together as one and have the fans
behind us, we can get a good result there. Everything is possible in
football and we just need to keep believing and trying hard on the pitch."
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Pike says Dev Squad must bounce back
WHUFC.com
Development Squad right-back Alex Pike said his side deserved to lose
against Sunderland following a disappointing away performance on Monday
evening. The hosts started the game the stronger as they had several early
chances, however goalkeeper Sam Howes was on hand to deny the Black Cats.
However, they were eventually rewarded when they won a penalty which Martin
Smith slotted home. The second half was more even with the Hammers having
several half-chances to equalise, the best of which fell to Jaanai Gordon,
whose shot fell agonizingly wide. The hosts wrapped up the victory late on
when Rees Greenwood ran onto Mikael Madron's incisive through-ball before
Duncan Watmore slotted home in the 90th minute.
Speaking after the match, the 18-year-old defender said: "I'm very
disappointed, everyone is really. It was a poor performance all-in-all and
we know we can do a lot better. The score line may have been a bit harsh but
they did deserve to win. We did throw it away in the last five, ten minutes.
You get punished at this level if you do that." This season, Pike has been
in impressive form for both the U18s and the Development Squad, totalling 22
appearances in all competitions. The defeat sees the Dev Squad stay at the
foot of the Barclays U21 Premier League table, while Sunderland remain in
tenth with 19 points from 15 games. "I thought Sunderland played pretty
well to be fair. Their No7 Duncan Watmore is a good player, I thought he did
well."
Next up for the Development Squad is another tough away fixture against
Liverpool on Friday 20 March and despite Monday night's defeat, Pike is
confident that the Dev Squad can bounce back quickly. "We just need to
bounce back from this, come back stronger and have a look at the things that
went wrong and where we need to improve. "It's just the start, we're a new
team mainly and hopefully we'll learn from tonight and improve quickly."
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Former Player Blog - Julian Dicks
WHUFC.com
Aaron Cresswell has impressed me with his willingness to join the attack
Hello everyone,
I was asked recently for my thoughts on how the men's first team has
performed this season and the word that sprung to mind was 'progression'.
Everything is about progression and for me and they've played well this
season, but then they've got some good players.
It's not about half a season or three-quarters of a season, though, it's
about the whole season. So, at the end of it, if we are eighth then we've
had a good season. Then, it's about the season after it and making more
progression. I think the fans are happy with the majority of the season.
Obviously the FA Cup defeat at West Brom was a bit of a sour point, but if
you had said to them we'd be in the top half at this time of the season, I
think they'd be happy. When things are going well, things become easy, but
it's about how you respond when things aren't going so well.
West Ham fans demand players who give everything they have got and they
deserve that, because they travel a long way and spend a lot of money to
support their team. Every team cannot win every game, which we all accept,
but the minimum we expect is that the players give everything they have got.
I say to the Ladies team that you win more games by hard work than you do
through ability, but if you've got both that's a bonus. There is plenty of
ability in the side, so now hopefully the hard work is coming through. One
player who I have been impressed with is the lad who is filling my old
position at left-back, Aaron Cresswell. He is a good player. When he first
came along, I watched him at Ipswich Town and he likes to get forward on the
overlap and join the attack and that's what we had been missing. No
disrespect to the left-backs we've had before, but you need your left-backs
to go on the overlap and help your strikers and your wide players and
midfield players.
Hopefully he will keep improving and be here for a while, despite what some
newspapers might be suggesting.
Let's got to Arsenal on Saturday and give our all and see where it gets us.
I remember going there in the League Cup and the Premier League and winning
as a player, so while they are in good form there is nothing that says we
can't win there again. The Ladies have a home game against Queens Park
Rangers in the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division this Sunday
afternoon. The girls have already reached one cup final this season and the
commitment they are showing is being rewarded with improved results. We were
We won at QPR in the London FA Capital Cup semi-finals recently, so please
come down to AFC Hornchurch's Bridge Avenue stadium for a 2pm kick-off and
give the girls some support as they try to repeat the trick. We have
recently appointed two new Joint-Chairmen of the Ladies section in John and
Stephen Hunt and I had my first meeting with them recently to discuss our
plans for the future.
It is definitely an exciting time to be part of the Club.
Come on you Irons!
Julian Dicks
Manager, West Ham United Ladies
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Diarra trains with Song and Nene
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 10th March 2015
By: Staff Writer
Out-of-contract midfielder Lassana Diarra continues to train with West Ham
despite there being no developments in his protracted contract wrangle with
former club Lokomotiv Moscow. The former Real Madrid and Arsenal midfielder
has been training with West Ham since January with view to sealing a
contract, after a planned move to Inter fell through. However all attempts
to resolve the outstanding legal issues between Diarra and his former club,
Lokomotiv Moscow, have proved fruitless. The 29-year-old was fired by Moscow
in 2014 after refusing to attend training last summer, having fallen out
with head coach Leonid Kuchuk. The two parties have been involved in a
long-running legal battle since, one that has prevented the 29-year-old from
joining another club.
Speaking last month, Sam Allardyce conceded that it was unlikely he'd be
able to sign Diarra before the end of the season. "It's not going to happen
due to administration reasons, which is a real shame," he said. "To get a
player of his quality, with a lot to prove, would have been a huge bonus for
us."
Despite there being no light at the end of this particular tunnel, Diarra
remains with West Ham at Chadwell Heath. He has been in good company this
week, having been accompanied by new arrival Nene - who is working on his
fitness - and Alex Song, who isn't. KUMB reported recently how West Ham had
baulked at Song's demands during preliminary contract negotiations - since
when the on-loan Barca midfielder has been dropped and left at home, whilst
the rest of the squad flew to Dubai.
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ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY
By Brian Williams 10 Mar 2015 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
The soothsayer who warned Julius Caesar to beware the Ides of March in
William Shakespeare's account of the story was clearly no slouch - because
that is precisely when the man who wanted to replace the Roman republic with
a dictatorship got his comeuppance.
The Ides of March, it turns out, is actually the 15th. That is this coming
Sunday, by which time our own emperor may be on very shaky ground indeed. If
we lose to Arsenal at the Emirates we will have acquired just nine points in
the 11 league games since we played the Gooners at Upton Park at the end of
2014 and the last lingering hope of achieving anything more than mid-table
obscurity this season will be gone.
Not for one moment do I expect Messrs Gold and Sullivan to don their togas
and become Brutus and Cassius this Sunday. Caesar Sam will not get a knife
between his shoulder blades if we get beaten - but his hopes of being
offered a new contract will be about as slim as Cleopatra's waistline if we
do.
We all know that BFS has both his admirers and his detractors, and I'm
really not looking to start that slanging match again. You boys can take
that one out of the Colosseum and into the chariot park if you like. What
interests me is how history will judge Allardyce's tenure when it finally
comes to an end.
The first year of his reign was tough going: we all hoped to secure
automatic promotion from the Championship and to be denied one of those
crucial places by Southampton and Reading took some swallowing. The pill was
sugar-coated by the play-off final victory at Wembley, of course, but in
truth it wasn't a great season.
On returning to the Prem, any supporter's initial ambitions have to be
modest these days. No team is ever going to repeat Nottingham Forest's
remarkable achievement of winning the league the year after securing
promotion (let alone go on to win and then retain the most prestigious club
competition in Europe over the next two seasons). Security and stability are
the watchwords, and no one can deny Allardyce provided those.
Last year was when the frustration really began to boil over, culminating
for many of us in the anger that was directed at the manager after the home
game against Hull. I hardly need remind you, that was in March.
Allardyce, you will no doubt recall, had been named manager of the month for
February in 2014. Then the wheels fell off. First we lost at Everton. Then,
two weeks later, we got beaten at Stoke. Next up was Man U at home - and a
2-0 defeat. Which brings us to the Hull game, four days later.
When you find yourself 1-0 up and playing against 10 men at home, supporters
can be forgiven for expecting something better than what we got that night.
It was shocking, and the reception that Allardyce got at the end really
shouldn't have surprised him quite the way it did. And he most certainly
should not have cupped his ear in our direction when we expressed our
dissatisfaction.
'I did it because I was hearing booing and I couldn't quite believe it,' he
said afterwards. "I've never been to a place where I won and got booed. I
started at 16, got into the first team at 18 and I'm 59 now and I have never
been in a place where we have won and got booed." Well, you have now.
Fast forward 12 months to another night game at Upton Park. This time we
lost, but rather than boo the team off we saluted them for a performance
which merited a point at the very least. I was as surprised as I was
delighted by the crowd's reaction after the Chelsea game last week, mainly
because we had been so lame against Palace at the weekend.
In both games the officiating was lamentable, and it wouldn't have taken
much for Wednesday evening's crowd to have shown their displeasure at
referee Andre Marriner and his two short-sighted linos rather than salute
the heroics of the boys in claret and blue. The fact that the pitch emptied
to the sound of cheers rather than jeers made me wonder if many of the
anti-Allardyce brigade (of which I was one before this season) are finally
changing their minds.
The football we play when Andy Carroll isn't in the side can be a joy to
behold at times. ("Injuries force us to play our best team," was the way one
wag put it on Twitter.) How we didn't take a total of six points off Man U
and Spurs still baffles me - and they would have been a totally deserved six
points as well.
As it is, we still haven't quite notched up the magic 40 that supposedly
signifies a club is safe - but no one is talking about West Ham and
relegation in the same breath this season. The fact they aren't is something
of a triumph in itself given our recent history. And while being fourth was
nice for a week or so, we all knew that wasn't going to last. Barcelona -
we're coming for you . but maybe not for a season or two yet.
Under Allardyce we have undoubtedly come a long way in a relatively short
space of time. Even against Palace, those few of us who were still in the
ground allowed ourselves to believe we might salvage a miraculous point when
Enner Valencia pulled a goal back with quarter of an hour to go. None of us
would have done that 12 months ago. We are now a decent side with every
chance of getting better, and if the present manager doesn't get the
opportunity to be the one to take us forward he will always have the
satisfaction of knowing he handed the club on to his successor in better
shape than he found it.
This time last year I'd have taken just about anyone other than Sam
Allardyce as manager. But friends, Irons, countrymen, lend me your ears.
Unlike Mark Antony, it turns out I have come here to praise Caesar, not to
bury him.
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West Ham eye David Moyes as manager if Sam Allardyce departs Upton Park this
summer
22:30, 10 March 2015 By Adrian Kajumba
Former Man United boss has edged ahead of Hammers hero Slaven Bilic in the
thoughts of the club's hierarchy - but can they convince him to quit Spain?
The Mirror
West Ham United will face a battle to land their number one target David
Moyes - if they part with Sam Allardyce in the summer. Real Sociedad coach
Moyes has edged ahead of former Hammers defender Slaven Bilic, currently in
charge of Turkish side Besiktas, in the thoughts of the Upton Park
hierarchy. They will hold end of season talks with current boss Allardyce to
determine his future. If he leaves, the club would prefer to appoint a boss
with previous Premier League managerial experience. However, the Hammers
will have an uphill task to tempt former Everton and Manchester United boss
Moyes back to the Premier League. The Scot, who worked with Hammers'
influential chief scout Tony Henry at Goodison Park, is keen to stay in
Spain and continue developing his Real Sociedad side. Moyes took over in
November with Sociedad deep in trouble but has steered them up to mid-table,
notching a famous win over Barcelona along the way.
The 51-year-old is hoping to build on the work he has done in recent months
next season, having signed a contract until June 2016. And that would leave
the Hammers having to go back to the drawing board if they find themselves
searching for a successor to Allardyce.
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Results to count more than Brady's Sam words
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 10, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
The only thing certain about events around Upton Park at their moment is
their uncertainty.both on and off the pitch. Topsy turvy games which should
be won are drawn, the manager claims they will have to "torture" Winston
Reid to get him to sign - he immediately agreed a new deal.
The big issue - Sam Allardyce's future - seemed settled, then enter stage
right comes Ms Brady - whoops sorry Lady something of somewhere.
But that's West Ham for you - always a drama.always a soap opera. The fact
that we've had one league win in ten games and the team is on the slide
appears to matter not one jot - Lady Brady reckons Sam's the bizzo and the
dramas start again.
This would all be jolly good fun were it not for the fact that this is all
being written and acted out in a newspaper column and I'm pretty certain
that this is not a commission which is authorised or vetted by the club.
It's not the first time such a situation has arisen and some will recall she
suggested that Steve Gerrard could be a good signing - very publicly and
rather crazily - although talk of an illegal approach was a bit over the
top.
Quite how her outburst on the Sam thing will affect the old boy's position
at the end of the season remains to be seen but the knee jerk reaction was
that this was all a bit off the wall and not required.
Personally despite it throwing a few spokes in the wheel temporarily I
reckon the last ten results will be a lot more important to Sam's future
than anything Ms Brady may have had to say.
But it was very West Ham wasn't it?
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Brady's bombshell muddies the water!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 10, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Vice chairman Karren Brady's intervention in the thorny Sam Allardyce debate
is concentrating minds in the Hammers boardroom. The outspoken Lady Brady of
Knightsbridge made in clear in her Sun column last week that she was a big
Sam supporter and would be fighting his corner at the end of the season
review meeting. And with the board still compiling a list of possible
replacements nobody is in the mood to have a massive punch up!
The final ten games, however, remain utterly crucial and although there has
been no slowing in the drawing up of a managerial shortlist, the vice
chairman's remarks have resonated in the Boleyn corridors of power. Brady
had written: ""Dinner with a bookmaker, he would hate that term, probably
prefer statistic entrepreneur! "Anyway, he tells me he is currently working
out odds on the end-of-season managerial roundabout. His lowest odds are
Steve Bruce moving to Fulham (or slightly longer to Wigan), Steve McClaren
to Newcastle and another high-profile manager to Sunderland. I have no idea
at all about all this. Except I suspect the boss moving to Sunderland won't
happen, especially if I have something to do with it!"
We were told exclusively this morning: "Her column raised some eyebrows
among important players particularly as it was so public.
"The club do fancy Marcelo Bielsa but there are risks attached and the
owners aren't normally seen as risk takers. "A huge amount rests on the last
ten games and as has always been the case, finding a suitable replacement.
The big variable in the situation is whether Sam Allardyce decides he's had
enough. That os more than possible"
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Creswell deal on ice as Man City circle
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 10, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham - despite reports that Manchester City are on the prowl - will
discuss a new contract with Aaron Cresswell at CHRISTMAS!
Morning newspaper reports suggest the club are ready to offer him an
improved five-year deal at the end of this season despite him still having
four years to run on his present deal. With reports that Manchester City see
him as the natural replacement for Gael Clichy who looks to be on his way
from the Etihad, there is a suggested urgency that the new Cresswell deal
will be done as quickly as possible.
But the club responded to ClaretandHugh's check call on the position by
declaring: "We'll look at Aarons deal around Christmas time.
"He's on a very long deal and we see no urgency. We know about the
Manchester City speculation but they are looking at people all over the
world and we are relaxed about things. "He won't be leaving in the summer.
He has been an absolute revelation and we are delighted with him. Were we
ever to sell, which we are now remotely considering, it would have to be an
enormous fee as there is a large sell on fee to Ipswich involved."
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WHUFC.com
Development Squad coach Steve Potts said he was very disappointed with his
team's performance in their 3-0 defeat away at Sunderland.
The Black Cats started the game the stronger and they were rewarded when
they won a penalty which Martin Smith slotted home. The second half was more
even with the Hammers having several half-chances to equalise. However it
was the hosts who wrapped up the victory late on when Rees Greenwood ran
onto Mikael Madron's incisive through-ball before Duncan Watmore scored in
the 90th minute. Speaking after the game, Potts said: "I was disappointed
all round really. We huffed and puffed but we didn't do enough with the ball
or without the ball.
"I think they had the better chances, whether the score line reflected the
game I'm not so sure. At 1-0 with ten or so minutes to go you think you're
still in the game, bu we gave three goals away from our own making."
With the Dev Squad's game with Manchester City rescheduled for later in the
season, the Hammers' next game is another tough away trip to Liverpool on
Friday 20th March. When asked what he thought his team needed to improve on,
if they are to compete with the Reds, Potts replied: "We need to use the
ball better and maintain possession better. When we don't have the ball we
need to be more resilient then what we showed tonight. "It is a very young
team and hopefully they'll learn from this quickly. They've been put in the
spotlight and it was a harsh lesson. "I thought Sunderland mixed their game
up. They tried to vary their play and stretch us, which they did. We didn't
deal with a fourty yard ball and that's how they won the penalty. They
weren't just one dimensional.'
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The Big Interview - Alex Song
WHUFC.com
Alex and Nene trained with the Development Squad for four days to improve
their fitness
Alex Song says his peak fitness and form are returning ahead of his return
to former club Arsenal on Saturday. The midfielder was given permission by
manager Sam Allardyce to remain at Chadwell Heath to train with West Ham
United's Development Squad while the first team were away in Dubai. Having
worked hard alongside young professionals and scholars for four days, the
No30 is feeling back to his best and is ready to tackle the club he
represented for six seasons between 2006 and 2012. West Ham TV caught up
with the 27-year-old ahead of his return to the Emirates.
Alex, you stayed behind to work on your fitness, so can you please talk us
through your last few days?
AS: "Yes, I think it was really good for me to work on my fitness and stay
here to work. I feel I needed to work because I didn't have a proper
pre-season. "When I was playing, I was feeling a little tightness in my
muscles and that's why I asked the Gaffer if I could stay here and work a
little bit harder before they come back. "I need to come back at the top of
my form. I have trained hard, so I'm very happy because the way we have
trained here with the Under-21s, they are doing very well. I have worked
very hard to come back to my level.
"It's good news that my fitness statistics are improving. That's why I said
to the Gaffer to stay here to work hard. Now I'm in the good way and I've
improved a lot over the last few days. "I want to come back to my fitness,
because the gap was a little bit longer between matches. I was very happy
when the staff said I am coming back in a good way, because that's the way I
want to be. That's very good news for me and for the Club as well."
Presumably, with your best fitness comes your best form?
AS: "Of course, of course. I know what I can do when I am 100 per cent, but
sometimes in football it is like this. I know I didn't do the pre-season, so
that's why it's a little bit hard today, because I didn't do it properly
last summer. "That's why I need to work extra hard and do some extra work to
come back at the top level. With the way I'm going now, I'm very happy. I
want to show the team what I can do."
You and Nene both trained with the Development Squad and your presence
seemed to lift the intensity of the session.
AS: "Yes, he is a great player. We know Nene and he has played at a high
level. For him to come here and train with the Under-21s is good for them to
learn from as well. "It is very important, because when I was this age I was
listening every time to the players with experience, because at Arsenal I
had people like Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Robert Pires and I
learned a lot. "Today, they have the opportunity to have senior players with
them and they can learn from us and it's good. It was a very good training
session, very hard and with very good intensity. "We tried to show them that
to play at the top level is not easy and they have to work very hard. I'm
very happy with the way they are working."
Talking of Arsenal, you must be relishing Saturday's return to the Emirates?
AS: "Yes, it is very important because I know Arsenal. They are one part of
my life and, because I went there when I was 17, I always say it is my
family. "Today, though, I am focused on West Ham and I want to make the fans
happy. I want to play this game and give my best to help the team to win and
come back to winning. "I know this is a special game for me, but that's
football and I have to take all the emotion out and just try to play my game
and play the best football I can to help the team to win."
Arsenal are in superb form, aside from their UEFA Champions League Round of
16 first-leg defeat at home to Monaco.
AS: "I think Monaco how you want to play when you play in the Emirates. I
know this stadium very well and I know when you play with Arsenal it's very
hard. "The best thing to do is to try to be together, defend together very
well and when you have the opportunity to go on the counter attack, you have
to do it very well like Monaco did it. "If you want to go to Emirates and
try to play you will not have any chance to win the game there because this
stadium is very hard to play in. You have to stay together very compact and
not give them any room, then take the opportunity on the counter attack. "If
we do this very well like Monaco did, then we can get a good result there."
We have performed well against the best teams this season, so there is no
reason why we cannot do so again at Arsenal?
AS: "We have shown a lot of things this season as a team, especially when we
play against teams at the highest level like Manchester City and Liverpool
or Tottenham. We've done very well and we need to continue to improve in
this way. "We can play better and hopefully this game on Saturday will be a
very good test for us. It's been a long time since we won a game in the
league, so we must try to come back and try to win or get one point there.
"It will not be easy, but if we're all together as one and have the fans
behind us, we can get a good result there. Everything is possible in
football and we just need to keep believing and trying hard on the pitch."
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Pike says Dev Squad must bounce back
WHUFC.com
Development Squad right-back Alex Pike said his side deserved to lose
against Sunderland following a disappointing away performance on Monday
evening. The hosts started the game the stronger as they had several early
chances, however goalkeeper Sam Howes was on hand to deny the Black Cats.
However, they were eventually rewarded when they won a penalty which Martin
Smith slotted home. The second half was more even with the Hammers having
several half-chances to equalise, the best of which fell to Jaanai Gordon,
whose shot fell agonizingly wide. The hosts wrapped up the victory late on
when Rees Greenwood ran onto Mikael Madron's incisive through-ball before
Duncan Watmore slotted home in the 90th minute.
Speaking after the match, the 18-year-old defender said: "I'm very
disappointed, everyone is really. It was a poor performance all-in-all and
we know we can do a lot better. The score line may have been a bit harsh but
they did deserve to win. We did throw it away in the last five, ten minutes.
You get punished at this level if you do that." This season, Pike has been
in impressive form for both the U18s and the Development Squad, totalling 22
appearances in all competitions. The defeat sees the Dev Squad stay at the
foot of the Barclays U21 Premier League table, while Sunderland remain in
tenth with 19 points from 15 games. "I thought Sunderland played pretty
well to be fair. Their No7 Duncan Watmore is a good player, I thought he did
well."
Next up for the Development Squad is another tough away fixture against
Liverpool on Friday 20 March and despite Monday night's defeat, Pike is
confident that the Dev Squad can bounce back quickly. "We just need to
bounce back from this, come back stronger and have a look at the things that
went wrong and where we need to improve. "It's just the start, we're a new
team mainly and hopefully we'll learn from tonight and improve quickly."
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Former Player Blog - Julian Dicks
WHUFC.com
Aaron Cresswell has impressed me with his willingness to join the attack
Hello everyone,
I was asked recently for my thoughts on how the men's first team has
performed this season and the word that sprung to mind was 'progression'.
Everything is about progression and for me and they've played well this
season, but then they've got some good players.
It's not about half a season or three-quarters of a season, though, it's
about the whole season. So, at the end of it, if we are eighth then we've
had a good season. Then, it's about the season after it and making more
progression. I think the fans are happy with the majority of the season.
Obviously the FA Cup defeat at West Brom was a bit of a sour point, but if
you had said to them we'd be in the top half at this time of the season, I
think they'd be happy. When things are going well, things become easy, but
it's about how you respond when things aren't going so well.
West Ham fans demand players who give everything they have got and they
deserve that, because they travel a long way and spend a lot of money to
support their team. Every team cannot win every game, which we all accept,
but the minimum we expect is that the players give everything they have got.
I say to the Ladies team that you win more games by hard work than you do
through ability, but if you've got both that's a bonus. There is plenty of
ability in the side, so now hopefully the hard work is coming through. One
player who I have been impressed with is the lad who is filling my old
position at left-back, Aaron Cresswell. He is a good player. When he first
came along, I watched him at Ipswich Town and he likes to get forward on the
overlap and join the attack and that's what we had been missing. No
disrespect to the left-backs we've had before, but you need your left-backs
to go on the overlap and help your strikers and your wide players and
midfield players.
Hopefully he will keep improving and be here for a while, despite what some
newspapers might be suggesting.
Let's got to Arsenal on Saturday and give our all and see where it gets us.
I remember going there in the League Cup and the Premier League and winning
as a player, so while they are in good form there is nothing that says we
can't win there again. The Ladies have a home game against Queens Park
Rangers in the FA Women's Premier League Southern Division this Sunday
afternoon. The girls have already reached one cup final this season and the
commitment they are showing is being rewarded with improved results. We were
We won at QPR in the London FA Capital Cup semi-finals recently, so please
come down to AFC Hornchurch's Bridge Avenue stadium for a 2pm kick-off and
give the girls some support as they try to repeat the trick. We have
recently appointed two new Joint-Chairmen of the Ladies section in John and
Stephen Hunt and I had my first meeting with them recently to discuss our
plans for the future.
It is definitely an exciting time to be part of the Club.
Come on you Irons!
Julian Dicks
Manager, West Ham United Ladies
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Diarra trains with Song and Nene
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 10th March 2015
By: Staff Writer
Out-of-contract midfielder Lassana Diarra continues to train with West Ham
despite there being no developments in his protracted contract wrangle with
former club Lokomotiv Moscow. The former Real Madrid and Arsenal midfielder
has been training with West Ham since January with view to sealing a
contract, after a planned move to Inter fell through. However all attempts
to resolve the outstanding legal issues between Diarra and his former club,
Lokomotiv Moscow, have proved fruitless. The 29-year-old was fired by Moscow
in 2014 after refusing to attend training last summer, having fallen out
with head coach Leonid Kuchuk. The two parties have been involved in a
long-running legal battle since, one that has prevented the 29-year-old from
joining another club.
Speaking last month, Sam Allardyce conceded that it was unlikely he'd be
able to sign Diarra before the end of the season. "It's not going to happen
due to administration reasons, which is a real shame," he said. "To get a
player of his quality, with a lot to prove, would have been a huge bonus for
us."
Despite there being no light at the end of this particular tunnel, Diarra
remains with West Ham at Chadwell Heath. He has been in good company this
week, having been accompanied by new arrival Nene - who is working on his
fitness - and Alex Song, who isn't. KUMB reported recently how West Ham had
baulked at Song's demands during preliminary contract negotiations - since
when the on-loan Barca midfielder has been dropped and left at home, whilst
the rest of the squad flew to Dubai.
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ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY
By Brian Williams 10 Mar 2015 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
The soothsayer who warned Julius Caesar to beware the Ides of March in
William Shakespeare's account of the story was clearly no slouch - because
that is precisely when the man who wanted to replace the Roman republic with
a dictatorship got his comeuppance.
The Ides of March, it turns out, is actually the 15th. That is this coming
Sunday, by which time our own emperor may be on very shaky ground indeed. If
we lose to Arsenal at the Emirates we will have acquired just nine points in
the 11 league games since we played the Gooners at Upton Park at the end of
2014 and the last lingering hope of achieving anything more than mid-table
obscurity this season will be gone.
Not for one moment do I expect Messrs Gold and Sullivan to don their togas
and become Brutus and Cassius this Sunday. Caesar Sam will not get a knife
between his shoulder blades if we get beaten - but his hopes of being
offered a new contract will be about as slim as Cleopatra's waistline if we
do.
We all know that BFS has both his admirers and his detractors, and I'm
really not looking to start that slanging match again. You boys can take
that one out of the Colosseum and into the chariot park if you like. What
interests me is how history will judge Allardyce's tenure when it finally
comes to an end.
The first year of his reign was tough going: we all hoped to secure
automatic promotion from the Championship and to be denied one of those
crucial places by Southampton and Reading took some swallowing. The pill was
sugar-coated by the play-off final victory at Wembley, of course, but in
truth it wasn't a great season.
On returning to the Prem, any supporter's initial ambitions have to be
modest these days. No team is ever going to repeat Nottingham Forest's
remarkable achievement of winning the league the year after securing
promotion (let alone go on to win and then retain the most prestigious club
competition in Europe over the next two seasons). Security and stability are
the watchwords, and no one can deny Allardyce provided those.
Last year was when the frustration really began to boil over, culminating
for many of us in the anger that was directed at the manager after the home
game against Hull. I hardly need remind you, that was in March.
Allardyce, you will no doubt recall, had been named manager of the month for
February in 2014. Then the wheels fell off. First we lost at Everton. Then,
two weeks later, we got beaten at Stoke. Next up was Man U at home - and a
2-0 defeat. Which brings us to the Hull game, four days later.
When you find yourself 1-0 up and playing against 10 men at home, supporters
can be forgiven for expecting something better than what we got that night.
It was shocking, and the reception that Allardyce got at the end really
shouldn't have surprised him quite the way it did. And he most certainly
should not have cupped his ear in our direction when we expressed our
dissatisfaction.
'I did it because I was hearing booing and I couldn't quite believe it,' he
said afterwards. "I've never been to a place where I won and got booed. I
started at 16, got into the first team at 18 and I'm 59 now and I have never
been in a place where we have won and got booed." Well, you have now.
Fast forward 12 months to another night game at Upton Park. This time we
lost, but rather than boo the team off we saluted them for a performance
which merited a point at the very least. I was as surprised as I was
delighted by the crowd's reaction after the Chelsea game last week, mainly
because we had been so lame against Palace at the weekend.
In both games the officiating was lamentable, and it wouldn't have taken
much for Wednesday evening's crowd to have shown their displeasure at
referee Andre Marriner and his two short-sighted linos rather than salute
the heroics of the boys in claret and blue. The fact that the pitch emptied
to the sound of cheers rather than jeers made me wonder if many of the
anti-Allardyce brigade (of which I was one before this season) are finally
changing their minds.
The football we play when Andy Carroll isn't in the side can be a joy to
behold at times. ("Injuries force us to play our best team," was the way one
wag put it on Twitter.) How we didn't take a total of six points off Man U
and Spurs still baffles me - and they would have been a totally deserved six
points as well.
As it is, we still haven't quite notched up the magic 40 that supposedly
signifies a club is safe - but no one is talking about West Ham and
relegation in the same breath this season. The fact they aren't is something
of a triumph in itself given our recent history. And while being fourth was
nice for a week or so, we all knew that wasn't going to last. Barcelona -
we're coming for you . but maybe not for a season or two yet.
Under Allardyce we have undoubtedly come a long way in a relatively short
space of time. Even against Palace, those few of us who were still in the
ground allowed ourselves to believe we might salvage a miraculous point when
Enner Valencia pulled a goal back with quarter of an hour to go. None of us
would have done that 12 months ago. We are now a decent side with every
chance of getting better, and if the present manager doesn't get the
opportunity to be the one to take us forward he will always have the
satisfaction of knowing he handed the club on to his successor in better
shape than he found it.
This time last year I'd have taken just about anyone other than Sam
Allardyce as manager. But friends, Irons, countrymen, lend me your ears.
Unlike Mark Antony, it turns out I have come here to praise Caesar, not to
bury him.
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West Ham eye David Moyes as manager if Sam Allardyce departs Upton Park this
summer
22:30, 10 March 2015 By Adrian Kajumba
Former Man United boss has edged ahead of Hammers hero Slaven Bilic in the
thoughts of the club's hierarchy - but can they convince him to quit Spain?
The Mirror
West Ham United will face a battle to land their number one target David
Moyes - if they part with Sam Allardyce in the summer. Real Sociedad coach
Moyes has edged ahead of former Hammers defender Slaven Bilic, currently in
charge of Turkish side Besiktas, in the thoughts of the Upton Park
hierarchy. They will hold end of season talks with current boss Allardyce to
determine his future. If he leaves, the club would prefer to appoint a boss
with previous Premier League managerial experience. However, the Hammers
will have an uphill task to tempt former Everton and Manchester United boss
Moyes back to the Premier League. The Scot, who worked with Hammers'
influential chief scout Tony Henry at Goodison Park, is keen to stay in
Spain and continue developing his Real Sociedad side. Moyes took over in
November with Sociedad deep in trouble but has steered them up to mid-table,
notching a famous win over Barcelona along the way.
The 51-year-old is hoping to build on the work he has done in recent months
next season, having signed a contract until June 2016. And that would leave
the Hammers having to go back to the drawing board if they find themselves
searching for a successor to Allardyce.
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Results to count more than Brady's Sam words
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 10, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
The only thing certain about events around Upton Park at their moment is
their uncertainty.both on and off the pitch. Topsy turvy games which should
be won are drawn, the manager claims they will have to "torture" Winston
Reid to get him to sign - he immediately agreed a new deal.
The big issue - Sam Allardyce's future - seemed settled, then enter stage
right comes Ms Brady - whoops sorry Lady something of somewhere.
But that's West Ham for you - always a drama.always a soap opera. The fact
that we've had one league win in ten games and the team is on the slide
appears to matter not one jot - Lady Brady reckons Sam's the bizzo and the
dramas start again.
This would all be jolly good fun were it not for the fact that this is all
being written and acted out in a newspaper column and I'm pretty certain
that this is not a commission which is authorised or vetted by the club.
It's not the first time such a situation has arisen and some will recall she
suggested that Steve Gerrard could be a good signing - very publicly and
rather crazily - although talk of an illegal approach was a bit over the
top.
Quite how her outburst on the Sam thing will affect the old boy's position
at the end of the season remains to be seen but the knee jerk reaction was
that this was all a bit off the wall and not required.
Personally despite it throwing a few spokes in the wheel temporarily I
reckon the last ten results will be a lot more important to Sam's future
than anything Ms Brady may have had to say.
But it was very West Ham wasn't it?
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Brady's bombshell muddies the water!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 10, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Vice chairman Karren Brady's intervention in the thorny Sam Allardyce debate
is concentrating minds in the Hammers boardroom. The outspoken Lady Brady of
Knightsbridge made in clear in her Sun column last week that she was a big
Sam supporter and would be fighting his corner at the end of the season
review meeting. And with the board still compiling a list of possible
replacements nobody is in the mood to have a massive punch up!
The final ten games, however, remain utterly crucial and although there has
been no slowing in the drawing up of a managerial shortlist, the vice
chairman's remarks have resonated in the Boleyn corridors of power. Brady
had written: ""Dinner with a bookmaker, he would hate that term, probably
prefer statistic entrepreneur! "Anyway, he tells me he is currently working
out odds on the end-of-season managerial roundabout. His lowest odds are
Steve Bruce moving to Fulham (or slightly longer to Wigan), Steve McClaren
to Newcastle and another high-profile manager to Sunderland. I have no idea
at all about all this. Except I suspect the boss moving to Sunderland won't
happen, especially if I have something to do with it!"
We were told exclusively this morning: "Her column raised some eyebrows
among important players particularly as it was so public.
"The club do fancy Marcelo Bielsa but there are risks attached and the
owners aren't normally seen as risk takers. "A huge amount rests on the last
ten games and as has always been the case, finding a suitable replacement.
The big variable in the situation is whether Sam Allardyce decides he's had
enough. That os more than possible"
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Creswell deal on ice as Man City circle
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 10, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham - despite reports that Manchester City are on the prowl - will
discuss a new contract with Aaron Cresswell at CHRISTMAS!
Morning newspaper reports suggest the club are ready to offer him an
improved five-year deal at the end of this season despite him still having
four years to run on his present deal. With reports that Manchester City see
him as the natural replacement for Gael Clichy who looks to be on his way
from the Etihad, there is a suggested urgency that the new Cresswell deal
will be done as quickly as possible.
But the club responded to ClaretandHugh's check call on the position by
declaring: "We'll look at Aarons deal around Christmas time.
"He's on a very long deal and we see no urgency. We know about the
Manchester City speculation but they are looking at people all over the
world and we are relaxed about things. "He won't be leaving in the summer.
He has been an absolute revelation and we are delighted with him. Were we
ever to sell, which we are now remotely considering, it would have to be an
enormous fee as there is a large sell on fee to Ipswich involved."
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Tuesday, March 10
Daily WHUFC News - 10th March 2015
Cresswell eyes strong finish
WHUFC.com
Aaron Cresswell says the Hammers still have plenty to play for over the
final ten games of the campaign, despite slipping to tenth place in the
Barclays Premier League table following back-to-back defeats. A
disappointing showing against Crystal Palace was followed by a fine
performance against Chelsea, which did not get the reward it deserved, and
Cresswell says that response against the league leaders shows his team can
rise up inside the top ten again. With only Arsenal and Manchester City of
the division's top eight left to play this term, the No3 believes the
Hammers have a great chance of ending the campaign strongly. He said: "We
don't want the season to fizzle out. We want to get as high as we can. At
the start of the campaign if someone had said you are going to finish top
nine or top 10, we would have most probably taken it. "We are in a great
position now so why can't we have a nice push for the last 10 games of the
season?"
On a personal level, Cresswell has shone in his first season at the top
level. Many pundits are speculating that he could be in line for a first
England call or Hammer of the Year honours, but the left back is determined
to just get on with his game. He added: "There are 10 games to go, so I am
just going to keep my head down and keep working hard. "I started in the
lower leagues and haven't changed my game since. I just keep progressing and
coming up against two of the best players in the world for Chelsea –
especially Hazard – helps me learn. "Everyone wants to play for their
country and it would be a major honour for me and my family. I'm
concentrating on playing for West Ham and though last Saturday was not my
best of games I am sure the coach looks at games throughout the season."
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Backroom Blog - Ian Hendon
WHUFC.com
The Spanish Soccer School welcomed us to Dubai Sports City
Hello everyone,
As he has done throughout his managerial career, the Gaffer has brought the
squad away for a short warm-weather training camp. This is something the
manager has done since I played under him at Notts County back in the 1990s.
He took us away from the training ground for a few days and, as much as
anything, the change of environment gave us a boost. Nowadays, we are
fortunate enough to have the resources here at West Ham United to take the
squad away to Dubai, where they not only benefit from the change in
surroundings, but also from having a bit of sun on their backs.
We have done this in each of the previous three seasons and the statistics
collated by our analysis staff have shown that these trips give the players
a welcome boost. As the manager has explained, there are well-documented
physical and psychological benefits to giving the players a break from the
training ground and everything that goes along with being Barclays Premier
League footballers. Therefore, it has been good for the lads to get away
after such a hectic period over the last few months.
We all know that our recent results have not been what he had hoped for and
expected, but our performances have generally been very good during a
challenging set of fixtures, so it was important for us to take stock,
refocus and recharge bodies and minds for our final ten important league
matches. We are confident this break will give the players a chance to
recharge their batteries and push back up the table in the remaining
fixtures
The facilities at the Dubai Sports City are some of the best you will find
anywhere in the world, too, meaning the players and staff could work
efficiently and effectively. We have also enjoyed visits from two familiar
faces – former West Ham striker Frederic Kanoute and the ex-Spain full-back
Michel Salgado, who each run soccer schools for young players in Dubai. The
main purpose of the first few days out here was for them to rest and recover
from the match against Chelsea. They have been doing work on the beach, in
the gym and in the pool.
On Sunday we were back on the training pitch, getting a feel of the ball
again with a bit of passing and head tennis. The Monday morning session was
a fairly normal start to the week, similar to what we would do back home.
This was a harder session that included more ball work, as well as 8v8
matches and strength work to finish off. We are confident this break will
give the players a chance to recharge their batteries and push back up the
table in the remaining fixtures. You can be rest assured that the lads will
be firing on all cylinders when we travel to Arsenal on Saturday.
Come on you Irons!
Ian Hendon
First-team coach
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Downing - 'It will help us to end strongly'
WHUFC.com
Stewart Downing says West Ham United will return to action rested and
recharged following their warm-weather training trip to Dubai.
The Hammers spent a long weekend in the United Arab Emirates, recovering
from a packed fixture list that saw them play 15 matches since Boxing Day.
With ten Barclays Premier League games remaining, starting with a trip to
Arsenal on Saturday afternoon, the England midfielder says a change in
environment, temperature and surroundings was just what the squad needed. "I
think it's good for us to get away at this time of year," said the No11, who
has scored eight goals and registered eight assists this term. "A lot of
countries do have a winter break, so a couple of days rest means we can
rest, recover and get ready for the next game. "I think we needed a break.
We had a lot of games with the FA Cup games and obviously the Barclays
Premier League, so it's nice to get a couple of days rest and recover for
the next one.
After recovering from Wednesday's hard-fought 1-0 home defeat by Chelsea,
the Hammers returned to the training pitch at Dubai Sports City (DSC), where
the coaching staff led a series of ball-based drills. The modern facilities
attract leading clubs from all over the world, and also serve as a base for
the Spanish Soccer Schools run by former Real Madrid and Spain full-back
Michel Salgado – who played under Sam Allardyce and assistant Neil McDonald
at Blackburn Rovers. There, they also received a visit from former West Ham
striker Frederic Kanoute, who now lives and runs his own Kafo Academy for
young footballers in Dubai. I hope it will help us to end strongly and do
better than we did last year and finish in the top ten if we can
Downing said the players enjoyed the use of the grass and artificial pitches
at DSC, adding that he hopes the trip will serve as a catalyst for the
Hammers to finish the season strongly after a challenging start to 2015. "We
did a bit of head tennis and a bit of passing – it was a light training
session so it was decent," he confirmed. "I hope it will help us to end
strongly and do better than we did last year and finish in the top ten if we
can. "The team bonding part of it is good for the lads and it's nice for the
new boys to get involved with the lads too."
Looking ahead to Saturday's trip to north London, Downing says West Ham are
determined to get one over the Gunners after being edged out 2-1 at the
Boleyn Ground on 28 December. That game saw Arsenal go two goals up before
the Hammers launched a furious second-half comeback, but could not add to
Cheikhou Kouyate's 54th-minute header. Arsene Wenger's team are in good
domestic form, having won their last four league matches, but may have one
eye on next Tuesday's UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg tie in
Monaco, where they have to overcome a 3-1 deficit. "We owe them one, as I
think we should have beaten them at home," Downing confirmed. "It'll be a
tough game, but we can go there with confidence because on our day we're a
decent team."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Loan round up
WHUFC.com
Modibo Maiga played the full 90 minutes in FC Metz' 1-0 defeat away to
Rennes. The loss sees FC Metz stay at the foot of Ligue Un.
Elliot Lee came on the 68th minute for Luton Town as they slipped to a 3-2
home defeat to Morecombe. The visitors took an early lead when Jack Redshaw
broke the deadlock before Laurence Wilson doubled their lead.
Luton rallied when Cameron McGeehan pulled a goal back before Alex Lawless
equalised in the 76th minute. The Shrimps took all three points when Luke
Wilkinson scored an own goal.
Tim Brown played the full game as Canvey Island slipped to a 1-0 away defeat
to Leatherhead, substitute Carl Rook's second half goal was enough to seal
the victory.
Nathan Mavila played the full game for Wealdstone as they lost 4-1 to
Bishops Stortford.
Doneil Henry was an unused substitute in Blackburn's 0-0 draw away at
Liverpool in the quarter-final of the FA Cup.
Raphael Spiegel was an unused substitute in Carlisle United's 3-1 defeat to
Exeter City.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Controversial end to Ladies' clash
WHUFC.com
West Ham Ladies marked International Ladies Day with a 0-0 draw away to
Plymouth Argyle on Sunday afternoon. During the opening half, the Hammers
caused Plymouth plenty of problems with the attacking threat of Vicky
Kinsman, Emma Sherwood and Kelley Blanchflower, however it was midfielder
Adele Sale who had one of the best chances for West Ham after drawing a
strong save out of the home goalkeeper.
After the half time break, the Hammers continued to pressure their Devon
hosts as they looked for the opening goal of the game, where the Hammers saw
two shots cleared off the line and substitute Gemma Abela was also denied by
an acrobatic save.
However, after dominating throughout the match and having the better chances
in front of goal, the Hammers were denied all three points when Danica
Revell's headed goal was disallowed in injury time after the full time
whistle was blown as the ball headed towards goal.
Hammers boss Julian Dicks made three changes to the side that suffered semi
final heartbreak away to Preston a week earlier. Goalkeeper Nikki Duncan
returned to the starting line up in place of Nikita Runnacles, whilst
Blanchflower also made a comeback to the Hammers' starting XI to replace
Jade Smith and Katie Bottom was the preferred choice at full back instead of
Vicki King.
With the FA Women's Premier League Plate defeat still fresh in the players
memory, the visitors were hoping to return to winning ways against a side
they defeated 5-2 at home back in late September. The opening stages didn't
indicate that a similar result was on the cards, as both teams were
struggling to keep the ball on the surface and play on a rough pitch. West
Ham did have the better of the chances during the first period though, with
Sale's low shot that was saved by Plymouth keeper Michaela Phillips being
the most noticeable chance for either side.
In the early stages of the second half, Dicks made his only change of the
game as he introduced Development Squad midfielder Abela to the game, who
instantly made an impact when the ball fell to her feet from a corner, but
Phillips was again on form to deny the visitors.
Still the Hammers pushed and they went close on two more occasions, but
Plymouth stood strong and managed to clear both efforts off the line.
In the final seconds of the game, the Hammers thought they had scored the
winning goal of the game. As a corner was taken, centre back Revell rose
well to head home, only to realise that the referee had already blown the
full time whistle as the ball entered the Plymouth penalty area.
The Hammers will look to pick up their first FA Women's Premier League South
victory since early January when they host Queens Park Rangers on Sunday 15
March. The match has been moved to AFC Hornchurch's stadium on Bridge
Avenue, with kick off scheduled for 2pm.
West Ham United Ladies: Duncan, Bottom, Baxter, Revell, Stimson, Bowers,
Little (c), Sale (Abela), Blanchflower, Kinsman, Sherwood.
Subs not used: Mellors, Runnacles, King.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dubai done, next stop the Emirates
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 9th March 2015
By: Staff Writer
West Ham's first team squad are coming to the end of their short warm
weather training break in Dubai.
The Hammers flew out to the United Arab Emirates last Thursday - a journey
of some 3,400 miles - and are expected back in the UK within the next 48
hours, ahead of this weekend's rather shorter trip to Arsenal.
Spirits in the camp appear to be high, with the players looking happy and
relaxed as they are put through their paces by Sam Allarydce's back room
staff.
And whilst the players have been working hard on the training ground, one or
two have also taken advantage of the opportunity to do a little sightseeing,
as you can see from the pictures below.
Meanwhile manager Allardyce was seen sporting a fetching yellow and green
outfit this morning as he greeted former Real Madrid star Míchel Salgado.
The 39-year-old previously worked alongside Big Sam at Blackburn and popped
along to see how his former boss was getting on.
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Gianfranco Zola sacked - again
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 9th March 2015
By: Staff Writer
Former Hammers boss Franco Zola has been dismissed as head coach of Italian
club Cagliari. The 48-year-old, who was manager of West Ham between 2008 and
2010 had been in charge of Gli Isolani for just three months when he was
fired having failed to turn around the club's ailing fortunes. Cagliari
opted to pull the trigger this weekend after Zola's side has managed to take
just one point from their last six games - a sequence that left the
Sardinians firmly rooted in the bottom three with just 20 points from their
opening 26 games.
Zola's final game in charge came at the weekend when Cagliari were beaten
2-0 at high-flying Sampdoria, courtesy of strikes from Lorenzo De Silvestri
and former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o.
A club statement confirmed Zola's departure this morning. "Cagliari Calcio
announces that it has dismissed Gianfranco Zola and his staff from the
technical guidance of the first team," it read.
"This decision was made reluctantly, in respect of a great man who wrote
unforgettable pages in the history of Cagliari, bringing lustre and prestige
to Sardinia.
"He and his staff depart with thanks for the work done in recent months,
carried out with dedication, professionalism and passion. We wish him
heartfelt good luck for the rest of his career."
Zola became West Ham United's 12th full-time manager and the club's first
foreign appointment when he replaced the outgoing Alan Curbishley in
September 2008.
His first season at the Boleyn proved to be a huge success, with the Hammers
finishing ninth in the Premier League despite having lost key personnel such
as Matthew Etherington (sold to Stoke for £3m), Hayden Mullins (Portsmouth,
£1m) and Craig Bellamy (to Man City for approximately £9.5m) during the
season.
And although necessary at the time, that string of departures was to cost
the club dear. The following season, Zola's second, West Ham ended the
campaign with just 35 points - but still managed to finish five points clear
of relegation.
However that finish wasn't good enough for the club's new incoming owners
who replaced Zola with Avram Grant - the reward for which was relegation to
the Championship the following year.
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No-one likes us, says new poll
KUMb,com
Filed: Monday, 9th March 2015
By: Staff Writer
Recent images of a small group of West Ham fans confronting co-chairman
David Sullivan in a car park at West Brom may have negatively impacted upon
the general perception of the club's fan base.
A new YouGov poll reveals than one in four encounters with West Ham
supporters have left a negative impression upon Londoners, more than 1,000
of whom were polled for the survey.
That's a figure which is only marginally better than that of Millwall and
Chelsea, whose supporters have the worst public perception amongst people
living in the capital.
When asked whether they had a generally positive or negative impression of
West Ham United supporters, 25 of those polled said the latter applied
whilst just one in five, or 20 per cent admitted their experience/s of Irons
fans had been largely positive.
Topping the poll for positive impressions with 33 per cent were Arsenal,
followed by Fulham (28 per cent). Only Chelsea (13 per cent) and Millwall
(seven per cent) recorded a lower score than West Ham.
Unsurprisingly given the above, Milwall (45 per cent) and Chelsea (43 per
cent) topped the poll for negative impressions, with West Ham narrowly
beating Tottenham to third place (25 per cent to Spurs' 21).
The poll comes in stark contrast to a survey conducted in October 2013, when
West Ham supporters were voted the most well-behaved in the Premier League.
YouGov Survery on London Football Fans
Leaving a Positive Impression
1. Arsenal 33%
2. Fulham 28%
3. Tottenham 24%
4. Crystal Palace 23%
5. Brentford; QPR 22%
7. Charlton 21%
8. West Ham Utd; Orient 20%
10. Chelsea 13%
11. Millwall 7%
Leaving a Negative Impression
1. Millwall 45%
2. Chelsea 43%
3. West Ham Utd 25%
4. Tottenham 21%
5. Arsenal 18%
6. Crystal Palace 15%
7. Charlton; QPR 11%
9. Fulham, Orient 10%
11. Brentford 8%
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Stewart Downing says Dubai trip can help West Ham in Premier League
Last Updated: 09/03/15 11:49am
SSN
Stewart Downing expects a warm-weather training trip to Dubai to pay off for
West Ham in the closing stages of the Premier League season.
Sam Allardyce and his West Ham squad have spent a long weekend in the United
Arab Emirates, recovering from 15 matches in all competitions since the
league defeat at Chelsea on Boxing Day. West Ham face the first of their
remaining 10 league games at Arsenal on Saturday, and England winger Downing
says the Dubai experience was a much-needed addition to their schedule. "I
think it's good for us to get away at this time of year," said Downing. "A
lot of countries do have a winter break, so a couple of days' rest means we
can recover and get ready for the next game. "I think we needed a break. We
had a lot of games with the FA Cup and obviously the Premier League. I hope
it will help us to end strongly and do better than we did last year and
finish in the top 10 if we can. "The team bonding part of it is good for the
lads and it's nice for the new boys to get involved with the lads too."
Downing says that West Ham are determined to achieve a positive result
against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium after a 2-1 defeat to Arsene
Wenger's team at Upton Park on December 28. "We owe them one, as I think we
should have beaten them at home," he said. "It'll be a tough game, but we
can go there with confidence because on our day we're a decent team."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
IS CHICHARITO THE ANSWER?
By Iain Dale 9 Mar 2015 at 08:55
West Ham Till I Die
Rumours abound on various sites this morning that Javier Hernandez,
Chicharito, will be a West Ham target in the summer. He's currently on loan
at Real Madrid and has no long term future at Old Trafford and according to
speculation would cost around £8 million.
I have always liked watching him play and he certainly knows where the goal
is, scoring 37 times in 102 appearances at Old Trafford. He's also bagged 38
goals in 70 appearances for Mexico, although he's only appeared 12 times at
the Bernabeu, scoring three times. At 26 he's coming into his prime, or at
least ought to be.
I said over the weekend I thought we needed to buy a Defoe like striker who
could play alongside Carroll or Sakho. Is Chicharito the answer?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham want Man City transfer target Aaron Cresswell to sign a new
contract already
22:30, 9 March 2015 By Adrian Kajumba
Left-back bought from Ipswich last summer still has 4 years to run on his
current deal but Hammers plan to reward him for an impressive debut campaign
The Mirror
West Ham want to hand Aaron Cresswell a new contract to keep him out of the
clutches of Manchester City. Left-back Cresswell is the next star in line
for a new deal as the Hammers continue their attempts to secure the
long-term futures of their main men. Champions City are hoping to ship out
Gael Clichy and eyeing Cresswell as his replacement, but West Ham are
desperate to hold on to the 25 year-old. At the end of the season, Cresswell
will still have four years left on the contract he signed when joining the
Londoners from Ipswich for around £4m last July. However, the Hammers want
to reward him for an impressive first season with an improved five-year deal
that will run until 2020. Cresswell has started 32 of West Ham's 33 games
this season, and been an ever-present in the league. Though manager Sam
Allardyce's own future won't be resolved until the summer, the club's
planning for next season and beyond is well underway. Centre-backs James
Tomkins and Winston Reid and midfielder Mark Noble have all signed long-term
deals recently. And the East Londoners are hoping to bring in a new
right-back, another centre-back, a central midfielder and a striker in the
summer. Co-owner David Gold has hinted that Carl Jenkinson's loan from
Arsenal will be made permanent, solving their search for a right-back.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Leroy: My Hammer of the Year
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 9, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
I have no doubt in my mind at all who should be voted Hammer of the Year –
AARON CRESSWELL! He's been an ever-present in the team since the first game
of the season and has performed brilliantly in the main ever since. He's had
a couple of iffy performances in recent weeks but in a first season out of
the Championship he has performed incredibly well and I have total
admiration for the way he's handled things.
To arrive from Ipswich for £3.5 million and take to the Premier League like
a duck to water is a fantastic achievement. He has been consistently good
going forward and has no doubt benefited from being given such an extended
run. Whilst most of the other teams towards the top have been switching
their back four players, Aaron has matured to the point where he is already
being discussed as England material. There have been other great performers
this season notably Diafra Sakho and it's a tough choice but when asked,
Aaron's name was the first to pop into my head. He's going to the top and
his switch to Upton Park was a tremendous piece of business!
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Sunderland still tracking Allardyce
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 9, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Karren Brady's revelation that her bookmaker friends have Sam Allardyce's
card marked for Sunderland are confirmation of a ClaretandHugh story as far
back as February 19. We revealed that he was "among the runners" to take
over at the Stadium of Light next season and that a former player would be
well received by the fans. The Hammers boss is still the favourite to be the
next Premier league managerial departure at around 11/4 and our Mackem
sources continue to insist he is the man 'most wanted' at the club. There
has been some talk that Gus Poyet could be 'next in' at West Ham but he
remains behind the likes of Slaven Bilic and Marcelo Bielsa. The Hammers
are reported to be "aggressively" addressing the issue of finding a suitable
replacement over the next few weeks. Slaven Bilic's odds have been cut quite
dramartically from 14/1 four weeks ago to 8/1 today in many places
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers on Hernandez case
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 9, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Javier Hernandez remains on West Ham's target as a possible transfer target.
Reports have bee circulating for some weeks that the on loan Manchester
United star is fancied by the club. Currently on an unhappy loan spell to
Real Madrid, the Hammers have him as one of several options for a summer
swoop. Tottenham are also watching the 26 year old along with Everton and
the Hammers are refusing to rule out their own interest. ClaretandHugh was
told: "We're aware of his availability and no final decisions have been made
on any targets. We have been busy tying down players to longer deals.
Anything else on the transfer front is possible in the summer." The often
reliable @ExWHUemployee has also mentioned there is substance to the story
in his www.ironviews.com column.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
---
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http://www.avast.com
WHUFC.com
Aaron Cresswell says the Hammers still have plenty to play for over the
final ten games of the campaign, despite slipping to tenth place in the
Barclays Premier League table following back-to-back defeats. A
disappointing showing against Crystal Palace was followed by a fine
performance against Chelsea, which did not get the reward it deserved, and
Cresswell says that response against the league leaders shows his team can
rise up inside the top ten again. With only Arsenal and Manchester City of
the division's top eight left to play this term, the No3 believes the
Hammers have a great chance of ending the campaign strongly. He said: "We
don't want the season to fizzle out. We want to get as high as we can. At
the start of the campaign if someone had said you are going to finish top
nine or top 10, we would have most probably taken it. "We are in a great
position now so why can't we have a nice push for the last 10 games of the
season?"
On a personal level, Cresswell has shone in his first season at the top
level. Many pundits are speculating that he could be in line for a first
England call or Hammer of the Year honours, but the left back is determined
to just get on with his game. He added: "There are 10 games to go, so I am
just going to keep my head down and keep working hard. "I started in the
lower leagues and haven't changed my game since. I just keep progressing and
coming up against two of the best players in the world for Chelsea –
especially Hazard – helps me learn. "Everyone wants to play for their
country and it would be a major honour for me and my family. I'm
concentrating on playing for West Ham and though last Saturday was not my
best of games I am sure the coach looks at games throughout the season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Backroom Blog - Ian Hendon
WHUFC.com
The Spanish Soccer School welcomed us to Dubai Sports City
Hello everyone,
As he has done throughout his managerial career, the Gaffer has brought the
squad away for a short warm-weather training camp. This is something the
manager has done since I played under him at Notts County back in the 1990s.
He took us away from the training ground for a few days and, as much as
anything, the change of environment gave us a boost. Nowadays, we are
fortunate enough to have the resources here at West Ham United to take the
squad away to Dubai, where they not only benefit from the change in
surroundings, but also from having a bit of sun on their backs.
We have done this in each of the previous three seasons and the statistics
collated by our analysis staff have shown that these trips give the players
a welcome boost. As the manager has explained, there are well-documented
physical and psychological benefits to giving the players a break from the
training ground and everything that goes along with being Barclays Premier
League footballers. Therefore, it has been good for the lads to get away
after such a hectic period over the last few months.
We all know that our recent results have not been what he had hoped for and
expected, but our performances have generally been very good during a
challenging set of fixtures, so it was important for us to take stock,
refocus and recharge bodies and minds for our final ten important league
matches. We are confident this break will give the players a chance to
recharge their batteries and push back up the table in the remaining
fixtures
The facilities at the Dubai Sports City are some of the best you will find
anywhere in the world, too, meaning the players and staff could work
efficiently and effectively. We have also enjoyed visits from two familiar
faces – former West Ham striker Frederic Kanoute and the ex-Spain full-back
Michel Salgado, who each run soccer schools for young players in Dubai. The
main purpose of the first few days out here was for them to rest and recover
from the match against Chelsea. They have been doing work on the beach, in
the gym and in the pool.
On Sunday we were back on the training pitch, getting a feel of the ball
again with a bit of passing and head tennis. The Monday morning session was
a fairly normal start to the week, similar to what we would do back home.
This was a harder session that included more ball work, as well as 8v8
matches and strength work to finish off. We are confident this break will
give the players a chance to recharge their batteries and push back up the
table in the remaining fixtures. You can be rest assured that the lads will
be firing on all cylinders when we travel to Arsenal on Saturday.
Come on you Irons!
Ian Hendon
First-team coach
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Downing - 'It will help us to end strongly'
WHUFC.com
Stewart Downing says West Ham United will return to action rested and
recharged following their warm-weather training trip to Dubai.
The Hammers spent a long weekend in the United Arab Emirates, recovering
from a packed fixture list that saw them play 15 matches since Boxing Day.
With ten Barclays Premier League games remaining, starting with a trip to
Arsenal on Saturday afternoon, the England midfielder says a change in
environment, temperature and surroundings was just what the squad needed. "I
think it's good for us to get away at this time of year," said the No11, who
has scored eight goals and registered eight assists this term. "A lot of
countries do have a winter break, so a couple of days rest means we can
rest, recover and get ready for the next game. "I think we needed a break.
We had a lot of games with the FA Cup games and obviously the Barclays
Premier League, so it's nice to get a couple of days rest and recover for
the next one.
After recovering from Wednesday's hard-fought 1-0 home defeat by Chelsea,
the Hammers returned to the training pitch at Dubai Sports City (DSC), where
the coaching staff led a series of ball-based drills. The modern facilities
attract leading clubs from all over the world, and also serve as a base for
the Spanish Soccer Schools run by former Real Madrid and Spain full-back
Michel Salgado – who played under Sam Allardyce and assistant Neil McDonald
at Blackburn Rovers. There, they also received a visit from former West Ham
striker Frederic Kanoute, who now lives and runs his own Kafo Academy for
young footballers in Dubai. I hope it will help us to end strongly and do
better than we did last year and finish in the top ten if we can
Downing said the players enjoyed the use of the grass and artificial pitches
at DSC, adding that he hopes the trip will serve as a catalyst for the
Hammers to finish the season strongly after a challenging start to 2015. "We
did a bit of head tennis and a bit of passing – it was a light training
session so it was decent," he confirmed. "I hope it will help us to end
strongly and do better than we did last year and finish in the top ten if we
can. "The team bonding part of it is good for the lads and it's nice for the
new boys to get involved with the lads too."
Looking ahead to Saturday's trip to north London, Downing says West Ham are
determined to get one over the Gunners after being edged out 2-1 at the
Boleyn Ground on 28 December. That game saw Arsenal go two goals up before
the Hammers launched a furious second-half comeback, but could not add to
Cheikhou Kouyate's 54th-minute header. Arsene Wenger's team are in good
domestic form, having won their last four league matches, but may have one
eye on next Tuesday's UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg tie in
Monaco, where they have to overcome a 3-1 deficit. "We owe them one, as I
think we should have beaten them at home," Downing confirmed. "It'll be a
tough game, but we can go there with confidence because on our day we're a
decent team."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Loan round up
WHUFC.com
Modibo Maiga played the full 90 minutes in FC Metz' 1-0 defeat away to
Rennes. The loss sees FC Metz stay at the foot of Ligue Un.
Elliot Lee came on the 68th minute for Luton Town as they slipped to a 3-2
home defeat to Morecombe. The visitors took an early lead when Jack Redshaw
broke the deadlock before Laurence Wilson doubled their lead.
Luton rallied when Cameron McGeehan pulled a goal back before Alex Lawless
equalised in the 76th minute. The Shrimps took all three points when Luke
Wilkinson scored an own goal.
Tim Brown played the full game as Canvey Island slipped to a 1-0 away defeat
to Leatherhead, substitute Carl Rook's second half goal was enough to seal
the victory.
Nathan Mavila played the full game for Wealdstone as they lost 4-1 to
Bishops Stortford.
Doneil Henry was an unused substitute in Blackburn's 0-0 draw away at
Liverpool in the quarter-final of the FA Cup.
Raphael Spiegel was an unused substitute in Carlisle United's 3-1 defeat to
Exeter City.
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Controversial end to Ladies' clash
WHUFC.com
West Ham Ladies marked International Ladies Day with a 0-0 draw away to
Plymouth Argyle on Sunday afternoon. During the opening half, the Hammers
caused Plymouth plenty of problems with the attacking threat of Vicky
Kinsman, Emma Sherwood and Kelley Blanchflower, however it was midfielder
Adele Sale who had one of the best chances for West Ham after drawing a
strong save out of the home goalkeeper.
After the half time break, the Hammers continued to pressure their Devon
hosts as they looked for the opening goal of the game, where the Hammers saw
two shots cleared off the line and substitute Gemma Abela was also denied by
an acrobatic save.
However, after dominating throughout the match and having the better chances
in front of goal, the Hammers were denied all three points when Danica
Revell's headed goal was disallowed in injury time after the full time
whistle was blown as the ball headed towards goal.
Hammers boss Julian Dicks made three changes to the side that suffered semi
final heartbreak away to Preston a week earlier. Goalkeeper Nikki Duncan
returned to the starting line up in place of Nikita Runnacles, whilst
Blanchflower also made a comeback to the Hammers' starting XI to replace
Jade Smith and Katie Bottom was the preferred choice at full back instead of
Vicki King.
With the FA Women's Premier League Plate defeat still fresh in the players
memory, the visitors were hoping to return to winning ways against a side
they defeated 5-2 at home back in late September. The opening stages didn't
indicate that a similar result was on the cards, as both teams were
struggling to keep the ball on the surface and play on a rough pitch. West
Ham did have the better of the chances during the first period though, with
Sale's low shot that was saved by Plymouth keeper Michaela Phillips being
the most noticeable chance for either side.
In the early stages of the second half, Dicks made his only change of the
game as he introduced Development Squad midfielder Abela to the game, who
instantly made an impact when the ball fell to her feet from a corner, but
Phillips was again on form to deny the visitors.
Still the Hammers pushed and they went close on two more occasions, but
Plymouth stood strong and managed to clear both efforts off the line.
In the final seconds of the game, the Hammers thought they had scored the
winning goal of the game. As a corner was taken, centre back Revell rose
well to head home, only to realise that the referee had already blown the
full time whistle as the ball entered the Plymouth penalty area.
The Hammers will look to pick up their first FA Women's Premier League South
victory since early January when they host Queens Park Rangers on Sunday 15
March. The match has been moved to AFC Hornchurch's stadium on Bridge
Avenue, with kick off scheduled for 2pm.
West Ham United Ladies: Duncan, Bottom, Baxter, Revell, Stimson, Bowers,
Little (c), Sale (Abela), Blanchflower, Kinsman, Sherwood.
Subs not used: Mellors, Runnacles, King.
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Dubai done, next stop the Emirates
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 9th March 2015
By: Staff Writer
West Ham's first team squad are coming to the end of their short warm
weather training break in Dubai.
The Hammers flew out to the United Arab Emirates last Thursday - a journey
of some 3,400 miles - and are expected back in the UK within the next 48
hours, ahead of this weekend's rather shorter trip to Arsenal.
Spirits in the camp appear to be high, with the players looking happy and
relaxed as they are put through their paces by Sam Allarydce's back room
staff.
And whilst the players have been working hard on the training ground, one or
two have also taken advantage of the opportunity to do a little sightseeing,
as you can see from the pictures below.
Meanwhile manager Allardyce was seen sporting a fetching yellow and green
outfit this morning as he greeted former Real Madrid star Míchel Salgado.
The 39-year-old previously worked alongside Big Sam at Blackburn and popped
along to see how his former boss was getting on.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gianfranco Zola sacked - again
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 9th March 2015
By: Staff Writer
Former Hammers boss Franco Zola has been dismissed as head coach of Italian
club Cagliari. The 48-year-old, who was manager of West Ham between 2008 and
2010 had been in charge of Gli Isolani for just three months when he was
fired having failed to turn around the club's ailing fortunes. Cagliari
opted to pull the trigger this weekend after Zola's side has managed to take
just one point from their last six games - a sequence that left the
Sardinians firmly rooted in the bottom three with just 20 points from their
opening 26 games.
Zola's final game in charge came at the weekend when Cagliari were beaten
2-0 at high-flying Sampdoria, courtesy of strikes from Lorenzo De Silvestri
and former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o.
A club statement confirmed Zola's departure this morning. "Cagliari Calcio
announces that it has dismissed Gianfranco Zola and his staff from the
technical guidance of the first team," it read.
"This decision was made reluctantly, in respect of a great man who wrote
unforgettable pages in the history of Cagliari, bringing lustre and prestige
to Sardinia.
"He and his staff depart with thanks for the work done in recent months,
carried out with dedication, professionalism and passion. We wish him
heartfelt good luck for the rest of his career."
Zola became West Ham United's 12th full-time manager and the club's first
foreign appointment when he replaced the outgoing Alan Curbishley in
September 2008.
His first season at the Boleyn proved to be a huge success, with the Hammers
finishing ninth in the Premier League despite having lost key personnel such
as Matthew Etherington (sold to Stoke for £3m), Hayden Mullins (Portsmouth,
£1m) and Craig Bellamy (to Man City for approximately £9.5m) during the
season.
And although necessary at the time, that string of departures was to cost
the club dear. The following season, Zola's second, West Ham ended the
campaign with just 35 points - but still managed to finish five points clear
of relegation.
However that finish wasn't good enough for the club's new incoming owners
who replaced Zola with Avram Grant - the reward for which was relegation to
the Championship the following year.
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No-one likes us, says new poll
KUMb,com
Filed: Monday, 9th March 2015
By: Staff Writer
Recent images of a small group of West Ham fans confronting co-chairman
David Sullivan in a car park at West Brom may have negatively impacted upon
the general perception of the club's fan base.
A new YouGov poll reveals than one in four encounters with West Ham
supporters have left a negative impression upon Londoners, more than 1,000
of whom were polled for the survey.
That's a figure which is only marginally better than that of Millwall and
Chelsea, whose supporters have the worst public perception amongst people
living in the capital.
When asked whether they had a generally positive or negative impression of
West Ham United supporters, 25 of those polled said the latter applied
whilst just one in five, or 20 per cent admitted their experience/s of Irons
fans had been largely positive.
Topping the poll for positive impressions with 33 per cent were Arsenal,
followed by Fulham (28 per cent). Only Chelsea (13 per cent) and Millwall
(seven per cent) recorded a lower score than West Ham.
Unsurprisingly given the above, Milwall (45 per cent) and Chelsea (43 per
cent) topped the poll for negative impressions, with West Ham narrowly
beating Tottenham to third place (25 per cent to Spurs' 21).
The poll comes in stark contrast to a survey conducted in October 2013, when
West Ham supporters were voted the most well-behaved in the Premier League.
YouGov Survery on London Football Fans
Leaving a Positive Impression
1. Arsenal 33%
2. Fulham 28%
3. Tottenham 24%
4. Crystal Palace 23%
5. Brentford; QPR 22%
7. Charlton 21%
8. West Ham Utd; Orient 20%
10. Chelsea 13%
11. Millwall 7%
Leaving a Negative Impression
1. Millwall 45%
2. Chelsea 43%
3. West Ham Utd 25%
4. Tottenham 21%
5. Arsenal 18%
6. Crystal Palace 15%
7. Charlton; QPR 11%
9. Fulham, Orient 10%
11. Brentford 8%
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Stewart Downing says Dubai trip can help West Ham in Premier League
Last Updated: 09/03/15 11:49am
SSN
Stewart Downing expects a warm-weather training trip to Dubai to pay off for
West Ham in the closing stages of the Premier League season.
Sam Allardyce and his West Ham squad have spent a long weekend in the United
Arab Emirates, recovering from 15 matches in all competitions since the
league defeat at Chelsea on Boxing Day. West Ham face the first of their
remaining 10 league games at Arsenal on Saturday, and England winger Downing
says the Dubai experience was a much-needed addition to their schedule. "I
think it's good for us to get away at this time of year," said Downing. "A
lot of countries do have a winter break, so a couple of days' rest means we
can recover and get ready for the next game. "I think we needed a break. We
had a lot of games with the FA Cup and obviously the Premier League. I hope
it will help us to end strongly and do better than we did last year and
finish in the top 10 if we can. "The team bonding part of it is good for the
lads and it's nice for the new boys to get involved with the lads too."
Downing says that West Ham are determined to achieve a positive result
against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium after a 2-1 defeat to Arsene
Wenger's team at Upton Park on December 28. "We owe them one, as I think we
should have beaten them at home," he said. "It'll be a tough game, but we
can go there with confidence because on our day we're a decent team."
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IS CHICHARITO THE ANSWER?
By Iain Dale 9 Mar 2015 at 08:55
West Ham Till I Die
Rumours abound on various sites this morning that Javier Hernandez,
Chicharito, will be a West Ham target in the summer. He's currently on loan
at Real Madrid and has no long term future at Old Trafford and according to
speculation would cost around £8 million.
I have always liked watching him play and he certainly knows where the goal
is, scoring 37 times in 102 appearances at Old Trafford. He's also bagged 38
goals in 70 appearances for Mexico, although he's only appeared 12 times at
the Bernabeu, scoring three times. At 26 he's coming into his prime, or at
least ought to be.
I said over the weekend I thought we needed to buy a Defoe like striker who
could play alongside Carroll or Sakho. Is Chicharito the answer?
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West Ham want Man City transfer target Aaron Cresswell to sign a new
contract already
22:30, 9 March 2015 By Adrian Kajumba
Left-back bought from Ipswich last summer still has 4 years to run on his
current deal but Hammers plan to reward him for an impressive debut campaign
The Mirror
West Ham want to hand Aaron Cresswell a new contract to keep him out of the
clutches of Manchester City. Left-back Cresswell is the next star in line
for a new deal as the Hammers continue their attempts to secure the
long-term futures of their main men. Champions City are hoping to ship out
Gael Clichy and eyeing Cresswell as his replacement, but West Ham are
desperate to hold on to the 25 year-old. At the end of the season, Cresswell
will still have four years left on the contract he signed when joining the
Londoners from Ipswich for around £4m last July. However, the Hammers want
to reward him for an impressive first season with an improved five-year deal
that will run until 2020. Cresswell has started 32 of West Ham's 33 games
this season, and been an ever-present in the league. Though manager Sam
Allardyce's own future won't be resolved until the summer, the club's
planning for next season and beyond is well underway. Centre-backs James
Tomkins and Winston Reid and midfielder Mark Noble have all signed long-term
deals recently. And the East Londoners are hoping to bring in a new
right-back, another centre-back, a central midfielder and a striker in the
summer. Co-owner David Gold has hinted that Carl Jenkinson's loan from
Arsenal will be made permanent, solving their search for a right-back.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Leroy: My Hammer of the Year
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 9, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
I have no doubt in my mind at all who should be voted Hammer of the Year –
AARON CRESSWELL! He's been an ever-present in the team since the first game
of the season and has performed brilliantly in the main ever since. He's had
a couple of iffy performances in recent weeks but in a first season out of
the Championship he has performed incredibly well and I have total
admiration for the way he's handled things.
To arrive from Ipswich for £3.5 million and take to the Premier League like
a duck to water is a fantastic achievement. He has been consistently good
going forward and has no doubt benefited from being given such an extended
run. Whilst most of the other teams towards the top have been switching
their back four players, Aaron has matured to the point where he is already
being discussed as England material. There have been other great performers
this season notably Diafra Sakho and it's a tough choice but when asked,
Aaron's name was the first to pop into my head. He's going to the top and
his switch to Upton Park was a tremendous piece of business!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sunderland still tracking Allardyce
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 9, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Karren Brady's revelation that her bookmaker friends have Sam Allardyce's
card marked for Sunderland are confirmation of a ClaretandHugh story as far
back as February 19. We revealed that he was "among the runners" to take
over at the Stadium of Light next season and that a former player would be
well received by the fans. The Hammers boss is still the favourite to be the
next Premier league managerial departure at around 11/4 and our Mackem
sources continue to insist he is the man 'most wanted' at the club. There
has been some talk that Gus Poyet could be 'next in' at West Ham but he
remains behind the likes of Slaven Bilic and Marcelo Bielsa. The Hammers
are reported to be "aggressively" addressing the issue of finding a suitable
replacement over the next few weeks. Slaven Bilic's odds have been cut quite
dramartically from 14/1 four weeks ago to 8/1 today in many places
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers on Hernandez case
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 9, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Javier Hernandez remains on West Ham's target as a possible transfer target.
Reports have bee circulating for some weeks that the on loan Manchester
United star is fancied by the club. Currently on an unhappy loan spell to
Real Madrid, the Hammers have him as one of several options for a summer
swoop. Tottenham are also watching the 26 year old along with Everton and
the Hammers are refusing to rule out their own interest. ClaretandHugh was
told: "We're aware of his availability and no final decisions have been made
on any targets. We have been busy tying down players to longer deals.
Anything else on the transfer front is possible in the summer." The often
reliable @ExWHUemployee has also mentioned there is substance to the story
in his www.ironviews.com column.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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Monday, March 9
Daily WHUFC News - 9th March 2015
Brown targets victory over Black Cats
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Development Squad striker Jordan Brown is relishing Monday night's crucial match with Sunderland at the Black Cat's Eppleton training ground. The Dev Squad last played over a month ago when they recorded an impressive 2-1 win over London rivals Fulham, with Brown netting the winner with a header at the back post, his first goal for the U21s this season. Speaking ahead of the Hammers crunch game with the Black Cats, the in-form striker Jordan Brown said: "It's been a while since our last U21 game, about a month and I'm really looking forward to getting back playing. "It was very important to win our last game before the break. I think we've got the foundation of the team sorted now, we just need to carry on playing from where we left off." In the reverse fixture at the start of the season, the Dev Squad triumphed 2-0 courtesy of two late goals from Elliot Lee. Now that the Dev Squad top goal scorer on five goals has gone out on loan at Luton Town, Brown knows he has an opportunity to fill Lee's shoes."We beat Sunderland at Upton Park, the good thing in that game was that we kept it tight at the back. Even though we had first team experience, everyone did well and we deserved to win.
"I know Sunderland are a hardworking team, they have several players who likes to get on the ball and Duncan Watmore, a winger who can play upfront who is really quick, he likes to get in behind the defence so we need to wary of that."
Having scored seven goals in 14 games for the U18s this season, Brown boasts an impressive scoring ratio of a goal every other game and the Hammers will need the striker to be at his prolific best come Monday evening. Following the Sunderland game, the Hammers face a difficult run of games as they face Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United in their next three games. "A win is probably a must at this point of the season. If we keep playing well then you never know what might happen. "We just need to focus what's ahead of us and not what's behind us. We just need to concentrate, work hard as a team and get those wins."
Having impressed for the U18s and U21s, Brown has caught the attentions of the first team coaches and he now regularly trains with the senior team. Speaking about his experiences of training alongside fellow striker such as Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia, Brown continued: "It's been good training with the first team, it's not as scary as I thought it would be. They're nice people to work with and obviously it's great to train with Premier League players, it can only help my development. "All of the players have impressed me at different points, as a striker I've come up against James Tomkins quite a few times. "Playing against him, I've realised how clever he is, and how clever you need to be to play in the Premiership. I'll make a run and he'll read it even before the ball has been played. He'll get to it before I've even seen him coming so he's impressed me a lot."
West Ham United Development Squad play Sunderland U21s on Monday 9 March, kick off is 7PM.
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WILL OUR SEASON FADE AND DIE?
By Tony Hanna 8 Mar 2015 at 09:46
West Ham Till I Die
For those of you on blood pressure medication and that have to take your BP readings on a regular basis, this season may have seen some relief for your ailment. Unlike many recent seasons we are not continually looking at the fixture list wondering where the next points are coming from to stave off relegation. Isn't it nice? It is just as well too, as we have not been getting any rub of the green of late. Poor refereeing decisions have cost us many points and the rescinding of red cards and subsequent bans enforced by video evidence is nice to see, but has not really helped us one iota! Our own deficiencies have also seen four points float down the proverbial river against teams we love to beat. Late goals from Spurs and Manchester United were hard to take.
When we hit the dizzy heights of third this season, expectations amongst some fans were of Europe and a top six finish. However, with just one league win this year the Hammers have slumped to tenth and the season now looks as though it may fade away into obscurity. Safe from relegation, albeit not mathematically, and seemingly now adrift from the top echelon, we have little to play for but pride and some extra prize money. So, will the team respond to having the pressure off or will our season just die an early death? Whilst we have ten games left only four of those are at home. We still have to play Arsenal and City away but we also go to QPR and Leicester. All the home games are very winnable with Sunderland, Stoke, Burnley and Everton still to visit Upton Park.
An age old question raises it head again, especially for the games later in the season. Who will come out on top? The team with not much to play for that can play without any pressure on them, or the team that has the pressure on to obtain a certain goal such as a top four position or to stave off relegation. The bookies normally price up the latter much shorter so I am not going to argue their point. The most likely outcome is that we will take the foot off the pedal to some degree. Perhaps that is why we have raised our game for the big matches recently, where there is some sense of greater achievement derived from winning? That is not to say I am suggesting we are not trying against the lesser likes, just that in this league you will normally get beat if you are not 100% on your game.
Off the field and the signing of Winston Reid to a long term contract is great news. Not only have we secured a very decent centre half but it has saved us from having to spend a great deal of money to find a replacement. Those funds can now be used to sign Carl Jenkinson or add strength to other parts of the squad. Unless there is a real change in the form of Alex Song I can not imagine the club will want to go anywhere near the suggested transfer fee or his wage demands? Perhaps we dodged a very expensive bullet there because there would be little left in the transfer pot if we did put all our eggs in the one basket. Now, where have I heard that saying before?
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Jenks price talks on end of season agenda
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 8, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham will make their first move for Carl Jenkinson as soon as the season ends. The club have not yet spoken to Arsenal about making the loan deal permanent but ClaretandHugh has learned that it is high on the agenda as one of the first things the club wants done in the summer. A well placed source insisted that no talks had yet been held and that "at this stage" the club was unsure what Arsenal are looking for in terms of a fee. But he added: "We will be talking to them as soon as the season comes to an end and find out whrere we are with things. " The price could be affected by a hip issue which has to be carefully maintained by the club medics but we were told: "The lad has done really well and we will be getting into talks."
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Ex Hamburg midfielder in Hammers Dubai link
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 8, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Diafra Sakho posted an Instagram photo of himself in Dubai with Carlton Cole, Guy Demel and a mystery bearded man having lunch at the luxury Blue Marlin Ibiza in the United Arab Emirates on Friday. The mystery man appears to be the former Hamburg midfielder Josef Shirdel who is now a free agent and has been training with West Ham since February with some suggesting he has been given a trial by Sam Allardyce. Andy Carroll, Alex Song, Nene and Winston Reid didn't travel with the first team for warm weather training in Dubai Sports City. Winston Reid appears to have been given time off after he posted a photo of himself in Paris yesterday.
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West Ham players train in Dubai ahead of vital matches
HITC
Vincent Ralph
2 hours ago
West Ham United's players have been taking part in training in new surroundings. West Ham United's players have been photographed taking part in their warm weather training in Dubai. The pictures were published by the Hammers' official Twitter account and they showed the likes of Cheikhou Kouyate, Guy Demel, Mark Noble and Matt Jarvis being put through their paces. West Ham have taken the opportunity of a free weekend to travel to Dubai, with the FA Cup quarter-finals allowing a number of clubs to take stock before the business-end of the season. Along with the usual faces, there was also a surprise in the guise of former West Ham striker Freddie Kanoute but it is up to the current crop of Hammers stars to ensure they end the campaign in the best possible vein. Sam Allardyce's side have impressed for much of the season, but a poor run of form has seen them drop to 10th in the Premier League after defeats against Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Chelsea and some disappointing draws. West Ham's next match is away to Arsenal and Allardyce will surely be hoping the change of scene has allowed his side to refocus and get back to winning ways.
West Ham United FC ✔ @whufc_official
PICS: @FredericKanoute was a welcome visitor to the Hammers' warm-weather training camp in Dubai #COYI
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West Ham chief David Gold hints at permanent move for Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson
Evening Standar
Published: 08 March 2015 Updated: 16:47, 08 March 2015
West Ham chief David Gold has seemingly hinted at a permanent move for Arsenal's Carl Jenkinson in the summer. The right-back is spending the season on loan at Upton Park and has made 24 appearances under Sam Allardyce this term. The Hammers are due to play Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Saturday and asked if Jenkinson will be eligible to feature against his parent club, Gold told a fan on social media: "He will not play against Arsenal. This year." "@juliansheasport: Is Carl Jenkinson available to play v Arsenal or does loan forbid it? He will not play against Arsenal. This year. Dg — David Gold (@davidgold) March 7, 2015
Jenkinson arrived at West Ham in the summer after Arsene Wenger signed Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers in the wake of Bacary Sagna's depature to Manchester City last summer. Both additions immediately leapfrogged the former Charlton man in the full-back pecking order at Emirates Stadium and he eventually joined West Ham in July. The 23-year-old right-back has made 57 appearances for the Gunners in three season since arriving from The Valley in 2011.
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Connolly hangs up his boots
Sunday 8th March 2015 9:12
TeamTalk
AFC Wimbledon striker David Connolly has announced his retirement from football with immediate effect. The 37-year-old made over 400 senior club appearances during his career that saw him turn out for Watford, Feyenoord, Wolves, Excelsior, Wimbledon, West Ham, Leicester, Wigan, Sunderland, Southampton, Portsmouth and Oxford. He also appeared 41 times for Republic of Ireland and featured at the 2002 World Cup as a substitute during the second-round defeat to Spain. Connolly joined AFC Wimbledon in January after his contract with Portsmouth was cancelled by mutual consent. It was his second spell with the club, having played for the old Wimbledon between 2001 and 2003, when he scored 42 goals in 68 appearances. He managed just one goal in eight games this time around, but that strike was a stoppage-time winner during a 3-2 victory over Luton. The veteran called it a day following discussions with his manager and former team-mate Neal Ardley.
He told the Dons' official website: "I pulled Neal aside for a heart-to-heart chat and I felt that now was the time to call it a day.
"As time has gone on I felt that starting games was difficult and so too was travelling up and down the country to come off the bench for 10 minutes or so. Neal needed a striker that could play off (Adebayo) Akinfenwa and start games and that wasn't me. "I have always had fond memories of this club and my winning goal against Luton will live long in the memory. It was great to bring that joy to everyone at the club."
Ardley had warm praise for his departing player. He told Dons Player: "David was the best striker I ever played with. I played with some good ones when I was with England Under-21s. "David's movement and understanding of space was first class. He is a good friend of mine and a good friend of the club. I have invited David to come back and do coaching at the club whenever he is ready. "I have total respect for David. He feels that the money we are paying him would be better spent on someone who can start games. He does not feel he is that person.
"That is a rare quality to accept that. I cannot speak highly enough of him. I tried to talk him around, but his mind was made up. "He is a great guy and it would have been sad if he had not had that great moment against Luton. That felt really special and more than us just getting three points."
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WHUFC.com
West Ham United Development Squad striker Jordan Brown is relishing Monday night's crucial match with Sunderland at the Black Cat's Eppleton training ground. The Dev Squad last played over a month ago when they recorded an impressive 2-1 win over London rivals Fulham, with Brown netting the winner with a header at the back post, his first goal for the U21s this season. Speaking ahead of the Hammers crunch game with the Black Cats, the in-form striker Jordan Brown said: "It's been a while since our last U21 game, about a month and I'm really looking forward to getting back playing. "It was very important to win our last game before the break. I think we've got the foundation of the team sorted now, we just need to carry on playing from where we left off." In the reverse fixture at the start of the season, the Dev Squad triumphed 2-0 courtesy of two late goals from Elliot Lee. Now that the Dev Squad top goal scorer on five goals has gone out on loan at Luton Town, Brown knows he has an opportunity to fill Lee's shoes."We beat Sunderland at Upton Park, the good thing in that game was that we kept it tight at the back. Even though we had first team experience, everyone did well and we deserved to win.
"I know Sunderland are a hardworking team, they have several players who likes to get on the ball and Duncan Watmore, a winger who can play upfront who is really quick, he likes to get in behind the defence so we need to wary of that."
Having scored seven goals in 14 games for the U18s this season, Brown boasts an impressive scoring ratio of a goal every other game and the Hammers will need the striker to be at his prolific best come Monday evening. Following the Sunderland game, the Hammers face a difficult run of games as they face Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United in their next three games. "A win is probably a must at this point of the season. If we keep playing well then you never know what might happen. "We just need to focus what's ahead of us and not what's behind us. We just need to concentrate, work hard as a team and get those wins."
Having impressed for the U18s and U21s, Brown has caught the attentions of the first team coaches and he now regularly trains with the senior team. Speaking about his experiences of training alongside fellow striker such as Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia, Brown continued: "It's been good training with the first team, it's not as scary as I thought it would be. They're nice people to work with and obviously it's great to train with Premier League players, it can only help my development. "All of the players have impressed me at different points, as a striker I've come up against James Tomkins quite a few times. "Playing against him, I've realised how clever he is, and how clever you need to be to play in the Premiership. I'll make a run and he'll read it even before the ball has been played. He'll get to it before I've even seen him coming so he's impressed me a lot."
West Ham United Development Squad play Sunderland U21s on Monday 9 March, kick off is 7PM.
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WILL OUR SEASON FADE AND DIE?
By Tony Hanna 8 Mar 2015 at 09:46
West Ham Till I Die
For those of you on blood pressure medication and that have to take your BP readings on a regular basis, this season may have seen some relief for your ailment. Unlike many recent seasons we are not continually looking at the fixture list wondering where the next points are coming from to stave off relegation. Isn't it nice? It is just as well too, as we have not been getting any rub of the green of late. Poor refereeing decisions have cost us many points and the rescinding of red cards and subsequent bans enforced by video evidence is nice to see, but has not really helped us one iota! Our own deficiencies have also seen four points float down the proverbial river against teams we love to beat. Late goals from Spurs and Manchester United were hard to take.
When we hit the dizzy heights of third this season, expectations amongst some fans were of Europe and a top six finish. However, with just one league win this year the Hammers have slumped to tenth and the season now looks as though it may fade away into obscurity. Safe from relegation, albeit not mathematically, and seemingly now adrift from the top echelon, we have little to play for but pride and some extra prize money. So, will the team respond to having the pressure off or will our season just die an early death? Whilst we have ten games left only four of those are at home. We still have to play Arsenal and City away but we also go to QPR and Leicester. All the home games are very winnable with Sunderland, Stoke, Burnley and Everton still to visit Upton Park.
An age old question raises it head again, especially for the games later in the season. Who will come out on top? The team with not much to play for that can play without any pressure on them, or the team that has the pressure on to obtain a certain goal such as a top four position or to stave off relegation. The bookies normally price up the latter much shorter so I am not going to argue their point. The most likely outcome is that we will take the foot off the pedal to some degree. Perhaps that is why we have raised our game for the big matches recently, where there is some sense of greater achievement derived from winning? That is not to say I am suggesting we are not trying against the lesser likes, just that in this league you will normally get beat if you are not 100% on your game.
Off the field and the signing of Winston Reid to a long term contract is great news. Not only have we secured a very decent centre half but it has saved us from having to spend a great deal of money to find a replacement. Those funds can now be used to sign Carl Jenkinson or add strength to other parts of the squad. Unless there is a real change in the form of Alex Song I can not imagine the club will want to go anywhere near the suggested transfer fee or his wage demands? Perhaps we dodged a very expensive bullet there because there would be little left in the transfer pot if we did put all our eggs in the one basket. Now, where have I heard that saying before?
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Jenks price talks on end of season agenda
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 8, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham will make their first move for Carl Jenkinson as soon as the season ends. The club have not yet spoken to Arsenal about making the loan deal permanent but ClaretandHugh has learned that it is high on the agenda as one of the first things the club wants done in the summer. A well placed source insisted that no talks had yet been held and that "at this stage" the club was unsure what Arsenal are looking for in terms of a fee. But he added: "We will be talking to them as soon as the season comes to an end and find out whrere we are with things. " The price could be affected by a hip issue which has to be carefully maintained by the club medics but we were told: "The lad has done really well and we will be getting into talks."
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Ex Hamburg midfielder in Hammers Dubai link
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 8, 2015 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
Diafra Sakho posted an Instagram photo of himself in Dubai with Carlton Cole, Guy Demel and a mystery bearded man having lunch at the luxury Blue Marlin Ibiza in the United Arab Emirates on Friday. The mystery man appears to be the former Hamburg midfielder Josef Shirdel who is now a free agent and has been training with West Ham since February with some suggesting he has been given a trial by Sam Allardyce. Andy Carroll, Alex Song, Nene and Winston Reid didn't travel with the first team for warm weather training in Dubai Sports City. Winston Reid appears to have been given time off after he posted a photo of himself in Paris yesterday.
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West Ham players train in Dubai ahead of vital matches
HITC
Vincent Ralph
2 hours ago
West Ham United's players have been taking part in training in new surroundings. West Ham United's players have been photographed taking part in their warm weather training in Dubai. The pictures were published by the Hammers' official Twitter account and they showed the likes of Cheikhou Kouyate, Guy Demel, Mark Noble and Matt Jarvis being put through their paces. West Ham have taken the opportunity of a free weekend to travel to Dubai, with the FA Cup quarter-finals allowing a number of clubs to take stock before the business-end of the season. Along with the usual faces, there was also a surprise in the guise of former West Ham striker Freddie Kanoute but it is up to the current crop of Hammers stars to ensure they end the campaign in the best possible vein. Sam Allardyce's side have impressed for much of the season, but a poor run of form has seen them drop to 10th in the Premier League after defeats against Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Chelsea and some disappointing draws. West Ham's next match is away to Arsenal and Allardyce will surely be hoping the change of scene has allowed his side to refocus and get back to winning ways.
West Ham United FC ✔ @whufc_official
PICS: @FredericKanoute was a welcome visitor to the Hammers' warm-weather training camp in Dubai #COYI
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West Ham chief David Gold hints at permanent move for Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson
Evening Standar
Published: 08 March 2015 Updated: 16:47, 08 March 2015
West Ham chief David Gold has seemingly hinted at a permanent move for Arsenal's Carl Jenkinson in the summer. The right-back is spending the season on loan at Upton Park and has made 24 appearances under Sam Allardyce this term. The Hammers are due to play Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on Saturday and asked if Jenkinson will be eligible to feature against his parent club, Gold told a fan on social media: "He will not play against Arsenal. This year." "@juliansheasport: Is Carl Jenkinson available to play v Arsenal or does loan forbid it? He will not play against Arsenal. This year. Dg — David Gold (@davidgold) March 7, 2015
Jenkinson arrived at West Ham in the summer after Arsene Wenger signed Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers in the wake of Bacary Sagna's depature to Manchester City last summer. Both additions immediately leapfrogged the former Charlton man in the full-back pecking order at Emirates Stadium and he eventually joined West Ham in July. The 23-year-old right-back has made 57 appearances for the Gunners in three season since arriving from The Valley in 2011.
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Connolly hangs up his boots
Sunday 8th March 2015 9:12
TeamTalk
AFC Wimbledon striker David Connolly has announced his retirement from football with immediate effect. The 37-year-old made over 400 senior club appearances during his career that saw him turn out for Watford, Feyenoord, Wolves, Excelsior, Wimbledon, West Ham, Leicester, Wigan, Sunderland, Southampton, Portsmouth and Oxford. He also appeared 41 times for Republic of Ireland and featured at the 2002 World Cup as a substitute during the second-round defeat to Spain. Connolly joined AFC Wimbledon in January after his contract with Portsmouth was cancelled by mutual consent. It was his second spell with the club, having played for the old Wimbledon between 2001 and 2003, when he scored 42 goals in 68 appearances. He managed just one goal in eight games this time around, but that strike was a stoppage-time winner during a 3-2 victory over Luton. The veteran called it a day following discussions with his manager and former team-mate Neal Ardley.
He told the Dons' official website: "I pulled Neal aside for a heart-to-heart chat and I felt that now was the time to call it a day.
"As time has gone on I felt that starting games was difficult and so too was travelling up and down the country to come off the bench for 10 minutes or so. Neal needed a striker that could play off (Adebayo) Akinfenwa and start games and that wasn't me. "I have always had fond memories of this club and my winning goal against Luton will live long in the memory. It was great to bring that joy to everyone at the club."
Ardley had warm praise for his departing player. He told Dons Player: "David was the best striker I ever played with. I played with some good ones when I was with England Under-21s. "David's movement and understanding of space was first class. He is a good friend of mine and a good friend of the club. I have invited David to come back and do coaching at the club whenever he is ready. "I have total respect for David. He feels that the money we are paying him would be better spent on someone who can start games. He does not feel he is that person.
"That is a rare quality to accept that. I cannot speak highly enough of him. I tried to talk him around, but his mind was made up. "He is a great guy and it would have been sad if he had not had that great moment against Luton. That felt really special and more than us just getting three points."
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