Bilic hopeful of new Antonio deal
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic hopeful that Michail Antonio will sign a new contract in the
near future
Winger has been in outstanding form for West Ham United over the last 18
months
Antonio has scored 16 goals in 46 Premier League appearances in Claret and
Blue
Slaven Bilic hopes Michail Antonio will sign a 'deserved' new contract with
West Ham United in the near future. The No30 has been outstanding since
breaking into Bilic's starting XI in December 2015, scoring 16 goals in 46
Premier League appearances and assisting six more. Just 18 months after
moving to the Hammers from Championship club Nottingham Forest, Antonio's
form has seen him become an automatic pick for the manager, while he was
also called-up by England for the first time last October. Speculation has
been rife that Antonio would be offered a new contract to warn off potential
suitors since the January transfer window opened, and Bilic hopes the deal
will be completed shortly. "The players have deals, but he is the player who
came last season to us and he has improved a lot and came from being a
player for the future to one who we gave a chance to one of our most
important players," he said, speaking during his press conference ahead of
Saturday's Premier League trip to Middlesbrough. "It's been long-term, too,
and not just the last few games. Last season, since he scored that goal
against Southampton, he has basically not stopped. "He was very good for us
last season and he has continued to do it for us this season and when
players are playing like that, at a good age as well, then a lot of clubs –
at least in the papers – are interested in them and that puts them in a good
position for a new deal. "He definitely deserved it, so it's a Club decision
together with my own but for me he has a big-time green light to sign a new
deal with us! "I think it [talks] just started but I don't know all the
details about all that, as I leave it to the Chairmen, but I hope it's
close. Well, I hope it's done, to be fair! "I see no problem there because
he is definitely the one who totally deserves it with his behaviour, with
his work-rate, with his quality and, at the end of the day, with the goals,
assists and energy he is providing us with."
When asked how Antonio has blossomed into one of English football's top
performers, just a few years after plying his trade with non-league Tooting
& Mitcham United, Bilic praised the winger's determination to succeed above
all else. "It's a character and that's the main thing," he confirmed. "When
you are a manager judging players, you can say 'he has a great left foot, a
great right foot, pace, skills, vision' and all that, but it's the character
that makes the difference. "For me it's not enough only to have character,
you have to have quality, but what makes the difference long term in your
improvement on a daily basis is character and his character is spot-on.
"Last weekend, for example, he wasn't supposed to play in that game because
he had a temperature of 38.4 degrees the day before the game, which was
definitely high enough to rule him out, but he wanted to play and to play in
those conditions is unbelievable. "To contribute as he did with three
brilliant assists was amazing, so he deserves credit for that game, big
time."
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Four face fitness race
WHUFC.com
Andy Carroll, Sofiane Feghouli, Sam Byram and Winston Reid all hoping to
shake off knocks
Carroll suffered whiplash injury but Slaven Bilic is optimistic he will be
fit to face Middlesbrough
Feghouli, Byram and Reid all trained with the first-team squad on Thursday
Slaven Bilic is hopeful of naming an unchanged squad for the Premier League
trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday. The Hammers will again be without Dimitri
Payet, while Cheikhou Kouyate and Andre Ayew are at the Africa Cup of
Nations, and Alvaro Arbeloa, Arthur Masuaku, Havard Nordtveit, Diafra Sakho
and Gokhan Tore are injured.
Bilic revealed in his Thursday press conference that Crystal Palace
goalscorers Andy Carroll and Sofiane Feghouli are both carrying knocks,
while defenders Winston Reid and Sam Byram also picked up minor injuries in
the 3-0 win over the Eagles. However, the boss is confident all four will be
fit to face Boro at the Riverside Stadium.
Byram, Reid and Feghouli all trained at Rush Green on Thursday, while
Carroll worked on an individual basis and is expected to return to the squad
on Friday. "Andy has got a bit of a whiplash injury," said the manager.
"That's what I have been told by the physios, so I went to a dictionary to
find out what that is! "He has a sore neck so hopefully he's going to be OK.
It was at the end of the game [and not when he scored his scissor kick
goal]. He trained on Tuesday and was brilliant in training, but then he
reported some neck pain, but hopefully he's going to be OK. "We have a few
with knocks – Andy, Winston Reid has a painful one and Sam Byram has a knock
on his knee and it was swollen and he missed training on Wednesday, but he
will train on Thursday and he should be OK. "Also Sofiane Feghouli missed
training on Wednesday because of a minor problem with his Achilles, but I'm
very optimistic that all of them are going to be fit for the game on
Saturday."
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Collins has special memories of facing Boro
WHUFC.com
James Collins will always have special memories of facing Middlesbrough and
hopes to be celebrating another big victory at the Riverside Stadium on
Saturday.
Collins enjoyed one of his best moments in a claret and blue shirt when he
helped West Ham record a memorable FA Cup semi-final win over the north east
club back in April 2006 to reach the FA Cup Final for the first time since
1980. Marlon Harewood's second half winner at Villa Park made it a day to
remember for the thousands of Hammers fans who made the trip to Birmingham
and the Welsh defender will never forget the celebrations that followed.
Collins said: "It has to be one of my best days in a West Ham shirt and one
of the highlights of my career. "Everything about it was fantastic. It was
my first year at West Ham and we knew it was going to be a big day. If we
got the victory, we were going to Cardiff to play in the FA Cup Final. "We
played really well and I probably have most of my memories from after the
game when we were celebrating in the big bath tub and enjoyed the
celebrations. That will stay with me forever."
Collins will be making his first appearance at the Riverside Stadium since
2008 when Hayden Mullins got on the scoresheet during a 1-1 draw and will be
hoping for a better outcome this weekend. Following the memorable 3-0 win
over Crystal Palace last weekend, the experienced defender admits the
players are full of confidence as they prepare for the trip to the north
east and hopes to see a repeat performance. Collins added: "It has been a
while since I last played up at Middlesbrough. It is always a tough place to
go and they are doing well back in the top flight. "But we took a hell of a
lot of confidence from the performance on Saturday and all the players look
sharp back in training. The boys who are in the team are hitting top form
and hopefully we can re-produce the form we showed against Crystal Palace.
"We have been threatening to come away with a performance like that. A
couple of games we have conceded a lot of goals, but we knew if we could
keep a clean sheet that we had the players going forward to score us the
goals. "We are delighted to have scored three and it could have been a lot
more."
One of those goals included a memorable scissor kick from Andy Carroll and
Collins says it is one of the best he has ever seen during his career. "I
said to Andy after the game that I don't think I have seen a goal as good as
the one he scored on Saturday. "I was standing right behind it and I have
not seen a strike as good as that. All credit to Andy and he has been trying
it a couple of times in training since I have known him. "To pull it off in
such a big game and such a big goal for the club is great for him. He is
hitting top form now and long may that continue. It comes down to technique
and I have seen a few in my time but that is the best bicycle kick I have
ever seen. A lot people probably thought he was going to head it, but he has
tried it in training and lucky for him it has paid off in the game."
Collins also had nothing but praise for Michail Antonio who was forced to
miss the build-up with a high temperature and produced one of his best
performances as he completed a hat-trick of assists. "It was a brilliant
performance from Michail. He didn't really train with us last week and
credit to him for the way he has played. He was still pretty ill before the
game but the performance he put in was fantastic. "He said it wasn't going
to be a problem and he set up three goals and it could have been more. He is
hitting top form as well so we hope they can do the same again on Saturday.
"He is a top footballer and can do a good job wherever he is asked to play.
He played right wing-back in the first half and did well and then he went
upfront and it gives us a totally different dimension when he is playing
alongside Andy. "Andy can flick the ball into Michail and he has got the
pace to get in behind. He can set up goals as well and is the all-round
footballer at the moment."
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Slaven - We want to keep this positivity
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic wants his team to achieve back-to-back victories by winning at
Middlesbrough
West Ham United defeated Crystal Palace 3-0 at London Stadium last time out
Manager admits four players are battling to overcome 'knocks' to be fit to
face Boro
Slaven Bilic wants his team to build on the momentum they built in beating
Crystal Palace when they head to Middlesbrough on Saturday. West Ham United
ended a challenging week full of speculation about the future of Dimitri
Payet by downing the Eagles 3-0 at London Stadium. Having notched their
first victory of 2017, Bilic wants the Hammers to maintain their feelgood
factor by collecting another three points at the Riverside Stadium. However,
the manager knows defeating a Boro team that has conceded just four goals in
their last six home Premier League matches will be no easy task. "We have a
game on Saturday where we definitely want to keep all this positivity around
us," he confirmed. "We have had it on the training ground this week and we
don't want to lose the momentum. "We have a very difficult game on Saturday
against a team that is very, very solid. They don't score a lot but they
don't concede a lot or give away too many chances. But again, it's a good
opportunity for us and we've got to be on top of our game and I think we
have a good chance. "We're in a good situation now but we want to be in a
really good situation and for that you need points and for points you need
performances and for performances you need confidence and atmosphere and
everything."
Slaven Bilic and Aitor Karanka saw their teams play out a 1-1 draw at London
Stadium in October revealed his respect for the Spaniard, who guided Boro to
promotion last season and has already seemingly established them as
resilient Premier League team. "For every foreigner, especially a manager,
to come a foreign country, is much more difficult than it is for a player –
it was easier for me as I played here," he observed. "For him [Karanka],
especially in the Championship, which is a unique competition where you play
every day basically, to get a promotion in two seasons is brilliant. "He got
them in Premier League and he was very brave to add some players. Although
he got very connected with that squad because they were successful, he knew
he couldn't rely only on them and he needed more quality players. "So, to
get [Spain internationals Alvaro] Negredo, [Victor] Valdes and a few others,
you need character and to be a decision-maker. He has done it all. They are
hard to beat and very organised so Chapeau to him."
While Karanka will set his team up to stifle the Hammers, Bilic himself
hopes to take an unchanged squad to Teesside, but admitted Andy Carroll,
Winston Reid, Sam Byram and Sofiane Feghouli will need to shake off knocks
if they are to feature this weekend.
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PAYET THE LOVE AFFAIR IS OVER!
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 19 JANUARY 2017 AT 9:34PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
This was written by: Aaron Lee aaronlee90@hotmail.com
As we come towards the close of the transfer window many are wondering if we
will see the departure of Dimitri Payet. In my honest opinion last season
Dimitri Payet was probably the best player I've seen pull on a claret and
blue shirt in my time as a West Ham United fan. I absolutely adored Paolo Di
Canio and Joe Cole but Dimitri made a habit of continuously getting people
off their seats on a regular basis. West Ham gave Payet the platform to
perform in the best league in the world and he grabbed his opportunity with
both hands. I'm sure his free kicks against Crystal Palace and Man United
will live long in the memory for us hammers fans but where did it all go
wrong?
Rewind to February 2016,Payet had just been given a new five year contract
and a pay rise for his outstanding performances earlier on in the season and
he was more than happy to sign it. He stated his love for the club and the
fans and made a statement saying the love affair continues,he vowed how he
wanted to be with West Ham for many years to come. Payet swept up award
after award at the end of season player awards ceremony and not many could
argue that he didn't deserve the awards. He stated how much Slaven Bilic was
a father figure to him,he loved the club and was grateful for the tremendous
support from the fans and once again mentioned the love affair he had with
our supporters. Shortly after this he lit up the European championships
showing displays that West Ham fans had become accustom to throughout the
season scoring a stunning strike against Romania and scoring against Albania
to confirm France a place in the last 16. As many of you remember this was
the game where Slaven Bilic climbed on the announce table arms aloft in
celebration at our midfield genius, Payet was voted in the Euro 2016 team of
the tournament and also became shortlisted for the Ballon D'or becoming
only the fourth West Ham player to get nominated for the coveted award
following in the footsteps of Sir Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters and Bobby
Moore.
Fast forward nearly a year from when he signed his improved contract,the
same man who declared his love for our club and how proud he was to wear our
famous shirt has now decided to down tools refusing to play so he could
engineer a return to Marseille. This isn't the first time Payet has tried to
force a move by going on strike. He done the same while at Saint-Etienne in
2011, threatening to fake injuries to rule himself out of selection, not
turning up for training sessions. This was revealed by Slav in his press
conference, the same man who only a few months earlier Payet was claiming he
considered a father figure. Slav had the look of a broken man and claimed
how upset and angry he was about the situation. When Dimitri has played this
season the flashes of brilliance that we adored last season have been few
and far between. Many had questioned his commitment and desire this season
suggesting that Payet has the look of a man who didn't want to be here. For
me this became clear even more so in our game in the league cup at Old
Trafford when Ashley Fletcher scored his first goal for the club, Dimitri
decided to jog back instead of celebrating with the rest of his teammates.
As many of you would have picked up on the media have tried to claim that
Slaven done exactly the same back in 1997 when Everton tried to sign him,
this could not be further from the truth as Slaven insisted to the Everton
officials that he had a debt of loyalty to West Ham and he would stay with
the club till the end of the season to ensure we was not relegated and that
turned out to be the case before he departed for the blue half of
Merseyside.
After the brilliant second half performance against Palace on Saturday you
could tell the players were together and behind the manager there was a
sense of urgency to prove that we don't need Payet. Our fans who were
fantastic were behind the team and especially Slaven Bilic from the first
whistle to the last. The good thing to come out of this Payet situation is
that it has seemed to bring us all back together that was without doubt the
best atmosphere in a Premier League game at the London Stadium and I hope
this continues. Obviously the owners and super Slav have stated Dimitri
Payet will not be sold in this window but for me the sooner he goes the
better, there is no way back for Payet at West Ham and as far as I'm
concerned I wouldn't want to see him in our shirt again. His actions and
attitude will do nothing to help the team and this has been stated by the
likes of Andy Carroll and Mark Noble, no player will ever be bigger than the
club and West Ham United will be around long after Payet has gone so as much
as you was adored because of your genius and brilliance the love affair is
now over Dimitri.
Come on you Irons
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Fonte set for Hammers switch
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 19th January 2017
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United are hoping to complete the capture of experienced
Southampton captain Jose Fonte by the weekend.
The 33-year-old central defender is on the verge of joining the Hammers in a
deal worth in the regoin £8million + add-ons, according to reports, with his
current deal at St Mary's coming to an end.
A Portuguese international, Fonte - who is contracted to Soton until the end
of next season (2017/18) - arrived in England ten years ago when he joined
Crystal Palace on loan from Benfica, a deal that was made permanent in 2008.
Two years later he joined Southampton on a permanent basis, signing for the
Saints in a cut-price £1,2million deal. Since then, Fonte has made more than
250 appearances for the South Coast club.
Fonte is understood to have handed in a transfer request when his current
club failed to offer him an extended contract. The defender is said to have
been seeking a deal worth in the region of £70,000 over two-and-a-half
years.
Slaven Bilic, when asked about potential incomings during his press
conference this morning (Thursday) replied: "I am not talking about names;
all I can say is that we hope to settle something in the next 24 hours."
Speaking about the Fonte situation yesterday, Saints boss Claude Puel
claimed that the club has received several enquiries. "I think he has some
opportunities," he said. "We will see if Jose leaves Southampton; we will
see over the next few days."
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West Ham poised to sign Jose Fonte from Southampton
Last Updated: 19/01/17 9:02pm
SSN
West Ham are close to agreeing a deal to sign defender Jose Fonte from
Southampton, according to Sky sources. Talks continued on Thursday and a fee
of £8m is being discussed for the 33-year-old, who helped Portugal to Euro
2016 glory last summer. Fonte has been at Southampton since 2010, having
joined from Crystal Palace, but expressed his desire to leave the club
earlier this month. Southampton manager Claude Puel confirmed at his press
briefing on Thursday that Fonte could depart. "Jose has different
possibilities," said the Saints boss. "He has the solution and the
opportunity to see this, and we will see what the situation is in a few
days. "He was in training this morning with the players and he works
normally with good spirit, and like a professional."
Southampton have lost their last four Premier League games and Puel admits
the speculation regarding Fonte's future has been a distraction. "This
situation with Jose is difficult for the squad," Puel said. "It's difficult
for him also. "It's not just about this market; it's been since the
beginning of the season. "It's been a difficult situation for Jose because
he's always in discussions with the club, about contracts, or no contracts.
"I took a decision at the beginning of this window to keep Jose out the
team, to study different possibilities, and to protect the team from all
this speculation about Jose. "With this many games it's important to keep
focused about our game, not just on the situation of Jose. It's difficult,
but the squad can take the responsibilities."
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Andy Carroll doubt for West Ham's Middlesbrough trip with whiplash
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 19/01/17 5:14pm
SSN
Slaven Bilic has revealed Andy Carroll is a doubt for West Ham's trip to
Middlesbrough after suffering a whiplash injury. The striker scored a
spectacular, acrobatic scissor kick during last weekend's 3-0 win over
Crystal Palace. But at the end of the match he was feeling a problem with
his neck and had to sit out training earlier this week. We take a look back
at some of the best Premier League overhead kicks after Andy Carroll's
brilliant effort against Crystal Palace. Manager Slaven Bilic was surprised
by the unusual diagnosis, but still expects his big frontman to be fit for
the trip to Teesside. "He's got a whiplash injury, that's what I was told
from the physios," said Bilic. "Then I went to the dictionary basically to
find out what that is. It was a sore neck, but hopefully he will be okay.
"It was at the end of the game, I don't know how he got it. "He then trained
Tuesday very hard, he was brilliant in training, but then reported some neck
pain. But as I say, hopefully he will be okay. "We have a few with knocks -
Winston Reid has a painful one and Sam Byram has a knock on his knee, it was
swollen and he missed training on Wednesday. "Also Sofiane Feghouli missed
training on Wednesday because of a minor problem with his Achilles. "But I'm
very optimistic that all of them are going to be fit for the game on
Saturday."
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Slaven Bilic reveals West Ham are close to making new signing
By Andrew Dickson
Last Updated: 19/01/17 1:10pm
SSN
Slaven Bilic is optimistic West Ham will make a new signing before the
weekend as Dimitri Payet's future remains in the balance. The France
midfielder is still working with the London club's U23 squad after initially
training on his own when he said he no longer wanted to play for Bilic's
team. Payet remains intent on rejoining Marseille and Sky sources understand
he has turned down weekly wages of £500,000 from three Chinese clubs because
he wants a return to the Velodrome so much. The 29-year-old is understood to
be willing to take a pay cut of at least 30 per cent from his current wage
of £125,000 per week in order to make the move happen. All the while, West
Ham - who have so far rejected two bids and want at least £30m for Payet -
are planning for the future and Bilic is optimistic of an imminent arrival.
He said: "We are not looking for big numbers as I have strong belief in our
qualities now in the dressing room, but we need one or two players. "Are any
deals close? Close is very relative in football. Many times something that
looks close doesn't happen. And sometimes something that looks distant
suddenly happens. But in 24 hours, hopefully."
One name West Ham have been linked with is that of Jose Fonte, with the
Southampton defender wanting to leave St Mary's this month. Liverpool have
said they will not be signing the Portuguese defender in the January
transfer window and Bilic has denied the 33-year-old has had a medical with
his club. "Not a medical," the Croatian coach added. "Look, I said a few
times already I'm not going to talk about names."
The ongoing situation with Payet is clearly one which attracts much
attention given the spectacular impact he made in his first season in the
Premier League last term. While it might continue making headlines, Bilic
maintains a stand-off means there is no sign of compromise either way. He
said: "Is his departure inevitable? I don't know. "What has changed?
Nothing. Dimi took his stance clearly. We took our stance very clearly and
it stays the same. "We are not going to sell our best players on the cheap
just because someone wants to sign them or even because they want to go
home. "I left it with the chairman and I'm sure he's going to do the best
thing. The ball is in Marseille's court. They are the ones who expressed
interest. Now they should act. "I don't talk about numbers. All I'm saying
is we were very firm, we know the market, we know how good or great he is as
a player. Like everybody he has his price."
Bilic, meanwhile, revealed West Ham are working to convince winger Michail
Antonio to sign a new contract, with Chelsea reportedly interested in him.
Antonio, 26, whose current deal expires in 2019, set up all three goals
against Crystal Palace last weekend and has scored eight times this season.
Bilic said: "When players play like that and are at a good age then they are
attracting interest from other clubs and that puts them in a good position
for a new deal. Definitely, he deserves it.
"It's a club decision, of course, but Mikey's got a big time green light to
sign a new deal. I leave it to the chairman but I hope it's close. I hope
it's done to be fair."
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West Ham boss Slaven Bilic says Michail Antonio's new deal is 'close'
By Joe Shread
Last Updated: 19/01/17 1:47pm
SSN
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says that Michail Antonio deserves a new
contract and hopes an agreement is "close". The winger is the Hammers' top
scorer this season with eight Premier League goals in 20 matches, and Bilic
is keen to reward Antonio for his fine form. Antonio only signed a new
contract until 2020 in July last year but the Croatian confirmed the club
are discussing improved terms for the attacker. Bilic said: "He definitely
deserves it, with his behaviour, his work-rate, his quality, his energy, and
his goals and assists that he's providing us. "The player came to us last
season and he improved a lot. He came basically from one of the players for
the future to the stage where he is one of the most important players for us
in the long term. "It is not like a few games or whatever. It was last
season since he scored that goal against Southampton (his first for the
club), and basically then he didn't stop. "He was very good for us last
season and then he continued to do the same this season. When the players
are playing like that, in a good age as well, that has put him in a good
position for a new deal." "It's a club decision of course, together with
mine. But I give him a big time green light to sign a new deal with us. I
hope it is close. Well I hope it is done, to be fair, but I see no problem
there." Antonio, 26, who had no top-flight experience before signing for
West Ham from Nottingham Forest at the start of last season, has scored 16
goals in 46 Premier League games. He chose to represent England over
Jamaica, who he was also eligible for, last year and was called up to an
England squad by former boss Sam Allardyce earlier this season, but he is
yet to win his first cap.
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Dimitri Payet should take a leaf out of Alexis Sanchez's book - a warrior
who wants to play EVERY minute
The Frenchman is refusing to play for West Ham, while his Chilean
counterpart across London runs his blood to water for Arsenal
The Mirror
BYSTEVE STAMMERS
17:34, 19 JAN 2017
Three of the Premier League big hitters have been in the headlines in the
last week. Down at West Ham, Dimitri Payet claims he family cannot settle in
England and wants to go back to France with Olympique Marseille in his
sights. He will move in this window. He has to… West Ham fans are an
unforgiving lot and his life will be hell in claret and blue. Strange all
seemed well domestically last season when the Hammers gave him the platform
on which to excel and help him all the way to the European Championship
finals with France. Down at Chelsea, Diego Costa opted to take on
billionaire owner Roman Abramovich using an offer to move to China on
£30million a year as the reason to leave. Only one winner there, Diego.
Abramovich has the financial resources to let him rot in the background
rather than cave in to Chinese pressure. Then there is Alexis Sanchez at
Arsenal. A totally different character to the other pair. Payet has downed
tools. Costa has been ostracised by manager Antonio Conte while he gets his
head right and realises that Abramovich is an unbeatable foe. With Sanchez,
he captured the limelight because he actually WANTS to play. He was pictured
sulking because he was taken off late in the 4-0 win against Swansea. The
Chilean had contributed massively to the win. His persistence and sheer will
to win had created the crucial first goal when he made an apparently lost
cause into a profitable one. He got possession of a ball the rest had given
up as an inevitable throw-in, crossed and that created the goal for Olivier
Giroud. Then he scored the fourth before manager Arsene Wenger decided to
take him off. Sanchez was furious NOT to finish the game. Unlike Payet, he
wants to play every minute of every match. Wenger is protective of him.
Sanchez reckons he doesn't need protection. At the start of last season,
after helping Chile to win the Copa America after a penalty shoot-out
against Argentina after extra-time on July 4, Sanchez was back in at Arsenal
training after a fortnight. Wenger was staggered. Even more so when Sanchez
said he wanted to play in the opening game against West Ham. In the end, he
was on the bench and played the 23 minutes. Sanchez, you see, is a warrior.
He has an aggressive streak to go with his undoubted ability and football is
his life. He cannot understand why he is NOT playing. He cannot understand
if he is taken off. That philosophy is why he seemed to sulk at Swansea.
That is why he kicked away his gloves and sat draped in a stadium coat. That
is why he is a winner and has qualities that Wenger so admires. He wants to
play every minute of every game. Not that Dimitri Payet would understand. He
just wouldn't understand.
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Dimitri Payet's car vandalised outside his house as wantaway West Ham star
is deleted from team WhatsApp group
West Ham United's Dimitri Payet had his car was targeted outside his house
Payet has refused to play for West Ham and has trained with the Under 23s
The 29-year-old wants to move away from England and back to France
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says the club won't sell its best players
By MATT LAWTON FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 22:30, 19 January 2017 | UPDATED: 22:30, 19 January 2017
Dimitri Payet's return to France appeared inevitable on Thursday night after
it emerged the West Ham rebel's car had been vandalised. The car was
targeted outside Payet's house, with suggestions a brick was thrown through
a window. The 29-year-old is refusing to play for West Ham and has been
training with their Under 23 team. He has been ostracised by some
team-mates and senior players have cut him out of their WhatsApp group, with
the Frenchman also unwelcome at team meetings and bonding dinners. Wantaway
Payet is desperate to join wife Ludivine in the south of France. His former
club Marseille are set to make a third bid, this time of £25million, and are
confident that will get the deal done. West Ham bought Payet from Marseille
for £10.7m 18 months ago and Hammers boss Slaven Bilic insists they will
hold out for the best price.
Bilic said: 'Dimi took his stance clearly. We took our stand very clearly
and it stays the same. We are not going to sell our best players on the
cheap just because someone wants to sign them or even because they want to
go home. We know the market. Like everybody, he has his price. 'The ball is
in Marseille's court. They expressed interest, now they should act.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham fans jailed after violent clash with Arsenal supporters at
Islington pub
MARK CHANDLER
The Evening Standard
A horde of fans have been handed prison sentences and banned from football
after a violent clash between Arsenal and West Ham supporters at a north
London pub. The rival supporters confronted each other outside the White
Swan in Upper Street, Islington, after the Hammers won 2-0 last August.
Tables, chairs and bottles were hurled during the melee before police
arrived to break-up the carnage. Terrified families with children were left
trapped inside the pub as the violence raged. Matthew Fallon told the
Standard: "My nan, auntie and her kids were in the back of the Wetherspoon
when fans ran in flipping tables around. "The kids were scared with them
being eight and five because they have never experienced anything like that
before."
A group of men were later charged with violent disorder after being
identified through CCTV footage. James Bevan, 40, of Grantham Road, Manor
Park, Danny Butler, 38 , of Colyton Way, Edmonton, 43-year-old Mark Gittins,
of Basildon, Essex, and Tony Hackett, 57, from Nottingham were all
convicted. West Ham fans Christopher Love, 28, of Benfleet, Essex, and Paul
Ogden, 36, of Church Island, Staines, had previously admitted violent
disorder . On January 13 at Blackfriars Crown Court, they were each given
football banning orders ranging from five to eight years and prison
sentences totalling nine-and-a-half years. Arsenal fans Charlie Barker, 22,
of Redhill Street, King's Cross, Jack Bulley, 23 of Wanstead Park Road,
Ilford, and 43-year-old Lee Bowering, of Percy Road, Romford, all pleaded
guilty.
They were sentenced on January 11 to six months, suspended for 18 months,
and ordered to pay £500 costs. Speaking afterwards, Detective Chief
Inspector John Oldham, from the Met's Public Order Crime team, said: "This
group of men were involved in serious fighting and violent disorder outside
a pub; behaviour that, quite simply, is totally and utterly unacceptable.
"Through our investigations, we have identified a large number of those
responsible and they are now facing the very serious consequences of their
actions. "Those involved in the worst of the disorder are now facing lengthy
custodial sentences and this should serve as a warning to other fans that
this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham in talks to sign Jose Fonte from Southampton
By Nick Lustig
Last Updated: 19/01/17 6:17am
SSN
West Ham are in advanced talks to sign defender Jose Fonte from Southampton,
according to Sky sources. The Portugal international, who has 18 months
remaining on his contract at St Mary's, expressed his desire to leave
Southampton earlier this month. Fonte revealed on social media in December
he had not rejected a new deal to stay at Southampton and confirmed he would
not be offered fresh terms by the south-coast club. The 33-year-old, who
helped Portugal win Euro 2016 last summer, has played 286 times for the
Saints since joining from Crystal Palace in 2010. West Ham manager Slaven
Bilic is looking to bolster his defensive ranks this month, with Winston
Reid, James Collins and Angelo Ogbonna currently his only recognised senior
central defenders. The Hammers also remain in negotiations for Brentford
forward Scott Hogan and have had an improved £6m bid for Robert Snodgrass
rejected by Hull City.
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AC Milan pave way for West Ham to sign £13m forward M'Baye Niang
PIETRO LAZZERINI
Evening Standard
AC Milan are willing to let M'Baye Niang leave — paving the way for West Ham
to follow up their interest in the forward. Milan coach Vincenzo Montella
has lost patience with Niang after a disappointing first half of the season.
The 22-year-old has other admirers, with Leicester also interested, but West
Ham will need a replacement for Dimitri Payet should the France
international get his wish to return to Marseille. Niang does not want to
leave Milan but the feeling is that he will go in either this window or the
summer.
The Serie A club will want around £13million and they might be prepared to
let Niang leave on loan, with any deal including an agreement to buy him at
the end of the season. Meanwhile, striker Jonathan Calleri, who is on loan
at West Ham from Deportivo Maldonado, is set to join Las Palmas on loan.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic tells Marseille to cough up the cash if they want to sign
Dimitri Payet from West Ham
KEN DYER
Evening Standard
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has called on Marseille to cough up the cash
if they want to sign Dimitri Payet this month. At last week's pre-match
press conference, Bilic revealed that Dimitri Payet had refused to play for
the Hammers, telling the club he wanted to rejoin Marseille. The France
international has been banished to train with the Under-23 squad, with his
future in limbo. West Ham want £35m, but Marseille's best bid so far has
been £22m. Bilic said: "You want to solve the problems in-house but it was
not possible. I am sad it happened, it's not good for him, for us, for
football in general, but it happens. "We will not sell our best players on
the cheap just because someone wants him. The ball is in their court. They
are the ones who expressed interest. We are very firm, we know the market."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham will only sell Dimitri Payet for 'best possible price', says Slaven
Bilic as Marseille prepare £25m bid
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says Dimitri Payet likely to be sold this
January
Payet is keen to return to Marseille because his wife is ill and his family
live there
The Ligue 1 outfit are preparing a £25m bid but the Hammers want £35m
Bilic also confirms West Ham star Michail Antonio has almost agreed a 'long
deal'
By Adam Shergold for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 12:12, 19 January 2017 | UPDATED: 12:12, 19 January 2017
Slaven Bilic says West Ham will hold out for the best possible price for
Dimitri Payet, insisting their talisman won't be 'sold on the cheap.'
Marseille are expected make another bid, this time of £25million, before the
end of the week but West Ham are holding out for £30million for the wantaway
Frenchman. Payet, who has spent the week training with the under 23 squad,
will once again not be involved in the Hammers' Premier League trip to
Middlesbrough on Saturday as he tried to force through his return to
Marseille. The 29-year-old wants to return to France because his wife is ill
and his family are still living there. Bilic said: 'Dimi took his stance
clearly. We took our stand very clearly and it stays the same, we are not
going to sell our best players on the cheap just because someone wants to
sign them or even because they want to go home. 'I always like to solve the
situations in-house but sometimes it's impossible. You have to draw the line
to protect the team, there's nothing more important than the team. 'I'm sad
the situation has happened. It's not good for anyone, for him, the club,
it's not good for football in general but it's happened, it's not the first
time, it's not the last time. 'We know the market, we know how good or great
he is as a player. Like everybody he has his price.'
Firing a message to Marseille, he added: 'The ball is in their court. They
are the ones who expressed interest. Now they should act.'
As Payet departs, one player Bilic is keen to tie down to a longer-term deal
is Michail Antonio, who has impressed in a number of matches this season.
And the manager hinted that progress has been made in securing his future at
the club. He said: 'Mikey's got the green light to sign a new deal. He's got
a long deal. I leave it to the chairman but I hope it's close. I hope it's
done to be fair.
'I see no problem there, he totally deserves it with his behaviour, his
quality and his work rate, his goals, his assists, his energy. He was very
good last season and has continued this season.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham still have option to sign classy midfield target, could be a coup
By Sport Witness Team - 19th January 2017
In November West Ham were linked with Lyon's Clement Grenier by France's
Canal+, who, in our experience, are in the top bracket for transfer claims.
Grenier is at the stage with Lyon where he needs a fresh start and an exit
in January is very much on the cards. French newspaper L'Equipe touch on the
situation on Thursday and say no transfer has been sorted out yet. West Ham
aren't mentioned, no clubs are, it's all very much waiting for someone to
come in and do the deal. A central midfielder with a natural instinct to go
forward, West Ham could likely sign Grenier on a try-before-you-buy basis,
with a loan mentioned as a possible outcome.
Earlier this month the Lyon player said: "I have a few approaches from
French clubs. A little bit in Germany, Italy and two in England. But nothing
is done yet. We move a little faster with one club than others."
It's an opportunity for Slaven Bilic to look at, with West Ham needing to
strenghten their squad in several areas before the January transfer window
closes. Grenier is 26 years of age, right footed, and has a contract with
Lyon until June 2018.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger rules out January move for West Ham's Dimitri
Payet
SAM LONG
Evening Standard
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists he is not interested in signing West
Ham's Dimitri Payet this month. Payet is determined to leave the Hammers,
having refused to play in last week's London derby against Crystal Palace.
Marseille have had two bids for the Frenchman knocked back, with West Ham
determined not to let their talisman leave on the cheap. The Ligue 1 club's
latest offer of £20milliion is believed to have fallen some way short of
West Ham's asking price. And Wenger is adamant the Gunners are not actively
trying to sign Payet, despite his admiration for the 29-year-old's talent.
"I don't need Payet. I rate Payet as a player but it's not an area where we
look," Wenger said. "We have many players who can play in this position.
You're interested by the quality of the player but we have no need in this
domain."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A Blessing in Disguise
Written by Rhys Paul.
http://alloutfootball.co.uk/
With the dust settling on the Dimitri Payet situation, West Ham's future
without the Frenchman continues to look much clearer. Saturday's 3-0 victory
over Crystal Palace was the first indication of life post-Payet and it
certainly did not look as bleak as many had suggested. In fact, I hope this
will be the last time I write about Payet, because the team showed that we
are much better without him. In all honesty, all this talk of Payet is
beginning to get a bit boring and, to many of us, he is no longer a part of
West Ham. It has been clear that there has been something going on behind
the scenes at West Ham and if there is one word that can be used to describe
this season it would be unsettled. The extent to which Payet has caused this
disruption will only be known once the player inevitability leaves the club.
As I have previously said, it seems obvious that Marseille have tapped the
player up with players and fans already anticipating his return and the club
itself were quick to try and get their former star on the cheap. West Ham's
official stance on the situation appears to have loosened just as the
supporters has. The anger stemming from Payet's betrayal saw the immediate
response be to hold 'Le Sulk' to his recently signed long-term contract
(currently with four-and-a-half years still on it) and let him rot in the
reserves. Truthfully, the owners and the manager should be admired with
their handling of the situation. Had they conceded that they wanted the
player out of the club, they might have been forced to sell the player for a
lower price than they would have otherwise received.
Saying that, it still has not stopped Marseille from testing the water with
a £19 million and £20 million bid. Rumours of his family moving back to
France and Payet's claims that he only wants to leave for Marseille suggest
that there is only one destination for the player. Officials from the two
clubs have already met to negotiate a transfer fee, but West Ham have made
it abundantly clear that is a case of Marseille meeting their demands as
opposed to the former wanting a quick sale. It really would not be
surprising to see the deal fall through and Payet to be stuck in limbo if
David Sullivan's hard-ball tactics are anything to go by. Plus, the player
realistically only has two or three years left at the top level, so it is
possible that he could disappear just as quickly as he came to relevance at
West Ham.
There has been a lot of talk on social media about the Frenchman
apologising. It is difficult to believe personal reasons have been the sole
driving force behind his behaviour, especially when you consider this is not
the first time he has acted like this. Regardless of what happens next,
there should be one certainty. Dimitri Payet should never play for West Ham
again. Some journalists (who shall remain nameless) have suggested that
everything would be forgotten if Payet was to take to the field again and
others have claimed there is no loyalty left in the game. The former shows a
complete misunderstanding of West Ham supporters, though that is
unsurprising given the fact he compares the situation to Chris Martin's loan
at Fulham. The latter might be true among players, but it is still a trait
many supporters value – perhaps even more so at West Ham with the likes of
Billy Bonds and Trevor Brooking having their talents elevated by the fact
they stayed with the club. When all this is said and done, we might actually
be willing to thank Payet. Not for the goals or moments of magic, but for
something far greater. This whole saga has made it all feel like the fans
have their West Ham United back.
For the first time this season, the board, the manager, the players and the
supporters are all united. That was shown in the second half against Palace.
Everyone was playing for each other on the pitch and the atmosphere itself
was arguably the best the London Stadium has produced so far. It felt like
West Ham again. The passion of Feghouli, Carroll and Lanzini's celebrations
embodied that. Payet's (hopefully soon-to-be former) teammates seem relieved
that everything is out in the open. Before, they seemed desperate to get the
ball to Payet and that, whilst occasionally paying off, was detrimental to
the team's overall performance on the pitch. This season a temperamental
Payet has ensured that's been the case for many games this season.
On the pitch, Manuel Lanzini is primed to benefit most from Payet's
departure. The Argentinian has already made a name for himself in East
London, but it is fair to say he has still found himself in Payet's shadow.
At times, it has felt like he has been played out of position to accommodate
the playmaker. Lanzini would thrive if deployed in a free role in midfield
and it might allow him to achieve some consistency to his game. He might
only be 23 years old, but Bilic needs to give the 'Jewel' a licence to roam
freely. It would certainly get the best out of the player and the opposition
would struggle to contain him – as has already been proven against Palace.
Bilic also looks like a changed man on the touchline. Gone was the brooding
and frustrating figure that has marshaled the Hammers bench, he demonstrated
an energy and passion that has rarely been seen since last season. He had
almost become disillusioned after seeing the sudden breakdown of a
relationship with a player he valued so highly. The team responded and that
can only spell the beginning of better things from them and Bilic.
West Ham's willingness to part with last season's 'Hammer of the Year' has
also grown in appeal. Whilst I think the club should be aiming to cash in
for more than £30 million (a measly sum when you consider that Yannick
Bolasie and Moussa Sissoko moved for the same amount in the summer), it
could act as a catalyst for better things. A similar thing happened at
Tottenham with the money from the then-world record transfer of Gareth Bale
being spent across the team. Payet might not go for a sum anywhere near
that, but it would be a considerable amount nonetheless. It should be enough
– when combined with the money that should be available (e.g. what was saved
on Zaza, the £10 million for Tomkins, etc) – to finally bring in the players
the squad has been crying out for since last season.
The pursuit of a natural goalscorer was an issue even before David Gold &
Sullivan took over. Not only should a decent replacement for the want-away
star be signed, a right-back, a centre-back and a marquee January signing
should also be targeted. Robert Snodgrass fits the bill as a replacement
(although it will take more than £3 million), but recent links to Swansea's
Gylfi Sigurdsson would represent both shrewd and smart business – words not
commonly associated with West Ham in recent transfer windows. Sigurdsson
would be an alternative to the club's existing midfielders. He would
represent something entirely different to Payet and that could be refreshing
after all this recent drama.
West Ham might have lost their former star, but they have gained something
far more invaluable: a team.
Adieu, Dimitri
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham star Dimitri Payet would reject lure of China wages to return to
Marseille
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
Dimitri Payet would turn down the lure of huge wages in China to return to
his former club Marseille. It has been reported in France that Chinese
giants Hebei China Fortune would be prepared to offer Payet £520,000 a month
after tax in a bid to bring West Ham's playmaker to the Far East, a dramatic
increase on what he could hope to earn in Ligue 1. Standard Sport
understands that the French club are, as yet, the only suitors to have
formalised their interest in Payet, though their £20million bid fell well
short of West Ham's asking price of £35m, a fee that Chinese Super League
clubs would have no difficulty in matching. The French international likely
still has other suitors in the Far East and turned down an approach from
Shanghai Shenhua a year ago to sign a new contract with the Hammers. However
such is Payet's desperation to return to Marseille he would not consider a
move anywhere other than the Stade Velodrome even if he could earn
significantly more elsewhere. Indeed he is expected to take a pay cut on
his £125,000-a-week salary at the London Stadium if and when he joins
Marseille. Such a move may be a long time coming with West Ham joint
chairman David Sullivan refusing to be pressured into selling a prime asset
on the cheap. Should Marseille fail to reach Payet's asking price then it
remains a possibility that the Hammers player of the season will remain at
the London Stadium beyond the closing of the transfer window. Payet's
family, however, have already left London and the 29-year-old and his wife
Ludivine are looking for a new home and school for their two sons. West Ham
would take an even dimmer view of Payet, who is training with the Under-23
team, if he were to choose any club other than Marseille having made plain
that he is unhappy in London. Though they remain reluctant to lose their
star player and would prefer he apologise to fans and return to the first
team squad, West Ham are not blind to Payet's desire to return to France.
Indeed they have already begun making plans for his departure and today
upped their bid for Hull's Robert Snodgrass to £6million.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham are reaping the rewards of London Stadium move as they join
Europe's financial elite
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
In 1997 Slaven Bilic quit West Ham for the lure of a "bigger club" when he
signed on at Everton. Would he make the same decision today? A review of the
two clubs' finances might suggest that in 2017, players are more likely to
be trading in Goodison Park for the London Stadium. Ultimately finances can
only provide part of a picture in the great debate as to which team is
"bigger", but what the 2017 Deloitte Football Money League unquestionably
reveals is that when it comes to the business of football West Ham are going
places.
Just four years ago, in their first season back in the Championship and
their second full season under joint chairman David Gold and David Sullivan,
West Ham's revenue was a paltry £43million. By the 2015/16 season – the
final year at the Boleyn Ground – saw West Ham earn £143.8m in revenue to
reach 18th in the standings, their highest position in the 19 years of
Deloitte's ranking. That placed them ahead of the likes of Inter Milan, Lyon
and Fenerbahce. Everton were 23rd, their revenue around £20m lower than the
Hammers. If this term has not seen the Hammers hit the heights of Upton
Park's final months on the pitch there is at least a sense that off-field
progress will ensure that the footballing storms can be more easily
weathered, with greater funds available to Slaven Bilic and, as Dimitri
Payet is discovering, no pressure to cash in on any star names.
Of course West Ham's financial confidence can predominantly be attributed to
the much-maligned London Stadium. Whatever its merits as a football arena,
its 60,000 capacity will help raise the club's matchday revenue
significantly from the £26.9m they took home in the final year at the Boleyn
Ground. In commercial terms Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group
at Deloitte, told Standard Sport that one season in their new ground could
propel West Ham into a battle with the likes of Schalke, Roma and even
Atletico Madrid for a place in Europe's top 15 earners. At £3m a year in
rent the new ground is certainly proving itself to be the "deal of the
century".
It is paying itself back. Standard Sport understands that the latest
agreement reached over shirt sponsorship between the club and Betway in
August was worth in excess of £10m-per-season, significantly more than the
sort of teams West Ham might consider their current rivals – Southampton,
Everton, Stoke – are believed to be earning. More than that, the London
Stadium projects an aura of where West Ham wants to be - even if they may be
going through growing pains to make it there.
As branding expert Peter Knapp told Standard Sport in October: "Having the
London Stadium is iconic. Having a history with such an interesting
backstory – the Thames Ironworks – is great. "Bringing that together around
the capital gives you accelerated brand recognition as being the London
club."
Branding is one step forward but could West Ham hope to fulfil Gold and
Sullivan's ambitions to overhaul Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham to become
London's most powerful club? Deloitte's report warns they have a very long
way to go. Jones says: "For West Ham to go from 18th to top 10 they would
need to be twice as big financially as they are now and even that wouldn't
put them at where Arsenal and Chelsea are. "The top 10 is a long way off for
them, not least because Chelsea and Tottenham will be growing just like they
are and will be in new stadiums of their own soon." Perhaps London supremacy
is beyond the Hammers – for the time being at least – but in their new
stadium they can at least feel assured that they have firmly arrived among
Europe's financial elite. Now the challenge for Bilic and company is to get
them closer to their peers on the pitch.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, January 20
Thursday, January 19
Daily WHUFC News - 19th January 2017
Antonio's hat-trick of assists
WHUFC.com
West Ham TV caught up with Michail Antonio to get his exclusive view on his
hat-trick of assists and discover why he felt left out of the goal
celebrations!
Andy Carroll stole all the headlines on Saturday with his memorable scissor
kick, but it would not have been possible without the help of Antonio. The
No30 was instrumental in helping the Hammers come away with a memorable 3-0
victory, despite being forced to miss the build-up with a high temperature
and still feeling sick on the morning of the game. But the Hammers forward
showed his commitment to the team as he declared himself available for
selection and the move paid off as he produced one of his best performances
of the season.
Antonio provided no fewer than three crucial assists and has nothing but
admiration for the way Carroll executed the perfect finish and scored one of
the goals of the season. But he joked Carroll would not been enjoying all
the attention if it was not for his accurate cross into the box which fell
perfectly for the Hammers forward! Antonio said: "Manu's made a good run and
passed the ball back to me. I saw big AC at the back post and was thinking
to go for his head, but no! "He does an unbelievable bicycle kick. To be
honest, I saw him shaping up and I was thinking, "No what are you doing?!
No…OH! OK, do that again next time, do it again, beautiful.
"It was quality, but you know what, he doesn't get to do that, if it wasn't
for my ball!"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
U18s fight back to draw with Brighton
WHUFC.com
West Ham's U18s came back from two goals down to draw with Brighton
Jahmal Hector-Ingram and Joe Powell (pen) got the goals.
Manager Steve Potts applauded his player's resilience after the match
Steve Potts praised his U18s for showing resilience to fight back from two
goals down to draw 2-2 with Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Elite
Performance Centre. After a conceding twice in the opening 40 minutes
through goals from Isaac Hutchinson and Luis Garcia, the Hammers pulled a
goal back just before half-time through top scorer Jahmal Hector-Ingram and
equalised 15 minutes from time with a Joe Powell penalty. Despite immense
pressure in the final ten minutes, the Hammers could not find that elusive
winner, but they still left the south coast with their heads held high after
a terrific comeback. "It was a bit of a mixed bag really. Both our goals
were good and our possession was very good at times but we were sloppy
defensively on the goals we conceded," said manager Steve Potts. "You're
going to come up against obstacles like that where teams are going to be
solid and organised and get behind the ball. But you've got to try and find
a way and first half we were a little bit static and slow with our passing,
which plays into the opposition's hands. "Second half, we moved it around
with a lot more purpose. We got after them more defensively and started to
find some good spaces. In the end, we were unlucky not to win the game."
The Hammers started the better of the two sides and almost went ahead when
Hector-Ingram sliced Powell's cross just wide in the opening ten minutes.
However, it was the hosts who took the lead just before the half-hour mark –
Hutchinson fired into the roof of the net after initially being thwarted by
keeper Rihards Matrevics. It went from bad to worse for the visitors when
Stefan Ljubicic crossed for Luis Garcia to tap into an empty net. Brighton
made the most of their opportunites and punished the Hammers for wasting
theirs, although Potts' side did pull themselves back into the contest on
the stroke of half-time. Dan Kemp delivered for Hector-Ingram who found the
bottom corner. The Hammers upped their tempo in the second 45 and after a
period of sustained pressure, they got their just rewards 15 minutes from
time. Vashon Neufville was fouled in the area and Joe Powell stepped up to
notch his third goal in as many games.
West Ham could have easily completed the perfect comeback when Bernardo
Rosa's effort was deflected just over the bar just minutes before the final
whistle. Nonetheless, it was a very resilient display from Potts's players
as they maintain their quest for a top four place. "Fair play to the boys
for coming back," Potts continued. "Our first goal was nicely worked and
that gave us the chance to start the second half positively. Once we
equalised, I could only really see us going on to win the game. "We had to
be wary of them on the counter attack but apart from that we were the ones
doing all the probing."
West Ham: Matrevics; Eggleton, Akinola, Wells, Neufville; Coventry (Hannam,
73), Johnson (Ferrari, 79); Kemp (Ngakia, 63), Rosa, Powell; Hector-Ingram.
Subs not used: Forde
Goals: Hector-Ingram 45+1, Powell 74 (pen).
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Best - It is a magnificent new Stadium
WHUFC.com
West Ham United legend Clyde Best has no doubts that the big move into
London Stadium will help the Club challenge at the highest level over the
next few years and is predicting a big future for the Hammers. Best will
always be remembered for becoming a pioneer in the English game after he
overcame discrimination from the terraces and emerged as the first black
striking hero. The talented forward, who arrived from Bermuda back in 1969,
enjoyed a memorable spell when he made 221 appearances for the east London
Club and scored 58 goals. Best was recently back in England and made his
first visit to London Stadium for the games against Burnley and Hull and
says it would have been a dream for him to play at the Hammers magnificent
new home. There have been some hurdles to overcome following the big move,
but Best has no doubts that it will take the Club onto the next level and
help West Ham challenge the elite clubs in the top flight.
Best said: "It is a magnificent new Stadium and just unbelievable. I would
loved to have played in an arena like this. Words cannot explain how nice it
looks and hopefully we can make it into a fortress. "When I played I used to
love playing in front of the big crowds and I am sure it is the same for the
players now. "When we used to play at the Boleyn Ground the support was
fantastic and with 60,000 fans now inside London Stadium I am sure it will
be just as good. "The West Ham fans are among the best in the country and
they can play a big part in helping the team to do well. "I think West Ham
will be able to compete with the big teams now and we need to concentrate on
getting the job done. "We proved last year that we could compete with the
big teams and if we continue to show the same attitude we have got all the
ability."
Best was back in east London to promote his autobiography 'The Acid Test'
and says it gives an honest account of how he ended up playing in the same
team as World Cup Winners' Bobby Moore Martin Peters and Sir Geoff Hurst and
became a role-model to thousands of youngsters. The 65-year-old admits he
will never forget the special relationship he built with the West Ham
supporters during his eight-year spell and feels like he will always have a
second home in the east end of London. Best added: "I love being back in the
east end of London. They like workers and will appreciate you if you give
everything. They know their football and you cannot cheat them. You have to
give them what they want because they deserve it. "I played with Billy Bonds
and I always used to watch him. He was getting applauded every time he
touched the ball and it was because of his work ethic. "I couldn't do what
Billy did because he could run all day but I tried to follow that pattern
and the fans appreciate that. For any young player, if you can look at
someone like Billy Bonds you are on the right path and I tried to do the
same. "I faced some challenges but I was not going to let them stop me from
what I wanted to do. Life is not easy with certain things. "I thank my
family and my mum and dad for the support they gave me. She always told me
if you want to be treated properly, you treat people how you wanted to be
treated and you cannot go wrong. That is how I try to live my life and I
believe in that.
The Hammers got their season back on track with their biggest league victory
at London Stadium last Saturday as they recorded an emphatic 3-0 win over
Crystal Palace and Best sees no reason why they cannot enjoy a second half
to the campaign and challenge in the top half of the table. Best always
enjoys coming back to England and says he always feels part of the family
when he makes a return to east London and hopes to make many more visits to
London Stadium in the future.
"This is my club - I have got claret and blue blood. When they lose I feel
it just as much and it will always be that way. There is nothing like being
in the east end of London. They are the greatest people around. "I consider
this my second home. The one thing about being in the east end is I can
always see friends here and you cannot beat that."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ten point pledge: an update
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 18th January 2017
By: Staff Writer
Last night a group of representatives from various West Ham United websites,
blogs and YouTube channels met with vice chair Karren Brady to discuss the
ongoing situation at the Olympic Stadium.
During the three-hour meeting, which was staged in Stratford,
representatives from the following organisations took the opportunity to
question Brady and her team (including members of the Marketing and Media
departments) about various issues regarding the stadium:
Knees up Mother Brown (KUMB); Claret & Hugh; Hammers Chat; West Ham Til I
Die; West Ham Way; West Ham Fan TV; Sex, Drugs & Carlton Cole. Jack
Sullivan, the son of co-owner David was also present (though not involved in
discussion).
During the session, all of the ten key points outlined in KUMB's recent plan
were discussed, along with several other important issues pertaining to West
Ham fans' experience of the stadium...
1. Surround the local area with former Boleyn Ground vendors
KB explained that the main issue with implementing this particular
suggestion is the stadium's close proximity to Westfield shopping centre
(and their businesses) and that the club simply have no jurisdiction over
the streets leading to the island. There are plans however to make the
bridge/s leading to the Island more West Ham-ified.
2. Make a concerted effort to entice former Boleyn Ground stewards to return
It was acknowledged that KB had initiated this with a single tweet, posted
last month, however she was asked if it was possible to do more to attempt
to lure former employees back to the club. Paying the London Living Wage and
the potential for stewards at the OS to earn the same as those at the BG
(same overtime rates) were suggested.
I understand that, as of Thursday lunchtime, letters have been sent to all
former steward employees and that a request has been made to LS185 asking
for all stewards to be paid the London Living Wage.
Stewarding was perhaps the main topic of discussion during the meeting, with
all parties agreeing that fewer issues had been observed in recent weeks -
although a video highlighting a recent incident between fans and stewards in
Block 114 was also discussed.
This is partly due to the club insisting that LS185 station stewards in
regular spots so that they may build a rapport with those fans around them.
The club will also ensure all staff are able to obtain NVQ certification
(online if necessary).
3. Replace the temporary seating with retractable seating
Quite frankly, as long as we remain at a stadium owned by the state, this is
unlikely ever to happen due to the vast costs involved. Although almost
everything else here can be worked on, this is an absolute no-go as things
stand, according to KB.
4. Rehouse the Supporters' Club
We learnt that preliminary talks between the two parties had taken place and
it was stressed that a solution had thus far been impossible to find. The
impression given was that the club had tried to help as much as possible
without any agreement having been reached, including strengthening the links
between the Club and Newham Council. We intend to clarify the position with
the SC.
5. Rehouse the day trippers and occasional fans
KB stated that very few tickets were being allocated to Newham Council and
other concerns, yet it was mentioned that anyone could book tickets via
Ticketmaster's website for any home game this season. Notes were taken and
further investigation suggested.
6. Put the home fans first!
Access to all local stations will be open permanently, including the new
Pudding Mill station, with immediate effect. The general feeling is that
LS185 are slowly getting to grips with the logistics of dealing with a
large, often partisan football crowd. West Ham will increase their Match Day
'SLO' squad from 10 to 50, following favourable feedback from supporters.
7. Provide recognisable singing and family enclosures
KB maintained her earlier stance, insisting that there is a dedicated family
area but that the entire stadium was designed for families (of which up to
10,000 currently enjoy ST status). She is also happy that (almost) everyone
who requested to be re-situated has now been addressed. No issues relating
to persistent standing had been reported in some weeks.
8. Provide an increase in the number of shuttle buses
KB promised to review the situation after it was revealed that some disabled
fans had to wait for up to an hour, in the rain, for transport last weekend.
It was suggested that additional buses could be laid on to affect waiting
times and to extend their use to non-disabled supporters too during certain
times (ie pre-2pm, to encourage fans to arrive at the ground early). The
club confirmed that they had already increased the number of buses from
seven to 12, for homeward journeys.
9. Employ additional Supporter Liaison Officers
Although their introduction was generally welcomed it was stressed that the
request for additional SLOs referred to full-time staff, not part-time,
match day stewards (as the new ones effectively are). This would bring West
Ham in line with other PL clubs. KB is to investigate the possibility
further, although the club confirmed this morning (Thursday) that they have
already sanctioned the employment of one new, permanent SLO.
10. Treat the fans with respect and engage with us
It was felt by everyone who attended that this was an important first step
in developing a relationship between the club and its independent media
outlets. Now the onus is on Ms Brady and the club to deliver. Further
meetings were suggested, at regular intervals (quarterly meets were mooted).
There were naturally several other points raised during the meeting, ranging
from the speed at which pints of beer are served at half time (I can confirm
action has already been taken on this) to the delays experienced when
attempting to access the ground due to stop and search (LS185 have promised
to purchase more search 'wands' to speed up this process).
One other small but important point, in terms of making the stadium feel
like 'home', is that the club will now be actively encouraging supporters to
bring flags to "brighten up" the inside of the ground, which may then be
stored at the stadium.
Our thanks go to Karren Brady, Paul Cox and Tara Warren for arranging the
event.
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the
author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be
attributed to, KUMB.com.
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West Ham's latest bid of £6m for Hull's Robert Snodgrass rejected
Last Updated: 18/01/17 4:14pm
SSN
West Ham's latest bid of £6m for Hull City midfielder Robert Snodgrass has
been rejected, according to Sky sources. The Hammers had initially made a
bid of £3m for the Scotland international, which was rebuffed and a further
offer of £5m failed to win any favour with the board at the KCOM stadium.
Snodgrass, who is under contract until 2018, has been a key performer for
Hull this season despite the club's troubles, but in December turned down
the chance to commit his long-term future to the club. New Tigers manager
Marco Silva started the Scot in the club's EFL Cup semi-final first leg
against Manchester United at Old Trafford and he also featured against
Bournemouth on Saturday, January 14. Speaking ahead of the weekend game,
Silva insisted Snodgrass was not for sale, while stressing it was imperative
that the club added players to the squad, not get rid of them. Slaven Bilic
is keen to strengthen his West Ham squad as he looks to spark a revival in
their fortunes amid continuing uncertainty over the future of Dimitri Payet.
Hull moved off the bottom of the Premier League after securing only their
fourth win of the campaign against Bournemouth.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
LUNCHTIME ROUND UP: PLAYERS WANT PAYET OUT, NEW DEAL FOR HAMMERS STAR, SWANS
STAR SNUBS HAMMERS & EVERTON, HOPE FOR DEFOE?
BY DAN CHAPMAN ON 18 JANUARY 2017 AT 12:47PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Sigudsson Swansea
Good afternoon everyone, here is a round up of the news this Wednesday
lunchtime.
Senior West Ham United players want the club to sell Dimitri Payet this
month, as they do not wish to play with the Frenchman again. (Football
Insider)
I'm glad that the players are coming together like this. Who would have
thought that our best player was the problem all along?
Dimitri Payet says he has no plans to apologise to the West Ham players or
fans over his recent actions. (Daily Star)
He needs to leave my club. No matter how good you are, you do not disrespect
your team mates and the fans of the club that basically made you.
Michail Antonio is set to sign a new five and a half year deal at West Ham,
earning £70,000 a week. (Guardian)
Brilliant news for the club to get him tied down. Congratulations Michail, a
fully deserved contract extension for this seasons Hammer of the Year in my
opinion.
West Ham have made a breakthrough in negotiations with Brentford for striker
Scott Hogan. (Daily Mail)
Its about time this happened. Hopefully now we can get his medical done and
he will soon be a Hammer.
West Ham are keeping an eye on Jermain Defoe, to see if he hands in a
transfer request at Sunderland. (Express)
I highly doubt Defoe will hand in a transfer request if I'm honest. I don't
think he would do that considering he will probably be leaving for nothing
at the end of the season anyway.
Gylfi Sigurdsson will snub moves to West Ham and Everton in order to help
Swansea avoid relegation. (Mirror)
Fair play to Gylfi for wanting to help them. I do hope Swansea stay up
because I think they are a great club, but just very poorly run. If they go
down though, we should definitely go back in for him in the summer.
West Ham are the favourites to sign Joe Hart this summer. (Daily Star)
He would be an outstanding signing. With Adrian likely to be on his way, he
would be a more than ideal replacement. He will cost a big fee, but with
what he brings to a team it will be more than worth it.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Giving Toni Martinez a first-team call-up would make it a hat-trick of good
decisions from West Ham boss Slaven Bilic
HITC
Vincent Ralph
The teenager is worthy of a place in West Ham United's senior side. West Ham
United manager Slaven Bilic has had an eventful few days, first having to
deal with an unsettled Dimitri Payet and then enjoying a very impressive 3-0
victory against Crystal Palace without his French talisman. The decision to
drop Payet was the right one, as was the call to select summer signing
Sofiane Feghouli from the start against the Eagles, with the Algeria
international opening the scoring and putting in his best performance in a
Hammers shirt. Bilic could make it a hat-trick of great decisions with one
big call: Selecting teenage striker Toni Martinez for the West Ham
first-team. The 19-year-old has been in blistering form for West Ham's
under-23 side this season, scoring 10 goals in 10 league matches and 12 in
11 in all competitions. That is a simply remarkable strike rate for any
striker, even for the second string, and Martinez thoroughly deserves a
call-up to West Ham's senior side and a place on the bench at the least. It
is easy to overlook a player for being young, but sometimes they make it
impossible for you to ignore them for long and Martinez must surely be
wondering what else he has to do to get Bilic's attention. The West Ham boss
has got a lot right a few times in the last few days, and giving Martinez a
call-up would be another to add to the list.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
England and West Ham hero Bobby Moore immortalised as Action Man
TOM DOYLE
Evening Standard
England and West Ham hero Bobby Moore has been immortalised as a limited
edition Action Man figure in support of the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer
Research UK. Moore, who captained England to triumph in the 1966 World Cup
final, died from bowel cancer in 1993, aged just 51. Fittingly, 1,966
figures have been released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of England's
4-2 victory over West Germany at Wembley which saw Moore lift the Jules
Rimet trophy, with the iconic Action Man figures also launching for the
first time that year.
Ten per cent from each figure sold will go to the Bobby Moore Fund,
supporting Cancer Research UK's life-saving work to beat bowel cancer.
Stephanie Moore, Bobby's widow and founder of the Bobby Moore Fund, said:
"Last year was huge for the Bobby Moore Fund and we have seen so many people
and companies come on board to help raise money and awareness in Bobby's
memory, supporting research that ultimately saves more lives.
"The Bobby Moore Action Man is such a brilliant way to capture the nostalgia
every football fan has for the 1960s and I know that Bobby would be so
touched by the gesture. Not only is it a brilliant memento to celebrate 50th
years on since England won the World Cup, it shows just how much of a hero
Bobby was – and continues to be – to fans of the sport. "We are incredibly
grateful that Action Man will be donating a proportion of the profits to the
Bobby Moore Fund. Every figure sold is bringing us a step closer to our goal
of beating bowel cancer once and for all."
The figure, comes in gift box with a traditional Action Man dog tag and a
certificate of authenticity. The miniature Moore is now available from
Harrods for £59.95 or online at www.actionman.com. Moore's Action Man is one
of a range of collector editions being launched by Art + Science
International, under license from Hasbro Inc to celebrate the figure's 50th
anniversary until Autumn 2017.
Peter Rooke, managing director of Art + Science International, said: "We
absolutely love the Bobby Moore Action Man and are proud to have created a
figure of one of the nation's finest and most respected sportsmen. "We hope
that fans of Bobby will agree it's a fantastic way to remember and celebrate
his life, all whilst supporting the Bobby Moore Fund and Cancer Research
UK's pioneering research."
For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how
to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1861 or visit
www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham star Dimitri Payet rejects Hebei China Fortune offer with French
international only interested in Marseille
Payet, now training with the Hammers Under-23 side, has insisted that a
return to France is not about money but rather the good of his family
The Mirror
COMMENTS
BYALEX RICHARDS
Dimitri Payet's desperation to rejoin Marseille has seen him already reject
an approach from China over moving to the Far East in the current transfer
window. Payet's representatives were contacted by Hebei China Fortune, the
club who count Ezequiel Lavezzi and Gervinho among their squad. The CSL side
indicated that they would pay whatever fee required by West Ham - now asking
£30million for the want-away star - while paying Payet £500,000 per month
after tax, reports France Football. However, Payet is only interested in
returning to the Stade Velodrome and his agent dismissed the offer out of
hand. Payet has become persona non grata at the Hammers Rush Green training
ground, being forced to train with the Under-23s at their Chadwell Heath
base. He wants a return to the south of France for the good of his family,
with his wife and kids having already returned to Marseille, after 18 months
in London. Unhappy Payet has even told pals that he will earn LESS at
Marseille than the deal which he signed at West Ham last season. The French
international has vowed never to play for the club again and is determined
to rejoin Marseille in the current window. But meetings between the club's
hierarchy and OM counterparts on Tuesday came to nothing, with the two
club's some way apart on their valuations.
So far, Marseille have had two offers rejected by the Hammers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dimitri Payet trains with West Ham Under 23s as stand-off continues with
club unmoved by Marseille's advances
West Ham remain unwilling to surrender to Dimitri Payet's pleas to leave
club
In the meantime Payet is training with Under 23s away from the first-team
base
Payet wants to return to Marseille but West Ham have not been moved by talks
By Oliver Todd for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 13:13, 18 January 2017 | UPDATED: 13:24, 18 January 2017
Dimitri Payet trained with West Ham's Under 23s away from the club's
first-team base for the first time on Wednesday while his January transfer
stand-off continues. West Ham remain adamant that Payet will not leave the
club this month with sole suitors Marseille unable to tempt Hammers chiefs
into selling up. Since Payet announced his intention to leave last week West
Ham's stance has remained staunch. And while a bid in excess of £30million
could tempt them to sell up, the east London club do not believe Marseille
will match that figure. In the meantime, Payet has been told to train with
the club's youth side at Chadwell Heath – formerly the first team's training
ground before they moved to their new Rush Green headquarters in the summer.
Slaven Bilic has been preparing the rest of his senior players for their
trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday at the new base, a little under two miles
down the road in Romford. Payet underwent a one-to-one fitness session at
the Chadwell Heath outpost on Tuesday and then joined up with the Under 23s
on Wednesday. He was pictured taking part in a full-group session alongside
some of West Ham's top academy products, switching between green and orange
bibs in training. West Ham rejected a £22m offer from Marseille for Payet on
Monday and are unsympathetic to his pleas that he needs to leave as soon as
possible and that he wants to bring up his young family in the south of
France.
Manager Bilic has no plans to bring his star forward back into the
first-team fold until his situation and attitude change — along with Payet
offering an apology. Sportsmail understands team-mates had noticed changes
in Payet's behaviour before his fall-out with Bilic and club captain Mark
Noble revealed that he had not spoken to the Frenchman for 'two or three
weeks'. 'I have always said that he is up there with one of the best players
I have ever played with,' Noble recalled. I had — and I say had because I
haven't really spoken to him for the last two or three weeks — a great
relationship with him, but I don't know his reasons. 'I am not going to
comment on why he wanted to leave but I do know that if someone doesn't want
to play for the team then they are better off not even playing.' It is now
six days since Payet told his manager that he wanted to leave and would not
train or play while he remained at the club. West Ham will go into
Saturday's game away at Middlesbrough without Payet after Sofiane Feghouli,
Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini stepped up in his absence in last
weekend's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Roma target Sofiane Feghouli to stay at West Ham until decision made over
Dimitri Payet future
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
West Ham have put any potential deal for Sofiane Feghouli on hold whilst the
future of fellow midfielder Dimitri Payet remains in doubt. The Algerian
winger is the subject of strong interest from Italian giants Roma with the
offer of a loan deal that included a £12million purchase option a tempting
one for West Ham, who brought Feghouli in on a free last summer. Standard
Sport understands that West Ham had initially been minded to let Feghouli
leave, with Hull's Robert Snodgrass seen as an ideal replacement, but with
Payet's future in doubt there are unlikely to be any major departures in
attacking positions. On Monday West Ham rejected a £20m bid from Marseille
for Payet, an offer they deemed to be some way short of their asking price.
With Payet training with the West Ham under-23 squad, not having apologised
to the fans as instructed to by the club's owners and threatening to feign
an injury if he is made to play against his will it seems unlikely that the
French international has a long-term future in East London but
joint-chairman David Sullivan will not be bullied into a quick sale. That
makes it increasingly likely that Feghouli will see out the season at the
London Stadium, a state of affairs that seemed unlikely after his disastrous
display in the 5-0 FA Cup third round elimination by Manchester City, where
the Algerian international missed an open goal. However Feghouli was one of
West Ham's most impressive performers in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace and
joint-chairman David Gold hinted that the club hierarchy were keen for the
27-year-old to stay, telling a fan on Twitter that he agreed when it was put
to him that the Hammers should keep hold of the winger. Though it has been
reported in Italy that Feghouli is Roma's preferred target they have also
monitored Chelsea forward Charly Musonda, with manager Luciano Spalletti
having confirmed that the Gialorossi's sporting director Frederic Massara
was working on a deal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham make breakthrough in pursuit of £15m-rated Brentford striker Scott
Hogan
Transfer news: All the latest from the Premier League and rest of Europe
Brentford are looking for £15m from West Ham for highly-rated Scott Hogan
The striker is wanted by Hammers boss Slaven Bilic to bolster his frontline
By Simon Jones for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 17:59, 17 January 2017 | UPDATED: 08:11, 18 January 2017
West Ham and Brentford have had a breakthrough in talks over the transfer of
striker Scott Hogan. The clubs have agreed an initial £9million down payment
but are still negotiating on the add-ons with Brentford pushing for their
£15m total. West Ham are understood to have offered around £13.5m in total
as the clubs edge towards a solution. Hogan was left out of the Brentford
side for Saturday's 2-1 defeat against Newcastle. Rochdale are also due 30
percent sell-on for the 24-year-old. He has scored 14 goals this term after
battling back from knee ligament surgery and Slaven Bilic hopes he can have
an immediate impact on his misfiring Premier League side.
West Ham have also asked about Southampton's Shane Long and seen a bid for
Hull winger Robert Snodgrass rejected. They are also waiting to see if
Jermain Defoe will ask to leave Sunderland before returning with an improved
bid.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United hoping to seal deal for Brentford's Scott Hogan
HITC
John Verrall
West Ham United are aiming to complete a deal for Scott Hogan this week.
According to a report in the Guardian, West Ham United are hoping to seal a
deal for Brentford forward Scott Hogan in the next few days. West Ham have
been working on signing Hogan throughout the January transfer window to
date. The Hammers initially had two offers rejected by Brentford, but the
Championship club appear to have realised that they are facing a losing
battle to keep hold of their star striker. Hogan was left out of Brentford's
team, when they took on Newcastle United in their most recent match. And
West Ham are now confident that they will get their man in the very near
future. Slaven Bilic's side are thought to have had to pay £15 million to
secure the signing of Hogan. Hogan has scored 14 goals in 26 appearances so
far this season for Brentford, and is one of the most in-form strikers in
the Championship. If he was to join West Ham, he would be in competition
with the likes of Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho for a starting place.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Paul Ince believes West Ham are better off without Dimitri Payet, branding
him 'disrespectful'
Ince – who started his career at West Ham – even believes Payet's omission
from the squad will galvanise his team-mates
EXCLUSIVE
BY JUSTIN ALLEN 17th January 2017, 8:29 pm
The Sun
PAUL INCE believes West Ham are better off without Dimitri Payet. The former
Hammers ace also branded Payet disrespectful to manager Slaven Bilic, his
team-mates and the fans. Ince – who started his career at West Ham – even
believes Payet's omission from the squad will galvanise his team-mates. He
said: "West Ham's 3-0 victory at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday showed
they don't need Dimitri Payet. "When you have someone like Payet at West Ham
you have a player that the other lads rely on. "They look to him for a piece
of magic that wins the game. They might shirk a little bit of
responsibility. "But dropping him from the squad galvanises the whole squad.
Suddenly other players are stepping up and taking the game by the scruff of
the neck. "This is a team game and you can't rely on just one individual.
"That result was massive for the club and the fans, but particularly for the
players. They now believe they can go out and win convincingly without Payet
in the team."
Ince infamously was photographed wearing a Manchester United shirt before
his move was confirmed. It earned Ince dog's abuse for years when he
returned to West Ham. But the self-styled Guv'nor has always maintained he
was badly advised as a 21-year-old kid at the time and had only done the
picture because he was told to by his agent. Ince said: "I can understand
players wanting to go and better themselves, but I don't accept the way that
some players act when they manipulate a club or a manager. "Payet could have
made his feelings clear to Slaven Bilic in private. He could have continued
to play to the top of his game for the good of the team, with the
understanding that if the opportunity arose he would be allowed to look into
leaving. "But instead, he's disrespected the manager, his team-mates, the
club and the fans."
Ince thinks West Ham have no choice but to sell Payet because his position
at the club is untenable. He said: "As a manager when you have one of your
best players threatening to leave it puts you in a terrible position. "You
want to keep him, but at the same time where is the benefit of putting him
in with the under-23s and letting him rot? "The longer he sits in the stands
the club are paying his wages and his transfer value is decreasing. In
reality he has to go. That's the best solution for West Ham."
Meanwhile, Ince does not even understand why Diego Costa would be
contemplating leaving Chelsea for the riches of China. Ince won two Premier
League titles, a European Cup Winners' Cup, a European Super Cup, two FA Cup
and a League Cup during his time at Manchester United. And the former
Liverpool and England star said: "I was brought up with the belief that I
wanted to play for the biggest clubs in the world and playing in the most
competitive competitions. "That's the Premier League and the Champions
League. China doesn't even compare. "If you're a top player why would you go
when you can still have a successful career in the Premier League? "There's
no chance I would have left Liverpool or Manchester United to go and play in
China. Not even for £500,000 a week. "If they had come calling when I was 31
and or 32 and my career was winding down, then absolutely I would have taken
it. "But as a footballer at your peak you should want to play with the best
players and win trophies. "Diego Costa is at Chelsea, scoring goals and
enjoying his football, yet he's still open to leaving for China. "Why? £2m a
month tax free is an obvious attraction, but that doesn't substitute for
winning medals and performing at the very elite in your game. That's just
pure greed. "Whether it's now or at of the season that isn't the point.
Costa is 28 years old. He could play at Chelsea for the next two years, earn
good money, and still go to China when he's 30."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Michail Antonio set to sign new contract worth £70,000 a week
Winger has been offered a new five-and-a-half year contract
Antonio has scored eight Premier League goals so far this season
Ed Aarons
@ed_aarons
Wednesday 18 January 2017 10.35 GMT Last modified on Wednesday 18 January
2017 10.37 GMT
Michail Antonio is set to sign a new five-and-a-half year contract at West
Ham worth £70,000 a week as a reward for his impressive performances this
season that have seen him earn a call-up to the England squad.
Antonio, who joined West Ham in September 2015 for around £7m, agreed a new
four-year deal last summer having established himself as one of manager
Slaven Bilic's key players with eight Premier League goals last season. The
26-year-old winger has carried that form into the new campaign despite a
disappointing start to life at the London Stadium, already matching his
tally from last season and providing all three assists for West Ham in the
victory over Crystal Palace at the weekend.
That prompted vice-chairman Karren Brady to pay tribute to the player who
began his career at non-league side Tooting & Mitcham in the week that
Dimitri Payet told West Ham he wanted to leave. "Michail Antonio was in bed
with flu yesterday, got out of bed pulled on his shirt & played
magnificently today - that's dedication for you," Brady wrote on Twitter.
It is understood that and reported interest from Chelsea prompted West Ham
to act to secure Antonio on a long-term deal which doubles his current
salary of £35,000 a week will bring him into line with some of the club's
biggest earners. Payet, who is paid £125,000 a week, is expected to be
allowed to join Marseille if the French club significantly increase their
offer from around £20m, although West Ham are insistent there is no
financial pressure on them to sell a player whose deal runs out in 2021.
West Ham are also hopeful of striking a deal to sign Brentford's Scott Hogan
this week having seen three bids rejected for the 24-year-old. Watford and
Crystal Place remain interested as the Championship side hold out for a fee
close to £15m for the former Rochdale striker.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
MICHAIL ANTONIO SET TO SIGN NEW FIVE-YEAR DEAL
MICHAEL OLIVER @themikeoliver_
readWestHam
In a month where West Ham have been dealt body blow after body blow, finally
some welcome good news has surfaced. According to Ed Aarons of the Guardian,
Michail Antonio is set to sign a new five-year contract with West Ham worth
£70,000-a-week. The Hammers signed Antonio for a reported £7m from
Nottingham Forest back in the 2015 summer transfer window and despite a
rocky start at the club, he's progressed and developed his game well and has
emerged as a key first-team player. So far this season, Antonio has been
deployed in several different positions but this has not held him back on
the goalscoring front – his eight goals this season makes him the club's top
scorer and his form has also put him into the England reckoning. Antonio was
linked with a move to Chelsea earlier this month which may have forced West
Ham's hand in bringing forward new contract talks with the winger,
originally scheduled for the end of the season David Sullivan recently
stated.
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Dimitri Payet makes desperate last plea to West Ham to let him leave for
Marseille this month
Unhappy Payet has even told pals that he will earn LESS at Marseille than
the mega deal which he signed at West Ham last season
The Mirror
BYJOHN CROSS
09:00, 18 JAN 2017UPDATED09:02, 18 JAN 2017
Dimitri Payet has made a desperate plea to West Ham to let him go after
insisting his move is NOT about money. Payet, who is on £125,000-a-week at
West Ham, claims that he wants to go to Marseille not because he is being
greedy but for the sake of his family.
Unhappy Payet has even told pals that he will earn LESS at Marseille than
the mega deal which he signed at West Ham last season.
Payet insists he wants to go to France for the sake of his marriage and also
because he wants his three kids to grow up in France.
West Ham fans will be highly sceptical of his motives and the club hierarchy
are standing firm so far having turned down two bids from the French club.
Payet has vowed never to play for West Ham again but did report to train for
the under-23s. But it is understood he is still determined to go in this
window. But Marseille president Jacques-Henri Eyraud has held talks with
West Ham to try and broker a deal for the want-away France star.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dimitri Payet update: Player won't apologise, West Ham want £40m, no talks
planned
Daily Star
By Paul Brown / Published 18th January 2017
Payet trained briefly on his own with a fitness coach yesterday at Chadwell
Heath, where the club's youngsters are now based. But talks with Marseille
on Monday lasted just 15 minutes with the two clubs far apart on a fee for
the want-away winger. And Hammers sources insist no more are planned this
week as co-chairman David Sullivan plays hardball with the 29-year-old.
Marseille have so far offered just £20m for Payet, while West Ham are
holding out for closer to double that. The Hammers insist they are under no
pressure to sell - but Marseille remain confident they will be forced to
lower their asking price. It is also understood Payet has NO plans to
apologise for his behaviour after saying he does not want to play for the
Hammers again. West Ham want him to say sorry to the club and its fans, but
the player insists he has done nothing wrong in asking to leave.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andre Ayew breaks legendary father Abedi Pele's AFCON record
Published on: 18 January 2017
Andre Ayew sent himself into the Africa Cup of Nations history books after
surpassing the goals scored by his legendary father Abedi Pele when Ghana
defeated a gritty Ugandan side on Tuesday night in Gabon. The West Ham
midfielder scored the only goal of the game to give the Black Stars the 1-0
victory over the Cranes in their opening Group D match at the Port Gentil
Stadium. By converting the spot-kick, which he sent straight down the
middle, Andew Ayew scored his seventh Nations Cup goal. This means he has
surpassed the total scored by his father and legendary former Ghana captain,
Abedi Pele. The West Ham winger slotted in a penalty on 32 minutes after
captain Asamoah Gyan had been pulled back. Ghana also threatened through two
Gyan headers, while Ayew and Christian Atsu tested Uganda goalkeeper, Denis
Onyango. Uganda came close when Faruku Miya hit the outside of a post but
could not force their way back into the game. It was a disappointing return
for Uganda, who is playing her first Nations Cup since 1978 when they lost
in the final to then hosts Ghana. The Cranes created few opportunities of
note and struggled to get behind the Black Stars, who appeared happy to
defend their lead and took the sting from the match.
Ghana was far more positive in the first half, with Andrew Ayew and his
brother Jordan, along with Atsu, posing a huge problem for the Uganda
defence. Andre Ayew should have scored from a great cut-back by Jordan,
while Atsu relentlessly tormented Isinde, whose day worsened when he
conceded a penalty by tugging back Gyan after miscontrolling the ball.
Ghana had a good chance to add a second late on when Atsu was clean through
but his 12-yard drive was superbly saved by Onyango. The only downside for
Avram Grant's side was an injury to defender Baba Rahman, who was
stretchered off with what looked like a hamstring injury after 39 minutes.
Ghana, who won the last of their four tiles in 1982 and lost on penalties to
the Ivory Coast in the final two years ago, will next take on Mali on
Saturday. Uganda will face record seven-time champions Egypt on the same
day.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham TV caught up with Michail Antonio to get his exclusive view on his
hat-trick of assists and discover why he felt left out of the goal
celebrations!
Andy Carroll stole all the headlines on Saturday with his memorable scissor
kick, but it would not have been possible without the help of Antonio. The
No30 was instrumental in helping the Hammers come away with a memorable 3-0
victory, despite being forced to miss the build-up with a high temperature
and still feeling sick on the morning of the game. But the Hammers forward
showed his commitment to the team as he declared himself available for
selection and the move paid off as he produced one of his best performances
of the season.
Antonio provided no fewer than three crucial assists and has nothing but
admiration for the way Carroll executed the perfect finish and scored one of
the goals of the season. But he joked Carroll would not been enjoying all
the attention if it was not for his accurate cross into the box which fell
perfectly for the Hammers forward! Antonio said: "Manu's made a good run and
passed the ball back to me. I saw big AC at the back post and was thinking
to go for his head, but no! "He does an unbelievable bicycle kick. To be
honest, I saw him shaping up and I was thinking, "No what are you doing?!
No…OH! OK, do that again next time, do it again, beautiful.
"It was quality, but you know what, he doesn't get to do that, if it wasn't
for my ball!"
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U18s fight back to draw with Brighton
WHUFC.com
West Ham's U18s came back from two goals down to draw with Brighton
Jahmal Hector-Ingram and Joe Powell (pen) got the goals.
Manager Steve Potts applauded his player's resilience after the match
Steve Potts praised his U18s for showing resilience to fight back from two
goals down to draw 2-2 with Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Elite
Performance Centre. After a conceding twice in the opening 40 minutes
through goals from Isaac Hutchinson and Luis Garcia, the Hammers pulled a
goal back just before half-time through top scorer Jahmal Hector-Ingram and
equalised 15 minutes from time with a Joe Powell penalty. Despite immense
pressure in the final ten minutes, the Hammers could not find that elusive
winner, but they still left the south coast with their heads held high after
a terrific comeback. "It was a bit of a mixed bag really. Both our goals
were good and our possession was very good at times but we were sloppy
defensively on the goals we conceded," said manager Steve Potts. "You're
going to come up against obstacles like that where teams are going to be
solid and organised and get behind the ball. But you've got to try and find
a way and first half we were a little bit static and slow with our passing,
which plays into the opposition's hands. "Second half, we moved it around
with a lot more purpose. We got after them more defensively and started to
find some good spaces. In the end, we were unlucky not to win the game."
The Hammers started the better of the two sides and almost went ahead when
Hector-Ingram sliced Powell's cross just wide in the opening ten minutes.
However, it was the hosts who took the lead just before the half-hour mark –
Hutchinson fired into the roof of the net after initially being thwarted by
keeper Rihards Matrevics. It went from bad to worse for the visitors when
Stefan Ljubicic crossed for Luis Garcia to tap into an empty net. Brighton
made the most of their opportunites and punished the Hammers for wasting
theirs, although Potts' side did pull themselves back into the contest on
the stroke of half-time. Dan Kemp delivered for Hector-Ingram who found the
bottom corner. The Hammers upped their tempo in the second 45 and after a
period of sustained pressure, they got their just rewards 15 minutes from
time. Vashon Neufville was fouled in the area and Joe Powell stepped up to
notch his third goal in as many games.
West Ham could have easily completed the perfect comeback when Bernardo
Rosa's effort was deflected just over the bar just minutes before the final
whistle. Nonetheless, it was a very resilient display from Potts's players
as they maintain their quest for a top four place. "Fair play to the boys
for coming back," Potts continued. "Our first goal was nicely worked and
that gave us the chance to start the second half positively. Once we
equalised, I could only really see us going on to win the game. "We had to
be wary of them on the counter attack but apart from that we were the ones
doing all the probing."
West Ham: Matrevics; Eggleton, Akinola, Wells, Neufville; Coventry (Hannam,
73), Johnson (Ferrari, 79); Kemp (Ngakia, 63), Rosa, Powell; Hector-Ingram.
Subs not used: Forde
Goals: Hector-Ingram 45+1, Powell 74 (pen).
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Best - It is a magnificent new Stadium
WHUFC.com
West Ham United legend Clyde Best has no doubts that the big move into
London Stadium will help the Club challenge at the highest level over the
next few years and is predicting a big future for the Hammers. Best will
always be remembered for becoming a pioneer in the English game after he
overcame discrimination from the terraces and emerged as the first black
striking hero. The talented forward, who arrived from Bermuda back in 1969,
enjoyed a memorable spell when he made 221 appearances for the east London
Club and scored 58 goals. Best was recently back in England and made his
first visit to London Stadium for the games against Burnley and Hull and
says it would have been a dream for him to play at the Hammers magnificent
new home. There have been some hurdles to overcome following the big move,
but Best has no doubts that it will take the Club onto the next level and
help West Ham challenge the elite clubs in the top flight.
Best said: "It is a magnificent new Stadium and just unbelievable. I would
loved to have played in an arena like this. Words cannot explain how nice it
looks and hopefully we can make it into a fortress. "When I played I used to
love playing in front of the big crowds and I am sure it is the same for the
players now. "When we used to play at the Boleyn Ground the support was
fantastic and with 60,000 fans now inside London Stadium I am sure it will
be just as good. "The West Ham fans are among the best in the country and
they can play a big part in helping the team to do well. "I think West Ham
will be able to compete with the big teams now and we need to concentrate on
getting the job done. "We proved last year that we could compete with the
big teams and if we continue to show the same attitude we have got all the
ability."
Best was back in east London to promote his autobiography 'The Acid Test'
and says it gives an honest account of how he ended up playing in the same
team as World Cup Winners' Bobby Moore Martin Peters and Sir Geoff Hurst and
became a role-model to thousands of youngsters. The 65-year-old admits he
will never forget the special relationship he built with the West Ham
supporters during his eight-year spell and feels like he will always have a
second home in the east end of London. Best added: "I love being back in the
east end of London. They like workers and will appreciate you if you give
everything. They know their football and you cannot cheat them. You have to
give them what they want because they deserve it. "I played with Billy Bonds
and I always used to watch him. He was getting applauded every time he
touched the ball and it was because of his work ethic. "I couldn't do what
Billy did because he could run all day but I tried to follow that pattern
and the fans appreciate that. For any young player, if you can look at
someone like Billy Bonds you are on the right path and I tried to do the
same. "I faced some challenges but I was not going to let them stop me from
what I wanted to do. Life is not easy with certain things. "I thank my
family and my mum and dad for the support they gave me. She always told me
if you want to be treated properly, you treat people how you wanted to be
treated and you cannot go wrong. That is how I try to live my life and I
believe in that.
The Hammers got their season back on track with their biggest league victory
at London Stadium last Saturday as they recorded an emphatic 3-0 win over
Crystal Palace and Best sees no reason why they cannot enjoy a second half
to the campaign and challenge in the top half of the table. Best always
enjoys coming back to England and says he always feels part of the family
when he makes a return to east London and hopes to make many more visits to
London Stadium in the future.
"This is my club - I have got claret and blue blood. When they lose I feel
it just as much and it will always be that way. There is nothing like being
in the east end of London. They are the greatest people around. "I consider
this my second home. The one thing about being in the east end is I can
always see friends here and you cannot beat that."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ten point pledge: an update
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 18th January 2017
By: Staff Writer
Last night a group of representatives from various West Ham United websites,
blogs and YouTube channels met with vice chair Karren Brady to discuss the
ongoing situation at the Olympic Stadium.
During the three-hour meeting, which was staged in Stratford,
representatives from the following organisations took the opportunity to
question Brady and her team (including members of the Marketing and Media
departments) about various issues regarding the stadium:
Knees up Mother Brown (KUMB); Claret & Hugh; Hammers Chat; West Ham Til I
Die; West Ham Way; West Ham Fan TV; Sex, Drugs & Carlton Cole. Jack
Sullivan, the son of co-owner David was also present (though not involved in
discussion).
During the session, all of the ten key points outlined in KUMB's recent plan
were discussed, along with several other important issues pertaining to West
Ham fans' experience of the stadium...
1. Surround the local area with former Boleyn Ground vendors
KB explained that the main issue with implementing this particular
suggestion is the stadium's close proximity to Westfield shopping centre
(and their businesses) and that the club simply have no jurisdiction over
the streets leading to the island. There are plans however to make the
bridge/s leading to the Island more West Ham-ified.
2. Make a concerted effort to entice former Boleyn Ground stewards to return
It was acknowledged that KB had initiated this with a single tweet, posted
last month, however she was asked if it was possible to do more to attempt
to lure former employees back to the club. Paying the London Living Wage and
the potential for stewards at the OS to earn the same as those at the BG
(same overtime rates) were suggested.
I understand that, as of Thursday lunchtime, letters have been sent to all
former steward employees and that a request has been made to LS185 asking
for all stewards to be paid the London Living Wage.
Stewarding was perhaps the main topic of discussion during the meeting, with
all parties agreeing that fewer issues had been observed in recent weeks -
although a video highlighting a recent incident between fans and stewards in
Block 114 was also discussed.
This is partly due to the club insisting that LS185 station stewards in
regular spots so that they may build a rapport with those fans around them.
The club will also ensure all staff are able to obtain NVQ certification
(online if necessary).
3. Replace the temporary seating with retractable seating
Quite frankly, as long as we remain at a stadium owned by the state, this is
unlikely ever to happen due to the vast costs involved. Although almost
everything else here can be worked on, this is an absolute no-go as things
stand, according to KB.
4. Rehouse the Supporters' Club
We learnt that preliminary talks between the two parties had taken place and
it was stressed that a solution had thus far been impossible to find. The
impression given was that the club had tried to help as much as possible
without any agreement having been reached, including strengthening the links
between the Club and Newham Council. We intend to clarify the position with
the SC.
5. Rehouse the day trippers and occasional fans
KB stated that very few tickets were being allocated to Newham Council and
other concerns, yet it was mentioned that anyone could book tickets via
Ticketmaster's website for any home game this season. Notes were taken and
further investigation suggested.
6. Put the home fans first!
Access to all local stations will be open permanently, including the new
Pudding Mill station, with immediate effect. The general feeling is that
LS185 are slowly getting to grips with the logistics of dealing with a
large, often partisan football crowd. West Ham will increase their Match Day
'SLO' squad from 10 to 50, following favourable feedback from supporters.
7. Provide recognisable singing and family enclosures
KB maintained her earlier stance, insisting that there is a dedicated family
area but that the entire stadium was designed for families (of which up to
10,000 currently enjoy ST status). She is also happy that (almost) everyone
who requested to be re-situated has now been addressed. No issues relating
to persistent standing had been reported in some weeks.
8. Provide an increase in the number of shuttle buses
KB promised to review the situation after it was revealed that some disabled
fans had to wait for up to an hour, in the rain, for transport last weekend.
It was suggested that additional buses could be laid on to affect waiting
times and to extend their use to non-disabled supporters too during certain
times (ie pre-2pm, to encourage fans to arrive at the ground early). The
club confirmed that they had already increased the number of buses from
seven to 12, for homeward journeys.
9. Employ additional Supporter Liaison Officers
Although their introduction was generally welcomed it was stressed that the
request for additional SLOs referred to full-time staff, not part-time,
match day stewards (as the new ones effectively are). This would bring West
Ham in line with other PL clubs. KB is to investigate the possibility
further, although the club confirmed this morning (Thursday) that they have
already sanctioned the employment of one new, permanent SLO.
10. Treat the fans with respect and engage with us
It was felt by everyone who attended that this was an important first step
in developing a relationship between the club and its independent media
outlets. Now the onus is on Ms Brady and the club to deliver. Further
meetings were suggested, at regular intervals (quarterly meets were mooted).
There were naturally several other points raised during the meeting, ranging
from the speed at which pints of beer are served at half time (I can confirm
action has already been taken on this) to the delays experienced when
attempting to access the ground due to stop and search (LS185 have promised
to purchase more search 'wands' to speed up this process).
One other small but important point, in terms of making the stadium feel
like 'home', is that the club will now be actively encouraging supporters to
bring flags to "brighten up" the inside of the ground, which may then be
stored at the stadium.
Our thanks go to Karren Brady, Paul Cox and Tara Warren for arranging the
event.
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the
author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be
attributed to, KUMB.com.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's latest bid of £6m for Hull's Robert Snodgrass rejected
Last Updated: 18/01/17 4:14pm
SSN
West Ham's latest bid of £6m for Hull City midfielder Robert Snodgrass has
been rejected, according to Sky sources. The Hammers had initially made a
bid of £3m for the Scotland international, which was rebuffed and a further
offer of £5m failed to win any favour with the board at the KCOM stadium.
Snodgrass, who is under contract until 2018, has been a key performer for
Hull this season despite the club's troubles, but in December turned down
the chance to commit his long-term future to the club. New Tigers manager
Marco Silva started the Scot in the club's EFL Cup semi-final first leg
against Manchester United at Old Trafford and he also featured against
Bournemouth on Saturday, January 14. Speaking ahead of the weekend game,
Silva insisted Snodgrass was not for sale, while stressing it was imperative
that the club added players to the squad, not get rid of them. Slaven Bilic
is keen to strengthen his West Ham squad as he looks to spark a revival in
their fortunes amid continuing uncertainty over the future of Dimitri Payet.
Hull moved off the bottom of the Premier League after securing only their
fourth win of the campaign against Bournemouth.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
LUNCHTIME ROUND UP: PLAYERS WANT PAYET OUT, NEW DEAL FOR HAMMERS STAR, SWANS
STAR SNUBS HAMMERS & EVERTON, HOPE FOR DEFOE?
BY DAN CHAPMAN ON 18 JANUARY 2017 AT 12:47PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Sigudsson Swansea
Good afternoon everyone, here is a round up of the news this Wednesday
lunchtime.
Senior West Ham United players want the club to sell Dimitri Payet this
month, as they do not wish to play with the Frenchman again. (Football
Insider)
I'm glad that the players are coming together like this. Who would have
thought that our best player was the problem all along?
Dimitri Payet says he has no plans to apologise to the West Ham players or
fans over his recent actions. (Daily Star)
He needs to leave my club. No matter how good you are, you do not disrespect
your team mates and the fans of the club that basically made you.
Michail Antonio is set to sign a new five and a half year deal at West Ham,
earning £70,000 a week. (Guardian)
Brilliant news for the club to get him tied down. Congratulations Michail, a
fully deserved contract extension for this seasons Hammer of the Year in my
opinion.
West Ham have made a breakthrough in negotiations with Brentford for striker
Scott Hogan. (Daily Mail)
Its about time this happened. Hopefully now we can get his medical done and
he will soon be a Hammer.
West Ham are keeping an eye on Jermain Defoe, to see if he hands in a
transfer request at Sunderland. (Express)
I highly doubt Defoe will hand in a transfer request if I'm honest. I don't
think he would do that considering he will probably be leaving for nothing
at the end of the season anyway.
Gylfi Sigurdsson will snub moves to West Ham and Everton in order to help
Swansea avoid relegation. (Mirror)
Fair play to Gylfi for wanting to help them. I do hope Swansea stay up
because I think they are a great club, but just very poorly run. If they go
down though, we should definitely go back in for him in the summer.
West Ham are the favourites to sign Joe Hart this summer. (Daily Star)
He would be an outstanding signing. With Adrian likely to be on his way, he
would be a more than ideal replacement. He will cost a big fee, but with
what he brings to a team it will be more than worth it.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Giving Toni Martinez a first-team call-up would make it a hat-trick of good
decisions from West Ham boss Slaven Bilic
HITC
Vincent Ralph
The teenager is worthy of a place in West Ham United's senior side. West Ham
United manager Slaven Bilic has had an eventful few days, first having to
deal with an unsettled Dimitri Payet and then enjoying a very impressive 3-0
victory against Crystal Palace without his French talisman. The decision to
drop Payet was the right one, as was the call to select summer signing
Sofiane Feghouli from the start against the Eagles, with the Algeria
international opening the scoring and putting in his best performance in a
Hammers shirt. Bilic could make it a hat-trick of great decisions with one
big call: Selecting teenage striker Toni Martinez for the West Ham
first-team. The 19-year-old has been in blistering form for West Ham's
under-23 side this season, scoring 10 goals in 10 league matches and 12 in
11 in all competitions. That is a simply remarkable strike rate for any
striker, even for the second string, and Martinez thoroughly deserves a
call-up to West Ham's senior side and a place on the bench at the least. It
is easy to overlook a player for being young, but sometimes they make it
impossible for you to ignore them for long and Martinez must surely be
wondering what else he has to do to get Bilic's attention. The West Ham boss
has got a lot right a few times in the last few days, and giving Martinez a
call-up would be another to add to the list.
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England and West Ham hero Bobby Moore immortalised as Action Man
TOM DOYLE
Evening Standard
England and West Ham hero Bobby Moore has been immortalised as a limited
edition Action Man figure in support of the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer
Research UK. Moore, who captained England to triumph in the 1966 World Cup
final, died from bowel cancer in 1993, aged just 51. Fittingly, 1,966
figures have been released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of England's
4-2 victory over West Germany at Wembley which saw Moore lift the Jules
Rimet trophy, with the iconic Action Man figures also launching for the
first time that year.
Ten per cent from each figure sold will go to the Bobby Moore Fund,
supporting Cancer Research UK's life-saving work to beat bowel cancer.
Stephanie Moore, Bobby's widow and founder of the Bobby Moore Fund, said:
"Last year was huge for the Bobby Moore Fund and we have seen so many people
and companies come on board to help raise money and awareness in Bobby's
memory, supporting research that ultimately saves more lives.
"The Bobby Moore Action Man is such a brilliant way to capture the nostalgia
every football fan has for the 1960s and I know that Bobby would be so
touched by the gesture. Not only is it a brilliant memento to celebrate 50th
years on since England won the World Cup, it shows just how much of a hero
Bobby was – and continues to be – to fans of the sport. "We are incredibly
grateful that Action Man will be donating a proportion of the profits to the
Bobby Moore Fund. Every figure sold is bringing us a step closer to our goal
of beating bowel cancer once and for all."
The figure, comes in gift box with a traditional Action Man dog tag and a
certificate of authenticity. The miniature Moore is now available from
Harrods for £59.95 or online at www.actionman.com. Moore's Action Man is one
of a range of collector editions being launched by Art + Science
International, under license from Hasbro Inc to celebrate the figure's 50th
anniversary until Autumn 2017.
Peter Rooke, managing director of Art + Science International, said: "We
absolutely love the Bobby Moore Action Man and are proud to have created a
figure of one of the nation's finest and most respected sportsmen. "We hope
that fans of Bobby will agree it's a fantastic way to remember and celebrate
his life, all whilst supporting the Bobby Moore Fund and Cancer Research
UK's pioneering research."
For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how
to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1861 or visit
www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook
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West Ham star Dimitri Payet rejects Hebei China Fortune offer with French
international only interested in Marseille
Payet, now training with the Hammers Under-23 side, has insisted that a
return to France is not about money but rather the good of his family
The Mirror
COMMENTS
BYALEX RICHARDS
Dimitri Payet's desperation to rejoin Marseille has seen him already reject
an approach from China over moving to the Far East in the current transfer
window. Payet's representatives were contacted by Hebei China Fortune, the
club who count Ezequiel Lavezzi and Gervinho among their squad. The CSL side
indicated that they would pay whatever fee required by West Ham - now asking
£30million for the want-away star - while paying Payet £500,000 per month
after tax, reports France Football. However, Payet is only interested in
returning to the Stade Velodrome and his agent dismissed the offer out of
hand. Payet has become persona non grata at the Hammers Rush Green training
ground, being forced to train with the Under-23s at their Chadwell Heath
base. He wants a return to the south of France for the good of his family,
with his wife and kids having already returned to Marseille, after 18 months
in London. Unhappy Payet has even told pals that he will earn LESS at
Marseille than the deal which he signed at West Ham last season. The French
international has vowed never to play for the club again and is determined
to rejoin Marseille in the current window. But meetings between the club's
hierarchy and OM counterparts on Tuesday came to nothing, with the two
club's some way apart on their valuations.
So far, Marseille have had two offers rejected by the Hammers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dimitri Payet trains with West Ham Under 23s as stand-off continues with
club unmoved by Marseille's advances
West Ham remain unwilling to surrender to Dimitri Payet's pleas to leave
club
In the meantime Payet is training with Under 23s away from the first-team
base
Payet wants to return to Marseille but West Ham have not been moved by talks
By Oliver Todd for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 13:13, 18 January 2017 | UPDATED: 13:24, 18 January 2017
Dimitri Payet trained with West Ham's Under 23s away from the club's
first-team base for the first time on Wednesday while his January transfer
stand-off continues. West Ham remain adamant that Payet will not leave the
club this month with sole suitors Marseille unable to tempt Hammers chiefs
into selling up. Since Payet announced his intention to leave last week West
Ham's stance has remained staunch. And while a bid in excess of £30million
could tempt them to sell up, the east London club do not believe Marseille
will match that figure. In the meantime, Payet has been told to train with
the club's youth side at Chadwell Heath – formerly the first team's training
ground before they moved to their new Rush Green headquarters in the summer.
Slaven Bilic has been preparing the rest of his senior players for their
trip to Middlesbrough on Saturday at the new base, a little under two miles
down the road in Romford. Payet underwent a one-to-one fitness session at
the Chadwell Heath outpost on Tuesday and then joined up with the Under 23s
on Wednesday. He was pictured taking part in a full-group session alongside
some of West Ham's top academy products, switching between green and orange
bibs in training. West Ham rejected a £22m offer from Marseille for Payet on
Monday and are unsympathetic to his pleas that he needs to leave as soon as
possible and that he wants to bring up his young family in the south of
France.
Manager Bilic has no plans to bring his star forward back into the
first-team fold until his situation and attitude change — along with Payet
offering an apology. Sportsmail understands team-mates had noticed changes
in Payet's behaviour before his fall-out with Bilic and club captain Mark
Noble revealed that he had not spoken to the Frenchman for 'two or three
weeks'. 'I have always said that he is up there with one of the best players
I have ever played with,' Noble recalled. I had — and I say had because I
haven't really spoken to him for the last two or three weeks — a great
relationship with him, but I don't know his reasons. 'I am not going to
comment on why he wanted to leave but I do know that if someone doesn't want
to play for the team then they are better off not even playing.' It is now
six days since Payet told his manager that he wanted to leave and would not
train or play while he remained at the club. West Ham will go into
Saturday's game away at Middlesbrough without Payet after Sofiane Feghouli,
Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini stepped up in his absence in last
weekend's 3-0 win over Crystal Palace.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Roma target Sofiane Feghouli to stay at West Ham until decision made over
Dimitri Payet future
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
West Ham have put any potential deal for Sofiane Feghouli on hold whilst the
future of fellow midfielder Dimitri Payet remains in doubt. The Algerian
winger is the subject of strong interest from Italian giants Roma with the
offer of a loan deal that included a £12million purchase option a tempting
one for West Ham, who brought Feghouli in on a free last summer. Standard
Sport understands that West Ham had initially been minded to let Feghouli
leave, with Hull's Robert Snodgrass seen as an ideal replacement, but with
Payet's future in doubt there are unlikely to be any major departures in
attacking positions. On Monday West Ham rejected a £20m bid from Marseille
for Payet, an offer they deemed to be some way short of their asking price.
With Payet training with the West Ham under-23 squad, not having apologised
to the fans as instructed to by the club's owners and threatening to feign
an injury if he is made to play against his will it seems unlikely that the
French international has a long-term future in East London but
joint-chairman David Sullivan will not be bullied into a quick sale. That
makes it increasingly likely that Feghouli will see out the season at the
London Stadium, a state of affairs that seemed unlikely after his disastrous
display in the 5-0 FA Cup third round elimination by Manchester City, where
the Algerian international missed an open goal. However Feghouli was one of
West Ham's most impressive performers in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace and
joint-chairman David Gold hinted that the club hierarchy were keen for the
27-year-old to stay, telling a fan on Twitter that he agreed when it was put
to him that the Hammers should keep hold of the winger. Though it has been
reported in Italy that Feghouli is Roma's preferred target they have also
monitored Chelsea forward Charly Musonda, with manager Luciano Spalletti
having confirmed that the Gialorossi's sporting director Frederic Massara
was working on a deal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham make breakthrough in pursuit of £15m-rated Brentford striker Scott
Hogan
Transfer news: All the latest from the Premier League and rest of Europe
Brentford are looking for £15m from West Ham for highly-rated Scott Hogan
The striker is wanted by Hammers boss Slaven Bilic to bolster his frontline
By Simon Jones for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 17:59, 17 January 2017 | UPDATED: 08:11, 18 January 2017
West Ham and Brentford have had a breakthrough in talks over the transfer of
striker Scott Hogan. The clubs have agreed an initial £9million down payment
but are still negotiating on the add-ons with Brentford pushing for their
£15m total. West Ham are understood to have offered around £13.5m in total
as the clubs edge towards a solution. Hogan was left out of the Brentford
side for Saturday's 2-1 defeat against Newcastle. Rochdale are also due 30
percent sell-on for the 24-year-old. He has scored 14 goals this term after
battling back from knee ligament surgery and Slaven Bilic hopes he can have
an immediate impact on his misfiring Premier League side.
West Ham have also asked about Southampton's Shane Long and seen a bid for
Hull winger Robert Snodgrass rejected. They are also waiting to see if
Jermain Defoe will ask to leave Sunderland before returning with an improved
bid.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United hoping to seal deal for Brentford's Scott Hogan
HITC
John Verrall
West Ham United are aiming to complete a deal for Scott Hogan this week.
According to a report in the Guardian, West Ham United are hoping to seal a
deal for Brentford forward Scott Hogan in the next few days. West Ham have
been working on signing Hogan throughout the January transfer window to
date. The Hammers initially had two offers rejected by Brentford, but the
Championship club appear to have realised that they are facing a losing
battle to keep hold of their star striker. Hogan was left out of Brentford's
team, when they took on Newcastle United in their most recent match. And
West Ham are now confident that they will get their man in the very near
future. Slaven Bilic's side are thought to have had to pay £15 million to
secure the signing of Hogan. Hogan has scored 14 goals in 26 appearances so
far this season for Brentford, and is one of the most in-form strikers in
the Championship. If he was to join West Ham, he would be in competition
with the likes of Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho for a starting place.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Paul Ince believes West Ham are better off without Dimitri Payet, branding
him 'disrespectful'
Ince – who started his career at West Ham – even believes Payet's omission
from the squad will galvanise his team-mates
EXCLUSIVE
BY JUSTIN ALLEN 17th January 2017, 8:29 pm
The Sun
PAUL INCE believes West Ham are better off without Dimitri Payet. The former
Hammers ace also branded Payet disrespectful to manager Slaven Bilic, his
team-mates and the fans. Ince – who started his career at West Ham – even
believes Payet's omission from the squad will galvanise his team-mates. He
said: "West Ham's 3-0 victory at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday showed
they don't need Dimitri Payet. "When you have someone like Payet at West Ham
you have a player that the other lads rely on. "They look to him for a piece
of magic that wins the game. They might shirk a little bit of
responsibility. "But dropping him from the squad galvanises the whole squad.
Suddenly other players are stepping up and taking the game by the scruff of
the neck. "This is a team game and you can't rely on just one individual.
"That result was massive for the club and the fans, but particularly for the
players. They now believe they can go out and win convincingly without Payet
in the team."
Ince infamously was photographed wearing a Manchester United shirt before
his move was confirmed. It earned Ince dog's abuse for years when he
returned to West Ham. But the self-styled Guv'nor has always maintained he
was badly advised as a 21-year-old kid at the time and had only done the
picture because he was told to by his agent. Ince said: "I can understand
players wanting to go and better themselves, but I don't accept the way that
some players act when they manipulate a club or a manager. "Payet could have
made his feelings clear to Slaven Bilic in private. He could have continued
to play to the top of his game for the good of the team, with the
understanding that if the opportunity arose he would be allowed to look into
leaving. "But instead, he's disrespected the manager, his team-mates, the
club and the fans."
Ince thinks West Ham have no choice but to sell Payet because his position
at the club is untenable. He said: "As a manager when you have one of your
best players threatening to leave it puts you in a terrible position. "You
want to keep him, but at the same time where is the benefit of putting him
in with the under-23s and letting him rot? "The longer he sits in the stands
the club are paying his wages and his transfer value is decreasing. In
reality he has to go. That's the best solution for West Ham."
Meanwhile, Ince does not even understand why Diego Costa would be
contemplating leaving Chelsea for the riches of China. Ince won two Premier
League titles, a European Cup Winners' Cup, a European Super Cup, two FA Cup
and a League Cup during his time at Manchester United. And the former
Liverpool and England star said: "I was brought up with the belief that I
wanted to play for the biggest clubs in the world and playing in the most
competitive competitions. "That's the Premier League and the Champions
League. China doesn't even compare. "If you're a top player why would you go
when you can still have a successful career in the Premier League? "There's
no chance I would have left Liverpool or Manchester United to go and play in
China. Not even for £500,000 a week. "If they had come calling when I was 31
and or 32 and my career was winding down, then absolutely I would have taken
it. "But as a footballer at your peak you should want to play with the best
players and win trophies. "Diego Costa is at Chelsea, scoring goals and
enjoying his football, yet he's still open to leaving for China. "Why? £2m a
month tax free is an obvious attraction, but that doesn't substitute for
winning medals and performing at the very elite in your game. That's just
pure greed. "Whether it's now or at of the season that isn't the point.
Costa is 28 years old. He could play at Chelsea for the next two years, earn
good money, and still go to China when he's 30."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Michail Antonio set to sign new contract worth £70,000 a week
Winger has been offered a new five-and-a-half year contract
Antonio has scored eight Premier League goals so far this season
Ed Aarons
@ed_aarons
Wednesday 18 January 2017 10.35 GMT Last modified on Wednesday 18 January
2017 10.37 GMT
Michail Antonio is set to sign a new five-and-a-half year contract at West
Ham worth £70,000 a week as a reward for his impressive performances this
season that have seen him earn a call-up to the England squad.
Antonio, who joined West Ham in September 2015 for around £7m, agreed a new
four-year deal last summer having established himself as one of manager
Slaven Bilic's key players with eight Premier League goals last season. The
26-year-old winger has carried that form into the new campaign despite a
disappointing start to life at the London Stadium, already matching his
tally from last season and providing all three assists for West Ham in the
victory over Crystal Palace at the weekend.
That prompted vice-chairman Karren Brady to pay tribute to the player who
began his career at non-league side Tooting & Mitcham in the week that
Dimitri Payet told West Ham he wanted to leave. "Michail Antonio was in bed
with flu yesterday, got out of bed pulled on his shirt & played
magnificently today - that's dedication for you," Brady wrote on Twitter.
It is understood that and reported interest from Chelsea prompted West Ham
to act to secure Antonio on a long-term deal which doubles his current
salary of £35,000 a week will bring him into line with some of the club's
biggest earners. Payet, who is paid £125,000 a week, is expected to be
allowed to join Marseille if the French club significantly increase their
offer from around £20m, although West Ham are insistent there is no
financial pressure on them to sell a player whose deal runs out in 2021.
West Ham are also hopeful of striking a deal to sign Brentford's Scott Hogan
this week having seen three bids rejected for the 24-year-old. Watford and
Crystal Place remain interested as the Championship side hold out for a fee
close to £15m for the former Rochdale striker.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
MICHAIL ANTONIO SET TO SIGN NEW FIVE-YEAR DEAL
MICHAEL OLIVER @themikeoliver_
readWestHam
In a month where West Ham have been dealt body blow after body blow, finally
some welcome good news has surfaced. According to Ed Aarons of the Guardian,
Michail Antonio is set to sign a new five-year contract with West Ham worth
£70,000-a-week. The Hammers signed Antonio for a reported £7m from
Nottingham Forest back in the 2015 summer transfer window and despite a
rocky start at the club, he's progressed and developed his game well and has
emerged as a key first-team player. So far this season, Antonio has been
deployed in several different positions but this has not held him back on
the goalscoring front – his eight goals this season makes him the club's top
scorer and his form has also put him into the England reckoning. Antonio was
linked with a move to Chelsea earlier this month which may have forced West
Ham's hand in bringing forward new contract talks with the winger,
originally scheduled for the end of the season David Sullivan recently
stated.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dimitri Payet makes desperate last plea to West Ham to let him leave for
Marseille this month
Unhappy Payet has even told pals that he will earn LESS at Marseille than
the mega deal which he signed at West Ham last season
The Mirror
BYJOHN CROSS
09:00, 18 JAN 2017UPDATED09:02, 18 JAN 2017
Dimitri Payet has made a desperate plea to West Ham to let him go after
insisting his move is NOT about money. Payet, who is on £125,000-a-week at
West Ham, claims that he wants to go to Marseille not because he is being
greedy but for the sake of his family.
Unhappy Payet has even told pals that he will earn LESS at Marseille than
the mega deal which he signed at West Ham last season.
Payet insists he wants to go to France for the sake of his marriage and also
because he wants his three kids to grow up in France.
West Ham fans will be highly sceptical of his motives and the club hierarchy
are standing firm so far having turned down two bids from the French club.
Payet has vowed never to play for West Ham again but did report to train for
the under-23s. But it is understood he is still determined to go in this
window. But Marseille president Jacques-Henri Eyraud has held talks with
West Ham to try and broker a deal for the want-away France star.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dimitri Payet update: Player won't apologise, West Ham want £40m, no talks
planned
Daily Star
By Paul Brown / Published 18th January 2017
Payet trained briefly on his own with a fitness coach yesterday at Chadwell
Heath, where the club's youngsters are now based. But talks with Marseille
on Monday lasted just 15 minutes with the two clubs far apart on a fee for
the want-away winger. And Hammers sources insist no more are planned this
week as co-chairman David Sullivan plays hardball with the 29-year-old.
Marseille have so far offered just £20m for Payet, while West Ham are
holding out for closer to double that. The Hammers insist they are under no
pressure to sell - but Marseille remain confident they will be forced to
lower their asking price. It is also understood Payet has NO plans to
apologise for his behaviour after saying he does not want to play for the
Hammers again. West Ham want him to say sorry to the club and its fans, but
the player insists he has done nothing wrong in asking to leave.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andre Ayew breaks legendary father Abedi Pele's AFCON record
Published on: 18 January 2017
Andre Ayew sent himself into the Africa Cup of Nations history books after
surpassing the goals scored by his legendary father Abedi Pele when Ghana
defeated a gritty Ugandan side on Tuesday night in Gabon. The West Ham
midfielder scored the only goal of the game to give the Black Stars the 1-0
victory over the Cranes in their opening Group D match at the Port Gentil
Stadium. By converting the spot-kick, which he sent straight down the
middle, Andew Ayew scored his seventh Nations Cup goal. This means he has
surpassed the total scored by his father and legendary former Ghana captain,
Abedi Pele. The West Ham winger slotted in a penalty on 32 minutes after
captain Asamoah Gyan had been pulled back. Ghana also threatened through two
Gyan headers, while Ayew and Christian Atsu tested Uganda goalkeeper, Denis
Onyango. Uganda came close when Faruku Miya hit the outside of a post but
could not force their way back into the game. It was a disappointing return
for Uganda, who is playing her first Nations Cup since 1978 when they lost
in the final to then hosts Ghana. The Cranes created few opportunities of
note and struggled to get behind the Black Stars, who appeared happy to
defend their lead and took the sting from the match.
Ghana was far more positive in the first half, with Andrew Ayew and his
brother Jordan, along with Atsu, posing a huge problem for the Uganda
defence. Andre Ayew should have scored from a great cut-back by Jordan,
while Atsu relentlessly tormented Isinde, whose day worsened when he
conceded a penalty by tugging back Gyan after miscontrolling the ball.
Ghana had a good chance to add a second late on when Atsu was clean through
but his 12-yard drive was superbly saved by Onyango. The only downside for
Avram Grant's side was an injury to defender Baba Rahman, who was
stretchered off with what looked like a hamstring injury after 39 minutes.
Ghana, who won the last of their four tiles in 1982 and lost on penalties to
the Ivory Coast in the final two years ago, will next take on Mali on
Saturday. Uganda will face record seven-time champions Egypt on the same
day.
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