Rice – I want a West Ham career like Noble
WHUFC.com
Teenage star Declan Rice wants to follow in the footsteps of West Ham
captain Mark Noble
The defender won the Young Hammer of the Year award after a brilliant debut
season in the first team
The 18-year-old also won promotion as captain of the U23 side
Promising West Ham United centre-back Declan Rice wants to follow in the
footsteps of the likes of Mark Noble and become a Hammers legend at London
Stadium. The Republic of Ireland youth international – like the current West
Ham captain 12 years ago – was this season named the Club's Young Hammer of
the Year after a superb breakthrough campaign. As skipper, Rice guided the
U23 side to Premier League 2 promotion via the play-offs, missing just two
league matches all season, while also featuring on the first team bench as
the season reached its climax. Then, on the final day of the term at
Burnley's Turf Moor, the 18-year-old made his senior debut, replacing
Edimilson Fernandes in the final minutes of Slaven Bilic's outfit's 2-1 win.
The first team bow – as well as the Young Hammer of the Year accolade – was
the icing on the cake for Rice after a marvellous year. "The award just
topped off the season perfectly for me, to be honest," he said. "Then, to go
on and make my debut afterwards was even better. I never thought I would win
that award. "Being Ireland's U17 Player of the Year this year after getting
the Dylan Tombides award the year before – it's been amazing. "Some big
names have won the award before, like Nobes earlier in his career. The guys
who have won it in the past have gone on to have good careers, too, and
Nobes has played 400 games for the Club. "Hopefully I can make my mark in a
similar way to him. I have always wanted my career to be here since joining
from Chelsea. My heart has been with West Ham every day since then, and that
feeling is always growing."
Rice's rise has come about quickly – last month, the teenager trained with
the Republic of Ireland senior squad ahead of their June international
matches. And just last season, the defender was an U18 regular but was
limited to just appearances from the bench for the Development Squad,
managed by Academy Director Terry Westley. "Having mostly played U18s, to
come into the U23s this year as captain and win promotion is incredible,"
the youngster continued. "With the likes of Terry, along with Liam Manning,
Mark Phillips and Steve Potts in the Academy, they push me every day and
want the best for me. "I was a bit nervous going into the U23s. It was
nerve-wracking coming on as a sub last year, trying to show what you can do
in the minutes you get. "This season, it's been totally different. I've been
going into U23 games knowing that I'm going to play well. I think that I
have solved that problem this season – I have achieved good things in the
U23s. "So, obviously we'll see what happens, but it might be my time to go
out on loan next season and have a good challenge while getting senior
experience."
If a loan move next season is the next step for Rice, there are plenty of
his teammates he can call upon for advice. Josh Cullen – notably – enjoyed a
superb 2016/17 campaign in League One with Bradford City on loan, starting
regularly in central midfield and helping the Bantams reach the play-off
final at Wembley. "The way Josh has played for the last two years at
Bradford has been unbelievable," said Rice on his compatriot. "He's someone
for everyone in the Academy to look up to. "If I do go out on loan,
hopefully I can make as many appearances and impress as much as Josh has.
"Playing either in the Championship or League One has to be the aim. It
would be a perfect way to gain experience and learn. "That's definitely the
aim if I can't break into the first team on a regular basis."
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London Stadium prepares to welcome the world
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's London Stadium is soon to undergo the temporary
adjustments that will prepare it for the 2017 IAAF World Athletics
Championships taking place this summer.
The finest athletes on the planet will perform at the prestigious global
event, with the World Para Athletics Championships on from July 14 – July
23, followed by the World Athletics Championships from August 4 – August 13,
the highlight of which will be Olympic legends Mo Farah and Usain Bolt
competing for the final time at the swansong of their glittering careers.
What's more, West Ham United's loyal Season Ticket Holders can take
advantage of a fantastic special offer to attend the World Para Athletics
event, with tickets available at just £3.00 for adults and £1.00 for
under-16s, representing a massive 93% discount on the full price. For full
details on how to purchase tickets, click here
For the duration of the IAAF events this summer, London Stadium will become
a 'clean stadium' - a requirement of any venue hosting the IAAF World
Championships under the rules of the competition. This is a unique and
exceptional year that will see a once-in-a-generation occasion taking place
in London.
It is the one and only time that a clean stadium is required and contracted
for an event outside the football season, and has been embraced by West Ham
United ever since signing the concession agreement in 2013, as part of the
stadium's athletics legacy.
A team of specialists will this week begin the task of carefully removing
the Club's giant marquee sign that adorns the roof of London Stadium.
The sign will be stored and guarded 24/7 at a secure compound off-site for
the duration of the IAAF event, before being thoroughly cleaned, serviced
and then reinstalled in its prominent location in time for our first home
match of the 2017/18 Premier League campaign.
West Ham United signage and branding around the stadium will also be placed
in secure storage for the summer period, as London prepares to welcome the
world's elite athletes to the capital.
However, it will be business as usual for West Ham United, with the Stadium
Store and Ticket Office open throughout the summer for Hammers fans, who
will be able to purchase the new replica kits for 2017/18, and staff
continuing to plan ahead for next season at the club offices.
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Dan Kemp excited by Toulon Tournament semi-final
WHUFC.com
Dan Kemp won a penalty as England U20s made it through to the Toulon
Tournament semi-finals
The Dylan Tombides Award nominee was fouled in the 25th minute and Sheffield
Wednesday's George Hirst scored the penalty
England went on beat Japan 2-1 and subsequently topped the group
West Ham winger Dan Kemp played a key role as England U20s topped Group A at
the Toulon Tournament after they beat Japan 2-1 in their final group game.
The 18-year-old was fouled in the penalty area in the 25th minute and George
Hirst stepped up to give England the lead.
Japan equalised through Mizuki Ando in the second half but Chelsea's Martell
Taylor-Crossdale netted another penalty late on to secure England's passage
to the last four. It was Kemp's second start of the tournament so far, after
featuring in the opening victory against Angola, and the wide player was
delighted to be among the thick of the action. "The game was a good test for
us against a very good Japan team," said Kemp. "We are all delighted to win
three out of three games and top the group. "It was good to be involved in
winning the penalty for the first goal. As an attacking player, it is your
main job to score or create scoring chances for your team so I was pleased
to get the penalty."
England are aiming to defend the title they won last year and are still on
course to achieve the feat after maintaining their 100% record in the
tournament so far. Kemp hopes to be involved in the semi-final and believes
he can draw on his knockout football experience to help the Young Lions in
France. He was part of Terry Westley's PL2 side that won both the semi-final
and final to clinch promotion to Premier League 2 Division 1 last month. "I
cannot wait for the semi-final," he continued. "It will be another great
experience for me. All the boys are looking forward to it and we're
confident and ready."
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Season Ticket relocation update
WHUFC.com
With the Season Ticket relocation period now underway, West Ham United would
like to confirm the process for supporters who have requested to relocate
their seat for the 2017/18 season.
With more than 90% of Season Ticket holders renewing before last week's
deadline – and the vast majority wishing to retain their existing seats -
opportunities to relocate will be very limited and are strictly subject to
availability.
For renewing Season Ticket Holders, seat relocations will be prioritised by
how early you renewed, which the Ticket Office hold a record of.
As previously explained, there are some priority cases where exceptional
circumstances exist, such as accessibility requirements and a group of
supporters who had to move out of Block 114 in order to increase the size of
the segregation line.
Season Ticket holders requesting to relocate will have received a
notification email of their relocation window, advising when to call the
Ticket Office to discuss their request. When calling, please ensure you have
your client reference number to hand.
The relocation phase will be a busy period for the Club and we would
therefore ask that you only contact us once your window has opened.
Supporters calling earlier will be politely requested to call back at their
designated time.
The majority of available seats in the lower tiers of the East, West and
Bobby Moore stands are single seats, with a limited number of pairs.
If relocating with others, make sure you have to hand all client references,
names, and postcodes within the group – all of whom must have renewed before
May 31. In the interest of fairness, seats cannot be placed on reserve.
If your relocation falls into a different price band, the difference in cost
will either be refunded or required to be paid in full immediately. If you
make a decision to relocate your seat, your existing seat will then be made
available for other supporters.
Once the relocation period has ended on 15 June, the limited number of
available Season Tickets will then go on sale to supporters on the Waiting
List from Friday 16 June.
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QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY!
BY DAN CHAPMAN ON 4 JUNE 2017 AT 10:26PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Good evening everyone.
So that time of year is here once again. Yes, the transfer window is fast
approaching. So we have only just entered June, and we have already been
linked with a number of different players. I am here to give my opinion on
why I think we need quality over quantity, and what players I would bring in
over the summer.
So let's get on with it.
First of all, I just want to say that I do not think we need too many
signings, unlike last summer. I would say we need three of four more players
of good quality in order for us to be a top eight side. We already have a
good spine to our side, with Reid, Obiang and Lanzini being our key players.
If we can get a few players of equal quality, then I am sure we will see
progress in the next few seasons.
Now we have made a brilliant start to the window with the signing of Pablo
Zabaleta on a free transfer. I think he is a better than signing than some
of our fans realise. He obviously fills the right back position, which is
something that we have been crying out for for far too long now. He also
brings leadership and a real winning mentality, which is also something that
we have lacked this season. I am looking forward to seeing him as part of
our defence next season.
The other main area that we need to strengthen is the forwards. Now it is no
secret that we want to sign Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho, and
it is also no secret that we want to sign Chelsea striker Mich Batshuayi. In
my opinion, these two players would be the perfect signings for us. They are
two young, hungry strikers who are looking to prove a point after not
getting much game time at their current clubs. If we manage to sign
Iheanacho on a permanent deal and Batshuayi on a loan deal with a view to
buy him next summer, then I would be a very happy Hammer.
The next area that I feel we need to strengthen is the left wing. We need to
sign a winger who is very direct and has plenty of pace because as we all
know, we have lacked a lot of pace this season. For me, the players we
should be looking at are Adama Traore and Damarai Gray. Now I know that some
people do not rate Traore because he isn't the best player technically, but
the same could be said for Antonio. Antonio isn't the best player
technically, but he has pace to burn and is a fan favourite. Traore also has
pace to burn, and the thought of him and Antonio running down the wings
excites me.
Damarai Gray is my second option. He is another young player with lots of
potential, but yet again he barely gets a chance at his current club. He has
got plenty of pace and is very good technically, but he cannot get a game
over Marc Albrighton. I feel that we should look at him and test the water
with Leicester.
Finally, I think we need to strengthen the goalkeeping position. Now I am a
massive fan of Adrian and I am happy that he will be sticking around, but I
still think we can and need to get better than him. My choice would be Joe
Hart. Despite making some errors in Italy this season, I still think he is
one of the best keepers around on his day. He clearly doesn't have a future
at Manchester City with them having signed a new keeper this week, and I
think we would be silly to not at least try and get him.
As I said before, I truly believe that we are only three or four quality
signings away from being a top eight side, and if we can sign the players
mentioned, then I am sure that we will be up there next season. I hope it is
a successful summer window for the Hammers, and I hope every one has a
brilliant summer themselves.
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LUNCHTIME ROUND UP: FANS SHOWED 'POWER', SAINTS IN FOR SNODGRASS?, OXFORD
SET FOR GERMANY?
BY DAN CHAPMAN ON 5 JUNE 2017 AT 1:12PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Hello Hammers. Here is today's lunchtime round up.
Andy Carroll says the West Ham fans showed their power during the 1-0 win
over Tottenham in May. (Standard)
We all know that we are the best fans in the country, when we want to be.
This season we have only shown glimpses of what the atmosphere at the London
Stadium can be like. In my opinion, the atmosphere at the Spurs game is how
the atmosphere should be at every game. If the fans can create that
atmosphere every game, then we will beat a lot of teams at the London
Stadium.
West Ham defender James Collins says he is not considering retirement.
(Tribal Football)
I am glad Ginge isn't retiring just yet, but his West Ham future still
remains unclear. I do hope that he remains with us until he retires, because
he is a hero to this club. In my opinion, he deserves a new contract for his
contribution to the team this season.
The West Ham United sign outside the London Stadium is being dismantled this
week, as the stadium prepares for the IAAF World Championships. (Standard)
Reece Oxford is set to join Borussia Monchengladbach on a season long loan
deal. (The Sun)
This is a very odd rumour, but strangely I think it could work out for
everyone. Recce will gain a lot of experience in a good league and he will
learn a lot from his time there. Ideally, I would like to see Reece stay and
gain experience with us, but that is going to be hard for him with our
current options.
Southampton are in contention to sign West Ham's Robert Snodgrass this
summer. (HITC)
If this is true, then I would consider a swap deal including Dusan Tadic.
Let's be honest, not many people would be sad to see Snodgrass leave, and
Tadic is a level above him. Tadic would be a very good signing for us in my
opinion, and I am interested to see how this one turns out.
West Ham are in pole position to sign Lincoln City defender Sean Raggett.
(HITC)
I do not understand this. I don't see why we would potentially loan Reece
Oxford out and then sign another defender. To me, it makes sense to just
keep Reece and give him a chance, instead of spending more money on another
defender. Raggett may be a good player with lots of potential, but Oxford
has been tipped as the future of English football.
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END OF SEASON REPORT CARD: PLAYER RATINGS
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 4 JUNE 2017 AT 9:20PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Katie S @flump9
Well the season is over and although most of us probably couldn't wait for
it to end, we are now probably desperate for it to start again. Having had
a little time to reflect on the season as a whole and how each player
performed, got me thinking how I would rank them out of ten and whether I
think they should stay or go. These are my views based upon my personal
feelings and not if we were to buy players in these positions this transfer
window or if anyone would actually make an offer etc.
So here it goes, from 1 to 10:
Enner Valencia – Not played for West Ham, but sell
This is hard for me to judge, as I personally haven't seen many of Everton's
games this season, but he has made 21 appearances and scored 3 goals. I was
quite positive about Enner when he first joined us, but in my mind he just
isn't good enough. There was talk that Everton wanted to sign him
permanently, if this is true and not some sort of joke, then sell him now!
Diafra Sakho – 2 out of 10 = Sell
I didn't even have to think about this answer. I have lost patience with
Sakho, yes he may be injury prone which is awful for any player, but too
much has gone on with him off of the field. Like Carroll, he is never going
to be fit for long and we can't afford to be paying his wages for him to
never play. Sadly though, I can't see anyone buying him!
Håvard Nordtveit – 3 out of 10 = Sell
I felt a little sorry for Nordtveit earlier in the season, fans were very
quick to write him off and felt that it was a bit soon to be so critical.
The low point had to be giving away a penalty to Tottenham in the 90th
minute, after only being on the pitch five minutes. Like quite a few
players this season, Nordtveit was being played out of position though and
was probably unfair to judge. He showed what he was capable of when playing
in his natural position against Everton and was probably man of the match,
but sadly there are too many negatives for me to. I will never forget that
sight of him jogging back watching Coutinho score.
Robert Snodgrass – 3 out of 10 = Sell
He has been a real disappointment for me, I don't know if he just hasn't
settled well but I can't recall any real high points from Snodgrass this
season. He said himself that he has played out of position and struggled
slightly, but I just consider it as a panic buy from Bilic and can't see him
bringing much to the team next season. He has to go.
Ashley Fletcher – 4 out of 10 = Sell/Loan
This will probably be an unpopular decision, but I have chosen to sell
Fletcher. It is hard to judge him as he hasn't been given enough chances
and playing five minutes at the end of a match is difficult for anyone to
prove themselves, however I can't help but feel he isn't the natural goal
scorer that we are so desperately needing. Maybe he needs to get some
experience on loan in the Championship this season and see how he goes
there.
Andy Carroll – 5 out of 10 = Sell
This ranking may seem a little harsh, but I think my patience has finally
run out. There is no doubting his ability and the goal against Palace alone
could have made me rank him much higher, but I cannot keep being positive
about a player who misses half the season. If we had a few other top
strikers, maybe we could put up with it, but we don't. I feel for him but
we have to look at the bigger picture.
Sofiane Feghouli – 5 out of 10 = Sell
This was actually my toughest decision, as I like players that work hard and
give their all. This is exactly what Feghouli does. He has scored four
goals and whenever he plays he gives 100% and tries to create things (which
can't be said for lots of the team), but for me I don't think he is a top
player and would like to see someone else instead.
Cheikhou Kouyaté – 6 out of 10 = Keep
Kouyaté is one of my favourite players, as I believe he is one of the most
consistent every season. The reason his ranking isn't higher, is purely
down to Bilic playing him out of position most of the season, which
obviously is not his fault. He is much better playing in midfield and
hopefully next season this will be his only position. Having said that, I
still think he has had a pretty decent season and would never contemplate
selling him.
Aaron Cresswell – 6 out of 10 = Keep
This is the first season that Cresswell has received some criticism and with
good reason. He was injured for the early part of the season and came back
for the Palace game, where he made a big difference and I thought he was
what we had been missing, unfortunately this didn't continue and Aaron's
season was a bit of a let-down compared to his first couple. Saying all of
that, I highly rate him and I believe he is a fantastic left back that we
will be lucky to keep hold of him for more than a couple of seasons.
Mark Noble (captain) – 6 out of 10 = Keep
Noble is another player that has come under a lot of criticism this season,
it certainly wasn't as good as the previous season, where he had the season
of his career. However, I still think some of the negative comments were a
little over the top. The stat about us not winning without Noble in the
team was quite alarming, (thankfully that ended against Burnley) but also
goes to show what an influence he has on the team, which I think goes
unnoticed. He is a fantastic captain and is a pivotal player. I hope he
spends his whole career with us.
Darren Randolph – 6 out of 10 = Sell
There has been lots of talk of signing another keeper and if that is the
case, for me Randolph has to be the keeper to make way. He had a brilliant
campaign during the euros last year and has made some impressive saves for
us this season, however I think he's lacking some key attributes and I would
like to see someone else come in. If we aren't going to bring in another
keeper, then Randolph is a decent back-up, but I think he will want to be
No1 and can see us selling.
André Ayew – 6 out of 10 = Keep
Hit and miss is how I would sum up Ayew's first season with us, quite
literally! I can't quite believe some of the opportunities he has missed.
He isn't an out and out striker, so I do not think he should be used in this
position, but there is no excuse for some of those misses. Saying all of
that, I still think he will improve next season and be quite an important
player for us. His passion and desire to win against Tottenham, really made
me warm to him and even with those misses he has still scored some crucial
goals for us.
Adrián – 6 out of 10 = Keep
He had a very shaky start to the campaign, but the same could be said for
most of the squad. I believe Bilic was right to drop Adrián, but I felt
some of the negativity towards him was a bit strong. Last season we all
loved him, surely he couldn't fall apart that quickly? I was very pleased
that he finally made it back into the team at the end of the season and I
think it was apparent that the defence felt a lot safer with Adrián between
the sticks. I am pleased that he has signed a contract extension and hoping
he continues the way he finished last season.
Sam Byram – 6 out of 10 = Keep
I was really pleased when Bilic finally decided to play Sam, it meant we
actually had a natural right back. I think people have mixed views on
Byram, I don't think he is the finished article and I think he can be a bit
of a liability sometimes, making rash challenges. In spite of this, I think
overall he did well and the game against Swansea with James Collins
encouraging him was his season highlight. It cannot have been easy for him,
when your manager insists on playing everyone out of position, rather than
use you. We have now signed Zabaleta so he won't be number one choice, but
I think he is a great back-up.
José Fonte – 6 out of 10 = Keep
I think it is fair to say that Fonte didn't start as promisingly as we all
hoped and like many probably came under a bit of criticism. I believe he
improved as the season went on and I think he is a decent player that is
worthwhile keeping. Like Byram he might not be first choice, but we all
know what happens with injuries and he is a solid back-up option.
Angelo Ogbonna – 6 out of 10 = Keep
This is quite difficult to judge as he has been out injured since January
and before that I didn't think he was having a great season. However, Bilic
revealed that he had in fact been injured all season and continued to play
until we signed a replacement, even when he was due to have an operation.
It was great to see him return against Burnley and play an impressive 90
minutes after being out for four months. I rate Ogbonna and look forward to
seeing him play next season fully fit.
Edimilson Fernandes – 7 out of 10 = Keep
Fernandes won Signing of the Season and I would say that this was well
deserved. He has consistently performed when called upon and scoring the
winning goal against Chelsea in the EFL Cup was a fantastic moment for him.
At 21 years of age, he has shown a lot of maturity and impressed enormously.
I think he is one for the future and we need to keep hold of him.
James Collins – 8 out of 10 = Keep
What can I say about Ginge? He epitomises leadership and passion, he is an
old-school player and I love that about him. As I mentioned earlier,
Collins' passion and encouragement for Sam Byram really was instrumental in
Sam's performance against Swansea and that is priceless. There has been
talk of other clubs being interested in him, which is understandable, but I
really hope he stays as he still has a lot to offer the team, squad and club
as a whole.
Arthur Masuaku – 8 out of 10 = Keep
Now this ranking is probably a little high, as he has not made many
appearances this season, however, I couldn't ignore how remarkable those
performances were. I didn't understand why so many fans thought he was
great straight away, I thought he was brilliant going forward but lacked
defensive skills. I was completely wrong, the latter part of the season he
showed exactly what he was capable of and I was gutted that he ended up not
playing the remainder of the season. It will be tough to pick between him
and Cresswell next season, but what a great dilemma to have.
Michail Antonio – 9 out of 10 = Keep
The fans Hammer of the Year Michail Antonio, was always going to be ranked
high, I don't think it is one that many people would dispute. If I am
honest, I don't think he had as an impressive season as his first season
with us, but that is probably me being a little harsh and actually I don't
think any player has played as well this season. He is our top goal scorer
and without him, there is no doubt we would have been in real relegation
battle. I love watching him, although he does sometimes look a little
clumsy, he is capable of creating something and his desire is fantastic to
see.
Pedro Obiang – 9 out of 10 = Keep
What an outstanding season Pedro had, he has been immense. My man of the
match on many occasions this season, which is a real turnaround from last
season, when many fans would not have been cared if he was sold in the
summer. The stats speak for themselves and I really hope (I am confident)
he continues the impressive form after his injury.
Winston Reid (vice-captain) – 9 out of 10 = Keep
In the same way I didn't have to think about Sakho, I didn't have to think
about this either. There is no way I would be choose to sell Winston. Once
again, Reid has had another solid season and he really makes a big
difference to our defence. He was my pick for Hammer of the Year!
Manuel Lanzini – 9 out of 10 = Keep
I said last season that I thought Lanzini was creatively a better player
than Payet and since Payet's departure he has really proved himself. He
started the season off a little slow, almost in Payet's shadow, but he has
flourished since then and just gone from strength to strength. I pray we
keep hold of Manu, as I regard him as our key player that is also incredibly
popular with his teammates.
These are all my personal views and I know that even my family members don't
agree, but what do you think? Would you agree with my rankings or is
someone completely out of place in your mind? Let me know, @flump9 on
Twitter.
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Young Hammer stars in England success
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
Academy star Dan Kemp was one of England's heroes in Toulon this afternoon
as the Under 21s made it through to the semi finals of the Toulon
Tournament.
Kemp, part of a scratch squad featuring Under 18, Under 19 and Under 20
internationals was involved earlier today as Neil Dewsnip's side beat Japan
2-1 to end thee group phase with a perfect record of played three, won
three.
And that means England's youngsters - who won the Toulon tournament last
year for the first time since the mid-1990s - are through to Thursday's semi
finals.
"The game was a good test for us against a very good Japan team," Kemp told
whufc.com. "We are all delighted to win three out of three games and top the
group. As an attacking player, it is your main job to score or create
scoring chances for your team so it was good to be involved in winning the
penalty for the first goal. "
Manger Dewsnip added: "'When we first met up and had so many new faces who
didn't know each other, if you'd said we'd win all three group games at a
prestigious tournament such as Toulon I'd've been cynical. But they've
played three, won three.
"We made a lot of changes so we didn't have the fluency we had in the first
two matches. But they showed a different kind of spirit, something I think
is traditionally English: they refused to lose and came out the other side
and I think that's just as important sometimes."
* Meanwhile, over in Korea, England's Under 20s marched through to the semi
finals of the Under 20s World Cup tournament courtesy of a 1-0 win over
Mexico, thanks to Dominic Solanke's second-half goal.
And that despite ending the game with ten men, after Tottenham youngster
Josh Onomah was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
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27 years and out
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th June 2017
By: Neil Willis
First and foremost, I would like to explain that I'm not a fairweather
supporter who throws his toys out of the pram when things don't go West
Ham's way. I have experienced many highs and even more lows since my first
game on New Year's Day 1983, when a certain Tony Cottee scored.
Anyway, to get back on track, the question posed on Twitter by @kumbdotcom
was: "What is it about the OS that made you not renew after 27 years as a
season ticket holder?"
I would like it to be know that from the start I was against any move from
Upton Park (sorry it will always be that to me and not the Boleyn) as it was
home and was where my Dad started my football education of pain and
suffering. However, following the truly magnificent experience of
London2012, I foolishly changed my views and backed the plan.
I suppose I might have been drawn into what the board was promising us ie. a
state of the art footballing arena; no more standing outside in the rain
waiting to get onto the platform; a new dawn for the club; a visual wrap
going around the arena; an amazing atmosphere; a ground to be proud of; easy
access to all amenities outside the ground/surrounding area etc. I could go
on and on.
The last game at Upton Park came and went and i was actually looking forward
to stepping foot in the new home of West Ham Utd London. When I stepped into
the arena it was one of those "wow!" moments, like when I entered Cardiff
and Wembley stadiums for the first time.
Then i looked down to see the gaping space between the stands and the pitch
- although my seat is ok, a Band 4 which my friends reluctantly agree it's
better than their Band 1 seats. It's so vast I swear I actually saw a mass
migration of wilderbeast at one game.
This has to have an impact on the players, especially coming from such a
close-knit ground where in the good old days the opposition would be pulled
into the crowd when taking a throw in. Unfortunately this will not change
for one simple reason - it is not a football stadium.
It made me laugh when the Board made a major fuss about the arena being
nominated as Stadium of the Year. This was followed by loads of told-you-so
tweets and other messages on social media. Though there was one key word
missing - "FOOTBALL" stadium.
There has been more atmosphere in the Emirates - and as you know, that's
saying something. Unfortunately this has not improved during the whole
season, singing Bubbles at the start of the game doesn't count. Though im
reliably informed that there was a good atmosphere at the Spurs game.
It soon became apparent that the club was doing everything on the cheap. For
example my friend tried to get a hot dog, only to be told "we have no hot
dog rolls, do you still want it?" Who on earth buys more dogs than rolls?
Then there were the obvious security issues. This was highlighted by the
mindless "buy one, get two free" Founders system, where non fans would get
priority over real fans. This was highlighted by the fact that these
founders either hadn't attended a match before or hadn't for some time.
The reason behind is simple... they acted like a scene out of The Firm (not
the Tom Cruise film, but the Gary Oldman one). It was then I started to feel
that this was not the club it once was. This then continued and I stopped
going.
I understand that the club needed to move on to grow. But is has been
fuelled by lies. Can't extend Upton Park because of the bus garage? Fib. The
infrastructure will be second to none? A bigger fib as it's worse than Upton
Park. The digital wrap will go around the whole ground? What a whopper. Fans
consulted on the new badge? I must have missed that one as well.
I will always be a fan of WHU - not WHU London - but no longer class myself
as a supporter and I'm looking forward spending my Saturdays watching a bit
of non-league football to try and rekindle my love for the game (and perhaps
taking up the occasional betfair free bet offer).
One thing is for certain - I will not be stepping foot inside the
multi-purpose sporting arena again.
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.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Randolph a winner despite blunder
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's reserve goalkeeper Darren Randolph was on the winning side
last night as the Republic of Ireland beat Uruguay 3-1 in Dublin.
However the Hammers 'keeper was heavily criticised for making an error that
led to the South Americans' equaliser, after he failed to deal with a deep
cross.
Jonathan Walters put the hosts ahead with 28 minutes on the clock, only for
the visitors to restore parity ten minutes later after Randolph came out to
meet a free kick but was beaten to the ball by Jose Gimenez.
Fortunately Randolph's error failed to prove too costly, as goals from Cyrus
Christie and James McClean ensured the Republic ran out 3-1 winners ahead of
next week's World CUp qualifier against Austria.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham join Steve Mounie transfer race with Watford and West Brom
The 22-year-old Benin international forward scored 14 goals for French side
Montpellier this past season
The Mirror
BYDARREN LEWIS
22:30, 5 JUN 2017
West Ham are the latest Premier League club chasing £13million Montpellier
forward Steve Mounie. The 22-year-old Benin international, who scored 14
goals last season, is also a target for Watford boss Marco Silva and Tony
Pulis at West Brom . The Hornets are particularly interested, with M'Baye
Niang insistent that he wants to return to parent club AC Milan following
his loan spell at Vicarage Road.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM LEADING THE RACE FOR SEAN RAGGETT
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
readWestHam
Defensively, West Ham were poor this past season and leaked too many goals
and there's no doubt that Slaven Bilic should look to improve this area of
the pitch. The Hammers have been one of a number of Premier League and
Football League clubs looking to sign highly-rated Lincoln City centre-back
Sean Raggett this summer. According to the Express, West Ham are in pole
position to land the 23-year-old defender who caught the eye for the Imps
this season as they secured promotion back to the Football League and
reached the FA Cup quarter-final. West Ham have already seen a £125,000
offer turned down by the League Two outfit for their star defender while
both Peterborough and Oxford United have had bids in the region of £250,000
rejected. Raggett has a release clause in his contract which stands at
£350,000 which would need to be met in full before Lincoln would allow him
to leave the club this summer. Both Norwich and West Brom are also strongly
considering bids for the defender who is seen as a signing for the future.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham wonderkid hints at loan move away after David Gold's recent
comments
The Hammers defender has had an impressive rise through the ranks
Football London
BYADAM JONES
12:30, 5 JUN 2017
Declan Rice has said that he is open to a loan move away from West Ham for
the upcoming season if it were to help his development.
The youngster has enjoyed a seriously impressive rise through the ranks with
the Hammers - being named the club's Young Hammer of the Year after a
briilliant campaign. The 18-year-old, who made his senior debut against
Burnley at Turf Moor last month, has admitted that his confidence has taken
a massive boost this season - and that he would be open to leaving on loan.
He told the West Ham official website: "I was a bit nervous going into the
U23s. It was nerve-wracking coming on as a sub last year, trying to show
what you can do in the minutes you get. "This season, it's been totally
different. I've been going into U23 games knowing that I'm going to play
well. I think that I have solved that problem this season – I have achieved
good things in the U23s. "So, obviously we'll see what happens, but it might
be my time to go out on loan next season and have a good challenge while
getting senior experience."
Rice has also been talking about the awards that his incredible season has
earned him - and stated that he would love to follow in Mark Noble's
footsteps at West Ham United. "Being Ireland's U17 Player of the Year this
year after getting the Dylan Tombides award the year before – it's been
amazing," Rice added. "Some big names have won the award before, like Nobes
earlier in his career. The guys who have won it in the past have gone on to
have good careers, too, and Nobes has played 400 games for the Club.
"Hopefully I can make my mark in a similar way to him. I have always wanted
my career to be here since joining from Chelsea. My heart has been with West
Ham every day since then, and that feeling is always growing."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Southampton in contention for West Ham's Robert Snodgrass
HITC
Shane Callaghan
Southampton are seemingly in contention to sign the West Ham United man,
according to the bookies. According to Ladbrokes, Southampton are among
those in contention to sign West Ham United midfielder Robert Snodgrass. The
popular bookmaker has installed Southampton as 7/1 third favourites to bring
the Scotland international to the South Coast this summer. Claude Puel's
side have the same odds as Stoke City, while Brighton and Hove Albion (5/2)
and West Bromwich Albion (5/1) are first and second favourites. The
29-year-old has had a tough time of it in recent months after sealing a £10
million move to West Ham back in January. But the former Hull City man,
brought in to replace Dimitri Payet, has struggled to justify such a
transfer fee, failing to score in any of his 15 Premier League appearances
for the Hammers - eight of which were from the start.
It certainly seems like the Irons will cut their losses and offload the
ex-Leeds star but it remains to be seen where he will end up.
Southampton could be a good move for him if he can relocate the spark and
energy which secured him a big-money switch to the London outfit in the
first place.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham sign being dismantled as London Stadium prepares for IAAF World
Championships
KEN DYER
Evening Standard
The giant West Ham sign on top of the London Stadium is being dismantled
this week as the venue is re-converted to athletics in time for the IAAF
World Championships in August. Work commenced today to take down the sign.
It will be stored along with other branding and signage, before being
re-installed after the World Athletics Championships which finish on 13
August, a day after the start of the new Premier League season.
West Ham meanwhile, are set to play their first three matches away from
home, while the stadium is returned to its former condition, including the
re-erection of temporary seating over the athletics track. The one-off
obligation to have a 'clean stadium', both for the World Para Athletics
Championships from July 23-14 and the World Athletics Championships from
August 4 -13, was part of the concession agreement in 2013 to embrace the
stadium's athletics legacy following the Olympic Games there. The club's
store and ticket office will however remain open throughout the summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United should keep Havard Nordtveit
HITC
Shane Callaghan
The West Ham United man is linked with a return to Germany, but Slaven Bilic
should keep him. Kicker reported at the weekend that three Bundesliga clubs
are willing to sign West Ham United's Havard Nordtveit. According to the
German outlet, Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg are interested in
signing the Norwegian midfielder, who spent five successful years with
Borussia Monchengladbach prior to joining the Hammers for free last summer.
Hoffenheim, in particular, are very much a club on the up after qualifying
for the Champions League and if they're genuinely interested then perhaps it
is the wake-up call that Slaven Bilic needs. They enter into the preliminary
stages, where a huge financial bonus awaits if they reach the group stages.
If Nordtveit is on their radar then the former Besiktas coach must wonder if
he is missing something.
The 26-year-old is not a hugely popular figure among West Ham fans following
a very unspectacular first season with the Londoners. In fact, many
supporters struggle to forgive him after conceding a last-minute penalty in
the 3-2 defeat away to Tottenham in the first half of the campaign, after
coming on as a substitute. But the fact of the matter is that the former
Arsenal youth got very few chances to impress in defensive midfield.
Instead, Bilic used him as a makeshift right-back and he admittedly did not
cover himself in glory in what was clearly an uncomfortable role for him.
With Pedro Obiang impressing in central midfield, it is hard to blame Bilic
for not using him there, but The Mirror reported at the weekend that Everton
are keen on bringing in the Spaniard - a potential departure which could
pave the way for Nordtveit to stake a claim as the Irons' anchorman. He has
not been given a fair crack of the whip in London and it would be a shame
for the Croat to sell him without giving the Norway international a platform
in which to showcase his talent, because there is clearly something there.
With over 150 Bundesliga appearances, Nordtveit, who left Monchengladbach as
captain and is one of the few West Ham men to hold Champions League
experience, is obviously a talented footballer and Bilic can't sell him
until he knows for certain that he isn't good enough.
Having also been a free transfer, the Hammers have very little to lose by
keeping him, but a lot to potentially gain - if he is given a fair chance.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Three clubs want West Ham United's Havard Nordtveit
HITC
Shane Callaghan
Havard Nordtveit struggled for West Ham United last term. According to
German outlet Kicker, three Bundesliga clubs are willing to offer Havard
Nordtveit a way out of West Ham United. The 26-year-old joined West Ham on a
Bosman last summer after his contract with Borussia Monchengladbach expired
but, despite being a very promising addition, failed to impress in his first
season under Slaven Bilic.
The Norwegian looked a fine talent at Gladbach, but Bilic played the
defensive midfielder - who can also operate in central defence - at
right-back for much of last season and it did very little for the ex-Arsenal
man. And according to Kicker, Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen are
willing to take him back to Germany this summer. It would be harsh to label
Nordtveit a failure based on last season, and many West Ham fans might
prefer if he was given one more campaign in his preferred position before
casting a judgement on him. He enjoyed six fruitful years at Monchengladbach
and perhaps there is enough talent there to justify another season with the
Hammers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham to make move for out-of-contract Bundesliga star - report
The Hammers are reportedlyinterested in the winger
Football London
BYROB GUEST
05:30, 5 JUN 2017
Reports suggest that West Ham could be set to make a move for Darmstadt
winger Marcel Heller ahead of the new Premier League season.
The player is out of contract with the German side following their
relegation from the Bundesliga and a number of clubs are reportedly keeping
tabs on Heller. Burnley, Antalyaspor and MLS side San Jose Earthquakes have
all been linked with a move for the German who looks increasingly likely to
move abroad. The 31-year-old, who can also play at left-back, has never
represented his country, although he has lined up alongside the likes of
Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil for the Under-21
side between 2007 and 2009. Heller, who won two consecutive promotions with
Darmstadt, played 34 games in all competitions last season and netted four
goals for Die Lilien.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM REPORTEDLY EYEING MOVE FOR DAMM
LUKE OSMAN @LukeOsmanRS
ReadestHam
West Ham are reportedly lining up a summer move for Tigres winger Jurgen
Damm, and have submitted a bid already. According to Liga MX based website
Univision, the Hammers have already made their move to sign the highly-rated
wide man and are keen to bolster their attacking options when the window
opens. It's claimed in the report that Slaven Bilic has lodged an offer
worth just £4 million, with the Croatian manager keen to land himself a
bargain to kick-start his side's summer spending. Damm has been a prominent
figure in Liga MX for some time now and has earned himself a reputation in
Mexico for his technical ability, with his pace and trickery causing
problems for Tigres' opposition. West Ham have lacked attacking flair
recently and would certainly benefit from a more unpredictable option on the
flanks. They'll be hoping to secure a move for the 24-year-old this summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Why On Earth Would Hammers Sell Pedro Obiang?
Submitted by nevillenixon on Sun, 04/06/2017 - 20:55
WestHamFans.org
'Cash rich' Everton are reportedly sniffing around for Pedro Obiang,
apparently they are not alone with AC Milan and Sevilla also interested in
luring the combative midfielder and defender to their clubs. Obiang has two
years left on his contract following his £4.3 Million transfer from
Sampdoria. Initially Obiang found himself more often as a squad player or a
bench warmer, but more recently became a permanent fixture in the starting
line up. Everton boss Ronald Koeman wants Obiang as a replacement for James
McCarthy and to provide support for Idrissa Gueye. 25 year old Obiang is in
his prime and although offers in excess of £15 Million have been mooted why
on earth would West Ham take the money in order to make a £10 Million profit
when they would then have to replace him with an insanely new money player?
Make no mistake, player values are going to sky rocket because of all the
extra TV money that will be swilling around, finding a player on a par to
Obiang would probably cost £25 Million, so once again why sell? It is not as
if the club needs the money!
Pedro Obiang finished runner up to Michail Antonio in this season's Hammer
of the Year award and his form did not go unnoticed on Merseyside or in
Italy and Obiang's homeland, but more importantly it did not go unnoticed at
The London Stadium by his manger Slaven Billic. - Ed
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, June 6
Monday, June 5
Daily WHUFC News - 5th June 2017
International round-up: Fonte's Portugal hit four in friendly win
WHUFC.com
Jose Fonte's Portugal warmed-up for their FIFA World Cup Qualifier against
Latvia in style by beating Cyprus 4-0 in a friendly on Saturday. West Ham
United defender Fonte, a UEFA Euro 2016 winner last summer, played the full
90 minutes in Estoril to earn his 23rd cap for Portugal. The result was
never in doubt once Joao Moutinho had fired Fernando Santos' men in front
with just three minutes played. Another goal for Monaco's Moutinho doubled
the advantage in the first half, before further goals from Pizzi and Andre
Silva rounded off the victory after half time. Portugal take on Latvia on
Friday night, looking for the win which would keep the pressure on Group B
leaders Switzerland.
Elsewhere on the international scene, Darren Randolph's Republic of Ireland
face Uruguay in a Dublin friendly on Sunday night, while Dan Kemp and
England U20 - already qualified for the semi-finals - take on Japan in their
final Toulon Tournament group fixture on Sunday afternoon.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll powered up by Hammers fans
WHUFC.com
Andy Carroll believes he and the Claret and Blue Army can forge a powerful
combination at London Stadium next season. The West Ham United centre
forward paid tribute to the Club's loyal and noisy fans for inspiring them
through a challenging 2016/17 campaign, pointing to the support they gave
during vital home wins over Crystal Palace, Swansea City and Tottenham
Hotspur this year. Carroll repaid that support with his unforgettable Goal
of the Season against Palace, when he took to the air to scissor-kick
Michail Antonio's cross high into the Eagles net to complete a 3-0 victory.
With the same combination working together next term, the No9 believes the
Hammers can turn London Stadium into a fortress. "London Stadium has
obviously got the potential to be one of the greatest in the league," said
Carroll, who announced this week that he is expecting a second child with
fiancée Billi Mucklow. "It takes time, like every new stadium, and hopefully
next season we will just build on it. "I thought the noise also gave the
lads an extra bit in our win over Spurs. The games we have won and played
really well were down to the noise fans getting behind us. You can hear it
on the pitch as well. "Not many people thought we could beat Spurs that
night. I'd like to think the West Ham fans thought we could, but a lot of
other football fans didn't, so it just shows the power the West Ham fans
have got, getting involved with the lads and helping us to turn games into
wins. "There is more to come from me personally, too. I need to stay clear
of everything and kick on."
Reflecting on his memorable strike against Crystal Palace, Carroll had no
hesitation in lauding the goal as the best of his professional career. The
big Geordie is no stranger to scoring memorable goals, but his acrobatic
effort in such an important home victory topped the lot, according to the
man himself. "I love watching that goal and I love people asking me when was
the last time I'd seen it!" Carroll smiled. "It's been a few days since I've
seen it, but I'm happy I won the award and it was a great goal and a great
win! "It's 100 per cent number one in my career. My first-ever goal has got
to be up there but, for quality, that's got to be the best goal I've ever
scored. We played really well and it was a tough game. We won 3-0 and
finished off in style and I was happy to score the best goal I've ever
scored!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
International round-up: Randolph's Ireland triumph against Uruguay
WHUFC.com
Darren Randolph started as the Republic of Ireland bounced back from their
midweek defeat to Mexico in style by beating Uruguay in Dublin on Sunday.
Having lost out by a 3-1 margin to Mexico in the United States, Ireland
triumphed by an identical margin on their return to the Aviva Stadium. The
West Ham United goalkeeper played 45 minutes - winning his 21st cap for
Ireland - to round-off the preparations for next Sunday's FIFA World Cup
Qualifier against Austria in style.
Jonathan Walters opened the scoring for the home side, and although Jose
Giminez levelled before half-time, further goals from Cyrus Christie and
James McClean gave Martin O'Neill's side victory.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Hammers youngster Dan Kemp was fouled for the penalty
which gave England U20s the lead in their final Toulon Tournament group
stage game against Japan. Starting for the second time in the tournament,
Kemp was brought down in the 25th minute, allowing George Hirst to fire the
Young Lions in front. Japan levelled in the second half, but England had the
last word, sealing a 2-1 victory thanks to Chelsea's Martell
Taylor-Crossdale. England now progress to the semi-finals, looking to win
this competition for the second year in succession.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
THE OXFORD LOAN
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 4 JUNE 2017 AT 9:02PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Steven McCarthy
I want to take a look at the exciting season loan move for Oxford to
Borussia Monchengladbach, now this is a move that has been met with some
anger and confusion on social media by some West Ham fans. But we need to
remember that this is a young man who won't turn 19 till December! We have
great expectations for the player and after the 2015's seasons domination of
Ozil at the Emirates, we perhaps expected too much in a short space of time.
Last year was a strange time for Oxford, as he found the previously unseen
talent of Obiang competing for, and rightly cementing a starting place.
Whilst Noble and Kouyate were never really going to be pushed down the
pecking order. Considering one is our captain and the other offering
consistent power, presence and work rate. Many fans, including myself
questioned Nordtveit's placement above him.
Before I go into whether I feel that was correct or not, I have heard that
Oxford's fitness was not that of a Premier League player at any point during
this season, and that many felt his attitude was questionable. But after a
Summer in which he was constantly linked with numerous top clubs,
realistically he was bound to have his head turned!
And in my opinion, any young man who has played in the Premier League is
bound to have an ego, but off the pitch Oxford differs for me, there were no
Grealish type stories of partying into the late hours before or after games
or any gas inhales out of rubber gloves.
I think this was simply a season where he was finding out the harsh
realities of a top level footballers career, it can be irreparably damaged
or ended in an instant, either through injuries, contract releases,
terminations or the simple act of making an out of placed tackle on a youth
team player…Luckily for Oxford though, he is a natural athlete, tall, strong
and displaying great technique and his potential is something that I don't
think was ever in question, even during his somewhat disappointing loan
spell with Reading.
The move to Germany is also something that we often complain that English
players do not do enough, play abroad. He would get the test of playing and
living in a totally new environment, language and culture, something that is
often understated in importance when players move. Simply understanding the
coaches, staff and other players is a big challenge without that core
English base around him! Oxford would find himself in a Gladbach side that
finished 9th last season, whilst playing a young and energetic side week in,
week out. They are currently seeing the departure of Andreas Christensen
back to Chelsea, a young Defender who also offered similar versatility as
Oxford.
The German League is possibly the League within Europe that best mirrors our
own. Teams like Bayern, Dortmund and the emerging forces of RB Leipzig that
make up the top tier teams. And then the rest of the sides are constantly
battling it out to finish just below them, with Leverkusen, Gladbach and
Schalke all recently having competed in Europe.
However the German League is miles ahead of us in a couple of worrying ways,
youth systems, nutrition and the overall standard of coaching for their
first teams, reserves and youth sides is second to none! From top to bottom,
not only is the standard incredibly high, but players are regularly
challenged in new and varying passing, techniques and ball control drills.
Sides are also continually implementing new technology and sport science
advancements into the setups – this is possibly best displayed in Dortmund's
incredible "Footbonaut" training room (no I am not making that name up!) –
Best described as a 4 sided training grid on a small surface area of pitch,
balls are fired into the middle from any of the 4 sides, testing reaction
times and ball control of the player, whilst a panel at varying positions
lights up to be the players target! These are only advancements on training
methods and techniques that have been used for years, and they signify just
how innovative the Germans are in the area of coaching. And I feel this
will be one of the very best ways for us to see the best possible Oxford in
the future!
Now I am curious to see how many fans agree or disagree with me on this, but
one of the reasons I favour this move for Oxford is that I am rather
optimistic about Nordtveit getting another season with us. He found himself
regularly played out of position at right back in a very poorly performing
side, and against Swansea I thought we saw his first good game! However
when given the chance to play in his preferred position against the likes of
Stoke and Everton in the centre of the park, I felt he really shone. Now
granted, these were only a few performances, but I do feel that he can
really offer us something next season and considering he was a free signing,
we have very little to lose by giving him more time.
And should he not, then hopefully next season we have a much improved Oxford
to step in"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Jose Fonte's Portugal warmed-up for their FIFA World Cup Qualifier against
Latvia in style by beating Cyprus 4-0 in a friendly on Saturday. West Ham
United defender Fonte, a UEFA Euro 2016 winner last summer, played the full
90 minutes in Estoril to earn his 23rd cap for Portugal. The result was
never in doubt once Joao Moutinho had fired Fernando Santos' men in front
with just three minutes played. Another goal for Monaco's Moutinho doubled
the advantage in the first half, before further goals from Pizzi and Andre
Silva rounded off the victory after half time. Portugal take on Latvia on
Friday night, looking for the win which would keep the pressure on Group B
leaders Switzerland.
Elsewhere on the international scene, Darren Randolph's Republic of Ireland
face Uruguay in a Dublin friendly on Sunday night, while Dan Kemp and
England U20 - already qualified for the semi-finals - take on Japan in their
final Toulon Tournament group fixture on Sunday afternoon.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll powered up by Hammers fans
WHUFC.com
Andy Carroll believes he and the Claret and Blue Army can forge a powerful
combination at London Stadium next season. The West Ham United centre
forward paid tribute to the Club's loyal and noisy fans for inspiring them
through a challenging 2016/17 campaign, pointing to the support they gave
during vital home wins over Crystal Palace, Swansea City and Tottenham
Hotspur this year. Carroll repaid that support with his unforgettable Goal
of the Season against Palace, when he took to the air to scissor-kick
Michail Antonio's cross high into the Eagles net to complete a 3-0 victory.
With the same combination working together next term, the No9 believes the
Hammers can turn London Stadium into a fortress. "London Stadium has
obviously got the potential to be one of the greatest in the league," said
Carroll, who announced this week that he is expecting a second child with
fiancée Billi Mucklow. "It takes time, like every new stadium, and hopefully
next season we will just build on it. "I thought the noise also gave the
lads an extra bit in our win over Spurs. The games we have won and played
really well were down to the noise fans getting behind us. You can hear it
on the pitch as well. "Not many people thought we could beat Spurs that
night. I'd like to think the West Ham fans thought we could, but a lot of
other football fans didn't, so it just shows the power the West Ham fans
have got, getting involved with the lads and helping us to turn games into
wins. "There is more to come from me personally, too. I need to stay clear
of everything and kick on."
Reflecting on his memorable strike against Crystal Palace, Carroll had no
hesitation in lauding the goal as the best of his professional career. The
big Geordie is no stranger to scoring memorable goals, but his acrobatic
effort in such an important home victory topped the lot, according to the
man himself. "I love watching that goal and I love people asking me when was
the last time I'd seen it!" Carroll smiled. "It's been a few days since I've
seen it, but I'm happy I won the award and it was a great goal and a great
win! "It's 100 per cent number one in my career. My first-ever goal has got
to be up there but, for quality, that's got to be the best goal I've ever
scored. We played really well and it was a tough game. We won 3-0 and
finished off in style and I was happy to score the best goal I've ever
scored!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
International round-up: Randolph's Ireland triumph against Uruguay
WHUFC.com
Darren Randolph started as the Republic of Ireland bounced back from their
midweek defeat to Mexico in style by beating Uruguay in Dublin on Sunday.
Having lost out by a 3-1 margin to Mexico in the United States, Ireland
triumphed by an identical margin on their return to the Aviva Stadium. The
West Ham United goalkeeper played 45 minutes - winning his 21st cap for
Ireland - to round-off the preparations for next Sunday's FIFA World Cup
Qualifier against Austria in style.
Jonathan Walters opened the scoring for the home side, and although Jose
Giminez levelled before half-time, further goals from Cyrus Christie and
James McClean gave Martin O'Neill's side victory.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Hammers youngster Dan Kemp was fouled for the penalty
which gave England U20s the lead in their final Toulon Tournament group
stage game against Japan. Starting for the second time in the tournament,
Kemp was brought down in the 25th minute, allowing George Hirst to fire the
Young Lions in front. Japan levelled in the second half, but England had the
last word, sealing a 2-1 victory thanks to Chelsea's Martell
Taylor-Crossdale. England now progress to the semi-finals, looking to win
this competition for the second year in succession.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
THE OXFORD LOAN
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 4 JUNE 2017 AT 9:02PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Steven McCarthy
I want to take a look at the exciting season loan move for Oxford to
Borussia Monchengladbach, now this is a move that has been met with some
anger and confusion on social media by some West Ham fans. But we need to
remember that this is a young man who won't turn 19 till December! We have
great expectations for the player and after the 2015's seasons domination of
Ozil at the Emirates, we perhaps expected too much in a short space of time.
Last year was a strange time for Oxford, as he found the previously unseen
talent of Obiang competing for, and rightly cementing a starting place.
Whilst Noble and Kouyate were never really going to be pushed down the
pecking order. Considering one is our captain and the other offering
consistent power, presence and work rate. Many fans, including myself
questioned Nordtveit's placement above him.
Before I go into whether I feel that was correct or not, I have heard that
Oxford's fitness was not that of a Premier League player at any point during
this season, and that many felt his attitude was questionable. But after a
Summer in which he was constantly linked with numerous top clubs,
realistically he was bound to have his head turned!
And in my opinion, any young man who has played in the Premier League is
bound to have an ego, but off the pitch Oxford differs for me, there were no
Grealish type stories of partying into the late hours before or after games
or any gas inhales out of rubber gloves.
I think this was simply a season where he was finding out the harsh
realities of a top level footballers career, it can be irreparably damaged
or ended in an instant, either through injuries, contract releases,
terminations or the simple act of making an out of placed tackle on a youth
team player…Luckily for Oxford though, he is a natural athlete, tall, strong
and displaying great technique and his potential is something that I don't
think was ever in question, even during his somewhat disappointing loan
spell with Reading.
The move to Germany is also something that we often complain that English
players do not do enough, play abroad. He would get the test of playing and
living in a totally new environment, language and culture, something that is
often understated in importance when players move. Simply understanding the
coaches, staff and other players is a big challenge without that core
English base around him! Oxford would find himself in a Gladbach side that
finished 9th last season, whilst playing a young and energetic side week in,
week out. They are currently seeing the departure of Andreas Christensen
back to Chelsea, a young Defender who also offered similar versatility as
Oxford.
The German League is possibly the League within Europe that best mirrors our
own. Teams like Bayern, Dortmund and the emerging forces of RB Leipzig that
make up the top tier teams. And then the rest of the sides are constantly
battling it out to finish just below them, with Leverkusen, Gladbach and
Schalke all recently having competed in Europe.
However the German League is miles ahead of us in a couple of worrying ways,
youth systems, nutrition and the overall standard of coaching for their
first teams, reserves and youth sides is second to none! From top to bottom,
not only is the standard incredibly high, but players are regularly
challenged in new and varying passing, techniques and ball control drills.
Sides are also continually implementing new technology and sport science
advancements into the setups – this is possibly best displayed in Dortmund's
incredible "Footbonaut" training room (no I am not making that name up!) –
Best described as a 4 sided training grid on a small surface area of pitch,
balls are fired into the middle from any of the 4 sides, testing reaction
times and ball control of the player, whilst a panel at varying positions
lights up to be the players target! These are only advancements on training
methods and techniques that have been used for years, and they signify just
how innovative the Germans are in the area of coaching. And I feel this
will be one of the very best ways for us to see the best possible Oxford in
the future!
Now I am curious to see how many fans agree or disagree with me on this, but
one of the reasons I favour this move for Oxford is that I am rather
optimistic about Nordtveit getting another season with us. He found himself
regularly played out of position at right back in a very poorly performing
side, and against Swansea I thought we saw his first good game! However
when given the chance to play in his preferred position against the likes of
Stoke and Everton in the centre of the park, I felt he really shone. Now
granted, these were only a few performances, but I do feel that he can
really offer us something next season and considering he was a free signing,
we have very little to lose by giving him more time.
And should he not, then hopefully next season we have a much improved Oxford
to step in"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Sunday, June 4
Daily WHUFC News - 4th June 2017
Collins - I want to play until I'm 40!
WHUFC.com
James Collins is aiming to emulate his former West Ham United teammate Teddy
Sheringham and play on until he is 40! The Hammers centre-back may be 33,
but he ended 2016/17 in superb form, inspiring Slaven Bilic's side to a run
of one defeat and four clean sheets in their final seven matches. Having
ended the season on 199 appearances in Claret and Blue, the veteran defender
is looking forward to adding to that tally next term. "I got back in the
team towards the end of the season and it went well," he confirmed. "We
picked up some points and managed to get safe and I was pleased with my own
form. "I feel better now than I ever have, to be honest. I'm 33 and feel
like I can play until… who knows? I played with Teddy Sheringham until he
was 40! "I am playing well at the minute, I feel fit, I look after myself
and try and keep up with the young lads as much as I can."
Collins also believes West Ham's strong finish to last season will stand
them in good stead when the Premier League kicks-off again in August. With a
full six-week pre-season to prepare for the new campaign and experienced
Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta already signed up for next season, the
Wales international believes the Hammers can make their mark in 2017/18.
"I've been in the game a long time now and I know that if you can finish one
season quickly, you normally start the next one well, and we finished with a
win and on a decent little run," the No19 observed. Another positive is
that the Hammers will be fully settled into their London Stadium home,
having played there 25 times in their maiden season on Queen Elizabeth
Olympic Park. The players and fans will also be able to draw on the memories
of unforgettable wins over Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur last term, with
Collins citing the atmosphere created by the Claret and Blue Army as playing
a major role in both victories. "I was speaking to Nobes [Mark Noble] about
it after the Spurs game and that, as well as the Chelsea night in the EFL
Cup there, it needed a night or two like that to create a bit of history at
the new stadium," Collins observed. "Now people can look back and have some
good memories, and I think they will start things off and you'll see a
different team here next season. "If you look at our home games, the two
best atmospheres were for Chelsea and Tottenham at home and we've beaten
them both, so it just shows you how big a help the fans are and they were
there for us all season. Hopefully the way we finished the season paid them
back a bit."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Everton keen on West Ham midfielder Pedro Obiang but would have to pay at
least £15m
AC Milan and Sevilla have also shown an interest in the 25-year-old but it
is Everton who lead the chase
The Mirror
BYTOM HOPKINSON
17:00, 3 JUN 2017
Everton boss Ronald Koeman is keen on West Ham midfielder Pedro Obiang. The
Dutchman wants Obiang as a replacement for James McCarthy and to provide
support for Idrissa Gueye. AC Milan and Sevilla have also shown an interest
in the 25-year-old but it is Everton who lead the chase. West Ham would like
to extend Obiang's deal, which has two years left to run. But an offer in
excess of £15million would see them turn a huge profit on a player for whom
they paid Sampdoria £4.3m two years ago. Obiang finished runner-up to
Michail Antonio in this season's Hammer of the Year award and his form did
not go unnoticed on Merseyside or in Italy and Obiang's homeland.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Three Bundesliga clubs want West Ham defender to return to Germany - report
Havard Nordtveit's time at West Ham appears to be up
Football London
BYKEVIN BEIRNE
06:00, 4 JUN 2017
Three top Bundesliga teams are hoping to tempt West Ham defender Havard
Nordtveit back to Germany. Nordtveit joined the Hammers last summer on a
free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach but has failed to tie down a
starting berth during his time at the London Stadium. According to German
publication Kicker, the Norwegian may be given the chance for an immediate
return to Germany as Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg are all
tracking his situation and considering bids for the defender. Hoffenheim
are said to be leading the chase as they search for someone to fill the
number six role and are intrigued by Nordtveit's ability to play both in
defence and midfield. Despite his struggles at West Ham, Nordtveit still
enjoys a strong reputation in Germany thanks to his five years at
Monchengladbach.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
James Collins is aiming to emulate his former West Ham United teammate Teddy
Sheringham and play on until he is 40! The Hammers centre-back may be 33,
but he ended 2016/17 in superb form, inspiring Slaven Bilic's side to a run
of one defeat and four clean sheets in their final seven matches. Having
ended the season on 199 appearances in Claret and Blue, the veteran defender
is looking forward to adding to that tally next term. "I got back in the
team towards the end of the season and it went well," he confirmed. "We
picked up some points and managed to get safe and I was pleased with my own
form. "I feel better now than I ever have, to be honest. I'm 33 and feel
like I can play until… who knows? I played with Teddy Sheringham until he
was 40! "I am playing well at the minute, I feel fit, I look after myself
and try and keep up with the young lads as much as I can."
Collins also believes West Ham's strong finish to last season will stand
them in good stead when the Premier League kicks-off again in August. With a
full six-week pre-season to prepare for the new campaign and experienced
Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta already signed up for next season, the
Wales international believes the Hammers can make their mark in 2017/18.
"I've been in the game a long time now and I know that if you can finish one
season quickly, you normally start the next one well, and we finished with a
win and on a decent little run," the No19 observed. Another positive is
that the Hammers will be fully settled into their London Stadium home,
having played there 25 times in their maiden season on Queen Elizabeth
Olympic Park. The players and fans will also be able to draw on the memories
of unforgettable wins over Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur last term, with
Collins citing the atmosphere created by the Claret and Blue Army as playing
a major role in both victories. "I was speaking to Nobes [Mark Noble] about
it after the Spurs game and that, as well as the Chelsea night in the EFL
Cup there, it needed a night or two like that to create a bit of history at
the new stadium," Collins observed. "Now people can look back and have some
good memories, and I think they will start things off and you'll see a
different team here next season. "If you look at our home games, the two
best atmospheres were for Chelsea and Tottenham at home and we've beaten
them both, so it just shows you how big a help the fans are and they were
there for us all season. Hopefully the way we finished the season paid them
back a bit."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Everton keen on West Ham midfielder Pedro Obiang but would have to pay at
least £15m
AC Milan and Sevilla have also shown an interest in the 25-year-old but it
is Everton who lead the chase
The Mirror
BYTOM HOPKINSON
17:00, 3 JUN 2017
Everton boss Ronald Koeman is keen on West Ham midfielder Pedro Obiang. The
Dutchman wants Obiang as a replacement for James McCarthy and to provide
support for Idrissa Gueye. AC Milan and Sevilla have also shown an interest
in the 25-year-old but it is Everton who lead the chase. West Ham would like
to extend Obiang's deal, which has two years left to run. But an offer in
excess of £15million would see them turn a huge profit on a player for whom
they paid Sampdoria £4.3m two years ago. Obiang finished runner-up to
Michail Antonio in this season's Hammer of the Year award and his form did
not go unnoticed on Merseyside or in Italy and Obiang's homeland.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Three Bundesliga clubs want West Ham defender to return to Germany - report
Havard Nordtveit's time at West Ham appears to be up
Football London
BYKEVIN BEIRNE
06:00, 4 JUN 2017
Three top Bundesliga teams are hoping to tempt West Ham defender Havard
Nordtveit back to Germany. Nordtveit joined the Hammers last summer on a
free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach but has failed to tie down a
starting berth during his time at the London Stadium. According to German
publication Kicker, the Norwegian may be given the chance for an immediate
return to Germany as Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg are all
tracking his situation and considering bids for the defender. Hoffenheim
are said to be leading the chase as they search for someone to fill the
number six role and are intrigued by Nordtveit's ability to play both in
defence and midfield. Despite his struggles at West Ham, Nordtveit still
enjoys a strong reputation in Germany thanks to his five years at
Monchengladbach.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Saturday, June 3
Daily WHUFC News - 3rd June 2017
International round-up: Fernandes stars in Switzerland win
WHUFC.com
Edimilson Fernandes won his second senior cap for Switzerland as Vladimir
Petkovic's men defeated Belarus 1-0 on Thursday. Switzerland's friendly win
came courtesy of a ninth minute goal from Stoke City's Xherdan Shaqiri, as
they warmed up for their FIFA World Cup Qualifier against the Faroe Islands
in the best possible way. Fernandes played 65 minutes, starting alongside
former Hammer Valon Behrami in Neuchatel as the Swiss gained a sixth
consecutive win.
After making his first senior international start, the midfielder was
naturally delighted, and said: "I think I can say that it went well. I am
satisfied. "[Playing on the right] isn't my normal position, but I felt
comfortable. I have got used to this position, even though it is not
necessarily mine. "I always feel good here, with the Swiss team, and
everything is really positive for me at the moment."
Darren Randolph was also in international action on Thursday, starting in
the Republic of Ireland's 3-1 defeat to Mexico in New Jersey. Ireland found
themselves 3-0 down inside 54 minutes in the friendly match, with Stephen
Gleeson notching a late consolation. It represented Randolph's 20th
international cap, and Ireland have further matches against Uruguay and
Austria later this month.
Meanwhile, Dan Kemp was an unused substitute as England U20s sealed their
place in the Toulon Tournament's semi-finals with a 7-1 win against Cuba.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
TRANSFER WINDOW: WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT?
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 2 JUNE 2017 AT 10:11PM
TheWestTamWay.co.uk
This is written by Elliott Sheaf (@topcornermag on twitter and
topcornermagazine.com)
It's strange to think that, at the time of writing, the final game of the
Premier League season was over only a week or so ago. It already feels at
least a month past, so keen was I to forget such an underwhelming campaign
perhaps, but also because silly season is in full swing and we start to look
forward to a fresh start come August.
We have already completed one pretty nifty looking deal with the signing of
Pablo Zabaleta on a free and have been rumoured to be making initial bids in
the endless search for any overpriced striker who can withstand a brisk
breeze. However in my daily trawl of social media for a sniff of potential
transfer activity, I am constantly shocked at the amount of fans expecting
us to be spending bigger than ever this summer, as if the problem all along
has been lack of financial backing from the board.
The reason this surprises me so much, is due to an article I recently wrote
for my football magazine (shameless plug for Top Corner Magazine), in which
I researched any financial and transfer information I could find from last
season and compared against each teams eventual finish to see if there was
any correlation. As a West Ham fan and season ticket holder, what I found in
relation to us was a little surprising…
Last season our transfer net spend (transfers in minus transfers out) was
6th highest in the league, hardly a club not being backed financially,
whilst our wage bill and club turnover was 8th highest. Taking in to account
all other clubs averages, my admittedly simple maths shows that a finish
somewhere between 6th and 8th not only would have been realistic, but should
have been expected.
One way of looking at this could be that come the end of the season we were
only a couple of points short of this target, so overall it wasn't a bad
achievement considering the myriad of off the field problems and move away
from Upton Park. I think I see it a little differently however, considering
the lack of quality outside the top 6 and that my research showed we were
one of the biggest underachievers last year in comparison to our finances
(third behind Sunderland and Middlesbrough).
My point being, the problem last season wasn't that the Dave's weren't
stumping up the cash, it's that we bought utter shite at inflated prices.
The signings of Snodgrass and Fonte were symbolic of this, although the
latter did improve after we reverted to three at the back, and I'm sure we'd
all rather forget Zaza and Calleri even if only loans.
It's undeniable that we need at least one centre forward this window, and
possibly another attacking midfielder to replace the hopefully departing
Snodgrass (Ryad Boudebouz anyone?), but beyond this I'm hoping for a quiet
window and a rethink of the club transfer philosophy. We have enough depth
and cover within our ever improving youth system, especially at the back, so
no need for another influx of new players thrown at the wall in hope that
some of the shit sticks.
The transfer window can be a frustrating time for a hammer, which isn't
helped by promises from the board of mega deals and media attention beyond
most other clubs our size, but I think this year we should be more grounded
in our expectation compared to last. I'm happy to build slowly, as long as
we're building something.
That's the last I will be thinking about the 2016/17 season I hope, I
already can't wait for next year where an uninterrupted pre-season and a few
sensible buys will make the world of difference.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SLAVEN BILIC IS MOST CERTAINLY THE MAN FOR THE JOB!!
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 2 JUNE 2017 AT 10:24PM
TheWestTamWay.co.uk
Written by Fareham Hammer @farehamhammer
He's the man, he's the man, he's the man, Slaven Bilic most certainly is
West Ham's man and so he should be! Whether we like him or his style of
football or not, Sam Allardyce did an incredible job as manager of West Ham.
When Allardyce arrived at The Club we had just been relegated. We were like
a boxer who had been knocked out, totally demoralised. Out for the count!
Allardyce with the help of Kevin Nolan, picked The Club up by the proverbial
jockstraps and stabilized them. He changed the mentality of The Club.
Big Sam's spell in charge of us, reminded me so much of George Graham's
spell at Arsenal. Like West Ham, Arsenal were virtually down and out at the
time of Graham's arrival. George Graham set about making Arsenal difficult
to beat. The football bored the pants of the supporters, Arsenal became very
difficult to beat. Often drawing matches or grinding out ugly 1-0 wins.
Hence the cry from the Arsenal Supporters at the time of "1-0 to The
Arsenal" "It was George Graham", who laid the foundations for the "sexy
football", which Arsenal became so associated with under Arsene Wenger. It
took Wenger three or four seasons, till he got Arsenal to really turn on the
style of football, which was so pleasing to the eye. Not just to Arsenal
Fans but to neutrals as well.
The reason why it took Wenger time to turn things round totally, was because
some players who played for Graham, were not suitable for the style of
football he wanted to play. Bit by bit, he moved players on and brought
others in. Till he got the perfect balance, enabling him to deliver the sexy
football he so craved. I believe Slaven Bilic is in the exactly the same
position as Arsene Wegner found himself in at Arsenal, when he took over. He
knows EXACTLY what players and style of football he wants. But he is going
to take another season or so, before he can deliver the football he so
desires on a regular basis. Football on the deck, flowing inventive
football-football the West Ham Way.
Some will say at times last season, the football was as dire as when Big Sam
was in charge. True! But that was down to a few factors. Losing the hugely
creative influence of Payet and a mass of injuries. As a result we did not
have enough players left in the squad, who could play football, the way
Slaven Bilic loves to play. Some will say I'm biased, as far as the hugely
charismatic Bilic is concerned. That does not mean that I think he has not
got any faults, he has which I will get to in a minute.
Let's face it his first season was something dreams are made of. Slaven
Bilic, arrived at the club, with a reputation of playing sexy football.
Largely due to the wonderful football his Croatian team played while he
managed them. Being an ex-player of the club, he had an advantage over
someone who had no previous connection with us. As fans were always more
likely to be patient with one of their own. Well that first season will
forever live with me. Winning at Manchester City, Arsenal and at Liverpool!
For God sake!! The last time West Ham had beaten Liverpool in ANY game at
Anfield was 1963. When The Beatles produced their first album, Bob Dylan
produced his classic, Blowing in The Wind and President John Kennedy was
assassinated. Many of us were not even born them! Living the dream?? Tell me
about it!
The second season was always going to be a tough ask. We had the move to The
London Stadium, Payet causing huge unrest, injuries and a poor transfer
window did not help things. Then there was Bilic's, disastrous attempts at
playing Antonio at right back, at times taking too long to make
substitutions and then getting his tactics wrong. No he did not lose the
dressing room and the rest! He made mistakes! He is HUMAN! Do you know what
the beauty of it all is? Slaven Bilic unlike Sam Allardyce, is not
egotistical and acknowledges his mistakes and learns from them. A very
humble man is our Slaven. Although not a soft touch as Morgan Amalifanto and
Alvaro Arbeloa found out. There is only one king of the West Ham jungle and
that is Slaven Bilic. Last season was a tough one for everybody associated
with The Club. Bilic, players, The Board and of course us the fans. "What
does not break you makes you stronger in life". I'm certain that will be the
case with West Ham, cool heads are required. We are in good hands with the
man, the man, the man… West Ham man Slaven Bilic. We are more than a
football club, we're a way of life!
COYI!!
Farehamhammer!!!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sheringham set for management return
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 2nd June 2017
By: Staff Writer
Former Hammer Teddy Sheringham is set to return to management.
Sheringham, now, 51, is odd-on to be announced as the new manager of Swindon
Town imminently, according to BBC Radio 5 Live's Ian Dennis.
He will effectively replace former boss Luke Williams as manager of the
Wilshire-based club, who resigned last month following Swindon's relegation
to League Two.
Sheringham's only previous managerial stint was an ill-fated one at
Stevenage between 2015 and 2016.
The former England international was sacked after just nine months at the
helm following a poor run of results in which The Boro took just three
points from a possible 24.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham set to loan Reece Oxford to Borussia Monchengladbach for a year to
gain more first-team experience
Teenager seen as a big part of the Hammers' future will spend a season in
the Bundesliga
The Mirror
BYJOHN CROSS
22:30, 2 JUN 2017
West Ham's Reece Oxford is joining Borussia Monchengladbach on a season-long
loan. The England prospect, 18, is going to Germany to help his development
as manager Slaven Bilic sees the versatile defender as a big part of the
Hammers ' future. Oxford has found his opportunities limited at West Ham
despite signing a long-term deal. After a disappointing loan spell at
Championship playoff finalists Reading saw him make just five league
appearances, they want to see him go out and get more games under his belt.
Classy Oxford can also play in midfield, and the hope is the Bundesliga
experience will boost his chances of becoming a first-team regular for his
parent club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham ready to fight Newcastle and Watford over transfer of Kamil
Grosicki from relegated Hull
The Tigers are prepared to part with Poland winger they signed in January if
they can recoup the £7.7million he cost
The Mirror
BYBILL COOPER
22:30, 2 JUN 2017
West Ham have joined Watford and newly-promoted Newcastle in the £7.7million
chase for Hull's Kamil Grosicki. Poland international Grosicki wants to
continue playing in the Premier League, and the relegated Tigers will strike
a deal if they can recoup the fee they paid French side Rennes for him five
months ago.
New Hornets boss Marco Silva, who signed Grosicki for the Yorkshire club,
wants the 28-year-old to follow him to Vicarage Road and is ready to pay the
price Hull are asking. But so, too, is Toon chief Rafa Benitez, who is
looking to strengthen his squad following their first time return to the top
flight. And now Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has targeted Grosicki as he bids
to strengthen his wide midfield options. Bilic feels he needs another winger
- despite having former Hull star Robert Snodgrass, Andre Ayew and Michail
Antonio, who can all operate down the flanks.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Edimilson Fernandes won his second senior cap for Switzerland as Vladimir
Petkovic's men defeated Belarus 1-0 on Thursday. Switzerland's friendly win
came courtesy of a ninth minute goal from Stoke City's Xherdan Shaqiri, as
they warmed up for their FIFA World Cup Qualifier against the Faroe Islands
in the best possible way. Fernandes played 65 minutes, starting alongside
former Hammer Valon Behrami in Neuchatel as the Swiss gained a sixth
consecutive win.
After making his first senior international start, the midfielder was
naturally delighted, and said: "I think I can say that it went well. I am
satisfied. "[Playing on the right] isn't my normal position, but I felt
comfortable. I have got used to this position, even though it is not
necessarily mine. "I always feel good here, with the Swiss team, and
everything is really positive for me at the moment."
Darren Randolph was also in international action on Thursday, starting in
the Republic of Ireland's 3-1 defeat to Mexico in New Jersey. Ireland found
themselves 3-0 down inside 54 minutes in the friendly match, with Stephen
Gleeson notching a late consolation. It represented Randolph's 20th
international cap, and Ireland have further matches against Uruguay and
Austria later this month.
Meanwhile, Dan Kemp was an unused substitute as England U20s sealed their
place in the Toulon Tournament's semi-finals with a 7-1 win against Cuba.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
TRANSFER WINDOW: WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT?
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 2 JUNE 2017 AT 10:11PM
TheWestTamWay.co.uk
This is written by Elliott Sheaf (@topcornermag on twitter and
topcornermagazine.com)
It's strange to think that, at the time of writing, the final game of the
Premier League season was over only a week or so ago. It already feels at
least a month past, so keen was I to forget such an underwhelming campaign
perhaps, but also because silly season is in full swing and we start to look
forward to a fresh start come August.
We have already completed one pretty nifty looking deal with the signing of
Pablo Zabaleta on a free and have been rumoured to be making initial bids in
the endless search for any overpriced striker who can withstand a brisk
breeze. However in my daily trawl of social media for a sniff of potential
transfer activity, I am constantly shocked at the amount of fans expecting
us to be spending bigger than ever this summer, as if the problem all along
has been lack of financial backing from the board.
The reason this surprises me so much, is due to an article I recently wrote
for my football magazine (shameless plug for Top Corner Magazine), in which
I researched any financial and transfer information I could find from last
season and compared against each teams eventual finish to see if there was
any correlation. As a West Ham fan and season ticket holder, what I found in
relation to us was a little surprising…
Last season our transfer net spend (transfers in minus transfers out) was
6th highest in the league, hardly a club not being backed financially,
whilst our wage bill and club turnover was 8th highest. Taking in to account
all other clubs averages, my admittedly simple maths shows that a finish
somewhere between 6th and 8th not only would have been realistic, but should
have been expected.
One way of looking at this could be that come the end of the season we were
only a couple of points short of this target, so overall it wasn't a bad
achievement considering the myriad of off the field problems and move away
from Upton Park. I think I see it a little differently however, considering
the lack of quality outside the top 6 and that my research showed we were
one of the biggest underachievers last year in comparison to our finances
(third behind Sunderland and Middlesbrough).
My point being, the problem last season wasn't that the Dave's weren't
stumping up the cash, it's that we bought utter shite at inflated prices.
The signings of Snodgrass and Fonte were symbolic of this, although the
latter did improve after we reverted to three at the back, and I'm sure we'd
all rather forget Zaza and Calleri even if only loans.
It's undeniable that we need at least one centre forward this window, and
possibly another attacking midfielder to replace the hopefully departing
Snodgrass (Ryad Boudebouz anyone?), but beyond this I'm hoping for a quiet
window and a rethink of the club transfer philosophy. We have enough depth
and cover within our ever improving youth system, especially at the back, so
no need for another influx of new players thrown at the wall in hope that
some of the shit sticks.
The transfer window can be a frustrating time for a hammer, which isn't
helped by promises from the board of mega deals and media attention beyond
most other clubs our size, but I think this year we should be more grounded
in our expectation compared to last. I'm happy to build slowly, as long as
we're building something.
That's the last I will be thinking about the 2016/17 season I hope, I
already can't wait for next year where an uninterrupted pre-season and a few
sensible buys will make the world of difference.
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SLAVEN BILIC IS MOST CERTAINLY THE MAN FOR THE JOB!!
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 2 JUNE 2017 AT 10:24PM
TheWestTamWay.co.uk
Written by Fareham Hammer @farehamhammer
He's the man, he's the man, he's the man, Slaven Bilic most certainly is
West Ham's man and so he should be! Whether we like him or his style of
football or not, Sam Allardyce did an incredible job as manager of West Ham.
When Allardyce arrived at The Club we had just been relegated. We were like
a boxer who had been knocked out, totally demoralised. Out for the count!
Allardyce with the help of Kevin Nolan, picked The Club up by the proverbial
jockstraps and stabilized them. He changed the mentality of The Club.
Big Sam's spell in charge of us, reminded me so much of George Graham's
spell at Arsenal. Like West Ham, Arsenal were virtually down and out at the
time of Graham's arrival. George Graham set about making Arsenal difficult
to beat. The football bored the pants of the supporters, Arsenal became very
difficult to beat. Often drawing matches or grinding out ugly 1-0 wins.
Hence the cry from the Arsenal Supporters at the time of "1-0 to The
Arsenal" "It was George Graham", who laid the foundations for the "sexy
football", which Arsenal became so associated with under Arsene Wenger. It
took Wenger three or four seasons, till he got Arsenal to really turn on the
style of football, which was so pleasing to the eye. Not just to Arsenal
Fans but to neutrals as well.
The reason why it took Wenger time to turn things round totally, was because
some players who played for Graham, were not suitable for the style of
football he wanted to play. Bit by bit, he moved players on and brought
others in. Till he got the perfect balance, enabling him to deliver the sexy
football he so craved. I believe Slaven Bilic is in the exactly the same
position as Arsene Wegner found himself in at Arsenal, when he took over. He
knows EXACTLY what players and style of football he wants. But he is going
to take another season or so, before he can deliver the football he so
desires on a regular basis. Football on the deck, flowing inventive
football-football the West Ham Way.
Some will say at times last season, the football was as dire as when Big Sam
was in charge. True! But that was down to a few factors. Losing the hugely
creative influence of Payet and a mass of injuries. As a result we did not
have enough players left in the squad, who could play football, the way
Slaven Bilic loves to play. Some will say I'm biased, as far as the hugely
charismatic Bilic is concerned. That does not mean that I think he has not
got any faults, he has which I will get to in a minute.
Let's face it his first season was something dreams are made of. Slaven
Bilic, arrived at the club, with a reputation of playing sexy football.
Largely due to the wonderful football his Croatian team played while he
managed them. Being an ex-player of the club, he had an advantage over
someone who had no previous connection with us. As fans were always more
likely to be patient with one of their own. Well that first season will
forever live with me. Winning at Manchester City, Arsenal and at Liverpool!
For God sake!! The last time West Ham had beaten Liverpool in ANY game at
Anfield was 1963. When The Beatles produced their first album, Bob Dylan
produced his classic, Blowing in The Wind and President John Kennedy was
assassinated. Many of us were not even born them! Living the dream?? Tell me
about it!
The second season was always going to be a tough ask. We had the move to The
London Stadium, Payet causing huge unrest, injuries and a poor transfer
window did not help things. Then there was Bilic's, disastrous attempts at
playing Antonio at right back, at times taking too long to make
substitutions and then getting his tactics wrong. No he did not lose the
dressing room and the rest! He made mistakes! He is HUMAN! Do you know what
the beauty of it all is? Slaven Bilic unlike Sam Allardyce, is not
egotistical and acknowledges his mistakes and learns from them. A very
humble man is our Slaven. Although not a soft touch as Morgan Amalifanto and
Alvaro Arbeloa found out. There is only one king of the West Ham jungle and
that is Slaven Bilic. Last season was a tough one for everybody associated
with The Club. Bilic, players, The Board and of course us the fans. "What
does not break you makes you stronger in life". I'm certain that will be the
case with West Ham, cool heads are required. We are in good hands with the
man, the man, the man… West Ham man Slaven Bilic. We are more than a
football club, we're a way of life!
COYI!!
Farehamhammer!!!
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Sheringham set for management return
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 2nd June 2017
By: Staff Writer
Former Hammer Teddy Sheringham is set to return to management.
Sheringham, now, 51, is odd-on to be announced as the new manager of Swindon
Town imminently, according to BBC Radio 5 Live's Ian Dennis.
He will effectively replace former boss Luke Williams as manager of the
Wilshire-based club, who resigned last month following Swindon's relegation
to League Two.
Sheringham's only previous managerial stint was an ill-fated one at
Stevenage between 2015 and 2016.
The former England international was sacked after just nine months at the
helm following a poor run of results in which The Boro took just three
points from a possible 24.
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West Ham set to loan Reece Oxford to Borussia Monchengladbach for a year to
gain more first-team experience
Teenager seen as a big part of the Hammers' future will spend a season in
the Bundesliga
The Mirror
BYJOHN CROSS
22:30, 2 JUN 2017
West Ham's Reece Oxford is joining Borussia Monchengladbach on a season-long
loan. The England prospect, 18, is going to Germany to help his development
as manager Slaven Bilic sees the versatile defender as a big part of the
Hammers ' future. Oxford has found his opportunities limited at West Ham
despite signing a long-term deal. After a disappointing loan spell at
Championship playoff finalists Reading saw him make just five league
appearances, they want to see him go out and get more games under his belt.
Classy Oxford can also play in midfield, and the hope is the Bundesliga
experience will boost his chances of becoming a first-team regular for his
parent club.
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West Ham ready to fight Newcastle and Watford over transfer of Kamil
Grosicki from relegated Hull
The Tigers are prepared to part with Poland winger they signed in January if
they can recoup the £7.7million he cost
The Mirror
BYBILL COOPER
22:30, 2 JUN 2017
West Ham have joined Watford and newly-promoted Newcastle in the £7.7million
chase for Hull's Kamil Grosicki. Poland international Grosicki wants to
continue playing in the Premier League, and the relegated Tigers will strike
a deal if they can recoup the fee they paid French side Rennes for him five
months ago.
New Hornets boss Marco Silva, who signed Grosicki for the Yorkshire club,
wants the 28-year-old to follow him to Vicarage Road and is ready to pay the
price Hull are asking. But so, too, is Toon chief Rafa Benitez, who is
looking to strengthen his squad following their first time return to the top
flight. And now Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has targeted Grosicki as he bids
to strengthen his wide midfield options. Bilic feels he needs another winger
- despite having former Hull star Robert Snodgrass, Andre Ayew and Michail
Antonio, who can all operate down the flanks.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, June 2
Daily WHUFC News -
Slaven Bilic encourages youngsters to make West Ham United breakthrough
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic says a host of West Ham United youngsters are on his radar and challenged them to make a first team breakthrough next season. The Academy of Football production line has continued to roll in recent seasons, with eleven graduates making their senior debuts for the Hammers since Bilic took charge in the summer of 2015.
A number of those debutants, most notably Josh Cullen, Reece Burke and Toni Martinez, have gone out and impressed on loan in the English Football League, while Declan Rice captained the Hammers' U23s to promotion and made his Premier League debut. Now, the manager encouraged them to take the next step and challenge for Premier League minutes in 2017/18.
"Josh Cullen had a fantastic season at Bradford," Bilic began. "Reece Burke went to Wigan but unfortunately he got injured. Unfortunately, Reece Oxford, who is a fantastic talent, it was our aim for him to go on loan in the Championship and he went to Reading but unfortunately he didn't play enough. "On top of that we have two fantastic talents who are younger than them in Domingos Quina and Declan Rice, who are doing really good."
Midfielder Cullen carried an armful of trophies home from Bradford City's awards night and inspired the Bantams to the League One Play-Off final, while he also cemented his place in the Republic of Ireland U21 team. Fellow countryman Rice captained West Ham's U23s to Premier League 2 promotion before being handed his Premier League bow at Burnley and called-up to the Ireland senior squad last month – all of this at the tender age of 18.
Spanish striker Martinez enjoyed a prolific first season in English football after arriving from Valencia. The teenager scored 14 goals in 14 U23 matches for the Hammers, while also scoring in Emirates FA Cup ties against Newcastle United and Middlesbrough for loan club Oxford United.
Burke, meanwhile, enhanced his reputation during his ten Championship appearances for Wigan before suffering a niggling hip problem. Marcus Browne's also spent time with the Latics, while Reece Oxford appeared for Reading and Norway winger Martin Samuelsen turned out for Blackburn Rovers and Peterborough United.
Exciting Portuguese winger Quina, who made his first-team debut in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds last summer and was named on the Premier League bench a number of times, is another whose potential is without question. All have trained regularly with the first-team squad and Bilic believes they have the potential to make their mark at the highest level. "For me, they all have a future, although we have three centre-backs, so it's going to be hard for them all to knock on the door and play for West Ham very, very soon," the manager confirmed. "There are three of them. "It's up to them. They've been training with us and now it's about time for them to play."
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Dan Kemp honoured after England debut
WHUFC.com
Winger Dan Kemp made his international debut in England U20s 1-0 win over Angola at the Toulon Tournament on Monday
Kemp called the experience "an unbelievable experience and honour"
He hopes to be involved in England's second group match against Cuba on Thursday evening
West Ham winger Dan Kemp said making his international debut was "an unbelievable experience and an honour" and hopes to feature in England U20s second match at the Toulon Tournament. The young star played 65 minutes as England beat Angola 1-0 in their opening Group A fixture on Sunday and the Young Lions face Cuba on Thursday knowing that a victory could see them through to the semi-finals. The appearance was another moment to cherish in a landmark season for Kemp and he spoke of his excitement at pulling on the famous Three Lions jersey. "It was an unbelievable experience and an honour to make my international debut," said Kemp. "It's without doubt the best moment of my career so far. "Before the game, I was excited and nervous but I couldn't wait to put the shirt on and play. When the national anthem was playing and I was singing was when it felt real and exciting and when I felt proud that my hard work so far has all been worth it. During the game I felt relaxed and just tried to enjoy the occasion and do the best for the team. "To start the tournament with a win was massively important for us and all the boys performed well to the challenges that Angola presented. The most important thing was that we got the three points."
Kemp joined West Ham at the age of 16 after spending the rest of his youth career at Chelsea. With much of the England squad in Toulon featuring Blues' players, Kemp has had no issues settling in. It was an unbelievable experience and an honour to make my international debut. It's without doubt the best moment of my career so far. "The boys have been great with me," he observed. "I know about six or seven of them from playing with them over the years for Chelsea and even now when I play against them for West Ham. "They have been great with me and I have got to know some of the other boys really well. It was important for us all to get to know each other quickly to make us stand the best chance of knowing each other on the pitch. This year's crop of England youngsters are aiming to emulate the squad from last season which managed to win the Toulon Tournament overall. The Young Lions take on Cuba on Thursday with kick-off at 6.30pm BST and Kemp believes the team will head into their second group game full of confidence. "To start the tournament with a win is the best way obviously. We feel confident now that we can beat anyone and that is what we're trying to do. Cuba will be a tough game and a game we want to win again to give us the best chance of getting through to the semi-finals. All the boys are looking forward to the game."
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Reece Oxford and Nathan Trott earn England call-ups
WHUFC.com
Reece Oxford and Nathan Trott have both been called up to the England U19s squad for the upcoming UEFA European Championships in Georgia.
Both will join up with Keith Downing's squad next week when they head to Murcia, Spain for a six-day training camp. The team will then return to St. George's Park before flying out to Tbilisi, Georgia for the Euros, which begin on July 2.
Oxford is hugely experienced on the international stage and could captain the side in Georgia, whereas Trott will be hoping to make his first appearance in a Three Lions jersey. The 18-year-old stopper was called-up to the squad for the three Elite Round qualifiers in March, but had to watch from the sidelines. He'll be pushing for a starting spot in the first group fixture against Bulgaria on Monday 3 July. The Young Lions they face the Netherlands three days laters before rounding of their Group B campaign against Germany on Sunday 9 July.
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West Ham United's band of internationals are set for a busy June.
WHUFC.com
Eight Hammers have been called up for senior friendly matches, the FIFA Confederations Cup and FIFA World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, while four youngsters are also on duty at age-group level.
Jose Fonte has the busiest month, with Portugal preparing for the Confederations Cup by hosting Cyprus in Coimbra on Saturday 3 June, before travelling to Latvia for a World Cup qualifier on Friday 9 June. The UEFA Euro 2016 winner then heads for Russia, where Portugal will take on Mexico, Russia and New Zealand in Confederations Cup Group A on 18, 21 and 24 June respectively.
This month's slate of international fixtures kicks-off on Thursday evening, when Edimilson Fernandes' Switzerland host Belarus for a friendly in Neuchatel. The 21-year-old will hope to earn his second cap after making his debut in the FIFA World Cup qualifying win over the Faroe Islands in November. Switerland then travel to Torshavn to face the same opposition in the reverse qualifier on 9 June.
Kemp could also make his second appearance at international level when an England U20 side take on Cuba in their second group-stage fixture at the Toulon Tournament in France on Thursday evening. The Academy winger made his debut as England beat Angola 1-0 on Monday and you can read the teenager's reaction here. The Young Lions tackle Japan in their final Group A fixture on Sunday 4 June.
Sticking with England, Nathan Trott and Reece Oxford have been included in the U19 squad for a training camp to be held in Spain ahead of this summer's UEFA European U19 Championship finals in Georgia. The Young Lions will head to Murcia for six days before returning to St George's Park to make final preparations for the tournament, which kicks-off in Tbilisi on 2 July. England face Bulgaria the following day in their Group B opener, followed by ties with the Netherlands on 6 July and Germany on 9 July.
Heading back to senior level, Darren Randolph's Republic of Ireland face Mexico in New Jersey on Thursday evening before returning to Dublin for a second friendly with Uruguay on Sunday, followed by a World Cup qualifier with Austria at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday 11 June.
Winger Robert Snodgrass will need no extra motivation when Scotland host England in a World Cup qualifier at Glasgow's Hampden Park on Saturday 10 June.
Havard Nordtveit and Norway have two games to play, with a must-win World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic in Oslo on Saturday 10 June, followed by a prestige friendly with neighbours Sweden at Ullevaal Stadium on Tuesday 13 June. Nordtveit's fellow countryman Martin Samuelsen is in the Norway U21 squad for a European U21 Championship qualifier with Kosovo in Drammen on Monday 12 June.
Farther afield, Andre Ayew's Ghana host Ethiopia in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Kumasi on 11 June before travelling to North America to take on Mexico and the United States on 29 June and 1 July respectively.
Sofiane Feghouli will hope to return to Algeria duty when new manager Lucas Alcaraz takes charge for friendly internationals with Guinea on 6 June and Togo on 13 June in Blida.
Last but by no means least, Manuel Lanzini will surely make his Argentina debut when the South Americans tackle old rivals Brazil in Melbourne on 9 June, if not their friendly with Singapore four days later.
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2016/17: In numbers
WHUFC.com
West Ham United finished the 2016/17 Premier League strongly, with just one defeat in their final seven matches.
Those are just two of the numbers which matter when it comes to looking back over a ten-month, 46-match, four-competition campaign that had ups and downs galore!
Here, we look back at the Club's first season at London Stadium in numbers, from the men who made a case for the defence to those who regularly went on the attack.
1,082,464 fans bought tickets for Premier League matches at London Stadium in 2016/17 – an average of 56,972 per game
The Hammers scored 28 Premier League goals away from home – the highest of any club outside the top six
Of West Ham United's 12 clean sheets, ten were kept at London Stadium
The Claret and Blue Army travelled a total of 5,654 miles to cheer on their team
Slaven Bilic used 29 different players in the Premier League – two more than he utilised in top-flight matches in the final season at the Boleyn Ground
The Hammers used 33 players in total – Reece Burke, Reece Oxford, Marcus Browne and Domingos Quina features in the UEFA Europa League
Slaven Bilic handed 15 players their debuts, including three Academy graduates
Fifteen different players scored 56 goals in all competition – 29 were scored from open play, 17 from set pieces, five from penalties, four from counter attacks and one own-goal!
Of those 56 goals, 27 were right-foot shots, 14 were left-foot shots, 14 were headers and one was an own goal!
No Hammer played more minutes than Cheikhou Kouyate's 3,167 in all competitions or 2,728 in the Premier League
Michail Antonio, Cheikhou Kouyate, Winston Reid each started 36 matches in league and cup
Manuel Lanzini who made the most appearances all in, with 39 in all competitions
Defensively, Winston Reid led the way in blocks (56), clearances (244) and interceptions (81)
Cheikhou Kouyate totalled 99 tackles – nine more than Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang
Offensively, Michail Antonio led the way in goals scored (nine) and shots (77)
Assist-wise, it was Dimitri Payet who led the way with six, three more than five other players
Nobody won more aerial battles in the Premier League on average than Andy Carroll's 9.1 per game
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LUNCHTIME ROUND UP: SLAV PROMISES BETTER TIMES, MICHY OPEN TO LOAN DEAL, IHEANACHO LATEST!
BY DAN CHAPMAN ON 1 JUNE 2017 AT 12:02PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Hello Hammers. Here is today's lunchtime round up.
West Ham United have announced a record number of season ticket renewals ahead of their second season at the London Stadium. (Evening Standard)
This is very good to see from the fans. Its good to see that despite the problems during last season, the fans have stuck at it and are continuing to pay money to support the team. I'm really pleased to see this.
Slaven Bilic has promised West Ham fans that better days lie ahead, following a poor 2016/17 season. (HITC)
Slaven Bilic says that he believes West Ham will benefit a lot from their first season at the London Stadium. (Evening Standard)
I agree with Slaven on both of these points. Better times are ahead for this club, but we need to sign some good players to progress as a team. If we do that, then I am sure we will see progress next season. As for the stadium, it cannot be used as an excuse for the players anymore. We have been there a year and they should be used to it now. I do believe that we will be better next season and will continue to push on from there.
West Ham target Kelechi Iheanacho wishes to remain in England, should the striker leave Manchester City this summer. (Vital Football)
This is a huge boost to our chances of signing him. I hope that we can get this deal done relatively quickly once he returns from international duty, because I think he would be an excellent signing.
West Ham are keen to sign Michy Batshuayi, who is open to leaving Chelsea this summer. (The Sun)
I hope we sign Batshuayi before we sign anyone else this summer. I have wanted him to join for ages now, and if we can get him on loan with a view to buy him, then I would be very happy with that.
West Ham are leading Everton in the race to sign want-away Arsenal striker Lucas Perez. (Express)
For me, he has not played enough football this season. Yes he has looked good when he has played, but Arsenal will likely want a big fee for him and I do not think he would be value for money.
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Darren Randolph happy with Hammers acclaim
WHUFC.com
Darren Randolph is hoping the memory of winning West Ham United's Save of the Season award will inspire him while on international duty.
The Hammers and Republic of Ireland No1 caught the trophy for his outstanding fingertip stop to deny Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson in the 2-2 Premier League draw at Anfield in December. The save was one of a number made by Randolph last season, including impressive stops from Manchester United's Jesse Lingard, Burnley's Scott Arfield, Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez and Tottenham Hotspur's Eric Dier.
It was the wonderful full-length effort to deny Henderson which won Randolph acclaim, and he would love to repeat the trick in Ireland's friendly international with Mexico, which will take place in New Jersey on Thursday evening.
"It's always nice to get a pat on the back for your hard work throughout the season and nice to get that recognition," he confirmed. "I don't remember too much before the actual shot. I remember him hitting the shot and it kind of went in slow motion, then I thought 'Uh-oh!', then I moved my feet and kind of just threw myself and I managed to get there and tip it over the bar.
"I didn't realise how good a save it was until I watched it back, because you never get to see the replays on the big screens. I didn't realise it was so far in the corner at the time, I thought it was more central.
"Sometimes when you back you think 'That wasn't as good as I thought' and other times you think 'It was better than I thought' and that was definitely in the latter category.
"There were a few against Manchester United and another one against Tottenham at White Hart Lane that I liked, but I'd say the Henderson one was probably top of the list."
Randolph is one of two goalkeepers in the Ireland squad for the trip to the United States, with Bradford City's Colin Doyle also present.
Following the Mexico fixture, the Boys in Green return to Dublin to host Uruguay in a friendly on Sunday 4 June, before tackling Austria in an important FIFA World Cup European Group D qualifier at the Aviva Stadium a week later.
Victory over Austria would complete a decent campaign for the 30-year-old, who appeared 27 times in all competitions for the Hammers.
"We have three games in the summer – two friendlies and one qualifier against Austria," he confirmed. "I think we're joint-top of the group now and there's still plenty more football to be played, so let's get a win against Austria and go top of the group and keep on course to go to the World Cup in Russia next summer.
"It was a good season for me. Obviously I got in the team and played 27 games, I think it was, then unfortunately got taken out of the team, but that's football.
"I like to think that, when I've played, I've contributed to the team and helped us pick up points, so on the whole, for myself it's been a good season."
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West Ham announce record number of season ticket renewals ahead of second campaign at London Stadium
SAM LONG
Evening Standard
West Ham have announced a record number of season ticket renewals for the 2017-18 season. More than 90% of the club's 52,000 season ticket holders have opted to renew, while supporters on the waiting list have registered their desire to purchase the remaining seats.
The Hammers moved into the London Stadium last year and are set to boast the highest number of season ticket holders of any club in the capital, with Arsenal their closest challengers, for the second season running.
Co-chairman David Sullivan is delighted to have received such a positive response and believes the club's fans have proved they deserved to watch football on a bigger stage than the Boleyn Ground. Sullivan said: "Once again, our supporters have shown magnificent commitment and devotion to West Ham United. "When we took the decision to move our football club to London Stadium, we did so with the belief and confidence that our fanbase was deserving of a bigger and better stage. "The season ticket renewal figure for next season only serves to emphasise that fact, but I am still amazed and overwhelmed by the loyalty and dedication of our supporters."
Despite such a widespread appetite to see West Ham in action, Slaven Bilic's side endured a difficult season on the pitch. The Hammers flirted with relegation before eventually finishing 11th with a total of 45 points. Bilic is keen to add to his squad, having already signed Pablo Zabaleta, in an attempt to climb the table and Sullivan has vowed to reward fans for their unwavering support. He added: "They have followed us through thick and thin, and shown tremendous faith throughout the first season at our new home. "Our focus now is to do everything we can to reward that faith with success on the pitch next season."
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Dusan Tadic, Kelechi Iheanacho and Michy Batshuayi… the transfer business West Ham will look to complete this summer
KEN DYER
Evening Standard
West Ham fans should not anticipate droves of arrivals but they will be expecting a considerable upgrade on last season's business.
Slaven Bilic has already promised that quality rather than quantity will be the mantra, with pace a priority. That criteria was not top of the agenda when West Ham did some early close-season business with the signing, on a free transfer, of Pablo Zabaleta from City but what the 32-year-old loses in the sprinting stakes, he will more than make up in character and leadership. West Ham's major expenditure could be a £20m-plus deal to take striker Kelechi Iheanacho, again from City, but there is a way to go before this one is done. Michy Batshuayi could be the next arrival, following his admission that he may leave Chelsea on loan to gain more game time.
Southampton's Serbian winger Dusan Tadic is another who could join which could mean Robert Snodgrass, only signed from Hull in January, could make an early exit. The goalkeeper situation also remains unclear despite West Ham activating an option on Adrian's contract which will keep the Spaniard at the club for a further two years. Both Adrian and Darren Randolph were dropped by Bilic last season.
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Former Blackburn and West Ham striker Benni McCarthy forced to deny reports of his death
A fabricated report suggested the Porto striker had died after a car crash in London but he has denied the claims
The Mirror
BYLIAM PRENDERVILLE
18:53, 1 JUN 2017UPDATED19:51, 1 JUN 2017
Reports of former Premier League striker Benni McCarthy's death have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, McCarthy has been forced to deny them. Reports emerged on Wednesday suggesting McCarthy had been involved in a car crash in London. The report appeared to come from a fake news outlet but the ex-Blackburn and West Ham striker took to social media to slam the claims. "Guys please dont believe this news thats going around about me being found dead in London! its totally #FakeNews!!!", he posted on Facebook. "I am very much alive! Thank you for all the messages of concern! People that create this fake news have no respect and are messing with people's lives & emotions! McCarthy also confirmed he will be in Cardiff for this weekend's Champions League final.
The South African joined Blackburn from Porto in 2006 and spent three seasons at Ewood Park before a brief spell with West Ham.
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Odds on West Ham to finish in the top four slashed after links with Iheanacho and Batshuayi
The Hammers are expected to be busy in the transfer market this summer
Football London
BYROB GUEST
14:30, 1 JUN 2017
With the Premier League season finished for another year, football fans across the country are already counting down the days until the new campaign gets underway in August. West Ham have already started planning ahead of next season with Pablo Zabaleta arriving at the London Stadium on a free transfer from Manchester City. It promises to be a big season in east London, especially with the club reportedly close to signing Kelechi Iheanacho from City. Well, ahead of the new season, we have decided to gather all the odds for fans wanting a flutter on their beloved club. If you're confident that Slaven Bilic's side can lift the Premier League title, then you could be in for a large sum of money. The Hammers, who are 500/1 with most bookmakers, are surprisingly priced by SkyBet at 150/1 to lift the title for the first time. However, if you're planning on backing the team, Black Type are the company to go with as they have the team at a whopping 1000/1 to cause a major upset.
A title-winning campaign would be a big shock, especially as the Hammers looked like they could get dragged into relegation trouble last season. You can get odds of 10/1 with SkyBet that the team will suffer relegation for the first time since 2011, while Black Type offer odds of 5/1. SkyBet also offer odds of 1/25 that Bilic will guide his team to Premier League safety. The Hammers narrowly missed out on a top-half finish last season and SkyBet have the team at 13/8 that they jump back into the top 10.
However, it seems a bottom half finish is more likely with odds of 4/9 on offer. West Ham's co-owners have big ambitions for the club and they will be hoping that Bilic can guide his side to a European finish. SkyBet have the Hammers at 28/1 to finish in the top four, while William Hill have the team at 66/1 to cause a major shock and qualify for the Champions League. Finally, with Iheanacho reportedly due to arrive at the club, the Nigerian is 40/1 with BetStars to finish top scorer in the Premier League, with Andy Carroll priced at 66/1.
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West Ham battle Galatasaray for signing of Juventus midfielder
HITC
Tom Seymour
Both West Ham and Southampton are competing with Galatasaray to sign Juventus star Kwadwo Asamoah. Reports from Italy claim that West Ham United and Southampton are keen on bringing Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah to the Premier League. According to Calciomercato the English duo are ready to put in a bid for the 28-year-old, but face stiff competition from Galatasaray. An update from the same publication claims that Gala lead the way currently and are readying a £3.35m bid for Asamoah - whose contract expires at the end of next season. The fact the Ghana international is entering the final year of his current deal probably has something to do with the fact that he is available for such a bargain price. Asamoah has been with Juve since 2012, but has struggled with injury which has limited his game time, and he even asked to be excused from international duty after the 2014 World Cup to concentrate on his club career.
The former Udinese man - who has the ability to play at left-back or in central midfield - has certainly rebuilt his reputation, making 24 appearances in 2016/17 for the Old Lady as they won a sixth successive Scudetto, the Coppa Italia and are also in the Champions League final against Real Madrid. However, with his time in Turin seemingly coming to an end could either Southampton or West Ham be on course to sign a bargain?
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West Ham target Leicester City striker but face competition from West Brom
The Hammers are reportedly interested in the Algerian forward
Football London
BYANDY HA
11:54, 1 JUN 2017UPDATED12:03, 1 JUN 2017
West Ham are reportedly keen on a deal for Leicester City striker Islam Slimani. The Algerian striker moved to the former champions for £29m from Sporting Lisbon last summer, but has enjoyed a disappointing debut season in England, scoring eight goals in 29 appearances.
According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha several Premier League clubs, including West Brom and West Ham, are interested in signing the striker. Andy Carroll's ongoing fitness problems and the departure of Jonathan Calleri means the Hammers need to add fire power to their squad and Slimani has been discussed as an option alongside the likes of Michy Batshuayi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Daniel Sturridge. However, Slaven Bilic's side could face big competition for Slimani's signature in the shape of his former side Sporting.
The striker has been linked with a return to the Alvalade Stadium, as the Portuguese side prepare for the potential exit of top scorer Bas Dost. Dost has scored a total of 34 goals in just 31 appearances this season and is being linked with a big-money move away from Sporting, with interest in China.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic says a host of West Ham United youngsters are on his radar and challenged them to make a first team breakthrough next season. The Academy of Football production line has continued to roll in recent seasons, with eleven graduates making their senior debuts for the Hammers since Bilic took charge in the summer of 2015.
A number of those debutants, most notably Josh Cullen, Reece Burke and Toni Martinez, have gone out and impressed on loan in the English Football League, while Declan Rice captained the Hammers' U23s to promotion and made his Premier League debut. Now, the manager encouraged them to take the next step and challenge for Premier League minutes in 2017/18.
"Josh Cullen had a fantastic season at Bradford," Bilic began. "Reece Burke went to Wigan but unfortunately he got injured. Unfortunately, Reece Oxford, who is a fantastic talent, it was our aim for him to go on loan in the Championship and he went to Reading but unfortunately he didn't play enough. "On top of that we have two fantastic talents who are younger than them in Domingos Quina and Declan Rice, who are doing really good."
Midfielder Cullen carried an armful of trophies home from Bradford City's awards night and inspired the Bantams to the League One Play-Off final, while he also cemented his place in the Republic of Ireland U21 team. Fellow countryman Rice captained West Ham's U23s to Premier League 2 promotion before being handed his Premier League bow at Burnley and called-up to the Ireland senior squad last month – all of this at the tender age of 18.
Spanish striker Martinez enjoyed a prolific first season in English football after arriving from Valencia. The teenager scored 14 goals in 14 U23 matches for the Hammers, while also scoring in Emirates FA Cup ties against Newcastle United and Middlesbrough for loan club Oxford United.
Burke, meanwhile, enhanced his reputation during his ten Championship appearances for Wigan before suffering a niggling hip problem. Marcus Browne's also spent time with the Latics, while Reece Oxford appeared for Reading and Norway winger Martin Samuelsen turned out for Blackburn Rovers and Peterborough United.
Exciting Portuguese winger Quina, who made his first-team debut in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds last summer and was named on the Premier League bench a number of times, is another whose potential is without question. All have trained regularly with the first-team squad and Bilic believes they have the potential to make their mark at the highest level. "For me, they all have a future, although we have three centre-backs, so it's going to be hard for them all to knock on the door and play for West Ham very, very soon," the manager confirmed. "There are three of them. "It's up to them. They've been training with us and now it's about time for them to play."
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Dan Kemp honoured after England debut
WHUFC.com
Winger Dan Kemp made his international debut in England U20s 1-0 win over Angola at the Toulon Tournament on Monday
Kemp called the experience "an unbelievable experience and honour"
He hopes to be involved in England's second group match against Cuba on Thursday evening
West Ham winger Dan Kemp said making his international debut was "an unbelievable experience and an honour" and hopes to feature in England U20s second match at the Toulon Tournament. The young star played 65 minutes as England beat Angola 1-0 in their opening Group A fixture on Sunday and the Young Lions face Cuba on Thursday knowing that a victory could see them through to the semi-finals. The appearance was another moment to cherish in a landmark season for Kemp and he spoke of his excitement at pulling on the famous Three Lions jersey. "It was an unbelievable experience and an honour to make my international debut," said Kemp. "It's without doubt the best moment of my career so far. "Before the game, I was excited and nervous but I couldn't wait to put the shirt on and play. When the national anthem was playing and I was singing was when it felt real and exciting and when I felt proud that my hard work so far has all been worth it. During the game I felt relaxed and just tried to enjoy the occasion and do the best for the team. "To start the tournament with a win was massively important for us and all the boys performed well to the challenges that Angola presented. The most important thing was that we got the three points."
Kemp joined West Ham at the age of 16 after spending the rest of his youth career at Chelsea. With much of the England squad in Toulon featuring Blues' players, Kemp has had no issues settling in. It was an unbelievable experience and an honour to make my international debut. It's without doubt the best moment of my career so far. "The boys have been great with me," he observed. "I know about six or seven of them from playing with them over the years for Chelsea and even now when I play against them for West Ham. "They have been great with me and I have got to know some of the other boys really well. It was important for us all to get to know each other quickly to make us stand the best chance of knowing each other on the pitch. This year's crop of England youngsters are aiming to emulate the squad from last season which managed to win the Toulon Tournament overall. The Young Lions take on Cuba on Thursday with kick-off at 6.30pm BST and Kemp believes the team will head into their second group game full of confidence. "To start the tournament with a win is the best way obviously. We feel confident now that we can beat anyone and that is what we're trying to do. Cuba will be a tough game and a game we want to win again to give us the best chance of getting through to the semi-finals. All the boys are looking forward to the game."
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Reece Oxford and Nathan Trott earn England call-ups
WHUFC.com
Reece Oxford and Nathan Trott have both been called up to the England U19s squad for the upcoming UEFA European Championships in Georgia.
Both will join up with Keith Downing's squad next week when they head to Murcia, Spain for a six-day training camp. The team will then return to St. George's Park before flying out to Tbilisi, Georgia for the Euros, which begin on July 2.
Oxford is hugely experienced on the international stage and could captain the side in Georgia, whereas Trott will be hoping to make his first appearance in a Three Lions jersey. The 18-year-old stopper was called-up to the squad for the three Elite Round qualifiers in March, but had to watch from the sidelines. He'll be pushing for a starting spot in the first group fixture against Bulgaria on Monday 3 July. The Young Lions they face the Netherlands three days laters before rounding of their Group B campaign against Germany on Sunday 9 July.
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West Ham United's band of internationals are set for a busy June.
WHUFC.com
Eight Hammers have been called up for senior friendly matches, the FIFA Confederations Cup and FIFA World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, while four youngsters are also on duty at age-group level.
Jose Fonte has the busiest month, with Portugal preparing for the Confederations Cup by hosting Cyprus in Coimbra on Saturday 3 June, before travelling to Latvia for a World Cup qualifier on Friday 9 June. The UEFA Euro 2016 winner then heads for Russia, where Portugal will take on Mexico, Russia and New Zealand in Confederations Cup Group A on 18, 21 and 24 June respectively.
This month's slate of international fixtures kicks-off on Thursday evening, when Edimilson Fernandes' Switzerland host Belarus for a friendly in Neuchatel. The 21-year-old will hope to earn his second cap after making his debut in the FIFA World Cup qualifying win over the Faroe Islands in November. Switerland then travel to Torshavn to face the same opposition in the reverse qualifier on 9 June.
Kemp could also make his second appearance at international level when an England U20 side take on Cuba in their second group-stage fixture at the Toulon Tournament in France on Thursday evening. The Academy winger made his debut as England beat Angola 1-0 on Monday and you can read the teenager's reaction here. The Young Lions tackle Japan in their final Group A fixture on Sunday 4 June.
Sticking with England, Nathan Trott and Reece Oxford have been included in the U19 squad for a training camp to be held in Spain ahead of this summer's UEFA European U19 Championship finals in Georgia. The Young Lions will head to Murcia for six days before returning to St George's Park to make final preparations for the tournament, which kicks-off in Tbilisi on 2 July. England face Bulgaria the following day in their Group B opener, followed by ties with the Netherlands on 6 July and Germany on 9 July.
Heading back to senior level, Darren Randolph's Republic of Ireland face Mexico in New Jersey on Thursday evening before returning to Dublin for a second friendly with Uruguay on Sunday, followed by a World Cup qualifier with Austria at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday 11 June.
Winger Robert Snodgrass will need no extra motivation when Scotland host England in a World Cup qualifier at Glasgow's Hampden Park on Saturday 10 June.
Havard Nordtveit and Norway have two games to play, with a must-win World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic in Oslo on Saturday 10 June, followed by a prestige friendly with neighbours Sweden at Ullevaal Stadium on Tuesday 13 June. Nordtveit's fellow countryman Martin Samuelsen is in the Norway U21 squad for a European U21 Championship qualifier with Kosovo in Drammen on Monday 12 June.
Farther afield, Andre Ayew's Ghana host Ethiopia in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Kumasi on 11 June before travelling to North America to take on Mexico and the United States on 29 June and 1 July respectively.
Sofiane Feghouli will hope to return to Algeria duty when new manager Lucas Alcaraz takes charge for friendly internationals with Guinea on 6 June and Togo on 13 June in Blida.
Last but by no means least, Manuel Lanzini will surely make his Argentina debut when the South Americans tackle old rivals Brazil in Melbourne on 9 June, if not their friendly with Singapore four days later.
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2016/17: In numbers
WHUFC.com
West Ham United finished the 2016/17 Premier League strongly, with just one defeat in their final seven matches.
Those are just two of the numbers which matter when it comes to looking back over a ten-month, 46-match, four-competition campaign that had ups and downs galore!
Here, we look back at the Club's first season at London Stadium in numbers, from the men who made a case for the defence to those who regularly went on the attack.
1,082,464 fans bought tickets for Premier League matches at London Stadium in 2016/17 – an average of 56,972 per game
The Hammers scored 28 Premier League goals away from home – the highest of any club outside the top six
Of West Ham United's 12 clean sheets, ten were kept at London Stadium
The Claret and Blue Army travelled a total of 5,654 miles to cheer on their team
Slaven Bilic used 29 different players in the Premier League – two more than he utilised in top-flight matches in the final season at the Boleyn Ground
The Hammers used 33 players in total – Reece Burke, Reece Oxford, Marcus Browne and Domingos Quina features in the UEFA Europa League
Slaven Bilic handed 15 players their debuts, including three Academy graduates
Fifteen different players scored 56 goals in all competition – 29 were scored from open play, 17 from set pieces, five from penalties, four from counter attacks and one own-goal!
Of those 56 goals, 27 were right-foot shots, 14 were left-foot shots, 14 were headers and one was an own goal!
No Hammer played more minutes than Cheikhou Kouyate's 3,167 in all competitions or 2,728 in the Premier League
Michail Antonio, Cheikhou Kouyate, Winston Reid each started 36 matches in league and cup
Manuel Lanzini who made the most appearances all in, with 39 in all competitions
Defensively, Winston Reid led the way in blocks (56), clearances (244) and interceptions (81)
Cheikhou Kouyate totalled 99 tackles – nine more than Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang
Offensively, Michail Antonio led the way in goals scored (nine) and shots (77)
Assist-wise, it was Dimitri Payet who led the way with six, three more than five other players
Nobody won more aerial battles in the Premier League on average than Andy Carroll's 9.1 per game
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LUNCHTIME ROUND UP: SLAV PROMISES BETTER TIMES, MICHY OPEN TO LOAN DEAL, IHEANACHO LATEST!
BY DAN CHAPMAN ON 1 JUNE 2017 AT 12:02PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Hello Hammers. Here is today's lunchtime round up.
West Ham United have announced a record number of season ticket renewals ahead of their second season at the London Stadium. (Evening Standard)
This is very good to see from the fans. Its good to see that despite the problems during last season, the fans have stuck at it and are continuing to pay money to support the team. I'm really pleased to see this.
Slaven Bilic has promised West Ham fans that better days lie ahead, following a poor 2016/17 season. (HITC)
Slaven Bilic says that he believes West Ham will benefit a lot from their first season at the London Stadium. (Evening Standard)
I agree with Slaven on both of these points. Better times are ahead for this club, but we need to sign some good players to progress as a team. If we do that, then I am sure we will see progress next season. As for the stadium, it cannot be used as an excuse for the players anymore. We have been there a year and they should be used to it now. I do believe that we will be better next season and will continue to push on from there.
West Ham target Kelechi Iheanacho wishes to remain in England, should the striker leave Manchester City this summer. (Vital Football)
This is a huge boost to our chances of signing him. I hope that we can get this deal done relatively quickly once he returns from international duty, because I think he would be an excellent signing.
West Ham are keen to sign Michy Batshuayi, who is open to leaving Chelsea this summer. (The Sun)
I hope we sign Batshuayi before we sign anyone else this summer. I have wanted him to join for ages now, and if we can get him on loan with a view to buy him, then I would be very happy with that.
West Ham are leading Everton in the race to sign want-away Arsenal striker Lucas Perez. (Express)
For me, he has not played enough football this season. Yes he has looked good when he has played, but Arsenal will likely want a big fee for him and I do not think he would be value for money.
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Darren Randolph happy with Hammers acclaim
WHUFC.com
Darren Randolph is hoping the memory of winning West Ham United's Save of the Season award will inspire him while on international duty.
The Hammers and Republic of Ireland No1 caught the trophy for his outstanding fingertip stop to deny Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson in the 2-2 Premier League draw at Anfield in December. The save was one of a number made by Randolph last season, including impressive stops from Manchester United's Jesse Lingard, Burnley's Scott Arfield, Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez and Tottenham Hotspur's Eric Dier.
It was the wonderful full-length effort to deny Henderson which won Randolph acclaim, and he would love to repeat the trick in Ireland's friendly international with Mexico, which will take place in New Jersey on Thursday evening.
"It's always nice to get a pat on the back for your hard work throughout the season and nice to get that recognition," he confirmed. "I don't remember too much before the actual shot. I remember him hitting the shot and it kind of went in slow motion, then I thought 'Uh-oh!', then I moved my feet and kind of just threw myself and I managed to get there and tip it over the bar.
"I didn't realise how good a save it was until I watched it back, because you never get to see the replays on the big screens. I didn't realise it was so far in the corner at the time, I thought it was more central.
"Sometimes when you back you think 'That wasn't as good as I thought' and other times you think 'It was better than I thought' and that was definitely in the latter category.
"There were a few against Manchester United and another one against Tottenham at White Hart Lane that I liked, but I'd say the Henderson one was probably top of the list."
Randolph is one of two goalkeepers in the Ireland squad for the trip to the United States, with Bradford City's Colin Doyle also present.
Following the Mexico fixture, the Boys in Green return to Dublin to host Uruguay in a friendly on Sunday 4 June, before tackling Austria in an important FIFA World Cup European Group D qualifier at the Aviva Stadium a week later.
Victory over Austria would complete a decent campaign for the 30-year-old, who appeared 27 times in all competitions for the Hammers.
"We have three games in the summer – two friendlies and one qualifier against Austria," he confirmed. "I think we're joint-top of the group now and there's still plenty more football to be played, so let's get a win against Austria and go top of the group and keep on course to go to the World Cup in Russia next summer.
"It was a good season for me. Obviously I got in the team and played 27 games, I think it was, then unfortunately got taken out of the team, but that's football.
"I like to think that, when I've played, I've contributed to the team and helped us pick up points, so on the whole, for myself it's been a good season."
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West Ham announce record number of season ticket renewals ahead of second campaign at London Stadium
SAM LONG
Evening Standard
West Ham have announced a record number of season ticket renewals for the 2017-18 season. More than 90% of the club's 52,000 season ticket holders have opted to renew, while supporters on the waiting list have registered their desire to purchase the remaining seats.
The Hammers moved into the London Stadium last year and are set to boast the highest number of season ticket holders of any club in the capital, with Arsenal their closest challengers, for the second season running.
Co-chairman David Sullivan is delighted to have received such a positive response and believes the club's fans have proved they deserved to watch football on a bigger stage than the Boleyn Ground. Sullivan said: "Once again, our supporters have shown magnificent commitment and devotion to West Ham United. "When we took the decision to move our football club to London Stadium, we did so with the belief and confidence that our fanbase was deserving of a bigger and better stage. "The season ticket renewal figure for next season only serves to emphasise that fact, but I am still amazed and overwhelmed by the loyalty and dedication of our supporters."
Despite such a widespread appetite to see West Ham in action, Slaven Bilic's side endured a difficult season on the pitch. The Hammers flirted with relegation before eventually finishing 11th with a total of 45 points. Bilic is keen to add to his squad, having already signed Pablo Zabaleta, in an attempt to climb the table and Sullivan has vowed to reward fans for their unwavering support. He added: "They have followed us through thick and thin, and shown tremendous faith throughout the first season at our new home. "Our focus now is to do everything we can to reward that faith with success on the pitch next season."
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Dusan Tadic, Kelechi Iheanacho and Michy Batshuayi… the transfer business West Ham will look to complete this summer
KEN DYER
Evening Standard
West Ham fans should not anticipate droves of arrivals but they will be expecting a considerable upgrade on last season's business.
Slaven Bilic has already promised that quality rather than quantity will be the mantra, with pace a priority. That criteria was not top of the agenda when West Ham did some early close-season business with the signing, on a free transfer, of Pablo Zabaleta from City but what the 32-year-old loses in the sprinting stakes, he will more than make up in character and leadership. West Ham's major expenditure could be a £20m-plus deal to take striker Kelechi Iheanacho, again from City, but there is a way to go before this one is done. Michy Batshuayi could be the next arrival, following his admission that he may leave Chelsea on loan to gain more game time.
Southampton's Serbian winger Dusan Tadic is another who could join which could mean Robert Snodgrass, only signed from Hull in January, could make an early exit. The goalkeeper situation also remains unclear despite West Ham activating an option on Adrian's contract which will keep the Spaniard at the club for a further two years. Both Adrian and Darren Randolph were dropped by Bilic last season.
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Former Blackburn and West Ham striker Benni McCarthy forced to deny reports of his death
A fabricated report suggested the Porto striker had died after a car crash in London but he has denied the claims
The Mirror
BYLIAM PRENDERVILLE
18:53, 1 JUN 2017UPDATED19:51, 1 JUN 2017
Reports of former Premier League striker Benni McCarthy's death have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, McCarthy has been forced to deny them. Reports emerged on Wednesday suggesting McCarthy had been involved in a car crash in London. The report appeared to come from a fake news outlet but the ex-Blackburn and West Ham striker took to social media to slam the claims. "Guys please dont believe this news thats going around about me being found dead in London! its totally #FakeNews!!!", he posted on Facebook. "I am very much alive! Thank you for all the messages of concern! People that create this fake news have no respect and are messing with people's lives & emotions! McCarthy also confirmed he will be in Cardiff for this weekend's Champions League final.
The South African joined Blackburn from Porto in 2006 and spent three seasons at Ewood Park before a brief spell with West Ham.
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Odds on West Ham to finish in the top four slashed after links with Iheanacho and Batshuayi
The Hammers are expected to be busy in the transfer market this summer
Football London
BYROB GUEST
14:30, 1 JUN 2017
With the Premier League season finished for another year, football fans across the country are already counting down the days until the new campaign gets underway in August. West Ham have already started planning ahead of next season with Pablo Zabaleta arriving at the London Stadium on a free transfer from Manchester City. It promises to be a big season in east London, especially with the club reportedly close to signing Kelechi Iheanacho from City. Well, ahead of the new season, we have decided to gather all the odds for fans wanting a flutter on their beloved club. If you're confident that Slaven Bilic's side can lift the Premier League title, then you could be in for a large sum of money. The Hammers, who are 500/1 with most bookmakers, are surprisingly priced by SkyBet at 150/1 to lift the title for the first time. However, if you're planning on backing the team, Black Type are the company to go with as they have the team at a whopping 1000/1 to cause a major upset.
A title-winning campaign would be a big shock, especially as the Hammers looked like they could get dragged into relegation trouble last season. You can get odds of 10/1 with SkyBet that the team will suffer relegation for the first time since 2011, while Black Type offer odds of 5/1. SkyBet also offer odds of 1/25 that Bilic will guide his team to Premier League safety. The Hammers narrowly missed out on a top-half finish last season and SkyBet have the team at 13/8 that they jump back into the top 10.
However, it seems a bottom half finish is more likely with odds of 4/9 on offer. West Ham's co-owners have big ambitions for the club and they will be hoping that Bilic can guide his side to a European finish. SkyBet have the Hammers at 28/1 to finish in the top four, while William Hill have the team at 66/1 to cause a major shock and qualify for the Champions League. Finally, with Iheanacho reportedly due to arrive at the club, the Nigerian is 40/1 with BetStars to finish top scorer in the Premier League, with Andy Carroll priced at 66/1.
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West Ham battle Galatasaray for signing of Juventus midfielder
HITC
Tom Seymour
Both West Ham and Southampton are competing with Galatasaray to sign Juventus star Kwadwo Asamoah. Reports from Italy claim that West Ham United and Southampton are keen on bringing Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah to the Premier League. According to Calciomercato the English duo are ready to put in a bid for the 28-year-old, but face stiff competition from Galatasaray. An update from the same publication claims that Gala lead the way currently and are readying a £3.35m bid for Asamoah - whose contract expires at the end of next season. The fact the Ghana international is entering the final year of his current deal probably has something to do with the fact that he is available for such a bargain price. Asamoah has been with Juve since 2012, but has struggled with injury which has limited his game time, and he even asked to be excused from international duty after the 2014 World Cup to concentrate on his club career.
The former Udinese man - who has the ability to play at left-back or in central midfield - has certainly rebuilt his reputation, making 24 appearances in 2016/17 for the Old Lady as they won a sixth successive Scudetto, the Coppa Italia and are also in the Champions League final against Real Madrid. However, with his time in Turin seemingly coming to an end could either Southampton or West Ham be on course to sign a bargain?
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West Ham target Leicester City striker but face competition from West Brom
The Hammers are reportedly interested in the Algerian forward
Football London
BYANDY HA
11:54, 1 JUN 2017UPDATED12:03, 1 JUN 2017
West Ham are reportedly keen on a deal for Leicester City striker Islam Slimani. The Algerian striker moved to the former champions for £29m from Sporting Lisbon last summer, but has enjoyed a disappointing debut season in England, scoring eight goals in 29 appearances.
According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha several Premier League clubs, including West Brom and West Ham, are interested in signing the striker. Andy Carroll's ongoing fitness problems and the departure of Jonathan Calleri means the Hammers need to add fire power to their squad and Slimani has been discussed as an option alongside the likes of Michy Batshuayi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Daniel Sturridge. However, Slaven Bilic's side could face big competition for Slimani's signature in the shape of his former side Sporting.
The striker has been linked with a return to the Alvalade Stadium, as the Portuguese side prepare for the potential exit of top scorer Bas Dost. Dost has scored a total of 34 goals in just 31 appearances this season and is being linked with a big-money move away from Sporting, with interest in China.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 1
Daily WHUFC News - 1st June 2017
Fonte - It's an opportunity to get another title
WHUFC.com
Jose Fonte has been included in Portugal's provisional 24-man squad for the FIFA Confederations Cup. The West Ham United defender is one of 16 members of Portugal's 23-man UEFA Euro 2016-winning squad to be included for the tournament, which will take place in Russia between 17 June-2 July, as a prelude to next summer's FIFA World Cup finals. Portugal and Fonte will hope they can continue the amazing run of form and fortune that carried them to glory in France last year. "It's going to be a good test against good teams," Fonte told whufc.com. "I'm excited for this Confederations Cup because it's an opportunity to get another title – it's as simple as that. We look forward to it. "We will have no rest again this summer, which is tough, because I haven't had more than three weeks off in the last three years, so I need to negotiate with the manager if he can give me four this summer! "Hopefully he will, because it's important to rest. Too much water kills the plant so it's important to rest as well. We will get there when the time comes."
At Euro 2016, with Fonte initially on the bench, Portugal drew their three group-stage matches with Iceland, Austria and Hungary before the then-Southampton man was called in to replace Ricardo Carvalho for the knockout stages. With Fonte in imperious form alongside Real Madrid's Pepe, Portugal beat Croatia 1-0 after extra-time, Poland on penalties, James Collins' Wales 2-0 and hosts France 1-0, again extra-time, to lift the trophy for the first time in their history. Incidentally, the men who scored the winning goals against Croatia and France, Renato Sanches and Eder, are among the seven Euro 2016 winners not included in Fernando Santos' squad for the Confederations Cup. The 24 will be reduced to a final 23 prior to the tournament.
The European champions will kick-off their tournament by taking on CONCACAF Gold Cup winners Mexico in Kazan on Sunday 18 June, before tackling hosts Russia in Moscow on Wednesday 21 June. Their Group A slate is completed with a clash with OFC Nations Cup holders New Zealand – without the injured Winston Reid – in Saint Petersburg on Saturday 24 June. Should Portugal progress, they will contest a semi-final on either 28 or 29 June, with the final and match for third place being held on 2 July in Saint Petersburg and Moscow respectively. The tournament will be screened live in the UK by ITV. Prior to the Confederations Cup, Portugal will host Cyprus in a friendly international in Estoril on Saturday 3 June, before travelling to Latvia for a FIFA World Cup qualifier on Friday 9 June.
Fonte and company currently sit second in Group B with 12 points from five matches played, three points behind leaders Switzerland and five ahead of third-place Hungary.
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Big Man expecting little one!
WHUFC.com
West Ham United striker Andy Carroll and fiancee Billi Mucklow are expecting their second child together! The Hammers centre forward, Billi, their son Arlo and Carroll's two older children are currently on holiday in Dubai, from where the former reality TV star posted an image on Instagram announcing that another 'Baby Carroll' is on the way. Carroll told whufc.com he cannot wait to be a father again, saying: "We are all really happy about the news. I've got all three of my kids here with us in Dubai right now and all of them are excited for the new one's arrival!" Carroll is not the only Hammer celebrating fatherhood, as teammate Adrian recently welcomed his second son Eric into the world earlier this month. The Spanish goalkeeper and wife Tamara had their first child, Enzo, in their home city of Seville in January 2016. The little man joined his famous father on the pitch at London Stadium as part of the official opening of West Ham's new home last August.
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Season Ticket relocation process to begin
WHUFC.com
With the deadline for Season Ticket renewals having now passed, the Club would like to confirm the process for the two-week relocation period, which will take place from 1-15 June.
As we have always stressed, supporters wishing to retain their existing seat when renewing of course have the right to do so, and with the renewal rate extremely high, seat relocations will be strictly subject to availability.
For renewing Season Ticket Holders, seat relocations will be prioritised by how early you renewed, which the Ticket Office hold a record of.
As previously explained, there are some priority cases where exceptional circumstances exist, such as accessibility requirements and a group of supporters who had to move out of Block 114 in order to increase the size of the segregation line.
Those Season Ticket holders requesting to relocate will be allocated a relocation window in line with when you renewed. You will receive an email notification of your relocation window, advising when you can call the Ticket Office.
The relocation phase will be a busy period for the Club and we would therefore ask that you only contact us once your window has opened. Supporters calling earlier will be politely requested to call back at their designated time.
Once the relocation period has ended on 15 June, the limited number of available Season Tickets will then go on sale to supporters on the Waiting List from Friday 16 June.
FAQs
I am in a group of Season Ticket Holders, can we relocate together?
Due to seat availability, you will have more chance of relocating if moving in singles or pairs. Groups wishing to relocate will only be able to select in the window for the group member who renewed at the latest point, so as to not disadvantage others. Please make sure you have to hand all client references, names, and postcodes within the group.
Can I relocate to a different price band?
Yes, if your relocation falls into a different price band, the difference in cost will either be refunded or required to be paid in full immediately. As there will be no access to the stadium seating bowl during relocations, supporters are reminded to familiarise themselves with the stadium seating blocks and price bands ahead of their window. You can view our stadium map and pricing by clicking here.
What will I need when calling the Ticket Office about my relocation?
It is important to have your client reference number and postcode to hand and you should have an idea about the location within the stadium you are wishing to relocate to. If you relocate to a higher price band you will need payment details to pay the difference immediately. In the interest of fairness, seats cannot be placed on reserve.
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Club announce record Season Ticket renewals
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce a Club record number of Season Ticket renewals for the 2017/18 Premier League campaign.
At Wednesday's 5pm deadline, over 90% of the 52,000 Season Ticket holders at London Stadium had renewed, with the phonelines still ringing with supporters wishing to retain their seat.
With supporters on the Season Ticket Waiting List (click here to join) having already registered their desire to purchase the limited number of remaining available seats, the Club are on course for another record breaking early sell-out as we approach our second season at London Stadium.
This will again see West Ham United boasting the highest number of Season Ticket holders of any Club in the capital.
Joint-Chairman David Sullivan said: "Once again, our supporters have shown magnificent commitment and devotion to West Ham United.
"When we took the decision to move our football club to London Stadium, we did so with the belief and confidence that our fanbase was deserving of a bigger and better stage.
"The Season Ticket renewal figure for next season only serves to emphasise that fact, but I am still amazed and overwhelmed by the loyalty and dedication of our supporters.
"They have followed us through thick and thin, and shown tremendous faith throughout the first season at our new home.
"Our focus now is to do everything we can to reward that faith with success on the pitch next season."
With the renewal deadline now passed, tomorrow will see the start of a two-week period of seat relocations, before the limited number of available Season Tickets go on sale to the Waiting List on June 16.
As we have always stressed, supporters wishing to retain their existing seat when renewing of course have the right to do so, and with the renewal rate extremely high, seat relocations will be strictly subject to availability.
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SHOULD I STAY I SHOULD I GO? (PART 1 – THE GOALKEEPERS)
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 31 MAY 2017 AT 1:45PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Steve Claydon @trbeat
With the season in the books, I thought it was a good time to have a review of the team based on positions. I'm going to focus less on transfers and who explicitly we might want to consider, and more on do we stick or twist on some of the players we have right now and how those decisions might impact the team as a whole
So welcome to part 1 of 4 part series that I am calling Should I stay or Should I go?
This episode I am focusing on our keepers.
Our goalkeepers:
1 Darren Randolph
13 Adrian
34 Raphael Spiegel
Let's start with a rating. Would anyone be mad with a C? While there were a few games the keepers held their own, in general, both Adrian and Randolph were a disappointment. I never felt truly comfortable with either of them, except Adrian's second stint between the sticks. Which coincided with an uptick in our results.
Adrian
Adrian started the year off poorly with mistakes that led to his downfall. The key one being going walkabout in the Stoke game that cost us points. The thing I noticed about him in the early part of the season, was that he had the air of eccentricity; every save was exaggerated, there was a lack of calm about his play, and he made many poor decisions that cost us goals, points and games. I did and do like his commitment though. He is a Hammer. Who can forget the Everton cup game?
I was very vocal in calling for him to be benched, and during the time he was something clearly changed. When he was given the opportunity again, he seemed to come back a changed man and player. He was methodical, focused and his play, in general, was efficient, something we need from a starter. A full year of this and instead of him costing us 6 to 8 points, I believe he will save us 6 to 8 points.
Randolph
Moving on to Randolph. When he came in for Adrian, I thought we were going to see the team turn around. And there were a couple of games where his skills kept us in games, but I always felt he lacked something and that "something", in my eyes, was commanding his area and organising the back four or five. I always felt he was playing the role of the goalkeeper at school; the last one picked gets to go in goal. I did, you did it, we all did it, we played that goalkeeper role but felt a little on the outside. Clearly, Randolph is not an oversight, but I want my team to have a strong spine, and that spine starts with a dominant, focussed and organised goalkeeper. I am just not sure that Randolph has all those qualities.
Spiegel
Not having access to 2nd team games I am not sure how many games Spiegel has played or how well he has played in those games, but he has represented his country at u17, u19 and u21 level, so there must be something that intrigues us. Either way, I don't see him getting much first team action anytime soon but will remain as an understudy to Adrian and whoever our second team choice is.
As I write this, we just exercised the option to sign Adrian for a further two years. Many reports are indicating that we might use him as a makeweight to sign someone else, specifically Sunderland's Pickford.
I am not convinced this is the plan. Bilic has said many times that he was happy with the goalkeepers, and those statements might have been angled at keeping the confidence levels up as opposed to reality. However, I do think Adrian will stay, and I also believe Randolph will be moved on. Randolph will have some value on the open market, even if it is just a few million. We will then look to buy a new backup to Adrian. I don't think we are in the market for an expensive starter whether that be someone like Pickford or Hart.
While our transfer kitty will be somewhat decent, I can't see us spending a huge chunk of change on a goalkeeper or stumping up a considerable amount of money for a salary.
But that's not to say we don't need some quality in this position. I just see us using that money on a couple of forwards, better wide players and maybe another defensive midfield player, along with some quality backups.
So now you know my views for this position. Keep Adrian, look for a better backup and keep Spiegel in reserve. I will be disappointed if we don't freshen up that spot a little. If Adrian stumbles again, I am not sure I have the confidence that Randolph will do the job we need. I'm not excited by him. We need someone with more passion.
See you in a week or two where I'll focus on our defenders and discuss our quality, depth, and the youngsters we have.
I hope we don't make some poor decisions like we did last year (James Tomkins) on who to keep and who should go.
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TALENTED MARTIN SAMUELSEN TO TAKE CENTRE STAGE
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 31 MAY 2017 AT 1:20PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by @farehamhammer
The first time I saw Martin Samuelsen my first reaction was: "Your Mum should not allow you out after dark!" So youthful was Samuelsen's appearance but make no mistake about it, Martin Samuelsen's football pedigree is first class. It is easy to see why the supremely talented Samuelsen, was so sought after as a young prodigy. The likes of Chelsea, Real Madrid were all after the young Norwegian international. Someone of Samuelsen's natural ability, need very little coaching, it is more a case of guiding them. Football at its best, is a game of beauty and intelligence, artistry over brawn. That personifies Martin Samuelsen at his best.
The elegant Samuelsen, can play anywhere across the middle, as well as the classic number 9 or 10. Although I will confess, I never tire of watching his goal against Sheffield United, while on loan for Peterborough. Samuelsen, cuts in from the left, turns the Sheffield United defence inside out then BANG! In the far corner of the net goes the ball! Poetry in motion! A West Ham player if ever I've seen one!
It was Yossi Benayoun, who once said "I need to feel the ball", likewise with Samuelsen. To get the best out of Samuelsen, he needs the ball at his feet. Following his last couple of loans, some have said that he is too 'lightweight' for the Premier League. They said exactly the same about Yossi Benayoun and Manuel Lanzini. Some would say the same about Lionel Messi. However, you can have all the talent in the world but as in life, when given chances in football you have got to take them.
Some will point out, that Samuelsen's loans at Blackburn Rovers and Peterborough have not been very successful, which can be for a variety of reasons though. The style of football a club plays, may not be suitable for the way a player plays his game. A sudden change of manager, a club in financial turmoil, unrest in a dressing room .When placing a player on loan, a club must be very careful who they send a player out on loan too. Especially someone like Samuelsen, who is obviously a confidence player. What Grant McCann, the Peterborough manager was up to, when going public and saying: "Martin Samuelsen has lost all confidence "God only knows!
It's a manager's job to give a player confidence! So where to now for Martin Samuelsen? Well it's the first time in three seasons, that The Club will be able to have a proper pre-season. At some point Samuelsen, will get a chance in pre-season to impress the manager. He has got to take those chances, talent wise he is one of the best at The Club. So there is absolutely no reason why he should not make his mark. Having just turned 20, Samuelsen has to be in and around the first team squad.
I do not think sending him out on another loan at 20 is the answer. The Club needs to take a leaf out of Southampton Football Club's books as far as bringing on the youth is concerned. They don't send their youngsters out on loan after loan, 16, 17, 18.They are given first team opportunities, and kept working with the first team squad. Giving them the chance to develop a first team mentality. One or two bad games? Discard them? Not on your life! It's about helping a footballer mature as an adult and footballer. That is one of the reason why the South Coast Club has made millions from transfers. Who knows if we had kept Martin Samuelsen in the first team squad last season, we would not have spent millions on the likes of Robert Snodgrass. It's make or break time this season for Martin Samuelsen, For West Ham and Martin Samuelsen's sake, I hope he not only grasp his chances, but lights up The London Stadium. Shine Martin …shine. We are more than a football club, we're a way of life! COYI!!
Farehamhammer!!!
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West Ham target Michy Batshuayi open to leaving Chelsea on loan
ALEX YOUNG
Evening Standard
Michy Batshuayi is open to leaving Chelsea on loan in the search for more first-team football, with West Ham keen on the striker. The striker endured a frustrating first season at Stamford Bridge with just one Premier League start - coming after Chelsea had confirmed the title. Despite a reduced role, Batushuayi scored four goals in his final three league games and finished the season with a record of scoring every 47 minutes. The 23-year-old is a summer loan target for West Ham with Slaven Bilic failing with a bid last summer and Batshuayi is happy to accept any offer Chelsea deem suitable. "Honestly, I'm not trying to think too much [about my future]," Batshuayi told Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad. "It will be up to the board and the coach to decide. I'm the player, I go where Chelsea send me."
Chelsea have already lost two players ahead of the summer transfer window officially opening. Second-choice goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has joined Bournemouth in a deal worth up to £10 million, while wantaway youth prospect Dominic Solanke will become a Liverpool player on July 1.
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Slaven Bilic: West Ham will benefit a lot from first season at London Stadium
JAMES BENGE
Evening Stadanrd
Slaven Bilic is convinced that the difficulties West Ham faced in their first year at the London Stadium will aid his squad in the coming season. West Ham endured growing pains in their new stadium after their spectacular farewell to the Boleyn Ground, winning just seven league games at home as they battled to an 11th placed finish. To further heap misery on Bilic star player Dimitri Payet went on strike to engineer a move to Marseille and he was hamstrung by a string of injuries to key players. The Hammers have already begun plotting their revival for next season, bringing in Pablo Zabaleta on a free transfer from Manchester City and making a £20million bid for his team-mate, 20-year-old striker Kelechi Iheanacho. Bilic, entering the final season of his three-year contract, is eager to get the new campaign underway. "I have two heads because I need to rest but the other part of me can't wait for the season to start because I really feel we will benefit from this season a lot," he told the West Ham club website. West Ham fans will likely have been glad to see the season come to an end particularly after struggling to settle away from Upton Park. Even during West Ham's worst run of form, when co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold were publicly demanding an improvement in form, the Hammers supporters stood by the boss.
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The inside story behind Toni Martinez's journey from Valencia to West Ham as striker's progress haunts La Liga side
West Ham striker Toni Martinez is exciting fans and his rise to prominence could be complete with a first-team place next season
Football London
BYANDREW GAFFNEY
11:45, 31 MAY 2017UPDATED11:47, 31 MAY 2017
The Premier League has often been the second home for many Spanish players but not when it comes to strikers. They are generally considered too small or slight to succeed with the hustle and bustle of the English game, see Iago Aspas, but there are still players who buck the trend. Diego Costa scored 20 League goals to help fire Chelsea to the Premier League title whereas at the bottom Fernando Llorente was key in Swansea avoiding relegation. Could young Toni Martinez add his name to that list and become the Spaniard to lead West Ham's forward line in the years to come?
Ever since Martinez swapped Valencia for London, he's generated a fair amount of buzz. In a time where it appears West Ham are in danger of losing their identity, moving to a new stadium and searching for big name strikers, the emergence of young talent such as Toni could mean their future will be brighter – if they're crucially given a chance. David Gold's comments about it being hard for teenagers to get minutes were hardly encouraging to those youngsters desperate for a chance. It isn't like those 'seasoned internationals' set the Premier League alight either. While the loan system can be an important tool in a player's development, it isn't the only option. If they're good enough, they're old enough.
When Martinez left Valencia it left distinctive marks on both the fan base as well as the academy director Jose Ramos Alesanco. The fans were largely upset at the selling of a potential star as Valencia is a club steeped with history of bringing through youth prospects. They also felt the fee was on the small side. Despite original reports putting the cost at €3m it turned out to be closer to €1m, plus a load of bonuses. They also have first option should West Ham wish to sell him. On the other side, Alesanco, was happy to accept a decent fee for a player who he didn't see as someone who could make it at the top in Valencia. He saw potential but not enough to justify fighting to keep the player at the club. Martinez, perhaps in part due to this 'it's up to you' attitude and a lack of minutes under Curro Torres, decided the chance to join a Premier League club was too good to turn down.
Anyone who has seen Martinez play will know he's physically more suited to the Premier League than he was La Liga. After a bright start to his career at Valencia he struggled to have the same influence with Valencia Mestalla. West Ham's scouts saw the raw potential and after a positive response from the player's representative made a bid for the young forward's services. A deal suited both parties.
For a striker he didn't score an incredible amount of goals at Valencia and that could've caused some people to think he isn't a good forward. That would be short-sighted as he's got plenty about him and with the right service knows where the back of the net is.
West Ham fans should be excited by the progression Martinez has made in his short time at the club. 10 goals in his 11 Premier League 2 appearances is a fantastic return. Especially when you consider this is his first full season in England, adapting to a new system and learning a new language. His loan spell out at Oxford didn't work out as well as intended but he did score against Middlesbrough and Newcastle in the FA Cup. Not content with that he then returned to West Ham and scored a brace to see them defeat Newcastle and earn a place in Division One of the Premier League 2. It would be a travesty if his improvement and fine form for the Under-23s didn't see him given a chance to link up with the first team during preseason.
The next logical question is: Could Martinez do a job for West Ham in the not so distant future? Those who know the player from his time at Valencia would tell you yes. The biggest concern was adapting to the physical side of the game but that hasn't proven to be an issue. If anything, he's embraced it and become a better player because of that. There's an underlying confidence to Martinez and it's serving him well in England. The fact Ashley Fletcher gained valuable Premier League minutes this season indicates that if Martinez continues his progression then he'll be given a chance at West Ham next year. While those who currently occupy the striker positions at the club cost a great deal more, none of them would fall into the 'keep at all costs' category. As an option off the bench, Martinez would be great.
No one at Valencia wishes anything but the best for the youngster. Valencia fans are always happy to see academy players do well but ideally at the club itself. Although, of course, should he become a household name then that happiness might turn into anger towards the fact they let Martinez go on the cheap. West Ham fans should be excited by the future and the success of their Under-23 side. Far too many have joined the club in recent years for a decent pay day and then wandered off into the wilderness. Mark Noble is loved, flaws and all, because of how much representing West Ham means to him. If you give the kids a chance to impress you'll only increase their own bond with the club. Ignoring them for more of the same would be disappointing. Let's hope the chairman's comments prove to be the biggest motivational speech for the academy lads as opposed to sentencing them to loan deal after loan deal. The kids are alright.
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Newcastle, Everton, West Ham - which loan deal would suit Chelsea's Michy Batshuayi best?
The Belgian international is reportedly open to a loan move away from the Blues
Football London
BYADAM JONES
11:18, 31 MAY 2017
Michy Batshuayi is one of the hot topics surrounding Chelsea in the early stages of this transfer window. The Belgian international turned out to be pretty instrumental to the Blues season in the latter stages - scoring the goal against West Brom which confirmed that Antonio Conte's side won the title. And, let's be honest, a Premier League goal every 47 minutes of action is a pretty fantastic return.
But, due to lack of game time, Batshuayi is reportedly open to at least a loan move away from Chelsea - with Newcastle, Everton and West Ham all credited with interest.
We've had a look at each club's credentials - and seen which one would suit Batshuayi the best.
Newcastle United
Newly-promoted Newcastle will be doing absolutely everything in their power to keep the club in the Premier League this time around.
With Rafael Benitez at the helm for (presumably) the entire campaign this time around - you'd be brave to bet against them staying in the top division. In fact, Magpies fans will probably be targeting at least a mid-table finish, and that ambition could well be tempting to Batshuayi. Of course, playing under a manager like Rafael Benitez could also be a massive factor - we've already seen how well the Spaniard can manage top strikers like Fernando Torres. And, of course, let's not forget the adoration that Newcastle supporters often give to their front men. Dwight Gayle would provide the main competition for Batshuayi, but you have to presume the Belgian international is in another league to the Magpies' current lead striker. The only downside is the fact that Newcastle are a newly-promoted side. Will Batshuayi be able to look beyond that and ignore the interest from other sides in the league?
Everton
Well, this strictly depends on one thing really - whether Romelu Lukaku stays at the club. If the Belgian international does indeed stay with the Toffees, then you can't really expect Batshuayi to be able to oust him - but you never know. He would no doubt get more chances than he did this season at Chelsea in any case, with Everton needing a much bigger squad now that they have European football to contend with. It's also worth noting that the Toffees bascially don't have a senior striker other than Lukaku right now. Arouna Kone's contract has run out, Enner Valencia has returned to West Ham and Oumar Niasse is almost certainly ready to be shown the exit door. The only competition that Batshuayi would face would be the impressive Dominic Calvert-Lewin and any other youngsters that Ronald Koeman decides to bring through. Not only that, but the service that the 23-year-old would be getting from the likes of Tom Davies, Kevin Mirallas and (possibly) Ross Barkley would surely be enough to convince any striker to make the move. Of course, if Lukaku were to leave, then you'd have to say that a move to Goodison Park would easily provide Michy Batshuayi his best challenge away from Chelsea.
Regularly playing for a side hunting down the Premier League top six and also involved in European football? What more could a developing player want?
West Ham United
There's no doubt about it, West Ham United absolutely need a striker - well, one that can regularly keep himself out of the injury room at the very least. Whilst Michy Batshuayi didn't actually get a lot of game-time last season, it wasn't injury that was keeping him on the bench. So West Ham would certainly appreciate a striker who can lead their line on a consistent basis - and one who is Premier League proven is obviously going to be an advantage for them. And, for the Belgian international too, again you can see the benefits.
West Ham offers the chance for the 23-year-old to stay in London at the very least. But, also, with Andre Ayew and the chronically injured Andy Carroll his main competition with the Hammers - you'd have to expect Michy Batshuayi will be starting a lot of games.
But, the question is, where will West Ham finish? There are doubts over the future of Slaven Bilic, and any new manager could potentially take a dislike to Batshuayi. There might just be too many risks surrounding this deal to make it a good idea for the Chelsea man - but it's still an interesting prospect for him.
Verdict
All clubs can honestly consider themselves to have a strong case to sign Batshuayi on loan - but it's hard to look past Everton as the best bet. Not only would the 23-year-old be playing at a higher level of football in the Premier League with Ronald Koeman's side, but the Toffees will also have a European campaign in the Europa League next season. That puts them just a step above West Ham and Newcastle in the running - even if the unlikely scenario occurs and Romelu Lukaku does stay with Everton for another season.
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West Ham unveil ambitious plans
shekicks.net
West Ham say they have made dramatic improvements to their infrastructure and have ambitious plans to reach WSL1 within five years.
The Hammers finished ninth in the FAWPL Southern Division this season, in a campaign that saw them brought 'in-house' by West Ham, and now an injection of investment and several key full-time appointments are set to propel the team to new heights, says whufc.com
In his first full-time role at the club, Jack Sullivan, son of Joint-Chairman David, has been appointed managing director, whilst former player and current coach Karen Ray takes up the full-time position of general manager.
Furthermore, current first-team manager Greg de Carnys has left his role as Academy head of performance to take up a full-time role looking after the Ladies' first team and Academy.
Jack Sullivan said: "This is a massive project of great importance to West Ham United. We have some exciting plans and huge expectations ... and we hope that within five years we can be challenging in FA WSL 1.
"For me personally it's a huge project and something I can't wait to get started on. Whilst I will not be taking a wage, I am excited to be taking on my first full-time role at West Ham United and looking forward to the challenges ahead.
"We hope to make huge strides this summer before the new season starts, and plan to unveil a key player signing, with WSL experience, in the coming weeks."
Karen Ray said: "I am delighted we are able to offer young girls the opportunity to develop as players and people with the new infrastructure that highlights the club's dedication to grow women's football, with the support of West Ham United Foundation.
"We are very passionate about building a sustainable and successful plan that will see us develop a world-class talent pathway for girls of all ages that aligns with the club's overall ambitions."
Greg de Carnys said: "These are exciting times to be involved with West Ham United Ladies - the club has shown outstanding support for our long term vision and I can't wait to get started.
"We already have a talented young squad that believes in what we're doing and they're gaining experience all the time. With a few new additions and investment in the right areas I hope we can build a successful and sustainable future for the club over the next five years."
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West Ham interested in German striker Max Kruse
HITC
Vincent Ralph
West Ham United are allegedly interested in bringing the forward to the London Stadium this summer. According to a report from Wednesday's print edition of Sport Bild (31/05/2017) and later posted online by German website Weser Kurier, West Ham United are among the clubs interested in signing Werder Bremen's Max Kruse this summer. The 29-year-old only arrived at the club last summer but he has enjoyed an impressive campaign, scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists in just 23 appearances. His figures would no doubt have been better were it not for an untimely ligament injury upon his return to the club where he started his career as a youth player.
Given his impact after his return to Bremen it remains to be seen what will happen this summer, although with an alleged promise between the club and the player that he will be allowed to leave if an offer of £10.4million arrives, West Ham could nab themselves something of a bargain. Kruse may be approaching his thirtieth birthday yet he proved this season that he still has plenty to offer in front of goal and he would definitely be an upgrade on the level of striker West Ham signed last summer - namely Jonathan Calleri and Simone Zaza. Kruse may feel he has one big move left in him and if he does fancy a shot at the Premier League West Ham could be the perfect place for the 14-capped Germany international. It is sure to be a busy summer at the London Stadium and West Ham manager Slaven Bilic will know that signing a proven goal-scorer for just over £10million could be a deal too good to refuse.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Jose Fonte has been included in Portugal's provisional 24-man squad for the FIFA Confederations Cup. The West Ham United defender is one of 16 members of Portugal's 23-man UEFA Euro 2016-winning squad to be included for the tournament, which will take place in Russia between 17 June-2 July, as a prelude to next summer's FIFA World Cup finals. Portugal and Fonte will hope they can continue the amazing run of form and fortune that carried them to glory in France last year. "It's going to be a good test against good teams," Fonte told whufc.com. "I'm excited for this Confederations Cup because it's an opportunity to get another title – it's as simple as that. We look forward to it. "We will have no rest again this summer, which is tough, because I haven't had more than three weeks off in the last three years, so I need to negotiate with the manager if he can give me four this summer! "Hopefully he will, because it's important to rest. Too much water kills the plant so it's important to rest as well. We will get there when the time comes."
At Euro 2016, with Fonte initially on the bench, Portugal drew their three group-stage matches with Iceland, Austria and Hungary before the then-Southampton man was called in to replace Ricardo Carvalho for the knockout stages. With Fonte in imperious form alongside Real Madrid's Pepe, Portugal beat Croatia 1-0 after extra-time, Poland on penalties, James Collins' Wales 2-0 and hosts France 1-0, again extra-time, to lift the trophy for the first time in their history. Incidentally, the men who scored the winning goals against Croatia and France, Renato Sanches and Eder, are among the seven Euro 2016 winners not included in Fernando Santos' squad for the Confederations Cup. The 24 will be reduced to a final 23 prior to the tournament.
The European champions will kick-off their tournament by taking on CONCACAF Gold Cup winners Mexico in Kazan on Sunday 18 June, before tackling hosts Russia in Moscow on Wednesday 21 June. Their Group A slate is completed with a clash with OFC Nations Cup holders New Zealand – without the injured Winston Reid – in Saint Petersburg on Saturday 24 June. Should Portugal progress, they will contest a semi-final on either 28 or 29 June, with the final and match for third place being held on 2 July in Saint Petersburg and Moscow respectively. The tournament will be screened live in the UK by ITV. Prior to the Confederations Cup, Portugal will host Cyprus in a friendly international in Estoril on Saturday 3 June, before travelling to Latvia for a FIFA World Cup qualifier on Friday 9 June.
Fonte and company currently sit second in Group B with 12 points from five matches played, three points behind leaders Switzerland and five ahead of third-place Hungary.
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Big Man expecting little one!
WHUFC.com
West Ham United striker Andy Carroll and fiancee Billi Mucklow are expecting their second child together! The Hammers centre forward, Billi, their son Arlo and Carroll's two older children are currently on holiday in Dubai, from where the former reality TV star posted an image on Instagram announcing that another 'Baby Carroll' is on the way. Carroll told whufc.com he cannot wait to be a father again, saying: "We are all really happy about the news. I've got all three of my kids here with us in Dubai right now and all of them are excited for the new one's arrival!" Carroll is not the only Hammer celebrating fatherhood, as teammate Adrian recently welcomed his second son Eric into the world earlier this month. The Spanish goalkeeper and wife Tamara had their first child, Enzo, in their home city of Seville in January 2016. The little man joined his famous father on the pitch at London Stadium as part of the official opening of West Ham's new home last August.
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Season Ticket relocation process to begin
WHUFC.com
With the deadline for Season Ticket renewals having now passed, the Club would like to confirm the process for the two-week relocation period, which will take place from 1-15 June.
As we have always stressed, supporters wishing to retain their existing seat when renewing of course have the right to do so, and with the renewal rate extremely high, seat relocations will be strictly subject to availability.
For renewing Season Ticket Holders, seat relocations will be prioritised by how early you renewed, which the Ticket Office hold a record of.
As previously explained, there are some priority cases where exceptional circumstances exist, such as accessibility requirements and a group of supporters who had to move out of Block 114 in order to increase the size of the segregation line.
Those Season Ticket holders requesting to relocate will be allocated a relocation window in line with when you renewed. You will receive an email notification of your relocation window, advising when you can call the Ticket Office.
The relocation phase will be a busy period for the Club and we would therefore ask that you only contact us once your window has opened. Supporters calling earlier will be politely requested to call back at their designated time.
Once the relocation period has ended on 15 June, the limited number of available Season Tickets will then go on sale to supporters on the Waiting List from Friday 16 June.
FAQs
I am in a group of Season Ticket Holders, can we relocate together?
Due to seat availability, you will have more chance of relocating if moving in singles or pairs. Groups wishing to relocate will only be able to select in the window for the group member who renewed at the latest point, so as to not disadvantage others. Please make sure you have to hand all client references, names, and postcodes within the group.
Can I relocate to a different price band?
Yes, if your relocation falls into a different price band, the difference in cost will either be refunded or required to be paid in full immediately. As there will be no access to the stadium seating bowl during relocations, supporters are reminded to familiarise themselves with the stadium seating blocks and price bands ahead of their window. You can view our stadium map and pricing by clicking here.
What will I need when calling the Ticket Office about my relocation?
It is important to have your client reference number and postcode to hand and you should have an idea about the location within the stadium you are wishing to relocate to. If you relocate to a higher price band you will need payment details to pay the difference immediately. In the interest of fairness, seats cannot be placed on reserve.
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Club announce record Season Ticket renewals
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce a Club record number of Season Ticket renewals for the 2017/18 Premier League campaign.
At Wednesday's 5pm deadline, over 90% of the 52,000 Season Ticket holders at London Stadium had renewed, with the phonelines still ringing with supporters wishing to retain their seat.
With supporters on the Season Ticket Waiting List (click here to join) having already registered their desire to purchase the limited number of remaining available seats, the Club are on course for another record breaking early sell-out as we approach our second season at London Stadium.
This will again see West Ham United boasting the highest number of Season Ticket holders of any Club in the capital.
Joint-Chairman David Sullivan said: "Once again, our supporters have shown magnificent commitment and devotion to West Ham United.
"When we took the decision to move our football club to London Stadium, we did so with the belief and confidence that our fanbase was deserving of a bigger and better stage.
"The Season Ticket renewal figure for next season only serves to emphasise that fact, but I am still amazed and overwhelmed by the loyalty and dedication of our supporters.
"They have followed us through thick and thin, and shown tremendous faith throughout the first season at our new home.
"Our focus now is to do everything we can to reward that faith with success on the pitch next season."
With the renewal deadline now passed, tomorrow will see the start of a two-week period of seat relocations, before the limited number of available Season Tickets go on sale to the Waiting List on June 16.
As we have always stressed, supporters wishing to retain their existing seat when renewing of course have the right to do so, and with the renewal rate extremely high, seat relocations will be strictly subject to availability.
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SHOULD I STAY I SHOULD I GO? (PART 1 – THE GOALKEEPERS)
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 31 MAY 2017 AT 1:45PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Steve Claydon @trbeat
With the season in the books, I thought it was a good time to have a review of the team based on positions. I'm going to focus less on transfers and who explicitly we might want to consider, and more on do we stick or twist on some of the players we have right now and how those decisions might impact the team as a whole
So welcome to part 1 of 4 part series that I am calling Should I stay or Should I go?
This episode I am focusing on our keepers.
Our goalkeepers:
1 Darren Randolph
13 Adrian
34 Raphael Spiegel
Let's start with a rating. Would anyone be mad with a C? While there were a few games the keepers held their own, in general, both Adrian and Randolph were a disappointment. I never felt truly comfortable with either of them, except Adrian's second stint between the sticks. Which coincided with an uptick in our results.
Adrian
Adrian started the year off poorly with mistakes that led to his downfall. The key one being going walkabout in the Stoke game that cost us points. The thing I noticed about him in the early part of the season, was that he had the air of eccentricity; every save was exaggerated, there was a lack of calm about his play, and he made many poor decisions that cost us goals, points and games. I did and do like his commitment though. He is a Hammer. Who can forget the Everton cup game?
I was very vocal in calling for him to be benched, and during the time he was something clearly changed. When he was given the opportunity again, he seemed to come back a changed man and player. He was methodical, focused and his play, in general, was efficient, something we need from a starter. A full year of this and instead of him costing us 6 to 8 points, I believe he will save us 6 to 8 points.
Randolph
Moving on to Randolph. When he came in for Adrian, I thought we were going to see the team turn around. And there were a couple of games where his skills kept us in games, but I always felt he lacked something and that "something", in my eyes, was commanding his area and organising the back four or five. I always felt he was playing the role of the goalkeeper at school; the last one picked gets to go in goal. I did, you did it, we all did it, we played that goalkeeper role but felt a little on the outside. Clearly, Randolph is not an oversight, but I want my team to have a strong spine, and that spine starts with a dominant, focussed and organised goalkeeper. I am just not sure that Randolph has all those qualities.
Spiegel
Not having access to 2nd team games I am not sure how many games Spiegel has played or how well he has played in those games, but he has represented his country at u17, u19 and u21 level, so there must be something that intrigues us. Either way, I don't see him getting much first team action anytime soon but will remain as an understudy to Adrian and whoever our second team choice is.
As I write this, we just exercised the option to sign Adrian for a further two years. Many reports are indicating that we might use him as a makeweight to sign someone else, specifically Sunderland's Pickford.
I am not convinced this is the plan. Bilic has said many times that he was happy with the goalkeepers, and those statements might have been angled at keeping the confidence levels up as opposed to reality. However, I do think Adrian will stay, and I also believe Randolph will be moved on. Randolph will have some value on the open market, even if it is just a few million. We will then look to buy a new backup to Adrian. I don't think we are in the market for an expensive starter whether that be someone like Pickford or Hart.
While our transfer kitty will be somewhat decent, I can't see us spending a huge chunk of change on a goalkeeper or stumping up a considerable amount of money for a salary.
But that's not to say we don't need some quality in this position. I just see us using that money on a couple of forwards, better wide players and maybe another defensive midfield player, along with some quality backups.
So now you know my views for this position. Keep Adrian, look for a better backup and keep Spiegel in reserve. I will be disappointed if we don't freshen up that spot a little. If Adrian stumbles again, I am not sure I have the confidence that Randolph will do the job we need. I'm not excited by him. We need someone with more passion.
See you in a week or two where I'll focus on our defenders and discuss our quality, depth, and the youngsters we have.
I hope we don't make some poor decisions like we did last year (James Tomkins) on who to keep and who should go.
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TALENTED MARTIN SAMUELSEN TO TAKE CENTRE STAGE
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 31 MAY 2017 AT 1:20PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by @farehamhammer
The first time I saw Martin Samuelsen my first reaction was: "Your Mum should not allow you out after dark!" So youthful was Samuelsen's appearance but make no mistake about it, Martin Samuelsen's football pedigree is first class. It is easy to see why the supremely talented Samuelsen, was so sought after as a young prodigy. The likes of Chelsea, Real Madrid were all after the young Norwegian international. Someone of Samuelsen's natural ability, need very little coaching, it is more a case of guiding them. Football at its best, is a game of beauty and intelligence, artistry over brawn. That personifies Martin Samuelsen at his best.
The elegant Samuelsen, can play anywhere across the middle, as well as the classic number 9 or 10. Although I will confess, I never tire of watching his goal against Sheffield United, while on loan for Peterborough. Samuelsen, cuts in from the left, turns the Sheffield United defence inside out then BANG! In the far corner of the net goes the ball! Poetry in motion! A West Ham player if ever I've seen one!
It was Yossi Benayoun, who once said "I need to feel the ball", likewise with Samuelsen. To get the best out of Samuelsen, he needs the ball at his feet. Following his last couple of loans, some have said that he is too 'lightweight' for the Premier League. They said exactly the same about Yossi Benayoun and Manuel Lanzini. Some would say the same about Lionel Messi. However, you can have all the talent in the world but as in life, when given chances in football you have got to take them.
Some will point out, that Samuelsen's loans at Blackburn Rovers and Peterborough have not been very successful, which can be for a variety of reasons though. The style of football a club plays, may not be suitable for the way a player plays his game. A sudden change of manager, a club in financial turmoil, unrest in a dressing room .When placing a player on loan, a club must be very careful who they send a player out on loan too. Especially someone like Samuelsen, who is obviously a confidence player. What Grant McCann, the Peterborough manager was up to, when going public and saying: "Martin Samuelsen has lost all confidence "God only knows!
It's a manager's job to give a player confidence! So where to now for Martin Samuelsen? Well it's the first time in three seasons, that The Club will be able to have a proper pre-season. At some point Samuelsen, will get a chance in pre-season to impress the manager. He has got to take those chances, talent wise he is one of the best at The Club. So there is absolutely no reason why he should not make his mark. Having just turned 20, Samuelsen has to be in and around the first team squad.
I do not think sending him out on another loan at 20 is the answer. The Club needs to take a leaf out of Southampton Football Club's books as far as bringing on the youth is concerned. They don't send their youngsters out on loan after loan, 16, 17, 18.They are given first team opportunities, and kept working with the first team squad. Giving them the chance to develop a first team mentality. One or two bad games? Discard them? Not on your life! It's about helping a footballer mature as an adult and footballer. That is one of the reason why the South Coast Club has made millions from transfers. Who knows if we had kept Martin Samuelsen in the first team squad last season, we would not have spent millions on the likes of Robert Snodgrass. It's make or break time this season for Martin Samuelsen, For West Ham and Martin Samuelsen's sake, I hope he not only grasp his chances, but lights up The London Stadium. Shine Martin …shine. We are more than a football club, we're a way of life! COYI!!
Farehamhammer!!!
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West Ham target Michy Batshuayi open to leaving Chelsea on loan
ALEX YOUNG
Evening Standard
Michy Batshuayi is open to leaving Chelsea on loan in the search for more first-team football, with West Ham keen on the striker. The striker endured a frustrating first season at Stamford Bridge with just one Premier League start - coming after Chelsea had confirmed the title. Despite a reduced role, Batushuayi scored four goals in his final three league games and finished the season with a record of scoring every 47 minutes. The 23-year-old is a summer loan target for West Ham with Slaven Bilic failing with a bid last summer and Batshuayi is happy to accept any offer Chelsea deem suitable. "Honestly, I'm not trying to think too much [about my future]," Batshuayi told Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad. "It will be up to the board and the coach to decide. I'm the player, I go where Chelsea send me."
Chelsea have already lost two players ahead of the summer transfer window officially opening. Second-choice goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has joined Bournemouth in a deal worth up to £10 million, while wantaway youth prospect Dominic Solanke will become a Liverpool player on July 1.
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Slaven Bilic: West Ham will benefit a lot from first season at London Stadium
JAMES BENGE
Evening Stadanrd
Slaven Bilic is convinced that the difficulties West Ham faced in their first year at the London Stadium will aid his squad in the coming season. West Ham endured growing pains in their new stadium after their spectacular farewell to the Boleyn Ground, winning just seven league games at home as they battled to an 11th placed finish. To further heap misery on Bilic star player Dimitri Payet went on strike to engineer a move to Marseille and he was hamstrung by a string of injuries to key players. The Hammers have already begun plotting their revival for next season, bringing in Pablo Zabaleta on a free transfer from Manchester City and making a £20million bid for his team-mate, 20-year-old striker Kelechi Iheanacho. Bilic, entering the final season of his three-year contract, is eager to get the new campaign underway. "I have two heads because I need to rest but the other part of me can't wait for the season to start because I really feel we will benefit from this season a lot," he told the West Ham club website. West Ham fans will likely have been glad to see the season come to an end particularly after struggling to settle away from Upton Park. Even during West Ham's worst run of form, when co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold were publicly demanding an improvement in form, the Hammers supporters stood by the boss.
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The inside story behind Toni Martinez's journey from Valencia to West Ham as striker's progress haunts La Liga side
West Ham striker Toni Martinez is exciting fans and his rise to prominence could be complete with a first-team place next season
Football London
BYANDREW GAFFNEY
11:45, 31 MAY 2017UPDATED11:47, 31 MAY 2017
The Premier League has often been the second home for many Spanish players but not when it comes to strikers. They are generally considered too small or slight to succeed with the hustle and bustle of the English game, see Iago Aspas, but there are still players who buck the trend. Diego Costa scored 20 League goals to help fire Chelsea to the Premier League title whereas at the bottom Fernando Llorente was key in Swansea avoiding relegation. Could young Toni Martinez add his name to that list and become the Spaniard to lead West Ham's forward line in the years to come?
Ever since Martinez swapped Valencia for London, he's generated a fair amount of buzz. In a time where it appears West Ham are in danger of losing their identity, moving to a new stadium and searching for big name strikers, the emergence of young talent such as Toni could mean their future will be brighter – if they're crucially given a chance. David Gold's comments about it being hard for teenagers to get minutes were hardly encouraging to those youngsters desperate for a chance. It isn't like those 'seasoned internationals' set the Premier League alight either. While the loan system can be an important tool in a player's development, it isn't the only option. If they're good enough, they're old enough.
When Martinez left Valencia it left distinctive marks on both the fan base as well as the academy director Jose Ramos Alesanco. The fans were largely upset at the selling of a potential star as Valencia is a club steeped with history of bringing through youth prospects. They also felt the fee was on the small side. Despite original reports putting the cost at €3m it turned out to be closer to €1m, plus a load of bonuses. They also have first option should West Ham wish to sell him. On the other side, Alesanco, was happy to accept a decent fee for a player who he didn't see as someone who could make it at the top in Valencia. He saw potential but not enough to justify fighting to keep the player at the club. Martinez, perhaps in part due to this 'it's up to you' attitude and a lack of minutes under Curro Torres, decided the chance to join a Premier League club was too good to turn down.
Anyone who has seen Martinez play will know he's physically more suited to the Premier League than he was La Liga. After a bright start to his career at Valencia he struggled to have the same influence with Valencia Mestalla. West Ham's scouts saw the raw potential and after a positive response from the player's representative made a bid for the young forward's services. A deal suited both parties.
For a striker he didn't score an incredible amount of goals at Valencia and that could've caused some people to think he isn't a good forward. That would be short-sighted as he's got plenty about him and with the right service knows where the back of the net is.
West Ham fans should be excited by the progression Martinez has made in his short time at the club. 10 goals in his 11 Premier League 2 appearances is a fantastic return. Especially when you consider this is his first full season in England, adapting to a new system and learning a new language. His loan spell out at Oxford didn't work out as well as intended but he did score against Middlesbrough and Newcastle in the FA Cup. Not content with that he then returned to West Ham and scored a brace to see them defeat Newcastle and earn a place in Division One of the Premier League 2. It would be a travesty if his improvement and fine form for the Under-23s didn't see him given a chance to link up with the first team during preseason.
The next logical question is: Could Martinez do a job for West Ham in the not so distant future? Those who know the player from his time at Valencia would tell you yes. The biggest concern was adapting to the physical side of the game but that hasn't proven to be an issue. If anything, he's embraced it and become a better player because of that. There's an underlying confidence to Martinez and it's serving him well in England. The fact Ashley Fletcher gained valuable Premier League minutes this season indicates that if Martinez continues his progression then he'll be given a chance at West Ham next year. While those who currently occupy the striker positions at the club cost a great deal more, none of them would fall into the 'keep at all costs' category. As an option off the bench, Martinez would be great.
No one at Valencia wishes anything but the best for the youngster. Valencia fans are always happy to see academy players do well but ideally at the club itself. Although, of course, should he become a household name then that happiness might turn into anger towards the fact they let Martinez go on the cheap. West Ham fans should be excited by the future and the success of their Under-23 side. Far too many have joined the club in recent years for a decent pay day and then wandered off into the wilderness. Mark Noble is loved, flaws and all, because of how much representing West Ham means to him. If you give the kids a chance to impress you'll only increase their own bond with the club. Ignoring them for more of the same would be disappointing. Let's hope the chairman's comments prove to be the biggest motivational speech for the academy lads as opposed to sentencing them to loan deal after loan deal. The kids are alright.
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Newcastle, Everton, West Ham - which loan deal would suit Chelsea's Michy Batshuayi best?
The Belgian international is reportedly open to a loan move away from the Blues
Football London
BYADAM JONES
11:18, 31 MAY 2017
Michy Batshuayi is one of the hot topics surrounding Chelsea in the early stages of this transfer window. The Belgian international turned out to be pretty instrumental to the Blues season in the latter stages - scoring the goal against West Brom which confirmed that Antonio Conte's side won the title. And, let's be honest, a Premier League goal every 47 minutes of action is a pretty fantastic return.
But, due to lack of game time, Batshuayi is reportedly open to at least a loan move away from Chelsea - with Newcastle, Everton and West Ham all credited with interest.
We've had a look at each club's credentials - and seen which one would suit Batshuayi the best.
Newcastle United
Newly-promoted Newcastle will be doing absolutely everything in their power to keep the club in the Premier League this time around.
With Rafael Benitez at the helm for (presumably) the entire campaign this time around - you'd be brave to bet against them staying in the top division. In fact, Magpies fans will probably be targeting at least a mid-table finish, and that ambition could well be tempting to Batshuayi. Of course, playing under a manager like Rafael Benitez could also be a massive factor - we've already seen how well the Spaniard can manage top strikers like Fernando Torres. And, of course, let's not forget the adoration that Newcastle supporters often give to their front men. Dwight Gayle would provide the main competition for Batshuayi, but you have to presume the Belgian international is in another league to the Magpies' current lead striker. The only downside is the fact that Newcastle are a newly-promoted side. Will Batshuayi be able to look beyond that and ignore the interest from other sides in the league?
Everton
Well, this strictly depends on one thing really - whether Romelu Lukaku stays at the club. If the Belgian international does indeed stay with the Toffees, then you can't really expect Batshuayi to be able to oust him - but you never know. He would no doubt get more chances than he did this season at Chelsea in any case, with Everton needing a much bigger squad now that they have European football to contend with. It's also worth noting that the Toffees bascially don't have a senior striker other than Lukaku right now. Arouna Kone's contract has run out, Enner Valencia has returned to West Ham and Oumar Niasse is almost certainly ready to be shown the exit door. The only competition that Batshuayi would face would be the impressive Dominic Calvert-Lewin and any other youngsters that Ronald Koeman decides to bring through. Not only that, but the service that the 23-year-old would be getting from the likes of Tom Davies, Kevin Mirallas and (possibly) Ross Barkley would surely be enough to convince any striker to make the move. Of course, if Lukaku were to leave, then you'd have to say that a move to Goodison Park would easily provide Michy Batshuayi his best challenge away from Chelsea.
Regularly playing for a side hunting down the Premier League top six and also involved in European football? What more could a developing player want?
West Ham United
There's no doubt about it, West Ham United absolutely need a striker - well, one that can regularly keep himself out of the injury room at the very least. Whilst Michy Batshuayi didn't actually get a lot of game-time last season, it wasn't injury that was keeping him on the bench. So West Ham would certainly appreciate a striker who can lead their line on a consistent basis - and one who is Premier League proven is obviously going to be an advantage for them. And, for the Belgian international too, again you can see the benefits.
West Ham offers the chance for the 23-year-old to stay in London at the very least. But, also, with Andre Ayew and the chronically injured Andy Carroll his main competition with the Hammers - you'd have to expect Michy Batshuayi will be starting a lot of games.
But, the question is, where will West Ham finish? There are doubts over the future of Slaven Bilic, and any new manager could potentially take a dislike to Batshuayi. There might just be too many risks surrounding this deal to make it a good idea for the Chelsea man - but it's still an interesting prospect for him.
Verdict
All clubs can honestly consider themselves to have a strong case to sign Batshuayi on loan - but it's hard to look past Everton as the best bet. Not only would the 23-year-old be playing at a higher level of football in the Premier League with Ronald Koeman's side, but the Toffees will also have a European campaign in the Europa League next season. That puts them just a step above West Ham and Newcastle in the running - even if the unlikely scenario occurs and Romelu Lukaku does stay with Everton for another season.
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West Ham unveil ambitious plans
shekicks.net
West Ham say they have made dramatic improvements to their infrastructure and have ambitious plans to reach WSL1 within five years.
The Hammers finished ninth in the FAWPL Southern Division this season, in a campaign that saw them brought 'in-house' by West Ham, and now an injection of investment and several key full-time appointments are set to propel the team to new heights, says whufc.com
In his first full-time role at the club, Jack Sullivan, son of Joint-Chairman David, has been appointed managing director, whilst former player and current coach Karen Ray takes up the full-time position of general manager.
Furthermore, current first-team manager Greg de Carnys has left his role as Academy head of performance to take up a full-time role looking after the Ladies' first team and Academy.
Jack Sullivan said: "This is a massive project of great importance to West Ham United. We have some exciting plans and huge expectations ... and we hope that within five years we can be challenging in FA WSL 1.
"For me personally it's a huge project and something I can't wait to get started on. Whilst I will not be taking a wage, I am excited to be taking on my first full-time role at West Ham United and looking forward to the challenges ahead.
"We hope to make huge strides this summer before the new season starts, and plan to unveil a key player signing, with WSL experience, in the coming weeks."
Karen Ray said: "I am delighted we are able to offer young girls the opportunity to develop as players and people with the new infrastructure that highlights the club's dedication to grow women's football, with the support of West Ham United Foundation.
"We are very passionate about building a sustainable and successful plan that will see us develop a world-class talent pathway for girls of all ages that aligns with the club's overall ambitions."
Greg de Carnys said: "These are exciting times to be involved with West Ham United Ladies - the club has shown outstanding support for our long term vision and I can't wait to get started.
"We already have a talented young squad that believes in what we're doing and they're gaining experience all the time. With a few new additions and investment in the right areas I hope we can build a successful and sustainable future for the club over the next five years."
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West Ham interested in German striker Max Kruse
HITC
Vincent Ralph
West Ham United are allegedly interested in bringing the forward to the London Stadium this summer. According to a report from Wednesday's print edition of Sport Bild (31/05/2017) and later posted online by German website Weser Kurier, West Ham United are among the clubs interested in signing Werder Bremen's Max Kruse this summer. The 29-year-old only arrived at the club last summer but he has enjoyed an impressive campaign, scoring 15 goals and providing seven assists in just 23 appearances. His figures would no doubt have been better were it not for an untimely ligament injury upon his return to the club where he started his career as a youth player.
Given his impact after his return to Bremen it remains to be seen what will happen this summer, although with an alleged promise between the club and the player that he will be allowed to leave if an offer of £10.4million arrives, West Ham could nab themselves something of a bargain. Kruse may be approaching his thirtieth birthday yet he proved this season that he still has plenty to offer in front of goal and he would definitely be an upgrade on the level of striker West Ham signed last summer - namely Jonathan Calleri and Simone Zaza. Kruse may feel he has one big move left in him and if he does fancy a shot at the Premier League West Ham could be the perfect place for the 14-capped Germany international. It is sure to be a busy summer at the London Stadium and West Ham manager Slaven Bilic will know that signing a proven goal-scorer for just over £10million could be a deal too good to refuse.
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