Andre Ayew attends Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Ghana
WHUFC.com
Andre Ayew returned to Ghana to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The West Ham United and Black Stars forward joined Muslim scholars in Nima, a suburb of the capital Accra, to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, an important religious holiday marking the end of the month of fasting. Ayew and brother Jordan, the Swansea City forward, joined Ghana's National Chief Imam Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, Minister of Inner City and Zongo Development Boniface Abubakar Saddick, and other prominent Islamic Scholars, for the annual Qur'anic recitations and special prayers.
During his visit to the country where his father, the former Ghana and Marseille midfielder Abedi 'Pele' Ayew, was born, Ayew also donated an undisclosed amount of money to the National Chief Imam and Sheikh Mohammed Ridwan, host of the annul recitation as their special gifts for the Eid Ul Fitr celebration.
The Hammers and Swansea forwards also donated rice, cooking oil and milk to the local Kado Mosque, to enable local people to celebrate the end of Ramadan. The brothers also joined Ghana Football Association President Kwesi Nyantakyi at a Mosque at the Firdaus Foundation for Social Services, which distributes food to needy families across Ghana, in Nima to observe the traditional Friday congregational prayers. One of the Five Pillars of Islam, Ramadan is an annual worldwide month of fasting, during which Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids and smoking from dawn until sunset. Ramadan, which this year ended on Saturday 24 June, typically includes the increased offering of prayers, recitation of the Quran and an increase of doing good deeds and charity, as was illustrated by the Ayew brothers during their visit to Ghana.
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Nathan Trott earns England call-up for U19 European Championship
WHUFC.com
Promising goalkeeper Nathan Trott has been included in the England U19s squad for the upcoming UEFA European Championship next month.
The 18-year-old was a key figure for West Ham's U23s last season and his form was rewarded by the national selectors in March when he was called-up for the three Elite Round qualifiers against Spain, Norway and Belarus. The Young Lions won all three matches to seal their passage to the tournament in Georgia, but Trott had to settle for a watching brief on the sidelines. However, his eye-catching displays for the Hammers PL2 group have seen him achieve his first major tournament call-up, with England set to open their campaign against Bulgaria on July 3, followed by two more group fixtures against the Netherlands on July 6 and Germany on July 9. "It's always a pleasure to represent England and it's even more exciting to do so in a major tournament," he said. "I've had a great year and being selected in the Euros squad has made it even better. Hopefully I can impress the manager and get my first cap out there."
It's been a hugely successful summer for England's youth sides so far. The U20s set the ball rolling when they clinched the Toulon Tournament title two weeks ago, beating Ivory Coast on penalties in the final with young Hammer Dan Kemp in the squad. A day later, England's senior U20 group won the World Cup for the first time in their history, beating Venezuela 1-0 in the final. And with the U21s poised for a European semi-final with Germany on Tuesday, Trott hopes the U19s can maintain the feel-good factor generated by the England youth sides so far this summer. "It's great to be a part of a team where you can achieve great things and hopefully we can add to that success this summer. "All the success gives everyone in the other age groups confidence and it's important we do well at the Euros to keep the feel-good factor going in England."
The competition officially gets underway on July 2 and you can keep up to date with England's progress at the tournament on Eurosport.
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Hammers linked with €20m Juve star
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 26th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are one of two Premier League clubs reported to be in talks with Juventus over the potential transfer of Mario Lemina. The 23-year-old midfielder is set to leave Juve this summer and, according to reports, has held discussions with both West Ham and Watford over a potential move to England. Rated at around the €20million mark, the Gabonese international has previously been linked with a move to Arsenal - a move which he is said to be keen on - but the Gunners' interest appears to have cooled. And that has allowed both West Ham and Watford to make their interest known - although both are understood to have been told that they will have to pay at least €20million to complete the signing.
* Staying in Serie A and The Sun claim that West Ham are considering a move for Sampdoria's Columbian striker Luis Muriel. Despite recently signing a new contract with the Genoa-based club, the 26-year-old is reported to be available for £24million due to an escape clause in his contract. Liverpool, Leicester and Inter are all reported to have expressed an interest in signing the player in recent weeks.
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The mighty Quina
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 26th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
Academy star Domigos Quina says he is ready to feature in the first team next season. The Portuguese youth international was involved with the first team squad on several occasions last season without making his Premier League bow. However a season on, and with that much more experience under his belt, the young midfielder believes that he is now ready for the big time. "Training with the first team so much in my first season has definitely developed me as a player," he told whufc.com. "The tempo of the game, the physical side of it - I'm getting used to all that now and more often. "Hopefully now I can play in the Premier League as well, and that's the aim. It was a good first year but now I want to kick on. It was a good first year but now I want to kick on. "When I first came in, I thought that I would be looking to impress at the Academy and earn a chance later in the season to go with the first team, so that was huge that I was trusted to go straight in there."
Quina was named as a substitute on 12 occasions last season without making a single appearance in the Premier League. He did however feature twice for the Hammers in the Europa League.
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West Ham ready to break bank for Olivier Giroud with club-record £130,000-a-week deal for Arsenal striker
The Hammers are willing to pay £20m for Giroud, who looks set to leave north London if Alexandre Lacazette arrives
The Mirror
BYJOHN CROSS
16:04, 26 JUN 2017
West Ham are ready to break the bank to sign Olivier Giroud. Arsenal are likely to offload the France striker as they look to complete a £50m deal for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette. But West Ham are desperate to get Giroud and stop the Arsenal striker returning to France either as part of the Lacazette deal or to another Ligue 1 club. West Ham are willing to pay £20m plus a staggering £130,000-a-week for Giroud which would make it the biggest deal in the club's history. Giroud, who turns 30 in September, only signed a new deal in January on £120,000-a-week which takes him up until 2020. But West Ham are ready to better that - and give him an extra year to try to tempt him to move across London. Lyon have admitted publicly they are interested in Giroud while Marseille have also been linked with him. But it is unlikely either club could match West Ham's offer and now Giroud has a big decision to make on his future. Giroud has been a brilliant servant for Arsenal since his £11m move from Montpellier in 2012 and is still a first choice for France. But he lost his place towards the end of the campaign and now Arsenal could let him go to help fund their rebuilding plans.
But no deal would be sanctioned until they get reinforcements and Giroud has stayed and fought for his place in the past. Lacazette is their No1 priority and they hope they can get a deal done while Monaco's Thomas Lemar and Kylian Mbappe remain on their radar. They face daunting competition for Mbappe from Real Madrid with Liverpool also interested.
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When do West Ham begin pre-season & which youngsters will Bilic involve? All you need to know
West Ham will return to Rush Green a lot sooner then you think
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
15:00, 26 JUN 2017
It barely feels like yesterday that West Ham were finishing the 2016/17 Premier League season with a 2-1 win away at Burnley on the final day to secure an 11th place finish. The players have had some time off since then and when the fixtures for the 2017/18 season were revealed - the Hammers will travel to Manchester United on the opening day - the new season felt a lot closer. Slaven Bilic will have one new face at pre-season training, that of Pablo Zabaleta but it looks increasingly unlikely there will be any other new additions before the first team players report back to the outskirts of Romford.
So, when do the players rock back up at Rush Green? That'll be on July 5 (next Wednesday), where the players will realise their holidays are officially over and Bilic, assistant manager Nikola Jurcevic, first team coach Edin Terzic, head of performance Miljenko Rak, keeper coach Chris Woods, first team coach Julian Dicks and new head of medical recruit Gary Lewin will get down to business.
Bilic, of course, may still be recovering from his off-season hip replacement, the second one he has had. The manager may not be fit - as it were - to start the pre-season training regime but should be in place for the tours.
Unlike last season following Euro 2016, the Hammers players have had plenty of time to rest up - Edimilson Fernandes certainly is if you follow his Instagram account - so there won't be any excuses for not showing up on July 5. Jose Fonte might be the exception as he is taking part in the Confederations Cup with Portugal so he may well get a week off to recover.
As always, the first team players will be there - minus the departed Alvaro Arbeloa, Havard Nordtveit, Gokhan Tore, Jonathan Calleri, Reece Oxford etc etc - but some of the Hammers youngsters will also show up.
Declan Rice, Toni Martinez, Dan Kemp, Josh Cullen, Moses Makasi, Noha Sylvestre and Domingos Quina will almost certainly be involved as they all target a spot on the pre-season tours to Germany, Austria and Iceland. Marcus Browne, Reece Burke, George Dobson and Martin Samuelsen could also be a part of it.
Michail Antonio and Pedro Obiang have targeted returns from their respective injuries as the start of pre-season but may well be eased back into action.
Five days of easing back into things at Rush Green will be followed by the tours and in case you had forgotten, here's a rundown of what the Hammers will be doing and where.
July 10-21: Training camp in Austria
July 24-August 3: Training camp in Germany
July 28: v Werder Bremen (Schneverdingen, Germany)
July 29: v Werder Bremen (Lohne, Germany)
August 1: v Altona 93 (Hamburg, Germany)
August 4: v Manchester City (Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavik)
Then, it's go time as the Hammers head to Old Trafford on August 12 - as it stands that could change - to get the season underway.
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Papa Ndiaye, he claims England move is definite
HITC
Olly Dawes
West Ham United have reportedly made their move for Osmanlispor star Papa Ndiaye. According to Turkish newspaper Haberturk, West Ham United have made a €10million (£8.8million) bid to sign Osmanlispor midfielder Papa Ndiaye. The Hammers have already tied up one new signing this summer by landing defender Pablo Zabaleta, but manager Slaven Bilic still needs more reinforcements after a disappointing campaign. With fringe players such as Alvaro Arbeloa, Gokhan Tore and Havard Nordtveit moving on this summer, West Ham may look to splash some cash, and a bid appears to have been submitted for a new midfielder. Turkish newspaper Haberturk report that West Ham have offered €10million (£8.8million) to sign Osmanlispor midfielder Papa Ndiaye – and a deal could be on the cards. Ndiaye, 26, has been a goalscoring midfielder throughout his career, smashing 31 goals in 111 games for Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt before joining Osmanlispor in Turkey back in the summer of 2015. Since heading to Osmanlispor, Ndiaye – a Senegalese international team-mate of West Ham star Cheikhou Kouyate – has scored 18 goals in 75 games, including seven last season. Primarily an attacking midfielder who also has the pace to play out wide if needed, Ndiaye could be a smart addition to Bilic's side, and West Ham will hope that Osmanlispor accept their first bid. Ndiaye is even quoted in the report as saying that he will definitely be leaving Osmanlispor this summer, and his new team will be in the Premier League – suggesting that West Ham may well be leading the race for his signature.
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Who is Yann Karamoh? Everything you need to know about the wonderkid interesting West Ham
The 18-year-old is barely known outside of France so we've done some digging to find out more about him
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
10:23, 26 JUN 2017UPDATED11:00, 26 JUN 2017
West Ham have been linked with a £9m swoop for Caen wonderkid Yann Karamoh as they aim to bolster their squad ahead of the upcoming Premier League season. As is often the norm with the Hammers, they are linked with someone not many people have heard off and th 18-year-old Ivorian is no exception - he's barely known outside of France. The move could be a similar one to that of Edimilson Fernandes, where West Ham's wide-ranging scouting network has picked up on a potential star of the future. Fernandes was picked up from FC Sion for around £5m last summer and has gone on to be a fan favourite in E20. But, what do we know about Karamoh? Here is everything you need to know about the reported target for Slaven Bilic. Born in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, Karamoh joined Caen in Ligue 1 in 2011 from Racing Colombes 92. He signed his first professional deal at the club in December 2015 on a three year deal. He spent the season with the Caen second eleven and impressed massively, scoring 11 goals in 28 games which earned his promotion to the first team.
The following season, he made his Ligue 1 debut for Caen in their 3-2 win against Lorient when he got a 13 minute cameo off the bench.
Just six days later, he made his first start for his side, a 2-0 defeat away at Lyon where Karamoh played the entire 90 minutes. He bagged a vital winning goal for his team away at Guingamp in a 1-0 win in April this season and another late winner against Lyon earlier in the season, with Caen squeezing past the French giants 3-2.
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Is Bilic eyeing Karamoh as potential Onyekuru alternative?
HITC
Vincent Ralph
West Ham United are believed to have made a bid for Yann Karamoh over the weekend, so what does that mean for their pursuit of the Nigerian? According to Goal.com's French office, West Ham United have made an £8.7million bid for SC Caen attacker Yann Karamoh, and while the move appears to have come out of nowhere, one wonders if Hammers boss Slaven Bilic sees the teenager as a possible alternative to long-term target Henry Onyekuru. As reported by Own Goal Nigeria earlier this month, West Ham tabled an improved £9million offer for the Eupen player after seeing an initial £7million quickly rejected by the Belgian club. The problem for the Hammers is that Onyekuru's cut-price release clause does not apply to English clubs - only those in the country where he is currently plying his trade - meaning Eupen are looking to push the price up for a player who enjoyed an outstanding campaign last time out.
Considering Onyekuru's versatility and his return of 24 goals in 41 matches last season, West Ham should really be going all out for the 20-year-old. But the bid for Karamoh suggests Bilic may now be looking elsewhere. While the latter is predominantly a winger he can also operate up front if required and at just 18 he has years to develop his game in a different position. Just as Onyekuru does his best work out wide, Karamoh is an attacking wide man whose future could be as an out-and-out striker. With Caen valuing the player at just £8.7million, there is also no back-and-forth between clubs attempting to push the price up, and the Hammers will know it is now down to the player to chose between them and his other alleged suitors RB Leipzig. A move for Onyekuru may still go through in due course, but it does feel at this stage that West Ham are stepping back rather than being thrust into an auction, moving for an underwhelming alternative that could have their fans worrying about the possibility of transfer deja vu.
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West Ham lodge £8m offer for Senegal attacker N'Diaye - reports
The report arrives from Turkey, who claim the Hammers have made an offer for the attacker
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
11:02, 26 JUN 2017
According to reports in Turkey via Haberturk, West Ham have lodged an £8m bid for Osmanlispor striker Badou N'Diaye. The 26-year-old is an attacking midfielder, who can also play on the right wing or as a central midfielder though he prefers to play in a Manuel Lanzini-style role. N'diaye, from Senegal, started his career at Diambars in his home country before he earned a loan move to Norway and FK Bodø/Glimt, where he made 27 appearances in 2012. Three goals in 27 appearances was enough to earn him a permanent move to Norway and N'Diaye would go on to make a further 73 appearances and had an impressive scoring record, notching 25 goals in two seasons.
That form saw Turkish side Osmalispor take notice and they picked him up in August 2015 for what seems a very cheap £300,000, considering he is now worth nearly £10m. N'Diaye made 42 appearances in all competitions for the Turkish Super Lig side last season and scored seven times, while assisting three others. N'Diaye has spoken about his future recently and is quoted as saying: "I will definitely leave Turkey. My new team will be in the Premier League."
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Key West Ham star Michail Antonio opens up on major distraction last season
HITC
Antony Martin
The West Ham United man put pen-to-paper on a new deal towards the end of last term. Hammers winger Michail Antonio sat down for an exclusive interview with the club's official website and explained how last season's ongoing contract talks proved to be a distraction, and how happy he is that he and the club finally came to an agreement. The 27-year-old has been a revelation for West Ham since he joined the club from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2015, for a fee believed to be in the region of £7 million. That fee now seems like mere pocket change, with Antonio going on to score 17 goals in 55 Premier League outings - a quite remarkable tally considering he spent a prolonged period playing at right-back for Slaven Bilic's side. He has also earned call-ups to the England squad, and despite having not yet actually earned a cap, his debut for the Three Lions is surely only just around the corner. And Antonio spoke to WHUFC.com about how last season's contract talks could very well have been detrimental to his overall game: "It was pleasing to get the deal done before the summer started. The contract talks went on for a long time and it can be quite distracting, so I'm looking forward to going out next season and playing with a free mind."
Antonio will be hoping to remain injury free next season, and help fire his Hammers side to a more successful season in the Premier League. The West Ham faithful adore the 27-year-old winger, and by signing a new deal, he would have endeared himself to them even more so. With his future now sorted out, and the World Cup on the horizon, Antonio could be on the verge of one of his most successful campaigns yet.
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West Ham summer targets could leave Slaven Bilic with ageing side
HITC
Damien Lucas
West Ham United have been linked with a plethora of players this summer but could be at risk of compiling an ageing squad. The Hammers are known for their Academy of Football roots and have a proud history of bringing through young players for club and country. Recent comments from co-owner David Gold suggest the East Londoners are no longer a club which gives chances to teenagers, though, which has been backed up by the decision to send talented Reece Oxford on loan for the season to Germany. Meanwhile Slaven Bilic has signed one player so far in the shape of veteran defender Pablo Zabaleta, who turns 33 during next season.
And media speculation has seen the club linked with a host of more senior players such as John Terry - who turns 37 next season, Joe Hart, who will be 31, Phil Jagielka - who will be 35 when the new season gets underway and Bafetimbi Gomis - 32 this August. The Hammers had also been linked with Bournemouth bound former academy graduate Jermain Defoe, who turns 35 two months into the new season in what appears to be a very deliberate shift in transfer policy. Those targets would join a side containing a number of players over the age of 30 with James Collins and Jose Fonte (both 34 next season), goalkeepers Adrian and Darren Randolph and Mark Noble (all 31 next season) and Robert Snodgrass (30 next season). It was just two season ago owners David Sullivan and David Gold ripped up their recruitment process, bringing in talent spotter Tony Henry as they targeted younger, hungry players with future sell-on value.
The owners said players under the age of 27 were their preference and at first it worked with a number of success stories like Aaron Cresswell, Michail Antonio, Pedro Obiang and Chiekhou Kouyate to name but a few. Last season's recruitment bordered on disastrous, though, as the Hammers took a big step back with their transfer dealings cited as the key reason for their demise. Perhaps Bilic feels the team needs more leaders and experience, but are the club in danger of going too far the other way at the expense of what looks a talented crop of young players emerging including the likes of Oxford, Toni Martinez, Reece Burke, Josh Cullen, Martin Samuelsen, Domingos Quina, Marcus Browne and Declan Rice.
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Bolton Wanderers make ambitious bid to sign two West Ham youngsters on loan next season
Marc Iles MarcIles
chief football writer
theboltonnews.co.uk
WANDERERS have registered their interest in taking West Ham pair Josh Cullen and Reece Burke on loan this season. The two highly-rated youngsters have worked with Phil Parkinson before at Bradford City and are on the Whites' shortlist if the Hammers decide to send them out for more experience. Cullen was considered last season before a surplus of midfielders in the Wanderers camp made the manager look elsewhere. The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international has got four senior appearances under his belt with West Ham and has been tipped for a regular spot in Slaven Bilic's squad this time around. But Parkinson has marked the 21-year-old's card if his club decides a year in the Championship would be better for his development and the Whites could have a midfield spot to fill if Jay Spearing's contract talks do not go according to plan. Whereas Wanderers may have to sit and wait to see if Cullen is allowed out on loan this term, West Ham have already indicated Burke will be available after a spell with Wigan Athletic last season was blighted by injury.
In May, Hammers co-owner David Gold controversially expressed doubts about whether his club's younger players would be able to push past senior professionals to command a regular Premier League spot. Since then, defender Reece Oxford has been loaned out to German giants Borussia Monchendgladbach. Wanderers would be able to offer regular football and have the fact Parkinson is well-known to both players counting in their favour. Burke played under the Whites boss at Bradford two years ago and won the Bantams' player of the year award aged just 19. He is primarily a centre-half and has 12 appearances for his parent club, including experience in the Europa League.
Parkinson is on the lookout for competition across his defence but reports of interest in former Swindon Town centre-back Raphael Branco – now at Portuguese club Boavista - have been strongly denied by sources at the Macron. Wanderers will begin their pre-season training this morning with a series of fitness tests, leading up to their first friendly at Chorley.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, June 27
Monday, June 26
Daily WHUFC News - 26th June 2017
Quina – I'm excited for the new season
WHUFC.com
Domingos Quina is ready to push on in 2017/18 after a successful first
season with the Hammers
The young Portugal youth international made his first team debut in the
Europa League last term
Quina was also named as a substitute 12 times by Slaven Bilic for Premier
League clashes last season
Young Hammer Domingos Quina is hoping the first team experiences he enjoyed
last season can help him push on and seize more senior opportunities in the
upcoming campaign. The Portugal youth international, who was crowned a UEFA
European Champion with his country in the U17 tournament last summer, made
his West Ham debut in the Europa League last campaign. And after playing in
the Club's London Stadium official opener against Juventus, the midfield
talent was named on the substitutes' bench for 12 Premier League matches
during the term. Quina also signed a new long-term deal with the Hammers
before topping off the campaign by winning the Dylan Tombides award as the
season came to its climax. The teenager believes he learned a lot during his
first year in English football, and is now ready to kick on once again in
2017/18. "Training with the first team so much in my first season has
definitely developed me as a player," he said. "The tempo of the game, the
physical side of it; I'm getting used to all that now and more often. It
will definitely help going into next season and being more ready from the
start of it. I'm excited for it to start already. "Hopefully now I can play
in the Premier League as well, and that's the aim. It was a good first year
but now I want to kick on. It was a good first year but now I want to kick
on. Training with the first team so much in my first season has definitely
developed me as a player
"I came here and went straight into training with the first team quickly,
and I wasn't expecting that. "When I first came in, I thought that I would
be looking to impress at the Academy and earn a chance later in the season
to go with the first team, so that was huge that I was trusted to go
straight in there."
Despite the numerous inclusions in matchday squads throughout the season in
the league as well as the FA Cup, playing his part in London Stadium's
official Betway Cup opener against this season's Champions League finalists
was the highlight for the 17-year-old. "It was amazing," the youngster
recalled. "Playing at the Stadium against them was definitely one of the top
highlights. "Playing in front of so many fans was incredible. And then, of
course, we were playing Juventus themselves – they're such a big team around
the world so it was amazing. "To be down there, warming up or sitting on the
bench many other times during the season, it has been amazing for me."
Quina, who was a much sought-after talent before the Hammers snapped him up
last summer, not only impressed on the senior stage, but also with the U23
side last season. The midfielder was often instrumental for the Academy of
Football outfit, playing a huge part as they eventually won promotion to
Premier League 2 Division 1. The summer signing also caught the eye with his
stunning halfway-line strike which sailed over Leicester City U23s' keeper's
head in a Premier League Cup clash before the turn of the year. "That goal
was also a special moment," he said. "I've tried it a few times before and
I'm glad that it came off. It's been a great year for the 23s this season
for me. "I have enjoyed playing as both a No10 and a No8 in midfield, but I
think at the moment I like playing as an eight more, because I can get on
the ball more, be myself and do what I want to do. "In ten, you get the ball
less often and not all the time, and I like to have the ball and try and
affect the play. I think No8 is where in the future I see myself playing,
and hopefully for West Ham."
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WHAT DOES SLAVEN HAVE TO DO THIS YEAR TO GET A NEW DEAL?
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 25 JUNE 2017 AT 5:46PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Adam LeatherBarrow @_ldesign
Slaven Bilic faces a career changing season. His current win ratio for the
club is well below par and you can understand why he hasn't been given a new
deal. So What does Slaven need to do to save his West Ham career?
During the 2015-16 he managed to win 16 games which gave Slaven a 42.1%-win
rate, but he was given a vast amount to players to work with. That summer
the club brought in fifteen players, players such as Pedro Obiang, Dimitri
Payet, Manuel Lanzini, Darren Randolph, Angelo Ogbonna, Carl Jenkinson, Alex
Song, Michail Antonio, Nikica Jelavic and Victor Moses. Three of those
players were our stand out players last season.
A counter argument could be said that last season the club invested again in
players who were considered an "improvement" to the squad previously. We saw
a three players leave in the summer and two leave in the winters, most
significantly Dimitri Payet. But we saw the same amount of players come to
the club, players such as Feghouli, Martinez, Nordviet, Quina, Fletcher,
Masukau, Fernandes, Arbeloa, Fonte, Holland, Snodgrass, Zaza, Tore, Calleri
and Club record signing Ayew.
For Slaven to be given a new deal he has to get near his "club career" win
ratio of 49.8% – which means he needs to win 19 games of the total premier
league fixtures, bear in mind Manchester United won 18 games last season.
Along with his international jobs, it was his performances as a club head
coach that had got him the job at West Ham in the first place, although he
was the boards third choice. It's not mainly about how many points you get,
it's about winning games and the club need to win more games regularly and
be able to take control of the game and the season.
I predict that if Slaven replicates the 2015-16 season, he will be given a
new deal and hopefully continue this form to be able to qualify for Europa
League football outright. If he carries on performing like last season
despite investing in players, then it would be safe to say that Slaven Bilic
will NOT be West Ham manager for the 2018-19 season.
This season Slaven will get a FULL support until the final kick of the ball
happens in May 2018. I do hope we see the best of Bilic again and I hope we
the squad fitness is improved and tweaked by high quality players rather
than average squad fillers. With the reported £85m transfer kitty, I would
rather see 3-4 £25-30m players that are "match winners" and "game changers"
to improve the quality of the team. The club had that in Payet and we STILL
miss his performances, skill and free kicks immensely even though he left
the club on bad terms. The club do not NEED to sign fifteen players as
we've seen the past two seasons.
COYI, Arms and fingers crossed the club bring in the players to help Slaven
save his West Ham career by delivering a season to remember.
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EXWHUEMPLOYEE'S EXCLUSIVE COLUMN: NEW CONTRACTS AND POTENTIAL PLAYERS IN AND
OUT
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 25 JUNE 2017 AT 10:07PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
So we are approaching July and it is this month where I think we will start
to make some of our signings. I understand it has been a frustrating month
for us fans and I am as eager to see new players arrive soon as well.
For those of you that follow my updates on the radio and through my twitter
account you will know that I have said a number of times that the club are
deliberartely making news harder to obtain for most people. This is why I
believe the newspapers and some other West Ham sites are recycling transfer
news from the last windows and linking us with almost every player or just
simply making it up. This is a good thing that the news is restricted and
something that the fans hoped they would see from the club.
I am still obtaining some information though my sources but the chairman and
their family certainly are not revealing anything to anyone at this point
and so it is coming from different avenues. The departures of Oxford and
Nordtveit, that I had covered for a couple of weeks now, were finally
confirmed last week and this has freed up further wage space. We have also
released Stephen Hendrie to get him off the wage bill.
Nortveit left for around £5m with clauses taking the deal up a bit more
should they be met. He was also on £45k a week so we wanted this wage out of
our budget as soon as possible. Oxford is on £20k a week so moving quickly
to get this wage off as well helps, as well as getting him a top German club
for which there are certain agreements in place that mean he will play for
them. Oxford's performances and attitude for Reading have been questioned by
some and this is his chance to now prove he is the player he has been billed
to be. He will certainly learn defensive discipline in the German top
flight.
As I have tweeted this week I expect a number of youth team players to
follow, on loan, out of the club this window. The management team believe
that these youngsters need to prove themselves at Championship level at
least. This could mean the likes of Samuelson, Browne, Martinez, Fletcher,
Quina, Rice and Burke could all go on loan next year. Some of them will get
game time in preseason and then the judgement will be made then. Reece Burke
has been told he will go on loan again with Bolton and Birmingham showing
interest and there is also a Premier League club who have launched a bid to
buy the player. Although it hasn't been confirmed who they are I suspect
this club could be Brighton who had enquired about a couple of our defenders
recently. This is disappointing to be told this by a very reliable source as
I had hoped some of the youngsters would get a chance this coming season.
One player who I had been told could get his chance is Josh Cullen, he is
expected to play in preseason however if a top championship side come in for
him with the promise of first team football this could be a temptation for
him.
The forward situation is a frustrating one for the club at the moment. We
have put in around 8 different bids for different forwards but at the moment
clubs are not really listening to offers until they are clear on whether
they are signing players. This can be said especially for Arsenal and
Chelsea. We want Giroud but they do not want to sell at the moment until
they sign other forwards and we also have serious competition from Lyon for
his services (Lyon is a team close to his place of birth). Giroud wants to
play regularly so he leads the French attack at the next World Cup. He is
said to be keen to stay in London too so it could be a battle between
ourselves and Lyon should Arsenal decide to sell the player. We have also
looked at Perez of the same club too but the same applies with him at the
moment in terms of transfer movement and Giroud is the preferred choice. The
Walcott story has reappeared again, I think due to the papers not having
much stories coming to them and I don't think Arsenal want to sell him
either. Should he be available we would be keen on bringing him to the club
but as yet we haven't made a move.
We still want Batshuayi but again this depends on Chelsea's business and the
competition out there. Iheanacho was a player we desperately wanted at the
start of the window and we launched a bid for him. The buyback clause has
caused a concern for us as City want to be able to buy him back for a low
buy back fee. We are worried that we will develop a player, put a lot into
this only to have to sell him back for a minimal profit should he be a
success. Other clubs are now interested but I wouldn't count us out of the
running just yet, we could return with a new offer around the buyback clause
this week.
Another transfer that may have some movement this week is Henry Onyekuru who
is expected to be granted a work permit for his move to England. A number of
clubs including Arsenal, Swansea and Birmingham are said to also be after
the player. There was talk that his club wanted him to join a more
"prestigious" club than us but that he had turned down Arsenal because he
wants to be promised first team football so it will be interesting to see
how this develops. Our interest has been lodged we will meet the release
clause fee, we will do all we can to sign the player,, so hopefully we will
be successful.
There has been a lot of links with centre backs this week, none of which I
think have any legs at this point. We did have an interest in Hart on loan
but this depends on his wages being massively reduced and there is a
possibility that Ruddy will be signed as a third keeper, as he is on a free,
having been released from Norwich. There is some talk within the club that
we could move for a midfielder now that Nordtveit has gone. If Barkley of
Everton becomes available, especially for a loan deal, we could explore that
option further into the window.
Slav has made it clear he also wants a tricky and pacey winger with Traore
of Middlesborough being the main target. He is said to have cut his holiday
short to discuss his future with 'Boro but so far we have yet to agree a
deal for him. The clubs demands are very high. Unfortunately at this time of
year this is often the case with transfers and the demands gradually lower
as the weeks go on. We made a move for Modeste for example and we told that
his club wanted over £40m for him, which is way too high for a player that
has had a few decent seasons.
Some good news is that we plan to offer new contracts to a number of players
including Lanzini and Obiang. Lanzini will be made to be one of the highest
players at the club which stands at Andy Carroll on £90k a week and Obiang
will be given a significant improvement to his contract. Andre Ayew has said
he wants to stay at the club and Kouyate's comments have been taken out of
context it seems and he is just keen to play in midfield next year and not
be a right back experiment again.
I went to the London Stadium on Friday for Robbie Williams' concert as a
treat to the wife. In fairness it was a great show and showed the stadium
off really well. Although it could be argued it is more designed for music
events then sports. Although I think time will tell on this one. I was upset
to see that the Founders Wall had been taken down as I wanted to find my
name as I never get time before the match. I have checked with the club and
this was taken down because of the various events that are taking place
there and the fear of vandalism of it from opposing fans and it should be
back for next season.
On Wednesday we had the pleasure of interviewing Kenny Brown on our radio
show and I believe it was one of the most interesting shows we have done.
Kenny spoke of the Redknapp/Bonds fall out, Joey Beauchamp, Paulo Futre,
Hutchison's sandwiches in the face, John Moncur's antics and many more
really interesting stories. He answered these questions in brilliant honesty
and showed his love for the club. If you haven't listened yet I would really
recommend you doing so, here is the link:
https://www.mixcloud.com/phoenixfm/the-west-ham-way-show-46-21-jun-2017/
There is also less than two weeks until Sammy's big fight, he has sold lots
of tickets and they are going quick. Make sure you get your tickets quickly
as this is going to be a proper West Ham event. We have also donated two
tickets to Sammy to draw out to anyone that buys tickets for his fight to
our West Ham Way Pre Match events. So far we have had confirmation that
Bobby Zamora, Jack Collison, David Connolly, Kenny Brown Jnr, Alan
Devonshire and the one and only Billy Bonds will be guests next season.
Other top names are expected to confirm soon too and we will start to
confirm dates so we hope the prematch events will continue to grow in
success!
I hope I have some more positive news to tell you all about on the radio
show on Wednesday. I am getting as frustrated as some of you but we have to
remember it is early and not many clubs have bought players yet. I hope this
doesn't replicate last year's window but at this point it is too early to
judge. We rarely sign players in June but I hope in early July we will have
players to talk about. We shall see, if anything changes I will let you know
if and when I find out. If you are interested in advertising with the site
or any of the other things that we do please get in touch as we can offer
some excellent packages with good exposure and it would help a lot with the
running of it all.
Have a great week! COYI
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West Ham to take huge loss by selling Enner Valencia - but Pachuca could
hijack Tigres deal
HITC
Olly Dawes
West Ham United's Enner Valencia is reportedly set to leave the club.
According to Football.London, West Ham United are set to sell striker Enner
Valencia for just £5million, less than half of the £12million they paid
three years ago. Valencia, 27, enjoyed a stunning 2014 World Cup campaign,
scoring all three of Ecuador's goals in the competition, and those displays
earned him a big-money move to England with West Ham. The attacker, who can
play out wide or up front, impressed with his pace in his first season at
West Ham, scoring five goals in 37 games under Sam Allardyce, but he was
less of a regular under Slaven Bilic during the 2015-16 campaign. After five
goals in 23 games that season, Valencia was sent out on loan to Everton in
August, where he found the net just three time in 23 games, with the Toffees
unsurprisingly rejecting the chance to purchase him permanently. Valencia
appears to have no future under Bilic, and Football.London report that the
former Pachuca star is set for a return to Mexico, with West Ham ready to
sell him to UANL Tigres for just £5million. That's a huge loss for West Ham,
and another example of why team shouldn't just sign players based on their
World Cup displays – as the Hammers also found with Mexican winger Pablo
Barrera in 2010.
Valencia's move isn't quite so simple though, as the report adds that his
former club Pachuca are interested in re-signing him too, and could hijack
the deal at the last minute to beat rivals Tigres to the punch. That would
give Bilic a little more money to spend in the transfer market, and get more
dead wood out of the London Stadium, having already parted ways with the
likes of Alvaro Arbeloa, Gokhan Tore and Havard Nordtveit this summer.
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Safe standing at the London Stadium: Will West Ham be the next to sign up
and are the fans in favour?
HITC
Damien Lucas
The Premier League is currently canvassing opinion on safe standing at
football grounds, something advocated by West Ham United co-owner David
Gold.
The Hammers want to introduce safe standing at their 60,000 seater Olympic
Stadium home with co-owner Gold having held talks last September. Gold is a
big advocate for safe standing and has been involved in the process of
trying to add a non-seating section to the London Stadium to help improve
atmosphere and ensure like-minded supporters have more choice to stand
together. West Ham discussed the idea with the same company who installed
the Ferco Seating system at Celtic Park in the summer, as reported by The
Sun. Now Sky Sports has reported that West Bromwich Albion have thrown their
hat into the ring to be part of the pilot scheme. And given West Ham's
standing on the issue, they could well be next. The Premier League has
written to all 20 clubs asking if they would be interested in taking part in
a trial, which could eventually see the reintroduction of standing areas
within grounds. It is thought that the government and police forces remain
opposed to the idea on safety grounds. Sky reports a Department of Culture,
Media and Sport spokesperson said: "The government currently has no plans to
change its position and introduce standing accommodation at grounds covered
by the all-seater requirement."
Clubs in England's top two divisions have been legally required to have
all-seater grounds since the measure was recommended by the 1990 Taylor
Report into the Hillsborough disaster. The last time the issue was raised,
as previously reported by HITC, Gold said: "I have been speaking with the
people who put in the rail seating at Celtic Park. "I have been an advocate
of this for many years and it is something I am working on. "We are working
on it. I believe in it, we are in touch and we will do everything we can to
resolve the issue."
The Hammers were reportedly set to meet with the FA and Premier League about
the idea but a torrid second season under Slaven Bilic and a number of
issues with the stadium move ended up taking priority. But now with the
matter back on the agenda, West Ham could be next to sign up for the scheme.
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Reece Oxford exit leaves 'The Academy' in limbo as West Ham mimic Chelsea
JOHN DILLON
Evening Standard
'The Academy of Football'... that's in Germany, isn't it? Well, not quite.
But there's little doubt that Reece Oxford, West Ham's teenage starlet
defender, will benefit from the year he will spend on loan at Borussia
Monchangladbach next season - even though it appears to have unsettled some
of the supporters. If it was good enough for Rio Ferdinand to spend 10 games
at Bournemouth in 1996-97 in the old third tier, it's certainly an upgrade
for 18-year-old Oxford to add to his experience with the team which finished
fourth in the Bundesliga. He could even play in the Champions League, with
the club having qualified for the play-off round. Still, it tells you a lot
about the harsh realities of life for young hopefuls in the Premier League
that the English club, which brands itself in its marketing splurges as one
of the great young player factories, now sends its best prospects off to
learn elsewhere. For a club which hasn't won anything since 1980, talent
production has been a huge source of pride for the supporters. Now they fear
the modern game and its finance-driven priorities will cut off that
life-blood of hope.
This is the great vexed question at the top level of the English game these
days. It's why the advance of the England side to the European U21
Championship semi-final against Germany on Tuesday is prompting discussion
about whether the players involved will ever fully establish themsleves with
top domestic clubs.
And that's a debate we've already had once this season following the U20s'
triumph in the World Cup last month - so complex is the issue.
So it is at West Ham. To some unhappy supporters, the departure of Oxford
for Europe has prompted world-weary musings about his long-term future at
the club, even though he recently signed a new three-year contract. There is
a lot of excitement among those supporters about young prospects like
Domingos Quina, Reece Burke, Josh Cullen, Toni Martinez and Declan Rice. But
West Ham's policy has been to send most of them out on loan in order for
them to get the experience which is so hard for them to gain while the
competitive demands upon Premier League bosses are so intense. Of course, it
should be a tremendous opportunity in the Bundesliga for Oxford, who spent
the second half of last season at Reading - after memorably making his first
team debut as a 16-year-old at Arsenal in August, 2015. But one of the
problems here is about timing - and the enduring ability of West Ham's
owners to say things which simply wind up their own fans.
Co-chairman David Gold received a hefty amount of criticism from the fans
when he declared two months back that there will be few opportunities for
youngsters to get into the current Hammers side, despite their troubles last
season. "We all have to accept that it is extremely unlikely that a teenager
will break into a Premier League team full of seasoned internationals," Gold
tweeted in May. "Playing teenagers doesn't guarantee success. Hull came
fifth (in number of youngsters played) and got relegated. Chelsea came last
and won the league." He's not wrong. He was telling it as it is. But fans
don't like hearing it, even though all Premier League clubs are now so
wealthy they can cherry-pick ready-made, experienced players from across the
globe.
In the case of defenders like Oxford, managers are particularly unwilling to
risk raw youths at the back in such a highly physical and helter-skelter
football environment as the Premier League. Chelsea's huge successes of the
Abramovich era have been built upon a clearly-defined policy of buying
seasoned internationals rather than promotion of any homegrown products.
Their priority is to consistently win the biggest prizes. And they know
exactly how it's done.
For the supporters of clubs like West Ham, there is a difference - a
question of degree. They know their club isn't going to win anything big.
And their cup record of recent seasons suggests it will be some time before
they can think about winning anything 'small' either. So there is another
kind of satisfaction and achievement to be enjoyed if a youth player reaches
the top. It's my guess that is this has prompted the twitchiness about
Oxford's loan move. The fans want to see him in the first team. But the
nature of the Premier League and legislates against it. Bilic has given
debuts to 11 Academy graduates since he took charge. And he has said this
summer that he hopes to give more of the kids a chance. He will have to
solve English football's great Catch 22 problem to make it happen, though.
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Report: West Ham submit bid for Yann Karamoh
HITC
Vincent Ralph
West Ham united are said to have made a move for the attacker. According to
Goal.com in France, West Ham United have made an £8.7million bid for Caen
winger Yann Karamoh, with a decision on his future expected next week. His
current club are said to have put that price tag on his head ahead of a
likely summer move, and both West Ham and German club RB Leipzig have
reportedly matched it. With just a year remaining on his current contract,
Karamoh's future looks to be away from the Lige 1 club and now he may have
to decide whether to move to the Bundesliga or the Premier League. West Ham
fans are desperate for the club to make some quality attacking signings this
summer but for now they are left fearing it could be a repeat of the 2016
summer window. Karamoh is predominantly a right winger although he can also
play up front if required, and while he is still only 18 he is fresh off the
back of his breakthrough campaign in France. The teenager featured 36 times
for Caen last season, scoring five goals and providing four assists in the
process, and were he to arrive at West Ham it would be interesting to see
where Hammers manager Slaven Bilic used him. Karamoh played all but six of
his matches last season out wide, but it is through the middle where West
Ham are in most need of additions. He may not be the big-name signing
Hammers fans are hoping for but at least the club are looking to kick on
with their business ahead of a vital second season at the London Stadium.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Domingos Quina is ready to push on in 2017/18 after a successful first
season with the Hammers
The young Portugal youth international made his first team debut in the
Europa League last term
Quina was also named as a substitute 12 times by Slaven Bilic for Premier
League clashes last season
Young Hammer Domingos Quina is hoping the first team experiences he enjoyed
last season can help him push on and seize more senior opportunities in the
upcoming campaign. The Portugal youth international, who was crowned a UEFA
European Champion with his country in the U17 tournament last summer, made
his West Ham debut in the Europa League last campaign. And after playing in
the Club's London Stadium official opener against Juventus, the midfield
talent was named on the substitutes' bench for 12 Premier League matches
during the term. Quina also signed a new long-term deal with the Hammers
before topping off the campaign by winning the Dylan Tombides award as the
season came to its climax. The teenager believes he learned a lot during his
first year in English football, and is now ready to kick on once again in
2017/18. "Training with the first team so much in my first season has
definitely developed me as a player," he said. "The tempo of the game, the
physical side of it; I'm getting used to all that now and more often. It
will definitely help going into next season and being more ready from the
start of it. I'm excited for it to start already. "Hopefully now I can play
in the Premier League as well, and that's the aim. It was a good first year
but now I want to kick on. It was a good first year but now I want to kick
on. Training with the first team so much in my first season has definitely
developed me as a player
"I came here and went straight into training with the first team quickly,
and I wasn't expecting that. "When I first came in, I thought that I would
be looking to impress at the Academy and earn a chance later in the season
to go with the first team, so that was huge that I was trusted to go
straight in there."
Despite the numerous inclusions in matchday squads throughout the season in
the league as well as the FA Cup, playing his part in London Stadium's
official Betway Cup opener against this season's Champions League finalists
was the highlight for the 17-year-old. "It was amazing," the youngster
recalled. "Playing at the Stadium against them was definitely one of the top
highlights. "Playing in front of so many fans was incredible. And then, of
course, we were playing Juventus themselves – they're such a big team around
the world so it was amazing. "To be down there, warming up or sitting on the
bench many other times during the season, it has been amazing for me."
Quina, who was a much sought-after talent before the Hammers snapped him up
last summer, not only impressed on the senior stage, but also with the U23
side last season. The midfielder was often instrumental for the Academy of
Football outfit, playing a huge part as they eventually won promotion to
Premier League 2 Division 1. The summer signing also caught the eye with his
stunning halfway-line strike which sailed over Leicester City U23s' keeper's
head in a Premier League Cup clash before the turn of the year. "That goal
was also a special moment," he said. "I've tried it a few times before and
I'm glad that it came off. It's been a great year for the 23s this season
for me. "I have enjoyed playing as both a No10 and a No8 in midfield, but I
think at the moment I like playing as an eight more, because I can get on
the ball more, be myself and do what I want to do. "In ten, you get the ball
less often and not all the time, and I like to have the ball and try and
affect the play. I think No8 is where in the future I see myself playing,
and hopefully for West Ham."
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WHAT DOES SLAVEN HAVE TO DO THIS YEAR TO GET A NEW DEAL?
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 25 JUNE 2017 AT 5:46PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Adam LeatherBarrow @_ldesign
Slaven Bilic faces a career changing season. His current win ratio for the
club is well below par and you can understand why he hasn't been given a new
deal. So What does Slaven need to do to save his West Ham career?
During the 2015-16 he managed to win 16 games which gave Slaven a 42.1%-win
rate, but he was given a vast amount to players to work with. That summer
the club brought in fifteen players, players such as Pedro Obiang, Dimitri
Payet, Manuel Lanzini, Darren Randolph, Angelo Ogbonna, Carl Jenkinson, Alex
Song, Michail Antonio, Nikica Jelavic and Victor Moses. Three of those
players were our stand out players last season.
A counter argument could be said that last season the club invested again in
players who were considered an "improvement" to the squad previously. We saw
a three players leave in the summer and two leave in the winters, most
significantly Dimitri Payet. But we saw the same amount of players come to
the club, players such as Feghouli, Martinez, Nordviet, Quina, Fletcher,
Masukau, Fernandes, Arbeloa, Fonte, Holland, Snodgrass, Zaza, Tore, Calleri
and Club record signing Ayew.
For Slaven to be given a new deal he has to get near his "club career" win
ratio of 49.8% – which means he needs to win 19 games of the total premier
league fixtures, bear in mind Manchester United won 18 games last season.
Along with his international jobs, it was his performances as a club head
coach that had got him the job at West Ham in the first place, although he
was the boards third choice. It's not mainly about how many points you get,
it's about winning games and the club need to win more games regularly and
be able to take control of the game and the season.
I predict that if Slaven replicates the 2015-16 season, he will be given a
new deal and hopefully continue this form to be able to qualify for Europa
League football outright. If he carries on performing like last season
despite investing in players, then it would be safe to say that Slaven Bilic
will NOT be West Ham manager for the 2018-19 season.
This season Slaven will get a FULL support until the final kick of the ball
happens in May 2018. I do hope we see the best of Bilic again and I hope we
the squad fitness is improved and tweaked by high quality players rather
than average squad fillers. With the reported £85m transfer kitty, I would
rather see 3-4 £25-30m players that are "match winners" and "game changers"
to improve the quality of the team. The club had that in Payet and we STILL
miss his performances, skill and free kicks immensely even though he left
the club on bad terms. The club do not NEED to sign fifteen players as
we've seen the past two seasons.
COYI, Arms and fingers crossed the club bring in the players to help Slaven
save his West Ham career by delivering a season to remember.
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EXWHUEMPLOYEE'S EXCLUSIVE COLUMN: NEW CONTRACTS AND POTENTIAL PLAYERS IN AND
OUT
AUTHOR: EXWHUEMPLOYEE. PUBLISHED: 25 JUNE 2017 AT 10:07PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
So we are approaching July and it is this month where I think we will start
to make some of our signings. I understand it has been a frustrating month
for us fans and I am as eager to see new players arrive soon as well.
For those of you that follow my updates on the radio and through my twitter
account you will know that I have said a number of times that the club are
deliberartely making news harder to obtain for most people. This is why I
believe the newspapers and some other West Ham sites are recycling transfer
news from the last windows and linking us with almost every player or just
simply making it up. This is a good thing that the news is restricted and
something that the fans hoped they would see from the club.
I am still obtaining some information though my sources but the chairman and
their family certainly are not revealing anything to anyone at this point
and so it is coming from different avenues. The departures of Oxford and
Nordtveit, that I had covered for a couple of weeks now, were finally
confirmed last week and this has freed up further wage space. We have also
released Stephen Hendrie to get him off the wage bill.
Nortveit left for around £5m with clauses taking the deal up a bit more
should they be met. He was also on £45k a week so we wanted this wage out of
our budget as soon as possible. Oxford is on £20k a week so moving quickly
to get this wage off as well helps, as well as getting him a top German club
for which there are certain agreements in place that mean he will play for
them. Oxford's performances and attitude for Reading have been questioned by
some and this is his chance to now prove he is the player he has been billed
to be. He will certainly learn defensive discipline in the German top
flight.
As I have tweeted this week I expect a number of youth team players to
follow, on loan, out of the club this window. The management team believe
that these youngsters need to prove themselves at Championship level at
least. This could mean the likes of Samuelson, Browne, Martinez, Fletcher,
Quina, Rice and Burke could all go on loan next year. Some of them will get
game time in preseason and then the judgement will be made then. Reece Burke
has been told he will go on loan again with Bolton and Birmingham showing
interest and there is also a Premier League club who have launched a bid to
buy the player. Although it hasn't been confirmed who they are I suspect
this club could be Brighton who had enquired about a couple of our defenders
recently. This is disappointing to be told this by a very reliable source as
I had hoped some of the youngsters would get a chance this coming season.
One player who I had been told could get his chance is Josh Cullen, he is
expected to play in preseason however if a top championship side come in for
him with the promise of first team football this could be a temptation for
him.
The forward situation is a frustrating one for the club at the moment. We
have put in around 8 different bids for different forwards but at the moment
clubs are not really listening to offers until they are clear on whether
they are signing players. This can be said especially for Arsenal and
Chelsea. We want Giroud but they do not want to sell at the moment until
they sign other forwards and we also have serious competition from Lyon for
his services (Lyon is a team close to his place of birth). Giroud wants to
play regularly so he leads the French attack at the next World Cup. He is
said to be keen to stay in London too so it could be a battle between
ourselves and Lyon should Arsenal decide to sell the player. We have also
looked at Perez of the same club too but the same applies with him at the
moment in terms of transfer movement and Giroud is the preferred choice. The
Walcott story has reappeared again, I think due to the papers not having
much stories coming to them and I don't think Arsenal want to sell him
either. Should he be available we would be keen on bringing him to the club
but as yet we haven't made a move.
We still want Batshuayi but again this depends on Chelsea's business and the
competition out there. Iheanacho was a player we desperately wanted at the
start of the window and we launched a bid for him. The buyback clause has
caused a concern for us as City want to be able to buy him back for a low
buy back fee. We are worried that we will develop a player, put a lot into
this only to have to sell him back for a minimal profit should he be a
success. Other clubs are now interested but I wouldn't count us out of the
running just yet, we could return with a new offer around the buyback clause
this week.
Another transfer that may have some movement this week is Henry Onyekuru who
is expected to be granted a work permit for his move to England. A number of
clubs including Arsenal, Swansea and Birmingham are said to also be after
the player. There was talk that his club wanted him to join a more
"prestigious" club than us but that he had turned down Arsenal because he
wants to be promised first team football so it will be interesting to see
how this develops. Our interest has been lodged we will meet the release
clause fee, we will do all we can to sign the player,, so hopefully we will
be successful.
There has been a lot of links with centre backs this week, none of which I
think have any legs at this point. We did have an interest in Hart on loan
but this depends on his wages being massively reduced and there is a
possibility that Ruddy will be signed as a third keeper, as he is on a free,
having been released from Norwich. There is some talk within the club that
we could move for a midfielder now that Nordtveit has gone. If Barkley of
Everton becomes available, especially for a loan deal, we could explore that
option further into the window.
Slav has made it clear he also wants a tricky and pacey winger with Traore
of Middlesborough being the main target. He is said to have cut his holiday
short to discuss his future with 'Boro but so far we have yet to agree a
deal for him. The clubs demands are very high. Unfortunately at this time of
year this is often the case with transfers and the demands gradually lower
as the weeks go on. We made a move for Modeste for example and we told that
his club wanted over £40m for him, which is way too high for a player that
has had a few decent seasons.
Some good news is that we plan to offer new contracts to a number of players
including Lanzini and Obiang. Lanzini will be made to be one of the highest
players at the club which stands at Andy Carroll on £90k a week and Obiang
will be given a significant improvement to his contract. Andre Ayew has said
he wants to stay at the club and Kouyate's comments have been taken out of
context it seems and he is just keen to play in midfield next year and not
be a right back experiment again.
I went to the London Stadium on Friday for Robbie Williams' concert as a
treat to the wife. In fairness it was a great show and showed the stadium
off really well. Although it could be argued it is more designed for music
events then sports. Although I think time will tell on this one. I was upset
to see that the Founders Wall had been taken down as I wanted to find my
name as I never get time before the match. I have checked with the club and
this was taken down because of the various events that are taking place
there and the fear of vandalism of it from opposing fans and it should be
back for next season.
On Wednesday we had the pleasure of interviewing Kenny Brown on our radio
show and I believe it was one of the most interesting shows we have done.
Kenny spoke of the Redknapp/Bonds fall out, Joey Beauchamp, Paulo Futre,
Hutchison's sandwiches in the face, John Moncur's antics and many more
really interesting stories. He answered these questions in brilliant honesty
and showed his love for the club. If you haven't listened yet I would really
recommend you doing so, here is the link:
https://www.mixcloud.com/phoenixfm/the-west-ham-way-show-46-21-jun-2017/
There is also less than two weeks until Sammy's big fight, he has sold lots
of tickets and they are going quick. Make sure you get your tickets quickly
as this is going to be a proper West Ham event. We have also donated two
tickets to Sammy to draw out to anyone that buys tickets for his fight to
our West Ham Way Pre Match events. So far we have had confirmation that
Bobby Zamora, Jack Collison, David Connolly, Kenny Brown Jnr, Alan
Devonshire and the one and only Billy Bonds will be guests next season.
Other top names are expected to confirm soon too and we will start to
confirm dates so we hope the prematch events will continue to grow in
success!
I hope I have some more positive news to tell you all about on the radio
show on Wednesday. I am getting as frustrated as some of you but we have to
remember it is early and not many clubs have bought players yet. I hope this
doesn't replicate last year's window but at this point it is too early to
judge. We rarely sign players in June but I hope in early July we will have
players to talk about. We shall see, if anything changes I will let you know
if and when I find out. If you are interested in advertising with the site
or any of the other things that we do please get in touch as we can offer
some excellent packages with good exposure and it would help a lot with the
running of it all.
Have a great week! COYI
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham to take huge loss by selling Enner Valencia - but Pachuca could
hijack Tigres deal
HITC
Olly Dawes
West Ham United's Enner Valencia is reportedly set to leave the club.
According to Football.London, West Ham United are set to sell striker Enner
Valencia for just £5million, less than half of the £12million they paid
three years ago. Valencia, 27, enjoyed a stunning 2014 World Cup campaign,
scoring all three of Ecuador's goals in the competition, and those displays
earned him a big-money move to England with West Ham. The attacker, who can
play out wide or up front, impressed with his pace in his first season at
West Ham, scoring five goals in 37 games under Sam Allardyce, but he was
less of a regular under Slaven Bilic during the 2015-16 campaign. After five
goals in 23 games that season, Valencia was sent out on loan to Everton in
August, where he found the net just three time in 23 games, with the Toffees
unsurprisingly rejecting the chance to purchase him permanently. Valencia
appears to have no future under Bilic, and Football.London report that the
former Pachuca star is set for a return to Mexico, with West Ham ready to
sell him to UANL Tigres for just £5million. That's a huge loss for West Ham,
and another example of why team shouldn't just sign players based on their
World Cup displays – as the Hammers also found with Mexican winger Pablo
Barrera in 2010.
Valencia's move isn't quite so simple though, as the report adds that his
former club Pachuca are interested in re-signing him too, and could hijack
the deal at the last minute to beat rivals Tigres to the punch. That would
give Bilic a little more money to spend in the transfer market, and get more
dead wood out of the London Stadium, having already parted ways with the
likes of Alvaro Arbeloa, Gokhan Tore and Havard Nordtveit this summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Safe standing at the London Stadium: Will West Ham be the next to sign up
and are the fans in favour?
HITC
Damien Lucas
The Premier League is currently canvassing opinion on safe standing at
football grounds, something advocated by West Ham United co-owner David
Gold.
The Hammers want to introduce safe standing at their 60,000 seater Olympic
Stadium home with co-owner Gold having held talks last September. Gold is a
big advocate for safe standing and has been involved in the process of
trying to add a non-seating section to the London Stadium to help improve
atmosphere and ensure like-minded supporters have more choice to stand
together. West Ham discussed the idea with the same company who installed
the Ferco Seating system at Celtic Park in the summer, as reported by The
Sun. Now Sky Sports has reported that West Bromwich Albion have thrown their
hat into the ring to be part of the pilot scheme. And given West Ham's
standing on the issue, they could well be next. The Premier League has
written to all 20 clubs asking if they would be interested in taking part in
a trial, which could eventually see the reintroduction of standing areas
within grounds. It is thought that the government and police forces remain
opposed to the idea on safety grounds. Sky reports a Department of Culture,
Media and Sport spokesperson said: "The government currently has no plans to
change its position and introduce standing accommodation at grounds covered
by the all-seater requirement."
Clubs in England's top two divisions have been legally required to have
all-seater grounds since the measure was recommended by the 1990 Taylor
Report into the Hillsborough disaster. The last time the issue was raised,
as previously reported by HITC, Gold said: "I have been speaking with the
people who put in the rail seating at Celtic Park. "I have been an advocate
of this for many years and it is something I am working on. "We are working
on it. I believe in it, we are in touch and we will do everything we can to
resolve the issue."
The Hammers were reportedly set to meet with the FA and Premier League about
the idea but a torrid second season under Slaven Bilic and a number of
issues with the stadium move ended up taking priority. But now with the
matter back on the agenda, West Ham could be next to sign up for the scheme.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Reece Oxford exit leaves 'The Academy' in limbo as West Ham mimic Chelsea
JOHN DILLON
Evening Standard
'The Academy of Football'... that's in Germany, isn't it? Well, not quite.
But there's little doubt that Reece Oxford, West Ham's teenage starlet
defender, will benefit from the year he will spend on loan at Borussia
Monchangladbach next season - even though it appears to have unsettled some
of the supporters. If it was good enough for Rio Ferdinand to spend 10 games
at Bournemouth in 1996-97 in the old third tier, it's certainly an upgrade
for 18-year-old Oxford to add to his experience with the team which finished
fourth in the Bundesliga. He could even play in the Champions League, with
the club having qualified for the play-off round. Still, it tells you a lot
about the harsh realities of life for young hopefuls in the Premier League
that the English club, which brands itself in its marketing splurges as one
of the great young player factories, now sends its best prospects off to
learn elsewhere. For a club which hasn't won anything since 1980, talent
production has been a huge source of pride for the supporters. Now they fear
the modern game and its finance-driven priorities will cut off that
life-blood of hope.
This is the great vexed question at the top level of the English game these
days. It's why the advance of the England side to the European U21
Championship semi-final against Germany on Tuesday is prompting discussion
about whether the players involved will ever fully establish themsleves with
top domestic clubs.
And that's a debate we've already had once this season following the U20s'
triumph in the World Cup last month - so complex is the issue.
So it is at West Ham. To some unhappy supporters, the departure of Oxford
for Europe has prompted world-weary musings about his long-term future at
the club, even though he recently signed a new three-year contract. There is
a lot of excitement among those supporters about young prospects like
Domingos Quina, Reece Burke, Josh Cullen, Toni Martinez and Declan Rice. But
West Ham's policy has been to send most of them out on loan in order for
them to get the experience which is so hard for them to gain while the
competitive demands upon Premier League bosses are so intense. Of course, it
should be a tremendous opportunity in the Bundesliga for Oxford, who spent
the second half of last season at Reading - after memorably making his first
team debut as a 16-year-old at Arsenal in August, 2015. But one of the
problems here is about timing - and the enduring ability of West Ham's
owners to say things which simply wind up their own fans.
Co-chairman David Gold received a hefty amount of criticism from the fans
when he declared two months back that there will be few opportunities for
youngsters to get into the current Hammers side, despite their troubles last
season. "We all have to accept that it is extremely unlikely that a teenager
will break into a Premier League team full of seasoned internationals," Gold
tweeted in May. "Playing teenagers doesn't guarantee success. Hull came
fifth (in number of youngsters played) and got relegated. Chelsea came last
and won the league." He's not wrong. He was telling it as it is. But fans
don't like hearing it, even though all Premier League clubs are now so
wealthy they can cherry-pick ready-made, experienced players from across the
globe.
In the case of defenders like Oxford, managers are particularly unwilling to
risk raw youths at the back in such a highly physical and helter-skelter
football environment as the Premier League. Chelsea's huge successes of the
Abramovich era have been built upon a clearly-defined policy of buying
seasoned internationals rather than promotion of any homegrown products.
Their priority is to consistently win the biggest prizes. And they know
exactly how it's done.
For the supporters of clubs like West Ham, there is a difference - a
question of degree. They know their club isn't going to win anything big.
And their cup record of recent seasons suggests it will be some time before
they can think about winning anything 'small' either. So there is another
kind of satisfaction and achievement to be enjoyed if a youth player reaches
the top. It's my guess that is this has prompted the twitchiness about
Oxford's loan move. The fans want to see him in the first team. But the
nature of the Premier League and legislates against it. Bilic has given
debuts to 11 Academy graduates since he took charge. And he has said this
summer that he hopes to give more of the kids a chance. He will have to
solve English football's great Catch 22 problem to make it happen, though.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Report: West Ham submit bid for Yann Karamoh
HITC
Vincent Ralph
West Ham united are said to have made a move for the attacker. According to
Goal.com in France, West Ham United have made an £8.7million bid for Caen
winger Yann Karamoh, with a decision on his future expected next week. His
current club are said to have put that price tag on his head ahead of a
likely summer move, and both West Ham and German club RB Leipzig have
reportedly matched it. With just a year remaining on his current contract,
Karamoh's future looks to be away from the Lige 1 club and now he may have
to decide whether to move to the Bundesliga or the Premier League. West Ham
fans are desperate for the club to make some quality attacking signings this
summer but for now they are left fearing it could be a repeat of the 2016
summer window. Karamoh is predominantly a right winger although he can also
play up front if required, and while he is still only 18 he is fresh off the
back of his breakthrough campaign in France. The teenager featured 36 times
for Caen last season, scoring five goals and providing four assists in the
process, and were he to arrive at West Ham it would be interesting to see
where Hammers manager Slaven Bilic used him. Karamoh played all but six of
his matches last season out wide, but it is through the middle where West
Ham are in most need of additions. He may not be the big-name signing
Hammers fans are hoping for but at least the club are looking to kick on
with their business ahead of a vital second season at the London Stadium.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Saturday, June 24
Daily WHUFC News - 25th June 2017
The Big Interview - Michail Antonio
WHUFC.com
We caught up with your Hammer of the Year, Michail Antonio, to find out more
about his ambitions for the season ahead after a campaign which saw him top
the club's scoring charts with nine league goals.
The 27 year-old recently signed a new four-year contract and is working hard
this summer on recovering from a hamstring injury he sustained in April.
Good to catch up with you Michail, firstly how is your recovery programme
going?
The rehab is going well, I'm on schedule and where I want to be. I had a
short break at the end of the season, but since then I've been back in at
the training ground every day, working hard and trying to make sure
everything is right.
It's been a lot of gym work, just to get the strength back in the hamstring
and remove the scar tissue. That's all progressing well and I'm raring to go
for the new season.
Injuries are the hardest part of being a footballer, definitely. Every
player just wants to play, so being on the sidelines, watching your
team-mates playing the game – it gets to you mentally. At the time, the
games were very important, and I just wanted to be involved, and do
something to help the team.
It was a surprise when it happened. I'd had a slight strain previously, but
I came back against Arsenal and it felt fine. I remember knocking the ball
past Hector Bellerin on a full sprint, and there was no problem, but in the
first 20 minutes against Swansea a few days later, it just popped.
I can only put it down to fatigue. I had played in basically every game last
season, and the season before that, so maybe my body just needed a rest. I
haven't kicked a ball now since early April, which is frustrating, but I am
really looking forward to getting back next season.
You put pen to paper on a new four-year deal - how pleased were you to
commit to West Ham?
It was pleasing to get the deal done before the summer started. The contract
talks went on for a long time and it can be quite distracting, so I'm
looking forward to going out next season and playing with a free mind.
Looking back at your career you must feel like you have come a long way over
the last few years?
It's always been about taking each step as it comes. Being honest, when I
was playing for Tooting & Mitcham, I was buzzing, thinking: 'I'm semi-pro.'
Then when I made my debut in League One, I was buzzing again, thinking 'I'm
pro'. Then it was the Championship, then the Premier League, and then called
up for England.
And each time it happened, it was a surprise to me. But I've always wanted
to make myself better, and I think that is why I have made those steps.
Because as soon as I reach a new one, I don't think: 'Ah that's it' and
settle. I always want to be better and kick on again.
I never think 'I've made it' because, in football, you can be forgotten
within two weeks. And I don't ever want to be forgotten. I want to always be
better and make my career last as long as possible.
It does make me proud to know where I've come from and how hard I have
worked, but I'm also scared of it, because I know what I've had to do, and I
don't ever want to go back to that situation. It drives me more to be
better.
Football is about a lot of hard work, and a little bit of luck. I got to
Reading because Billy Smith, my manager at Tooting & Mitcham, knew Steve
Coppell and told him to come and watch me. But I also had a trial for
Millwall, who wanted to sign me after noticing me play. So although there
was a bit of luck in getting to Reading, it was my hard work that got me
noticed, and at the end of the day that is what it always comes down to.
What should be the target for the team next season?
Looking back at last season, I don't think you can really call it a bad
season. We finished eleventh, one point off eighth, which you can't say is a
bad season.
This team has a lot of character. Despite people talking about relegation
last season, we never believed that. We knew we had the quality in our squad
to pull away from danger.
But as a team, we want to progress and keep improving – that is our aim next
season. We finished seventh the season before last, and that is what we
should be looking towards again.
Being called up for England this season must have been really satisfying
It's pleasing to know that I have now been called up by two England
managers, and hopefully it shows that it wasn't a fluke to get into Sam
Allardyce's squad at the start of last season. That was definitely one of
the proudest moments of my career. As a child growing up, watching England,
it was one of those things you always wanted to be involved in.
The World Cup next year isn't in my mind, though. I don't really pay
attention to the long-term, I take short steps – that is what I have done
through my whole career, from non-league to the Premier League. You've got
to take each step as it comes – you can't think about 20 steps away because
it will distract you and trip you up.
Of course I want to get into the England World Cup team, especially having
been so close, but I'm not going to be concentrating on it or let it be at
the front of my mind. I have to play games and do well for West Ham – that
is my focus.
Pablo Zabaleta has joined the Hammers…how excited are you about having him
in he squad?
He has great experience with Manchester City, he's won the Premier League
title and experienced it all. It's not just ability that he is bringing,
it's his knowledge of the game, and we can all learn from him.
And how important was that Hammer of the Year award?
It's the greatest honour from the fans. I was speechless, to be honest. I
had been runner-up to Dimitri Payet the previous season, so to then go on
and win the award shows the progress I have made. And I don't want to step
back – I want to keep pushing and hopefully do enough to win it again next
season.
And finally what are your hopes for next season?
I am so determined to have a great season, especially after the injury. My
target at the start of last season was to improve and score more goals than
I had the previous year. And I ended up getting the same number, nine.
I could blame the injury and say I would have beaten it, but that's not how
I think. All I think is: 'I didn't reach my target.'
So next season, I want to reach it. I want to get to that mark as soon as
possible so that I can make it higher, keep pushing myself and keep getting
better.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Alvaro Arbeloa: Former Liverpool and West Ham defender retires
BBC.co.uk
Former Liverpool, Real Madrid and West Ham defender Alvaro Arbeloa has
announced his retirement. The 34-year-old former Spain full-back made three
Premier League appearances for the Hammers last season before being
released. He spent three years with the Reds before returning to Madrid, for
whom he made his senior debut, in 2009. Arbeloa won one La Liga title and
the Champions League twice at Madrid before signing for West Ham last
August. "It's time to say goodbye," he said. "Physically I was OK to keep
playing." He made more than 200 appearances in total for Liverpool, Madrid
and West Ham between 2007 and 2017 and was capped 56 times by Spain. He was
part of his country's World Cup-winning squad in 2010 and helped them win
the European Championship in 2008 and 2012. In an interview with Spanish
newspaper Marca he suggested he would be open to a return to the Bernabeu.
"Madrid is the club of my life, I will never call to ask for a job, but I am
always available to offer myself," he said.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ONE TO WATCH – RUI PATRICIO
AUTHOR: BRIAN KNOX. PUBLISHED: 24 JUNE 2017 AT 11:05AM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Personal Information
Rui Patricio
Age: 29 years
Height: 6 ft 3 in
Positions : Goalkeeper
Nationality: Portuguese
Current Team: Sporting CP
Background
Born in Marrazes, Leiria
Rui Patricio has been a consistent part of the Portuguese National team set
up since the U16's team. Rui was part of the Portugal team that won the EURO
2016 final and is hugely experienced. 60 Caps for his country and has been a
very reliable figure for both club and country.
Style of play
Rui Patricio is a very experienced consistent goalkeeper. He is very
commanding, makes good decisions and match winning saves. He has a strong
mentality, a reliable player to have and gives defence good communication. I
have watched Patricio play many games down the years and I don't remember
him having many bad performances at all. He performs well game to game and I
believe he could easily play in the Premier League if given a chance. He has
the ability to react quickly to unexpected shots/ deflections, very quick
minded. Positions himself adequately in goal, experienced and composed. I
can't think of a reason why he could not play for a top 4 club. For example
I believe he is far better than Joe Hart who West Ham have been rumoured to
be in for. He would command Lower wages also… so I would think he would be
the better option for West Ham if we are on the lookout for a new GK. If you
want to see him in action the Confederations Cup is on TV across ITV
channels.
Written by Richard Jones – via twitter @emagehtjr
STRENGTHS : Command of Area – Reflexes
WEAKNESSES : None
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Peter Odemwingie reveals he has spoken to Arsenal and West Ham target Henry
Onyekuru about a summer move
The young striker's form in 2016/17 attracted the attention of numerous
clubs around Europe, including Arsenal, West Ham and Celtic
The Mirror
BYALEX DICKEN
19:40, 24 JUN 2017UPDATED19:42, 24 JUN 2017
Nigerian youngster Henry Onyekuru took the Belgian Jupiler League by storm
last season and scored 24 goals in all competitions. The young KAS Eupen
striker's form attracted the attention of numerous clubs around Europe,
including Arsenal, West Ham and Celtic. Here, former Premier League hit-man
Peter Odemwingie tells our sister paper the Birmingham Mail what his
compatriot would offer a British club. 'The numbers speak for themselves' -
that's Peter Odemwingie's message to Henry Onyekuru 's suitors this summer.
Birmingham City are one of a number of teams to have shown an interest in
the 20-year-old forward, who has made no secret of his desire to leave
Belgian side KAS Eupen this summer. Harry Redknapp is keen on the striker,
but understands the prospect of Premier League football with either Arsenal
or West Ham may be too tempting for Onyekuru to turn down. And it is the
Premier League where Onyekuru wants to be, having seen fellow Nigerian
strikers Kanu, Odemwingie and Yakubu thrive in England's top flight. "I
think the numbers speak for themselves," Odemwingie told the Birmingham
Mail. "I don't know him much really. He rang me asking for help and advice
in the last window in January. He told me there was an option with Celtic
and options here and there. "I said if you want to play in the Premier
League, which is where every player should aim at at some point in his
career, coming to Scotland means you're one step closer and people will
easily send scouts to watch you there. "And the work permit issue will be
less difficult because he is still part of the UK.
"There is interest in him because he scores a lot of goals. I don't know if
in England physicality might be a problem for him, but he's quite mobile and
quick so maybe he can do it over here." Onyekuru scored 24 goals across all
competitions in Belgium last season, including 10 in his final 10 matches.
Odemwingie is playing in the Ryder Cup-style Icons of Football tournament at
the Belfry this weekend. The former West Brom striker is joined by Blues
favourite Kevin Phillips, while Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is
also in attendance.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham eye transfer of Arsenal's Theo Walcott with the England winger
fearing for his World Cup hopes
The 28-year-old lost out when the Gunners changed to 3-5-2 late last season,
PLUS: Hammers plan new deal for star
The Mirror
BYSTEVE STAMMERSTOM HOPKINSON
22:30, 24 JUN 2017
West Ham have made England international Theo Walcott a £25million target.
The Arsenal winger was out of favour at the Emirates during the latter part
of the season. He also lost his place in the England squad under Gareth
Southgate. Walcott was clearly frustrated at his lack of game time in the
3-5-2 system introduced by manager Arsene Wenger. He showed immense
restraint in not going public with his problem with the omission. But at
28, he has still to reach his peak as a player. He harbours dreams of
making the England squad for the World Cup next summer, and knows that will
be an impossible dream if he is a regular substitute at Arsenal. Meanwhile,
Manuel Lanzini is set for a bumper new contract that would bring him in line
with West Ham's top earners. The Argentinian stepped up last season
following Dimitri Payet's departure to Marseille and was one of the
club's top creators. That form didn't go unnoticed away from the London
Stadium, with interest registered from rival clubs, but the Hammers are keen
to keep Lanzini and are ready to hand him a deal with improved terms.
* ARSENAL and bitter rivals Spurs are battling for versatile Charlton
defender Ezra Konsa. The 19-year-old was a member of England's World
Cup-winning Under-20 squad.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
We caught up with your Hammer of the Year, Michail Antonio, to find out more
about his ambitions for the season ahead after a campaign which saw him top
the club's scoring charts with nine league goals.
The 27 year-old recently signed a new four-year contract and is working hard
this summer on recovering from a hamstring injury he sustained in April.
Good to catch up with you Michail, firstly how is your recovery programme
going?
The rehab is going well, I'm on schedule and where I want to be. I had a
short break at the end of the season, but since then I've been back in at
the training ground every day, working hard and trying to make sure
everything is right.
It's been a lot of gym work, just to get the strength back in the hamstring
and remove the scar tissue. That's all progressing well and I'm raring to go
for the new season.
Injuries are the hardest part of being a footballer, definitely. Every
player just wants to play, so being on the sidelines, watching your
team-mates playing the game – it gets to you mentally. At the time, the
games were very important, and I just wanted to be involved, and do
something to help the team.
It was a surprise when it happened. I'd had a slight strain previously, but
I came back against Arsenal and it felt fine. I remember knocking the ball
past Hector Bellerin on a full sprint, and there was no problem, but in the
first 20 minutes against Swansea a few days later, it just popped.
I can only put it down to fatigue. I had played in basically every game last
season, and the season before that, so maybe my body just needed a rest. I
haven't kicked a ball now since early April, which is frustrating, but I am
really looking forward to getting back next season.
You put pen to paper on a new four-year deal - how pleased were you to
commit to West Ham?
It was pleasing to get the deal done before the summer started. The contract
talks went on for a long time and it can be quite distracting, so I'm
looking forward to going out next season and playing with a free mind.
Looking back at your career you must feel like you have come a long way over
the last few years?
It's always been about taking each step as it comes. Being honest, when I
was playing for Tooting & Mitcham, I was buzzing, thinking: 'I'm semi-pro.'
Then when I made my debut in League One, I was buzzing again, thinking 'I'm
pro'. Then it was the Championship, then the Premier League, and then called
up for England.
And each time it happened, it was a surprise to me. But I've always wanted
to make myself better, and I think that is why I have made those steps.
Because as soon as I reach a new one, I don't think: 'Ah that's it' and
settle. I always want to be better and kick on again.
I never think 'I've made it' because, in football, you can be forgotten
within two weeks. And I don't ever want to be forgotten. I want to always be
better and make my career last as long as possible.
It does make me proud to know where I've come from and how hard I have
worked, but I'm also scared of it, because I know what I've had to do, and I
don't ever want to go back to that situation. It drives me more to be
better.
Football is about a lot of hard work, and a little bit of luck. I got to
Reading because Billy Smith, my manager at Tooting & Mitcham, knew Steve
Coppell and told him to come and watch me. But I also had a trial for
Millwall, who wanted to sign me after noticing me play. So although there
was a bit of luck in getting to Reading, it was my hard work that got me
noticed, and at the end of the day that is what it always comes down to.
What should be the target for the team next season?
Looking back at last season, I don't think you can really call it a bad
season. We finished eleventh, one point off eighth, which you can't say is a
bad season.
This team has a lot of character. Despite people talking about relegation
last season, we never believed that. We knew we had the quality in our squad
to pull away from danger.
But as a team, we want to progress and keep improving – that is our aim next
season. We finished seventh the season before last, and that is what we
should be looking towards again.
Being called up for England this season must have been really satisfying
It's pleasing to know that I have now been called up by two England
managers, and hopefully it shows that it wasn't a fluke to get into Sam
Allardyce's squad at the start of last season. That was definitely one of
the proudest moments of my career. As a child growing up, watching England,
it was one of those things you always wanted to be involved in.
The World Cup next year isn't in my mind, though. I don't really pay
attention to the long-term, I take short steps – that is what I have done
through my whole career, from non-league to the Premier League. You've got
to take each step as it comes – you can't think about 20 steps away because
it will distract you and trip you up.
Of course I want to get into the England World Cup team, especially having
been so close, but I'm not going to be concentrating on it or let it be at
the front of my mind. I have to play games and do well for West Ham – that
is my focus.
Pablo Zabaleta has joined the Hammers…how excited are you about having him
in he squad?
He has great experience with Manchester City, he's won the Premier League
title and experienced it all. It's not just ability that he is bringing,
it's his knowledge of the game, and we can all learn from him.
And how important was that Hammer of the Year award?
It's the greatest honour from the fans. I was speechless, to be honest. I
had been runner-up to Dimitri Payet the previous season, so to then go on
and win the award shows the progress I have made. And I don't want to step
back – I want to keep pushing and hopefully do enough to win it again next
season.
And finally what are your hopes for next season?
I am so determined to have a great season, especially after the injury. My
target at the start of last season was to improve and score more goals than
I had the previous year. And I ended up getting the same number, nine.
I could blame the injury and say I would have beaten it, but that's not how
I think. All I think is: 'I didn't reach my target.'
So next season, I want to reach it. I want to get to that mark as soon as
possible so that I can make it higher, keep pushing myself and keep getting
better.
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Alvaro Arbeloa: Former Liverpool and West Ham defender retires
BBC.co.uk
Former Liverpool, Real Madrid and West Ham defender Alvaro Arbeloa has
announced his retirement. The 34-year-old former Spain full-back made three
Premier League appearances for the Hammers last season before being
released. He spent three years with the Reds before returning to Madrid, for
whom he made his senior debut, in 2009. Arbeloa won one La Liga title and
the Champions League twice at Madrid before signing for West Ham last
August. "It's time to say goodbye," he said. "Physically I was OK to keep
playing." He made more than 200 appearances in total for Liverpool, Madrid
and West Ham between 2007 and 2017 and was capped 56 times by Spain. He was
part of his country's World Cup-winning squad in 2010 and helped them win
the European Championship in 2008 and 2012. In an interview with Spanish
newspaper Marca he suggested he would be open to a return to the Bernabeu.
"Madrid is the club of my life, I will never call to ask for a job, but I am
always available to offer myself," he said.
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ONE TO WATCH – RUI PATRICIO
AUTHOR: BRIAN KNOX. PUBLISHED: 24 JUNE 2017 AT 11:05AM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Personal Information
Rui Patricio
Age: 29 years
Height: 6 ft 3 in
Positions : Goalkeeper
Nationality: Portuguese
Current Team: Sporting CP
Background
Born in Marrazes, Leiria
Rui Patricio has been a consistent part of the Portuguese National team set
up since the U16's team. Rui was part of the Portugal team that won the EURO
2016 final and is hugely experienced. 60 Caps for his country and has been a
very reliable figure for both club and country.
Style of play
Rui Patricio is a very experienced consistent goalkeeper. He is very
commanding, makes good decisions and match winning saves. He has a strong
mentality, a reliable player to have and gives defence good communication. I
have watched Patricio play many games down the years and I don't remember
him having many bad performances at all. He performs well game to game and I
believe he could easily play in the Premier League if given a chance. He has
the ability to react quickly to unexpected shots/ deflections, very quick
minded. Positions himself adequately in goal, experienced and composed. I
can't think of a reason why he could not play for a top 4 club. For example
I believe he is far better than Joe Hart who West Ham have been rumoured to
be in for. He would command Lower wages also… so I would think he would be
the better option for West Ham if we are on the lookout for a new GK. If you
want to see him in action the Confederations Cup is on TV across ITV
channels.
Written by Richard Jones – via twitter @emagehtjr
STRENGTHS : Command of Area – Reflexes
WEAKNESSES : None
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Peter Odemwingie reveals he has spoken to Arsenal and West Ham target Henry
Onyekuru about a summer move
The young striker's form in 2016/17 attracted the attention of numerous
clubs around Europe, including Arsenal, West Ham and Celtic
The Mirror
BYALEX DICKEN
19:40, 24 JUN 2017UPDATED19:42, 24 JUN 2017
Nigerian youngster Henry Onyekuru took the Belgian Jupiler League by storm
last season and scored 24 goals in all competitions. The young KAS Eupen
striker's form attracted the attention of numerous clubs around Europe,
including Arsenal, West Ham and Celtic. Here, former Premier League hit-man
Peter Odemwingie tells our sister paper the Birmingham Mail what his
compatriot would offer a British club. 'The numbers speak for themselves' -
that's Peter Odemwingie's message to Henry Onyekuru 's suitors this summer.
Birmingham City are one of a number of teams to have shown an interest in
the 20-year-old forward, who has made no secret of his desire to leave
Belgian side KAS Eupen this summer. Harry Redknapp is keen on the striker,
but understands the prospect of Premier League football with either Arsenal
or West Ham may be too tempting for Onyekuru to turn down. And it is the
Premier League where Onyekuru wants to be, having seen fellow Nigerian
strikers Kanu, Odemwingie and Yakubu thrive in England's top flight. "I
think the numbers speak for themselves," Odemwingie told the Birmingham
Mail. "I don't know him much really. He rang me asking for help and advice
in the last window in January. He told me there was an option with Celtic
and options here and there. "I said if you want to play in the Premier
League, which is where every player should aim at at some point in his
career, coming to Scotland means you're one step closer and people will
easily send scouts to watch you there. "And the work permit issue will be
less difficult because he is still part of the UK.
"There is interest in him because he scores a lot of goals. I don't know if
in England physicality might be a problem for him, but he's quite mobile and
quick so maybe he can do it over here." Onyekuru scored 24 goals across all
competitions in Belgium last season, including 10 in his final 10 matches.
Odemwingie is playing in the Ryder Cup-style Icons of Football tournament at
the Belfry this weekend. The former West Brom striker is joined by Blues
favourite Kevin Phillips, while Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is
also in attendance.
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West Ham eye transfer of Arsenal's Theo Walcott with the England winger
fearing for his World Cup hopes
The 28-year-old lost out when the Gunners changed to 3-5-2 late last season,
PLUS: Hammers plan new deal for star
The Mirror
BYSTEVE STAMMERSTOM HOPKINSON
22:30, 24 JUN 2017
West Ham have made England international Theo Walcott a £25million target.
The Arsenal winger was out of favour at the Emirates during the latter part
of the season. He also lost his place in the England squad under Gareth
Southgate. Walcott was clearly frustrated at his lack of game time in the
3-5-2 system introduced by manager Arsene Wenger. He showed immense
restraint in not going public with his problem with the omission. But at
28, he has still to reach his peak as a player. He harbours dreams of
making the England squad for the World Cup next summer, and knows that will
be an impossible dream if he is a regular substitute at Arsenal. Meanwhile,
Manuel Lanzini is set for a bumper new contract that would bring him in line
with West Ham's top earners. The Argentinian stepped up last season
following Dimitri Payet's departure to Marseille and was one of the
club's top creators. That form didn't go unnoticed away from the London
Stadium, with interest registered from rival clubs, but the Hammers are keen
to keep Lanzini and are ready to hand him a deal with improved terms.
* ARSENAL and bitter rivals Spurs are battling for versatile Charlton
defender Ezra Konsa. The 19-year-old was a member of England's World
Cup-winning Under-20 squad.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Daily WHUFC News - 24th June 2017
Jack Collison - My West Ham 5-a-side team
WHUFC.com
Who would make your West Ham Five-A-Side team?
Jack Collison played for West Ham United over 100 times between 2007 and
2014 and has played with a host of Hammers icons - most past, some still
present!
The former midfielder opts for James Tomkins as the only defender in front
of Rob Green in goal. The midfield is commanding, a Hammers duo you would
not want to mess with, and above all, two Club captains. Scott Parker
partners current First Team skipper, Mark Noble.
To complete the line-up, Collison chooses his former Wales international
teammate, Craig Bellamy to lead the line. Bellamy scored nine times in 26
appearances for the Hammers between 2007 and 2009.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Permit granted for Hammers target
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 23rd June 2017
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United transfer target Henry Onyekuru has been granted a work
permit ahead of his proposed move to England. However to which club remains
to be seen - with West Ham being joined by the likes of Leicester City and
Arsenal in vying for the Nigerian striker's signature. "Henry has been in
Paris, he is there with his agents," a source told Score Nigeria. "He has
been granted his visa to the UK and he is now studying all the offers and
possibilities with his handlers. "His first choice is a Premier League
club."
Although West Ham had been front runners to land the Eupen striker,
Leicester had looked a more likely option in recent days. However further
rumours suggest that a deal between Onyekuru's entourage and Arsenal, who
entered the race late, has already been struck.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Michail Antonio Exclusive Q & A as he looks towards World Cup Finals and
another big season at West Ham
The West Ham star enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career as he forced
his way into the England squad and now hopes to play a major role for Gareth
Southgate in Russia next summer
The Mirror
BYMARC ISAACS
18:29, 23 JUN 2017UPDATED18:35, 23 JUN 2017
It has been the ultimate fairytale story for Michail Antonio after making
his way from from non-league football and becoming one of the big stars in
the Premier League. It was not that long ago Antonio was playing for Tooting
and Mitcham and was earning extra money as a lifeguard. But he has now
become a fans favourite at West Ham United and is one of the first names on
Slaven Bilic's team-sheet following his incredible journey since joining the
east London club back in September 2015. The 27-year-old enjoyed a memorable
first season in the top flight when he scored nine goals and got on the
scoresheet against Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United. Antonio
dominated a number of headlines with his memorable goal celebrations
including the Homer Simpson turn and the Carlton Banks dance from the
popular Fresh Prince of Bel Air sitcom. The talented forward continued his
impressive form last season and wrote his name into the record books after
becoming the first ever Premier League scorer at London Stadium when he
scored the winning goal against Bournemouth. Antonio's performances did not
go unnoticed and he earned his first call-up to the England squad last year
for the World Cup qualifier against Slovakia but failed to make an
appearance under former manager Sam Allardyce. He was also called into
Gareth Southgate's squad back in March for the games against Germany and
Lithuania, but was forced to pull out with a hamstring injury. The Hammers
star is now working his way back to full fitness through the summer and with
the World Cup taking place in Russia next summer, Antonio would love to
represent his country in one of the biggest tournaments in world football.
Q: Michail, how disappointing was it for you to withdraw from the England
squad back in March?
A: "The first injury in March probably cost me an England debut, which was a
massive disappointment. When I got the call-up I actually said to myself:
'Just don't get injured!' "Especially with it being against Germany, it was
a big game and I was so happy when Gareth Southgate named me in the squad. I
did watch the game, although it was a bit painful. Virtually everyone on the
bench got on, so the chances are it would have been my first cap. "But it
was just one of those things, part and parcel of the game, and I prefer not
to look back – just look forward and if I keep working hard and playing
well, I will have more opportunities."
Q: Have you spoken to Gareth Southgate and what has he told you about the
future for England?
A: "Gareth Southgate did call me at the time, saying he was sorry to hear
about the injury, but told me to keep doing what I was doing and I would be
in his plans.
"That really gave me a push to work hard and make sure I get back fit."
Q: You must be thrilled to have made it into two different England squads
and must be targeting a recall next season?
A" It's pleasing to know that I have now been called up by two England
managers, and hopefully it shows that it wasn't a fluke to get into Sam
Allardyce's squad at the start of last season. "That was definitely one of
the proudest moments of my career. As a child growing up, watching England,
it was one of those things you always wanted to be involved in."
Q: How important is it that you don't get carried away with the prospect of
playing in a major World Cup tournament next summer?
A: "The World Cup next year isn't in my mind. I don't really pay attention
to the long-term, I take short steps - that is what I have done through my
whole career, from non-league to the Premier League. "You've got to take
each step as it comes – you can't think about 20 steps away because it will
distract you and trip you up. "Of course I want to get into the England
World Cup team, especially having been so close, but I'm not going to be
concentrating on it or let it be at the front of my mind. I have to play
games and do well for West Ham – that is my focus."
Q: What are your hopes for West Ham next season?
A: "I am so determined to have a great season, especially after the injury.
My target at the start of last season was to improve and score more goals
than I had the previous year. And I ended up getting the same number, nine.
"I could blame the injury and say I would have beaten it, but that's not how
I think. All I think is: 'I didn't reach my target.' "So next season, I want
to reach it. I want to get to that mark as soon as possible so that I can
make it higher, keep pushing myself and keep getting better."
Q: How proud were you to be named Hammer of the Year last season and can you
perform to an even higher standard next season after signing a new deal back
in May?
A: "It's the greatest honour from the fans. I was speechless, to be honest.
"I had been runner-up to Dimitri Payet the previous season, so to then go on
and win the award shows the progress I have made. "And I don't want to step
back – I want to keep pushing and hopefully do enough to win it again next
season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Henry Onyekuru granted UK visa: Winger to decide between Arsenal, Newcastle,
West Ham soon
HENRY ONYEKURU has reportedly been granted a visa and will soon jet to the
UK to assess a number of transfer offers.
Express.co.uk
By JAMES CAMBRIDGE
PUBLISHED: 16:55, Fri, Jun 23, 2017 | UPDATED: 17:40, Fri, Jun 23, 2017
Henry Onyekuru has been turning heads with his performances for Eupen in the
Belgian top flight. The Nigeria international's 24 goals in all competitions
last term have reportedly caught the attention of Arsenal, Newcastle and
West Ham. And the winger has reportedly been granted a visa and will fly to
the UK in the coming days to sound out a deal to the club of his choice. A
source close to the player told website ScoreNigeria: "Henry has been in
Paris, he is there with his agents.
"He has been granted his visa to the UK and he is now studying all the
offers and possibilities with his handlers. "His first choice is a Premier
League club." The report says Arsenal are serious contenders as they have
already agreed a transfer fee with Eupen for the winger. And Onyekuru made
no attempt to hide his excitement about being offered a deal by the Gunners
last month. "It's a good feeling for a club like Arsenal to make a bid for
me," he said. "This is due to my hard work in training and games. "I am
waiting and working towards it and we'll see how it goes after the [Nigeria]
qualifiers." Onyekuru made 41 appearances for Eupen last term, scoring 24
goals and providing nine assists in all competitions.
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West Ham star Michail Antonio reveals he brought a physio to his Las Vegas
stag weekend as he recovers from a hamstring injury: 'I was close to having
to walk up the aisle on crutches'
Michail Antonio suffered a hamstring injury in the 1-0 win over Swansea in
April
The winger scored nine goals in 37 appearances for West Ham last season
Mark Noble said he was worried West Ham were being priced out of transfers
Antonio is currently taking time off to marry long-term partner Debbie
Whittle
Hammers manager Slaven Bilic is recovering from hip replacement surgery
By Kieran Gill for the Daily Mail
PUBLISHED: 12:01 EDT, 23 June 2017 | UPDATED: 12:02 EDT, 23 June 2017
Michail Antonio had to take a physio with him on his Las Vegas stag do this
month as he continues to recover from a hamstring problem. The West Ham
winger is fighting to be fit for the start of next season, having not kicked
a ball since April when he suffered what Slaven Bilic described as a
'significant' injury. The 27-year-old is no longer on crutches, however, and
is currently taking time off to wed long-term partner Debbie Whittle.
Antonio, whose last appearance was against Swansea on April 8, has been
doing solo work at West Ham's Rush Green training ground over the summer.
'Thankfully the injury didn't put the wedding in doubt,' Antonio told
Sportsmail. 'I'll be honest, I was close to having to walk up the aisle on
crutches. 'Luckily I'm quite a fast healer, so in the end they weren't
needed. I had to take a physio with me on my stag weekend in Las Vegas, but
thankfully I don't need to take him on the honeymoon.' On his recovery,
Antonio said: 'The rehab is going well. I'm on schedule and where I want to
be. 'It's all progressing well and I'm raring to go for the new season.
'Injuries are the hardest part of being a footballer. Every player just
wants to play, so being on the sidelines, watching your team-mates playing
the game – it gets to you mentally. 'At the time, the games were very
important, and I just wanted to be involved, and do something to help the
team.'
West Ham boss Bilic is also continuing his recovery following hip
replacement surgery on May 24. It typically takes six weeks to recover.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Michail Antonio on staying grounded at West Ham: 'I never think I've made
it, you can be forgotten in two weeks'
EXCLUSIVE
Evening Standard
ALEX YOUNG
Michail Antonio is wary of getting ahead of himself after a stellar rise at
West Ham as "you can be forgotten within two weeks" in football. The
27-year-old enjoyed another productive season, scoring nine goals to be the
Hammers' top scorer despite largely playing on the right flank, to be named
the club's player of the year.
Antonio, who earned his first England call-ups under Sam Allardyce and then
Gareth Southgate, subsequently signed a new four-year deal at the London
Stadium to cap a rise to prominence in the Premier League. "It was pleasing
to get the deal done before the summer started," he told Standard Sport.
"The contract talks went on for a long time and it can be quite distracting,
so I'm looking forward to going out next season and playing with a free
mind." Antonio is yet to make his England bow but is of interest to
Southgate after making the squad in March. The midfielder feels his
determination to better himself will only serve him well moving forwards. He
continued: "It's always been about taking each step as it comes. Being
honest, when I was playing for Tooting & Mitcham, I was buzzing, thinking:
'I'm semi-pro.' Then when I made my debut in League One, I was buzzing
again, thinking 'I'm pro'.
"Then it was the Championship, then the Premier League, and then called up
for England. And each time it happened, it was a surprise to me. But I've
always wanted to make myself better, and I think that is why I have made
those steps. "As soon as I reach a new one, I don't think 'Ah that's it' and
settle. I always want to be better and kick on again. "I never think 'I've
made it' because, in football, you can be forgotten within two weeks and I
don't ever want to be forgotten. I want to always be better and make my
career last as long as possible." "It does make me proud to know where I've
come from and how hard I have worked, but I'm also scared of it, because I
know what I've had to do, and I don't ever want to go back to that
situation. It drives me more to be better."
Antonio's path to the Premier League was stop-start. After impressing at
non-league Tooting and Mitcham United he made the big leap up to
Championship side Reading. Loans to League One outfits Cheltenham Town and
Southampton followed before he was finally given the chance to impress at
Reading only to be sent out to Colchester and then Sheffield Wednesday. It
was at Hillsborough where he found his feet and made the move permanent a
year later. Nottingham Forest then came calling before Antonio made it to
the Premier League seven years after his first professional move. "Football
is about a lot of hard work, and a little bit of luck," he says. "I got to
Reading because Billy Smith, my manager at Tooting & Mitcham, knew Steve
Coppell and told him to come and watch me. But I also had a trial for
Millwall, who wanted to sign me after noticing me play. "So although there
was a bit of luck in getting to Reading, it was my hard work that got me
noticed, and at the end of the day that is what it always comes down to."
West Ham struggled during their first campaign at the London Stadium,
winning just seven of 19 in front of their home fans. But, as with his own
progression, Antonio is confident of this club's fortunes and points to the
small margin of error which would have put a differing shine on their league
finish and feels the absence of the Europa League is a positive. He said:
"Looking back at last season, I don't think you can really call it a bad
season. We finished 11th, one point off eighth, which you can't say is a bad
season. "This team has a lot of character. Despite people talking about
relegation last season, we never believed that. We knew we had the quality
in our squad to pull away from danger. "But as a team, we want to progress
and keep improving - that is our aim next season. We finished seventh the
season before last, and that is what we should be looking towards again." He
added: "We will have a lot of time to work together on the training field as
a team. Without the Europa League games early on that we had the past two
years, things won't be as rushed, we can work on our game plan and on what
we need to do in the Premier League."
West Ham have one new face among their ranks ahead of the upcoming campaign
with the free signing of two-time Premier League winner Pablo Zabaleta.
"He has great experience with Manchester City, he's won the Premier League
title and experienced it all," Antonio added. "It's not just ability that he
is bringing, it's his knowledge of the game, and we can all learn from him."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
HAMMER OF THE YEAR 1973: BRYAN 'POP' ROBSON
By Dan Coker 23 Jun 2017 at 08:00
WTID
As Tony Hanna re-visits his excellent nostalgia articles, I thought I'd go
through some Hammer of the Year winners who I've previously written about in
the 'Club Connections' section of my match previews. Today we take a look at
the 1973 winner of the coveted prize as voted for by the supporters…
A Magpie from 1962 until 1971, Bryan 'Pop' Robson was signed from Clara Vale
Juniors and went on to be a member of Joe Harvey's Newcastle team who were
crowned Second Division champions in 1965. Robson made his senior debut
during that campaign, scoring seven goals in 20 appearances and playing
mainly as a right-winger before his move to a more central position. The
story of his famous nickname goes back to when Robson and two childhood
friends named themselves after the Rice Krispies cereal characters 'Snap',
'Crackle' and 'Pop' – Robson's moniker was to stay with him. Newcastle went
on to win the European Fairs Cup, the last major trophy to arrive at St
James' Park, with Robson forming an effective partnership with Wyn Davies.
Robson scored 30 goals in 1968/69 as Newcastle enjoyed European success
before notching 25 the following season. Having been at the club for eight
years, Robson requested a testimonial after ten years' service during
contract negotiations. Chairman Lord Westwood rejected the request,
following a trend at the club, according to 'Pop' himself, whereby homegrown
talent was not as recognised or appreciated as much as purchased players.
At the age of 25 and following 97 goals from 243 starts for Newcastle,
Robson became West Ham United's record signing in February 1971 when Ron
Greenwood signed him for a fee of £120,000 – Robson is pictured above
signing on the dotted line for the Hammers. He scored on his debut in a 2-0
home win against Nottingham Forest on 24th February 1971. Two more goals
against Manchester United and West Brom, both in 2-1 home victories, helped
the Hammers avoid the drop at the end of that season. 'Pop' scored 14 goals
in 1971/72, including a hat-trick in a 5-0 League Cup quarter-final win over
Sheffield United (see my video at the end of the article). His finest season
came in 1972/73, however, when he led the First Division goalscoring charts
with 28 goals as the Hammers finished in the top six. This impressive haul
included eight doubles and one hat-trick in a 4-3 home win over Southampton
and resulted in 'Pop' being crowned Hammer of the Year. This was followed by
just eight goals the following season and, in July 1974, Robson was heading
back to the north-east to join Sunderland for £145,000. He had scored 53
goals in 140 appearances for the Hammers.
After helping the Wearsiders to Second Division title glory in 1975/76, John
Lyall brought the diminutive forward back to the Boleyn in October 1976 –
while he had been away, West Ham had won the 1975 FA Cup and made the Final
of the 1976 European Cup Winners' Cup. His 14 goals in 1976/77, particularly
a double in a final-day 4-2 home win over Manchester United, ensured the
Hammers' survival in the top flight. His 11 goals the following season,
however, were not enough to save the Irons from suffering relegation. 'Pop'
hit 26 goals in the Second Division in 1978/79, including a hat-trick in a
3-0 triumph over fierce rivals Millwall in October 1978. After being voted
runner-up to Alan Devonshire in the Hammer of the Year poll, Robson rejoined
Sunderland in the summer of 1979 for £45,000 – he again missed out on FA Cup
glory with West Ham as the club went on to win the trophy again at the end
of the following season. 'Pop' had scored 51 goals in 115 matches during his
second spell at Upton Park, giving him overall statistics of 104 goals from
255 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers.
Robson helped Sunderland to another promotion in 1980 and went on to play
for Chelsea and Carlisle, as well as having a third spell with Sunderland.
He represented England at Under-23 level but never won a full cap. Since
retiring from playing Robson, now 71, has coached and scouted at Hartlepool,
Manchester United, Leeds and Sunderland.
My video below contains 20 of Robson's goals for West Ham United, including
his hat-trick against Sheffield United and doubles against Manchester
United, Sheffield United, Everton and Derby. The Hammers – in the hunt for a
new striker this summer – are currently crying out for a forward with Pop's
finishing ability. One wonders how much the Geordie goalscoring genius would
be worth in today's market…
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REECE OXFORD'S BUNDESLIGA LOAN SHOWS UP FLAWS IN ENGLISH YOUTH SYSTEM
EPL INDEX
The Premier League is seen as the most exciting league in the world and for
good reason too. Any team can beat any other and the talent levels are
increasing across the league. It may not feature one of the best teams in
Europe, with the English teams struggling on the continent in recent
seasons, but the product is excellent. The huge television deal has led to
increased prices and there is now genuine value in developing your own
players through your academy. However, clubs continue to be hesitant about
using young players and Reece Oxford's loan move to Borussia Monchengladbach
underlines the flaws in youth development in this country.
Oxford is regarded as one of the best young players in England after
starring on his debut at the age of 15. Since then, he has impressed at
youth level and shown flashes when he has been given an opportunity, but
they have been few and far between. West Ham may believe that they have been
protecting the 18-year-old, but they have made signings that have blocked
his passage to the first team. Havard Nordtveit was signed last summer and
he was average at best. Meanwhile, Jose Fonte was signed in January and the
ageing centre-back is past his peak. Oxford should have been given a chance,
but he wasn't and now he has to move to Germany to gain the experience that
he needs.
The Hammers tried to keep him in England and let him go out on loan to
Reading during the second half of last season, but he wasn't given much of a
chance there either. They were already in a strong position and it was
difficult for Jaap Stam to change a winning team. The Bundesliga is famous
for developing young players and he will be given opportunities there. There
are positives to take from the move as a young English player is
experiencing a new culture. That said, it is sad that he has had to leave
these shores to get the development that he needs.
HOW CAN THE PREMIER LEAGUE ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM?
Sadly, it is unlikely they are going to anytime soon. The finances in the
game and the demand for success means that it isn't the best breeding ground
for young players. It is more appealing to bring in players from abroad that
already have experience. Marcus Rashford is the exception that proves the
rule, as he has been excellent in senior football, but he would still be in
the Manchester United reserves if it wasn't for an injury crisis. His last
18 months have shown what can happen when a young player is given a chance.
For clubs outside of the top six, it could be a better long-term plan to
invest some of their budget into youth development rather than spend on
average imports. Depending on what happens with Brexit, it may become more
difficult to bring players in from the rest of Europe and it would be
beneficial to have a good academy. The reason why clubs don't do it is due
to it being a long term investment and most teams can't afford that. The
Oxford case highlights how difficult it is for young players to earn an
opportunity in England and it is a trend that needs to be changed soon, but
that may not happen.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Talksport pundits baffled by West Ham transfer decision, criticise David
Gold and club policy
HITC`
Damien Lucas
West Ham United have left two pundits and many fans baffled by their
decision to loan out Reece Oxford. The Hammers officially announced that
their talented young defender has been sent on a season-long loan to mid
table Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach this week. Shortly before the
announcement the club also revealed it had sold flop utility man Havard
Nordtveit to Gladbach's German rivals Hoffenheim. Many supporters were
frustrated at Oxford's lack of chances in the first team squad last season
after he burst onto the scene with that memorable man of the match display
in the 2-0 win at Arsenal on Slaven Bilic's debut as West Ham boss back in
2015.
With Nordtveit gone and Bilic busy reshaping his squad, many fans thought
the likes of Oxford would get his chance next season. Instead some
supporters have been left baffled by the decision as were talkSPORT pundits
Adrian Durham and Darren Gough. The duo rounded on the club and co-owner
David Gold for recent comments he made about youth development at a club
famed for its academy. "We're baffled by that one, I don't understand how he
(Oxford) can't get in their side," Gough said on talkSPORT Drive. "To go on
loan next season? I thought he'd have been ready to play (for West Ham), he
was linked to Manchester United last year wasn't he?!"
Host Durham then took aim at Gold for recent comments he made on Twitter
about it being harder than ever for teenagers to establish themselves in
Premier League sides. "This goes back to a couple of weeks ago when the West
Ham co-owner David Gold was saying teenagers weren't going to break into the
first team at West Ham United, which sounds like it's a policy which has
been talked about around a table rather than people looking at players on a
pitch. "That makes sense for me then, the (Oxford) move, if that's the West
Ham policy that they're not going to go with any young players. "I think
it's an absolute heads gone, I think it's counter productive to the football
club and it's seen a player - who I believe a lot of West Ham fans want to
see given his fair chance in the first team - go off to a mid table
Bundesliga team. "The fundamental issue is why would West Ham - who weren't
particularly brilliant last season - let go a young player, even if just for
a year, to a Bundesliga club?!"
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Darren Randolph should leave West Ham if Joe Hart signs
HITC
Subhankar Mondal
West Ham United have been linked with Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart in
the summer transfer window. Darren Randolph could become the third-choice
goalkeeper at West Ham United if Joe Hart signs in the summer transfer
window. According to The Telegraph, West Ham are interested in signing the
England international from Manchester City this summer. Randolph already has
to fight with Adrian for a place in Slaven Bilic's starting lineup, and if
Hart moves to the London Stadium, then the 30-year-old may not even play
once in the Premier League next season. The Republic of Ireland
international is a good goalkeeper and has proved that he has the quality to
be a success in the Premier League. If West Ham signed Hart, then Randolph
should leave the London club; he is simply too good to be the third-choice
custodian at a club that is unlikely to break into the top six of the
Premier League next season. Manchester City should take advantage of this
situation and sign Randolph from West Ham in he summer transfer window,
perhaps even pose a swap deal of some sorts involving Hart. Randolph would
not start for City, but with Willy Caballero leaving the Citizens, the
30-year-old would be behind Claudio Bravo in the pecking order at the Etihad
Stadium. Even if City manager Pep Guardiola signs another goalkeeper,
Randolph would still be better off at the Citizens; after all, it is better
to be third-choice custodian at City than at West Ham.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Who would make your West Ham Five-A-Side team?
Jack Collison played for West Ham United over 100 times between 2007 and
2014 and has played with a host of Hammers icons - most past, some still
present!
The former midfielder opts for James Tomkins as the only defender in front
of Rob Green in goal. The midfield is commanding, a Hammers duo you would
not want to mess with, and above all, two Club captains. Scott Parker
partners current First Team skipper, Mark Noble.
To complete the line-up, Collison chooses his former Wales international
teammate, Craig Bellamy to lead the line. Bellamy scored nine times in 26
appearances for the Hammers between 2007 and 2009.
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Permit granted for Hammers target
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 23rd June 2017
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United transfer target Henry Onyekuru has been granted a work
permit ahead of his proposed move to England. However to which club remains
to be seen - with West Ham being joined by the likes of Leicester City and
Arsenal in vying for the Nigerian striker's signature. "Henry has been in
Paris, he is there with his agents," a source told Score Nigeria. "He has
been granted his visa to the UK and he is now studying all the offers and
possibilities with his handlers. "His first choice is a Premier League
club."
Although West Ham had been front runners to land the Eupen striker,
Leicester had looked a more likely option in recent days. However further
rumours suggest that a deal between Onyekuru's entourage and Arsenal, who
entered the race late, has already been struck.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Michail Antonio Exclusive Q & A as he looks towards World Cup Finals and
another big season at West Ham
The West Ham star enjoyed one of the best seasons of his career as he forced
his way into the England squad and now hopes to play a major role for Gareth
Southgate in Russia next summer
The Mirror
BYMARC ISAACS
18:29, 23 JUN 2017UPDATED18:35, 23 JUN 2017
It has been the ultimate fairytale story for Michail Antonio after making
his way from from non-league football and becoming one of the big stars in
the Premier League. It was not that long ago Antonio was playing for Tooting
and Mitcham and was earning extra money as a lifeguard. But he has now
become a fans favourite at West Ham United and is one of the first names on
Slaven Bilic's team-sheet following his incredible journey since joining the
east London club back in September 2015. The 27-year-old enjoyed a memorable
first season in the top flight when he scored nine goals and got on the
scoresheet against Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United. Antonio
dominated a number of headlines with his memorable goal celebrations
including the Homer Simpson turn and the Carlton Banks dance from the
popular Fresh Prince of Bel Air sitcom. The talented forward continued his
impressive form last season and wrote his name into the record books after
becoming the first ever Premier League scorer at London Stadium when he
scored the winning goal against Bournemouth. Antonio's performances did not
go unnoticed and he earned his first call-up to the England squad last year
for the World Cup qualifier against Slovakia but failed to make an
appearance under former manager Sam Allardyce. He was also called into
Gareth Southgate's squad back in March for the games against Germany and
Lithuania, but was forced to pull out with a hamstring injury. The Hammers
star is now working his way back to full fitness through the summer and with
the World Cup taking place in Russia next summer, Antonio would love to
represent his country in one of the biggest tournaments in world football.
Q: Michail, how disappointing was it for you to withdraw from the England
squad back in March?
A: "The first injury in March probably cost me an England debut, which was a
massive disappointment. When I got the call-up I actually said to myself:
'Just don't get injured!' "Especially with it being against Germany, it was
a big game and I was so happy when Gareth Southgate named me in the squad. I
did watch the game, although it was a bit painful. Virtually everyone on the
bench got on, so the chances are it would have been my first cap. "But it
was just one of those things, part and parcel of the game, and I prefer not
to look back – just look forward and if I keep working hard and playing
well, I will have more opportunities."
Q: Have you spoken to Gareth Southgate and what has he told you about the
future for England?
A: "Gareth Southgate did call me at the time, saying he was sorry to hear
about the injury, but told me to keep doing what I was doing and I would be
in his plans.
"That really gave me a push to work hard and make sure I get back fit."
Q: You must be thrilled to have made it into two different England squads
and must be targeting a recall next season?
A" It's pleasing to know that I have now been called up by two England
managers, and hopefully it shows that it wasn't a fluke to get into Sam
Allardyce's squad at the start of last season. "That was definitely one of
the proudest moments of my career. As a child growing up, watching England,
it was one of those things you always wanted to be involved in."
Q: How important is it that you don't get carried away with the prospect of
playing in a major World Cup tournament next summer?
A: "The World Cup next year isn't in my mind. I don't really pay attention
to the long-term, I take short steps - that is what I have done through my
whole career, from non-league to the Premier League. "You've got to take
each step as it comes – you can't think about 20 steps away because it will
distract you and trip you up. "Of course I want to get into the England
World Cup team, especially having been so close, but I'm not going to be
concentrating on it or let it be at the front of my mind. I have to play
games and do well for West Ham – that is my focus."
Q: What are your hopes for West Ham next season?
A: "I am so determined to have a great season, especially after the injury.
My target at the start of last season was to improve and score more goals
than I had the previous year. And I ended up getting the same number, nine.
"I could blame the injury and say I would have beaten it, but that's not how
I think. All I think is: 'I didn't reach my target.' "So next season, I want
to reach it. I want to get to that mark as soon as possible so that I can
make it higher, keep pushing myself and keep getting better."
Q: How proud were you to be named Hammer of the Year last season and can you
perform to an even higher standard next season after signing a new deal back
in May?
A: "It's the greatest honour from the fans. I was speechless, to be honest.
"I had been runner-up to Dimitri Payet the previous season, so to then go on
and win the award shows the progress I have made. "And I don't want to step
back – I want to keep pushing and hopefully do enough to win it again next
season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Henry Onyekuru granted UK visa: Winger to decide between Arsenal, Newcastle,
West Ham soon
HENRY ONYEKURU has reportedly been granted a visa and will soon jet to the
UK to assess a number of transfer offers.
Express.co.uk
By JAMES CAMBRIDGE
PUBLISHED: 16:55, Fri, Jun 23, 2017 | UPDATED: 17:40, Fri, Jun 23, 2017
Henry Onyekuru has been turning heads with his performances for Eupen in the
Belgian top flight. The Nigeria international's 24 goals in all competitions
last term have reportedly caught the attention of Arsenal, Newcastle and
West Ham. And the winger has reportedly been granted a visa and will fly to
the UK in the coming days to sound out a deal to the club of his choice. A
source close to the player told website ScoreNigeria: "Henry has been in
Paris, he is there with his agents.
"He has been granted his visa to the UK and he is now studying all the
offers and possibilities with his handlers. "His first choice is a Premier
League club." The report says Arsenal are serious contenders as they have
already agreed a transfer fee with Eupen for the winger. And Onyekuru made
no attempt to hide his excitement about being offered a deal by the Gunners
last month. "It's a good feeling for a club like Arsenal to make a bid for
me," he said. "This is due to my hard work in training and games. "I am
waiting and working towards it and we'll see how it goes after the [Nigeria]
qualifiers." Onyekuru made 41 appearances for Eupen last term, scoring 24
goals and providing nine assists in all competitions.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham star Michail Antonio reveals he brought a physio to his Las Vegas
stag weekend as he recovers from a hamstring injury: 'I was close to having
to walk up the aisle on crutches'
Michail Antonio suffered a hamstring injury in the 1-0 win over Swansea in
April
The winger scored nine goals in 37 appearances for West Ham last season
Mark Noble said he was worried West Ham were being priced out of transfers
Antonio is currently taking time off to marry long-term partner Debbie
Whittle
Hammers manager Slaven Bilic is recovering from hip replacement surgery
By Kieran Gill for the Daily Mail
PUBLISHED: 12:01 EDT, 23 June 2017 | UPDATED: 12:02 EDT, 23 June 2017
Michail Antonio had to take a physio with him on his Las Vegas stag do this
month as he continues to recover from a hamstring problem. The West Ham
winger is fighting to be fit for the start of next season, having not kicked
a ball since April when he suffered what Slaven Bilic described as a
'significant' injury. The 27-year-old is no longer on crutches, however, and
is currently taking time off to wed long-term partner Debbie Whittle.
Antonio, whose last appearance was against Swansea on April 8, has been
doing solo work at West Ham's Rush Green training ground over the summer.
'Thankfully the injury didn't put the wedding in doubt,' Antonio told
Sportsmail. 'I'll be honest, I was close to having to walk up the aisle on
crutches. 'Luckily I'm quite a fast healer, so in the end they weren't
needed. I had to take a physio with me on my stag weekend in Las Vegas, but
thankfully I don't need to take him on the honeymoon.' On his recovery,
Antonio said: 'The rehab is going well. I'm on schedule and where I want to
be. 'It's all progressing well and I'm raring to go for the new season.
'Injuries are the hardest part of being a footballer. Every player just
wants to play, so being on the sidelines, watching your team-mates playing
the game – it gets to you mentally. 'At the time, the games were very
important, and I just wanted to be involved, and do something to help the
team.'
West Ham boss Bilic is also continuing his recovery following hip
replacement surgery on May 24. It typically takes six weeks to recover.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Michail Antonio on staying grounded at West Ham: 'I never think I've made
it, you can be forgotten in two weeks'
EXCLUSIVE
Evening Standard
ALEX YOUNG
Michail Antonio is wary of getting ahead of himself after a stellar rise at
West Ham as "you can be forgotten within two weeks" in football. The
27-year-old enjoyed another productive season, scoring nine goals to be the
Hammers' top scorer despite largely playing on the right flank, to be named
the club's player of the year.
Antonio, who earned his first England call-ups under Sam Allardyce and then
Gareth Southgate, subsequently signed a new four-year deal at the London
Stadium to cap a rise to prominence in the Premier League. "It was pleasing
to get the deal done before the summer started," he told Standard Sport.
"The contract talks went on for a long time and it can be quite distracting,
so I'm looking forward to going out next season and playing with a free
mind." Antonio is yet to make his England bow but is of interest to
Southgate after making the squad in March. The midfielder feels his
determination to better himself will only serve him well moving forwards. He
continued: "It's always been about taking each step as it comes. Being
honest, when I was playing for Tooting & Mitcham, I was buzzing, thinking:
'I'm semi-pro.' Then when I made my debut in League One, I was buzzing
again, thinking 'I'm pro'.
"Then it was the Championship, then the Premier League, and then called up
for England. And each time it happened, it was a surprise to me. But I've
always wanted to make myself better, and I think that is why I have made
those steps. "As soon as I reach a new one, I don't think 'Ah that's it' and
settle. I always want to be better and kick on again. "I never think 'I've
made it' because, in football, you can be forgotten within two weeks and I
don't ever want to be forgotten. I want to always be better and make my
career last as long as possible." "It does make me proud to know where I've
come from and how hard I have worked, but I'm also scared of it, because I
know what I've had to do, and I don't ever want to go back to that
situation. It drives me more to be better."
Antonio's path to the Premier League was stop-start. After impressing at
non-league Tooting and Mitcham United he made the big leap up to
Championship side Reading. Loans to League One outfits Cheltenham Town and
Southampton followed before he was finally given the chance to impress at
Reading only to be sent out to Colchester and then Sheffield Wednesday. It
was at Hillsborough where he found his feet and made the move permanent a
year later. Nottingham Forest then came calling before Antonio made it to
the Premier League seven years after his first professional move. "Football
is about a lot of hard work, and a little bit of luck," he says. "I got to
Reading because Billy Smith, my manager at Tooting & Mitcham, knew Steve
Coppell and told him to come and watch me. But I also had a trial for
Millwall, who wanted to sign me after noticing me play. "So although there
was a bit of luck in getting to Reading, it was my hard work that got me
noticed, and at the end of the day that is what it always comes down to."
West Ham struggled during their first campaign at the London Stadium,
winning just seven of 19 in front of their home fans. But, as with his own
progression, Antonio is confident of this club's fortunes and points to the
small margin of error which would have put a differing shine on their league
finish and feels the absence of the Europa League is a positive. He said:
"Looking back at last season, I don't think you can really call it a bad
season. We finished 11th, one point off eighth, which you can't say is a bad
season. "This team has a lot of character. Despite people talking about
relegation last season, we never believed that. We knew we had the quality
in our squad to pull away from danger. "But as a team, we want to progress
and keep improving - that is our aim next season. We finished seventh the
season before last, and that is what we should be looking towards again." He
added: "We will have a lot of time to work together on the training field as
a team. Without the Europa League games early on that we had the past two
years, things won't be as rushed, we can work on our game plan and on what
we need to do in the Premier League."
West Ham have one new face among their ranks ahead of the upcoming campaign
with the free signing of two-time Premier League winner Pablo Zabaleta.
"He has great experience with Manchester City, he's won the Premier League
title and experienced it all," Antonio added. "It's not just ability that he
is bringing, it's his knowledge of the game, and we can all learn from him."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
HAMMER OF THE YEAR 1973: BRYAN 'POP' ROBSON
By Dan Coker 23 Jun 2017 at 08:00
WTID
As Tony Hanna re-visits his excellent nostalgia articles, I thought I'd go
through some Hammer of the Year winners who I've previously written about in
the 'Club Connections' section of my match previews. Today we take a look at
the 1973 winner of the coveted prize as voted for by the supporters…
A Magpie from 1962 until 1971, Bryan 'Pop' Robson was signed from Clara Vale
Juniors and went on to be a member of Joe Harvey's Newcastle team who were
crowned Second Division champions in 1965. Robson made his senior debut
during that campaign, scoring seven goals in 20 appearances and playing
mainly as a right-winger before his move to a more central position. The
story of his famous nickname goes back to when Robson and two childhood
friends named themselves after the Rice Krispies cereal characters 'Snap',
'Crackle' and 'Pop' – Robson's moniker was to stay with him. Newcastle went
on to win the European Fairs Cup, the last major trophy to arrive at St
James' Park, with Robson forming an effective partnership with Wyn Davies.
Robson scored 30 goals in 1968/69 as Newcastle enjoyed European success
before notching 25 the following season. Having been at the club for eight
years, Robson requested a testimonial after ten years' service during
contract negotiations. Chairman Lord Westwood rejected the request,
following a trend at the club, according to 'Pop' himself, whereby homegrown
talent was not as recognised or appreciated as much as purchased players.
At the age of 25 and following 97 goals from 243 starts for Newcastle,
Robson became West Ham United's record signing in February 1971 when Ron
Greenwood signed him for a fee of £120,000 – Robson is pictured above
signing on the dotted line for the Hammers. He scored on his debut in a 2-0
home win against Nottingham Forest on 24th February 1971. Two more goals
against Manchester United and West Brom, both in 2-1 home victories, helped
the Hammers avoid the drop at the end of that season. 'Pop' scored 14 goals
in 1971/72, including a hat-trick in a 5-0 League Cup quarter-final win over
Sheffield United (see my video at the end of the article). His finest season
came in 1972/73, however, when he led the First Division goalscoring charts
with 28 goals as the Hammers finished in the top six. This impressive haul
included eight doubles and one hat-trick in a 4-3 home win over Southampton
and resulted in 'Pop' being crowned Hammer of the Year. This was followed by
just eight goals the following season and, in July 1974, Robson was heading
back to the north-east to join Sunderland for £145,000. He had scored 53
goals in 140 appearances for the Hammers.
After helping the Wearsiders to Second Division title glory in 1975/76, John
Lyall brought the diminutive forward back to the Boleyn in October 1976 –
while he had been away, West Ham had won the 1975 FA Cup and made the Final
of the 1976 European Cup Winners' Cup. His 14 goals in 1976/77, particularly
a double in a final-day 4-2 home win over Manchester United, ensured the
Hammers' survival in the top flight. His 11 goals the following season,
however, were not enough to save the Irons from suffering relegation. 'Pop'
hit 26 goals in the Second Division in 1978/79, including a hat-trick in a
3-0 triumph over fierce rivals Millwall in October 1978. After being voted
runner-up to Alan Devonshire in the Hammer of the Year poll, Robson rejoined
Sunderland in the summer of 1979 for £45,000 – he again missed out on FA Cup
glory with West Ham as the club went on to win the trophy again at the end
of the following season. 'Pop' had scored 51 goals in 115 matches during his
second spell at Upton Park, giving him overall statistics of 104 goals from
255 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers.
Robson helped Sunderland to another promotion in 1980 and went on to play
for Chelsea and Carlisle, as well as having a third spell with Sunderland.
He represented England at Under-23 level but never won a full cap. Since
retiring from playing Robson, now 71, has coached and scouted at Hartlepool,
Manchester United, Leeds and Sunderland.
My video below contains 20 of Robson's goals for West Ham United, including
his hat-trick against Sheffield United and doubles against Manchester
United, Sheffield United, Everton and Derby. The Hammers – in the hunt for a
new striker this summer – are currently crying out for a forward with Pop's
finishing ability. One wonders how much the Geordie goalscoring genius would
be worth in today's market…
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REECE OXFORD'S BUNDESLIGA LOAN SHOWS UP FLAWS IN ENGLISH YOUTH SYSTEM
EPL INDEX
The Premier League is seen as the most exciting league in the world and for
good reason too. Any team can beat any other and the talent levels are
increasing across the league. It may not feature one of the best teams in
Europe, with the English teams struggling on the continent in recent
seasons, but the product is excellent. The huge television deal has led to
increased prices and there is now genuine value in developing your own
players through your academy. However, clubs continue to be hesitant about
using young players and Reece Oxford's loan move to Borussia Monchengladbach
underlines the flaws in youth development in this country.
Oxford is regarded as one of the best young players in England after
starring on his debut at the age of 15. Since then, he has impressed at
youth level and shown flashes when he has been given an opportunity, but
they have been few and far between. West Ham may believe that they have been
protecting the 18-year-old, but they have made signings that have blocked
his passage to the first team. Havard Nordtveit was signed last summer and
he was average at best. Meanwhile, Jose Fonte was signed in January and the
ageing centre-back is past his peak. Oxford should have been given a chance,
but he wasn't and now he has to move to Germany to gain the experience that
he needs.
The Hammers tried to keep him in England and let him go out on loan to
Reading during the second half of last season, but he wasn't given much of a
chance there either. They were already in a strong position and it was
difficult for Jaap Stam to change a winning team. The Bundesliga is famous
for developing young players and he will be given opportunities there. There
are positives to take from the move as a young English player is
experiencing a new culture. That said, it is sad that he has had to leave
these shores to get the development that he needs.
HOW CAN THE PREMIER LEAGUE ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM?
Sadly, it is unlikely they are going to anytime soon. The finances in the
game and the demand for success means that it isn't the best breeding ground
for young players. It is more appealing to bring in players from abroad that
already have experience. Marcus Rashford is the exception that proves the
rule, as he has been excellent in senior football, but he would still be in
the Manchester United reserves if it wasn't for an injury crisis. His last
18 months have shown what can happen when a young player is given a chance.
For clubs outside of the top six, it could be a better long-term plan to
invest some of their budget into youth development rather than spend on
average imports. Depending on what happens with Brexit, it may become more
difficult to bring players in from the rest of Europe and it would be
beneficial to have a good academy. The reason why clubs don't do it is due
to it being a long term investment and most teams can't afford that. The
Oxford case highlights how difficult it is for young players to earn an
opportunity in England and it is a trend that needs to be changed soon, but
that may not happen.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Talksport pundits baffled by West Ham transfer decision, criticise David
Gold and club policy
HITC`
Damien Lucas
West Ham United have left two pundits and many fans baffled by their
decision to loan out Reece Oxford. The Hammers officially announced that
their talented young defender has been sent on a season-long loan to mid
table Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach this week. Shortly before the
announcement the club also revealed it had sold flop utility man Havard
Nordtveit to Gladbach's German rivals Hoffenheim. Many supporters were
frustrated at Oxford's lack of chances in the first team squad last season
after he burst onto the scene with that memorable man of the match display
in the 2-0 win at Arsenal on Slaven Bilic's debut as West Ham boss back in
2015.
With Nordtveit gone and Bilic busy reshaping his squad, many fans thought
the likes of Oxford would get his chance next season. Instead some
supporters have been left baffled by the decision as were talkSPORT pundits
Adrian Durham and Darren Gough. The duo rounded on the club and co-owner
David Gold for recent comments he made about youth development at a club
famed for its academy. "We're baffled by that one, I don't understand how he
(Oxford) can't get in their side," Gough said on talkSPORT Drive. "To go on
loan next season? I thought he'd have been ready to play (for West Ham), he
was linked to Manchester United last year wasn't he?!"
Host Durham then took aim at Gold for recent comments he made on Twitter
about it being harder than ever for teenagers to establish themselves in
Premier League sides. "This goes back to a couple of weeks ago when the West
Ham co-owner David Gold was saying teenagers weren't going to break into the
first team at West Ham United, which sounds like it's a policy which has
been talked about around a table rather than people looking at players on a
pitch. "That makes sense for me then, the (Oxford) move, if that's the West
Ham policy that they're not going to go with any young players. "I think
it's an absolute heads gone, I think it's counter productive to the football
club and it's seen a player - who I believe a lot of West Ham fans want to
see given his fair chance in the first team - go off to a mid table
Bundesliga team. "The fundamental issue is why would West Ham - who weren't
particularly brilliant last season - let go a young player, even if just for
a year, to a Bundesliga club?!"
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Darren Randolph should leave West Ham if Joe Hart signs
HITC
Subhankar Mondal
West Ham United have been linked with Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart in
the summer transfer window. Darren Randolph could become the third-choice
goalkeeper at West Ham United if Joe Hart signs in the summer transfer
window. According to The Telegraph, West Ham are interested in signing the
England international from Manchester City this summer. Randolph already has
to fight with Adrian for a place in Slaven Bilic's starting lineup, and if
Hart moves to the London Stadium, then the 30-year-old may not even play
once in the Premier League next season. The Republic of Ireland
international is a good goalkeeper and has proved that he has the quality to
be a success in the Premier League. If West Ham signed Hart, then Randolph
should leave the London club; he is simply too good to be the third-choice
custodian at a club that is unlikely to break into the top six of the
Premier League next season. Manchester City should take advantage of this
situation and sign Randolph from West Ham in he summer transfer window,
perhaps even pose a swap deal of some sorts involving Hart. Randolph would
not start for City, but with Willy Caballero leaving the Citizens, the
30-year-old would be behind Claudio Bravo in the pecking order at the Etihad
Stadium. Even if City manager Pep Guardiola signs another goalkeeper,
Randolph would still be better off at the Citizens; after all, it is better
to be third-choice custodian at City than at West Ham.
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