Burke and Cullen join Bolton Wanderers on loan
WHUFC.com
West Ham United can confirm that Reece Burke and Josh Cullen have joined
Championship club Bolton Wanderers on a five-month loan agreement. The Youth
Academy graduates will spend the first half of the 2017/18 campaign with the
newly-promoted Trotters, having flown back at the weekend from the Hammers'
pre-season training camp in Germany.
Reece, 20, and Josh, 21, trained with their new team-mates for the first
time today, ahead of Bolton's Championship opener against Leeds United at
the Macron Stadium on Sunday, which is to be televised live on Sky Sports.
The deal sees the pair reunited with Bolton boss Phil Parkinson, who managed
both during their loan spells at Bradford City during the 2015/16 season.
Central defender Burke, who won the Player of the Season award at Valley
Parade that year, subsequently spent last season on loan at Wigan Athletic,
while midfielder Cullen enjoyed another successful spell with Bradford,
reaching the League One Play-Off final at Wembley, where they narrowly lost
out to Millwall.
The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international heads to Bolton having
yesterday signed a new three-year contract at London Stadium, and manager
Slaven Bilic believes that both players will benefit greatly from the
experience. Bilic says: "This is a perfect opportunity for Reece and Josh to
continue the fantastic progress they have made in recent seasons. "They are
both very promising young players, who have shown that they have the right
attitude, temperament and quality to have a successful future at West Ham
United if they continue in the same manner. "I have been really impressed
with the impact they have made with us during pre-season but it is important
that they continue to play serious, competitive football at this stage of
their development. "I have had a few good, long chats with them both
recently – they know what they have to do, and we agreed that playing
regularly at this level will be far more beneficial for them. "The
Championship will give them the opportunity to test themselves against teams
and players who will be fighting to get to the Premier League, and it will
be a great experience for them. "Bolton are a good club with an excellent
manager in Phil Parkinson, who knows both Reece and Josh well, and we will
be keeping a very close eye on their progress. "I wish them all the very
best in this adventure, and we look forward to welcoming them back to the
Club next year."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Betway to donate pre-season shirt sponsorship to DT38 Foundation
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's principal sponsor Betway will donate its front of shirt
sponsorship to The DT38 Foundation during the upcoming pre-season clash with
Manchester City on Friday 4 August.
The leading online bookmaker is working in conjunction with DT38 and the
Club in a bid to raise awareness of men's health issues, with a particular
focus on testicular cancer.
Shirts from the pre-season friendly, which takes place in Iceland on 4
August, will then be signed by the players and auctioned off by DT38 after
the game to raise valuable funds for the foundation.
The DT38 Foundation was launched in 2015 in memory of West Ham Academy
starlet Dylan Tombides, who lost his three-year battle with testicular
cancer in April 2014, at the age of 20.
Karren Brady, Vice-Chairman of West Ham United, said: "It's fantastic that
our exceptional principal sponsors Betway care about all aspects of the Club
and its supporters, and we are very grateful to them for choosing to replace
their sponsorship with DT38 for the game against Manchester City in Iceland.
We really hope it can raise awareness of a wonderful person and a truly
worthy cause.
"A hugely popular figure among his teammates, coaches, backroom staff,
supporters and opponents alike, Dylan was loved and respected throughout the
football community, and is hugely missed by all at West Ham United.
"The way he battled his disease was truly inspirational, as is his wonderful
family's courage in the face of such adversity. The valuable work they are
doing in Dylan's name is absolutely incredible and a fitting way to ensure
Dylan's legacy continues to inspire others every day."
Anthony Werkman, Betway's Director of Marketing and Operations, said: "The
DT38 Foundation is a charity close to the hearts of everybody involved with
West Ham United and it is a great honour to be able to help such a worthy
cause raise not only valuable funds but also awareness.
"It's important to support the incredible work the foundation is doing to
raise awareness of such important health issues and we're absolutely
thrilled to donate our front shirt sponsorship for the game against
Manchester City."
Tracy Tombides, mother of Dylan, added: "It's a proud day for the DT38
family. Thank you to Betway and West Ham United for supporting our mission
to raise awareness and change the stigma associated with men's health issues
with a focus on testicular cancer.
"Having the team wear DT38 on their strips will allow the DT38 message to
spread to a whole new audience and to help ensure men all over the world
know the importance of conducting regular self- examinations of their
testicles and seeking ultrasound advice should they find any abnormalities."
For further information about The DT38 Foundation visit www.dt38.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ogbonna: West Ham have got winners in our dressing room
WHUFC.com
Angelo Ogbonna believes the presence of 'winners' in the dressing room will
give West Ham United a massive boost this coming Premier League season. The
Italy international won back-to-back Serie A titles and reached the UEFA
Champions League final during his two seasons with Juventus between 2013-15.
The centre-back has since been joined in east London by a succession of
players who have also lifted trophies during their own careers – UEFA Euro
2016 champion Jose Fonte, two-time French League Cup winner Andre Ayew and
Manuel Lanzini, who won three league titles during his time in Brazil and
Argentina. This summer, double Premier League winners Joe Hart, Pablo
Zabaleta and Chicharito have joined them at London Stadium, giving Ogbonna
even more optimism for the 2017/18 campaign ahead. "I think it's very
important to have winners at the Club," the No21 confirmed, "and we have a
lot of international players who have won things, not only our new signings
but also players like Fonte, Ayew and Lanzini. "This is important for us
because these players bring an open and positive mentality. This is the best
thing, because you can look forward to what you want to achieve. "We have
signed experienced players and that's the most important thing for the Club.
They are used to winning things and will bring that to the dressing room, so
we can learn from them."
Ogbonna's two seasons in Claret and Blue have been wildly contrasting. The
2015/16 campaign saw the Hammers challenge for a top-four finish and qualify
for the UEFA Europa League. However, last term was a different story, with
West Ham struggling in the bottom half of the Premier League table for much
of the season before rallying to finish eleventh in May. The 29-year-old is
himself returning after knee surgery ruled him out for much of the second
half of last season, and does not believe setting lofty personal or team
targets is a sensible course of action. Instead, he is hoping the presence
of four top-class signings – Marko Arnautovic being the fourth member of the
quartet – will help the Hammers to improve on their 2016/17 showing. "We
want to show ourselves better than last season and I think the Board have
done well and we have signed good players," he continued. "That is a big
motivation, not just for us but for everyone around, like fans and for the
Club as well. "I think my idea is to start over this new season so that
step-by-step we don't need to make the same mistakes like we did last
season. We don't need to talk about finishing higher or top-four, but we
need to do better than last season. "We need to concentrate on our work –
this is very important."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers star Chicharito reveals his shirt number
WHUFC.com
Chicharito will wear the No17 shirt for West Ham United.
The Mexico superstar has picked the squad number after completing his
eagerly-anticipated move from Bayer Leverkusen a week ago.
The 29-year-old, who has previously worn the No14 and No7 shirts during his
prolific career, will don the No17 for the first time in Tuesday's
pre-season match with Altona 93 in Hamburg, Germany.
Chicharito wore the No14 for Mexico at both the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup
finals, as well as for the duration of his five-season stay at Old Trafford
and his 2014/15 loan spell at Real Madrid.
The striker then took the No7 for his two years in Leverkusen, where
Switzerland international Admir Mehmedi was already in possession of the
No14 shirt.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ten-man Hammers held by Altona 93 in Hamburg
WHUFC.com
Ten-man West Ham United came from behind three times to share an
entertaining 3-3 draw with Altona 93 in Hamburg on Tuesday evening.
Slaven Bilic's side handed a debut to Chicharito and welcomed back Winston
Reid from injury, only for the latter to be shown a red card at the
Adolf-Jager Kampfbahn.
However, goals from Toni Martinez and Andre Ayew and a Joshua Du Preez
own-goal seconds after the Mexican's introduction ensured West Ham shared
the spoils with their German hosts.
Altona, who warmed up to the sound of a chart-full of heavy metal hits,
rocked their Premier League visitors inside five minutes. Pedro Obiang was
penalised for a foul 30 yards out and Nick Brisevac arrowed the resulting
free-kick around the wall and beyond Adrian's full-length dive.
The stadium announcer was midway through congratulating the former Germany
U16 international when Martinez fired the Hammers level. Captain Reid – back
after recovering from shin surgery – pumped a long ball down the right
touchline and the Spaniard outstripped his marker, cut inside and sent a
rasping left-foot shot into the roof of the net.
The Altona fans among the capacity crowd were silenced, but not for long as
first Dennis Thiessen, then Marco Schultz fired low efforts wide of the
target. Clearly full of energy and determined to upset their illustrious
guests the Regionalliga Nord side kept coming, with Samuel Hosseini heading
Schultz's teasing cross alarmingly close to Adrian's far post.
Martinez flashed a low shot wide, but it was Altona who continued to look
the more threatening, and it was Thiessen who curled the Germans back into
the lead with an exquisite 25-yarder. It could have been 3-1 before the
break too, but Milaim Buzhala volleyed Thiessen's deep cross over the top
from ten yards.
West Ham's night went from bad to worse when the returning Reid, who had
been booked just after Thiessen's goal for dissent, repeated the offence and
was sent-off after being whistled for a push inside the Altona box and was
sent-off on the stroke of half-time.
Altona changed nine of their outfield players at the break and also
introduced a third goalkeeper, while Bilic opted to make two alterations of
his own – Jose Fonte and Arthur Masuaku replacing Robert Snodgrass and Aaron
Cresswell.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Hammers were an improved team
after the break and levelled within eight minutes of the restart when Andre
Ayew smashed a bouncing through ball past the third stopper Tobias Grubba.
It was only a temporary respite, however, as Serhat Cayir lifted a diagonal
free-kick into the penalty area and the ball dropped to centre-half Darius
Stode, who prodded past Adrian.
The game was now end-to-end and, after Ayew had been fouled, Marko
Arnautovic rattled the base of the post with a long-range free-kick.
Chicharito arrived with 20 minutes to go and his impact was immediate as the
impressive Sam Byram raced down the right and crossed. The new boy drew two
defenders, allowing the unmarked Nathan Holland too shoot, and the ball
bounced into the net via a deflection off unlucky goalkeeper Joshua Du
Preez. The new No17 then played in Edimilson Fernandes, but the Swiss
dragged his shot wide.
Altona were not done, though, as Adrian raced from his line to deny the home
side's 13th substitute Tobias Lechler. Moments later, the No7 nicked the
ball off the toe of Pedro Obiang but dragged his shot wide.
The stage was set for Chicharito to net the winner when he went clean
through with three minutes remaining, only to round Du Preez and see his
shot cleared off the line by Jakob Sachs.
Then, with seconds to go, the Mexican had his heels clipped inside the
Altona penalty area, stayed on his feet and flashed a shot wide.
That proved to be the final chance of a frenetic game and West Ham's
three-match visit to Germany.
The Hammers will complete their pre-season schedule by taking on Manchester
City in Iceland on Friday afternoon.
Altona 93: Grundmann (Matthai 27, Grubba 46, Du Preez 61), Aniteye (Stode
46), Yilmaz (Kunter 46), Hosseini (Lechler 74), Buzhala (Holz 46), Brisevac
(Wachowski 46), Rettstadt (Cayir 46), Hinze (Edeling 46), Novotny (Sachs
46), Schultz (Correia Ca 46), Thiessen (Hadid 46, Schultz 83)
Goals: Brisevac 5, Thiessen 39, Stode 58
West Ham United: Adrian, Zabaleta (Byram 57), Reid ©, Ogbonna (Rice 57),
Cresswell (Masuaku 46), Obiang, Fernandes, Arnautovic (Holland 67),
Snodgrass (Fonte 46), Ayew (Makasi 70), Martinez (Chicharito 70)
Sub not used: Hart (GK)
Goals: Martinez 6, Ayew 53, Du Preez 72(own-goal)
Sent-off: Reid 42
Attendance: 5,000
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jurcevic: Chicharito debut gives us a feel of things to come
WHUFC.com
Assistant manager Nikola Jurcevic believes Chicharito will be a 'really
important player' for West Ham United after the Mexico star made an
eye-catching debut in Germany.
The new No17 played for just 20 minutes against Altona 93 in Hamburg, but
could easily have scored two goals, assisted another and won a penalty for
his side during an exciting cameo.
Speaking to whufc.com, Jurcevic felt both the striker and his new teammates
would have benefitted hugely from spending game-time together on the pitch
during a 3-3 draw at the Adolf-Jager-Kampfbahn.
"He was a plus point from this game," Jurcevic told whufc.com. "He spent a
few days with us and played about 20 minutes which was very important for
him to feel how he will play with West Ham United.
"In this moment he is not 100 per cent physically fit, but he is working
hard and for him it was very important for him to play 20 minutes. He showed
in that short time that he is a very different offensive player.
"He likes to have the ball in space, he is always on the offside line and I
think he will be a really important player for us."
While the performance of Chicharito was promising, the Hammers had to work
hard for their share of the spoils with fourth-tier Altona 93. The hosts led
three times, while West Ham also lost Winston Reid to a red card seconds
before half-time.
"It was a very difficult evening," he admitted. "We did very hard sessions
over the last two days and our opponent was also very good and a very tough
team.
"We started not so good. We conceded a few goals and also played the second
half with ten players, but in the end we scored three goals and a draw is
OK.
"Like I said before now, we in pre-season and we are working very hard and
we have had some tough training sessions and matches. The pitch was also not
in the best condition, but this is not an excuse and we must win this game.
"It was only 3-3, but the first half was not good. We were nervous for some
reason but in the second half our action was better and we scored some
goals. We had some good chances to win this game, but in the end it was only
a training game we must forget it very fast and concentrate on the future."
While West Ham went winless in their three-match German tour, adding a 1-0
defeat and 2-2 draw with Bundesliga team Werder Bremen to Tuesday's result,
Jurcevic urged fans not to be concerned ahead of the start of the new
Premier League season.
The Hammers travel to Iceland to face Manchester City on Friday before
returning to England for their top-flight opener at Manchester United on
Sunday 13 August, by which time they will have sharpened their game,
improved fitness and welcomed a number of injured players back.
"I can understand the supporters as they will normally not be happy with
this result," said Slaven Bilic's No2. "We are also not happy, but this is
only pre-season and many teams have different results in pre-season in
England, Germany and all the big leagues.
"Sometimes some big clubs play to draws against small clubs and it is not
something new in pre-season. We also played without some of our important
players and I am 100 per cent sure we will be better. I can say to our
supporters, don't be worried!
"Friday's game will be a very, very good test. We know how good Man City can
be but our first opponent in the Premier League is also good in Man United
so it will be a very good test for our team and I hope we will be good in
Iceland."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carlton Cole to be sacked by Indonesian club for not scoring
Last Updated: 01/08/17 11:52am
SSN
Former Premier League footballer Carlton Cole is likely to be sacked by
Indonesian club Persib, after failing to score a single goal this season.
The former West Ham striker, now 33, joined Persib in March but has not
impressed the club's manager Umuh Muchtar. Cole had signed a one-year deal
with the team which is owned by Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir, who is
also president of Italian giants Inter Milan.
Boss Muchtar said: "It's the management's decision to dismiss him, we will
have a new player in the second round of the season. "He plays very badly
compared to the other [foreign players] who have joined Persib. He had the
worst performance."
Bandung-based Persib compete in an 18-team league which was formed following
a row between Indonesia's sports ministry and their football association.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Winston Reid sent-off for West Ham in pre-season friendly as former Man
United star Javier Hernandez makes debut
The Hammers defender was making his first appearance of pre-season following
injury but was sent off for two bookable offences against the German fourth
tier team
The Mirror
BYMARC ISAACS
19:56, 1 AUG 2017UPDATED20:25, 1 AUG 2017
West Ham defender Winston Reid was sent-off in a pre-season friendly against
German fourth tier team Altona 93. Reid could not believe his luck when the
referee brandished a red card on the stroke of half-time after he received
his second caution of the game for dissent. The New Zealand international
was shown his second yellow card for clapping at the referee and paid the
price as he was shown his marching orders. Slaven Bilic was not impressed as
Reid was making his first pre-season appearance following a shin injury
which forced him to miss the opening friendlies in Austria and Germany. The
talented defender has recently been linked with a move to Everton, but
despite this bizarre dismissal, Bilic will not want to lose his star
defender. The Hammers were forced to play half the game with ten-men and had
to settle for a 3-3 draw. The one positive consolation was big summer
signing Javier Hernandez making his debut for the club after he appeared as
late substitute. The former Manchester United star almost got on the
scoresheet as he took the ball round the keeper but saw his shot cleared off
the line.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Former West Ham and Chelsea striker Carlton Cole axed by Indonesian side
Persib Bandung
Cole has had his contract terminated after a string of "very bad"
performances in which he failed to score a single goal
The Mirror
BYAARON FLANAGAN
12:15, 1 AUG 2017UPDATED12:18, 1 AUG 2017
Carlton Cole has been given the bullet by Indonesian side Persib Bandung.
The former West Ham striker moved to Asia in March but has been axed after
failing to score a single goal. Cole, who has been playing alongside his
former Chelsea team-mate Michael Essien at Persib, is has been criticised
for his "very bad" performances. The 33-year-old Londoner's last career goal
came in a cup game during his spell at Celtic in the 2015/16 season. He also
failed to score during a short stint at Sacramento Republic. Cole was only
on a 10-month contract with Persib. "It's the management's decision to
dismiss him, we will have a new player in the second round of the season,"
Persib manager Umuh Muchtar told AFP. "He plays very badly compared to the
other (foreign players) who have joined Persib. He had the worst
performance."
Ambitious Persib are owned by Inter Milan president Erick Thor. But they are
falling short of targets having won five of their 17 Liga 1 games so far
this season, scoring just 16 times.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM LEAD NEWCASTLE AND SWANSEA IN RACE FOR LIGUE 1 STAR
Ladbrokes.com
1 August 2017
A trio of Premier League clubs are fighting it out for Montpellier's star
winger Ryad Boudebouz. The 27-year-old enjoyed arguably his best year yet
last time out, scoring 11 times while supplying his team-mates on nine
further occasions. But the rest of his Montpellier squad offered little in
addition as the side slumped to a 15th-place finish in Ligue 1 last term.
And now it's believed Boudebouz could leave for a relative bargain at £15m.
West Ham United are leading the way at 2/1, as the Hammers search for a
successor to Dimitri Payet. Having already signed Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta,
Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez, landing Boudebouz would cap a fine
summer for the Hammers. But they'll face competition from Newcastle United
at 9/2, and Swansea City at 5/1. The Toon Army have spent less than half of
the £75m Rafa Benitez was reportedly promised this summer. And Swansea are
still sweating on the future of playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson. Should the
Icelander head for pastures new, Boudebouz could be the ideal solution for
the Welsh club. Spanish side Real Betis have reportedly launched a bid for
the versatile forward, but at £6m it's unlikely to be accepted by
Montpellier and our traders have the Basque club behind the Premier League
trio at 6/1. AC Milan (12/1) and Sevilla (16/1) are the outsiders in the
betting. Algerian international Boudebouz has only been with Montpellier for
two years, arriving from SC Bastia in 2015 for just £1.45m.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Javier Hernandez in line to make West Ham debut against Atlona 93
ALEX YOUNG
Evening Standard
West Ham fans are expected to get their first glimpse of new signing Javier
Hernandez in Tuesday night's friendly against Altona 93. The striker
completed his £16million move from Bayer Leverkusen eight days ago and flew
out to Germany on Thursday to join his new team-mates on their pre-season
tour. Fellow new arrivals Joe Hart and Marko Arnautovic have already made
their bows, the latter scoring in a 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Hernandez has been working on his fitness over the weekend having missed
preparation time with Leverkusen due to his Confederations Cup commitments
with Mexico. Slaven Bilic is now ready to give 'Chicharito' his first run
out as a Hammer with their opening game of the Premier League season,
against Manchester United, just 12 days away.
Altona 93 are a fifth-tier German outfit and welcome West Ham to their
8,000-seater stadium on Tuesday evening, with kick-off scheduled for 5.30pm
BST.
West Ham then travel to Iceland's Laugardalsvollur national stadium to face
Manchester City on Friday.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
DO WE REALLY NEED TO BUY ANOTHER STRIKER OR SHOULD MARTINEZ BE GIVEN HIS
CHANCE?
By Iain Dale 1 Aug 2017 at 08:00
WTID
At the moment we have three recognised first team strikers in Javier
Hernandexz, Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho. Most people would agree that we
need four, even though in extremis Michail Antonio and Andre Ayew can both
play in a central striking role if necessary. I don't know how many of you
saw Toni Martinez's (pictired) well taken header against Werder Bremen on
Saturday, but given the number of goals he was scoring for the Under 23s,
you just wonder if rather than being sent out on loan again, he might now
graduate to a first team role.
We are continually linked with a move for Andre Gray, who scored 9 goals in
32 games for Burnley last season. He certainly scored some cracking goals
and has always had a good goals to games ratio in the lower leagues. A
friend of mine who goes to every Burnley game, home and away thinks Gray is
vastly overrated and is basically a championship player. He'd be delighted
if we parted with £15 million for him and thinks Burnley would be robbing
us. Wolves are now said to be trying to sign him.
Given that our outgoings in this transfer windown haven't been massive,
there is still money in the pot. I wonder whether we are going to be
surprised by a marquee signing – one that would really make people sit up
and take notice. I imagine Ross Barckley is out of our league, but what a
signing he would be. Everton are quoting £50 million for him, but given he's
in his last year there, pundits reckon he would cost £30 million. Trouble
is, it's difficult to see where he would fit in. Lanzini is getting better
with every game and has replaced Payet in the playmaker role. To me, they
are too similar to play in the same team, but then again what do I know?
Slaven Bilic rarely plays with two strikers unless we are chasing the game
so it's difficult to see him blowing the rest of his transfer budget on a
top class striker, but I just don't see the point in buying a player like
Andre Gray who would no doubt be very unhappy to warm the bench. However, we
know that both Sakho and Carroll are injury prone, and we know that if
either could be sold in this transfer window they would be. Sakho would
bring in £7-10 million, while Carroll might get a bit more than that. Put
that with what remains in the kitty and you've probably got enough for a top
class striker.
I have no idea which of these scenarios come to pass, but whatever happens,
I'd like to see Toni Martinez given a chance this season. He's a great size
for a central striker and really looks the part. He's just turned twenty and
is keen to make an impression. I hope he starts tomorrow's friendly in
Germany.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham youngster Toni Martinez hails Andre Ayew assist in Werder Bremen
stalemate
Published on: 01 August 2017
GhanaSoccernet.com
West Ham striker Toni Martinez has lauded Ghana international Andre Ayew for
an excellent cross providing him with an assist in their 2-2 stalemate with
Bundesliga side Werder Bremen in a pre-season game. The Spanish youngster
shot his side ahead after heading home a beautiful finish from Andre Ayew's
cross after coming on as a substitute. The striker who is overly excited for
fetching his first goal for The Hammers has described the cross from the
Black Stars deputy skipper as an excellent assist. "It was a good cross from
[Andre] Ayew and good play from Marko [Arnautovic] too, it was a nice cross
and I put the ball in the net," he told the club's website. Martinez who was
promoted to the first team from The Hammers from their junior side says he
wants to score more. "It's amazing [to score]. It was a great game, we are
working hard to be strong for the first game in the league and we will keep
working hard. "I am happy to stay with the first team and I am grateful for
my opportunities. I wish for more opportunities for sure. I am really happy
to score my first goal for the first team. I thank my team mates for this.
The 20-year old scored 14 goals for the club's under 23's last season.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United should look at Andriy Yarmolenko
HITC
Shane Callaghan
West Ham United need a creative outlet - and Andriy Yarmolenko is perfect.
Stoke City are interested in signing Dynamo Kiev star Andriy Yarmolenko,
according to The Mirror. But should West Ham United throw their hat into the
ring and try bring him to East London? Andriy Yarmolenko of Ukraine in
action the UEFA EURO 2016 Group C match between Ukraine and Poland at Stade
Velodrome on June 21, 2016 in Marseille, France. The Hammers hardly need a
winger after smashing their club record to sign Marko Arnautovic for £24
million, while Slaven Bilic also has Michail Antonio. However, Yarmolenko,
who netted 19 goals last season and set up another 10, is also capable of
playing the number 10 role and West Ham are crying out for a creative spark
since Robert Snodgrass proved himself a tame successor for Dimitri Payet.
Having said that, Antonio missed 12 Premier League matches last term, at two
different times of the season, and Bilic could also do with a back-up on the
right wing if the 27-year-old's problems persist into next season.
The Ukraine international is, in truth, a class act who would certainly add
something to the Irons' attack and if his £14.3 million valuation on
Transfermarkt is accurate then Bilic should ask about him. In addition to
the expensive Arnautovic, Bilic has also pulled off a big-money deal to
bring in Javier Hernandez, who will earn around £140,000 per week in the
capital, so it remains to be seen if such funds are still available to the
Croat.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'Welcome to London' Javier Hernandez reveals stunning WAG
WEST Ham's newest signing Javier Hernandez barely had his feet under the
table at the London Stadium before announcing his stunning new WAG.
Daily Star
By Jamie Micklethwaite / Published 1st August 2017
Hernandez has returned to the UK following two years playing for Bayer
Leverkusen in Germany. And it was believed the diminutive striker was on the
market after splitting up with long-term girlfriend Lucia Villalon. But
Hernandez, nicknamed Chicharito, teased his followers after posting pictures
of himself on a date with a mystery woman. This was later revealed to be
stunning Spanish actress Andrea Duro. Andrea, who is best known for her role
in Spanish TV series Love in Difficult Times, has 173,000 followers on
Instagram who have already let her know how jealous they are of the Mexican.
Cayuvvs wrote: "Chicharito 1 - rest of your fans 0."
The former Man United hitman spoke of his joy after signing for the Irons
for £16 million. He said: "The Premier League is the best league in the
world and when the opportunity came, I was desperate to sign for this club.
"West Ham is historic and very ambitious. "I've had three fantastic years
playing in Spain and Germany, but England was really the first big chapter
in my career and I am so happy to be back."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, August 2
Tuesday, August 1
Daily WHUFC News - 1st August 2017
Altona 93 v West Ham United: All you need to know
WHUFC.com
West Ham United play the third and final fixture of their pre-season visit to Germany when they take on Altona 93 in Hamburg on Tuesday evening.
The Hammers will tackle their Regionalliga Nord opponents at the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn stadium at 6.30pm local time (5.30pm BST), seeking to build on their encouraging performance in Saturday's 2-2 Betway Cup draw with Werder Bremen.
Here, we let you know where to watch, who will be in action and much more about West Ham's penultimate pre-season fixture...
Where and when?
Altona 93 v West Ham United, Tuesday 2 August 2017, 6.30pm, Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn, Griegstraße 62, 22763, Hamburg, Germany
Where to watch?
Fans can follow the game on Twitter at @westhamutd. A full report, reaction and highlights will be available on whufc.com. Tuesday's match will also be shown live by Premier Sports from 5.30pm.
Matchday squads
Altona 93: Du Preez, Aniteye, Correia Ca, Yilmaz, Wachowski, Hosseini, Lechler, Hinze, Sachs, Brisevac, Kunter, Holz, Rettstadt, Dogan, Novotny, Grundmann, Cayir, Schultz, Siebert, Edeling, Matthai, Thiessen, Grubba, Buzhala
West Ham United: Adrian, Hart, Matrevics, Byram, Zabaleta, Cresswell, Masuaku, Collins, Ogbonna, Fonte, Reid, Burke, Rice, Makasi, Lanzini, Snodgrass, Obiang, Fernandes, Cullen, Holland, Arnautovic, Ayew, Martinez, Chicharito
Team news
West Ham United could hand a first appearance to Mexico star Chicharito in Hamburg, with the striker in line to pull on a Claret and Blue shirt after working hard on his fitness over the weekend. The Hammers also welcome Winston Reid back into the matchday squad for the first time in pre-season. The New Zealand defender is back to fitness after recovering from the shin surgery he underwent just prior to the end of last season. Striker Diafra Sakho is back in training but will not be involved, while Mark Noble is still ruled out with a minor toe injury.
Meet the opposition
Altonaer FC von 1893 was originally formed as Altonaer Cricket Club in Hamburg 124 years ago. The football team is a department of a larger sports club which also offers handball, karate, table tennis, and volleyball.
Altona is one of Germany's oldest football clubs and were founder members of the Altona-Hamburg football league formed in 1894, as well as one of the founding clubs of the German Football Association (DfB) in Leipzig in 1900. Three years later, Altona hosted the first-ever German national championship final played between VfB Leipzig and DFC Prague.
Altona themselves were Northern German champions twice in their early years and have won the Hamburg Cup on four occasions. They now ply their trade in the Regionalliga Nord (Germany's fourth tier) after winning promotion from the Oberliga Hamburg last season.
Player to watch
Chicharito could make his first appearance in a West Ham United shirt in front of a sell-out crowd at Altona 93's 8,000-capacity Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn stadium on Tuesday evening.
The Mexico striker joined up with his new teammates in Germany last Thursday afternoon and has trained hard over the weekend to get up to speed, having returned to pre-season late after appearing at the FIFA Confederations Cup.
Unsurprisingly, Chicharito has never featured in a match against Altona 93, but he did play against their local rivals Hamburger SV three times for Bayer Leverkusen over the previous two seasons - and never ended on the losing side.
Previous meeting
West Ham United have never faced Altona 93 before, but the Hammers were in the Hamburg area as recently as July 2013.
Sam Allardyce's side took on the city's Bundesliga representatives Hamburger SV in the town of Flensburg, 100 miles north on border with Denmark.
Alou Diarra, James Tomkins and Ravel Morrison scored the goals in a 3-1 win, with winger Matt Jarvis providing the assists for all three. Of the current squad, James Collins, Winston Reid and Mark Noble all appeared.
Did you know?
Altona 93 have a special relationship with south London club Dulwich Hamlet dating back nearly 100 years. Initially created by supporters, the close ties between the two see regular friendly matches played in both England and Germany
Altona 93's manager since 2015 is Berkan Algan, a former Turkey and Germany U21 international who was born in Hamburg and enjoyed a long and nomadic playing career with a host of clubs in northern Germany. He had two spells with Altona as a player, scoring 26 goals in 66 games from midfield
Altona 93's stadium is named in honour of their legendary striker Adolf Jäger, who spent 21 years with the club between 1907 and 1927, playing more than 700 games and reputedly scoring more than 2,000 goals. He was a member of the German Olympic squad in 1912, scoring his country's only goal. Jäger died during World War II, while working to defuse Allied bombs in Hamburg.
How to get there
From Hamburg Hauptbanhof, take the S-Bahn line 3 six stops westbound to Hamburg-Altona. The journey should take about 12 minutes. From there, your best option is to walk the 1.2 miles along Ottenser Hauptstraße, Große Brunnenstraße, Behringstraße and Griegstraße or
How to buy tickets
The match is an 8,000 sell out!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Declan Rice admits rise to Hammers prominence has been a 'bit mad'
WHUFC.com
Declan Rice admits his rise from teenage unknown to Premier League footballer has been 'a bit mad' but is determined to keep his focus on his next target – regular top-flight football. Still just 18, Rice has had quite a year. He captained the U23s to promotion and made his Premier League debut in May, before being called-up to the Republic of Ireland senior squad for the first time. Slaven Bilic then included him in the first-team squad for the pre-season training camps in Austria and Germany, where he has appeared in all four matches and even filled a deep-lying midfield role in two Betway Cup ties with Werder Bremen.
"I think I have done very well," said Rice, whose confidence should not be mistaken for arrogance, but rather a belief in his own ability. "I have been very happy with myself in training and I think I have made an impression in games. "Having players around like Mark Noble and James Collins, they just keep egging me on to do better and better and keep getting better, giving me confidence to perform. "Now I have played in midfield in two games I have started to feel a lot more comfortable there. Obviously, centre-back is my favourite position but it is good that I can play in both roles. "I have to keep level-headed, keep focused, keep working hard in training every single day and hopefully the manager gives me my chance. "My next target is to start in the Premier League, that's what I am aiming for. I'll play wherever the manager puts me, centre back or centre midfield, I don't care."
While Rice has fitted seamlessly into Bilic's squad this summer, the teenager himself admits it has been a challenge to get used to the speed of first-team training after spending the majority of the past two years with the U23s. "It is a massive step-up from the U23s to this – with better players, international footballers, everything is a bit more sharper and at a high intensity," he observed. "I think I am raising my game to go along with them, definitely. With the help of the others and the manager I'm getting better each time."
As Rice continues to improve and impress, so his stature will continue to rise, not only among the coaching staff but also among the Claret and Blue Army.
"About a year ago, no-one knew who I was and now, I'm signing autographs for fans here in Germany, it's a bit mad. It's weird people knowing who I am!"
If he continues to play as he has been in pre-season, it will not be weird for much longer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
U18s to kick-off campaign at Brighton
WHUFC.com
West Ham United U18s will kick-off their 2017/18 Premier League Youth campaign with an away clash at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday 12 August.
The Seagulls finished tenth in the southern section of the division last season, eleven points behind the fourth-placed Hammers, who unlike the south coast side, qualified for Group 1 of the league when it split earlier this year.
Mark Phillips and Steve Potts' side were held to a 2-2 draw in the same fixture last year, with Jahmal Hector-Ingram and Joe Powell – both of whom have impressed for the U23s this pre-season – scoring for the visitors.
West Ham's first competitive fixture back at their Little Heath home will be against Southampton a week later – the same day Slaven Bilic's first team travel to St. Mary's for their second Premier League game.
The following weekend will see the Hammers take on Arsenal at London Colney in the first derby clash of the campaign.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic: It's time for West Ham players to stake their claim
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic says it is time for his players to stake their claim for a regular place in his matchday squad. The West Ham United manager took an initial squad of more than 25 players to Germany, while the likes of Michail Antonio, Chiekhou Kouyate and Andy Carroll remained in England to work on their fitness. However, with only 18 to be named for the Premier League opener at Manchester United on 13 August, competition for places is hotting up with that fixture now less than a fortnight away. "All the players are happy now," Bilic observed. "It's a pre-season and it's the same in every club – they train brilliantly and all that and they are all hoping they are going to play and be starters in our team. "Then, of course, only eleven or maybe 14 will think 'I'm there' probably, almost definitely, some players will notice that they are not regulars in the beginning of the season, so maybe a few of them will not be happy and some of them will ask for a move, so we've got to be ready for that. "It's my job to think about the team first and foremost and you have to expect these things to happen in every club. When it happens, you have to be ready with some players that are interesting for us and who are not going to be regulars at their clubs!"
With the transfer window open for another month, the prospect of West Ham doing more business – both in and out – is a real one. The Hammers have already brought in four new players – Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, Marko Arnautovic and Chicharito – while allowing seven to leave London Stadium – Havard Nordtveit, Enner Valencia, Darren Randolph, Ashley Fletcher, Alvaro Arbeloa, Raphael Spiegel and Stephen Hendrie. Young defender Reece Oxford has also joined Borussia Moenchengladbach on a season-long loan. While he does not anticipate upsetting the balance of his squad, Bilic has money to spend and is not ruling out making more signings before the end of August. "You've got to be ready for all situations and be able to predict them if and when they happen, because it's better if you're ready," he observed. "I don't expect any more 'exciting' signings because you don't want to be overbooked in certain positions. You have to respect your players and those who are number two, because you don't want them to be number three in their position. "You only need them in case you have many, many injuries, but of course you can't think like that. If something extraordinary happens, and it can happen because we've done really well without spending crazy money.
"We got four players, one on a free, Joe on loan, we spent good money on Chicharito and Arnautovic, but also Havard is gone to Hoffenheim, Randy has gone, Enner has gone to Mexico and Ash to Middlesbrough. "I presume if something extraordinary happens in the market, then hopefully we're still going to be able to do it, if necessary."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Reece Oxford nets first Borussia Monchengladbach goal
WHUFC.com
Reece Oxford scored his first goal in a Borussia Monchengladbach shirt on Saturday, levelling in his German side's 2-1 win over Spanish outfit Malaga. The 18-year-old defender, who joined Die Fohlen on a season-long loan earlier this transfer window, rose highest in the penalty area to head home a corner and make it 1-1 in the 77th minute. The teenager had only been introduced on the hour-mark, replacing fellow defender Nico Elvedi before equalising in the pre-season clash in Duisberg. The goal marked an impressive performance at right-back by the Academy of Football graduate having been named Man of the Match after the full-time whistle.
After the game, Oxford said: "I'm happy to score but it's more important that we completed the turnaround." It was Ibrahima Traore who set up the England youth international, swinging in a corner from the left-hand-side for Oxford to nod home with power to cancel out Alejandro Mula Sanchez's opener for Malaga. Brazilian forward Raffael completed the comeback for Gladbach in the 86th minute, netting from the penalty spot. Friday could mark Oxford's return to England as Monchengladbach face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in their final pre-season fixture, before their domestic campaign kicks-off a week later in the DFB-Pokal first round against RW Essen.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ayew: We are capable of doing good things this season
WHUFC.com
Andre Ayew is excited by West Ham United's attacking options. The Ghana forward is relishing the prospect of working alongside the likes of summer signings Chicharito and Marko Arnautovic, as well as influential No10 Manuel Lanzini. With Diafra Sakho, Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll also working their way towards full fitness, Ayew believes Slaven Bilic has a strong armoury at his disposal. "It's good and I'm happy to see these good players coming in," said Ayew, who provided a superb assist for young Spanish striker Toni Martinez's goal against Werder Bremen on Saturday. "I think we have a good squad, but now we have to do the job on the field and that's another thing altogether. "We already had good players in the squad and now we've added some more good players, so that's really important for a club like West Ham to get to another level. "I feel like we are going to be capable of doing good things but we need to stay humble, work hard and don't think we have done it before time."
Concentrating on Chicharito, Ayew says the Mexican's international and UEFA Champions League experience will be invaluable. Having played under intense scrutiny for hometown club Guadalajara, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and his country, Chicharito has successfully learned how to succeed at the highest level. Ayew also believes his mere presence will boost his new teammates, who will now spend hours on the training pitch devising how to best serve the prolific striker's goal-poaching qualities. "It's good to have players to play alongside who have played for great clubs at the highest level as they know the expectations. Players who have played in the Champions League are what I like. "When you play with players you know have played to that level, especially when you too have played there against them years before, it's good for you as a player, it's good for the club and good for the fans, especially. "I feel he's going to bring a lot of fighting spirit, a lot of trouble for the other defence and we need to start training together to really know what he likes. When you watch games, it's different from when you are training and you get the feeling more to know his movements, what he likes and doesn't like and we have to adapt to him the same way he has to adapt to us. "We will try to find the best ways for him to get goals for us."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Maybe the hardest bit is yet to come
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 31st July 2017
By: Paul Walker
So far so good, this has been the best transfer window in years at West Ham, but David Sullivan probably knows the toughest bit is yet to come. Our majority shareholder has overseen a very impressive window of action and not words, of very decent signings that are an improvement, every one of them, on what we had before. And many feel there may be one more big money signing still to come, considering the £30m we have raised from outgoing transfers so far.
Sullivan and his team have received deserved praise--yes, even from me (I know, I'll try not to let it happen again!) as we have seen real talent arrive at the London Stadium. Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez have over 700 Premier League appearances between them, and that's just the experience of the English top flight that Slaven Bilic has been crying out for.
But, and there's always a but, sorry, we now have predatory big clubs--well maybe not Everton but certainly Liverpool--sniffing around our squad.
It's the stuff of the summer months. When you are on the receiving end of transfer speculation it is written off as the silly season without any foundation. When you are doing the same thing--Marko springs to mind--it is deadly serious, despite what Stoke were saying.
I am always amused by the predictable comments that always emerge. Firstly a manager says "there have been no bids," then a club insider insists the player is not for sale and under long term contract anyway, then someone gets accused of tapping up said player(pause here for universal laughter throughout the corrupt industry), and then the player slaps in a transfer request and all hell break lose.
It always ends with the player leaving, after training on his own for a while, Dimitri Payet and Virgil van Dijk spring to mind. Players and agents always get their way in the end.
These past few days have seen Everton linked with James Collins and Winston Reid while Liverpool (and Spurs?) are hovering around Manuel Lanzini.
Now West Ham have said all the right things here. Ken Dyer in Monday's Standard reports that the club insist Reid is not for sale. Last week exactly the same thing was said about Lanzini. The response to the Collins stuff was a little different, with our club saying the ball was in Ginge's court and nobody would want to stand in the way of the 33 year-old making a few extra bob if he could.
I understand the Collins situation, but hate the thought of one of our finest servants leaving. He has given everything, blood, sweat and not one tear--not him is it?--for West Ham and we all love him for it.
I would like to see him end his career with us, get some coaching badges and have a job here for life. He deserves that level of respect. Every season he starts as third or fourth-choice centre back and ends up playing half the matches and dragging us out of the mire single handed because the rest can't be trusted to tie their own boots properly.
But he knows he is fourth choice now and that talented kids like Declan Rice, Reece Burke and Reece Oxford--done well in Germany already lads, hasn't he?--are waiting in the wings. He's out of contract next summer and if he fancies a new two-year contract at Everton and a pay rise, who are we to stand in his way? My view Ginge…stay with us, you know you will be a battle-scarred regular come December!
Now the other two. Let's first dismiss all this silly season rubbish. I doubt there is one approach, one transfer, one move anywhere, that the player, his agent and family don't know about well in advance.
It's a total fallacy to suggest otherwise. No club goes into a potential deal without testing the water first, is the player interested, how much money is on offer, what's the contract like and can he have a nice mansion in Southport?
Not for one second do Reid and Lanzini's people not know everything there is to know about potential moves for their players. So West Ham can deny it all, pour on cold water, whatever. Payet showed how it's done, and so too did Jose Fonte (to a lesser extent) and Arnautovic as well.
Stoke have been pretty pissed off by that deal, because we have taken their best player. And there are a few Stoke fans of my acquaintance who have long been unimpressed by Marko's brother/agent. Ho hum, it's just the way of business.
The one bit that does worry me is that Reid is yet to sign a new, promised contract yet. I have searched the club website, and various worthy and creditable fans' blogs and news websites to no avail.
Reid got the hump last season when Fonte arrived on allegedly bigger wages. He was promised more and the last I saw was a proposed deal that increased his buy-out to £15m and his wages in line with his Portuguese team-mate. That was a couple of months ago. Has it been fully negotiated or even signed? If not a few folk at the LS need to get their act together.
That's why, it seems, that the potential fee is only £9m, with buy-anything-that-moves Everton looking for a deal to cover for injured defender Ramiro Funes Mori. Firstly, that fee is a joke. Reid is our best defender, occasional captain and key part of our defence. He's worth well north of £20m to us.
Reid, represented by the Danish based ApS agency, is well aware of his value to us and it's no surprise that transfer talk starts while contract talks are ambling their way to conclusion.
Michail Antonio, or to be precise his agent Will Salthouse, also talked a lot about a transfer out of the club while they were trying, successfully in the end, to hammer out a new four year deal on near double-your-money wages. The pattern of negotiations is so blindingly obvious every time.
Lanzini has a similar contract position. He were told a month back that he was next on the list for a new deal. Antonio, Pedro Obiang and Angelo Ogbonna have got theirs. Manu has been away rubbing shoulders with Lionel Messi and winning his first caps for Argentina, so he certainly knows his worth now if not before.
We need to sort this deal out double quick. He has become absolutely key to us, after a great season in the wake of Payet's departure. The mere thought of him going to Liverpool if Philippe Coutinho moves on to Barcelona is too horrific to contemplate.
West Ham know all too well that such a move for Lanzini, Reid too, goes against everything they have been working for this summer. Expectation has been raised, good players signed, people are enthused again. Losing your best players is not the way to maintain respect from the fans.
But there is always 'no smoke without fire' in transfer rumours. Maybe these transfer rumblings are just that. Summer fiction, but Sullivan knows he dare not let such situations run and run. New contracts, bigger wages etc are in order. But then, as we found with Payet and Stoke found with Arnautovic, even that may not be enough. Let's hope not and I am worrying for no reason.
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, KUMB.com.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham will not sell Winston Reid amid £9m Everton transfer links
KEN DYER
Evening Standard
West Ham look certain to reject any interest in Winston Reid with reports suggesting Everton are considering a £9million move for the central defender. Everton are the second Merseyside club to be linked with a West Ham player of late, with Liverpool chasing playmaker Manuel Lanzini. Ronald Koeman's Toffees are said to be looking at New Zealand international Reid as cover for Ramiro Funes Mori, but West Ham are intent on keeping the 29-year-old at London Stadium as the 2017-18 Premier League season approaches. Liverpool are still reported to be interested in Argerntina international Lanzini should Barcelona be successful in prising Philippe Coutinho away from Anfield. But West Ham are determined to keep the 24-year-old playmaker as well, with the club cautious of sending out the wrong message having boosted morale and expectations by bringing in the likes of Javier Hernandez, Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Marko Arnautovic.
West Ham drew 2-2 against Werder Bremen on Saturday, with Arnautovic scoring his first club for the East London club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Man City vs West Ham: Friendly prediction, team news, start time, live, TV, head to head, odds
Evening Standard
TOM DOYLE
West Ham face a true test of their Premier League ambitions on Friday as they are pitted against Pep Guardiola's title-chasing Manchester City in Iceland. The Hammers have moved decisively in the market following a slow start to the summer transfer window, with Javier Hernandez the star signing along with Marko Arnautovic, Joe Hart and Pablo Zabaleta. Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was so impressed with the Hammers' business that he has marked them out as potential title contenders. But Slaven Bilic will have a clearer picture of his side's potential when they come up against the might of Man City in Reykjavik - the first clash between two Premier League teams in the country.
Man City take on West Ham at the Laugardalsvollur Stadium in Reykjavik, Iceland. The match kicks off at 3pm (GMT) on August 4.
TV and live online coverage
The match will not be televised live on TV in the UK. You can follow all the build-up and action from 12pm with Standard Sport's London Football live blog.
Team news
Pablo Zalabeta is set for an early reunion with his former club after spending nine years at City. Goalkeeper Hart - currently on loan at West Ham from City - is another who may be taking on some familiar faces, while £16m striker Hernandez will almost certainly get some minutes as he builds fitness following his Confederations Cup appearances. City have confirmed that Claudio Bravo and Bernardo Silva could play after their extended holidays following the confederations Cup. However, £52m wing-back Benjamin Mendy and midfielder Ilkay Gundogan are out through injury.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Chicharito won't wear No. 14 at West Ham
July 31, 2017 3:35pm
Jon Arnold
Updated at 3:35 p.m. ET
Foxsports
Premier League, West Ham UnitedIt's still not totally decided which number the Mexico forward will be sporting with the London club, but he's ruled out his traditional digits Fans looking forward to buying a new West Ham United shirt with forward Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez's name and number on the back will have to wait a little longer to see exactly what that number will be. Mexico's all-time leading scorer was presented at West Ham after joining the London side from Bayer Leverkusen but still isn't sure which number he'll sport with the Hammers. It does appear, though, that his days wearing his traditional No. 14 may be over.
"I've got a little bit of an idea, but I can't say yet. They're going to announce it when they have a bit of an idea what the rest of the club's movements are like," he told Fox Sports. "Something that we do have in mind is that I'm not going to use the 14. We'll see what number I end up with." The forward likely will make his West Ham debut against his former club Manchester United when the teams meet in the first match of the season on Aug. 13. "It's going to be a very special weekend. Who would've thought my return to the English league would be playing at the place I called home with my old club?" Hernandez said. "It'll be really nice. I'm very motivated, very hopefully to be there that weekend, also just because it'll be start of the season.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Real Betis launch bid for West Ham target Ryad Boudebouz
By Jay Williams - Jul 31, 2017 0
WestHamWorld
Spanish side Real Betis have launched a bid for West Ham United target Ryad Boudebouz, according to reports coming out of France. French media outlet France Football is reporting that Real Betis have offered €7m for Montpellier star Ryad Boudebouz. There are many clubs interested in the Ligue 1 play maker, who caught the eye last season. Alongside Real Betis and West Ham, the likes of Sampdoria, Newcastle United and Bayer Leverkusen are credited with an interest in the Algerian international. However, it is La Liga outfit Real Betis who have firmed up their interest with the first bid, testing the water at €7m. Montpellier are thought to be holding out for a fee closer to €15m for Ryad Boudebouz after his impressive year for the South France side. In 33 Ligue 1 appearances, Boudebouz weighed in with eleven goals and nine assists, catching the attention of a number of top clubs across Europe. West Ham have some decent options in the attacking midfield regions after snapping up Marko Arnautovic. Arnautovic will compete with Manuel Lanzini, Andre Ayew and Michail Antonio for the attacking midfield spots but peripheral players Robert Snodgrass and Sofiane Feghouli could be moved on to bring someone like Boudebouz in. France Football believe that the 27-year-old's market value is between €8m and €12m.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham signing Javier Hernandez gives fans a right to dream… and at just £16million he is a bargain in today's transfer market
Ex-Manchester United forward is the answer to the Hammers' striker crisis and has plenty of gas left in the tank at just 29
FAN'S VIEW
By ExWHUemployee
31st July 2017, 11:48 am Updated: 31st July 2017, 12:00 pm
LAST summer West Ham fans were promised a proven goalscorer. But instead of a marque signing, we ended up with Simone Zaza and Jonathan Calleri – who managed a grand total of one league goal between them. Inevitably, West Ham fans were very pessimistic and worried that, once again this summer, we would fail to land a top quality goalscorer and still be reliant on the injury prone Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll. Thankfully our prayers have been answered. Not only have we landed a top quality, proven goalscorer, but we have done it at a snip in today's over-inflated transfer market. Javier Hernandez is Mexico's all-time top scorer and has netted at the very top level for Manchester United and Real Madrid. He is exactly the sort of player we had been crying out for — and a bargain at just £16million. At 29, he still has many years left in the tank. We were quoted nearly £40m to sign another 29-year-old in Anthony Modeste – and he is not in the same league as Hernandez when it comes to finding the back of the net. Already, Chicharito has settled in well to the squad and players have said he has taken no time to forge close friendships. Jose Mourinho spoke very highly of the player and said had he not already bought Romelu Lukaku then he would have been after our Little Pea. This speaks volumes in itself. There is a genuine buzz around the club about this signing and I don't think our supporters have been this excited since we landed two South American superstars in 2006 in Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano. Hopefully he will stay longer than they did. So far this window, our transfers have been exactly what we needed. We have shifted a lot of dead wood on high wages and brought in proven Premier League quality in Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Marko Arnautovic and Hernandez. I feel that we could really do with another forward to take the burden off Hernandez, possibly one that is equally at home on the wing to give an alternative option. It is fitting that Hernandez will make his debut for us at Old Trafford. Alongside two City favourites, I am hoping another famous result for us at the Theatre of Dreams becomes a reality.
Tweet @ExWHUemployee
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham pulled out of Kelechi Iheanacho move due to ongoing agent issues
HITC
Vincent Ralph
West Ham United had been linked with the Manchester City player earlier in the transfer window. According to All Nigeria Soccer, West Ham United made the early decision to pull out of a move for Kelechi Iheanacho due to the issues surrounding his agent representation. A number of different reasons have been suggested for why the Hammers opted not to pursue a potential bargain move for the Manchester City forward. However it is now being claimed that West Ham knew early on of the dispute between First Eleven Management and Stellar Group and decided to step aside because the issue was not resolved. Manchester City's Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho (C) misses with thsi shot as Stoke City's English defender Ryan Shawcross (R) tries to defend during the English Premier League...
That allowed Leicester City to make their move. The problem is until the issue of who actually represents Iheanacho comes to a head, he will remain at City player.
In hindsight West Ham were wise to step aside and focus their attention elsewhere. They have brought in Javier Hernandez - a truly exciting striker signing who could go down a storm at the London Stadium after a recent history of uninspiring additions. Marko Arnautovic has also arrived and together with the Mexican he should form a fine attacking partnership for the Hammers. There is no doubt Iheanacho will score goals wherever he is playing next season and beyond. But on reflection it seems West Ham were made aware of the issue early and decided they did not have time to waste. Not everything the West Ham hierarchy have done in recent summers should be applauded, yet in this instance it appears they got it spot on. After all, had West Ham put all their eggs in one basket and banked solely on Iheanacho their fans would still be waiting for a new goal-scorer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kelechi Iheanacho May Remain At Man City, Why West Ham Opted Out
Published: July 31, 2017
allnigeriasoccer.com
Kelechi Iheanacho May Remain At Man City, Why West Ham Opted Out The future of Africa's most promising talent Kelechi Iheanacho remains unresolved, less than two weeks before the beginning of the 2017-2018 campaign, and a month before the World Cup qualifiers versus Cameroon. The Citizens number seventy two's transfer to Leicester City is being delayed due to a dispute between his intermediaries First Eleven Management and Stellar Group. Contrary to speculations in the media, allnigeriasoccer.com has been informed by sources in the know that West Ham pulled the plug on the signing of Iheanacho because the legal issue was not yet addressed. City manager Pep Guardiola has backtracked on his earlier statement and has now revealed that the Nigerian may remain at the Etihad Stadium at the close of the transfer window. ''I think Kelechi leaves us in favour of Leicester. I think so, but I do not want to say anything wrong either.'' ''We will see. If that does not happen, he will be part of the group,'' Guardiola stated. The 2017-2018 campaign is a World Cup season and Iheanacho is worried that he won't get playing opportunities if he remains at Manchester City.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Real Betis reportedly make low bid for Ryad Boudebouz, West Ham must act fast
HITC
Charlie Hayward
The Algerian playmaker has been linked with a switch to West Ham this summer. If West Ham want to sign Ryad Boudebouz this summer they will have to move fast. Reports from France Football suggest that Real Betis have made a bid for the Algerian creator. The La Liga club have tabled an opening offer of £6.2m for Boudebouz, which France Football say is below Montpellier's asking price. Offers of between £7.15m and £8.94m are more likely to be well received by the Ligue 1 club and, at that price, West Ham must pull the trigger. France Football name Sampdoria and Bayer Leverkusen alongside the Hammers as parties interested in the 25-cap Algerian international, so if Betis' bid starts a flurry of action, West Ham will need to move quickly. Boudebouz was one of the most creative players in Europe's top five leagues last season, and played more key passes than any other player according to Who Scored. The 27-year-old has registered 21 league assists for Montpellier in the last two campaigns and would be an ideal replacement for Dimitri Payet's missing creativity at the London Stadium. His arrival would add to the already impressive list of acquisitions Slaven Bilic has made this summer. Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic are all on board and Boudebouz would top off that list quite nicely.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Manuel Lanzini back for West Ham gym session after minor knee injury
The Argentine star joined in with the Hammers players again on Monday
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
12:00, 31 JUL 2017
Manuel Lanzini has been back in West Ham training on Monday morning as he took part in a gym session at the training camp in Rotenburg. The Argentine star had missed the past two Betway Cup games with a minor knee injury problem and there were fears previously the injury could have been significant. But, West Ham posted on their Instagram page this morning Lanzini riding on a cycling machine alongside captain Mark Noble as "The Jewel" steps up his recovery. Striker Diafra Sakho was also part of the session for the first time this season, having been training on his own previously as recovers from hamstring and back problems.
The Hammers players, who had a day off from training on Sunday in Rotenburg, were back at it this morning and will likely have another session this afternoon, with one more scheduled for Tuesday morning. They will then take on Altona 93 in Hamburg in the evening in their final pre-season friendly of the Germany trip before heading off to Iceland to take on Manchester City in Reykjavik.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diafra Sakho hands West Ham massive boost as he returns to first team squad for training
The Senegalese striker is back in training with the squad after another injury nightmare
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
11:00, 31 JUL 2017
Diafra Sakho has rejoined the West Ham first team squad for training in Rotenburg on Monday morning, providing Slaven Bilic with a huge boost ahead of the new season. The Hammers posted a video of Sakho on a cycling machine iad straight after it, other members of the Hammers squad doing the same thing. The striker has been working extremely hard in training over the past week or so to get himself fit enough to return to first team training although any return to action is expected to be a long way off. Football.London witnessed Sakho going through daily gruelling fitness regimes by himself in Bothel and Rotenburg with members of the club coaching staff away from the main group as he built up his fitness levels ahead of a full return to training. The Hammers players, fresh off a day off on Sunday, were ut through their paces in a gym session this morning, with an outdoor session expected later this afternoon. Sakho featured just three times for the Hammers last season against Tottenham and Macnchester United - twice - before suffering a hamstring problem in the league cup loss at Old Trafford just a few weeks after recovering from what appears to be a chronic back injury. That had kept him out of action long-term and also scuppered a move to West Bromwich Albion last summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Without a new deal for Bilic, David Gold's West Ham youngsters u-turn means nothing
The chairman has backtracked on his stance on the youth players but there's more to it than just that
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
08:25, 31 JUL 2017
David Gold now believes West Ham could have the best crop of youngsters seen at the club in a decade, which is in stark contrast to what he said a couple of months ago. The success of the U23s in gaining promotion to Division One of PL2, seeing some of them on the bench for the Premier League team and then Declan Rice getting some game time against Burnley at the end of last season, the kids are doing alright. Now, Nathan Holland and Declan Rice are shining on pre-season tour, Josh Cullen and Reece Burke are doing well too and Toni Martinez scored his first senior goal for the Hammers on Saturday. They aren't doing too bad for some players are unlikely to "break into a team of seasoned internationals," which is what Gold has said. But one thing hinges on the future of these youngsters at the club and that is Slaven Bilic, who is entering the final year of his current contract at West Ham. Understandably when results weren't good last season the club didn't enter contract negotiations but the club has backed him to the tune of £23m for Marko Arnautovic and £16m for Javier Hernandez, plus a loan deal for Joe Hart in this transfer window. Bilic chose to bring Holland, Rice, Martinez, Burke, Cullen and Moses Makasi on pre-season tour to Austria and Germany and he needs to be backed to develop them as well. You can add Reece Oxford into the equation, currently on a season-long loan at Borussia Monchengladbach. With some of the seasoned internationals underwhelming massively, the opportunity is now there for the youth stars, who are learning quickly under Bilic and what would happen to their development if a new boss came in next year?
The "Academy of Football" moniker couldn't have been more wrong over the past couple of seasons but now it is starting to show signs of making a return. Along with academy director Terry Westley, Bilic needs to be at the forefront of it.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United play the third and final fixture of their pre-season visit to Germany when they take on Altona 93 in Hamburg on Tuesday evening.
The Hammers will tackle their Regionalliga Nord opponents at the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn stadium at 6.30pm local time (5.30pm BST), seeking to build on their encouraging performance in Saturday's 2-2 Betway Cup draw with Werder Bremen.
Here, we let you know where to watch, who will be in action and much more about West Ham's penultimate pre-season fixture...
Where and when?
Altona 93 v West Ham United, Tuesday 2 August 2017, 6.30pm, Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn, Griegstraße 62, 22763, Hamburg, Germany
Where to watch?
Fans can follow the game on Twitter at @westhamutd. A full report, reaction and highlights will be available on whufc.com. Tuesday's match will also be shown live by Premier Sports from 5.30pm.
Matchday squads
Altona 93: Du Preez, Aniteye, Correia Ca, Yilmaz, Wachowski, Hosseini, Lechler, Hinze, Sachs, Brisevac, Kunter, Holz, Rettstadt, Dogan, Novotny, Grundmann, Cayir, Schultz, Siebert, Edeling, Matthai, Thiessen, Grubba, Buzhala
West Ham United: Adrian, Hart, Matrevics, Byram, Zabaleta, Cresswell, Masuaku, Collins, Ogbonna, Fonte, Reid, Burke, Rice, Makasi, Lanzini, Snodgrass, Obiang, Fernandes, Cullen, Holland, Arnautovic, Ayew, Martinez, Chicharito
Team news
West Ham United could hand a first appearance to Mexico star Chicharito in Hamburg, with the striker in line to pull on a Claret and Blue shirt after working hard on his fitness over the weekend. The Hammers also welcome Winston Reid back into the matchday squad for the first time in pre-season. The New Zealand defender is back to fitness after recovering from the shin surgery he underwent just prior to the end of last season. Striker Diafra Sakho is back in training but will not be involved, while Mark Noble is still ruled out with a minor toe injury.
Meet the opposition
Altonaer FC von 1893 was originally formed as Altonaer Cricket Club in Hamburg 124 years ago. The football team is a department of a larger sports club which also offers handball, karate, table tennis, and volleyball.
Altona is one of Germany's oldest football clubs and were founder members of the Altona-Hamburg football league formed in 1894, as well as one of the founding clubs of the German Football Association (DfB) in Leipzig in 1900. Three years later, Altona hosted the first-ever German national championship final played between VfB Leipzig and DFC Prague.
Altona themselves were Northern German champions twice in their early years and have won the Hamburg Cup on four occasions. They now ply their trade in the Regionalliga Nord (Germany's fourth tier) after winning promotion from the Oberliga Hamburg last season.
Player to watch
Chicharito could make his first appearance in a West Ham United shirt in front of a sell-out crowd at Altona 93's 8,000-capacity Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn stadium on Tuesday evening.
The Mexico striker joined up with his new teammates in Germany last Thursday afternoon and has trained hard over the weekend to get up to speed, having returned to pre-season late after appearing at the FIFA Confederations Cup.
Unsurprisingly, Chicharito has never featured in a match against Altona 93, but he did play against their local rivals Hamburger SV three times for Bayer Leverkusen over the previous two seasons - and never ended on the losing side.
Previous meeting
West Ham United have never faced Altona 93 before, but the Hammers were in the Hamburg area as recently as July 2013.
Sam Allardyce's side took on the city's Bundesliga representatives Hamburger SV in the town of Flensburg, 100 miles north on border with Denmark.
Alou Diarra, James Tomkins and Ravel Morrison scored the goals in a 3-1 win, with winger Matt Jarvis providing the assists for all three. Of the current squad, James Collins, Winston Reid and Mark Noble all appeared.
Did you know?
Altona 93 have a special relationship with south London club Dulwich Hamlet dating back nearly 100 years. Initially created by supporters, the close ties between the two see regular friendly matches played in both England and Germany
Altona 93's manager since 2015 is Berkan Algan, a former Turkey and Germany U21 international who was born in Hamburg and enjoyed a long and nomadic playing career with a host of clubs in northern Germany. He had two spells with Altona as a player, scoring 26 goals in 66 games from midfield
Altona 93's stadium is named in honour of their legendary striker Adolf Jäger, who spent 21 years with the club between 1907 and 1927, playing more than 700 games and reputedly scoring more than 2,000 goals. He was a member of the German Olympic squad in 1912, scoring his country's only goal. Jäger died during World War II, while working to defuse Allied bombs in Hamburg.
How to get there
From Hamburg Hauptbanhof, take the S-Bahn line 3 six stops westbound to Hamburg-Altona. The journey should take about 12 minutes. From there, your best option is to walk the 1.2 miles along Ottenser Hauptstraße, Große Brunnenstraße, Behringstraße and Griegstraße or
How to buy tickets
The match is an 8,000 sell out!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Declan Rice admits rise to Hammers prominence has been a 'bit mad'
WHUFC.com
Declan Rice admits his rise from teenage unknown to Premier League footballer has been 'a bit mad' but is determined to keep his focus on his next target – regular top-flight football. Still just 18, Rice has had quite a year. He captained the U23s to promotion and made his Premier League debut in May, before being called-up to the Republic of Ireland senior squad for the first time. Slaven Bilic then included him in the first-team squad for the pre-season training camps in Austria and Germany, where he has appeared in all four matches and even filled a deep-lying midfield role in two Betway Cup ties with Werder Bremen.
"I think I have done very well," said Rice, whose confidence should not be mistaken for arrogance, but rather a belief in his own ability. "I have been very happy with myself in training and I think I have made an impression in games. "Having players around like Mark Noble and James Collins, they just keep egging me on to do better and better and keep getting better, giving me confidence to perform. "Now I have played in midfield in two games I have started to feel a lot more comfortable there. Obviously, centre-back is my favourite position but it is good that I can play in both roles. "I have to keep level-headed, keep focused, keep working hard in training every single day and hopefully the manager gives me my chance. "My next target is to start in the Premier League, that's what I am aiming for. I'll play wherever the manager puts me, centre back or centre midfield, I don't care."
While Rice has fitted seamlessly into Bilic's squad this summer, the teenager himself admits it has been a challenge to get used to the speed of first-team training after spending the majority of the past two years with the U23s. "It is a massive step-up from the U23s to this – with better players, international footballers, everything is a bit more sharper and at a high intensity," he observed. "I think I am raising my game to go along with them, definitely. With the help of the others and the manager I'm getting better each time."
As Rice continues to improve and impress, so his stature will continue to rise, not only among the coaching staff but also among the Claret and Blue Army.
"About a year ago, no-one knew who I was and now, I'm signing autographs for fans here in Germany, it's a bit mad. It's weird people knowing who I am!"
If he continues to play as he has been in pre-season, it will not be weird for much longer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
U18s to kick-off campaign at Brighton
WHUFC.com
West Ham United U18s will kick-off their 2017/18 Premier League Youth campaign with an away clash at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday 12 August.
The Seagulls finished tenth in the southern section of the division last season, eleven points behind the fourth-placed Hammers, who unlike the south coast side, qualified for Group 1 of the league when it split earlier this year.
Mark Phillips and Steve Potts' side were held to a 2-2 draw in the same fixture last year, with Jahmal Hector-Ingram and Joe Powell – both of whom have impressed for the U23s this pre-season – scoring for the visitors.
West Ham's first competitive fixture back at their Little Heath home will be against Southampton a week later – the same day Slaven Bilic's first team travel to St. Mary's for their second Premier League game.
The following weekend will see the Hammers take on Arsenal at London Colney in the first derby clash of the campaign.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic: It's time for West Ham players to stake their claim
WHUFC.com
Slaven Bilic says it is time for his players to stake their claim for a regular place in his matchday squad. The West Ham United manager took an initial squad of more than 25 players to Germany, while the likes of Michail Antonio, Chiekhou Kouyate and Andy Carroll remained in England to work on their fitness. However, with only 18 to be named for the Premier League opener at Manchester United on 13 August, competition for places is hotting up with that fixture now less than a fortnight away. "All the players are happy now," Bilic observed. "It's a pre-season and it's the same in every club – they train brilliantly and all that and they are all hoping they are going to play and be starters in our team. "Then, of course, only eleven or maybe 14 will think 'I'm there' probably, almost definitely, some players will notice that they are not regulars in the beginning of the season, so maybe a few of them will not be happy and some of them will ask for a move, so we've got to be ready for that. "It's my job to think about the team first and foremost and you have to expect these things to happen in every club. When it happens, you have to be ready with some players that are interesting for us and who are not going to be regulars at their clubs!"
With the transfer window open for another month, the prospect of West Ham doing more business – both in and out – is a real one. The Hammers have already brought in four new players – Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, Marko Arnautovic and Chicharito – while allowing seven to leave London Stadium – Havard Nordtveit, Enner Valencia, Darren Randolph, Ashley Fletcher, Alvaro Arbeloa, Raphael Spiegel and Stephen Hendrie. Young defender Reece Oxford has also joined Borussia Moenchengladbach on a season-long loan. While he does not anticipate upsetting the balance of his squad, Bilic has money to spend and is not ruling out making more signings before the end of August. "You've got to be ready for all situations and be able to predict them if and when they happen, because it's better if you're ready," he observed. "I don't expect any more 'exciting' signings because you don't want to be overbooked in certain positions. You have to respect your players and those who are number two, because you don't want them to be number three in their position. "You only need them in case you have many, many injuries, but of course you can't think like that. If something extraordinary happens, and it can happen because we've done really well without spending crazy money.
"We got four players, one on a free, Joe on loan, we spent good money on Chicharito and Arnautovic, but also Havard is gone to Hoffenheim, Randy has gone, Enner has gone to Mexico and Ash to Middlesbrough. "I presume if something extraordinary happens in the market, then hopefully we're still going to be able to do it, if necessary."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Reece Oxford nets first Borussia Monchengladbach goal
WHUFC.com
Reece Oxford scored his first goal in a Borussia Monchengladbach shirt on Saturday, levelling in his German side's 2-1 win over Spanish outfit Malaga. The 18-year-old defender, who joined Die Fohlen on a season-long loan earlier this transfer window, rose highest in the penalty area to head home a corner and make it 1-1 in the 77th minute. The teenager had only been introduced on the hour-mark, replacing fellow defender Nico Elvedi before equalising in the pre-season clash in Duisberg. The goal marked an impressive performance at right-back by the Academy of Football graduate having been named Man of the Match after the full-time whistle.
After the game, Oxford said: "I'm happy to score but it's more important that we completed the turnaround." It was Ibrahima Traore who set up the England youth international, swinging in a corner from the left-hand-side for Oxford to nod home with power to cancel out Alejandro Mula Sanchez's opener for Malaga. Brazilian forward Raffael completed the comeback for Gladbach in the 86th minute, netting from the penalty spot. Friday could mark Oxford's return to England as Monchengladbach face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in their final pre-season fixture, before their domestic campaign kicks-off a week later in the DFB-Pokal first round against RW Essen.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ayew: We are capable of doing good things this season
WHUFC.com
Andre Ayew is excited by West Ham United's attacking options. The Ghana forward is relishing the prospect of working alongside the likes of summer signings Chicharito and Marko Arnautovic, as well as influential No10 Manuel Lanzini. With Diafra Sakho, Michail Antonio and Andy Carroll also working their way towards full fitness, Ayew believes Slaven Bilic has a strong armoury at his disposal. "It's good and I'm happy to see these good players coming in," said Ayew, who provided a superb assist for young Spanish striker Toni Martinez's goal against Werder Bremen on Saturday. "I think we have a good squad, but now we have to do the job on the field and that's another thing altogether. "We already had good players in the squad and now we've added some more good players, so that's really important for a club like West Ham to get to another level. "I feel like we are going to be capable of doing good things but we need to stay humble, work hard and don't think we have done it before time."
Concentrating on Chicharito, Ayew says the Mexican's international and UEFA Champions League experience will be invaluable. Having played under intense scrutiny for hometown club Guadalajara, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and his country, Chicharito has successfully learned how to succeed at the highest level. Ayew also believes his mere presence will boost his new teammates, who will now spend hours on the training pitch devising how to best serve the prolific striker's goal-poaching qualities. "It's good to have players to play alongside who have played for great clubs at the highest level as they know the expectations. Players who have played in the Champions League are what I like. "When you play with players you know have played to that level, especially when you too have played there against them years before, it's good for you as a player, it's good for the club and good for the fans, especially. "I feel he's going to bring a lot of fighting spirit, a lot of trouble for the other defence and we need to start training together to really know what he likes. When you watch games, it's different from when you are training and you get the feeling more to know his movements, what he likes and doesn't like and we have to adapt to him the same way he has to adapt to us. "We will try to find the best ways for him to get goals for us."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Maybe the hardest bit is yet to come
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 31st July 2017
By: Paul Walker
So far so good, this has been the best transfer window in years at West Ham, but David Sullivan probably knows the toughest bit is yet to come. Our majority shareholder has overseen a very impressive window of action and not words, of very decent signings that are an improvement, every one of them, on what we had before. And many feel there may be one more big money signing still to come, considering the £30m we have raised from outgoing transfers so far.
Sullivan and his team have received deserved praise--yes, even from me (I know, I'll try not to let it happen again!) as we have seen real talent arrive at the London Stadium. Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez have over 700 Premier League appearances between them, and that's just the experience of the English top flight that Slaven Bilic has been crying out for.
But, and there's always a but, sorry, we now have predatory big clubs--well maybe not Everton but certainly Liverpool--sniffing around our squad.
It's the stuff of the summer months. When you are on the receiving end of transfer speculation it is written off as the silly season without any foundation. When you are doing the same thing--Marko springs to mind--it is deadly serious, despite what Stoke were saying.
I am always amused by the predictable comments that always emerge. Firstly a manager says "there have been no bids," then a club insider insists the player is not for sale and under long term contract anyway, then someone gets accused of tapping up said player(pause here for universal laughter throughout the corrupt industry), and then the player slaps in a transfer request and all hell break lose.
It always ends with the player leaving, after training on his own for a while, Dimitri Payet and Virgil van Dijk spring to mind. Players and agents always get their way in the end.
These past few days have seen Everton linked with James Collins and Winston Reid while Liverpool (and Spurs?) are hovering around Manuel Lanzini.
Now West Ham have said all the right things here. Ken Dyer in Monday's Standard reports that the club insist Reid is not for sale. Last week exactly the same thing was said about Lanzini. The response to the Collins stuff was a little different, with our club saying the ball was in Ginge's court and nobody would want to stand in the way of the 33 year-old making a few extra bob if he could.
I understand the Collins situation, but hate the thought of one of our finest servants leaving. He has given everything, blood, sweat and not one tear--not him is it?--for West Ham and we all love him for it.
I would like to see him end his career with us, get some coaching badges and have a job here for life. He deserves that level of respect. Every season he starts as third or fourth-choice centre back and ends up playing half the matches and dragging us out of the mire single handed because the rest can't be trusted to tie their own boots properly.
But he knows he is fourth choice now and that talented kids like Declan Rice, Reece Burke and Reece Oxford--done well in Germany already lads, hasn't he?--are waiting in the wings. He's out of contract next summer and if he fancies a new two-year contract at Everton and a pay rise, who are we to stand in his way? My view Ginge…stay with us, you know you will be a battle-scarred regular come December!
Now the other two. Let's first dismiss all this silly season rubbish. I doubt there is one approach, one transfer, one move anywhere, that the player, his agent and family don't know about well in advance.
It's a total fallacy to suggest otherwise. No club goes into a potential deal without testing the water first, is the player interested, how much money is on offer, what's the contract like and can he have a nice mansion in Southport?
Not for one second do Reid and Lanzini's people not know everything there is to know about potential moves for their players. So West Ham can deny it all, pour on cold water, whatever. Payet showed how it's done, and so too did Jose Fonte (to a lesser extent) and Arnautovic as well.
Stoke have been pretty pissed off by that deal, because we have taken their best player. And there are a few Stoke fans of my acquaintance who have long been unimpressed by Marko's brother/agent. Ho hum, it's just the way of business.
The one bit that does worry me is that Reid is yet to sign a new, promised contract yet. I have searched the club website, and various worthy and creditable fans' blogs and news websites to no avail.
Reid got the hump last season when Fonte arrived on allegedly bigger wages. He was promised more and the last I saw was a proposed deal that increased his buy-out to £15m and his wages in line with his Portuguese team-mate. That was a couple of months ago. Has it been fully negotiated or even signed? If not a few folk at the LS need to get their act together.
That's why, it seems, that the potential fee is only £9m, with buy-anything-that-moves Everton looking for a deal to cover for injured defender Ramiro Funes Mori. Firstly, that fee is a joke. Reid is our best defender, occasional captain and key part of our defence. He's worth well north of £20m to us.
Reid, represented by the Danish based ApS agency, is well aware of his value to us and it's no surprise that transfer talk starts while contract talks are ambling their way to conclusion.
Michail Antonio, or to be precise his agent Will Salthouse, also talked a lot about a transfer out of the club while they were trying, successfully in the end, to hammer out a new four year deal on near double-your-money wages. The pattern of negotiations is so blindingly obvious every time.
Lanzini has a similar contract position. He were told a month back that he was next on the list for a new deal. Antonio, Pedro Obiang and Angelo Ogbonna have got theirs. Manu has been away rubbing shoulders with Lionel Messi and winning his first caps for Argentina, so he certainly knows his worth now if not before.
We need to sort this deal out double quick. He has become absolutely key to us, after a great season in the wake of Payet's departure. The mere thought of him going to Liverpool if Philippe Coutinho moves on to Barcelona is too horrific to contemplate.
West Ham know all too well that such a move for Lanzini, Reid too, goes against everything they have been working for this summer. Expectation has been raised, good players signed, people are enthused again. Losing your best players is not the way to maintain respect from the fans.
But there is always 'no smoke without fire' in transfer rumours. Maybe these transfer rumblings are just that. Summer fiction, but Sullivan knows he dare not let such situations run and run. New contracts, bigger wages etc are in order. But then, as we found with Payet and Stoke found with Arnautovic, even that may not be enough. Let's hope not and I am worrying for no reason.
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be attributed to, KUMB.com.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham will not sell Winston Reid amid £9m Everton transfer links
KEN DYER
Evening Standard
West Ham look certain to reject any interest in Winston Reid with reports suggesting Everton are considering a £9million move for the central defender. Everton are the second Merseyside club to be linked with a West Ham player of late, with Liverpool chasing playmaker Manuel Lanzini. Ronald Koeman's Toffees are said to be looking at New Zealand international Reid as cover for Ramiro Funes Mori, but West Ham are intent on keeping the 29-year-old at London Stadium as the 2017-18 Premier League season approaches. Liverpool are still reported to be interested in Argerntina international Lanzini should Barcelona be successful in prising Philippe Coutinho away from Anfield. But West Ham are determined to keep the 24-year-old playmaker as well, with the club cautious of sending out the wrong message having boosted morale and expectations by bringing in the likes of Javier Hernandez, Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta and Marko Arnautovic.
West Ham drew 2-2 against Werder Bremen on Saturday, with Arnautovic scoring his first club for the East London club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Man City vs West Ham: Friendly prediction, team news, start time, live, TV, head to head, odds
Evening Standard
TOM DOYLE
West Ham face a true test of their Premier League ambitions on Friday as they are pitted against Pep Guardiola's title-chasing Manchester City in Iceland. The Hammers have moved decisively in the market following a slow start to the summer transfer window, with Javier Hernandez the star signing along with Marko Arnautovic, Joe Hart and Pablo Zabaleta. Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was so impressed with the Hammers' business that he has marked them out as potential title contenders. But Slaven Bilic will have a clearer picture of his side's potential when they come up against the might of Man City in Reykjavik - the first clash between two Premier League teams in the country.
Man City take on West Ham at the Laugardalsvollur Stadium in Reykjavik, Iceland. The match kicks off at 3pm (GMT) on August 4.
TV and live online coverage
The match will not be televised live on TV in the UK. You can follow all the build-up and action from 12pm with Standard Sport's London Football live blog.
Team news
Pablo Zalabeta is set for an early reunion with his former club after spending nine years at City. Goalkeeper Hart - currently on loan at West Ham from City - is another who may be taking on some familiar faces, while £16m striker Hernandez will almost certainly get some minutes as he builds fitness following his Confederations Cup appearances. City have confirmed that Claudio Bravo and Bernardo Silva could play after their extended holidays following the confederations Cup. However, £52m wing-back Benjamin Mendy and midfielder Ilkay Gundogan are out through injury.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Chicharito won't wear No. 14 at West Ham
July 31, 2017 3:35pm
Jon Arnold
Updated at 3:35 p.m. ET
Foxsports
Premier League, West Ham UnitedIt's still not totally decided which number the Mexico forward will be sporting with the London club, but he's ruled out his traditional digits Fans looking forward to buying a new West Ham United shirt with forward Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez's name and number on the back will have to wait a little longer to see exactly what that number will be. Mexico's all-time leading scorer was presented at West Ham after joining the London side from Bayer Leverkusen but still isn't sure which number he'll sport with the Hammers. It does appear, though, that his days wearing his traditional No. 14 may be over.
"I've got a little bit of an idea, but I can't say yet. They're going to announce it when they have a bit of an idea what the rest of the club's movements are like," he told Fox Sports. "Something that we do have in mind is that I'm not going to use the 14. We'll see what number I end up with." The forward likely will make his West Ham debut against his former club Manchester United when the teams meet in the first match of the season on Aug. 13. "It's going to be a very special weekend. Who would've thought my return to the English league would be playing at the place I called home with my old club?" Hernandez said. "It'll be really nice. I'm very motivated, very hopefully to be there that weekend, also just because it'll be start of the season.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Real Betis launch bid for West Ham target Ryad Boudebouz
By Jay Williams - Jul 31, 2017 0
WestHamWorld
Spanish side Real Betis have launched a bid for West Ham United target Ryad Boudebouz, according to reports coming out of France. French media outlet France Football is reporting that Real Betis have offered €7m for Montpellier star Ryad Boudebouz. There are many clubs interested in the Ligue 1 play maker, who caught the eye last season. Alongside Real Betis and West Ham, the likes of Sampdoria, Newcastle United and Bayer Leverkusen are credited with an interest in the Algerian international. However, it is La Liga outfit Real Betis who have firmed up their interest with the first bid, testing the water at €7m. Montpellier are thought to be holding out for a fee closer to €15m for Ryad Boudebouz after his impressive year for the South France side. In 33 Ligue 1 appearances, Boudebouz weighed in with eleven goals and nine assists, catching the attention of a number of top clubs across Europe. West Ham have some decent options in the attacking midfield regions after snapping up Marko Arnautovic. Arnautovic will compete with Manuel Lanzini, Andre Ayew and Michail Antonio for the attacking midfield spots but peripheral players Robert Snodgrass and Sofiane Feghouli could be moved on to bring someone like Boudebouz in. France Football believe that the 27-year-old's market value is between €8m and €12m.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham signing Javier Hernandez gives fans a right to dream… and at just £16million he is a bargain in today's transfer market
Ex-Manchester United forward is the answer to the Hammers' striker crisis and has plenty of gas left in the tank at just 29
FAN'S VIEW
By ExWHUemployee
31st July 2017, 11:48 am Updated: 31st July 2017, 12:00 pm
LAST summer West Ham fans were promised a proven goalscorer. But instead of a marque signing, we ended up with Simone Zaza and Jonathan Calleri – who managed a grand total of one league goal between them. Inevitably, West Ham fans were very pessimistic and worried that, once again this summer, we would fail to land a top quality goalscorer and still be reliant on the injury prone Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll. Thankfully our prayers have been answered. Not only have we landed a top quality, proven goalscorer, but we have done it at a snip in today's over-inflated transfer market. Javier Hernandez is Mexico's all-time top scorer and has netted at the very top level for Manchester United and Real Madrid. He is exactly the sort of player we had been crying out for — and a bargain at just £16million. At 29, he still has many years left in the tank. We were quoted nearly £40m to sign another 29-year-old in Anthony Modeste – and he is not in the same league as Hernandez when it comes to finding the back of the net. Already, Chicharito has settled in well to the squad and players have said he has taken no time to forge close friendships. Jose Mourinho spoke very highly of the player and said had he not already bought Romelu Lukaku then he would have been after our Little Pea. This speaks volumes in itself. There is a genuine buzz around the club about this signing and I don't think our supporters have been this excited since we landed two South American superstars in 2006 in Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano. Hopefully he will stay longer than they did. So far this window, our transfers have been exactly what we needed. We have shifted a lot of dead wood on high wages and brought in proven Premier League quality in Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Marko Arnautovic and Hernandez. I feel that we could really do with another forward to take the burden off Hernandez, possibly one that is equally at home on the wing to give an alternative option. It is fitting that Hernandez will make his debut for us at Old Trafford. Alongside two City favourites, I am hoping another famous result for us at the Theatre of Dreams becomes a reality.
Tweet @ExWHUemployee
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham pulled out of Kelechi Iheanacho move due to ongoing agent issues
HITC
Vincent Ralph
West Ham United had been linked with the Manchester City player earlier in the transfer window. According to All Nigeria Soccer, West Ham United made the early decision to pull out of a move for Kelechi Iheanacho due to the issues surrounding his agent representation. A number of different reasons have been suggested for why the Hammers opted not to pursue a potential bargain move for the Manchester City forward. However it is now being claimed that West Ham knew early on of the dispute between First Eleven Management and Stellar Group and decided to step aside because the issue was not resolved. Manchester City's Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho (C) misses with thsi shot as Stoke City's English defender Ryan Shawcross (R) tries to defend during the English Premier League...
That allowed Leicester City to make their move. The problem is until the issue of who actually represents Iheanacho comes to a head, he will remain at City player.
In hindsight West Ham were wise to step aside and focus their attention elsewhere. They have brought in Javier Hernandez - a truly exciting striker signing who could go down a storm at the London Stadium after a recent history of uninspiring additions. Marko Arnautovic has also arrived and together with the Mexican he should form a fine attacking partnership for the Hammers. There is no doubt Iheanacho will score goals wherever he is playing next season and beyond. But on reflection it seems West Ham were made aware of the issue early and decided they did not have time to waste. Not everything the West Ham hierarchy have done in recent summers should be applauded, yet in this instance it appears they got it spot on. After all, had West Ham put all their eggs in one basket and banked solely on Iheanacho their fans would still be waiting for a new goal-scorer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kelechi Iheanacho May Remain At Man City, Why West Ham Opted Out
Published: July 31, 2017
allnigeriasoccer.com
Kelechi Iheanacho May Remain At Man City, Why West Ham Opted Out The future of Africa's most promising talent Kelechi Iheanacho remains unresolved, less than two weeks before the beginning of the 2017-2018 campaign, and a month before the World Cup qualifiers versus Cameroon. The Citizens number seventy two's transfer to Leicester City is being delayed due to a dispute between his intermediaries First Eleven Management and Stellar Group. Contrary to speculations in the media, allnigeriasoccer.com has been informed by sources in the know that West Ham pulled the plug on the signing of Iheanacho because the legal issue was not yet addressed. City manager Pep Guardiola has backtracked on his earlier statement and has now revealed that the Nigerian may remain at the Etihad Stadium at the close of the transfer window. ''I think Kelechi leaves us in favour of Leicester. I think so, but I do not want to say anything wrong either.'' ''We will see. If that does not happen, he will be part of the group,'' Guardiola stated. The 2017-2018 campaign is a World Cup season and Iheanacho is worried that he won't get playing opportunities if he remains at Manchester City.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Real Betis reportedly make low bid for Ryad Boudebouz, West Ham must act fast
HITC
Charlie Hayward
The Algerian playmaker has been linked with a switch to West Ham this summer. If West Ham want to sign Ryad Boudebouz this summer they will have to move fast. Reports from France Football suggest that Real Betis have made a bid for the Algerian creator. The La Liga club have tabled an opening offer of £6.2m for Boudebouz, which France Football say is below Montpellier's asking price. Offers of between £7.15m and £8.94m are more likely to be well received by the Ligue 1 club and, at that price, West Ham must pull the trigger. France Football name Sampdoria and Bayer Leverkusen alongside the Hammers as parties interested in the 25-cap Algerian international, so if Betis' bid starts a flurry of action, West Ham will need to move quickly. Boudebouz was one of the most creative players in Europe's top five leagues last season, and played more key passes than any other player according to Who Scored. The 27-year-old has registered 21 league assists for Montpellier in the last two campaigns and would be an ideal replacement for Dimitri Payet's missing creativity at the London Stadium. His arrival would add to the already impressive list of acquisitions Slaven Bilic has made this summer. Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Javier Hernandez and Marko Arnautovic are all on board and Boudebouz would top off that list quite nicely.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Manuel Lanzini back for West Ham gym session after minor knee injury
The Argentine star joined in with the Hammers players again on Monday
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
12:00, 31 JUL 2017
Manuel Lanzini has been back in West Ham training on Monday morning as he took part in a gym session at the training camp in Rotenburg. The Argentine star had missed the past two Betway Cup games with a minor knee injury problem and there were fears previously the injury could have been significant. But, West Ham posted on their Instagram page this morning Lanzini riding on a cycling machine alongside captain Mark Noble as "The Jewel" steps up his recovery. Striker Diafra Sakho was also part of the session for the first time this season, having been training on his own previously as recovers from hamstring and back problems.
The Hammers players, who had a day off from training on Sunday in Rotenburg, were back at it this morning and will likely have another session this afternoon, with one more scheduled for Tuesday morning. They will then take on Altona 93 in Hamburg in the evening in their final pre-season friendly of the Germany trip before heading off to Iceland to take on Manchester City in Reykjavik.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Diafra Sakho hands West Ham massive boost as he returns to first team squad for training
The Senegalese striker is back in training with the squad after another injury nightmare
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
11:00, 31 JUL 2017
Diafra Sakho has rejoined the West Ham first team squad for training in Rotenburg on Monday morning, providing Slaven Bilic with a huge boost ahead of the new season. The Hammers posted a video of Sakho on a cycling machine iad straight after it, other members of the Hammers squad doing the same thing. The striker has been working extremely hard in training over the past week or so to get himself fit enough to return to first team training although any return to action is expected to be a long way off. Football.London witnessed Sakho going through daily gruelling fitness regimes by himself in Bothel and Rotenburg with members of the club coaching staff away from the main group as he built up his fitness levels ahead of a full return to training. The Hammers players, fresh off a day off on Sunday, were ut through their paces in a gym session this morning, with an outdoor session expected later this afternoon. Sakho featured just three times for the Hammers last season against Tottenham and Macnchester United - twice - before suffering a hamstring problem in the league cup loss at Old Trafford just a few weeks after recovering from what appears to be a chronic back injury. That had kept him out of action long-term and also scuppered a move to West Bromwich Albion last summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Without a new deal for Bilic, David Gold's West Ham youngsters u-turn means nothing
The chairman has backtracked on his stance on the youth players but there's more to it than just that
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
08:25, 31 JUL 2017
David Gold now believes West Ham could have the best crop of youngsters seen at the club in a decade, which is in stark contrast to what he said a couple of months ago. The success of the U23s in gaining promotion to Division One of PL2, seeing some of them on the bench for the Premier League team and then Declan Rice getting some game time against Burnley at the end of last season, the kids are doing alright. Now, Nathan Holland and Declan Rice are shining on pre-season tour, Josh Cullen and Reece Burke are doing well too and Toni Martinez scored his first senior goal for the Hammers on Saturday. They aren't doing too bad for some players are unlikely to "break into a team of seasoned internationals," which is what Gold has said. But one thing hinges on the future of these youngsters at the club and that is Slaven Bilic, who is entering the final year of his current contract at West Ham. Understandably when results weren't good last season the club didn't enter contract negotiations but the club has backed him to the tune of £23m for Marko Arnautovic and £16m for Javier Hernandez, plus a loan deal for Joe Hart in this transfer window. Bilic chose to bring Holland, Rice, Martinez, Burke, Cullen and Moses Makasi on pre-season tour to Austria and Germany and he needs to be backed to develop them as well. You can add Reece Oxford into the equation, currently on a season-long loan at Borussia Monchengladbach. With some of the seasoned internationals underwhelming massively, the opportunity is now there for the youth stars, who are learning quickly under Bilic and what would happen to their development if a new boss came in next year?
The "Academy of Football" moniker couldn't have been more wrong over the past couple of seasons but now it is starting to show signs of making a return. Along with academy director Terry Westley, Bilic needs to be at the forefront of it.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Monday, July 31
Daily WHUFC News - 31st July 2017
West Ham youngster Martinez has first-team goals
WHUFC.com
Toni Martinez is eyeing further first-team opportunities – and goals – after
netting his first senior goal in Saturday's 2-2 Betway Cup draw with Werder
Bremen.
The Spaniard showed his predatory nature to bury an unstoppable header past
Jiri Pavlenka to put the Hammers 2-1 up in Lohne, craning his neck to power
the ball into the bottom corner. After spending the entire pre-season with
Slaven Bilic's squad the 20-year-old, who scored 14 goals in 13 appearances
for West Ham's U23s last season, wants more of the same. "I'm really happy
to score my first goal with the first team," said Martinez, whose goal came
at the end of an impressive attacking move that saw the Hammers move the
ball from one penalty area to another with dazzling speed. "It was a good
cross from Andre Ayew and good play from Arthur Masuaku, so all I needed to
do was put the ball in the back of the net. "It's amazing for me. It was a
great game and we're working hard to be strong for the first game in the
Premier League. Now I'm going to keep working. "We are enjoying the training
camp a lot and I am happy to stay with the first team and I'm working hard
for my opportunity. I wish I will get more opportunities this season but,
for now, I am just trying to help the team and nothing more."
Martinez's transition to the first-team squad has been eased by the presence
of a host of other native Spanish speakers, including new signings Pablo
Zabaleta and Chicharito. Indeed, the former Valencia youngster is hoping to
learn more about the art of being a top-level centre forward from Mexico's
all-time leading scorer.
"It's very easy for me because there are so many boys who speak Spanish and
it's very good for me," he confirmed. "Of course, I can learn a lot from
Chicharito. He is one of my favourite strikers and I'm sure I'm going to
learn too much from him."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers on Tour: Chicharito attracts quite the following
WHUFC.com
Catching up on daily life with Slaven Bilic's squad after a busy weekend in
Germany…
The Little Pea with a big following
He may be yet to pull on a Claret and Blue shirt, but Javier Chicharito
Hernandez is already the star attraction at West Ham United's German
training camp.
The Mexico superstar arrived in Rotenburg on Thursday afternoon, having
visited Paris to complete his successful UK visa application. En route from
France to Germany, the 29-year-old was repeatedly recognised by fans and,
being used to the attention, happily signed autographs and posed for
selfies. On arrival at the team hotel, two Spanish-speaking television
crews, including Raul Guzman from USA-based Univision, were on hand to
capture the big moment, as were Sky Sports News reporter Paul Gilmour and
cameraman Rich Harlow. Gilmour and Harlow had also travelled to West Ham's
Austrian training camp earlier in July and were delighted to be rewarded for
their hard work when Chicharito held a press conference at the hotel later
that evening. "Pre-season is a little more laid-back and the access to the
manager and players is better, as obviously they are under so much more
pressure during the competitive season," Gilmour told us. "They are working
hard, but they are also relaxed and it gives us an opportunity to get some
great coverage! "Myself and Richard had really enjoyed it. We've been on
many of these pre-season trips and this one is right up there because of the
level of access, which we don't get at all clubs."
Harlow agreed with his colleague's sentiments, adding: "It's the second year
I've been to Austria with West Ham and we're welcomed by the squad, who are
always happy to chat and keep us entertained when we're filming. "Mark Noble
and Ginge are always good value and obviously everyone is absolutely buzzing
about the four new signings."
Familiar surroundings
One member of the West Ham United party who is definitely feeling at home in
Germany is first-team coach Edin Terzic. The 34-year-old was born in the
town of Menden, just south east of Dortmund, and played semi-professionally
for a number of clubs, including Wattenscheid and Cloppenburg. He then
coached at Borussia Dortmund under Jurgen Klopp before joining forces with
Slaven Bilic at Besiktas four years ago. Terzic has naturally enjoyed being
back on home turf, while training at local club Rotenburger SV has brought
back memories of his own playing career. "Football is very popular in
Germany of course, the number one sport, but in this part of the country
there are not so many really big teams, just Hamburg and St Pauli in the
north and Werder Bremen further south, and fewer amateur clubs," he
observed. "Where I am from, near Dortmund, you have a concentration of
around 16 million people, so not every club has the space and money to have
facilities like the ones in Rotenburg. "I feel comfortable around here, of
course, because I hear German spoken all the time, I am eating German food
and I can talk to everyone, but while everything is nice we are here to work
and it all comes down to what we do on the pitch. It doesn't matter if I am
in Germany, Iceland or Austria, because it's about using this moment to
improve!"
Auction
West Ham United welcomed two guests to their training base this week in the
shape of John Oldfield and Terry Comitti (pictured, above). The lifelong
Hammers and Club London members were lucky enough to win the bidding for a
unique auction prize at the recent 2016/17 Player Awards, namely to spend
time with Slaven Bilic and his squad in Germany. The pair enjoyed fantastic
behind-the-scenes access, drinking coffee with the manager, eating lunch
with Mark Noble and company and even welcoming new signing Chicharito to the
team hotel!
Matchday experience
West Ham United's visits to Schneverdingen and Lohne for their Betway Cup
ties with Werder Bremen saw the Hammers turn out at two stadia that are
seldom visited by crowds numbering in the hundreds, let alone the thousands.
Staff at both FC Schneverdingen and Blue-Weiss Lohne worked tirelessly to
make their respective grounds ready for two squads packed with international
stars, resulting in two seamless matchdays. Betway branding was added, while
provisions were made for Premier Sports to produce two live broadcasts and
food, drink and even a tombola stall were erected. In Lohne, however, one
part of the matchday experience that was already in place was this
eye-catching children's play area!
Over land and sea…
Hundreds of West Ham United supporters travelled to Germany to watch their
team take on Werder Bremen – twice in the space of 20 hours! The Claret and
Blue Army descended from England, Switzerland and all over Germany, hanging
dozens of flags at the stadia in Schneverdingen and Lohne. The vociferous
support, including repeated choruses of Bubbles, undoubtedly added to the
atmosphere as the Hammers were edged out 3-2 on aggregate by their
Bundesliga opponents.
It would be a huge surprise if the Cologne Hammers flag was not on show at
Altona 93's Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn stadium on Tuesday evening!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Antonio helps West Ham United Ladies enjoy special day!
WHUFC.com
The rain may have been lashing down, but it couldn't dampen the spirit and
enthusiasm of the West Ham United Ladies as they gathered together at the
Rush Green training ground on Saturday afternoon.
While Marko Arnautovic was claiming his first goal in a Hammers shirt for
the men's team out in Germany, all six of the Ladies' squads, from Under 10s
all the way up to the first team, enjoyed their first Club Media day to
celebrate the impending start of the 2017/18 season.
All squads had their official team photographs taken for the new campaign
and then took part in a range of training drills and exercises in front of
family and friends supporting from the sidelines, who enjoyed refreshments
provided by The Ribman and kept their energy up with drinks supplied by Rich
Energy, official partners of West Ham United Ladies.
Also present was reigning Hammer of the Year and official Ambassador to the
West Ham United Ladies, Michail Antonio, who spent time chatting to the
players, meeting their families and hearing all about the exciting plans
that have been progressing ever since the restructuring of the Ladies'
set-up was announced back in May.
Antonio, who had been at Rush Green earlier in the morning continuing
rehabilitation work on his hamstring injury, insisted on staying behind
until the Ladies' teams arrived so that he could show his support.
"It's been fantastic to see everyone here today," he said. "I am genuinely
honoured to be an Ambassador for the West Ham United Ladies, especially at
such an exciting time for them.
"There is a great atmosphere within their set-up, and I really enjoyed
meeting the players, especially the youngsters who are just starting out on
their journey and learning the game in such a great environment."
General Manager Karen Ray, who organised the event, was delighted by the
response of everyone present and celebrated a hugely successful day.
"Today was all about the players," she said. "We wanted to really solidify
and celebrate being part of the club.
"Seeing all six teams interacting together really encompasses exactly what a
family club we are. 90 players, from age eight through to 28, all enjoying
each other's company and sharing their love for football is empowering.
"At West Ham United Ladies we strive to have a positive impact on every
player's life and today will really give them all a wonderful memory to
inspire them for the new season.
"It was a great way to kick off the five-year plan that will drive us to be
a top Super League team and really enhance the profile of the club.
"Now we can look forward to kicking off the season on August 20, when we
head to Gillingham for the opening game."
Look out for some brand new features on the West Ham United Ladies, coming
soon on whufc.com…
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
HAMMERS LOSING OUT ON GOOSEBERRY CUP IN THE GERMAN COUNTRYSIDE
By HamburgHammer 30 Jul 2017 at 17:45
WTID
Why does time always have to flash by when you're enjoying yourself ? It
seems like it was just a few hours ago that I got into my car to drive out
to Schneverdingen to welcome my star guests BSB and The Original Russ to my
country. Well, I say my country, but of course it was pretty much rural
countryside, the backwaters of civilisation almost, like having a Londoner
taking you to Norfolk for a game.
Mind you, the Lüneburg Heath is beautiful enough in its own kind of way and
BSB was happy enough with the beautiful houses there and the compact and
cosy town center.
Still I managed to take us down the wrong road on our way to the stadium
(which seems to be a recurring theme now), but then again I am pretty much a
stranger in that part of the country myself and we did alright in the end
anyway.
To start off with the positives, it is always good to see the youngsters,
the future of our club so to speak, playing in the flesh. We had to play a
game of "Who is that youngster over there?" initially, but we managed to
identify them all and I have to say while some of them impressed more than
others, not a single one of them disappointed. Personally I was very happy
indeed with Cullen, Rice, Holland and Martinez.
Another positive was the general atmosphere at both games. Not a sniff of
trouble, it was basically a paid holiday for the police staff present at the
game as they had so little to do. Certain sections of the travelling Hammers
have been praising the stunning beauty of the female police officers to the
hilt, comparing them to glamour models or girl groups like the Spice Girls.
Not sure about that one, but maybe the stunners in uniform helped putting
the Hammers fanbase in a relaxed and happy mood for the games which ain't a
bad thing in my book.
There was friendly banter with the Bremen fans too and while I can never
truly support Werder being a proud Hamburger I can respect them and if West
Ham were to play Bremen on a more regular basis in future preseason
friendlies I wouldn't mind that at all. One of the stewards in Lohne who was
manning the entrance to the away seating section (when I say away seating
section I mean the bit that had been cordoned off with simple barrier tape,
so you basically had both sets of fans sitting right next to each other) was
a former Lohne player and he was proudly showing us a picture on his mobile
of a newspaper clipping covering a preseason friendly he had played against
West Ham in 1983. They lost that game 1:4 on the day and apparently his
direct opponent on the pitch got the better of him all afternoon, it was a
certain Alvin Martin…
Another positive for me was seeing some glimpses of what Arnautovic could do
for us. There obviously is a great footballer in there, when he is in the
mood for applying himself for the full 90 minutes (which apparently was an
issue at previous clubs), he can be an arrogant so and so, but he now is OUR
arrogant so and so which means I shall gladly root for him despite his
Austrian accent…:-))
He seems to love taking on three or four players at the same time which can
be frustrating to watch if it doesn't work, but when it does come off, boy,
is it a beauty to behold!
Arnautovic is the kind of player that gets fans out of their seats,
hopefully there will be plenty of that at London Stadium this season.
My favourite youngster now probably is Josh Cullen, not just because of his
composed play but also because me and Ebi (a fellow German Hammer from near
Bonn) bumped into Cullen and Reece Burke on Thursday afternoon in Rotenburg
when the players had some time off and JC and RB were desperately looking
for a pool table. We found out for them where they might find one nearby but
I doubt they were successful as pubs and arcades in a small town like
Rotenburg tend to open in the evenings only. So I will probably never know
now if Cullen and Burke did get to play their game of pool in the end…but
they were lovely to chat to and wonderful ambassadors for our club.
Pre-season games and friendlies in general don't do a lot for me (I made an
exception in West Ham's case because it was close to home and because BSB
and Russ were over), but you tend to come away from those games none the
wiser really. The manager tends to mix and match lineups, players are busy
trying not to get injured instead of getting stuck in (and rightfully so)
and those friendlies therefore rarely deliver a proper indication as to how
the actual season might turn out for your team.
It would have been great to see Andy Carroll play of course, although the
tooth fairy will probably play more games for West Ham next season than AC,
but I won't go further into that topic as I don't intend to burst a blood
vessel. I think it's time to finally cut our losses, pay the guy off, save a
bit of money that way and prepare for life without him. There are enough
strikers still available out there who may not be world beaters but who at
least will be able to play week in week out and convert some goalscoring
opportunities when you create those chances for them.
So we didn't win the Gooseberry Cup, excuse me, Betway Cup! (I'm using
gooseberry here because there was some lovely gooseberry cream cake
available before the game in Lohne and because the gooseberry pretty much
describes the kind of area where those preseason games had been arranged to
take place. I thought it was an odd choice, but ultimately it turned out not
too bad a decision after all).
In order to see a proper top level football stadium I took BSB and Russ to
the famous Weserstadion in Bremen, but not before we had enjoyed a Mexican
style dinner at El Mariachi in the vicinity of the stadium (to celebrate
Chicharito's arrival at West Ham, BSB and Russ had steak). It was one of the
rare times when I actually ordered too much food for us (I had never been to
that place before and we had no idea how big the servings would be). At some
point even I was full up, so I took a doggybag as I learned from my war and
hunger scarred parents all those years ago never to allow good food going to
waste).
It was dark already when we arrived at the stadium and we obviously couldn't
get into the ground, so we took a wander around and caught glimpses of the
inside through gaps and fences. My guests were suitably impressed and judged
it to be a stadium fit for a big club which Bremen are, not necessarily in
terms of trophies and star players as Bremen's glory years mainly are in the
past rather than the present, but the support is top notch and the stadium
(which holds almost 40.000) is nearly always sold out.
It is also to my knowledge the only stadium in the Bundesliga where fans can
travel in by boat shuttle as the stadium is located right alongside the
river Weser where the stadium derives its name from.
Tomorrow I shall be welcoming another fellow Hammer to town who is coming
over for the Altona game, so we will have a little Guided Walk around town,
with an emphasis on the locations where the Beatles used to perform, drink,
sleep (or spend time in a prison cell overnight once) to be followed by the
game itself on Tuesday evening.
In contrast to the games in Schneverdingen and Lohne there will be strict
segregation in effect between sets of fans for the Altona game and as the
ground is right smack in the middle of a busy inner city
working-class/alternative/left-wing community there could indeed be some
trouble, especially later, on and around the notorious Reeperbahn what with
St.Pauli playing a friendly against Stoke of all teams at the very same time
in pretty much the same borough.
St.Pauli and Altona are favourite areas for eating out and drinking and
there will be four sets of fans doing just that tomorrow evening all likely
to bump into each other somewhere along the way: Altona, St.Pauli, West Ham
and Stoke.
That's two Hamburg teams which hate each other's guts and two English teams
that are not exactly friends for life either.
I really hope it will be just the same jolly and relaxed atmosphere on the
night than it was out in the country, I wouldn't bet on it though. What I
would bet on is West Ham beating Altona fairly comfortably. Altona deserve a
good thrashing too. They are the barstewards after all who got promotion
instead of my beloved Concordia.
So, make it double digits please West Ham: Hattrick each for Snodgrass,
Arnautovic and Ginger Pele please plus an own goal from Altona. Mission
accomplished!
COYI!!!
PS: I didn't expect my column to go up on Sunday. So quick update on
Concordia's season opener which was won 3:1 this afternoon and was attended
by 163 fans, 5% of which were travelling Palace fans, with one Man City and
one Wolves supporter thrown in for good measure. Some of these guys have
been going to Cordi games for 12 years now and I was glad to finally meet
them. We all had a jolly good time, one of the guys is taking the plunge in
a few weeks as well (Good luck with that Rob!) and I was impressed with
their commitment to football. They must have watched three or four games of
football at the lower league levels in Hamburg and Luebeck during this trip
and all that because they do love their football so much. So next time
you're watching Match of the Day, look out for the Crystal Palace flag with
the Concordia crest in the top left corner. Good lads! They invited me over
for a Palace game actually (I know, wrong side of the river and all that),
but maybe there is a weekend when it'll be West Ham for me on Saturday and
Palace on Sunday.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Everton keen on Winston Reid - report
31 Jul, 2017 9:17am Quick Read
Winston Reid.
NZ Herald
Everton are weighing up a £9million (NZ$15.7m) move for West Ham and All
Whites defender Winston Reid, according to reports. The Daily Mail reports
that Everton manager Ronald Koeman is keen to get cover for the Ramiro Funes
Mori who faces six to nine months on the sideline due to a knee injury. Reid
himself has just returned from injury after having surgery on a shin. The
Daily Mail reports that the New Zealander extended his contract until 2021
but West Ham may be keen to listen to offers as they look to redress their
spending over the off season.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Andy Carroll to miss the first month of the season as he recovers
from thigh injury
The Hammers had hoped to be without the powerful but brittle frontman for
only their opening two games
The Mirror
BYSTEVE STAMMERS
22:30, 29 JUL 2017
West Ham will be without striker Andy Carroll for the first three matches of
the season. Carroll missed the end of the last league campaign with a thigh
problem.
And he will not be ready for first-team action until the end of the
international break in September. Carroll is scheduled to make his return in
West Ham's first home game against Premier League newcomers Huddersfield.
Manager Slaven Bilic had hoped the 28-year-old would be fit for the third
match at Newcastle after missing the first two clashes at Manchester United
and Southampton. But he has been told the risk would be too great and the
match on September 11 is a more realistic target. The injury news is more
encouraging about skipper Mark Noble. He limped off with a toe injury in the
1-0 pre-season defeat to Werder Bremen on Friday night. But he should be fit
within a week.
In Carroll's absence, record signing Marko Arnautovic grabbed his first goal
on Saturday since arriving from Stoke in a £25million deal. The Austria
forward poked home the opening goal in a 2-2 draw in their second match with
Bremen. Toni Martinez got the other Hammers goal, with Luca Caldirola and
Yuning Zhang replying for Bremen, who won the Betway Cup 3-2 on aggregate.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic must learn from his Snodgrass failure to get the most out of
Arnautovic at West Ham
West Ham need Slaven Bilic to use Marko Arnautovic properly
Footbal London
BYGRAHAM RUTHVEN
11:00, 30 JUL 2017
At £23m, the signing of Marko Arnautovic goes down as the most expensive in
West Ham's history. The Hammers are under pressure to address some of their
squad deficiencies this summer and the addition of the Austrian, along with
Javier Hernandez, Joe Hart and Pablo Zabaleta, will go some way to doing
that. Although, the same was said of Robert Snodgrass not so long ago.
Signed for just over £10m in January, the Scot was seen as a significant
addition midway through a difficult season for West Ham. Six months later,
however, Snodgrass is widely expected to leave the club having failed to
make any sort of impact. Indeed, the Hammers' transfer record over the past
few years isn't exactly glowing. Their record when it comes to signing
strikers and attackers is particularly bleak, with only 11 of the 31 centre
forwards they have signed since 2010 scoring more than three goals. This
only adds to the argument that the club's priority this summer should have
been a director of football. As a result, West Ham have become the epitome
of the Premier League's waste culture. Much has been made of the club's
identity crisis since the move to the London Stadium last summer, but there
is more at play than just a new stadium. Questions of personality are down
to the players on the pitch as well. There must be a plan in place for the
players added this summer. Slaven Bilic lacked that last summer, with
big-money signing Andre Ayew failing to live up to his price tag. Arnautovic
arrives at the London Stadium with the biggest price tag in the club's
history, and that doesn't exactly bode well for the former Stoke City player
given the misfortunes of recent big-money West Ham signings, like Snodgrass.
Such has been his struggle since January, it can be easy to forget how
Snodgrass was one of the best players in the Premier League over the first
half of the 2016/17 season. His capture from Hull City was considered quite
the coup for West Ham, even if the Tigers seemed intent on relegation by
selling every one of their best players. Indeed, Snodgrass is also a
talisman at international level, becoming one of Scotland's most important
players. Yet at West Ham, there was no plan for him. He was a signing for
the sake of a signing. Bilic didn't know what to do with the Scot once he
actually got his hands on him. The same can't happen with Arnautovic, not at
a cost of £23m.
"I said at the end of last season that we don't need squad players, but we
need top players, the players who are going to improve the first eleven,"
Bilic explained earlier this week after the signing of Hernandez from Bayer
Leverkusen. "I wanted quality players who will make a difference if everyone
is fit. It's a massive achievement, it's not easy, but we have done it.
"You never know how it is going to click, but we have done well. It is
important that we have done it early enough in the transfer window. The
majority of that is done, so congratulations to the chairman, to the board.
They have done brilliantly and people from other clubs have recognised it."
Bilic has reacted rather prematurely though in offering congratulations. The
Croatian finds himself at a juncture of his career as West Ham manager,
having enjoyed one successful season and one not so successful season at the
club. It's up to him now to get the best from the players he has been signed
by said chairman and the board, and his recent background in that is
questionable to say the least. Just look at Snodgrass.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Arnautovic/Masuaku link up, Snodgrass' confidence & Andre Ayew - 5 talking
points from Werder Bremen draw
The five main points from the Hammers' 2-2 draw with the German side in
pre-season
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
12:30, 30 JUL 2017UPDATED12:53, 30 JUL 2017
The first hour of the second leg in Lohne was arguably a side the Hammers
could field at Manchester United on the opening day of the Premier League
season - maybe with the exception of Chicharito coming in. There were
positive signs in that 11 that this could be a very good season for West Ham
as they were coming up against a Werder Bremen side who were not by any
means lacking in quality of their own. West Ham managed to keep their
superstar Max Kruse very quiet and although they shipped two goals, Joe Hart
couldn't have done much about either of them. The substitutions on the hour
disjointed things a bit but the first hour was a big positive.
The Arnautovic/Masuaku link up
Well, well, well. The big question ahead of the new season is who is going
to be the first choice left back for West Ham and if you watched the first
hour of yesterday's game, you'd think it would have to be Arthur Masuaku.
Marko Arnautovic played the entire 90 minutes on Saturday and looks to have
struck up an already brilliant partnership with the Frenchman down the left
hand side, combining for the Austrian's goal in the first half but it wasn't
just that. Time after time, the two worked in perfect sync and harmony.
Aaron Cresswell is really under pressure to perform if he gets the nod
because if he doesn't, he won't be around for long.
What next for Andre Ayew?
It's a real conundrum for Slaven Bilic and the Ghanaian as we are still to
really see where his best position is. He played as a central striker on
Saturday and didn't have much of an effect, drifting out wide more often
than not. He then moved into a CAM role, where Manuel Lanzini would play,
and did a lot better, supplying the cross for Toni Martinez to score. Ayew
is likely to play against Manchester United owing to Michail Antonio's
injury but when the England man returns, where is Ayew going to play? It
will be hard for him to dislodge anyone in the team when fully fit and for a
£20.1m former record signing, that's been a bit of a mistake.
Robert Snodgrass's confidence is absolutely shot
He's not enjoyed the start to his Hammers career that he would have wanted
and Snodgrass looks so out of sorts it's a major concern. He was brought in
as a dead-ball specialist yet time after time, his delivery has been very
poor - overhit or not beating the first man - and it's clearly getting to
him. The Scotsman was full of running yesterday and gave it everything he
could but it just isn't coming off for him. With Sofiane Feghouli likely to
be off, Snodgrass is likely to stay now and he just needs a bit of luck to
turn his way.
A welcome day off
The Hammers players have been given Sunday off to rest their weary bodies
and prepare themselves for the final few days of the pre-season campaign.
They will stay in Rotenburg and train for the enxt few days before heading
fof to Hamburg for the game with Altona 93 on Tuesday, then it's straight
off to Iceland to play Man City in Reykjavik on August 4. Two games in two
days takes a lot out of the players and with double training sessions to
boot, they are certainly deserving of their time off. Some of the players
will catch up with their families, others will just chill out on Sunday
before it's straight back down to business on Monday.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Toni Martinez is eyeing further first-team opportunities – and goals – after
netting his first senior goal in Saturday's 2-2 Betway Cup draw with Werder
Bremen.
The Spaniard showed his predatory nature to bury an unstoppable header past
Jiri Pavlenka to put the Hammers 2-1 up in Lohne, craning his neck to power
the ball into the bottom corner. After spending the entire pre-season with
Slaven Bilic's squad the 20-year-old, who scored 14 goals in 13 appearances
for West Ham's U23s last season, wants more of the same. "I'm really happy
to score my first goal with the first team," said Martinez, whose goal came
at the end of an impressive attacking move that saw the Hammers move the
ball from one penalty area to another with dazzling speed. "It was a good
cross from Andre Ayew and good play from Arthur Masuaku, so all I needed to
do was put the ball in the back of the net. "It's amazing for me. It was a
great game and we're working hard to be strong for the first game in the
Premier League. Now I'm going to keep working. "We are enjoying the training
camp a lot and I am happy to stay with the first team and I'm working hard
for my opportunity. I wish I will get more opportunities this season but,
for now, I am just trying to help the team and nothing more."
Martinez's transition to the first-team squad has been eased by the presence
of a host of other native Spanish speakers, including new signings Pablo
Zabaleta and Chicharito. Indeed, the former Valencia youngster is hoping to
learn more about the art of being a top-level centre forward from Mexico's
all-time leading scorer.
"It's very easy for me because there are so many boys who speak Spanish and
it's very good for me," he confirmed. "Of course, I can learn a lot from
Chicharito. He is one of my favourite strikers and I'm sure I'm going to
learn too much from him."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers on Tour: Chicharito attracts quite the following
WHUFC.com
Catching up on daily life with Slaven Bilic's squad after a busy weekend in
Germany…
The Little Pea with a big following
He may be yet to pull on a Claret and Blue shirt, but Javier Chicharito
Hernandez is already the star attraction at West Ham United's German
training camp.
The Mexico superstar arrived in Rotenburg on Thursday afternoon, having
visited Paris to complete his successful UK visa application. En route from
France to Germany, the 29-year-old was repeatedly recognised by fans and,
being used to the attention, happily signed autographs and posed for
selfies. On arrival at the team hotel, two Spanish-speaking television
crews, including Raul Guzman from USA-based Univision, were on hand to
capture the big moment, as were Sky Sports News reporter Paul Gilmour and
cameraman Rich Harlow. Gilmour and Harlow had also travelled to West Ham's
Austrian training camp earlier in July and were delighted to be rewarded for
their hard work when Chicharito held a press conference at the hotel later
that evening. "Pre-season is a little more laid-back and the access to the
manager and players is better, as obviously they are under so much more
pressure during the competitive season," Gilmour told us. "They are working
hard, but they are also relaxed and it gives us an opportunity to get some
great coverage! "Myself and Richard had really enjoyed it. We've been on
many of these pre-season trips and this one is right up there because of the
level of access, which we don't get at all clubs."
Harlow agreed with his colleague's sentiments, adding: "It's the second year
I've been to Austria with West Ham and we're welcomed by the squad, who are
always happy to chat and keep us entertained when we're filming. "Mark Noble
and Ginge are always good value and obviously everyone is absolutely buzzing
about the four new signings."
Familiar surroundings
One member of the West Ham United party who is definitely feeling at home in
Germany is first-team coach Edin Terzic. The 34-year-old was born in the
town of Menden, just south east of Dortmund, and played semi-professionally
for a number of clubs, including Wattenscheid and Cloppenburg. He then
coached at Borussia Dortmund under Jurgen Klopp before joining forces with
Slaven Bilic at Besiktas four years ago. Terzic has naturally enjoyed being
back on home turf, while training at local club Rotenburger SV has brought
back memories of his own playing career. "Football is very popular in
Germany of course, the number one sport, but in this part of the country
there are not so many really big teams, just Hamburg and St Pauli in the
north and Werder Bremen further south, and fewer amateur clubs," he
observed. "Where I am from, near Dortmund, you have a concentration of
around 16 million people, so not every club has the space and money to have
facilities like the ones in Rotenburg. "I feel comfortable around here, of
course, because I hear German spoken all the time, I am eating German food
and I can talk to everyone, but while everything is nice we are here to work
and it all comes down to what we do on the pitch. It doesn't matter if I am
in Germany, Iceland or Austria, because it's about using this moment to
improve!"
Auction
West Ham United welcomed two guests to their training base this week in the
shape of John Oldfield and Terry Comitti (pictured, above). The lifelong
Hammers and Club London members were lucky enough to win the bidding for a
unique auction prize at the recent 2016/17 Player Awards, namely to spend
time with Slaven Bilic and his squad in Germany. The pair enjoyed fantastic
behind-the-scenes access, drinking coffee with the manager, eating lunch
with Mark Noble and company and even welcoming new signing Chicharito to the
team hotel!
Matchday experience
West Ham United's visits to Schneverdingen and Lohne for their Betway Cup
ties with Werder Bremen saw the Hammers turn out at two stadia that are
seldom visited by crowds numbering in the hundreds, let alone the thousands.
Staff at both FC Schneverdingen and Blue-Weiss Lohne worked tirelessly to
make their respective grounds ready for two squads packed with international
stars, resulting in two seamless matchdays. Betway branding was added, while
provisions were made for Premier Sports to produce two live broadcasts and
food, drink and even a tombola stall were erected. In Lohne, however, one
part of the matchday experience that was already in place was this
eye-catching children's play area!
Over land and sea…
Hundreds of West Ham United supporters travelled to Germany to watch their
team take on Werder Bremen – twice in the space of 20 hours! The Claret and
Blue Army descended from England, Switzerland and all over Germany, hanging
dozens of flags at the stadia in Schneverdingen and Lohne. The vociferous
support, including repeated choruses of Bubbles, undoubtedly added to the
atmosphere as the Hammers were edged out 3-2 on aggregate by their
Bundesliga opponents.
It would be a huge surprise if the Cologne Hammers flag was not on show at
Altona 93's Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn stadium on Tuesday evening!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Antonio helps West Ham United Ladies enjoy special day!
WHUFC.com
The rain may have been lashing down, but it couldn't dampen the spirit and
enthusiasm of the West Ham United Ladies as they gathered together at the
Rush Green training ground on Saturday afternoon.
While Marko Arnautovic was claiming his first goal in a Hammers shirt for
the men's team out in Germany, all six of the Ladies' squads, from Under 10s
all the way up to the first team, enjoyed their first Club Media day to
celebrate the impending start of the 2017/18 season.
All squads had their official team photographs taken for the new campaign
and then took part in a range of training drills and exercises in front of
family and friends supporting from the sidelines, who enjoyed refreshments
provided by The Ribman and kept their energy up with drinks supplied by Rich
Energy, official partners of West Ham United Ladies.
Also present was reigning Hammer of the Year and official Ambassador to the
West Ham United Ladies, Michail Antonio, who spent time chatting to the
players, meeting their families and hearing all about the exciting plans
that have been progressing ever since the restructuring of the Ladies'
set-up was announced back in May.
Antonio, who had been at Rush Green earlier in the morning continuing
rehabilitation work on his hamstring injury, insisted on staying behind
until the Ladies' teams arrived so that he could show his support.
"It's been fantastic to see everyone here today," he said. "I am genuinely
honoured to be an Ambassador for the West Ham United Ladies, especially at
such an exciting time for them.
"There is a great atmosphere within their set-up, and I really enjoyed
meeting the players, especially the youngsters who are just starting out on
their journey and learning the game in such a great environment."
General Manager Karen Ray, who organised the event, was delighted by the
response of everyone present and celebrated a hugely successful day.
"Today was all about the players," she said. "We wanted to really solidify
and celebrate being part of the club.
"Seeing all six teams interacting together really encompasses exactly what a
family club we are. 90 players, from age eight through to 28, all enjoying
each other's company and sharing their love for football is empowering.
"At West Ham United Ladies we strive to have a positive impact on every
player's life and today will really give them all a wonderful memory to
inspire them for the new season.
"It was a great way to kick off the five-year plan that will drive us to be
a top Super League team and really enhance the profile of the club.
"Now we can look forward to kicking off the season on August 20, when we
head to Gillingham for the opening game."
Look out for some brand new features on the West Ham United Ladies, coming
soon on whufc.com…
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
HAMMERS LOSING OUT ON GOOSEBERRY CUP IN THE GERMAN COUNTRYSIDE
By HamburgHammer 30 Jul 2017 at 17:45
WTID
Why does time always have to flash by when you're enjoying yourself ? It
seems like it was just a few hours ago that I got into my car to drive out
to Schneverdingen to welcome my star guests BSB and The Original Russ to my
country. Well, I say my country, but of course it was pretty much rural
countryside, the backwaters of civilisation almost, like having a Londoner
taking you to Norfolk for a game.
Mind you, the Lüneburg Heath is beautiful enough in its own kind of way and
BSB was happy enough with the beautiful houses there and the compact and
cosy town center.
Still I managed to take us down the wrong road on our way to the stadium
(which seems to be a recurring theme now), but then again I am pretty much a
stranger in that part of the country myself and we did alright in the end
anyway.
To start off with the positives, it is always good to see the youngsters,
the future of our club so to speak, playing in the flesh. We had to play a
game of "Who is that youngster over there?" initially, but we managed to
identify them all and I have to say while some of them impressed more than
others, not a single one of them disappointed. Personally I was very happy
indeed with Cullen, Rice, Holland and Martinez.
Another positive was the general atmosphere at both games. Not a sniff of
trouble, it was basically a paid holiday for the police staff present at the
game as they had so little to do. Certain sections of the travelling Hammers
have been praising the stunning beauty of the female police officers to the
hilt, comparing them to glamour models or girl groups like the Spice Girls.
Not sure about that one, but maybe the stunners in uniform helped putting
the Hammers fanbase in a relaxed and happy mood for the games which ain't a
bad thing in my book.
There was friendly banter with the Bremen fans too and while I can never
truly support Werder being a proud Hamburger I can respect them and if West
Ham were to play Bremen on a more regular basis in future preseason
friendlies I wouldn't mind that at all. One of the stewards in Lohne who was
manning the entrance to the away seating section (when I say away seating
section I mean the bit that had been cordoned off with simple barrier tape,
so you basically had both sets of fans sitting right next to each other) was
a former Lohne player and he was proudly showing us a picture on his mobile
of a newspaper clipping covering a preseason friendly he had played against
West Ham in 1983. They lost that game 1:4 on the day and apparently his
direct opponent on the pitch got the better of him all afternoon, it was a
certain Alvin Martin…
Another positive for me was seeing some glimpses of what Arnautovic could do
for us. There obviously is a great footballer in there, when he is in the
mood for applying himself for the full 90 minutes (which apparently was an
issue at previous clubs), he can be an arrogant so and so, but he now is OUR
arrogant so and so which means I shall gladly root for him despite his
Austrian accent…:-))
He seems to love taking on three or four players at the same time which can
be frustrating to watch if it doesn't work, but when it does come off, boy,
is it a beauty to behold!
Arnautovic is the kind of player that gets fans out of their seats,
hopefully there will be plenty of that at London Stadium this season.
My favourite youngster now probably is Josh Cullen, not just because of his
composed play but also because me and Ebi (a fellow German Hammer from near
Bonn) bumped into Cullen and Reece Burke on Thursday afternoon in Rotenburg
when the players had some time off and JC and RB were desperately looking
for a pool table. We found out for them where they might find one nearby but
I doubt they were successful as pubs and arcades in a small town like
Rotenburg tend to open in the evenings only. So I will probably never know
now if Cullen and Burke did get to play their game of pool in the end…but
they were lovely to chat to and wonderful ambassadors for our club.
Pre-season games and friendlies in general don't do a lot for me (I made an
exception in West Ham's case because it was close to home and because BSB
and Russ were over), but you tend to come away from those games none the
wiser really. The manager tends to mix and match lineups, players are busy
trying not to get injured instead of getting stuck in (and rightfully so)
and those friendlies therefore rarely deliver a proper indication as to how
the actual season might turn out for your team.
It would have been great to see Andy Carroll play of course, although the
tooth fairy will probably play more games for West Ham next season than AC,
but I won't go further into that topic as I don't intend to burst a blood
vessel. I think it's time to finally cut our losses, pay the guy off, save a
bit of money that way and prepare for life without him. There are enough
strikers still available out there who may not be world beaters but who at
least will be able to play week in week out and convert some goalscoring
opportunities when you create those chances for them.
So we didn't win the Gooseberry Cup, excuse me, Betway Cup! (I'm using
gooseberry here because there was some lovely gooseberry cream cake
available before the game in Lohne and because the gooseberry pretty much
describes the kind of area where those preseason games had been arranged to
take place. I thought it was an odd choice, but ultimately it turned out not
too bad a decision after all).
In order to see a proper top level football stadium I took BSB and Russ to
the famous Weserstadion in Bremen, but not before we had enjoyed a Mexican
style dinner at El Mariachi in the vicinity of the stadium (to celebrate
Chicharito's arrival at West Ham, BSB and Russ had steak). It was one of the
rare times when I actually ordered too much food for us (I had never been to
that place before and we had no idea how big the servings would be). At some
point even I was full up, so I took a doggybag as I learned from my war and
hunger scarred parents all those years ago never to allow good food going to
waste).
It was dark already when we arrived at the stadium and we obviously couldn't
get into the ground, so we took a wander around and caught glimpses of the
inside through gaps and fences. My guests were suitably impressed and judged
it to be a stadium fit for a big club which Bremen are, not necessarily in
terms of trophies and star players as Bremen's glory years mainly are in the
past rather than the present, but the support is top notch and the stadium
(which holds almost 40.000) is nearly always sold out.
It is also to my knowledge the only stadium in the Bundesliga where fans can
travel in by boat shuttle as the stadium is located right alongside the
river Weser where the stadium derives its name from.
Tomorrow I shall be welcoming another fellow Hammer to town who is coming
over for the Altona game, so we will have a little Guided Walk around town,
with an emphasis on the locations where the Beatles used to perform, drink,
sleep (or spend time in a prison cell overnight once) to be followed by the
game itself on Tuesday evening.
In contrast to the games in Schneverdingen and Lohne there will be strict
segregation in effect between sets of fans for the Altona game and as the
ground is right smack in the middle of a busy inner city
working-class/alternative/left-wing community there could indeed be some
trouble, especially later, on and around the notorious Reeperbahn what with
St.Pauli playing a friendly against Stoke of all teams at the very same time
in pretty much the same borough.
St.Pauli and Altona are favourite areas for eating out and drinking and
there will be four sets of fans doing just that tomorrow evening all likely
to bump into each other somewhere along the way: Altona, St.Pauli, West Ham
and Stoke.
That's two Hamburg teams which hate each other's guts and two English teams
that are not exactly friends for life either.
I really hope it will be just the same jolly and relaxed atmosphere on the
night than it was out in the country, I wouldn't bet on it though. What I
would bet on is West Ham beating Altona fairly comfortably. Altona deserve a
good thrashing too. They are the barstewards after all who got promotion
instead of my beloved Concordia.
So, make it double digits please West Ham: Hattrick each for Snodgrass,
Arnautovic and Ginger Pele please plus an own goal from Altona. Mission
accomplished!
COYI!!!
PS: I didn't expect my column to go up on Sunday. So quick update on
Concordia's season opener which was won 3:1 this afternoon and was attended
by 163 fans, 5% of which were travelling Palace fans, with one Man City and
one Wolves supporter thrown in for good measure. Some of these guys have
been going to Cordi games for 12 years now and I was glad to finally meet
them. We all had a jolly good time, one of the guys is taking the plunge in
a few weeks as well (Good luck with that Rob!) and I was impressed with
their commitment to football. They must have watched three or four games of
football at the lower league levels in Hamburg and Luebeck during this trip
and all that because they do love their football so much. So next time
you're watching Match of the Day, look out for the Crystal Palace flag with
the Concordia crest in the top left corner. Good lads! They invited me over
for a Palace game actually (I know, wrong side of the river and all that),
but maybe there is a weekend when it'll be West Ham for me on Saturday and
Palace on Sunday.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Everton keen on Winston Reid - report
31 Jul, 2017 9:17am Quick Read
Winston Reid.
NZ Herald
Everton are weighing up a £9million (NZ$15.7m) move for West Ham and All
Whites defender Winston Reid, according to reports. The Daily Mail reports
that Everton manager Ronald Koeman is keen to get cover for the Ramiro Funes
Mori who faces six to nine months on the sideline due to a knee injury. Reid
himself has just returned from injury after having surgery on a shin. The
Daily Mail reports that the New Zealander extended his contract until 2021
but West Ham may be keen to listen to offers as they look to redress their
spending over the off season.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Andy Carroll to miss the first month of the season as he recovers
from thigh injury
The Hammers had hoped to be without the powerful but brittle frontman for
only their opening two games
The Mirror
BYSTEVE STAMMERS
22:30, 29 JUL 2017
West Ham will be without striker Andy Carroll for the first three matches of
the season. Carroll missed the end of the last league campaign with a thigh
problem.
And he will not be ready for first-team action until the end of the
international break in September. Carroll is scheduled to make his return in
West Ham's first home game against Premier League newcomers Huddersfield.
Manager Slaven Bilic had hoped the 28-year-old would be fit for the third
match at Newcastle after missing the first two clashes at Manchester United
and Southampton. But he has been told the risk would be too great and the
match on September 11 is a more realistic target. The injury news is more
encouraging about skipper Mark Noble. He limped off with a toe injury in the
1-0 pre-season defeat to Werder Bremen on Friday night. But he should be fit
within a week.
In Carroll's absence, record signing Marko Arnautovic grabbed his first goal
on Saturday since arriving from Stoke in a £25million deal. The Austria
forward poked home the opening goal in a 2-2 draw in their second match with
Bremen. Toni Martinez got the other Hammers goal, with Luca Caldirola and
Yuning Zhang replying for Bremen, who won the Betway Cup 3-2 on aggregate.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic must learn from his Snodgrass failure to get the most out of
Arnautovic at West Ham
West Ham need Slaven Bilic to use Marko Arnautovic properly
Footbal London
BYGRAHAM RUTHVEN
11:00, 30 JUL 2017
At £23m, the signing of Marko Arnautovic goes down as the most expensive in
West Ham's history. The Hammers are under pressure to address some of their
squad deficiencies this summer and the addition of the Austrian, along with
Javier Hernandez, Joe Hart and Pablo Zabaleta, will go some way to doing
that. Although, the same was said of Robert Snodgrass not so long ago.
Signed for just over £10m in January, the Scot was seen as a significant
addition midway through a difficult season for West Ham. Six months later,
however, Snodgrass is widely expected to leave the club having failed to
make any sort of impact. Indeed, the Hammers' transfer record over the past
few years isn't exactly glowing. Their record when it comes to signing
strikers and attackers is particularly bleak, with only 11 of the 31 centre
forwards they have signed since 2010 scoring more than three goals. This
only adds to the argument that the club's priority this summer should have
been a director of football. As a result, West Ham have become the epitome
of the Premier League's waste culture. Much has been made of the club's
identity crisis since the move to the London Stadium last summer, but there
is more at play than just a new stadium. Questions of personality are down
to the players on the pitch as well. There must be a plan in place for the
players added this summer. Slaven Bilic lacked that last summer, with
big-money signing Andre Ayew failing to live up to his price tag. Arnautovic
arrives at the London Stadium with the biggest price tag in the club's
history, and that doesn't exactly bode well for the former Stoke City player
given the misfortunes of recent big-money West Ham signings, like Snodgrass.
Such has been his struggle since January, it can be easy to forget how
Snodgrass was one of the best players in the Premier League over the first
half of the 2016/17 season. His capture from Hull City was considered quite
the coup for West Ham, even if the Tigers seemed intent on relegation by
selling every one of their best players. Indeed, Snodgrass is also a
talisman at international level, becoming one of Scotland's most important
players. Yet at West Ham, there was no plan for him. He was a signing for
the sake of a signing. Bilic didn't know what to do with the Scot once he
actually got his hands on him. The same can't happen with Arnautovic, not at
a cost of £23m.
"I said at the end of last season that we don't need squad players, but we
need top players, the players who are going to improve the first eleven,"
Bilic explained earlier this week after the signing of Hernandez from Bayer
Leverkusen. "I wanted quality players who will make a difference if everyone
is fit. It's a massive achievement, it's not easy, but we have done it.
"You never know how it is going to click, but we have done well. It is
important that we have done it early enough in the transfer window. The
majority of that is done, so congratulations to the chairman, to the board.
They have done brilliantly and people from other clubs have recognised it."
Bilic has reacted rather prematurely though in offering congratulations. The
Croatian finds himself at a juncture of his career as West Ham manager,
having enjoyed one successful season and one not so successful season at the
club. It's up to him now to get the best from the players he has been signed
by said chairman and the board, and his recent background in that is
questionable to say the least. Just look at Snodgrass.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Arnautovic/Masuaku link up, Snodgrass' confidence & Andre Ayew - 5 talking
points from Werder Bremen draw
The five main points from the Hammers' 2-2 draw with the German side in
pre-season
Football London
BYSAM INKERSOLE
12:30, 30 JUL 2017UPDATED12:53, 30 JUL 2017
The first hour of the second leg in Lohne was arguably a side the Hammers
could field at Manchester United on the opening day of the Premier League
season - maybe with the exception of Chicharito coming in. There were
positive signs in that 11 that this could be a very good season for West Ham
as they were coming up against a Werder Bremen side who were not by any
means lacking in quality of their own. West Ham managed to keep their
superstar Max Kruse very quiet and although they shipped two goals, Joe Hart
couldn't have done much about either of them. The substitutions on the hour
disjointed things a bit but the first hour was a big positive.
The Arnautovic/Masuaku link up
Well, well, well. The big question ahead of the new season is who is going
to be the first choice left back for West Ham and if you watched the first
hour of yesterday's game, you'd think it would have to be Arthur Masuaku.
Marko Arnautovic played the entire 90 minutes on Saturday and looks to have
struck up an already brilliant partnership with the Frenchman down the left
hand side, combining for the Austrian's goal in the first half but it wasn't
just that. Time after time, the two worked in perfect sync and harmony.
Aaron Cresswell is really under pressure to perform if he gets the nod
because if he doesn't, he won't be around for long.
What next for Andre Ayew?
It's a real conundrum for Slaven Bilic and the Ghanaian as we are still to
really see where his best position is. He played as a central striker on
Saturday and didn't have much of an effect, drifting out wide more often
than not. He then moved into a CAM role, where Manuel Lanzini would play,
and did a lot better, supplying the cross for Toni Martinez to score. Ayew
is likely to play against Manchester United owing to Michail Antonio's
injury but when the England man returns, where is Ayew going to play? It
will be hard for him to dislodge anyone in the team when fully fit and for a
£20.1m former record signing, that's been a bit of a mistake.
Robert Snodgrass's confidence is absolutely shot
He's not enjoyed the start to his Hammers career that he would have wanted
and Snodgrass looks so out of sorts it's a major concern. He was brought in
as a dead-ball specialist yet time after time, his delivery has been very
poor - overhit or not beating the first man - and it's clearly getting to
him. The Scotsman was full of running yesterday and gave it everything he
could but it just isn't coming off for him. With Sofiane Feghouli likely to
be off, Snodgrass is likely to stay now and he just needs a bit of luck to
turn his way.
A welcome day off
The Hammers players have been given Sunday off to rest their weary bodies
and prepare themselves for the final few days of the pre-season campaign.
They will stay in Rotenburg and train for the enxt few days before heading
fof to Hamburg for the game with Altona 93 on Tuesday, then it's straight
off to Iceland to play Man City in Reykjavik on August 4. Two games in two
days takes a lot out of the players and with double training sessions to
boot, they are certainly deserving of their time off. Some of the players
will catch up with their families, others will just chill out on Sunday
before it's straight back down to business on Monday.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
