Daily WHUFC News - 20t February 2011

Hitz wants Wembley return
WHUFC.com
Thomas Hitzlsperger is dreaming of a return to the Home of Football in this
season's FA Cup
20.02.2011

Thomas Hitzlsperger is dreaming of a Wembley return ahead of Monday's FA Cup
sponsored by EON fifth-round visit of Burnley. Der Hammer was back in West
Ham United's first-team squad for the first time for the 3-3 Barclays
Premier League draw at West Bromwich Albion last weekend after six months
out with a thigh injury. The No11 has successfully come through two
reserve-team matches in recent weeks and is now targeting his first Boleyn
Ground appearance since the SBOBET Cup victory over Spanish side RC
Deportivo La Coruna in August. Should West Ham win on Monday evening, they
would be just one round from Wembley - a stadium Hitzlsperger graced in
Germany's 2-1 friendly defeat of England in August 2007. The 28-year-old has
told the official matchday programme how much he enjoyed his night at the
Home of Football and how he would love to return to Wembley in this year's
FA Cup.
"It was really strange because before the game, I remember telling my
team-mates they were going to love the English atmosphere. We went there to
a great stadium and the game started with England scoring the first goal and
I was hoping it wouldn't be a disaster for us. We then got level and went a
goal up and all of a sudden it went very quiet. "I really enjoyed it and
always remember it when I think of England. We have a chance to go to
Wembley in the FA Cup and that would be fantastic. We seem to do well in the
cups so we can have another go and I think we have a good chance of
progressing, even though Burnley are on a good run at the moment. "It would
be nice to finish the season at Wembley as it would be a great day out for
everyone."

Hitzlsperger discusses a wide range of subjects in Monday's matchday
programme, including his favourite sausage, his most embarrassing moment on
a football pitch and the best players he has lined up alongside during his
illustrious career. The Germany midfielder's Fans' Mailbag is just one of a
whole host of exclusive interviews to feature in Monday's issue. There is
in-depth news, views and photographs from the day the Olympic Park Legacy
Committee (OPLC) Board recommended West Ham and the London Borough of
Newham's joint bid to take control of the 2012 Olympic Stadium. Jack
Collison talks about twitter, ice chambers and his imminent return to
action, while Burnley captain Clarke Carlisle and Clarets fan and former
Downing Street Director of Communications and Strategy Alastair Campbell
give the opposition view. Kevin Keen, Wally Downes and Tony Carr bring
supporters the latest from the reserve and youth teams, while manager Julia
Setford and captain Nat Grafton talk about the successful Ladies team.
Former Hammers defender Colin Foster is the subject of 'Where Are They
Now?', while the historical features look back to the day West Ham beat
Switzerland in 1936 and an FA Cup victory over Manchester United 50 years
later. For all this, plus much, much more, supporters cannot afford to miss
out on a copy of Monday's official matchday programme. Priced £3.50,
Monday's issue - the 21st of an action-packed season - will be available in
and around the Boleyn Ground, as well as in the Stadium Store.

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Noble fired up
WHUFC.com
Longest-serving player Mark Noble has seen enough of the club's strikers to
feel confident
19.02.2011

Mark Noble has claimed West Ham United have the firepower to shoot
themselves to Barclays Premier League safety. The homegrown Hammer has
hailed the arrival of Demba Ba to join a potent front-line already boasting
Carlton Cole and Frederic Piquionne, while Victor Obinna, Freddie Sears and
Zavon Hines could also play their part in the run-in when it comes to goals.
"We're all gearing towards staying in the Premier League," said Noble. "None
of us wants to be involved in a relegation. I've managed to stay away from
that [in my career], even though we've been close, but hopefully we've got
the firepower now and we can push on. "We've got to score goals to win
games, so if we can do that and not let them in then I'm sure we'll be
fine."

Ba gave notice of his ability with a two-goal show against West Bromwich
Albion last week and the midfielder said his new team-mate was learning fast
about the rigours of the English game. "Demba probably didn't know what to
expect in the Premier League. A lot of players don't. "Against West Brom,
he won headers, got to the by-line and cross them and managed to get a
couple of goals, which was fantastic. Obviously we're going to need a player
like him over the next couple of games."

While Noble is only thinking short-term and the need to stay in the
division, he has also cast his mind to the prospect of running out at the
Olympic Stadium in summer 2014. "I think it's a really good thing for the
club. Obviously a lot of fans love Upton Park, as we all do as it's a
fantastic place to play and the atmosphere is great there, but times are
moving on and if we can get 55 or 60,000 there it would be fantastic for all
of us."

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Newcastle line up £10m swoop for Cole
Published 23:00 19/02/11 By Brian McNally
The Mirror

Newcastle are lining up a summer move for £10million-rated West Ham striker
Carlton Cole. Toon manager Alan Pardew is flush with the £30m ­Newcastle
have banked from the £35m sale of Andy Carroll to Liverpool. So he is
considering the 27-year-old England hitman as the answer to his depleted
strikeforce. He signed Cole as a 22-year-old back in 2006, but their
partnership was short-lived when he was sacked by the Hammers just a few
months later. Cole's ­never been the most prolific scorer. He's scored eight
times this season of which four have come in the ­Premier League. However,
Pardew is a big fan of his ­powerful, physical style and ability in the air.
It is believed that West Ham want around £10m for Cole, but relegation could
force their hand into ­accepting less.

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Grant hails Parker as West Ham's answer to John Terry
Published 23:00 19/02/11 By Anthony Clavane
The Mirror

Avram Grant has hailed Scott Parker as West Ham's answer to John Terry after
the midfielder inspired last week's amazing comeback against West Brom.
Parker's rousing half-time speech worked wonders as the Hammers clawed back
a three-goal deficit to claim a draw ­– and the Israeli boss believes he
epitomises the fighting spirit that will keep the club up. Grant, whose side
face Burnley in tomorrow's FA Cup fifth round clash said: "It's good that
players show emotion. John Terry did it for me at Chelsea - and he did it
well. Scott is one of the leaders we have at the club. It's not the first
time that has happened to me. "Some want to do it but are shy. I encourage
it because players are not computers. You must let them express themselves."

Parker's role as Mr Motivator led some critics to ­question Grant's
laid-back managerial style and ­wonder why he left it to his talisman to
inspire the players. But the Upton Park ­manager insists it is typical of
the club's team spirit - and that his track record in ­motivating players is
second to none. He said: "We started the ­season badly and lost four games
in a row. "It was not easy for us. But since then we have progressed. "In
many games we have come from behind. We deal very well with the problems in
the team. "We have had a lot of ­injuries but because of the team spirit we
have a ­stronger mentality so we can cope with it better. "In the last game
we came from 3-0 behind to make it 3-3 and almost 4-3. "A lot of players
have shown ­improvement. "I'm very proud because if you check then 90 per
cent of players have been better after I have worked with them. "It's been
like that at Chelsea and Portsmouth and it will be like that at West Ham."

Grant took his players for a team bonding session ­earlier in the week –
with Kieron Dyer winning the ­go-karting competition. He joked: "The
go-karting was easier for the players because I couldn't do it ­because I
have a back problem. "But it was competitive. I wanted them to enjoy it and
be together.
"They asked for it, the staff asked for it, and it was a good thing to do
for team spirit."

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Grant feeling positive following Hammers' team bonding go-kart session
Published 13:35 19/02/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror

Avram Grant believes West Ham's team bonding session has helped to bring his
squad closer together as they head into a crucial period in their battle to
avoid relegation. The Hammers fought back from 3-0 down to pick up a point
at relegation rivals West Brom last Saturday and move off the foot of the
Barclays Premier League table. The second-half comeback, which was inspired
by captain Scott Parker's rousing half-time team-talk, came as a huge relief
for Grant and his side after the previous weekend's 1-0 home defeat to
fellow strugglers Birmingham. The team were rewarded for their draw with a
trip to the Red Lodge karting track in Newmarket, East Cambridge, yesterday
when they raced against each other before taking part in some clay-pigeon
shooting nearby.

Hammers strikers Carlton Cole and Zavon Hines have both expressed their
delight at the team-bonding session and Grant also believes it has helped
the squad become closer - something that will be vital in the weeks ahead.
"We are playing on Monday this week and our last game was Saturday so we
decided to take the individuals to be as a team together," Grant said. "We
did go-karting and other things like clay-pigeon shooting too. "It was good
for the team. It was very successful. "It was nice to watch them enjoying
themselves away from everything."

Cole took his tally to three goals in five games when he scored the Hammers'
second goal in the six-goal thriller at the Hawthorns. The England striker
combined well with new signing Demba Ba in the absence of the injured Robbie
Keane and he thinks morale within the squad has improved greatly after their
trip to Cambridgeshire. "Team spirit is a vital weapon to have," Cole said
on Twitter after the game. "Sometimes you need to come out of familiar
surroundings & learn about one another in different circumstances. "I firmly
believe all of my team mates will go that extra mile to get us out the
predicament we find ourselves in. "We will fight as a team, together as one,
we showed great team spirit and now is the time for us to show it on the
pitch, starting from Monday. "I will be greatly disappointed if we don't
leave Upton Park with nothing less than a victory."

Grant and his side must temporarily forget about their battle with
relegation on Monday when they take on Burnley in the fifth round of the FA
Cup at Upton Park. The Hammers have performed well outside of the league
this season, brushing aside leaders Manchester United in the Carling Cup
before being denied a date at Wembley by a defeat to Birmingham in the
semi-finals. The former Chelsea boss has fond memories of the FA Cup, having
taken Portsmouth to the final last year, and he now hopes to make it to the
last eight with a win over the Clarets on Monday night. "I really like the
FA Cup, it is always exciting," Grant said. "It's a good competition and
sometimes it gives you a break from the league which is good."

Eddie Howe has lost only once since being appointed Burnley manager last
month and the Lancashire club are only nine places below West Ham in the
league ladder. Grant encountered tough games against Championship side
Coventry and League One neighbours Southampton on the road to Wembley with
Pompey last season and that experience has made him sure that Monday's game
will be tough. "It's always good to play at home but I know it will not be
an easy game," Grant said. "I know from playing against lower-league teams
in the past, they want to beat Premier League teams a lot. For them the FA
Cup is everything. "We know that and we will have to prepare for what will
be a difficult game."

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AVRAM GRANT: WEST HAM HAVE TWIN TARGET
Daily Star
20th February 2011 By Steve Morgan

WEST Ham boss Avram Grant reckons his players are mentally tough enough to
go all the way in the FA Cup – and also avoid relegation. That wasn't the
case last term when he led Portsmouth to Wembley but they dropped out of the
top flight. The Hammers are second from bottom in the Premier League.
But Pompey were already doomed and Grant, whose team take on Burnley at
Upton Park tomorrow, is confident history will not repeat itself. He said:
"Here the league is our first priority but I have said to the players they
always need a winning mentality. "It is something we are trying to build
here. Players need to come in every day wanting to win every game. "Spirit
and mental strength is very important, because of the pressure. "You cannot
take players who are average and make them superstars, no way, but to get
the best from average players you need to work on their mental strength.
Because of the team spirit we have got a stronger mentality now. The last
game we came back from three-nil down to draw 3-3 and it was almost 4-3."

Grant hopes that being in knockout action will give his players a rest from
the grind of the relegation battle. He said: "I really like the FA Cup, it
is always exciting and sometimes it gives you a break from the league."
Summer signing Thomas Hitzlsperger will make his long-awaited debut after
suffering a thigh tear in August.

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Grant hopes bonding session will glue West Ham together in relegation fight
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER Last updated at 1:51 PM on 19th February 2011
Daily Mail

Avram Grant believes West Ham's team bonding session has helped to bring his
squad closer together as they head into a crucial period in their battle to
avoid relegation. The Hammers fought back from 3-0 down to pick up a point
at relegation rivals West Brom last Saturday and move off the foot of the
Barclays Premier League table. The second-half comeback, which was inspired
by captain Scott Parker's rousing half-time team-talk, came as a huge relief
for Grant and his side after the previous weekend's 1-0 home defeat to
fellow strugglers Birmingham. The team were rewarded for their draw with a
trip to the Red Lodge karting track in Newmarket, East Cambridge, yesterday
when they raced against each other before taking part in some clay-pigeon
shooting nearby. Hammers strikers Carlton Cole and Zavon Hines have both
expressed their delight at the team-bonding session and Grant also believes
it has helped the squad become closer - something that will be vital in the
weeks ahead. 'We are playing on Monday this week and our last game was
Saturday so we decided to take the individuals to be as a team together,'
Grant said. 'It was good for the team. It was very successful.
'It was nice to watch them enjoying themselves away from everything.'

Cole took his tally to three goals in five games when he scored the Hammers'
second goal in the six-goal thriller at the Hawthorns. The England striker
combined well with new signing Demba Ba in the absence of the injured Robbie
Keane and he thinks morale within the squad has improved greatly after their
trip to Cambridgeshire. 'Team spirit is a vital weapon to have,' Cole said
on Twitter after the game. 'Sometimes you need to come out of familiar
surroundings & learn about one another in different circumstances. 'I firmly
believe all of my team mates will go that extra mile to get us out the
predicament we find ourselves in. 'We will fight as a team, together as one,
we showed great team spirit and now is the time for us to show it on the
pitch, starting from Monday. 'I will be greatly disappointed if we don't
leave Upton Park with nothing less than a victory.'

Grant and his side must temporarily forget about their battle with
relegation on Monday when they take on Burnley in the fifth round of the FA
Cup at Upton Park. The Hammers have performed well outside of the league
this season, brushing aside leaders Manchester United in the Carling Cup
before being denied a date at Wembley by a defeat to Birmingham in the
semi-finals. The former Chelsea boss has fond memories of the FA Cup, having
taken Portsmouth to the final last year, and he now hopes to make it to the
last eight with a win over the Clarets on Monday night. 'I really like the
FA Cup, it is always exciting,' Grant said. 'It's a good competition and
sometimes it gives you a break from the league which is good.'

Eddie Howe has lost only once since being appointed Burnley manager last
month and the Lancashire club are only nine places below West Ham in the
league ladder. Grant encountered tough games against Championship side
Coventry and League One neighbours Southampton on the road to Wembley with
Pompey last season and that experience has made him sure that Monday's game
will be tough.'It's always good to play at home but I know it will not be an
easy game,' Grant said. 'I know from playing against lower-league teams in
the past, they want to beat Premier League teams a lot. For them the FA Cup
is everything. 'We know that and we will have to prepare for what will be a
difficult game.'

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Mears Out To Hammer Old Foes
Posted on: Sat 19 Feb 2011
Burnelyfootballclub.com

Tyrone Mears feels that FA Cup opponents West Ham have defensive frailties
that the Clarets can exploit. The Clarets defender heads to Upton Park on
Monday night for a reunion with his former club. And in-form Mears, who
suffered a miserable, injury hit season with the Hammers in 2006/07, is
ready to show the Upton Park faithful what they were missing as Burnley go
in search of another London cup scalp. He said: "I am really looking forward
to it.
"It should have gone a lot better than it did at West Ham and I was gutted
in terms of what happened in terms of the injury and the way I left. "I
signed with a stress fracture on the shin that tormented me for probably
five or six years, until six months after (I signed) I eventually got it
done. It wasn't good, but things happen in life and you move on."I have been
back a couple of times and the first time I went back there I scored against
them (for Derby), so that was a bit strange."But I do feel for West Ham at
the minute. "They are a club that shouldn't be fighting relegation with the
players they have. "They shouldn't be at the bottom, but it's happened and
they have to deal with that and I am sure they will make sure they are
concentrating on the league. "But they had a decent run in the Carling Cup
and I am sure they will want to do that as well in the FA Cup. "For us, we
look at it that they score a lot of goals and attack-wide they are very
good, but defensively we can get at them. "We do have to respect them
because they are a Premier League team with good players, but they are
struggling and that is something we have to look to bounce upon."

Right-back Mears has again been 'Mr Consistent' for Clarets this season,
adding his first goals for the club to his natural attack-minded instincts.
And he believes new manager Eddie Howe is reaping the benefits of a squad
that was , by his own admission, under-performing under previous manager
Brian Laws. Mears said: "I felt a little bit sorry for Brian (Laws) to be
honest. "You couldn't put your finger on why we weren't playing well because
we have the players here to challenge to go back up and he wasn't rally
getting the best out of us towards Christmas. "The new manager has come in
and he obviously has a good record with Bournemouth and he has come in and
things have improved. "I don't think that's any disrespect to Brian, but he
is getting the best out of the players now and long may that continue."

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 19th February 2011

Avram on Friday
WHUFC.com
Avram Grant has spoken to the media ahead of Monday's FA Cup fifth-round
visit of Burnley
18.02.2011

Avram Grant has revealed that Thomas Hitzlsperger will make his West Ham
United debut in Monday's FA Cup Sponsored by EON fifth-round tie with
Burnley. The Hammers manager also discussed the need to take the threat of
the Clarets seriously, the club's outstanding form in the knockout
competitions and the positive impact made the by the four January signings.

Avram on the FA Cup…

"The FA Cup is always exciting. After a few games you can be in the
quarter-finals and semi-finals. I like the FA Cup, but of course our first
priority is the league like every other team in the league. "It's a good
competition. I like this competition. It gives you a break from the league
which is also good.
"It's always good to play at home but I know this won't be an easy game.
This team [Burnley], for them the FA Cup is everything. This is an
opportunity for them to get everyone to love them and I know from the past
that teams can come from the Championship and give it their all. We will
prepare ourselves for a very difficult game."

Avram on the difference between the club's league form and cup form…

"I think we were a little bit more efficient in the cup competitions. I
don't think we played differently apart from in the game against Manchester
United, when we were exceptional. "I think also in the league we had some
good games but we were not so efficient and didn't pick up points. It
doesn't always happen in the cups - we lost the semi-final of the Carling
Cup when we wanted to be in the final. "We don't prepare any different. We
prepare the same and want to win games like we do in the league."

Avram on half-time team talks…

"My way is that I always give the players three or four minutes and they and
the staff can say whatever they like and speak between themselves. Then I
come and say whatever I need to say tactically and mentally. "It was no
change at West Bromwich Albion. Scott Parker spoke with emotion and it was
nice to hear him. He spoke and then of course it was down to tactical things
and other things. "We have many leaders in our team. We have a captain
[Matthew Upson] and Scott is one of the leaders. He's doing well and I'm
happy with him and the others."

Avram on the team-bonding day…

"We are playing on Monday and our last game was on Saturday so we decided to
take the day in the middle to be with the team together away for one day. It
was good for the team spirit and was very successful. "We did go-karting and
many other things. It was nice. It doesn't matter who won, but it was nice
to watch them enjoy themselves in the middle of everything."

Avram on Thomas Hitzlsperger…

"I think he is almost there. He played 70 minutes against Chelsea in a
reserve game and he did well. It's not easy after so long out - he was
injured since August - but it's nice to see him almost there. "He will play
on Monday - I don't know how long but he will play on Monday."

Avram on January signings…

"I am pleased with all the signings. We were playing good football before
but we were not so efficient. All the four new signings have started and we
feel like they've been with us a long time. "Unfortunately Robbie Keane got
injured because he is very important for us and we bought him to be an
important part of our team. "Our other signings are doing well - Wayne
Bridge, apart from his first game, is playing very, very well, Gary O'Neil
is playing his part and Demba Ba scored two goals and played very well after
a long break."

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Eagles down U18s
WHUFC.com
The youth team were beaten 3-1 at Crystal Palace in the FA Premier Academy
League on Friday
18.02.2011

West Ham United U18s lost for just the second time in eight FA Premier
Academy League matches on Friday, going down to a 3-1 defeat at Crystal
Palace.
Despite dominating much of the first half and creating numerous chances,
Academy Director Tony Carr's side were undone by two second-half goals from
the Eagles. Second-year scholar Sergio Sanchez (pictured) scored West Ham's
goal, but the Hammers missed out on the chance to take over top spot in
Group A by falling to a disappointing defeat in south London. "We lost 3-1,
but the biggest disappointment for us was that we should have been four
goals ahead at half-time," said Carr. "We dominated the first half to such
an extent that it was literally a matter of how many goals we were going to
score. "We were right on top but then they broke away and somehow managed to
score the opening goal of the game. Sergio equalised when the ball dropped
to him from a corner so we went in level at 1-1 at half-time. "After the
break, we literally gave two goals away as the bad habits that we displayed
earlier in the season came back to haunt us. Sergio and Paco Craig, our two
centre-backs, lost their shape and their discipline and it let Crystal
Palace back into the game. "For their second goal, their player looked as if
he was a mile offside, but Paco had lost concentration and was playing him
on and he ran through to score. For their third, Blair Turgott had done so
well to track his full-back into our penalty area, but then he tried to pass
the ball across the face of his own goal and their player intercepted and
shot into the net. "We threw everything at them in the closing stages and
had what I thought was a perfectly good goal from Paul McCallum ruled out.
The ball looked as if it had crossed the line by miles and their goalkeeper
literally clawed it out from the netting, but the referee deemed it had not
gone in. "We hit the post and missed a couple of other open goals and ended
up losing a game 3-1 that we should have had sewn up by half-time."

West Ham's youth team are without a fixture next weekend and return to
action at Ipswich Town on Saturday 5 March.

West Ham United U18s: Wootton, Modelski, Driver, Craig, Sanchez, Turgott,
Wearen (Moncur), Vose (Lletget), Tombides, Hall, Purdy (McCallum)

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Sears wants cup chance
WHUFC.com
Young attacker Freddie Sears is hoping to be involved in the Monday match
with Burnley
18.02.2011

Freddie Sears is biding his time for a recall but is ready and willing
should that come in Monday night's FA Cup visit of Burnley. The homegrown
Hammer showed his form with an assist and goal in the midweek reserves match
at Chelsea, but it was a match in which Pablo Barrera and Zavon Hines also
sparkled. That duo are also keen to catch the manager's eye, and Sears knows
that a strong squad means you must take your chance when it comes.
"It makes you work even harder when you look at the squad and you see
top-quality players everywhere - even on the bench," Sears told West Ham TV.
"You have to work hard every day in training and in reserve games just to
get yourself on the bench, let alone on the pitch. "It's good to play the
reserve games because sometimes when you're not in the first team you need a
run out and to come down and have a game. That's no disrespect to the
reserves because it is a good standard of football."

The 21-year-old has impressed since his return from a loan at Scunthorpe
United, and notably scored in the New Year's Day home win against
Wolverhampton Wanderers. He would love to play a part in keeping the team up
this season but also build on his FA Cup run, having played in the last
round against Nottingham Forest. "It's up to the manager. Obviously I'm
desperate to get back in there. I want to play every game and I want to help
West Ham in any way I can. At the moment, I've got to be patient and wait
for my chance and when it comes, I need to take it and get another run in
the team. "It would be nice. I obviously played in the last FA Cup game and
I thought I did all right. Let's hope I can get another run out on Monday
night and we'll see what happens. If I get in the team, I get in the team
and if I get on the bench, I'll be ready to come on and do my bit. "Burnley
are a good side. They've had a new manager come in in Eddie Howe and he
looks as if he knows what he is doing. He's gone in there and they've
started picking up points.
"Every team in the Championship can cause you problems on their day as we've
seen with Barnsley and Forest and it's going to be a good game."

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West Ham v Burnley
BBC.co.uk
FA Cup fifth round
Venue: Upton Park Date: Monday, 21 February Kick-off: 2000 GMT
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Sport website and BBC
local radio; also live on ESPN

TEAM NEWS
West Ham will give a debut to Thomas Hitzlsperger in their FA Cup fifth
round clash with Burnley on Monday. The fitness of James Tomkins (calf) and
Matthew Upson (Achilles) will be assessed over the weekend.

Burnley will be without January signings Charlie Austin and Marvin Bartley
as both are cup-tied. Ex-Newcastle defender David Edgar could come into
contention after his loan move to Swansea City broke down because of a
problem with the paperwork.

BIG-MATCH FACTS
The tie in context
• Burnley are one of two representatives from the Championship in the fifth
round.

Gulf in class
• The Clarets are nine places lower than West Ham in the pecking order,
going into the weekend.

Head-to-head
• Both these clubs have won 30 of the 76 previous competitive meetings.
• Burnley won the most recent clash, 2-1 in the Premier League, on 6
February last year. It was their first triumph in 11 meetings.

FA Cup records and best performances
• West Ham hold a 100% FA Cup record against Burnley.
• They scored three goals in both of the previous occasions they were drawn
to meet each other; in the 1964 quarter-finals, and in the third round in
January 1968.

The clubs

WEST HAM UNITED
Current form
• Shared six goals, away to West Brom, in their last game last weekend.
• Won two of the last seven in league and cup.
• Scored three goals in three of their last four outings.

FA Cup form
• Not been beyond the fifth round stage since losing to Liverpool in the
2006 final at the Millennium Stadium.
• Already knocked out two Championship clubs in Barnsley and Nottingham
Forest in this cup run.
• It is 31 years since Trevor Brooking's famous header that won the cup for
West Ham for the third time in their history.
• Sheffield United were the last second tier club to oust them. West Ham
were in the same division at the time of the fourth round replay in February
2005 which was resolved by a penalty shoot-out.
• Not been dismissed by a club in a division lower than themselves since
Tranmere (second tier) in the third round in December 1999.

BURNLEY
Current form
• Avoided defeat in eight of the last nine league and cup matches, winning
five of them.
• This is their sixth away match in eight games, and their third in a row.
• Conceded one goal in each of the last six in all competitions.

FA Cup form
• The 1914 winners last qualified for the quarter-finals in 2003.
• Their last tie against a Premier League club was in the fifth round in
March 2009, when Arsenal won 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium. They had knocked
out top-flight West Brom in the previous round.

Replay date
Wednesday, 2 March 2011 (Kick off: 1945 GMT)

Match officials
Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
Assistant referees: Mike Mullarkey and Mike Cairns
Fourth official: Phil Dowd

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Hitzlsperger set for debut
Grant thinks midfielder can be one of the best in Premier League
Last updated: 18th February 2011
SSN

West Ham midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger will make his long-awaited
competitive debut for the club on Monday. The former Aston Villa player
returned to England last summer after leaving Lazio in a free transfer to
Upton Park. But, after impressive performances in pre-season, Hitzlsperger
sustained a gruesome calf injury and was ruled out for four months. The
German has since made two starts for West Ham's reserve team and Grant is
now ready to include him in next week's FA Cup fifth-round match against
Burnley and he thinks the 28-year-old can be a star. "He will play on
Monday. I don't know how long but he will play," said the West Ham manager.
"If he is like he was in the [pre-season] training camps and preparation he
will be one of the best midfield players in the league because of his
vision, touch and ability to score goals and provide assists. "He knows how
to defend, he's clever, he was very good in every game - he scored or gave
an assist. "This is one of the reasons why they made him captain of German
team."

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I know Howe you feel Avram
The Sun
Published: Today

EDDIE HOWE has plenty of sympathy for under-fire West Ham boss Avram Grant -
but says he has not faced REAL pressure. The Burnley chief believes the task
of trying to prevent former club Bournemouth going bust - and keeping them
in the league after a 17-point deduction - has prepared him for anything.
Howe, 33, not only kept the Cherries afloat two years ago, he also got them
promoted to League One last season. That is why Burnley came calling last
month. Burnley have lost just one of seven games under Howe, and he is
looking forward to Monday's FA Cup fifth round tie at Upton Park.
He said: "When I took the job at Bournemouth, we were aware if we went out
of the league the club would probably have gone under. "That is probably the
biggest pressure I'll ever work under. "We've all heard the stories about
Avram Grant being in danger of the sack. It doesn't give me any satisfaction
to see any manager struggling."

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Andy's ready to roll at the Boleyn
The Sun
By SHAUN CUSTIS
Published: Today

ANDY CARROLL has targeted the trip to West Ham a week tomorrow for his
Liverpool debut. The England star had been pencilled in to make his bow in
the clash against Manchester United on March 6. The £35million striker, 22,
has been sidelined with a torn thigh muscle since December. He has been
working hard on his rehabilitation, desperate to defy gloomy suggestions
that he might not play again this season. A friend told SunSport: "Andy is
really pleased with how it's going. "It is not impossible that he could play
at Upton Park and he is now focusing on that game." Reds manager Kenny
Dalglish added: "He's a good lad, down to earth. "You say the punters cannot
relate to players and vice versa, but that's not a problem for him."

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Karren Brady's Football Diary
The Sun
KARREN BRADY - First lady of football
Published: Today

Saturday, February 12
BREAKFAST in our household is as happy-looking as a cornflakes packet.
Paul's team Burton came out of hibernation last night - eight postponements
this term - to win. And West Ham have been awarded preferred bidder status
in the Olympic Stadium fight. So it's off to West Brom but a third of the
way through, we're 0-3 down. Optimistic club solicitor Henri Brandman tells
us directors: "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings."
I feel my waistline and try to explain I can't sing. At 3-3, it's West
Brom's directors looking for an overweight soprano...

Sunday, February 13
IN professional football today, loyalty by and large comes wrapped in pound
notes. Not with the Nevilles, it doesn't. Gary spent 20 outspoken but
uncomplaining years at Man U. Phil says today he owes Everton too much to
have given great thought to Spurs' recent transfer approach. So he'll have
been in despair about his team's show at Bolton where a 2-0 defeat is a
relegation warning. It looks like they are snoozing. Every season features a
club in freefall. My pal chairman Bill Kenwright must have real fears,
although he's lucky to have David Moyes.

Monday, February 14
MY Valentine card from Lord Sugar is sweet and a tiny bit sour. On a West
Ham background there is a pair of claret-coloured binoculars, making the
point that they'll be needed to be able to watch the football when we move
to the Olympic Stadium rather than his club, Spurs. That's OK, Lord Sugar,
you'll still be invited to our first match in a stadium that will be the
envy of our neighbours - and the world. Our plan to send the players on a
warm-weather break collapsed because the management couldn't find anywhere
warm. But I don't see a great problem in players staying at home, like
millions of other working Brits. With their draw at Fulham, Chelsea all but
surrender the Premier League title. Now they have a fight on to qualify for
the Champions League. Close to an unbelievable scenario.

Tuesday, February 15
LOVE of playing football is at the heart of every great player. And I go
along with Gerard Houllier who made that point today, aimed at Gareth Barry
and James Milner - two ex-Villa men now paid huge sums to be in and out of
the Man City side. I leave the tactics and motivation to Roberto Mancini but
I'm sure both would like to be in the team every match. It would amaze me if
they haven't asked themselves the Houllier question: Would I do the same
again? I am given a brief on Robbie Keane's injury. It's typical of our luck
that we persuaded Spurs to let us have Keane and now he could be out for six
weeks.

Wednesday, February 16
IF I were Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, I'd lock Harry Redknapp up and tell
him he can come out only if he promises to stay beyond 2012. The clamour to
make him England boss will be so great, it will take cloth ears to ignore
it. Last night the Redknapp eye twitched in disbelief as he talked of
Gennaro Gattuso's Glasgow kiss on his No 2 Joe Jordan. Today UEFA promise
action; a few rounds with Jordan would be appropriate. Spurs' stunning win
is followed tonight by Arsenal's equally meritorious victory against
Barcelona. Both have played with verve and style to compare with the world's
best.

Thursday, February 17
LEYTON ORIENT chairman Barry Hearn threatens legal action to delay West
Ham's projected move to the Olympic Stadium on the grounds that we will be
selling cheap tickets. This smacks of TK Maxx suing John Lewis for holding a
sale. I can understand why he fears the competition from a big neighbour
moving in next door. But does he really believe the stadium should be empty
for eight months of the year just because his average crowd of 3,000 might
be affected? He's also asking if O's could occupy the 15,000-seat hockey
stadium. Yes, with one proviso. We plan to put the proceeds of the Upton
Park sale into the stadium conversion. Shareholders will not make a penny
profit. I look forward to Hearn, who owns Brisbane Road, making a similar
gesture.

Friday, February 18
THIS is where I clamber on to a hobby horse of mine. A half-empty stadium on
match day is among the most hateful sights I know, along with an expanding
rump and a balance sheet in the red. Sadly these days, the FA and League
Cups are in steep decline and the single way to arrest it seems to me to be
cheap seats, particularly for families. Good idea? Pity is away clubs often
stand in the way as their receipts - these are shared - may be hit.
In effect, this means the away club can decide the home club's pricing
structure. For tomorrow's game at Upton Park, I wanted season-ticket holders
of both clubs to pay £10 but Burnley wouldn't go lower than £15, so that's
how it stands

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Hitz is on Target
The Sun
By CARL LONG
Published: Today

AVRAM GRANT reckons potentially he has the best central midfielder in the
Premier League. And he's not talking about Scott Parker. It's ex-Germany
captain Thomas Hitzlsperger, who will make his long-awaited debut for
second-bottom West Ham on Monday - eight months after arriving from Lazio.
The 28-year-old, nicknamed 'The Hammer', has been out since picking up a
thigh injury three days before the season kicked off. Now after two reserve
games, Grant, whose side host Burnley on Monday, is sending for the Hitzman.
Grant said: "He will play on Monday. If he plays like he did in pre-season,
then he is one of the best midfielders in the league. "He has touch, vision,
scores, assists and he defends clever. He was very good in every pre-season
game, he scored or provided an assist."

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Grant warns against major meddling with FA Cup format
Published 23:00 18/02/11 By Neil McLeman
The Mirror

Avram Grant has warned the magic of the FA Cup will disappear with big
changes to the format. The Israeli, who led Portsmouth to the FA Cup final
last year, insisted the oldest club knockout competition has special appeal
around the world. And although the West Ham boss is open to minor
adjustments, he insisted the 139-year history must by protected. "I like the
tradition of the FA Cup, I like it very much," Grant said. "If there is
something that would make it more exciting then I say: 'yes'. "But I don't
think it will change much. I don't feel it needs to because it is unique.
"We have a problem because games are becoming more and more demanding but we
must always think about the people who are coming to watch the game. "They
like the tradition of the game, they like the tradition of the past. "I
always say to be open to change but I don't like changes if they are only
for people to say they have changed something."

Grant will finally be able to unleash Thomas Hitzlsperger for his West Ham
debut on Monday – eight months after joining the club. The former Aston
Villa midfielder signed from Lazio on a free transfer last June but tore his
thigh muscle in pre-season. Grant said: "He played 70 minutes in a reserve
game against Chelsea and did well. He will play on Monday. I don't know for
how long but he will play."

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Hitzlsperger will be smash hit - West Ham's Grant
Published 18:15 18/02/11 By MirrorFootball
The Mirror

Avram Grant believes Thomas Hitzlsperger is capable of becoming one of the
best midfielders in the Premier League after revealing the German will make
his long-awaited West Ham competitive debut on Monday. Hitzlsperger was the
Hammers' marquee summer last summer, leaving Italian giants Lazio to join
the Londoners on a free transfer. The former Aston Villa midfielder starred
in the club's pre-season campaign and looked set to be a fixture in the side
before he pulled his calf while playing for Germany against Denmark in
August. He returned to training eight weeks later but suffered the agony of
having the muscle come off the bone completely, ruling him out for four
months. After two starts in the reserve team, Grant is ready to throw
Hitzlsperger into action in the Hammers' FA Cup fifth-round clash with
Burnley and predicts the Germany captain's quality and experience mean he
will become a vital asset in the club's bid to avoid relegation. "He will
play on Monday. I don't know how long but he will play," Grant said. "If he
is like he was in the [pre-season] training camps and preparation he will be
one of the best midfield players in the league because of his vision, touch
and ability to score goals and provide assists. "He knows how to defend,
he's clever, he was very good in every game - he scored or gave an assist.
"This is one of the reasons why they made him captain of German team."

How exactly Grant intends to fit Hitzlsperger into the team for the rest of
the season is unclear. The former Aston Villa man has limited experience of
playing down either flank and his favoured position is in central midfield,
where Scott Parker and Mark Noble have developed a good partnership for the
club this season. That does not worry manager Grant though, who is happy to
have another experienced head available for what has so far been a
disappointing campaign for the Upton Park club. "He can play in a 4-4-2 or a
4-3-3 as holding midfielder or as an attacking midfielder," the Israeli
said.
"I have had a headache for most of the games this season because of the
number of injuries. "Against Blackpool we were missing five or six players.
This is another kind of headache. It is not easy but I like it more."

Grant plans to name a strong side for Monday's match against the npower
Championship team and is hoping a cup win will take the focus off his side's
season-long fight against relegation. Grant has fond memories of the FA Cup
having overcome the odds to take Portsmouth to the final last year when they
lost 1-0 to Chelsea. A leaked memo this week suggested that organisers are
planning to change the competition's format to scrap replays and move the
final kick-off to the evening. Grant is a big fan of how the competition is
now though. He said: "I like the tradition of the FA Cup, I like it very
much. "I don't feel it needs to change because it is unique. We have a
problem because games are becoming more and more demanding but we must
always think about the people who are coming to watch the game. "They like
the tradition of the game, they like the tradition of the past."

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 18th February 2011

Parker on Olympic high
WHUFC.com
The Hammer of the Year sees a bright future ahead but knows there is still
work to be done
17.02.2011

Scott Parker has summed up the feelgood factor at West Ham United after the
club were recommended as preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium.
The hard work may have only just begun for the club's joint plans with
Newham Council to take guardianship of the Olympic Stadium following the
2012 Games, but having been to the Stratford site, Parker acknowledged there
is plenty of optimism among the playing squad. Parker said the decision had
boosted everyone but also acknowledged there is a more immediate task at
hand - Premier League survival. Having battled back for a precious point at
West Bromwich Albion last weekend, the Hammers are now focusing on keeping
the FA Cup run going against Burnley on Monday before Liverpool arrive on
Sunday week. "It would be great to play at the stadium," said Parker. "Of
course, you want to be playing at the best grounds and having been around
the Olympic Stadium myself, it is going to be something special I am sure.
"First and foremost it is a great decision for the club - there has been a
lot of work behind the scenes to get this and so that has been rewarded. It
can only be a good thing for the club as it looks to build on for the
future. "It is a chance for the club to move on, keep improving. For now,
though, obviously we are in the middle of a season and the main focus is on
keeping the club in the Premier League."

As the reigning Hammer of the Year and having won the SBOBET player of the
month prize for a second straight month, Parker is a big favourite with the
supporters. He is delighted that more of them will be able to come and see
the team at their new home, should all go to plan for the 2014/15 season.
"It looks like more fans will be able to come to matches at affordable
prices and that is great for them. The support is fantastic at West Ham and
I am sure the club will be making sure the new stadium will reflect that
support. The decision last week means a new stadium for the future and that
is something that will no doubt take the club forward."

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McCarthy set for unlikely recall
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th February 2011
By: Staff Writer

Benni McCarthy could be set to make a rare appearance against Burnley in the
FA Cup next Monday night. The South African - who scored his first goal for
some time in yesterday's 4-3 reserves defeat at Chelsea - was left out of
West Ham's 25-man Premier League squad last month as a result of
longstanding fitness - and attitude - issues. However he remains eligible to
feature in cup competitions, meaning that Avram Grant could turn to the
32-year-old former Porto striker should he decide to rest any of his current
first team strikers of whom Carlton Cole, Demba Ba and Freddy Piquionne are
likely to be available for selection. McCarthy has made just 14 first team
appearances for West Ham since moving from Blackburn in a £2million switch
13 months ago. He was also left out of South Africa's World Cup squad last
year despite being the country's most successful footballing export of all
time. Although a prolific goalscorer in his younger days McCarthy is without
a goal in England since Boxing Day 2009, when he scored the goal that
secured a 1-1 draw for Blackburn at Wigan.

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Do it the West Ham way
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th February 2011
By: James Carruthers

Let me assure you, with the exception of Scott Parker, the title of this
post has absolutely nothing to do with events on the field this season. It
relates to the furore surrounding the Olympic Stadium, the venue destined to
be West Ham United's new home.

Whilst the Hammers have made hard work of accruing points in the Premier
League, pending final ratification and an appeal from Tottenham they have at
least achieved success in their quest to relocate. Last week it was
announced that the East London based club were the preferred choice of the
Olympic Park Legacy Company to take over the Olympic Stadium post the
festival in 2012.

West Ham's promise to ensure the stadium maintains an ability to host
athletics as well as Premier League football was an ultimately more
appealing proposal to those charged with passing on the keys than
Tottenham's plans to transform the stadium into a football only venue.

First and foremost it is great that there will be a genuine legacy for the
stadium. There have been instances over time where the Olympic centre piece
has struggled to find a permanent tenant, such as Montreal's Olympic Stadium
and the awe-inspiring Bird's Nest in Beijing.

I have to agree with Harry Redknapp when he says he is not a fan of football
teams playing in stadiums with running tracks around the perimeter. In fact,
I would go as far as to say if it was my club I would detest the prospect of
being separated from the pitch by an eight lane obstacle.

Whilst Karren Brady insists the furthest seat from the pitch will be closer
to the action than at Wembley and David Gold tells us that line of sight
will also be better than at the national stadium, I am still inclined to
agree with the former West Ham manager that the track will create an
invisible barrier between the crowd and the players.

The other concern for the new tenants will be filling a 60,000 seater
stadium on a regular basis, especially if the side are plying their trade in
the championship by the time they make the move into their new home.

On the other hand, Tottenham's plans seemed to make sound business sense.
OK, so the proposal to demolish the newly built stadium sounded absurd, but
in reality only £80 million of the £500 million it took to build the stadium
would have been deconstructed. For Spurs, it would have represented a
fraction of the cost of building a brand new stadium in North London.

There was certainly some resistance from the fans to the notion of moving
Tottenham to the East End of London, even if Daniel Levy optimistically
claimed to have the support of 99% of Harry's loyal army.

Yet if the move had gone ahead I feel the voices of discontent would have
gradually subsided and I seriously doubt there would have been anywhere near
the type of abandonment seen when Wimbledon became MK Dons, especially if
success continued to flow on the pitch.

The Champion's League surprise package would have had no problem filling the
ground based on current performances and a waiting list of around 35,000 for
season tickets at White Hart Lane.

Morality

So, whilst there seems to be a compelling rational argument that the
long-term tenancy should have been given to Tottenham, it might come as a
bit of a surprise that I fully back the decision to choose West Ham instead.

The above arguments all pale into insignificance on a moral basis – a
morality that is irrespective of the emotional apprehension related to
taking a club out of their historical North London heartland and into a new
East End borough. I actually feel that the right decision has been made on
behalf of athletics.

I have no affiliation to UK Athletics and as a sporting concept I struggle
to get excited about track and field. I will invariably put football ahead
of all other sports, but not on this occasion. When the bid was made to host
the Olympics, the promise was made to leave a legacy for athletics in this
country and to cheat Britain's athletes out of that inheritance would be
scandalous.

In football we are used to seeing business dominate decisions and Spurs' bid
was essentially built around trying to exercise business muscle. It is
heart-warming to see via this decision that occasionally, in some
disciplines, the sport itself still takes precedence.

Granted, Tottenham were planning a regeneration of the current home of
athletics in Crystal Palace to compensate for their intrusion into
Stratford, but this was not an alternative deemed suitable by Lord Coe and
we should respect the opinion of the man who pioneered the bid to bring the
Olympics to these shores.

Whilst the decision is certainly not the news the Tottenham board wanted to
hear and it remains to be seen whether the victory actually turns into the
proverbial white elephant for West Ham, it is at least honourable that on
this occasion the deal to finalise the Olympic legacy has worked out right
for athletics in this country.

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The Olympic Stadium blueprint
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th February 2011
By: Staff Writer

KUMB.com sat down with Olympic Project Director Ian Tompkins earlier this
week in order to get up to spec on the clubs latest plans for the move to
Stratford. Here's a brief summary of the ensuing conversation.

Confirmation

West Ham United's move to Stratford should be ratified within the next week
by London mayor Boris Johnson and the Government. As a result West
Ham/Newham Council will receive a lump sum of £35million to aid
redevelopment of the stadium, whilst a further £40million comes in the shape
of a council-raised loan (lent to the club at preferential rates). Another
£20million from the sale of the Boleyn Ground will take the stadium
regeneration budget to £95million (although the sale could raise
considerably more than the £20million currently set aside).

Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV)

A new SPV will be created to manage the Olympic Stadium lease and the
finances of the winning bidders ie. West Ham United FC and Newham Council.
The new company will act as a first port of call for handling events at the
Stadium. All profits realised from the venture will be split 50/50 between
West Ham and Newham Council; this includes revenue raised from hosting
external events such as cricket, rugby, live concerts etc.

The stadium

The primary concern - and greatest financial burden - is to replace the
existing roof to cover both upper and lower tiers in order to comply with
football regulations. This will involve removing and replacing all existing
paddle floodlights. Once complete, the revamped stadium will cater for
60,000 supporters in football mode, 73,000 in cricket mode and up to 107,000
in concert mode.

The reduction in capacity during the football season will be due to an area
above the large video screen behind the goal being closed off (how is yet to
be decided). This area will be opened for cricket matches raising the
capacity to 73,000, whilst additional standing space allows the capacity to
be extended to well over 100,000 for concerts or other events requiring a
small stage (which is likely to be situated towards one end of the stadium).

The corporate/hospitality areas - which will be situated between the two
tiers and directly in line with the pitch's halfway line - will also be
redesigned with seat spacing adjusted to allow for extra leg room/comfort.
The club expect to be able to cater for at least four times the number of
corporate clients they currently do at the Boleyn Ground.

Temporary/retractable seating is under consideration, but by no means a
certainty. Initial impressions suggest the club feel the side stands will
not require extending, although the sections directly behind each goal will
almost certainly do so. A number of potential solutions are currently being
examined, whilst the club are well aware that this remains a major - if not
the most important - issue for supporters.

The external shell of the stadium is also likely to be refurbished, whilst
the stadium's upper tier - which was built with view to removing it after
the Olympic games - and connecting bridges both require strengthening.
Existing structures such as the vast media centre are set to remain - as
will the earth-shatteringly loud public address sytem. You will certainly
know when Mr Moon is in the building.

The reviled running track

As per the club's successful winning bid, the much-discussed running track
will remain in situ indefinitely. The club will cover this during the
football season (August to May) - although this will not affect the distance
between the stands and field of play.

The entire track, as well as the pitch, will need to be removed temporarily
in order to allow under-soil heating to be installed.

Filling 60,000 seats

The club are currently investigating a number of potential revenue streams
designed to fill the stadium with supporters wherever possible. Although a
midweek fixture against the likes of Wigan or Stoke is unlikely to appeal to
all - the same in practically every ground in the country - West Ham hope to
sell-out on several occasions throughout the season, especially in the first
three years of occupancy when interest in the new stdaium is likely to be at
its peak.

One scheme being considered is to offer tickets - either at a vastly-reduced
price or free of charge - to schoolchildren throughout the club's catchment
areas (London, Essex, Kent etc). This could boost the weekly attendance by
up to 6,000, with the club keen to attract a new generation of fans (less
than 15 per cent of season ticket holders at the Boleyn Ground are under
18).

The club also hope to attract large numbers of visitors from mainland Europe
due to the improved rail links. By way of example, travelling from Frankfurt
in Germany to Stratford come 2014 will take under five hours - meaning
people from as far away as Germany, Austria and Italy could watch West Ham
play as part of a day trip.

Stadium season tickets

One idea being floated is that of a stadium season ticket, offering
supporters the opportunity to gain access to ALL events at the Olympic
Stadium. The club are currently negotiating with a number of travel
companies with regards to all-inclusive packages. This will not replace the
existing regular football-only season ticket which will still be available.

Other events

In addition to West Ham United's home matches the stadium will also be used
for a number of other sports including cricket, with Essex set to play their
20/20 fixtures in Stratford from 2014. Rugby could also feature, with the OS
being opened a year ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup finals whihch are
being staged in England (September-October 2015). The club have previously
floated the possibility of staging American football games at the stadium.

Athletics will of course continue to feature at the stadium post-2012 games,
with 20 days set aside per year for events (the vast majority of which will
take place during football's off-season). Motor racing has also been mooted
as a possibility. West Ham's tie-in with LiveNation - the planet's largest
concert promoter who recently merged with Ticketmaster - will see some of
the globe's biggest acts attracted to east London.

Transport

The Olympic Stadium will boast transport links literally second-to-none with
the local stations being serviced by overground, underground and high-speed
trains (including Crossrail and potentially Eurostar). A new high-speed link
from Frankfurt is set to open next year, allowing fans from Europe to travel
directly to Stratford. C2C trains directly into Stratford are also likely to
be available for the benefit of West Ham's large Essex-based fanbase.

Consultation

Supporter consultation with regards to the move is already under way. Club
representatives have already met/spoken with a number of supporters since
West Ham's move was given the green light a fortnight ago. The club intend
to arrange a number of fans forums and other meetings in the coming months
in order to ascertain the supporters' hopes and aims for the Olympic
Stadium. At present nothing is being ruled out, nor are any guarantees being
given. WIth three years to go until West Ham are set to move into the
stadium, time is very much on the club's side.

Odds and sods

* The John Lyall gates, recently renamed at the Boleyn Ground could be
making the short trip across east London - although the World Cup Winners'
statue, featuring Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst is unlikely to
follow.

* The existing seats (white) are likely to remain in place due to cost
costraints; it would cost around £2million to replace these alone.

* Naming rights: these could be worth a small fortune to the club (Arsenal
received £100million from Emirates Airlines for a 15-year deal back in
2004). As a result there'll be no 'New Boleyn Ground' or 'Bobby Moore
Stadium'; the (insert sponsor here) Olympic Stadium appearing the most
likely option.

* West Ham United can begin redeveloping the stadium from October 2012,
giving the club some 18 months to produce an acceptable blueprint for the
Olympic Stadium.

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The Board say we are great. So we must be.
West Ham Till I Die

Has anyone else been getting nuisance e-mails from Avram Grant and Scott
Parker? I got one on Monday from Grant: Robert, we could have won the game
on Saturday. I couldn't resist it and hit the reply button and said: Avram,
yes we could if we hadn't played rubbish in the first half. And in future
matey stop claiming to have "Told the players" things at half time when in
fact Carlton Cole has already let the cat out of the bag and let the world
know that Parker provided the inspiration. Was Carlton Cole eating a cream
egg in that interview?

These e-mails are highly amusing. I get them from Scott Parker reminding me
to go to games. It's laughable. The propaganda machine is so well oiled it
would have Goebbels purring in appreciation. However the content is somewhat
less than perfect and will continue to be so all the time the product it
tries to fool us into thinking is fantastic is, frankly, substandard.

One thing that catches my eye is the footer at the bottom of the e-mails,
extolling the virtues of West Ham United, picking out the things that there
are to be positive about. When you read them it really does go to show that
there is nothing to be positive about.

"Featured in almost 1/3 of all televised Premier League matches." Ok, I
appreciate that almost 1/3 may be translated into English as being more like
1/5 which is, I suppose, almost 1/3. And I don't suppose anyone would be sad
enough to sit down and check, but even my basic maths would suggest that as
we have missed three seasons of the Premier League it is highly unlikely to
be true.

"Featured in the most watched Premier League game of all time." If this is
true why not tell us what it was? I have been sad enough to try and check
this but life came knocking on my door before I could find out. Anyone any
ideas?

"Featured in the most watched Premier League game globally" See above.

"1/3 of current England Squad came though the Academy." Significantly
however (and it may have escaped Gollivan's notice) none of them play for us
now. And those current England players, Green, Upson, Cole and Parker did
not come through the Academy.

"Top 5 most purchased shirts in the Premier League." And?

"600,000 supporters registered on our database." How many of them are still
alive and how come the stadium wasn't full for the Birmingham semi-final?

"Top of the Premier League in terms of Atmosphere." So let's move to a
stadium with a running track.

"Investing in the community." Actually this statement is probably the only
one that is true, but its hardly one to poke at Spurs and Arsenal after the
week they have both had.

Why can't they just be honest and say, look, we are in the brown stuff, we
will do what we can, we aren't prepared to back the manager with money so we
are praying really hard that we don't do down. Please come next week .
Please. And if its all true why are we bottom with 25 points?

I did the BBC Predictor thing for a laugh and thought I was being quite
realistic with the results and amazingly we stay up on 38 points. Everyone
else has tough fixtures too and we could potentially stay up on 36. SJC Has
covered this already. But, as others have also said, it we have only won
five games all season, what evidence is there to suggest we will get 13
points between now and May?

Is anyone watching the Liverpool game on Channel Five? Tomas Repka playing
for Sparta Prague. There was a player who understood what passion was. Made
up for his lack of ability. Could do with a few more like him.

Finally, this random scrawl would like to draw your attention to a photo
that was posted by a friend of mine on Facebook this week, the view from the
old West Stand. It brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. We used
to be so much closer to the pitch, it was 98% mud by November and you
couldn't see much (Well I couldn't being 5'5" and standing on the North or
South Bank) but we were so much happier then. Made me think about some of my
favourite moments at the old Upton Park:

Jimmy Neighbour's winner against Coventry in the cup semi 1981.
Ray Stewart's Rocket against Spurs New Year's Eve 1983.
Beating Newcastle 8-1 in 1986.
Liam Brady's final kick of his career scoring against Wolves in 1990.
Colin Foster's swivel and volley against Everton 1991.
Going onto the pitch after the last game of the season against Manchester
City in 1987 and scoring with a plastic bottle at the south bank end.
To name but six. These are all facts and actually happened, not generated by
a publicity machine. Maybe if they stopped trying so hard to convince us, we
might believe they could return.

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The Firing Line: Stand aside Avram! Scott Parker is West Ham's real Mr
Motivator
By DAN RIPLEY
Last updated at 12:01 AM on 18th February 2011
Daily Mail

Not for the first time this season, Avram Grant has somehow avoided defeat
in a 'save our season' game. A loss at West Brom would have left West Ham
four points adrift of safety having played an extra game than all their
rivals. But after an inspired Scott Parker half-time team talk, the Hammers
somehow hit three second half goals without reply to steal a point. Maybe
the Hammers board are missing a trick in not making Parker player-manager,
if he has that kind of impact on 45 minutes of football what can he do for
the remainder of the season? The Firing Line would also like to take this
opportunity to welcome back Roy Hodgson, who has been trusted with the task
of keeping West Brom in the top flight. As ever, the fixture list produces a
belter with Hodgson's first game being the Black Country derby against
relegation rivals Wolves – straight in to the deep end it is then.

Each week we bring you our latest chart of the managers under pressure, and
those on Easy Street.
Here's Sportsmail's sack-race rankings - otherwise known as the Firing Line.

1
West Ham - Avram Grant
Credit where it is due, not many teams leave West Brom with a positive
result after being 3-0 down at half-time. But a draw is still not good
enough and the Hammers remain in deep trouble. NON-MOVER

2
Birmingham City - Alex McLeish
Home form has taken a nose dive in recent weeks and the Blues will have to
improve that to avoid getting sucked back in to what is already a very tight
relegation battle. NON-MOVER

3
Wigan - Roberto Martinez
Dumped out the FA Cup by Bolton but judging by his squad selection for that
game will not lose any sleep over it. Premier League survival is all that
matters with Wigan in the bottom three. UP TWO

4

Wolves - Mick McCarthy
Nobody expected Wolves to take even a point at Arsenal but as the saying
goes 'beggars can't be choosers' and three points off safety at the bottom,
McCarthy's side are playing catch up. UP TWO
5

Aston Villa - Gerard Houllier
At arm's length of the relegation zone but Villa are a different team now
Darren Bent is in the side and over the coming weeks are likely to start
edging towards the safety of mid-table. DOWN TWO

6
Chelsea - Carlo Ancelotti
Twelve games ago Chelsea were top of the table, 12 games left and they look
out of the title race. Roman Abramovich would have expected more than a
battle for a Champions League spot. UP TWO
7

Blackburn - Steve Kean
Jury remains out on whether Kean is the man for the job but he has kept
control of the wheel reasonably well so far, with Blackburn sitting safe in
mid-table. DOWN THREE
8

Sunderland - Steve Bruce
Three straight defeats have seen Sunderland concede plenty of ground to
Liverpool in the race for Europe. A weekend off could do the world of good
for Bruce's demoralised side. UP TWO
9

Man City - Roberto Mancini
Will now be getting fed up of not beating Manchester United, but Mancini has
no time to dwell with Spurs and Chelsea hot on their heels and cup fixtures
coming up from all angles. NON-MOVER
10

Fulham - Mark Hughes
Watched his side give a textbook lesson in how to defend against Chelsea and
was desperately unlucky to not grab all three points. Fulham are starting to
click under Hughes. DOWN TWO
11

Everton - David Moyes
To say the defeat at Bolton was the worst he had seen his side play is a
bold statement from a man who has been in charge nine years. Never has Moyes
look so disheartened at Everton. UP ONE
12

Newcastle - Alan Pardew
Newcastle are not missing Carroll at all and if seventh in the league opens
up in to a Europa League place then the Toon Army have an eye on securing
European football next term. DOWN ONE
13

Stoke City - Tony Pulis
Whether it's home form keeping them out of trouble or away form preventing
them contesting a place in Europe is up for debate. It all points towards
mid-table come May though. UP ONE
14

Bolton - Owen Coyle
Fulham away in the FA Cup next for Bolton, but having lost their last six
games away the omens do not look good, the same applies to their chances of
European football next season. DOWN ONE
15

West Bromwich Albion - Vacant
With his reputation in English football going from dizzy highs to rock
bottom lows in just six months, Hodgson has a chance to end his personal
season on a high by keeping the Baggies up. NEW ENTRY

16
Tottenham - Harry Redknapp
On the pitch things could not be going better but off it Redknapp is facing
a trial for tax evasion, Spurs may have to think about covering their bases
should they lose their star manager. NON-MOVER
17

Blackpool - Ian Holloway
Stopped the rot with a draw against Villa following five consecutive
defeats. But for the first time this season Blackpool do not look confident
and they are slipping fast down the table. DOWN TWO
18

Liverpool - Kenny Dalglish
Solid if not spectacular start as manager of Liverpool in Europe. Looking
good for another attempt next season, but will still have one eye on a
Champions League spot. DOWN ONE
19

Arsenal - Arsene Wenger
Outplayed Barcelona on their way to a famous victory and not many teams in
the world have had the joy of saying that in the last few years. That
quadruple bid still looks healthy. NON-MOVER
20

Man United - Sir Alex Ferguson
Probably still purring from that Wayne Rooney goal which could prove of
massive importance come the end of the season if United win a record 19th
top flight title. But for now Crawley await...NON-MOVER

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 17th February 2011

Cristian stakes a claim
WHUFC.com
Cristian Montano marked his first start at left-back with an outstanding
goal for the reserves
16.02.2011

Cristian Montano will travel with a strong squad to Chelsea this afternoon
looking to build on his impressive reserve-team progress. The 19-year-old is
in confident mood, following last week's Barclays Premier Reserve League 4-1
victory at West Bromwich Albion. Not only did he belt in an unstoppable
30-yard screamer, but he also produced an impressive performance on his
first-ever run out as a left-back. Montano, who won the Doris Bell Award for
the best player in the Academy and finished as the youth team's top scorer
last season, has recently returned from injury and is aiming to finish his
first campaign as a professional on a high. The Colombian-born player told
West Ham TV of his delight at putting in an all-round performance against
the Baggies, combining his trademark dribbling skills with an impressive
array of defensive talents, most notably his aerial prowess in repelling set
pieces.
The undisputed highlight of his afternoon, though, was the wonder goal he
smashed past West Brom goalkeeper Ryan Allsop three minutes before
half-time. "I think we crossed it from the right-hand side, they cleared it
out and I controlled it. I heard people calling my name and shouting 'Cross
it, cross it!' but I looked up and saw Olly Lee behind three defenders. "I
thought about it and heard someone else say 'Shoot' so I took a touch and
saw the goalkeeper was to one side so I went for it and hit a clean strike
into the top corner. You can't ask for more! "We all enjoyed it and, apart
from the goals we scored, the three points is the most important thing.
Playing away and getting a good result is a good thing, so well done to the
lads."

West Ham's victory saw them leapfrog today's opponents Chelsea into fourth
place in the Southern Division and, with games in-hand on the three teams
above them, the Hammers' second-string have hopes of ending the season on a
high. Montano is eager to play his part, whatever position he is asked to
fill. "It was quite good. It's the first time I've played there so I didn't
think I was going to do that well, especially getting a goal as well from 30
yards!
"I've played left-back in training but not in an actual game. The lads
encouraged me and told me that I could do it because I had done it in
training, so I went out there to show that I can play in another position.
"I'd consider playing as a defender and if I'm asked to then obviously I
would, but I'm an attacking player. When I play on the wing, I have to track
my defender which is obviously a similar role, but I usually spend most of
my time attacking.
"Obviously when I play on the wing I get more freedom to go forward, whereas
when I play at left-back I have to be more disciplined. I thought I played
quite well there and it will be useful for the future."

* West Ham reserves travel to Chelsea's Cobham training ground to face the
Blues at 2pm. As ever, there will be live text updates on whufc.com.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hitz plays, Benni scores
WHUFC.com
The reserves left the management with plenty of food for thought after a
competitive contest
16.02.2011

Thomas Hitzlsperger continued his comeback while Benni McCarthy returned to
scoring ways as the reserves just lost out to Chelsea by the odd goal in a
seven-goal thriller on Wednesday. German international Hitzlsperger was
playing his second match in a week, having got an hour in a 4-1 win at West
Bromwich Albion seven days previously. There were plenty of other positives,
with McCarthy looking sharp in a 45-minute run-out capped by a clinical goal
- a timely strike as he is potentially eligible for Monday night's FA Cup
fifth round visit of Burnley. Elsewhere, young forward Freddie Sears and
Zavon Hines also got on the score-sheet and winger Pablo Barrera did well
with two assists. All three will also hope to be in Avram Grant's thoughts
for the cup date, with a quarter-final place at stake for the winners. The
team were taken by Kevin Keen, with Wally Downes also involved on the
sidelines at Chelsea's smart Cobham training ground. Ultimately, the Blues
had the edge with their established reserve side - featuring first-team
prospect Josh McEachran and hat-trick hero Fabio Borini - nicking it at the
end through Milan Lalkovic's winner.

"The lads showed good resilience," said Downes. "We came back from losing an
early goal to take the lead 2-1 and then got it back to 3-3. We showed a
really positive attitude and were just unfortunate to lose out in an end to
end finish to what was a competitive contest. "Thomas got through 70 minutes
which was always the plan. It is another step forward on his comeback and
hopefully he will feel good in the morning. Up front, Freddie got better and
took his goal well, while Zavon was always dangerous."

There was also special mention for the professionalism of South Africa
striker McCarthy, who looked lively throughout and scored a well-taken goal.
"Benni played well and would have played for longer. He only came off
because he got a whack and it left him with a dead leg. It is nothing
serious and he was sharp. He took his goal very well and showed he is a
natural finisher."

The first-team squad will step up their preparation for Burnley with a
special team-building awayday on Thursday. They will then be in for a
lighter session on Friday before the intensity picks up again as usual in
the two days preceding the match on Saturday and Sunday. "It is a good
opportunity to change things a bit this week," added Downes. "Morale is good
and everyone is looking forward to the next match."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Leyton Orient want 2012 Olympic Stadium decision delayed
BBC.co.uk

Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has written to Prime Minister David
Cameron asking him to look into the decision to award the Olympic Stadium to
West Ham. The Hammers were named preferred bidders but Orient, the club
closest to the site, believe their existence would be threatened by their
arrival. Hearn said he asked Cameron and Mayor of London Boris Johnson "not
to rubber-stamp West Ham's move at this stage". "Give us the respect, the
decency and the right to put our case forward."

Hearn said he is also consulting lawyers about possibly launching a judicial
review. That could significantly delay the process of confirming West Ham's
tenancy at the venue in Stratford, east London. Hearn has outlined his
concerns to Cameron and Johnson as well as Jeremy Hunt, secretary of state
for Culture, Media and Sport, and Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport and the
Olympics. "How on earth has nobody even considered us and how on earth has
the government or Premier League, or anybody else, not even had the respect
to discuss it with us?" said Hearn. "It's a question of due process and
whether the Olympic Park Legacy Committee, the Department for Culture, Media
and Sport and even the Prime Minister have given consideration to Leyton
Orient in these discussions. "The government has a responsibility to take
into account all the effects of any ruling they take. "We are awaiting what
I assume is a rubber-stamp decision from Boris Johnson and the DCMS to award
West Ham the stadium. "But I find it incredible they would even consider
making the decision before undergoing due process in regard to the effect on
the incumbent football club."

Hearn's major concern is with the suggestions from West Ham that they would
offer free and heavily discounted tickets upon their arrival in the new
ground. Their average Premier League attendance this season is about 33,500,
with the Olympic Stadium likely to hold around 60,000. Hearn fears the
incentives on offer to locals to fill the ground could force his club, based
within a mile of the Olympic site, to the wall. "The comments last week
about the number of complimentary tickets available and family tickets for
the price of a single ticket have grave implications for our club," he
added. "Leyton Orient has been in existence for 130 years and by any stretch
of the imagination we are the incumbent club. "To have a giant like West Ham
on our doorstep offering discounted and free tickets would seriously bring
into question the survival of Leyton Orient. "We have asked our lawyers
about the benefits or otherwise of a full judicial review where we will be
challenging the right of the government to make that decision. "I have
written to David Cameron, Boris Johnson, Hugh Robertson and Jeremy Hunt
asking them not to rubber-stamp West Ham's move at this stage and at least
give us the respect, the decency and the right to put our case forward about
the continuation of our football club."

Leyton Orient's current home, the Matchroom Stadium, is 2.1 miles from
Stratford, according to the AA's route planner. It seats 9,271 spectators
but currently averages less than 5,000 and has only exceeded that figure
three times this season. West Ham's home at the Boleyn Ground is 2.4 miles
away, and 4.2 miles from Orient.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Orient to contest Olympic move
Orient chief refuses to be 'bullied' by football authorities
By Rachel Griffiths - Follow me on Twitter @SkySportsRachG Last updated:
16th February 2011
SSN

Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has revealed he is consulting lawyers
over the decision to give West Ham the Olympic Stadium. Hearn has written to
Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Boris Johnson asking them to
delay the confirmation of the Hammers as the future tenant of the venue
after they were named preferred bidders by the Olympic Park Legacy Company
board last week. Orient could launch a judicial review as they look to prove
football authorities failed to follow due process by ignoring the impact
West Ham's move to Stratford will have on the League One outfit.

Concerns

The showpiece £537million Olympic Stadiumis situated close to Orient's
Brisbane Road, and the club have continually voiced concerns that the
arrival of fellow East Londoners the Hammers could swamp the smaller outfit.
Hearn is set to hold talks with Premier League chief executive Richard
Scudamore to seek reassurance over the sustainability of Orient on Friday,
insisting the Hammers' relocation could spell the end of the club. He told
Sky Sports News: "We are taking legal advice as to one, whether due process
has been followed, in other words, has consideration been given by the
government, by the Olympic Legacy people to the future sustainability of
Leyton Orient Football Club, never mind West Ham? "The second argument is,
are the Premier League themselves in breach of their own rules by
sanctioning a move by a club closer to a resident football league club which
would have an adverse effect on its sustainability. "I don't like bullies, I
don't like to feel I'm being bullied, and I think the best way is to back a
bully up." He added: "There's no doubt in my mind, and I think a blind man
would say, that they can see West Ham moving to the Olympic Stadium will
have an enormous adverse effect on Leyton Orient. "So my question to Richard
Scudamore is, what are you going to do for us? How can you help us achieve
our sustainability, bearing in mind this does seem to be a pretty prima
facie breach of your own rules."

Hearn, whose club take on Arsenal in the fifth round of the FA Cup this
weekend, insists the matter is close to his own heart, and is certain West
Ham's move would not be in the best interests of the East London community.

Important
He added: "This is something that's very important to me, it's important to
the community of East London, it's important to the fans of Leyton Orient
Football Club. "Whereas I expect my players against Arsenal on Sunday to
give 100 per cent, I can guarantee you one thing, I will give 101 per cent
in this fight. "This club is a too important part of this community to let
it just die and I don't think we've been considered properly by the people
in high office when they've been making their Olympic decisions."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Orient's Olympic Stadium anger
The Sun
By JUSTIN ALLEN
Published: 16 Feb 2011

BARRY HEARN says he will fight Premier League and government "bullies" over
West Ham's move into the Olympic Stadium. Leyton Orient chairman Hearn
claims he has not been contacted by anyone from the Premier League or
government to discuss the impact on his club. And he will take legal action
if they refuse to consult with Orient before the move is rubber-stamped by
London Mayor Boris Johnson. Hearn has talks with Premier League chief
Richard Scudamore tomorrow. The O's Brisbane Road ground is close to the
Olympic Stadium, and Hearn fears West Ham could put Orient out of business.
He said: "We have not been shown respect by the Premier League or
government. They are big bullies, who just think they will get their way.
"This is a matter of life and death - and they've picked on the wrong guy."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
I'll raise the Ba with my pal Carlton
The Sun
Published: Today

DEMBA BA believes his partnership with Carlton Cole can save West Ham from
relegation. Ba struck twice and Cole once as the Hammers came back from 3-0
down to salvage a draw at drop zone rivals West Brom on Saturday. The
Senegal hitman, a £6million January buy from Hoffenheim, said: "I definitely
think myself and Carlton can work together. "With Carlton it was very nice
because we have a certain friendship. "I'm very happy with my two goals but
very tired as it is a long time since I played from the beginning."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Faubert set for second chance at West Ham
By talkSPORT
Wednesday, February 16

Julien Faubert looks set to be given the chance to get his West Ham career
back on track after storming out of Upton Park last week - after turning out
for the reserves. Faubert must have thought his days in east London were
numbered after he refused to sit on the substitutes' bench for the recent
1-0 defeat against Birmingham. The French international failed to make the
squad of 16 and left the ground in disappointment - despite being needed as
an emergency late call-up following an injury to James Tomkins. Grant was
unhappy with Faubert's attitude and said the matter would be dealt with
internally - but the Frenchman could be back in his plans after completing
the full 90 minutes in a 4-3 reserve team defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday
afternoon. Grant was also boosted by another successful run-out for German
international Thomas Hitzlsperger, who came through 70 minutes unscathed and
is set to make his first-team debut against Burnley in the FA Cup fifth
round on Monday night. Hitzlsperger has yet to feature for the club
following his move from Lazio last summer after he suffered a thigh injury
playing for Germany against Denmark and needed surgery to clear up a muscle
tear.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Premier League club's scheme is no-go - Hearn
5:17pm Wednesday 16th February 2011
Guardian Series

SEASON ticket giveaways by West Ham at the Olympic Stadium would break rules
governing football, claimed Orient chairman Barry Hearn. "Premier League
rules and Football League rules are there to be followed," said Hearn today
(Wednesday). "It is black and white: they will not sanction a move by a club
closer to another club, if it has an adverse effect on that club. A blind
man could see it (West Ham's plan) will have an adverse effect." Hammers'
chief executive Karren Brady this week promised to sell tickets at
knock-down prices for games at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford. West Ham
Utd risk "devastating" the League One outfit at the Matchroom Stadium, where
the capacity is 9,300. "It's 750 yards from the Olympic park here, said
Hearn. "The idea I hear that West Ham are going to give away family season
tickets for the price of one season ticket, that will have a devastating
effect on our football club."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Essex CCC works with Irons on stadium
10:50am Wednesday 16th February 2011
East London Guardian

CRICKET: Essex County Cricket Club say they are working closely with West
Ham to make their dream of staging Twenty20 games at the Olympic Stadium a
reality. The cricket club was a vital part of the Hammer's successful bid to
take over the 60,000 all-seater stadium when the 2012 Games has finished.
The plan is for Essex to play some of their Twenty20 fixtures in Stratford,
although their current base at the Ford County Ground, in Chelmsford, would
remain their home ground. Essex would use the Olympic Stadium as a "festival
ground", much in the same way as they have used grounds at Colchester and
Southend at times during recent seasons. Playing at the stadium would also
allow Essex festival cricket to return close to the west of the county for
the first time since the festival week at Ilford's Valentines Park was axed
in 2002 to save money. The stadium could also be used play by England for
future international Twenty20 matches. Essex's chief executive David East
said: "We are delighted that West Ham has been confirmed as the preferred
bidder for the legacy use of the Olympic Stadium. "We have been supporting
the West Ham and Newham Council bid for many months and exploring the
possibilities of staging Twenty20 cricket in the stadium as part of its
multi-sport use. "The bid still needs to be ratified by the Government and
the London Mayor's office, and we clearly hope this will be agreed so we can
start working with West Ham to bring this vision to fruition."

l Honorary Football League president Lord Mawhinney claimed it would be
"cowardly" for the Government to reject the recommendation of the Olympic
Park Legacy Company that West Ham should take over the London 2012 stadium
after the Games. The former chairman of the Football League said at question
time in the House of Lords yesterday: "It would be a weak and cowardly
decision to reverse what the legacy organisation has already decided as far
as the Olympics is concerned." The OPLC board unanimously backed West Ham
and rejected Tottenham's bid for the £537 million Olympic Stadium on Friday.
Ministers and the London Mayor's office now have to approve the decisions.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 16th February 2011

Wally hails fan spirit
WHUFC.com
Wally Downes has praised the unstinting support for West Ham United at West
Bromwich Albion
15.02.2011

Wally Downes has paid tribute to West Ham United's fans for sticking with
their side in Saturday's amazing 3-3 Barclays Premier League draw at West
Bromwich Albion. The Hammers went in three goals down at half-time after an
indifferent first-half performance, only for two goals from Demba Ba and one
from Carlton Cole to headline an outstanding comeback after the break. Coach
Downes was happy with the players' resilience, but equally impressed with
the spirit shown by the 2,500-odd travelling supporters who urged their team
on at The Hawthorns.

"It was massively important that we got a goal early in the second half and
it was even more important that we got three! The good thing was that it
gave the fans some hope and equally it gave us hope. "The way the fans stuck
with us at 3-0 down - I imagine they were fuming at half-time and so were we
- and went for the whole 95 minutes and still had that hope and belief that
we were going to get the winner was terrific. "I'm so pleased with the fact
that we gave the fans who were there some cheer in the second half and some
hope. "We'll be fine. We're a middle-table side on current form at the
moment and we've just got to keep that belief and commitment. As long as
we've got those fans shouting for us at home and away, I'm sure we'll be
fine."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Noble cause for all
WHUFC.com
The long-serving midfielder said the team had taken great strength from
their weekend comeback
15.02.2011

Mark Noble has hailed the collective spirit that inspired West Ham United to
a precious point at West Bromwich Albion. The midfielder had a hand in all
three goals as the Hammers roared out of the blocks after half-time,
following a disappointing first half that had seen three goals against.
Noble said quite a few things were said during the interval, with the
determination apparent in all. "It was a bit of everyone, really, not just
the staff, because everyone was so disappointed. Emotions were running high.
It isn't the most ideal result for us, but I'm sure we can pull out a lot of
positives from our performance in the second half and go into the next game
against Burnley with some confidence. "It was a good second half, but we
can't start the way we did. It wasn't good enough and we got punished.
Credit to the lads, though, because things were said at half-time and we
showed a bit of pride and didn't let the away fans who travelled up there
down."

Noble said the West Brom experience was a wake-up call to the whole team.
"That's what happens in this league, because no matter where you are in the
table, there are quality players out there. "With their manager going and a
new manager coming in, everyone obviously wanted to impress and keep their
place in the team and that obviously showed in the first half. In the second
half, though, as soon as we got that first goal we sensed that they were on
the back foot and we could really push on. "We had a few really good chances
and were gutted to not come away with the win in the end."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Lee targets Chelsea victory
WHUFC.com
Olly Lee is looking forward to the challenge of facing Chelsea in the
Barclays Premier Reserve League
15.02.2011

West Ham United will travel to Chelsea on Wednesday keen to build on last
week's impressive 4-1 Barclays Premier Reserve League victory at West
Bromwich Albion. Radoslav Kovac, Cristian Montano, Olly Lee and Freddie
Sears were all on target as the second-string recorded a comprehensive win
over the Baggies. Midfielder Lee believes the confidence drawn from that
result and performance will stand the Hammers in good stead when they take
on the Blues at their Cobham training ground. The 19-year-old also had words
of praise for first-team coach Kevin Keen, who has taken control of the
reserves on a temporary basis following the departure of Alex Dyer to become
assistant manager at Charlton Athletic. "It was a really good result. We
started off a bit slow but then we changed the formation and it really
worked. Everyone upped their game and we played really well. "The senior
boys come down and don't treat it as a training session. They do it properly
and work hard for the team. It might not mean as much to them as it does for
us reserve-team regulars, but they've still got to play and get their
fitness levels up and it's nice for everyone that they give their best.
"Kovi is one of those who has played a few times for us. He obviously
wouldn't want to be playing in the reserves but when he comes down, he gives
his all, helps everyone else out and is good for everyone to have around."

Looking forward to the trip to Chelsea, Lee is eager to maintain the
Hammers' recent return to winning ways. "Cobham is always a nice place to go
and play football, so we'll be doing all we can to turn them over. We played
them at home in November and lost narrowly. It was a close game and we lost
2-1. They just edged us on the night and we didn't play as well as we could.
"Hopefully we will turn up tomorrow and get a win."

Lee had words of praise for recently-departed manager Dyer, while also
thanking Keen for stepping in and ensuring things run smoothly while the
club goes through the process of appointing a replacement. "Alex is
obviously a big miss because he was a top bloke to have around and he lit
the place up. Kev has come in and taken over and he's done brilliantly, to
be fair. He's certainly the right person to oversee the transition period
because everyone likes him and enjoys working with him."

Wednesday's match could see Thomas Hitzlsperger make his second reserve-team
start following his return from a long-term thigh injury, while the likes of
Marek Stech, Zavon Hines, Freddie Sears and Julien Faubert will also be
hoping to impress ahead of Monday's FA Cup fifth-round visit of Burnley.
Kick-off at Cobham on Wednesday is at 2pm. whufc.com will have team news and
live text updates from 1pm.

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Bring the noise
KUMB.com
Filed: Saturday, 12th February 2011
By: Paul Turner

The decision has been made and West Ham United has been given the nod as the
preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium by the OPLC.

The debate has been raging for a long time about the merits and
disadvantages of the prospect of moving to the Olympic Stadium but now the
debate has to move onto what we as a fan base want to see in the stadium
with regards to the match day experience.

A winning team is a pretty easy one to nail down but what else is on the
table? Apart from the quality of beer and food, the new roof and ticket
prices among many things the most important issue has to be the experience
of watching a football match in the middle of a stadium configured for
athletics. Earlier I was reading the Evening Standard and I came across an
article from one Jermaine Jenas. An 'exclusive', at that.

After going through Jenas' article I honestly though 'Rubbish Footballers
make for Dull Articles' would have made for a better strap line.
Nonetheless, Jermaine admits the Tottenham players have not talked about the
possibility of playing at a different stadium for Tottenham while then
repeating the mantra of the 30,000 season ticket holder waiting list. Yeah,
right. He then goes on to give his own opinion of stadiums with running
tracks. He said:

"I've played at a number of grounds with a track during my club and
international career and the atmosphere is a lot duller than it is if the
fans are closer to the pitch. They feel distant; the view isn't as good and
the fans and players don't have the same connection because everything is so
much further away.

"It's hard to get anything going with the crowd because only those on the
side of the pitch have got a decent view. The atmosphere is definitely worse
and it's almost like you're playing in the park."

I honestly thought that was an incredibly patronising thing to say. Has
Jermaine bothered to ask the fans of Dinamo Bucharest if they feel 'distant'
from the players or if the Spartak Moscow supporters have a bad view of the
action - or the people who watch Al-Ahly and Zamalek in the Cairo National
Stadium (well, not right now but you get the jist) if they can't get
anything going?

I think they proved with a revolution there is no problem getting 'anything
going' in Cairo. It's not up to Jenas to unilaterally decide that playing in
stadiums that host both football and athletic are dull. Anyone is welcome to
search on youtube or any other video website for home matches of the teams
mentioned. There is a plethora of both spontaneous and organised shows of
support for the home side.

I go over Dagenham and Redbridge's ground, Victoria Road a fair few times a
season. There are people who go who enjoy standing in The Sieve and having a
song and a laugh. Its honest to say though that the ground is not a
groundswell of loud, consistent chanting and noise making and up until two
seasons ago three sides of the ground had terracing. To me terracing these
days and vociferous support are not intrinsically connected. The crux of
what I am trying to get at is the main issue that West Ham fans face. No
matter the stadium, no matter the type of stand, as a group of supporters
you make the occasion and you make the atmosphere.

I have been reading on and off the Ultra thread in the General Discussion
and when most people think of ultras on the continent its of banners,
organised displays of support, flares etc. Over here the closest I have seen
to the ultras scene has been support like Aldershot's. Last season I
particularly liked the banner they made for Dagenham mocking them for losing
5-2 in their match earlier that season, only for the Daggers to score three
second half goals to win 3-2 buts that's going off on a tangent.

Accrington Stanley also has a reputation for a good level of support through
a number of means (banners, monetary, chanting for example). Going away from
the organised group of support at time people have held up Stoke City as an
example of when the crowd in general backs its side for prolonged periods of
time. The general groundswell of noise created at the Britannia can make the
opposition support think twice about starting up a bit of support of their
own.

Moving forward to when West Ham United enter the Olympic Stadium for the
start of the 2014/15 season I feel we have to hit the ground running. There
is no need for a section of the ground to be sectioned off as a singing
section (no need for a Reclaim the Shed campaign). There is no need for club
bought banners to cover the front of the upper tiers. What I think is needed
is for a general agreement and acknowledgement that we as fans can do better
then we have done this season and before at the Boleyn and that we can
rubbish the views of people like Jenas who say it wont work.

Do you really want Alan Sugar and Harry Redknapp to be proven right? The
club can help to facilitate people with season tickets - say for example in
the Sir Trevs Lower with the move to the Olympic Stadium so the stand is
'replicated' in terms of people - but it's down to us to make our support
count.

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Downes thanks Hammers fans
Coach believes support from the stands helped to inspire fightback
Last updated: 15th February 2011
SSN

Wally Downes has thanked West Ham's supporters for keeping faith with the
players at West Brom on Saturday. The Hammers endured a terrible opening 45
minutes against their relegation rivals at The Hawthorns, with a 3-0 deficit
at the break seemingly ending any hope they had of leaving the Midlands with
anything to show for their efforts. The optimism which had greeted the
decision to name the club as the preferred bidders for the Olympic Stadium
was disappearing fast, with there every chance another nail could be
hammered into their Premier League coffin. Few could have foreseen what was
to follow, with a remarkable fightback seeing West Ham snatch the
unlikeliest of points. Two goals from Demba Ba and one from his strike
partner Carlton Cole saw the Hammers turn the tie on its head and end the
game disappointed not to have claimed a morale-boosting win.

Cheer

Downes believes the unwavering support offered by a travelling contingent of
some 2,500 fans helped to keep hope alive, with it imperative that similar
backing is offered over the remainder of the season if the club are to steer
clear of trouble. The Hammers' first-team coach told the club's official
website: "I imagine they were fuming at half-time and so we were we, [but]
the way the fans stuck with us at 3-0 down and went for the whole 95 minutes
and still had hope and belief that we were going to get the winner was
terrific. "I'm so pleased with the fact we gave our fans who were there some
cheer in the second half, and some hope. "As long as we've got those fans
shouting for us at home and away, I'm sure we'll be fine."

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Mark's fighting a Noble cause
The Sun
Published: Today

MARK NOBLE admits it would be unthinkable for West Ham to be playing
Championship football in the Olympic Stadium. The midfielder, 23, has warned
team-mates not to let the club's hard work in securing the 50,000-seater in
Stratford be marred by relegation. Noble said: "It's a Premier League ground
and that's where we must be when we go there. "Hopefully we've got enough
firepower now and we can push up the table."

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West Ham's Downes non-plussed by first-half defensive failings
Romford Recorder
Dave Evans, West Ham Correspondent
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
4:38 PM

WEST HAM'S defensive coach Wally Downes must have been asking himself some
serious questions at half time on Saturday. The team had been awful and his
defence the most awful of all, so what was the reason for such a dismal,
embarrassing surrender? The former Brentford manager stood in silence for a
moment and considered the question, perhaps considered the wisdom of
agreeing to an interview in the first place. "It is difficult to say," he
muttered thoughtfully. "You could say that Manuel Da Costa, who came in, has
not played with Winston Reid. There are lots of things that you can try to
put your finger on. We will certainly have to look at the video before we
can find some answers. "In the second half we were more dangerous. We made
them defend and in the first half, I don't think we made them defend enough
because when we applied the pressure they were found wanting."

So, the old attack is the best form of defence ploy was the one that worked
in the end, but surely whoever was in the starting line-up on Saturday,
should have been better prepared for what was coming up? "I said to the
fellas before the game that we are a better team than them and if you
prepare yourself properly and believe you are going to win, then you will
win," said Downes. "In the first half we didn't do that, but there is no way
we are three goals worse than West Brom. I don't think we are three goals
worse than most teams in this division, so after a few choice words at half
time, we turned it around. "We are not three goals worse than them," he
repeated. "If anything we are a three-goal better team than them, but we let
ourselves down in the first half."

That is something of an understatement, but Downes was delighted with the
way things went after the break. "You have to take your hat off to the
players who came on and the players who came out in the second half," he
said. "It was an absolutely magnificent effort to drag themselves back from
a performance that they would not have been proud of in the first half.
"They knew they had let themselves down and hadn't played well enough in the
first half and the way we have been playing recently - picking up points -
that was a disservice to them."

By the end, parity had been restored, but in all honesty there were still
plenty of failings in West Ham's defence. Reid looked raw and was horribly
exposed time and again by Peter Odemwingie, Da Costa looked reckless at
times and his positional ability left a lot to be desired. West Ham have let
in 48 league goals this season. Only Blackpool with 50 and West Brom with 51
have conceded more, but Downes believes that they can come good and get
themselves out of this mess. "If you look at the three strikers we had out
there in the second half, Cole, Piquionne and Ba, there are goals there," he
said. "The more games Da Costa plays, when Tomkins gets fit, Upson as well.
"We are a mid-table side on current form and that is where we will finish
up. "We just have to keep that belief and commitment and as long as we have
got those fans shouting for us, I'm sure we will be fine."

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Reserves: Arsenal v West Ham Utd - Rearranged
Arsenal.com

Please note that the venue and kick off time have been changed for our
Premier Reserve League game away to West Ham United Reserves.

Originally due to kick off at 2pm at West Ham United's Academy, the game
will now take place as under:

West Ham United Reserves v Arsenal Reserves
Tuesday 1st March 2011
Kick off 7.00pm
At Bishop's Stortford FC

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Hammers midfielder praises response against West Brom
1:59pm Tuesday 15th February 2011
Guardian Series

MARK NOBLE believes West Ham's dramatic comeback at West Brom can be the
wake up call the team needs to blast their way out of trouble. The
midfielder, who had a hand in all three of the Hammers' goals at the
Hawthorns on Saturday, admitted a few voices were raised in the dressing
room at half-time, with the visitors trailing by three goals. "It was a bit
of everyone, really, not just the staff, because everyone was so
disappointed," said Noble. "Emotions were running high. It isn't the most
ideal result for us, but I'm sure we can pull a lot of positives from our
performance in the second half and go into the next game against Burnley
with some confidence. "It was a good second half, but we can't start the way
we did. It wasn't good enough and we got punished. Credit to the lads,
though, because things were said at half-time and we showed a bit of pride
and didn't let the away fans who travelled up there down. "We had a few
really good chances and were gutted to not come away with the win in the
end."

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Spurs hooligans jailed for organised fight with West Ham thugs
www.tottenhamjournal.co.uk
By COURT REPORTER
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
12:43 PM

FOOTBALL thugs including a Spurs "General" have been caged for a total of
six years over an organised brawl after a Premiership match. The men joined
a surge of up to 60 troublemakers following the Tottenham Hotspur and West
Ham fixture at Upton Park in 2009. Violence errupted near the ground on
August 23 after Spurs won 2-1, Inner London Crown Court heard. Spurs
"General" Kieran Colletta, 44, and Simon Howlett, 47, rounded up yobs to
confront a Hammers gang who were armed with bottles and glasses on Mile End
Road, led by Anthony Caton, 43. Craig Molski, 32, ran up and down behind the
police line trying to get at West Ham fans. Bottles flew and smashed on CCTV
cameras and Colletta, of Dimsdale Drive, Enfield, could "clearly be seen"
hurling one at rivals. David Lamb, 41, made provocative gestures at West Ham
enemies.

Ringleaders arranged the clash at a summit meeting near a pub shortly
beforehand. Innocent passers-by were forced to dash for cover, and police
feared the situation "would spiral out of control" as they were outnumbered.
The five men, who all have various previous convictions, all denied affray
but were found guilty by a jury. Jailing them today, Tuesday, February 15,
Judge Robert Fraser said: "There's no doubt that football violence is a
scourge on the sport." He said the "serious affray" had put police in an
"exceedingly difficult and dangerous position," adding: "Both the police and
the public were clearly put in the centre of the threats and violence that
resulted. "Each of you played a different part in the affray, but you all
quite obviously participated and contributed to it."

Colletta, who said he was "embarrassed and ashamed" about his role in the
brawl, was jailed for two years for "leading and organising the Spurs
group".
He had four convictions between 1982 and 1990 for blackmail, possessing
stolen goods, possession of an offensive weapon and obstructing a police
officer.
His lawyer Keiran Moroney said: "Perhaps this disorder would have happened
whether he was there or not, and he has been singled out in various ways.
"He had lived an honest life, outside of his involvement with Tottenham
Hotspur and football violence."

Judge Fraser acknowledged Colletta's sentence would have "tragic"
consequences for his family, but said: "It is your actions that have put you
in this position, and I am afraid they are going to have to suffer the
consequences."

Howlett received a reduced sentence of eight months after the court heard he
was the sole carer for his two children aged 14 and 12, one of whom is
physically disabled. Molksi, formerly of Flower Lane, Mill Hill, was jailed
for 10 months, while Lamb, of Kerrison Road, Wandsworth, got eight months.

West Ham's "organiser" Caton, of Paul Street, Hackney, was jailed for 22
months. All were banned from attending football matches involving their team
for six years, and from travelling to major football tournaments abroad. A
sixth man admitted affray and will be sentenced on March 4 while reports are
undertaken.

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Good Week/Bad Week in Serie A
By Terry Daley
http://www.sabotagetimes.com
Posted: 15 February 2011

Football Italia may have long left our screens, but if you still have a
craving for cappuccino then check out our weekly Serie A round-up. Caution:
this post contains bad news for all West Ham fans about their new Olympic
stadium.

Any West Ham fans wondering what it's like to watch their team from a
stadium designed for Olympics should pop over to Rome. I recently had a
chat with a few Roma fans about what they thought of their Stadio Olimpico,
and specifically the experience of watching football behind a running track.
Anyone who's spent any time in Italian stadia will know what kind of
response I got, but just in case anyone is in any doubt , there is very
little to recommend about being a good 20 metres from the goal line.

So before Roma v Brescia I grabbed a couple of locals, luckily a pair who'd
spent some time in England watching football. This is hardly uncommon;
Italian football fans retain a healthy respect for - even fear of - English
football, English stadiums and England in general. This Anglophilia
manifests itself in different ways: for the middle class kids England is the
home of pop music and style, a civilised country where everything is
egalitarian and corruption doesn't exist, where the streets are paved with
gold and everything is possible. Meanwhile, for the kids in the curva,
England is terrace style, excessive drinking and a jolly good dust up. The
middle classes dress like indie boys and drink tea in pubs which cover their
walls with portraits of Princess Diana*; the curva boys bastardise the
casual look to a point past parody's distant horizon and read all the second
rate hoolie porn they can get their hands on. To give you an idea of how
much respect they have for our game, I was repeatedly told we were going to
win the World Cup. Seriously.

So it was no surprise to hear Filippo and Alessandro lament 'poor Hammers',
'our stadium is crap' they said and expressed their shock that England might
be going the Italian way. Make no mistake, this is a disaster for West Ham,
a move that the club has foisted on its fans without once bothering to ask
them, and one that stupefies every Roma or Lazio fan I talk to. Lazio
president Claudio Lotito said late last week that he would have a new
purpose-built stadium ready within three years of being given the council's
permission, and today Unicredit bank will decide who will have the right to
buy Roma from the Sensi family: each bid had to contain plans for a new
ground.

It was no surprise to hear Filippo and Alessandro lament 'poor Hammers',
'our stadium is crap' they said
Down at the bottom of the Curva Sud it's easy to see why clubs are so
desperate to move away from their dusty municipal bowls; it is impossible to
see anything that's happening at the other end, which is where Napoli spent
most of the first half on Saturday night, dominating Roma. Thankfully for
those in the Sud who were interested in watching the game, we got a jolly
good view of the Azzurri ripping Roma to pieces in the second half, making
it clear that their title challenge is for real. Edinson Cavani bagged his
19th and 20th goals of the season, while all around me people spat
quasi-racist abuse about what a bunch of terrible stinking gypsies the
Napolitani are.

For those who haven't followed Italian football since it was hoiked off
Channel 4, this has been something of a strange season: the circus show that
is Milan are top, with coach Massimiliano Allegri somehow keeping the egos
of Robinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Antonio Cassano in check; Cavani's Napoli
are three points behind second and Lazio - who were almost relegated last
year - are a further three points back in third. Juve, who on Sunday night
beat deadly rivals Inter 1-0 to the soundtrack of anti-Samuel Eto'o racist
chanting, are well off the pace. As are the champions, in fact, who are now
eight point behind Milan after that defeat. Meanwhile, little old Udinese
are flying, free-wheeling their way up to fifth table thanks to some of the
most cavalier football I've ever seen, this week dishing out a casual 3-0
slapping to relegation fodder Cesena. If they hold onto their players they
could cause some serious damage in next year's Champions League; it's just a
shame you'll have to see it from behind a running track.

*This is not a joke. I've seen it with my own eyes.

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