Manager on Monday
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce is pleased with how his squad is shaping up ahead of Norwich
City on Saturday
10.09.2012
Sam Allardyce is looking forward to getting back to Barclays Premier League
action when West Ham United travel to Norwich City for Saturday's lunchtime
kick-off.
After a convincing 3-0 win against Fulham in their last league outing made
it six points from three matches, the Hammers have had to be patient as
international fixtures meant a game-free weekend. A host of first-team
players will be away with their countries until the middle of the week,
meaning Big Sam and his coaching staff will have an opportunity to work with
a smaller group at Chadwell Heath ahead of the Carrow Road clash. "The whole
team played well against Fulham and it was nice to go into the international
break with two home victories already secured in the league," said Big Sam.
"All managers have to deal with the break, but we're all experienced enough
to know what we have to do with the players who are here and keeping in
touch with those that are away. "We're all in the same boat and those that
get their act together quickest when they come back are the ones that can
help us get another good result. We must not forget how hard we worked
against Fulham and we must do the same again when we play Norwich."
If the Fulham match was anything to go by, one area that might not need as
much fine tuning is West Ham's passing game. Pundits and former players
alike were queuing up to praise the way the Hammers dealt with a talented
Fulham side with some slick, attacking football. "The best way for a team to
play is to have variation and we have shown that since the beginning of the
season. "We go short, we go long, we go forward, we go back, we go diagonal
and we go in behind. It makes us very hard to play against and luckily we
have the players like Ricardo Vaz Te and Mark Noble who can adapt. "It was
good to see the quality of our finishing being so good. Before we scored our
second we had two or three really good chances that all tested the keeper."
While Andy Carroll continues his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury, Big
Sam has plenty of capable attacking players waiting in the wings. Last
season's top scorer Carlton Cole is one obvious option, while Modibo Maiga
is in a rich run of form after scoring on his full debut for the Hammers
against Crewe Alexandra and for Mali in a 3-0 win against Botswana on
Saturday. "I really like the variation of the squad. We have a lot of talent
- young, old, homegrown and foreign - and it all adds to the mix to form a
very strong squad, which you need in this league. "We have Matt Jarvis and
Yossi Benayoun, who are both ready to make an impact. As you saw against
Crewe, Modibo Maiga is already finding his way, as is Alou Diarra, and I
think that Gary O'Neil is also getting back to his best."
While the manager will have to make at least one change in the striking
department, there are also tough decisions to be made at the back. Hammer of
the Year runner-up James Tomkins is still pushing for his first Premier
League start in defence, where he faces some tough opposition from the likes
of Winston Reid and James Collins. The duo were imperious in the Hammers'
two Premier League clean sheets on home soil so far this season. "We have
terrific strength in depth in defence and it can leave Tonks frustrated, but
he will get an opportunity when the time is right. "James [Collins] is away
with Wales and Tonks will continue to work hard in his absence. You saw how
good a player he is when he came on against Fulham against good forwards
like Dimitar Berbatov."
Joey O'Brien was also an integral part of the Fulham shut-out and his
manager is delighted to see him once again show the form that promised so
much from his early days at Bolton Wanderers. O'Brien will train with
Ireland ahead of their friendly with Oman on Tuesday, before joining up with
his club team-mates once more in time for the Norwich fixture. "I've got to
give a great big boost to Joey O'Brien. He was one of the best young players
I ever worked with when I was at Bolton. Injuries have dogged his career but
I asked him to fill in at left-back against Fulham and he gave the kind of
performance that I saw many years ago. I hope for him that he keeps that up.
"There were a lot of people who had forgotten about Joey in the game and
playing like he did against Fulham will get people to sit up and take
notice. I hope he continues that kind of form as the season progresses."
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TC hails strong start
WHUFC.com
Tony Cottee believes his beloved West Ham United are on track to enjoy a
positive and successful future
09.09.2012
West Ham United great Tony Cottee has hailed the strong start the Hammers
have made to the 2012/13 season. The popular striker, who helped the Hammers
to finish a club-record high of third in the league in 1986, has been
impressed with his club's record of three wins in four matches in all
competitions so far. Cottee, who hailed the recent signings of Andy Carroll
and Yossi Benayoun, believes the club is united behind the Board and manager
Sam Allardyce and is in a fine position to enjoy a productive and successful
season in the Barclays Premier League. Cottee spoke exclusively to whufc.com
on a recent vist to Chadwell Heath to catch up with assistant manager,
friend and former Everton team-mate Neil McDonald.
West Ham United sit seventh in the table and are through to the Capital One
Cup third round so, all in all, do you think we have made a decent start to
the new season?
TC - "Yes. The computer was kind to us for our opening eight or nine games
so it put a lot more importance on us getting a good start. We got an
excellent three points against Aston Villa, but were disappointed to lose at
Swansea in the manner that we did by making a couple of mistakes. Great
credit to the team because it would have been very easy, after losing our
first away game, to find it difficult coming back home but the way played
against Fulham was fantastic. We made a team which had started with a 5-0
home win look a very average team. Six points out of nine is a fantastic
start. I think football has always been about winning in different ways. It
has always been about playing with different styles and there is no right or
wrong way. You do what you are good at. At times, I thought we played some
really good football and there was some good passing and moving and we mixed
it up really well. I think that's what we've got to do and if we do, we will
be a very potent team, particularly at home with the crowd behind us. I
think that will stand us in stead for a good season."
The recent signing of Andy Carroll was a real statement of intent from the
Board and the manager, wasn't it?
TC - "I think it's great that we've got Andy Carroll at the club because I'm
a big fan. I've always said that you have to provide him with the service
because if you get the right service into him, he will look a world-beater.
I thought the service into Andy was really good. Everyone kept saying to me
about Andy Carroll and I said 'I don't know if we can afford him' so great
credit to the Board for getting him here on the deal that we did. I think
he'll fit in perfectly to what we're trying to achieve at the club. Yossi
Benayoun is a great signing, as well, which gives us another option and real
creativity. Those are really good signings."
I presume you would have liked to have played up front with Andy Carroll
yourself?
TC - "I'd have loved to have played alongside Andy Carroll! The one player
who I do regret never having played alongside was Duncan Ferguson at
Everton, who I missed by three months. They are similar players in terms of
what they bring to the game and have an aura and presence about them. Would
I have loved to have played alongside Andy? Of course I would."
As a forward, does his mere presence on the pitch distract other defenders
and create space and opportunities for the other players to benefit from?
TC - "I think that is the thing - he is such a handful. Whereas maybe a
player of my stature would only draw one defender's attention, Andy draws
two or sometimes three people to him and that can only benefit people like
Kevin Nolan and Ricardo Vaz Te. They will get more space because the
attention is so much on Andy. That can only work in our favour. I think Andy
is maturing as a player and there is a lot more to come from him. He has a
manager in Big Sam who knows how he works and what he needs and, once he
gets back from his injury, I think the fans will be really excited again."
Finally, as a West Ham United fan and for your friend Neil McDonald, you
must be pleased that the club is united and seemingly on track for a
positive future?
TC - "I think what the club needed was organisation and direction, certainly
in terms of on the field and off the field as well. I keep saying to
everyone that the signing
of Kevin Nolan was a very good one because it not only helped to galvanise
the dressing room but he scored so many important goals. He got another one
at the weekend and that's what he brings to the team so he was a great
signing. Under Macca (McDonald) and Sam, they have created a really good
spirit here. It is a pleasure to come to the training ground now, so
everything is moving in the right direction and hopefully we can slowly but
surely carry that on."
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Hendo relishing Ireland opportunity
WHUFC.com
Stephen Henderson is planning to make his mark after being called-up by
Republic of Ireland
10.09.2012
Stephen Henderson is looking to impress after joining up with the Republic
of Ireland squad ahead of their international friendly with Oman on Tuesday
evening.
The No13 will start the game at Craven Cottage as a substitute, with
Millwall's former West Ham United trainee David Forde getting the nod from
Trapattoni.
Henderson admitted to being shocked to get the call-up after Ireland boss
Giovanni Trapattoni allowed No1 Kieren Westwood to return to Sunderland, but
he is earger to take his chance to impress both in training and in match
action should he get on to the pitch. "It was a surprise to me," said
Henderson. "I had literally just got off the plane from Ireland as we were
given a couple of days off and I went home. I was returning from there and I
got a text saying I had been called up and to meet up with the team on
Monday morning at their hotel. "I am very excited to be here. I am here to
impress the manager and make sure he knows what I can do and anything else
will be a bonus, but I am delighted."
For the 24-year-old, this may be a chance to earn his first senior cap for
his country after coming through the international ranks and representing
his country at every level from Under-15 through to Under-21. Henderson was
named among the substitutes for the friendly international with Czech
Republic in Dublin in February 2012, but is hoping to get some game-time in
west London this time around. "I have been involved in the international
set-up since I was about 14, so for me to make it now for senior level has
always been my goal. "I have to wait and see if I get my chance. I just have
to work hard in training. The manager knows his options and I know there are
lads ahead of me, but I am very happy to be here and be involved in the
squad, especially with more World Cup qualifiers coming up."
Henderson was greeted by his Hammers team-mate Joey O'Brien when he arrived
at the squad's base on Monday morning. The defender also hoping to get a
chance in tomorrow's match after travelling 6,000 miles for Friday's 2-1
FIFA World Cup Group C qualifying win in Kazakhstan without seeing any
action. For Henderson, who joined West Ham on a permanent deal in the summer
following his arrival on loan from Portsmouth towards the end of last
season, it is about making his mark at both club and country. He enjoyed a
solid performance between the sticks for West Ham in the Capital One Cup
second-round victory over Crewe Alexandra last month and is looking to take
up the same opportunity if he can as he challenges Jussi Jaaskelainen for
the No1 spot. "That was good for me against Crewe. At the end of the day,
for me to have the chances internationally, I have to be playing and do well
at my club. That is my first aim anyway - to do well at West Ham. "I am
keeping myself focused on the fact that when I get my chance, I have to take
it. League games or cup games, they all matter to me. Hopefully I can get my
opportunity again if possible and just be as ready as I can for every match
we play."
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International action resumes
WHUFC.com
Four West Ham United players could be in action for their respective nations
on Tuesday
10.09.2012
The quest to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil continues
for two West Ham United players on Tuesday, while two more could be in
friendly international action in London. Winston Reid will kick-off
proceedings as New Zealand contest their second Oceania round three
qualifier with the Solomon Islands in his home city of Auckland. The All
Whites and their opponents both started the final round of regional
qualifying with 2-0 victories, beating New Caledonia and Tahiti
respectively. "I'm hoping to see a big crowd on Tuesday," said Reid. "I'm
looking forward to the game." The winner of Tuesday's clash at North Harbour
Stadium will take an outright lead a third of the way through the stage,
where the prize is a place in an intercontinental Play-Off against a North
and Central American nation for a place at Brazil 2014.
A few hours later and Yossi Benayoun will hope to feature when Israel host
Russia in Ramat Gan in their second UEFA Group F qualifier. Israel started
their qualifying campaign with a 1-1 draw in Azerbaijan on Friday, while
Fabio Capello's Russia beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in Moscow. The group is
completed by Portugal and Luxembourg. Benayoun is hoping for a more positive
result against the Russians after Israel let a lead slip in Baku. "We should
have won. We're the better team," Benayoun said after the match. "After the
first goal we should have scored another goal or two, or at least kept the
same result. It's a real shame we lost two points.
"We must beat Russia at any cost. If we don't, it will be a disaster."
James Collins will miss Wales' second UEFA Group A qualifier with Serbia in
Novi Sad through suspendion after being sent-off in Friday's 2-0 home defeat
by Belgium in Cardiff. Finally, at lot closer to home, Joey O'Brien and
Stephen Henderson are in the Republic of Ireland squad for their
international friendly meeting with Oman at Craven Cottage. Ireland won 2-1
in Kazakhstan in their opening UEFA Group C qualifier on Friday, O'Brien
would earn his fifth cap if he features, while Henderson was called-up late
on Sunday and would make his senior debut if he is given a run out by
Giovanni Trapattoni.
Oman are fourth in Asian qualifying round four, having drawn in Iraq (1-1)
and at home to Australia (0-0) and lost 3-0 in Japan in their opening three
fixtures. Coached by Frenchman Paul Le Guen, Oman host Jordan in their next
FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture in October.
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Blanchflower injury mars Ladies victory
WHUFC.com
Kelley Blanchflower suffered a suspected fractured collarbone in Sunday's
2-0 win at QPR
10.09.2012
West Ham United Ladies overcame a serious injury to striker Kelley
Blanchflower and a west London traffic jam score a 2-0 FA Women's Premier
League Southern Division win at Queens Park Rangers. Having arrived shortly
before the scheduled 2pm kick-off on Sunday, the Hammers showed no
ill-effects from their longer-than-planned journey to come flying out of the
blocks and score twice in the first 13 minutes. Blanchflower (pictured)
opened the scoring in spectacular fashion in the eighth minute, collecting
the ball 25 yards from goal with space around before running through the
defence and sliding the ball confidently under the advancing goalkeeper.
Just five minutes later, Blanchflower was involved again in the build-up to
West Ham's second goal. Emma Thomas was put through with a long ball out the
to left flank. It appeared Thomas had run the ball too close to the
goalline, but her shot from an acute angle beat Sophie Cheadle in the QPR
goal. The home side stemmed the West Ham tide by massing their defensive
ranks, with the game squashed into a small area in midfield. Unfortunately,
Blanchflower's next major involvement saw her suffer a suspected fractured
collarbone after she fell awkwardly on the edge of the QPR penalty area. The
forward was tended to on the pitch by medical staff before paramedics
arrived and she was taken to hospital by ambulance.
When the game resumed after a 45-minute delay, it had lost its tempo and
only an occasional threat was made on either goal. With the two -oal
advantage West Ham looked comfortable and never in danger but just could not
get the goal to finish off the game. With eight minutes remaining, QPR were
reduced to ten players when a melee ended with striker Kasha Petit being
red-carded following an altercation with the Hammers' Lindsey Morgan, who
was booked. After losing their opening league game at Millwall Lionesses,
Julia Setford's team have now scored back-to-back victories to rise to
fourth in the table. West Ham have a weekend off this Sunday before
returning to action in the FA Women's Premier League Cup group-stage at
Watford on Sunday 23 September.
West Ham United Ladies: Toni-Anne Wayne, Vicky King, Danica Revell, Rosey
Sullivan, Jess Barling, Emma Thomas, Stacey Little Lindsey Morgan, Carly
Roache, Becky Merritt, Kelley Blanchflower
Subs used: Katie Bottom, Zoe Lipley-Hinton, Fran Tye
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Adapt and survive
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 10th September 2012
By: Staff Writer
Sam Allardyce has praised his squad for their ability to adapt ahead of this
weekend's trip to Norwich. The newly-promoted Hammers take on last season's
surprise Premier League package at Carrow Road this weekend with Allardcye
yet again having to defend his tactical approach following yet more unfair -
and, some would say, lazy - accusations in the press during the past few
weeks. Some elements of the media have chided Allardyce for what they
perceive to be a singularly direct tactical style - even though there were
few examples of that when his West Ham team overwhelmed Fulham 3-0 at the
Boleyn Ground last weekend with a performance full of slick passing.
And Allardyce was keen to highlight that fact when speaking this morning
ahead of what promises to be yet another tough test for his squad. "The best
way for a team to play is to have variation and we have shown that since the
beginning of the season," he said. "We go short, we go long, we go forward,
we go back, we go diagonal and we go in behind. It makes us very hard to
play against and luckily we have the players like Ricardo Vaz Te and Mark
Noble who can adapt. "I really like the variation of the squad. We have a
lot of talent - young, old, homegrown and foreign - and it all adds to the
mix to form a very strong squad, which you need in this league."
Looking forward to this weekend's game at Norwich - a match from which West
Ham are hoping to take their first away points of the season having been
well beaten at Swansea in their only previously fixture on the road this
season - Allardyce maintained that regardless of the wide array of options
open to him now, only full commitment from all areas of the team would be
enough. "We must not forget how hard we worked against Fulham," he warned,
adding, "we must do the same again when we play Norwich."
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The new art of Tweeting a secret
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 10th September 2012
By: Craig Wood
We live in a time where sports news is constantly available. We are no
longer limited to a short round-up at the end of the news and dedicated
sports channels now provide round the clock coverage of news from a huge
variety of sports.
Sky Sports News has even become the default channel in countless households
throughout the country. This provides the viewers with a plethora of
information on everything from the latest scores, transfer gossip and injury
news, to live footage from press conferences and highlights from the latest
round of fixtures.
However, this also provides hours of unfilled airtime and there is an
increasing pressure on journalists to provide a constant stream of breaking
news. Because of this, we are seeing an increasing use of social media in
news reports.
While Twitter can provide newsworthy quotes, it feels like the journalists
are simply attempting to show us that a news story they have broken is
continuing to develop when in reality there has been little or no progress.
Transfer deadline day is a great example of this.
While there were early rumours of Yossi Benayoun's transfer from Chelsea to
West Ham or Liverpool, there had been no new developments for some time. The
nature of transfer deadline day, and Sky Sports News' desire to provide
breaking news even when there is none, resulted in the following tweet being
reported as breaking news.
Although this shows that the story is not dead, and a direct quote from
Yossi Benayoun is more newsworthy than one from "Sky Sources", it provides
no new information and is so ambiguous that it surely cannot be seen as an
advance in transfer proceedings.
By cluttering up the broadcast with items like this, Sky Sports News are
making it increasingly difficult for the viewers to differentiate between
valid news stories and the rumours and hearsay that can be found on
virtually every transfer rumour website. The news channel should also be
questioning the motives of the people who are sending out the tweets as
well.
Taken literally, "Things are getting very interesting" means nothing. The
player is implying that a transfer away from Chelsea is on the cards but the
mysterious style of the message is clearly designed to incite a reaction. By
sending out this tweet, Yossi Benayoun (or his agent) is sending a message
out to potential suitors that they will miss out on the player if they do
not make a move for him soon.
While simply sending this tweet will not necessarily alert clubs to his
availability, having it reported on a widely viewed sports news channel
will.
The use of twitter as a means of fulfilling a personal agenda in football is
not limited to the footballers. West Ham owners David Gold and David
Sullivan both use the social media site (Sullivan through his son Jack). In
general, David Gold sticks to answering questions about player injuries and
ticket sales and Jack Sullivan is left to inform fans of potential
transfers.
West Ham fans will be familiar with being told by Jack Sullivan on twitter
of a big name signing later in the week only for nothing to materialise. Why
do the owners of a football club think it is wise to reveal a potential
transfer target before the deal is completed and risk deterring the player
because the story has been leaked , ultimately ending up looking foolish if
the deal does not come off?
Gold and Sullivan will argue that they want the fans to know about deals as
soon as possible but there are clear ulterior motives. As shrewd business
men, the owners want to get the most out of every deal, whether directly or
indirectly. Directly through reducing transfer fees or wages of an incoming
player and indirectly through shirt sales and an increase in ticket sales
from fans who want to see the new player.
While announcing that West Ham will sign a big name player just before the
start of the season, at the same time as being linked with the signing of
Andy Carroll in the national press, is likely to have a positive effect in
the form of season ticket sales, as long as the fans believe that the player
is likely to sign. This means that the club can receive benefits of the
transfer before it happens and even if it is not completed. David Sullivan
does not even have to take the blame for sending out the tweet as he has
delegated that duty to his son.
As long as the players and owners have something to gain from using twitter,
we will continue to read about things getting very interesting.
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A summer summary
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 10th September 2012
By: Robert Watson
Here at KUMB.com we're always keen to give aspiring young writers the
oportunity to share their thoughts with our readers. The latest to do just
that is 16-year-old Robert Watson, who makes his site debut with a review of
the recent transfer window...
First of all, let's start with the outgoings.
We lost our number one early on. It was disappointing to see Robert Green go
as he was one of our most consistent performers in my eyes and one of our
best players. We also parted with a few of the youth players; Ollie Lee,
Frank Nouble and Cristian Montano which is sad to see as we're known as the
Academy of Football - but we've got to trust Sam Allardyce's judgement with
these players.
Of all the players we've let go, which a majority have left on a free
transfer, I was most disappointed to see Abdoulaye Faye leave as he would've
been absolutely brilliant cover for the centre-half position. He was one of
our best players last season, so solid. Also, I'm sad to see Sam Baldock and
Nicky Maynard sold as they were natural, pacey strikers - but would they
have made it in the Premier League? Maybe not, so I wish them all the best.
We also sold others, such as Pablo Barrera and Freddie Sears both of whom
just never really delivered the goods. It was a real shame about Sears
although I feel he was hyped up too much.
Now onto the transfers into the club. Having released four 'keepers - Green,
Peter Kurucz, Ruud Boffin and Marek Stech - we brought in three; Jussi
Jaaskelainen, Stephen Henderson and Rafael Spiegel. Jussi is a very
experienced keeper and he played well last time out against Fulham, always
keeping focused and making some excellent saves. I feel the jury's still out
on him but on a free? Good business.
I've only seen Henderson play once, in the Capital One Cup, and he made a
brilliant double save and looks to be one for the future. Not bad for a fee
of around £650,000! Spiegel I've never heard of and it's possible like most
of our 'keepers he will remain in the development squad and be sold in two
years' time.
We brought George McCartney back to the club for around £1million which is
good value for money for someone can do a decent job at left back (even
though he had a torrid time against Swansea). James Collins, another former
Hammer was bought back to the club for £2.5million which I feel is decent
business for an excellent centre half who has been so solid for the first
few games. He has so much experience at centre back and will be vital for
the team; he too enjoyed an outstanding game against Villa.
Now on to someone who I'd say has been one of the best signings of the
summer - Momo Diame on a free! He has been absolutely brilliant in the three
games played so far. His desire to get forward has impressed me a lot, he is
a centre midfielder yet he still roams down the wings and gets everywhere on
the pitch. His energy levels are flawless and he is always battling on the
pitch wherever he is. He's a real powerhouse and a box to box midfielder.
We also signed Alou Diarra from a financially-struggling Marseille team for
£2million; he is a defensive midfield player who will sit in front of the
defence. Even though I've only seen him play twice he looks to be a good buy
having played nearly 50 times for France.
When he played for France against England in the Euro's he absolutely bossed
the game. But Allardyce hasn't started him in the Premier League yet and
he's made only one substitute appearance in the League and a start in the
Capital One Cup. It's been tough for him to get into the team as Nolan and
Noble had a great season for us last year and they've started well. They
were especially excellent against Fulham and, as I mentioned above, Diame
completes the current midfield trio.
Next I move onto our record transfer fee of £10.75million pounds; winger
Matt Jarvis who signed from Wolves. Against Swansea he looked our best
player, within minutes he whipping in a quality cross which Nolan nearly got
his head on to. He also had a shot well saved from Vorm. Statistically he is
the second best provider of crosses out of the top five leagues in the
world, with only Seville's Jesus Navas ahead of him.
The transfer I didn't expect was that of Yossi Benayoun who arrived from
Chelsea on a loan deal on transfer deadline day. Earlier on in the day Sky
Sports had said that we couldn't afford his wages and I thought that'd be us
done on the transfer front, but when the deal was confirmed I was delighted
as he can play centre midfield, out wide if needed and he brings a lot of
creativity to the team which is what we need. As there is a lot of
competition for the central midfield positions he may be played out wide -
even though I feel he's better at centre midfield as shown when he played
for Arsenal last season.
As for the strikers, firstly we signed Modibo Maiga from Souchaux for
£5million. I've only seen him play against Villa when he was unlucky to
score as he took the ball around the 'keeper in the dying minutes only to
see his shot blocked on the line. He also started against Crewe in the
Capital One Cup where he played quite well but the opposition was League One
standard so I'm still unsure on him as he's yet started a game in the
Premier League. However I read that he's scored over half of his goals with
his head, which could be useful!
Lastly, the big man himself - Andy Carroll, signed on loan from Liverpool.
What a signing that is for us.
When he started against Fulham the whole team seemed to have a buzz about
themselves. They performed so well, we even played some Barcelona-style
football at times! When we hit big Andy he absolutely bullied Fulham's Brede
Hangeland, which isn't an easy task. Carroll is a really threatening
striker, aerially he barely lost a header! It's sad to see him injured now
after such a brilliant debut.
Another stat for you: Andy Carroll won more headers than any other striker
in the Premier League last year. Considering how little he played, that's
very impressive - and the combination of him and Jarvis could turn out to be
a quality partnership.
Overall, I'd say we've had an absolutely brilliant transfer window, bringing
in a lot of quality players and strengthening the squad all round. The only
slight negative is perhaps I would've liked to have seen another defender -
preferably a centre back - but on the whole? A brilliant transfer window.
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Henderson in Republic squad
Hammers keeper replaces Westwood
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated:
September 10, 2012 12:37pm
SSN
West Ham goalkeeper Stephen Henderson has replaced Keiren Westwood in the
Republic of Ireland squad for Tuesday's friendly against Oman at Craven
Cottage.
As revealed by skysports.com over the weekend, Henderson was given a late
call for the friendly with Oman. Westwood started in Friday's 2-1 win over
Kazakhstan but has been allowed to return to Sunderland early as Giovanni
Trapattoni looks to name an experimental line-up for the game in London.
Henderson, back-up to Jussi Jaaskelainen at Upton Park, has not won an
international cap for the Republic but was named on the bench for February's
friendly draw against Czech Republic.
Trapattoni confirmed on Sunday that Millwall shot-stopper David Forde will
start in goal so 24-year-old Henderson is likely to be among the
substitutes. Trapattoni also has Motherwell keeper Darren Randolph available
to him.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce happy with options
Hammers chief pinpoints variety in squad as key to success
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated:
September 10, 2012 4:34pm
SSN
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has hailed his squad options after their
impressive start to the season. The Hammers have taken six points form
their opening three games on their return to the Premier League.Allardyce
takes his side to Norwich this weekend after the international break and he
feels the versatility in his camp is the key to their solid start to the
campaign. "The best way for a team to play is to have variation and we have
shown that since the beginning of the season," Allardyce told the club's
official website.
In behind
"We go short, we go long, we go forward, we go back, we go diagonal and we
go in behind. "It makes us very hard to play against and luckily we have the
players like Ricardo Vaz Te and Mark Noble who can adapt. "It was good to
see the quality of our finishing being so good. Before we scored our second
we had two or three really good chances that all tested the keeper. "I
really like the variation of the squad. We have a lot of talent - young,
old, homegrown and foreign - and it all adds to the mix to form a very
strong squad, which you need in this league."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Are We Going Back to Our Community based, multi-sports, Roots by Moving to
the Olympic Stadium?
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
As some of you may know, I have always been interested in the history of
West Ham Utd FC. It's a rich and fascinating history and the origins of the
club are obviously rooted in working-class industrial heritage of the area.
Allied to this is the early formative influence of the public school and
Oxbridge beliefs of our benefactor, Arnold Hills. Hills was a great believer
in sporting values, exercise and physical fitness and he actively promoted
its amongst his workforce at the Thames Ironworks plant. In the latter 19th
Century many educated men of a similiar social background established
'settlements' in working class communities, designed to bring both sport and
christianity to the masses. Anyone who has lived in, what is now, South
Newham will be familiar with the former Docklands Settlement in CanningTown
and Fairbairn House Boys Club at the Abbey Arms, Plaistow. So, in many ways
Hills was linked to that movement, while having distinctly different
pre-occupations via his ownership of a local industrial plant.
Indeed he could not be called a typical Capitalist of the 19th Century
variety. Hills was far more enlightened concerning the welfare of his
employees and initiated 'good fellowship' and profit sharing schemes for the
workers, something very rare in those days (and not so common even today!).
Indeed, for a long period he was actually resident in Canning Town and lived
very close to the homes of his workers. Although largely a progressive
employer, he did significantly blot his copybook in 1899-90 when he
responded to union organisation and strikes by locking out strikers and
employing 'scab' labour. These were actions that deeply troubled Hills and,
it could be argued that, his subsequent establishment of a works football
team, plus building improved local sports facilities, was part of a wider
attempt to heal the wounds arising from the dispute.
He should always be honoured as the founder of the club in 1895. Although it
was his public school and Oxbridge distaste for professionalism in sport
that was instrumental in an eventual parting of the ways between the club
and the TIW, the founding of West Ham Utd FC in 1900 and the move to the
'cabbage patch field' that was to eventually become The Boleyn Ground, Upton
Park. Other factors were the increased financial difficulties experienced by
the company from the turn of the century and his attempt to float TIW as a
public limited company to fund other engineering plant acquisitions. Due to
these circumstances, Hills had less financial resources and freedom to
continue his sponsorship of the football team.
Prior to the split, Arnold Hills had invested £20,000 in the construction of
a multi-sports stadium at the Memorial Grounds, West Ham. It was massive and
had a reputed capacity of 120,000. The stadium provided a football pitch,
plus cinders running and cycling tracks. So in that sense it was genuinely
multi-purpose. As stated, Thames Iron Works FC left this wonderful venue
after a relatively short, three year tenure, for a number of reasons,
including Hills objecting to the creeping professionalism at the club and,
in particular, the practice of charging spectators for admission!
Having read this, it struck me that the proposed OS move could be viewed as
a return to the Memorial Ground roots of the club; in terms the the idea of
basing the club in a community based, multi-sports facility, which will have
distinct benefits for the working-class people of the area. I do wonder if
the 'Irons' fans of that era complained about the running and cycling track
and being some distance away from the football action? Maybe, but I
seriously doubt it. Obviously, professionalism in sport became an
unstoppable force, on entering the 20th century, and the clearest and
updated expression of this, in contemporary times, is the EPL, with its
inherent and blatant commercialism. And, even accepting their clear passion
for the club, the business plans of our modern day club co-owners more
closely reflect that commercialism, rather than the altruism and principled
non-professionalism of Arnold Hill. Yet it is an interesting thought and
connection between past and present.
Arnold Hills is a significant figure in our history. All in all, he seemed a
decent chap in to the bargain, for a Capitalist! Indeed, it is a tragedy
that in later years he suffered serious health problems (a withering desease
that left him paralysed and confined to a wheel chair), whilst desperately
fighting a losing battle for the future of the TIW. Basically, Hill's firm
was largely dependent on government contracts and it began losing out to the
newer ship yards and foundaries in the north of England and Scotland.
Charles Korr's excellent academic study of the history of the club covers
this episode in some details and points an accusing finger at the then First
Sea Lord, Winston Churchill, and his apparent preference for awarding
contracts to the newer enterprises outside London. Hills even petitioned
Churchill for new contracts in 1911, but to no avail, with the firm closing
permanently in 1912. The great irony of that being that the closure was only
2 years short of the outbreak of World War 1 and the increase in government
contracts for ships and armaments resulting from waging the conflict.
For those interested, Hills is well worth some individual study, as is the
Thames Irons Work itself, which supplied steel for some major shipping and
civil engineering projects, such as the construction of HMS Warrior
(Brunel's first iron clad battle ship), the building of the Royal Albert
bridge across the River Tamar and the construction of bridges across the
Thames, to name just a few.
Although severely incapacitated, Arnold Hills lived to see West Ham play in
the 1923 FA Cup Final. He passed away at his house 'Hammerfield' in
Penshurst on 7th March 1927.
Post-script (1), prior to moving to the Memorial Grounds in 1897, TIW FC
played a number of matches at Hermit Road (the location of the current
Hermit Road Park, E13). Hills also apparently organised a floodlight,
evening match there between Woolwich Arsenal (Arsenal FC) and WBA. A real
innovation and, for anyone who knows it, it is quite a thought that Arsenal
and WBA once contested a match there!
Post-script (2), my personal memories are of a ruined structure of one of
the main stands of the Memorial Stadium being in place in the Grounds, as
late as 1980-81. I used to cut through the Memorial Grounds to get to West
Ham Station, in that period, and remember the structure being in situ. It
was demolished and cleared away at some point in the 1980s. And legend has
it that the claret and blue painted iron gates, outside shops beside the
Grange Road entrance to the Memorial Grounds, were forged in the Ironworks
foundary and are one of the last remaints of the old stadium.
Post-script (3), if verified as part of the old stadium, West Ham Utd FC
should move to protect its heritage and purchase the gates for the club
museum and its fans. They might also consider honouring Arnold Hills, in his
role as the founder and early benefactor of the club, with a statue or
naming some part of the ground after him. Interestingly enough, when West
Ham Utd was founded in 1900 there were plans for fans/stakeholder share
owning structure model. Unfortunately, the ownership and governance of the
club never developed along those lines.
Post-script (4), the thesis floated here is that there is connection between
the Memorial grounds and the OS, in terms of them both being community
based, multi-sports facilities. Of course, West Ham spurned the chance to
move to another multi-purpose stadium in the 1960s, in the form of the
Custom House Stadium. That 90-100,000 capacity venue hosted both speedway
and dog racing! Perhaps in terms of moving to and making a go of such a
facility it will be third time lucky for the club!
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Allardyce Tells it Like it is: It's Really a Matter of Mixing it Up!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
Sam Allardyce has been quoted on Kumb, talking about the away fixture at
Norwich City and the playing style of his squad. In doing so, he has stated
the following:
"The best way for a team to play is to have variation and we have shown that
since the beginning of the season. We go short, we go long, we go forward,
we go back, we go diagonal and we go in behind. It makes us very hard to
play against and luckily we have the players like Ricardo Vaz Te and Mark
Noble who can adapt. I really like the variation of the squad. We have a lot
of talent - young, old, homegrown and foreign - and it all adds to the mix
to form a very strong squad, which you need in this league."
This is what I have been arguing for ages on here, the best possible
approach is to mix up your play and be able to adapt in games and during the
course of the season. The so-called 'hoof football' concept, so beloved of
some critics, is in essence, both a distortion and simplification of the
approach that Allardyce is endeavoring to establish at the club. And there
is strong evidence that he now has a squad at his disposal that is able to
vary the play. It's interesting that he picks out Noble and Vaz Te out for
particular mention, as they are two of the most skillful and technically
accomplished players at the club. But as is stated, they also have the
ability to apply themselves and contribute to different approach play. It
also undermines the recent speculation that Noble is surplus to requirements
at the club. If anything he is a key player both in the squad and the way
that Allardyce seeks to play.
Personally, I have no objection to West Ham playing direct when it is
needed. I have no problem with intelligent balls flighted in to the box to
both create goal scoring opportunities and the knock down for runners in to
the box. But I also want to see passing and movement and us utilising the
technique and skills of playing like Noble and Vaz Te. What I do not like is
continual aimless ball pumped forward from the back, as we saw against
Villa. If there is such a thing as 'hoof football' that is probably it, the
Wimbledon FC approach of high balls and percentage play. As I have argued
previously, terms such as 'direct play' and the 'long ball' can be
interpreted in different ways and they need to be deconstructed to reveal
that diversity, rather than just relying on a single, mono-conceptual
interpretation.
Norwich City away is likely to be another tough test. But it will give us an
opportunity to assess the degree to which the squad has progressed. We were
all pretty happy after the Fulham victory, no doubt a poor result will
perpetuate renewed negativity in some quarters. However, I am hopeful that
the squad will adapt and secure another result to put our first away
point(s) of the season on the board. Central to that will be the ability of
Cole or Maiga to full the gap created by the injury to Carroll and, most
importantly, for the team selected to play differently to capitalise upon
their respective strengths as strikers. Neither are as effective as Carroll
in the air, but they do have other strengths and we need to capitalise on
them.
Can they do it? I think they can and, in doing so, they can effectively
validate the substance of the above statements by Sam Allardyce on the need
for 'variation.'.
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham Olympic stadium bid gets East London business votes
Cityam.co.uk
Tuesday 11th September 2012, 2:46am
EXCLUSIVE
FRANK DALLERES
LEADING business organisations from east London have thrown their weight
behind West Ham's bid for the Olympic Stadium, as a decision nears on one of
the capital's key legacy issues.
The ExCeL Centre and the East London Business Alliance (ELBA) have voiced
their support for the Premier League football club to be the main users of
the arena when it reopens in 2014.
League One outfit Leyton Orient have also bid to use the stadium, which cost
£486m and is to be downscaled from 80,000 seats to 60,000, as well as a
football business college and a company that hopes to stage a Formula One
grand prix.
"West Ham United have played a pivotal role in the local community for a
great many years, making a major contribution to the social regeneration of
east London," said ExCeL Centre chief executive Kevin Murphy. "No one is
better placed to take hold of the legacy baton after the Games and be at the
heart of a lively and busy Olympic Stadium."
ELBA chief executive Liam Kane said West Ham's proposed move from nearby
Upton Park would alleviate local unemployment by creating jobs in
construction and operation. "West Ham's bid would guarantee a busy stadium
on a bi-weekly basis, thus ensuring businesses in the local area continue to
flourish," he added. "Put simply, I cannot see any viable alternative."
The London Legacy Development Corporation is expected to announce the
successful bids next month. West Ham believe they can attract 1.2m visitors
to the park annually and have promised, if selected, to create 720 jobs.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Stephen Henderson called up to Republic of Ireland squad
• Goalkeeper replaces Keiren Westwood for Oman friendly
• Henderson set to be among substitutes at Craven Cottage
guardian.co.uk, Monday 10 September 2012 12.17 BST
Giovanni Trapattoni, above, has brought Stephen Henderson into his squad
after allowing Keiren Westwood to return to Sunderland. Photograph: Julien
Behal/PA
Stephen Henderson has replaced Keiren Westwood in the Republic of Ireland
squad for Tuesday's friendly against Oman at Craven Cottage. Westwood played
in Friday's 2-1 win over Kazakhstan but the goalkeeper has been allowed to
return to Sunderland early as Giovanni Trapattoni looks to name an
experimental lineup for the game in London. Henderson, back-up to Jussi
Jaaskelainen at West Ham United, has not won an international cap for the
Republic but the 24-year-old was named on the bench for February's friendly
draw against Czech Republic. Trapattoni confirmed on Sunday that Millwall's
David Forde will start in goal so Henderson is likely to be among the
substitutes on Tuesday night. Trapattoni also has the Motherwell goalkeeper
Darren Randolph available to him. The Italian has already allowed Robbie
Keane, Darren O'Dea, John O'Shea, Jon Walters and Glenn Whelan to return to
their clubs following Friday's fortuitous victory in Astana.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Former West Ham striker poised for La Liga return
By talkSPORT | Monday, September 10, 2012
Levante are pondering a move for former Aston Villa and West Ham striker
John Carew. The La Liga side are looking for a new forward following the end
of Arouna Kone's loan spell at the club earlier this summer, and are
believed to have set their sights on Carew, who was released by West Ham at
the end of last season. Carew, who can be signed outside of the transfer
window as he is a free agent, is familiar with Spanish football, having
spent four years at Levante's local rivals Valencia earlier in his career.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, September 11
Monday, September 10
Daily WHUFC News - 10th September 2012
Henderson called by Ireland
WHUFC.com
Stephen Henderson has been added to the Ireland squad for Tuesday's friendly
with Oman
09.09.2012
Stephen Henderson has been called up by Ireland for their friendly with Oman
at Craven Cottage on Tuesday. The 24-year-old goalkeeper will join up with
his international team-mates on Monday morning as they look to build on
Saturday's 2-1 2014 FIFA World Cup Group C qualifier win in Kazakhstan.
Henderson will be hoping to earn his first senior cap for his country,
having not featured on his only other senior call-up in February. Henderson
has represented Ireland at Under-15, Under-16, Under-17, Under-19 and
Under-21 level and will be hoping to now make the step-up to the senior
side. The Hammers' new No13 kept a clean sheet on his West Ham United debut
in the 2-0 Capital One Cup win against Crewe Alexandra on 28 August.
Henderson will have at least one familiar face in the Ireland squad, as
fellow Hammer Joey O'Brien joined up with the squad last week ahead of the
Kazakhstan game. O'Brien will be aiming for his fifth cap after featuring
for Ireland in their goalless friendly draw with Serbia last month.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ravel Morrison's Future and Sir Geoff on the Club's Bid to Move the Olympic
Stadium!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
Birmingham City Manager, Lee Clark has stated that Ravel Morison has a big
part to play at Birmingham City this season. It obviously raises the
question whether this highly talented youngster can do well there and return
to star for West Ham in the PL? We can only hope that Morrison approaches
the loan in the right way, buckles down and convinces Sam Allardyce that he
has a future at the club. It would be a massive bonus for the club if this
top prospect could concentrate upon his football and progress his PL career
in a claret and blue shirt.
Elsewhere, Sir Geoff Hurst has spoken out in support of the club's planned
move to the Olympic Stadium. Sir Geoff was part and parcel of West Ham's
1960s glory days. He must have more emotional attachments than most to Upton
Park, but has, presumably, conceeded the case for the move is overwhelming.
With the conclusion of the Paralympics 2012, the focus will now shift back
to the future of the Olympic Park and the tenancy of the OS. Will we get the
nod as the tenant, is it just a formality or are there more twists and turns
to come? Time will tell!
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hurst: Up and away
The Sun
Published: 09th September 2012
GEOFF HURST is "1,000 per cent" in favour of West Ham leaving Upton Park and
moving to the Olympic Stadium. This summer, the Hammers lodged a bid to
lease the Stratford arena for 99 years. West Ham legend Hurst said: "I'm
1,000 per cent in favour, nobody's got a greater feeling about West Ham
United at Upton Park than I have. "But we have to move on. We want to be in
a bigger stadium, we want to be a top Prem club. "We don't want to be
yo-yoing. It's just up the road, it's the future."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers go large with stadium bid to fend off other parties
By CHARLES SALE
PUBLISHED: 23:00, 9 September 2012 | UPDATED: 23:00, 9 September 2012
Daily Mail
West Ham, hot favourites to become the main tenants of the Olympic Stadium
when the decision is made next month, are understood to have put in a high
offer despite the lack of opposition. There were fears within the London
Legacy Development Corporation that the Hammers would take advantage of
being the only bidders who will get near to filling the venue on a regular
basis by offering a low annual rental for the number of days they want use
of the facility. But it is believed West Ham have tabled a bid of nearly
£10million a year, which should be enough to secure a rental deal which the
Upton Park hierarchy are banking the club's future on.
Leyton Orient have bid for an unlikely shared football usage, with owner
Barry Hearn shelving threatened legal action against the Football League and
Premier League over West Ham's relocation until the outcome. Certainly the
momentous events over the last six weeks that have given the Olympic Stadium
iconic status have made a mockery of Tottenham's scandalous intention to
knock it down and start a new build. As Lord Coe said on Sunday, the Spurs
bulldozers moving in would have produced a 'mystifying set of images'. He
added: 'It's perfectly within the wisdom of all of us to make a
multi-purpose sporting arena work.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Yossi Conundrum
Claretandblues.com
I was excited by the acquisition of Yossi Benayoun on transfer deadline day.
Excited but also somewhat surprised. Yossi represents the sort of midfield
creator that has been largely missing from West Ham's style of play in
recent seasons. Our approach has been far more direct and pragmatic,
although there were encouraging signs against Fulham that Sam intends to mix
things up a lot more in the Premiership and we saw plenty of passages of
play that were defined by neat, one touch possession designed to work an
opening interspersed with careful, not aimless, longer balls towards the
excellent Carroll.
One wonders what assurances, if any, Yossi and/or chelsea have been given.
Is there the undertaking that he will be a regular starter and be expected
to play 90 minutes in most games? Probably not, I would guess although it is
a possibility.
Moreover, it is the question of who makes way for Benayoun that fascinates
me most, not to mention the impact on other players within the squad. With
Jarvis fit and available for selection on Saturday, Sam already has some
thinking to do. The other question is the degree to which the manager adopts
a style of play that differs slightly home and away, if indeed he does. I
would expect that our aim away from home is likely to be one of containment,
with a 5 man midfield. Where does Yossi fit into that picture? At first
glance you would think that the 5 would come out of Taylor / Vaz Te / Jarvis
in the wide positions, Noble / Nolan / Diame as the central 3.
Presumably, we have seen the last of James Tomkins in the central midfield
defensive role? Personally I hope so. That said, If Allardyce favours
Collins and Reid as the centre back pairing, as indicated by the selection
for the Fulham match, what does the future hold for the young and very
promising Tomkins?
I suppose that these sorts of questions are just the sort of problems we
want our manager to have. Strengthening the squad to this degree is
something no manager in recent years has really had to contend with at Upton
Park. With it comes difficult decisions. We will all await the outcome with
considerable interest.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hurst: OS still in our manor
Football365.com
Sir Geoff Hurst is "1,000 per cent" behind West Ham leaving Upton Park and
moving to the Olympic Stadium, saying: "It's still in our manor."
Last Updated: 09/09/12 at 11:24
The Hammers this summer lodged a bid to lease the stadium in Stratford for
99 years after their original bid to move to the London 2012 venue collapsed
last year following a number of complaints. If the newly-promoted Premier
League outfit, who are one of four bidders under consideration, were to move
it would mean leaving their Upton Park home after more than 100 years.
However, former England striker Hurst, who spent the majority of his playing
career at West Ham, is convinced it would be the right decision.
"Absolutely, (I'm) 1,000% in favour, nobody's got a greater feeling about
West Ham United at Upton Park than I have. I've rolled the pitch, I've
painted the stands there and I have great attachments to the club, but we
have to move on," Hurst, 70, told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme.
"We want to move on, we want to be in a bigger stadium with more access, we
want to be a top Premiership club. "With the support we get, which is
fantastic, we should be mid-table and above in the Premier League, we don't
want to be yo-yoing up and down, as we've been doing. "And I strongly feel,
and I hope I can convince all the West Ham fans that I meet, that is where
we've got to go. "It's still in our manor, to use an old east London
expression, it's up the road, it's better access, its an absolutely
magnificent stadium." The World Cup winner added: "I'm sure in the long term
it is far far more beneficial for the club and I think the future of the
club should be at the Olympic park. "I just feel so strongly that's where
we've got to go."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Stephen Henderson has been added to the Ireland squad for Tuesday's friendly
with Oman
09.09.2012
Stephen Henderson has been called up by Ireland for their friendly with Oman
at Craven Cottage on Tuesday. The 24-year-old goalkeeper will join up with
his international team-mates on Monday morning as they look to build on
Saturday's 2-1 2014 FIFA World Cup Group C qualifier win in Kazakhstan.
Henderson will be hoping to earn his first senior cap for his country,
having not featured on his only other senior call-up in February. Henderson
has represented Ireland at Under-15, Under-16, Under-17, Under-19 and
Under-21 level and will be hoping to now make the step-up to the senior
side. The Hammers' new No13 kept a clean sheet on his West Ham United debut
in the 2-0 Capital One Cup win against Crewe Alexandra on 28 August.
Henderson will have at least one familiar face in the Ireland squad, as
fellow Hammer Joey O'Brien joined up with the squad last week ahead of the
Kazakhstan game. O'Brien will be aiming for his fifth cap after featuring
for Ireland in their goalless friendly draw with Serbia last month.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ravel Morrison's Future and Sir Geoff on the Club's Bid to Move the Olympic
Stadium!
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
Birmingham City Manager, Lee Clark has stated that Ravel Morison has a big
part to play at Birmingham City this season. It obviously raises the
question whether this highly talented youngster can do well there and return
to star for West Ham in the PL? We can only hope that Morrison approaches
the loan in the right way, buckles down and convinces Sam Allardyce that he
has a future at the club. It would be a massive bonus for the club if this
top prospect could concentrate upon his football and progress his PL career
in a claret and blue shirt.
Elsewhere, Sir Geoff Hurst has spoken out in support of the club's planned
move to the Olympic Stadium. Sir Geoff was part and parcel of West Ham's
1960s glory days. He must have more emotional attachments than most to Upton
Park, but has, presumably, conceeded the case for the move is overwhelming.
With the conclusion of the Paralympics 2012, the focus will now shift back
to the future of the Olympic Park and the tenancy of the OS. Will we get the
nod as the tenant, is it just a formality or are there more twists and turns
to come? Time will tell!
SJ. Chandos.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hurst: Up and away
The Sun
Published: 09th September 2012
GEOFF HURST is "1,000 per cent" in favour of West Ham leaving Upton Park and
moving to the Olympic Stadium. This summer, the Hammers lodged a bid to
lease the Stratford arena for 99 years. West Ham legend Hurst said: "I'm
1,000 per cent in favour, nobody's got a greater feeling about West Ham
United at Upton Park than I have. "But we have to move on. We want to be in
a bigger stadium, we want to be a top Prem club. "We don't want to be
yo-yoing. It's just up the road, it's the future."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers go large with stadium bid to fend off other parties
By CHARLES SALE
PUBLISHED: 23:00, 9 September 2012 | UPDATED: 23:00, 9 September 2012
Daily Mail
West Ham, hot favourites to become the main tenants of the Olympic Stadium
when the decision is made next month, are understood to have put in a high
offer despite the lack of opposition. There were fears within the London
Legacy Development Corporation that the Hammers would take advantage of
being the only bidders who will get near to filling the venue on a regular
basis by offering a low annual rental for the number of days they want use
of the facility. But it is believed West Ham have tabled a bid of nearly
£10million a year, which should be enough to secure a rental deal which the
Upton Park hierarchy are banking the club's future on.
Leyton Orient have bid for an unlikely shared football usage, with owner
Barry Hearn shelving threatened legal action against the Football League and
Premier League over West Ham's relocation until the outcome. Certainly the
momentous events over the last six weeks that have given the Olympic Stadium
iconic status have made a mockery of Tottenham's scandalous intention to
knock it down and start a new build. As Lord Coe said on Sunday, the Spurs
bulldozers moving in would have produced a 'mystifying set of images'. He
added: 'It's perfectly within the wisdom of all of us to make a
multi-purpose sporting arena work.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Yossi Conundrum
Claretandblues.com
I was excited by the acquisition of Yossi Benayoun on transfer deadline day.
Excited but also somewhat surprised. Yossi represents the sort of midfield
creator that has been largely missing from West Ham's style of play in
recent seasons. Our approach has been far more direct and pragmatic,
although there were encouraging signs against Fulham that Sam intends to mix
things up a lot more in the Premiership and we saw plenty of passages of
play that were defined by neat, one touch possession designed to work an
opening interspersed with careful, not aimless, longer balls towards the
excellent Carroll.
One wonders what assurances, if any, Yossi and/or chelsea have been given.
Is there the undertaking that he will be a regular starter and be expected
to play 90 minutes in most games? Probably not, I would guess although it is
a possibility.
Moreover, it is the question of who makes way for Benayoun that fascinates
me most, not to mention the impact on other players within the squad. With
Jarvis fit and available for selection on Saturday, Sam already has some
thinking to do. The other question is the degree to which the manager adopts
a style of play that differs slightly home and away, if indeed he does. I
would expect that our aim away from home is likely to be one of containment,
with a 5 man midfield. Where does Yossi fit into that picture? At first
glance you would think that the 5 would come out of Taylor / Vaz Te / Jarvis
in the wide positions, Noble / Nolan / Diame as the central 3.
Presumably, we have seen the last of James Tomkins in the central midfield
defensive role? Personally I hope so. That said, If Allardyce favours
Collins and Reid as the centre back pairing, as indicated by the selection
for the Fulham match, what does the future hold for the young and very
promising Tomkins?
I suppose that these sorts of questions are just the sort of problems we
want our manager to have. Strengthening the squad to this degree is
something no manager in recent years has really had to contend with at Upton
Park. With it comes difficult decisions. We will all await the outcome with
considerable interest.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hurst: OS still in our manor
Football365.com
Sir Geoff Hurst is "1,000 per cent" behind West Ham leaving Upton Park and
moving to the Olympic Stadium, saying: "It's still in our manor."
Last Updated: 09/09/12 at 11:24
The Hammers this summer lodged a bid to lease the stadium in Stratford for
99 years after their original bid to move to the London 2012 venue collapsed
last year following a number of complaints. If the newly-promoted Premier
League outfit, who are one of four bidders under consideration, were to move
it would mean leaving their Upton Park home after more than 100 years.
However, former England striker Hurst, who spent the majority of his playing
career at West Ham, is convinced it would be the right decision.
"Absolutely, (I'm) 1,000% in favour, nobody's got a greater feeling about
West Ham United at Upton Park than I have. I've rolled the pitch, I've
painted the stands there and I have great attachments to the club, but we
have to move on," Hurst, 70, told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme.
"We want to move on, we want to be in a bigger stadium with more access, we
want to be a top Premiership club. "With the support we get, which is
fantastic, we should be mid-table and above in the Premier League, we don't
want to be yo-yoing up and down, as we've been doing. "And I strongly feel,
and I hope I can convince all the West Ham fans that I meet, that is where
we've got to go. "It's still in our manor, to use an old east London
expression, it's up the road, it's better access, its an absolutely
magnificent stadium." The World Cup winner added: "I'm sure in the long term
it is far far more beneficial for the club and I think the future of the
club should be at the Olympic park. "I just feel so strongly that's where
we've got to go."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Sunday, September 9
Daily WHUFC News - 9th September 2012
Maiga shines for Mali
WHUFC.com
Modibo Maiga was the pick of West Ham United's international stars on
Saturday
07.09.2012
Modibo Maiga was on target for Mali on another busy afternoon for West Ham
United's internationals. The Hammers' new No11 scored the third for Mali as
they ran out 3-0 winners in Botswana in a 2013 African Nations Cup first-leg
final-round qualifier. Cheick Diabate's penalty and Mahamadou Ndiaye had
given Mali the lead before Maiga wrapped up the scoring with 20 minutes to
go. Meanwhile, Mohamed Diame (pictured) started for Senegal as they lost
their first-leg to the Ivory Coast 4-2. The match swung from end-to-end but
it was the hosts that eventually ran out winners at the Felix
Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Adibjan, courtesy of goals from Salomon Kalou,
Gervinho, Didier Drogba and Max Gradel. Diame will be looking to overturn
their lead in the secon leg next month.
On Friday, Winston Reid led the way as he helped New Zealand get off to a
winning start in the final stage of the Oceania 2014 World Cup Qualifiers.
Shane Smeltz and Chris Wood scored the goals as the All Whites clinched a
2-0 win at New Caledonia. The Stade Numa Daly fixture saw Reid make his 11th
appearance for New Zealand in two years as he continues to be an integral
part of the side. Next up for the All Whites on Tuesday is a
top-of-the-table clash with the Soloman Islands, who also recorded a 2-0 win
against Oceania champions Tahiti.
Elsewhere, Yossi Benayoun was a second-half substitute in Israel's 1-1 draw
with Azerbaijan. The on-loan Chelsea player, now in his second spell with
West Ham United, came on in the 73rd minute for Itay Shechter. Bebars Natcho
opened the scoring for Israel but Azerbaijan hit back and equalised through
Ruslan Abbasov in the 65th minute.
Joey O'Brien was an unused substitute as the Republic of Ireland snatched a
2-1 win away to Kazakhstan. The home side had outplayed their opponents for
much of the game and grabbed a deserved lead in the 38th minute when Kairat
Nurdauletov nodded home. Defeat seemed all but sealed until Robbie Keane
slotted in an 89th minute penalty that seemingly earned a draw. But there
was to be more drama as Kevin Doyle volleyed home just a minute later to
grab a 2-1 win
James Collins' first appearance for Wales in 18 months ended in
disappointment as the centre back was sent off for a strong tackle after 26
minutes as they lost 2-0 in Belgium. Barclays Premier League duo Vincent
Kompany and Jan Vertonghen scored either side of half time as Wales
struggled to find a foothold with ten men. Gareth Bale almost levelled the
tie with a superb free-kick but Athletico Madrid keeper Thibault Courtois
was able to tip it round the post.
Meanwhile, Blair Turgott made his England Under-19 debut as a second-half
substitute as the Young Lions lost 3-1 to Germany in Hamburg. Turgott came
on in the 75th minute for Liverpool's Adam Morgan but it was another of the
Reds starlets who stole the show. Summer signing Samed Yesil scored a superb
double, opening the scoring after just two minutes, showing fine trickery in
the box before smashing the ball home. After Yesil's opener the Under-19s
rallied and drew level on 31 minutes when Nick Powell expertly chipped
Odisseas Vlachodimos. But Yesil once again put the hosts in front when
Jordan Pickford was only able to palm the youngster's initial effort
straight back at him and he tapped the ball into the empty net two minutes
into the second half. SC Freiburg's Sebastian Kerk completed the scoring,
slotting the ball calmly past Pickford to ensure that there was no way back
for England. Daniel Potts was also part of the squad but was an unable to
play after picking up a minor injury in training on Wednesday. Both Turgott
and Potts will be hoping to be part of the Under-19s squad for the UEFA
European Championship qualifiers against the Faroe Islands, Ukraine and
Estonia later this month.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'There's Only One Stevie Bacon'
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's long-serving club photographer has recently released his
entertaining autobiography
08.09.2012
To all West Ham United supporters, 'There's Only One Stevie Bacon' - and now
it's official! The Hammers' official club photographer for more than 30
years, Steve Bacon has had unique view on goings on at the Boleyn Ground.
Now, he has put his memories down on paper in his new autobiography,
entitled 'There's Only One Stevie Bacon' in honour of the famous terrace
chant. The book is now on sale at the Stadium Superstore. Speaking at a book
signing on the opening day of the 2012/13 season, Bacon revealed his delight
at releasing his autobiography in the same month that the club had returned
to the Barclays Premier League. "My book has now been released and luckily
it has coincided with our return to the Premier League, which was always a
hope of mine," said Bacon. "It was a very good August for me. "The first day
back against Aston Villa was fantastic. It was a lovely day and an even
better result. I wasn't working because I had a knee operation two weeks
prior but it was good to be out and see the supporters."
The book has been an on-going project for Bacon who revealed it was the
perfect time to write and publish his personal memoirs. "I did a book of
photographs in 1996, but people have often said 'You must have a good story
to tell and we would love to hear it'. I'm now 60 so this was the perfect
time to do it. "I spoke to the author Kirk Blows, who is another West Ham
United supporter, and between us we sat down and wrote the book which I am
delighted with."
The book contains many touching anecdotes from Bacon's time as club
photographer, but he was able to pinpoint one particularly comedic memory,
while paying tribute to a 'special' personal favourite. "It is probably some
of the memories I have from the Lou Macari era because, although he may not
have been that popular at the time, we really clicked. "John Lyall was also
another very special person who was totally unique, but in terms of comedy
it would have to be Lou. We went to Ireland one year and were playing all
kinds of pranks on each other and we got fogged in which has never happened
before in the airport's entire history!"
This isn't the end for Bacon as a snapper, however, as he hopes to return
from his knee operation to the club in a matter of weeks. "I had to miss the
end of last season which was a shame but it simply became too painful.
Thankfully I have had it fixed now and hopefully I will be back at the club
within a matter of weeks."
One matchday food outlet has even named a dish in Bacon's name - the 'Steve
Bacon Burger' - and the man himself admitted he cherishes his relationship
with the club and all who are a part of it. "I am very flattered and often
very embarrassed by it. I put it down to longevity. If you are in the same
place for long enough, you are always going to become part of the furniture.
"I am a local lad who still lives ten minutes from the ground, so to become
so heavily involved with the fans and the club is something very close to my
heart."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sir Geoff Hurst backs West Ham's bid to lease Olympic Stadium
BBC.co.uk
Sir Geoff Hurst believes former club West Ham must move to London's Olympic
Stadium to fulfil their ambitions of becoming a "top" Premier League side.
The Hammers are one of four bidders under consideration to lease the £486m
stadium after the Paralympics. "In the long term [moving] is far more
beneficial," Hurst, 70, told BBC Sportsweek. "The future of the club, I
think, should be in the Olympic Park." "I feel strongly that is where we
have got to go," added the World Cup winner.
West Ham won the backing of Olympic executives ahead of Premier League
rivals Tottenham to lease the stadium, before the deal was scrapped last
year amid legal wrangling.
Olympic Stadium timeline
November 2010: West Ham and Tottenham named as preferred bidders
February 2011: West Ham win backing of Olympic bosses
April 2011: Spurs and Leyton Orient launch legal bids over decision
October 2011: Government confirms Hammers' bid collapses
December 2011: Olympic bosses relaunch tender process
March 2012: Four bidders submit new proposals
Jul-Aug 2012: Stadium hosts Olympic and Paralympic Games
October 2012: Decision expected on successful bidders
2014: Stadium will reopen with new tenants
The Hammers, who have played at current home Upton Park since 1904,
submitted another proposal in March after the bidding process was restarted.
League One side Leyton Orient and the UCFB College of Football Business have
also tabled bids, while a plan to turn part of the stadium into a Formula 1
track is another under consideration by the London Legacy Development
Corporation. Hurst, the only man to score a World Cup final hat-trick after
his heroics for England against West Germany in 1966, says he is "1,000%" in
favour of West Ham moving to Stratford. The Olympic Stadium, which currently
has an 80,000 capacity, will be reduced to 60,000 post-Games, while Upton
Park only holds 35,000 fans. "Nobody has a greater feeling about West Ham
United at Upton Park than I have," said Hurst, who scored 248 goals in 499
matches spanning 13 years for the Hammers. "We want to be in a big stadium
with more access, we want to be a top Premier League club. With the support
we've got, which is fantastic, we should be mid-table and above in the
Premier League. "We don't want to be yo-yoing up and down as we have been
doing."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Upton Mark: West Ham keen for fan favourite Noble to sign new contract
The Mirror
West Ham have opened talks with Mark Noble over a new contract. The midfield
player's current deal expires at the end of this season. If there is no
agreement about an extension, then the club could lose the 25-year-old on a
free transfer next June. Noble – a graduate from the club's famed academy –
has played a crucial role in the Hammers' impressive start to the season
which has brought six points from the the first three games with victories
over Aston Villa and Fulham. He has excelled in his new role as the
deep-lying midfield player protecting the back four and figures prominently
in manager Sam Allardyce's plans. Noble is hugely popular with the fans,
too. He was voted the club's Player of the Year when they gained promotion
back to the Premier League in May. Now West Ham want to ensure his long-term
future lies at Upton Park. The indications are that he will be offered an
extension to his contract that will keep him at West Ham for the next five
years.
Fulham were strongly linked with Noble during the summer as they looked for
a replacement for Danny Murphy who moved to Blackburn. But Noble stayed –
and West Ham now want to ensure that his future his secured by the January
transfer window.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'DADDY' SAM ALLARDYCE IS TOPS FOR RAY WINSTONE
Daily Star
9th September 2012 By Tony Stenson
HARD-MAN actor Ray Winstone is backing West Ham boss Sam Allardyce to
breathe life back into his favourite team. "He's the daddy. I don't want to
fade and die any more," he said, referring to the Hammers' famous signature
tune, 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles'. Winstone, 55, an East Ender and
life-long Hammers fan, was impressed with Andy Carroll's swashbuckling debut
last week and believes Big Sam should get the credit for his snatch of the
day. And Winstone whose remake of The Sweeney is set to become a box office
smash, said: "Sam has done well. He has brought steel and heart to the
dressing room. "We are going to need that if we are to do well in the
Premier League. "We look all right. There are one or two teams in the league
who don't look all right and that's great for us. "Survival in the Premier
League is obviously what we want. "I was very worried at the end of the last
one. "We were very lucky to come up in the Play-Off Final.Blackpool were the
better side but thank God they couldn't finish! "We did it. We had some
dodgy moments and some draws at home we could have done without. "But the
thing I loved about the side was that they had heart. "I think that had been
missing for a few years. I am not talking about players like Mark Noble –
who would die for the club – but some others."
Winstone knows a decent start to the campaign is vital and said: "The first
games of the season are very important. If we can give ourselves a platform
going into the tough period, we will do all right. "We are not going to win
any medals this year and I don't expect us to. But I think we will stay up
and winning the FA Cup would do me fine."
Winstone is full of praise for co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold and
the job they have done since taking the helm. "Their record speaks for
itself," he added. "Since coming here they have been very tough about
balancing the books. "We are not Liverpool or Man United but we are a big
club – we won the World Cup by the way! "We are a brand that hasn't realised
its full potential yet. But the club is in very good hands."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Modibo Maiga was the pick of West Ham United's international stars on
Saturday
07.09.2012
Modibo Maiga was on target for Mali on another busy afternoon for West Ham
United's internationals. The Hammers' new No11 scored the third for Mali as
they ran out 3-0 winners in Botswana in a 2013 African Nations Cup first-leg
final-round qualifier. Cheick Diabate's penalty and Mahamadou Ndiaye had
given Mali the lead before Maiga wrapped up the scoring with 20 minutes to
go. Meanwhile, Mohamed Diame (pictured) started for Senegal as they lost
their first-leg to the Ivory Coast 4-2. The match swung from end-to-end but
it was the hosts that eventually ran out winners at the Felix
Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Adibjan, courtesy of goals from Salomon Kalou,
Gervinho, Didier Drogba and Max Gradel. Diame will be looking to overturn
their lead in the secon leg next month.
On Friday, Winston Reid led the way as he helped New Zealand get off to a
winning start in the final stage of the Oceania 2014 World Cup Qualifiers.
Shane Smeltz and Chris Wood scored the goals as the All Whites clinched a
2-0 win at New Caledonia. The Stade Numa Daly fixture saw Reid make his 11th
appearance for New Zealand in two years as he continues to be an integral
part of the side. Next up for the All Whites on Tuesday is a
top-of-the-table clash with the Soloman Islands, who also recorded a 2-0 win
against Oceania champions Tahiti.
Elsewhere, Yossi Benayoun was a second-half substitute in Israel's 1-1 draw
with Azerbaijan. The on-loan Chelsea player, now in his second spell with
West Ham United, came on in the 73rd minute for Itay Shechter. Bebars Natcho
opened the scoring for Israel but Azerbaijan hit back and equalised through
Ruslan Abbasov in the 65th minute.
Joey O'Brien was an unused substitute as the Republic of Ireland snatched a
2-1 win away to Kazakhstan. The home side had outplayed their opponents for
much of the game and grabbed a deserved lead in the 38th minute when Kairat
Nurdauletov nodded home. Defeat seemed all but sealed until Robbie Keane
slotted in an 89th minute penalty that seemingly earned a draw. But there
was to be more drama as Kevin Doyle volleyed home just a minute later to
grab a 2-1 win
James Collins' first appearance for Wales in 18 months ended in
disappointment as the centre back was sent off for a strong tackle after 26
minutes as they lost 2-0 in Belgium. Barclays Premier League duo Vincent
Kompany and Jan Vertonghen scored either side of half time as Wales
struggled to find a foothold with ten men. Gareth Bale almost levelled the
tie with a superb free-kick but Athletico Madrid keeper Thibault Courtois
was able to tip it round the post.
Meanwhile, Blair Turgott made his England Under-19 debut as a second-half
substitute as the Young Lions lost 3-1 to Germany in Hamburg. Turgott came
on in the 75th minute for Liverpool's Adam Morgan but it was another of the
Reds starlets who stole the show. Summer signing Samed Yesil scored a superb
double, opening the scoring after just two minutes, showing fine trickery in
the box before smashing the ball home. After Yesil's opener the Under-19s
rallied and drew level on 31 minutes when Nick Powell expertly chipped
Odisseas Vlachodimos. But Yesil once again put the hosts in front when
Jordan Pickford was only able to palm the youngster's initial effort
straight back at him and he tapped the ball into the empty net two minutes
into the second half. SC Freiburg's Sebastian Kerk completed the scoring,
slotting the ball calmly past Pickford to ensure that there was no way back
for England. Daniel Potts was also part of the squad but was an unable to
play after picking up a minor injury in training on Wednesday. Both Turgott
and Potts will be hoping to be part of the Under-19s squad for the UEFA
European Championship qualifiers against the Faroe Islands, Ukraine and
Estonia later this month.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'There's Only One Stevie Bacon'
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's long-serving club photographer has recently released his
entertaining autobiography
08.09.2012
To all West Ham United supporters, 'There's Only One Stevie Bacon' - and now
it's official! The Hammers' official club photographer for more than 30
years, Steve Bacon has had unique view on goings on at the Boleyn Ground.
Now, he has put his memories down on paper in his new autobiography,
entitled 'There's Only One Stevie Bacon' in honour of the famous terrace
chant. The book is now on sale at the Stadium Superstore. Speaking at a book
signing on the opening day of the 2012/13 season, Bacon revealed his delight
at releasing his autobiography in the same month that the club had returned
to the Barclays Premier League. "My book has now been released and luckily
it has coincided with our return to the Premier League, which was always a
hope of mine," said Bacon. "It was a very good August for me. "The first day
back against Aston Villa was fantastic. It was a lovely day and an even
better result. I wasn't working because I had a knee operation two weeks
prior but it was good to be out and see the supporters."
The book has been an on-going project for Bacon who revealed it was the
perfect time to write and publish his personal memoirs. "I did a book of
photographs in 1996, but people have often said 'You must have a good story
to tell and we would love to hear it'. I'm now 60 so this was the perfect
time to do it. "I spoke to the author Kirk Blows, who is another West Ham
United supporter, and between us we sat down and wrote the book which I am
delighted with."
The book contains many touching anecdotes from Bacon's time as club
photographer, but he was able to pinpoint one particularly comedic memory,
while paying tribute to a 'special' personal favourite. "It is probably some
of the memories I have from the Lou Macari era because, although he may not
have been that popular at the time, we really clicked. "John Lyall was also
another very special person who was totally unique, but in terms of comedy
it would have to be Lou. We went to Ireland one year and were playing all
kinds of pranks on each other and we got fogged in which has never happened
before in the airport's entire history!"
This isn't the end for Bacon as a snapper, however, as he hopes to return
from his knee operation to the club in a matter of weeks. "I had to miss the
end of last season which was a shame but it simply became too painful.
Thankfully I have had it fixed now and hopefully I will be back at the club
within a matter of weeks."
One matchday food outlet has even named a dish in Bacon's name - the 'Steve
Bacon Burger' - and the man himself admitted he cherishes his relationship
with the club and all who are a part of it. "I am very flattered and often
very embarrassed by it. I put it down to longevity. If you are in the same
place for long enough, you are always going to become part of the furniture.
"I am a local lad who still lives ten minutes from the ground, so to become
so heavily involved with the fans and the club is something very close to my
heart."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sir Geoff Hurst backs West Ham's bid to lease Olympic Stadium
BBC.co.uk
Sir Geoff Hurst believes former club West Ham must move to London's Olympic
Stadium to fulfil their ambitions of becoming a "top" Premier League side.
The Hammers are one of four bidders under consideration to lease the £486m
stadium after the Paralympics. "In the long term [moving] is far more
beneficial," Hurst, 70, told BBC Sportsweek. "The future of the club, I
think, should be in the Olympic Park." "I feel strongly that is where we
have got to go," added the World Cup winner.
West Ham won the backing of Olympic executives ahead of Premier League
rivals Tottenham to lease the stadium, before the deal was scrapped last
year amid legal wrangling.
Olympic Stadium timeline
November 2010: West Ham and Tottenham named as preferred bidders
February 2011: West Ham win backing of Olympic bosses
April 2011: Spurs and Leyton Orient launch legal bids over decision
October 2011: Government confirms Hammers' bid collapses
December 2011: Olympic bosses relaunch tender process
March 2012: Four bidders submit new proposals
Jul-Aug 2012: Stadium hosts Olympic and Paralympic Games
October 2012: Decision expected on successful bidders
2014: Stadium will reopen with new tenants
The Hammers, who have played at current home Upton Park since 1904,
submitted another proposal in March after the bidding process was restarted.
League One side Leyton Orient and the UCFB College of Football Business have
also tabled bids, while a plan to turn part of the stadium into a Formula 1
track is another under consideration by the London Legacy Development
Corporation. Hurst, the only man to score a World Cup final hat-trick after
his heroics for England against West Germany in 1966, says he is "1,000%" in
favour of West Ham moving to Stratford. The Olympic Stadium, which currently
has an 80,000 capacity, will be reduced to 60,000 post-Games, while Upton
Park only holds 35,000 fans. "Nobody has a greater feeling about West Ham
United at Upton Park than I have," said Hurst, who scored 248 goals in 499
matches spanning 13 years for the Hammers. "We want to be in a big stadium
with more access, we want to be a top Premier League club. With the support
we've got, which is fantastic, we should be mid-table and above in the
Premier League. "We don't want to be yo-yoing up and down as we have been
doing."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Upton Mark: West Ham keen for fan favourite Noble to sign new contract
The Mirror
West Ham have opened talks with Mark Noble over a new contract. The midfield
player's current deal expires at the end of this season. If there is no
agreement about an extension, then the club could lose the 25-year-old on a
free transfer next June. Noble – a graduate from the club's famed academy –
has played a crucial role in the Hammers' impressive start to the season
which has brought six points from the the first three games with victories
over Aston Villa and Fulham. He has excelled in his new role as the
deep-lying midfield player protecting the back four and figures prominently
in manager Sam Allardyce's plans. Noble is hugely popular with the fans,
too. He was voted the club's Player of the Year when they gained promotion
back to the Premier League in May. Now West Ham want to ensure his long-term
future lies at Upton Park. The indications are that he will be offered an
extension to his contract that will keep him at West Ham for the next five
years.
Fulham were strongly linked with Noble during the summer as they looked for
a replacement for Danny Murphy who moved to Blackburn. But Noble stayed –
and West Ham now want to ensure that his future his secured by the January
transfer window.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
'DADDY' SAM ALLARDYCE IS TOPS FOR RAY WINSTONE
Daily Star
9th September 2012 By Tony Stenson
HARD-MAN actor Ray Winstone is backing West Ham boss Sam Allardyce to
breathe life back into his favourite team. "He's the daddy. I don't want to
fade and die any more," he said, referring to the Hammers' famous signature
tune, 'I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles'. Winstone, 55, an East Ender and
life-long Hammers fan, was impressed with Andy Carroll's swashbuckling debut
last week and believes Big Sam should get the credit for his snatch of the
day. And Winstone whose remake of The Sweeney is set to become a box office
smash, said: "Sam has done well. He has brought steel and heart to the
dressing room. "We are going to need that if we are to do well in the
Premier League. "We look all right. There are one or two teams in the league
who don't look all right and that's great for us. "Survival in the Premier
League is obviously what we want. "I was very worried at the end of the last
one. "We were very lucky to come up in the Play-Off Final.Blackpool were the
better side but thank God they couldn't finish! "We did it. We had some
dodgy moments and some draws at home we could have done without. "But the
thing I loved about the side was that they had heart. "I think that had been
missing for a few years. I am not talking about players like Mark Noble –
who would die for the club – but some others."
Winstone knows a decent start to the campaign is vital and said: "The first
games of the season are very important. If we can give ourselves a platform
going into the tough period, we will do all right. "We are not going to win
any medals this year and I don't expect us to. But I think we will stay up
and winning the FA Cup would do me fine."
Winstone is full of praise for co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold and
the job they have done since taking the helm. "Their record speaks for
itself," he added. "Since coming here they have been very tough about
balancing the books. "We are not Liverpool or Man United but we are a big
club – we won the World Cup by the way! "We are a brand that hasn't realised
its full potential yet. But the club is in very good hands."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Saturday, September 8
Daily WHUFC News - 8th September 2012
Turgott makes Under-19 bow
WHUFC.com
Blair Turgott made his England Under-19 debut on Thursday in a 3-1 defeat in
Germany
07.09.2012
Blair Turgott made his England Under-19 debut as a second-half substitute as
the Young Lions lost 3-1 to Germany in Hamburg. Turgott came on in the 75th
minute for Liverpool's Adam Morgan but it was another of the Reds starlets
who stole the show. Summer signing Samed Yesil scored a superb double,
opening the scoring after just two minutes, showing fine trickery in the box
before smashing the ball home. After Yesil's opener the Under-19s rallied
and drew level on 31 minutes when Nick Powell expertly chipped Odisseas
Vlachodimos. But Yesil once again put the hosts in front when Jordan
Pickford was only able to palm the youngster's initial effort straight back
at him and he tapped the ball into the empty net two minutes into the second
half. SC Freiburg's Sebastian Kerk completed the scoring, slotting the ball
calmly past Pickford to ensure that there was no way back for England.
Daniel Potts was also part of the squad but was an unable to play after
picking up a minor injury in training on Wednesday. Both Turgott and Potts
will be hoping to be part of the Under-19s squad for the UEFA European
Championship qualifiers against the Faroe Islands, Ukraine and Estonia later
this month.
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Joey ready for national service
WHUFC.com
Proud Irishman Joey O'Brien is looking forward to representing his country
in Kazakhstan on Friday
07.09.2012
For proud Irishman Joey O'Brien, pulling on the emerald green shirt of his
country is a feeling like no other. The West Ham United player was
considered to be one of Ireland's brightest young prospects when he broke
into the senior national side just two weeks after his 20th birthday, only
for a series of serious knee injuries to see his international prospects
seemingly disappear forever. To O'Brien's immense credit, he battled and
worked his way back to fitness. On 15 August the 26-year-old made his fourth
appearance for Ireland in a goalless friendly international draw in Serbia,
nearly five years after earning his third cap in a 2008 UEFA European
Championship qualifier with Cyprus. He may have been on the pitch for just
eleven minutes in Belgrade, but for O'Brien they were among the best eleven
minutes of his life. "It was brilliant," he confirmed. "Obviously it was a
long time since the last time I had played at an international level so it
was great to meet up with the lads again." "I didn't expect to come on as a
substitute, so I was delighted to get on the pitch and I think we played
really well and got a good result."
O'Brien is hoping to earn his fifth cap in Friday's opening 2014 FIFA World
Cup Group C qualifier in Kazakhstan and pick up his sixth in next Tuesday's
international friendly with Oman at Craven Cottage. "We play Kazakhstan on
Friday and we're playing Oman on Tuesday and, please God, I'll be involved
in both matches. Hopefully we'll pick up three points in Kazakhstan and make
a good start to our World Cup qualifying campaign. "We played well over in
Serbia in our last friendly match, so hopefully we'll go over there and get
three points. "The last World Cup qualifier I played in was against Cyprus,
which was a long time ago, so obviously it would be great to play my part in
the qualifying campaign and our aim is to try to qualify. "I've been asked
hundreds of times about my injuries but those are in the past now and for me
it's all about looking forward and playing games now."
Ireland are, of course, aiming to qualify for their second major
championship in succession after reaching the 2012 UEFA European
Championship finals. There, Giovanni Trapattoni's side were beaten by
Croatia, eventual winners Spain and runners-up Italy to go out at the group
stage. To qualify, the Boys in Green must finish in the top two of a group
that also contains Germany, Sweden, Austria and Faroe Islands, but O'Brien
is confident that they can do just that - regardless of the relatively small
size of the Irish population and pool of available players. "The lads did
unbelievably well to qualify for the EUROs and I think the achievement of
getting there was taken away by the results over there, but at the end of
the day we got beaten by two of the countries who made it to the final. "We
do unbelievably well for the size of our country. We've got a great track
record for producing players who go onto the world stage. "The first time we
ever qualified for anything was back in 1988, which isn't that long ago. To
be able to produce players and qualify and do well in tournaments is some
achievement. "Even this time, we have a hard group but we'll be looking to
qualify and that's a great way to be - it's great to be going out and
knowing we can qualify."
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Ginge's World Cup dream
WHUFC.com
James Collins wants to help Wales qualify for their first FIFA World Cup
finals in 56 years
07.09.2012
James Collins is dreaming of helping Wales to qualify for their first FIFA
World Cup finals in more than half a century. The West Ham United defender
has not played for Wales since March 2011 but is expected to start for his
country when they begin their Brazil 2014 qualifying campaign by facing
Belgium in Cardiff on Friday evening. Wales, who are in Group A alongside
the Belgians, Serbia, Croatia, Scotland and FYR Macedonia, have not reached
the FIFA World Cup finals since their only previous appearance in 1958.
Collins knows the likes of Barclays Premier League stars Eden Hazard,
Vincent Kompany, Marouane Fellaini and Moussa Dembele will not make it easy
to change that record, but he is confident Chris Coleman's men can build on
the foundations left by the late Gary Speed. "I can't wait to play for Wales
again as it really has been too long," he told whufc.com "I have had to pull
out of the last few squads with little niggles so I am delighted to be fully
fit and I am really looking forward to it. "The key even when Speedo took
over was to qualify for a major tournament, particularly the 2014 World Cup
in Brazil, and that is what we are going to try to do. "We begin with two
very tough games, starting with Belgium on Friday. If you look at their
squad they have a great team. We will have to be at our best and then we
face another difficult game out in Serbia next Tuesday."
While Belgian football is undoubtedly on the rise, Collins believes the fact
so many of their players ply their trade in the Barclays Premier League will
aid Wales' cause.
"I think that around 90 per cent of the Belgium squad play in the Premier
League, so we will have a good understanding of how they play. "That will
help us and, if our players perform how we know they can, there is no reason
why we can't come away with a positive result. We can beat anyone on our
day."
Collins admitted that the last year had been a difficult one for the Welsh
squad following the death of Speed and insisted the best way to honour his
memory would be to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. "It's been very
tough, particularly because the circumstances were so horrendous. He was a
great man and he is sorely missed, but the lads now have to move on. He put
in place a plan to qualify for Brazil and that is what we hope to do in the
way he set out."
With the international break following Saturday's 3-0 home win over Fulham,
Collins left for national duty on a high following his disappointing
performance in the 3-0 defeat at Swansea City. "It was good being at home,
getting the three points and putting the disappointment of the previous
weekend behind us. Nobody was happy with the result against Swansea, myself
more than anyone, so to bounce back and win 3-0 was great. "I think the
disappointment of losing 3-0 really spurred us on. We knew no-one was good
enough at Swansea and that individual errors cost us the game so we were
focused from the start."
Collins also paid tribute to the work done by Sam Allardyce and the club
during the final days of the Transfer Window in adding Andy Carroll and his
former West Ham team-mate Yossi Benayoun. "We have made some terrific
signings with Andy and Yossi coming and I think they have really given
everyone a boost. I think we had a great squad already when I arrived, so to
add a few more top-quality players is great, it has given everyone a lift
and I think it showed on the pitch."
Collins played alongside Benayoun previously between 2005 and 2007, reaching
the FA Cup final and staving off relegation in amazing style, and the
Welshman believes the Israel captain can play a huge part over the course of
the season. "To have Yossi back is great. The first time he was here he was
a fantastic player. I have kept in contact with him over the years and when
I spoke to him he couldn't wait to get back. "Yossi would be great in any
team - we have seen that since he left the club with Liverpool, Chelsea and
last season with Arsenal. To have him playing for West Ham United again is
fantastic."
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Moore than just a footballer
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 7th September 2012
By: Staff Writer
A new book is calling for West Ham United legend Bobby Moore to be
posthumously knighted. Former Fulham manager Bobby Campbell - who managed
the Cottagers during Moore's brief stint at the club in the mid-1970s -
calls for the former England captain to receive the ultimate honour in 'The
Centurions: England's 100 Club', which is published next week. "I don't
believe that he received the accolade and credit that he deserved," says
Campbell. "He should have been knighted.
"Tell me this, if any player captained England to a World Cup triumph in the
future, do you think they would be knighted? I am sure that they would. So
why wasn't Bobby knighted? "In fact, it's not too late. He should be
knighted posthumously."
Moore, who was capped 108 times between 1962 and 1973 is one of only five
players to have made more than 100 appearances for England; the others being
Billy Wright, Bobby Charlton, Peter Shilton and David Beckham. At the end of
1966 he was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the
British Empire), the second-lowest of the five orders of chivalry - but no
further honours until his passing in 1993. Bobby Charlton - a team mate of
Moore's in that 1966 World Cup-winning team - was knighted for his services
to football in 1994. Geoff Hurst, another of the 1966 team and a team mate
of Moore's at West Ham was also knighted four years later. Yet as of now,
the captain of the team, the only Englishman to lift the World Cup and the
player considered by many to be the greatest English footballer of all time
is yet to have received that ultimate accolade.
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The West Ham Academy Graduates Key in England's 0-5 Victory Over Moldova
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
West Ham's 'Golden Generation' continue to provide the back bone of the
current England team, with Glen Johnson, Micheal Carrick, Frank Lampard and
Jermaine Defoe all featuring in the 0-5 victory over Moldova. You could
even, at a push, technically include John Terry in that list, Terry having
started his football career in the West Ham Academy. With Lampard grabbing a
brace and Defoe weighing in with one of the other goals, they were obviously
crucial to securing such an emphatric away victory.
Of that much celebrated stable of ex-Hammers Academy graduates, only Rio
Ferdinand and Joe Cole seem to have acquired ex-England international
status. Since leaving West Ham all of the Academy graduates have gone on to
join the 'bigger' PL clubs (with perhaps the exception of Defoe at Spurs!)
and have won trophies. Yet, the greatest dissappointment must be that their
club success has not been replicated with England at international level.
Ideally, this very talented group of players should surely have formed the
back bone of a victorious England team at a European Championship or World
Cup competition.
At club level, the majority of them played at the highest level and won the
biggest prizes, so that success cannot be challenged. However, when looking
at their individual development since leaving the club, I have always felt
that some aspects of their outstanding early promise were not realised. Rio
Ferdinand developed in to one of the best central defenders in club
football. At Leeds Utd and Man Utd, Ferdinand perfected the art of defensive
play, but arguably did not similiarly develop his early ability to carry the
ball out of defence in the manner of Bobby Moore. Glen Johnson was
introduced to the West Ham first team in the ill fated 2002-03 season, to
universal acclaim. He was undoubtedly one of the best right-back prospects
that English football has produced, showing equal proficiency defensively
and in supporting the attack down the right flank. A subsequent ill-fated
move to Chelsea disrupted that promise and arguably set back his early
progress. It is only more recently at Liverpool, via a period at Portsmouth,
that he has now started to actualise that exceptional early promise and has
taken it forward at international level. Time is stll on his side, being the
youngest of the group, and he may yet fulfill his full promise.
Micheal Carrick was richly talented young midfielder whose passing ability
was often compared to Glen Hoddle's. At West Ham, he also showed potential
as a midfielder, who could not only orchastrate the play with his passing
ability, but also find the back of the net. After leaving West Ham, he
developed in to a deeper lying midfielder, who used that passing ability to
good effect. However, the 'opportunity cost' of that was that he did not
really develop his goal scoring ability to a level that once seemed
possible. At international level, Carrick has not received the number of
caps for England that his talent merited and that is a great pity. Joe Cole
was seen as the most naturally talented of the lot, a creative midfielder
who possessed great technical ability and sublime skill on the ball. Cole
won trophies at Chelsea, but he was another who suffered during his time at
Stamford Bridge, being 'in and out' of the first team and often played out
of position. He still became a top midfielder, but can we say, 'hand on
heart,' that he has fulfilled his original potential? Jermaine Defoe is a
natural born goal scorer, who has done the business for both club and
country. However, his achievements at Spurs have not matched those of his
fellow Academy graduates, at club-level, and he has had a strangely
chequered career for England, even being excluded from the final Squad of 23
for the 2006 World Cup.
Much as it pains me to say it, the player that has probably exceeded all
expectations is Frank Lampard Jnr. His talent was evident at West Ham,
including his invaluable ability to consistently score goals from midfield.
He has been a consistent goal scorer throughout his club career and has
largely replicated that at international level as well. He has also
subsequently developed in to a fitter, industrious and more complete
midfielder.
From our perspective, there is natural disappointment that these Academy
players did win their trophies at West Ham. Can you imagine what we could
have achieved if we had kept them together and additionally, had the
financial resources to bring in the extra players quality to supplement and
show case their talents. After leaving West Ham, there is an argument that
successive England managers have failed to best exploit the talent that they
brought to the national team. However, did the players themselves also
develop every aspect of their early game to its full potential? In some
cases, and in some respects, as expounded above, I feel not. It is probably
a minority viewpoint I know, but it is one that I have held for some
considerable time.
SJ. Chandos.
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Karren Brady's football diary – Keep privates private
By KARREN BRADY
Published: 07th September 2012
The Sun
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
WE beat the 11pm deadline by three seconds to submit deal paperwork which
gives you an extension until 1am to fully complete a transfer. And I use the
extra time to tie up a loan deal with Chelsea for Yossi Benayoun. At
12.59am after a small hiccup it's all registered and I can sense our manager
Sam Allardyce smiling down the phone.The Israeli captain comes back to us
almost under the radar as, in the excitement of Andy Carroll's signing,
there is little fuss over his return. Half a day later West Ham play
beautifully to beat Fulham. Andy's injury means he will be out for a maximum
of six weeks — but the physio will try anything and everything to reduce
that length of time.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
SAM sends an email thanking me for being so supportive with our 11 summer
transfers. My board has made a statement of intent and I'm dreaming of 40
points by March when Robin van Persie scores Man U's winner.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
PAOLO DI CANIO is a crazy Italian and West Ham fans love him for it. His
words will have bosses cheering, too, after Swindon keeper Wes Foderingham's
strop.
Paolo called him arrogant and unprofessional — and today announces
Foderingham apologised.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
AVRAM GRANT has chosen Clint Eastwood as the actor he would like to portray
his life. I dread to think the film would be entitled Dirty Avram. In the
same survey, Mick McCarthy fancies Brad Pitt playing his part. I love Mick's
sense of humour. For me, the smartest choice is Alex McLeish for look-alike
David Caruso, from TV series CSI Miami. But for some reason not one of the
30-or-so went for Danny DeVito.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
A PREMIER LEAGUE house-warming party in a £20million-plus mansion in Central
London proves to be a great place to be if you are into football, business
and media.
One chairman describes himself as being in the fabric business. As my other
Premier League friend whispers in my ear, he's on his third wife, he used to
be in the underwear business!
It's not as crazy as the last Premier League house-warming I went to when
the new and very drunk wife of a very respected club chairman told me in
graphic detail about her recent plastic surgery. I thought nose or possibly
chest, but she had actually been in Los Angeles having 'vaginoplasty' —
trust me, you really do not want to know and I know I certainly didn't. She
told me she had it done in LA as she did not want anyone in London seeing
her privates. As another chairman's wife pointed out, half of London had
seen it anyway — and not just the male half! At least my eyebrows raised.
The rest of them are botoxed!
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
RAUL MEIRELES' move to Turkish side Fenerbahce leaves both the Premier
League and Chelsea with one bad haircut fewer. Roberto Di Matteo probably
has a year in which to prove he is more than just a Champions' League
winner. And he's acting like AVB on speed, scattering internationals to the
wind while changing the playing style. As a new Roman empire rises so there
are victims. The latest is Florent Malouda — but sadly he didn't want to
come to West Ham, so I have little sympathy for him.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
I HAPPEN to be chatting with a QPR director who tells me the story, warts 'n
all, of the Paddy Kenny phone rant insulting former Hammers keeper Robert
Green.
It reminded me of one call I had myself, although it was not from eejit
Paddy. A voice on a withheld number called me "a f***ing bitch" and things a
lot less flattering and a lot more menacing. I rang the police who found the
culprit pretty quickly. It was a player who had been on loan at my club, but
sent home after a lacklustre performance. The next morning the player had
his collar felt or, rather, his training top, because the police tackled him
on the pitch at his training ground. Do it again and you'll be in court, he
was told.
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West Ham record-signing Matt Jarvis could be back in action after the
international break for the trip to Norwich.
TalkSport
The £10.75million arrival from Wolves, who made his debut in the defeat at
Swansea, missed the 3-0 win over Fulham because of a thigh injury, but is
expected to resume training ahead of the televised clash at Carrow Road.
Midfielder Jack Collison has been sidelined by a knee injury, but the
23-year-old hopes to be back in action soon. He said: "I'm pretty much there
or thereabouts. I just need to get some minutes under my belt."
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West Ham Focus - Who is Mobido Maiga?
Adifferentleague.co.uk
By Sam Carleton
Friday 07 September 2012
West Ham have a predominantly tried and tested squad for the Premier League
this season which many will see as a benefit, but manager Sam Allardyce has
brought in someone less well-known to bolster his options, and that is
Modibo Maiga.
Maiga, who turned 25 this week, is a Mali-born striker who made a name for
himself in France with Sochaux. He scored at a rate of almost a goal every
two games over a period of two years with the club, a goal record that
should not be sniffed at in any domestic European league.
He signed for West Ham during the summer transfer window for an undisclosed
fee, and while he has only a couple of appearances in the claret and blue so
far he has whet the appetites of the fans at this early stage. Maiga came
off the bench in the opening game win over Aston Villa and almost scored
moments after his arrival on the pitch - he then went one better in the
League Cup victory against Crewe Alexandra, scoring the second in a 2-0 win
as the Hammers progressed to the next round.
Also a regular for his Mali, Maiga will enjoy the presence of Andy Carroll
in the side. Allardyce would benefit from two strikers linking up well, and
when he decides to play a five-man midfield and a lone forward to be a
little more conservative, he will be spoiled for choice up top.
Maiga though has a history of being part of a lethal strike force with his
last team - he and Adeye Brown scored 30 goals between them in the 2010-2011
campaign, bagging 15 apiece.
Twice Maiga was on the verge of joining Newcastle, and after he was refused
a move to the Toon in August, he had said he would never play for Sochaux
again. The deal collapsed and he was forced to backtrack. In January the
move was rekindled, but after the two clubs agreed fees Maiga was once again
left frustrated as he failed a medical.
Now finally in the Premier League where he so longed to play, but at West
Ham instead, Maiga is desperate to prove his worth and show exactly why he
deserved his big move to England.
With new boy Carroll out for up to six weeks, Maiga may get his chance
sooner than expected. West Ham go to Norwich next and soon that is soon
followed by games against Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers. Maiga will be
hoping he can help his team come through those games with a flourish and
hopefully put himself on the map in the Premier League.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Blair Turgott made his England Under-19 debut on Thursday in a 3-1 defeat in
Germany
07.09.2012
Blair Turgott made his England Under-19 debut as a second-half substitute as
the Young Lions lost 3-1 to Germany in Hamburg. Turgott came on in the 75th
minute for Liverpool's Adam Morgan but it was another of the Reds starlets
who stole the show. Summer signing Samed Yesil scored a superb double,
opening the scoring after just two minutes, showing fine trickery in the box
before smashing the ball home. After Yesil's opener the Under-19s rallied
and drew level on 31 minutes when Nick Powell expertly chipped Odisseas
Vlachodimos. But Yesil once again put the hosts in front when Jordan
Pickford was only able to palm the youngster's initial effort straight back
at him and he tapped the ball into the empty net two minutes into the second
half. SC Freiburg's Sebastian Kerk completed the scoring, slotting the ball
calmly past Pickford to ensure that there was no way back for England.
Daniel Potts was also part of the squad but was an unable to play after
picking up a minor injury in training on Wednesday. Both Turgott and Potts
will be hoping to be part of the Under-19s squad for the UEFA European
Championship qualifiers against the Faroe Islands, Ukraine and Estonia later
this month.
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Joey ready for national service
WHUFC.com
Proud Irishman Joey O'Brien is looking forward to representing his country
in Kazakhstan on Friday
07.09.2012
For proud Irishman Joey O'Brien, pulling on the emerald green shirt of his
country is a feeling like no other. The West Ham United player was
considered to be one of Ireland's brightest young prospects when he broke
into the senior national side just two weeks after his 20th birthday, only
for a series of serious knee injuries to see his international prospects
seemingly disappear forever. To O'Brien's immense credit, he battled and
worked his way back to fitness. On 15 August the 26-year-old made his fourth
appearance for Ireland in a goalless friendly international draw in Serbia,
nearly five years after earning his third cap in a 2008 UEFA European
Championship qualifier with Cyprus. He may have been on the pitch for just
eleven minutes in Belgrade, but for O'Brien they were among the best eleven
minutes of his life. "It was brilliant," he confirmed. "Obviously it was a
long time since the last time I had played at an international level so it
was great to meet up with the lads again." "I didn't expect to come on as a
substitute, so I was delighted to get on the pitch and I think we played
really well and got a good result."
O'Brien is hoping to earn his fifth cap in Friday's opening 2014 FIFA World
Cup Group C qualifier in Kazakhstan and pick up his sixth in next Tuesday's
international friendly with Oman at Craven Cottage. "We play Kazakhstan on
Friday and we're playing Oman on Tuesday and, please God, I'll be involved
in both matches. Hopefully we'll pick up three points in Kazakhstan and make
a good start to our World Cup qualifying campaign. "We played well over in
Serbia in our last friendly match, so hopefully we'll go over there and get
three points. "The last World Cup qualifier I played in was against Cyprus,
which was a long time ago, so obviously it would be great to play my part in
the qualifying campaign and our aim is to try to qualify. "I've been asked
hundreds of times about my injuries but those are in the past now and for me
it's all about looking forward and playing games now."
Ireland are, of course, aiming to qualify for their second major
championship in succession after reaching the 2012 UEFA European
Championship finals. There, Giovanni Trapattoni's side were beaten by
Croatia, eventual winners Spain and runners-up Italy to go out at the group
stage. To qualify, the Boys in Green must finish in the top two of a group
that also contains Germany, Sweden, Austria and Faroe Islands, but O'Brien
is confident that they can do just that - regardless of the relatively small
size of the Irish population and pool of available players. "The lads did
unbelievably well to qualify for the EUROs and I think the achievement of
getting there was taken away by the results over there, but at the end of
the day we got beaten by two of the countries who made it to the final. "We
do unbelievably well for the size of our country. We've got a great track
record for producing players who go onto the world stage. "The first time we
ever qualified for anything was back in 1988, which isn't that long ago. To
be able to produce players and qualify and do well in tournaments is some
achievement. "Even this time, we have a hard group but we'll be looking to
qualify and that's a great way to be - it's great to be going out and
knowing we can qualify."
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Ginge's World Cup dream
WHUFC.com
James Collins wants to help Wales qualify for their first FIFA World Cup
finals in 56 years
07.09.2012
James Collins is dreaming of helping Wales to qualify for their first FIFA
World Cup finals in more than half a century. The West Ham United defender
has not played for Wales since March 2011 but is expected to start for his
country when they begin their Brazil 2014 qualifying campaign by facing
Belgium in Cardiff on Friday evening. Wales, who are in Group A alongside
the Belgians, Serbia, Croatia, Scotland and FYR Macedonia, have not reached
the FIFA World Cup finals since their only previous appearance in 1958.
Collins knows the likes of Barclays Premier League stars Eden Hazard,
Vincent Kompany, Marouane Fellaini and Moussa Dembele will not make it easy
to change that record, but he is confident Chris Coleman's men can build on
the foundations left by the late Gary Speed. "I can't wait to play for Wales
again as it really has been too long," he told whufc.com "I have had to pull
out of the last few squads with little niggles so I am delighted to be fully
fit and I am really looking forward to it. "The key even when Speedo took
over was to qualify for a major tournament, particularly the 2014 World Cup
in Brazil, and that is what we are going to try to do. "We begin with two
very tough games, starting with Belgium on Friday. If you look at their
squad they have a great team. We will have to be at our best and then we
face another difficult game out in Serbia next Tuesday."
While Belgian football is undoubtedly on the rise, Collins believes the fact
so many of their players ply their trade in the Barclays Premier League will
aid Wales' cause.
"I think that around 90 per cent of the Belgium squad play in the Premier
League, so we will have a good understanding of how they play. "That will
help us and, if our players perform how we know they can, there is no reason
why we can't come away with a positive result. We can beat anyone on our
day."
Collins admitted that the last year had been a difficult one for the Welsh
squad following the death of Speed and insisted the best way to honour his
memory would be to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. "It's been very
tough, particularly because the circumstances were so horrendous. He was a
great man and he is sorely missed, but the lads now have to move on. He put
in place a plan to qualify for Brazil and that is what we hope to do in the
way he set out."
With the international break following Saturday's 3-0 home win over Fulham,
Collins left for national duty on a high following his disappointing
performance in the 3-0 defeat at Swansea City. "It was good being at home,
getting the three points and putting the disappointment of the previous
weekend behind us. Nobody was happy with the result against Swansea, myself
more than anyone, so to bounce back and win 3-0 was great. "I think the
disappointment of losing 3-0 really spurred us on. We knew no-one was good
enough at Swansea and that individual errors cost us the game so we were
focused from the start."
Collins also paid tribute to the work done by Sam Allardyce and the club
during the final days of the Transfer Window in adding Andy Carroll and his
former West Ham team-mate Yossi Benayoun. "We have made some terrific
signings with Andy and Yossi coming and I think they have really given
everyone a boost. I think we had a great squad already when I arrived, so to
add a few more top-quality players is great, it has given everyone a lift
and I think it showed on the pitch."
Collins played alongside Benayoun previously between 2005 and 2007, reaching
the FA Cup final and staving off relegation in amazing style, and the
Welshman believes the Israel captain can play a huge part over the course of
the season. "To have Yossi back is great. The first time he was here he was
a fantastic player. I have kept in contact with him over the years and when
I spoke to him he couldn't wait to get back. "Yossi would be great in any
team - we have seen that since he left the club with Liverpool, Chelsea and
last season with Arsenal. To have him playing for West Ham United again is
fantastic."
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Moore than just a footballer
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 7th September 2012
By: Staff Writer
A new book is calling for West Ham United legend Bobby Moore to be
posthumously knighted. Former Fulham manager Bobby Campbell - who managed
the Cottagers during Moore's brief stint at the club in the mid-1970s -
calls for the former England captain to receive the ultimate honour in 'The
Centurions: England's 100 Club', which is published next week. "I don't
believe that he received the accolade and credit that he deserved," says
Campbell. "He should have been knighted.
"Tell me this, if any player captained England to a World Cup triumph in the
future, do you think they would be knighted? I am sure that they would. So
why wasn't Bobby knighted? "In fact, it's not too late. He should be
knighted posthumously."
Moore, who was capped 108 times between 1962 and 1973 is one of only five
players to have made more than 100 appearances for England; the others being
Billy Wright, Bobby Charlton, Peter Shilton and David Beckham. At the end of
1966 he was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the
British Empire), the second-lowest of the five orders of chivalry - but no
further honours until his passing in 1993. Bobby Charlton - a team mate of
Moore's in that 1966 World Cup-winning team - was knighted for his services
to football in 1994. Geoff Hurst, another of the 1966 team and a team mate
of Moore's at West Ham was also knighted four years later. Yet as of now,
the captain of the team, the only Englishman to lift the World Cup and the
player considered by many to be the greatest English footballer of all time
is yet to have received that ultimate accolade.
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The West Ham Academy Graduates Key in England's 0-5 Victory Over Moldova
By S J Chandos
West Ham Till I Die
West Ham's 'Golden Generation' continue to provide the back bone of the
current England team, with Glen Johnson, Micheal Carrick, Frank Lampard and
Jermaine Defoe all featuring in the 0-5 victory over Moldova. You could
even, at a push, technically include John Terry in that list, Terry having
started his football career in the West Ham Academy. With Lampard grabbing a
brace and Defoe weighing in with one of the other goals, they were obviously
crucial to securing such an emphatric away victory.
Of that much celebrated stable of ex-Hammers Academy graduates, only Rio
Ferdinand and Joe Cole seem to have acquired ex-England international
status. Since leaving West Ham all of the Academy graduates have gone on to
join the 'bigger' PL clubs (with perhaps the exception of Defoe at Spurs!)
and have won trophies. Yet, the greatest dissappointment must be that their
club success has not been replicated with England at international level.
Ideally, this very talented group of players should surely have formed the
back bone of a victorious England team at a European Championship or World
Cup competition.
At club level, the majority of them played at the highest level and won the
biggest prizes, so that success cannot be challenged. However, when looking
at their individual development since leaving the club, I have always felt
that some aspects of their outstanding early promise were not realised. Rio
Ferdinand developed in to one of the best central defenders in club
football. At Leeds Utd and Man Utd, Ferdinand perfected the art of defensive
play, but arguably did not similiarly develop his early ability to carry the
ball out of defence in the manner of Bobby Moore. Glen Johnson was
introduced to the West Ham first team in the ill fated 2002-03 season, to
universal acclaim. He was undoubtedly one of the best right-back prospects
that English football has produced, showing equal proficiency defensively
and in supporting the attack down the right flank. A subsequent ill-fated
move to Chelsea disrupted that promise and arguably set back his early
progress. It is only more recently at Liverpool, via a period at Portsmouth,
that he has now started to actualise that exceptional early promise and has
taken it forward at international level. Time is stll on his side, being the
youngest of the group, and he may yet fulfill his full promise.
Micheal Carrick was richly talented young midfielder whose passing ability
was often compared to Glen Hoddle's. At West Ham, he also showed potential
as a midfielder, who could not only orchastrate the play with his passing
ability, but also find the back of the net. After leaving West Ham, he
developed in to a deeper lying midfielder, who used that passing ability to
good effect. However, the 'opportunity cost' of that was that he did not
really develop his goal scoring ability to a level that once seemed
possible. At international level, Carrick has not received the number of
caps for England that his talent merited and that is a great pity. Joe Cole
was seen as the most naturally talented of the lot, a creative midfielder
who possessed great technical ability and sublime skill on the ball. Cole
won trophies at Chelsea, but he was another who suffered during his time at
Stamford Bridge, being 'in and out' of the first team and often played out
of position. He still became a top midfielder, but can we say, 'hand on
heart,' that he has fulfilled his original potential? Jermaine Defoe is a
natural born goal scorer, who has done the business for both club and
country. However, his achievements at Spurs have not matched those of his
fellow Academy graduates, at club-level, and he has had a strangely
chequered career for England, even being excluded from the final Squad of 23
for the 2006 World Cup.
Much as it pains me to say it, the player that has probably exceeded all
expectations is Frank Lampard Jnr. His talent was evident at West Ham,
including his invaluable ability to consistently score goals from midfield.
He has been a consistent goal scorer throughout his club career and has
largely replicated that at international level as well. He has also
subsequently developed in to a fitter, industrious and more complete
midfielder.
From our perspective, there is natural disappointment that these Academy
players did win their trophies at West Ham. Can you imagine what we could
have achieved if we had kept them together and additionally, had the
financial resources to bring in the extra players quality to supplement and
show case their talents. After leaving West Ham, there is an argument that
successive England managers have failed to best exploit the talent that they
brought to the national team. However, did the players themselves also
develop every aspect of their early game to its full potential? In some
cases, and in some respects, as expounded above, I feel not. It is probably
a minority viewpoint I know, but it is one that I have held for some
considerable time.
SJ. Chandos.
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Karren Brady's football diary – Keep privates private
By KARREN BRADY
Published: 07th September 2012
The Sun
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
WE beat the 11pm deadline by three seconds to submit deal paperwork which
gives you an extension until 1am to fully complete a transfer. And I use the
extra time to tie up a loan deal with Chelsea for Yossi Benayoun. At
12.59am after a small hiccup it's all registered and I can sense our manager
Sam Allardyce smiling down the phone.The Israeli captain comes back to us
almost under the radar as, in the excitement of Andy Carroll's signing,
there is little fuss over his return. Half a day later West Ham play
beautifully to beat Fulham. Andy's injury means he will be out for a maximum
of six weeks — but the physio will try anything and everything to reduce
that length of time.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
SAM sends an email thanking me for being so supportive with our 11 summer
transfers. My board has made a statement of intent and I'm dreaming of 40
points by March when Robin van Persie scores Man U's winner.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
PAOLO DI CANIO is a crazy Italian and West Ham fans love him for it. His
words will have bosses cheering, too, after Swindon keeper Wes Foderingham's
strop.
Paolo called him arrogant and unprofessional — and today announces
Foderingham apologised.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
AVRAM GRANT has chosen Clint Eastwood as the actor he would like to portray
his life. I dread to think the film would be entitled Dirty Avram. In the
same survey, Mick McCarthy fancies Brad Pitt playing his part. I love Mick's
sense of humour. For me, the smartest choice is Alex McLeish for look-alike
David Caruso, from TV series CSI Miami. But for some reason not one of the
30-or-so went for Danny DeVito.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
A PREMIER LEAGUE house-warming party in a £20million-plus mansion in Central
London proves to be a great place to be if you are into football, business
and media.
One chairman describes himself as being in the fabric business. As my other
Premier League friend whispers in my ear, he's on his third wife, he used to
be in the underwear business!
It's not as crazy as the last Premier League house-warming I went to when
the new and very drunk wife of a very respected club chairman told me in
graphic detail about her recent plastic surgery. I thought nose or possibly
chest, but she had actually been in Los Angeles having 'vaginoplasty' —
trust me, you really do not want to know and I know I certainly didn't. She
told me she had it done in LA as she did not want anyone in London seeing
her privates. As another chairman's wife pointed out, half of London had
seen it anyway — and not just the male half! At least my eyebrows raised.
The rest of them are botoxed!
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
RAUL MEIRELES' move to Turkish side Fenerbahce leaves both the Premier
League and Chelsea with one bad haircut fewer. Roberto Di Matteo probably
has a year in which to prove he is more than just a Champions' League
winner. And he's acting like AVB on speed, scattering internationals to the
wind while changing the playing style. As a new Roman empire rises so there
are victims. The latest is Florent Malouda — but sadly he didn't want to
come to West Ham, so I have little sympathy for him.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
I HAPPEN to be chatting with a QPR director who tells me the story, warts 'n
all, of the Paddy Kenny phone rant insulting former Hammers keeper Robert
Green.
It reminded me of one call I had myself, although it was not from eejit
Paddy. A voice on a withheld number called me "a f***ing bitch" and things a
lot less flattering and a lot more menacing. I rang the police who found the
culprit pretty quickly. It was a player who had been on loan at my club, but
sent home after a lacklustre performance. The next morning the player had
his collar felt or, rather, his training top, because the police tackled him
on the pitch at his training ground. Do it again and you'll be in court, he
was told.
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West Ham record-signing Matt Jarvis could be back in action after the
international break for the trip to Norwich.
TalkSport
The £10.75million arrival from Wolves, who made his debut in the defeat at
Swansea, missed the 3-0 win over Fulham because of a thigh injury, but is
expected to resume training ahead of the televised clash at Carrow Road.
Midfielder Jack Collison has been sidelined by a knee injury, but the
23-year-old hopes to be back in action soon. He said: "I'm pretty much there
or thereabouts. I just need to get some minutes under my belt."
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West Ham Focus - Who is Mobido Maiga?
Adifferentleague.co.uk
By Sam Carleton
Friday 07 September 2012
West Ham have a predominantly tried and tested squad for the Premier League
this season which many will see as a benefit, but manager Sam Allardyce has
brought in someone less well-known to bolster his options, and that is
Modibo Maiga.
Maiga, who turned 25 this week, is a Mali-born striker who made a name for
himself in France with Sochaux. He scored at a rate of almost a goal every
two games over a period of two years with the club, a goal record that
should not be sniffed at in any domestic European league.
He signed for West Ham during the summer transfer window for an undisclosed
fee, and while he has only a couple of appearances in the claret and blue so
far he has whet the appetites of the fans at this early stage. Maiga came
off the bench in the opening game win over Aston Villa and almost scored
moments after his arrival on the pitch - he then went one better in the
League Cup victory against Crewe Alexandra, scoring the second in a 2-0 win
as the Hammers progressed to the next round.
Also a regular for his Mali, Maiga will enjoy the presence of Andy Carroll
in the side. Allardyce would benefit from two strikers linking up well, and
when he decides to play a five-man midfield and a lone forward to be a
little more conservative, he will be spoiled for choice up top.
Maiga though has a history of being part of a lethal strike force with his
last team - he and Adeye Brown scored 30 goals between them in the 2010-2011
campaign, bagging 15 apiece.
Twice Maiga was on the verge of joining Newcastle, and after he was refused
a move to the Toon in August, he had said he would never play for Sochaux
again. The deal collapsed and he was forced to backtrack. In January the
move was rekindled, but after the two clubs agreed fees Maiga was once again
left frustrated as he failed a medical.
Now finally in the Premier League where he so longed to play, but at West
Ham instead, Maiga is desperate to prove his worth and show exactly why he
deserved his big move to England.
With new boy Carroll out for up to six weeks, Maiga may get his chance
sooner than expected. West Ham go to Norwich next and soon that is soon
followed by games against Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers. Maiga will be
hoping he can help his team come through those games with a flourish and
hopefully put himself on the map in the Premier League.
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