Big Sam on Carroll - exclusive
WHUFC.com
Big Sam is thrilled to have landed his number one target Andy Carroll
20.06.2013
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has spoken of his delight at landing
striker Andy Carroll on a six-year contract with an option for a further two
years in the Club's favour. 24-year-old striker Carroll enjoyed a productive
season whilst on loan with the Hammers last term and completed his move from
Liverpool on a permanent basis earlier this week. Allardyce described
signing Carroll as his number one priority at the start of the close season,
so was naturally pleased to complete the deal. "After a long chase I am
delighted that we have finally secured our very important acquisition in
terms of ability and age," Big Sam exclusively told whufc.com "We expect
him to enhance his reputation even further with West Ham and become one of
the major strikers in the country and become an England regular - we hope he
will produce for West Ham and England as we prepare to move into the Olympic
Stadium in 2016. "We've acquired a player who was recently the most
expensive British player in the history of football. We haven't done it
cheaply, but we have definitely done it wisely."
Allardyce believes the long-term nature of the contract penned by Carroll
shows the belief the striker has in the Hammers' potential to keep on
growing. He continued: "The size of the contract is a statement of West
Ham's belief in Andy and Andy's belief in West Ham. Our relationship over
the 12 months he was here was key to this deal. He came to us in a difficult
frame of mind and had suffered with injuries but the support the coaching
staff and the rest of the boys that work so hard behind the scenes was
something he felt very comfortable with in the end. "He met new team-mates
over the year and enjoyed their company and I think that definitely helped
him to make the decision to return to West Ham. So not only did the loan pay
off by us finishing tenth in our first season back in the Premier League but
it has paid off by him choosing us. "When I spoke to him I said look back at
what happened at the back end of last season and the potential for what he
can be. We are going to rely on him heavily to produce on a regular basis so
he has pressure from that point of view. He will command a regular place if
he's on top of his form. You can't guarantee a position to anyone but we
think he can deliver the sort of performances and goals he should do. "I
told him we will improve him at West Ham while we're at the helm and will
give him a chance to become a better player. It will reap rewards for us
all. He can now put his experience of Liverpool behind him and show them
what they missed by letting him go."
Allardyce also stated that Carroll's performances last season proved there
is more to his game than just his aerial ability. He added: "I said last
season we didn't just use his aerial presence and pump it up to his head -
we made the most of his playing ability, his ball skills, his ability to
score goals in the air and on the ground, his hold up play and capability to
dribble the ball past defenders. We've now got a combination of Andy Carroll
with Matt Jarvis on one side and then either Joe Cole or Ricardo Vaz Te on
the other. "Kevin Nolan will once again complement Andy as he got ten last
season and Andy got seven. So with Andy's signature secured, it means as an
attacking force we will deliver thrilling times, particularly at the Boleyn
Ground, like we did last season. We are still hoping to bring in some more
new faces before the start of the season. "I think Roy Hodgson will come and
watch Andy and he will create the headlines for West Ham. It's very
difficult to ignore Andy scoring goals and creating goals when England are
so short. You can't look at the England side and see them going to the World
Cup without Andy Carroll. If he's playing and scoring goals he could be
first choice come the start of the World Cup if he wants to be."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers land Whitehead signing
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have completed the transfer of Stockport County youngster
Danny Whitehead
20.06.2013
West Ham United are delighted to announce the arrival of Stockport County
youngster Danny Whitehead for an undisclosed fee. The 19-year-old attacking
midfielder already possesses plenty of senior experience, having appeared in
59 Blue Square Bet Premier matches for the Hatters. He will now link up with
the Hammers on a two-year deal with an option for a third after impressing
during a successful trial period at the end of the 2012/13 campaign.
Whitehead said: "I'm very excited to have joined West Ham and I can't wait
to get out there and play. "It's obviously a big step up, but I've got to
take the opportunity and grasp it. "i was on trial here at the end of last
season and all the lads helped me fit in well during the two weeks of
training i did. "I've got a bit of experience from playing for the first
team at Stockport- I'll probably be with the Under-21s here at the start,
and then I'll be trying to push towards the first team."
Manager Sam Allardyce said: "He was recommend by Didi Hamann - who managed
Stockport - as he felt he was an emerging talent that needed nurturing. I
asked their current manager Ian Bogie about his talents and he allowed us to
take a look at him last season and like every young player he's got talent.
"He's very capable of handling the ball and he's able to create with his
passing. He's very slight, which we'll work on, but the question is can we
create that potential into a Premier League player? It is something we'll
find out over the coming years through our Academy system and we'll see if
he can join the long list of players that have come through."
Born in Manchester, Whitehead joined Stockport at the age of 14 and quickly
made an impression, scoring regularly for their Under-18 side despite still
being a schoolboy. He made his first team debut in September 2011 at just 17
years of age, coming off the bench in a 4-2 defeat to Fleetwood Town. His
debut goal followed just a week later, the youngster finding the net in a
2-2 draw away at Cambridge United. He played 43 matches last term to earn
his chance with the Hammers and will link up with his new teammates for the
start of pre-season training on 1 July.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham sign Danny Whitehead after Didi Hamann call
BBC.co.uk
West Ham have signed Danny Whitehead from Conference North side Stockport
County after he was recommended by Dietmar Hamann. The 19-year-old
midfielder went on trial after former Newcastle, Liverpool and Manchester
City star Hamann alerted Hammers boss Sam Allardyce. Allardyce told the West
Ham website: "He was recommend by Didi Hamann - who managed Stockport. "I
asked their current manager and he allowed us to take a look at him."
He added: "He's very capable of handling the ball and he's able to create
with his passing. "Danny is very slight, which we'll work on, but the
question is can we create that potential into a Premier League player?
Whitehead, who has signed for an undisclosed fee, will be the Hammers'
fourth signing this summer following the arrivals of Razvan Rat, Adrian and
Andy Carroll.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers land promising midfielder
KUMb.com
Filed: Thursday, 20th June 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham have completed the capture of former Stockport County midfielder
Danny Whitehead. The 19-year-old, who is understood to have cost the Hammers
a nominal fee, has signed a two year contract with an option for a further
year should he suficiently impress. Whitehead, who is just one of a string
of young players to have come through County's youth ranks to make the first
team at Edgeley Park made his first team debut for the Hatters towards the
end of the 2010/11 season. The following season - 2011/12 - the attacking
midfielder made 17 appearances for Stockport whilst scoring his first goal
for the club in a 2-2 Blue Square Premier draw at Cambridge United. Last
season Whitehead was a virtual ever-present in the first team, making 43
appearances and scoring five times - although County were still relegated
after finishing 21st in the table.
Sam Allardyce, speaking to whufc.com about his latest capture, said: "He was
recommend by Didi Hamann, who managed Stockport, as he felt he was an
emerging talent that needed nurturing. "I asked their current manager Ian
Bogie about his talents and he allowed us to take a look at him last season
and like every young player he's got talent. "He's very capable of handling
the ball and he's able to create with his passing. He's very slight, which
we'll work on, but the question is can we create that potential into a
Premier League player? "It is something we'll find out over the coming
years through our Academy system and we'll see if he can join the long list
of players that have come through."
Whitehead leaves his former club with their best wishes. "Everybody here at
Stockport County wishes Danny all the success he can achieve at West Ham
United FC," a brief statement on Stockport's website read. "As a product of
our Centre of Excellence, Danny has come a long way with the Club, and has
tremendous potential. We all wish him and West Ham United FC every success
in the 2013 / 2014 season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll hopes West Ham move will improve his chances of going to World
Cup with England
Last Updated: June 20, 2013 10:51am
SSN
Andy Carroll admits that his move to West Ham United could improve his
chances of playing at the World Cup next year. The 24-year-old completed his
move to the London club on Wednesday after impressing on loan at Upton Park
last season. The former Liverpool man struggled to start under Brendan
Rodgers and hopes that a permanent move will assist his chances of playing
for England at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. "My aim is keeping fit,
scoring goals and performing every week," Carroll said in the Daily Mail.
"If I do that I'll hopefully get in the England team. It's always important
to play football for your country. If I play well and keep fit, I'm going to
be playing every week. If it comes, England will come. "Sam's [Allardyce] a
great manager. It's always good when you've got somebody behind you. He
gives me confidence to show what I am about."
West Ham start their Premier League campaign with a home game against
Cardiff City.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce says Andy Carroll's West Ham loan helped persuade him to sign
Last Updated: June 20, 2013 4:22pm
SSN
Sam Allardyce believes Andy Carroll's season on loan at Upton Park swayed
his decision to move to West Ham permanently. Carroll completed his transfer
to the Hammers for an undisclosed, club-record fee on Wednesday after
spending the majority of last term at Upton Park, scoring seven goals in 24
appearances.
And Allardyce thinks Carroll's previous experience with the Hammers was
vital in bringing him to east London for good. "Our relationship over the 12
months he was here was key to this deal," Allardyce told the club's official
website. "He came to us in a difficult frame of mind and had suffered with
injuries but the support the coaching staff and the rest of the boys that
work so hard behind the scenes was something he felt very comfortable with
in the end. "He met new team-mates over the year and enjoyed their company
and I think that definitely helped him to make the decision to return to
West Ham. "So not only did the loan pay off by us finishing 10th in our
first season back in the Premier League but it has paid off by him choosing
us."
Allardyce has put pen to paper on a six-year deal with West Ham, after
slipping down the pecking order under Brendan Rodgers at Anfield following
his £35m move from Newcastle. "The size of the contract is a statement of
West Ham's belief in Andy and Andy's belief in West Ham," added Allardyce.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham sign Danny Whitehead from Stockport on two-year deal
Last Updated: June 20, 2013 1:39pm
SSN
West Ham have agreed a two-year deal for Stockport County youngster Danny
Whitehead. Whitehead, who has played 59 Blue Square Bet Premier matches for
the Hatters, joins the Hammers for an undisclosed fee with an option of a
third year. The attacking midfielder, who made his first-team debut in 2011
at 17 years of age, will join up with Sam Allardyce's men for pre-season
training on July 1. Whitehead said: "I'm very excited to have joined West
Ham and I can't wait to get out there and play. "It's obviously a big step
up, but I've got to take the opportunity and grasp it. "I was on trial here
at the end of last season and all the lads helped me fit in well during the
two weeks of training I did. "I've got a bit of experience from playing for
the first team at Stockport - I'll probably be with the U21s here at the
start and then try to push towards the first team."
Allardyce added: "He was recommended by Didi Hamann - who managed Stockport
- as he felt he was an emerging talent that needed nurturing. "I asked their
current manager Ian Bogie about his talents and he allowed us to take a look
at him last season and like every young player he's got talent. "He's very
capable of handling the ball and he's able to create with his passing. "He's
very slight, which we'll work on, but the question is can we create that
potential into a Premier League player? It is something we'll find over the
coming years through our Academy system and we'll see if he can join the
long list of players that have come through."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carroll can be Andy for England
Published: 8 hrs ago
The Sun
SAM ALLARDYCE has backed new signing Andy Carroll to be England's No1
striker at next summer's World Cup. Big Sam splashed out £16million to bring
the giant Geordie to Upton Park on a permanent basis. And he reckons Carroll
will bang in the goals next term to give Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson no
choice but to pick him for Brazil. Allardyce said: "We expect him to enhance
his reputation even further with West Ham and become one of the major
strikers in the country and become an England regular. "I think Roy Hodgson
will come and watch Andy and he will create the headlines for West Ham.
"It's very difficult to ignore Andy scoring goals and creating goals when
England are so short. "You can't look at the England side and see them going
to the World Cup without Andy Carroll. "If he's playing and scoring goals he
could be first choice come the start of the World Cup."
Allardyce had to shatter West Ham's transfer record as well as fork out
£100,000 a week in wages to seal Carroll's signature. But the Hammers boss
is convinced it will prove to be good business over the course of the former
Liverpool hitman's six-year deal. Allardyce added: "We've acquired a player
who was recently the most expensive British player in the history of
football. "We haven't done it cheaply, but we have definitely done it
wisely. "The size of the contract is a statement of West Ham's belief in
Andy and Andy's belief in West Ham. "Our relationship over the 12 months he
was here was key to this deal. "Not only did the loan pay off by us
finishing tenth in our first season back in the Premier League but it has
paid off by him choosing us. "We are going to rely on him heavily to produce
on a regular basis so he has pressure from that point of view. "It will reap
rewards for us all. He can now put his experience of Liverpool behind him
and show them what they missed by letting him go."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers 'consider Delap' offer
SportsDirectNews.com
by SportsDirect News Reporter20th June 2013 8:12pm BST
Exclusive
West Ham could be set to offer ex-Stoke City midfielder Rory Delap a Premier
League lifeline, SportsDirect News understands. The Hammers secured record
signing Andy Carroll from Liverpool in a £15 million deal on Wednesday and
despite the presence of Matt Jarvis and Kevin Nolan, manager Sam Allardyce
believes Delap and his renowned 'javelin-style' long-throws could help
Carroll terrify defences next season. The 36-year-old was released by Stoke
at the end of the last campaign but spent the first-half of this year
loaned to Championship side Barnsley. He impressed during that period and
made it clear he wanted to make the move permanent. However, should West Ham
make a formal approach, it is likely that the once Southampton man would opt
for London. A source close to Stoke told SportsDirect News: "West Ham have
made an initial enquiry but so far that's all there is to it. Rory is no
longer a 90-minute player in Premier League terms but he would fit into
Sam's style of play and could have a big impact when West Ham are chasing a
goal."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Liverpool paid Andy Carroll around £1m to finally say yes to West Ham
transfer
By Darren Lewis
20 Jun 2013 22:32
Liverpool have paid Andy Carroll around £1million to leave Anfield. England
striker Carroll completed a £17.5m move to West Ham, on a six-year deal,
earlier this week after spending last season on loan to the Londoners. It
has since emerged that the 24-year-old was given a massive golden parachute
by the Reds to join the Irons on a permanent basis. Carroll had been
stalling on the switch, and that Liverpool feared he would not make the move
unless they made the payment. The Mirror understands the Anfield giants
increased the amount of money they were demanding from West Ham so that they
could in turn pay Carroll off It was revealed earlier this week that the
striker's transfer deal breaks down to £15.5m plus another £2m in add-ons.
The move from Liverpool illustrates the lengths they were prepared to go to
get Carroll of their wage bill and use his fee to fund summer signings. The
marksman had held out for a switch back to boyhood club Newcastle, who sold
him to the Kop for £35m in 2011. But the Magpies - despite talk of a late
bid - were not prepared to pay the amount finally agreed between Liverpool
and West Ham. Meanwhile Carroll - who scored seven times in 22 starts for
the Hammers last season, has vowed to improve on that tally in 2013-14. He
said: "I am going to give it my all, to hopefully get some more goals and
the aim is to win something. "I can't see why we can't do it with the way
the team is going. Getting promoted the season before last, then finishing
where we did - we did great, and it can only get better for us."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, June 21
Thursday, June 20
Daily WHUFC News - Danny Whitehead
Hammers land Whitehead signing
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have completed the transfer of Stockport County youngster
Danny Whitehead
20.06.2013
West Ham United are delighted to announce the arrival of Stockport County
youngster Danny Whitehead for an undisclosed fee. The 19-year-old attacking
midfielder already possesses plenty of senior experience, having appeared in
59 Blue Square Bet Premier matches for the Hatters. He will now link up with
the Hammers on a two-year deal with an option for a third after impressing
during a successful trial period at the end of the 2012/13 campaign.
Whitehead said: "I'm very excited to have joined West Ham and I can't wait
to get out there and play. "It's obviously a big step up, but I've got to
take the opportunity and grasp it. "I was on trial here at the end of last
season and all the lads helped me fit in well during the two weeks of
training I did. "I've got a bit of experience from playing for the first
team at Stockport- I'll probably be with the Under-21s here at the start,
and then I'll be trying to push towards the first team."
Manager Sam Allardyce said: "He was recommend by Didi Hamann - who managed
Stockport - as he felt he was an emerging talent that needed nurturing. I
asked their current manager Ian Bogie about his talents and he allowed us to
take a look at him last season and like every young player he's got talent.
"He's very capable of handling the ball and he's able to create with his
passing. He's very slight, which we'll work on, but the question is can we
create that potential into a Premier League player? It is something we'll
find out over the coming years through our Academy system and we'll see if
he can join the long list of players that have come through."
Born in Manchester, Whitehead joined Stockport at the age of 14 and quickly
made an impression, scoring regularly for their Under-18 side despite still
being a
schoolboy. He made his first team debut in September 2011 at just 17 years
of age, coming off the bench in a 4-2 defeat to Fleetwood Town. His debut
goal followed just a week later, the youngster finding the net in a 2-2 draw
away at Cambridge United. He played 43 matches last term to earn his chance
with the Hammers and will link up with his new teammates for the start of
pre-season training on 1 July.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have completed the transfer of Stockport County youngster
Danny Whitehead
20.06.2013
West Ham United are delighted to announce the arrival of Stockport County
youngster Danny Whitehead for an undisclosed fee. The 19-year-old attacking
midfielder already possesses plenty of senior experience, having appeared in
59 Blue Square Bet Premier matches for the Hatters. He will now link up with
the Hammers on a two-year deal with an option for a third after impressing
during a successful trial period at the end of the 2012/13 campaign.
Whitehead said: "I'm very excited to have joined West Ham and I can't wait
to get out there and play. "It's obviously a big step up, but I've got to
take the opportunity and grasp it. "I was on trial here at the end of last
season and all the lads helped me fit in well during the two weeks of
training I did. "I've got a bit of experience from playing for the first
team at Stockport- I'll probably be with the Under-21s here at the start,
and then I'll be trying to push towards the first team."
Manager Sam Allardyce said: "He was recommend by Didi Hamann - who managed
Stockport - as he felt he was an emerging talent that needed nurturing. I
asked their current manager Ian Bogie about his talents and he allowed us to
take a look at him last season and like every young player he's got talent.
"He's very capable of handling the ball and he's able to create with his
passing. He's very slight, which we'll work on, but the question is can we
create that potential into a Premier League player? It is something we'll
find out over the coming years through our Academy system and we'll see if
he can join the long list of players that have come through."
Born in Manchester, Whitehead joined Stockport at the age of 14 and quickly
made an impression, scoring regularly for their Under-18 side despite still
being a
schoolboy. He made his first team debut in September 2011 at just 17 years
of age, coming off the bench in a 4-2 defeat to Fleetwood Town. His debut
goal followed just a week later, the youngster finding the net in a 2-2 draw
away at Cambridge United. He played 43 matches last term to earn his chance
with the Hammers and will link up with his new teammates for the start of
pre-season training on 1 July.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Daily WHUFC News - 20th June 2013
Hammers capture Carroll
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce the permanent signing of Andy
Carroll from Liverpool.
19.06.2013
West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of England
international Andy Carroll from Liverpool. Carroll joins the Hammers on a
six-year contract, with an option for a further two in the Club's favour,
for an undisclosed, Club record fee after enjoying an outstanding 2012/13
season on loan at the Boleyn Ground. The marquee signing represents a
significant step for the Club as they prepare to move to the 54,000-seater
Olympic Stadium in 2016, with Carroll set to play a central role having
committed his long-term future to the Hammers. The 24-year-old England
international, who will wear No9 for his new side, netted seven goals for
Sam Allardyce's team as West Ham made a strong return to the Barclays
Premier League by finishing tenth. The forward's committed and eye-catching
displays in claret and blue quickly established him as a firm favourite
among Hammers supporters and he is already looking forward to performing in
front of the same adoring fans come the start of the 2013/14 campaign. "It's
fantastic for me to be here. I really enjoyed last season, and that shows in
me coming back and making it permanent," said Carroll. "The fans, the lads
and the Club itself has been great to me, and what I wanted to do was come
back here and play football. "Since the end of the season I've had a lot of
time to think, I've missed it and that's why I'm back. Getting promoted the
season before last, then finishing where we did - we did great, and it can
only get better for us. "The way the Club's being run, obviously getting the
new stadium and everything like that, it's only going up."
Carroll, of course, spent last season on loan at West Ham, scoring seven
goals and playing a leading role in many more in 24 Barclays Premier League
appearances. The Gateshead-born star enjoyed a superb 2012/13 and was an
influential figure in newly-promoted West Ham's top-half finish. Having
worked under Big Sam before and played alongside captain and close friend
Kevin Nolan previously at Newcastle United, Carroll quickly settled into
life in east London, enjoying a fantastic debut in a 3-0 home win over
Fulham in September. After a hamstring injury curtailed his progress, a
first goal arrived at Tottenham Hotspur in November before he really showed
his class after Christmas. A towering headed winner against Swansea City was
followed by a virtuoso display against West Bromwich Albion, capped with an
outstanding volleyed finish to completed a 3-1 win. Further goals arrived at
Southampton and Manchester City to further enhance Carroll's reputation and
he was rewarded by being named Joint-Chairmen's Player of the Year at the
season-ending Awards Dinner and earning an England recall. Previously,
Carroll established himself as one of English football's outstanding young
talents during his formative years at Newcastle.
Carroll burst into the Newcastle first-team at the age of 17, making his
first-team debut as a replacement for future Hammer Nolberto Solano in a
UEFA Cup victory over Palermo on 2 November 2006 - an appearance that made
him the youngest-ever player to represent Newcastle in Europe. After scoring
his maiden first-team goal past FIFA World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon in a
friendly win over Juventus in July 2007, Carroll embarked on a six-month
loan spell with Championship side Preston North End. On his return to St
James' Park, the centre forward forced his way into the Magpies starting XI,
scoring on his full home debut with a towering header against West Ham in a
2-2 Premier League draw on 10 January 2009. The 2009/10 season saw Carroll
come into his own as he combined with Nolan to shoot Newcastle to the
Championship title and promotion back to the Premier League at the first
attempt. The striker finished the campaign as the club's top scorer with 19
goals in all competitions and be voted into the Championship Team of the
Year.
At the start of 2010/11, he then took the top-flight by storm, netting a
hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Aston Villa and eleven goals in just 19 league
appearances before completing his record-breaking move to Anfield. In
2011/12, Carroll collected a League Cup winner's medal as Liverpool beat
Cardiff City before returning to Wembley to score the winning goal against
Everton to take the Reds into the FA Cup final. Carroll's performances for
Newcastle earned him a senior England debut in a friendly international with
France on 17 November 2010. His first senior international goal arrived in a
friendly with Ghana at Wembley on 29 March 2011. The striker's all-round
ability saw him named in England's squad for the 2012 UEFA European
Championship finals, where he impressed by scoring a trademark header in a
group-stage victory over Sweden. Having earned nine caps and scored twice
for his country, Carroll will hope his form for his new Club will see him
earn further international recognition in the future with a FIFA World Cup
in Brazil on the horizon next summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam happy with start
WHUFC.com
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce is pleased to start the 2013/14
campaign at home
19.06.2013
West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce is happy that the fixture computer has
handed his side a home game to start the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League
season. The Hammers began last season, their first back into the top flight,
by beating Aston Villa 1-0 at the Boleyn Ground, and went on to enjoy an
impressive home record throughout the campaign. With Cardiff City due to
face the Hammers in E13 first up on Saturday 17 August, Allardyce is
determined to carry that success into the new term. "The fixtures have been
kind to us at the start of the season as they were last season," Big Sam
exclusively told whufc.com "It will be important to challenge the players to
try to achieve the same amount - 14 points from our first eight games - as
they did last season. The ones that are important are the newly promoted
sides and we've got Cardiff first game, which I think is the toughest time
to get them in the whole season."I'm pleased that at least we are playing
them at home and not away. It casts my mind back to the start of my career
at West Ham and a 1-0 defeat to them in my first game and I want to make
sure we don't repeat that. "The other games will be about us maintaining our
home form and making people aware that when they come to West Ham they will
be in for a tough afternoon because we play attacking football against the
opposition and create chances."
West Ham's first game on the road comes at Newcastle United on 24 August and
Allardyce knows next season's away form needs to be better. "One thing we
must also do is ensure our away form improves," he continued. "Our first
away game is Newcastle United. Myself, Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan are all
ex-Newcastle and it will spur us on to get the first away points on the
board as we did last year. "They had such a splendid season the year before
and nobody expected us to win there. It is a daunting task but so far I've
managed to get results there and I've not been disappointed with West Ham or
Blackburn. "The run-in has some tough games but the only thing in my mind is
that the results will have a bearing on which place we finishing and we're
not anxious about needing points to stay in the Premier League. That is our
major aim and if that's the case we should all be delighted."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll: West Ham sign Liverpool striker for £15m
BBC.co.uk
West Ham United have completed the signing of England striker Andy Carroll
from Liverpool for a club record £15m. Carroll, 24, cost Liverpool £35m but
was loaned to West Ham in August, scoring seven goals in 24 games. The
former Newcastle United forward has signed a six-year contract, with an
option for a further two years. "It's fantastic for me to be here. I really
enjoyed last season, and that shows in me coming back and making it
permanent," Carroll said.
The transfer fee was agreed in May, but the England international was said
to be unsure about a move before a World Cup year. Carroll added: "The fans,
the lads and the club itself have been great to me, and what I wanted to do
was come back here and play football. "Since the end of the season I've had
a lot of time to think, I've missed it and that's why I'm back. "Getting
promoted the season before last, then finishing where we did - we did great,
and it can only get better for us. "The way the club's being run, obviously
getting the new stadium and everything like that, it's only going up."
Expensive Englishmen
Andy Carroll is one of the most expensive English players in the history of
football - during his career his transfer fees have reached £50m.
Other notable expensive English players include (total fees):
Darren Bent (Aston Villa): £53.5m
Peter Crouch (Stoke City): £50.6m
Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United): £48.5m
James Milner (Manchester City): £41.6m
Carroll suffered a number of injuries during his time on loan at Upton Park,
with knee and hamstring problems keeping him out of action for several
months.
He also picked up a heel injury on the final day of the season after landing
awkwardly, with the knock keeping him out of the England squad for the
post-season friendlies against Republic of Ireland and Brazil. Carroll
believed he could play his way into England manager Roy Hodgson's plans if
he could improve on his fitness record next term. "I just want to keep fit
now, keep scoring goals and performing week in and week out for West Ham, if
I do that here, play well and keep fit, then hopefully I will get in the
England team," Carroll said. Carroll, who made his England debut in 2010 and
has won nine caps, was signed by Kenny Dalglish for Liverpool on transfer
deadline day in January 2011, for what remains a record fee for a British
player. He had impressed by scoring 31 times for his boyhood club Newcastle
in 81 appearances, but his time at Anfield was short-lived. Coupled with the
arrival of Brendan Rodgers and a new style of play, Carroll's return of just
six goals in 44 league outings for Liverpool saw him loaned to West Ham. The
Hammers' previous record signing was Matt Jarvis, for £10.75m from
Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2012. In March it was announced they would
be anchor tenants for the Olympic Stadium from August 2016.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carroll deal confirmed
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 19th June 2013
By: Staff Writer
Andy Carroll says he is delighted to be back at West Ham United - on the day
his record-breaking, £15million transfer was finally confirmed. The
24-year-old striker, who spent the 2012/13 season on loan at the Boleyn
Ground told whufc.com: "It's fantastic to be here. I really enjoyed last
season and that shows in me coming back and making it permanent. "The fans,
the lads and the club itself have been great to me and I wanted to come back
here and play football. Since the end of the season I've had a lot of time
to think; I've missed it and that's why I'm back." Carroll, whose transfer
fee remains officially undisclosed, has signed a six-year contract with an
option for a further two years. West Ham described the deal as "a
significant step for the club as they prepare to move to the 54,000-seater
Olympic Stadium in 2016."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
£40m: the price of Andy Carroll
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 19th June 2013
By: Staff Reporter
West Ham United are paying nothing like the £54million being reported
nationally to sign striker Andy Carroll. The 24-year-old is set to sign a
six year Upton Park contract - possibly before the end of the day - but the
final deal will be closer to £40 million. SportsDirect News.com -who have
been on top of the deal from the start - reveal that senior club figures are
amused and angered in almost equal parts at the wildly exaggerated figures
quoted. Carroll has received a £5,000-a-week increase from the Hammers which
has taken his weekly wage from £75,000 to £80,000. Over the terms of a
six-year deal, that will take his total earnings to around £25million. And
with a transfer fee of £15million - not the £16.5million being quoted
elsewhere - the deal comes to £40million, plus a possibility of up to a
further £5million should the club win silverware or feature in Europe.
Stories this morning also claimed that the Hammers rushed to get a deal done
and hurried the player into a medical yesterday morning after he landed home
from a holiday in Las Vegas (he was actually on a Florida cruise). In fact,
Carroll returned to the United Kingdom before last weekend and wasn't rushed
anywhere yesterday morning, as confirmed by co-owner David Gold who Tweeted
last night: "We managed to bring Andy's medical forward to this evening and
I am delighted to inform you that he has passed with flying colours."
A highly-placed source told SDN: "Some of the reporting has been laughable
and doesn't do our fans justice. Please put things straight for the good of
everybody. "There was never any suggestion the Hammers would pay the
£100,000 personal terms that still is being quoted. "There are a few last
details to be sorted out so effectively we are still in negotiations but
there's nothing involved that can be described as a deal breaker and we'll
sort everything out."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll has completed his move to West Ham from Liverpool
Last Updated: June 19, 2013 9:31pm
SSN
England forward Andy Carroll has completed his permanent transfer to West
Ham United for an undisclosed, club record fee. The striker spent the
duration of the 2012-13 campaign on loan with the Hammers, scoring seven
goals in 24 appearances, and signed a six-year contract after passing a
medical. Carroll joined Liverpool from Newcastle United on transfer deadline
day in January 2011 for a fee of around £35million after the Reds had
allowed Fernando Torres to move to Chelsea for £50million. He played 58
games for Anfield club in total, and scored 11 times, but was plagued by
injuries before new Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers allowed him to be
loaned to the east London club. "It's fantastic for me to be here. I really
enjoyed last season, and that shows in me coming back and making it
permanent."
Andy Carroll
Carroll, 24, who also suffered with hamstring injury at the Boleyn Ground,
said: "It's fantastic for me to be here. I really enjoyed last season, and
that shows in me coming back and making it permanent. "The fans, the lads
and the club itself has been great to me, and what I wanted to do was come
back here and play football. "Since the end of the season I've had a lot of
time to think, I've missed it and that's why I'm back. Getting promoted the
season before last, then finishing where we did - we did great, and it can
only get better for us. "The way the club's being run, obviously getting the
new stadium and everything like that, it's only going up."
Academy product Carroll burst into the Newcastle first-team at the age of 17
and scored 33 goals in 91 appearances. He made his senior England debut in a
friendly international with France in November 2010 and scored his first
goal for his country against Ghana at Wembley in March the following year.
Carroll has played nine times for England, scoring his second goal against
Sweden in last summer's European Championship finals.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers win Carr chase
Published: 9 hrs ago
The Sun
ANDY CARROLL aims to spearhead West Ham's charge into a new era after
finalising a club-record move. The Hammers will pay £16million for the
England star after agreeing to make the Liverpool star's loan move
permanent. But that could rise by another £3m based on appearances. Striker
Carroll, 24, signed a marathon six-year contract worth £100,000 a week — as
SunSport told you he would yesterday. And he will lead the Hammers into the
Olympic Stadium should the proposed move go ahead in 2016. He said: "It's
fantastic for me to be here. I really enjoyed last season and that shows in
me coming back and making it permanent. "The fans, the lads and the club
itself have been great to me — and I wanted to come back here and play
football. "Since the end of the season I've had a lot of time to think, I've
missed it and that's why I'm back. "Getting promoted the season before last,
then finishing where we did... we did great and it can only get better for
us. "The way the club's being run, obviously getting the new stadium and
everything like that, it's only going up."
Liverpool will still swallow a £16m loss on the striker they paid £35m for
less than two years ago. Carroll scored seven goals for the Hammers last
season in a campaign hampered by a niggling hamstring injury and a heel
problem which ruled him out of England's recent friendlies against Ireland
and Brazil. But the 6ft 3in Geordie passed a stringent medical on Tuesday
night and will join up with his new full-time team-mates for pre-season
training on July 1. The investment from West Ham could eventually top £55m
if Carroll stays for the full term of his deal. Their previous biggest
signing was winger Matt Jarvis, who signed from Wolves for £10.75m last
year. West Ham have been given the green light to move into the
54,000-seater Olympic Stadium in three years but still face legal challenges
from neighbours Leyton Orient.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll completes transfer to West Ham as ex-Liverpool striker signs
six-year deal for club record fee
19 Jun 2013 22:29
The Mirror
Andy Carroll admits he chose to stay at West Ham so that he could continue
playing regularly. The England striker, who was frozen out at Liverpool,
completed his £17.5million switch – worth around £85,000 a week - on
Wednesday. He signed a SIX-YEAR deal, with an option for another two years.
The move gives Carroll the chance to press his World Cup claims next
season, with regular first-team action at Upton Park. The 24-year-old
frontman said: "The fans, the lads and the club itself have been great to me
and what I wanted to do was come back here and play football. "Since the end
of the season, I've had a lot of time to think. I've missed it and that's
why I'm back. "Getting promoted the season before last, then finishing where
we did – we did great and it can only get better for us. "The way the club's
being run – obviously, getting the new stadium and everything like that –
it's only going up."
The fee means the Hammers have shattered the club transfer record of £11m
they paid Wolves for Matt Jarvis last summer. But joint owner David
Sullivan, who worked tirelessly to pull the deal off, told Mirror Sport:
"It's one of the hardest deals I've done since I've been at West Ham – the
player's agent was incredibly demanding. "Whatever people may think of the
finances, the manager made Andy his number one target and we think he's a
player who can really make the difference. He gives 100 per cent
commitment."
Carroll's transfer makes him one of the most expensive English players in
the history of the game, with the total of his moves reaching £50m. His
signing represents a massive loss for Liverpool, however, who signed him for
£35m from Newcastle in January 2011. He was loaned to West Ham last summer
and, despite an injury-ravaged campaign, hit seven goals in 24 matches. His
return to Upton Park was actually agreed several weeks ago. But Carroll had
also been keen to rejoin his boyhood club and asked for time to think the
move over, hoping the Magpies would match West Ham's offer. There were real
fears at Upton Park on Monday that Newcastle had done just that, in order to
back new director of football Joe Kinnear. It meant West Ham had to move
quickly to land Carroll and brought his medical forward by 24 hours to
Tuesday evening to seal the deal. But West Ham will be without Carroll until
September as the frontman – who scored seven League goals last season – is
still recovering from a heel injury.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Eager Tigers dig for Cole
Published: 19th June 2013
The Sun
HULL boss Steve Bruce is in talks with Carlton Cole about a move to the
Premier League new-boys. Cole, 29, was released by West Ham at the end of
the season after seven years at Upton Park. And Bruce wants him to add some
bite to his Tigers attack. The Hull chief is desperate for a front man after
failing to get anywhere in his attempts to sign Burnley's Charlie Austin.
But he faces competition for Cole from QPR, with Harry Redknapp keen on the
former England man. A switch to Rangers would allow Cole to stay in London.
But it would mean a season in the Championship for the second time in three
years.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to announce the permanent signing of Andy
Carroll from Liverpool.
19.06.2013
West Ham United are delighted to announce the signing of England
international Andy Carroll from Liverpool. Carroll joins the Hammers on a
six-year contract, with an option for a further two in the Club's favour,
for an undisclosed, Club record fee after enjoying an outstanding 2012/13
season on loan at the Boleyn Ground. The marquee signing represents a
significant step for the Club as they prepare to move to the 54,000-seater
Olympic Stadium in 2016, with Carroll set to play a central role having
committed his long-term future to the Hammers. The 24-year-old England
international, who will wear No9 for his new side, netted seven goals for
Sam Allardyce's team as West Ham made a strong return to the Barclays
Premier League by finishing tenth. The forward's committed and eye-catching
displays in claret and blue quickly established him as a firm favourite
among Hammers supporters and he is already looking forward to performing in
front of the same adoring fans come the start of the 2013/14 campaign. "It's
fantastic for me to be here. I really enjoyed last season, and that shows in
me coming back and making it permanent," said Carroll. "The fans, the lads
and the Club itself has been great to me, and what I wanted to do was come
back here and play football. "Since the end of the season I've had a lot of
time to think, I've missed it and that's why I'm back. Getting promoted the
season before last, then finishing where we did - we did great, and it can
only get better for us. "The way the Club's being run, obviously getting the
new stadium and everything like that, it's only going up."
Carroll, of course, spent last season on loan at West Ham, scoring seven
goals and playing a leading role in many more in 24 Barclays Premier League
appearances. The Gateshead-born star enjoyed a superb 2012/13 and was an
influential figure in newly-promoted West Ham's top-half finish. Having
worked under Big Sam before and played alongside captain and close friend
Kevin Nolan previously at Newcastle United, Carroll quickly settled into
life in east London, enjoying a fantastic debut in a 3-0 home win over
Fulham in September. After a hamstring injury curtailed his progress, a
first goal arrived at Tottenham Hotspur in November before he really showed
his class after Christmas. A towering headed winner against Swansea City was
followed by a virtuoso display against West Bromwich Albion, capped with an
outstanding volleyed finish to completed a 3-1 win. Further goals arrived at
Southampton and Manchester City to further enhance Carroll's reputation and
he was rewarded by being named Joint-Chairmen's Player of the Year at the
season-ending Awards Dinner and earning an England recall. Previously,
Carroll established himself as one of English football's outstanding young
talents during his formative years at Newcastle.
Carroll burst into the Newcastle first-team at the age of 17, making his
first-team debut as a replacement for future Hammer Nolberto Solano in a
UEFA Cup victory over Palermo on 2 November 2006 - an appearance that made
him the youngest-ever player to represent Newcastle in Europe. After scoring
his maiden first-team goal past FIFA World Cup winner Gianluigi Buffon in a
friendly win over Juventus in July 2007, Carroll embarked on a six-month
loan spell with Championship side Preston North End. On his return to St
James' Park, the centre forward forced his way into the Magpies starting XI,
scoring on his full home debut with a towering header against West Ham in a
2-2 Premier League draw on 10 January 2009. The 2009/10 season saw Carroll
come into his own as he combined with Nolan to shoot Newcastle to the
Championship title and promotion back to the Premier League at the first
attempt. The striker finished the campaign as the club's top scorer with 19
goals in all competitions and be voted into the Championship Team of the
Year.
At the start of 2010/11, he then took the top-flight by storm, netting a
hat-trick in a 6-0 win over Aston Villa and eleven goals in just 19 league
appearances before completing his record-breaking move to Anfield. In
2011/12, Carroll collected a League Cup winner's medal as Liverpool beat
Cardiff City before returning to Wembley to score the winning goal against
Everton to take the Reds into the FA Cup final. Carroll's performances for
Newcastle earned him a senior England debut in a friendly international with
France on 17 November 2010. His first senior international goal arrived in a
friendly with Ghana at Wembley on 29 March 2011. The striker's all-round
ability saw him named in England's squad for the 2012 UEFA European
Championship finals, where he impressed by scoring a trademark header in a
group-stage victory over Sweden. Having earned nine caps and scored twice
for his country, Carroll will hope his form for his new Club will see him
earn further international recognition in the future with a FIFA World Cup
in Brazil on the horizon next summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Big Sam happy with start
WHUFC.com
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce is pleased to start the 2013/14
campaign at home
19.06.2013
West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce is happy that the fixture computer has
handed his side a home game to start the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League
season. The Hammers began last season, their first back into the top flight,
by beating Aston Villa 1-0 at the Boleyn Ground, and went on to enjoy an
impressive home record throughout the campaign. With Cardiff City due to
face the Hammers in E13 first up on Saturday 17 August, Allardyce is
determined to carry that success into the new term. "The fixtures have been
kind to us at the start of the season as they were last season," Big Sam
exclusively told whufc.com "It will be important to challenge the players to
try to achieve the same amount - 14 points from our first eight games - as
they did last season. The ones that are important are the newly promoted
sides and we've got Cardiff first game, which I think is the toughest time
to get them in the whole season."I'm pleased that at least we are playing
them at home and not away. It casts my mind back to the start of my career
at West Ham and a 1-0 defeat to them in my first game and I want to make
sure we don't repeat that. "The other games will be about us maintaining our
home form and making people aware that when they come to West Ham they will
be in for a tough afternoon because we play attacking football against the
opposition and create chances."
West Ham's first game on the road comes at Newcastle United on 24 August and
Allardyce knows next season's away form needs to be better. "One thing we
must also do is ensure our away form improves," he continued. "Our first
away game is Newcastle United. Myself, Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan are all
ex-Newcastle and it will spur us on to get the first away points on the
board as we did last year. "They had such a splendid season the year before
and nobody expected us to win there. It is a daunting task but so far I've
managed to get results there and I've not been disappointed with West Ham or
Blackburn. "The run-in has some tough games but the only thing in my mind is
that the results will have a bearing on which place we finishing and we're
not anxious about needing points to stay in the Premier League. That is our
major aim and if that's the case we should all be delighted."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll: West Ham sign Liverpool striker for £15m
BBC.co.uk
West Ham United have completed the signing of England striker Andy Carroll
from Liverpool for a club record £15m. Carroll, 24, cost Liverpool £35m but
was loaned to West Ham in August, scoring seven goals in 24 games. The
former Newcastle United forward has signed a six-year contract, with an
option for a further two years. "It's fantastic for me to be here. I really
enjoyed last season, and that shows in me coming back and making it
permanent," Carroll said.
The transfer fee was agreed in May, but the England international was said
to be unsure about a move before a World Cup year. Carroll added: "The fans,
the lads and the club itself have been great to me, and what I wanted to do
was come back here and play football. "Since the end of the season I've had
a lot of time to think, I've missed it and that's why I'm back. "Getting
promoted the season before last, then finishing where we did - we did great,
and it can only get better for us. "The way the club's being run, obviously
getting the new stadium and everything like that, it's only going up."
Expensive Englishmen
Andy Carroll is one of the most expensive English players in the history of
football - during his career his transfer fees have reached £50m.
Other notable expensive English players include (total fees):
Darren Bent (Aston Villa): £53.5m
Peter Crouch (Stoke City): £50.6m
Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United): £48.5m
James Milner (Manchester City): £41.6m
Carroll suffered a number of injuries during his time on loan at Upton Park,
with knee and hamstring problems keeping him out of action for several
months.
He also picked up a heel injury on the final day of the season after landing
awkwardly, with the knock keeping him out of the England squad for the
post-season friendlies against Republic of Ireland and Brazil. Carroll
believed he could play his way into England manager Roy Hodgson's plans if
he could improve on his fitness record next term. "I just want to keep fit
now, keep scoring goals and performing week in and week out for West Ham, if
I do that here, play well and keep fit, then hopefully I will get in the
England team," Carroll said. Carroll, who made his England debut in 2010 and
has won nine caps, was signed by Kenny Dalglish for Liverpool on transfer
deadline day in January 2011, for what remains a record fee for a British
player. He had impressed by scoring 31 times for his boyhood club Newcastle
in 81 appearances, but his time at Anfield was short-lived. Coupled with the
arrival of Brendan Rodgers and a new style of play, Carroll's return of just
six goals in 44 league outings for Liverpool saw him loaned to West Ham. The
Hammers' previous record signing was Matt Jarvis, for £10.75m from
Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2012. In March it was announced they would
be anchor tenants for the Olympic Stadium from August 2016.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carroll deal confirmed
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 19th June 2013
By: Staff Writer
Andy Carroll says he is delighted to be back at West Ham United - on the day
his record-breaking, £15million transfer was finally confirmed. The
24-year-old striker, who spent the 2012/13 season on loan at the Boleyn
Ground told whufc.com: "It's fantastic to be here. I really enjoyed last
season and that shows in me coming back and making it permanent. "The fans,
the lads and the club itself have been great to me and I wanted to come back
here and play football. Since the end of the season I've had a lot of time
to think; I've missed it and that's why I'm back." Carroll, whose transfer
fee remains officially undisclosed, has signed a six-year contract with an
option for a further two years. West Ham described the deal as "a
significant step for the club as they prepare to move to the 54,000-seater
Olympic Stadium in 2016."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
£40m: the price of Andy Carroll
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 19th June 2013
By: Staff Reporter
West Ham United are paying nothing like the £54million being reported
nationally to sign striker Andy Carroll. The 24-year-old is set to sign a
six year Upton Park contract - possibly before the end of the day - but the
final deal will be closer to £40 million. SportsDirect News.com -who have
been on top of the deal from the start - reveal that senior club figures are
amused and angered in almost equal parts at the wildly exaggerated figures
quoted. Carroll has received a £5,000-a-week increase from the Hammers which
has taken his weekly wage from £75,000 to £80,000. Over the terms of a
six-year deal, that will take his total earnings to around £25million. And
with a transfer fee of £15million - not the £16.5million being quoted
elsewhere - the deal comes to £40million, plus a possibility of up to a
further £5million should the club win silverware or feature in Europe.
Stories this morning also claimed that the Hammers rushed to get a deal done
and hurried the player into a medical yesterday morning after he landed home
from a holiday in Las Vegas (he was actually on a Florida cruise). In fact,
Carroll returned to the United Kingdom before last weekend and wasn't rushed
anywhere yesterday morning, as confirmed by co-owner David Gold who Tweeted
last night: "We managed to bring Andy's medical forward to this evening and
I am delighted to inform you that he has passed with flying colours."
A highly-placed source told SDN: "Some of the reporting has been laughable
and doesn't do our fans justice. Please put things straight for the good of
everybody. "There was never any suggestion the Hammers would pay the
£100,000 personal terms that still is being quoted. "There are a few last
details to be sorted out so effectively we are still in negotiations but
there's nothing involved that can be described as a deal breaker and we'll
sort everything out."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll has completed his move to West Ham from Liverpool
Last Updated: June 19, 2013 9:31pm
SSN
England forward Andy Carroll has completed his permanent transfer to West
Ham United for an undisclosed, club record fee. The striker spent the
duration of the 2012-13 campaign on loan with the Hammers, scoring seven
goals in 24 appearances, and signed a six-year contract after passing a
medical. Carroll joined Liverpool from Newcastle United on transfer deadline
day in January 2011 for a fee of around £35million after the Reds had
allowed Fernando Torres to move to Chelsea for £50million. He played 58
games for Anfield club in total, and scored 11 times, but was plagued by
injuries before new Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers allowed him to be
loaned to the east London club. "It's fantastic for me to be here. I really
enjoyed last season, and that shows in me coming back and making it
permanent."
Andy Carroll
Carroll, 24, who also suffered with hamstring injury at the Boleyn Ground,
said: "It's fantastic for me to be here. I really enjoyed last season, and
that shows in me coming back and making it permanent. "The fans, the lads
and the club itself has been great to me, and what I wanted to do was come
back here and play football. "Since the end of the season I've had a lot of
time to think, I've missed it and that's why I'm back. Getting promoted the
season before last, then finishing where we did - we did great, and it can
only get better for us. "The way the club's being run, obviously getting the
new stadium and everything like that, it's only going up."
Academy product Carroll burst into the Newcastle first-team at the age of 17
and scored 33 goals in 91 appearances. He made his senior England debut in a
friendly international with France in November 2010 and scored his first
goal for his country against Ghana at Wembley in March the following year.
Carroll has played nine times for England, scoring his second goal against
Sweden in last summer's European Championship finals.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers win Carr chase
Published: 9 hrs ago
The Sun
ANDY CARROLL aims to spearhead West Ham's charge into a new era after
finalising a club-record move. The Hammers will pay £16million for the
England star after agreeing to make the Liverpool star's loan move
permanent. But that could rise by another £3m based on appearances. Striker
Carroll, 24, signed a marathon six-year contract worth £100,000 a week — as
SunSport told you he would yesterday. And he will lead the Hammers into the
Olympic Stadium should the proposed move go ahead in 2016. He said: "It's
fantastic for me to be here. I really enjoyed last season and that shows in
me coming back and making it permanent. "The fans, the lads and the club
itself have been great to me — and I wanted to come back here and play
football. "Since the end of the season I've had a lot of time to think, I've
missed it and that's why I'm back. "Getting promoted the season before last,
then finishing where we did... we did great and it can only get better for
us. "The way the club's being run, obviously getting the new stadium and
everything like that, it's only going up."
Liverpool will still swallow a £16m loss on the striker they paid £35m for
less than two years ago. Carroll scored seven goals for the Hammers last
season in a campaign hampered by a niggling hamstring injury and a heel
problem which ruled him out of England's recent friendlies against Ireland
and Brazil. But the 6ft 3in Geordie passed a stringent medical on Tuesday
night and will join up with his new full-time team-mates for pre-season
training on July 1. The investment from West Ham could eventually top £55m
if Carroll stays for the full term of his deal. Their previous biggest
signing was winger Matt Jarvis, who signed from Wolves for £10.75m last
year. West Ham have been given the green light to move into the
54,000-seater Olympic Stadium in three years but still face legal challenges
from neighbours Leyton Orient.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll completes transfer to West Ham as ex-Liverpool striker signs
six-year deal for club record fee
19 Jun 2013 22:29
The Mirror
Andy Carroll admits he chose to stay at West Ham so that he could continue
playing regularly. The England striker, who was frozen out at Liverpool,
completed his £17.5million switch – worth around £85,000 a week - on
Wednesday. He signed a SIX-YEAR deal, with an option for another two years.
The move gives Carroll the chance to press his World Cup claims next
season, with regular first-team action at Upton Park. The 24-year-old
frontman said: "The fans, the lads and the club itself have been great to me
and what I wanted to do was come back here and play football. "Since the end
of the season, I've had a lot of time to think. I've missed it and that's
why I'm back. "Getting promoted the season before last, then finishing where
we did – we did great and it can only get better for us. "The way the club's
being run – obviously, getting the new stadium and everything like that –
it's only going up."
The fee means the Hammers have shattered the club transfer record of £11m
they paid Wolves for Matt Jarvis last summer. But joint owner David
Sullivan, who worked tirelessly to pull the deal off, told Mirror Sport:
"It's one of the hardest deals I've done since I've been at West Ham – the
player's agent was incredibly demanding. "Whatever people may think of the
finances, the manager made Andy his number one target and we think he's a
player who can really make the difference. He gives 100 per cent
commitment."
Carroll's transfer makes him one of the most expensive English players in
the history of the game, with the total of his moves reaching £50m. His
signing represents a massive loss for Liverpool, however, who signed him for
£35m from Newcastle in January 2011. He was loaned to West Ham last summer
and, despite an injury-ravaged campaign, hit seven goals in 24 matches. His
return to Upton Park was actually agreed several weeks ago. But Carroll had
also been keen to rejoin his boyhood club and asked for time to think the
move over, hoping the Magpies would match West Ham's offer. There were real
fears at Upton Park on Monday that Newcastle had done just that, in order to
back new director of football Joe Kinnear. It meant West Ham had to move
quickly to land Carroll and brought his medical forward by 24 hours to
Tuesday evening to seal the deal. But West Ham will be without Carroll until
September as the frontman – who scored seven League goals last season – is
still recovering from a heel injury.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Eager Tigers dig for Cole
Published: 19th June 2013
The Sun
HULL boss Steve Bruce is in talks with Carlton Cole about a move to the
Premier League new-boys. Cole, 29, was released by West Ham at the end of
the season after seven years at Upton Park. And Bruce wants him to add some
bite to his Tigers attack. The Hull chief is desperate for a front man after
failing to get anywhere in his attempts to sign Burnley's Charlie Austin.
But he faces competition for Cole from QPR, with Harry Redknapp keen on the
former England man. A switch to Rangers would allow Cole to stay in London.
But it would mean a season in the Championship for the second time in three
years.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 19
Daily WHUFC News - Fixtures
Hammers start with Cardiff at home
WHUFC.com
The fixtures for the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season have been
released
19.06.2013
West Ham United will kick-off the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season
with a home fixture against top flight new boys Cardiff City.
Having claimed an excellent tenth position in their first season back in the
Barclays Premier League last term, Sam Allardyce's side will start the new
campaign by facing Malky Mackay's side at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 17
August. The Hammers' first away game will follow with a trip to Newcastle
United on Saturday 24 August before Stoke City visit east London on Saturday
31 August.
Big Sam's men will wrap up league matters on Sunday 11 May 2014, when they
tackle Manchester City at Etihad Stadium, the first time in seven years the
Hammers will play an away game on the final day.
The Hammers take on reigning Barclays Premier League champions Manchester
United on Saturday 22 March (home) and Saturday 21 December (away), while
they host runners-up Manchester City on Saturday 19 October.
The mouth-watering London derby matches against Tottenham Hotspur will take
place on Saturday 5 October (away) and Saturday 3 May (home), while Jose
Mourinho's Chelsea will form the opposition on Saturday 23 November (home)
and Wednesday 29 January (away).
Premier League new boys Crystal Palace visit the Boleyn Ground on Saturday
19 April, while the Hammers travel to Hull City on Saturday 28 September and
Cardiff City on Saturday 11 January.
The traditional Christmas and New Year fixtures will see the Hammers face
Arsenal at home on Boxing Day and Fulham away on New Year's Day.
West Ham are one of 13 Barclays Premier League clubs who will enter the
Capital One Cup at the second round stage, with ties scheduled to be played
in the week commencing Monday 26 August.
Full list of fixtures (all subject to change)
Sat Aug 17 Cardiff City H
Sat Aug 24 Newcastle United A
Sat Aug 31 Stoke City H
Sat Sep 14 Southampton A
Sat Sep 21 Everton H
Sat Sep 28 Hull City A
Sat Oct 5 Tottenham Hotspur A
Sat Oct 19 Manchester City H
Sat Oct 26 Swansea City A
Sat Nov 2 Aston Villa H
Sat Nov 9 Norwich City A
Sat Nov 23 Chelsea H
Sat Nov 30 Fulham H
Tue Dec 3 Crystal Palace A
Sat Dec 7 Liverpool A
Sat Dec 14 Sunderland H
Sat Dec 21 Manchester United A
Thu Dec 26 Arsenal H
Sat Dec 28 West Bromwich Albion H
Wed Jan 1 Fulham A
Sat Jan 4 F.A. Cup 3
Sat Jan 11 Cardiff City A
Sat Jan 18 Newcastle United H
Sat Jan 25 F.A. Cup 4
Wed Jan 29 Chelsea A
Sat Feb 1 Swansea City H
Sat Feb 8 Aston Villa A
Tue Feb 11 Norwich City H
Sat Feb 15 F.A. Cup 5
Sat Feb 22 Southampton H
Sat Mar 1 Everton A
Sun Mar 2 Capital One Cup Final
Sat Mar 8 Hull City H
Sat Mar 15 Stoke City A
Sat Mar 22 Manchester United H
Sat Mar 29 Sunderland A
Sat Apr 5 Liverpool H
Sat Apr 12 Arsenal A
Sat Apr 19 Crystal Palace H
Sat Apr 26 West Bromwich Albion A
Sat May 3 Tottenham Hotspur H
Sun May 11 Manchester City A
Fixtures are subject to change.
If you cannot wait for the Barclays Premier League season to get under way,
then the Hammers will be playing a host of pre-season matches at home and
abroad. For a full list of the Club's pre-season fixtures, click here.
Hammers mobile text alert subscribers received this news first. Click here
to sign up so you can make sure you stay in touch wherever you are this
summer.
Check back on whufc.com later for all the reaction to the announcement of
the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League fixture list. Please note all fixtures
are subject to change.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
The fixtures for the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season have been
released
19.06.2013
West Ham United will kick-off the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season
with a home fixture against top flight new boys Cardiff City.
Having claimed an excellent tenth position in their first season back in the
Barclays Premier League last term, Sam Allardyce's side will start the new
campaign by facing Malky Mackay's side at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 17
August. The Hammers' first away game will follow with a trip to Newcastle
United on Saturday 24 August before Stoke City visit east London on Saturday
31 August.
Big Sam's men will wrap up league matters on Sunday 11 May 2014, when they
tackle Manchester City at Etihad Stadium, the first time in seven years the
Hammers will play an away game on the final day.
The Hammers take on reigning Barclays Premier League champions Manchester
United on Saturday 22 March (home) and Saturday 21 December (away), while
they host runners-up Manchester City on Saturday 19 October.
The mouth-watering London derby matches against Tottenham Hotspur will take
place on Saturday 5 October (away) and Saturday 3 May (home), while Jose
Mourinho's Chelsea will form the opposition on Saturday 23 November (home)
and Wednesday 29 January (away).
Premier League new boys Crystal Palace visit the Boleyn Ground on Saturday
19 April, while the Hammers travel to Hull City on Saturday 28 September and
Cardiff City on Saturday 11 January.
The traditional Christmas and New Year fixtures will see the Hammers face
Arsenal at home on Boxing Day and Fulham away on New Year's Day.
West Ham are one of 13 Barclays Premier League clubs who will enter the
Capital One Cup at the second round stage, with ties scheduled to be played
in the week commencing Monday 26 August.
Full list of fixtures (all subject to change)
Sat Aug 17 Cardiff City H
Sat Aug 24 Newcastle United A
Sat Aug 31 Stoke City H
Sat Sep 14 Southampton A
Sat Sep 21 Everton H
Sat Sep 28 Hull City A
Sat Oct 5 Tottenham Hotspur A
Sat Oct 19 Manchester City H
Sat Oct 26 Swansea City A
Sat Nov 2 Aston Villa H
Sat Nov 9 Norwich City A
Sat Nov 23 Chelsea H
Sat Nov 30 Fulham H
Tue Dec 3 Crystal Palace A
Sat Dec 7 Liverpool A
Sat Dec 14 Sunderland H
Sat Dec 21 Manchester United A
Thu Dec 26 Arsenal H
Sat Dec 28 West Bromwich Albion H
Wed Jan 1 Fulham A
Sat Jan 4 F.A. Cup 3
Sat Jan 11 Cardiff City A
Sat Jan 18 Newcastle United H
Sat Jan 25 F.A. Cup 4
Wed Jan 29 Chelsea A
Sat Feb 1 Swansea City H
Sat Feb 8 Aston Villa A
Tue Feb 11 Norwich City H
Sat Feb 15 F.A. Cup 5
Sat Feb 22 Southampton H
Sat Mar 1 Everton A
Sun Mar 2 Capital One Cup Final
Sat Mar 8 Hull City H
Sat Mar 15 Stoke City A
Sat Mar 22 Manchester United H
Sat Mar 29 Sunderland A
Sat Apr 5 Liverpool H
Sat Apr 12 Arsenal A
Sat Apr 19 Crystal Palace H
Sat Apr 26 West Bromwich Albion A
Sat May 3 Tottenham Hotspur H
Sun May 11 Manchester City A
Fixtures are subject to change.
If you cannot wait for the Barclays Premier League season to get under way,
then the Hammers will be playing a host of pre-season matches at home and
abroad. For a full list of the Club's pre-season fixtures, click here.
Hammers mobile text alert subscribers received this news first. Click here
to sign up so you can make sure you stay in touch wherever you are this
summer.
Check back on whufc.com later for all the reaction to the announcement of
the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League fixture list. Please note all fixtures
are subject to change.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Daily WHUFC News - 19th June 2013
Lee's delight at award-winning year
WHUFC.com
Elliot Lee has targeted further progress after making his first team bow
last season
18.06.2013
Academy striker Elliot Lee enjoyed a productive 2012/13 campaign, netting 14
goals for the Club's Under-18 and Under-21 sides, as well as making his
first team debut. The 18-year-old's rapid progress was recognised at the
Hammers' end of season awards dinner, when he collected the prestigious
Academy Player of the Year prize. It rounded off a fine season for the
youngster, whose father Rob and brother Oliver also played for the Hammers,
and he is keen to continue along the same upward curve over the coming
years. "I'm delighted with the award, I couldn't be happier," he beamed. "It
caps off a great season, so to pick up the award is brilliant. "I love
scoring goals - I've ended up as the top goalscorer for the Under-21s so
that's great, and winning any award gives you confidence. "I just want to
push on from here and see what I can do in pre-season to impress the first
team. "My mate Moncs [George Moncur] won the Young Hammer of the Year so
hopefully I can take that one off him next year!"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Liverpool striker Andy Carroll passes West Ham medical
BBC.co.uk
Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has passed his medical at West Ham prior to a
£15m move. The 24-year-old cost Liverpool £35m and has been on loan at West
Ham since 2012, scoring seven times in 24 games. The transfer fee was agreed
in May, but the England international was unsure about a move before a World
Cup year.
Andy Carroll career stats
Newcastle (2006-11): 91 games, 33 goals
Preston (loan Aug 2007-08): 12 games, 1 goal
Liverpool (2011-present): 57 games, 11 goals
West Ham (loan 2012-13): 24 games, 7 goals
England (2010-present): 9 games, 2 goals
"We managed to bring Andy's medical forward and I am delighted to inform you
that he has passed with flying colours," chairman David Gold tweeted.
The examination was expected to be a thorough one, because of the fee
involved and the player's record of injury problems. The former Newcastle
player fell awkwardly in the Hammers' final game of the season, picking up a
heel injury that forced him out of England's two post-season friendlies
against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil. That followed previous problems
with his hamstring and knee, which disrupted much of the first half of his
campaign at Upton Park. Carroll was signed by Kenny Dalglish for Liverpool
on transfer deadline day in January 2011, for what remains a record fee for
a British player. He had impressed by scoring 31 times for his boyhood club
Newcastle United in 81 appearances, but his time at Anfield was short-lived.
Coupled with the arrival of Brendan Rodgers and a new style of play,
Carroll's return of just six goals in 44 league outings for Liverpool saw
him loaned to West Ham in late August 2012.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Roll out the Carroll
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 18th June 2013
By: Staff Writer
Andy Carroll is set to be confirmed as West Ham United's record signing
after he successfully completed a medical earlier this evening. The
24-year-old striker will cost the Hammers £15.5million plus a further
£2million in add-ons - smashing the club record of £10.75million paid to
Wolves last summer for Matt Jarvis.
The news was confirmed earlier this evening by co-chairman David Gold, who
had Tweeted earlier in the day to reveal that Carroll's medical would take
place on Wednesday morning. However posting an update shortly after 9pm
tonight, Gold said: "We managed to bring Andy's medical forward to this
evening and I am delighted to inform you that he has passed with flying
colours." The capture of the former Liverpool star represents a huge coup
for West Ham. Just two-and-a-half years ago Newcastle sold him to the
Merseyside club for what remains a British record transfer fee of
£35million. And although his salary is expected to cost West Ham somewhere
in the region of £4.5million per year - or £27million over the course of his
six-year contract - most supporters appear to agree that his capture is a
real signal of intent from the club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gold backs Jack
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 18th June 2013
By: Staff Writer
David Gold has been speaking about the club's policy regarding transfer news
- and explaining why the job of announcing new signings has been left to his
partner's son of late. Jack Sullivan - the teenage son of Gold's co-owner
David Sullivan - has become something of an Twitter sensation in recent
months since he began to leak the club's breaking transfer news via the
social network. Earlier today he was the first to reveal that Andy Carroll
had agreed terms with the club on a six-year deal and was undergoing a
medical - making the club's own website, which had previously been charged
with making such announcements (as is customary with other professional
clubs) essentially redundant. The issue was raised tonight during a Q&A
session following a speech Gold had given as part of Newham Council's 'Ideas
Olympiad' at Stratford Circus. Asked by a member of the audience how he felt
about young Jack breaking West Ham transfer news via Twitter, Gold - after a
long pause - replied: "He's 13 years of age and he's in kind of a privileged
situation. "He hears things. His father wouldn't say to him "look, this is
what's happened, go and Tweet it" - he wouldn't do that. Jack happened to be
around the house today, he's picked up something and he can't resist it.
"When he goes to school tomorrow, he'll be like a God; he'll swan around
like the King. So give him some slack, he's a good kid and I like him very
much - although I could whack him when he does this! "What you will hear in
due course are the actual facts, when the [Carroll] deal is done. We're
close, but Jack doesn't care - he'll still be a star when he goes to school
tomorrow and that's the end of the matter. "But he is a good kid."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
That Was The Season That Was 2012/13 - Part Three
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 18th June 2013
By: Gordon Thrower
Christmas - seems so long ago doesn't it? The latest in Gordon Thrower's
review of the 2012/13 season covers November 2012-January 2013. Something
for you to have a look at before you finally get round to taking that awful
pullover your aunt bought you down to the charity shop...
November
Our first match of the month finishes in a 0-0 draw at home to reigning
champions Man City. In fact we have a perfectly good goal notched off by a
linesman as Nolan's fine volley appears to have put us ahead. One of a
number of dubious decisions we endure against the so-called big 4 in the
season.
The skipper is on target the following week as we pick up another away win,
this time up at Newcastle where Nolan is handily placed to divert Joey
O'Brien's wayward effort to give us a 1-0 win that sends us to 6th place for
a bit. Sky diver Felix Baumgartner turns down an invite to the match on the
grounds that the away section at St James Park is far too high for comfort.
"You're not getting me up there" he would have said, we expect, had we
really asked him.
Over the water, alleged Hammer Barack Obama is re-elected as President of
the USA. Barry Hearn considers a judicial review on the grounds that the
traditional inauguration ceremony due to take place in January might affect
Leyton Orient's gate if they happen to be home that weekend.
With a little over a month to go before the transfer window re-opens it
becomes public knowledge that Mo Diame has a release clause in his contract
allowing him to speak to any club willing to pay an alleged £5m. I can't
imagine where the papers got that one from. Why, it's almost as if his agent
had released the news to engineer a money-making move or a new contract or
something.
In legal news three men are sent for trial on fraud charges over the Olympic
Stadium decision, with personal records belonging to Karren Brady and others
having mysteriously ended up in their possession. The accused were employed
by accountancy firm PKF who had been engaged by Spurs as part of the whole
process. Spurs are predictably keen to distance themselves from the whole
affair claiming "We're as shocked as you are. There's no way that this
should have been traceable back to us. Er, this isn't being recorded is it?"
Moe legal news as the Met's finest announce that they are dropping all
enquiries into Chelsea's allegations against Mark Clattenburg. The phrase "I
don't give a monkey's" is supposedly at the centre of all the fuss. Chelsea
chairman Bruce Buck ties himself in all sorts of logical knots trying to
justify the club's defence of John Terry whilst apparently slinging round
official complaints at referees for the same offence. One of the poorer
referees in an already poor bunch, Clattenburg gets away with murder for the
rest of the season on the wave of sympathy gained from the whole affair.
Stoke are the next visitors to the Boleyn and they escape with a point. Joey
O'Brien is the man on target three minutes into the second half equalising
an early Walters effort. As usual, Stoke's goal owes a hellofalot to their
illegal blocking at corners which referees love to ignore. Stoke boss Pulis
continues to boast that he coaches his team to break the laws of the game.
Some might think that such an admission merits a disrepute charge. We could
not possibly comment.
The national side pops over to Sweden to celebrate the Swedish FA's
centenary. Ibrahimovic scores on 20 minutes to give the hosts the lead.
Welbeck and Caulker actually put us 2-1 up at one stage but, ever keen to
behave ourselves as guests at the party, we remember our places. Ibrahimovic
nets a further three, the last of which is a remarkable 30 yard overhead
kick, to give Sweden victory.
Back home Andy Carroll finally nets his first for the club at Spurs but
sadly this turns out to be a late consolation as the home side provides one
of the shocks of the season by winning 3-1. Defoe (2) and Bale are
predictably on the scoresheet for the home side. The match is marred by some
inappropriate chanting that, equally predictably, is pounced on by some
sections of the press as an indication that civilisation as we know it is
about to collapse. The FA announce one of their thorough investigations
which, seven months later, concludes that they will take no further action
against the club.
We go up to Old Trafford and are on the back foot after 31 seconds as Van
Persie opens the scoring. However the home side fail to add to their tally
and are seen desperately time-wasting in the closing stages as they hang on
for a 1-0 win.
Only a few weeks after having gained his chairman's full backing via the
medium of twitter, Mark Hughes is sacked by QPR. "He was utterly utterly the
right man for the job up to a few moments ago when we sacked him" tweets
Tony Fernandes. Probably. The thought that we might have dodged a bullet,
ownership-wise, crosses our minds as Fernandes announces that "the new
utterly utterly right man for the job is Harry Redknapp". "Or his dog Rosie.
I think that's where his pay is going".
Chelsea haven't won a trophy for a few weeks, a state of affairs that
Abrahamovic tries to rectify by sacking Roberto Di Matteo just a few months
into a two-year deal. Accident and emergency rooms in hospitals are on alert
as thousands are admitted with painful side-strains from laughing too much.
Some A&E units even have to close their doors as the follow-up announcement
that Rafa Benitez has been appointed "Interim" manager to replace Di Matteo
hits the airwaves.
In the wake of "Clattenburggate" PGMO announces that the conversations
between their officials are, henceforth, to be recorded to protect their
employees from accusations such as those made by Chelsea. Knowing PGMO as we
do we look forward to the mysterious wiping of tapes whenever one of their
number is found to be out of order. Just about every week then.
As November closes we find ourselves in 10th place with 19 points from 14
matches. Happy with that – only 21 points from that mythical safety point………
December
The run of good month-opening results continues with a cracker as we turn
over Chelsea who arrive with their with their interim manager and their
equally interim supporters at the Boleyn to see us win 3-1. A Mata goal
gives the visitors an interim, sorry, half-time lead. However the
introduction of a clearly up for it Diame in the second half changes things
completely. Cole, Diame himself and a late one from Maiga gives us all three
points as A&E departments implement their "major incident" plans in advance
of a whole nation laughing at Chelsea.
The good news is tempered by the announcement that former academy graduate
Mitchell Cole has passed away at the shockingly young age of 27. Whilst
still with West Ham, Cole had been diagnosed with a heart condition similar
to that which had affected Fabrice Muamba. Despite the condition Cole had
enjoyed a successful career at non-league level before retiring in 2011.
Up in scouseland Brendan Rodgers tries to fit in with the legendary local
sense of humour by announcing that his side will be challenging for the
so-called Champions League places come the end of the season. Honest he
really did say that.
Whilst we're on the subject of daft statements David Ginola claims that
Gareth Bale isn't a diver. Sad to see the former Newcastle winger's brain
start to go at such a young age.
The long-awaited announcement regarding the Olympic stadium is finally made.
The announcement seems to consist of an announcement that there will be an
announcement. Sometime. Soon. Honest. To nobody's surprise Barry Hearn
starts making noises about taking things further when the real announcement
finally comes.
The West Ham players' Christmas do takes place in Dublin and this year's
so-called scandal occurs when a photographer claims to have been flattened
by Andy Carroll, The club makes a statement denying that Carroll had hit
snapper though they admitted that the budding David Bailey had been
"restrained" by the club's security team to protect the injured striker.
Talking of Irish things, we sign a kid called Sean Maguire from Waterford.
It's a bit of a worry for a while as one of my female chums who is an expert
on these things suggests that the player has already been told his career is
over by the medics after a training accident while he was an apprentice at
Walford Town. I calmly explain to her the difference between EastEnders and
real life and ask her to do the washing up before making me a cup of tea. I
spend the next hour removing broken crockery from my hair.
Max Clifford, who was responsible for the horrible image of David Mellor in
a Chelsea kit in our minds, is arrested as part of Operation Yewtree. It
occurs to us that he could do with a hand - if only he knew somebody who
could handle the publicity fallout for him.
Back on the pitch we play Liverpool off the park for much of the match. A
spectacular Glen Johnson effort – what a waste – puts the visitors 1-0
against the run of play before a Gerrard og and a Noble penalty give us the
lead. The turning point is the departure of Mo Diame, who is running the
match, with a torn hamstring. The visitors, whose main tactic seems to be
hoofing the ball for the corners in a rugby style move at every opportunity,
end up taking away an undeserved three points in a 3-2 win, Joe Cole's
uncelebrated effort and a freak own goal from Collins being the difference
between the sides.
The news leaks out that Assistant Manager Wally Downes has left the club "by
mutual consent". I say "leaks", "oozes slowly" would probably be a better
description of the non-announcement. Speculation that the parting of the
ways has resulted from incidents during the Dublin trip abound, with no
confirmation from any source available to confirm or deny the position. The
club's only comment is to the effect that the parting of the ways was
"amicable". Meanwhile Downes himself, normally so voluble on twitter, goes
all quiet. A bit of a mystery then.
In a strange case of "déjà vu" Yossi Benayoun is sent back to Chelsea having
spent (predictably) most of his loan spell in the treatment room with a
series of mystery injuries. A 0-0 draw at the Hawthorns follows, a match
that is as nondescript as the scoreline suggests. Meanwhile a strike by tube
workers results in the announcement that the Boxing Day visit to Arsenal's
library is to be postponed.
Another club official to depart is Finance Director Nick Igoe who had
somehow juggled the finances during one of the most turbulent periods of the
club's history. Not sure what he's up to next but, given the nature of the
job required during his tenure, he'd probably be forgiven for asking for a
six-month stay in The Priory as part of his severance package.
The pre-Christmas visit of Everton is ruined by the antics of so-called
professional referee Anthony Taylor. Carlton Cole gives us the lead before
receiving a ludicrous red card, a decision that turns the game. Everton win
2-1 with goals from Anichebe and Piennar, Taylor's second major brainstorm
in dismissing Everton's Gibson for an identical and equally innocuous
challenge occurring too late to have any effect on the match. Both red cards
are later rescinded though Taylor escapes any sort of punishment, the tapes
of the fourth official shouting "are you SURE about that Anthony?" having
presumably been mysteriously wiped.
There's amusement at a typical Harry Redknapp press conference in which a
question that has all the hallmarks of being planted by one of twitchy's
press mates is asked about the possibility of Joe Cole going to QPR. Our old
boss responds in his usual manner "great player…I gave him his debut you
know…who wouldn't be interested etc ..etc" So far so standard until a journo
forgets himself and asks the sixty-four thousand dollar question: "have you
spoken to Joe?" The question flusters Redknapp "No. Of course not. He's
under contract to Liverpool . I'd need permission. Are you trying to get me
into trouble?" That'll be a "Yes" then Harry.
The year ends in traditional style as muppet club Reading score with
virtually their only attack of the match at the Wiggydome. West Ham dominate
the rest of the match but a dreadful miss from Vaz Te ends all hope of a
point.
The result leaves us at the end of the year in 12th spot with 23 points from
19 matches. Not actually in the scrap for relegation but maybe a little bit
too close to it for total comfort. Still there's a fair way to go yet…….
January 2013
Happy New Year!
34,000+ hungover souls drag their wearies over to the Boleyn (quiet night in
for me actually!) where Norwich are the visitors. First half goals from
Noble (pen) and O'Brien are enough to give us all three points despite a
late Martin consolation. The win sends us up to 11th place and eases the
slight concerns raised at the end of the last bit of this review.
Of course January means that the transfer window has re-opened. The main
concern is the sharks that appear to be circling around the release clause
in Diame's contract. Diame, of course, is out of action after doing his
hamstring in in the Liverpool match. Journalists find the player difficult
to get hold of with the club probably having sent him to the room next to
Nick Igoe's at the Priory to recover somehow mislaying the key in the hope
that he won't pop up on someone else's radar.
Talking of Liverpool, strong rumours start to appear that we are to rescue
Joe Cole from his nightmare spell on Merseyside. The rumours are true and
the player signs for the club where he always did his best work.
Also arriving on loan to the end of the season is Arsenal forward Marouane
Chamakh. Another loan forward on the way in is Brazilian Wellington Paulista
who joins from Cruzeiro until the end of the season with a view to a
permanent deal. Meanwhile Sky Sports are aghast. Three players in at the
Boleyn and it's only 5th January – at this rate there'll be nothing left for
them to go ballistic about at the end of the month when the window closes.
For the second time this season we have a second coming of a JC as Joe Cole
makes his second Hammers' debut in the FA Cup 3rd round tie against Man Utd.
Another cracking match sees us go 1-0 down to a Cleverley effort from close
range. We then take the lead from two virtually identical goals from
JC(Collins) both of which are headed conversions of crosses from JC(Cole).
We hold on to the lead until the dying minutes when Van Persie converts a
long ball (irony alert) from Giggs to take the match to a replay. As usual
Ferguson shows his contempt and arrogance for everything outside Salford by
failing to appear for the standard post-match press conference. His two-bob
club further show their complete lack of class by charging us double for the
replay, having gleefully begged for and accepted cut-price tickets for their
fans for the original match. What a nice club with classy supporters. Not.
The mighty (yeah, right) Liverpool struggle to get past Mansfield in the
cup, until Suarez adds a deliberately handled goal to racism and diving in
his list of crimes against football. Still when you're a struggling two-bob
club I suppose you need all the help you can get to get past teams like
Mansfield.
Sam Allardyce – or possibly charities favoured by him – becomes a wee bit
richer following an apology from Blackburn Rovers over comments made by then
manager Steve Kean in a bar during a pre-season tour. The full apology
reads:
"During the summer of 2011, Mr Steve Kean was this Club's manager and
accompanied the players of Blackburn Rovers on a pre-season tour of the Far
East. Whilst in Hong Kong, Mr Kean was in a bar and falsely alleged that Sam
Allardyce, our previous manager, was sacked by us because he was a crook.
This is completely false and we apologise to Mr Allardyce for the
embarrassment and distress caused to him by Mr Kean."
The apology and settlement are the latest setbacks in a complete nightmare
of a season for Blackburn. Having suffered relegation – the existence of
which apparently came as a surprise to the owners - they manage to get
through no fewer than four managers in the season. The aforementioned Kean
goes in September 2012 (or "forced to resign" as Kean amusingly put it) at a
time when the club is sitting in third place in the Championship. Henning
Berg arrives and lasts until December 2012. Michael Appleton's reign lasts a
mere 67 days but still only manages to be the second shortest reign in the
club's history (Berg having only lasted 57 days). Current incumbent is Gary
Bowyer – though admittedly I haven't been online much this morning and
there's every possibility that they've gone through another four or five
since I started this paragraph.
As well as getting a chunk of compo from his former club, Sam is also linked
with a potential double swoop on Ewood with left back Martin Olsson and
'keeper Paul Robinson both touted for a move to the Boleyn. Our staff writer
earns himself another kicking with the headline "Here's To You Mr Robinson".
In the event neither deal goes through – Rovers appear to reject our bid for
Olsson and, whilst talks with Robinson get much further, the club eventually
decides that the deal isn't right.
With us beginning to be thankful that we're not owned by a bunch of know
nothing chicken farmers we get a bit of a shock as it's announced that David
Gold is in hospital with pneumonia. Thankfully the septuagenarian
co-Chairman makes a full recovery.
Our away form continues to fail to impress as we contrive to lose 3-0 up at
Sunderland. Worse still James Collins tears a calf muscle exposing the lack
of depth within the squad, though the quiet return of Mo Diame to the bench
is welcome (as long as none of the clubs interested in him notices).
We travel up to Old Trafford for the Cup replay where, as usual, the home
side are able to count on more than a little assistance from the match
officials. This time it is unfit chubber Phil Dowd who, faced with identical
penalty appeals, gives one to the home side and denies one to the away side.
Rooney blazes his effort high into the stands. We'd probably have scored
ours. Sam is hauled up before the FA for pointing out that such decisions
are a regular occurrence at Old Trafford as the authorities' contempt for
supporters is reinforced once more. We deserve more than the 1-0 reverse
that we get.
We return to league action at home to QPR where the visitors take the lead
with virtually their only attack of the game, the goal coming through
debutant Loic Remy. Joe Cole equalises with 20 left but despite battering at
the door we fail to covert the point into three. In what is possibly a
unique experience in my lifetime I find myself using the words "Redknapp"
and "honest" in the same sentence as the Rangers boss admits that his side
were fortunate to escape with a point, However, in his post-match press
conference he admits to having had talks with Joe Cole several weeks before
West Ham got involved with a deal. That would be about the time you were
denying speaking to him then Harry – you know, that time when when you
accused the journalist of trying to get you into trouble? Normal service
resumed then.
Southampton sack Nigel Adkins and replace him with Mauricio Pochinetto.
Adkins eventually ends up at Reading – an unlikeable club finally getting
the manager it deserves.
Alou Diarra finds himself in hot water following comments made to French
football magazine L'Equipe. Having arrived on a three year deal then got
injured he's found it difficult to break into the team, a fact that he moans
about to the magazine in abundance.
The postponed trip to the Library finally takes place and we're on the wrong
end of a 5-1 defeat. Collison is on target for us in a match marred by a
head injury to Dan Potts which leaves the youngster with concussion, putting
one in mind of the old quote attributed to John Lambie: "he doesn't know who
he is? Tell him he's Pele and send him back on". Modern medical opinion
being what it is our medical team opt to send him to hospital instead where
the player is treated for concussion.
History is made and the world of football broadcasting is rocked to its feet
as kumb radio is launched. Despite opening with yours truly as a guest, the
podcast survives and goes on to become a regular event in its first season.
Kudos to producer/presenters Chris Scull (he has a BAFTA you know) and James
Longman.
The awayday woes continue as we go down 3-1 at Craven Cottage to an ordinary
Fulham side. Nolan nets our consolation. There are mutterings that our away
form could drag us into the relegation scrap, though the poor, and highly
amusing form of Reading and QPR continues to give us a bit of comfort in
that regard. Still an away win or two wouldn't go amiss…
Transfer deadline day arrives and in comes defensive cover in the form of
Emanual Pogatetz, on loan from Wolfsburg. Alou Diarra is on his bike
(presumably wearing one of those stripey shirts and a beret and carrying a
string of onions) having cheesed off the manager with his attitude. A loan
deal to Rennes is his "reward".
A couple of youngsters (Rinor Nushi and Vit Nemrava) apart that's it as far
as we're concerned for the window.
There is high comedy at Loftus Road. QPR table a bid for West Brom winger
Peter Odemwinge. West Brom reject the bid for the player. Odemwinge gets to
hear about the QPR bid, though obviously this news cannot possibly have been
relayed to him by anyone from QPR, Harry Redknapp for example, as that would
have constituted an illegal approach. Odemwinge somehow gets the impression
that everything will be sorted out between the clubs in the time that it
takes him to drive from the Midlands to West London, and an ambiguous
interview given to Sky (yes through a car window) could be interpreted as
implying that he's spoken to someone at Shepherd's Bush. However, QPR,
realising that they do not have permission to talk to the player, turn off
all the office lights and hide under the furniture pretending to be out when
Odemwinge knocks at the door. Odemwinge returns to Smethwick with his tail
between his legs and picks up over £150,000 in fines for his trouble as the
country looks on in amazement. And laughs.
We end the month in 13th place with 27 points from 24 games. Still not in a
relegation battle but not quite far enough away from one for us to be
totally happy. Another 13 points would be most welcome then. As soon as
possible please………
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll passes West Ham medical ahead of Liverpool exit
Last Updated: June 18, 2013 10:59pm
SSN
Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has passed his medical with West Ham ahead of
his proposed £15million move to Upton Park. The England international spent
last season on loan with the Hammers, where he scored seven goals in 24
games. After revealing earlier in the day that the forward was due to
undergo a medical on Wednesday, Hammers chairman David Gold wrote on his
social media account: "We managed to bring Andy's medical forward to this
evening and I am delighted to inform you that he has passed with flying
colours."
Carroll had been suffering from a heel problem which forced him to miss the
recent England friendlies with Republic of Ireland and Brazil, and there
were fears he could be out of action for up to four months. But West Ham
boss Sam Allardyce revealed at the weekend a deal to bring the player to
east London on a permanent contract was close. And the 24-year-old is
expected to secure a six-year contract, with Liverpool receiving around £15m
for the player. Allardyce had previously expressed concerns about the size
of the financial package involved in bringing in Carroll permanently.
However, he confirmed earlier this month that finalising a move for the
striker is his priority before turning his attention to other transfer
targets. "Our first priority is signing Andy Carroll, if we can," said
Allardyce. "We have nearly finished our planning for pre-season and the
players have all had their training programmes given to them so when they
come back on 1st July they are ready to go. "Then it's about the recruitment
of the other players who we want as quickly as possible. That will be the
most difficult part of the summer."
West Ham have already agreed deals to sign Spanish goalkeeper Adrian and
Romania captain Razvan Rat on free transfers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bordeaux's Lamine Sane says it is his 'dream' to play in England
Last Updated: June 18, 2013 6:27pm
SSN
Bordeaux defender Lamine Sane says that it is his 'dream' to play in the
Premier League and test himself against some of the best players in the
world. Sane has been linked with a move to West Ham United, Everton and
Southampton and he hopes a move to England is not that far away. "I am a big
fan of the English league, everyone knows that," Sane told Sky Sports. "It
is a dream to play in England and I want to go there and test myself to the
limit against the likes of Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov
and Fernando Torres."
The Senegal international is reported to have been watched most recently by
West Ham with current club Bordeaux thought to be holding out for a big fee.
Sane added: "I am being linked with some teams but I think there is a
serious one who watched me several times this season. "I hope they conclude
a deal with Bordeaux and that I can play in England."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers move fast to land Carroll
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: 18th June 2013
WEST HAM have smashed their transfer record to capture Andy Carroll in a
deal worth £55million. Panicking Hammers rushed forward plans to sign the
Liverpool striker to head off a late challenge from his home-town club
Newcastle. Carroll landed at Heathrow from a holiday in Las Vegas at 11am
yesterday and was whisked away to a private hospital in Essex where he
passed a medical. Joint chairman David Gold tweeted: "We managed to bring
Andy's medical forward and I'm delighted he passed with flying colours."
Carroll has agreed a six-year deal with an option for a seventh, worth
£100,000 a week which could see him pocket a staggering £36m. West Ham have
also agreed to pay Liverpool a club-record £16m plus £3m in add-ons. The
Hammers moved fast after concerns that Newcastle director of football Joe
Kinnear was about to hijack the deal. Kinnear stated signing a striker was a
priority and West Ham were aware Carroll was keen to head back to his old
club. The England ace, 24, spent last season on loan at Upton Park but
suffered a heel injury towards the end of the campaign. He had initially
been due to have his medical later this week. But a Hammers insider said:
"The comments from Joe worried us. "Andy had been keen on staying at
Liverpool or going to a top-five club or home to Newcastle, where he has two
kids. So we had to move fast."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Liverpool's Andy Carroll flies home from America to complete permanent West
Ham transfer
18 Jun 2013 22:31
The Mirror
Andy Carroll has already texted West Ham players to say that he will be
rejoining them at Upton Park next season. The England striker, a hit on loan
from Liverpool in the last campaign, had a medical on Tuesday night with a
view to completing a £15.5m move - a fee which could rise to £17.5m with
add-ons - to the Hammers on a six-year contract. Co-owner David Gold
tweeted: "We managed to bring Andy's medical forward to this evening and I
am delighted to inform you that he has passed with flying colours." Carroll
could yet be joined at the east Londoners by Chelsea hitman Romelu Lukaku to
form a mouthwatering strike-force. We revealed last month that Irons manager
Sam Allardyce is desperate to pair the two frontmen in a devastating,
new-look attack next season. It has been claimed that new manager Jose
Mourinho will keep Lukaku - who hit 17 goals on loan at West Brom last
season - at Stamford Bridge, but West Ham are refusing to give up. Lukaku's
Blues team-mate, and former Hammer, Demba Ba is also in their sights as a
back-up option. Carroll flew back from holiday in America for his medical
and to seal his £85,000-a-week transfer. He texted pals on Tuesday, saying:
"Looks like you've got me for another six years!"
Carroll's signing is set to draw a line under a nervy 48 hours for the
Hammers, who feared earlier this week that the 24-year-old's former club
Newcastle were ready to hijack the deal and bring him home to Tyneside.
While new Toon director of football Joe Kinnear was being ridiculed over a
radio interview he gave on Monday night, the West Ham board were taking very
seriously claims that the Magpies could look to back the 66-year-old by
re-signing Carroll. They breathed a sigh of relief on Monday afternoon when
it became clear that Newcastle were still unwilling to match the offer from
east London. Carroll's fee will break West Ham's transfer record - set when
they bought Wolves winger Matt Jarvis for £11m last year. It also represents
a huge loss for Liverpool, who paid Newcastle £35m for him in January 2011.
The Reds are moving on from the failed Carroll experiment - he scored only
six league goals for them - and are expected to put his transfer fee towards
buying Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas and Shakhtar Donetsk's goal-scoring
midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan. While Carroll - who scored seven Premier
League goals for West Ham last season - will officially become a Hammers
player, he is not expected to play for them until September as he is still
recovering from a heel injury. Carroll has failed in his bid to convince
Hammers to pay him £100,000-a-week. We revealed two weeks ago that the
England frontman had launched an audacious bid to exploit the London club's
desperation to land him. West Ham have dug their heels in, maintaining they
simply cannot afford such a high wage.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Elliot Lee has targeted further progress after making his first team bow
last season
18.06.2013
Academy striker Elliot Lee enjoyed a productive 2012/13 campaign, netting 14
goals for the Club's Under-18 and Under-21 sides, as well as making his
first team debut. The 18-year-old's rapid progress was recognised at the
Hammers' end of season awards dinner, when he collected the prestigious
Academy Player of the Year prize. It rounded off a fine season for the
youngster, whose father Rob and brother Oliver also played for the Hammers,
and he is keen to continue along the same upward curve over the coming
years. "I'm delighted with the award, I couldn't be happier," he beamed. "It
caps off a great season, so to pick up the award is brilliant. "I love
scoring goals - I've ended up as the top goalscorer for the Under-21s so
that's great, and winning any award gives you confidence. "I just want to
push on from here and see what I can do in pre-season to impress the first
team. "My mate Moncs [George Moncur] won the Young Hammer of the Year so
hopefully I can take that one off him next year!"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Liverpool striker Andy Carroll passes West Ham medical
BBC.co.uk
Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has passed his medical at West Ham prior to a
£15m move. The 24-year-old cost Liverpool £35m and has been on loan at West
Ham since 2012, scoring seven times in 24 games. The transfer fee was agreed
in May, but the England international was unsure about a move before a World
Cup year.
Andy Carroll career stats
Newcastle (2006-11): 91 games, 33 goals
Preston (loan Aug 2007-08): 12 games, 1 goal
Liverpool (2011-present): 57 games, 11 goals
West Ham (loan 2012-13): 24 games, 7 goals
England (2010-present): 9 games, 2 goals
"We managed to bring Andy's medical forward and I am delighted to inform you
that he has passed with flying colours," chairman David Gold tweeted.
The examination was expected to be a thorough one, because of the fee
involved and the player's record of injury problems. The former Newcastle
player fell awkwardly in the Hammers' final game of the season, picking up a
heel injury that forced him out of England's two post-season friendlies
against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil. That followed previous problems
with his hamstring and knee, which disrupted much of the first half of his
campaign at Upton Park. Carroll was signed by Kenny Dalglish for Liverpool
on transfer deadline day in January 2011, for what remains a record fee for
a British player. He had impressed by scoring 31 times for his boyhood club
Newcastle United in 81 appearances, but his time at Anfield was short-lived.
Coupled with the arrival of Brendan Rodgers and a new style of play,
Carroll's return of just six goals in 44 league outings for Liverpool saw
him loaned to West Ham in late August 2012.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Roll out the Carroll
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 18th June 2013
By: Staff Writer
Andy Carroll is set to be confirmed as West Ham United's record signing
after he successfully completed a medical earlier this evening. The
24-year-old striker will cost the Hammers £15.5million plus a further
£2million in add-ons - smashing the club record of £10.75million paid to
Wolves last summer for Matt Jarvis.
The news was confirmed earlier this evening by co-chairman David Gold, who
had Tweeted earlier in the day to reveal that Carroll's medical would take
place on Wednesday morning. However posting an update shortly after 9pm
tonight, Gold said: "We managed to bring Andy's medical forward to this
evening and I am delighted to inform you that he has passed with flying
colours." The capture of the former Liverpool star represents a huge coup
for West Ham. Just two-and-a-half years ago Newcastle sold him to the
Merseyside club for what remains a British record transfer fee of
£35million. And although his salary is expected to cost West Ham somewhere
in the region of £4.5million per year - or £27million over the course of his
six-year contract - most supporters appear to agree that his capture is a
real signal of intent from the club.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gold backs Jack
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 18th June 2013
By: Staff Writer
David Gold has been speaking about the club's policy regarding transfer news
- and explaining why the job of announcing new signings has been left to his
partner's son of late. Jack Sullivan - the teenage son of Gold's co-owner
David Sullivan - has become something of an Twitter sensation in recent
months since he began to leak the club's breaking transfer news via the
social network. Earlier today he was the first to reveal that Andy Carroll
had agreed terms with the club on a six-year deal and was undergoing a
medical - making the club's own website, which had previously been charged
with making such announcements (as is customary with other professional
clubs) essentially redundant. The issue was raised tonight during a Q&A
session following a speech Gold had given as part of Newham Council's 'Ideas
Olympiad' at Stratford Circus. Asked by a member of the audience how he felt
about young Jack breaking West Ham transfer news via Twitter, Gold - after a
long pause - replied: "He's 13 years of age and he's in kind of a privileged
situation. "He hears things. His father wouldn't say to him "look, this is
what's happened, go and Tweet it" - he wouldn't do that. Jack happened to be
around the house today, he's picked up something and he can't resist it.
"When he goes to school tomorrow, he'll be like a God; he'll swan around
like the King. So give him some slack, he's a good kid and I like him very
much - although I could whack him when he does this! "What you will hear in
due course are the actual facts, when the [Carroll] deal is done. We're
close, but Jack doesn't care - he'll still be a star when he goes to school
tomorrow and that's the end of the matter. "But he is a good kid."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
That Was The Season That Was 2012/13 - Part Three
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 18th June 2013
By: Gordon Thrower
Christmas - seems so long ago doesn't it? The latest in Gordon Thrower's
review of the 2012/13 season covers November 2012-January 2013. Something
for you to have a look at before you finally get round to taking that awful
pullover your aunt bought you down to the charity shop...
November
Our first match of the month finishes in a 0-0 draw at home to reigning
champions Man City. In fact we have a perfectly good goal notched off by a
linesman as Nolan's fine volley appears to have put us ahead. One of a
number of dubious decisions we endure against the so-called big 4 in the
season.
The skipper is on target the following week as we pick up another away win,
this time up at Newcastle where Nolan is handily placed to divert Joey
O'Brien's wayward effort to give us a 1-0 win that sends us to 6th place for
a bit. Sky diver Felix Baumgartner turns down an invite to the match on the
grounds that the away section at St James Park is far too high for comfort.
"You're not getting me up there" he would have said, we expect, had we
really asked him.
Over the water, alleged Hammer Barack Obama is re-elected as President of
the USA. Barry Hearn considers a judicial review on the grounds that the
traditional inauguration ceremony due to take place in January might affect
Leyton Orient's gate if they happen to be home that weekend.
With a little over a month to go before the transfer window re-opens it
becomes public knowledge that Mo Diame has a release clause in his contract
allowing him to speak to any club willing to pay an alleged £5m. I can't
imagine where the papers got that one from. Why, it's almost as if his agent
had released the news to engineer a money-making move or a new contract or
something.
In legal news three men are sent for trial on fraud charges over the Olympic
Stadium decision, with personal records belonging to Karren Brady and others
having mysteriously ended up in their possession. The accused were employed
by accountancy firm PKF who had been engaged by Spurs as part of the whole
process. Spurs are predictably keen to distance themselves from the whole
affair claiming "We're as shocked as you are. There's no way that this
should have been traceable back to us. Er, this isn't being recorded is it?"
Moe legal news as the Met's finest announce that they are dropping all
enquiries into Chelsea's allegations against Mark Clattenburg. The phrase "I
don't give a monkey's" is supposedly at the centre of all the fuss. Chelsea
chairman Bruce Buck ties himself in all sorts of logical knots trying to
justify the club's defence of John Terry whilst apparently slinging round
official complaints at referees for the same offence. One of the poorer
referees in an already poor bunch, Clattenburg gets away with murder for the
rest of the season on the wave of sympathy gained from the whole affair.
Stoke are the next visitors to the Boleyn and they escape with a point. Joey
O'Brien is the man on target three minutes into the second half equalising
an early Walters effort. As usual, Stoke's goal owes a hellofalot to their
illegal blocking at corners which referees love to ignore. Stoke boss Pulis
continues to boast that he coaches his team to break the laws of the game.
Some might think that such an admission merits a disrepute charge. We could
not possibly comment.
The national side pops over to Sweden to celebrate the Swedish FA's
centenary. Ibrahimovic scores on 20 minutes to give the hosts the lead.
Welbeck and Caulker actually put us 2-1 up at one stage but, ever keen to
behave ourselves as guests at the party, we remember our places. Ibrahimovic
nets a further three, the last of which is a remarkable 30 yard overhead
kick, to give Sweden victory.
Back home Andy Carroll finally nets his first for the club at Spurs but
sadly this turns out to be a late consolation as the home side provides one
of the shocks of the season by winning 3-1. Defoe (2) and Bale are
predictably on the scoresheet for the home side. The match is marred by some
inappropriate chanting that, equally predictably, is pounced on by some
sections of the press as an indication that civilisation as we know it is
about to collapse. The FA announce one of their thorough investigations
which, seven months later, concludes that they will take no further action
against the club.
We go up to Old Trafford and are on the back foot after 31 seconds as Van
Persie opens the scoring. However the home side fail to add to their tally
and are seen desperately time-wasting in the closing stages as they hang on
for a 1-0 win.
Only a few weeks after having gained his chairman's full backing via the
medium of twitter, Mark Hughes is sacked by QPR. "He was utterly utterly the
right man for the job up to a few moments ago when we sacked him" tweets
Tony Fernandes. Probably. The thought that we might have dodged a bullet,
ownership-wise, crosses our minds as Fernandes announces that "the new
utterly utterly right man for the job is Harry Redknapp". "Or his dog Rosie.
I think that's where his pay is going".
Chelsea haven't won a trophy for a few weeks, a state of affairs that
Abrahamovic tries to rectify by sacking Roberto Di Matteo just a few months
into a two-year deal. Accident and emergency rooms in hospitals are on alert
as thousands are admitted with painful side-strains from laughing too much.
Some A&E units even have to close their doors as the follow-up announcement
that Rafa Benitez has been appointed "Interim" manager to replace Di Matteo
hits the airwaves.
In the wake of "Clattenburggate" PGMO announces that the conversations
between their officials are, henceforth, to be recorded to protect their
employees from accusations such as those made by Chelsea. Knowing PGMO as we
do we look forward to the mysterious wiping of tapes whenever one of their
number is found to be out of order. Just about every week then.
As November closes we find ourselves in 10th place with 19 points from 14
matches. Happy with that – only 21 points from that mythical safety point………
December
The run of good month-opening results continues with a cracker as we turn
over Chelsea who arrive with their with their interim manager and their
equally interim supporters at the Boleyn to see us win 3-1. A Mata goal
gives the visitors an interim, sorry, half-time lead. However the
introduction of a clearly up for it Diame in the second half changes things
completely. Cole, Diame himself and a late one from Maiga gives us all three
points as A&E departments implement their "major incident" plans in advance
of a whole nation laughing at Chelsea.
The good news is tempered by the announcement that former academy graduate
Mitchell Cole has passed away at the shockingly young age of 27. Whilst
still with West Ham, Cole had been diagnosed with a heart condition similar
to that which had affected Fabrice Muamba. Despite the condition Cole had
enjoyed a successful career at non-league level before retiring in 2011.
Up in scouseland Brendan Rodgers tries to fit in with the legendary local
sense of humour by announcing that his side will be challenging for the
so-called Champions League places come the end of the season. Honest he
really did say that.
Whilst we're on the subject of daft statements David Ginola claims that
Gareth Bale isn't a diver. Sad to see the former Newcastle winger's brain
start to go at such a young age.
The long-awaited announcement regarding the Olympic stadium is finally made.
The announcement seems to consist of an announcement that there will be an
announcement. Sometime. Soon. Honest. To nobody's surprise Barry Hearn
starts making noises about taking things further when the real announcement
finally comes.
The West Ham players' Christmas do takes place in Dublin and this year's
so-called scandal occurs when a photographer claims to have been flattened
by Andy Carroll, The club makes a statement denying that Carroll had hit
snapper though they admitted that the budding David Bailey had been
"restrained" by the club's security team to protect the injured striker.
Talking of Irish things, we sign a kid called Sean Maguire from Waterford.
It's a bit of a worry for a while as one of my female chums who is an expert
on these things suggests that the player has already been told his career is
over by the medics after a training accident while he was an apprentice at
Walford Town. I calmly explain to her the difference between EastEnders and
real life and ask her to do the washing up before making me a cup of tea. I
spend the next hour removing broken crockery from my hair.
Max Clifford, who was responsible for the horrible image of David Mellor in
a Chelsea kit in our minds, is arrested as part of Operation Yewtree. It
occurs to us that he could do with a hand - if only he knew somebody who
could handle the publicity fallout for him.
Back on the pitch we play Liverpool off the park for much of the match. A
spectacular Glen Johnson effort – what a waste – puts the visitors 1-0
against the run of play before a Gerrard og and a Noble penalty give us the
lead. The turning point is the departure of Mo Diame, who is running the
match, with a torn hamstring. The visitors, whose main tactic seems to be
hoofing the ball for the corners in a rugby style move at every opportunity,
end up taking away an undeserved three points in a 3-2 win, Joe Cole's
uncelebrated effort and a freak own goal from Collins being the difference
between the sides.
The news leaks out that Assistant Manager Wally Downes has left the club "by
mutual consent". I say "leaks", "oozes slowly" would probably be a better
description of the non-announcement. Speculation that the parting of the
ways has resulted from incidents during the Dublin trip abound, with no
confirmation from any source available to confirm or deny the position. The
club's only comment is to the effect that the parting of the ways was
"amicable". Meanwhile Downes himself, normally so voluble on twitter, goes
all quiet. A bit of a mystery then.
In a strange case of "déjà vu" Yossi Benayoun is sent back to Chelsea having
spent (predictably) most of his loan spell in the treatment room with a
series of mystery injuries. A 0-0 draw at the Hawthorns follows, a match
that is as nondescript as the scoreline suggests. Meanwhile a strike by tube
workers results in the announcement that the Boxing Day visit to Arsenal's
library is to be postponed.
Another club official to depart is Finance Director Nick Igoe who had
somehow juggled the finances during one of the most turbulent periods of the
club's history. Not sure what he's up to next but, given the nature of the
job required during his tenure, he'd probably be forgiven for asking for a
six-month stay in The Priory as part of his severance package.
The pre-Christmas visit of Everton is ruined by the antics of so-called
professional referee Anthony Taylor. Carlton Cole gives us the lead before
receiving a ludicrous red card, a decision that turns the game. Everton win
2-1 with goals from Anichebe and Piennar, Taylor's second major brainstorm
in dismissing Everton's Gibson for an identical and equally innocuous
challenge occurring too late to have any effect on the match. Both red cards
are later rescinded though Taylor escapes any sort of punishment, the tapes
of the fourth official shouting "are you SURE about that Anthony?" having
presumably been mysteriously wiped.
There's amusement at a typical Harry Redknapp press conference in which a
question that has all the hallmarks of being planted by one of twitchy's
press mates is asked about the possibility of Joe Cole going to QPR. Our old
boss responds in his usual manner "great player…I gave him his debut you
know…who wouldn't be interested etc ..etc" So far so standard until a journo
forgets himself and asks the sixty-four thousand dollar question: "have you
spoken to Joe?" The question flusters Redknapp "No. Of course not. He's
under contract to Liverpool . I'd need permission. Are you trying to get me
into trouble?" That'll be a "Yes" then Harry.
The year ends in traditional style as muppet club Reading score with
virtually their only attack of the match at the Wiggydome. West Ham dominate
the rest of the match but a dreadful miss from Vaz Te ends all hope of a
point.
The result leaves us at the end of the year in 12th spot with 23 points from
19 matches. Not actually in the scrap for relegation but maybe a little bit
too close to it for total comfort. Still there's a fair way to go yet…….
January 2013
Happy New Year!
34,000+ hungover souls drag their wearies over to the Boleyn (quiet night in
for me actually!) where Norwich are the visitors. First half goals from
Noble (pen) and O'Brien are enough to give us all three points despite a
late Martin consolation. The win sends us up to 11th place and eases the
slight concerns raised at the end of the last bit of this review.
Of course January means that the transfer window has re-opened. The main
concern is the sharks that appear to be circling around the release clause
in Diame's contract. Diame, of course, is out of action after doing his
hamstring in in the Liverpool match. Journalists find the player difficult
to get hold of with the club probably having sent him to the room next to
Nick Igoe's at the Priory to recover somehow mislaying the key in the hope
that he won't pop up on someone else's radar.
Talking of Liverpool, strong rumours start to appear that we are to rescue
Joe Cole from his nightmare spell on Merseyside. The rumours are true and
the player signs for the club where he always did his best work.
Also arriving on loan to the end of the season is Arsenal forward Marouane
Chamakh. Another loan forward on the way in is Brazilian Wellington Paulista
who joins from Cruzeiro until the end of the season with a view to a
permanent deal. Meanwhile Sky Sports are aghast. Three players in at the
Boleyn and it's only 5th January – at this rate there'll be nothing left for
them to go ballistic about at the end of the month when the window closes.
For the second time this season we have a second coming of a JC as Joe Cole
makes his second Hammers' debut in the FA Cup 3rd round tie against Man Utd.
Another cracking match sees us go 1-0 down to a Cleverley effort from close
range. We then take the lead from two virtually identical goals from
JC(Collins) both of which are headed conversions of crosses from JC(Cole).
We hold on to the lead until the dying minutes when Van Persie converts a
long ball (irony alert) from Giggs to take the match to a replay. As usual
Ferguson shows his contempt and arrogance for everything outside Salford by
failing to appear for the standard post-match press conference. His two-bob
club further show their complete lack of class by charging us double for the
replay, having gleefully begged for and accepted cut-price tickets for their
fans for the original match. What a nice club with classy supporters. Not.
The mighty (yeah, right) Liverpool struggle to get past Mansfield in the
cup, until Suarez adds a deliberately handled goal to racism and diving in
his list of crimes against football. Still when you're a struggling two-bob
club I suppose you need all the help you can get to get past teams like
Mansfield.
Sam Allardyce – or possibly charities favoured by him – becomes a wee bit
richer following an apology from Blackburn Rovers over comments made by then
manager Steve Kean in a bar during a pre-season tour. The full apology
reads:
"During the summer of 2011, Mr Steve Kean was this Club's manager and
accompanied the players of Blackburn Rovers on a pre-season tour of the Far
East. Whilst in Hong Kong, Mr Kean was in a bar and falsely alleged that Sam
Allardyce, our previous manager, was sacked by us because he was a crook.
This is completely false and we apologise to Mr Allardyce for the
embarrassment and distress caused to him by Mr Kean."
The apology and settlement are the latest setbacks in a complete nightmare
of a season for Blackburn. Having suffered relegation – the existence of
which apparently came as a surprise to the owners - they manage to get
through no fewer than four managers in the season. The aforementioned Kean
goes in September 2012 (or "forced to resign" as Kean amusingly put it) at a
time when the club is sitting in third place in the Championship. Henning
Berg arrives and lasts until December 2012. Michael Appleton's reign lasts a
mere 67 days but still only manages to be the second shortest reign in the
club's history (Berg having only lasted 57 days). Current incumbent is Gary
Bowyer – though admittedly I haven't been online much this morning and
there's every possibility that they've gone through another four or five
since I started this paragraph.
As well as getting a chunk of compo from his former club, Sam is also linked
with a potential double swoop on Ewood with left back Martin Olsson and
'keeper Paul Robinson both touted for a move to the Boleyn. Our staff writer
earns himself another kicking with the headline "Here's To You Mr Robinson".
In the event neither deal goes through – Rovers appear to reject our bid for
Olsson and, whilst talks with Robinson get much further, the club eventually
decides that the deal isn't right.
With us beginning to be thankful that we're not owned by a bunch of know
nothing chicken farmers we get a bit of a shock as it's announced that David
Gold is in hospital with pneumonia. Thankfully the septuagenarian
co-Chairman makes a full recovery.
Our away form continues to fail to impress as we contrive to lose 3-0 up at
Sunderland. Worse still James Collins tears a calf muscle exposing the lack
of depth within the squad, though the quiet return of Mo Diame to the bench
is welcome (as long as none of the clubs interested in him notices).
We travel up to Old Trafford for the Cup replay where, as usual, the home
side are able to count on more than a little assistance from the match
officials. This time it is unfit chubber Phil Dowd who, faced with identical
penalty appeals, gives one to the home side and denies one to the away side.
Rooney blazes his effort high into the stands. We'd probably have scored
ours. Sam is hauled up before the FA for pointing out that such decisions
are a regular occurrence at Old Trafford as the authorities' contempt for
supporters is reinforced once more. We deserve more than the 1-0 reverse
that we get.
We return to league action at home to QPR where the visitors take the lead
with virtually their only attack of the game, the goal coming through
debutant Loic Remy. Joe Cole equalises with 20 left but despite battering at
the door we fail to covert the point into three. In what is possibly a
unique experience in my lifetime I find myself using the words "Redknapp"
and "honest" in the same sentence as the Rangers boss admits that his side
were fortunate to escape with a point, However, in his post-match press
conference he admits to having had talks with Joe Cole several weeks before
West Ham got involved with a deal. That would be about the time you were
denying speaking to him then Harry – you know, that time when when you
accused the journalist of trying to get you into trouble? Normal service
resumed then.
Southampton sack Nigel Adkins and replace him with Mauricio Pochinetto.
Adkins eventually ends up at Reading – an unlikeable club finally getting
the manager it deserves.
Alou Diarra finds himself in hot water following comments made to French
football magazine L'Equipe. Having arrived on a three year deal then got
injured he's found it difficult to break into the team, a fact that he moans
about to the magazine in abundance.
The postponed trip to the Library finally takes place and we're on the wrong
end of a 5-1 defeat. Collison is on target for us in a match marred by a
head injury to Dan Potts which leaves the youngster with concussion, putting
one in mind of the old quote attributed to John Lambie: "he doesn't know who
he is? Tell him he's Pele and send him back on". Modern medical opinion
being what it is our medical team opt to send him to hospital instead where
the player is treated for concussion.
History is made and the world of football broadcasting is rocked to its feet
as kumb radio is launched. Despite opening with yours truly as a guest, the
podcast survives and goes on to become a regular event in its first season.
Kudos to producer/presenters Chris Scull (he has a BAFTA you know) and James
Longman.
The awayday woes continue as we go down 3-1 at Craven Cottage to an ordinary
Fulham side. Nolan nets our consolation. There are mutterings that our away
form could drag us into the relegation scrap, though the poor, and highly
amusing form of Reading and QPR continues to give us a bit of comfort in
that regard. Still an away win or two wouldn't go amiss…
Transfer deadline day arrives and in comes defensive cover in the form of
Emanual Pogatetz, on loan from Wolfsburg. Alou Diarra is on his bike
(presumably wearing one of those stripey shirts and a beret and carrying a
string of onions) having cheesed off the manager with his attitude. A loan
deal to Rennes is his "reward".
A couple of youngsters (Rinor Nushi and Vit Nemrava) apart that's it as far
as we're concerned for the window.
There is high comedy at Loftus Road. QPR table a bid for West Brom winger
Peter Odemwinge. West Brom reject the bid for the player. Odemwinge gets to
hear about the QPR bid, though obviously this news cannot possibly have been
relayed to him by anyone from QPR, Harry Redknapp for example, as that would
have constituted an illegal approach. Odemwinge somehow gets the impression
that everything will be sorted out between the clubs in the time that it
takes him to drive from the Midlands to West London, and an ambiguous
interview given to Sky (yes through a car window) could be interpreted as
implying that he's spoken to someone at Shepherd's Bush. However, QPR,
realising that they do not have permission to talk to the player, turn off
all the office lights and hide under the furniture pretending to be out when
Odemwinge knocks at the door. Odemwinge returns to Smethwick with his tail
between his legs and picks up over £150,000 in fines for his trouble as the
country looks on in amazement. And laughs.
We end the month in 13th place with 27 points from 24 games. Still not in a
relegation battle but not quite far enough away from one for us to be
totally happy. Another 13 points would be most welcome then. As soon as
possible please………
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll passes West Ham medical ahead of Liverpool exit
Last Updated: June 18, 2013 10:59pm
SSN
Liverpool striker Andy Carroll has passed his medical with West Ham ahead of
his proposed £15million move to Upton Park. The England international spent
last season on loan with the Hammers, where he scored seven goals in 24
games. After revealing earlier in the day that the forward was due to
undergo a medical on Wednesday, Hammers chairman David Gold wrote on his
social media account: "We managed to bring Andy's medical forward to this
evening and I am delighted to inform you that he has passed with flying
colours."
Carroll had been suffering from a heel problem which forced him to miss the
recent England friendlies with Republic of Ireland and Brazil, and there
were fears he could be out of action for up to four months. But West Ham
boss Sam Allardyce revealed at the weekend a deal to bring the player to
east London on a permanent contract was close. And the 24-year-old is
expected to secure a six-year contract, with Liverpool receiving around £15m
for the player. Allardyce had previously expressed concerns about the size
of the financial package involved in bringing in Carroll permanently.
However, he confirmed earlier this month that finalising a move for the
striker is his priority before turning his attention to other transfer
targets. "Our first priority is signing Andy Carroll, if we can," said
Allardyce. "We have nearly finished our planning for pre-season and the
players have all had their training programmes given to them so when they
come back on 1st July they are ready to go. "Then it's about the recruitment
of the other players who we want as quickly as possible. That will be the
most difficult part of the summer."
West Ham have already agreed deals to sign Spanish goalkeeper Adrian and
Romania captain Razvan Rat on free transfers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bordeaux's Lamine Sane says it is his 'dream' to play in England
Last Updated: June 18, 2013 6:27pm
SSN
Bordeaux defender Lamine Sane says that it is his 'dream' to play in the
Premier League and test himself against some of the best players in the
world. Sane has been linked with a move to West Ham United, Everton and
Southampton and he hopes a move to England is not that far away. "I am a big
fan of the English league, everyone knows that," Sane told Sky Sports. "It
is a dream to play in England and I want to go there and test myself to the
limit against the likes of Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov
and Fernando Torres."
The Senegal international is reported to have been watched most recently by
West Ham with current club Bordeaux thought to be holding out for a big fee.
Sane added: "I am being linked with some teams but I think there is a
serious one who watched me several times this season. "I hope they conclude
a deal with Bordeaux and that I can play in England."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers move fast to land Carroll
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: 18th June 2013
WEST HAM have smashed their transfer record to capture Andy Carroll in a
deal worth £55million. Panicking Hammers rushed forward plans to sign the
Liverpool striker to head off a late challenge from his home-town club
Newcastle. Carroll landed at Heathrow from a holiday in Las Vegas at 11am
yesterday and was whisked away to a private hospital in Essex where he
passed a medical. Joint chairman David Gold tweeted: "We managed to bring
Andy's medical forward and I'm delighted he passed with flying colours."
Carroll has agreed a six-year deal with an option for a seventh, worth
£100,000 a week which could see him pocket a staggering £36m. West Ham have
also agreed to pay Liverpool a club-record £16m plus £3m in add-ons. The
Hammers moved fast after concerns that Newcastle director of football Joe
Kinnear was about to hijack the deal. Kinnear stated signing a striker was a
priority and West Ham were aware Carroll was keen to head back to his old
club. The England ace, 24, spent last season on loan at Upton Park but
suffered a heel injury towards the end of the campaign. He had initially
been due to have his medical later this week. But a Hammers insider said:
"The comments from Joe worried us. "Andy had been keen on staying at
Liverpool or going to a top-five club or home to Newcastle, where he has two
kids. So we had to move fast."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Liverpool's Andy Carroll flies home from America to complete permanent West
Ham transfer
18 Jun 2013 22:31
The Mirror
Andy Carroll has already texted West Ham players to say that he will be
rejoining them at Upton Park next season. The England striker, a hit on loan
from Liverpool in the last campaign, had a medical on Tuesday night with a
view to completing a £15.5m move - a fee which could rise to £17.5m with
add-ons - to the Hammers on a six-year contract. Co-owner David Gold
tweeted: "We managed to bring Andy's medical forward to this evening and I
am delighted to inform you that he has passed with flying colours." Carroll
could yet be joined at the east Londoners by Chelsea hitman Romelu Lukaku to
form a mouthwatering strike-force. We revealed last month that Irons manager
Sam Allardyce is desperate to pair the two frontmen in a devastating,
new-look attack next season. It has been claimed that new manager Jose
Mourinho will keep Lukaku - who hit 17 goals on loan at West Brom last
season - at Stamford Bridge, but West Ham are refusing to give up. Lukaku's
Blues team-mate, and former Hammer, Demba Ba is also in their sights as a
back-up option. Carroll flew back from holiday in America for his medical
and to seal his £85,000-a-week transfer. He texted pals on Tuesday, saying:
"Looks like you've got me for another six years!"
Carroll's signing is set to draw a line under a nervy 48 hours for the
Hammers, who feared earlier this week that the 24-year-old's former club
Newcastle were ready to hijack the deal and bring him home to Tyneside.
While new Toon director of football Joe Kinnear was being ridiculed over a
radio interview he gave on Monday night, the West Ham board were taking very
seriously claims that the Magpies could look to back the 66-year-old by
re-signing Carroll. They breathed a sigh of relief on Monday afternoon when
it became clear that Newcastle were still unwilling to match the offer from
east London. Carroll's fee will break West Ham's transfer record - set when
they bought Wolves winger Matt Jarvis for £11m last year. It also represents
a huge loss for Liverpool, who paid Newcastle £35m for him in January 2011.
The Reds are moving on from the failed Carroll experiment - he scored only
six league goals for them - and are expected to put his transfer fee towards
buying Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas and Shakhtar Donetsk's goal-scoring
midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan. While Carroll - who scored seven Premier
League goals for West Ham last season - will officially become a Hammers
player, he is not expected to play for them until September as he is still
recovering from a heel injury. Carroll has failed in his bid to convince
Hammers to pay him £100,000-a-week. We revealed two weeks ago that the
England frontman had launched an audacious bid to exploit the London club's
desperation to land him. West Ham have dug their heels in, maintaining they
simply cannot afford such a high wage.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Tuesday, June 18
Daily WHUFC News - 18th June 2013
Potts plays part in warm-up victory
WHUFC.com
West Ham United defender Dan Potts featured as England U20s defeated Uruguay
17.06.2013
Dan Potts made a 45-minute appearance as England's Under-20 side warmed up
for the FIFA U20 World Cup with a 3-0 practice match win over Uruguay on
Sunday. Uruguay and England are both staying in the Turkish resort of
Antalya ahead of the tournament, which begins on Friday, so locked horns as
they fine-tuned their preparations. A goal in each half from Middlesbrough
duo Luke Williams and Adam Reach, plus a late third from Everton striker
Chris Long saw off Uruguay, who qualified by finishing third in this year's
South American Youth Championship. Potts played the second half as manager
Peter Taylor gave all 21 members of his squad a run-out. England's campaign
begins against Iraq on Sunday 23 June in Antalya, with group matches against
Chile and Egypt to follow.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Fixtures out on Wednesday
WHUFC.com
Find out who we will be playing when first at whufc.com
17.06.2013
The countdown to the 2013/14 campaign begins in earnest on Wednesday morning
when the fixtures for the new season are released. West Ham will discover
their Barclays Premier League schedule for the new campaign at 9am on 19
June - and Hammers fans will be able to find out the news first on whufc.com
The Barclays Premier League campaign is set to get underway on Saturday
August 17, with promoted clubs Cardiff City, Hull City and Crystal Palace
replacing Wigan Athletic, Reading and Queens Park Rangers in the top flight.
Sam Allardyce's men will again face a host of London derbies throughout the
campaign, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Tottenham
Hotspur all providing local opposition. Supporters can now secure their seat
to watch all the action unfold at the Boleyn Ground with Season Tickets on
general sale. Prices start at £640 for adults and £115 for kids, and full
pricing and purchasing information can be found on our dedicated Season
Ticket website at seasontickets.whufc.com
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Question time for Gold
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 17th June 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United co-chairman David Gold is taking part in Newham Council's
Ideas Olympiad this week. The Ideas Olympiad is a free series of events
brought to you by the London Borough of Newham, which will bring high
profile and interesting speakers to the borough between 28th May and 27th
June to talk to residents about their ideas and vision. "A Conversation with
David Gold" takes place on Tuesday, 18th June [tomorrow] at Stratford
Circus, Theatre Square, Stratford, London E15 1BX. Doors open at 6.30pm for
a 7pm start. Free entry is permitted only with a ticket. From beginnings of
extreme poverty and overcoming numerous setbacks along the way, David Gold
is now one of Britain's most successful businessmen. He will talk about his
journey from growing up in the East End to becoming joint chairman of West
Ham United. Gold will also talk about the club's close relationship with
the local community and their role in fulfilling East London's Olympic
legacy. It will be followed by questions from the audience.
To book tickets and for more information go to
www.newham.gov.uk/IdeasOlympiad.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Should We Re-Sign Scott Parker?
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
It appears Scott Parker is surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane and
will be sold over the next few weeks. Sunderland have already expressed an
interest. Scott played 113 times for West Ham between 2007 and 2011, scoring
ten goals. i know everyone was gutted when he left, at the beginning of our
season in the Championship. I guess we all understood why he had to go, but
few of us wished him to leave.
The question is, would we welcome him back and would signing him be good for
the club in general? Well, we know what we would be getting, a committed,
tenacious holding midfield player who gives his all. Would we not rather
sign him than Ambrosini, for example?
He will be 33 in October, though and is prone to niggling little injuries.
But if we could get him for £1-2 million, wouldn't it be worth it? I know
I'd love to see him in claret and blue again.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll poised for £15m West Ham move as Liverpool line up Iago Aspas
and Simon Mignolet
Andy Carroll will undergo a medical at West Ham United on Tuesday as
Liverpool prepare to make a £20 million loss on their club-record signing.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Mark Ogden11:00PM BST 17 Jun 2013
Carroll, a £35 million buy from Newcastle United in January 2011, was due to
fly back from a holiday in the United States on Monday night to complete the
formalities of his £15 million transfer to Upton Park, following a
season-long loan with Sam Allardyce's team last season.
The 24-year-old, who scored seven goals in 24 Premier League appearances for
West Ham during his loan, is understood to have agreed a six-year contract
worth £100,000 a week in order to complete a permanent move to the London
club.
With doubts over Carroll's desire to leave Liverpool in order to return to
West Ham, combined with the issue of a persistent heel injury, the transfer
appeared to be in the balance last month prior to further talks between the
two clubs, which resulted in Liverpool agreeing to suffer a huge financial
loss on the England forward, who remains the most expensive British
footballer of all time following his move from St James' Park 2½ years ago.
With Carroll on the brink of completing his transfer, which was agreed
between the two clubs last month, Liverpool are now ready to make it clear
to Luis Suárez that he will not be allowed to leave Anfield unless he forces
the issue by demanding a move in writing.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United defender Dan Potts featured as England U20s defeated Uruguay
17.06.2013
Dan Potts made a 45-minute appearance as England's Under-20 side warmed up
for the FIFA U20 World Cup with a 3-0 practice match win over Uruguay on
Sunday. Uruguay and England are both staying in the Turkish resort of
Antalya ahead of the tournament, which begins on Friday, so locked horns as
they fine-tuned their preparations. A goal in each half from Middlesbrough
duo Luke Williams and Adam Reach, plus a late third from Everton striker
Chris Long saw off Uruguay, who qualified by finishing third in this year's
South American Youth Championship. Potts played the second half as manager
Peter Taylor gave all 21 members of his squad a run-out. England's campaign
begins against Iraq on Sunday 23 June in Antalya, with group matches against
Chile and Egypt to follow.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Fixtures out on Wednesday
WHUFC.com
Find out who we will be playing when first at whufc.com
17.06.2013
The countdown to the 2013/14 campaign begins in earnest on Wednesday morning
when the fixtures for the new season are released. West Ham will discover
their Barclays Premier League schedule for the new campaign at 9am on 19
June - and Hammers fans will be able to find out the news first on whufc.com
The Barclays Premier League campaign is set to get underway on Saturday
August 17, with promoted clubs Cardiff City, Hull City and Crystal Palace
replacing Wigan Athletic, Reading and Queens Park Rangers in the top flight.
Sam Allardyce's men will again face a host of London derbies throughout the
campaign, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Tottenham
Hotspur all providing local opposition. Supporters can now secure their seat
to watch all the action unfold at the Boleyn Ground with Season Tickets on
general sale. Prices start at £640 for adults and £115 for kids, and full
pricing and purchasing information can be found on our dedicated Season
Ticket website at seasontickets.whufc.com
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Question time for Gold
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 17th June 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United co-chairman David Gold is taking part in Newham Council's
Ideas Olympiad this week. The Ideas Olympiad is a free series of events
brought to you by the London Borough of Newham, which will bring high
profile and interesting speakers to the borough between 28th May and 27th
June to talk to residents about their ideas and vision. "A Conversation with
David Gold" takes place on Tuesday, 18th June [tomorrow] at Stratford
Circus, Theatre Square, Stratford, London E15 1BX. Doors open at 6.30pm for
a 7pm start. Free entry is permitted only with a ticket. From beginnings of
extreme poverty and overcoming numerous setbacks along the way, David Gold
is now one of Britain's most successful businessmen. He will talk about his
journey from growing up in the East End to becoming joint chairman of West
Ham United. Gold will also talk about the club's close relationship with
the local community and their role in fulfilling East London's Olympic
legacy. It will be followed by questions from the audience.
To book tickets and for more information go to
www.newham.gov.uk/IdeasOlympiad.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Should We Re-Sign Scott Parker?
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
It appears Scott Parker is surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane and
will be sold over the next few weeks. Sunderland have already expressed an
interest. Scott played 113 times for West Ham between 2007 and 2011, scoring
ten goals. i know everyone was gutted when he left, at the beginning of our
season in the Championship. I guess we all understood why he had to go, but
few of us wished him to leave.
The question is, would we welcome him back and would signing him be good for
the club in general? Well, we know what we would be getting, a committed,
tenacious holding midfield player who gives his all. Would we not rather
sign him than Ambrosini, for example?
He will be 33 in October, though and is prone to niggling little injuries.
But if we could get him for £1-2 million, wouldn't it be worth it? I know
I'd love to see him in claret and blue again.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll poised for £15m West Ham move as Liverpool line up Iago Aspas
and Simon Mignolet
Andy Carroll will undergo a medical at West Ham United on Tuesday as
Liverpool prepare to make a £20 million loss on their club-record signing.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Mark Ogden11:00PM BST 17 Jun 2013
Carroll, a £35 million buy from Newcastle United in January 2011, was due to
fly back from a holiday in the United States on Monday night to complete the
formalities of his £15 million transfer to Upton Park, following a
season-long loan with Sam Allardyce's team last season.
The 24-year-old, who scored seven goals in 24 Premier League appearances for
West Ham during his loan, is understood to have agreed a six-year contract
worth £100,000 a week in order to complete a permanent move to the London
club.
With doubts over Carroll's desire to leave Liverpool in order to return to
West Ham, combined with the issue of a persistent heel injury, the transfer
appeared to be in the balance last month prior to further talks between the
two clubs, which resulted in Liverpool agreeing to suffer a huge financial
loss on the England forward, who remains the most expensive British
footballer of all time following his move from St James' Park 2½ years ago.
With Carroll on the brink of completing his transfer, which was agreed
between the two clubs last month, Liverpool are now ready to make it clear
to Luis Suárez that he will not be allowed to leave Anfield unless he forces
the issue by demanding a move in writing.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Monday, June 17
Daily WHUFC News - 17th June 2013
Diame skippers Senegal to win
WHUFC.com
Senegal remain in the hunt for World Cup qualification after beating Liberia
2-0 on Sunday
16.06.2013
West Ham United's Mohamed Diame captained Senegal to a vital 2-0 win over
Liberia in qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Diame played
the 90 minutes as Senegal claimed the points to remain on top of Group J in
African qualification. Two goals from Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse
were enough to see off Liberia in Monrovia and keep his country on track for
Brazil. With one game of this group stage remaining, Senegal lead Uganda by
a single point, with a home fixture against their qualification rivals to
come in September. The group winners will then go on to play a two-legged
play-off against one of the other nine group victors in Africa, with the
successful nations in those ties claiming a place in next summer's World Cup
finals.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Devonshire pleased with progress
WHUFC.com
West Ham United legend Alan Devonshire expects the Club to continue their
improvement next season
16.06.2013
Alan Devonshire is sure the Hammers will continue to progress with manager
Sam Allardyce at the helm. The West Ham United legend was impressed with his
old Club's efforts last season to secure a tenth place finish in the
Barclays Premier League. He is sure they are not finished there, and that
with a couple of additions this summer, could aim even higher in 2013/14. He
told West Ham TV: "I thought we'd do okay last season. We finished tenth,
and hopefully we can build on that next year and in the coming years. "I
think Sam knows he needs three or four players that can improve [the squad].
There are places where we can improve and that's where he'll be looking this
summer. "It's a process now of building ourselves in the Premier League and
improving every year. "There's a real stability around the Club - I don't
think Sam has ever struggled with his teams in the Premier League. He's done
a good job and I'm looking forward to the next couple of years."
Devonshire, who played 448 games for the Club in the 1970s and 80s, is now
manager of Braintree Town, who also enjoyed a successful 2012/13 campaign.
He explained: "We did great. We finished ninth in the Conference and we did
the double over Luton and beat sides at our place when they were top of the
league. "A lot of credit goes to the players for a fantastic year, they've
done ever so well. "Realistically, Braintree's aim is staying in the league
until we get a new ground. That's the ideal situation."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham close to getting Andy Carroll decision
Last Updated: June 16, 2013 2:02pm
SSN
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed Andy Carroll is just
days away from giving his answer on a £100,000-a-week permanent move to
Upton Park. Both Allardyce and Carroll are currently abroad on holiday but
the striker is expected to sign a six-year deal worth more than £15m when he
returns. The 24-year-old England international spent last season on loan
with the Hammers from parent club Liverpool, who will not only lose £20m on
the player they bought from Newcastle United in January 2011, but also hand
him a £2m 'golden goodbye' payment because he did not request a transfer.
"We are both out of the country but most of the negotiations are done and
the financial agreement between us and Liverpool is in place," Allardyce
told the Sunday People. "It's about communicating with Andy and his agent
between London, here in Spain where I am and Florida where Andy is. "I've no
real need to speak to him over his decision. I've spoken to him enough times
so he knows what I think and it's up to him. "He's back in the next few days
so we should have a definitive answer by the end of next week."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carroll's big test
By SHAUN CUSTIS
Last Updated: 17th June 2013
The Sun
ANDY CARROLL is facing the biggest test of his career this week — the West
Ham medical. The England striker is set to make a £16million move from
Liverpool and his £100,000-a-week wages on a six-year contract make the deal
worth around £47m. The Hammers are desperate to land Carroll, 24, but want
to ensure the big Geordie has no long-term medical issues. Carroll has a
worrying injury history — with thigh, hamstring, knee and heel problems — so
he will face the most stringent medical the club has ever performed. A
Hammers source said: "The club really wants Andy but the medical needs to be
a tough one.
"When he joined on loan he only got a relatively quick check-up. This time
it will be different. "This is a huge deal for West Ham and one which
represents a real commitment by the club."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Three reasons why Demba Ba should return to West Ham United
by Vincent Ralph
@VincentRalph1
Here Is The City
Following reports that West Ham are interested in re-signing the Chelsea
striker, Vincent Ralph suggests three reasons why it would be the right
move. Reports last week suggested West Ham were keen to bring Demba Ba back
to the club, as one half of a new-look strike-force with Andy Carroll.
Around the same time, the Chelsea striker's agent went on record to say Ba
wished to remain at Stamford Bridge, that he was prepared to fight for his
place in a forward-line that may – by the time the season starts – look
markedly different from the one that ended the last campaign. But the
28-year-old could do well to reconsider his options in light of Chelsea's
transfer dealings and Sam Allardyce's apparent interest.
Here are three reasons why:
IOU
It could be argued that footballers don't owe their former clubs anything.
It is after all a job, a business, and players move as regularly as any
other "product". And yet Ba's transfer to Upton Park in 2011 was if not a
leap of faith, certainly a bit of a jump. Following his failed medical at
Stoke City that saw the move collapse, West Ham signed the striker on a
three-year pay-as-you-play deal.
Following their relegation from the Premier League a release-clause saw Ba
move on. But he should remember that the Hammers took a risk when no one
else would.
Even before his move to the Britannia Stadium fell through, he had failed a
previous medical when Hoffenheim tried to sell him to Stuttgart. That West
Ham saw his potential and took a chance should mean something.
Competition for places is about to get a lot harder
With Ba and Fernando Torres Chelsea's only recognised (or in the Spaniard's
case barely-recognised) strikers last season, the Senegal striker got plenty
of game time following his January move from Newcastle. But with the return
of the blossoming Romelu Lukaku, the signing of Andre Schurrle, and the
almost certain arrival of at least one new out-and-out frontman, Ba's record
of just two league goals in 14 appearances for the Blues may grant him a
place on the bench at best.
At West Ham, he would start every game for which he was available. And
should Andy Carroll ultimately arrive in a much-mooted but not yet accepted
£15million deal, he would benefit considerably from the England
international's presence and specific set of skills.
The World Cup
Perhaps it shouldn't be a factor in itself, but how many times have you
heard of players moving in an attempt to secure a place in a World Cup
squad? To be honest, Ba is likely to go to Brazil regardless of the club he
plays for, so important is he to Senegal. But should they qualify, Ba would
be of far more use to them off the back of a prolific season than one spent
predominantly on the bench.
The 28-year-old has shown what he can do when given a run of games, most
emphatically during his outstanding spell at St James' Park.
With the quality of signings linked with West Ham this summer, Ba could
repeat and possibly even exceed those feats.
Given his age, he will want to be playing all the time. And while for now he
may believe he can convince Jose Mourinho to give him a chance, should Hulk
or Edinson Cavani arrive as has been much reported, Ba's time could be just
about up.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Senegal remain in the hunt for World Cup qualification after beating Liberia
2-0 on Sunday
16.06.2013
West Ham United's Mohamed Diame captained Senegal to a vital 2-0 win over
Liberia in qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Diame played
the 90 minutes as Senegal claimed the points to remain on top of Group J in
African qualification. Two goals from Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse
were enough to see off Liberia in Monrovia and keep his country on track for
Brazil. With one game of this group stage remaining, Senegal lead Uganda by
a single point, with a home fixture against their qualification rivals to
come in September. The group winners will then go on to play a two-legged
play-off against one of the other nine group victors in Africa, with the
successful nations in those ties claiming a place in next summer's World Cup
finals.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Devonshire pleased with progress
WHUFC.com
West Ham United legend Alan Devonshire expects the Club to continue their
improvement next season
16.06.2013
Alan Devonshire is sure the Hammers will continue to progress with manager
Sam Allardyce at the helm. The West Ham United legend was impressed with his
old Club's efforts last season to secure a tenth place finish in the
Barclays Premier League. He is sure they are not finished there, and that
with a couple of additions this summer, could aim even higher in 2013/14. He
told West Ham TV: "I thought we'd do okay last season. We finished tenth,
and hopefully we can build on that next year and in the coming years. "I
think Sam knows he needs three or four players that can improve [the squad].
There are places where we can improve and that's where he'll be looking this
summer. "It's a process now of building ourselves in the Premier League and
improving every year. "There's a real stability around the Club - I don't
think Sam has ever struggled with his teams in the Premier League. He's done
a good job and I'm looking forward to the next couple of years."
Devonshire, who played 448 games for the Club in the 1970s and 80s, is now
manager of Braintree Town, who also enjoyed a successful 2012/13 campaign.
He explained: "We did great. We finished ninth in the Conference and we did
the double over Luton and beat sides at our place when they were top of the
league. "A lot of credit goes to the players for a fantastic year, they've
done ever so well. "Realistically, Braintree's aim is staying in the league
until we get a new ground. That's the ideal situation."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham close to getting Andy Carroll decision
Last Updated: June 16, 2013 2:02pm
SSN
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed Andy Carroll is just
days away from giving his answer on a £100,000-a-week permanent move to
Upton Park. Both Allardyce and Carroll are currently abroad on holiday but
the striker is expected to sign a six-year deal worth more than £15m when he
returns. The 24-year-old England international spent last season on loan
with the Hammers from parent club Liverpool, who will not only lose £20m on
the player they bought from Newcastle United in January 2011, but also hand
him a £2m 'golden goodbye' payment because he did not request a transfer.
"We are both out of the country but most of the negotiations are done and
the financial agreement between us and Liverpool is in place," Allardyce
told the Sunday People. "It's about communicating with Andy and his agent
between London, here in Spain where I am and Florida where Andy is. "I've no
real need to speak to him over his decision. I've spoken to him enough times
so he knows what I think and it's up to him. "He's back in the next few days
so we should have a definitive answer by the end of next week."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Carroll's big test
By SHAUN CUSTIS
Last Updated: 17th June 2013
The Sun
ANDY CARROLL is facing the biggest test of his career this week — the West
Ham medical. The England striker is set to make a £16million move from
Liverpool and his £100,000-a-week wages on a six-year contract make the deal
worth around £47m. The Hammers are desperate to land Carroll, 24, but want
to ensure the big Geordie has no long-term medical issues. Carroll has a
worrying injury history — with thigh, hamstring, knee and heel problems — so
he will face the most stringent medical the club has ever performed. A
Hammers source said: "The club really wants Andy but the medical needs to be
a tough one.
"When he joined on loan he only got a relatively quick check-up. This time
it will be different. "This is a huge deal for West Ham and one which
represents a real commitment by the club."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Three reasons why Demba Ba should return to West Ham United
by Vincent Ralph
@VincentRalph1
Here Is The City
Following reports that West Ham are interested in re-signing the Chelsea
striker, Vincent Ralph suggests three reasons why it would be the right
move. Reports last week suggested West Ham were keen to bring Demba Ba back
to the club, as one half of a new-look strike-force with Andy Carroll.
Around the same time, the Chelsea striker's agent went on record to say Ba
wished to remain at Stamford Bridge, that he was prepared to fight for his
place in a forward-line that may – by the time the season starts – look
markedly different from the one that ended the last campaign. But the
28-year-old could do well to reconsider his options in light of Chelsea's
transfer dealings and Sam Allardyce's apparent interest.
Here are three reasons why:
IOU
It could be argued that footballers don't owe their former clubs anything.
It is after all a job, a business, and players move as regularly as any
other "product". And yet Ba's transfer to Upton Park in 2011 was if not a
leap of faith, certainly a bit of a jump. Following his failed medical at
Stoke City that saw the move collapse, West Ham signed the striker on a
three-year pay-as-you-play deal.
Following their relegation from the Premier League a release-clause saw Ba
move on. But he should remember that the Hammers took a risk when no one
else would.
Even before his move to the Britannia Stadium fell through, he had failed a
previous medical when Hoffenheim tried to sell him to Stuttgart. That West
Ham saw his potential and took a chance should mean something.
Competition for places is about to get a lot harder
With Ba and Fernando Torres Chelsea's only recognised (or in the Spaniard's
case barely-recognised) strikers last season, the Senegal striker got plenty
of game time following his January move from Newcastle. But with the return
of the blossoming Romelu Lukaku, the signing of Andre Schurrle, and the
almost certain arrival of at least one new out-and-out frontman, Ba's record
of just two league goals in 14 appearances for the Blues may grant him a
place on the bench at best.
At West Ham, he would start every game for which he was available. And
should Andy Carroll ultimately arrive in a much-mooted but not yet accepted
£15million deal, he would benefit considerably from the England
international's presence and specific set of skills.
The World Cup
Perhaps it shouldn't be a factor in itself, but how many times have you
heard of players moving in an attempt to secure a place in a World Cup
squad? To be honest, Ba is likely to go to Brazil regardless of the club he
plays for, so important is he to Senegal. But should they qualify, Ba would
be of far more use to them off the back of a prolific season than one spent
predominantly on the bench.
The 28-year-old has shown what he can do when given a run of games, most
emphatically during his outstanding spell at St James' Park.
With the quality of signings linked with West Ham this summer, Ba could
repeat and possibly even exceed those feats.
Given his age, he will want to be playing all the time. And while for now he
may believe he can convince Jose Mourinho to give him a chance, should Hulk
or Edinson Cavani arrive as has been much reported, Ba's time could be just
about up.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
