Sporting Clube de Portugal preview
WHUFC.com
All the essential background ahead of West Ham United's opening Torneio do Guadiana fixture
04.08.2013
SPORTING CLUBE DE PORTUGAL v WEST HAM UNITED
TORNEIO DO GUADIANA
ESTÁDIO MUNICIPAL DE PORTIMÃO
MONDAY 5 AUGUST 2013
KICK-OFF: 9.15PM
iPHONE APP I TWITTER I FACEBOOK I PODCAST
Introduction
• West Ham United continue their pre-season schedule at the Torneio do Guadiana in Portugal. The three-team pre-season competition will be held at the Estádio Municipal de Portimão in the Algarve, with the Hammers taking on Sporting Clube de Portugal and SC Braga.
• The Hammers will take on Sporting Clube de Portugal on Monday 5 August and SC Braga on Tuesday 6 August, with both matches kicking-off at 9.15pm local time.
Sporting will take on Braga on Wednesday 7 August.
• Sporting finished seventh in the Primeira Liga last season. Managed by Leonardo Jardim, the club from the capital will be hoping to bounce back this term. Among the star names in Jardim's squad are Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio, Argentina defender Marcos Rojo, Spain winger Diego Capel and Peru forward Andre Carrillo.
• Braga finished fourth in the Primeira Liga last term, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League Play-Off round. The Archbishops will be facing the Hammers for the second pre-season in succession, having held Sam Allardyce's side to a 1-1 draw at the Estadio AXA in August 2012, when Winston Reid scored a late equaliser.
• A penalty shoot-out will be held after the final whistle, which will be used to decide the final tournament positions in the event that teams have level points, goal difference and goals.
Team News
West Ham United
• Sam Allardyce has brought a strong and large squad to Portugal, with the Hammers facing two matches in the space of a little more than 24 hours. However, centre forward Andy Carroll (heel) and George McCartney (knee) remain sidelined.
Sporting Clube de Portugal
• Sporting have been very active in the transfer market this summer, signing Brazilian trio left-back Jefferson from Estoril, right-back Weldinho from Palmeiras and centre-back Mauricio from Sport Recife, Colombia forward Fredy Montero from Seattle Sounders and Guinea striker Salim Cissé from Academica de Coimbra.
• The Portuguese club also sold Dutch striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel to Norwich City, Portugal right-back Miguel Lopes to Olympique Lyonnais, Switzerland midfielder Gelson Fernandes to Freiburg and midfielders Stijn Schaars and Santiago Arias to PSV.
Background
• West Ham United will be meeting Sporting Clube de Portugal for the second time in their history, having previously welcomed the 18-times Portuguese champions to the Boleyn Ground on Tuesday 7 May 1996 for a match to celebrate the Hammers' centenary.
• Perhaps the most eye-catching name on West Ham United's teamsheet was that of Dani Da Cruz Carvalho, known simply as Dani. Dani had joined in January 1996 on loan from Sporting Lisbon, scoring the winner at Tottenham Hotspur on just his second appearance and netting twice in nine appearances in total.
• Sporting Clube de Portugal had finished third in the Portuguese league and spoilt West Ham's night in the shape of a 4-1 victory for the visitors. Julian Dicks netted the hosts' consolation goal.
Last Time Out
Saturday 27 July 2013
Pre-Season Match
Eintracht Braunschweig 0-3 West Ham United
West Ham United: Adrian, O'Brien (Morrison 75), Collins (Tomkins 60), Reid (Ruddock 72), Rat (Demel 75); Noble, Collison (Jarvis 60), Diame (Nolan 46), Vaz Te (Lee 75), Maiga (Taylor 60), Cole
Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Potts, Lletget, Diarra, Whitehead
Goals: Maiga 22, 44, Diame 42
Thursday 1 August 2013
Pre-Season Match
Nacional 0-1 Sporting Clube de Portugal
Sporting Clube de Portugal: Rui Patrício (Marcelo 46), Cédric (Eric Dier 81), Maurício (Jefferson 46), Eric Dier (Mauricio 81), Evaldo (Rinaudo 46), William Carvalho (Marcos Rojo 46), Adrien, André Martins (Labyad 86), Carrillo (Diego Capel 78), Montero (Cristian Ponde 78), Filipe Chaby (Wilson Eduardo 46)
Goal: Montero 8
Previous meeting
Tuesday 7 May 1996
Pre-Season Match
West Ham United 1-4 Sporting Clube de Portugal
West Ham United: Miklosko (Mautone), Breacker, Dicks, Potts, Martin, Dowie (Cottee), Dani, Boli, Williamson (Hodges), Lampard (Omoyinmi), Bilic (Hughes)
Goal: Dicks
All-time meetings
The clubs have never met in competitive football, but Sporting Clube de Portugal hold the all-time advantage from the one non-competitive meeting between the two - a 4-1 victory at the Boleyn Ground in May 1996 which marked West Ham United's centenary.
15 May 1996 - West Ham United 1-4 Sporting Clube de Portugal
v Sporting Clube de Portugal (all competitions) W 0 D 0 L 1
Ten-year records
West Ham United
2012/13 Premier League 10th
2011/12 Championship 3rd (86 points - promoted via Play-Offs)
2010/11 Premier League 20th (relegated to Championship)
2009/10 Premier League 17th
2008/09 Premier League 9th
2007/08 Premier League 10th
2006/07 Premier League 15th
2005/06 Premier League 9th
2004/05 Championship 6th (promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Division One 4th
Sporting Clube de Portugal
2012/13 Primeira Liga 7th
2011/12 Primeira Liga 4th
2010/11 Primeira Liga 3rd
2009/10 Primeira Liga 4th
2008/09 Primeira Liga 2nd
2007/08 Primeira Liga 2nd
2006/07 Primeira Liga 2nd
2005/06 Primeira Liga 2nd
2004/05 Primeira Liga 3rd
2003/04 Primeira Liga 3rd
General Information
• West Ham United supporters can watch the match from the East Stand, with tickets costing €12.50 each. Hammers fans can buy their tickets in person from the Ticket Office at the Estádio Municipal de Portimão on matchday. Tickets for this match are available online here.
• The weather forecast for Portimão on Monday is for a sunny day with maximum daytime temperature of 29C (85F). However, it will have cooled down somewhat by kick-off.
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Taylor made for Portugal trip
WHUFC.com
Matt Taylor is looking forward to facing Sporting Clube de Portugal again on Monday evening
04.08.2013
Matt Taylor has an unfinished score to settle with Sporting Clube de Portugal when West Ham United take on the Portuguese Primeira Division side in the Torneio do Guadiana on Monday evening. Taylor was part of the Bolton Wanderers squad edged out 2-1 on aggregate at the UEFA Cup last-16 stage back in March 2008. Having drawn 1-1 at the Reebok Staduim, a Trotters side without the rested Taylor, Kevin Nolan and Jussi Jaaskelainen were beaten 1-0 in the return leg in Lisbon, despite the presence of a young Joey O'Brien and Ricardo Vaz Te. Five-and-a-half years later, the quintet will get the chance to take on their conquerors again in a pre-season fixture at the Estádio Municipal de Portimão on the Algarve. On Tuesday evening, West Ham will face SC Braga a year after drawing 1-1 with the same opposition in a warm-up match. "We got ever so close to reaching the quarter-finals and we probably should have done," he recalled. "Looking back, we probably should have fielded a different team over in Portugal, but we didn't and we went out. "I played in the home game and we drew one-all. We then went over there and lost one-nil. It was still a great time for me personally, to play in the UEFA Cup. "It'll be good to play against Sporting again and the two games out there will be a good test for us. We have played against some of the best opposition in Germany, and we know how their game is going at the moment, and going to Portugal will be a difficult for us as well. "We went out to Braga last year and came away with a clean bill of health and a draw, so I'm sure these will be a good couple of games for us."
Taylor is looking forward to West Ham's third and final pre-season trip following excursions to the Republic of Ireland and Germany but, like his team-mates, he is now counting down the days until the start of the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League campaign on 17 August. "It's a difficult question to answer because it is great having time away to concentrate on your football, but it's also time away from your family. For the ones of us who have kids, they are off school and it would be nice to spend time with them. "Personally, I quite like going away because it helps me to concentrate on my fitness and getting myself in tip-top condition for the season. This one is only a short trip, so I'm sure we'll enjoy it."
Pre-season training camps help players to both get fit and bond with their colleagues - something the Hammers squad did by fishing during their recent trip to Germany. A keen angler, Taylor was impressed by his team-mates' efforts. "We had a good time fishing over there in Germany. The third place we went to was fantastic because the facilities were great and the food was brilliant and in our downtime we had a chance to do some fishing in the river next to the hotel.
"It wasn't my type of fishing because I don't enjoy catching pike and those sorts of fish, but the lads had a great time. We got a few good-sized fish, as well. Patience was the key and I was impressed with the lads. "It was really good craic and it was nice to spend some time with the lads fishing."
Tickets for the pre-season Torneio do Guadiana will be available on matchdays at the Estádio Municipal de Portimão, with the meeting with Sporting Clube de Portugal kicking-off at 9.15pm on Monday 5 August and the fixture with SC Braga starting exactly 24 hours later.
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Jack Sullivan at the centre of new Twitter storm
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 4th August 2013
By: Staff Writer
Fresh controversy over the Twitter account belonging to teenager Jack Sullivan erupted tonight.
Hammers fans posting across the web on forums such as KUMB.com tonight almost universally condemned a message posted on the Twitter feed attributed to the son of co-owner David Sullivan regarding Gent striker Ilombe Mboyo.
The Buffalos current captain was one of several teenagers convicted of gang rape in his native Belgium a decade ago when he was just 16. The victim was a 14-year-old schoolgirl.
Sullivan - or (hopefully) someone else with access to his social network account - posed the question: "How would you feel if we signed Mboyo of Gent? Terrible crime when he was 16, can he ever be forgiven? What do you think?"
Whilst some believed the tweet related to the potential signing of Queens Park Rangers' Loic Remy, who is himself set to appear in court on a similar charge later this year, others took it more literally believing that fans were being canvassed over the possibility of signing the 26-year-old.
However almost all were in agreement that raising the subject of violent sexual crime on a Twitter account belonging to a 13-year-old schoolboy was an appalling error of judgment.
Whilst KUMB member badgers1 insisted that "his [Jack Sullivan's] Twitter account always was an accident waiting to happen", fellow member Aztec Hammer maintained that what was originally a good way to communicate with the fans had been soured.
"I enjoyed the tweets early on when they were simple and letting us know what was going on," he said, before admitting: "but now it's getting silly."
Meanwhile DaveWHU1964 was rather more scathing of those who sanctioned the posting of the message on young Jack's account.
"There are so many issues regarding this, but one I haven't seen mentioned is the dubiousness of getting a 13-year-old child to conduct a poll about accepting a man who raped a child," he argued.
"I don't think things can get too much more messed up than that. There are those out there who genuinely do not seem to realise the difference between right and wrong - and we've seen a sick and surreal example of that tonight."
The tweet was also condemned by journalist Hugh Southon, who raged: "This has gone too far. Total embarrassment. How many deals are being screwed up by that account? Forget ITK stuff. Just wrong!"
Sullivan's original message was followed up an hour later by a second tweet regarding the Gent striker. "99 per cent of you have said no to Mboyo," it read. "I'll pass it onto my Dad. I'm sure we won't sign him. We respect your views."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Monday, August 5
Sunday, August 4
Daily WHUFC News - 4th August 2013
Carroll targeting Cardiff return
WHUFC.com
Andy Carroll is determined to be fit for West Ham United's opening Barclays
Premier League fixture
03.08.2013
Andy Carroll has set his sights on running out at the Boleyn Ground on the
opening day of the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season. The West Ham
United and England forward, who made his move from Liverpool permanent this
summer for a club-record fee, has been sidelined since the final day of last
season with a heel injury. However, the new No9 has told West Ham TV that
his rehabilitation has been going well and he is still hopeful of featuring
against Cardiff City on Saturday 17 August. "I've been working hard. I've
been away to Germany with the lads and keeping myself as fit as I can with
the work I can do with my heel still being sore," said Carroll. "It's been
tough but I've been working hard to be back for the beginning of the season.
"I'm doing a lot of cardiovascular work to keep my fitness up without
stressing my heel, which means going on the rowing machine and on the bike
and doing all the things I don't like, really! I've been working hard,
hopefully I'll be back for the start of the season. "I couldn't think of
anything worse than being injured during pre-season. It's painful to watch
everyone else going out and having a laugh and me just doing one-on-one
physio work in the gym. It's a nightmare but I've just got to get myself fit
and ready. I don't like it in the gym, so it makes me push myself that bit
harder. I'm dying to get back and kicking a ball again. I can't wait because
the last time I kicked a ball was in the final game of last season."
While the home pre-season meeting with UEFA Champions League qualifiers
Pacos de Ferreira may come too soon for the Gateshead-born forward, Carroll
has urged his team-mates to set a marker down by getting the better of their
Portuguese visitors - for both themselves and the supporters. "I think the
lads have done great in their pre-season games and obviously they'll want to
do well in the first game back here at the Boleyn Ground. The fans will be
dying to get the season started as well, so it'll be good."
A week later, West Ham tackle newly-promoted Cardiff in east London. Like
the Hammers did a year ago, Carroll believes the Bluebirds will want to make
a strong start to life in the Barclays Premier League. Whether or not the
No9 is available, Sam Allardyce's side will start the game as favourites,
but Carroll says West Ham should take nothing for granted against the
reigning Championship winners. "It's always important to get a win in the
first game of the season. Obviously they have just come up so it'll be
tough. They have just been promoted and will want to show what they are all
about. We need to understand that and get a win under our belts. "I think
everyone is buzzing about and has come back in great form and great spirits.
Everyone is looking forward to the start of the season. They have been
working hard over the summer and cannot wait for the beginning."
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Haycock: There's still work to do
WHUFC.com
Under-21s coach Nick Haycock urged his players to produce even more after
Saturday's win at Hornchurch
03.08.2013
Development Squad boss Nick Haycock strives for the very best and while his
West Ham United side put four past AFC Hornchurch on Saturday, he insists
there remains plenty of room for improvement. Having twice fallen behind at
the Hornchurch Stadium, goals from the returning Dylan Tombides, Blair
Turgott, George Moncur and Paul McCallum eventually saw the Hammers to a
comfortable 4-2 success. Victory, however, was the very least that Haycock
expected, with a greater emphasis on the manner in which his young charges
went about their business. He told West Ham TV: "For the boys, it's almost
a no-win situation because we're expected to win the game, regardless of
what side we put. There were no first-team players obviously, but we put out
a healthy squad.
"We try to get the ball down and play. They've kept the grass long for their
first game of the season and we didn't really play with the tempo that we
did against Southend the other night. I warned the boys before the game. I
explained you've got to make this a game that's played at a tempo, so that
you take your higher fitness and technical levels to a place where you're
producing chance after chance. "I think the disappointment was that the two
goals we conceded were sloppy. All pre-season we've played some good stuff.
You can see the type of football that we try to play and we've created
chances, but equally we've given some sloppy goals away. That's why they're
in the Development Squad, because they're developing players. There are
still some youngsters in there and there were some pleasing performances as
well."
None more so than that of Tombides, who marked his first start in some two
years with an expertly-taken goal. Though the Australian has had to contend
with testicular cancer over the past couple of years, he needed just 12
minutes to get his name on the score-sheet here.
Haycock continued: "It's great to have Dylan back in the fold and I think
he's a talent. A great kid and he's a good addition to the Club never mind
the group."
Tombides' header was the first of the Hammers' four goals on the day, as the
hosts struggled to contain the visitors' attacking flair. Having failed to
find the back of the net at Southend, the goals came as some relief to the
men in claret and blue, though Haycock thought it should have been more
emphatic.
"We could have scored more than four goals, there are no two ways about it.
We can't afford not to convert chances. As you go up the levels you don't
get as many chances and equally, if you make silly mistakes you get
punished. I know it's a cliché in football, but it's the truth. The higher
you go, you play against better quality players and they pounce on your
mistakes. Even at the level here, it happened. It's a case of getting back
on the training field and making sure they try to right the wrongs."
But no matter of the outcome on Saturday, Haycock was rightly thrilled to be
able to bring a West Ham XI to the Ryman Premier side, fully aware of the
value of such an occasion. "We're doing our bit for our local neighbours,
it's a terrific club and it always has been. It's always a pleasure to come
over here and help out a local club. There were a lot of West Ham fans in
the Hornchurch crowd as well!"
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Have We Really Improved? We Need At Least Three More Players, Not One
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
The new signings have certainly come to a shuddering halt. After the initial
burst at the end of the season it does seem very strange that the squad
hasn't been added to or that no one has been sold. Indeed, it is very much
as you were. At the start of every new season you like to think you have a
side which is a distinct improvement on the side which finished the previous
one. Well, can we really say that? Razvan Rat is an accomplished left back
and will bring some stability to that position but the jury is certainly out
on whether Dan Whitehead and Adrian will be able to make a first team
breakthrough. Yes, we have spent £15 million on Andy Carroll, but we had him
before. With the departures of four strikers (Chamakh, Cole, Hall and
Paulista) I can't see how Sam Allardyce can be satisfied with one more
signing. With Gary O'Neil gone we are a midfielder down, although you could
argue we had an embarrassment of riches in that department, but don't we
also need a further central defender? I suppose Diarra, with his new
positive attitude, could be treated as a new signing and could play in
midfield or central defence, but I'd like to think we will make an effort to
persuade Scott Parker to return and be realistic about his wages.
Maiga looks to have decided, like Diarra, that he wants to be positive and
it was good to see him among the goals in Germany. But surely we need to buy
another Andy Carroll type forward and also a smaller, trickier goalscorer
who can play in the centre and on the right. I am none to impressed by the
prospect of the Werder Bremen forward Marco Arnautovic. He has a very
troubled disciplinary record and has scored 14 in 70 games for Bremen. Why
would we want a player with that kind of record? I would be excited by the
prospect of Kalou, or even Remy, but I wonder whether we ought not to be
looking at bringing back another player from ten years ago, Jermain Defoe. I
know, I know, the circumstances of his departure weren't great, but he's a
proven goalscorer. He's only 30 and wouldn't cost the earth. Just a thought.
Just finally, I was sorry to see Kieron Dyer announce his retirement. He has
only played 25 matches in the last six years and has been so unlucky with
his injury record. On his day he was one of the best players in the country,
but sadly we never saw the best of him at Upton Park. Indeed, we hardly saw
him at all.
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U18s through to Eurofoot semi-finals
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are through to the last-four at the pre-season Eurofoot
Tournament in Belgium
03.08.2013
West Ham United have made a superb start at the pre-season Eurofoot
Tournament in Belgium, winning four of their five Group A fixtures to reach
the semi-finals. The Under-18s won their opening three Group A matches
without conceding a single goal, scoring eight goals themselves in the
process. A 2-1 win over KV Oostende meant defeat by the same scoreline by FC
Utrecht could not stop the Hammers finish top of their group. The Hammers
opened the competition in Oostduinkerke on Friday afternoon with a 1-0
victory over Club Brugge, with new signing Jordan Brown scoring the only
goal of the game. Later the same day, Rob Girdlestone, Marcio Martins, and
trialist Carlos Gonzalez-Cabrera were on target in a 3-0 win over a second
Belgian side, AA Gent. Saturday morning saw Steve Potts' youngsters take to
the pitch for a third time, but Belgian giants Anderlecht proved to be no
match for West Ham as Brown, Nathan Mavila and schoolboys Decarrey Sheriff
and Fatia Adebayo on target in a 4-0 success. West Ham completed their slate
of Group A fixtures by beating a fourth Belgian side, KV Oostende, 2-1 with
goals from Jamie Harney and Djair Parfitt-Williams. Sheriff scored in a 2-1
defeat by Dutch side FC Utrecht on Saturday evening, but a haul of 12 points
could not stop the Hammers from winning Group A. Having finished in the top
two, the Hammers will meet local rivals and Group B runners-up Tottenham
Hotspur in the semi-finals at 11am on Sunday local time, with the final to
follow at 4.30pm.
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West Ham Hope to Sign Werder Bremen Forward
by Michael Oliver August 3rd, 2013
CuaghtOffside.com
West Ham are interested in a deal to sign Werder Bremen forward Marko
Arnautovic this summer, according to the Daily Mail. The versatile attacker
has been made available for transfer this summer, as Hammers manager Sam
Allardyce eyes a cut-price deal this window. Without a reliable striking
partner for Andy Carroll at the club, the talented Austrian attacker is seen
as a must-sign target with only a month to go in the transfer window.
The Bundesliga club also reportedly have offers from Spain for the 24-year
old, but Arnautovic is keen on a transfer to the London club to experience
Premier League football. Having failed in bids to sign highly rated
Colombian youngster Duvan Zapata and Lille forward Salomon Kalou, Allardyce
sees Arnautovic as a slightly cheaper attacking option that is more
versatile.
Able to play on either wing, as well as down the middle, Arnautovic would be
an ideal addition to remove the goalscoring burden from Carroll's shoulders.
Along with Modibo Maiga, who has impressed the Hammers coaches this
pre-season, the Irons would have assembled a talented striking group capable
of firing in the goals to keep them up.
Arnautovic will likely operate in a wide-right role, as Andy Carroll will
play down the middle. Allardyce is keen to bring in one more forward this
summer, but has been unlucky in his pursuit of Spartak Moscow striker
Emmanuel Emenike and West Brom forward Peter Odemwingie, but the London club
are yet to reach an agreement with either club for their transfers.
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West Ham chase player who Mourinho said has the attitude ''of a child''
HITC Sport
by Mathew Nash
West Ham United have been linked with a move for plenty of strikers in
recent days - as Sam Allardyce hunts for a perfect partner to play alongside
Andy Carroll. David Sullivan, the clubs co-owner has admitted that the team
will be looking to bring in a striker with pace to play off the front-man -
but it seems the player will also be someone who can play out wide. That can
be safely assumed by the clubs decision not to pursue a deal for Salamon
Kalou - after the former Chelsea player could not be given assurances over
playing down the middle. Therefore the link with Marko Arnautovic makes
sense. A quick forward with the ability to play out wide he is also
available for transfer. Werder Bremen are willing to entertain the idea of
selling the Austrian this summer. Most Bundesliga sides are in a current
position of financial power. However not every team is in such an excellent
financial position. Werder are one such team who need to raise some funds.
Arnautovic is one of the clubs best assets at this current moment in time so
moving him on is a priority. However West Ham appear to have competition on
the horizon. It is reported in Bild that Real Sociedad and Valencia are
ready to make a move for the player this summer. But is he the sort of
player either side should be going for this summer. The former Inter Milan
striker has something of a reputation as a bad boy. Jose Mourinho once
stated that Arnautovic ''is a fantastic person but has the attitude of a
child.'' While at Inter Milan he was best pals with none other than Mario
Balotelli - the two raising hell wherever they went no doubt. But West Ham
should be perfect for him. Sam Allardyce has something of a knack for
getting the best out of, let's say, difficult characters. Nicolas Anelka,
Kevin Nolan, Youri Djorkaeff - there is a trend. If anyone is going to get
the best out of him then Big Sam might just be the man.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Andy Carroll is determined to be fit for West Ham United's opening Barclays
Premier League fixture
03.08.2013
Andy Carroll has set his sights on running out at the Boleyn Ground on the
opening day of the 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season. The West Ham
United and England forward, who made his move from Liverpool permanent this
summer for a club-record fee, has been sidelined since the final day of last
season with a heel injury. However, the new No9 has told West Ham TV that
his rehabilitation has been going well and he is still hopeful of featuring
against Cardiff City on Saturday 17 August. "I've been working hard. I've
been away to Germany with the lads and keeping myself as fit as I can with
the work I can do with my heel still being sore," said Carroll. "It's been
tough but I've been working hard to be back for the beginning of the season.
"I'm doing a lot of cardiovascular work to keep my fitness up without
stressing my heel, which means going on the rowing machine and on the bike
and doing all the things I don't like, really! I've been working hard,
hopefully I'll be back for the start of the season. "I couldn't think of
anything worse than being injured during pre-season. It's painful to watch
everyone else going out and having a laugh and me just doing one-on-one
physio work in the gym. It's a nightmare but I've just got to get myself fit
and ready. I don't like it in the gym, so it makes me push myself that bit
harder. I'm dying to get back and kicking a ball again. I can't wait because
the last time I kicked a ball was in the final game of last season."
While the home pre-season meeting with UEFA Champions League qualifiers
Pacos de Ferreira may come too soon for the Gateshead-born forward, Carroll
has urged his team-mates to set a marker down by getting the better of their
Portuguese visitors - for both themselves and the supporters. "I think the
lads have done great in their pre-season games and obviously they'll want to
do well in the first game back here at the Boleyn Ground. The fans will be
dying to get the season started as well, so it'll be good."
A week later, West Ham tackle newly-promoted Cardiff in east London. Like
the Hammers did a year ago, Carroll believes the Bluebirds will want to make
a strong start to life in the Barclays Premier League. Whether or not the
No9 is available, Sam Allardyce's side will start the game as favourites,
but Carroll says West Ham should take nothing for granted against the
reigning Championship winners. "It's always important to get a win in the
first game of the season. Obviously they have just come up so it'll be
tough. They have just been promoted and will want to show what they are all
about. We need to understand that and get a win under our belts. "I think
everyone is buzzing about and has come back in great form and great spirits.
Everyone is looking forward to the start of the season. They have been
working hard over the summer and cannot wait for the beginning."
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Haycock: There's still work to do
WHUFC.com
Under-21s coach Nick Haycock urged his players to produce even more after
Saturday's win at Hornchurch
03.08.2013
Development Squad boss Nick Haycock strives for the very best and while his
West Ham United side put four past AFC Hornchurch on Saturday, he insists
there remains plenty of room for improvement. Having twice fallen behind at
the Hornchurch Stadium, goals from the returning Dylan Tombides, Blair
Turgott, George Moncur and Paul McCallum eventually saw the Hammers to a
comfortable 4-2 success. Victory, however, was the very least that Haycock
expected, with a greater emphasis on the manner in which his young charges
went about their business. He told West Ham TV: "For the boys, it's almost
a no-win situation because we're expected to win the game, regardless of
what side we put. There were no first-team players obviously, but we put out
a healthy squad.
"We try to get the ball down and play. They've kept the grass long for their
first game of the season and we didn't really play with the tempo that we
did against Southend the other night. I warned the boys before the game. I
explained you've got to make this a game that's played at a tempo, so that
you take your higher fitness and technical levels to a place where you're
producing chance after chance. "I think the disappointment was that the two
goals we conceded were sloppy. All pre-season we've played some good stuff.
You can see the type of football that we try to play and we've created
chances, but equally we've given some sloppy goals away. That's why they're
in the Development Squad, because they're developing players. There are
still some youngsters in there and there were some pleasing performances as
well."
None more so than that of Tombides, who marked his first start in some two
years with an expertly-taken goal. Though the Australian has had to contend
with testicular cancer over the past couple of years, he needed just 12
minutes to get his name on the score-sheet here.
Haycock continued: "It's great to have Dylan back in the fold and I think
he's a talent. A great kid and he's a good addition to the Club never mind
the group."
Tombides' header was the first of the Hammers' four goals on the day, as the
hosts struggled to contain the visitors' attacking flair. Having failed to
find the back of the net at Southend, the goals came as some relief to the
men in claret and blue, though Haycock thought it should have been more
emphatic.
"We could have scored more than four goals, there are no two ways about it.
We can't afford not to convert chances. As you go up the levels you don't
get as many chances and equally, if you make silly mistakes you get
punished. I know it's a cliché in football, but it's the truth. The higher
you go, you play against better quality players and they pounce on your
mistakes. Even at the level here, it happened. It's a case of getting back
on the training field and making sure they try to right the wrongs."
But no matter of the outcome on Saturday, Haycock was rightly thrilled to be
able to bring a West Ham XI to the Ryman Premier side, fully aware of the
value of such an occasion. "We're doing our bit for our local neighbours,
it's a terrific club and it always has been. It's always a pleasure to come
over here and help out a local club. There were a lot of West Ham fans in
the Hornchurch crowd as well!"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Have We Really Improved? We Need At Least Three More Players, Not One
By Iain Dale
West Ham Till I Die
The new signings have certainly come to a shuddering halt. After the initial
burst at the end of the season it does seem very strange that the squad
hasn't been added to or that no one has been sold. Indeed, it is very much
as you were. At the start of every new season you like to think you have a
side which is a distinct improvement on the side which finished the previous
one. Well, can we really say that? Razvan Rat is an accomplished left back
and will bring some stability to that position but the jury is certainly out
on whether Dan Whitehead and Adrian will be able to make a first team
breakthrough. Yes, we have spent £15 million on Andy Carroll, but we had him
before. With the departures of four strikers (Chamakh, Cole, Hall and
Paulista) I can't see how Sam Allardyce can be satisfied with one more
signing. With Gary O'Neil gone we are a midfielder down, although you could
argue we had an embarrassment of riches in that department, but don't we
also need a further central defender? I suppose Diarra, with his new
positive attitude, could be treated as a new signing and could play in
midfield or central defence, but I'd like to think we will make an effort to
persuade Scott Parker to return and be realistic about his wages.
Maiga looks to have decided, like Diarra, that he wants to be positive and
it was good to see him among the goals in Germany. But surely we need to buy
another Andy Carroll type forward and also a smaller, trickier goalscorer
who can play in the centre and on the right. I am none to impressed by the
prospect of the Werder Bremen forward Marco Arnautovic. He has a very
troubled disciplinary record and has scored 14 in 70 games for Bremen. Why
would we want a player with that kind of record? I would be excited by the
prospect of Kalou, or even Remy, but I wonder whether we ought not to be
looking at bringing back another player from ten years ago, Jermain Defoe. I
know, I know, the circumstances of his departure weren't great, but he's a
proven goalscorer. He's only 30 and wouldn't cost the earth. Just a thought.
Just finally, I was sorry to see Kieron Dyer announce his retirement. He has
only played 25 matches in the last six years and has been so unlucky with
his injury record. On his day he was one of the best players in the country,
but sadly we never saw the best of him at Upton Park. Indeed, we hardly saw
him at all.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
U18s through to Eurofoot semi-finals
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are through to the last-four at the pre-season Eurofoot
Tournament in Belgium
03.08.2013
West Ham United have made a superb start at the pre-season Eurofoot
Tournament in Belgium, winning four of their five Group A fixtures to reach
the semi-finals. The Under-18s won their opening three Group A matches
without conceding a single goal, scoring eight goals themselves in the
process. A 2-1 win over KV Oostende meant defeat by the same scoreline by FC
Utrecht could not stop the Hammers finish top of their group. The Hammers
opened the competition in Oostduinkerke on Friday afternoon with a 1-0
victory over Club Brugge, with new signing Jordan Brown scoring the only
goal of the game. Later the same day, Rob Girdlestone, Marcio Martins, and
trialist Carlos Gonzalez-Cabrera were on target in a 3-0 win over a second
Belgian side, AA Gent. Saturday morning saw Steve Potts' youngsters take to
the pitch for a third time, but Belgian giants Anderlecht proved to be no
match for West Ham as Brown, Nathan Mavila and schoolboys Decarrey Sheriff
and Fatia Adebayo on target in a 4-0 success. West Ham completed their slate
of Group A fixtures by beating a fourth Belgian side, KV Oostende, 2-1 with
goals from Jamie Harney and Djair Parfitt-Williams. Sheriff scored in a 2-1
defeat by Dutch side FC Utrecht on Saturday evening, but a haul of 12 points
could not stop the Hammers from winning Group A. Having finished in the top
two, the Hammers will meet local rivals and Group B runners-up Tottenham
Hotspur in the semi-finals at 11am on Sunday local time, with the final to
follow at 4.30pm.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham Hope to Sign Werder Bremen Forward
by Michael Oliver August 3rd, 2013
CuaghtOffside.com
West Ham are interested in a deal to sign Werder Bremen forward Marko
Arnautovic this summer, according to the Daily Mail. The versatile attacker
has been made available for transfer this summer, as Hammers manager Sam
Allardyce eyes a cut-price deal this window. Without a reliable striking
partner for Andy Carroll at the club, the talented Austrian attacker is seen
as a must-sign target with only a month to go in the transfer window.
The Bundesliga club also reportedly have offers from Spain for the 24-year
old, but Arnautovic is keen on a transfer to the London club to experience
Premier League football. Having failed in bids to sign highly rated
Colombian youngster Duvan Zapata and Lille forward Salomon Kalou, Allardyce
sees Arnautovic as a slightly cheaper attacking option that is more
versatile.
Able to play on either wing, as well as down the middle, Arnautovic would be
an ideal addition to remove the goalscoring burden from Carroll's shoulders.
Along with Modibo Maiga, who has impressed the Hammers coaches this
pre-season, the Irons would have assembled a talented striking group capable
of firing in the goals to keep them up.
Arnautovic will likely operate in a wide-right role, as Andy Carroll will
play down the middle. Allardyce is keen to bring in one more forward this
summer, but has been unlucky in his pursuit of Spartak Moscow striker
Emmanuel Emenike and West Brom forward Peter Odemwingie, but the London club
are yet to reach an agreement with either club for their transfers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham chase player who Mourinho said has the attitude ''of a child''
HITC Sport
by Mathew Nash
West Ham United have been linked with a move for plenty of strikers in
recent days - as Sam Allardyce hunts for a perfect partner to play alongside
Andy Carroll. David Sullivan, the clubs co-owner has admitted that the team
will be looking to bring in a striker with pace to play off the front-man -
but it seems the player will also be someone who can play out wide. That can
be safely assumed by the clubs decision not to pursue a deal for Salamon
Kalou - after the former Chelsea player could not be given assurances over
playing down the middle. Therefore the link with Marko Arnautovic makes
sense. A quick forward with the ability to play out wide he is also
available for transfer. Werder Bremen are willing to entertain the idea of
selling the Austrian this summer. Most Bundesliga sides are in a current
position of financial power. However not every team is in such an excellent
financial position. Werder are one such team who need to raise some funds.
Arnautovic is one of the clubs best assets at this current moment in time so
moving him on is a priority. However West Ham appear to have competition on
the horizon. It is reported in Bild that Real Sociedad and Valencia are
ready to make a move for the player this summer. But is he the sort of
player either side should be going for this summer. The former Inter Milan
striker has something of a reputation as a bad boy. Jose Mourinho once
stated that Arnautovic ''is a fantastic person but has the attitude of a
child.'' While at Inter Milan he was best pals with none other than Mario
Balotelli - the two raising hell wherever they went no doubt. But West Ham
should be perfect for him. Sam Allardyce has something of a knack for
getting the best out of, let's say, difficult characters. Nicolas Anelka,
Kevin Nolan, Youri Djorkaeff - there is a trend. If anyone is going to get
the best out of him then Big Sam might just be the man.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Saturday, August 3
Daily WHUFC News - 3rd August 2013
Nasha expects stern Hornchurch test
WHUFC.com
Hammers youngster Amos Nasha insists the U21s are on the right track ahead
of a trip to Hornchurch
02.08.2013
West Ham United scholar Amos Nasha urged the Development Squad to continue
where they left off at Southend United, as they travel to AFC Hornchurch on
Saturday. While the Hammers ultimately succumbed to a slender 1-0 defeat,
there was much to be proud of at Roots Hall, as Nick Haycock's men held the
upper hand for much of the contest against the Sky Bet League Two side.
Though Nasha and his colleagues would ultimately draw a blank in front of
goal, the 17-year-old knows that playing the right brand of patient football
will eventually yield results. He told whufc.com: "We played some good
football at Southend and had a lot of chances, we just need to take them
this time. "Football-wise we played really well, got the ball moving and we
were opening them up. But on the day, it just wouldn't go in for us. It
still gave us confidence and Nick thought we did well. We've just got to be
more clinical."
This weekend's contest at Ryman Premier outfit AFC Hornchurch will
inevitably present a rather different challenge, with Nasha under no
illusions of what awaits them. But whatever the surroundings, Nasha insists
the Hammers' second string must show the confidence to stick to their guns
and continue passing the ball. "We're expecting a good test physically and
we're planning to move the ball quickly because we know they'll be on us
straight away," he continued.
"We might have to adapt our game slightly on Saturday, but we'll still play
the right way. Even though it might be a bobbly pitch against tough
opposition, we've still got to be brave enough to do it. We're getting a
good mix into our game, long ball and playing on the ground as well. "Nick
has been saying that in Development Squad football we've got to start
getting the results, but it's all a learning curve. To be fair, the results
always matter, but we're trying to produce players so playing the right way
will bring those results."
All ticket information for Saturday's 3pm kick-off at the Hornchurch Stadium
is available here. The Hammers have received an allocation of 1,000 standing
tickets, priced at just £10 for Adults and £5 for both Under-16s and
Over-65s.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Chadwell Chatter
WHUFC.com
West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble blogs for whufc.com with the latest
from inside the camp
01.08.2013
In the first of a regular series of West Ham United player blogs here on
whufc.com, midfielder Mark Noble updates us on the latest news from the
Club's Chadwell Heath training ground...
Hello everyone,
I hope you have all enjoyed your summer and are looking forward to the
2013/14 season in the Barclays Premier League. We've been back in pre-season
for a month now and we all cannot wait for the season to start. Thursday was
a busy day for us, as we had our fitness tests at the training ground. We
had our body fat and muscle composition measured, dental and eye checks, and
a number of other tests to show the level where we are currently at. It's
something we do during every pre-season, so the coaching staff and the
medical staff can analyse where we are, the strength we have in the muscles
and then we will do it again in about six months so they can see how far
we've come on. It gives you a level for your whole body, what you need to
work on, and if your right ankle is stiffer than your left ankle and all
that sort of stuff. It's good to know, and it's a useful tool to keep you
fit. It's good to know the info as a player because if you get an injury
during the season, you know where you were at the start and where exactly
you need to be. It all helps in the long run, as the data shows in the last
couple of years how much it has helped us in terms of injury prevention.
This side of the game has improved massively even since my career started.
Since the manager came in he drilled it into us that this is so important
because he needs his players to peak every Saturday afternoon. The more
players he has to pick from is obviously better for him and it seems like
the data all adds up and works. If we go over a certain amount of body fat
we get fined, so we have to watch our weight because in this day and age you
need to be as fit as you can in the Premier League. If you're not, you'll
get found out.
Personally, I'm feeling really good. I played my first 90 minutes last
Saturday against Eintracht Braunschweig, and had a 75-minute run out before
that, so I've got quite a lot of minutes under my belt already. With another
three games coming up against Portuguese teams, I'm looking forward to it
and I can't wait to get out on the pitch again.
When you start the Premier League season you need to be fit and ready, so
playing against the teams like we did in Germany and we will face in
Portugal, who keep the ball and make you work for it, is a good test. We
managed to get a few good workouts in Germany and now we're ready for
Portugal and we'll be ready for the season. With the heat we had on Thursday
too, we'll be ready for the weather over there! Out in Germany, once we
finished training, done all the testing and had a run outside, it was nice
to go and sit on the riverbank for two or three hours, and carry on the
fishing we managed to fit in during our downtime in Germany. As you can see
from this photo, I showed the boys a thing or two when it comes to fishing
out there!
I hope to see a few of you out in Portugal next week and lots more at the
home game against Pacos de Ferreira on Saturday 10 August. Then, it'll be
all eyes on Cardiff City and the start of the season for real. I can't wait!
Come on you Irons!
Nobes
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hoy champions Olympic legacy
WHUFC.com
West Ham TV caught up with Sir Chris Hoy a year on from another golden Games
at London 2012
02.08.2013
Great Britain's most decorated Olympian, Sir Chris Hoy, has lent his full
support to West Ham United's move to Stratford, insisting that a busy
Olympic Stadium is imperative. Exactly a year on from his team sprint gold
at London 2012, a now retired Hoy is about as vocal a supporter of Olympic
legacy as there is and in no doubt of the value of West Ham's future
occupancy of the iconic Stadium. The six-time Olympic champion was thrilled
to see the place a hive of activity in recent days, safe in the knowledge
that come 2016/17 the Hammers will bring plenty of colour and life to the
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Speaking of the Hammers' switch to Stratford, Hoy exclusively told West Ham
TV: "It's just great to see the facilities being used. If you look back to
previous Games, like Barcelona and Athens, there are a lot of venues that
are now sitting locked up. It's really important that they are all being
used on a regular basis, so it's great for the sport."
The Edinburgh-born cyclist might be a Hearts fan, but that is not about to
stop him returning to the Olympic Stadium when the Hammers are in town.
"I'll take any excuse to come down here," he joked. "I don't take much
persuading. What a great venue. To be in here to see Usain Bolt run and to
see David Rudisha break the 800m World Record, it's fantastic."
While Hoy's athletic exploits last summer were confined to the velodrome,
his memories are anything but. As Great Britain's flag bearer for the
opening ceremony, Hoy knows better than most how special the atmosphere was.
"It was a bit of a blur really. I literally couldn't see anything! There
were bright lights shining on you and confetti cannons going off. It was
just a blur of excitement and all over in the blink of an eye. It was a
great experience and a huge honour to lead the team out. "[Being in the
Olympic Stadium] is bringing back all the memories of all those fantastic
times from last year. I can't believe it's been a year since the Games, but
it's great to see so many people enjoying this."
Though the Anniversary Games and celebrations are now at a close, Hoy is
full of optimism for the future, adamant that, with the Hammers on board,
the Olympic legacy is in rude health. "This is a starting point, it's not
the end. Everyone feels a little bit sad at the end of the Games themselves,
but we've got to look forward now and realise we've got this whole
generation of young people who have been swept up by this enthusiasm in
sport. "And it's not just the Olympic sports, you look at the Lions tour
and you've got the Ashes. In all sports we seem to be dominating at the
moment, except maybe football, but maybe that will come too! "It's great
because kids think why can't I be a champion? Instead of in the past where
you're used to being the plucky loser, now we have this winning belief and
that will be a big part of the legacy for the future."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
QPR are reportedly set to sign midfielder Gary O'Neil
Last Updated: August 2, 2013 1:40pm
SSN
Sky sources report that QPR have agreed a deal to sign former West Ham
midfielder Gary O'Neil. The 30-year-old had been a free agent, having been
released by the Hammers at the start of June and will now step into the
Championship as relegated QPR continue to rebuild their squad. O'Neil will
be teaming up once again with QPR boss Harry Redknapp, the duo having worked
together previously at Portsmouth, for whom O'Neil made over 150 appearances
between 1999 and 2007. Having joined Middlesbrough in the summer of 2007, he
went on to play over 100 times for Boro, before signing a
two-and-a-half-year deal with West Ham in January 2011. If his move to QPR
is confirmed he would be following in the wake of Danny Simpson, Richard
Dunne and Charlie Austin, who have already joined the west London club this
summer. QPR begin their Championship campaign at home to Sheffield Wednesday
on Saturday as they look to bounce back into the top flight at the first
attempt.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Cardiff City in loan battle with West Ham for Real Madrid starlet Denis
Cheryshev
2 Aug 2013 17:17
WALESONLINE.CO.UK
The Russian winger, 22, is on a four-year contract at the Bernabeu, but
Madrid have not ruled out a loan move with Cardiff and West Ham among those
said to be interested. Cardiff City have been linked with a move for Real
Madrid's young winger Denis Cheryshev , according to sources in Spain. The
Russian winger, 22, is on a four-year contract at the Bernabeu, but Madrid
have not ruled out a loan move with Cardiff and West Ham among those said to
be interested.
Malky Mackay is still keen to add 'two or three' players to his Premier
League squad and has been linked with moves for a number of players this
week. He said today: "We have various irons in the fire at the moment and I
have plenty of targets. "We will continue to be diligent and go about our
work in the way that we've always gone about it in terms of getting players
in."
West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie is one according to national reports with
Crystal Palace, Hull, Swansea and Fulham also interested in the £3m-rated
striker. But the only offer so far came from Dubai club Al Nasr, whose
£850,000 offer was rejected. City are also said to be tracking Lille's
ex-Chelsea player Salomon Kalou along with West Brom, West Ham and Valencia.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Redknapp Changes His Stance on West Ham & Newcastle Target Remy
By TONY MOGAN: Subscribe to Tony's RSS feed | August 2, 2013 4:46 PM GMT
IBTimes.co.uk
Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp has told Newcastle United and
West Ham United they will have to pay £2m if they want to sign Loic Remy on
loan this season. The R's boss yesterday indicated that the club are looking
to recoup the entire £8m they paid Marseille for the striker's services last
January with the Frenchman's departure now all but certain following the
arrival of Charlie Austin at Loftus Road. But the former Tottenham Hotspur
manager has today explained that a loan fee of £2m would suffice if any club
wish to take the Frenchman who scored six goa ls in 14 appearances for the
club last season."We paid about £8m for him, so if someone wants to loan him
for a year, we are entitled to get £2m a year for him," said Redknapp.
"Make no mistake, he will get between 15 and 20 goals next season if he goes
to a Premier League club. "He is a top-class player, a player for any club
in the Premier League in my opinion."
While Newcastle have been the most persistently linked with Remy, news that
Alan Pardew's side have agreed a fee with Lyon for striker Bafetimbi Gomis
could see interest from the north east fade, allowing West Ham and any other
potential suitors to swoop for the QPR man. Hammers boss Sam Allardyce
yesterday confirmed that the club are looking to make one more signing
before the transfer window closes, likely to be a striker based on comments
made by the club's co-owner David Gold last month. The club have also
indicated they are on the lookout for someone to partner their record
signing Andy Carroll for the new season and Remy could very well be on that
shortlist. In addition to Remy, Redknapp also addressed the futures of two
of his other stand out performers in what was a thoroughly miserable
campaign for QPR last term in Julio Cesar and Adel Taarabt. While resigned
to losing the pair, Redknapp has warned that QPR's relegation to the second
tier has had no bearing on the fees the club expect to receive for the duo.
"Julio is a world class goalkeeper, he played for Brazil in the
Confederations Cup and won it with them," Redknapp said of Cesar, who has
been linked with Arsenal throughout the summer. "I think he can play for any
team in the world. I think he wants to play higher than in the Championship.
So it is up to someone to come in and want to buy him. They will be buying a
great goalkeeper. "Adel has great ability, if he wants to leave someone's
got to pay the right money for him. If someone wants to loan him they have
got to pay the going rate . ""He can go and turn a team around when his mind
is right, he's an amazing talent.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Hammers youngster Amos Nasha insists the U21s are on the right track ahead
of a trip to Hornchurch
02.08.2013
West Ham United scholar Amos Nasha urged the Development Squad to continue
where they left off at Southend United, as they travel to AFC Hornchurch on
Saturday. While the Hammers ultimately succumbed to a slender 1-0 defeat,
there was much to be proud of at Roots Hall, as Nick Haycock's men held the
upper hand for much of the contest against the Sky Bet League Two side.
Though Nasha and his colleagues would ultimately draw a blank in front of
goal, the 17-year-old knows that playing the right brand of patient football
will eventually yield results. He told whufc.com: "We played some good
football at Southend and had a lot of chances, we just need to take them
this time. "Football-wise we played really well, got the ball moving and we
were opening them up. But on the day, it just wouldn't go in for us. It
still gave us confidence and Nick thought we did well. We've just got to be
more clinical."
This weekend's contest at Ryman Premier outfit AFC Hornchurch will
inevitably present a rather different challenge, with Nasha under no
illusions of what awaits them. But whatever the surroundings, Nasha insists
the Hammers' second string must show the confidence to stick to their guns
and continue passing the ball. "We're expecting a good test physically and
we're planning to move the ball quickly because we know they'll be on us
straight away," he continued.
"We might have to adapt our game slightly on Saturday, but we'll still play
the right way. Even though it might be a bobbly pitch against tough
opposition, we've still got to be brave enough to do it. We're getting a
good mix into our game, long ball and playing on the ground as well. "Nick
has been saying that in Development Squad football we've got to start
getting the results, but it's all a learning curve. To be fair, the results
always matter, but we're trying to produce players so playing the right way
will bring those results."
All ticket information for Saturday's 3pm kick-off at the Hornchurch Stadium
is available here. The Hammers have received an allocation of 1,000 standing
tickets, priced at just £10 for Adults and £5 for both Under-16s and
Over-65s.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Chadwell Chatter
WHUFC.com
West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble blogs for whufc.com with the latest
from inside the camp
01.08.2013
In the first of a regular series of West Ham United player blogs here on
whufc.com, midfielder Mark Noble updates us on the latest news from the
Club's Chadwell Heath training ground...
Hello everyone,
I hope you have all enjoyed your summer and are looking forward to the
2013/14 season in the Barclays Premier League. We've been back in pre-season
for a month now and we all cannot wait for the season to start. Thursday was
a busy day for us, as we had our fitness tests at the training ground. We
had our body fat and muscle composition measured, dental and eye checks, and
a number of other tests to show the level where we are currently at. It's
something we do during every pre-season, so the coaching staff and the
medical staff can analyse where we are, the strength we have in the muscles
and then we will do it again in about six months so they can see how far
we've come on. It gives you a level for your whole body, what you need to
work on, and if your right ankle is stiffer than your left ankle and all
that sort of stuff. It's good to know, and it's a useful tool to keep you
fit. It's good to know the info as a player because if you get an injury
during the season, you know where you were at the start and where exactly
you need to be. It all helps in the long run, as the data shows in the last
couple of years how much it has helped us in terms of injury prevention.
This side of the game has improved massively even since my career started.
Since the manager came in he drilled it into us that this is so important
because he needs his players to peak every Saturday afternoon. The more
players he has to pick from is obviously better for him and it seems like
the data all adds up and works. If we go over a certain amount of body fat
we get fined, so we have to watch our weight because in this day and age you
need to be as fit as you can in the Premier League. If you're not, you'll
get found out.
Personally, I'm feeling really good. I played my first 90 minutes last
Saturday against Eintracht Braunschweig, and had a 75-minute run out before
that, so I've got quite a lot of minutes under my belt already. With another
three games coming up against Portuguese teams, I'm looking forward to it
and I can't wait to get out on the pitch again.
When you start the Premier League season you need to be fit and ready, so
playing against the teams like we did in Germany and we will face in
Portugal, who keep the ball and make you work for it, is a good test. We
managed to get a few good workouts in Germany and now we're ready for
Portugal and we'll be ready for the season. With the heat we had on Thursday
too, we'll be ready for the weather over there! Out in Germany, once we
finished training, done all the testing and had a run outside, it was nice
to go and sit on the riverbank for two or three hours, and carry on the
fishing we managed to fit in during our downtime in Germany. As you can see
from this photo, I showed the boys a thing or two when it comes to fishing
out there!
I hope to see a few of you out in Portugal next week and lots more at the
home game against Pacos de Ferreira on Saturday 10 August. Then, it'll be
all eyes on Cardiff City and the start of the season for real. I can't wait!
Come on you Irons!
Nobes
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hoy champions Olympic legacy
WHUFC.com
West Ham TV caught up with Sir Chris Hoy a year on from another golden Games
at London 2012
02.08.2013
Great Britain's most decorated Olympian, Sir Chris Hoy, has lent his full
support to West Ham United's move to Stratford, insisting that a busy
Olympic Stadium is imperative. Exactly a year on from his team sprint gold
at London 2012, a now retired Hoy is about as vocal a supporter of Olympic
legacy as there is and in no doubt of the value of West Ham's future
occupancy of the iconic Stadium. The six-time Olympic champion was thrilled
to see the place a hive of activity in recent days, safe in the knowledge
that come 2016/17 the Hammers will bring plenty of colour and life to the
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Speaking of the Hammers' switch to Stratford, Hoy exclusively told West Ham
TV: "It's just great to see the facilities being used. If you look back to
previous Games, like Barcelona and Athens, there are a lot of venues that
are now sitting locked up. It's really important that they are all being
used on a regular basis, so it's great for the sport."
The Edinburgh-born cyclist might be a Hearts fan, but that is not about to
stop him returning to the Olympic Stadium when the Hammers are in town.
"I'll take any excuse to come down here," he joked. "I don't take much
persuading. What a great venue. To be in here to see Usain Bolt run and to
see David Rudisha break the 800m World Record, it's fantastic."
While Hoy's athletic exploits last summer were confined to the velodrome,
his memories are anything but. As Great Britain's flag bearer for the
opening ceremony, Hoy knows better than most how special the atmosphere was.
"It was a bit of a blur really. I literally couldn't see anything! There
were bright lights shining on you and confetti cannons going off. It was
just a blur of excitement and all over in the blink of an eye. It was a
great experience and a huge honour to lead the team out. "[Being in the
Olympic Stadium] is bringing back all the memories of all those fantastic
times from last year. I can't believe it's been a year since the Games, but
it's great to see so many people enjoying this."
Though the Anniversary Games and celebrations are now at a close, Hoy is
full of optimism for the future, adamant that, with the Hammers on board,
the Olympic legacy is in rude health. "This is a starting point, it's not
the end. Everyone feels a little bit sad at the end of the Games themselves,
but we've got to look forward now and realise we've got this whole
generation of young people who have been swept up by this enthusiasm in
sport. "And it's not just the Olympic sports, you look at the Lions tour
and you've got the Ashes. In all sports we seem to be dominating at the
moment, except maybe football, but maybe that will come too! "It's great
because kids think why can't I be a champion? Instead of in the past where
you're used to being the plucky loser, now we have this winning belief and
that will be a big part of the legacy for the future."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
QPR are reportedly set to sign midfielder Gary O'Neil
Last Updated: August 2, 2013 1:40pm
SSN
Sky sources report that QPR have agreed a deal to sign former West Ham
midfielder Gary O'Neil. The 30-year-old had been a free agent, having been
released by the Hammers at the start of June and will now step into the
Championship as relegated QPR continue to rebuild their squad. O'Neil will
be teaming up once again with QPR boss Harry Redknapp, the duo having worked
together previously at Portsmouth, for whom O'Neil made over 150 appearances
between 1999 and 2007. Having joined Middlesbrough in the summer of 2007, he
went on to play over 100 times for Boro, before signing a
two-and-a-half-year deal with West Ham in January 2011. If his move to QPR
is confirmed he would be following in the wake of Danny Simpson, Richard
Dunne and Charlie Austin, who have already joined the west London club this
summer. QPR begin their Championship campaign at home to Sheffield Wednesday
on Saturday as they look to bounce back into the top flight at the first
attempt.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Cardiff City in loan battle with West Ham for Real Madrid starlet Denis
Cheryshev
2 Aug 2013 17:17
WALESONLINE.CO.UK
The Russian winger, 22, is on a four-year contract at the Bernabeu, but
Madrid have not ruled out a loan move with Cardiff and West Ham among those
said to be interested. Cardiff City have been linked with a move for Real
Madrid's young winger Denis Cheryshev , according to sources in Spain. The
Russian winger, 22, is on a four-year contract at the Bernabeu, but Madrid
have not ruled out a loan move with Cardiff and West Ham among those said to
be interested.
Malky Mackay is still keen to add 'two or three' players to his Premier
League squad and has been linked with moves for a number of players this
week. He said today: "We have various irons in the fire at the moment and I
have plenty of targets. "We will continue to be diligent and go about our
work in the way that we've always gone about it in terms of getting players
in."
West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie is one according to national reports with
Crystal Palace, Hull, Swansea and Fulham also interested in the £3m-rated
striker. But the only offer so far came from Dubai club Al Nasr, whose
£850,000 offer was rejected. City are also said to be tracking Lille's
ex-Chelsea player Salomon Kalou along with West Brom, West Ham and Valencia.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Redknapp Changes His Stance on West Ham & Newcastle Target Remy
By TONY MOGAN: Subscribe to Tony's RSS feed | August 2, 2013 4:46 PM GMT
IBTimes.co.uk
Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp has told Newcastle United and
West Ham United they will have to pay £2m if they want to sign Loic Remy on
loan this season. The R's boss yesterday indicated that the club are looking
to recoup the entire £8m they paid Marseille for the striker's services last
January with the Frenchman's departure now all but certain following the
arrival of Charlie Austin at Loftus Road. But the former Tottenham Hotspur
manager has today explained that a loan fee of £2m would suffice if any club
wish to take the Frenchman who scored six goa ls in 14 appearances for the
club last season."We paid about £8m for him, so if someone wants to loan him
for a year, we are entitled to get £2m a year for him," said Redknapp.
"Make no mistake, he will get between 15 and 20 goals next season if he goes
to a Premier League club. "He is a top-class player, a player for any club
in the Premier League in my opinion."
While Newcastle have been the most persistently linked with Remy, news that
Alan Pardew's side have agreed a fee with Lyon for striker Bafetimbi Gomis
could see interest from the north east fade, allowing West Ham and any other
potential suitors to swoop for the QPR man. Hammers boss Sam Allardyce
yesterday confirmed that the club are looking to make one more signing
before the transfer window closes, likely to be a striker based on comments
made by the club's co-owner David Gold last month. The club have also
indicated they are on the lookout for someone to partner their record
signing Andy Carroll for the new season and Remy could very well be on that
shortlist. In addition to Remy, Redknapp also addressed the futures of two
of his other stand out performers in what was a thoroughly miserable
campaign for QPR last term in Julio Cesar and Adel Taarabt. While resigned
to losing the pair, Redknapp has warned that QPR's relegation to the second
tier has had no bearing on the fees the club expect to receive for the duo.
"Julio is a world class goalkeeper, he played for Brazil in the
Confederations Cup and won it with them," Redknapp said of Cesar, who has
been linked with Arsenal throughout the summer. "I think he can play for any
team in the world. I think he wants to play higher than in the Championship.
So it is up to someone to come in and want to buy him. They will be buying a
great goalkeeper. "Adel has great ability, if he wants to leave someone's
got to pay the right money for him. If someone wants to loan him they have
got to pay the going rate . ""He can go and turn a team around when his mind
is right, he's an amazing talent.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, August 2
Daily WHUFC News - 2nd August 2013
Big Sam loving London life
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce is loving life in London and loving life as West Ham United
manager
01.08.2013
Sam Allardyce is loving life in London and loving life as West Ham United
manager. Big Sam is about to embark on his tenth season as a Barclays
Premier League boss, having enjoyed spells with Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle
United and Blackburn Rovers prior to joining the Hammers in July 2011. Now
happily settled in Canary Wharf and looking forward to building on two
successful seasons in the Hammers hot seat, the manager is relishing what
promises to be an exciting and challenging 2013/14 campaign. "It has been a
really good couple of years for me, not just from a football point of view,
but from the fact that we're enjoying our time living in Canary Wharf," said
Big Sam. "The big city has been great to explore and it takes the pressure
off when you want to get out and get away from it all, you've got plenty to
do and plenty to see. "Obviously with the football side going well as well,
it has been a really good two years. And hopefully it will be more
successful, building up to getting in that new Olympic Stadium. "I think the
fans will all be itching to get the season started again. When they see
everybody coming back for pre-season, everyone starts looking forward to the
start of the season. With great expectation, every club will be expected do
better than they did last season."
While the pressure-filled Barclays Premier League is still two weeks away,
Big Sam has been working hard with the Board and his recruitment staff all
summer, identifying and attempting to sign transfer targets. Four new
players have already joined - Andy Carroll, Razvan Rat, Adrian and Danny
Whitehead - while the Club have made no secret of their desire to bring in
one more forward. That said, the manager is delighted that he has not had to
overhaul his squad to the same extent that he did in the summers of 2011 and
2012. "It has been one of the quietest pre-seasons I've had for about eight
years I'm glad to say. We have done some good business, obviously the Andy
deal was the first one. We've got a new goalkeeper, Adrian, from Real Betis,
who seems to be settling in very well. "We've got Razvan Rat from a
defensive point of view, so we're probably looking at securing one more
player within the budget we've got available this summer. And hopefully that
will make us a little bit better than last year. "From our point of view, we
have to look at everybody else's spending throughout the summer up until the
deadline. Then we'll have a better idea of if the Premier League going to be
any stronger from last season and that's the challenge you have to face up
to."
West Ham have three pre-season fixtures with Portuguese opposition to tackle
before the big kick-off at home to Cardiff City on Saturday 17 August. The
Hammers will face Sporting Clube de Portugal and SC Braga in the Algarve
early next week before welcoming Pacos de Ferreira to the Boleyn Ground on
10 August. Looking further forward, Big Sam is hoping his squad will make
the same strong start that stood them so well last term. With home games
against Cardiff and Stoke City and away matches at Newcastle United,
Southampton and Hull City to begin, the manager believes the Hammers can put
points on the board again in August and September. However, the manager is
eager for West Ham to improve an away record that saw them win just three
times in 19 games on the road last term. "Yes, they are [winnable games].
Our home form was the key to our success and our away form, in the end,
wasn't very good, considering that when we got promoted the year before our
away form was better than our home form. So it was quite strange from that
point of view. "The fixtures have been reasonably kind but there are no easy
games in the Premier League as everybody knows. A good start for us like
last season, we got 14 points out of the first eight games, is something
that we need to target yet again if we want to be as good as were last year.
"With that group of fixtures, not that I'm saying that they're easy, but if
you started off with Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester
City in the first eight, that would be difficult. But we haven't got that to
begin with and we need that strong start yet again."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Under-18s set for Eurofoot adventure
WHUFC.com
Hammers Academy side to take on Europe's elite in Belgian tournament
01.08.2013
West Ham United's Under-18s will experience a taste of top European
competition this weekend when they take part in the Yale Eurofoot Toernooi
in Belgium.
The tournament brings together 12 teams from England, Belgium, France,
Netherlands and Belgium over three days of competition. Steve Potts' Hammers
side begin their campaign in Group A on Friday, with six 50 minutes games
across two days to be played during the first stage. The Hammers are set to
face Club Brugge, AA Gent, KV Oostende, FC Utrecht and RSC Anderlecht,
whilst the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Standard Liege are in the other
group. West Ham finished sixth in last year's tournament, which is held in
the western Belgian town of Oostduinkerke, and Potts believes the three-day
competition will prove invaluable for his team. "It will be a great
experience for the boys," he said. "Going away together as a group is
important, and the games we play will offer us a different kind of test too.
"We have six shorter games to play over the three days which will be great
as we prepare for the new season. "It's good to take on different opposition
with different styles - we will face teams of differing styles in our league
matches, so this will prove invaluable."
West Ham kick-off their challenge against Club Brugge at 10.30am local time
on Friday before taking on Gent at 1.45pm. On Saturday, the Hammers take on
Anderlecht at 10am, KV Oostende at 1.15pm and Utrecht at 6.15pm.
Play-offs for each position and finals will be played on Sunday.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce targets one more signing before start
of season
Last Updated: August 1, 2013 1:11pm
SSN
West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce is looking to add just one more player to
his squad before the start of the season. The Hammers broke their record
transfer fee to sign Andy Carroll, while goalkeeper Adrian, full-back Razvan
Rat and midfielder Danny Whitehead have all moved to Upton Park. Allardyce
is pleased with those additions and believes they will benefit his side.
"This has been one of the quietest summers I've had," he said. "We have done
some good business. "Andy Carroll has come in, we've got a new goalkeeper in
Adrian from Real Betis, who seems to be settling in very well, and Razvan
Rat will help strengthen the defence."
Despite having England international Carroll among their ranks, it is
believed adding another striker to the squad remains a priority. Carlton
Cole was released and both Wellington and Marouane Chamakh returned to their
parent clubs after loan spells last season, and with Carroll unlikely to
feature in West Ham's season opener against Cardiff, Allardyce is light up
front. Former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou have been heavily linked with a
move to Upton Park and Allardyce has said it is likely only one more
acquisition will be made. "We're looking at securing one more player within
the budget we've got this summer, and hopefully that will make us a little
bit better than last season," he said.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham pull out of deal for Duvan Zapata
By Paulo Freitas. Last Updated: August 1, 2013 2:35pm
SSN
West Ham United have pulled out of a deal for Colombian striker Duvan
Zapata. Sky Sports revealed West Ham's interest in the £8million-rated
striker earlier this summer. The Hammers applied for a work permit for the
22-year-old and were hopeful that they would win a deal for Zapata, who is
expected to be part of Colombia's squad for next year's World Cup finals.
But now Sky Sports understands that West Ham have decided to pull back from
the deal and are looking at other striking targets. Zapata, who is believed
to have other interest in England, has also attracted interest from Italy
and Spain with the likes of Sassuolo and Atletico Madrid both said to be
keen. The player himself has insisted he is in no hurry to leave, telling
Ole: "If I do leave then the board need to find a new striker, a target man,
so my idea is to stay."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Redknapp Names His Price for Newcastle & West Ham Target Remy
By TONY MOGAN: Subscribe to Tony's RSS feed | August 1, 2013 4:53 PM GMT
Ibtimes.co.uk
Queens Park Rangers are ready to sell Loic Remy this summer but Newcastle
United and West Ham will have to pay the striker's £8m buy-out clause to get
their man. The R's manager Harry Redknapp has previously held faint hopes of
holding onto the France international for another season as they prepare for
life in the Championship, but the club's £4m purchase of Charlie Austin has
paved the way for Remy's exit. Both Newcastle and West Ham are keen to bring
the 26-year-old, who struck six goals for QPR following his move from
Marseille in January, back to the Premier League. A season long loan move
with the option to buy next summer has been suggested, but Redknapp
maintains the club are looking to cash in on the striker. "I don't think he
will go on loan. I can't see any sense in it," Redknapp is quoted as saying
by the London Evening Standard. "I don't know why we'd pay £8m and then loan
him out. If he wants to go, someone will have to pay for him. He has a
buy-out clause and we want our money back."
Newcastle have made signing a striker a priority this summer with Fulham's
Darren Bent, Lyon forward Bafetimbi Gomis and Remy on the club's radar. Remy
rejected the opportunity to join Alan Pardew's side to instead move to
Loftus Road during the January transfer window but such is the club's need
for another option other than Papiss Cisse, they may be willing to forgive
and forget that snub. West Ham meanwhile are still in the market for a
partner for record signing Andy Carroll. Manager Sam Allardyce claimed on
Thursday the club are looking to make one more signing before the start of
the new season, and following confirmation from co-owner David Gold last
month that another striker will be brought in, the reasonably priced Remy
could well be on their radar. Remy's expected departure from Loftus Road is
increasingly likely after QPR completed a £4m deal for Charlie Austin. "I
have always liked him, he's a goal scorer," Redknapp said of the
24-year-old, who struck 28 goals in 40 league appearances for Burnley last
season. "He scored a fantastic array of goals last season and if you get the
ball into the box for him, he will find the net."
Away from the pitch, QPR have also been busy. The club have been the most
socially savvy football team ahead of the 2013 season, with more than the
audience of Facebook and Twitter followers - over 330,000 combined when
compared to all teams in the Football League's three leagues determined in
research conducted by social advertising company RadiumOne.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham keen to sign Werder Bremen striker Arnautovic to partner Carroll
By SIMON JONES
PUBLISHED: 22:12, 1 August 2013 | UPDATED: 22:12, 1 August 2013
Daily Mail
West Ham are interested in a deal for Werder Bremen striker Marko
Arnautovic, 24. The 6ft 3in Austria powerhouse can play on either wing or as
a central striker. His pace and versatility have attracted boss Sam
Allardyce, who is eager to lift the goalscoring burden from Andy Carroll.
The Bundesliga club also have offers from clubs in Spain but Arnautovic is
keen to move to London. Allardyce had shown interest in several forwards
such as Salomon Kalou, Peter Odemwingie and Emmanuel Emenike of Spartak
Moscow, but Arnautovic will give him more options, is marginally cheaper and
offers decent re-sale value.
Allardyce said: 'We're looking at securing one more player within the budget
this summer.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gold's early Hammer blow
Posted by Peter Thorne
ESPN
David Gold has defended Sam Allardyce before the season has started. Well,
you have to hand it to David Gold, the Chairman certainly dealt a
pre-emptive strike on behalf of Sam Allardyce there!
Before a ball has even been kicked in anger -- in this case, one from 50
yards away -- West Ham's joint-owner has defended the preconceived
assumptions about his manager's style of play in no uncertain terms. In a
no-nonsense statement to ESPN, Gold categorically denied that Sam was an
exponent of the long-ball game, going so far as to suggest that some of the
football he has seen over the past couple of seasons has been "the best and
most exciting" in all his years of supporting the Hammers.
It was an interesting statement to make before the pre-season matches have
even been completed and only emphasises how highly Allardyce is rated at
Upton Park by the men in charge. There are still some fans not sold on the
way that Sam sets out his teams admittedly, but that proportion are getting
smaller every season and are likely to disappear completely if the ex-Bolton
defender can lead West Ham into the Olympic Stadium in 2016 as a solid
top-ten Premiership club
This column has always had a lot of time for Allardyce and his methods
purely because -- by and large -- they bring results. It has always amused
me the way that a team like Manchester United - as they did at the Boleyn
when scoring the injury-time leveller in the 3rd Round of the F.A. Cup last
season - can launch a ball deep from defence to a forward and have people
drooling, while Big Sam will have to contend with the tactic being described
as Route One. David Beckham made his name from the type of 'long cross' or
'lofted ball' that has Allardyce critics talking of 'ale house' and
'dinosaur' football.
Essentially, it comes down to the skill of the players providing the long
ball, so the aforementioned Giggs punt -- called a 'pass' by Sir Alex
Ferguson -- was made even better by Van Persie's ability to bring the ball
down and control it, and before anyone thinks I damn it with faint praise, I
think Gigg's ability to hit a front-man from that distance is skill of the
highest calibre. In short, like most football supporters, I don't care how
it gets there, providing it does.
Gold perhaps did his defence of Allardyce no favours by directly mentioning
Roberto Martiniez and Arsene Wenger as managers who will 'go to their grave
telling their teams to pass the ball' but it seems churlish to criticise the
Chairman for making his feelings known before the first whistle blows,
although if he hopes that he won't have to trot these lines out again over
the course of the next nine months, it's likely Mr Gold will be sadly
disappointed.
However, one area where I must disagree with the Chairman is his assertation
that Big Sam isn't a 'cute panda' that you wouldn't want to 'pick up and
give a cuddle too'. On the contrary, whenever I see our Manager on TV I've
always wanted to grab his jowled chops and give them a shake like a baby
while growling. Probably best I never meet him...
Elsewhere, in an attempt to ensure that the Board's words are backed by
strong action, the club are trying to sign Salomon Kalou, the ex-Chelsea
striker who Lille were prepared to part with for £3.5 million. However, it
seems that Kalou has doubts about returning to England and with Valencia
apparently having made a counter-offer, hopes on this one may be dashed.
With Andy Carroll still to start competitive training, a signing like Kalou
would be a real boost to the side although Modibo Maiga's form -- he scored
a brace against German side Eintracht Braunschweig in a comfortable 3-0 win
at the weekend -- is apparently encouraging, but the Coaching team must feel
like wrapping Maiga in cotton wool as the Malian is pretty much the only
forward of note at Upton Park currently.
It promises to be a pretty hectic lead up to the opening game of the 2013/4
season and I doubt the Hammers will be quiet in the transfer market; let's
hope something comes of it. In the meantime, please note the headline
'Hammer blow' was seen on this column for the first time this season and I
would like to lay claim to it. Anyone wishing to send this blog £1 for every
time it is spotted before next May then feel free!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Sam Allardyce is loving life in London and loving life as West Ham United
manager
01.08.2013
Sam Allardyce is loving life in London and loving life as West Ham United
manager. Big Sam is about to embark on his tenth season as a Barclays
Premier League boss, having enjoyed spells with Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle
United and Blackburn Rovers prior to joining the Hammers in July 2011. Now
happily settled in Canary Wharf and looking forward to building on two
successful seasons in the Hammers hot seat, the manager is relishing what
promises to be an exciting and challenging 2013/14 campaign. "It has been a
really good couple of years for me, not just from a football point of view,
but from the fact that we're enjoying our time living in Canary Wharf," said
Big Sam. "The big city has been great to explore and it takes the pressure
off when you want to get out and get away from it all, you've got plenty to
do and plenty to see. "Obviously with the football side going well as well,
it has been a really good two years. And hopefully it will be more
successful, building up to getting in that new Olympic Stadium. "I think the
fans will all be itching to get the season started again. When they see
everybody coming back for pre-season, everyone starts looking forward to the
start of the season. With great expectation, every club will be expected do
better than they did last season."
While the pressure-filled Barclays Premier League is still two weeks away,
Big Sam has been working hard with the Board and his recruitment staff all
summer, identifying and attempting to sign transfer targets. Four new
players have already joined - Andy Carroll, Razvan Rat, Adrian and Danny
Whitehead - while the Club have made no secret of their desire to bring in
one more forward. That said, the manager is delighted that he has not had to
overhaul his squad to the same extent that he did in the summers of 2011 and
2012. "It has been one of the quietest pre-seasons I've had for about eight
years I'm glad to say. We have done some good business, obviously the Andy
deal was the first one. We've got a new goalkeeper, Adrian, from Real Betis,
who seems to be settling in very well. "We've got Razvan Rat from a
defensive point of view, so we're probably looking at securing one more
player within the budget we've got available this summer. And hopefully that
will make us a little bit better than last year. "From our point of view, we
have to look at everybody else's spending throughout the summer up until the
deadline. Then we'll have a better idea of if the Premier League going to be
any stronger from last season and that's the challenge you have to face up
to."
West Ham have three pre-season fixtures with Portuguese opposition to tackle
before the big kick-off at home to Cardiff City on Saturday 17 August. The
Hammers will face Sporting Clube de Portugal and SC Braga in the Algarve
early next week before welcoming Pacos de Ferreira to the Boleyn Ground on
10 August. Looking further forward, Big Sam is hoping his squad will make
the same strong start that stood them so well last term. With home games
against Cardiff and Stoke City and away matches at Newcastle United,
Southampton and Hull City to begin, the manager believes the Hammers can put
points on the board again in August and September. However, the manager is
eager for West Ham to improve an away record that saw them win just three
times in 19 games on the road last term. "Yes, they are [winnable games].
Our home form was the key to our success and our away form, in the end,
wasn't very good, considering that when we got promoted the year before our
away form was better than our home form. So it was quite strange from that
point of view. "The fixtures have been reasonably kind but there are no easy
games in the Premier League as everybody knows. A good start for us like
last season, we got 14 points out of the first eight games, is something
that we need to target yet again if we want to be as good as were last year.
"With that group of fixtures, not that I'm saying that they're easy, but if
you started off with Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester
City in the first eight, that would be difficult. But we haven't got that to
begin with and we need that strong start yet again."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Under-18s set for Eurofoot adventure
WHUFC.com
Hammers Academy side to take on Europe's elite in Belgian tournament
01.08.2013
West Ham United's Under-18s will experience a taste of top European
competition this weekend when they take part in the Yale Eurofoot Toernooi
in Belgium.
The tournament brings together 12 teams from England, Belgium, France,
Netherlands and Belgium over three days of competition. Steve Potts' Hammers
side begin their campaign in Group A on Friday, with six 50 minutes games
across two days to be played during the first stage. The Hammers are set to
face Club Brugge, AA Gent, KV Oostende, FC Utrecht and RSC Anderlecht,
whilst the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Standard Liege are in the other
group. West Ham finished sixth in last year's tournament, which is held in
the western Belgian town of Oostduinkerke, and Potts believes the three-day
competition will prove invaluable for his team. "It will be a great
experience for the boys," he said. "Going away together as a group is
important, and the games we play will offer us a different kind of test too.
"We have six shorter games to play over the three days which will be great
as we prepare for the new season. "It's good to take on different opposition
with different styles - we will face teams of differing styles in our league
matches, so this will prove invaluable."
West Ham kick-off their challenge against Club Brugge at 10.30am local time
on Friday before taking on Gent at 1.45pm. On Saturday, the Hammers take on
Anderlecht at 10am, KV Oostende at 1.15pm and Utrecht at 6.15pm.
Play-offs for each position and finals will be played on Sunday.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce targets one more signing before start
of season
Last Updated: August 1, 2013 1:11pm
SSN
West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce is looking to add just one more player to
his squad before the start of the season. The Hammers broke their record
transfer fee to sign Andy Carroll, while goalkeeper Adrian, full-back Razvan
Rat and midfielder Danny Whitehead have all moved to Upton Park. Allardyce
is pleased with those additions and believes they will benefit his side.
"This has been one of the quietest summers I've had," he said. "We have done
some good business. "Andy Carroll has come in, we've got a new goalkeeper in
Adrian from Real Betis, who seems to be settling in very well, and Razvan
Rat will help strengthen the defence."
Despite having England international Carroll among their ranks, it is
believed adding another striker to the squad remains a priority. Carlton
Cole was released and both Wellington and Marouane Chamakh returned to their
parent clubs after loan spells last season, and with Carroll unlikely to
feature in West Ham's season opener against Cardiff, Allardyce is light up
front. Former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou have been heavily linked with a
move to Upton Park and Allardyce has said it is likely only one more
acquisition will be made. "We're looking at securing one more player within
the budget we've got this summer, and hopefully that will make us a little
bit better than last season," he said.
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West Ham pull out of deal for Duvan Zapata
By Paulo Freitas. Last Updated: August 1, 2013 2:35pm
SSN
West Ham United have pulled out of a deal for Colombian striker Duvan
Zapata. Sky Sports revealed West Ham's interest in the £8million-rated
striker earlier this summer. The Hammers applied for a work permit for the
22-year-old and were hopeful that they would win a deal for Zapata, who is
expected to be part of Colombia's squad for next year's World Cup finals.
But now Sky Sports understands that West Ham have decided to pull back from
the deal and are looking at other striking targets. Zapata, who is believed
to have other interest in England, has also attracted interest from Italy
and Spain with the likes of Sassuolo and Atletico Madrid both said to be
keen. The player himself has insisted he is in no hurry to leave, telling
Ole: "If I do leave then the board need to find a new striker, a target man,
so my idea is to stay."
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Redknapp Names His Price for Newcastle & West Ham Target Remy
By TONY MOGAN: Subscribe to Tony's RSS feed | August 1, 2013 4:53 PM GMT
Ibtimes.co.uk
Queens Park Rangers are ready to sell Loic Remy this summer but Newcastle
United and West Ham will have to pay the striker's £8m buy-out clause to get
their man. The R's manager Harry Redknapp has previously held faint hopes of
holding onto the France international for another season as they prepare for
life in the Championship, but the club's £4m purchase of Charlie Austin has
paved the way for Remy's exit. Both Newcastle and West Ham are keen to bring
the 26-year-old, who struck six goals for QPR following his move from
Marseille in January, back to the Premier League. A season long loan move
with the option to buy next summer has been suggested, but Redknapp
maintains the club are looking to cash in on the striker. "I don't think he
will go on loan. I can't see any sense in it," Redknapp is quoted as saying
by the London Evening Standard. "I don't know why we'd pay £8m and then loan
him out. If he wants to go, someone will have to pay for him. He has a
buy-out clause and we want our money back."
Newcastle have made signing a striker a priority this summer with Fulham's
Darren Bent, Lyon forward Bafetimbi Gomis and Remy on the club's radar. Remy
rejected the opportunity to join Alan Pardew's side to instead move to
Loftus Road during the January transfer window but such is the club's need
for another option other than Papiss Cisse, they may be willing to forgive
and forget that snub. West Ham meanwhile are still in the market for a
partner for record signing Andy Carroll. Manager Sam Allardyce claimed on
Thursday the club are looking to make one more signing before the start of
the new season, and following confirmation from co-owner David Gold last
month that another striker will be brought in, the reasonably priced Remy
could well be on their radar. Remy's expected departure from Loftus Road is
increasingly likely after QPR completed a £4m deal for Charlie Austin. "I
have always liked him, he's a goal scorer," Redknapp said of the
24-year-old, who struck 28 goals in 40 league appearances for Burnley last
season. "He scored a fantastic array of goals last season and if you get the
ball into the box for him, he will find the net."
Away from the pitch, QPR have also been busy. The club have been the most
socially savvy football team ahead of the 2013 season, with more than the
audience of Facebook and Twitter followers - over 330,000 combined when
compared to all teams in the Football League's three leagues determined in
research conducted by social advertising company RadiumOne.
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West Ham keen to sign Werder Bremen striker Arnautovic to partner Carroll
By SIMON JONES
PUBLISHED: 22:12, 1 August 2013 | UPDATED: 22:12, 1 August 2013
Daily Mail
West Ham are interested in a deal for Werder Bremen striker Marko
Arnautovic, 24. The 6ft 3in Austria powerhouse can play on either wing or as
a central striker. His pace and versatility have attracted boss Sam
Allardyce, who is eager to lift the goalscoring burden from Andy Carroll.
The Bundesliga club also have offers from clubs in Spain but Arnautovic is
keen to move to London. Allardyce had shown interest in several forwards
such as Salomon Kalou, Peter Odemwingie and Emmanuel Emenike of Spartak
Moscow, but Arnautovic will give him more options, is marginally cheaper and
offers decent re-sale value.
Allardyce said: 'We're looking at securing one more player within the budget
this summer.'
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Gold's early Hammer blow
Posted by Peter Thorne
ESPN
David Gold has defended Sam Allardyce before the season has started. Well,
you have to hand it to David Gold, the Chairman certainly dealt a
pre-emptive strike on behalf of Sam Allardyce there!
Before a ball has even been kicked in anger -- in this case, one from 50
yards away -- West Ham's joint-owner has defended the preconceived
assumptions about his manager's style of play in no uncertain terms. In a
no-nonsense statement to ESPN, Gold categorically denied that Sam was an
exponent of the long-ball game, going so far as to suggest that some of the
football he has seen over the past couple of seasons has been "the best and
most exciting" in all his years of supporting the Hammers.
It was an interesting statement to make before the pre-season matches have
even been completed and only emphasises how highly Allardyce is rated at
Upton Park by the men in charge. There are still some fans not sold on the
way that Sam sets out his teams admittedly, but that proportion are getting
smaller every season and are likely to disappear completely if the ex-Bolton
defender can lead West Ham into the Olympic Stadium in 2016 as a solid
top-ten Premiership club
This column has always had a lot of time for Allardyce and his methods
purely because -- by and large -- they bring results. It has always amused
me the way that a team like Manchester United - as they did at the Boleyn
when scoring the injury-time leveller in the 3rd Round of the F.A. Cup last
season - can launch a ball deep from defence to a forward and have people
drooling, while Big Sam will have to contend with the tactic being described
as Route One. David Beckham made his name from the type of 'long cross' or
'lofted ball' that has Allardyce critics talking of 'ale house' and
'dinosaur' football.
Essentially, it comes down to the skill of the players providing the long
ball, so the aforementioned Giggs punt -- called a 'pass' by Sir Alex
Ferguson -- was made even better by Van Persie's ability to bring the ball
down and control it, and before anyone thinks I damn it with faint praise, I
think Gigg's ability to hit a front-man from that distance is skill of the
highest calibre. In short, like most football supporters, I don't care how
it gets there, providing it does.
Gold perhaps did his defence of Allardyce no favours by directly mentioning
Roberto Martiniez and Arsene Wenger as managers who will 'go to their grave
telling their teams to pass the ball' but it seems churlish to criticise the
Chairman for making his feelings known before the first whistle blows,
although if he hopes that he won't have to trot these lines out again over
the course of the next nine months, it's likely Mr Gold will be sadly
disappointed.
However, one area where I must disagree with the Chairman is his assertation
that Big Sam isn't a 'cute panda' that you wouldn't want to 'pick up and
give a cuddle too'. On the contrary, whenever I see our Manager on TV I've
always wanted to grab his jowled chops and give them a shake like a baby
while growling. Probably best I never meet him...
Elsewhere, in an attempt to ensure that the Board's words are backed by
strong action, the club are trying to sign Salomon Kalou, the ex-Chelsea
striker who Lille were prepared to part with for £3.5 million. However, it
seems that Kalou has doubts about returning to England and with Valencia
apparently having made a counter-offer, hopes on this one may be dashed.
With Andy Carroll still to start competitive training, a signing like Kalou
would be a real boost to the side although Modibo Maiga's form -- he scored
a brace against German side Eintracht Braunschweig in a comfortable 3-0 win
at the weekend -- is apparently encouraging, but the Coaching team must feel
like wrapping Maiga in cotton wool as the Malian is pretty much the only
forward of note at Upton Park currently.
It promises to be a pretty hectic lead up to the opening game of the 2013/4
season and I doubt the Hammers will be quiet in the transfer market; let's
hope something comes of it. In the meantime, please note the headline
'Hammer blow' was seen on this column for the first time this season and I
would like to lay claim to it. Anyone wishing to send this blog £1 for every
time it is spotted before next May then feel free!
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, August 1
Daily WHUFC News - 1st August 2013
Hammers head for Portugal
WHUFC.com
West Ham United will take part in the prestigious pre-season Torneio do Guadiana in Portugal
31.07.2013
West Ham United are happy to confirm that the Club will take part in the Torneio do Guadiana in Portugal. The three-team pre-season competition will be held at the Estádio Municipal de Portimão in the Algarve, with the Hammers taking on Sporting Clube de Portugal and SC Braga. The Hammers will take on Sporting Clube de Portugal on Monday 5 August and SC Braga on Tuesday 6 August, with both matches kicking-off at 9.15pm local time. Sporting will take on Braga on Wednesday 7 August, with the winners of the competition following in the footsteps of previous winners Sporting, Real Betis Balompie, SL Benfica and Newcastle United. "We are honoured to be involved in such a prestigious pre-season tournament against two of Portugal's best sides in Sporting Clube de Portugal and SC Braga," said manager Sam Allardyce. "The Guadiana Tournament will be the perfect preparation for our 2013/14 season in the Barclays Premier League and both myself and my players are very much looking forward to taking part in it. "Sporting Lisbon are one of Portugal's oldest and most historic clubs, having won the Portuguese title 18 times and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1964 - a year before us! "We played Braga in a pre-season match in Portugal a year ago and it was a very competitive match which ended in a 1-1 draw. Braga are a club with a proud recent history, having reached the UEFA Europa League final as recently as 2011, and we look forward to facing them again. "The weather and facilities are sure to be superb and we are all relishing the opportunity of getting down to work on the Algarve, a region of Portugal where many West Ham fans either make their homes or regularly visit for holidays."
Sporting finished seventh in the Primeira Liga last season. Managed by Leonardo Jardim, the club from the capital will be hoping to bounce back this term. Among the star names in Jardim's squad are Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio, Argentina defender Marcos Rojo, Spain winger Diego Capel and Peru forward Andre Carrillo. Braga will face the Hammers for the second pre-season in succession, having held Sam Allardyce's side to a 1-1 draw at the Estadio AXA in August 2012, when Winston Reid scored a late equaliser. The Archbishops have been busy in the transfer window this summer, bringing in goalkeepers Cassio and Eduardo from Pacos de Ferreira and Genoa respectively, Serbian full-back Aleksandar Miljkovic from Partizan, defenders Vitor Bastos and Joãozinho from Vitória Guimarães and Beira-Mar and strikers Edinho and Salvador Agra from Malaga and Real Betis respectively. West Ham supporters can watch the match from the East Stand, with tickets costing just €12.50 each. Hammers fans can buy their tickets in person from the Ticket Office at the Estádio Municipal de Portimão on matchdays. Alternatively, you can buy tickets online here. The 9,544-capacity stadium is home to Portimonense Sporting Clube, who finished sixth in the Portuguese Segunda Liga in 2012/13.
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Taylor glad of tough tests
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Matt Taylor says playing top European opposition can only benefit the team
31.07.2013
Matt Taylor feels the Hammers' recent tour of Germany has helped hone their preparations for the new campaign. Having played teams from the League of Ireland and the lower divisions in England prior to leaving for Germany, Sam Allardyce's men sharpened themselves up by taking on three Bundesliga outfits.
After being soundly defeated by FSV Mainz in the tour opener, West Ham bounced back superbly to beat Hamburger SV and Eintracht Braunschweig and left-sider Taylor says that is evidence of the progress made in pre-season. "It was a good tour of Germany," he told whufc.com. "It's always easier when you're away.to concentrate on the training and nothing else, to get your body in good condition for the forthcoming season. "We did that, had a good trip and a good result to finish with on Saturday. I've felt fine over the games we've played and the team has played very well. "We were caught a bit unawares when we played Mainz - they were exceptionally talented on the ball, but we played a lot better against Hamburg and we scored some good goals as well. "The tour was a step up in opposition and you need to prepare yourselves as best as you can for the Premier League season. The teams we played out there were very good technically, up there with the teams in the Premier League. "The games are slightly different in terms of the pace and maybe the way that it is played, but it was a fantastic opportunity to test ourselves against what is arguably one of the best leagues in the world."
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Lee looking to improve
WHUFC.com
Young West Ham United forward Elliot Lee is setting himself goals ahead of the 2013/14 season
31.07.2013
Throughout his West Ham United career, Elliot Lee has made his name by setting himself and then scoring goals - lots of them. The prolific 18-year-old has long been considered one of the hottest prospects within the Academy of Football, netting 14 times in 26 appearances for the Hammers' U21 and U18 sides last season. Lee's promise and potential were rewarded by a call-up to Sam Allardyce's first-team squad in January 2013, just a month past his 18th birthday. The forward sat on the bench for the FA Cup third-round draw with Manchester United and Barclays Premier League defeat at Sunderland before making his bow as a substitute in front of 71,081 fans in the replay at Old Trafford. The teenager continued his development by joining Big Sam's squad on their recent tour to Germany, featuring against 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Eintracht Braunschweig, before returning to Development Squad duty at Southend United on Monday evening.
There, he produced an eye-catching performance as Nick Haycock's team were harshly beaten 1-0, but Lee is not about to let one goalless evening ruin his burgeoning career. "I think the lads played really well and passed it around the pitch, as Nick said to us afterwards, but it was unfortunately one of those days when the ball didn't want to go into the back of the net, especially for me!" Lee, who is set to feature in Saturday's pre-season match at AFC Hornchurch, told West Ham TV. "Definitely, as a striker you always want to be in the right position. You start to worry when you don't get the chances, but I'm still getting them.
"I know I can score goals, so I'll just put it down to being one of those days. Hopefully I'll get my misses out [of the way] in pre-season and I'll start scoring soon."
Monday's game at Roots Hall saw the reigning Academy Player of the Year deployed as a deep-lying forward in a 4-4-1-1 formation - a role different from his normal position as a central striker. Again, he does not mind having to be flexible if it means he is on the pitch. "It's just another string to my bow, really. I can play as the frontman or I can play in behind big Paul McCallum. "It helps me because I like getting the ball to feet, turning and running at defenders, so with the big man up there I can play off him and hopefully create chances and score goals."
Lee knows his immediate future lies in the U21 ranks, but his recent inclusion in the tour squad in Germany is a sign that first-team football is far from being an unrealistic ambition. However, with the likes of McCallum, Ravel Morrison, Danny Whitehead and Sean Maguire all vying for a place alongside Andy Carroll and Modibo Maiga in Big Sam's squad, competition is set to be fierce. "I had a great time out there in Germany. It was a really good experience to be around the likes of them and it was really good for me. "I only got 20 minutes in two games, but it was still a good experience for me. Hopefully I can push on and try to get into that first-team squad. "You saw with all the lads out there at Southend that we played brilliantly and passed it all over the park. We all want to get into that first-team squad, so competition only makes it better, really, when you've got to prove you are better than whoever you are up against."
While a regular first-team place remains Lee's long-term goal, he is looking forward to finding the net regularly this season, whoever he is playing for. "I just want to keep scoring goals for the Under-21s, then I want to impress the Gaffer and see what he thinks of me and hopefully push on into the first team. "I'm not saying 'No' to a loan move because, if the right club comes in, I'm definitely up for that. We'll just see what happens as the season goes on."
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Hammers return to Portugal
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 31st July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have confirmed they will be taking part in the Guadiana Trophy, which takes place next week. The three-team tournment also features crack Portuguese sides Sporting Lisbon and SC Braga, who West Ham last met a year ago next month when the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the Estádio AXA.
West Ham open their campaign on Monday, 5th August against Sporting before facing Braga exactly 24 hours later. The final match between the two Portuguese teams takes place on Wednesday, 7th August. All matches are being staged at the 9,544 capacity Estádio Municipal de Portimão, the home of SC Portimonense. Hammers boss Sam Allardyce told whufc.com: "We are honoured to be involved in such a prestigious pre-season tournament against two of Portugal's best sides in Sporting and SC Braga. "The Guadiana tournament will be the perfect preparation for our 2013/14 Premier League season and both myself and my players are very much looking forward to taking part in it. "The weather and facilities are sure to be superb and we are all relishing the opportunity of getting down to work on the Algarve."
The mini-tournament, known also as the Torneio do Guadiana started in 2001 and prior to 2011 featured two Portuguese team plus at least one foreign entrant (in 2005 and 2009 the tournament was extended to two foreign teams). However between 2010 and 2012, only one Portuguese team has entered allowing the likes of fellow Premier League teams Aston Villa and Newcastle to take part. Tickets for all three games will be available on the day, priced at €12.50 (approximately £11). Alternatively you can book your seats via the web here.
Torneio do Guadiana: history
All teams Portuguese unless otherwise indicated.
2012: Winners - Newcastle Utd (EN); 2nd - Olympiakos (GR); 3rd - Braga.
2011: Winners - Benfica/Anderlecht (BE); 3rd - Paris St Germain (FR).
2010: Winners - Benfica; 2nd - Aston Villa (EN); 3rd - Feyenoord (HO).
2009: Winners - Benfica; 2nd - Olhanense; 3rd - Anderlecht (BE); 4th - Athletic Bilbao (SP).
2008: Winners - Sporting; 2nd - Blackburn Rovers (EN); 3rd - Benfica.
2007: Winners - Benfica; 2nd - Real Betis (SP); 3rd - Sporting.
2006: Winners - Sporting; 2nd -Deportivo La Coruña (SP); 3rd - Benfica.
2005: Winners - Sporting; 2nd - Vitória de Setúbal; 3rd - Middlesbrough (EN); 4th - Real Betis (SP).
2004: Winners - Real Betis (SP); 2nd - Benfica.
2003: Winners - Belenenses; 2nd - Benfica.
2002: Winners - Benfica; 2nd - Vitória de Setúbal.
2001: Winners - Vitória de Guimarães; 2nd - Farense; 3rd - Seville (SP).
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Diame rejects Everton bid
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 31st July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham midfielder Mo Diame is understood to have rejected an approach from fellow Premier League side Everton. The 26-year-old midfielder joined West Ham in June 2012 after leaving Wigan Athletic - managed at the time by new Everton boss Roberto Martinez - on a free transfer. And KUMB has learnt that earlier this month the French-born, Senegalese international spurned an approach from the North West club who were hoping to reunite Diame with his former manager at the DW Stadium. It is understood that Diame was offered an improved contract to move to Merseyside but that the player rejected the opportunity, opting instead to remain instead with West Ham with whom he remains under contract until 2015. Martinez, who suceeded the outgoing David Moyes at Goodison Park last month is believed to remain a keen admirer of Diame, whose contract contains a contentious minimum fee release clause which allows him to talk to any other club willing to offer £3.5million. However the West Ham number 21 is currently happy with life in the capital, where he is involved in a number of business projects along with family members. Speaking after Senegal's 1-1 draw with Angola in a Group J World Cup qualifier last month, he reiterated his desire to remain in east London. "I've settled really well [in London] and I'm pleased with how the season went," he said. "I played an important part in the setup and have faith that we can finish even higher [next season]. I understand that my performances have been inconsistent; that's what I need to work on in the future."
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West Ham's Interest In Udinese Striker Confirmed
ForzaItalianFootball.com
Matej Vydra WatfordWest Ham are ready to bring Udinese striker Matej Vydra back to England after last season's great campaign with Watford in the Championship. The 21-year-old shined for the Hornets last season, scoring 22 goals in 47 appearances on route to winning the 2012/13 Championship Player of the Season. As a result West Ham are looking to bring the Czech international back to England and are ready to make a €10 million offer for the former Vyso?ina Jihlava striker. However, gianlucadimarzio.com reports that the Friulani are looking for a fee in the region of €14m for the Chot?bo? native. West Bromwich Albion have also been linked with a move for Vydra, although they are only willing to take the striker on loan at this point. Vydra joined Udinese in 2010 but has only made three appearances for the Zebrette since the move, spending the past two seasons on loan at Club Brugge and Watford.
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West Ham United target QPR striker Loic Remy
Guardian Series
5:58pm Wednesday 31st July 2013 in News
West Ham United are in advanced talks with Loic Remy to bring the Frenchman to Upton Park according to the Daily Star. The QPR striker has a £6m relegation release clause in his contract after the West London club failed to avoid the drop last season and the former Marseille man has been subject to interest from a number of Premier League sides. Remy, 26, scored six times in 14 appearances for QPR last season after his £8m move in January and has attracted attention from Newcastle who are keen to bring in goals after selling Demba Ba to Chelsea six months ago. Hammers boss Sam Allardyce has made no secret of his desires to add to his strike-force, with Salomon Kalou reportedly on the verge of the £3m move to East London. Allardyce is also rumoured to be interested in Ba, who enjoyed a successful short spell at West Ham in 2011 but, with the current Chelsea man keen to stay put, Remy remains very much the first choice target.
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West Ham youth boss wants side to compete in Conference as striker eyes big chance
London24
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
10:51 AM
West Ham Under-21s manager Neil Haycock would love to see a Hammers youth side competing in the Conference. In Spain the reserve sides of Real Madrid and Barcelona play in the equivalent of the Championship, while Bayern Munich's reserve side play at League One level. In England there is an under-21 league, while clubs send their youngsters on loan to gain first-team football. "We have been saying at meetings with the Premier League in recent months that we would like to put a team to compete in the Conference to give the boys the opportunity of playing for points," he told the club's official website. "It showed [on Monday] that we'd be capable of doing that, or maybe even higher than that. "It's something that English football probably needs to look at. "The Development league is good but that next step at the age of 20 or 21, if you cannot make the first team because the average age is going up because of the money in the game, it's something most definitely worth considering," Meanwhile, West Ham's young striker Elliot Lee is hoping to force his way into the first team at Upton Park. The 18-year-old featured on the east London club's tour of Germany but will find it tough to usurp Andy Carrolll and co. He said: "I just want to keep scoring goals for the Under-21s, then I want to impress the Gaffer and see what he thinks of me and hopefully push on into the first team. "I'm not saying 'No' to a loan move because, if the right club comes in, I'm definitely up for that. We'll just see what happens as the season goes on."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United will take part in the prestigious pre-season Torneio do Guadiana in Portugal
31.07.2013
West Ham United are happy to confirm that the Club will take part in the Torneio do Guadiana in Portugal. The three-team pre-season competition will be held at the Estádio Municipal de Portimão in the Algarve, with the Hammers taking on Sporting Clube de Portugal and SC Braga. The Hammers will take on Sporting Clube de Portugal on Monday 5 August and SC Braga on Tuesday 6 August, with both matches kicking-off at 9.15pm local time. Sporting will take on Braga on Wednesday 7 August, with the winners of the competition following in the footsteps of previous winners Sporting, Real Betis Balompie, SL Benfica and Newcastle United. "We are honoured to be involved in such a prestigious pre-season tournament against two of Portugal's best sides in Sporting Clube de Portugal and SC Braga," said manager Sam Allardyce. "The Guadiana Tournament will be the perfect preparation for our 2013/14 season in the Barclays Premier League and both myself and my players are very much looking forward to taking part in it. "Sporting Lisbon are one of Portugal's oldest and most historic clubs, having won the Portuguese title 18 times and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1964 - a year before us! "We played Braga in a pre-season match in Portugal a year ago and it was a very competitive match which ended in a 1-1 draw. Braga are a club with a proud recent history, having reached the UEFA Europa League final as recently as 2011, and we look forward to facing them again. "The weather and facilities are sure to be superb and we are all relishing the opportunity of getting down to work on the Algarve, a region of Portugal where many West Ham fans either make their homes or regularly visit for holidays."
Sporting finished seventh in the Primeira Liga last season. Managed by Leonardo Jardim, the club from the capital will be hoping to bounce back this term. Among the star names in Jardim's squad are Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio, Argentina defender Marcos Rojo, Spain winger Diego Capel and Peru forward Andre Carrillo. Braga will face the Hammers for the second pre-season in succession, having held Sam Allardyce's side to a 1-1 draw at the Estadio AXA in August 2012, when Winston Reid scored a late equaliser. The Archbishops have been busy in the transfer window this summer, bringing in goalkeepers Cassio and Eduardo from Pacos de Ferreira and Genoa respectively, Serbian full-back Aleksandar Miljkovic from Partizan, defenders Vitor Bastos and Joãozinho from Vitória Guimarães and Beira-Mar and strikers Edinho and Salvador Agra from Malaga and Real Betis respectively. West Ham supporters can watch the match from the East Stand, with tickets costing just €12.50 each. Hammers fans can buy their tickets in person from the Ticket Office at the Estádio Municipal de Portimão on matchdays. Alternatively, you can buy tickets online here. The 9,544-capacity stadium is home to Portimonense Sporting Clube, who finished sixth in the Portuguese Segunda Liga in 2012/13.
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Taylor glad of tough tests
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's Matt Taylor says playing top European opposition can only benefit the team
31.07.2013
Matt Taylor feels the Hammers' recent tour of Germany has helped hone their preparations for the new campaign. Having played teams from the League of Ireland and the lower divisions in England prior to leaving for Germany, Sam Allardyce's men sharpened themselves up by taking on three Bundesliga outfits.
After being soundly defeated by FSV Mainz in the tour opener, West Ham bounced back superbly to beat Hamburger SV and Eintracht Braunschweig and left-sider Taylor says that is evidence of the progress made in pre-season. "It was a good tour of Germany," he told whufc.com. "It's always easier when you're away.to concentrate on the training and nothing else, to get your body in good condition for the forthcoming season. "We did that, had a good trip and a good result to finish with on Saturday. I've felt fine over the games we've played and the team has played very well. "We were caught a bit unawares when we played Mainz - they were exceptionally talented on the ball, but we played a lot better against Hamburg and we scored some good goals as well. "The tour was a step up in opposition and you need to prepare yourselves as best as you can for the Premier League season. The teams we played out there were very good technically, up there with the teams in the Premier League. "The games are slightly different in terms of the pace and maybe the way that it is played, but it was a fantastic opportunity to test ourselves against what is arguably one of the best leagues in the world."
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Lee looking to improve
WHUFC.com
Young West Ham United forward Elliot Lee is setting himself goals ahead of the 2013/14 season
31.07.2013
Throughout his West Ham United career, Elliot Lee has made his name by setting himself and then scoring goals - lots of them. The prolific 18-year-old has long been considered one of the hottest prospects within the Academy of Football, netting 14 times in 26 appearances for the Hammers' U21 and U18 sides last season. Lee's promise and potential were rewarded by a call-up to Sam Allardyce's first-team squad in January 2013, just a month past his 18th birthday. The forward sat on the bench for the FA Cup third-round draw with Manchester United and Barclays Premier League defeat at Sunderland before making his bow as a substitute in front of 71,081 fans in the replay at Old Trafford. The teenager continued his development by joining Big Sam's squad on their recent tour to Germany, featuring against 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Eintracht Braunschweig, before returning to Development Squad duty at Southend United on Monday evening.
There, he produced an eye-catching performance as Nick Haycock's team were harshly beaten 1-0, but Lee is not about to let one goalless evening ruin his burgeoning career. "I think the lads played really well and passed it around the pitch, as Nick said to us afterwards, but it was unfortunately one of those days when the ball didn't want to go into the back of the net, especially for me!" Lee, who is set to feature in Saturday's pre-season match at AFC Hornchurch, told West Ham TV. "Definitely, as a striker you always want to be in the right position. You start to worry when you don't get the chances, but I'm still getting them.
"I know I can score goals, so I'll just put it down to being one of those days. Hopefully I'll get my misses out [of the way] in pre-season and I'll start scoring soon."
Monday's game at Roots Hall saw the reigning Academy Player of the Year deployed as a deep-lying forward in a 4-4-1-1 formation - a role different from his normal position as a central striker. Again, he does not mind having to be flexible if it means he is on the pitch. "It's just another string to my bow, really. I can play as the frontman or I can play in behind big Paul McCallum. "It helps me because I like getting the ball to feet, turning and running at defenders, so with the big man up there I can play off him and hopefully create chances and score goals."
Lee knows his immediate future lies in the U21 ranks, but his recent inclusion in the tour squad in Germany is a sign that first-team football is far from being an unrealistic ambition. However, with the likes of McCallum, Ravel Morrison, Danny Whitehead and Sean Maguire all vying for a place alongside Andy Carroll and Modibo Maiga in Big Sam's squad, competition is set to be fierce. "I had a great time out there in Germany. It was a really good experience to be around the likes of them and it was really good for me. "I only got 20 minutes in two games, but it was still a good experience for me. Hopefully I can push on and try to get into that first-team squad. "You saw with all the lads out there at Southend that we played brilliantly and passed it all over the park. We all want to get into that first-team squad, so competition only makes it better, really, when you've got to prove you are better than whoever you are up against."
While a regular first-team place remains Lee's long-term goal, he is looking forward to finding the net regularly this season, whoever he is playing for. "I just want to keep scoring goals for the Under-21s, then I want to impress the Gaffer and see what he thinks of me and hopefully push on into the first team. "I'm not saying 'No' to a loan move because, if the right club comes in, I'm definitely up for that. We'll just see what happens as the season goes on."
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Hammers return to Portugal
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 31st July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United have confirmed they will be taking part in the Guadiana Trophy, which takes place next week. The three-team tournment also features crack Portuguese sides Sporting Lisbon and SC Braga, who West Ham last met a year ago next month when the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the Estádio AXA.
West Ham open their campaign on Monday, 5th August against Sporting before facing Braga exactly 24 hours later. The final match between the two Portuguese teams takes place on Wednesday, 7th August. All matches are being staged at the 9,544 capacity Estádio Municipal de Portimão, the home of SC Portimonense. Hammers boss Sam Allardyce told whufc.com: "We are honoured to be involved in such a prestigious pre-season tournament against two of Portugal's best sides in Sporting and SC Braga. "The Guadiana tournament will be the perfect preparation for our 2013/14 Premier League season and both myself and my players are very much looking forward to taking part in it. "The weather and facilities are sure to be superb and we are all relishing the opportunity of getting down to work on the Algarve."
The mini-tournament, known also as the Torneio do Guadiana started in 2001 and prior to 2011 featured two Portuguese team plus at least one foreign entrant (in 2005 and 2009 the tournament was extended to two foreign teams). However between 2010 and 2012, only one Portuguese team has entered allowing the likes of fellow Premier League teams Aston Villa and Newcastle to take part. Tickets for all three games will be available on the day, priced at €12.50 (approximately £11). Alternatively you can book your seats via the web here.
Torneio do Guadiana: history
All teams Portuguese unless otherwise indicated.
2012: Winners - Newcastle Utd (EN); 2nd - Olympiakos (GR); 3rd - Braga.
2011: Winners - Benfica/Anderlecht (BE); 3rd - Paris St Germain (FR).
2010: Winners - Benfica; 2nd - Aston Villa (EN); 3rd - Feyenoord (HO).
2009: Winners - Benfica; 2nd - Olhanense; 3rd - Anderlecht (BE); 4th - Athletic Bilbao (SP).
2008: Winners - Sporting; 2nd - Blackburn Rovers (EN); 3rd - Benfica.
2007: Winners - Benfica; 2nd - Real Betis (SP); 3rd - Sporting.
2006: Winners - Sporting; 2nd -Deportivo La Coruña (SP); 3rd - Benfica.
2005: Winners - Sporting; 2nd - Vitória de Setúbal; 3rd - Middlesbrough (EN); 4th - Real Betis (SP).
2004: Winners - Real Betis (SP); 2nd - Benfica.
2003: Winners - Belenenses; 2nd - Benfica.
2002: Winners - Benfica; 2nd - Vitória de Setúbal.
2001: Winners - Vitória de Guimarães; 2nd - Farense; 3rd - Seville (SP).
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Diame rejects Everton bid
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 31st July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham midfielder Mo Diame is understood to have rejected an approach from fellow Premier League side Everton. The 26-year-old midfielder joined West Ham in June 2012 after leaving Wigan Athletic - managed at the time by new Everton boss Roberto Martinez - on a free transfer. And KUMB has learnt that earlier this month the French-born, Senegalese international spurned an approach from the North West club who were hoping to reunite Diame with his former manager at the DW Stadium. It is understood that Diame was offered an improved contract to move to Merseyside but that the player rejected the opportunity, opting instead to remain instead with West Ham with whom he remains under contract until 2015. Martinez, who suceeded the outgoing David Moyes at Goodison Park last month is believed to remain a keen admirer of Diame, whose contract contains a contentious minimum fee release clause which allows him to talk to any other club willing to offer £3.5million. However the West Ham number 21 is currently happy with life in the capital, where he is involved in a number of business projects along with family members. Speaking after Senegal's 1-1 draw with Angola in a Group J World Cup qualifier last month, he reiterated his desire to remain in east London. "I've settled really well [in London] and I'm pleased with how the season went," he said. "I played an important part in the setup and have faith that we can finish even higher [next season]. I understand that my performances have been inconsistent; that's what I need to work on in the future."
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West Ham's Interest In Udinese Striker Confirmed
ForzaItalianFootball.com
Matej Vydra WatfordWest Ham are ready to bring Udinese striker Matej Vydra back to England after last season's great campaign with Watford in the Championship. The 21-year-old shined for the Hornets last season, scoring 22 goals in 47 appearances on route to winning the 2012/13 Championship Player of the Season. As a result West Ham are looking to bring the Czech international back to England and are ready to make a €10 million offer for the former Vyso?ina Jihlava striker. However, gianlucadimarzio.com reports that the Friulani are looking for a fee in the region of €14m for the Chot?bo? native. West Bromwich Albion have also been linked with a move for Vydra, although they are only willing to take the striker on loan at this point. Vydra joined Udinese in 2010 but has only made three appearances for the Zebrette since the move, spending the past two seasons on loan at Club Brugge and Watford.
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West Ham United target QPR striker Loic Remy
Guardian Series
5:58pm Wednesday 31st July 2013 in News
West Ham United are in advanced talks with Loic Remy to bring the Frenchman to Upton Park according to the Daily Star. The QPR striker has a £6m relegation release clause in his contract after the West London club failed to avoid the drop last season and the former Marseille man has been subject to interest from a number of Premier League sides. Remy, 26, scored six times in 14 appearances for QPR last season after his £8m move in January and has attracted attention from Newcastle who are keen to bring in goals after selling Demba Ba to Chelsea six months ago. Hammers boss Sam Allardyce has made no secret of his desires to add to his strike-force, with Salomon Kalou reportedly on the verge of the £3m move to East London. Allardyce is also rumoured to be interested in Ba, who enjoyed a successful short spell at West Ham in 2011 but, with the current Chelsea man keen to stay put, Remy remains very much the first choice target.
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West Ham youth boss wants side to compete in Conference as striker eyes big chance
London24
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
10:51 AM
West Ham Under-21s manager Neil Haycock would love to see a Hammers youth side competing in the Conference. In Spain the reserve sides of Real Madrid and Barcelona play in the equivalent of the Championship, while Bayern Munich's reserve side play at League One level. In England there is an under-21 league, while clubs send their youngsters on loan to gain first-team football. "We have been saying at meetings with the Premier League in recent months that we would like to put a team to compete in the Conference to give the boys the opportunity of playing for points," he told the club's official website. "It showed [on Monday] that we'd be capable of doing that, or maybe even higher than that. "It's something that English football probably needs to look at. "The Development league is good but that next step at the age of 20 or 21, if you cannot make the first team because the average age is going up because of the money in the game, it's something most definitely worth considering," Meanwhile, West Ham's young striker Elliot Lee is hoping to force his way into the first team at Upton Park. The 18-year-old featured on the east London club's tour of Germany but will find it tough to usurp Andy Carrolll and co. He said: "I just want to keep scoring goals for the Under-21s, then I want to impress the Gaffer and see what he thinks of me and hopefully push on into the first team. "I'm not saying 'No' to a loan move because, if the right club comes in, I'm definitely up for that. We'll just see what happens as the season goes on."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 31
Daily WHUFC News - 31st July 2013
The Big Interview - Nick Haycock
WHUFC.com
West Ham United U21s manager Nick Haycock on tactics, challenging senior
professionals and loan moves
30.07.2013
Player development is very much a team game at West Ham United. Nick Haycock
takes charge of the Hammers' Under-21 side, overseeing the progress of
players as they make the vital step up from Academy to senior football. With
such an important job, Haycock takes huge pride in his role within the Club
- a role that sees him work closely with manager Sam Allardyce, assistant
Neil McDonald, first-team coach Ian Hendon and Under-18s manager Steve
Potts.
Speaking to West Ham TV following Monday's 1-0 defeat at League Two side
Southend United - a match his youngsters dominated against Phil Brown's team
- Haycock discussed player development, tactics, loan moves and the
possibility of the Hammers fielding a side in the non-league.
If that was a boxing match at Southend United, it would have been stopped in
West Ham's favour well before the end! What was your assessment of a harsh
1-0 defeat at Roots Hall?
NH: "I read Macca's comments building up the game and Ian came and watched
the game and they were saying that Development football is now about playing
against League Two opposition and that making mistakes costs you points,
because they are now in that world," he said. "That being said, I was
delighted with the way we played. We've been working hard in pre-season on
working the ball between the lines and finding the space. I thought we were
excellent in the first half and could have scored five or six. It was there
for the taking. "Funnily enough, with us not taking our chances, we knew
they would get one through an error or maybe from a set piece and I was
disappointed with the way we conceded the goal. If we can just tidy that up,
then we're going to have a good season. "Ian will have been delighted with
the performance. There were some young lads playing against professional
players who are playing in League Two."
How did you feel your young professionals and scholars measured up against
seasoned professionals at Roots Hall?
NH: "We have been saying at meetings with the Premier League in recent
months that we would like to put a team to compete in the Conference to give
the boys the opportunity of playing for points. It showed [on Monday] that
we'd be capable of doing that, or maybe even higher than that. "It's
something that English football probably needs to look at. The Development
league is good but that next step at the age of 20 or 21, if you cannot make
the first team because the average age is going up because of the money in
the game, it's something most definitely worth considering,"
You employed a new 4-4-1-1 formation on Monday, different from the usual
4-3-3 system used. How did you feel your players responded to that change?
NH: "We had two days work on that, I woke up Sunday morning and thought
'We've got to try a different style in a game because we've had three games
playing with the holding midfield player. Through the Academy we have a
philosophy and we just switch the point around in the midfield so you're
playing somebody off the striker. "We transmitted it to the pitch on Sunday
and trained again on Monday with the players who had come back from Germany
and I thought they adapted to it well. There were some disciplined
performances out there and I was delighted with the boys acquitted
themselves."
The Development Squad go to Isthmian League Premier Division side AFC
Hornchurch on Saturday for your final pre-season game. What sort of
challenge are you expecting and what sort of squad will you take to Bridge
Avenue?
NH: "We've had a meeting and the whole goal of pre-season is to challenge
everyone at the right level and to make sure everyone gets minutes. Without
going into too much detail, some of the boys will go with the first team and
the youth team are going to the Eurofoot Tournament in Belgium, so rather
than keeping boys to be subs for me the strongest possible team will go to
Eurofoot to get that experience. "We may be a little bit lighter at the
weekend, but it's an opportunity for the boys who have not played as many
minutes to do so, while giving the utmost respect to Hornchurch, who are our
local neighbours and have a good link and association with the Club. We'll
be doing our bit for them as well. "In terms of the game, it'll be
interesting to see, because I've got to make sure the lads who played at
Southend get themselves equally up for Saturday and not just think 'It's
Hornchurch and we're not playing at Roots Hall'. That'll be interesting for
their development. "As I said to the four boys coming back, I thought they
were excellent in the way they acquitted themselves because what you don't
want is players going away with the first team, thinking they have made it
and them not performing well for us. It will always be about putting in the
performances that do yourself justice and help you push on in your career,
whatever bit of grass you are on."
Finally, a number of our young players will be targeted by other clubs for
loan moves. How do West Ham decide which players are suitable for loans and
which should remain under your own wing?
NH: "That is done with Sam, Neil, Ian and myself chatting about the player,
looking at the club they would go to and making sure they are going to get
an experience there and that they are going to play. The major consideration
is that they are going to play. "Myself, Ian and the scouts will go and
watch them as much as we can and we also have a back-up support system
within the Club in terms of sports science. If the club we send them to
doesn't have the facilities or the personnel, we make sure we monitor them
through ours to make sure they stay up to date with their programmes because
they are still our players.
"They are going out to develop into players we want to play in the Premier
League, so it's a group decision and up to Sam ultimately and rightly so."
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Cole hails Carroll influence
WHUFC.com
Joe Cole believes Andy Carroll is set to produce his best skills
30.07.2013
Joe Cole has seen first hand the transformation Andy Carroll has undergone
since first arriving at the Boleyn Ground a year ago. Frustrated after a
season-and-a-half at Liverpool, Carroll rediscovered his best form after
returning to fitness with the Hammers and signed permanently for Sam
Allardyce's men this summer. Cole, a teammate of the big Geordie at Anfield
as well as in east London, was thrilled to see him at his best towards the
end of last season and believes there is more to come from the No9. He told
West Ham TV: "I've played with Andy at Liverpool and West Ham and the player
who is playing for West Ham is full of confidence, strong, aggressive and
you can see what a great player he is. "He had a difficult time at
Liverpool, but the West Ham Andy Carroll is a real handful and a top player.
He'll be looking at getting in the England squad and he can be anything he
wants to be. "You can look at a [Didier] Drogba, that's the level he can get
to. He's a good lad and we're glad to have him here."
Carroll is facing a race against time to be fit for the start of the new
Barclays Premier League season, and Cole was involved as part of a front
three alongside Ricardo Vaz Te and Modibo Maiga in Saturday's win against
Eintracht Braunschweig. Maiga notched twice at the Eintracht-Stadion and
Cole is happy to see the rest of the striking unit coming into form too. He
added: "The gaffer had a look at Ricardo in the No9 position [on Saturday].
When Andy is the central striker you rely on his attributes, and without him
we have to alter the style a little bit. "Who knows, he might make the start
of the season, but it was great to see Modibo Maiga score two goals on
Saturday as it's always important for your strikers to score goals."
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Under-18s hold off Charlton comeback
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's youngsters registered a 3-2 victory in their latest
warm-up match
30.07.2013
West Ham United's Under-18s continued their preparations for the new season
with a thrilling victory over their Charlton Athletic counterparts on
Tuesday afternoon. Steve Potts' team travelled to south London to take on
the Addicks at their Sparrows Lane training ground and quickly stamped their
authority on the contest. Jordan Brown, a first year scholar who joined the
Academy from Arsenal this summer, notched twice before the break to put the
Hammers in a commanding position. But Charlton came roaring back in the
second half to level thanks to goals from Mehawl Martin and Tomi Adeloye.
Their efforts were to prove in vain however, as Marcio Martins popped up
with a last-minute winner to give the Hammers the perfect send off for their
participation in the Eurofoot Tournament in Belgium from Friday. Under-18s
manager Steve Potts (pictured) said: "It was a deserved win. We had the
chances to make it more comfortable, and you never know what might happen
when a team gets it back to 2-1. "So to respond positively when they brought
it back to 2-2 was excellent and I was pleased with the workout."
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West Ham look to Swedish international
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 30th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are being linked with a move for Malmo midfielder and captain
Jiloan Hamad. The 22-year-old Swede, who was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, is
out of contract with the former European giants later this year and,
according to reports emanating from Scandinavia this afternoon, can count
West Ham as one of several of admirers. That's according to one Swedish
source at least, who claim that West Ham have been in touch with Hamad's
agent with view to a potential permanent deal - despite Malmo's Sporting
Director Per Ågren refusing to confirm whether United had indeed expressed
an interest. "I have no comment to make," a tight-lipped Agren told Fotboll
Skanalen. "I'm sure there are a few clubs interested, but expressing an
interest is very different to signing the player."
As Hamad, who is primarily employed as a winger has less than six months
remaining on the two-year contract he signed with MFF back in 2011, the
six-times capped Swdish international is allowed to talk to other clubs.
Last season (2012) he scored six goals and contributed nine assists for
Malmo in the Allsvenskan, whilst he was an unused substitute in Sweden's
famous 4-2 win against England at the Friends Arena in November 2012. In
this year's Allsvenskan (which runs from March 2013 to November 2013), Hamad
has already scored five times whilst providing a further four assists from
the wing.
The 5'8" wide man began his career in Sweden with lower league club BK
Forward, with whom he spent two years as a pro from 2006 until 2008 before
Malmo spotted his potential. After barely featuring in his first season at
the Swedbank Stadion, it was at the age of 18 that Hamad made the
breakthrough into Malmo's first team squad and he went on to make 20
appearances in 2009, mostly on the right wing. After Guillermo Molins was
sold to Anderlecht in 2001, Hamad made the right wing spot his own and he
was integral to the side that clinched a place in the 2011/12 Champions
League. He is also lauded for having scored the goal that knocked Scottish
champions Rangers out of the competition. Having signed a new deal with the
club at the end of 2011, Hamad was made captain the following year - an
impressive achievment for a player who was still only 21 at the time. Whilst
still on the fringes of the squad, he has already been selected for Sweden's
forthcoming 2013 Winter Tour.
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Give us a Kalou
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 30th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are holding talks with the representatives of Lille forward Salomon
Kalou, according to reports. According to this morning's L'Equipe, Kalou's
agent is in London to hold preliminary discussions with West Ham after the
27-year-old's current club accepted a £3.5million offer for the former
Chelsea man. However, as widely reported already, Kalou is understood to be
keen to play as a pivotal striker - and that's something West Ham are unable
to offer due to the recent club record signing of Andy Carroll, who will
fulfil that particular role. According to the article, Kalou has rejected
the opportunity to move to West Bromwich Albion, who have also been heavily
linked to the Ivorian international. Turkish club Trabzonspor were also said
to be interested. Lille are thought to be keen to seel the player, whose
current contract expires in 2015, in order to free the necessary funds to
allow them to sign former Portsmouth star John Utaka, currently with
Montpellier.
Elsewhere today the Hammers are being linked with a move for Dutch
international Khalid Boulahrouz. Now 31, the defender is currently under
contract with Sporting Lisbon - with whom he signed a two year contract in
2012 - but, according to sources in France, is set to be the target of an
imminent bid from West Ham. The 35-times capped defender previously spent a
year in the Premier League when playing for Chelsea between 2006 and 2007.
However a succession of injuries led to him being loaned to Seville for the
duration of the 2007-08 season, before joining Stuttgart on a permanent deal
in July 2008.
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Ghana defender Samuel Inkoom is hoping to leave Dnipro
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated: July
30, 2013 10:53am
SSN
A host of clubs have been alerted to the availability of Ghana defender
Samuel Inkoom as he seeks a move away from Dnipro. Inkoom has found himself
out of favour at Dnipro under Juande Ramos and spent the second half of last
season on loan at Bastia. The 24-year-old, who has been linked with the
likes of West Ham, Sporting Lisbon and Hamburg in the past, is now back at
Dnipro, but he is keen to move on as it appears he does not figure in Ramos'
plans. Inkoom's agent, Christian Emile, has confirmed they are talking with
Dnipro about securing a move away elsewhere. "The situation with Samuel is
incomprehensible," Emile told Sky Sports. "It was Ramos that wanted Dnipro
to pay a significant transfer fee to acquire his services from Basel and now
the same coach has completely frozen him out. "The problem is a personal one
that neither myself, the player or club hierarchy understand. "Last month
Samuel earned his 40th international cap and played an important role in
helping Ghana move closer to World Cup qualification, yet he has come back
to Dnipro and it is clear that he is still not in the coach's plans. "We are
talking with Dnipro to find a swift resolution, the player must continue his
career elsewhere."
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Norwich boss Chris Hughton rejects West Ham link with Robert Snodgrass
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated: July
30, 2013 3:31pm
SSN
Norwich boss Chris Hughton has warned clubs off making a move for winger
Robert Snodgrass. West Ham have been credited with an interest in former
Leeds star Snodgrass after he impressed at Carrow Road last season. Hughton
has ruled out selling Snodgrass and insists the Scotland international
remains central to his plans. "I think it's testament to how well the
players have done but we are in a good place at the moment," Hughton told
the Pink Un. "We want to ensure we keep hold of our best players and we are
a club at the moment that doesn't need to sell. "We are looking to
strengthen and not let players go. He (Snodgrass) is definitely a player who
is very much in our plans."
Meanwhile, Hughton has refused to rule out a move for Juventus striker Fabio
Quagliarella. Reports in Italy have claimed Norwich have made a bid for
Quagliarella as Hughton looks to add the Italian to his attacking ranks
following the arrivals of Gary Hooper and Ricky van Wolfswinkel. Hughton is
aware of the rumours linking him with Quagliarella, but he is not giving
anything away on his pursuit of the 30-year-old. "I've heard and seen those
reports in the press," added Hughton. "But it's exactly the same as our work
with Gary (Hooper) - from our side we worked in the correct way, very much
behind the scenes and until there was something official to say we didn't
say it. "I think the fact there are some players that are being linked with
us in some ways is a good thing because it means we are trying to be
pro-active and we are trying to improve. But certainly until there is
anything to say we will wait."
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Sam Allardyce wants French ace Loic Remy
SAM ALLARDYCE is facing a fight to convince £6m Loic Remy to swap QPR for
West Ham.
Daily Star
By Adrian Kajumba/Published 31st July 2013
Allardyce will revive his interest in Chelsea striker Demba Ba if he fails
to capture Remy. But the Hammers boss wants to pair Remy with his big summer
signing Andy Carroll to form a new-look attack. West Ham are in advanced
negotiations with Remy over a permanent move to Upton Park. But the
ex-Marseille star and his advisors are waiting to see what other offers come
his way. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew wants the hitman to become the next
Frenchman to sign on at St James' Park but only on loan, However, the
expected offers from the Premier League's big boys have not materialised.
Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton and Liverpool were linked with Remy earlier in
the summer but now have other targets. "West Ham are in advanced
negotiations with Remy over a permanent move to Upton Park." Remy's
situation is complicated after he was arrested on suspicion of rape in May
and bailed until September, an allegation he denies. The 26-year-old, who
has a £6m relegation release clause, hit six goals in 13 starts for QPR
after joining in January for £8m. Ba is Allardyce's fallback option. He
hit seven goals in 12 games during a successful half-season spell at West
Ham back in 2011. Ba insists he is determined to stay at Stamford Bridge,
even if they sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United. But Allardyce
believes he can tempt the Senegal star with the offer of regular first-team
football if his bid to land Remy collapses. Allardyce also hopes to tie up a
deal for ex-Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou, who is in talks over a £3m move
from French side Lille.
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Newcastle look to loan West Ham target Loic Remy as move for Gomis hits
stalemate
NEWCASTLE want to take QPR striker Loic Remy on-loan next season and make
the Frenchman their first signing of the summer.
Daily Star
By Nick Lustig/Published 30th July 2013
Harry Redknapp is desperate to get Remy off the club's wage bill as he seeks
to free up funds for new additions to his squad. The north-east side have
tabled a small fee as well as offering to take on the player's wages in full
to tempt Redknapp to temporarily part with the striker. West Ham are also
interested in the 26-year-old and are monitoring the situation. The French
international may be heading back to the Premier LeagueThe French
international may be heading back to the Premier League QPR were relegated
in May despite the best efforts of the strikerQPR were relegated in May
despite the best efforts of the striker
"Harry Redknapp is desperate to get Remy off the club's wage bill" Remy
scored six times during his stay at Loftus Road, after joining the club in
the January transfer window from Marseille for £8m. The Magpies are
currently facing difficulties in their pursuit of Bafetimbi Gomis, but
remain in talks over a deal for the French international. Newcastle are not
willing to pay more than £6.9m for the Lyon forward, whose contract expires
next summer. Manager Alan Pardew had hoped to bring in at least two new
strikers to the club and will move for Aston Villa's Darren Bent if both
moves fail to materialise. The return of Joe Kinnear to the club as Director
of Football has held up a number of moves for Pardew's summer transfer
targets. However the former Southampton manager is now pushing Kinnear to
finalise deals for his targets or face losing them.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Salomon Kalou unsure about West Ham switch despite fee being agreed
Daily Express
By: Ben Jefferson
Published: Tue, July 30, 2013
Reports in France suggest that Sam Allardyce has had a £3m bid accepted for
the former Chelsea player and the player's representatives are en route to
London to negotiate personal terms. But, according to L'Equipe, a move is
far from being concluded. New Lille coach Rene Girard is thought to be keen
to push through a move to fund new arrivals, but Kalou is not sold on a
return to English football. Kalou found his feet in Ligue 1 in the second
half of last season after struggling initially, and may not want to relocate
again just yet. The 27-year-old Ivorian has a contract with Lille until 2016
and is under no compulsion to contemplate a move. Allardyce also seems to
think that Kalou's preferred position could be an issue preventing a move.
Whether it comes off in terms of which position he wants to play could be
the stumbling block. Kalou was often used as a wide-player coming off the
bench during his time at Chelsea, and is thought to prefer a role as an
out-and-out striker. Allardyce said over the weekend: "His record at
Chelsea, his goalscoring record in France and his age, is very appealing to
us. But whether it comes off in terms of which position he wants to play
could be the stumbling block."
Kalou has already reportedly turned down moves to West Bromwich Albion,
where he could have teamed up again with Nicolas Anelka, and Trabzonspor in
Turkey. Valencia are also thought to hold an interest in taking Kalou to
Spain if a move to West Ham falls through.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United U21s manager Nick Haycock on tactics, challenging senior
professionals and loan moves
30.07.2013
Player development is very much a team game at West Ham United. Nick Haycock
takes charge of the Hammers' Under-21 side, overseeing the progress of
players as they make the vital step up from Academy to senior football. With
such an important job, Haycock takes huge pride in his role within the Club
- a role that sees him work closely with manager Sam Allardyce, assistant
Neil McDonald, first-team coach Ian Hendon and Under-18s manager Steve
Potts.
Speaking to West Ham TV following Monday's 1-0 defeat at League Two side
Southend United - a match his youngsters dominated against Phil Brown's team
- Haycock discussed player development, tactics, loan moves and the
possibility of the Hammers fielding a side in the non-league.
If that was a boxing match at Southend United, it would have been stopped in
West Ham's favour well before the end! What was your assessment of a harsh
1-0 defeat at Roots Hall?
NH: "I read Macca's comments building up the game and Ian came and watched
the game and they were saying that Development football is now about playing
against League Two opposition and that making mistakes costs you points,
because they are now in that world," he said. "That being said, I was
delighted with the way we played. We've been working hard in pre-season on
working the ball between the lines and finding the space. I thought we were
excellent in the first half and could have scored five or six. It was there
for the taking. "Funnily enough, with us not taking our chances, we knew
they would get one through an error or maybe from a set piece and I was
disappointed with the way we conceded the goal. If we can just tidy that up,
then we're going to have a good season. "Ian will have been delighted with
the performance. There were some young lads playing against professional
players who are playing in League Two."
How did you feel your young professionals and scholars measured up against
seasoned professionals at Roots Hall?
NH: "We have been saying at meetings with the Premier League in recent
months that we would like to put a team to compete in the Conference to give
the boys the opportunity of playing for points. It showed [on Monday] that
we'd be capable of doing that, or maybe even higher than that. "It's
something that English football probably needs to look at. The Development
league is good but that next step at the age of 20 or 21, if you cannot make
the first team because the average age is going up because of the money in
the game, it's something most definitely worth considering,"
You employed a new 4-4-1-1 formation on Monday, different from the usual
4-3-3 system used. How did you feel your players responded to that change?
NH: "We had two days work on that, I woke up Sunday morning and thought
'We've got to try a different style in a game because we've had three games
playing with the holding midfield player. Through the Academy we have a
philosophy and we just switch the point around in the midfield so you're
playing somebody off the striker. "We transmitted it to the pitch on Sunday
and trained again on Monday with the players who had come back from Germany
and I thought they adapted to it well. There were some disciplined
performances out there and I was delighted with the boys acquitted
themselves."
The Development Squad go to Isthmian League Premier Division side AFC
Hornchurch on Saturday for your final pre-season game. What sort of
challenge are you expecting and what sort of squad will you take to Bridge
Avenue?
NH: "We've had a meeting and the whole goal of pre-season is to challenge
everyone at the right level and to make sure everyone gets minutes. Without
going into too much detail, some of the boys will go with the first team and
the youth team are going to the Eurofoot Tournament in Belgium, so rather
than keeping boys to be subs for me the strongest possible team will go to
Eurofoot to get that experience. "We may be a little bit lighter at the
weekend, but it's an opportunity for the boys who have not played as many
minutes to do so, while giving the utmost respect to Hornchurch, who are our
local neighbours and have a good link and association with the Club. We'll
be doing our bit for them as well. "In terms of the game, it'll be
interesting to see, because I've got to make sure the lads who played at
Southend get themselves equally up for Saturday and not just think 'It's
Hornchurch and we're not playing at Roots Hall'. That'll be interesting for
their development. "As I said to the four boys coming back, I thought they
were excellent in the way they acquitted themselves because what you don't
want is players going away with the first team, thinking they have made it
and them not performing well for us. It will always be about putting in the
performances that do yourself justice and help you push on in your career,
whatever bit of grass you are on."
Finally, a number of our young players will be targeted by other clubs for
loan moves. How do West Ham decide which players are suitable for loans and
which should remain under your own wing?
NH: "That is done with Sam, Neil, Ian and myself chatting about the player,
looking at the club they would go to and making sure they are going to get
an experience there and that they are going to play. The major consideration
is that they are going to play. "Myself, Ian and the scouts will go and
watch them as much as we can and we also have a back-up support system
within the Club in terms of sports science. If the club we send them to
doesn't have the facilities or the personnel, we make sure we monitor them
through ours to make sure they stay up to date with their programmes because
they are still our players.
"They are going out to develop into players we want to play in the Premier
League, so it's a group decision and up to Sam ultimately and rightly so."
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Cole hails Carroll influence
WHUFC.com
Joe Cole believes Andy Carroll is set to produce his best skills
30.07.2013
Joe Cole has seen first hand the transformation Andy Carroll has undergone
since first arriving at the Boleyn Ground a year ago. Frustrated after a
season-and-a-half at Liverpool, Carroll rediscovered his best form after
returning to fitness with the Hammers and signed permanently for Sam
Allardyce's men this summer. Cole, a teammate of the big Geordie at Anfield
as well as in east London, was thrilled to see him at his best towards the
end of last season and believes there is more to come from the No9. He told
West Ham TV: "I've played with Andy at Liverpool and West Ham and the player
who is playing for West Ham is full of confidence, strong, aggressive and
you can see what a great player he is. "He had a difficult time at
Liverpool, but the West Ham Andy Carroll is a real handful and a top player.
He'll be looking at getting in the England squad and he can be anything he
wants to be. "You can look at a [Didier] Drogba, that's the level he can get
to. He's a good lad and we're glad to have him here."
Carroll is facing a race against time to be fit for the start of the new
Barclays Premier League season, and Cole was involved as part of a front
three alongside Ricardo Vaz Te and Modibo Maiga in Saturday's win against
Eintracht Braunschweig. Maiga notched twice at the Eintracht-Stadion and
Cole is happy to see the rest of the striking unit coming into form too. He
added: "The gaffer had a look at Ricardo in the No9 position [on Saturday].
When Andy is the central striker you rely on his attributes, and without him
we have to alter the style a little bit. "Who knows, he might make the start
of the season, but it was great to see Modibo Maiga score two goals on
Saturday as it's always important for your strikers to score goals."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Under-18s hold off Charlton comeback
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's youngsters registered a 3-2 victory in their latest
warm-up match
30.07.2013
West Ham United's Under-18s continued their preparations for the new season
with a thrilling victory over their Charlton Athletic counterparts on
Tuesday afternoon. Steve Potts' team travelled to south London to take on
the Addicks at their Sparrows Lane training ground and quickly stamped their
authority on the contest. Jordan Brown, a first year scholar who joined the
Academy from Arsenal this summer, notched twice before the break to put the
Hammers in a commanding position. But Charlton came roaring back in the
second half to level thanks to goals from Mehawl Martin and Tomi Adeloye.
Their efforts were to prove in vain however, as Marcio Martins popped up
with a last-minute winner to give the Hammers the perfect send off for their
participation in the Eurofoot Tournament in Belgium from Friday. Under-18s
manager Steve Potts (pictured) said: "It was a deserved win. We had the
chances to make it more comfortable, and you never know what might happen
when a team gets it back to 2-1. "So to respond positively when they brought
it back to 2-2 was excellent and I was pleased with the workout."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham look to Swedish international
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 30th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are being linked with a move for Malmo midfielder and captain
Jiloan Hamad. The 22-year-old Swede, who was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, is
out of contract with the former European giants later this year and,
according to reports emanating from Scandinavia this afternoon, can count
West Ham as one of several of admirers. That's according to one Swedish
source at least, who claim that West Ham have been in touch with Hamad's
agent with view to a potential permanent deal - despite Malmo's Sporting
Director Per Ågren refusing to confirm whether United had indeed expressed
an interest. "I have no comment to make," a tight-lipped Agren told Fotboll
Skanalen. "I'm sure there are a few clubs interested, but expressing an
interest is very different to signing the player."
As Hamad, who is primarily employed as a winger has less than six months
remaining on the two-year contract he signed with MFF back in 2011, the
six-times capped Swdish international is allowed to talk to other clubs.
Last season (2012) he scored six goals and contributed nine assists for
Malmo in the Allsvenskan, whilst he was an unused substitute in Sweden's
famous 4-2 win against England at the Friends Arena in November 2012. In
this year's Allsvenskan (which runs from March 2013 to November 2013), Hamad
has already scored five times whilst providing a further four assists from
the wing.
The 5'8" wide man began his career in Sweden with lower league club BK
Forward, with whom he spent two years as a pro from 2006 until 2008 before
Malmo spotted his potential. After barely featuring in his first season at
the Swedbank Stadion, it was at the age of 18 that Hamad made the
breakthrough into Malmo's first team squad and he went on to make 20
appearances in 2009, mostly on the right wing. After Guillermo Molins was
sold to Anderlecht in 2001, Hamad made the right wing spot his own and he
was integral to the side that clinched a place in the 2011/12 Champions
League. He is also lauded for having scored the goal that knocked Scottish
champions Rangers out of the competition. Having signed a new deal with the
club at the end of 2011, Hamad was made captain the following year - an
impressive achievment for a player who was still only 21 at the time. Whilst
still on the fringes of the squad, he has already been selected for Sweden's
forthcoming 2013 Winter Tour.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Give us a Kalou
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 30th July 2013
By: Staff Writer
West Ham are holding talks with the representatives of Lille forward Salomon
Kalou, according to reports. According to this morning's L'Equipe, Kalou's
agent is in London to hold preliminary discussions with West Ham after the
27-year-old's current club accepted a £3.5million offer for the former
Chelsea man. However, as widely reported already, Kalou is understood to be
keen to play as a pivotal striker - and that's something West Ham are unable
to offer due to the recent club record signing of Andy Carroll, who will
fulfil that particular role. According to the article, Kalou has rejected
the opportunity to move to West Bromwich Albion, who have also been heavily
linked to the Ivorian international. Turkish club Trabzonspor were also said
to be interested. Lille are thought to be keen to seel the player, whose
current contract expires in 2015, in order to free the necessary funds to
allow them to sign former Portsmouth star John Utaka, currently with
Montpellier.
Elsewhere today the Hammers are being linked with a move for Dutch
international Khalid Boulahrouz. Now 31, the defender is currently under
contract with Sporting Lisbon - with whom he signed a two year contract in
2012 - but, according to sources in France, is set to be the target of an
imminent bid from West Ham. The 35-times capped defender previously spent a
year in the Premier League when playing for Chelsea between 2006 and 2007.
However a succession of injuries led to him being loaned to Seville for the
duration of the 2007-08 season, before joining Stuttgart on a permanent deal
in July 2008.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ghana defender Samuel Inkoom is hoping to leave Dnipro
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated: July
30, 2013 10:53am
SSN
A host of clubs have been alerted to the availability of Ghana defender
Samuel Inkoom as he seeks a move away from Dnipro. Inkoom has found himself
out of favour at Dnipro under Juande Ramos and spent the second half of last
season on loan at Bastia. The 24-year-old, who has been linked with the
likes of West Ham, Sporting Lisbon and Hamburg in the past, is now back at
Dnipro, but he is keen to move on as it appears he does not figure in Ramos'
plans. Inkoom's agent, Christian Emile, has confirmed they are talking with
Dnipro about securing a move away elsewhere. "The situation with Samuel is
incomprehensible," Emile told Sky Sports. "It was Ramos that wanted Dnipro
to pay a significant transfer fee to acquire his services from Basel and now
the same coach has completely frozen him out. "The problem is a personal one
that neither myself, the player or club hierarchy understand. "Last month
Samuel earned his 40th international cap and played an important role in
helping Ghana move closer to World Cup qualification, yet he has come back
to Dnipro and it is clear that he is still not in the coach's plans. "We are
talking with Dnipro to find a swift resolution, the player must continue his
career elsewhere."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Norwich boss Chris Hughton rejects West Ham link with Robert Snodgrass
By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo. Last Updated: July
30, 2013 3:31pm
SSN
Norwich boss Chris Hughton has warned clubs off making a move for winger
Robert Snodgrass. West Ham have been credited with an interest in former
Leeds star Snodgrass after he impressed at Carrow Road last season. Hughton
has ruled out selling Snodgrass and insists the Scotland international
remains central to his plans. "I think it's testament to how well the
players have done but we are in a good place at the moment," Hughton told
the Pink Un. "We want to ensure we keep hold of our best players and we are
a club at the moment that doesn't need to sell. "We are looking to
strengthen and not let players go. He (Snodgrass) is definitely a player who
is very much in our plans."
Meanwhile, Hughton has refused to rule out a move for Juventus striker Fabio
Quagliarella. Reports in Italy have claimed Norwich have made a bid for
Quagliarella as Hughton looks to add the Italian to his attacking ranks
following the arrivals of Gary Hooper and Ricky van Wolfswinkel. Hughton is
aware of the rumours linking him with Quagliarella, but he is not giving
anything away on his pursuit of the 30-year-old. "I've heard and seen those
reports in the press," added Hughton. "But it's exactly the same as our work
with Gary (Hooper) - from our side we worked in the correct way, very much
behind the scenes and until there was something official to say we didn't
say it. "I think the fact there are some players that are being linked with
us in some ways is a good thing because it means we are trying to be
pro-active and we are trying to improve. But certainly until there is
anything to say we will wait."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sam Allardyce wants French ace Loic Remy
SAM ALLARDYCE is facing a fight to convince £6m Loic Remy to swap QPR for
West Ham.
Daily Star
By Adrian Kajumba/Published 31st July 2013
Allardyce will revive his interest in Chelsea striker Demba Ba if he fails
to capture Remy. But the Hammers boss wants to pair Remy with his big summer
signing Andy Carroll to form a new-look attack. West Ham are in advanced
negotiations with Remy over a permanent move to Upton Park. But the
ex-Marseille star and his advisors are waiting to see what other offers come
his way. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew wants the hitman to become the next
Frenchman to sign on at St James' Park but only on loan, However, the
expected offers from the Premier League's big boys have not materialised.
Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton and Liverpool were linked with Remy earlier in
the summer but now have other targets. "West Ham are in advanced
negotiations with Remy over a permanent move to Upton Park." Remy's
situation is complicated after he was arrested on suspicion of rape in May
and bailed until September, an allegation he denies. The 26-year-old, who
has a £6m relegation release clause, hit six goals in 13 starts for QPR
after joining in January for £8m. Ba is Allardyce's fallback option. He
hit seven goals in 12 games during a successful half-season spell at West
Ham back in 2011. Ba insists he is determined to stay at Stamford Bridge,
even if they sign Wayne Rooney from Manchester United. But Allardyce
believes he can tempt the Senegal star with the offer of regular first-team
football if his bid to land Remy collapses. Allardyce also hopes to tie up a
deal for ex-Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou, who is in talks over a £3m move
from French side Lille.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Newcastle look to loan West Ham target Loic Remy as move for Gomis hits
stalemate
NEWCASTLE want to take QPR striker Loic Remy on-loan next season and make
the Frenchman their first signing of the summer.
Daily Star
By Nick Lustig/Published 30th July 2013
Harry Redknapp is desperate to get Remy off the club's wage bill as he seeks
to free up funds for new additions to his squad. The north-east side have
tabled a small fee as well as offering to take on the player's wages in full
to tempt Redknapp to temporarily part with the striker. West Ham are also
interested in the 26-year-old and are monitoring the situation. The French
international may be heading back to the Premier LeagueThe French
international may be heading back to the Premier League QPR were relegated
in May despite the best efforts of the strikerQPR were relegated in May
despite the best efforts of the striker
"Harry Redknapp is desperate to get Remy off the club's wage bill" Remy
scored six times during his stay at Loftus Road, after joining the club in
the January transfer window from Marseille for £8m. The Magpies are
currently facing difficulties in their pursuit of Bafetimbi Gomis, but
remain in talks over a deal for the French international. Newcastle are not
willing to pay more than £6.9m for the Lyon forward, whose contract expires
next summer. Manager Alan Pardew had hoped to bring in at least two new
strikers to the club and will move for Aston Villa's Darren Bent if both
moves fail to materialise. The return of Joe Kinnear to the club as Director
of Football has held up a number of moves for Pardew's summer transfer
targets. However the former Southampton manager is now pushing Kinnear to
finalise deals for his targets or face losing them.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Salomon Kalou unsure about West Ham switch despite fee being agreed
Daily Express
By: Ben Jefferson
Published: Tue, July 30, 2013
Reports in France suggest that Sam Allardyce has had a £3m bid accepted for
the former Chelsea player and the player's representatives are en route to
London to negotiate personal terms. But, according to L'Equipe, a move is
far from being concluded. New Lille coach Rene Girard is thought to be keen
to push through a move to fund new arrivals, but Kalou is not sold on a
return to English football. Kalou found his feet in Ligue 1 in the second
half of last season after struggling initially, and may not want to relocate
again just yet. The 27-year-old Ivorian has a contract with Lille until 2016
and is under no compulsion to contemplate a move. Allardyce also seems to
think that Kalou's preferred position could be an issue preventing a move.
Whether it comes off in terms of which position he wants to play could be
the stumbling block. Kalou was often used as a wide-player coming off the
bench during his time at Chelsea, and is thought to prefer a role as an
out-and-out striker. Allardyce said over the weekend: "His record at
Chelsea, his goalscoring record in France and his age, is very appealing to
us. But whether it comes off in terms of which position he wants to play
could be the stumbling block."
Kalou has already reportedly turned down moves to West Bromwich Albion,
where he could have teamed up again with Nicolas Anelka, and Trabzonspor in
Turkey. Valencia are also thought to hold an interest in taking Kalou to
Spain if a move to West Ham falls through.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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