For those in the dark like I was reading the 'Draw' thread..
Hammers handed Blades tie
Capital One Cup Round Two draw details
13.08.2014
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have been handed a home tie against Sheffield United in
Round Two of the Capital One Cup. Wednesday's draw pairs the clubs for the
first time since they were last together in the top flight in the 2006/07
campaign. The Blades are now in Sky Bet League One and saw off Mansfield
Town in Round One by a 2-1 scoreline earlier on Wednesday. West Ham reached
the semi-finals of last year's competition, beating Cheltenham Town, Cardiff
City, Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur before eventual winners Manchester City
ended their run. The game will be played at the Boleyn Ground in the week
commencing 25 August. Full fixture and ticketing details will follow in due
course on whufc.com
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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Wednesday, August 13
Daily WHUFC News - 13th August 2014
Young Hammers receive England call
WHUFC.com
Two Academy prospects have been called into their England age group squads this week
12.08.2014
Academy duo Jahmal Hector-Ingram and Anthony Scully have received call ups to their respective England age group squads. Hector-Ingram, who scored three goals in eight games for England U16 last term, earns an U17 call for the first time as the Young Lions get set for a friendly international tournament to be played in the Midlands at the end of August. England will take on Czech Republic at Kidderminster Harriers' Aggborough Stadium on Wednesday 27 August before heading to Chesterfield to play Portugal two days later. The tournament concludes on Sunday 31 August with a game against Italy at Burton Albion, with John Peacock assessing his options before the UEFA U17 Championship campaign gets underway later in the season. For midfielder Scully, he will have the opportunity to impress England U16 head coach Dan Micciche as he prepares for the Victory Shield. Scully forms part of a 22-man squad to face Belgium at St George's Park on Wednesday 20 August.
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Noble looks forward to derby backing
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble is sure the Hammers fans will be able to play their part against Tottenham on Saturday
12.08.2014
Mark Noble is ready and raring to go for Saturday's Barclays Premier League season opener against Tottenham Hotspur. The Hammer of the Year scored from the spot as West Ham United concluded their pre-season programme at the weekend with a 3-2 victory over Sampdoria. It brought a first summer win over 90 minutes for Sam Allardyce's men and Noble was delighted with the performance. "It was brilliant on Saturday," he beamed. "I thought we played really well and gave the fans a good game to watch. For Reece [Burke] to score the winner was a lovely way to top the day off. "I'm looking forward to Tottenham. I think it'll be a harder game than the one we had here at the end of last season, but the atmosphere is always fantastic for the first game of the season. "With them having a new manager, everyone will want to impress him, so everyone's going to have to play as well as they did last Saturday for us and hopefully get the three points. "We need the crowd behind us and hopefully they will be."
The win over Sampdoria was characterised by strong performances from the Club's Academy players, and Noble had praise for the subbsitutes - both young and experienced. He added: "Pottsy came on and won the penalty. He played really well, then Elliot {Lee} came on and was brilliant for the 20 minutes he was on and Reece popped up with the winner. "The substitutes all came on and made a difference - when Mo's playing like that he's untouchable. "I've always said that the results in pre-season don't matter and it's the performances and getting the lads through it that's the focus. "I went through an unbeaten pre-season with Avram Grant and we all know what happened that year, so the results don't matter, but I thought we played really well against Sampdoria and it was nice to get the win."
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Under-21s set for PSV test
WHUFC.com
Development Squad coach Nick Haycock says his team will benefit from playing European opposition
12.08.2014
Development Squad coach Nick Haycock says his team's meeting with PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday evening will act as another hugely useful stepping stone in their development. The Under-21s head to the Netherlands six days before their opening Barclays U21 Premier League game at Tottenham Hotspur, with Haycock keen to test his side against continental opposition. He said: "It's European competition for us and we're delighted to be in it. "We're delighted that we're in the elite league for the Premier League too, because we're a smaller Academy when compared to the powerhouses in there. "We think we've got some good players who can compete at that level and hopefully we can go and show that on Tuesday. "You're never sure how you're going to look from pre-season until it gets underway because up until now you've played different teams. "You play Conference teams, competing against men, you play Under-23 teams and then we had a 21s team against Aston Villa last Friday. "There'll be different styles of games now than what we've had and we'll adapt to that and try to assert the way we want to play on teams a little more. I think we're capable of that. "I'm happy with where we are and I'm looking forward to the season."
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Fans march on Premier League HQ
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
Hundreds of fans will march on Premier League and Football League headquarters this Thursday demanding cheaper ticket prices throughout football. The march will be led by the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) with fans from scores of clubs joining them. Supporters say clubs should use multi-billion pound media deals to lower ticket prices for both home and away fans. The Premier League's current media deal is worth £5.5bn, an increase of £2.1bn on the previous three years, but fans say there is little sign of anything being done to make life easier for match-going supporters. From the increase in Premier League media rights alone all 20 top-flight clubs could have let every fan into every game for free, without being any worse off than they had been the season before. Instead, many clubs chose to increase prices and £50+ tickets are now common in the top-flight. Hull City's Category A tickets jumped from £30 last season to £50 in 2014/15. Kevin Miles, chief executive of the FSF, said: "Nine out of 10 fans think football's simply too expensive. There's always the odd deal that clubs can quote to play it down, but the truth is supporters tell us they think tickets cost too much. It's not just top-flight football either, fans throughout the leagues tell us prices are too high. "Football is swimming in money, with clubs pocketing record amounts from broadcasting deals while squeezing supporters with high prices. Something has to give. "Ultimately we, as football supporters, have to speak up about this. Join the FSF and hundreds of fans on Thursday when we deliver that message to the Premier League and Football League."
Fans will gather at Marble Arch for 1pm and leave for the Premier League and Football League offices at 30 Gloucester Place (W1U 8PL) at 2pm. A delegation of fans will meet with the football authorities, while those on the demonstration head back to The Globe (NW1 5JY).
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Free coaches for Hull trip
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
Supporters wishing to follow West Ham when they face Hull City at the KC Stadium next month will be able to take advantage of free coach travel. The club have confirmed that all supporters travelling to the game, which takes place on Monday, 15 September will be able to travel free of charge on club coaches, as part of the Premier League's away fan fund scheme. Each top flight club has, for the second successive season, been awarded £200,000 by the league with which to improve their fans' trips to away grounds. And this season West Ham have responded early with the offer, which means fans taking advantage of the offer will pay just £35 - the price of a visitors' match day ticket - to attend the match. The match is also being broadcast on TV by Sky Sports, one of four Premier League fixtures involving West Ham to go live in the first half of the 2014/15 season.
On live
Mon 15 Sept: Hull City v West Ham Utd (8pm, SS)
Sat 20 Sept: West Ham Utd v Liverpool (5:30pm, SS)
Sun 5 Oct: West Ham Utd v QPR (4:15pm, SS)
Sat 25 Oct: West Ham Utd v Man City (12.45pm, BT)
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Everton haven't won a pre-season game, we have
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th August 2014
By: Paul Walker
New players, check. Youth being given a chance, check. More attacking approach and new systems, check. Big Sam smiles at us more…well, you can't have everything can you?
Now I know it's easy to be flippant, and clever in hindsight, but please remind me what pre-season friendlies are really for?
You would think that it's Christmas already and we are down at the bottom of the table without a point. Now that would be cause for the wholesale abuse being heaped on everyone at the club from Ms Brady (I'll get to her in a minute) to the gateman.
But all that has happened is that we have not done too well in our pre-season matches, apart for what I am told was an encouraging display in beating Sampdoria on Saturday, and when a few kids and new faces didn't do too badly.
We should not be getting our knickers in a twist about pre-season results, long distance travelling to the far side of the globe and the now expected injury for poor Andy Carroll. (As I have said before, he didn't get injured on purpose, and it's nothing to do with his TOWIE totty.)
At this point I can add that we are not the worst off. Everton have not won a pre-season game yet and I bet there are very few West Ham fans out there who would not like to swap our position with the Merseysiders. And their esteemed manager too, Roberto Martinez.
But I doubt there's anybody up at Goodison Park calling for the manager's head while roundly abusing players and owners at will.
But such is the now entrenched views of a sizeable amount of our fans who despise everything about BFS and the people who employ him, you would have thought there is a crisis of biblical proportions going on.
Now I have had plenty to say about Big Sam and the way we play and the performances of players. Last season was dire, the entertainment value was not there and we were much nearer a genuine relegation scrap than Sam Allardyce has been prepared to admit.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, we pay for our tickets and have a right to be heard. But the season hasn't started yet, no ball has been kicked in anger and many of the things we were all screaming for are being put into place.
We wanted higher quality players. Enner Valencia and Cheickhou Kouyate seem to fit the bill. We wanted the club to look into the lower divisions for bright, likely lads to be brought to the Boleyn. Diego Poyet and Aaron Cresswell are just that.
A bit of flair was asked for. Mauro Zarate step forward. And we should be trying to acquire young talent from bigger clubs. Carl Jenkinson is just that.
Sam was seemingly asked to change the perception of our club, to produce more attacking style and flair and to improve the quality of the staff. He was also told to be nicer to us and make an effort to get along with fans he once called deluded and then was seen to cup his ear and mock the boo-boys after the truly dreadful win over a ten-man Hull last season.
Now to my mind he still has a bit to do on the PR front as far as we are concerned, the odd smile wouldn't go amiss. But within the framework of our budget, things look to be changing. Blimey, we played two different systems on Saturday……3-5-2 and 4-3-3, and the kids were given their head.
So let's just give it a chance, see if things do look better in a few months and see whether we are enjoying it more.
I noticed a piece by Iain Dale on WHTID in which he rounded on the faceless abusers of our players on the internet, where cowards get away with saying stuff they would not dare address to someone's face. Sometimes when you read threads on fans' forums you wonder why people actually come through the turnstiles any more, so much do they hate everything and everyone.
Every time we sign a player, there is always a long list of people who instantly slag them off, probably when it comes to foreign players having not even seen them play…and I don't count a few grainy minutes on YouTube.
I agree that some of the pre-season displays were poor, in New Zealand and Germany, as well as Stevenage! But if you look at those squads, they were full of youngsters being given a chance to impress, seniors coming back from injury and new faces looking to find their feet. Nobody should read too much into any of that.
Good grief, people have been calling for BFS to be sacked for losing pre-season friendlies. I ask you! If we are a basket case come November, say, then I would agree. But not yet, give everyone a break.
And come on, now, we have a new member of the House of Lords at the helm. I wouldn't give you a penny for Ms Brady's political views, but she hasn't done that badly as a woman in the world of business.
I feel that Baroness Brady of Highbury (that, I presume is what she will want to be called when she reaches Westminster) will not be long in her role as our chief executive now she has her eyes on higher office.
And you cannot expect her to want to be called Baroness Brady of Boleyn, young ladies with that name who have aspirations to reach the corridors of power tend to lose their heads.
But she has done what she was asked to do by the Davids. She has the right image to get round the likes of Boris and the PM, and she was the acceptable face of the club in the negotiations for the new stadium move. You cannot see the Tory boys being comfortable negotiating with a couple of ageing porn barons in the wake of the Olympics, so Ms Brady did what she was asked to do.
The same may well, in the end, be said of Big Sam. I know that 'BFS out' brigade will never change their views or have a good word said about him, and I struggle at times with his abrupt, arrogant approach to anyone who is not a professional in the football industry. We know nothing, you see.
But he might, just might, be building a squad that can take us forward, whether he is buying the players or David Sullivan is. I can hear you all laughing out there, sure. But give it a chance for a few weeks, we need to be united when the real action starts. And that means on Saturday against the hated enemy. It's happening again, anybody?
If we don't present an intimidating atmosphere and solid support for the team, then things really will go pear-shaped.
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UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, IS C.£4M SUCH A 'LOUSY' BID FOR CONNOR WICKHAM?
By S J Chandos 12 Aug 2014 at 12:00
West Ham Till I Die
It was widely reported yesterday that West Ham have submitted a bid for young Sunderland centre-forward, Connor Wickham. Reports vary on the alleged size of the bid, in some instances its £5m and in others £4m. Even if we accept the lower of these two figures, then that is surely still a decent bid for a player who is in the final year of his present contract. Yet, one leading Sunderland website dismissed the bid as 'lousy' and suggested that West Ham need to come back with an improved bid! While I can understand Sunderland's angst at only recouping 50% of the original fee paid to Ipswich Town, you have to ask whether they are being realistic? The owning club is never in the 'driving seat' once a player's contract enters its final year. They are faced with the dilemma, so well articulated by Gus Poyet recently, that the player either signs a new contract or they are sold. Of course, that's providing the player does not chose to 'dig in,' see out his contract and leave on a Bosman deal.
In those circumstances, a c.£4m bid is a good offer, which may very well not be on the table for long. Once the season starts, Wickham's valuation will start dropping still further. And now West Ham have set the bar, at c.£4m, it is very unlikely that any other club will come in and beat it. I know its a thoroughly fustrating situation for any club (and remember we face the same situation with Reid and Diame), but if the player will not sign a new contract, then all you can do is cash in. Arguably, Sunderland should take the £4m while its on offer. Its probably only the imperative created by Carroll's injury absence that motivated the bid. West Ham could eventually decide to hold off, agree a pre-contract with Wickham (at the appropriate juncture) and then sign him later on a Bosman deal next summer. With an alternative loan deal for Sakho of Metz in the pipeline, it is a course of action that they could consider pursuing.
Of course, ultimately, it all depends how urgently West Ham feel they need to obtain Wickham's services. Sunderland may, in turn, be gambling that desperation will motivate an improved bid and/or other clubs will come in to spark an auction. However, they could very well be disappointed if they are relying on those factors coming in to play to deliver the full recoupment of the original £8m fee.
SJ. Chandos.
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THAT TUESDAY MORNING FEELING
By Iain Dale 12 Aug 2014 at 08:01
West Ham Till I Die
New regular Tuesday column from The Guardian's Brian Williams
What do you mean, you've never heard of the "Tuesday morning feeling"? It's like the Monday morning feeling, only worse. You know Monday is going to be rubbish, and prepare accordingly. You expect better of Tuesday. But, like a Stewart Downing cross, it always lets you down.
I've never liked Tuesdays. It goes back to when I was a kid. One year at secondary school we had double chemistry and double geography every Tuesday. I'd rather wear a Spurs shirt in public than have to face that again.
There was a time, if West Ham lost at the weekend, there wasn't much point trying to talk to me before Tuesday. Honestly, you'd have done better having a natter with a Trappist monk on Strepsils than attempting to engage me in conversation. I like to think that, as a middle-aged family man, I'm rather more mature than that now. Generally, I can come up with a civil response by Sunday teatime following a Saturday setback. However, I fear that if we have another season like last year's the long, silent sulks of my childhood will return.
I'm no expert, but it's clear that West Ham Till I Die doesn't write itself. I imagine Mr Dale will be far from happy if he regularly finds himself, first thing on a Monday morning, drumming frustrated fingers on his large, executive-grade desk waiting for copy that never turns up as I try to extricate myself from a blackdog depression. That's why I suggested he publishes this column on a Tuesday.
So, now we've got that out of the way, let us examine the big question being asked by all of us with claret and blue in our hearts as we steel ourselves for a new season: can West Ham mend their ways and serve up some proper entertainment rather than the dross that passes for association football in Fat Sam's eyes? It's fair to say, pre-season has been far from encouraging.
True, we beat Sampdoria, and at times there was even the hint of two up front. Naturally, the headline writers summed up Saturday's 3-2 victory as a five-goal thriller. However, I'd like to take issue with them over that. I don't know about you, but I'm never thrilled when anyone scores against West Ham. And when they do it twice, I'm distinctly unthrilled. I prefer the sort of nine-goal thriller we got back in the glory days of '86 when we scored eight of those nine goals.
Okay trivia lovers, every West Ham fan worthy of the name should know that the mighty Alvin Martin scored against three different Newcastle keepers in the pouring rain at the Boleyn Ground. (And I don't want to hear people who complain that "it was before my time" – the first world war was before my time, but I know the result.) You would have to be a serious anorak to be able to name all three of the Geordie keepers that night and quite frankly, we are not looking to encourage people like that on this site. Therefore, I'm going to give you the first two – Martin Thomas and Chris Hedworth – but who was the third?
Yes sir, you in the Avco shirt. Good effort but no, it wasn't Glenn Roeder – although he played his part by scoring an own goal and conceding the penalty that Stretch converted for his hat-trick. The correct answer is Peter Beardsley. Alvin reckons that the little fella tried to put him off by pulling funny faces, but with Beardsley it was hard to tell what counted as a funny face and what was merely his normal boat race.
But I digress. We were discussing West Ham's pre-season. As a generous-hearted individual, I am prepared to forgive them the diabolical results in the antipodean outback – anyone can slip up against the giants of Wellington and Sydney. But the performances in Schalke were woeful. I know this because I watched the games on a TV channel called Quest.
Hands up anyone who had ever heard of Quest before last week. No, me neither. And, to be honest I can't see myself watching it all that often from now on. Its programmes seem to consist mainly of fishing and environmental types with dodgy beards recycling other people's rubbish that they've salvaged from skips. (I'm starting to think Mr Allardyce got his tactical handbook from the same source.)
Of course, you can't read too much into pre-season. One of the best I can ever remember was with Avram Grant at the helm, and we all know how things turned out under his management when the shooting started for real. Ah, where are you now Avram? The old place just isn't the same without your smiling face.
To be perfectly frank, I'm not hopeful about the season ahead. Leopards don't change their spots, and Allardyce isn't going to change the direct formula that has underpinned his entire career. Don't get me wrong – I'd rather beat Spurs playing ugly than lose stringing together a series of meaningless passing moves in front of their massed defence. But never again do I want to see the sort of negativity we got against Hull last season. A goal up, them down to 10 men, and Fat Sam chooses to shut up shop. I'm sorry mate, that's just not acceptable.
It goes without saying I want to hammer Tottenham on Saturday. But if we don't, I will be quietly crossing my fingers that Messrs Gold and Sullivan follow the lead set by Huddersfield, who have given their manager the old tin tack after just one game. Now that would brighten up next Tuesday.
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Should we give him another chance at West Ham?
Westhamworld.co.uk
James Jones
August 12, 2014
Ravel Morrison today revealed that he'll be back in training on Thursday following a groin injury picked up early pre-season. He's also recently revealed that he's been handed the number 14 shirt for the season, which has to be the biggest hint yet that he still has a role to play in the first team. His off-field antics this summer have been nothing short of a disgrace. The whole court case looming over him is something of a minefield, with only speculation surrounding the real truth behind what happened between Ravel, his ex-girlfriend and her Mum. Innocent until proven guilty, and all that. But being pictured in an Arsenal shirt has to be one of the most ridiculous things I've seen a footballer do in a very long time. He knows he's under the spotlight and he knows we're not going to take kindly to him wearing the shirt of one of our London rivals. But he goes ahead with it anyway. Nonetheless, all of the above doesn't yet warrant the decision to give up on him and get rid. Why? Because I'm a firm believer that he will mature and will become one of England and West Ham's best players in the coming seasons. There's no doubting his desire to stay at the club. He tweeted about his love for the club just a few days ago…
Such an admission just wouldn't come from a player either pushing for a move away from the club or knowing the club are trying to get rid of him. It's still a bit of a mystery as to why he behaves the way he does off the field, but his performances on the field should be the main reason the board and Sam Allardyce put together a new deal for him and a new role for him in the first team. Morrison's performances at the beginning of last season were a breath of fresh air amidst the pollution of Allardyce's one-dimensional approach to tactics. He played his own game and came out on top in so many of our performances – his role in our epic 3-0 victory at White Hart Lane last October goes down as one of the best individual performances I've seen in a West Ham shirt from any player in many years. So what's stopping him from replicating such form this season? Nothing. Well, apart from the ongoing dispute about his future between the board and the manager. This cannot be good for him and it cannot be good for us. Period.
However, that fact Morrison has publicly declared his love and thanks to the club, and his excitement at getting back to playing football with West Ham this season, bodes well for both parties. You cannot deny his talent, and we simply cannot dismiss how important he could be for us next season and beyond. This is why he must be given another chance at putting things right. Both on and off the field. Because, if we lose him, we may just live to regret it…
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Time to blood Elliot Lee
August 12, 2014
By Danny Rust – @Danny_Rust10, Shoot's West Ham blogger
Shoot.co.uk
With the new Premier League campaign kicking off this weekend, a number of youngsters at West Ham United will be hoping they have staked a claim for a spot in Sam Allardyce's side this season. One teenager that certainly should be in Big Sam's thoughts is striker Elliot Lee.
Lee, the son of former England international, West Ham and Newcastle United midfielder Rob, has been scoring goals for fun for the Hammers' Development Squad for a number of years now and has enjoyed loan spells in the Football League in recent seasons too.
But Lee has performed well for the Irons in pre-season, with his late cameo appearance against Sampdoria on Saturday being the pick of the bunch. When Lee came on after 76 minutes to replace Carlton Cole, West Ham started to attack quickly and looked more confident on the ball. Lee's intelligent runs created acres of space for his teammates, who were then able to shoot more freely, with the likes of Ricardo Vaz Te going for goal more often in the final ten minutes.
In fact, within a minute of Lee coming off the bench, Mohamed Diame scored the equaliser against the Italian Serie A side. Then with almost the last kick of the game, 17-year-old Reece Burke converted the winner from a fantastic pass from the striker, who waited until the right moment to play the killer pass.
The 19-year-old looks as though he could be a big part of Sam Allardyce's plans this season and he should be based on that performance. The Hammers faithful have been calling for Lee to get a chance for a year now and he has never really been given the opportunity, but now this may finally be his time.
It is unlikely that Lee will start on the opening day of the season against Tottenham Hotspur due to his lack of experience, but he should at the very least be named among the substitutes. If he were to come on and play like he did against Sampdoria, then the Tottenham backline could be in for a shock, and he will certainly create a number of chances for himself and his teammates.
One negative to take from West Ham's final pre-season game was the injury to Aaron Cresswell. The left back, who signed from Ipswich Town this summer, was looking like a good addition in the early stages, with some neat passes down the left hand side and some dangerous crosses being put into the Sampdoria penalty area. But Cresswell was forced off just after the half-hour mark, when a strong challenge from a Sampdoria defender meant he could not continue.
Allardyce will be hoping that the injury is not too serious and the new acquisition will be fit for the opening day of the season.
However, Dan Potts replaced Cresswell and looked comfortable at left back. Potts, who has made a handful of first team appearances over the last three seasons, is likely to go into the season as the club's second choice left back because of the signing of Cresswell, but he looks as though he is a good back-up to have at the Boleyn Ground.
He continued where Cresswell left off, with some good attacking play and he should have scored soon after West Ham equalised for the second time in the match.
All in all, Big Sam will be pleased to have ended a disappointing pre-season – which has seen Andy Carroll pick up another injury and the side suffer numerous defeats – on a high with some good performances from the club's youngsters and a win.
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West Ham set to beat Hull to Amalfitano signing
By talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) | Tuesday, August 12, 2014
West Ham are set to finalise a move to sign former West Brom midfielder Morgan Amalfitano on a three-year contract, according to reports in France. Sam Allardyce is ready to strengthen his midfield as uncertainty continues to surround the future of Mohamed Diame, who has been strongly linked with a move to QPR. Amalfitano, 29, enjoyed a successful loan spell with West Brom and scored a wonder goal against Manchester United last season. But he is now looking for a new challenge in England and despite speculation linking him with a move to Hull, West Ham appear to have won the race to clinch his signature from Marseille. The French midfielder could go straight into the squad for the opening Premier League game against Tottenham on Saturday.
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West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady: Two years to go and we are on track to achieve our Olympic dream
Evening standard
Published: 12 August 2014 Updated: 11:43, 12 August 2014
The Barclays Premier League will return with a bang on Saturday after an amazing summer, culminating in Germany lifting the World Cup to end another incredible season. But while the thoughts of fans are understandably dominated by what might happen on the pitch this weekend, I thought I should also update our supporters and the rest of London on the huge amount of work that has been going on away from the pitch at West Ham United this summer.
I remember when we were awarded the Olympic Stadium in March 2013, I wrote in this very newspaper that the hard work was just about to start and so it has proved. This weekend marks two years until we kick off the first game in our state-of-the-art, 54,000-seat new home in the Olympic Stadium and much of our close-season has been spent putting plans together that will ensure it becomes one of the venues in world football. Just last week we saw our most expensive signing of the summer, Enner Valencia, proudly sport our new home kit in front of the stadium. He spoke of his desire to fire West Ham into the top four of the Premier League and although that might sound unrealistic to some outside of the club, that is the sort of ambition we must have. A move to a stadium as iconic as the one at the heart of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park should be a gamechanger for a club like ours.
We will be able to attract better players, who will be drawn to playing at an iconic venue the world fell in love with during the summer of 2012. But the stadium will not just be better for our players, though, as our biggest priority is to deliver a stadium that exceeds the expectations of our fans. We have been composing a robust plan to migrate our supporters in the clearest and fairest way possible. We realise an affordable and accessible ticketing strategy to bring football back to working people will also be integral to achieving our goal of kicking off our first game with a full stadium and an electric atmosphere.
It will look and feel like the home of West Ham, the facilities will be world class, the nine direct rail links will make it the best connected in Europe and I know the West Ham fans will bring their passionate support to create an atmosphere to match. Our bigger capacity also means more revenue and bigger budgets, without increasing the burden on the 35,000 who come to watch us every other week at the moment. I am pleased to report the construction schedule is on track and in two months' time the installation of the cutting-edge roof — the largest cantilevered roof in the world — begins. It is a truly world-class solution that covers every seat and we want to ensure that standard is matched with our final designs for the innovative retractable seating.
We have also focused our energies on creating a hospitality proposition that will be the best in the Europe once completed. From the outset, it has been designed to compete, and compare, to leading London restaurants and members' clubs and I am looking forward to revealing more of our exciting plans in the coming months. Then, from early next year, the new floodlight configuration and internal upgrades to the turnstiles, catering and bathroom facilities will take place.
The Rugby World Cup in autumn 2015 will lead to a highly significant break in the construction work and provide an important marker in the project timeline for West Ham United. Once the tournament's Bronze Final is concluded at the venue on Friday October 30, the final series of changes that will transform the Stadium into a UEFA Category 4 Football Stadium and the new home of West Ham United will take place. This period will see upgrades made to the hospitality lounges and the delivery of our new Club Megastore and dedicated Ticket Office, both of which will be open to fans and visitors all year round.
So we know there is a lot to do still but I am delighted with the progress my hard-working team at West Ham has made in conjunction with our partners at the London Legacy Development Corporation. I can assure West Ham fans that, when we kick off our new season in 2016-17, it will be an experience worth waiting for.
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Sakho on back burner as Wickham race hots up
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 12, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham have put talks with Diafra Sakho (right) on the back burner as they push ahead with moves for Connor Wickham The Metz striker is believed to want around £15k a week plus £5k appearance bonuses but the Irons are intensifying their efforts to grab Sunderland's England under 21. Sakho has been in talks with the club for several days but Sam Allardyce would love to grab Wickham – who at 21 – looks a real prospect and helps the Irons preserve their British baseline. An Upton Park source told ClaretandHugh exclusively this morning: "The Sakho negotiations are on hold as it's clear Wickham is now the big target. "If the manager and chairman can get a deal sorted out it will have been an excellent summer and Wickham. However, should that turn out not to be the case, the Sakho remains in play."
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West Ham vs Tottenham will set back fans as much as £77... while Hull City charge £16 for home opener against Stoke as fans prepare to march to Premier League HQ
Non-members adult ticket in Band 1 for game on Saturday will cost £75
A £2 booking fee is also placed on all orders for the Premier League opener
Members prices are £70 for Band 1, with the cheapest member ticket £50
Tottenham is a Category A fixture, with Category B costing around £15 less
West Ham do have a Category C (£20-30), against Leicester City
Hammers also offer 'Kids for a Quid' for six games a season
By GERARD BRAND
PUBLISHED: 10:54, 12 August 2014 | UPDATED: 15:48, 12 August 2014
Daily Mail
West Ham United's first Premier League game of the season against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur could set fans back as much as £77 for an adult ticket, causing uproar among Hammers fans. Saturday's opener at Upton Park, kicking off at 3pm, has been classed as a Category A fixture, with the cheapest ticket for members £50 and non-members £55. In stark contrast, Hull City, who finished just three points below the Hammers in their first season back in the Premier League, are charging a flat price of £16 around the ground for their first home fixture against Bojan Krkic's new club Stoke City on Sunday August 24. Hundreds of fans will march on Premier League and Football League headquarters on Thursday to demand cheaper tickets across the board, with the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) heading the protests. Supporters believe the increase in the multi-billion pound TV deals, including the Premier League media deal worth £5.5billion, should allow for a decrease in ticket prices. Kevin Miles, chief executive of the FSF, said: 'Nine out of 10 fans think football's simply too expensive.
'There's always the odd deal that clubs can quote to play it down, but the truth is supporters tell us they think tickets cost too much.' Table: Prices for first two weeks of fixtures (red indicates highest and lowest price)
West Ham are charging juniors £41 in Band 1 areas of the ground, while Hull fans under 15 can go for as little as £5 for the Category C fixture. The most expensive ticket for the Tottenham game is £75, with a £2 booking fee for all purchases. Despite the expected difference in Category A and Category C prices, West Ham fans are already disgruntled at having to watch what some of the faithful regard as poor football. West Ham won just seven of their 19 games at home last season in the top flight, scoring 25 goals. But the club do offer incentives for fans throughout the term, particularly for juniors. Six 'Kids for a Quid' fixtures are named in a season, as well as earmarking one game where under 16s can attend for free. However, the prices have caused anger on social media, with football fans wondering how a side that struggled in the Premier League last season can charge supporters so much. Adrian Leahy (@adieleahy), who voiced his concerns to Hammers co-chairman David Gold on Twitter, said: '@davidgold if you really are serious about making football affordable how come you keep raising the prices ? More & more fans priced out !'
Danny Smith (@DannyyySmith) added: 'How can west ham charge £70 to the game against spurs ? Wouldn't mind but we don't even play football! HOOOFBALL!! @davidgold.'
Andrew (@{griffina71) said: 'I took my son to watch Dortmund last year return flight and ticket cost £6 less !!!!'
With it costing £35 to become a member at Upton Park, the ticket prices for non-members could discourage new fans from deciding to attend Hammers games at short notice. Tottenham is a Category A fixture, alongside the visits of Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.
Eleven other Premier League clubs are listed as Category B fixtures, costing as much as £55 for members and £60 for non-members, while the Leicester City match at Upton Park is graded as Category C, priced £20 to £30. Fans across the Premier League have a right to feel disgruntled about ticket prices for the highest category games. Hull themselves charge adults £50, seniors and young adults £30, and juniors £20 for Category A games at the KC Stadium, while West Ham are not the only club charging a premium, particularly in the capital. At newly-promoted QPR, 'Platinum' seats for their Category A fixtures - against Arsenal, Man City, Man United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool and West Ham - will set non-members back £70. Across the capital at Arsenal, the most expensive Category A ticket for non-members is £97, while seeing the big clashes at White Hart Lane will set you back £81, including their home match against West Ham. A ticket see Jose Mourinho's Chelsea at Stamford Bridge against top opposition costs £82. In their penultimate campaign at Upton Park before moving to the Olympic Stadium, West Ham announced in April they would be freezing prices on season tickets for this term. The most expensive adult season ticket is £910 for new applicants, while renewals saved £20. But the cheapest, at £620, is still more expensive than London rivals Chelsea's least expensive option for this season, as well as the cheapest ticket at Manchester United.
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West Ham United Premier League season guide 2014/15
The latest West Ham United news including fixtures, transfers, best starting XI, odds, tickets and predictions ahead of the new Barclays Premier League season
West Ham United Premier League season guide 2014/15
Telegraph.co.uk
By John Percy10:09AM BST 12 Aug 2014
Sam Allardyce may have avoided the sack this summer but is arguably under more pressure than ever at West Ham United. After agreeing to substantially modify the style of football to appease the board and an increasingly disgruntled section of supporters, he cannot afford a bad start to the Premier League campaign if he is to survive the season. The loss of record signing Andy Carroll for possibly four months with an ankle injury has only added to the sense of frustration in the boardroom while the Ravel Morrison dilemma has polarised opinion. The signings this summer appear to suggest a shift in transfer policy, with Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate, in particular, brought in to excite, while there have been other changes to formation. Whether Allardyce is happy to adapt his tactics to such an extent is uncertain, with the manager already admitting the new approach has left his team open defensively. It seems an uneasy truce between the two parties and the first five games or so will give an accurate barometer of how it will progress. The move into the new stadium next year means that relegation cannot even be contemplated.
Manager Sam Allardyce.
Best starting XI Adrian; Jenkinson, Collins, Reid, Cresswell; Kouyate, Noble, Nolan, Downing; Valencia, Zarate.
Prediction West Ham will survive but whether Allardyce stays beyond next summer – at the latest – is debatable.
Transfers
In Enner Valencia (Pachuca, £12m), Aaron Cresswell (Ipswich Town, £3.75m), Cheikhou Kouyate (Anderlecht, Undisclosed), Mauro Zarate (Velez Sarsfield, Undisclosed), Diego Poyet (Charlton Athletic, Compensation), Carl Jenkinson (Arsenal, Loan).
Out Ben Sheaf (Arsenal, Undisclosed), Joe Cole (Aston Villa), Matt Taylor (Burnley), Stephen Henderson (Charlton Athletic), Robert Girdlestone (Chelmsford City), Raphael Spiegel (Crawley Town, Loan).
Released Jack Collison, Alou Diarra, Callum Driver, George McCartney, Jordan Spence.
Tickets
• Cheapest: £20
• Most expensive: £75
Dependant on Category of the game (A, B, or C). Cheapest category is C. Most fixtures have been set in category B but they could be subject to change. The cheapest ticket in Category B is £38.
Ticket Office Number 0871 529 1966
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Irons look for chance to tempt Wickham
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 12, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are ready to hand Connor Wickham a big pay increase to join the club. However, they first have to convince Sunderland to sell the player who is out of contract in a year. Despite being unsure whether they can entice the player out of the Stadium of Light, the Hammers are ready to try again. A source told ClaretandHugh exclusively: "Sunderland are adopting a very strong position with the player despite him only having 12 months left on a deal at the end of which he could go for nothing. "However, we are likely to up our bid and hope to be given permission to speak with the player." Currently the England under 21 is on around £23,000 with the Black Cats and the Irons are certainly ready to push that to over £30,000."
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WHERE'S JULIAN DICKS WHEN YOU NEED HIM?
By Iain Dale 12 Aug 2014 at 21:00
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post From Little Fork
Who can inspire and motivate our team like Dicksy? Do we have someone today who can get the team "up" and battle ready?
On a filthy wet evening at Upton Park on Monday 24th Feb 1997 the Irons met Spurs. With our team having been entrenched in the bottom three with only one win in 14 games , Spurs were odds on favourites to win. 'Arry had made a couple of purchases (£7.3+m was considered a "staggering" amount). Paul Kitson and John Hartson were to make their debuts but the Hammer's skipper, Julian Dicks, with his hair fiercely cropped was the inspiration that night.
Dicksy was everywhere on the pitch that night. He was the best defender, best midfield player and certainly played his part up front as well. He rallied the troops, I wish I'd been there to hear the pre match dressing room rousing speech, as the team came out with what seemed a new found confidence. For me, the packed house and of course the Monday night SKY audience, this was the match of the season. It was end to end, topsy turvey stuff…….in East End parlance "a right ol' ding dong" of a game.
It was our new attacking coach Sherry who scored first for Spurs with a stunning header. But the Hammer's response was forceful to say the least. From a Michael Hughes corner in the 21st minute Dicksy powered in a header to get us back on terms. About 2 minutes later the atmosphere really ignited when Paul Kitson on debut scored with a header from another Hughes corner. Joy was short lived however when Darren "sick note" Anderton lobbed Ludo to get spurs on level terms. Hartson then captured the hearts of the hammers' fans when in the 37th minute he headed us back in front again, this time from a superb cross from Dicksy.
Sheringham, however, wasn't to be upstaged, though, as he cleverly blocked off Dicks to allow Howells to make it 3 each. This was a rather poignant moment for Howells who had just suffered a family bereavement (his Dad) but had decided to play the match. Our bubbles anthem was heard right across London that night I am sure, as the game swung one way and then the other.
Dicksy sensed that a win was possible and pushed his battle weary troops forward for what seemed one last effort. I think the crowd had settled for a point, but not Dicksy.
When Howells was judged to have fouled the irrepressible Hartson in the box, who else would step up to take the penalty? In front of the Bobby Moore stand, I have never seen a penalty struck with such force before. Ray Stewart was the former penalty "king" but Dicksy's penalty blasted into the net with such ferocity and velocity, it felt the whole of the Park would explode!!
What a captain that night, what a performance, and what a result.
West Ham 4 Spurs 3.
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West Ham United over Diafra Sakho transfer
Metz' Senegalese forward Diafra Sakho kicks the ball during the friendly football match Sochaux (FCSM) vs Metz (FCM) on July 25, 2014© Getty Images
By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter
Filed: Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at 21:54 UK
Last Updated: Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at 22:10 UK
Metz have pulled out of negotiations over striker Diafra Sakho's transfer to West Ham United, the Ligue 1 club accusing the Hammers of foul play and threatening to take legal action. Both sides are said to have reached an agreement over a fee for the 24-year-old, Metz claiming that the player had successfully completed a medical at Upton Park. But according to a statement released by the French club, Sam Allardyce's side switched from wanting a permanent transfer to a loan deal with the option to buy. The statement read: "The English club unilaterally decided to propose a loan deal with an option to purchase instead of a permanent deal, which does not correspond to FC Metz's expectations and contradicts all the terms that had been agreed last week between the two clubs. "FC Metz regret this clear lack of respect, which is unacceptable, from West Ham towards FC Metz and also the player. "As a result, FC Metz reserve the right to approach the international sport court and assert their rights and defender their interests. FC Metz had released Diafra Sakho from his professional duties during matchday 1 of the Ligue 1 championship by giving him leave to take a medical in England to complete the last stage of the deal."
Senegalese striker Sakho was named best player in the French Ligue 2 last season.
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Hammers weigh up Marseilles midfielder
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 12, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are still tracking Marseilles midfielder Morgan Amalfitano and may make a definite move over the nest seven days. The 29 year old has been on the Irons radar for some time and at one point stories were circulating that he had actually joined. The inventive midfielder spent last season on loan at West Brom and scored four goals in 30 outings. He scored a brilliant goal against Manchester United and showed fleeting moments of real class but couldn't maintain that on a consistent basis. The Hammers want to pay around £2 million for him and a source told ClaretandHugh: "There's nothing imminent but something may happen over the next week."
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Metz blast West Ham as Sakho transfer falls through
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 13th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
Diafra Sakho's move to West Ham is off after Metz pulled the plug on the deal last last night. The 24-year-old forward looked set to join West Ham after the two clubs agreed a deal last week. A medical was completed but the deal collapsed, say Metz, after West Ham attempted to change the terms of the transfer.
According to a statement published by the French club tonight, West Ham - who had originally agreed to sign Sakho on a permanent basis - requested instead to take the player on a season-long loan with view to a permanent transfer.
Metz refused to play ball and, as a result, the deal is now officially off. "While FC Metz and West Ham agreed a written agreement on the terms of a definitive transfer of the Senegalese striker to the English club, West Ham finally changed its position at the last moment," read the French club's statement. "The English club decided to propose to FC Metz a loan with option to purchase, which absolutely does not correspond to the expectations of FC Metz and contradicts all terms and conditions that had been validated specifically late last week between the two clubs."
Metz, who were set to receive around €4m for Sakho from West Ham also threatened to report the Hammers to football authorities over the collapse of the deal. "FC Metz regret a clear lack of serious and unacceptable disrespect from West Ham against FC Metz but also in respect of the player," they said. "As a result, FC Metz reserves the right to address international sports courts to assert their rights and defend their interests. "FC Metz had released Diafra Sakho from his professional duties during the first day of the Ligue 1 championship, giving him the opportunity to take a medical examination in England in order to validate the last stage of his transfer. "Sakho will return to Metz on Wednesday afternoon.
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COULD THE SAKHO DEAL BE REFERRED TO THE COURT FOR ARBITRATION IN SPORT (CAS)?
By S J Chandos 13 Aug 2014 at 00:30
West Ham Till I Die
Reports yesterday alleged that Metz have halted West Ham's move for Diafra Sakho after claiming that the Premier League club sought to suddenly reconstitute the terms of the proposed transfer. It had appeared that the clubs had quickly agreed a £3.5m fee for the promising 24 year old Senegalese striker and the way lay open for medical clearance and the negotiation of the player's personal terms.
However, Metz have now issued a statement alleging that West Ham have reneged on their agreement by seeking a season long loan deal agreement, with the option to buy next summer, rather than an permanent transfer. Furthermore, the French club have accused West Ham of being 'disrespectful' in their conduct and are currently considering their legal options, as Sakho missed the club's opening Ligue 1 fixture last Saturday (a 0-0 draw with Lille) to complete his medical.
The Metz statement asserts:
'The English club unilaterally decided to propose a loan deal with an option to purchase instead of a permanent deal, which does not correspond to FC Metz's expectations and contradicts all the terms that had been agreed last week between the two clubs. FC Metz regret this clear lack of respect, which is unacceptable, from West Ham towards FC Metz and also the player. As a result, FC Metz reserve the right to approach the international sport court and assert their rights and defend their interests. FC Metz had released Diafra Sakho from his professional duties during matchday 1 of the Ligue 1 championship by giving him leave to take a medical in England to complete the last stage of the deal.'
So, based on the above statement, it would seem that Metz's case is likely to be that they reached a binding (verbal or written) agreement with West Ham for the permanent transfer of the striker. And that Metz sanctioned Sakho to miss their opening fixture of the season (in order to complete his medical) on the basis that it was effectively a done deal. Metz dropped two points, in a 0-0 draw with Lille, and they may well argue that the voluntary absence of last season's top scorer could have been a salient factor in the result. A risk that Metz were presumably prepared to accept on the understanding that they would receive the agreed transfer fee. If this is the thrust of their case, would they be successful at CAS? And, if so, would the CAS ruling be that the transfer should proceed on the original terms or, alternatively, would a compensation package be necessary? There is even a suggestion circulating that Metz might push for a points deduction! One only hopes that Metz are not relegated this season by two points or less or that will raise old spectres of a previous crazy compensation deal for an alleged injury to another football club!
Sakho is well worth a gamble at £3.5m, but it all depends what the club's approach is with respect to the possible signing of Connor Wickham and how the transfer finances stack up? As the situation stood yesterday evening, it is understood that Metz's lawyers have given West Ham until 12 noon today to agree to proceed with the transfer, on the orginal terms. If not, they will consider taking their case to EUFA/CAS.
SJ. Chandos
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WHUFC.com
Two Academy prospects have been called into their England age group squads this week
12.08.2014
Academy duo Jahmal Hector-Ingram and Anthony Scully have received call ups to their respective England age group squads. Hector-Ingram, who scored three goals in eight games for England U16 last term, earns an U17 call for the first time as the Young Lions get set for a friendly international tournament to be played in the Midlands at the end of August. England will take on Czech Republic at Kidderminster Harriers' Aggborough Stadium on Wednesday 27 August before heading to Chesterfield to play Portugal two days later. The tournament concludes on Sunday 31 August with a game against Italy at Burton Albion, with John Peacock assessing his options before the UEFA U17 Championship campaign gets underway later in the season. For midfielder Scully, he will have the opportunity to impress England U16 head coach Dan Micciche as he prepares for the Victory Shield. Scully forms part of a 22-man squad to face Belgium at St George's Park on Wednesday 20 August.
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Noble looks forward to derby backing
WHUFC.com
Mark Noble is sure the Hammers fans will be able to play their part against Tottenham on Saturday
12.08.2014
Mark Noble is ready and raring to go for Saturday's Barclays Premier League season opener against Tottenham Hotspur. The Hammer of the Year scored from the spot as West Ham United concluded their pre-season programme at the weekend with a 3-2 victory over Sampdoria. It brought a first summer win over 90 minutes for Sam Allardyce's men and Noble was delighted with the performance. "It was brilliant on Saturday," he beamed. "I thought we played really well and gave the fans a good game to watch. For Reece [Burke] to score the winner was a lovely way to top the day off. "I'm looking forward to Tottenham. I think it'll be a harder game than the one we had here at the end of last season, but the atmosphere is always fantastic for the first game of the season. "With them having a new manager, everyone will want to impress him, so everyone's going to have to play as well as they did last Saturday for us and hopefully get the three points. "We need the crowd behind us and hopefully they will be."
The win over Sampdoria was characterised by strong performances from the Club's Academy players, and Noble had praise for the subbsitutes - both young and experienced. He added: "Pottsy came on and won the penalty. He played really well, then Elliot {Lee} came on and was brilliant for the 20 minutes he was on and Reece popped up with the winner. "The substitutes all came on and made a difference - when Mo's playing like that he's untouchable. "I've always said that the results in pre-season don't matter and it's the performances and getting the lads through it that's the focus. "I went through an unbeaten pre-season with Avram Grant and we all know what happened that year, so the results don't matter, but I thought we played really well against Sampdoria and it was nice to get the win."
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Under-21s set for PSV test
WHUFC.com
Development Squad coach Nick Haycock says his team will benefit from playing European opposition
12.08.2014
Development Squad coach Nick Haycock says his team's meeting with PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday evening will act as another hugely useful stepping stone in their development. The Under-21s head to the Netherlands six days before their opening Barclays U21 Premier League game at Tottenham Hotspur, with Haycock keen to test his side against continental opposition. He said: "It's European competition for us and we're delighted to be in it. "We're delighted that we're in the elite league for the Premier League too, because we're a smaller Academy when compared to the powerhouses in there. "We think we've got some good players who can compete at that level and hopefully we can go and show that on Tuesday. "You're never sure how you're going to look from pre-season until it gets underway because up until now you've played different teams. "You play Conference teams, competing against men, you play Under-23 teams and then we had a 21s team against Aston Villa last Friday. "There'll be different styles of games now than what we've had and we'll adapt to that and try to assert the way we want to play on teams a little more. I think we're capable of that. "I'm happy with where we are and I'm looking forward to the season."
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Fans march on Premier League HQ
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
Hundreds of fans will march on Premier League and Football League headquarters this Thursday demanding cheaper ticket prices throughout football. The march will be led by the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) with fans from scores of clubs joining them. Supporters say clubs should use multi-billion pound media deals to lower ticket prices for both home and away fans. The Premier League's current media deal is worth £5.5bn, an increase of £2.1bn on the previous three years, but fans say there is little sign of anything being done to make life easier for match-going supporters. From the increase in Premier League media rights alone all 20 top-flight clubs could have let every fan into every game for free, without being any worse off than they had been the season before. Instead, many clubs chose to increase prices and £50+ tickets are now common in the top-flight. Hull City's Category A tickets jumped from £30 last season to £50 in 2014/15. Kevin Miles, chief executive of the FSF, said: "Nine out of 10 fans think football's simply too expensive. There's always the odd deal that clubs can quote to play it down, but the truth is supporters tell us they think tickets cost too much. It's not just top-flight football either, fans throughout the leagues tell us prices are too high. "Football is swimming in money, with clubs pocketing record amounts from broadcasting deals while squeezing supporters with high prices. Something has to give. "Ultimately we, as football supporters, have to speak up about this. Join the FSF and hundreds of fans on Thursday when we deliver that message to the Premier League and Football League."
Fans will gather at Marble Arch for 1pm and leave for the Premier League and Football League offices at 30 Gloucester Place (W1U 8PL) at 2pm. A delegation of fans will meet with the football authorities, while those on the demonstration head back to The Globe (NW1 5JY).
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Free coaches for Hull trip
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
Supporters wishing to follow West Ham when they face Hull City at the KC Stadium next month will be able to take advantage of free coach travel. The club have confirmed that all supporters travelling to the game, which takes place on Monday, 15 September will be able to travel free of charge on club coaches, as part of the Premier League's away fan fund scheme. Each top flight club has, for the second successive season, been awarded £200,000 by the league with which to improve their fans' trips to away grounds. And this season West Ham have responded early with the offer, which means fans taking advantage of the offer will pay just £35 - the price of a visitors' match day ticket - to attend the match. The match is also being broadcast on TV by Sky Sports, one of four Premier League fixtures involving West Ham to go live in the first half of the 2014/15 season.
On live
Mon 15 Sept: Hull City v West Ham Utd (8pm, SS)
Sat 20 Sept: West Ham Utd v Liverpool (5:30pm, SS)
Sun 5 Oct: West Ham Utd v QPR (4:15pm, SS)
Sat 25 Oct: West Ham Utd v Man City (12.45pm, BT)
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Everton haven't won a pre-season game, we have
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 12th August 2014
By: Paul Walker
New players, check. Youth being given a chance, check. More attacking approach and new systems, check. Big Sam smiles at us more…well, you can't have everything can you?
Now I know it's easy to be flippant, and clever in hindsight, but please remind me what pre-season friendlies are really for?
You would think that it's Christmas already and we are down at the bottom of the table without a point. Now that would be cause for the wholesale abuse being heaped on everyone at the club from Ms Brady (I'll get to her in a minute) to the gateman.
But all that has happened is that we have not done too well in our pre-season matches, apart for what I am told was an encouraging display in beating Sampdoria on Saturday, and when a few kids and new faces didn't do too badly.
We should not be getting our knickers in a twist about pre-season results, long distance travelling to the far side of the globe and the now expected injury for poor Andy Carroll. (As I have said before, he didn't get injured on purpose, and it's nothing to do with his TOWIE totty.)
At this point I can add that we are not the worst off. Everton have not won a pre-season game yet and I bet there are very few West Ham fans out there who would not like to swap our position with the Merseysiders. And their esteemed manager too, Roberto Martinez.
But I doubt there's anybody up at Goodison Park calling for the manager's head while roundly abusing players and owners at will.
But such is the now entrenched views of a sizeable amount of our fans who despise everything about BFS and the people who employ him, you would have thought there is a crisis of biblical proportions going on.
Now I have had plenty to say about Big Sam and the way we play and the performances of players. Last season was dire, the entertainment value was not there and we were much nearer a genuine relegation scrap than Sam Allardyce has been prepared to admit.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, we pay for our tickets and have a right to be heard. But the season hasn't started yet, no ball has been kicked in anger and many of the things we were all screaming for are being put into place.
We wanted higher quality players. Enner Valencia and Cheickhou Kouyate seem to fit the bill. We wanted the club to look into the lower divisions for bright, likely lads to be brought to the Boleyn. Diego Poyet and Aaron Cresswell are just that.
A bit of flair was asked for. Mauro Zarate step forward. And we should be trying to acquire young talent from bigger clubs. Carl Jenkinson is just that.
Sam was seemingly asked to change the perception of our club, to produce more attacking style and flair and to improve the quality of the staff. He was also told to be nicer to us and make an effort to get along with fans he once called deluded and then was seen to cup his ear and mock the boo-boys after the truly dreadful win over a ten-man Hull last season.
Now to my mind he still has a bit to do on the PR front as far as we are concerned, the odd smile wouldn't go amiss. But within the framework of our budget, things look to be changing. Blimey, we played two different systems on Saturday……3-5-2 and 4-3-3, and the kids were given their head.
So let's just give it a chance, see if things do look better in a few months and see whether we are enjoying it more.
I noticed a piece by Iain Dale on WHTID in which he rounded on the faceless abusers of our players on the internet, where cowards get away with saying stuff they would not dare address to someone's face. Sometimes when you read threads on fans' forums you wonder why people actually come through the turnstiles any more, so much do they hate everything and everyone.
Every time we sign a player, there is always a long list of people who instantly slag them off, probably when it comes to foreign players having not even seen them play…and I don't count a few grainy minutes on YouTube.
I agree that some of the pre-season displays were poor, in New Zealand and Germany, as well as Stevenage! But if you look at those squads, they were full of youngsters being given a chance to impress, seniors coming back from injury and new faces looking to find their feet. Nobody should read too much into any of that.
Good grief, people have been calling for BFS to be sacked for losing pre-season friendlies. I ask you! If we are a basket case come November, say, then I would agree. But not yet, give everyone a break.
And come on, now, we have a new member of the House of Lords at the helm. I wouldn't give you a penny for Ms Brady's political views, but she hasn't done that badly as a woman in the world of business.
I feel that Baroness Brady of Highbury (that, I presume is what she will want to be called when she reaches Westminster) will not be long in her role as our chief executive now she has her eyes on higher office.
And you cannot expect her to want to be called Baroness Brady of Boleyn, young ladies with that name who have aspirations to reach the corridors of power tend to lose their heads.
But she has done what she was asked to do by the Davids. She has the right image to get round the likes of Boris and the PM, and she was the acceptable face of the club in the negotiations for the new stadium move. You cannot see the Tory boys being comfortable negotiating with a couple of ageing porn barons in the wake of the Olympics, so Ms Brady did what she was asked to do.
The same may well, in the end, be said of Big Sam. I know that 'BFS out' brigade will never change their views or have a good word said about him, and I struggle at times with his abrupt, arrogant approach to anyone who is not a professional in the football industry. We know nothing, you see.
But he might, just might, be building a squad that can take us forward, whether he is buying the players or David Sullivan is. I can hear you all laughing out there, sure. But give it a chance for a few weeks, we need to be united when the real action starts. And that means on Saturday against the hated enemy. It's happening again, anybody?
If we don't present an intimidating atmosphere and solid support for the team, then things really will go pear-shaped.
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UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, IS C.£4M SUCH A 'LOUSY' BID FOR CONNOR WICKHAM?
By S J Chandos 12 Aug 2014 at 12:00
West Ham Till I Die
It was widely reported yesterday that West Ham have submitted a bid for young Sunderland centre-forward, Connor Wickham. Reports vary on the alleged size of the bid, in some instances its £5m and in others £4m. Even if we accept the lower of these two figures, then that is surely still a decent bid for a player who is in the final year of his present contract. Yet, one leading Sunderland website dismissed the bid as 'lousy' and suggested that West Ham need to come back with an improved bid! While I can understand Sunderland's angst at only recouping 50% of the original fee paid to Ipswich Town, you have to ask whether they are being realistic? The owning club is never in the 'driving seat' once a player's contract enters its final year. They are faced with the dilemma, so well articulated by Gus Poyet recently, that the player either signs a new contract or they are sold. Of course, that's providing the player does not chose to 'dig in,' see out his contract and leave on a Bosman deal.
In those circumstances, a c.£4m bid is a good offer, which may very well not be on the table for long. Once the season starts, Wickham's valuation will start dropping still further. And now West Ham have set the bar, at c.£4m, it is very unlikely that any other club will come in and beat it. I know its a thoroughly fustrating situation for any club (and remember we face the same situation with Reid and Diame), but if the player will not sign a new contract, then all you can do is cash in. Arguably, Sunderland should take the £4m while its on offer. Its probably only the imperative created by Carroll's injury absence that motivated the bid. West Ham could eventually decide to hold off, agree a pre-contract with Wickham (at the appropriate juncture) and then sign him later on a Bosman deal next summer. With an alternative loan deal for Sakho of Metz in the pipeline, it is a course of action that they could consider pursuing.
Of course, ultimately, it all depends how urgently West Ham feel they need to obtain Wickham's services. Sunderland may, in turn, be gambling that desperation will motivate an improved bid and/or other clubs will come in to spark an auction. However, they could very well be disappointed if they are relying on those factors coming in to play to deliver the full recoupment of the original £8m fee.
SJ. Chandos.
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THAT TUESDAY MORNING FEELING
By Iain Dale 12 Aug 2014 at 08:01
West Ham Till I Die
New regular Tuesday column from The Guardian's Brian Williams
What do you mean, you've never heard of the "Tuesday morning feeling"? It's like the Monday morning feeling, only worse. You know Monday is going to be rubbish, and prepare accordingly. You expect better of Tuesday. But, like a Stewart Downing cross, it always lets you down.
I've never liked Tuesdays. It goes back to when I was a kid. One year at secondary school we had double chemistry and double geography every Tuesday. I'd rather wear a Spurs shirt in public than have to face that again.
There was a time, if West Ham lost at the weekend, there wasn't much point trying to talk to me before Tuesday. Honestly, you'd have done better having a natter with a Trappist monk on Strepsils than attempting to engage me in conversation. I like to think that, as a middle-aged family man, I'm rather more mature than that now. Generally, I can come up with a civil response by Sunday teatime following a Saturday setback. However, I fear that if we have another season like last year's the long, silent sulks of my childhood will return.
I'm no expert, but it's clear that West Ham Till I Die doesn't write itself. I imagine Mr Dale will be far from happy if he regularly finds himself, first thing on a Monday morning, drumming frustrated fingers on his large, executive-grade desk waiting for copy that never turns up as I try to extricate myself from a blackdog depression. That's why I suggested he publishes this column on a Tuesday.
So, now we've got that out of the way, let us examine the big question being asked by all of us with claret and blue in our hearts as we steel ourselves for a new season: can West Ham mend their ways and serve up some proper entertainment rather than the dross that passes for association football in Fat Sam's eyes? It's fair to say, pre-season has been far from encouraging.
True, we beat Sampdoria, and at times there was even the hint of two up front. Naturally, the headline writers summed up Saturday's 3-2 victory as a five-goal thriller. However, I'd like to take issue with them over that. I don't know about you, but I'm never thrilled when anyone scores against West Ham. And when they do it twice, I'm distinctly unthrilled. I prefer the sort of nine-goal thriller we got back in the glory days of '86 when we scored eight of those nine goals.
Okay trivia lovers, every West Ham fan worthy of the name should know that the mighty Alvin Martin scored against three different Newcastle keepers in the pouring rain at the Boleyn Ground. (And I don't want to hear people who complain that "it was before my time" – the first world war was before my time, but I know the result.) You would have to be a serious anorak to be able to name all three of the Geordie keepers that night and quite frankly, we are not looking to encourage people like that on this site. Therefore, I'm going to give you the first two – Martin Thomas and Chris Hedworth – but who was the third?
Yes sir, you in the Avco shirt. Good effort but no, it wasn't Glenn Roeder – although he played his part by scoring an own goal and conceding the penalty that Stretch converted for his hat-trick. The correct answer is Peter Beardsley. Alvin reckons that the little fella tried to put him off by pulling funny faces, but with Beardsley it was hard to tell what counted as a funny face and what was merely his normal boat race.
But I digress. We were discussing West Ham's pre-season. As a generous-hearted individual, I am prepared to forgive them the diabolical results in the antipodean outback – anyone can slip up against the giants of Wellington and Sydney. But the performances in Schalke were woeful. I know this because I watched the games on a TV channel called Quest.
Hands up anyone who had ever heard of Quest before last week. No, me neither. And, to be honest I can't see myself watching it all that often from now on. Its programmes seem to consist mainly of fishing and environmental types with dodgy beards recycling other people's rubbish that they've salvaged from skips. (I'm starting to think Mr Allardyce got his tactical handbook from the same source.)
Of course, you can't read too much into pre-season. One of the best I can ever remember was with Avram Grant at the helm, and we all know how things turned out under his management when the shooting started for real. Ah, where are you now Avram? The old place just isn't the same without your smiling face.
To be perfectly frank, I'm not hopeful about the season ahead. Leopards don't change their spots, and Allardyce isn't going to change the direct formula that has underpinned his entire career. Don't get me wrong – I'd rather beat Spurs playing ugly than lose stringing together a series of meaningless passing moves in front of their massed defence. But never again do I want to see the sort of negativity we got against Hull last season. A goal up, them down to 10 men, and Fat Sam chooses to shut up shop. I'm sorry mate, that's just not acceptable.
It goes without saying I want to hammer Tottenham on Saturday. But if we don't, I will be quietly crossing my fingers that Messrs Gold and Sullivan follow the lead set by Huddersfield, who have given their manager the old tin tack after just one game. Now that would brighten up next Tuesday.
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Should we give him another chance at West Ham?
Westhamworld.co.uk
James Jones
August 12, 2014
Ravel Morrison today revealed that he'll be back in training on Thursday following a groin injury picked up early pre-season. He's also recently revealed that he's been handed the number 14 shirt for the season, which has to be the biggest hint yet that he still has a role to play in the first team. His off-field antics this summer have been nothing short of a disgrace. The whole court case looming over him is something of a minefield, with only speculation surrounding the real truth behind what happened between Ravel, his ex-girlfriend and her Mum. Innocent until proven guilty, and all that. But being pictured in an Arsenal shirt has to be one of the most ridiculous things I've seen a footballer do in a very long time. He knows he's under the spotlight and he knows we're not going to take kindly to him wearing the shirt of one of our London rivals. But he goes ahead with it anyway. Nonetheless, all of the above doesn't yet warrant the decision to give up on him and get rid. Why? Because I'm a firm believer that he will mature and will become one of England and West Ham's best players in the coming seasons. There's no doubting his desire to stay at the club. He tweeted about his love for the club just a few days ago…
Such an admission just wouldn't come from a player either pushing for a move away from the club or knowing the club are trying to get rid of him. It's still a bit of a mystery as to why he behaves the way he does off the field, but his performances on the field should be the main reason the board and Sam Allardyce put together a new deal for him and a new role for him in the first team. Morrison's performances at the beginning of last season were a breath of fresh air amidst the pollution of Allardyce's one-dimensional approach to tactics. He played his own game and came out on top in so many of our performances – his role in our epic 3-0 victory at White Hart Lane last October goes down as one of the best individual performances I've seen in a West Ham shirt from any player in many years. So what's stopping him from replicating such form this season? Nothing. Well, apart from the ongoing dispute about his future between the board and the manager. This cannot be good for him and it cannot be good for us. Period.
However, that fact Morrison has publicly declared his love and thanks to the club, and his excitement at getting back to playing football with West Ham this season, bodes well for both parties. You cannot deny his talent, and we simply cannot dismiss how important he could be for us next season and beyond. This is why he must be given another chance at putting things right. Both on and off the field. Because, if we lose him, we may just live to regret it…
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Time to blood Elliot Lee
August 12, 2014
By Danny Rust – @Danny_Rust10, Shoot's West Ham blogger
Shoot.co.uk
With the new Premier League campaign kicking off this weekend, a number of youngsters at West Ham United will be hoping they have staked a claim for a spot in Sam Allardyce's side this season. One teenager that certainly should be in Big Sam's thoughts is striker Elliot Lee.
Lee, the son of former England international, West Ham and Newcastle United midfielder Rob, has been scoring goals for fun for the Hammers' Development Squad for a number of years now and has enjoyed loan spells in the Football League in recent seasons too.
But Lee has performed well for the Irons in pre-season, with his late cameo appearance against Sampdoria on Saturday being the pick of the bunch. When Lee came on after 76 minutes to replace Carlton Cole, West Ham started to attack quickly and looked more confident on the ball. Lee's intelligent runs created acres of space for his teammates, who were then able to shoot more freely, with the likes of Ricardo Vaz Te going for goal more often in the final ten minutes.
In fact, within a minute of Lee coming off the bench, Mohamed Diame scored the equaliser against the Italian Serie A side. Then with almost the last kick of the game, 17-year-old Reece Burke converted the winner from a fantastic pass from the striker, who waited until the right moment to play the killer pass.
The 19-year-old looks as though he could be a big part of Sam Allardyce's plans this season and he should be based on that performance. The Hammers faithful have been calling for Lee to get a chance for a year now and he has never really been given the opportunity, but now this may finally be his time.
It is unlikely that Lee will start on the opening day of the season against Tottenham Hotspur due to his lack of experience, but he should at the very least be named among the substitutes. If he were to come on and play like he did against Sampdoria, then the Tottenham backline could be in for a shock, and he will certainly create a number of chances for himself and his teammates.
One negative to take from West Ham's final pre-season game was the injury to Aaron Cresswell. The left back, who signed from Ipswich Town this summer, was looking like a good addition in the early stages, with some neat passes down the left hand side and some dangerous crosses being put into the Sampdoria penalty area. But Cresswell was forced off just after the half-hour mark, when a strong challenge from a Sampdoria defender meant he could not continue.
Allardyce will be hoping that the injury is not too serious and the new acquisition will be fit for the opening day of the season.
However, Dan Potts replaced Cresswell and looked comfortable at left back. Potts, who has made a handful of first team appearances over the last three seasons, is likely to go into the season as the club's second choice left back because of the signing of Cresswell, but he looks as though he is a good back-up to have at the Boleyn Ground.
He continued where Cresswell left off, with some good attacking play and he should have scored soon after West Ham equalised for the second time in the match.
All in all, Big Sam will be pleased to have ended a disappointing pre-season – which has seen Andy Carroll pick up another injury and the side suffer numerous defeats – on a high with some good performances from the club's youngsters and a win.
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West Ham set to beat Hull to Amalfitano signing
By talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) | Tuesday, August 12, 2014
West Ham are set to finalise a move to sign former West Brom midfielder Morgan Amalfitano on a three-year contract, according to reports in France. Sam Allardyce is ready to strengthen his midfield as uncertainty continues to surround the future of Mohamed Diame, who has been strongly linked with a move to QPR. Amalfitano, 29, enjoyed a successful loan spell with West Brom and scored a wonder goal against Manchester United last season. But he is now looking for a new challenge in England and despite speculation linking him with a move to Hull, West Ham appear to have won the race to clinch his signature from Marseille. The French midfielder could go straight into the squad for the opening Premier League game against Tottenham on Saturday.
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West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady: Two years to go and we are on track to achieve our Olympic dream
Evening standard
Published: 12 August 2014 Updated: 11:43, 12 August 2014
The Barclays Premier League will return with a bang on Saturday after an amazing summer, culminating in Germany lifting the World Cup to end another incredible season. But while the thoughts of fans are understandably dominated by what might happen on the pitch this weekend, I thought I should also update our supporters and the rest of London on the huge amount of work that has been going on away from the pitch at West Ham United this summer.
I remember when we were awarded the Olympic Stadium in March 2013, I wrote in this very newspaper that the hard work was just about to start and so it has proved. This weekend marks two years until we kick off the first game in our state-of-the-art, 54,000-seat new home in the Olympic Stadium and much of our close-season has been spent putting plans together that will ensure it becomes one of the venues in world football. Just last week we saw our most expensive signing of the summer, Enner Valencia, proudly sport our new home kit in front of the stadium. He spoke of his desire to fire West Ham into the top four of the Premier League and although that might sound unrealistic to some outside of the club, that is the sort of ambition we must have. A move to a stadium as iconic as the one at the heart of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park should be a gamechanger for a club like ours.
We will be able to attract better players, who will be drawn to playing at an iconic venue the world fell in love with during the summer of 2012. But the stadium will not just be better for our players, though, as our biggest priority is to deliver a stadium that exceeds the expectations of our fans. We have been composing a robust plan to migrate our supporters in the clearest and fairest way possible. We realise an affordable and accessible ticketing strategy to bring football back to working people will also be integral to achieving our goal of kicking off our first game with a full stadium and an electric atmosphere.
It will look and feel like the home of West Ham, the facilities will be world class, the nine direct rail links will make it the best connected in Europe and I know the West Ham fans will bring their passionate support to create an atmosphere to match. Our bigger capacity also means more revenue and bigger budgets, without increasing the burden on the 35,000 who come to watch us every other week at the moment. I am pleased to report the construction schedule is on track and in two months' time the installation of the cutting-edge roof — the largest cantilevered roof in the world — begins. It is a truly world-class solution that covers every seat and we want to ensure that standard is matched with our final designs for the innovative retractable seating.
We have also focused our energies on creating a hospitality proposition that will be the best in the Europe once completed. From the outset, it has been designed to compete, and compare, to leading London restaurants and members' clubs and I am looking forward to revealing more of our exciting plans in the coming months. Then, from early next year, the new floodlight configuration and internal upgrades to the turnstiles, catering and bathroom facilities will take place.
The Rugby World Cup in autumn 2015 will lead to a highly significant break in the construction work and provide an important marker in the project timeline for West Ham United. Once the tournament's Bronze Final is concluded at the venue on Friday October 30, the final series of changes that will transform the Stadium into a UEFA Category 4 Football Stadium and the new home of West Ham United will take place. This period will see upgrades made to the hospitality lounges and the delivery of our new Club Megastore and dedicated Ticket Office, both of which will be open to fans and visitors all year round.
So we know there is a lot to do still but I am delighted with the progress my hard-working team at West Ham has made in conjunction with our partners at the London Legacy Development Corporation. I can assure West Ham fans that, when we kick off our new season in 2016-17, it will be an experience worth waiting for.
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Sakho on back burner as Wickham race hots up
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 12, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham have put talks with Diafra Sakho (right) on the back burner as they push ahead with moves for Connor Wickham The Metz striker is believed to want around £15k a week plus £5k appearance bonuses but the Irons are intensifying their efforts to grab Sunderland's England under 21. Sakho has been in talks with the club for several days but Sam Allardyce would love to grab Wickham – who at 21 – looks a real prospect and helps the Irons preserve their British baseline. An Upton Park source told ClaretandHugh exclusively this morning: "The Sakho negotiations are on hold as it's clear Wickham is now the big target. "If the manager and chairman can get a deal sorted out it will have been an excellent summer and Wickham. However, should that turn out not to be the case, the Sakho remains in play."
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West Ham vs Tottenham will set back fans as much as £77... while Hull City charge £16 for home opener against Stoke as fans prepare to march to Premier League HQ
Non-members adult ticket in Band 1 for game on Saturday will cost £75
A £2 booking fee is also placed on all orders for the Premier League opener
Members prices are £70 for Band 1, with the cheapest member ticket £50
Tottenham is a Category A fixture, with Category B costing around £15 less
West Ham do have a Category C (£20-30), against Leicester City
Hammers also offer 'Kids for a Quid' for six games a season
By GERARD BRAND
PUBLISHED: 10:54, 12 August 2014 | UPDATED: 15:48, 12 August 2014
Daily Mail
West Ham United's first Premier League game of the season against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur could set fans back as much as £77 for an adult ticket, causing uproar among Hammers fans. Saturday's opener at Upton Park, kicking off at 3pm, has been classed as a Category A fixture, with the cheapest ticket for members £50 and non-members £55. In stark contrast, Hull City, who finished just three points below the Hammers in their first season back in the Premier League, are charging a flat price of £16 around the ground for their first home fixture against Bojan Krkic's new club Stoke City on Sunday August 24. Hundreds of fans will march on Premier League and Football League headquarters on Thursday to demand cheaper tickets across the board, with the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) heading the protests. Supporters believe the increase in the multi-billion pound TV deals, including the Premier League media deal worth £5.5billion, should allow for a decrease in ticket prices. Kevin Miles, chief executive of the FSF, said: 'Nine out of 10 fans think football's simply too expensive.
'There's always the odd deal that clubs can quote to play it down, but the truth is supporters tell us they think tickets cost too much.' Table: Prices for first two weeks of fixtures (red indicates highest and lowest price)
West Ham are charging juniors £41 in Band 1 areas of the ground, while Hull fans under 15 can go for as little as £5 for the Category C fixture. The most expensive ticket for the Tottenham game is £75, with a £2 booking fee for all purchases. Despite the expected difference in Category A and Category C prices, West Ham fans are already disgruntled at having to watch what some of the faithful regard as poor football. West Ham won just seven of their 19 games at home last season in the top flight, scoring 25 goals. But the club do offer incentives for fans throughout the term, particularly for juniors. Six 'Kids for a Quid' fixtures are named in a season, as well as earmarking one game where under 16s can attend for free. However, the prices have caused anger on social media, with football fans wondering how a side that struggled in the Premier League last season can charge supporters so much. Adrian Leahy (@adieleahy), who voiced his concerns to Hammers co-chairman David Gold on Twitter, said: '@davidgold if you really are serious about making football affordable how come you keep raising the prices ? More & more fans priced out !'
Danny Smith (@DannyyySmith) added: 'How can west ham charge £70 to the game against spurs ? Wouldn't mind but we don't even play football! HOOOFBALL!! @davidgold.'
Andrew (@{griffina71) said: 'I took my son to watch Dortmund last year return flight and ticket cost £6 less !!!!'
With it costing £35 to become a member at Upton Park, the ticket prices for non-members could discourage new fans from deciding to attend Hammers games at short notice. Tottenham is a Category A fixture, alongside the visits of Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.
Eleven other Premier League clubs are listed as Category B fixtures, costing as much as £55 for members and £60 for non-members, while the Leicester City match at Upton Park is graded as Category C, priced £20 to £30. Fans across the Premier League have a right to feel disgruntled about ticket prices for the highest category games. Hull themselves charge adults £50, seniors and young adults £30, and juniors £20 for Category A games at the KC Stadium, while West Ham are not the only club charging a premium, particularly in the capital. At newly-promoted QPR, 'Platinum' seats for their Category A fixtures - against Arsenal, Man City, Man United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool and West Ham - will set non-members back £70. Across the capital at Arsenal, the most expensive Category A ticket for non-members is £97, while seeing the big clashes at White Hart Lane will set you back £81, including their home match against West Ham. A ticket see Jose Mourinho's Chelsea at Stamford Bridge against top opposition costs £82. In their penultimate campaign at Upton Park before moving to the Olympic Stadium, West Ham announced in April they would be freezing prices on season tickets for this term. The most expensive adult season ticket is £910 for new applicants, while renewals saved £20. But the cheapest, at £620, is still more expensive than London rivals Chelsea's least expensive option for this season, as well as the cheapest ticket at Manchester United.
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West Ham United Premier League season guide 2014/15
The latest West Ham United news including fixtures, transfers, best starting XI, odds, tickets and predictions ahead of the new Barclays Premier League season
West Ham United Premier League season guide 2014/15
Telegraph.co.uk
By John Percy10:09AM BST 12 Aug 2014
Sam Allardyce may have avoided the sack this summer but is arguably under more pressure than ever at West Ham United. After agreeing to substantially modify the style of football to appease the board and an increasingly disgruntled section of supporters, he cannot afford a bad start to the Premier League campaign if he is to survive the season. The loss of record signing Andy Carroll for possibly four months with an ankle injury has only added to the sense of frustration in the boardroom while the Ravel Morrison dilemma has polarised opinion. The signings this summer appear to suggest a shift in transfer policy, with Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate, in particular, brought in to excite, while there have been other changes to formation. Whether Allardyce is happy to adapt his tactics to such an extent is uncertain, with the manager already admitting the new approach has left his team open defensively. It seems an uneasy truce between the two parties and the first five games or so will give an accurate barometer of how it will progress. The move into the new stadium next year means that relegation cannot even be contemplated.
Manager Sam Allardyce.
Best starting XI Adrian; Jenkinson, Collins, Reid, Cresswell; Kouyate, Noble, Nolan, Downing; Valencia, Zarate.
Prediction West Ham will survive but whether Allardyce stays beyond next summer – at the latest – is debatable.
Transfers
In Enner Valencia (Pachuca, £12m), Aaron Cresswell (Ipswich Town, £3.75m), Cheikhou Kouyate (Anderlecht, Undisclosed), Mauro Zarate (Velez Sarsfield, Undisclosed), Diego Poyet (Charlton Athletic, Compensation), Carl Jenkinson (Arsenal, Loan).
Out Ben Sheaf (Arsenal, Undisclosed), Joe Cole (Aston Villa), Matt Taylor (Burnley), Stephen Henderson (Charlton Athletic), Robert Girdlestone (Chelmsford City), Raphael Spiegel (Crawley Town, Loan).
Released Jack Collison, Alou Diarra, Callum Driver, George McCartney, Jordan Spence.
Tickets
• Cheapest: £20
• Most expensive: £75
Dependant on Category of the game (A, B, or C). Cheapest category is C. Most fixtures have been set in category B but they could be subject to change. The cheapest ticket in Category B is £38.
Ticket Office Number 0871 529 1966
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Irons look for chance to tempt Wickham
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 12, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are ready to hand Connor Wickham a big pay increase to join the club. However, they first have to convince Sunderland to sell the player who is out of contract in a year. Despite being unsure whether they can entice the player out of the Stadium of Light, the Hammers are ready to try again. A source told ClaretandHugh exclusively: "Sunderland are adopting a very strong position with the player despite him only having 12 months left on a deal at the end of which he could go for nothing. "However, we are likely to up our bid and hope to be given permission to speak with the player." Currently the England under 21 is on around £23,000 with the Black Cats and the Irons are certainly ready to push that to over £30,000."
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WHERE'S JULIAN DICKS WHEN YOU NEED HIM?
By Iain Dale 12 Aug 2014 at 21:00
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post From Little Fork
Who can inspire and motivate our team like Dicksy? Do we have someone today who can get the team "up" and battle ready?
On a filthy wet evening at Upton Park on Monday 24th Feb 1997 the Irons met Spurs. With our team having been entrenched in the bottom three with only one win in 14 games , Spurs were odds on favourites to win. 'Arry had made a couple of purchases (£7.3+m was considered a "staggering" amount). Paul Kitson and John Hartson were to make their debuts but the Hammer's skipper, Julian Dicks, with his hair fiercely cropped was the inspiration that night.
Dicksy was everywhere on the pitch that night. He was the best defender, best midfield player and certainly played his part up front as well. He rallied the troops, I wish I'd been there to hear the pre match dressing room rousing speech, as the team came out with what seemed a new found confidence. For me, the packed house and of course the Monday night SKY audience, this was the match of the season. It was end to end, topsy turvey stuff…….in East End parlance "a right ol' ding dong" of a game.
It was our new attacking coach Sherry who scored first for Spurs with a stunning header. But the Hammer's response was forceful to say the least. From a Michael Hughes corner in the 21st minute Dicksy powered in a header to get us back on terms. About 2 minutes later the atmosphere really ignited when Paul Kitson on debut scored with a header from another Hughes corner. Joy was short lived however when Darren "sick note" Anderton lobbed Ludo to get spurs on level terms. Hartson then captured the hearts of the hammers' fans when in the 37th minute he headed us back in front again, this time from a superb cross from Dicksy.
Sheringham, however, wasn't to be upstaged, though, as he cleverly blocked off Dicks to allow Howells to make it 3 each. This was a rather poignant moment for Howells who had just suffered a family bereavement (his Dad) but had decided to play the match. Our bubbles anthem was heard right across London that night I am sure, as the game swung one way and then the other.
Dicksy sensed that a win was possible and pushed his battle weary troops forward for what seemed one last effort. I think the crowd had settled for a point, but not Dicksy.
When Howells was judged to have fouled the irrepressible Hartson in the box, who else would step up to take the penalty? In front of the Bobby Moore stand, I have never seen a penalty struck with such force before. Ray Stewart was the former penalty "king" but Dicksy's penalty blasted into the net with such ferocity and velocity, it felt the whole of the Park would explode!!
What a captain that night, what a performance, and what a result.
West Ham 4 Spurs 3.
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West Ham United over Diafra Sakho transfer
Metz' Senegalese forward Diafra Sakho kicks the ball during the friendly football match Sochaux (FCSM) vs Metz (FCM) on July 25, 2014© Getty Images
By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter
Filed: Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at 21:54 UK
Last Updated: Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at 22:10 UK
Metz have pulled out of negotiations over striker Diafra Sakho's transfer to West Ham United, the Ligue 1 club accusing the Hammers of foul play and threatening to take legal action. Both sides are said to have reached an agreement over a fee for the 24-year-old, Metz claiming that the player had successfully completed a medical at Upton Park. But according to a statement released by the French club, Sam Allardyce's side switched from wanting a permanent transfer to a loan deal with the option to buy. The statement read: "The English club unilaterally decided to propose a loan deal with an option to purchase instead of a permanent deal, which does not correspond to FC Metz's expectations and contradicts all the terms that had been agreed last week between the two clubs. "FC Metz regret this clear lack of respect, which is unacceptable, from West Ham towards FC Metz and also the player. "As a result, FC Metz reserve the right to approach the international sport court and assert their rights and defender their interests. FC Metz had released Diafra Sakho from his professional duties during matchday 1 of the Ligue 1 championship by giving him leave to take a medical in England to complete the last stage of the deal."
Senegalese striker Sakho was named best player in the French Ligue 2 last season.
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Hammers weigh up Marseilles midfielder
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 12, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are still tracking Marseilles midfielder Morgan Amalfitano and may make a definite move over the nest seven days. The 29 year old has been on the Irons radar for some time and at one point stories were circulating that he had actually joined. The inventive midfielder spent last season on loan at West Brom and scored four goals in 30 outings. He scored a brilliant goal against Manchester United and showed fleeting moments of real class but couldn't maintain that on a consistent basis. The Hammers want to pay around £2 million for him and a source told ClaretandHugh: "There's nothing imminent but something may happen over the next week."
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Metz blast West Ham as Sakho transfer falls through
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 13th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
Diafra Sakho's move to West Ham is off after Metz pulled the plug on the deal last last night. The 24-year-old forward looked set to join West Ham after the two clubs agreed a deal last week. A medical was completed but the deal collapsed, say Metz, after West Ham attempted to change the terms of the transfer.
According to a statement published by the French club tonight, West Ham - who had originally agreed to sign Sakho on a permanent basis - requested instead to take the player on a season-long loan with view to a permanent transfer.
Metz refused to play ball and, as a result, the deal is now officially off. "While FC Metz and West Ham agreed a written agreement on the terms of a definitive transfer of the Senegalese striker to the English club, West Ham finally changed its position at the last moment," read the French club's statement. "The English club decided to propose to FC Metz a loan with option to purchase, which absolutely does not correspond to the expectations of FC Metz and contradicts all terms and conditions that had been validated specifically late last week between the two clubs."
Metz, who were set to receive around €4m for Sakho from West Ham also threatened to report the Hammers to football authorities over the collapse of the deal. "FC Metz regret a clear lack of serious and unacceptable disrespect from West Ham against FC Metz but also in respect of the player," they said. "As a result, FC Metz reserves the right to address international sports courts to assert their rights and defend their interests. "FC Metz had released Diafra Sakho from his professional duties during the first day of the Ligue 1 championship, giving him the opportunity to take a medical examination in England in order to validate the last stage of his transfer. "Sakho will return to Metz on Wednesday afternoon.
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COULD THE SAKHO DEAL BE REFERRED TO THE COURT FOR ARBITRATION IN SPORT (CAS)?
By S J Chandos 13 Aug 2014 at 00:30
West Ham Till I Die
Reports yesterday alleged that Metz have halted West Ham's move for Diafra Sakho after claiming that the Premier League club sought to suddenly reconstitute the terms of the proposed transfer. It had appeared that the clubs had quickly agreed a £3.5m fee for the promising 24 year old Senegalese striker and the way lay open for medical clearance and the negotiation of the player's personal terms.
However, Metz have now issued a statement alleging that West Ham have reneged on their agreement by seeking a season long loan deal agreement, with the option to buy next summer, rather than an permanent transfer. Furthermore, the French club have accused West Ham of being 'disrespectful' in their conduct and are currently considering their legal options, as Sakho missed the club's opening Ligue 1 fixture last Saturday (a 0-0 draw with Lille) to complete his medical.
The Metz statement asserts:
'The English club unilaterally decided to propose a loan deal with an option to purchase instead of a permanent deal, which does not correspond to FC Metz's expectations and contradicts all the terms that had been agreed last week between the two clubs. FC Metz regret this clear lack of respect, which is unacceptable, from West Ham towards FC Metz and also the player. As a result, FC Metz reserve the right to approach the international sport court and assert their rights and defend their interests. FC Metz had released Diafra Sakho from his professional duties during matchday 1 of the Ligue 1 championship by giving him leave to take a medical in England to complete the last stage of the deal.'
So, based on the above statement, it would seem that Metz's case is likely to be that they reached a binding (verbal or written) agreement with West Ham for the permanent transfer of the striker. And that Metz sanctioned Sakho to miss their opening fixture of the season (in order to complete his medical) on the basis that it was effectively a done deal. Metz dropped two points, in a 0-0 draw with Lille, and they may well argue that the voluntary absence of last season's top scorer could have been a salient factor in the result. A risk that Metz were presumably prepared to accept on the understanding that they would receive the agreed transfer fee. If this is the thrust of their case, would they be successful at CAS? And, if so, would the CAS ruling be that the transfer should proceed on the original terms or, alternatively, would a compensation package be necessary? There is even a suggestion circulating that Metz might push for a points deduction! One only hopes that Metz are not relegated this season by two points or less or that will raise old spectres of a previous crazy compensation deal for an alleged injury to another football club!
Sakho is well worth a gamble at £3.5m, but it all depends what the club's approach is with respect to the possible signing of Connor Wickham and how the transfer finances stack up? As the situation stood yesterday evening, it is understood that Metz's lawyers have given West Ham until 12 noon today to agree to proceed with the transfer, on the orginal terms. If not, they will consider taking their case to EUFA/CAS.
SJ. Chandos
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Tuesday, August 12
Daily WHUFC News - 12th August 2014
Loan watch - Moncur scores on debut
WHUFC.com
George Moncur scored on debut for Colchester United on Saturday
11.08.2014
George Moncur enjoyed a goalscoring debut for his loan club Colchester
United on Saturday, coming off the bench to net the U's equaliser in a
pulsating 2-2 draw with Oldham Athletic in Sky Bet League One. The
midfielder, who signed for the Essex club on a half-season loan last week,
powered home following a Freddie Sears rebound, after Oldham Athletic
cancelled out Magnus Okuonghae's opener with two goals of their own from
Jonathan Forte before the interval.
Elsewhere, Sean Maguire started as Sligo Rovers moved up to fifth place in
the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division with a 2-1 victory over Athlone
Town on Saturday.
Young Swiss goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel, meanwhile, was an unused substitute
for Crawley Town as they opened their Sky Bet League One campaign with a 1-0
win at Barnsley.
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On this day - 12 August
WHUFC.com
A classic moment from this date in the West Ham United archives
12.08.2014
Classic match
West Bromwich Albion 0-0 West Ham United
Division One
12 August 1972
West Ham United's sole first team assignment on this date came way back in
1972 when they travelled to the Midlands for their first game of the season.
West Bromwich Albion provided the opposition as the Hammers looked to
improve on their 14th place finish of the previous season. They got off to
an unbeaten start at the Hawthorns, with a defence including Tommy Taylor
and Bobby Moore protecting their goal expertly. Bobby Ferguson (pictured)
kept a clean sheet to ensure Ron Greenwood's men travelled back south with a
point to their name. A 1-0 victory over Coventry City in the following match
propelled West Ham to the head of the table, and they would go on to enjoy a
successful campaign, finishing the season in sixth place.
Complete record - 12 August
1972 West Bromwich Albion 0-0 West Ham United (Division One)
Played 1, Won 0, Drawn 1, Lost 0, Scored 0, Conceded 0
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Connor Wickham: Sunderland reject £4m West Ham United bid
BBC.co.uk
Sunderland have rejected a bid for striker Connor Wickham from West Ham, BBC
Newcastle understands. West Ham are believed to have offered £4m for the
21-year-old Englishman, who helped Gus Poyet's side avoid Premier League
relegation last season. His five goals in three matches in April secured the
Premier League Player of the Month Award. West Ham are seeking cover for
striker Andy Carroll, whose ankle injury is set to keep him out until
November. Wickham joined Sunderland in an £8.1m move from Ipswich Town in
2011. He struggled to hold down a regular first-team place, starting just 28
Premier League games in his first two seasons. He spent time on loan last
season at Championship sides Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday, before
being recalled in March.
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McDonald on... Sampdoria
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
Assistant manager Neil McDonald faced the press on Saturday afternoon
following the encouraging - and Academy-inspired - 3-2 win over Sampdoria...
Neil: how's Aaron Cresswell?
He's fine, just knee-to-knee, a little bit sore. He started stiffening up so
we took no chances and brought him off. He'll be fine.
Was that pleasing for you? It was a terrific second half.
I thought the first half was terrific. We only had 14 senior players to
choose from; the young kids have been with us all pre-season and it was nice
for them to get involved in the second half.
We tried a little bit of a different system first half and I thought it
worked really well. Lots of passing, lots of receiving the ball, a good
tempo and we got behind them. Our final ball possibly wasn't the best but
overall, apart from the goal we conceded which was finished clinically, I
thought the first half was excellent.
Second half we changed the system again and grew into the game more than
anything. We gave the ball away for their second goal, which we have to
improve upon and make sure we don't give it away in the wrong areas.
We pushed on and Mo's goal was fantastic, wasn't it? A great individual
goal. Then the last one where Elliot Lee's got in behind and we're expecting
him to pick somebody else out - and it happened to be Reece Burke who drove
forward and continued his run, which was fantastic.
It must be great when you get two Academy players like that who've come
through the club like that. Lee stopped, didn't he, for just a second - he
didn't just cros it blindly, he made sure he had a look?
We have areas when we get into that position, past the back four, that we
have to try and hit and try and cover. Reece has driven down the middle,
which was great, but Elliot Lee showed a lot of composure to pick the man
out and finish the game off - which was great. I think we fully deserved the
victory, to be fair.
There's stories all overt the web at the moment saying Cardiff have made a
£3m bid for Ravel Morrison. Is there naything you can tell us about that?
I couldn't, I don't know anything about that at all. There's lots of
speculation aboput players all the time coming in and going out but I don't
know anything about that.
Do you have any information about a new striker coming in?
Well we're working very hard behind the scenes. I think it's widely known
that we've made bids for players and hopefully we can secure one, possibly
two. That would be fantastic if we could bring another couple in but that's
ongoing at the moment. Fingers crossed that we can nail it and get it past
the line. We're hoping there's at least one coming in next week.
How important is a performance like that coming into a new season? I know
friendlies don't really count but to send 14,000 people away with a little
bit of a buzz is certainly better than losing?
We've tried to play some really good football. We've passed and moved it in
the right areas, even in tiight areas. The boys have been working hard in
training and that work on the training ground has come through really good.
We've got to believe in ourselves, believe that we are decent on the ball
and it's not just about free kicks and corners. I thought our open play was
excellent. Our final ball can always improve, of course it can, but the
chances that we had we've been very clinical with.
We've been criticised for that in the past and it's great getting the first
victory of pre-season. It gives everybody loads of confidence and puts us in
good stead in the final week leading up to Spurs. It's great.
Good to see more decent young players?
Well they've always produced them, you know. We probably had too many of
them in the [FA Cup] game against Nottingham Forest all at once. There's a
few of them who played there and Reece was one of them. They've dusted
themselves down as they took a little bit of a hammering on that day but
that was because there were too many young players playing. But we have a
few coming through, we'll blood them whenever we can. We've seen one or two
make a contribution today and I'm sure the fans will be very excited by
that.
How did you pick the players up psychologically after that 5-0 defeat? As
you say, they got a bit of a pasting.
Well, it's feedback on what they did well and how they can improve. We said
before that game that we know we're down on numbers and didn't have many
players as we had a few injuries. The most important of those [two Cup]
games was the Man City game to a certain extent, but the most important game
out of the three [that week] was the Cardiff game which we won.
So we'll take it on the chin about how we went about those two games. We
were outplayed by Manchester City but we had a young team against Forest.
It's a learning curve for the young players, they had to take it on the chin
[too] and learn from it - and it looks as though they have. They've come
back strong and contributed today which is great. Young Pottsy also played
really well when he came on, so there's three young kids who've done
themselves justice.
And he won the penalty?
Yes, he did - by winning the seconds, which is great, and driving forwards.
It's excellent for those three.
Thank you.
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West Ham launch £5m striker bid
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham have made a bid worth around £5million for Sunderland striker
Connor Wichham, according to reports this morning. The 21-year-old striker
is entering the final year of his contract with the Black Cats and Black
Cats boss Gus Poyet recently revealed that he would be sold, should he fail
to agree a new contract. With the prospects of that occurring now considered
slim, at best, West Ham are understood to have moved for the former Ipswich
player, who switched from Suffolk to the North East for £8million three
years ago.
* In other transfer news, West Brom are said to have made an audacious bid
to take wide man Matt Jarvis on loan for the season. The former Wolves
winger joined West Ham in 2012 but has thus far failed to live up to
expectations.
Now 28, the once-capped England international was missing from the squad
that beat Sampdoria 3-2 at the Boleyn on Saturday, leading to speculation
that he may be on his way. Jarvis cost West Ham around £7.5million when
signing a five-year contract two years ago this month.
* Sporting have insisted that they will not accept less than £12m for
striker Islam Slimani, who was the subject of serious interest from West Ham
earlier in the transfer window. The 26-year-old Algerian international is
said to earn around £8,000-per-week currently and would be extremely
interested in a move to the Premier League where he could quadruple his
salary instantly.
* West Ham are one of several clubs being linked with a move for Liverpool's
wantaway centre half Daniel Agger. However United's chances of landing the
£12m-rated Denmark international appear slim, with the likes of Barcelona
and Arsenal taking an interest. Spurs are also said to be monitoring the
situation.
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West Ham's Connor Wickham bid rejected by Sunderland
Last Updated: 11/08/14 3:58pm
SSN
Sunderland have rejected a bid from West Ham for striker Connor Wickham. The
Hammers, who are in need of a target man with Andy Carroll expected to be
out until December with an ankle injury, submitted the undisclosed bid on
Monday morning. But Sunderland are keen to keep hold of the 21-year-old, who
had a superb end to last season, scoring five goals in nine games to help
the club avoid relegation from the Premier League. This came after the
striker had spent a successful loan spell in the Championship with Sheffield
Wednesday, where he scored eight goals in 11 games, and a less impressive
temporary stint at Leeds, during which he failed to score in five
appearances. Wickham began his career with Ipswich and joined Sunderland for
£8m in June 2011.
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No Cardiff approach for West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison
Last Updated: 11/08/14 7:35pm
SSN
Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists the club have made no approach
for troubled West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison. Solskjaer knows Morrison
well from his time on the coaching staff at Manchester United and has
already signed several former United players since arriving at Cardiff in
January. Reports have linked the Championship club with Morrison, who is due
to appear at Manchester Crown Court on August 28 after being charged with
two accounts of common assault against his former girlfriend and her mother,
and harassment. The 21-year-old is training with West Ham and can still play
for the club if selected. Speaking at the press conference ahead of
Cardiff's Capital One Cup tie at Coventry, Solskjaer said: "I can't speak
about other clubs' players and Rav is a West Ham player. "But we've not made
any offers whatsoever."
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WHO DREAMS OF COMING FOURTH FROM BOTTOM?
By Iain Dale 11 Aug 2014 at 18:00
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by Chris Lowestoft
We are changing our home ground… We are changing out club crest… Should we
now consider changing our club song? Now before you all scream and throw
insults in my general direction, I admit that I am making this suggestion
with my tongue very firmly placed in my cheek… Let me explain further..
Bubbles, as we all know, is a song about dreaming, and watching those dreams
fade and die. Now I am from a generation of Hammers that have experienced
success.. Three FA cup wins, one FA cup final defeat, but a glorious defeat.
A European cup winners cup final victory, and a defeat. Plus almost winning
the first division championship, well, at least still being in the race up
until the final hurdle…
Of course I have also had more than my fair share of failures and
disappointments, as all of you have. But I have blown my bubbles. I have had
dreams. Yes, I have watched them in the main, fade and die. But just on the
odd occasion I have watched my dreams come true. And those memories I shall
take to my grave. But I am beginning to think that times have changed.
Football has changed. Football supporters have changed. The world I live in
has changed.
Let's us take the Premier League. The so called, best league on the planet.
Not so called because of the quality of the teams in that league, but so
called because of its wealth and commercial clout.
We have the "best league in the world" not because of it's quality, but
because of the buckets full of cash thrown at it by Sky TV and the various
other sponsors queuing up to throw money into the players pockets. But the
result as I see it is this.. not losing has become more important than
winning. Reaching the Premier League, and surviving in it, is now the holy
grail. Teams that finish fourth from bottom celebrate on the pitch as though
they have won the league title, because they have managed to stay in the
division, which financially is probably more important than actually winning
it. My generation used to dream of winning the FA cup. Today it seems fans
dream of finishing fourth and gaining a place in the champions league.
Fourth used to mean nothing, now it means everything.
Nobody in English football has embraced this "new dawn" of football than our
current manager Mr Sam Allardyce. Fear of failure has made him a wealthy
man. I doubt any modern day coach has made more from not winning anything
than Sam. His CV is unimpressive if you dream of winning but beyond reproach
if you have a morbid fear of failure. "Then like my dreams they fade and
die"…
Now I do not know about you, but I have never dreamed of not being
relegated. I have dreamed of winning cups, league tittles, even champions
leagues, but never of not being relegated. Surely failure is a consequence
of attempting to succeed. So failure for me is a risk I wish the club I love
would take. So that I and others can dream again
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LET'S BANISH THE TROLLS
By Iain Dale 11 Aug 2014 at 12:18
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post from Lofty Perch
As we head towards a new season, with new players, new kit, new hopes, new
attacking mindset (hopefully) and with a new stadium on the horizon, I
wonder, is it beyond hope that we can unveil a new-style West Ham supporter?
Actually, when I saw new style, what I actually mean is old style. Old
style, as in about 10 years ago.
It was around that time when the DNA of a football supporter began to
change. We've always had the capacity to have a good old moan up, but our
whinging and whining back then was usually shared among pals, fellow fans
and anyone unlucky enough to ask: How are the Hammers doing these days?
Depending on the previous half dozen results, we'd either go way over the
top with the praise or, more likely dig out a couple of performances and
performers, start laughing and trot out the well-worn mantra: Of well, it's
West Ham, what do you expect?
All well and good. Yer pays yer money, you're entitled to have a grin, groan
and gripe.
So what changed? Well, a lot changed, actually.
Without sounding like a luddite, the internet, with all its spin-off social
media outlets (including good old WHTID) has a bloody lot to answer for.
That, and its new running mate, sports radio phone-ins.
What they have done is provide platforms for any Tom, Dick and Ahmed to tell
us what they think.
Well, that has to be great, doesn't it? Real people with real voices able to
share them with the world. In theory, yes. In practice…a big fat NO.
In my opinion (or IMO as my daughter would say) what we have created is a
new breed of football fan. One no longer content with sharing match
experiences, views on players, new kits and the price of hot dogs.
What we have now are sizeable numbers of mean, nasty, vicious, rude,
cretinous characters who have been handed a world-wide audience to assault
with their bile and venom.
It's all got angry and it's all got personal. Especially when the trolls
have players and managers in their cross-hairs. Take aim, shoot, kill.
On Monday, Sam Allardyce spoke about the personal abuse Andy Carroll has
received from West Ham fans. His injury appears to have unleashed a torrent
of comment from so called supporters, and very little of it reasonable,
sensible or supportive.
I've seen the Twitter traffic on Andy's account, read with dismay the
grenades hurled at him on fans' forums and, quite honestly, it stinks. The
guy has been accused of everything from being a money-grabbing Geordie ****,
total waste of space, a cheat, a drunk, a drug-taker, a thug…the list is
endless. And all because he got injured and is out of action for four
months.
If Carroll was the sole victim, we could maybe write it off as a blip, a
rush of blood, an abnormal over-reaction. But, as we all know, it isn't a
blip and it's not abnormal. It's now totally normal and totally predictable.
The targets are many and the abusers are rising in numbers. Allardyce, Kevin
Nolan, Ricardo Vaz Te, Mo Diame, Carlton Cole (the list is endless) have all
suffered at the keyboards of the witless who feel it is their right to
criticise in the most personal, vicious and disgusting manner possible.
I've followed and posted on WHTID for about five years. It's been
knock-about fun which I've generally enjoyed. Some decent posters, some
proper donuts (me included), some good insight nicely mixed with the insane.
But even here, which I regard as one of the more reasonable and temperate
fans' sites, the temperature has been steadily rising. The level of personal
attacks on players, coaches and owners is getting beyond the acceptable.
There are ways of getting your message across, it doesn't have to be abusive
and, in my mind, it should never get personal…especially in print. We are
all capable of blurting out unconsidered nonsense in the heat of a good
verbal debate. But when we write something, we all have the chance to think
and delete.
I've just re-read this article and realise it's beginning to sound like it
should be spoken from the pulpit on a Sunday. I apologise for that, but I
really think we all have to rein it in a bit.
The players all have families, are probably decent blokes and don't deserve
the treatment they are getting right now. It's only football. Have a moan by
all means, offer insight, alternatives and derision. God knows, we are even
allowed to praise should the performance merit. But I would ask that we cut
out the crap.
And here endeth the sermon.
Love and Peace,
Lofty Perch
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DON'T WE NEED TO SIGN A TOP CLASS GOALKEEPER?
By Iain Dale 11 Aug 2014 at 08:48
West Ham Till I Die
Sam Dickeson wrote an article last week explaining why he is unconvinced by
Adrian. It struck a real chord with me as I too have been less than
impressed by Adrian in pre-season. He seems to me to be the kind of
goalkeeper who plays a blinder one game and then has a stinker the next,
which inevitably costs us three points. He needs to be more consistent and
make fewer mistakes. Don't get me wrong. I acknowledge that he has kept us
in some games – the 0-0 at Chelsea being a good example, but is he
consistently of Premier League Standard? I think the jury is out on that
one.
It's also clear that Jussi's best days are behind him, so isn't it time we
looked at buying a first class goalkeeper before the end of the transfer
window? I'd take a serious look at John Ruddy from Norwich City. He's a
class act and I suspect he'd jump at the same move that Rob Green made all
those years ago. He's consistent, a good shot stopper and he commands his
area. He was very unlucky to miss out on the England World Cup squad and is
coming into his best goalkeeping years.
A younger option is Stoke's Jack Butland who is being kept out of their
first team by Begovic. He was sent out on loan to Birmingham, Barnsley and
Leeds last season but has only appeared for Stoke three times.
Either way, I think it's something we may live to regret if we don't sign a
new goalkeeper in this transfer window.
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Sunderland slap £8m price tag on Connor Wickham after rejecting West Ham
offer for the striker
Aug 11, 2014 22:30 By Darren Lewis
The Hammers are ready to go back in but believe the fee being sought is
excessive given that the striker scored just five Premier League goals last
season
The Mirror
Sunderland want £8million for Connor Wickham. The Black Cats have rejected a
bid which Mirror Sport understands to be around £5m for the striker. West
Ham are ready to go back in for the 21-year-old frontman but believe the fee
being sought is excessive given that Wickham scored just five Premier League
goals last season. The former Ipswich striker, who had loan spells at
Championship sides Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds last season, is also out of
contract in a year. The Hammers have looked at a number of strikers to bring
in following the injury to Andy Carroll which will keep the England marksman
out for the first half of the season. They would prefer, however, a striker
who knows the English league so that he is able to make a quick impact.
Wickham impressed at the back end last season with crucial goals to spark a
sensational run of form which kept Sunderland in the Premier League. First
he netted a brace in a 2-2 draw at Manchester City - his first goals since
October 2011. Then he hit the first goal in Sunderland's shock 2-1 win at
Chelsea. Then he followed that up with the first and last goals as the Black
Cats crushed Cardiff 4-0. He will not sign a new deal at the Wearside club
however, and boss Gus Poyet has already warned that he will be sold if he
does not commit himself to the club.
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Irons set to break £30m barrier
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 11, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are ready to push their summer spending through the £30 million
barrier as they continue pursuing Sunderland striker Connor Wickham. So far
the Hammers owners have invested close to £25 million with the arrivals of
Enner Valencia ( £12 million), Cheikhou Kayoute (£8 million), Aaron
Cresswell (£3.75m) and Diego Poyet (£700,00). Now ClaretandHugh understands
that David Sullivan and David Gold are considering making a £6m bid for
Wickham as they bid to consolidate in the Premier League. But the £30 odd
million splashed on signings doesn't reflect the true cost for in every case
there are agents to be paid which can account for up to another £3-£4
million. An Irons source told ClaretandHugh "If we get Wickham then the
spend this summer will have passed all previous by the club. "When you
realise that there are all the 'hidden' payments to agents and so on it
shows the level of commitment."
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet is moving heaven and earth to hold onto Wickham
and the Irons negotiators reckon their chances of getting the player are no
better than 50/50. But whatever the outcome they are ready to push hard for
another striker and leave previous spending records behind them.
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Making sure he signs a new deal should be West Ham's priority
Jay Williams
August 11, 2014
Westhamworld.co.uk
As our move to the Olympic Stadium draws nearer each season, there are a
number of things which we need to ensure in this transition period.
Obviously our focus is to remain in the Premier League and, in order for
that to happen, our board needs to prioritise a few things. Some big new
signings would stir up excitement but it is equally important to hang on to
our best players. Therefore, we must place Winston Reid's contract situation
at the top of our 'to do' list.
Reid was born in New Zealand but moved to Denmark at the age of 10 before
being signed up to play for FC Midtjylland. He represented Denmark through
all the age groups but decided to play senior international football for New
Zealand – where he teamed up with ex-Blackburn and Tottenham centre back
Ryan Nelsen.
They represented the All Whites in the 2010 World Cup as they enjoyed an
unbeaten campaign with Reid scoring an injury time equaliser against
Slovakia in the opening game. On the back of the World Cup, Reid signed for
West Ham for an undisclosed fee.
Reid initially struggled to adapt to the English game, with the level being
significantly higher than the Danish League. He was limited to just twelve
first team appearances in his first year under Avram Grant as we were
relegated. Reid stuck with the club, though, and really came to the fore in
our Championship year.
The 6'3'' centre half demonstrated his defensive capabilities with solid
displays both aerially and with the ball on the floor. Reid was fast
developing into a fans' favourite as his passionate displays boosted the
West Ham defence. He is a very commanding player who reads the game well and
can organise the back line. He has even stepped up to captaincy on occasions
where Kevin Nolan has not been present.
But the unforgettable Winston Reid moment of that season was his volleyed
winner against rivals Millwall to earn us a 2-1 victory.
The following year, our concern was whether or not Reid could reproduce his
Championship form as we stepped back up to the Premier League. But any
slight worries we had were quickly put to bed as he turned in match-winning
and match-saving performances in equal measure. At times doing the job of
both centre backs, he provided the foundations for a top-half finish and was
undisputedly awarded Hammer of the Year.
However, last season's injuries restricted him to a few appearances, but his
return was warmly welcomed as a replacement for the hapless Roger Johnson.
After a blip halfway through the season – coinciding with the absence of
Reid – some sort of defensive regularity was restored and conceding goals
became less frequent. He also managed another derby day goal as he opened
the scoring on our way to beating Tottenham 3-0 at White Hart Lane.
A new contract should also be what Reid is looking for. We are an ambitious
club ready to complete a historic transition into the Olympic Stadium. If he
does sign, Reid will enter our new era as a senior player who is respected
by the fans, the players and the board alike.
I believe we are willing to improve our contract offer for him but other
speculation suggests that we will wait to see how he performs this year
before opening fresh talks. From his point of view, it would also be a good
move. He is the star performer in a Premiership defence, worshipped by the
fans and will earn a good sum of money for his efforts.
Ideally, I would like to see us start the season in the Olympic Stadium with
Mark Noble as captain and Winston Reid as his vice; two passionate leaders
with experience of the club and fine players themselves. Our owners need to
identify his contract situation as an alarming priority and get him to sign
before a top club swoops at a price probably less than he is worth.
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Defender Anton Ferdinand joins Reading
Last updated Mon 11 Aug 2014
Sport London
Itv.com
Former West Ham, Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand
has signed a two year deal to play for Reading. The 29-year-old, who most
recently plyed his trade with Antalyaspor in Turkey, has made more than 300
career appearances for West Ham, QPR and Sunderland, who he joined for £8
million in 2008. The Peckham-born centre back, who is the brother of Rio and
cousin to former Reading striker Les, will wear squad number 4.
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Irons may try again for Sunderland ace
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 11, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are likely to have another go at stealing Connor Wickham away from
Sunderland. But club bosses aren't too confident they will get their man
after being turned down flat with an opening bid of between £4m – £5m.
Despite the player being in the last year of his contract Sunderland are
taking an extraordinarily hard line. Gus Poyet hopes to team with fit again
Steven Fletcher – who himself was an Irons target at one point. A source
told ClaretandHugh exclusively: "The club are likely to prepare another bid
for the player but there's not huge confidence Sunderland will sell. "They
turned down the first bid out of hand which surprised our people but we are
likely to go in and test the water at least one more."
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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WHUFC.com
George Moncur scored on debut for Colchester United on Saturday
11.08.2014
George Moncur enjoyed a goalscoring debut for his loan club Colchester
United on Saturday, coming off the bench to net the U's equaliser in a
pulsating 2-2 draw with Oldham Athletic in Sky Bet League One. The
midfielder, who signed for the Essex club on a half-season loan last week,
powered home following a Freddie Sears rebound, after Oldham Athletic
cancelled out Magnus Okuonghae's opener with two goals of their own from
Jonathan Forte before the interval.
Elsewhere, Sean Maguire started as Sligo Rovers moved up to fifth place in
the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division with a 2-1 victory over Athlone
Town on Saturday.
Young Swiss goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel, meanwhile, was an unused substitute
for Crawley Town as they opened their Sky Bet League One campaign with a 1-0
win at Barnsley.
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On this day - 12 August
WHUFC.com
A classic moment from this date in the West Ham United archives
12.08.2014
Classic match
West Bromwich Albion 0-0 West Ham United
Division One
12 August 1972
West Ham United's sole first team assignment on this date came way back in
1972 when they travelled to the Midlands for their first game of the season.
West Bromwich Albion provided the opposition as the Hammers looked to
improve on their 14th place finish of the previous season. They got off to
an unbeaten start at the Hawthorns, with a defence including Tommy Taylor
and Bobby Moore protecting their goal expertly. Bobby Ferguson (pictured)
kept a clean sheet to ensure Ron Greenwood's men travelled back south with a
point to their name. A 1-0 victory over Coventry City in the following match
propelled West Ham to the head of the table, and they would go on to enjoy a
successful campaign, finishing the season in sixth place.
Complete record - 12 August
1972 West Bromwich Albion 0-0 West Ham United (Division One)
Played 1, Won 0, Drawn 1, Lost 0, Scored 0, Conceded 0
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Connor Wickham: Sunderland reject £4m West Ham United bid
BBC.co.uk
Sunderland have rejected a bid for striker Connor Wickham from West Ham, BBC
Newcastle understands. West Ham are believed to have offered £4m for the
21-year-old Englishman, who helped Gus Poyet's side avoid Premier League
relegation last season. His five goals in three matches in April secured the
Premier League Player of the Month Award. West Ham are seeking cover for
striker Andy Carroll, whose ankle injury is set to keep him out until
November. Wickham joined Sunderland in an £8.1m move from Ipswich Town in
2011. He struggled to hold down a regular first-team place, starting just 28
Premier League games in his first two seasons. He spent time on loan last
season at Championship sides Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday, before
being recalled in March.
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McDonald on... Sampdoria
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
Assistant manager Neil McDonald faced the press on Saturday afternoon
following the encouraging - and Academy-inspired - 3-2 win over Sampdoria...
Neil: how's Aaron Cresswell?
He's fine, just knee-to-knee, a little bit sore. He started stiffening up so
we took no chances and brought him off. He'll be fine.
Was that pleasing for you? It was a terrific second half.
I thought the first half was terrific. We only had 14 senior players to
choose from; the young kids have been with us all pre-season and it was nice
for them to get involved in the second half.
We tried a little bit of a different system first half and I thought it
worked really well. Lots of passing, lots of receiving the ball, a good
tempo and we got behind them. Our final ball possibly wasn't the best but
overall, apart from the goal we conceded which was finished clinically, I
thought the first half was excellent.
Second half we changed the system again and grew into the game more than
anything. We gave the ball away for their second goal, which we have to
improve upon and make sure we don't give it away in the wrong areas.
We pushed on and Mo's goal was fantastic, wasn't it? A great individual
goal. Then the last one where Elliot Lee's got in behind and we're expecting
him to pick somebody else out - and it happened to be Reece Burke who drove
forward and continued his run, which was fantastic.
It must be great when you get two Academy players like that who've come
through the club like that. Lee stopped, didn't he, for just a second - he
didn't just cros it blindly, he made sure he had a look?
We have areas when we get into that position, past the back four, that we
have to try and hit and try and cover. Reece has driven down the middle,
which was great, but Elliot Lee showed a lot of composure to pick the man
out and finish the game off - which was great. I think we fully deserved the
victory, to be fair.
There's stories all overt the web at the moment saying Cardiff have made a
£3m bid for Ravel Morrison. Is there naything you can tell us about that?
I couldn't, I don't know anything about that at all. There's lots of
speculation aboput players all the time coming in and going out but I don't
know anything about that.
Do you have any information about a new striker coming in?
Well we're working very hard behind the scenes. I think it's widely known
that we've made bids for players and hopefully we can secure one, possibly
two. That would be fantastic if we could bring another couple in but that's
ongoing at the moment. Fingers crossed that we can nail it and get it past
the line. We're hoping there's at least one coming in next week.
How important is a performance like that coming into a new season? I know
friendlies don't really count but to send 14,000 people away with a little
bit of a buzz is certainly better than losing?
We've tried to play some really good football. We've passed and moved it in
the right areas, even in tiight areas. The boys have been working hard in
training and that work on the training ground has come through really good.
We've got to believe in ourselves, believe that we are decent on the ball
and it's not just about free kicks and corners. I thought our open play was
excellent. Our final ball can always improve, of course it can, but the
chances that we had we've been very clinical with.
We've been criticised for that in the past and it's great getting the first
victory of pre-season. It gives everybody loads of confidence and puts us in
good stead in the final week leading up to Spurs. It's great.
Good to see more decent young players?
Well they've always produced them, you know. We probably had too many of
them in the [FA Cup] game against Nottingham Forest all at once. There's a
few of them who played there and Reece was one of them. They've dusted
themselves down as they took a little bit of a hammering on that day but
that was because there were too many young players playing. But we have a
few coming through, we'll blood them whenever we can. We've seen one or two
make a contribution today and I'm sure the fans will be very excited by
that.
How did you pick the players up psychologically after that 5-0 defeat? As
you say, they got a bit of a pasting.
Well, it's feedback on what they did well and how they can improve. We said
before that game that we know we're down on numbers and didn't have many
players as we had a few injuries. The most important of those [two Cup]
games was the Man City game to a certain extent, but the most important game
out of the three [that week] was the Cardiff game which we won.
So we'll take it on the chin about how we went about those two games. We
were outplayed by Manchester City but we had a young team against Forest.
It's a learning curve for the young players, they had to take it on the chin
[too] and learn from it - and it looks as though they have. They've come
back strong and contributed today which is great. Young Pottsy also played
really well when he came on, so there's three young kids who've done
themselves justice.
And he won the penalty?
Yes, he did - by winning the seconds, which is great, and driving forwards.
It's excellent for those three.
Thank you.
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West Ham launch £5m striker bid
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 11th August 2014
By: Staff Writer
West Ham have made a bid worth around £5million for Sunderland striker
Connor Wichham, according to reports this morning. The 21-year-old striker
is entering the final year of his contract with the Black Cats and Black
Cats boss Gus Poyet recently revealed that he would be sold, should he fail
to agree a new contract. With the prospects of that occurring now considered
slim, at best, West Ham are understood to have moved for the former Ipswich
player, who switched from Suffolk to the North East for £8million three
years ago.
* In other transfer news, West Brom are said to have made an audacious bid
to take wide man Matt Jarvis on loan for the season. The former Wolves
winger joined West Ham in 2012 but has thus far failed to live up to
expectations.
Now 28, the once-capped England international was missing from the squad
that beat Sampdoria 3-2 at the Boleyn on Saturday, leading to speculation
that he may be on his way. Jarvis cost West Ham around £7.5million when
signing a five-year contract two years ago this month.
* Sporting have insisted that they will not accept less than £12m for
striker Islam Slimani, who was the subject of serious interest from West Ham
earlier in the transfer window. The 26-year-old Algerian international is
said to earn around £8,000-per-week currently and would be extremely
interested in a move to the Premier League where he could quadruple his
salary instantly.
* West Ham are one of several clubs being linked with a move for Liverpool's
wantaway centre half Daniel Agger. However United's chances of landing the
£12m-rated Denmark international appear slim, with the likes of Barcelona
and Arsenal taking an interest. Spurs are also said to be monitoring the
situation.
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West Ham's Connor Wickham bid rejected by Sunderland
Last Updated: 11/08/14 3:58pm
SSN
Sunderland have rejected a bid from West Ham for striker Connor Wickham. The
Hammers, who are in need of a target man with Andy Carroll expected to be
out until December with an ankle injury, submitted the undisclosed bid on
Monday morning. But Sunderland are keen to keep hold of the 21-year-old, who
had a superb end to last season, scoring five goals in nine games to help
the club avoid relegation from the Premier League. This came after the
striker had spent a successful loan spell in the Championship with Sheffield
Wednesday, where he scored eight goals in 11 games, and a less impressive
temporary stint at Leeds, during which he failed to score in five
appearances. Wickham began his career with Ipswich and joined Sunderland for
£8m in June 2011.
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No Cardiff approach for West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison
Last Updated: 11/08/14 7:35pm
SSN
Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists the club have made no approach
for troubled West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison. Solskjaer knows Morrison
well from his time on the coaching staff at Manchester United and has
already signed several former United players since arriving at Cardiff in
January. Reports have linked the Championship club with Morrison, who is due
to appear at Manchester Crown Court on August 28 after being charged with
two accounts of common assault against his former girlfriend and her mother,
and harassment. The 21-year-old is training with West Ham and can still play
for the club if selected. Speaking at the press conference ahead of
Cardiff's Capital One Cup tie at Coventry, Solskjaer said: "I can't speak
about other clubs' players and Rav is a West Ham player. "But we've not made
any offers whatsoever."
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WHO DREAMS OF COMING FOURTH FROM BOTTOM?
By Iain Dale 11 Aug 2014 at 18:00
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by Chris Lowestoft
We are changing our home ground… We are changing out club crest… Should we
now consider changing our club song? Now before you all scream and throw
insults in my general direction, I admit that I am making this suggestion
with my tongue very firmly placed in my cheek… Let me explain further..
Bubbles, as we all know, is a song about dreaming, and watching those dreams
fade and die. Now I am from a generation of Hammers that have experienced
success.. Three FA cup wins, one FA cup final defeat, but a glorious defeat.
A European cup winners cup final victory, and a defeat. Plus almost winning
the first division championship, well, at least still being in the race up
until the final hurdle…
Of course I have also had more than my fair share of failures and
disappointments, as all of you have. But I have blown my bubbles. I have had
dreams. Yes, I have watched them in the main, fade and die. But just on the
odd occasion I have watched my dreams come true. And those memories I shall
take to my grave. But I am beginning to think that times have changed.
Football has changed. Football supporters have changed. The world I live in
has changed.
Let's us take the Premier League. The so called, best league on the planet.
Not so called because of the quality of the teams in that league, but so
called because of its wealth and commercial clout.
We have the "best league in the world" not because of it's quality, but
because of the buckets full of cash thrown at it by Sky TV and the various
other sponsors queuing up to throw money into the players pockets. But the
result as I see it is this.. not losing has become more important than
winning. Reaching the Premier League, and surviving in it, is now the holy
grail. Teams that finish fourth from bottom celebrate on the pitch as though
they have won the league title, because they have managed to stay in the
division, which financially is probably more important than actually winning
it. My generation used to dream of winning the FA cup. Today it seems fans
dream of finishing fourth and gaining a place in the champions league.
Fourth used to mean nothing, now it means everything.
Nobody in English football has embraced this "new dawn" of football than our
current manager Mr Sam Allardyce. Fear of failure has made him a wealthy
man. I doubt any modern day coach has made more from not winning anything
than Sam. His CV is unimpressive if you dream of winning but beyond reproach
if you have a morbid fear of failure. "Then like my dreams they fade and
die"…
Now I do not know about you, but I have never dreamed of not being
relegated. I have dreamed of winning cups, league tittles, even champions
leagues, but never of not being relegated. Surely failure is a consequence
of attempting to succeed. So failure for me is a risk I wish the club I love
would take. So that I and others can dream again
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LET'S BANISH THE TROLLS
By Iain Dale 11 Aug 2014 at 12:18
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post from Lofty Perch
As we head towards a new season, with new players, new kit, new hopes, new
attacking mindset (hopefully) and with a new stadium on the horizon, I
wonder, is it beyond hope that we can unveil a new-style West Ham supporter?
Actually, when I saw new style, what I actually mean is old style. Old
style, as in about 10 years ago.
It was around that time when the DNA of a football supporter began to
change. We've always had the capacity to have a good old moan up, but our
whinging and whining back then was usually shared among pals, fellow fans
and anyone unlucky enough to ask: How are the Hammers doing these days?
Depending on the previous half dozen results, we'd either go way over the
top with the praise or, more likely dig out a couple of performances and
performers, start laughing and trot out the well-worn mantra: Of well, it's
West Ham, what do you expect?
All well and good. Yer pays yer money, you're entitled to have a grin, groan
and gripe.
So what changed? Well, a lot changed, actually.
Without sounding like a luddite, the internet, with all its spin-off social
media outlets (including good old WHTID) has a bloody lot to answer for.
That, and its new running mate, sports radio phone-ins.
What they have done is provide platforms for any Tom, Dick and Ahmed to tell
us what they think.
Well, that has to be great, doesn't it? Real people with real voices able to
share them with the world. In theory, yes. In practice…a big fat NO.
In my opinion (or IMO as my daughter would say) what we have created is a
new breed of football fan. One no longer content with sharing match
experiences, views on players, new kits and the price of hot dogs.
What we have now are sizeable numbers of mean, nasty, vicious, rude,
cretinous characters who have been handed a world-wide audience to assault
with their bile and venom.
It's all got angry and it's all got personal. Especially when the trolls
have players and managers in their cross-hairs. Take aim, shoot, kill.
On Monday, Sam Allardyce spoke about the personal abuse Andy Carroll has
received from West Ham fans. His injury appears to have unleashed a torrent
of comment from so called supporters, and very little of it reasonable,
sensible or supportive.
I've seen the Twitter traffic on Andy's account, read with dismay the
grenades hurled at him on fans' forums and, quite honestly, it stinks. The
guy has been accused of everything from being a money-grabbing Geordie ****,
total waste of space, a cheat, a drunk, a drug-taker, a thug…the list is
endless. And all because he got injured and is out of action for four
months.
If Carroll was the sole victim, we could maybe write it off as a blip, a
rush of blood, an abnormal over-reaction. But, as we all know, it isn't a
blip and it's not abnormal. It's now totally normal and totally predictable.
The targets are many and the abusers are rising in numbers. Allardyce, Kevin
Nolan, Ricardo Vaz Te, Mo Diame, Carlton Cole (the list is endless) have all
suffered at the keyboards of the witless who feel it is their right to
criticise in the most personal, vicious and disgusting manner possible.
I've followed and posted on WHTID for about five years. It's been
knock-about fun which I've generally enjoyed. Some decent posters, some
proper donuts (me included), some good insight nicely mixed with the insane.
But even here, which I regard as one of the more reasonable and temperate
fans' sites, the temperature has been steadily rising. The level of personal
attacks on players, coaches and owners is getting beyond the acceptable.
There are ways of getting your message across, it doesn't have to be abusive
and, in my mind, it should never get personal…especially in print. We are
all capable of blurting out unconsidered nonsense in the heat of a good
verbal debate. But when we write something, we all have the chance to think
and delete.
I've just re-read this article and realise it's beginning to sound like it
should be spoken from the pulpit on a Sunday. I apologise for that, but I
really think we all have to rein it in a bit.
The players all have families, are probably decent blokes and don't deserve
the treatment they are getting right now. It's only football. Have a moan by
all means, offer insight, alternatives and derision. God knows, we are even
allowed to praise should the performance merit. But I would ask that we cut
out the crap.
And here endeth the sermon.
Love and Peace,
Lofty Perch
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DON'T WE NEED TO SIGN A TOP CLASS GOALKEEPER?
By Iain Dale 11 Aug 2014 at 08:48
West Ham Till I Die
Sam Dickeson wrote an article last week explaining why he is unconvinced by
Adrian. It struck a real chord with me as I too have been less than
impressed by Adrian in pre-season. He seems to me to be the kind of
goalkeeper who plays a blinder one game and then has a stinker the next,
which inevitably costs us three points. He needs to be more consistent and
make fewer mistakes. Don't get me wrong. I acknowledge that he has kept us
in some games – the 0-0 at Chelsea being a good example, but is he
consistently of Premier League Standard? I think the jury is out on that
one.
It's also clear that Jussi's best days are behind him, so isn't it time we
looked at buying a first class goalkeeper before the end of the transfer
window? I'd take a serious look at John Ruddy from Norwich City. He's a
class act and I suspect he'd jump at the same move that Rob Green made all
those years ago. He's consistent, a good shot stopper and he commands his
area. He was very unlucky to miss out on the England World Cup squad and is
coming into his best goalkeeping years.
A younger option is Stoke's Jack Butland who is being kept out of their
first team by Begovic. He was sent out on loan to Birmingham, Barnsley and
Leeds last season but has only appeared for Stoke three times.
Either way, I think it's something we may live to regret if we don't sign a
new goalkeeper in this transfer window.
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Sunderland slap £8m price tag on Connor Wickham after rejecting West Ham
offer for the striker
Aug 11, 2014 22:30 By Darren Lewis
The Hammers are ready to go back in but believe the fee being sought is
excessive given that the striker scored just five Premier League goals last
season
The Mirror
Sunderland want £8million for Connor Wickham. The Black Cats have rejected a
bid which Mirror Sport understands to be around £5m for the striker. West
Ham are ready to go back in for the 21-year-old frontman but believe the fee
being sought is excessive given that Wickham scored just five Premier League
goals last season. The former Ipswich striker, who had loan spells at
Championship sides Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds last season, is also out of
contract in a year. The Hammers have looked at a number of strikers to bring
in following the injury to Andy Carroll which will keep the England marksman
out for the first half of the season. They would prefer, however, a striker
who knows the English league so that he is able to make a quick impact.
Wickham impressed at the back end last season with crucial goals to spark a
sensational run of form which kept Sunderland in the Premier League. First
he netted a brace in a 2-2 draw at Manchester City - his first goals since
October 2011. Then he hit the first goal in Sunderland's shock 2-1 win at
Chelsea. Then he followed that up with the first and last goals as the Black
Cats crushed Cardiff 4-0. He will not sign a new deal at the Wearside club
however, and boss Gus Poyet has already warned that he will be sold if he
does not commit himself to the club.
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Irons set to break £30m barrier
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 11, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are ready to push their summer spending through the £30 million
barrier as they continue pursuing Sunderland striker Connor Wickham. So far
the Hammers owners have invested close to £25 million with the arrivals of
Enner Valencia ( £12 million), Cheikhou Kayoute (£8 million), Aaron
Cresswell (£3.75m) and Diego Poyet (£700,00). Now ClaretandHugh understands
that David Sullivan and David Gold are considering making a £6m bid for
Wickham as they bid to consolidate in the Premier League. But the £30 odd
million splashed on signings doesn't reflect the true cost for in every case
there are agents to be paid which can account for up to another £3-£4
million. An Irons source told ClaretandHugh "If we get Wickham then the
spend this summer will have passed all previous by the club. "When you
realise that there are all the 'hidden' payments to agents and so on it
shows the level of commitment."
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet is moving heaven and earth to hold onto Wickham
and the Irons negotiators reckon their chances of getting the player are no
better than 50/50. But whatever the outcome they are ready to push hard for
another striker and leave previous spending records behind them.
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Making sure he signs a new deal should be West Ham's priority
Jay Williams
August 11, 2014
Westhamworld.co.uk
As our move to the Olympic Stadium draws nearer each season, there are a
number of things which we need to ensure in this transition period.
Obviously our focus is to remain in the Premier League and, in order for
that to happen, our board needs to prioritise a few things. Some big new
signings would stir up excitement but it is equally important to hang on to
our best players. Therefore, we must place Winston Reid's contract situation
at the top of our 'to do' list.
Reid was born in New Zealand but moved to Denmark at the age of 10 before
being signed up to play for FC Midtjylland. He represented Denmark through
all the age groups but decided to play senior international football for New
Zealand – where he teamed up with ex-Blackburn and Tottenham centre back
Ryan Nelsen.
They represented the All Whites in the 2010 World Cup as they enjoyed an
unbeaten campaign with Reid scoring an injury time equaliser against
Slovakia in the opening game. On the back of the World Cup, Reid signed for
West Ham for an undisclosed fee.
Reid initially struggled to adapt to the English game, with the level being
significantly higher than the Danish League. He was limited to just twelve
first team appearances in his first year under Avram Grant as we were
relegated. Reid stuck with the club, though, and really came to the fore in
our Championship year.
The 6'3'' centre half demonstrated his defensive capabilities with solid
displays both aerially and with the ball on the floor. Reid was fast
developing into a fans' favourite as his passionate displays boosted the
West Ham defence. He is a very commanding player who reads the game well and
can organise the back line. He has even stepped up to captaincy on occasions
where Kevin Nolan has not been present.
But the unforgettable Winston Reid moment of that season was his volleyed
winner against rivals Millwall to earn us a 2-1 victory.
The following year, our concern was whether or not Reid could reproduce his
Championship form as we stepped back up to the Premier League. But any
slight worries we had were quickly put to bed as he turned in match-winning
and match-saving performances in equal measure. At times doing the job of
both centre backs, he provided the foundations for a top-half finish and was
undisputedly awarded Hammer of the Year.
However, last season's injuries restricted him to a few appearances, but his
return was warmly welcomed as a replacement for the hapless Roger Johnson.
After a blip halfway through the season – coinciding with the absence of
Reid – some sort of defensive regularity was restored and conceding goals
became less frequent. He also managed another derby day goal as he opened
the scoring on our way to beating Tottenham 3-0 at White Hart Lane.
A new contract should also be what Reid is looking for. We are an ambitious
club ready to complete a historic transition into the Olympic Stadium. If he
does sign, Reid will enter our new era as a senior player who is respected
by the fans, the players and the board alike.
I believe we are willing to improve our contract offer for him but other
speculation suggests that we will wait to see how he performs this year
before opening fresh talks. From his point of view, it would also be a good
move. He is the star performer in a Premiership defence, worshipped by the
fans and will earn a good sum of money for his efforts.
Ideally, I would like to see us start the season in the Olympic Stadium with
Mark Noble as captain and Winston Reid as his vice; two passionate leaders
with experience of the club and fine players themselves. Our owners need to
identify his contract situation as an alarming priority and get him to sign
before a top club swoops at a price probably less than he is worth.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Defender Anton Ferdinand joins Reading
Last updated Mon 11 Aug 2014
Sport London
Itv.com
Former West Ham, Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand
has signed a two year deal to play for Reading. The 29-year-old, who most
recently plyed his trade with Antalyaspor in Turkey, has made more than 300
career appearances for West Ham, QPR and Sunderland, who he joined for £8
million in 2008. The Peckham-born centre back, who is the brother of Rio and
cousin to former Reading striker Les, will wear squad number 4.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons may try again for Sunderland ace
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 11, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are likely to have another go at stealing Connor Wickham away from
Sunderland. But club bosses aren't too confident they will get their man
after being turned down flat with an opening bid of between £4m – £5m.
Despite the player being in the last year of his contract Sunderland are
taking an extraordinarily hard line. Gus Poyet hopes to team with fit again
Steven Fletcher – who himself was an Irons target at one point. A source
told ClaretandHugh exclusively: "The club are likely to prepare another bid
for the player but there's not huge confidence Sunderland will sell. "They
turned down the first bid out of hand which surprised our people but we are
likely to go in and test the water at least one more."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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Monday, August 11
Daily WHUFC News -11th August 2014
Macca on Monday
WHUFC.com
Neil McDonald is backing the latest Academy graduates to make an impact this
season
10.08.2014
Neil McDonald believes West Ham United's latest batch of talented young
players could make an impact this season following their starring role in
Saturday's 3-2 Marathonbet Cup win against Sampdoria. 17-year-old Reece
Burke scored a late winner from an Elliot Lee cross, while Dan Potts'
forward exploits helped secure the penalty that Mark Noble converted to
bring the game back to one apiece. With the new Barclays Premier League
season starting with Tottenham Hotspur's visit to the Boleyn Ground in just
five days' time, McDonald believes the performances of the three Academy
youngsters will not only have given them a lift, but the rest of the squad
as well. "We've always produced good young players at this Club," McDonald
said. "We have a few good young players coming through and we'll blood them
whenever we can and we've seen the three that made a big impact on the game
on Saturday. "The first half was terrific even though we only had 14 players
to pick from. The young kids have been with us pre-season and it was nice
for them to get involved in the second half.
"In the first half we tried a different system and it worked really well
with lots of passing and lots of receiving it well and we did really well
with the tempo. Our final ball wasn't the best but aside from the goal we
conceded I thought the first half was excellent. "Second half, we changed
the system and grew into the game. We gave the ball away for the second
goal, which we'll need to improve on. We pushed on and drove on and Mo
Diame's goal was a fantastic individual goal. For the third Elliot Lee got
in behind and he picked out Reece Burke, who had carried on his run. "Elliot
showed a lot of composure to pick him out and let him finish the game off
and in the end I thought we thoroughly deserved to win the game."
Despite there being several first-team players missing through injury, Macca
was delighted with how the team passed and pressed the ball. He also brought
the welcome news that Aaron Cresswell's first-half withdrawal was only
precautionary, meaning he could join the young trio in the matchday squad
Spurs should they be selected. "I think the manner in which we tried to play
by passing and moving it, even in tight areas, was really good. The players
have been working hard in training and that is coming through really well.
"We've got to believe in ourselves that we're decent on the ball and it's
not just about free-kicks and corners. Our open play was excellent but we
know we can always improve and the chances we had we took very, very well.
"Our first pre-season victory will give us loads of confidence and put
everyone in a good mood for the first game against Spurs."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Potts pleased with pre-season action
WHUFC.com
Dan Potts completed an impressive pre-season by helping West Ham United win
the Marathonbet Cup
10.08.2014
Dan Potts completed an impressive personal pre-season by helping West Ham
United win the Marathonbet Cup on Saturday. The 20-year-old left-back was
again to the fore as the Hammers twice came from behind to beat Italian
Serie A side UC Sampdoria 3-2 at the Boleyn Ground. Technically-gifted,
committed and adding physical strength as he gets older, Potts added to his
eye-catching displays in New Zealand and Germany after replacing the injured
Aaron Cresswell on the half-hour mark. Having helped the Hammers record
their first win of the pre-season inside 90 minutes courtesy of fellow
Academy graduate Reece Burke's last-gasp winner, Potts now has his eyes set
on featuring in the Barclays Premier League opener at home to Tottenham
Hotspur next weekend.
"I loved it," said the No27. "Obviously it's the only home game we've got in
pre-season and I started on the bench, but Cressy picked up a knock and I
got my chance and I really enjoyed it. "I was on and then seeing Elliot Lee
and Reece come on late on and not do themselves any harm either by combining
for the winner, it was good for the Academy. More importantly, it was good
to round-off the pre-season with a win. "There have been little things about
us having a 'winless pre-season up til now' and things like that, but
pre-season isn't really about results. It's more about getting the fitness
work in. We all love to win, though, and it was good to come off on the
winning team."
Nearly three years after making his first-team debut in a Championship
fixture with Barnsley, Potts signed a new contract in the summer and is now
hoping to make his mark regularly at first-team level. "It's coming up to
three years now since my debut and I'm lucky to have got a few sniffs in the
first team in this pre-season and hopefully I've done myself no harm," he
observed. "Now, pre-season is over and I want to push on even further. "The
Premier League is where I want to play and, leading up to Tottenham,
hopefully I can be in and around it next week and push on from there. "I
obviously wish Cressy well and hope it's not a bad injury, but I'd love to
be in the squad next Saturday and even better on the pitch. I'll take each
day as it comes."
While there has never been any doubt about Potts' technical ability, he has
added a noticeable physical edge to his game. The defender, who suffered two
concussions in accidental collisions at Southend United and Arsenal in
recent seasons, has consciously decided to toughen up his game. "You've got
to give as much as you can and the fans here love to see it," he confirmed.
"These are friendly matches, but when we went out to New Zealand they were
kicking us up in the air and I think you've got to give it some yourself.
You need to show your opponents they are in a game. "It prepares you for the
season ahead, because the Premier League is a physical league as much as it
is a tactical and technical league. It's all part of the game."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's Dan Potts hopes to play a part against Tottenham
Last Updated: 10/08/14 4:25pm
SSN
Young West Ham left-back Dan Potts hopes an impressive pre-season campaign
will earn him a regular place in Sam Allardyce's first-team squad. The
20-year-old performed well for the Hammers in New Zealand and Germany, and
then came on to replace the injured Aaron Cresswell after half an hour of
Saturday's entertaining 3-2 win over Sampdoria. "I loved it," Potts told the
West Ham website. "Obviously, it's the only home game we've got in
pre-season, and I started on the bench, but Cressy picked up a knock and I
got my chance, and I really enjoyed it. "I was on and then Elliot Lee and
Reece (Burke, who scored the winner) came on late and did not do themselves
any harm either by combining for the winner, so it was good for the Academy.
"More importantly, it was good to round off the pre-season with a win.
"There have been little things about us having a 'winless pre-season up
until now' and things like that, but pre-season isn't really about results.
"It's more about getting the fitness work in. We all love to win though, and
it was good to come off on the winning team."
Having signed a new contract in the summer, Potts is targeting a regular
place in the first-team squad. "It's coming up to three years now since my
debut," he said. "I'm lucky to have got a few sniffs in the first team in
this pre-season and hopefully I've done myself no harm. "Now, pre-season is
over, and I want to push on even further. "The Premier League is where I
want to play and, leading up to Tottenham (who West Ham host in their
opener), hopefully I can be in and around it next week, and push on from
there. "I obviously wish Cressy well and hope it's not a bad injury, but I'd
love to be in the squad next Saturday and, even better, on the pitch. I'll
take each day as it comes."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
FOOTBALL CHANGES LIVES - A MESSAGE TO RAVEL MORRISON
By Iain Dale 10 Aug 2014 at 20:39
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by Iron Liddy
If I asked you who England's most capped player is no doubt most of you
would say Peter Shilton. In fact it is this 30 year old footballer, Fara
Williams, who earlier this month broke Rachel Yankey's record of 129 caps by
gaining her 130th cap for England. Peter Shilton holds the male record at
125 appearances.
This is a remarkable achievement but what's even more remarkable is that
Fara Williams was homeless for 6 years during the early part of her football
career, living rough and in hostels. Here the central midfielder for Women's
Super League club Liverpool Ladies, who is also employed by The FA as a
Skills Coach, explains how it was football that gave her the motivation to
turn her life around Football Changes Lives.
Her experiences have led her to work with the Homeless FA where she now
coaches homeless girls and women every week; trying to inspire them to use
football as their motivation to try to change their circumstances.
The reason I wrote this article is not to 'big up' women's football,
although there's no denying that it gives me a certain sense of respect and
pride that it is a woman who holds the record number of England caps. I
wrote it in the hope that a certain Ravel Morrison might drop by and read
the success story of a young footballer from a disadvantaged background
using the beautiful game as their motivation to change their life for the
better. Fara's achievements are something to aspire to Ravel and you can do
it if you want it badly enough.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SHOULD WE SELL MATT JARVIS?
By Iain Dale 10 Aug 2014 at 16:25
West Ham Till I Die
Matt Jarvis arrived two years ago to much fanfare, but since then he has
struggled to justify his £10 million fee. There's no doubt that he gets the
crosses in. For two years now I think he has achieved the highest number of
crosses of any Premier League player. But to what effect? How many assists
does he actually get, let alone goals. He's one of those players who seems
to have it all, yet doesn't quite deliver. He has the beating of his man,
but too often he cuts in to cross the ball on his other foot. Stewart
Downing is the same.
Today we hear that West Bromwich Albion are looking to take Matt Jarvis off
our hands. I have mixed feelings. Part of me likes Jarvis and would like to
give him another chance, but if we sign Amalfitano we'll have a surfeit of
wide players and maybe selling Jarvis would enable us to buy a better
striker.
The trouble is I can't see us getting anywhere near the £10 million we paid
for Jarvis. Indeed, I wonder whether we'd get much more than half that.
Should we keep Jarvis or sell him?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WHY I FEAR FOR THE FUTURE
By Iain Dale 10 Aug 2014 at 12:24
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by A P Clarke
OK before I start on the negatives and the reasons why, let me start with
the positives. We started September 2011 in the championship having been
relegated. We looked for some idea of how to get back and although most of
us were surprised, Sam Alladyce was called on to be our manager. He was
given a simple task : get us back into the Premier League. To do this he
turned to those players who would play as he asked, and we, just, got back
into the Premier League. He was then asked to keep us there, he did and this
is where we start the 2014-2015 campaign.
The problems
Sam has been a footballing manager for about 20 years, and has created a
style that works when he has players who are do as they are told. Those
players are work-horses without much talent, but will run all day for him.
We have seen these players arrive at our club.
He clearly does not know what to do with players who have talent and flair,
they do not play his style! If you look back to last season and see the
players in our first team, you will notice many players played out of
position, others in systems where they were clearly not comfortable. They
plodded up and down the pitch and the other teams just played around them.
The future and the fear
I am excited by the new batch of players we have for this season, they seem
to play exciting football, but does Sam know what to do with them? I think
not. I fear that he will start the season by playing in the same old style
and we will get beaten. He will then bow to pressure and try maybe two up
front, include players coming up through the ranks, etc. As this is not his
way, he will expect defeat, get it, and blame the players, fans, but not
himself for not having the ability to adapt. The youngsters who play will
have their confidence destroyed again, as they did against Nottingham Forest
last season. Players with talent will no longer want to play for us and we
will end up with a team of talentless work-horses. When Sam then leaves, any
new manager gets these players to try and play football and as they lack the
skill, relegation occurs. Look at Blackburn Rovers and Bolton, (Newcastle
got rid of him before he did too much damage).
Our academy players will look at the future, see Sam and think, where shall
I go, City or United?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Brom chasing Matt Jarvis as boss Alan Irvine eyes cut-price deal
Aug 10, 2014 11:11 By Tom Hopkinson
Despite making a big money switch to the Hammers two years ago the former
Wolves man is surplus to requirements and is up for sale
The Mirror
West Brom boss Alan Irvine is chasing West Ham winger Matt Jarvis, writes
Tom Hopkinson in the Sunday People. Jarvis joined the Hammers two years ago
for £7.5million after turning in a string of impressive displays in a
five-year spell at Wolves. But he has not achieved the heights the club
hoped he would.
Over two seasons Jarvis made 57 appearances, managing just four goals. Last
season a big number of his appearances came off the bench and the Hammers
are ready to take a hit on the transfer fee to shift him off the wage bill.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Daniel Agger on Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham radars as he seeks move
Aug 09, 2014 22:30 By Mirror Football
Danish defender feels he needs regular first-team football than the Kop club
can offer after buying Dejan Lovren and that could lead to a switch to
London
The Mirror
Daniel Agger's future is being monitored by THREE London clubs after making
it clear to Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers that he wants to leave. The
Denmark international feels he needs regular first-team football and that
those chances will be further limited at the Reds following the arrival of
Dejan Lovren from Southampton. West Ham are believed to be interested as he
would be in their price range at about £10 million, while Arsenal manager
Arsene Wenger needs a replacement for Thomas Vermaelen, who is joining
Barcelona. Tottenham will also be keen if they fail in their attempt to sign
Mateo Musacchio from Villarreal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Brom turn to West Ham winger Matt Jarvis after being told to double £4m
bid for Parma's Jonathan Biabiany
Hammers have agreed a fee for Morgan Amalfitano who spent last season on
loan at the Hawthorns
By SIMON JONES
PUBLISHED: 22:42, 10 August 2014 | UPDATED: 22:42, 10 August 2014
Daily Mail
West Bromich Albion are interested in West Ham winger Matt Jarvis. The
Baggies have been told to increase their £4million bid for Parma winger
Jonathan Biabiany to £8m but are looking for alternatives more suited to
their price range. Jarvis has struggled to recapture the form he showed at
Wolves and West Ham will listen to offers. Meanwhile, the Hammers have
agreed a fee with Marseille for midfielder Morgan Amalfitano. The France
midfielder, on loan at West Brom last season, is available for £2million.
The 29-year-old has attracted interest from Hull, Crystal Palace and QPR.
West Ham are prioritising their search for a striker and are speaking to
Stoke about Peter Crouch while Connor Wickham of Sunderland, free agent Hugo
Almeida, Metz striker Diafra Sakho and Joel Campbell of Arsenal remain on
their list.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ravel Morrison wanted by Cardiff City even though he is facing assault
charges
Cardiff are willing to double Ravel Morrison's West Ham wages to take him to
Wales – despite the midfielder still having a court case hanging over him
Ravel Morrison at Manchester Magistrates Court where he faces two counts of
common assault
By Matt Law, Football News Correspondent4:01PM BST 10 Aug 2014
Telegraph.co.uk
Cardiff are willing to double Ravel Morrison's West Ham wages to take him to
Wales – despite the midfielder still having a court case hanging over his
head.
Morrison will appear at Manchester Crown Court on August 28 after being
charged with two counts of common assault, against his ex-girlfriend and her
mother, and harassment. While waiting for his court appearance, Morrison is
training with West Ham and can still play for the club if selected. Co-owner
David Sullivan has been a big supporter of Morrison and had been due to open
new contract talks with the 21-year-old before the allegations were made
against him.
There could still be a new West Ham deal offered to Morrison, but Cardiff
have moved to try to capitalise on the uncertainty by once again showing an
interest in signing him. Cardiff made an enquiry about Morrison in January
and are ready to try to tempt West Ham into selling the England Under-21
international with a £3million bid. Morrison currently earns around
£15,000-a-week at Upton Park, but Cardiff are willing to double his wages to
£30,000-a-week to try to convince him to drop down to the Championship. It
is unclear whether or not West Ham will consider cashing in on Morrison,
particularly before his court case has been concluded. The board have been
at odds with manager Sam Allardyce over the youngster's role in the squad
and his future. Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows Morrison and his
massive potential well, having worked with the player during his time in
charge of Manchester United reserves.
Morrison last season spent three months on loan at Queens Park Rangers in
the Championship and scored six goals in 15 League appearances. As part of
Morrison's bail conditions, he cannot contact the complainants, enter the
street where they live or enter Manchester unless to attend a court or a
legal appointment.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons hopeful on midfielder
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 10, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are still hopeful they can clinch a deal for Marseilles midfielder
Morgan Amalfitano. The Irons have been in talks with the player for several
days and remain hopeful they can seal a deal early this week. The France
midfielder, on loan at West Brom last season, is available for £2million.
The 29-year-old has attracted interest from Hull, Crystal Palace and QPR but
the Hammers are currently in the driving seat and trying to agree personal
terms with the player.
A source told ClaretandHugh exclusively: "It's not done but we are still
talking so we remain hopeful. "There's no point in quoting odds for or
against – things can take you by surprise but it's certainly still alive."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WBA and Iron Jarvis: The laughable truth
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 10, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham have laughed off reported West Bromwich Albion interest in Matt
Jarvis. National newspaper reports suggest today that the Baggies are ready
to make a £4 million move for the Irons winger. But ClaretandHugh can reveal
the West midlands outfit only want the player on a season-long loan. The £9
million signing from Albion's deadly Black Country rivals Wolves had an
indifferent season at Upton Park last season and manager Alan Irvine was
reported as being interested in trying to sign the player. But tonight a top
Hammers insider made it clear to ClaretandHugh that the Baggies are only
interested in doing a loan deal He told us exclusively: "There is no
interest from West Brom in taking Matt Jarvis in a permanent deal. They
have been trying to loan him all summer. "Why on earth they think we'll
loan a player that cost us £9.5m and is our first choice left winger I do
not know. He's looked good in pre-season"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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WHUFC.com
Neil McDonald is backing the latest Academy graduates to make an impact this
season
10.08.2014
Neil McDonald believes West Ham United's latest batch of talented young
players could make an impact this season following their starring role in
Saturday's 3-2 Marathonbet Cup win against Sampdoria. 17-year-old Reece
Burke scored a late winner from an Elliot Lee cross, while Dan Potts'
forward exploits helped secure the penalty that Mark Noble converted to
bring the game back to one apiece. With the new Barclays Premier League
season starting with Tottenham Hotspur's visit to the Boleyn Ground in just
five days' time, McDonald believes the performances of the three Academy
youngsters will not only have given them a lift, but the rest of the squad
as well. "We've always produced good young players at this Club," McDonald
said. "We have a few good young players coming through and we'll blood them
whenever we can and we've seen the three that made a big impact on the game
on Saturday. "The first half was terrific even though we only had 14 players
to pick from. The young kids have been with us pre-season and it was nice
for them to get involved in the second half.
"In the first half we tried a different system and it worked really well
with lots of passing and lots of receiving it well and we did really well
with the tempo. Our final ball wasn't the best but aside from the goal we
conceded I thought the first half was excellent. "Second half, we changed
the system and grew into the game. We gave the ball away for the second
goal, which we'll need to improve on. We pushed on and drove on and Mo
Diame's goal was a fantastic individual goal. For the third Elliot Lee got
in behind and he picked out Reece Burke, who had carried on his run. "Elliot
showed a lot of composure to pick him out and let him finish the game off
and in the end I thought we thoroughly deserved to win the game."
Despite there being several first-team players missing through injury, Macca
was delighted with how the team passed and pressed the ball. He also brought
the welcome news that Aaron Cresswell's first-half withdrawal was only
precautionary, meaning he could join the young trio in the matchday squad
Spurs should they be selected. "I think the manner in which we tried to play
by passing and moving it, even in tight areas, was really good. The players
have been working hard in training and that is coming through really well.
"We've got to believe in ourselves that we're decent on the ball and it's
not just about free-kicks and corners. Our open play was excellent but we
know we can always improve and the chances we had we took very, very well.
"Our first pre-season victory will give us loads of confidence and put
everyone in a good mood for the first game against Spurs."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Potts pleased with pre-season action
WHUFC.com
Dan Potts completed an impressive pre-season by helping West Ham United win
the Marathonbet Cup
10.08.2014
Dan Potts completed an impressive personal pre-season by helping West Ham
United win the Marathonbet Cup on Saturday. The 20-year-old left-back was
again to the fore as the Hammers twice came from behind to beat Italian
Serie A side UC Sampdoria 3-2 at the Boleyn Ground. Technically-gifted,
committed and adding physical strength as he gets older, Potts added to his
eye-catching displays in New Zealand and Germany after replacing the injured
Aaron Cresswell on the half-hour mark. Having helped the Hammers record
their first win of the pre-season inside 90 minutes courtesy of fellow
Academy graduate Reece Burke's last-gasp winner, Potts now has his eyes set
on featuring in the Barclays Premier League opener at home to Tottenham
Hotspur next weekend.
"I loved it," said the No27. "Obviously it's the only home game we've got in
pre-season and I started on the bench, but Cressy picked up a knock and I
got my chance and I really enjoyed it. "I was on and then seeing Elliot Lee
and Reece come on late on and not do themselves any harm either by combining
for the winner, it was good for the Academy. More importantly, it was good
to round-off the pre-season with a win. "There have been little things about
us having a 'winless pre-season up til now' and things like that, but
pre-season isn't really about results. It's more about getting the fitness
work in. We all love to win, though, and it was good to come off on the
winning team."
Nearly three years after making his first-team debut in a Championship
fixture with Barnsley, Potts signed a new contract in the summer and is now
hoping to make his mark regularly at first-team level. "It's coming up to
three years now since my debut and I'm lucky to have got a few sniffs in the
first team in this pre-season and hopefully I've done myself no harm," he
observed. "Now, pre-season is over and I want to push on even further. "The
Premier League is where I want to play and, leading up to Tottenham,
hopefully I can be in and around it next week and push on from there. "I
obviously wish Cressy well and hope it's not a bad injury, but I'd love to
be in the squad next Saturday and even better on the pitch. I'll take each
day as it comes."
While there has never been any doubt about Potts' technical ability, he has
added a noticeable physical edge to his game. The defender, who suffered two
concussions in accidental collisions at Southend United and Arsenal in
recent seasons, has consciously decided to toughen up his game. "You've got
to give as much as you can and the fans here love to see it," he confirmed.
"These are friendly matches, but when we went out to New Zealand they were
kicking us up in the air and I think you've got to give it some yourself.
You need to show your opponents they are in a game. "It prepares you for the
season ahead, because the Premier League is a physical league as much as it
is a tactical and technical league. It's all part of the game."
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West Ham's Dan Potts hopes to play a part against Tottenham
Last Updated: 10/08/14 4:25pm
SSN
Young West Ham left-back Dan Potts hopes an impressive pre-season campaign
will earn him a regular place in Sam Allardyce's first-team squad. The
20-year-old performed well for the Hammers in New Zealand and Germany, and
then came on to replace the injured Aaron Cresswell after half an hour of
Saturday's entertaining 3-2 win over Sampdoria. "I loved it," Potts told the
West Ham website. "Obviously, it's the only home game we've got in
pre-season, and I started on the bench, but Cressy picked up a knock and I
got my chance, and I really enjoyed it. "I was on and then Elliot Lee and
Reece (Burke, who scored the winner) came on late and did not do themselves
any harm either by combining for the winner, so it was good for the Academy.
"More importantly, it was good to round off the pre-season with a win.
"There have been little things about us having a 'winless pre-season up
until now' and things like that, but pre-season isn't really about results.
"It's more about getting the fitness work in. We all love to win though, and
it was good to come off on the winning team."
Having signed a new contract in the summer, Potts is targeting a regular
place in the first-team squad. "It's coming up to three years now since my
debut," he said. "I'm lucky to have got a few sniffs in the first team in
this pre-season and hopefully I've done myself no harm. "Now, pre-season is
over, and I want to push on even further. "The Premier League is where I
want to play and, leading up to Tottenham (who West Ham host in their
opener), hopefully I can be in and around it next week, and push on from
there. "I obviously wish Cressy well and hope it's not a bad injury, but I'd
love to be in the squad next Saturday and, even better, on the pitch. I'll
take each day as it comes."
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FOOTBALL CHANGES LIVES - A MESSAGE TO RAVEL MORRISON
By Iain Dale 10 Aug 2014 at 20:39
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by Iron Liddy
If I asked you who England's most capped player is no doubt most of you
would say Peter Shilton. In fact it is this 30 year old footballer, Fara
Williams, who earlier this month broke Rachel Yankey's record of 129 caps by
gaining her 130th cap for England. Peter Shilton holds the male record at
125 appearances.
This is a remarkable achievement but what's even more remarkable is that
Fara Williams was homeless for 6 years during the early part of her football
career, living rough and in hostels. Here the central midfielder for Women's
Super League club Liverpool Ladies, who is also employed by The FA as a
Skills Coach, explains how it was football that gave her the motivation to
turn her life around Football Changes Lives.
Her experiences have led her to work with the Homeless FA where she now
coaches homeless girls and women every week; trying to inspire them to use
football as their motivation to try to change their circumstances.
The reason I wrote this article is not to 'big up' women's football,
although there's no denying that it gives me a certain sense of respect and
pride that it is a woman who holds the record number of England caps. I
wrote it in the hope that a certain Ravel Morrison might drop by and read
the success story of a young footballer from a disadvantaged background
using the beautiful game as their motivation to change their life for the
better. Fara's achievements are something to aspire to Ravel and you can do
it if you want it badly enough.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SHOULD WE SELL MATT JARVIS?
By Iain Dale 10 Aug 2014 at 16:25
West Ham Till I Die
Matt Jarvis arrived two years ago to much fanfare, but since then he has
struggled to justify his £10 million fee. There's no doubt that he gets the
crosses in. For two years now I think he has achieved the highest number of
crosses of any Premier League player. But to what effect? How many assists
does he actually get, let alone goals. He's one of those players who seems
to have it all, yet doesn't quite deliver. He has the beating of his man,
but too often he cuts in to cross the ball on his other foot. Stewart
Downing is the same.
Today we hear that West Bromwich Albion are looking to take Matt Jarvis off
our hands. I have mixed feelings. Part of me likes Jarvis and would like to
give him another chance, but if we sign Amalfitano we'll have a surfeit of
wide players and maybe selling Jarvis would enable us to buy a better
striker.
The trouble is I can't see us getting anywhere near the £10 million we paid
for Jarvis. Indeed, I wonder whether we'd get much more than half that.
Should we keep Jarvis or sell him?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WHY I FEAR FOR THE FUTURE
By Iain Dale 10 Aug 2014 at 12:24
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by A P Clarke
OK before I start on the negatives and the reasons why, let me start with
the positives. We started September 2011 in the championship having been
relegated. We looked for some idea of how to get back and although most of
us were surprised, Sam Alladyce was called on to be our manager. He was
given a simple task : get us back into the Premier League. To do this he
turned to those players who would play as he asked, and we, just, got back
into the Premier League. He was then asked to keep us there, he did and this
is where we start the 2014-2015 campaign.
The problems
Sam has been a footballing manager for about 20 years, and has created a
style that works when he has players who are do as they are told. Those
players are work-horses without much talent, but will run all day for him.
We have seen these players arrive at our club.
He clearly does not know what to do with players who have talent and flair,
they do not play his style! If you look back to last season and see the
players in our first team, you will notice many players played out of
position, others in systems where they were clearly not comfortable. They
plodded up and down the pitch and the other teams just played around them.
The future and the fear
I am excited by the new batch of players we have for this season, they seem
to play exciting football, but does Sam know what to do with them? I think
not. I fear that he will start the season by playing in the same old style
and we will get beaten. He will then bow to pressure and try maybe two up
front, include players coming up through the ranks, etc. As this is not his
way, he will expect defeat, get it, and blame the players, fans, but not
himself for not having the ability to adapt. The youngsters who play will
have their confidence destroyed again, as they did against Nottingham Forest
last season. Players with talent will no longer want to play for us and we
will end up with a team of talentless work-horses. When Sam then leaves, any
new manager gets these players to try and play football and as they lack the
skill, relegation occurs. Look at Blackburn Rovers and Bolton, (Newcastle
got rid of him before he did too much damage).
Our academy players will look at the future, see Sam and think, where shall
I go, City or United?
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Brom chasing Matt Jarvis as boss Alan Irvine eyes cut-price deal
Aug 10, 2014 11:11 By Tom Hopkinson
Despite making a big money switch to the Hammers two years ago the former
Wolves man is surplus to requirements and is up for sale
The Mirror
West Brom boss Alan Irvine is chasing West Ham winger Matt Jarvis, writes
Tom Hopkinson in the Sunday People. Jarvis joined the Hammers two years ago
for £7.5million after turning in a string of impressive displays in a
five-year spell at Wolves. But he has not achieved the heights the club
hoped he would.
Over two seasons Jarvis made 57 appearances, managing just four goals. Last
season a big number of his appearances came off the bench and the Hammers
are ready to take a hit on the transfer fee to shift him off the wage bill.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Daniel Agger on Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham radars as he seeks move
Aug 09, 2014 22:30 By Mirror Football
Danish defender feels he needs regular first-team football than the Kop club
can offer after buying Dejan Lovren and that could lead to a switch to
London
The Mirror
Daniel Agger's future is being monitored by THREE London clubs after making
it clear to Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers that he wants to leave. The
Denmark international feels he needs regular first-team football and that
those chances will be further limited at the Reds following the arrival of
Dejan Lovren from Southampton. West Ham are believed to be interested as he
would be in their price range at about £10 million, while Arsenal manager
Arsene Wenger needs a replacement for Thomas Vermaelen, who is joining
Barcelona. Tottenham will also be keen if they fail in their attempt to sign
Mateo Musacchio from Villarreal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Brom turn to West Ham winger Matt Jarvis after being told to double £4m
bid for Parma's Jonathan Biabiany
Hammers have agreed a fee for Morgan Amalfitano who spent last season on
loan at the Hawthorns
By SIMON JONES
PUBLISHED: 22:42, 10 August 2014 | UPDATED: 22:42, 10 August 2014
Daily Mail
West Bromich Albion are interested in West Ham winger Matt Jarvis. The
Baggies have been told to increase their £4million bid for Parma winger
Jonathan Biabiany to £8m but are looking for alternatives more suited to
their price range. Jarvis has struggled to recapture the form he showed at
Wolves and West Ham will listen to offers. Meanwhile, the Hammers have
agreed a fee with Marseille for midfielder Morgan Amalfitano. The France
midfielder, on loan at West Brom last season, is available for £2million.
The 29-year-old has attracted interest from Hull, Crystal Palace and QPR.
West Ham are prioritising their search for a striker and are speaking to
Stoke about Peter Crouch while Connor Wickham of Sunderland, free agent Hugo
Almeida, Metz striker Diafra Sakho and Joel Campbell of Arsenal remain on
their list.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ravel Morrison wanted by Cardiff City even though he is facing assault
charges
Cardiff are willing to double Ravel Morrison's West Ham wages to take him to
Wales – despite the midfielder still having a court case hanging over him
Ravel Morrison at Manchester Magistrates Court where he faces two counts of
common assault
By Matt Law, Football News Correspondent4:01PM BST 10 Aug 2014
Telegraph.co.uk
Cardiff are willing to double Ravel Morrison's West Ham wages to take him to
Wales – despite the midfielder still having a court case hanging over his
head.
Morrison will appear at Manchester Crown Court on August 28 after being
charged with two counts of common assault, against his ex-girlfriend and her
mother, and harassment. While waiting for his court appearance, Morrison is
training with West Ham and can still play for the club if selected. Co-owner
David Sullivan has been a big supporter of Morrison and had been due to open
new contract talks with the 21-year-old before the allegations were made
against him.
There could still be a new West Ham deal offered to Morrison, but Cardiff
have moved to try to capitalise on the uncertainty by once again showing an
interest in signing him. Cardiff made an enquiry about Morrison in January
and are ready to try to tempt West Ham into selling the England Under-21
international with a £3million bid. Morrison currently earns around
£15,000-a-week at Upton Park, but Cardiff are willing to double his wages to
£30,000-a-week to try to convince him to drop down to the Championship. It
is unclear whether or not West Ham will consider cashing in on Morrison,
particularly before his court case has been concluded. The board have been
at odds with manager Sam Allardyce over the youngster's role in the squad
and his future. Cardiff manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer knows Morrison and his
massive potential well, having worked with the player during his time in
charge of Manchester United reserves.
Morrison last season spent three months on loan at Queens Park Rangers in
the Championship and scored six goals in 15 League appearances. As part of
Morrison's bail conditions, he cannot contact the complainants, enter the
street where they live or enter Manchester unless to attend a court or a
legal appointment.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons hopeful on midfielder
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 10, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham are still hopeful they can clinch a deal for Marseilles midfielder
Morgan Amalfitano. The Irons have been in talks with the player for several
days and remain hopeful they can seal a deal early this week. The France
midfielder, on loan at West Brom last season, is available for £2million.
The 29-year-old has attracted interest from Hull, Crystal Palace and QPR but
the Hammers are currently in the driving seat and trying to agree personal
terms with the player.
A source told ClaretandHugh exclusively: "It's not done but we are still
talking so we remain hopeful. "There's no point in quoting odds for or
against – things can take you by surprise but it's certainly still alive."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WBA and Iron Jarvis: The laughable truth
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on August 10, 2014 in Whispers
Claret & Hugh
West Ham have laughed off reported West Bromwich Albion interest in Matt
Jarvis. National newspaper reports suggest today that the Baggies are ready
to make a £4 million move for the Irons winger. But ClaretandHugh can reveal
the West midlands outfit only want the player on a season-long loan. The £9
million signing from Albion's deadly Black Country rivals Wolves had an
indifferent season at Upton Park last season and manager Alan Irvine was
reported as being interested in trying to sign the player. But tonight a top
Hammers insider made it clear to ClaretandHugh that the Baggies are only
interested in doing a loan deal He told us exclusively: "There is no
interest from West Brom in taking Matt Jarvis in a permanent deal. They
have been trying to loan him all summer. "Why on earth they think we'll
loan a player that cost us £9.5m and is our first choice left winger I do
not know. He's looked good in pre-season"
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