Ecuador cruise to victory
WHUFC.com
Enner Valencia played the full match as Ecuador romped to a 4-0 win over
Panama in their final friendly as they prepare to start their Copa America
campaign. Striker Miller Bolanos opened the scoring before a brace by Fidel
Martinez before half time put the Ecuadoreans firmly in control. Swansea
City's Jefferson Montero sealed the comprehensive victory for La Tricolor
just after the break. Ecuador open their Copa America campaign with a tough
away game against Chile on Friday 12 June, before fixtures against Bolivia
on Monday 15 June and Mexico on Friday 19 June.
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Howes enjoying Young Lions run of form
WHUFC.com
Sam Howes signing his pro contract with Tony Carr MBE and Academy
goalkeeping coaches Lee Harrison and Jerome John
West Ham United goalkeeper Sam Howes is relishing the prospect of playing in
the England U18's double header against Russia.
The Young Lions travel to Moscow this weekend to play their European
counterparts in two friendlies as they prepare for their U19 qualifying
campaign next term.
Speaking ahead of the trip an excited Howes said: "I've never played Russia
before but we're expecting them to be good. We're going out there to try and
beat them, they haven't lost for a while at home so it'll be difficult but
we're up for it.
"I've been in the England system for two years now so I'm well used to
travelling all over the place. Every boy dreams of playing for your country.
At any age level it's always a proud achievement.
"The feeling when you pull the England top on will never ware off no matter
how many times I play. It's a sign that you're one of the best in the
country, I'm sure if you spoke to any of the lads they would say exactly the
same thing."
While Russia will be prove tough opposition, the Young Lions are in good
form themselves having won their last four games, including a 6-1 demolition
of Switzerland in March.
"There's definitely a good buzz about the England youth set up at the
moment. The U17s qualified for the World Cup and we've had some success
winning the Euros this time last year.
"It's a good time for English football with a lot of talented players coming
through. In the England U18 squad there a several stand out players. Dom
Solanke is a great player, Izzy Brown and a few others.
"As a team I think we've got a lot of talented players which has probably
made this team so successful. There's a phenomenal bond within the team,
stemming from winning the tournament last year. I think that is key to any
team and helps to get the best out of us."
Having enjoyed an impressive twelve months in a claret and blue shirt which
saw Howes make his first team debut in pre-season, the 17-year-old went on
to enjoy a good run of form for both the U18s and Development Squad.
"It's been a long season for me personally but I'm not complaining. It's all
good life experiences which will help me to develop. Overall, I'd say it's
been successful, there's been ups and downs but that's football really. I've
always enjoyed it at West Ham and I hope that continues.
"With the team qualifying for the Europa League it's an earlier start to the
season, but it'll be another good experience. Hopefully I'll be involved in
some way.
"I can't thank Sam Allardyce enough for giving me an opportunity with the
first team. He helped me a lot to develop as a player and as a person. But
with a new manager coming in, it's a new slate for everyone and we have to
try and impress him.
"It's an interesting and exciting time for everyone involved with the Club.
There's a lot of change going on but it's a bright time."
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LET'S NOT GET AHEAD OF OURSELVES
By Iain Dale 7 Jun 2015 at 08:18
West Ham Till I Die
Guest Post by Izo
There's no doubt we are an excellent prospect to any new manager coming in
to our club, with the move into the new stadium the main reason for us
actually being able to contemplate hiring managers of the ilk of Klopp,
Benitez or Emery. We have the history, the fan base, the right league, some
stability, a decent squad, good funds and real potential. But there's no
doubt we are still a work in progress.
Whoever takes over now won't get the riches that the stadium might
eventually bring, they will still get a budget on average with most teams in
mid table in the league. They will also probably have to oversea our
transition into the new stadium, which isn't always easy – as fans take time
to settle in, and atmosphere can take a while to adjust (although some big,
modern stadiums can suffer permanently). Not only that, they will be
expected to entertain to a degree, stay well clear of relegation and start a
long term project that could take years to reap rewards.
It's a big risk for any manager who has already achieved success in the
game, in reality why would Emery, fresh from winning the Europa League two
years in a row, come into a club that may take 4-5 years to get the same
point at best? A young manager has a reputation to build, successes can
quickly be forgotten should things not work out, and without experience the
Premier League can be a very tough league to work in. This type of manager
may not want to take that risk so early in their career, it can be tough to
come back from tattered reputations. Older managers may feel they've earned
a bigger job, somewhere where success is imminent rather than a long term
objective, or somewhere where the set up is ready to achieve success now,
not in 5 years time. A manager like Bielsa probably doesn't fancy his last
job in the game to be a long term project with no guarantee of success.
So perhaps we should be prepared to wait a little. Luring in a young manager
now is a very difficult task. Yes we are a club going places, but unless a
new manager gets £50m-100m it's a very tough ask to achieve what may be
required of them in just a couple of seasons. There is no rush to do all
this now – we're in it for the long term; I'm certainly not going anywhere,
are you? All we need at the moment is someone in charge to unite us all,
someone who will get on with the fans and steer a team good enough for the
top half to where they belong. It isn't the hardest job in world football,
it should be a good challenge for anyone. Let's get through this
transitional period with someone who has enough about them as a person to
keep us going until the benefits of the stadium move can kick in, if it is
true that it will open up new financial opportunities and allow us to
compete with the top 6 in the league.
If Bilic is our man, I think he has enough about him, personality-wise, to
keep us moving in the right direction, and who knows, he may have found the
right job for success for both him and us. We don't have to reach for the
stars too early, we are in this stadium for 99 years, we don't have to try
and achieve too much before we have even moved in. Bilic would be accepted
by most fans, and would at least be given a chance, he will get more leeway
than Sam did.
Once we move to the new stadium, fill it, and show new managers just what is
available to them by being able to show them the finished stadium, then
maybe we can look to realistically entice some of the most talented managers
out there. There's no reason to ask for too much too soon.
So we may have, in what is another aspect of the "West Ham way", aimed high
and shot low in going for the very best managers available (if the rumours
are to be believed), but if we don't end up with Champions or Europa League
winning managers then don't panic – it may take a few years to demonstrate
to everyone that we are worth taking a gamble on, it will seem much more
attainable once we actually move in to our new home.
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Davids must be 100 pc sure on Slav!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 7, 2015 in McAvennie The Legend, Whispers
C AND H
The one relationship – or two in West Ham's case – that matter above all
others inside a football club is the relationship between the manager and
his chairman/men!
If that's right, everything good will flow from it. If it's not then all the
three have ahead of them is trouble, with one possibly blaming the other
when things go wrong.
That's why David Gold, David Sullivan and Slaven Bilic have to ensure they
are on exactly the same page before a deal is offered and accepted.
I remember several years ago when I was covering a particular area for a
national newspaper being told the above by a well known manager who was
living in the shadow of a former boss who ultimately returned to the club.
That didn't work out and the events leading up to it were pretty horrendous
from the inside and in the end things went dramatically wrong for everybody
and the club.
The manager who was ultimately replaced explained to me: "I never had his
full confidence and that's the single most important thing in a club – the
relationship between boss and chairman."
So before there is any thought of slapping a contract in front of Slaven
Bilic to become our next manager, the two Davids must be 100 per cent sure
he is their man – nothing else will work. It's the way it has to be or they
are writing a recipe for disaster. He has to have their confidence.
Slav is very aware that he is not their first, second or even third choice
and this morning David Gold gave a bizarre interview to West Ham TV when he
said: "It would be lovely to have someone with West Ham history, that ticks
a box.
"Having Premier League experience and that doesn't mean English Premier
League, that means a man who has managed successfully in the big Italian
League, big Spanish League, big German League or a major league in the
world, that is a box that needs to be ticked, we don't want to take a
chance."
I assume he was using the word Premier with a small p because none of those
Leagues in Europe are the Premier League, nor do I see any managers in any
of them with West Ham history. Thus not all the boxes can possibly be
ticked.
There's only one former Hammer available and he sat in front of the three
board members today. He's an impressive man and a qualified lawyer.
He is considered an excellent boss by most of his peers but it may be that
the board is still smarting from having missed out on their top choices to
be able to fully evaluate Slav's.
I hope I have that wrong and that before 24 or 48 hours is up the former
defender becomes our next manager but that must only happen on the basis of
the co-chairmen being 1,000 onside with each other and 100 per cent behind
their chosen man.
Nothing else will work and if there's not a certainty then it's best to move
on!
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Bilic ranked way ahead of Sam on bosses list
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 7, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
West Ham will appoint a manager who is ranked 60 places higher than Sam
Allardyce on one prominent world boss rating website if they finally hand
Slaven Bilic a contract.
According to www.coachworldranking.com the former Hammers defender is the
world's 53rd most successful boss whilst Allardyce languishes back in 113th
place.
And even the apparently highly rated Marcelo Bielsa can only make it into
108th place whilst the Hammers initial top choice David Moyes makes it onto
the list at 117th.
waving sam_allardyce_1528056cAmong the other names reportedly chased by the
Irons are: Una Emery (3rd), Rafa Benitez (17th), Jurgen Klopp (28th), Frank
De Boer (57th), Roberto DiMatteo (61st). Garry Monk (72nd), Michael Laudrup
(192nd), Gus Poyet (271st).
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Ayew edges closer to West Ham
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 7, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
According to the Head of Sport for the Daily Mail and West Ham fan Lee
Clayton, Andre Ayew and West Ham are edging closer to completion of a deal.
Ayew, will be a free agent at the end of June when he comes to the close of
his Olympique de Marseille contract, he has attracted considerable interest
and is said to have several offers to choose from Premier League and
European teams.
L'OM president Vincent Labrune says he wishes Ayew well in the future."We
can't keep Ayew. He is a very important player for OM but we can't offer him
the kind of money English clubs can offer," he explained.
"The French financial system is complicated and we can't offer him an
equivalent salary to what he can earn in England. And equally, we can't ask
Ayew, who we love and is an icon of our team, to accept a lower salary. That
makes no sense so unfortunately he is going to quit the club and we hope he
has the great career that he deserves in England or somewhere else."
Ayew has scored 13 goals for his club this season and celebrated his final
days with Marseille by being named the best African player in Ligue 1.
Ayew was last linked in the January transfer window when it was said West
Ham would use their close relationship with Marseille wheeler and dealer
Willie McKay will help land Andre Ayew. Back in 2012 when was first linked
with the club Ayew told Sky Sports: "We are always interested playing one
day abroad, there is no official offer from West Ham but if such a
possibility could arrive, we will talk about with our advisers. West Ham is
an excellent team."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic and Irons edging closer to deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 7, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Slaven Bilic and West Ham are this evening understood to be slowly edging
towards a deal that would make the club's former player the 15th Irons
manager.
ClaretandHugh reported earlier today that 'Slav' has been interviewed and
since then talks have continued with his advisers over financial issues
covering such issues as:
O final wage and bonuses
O his backroom staff's salary levels
O compensation in the event of early termination
O players in and out
O plus London housing allowances and the like.
'Slav' is keen to take over at the club and will make financial sacrifices
to do so despite having received written offers from Europe. We understand
one of them is from a German club.
However, the 46 year old wants West Ham because of his love for the club and
the fans despite the fact that he would arrive on a smaller contract than he
could command elsewhere.
He is determined to get the right deal for his assitants and much could
depend on that as he is known as a man passionately loyal to his staff.
Talks are currently ongoing and although the odds are swinging towards him
we have been told categorically: "It's not done and may still not be. The
terms have to be right."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
N'Doye linked with Hammers
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 7, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Another player linked with West Ham this weekend is Hull City's Dame N'Doye.
He is likely to leave Hull after his brief spell at the KC Stadium because
of an exit clause in his contract if a Premier League comes in for him.
If West Ham appoint Slaven Bilic as their new manager commentators have been
quick to point out that Bilic signed N'Doye during his time as manager of
Lokomotiv Moscow.
At this point the link appears no stronger than N'Doye signed for Bilic in
Russia and is available following Hull's relegation to the Championship
Hull are thought to have paid 3 million Euros for the Senegalese striker
whose national team mates include Hammers Diafra Sakho and Cheikhou Kouyate.
The 30 year old striker made 15 appearances for Hull last season scoring 5
times.
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Lovren could reunite with Bilic
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 7, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
The Sun claims West ham could offer Dejan Lovren a way out of his Liverpool
nightmare if Slaven Bilic takes over as Hammers manager.
The report claims Bilic has already targeted the player who he worked with
as the coach of the Croatian national team.
Lovren suffered a difficult season at Liverpool after his £20m move from
Southampton last summer and is said to be up for a move to London to meet up
with his former manager. Liverpool may be ready to cut their losses after a
disastrous season for the Croatian.
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Monday, June 8
Sunday, June 7
Daily WHUFC News - 7th June 2015
On this day - 7 June
WHUFC.com
Classic match
West Ham United 2-3 Queens Park Rangers
Southern Regional League
Saturday 7 June 1941, Boleyn Ground
By 7 June, modern-day footballers have usually packed their boots away for
the summer in favour of flip-flops and swimming trunks. Back in 1941, at the
height of the Second World War, it was a different story.
West Ham United arrived on this day in 1941 still playing for the Southern
Regional League title. The Hammers knew, however, that they would have to
overcome Queens Park Rangers at the Boleyn Ground to overhaul leaders
Crystal Palace on goal average.
This task proved impossible as the visitors won a thrilling match by the odd
goal in five, with the prolific Alec George Foreman and 1940 War Cup final
hero Sam Small on target for the hosts. Foreman's goal was his 34th in 39
games that season, but it was not enough to hold off the Hoops in front of a
brave crowd of just 2,100.
The title was decided on goal average as hostilities left many fixtures
unfulfilled. The following season, 1941/42, West Ham competed in a
London-only competition to save on resources and costs.
Anniversary
Brazil 1-0 England
FIFA World Cup Group 3
Sunday 7 June 1970, Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico
Today marks the anniversary of 'that tackle' by West Ham United and England
legend Bobby Moore MBE. Moore was captaining England at the 1970 FIFA World
Cup finals in Mexico when they faced Brazil in their second group-stage
fixture in Guadalajara.
Playing alongside fellow Hammers Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst in stifling
heat, England started well before Brazil countered and Pele forced Gordon
Banks into what is considered to be the greatest save of all time. Peters
himself then missed a headed chance, while Brazil's attacks were repeatedly
repelled by the imperious Moore.
Moore's performance was a highlight reel in itself, but the West Ham
defender's greatest moment arrived when he bent down on one knee to make a
perfect block tackle to deny Jairzinho. Unfortunately, the same player would
score Brazil's winner just before the hour-mark to secure the narrowest of
victories for the South Americans.
England would go on to beat Czechoslovakia 1-0 in their third group fixture
but were edged out 3-2 by West Germany at the quarter-final stage.
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Howes enjoying Young Lions run of form
WHUFC.com
West Ham United goalkeeper Sam Howes is relishing the prospect of playing in
the England U18's double header against Russia.
The Young Lions travel to Moscow this weekend to play their European
counterparts in two friendlies as they prepare for their U19 qualifying
campaign next term.
Speaking ahead of the trip an excited Howes said: "I've never played Russia
before but we're expecting them to be good. We're going out there to try and
beat them, they haven't lost for a while at home so it'll be difficult but
we're up for it.
"I've been in the England system for two years now so I'm well used to
travelling all over the place. Every boy dreams of playing for your country.
At any age level it's always a proud achievement.
"The feeling when you pull the England top on will never ware off no matter
how many times I play. It's a sign that you're one of the best in the
country, I'm sure if you spoke to any of the lads they would say exactly the
same thing."
While Russia will be prove tough opposition, the Young Lions are in good
form themselves having won their last four games, including a 6-1 demolition
of Switzerland in March.
"There's definitely a good buzz about the England youth set up at the
moment. The U17s qualified for the World Cup and we've had some success
winning the Euros this time last year.
"It's a good time for English football with a lot of talented players coming
through. In the England U18 squad there a several stand out players. Dom
Solanke is a great player, Izzy Brown and a few others.
"As a team I think we've got a lot of talented players which has probably
made this team so successful. There's a phenomenal bond within the team,
stemming from winning the tournament last year. I think that is key to any
team and helps to get the best out of us."
Having enjoyed an impressive twelve months in a claret and blue shirt which
saw Howes make his first team debut in pre-season, the 17-year-old went on
to enjoy a good run of form for both the U18s and Development Squad.
"It's been a long season for me personally but I'm not complaining. It's all
good life experiences which will help me to develop. Overall, I'd say it's
been successful, there's been ups and downs but that's football really. I've
always enjoyed it at West Ham and I hope that continues.
"With the team qualifying for the Europa League it's an earlier start to the
season, but it'll be another good experience. Hopefully I'll be involved in
some way.
"I can't thank Sam Allardyce enough for giving me an opportunity with the
first team. He helped me a lot to develop as a player and as a person. But
with a new manager coming in, it's a new slate for everyone and we have to
try and impress him.
"It's an interesting and exciting time for everyone involved with the Club.
There's a lot of change going on but it's a bright time."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Poyet's Uruguay set for Brazilian tie
WHUFC.com
Diego Poyet's Uruguay have progressed to the Round of 16 where they will
face Brazil on Thursday 11 June.
The talented midfielder played the full game as Uruguay drew 1-1 with Mali
to come second in Group D of the U20 World Cup in New Zealand.
Uruguayan forward Franco Acosta put his side ahead in the 16th minute,
finishing Ramiro Guerra's well-executed pass.
However, Malian attacking midfielder Adama Traore, who plays for Lille,
levelled the score just before half-time.
With Serbia beating Mexico in the other group game, Mali had the better
opportunities of the second half yet the South Americans held firm to secure
a crucial point.
Speaking after the game, the West Ham United midfielder spoke of his delight
at getting through a tough group: "The teams very happy to have gone
through, in which was by far the toughest group. Anyone in the group could
have gone through and we're very pleased.
"We've drawn Brazil, whom so far have had a really good World Cup scoring
lots of goals, so it will be a tough game but one that we will not shy away
from, especially even more so as they are a from South America too.
"The game was tough, I started off playing in midfield and then had to play
the last 30 minutes at centre back, but we knew a draw would get us through
and we saw the game out well."
Uruguayan coach Fabian Coito echoed Poyet's sentiments, saying: "It was a
very difficult match for us, and the fact that we were dependent on results
elsewhere meant that our nerves were really jangling.
"We wanted to finish first, but we couldn't quite make it in the end. I
think Mali are a very fine team and a draw was the right result."
Uruguay will play Brazil on Thursday 11 June, 7.30pm local time in Hamilton,
New Zealand.
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Hammers announce pre-season friendlies
WHUFC.com
West Ham United will prepare for the 2015/16 season with a series of
friendly matches on English soil, including a trip to newly-promoted Norwich
City.
With the Europa League qualifying rounds taking place throughout July, the
Hammers will be staying close to home for this year's pre-season warm-ups.
A short journey to Essex will see the Hammers visit Weston Homes Community
Stadium to play Colchester United on 21 July at 7.45pm.
Even closer to home, West Ham will play Championship side Charlton Athletic
at The Valley on 25 July at 3pm, before the away warm-up fixtures conclude
with a trip to Norwich City on 28 July at 7.45pm, fresh from their
Championship play-off victory at Wembley.
Next season marks the 80th anniversary of Norwich's presence at Carrow Road,
and the friendly is being played to commemorate the first match played at
the ground in the old Division Two on 31 August 1935, which turned into a
thrilling 4-3 victory for the home side over the Hammers.
Further details of West Ham's pre-season preparations and fixtures will be
released in due course and details of how to buy tickets will appear on the
Box Office.
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TIME TO FORGIVE AND FORGET
By Sean Whetstone 6 Jun 2015 at 09:16
West Ham Till I Die
It is now clear that former Hammer Slaven Bilic is the over whelming fan's
choice of those candidates still remaining after Unai Emery signed a new
contract with Sevilla on Friday and Marcelo Bielsa appears to be on verge of
doing the same with Marseille. I think the odds on favourite will soon be
appointed as the 15th manager of West Ham as early as next week but who
knows what twists and turns still remain in the latest episode of the
Hammers managerial search drama. However, a small minority of die hard fans
refuse to forgive Slav for leaving West Ham to join Everton 18 years ago.
Back in the late nineties some West Ham fans suggested Bilic was worth 30
pieces of silver after he joined Everton after 18 months with the Hammers.
Travelling Hammers fans to Goodison park in August 1997 branded him "Judas"
and chanted "There's only one greedy bastard."
Bilic was understandably hurt by those taunts at the time, particularly as
he claimed he had delayed his West Ham departure last season to help the
club beat relegation.
"The fans have given me stick, but there are not many players who would have
done what I did, I risked my move and my contract to help them stay up so
I'm very disappointed with the reaction of the West Ham supporters. But,
hey, I don't care what the West Ham fans think because I know that I showed
a lot of loyalty to their club." Bilic said following the Everton v West Ham
match in August 1997 which West Ham lost 2-1. That game also marked the
debut for David Unsworth who moved from Everton earlier that month.
Harry Redknapp originally signed Bilic for a fee of £1.3 million in January
1996 and set a new club record for highest fee paid for an incoming player
at the time. He made his debut on 12th February 1996 in a 1–0 away win
against Spurs. Bilic's shot was saved by Spurs goalkeeper, Ian Walker, only
for West Ham's Dani, another debutant, to divert the ball into the Spurs
goal. He scored three goals in his time with West Ham after making 54
appearances in total; two of his goals came in the Premier League, against
Liverpool and Sunderland, and one in the League Cup against Barnet,
heading-in from a Stan Lazaridis corner. Bilic played 13 games in the
1995–96 season and 41 in the 1996–97 season, a season which also saw him
voted a runner-up, to Julian Dicks, for the Hammer of the Year award. In
March 1997 Everton manager Joe Royle brokered a £4.5M move for the former
Hammer but he only went on to play 28 times for the Toffees.
Time to forgive and forget and reunite behind a new manager.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Marcelo Bielsa wants West Ham job and REFUSES to sign new Marseille deal
22:30, 6 JUNE 2015
BY DEAN JONES
Slaven Bilic is favourite to succeed Sam Allardyce but Argentinian won't
accept improved offer from his current employers if he still has a chance at
the role
The Mirror
Marcelo Bielsa has not yet signed his new Marseille deal – as he wants to go
head-to-head with Slaven Bilic for the West Ham job. His French side have
put an improved deal on the table for Bielsa to remain their boss and the
details have been agreed. But now that Unai Emery has committed his future
to Sevilla, it is becoming apparent that the Hammers are running short of
options to succeed Sam Allardyce. Bilic is favourite, but Bielsa wants to
find out if he is back in the frame before committing himself to Marseille.
Bilic is beginning to look a strong contender now that other names – such as
Rafa Benitez, David Moyes and Emery – have dropped out of the race
completely. But Swansea boss Garry Monk and his predecessor at the Welsh
club, Michael Laudrup, are outsiders who could yet be considered more
seriously.
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Gold lifts lid on managerial search
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 7, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
West Ham Joint Chairman David Gold has spoken to the club's official TV
channel to lift the lid on the board's managerial search.
Speaking to West Ham Tv Gold spoke about the search for a new manager:
"It's hard work, the fans have mixed opinions on who they would like but
what I can tell you is David Sullivan is working (hard), I have never know
him at such as frenzy, by that I mean he is buzzing and working all hours
that god sends in an effort to bring the best possible manager (in)"
Asked about the progress of the search Gold replied "Every day goes by, it
is a case of elimination. It would be lovely to have someone with West Ham
history, that ticks a box. Having Premier League experience (and) that
doesn't mean English Premier League, that means a man who has managed
successfully in the big Italian league, big Spanish league, the German
league (or) a major league in the world, that is a box that needs to be
ticked, we don't want to take a chance."
Talking about any up and coming manager candidates in lower leagues Gold
added: "I am making this up but say there is a fantastic manager at
Accrington Stanley and everybody is raving about him. We wouldn't want to
take that risk at West Ham. Untried, although exciting and achieving at
lower levels, that's not what we are about. We are about bringing in an
established that has been there and done it!"
Asked how quickly we can all expect an announcement of a new manager Gold
added "I would like to have (a manager) in place right this minute. It is
delicate balance, we need to get someone in as quick as possible but by the
same token we are not going to bring someone who is second best"
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West Ham scouts at Champions League Final
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 6, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Angelo-OgbonnaAccording to ESPN West Ham scouts are watching Juventus
defender Angelo Ogbonna in the Champions League final against Barcelona
tonight.
It was claimed they thought Ogbonna could replace the injured Giorgio
Chiellini if Andrea Barzagli was also ruled out of the final in Berlin.
Barzagli has started the final and Ogbonna remains on the subs bench but
what a great way to blag tickets for the Champions League final whether we
are interested in him or not.
Apparently Liverpool and Spurs scouts had the same idea and are also
enjoying the final in Germany tonight at the expense of their clubs, I bet
they are! The other other 17 Premier League scouting staff are now kicking
themselves they didn't think of it either.
Former Hammers Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano line up against each other
this evening.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic ready to take 'sensible' wage deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 6, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Slaven Bilic heads into his interview with the West Ham board ready to work
on considerably less than the £2.9 million a year picked up by Sam Allardyce
over his time in charge at Upton Park.
ClaretandHugh has learned that Bilic has arrived in the UK and that whilst
the two Davids are likely to agree on an offer, vice chairman Karren Brady
may have reservations.
However, his readiness to work on a sensible wage deal could influence
things when they get down to making their crucial decision.
The board are always keen to agree on major issues but the impressive Bilic
could easily bring them together in an interview setting.
However, with the board members possibly taking different positions the
appointment is no a shoe-in after a series of setbacks in attracting a big
name boss.
The big former central defender is keen to take over at the club and would
work on as much as £1 million less than Allardyce.
But should he be turned down by the Irons board he will not be short of
offers with Fenerbache and a couple of Premier League clubs rumoured to be
interested in him.
Bilic though remains a massive fans choice to take over at the after
collecting over 64 per cent of the vote in a ClaretandHugh poll earlier this
week.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Former Hammer backs Di Canio
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 6, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Former Hammer Trevor Sinclair has suggested on twitter that fellow former
Hammer Paolo Di Canio would be a good managerial appointment for West Ham.
When Sinclair was asked who he would like to see as the next West Ham
manager the former winger answered "Slav or Di Canio and I know what
people's reaction might be to the latter but feel he loves the club and
would do well"
In 2013 Sinclair described Di Canio 'as mad as a hatter' while commenting on
his fascism comment.
"Paolo's comments should be taken with a pinch of salt because he's as mad
as a hatter. But I feel he should apologise for upsetting so many people
with his actions and comments and make it clear once and for all if he is or
isn't racist or fascist." said Sinclair at the time about his old pal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hendo: 'Results were due to lack of support for Allardyce'
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 6, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Former West Ham First team coach Ian Hendon claims West Ham's lack of
results in the second half of the season were down to lack of support from
fans for Sam Allardyce. Ian Hendon who was appointed as Leyton Orient head
coach late last week was addressing the media for the first time and
believes he can bring stability to the O's who have had four different
managers last season, which ultimately ended in relegation.
"I have just come from West Ham where the support for the manager Sam
Allardyce wasn't the best and I think the results and everything else that
happened were due to a lack of support. We need 100 per cent from the fans
and I want them to be 100 per cent behind the team on a Saturday when we go
out on to the pitch because it can only help us."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Pre season friendly schedule released
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 6, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
West Ham will visit Weston Homes Community Stadium to play Colchester United
on 21st July at 7.45pm as part of shortened pre season friendly build up
schedule.
The Hammers will play Championship side Charlton Athletic 4 days later at
The Valley on 25th July at 3pm.
Another away trip to Norwich City 3 days later on 28th July at 7.45pm will
take place Carrow Road.
West Ham have a number of Europa League scheduled in July and August
assuming they proceed through the three qualifying rounds.
Europa League First Qualifying Round 1st Leg 2nd July 2nd Leg 9th July
Europa League Second Qualifying Round 1st Leg 16th July 2nd Leg 23rd July
Europa League Third Qualifying Round 1st Leg 30th July 2nd Leg 6th August
The Premier League season gets underway on Saturday 8th August with the
schedule released on Wednesday 17th June.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Crazy swap deal touted
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 6, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
According to www.calciomercato.com Sampdoria club President Massimo Ferrero
wants to discuss a swap deal with West Ham over the next few days involving
Enner Valencia and Pedro Obiang swapping clubs. West Ham are thought to have
previously agreed a deal with Sampdoria for £5.75m for the permanent
transfer of Obiang as a permanent replacement for Alex Song.
Enner Valencia cost the Hammers an initial £12m but that can rise to £15m
based on certain factors. I hope the eccentric looking Sampodorian club
president has a large cheque book to cover the difference unless he wants a
door slammed firmly in his face by David Sullivan.
Italian website Tutto Mercato says Ferrero will fly in to London today as he
attempts to conclude transfer business with a number of English clubs.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Southampton must pay £8million for Alex Song as they consider Morgan
Schneiderlin replacements
22:30, 6 JUNE 2015
BY NEIL MOXLEY
The midfielder will be allowed to leave Barcelona this summer and Ronald
Koeman is interested
The Mirror
Southampton are being asked to cough up £8million for Alex Song, writes Neil
Moxley in the Sunday People.
The Saints have emerged as favourites to sign the Barcelona midfielder who
has been told this week by boss Luis Enrique that he can go.
Song, 27, still has one season remaining on his contract with the Catalan
club and spent the last campaign on loan at West Ham.
He became a firm favourite at Upton Park but has returned to Spain to
discover if he has a future under Enrique.
With doubts over the future of Morgan Schneiderlin, Saints are in the market
for another midfield enforcer with their France international already having
expressed a desire to test himself in the Champions League next season.
Rex FeaturesReferee Jon Moss speaks to Morgan Schneiderlin
Song would form a formidable partnership with Victor Wanyama at the heart of
the Saints' midfield but Ronald Koeman and the decision-makers at the south
coast club believe the fee for him is too high.
However, the Dutchman has to plan for next season with one eye on a campaign
in the Europa League.
Sources close to the Cameroon international say he is keen to return to the
Premier League – but unless Southampton increase their offer he will be
staying in Barcelona.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic eagerly waits for an approach from former club West Ham
With Benitez, Ancelotti, Moyes and Conte all ruling themselves out of the
running, Bilic's case is strengthening at Upton Park
Jason Burt By Jason Burt10:29PM BST 06 Jun 2015
Slaven Bilic is prepared to wait and see whether West Ham United turn to him
to become their next manager. The Croatian left the Turkish club Besiktas at
the end of the season and is desperate to take over at West Ham.
However, although there has been contact between Bilic's representatives and
the club the former defender is aware that he has not, so far, figured at
the head of West Ham's list of candidates. He is, though, moving up the
list.
With Unai Emery the latest to decide against taking the job, signing a
contract extension at Sevilla instead, Bilic's candidacy has been
strengthened.
So far Rafael Benitez, Carlo Ancelotti, David Moyes and Italy coach Antonio
Conte have also decided against becoming Sam Allardyce's successor.
Garry Monk, the Swansea City manager, and the Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa
have also been considered by West Ham along with Michael Laudrup, who is
coaching in Qatar.
Bilic would be a highly-popular choice among West Ham supporters having
become something of a cult hero even though he only played for the club for
a short time in 1996-97 before moving to Everton. The 46-year-old has long
hankered after the chance to manage in the Premier League having also
coached the Croatia national team and Lokomotiv Moscow.
West Ham know the appointment of their new manager is vitally important
given the impending move to the Olympic Stadium next year and with the club
ambitious to try and break into the top in the Premier League funds are
available.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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WHUFC.com
Classic match
West Ham United 2-3 Queens Park Rangers
Southern Regional League
Saturday 7 June 1941, Boleyn Ground
By 7 June, modern-day footballers have usually packed their boots away for
the summer in favour of flip-flops and swimming trunks. Back in 1941, at the
height of the Second World War, it was a different story.
West Ham United arrived on this day in 1941 still playing for the Southern
Regional League title. The Hammers knew, however, that they would have to
overcome Queens Park Rangers at the Boleyn Ground to overhaul leaders
Crystal Palace on goal average.
This task proved impossible as the visitors won a thrilling match by the odd
goal in five, with the prolific Alec George Foreman and 1940 War Cup final
hero Sam Small on target for the hosts. Foreman's goal was his 34th in 39
games that season, but it was not enough to hold off the Hoops in front of a
brave crowd of just 2,100.
The title was decided on goal average as hostilities left many fixtures
unfulfilled. The following season, 1941/42, West Ham competed in a
London-only competition to save on resources and costs.
Anniversary
Brazil 1-0 England
FIFA World Cup Group 3
Sunday 7 June 1970, Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico
Today marks the anniversary of 'that tackle' by West Ham United and England
legend Bobby Moore MBE. Moore was captaining England at the 1970 FIFA World
Cup finals in Mexico when they faced Brazil in their second group-stage
fixture in Guadalajara.
Playing alongside fellow Hammers Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst in stifling
heat, England started well before Brazil countered and Pele forced Gordon
Banks into what is considered to be the greatest save of all time. Peters
himself then missed a headed chance, while Brazil's attacks were repeatedly
repelled by the imperious Moore.
Moore's performance was a highlight reel in itself, but the West Ham
defender's greatest moment arrived when he bent down on one knee to make a
perfect block tackle to deny Jairzinho. Unfortunately, the same player would
score Brazil's winner just before the hour-mark to secure the narrowest of
victories for the South Americans.
England would go on to beat Czechoslovakia 1-0 in their third group fixture
but were edged out 3-2 by West Germany at the quarter-final stage.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Howes enjoying Young Lions run of form
WHUFC.com
West Ham United goalkeeper Sam Howes is relishing the prospect of playing in
the England U18's double header against Russia.
The Young Lions travel to Moscow this weekend to play their European
counterparts in two friendlies as they prepare for their U19 qualifying
campaign next term.
Speaking ahead of the trip an excited Howes said: "I've never played Russia
before but we're expecting them to be good. We're going out there to try and
beat them, they haven't lost for a while at home so it'll be difficult but
we're up for it.
"I've been in the England system for two years now so I'm well used to
travelling all over the place. Every boy dreams of playing for your country.
At any age level it's always a proud achievement.
"The feeling when you pull the England top on will never ware off no matter
how many times I play. It's a sign that you're one of the best in the
country, I'm sure if you spoke to any of the lads they would say exactly the
same thing."
While Russia will be prove tough opposition, the Young Lions are in good
form themselves having won their last four games, including a 6-1 demolition
of Switzerland in March.
"There's definitely a good buzz about the England youth set up at the
moment. The U17s qualified for the World Cup and we've had some success
winning the Euros this time last year.
"It's a good time for English football with a lot of talented players coming
through. In the England U18 squad there a several stand out players. Dom
Solanke is a great player, Izzy Brown and a few others.
"As a team I think we've got a lot of talented players which has probably
made this team so successful. There's a phenomenal bond within the team,
stemming from winning the tournament last year. I think that is key to any
team and helps to get the best out of us."
Having enjoyed an impressive twelve months in a claret and blue shirt which
saw Howes make his first team debut in pre-season, the 17-year-old went on
to enjoy a good run of form for both the U18s and Development Squad.
"It's been a long season for me personally but I'm not complaining. It's all
good life experiences which will help me to develop. Overall, I'd say it's
been successful, there's been ups and downs but that's football really. I've
always enjoyed it at West Ham and I hope that continues.
"With the team qualifying for the Europa League it's an earlier start to the
season, but it'll be another good experience. Hopefully I'll be involved in
some way.
"I can't thank Sam Allardyce enough for giving me an opportunity with the
first team. He helped me a lot to develop as a player and as a person. But
with a new manager coming in, it's a new slate for everyone and we have to
try and impress him.
"It's an interesting and exciting time for everyone involved with the Club.
There's a lot of change going on but it's a bright time."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Poyet's Uruguay set for Brazilian tie
WHUFC.com
Diego Poyet's Uruguay have progressed to the Round of 16 where they will
face Brazil on Thursday 11 June.
The talented midfielder played the full game as Uruguay drew 1-1 with Mali
to come second in Group D of the U20 World Cup in New Zealand.
Uruguayan forward Franco Acosta put his side ahead in the 16th minute,
finishing Ramiro Guerra's well-executed pass.
However, Malian attacking midfielder Adama Traore, who plays for Lille,
levelled the score just before half-time.
With Serbia beating Mexico in the other group game, Mali had the better
opportunities of the second half yet the South Americans held firm to secure
a crucial point.
Speaking after the game, the West Ham United midfielder spoke of his delight
at getting through a tough group: "The teams very happy to have gone
through, in which was by far the toughest group. Anyone in the group could
have gone through and we're very pleased.
"We've drawn Brazil, whom so far have had a really good World Cup scoring
lots of goals, so it will be a tough game but one that we will not shy away
from, especially even more so as they are a from South America too.
"The game was tough, I started off playing in midfield and then had to play
the last 30 minutes at centre back, but we knew a draw would get us through
and we saw the game out well."
Uruguayan coach Fabian Coito echoed Poyet's sentiments, saying: "It was a
very difficult match for us, and the fact that we were dependent on results
elsewhere meant that our nerves were really jangling.
"We wanted to finish first, but we couldn't quite make it in the end. I
think Mali are a very fine team and a draw was the right result."
Uruguay will play Brazil on Thursday 11 June, 7.30pm local time in Hamilton,
New Zealand.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers announce pre-season friendlies
WHUFC.com
West Ham United will prepare for the 2015/16 season with a series of
friendly matches on English soil, including a trip to newly-promoted Norwich
City.
With the Europa League qualifying rounds taking place throughout July, the
Hammers will be staying close to home for this year's pre-season warm-ups.
A short journey to Essex will see the Hammers visit Weston Homes Community
Stadium to play Colchester United on 21 July at 7.45pm.
Even closer to home, West Ham will play Championship side Charlton Athletic
at The Valley on 25 July at 3pm, before the away warm-up fixtures conclude
with a trip to Norwich City on 28 July at 7.45pm, fresh from their
Championship play-off victory at Wembley.
Next season marks the 80th anniversary of Norwich's presence at Carrow Road,
and the friendly is being played to commemorate the first match played at
the ground in the old Division Two on 31 August 1935, which turned into a
thrilling 4-3 victory for the home side over the Hammers.
Further details of West Ham's pre-season preparations and fixtures will be
released in due course and details of how to buy tickets will appear on the
Box Office.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
TIME TO FORGIVE AND FORGET
By Sean Whetstone 6 Jun 2015 at 09:16
West Ham Till I Die
It is now clear that former Hammer Slaven Bilic is the over whelming fan's
choice of those candidates still remaining after Unai Emery signed a new
contract with Sevilla on Friday and Marcelo Bielsa appears to be on verge of
doing the same with Marseille. I think the odds on favourite will soon be
appointed as the 15th manager of West Ham as early as next week but who
knows what twists and turns still remain in the latest episode of the
Hammers managerial search drama. However, a small minority of die hard fans
refuse to forgive Slav for leaving West Ham to join Everton 18 years ago.
Back in the late nineties some West Ham fans suggested Bilic was worth 30
pieces of silver after he joined Everton after 18 months with the Hammers.
Travelling Hammers fans to Goodison park in August 1997 branded him "Judas"
and chanted "There's only one greedy bastard."
Bilic was understandably hurt by those taunts at the time, particularly as
he claimed he had delayed his West Ham departure last season to help the
club beat relegation.
"The fans have given me stick, but there are not many players who would have
done what I did, I risked my move and my contract to help them stay up so
I'm very disappointed with the reaction of the West Ham supporters. But,
hey, I don't care what the West Ham fans think because I know that I showed
a lot of loyalty to their club." Bilic said following the Everton v West Ham
match in August 1997 which West Ham lost 2-1. That game also marked the
debut for David Unsworth who moved from Everton earlier that month.
Harry Redknapp originally signed Bilic for a fee of £1.3 million in January
1996 and set a new club record for highest fee paid for an incoming player
at the time. He made his debut on 12th February 1996 in a 1–0 away win
against Spurs. Bilic's shot was saved by Spurs goalkeeper, Ian Walker, only
for West Ham's Dani, another debutant, to divert the ball into the Spurs
goal. He scored three goals in his time with West Ham after making 54
appearances in total; two of his goals came in the Premier League, against
Liverpool and Sunderland, and one in the League Cup against Barnet,
heading-in from a Stan Lazaridis corner. Bilic played 13 games in the
1995–96 season and 41 in the 1996–97 season, a season which also saw him
voted a runner-up, to Julian Dicks, for the Hammer of the Year award. In
March 1997 Everton manager Joe Royle brokered a £4.5M move for the former
Hammer but he only went on to play 28 times for the Toffees.
Time to forgive and forget and reunite behind a new manager.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Marcelo Bielsa wants West Ham job and REFUSES to sign new Marseille deal
22:30, 6 JUNE 2015
BY DEAN JONES
Slaven Bilic is favourite to succeed Sam Allardyce but Argentinian won't
accept improved offer from his current employers if he still has a chance at
the role
The Mirror
Marcelo Bielsa has not yet signed his new Marseille deal – as he wants to go
head-to-head with Slaven Bilic for the West Ham job. His French side have
put an improved deal on the table for Bielsa to remain their boss and the
details have been agreed. But now that Unai Emery has committed his future
to Sevilla, it is becoming apparent that the Hammers are running short of
options to succeed Sam Allardyce. Bilic is favourite, but Bielsa wants to
find out if he is back in the frame before committing himself to Marseille.
Bilic is beginning to look a strong contender now that other names – such as
Rafa Benitez, David Moyes and Emery – have dropped out of the race
completely. But Swansea boss Garry Monk and his predecessor at the Welsh
club, Michael Laudrup, are outsiders who could yet be considered more
seriously.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gold lifts lid on managerial search
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 7, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
West Ham Joint Chairman David Gold has spoken to the club's official TV
channel to lift the lid on the board's managerial search.
Speaking to West Ham Tv Gold spoke about the search for a new manager:
"It's hard work, the fans have mixed opinions on who they would like but
what I can tell you is David Sullivan is working (hard), I have never know
him at such as frenzy, by that I mean he is buzzing and working all hours
that god sends in an effort to bring the best possible manager (in)"
Asked about the progress of the search Gold replied "Every day goes by, it
is a case of elimination. It would be lovely to have someone with West Ham
history, that ticks a box. Having Premier League experience (and) that
doesn't mean English Premier League, that means a man who has managed
successfully in the big Italian league, big Spanish league, the German
league (or) a major league in the world, that is a box that needs to be
ticked, we don't want to take a chance."
Talking about any up and coming manager candidates in lower leagues Gold
added: "I am making this up but say there is a fantastic manager at
Accrington Stanley and everybody is raving about him. We wouldn't want to
take that risk at West Ham. Untried, although exciting and achieving at
lower levels, that's not what we are about. We are about bringing in an
established that has been there and done it!"
Asked how quickly we can all expect an announcement of a new manager Gold
added "I would like to have (a manager) in place right this minute. It is
delicate balance, we need to get someone in as quick as possible but by the
same token we are not going to bring someone who is second best"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham scouts at Champions League Final
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 6, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Angelo-OgbonnaAccording to ESPN West Ham scouts are watching Juventus
defender Angelo Ogbonna in the Champions League final against Barcelona
tonight.
It was claimed they thought Ogbonna could replace the injured Giorgio
Chiellini if Andrea Barzagli was also ruled out of the final in Berlin.
Barzagli has started the final and Ogbonna remains on the subs bench but
what a great way to blag tickets for the Champions League final whether we
are interested in him or not.
Apparently Liverpool and Spurs scouts had the same idea and are also
enjoying the final in Germany tonight at the expense of their clubs, I bet
they are! The other other 17 Premier League scouting staff are now kicking
themselves they didn't think of it either.
Former Hammers Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano line up against each other
this evening.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bilic ready to take 'sensible' wage deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 6, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Slaven Bilic heads into his interview with the West Ham board ready to work
on considerably less than the £2.9 million a year picked up by Sam Allardyce
over his time in charge at Upton Park.
ClaretandHugh has learned that Bilic has arrived in the UK and that whilst
the two Davids are likely to agree on an offer, vice chairman Karren Brady
may have reservations.
However, his readiness to work on a sensible wage deal could influence
things when they get down to making their crucial decision.
The board are always keen to agree on major issues but the impressive Bilic
could easily bring them together in an interview setting.
However, with the board members possibly taking different positions the
appointment is no a shoe-in after a series of setbacks in attracting a big
name boss.
The big former central defender is keen to take over at the club and would
work on as much as £1 million less than Allardyce.
But should he be turned down by the Irons board he will not be short of
offers with Fenerbache and a couple of Premier League clubs rumoured to be
interested in him.
Bilic though remains a massive fans choice to take over at the after
collecting over 64 per cent of the vote in a ClaretandHugh poll earlier this
week.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Former Hammer backs Di Canio
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 6, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Former Hammer Trevor Sinclair has suggested on twitter that fellow former
Hammer Paolo Di Canio would be a good managerial appointment for West Ham.
When Sinclair was asked who he would like to see as the next West Ham
manager the former winger answered "Slav or Di Canio and I know what
people's reaction might be to the latter but feel he loves the club and
would do well"
In 2013 Sinclair described Di Canio 'as mad as a hatter' while commenting on
his fascism comment.
"Paolo's comments should be taken with a pinch of salt because he's as mad
as a hatter. But I feel he should apologise for upsetting so many people
with his actions and comments and make it clear once and for all if he is or
isn't racist or fascist." said Sinclair at the time about his old pal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hendo: 'Results were due to lack of support for Allardyce'
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 6, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Former West Ham First team coach Ian Hendon claims West Ham's lack of
results in the second half of the season were down to lack of support from
fans for Sam Allardyce. Ian Hendon who was appointed as Leyton Orient head
coach late last week was addressing the media for the first time and
believes he can bring stability to the O's who have had four different
managers last season, which ultimately ended in relegation.
"I have just come from West Ham where the support for the manager Sam
Allardyce wasn't the best and I think the results and everything else that
happened were due to a lack of support. We need 100 per cent from the fans
and I want them to be 100 per cent behind the team on a Saturday when we go
out on to the pitch because it can only help us."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Pre season friendly schedule released
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 6, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
West Ham will visit Weston Homes Community Stadium to play Colchester United
on 21st July at 7.45pm as part of shortened pre season friendly build up
schedule.
The Hammers will play Championship side Charlton Athletic 4 days later at
The Valley on 25th July at 3pm.
Another away trip to Norwich City 3 days later on 28th July at 7.45pm will
take place Carrow Road.
West Ham have a number of Europa League scheduled in July and August
assuming they proceed through the three qualifying rounds.
Europa League First Qualifying Round 1st Leg 2nd July 2nd Leg 9th July
Europa League Second Qualifying Round 1st Leg 16th July 2nd Leg 23rd July
Europa League Third Qualifying Round 1st Leg 30th July 2nd Leg 6th August
The Premier League season gets underway on Saturday 8th August with the
schedule released on Wednesday 17th June.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Crazy swap deal touted
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 6, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
According to www.calciomercato.com Sampdoria club President Massimo Ferrero
wants to discuss a swap deal with West Ham over the next few days involving
Enner Valencia and Pedro Obiang swapping clubs. West Ham are thought to have
previously agreed a deal with Sampdoria for £5.75m for the permanent
transfer of Obiang as a permanent replacement for Alex Song.
Enner Valencia cost the Hammers an initial £12m but that can rise to £15m
based on certain factors. I hope the eccentric looking Sampodorian club
president has a large cheque book to cover the difference unless he wants a
door slammed firmly in his face by David Sullivan.
Italian website Tutto Mercato says Ferrero will fly in to London today as he
attempts to conclude transfer business with a number of English clubs.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Southampton must pay £8million for Alex Song as they consider Morgan
Schneiderlin replacements
22:30, 6 JUNE 2015
BY NEIL MOXLEY
The midfielder will be allowed to leave Barcelona this summer and Ronald
Koeman is interested
The Mirror
Southampton are being asked to cough up £8million for Alex Song, writes Neil
Moxley in the Sunday People.
The Saints have emerged as favourites to sign the Barcelona midfielder who
has been told this week by boss Luis Enrique that he can go.
Song, 27, still has one season remaining on his contract with the Catalan
club and spent the last campaign on loan at West Ham.
He became a firm favourite at Upton Park but has returned to Spain to
discover if he has a future under Enrique.
With doubts over the future of Morgan Schneiderlin, Saints are in the market
for another midfield enforcer with their France international already having
expressed a desire to test himself in the Champions League next season.
Rex FeaturesReferee Jon Moss speaks to Morgan Schneiderlin
Song would form a formidable partnership with Victor Wanyama at the heart of
the Saints' midfield but Ronald Koeman and the decision-makers at the south
coast club believe the fee for him is too high.
However, the Dutchman has to plan for next season with one eye on a campaign
in the Europa League.
Sources close to the Cameroon international say he is keen to return to the
Premier League – but unless Southampton increase their offer he will be
staying in Barcelona.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic eagerly waits for an approach from former club West Ham
With Benitez, Ancelotti, Moyes and Conte all ruling themselves out of the
running, Bilic's case is strengthening at Upton Park
Jason Burt By Jason Burt10:29PM BST 06 Jun 2015
Slaven Bilic is prepared to wait and see whether West Ham United turn to him
to become their next manager. The Croatian left the Turkish club Besiktas at
the end of the season and is desperate to take over at West Ham.
However, although there has been contact between Bilic's representatives and
the club the former defender is aware that he has not, so far, figured at
the head of West Ham's list of candidates. He is, though, moving up the
list.
With Unai Emery the latest to decide against taking the job, signing a
contract extension at Sevilla instead, Bilic's candidacy has been
strengthened.
So far Rafael Benitez, Carlo Ancelotti, David Moyes and Italy coach Antonio
Conte have also decided against becoming Sam Allardyce's successor.
Garry Monk, the Swansea City manager, and the Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa
have also been considered by West Ham along with Michael Laudrup, who is
coaching in Qatar.
Bilic would be a highly-popular choice among West Ham supporters having
become something of a cult hero even though he only played for the club for
a short time in 1996-97 before moving to Everton. The 46-year-old has long
hankered after the chance to manage in the Premier League having also
coached the Croatia national team and Lokomotiv Moscow.
West Ham know the appointment of their new manager is vitally important
given the impending move to the Olympic Stadium next year and with the club
ambitious to try and break into the top in the Premier League funds are
available.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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Saturday, June 6
Daily WHUFC News - 6th June 2015
Dylan Tombides Tribute Match set for Sunday
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to support the launch of the Dylan Tombides
Tribute Match hosted by Perth Soccer Club. The Australian outfit, known as
the Azzurri, will play Stirling Lions SC, in support of the DT38 foundation,
the charity set up in Tombides' name. The tribute match takes place this
Sunday 7 June at their home ground Dorrien Gardens, kick off is 3pm local
time. Prior to joining West Ham United in 2010, Tombides, who was born in
Perth, played for both sides before signing for the Hammers. Dylan's mother
and DT38 Foundation Founder, Tracylee Tombides, spoke of her delight: "The
tribute match means a lot to the foundation and to Taylor, Jim and I
personally. "It raises awareness about Dylan's story and the need for
self-awareness and early detection. It encourages our young men to take
their health seriously."
The President of Perth Soccer Club, Gary Marocchi, described his pride at
being able to raise awareness for the DT38 Foundation. "Perth SC is
honoured to be involved in the annual tribute match with Stirling Lions FC
on Sunday 7 May to pay tribute to the life of Dylan.
"The annual match between two of the junior clubs that Dylan played with,
raises the awareness of testicular cancer amongst the community."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammer McNess ready for pro boxing debut
WHUFC.com
Sam McNess, the son of former professional boxer Steve McNess, will go head
to head with Hull resident Paul O'Brien in his first ever professional fight
on Friday 12 June.
It will be an exciting evening for the West Ham United fan who is fighting
in the same ring that his father fought in four times before.
"I started boxing when I was nine years old" said McNess. "My Dad turned
professional around the time that I was born so I've always been in and
around the boxing environment my whole life. I've had around 85 amateur
fights, won five or six national titles and have represented Great Britain
over 20 times.
"I was in the Team GB group around the time of the 2012 London Olympics but
I was a little too young to be involved.
"I learnt so much from the team and looked to get myself into the most
recent Commonwealth Games team but I was a little unlucky to be left out.
That's when I made my decision to turn professional.
"I've always thought that my style suits professional boxing. At the age of
23, I now feel that the time is right to launch my professional boxing
career."
In the lead up to his big debut fight, McNess has been training under the
guidance of Mark and Jimmy Tibbs at the West Ham Boys Amateur Boxing Club in
Plaistow.
"Where better to learn about boxing for a West Ham fan then the West Ham
Boys Amateur Boxing Club? There's so much history like Nigel Benn training
here when he was at the top of his game.
"Being in the company of Jimmy and Mark Tibbs too is a massive benefit. I
don't think that I could be with better trainers."
A confident McNess insisted he knows what he needs to do when he steps into
the ring and is already looking to a bright future.
"I've had a little look at him recently and seen that he has had around nine
fights so far and doesn't lose often so it will good experience for me.
"I'm under my weight and my training has been going really well. When it
comes to the fight, I need to listen to my corner and enjoy my professional
debut because it's a moment that I've been longing for.
With the fight rapidly approaching, McNess is hoping for to garner support
from Hammers fans and is already hoping to compete in the Club's fantastic
new Stadium.
"It will be really nice to see all my friends and family down at York Hall.
When you're fighting in countries like China or Kazakhstan, it's usually
just you and the team. Having a local crowd behind me will really help.
"I've not boxed in London for two years now so it will be nice to be back
home and able to show everyone the hard work I've been putting in.
"Having the support from West Ham United really helps because I remember in
May 2010 when Kevin Mitchell fought Michael Katsidis at Upton Park. I was at
that fight and it is a dream of mine to represent the Hammers in front of
thousands of fans.
"I remember during that fight when the Hammers fans where singing 'I'm
Forever Blowing Bubble' to him and that must've given him such an adrenaline
boost. I've been obsessed about football and West Ham from a young age and
really appreciate the club's support.
"When I step into the ring on Friday, I'd love to see a number of Hammers
fans out there cheering me on. I've had my ring gear made for me by my
sponsors Magri Sports and they will feature the claret and blue colours with
little hammers on them. I know the club will be with me on the night.
"All I can say to all the West Ham fans out there is that if they fancy a
good night out to cheer on a fellow Hammers fan then I'd really appreciate
it and look forward to seeing you there!"
Tickets for the event at York Hall, Bethnal Green are priced at £41.50 and
available through his official website - www.sammcness.com.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham Ladies Learning Academy trials
WHUFC.com
The Foundation is proud to launch the West Ham Ladies Learning Academy!
Previously only available to boys, the Learning Academy is a two-year,
full-time education and football development programme delivered in
partnership with both professional and non-league clubs. Open to talented
footballers aged between 16 and 18, the Learning Academy programme is a must
for any keen footballer.
What to expect:
Football
Professional coaching by UEFA A and B licensed coaches
Emphasis on progressing players into the Reserve and First team squad.
Education
2-year programme
BTEC Diploma in Sport
Coaching Qualifications
All Learning Academy players will receive daily training, including
individual and team coaching from highly qualified FA coaches affiliated to
West Ham United. Players will receive guidance on their football fitness,
nutritional advice and a regular appraisal to monitor each player's
development both on and off the pitch. Players will have the opportunity to
represent the Club through the Learning Academy side.
Over the two-year duration of the course, players will study a variety of
nationally recognised qualifications across sport, coaching and fitness.
Players will study the BTEC Diploma in Sport, delivered at Level 2 and 3
standards (A-Level equivalent), FA Coaching Qualifications together with
core skills in Maths and English. Successful completion of the educational
programme will enable players to follow pathways into Higher Education at
selected universities or discover employment opportunities within the sport
and leisure industry. Youngsters will also be encouraged to consider
coaching placements and playing scholarships in the USA.
The WHU Foundation will be hosting two trials over June and July for
prospective students:
Saturday 20th June - 10am - 12pm
Saturday 4th July - 10am - 12pm
Venue
West Ham United Foundation, 60a Albatross Close, off Woolwich Manor Way,
Beckton, London, E6 5NX
To book your free trial at our Beckton site, please visit:
http://www.scl-online.co.uk/football-academy.php
For further information regarding all footballing aspect of the Learning
Academy, please contact Learning Academy Manager, Sam Taylor on 0207 473
7720 or via email at staylor@westhamunited.co.uk
For information regarding the educational aspects of the Learning Academy,
please contact SCL – Soccer Coaching Limited on 0845 644 5747 or via Email
at education@WeAreSCL.co.uk
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham target Unai Emery signs new Seville deal
Last Updated: 05/06/15 7:59pm
SSN
Unai Emery is to remain as coach of Seville after agreeing a new deal with
the Spanish club. West Ham had hoped that Emery, who flew to London earlier
this week, would agree to replace former boss Sam Allardyce whose contract
at the Boleyn Ground was not renewed at the end of last season.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
IT'S ALL ABOUT AMBITION
By Iain Dale 5 Jun 2015 at 11:03
West Ham Till I Die
Jason Burt has written a brilliant feature for the Telegraph today about
West Ham's search for a new manager, but it's an article that is really all
about West Ham's ambition.
Here's a taster…
No one has quite woken up to just how big a move [the move to the Olympic
Stadium] it is. The fact is it is very, very big.
West Ham are a London club who are underexploited in terms of what they can
achieve. They have a healthy fan-base that can quickly grow and the new
stadium, with its very good transport links and excellent infrastructure,
will transform their finances and draw in new supporters. If they are
successful.
The club could feasibly bid £30million for a player this summer as a
statement of intent. It has been discussed. They are determined to make a
concerted effort to break into the top six and, who knows, maybe even
challenge for one of those Champions League places. Although the general
public may be unaware of what might be happening, other clubs are not…
…It means that West Ham are – and should be – one of the most exciting
projects in European football right now. There is pressure but not undue
pressure. There is the chance for a confident coach to mould a club in his
own image and drive it forward to be a new power.
But West Ham have to get that selection right. The club also knows that the
criticism will come quickly if they do not secure a significant upgrade on
Allardyce as manager and if that manager then does not hit the ground
running…
…The ethos is this: the club want to be looking up the table to try to break
into European competition on a regular basis, to usurp Tottenham Hotspur as
the third power in London, and to stop the mentality of looking down the
table to make sure that the ambition is simply to avoid relegation…
…It leaves them open to criticism. A poor start to next season will be
immediately met with the accusation that they should have been careful what
they wished for and really should have stuck with Allardyce. But that is not
a dreamer's mentality.
No one should criticise West Ham's ambition. This is what sport is all
about; it is its essence.
They have to get this appointment right and they know that. There is so much
riding on it for them and the Premier League – and the hope that the
rapidly-emerging cartel at the head of it can be broken. That ambition
should be lauded.
The argument will rage over the 'gift' of the Olympic Stadium to West Ham,
who are effectively paying a pittance for an arena that is being remodelled
for them, but no one should carp at the emergence of a new player at
football's top table. Let us, instead, celebrate the ambition. If – and what
a big if it is – only they make sure they hire the right manager.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham have a real opportunity to crash the top six and must get this
managerial appointment right
Move to Olympic Stadium is a gamechanger for the Hammers and makes them one
of European football's biggest projects if they appoint the right man
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jason Burt4:07PM BST 04 Jun 2015
It was all going smoothly for West Ham United. Not the second half of a
season that had started so promisingly, only to fall away in familiar
frustration, but the departure of Sam Allardyce as manager and the
transition to his successor: Rafa Benítez. Then Real Madrid came calling.
West Ham had planned for Allardyce's departure to be announced immediately
after the end of their season, on Sunday May 24, away to
Newcastle United, with an agreement for Benítez to then take over confirmed
two days later and unveiled at the end of Napoli's campaign. It was neat and
it was logical and it felt like a real coup.
• West Ham 2014-15: The verdict
Except the week before the Premier League ended, on the Monday afternoon to
be precise, Benítez received a call from Real inviting him to take over from
Carlo Ancelotti. Benítez told West Ham the following day that he could not
accept their offer but they still pressed ahead with letting Allardyce go.
Rafael Benítez jilted West Ham for Real Madrid
Why? It is because by then West Ham had decided that, after four years, it
was time to part with Allardyce and, according to sources close to him, it
had reached a stage whereby even if the club had made him an official offer
the 60-year-old would be turning it down. It had run its course.
West Ham had been good for Sam Allardyce and Sam Allardyce had been good for
West Ham but it did appear this relationship was over. There was nowhere
further for it to go.
West Ham acted quickly after Benítez said no having said yes – they called
Ancelotti. They had already told Jürgen Klopp's agent that his client could
name his price if he fancied taking over. And they are still saying that.
• West Ham summer holiday cut short
An annual salary of £6million-a-year is not out of the question. That is the
going rate for a top Champions League coach. West Ham made similar overtures
to David Moyes but he will stay at Real Sociedad; at least for now.
They even inquired about Italy coach Antonio Conte, the architect of the
Juventus team that has reached the Champions League Final.
West Ham have cast their net far and wide but it is clear what type of coach
they want: one who will take them to a new and, in truth, unprecedented
level.
They have waited and waited to see if they can land a main target but have
now had to move on to the next tier of coaches - not exactly a 'B' list -
but one that is headed by Sevilla's Unai Emery and Marseille's Marcelo
Bielsa but also includes Slaven Bilic, who has left Besiktas, and Michael
Laudrup. The latter two feel like fall-back options.
Unai Emery celebrates retaining the Europa League last week
Emery is the favourite but he has not yet made up his mind whether he wants
to quit Spain and come to England – he does not speak the language – but is
the kind of intense, attack-minded, dynamic coach that West Ham crave.
• West Ham keen on Sevilla manager
There has been contact but not, as yet, directly so. But there is
encouragement in that he seems unlikely to accept an invitation to succeed
Benítez at Napoli who have already offered more money than West Ham.
Anyway the point of all of this is that, quite evidently, West Ham are
reaching for the stars in what might well be the most important managerial
appointment in the club's history (although in fairness to Allardyce, his
could be classified as that given how vital it was for them to get out of
the Championship immediately).
But it is so important now because next season will be West Ham's final one
at Upton Park before they move to the 54,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in
Stratford, east London, which will be a game-changer for them and for the
Premier League.
No one has quite woken up to just how big a move it is. The fact is it is
very, very big.
West Ham are a London club who are underexploited in terms of what they can
achieve. They have a healthy fan-base that can quickly grow and the new
stadium, with its very good transport links and excellent infrastructure,
will transform their finances and draw in new supporters. If they are
successful.
The club could feasibly bid £30million for a player this summer as a
statement of intent. It has been discussed. They are determined to make a
concerted effort to break into the top six and, who knows, maybe even
challenge for one of those Champions League places. Although the general
public may be unaware of what might be happening, other clubs are not.
David Sullivan and David Gold (right) could sign a £30m player this summer
It means that West Ham are – and should be – one of the most exciting
projects in European football right now. There is pressure but not undue
pressure. There is the chance for a confident coach to mould a club in his
own image and drive it forward to be a new power.
But West Ham have to get that selection right. The club also knows that the
criticism will come quickly if they do not secure a significant upgrade on
Allardyce as manager and if that manager then does not hit the ground
running.
The clock is ticking. West Ham's season, given they have qualified for the
Europa League through the Fair Play back-door, kicks off in just four weeks
on July 2. That is a scary prospect. The club have to get a move on.
It is also a big ask to tell someone like Emery, who has won the Europa
League for the past two seasons, that he has to take part in the qualifiers
and face the likes of Kazakhstan Cup winners Kairat or Balzan FC who
finished fourth in the Maltese Premier League or Welsh Premier League side
Newtown.
But that is only one consideration. Whoever is hired – and right now West
Ham are hoping it is Emery – has to buy into the bigger picture.
The ethos is this: the club want to be looking up the table to try to break
into European competition on a regular basis, to usurp Tottenham Hotspur as
the third power in London, and to stop the mentality of looking down the
table to make sure that the ambition is simply to avoid relegation.
London's Olympic Stadium is being remodelled for West Ham's impending move
It leaves them open to criticism. A poor start to next season will be
immediately met with the accusation that they should have been careful what
they wished for and really should have stuck with Allardyce. But that is not
a dreamer's mentality.
No one should criticise West Ham's ambition. This is what sport is all
about; it is its essence.
They have to get this appointment right and they know that. There is so much
riding on it for them and the Premier League - and the hope that the
rapidly-emerging cartel at the head of it can be broken. That ambition
should be lauded.
The argument will rage over the 'gift' of the Olympic Stadium to West Ham,
who are effectively paying a pittance for an arena that is being remodelled
for them, but no one should carp at the emergence of a new player at
football's top table. Let us, instead, celebrate the ambition. If – and what
a big if it is - only they make sure they hire the right manager.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
This one's for Dylan
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 5, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Dylan Tombides Tribute Match hosted by Perth Soccer Club is to be held on
Sunday. The Australian outfit, known as the Azzurri, will play Stirling
Lions SC, in support of the DT38 foundation, the charity set up in Tombides'
name. The match kicks off at 3pm and is being supported by West Ham.
Perth-born Dylan played for both clubs before joining the Irons 2010.
Dylan's mother and DT38 Foundation Founder, Tracylee Tombides, said: "The
tribute match means a lot to the foundation and to Taylor, Jim and I
personally. "It raises awareness about Dylan's story and the need for
self-awareness and early detection. It encourages our young men to take
their health seriously."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Merson: 'West Ham just need to survive'
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 5, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has tipped West Ham to struggle next season
suggesting the Irons just need to concentrate on surviving relegation from
the Premier League.
"Anyone who's going to be in that bottom half of the table next season will
be happy just to stay up and that's where I think they'll be again. It's so
important to stay up next year, with the TV money that's going to be coming
in. The bottom 10 teams – and I put West Ham in that bracket too – just need
to survive." said Merson.
Speaking about Sam Allardyce's departure at the end of the season Merson
added:
"I don't know. What is the West Ham way? We are talking 1960s when they had
a really good team. It's a big gamble. One thing you are assured of with Sam
Allardyce is you get a top manager. They won't get relegated if he was
manager next season. They are not a shoo-in to stay up next season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons boss list down to three after Emery snub
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 5, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Unai Emery's decision to stay at Seville has seen West Ham's list of
weekend candidates for interview reduced to three.
It has just been confirmed to us that Emery was indeed on the list of four
who were to be interviewed for the job after the meeting was set up with his
agents.
We reported earlier this evening that the Irons board was preparing to
interview four candidates and that Emery could be among them .
However, we made it clear that he had been creating smokescreens around his
movements throughout the week and that could still be the case.
Earlier this evening Sky Sports News were categorically claiming he had
turned Seville down before the news broke that the opposite was in fact the
case.
We understand the Hammers had offered very big salary figures to his
advisers which would have seen Emery picking up anything from £4m to £8
million a year at Upton Park had he achieved various targets.
However, tonight there is a mixture of relief and disappointment inside the
club with one insider explaining that the lack of English was always seen as
a problem.
And it was confirmed to us that the list is of candidates for interview over
the weekend is now down to three and although Slaven Bilic is among them,
the other two names remain a closely guarded secret.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons to interview four candidates by Tuesday
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 5, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
West Ham will keep the manager guessing game going into next week as they
settle down to a weekend of intensive interviews.
ClaretandHugh has learned within the last few minutes (Fri) that David
Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady will see four candidates – including
Slaven Bilic over the next four days.
Our own inquiries have shown that the former central defender is definitely
among those who will make their way to David Sullivan's Essex home but three
others will also be seen between tomorrow and Tuesday.
It confrms the ClaretandHugh story from earlier in the week when we revealed
that diaries had been cleared by all three board members as they prepared to
interview a series of candidates.
Bilic has become an overwhelming favourite for the job at 1/3 but it has
emerged within the last few minutes that Unai Emery – who we can confirm has
turned down Napoli's offer – may have done the same in talks with Seville.
That has excited speculation that his apparent on/off excursions to London
will be on again as the Irons look to bring their hunt to a close but we
were told: "We have no more information than you!"
On the face of it that may appear to kill the story but Emry has created
smokescreens around his movements throughout the week
However, our insider said that the club were definitely interviewing four
managers in next 96 hours and that they hoped to to appoint the new manager
within seven days.
The news is bound to create a scurry of activity among the media with
Sullivan's Essex mansion becoming the centre of attention over the next four
days.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Samdoria president heads to London
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 5, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
According to Italian website Tutto Mercato Sampdoria president Massimo
Ferrero is heading to England tomorrow in an attempt to conclude transfer
business for the Italian side.
It is claimed that the Sampdoria chief will arrive in London on Saturday and
on his agenda is the sale of Sampdoria forward Eder along with midfielder
Pedro Obiang.
Eder is said to be targeted by West Ham, Stoke City and Crystal Palace
while Obiang is said to be bound for West Ham despite late interest from
Spurs.
Sampdoria have been ready to cash in on Obiang and Eder, but their coach
Sinisa Mihajlovic was keen to keep them. The coach's departure last week has
removed the final obstacle for their sale. Mihajlovic ended a two-year spell
in charge at Sampdoria after their 2-2 draw with relegated Parma in the
final match of the season last Sunday.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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WHUFC.com
West Ham United are delighted to support the launch of the Dylan Tombides
Tribute Match hosted by Perth Soccer Club. The Australian outfit, known as
the Azzurri, will play Stirling Lions SC, in support of the DT38 foundation,
the charity set up in Tombides' name. The tribute match takes place this
Sunday 7 June at their home ground Dorrien Gardens, kick off is 3pm local
time. Prior to joining West Ham United in 2010, Tombides, who was born in
Perth, played for both sides before signing for the Hammers. Dylan's mother
and DT38 Foundation Founder, Tracylee Tombides, spoke of her delight: "The
tribute match means a lot to the foundation and to Taylor, Jim and I
personally. "It raises awareness about Dylan's story and the need for
self-awareness and early detection. It encourages our young men to take
their health seriously."
The President of Perth Soccer Club, Gary Marocchi, described his pride at
being able to raise awareness for the DT38 Foundation. "Perth SC is
honoured to be involved in the annual tribute match with Stirling Lions FC
on Sunday 7 May to pay tribute to the life of Dylan.
"The annual match between two of the junior clubs that Dylan played with,
raises the awareness of testicular cancer amongst the community."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammer McNess ready for pro boxing debut
WHUFC.com
Sam McNess, the son of former professional boxer Steve McNess, will go head
to head with Hull resident Paul O'Brien in his first ever professional fight
on Friday 12 June.
It will be an exciting evening for the West Ham United fan who is fighting
in the same ring that his father fought in four times before.
"I started boxing when I was nine years old" said McNess. "My Dad turned
professional around the time that I was born so I've always been in and
around the boxing environment my whole life. I've had around 85 amateur
fights, won five or six national titles and have represented Great Britain
over 20 times.
"I was in the Team GB group around the time of the 2012 London Olympics but
I was a little too young to be involved.
"I learnt so much from the team and looked to get myself into the most
recent Commonwealth Games team but I was a little unlucky to be left out.
That's when I made my decision to turn professional.
"I've always thought that my style suits professional boxing. At the age of
23, I now feel that the time is right to launch my professional boxing
career."
In the lead up to his big debut fight, McNess has been training under the
guidance of Mark and Jimmy Tibbs at the West Ham Boys Amateur Boxing Club in
Plaistow.
"Where better to learn about boxing for a West Ham fan then the West Ham
Boys Amateur Boxing Club? There's so much history like Nigel Benn training
here when he was at the top of his game.
"Being in the company of Jimmy and Mark Tibbs too is a massive benefit. I
don't think that I could be with better trainers."
A confident McNess insisted he knows what he needs to do when he steps into
the ring and is already looking to a bright future.
"I've had a little look at him recently and seen that he has had around nine
fights so far and doesn't lose often so it will good experience for me.
"I'm under my weight and my training has been going really well. When it
comes to the fight, I need to listen to my corner and enjoy my professional
debut because it's a moment that I've been longing for.
With the fight rapidly approaching, McNess is hoping for to garner support
from Hammers fans and is already hoping to compete in the Club's fantastic
new Stadium.
"It will be really nice to see all my friends and family down at York Hall.
When you're fighting in countries like China or Kazakhstan, it's usually
just you and the team. Having a local crowd behind me will really help.
"I've not boxed in London for two years now so it will be nice to be back
home and able to show everyone the hard work I've been putting in.
"Having the support from West Ham United really helps because I remember in
May 2010 when Kevin Mitchell fought Michael Katsidis at Upton Park. I was at
that fight and it is a dream of mine to represent the Hammers in front of
thousands of fans.
"I remember during that fight when the Hammers fans where singing 'I'm
Forever Blowing Bubble' to him and that must've given him such an adrenaline
boost. I've been obsessed about football and West Ham from a young age and
really appreciate the club's support.
"When I step into the ring on Friday, I'd love to see a number of Hammers
fans out there cheering me on. I've had my ring gear made for me by my
sponsors Magri Sports and they will feature the claret and blue colours with
little hammers on them. I know the club will be with me on the night.
"All I can say to all the West Ham fans out there is that if they fancy a
good night out to cheer on a fellow Hammers fan then I'd really appreciate
it and look forward to seeing you there!"
Tickets for the event at York Hall, Bethnal Green are priced at £41.50 and
available through his official website - www.sammcness.com.
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West Ham Ladies Learning Academy trials
WHUFC.com
The Foundation is proud to launch the West Ham Ladies Learning Academy!
Previously only available to boys, the Learning Academy is a two-year,
full-time education and football development programme delivered in
partnership with both professional and non-league clubs. Open to talented
footballers aged between 16 and 18, the Learning Academy programme is a must
for any keen footballer.
What to expect:
Football
Professional coaching by UEFA A and B licensed coaches
Emphasis on progressing players into the Reserve and First team squad.
Education
2-year programme
BTEC Diploma in Sport
Coaching Qualifications
All Learning Academy players will receive daily training, including
individual and team coaching from highly qualified FA coaches affiliated to
West Ham United. Players will receive guidance on their football fitness,
nutritional advice and a regular appraisal to monitor each player's
development both on and off the pitch. Players will have the opportunity to
represent the Club through the Learning Academy side.
Over the two-year duration of the course, players will study a variety of
nationally recognised qualifications across sport, coaching and fitness.
Players will study the BTEC Diploma in Sport, delivered at Level 2 and 3
standards (A-Level equivalent), FA Coaching Qualifications together with
core skills in Maths and English. Successful completion of the educational
programme will enable players to follow pathways into Higher Education at
selected universities or discover employment opportunities within the sport
and leisure industry. Youngsters will also be encouraged to consider
coaching placements and playing scholarships in the USA.
The WHU Foundation will be hosting two trials over June and July for
prospective students:
Saturday 20th June - 10am - 12pm
Saturday 4th July - 10am - 12pm
Venue
West Ham United Foundation, 60a Albatross Close, off Woolwich Manor Way,
Beckton, London, E6 5NX
To book your free trial at our Beckton site, please visit:
http://www.scl-online.co.uk/football-academy.php
For further information regarding all footballing aspect of the Learning
Academy, please contact Learning Academy Manager, Sam Taylor on 0207 473
7720 or via email at staylor@westhamunited.co.uk
For information regarding the educational aspects of the Learning Academy,
please contact SCL – Soccer Coaching Limited on 0845 644 5747 or via Email
at education@WeAreSCL.co.uk
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West Ham target Unai Emery signs new Seville deal
Last Updated: 05/06/15 7:59pm
SSN
Unai Emery is to remain as coach of Seville after agreeing a new deal with
the Spanish club. West Ham had hoped that Emery, who flew to London earlier
this week, would agree to replace former boss Sam Allardyce whose contract
at the Boleyn Ground was not renewed at the end of last season.
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IT'S ALL ABOUT AMBITION
By Iain Dale 5 Jun 2015 at 11:03
West Ham Till I Die
Jason Burt has written a brilliant feature for the Telegraph today about
West Ham's search for a new manager, but it's an article that is really all
about West Ham's ambition.
Here's a taster…
No one has quite woken up to just how big a move [the move to the Olympic
Stadium] it is. The fact is it is very, very big.
West Ham are a London club who are underexploited in terms of what they can
achieve. They have a healthy fan-base that can quickly grow and the new
stadium, with its very good transport links and excellent infrastructure,
will transform their finances and draw in new supporters. If they are
successful.
The club could feasibly bid £30million for a player this summer as a
statement of intent. It has been discussed. They are determined to make a
concerted effort to break into the top six and, who knows, maybe even
challenge for one of those Champions League places. Although the general
public may be unaware of what might be happening, other clubs are not…
…It means that West Ham are – and should be – one of the most exciting
projects in European football right now. There is pressure but not undue
pressure. There is the chance for a confident coach to mould a club in his
own image and drive it forward to be a new power.
But West Ham have to get that selection right. The club also knows that the
criticism will come quickly if they do not secure a significant upgrade on
Allardyce as manager and if that manager then does not hit the ground
running…
…The ethos is this: the club want to be looking up the table to try to break
into European competition on a regular basis, to usurp Tottenham Hotspur as
the third power in London, and to stop the mentality of looking down the
table to make sure that the ambition is simply to avoid relegation…
…It leaves them open to criticism. A poor start to next season will be
immediately met with the accusation that they should have been careful what
they wished for and really should have stuck with Allardyce. But that is not
a dreamer's mentality.
No one should criticise West Ham's ambition. This is what sport is all
about; it is its essence.
They have to get this appointment right and they know that. There is so much
riding on it for them and the Premier League – and the hope that the
rapidly-emerging cartel at the head of it can be broken. That ambition
should be lauded.
The argument will rage over the 'gift' of the Olympic Stadium to West Ham,
who are effectively paying a pittance for an arena that is being remodelled
for them, but no one should carp at the emergence of a new player at
football's top table. Let us, instead, celebrate the ambition. If – and what
a big if it is – only they make sure they hire the right manager.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham have a real opportunity to crash the top six and must get this
managerial appointment right
Move to Olympic Stadium is a gamechanger for the Hammers and makes them one
of European football's biggest projects if they appoint the right man
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jason Burt4:07PM BST 04 Jun 2015
It was all going smoothly for West Ham United. Not the second half of a
season that had started so promisingly, only to fall away in familiar
frustration, but the departure of Sam Allardyce as manager and the
transition to his successor: Rafa Benítez. Then Real Madrid came calling.
West Ham had planned for Allardyce's departure to be announced immediately
after the end of their season, on Sunday May 24, away to
Newcastle United, with an agreement for Benítez to then take over confirmed
two days later and unveiled at the end of Napoli's campaign. It was neat and
it was logical and it felt like a real coup.
• West Ham 2014-15: The verdict
Except the week before the Premier League ended, on the Monday afternoon to
be precise, Benítez received a call from Real inviting him to take over from
Carlo Ancelotti. Benítez told West Ham the following day that he could not
accept their offer but they still pressed ahead with letting Allardyce go.
Rafael Benítez jilted West Ham for Real Madrid
Why? It is because by then West Ham had decided that, after four years, it
was time to part with Allardyce and, according to sources close to him, it
had reached a stage whereby even if the club had made him an official offer
the 60-year-old would be turning it down. It had run its course.
West Ham had been good for Sam Allardyce and Sam Allardyce had been good for
West Ham but it did appear this relationship was over. There was nowhere
further for it to go.
West Ham acted quickly after Benítez said no having said yes – they called
Ancelotti. They had already told Jürgen Klopp's agent that his client could
name his price if he fancied taking over. And they are still saying that.
• West Ham summer holiday cut short
An annual salary of £6million-a-year is not out of the question. That is the
going rate for a top Champions League coach. West Ham made similar overtures
to David Moyes but he will stay at Real Sociedad; at least for now.
They even inquired about Italy coach Antonio Conte, the architect of the
Juventus team that has reached the Champions League Final.
West Ham have cast their net far and wide but it is clear what type of coach
they want: one who will take them to a new and, in truth, unprecedented
level.
They have waited and waited to see if they can land a main target but have
now had to move on to the next tier of coaches - not exactly a 'B' list -
but one that is headed by Sevilla's Unai Emery and Marseille's Marcelo
Bielsa but also includes Slaven Bilic, who has left Besiktas, and Michael
Laudrup. The latter two feel like fall-back options.
Unai Emery celebrates retaining the Europa League last week
Emery is the favourite but he has not yet made up his mind whether he wants
to quit Spain and come to England – he does not speak the language – but is
the kind of intense, attack-minded, dynamic coach that West Ham crave.
• West Ham keen on Sevilla manager
There has been contact but not, as yet, directly so. But there is
encouragement in that he seems unlikely to accept an invitation to succeed
Benítez at Napoli who have already offered more money than West Ham.
Anyway the point of all of this is that, quite evidently, West Ham are
reaching for the stars in what might well be the most important managerial
appointment in the club's history (although in fairness to Allardyce, his
could be classified as that given how vital it was for them to get out of
the Championship immediately).
But it is so important now because next season will be West Ham's final one
at Upton Park before they move to the 54,000-capacity Olympic Stadium in
Stratford, east London, which will be a game-changer for them and for the
Premier League.
No one has quite woken up to just how big a move it is. The fact is it is
very, very big.
West Ham are a London club who are underexploited in terms of what they can
achieve. They have a healthy fan-base that can quickly grow and the new
stadium, with its very good transport links and excellent infrastructure,
will transform their finances and draw in new supporters. If they are
successful.
The club could feasibly bid £30million for a player this summer as a
statement of intent. It has been discussed. They are determined to make a
concerted effort to break into the top six and, who knows, maybe even
challenge for one of those Champions League places. Although the general
public may be unaware of what might be happening, other clubs are not.
David Sullivan and David Gold (right) could sign a £30m player this summer
It means that West Ham are – and should be – one of the most exciting
projects in European football right now. There is pressure but not undue
pressure. There is the chance for a confident coach to mould a club in his
own image and drive it forward to be a new power.
But West Ham have to get that selection right. The club also knows that the
criticism will come quickly if they do not secure a significant upgrade on
Allardyce as manager and if that manager then does not hit the ground
running.
The clock is ticking. West Ham's season, given they have qualified for the
Europa League through the Fair Play back-door, kicks off in just four weeks
on July 2. That is a scary prospect. The club have to get a move on.
It is also a big ask to tell someone like Emery, who has won the Europa
League for the past two seasons, that he has to take part in the qualifiers
and face the likes of Kazakhstan Cup winners Kairat or Balzan FC who
finished fourth in the Maltese Premier League or Welsh Premier League side
Newtown.
But that is only one consideration. Whoever is hired – and right now West
Ham are hoping it is Emery – has to buy into the bigger picture.
The ethos is this: the club want to be looking up the table to try to break
into European competition on a regular basis, to usurp Tottenham Hotspur as
the third power in London, and to stop the mentality of looking down the
table to make sure that the ambition is simply to avoid relegation.
London's Olympic Stadium is being remodelled for West Ham's impending move
It leaves them open to criticism. A poor start to next season will be
immediately met with the accusation that they should have been careful what
they wished for and really should have stuck with Allardyce. But that is not
a dreamer's mentality.
No one should criticise West Ham's ambition. This is what sport is all
about; it is its essence.
They have to get this appointment right and they know that. There is so much
riding on it for them and the Premier League - and the hope that the
rapidly-emerging cartel at the head of it can be broken. That ambition
should be lauded.
The argument will rage over the 'gift' of the Olympic Stadium to West Ham,
who are effectively paying a pittance for an arena that is being remodelled
for them, but no one should carp at the emergence of a new player at
football's top table. Let us, instead, celebrate the ambition. If – and what
a big if it is - only they make sure they hire the right manager.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
This one's for Dylan
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 5, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Dylan Tombides Tribute Match hosted by Perth Soccer Club is to be held on
Sunday. The Australian outfit, known as the Azzurri, will play Stirling
Lions SC, in support of the DT38 foundation, the charity set up in Tombides'
name. The match kicks off at 3pm and is being supported by West Ham.
Perth-born Dylan played for both clubs before joining the Irons 2010.
Dylan's mother and DT38 Foundation Founder, Tracylee Tombides, said: "The
tribute match means a lot to the foundation and to Taylor, Jim and I
personally. "It raises awareness about Dylan's story and the need for
self-awareness and early detection. It encourages our young men to take
their health seriously."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Merson: 'West Ham just need to survive'
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 5, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has tipped West Ham to struggle next season
suggesting the Irons just need to concentrate on surviving relegation from
the Premier League.
"Anyone who's going to be in that bottom half of the table next season will
be happy just to stay up and that's where I think they'll be again. It's so
important to stay up next year, with the TV money that's going to be coming
in. The bottom 10 teams – and I put West Ham in that bracket too – just need
to survive." said Merson.
Speaking about Sam Allardyce's departure at the end of the season Merson
added:
"I don't know. What is the West Ham way? We are talking 1960s when they had
a really good team. It's a big gamble. One thing you are assured of with Sam
Allardyce is you get a top manager. They won't get relegated if he was
manager next season. They are not a shoo-in to stay up next season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons boss list down to three after Emery snub
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 5, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Unai Emery's decision to stay at Seville has seen West Ham's list of
weekend candidates for interview reduced to three.
It has just been confirmed to us that Emery was indeed on the list of four
who were to be interviewed for the job after the meeting was set up with his
agents.
We reported earlier this evening that the Irons board was preparing to
interview four candidates and that Emery could be among them .
However, we made it clear that he had been creating smokescreens around his
movements throughout the week and that could still be the case.
Earlier this evening Sky Sports News were categorically claiming he had
turned Seville down before the news broke that the opposite was in fact the
case.
We understand the Hammers had offered very big salary figures to his
advisers which would have seen Emery picking up anything from £4m to £8
million a year at Upton Park had he achieved various targets.
However, tonight there is a mixture of relief and disappointment inside the
club with one insider explaining that the lack of English was always seen as
a problem.
And it was confirmed to us that the list is of candidates for interview over
the weekend is now down to three and although Slaven Bilic is among them,
the other two names remain a closely guarded secret.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Irons to interview four candidates by Tuesday
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 5, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
West Ham will keep the manager guessing game going into next week as they
settle down to a weekend of intensive interviews.
ClaretandHugh has learned within the last few minutes (Fri) that David
Sullivan, David Gold and Karren Brady will see four candidates – including
Slaven Bilic over the next four days.
Our own inquiries have shown that the former central defender is definitely
among those who will make their way to David Sullivan's Essex home but three
others will also be seen between tomorrow and Tuesday.
It confrms the ClaretandHugh story from earlier in the week when we revealed
that diaries had been cleared by all three board members as they prepared to
interview a series of candidates.
Bilic has become an overwhelming favourite for the job at 1/3 but it has
emerged within the last few minutes that Unai Emery – who we can confirm has
turned down Napoli's offer – may have done the same in talks with Seville.
That has excited speculation that his apparent on/off excursions to London
will be on again as the Irons look to bring their hunt to a close but we
were told: "We have no more information than you!"
On the face of it that may appear to kill the story but Emry has created
smokescreens around his movements throughout the week
However, our insider said that the club were definitely interviewing four
managers in next 96 hours and that they hoped to to appoint the new manager
within seven days.
The news is bound to create a scurry of activity among the media with
Sullivan's Essex mansion becoming the centre of attention over the next four
days.
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Samdoria president heads to London
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 5, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
According to Italian website Tutto Mercato Sampdoria president Massimo
Ferrero is heading to England tomorrow in an attempt to conclude transfer
business for the Italian side.
It is claimed that the Sampdoria chief will arrive in London on Saturday and
on his agenda is the sale of Sampdoria forward Eder along with midfielder
Pedro Obiang.
Eder is said to be targeted by West Ham, Stoke City and Crystal Palace
while Obiang is said to be bound for West Ham despite late interest from
Spurs.
Sampdoria have been ready to cash in on Obiang and Eder, but their coach
Sinisa Mihajlovic was keen to keep them. The coach's departure last week has
removed the final obstacle for their sale. Mihajlovic ended a two-year spell
in charge at Sampdoria after their 2-2 draw with relegated Parma in the
final match of the season last Sunday.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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Friday, June 5
Daily WHUFC News - 5th June 2015
Valencia helps Ecuador earn draw
WHUFC.com
Enner Valencia's Ecuador warmed up for the 2015 Copa America by drawing 1-1 with ten-man Panama on Wednesday evening. The West Ham United striker earned his 19th senior cap in the competitive international fixture played at the at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez Gutierrez in Ciudad de Panama. Gustavo Quinteros' Ecuador went ahead nine minutes after half-time through Fidel Martinez, but Roman Torres' penalty cancelled out the opener. Valencia was then the victim of a nasty tackle by Anibal Godoy which resulted in the Panama player being sent-off. The two nations will meet again on Saturday at the Estadio Reales Tamarindos in the Ecuadorian city of Portoviejo.
Ecuador kick-off their Copa America challenge against host nation Chile in Santiago on 11 June, before taking on Bolivia in Valparaiso on 15 June and Mexico in Rancagua on 19 June. Valencia and his compatriots will be happy to get beyond the First Round group stage for the first time since 1997, when they reached the quarter-finals.
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West Ham United make trades with eToro
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are pleased to announce the Club's first social trading partnership, agreed with the largest company in its field, eToro. The partnership will take effect at the start of the 2015/16 season.
Social trading enables online users to view the share purchases and sales that other stock market investors are making, so that they can follow the strategies of the most profitable investors.
Other major football clubs, including Champions League finalists Barcelona and Juventus, and England's four Champions League qualifiers Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United, have all agreed commercial partnerships with social or online trading companies within the past two years.
Felicity Croft, Commercial Director of West Ham United, said:
"We are delighted to form this partnership with eToro, and we look forward to working closely together over the years to come. Many of the biggest Clubs in England have agreed partnerships with social trading companies in recent months, and for West Ham to attract such a large and globally-successful player in this sector is a sign of our growing global reach and ambition. It is clear that leading brands can see the exciting future that lies in store for West Ham United and are buying in to our potential."
Yoni Assia, CEO and Co-founder of eToro said:
"We are delighted to be partnering West Ham at this exciting time for both us and the Club. Our platform supports those making their first steps into investing but also gives more experienced traders and investors the opportunity to manage their funds and get copied by other traders. This deal reflects a number of positive growth areas for our business as well as the ambitions of the eToro brand in the UK and across the world. We really see this as a leap into the premier league for eToro."
Under the terms of the commercial partnership, eToro will be able to market their website and products to Hammers fans across West Ham's various digital and social media platforms, as well as taking part in joint promotional activities with the Club.
This is just the latest commercial partnership that West Ham have agreed with companies from different sectors in recent years, ranging from healthcare providers to bespoke tailors, all helping to raise the revenue coming in to the Club, and allowing increased investment in the playing squad.
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Chadwell Chatter
WHUFC.com
Hello everyone,
It is the close-season now, but we will be back at Chadwell Heath soon to prepare for the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds, which is very exciting for the Club.
I liked my first season with West Ham United and my best moment was the game with Manchester City, while my worst moment was the home match with Chelsea, when we lost one-zero.
The Manchester City goal was a very important goal for me and for the fans. They like a good ambience and it was a good game, a very big game and to win 2-1 was very important for the players and for the fans.
It was fantastic for me to have a moment like scoring that winning goal in my first season and I thank God for it and hopefully I will score more goals next season.
Against Chelsea, Thibaut Courtois was fantastic and stopped everything I could throw at him. It was very bad for me and after the game, I couldn't sleep. In my mind, it was very important to win that Chelsea game, but that's life and will try to beat them next season.
Every year I try to improve on what I did the season before. Before this season, I said to myself I would score 12 goals and I scored 12, so next season I want to score 20. If I play games, I will score.
The hardest defender I played against was the Southampton defender Jose Fonte, who was a very strong defender in a very good team. He and the other centre-back Toby Alderweireld are both very good defenders.
For me, the funniest moment of the season that has just finished, my first season in England, was getting to meet and know my friend Chiekhou Kouyate. He is a very nice guy and is smiling all the time.
It is my first season here and Cheik helped me to settle into life in England and I like that. It's a simpler life for me because Cheik is here. I talk to Cheik if I need to.
My injury has gone now and I started training before the end of the season and I will be ready for next season.
This summer I will see my daughter in France and my family in Senegal. I will be training every day, though, because I see next season as being very hard.
I only played 25-26 games last season because of my injuries and I want to play at least 34-35 next season. That would be very nice for me.
See you all soon,
Diafra
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Great Run Series comes to new Stadium
WHUFC.com
The Morrisons Great Run Series is giving West Ham fans and supporters the chance to have a sneak preview of their new home ahead of everyone else. 1895 spaces have been guaranteed for the first West Ham fans to sign up to the Morrisons Great Newham London Run, to celebrate the year the Club was founded.
Taking place in and around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 19 July 2015, the 10K event is a day not to be missed. The course will take in the sights of Lee Valley VeloPark, the London Aquatics Centre and the Copper Box Arena and all runners will get the chance to have their very own Olympic moment as they finish inside the Stadium and cross the famous finish line and running track, subject to transformation work being completed. Now you can follow in the footsteps of Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill.
Fancy doing the run as part of a team? Then sign-up to the Marathon Relay Challenge. Each person in the team of four will complete a 10.54K distance, passing a special sash at the end of each section to their team as they cross the former Olympic Stadium finish line. The team's combined distance will be equal to a marathon.
Don't miss out on these amazing opportunities to be part of a once-in-a-lifetime event. Register your place at www.greatrun.org/London and enter the promo code '1895'.
More information can be found at: www.greatrun.org/London. The 10k event costs £32 per person. The Marathon Relay event costs £100 in total (£25 per person).
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Cresswell wins another award!
WHUFC.com
Hammer of the Year Aaron Cresswell has added to his impressive haul of awards by being voted London24Sport Player of the Year for 2014/15.
The West Ham United left-back added to the three trophies he won at the Club's own Player Awards by scooping nearly a third (33.03 per cent) of the total votes cast by supporters of London's Barclays Premier League clubs.
The ever-present defender, who was also named Signing of the Season and Players' Player of the Year at the end of his first campaign in east London, beat Tottenham Hotspur's England centre forward Harry Kane (28.74 per cent) into second place, with Arsenal's Chile striker Alexis Sanchez (27.44 per cent) in third.
The top six was rounded out by Chelsea's Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard (5.05 per cent), Queens Park Rangers striker Charlie Austin (2.89 per cent) and Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie (2.83 per cent).
"This year has gone very well for me personally and for the team," Cresswell confirmed. "If someone had told me when I joined from Ipswich that I would have played every game and every minute, I would have snapped your hand off!
"I've settled in and we've got a great set of lads here, and from the first moment I walked in they have welcomed me with open arms."
Cresswell and his Hammers teammates are currently enjoying a short summer break before returning for pre-season training on 22 June ahead of the Club's maiden UEFA Europa League campaign.
The Hammers will discover on the same day who they will face in the first qualifying round, with the two legs set for Thursday 2 and 9 July.
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West Ham experience getting worse, the survey says
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 4th June 2015
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's rating as an away trip has fallen in the latest annual FSF poll.
The survey, which has been conducted on an annual basis for the last three years ranks the entertainment value for away fans at all 92 Premier and Football League grounds.
And despite climbing in the rankings from 17th to 15th, West Ham's rating as an away ground fell from a lowly 5.89 (out of 10) in 2013/14 to just 5.58 last season.
Travelling fans were asked to rate each club in their team's division on a number of factors, including transport links, turnstiles, stadium layout, food and drink, pitch view and security.
Topping the table this year with a score of 7.79 were Hull City - small consolation following their relegation to the Championship. Last season another relegated club, Cardiff City, topped the list.
The enforced long walks and subsequent hour-long queues that await any fan attempting to use Upton Park tube station after a match at the Boleyn Ground will no doubt have played a major role in lowering West Ham's score.
Despite having the option to stop at Upton Park on the mainline track, current operators C2C have not been asked to investigate that possibility by West Ham in many years - a solution that would dramatically ease the build-up of crowds that occurs after every match.
FSF Survey: Premier League Club Rankings
(last season's ranking in brackets)
1. (3) Hull City 7.79
2. (4) Southampton 7.23
3. (13) Stoke City 6.94
4. (8) Sunderland 6.93
5. (-) Leicester City 6.84
6. (5) Arsenal 6.84
7. (2) Swansea City 6.72
8. (10) Newcastle United 6.68
9. (9) WBA 6.63
10. (12) Manchester City 6.53
11. (11) Tottenham 6.11
12. (18) Everton 5.80
13. (-) Burnley 5.76
14. (15) Aston Villa 5.69
15. (17) West Ham United 5.58
16. (16) Chelsea 5.52
17. (14) Manchester United 5.40
18. (19) Liverpool 5.32
19. (20) Crystal Palace 4.94
20. (-) QPR 3.58
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Bielsa to sign two-year deal - with Marseille
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 4th June 2015
By: Staff Writer
Marcelo Bielsa is reported to have agreed a new two-year contract with current club Marseille, according to reports in France this morning.
Today's edition of La Provence claims that the two parties have finally settled their differences and agreed a new deal to extend the 59-year-old's stay at OM.
According to the paper Bielsa has finally agreed to put pen to paper on a lucrative new contract following discussions that lasted several days, ending any chances he had of moving to the Premier League with West Ham.
La Provence add that Bielsa is scheduled to attend this weekend's Champions League Final and will return to Argentina thereafter, hence all formalities are expected to be concluded sometime this week.
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Marcelo Bielsa set to snub West Ham interest as he closes in on new Marseille deal
16:24, 4 JUNE 2015
BY LIAM CORLESS
The Hammers were exploring Bielsa as a possible replacement for Sam Allardyce but will now seemingly have to look elsewhere
The Mirror
West Ham managerial target Marcelo Bielsa has agreed to sign a contract extension with Marseille, according to reports in France.
French publication La Provence claimed on Thursday that the 59-year-old is set to pen a new deal which will keep him in charge of the Ligue 1 club until 2017.
He is expected to sign the contract, which will see him receive a significant pay rise, within the next 48 hours.
West Ham were understood to have made Bielsa their No 1 target as they look to replace departed boss Sam Allardyce, who left the club on the final day of the Premier League season.
Richard HeathcoteGone: West Ham are on the lookout for a replacement for Sam Allardyce
Sevilla manager Unai Emery has also been touted as a potential replacement for Allardyce but, with Napoli also interested in his services, it is unclear as to whether he is keen on the role.
Former Hammers player Slaven Bilic remains the bookies' favourite to take charge at Upton Park.
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West Ham transfer target Andre-Pierre Gignac shelves move until he sees who their new manager is
22:30, 3 JUNE 2015
BY DARREN LEWIS
Free-agent striker also wanted by West Brom, Southampton, Stoke and Newcastle could follow his Marseille boss Marcelo Bielsa to the Hammers
The Mirror
Andre-Pierre Gignac will wait until West Ham appoint a new manager before deciding which Premier League club to move to this summer.
The 29-year-old French striker, who scored 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances for Marseille last season, is a free agent and has already received a huge contract offer from West Brom.
Southampton, Stoke and Newcastle are also contenders for the frontman, who has 77 goals in 186 games for the French club.
Gignac has been weighing up his options, with West Ham targeting back-to-back Europa League-winning coach Unai Emery but also his old Marseille boss Marcelo Bielsa to replace Sam Allardyce.
Emery now looks set to stay at Sevilla after also being linked with Italians Napoli.
Martin RoseEuropa League of his own: Emery has won the competition in back-to-back seasons
Should Bielsa take over at Upton Park, Gignac would be keen to move to London.
The striker has already held talks with both the Milan clubs and Napoli and has had a lucrative offer from Russian club Dynamo Moscow but is known to fancy a move to the Premier League.
He was the subject of an approach from West Ham in this year's winter window, but Marseille blocked the bid as they tried - in vain - to qualify for the Champions League.
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Cressie beats Kane and Sanchez
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Aaron Cresswell has been London24.com Sport Player of the Year for 2014/15. The Hammers left back beat Tottenham's Harry Kane into second spot with Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez in third place. It caps an amazing forst season for the player who slotted in at left back wonderfully for the Hammers and became an ever present, picking up the Hammer of the Year award. He took 33.07 per cent of the votes with Kane on 28.74 per cent with Sanchez even closer in third with 27.44. Chelsea fans may not be pleased to see Eden Hazard down in fourth, but he did beat Charlie Austin and Yannick Bolasie.
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Sakho: 'Next Season I want to score 20′
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 4, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Diafra Sakho has set his own personal target to score twenty goals next season. Speaking to the official website the top Hammers goal scorer said 'Before this season, I said to myself I would score 12 goals and I scored 12, so next season I want to score 20. If I play games, I will score.' The Ligue 2 Player of the Year for 2013-14 scored 20 goals in his final season for Metz helping them win promotion to Ligue 1. When Sakho signed for West Ham he set himself he originally set a goal target of 10. "From the moment I arrived I set myself targets," said Sakho. "Personally that was to get in the team, I knew that I was going to score goals." "The target is only 10 goals, I didn't know how things were going to pan out, but it is still only 10. I'm the sort of person that once I've a target in mind, I stick to it, even when I know that perhaps I'm going to achieve it, I still have to get there. The moment I get to 10, I'll set new targets, 15, 16,or 17 perhaps, but personally, for me, the target is 10."
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Irons make good on Sakho contract promise
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
West Ham have made good on their promise to Diafra Sakho that he would be rewarded for excellence. ClaretandHugh has learned this evening that although it was kept entirely quiet at the time, the Senegal striker was given a substantial rise on his original pay deal back in the winter. As the top goalscorer announced earlier today he that he would be ready for the start of the season we were told "Diafra is very very happy and working hard. "It was kept very quiet at the time but the club gave him a substantial pay award on his basic contract around Christmas after David Sullivan had promised him a reward for excellence earlier in the season." Sakho, like the rest of the squad, will have their contracts reviewed again in December.
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Youth coach: It was hard work under Sam
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Fair play to www.foreverwestham.com who have come up with some very well needed comments on the lack of youngsters who came through to first team level under Sam Allardyce. The site quotes Under-18 coach Mark Phillips as saying it was "hard work" to get the former manager (still sounds good) to notice exciting prospects. And it adds: 'Despite co-chairmen David Gol d and David Sullivan announcing in January they wanted to see Academy talent given a chance in the first team, only 18-year-old Reece Burke was given any real game time during the second half of the season. Given the somewhat insipid end to the season, there seemed to be growing frustration amongst fans and senior figures at the club towards Allardyce's refusal to blood players such Elliott Lee and Reece Oxford. Phillips said: "It's been hard work at times under Sam, getting the players in front of him. "But it just shows the ones he has played, such as Reece Burke, have stepped up to the mark, and we've got a few more in the wings. "I'd like to think we're always giving 100 per cent. But it is an interesting time to see who will come in and what they're philosophy on the game is, and see if it sits with ours."
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Fit again Sakho:"I'll be ready"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Diafra Sakho will be fit to ready to return to full training when the squad come back for pre-season next week. The striker has been out of action since April with a thigh problem but is very much on the mend. Our first Europa League qualifying game is just four weeks away and so the squad will soon be back at the training ground to prepare and 'Sak' will be with them. He told the official site: "My injury has gone now and I started training before the end of the season and I will be ready for next season. "This summer I will see my daughter in France and my family in Senegal. I will be training every day, though, because I see next season as being very hard. "I only played 25-26 games last season because of my injuries and I want to play at least 34-35 next season. That would be very nice for me."
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Irons go full steam ahead for Bilic
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Slaven Bilic is ready to fly to England for interviews with West Ham United as soon as asked. And ClaretandHugh understands that could be within the next few days as the two Davids move quickly to make their first approach on the former central defender. We were told by a source very close to Bilic: "Slaven has been watching the situation closely from Croatia and wants to believe he's in the frame now. He sees Upton Park the as his second home. "The fact that top managers have apparently turned the club down is not an issue with him – he enjoys that the West Ham owners have been dreaming big."
We can confirm that the former Croatian manager is now at the top of the Hammers wanted list after moves to speak with Seville boss Unai Emery never got off the ground. The Seville boss was offered around 3.5 million euros to take over at Napoli but is set to reject that and all other offers having all but decided to stay where he is. "That has left Bilic as the prime target for the Hammers and club sources have revealed that moves are afoot to make their first approaches over the next few hours. It will be a major shock if the 46 year old doesn't hammer out a two year deal with the club he served as a player in 1996-97. Meanwhile ClaretandHugh has learned that Marseilles boss Marcelo Bielsa allegedly wanted between £75m – £100 million transfer budget when interviewed for the Hammers job. Bielsa was an early front runner for the Upton Park job but like Rafa Benitez was looking for a hefty transfer way in excess of what the club is able to offer its new manager.
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Hammers fear Emery snub
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
West Ham fear Unai Emery will become the fourth top manager to give them a swerve despite making him a huge offer. Having missed out on David Moyes, Rafa Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti, West Ham have made Emery a lucrative offer, complete with a big Champions League qualification bonus, to take over as manager. But The Telegraph reports talks have stalled and the Hammers fear he could opt to stay y Seville after taking them into the Champions Cup via the Europa Cup victory.. David Sullivan and David Gold to go back to their list of targets.with Slaven Bilic becoming a bigger and bigger favourite to snatch the vacant post. The co owners want to make an appointment by the end of next week, which means they must quickly identify who to go for if their worst fears over Emery are confirmed.
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Bilic landslide ahead
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in McAvennie The Legend, Whispers
C AND H
Slaven Bilic is a massive favourite with the West Ham fans to take over as the club's manager according to a new poll launched a few hours ago. ClaretandHugh's 'Best of the Rest' Poll has been set up since Rafa Benitez, Jurgen Klopp, David Moyes and Carlo Ancelotti fell by the wayside after being the club's top choices for the job. The new poll includes Bilic, Eddie Howe, Garry Monk, Sean Dyche, Gus Poyet, Brendan Rodgers, Alan Pardew, Gareth Southgate, Harry Redknapp, Tony Pulis, Glenn Hoddle and Michael Laudrup. The 24 hour poll which closes at 9 am on Friday sees Bilic with just over 64 per cent of the vote ahead of Michael Ludrup with nine per cent and Eddie Howe with seven.
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WHUFC.com
Enner Valencia's Ecuador warmed up for the 2015 Copa America by drawing 1-1 with ten-man Panama on Wednesday evening. The West Ham United striker earned his 19th senior cap in the competitive international fixture played at the at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez Gutierrez in Ciudad de Panama. Gustavo Quinteros' Ecuador went ahead nine minutes after half-time through Fidel Martinez, but Roman Torres' penalty cancelled out the opener. Valencia was then the victim of a nasty tackle by Anibal Godoy which resulted in the Panama player being sent-off. The two nations will meet again on Saturday at the Estadio Reales Tamarindos in the Ecuadorian city of Portoviejo.
Ecuador kick-off their Copa America challenge against host nation Chile in Santiago on 11 June, before taking on Bolivia in Valparaiso on 15 June and Mexico in Rancagua on 19 June. Valencia and his compatriots will be happy to get beyond the First Round group stage for the first time since 1997, when they reached the quarter-finals.
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West Ham United make trades with eToro
WHUFC.com
West Ham United are pleased to announce the Club's first social trading partnership, agreed with the largest company in its field, eToro. The partnership will take effect at the start of the 2015/16 season.
Social trading enables online users to view the share purchases and sales that other stock market investors are making, so that they can follow the strategies of the most profitable investors.
Other major football clubs, including Champions League finalists Barcelona and Juventus, and England's four Champions League qualifiers Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United, have all agreed commercial partnerships with social or online trading companies within the past two years.
Felicity Croft, Commercial Director of West Ham United, said:
"We are delighted to form this partnership with eToro, and we look forward to working closely together over the years to come. Many of the biggest Clubs in England have agreed partnerships with social trading companies in recent months, and for West Ham to attract such a large and globally-successful player in this sector is a sign of our growing global reach and ambition. It is clear that leading brands can see the exciting future that lies in store for West Ham United and are buying in to our potential."
Yoni Assia, CEO and Co-founder of eToro said:
"We are delighted to be partnering West Ham at this exciting time for both us and the Club. Our platform supports those making their first steps into investing but also gives more experienced traders and investors the opportunity to manage their funds and get copied by other traders. This deal reflects a number of positive growth areas for our business as well as the ambitions of the eToro brand in the UK and across the world. We really see this as a leap into the premier league for eToro."
Under the terms of the commercial partnership, eToro will be able to market their website and products to Hammers fans across West Ham's various digital and social media platforms, as well as taking part in joint promotional activities with the Club.
This is just the latest commercial partnership that West Ham have agreed with companies from different sectors in recent years, ranging from healthcare providers to bespoke tailors, all helping to raise the revenue coming in to the Club, and allowing increased investment in the playing squad.
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Chadwell Chatter
WHUFC.com
Hello everyone,
It is the close-season now, but we will be back at Chadwell Heath soon to prepare for the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds, which is very exciting for the Club.
I liked my first season with West Ham United and my best moment was the game with Manchester City, while my worst moment was the home match with Chelsea, when we lost one-zero.
The Manchester City goal was a very important goal for me and for the fans. They like a good ambience and it was a good game, a very big game and to win 2-1 was very important for the players and for the fans.
It was fantastic for me to have a moment like scoring that winning goal in my first season and I thank God for it and hopefully I will score more goals next season.
Against Chelsea, Thibaut Courtois was fantastic and stopped everything I could throw at him. It was very bad for me and after the game, I couldn't sleep. In my mind, it was very important to win that Chelsea game, but that's life and will try to beat them next season.
Every year I try to improve on what I did the season before. Before this season, I said to myself I would score 12 goals and I scored 12, so next season I want to score 20. If I play games, I will score.
The hardest defender I played against was the Southampton defender Jose Fonte, who was a very strong defender in a very good team. He and the other centre-back Toby Alderweireld are both very good defenders.
For me, the funniest moment of the season that has just finished, my first season in England, was getting to meet and know my friend Chiekhou Kouyate. He is a very nice guy and is smiling all the time.
It is my first season here and Cheik helped me to settle into life in England and I like that. It's a simpler life for me because Cheik is here. I talk to Cheik if I need to.
My injury has gone now and I started training before the end of the season and I will be ready for next season.
This summer I will see my daughter in France and my family in Senegal. I will be training every day, though, because I see next season as being very hard.
I only played 25-26 games last season because of my injuries and I want to play at least 34-35 next season. That would be very nice for me.
See you all soon,
Diafra
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Great Run Series comes to new Stadium
WHUFC.com
The Morrisons Great Run Series is giving West Ham fans and supporters the chance to have a sneak preview of their new home ahead of everyone else. 1895 spaces have been guaranteed for the first West Ham fans to sign up to the Morrisons Great Newham London Run, to celebrate the year the Club was founded.
Taking place in and around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 19 July 2015, the 10K event is a day not to be missed. The course will take in the sights of Lee Valley VeloPark, the London Aquatics Centre and the Copper Box Arena and all runners will get the chance to have their very own Olympic moment as they finish inside the Stadium and cross the famous finish line and running track, subject to transformation work being completed. Now you can follow in the footsteps of Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis-Hill.
Fancy doing the run as part of a team? Then sign-up to the Marathon Relay Challenge. Each person in the team of four will complete a 10.54K distance, passing a special sash at the end of each section to their team as they cross the former Olympic Stadium finish line. The team's combined distance will be equal to a marathon.
Don't miss out on these amazing opportunities to be part of a once-in-a-lifetime event. Register your place at www.greatrun.org/London and enter the promo code '1895'.
More information can be found at: www.greatrun.org/London. The 10k event costs £32 per person. The Marathon Relay event costs £100 in total (£25 per person).
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Cresswell wins another award!
WHUFC.com
Hammer of the Year Aaron Cresswell has added to his impressive haul of awards by being voted London24Sport Player of the Year for 2014/15.
The West Ham United left-back added to the three trophies he won at the Club's own Player Awards by scooping nearly a third (33.03 per cent) of the total votes cast by supporters of London's Barclays Premier League clubs.
The ever-present defender, who was also named Signing of the Season and Players' Player of the Year at the end of his first campaign in east London, beat Tottenham Hotspur's England centre forward Harry Kane (28.74 per cent) into second place, with Arsenal's Chile striker Alexis Sanchez (27.44 per cent) in third.
The top six was rounded out by Chelsea's Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard (5.05 per cent), Queens Park Rangers striker Charlie Austin (2.89 per cent) and Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie (2.83 per cent).
"This year has gone very well for me personally and for the team," Cresswell confirmed. "If someone had told me when I joined from Ipswich that I would have played every game and every minute, I would have snapped your hand off!
"I've settled in and we've got a great set of lads here, and from the first moment I walked in they have welcomed me with open arms."
Cresswell and his Hammers teammates are currently enjoying a short summer break before returning for pre-season training on 22 June ahead of the Club's maiden UEFA Europa League campaign.
The Hammers will discover on the same day who they will face in the first qualifying round, with the two legs set for Thursday 2 and 9 July.
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West Ham experience getting worse, the survey says
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 4th June 2015
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's rating as an away trip has fallen in the latest annual FSF poll.
The survey, which has been conducted on an annual basis for the last three years ranks the entertainment value for away fans at all 92 Premier and Football League grounds.
And despite climbing in the rankings from 17th to 15th, West Ham's rating as an away ground fell from a lowly 5.89 (out of 10) in 2013/14 to just 5.58 last season.
Travelling fans were asked to rate each club in their team's division on a number of factors, including transport links, turnstiles, stadium layout, food and drink, pitch view and security.
Topping the table this year with a score of 7.79 were Hull City - small consolation following their relegation to the Championship. Last season another relegated club, Cardiff City, topped the list.
The enforced long walks and subsequent hour-long queues that await any fan attempting to use Upton Park tube station after a match at the Boleyn Ground will no doubt have played a major role in lowering West Ham's score.
Despite having the option to stop at Upton Park on the mainline track, current operators C2C have not been asked to investigate that possibility by West Ham in many years - a solution that would dramatically ease the build-up of crowds that occurs after every match.
FSF Survey: Premier League Club Rankings
(last season's ranking in brackets)
1. (3) Hull City 7.79
2. (4) Southampton 7.23
3. (13) Stoke City 6.94
4. (8) Sunderland 6.93
5. (-) Leicester City 6.84
6. (5) Arsenal 6.84
7. (2) Swansea City 6.72
8. (10) Newcastle United 6.68
9. (9) WBA 6.63
10. (12) Manchester City 6.53
11. (11) Tottenham 6.11
12. (18) Everton 5.80
13. (-) Burnley 5.76
14. (15) Aston Villa 5.69
15. (17) West Ham United 5.58
16. (16) Chelsea 5.52
17. (14) Manchester United 5.40
18. (19) Liverpool 5.32
19. (20) Crystal Palace 4.94
20. (-) QPR 3.58
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Bielsa to sign two-year deal - with Marseille
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 4th June 2015
By: Staff Writer
Marcelo Bielsa is reported to have agreed a new two-year contract with current club Marseille, according to reports in France this morning.
Today's edition of La Provence claims that the two parties have finally settled their differences and agreed a new deal to extend the 59-year-old's stay at OM.
According to the paper Bielsa has finally agreed to put pen to paper on a lucrative new contract following discussions that lasted several days, ending any chances he had of moving to the Premier League with West Ham.
La Provence add that Bielsa is scheduled to attend this weekend's Champions League Final and will return to Argentina thereafter, hence all formalities are expected to be concluded sometime this week.
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Marcelo Bielsa set to snub West Ham interest as he closes in on new Marseille deal
16:24, 4 JUNE 2015
BY LIAM CORLESS
The Hammers were exploring Bielsa as a possible replacement for Sam Allardyce but will now seemingly have to look elsewhere
The Mirror
West Ham managerial target Marcelo Bielsa has agreed to sign a contract extension with Marseille, according to reports in France.
French publication La Provence claimed on Thursday that the 59-year-old is set to pen a new deal which will keep him in charge of the Ligue 1 club until 2017.
He is expected to sign the contract, which will see him receive a significant pay rise, within the next 48 hours.
West Ham were understood to have made Bielsa their No 1 target as they look to replace departed boss Sam Allardyce, who left the club on the final day of the Premier League season.
Richard HeathcoteGone: West Ham are on the lookout for a replacement for Sam Allardyce
Sevilla manager Unai Emery has also been touted as a potential replacement for Allardyce but, with Napoli also interested in his services, it is unclear as to whether he is keen on the role.
Former Hammers player Slaven Bilic remains the bookies' favourite to take charge at Upton Park.
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West Ham transfer target Andre-Pierre Gignac shelves move until he sees who their new manager is
22:30, 3 JUNE 2015
BY DARREN LEWIS
Free-agent striker also wanted by West Brom, Southampton, Stoke and Newcastle could follow his Marseille boss Marcelo Bielsa to the Hammers
The Mirror
Andre-Pierre Gignac will wait until West Ham appoint a new manager before deciding which Premier League club to move to this summer.
The 29-year-old French striker, who scored 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances for Marseille last season, is a free agent and has already received a huge contract offer from West Brom.
Southampton, Stoke and Newcastle are also contenders for the frontman, who has 77 goals in 186 games for the French club.
Gignac has been weighing up his options, with West Ham targeting back-to-back Europa League-winning coach Unai Emery but also his old Marseille boss Marcelo Bielsa to replace Sam Allardyce.
Emery now looks set to stay at Sevilla after also being linked with Italians Napoli.
Martin RoseEuropa League of his own: Emery has won the competition in back-to-back seasons
Should Bielsa take over at Upton Park, Gignac would be keen to move to London.
The striker has already held talks with both the Milan clubs and Napoli and has had a lucrative offer from Russian club Dynamo Moscow but is known to fancy a move to the Premier League.
He was the subject of an approach from West Ham in this year's winter window, but Marseille blocked the bid as they tried - in vain - to qualify for the Champions League.
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Cressie beats Kane and Sanchez
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Aaron Cresswell has been London24.com Sport Player of the Year for 2014/15. The Hammers left back beat Tottenham's Harry Kane into second spot with Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez in third place. It caps an amazing forst season for the player who slotted in at left back wonderfully for the Hammers and became an ever present, picking up the Hammer of the Year award. He took 33.07 per cent of the votes with Kane on 28.74 per cent with Sanchez even closer in third with 27.44. Chelsea fans may not be pleased to see Eden Hazard down in fourth, but he did beat Charlie Austin and Yannick Bolasie.
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Sakho: 'Next Season I want to score 20′
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 4, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Diafra Sakho has set his own personal target to score twenty goals next season. Speaking to the official website the top Hammers goal scorer said 'Before this season, I said to myself I would score 12 goals and I scored 12, so next season I want to score 20. If I play games, I will score.' The Ligue 2 Player of the Year for 2013-14 scored 20 goals in his final season for Metz helping them win promotion to Ligue 1. When Sakho signed for West Ham he set himself he originally set a goal target of 10. "From the moment I arrived I set myself targets," said Sakho. "Personally that was to get in the team, I knew that I was going to score goals." "The target is only 10 goals, I didn't know how things were going to pan out, but it is still only 10. I'm the sort of person that once I've a target in mind, I stick to it, even when I know that perhaps I'm going to achieve it, I still have to get there. The moment I get to 10, I'll set new targets, 15, 16,or 17 perhaps, but personally, for me, the target is 10."
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Irons make good on Sakho contract promise
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
West Ham have made good on their promise to Diafra Sakho that he would be rewarded for excellence. ClaretandHugh has learned this evening that although it was kept entirely quiet at the time, the Senegal striker was given a substantial rise on his original pay deal back in the winter. As the top goalscorer announced earlier today he that he would be ready for the start of the season we were told "Diafra is very very happy and working hard. "It was kept very quiet at the time but the club gave him a substantial pay award on his basic contract around Christmas after David Sullivan had promised him a reward for excellence earlier in the season." Sakho, like the rest of the squad, will have their contracts reviewed again in December.
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Youth coach: It was hard work under Sam
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Fair play to www.foreverwestham.com who have come up with some very well needed comments on the lack of youngsters who came through to first team level under Sam Allardyce. The site quotes Under-18 coach Mark Phillips as saying it was "hard work" to get the former manager (still sounds good) to notice exciting prospects. And it adds: 'Despite co-chairmen David Gol d and David Sullivan announcing in January they wanted to see Academy talent given a chance in the first team, only 18-year-old Reece Burke was given any real game time during the second half of the season. Given the somewhat insipid end to the season, there seemed to be growing frustration amongst fans and senior figures at the club towards Allardyce's refusal to blood players such Elliott Lee and Reece Oxford. Phillips said: "It's been hard work at times under Sam, getting the players in front of him. "But it just shows the ones he has played, such as Reece Burke, have stepped up to the mark, and we've got a few more in the wings. "I'd like to think we're always giving 100 per cent. But it is an interesting time to see who will come in and what they're philosophy on the game is, and see if it sits with ours."
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Fit again Sakho:"I'll be ready"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Diafra Sakho will be fit to ready to return to full training when the squad come back for pre-season next week. The striker has been out of action since April with a thigh problem but is very much on the mend. Our first Europa League qualifying game is just four weeks away and so the squad will soon be back at the training ground to prepare and 'Sak' will be with them. He told the official site: "My injury has gone now and I started training before the end of the season and I will be ready for next season. "This summer I will see my daughter in France and my family in Senegal. I will be training every day, though, because I see next season as being very hard. "I only played 25-26 games last season because of my injuries and I want to play at least 34-35 next season. That would be very nice for me."
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Irons go full steam ahead for Bilic
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
Slaven Bilic is ready to fly to England for interviews with West Ham United as soon as asked. And ClaretandHugh understands that could be within the next few days as the two Davids move quickly to make their first approach on the former central defender. We were told by a source very close to Bilic: "Slaven has been watching the situation closely from Croatia and wants to believe he's in the frame now. He sees Upton Park the as his second home. "The fact that top managers have apparently turned the club down is not an issue with him – he enjoys that the West Ham owners have been dreaming big."
We can confirm that the former Croatian manager is now at the top of the Hammers wanted list after moves to speak with Seville boss Unai Emery never got off the ground. The Seville boss was offered around 3.5 million euros to take over at Napoli but is set to reject that and all other offers having all but decided to stay where he is. "That has left Bilic as the prime target for the Hammers and club sources have revealed that moves are afoot to make their first approaches over the next few hours. It will be a major shock if the 46 year old doesn't hammer out a two year deal with the club he served as a player in 1996-97. Meanwhile ClaretandHugh has learned that Marseilles boss Marcelo Bielsa allegedly wanted between £75m – £100 million transfer budget when interviewed for the Hammers job. Bielsa was an early front runner for the Upton Park job but like Rafa Benitez was looking for a hefty transfer way in excess of what the club is able to offer its new manager.
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Hammers fear Emery snub
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in News Agenda, Whispers
C AND H
West Ham fear Unai Emery will become the fourth top manager to give them a swerve despite making him a huge offer. Having missed out on David Moyes, Rafa Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti, West Ham have made Emery a lucrative offer, complete with a big Champions League qualification bonus, to take over as manager. But The Telegraph reports talks have stalled and the Hammers fear he could opt to stay y Seville after taking them into the Champions Cup via the Europa Cup victory.. David Sullivan and David Gold to go back to their list of targets.with Slaven Bilic becoming a bigger and bigger favourite to snatch the vacant post. The co owners want to make an appointment by the end of next week, which means they must quickly identify who to go for if their worst fears over Emery are confirmed.
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Bilic landslide ahead
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 4, 2015 in McAvennie The Legend, Whispers
C AND H
Slaven Bilic is a massive favourite with the West Ham fans to take over as the club's manager according to a new poll launched a few hours ago. ClaretandHugh's 'Best of the Rest' Poll has been set up since Rafa Benitez, Jurgen Klopp, David Moyes and Carlo Ancelotti fell by the wayside after being the club's top choices for the job. The new poll includes Bilic, Eddie Howe, Garry Monk, Sean Dyche, Gus Poyet, Brendan Rodgers, Alan Pardew, Gareth Southgate, Harry Redknapp, Tony Pulis, Glenn Hoddle and Michael Laudrup. The 24 hour poll which closes at 9 am on Friday sees Bilic with just over 64 per cent of the vote ahead of Michael Ludrup with nine per cent and Eddie Howe with seven.
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Thursday, June 4
Daily WHUFC News - 4th June 2015
2014/15 Season Review - September
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's rollercoaster season was seen in microcosm in September, when the Hammers took part in a thrilling draw, pulled off a stunning win and suffered a frustrating defeat.
The transfer window closed with the Hammers having enjoyed a productive summer in the market, bringing in no fewer than eight new players – Aaron Cresswell, Diafra Sakho, Cheikhou Kouyate, Enner Valencia, Diego Poyet, loanees Alex Song and Carl Jenkinson and deadline day signing Morgan Amalfitano.
All eight would play their part over the coming months, but it was strike partners Valencia and Sakho who made their mark first, scoring in a 2-2 draw at Hull City. The Ecuador forward thumped in an unstoppable 25-yarder to announce his arrival in English football before Sakho scored a late equaliser.
Next up came Liverpool, with Winston Reid, Sakho and Amalfitano scoring in a 3-1 home win, before the Senegal striker netted for a fourth straight start in a narrow 2-1 defeat at Manchester United. Indeed, had Kevin Nolan's late strike not been controversially ruled out for offside, the Hammers could have celebrated a famous comeback at Old Trafford.
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Pike's looking to maintain progress
WHUFC.com
West Ham United youngster Alex Pike is thrilled to have put pen-to-paper on his first professional contract with the Club. The 18-year-old defender joins Djair Parfitt-Williams and Kyle Knoyle in signing deals that will run from 1 July and he is looking forward to continuing his progress. 2014/15 brought 20 appearances at U18 level and a further 13 for the U21s, so Pike is looking to make the most of the opportunity given to him by the Hammers. "I'm just really pleased to have signed the contract and am ready to go again next year now," he said. "Since I was young this is what I've strived to do so I'm pleased to have finally done it. "It's one step of many more that you need to get all the way to the first team, but it is one more done. "I've been here since an Under-11, so when you're here that long you have a sense of belonging to the Club. "I've grown through the Club with the coaches so it's been a good journey, and I was happy with how it went this season. I really pushed on."
From a results point of view, the 2014/15 season did not go to plan for the Hammers' Development Squad, but Pike believes the experience will stand them in good stead for this year. He added: "We've had quite a young team with the Under-21s this year, so it has been a bit of a struggle at times, especially against the older teams. "But we've had a bit of progression now and hopefully we can come back next year, push on and be one of the better sides."
Having seen Reece Burke make the step-up to the first team in recent weeks, the right back says his progress offers an example to follow.
He explained: "Looking at Reece Burke, it gives inspiration to us all because it shows that it's possible and that it's there for any of us who are willing to work hard for it. "I'd describe myself as a hard-working, attacking full back. I look up to a lot of players so it's hard to select one, but anyone who's played at the top level I look up to because they've done what's so hard [to do]."
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Ladies head for Hornchurch
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies have announced that they will be moving their home fixtures for the 2015/16 season to AFC Hornchurch's Bridge Avenue Stadium in Upminster.
The move, which is the first of many exciting announcements coming before the new FA Women's Premier League South campaign kicks-off in August, means that the Hammers are moving away from Aveley FC's Mill Field Stadium after one season with the Isthmian League Division One club.
Stephen Hunt, Joint-Chairman of West Ham United Ladies alongside his father John, said: "A month into our new role and we are delighted to make this announcement. Colin McBride at AFC Hornchurch has made us very welcome and we look forward to playing here and taking the club forward towards the Women's Super League."
AFC Hornchurch Chairman McBride added his excitement that the deal between the two clubs had been done, adding: "Over the past few seasons, the Essex FA have asked us to hold Ladies County Cup final games at our ground and I remember when West Ham played Colchester and Barking here.
"We enjoyed watching the girls play and when the opportunity came round to host a league game [against Queens Park Rangers] last season, we happily agreed to it. Now the deal has taken place, we are excited and want to embrace this opportunity and show our support to West Ham United through the Ladies team.
"We are looking forward to welcoming the Ladies down on a regular basis and will do everything in our power to make it a memorable day for everyone coming to games."
Ladies manager and West Ham legend Julian Dicks was also delighted that the first step towards enjoying a successful season has been put in place. He said: "I'm pleased that we've sealed the move to Hornchurch because it's a step forward in terms of facilities for players, staff and fans.
"We are working hard this summer to prepare for next season and it was important for us to find a nice, local ground that we can now call our new home."
West Ham Ladies have been working hard to get all their plans in place for a successful 2015/16 season, including arranging trial dates, preparing pre-match entertainment and increasing media coverage of the club.
Further announcements about the matchday experience will be announced via the Ladies official website and social media channels over the summer. One development will be the possibility of live music before the matches with a couple of local bands already interested in performing.
For more information, please visit the Ladies website here or follow them on Twitter @westhamladies.
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From the Newsroom
WHUFC.com
Jason Burt is the Sunday Telegraph's football correspondent and a columnist for The Daily Telegraph
As the Club continue their search for a new manager to replace Sam Allardyce, who left the Boleyn Ground last month, whufc.com caught up with the Sunday Telegraph's Football Correspondent Jason Burt to get his thoughts on the leading candidates who are being tipped to take over the managerial hot-seat at Upton Park. With the process still ongoing, Burt gives his run-down on what the possible front-runners could bring to the job in east London.
Unai Emery – He is an intense and very organised coach. He has a good record of improving players and is obsessed with video planning. He is very similar to Andre Villas-Boas in that they both have very detailed analysis of the opposition and has a strict organisation.
A good example of his thorough organisation can be seen last season when Sevilla played Fiorentina in the Europa League and he put all his analysis on how they could stop Joaquin and it worked a treat. He even does his own editing and analysis himself.
The players will have a blood test every morning to check on their hydration and oxygen levels. He insists that the players all eat together as a group before they leave the training ground. The players are very loyal to him.
He has shown his ability by helping Sevilla win the Europa League two-years in a row and that is not an easy thing to do.
The only drawback could be the language barrier and his lack of English but if he works as hard as he does with the players, he will learn it very quickly.
West Ham are not going to get Pep Guardiola but they need someone who can make a difference. For me Emery is an interesting choice and is highly rated. He will be able to get the balance right of playing in the Europa League and then back to the Premier League.
Marcelo Bielsa – He is the godfather of modern football and plays amazing attacking football. He has never worked in England but is so highly rated. It would certainly be a rollercoaster ride if he came to England.
I can remember when his Athletic Bilbao side destroyed Manchester United back in 2012 and he demands such high fitness levels from his players.
It shows the ambition that West Ham have got that they want to go for someone who has such an attacking philosophy. It is a key element for the Club and they need to get back into that.
I would sum him up by saying he is so un-predictable as a coach and could even go in and win the league for West Ham.
Bielsa has never worked in England but is so highly rated. It would certainly be a rollercoaster ride if he came to England
Jason Burt
image: https://az719727.vo.msecnd.net/cmsstorage/whu/media/whu/news/2015/june/slavenbilic726.jpg?width=503&height=726&ext=.jpg
image: https://az719727.vo.msecnd.net/cmsstorage/whu/media/whu/news/2015/june/slavenbilic726.jpg?width=503&height=726&ext=.jpg
Slaven Bilic – He is an interesting character. He had a difficult time in Russia and it would be hard for any coach to go into Turkey and try and get the better of Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.
He did very well against the Premier League teams last season knocking Liverpool out of the Europa League and doing very well against Arsenal in the Champions League qualifiers last summer.
He has a lot of charisma and did very well with Croatia. The drawback would be his lack of silverware and can he be a top coach but he would certainly be popular with the fans and knows the club well from his playing days.
Michael Laudrup – He wants to come back to England and it is an advantage for him that he has managed in the Premier League before.
West Ham will want to move up the table as quickly as possible and establish themselves in the top ten especially as they have the demands of playing in the Europa League and if he gets the right tools I'm sure he could do that.
He has certainly got the profile and is a big figure in European football. He won a trophy with Swansea and would be willing to work under the structure that West Ham have. It remains to be seen if he can the Club to the next level.
When it comes to English coaches if this had been two-years ago they could have taken a chance with Eddie Howe. I think Garry Monk falls into a similar category. Swansea had an amazing season last year but the question will be if he can sustain that.
He knows the environment well at Swansea but can he do that at another club?
I think this is a fantastic opportunity for any new manager coming into the club and I genuinely believe that West Ham can break into the top six. The Olympic Stadium will be a game changer for them and they will be knocking hard on the door behind Liverpool and Tottenham.
You cannot under-estimate the attraction of playing in London and you can draw in a lot of people.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of West Ham United
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Poyet's Uruguay slip to last minute defeat
WHUFC.com
Uruguay U20's conceded an injury-time goal as Diego Poyet's side lost 2-1 to their Mexican counterparts.
Mexico midfielder Kevin Gonzalez, who plies his trade for top flight outfit Queretaro, scored in the 93rd minute to seal a vital win for his country.
In a tense game, West Ham United's Diego Poyet came on in the 70th minute, replacing compatriot Alan Mendez.
Within seconds of taking to the field, Poyet's men found themselves a goal behind as Hirving Lozano's shot broke the deadlock.
Los Charruas looked to have rescued a point and maintain their unbeaten start to their campaign when Mathias Suarez equalised with seven minutes to go.
However, the South American's were put under pressure when defender Erick Cabaco received a second yellow card. The pressure soon took its toll as Gonzalez found the winner with seconds remaining.
The win for Mexico leaves Group D evenly poised as Serbia, Mali, Uruguay and Mexico are all on three points from the opening two games.
The third round of fixtures will be played on Saturday 6 June with Serbia playing Mexico and Mali facing Uruguay.
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The Big Interview
WHUFC.com
Long-serving physiotherapist Rob Jenkins returned to the Club's Chadwell Heath training ground this week to take part in a documentary covering the legendary Bobby Moore. The documentary will be screened in 2016 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of England winning the World Cup.
Having worked at the Club from 1966 to 1990, Jenkins had plenty of stories of Moore and other players that he worked with through the years. On his return to Chadwell, he spoke to www.whufc.com.
Rob, welcome back to Chadwell Heath, what is it like to come back?
RJ: "It's wonderful, absolutely amazing. When I came through the gates I sort of felt disorientated because it felt so familiar yet a lot of it has changed. My medical room is where the Manager's office is now. There's a lot more buildings here now, it just shows how football has come on with the all the developments in sports science, the analysts and media side of things. I recognise a few things but it has certainly changed a lot since the early 60s, that's for sure. When my dad first started working here, it was a cricket pavilion with a pitch and that was about it really."
Your Dad worked here before you, then he brought you into the club, there's a few instances throughout the club's history of family members working here?
RJ: "Yes, I think that's one of the reasons that makes this club special. Other clubs may also have families working there too but I think it's important that the club has a connection to the people from the community. West Ham has always had that. My Dad loved working for the club, as did I. It was fantastic working for the club you support. I was here for 25 years, when I started the Manager's office was full of smoke but that's all changed now. 25 years is a long time, certainly long enough! But I loved it here, it was an exciting time to be involved, especially as a West Ham fan."
You were at Upton Park recently to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Club winning the 1965 European Cup Winners Cup, it must have been nice to see some old faces?
RJ: "Oh yes, it was fantastic. It was great to be pitch side and for that achievement to be recognised. I thought the current fans gave us a great reception even though it was a long time ago. It doesn't feel like it was 50 years ago, that's for sure! As you get older the times flies, I'm 77 now. It was really nice to see some of the players. Eddie Bovington is still a good friend of mine, Ken Brown, Martin Peters, Alan Sealey's wife and his son were there so it was a wonderful occasion."
How often do you get the opportunity to come to watch the Hammers these days?
RJ: "I come about three or four times a year. I always love coming to watch the games, it's a feeling that's never left me."
We're just about to enter the final season at the Boleyn Ground, the stadium must hold many great memories?
RJ: "Yes definitely, my clinic used to be just outside the ground as well. The whole thing is going to come down. It's sad but I will go to the new Stadium in Stratford, we've got a good team so hopefully the atmosphere will be just as good and we can create some new memories to celebrate."
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Real quash Moyes link as another target falls
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 3rd June 2015
By: Staff Writer
Real Sociedad have confirmed West Ham managerial target David Moyes will remain at the club next season. Sociedad President Jokin Aperribay told a press conference this lunchtime (Wednesday) that Moyes, who was one of West Ham's top targets to replace the recently-departed Sam Allardyce, would be remaining at the Anoeta Stadium for the foreseeable future. "David Moyes has never spoken to us about this," he said. "If anything, we have heard these rumours from the media. He has never suggested the possibility to go back to England.
"We made an important decision last season in bringing in Moyes as coach of the first team. We don't see the need to make any drastic changes. "We don't think that the club needs to make any more changes within the technical department because in general, the results we have seen during the past six years have been positive."
West Ham have now seen their attempts to land a string of managers fall by the wayside, since parting company with Allardyce. In addition to Moyes, Frank De Boer, Jurgen Klopp, Rafa Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti have all rejected the opportunity to join West Ham.
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New deals for Hammers duo
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 3rd June 2015
By: Staff Writer
Alex Pike and Kyle Knoyle have followed Academy team mate Djair Parfitt-Williams by signing their first professional contracts with the club. 18-year-old Pike and England Under 18 Knoyle, both defenders by trade, put pen to paper this week - and in doing so, joined the likes of fellow Academy star Reece Burke who signed his first pro deal last October. Pike, who has been with West Ham since the age of 10, told whufc.com: "I'm really pleased to have signed the contract and am ready to go again next year now. Since I was young this is what I've strived to do, so I'm pleased to have finally done it. "I'd describe myself as a hard-working, attacking full back. I look up to a lot of players so it's hard to select one, but anyone who's played at the top level I look up to because they've done what's so hard [to do]."
And Knoyle added: "I'm delighted, it's something I've always dreamt of. It's an honour to get a contract at a Premier League club, I'm just looking to push on and make the next step to the first team. "I've been at the club for a while. Getting a professional contract was always the aim, ever since I arrived here. It's been a great five years so far and hopefully [I have] a good future too."
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Emery to stay in Spain with Seville, say reports
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 3rd June 2015
By: Staff Writer
Reports emanating from Spain this lunchtime are suggesting that Seville coach Unai Emery has opted to stay with his current club next season.
According to Radio Seville this afternoon (Wednesday), the 43-year-old head coach has rejected offers from Napoli and West Ham in order to remain with Los Rojiblancos, whom he has led to back-to-back Europa League titles.
RS insist that Emery remains unconvinced by the Napoli and West Ham offers - despite the major financial incentives - and will instead return to Seville in order to see out the final year of his contract.
Emery was in London yesterday for talks with Hammers chiefs and was expected to leave the capital later today, following discussions with co-owner David Sullivan.
Should the reports prove correct, that would leave Marcelo Bielsa and Slaven Bilic as the two remaining front-runners for the job vacated by Sam Allardyce last month.
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West Ham in talks with Unai Emery
Last Updated: 03/06/15 1:14pm
SSN
West Ham are to hold talks with Sevilla manager Unai Emery in the next 48 hours over their vacant manager's position, according to Sky sources. Emery has won plaudits and trophies in equal measure in recent seasons, his stock further enhanced after his side retained the Europa League with victory over Dnipro last week. The 43-year-old is also understood to be on Napoli's radar after the Serie A club lost Rafa Benitez to Real Madrid.
Last week, Hammers co-owner David Sullivan promised supporters there would be imminent signings and a 'big-name' manager. He said: "I am dedicating every waking minute to recruiting the best available manager to drive our club forwards. "It is a constantly changing landscape but we are being absolutely thorough in our search, by speaking to representatives of a number of managers and doing our own due diligence on each one. "Given that, I am not expecting us to make an appointment for at least a week as we must do everything we can to get this appointment right."
Ajax boss Frank de Boer, former Hammers stalwart Slaven Bilic and Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa are others to have been linked with the vacancy created by Sam Allardyce's departure after four years at the Boleyn Ground.
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THE RICHES THAT AWAIT US IN THE EUROPA LEAGUE
By Sean Whetstone 3 Jun 2015 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
The amount available prize money in the UEFA Europa League is forecasted to be €381m in the 2015-2016 season up from €233m in the 2014-15 season. This represents increase of around 65%.
Last week Hammers Co-Chairman David Gold said "There is no money to be made from the Europa Cup unless you reach the 1/4 finals. PS. making money is not a sin. dg"
Well I beg to differ Mr Chairman, there has never been time to play in the Europa League from a financial point of view.
This amount will be distributed to participating clubs on a 60:40 basis between fixed amounts and market pool. Each of the 48 clubs that reach the group stage will receive a group stage basic fee of €2.4m (£1.72m).
On top of this, there will be performance bonuses: €360,000 every win and €120,000 every draw in the group stage. The winners of the groups will receive a qualification bonus of €500,000 the runners-up of €250,000.
The teams playing in the round of 32 will receive €500,000 each, the teams playing in the round of 16 will receive €750,000 each, the quarter-finalists €1m each and the semi-finalists €1.5m each. The UEFA Europa League winners will receive €6.5m and the runners-up €3.5m, inclusive of their ticketing revenue share.
There is a further €152.4m (£109.7m) in variable amounts called a (market pool) which is distributed according to the proportional value of each domestic television market represented by the teams taking part in the UEFA Europa League from the group stage onwards.
UEFA Europa League Prize Fund
Group Stage fee €2.4m (£1.72m)
Group Stage performance €360k (£259k) win / €120k (£86.4k) draw
Knock Out Qualification bonus €500k (£360k) winners/€250k (£180k) runners-up
Round of 32 €500k (£360k)
Round of 16 €750k (£540k)
Quarter-Finals €1m (£720k)
Semi-Finals €1.5m (£1.08m)
Final €6.5m (£4.68m) winners / €3.5m (£2.52m) runners-up
In the UEFA Europa League payments will be paid in the qualifying and play off rounds. These amount to: €200,000 (£144,000) in the first qualifying round, €210,000 (£151,200) in the second qualifying round, €220,00 (£158,400) in the third qualifying round and €230,000 (£165,600) in the play-offs (this latter, if not qualified to the UEFA Europa League group stage).
Add to this West Ham will take 100% of the gate money at all Home games in the Europa league while only having to give 5% in away allocation to visiting fans. Assuming West Ham manage to sellout all Europa home games at £20 per ticket that would add £700,000 per game in Ticket revenue. If by miracle we made it to the Europa league semi finals that would be an extra £7.7m in ticket sales at the Boleyn ground on it's own.
The biggest financial prize is winning the Europa League, in addition to 6.5 million Euros prize you also get a Champions League place. If you went on and managed to win the Champions League as well you can bag another £74m! Well we can all dream can't we!
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Ravel return rubbished
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Speculation that Ravel Morrison may be on his way to West Ham has been rubbished by the club. The story started circulating on the internet last night and immediately started gaining credibility on Twitter and elsewhere. Sam Allardyce's departure appears to have sparked the 'story' with the suggestion being that the Irons were exploring ways of perhaps getting him out of his Lazio contract now the 60 year old has gone. But ClaretandHugh was told today: "It's a watertight deal withLazio and there's no going back. Why would we? The decision was made and that's that. "It's a fun story because we all now Ravel had his problems with Sam but he's a Lazio player and as far as we are concerned will remain so."
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Sevilla chief: "Emery is meeting other clubs"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Sevilla president Jose Castro (right) has confirmed boss Unai Emery is considering his future amid keen interest from the Irons and Napoli. It's the first time there has been a formal announcement and Castro's words will acalm the nerves of Hammers supporters who believe the managerial position is becoming a serious problem. ClaretandHugh was told earlier today that the Irons board members have cleared their diaries to attend 'manager interviews' through until Monday with one source declaring: "This has to be brought to a head by next Friday."
Castro admitted on Sevilla TV: "I spoke to Emery on Sunday and he informed us of meetings with other clubs to evaluate all the options
He admitted there was an offer from Napoli. The manager is now in London where the Hammers will offer a highly lucrative deal and with the OS being dangled in front of him are hoping they have an edge. Castro is refusing to give up hope of keeping him saying: "I hope and believe Unai will stay with us, but he will do what he sees fit," he said. "I repeat, I hope he will stay with us and have faith that he will."
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Report: Emery on his way to Sullivan's mansion
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
West Ham are to hold talks with Sevilla manager Unai Emery in the next 48 hours over their vacant manager's position, according to Sky sources. Sky reported the story almost at the same time as ClaretandHugh had revealed the board had cleared their diaries to interview several candidates between now and Monday and that Emery was among those likely to arrive at David Sullivan's Essex mansion. Were the Hammers to get their man it would be a major coup followng his talks in Napoli simed at making him Rafa Benitez's successor following his appointment as Real Madrid boss. Emery has won plaudits and trophies in equal measure in recent seasons, his stock further enhanced after his side retained the Europa League with victory over Dnipro last week.
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Top Irons starlet pens pro deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Highly rated Academy prospect Djair Parfitt-Williams has signed a professional contract. The forward has put pen to paper on a two-year deal, keeping him at West Ham until June 2017. Speaking on the official site after committing his immediate future to the Hammers, Parfitt-Williams, who was the U18's top goal scorer this season with nine strikes, said: "Ever since I was young I've always wanted to be a professional footballer, so it feels really good. "It's nice to see my hard work recognised. I do a lot of extra training and I'm always watching football. For my hard work to come out on the pitch is excellent. "I've known the contract was coming for a while, so it's nice to finally sign it. It felt kind of weird." Parfitt-Williams' impressive performances culminated in his nomination for the prestigious Dylan Tombides Award at this year's Player Awards.
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Manager interviews sees Irons board clear diaries
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
West Ham's board has cancelled all appointments and cleared their diaries of of everything other than manager interviews through to next Monday! None of the three will be attending the important Premier League meeting over the next three days as they bid to bring the managerial chase to an end. The top three candidates – Rafa Benitez, David Moyes and Carlo Ancelotti – have now been firmly ruled out but a number of meetings are set up from now and into next week as the hunt goes on. And a top insider made it clear: "There is absolutely no anxiety or panic among anybody that we won't get a quality boss. "The board members have put themselves on 24 hour standby as they are dealing through agents, obviously, and things can happen at any moment."
Seville boss Unai Emery is among those who are expected to be involved in talks over the next few days but as reported on this site over recent days such as Frank de Boer and Michael Laudrup are all but out of the running.
ClaretandHugh has discovered that even ahead of the Real Madrid intervention, Benitez was looking for a larger budget than the Hammers had available and both Moyes and Ancelotti were looking for in excess of £50 million. And suggestions that as the 'big names' fell, Slaven Bilic would become the obvious choice, have also been knocked back with the news that several names are now waiting for their appointments in front of the board at David Sullivan's Essex mansion.
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West Ham Ladies move to Upminster
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
2West Ham United Ladies Football Club announced today that they will be moving their home fixtures for the 2015/16 season to AFC Hornchurch's Bridge Avenue Stadium in Upminster.
The ladies are moving away from Aveley FC's Mill Field Stadium after one season with the Isthmian League Division One club.
Stephen Hunt, Joint Chairman of West Ham United Ladies FC said: "A month into our new role and we are delighted to make this announcement. Colin McBride at AFC Hornchurch has made us very welcome and we look forward to playing here and taking the club forward entertainment and squad improvements, will draw a crowd towards the Women's Super League."
Ladies first team manager and former Hammer Julian Dicks said: "I'm pleased that we've sealed the move to Hornchurch because it's a step forward in terms of facilities for players, staff and fans. We are working hard this summer to prepare for next season and it was important for us to find a nice, local ground that we can now call our new home."
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Odds crash on Emery
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Bookmakers have been quick to shorten the odds on Unai Emery becoming the fifteen manager of West Ham. Two book makers are now offering odds as short as Evens as speculation spreads that Emery will fly into London today. Not all bookmakers see it the same way and it still possible to get 3/1 on Emery with book maker Coral. However, the Daily Star today claims Slaven Bilic is set for the West Ham job after all other targets have snubbed the club. Bilic remains the favourite but you can now get odds of Evens or better with Betfair offering the best price of 6/4 on the former Hammer becoming the next West Ham manager.
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West Ham United, a season in review: August
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 1st June 2015
By: Graeme Howlett
Throughout the football season, KUMB Editor Graeme Howlett pens a weekly column for Echo Newspapers. Join us as we take a look back at the highs and lows of the 2014/15 season, beginning with his August musings...
Column #1: 17 August 2014
The Premier League returned with a bang on Saturday and for West Ham, everything was going swimmingly for 92 minutes or so.
That was until Eric Dier's injury time winner for visitors Tottenham provided a thoroughly disappointing conclusion to an enthralling London derby, one in which both teams had fought hard for all three points. I would say this I guess, but neither side really deserved to lose.
Mark Noble, peerless from 12 yards hadn't missed a penalty for five years but chose this of all games to drag a spot kick wide. Tottenham, reduced to ten men having lost Kyle Naughton for the hand ball that led to Noble's penalty were only numerically disadvantaged for half-an-hour as James Collins' second yellow card for a clumsy challenge saw him take an early bath too.
West Ham had late chances to win it, yet neither Mark Noble nor a lively Stewart Downing could outwit Hugo Lloris when facing him one-one-one. Sam Allardyce's charges ultimately paid for their profligacy when Dier rounded goalkeeper Adrian deep into injury time to win the game for Spurs, whose fans celebrated as if they'd won the Cup Final; not unreasonably perhaps, given that they'd conceded bragging rights in all three meetings last season.
The home fans' response to Tottenham's winning goal - a magnificent, defiant chorus of 'Bubbles' that broke out simultaneously at both ends of the Boleyn Ground - alluded to endorsement of the team's overall performance. Social media told a different story later, but Allardyce's critics remain numerous and defeat in a London derby is unlikely to quell their dissatisfaction.
Although disappointment and frustration pervaded post-match discussion there were a number of positive signs for West Ham supporters to take heart from. The first competitive glimpse of a less-cautious tactical approach was evident and strong showings from debutants Cheikhou Kouyate, Aaron Cresswell and Enner Valencia bode well for the future.
With Mauro Zarate, Diego Poyet (both unused subs on Saturday) and striker Diafra Sakho having been added to the squad Allardyce now has an abundance of new options to choose from. Another, the injured Carl Jenkinson, will expand the pack further and West Ham should be pleased with their transfer business so far this summer.
However it's getting results that ultimately matters and Allardyce knows his team will have to improve - in the attacking third, at least - at managerless Crystal Palace next weekend.
Column #2: 24 August 2014
Despite falling to defeat against Tottenham at the Boleyn last weekend there were signs that Sam Allardyce's latest West Ham squad might just be able to achieve the change of style and philosophy his employers so publicly insisted upon during pre-season.
A greater willingness to get the ball on the deck and play through midfield - rather than mostly cutting out the middle man - was clearly evident as the Hammers racked up a total of 18 shots on goal (including Mark Noble's missed penalty) without managing to score.
As a result, hopes were high for Saturday's trip to Crystal Palace - a club currently rudderless following the recent departure of Tony Pullis. But few - if any - Hammers fans would have been expecting to behold the Eagles being put to the sword in such a comprehensive manner.
West Ham, inspired by the movement and guile of debutant Mauro Zarate in the position vacated by the injured Kevin Nolan were rampant and the 3-1 win that gave them their first Premier League points of the season was fully merited. The Argentine's goal - a 20-yard volley executed with stunning precision - was a thing of beauty and gave United a deserved lead.
Even better from a team perspective was West Ham's second, that arrived minutes later. A wonderful team move culminated with Stewart Downing cutting inside from the right flank before unleashing a powerful, inch-perfect drive that left Palace's Julián Speroni clutching at air.
James Tomkins should have increased West Ham's lead after the restart but his header crashed off the underside of the crossbar. Former Hammer Marouane Chamakh scored with a rasping strike to reduce the deficit to one but Carlton Cole sealed the win on the hour mark with a close range effort.
Speaking to the press after the game, Big Sam denied - possibly disingenuously - having made any major alterations to his tactical approach. Regardless, the first two games of the season have produced a West Ham team looking more creative and forward-thinking than has been the case for some considerable time.
And whether it be the result of tactical fine-tuning, the introduction of Teddy Sheringham as (part time) attacking coach or simply that West Ham have better players - such as the outstanding Cheikou Kouyate - in their squad this season, few fans are complaining at the team's encouraging start.
Column #3: 31 August 2014
What a difference a week makes in football.
This time last week, Sam Allardyce and his players were basking in praise following a magnificent performance at Crystal Palace.
Yet within the space of only seven days, defeats to Sheffield United in the Capital One Cup and an insipid display against Southampton on Saturday - both at home - have Big Sam's detractors sharpening their knives once again.
It's little secret that Allardyce's relationship with a subset of the club's fanbase is irreparable - and has been since the big man cupped his ear in the direction of the stands after booing marred the 2-1 win against Hull last season.
However it was fairly contemptible that a few hundred fans decided to respond to yesterday's poor showing - the first of the new season - with an unrepeatable chorus suggesting the Board should replace the manager with immediate effect.
And it was all going so well, too...
Despite the final score, West Ham had a reasonably productive first half. Mark Noble's deflected effort gave United a deserved lead but Morgan Schneiderlin's equaliser on the stroke of half time proved to be the game's turning point. The second half was a different story entirely, with Saints enjoying near total control.
Schneiderlin's and Southampton's second, from a corner - incorrectly awarded by the consistently wayward Mike Dean - was the result of schoolboy defending from the Hammers who were more concerned with arguing the decision than defending the set-play.
The third, courtesy of man mountain Graziano Pelle, was inevitable and merely served to rub salt into West Ham's wounds.
Allardyce, speaking after the game cited a lack of leadership on the field as a major factor in defeat. It's difficult not to sympathise with that view, as it's unlikely West Ham would have been so badly organised for the first two goals - both from set-pieces - had the injured Kevin Nolan been present.
Still, it wasn't all bad. The club's eighth summer signing, Alex Song, was introduced to the Boleyn Ground ahead of the match and a season-long loan from Barcelona. Even though he failed to secure a first team spot at Nou Camp following his £15m move from Arsenal in 2012, much is expected of the Cameroon international.
And even though Monday night's transfer deadline is rapidly approaching, don't rule out West Ham doing further business - either in, out, or both!
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West Ham United, a season in review: September
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 3rd June 2015
By: Graeme Howlett
Throughout the football season, KUMB Editor Graeme Howlett pens a weekly column for Echo Newspapers. Join us as we take a look back at the highs and lows of the 2014/15 season, with our eyes today on September 2014...
Column #4: 14 September 2014
There are likely be a host of new faces on show at the KC Stadium tonight when West Ham tackle Hull City in their second away fixture of the new Premier League season.
Whilst Steve Bruce's Tigers - who spent close to £40million in the summer - will be looking to give home debuts to the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa, Gaston Ramirez and Michael Dawson, West Ham could give first starts to Alex Song (on loan from Barcelona) and Morgan Amalfitano (£800,000 from Marseille) - both of whom signed in the final few days of the transfer window.
However the new signing likely to command most attention from pundits and fans alike will be Hull's Mo Diame, a £3.5million transfer deadline day mover - from West Ham United.
No sooner had Diame arrived on Humberside than the sideswipes at former manager Sam Allardyce began. "I was played out of position," moaned the central midfielder, whose four most significant goals for West Ham - against Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea and Sampdoria - came from a wide position.
Allardyce hit back at the Senegal international during his pre-match press conference, accusing Diame of failing to recreate the form he exhibited during his first season at the club. It's a view that many fans, frustrated by Diame's penchant for making mazy runs that came to nothing, will sympathise with.
Meanwhile, the recent international break has afforded Big Sam additional time in which to rehabilitate some previously unavailable or less-than-fully-fit players.
Although it's still too early for the likes of Carl Jenkinson and Matt Jarvis, others such as James Tomkins, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia should all be available for selection - as is James Collins, back from suspension following his red card against Tottenham on the opening day of the season.
A win for West Ham at Hull would catapult the Hammers back into the upper half of the table, whilst defeat would leave them just a point above the bottom three - not exactly ideal preparation for the visit of Liverpool next week and trip to Manchester United seven days later.
Finally, whilst Allardyce has refused to either confirm or deny reports, record signing Andy Carroll (remember him!?) could be back in action as soon as next month - a major fillip for the manager, his squad and the team's Premier League prospects.
Column #5: 21 September 2014
A West Ham win against Liverpool is a rare and precious thing. Since the turn of the century, United have recorded just three victories from 24 meeting with their Merseyside rivals - which is what made Saturday's 3-1 success that little bit sweeter.
Sam Allardyce's new look West Ham found themselves two ahead before Liverpool had even mounted a notable attack, such was the Irons' dominance in the opening stages of the game. With Brendan Rodgers' team perhaps feeling the effects of having played in the Champions League just 72 hours earlier, Big Sam instructed his players to hold a high line and attack from the front.
It was a policy that paid off handsomely.
Winston Reid's first goal in a year - scored with precisely 69 seconds on the clock - got the Hammers off to a flyer. Diafra Sakho's seventh-minute lob over Simon Mignolet - his third goal since becoming a Hammer last month - was stunning in both execution and accuracy, and gave West Ham what ultimately proved to be an unassailable lead.
Although Raheem Sterling gave Liverpool hope when halving the deficit midway through the opening period it was another new signing, Morgan Amalfitano, who wrapped up all three points for the happy Hammers with a deft touch just two minutes from the end of normal time.
Key to the win was Allardyce's decision to play Stewart Downing in a more central role, a position in which he has excelled in recent weeks. It was the former England man's free kick which led to the opening goal and his slide-rule pass that put Amalfitano in for the third.
However his most important contribution was to nullify the threat of Steven Gerrard.
Sitting in front of the back four, as is his want in recent months, Liverpool's talisman and main creative force was effectively removed from the game by Downing, who harried and chased him down whenever in possession.
That ploy rendered Liverpool, sans the Sturridge and Suarez combination which terrorised Premier League defences last season, effectively impotent and led to a much-needed, first home win of the season - one which lifted West Ham into eighth spot.
A trip to Old Trafford beckons next weekend when the Hammers will face a less-than-fully-functional Manchester United. West Ham's record against the Mancunians is similar to that versus Liverpool; what odds Big Sam's boys upsetting the applecart once again?
Column #6: 28 September 2014
West Ham's unbeaten away record came to a somewhat controversial end at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon when Kevin Nolan was left furious after what would have been an 89th minute equaliser was ruled out for offside.
TV replays indicated that the Hammers captain was no more than a gnat's wing ahead of the last defender and 24 hours on, fans were still arguing whether it was or wasn't onside - which suggests that the assistant referee, who made the call, either possesses super-human eyesight or simply decided to rule in favour of the more high-profile club when it came to the crunch.
Of course, that's no surprise - there are a litany of examples where Hammers fans have been left feeling hard done by as the result of a referee's ruling whilst playing your Man Us and Liverpools over the years. However that West Ham are even in a position to cite a bad call as reason for defeat, at a venue they rarely fare well at, is testament to the rapid progress they have been making in recent weeks.
Let's not forget that the Hammers team that penned Man U into their own half for much of the second half of Saturday's 2-1 defeat was missing its entire engine room, namely Cheikhou Kouyate and Mark Noble (both injured). Diego Poyet, 19, played with a maturity beyond his years as replacement but Kouyate has been immense and was missed.
Although things started badly when Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie scored inside the opening 25 minutes, Diafra Sakho's fourth goal in as many starts for West Ham gave Sam Allardyce's team renewed hope. But for the linesman, they would have been enjoying a well-earned point instead of the traditional defeat on Sir Matt Busby Way.
Still, most of the 2,000-odd Hammers fans who made the long and arduous journey back down the M6 on Saturday night were content with their team's performance. Rare indeed are the occasions when West Ham dominate Man Utd; rarer still, at Old Trafford.
Having taken a respectable haul of three points from six in the two games against Liverpool and the Red Devils, it's newly-promoted Queens Park Rangers who provide West Ham's next test this weekend at the Boleyn. It's one from which the fans will be expecting all three points - and perhaps rightly so, given the team's encouraging start to the campaign.
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Liverpool legend: Why Bilic will get more leeway than Sam Allardyce
HITC
Lewis Doe
Liverpool legend Ray Houghton has suggested how Slaven Bilic's West Ham past will work in his favour. Liverpool legend Ray Houghton told talkSPORT why he feels Slaven Bilic will be treated differently by West Ham fans if he's confirmed as the manager of the East London club. Bilic is one of the candidates to replace old manager Sam Allardyce and Houghton has suggested it would be a popular move with West Ham's supporters. "It looks like it's going to be Slaven Bilic at the moment – As a former player coming in at West Ham he'll get a bit more leeway from the fans and they'll like what he did in Croatia and over in Turkey as well so he'll be a good addition to the club," said Houghton. Although Bilic would be a popular option, he's going to be under real pressure next season ahead of the club's move to the Olympic Stadium. The pressure which was placed on Sam Allardyce over the second half of last season showed him quickly opinions can change of a manager.
West Ham looked as though they would be competing for the top eight based on performances over the first half of the season, but frustrations mounted as the displays got more and more negative. Bilic does have a different style to Allardyce and he needs to try and whip up some excitement to get even more fans on his side if he is confirmed in the position. It will be interesting to see how he's perceived if West Ham don't register a win for a month and hopefully Houghton's prediction that fans will lay off of the criticism initially will ring true.
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Why Unai Emery is a gamble West Ham must be willing to take
Julian Shea for Metro.co.uk
Wednesday 3 Jun 2015 3:04 pm
If first impressions count, then West Ham fans must hope Unai Emery is a man with a liking for lavish décor.
Reports that the coach who has just guided Sevilla to a second consecutive Europa League triumph is on his way to talk to the Irons – and that those discussions will take place in the understated grandeur of co-owner David Sullivan's Essex mansion – would suggest the search for Sam Allardyce's replacement is progressing at some pace.
Since taking over in January 2010, Sullivan and co-owner David Gold have a patchy record on managerial appointments. Replacing the likeable but ineffective Gianfranco Zola with the disastrous Avram Grant made an already bad situation worse, before the appointment of Allardyce – big on grit but low on finesse – dug the club out of a hole and restored stability, but at the cost of fan satisfaction.
So far, so meh. The prospect of removal vans outside the Boleyn in 12 months' time, packing things up for the move to the Olympic Stadium, means that the next appointment is the most crucial in the club's history. Get it right, and the team could fly into their new home sky-high on confidence and momentum; get it wrong, and the club's new era could get off to the most embarrassing of starts. So that is why the fact that a manager like Emery is even on their radar is a sign that they are raising the sights of everyone at the club.
The 43-year-old may not speak much English, but his track record does plenty of talking, and his age and the consistency of his performance suggests that the best may be yet to come. Like Bournemouth's Eddie Howe, an injury-curtailed playing career saw him move into management early, and he excelled on limited resources. Then, stepping up to Valencia, he got them back into the Champions League and steadied an uneven ship, before a short-lived and ill-fated sojourn in Russian football.
Back home in Spain at Sevilla, two consecutive fifth place La Liga finishes, each accompanied by the Europa League title added to his reputation. Clearly, this is someone destined for a bigger stage. But whose?
The fact the Irons appear have seen off interest from Napoli for Emery is another hint at his class. The Neapolitans wanted someone to replace Rafael Benitez – a man whose success include the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, Italian Cup and La Liga twice – and Emery was on their shortlist. And for believers in the adage 'judge a man by the company he keeps', so was Jurgen Klopp.
Every appointment is a gamble, and with West Ham facing the biggest period of upheaval in club history, this one is even bigger than most. But the fact the Irons are even at the table for him is a sign of positive thinking – and if he's here to talk, he's keen too. In the absence of a stand-out, box-ticking alternative, West Ham should seize their chance – go for Emery.
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West Ham prepared to offer Unai Emery more than Napoli as they hold talks with Sevilla boss
Evening Standard
KEN DYER
Published: 03 June 2015 Updated: 12:09, 03 June 2015
West Ham were due to hold talks with Unai Emery today but Napoli remain the favourites to land the Sevilla manager. The 43-year-old Spaniard has become hot property after guiding Sevilla to successive Europa League triumphs and there were reports today that AC Milan are also interested in appointing him. West Ham, who expect to name their new manager in the next 10 days, are prepared to beat Napoli's financial offer for Emery if they make a firm bid. Sevilla president Jose Castro confirmed the Italian club's interest, saying: "Emery has an offer from Napoli. We hope he'll stay with us. I spoke to him on Sunday and he informed us of meetings with other clubs."
Slaven Bilic, however, remains the favourite ahead of Emery. Bilic has left Turkish club Besiktas and is keen to manage in the Premier League. He knows West Ham from his time as a player there and had success as manager of the Croatian national team. The other main option is Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa.
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WHUFC.com
West Ham United's rollercoaster season was seen in microcosm in September, when the Hammers took part in a thrilling draw, pulled off a stunning win and suffered a frustrating defeat.
The transfer window closed with the Hammers having enjoyed a productive summer in the market, bringing in no fewer than eight new players – Aaron Cresswell, Diafra Sakho, Cheikhou Kouyate, Enner Valencia, Diego Poyet, loanees Alex Song and Carl Jenkinson and deadline day signing Morgan Amalfitano.
All eight would play their part over the coming months, but it was strike partners Valencia and Sakho who made their mark first, scoring in a 2-2 draw at Hull City. The Ecuador forward thumped in an unstoppable 25-yarder to announce his arrival in English football before Sakho scored a late equaliser.
Next up came Liverpool, with Winston Reid, Sakho and Amalfitano scoring in a 3-1 home win, before the Senegal striker netted for a fourth straight start in a narrow 2-1 defeat at Manchester United. Indeed, had Kevin Nolan's late strike not been controversially ruled out for offside, the Hammers could have celebrated a famous comeback at Old Trafford.
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Pike's looking to maintain progress
WHUFC.com
West Ham United youngster Alex Pike is thrilled to have put pen-to-paper on his first professional contract with the Club. The 18-year-old defender joins Djair Parfitt-Williams and Kyle Knoyle in signing deals that will run from 1 July and he is looking forward to continuing his progress. 2014/15 brought 20 appearances at U18 level and a further 13 for the U21s, so Pike is looking to make the most of the opportunity given to him by the Hammers. "I'm just really pleased to have signed the contract and am ready to go again next year now," he said. "Since I was young this is what I've strived to do so I'm pleased to have finally done it. "It's one step of many more that you need to get all the way to the first team, but it is one more done. "I've been here since an Under-11, so when you're here that long you have a sense of belonging to the Club. "I've grown through the Club with the coaches so it's been a good journey, and I was happy with how it went this season. I really pushed on."
From a results point of view, the 2014/15 season did not go to plan for the Hammers' Development Squad, but Pike believes the experience will stand them in good stead for this year. He added: "We've had quite a young team with the Under-21s this year, so it has been a bit of a struggle at times, especially against the older teams. "But we've had a bit of progression now and hopefully we can come back next year, push on and be one of the better sides."
Having seen Reece Burke make the step-up to the first team in recent weeks, the right back says his progress offers an example to follow.
He explained: "Looking at Reece Burke, it gives inspiration to us all because it shows that it's possible and that it's there for any of us who are willing to work hard for it. "I'd describe myself as a hard-working, attacking full back. I look up to a lot of players so it's hard to select one, but anyone who's played at the top level I look up to because they've done what's so hard [to do]."
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Ladies head for Hornchurch
WHUFC.com
West Ham United Ladies have announced that they will be moving their home fixtures for the 2015/16 season to AFC Hornchurch's Bridge Avenue Stadium in Upminster.
The move, which is the first of many exciting announcements coming before the new FA Women's Premier League South campaign kicks-off in August, means that the Hammers are moving away from Aveley FC's Mill Field Stadium after one season with the Isthmian League Division One club.
Stephen Hunt, Joint-Chairman of West Ham United Ladies alongside his father John, said: "A month into our new role and we are delighted to make this announcement. Colin McBride at AFC Hornchurch has made us very welcome and we look forward to playing here and taking the club forward towards the Women's Super League."
AFC Hornchurch Chairman McBride added his excitement that the deal between the two clubs had been done, adding: "Over the past few seasons, the Essex FA have asked us to hold Ladies County Cup final games at our ground and I remember when West Ham played Colchester and Barking here.
"We enjoyed watching the girls play and when the opportunity came round to host a league game [against Queens Park Rangers] last season, we happily agreed to it. Now the deal has taken place, we are excited and want to embrace this opportunity and show our support to West Ham United through the Ladies team.
"We are looking forward to welcoming the Ladies down on a regular basis and will do everything in our power to make it a memorable day for everyone coming to games."
Ladies manager and West Ham legend Julian Dicks was also delighted that the first step towards enjoying a successful season has been put in place. He said: "I'm pleased that we've sealed the move to Hornchurch because it's a step forward in terms of facilities for players, staff and fans.
"We are working hard this summer to prepare for next season and it was important for us to find a nice, local ground that we can now call our new home."
West Ham Ladies have been working hard to get all their plans in place for a successful 2015/16 season, including arranging trial dates, preparing pre-match entertainment and increasing media coverage of the club.
Further announcements about the matchday experience will be announced via the Ladies official website and social media channels over the summer. One development will be the possibility of live music before the matches with a couple of local bands already interested in performing.
For more information, please visit the Ladies website here or follow them on Twitter @westhamladies.
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From the Newsroom
WHUFC.com
Jason Burt is the Sunday Telegraph's football correspondent and a columnist for The Daily Telegraph
As the Club continue their search for a new manager to replace Sam Allardyce, who left the Boleyn Ground last month, whufc.com caught up with the Sunday Telegraph's Football Correspondent Jason Burt to get his thoughts on the leading candidates who are being tipped to take over the managerial hot-seat at Upton Park. With the process still ongoing, Burt gives his run-down on what the possible front-runners could bring to the job in east London.
Unai Emery – He is an intense and very organised coach. He has a good record of improving players and is obsessed with video planning. He is very similar to Andre Villas-Boas in that they both have very detailed analysis of the opposition and has a strict organisation.
A good example of his thorough organisation can be seen last season when Sevilla played Fiorentina in the Europa League and he put all his analysis on how they could stop Joaquin and it worked a treat. He even does his own editing and analysis himself.
The players will have a blood test every morning to check on their hydration and oxygen levels. He insists that the players all eat together as a group before they leave the training ground. The players are very loyal to him.
He has shown his ability by helping Sevilla win the Europa League two-years in a row and that is not an easy thing to do.
The only drawback could be the language barrier and his lack of English but if he works as hard as he does with the players, he will learn it very quickly.
West Ham are not going to get Pep Guardiola but they need someone who can make a difference. For me Emery is an interesting choice and is highly rated. He will be able to get the balance right of playing in the Europa League and then back to the Premier League.
Marcelo Bielsa – He is the godfather of modern football and plays amazing attacking football. He has never worked in England but is so highly rated. It would certainly be a rollercoaster ride if he came to England.
I can remember when his Athletic Bilbao side destroyed Manchester United back in 2012 and he demands such high fitness levels from his players.
It shows the ambition that West Ham have got that they want to go for someone who has such an attacking philosophy. It is a key element for the Club and they need to get back into that.
I would sum him up by saying he is so un-predictable as a coach and could even go in and win the league for West Ham.
Bielsa has never worked in England but is so highly rated. It would certainly be a rollercoaster ride if he came to England
Jason Burt
image: https://az719727.vo.msecnd.net/cmsstorage/whu/media/whu/news/2015/june/slavenbilic726.jpg?width=503&height=726&ext=.jpg
image: https://az719727.vo.msecnd.net/cmsstorage/whu/media/whu/news/2015/june/slavenbilic726.jpg?width=503&height=726&ext=.jpg
Slaven Bilic – He is an interesting character. He had a difficult time in Russia and it would be hard for any coach to go into Turkey and try and get the better of Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.
He did very well against the Premier League teams last season knocking Liverpool out of the Europa League and doing very well against Arsenal in the Champions League qualifiers last summer.
He has a lot of charisma and did very well with Croatia. The drawback would be his lack of silverware and can he be a top coach but he would certainly be popular with the fans and knows the club well from his playing days.
Michael Laudrup – He wants to come back to England and it is an advantage for him that he has managed in the Premier League before.
West Ham will want to move up the table as quickly as possible and establish themselves in the top ten especially as they have the demands of playing in the Europa League and if he gets the right tools I'm sure he could do that.
He has certainly got the profile and is a big figure in European football. He won a trophy with Swansea and would be willing to work under the structure that West Ham have. It remains to be seen if he can the Club to the next level.
When it comes to English coaches if this had been two-years ago they could have taken a chance with Eddie Howe. I think Garry Monk falls into a similar category. Swansea had an amazing season last year but the question will be if he can sustain that.
He knows the environment well at Swansea but can he do that at another club?
I think this is a fantastic opportunity for any new manager coming into the club and I genuinely believe that West Ham can break into the top six. The Olympic Stadium will be a game changer for them and they will be knocking hard on the door behind Liverpool and Tottenham.
You cannot under-estimate the attraction of playing in London and you can draw in a lot of people.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of West Ham United
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Poyet's Uruguay slip to last minute defeat
WHUFC.com
Uruguay U20's conceded an injury-time goal as Diego Poyet's side lost 2-1 to their Mexican counterparts.
Mexico midfielder Kevin Gonzalez, who plies his trade for top flight outfit Queretaro, scored in the 93rd minute to seal a vital win for his country.
In a tense game, West Ham United's Diego Poyet came on in the 70th minute, replacing compatriot Alan Mendez.
Within seconds of taking to the field, Poyet's men found themselves a goal behind as Hirving Lozano's shot broke the deadlock.
Los Charruas looked to have rescued a point and maintain their unbeaten start to their campaign when Mathias Suarez equalised with seven minutes to go.
However, the South American's were put under pressure when defender Erick Cabaco received a second yellow card. The pressure soon took its toll as Gonzalez found the winner with seconds remaining.
The win for Mexico leaves Group D evenly poised as Serbia, Mali, Uruguay and Mexico are all on three points from the opening two games.
The third round of fixtures will be played on Saturday 6 June with Serbia playing Mexico and Mali facing Uruguay.
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The Big Interview
WHUFC.com
Long-serving physiotherapist Rob Jenkins returned to the Club's Chadwell Heath training ground this week to take part in a documentary covering the legendary Bobby Moore. The documentary will be screened in 2016 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of England winning the World Cup.
Having worked at the Club from 1966 to 1990, Jenkins had plenty of stories of Moore and other players that he worked with through the years. On his return to Chadwell, he spoke to www.whufc.com.
Rob, welcome back to Chadwell Heath, what is it like to come back?
RJ: "It's wonderful, absolutely amazing. When I came through the gates I sort of felt disorientated because it felt so familiar yet a lot of it has changed. My medical room is where the Manager's office is now. There's a lot more buildings here now, it just shows how football has come on with the all the developments in sports science, the analysts and media side of things. I recognise a few things but it has certainly changed a lot since the early 60s, that's for sure. When my dad first started working here, it was a cricket pavilion with a pitch and that was about it really."
Your Dad worked here before you, then he brought you into the club, there's a few instances throughout the club's history of family members working here?
RJ: "Yes, I think that's one of the reasons that makes this club special. Other clubs may also have families working there too but I think it's important that the club has a connection to the people from the community. West Ham has always had that. My Dad loved working for the club, as did I. It was fantastic working for the club you support. I was here for 25 years, when I started the Manager's office was full of smoke but that's all changed now. 25 years is a long time, certainly long enough! But I loved it here, it was an exciting time to be involved, especially as a West Ham fan."
You were at Upton Park recently to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Club winning the 1965 European Cup Winners Cup, it must have been nice to see some old faces?
RJ: "Oh yes, it was fantastic. It was great to be pitch side and for that achievement to be recognised. I thought the current fans gave us a great reception even though it was a long time ago. It doesn't feel like it was 50 years ago, that's for sure! As you get older the times flies, I'm 77 now. It was really nice to see some of the players. Eddie Bovington is still a good friend of mine, Ken Brown, Martin Peters, Alan Sealey's wife and his son were there so it was a wonderful occasion."
How often do you get the opportunity to come to watch the Hammers these days?
RJ: "I come about three or four times a year. I always love coming to watch the games, it's a feeling that's never left me."
We're just about to enter the final season at the Boleyn Ground, the stadium must hold many great memories?
RJ: "Yes definitely, my clinic used to be just outside the ground as well. The whole thing is going to come down. It's sad but I will go to the new Stadium in Stratford, we've got a good team so hopefully the atmosphere will be just as good and we can create some new memories to celebrate."
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Real quash Moyes link as another target falls
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 3rd June 2015
By: Staff Writer
Real Sociedad have confirmed West Ham managerial target David Moyes will remain at the club next season. Sociedad President Jokin Aperribay told a press conference this lunchtime (Wednesday) that Moyes, who was one of West Ham's top targets to replace the recently-departed Sam Allardyce, would be remaining at the Anoeta Stadium for the foreseeable future. "David Moyes has never spoken to us about this," he said. "If anything, we have heard these rumours from the media. He has never suggested the possibility to go back to England.
"We made an important decision last season in bringing in Moyes as coach of the first team. We don't see the need to make any drastic changes. "We don't think that the club needs to make any more changes within the technical department because in general, the results we have seen during the past six years have been positive."
West Ham have now seen their attempts to land a string of managers fall by the wayside, since parting company with Allardyce. In addition to Moyes, Frank De Boer, Jurgen Klopp, Rafa Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti have all rejected the opportunity to join West Ham.
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New deals for Hammers duo
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 3rd June 2015
By: Staff Writer
Alex Pike and Kyle Knoyle have followed Academy team mate Djair Parfitt-Williams by signing their first professional contracts with the club. 18-year-old Pike and England Under 18 Knoyle, both defenders by trade, put pen to paper this week - and in doing so, joined the likes of fellow Academy star Reece Burke who signed his first pro deal last October. Pike, who has been with West Ham since the age of 10, told whufc.com: "I'm really pleased to have signed the contract and am ready to go again next year now. Since I was young this is what I've strived to do, so I'm pleased to have finally done it. "I'd describe myself as a hard-working, attacking full back. I look up to a lot of players so it's hard to select one, but anyone who's played at the top level I look up to because they've done what's so hard [to do]."
And Knoyle added: "I'm delighted, it's something I've always dreamt of. It's an honour to get a contract at a Premier League club, I'm just looking to push on and make the next step to the first team. "I've been at the club for a while. Getting a professional contract was always the aim, ever since I arrived here. It's been a great five years so far and hopefully [I have] a good future too."
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Emery to stay in Spain with Seville, say reports
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 3rd June 2015
By: Staff Writer
Reports emanating from Spain this lunchtime are suggesting that Seville coach Unai Emery has opted to stay with his current club next season.
According to Radio Seville this afternoon (Wednesday), the 43-year-old head coach has rejected offers from Napoli and West Ham in order to remain with Los Rojiblancos, whom he has led to back-to-back Europa League titles.
RS insist that Emery remains unconvinced by the Napoli and West Ham offers - despite the major financial incentives - and will instead return to Seville in order to see out the final year of his contract.
Emery was in London yesterday for talks with Hammers chiefs and was expected to leave the capital later today, following discussions with co-owner David Sullivan.
Should the reports prove correct, that would leave Marcelo Bielsa and Slaven Bilic as the two remaining front-runners for the job vacated by Sam Allardyce last month.
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West Ham in talks with Unai Emery
Last Updated: 03/06/15 1:14pm
SSN
West Ham are to hold talks with Sevilla manager Unai Emery in the next 48 hours over their vacant manager's position, according to Sky sources. Emery has won plaudits and trophies in equal measure in recent seasons, his stock further enhanced after his side retained the Europa League with victory over Dnipro last week. The 43-year-old is also understood to be on Napoli's radar after the Serie A club lost Rafa Benitez to Real Madrid.
Last week, Hammers co-owner David Sullivan promised supporters there would be imminent signings and a 'big-name' manager. He said: "I am dedicating every waking minute to recruiting the best available manager to drive our club forwards. "It is a constantly changing landscape but we are being absolutely thorough in our search, by speaking to representatives of a number of managers and doing our own due diligence on each one. "Given that, I am not expecting us to make an appointment for at least a week as we must do everything we can to get this appointment right."
Ajax boss Frank de Boer, former Hammers stalwart Slaven Bilic and Marseille coach Marcelo Bielsa are others to have been linked with the vacancy created by Sam Allardyce's departure after four years at the Boleyn Ground.
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THE RICHES THAT AWAIT US IN THE EUROPA LEAGUE
By Sean Whetstone 3 Jun 2015 at 08:00
West Ham Till I Die
The amount available prize money in the UEFA Europa League is forecasted to be €381m in the 2015-2016 season up from €233m in the 2014-15 season. This represents increase of around 65%.
Last week Hammers Co-Chairman David Gold said "There is no money to be made from the Europa Cup unless you reach the 1/4 finals. PS. making money is not a sin. dg"
Well I beg to differ Mr Chairman, there has never been time to play in the Europa League from a financial point of view.
This amount will be distributed to participating clubs on a 60:40 basis between fixed amounts and market pool. Each of the 48 clubs that reach the group stage will receive a group stage basic fee of €2.4m (£1.72m).
On top of this, there will be performance bonuses: €360,000 every win and €120,000 every draw in the group stage. The winners of the groups will receive a qualification bonus of €500,000 the runners-up of €250,000.
The teams playing in the round of 32 will receive €500,000 each, the teams playing in the round of 16 will receive €750,000 each, the quarter-finalists €1m each and the semi-finalists €1.5m each. The UEFA Europa League winners will receive €6.5m and the runners-up €3.5m, inclusive of their ticketing revenue share.
There is a further €152.4m (£109.7m) in variable amounts called a (market pool) which is distributed according to the proportional value of each domestic television market represented by the teams taking part in the UEFA Europa League from the group stage onwards.
UEFA Europa League Prize Fund
Group Stage fee €2.4m (£1.72m)
Group Stage performance €360k (£259k) win / €120k (£86.4k) draw
Knock Out Qualification bonus €500k (£360k) winners/€250k (£180k) runners-up
Round of 32 €500k (£360k)
Round of 16 €750k (£540k)
Quarter-Finals €1m (£720k)
Semi-Finals €1.5m (£1.08m)
Final €6.5m (£4.68m) winners / €3.5m (£2.52m) runners-up
In the UEFA Europa League payments will be paid in the qualifying and play off rounds. These amount to: €200,000 (£144,000) in the first qualifying round, €210,000 (£151,200) in the second qualifying round, €220,00 (£158,400) in the third qualifying round and €230,000 (£165,600) in the play-offs (this latter, if not qualified to the UEFA Europa League group stage).
Add to this West Ham will take 100% of the gate money at all Home games in the Europa league while only having to give 5% in away allocation to visiting fans. Assuming West Ham manage to sellout all Europa home games at £20 per ticket that would add £700,000 per game in Ticket revenue. If by miracle we made it to the Europa league semi finals that would be an extra £7.7m in ticket sales at the Boleyn ground on it's own.
The biggest financial prize is winning the Europa League, in addition to 6.5 million Euros prize you also get a Champions League place. If you went on and managed to win the Champions League as well you can bag another £74m! Well we can all dream can't we!
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Ravel return rubbished
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Speculation that Ravel Morrison may be on his way to West Ham has been rubbished by the club. The story started circulating on the internet last night and immediately started gaining credibility on Twitter and elsewhere. Sam Allardyce's departure appears to have sparked the 'story' with the suggestion being that the Irons were exploring ways of perhaps getting him out of his Lazio contract now the 60 year old has gone. But ClaretandHugh was told today: "It's a watertight deal withLazio and there's no going back. Why would we? The decision was made and that's that. "It's a fun story because we all now Ravel had his problems with Sam but he's a Lazio player and as far as we are concerned will remain so."
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Sevilla chief: "Emery is meeting other clubs"
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Sevilla president Jose Castro (right) has confirmed boss Unai Emery is considering his future amid keen interest from the Irons and Napoli. It's the first time there has been a formal announcement and Castro's words will acalm the nerves of Hammers supporters who believe the managerial position is becoming a serious problem. ClaretandHugh was told earlier today that the Irons board members have cleared their diaries to attend 'manager interviews' through until Monday with one source declaring: "This has to be brought to a head by next Friday."
Castro admitted on Sevilla TV: "I spoke to Emery on Sunday and he informed us of meetings with other clubs to evaluate all the options
He admitted there was an offer from Napoli. The manager is now in London where the Hammers will offer a highly lucrative deal and with the OS being dangled in front of him are hoping they have an edge. Castro is refusing to give up hope of keeping him saying: "I hope and believe Unai will stay with us, but he will do what he sees fit," he said. "I repeat, I hope he will stay with us and have faith that he will."
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Report: Emery on his way to Sullivan's mansion
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
West Ham are to hold talks with Sevilla manager Unai Emery in the next 48 hours over their vacant manager's position, according to Sky sources. Sky reported the story almost at the same time as ClaretandHugh had revealed the board had cleared their diaries to interview several candidates between now and Monday and that Emery was among those likely to arrive at David Sullivan's Essex mansion. Were the Hammers to get their man it would be a major coup followng his talks in Napoli simed at making him Rafa Benitez's successor following his appointment as Real Madrid boss. Emery has won plaudits and trophies in equal measure in recent seasons, his stock further enhanced after his side retained the Europa League with victory over Dnipro last week.
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Top Irons starlet pens pro deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Highly rated Academy prospect Djair Parfitt-Williams has signed a professional contract. The forward has put pen to paper on a two-year deal, keeping him at West Ham until June 2017. Speaking on the official site after committing his immediate future to the Hammers, Parfitt-Williams, who was the U18's top goal scorer this season with nine strikes, said: "Ever since I was young I've always wanted to be a professional footballer, so it feels really good. "It's nice to see my hard work recognised. I do a lot of extra training and I'm always watching football. For my hard work to come out on the pitch is excellent. "I've known the contract was coming for a while, so it's nice to finally sign it. It felt kind of weird." Parfitt-Williams' impressive performances culminated in his nomination for the prestigious Dylan Tombides Award at this year's Player Awards.
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Manager interviews sees Irons board clear diaries
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
West Ham's board has cancelled all appointments and cleared their diaries of of everything other than manager interviews through to next Monday! None of the three will be attending the important Premier League meeting over the next three days as they bid to bring the managerial chase to an end. The top three candidates – Rafa Benitez, David Moyes and Carlo Ancelotti – have now been firmly ruled out but a number of meetings are set up from now and into next week as the hunt goes on. And a top insider made it clear: "There is absolutely no anxiety or panic among anybody that we won't get a quality boss. "The board members have put themselves on 24 hour standby as they are dealing through agents, obviously, and things can happen at any moment."
Seville boss Unai Emery is among those who are expected to be involved in talks over the next few days but as reported on this site over recent days such as Frank de Boer and Michael Laudrup are all but out of the running.
ClaretandHugh has discovered that even ahead of the Real Madrid intervention, Benitez was looking for a larger budget than the Hammers had available and both Moyes and Ancelotti were looking for in excess of £50 million. And suggestions that as the 'big names' fell, Slaven Bilic would become the obvious choice, have also been knocked back with the news that several names are now waiting for their appointments in front of the board at David Sullivan's Essex mansion.
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West Ham Ladies move to Upminster
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
2West Ham United Ladies Football Club announced today that they will be moving their home fixtures for the 2015/16 season to AFC Hornchurch's Bridge Avenue Stadium in Upminster.
The ladies are moving away from Aveley FC's Mill Field Stadium after one season with the Isthmian League Division One club.
Stephen Hunt, Joint Chairman of West Ham United Ladies FC said: "A month into our new role and we are delighted to make this announcement. Colin McBride at AFC Hornchurch has made us very welcome and we look forward to playing here and taking the club forward entertainment and squad improvements, will draw a crowd towards the Women's Super League."
Ladies first team manager and former Hammer Julian Dicks said: "I'm pleased that we've sealed the move to Hornchurch because it's a step forward in terms of facilities for players, staff and fans. We are working hard this summer to prepare for next season and it was important for us to find a nice, local ground that we can now call our new home."
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Odds crash on Emery
Posted by Sean Whetstone on June 3, 2015 in Whispers
C AND H
Bookmakers have been quick to shorten the odds on Unai Emery becoming the fifteen manager of West Ham. Two book makers are now offering odds as short as Evens as speculation spreads that Emery will fly into London today. Not all bookmakers see it the same way and it still possible to get 3/1 on Emery with book maker Coral. However, the Daily Star today claims Slaven Bilic is set for the West Ham job after all other targets have snubbed the club. Bilic remains the favourite but you can now get odds of Evens or better with Betfair offering the best price of 6/4 on the former Hammer becoming the next West Ham manager.
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West Ham United, a season in review: August
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 1st June 2015
By: Graeme Howlett
Throughout the football season, KUMB Editor Graeme Howlett pens a weekly column for Echo Newspapers. Join us as we take a look back at the highs and lows of the 2014/15 season, beginning with his August musings...
Column #1: 17 August 2014
The Premier League returned with a bang on Saturday and for West Ham, everything was going swimmingly for 92 minutes or so.
That was until Eric Dier's injury time winner for visitors Tottenham provided a thoroughly disappointing conclusion to an enthralling London derby, one in which both teams had fought hard for all three points. I would say this I guess, but neither side really deserved to lose.
Mark Noble, peerless from 12 yards hadn't missed a penalty for five years but chose this of all games to drag a spot kick wide. Tottenham, reduced to ten men having lost Kyle Naughton for the hand ball that led to Noble's penalty were only numerically disadvantaged for half-an-hour as James Collins' second yellow card for a clumsy challenge saw him take an early bath too.
West Ham had late chances to win it, yet neither Mark Noble nor a lively Stewart Downing could outwit Hugo Lloris when facing him one-one-one. Sam Allardyce's charges ultimately paid for their profligacy when Dier rounded goalkeeper Adrian deep into injury time to win the game for Spurs, whose fans celebrated as if they'd won the Cup Final; not unreasonably perhaps, given that they'd conceded bragging rights in all three meetings last season.
The home fans' response to Tottenham's winning goal - a magnificent, defiant chorus of 'Bubbles' that broke out simultaneously at both ends of the Boleyn Ground - alluded to endorsement of the team's overall performance. Social media told a different story later, but Allardyce's critics remain numerous and defeat in a London derby is unlikely to quell their dissatisfaction.
Although disappointment and frustration pervaded post-match discussion there were a number of positive signs for West Ham supporters to take heart from. The first competitive glimpse of a less-cautious tactical approach was evident and strong showings from debutants Cheikhou Kouyate, Aaron Cresswell and Enner Valencia bode well for the future.
With Mauro Zarate, Diego Poyet (both unused subs on Saturday) and striker Diafra Sakho having been added to the squad Allardyce now has an abundance of new options to choose from. Another, the injured Carl Jenkinson, will expand the pack further and West Ham should be pleased with their transfer business so far this summer.
However it's getting results that ultimately matters and Allardyce knows his team will have to improve - in the attacking third, at least - at managerless Crystal Palace next weekend.
Column #2: 24 August 2014
Despite falling to defeat against Tottenham at the Boleyn last weekend there were signs that Sam Allardyce's latest West Ham squad might just be able to achieve the change of style and philosophy his employers so publicly insisted upon during pre-season.
A greater willingness to get the ball on the deck and play through midfield - rather than mostly cutting out the middle man - was clearly evident as the Hammers racked up a total of 18 shots on goal (including Mark Noble's missed penalty) without managing to score.
As a result, hopes were high for Saturday's trip to Crystal Palace - a club currently rudderless following the recent departure of Tony Pullis. But few - if any - Hammers fans would have been expecting to behold the Eagles being put to the sword in such a comprehensive manner.
West Ham, inspired by the movement and guile of debutant Mauro Zarate in the position vacated by the injured Kevin Nolan were rampant and the 3-1 win that gave them their first Premier League points of the season was fully merited. The Argentine's goal - a 20-yard volley executed with stunning precision - was a thing of beauty and gave United a deserved lead.
Even better from a team perspective was West Ham's second, that arrived minutes later. A wonderful team move culminated with Stewart Downing cutting inside from the right flank before unleashing a powerful, inch-perfect drive that left Palace's Julián Speroni clutching at air.
James Tomkins should have increased West Ham's lead after the restart but his header crashed off the underside of the crossbar. Former Hammer Marouane Chamakh scored with a rasping strike to reduce the deficit to one but Carlton Cole sealed the win on the hour mark with a close range effort.
Speaking to the press after the game, Big Sam denied - possibly disingenuously - having made any major alterations to his tactical approach. Regardless, the first two games of the season have produced a West Ham team looking more creative and forward-thinking than has been the case for some considerable time.
And whether it be the result of tactical fine-tuning, the introduction of Teddy Sheringham as (part time) attacking coach or simply that West Ham have better players - such as the outstanding Cheikou Kouyate - in their squad this season, few fans are complaining at the team's encouraging start.
Column #3: 31 August 2014
What a difference a week makes in football.
This time last week, Sam Allardyce and his players were basking in praise following a magnificent performance at Crystal Palace.
Yet within the space of only seven days, defeats to Sheffield United in the Capital One Cup and an insipid display against Southampton on Saturday - both at home - have Big Sam's detractors sharpening their knives once again.
It's little secret that Allardyce's relationship with a subset of the club's fanbase is irreparable - and has been since the big man cupped his ear in the direction of the stands after booing marred the 2-1 win against Hull last season.
However it was fairly contemptible that a few hundred fans decided to respond to yesterday's poor showing - the first of the new season - with an unrepeatable chorus suggesting the Board should replace the manager with immediate effect.
And it was all going so well, too...
Despite the final score, West Ham had a reasonably productive first half. Mark Noble's deflected effort gave United a deserved lead but Morgan Schneiderlin's equaliser on the stroke of half time proved to be the game's turning point. The second half was a different story entirely, with Saints enjoying near total control.
Schneiderlin's and Southampton's second, from a corner - incorrectly awarded by the consistently wayward Mike Dean - was the result of schoolboy defending from the Hammers who were more concerned with arguing the decision than defending the set-play.
The third, courtesy of man mountain Graziano Pelle, was inevitable and merely served to rub salt into West Ham's wounds.
Allardyce, speaking after the game cited a lack of leadership on the field as a major factor in defeat. It's difficult not to sympathise with that view, as it's unlikely West Ham would have been so badly organised for the first two goals - both from set-pieces - had the injured Kevin Nolan been present.
Still, it wasn't all bad. The club's eighth summer signing, Alex Song, was introduced to the Boleyn Ground ahead of the match and a season-long loan from Barcelona. Even though he failed to secure a first team spot at Nou Camp following his £15m move from Arsenal in 2012, much is expected of the Cameroon international.
And even though Monday night's transfer deadline is rapidly approaching, don't rule out West Ham doing further business - either in, out, or both!
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West Ham United, a season in review: September
KUMb.com
Filed: Wednesday, 3rd June 2015
By: Graeme Howlett
Throughout the football season, KUMB Editor Graeme Howlett pens a weekly column for Echo Newspapers. Join us as we take a look back at the highs and lows of the 2014/15 season, with our eyes today on September 2014...
Column #4: 14 September 2014
There are likely be a host of new faces on show at the KC Stadium tonight when West Ham tackle Hull City in their second away fixture of the new Premier League season.
Whilst Steve Bruce's Tigers - who spent close to £40million in the summer - will be looking to give home debuts to the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa, Gaston Ramirez and Michael Dawson, West Ham could give first starts to Alex Song (on loan from Barcelona) and Morgan Amalfitano (£800,000 from Marseille) - both of whom signed in the final few days of the transfer window.
However the new signing likely to command most attention from pundits and fans alike will be Hull's Mo Diame, a £3.5million transfer deadline day mover - from West Ham United.
No sooner had Diame arrived on Humberside than the sideswipes at former manager Sam Allardyce began. "I was played out of position," moaned the central midfielder, whose four most significant goals for West Ham - against Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea and Sampdoria - came from a wide position.
Allardyce hit back at the Senegal international during his pre-match press conference, accusing Diame of failing to recreate the form he exhibited during his first season at the club. It's a view that many fans, frustrated by Diame's penchant for making mazy runs that came to nothing, will sympathise with.
Meanwhile, the recent international break has afforded Big Sam additional time in which to rehabilitate some previously unavailable or less-than-fully-fit players.
Although it's still too early for the likes of Carl Jenkinson and Matt Jarvis, others such as James Tomkins, Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia should all be available for selection - as is James Collins, back from suspension following his red card against Tottenham on the opening day of the season.
A win for West Ham at Hull would catapult the Hammers back into the upper half of the table, whilst defeat would leave them just a point above the bottom three - not exactly ideal preparation for the visit of Liverpool next week and trip to Manchester United seven days later.
Finally, whilst Allardyce has refused to either confirm or deny reports, record signing Andy Carroll (remember him!?) could be back in action as soon as next month - a major fillip for the manager, his squad and the team's Premier League prospects.
Column #5: 21 September 2014
A West Ham win against Liverpool is a rare and precious thing. Since the turn of the century, United have recorded just three victories from 24 meeting with their Merseyside rivals - which is what made Saturday's 3-1 success that little bit sweeter.
Sam Allardyce's new look West Ham found themselves two ahead before Liverpool had even mounted a notable attack, such was the Irons' dominance in the opening stages of the game. With Brendan Rodgers' team perhaps feeling the effects of having played in the Champions League just 72 hours earlier, Big Sam instructed his players to hold a high line and attack from the front.
It was a policy that paid off handsomely.
Winston Reid's first goal in a year - scored with precisely 69 seconds on the clock - got the Hammers off to a flyer. Diafra Sakho's seventh-minute lob over Simon Mignolet - his third goal since becoming a Hammer last month - was stunning in both execution and accuracy, and gave West Ham what ultimately proved to be an unassailable lead.
Although Raheem Sterling gave Liverpool hope when halving the deficit midway through the opening period it was another new signing, Morgan Amalfitano, who wrapped up all three points for the happy Hammers with a deft touch just two minutes from the end of normal time.
Key to the win was Allardyce's decision to play Stewart Downing in a more central role, a position in which he has excelled in recent weeks. It was the former England man's free kick which led to the opening goal and his slide-rule pass that put Amalfitano in for the third.
However his most important contribution was to nullify the threat of Steven Gerrard.
Sitting in front of the back four, as is his want in recent months, Liverpool's talisman and main creative force was effectively removed from the game by Downing, who harried and chased him down whenever in possession.
That ploy rendered Liverpool, sans the Sturridge and Suarez combination which terrorised Premier League defences last season, effectively impotent and led to a much-needed, first home win of the season - one which lifted West Ham into eighth spot.
A trip to Old Trafford beckons next weekend when the Hammers will face a less-than-fully-functional Manchester United. West Ham's record against the Mancunians is similar to that versus Liverpool; what odds Big Sam's boys upsetting the applecart once again?
Column #6: 28 September 2014
West Ham's unbeaten away record came to a somewhat controversial end at Old Trafford on Saturday afternoon when Kevin Nolan was left furious after what would have been an 89th minute equaliser was ruled out for offside.
TV replays indicated that the Hammers captain was no more than a gnat's wing ahead of the last defender and 24 hours on, fans were still arguing whether it was or wasn't onside - which suggests that the assistant referee, who made the call, either possesses super-human eyesight or simply decided to rule in favour of the more high-profile club when it came to the crunch.
Of course, that's no surprise - there are a litany of examples where Hammers fans have been left feeling hard done by as the result of a referee's ruling whilst playing your Man Us and Liverpools over the years. However that West Ham are even in a position to cite a bad call as reason for defeat, at a venue they rarely fare well at, is testament to the rapid progress they have been making in recent weeks.
Let's not forget that the Hammers team that penned Man U into their own half for much of the second half of Saturday's 2-1 defeat was missing its entire engine room, namely Cheikhou Kouyate and Mark Noble (both injured). Diego Poyet, 19, played with a maturity beyond his years as replacement but Kouyate has been immense and was missed.
Although things started badly when Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie scored inside the opening 25 minutes, Diafra Sakho's fourth goal in as many starts for West Ham gave Sam Allardyce's team renewed hope. But for the linesman, they would have been enjoying a well-earned point instead of the traditional defeat on Sir Matt Busby Way.
Still, most of the 2,000-odd Hammers fans who made the long and arduous journey back down the M6 on Saturday night were content with their team's performance. Rare indeed are the occasions when West Ham dominate Man Utd; rarer still, at Old Trafford.
Having taken a respectable haul of three points from six in the two games against Liverpool and the Red Devils, it's newly-promoted Queens Park Rangers who provide West Ham's next test this weekend at the Boleyn. It's one from which the fans will be expecting all three points - and perhaps rightly so, given the team's encouraging start to the campaign.
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Liverpool legend: Why Bilic will get more leeway than Sam Allardyce
HITC
Lewis Doe
Liverpool legend Ray Houghton has suggested how Slaven Bilic's West Ham past will work in his favour. Liverpool legend Ray Houghton told talkSPORT why he feels Slaven Bilic will be treated differently by West Ham fans if he's confirmed as the manager of the East London club. Bilic is one of the candidates to replace old manager Sam Allardyce and Houghton has suggested it would be a popular move with West Ham's supporters. "It looks like it's going to be Slaven Bilic at the moment – As a former player coming in at West Ham he'll get a bit more leeway from the fans and they'll like what he did in Croatia and over in Turkey as well so he'll be a good addition to the club," said Houghton. Although Bilic would be a popular option, he's going to be under real pressure next season ahead of the club's move to the Olympic Stadium. The pressure which was placed on Sam Allardyce over the second half of last season showed him quickly opinions can change of a manager.
West Ham looked as though they would be competing for the top eight based on performances over the first half of the season, but frustrations mounted as the displays got more and more negative. Bilic does have a different style to Allardyce and he needs to try and whip up some excitement to get even more fans on his side if he is confirmed in the position. It will be interesting to see how he's perceived if West Ham don't register a win for a month and hopefully Houghton's prediction that fans will lay off of the criticism initially will ring true.
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Why Unai Emery is a gamble West Ham must be willing to take
Julian Shea for Metro.co.uk
Wednesday 3 Jun 2015 3:04 pm
If first impressions count, then West Ham fans must hope Unai Emery is a man with a liking for lavish décor.
Reports that the coach who has just guided Sevilla to a second consecutive Europa League triumph is on his way to talk to the Irons – and that those discussions will take place in the understated grandeur of co-owner David Sullivan's Essex mansion – would suggest the search for Sam Allardyce's replacement is progressing at some pace.
Since taking over in January 2010, Sullivan and co-owner David Gold have a patchy record on managerial appointments. Replacing the likeable but ineffective Gianfranco Zola with the disastrous Avram Grant made an already bad situation worse, before the appointment of Allardyce – big on grit but low on finesse – dug the club out of a hole and restored stability, but at the cost of fan satisfaction.
So far, so meh. The prospect of removal vans outside the Boleyn in 12 months' time, packing things up for the move to the Olympic Stadium, means that the next appointment is the most crucial in the club's history. Get it right, and the team could fly into their new home sky-high on confidence and momentum; get it wrong, and the club's new era could get off to the most embarrassing of starts. So that is why the fact that a manager like Emery is even on their radar is a sign that they are raising the sights of everyone at the club.
The 43-year-old may not speak much English, but his track record does plenty of talking, and his age and the consistency of his performance suggests that the best may be yet to come. Like Bournemouth's Eddie Howe, an injury-curtailed playing career saw him move into management early, and he excelled on limited resources. Then, stepping up to Valencia, he got them back into the Champions League and steadied an uneven ship, before a short-lived and ill-fated sojourn in Russian football.
Back home in Spain at Sevilla, two consecutive fifth place La Liga finishes, each accompanied by the Europa League title added to his reputation. Clearly, this is someone destined for a bigger stage. But whose?
The fact the Irons appear have seen off interest from Napoli for Emery is another hint at his class. The Neapolitans wanted someone to replace Rafael Benitez – a man whose success include the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, Italian Cup and La Liga twice – and Emery was on their shortlist. And for believers in the adage 'judge a man by the company he keeps', so was Jurgen Klopp.
Every appointment is a gamble, and with West Ham facing the biggest period of upheaval in club history, this one is even bigger than most. But the fact the Irons are even at the table for him is a sign of positive thinking – and if he's here to talk, he's keen too. In the absence of a stand-out, box-ticking alternative, West Ham should seize their chance – go for Emery.
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West Ham prepared to offer Unai Emery more than Napoli as they hold talks with Sevilla boss
Evening Standard
KEN DYER
Published: 03 June 2015 Updated: 12:09, 03 June 2015
West Ham were due to hold talks with Unai Emery today but Napoli remain the favourites to land the Sevilla manager. The 43-year-old Spaniard has become hot property after guiding Sevilla to successive Europa League triumphs and there were reports today that AC Milan are also interested in appointing him. West Ham, who expect to name their new manager in the next 10 days, are prepared to beat Napoli's financial offer for Emery if they make a firm bid. Sevilla president Jose Castro confirmed the Italian club's interest, saying: "Emery has an offer from Napoli. We hope he'll stay with us. I spoke to him on Sunday and he informed us of meetings with other clubs."
Slaven Bilic, however, remains the favourite ahead of Emery. Bilic has left Turkish club Besiktas and is keen to manage in the Premier League. He knows West Ham from his time as a player there and had success as manager of the Croatian national team. The other main option is Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa.
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