Daily WHUFC News - 19th March 2016

Friday 18 Mar Updated Friday 18 Mar 15:12
WHUFC.com

PREVIEW
Preview - Chelsea

The background

With the Blues falling out of both the FA Cup and the Champions League in their last two matches, there may not be a better time for West Ham United to face Guus Hiddink's side.

And it's a chance for the Hammers to do the double over their London rivals, having beaten Chelsea, then managed by Jose Mourinho, 2-1 back in October.

Goals from Mauro Zarate and Andy Carroll either side of Gary Cahill's equaliser from a corner secured Slaven Bilic's side's sixth league win of the campaign that day.

And there will be concerns for the hosts at Stamford Bridge too, with the Hammers in great form having jumped up the league table into fifth.

Previous to their defeats to Everton and Paris St. Germain which meant they exited two competitions, Chelsea have just one win from their last five home league matches.

Currently sitting down in tenth, Chelsea are set for their lowest league finish in 20 years unless they can catch those four places above them.

The history

The Hammers will take on Chelsea for the 105th time on Saturday, with the Blues having edged the previous meetings over the years.

This weekend's hosts have won 47 of those, with West Ham victorious on 38 occasions. The two sides have played out 19 draws.

In the last meeting at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea – who went on to win the league – were 2-0 winners with John Terry and Diego Costa grabbing the goals in December 2014.

Match info
Team news

Chelsea

Diego Costa is banned for the Blues after his red card at Everton last weekend, and Eden Hazard is a doubt.

Last season's champions will also be without Kurt Zouma and Radamel Falcao who are out with long-term problems.

West Ham United

The cup-tied Sam Byram missed out at Manchester United last weekend but could return on Saturday, however James Collins and James Tomkins will miss out through injury.

Another player unavailable for selection will be Victor Moses, who is ineligible to face his parent club.

Match facts

Robert Madley is referee at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. The official has taken charge of 25 games so far this season, issuing 70 bookings and four red cards
If West Ham record the victory on Saturday, it will be the first time they have completed the league double over Chelsea since the 2002/03 season
The Hammers, however, have only won two of the last seven meetings between the sides
The Hammers are unbeaten in their last seven matches (W5, D2)
Chelsea have only won three of their last nine outings in all competitions (W3, D3, L3)
With Manchester City not playing until Sunday, a win for the Hammers would put them into the top four

Ticketing, coverage, travel and other info

Away tickets for Saturday's match have SOLD OUT
A cloudy but dry day is expected at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and the temperature will be 8C (46F) at kick-off
There will be no district line service between West Ham and Tower Hill due to planned engineering works this weekend, but replacement bus services will operate
Supporters should travel to Fulham Broadway if travelling by tube to visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday

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Payet wins another award!
WHUFC.com

Dimitri Payet has been voted PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February after his string of terrific performances propelled the Hammers to fifth in the Barclays Premier League table.
The Frenchman, who enjoyed a sensational month in the league and Emirates FA Cup, just pipped teammate and Hammers skipper Mark Noble, who came second, to the award voted by supporters.
The 28-year-old's impressive displays saw him register a goal and assist at Norwich City and contribute to wins over Aston Villa and Sunderland for Slaven Bilic's side. His brilliance was clear in the FA Cup too. There, he again showed his talent by setting up Angelo Ogbonna's dramatic fourth-round replay winner and in the 5-1 destruction of Blackburn Rovers by scoring a 25-yard free-kick and marvelous individual goal. Payet was voted winner just ahead of Noble, who plays in his Testimonial match at the Boleyn Ground on Monday 28. The captain smashed in a late leveller at Carrow Road and was influential throughout the month of February. The latest accolade comes just a fortnight after Payet picked up the London Player of the Year award in recognition of his super season as a whole. The Frenchman, who has ten assists and eleven goals to his name since moving to east London from Marseille last summer, was also recalled to his national side for upcoming friendly matches with the Netherlands and Russia. Everyone at West Ham United would like to congratulate Dimitri on his latest achievement.

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From the Terraces
WHUFC.com

Lifelong Hammers fan Jack Fawbert looks back at some special moments at the Boleyn Ground...

Until the age of 12 I wasn't very interested in football. Then, in 1962, a mate from school took me to see West Ham beat Everton 4-0 at the Boleyn Ground. I immediately fell in love with everything about the experience; the roar of the crowd, the chicken run swaying to 'Bubbles' and the commitment of all those men in flat caps. I saw every game of the 1964 cup run, including the final. I saw every home game of the European Cup Winners' Cup run as well as the Final at Wembley. Our coach from Barking broke down on the way and we just got inside the stadium as they kicked off. Much has changed since those halcyon days; the flat caps are gone, as have the old chicken run and the standing terraces in the, then uncovered, North Bank.
But, many things have stayed more or less the same; the closeness of the pitch to the terraces where, in Trevor Brooking's words 'you can smell the grass', the singing of 'Bubbles', the passion of the fans and, of course, those famous claret and blue shirts. Whilst the claim that 'football is always better in the past' is questionable, not least because of a seeming collective amnesia about the bad times, there is no doubt that such 'tradition' and 'heritage' are very important to West Ham fans like me as well as to the new generations of fans who have bought into the 'West Ham family'. Whilst nostalgic reminiscences of 'the good old days' of Greenwood, Lyall, Moore, Hurst and Peters also need to be tempered with the realities of a more globalised, commercialized and corporate enterprise today, the years of commitment to an ideal held by many thousands of people like me has to be memorialised into the very structures and ethos of the new Stadium as we venture into a brave new world post-Boleyn Ground.

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Cheik's in for five more years!
WHUFC.com

West Ham United are delighted to confirm that Cheikhou Kouyate has signed a new long-term contract with the Club.

The Senegal star has put pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at the Club until summer 2021.

For Kouyate, the new contract comes after 20 outstanding months in Claret and Blue, during which the No8 has caught the eye and won over fans and pundits alike with his power, pace, technical ability and knack of scoring important goals.

Get your Kouyate shirt now - personalise your 2015/16 shirt for £15

In all, the midfielder becomes the ninth player to commit his future to the Hammers since the start of 2015, following Payet, Mark Noble, Winston Reid, Adrian, James Collins, James Tomkins, Aaron Cresswell and Diafra Sakho.

Speaking to West Ham TV, Kouyate said the Club's vision for a successful future, on and off the pitch, played a big part in his decision to ink his new deal.

The 26-year-old said: "I am happy to have renewed my contract with West Ham. I am very happy and would like to thank everybody here at the club, the manager, the fans and also my parents. I think that it is the start of the next chapter for us to go on and discover the new Stadium."

"It means that the Club trusts me and that means a lot for me. There is a lot of work for me still to do and I need to continue working hard and prepare for the move to the Olympic Stadium and most of all to keep on entertaining the fans."

Born in Dakar, where he started with the ASC Yego club, Kouyate moved to European football with FC Brussels in 2006 at the age of 16.

From there, the 6'4 player was snapped up by RSC Anderlecht, where he enjoyed six outstanding seasons, winning four Belgian Pro League titles, three Belgian Super Cups and appearing more than 40 times in European competition.

Kouyate moved to east London in summer 2014 and has not looked back, immediately catching the eye with his athleticism and will to win.

Likened to former France star Patrick Vieira, the new Hammer scored fine goals against Arsenal, Manchester United – winning the Club's Performance of the Season award for his display against the Red Devils – Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.

Kouyate began the current campaign with another Barclays Premier League goal against the Gunners, followed by a last-gasp equaliser at home to Norwich City and another in a victory over Aston Villa.

It has not just been the African player's goals that have set him apart, however, as Kouyate is also regularly among the Hammers' leaders in tackles, interceptions and blocks made.

Capped more than 20 times, Kouyate has captained his country and appeared for the Lions of Teranga at the 2012 London Olympic Games and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

With West Ham riding high in the Barclays Premier League, still in the Emirates FA Cup and preparing to move to the 54,000-seater Stadium in Stratford, and Senegal through to the third round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Kouyate's star is set to rise still further for Club and country.

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From the Boardroom - David Gold
WHUFC.com

I want to start with more fantastic news for the Club and I am thrilled that Cheikhou Kouyate has pledged his long-term future to West Ham United and signed a new five-year contract.

It once again proves that we are determined to bring in top quality players and keep them on a long-term basis as we move ever closer to our historic move into the new Stadium during the summer.

We have won the right to dream and for once our dreams are coming true. Our dream was not to face a relegation struggle and challenge at the very top and that is what we have done.

It will be a surprise to many but we always felt that the squad of players that we were putting together would help us knock on the door of the big teams.

As I said earlier in the season the big boys will start looking over their shoulders and that has proved to be the case.

In fact we are now looking over our shoulders at some of the big teams! We have come a long way.

I hope our good run against the London teams can continue on Saturday when we face Chelsea.

We have already done the double over some big clubs this season, notably Liverpool for the first time in over 50-years and this is another great opportunity for us by beating Chelsea at their place.

We know it will not be easy as they have gone 13 games unbeaten in the Premier League and have been on an incredible run since Guus Hiddink took charge. They will be looking to continue that run.

However we are not the team of yesteryear and have every chance of pulling off the double.

It is hard to believe the transformation that has taken place at the Club but it was always our plan to bring in quality players.

We had confidence in the manager and have continued our policy of bringing in quality signings.

We are over our injury scares of a few months ago when we were getting more than normal and all our players are coming back which is great news.

It is fantastic news that Dimitri Payet has won the PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February with Mark Noble coming second.

It once again shows the quality of our players and the impact that Slaven is having on players like Mark who is arguably having his best season.

Although Dimitri has missed two months of the season, he has been absolutely exceptional throughout the rest of the season and keeps getting better.

The fans are singing his name every game and only special players are treated in this way.

He has the natural ability where he relates to the fans and enjoys the fans love. It is a one-off and he would certainly be my Player of the Year with Mark Noble just behind him.

It is the perfect storm – we have players who have been at the club for a number of years and are having their best season.

We also have new players coming in who are performing beyond our expectations and have a manager who is exceeding our expectations.

All these things have come together at a time when we are celebrating our final ever season at the Boleyn Ground and we then prepare for our move to the new Stadium during the summer.

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FA Cup replay date confirmed
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's Emirates FA Cup quarter-final replay against Manchester United will be played on Wednesday 6 April, with a kick-off time of 7:00pm. The tie will be the last ever match in the competition to be played at the Boleyn Ground and will be live on the BBC. The Hammers were held to a draw at Old Trafford last Sunday when Anthony Martial cancelled out Dimitri Payet's superb opener. The Frenchman curled in a 30-yard free-kick to send the travelling supporters wild, but his fellow countryman Martial was able to equalise with seven minutes remaining. In the previous round, Slaven Bilic's side had progressed by beating Blackburn Rovers 5-1 at Ewood Park. The winners of the quarter-final replay will face Everton at Wembley on Saturday 23 April at 5:15pm.

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The Big Interview - Cheikhou Kouyate
WHUFC.com

Cheikhou Kouyate joined the list of West Ham United players to commit their long-term future to the Club on Friday when he put pen-to-paper on a new five-year deal.

The Senegal midfielder is excited at the prospect of playing an integral role as the Hammers look to establish themselves at the top end of the Barclays Premier League in the Stadium on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

More immediately, he also has ambitions of getting his hands on silverware this term…

Congratulations on signing the new deal, Cheikhou. What is your reaction?

CK: "I am happy to have renewed my contract with West Ham. I am very happy and would like to thank everybody here at the club, the manager, the fans and also my parents. I think that it is the start of the next chapter for us to go on and discover the new Stadium."

What was the main reason for agreeing to extend your contract?

CK: "It means that the Club trusts me and that means a lot for me. There is a lot of work for me still to do and I need to continue working hard and prepare for the move to the Olympic Stadium and most of all to keep on entertaining the fans.

"We know that this is the last season here at Upton Park and that this summer we leave behind this stadium, but I am really excited to begin the next year with my team. I am delighted to have signed the contract which allows to play a part in this project."

How excited are you to play in front of 54,000 West Ham fans next season?

CK: "Even when playing at Upton Park, I get excited by the support the fans give us. It is the same when we play away from home too, they are always there for us. At Manchester United this weekend, there were around 10,000 fans and their support sent shivers down my spine. So now, imagining the new stadium, when we will have over 50,000 fans behind us, it is just going to be magnificent."

Do you feel like you have a special relationship with the fans?

CK: "It is incredible with the fans. I have never seen that in my career, the fans here really are magnificent. I often speak with Dimitri and we are both really impressed by the fans here."

On the pitch, how have you grown as a player?

CK: "It is my second year in England. I used last year as a year to learn and I think that I learnt a lot from Sam. This year, we have had a new manager in Slaven and he has helped me a lot. He has helped me to open up my game and I think that working with him will allow me to improve a lot more as a player.

What has been the highlight of your West Ham career so far?

CK: "I want to keep that to myself because we really want to go right to the end of the FA Cup this year. I take pleasure from every game that I play in a West Ham shirt and we really want to win the Cup. We have two finals before the final. First of all, we will give our all to beat Manchester United at home. Then if we manage that, it will be at Wembley and I am really striving to win this cup with West Ham and to try to guarantee a place in Europe for us for next season."

How much has the manager helped you?

CK: "He has really helped me and he is a coach that is really close to his players. He speaks to us a lot and personally, he speaks to me a lot and he has freed my game up. He is a coach that can take us forward and I am really pleased to be working with him. "

What are your hopes now for yourself and for West Ham?

CK: "We have our project here and I will be trying to lead West Ham as far as I possibly can. Within a few years, I think you will see us playing our football at the highest level possible."

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Adrian has fond memories of Stamford Bridge
WHUFC.com

Adrian has enjoyed many career highlights at West Ham following his move to the Boleyn Ground back in June 2013. Few could forget his match winning penalty against Everton in the FA Cup last season, while he will never forget his first save for the club when he made a superb block to deny Manchester United's Tom Cleverley on his debut at Old Trafford. But one of the best games for Adrian came against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge back in January 2014. The Hammers were facing a relegation battle at the time, but their season turned around following a superb display in west London when they came away with a 0-0 draw against the former Premier League champions. One of the biggest factors behind that result was the superb form shown by Adrian that night as he made an incredible 39 saves to stop Chelsea getting on the scoresheet. One of the best saves was to deny Oscar's curling effort which looked destined for the top corner and it won him the save of the season at the Club's end of season awards. Adrian says he will never forget that match and hopes to come away with another clean sheet this weekend. West Ham return to the Bridge with different aspirations this season and can move into the top four on Saturday if they manage to secure another crucial three points.

Adrian said: "I have happy memories of going to Stamford Bridge. For a goalkeeper that had to be my best game there because I kept a clean sheet after many shots on targets and I made a number of saves. "We came away with a point and it was so important for us because we were fighting relegation at that moment and at the end of the season that point was crucial for us. "Now it is a different story and we are in a good position in the table and now we are playing for other things. "We are a different team and we have the chance to beat them and I think it will be a very good game on Saturday."

Adrian understands why the Hammers fans are starting to dream about Champions League football next season following the Club's superb run of form. But the Spanish keeper is refusing to get carried away and says the players must stay focused on the final nine league games to ensure they give themselves the best possible chance of finishing in the top four. Adrian added: "Everybody can dream about this (Champions League) but we have to take it step-by-step and we just have to focus on the next game. "The West Ham philosophy is like this that we have to keep working and prepare for the next game. We now have Chelsea and if we beat them it will put us in an even better position in the table. "The league is so tight and the top of the table is so close. If you lose two games in a row you can lose your position so we have to keep our concentration.
"We are in a good position in the table and are confident and we will keep looking to achieve that goal. "We have a big chance to beat them and they are not having the best Premier League season but they will want to beat us playing at home and move towards the top of the table. "But we have shown that we will fight towards the end and it will be a great game for both teams."

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Cheikhou Kouyate: West Ham midfielder signs new deal
BBC.co.uk

West Ham midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate has signed a new contract with the club until the end of the 2020-21 season. Kouyate, 26, joined the Hammers from Anderlecht in 2014 and has made 63 appearances, scoring eight goals. "There is a lot of work for me still to do and I need to continue working hard," Kouyate told the club's website. West Ham are currently fifth in the Premier League, two points off a Champions League place, and move to the Olympic Stadium next season.

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Chelsea v West Ham United
SAT, 19 MAR 2016PREMIER LEAGUE
15:00
Venue: Stamford Bridge

Dimitri Payet has had a hand in 21 goals for West Ham this season.

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard will be out for up to four weeks with a hip problem, according to his national coach Marc Wilmots. Diego Costa is suspended after his red card in the FA Cup defeat last weekend.
West Ham remain without James Tomkins and James Collins because of calf and hamstring injuries respectively. On-loan winger Victor Moses is ineligible to face his parent club, but Sam Byram is available after being cup-tied last week.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Simon Brotherton: "Claudio Ranieri is a shoo-in for manager of the year, but Slaven Bilic should be on the podium too, with West Ham now genuine contenders for Champions League football.
"They're only a couple of points behind Manchester City and have only lost two of the last 16 league games. "This looks a good time for the Hammers to go to Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea hardly on the crest of a wave after being knocked out of both the Champions League and FA Cup in their last two matches. "Guus Hiddink has steadied the ship well, and they remain undefeated in the Premier League since his return, but too many draws have limited their progress up the table."

Twitter: @SimonBrotherton

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "Chelsea are thinking there's nine games to go and if they click they can finish very, very high also. "In that sense it's not a great time [to play them] because now they have only Premier League. Make no mistake - I'm expecting them to be really hungry and totally focused on the Premier League."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

Chelsea's season was effectively ended by that FA Cup defeat by Everton, and they will be without suspended striker Diego Costa at the weekend. I am tempted to back the Hammers to win again, but Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink remains unbeaten in the Premier League since taking over before Christmas and I think he will rack up another draw here.

Prediction: 1-1

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

West Ham have won just one of their last six meetings with Chelsea (D1, L4) - but that came in the most recent clash, a 2-1 victory at Upton Park in October. Nemanja Matic and then-Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho were sent off in that game.
Chelsea are unbeaten the last nine times they have hosted West Ham in the Premier League (W7, D2).

Chelsea

Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 13 Premier League matches, the best current run in the top flight. They have not lost in the competition in Guus Hiddink's second spell at the club.
The Blues have drawn five of their last six home games in the league, keeping a clean sheet in only one of those matches.
Only Everton and Manchester City have scored more than Chelsea's 27 home goals in this season's Premier League.
Chelsea are the only team in the Premier League not to concede a goal inside the opening 15 minutes of a match this season.
West Ham

West Ham have won their last three Premier League matches. The last time they won four in a row in the league was in February 2014.
The Hammers have scored more goals away from home than at Upton Park this season.
They have scored three goals in a game on five occasions in this season's Premier League: four of those have come on the road, including last time at Everton.

Dimitri Payet has five goals and five assists in his last seven competitive appearances for West Ham United.

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FA Cup semi-final: Everton v West Ham or Man Utd live on BBC
Bbc.CO.UK

Everton's FA Cup semi-final tie against West Ham or Manchester United will be shown live on BBC One. The match will take place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, 23 April, kicking off at 17:15 GMT. Crystal Palace will take on Watford at the same venue on Sunday, 24 April at 16:00 GMT, with the match to be shown on BT Sport. The winning semi-finalists, who receive £900,000 from the FA's prize fund, will meet in the final on Saturday, 21 May.

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Payet wins another award!
March 18, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
BKHammer

Dimitri Payet has been voted PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February after his string of terrific performances propelled the Hammers to fifth in the Barclays Premier League table reports whufc.com. The Frenchman, who enjoyed a sensational month in the league and Emirates FA Cup, just pipped teammate and Hammers skipper Mark Noble, who came second, to the award voted by supporters. The 28-year-old's impressive displays saw him register a goal and assist at Norwich City and contribute to wins over Aston Villa and Sunderland for Slaven Bilic's side.
His brilliance was clear in the FA Cup too. There, he again showed his talent by setting up Angelo Ogbonna's dramatic fourth-round replay winner and in the 5-1 destruction of Blackburn Rovers by scoring a 25-yard free-kick and marvelous individual goal. Payet was voted winner just ahead of Noble, who plays in his Testimonial match at the Boleyn Ground on Monday 28. The captain smashed in a late leveller at Carrow Road and was influential throughout the month of February. The latest accolade comes just a fortnight after Payet picked up the London Player of the Year award in recognition of his super season as a whole. The Frenchman, who has ten assists and eleven goals to his name since moving to east London from Marseille last summer, was also recalled to his national side for upcoming friendly matches with the Netherlands and Russia. Everyone at West Ham United would like to congratulate Dimitri on his latest achievement.

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West Ham United are attempting to seduce Alexandre Lacazette
March 18, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
BKHammer

According to L'Équipe, Premier League side West Ham United are attempting to convince Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette to join them in the summer. The Hammers continue to send scouts on a weekly basis to observe Lacazette, with the Frenchman having already been the subject of a concrete bid from Newcastle United in January. Slaven Bilic has also asked Dimitri Payet to attempt to convince Alexandre Lacazette about the advantages that would afforded to the player of Premier League exposure and a London lifestyle. Owing to the increased Premier League TV deal, West Ham United have between €35m and €40m to spend on a striker this summer. West Ham's ultimate success in terms of convincing Lacazette will be down to the fact of whether or not they can offer Champions League football, because if they cannot, then it will be difficult to convince Lacazette and/or Michy Batshuayi, who the Hammers are watching intently. Lacazette's agent David Venditelli had the following to say on the matter: "At the moment, the idea is that Alexandre Lacazette will be at Lyon next season. In any case, we will discuss things when the time comes with Jean Michel Aulas. We have enough experience us two to know what we need to do for Alex's interests and for the club."
If West Ham fail in their pursuit of Lacazette, then they will turn to Batshuayi, who is a player that Slaven Bilic adores. However, the Hammers will face the competition of Atletico Madrid, Juventus and other Premier League sides for the Marseille man's signature in the summer. André Ayew is another player on West Ham's shopping list for the summer, according to the report.

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Dimitri Payet wins PFA Fans' Player of the Month award for February
Last Updated: 18/03/16 10:56am
SSN

West Ham forward Dimitri Payet has been named the PFA Fans' Player of the Month for February in the Premier League. Payet's performances last month helped Slaven Bilic's side to two wins and a draw as they stayed in the hunt for Champions League qualification. The Frenchman, who has been called up to his national squad for the friendlies against the Netherlands and Russia, won 41.6 per cent of the vote to beat off competition from West Ham team-mate Mark Noble (39.6 per cent) and Tottenham forward Christian Eriksen (18.8 per cent).
That selection was reduced from an initial 12-man list featuring Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa (both Chelsea), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Fraser Forster (Southampton), Heurelho Gomes (Watford), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Robert Huth (Leicester), Ross Barkley (Everton) and Salomon Rondon (West Brom).

Every month, throughout the English football season, fans will have the opportunity to vote on skysports.com for who they think has been the best player in the Barclays Premier League, Sky Bet Championship, Sky Bet League One and Sky Bet League Two, after Sky Sports teamed up with the PFA to be the digital platform for the Awards. Before the vote opens each month, an expert panel will produce a shortlist of contenders. Fans will then be able to vote for the player they think deserves the award. The panel includes Sky Sports football pundits Paul Merson, Ian Holloway and Peter Beagrie. That trio will be joined by Mike Riley, general manager of Professional Game Match Officials, and Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters Federation, as well as the winning fan from each month.

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Chelsea v West Ham preview: Slaven Bilic meets Guus Hiddink in Premier League for first time
Last Updated: 18/03/16 1:05pm
SSN

West Ham travel to Stamford Bridge this weekend confident of heaping yet more misery on a Chelsea side which have exited the Champions League and FA Cup. Chelsea are 10th with nine games to play after climbing from perilously close to the relegation zone a week before Christmas. West Ham are fifth, two points behind fourth-placed Manchester City, and take their quest for the top four and Champions League qualification across London. The Blues were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain and FA Cup by Everton last week, but the ailing champions will be aiming to finish the season on a high.

Team news

Guus Hiddink will be without striker Diego Costa, who is suspended for the game following his red card against Everton last weekend, while the Dutchman may also have to do without Eden Hazard, who missed the loss at Goodison Park with a minor hip injury. Kurt Zouma and Radamel Falcao remain sidelined through injury.

West Ham defender James Tomkins was expected to resume full training this week but will miss Saturday's trip. Tomkins is recovering from a calf injury and, like James Collins (hamstring), is anticipated to be available following the international break. On-loan Chelsea winger Victor Moses is ineligible to face his parent club, but Sam Byram comes into contention after being cup-tied for last week's draw at Manchester United.

Opta stats

Chelsea have won seven and lost none of the last nine Premier League games against West Ham at Stamford Bridge. The Blues have kept six clean sheets and conceded just three goals in that nine game run. Overall, West Ham have won just two of the last 19 Premier League meetings with Chelsea (W2 D3 L14). The Blues are unbeaten in 13 Premier League games since Jose Mourinho left (W6 D7), but have only won two at home (W2 D5). The Hammers have lost just two of their last 16 Premier League matches (W7 D7 L2).

Merson's predictions

Chelsea will be desperately trying to stop Slaven Bilic's side reaching the Champions League when the two sides meet at Stamford Bridge. West Ham are right in the hunt for European qualification but to get a result at Chelsea they will have to play from the first whistle. In recent weeks they've only come alive when they've been behind. They came back from 2-0 down against Norwich and they did the same at Everton, before going on to seal all three points. They can't afford to give Chelsea a head start. Again, there's not a lot between these two sides and I'm going for another 1-1 draw.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-1 (Sky Bet's odds: 11/2)

Betting

Chelsea are odds-on at 7/10 with Sky Bet despite their contrasting campaign to their London rivals, with West Ham available at 19/5 to win and 11/4 to secure a point. The Hammers are currently marginally odds-on for a top-six finish at 10/11, compared to their hosts' price of 7/2, and 8/1 to finish in the Champions League qualification places. Find out what the Soccer Saturday pundits and Jamie Redknapp are backing in their Sky Bet tips here.

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Irons admit striker interest – plus 11 others!
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham have tonight admitted the club has been tracking Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette but have warned fans not to get fixated on the odd one or two strikers mentioned in the media.

We were told by our most senior source: "He is one of 12 we have been looking at. We scout a huge number of players every season and Lacazette is one of them.

"It would be wrong for anyone to run off with the idea – as always seems to be inferred – that the name which may escape into the public domain is the only one that interests us."

The Sun reported earlier today that Slaven Bilic is believed to have asked Dimitri Payet to help convince his fellow countryman to move to the Premier League.

French international Lacazette has scored 64 goals in 165 Ligue 1 appearances for Lyon, attracting the attentions of Newcastle in the January transfer window.

The player's agent declared that the Lyon star wouldn't decide his future until summer adding that at the moment his future was seen as being at the French club.

And our source said: "That is our understanding too. He's on the list – along with all the others!"

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Keep Saturday evening 23rd April free
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Our potential FA Cup semi-final at Wembley stadium against Everton will be played on Saturday 23rd April with a 5.15pm kick off so keep that date keep just in case.

Watford's semi-final with Crystal Palace at Wembley will be played on Sunday April 24th at 4pm

Each club will get an allocation of 31,500 for the semis.

The FA cup replay between West Ham and Manchester United will be played Wednesday 6th April under the Boleyn ground lights.

The FA have already announced ticket price reductions for both the FA Cup semis and the final at the Wembley. The lowest priced tickets for the semis will be £33 which will account for 14% of the the overall tickets while the highest priced tickets will cost £63 which will account for 19% of all the tickets.

Should we make the FA Cup final this year, lowest priced tickets start at £50 (14% of all tickets) with the highest at £120 (19% of all tickets)

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OS contract decision on the way
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 18, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

A reconvened appeal hearing against the decision to release full details of West Ham's Olympic Stadium deal with the LLDC was heard in London yesterday. OSA coalition of 14 supporters' trusts and groups had a complaint to the Information Commissioner upheld last year, the judgement ordered publication last year by the LLDC decided to appeal the decision. The coalition which has been backed by a number of GLA members, former Government ministers, MPs and others, has been seeking the contract's full publication of the agreement. Much of yesterday's hearing was heard in private and the judge is not expected to reveal their judgement. BBC sports journalist Chris Slegg has said the result will not be known for 2-3 weeks. Slegg posted on twitter "Tribunal into LLDC's appeal against decision that Olympic Stadium deal with West Ham must be made public has ended. Judge to rule in 2-3 wks"

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Irons star reckons we can turn Chelsea over
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 18, 2016 in News
C and H

Michail Antonio's verbal approach is precisely the same as his playing style – fearless and to the point. So it's no real surprise to hear him declare: "We can turn them over!" Speaking to www.whufc.com he declared: People are starting to take notice. They probably thought we'd be a top 12 team, that kind of position, but right now we're pushing and even if we fell off right now, which I don't feel we will, I reckon we would probably finish seventh this season. " We're going to go to Stamford Bridge on Saturday and try to get the three points and we believe that we can. They're on a good run, but their run's not as good as ours, so I reckon we can turn them over. All we can do is look forward. Last season we finished 12th, but right now we're pushing for Champions League spots. You never know, anything can happen, quarter finals of the FA Cup, last year at the Boleyn Ground, things are looking up for us. "I hear it will be Manchester United for the final game. Amazing game, what a game to end our time at the Boleyn Ground. What a game to end the Boleyn Ground on, having Manchester United, under the lights, at home. "It's going to be amazing. The fans are going to be up for it, bring it on. You can't rule Manchester United out of anything, so it could be a shoot-out for Europe! "

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West Ham plot to lure Arsenal and Liverpool striker target after £21.5m Newcastle snub
WEST HAM have reportedly entered the race to sign highly-rated Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.
By LIAM SPENCE
PUBLISHED: 11:15, Fri, Mar 18, 2016 | UPDATED: 11:29, Fri, Mar 18, 2016
Express

The 24-year-old has been attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs including Arsenal and Liverpool. Arsene Wenger's side are looking for cover for Olivier Giroud, while the Reds have earmarked the French international as a replacement for £32.5million flop Christian Benteke. Lacazette was even the subject of a January move to struggling Newcastle, but he rejected their £21.5m approach. Slaven Bilic's side currently sit fifth in the Premier League and are hopeful of securing a top-four spot and Champions League football for when they move to the Olympic Stadium next season. And French newspaper L'Equipe report that European football, the London lifestyle and the relationship Lacazette has with Dimitri Payet will be key factors in trying to tempt him into a move to the Hammers in the summer. The report adds that West Ham send scouts on a weekly basis to monitor Lacazette and have up to £31m to spend on a striker of his quality. Lacazette has scored scored 15 goals so far this season and would provide the Hammers with the required firepower to compete against the European elite. But Lacazette's agent David Venditelli admits that Lacazette's future lies with Lyon for the time being. He said: "At the moment, the idea is that Alexandre Lacazette will be at Lyon next season. In any case, we will discuss things when the time comes with Jean Michel Aulas. We have enough experience us two to know what we need to do for Alex's interests and for the club."

It is understood if the east London club were to miss out on Lacazette then they will turn their attention back to Marseille star Michy Batshuayi, who they are willing to pay £25million for. The report also claims they will approach Swansea's Andre Ayew about a move if they fail in their pursuit of both Lacazette and Batshuayi.

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Eden Hazard ruled out of Chelsea's West Ham clash as manager confirms lengthy injury
CHELSEA forward Eden Hazard faces up to a month on the sidelines, according to Belgium head coach Marc Wilmots.
By DAVID WRIGHT
PUBLISHED: 11:53, Fri, Mar 18, 2016 | UPDATED: 12:04, Fri, Mar 18, 2016
Express

The 25-year-old declared himself fit to face Everton on Saturday after picking up a hip injury in the Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain three days before. But Blues manager Guud Hiddink refused to risk Hazard in the 2-0 defeat in the FA Cup quarter-finals. And now Wilmots has revealed Hazard faces three to four weeks out of action, which will keep him out of Belgium's upcoming friendlies against Portugal and Switzerland. "I have told Eden Hazard to have some rest," Wilmots said. "We are not too worried about. He has a muscle injury. He'll be out for 3-4 weeks." It will been Hazard will miss Chelsea's visit of London rivals West Ham tomorrow, as well as next month's games against Aston Villa, Swansea and Manchester City.
Wilmots also effectively ruled out City and Belgium captain Vincent Kompany for the rest of the season with another calf injury.

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West Ham plotting club-record move for in-demand Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Friday, March 18, 2016

West Ham are lining up a sensational club-record move for in-demand French striker Alexandre Lacazette, who is a target for both Newcastle and Arsenal. According to L'Equipe, the high-flying Hammers are the latest Premier League side to express an interest in the Lyon hotshot, who has emerged as one of the best strikers in Ligue 1. The 24-year-old has netted 13 times in 26 outings this term, following on from his 27-goal haul last season, and Lyon are bracing themselves for summer interest. And that may come from east London, especially if West Ham manage to cap a fine season by qualifying for next season's Champions League. L'Equipe claim that Slaven Bilic could have as much as £32million to spend this summer and they reckon he could use it to prise Lacazette away from southern France. West Ham struck gold by landing the striker's compatriot Dimitri Payet from Marseille in 2015 and they could be about to combine the French duo in the Premier League.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News -

Westley hails deserved victory
WHUFC.com

Following an enthralling 3-2 semi-final win over Liverpool at Rush Green,
Academy director Terry Westley said his side fully deserved their place in
the final. Having come from a goal down after Pedro Chirivella scored early
on, Doneil Henry's close range finish levelled the proceedings. With the
scores level after 90 minutes, Marcus Browne scored his second goal in two
games with a cushioned finish yet livewire Sheyi Ojo utilised a loose ball
to equalise. However, seconds later the Hammers were ahead, and in some
style as Stephen Hendrie's thunderbolt of a strike gave Adam Bogdan no
chance of saving. Speaking after a gruelling yet ultimately successful
night, Westley said: "We deserve to be in the final, we spoke about that
earlier in the week, that was the prize we were vying for, and thankfully
we've got there. "Tonight was a terrific advert for youth football, and now
we have the opportunity to play a final at the Boleyn Ground, in the final
season. So it's a very special opportunity and one we are all really looking
forward to, it is a massive honour. "It was a tough game, a proper game if
you like. This was everything that young players need to develop. It had
commitment, it was a passing game, there was tackles flying in. "Both teams
took it seriously tonight, whatever the team they fielded tonight, we had to
face it and be prepared to compete and that is what we did. "Everyone who
played tonight did well. There were so many positives for us tonight; it
would take too long to mention them all."

The Development Squad will now face Hull City in a two-leg final which will
take place in both home stadiums. Westley continued: "Doneil really
committed himself, as did Oxford who's has had an small injury recently.
Added to that Hendrie and Spiegel, were excellent, they've all done
superbly. "Marcus absolutely terrorised them tonight, that's his second red
card so he has to curb that but overall he was magnificent. He was so good
that he got under Skrtel's skin, so that says a lot. He has that ability
that not many people have, of breaking down lines, and running past people,
it's a skill that is getting rarer and rarer."

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Lanzini - We can dream big
WHUFC.com

Manuel Lanzini is urging the Hammers to dream big ahead of the final stage
of the season. The Argentine feels that with the side's current form and the
way they are playing, a place in the top four is possible and believes that
a strong performance against a tricky Chelsea side on Saturday can put them
on track to do so. He told whufc.com: "I think that European qualification
is definitely possible. With the way we are playing at the moment, anything
is possible. In football anything can happen, there can always be surprises
in football. "We are well placed in the table and that hasn't happened by
chance. I think we are playing well and we are having a great season with
the brilliant squad that the manager has built. "Obviously, when you are in
a position like we are, you always want more. So why not dream of being in
the Champions League next season. "I think the game against Chelsea is going
to be a really tricky one because we know that they are one of the biggest
teams in the Premier League. "We need to concentrate on ourselves though, to
continue the way we are playing and to keep trying as we have been. If we
play well, then we can get the three points."

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Young defenders bag maiden strikes

Two young Hammers were on the scoresheet for the very first time for the
Under-21s as West Ham United beat Liverpool 3-2 in the semi-final of the
Premier League U21 Cup. Doneil Henry equalised with United's first to make
it 1-1 at Rush Green before Stephen Hendrie popped up with an extra-time
winner. The full-back's late strike – a rocket with the outside of his boot
from outside the box – sent the hosts through to the two-legged final where
they will face Hull City. After the goal, which will live long in the
memory, Hendrie said: "It felt amazing obviously when it hit the back of the
net. As it left my foot, I knew it was one of those ones you know are going
to hit the back of the net. "Obviously it's the goal to send us through to
the final so I'm buzzing with it. "I've been out on loan getting game time
but when it went to extra-time, I felt fine. The last game we went to extra
time in we were knackered, pulling up with cramp, but today I felt fine so
hopefully that's my fitness levels getting better and better each game."

Fellow defender Henry, who stabbed home a loose ball inside the penalty area
early in the second half, always felt the Hammers had the confidence to win
the game. "The first goal got the spirits high. We knew we could win the
game and it's about playing and believing in ourselves. "A lot of emotion
went into [my goal]. It's been a long time coming. I'm just trying to get
games and everybody was up for the challenge against Liverpool. "Big credit
goes to the manager Terry. We've been working hard all week and the lead up
to the game started two or three weeks ago when we really started working on
the game and believing and thinking. "We keep saying it's been two years
since we've had this group of players and the programme keeps changing but
the core of this group is really good at the moment. So we definitely knew
we could take it to Liverpool today at home and the fans were great today.
"[Even at 2-2] we knew that we could go on and get the winner. We made it
really difficult and complicated for ourselves but the way Stephen finished
it off; what a relief and a great way to finish the match."

The Under-21s will get the chance to grace the Boleyn Ground pitch one more
time too, as the home final leg must be played at the club's main stadium,
and Hendrie is confident of a result.
"Of course we can win it," he said. "We can beat anyone. But it's going to
be a hard game and it's a two-leg final so we just need to wait until that
comes and we'll take it when it does."

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Slaven Speaks - Chelsea
WHUFC.com

Ahead of the Hammers' trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Slaven Bilic held
his pre-match press conference.
During the briefing, the manager fielded a range of questions from team
news, facing Chelsea and going for a Champions League place...

What is the latest team-news ahead of the Chelsea game?

SB: "It's good. We have James Tomkins and James Collins still out but
they're going to be back after the Chelsea game. Tomkins will start training
tomorrow or today with us but it's still too early for a game against
Chelsea but after that we have a an international break so both of them
should be available for the next game. All the rest are good. We have a good
squad, we have a big squad now. As we expected, most of the players are back
and that's really good for us and it makes us even more confident."

The Hammers are two points off top four, did you believe you would be
challenging for a Champions League place when you first arrived here?

SB: "We are always trying to be positive. But as I told you, our season plan
was to approach game by game and to try to win every game that we are
playing and not thinking about where it will bring us. Now we are in the
situation where we are standing good. There are still a lot of points to
play for but we have a chance to finish real high but also there are a lot
of teams below us queuing and our aim is to continue to play like this and
pick up points and then hopefully it's going to take us high.

How many points do you think it would take to achieve that goal?

SB: "I don't know, I'm not using that kind of maths. All I know about
England is that you have to reach 40 points to stay up! I don't know how
many you need to get in the Europa League or the Champions League or
whatever. It's just game by game and so far that kind of thinking has put us
in a very good situation and to be fair in my opinion it is the only way
that any club should think. Because you can't go and play Chelsea and then
expect three points against whoever…it doesn't work like that. Because in
any league, especially here, there are no guarantees. We are totally focused
on the possibility of three points the day after tomorrow and try to get
three or one and then it's going to be one less game to go with hopefully an
even better position.

Do you sometimes think what could have happened if you would have had a
fully-fit squad all season – could you have even challenged for the title?

SB: "I told you that injury-wise we were in a really bad position in
November and December when we were without six or seven players like Swansea
away and West Brom home and Stoke home and Villa away but it was a very
important period for us to gain confidence and character because we weren't
losing them. We were basically drawing them and we showed stubbornness and
all that and that was very important. If those players were playing in those
games we would probably or definitely have more chances to win but then on
the other hand maybe that is the reason that we're playing good now because
some players had that little break and came back in January or February very
fresh and practically like after pre-season. Definitely we were missing
those players in that period."

Is this a good time to play Chelsea?

SB: "Yes and no. They went out a couple of competitions last week. They were
very positive so maybe they were more focused on the Champions League and
the FA Cup but now they're out maybe it's harmed the confidence and
atmosphere at their training ground. But on the other hand they are also
thinking there's nine games to go and if they click they can finish very,
very high also. In that sense it's not a great time because now they have
only Premier League and make no mistake I'm expecting them to be really
hungry and totally focused on the Premier League."

Can you tell us about the latest situation regarding Manuel Lanzini?

SB: "Lanzini is a clear situation from the start. He came on loan from Al
Jazira and we had an option and the contract is there so he's our player and
he's happy here and we're of course happy with him and we want him in the
club for a long, long time. My staff decided long ago that we want to
activate that option."

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Payet returns to France squad
WHUFC.com

Dimitri Payet is back in the senior France squad after receiving a call-up
from Les Blues coach Didier Deschamps. The in-form West Ham United has been
rewarded for a series of sensational displays in Claret and Blue and is now
set to feature in France's upcoming pre-Euro 2016 international matches with
the Netherlands and Russia. Deschamps' side will take on the Dutch in
Amsterdam on Friday 25 March before welcoming the Russians to the Stade de
France in Paris on Tuesday 29 March. For Payet, the call-up will give him an
opportunity to add to the 15 senior caps he has already earned, the last of
which came in Albania in June 2015. The 28-year-old, who made his France
debut against Romania in October 2010, has scored twice for his country.
Payet has been sensational since joining the Hammers from Olympique de
Marseille last summer, scoring eleven goals and registering ten assists in
29 appearances in all competitions. The Reunion-born player will now hope to
impress and earn himself a place in Deschamps' squad for Euro 2016, which
will see host nation France take on Albania, Romania and Switzerland in
Group A.

Elsewhere, Darren Randolph has been named in the provisional Republic of
Ireland squad for their pre-Euro 2016 internationals with Switzerland and
Slovakia, which will both take place in Dublin on 25 and 29 March
respectively.

Cheikhou Kouyate is in the Senegal squad for two 2017 Africa Cup of Nations
qualifiers with Niger, while Enner Valencia is in the table-topping Ecuador
selection for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at home to Paraguay and
home to Colombia.

Stephen Hendrie is in the Scotland U21 squad for UEFA European Championship
qualifiers with France in Anger and Northern Ireland in Paisley.

Young winger Martin Samuelsen, who has impressed on loan at Peterborough
United, has earned his first Norway U21 call-up and will hope to play some
part against the Netherlands and Spain, who they face in a mini-tournament
in southern Spain on 25 and 28 March respectively.

Bradford City loanee Reece Burke is in the England U20 squad for a friendly
double-header with Canada in Doncaster, while goalkeeper Sam Howes is in the
U19 squad for the UEFA European Championship Elite Round qualifiers with
mini-group hosts Spain, Greece and Georgia.

Reece Oxford, who has been asked to participate in a photoshoot for the new
England kit, is in the U18 squad for friendly matches in Austria and at home
to Austria at St George's Park.

Burke's fellow Bradford loanee Josh Cullen is in the Ireland U21 squad for
important UEFA European Championship qualifiers with Italy in Waterford on
24 March and away to Slovenia in Koper on 28 March.

Sticking with the Irish, Declan Rice and Anthony Scully are in the U17 squad
for UEFA European Championship Elite Round qualifiers with mini-group hosts
Poland, Serbia and Montenegro, while schoolboy Conor Coventry is in the
Ireland U16 squad.

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View on the Opposition - Chelsea
WHUFC.com

West London Sport's Yann Tear lifts the lid on Saturday's opponents
Having been knocked out of two competitions in a week, how do you expect
Chelsea to react this weekend?

"It's kind of unchartered territory as Chelsea have got used to competing
for titles and trophies at the stage of the season, but now, any chance of
silverware is over. It'll be interesting to see how the players react, you'd
expect some sort of response, especially at home, in a London derby against
West Ham.
"They are playing for pride, and for a lot of them, their futures with the
impending reshuffle over the summer."

Despite that, Chelsea's league has been pretty good of late, will that give
them confidence?

"It should do, and generally, Chelsea have fared pretty well over West Ham
at Stamford Bridge in recent years. A lot will depend on the crowd come
Saturday afternoon. There's been a lot of flat atmospheres recently; the
team certainly play better whenever the crowd get behind them.

"I have to say that Guus Hiddink has been brilliant since he's come in. He's
a great organiser and the players are certainly working for him."

Which Chelsea players have stood out this season?

"By their usual high expectations, it has been a disappointing season and
last season's stand outs haven't materialised. Willian has been the standout
and has scored some crucial goals.

"It's also a shame not to see some of the younger players being given more
of an opportunity. Reuben Loftus-Cheek has impressed whenever he has played
and Kennedy, although is he very raw, certainly has huge amounts of talent."

What is your prediction for Saturday's score?

"Under Hiddink, Chelsea have drawn a lot of games so I think that is the
most likely outcome. Having said that, West Ham have been an absolute
revelation under Bilic, so a draw might not be such a bad result. Whenever
I've seen them, they have played really good football."

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Former Player Blog - Scott Parker
WHUFC.com

Former Chelsea player and England international Scott Parker starred in the
West Ham United midfield for four Premier League seasons between 2007 and
2011, being voted Footballer of the Year in his final season with the Club,
and is a three-time Hammer of the Year…

Hello everyone,

It is amazing to think it is four-and-a-half years now since I left West Ham
United. I still look for the Hammers' result after every match and, while I
was initially a little bit surprised, I have been really pleased to see how
well things have gone this season. It has been fantastic.
It is clear that the team go out there with the mentality to win every game
they play, and now I watch them on TV expecting them to score goals and win
games, too. I watched the Manchester United FA Cup tie last Sunday and it
was a tough game and one which, even last season, you would perhaps have
expected to lose, but there was no thought of that in the way West Ham
played. Slaven Bilic has done an unbelievable job since taking charge last
summer and you have to give credit to the owners for the appointment. Slaven
has quickly blended together a very good squad. They always look a threat
going forward and, as a former West Ham player, I am so pleased that
everyone at the Club is having such a good time – my former teammates and
the staff, the new players and backroom staff and, of course, the supporters
who I had such a close bond with during my time there.

I honestly don't think there is a team in the Premier League who would
relish playing against Slaven's West Ham nowadays. Even teams like
Manchester United, Arsenal and my old club Chelsea, who West Ham travel to
face on Saturday, will not fancy it, and the key for the Hammers now is to
keep this momentum up and maintain their level of performance over a few
seasons.

Next year is a big one for the Club going into the new Stadium and I am sure
that can give them the platform to go to the next level. It is a new West
Ham, really. Like everyone else, I have watched Dimitri Payet and been
impressed with the way he has performed, as I'm sure every West Ham fan has
too. I saw his free-kick against Manchester United and just said 'Wow!' He
is a fantastic footballer and is one of a group of outstanding players who
are now at the Club. If you look back and see that he cost £10.8m or
something, you have to say that's a great deal!

Payet is what you'd call a 'West Ham player' in that he has the style and
attitude that I know the West Ham fans love and what they have come to
expect down the years. He reminds me of Paolo Di Canio with his skills, so
it's no surprise the supporters love him!

I am pleased to say that Mark Noble has invited me back to play in his
Testimonial on 28 March and, if it is possible, I would love to be there to
honour Mark, who is a fantastic player, a top man and someone who I did the
running for, for four seasons!

Nobes epitomises West Ham and it's only fitting that he receives a
Testimonial in the final season at Upton Park. I am also hoping to return to
the Boleyn Ground one last time for the Final Game with Manchester United in
May, which will be an amazing occasion. It looks like being a really
exciting end to the season for West Ham!

Scott

The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of West
Ham United.

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West Ham's Michail Antonio turned down Jamaica for England
BBC.co.uk

West Ham's Michail Antonio has revealed he turned down the opportunity to
play for Jamaica as he still has ambitions to represent England. The
forward, 25, has caught the eye since his £7m move to the Hammers last
September, scoring six league goals. He has been overlooked by England for
this month's friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands. But he told BBC
Sport: "Jamaica called but if I keep doing what I'm doing hopefully I can
get an England call." Antonio, a former non-league player with Tooting &
Mitcham United, has flourished on the right flank for the FA Cup
semi-finalists this season. He was a Championship player with Nottingham
Forest until his transfer to West Ham, and he said he is taking inspiration
from fellow former lower league players, such as Tottenham's Dele Alli and
Leicester's Jamie Vardy, both of whom have been named in Roy Hodgson's
recent squad. "You can see it with Dele Alli, he's come from League One and
he's already in the England squad," Antonio told Football Focus. "You see it
with Vardy. Hopefully I can get the call-up as well."

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ExWHUEmployee Exclusive: Players join the club, Internationals and Stadium
News
March 16, 2016
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
ExWHUEmployee

So the Manchester United game was an amazing day out and one that shall live
in my memory for a long time. I couldn't tell you how many times I have
watched the Payet free kick but I think I have a serious addiction. It is
such a good free kick and had one of the big name European players scored
it- we would be hearing about it over and over again. It was such a shame
that we couldn't hold onto the win especially given that their goal was a
foul on Randolph but the opportunity to play them at home and another final
special cup game at Upton Park is very good compensation.

People were disappointed to potentially get Everton in the Semi-Final but I
personally do not care that much. We would have to play them in the final
if they are the best team and on our day, as we have proven, we can beat
anyone. Yes I am sick to death of Lukaku but let us hope, if we get
through, he picks up a little knock somewhere along the lines.

I wasn't going to write a column this week because I became a bit
disillusioned with the whole thing. As you all know my columns often have
many articles taken straight from them by other media places, they always
have. With some bits of the news that I share I am asked not to give too
much away and in order to get this information I have to respect my sources.


If you read last weeks' column
http://www.thewesthamway.co.uk/#!exwhuemployee/r2sdn you will see I pretty
much spelt out who the feeder club was, which the mail reported the next day
having used the info and worked it out. I also said that a key player's
contract is close to being triggered due to appearances and that the site
would bring an exclusive in the week about another big contract being
signed! I don't read other sites, I barely have time to read my own, so I
said it would appear exclusively on the site in the week. Without reading
anything or knowing otherwise, true to my word, I put out what I felt was an
exclusive. This exclusive was that Alex Song needed to start 5 more games
to trigger a new contract (this has determined his lack of starts recently)
and that Harvard Nordtveit was close to signing a pre contract with us,
something that we also reported in January. I had no idea that this had
been reported elsewhere and the backlash I received as a result was
borderline ridiculous. I am not going to bleat anymore about it but if you
do a bit of research and read my columns throughout January and compare the
news/timings on Byram, Jelavic and the "mystery" forward (Emenike) you will
see that we both reported very different things.

I can confirm that Harvard Nordtveit's move has been completed and he will
be a West Ham player next season. There will be no official announcement on
this for a while because the club do not want to "make it official" and
unsettle the team and in particular Alex Song whose future looks in doubt.
It isn't the end of the road for him and he could still earn that contract
but it is looking more and more unlikely.

The signing of Manuel Lanzini probably will not be completed within the next
few days, which others are speculating/guessing. The club still want to
hold on until the deadline (Early April) before completing the deal. The
deal is in place and literally needs us to sign the documents but we just
want further clarification that he is over the injuries that he has
sustained this year.

Speaking of injuries, as we reported on our twitter and site, Reid didn't
pick up an injury at Manchester United and it was just cramp, lack of match
fitness and the fact that he was on a booking. He will be in line to play
against Chelsea. The squad is looking very strong with only Tomkins and
Collins out and both are targeting a return after the international break.
If we come through that with no extra injuries; we will have a fully fit
team for the first time in a long while!

The international squads are announced tomorrow and there is a strong
feeling at the club (as I said last week) that there could be some
surprises. People in the club finally believe that Noble has been called
up!!! Whilst I am refusing to believe it until I see it, if he isn't, there
will be some shocked people at the training ground. If he is, his
testimonial will not be rearranged, he will just be granted permision to
attend that one day. The game will also be shown on BT Europe now, a
fantastic achievment for a testimonial. There is also a suggestion that
there could be one other shock, with another inform player making their
national team! IF this is true I am going to be extremely worried that they
will get injured over the international break.

I have seen many stories linking us with other forwards and a few articles
saying we will not sign anyone big name. The club do intend to sign a big
money player and have explored many options. You have to consider that with
our increased ground capacity and ticket prices our turn over will be
massively increased and therefore improving our FFP standing. We will also
lose Jenkinson, Moses and probably Song from the wage bill, all of which
command very large wages, more than some probably realise. There is also
the possibility of a couple of other players leaving. We have sent scouts
to watch both Batshuayi and Lacazette within the last week and both are
highly on the radar. I was asked by someone within the club to run a poll
on the West Ham Way.co.uk twitter account asking which one the fans would
prefer and it was 50/50 split on last check. We do want another forward, a
big name one, whether we actually land that forward is a different question
but the intention is there. Why bother to scout them all if there isn't?!

The club are having to hold off naming the company that owns the rights to
the Olympic stadium because there are too many contractual obligations at
the moment but it is a big company. The club had the application to extend
to 60k capacity accepted and this was always an option depending on how well
season ticket sales went. They have gone phenomenally well and this will
unfortunately leave many fans disappointed on the waiting lists as they are
huge.

The match against Chelsea sees a number of their key players out and once
again I will be going to this game. Please follow our snapchat for
coverage, before, during and after the game. Unfortunately the app kills
your battery and there is never enough signal to upload during the game but
I hope you enjoyed some of the Everton and Manchester United footage that I
have been able to secure.

The last game of the season has now be confirmed against Manchester United
and it will be a special occasion. There are plans to try and get one more
"charity" friendly scheduled in after this match and that will gives fans a
chance to have one last goodbye during the day! I get more and more sad
about the move the closer it comes, but the way to get over it I have found
is to look at how impressive the Olympic Stadium is.

On the notion of an exciting future it was great to see the Under 21s get to
the two legged final against Hull in the cup having beaten Liverpool. Many
players played brilliant but once again Samuelsen was superb and will
probably be given a new contract soon, as could two other influential
players. The youth team are really firing on all cylinders and at all ages
at the moment!

Please make sure you check out the new look site and keep tuned for many
exciting developments coming over the weeks with that. I have had some
really promising discussions on a number of different aspects of the site
and I hope you will agree when we launch them that they have moved the site
on even further in our growth.

On a separate note we have managed (at time of writing) to raise £300 for
the Bobby Moore fund through Jonjo and DT38 through selling a signed shirt.
This takes the total raised over the season to £1500 for good causes. It
makes me proud that the West Ham family have been able to give so much to
these causes and ones that are so close to my heart!! As we all know, West
Ham fans are the best in the world!
COYI

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Antonio rejects Jamaica offer
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 17th March 2016
By: Staff Writer

Michail Antonio has revealed that he recently rejected an offer from Jamaica
to appear for the Caribbean island's national team. The 25-year-old winger
has been in exceptional form in recent months, leading to an approach from
Jamaica. However the former Nottingham Forest man rejected an offer to
appear for The Reggae Boyz, preferring instead to hold out for an England
call. "I'm hoping to get some international games," Antonio told BBC's
Football Focus programme. "Jamaica called me but I hope that if I keep doing
what I'm doing I can get a call-up for England. "You've seen it with Dele
Alli, who's come from League One and with Jamie Vardy. Hopefully I can get
the call as well. "Anything can be possible. I believe that you should never
give up on your dream because at any stage it could come true."

Antonio joined West Ham in a £7million switch from Nottingham Forest last
September. Since then he has made 22 appearances for the Hammers, scoring
seven goals - including three in his last four appearances.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BANISHING THE DEMONS
By Bobby Shovels 17 Mar 2016 at 17:00
WTID

Apologies for the tardiness in my post – I have been watching and
re-watching Dimitri Payet's free-kick from Sunday, and amazingly, it still
manages to impress. My housemate, a deflated Arsenal fan at the weekend, had
a bit of a shock when I jumped off the sofa when that ball went in, having
looked at my friend before he took and said: "It's too far out. He'll have
to pass it." As I said, still shocked.

With Chelsea away this weekend, Manchester United at home (twice) and the
potential of a semi-final against Everton on the horizon, it seems like we
are approaching a period in our recent history when a lot of this season is
about banishing certain demons that have held us back for so long. To play
Liverpool four times and remain unbeaten is a notable example of that: to
not just rid ourselves of over 50 years of hurt at Anfield, but to claim
victory 3-0, 2-0 and 2-1 at both grounds not just clears a Liverpool hurdle
– but jumps miles over it.

Now comes another obstacle: Chelsea at the Bridge. The Blues have beaten us
seven of the last nine times at their ground, and only conceded three goals
in the process. In turn, we have only won two of our last 19 league meetings
with them. So, it seems fitting in this year of transition and turmoil, that
Saturday may be the day to buck that disappointing trend. For our dip in
form against the West Londoners directly corresponds with their takeover by
Abramovich – our last victory at the Bridge came just before then, on 28
September 2002 when Paolo Di Canio got the winner to make it 3-2.

As as has been pointed out, the Abramovich era or doctrine – spending big,
rotating managers constantly, not utilising your youth team – appears to be
at its end, with no trophy on the horizon nor even hope of a European
competition next year. Despite this, with all the signs pointing to it being
the best time to beat Chelsea at the Bridge, their league form under
Hiddinck has been exceptional and it will not be simple. Having said that,
with injuries a concern for them – while we have many players coming back –
the balance is in our favour.

With Manchester United, we are lacking a win, I feel. Even at their weakest
moments under Moyes, we never capitalised and got three points. I feel we
played them at a bad time last weekend. Following their abysmal performance
away at Liverpool in the Europa League, their fans were demanding an
improvement and van Gaal's anger at the media's portrayal of his team
clearly gave them an added incentive to make more effort than they have
shown previously throughout the season.

Regarding the foul on Darren Randolph, I totally agree that it was a foul
but also understand how the referee may have completely missed it when the
ball went it. Still, having spent several days arguing with a disgruntled
airhead Man U fan, I've moved on from Sunday's disappointment. Still, the
replay will not be easy: given that the Red Devils seem likely to fall short
in the Europa, the FA Cup is their last chance of silverware. I'm not sure
how important it would still be when it is weighed up against a chance of
finishing in the top four, but still, tricky times ahead.
Again, our results against Manchester United have been disappointing in
recent years – whereas we have had some spectacular results against their
neighbours, City. I am worryingly confident that the last FA Cup game at the
Boleyn will be one to be remembered – not just because it will send us to
Wembley, but it will finally give us a good win against Manchester.

Finally, if that hurdle is passed, Everton awaits. While SJ Chandos thinks
Everton will fear us, I'm not so sure. I mean, they could have been 3-0 up
against us with only 10 men. That's not to take the victory away from us,
but even Bilic believes that things could have been totally different had
that penalty gone in. With Everton languishing in mid-table and Roberto
Martinez keen to impress upon his critics that he is a good manager, a
semi-final against the Toffees is in some regards the worst match we could
have been drawn. Watford, while they beat us away, are inconsistent and
Crystal Palace are in free fall.

So Chelsea, Manchester United and potentially Everton – three games where we
can well and truly banish some recent demons and head to the E20 – or even
Wembley – with our heads held high.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers set for fair price Man U replay tickets
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham are likely to set the price of tickets for the Manchester United FA
Cup replay at around £30-£35.

It's important to stress that no final price has been arrived at yet but the
club have pledged to keep the cost of entry lower than that charged by the
Old Trafford club last weekend

With no date yet arranged for the game the Irons are having a series of
conversations to decide on a fair pricing policy for the crucial
Quarter-Final tie.

David Sullivan has already pledged on the club's official website that
prices will be lower than at OT and the latest word is that between £30-£35
seems reasonable.

That could change with an insider admitting: "There's no decision at this
stage but we certainly will be cheaper than up there.

We need to be balanced and fair in pricing this game up and they are the
sort of figures being discussed."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic says injuries behind West Ham's top-four tilt
By Stephen Turner
Last Updated: 17/03/16 10:48am
SSN

Slaven Bilic says the seeds of West Ham's top-four challenge were sown
during their difficult autumn period. The Hammers went eight Premier League
games without a win between Hallowe'en and Boxing Day as they fought to cope
with the loss of key players. The likes of Dimitri Payet and Diafra Sakho
were missing for significant periods, but Bilic took heart from the fact
only two of those eight games ended in defeat. West Ham are now just two
points off fourth-placed Manchester City ahead of Saturday's trip to
Chelsea, and Bilic said: "Injury wise we were in a bad position in November
and December, but it was an important period for us to gain confidence and
character. "We weren't losing those games and we showed a stubborn side.
Perhaps that is the reason we are playing good now."
James Collins and James Tomkins are now Bilic's only senior absentees as he
takes his side to Stamford Bridge looking for a fourth straight league win.
Slaven Bilic says he is not sure how many points West Ham need to finish in
the Premier League top four this season. "We have a big squad now," he
said. "That makes us even more confident. We are taking it game by game and
so far that thinking has put us in a very good situation. "We are totally
focused on the possibility of three points the day after tomorrow, then it's
one less game to go."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Havard Nordtveit a West Ham target, Slaven Bilic says
By Stephen Turner
Last Updated: 17/03/16 10:46am
SSN

West Ham are interested in signing Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder
Havard Nordtveit, Slaven Bilic has confirmed. Widespread newspaper reports
this week claimed the Hammers have agreed a deal for the Norway
international, who is out of contract in the summer and heading to England.
But Bilic says West Ham are one of a number of clubs in for Nordveit, who
was on Arsenal's books as a teenage centre-half before moving to Germany.
"Many clubs are interested in Nordtveit and monitoring the situation," he
said. "We are also interested in him." Bilic was more forthcoming on the
future of Manuel Lanzini, the Argentine on loan from UAE club Al Jazira.
"With Manuel Lanzini the situation is clear," he said. "He came on loan and
the option [to buy] is there, so we want him in the club for a long, long
time."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Gold hints at 66k OS capacity
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

David Gold has revealed following ClaretandHugh's exclusive story that the
club has received planning permission to increase the Olympic Stadium
capacity to 60,000, that a further 6,000 seats may become available. CandH
broke the news as early as 6pm last night (Wed) and later Gold suggested on
Twitter that the further 6k seats could become available. The great news
that the Hammers fans are pushing capacity requirements to the absolute
limits came as Gold replied to a follower on the social network.

@Dan Mills?@mrdantheman123 said: "Absolutely brill Olympic Stadium to
increase to 60,000. Can it increase further (66,000) in future?

DG reponded: "66,000 seats are possible but it will take time and money. dg

The cost involved would cover such items as toilet facilities but it now
seems certain that the club is on its way to filling every corner of the OS.
And this will give great hope to the thousands who remain on the priority
list hoping that they can be accommodated.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slav confrms the big deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 17, 2016 in News, Whispers
C nd H

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has confirmed what ClaretandHugh has told you for
weeks – Man Lanzini will be a permanent signing before the end of the
season. Doubts that Liverpool and others may try to woo him away have been
regularly denied by us and this morning Slav has made it clear he wants to
the player on board for a very long time. Speaking at his morning press
conference he said: ""With Manuel Lanzini the situation is clear. He came on
loan and the option is there, so we want him in the Club for a long, long
time." ClaretandHugh can confirm the deal will be done "very soon" and has
no been confirmed to us by two key sources.However, suggestions that he will
arrive for £7.5 million as reported on some internet outlets are wrong.
The deal has been agreed with Al Jaziera for £8 million and we understand
vice chairman Karen Brady will be responsble for signing the deal. A source
said: "The media often confuse situations but your consistent reporting that
the deal will be done is 100 per cent correct."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
N'Golo Kante gets first ever France call, Dimitri Payet returns
ESPN

ESPN FC's Craig Burley lauds Leicester's attacking players as well as
midfield star N'Golo Kante. Leicester City midfielder N'Golo Kante has been
called into the France squad for the first time ahead of the friendlies
against Netherlands and Russia later this month. Kante, 24, has been
rewarded for his superb form for the Premier League leaders, while Dimitri
Payet is also recalled by France coach Didier Deschamps after a string of
outstanding performances for West Ham. Kante has featured in all but one of
Leicester's league matches this season, helping them to a five-point lead
over Tottenham Hotspur at the top of the Premier League. The energetic
central midfielder, who is also eligible to play for Mali, has earned his
first call-up at the expense of Manchester United's Morgan Schneiderlin.
Attacking midfielder Payet, 28, was chosen ahead of Nice's Hatem Ben Arfa,
while winger Mathieu Valbuena has been left out as he continues to struggle
for fitness and form at Lyon. There is also no place for Real Madrid
striker Karim Benzema, who remains suspended from the national team despite
a legal restriction being lifted last week. Benzema, 28, was charged with
conspiracy to blackmail last November over an alleged attempt to extort
money from Valbuena. He is now allowed to meet Valbuena as a result of last
week's ruling, but it had not been expected that he would be made eligible
for this month's matches because he is still recovering from an injury.
Deschamps also resisted the temptation to try to coax Franck Ribery out of
retirement after the Bayern Munich attacker hinted that he could be willing
to make himself available for France again. Euro 2016 hosts France play
Netherlands away on March 25 and Russia at the Stade de France on March 29
in their final games before Deschamps names his squad for the tournament on
May 12.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Slaven Bilic confirms West Ham to sign Manuel Lanzini on a permanent basis
Manuel Lanzini in action for West Ham
By talkSPORT - @talkSPORT
Thursday, March 17, 2016

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has confirmed the club will '100 per cent' sign
Manuel Lanzini on a permanent deal. The 23-year-old arrived on loan from Al
Jazira last summer and has shone during his first season in English
football. The attacking midfielder has scored five goals in 21 games and now
Bilic has confirmed West Ham are going to take up the option to buy the
Argentine outright for £7.4m. "With Manuel it is a clear situation from the
start. He came on loan and we had an option and the contract is there," said
Bilic. "He is our player and he is happy here. We want him for a long, long
time. It is a great signing for us. "The board and my staff decided long ago
that we want to activate that option. That is done. The decision was made a
long time ago."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham agree £18.2m deal for Argentine midfielder as they close in on
Liverpool target
WEST HAM have reached an agreement to sign Manuel Lanzini on a permanent
basis from UAE club Al Jazira.
By LIAM SPENCE
PUBLISHED: 08:12, Thu, Mar 17, 2016 | UPDATED: 08:27, Thu, Mar 17, 2016

West Ham are understood to have agreed a deal to sign Manuel Lanzini on a
permanent basis. That is according to website Football Insider, who claim
the Hammers and the 23-year-old have thrashed out a five-year deal worth
£18.2million that will see him earn £70,000-a-week. Lanzini has been in
impressive form for the Hammers since joining the club on loan in the summer
and Slaven Bilic looks to have tied the Argentine midfielder down until
2021. And further reports from the London Evening Standard suggest that
West Ham will imminently confirm the £7.4m signing of Lanzini. West Ham
chairman David Gold revealed earlier in the season that the club had a
'watertight' agreement in place to sign the winger on a permanent basis.
Speaking in December, Sullivan said: "We have until April to make it
permanent but we'll probably do it before the due date. "By February or
March, he will be a permanent West Ham player. He's already sensational and
he could be as good as any player in the world." A deal for Lanzini is
understood to have been in the pipeline for a number of weeks, but West Ham
wanted reassurances on his fitness after a thigh injury. Lanzini, who has
made 17 appearances and has scored four goals so far this season, has
recently been attracting interest from Premier League rivals Liverpool, but
it seems as if they will miss out on him. And it looks as if they will be
pipped to the post by the Hammers to the signing of Borussia
Moenchengladbach star Havard Nordtveit also, with Bilic's side ready to
swoop. The Irons have reportedly agreed to sign the Norway international on
a free transfer this summer. The Bundesliga side confirmed on Twitter that
the 25-year-old midfielder will move to the Premier League at the end of the
season. They posted: "Havard Nordtveit will not extend his contract
expiring in the summer and will move to England."

Nordtveit has also been attracting interest from Tottenham and Arsenal, but
it looks like the Hammers have won the race to sign him as they look to
kickstart a revolution at the club ahead of their move to the Olympic
Stadium.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Martin Samuelsen back playing for West Ham
HITC
Dan Coombs

West Ham youngster was featuring for their development squad last night.
West Ham youngster Martin Samuelsen was back in the club's colours last
night, featuring for their development squad.
Samuelsen was a summer addition from Manchester City last summer, and made a
swift debut by appearing in the Europa League. The teenager was then sent
out on loan to League One side Peterborough United where he has been
impressing, catching the attention of the public in a televised FA Cup tie
against West Bromwich Albion in which he terrorised the Premier League
side's full-backs. Last night as under terms of his loan, he was brought
back to feature for the Hammers in their FA Premier League Cup semi-final
against Liverpool. The Hammers fielded a strong under-21 side, with the
selections of Reece Oxford, Stephen Hendrie, all featuring alongside
Samuelsen, with Josh Cullen returning from his loan at Bradford City for the
game.
Liverpool, who fielded first team defender Martin Skrtel, went 1-0 up
through Pedro Chirivella, before Doneil Henry pulled West Ham level. A
frenetic extra time period ended with Hendrie netting an impressive winner
for the Hammers, sending them into the final.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 17th March 2016

Farewell Boleyn - From the Newsroom
WHUFC.com

The Sun Football Writer Andy Dillion has been covering West Ham United for
the last 20-years and has a number of magical memories from his time
reporting on the Hammers at the Boleyn Ground, including getting an
international star to dress up as Superman and having Paolo Di Canio
apologise to his dictaphone! He is also a lifelong West Ham supporter and
will be full of emotions as the Club prepares to make a historic move during
the summer.

I have so many fond memories of the Boleyn Ground going back to when I first
started as a Journalist working for Hayters Sports Agency filing goal
flashes for Grandstand.

I also worked for the East London Advertiser when Harry Redknapp was in
charge when we used to sit in the press box in the old West stand.

I will never forget the narrow steps that took us up to the seats and the
intimidating atmosphere that the fans created.

It will be a say day when we have to leave the famous old stadium and it has
always been a ground where there has been a story to be told with West Ham
both on and off the field.

Paolo Di Canio always provided us with great entertainment and I will never
forget the time we spoke to him after a home game and he apologised into my
dictaphone for swearing.

It was always great when he agreed to speak with us and would always speak
from the heart and it felt like he was giving us a 25 minute answer to every
question that we asked him!

But I think he got carried away with one response and ended up swearing
which he later realised what he had done and grabbed my recorder and kissed
it before apologising into it.

I remember another great story when we signed former Real Madrid striker
Davor Suker and I came up with an idea that we wanted him to become
'Sukerman'.

I took a Superman outfit down to the ground and in those days you could get
away with it!

He seemed very confused at first at what I was asking him to do and I
thought it was never going to happen.

But the next thing I knew he was down to his underpants and was trying the
costume on.

I think the West Ham fans enjoyed seeing him dressed up as a super-hero and
probably also enjoyed the time we got our former keeper Craig Forrest in
fancy dress at the Boleyn Ground.

There was a story going round at the time that the authorities were
considering giving keepers the option to wear glasses like Edgar Davids. We
thought that was hilarious as eye-sight is obviously very important for a
keeper.

West Ham were training at the Boleyn Ground and I actually persuaded Craig
over the phone that it would be a good idea for him try on these glasses.

He posed for a picture wearing these boss-eyed glasses and I think it made
the front page of Supergoals.

There have been many memorable moments covering games but probably one of
the biggest post-match moments came when I got a rare one on one interview
with Wayne Rooney.

We played Manchester United back in December 2009 and it was just after the
World Cup draw.

I thought I would try my luck with England's big superstar expecting him to
say no but he agreed to speak with me and gave me a great story saying he
went for a lie down in his hotel room and fell asleep and missed the whole
draw.

I had to share the story with the rest of the national papers and the ironic
thing is that my paper only used six paragraphs and the rest of the papers
splashed it on the back page!

I think that sums up the great entertainment you get from a West Ham game at
the Boleyn Ground and always expect the unexpected.

The crowd are always newsworthy and the fans are always lively with their
passionate support which makes for good copy.

I am really going to miss Green Street and everything that surrounds the
stadium. When you turn out of Upton Park station and hear all the noise and
see the crowds.

You walk past all the stalls and can smell the hamburgers. I think a lot of
fans will miss that walk from the station to the stadium.

As many people will know I am a big West Ham United fan so I will be full of
emotions as we prepare to play our final ever game at the Boleyn Ground.

I hope to be back there for some of the remaining matches and will never
forget my experiences of attending the ground from both a personal and
professional point of view.

I fell in love with the old South Bank and will never forget the first game
I was allowed to go on my own when we faced Crystal Palace.

I stood behind the goal and from that moment on I fell in love with the
ground and watching West Ham.

I will miss everything about the Boleyn Ground – especially 'Mr Moon has
left the stadium' – we will be joining him after the final home game against
Manchester United!

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those
of West Ham United

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
New Stadium progress report
WHUFC.com

West Ham United's new Stadium is looking more and more like the Hammers'
home with every passing day. Following the installation of claret seats,
the Hammers' world-class playing surface is now beginning to take shape in
readiness for the big 2016/17 kick-off in August.

The pitch comprises of both artificial fibres – Desso Grassmaster –and
natural grass, with the former already being sewn into what is to become a
pristine new Premier League surface.

The turf, however, will only be in its final football-ready state after the
completion of this summer's athletics and musical events at the former
Olympic Stadium.

As the Club's moving-in date draws ever closer, supporters can look forward
to more regular updates like this on whufc.com in the coming weeks and
months.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
From the Treatment Room
WHUFC.com

Head of Medical and Sports Science Stijn Vandenbroucke issues his latest
update – in association with Spire Roding Hospital...

Hello everybody,

We have had a lot of games in recent weeks and we have a lot more games to
play over the course of the final two months of the season.

After the international break, of the final six weeks, at least four of them
will see us play midweek matches, so it's important we have as many players
available as possible.

Although injuries can happen during every training session or game, I am
pleased to report that we have only two first-team players injured at
present.

James Tomkins (calf) and James Collins (hamstring) are injured, but both are
in the final stages of their rehab. James Tomkins is almost finished and
will re-join training later this week, while Ginge will return to training
during the international break.

Winston Reid came off during Sunday's FA Cup tie at Manchester United. He
had only trained for two days with the squad and, following discussions
between the manager, the medical staff and the player himself, we took the
calculated risk of playing him at Old Trafford.

He played and came off as a precaution following some good communication
between the staff and Winston and he has trained this week and will be
available to face Chelsea on Saturday.

After Chelsea we have an international break and it is a positive result of
the team doing well that many of our players are on provisional squad lists
for their countries.

We do not have the confirmed call-ups yet for all of them, because every
country works differently, and of course we are waiting to hear if the likes
of Mark Noble and Dimitri Payet will be called.

Looking down our squad list, Enner Valencia, Cheikhou Kouyate, Victor Moses,
Emmanuel Emenike, Winston Reid and Darren Randolph are all regulars for
their countries.

Angelo Ogbonna, Diafra Sakho, Sam Byram, Reece Oxford, Doneil Henry and
Stephen Hendrie could also be called-up. James Collins would normally be
with Wales, too, but he will miss out this time.

For those who do not go on international duty, we will start by giving them
a few days to rest and recover after a period with a lot of tough games.

After that, it will be a good moment to train hard again and we will
approach Mark Noble's Testimonial as we would any other game,
professionally.

Obviously the game itself will be less intense than a Premier League match,
and will be more about entertainment than physical performance, but we still
need to prepare properly.

We then have a busy week with three home games potentially, with Crystal
Palace, the Manchester United replay if they do not progress in the Europa
League, and then Arsenal.

Stijn Vandenbroucke
Head of Medical and Sports Science

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Young Hammers selected for England squads

Young Hammers Reece Oxford and Sam Howes have been named in the England
Under-18 and Under-19 squads respectively for a series of forthcoming
fixtures. Defender Oxford, who can also play in midfield, was skipper of
the Under-17s and has also been capped at Under-16 and -18 level.
He captained the side during their 2015 UEFA Euro Under-17 Championship last
summer. The Under-18s will travel to Vienna to play Austria on Wednesday 23
March before then hosting the Republic of Ireland at St. George's Park at a
behind-closed-doors match. The 17-year-old has made eleven appearances for
the Hammers so far this term, most recently at Goodison Park in United's 3-2
victory.

Howes, who is 18, has also been capped at Under-16, -17 and -18 level and is
in the Young Lions' squad for a hat-trick of matches in the side's Elite
Round Euro Under-19 Championship matches in Spain. Aidy Boothroyd's team
take on Georgia (Thursday 24 March) and Greece (Saturday 26 March) before
squaring up against the hosts on Tuesday 29 March.

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Hendrie ready for semi-final showdown
WHUFC.com

After impressing in the Development Squad's emphatic 4-1 win over Newcastle
last week, left-back Stephen Hendrie is relishing tonight's semi-final with
Liverpool.

The Scottish U21 international has been in impressive form lately for Terry
Westley's side, and contributed two assists in the win over the Magpies with
two scintillating crosses.

Now, the former Hamilton Academical man is eyeing an even bigger win tonight
at Rush Green. He said: "It was great to get such a big win at a place like
St James' Park, we scored four goals and probably could have had more.

"But now we are fully concentrated on the Liverpool game. It's great to go
into this game with confidence. We know it'll be a big challenge, but we
know if we play to our strengths we know we have what it takes to progress
to the final."

Since joining West Ham in the summer, Hendrie has been a key component of
the Dev Squad's recent success, while also being named on the bench for the
first team on several occasions.

Hendrie also enjoyed further success during a stint of loan at Southend
United, where he made his Football League debut for the Shrimpers, and
capped five appearances off with a 79th minute match-winner away at
Shrewsbury Town.

He continued: "My time at Southend was really good, and very beneficial. It
was great to make my League debut here in England and I learnt a lot.

"Playing first team football at any level is good; the standard is a lot
better then what people might think. Obviously I'd like to get more
opportunities, but I am happy here at West Ham. We've got a great squad and
I'm confident in my abilities.

"I just need to try and keep working hard and see where that gets me."

A bona-fide member of the first team squad, Hendrie has a foot in both at
Chadwell Heath and Rush Green, an experience he is clearly enjoying.

He said: "The younger lads that have come in have all done superb. I
remember being a youngster coming through, so it's nice to be able to help
them come through.

"Looking around the club, it's looking good for West Ham at the moment.
Obviously we've got the semi-final tonight, and then it would be fantastic
if the U21s could get to the play offs.

"Likewise the first team are doing amazingly well so there's a lot to look
forward to between now and the end of the season."

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West Ham and Arsenal in top four boost as Man City lose Kompany and Otamendi
to injury despite Champions League progress
TOM DOYLE
Evening Standard

Manchester City's progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League
came at a cost as captain Vincent Kompany and fellow centre-back Nicolas
Otamendi limped off during their 0-0 draw against Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday.
City went into the last-16 second-leg in a commanding position having beaten
Dynamo away 3-1 in February, and a goalless draw at the Etihad Stadium was
enough to seal a spot in the last eight of the Champions League. Despite
City's successful night, it was another frustrating evening for skipper
Kompany as he limped off injured after just five minutes with another calf
injury - his 14th since joining City in 2008. Worse was to come for City as
fellow centre-back Otamendi had to be replaced after 23 minutes following an
earlier collision with Kiev forward Vitaliy Buyalskiy, meaning substitutes
Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis finished the game as a make-shift
partnership. Those injuries mean both defenders are now doubts for Sunday's
Manchester derby against fierce rivals United, putting pressure on
Pellegrini to get the result needed to keep City in the top four. City have
seen their title hopes slip away in recent weeks due to poor results, with
just four wins in their last 10 league games leaving them trailing
table-toppers Leicester by 12 points with nine games left.
West Ham can go temporarily go a point clear of City into fourth place if
they beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, and the Hammers would
remain there if United beat City at the Etihad the following day. Any
slip-up from City would also boost Arsenal's hopes of a top-three finish to
secure automatic qualification for next season's Champions League, with the
Gunners currently a point ahead of City. Arsene Wenger's side must first
come through a difficult Champions League test themselves, as they prepare
to try and overturn a 2-0 deficit against holders Barcelona at the Camp Nou
on Wednesday

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West Ham transfer news: Slaven Bilic to seal double deal for Manuel Lanzini
and Havard Nordtveit
KEN DYER
Evening Standard

West Ham are expected to confirm the permanent signing of Manuel Lanzini in
the next few days. The 23-year-old midfielder has been on loan at West Ham
from UAE club Al Jazira and has impressed sufficiently for manager Slaven
Bilic to want to tie him to a permanent contract. The fee for the Argentine
is expected to be £7.4million. A deal has been in place for several weeks,
but West Ham wanted to confirm his fitness after a thigh injury.
Meanwhile, West Ham have agreed to sign Norway midfielder Havard Nordtveit
on a free transfer from Borussia Moenchengladbach next season. The
25-year-old will leave the Bundesliga side at the end of the season, with
the club confirming on Twitter that he would move to the Premier League.
"Havard Nordtveit will not extend his contract expiring in the summer and
move to England."

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Hammers win cup semi-final against Liverpool
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 16, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham under 21's beat Liverpool under 21's in the Barclays Premier League
Under 21 Cup Semi Final this evening at Rush Green.

Martin Samuelson was drafted back from Peterborough for the evening.
Liverpool opened the scoring on 12 minutes with Pedro Chirivella getting the
early goal. Doneil Henry equalised from close range just after the break. At
90 minutes it was still 1-1 so went into extra time.

Marcus Browne also scores from close range to make it 2-1 in extra time.
Liverpool's Sheyi Ojo leveled it up shortly afterwards to make it 2-2. On
111 minutes West Ham made it 3-2 thanks to a great strike from Stephen
Hendrie and that was enough for the Hammers to make it through to the U21
cup final!

West Ham United: Spiegel, Pike, Hendrie, Dobson, Henry, Oxford (C), Makasi,
Cullen, Hector-Ingram, Browne, Samuelsen
Subs: Neufville, Howes (GK), Diangana, Rice, Kemp

Respectable attendance of 1,319 at Rush Green tonight!

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Samuelsen back …. but just for the night
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 16, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Martin Samuelsen has returned to West Ham to play in the under 21 cup
semi-final match against Liverpool U21's but only for the night.

He returns back to Peterborough tomorrow and will remain for the rest of
the season on loan as agreed.

Director of Football at Posh, Barry Fry told Claret and Hugh tonight "It
was part of the loan deal, he can return for West Ham under 21 games but it
is only for the night and he will return back to Peterborough this week"

West Ham development squad won the semi-final 3-2 with Samuelson playing 120
minutes. You can bet he will be back again for the U21 cup final.

Barry still hopes he can persuade West Ham to extend the loan into next
season if they get promotion but he admits he will have to do some serious
negotiating to hold on to Samuelson and says it is the manager he needs to
win over: "It will be Slav's decision" he told us.

Barry went on to praise West Ham by saying: "The business West Ham did in
the summer from the manager through to every player was in my view the best
in world football.

Slaven has got West Ham people through and through working with him and they
are playing absolutely fantastic football.

What a thrill it would be for everybody that loves proper football to see
the Hammers win the FA Cup this year."

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OS 60,000 capacity approved
Posted by Sean Whetstone on March 16, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

Claret and Hugh understands that the request to increase the Olympic Stadium
capacity to 60,000 on West Ham match days has been approved and an official
announcement confirming this will be made next week.

A total of 66,000 seats remain in the stadium after it's £272m
transformation into a multi-use venue and 60,000 of these seats are
available in football mode.

West Ham matches were restricted in the initial planning document to a
capacity of 54,000 as the 'resident football team' although strangely
non-resident football matches were allowed a capacity of 60,000 which was an
anomaly.

It is understood that an agreement has been now reached by both sides and
6,000 extra seats will be made available to the West Ham priority list.

West Ham has revealed that it has already sold over 8,000 Under 16's season
tickets for £99 each and over 3,000 season tickets in Band five for £289
each. The club has previously confirmed it will sell a further 5,000 season
tickets at £289 should it get the increase in capacity meaning that over
8,000 season ticket will be priced at the lowest season ticket in the
Premier League. These season tickets will quickly sell out as demand
outstrips supply on a ratio of five to one.

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Hammers set to do Lanzini deal
Posted by Hugh5outhon1895 on March 16, 2016 in News, Whispers
C and H

West Ham are set to conclude the signing of Manu Lanzini "very soon." A
precise time was withheld by our top source when approached by ClaretandHugh
this morning but we were told: "You can expect it to be very soon."
The contract will be signed at around £8 million and has only been on hold
for the last few weeks because of the midfielder's injury problems. With
those now cleared up the club are ready to make him a permanent Hammer. But
West Ham have insisted for months that the deal will be done by April and
that was confirmed to us today when we were told: "There are no issues and
the deal will be done very soon." It's likely that the deal will be first
announced officially on a certain Twitter account :-) or from the club's
website but it means the contract held by his parent club Al Jaziera will
be transferred to the Hammers. He has two years left on that and we believe
the club to have negotiated a further two or three on top ofthat.

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Ex-West Ham star Izzy Iriekpen 'attacked bouncer in disrespect row'
TRISTAN KIRK
Evening STandard

A former West Ham footballer glassed a bouncer in the face because he felt
"disrespected" in front of a young woman, a court heard. Izzy Iriekpen, 33,
allegedly left doorman Simon Williams with serious neck injuries after a
brawl outside the Westbourne Tavern in Notting Hill on 4 July 2014, the Old
Bailey was told. Prosecutor James Vine said Mr Williams went to ask the
defendant to move away from a barrier around the pub, but before he could
Iriekpen started talking to a blonde woman in the driver's seat of a black
Porsche. "The Porsche was blocking the road and it meant people couldn't get
in or get out," said Mr Vine. "Mr Williams went over to ask the car to be
moved. Mr Iriekpen became agitated because he didn't like being told what to
do." Iriekpen is accused of punching a second bouncer, Ymer Topuzi, who
intervened and then grabbing Mr Williams by the throat before lashing out
with a glass. Mr Williams needed hospital treatment for a severed artery in
his neck and stitches to his ear. Iriekpen, from Paddington, denies common
assault, wounding with intent and an alternative charge of unlawful
wounding. The trial continues.

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Five West Ham stars who are playing for their futures at Upton Park
London 24
07:00 16 March 2016
Brad Pinard

West Ham are set to be one of the busiest clubs in the country this summer
as they prepare for life at the Olympic Stadium. 0 The move has benefited
the club massively in terms of finances and so the spend this summer is set
to be their biggest yet. However, keeping a big squad happy is hard and
Slaven Bilic may accept that a few players could leave. We have picked out
five Hammers who may need to impress between now and the summer to keep
their place.

Enner Valencia
The Ecuador star has been struck down by numerous injuries during his
Hammers career and has really failed to find much form. The talent is there,
rare moments of magic have shown that, but the consistency isn't and if a
decent money offer comes in from around Europe it may be hard to turn down
for West Ham. Whether it be out wide or as a striker, Valencia isn't first
choice and could fall further down the pecking order this summer.

Joey O'Brien
The full back has simply not recovered from his injury issues and looks set
to leave in the summer. Originally a good asset under Sam Allardyce, O'Brien
is now third choice right back and only issues for Sam Byram and James
Tomkins would and have seen him get anywhere near the first team squad.

Alex Song
On loan from Barcelona, Song was set to join permanently last summer before
he picked up a pre-season injury. Since then, the former Arsenal man has not
been up to his standard and in all honesty has not looked on top of his game
since before Christmas 2014, just the 15 months ago. If I am West Ham I
definitely don't sign Song and his big wages in the summer but the vibe from
the club is that they like having him around. Pedro Obiang is a much better
option in midfield along with Cheikhou Kouyate and Mark Noble.

Andy Carroll
Maybe a left field selection, but looking at West Ham's summer targets fire
power is going to be top of their list. With at least two strikers wanted in
the close season, Carroll will need to find his form and quickly in order to
not become a forgotten man. Injuries have been Carroll's downfall but also
the new style of play suits a different lone striker for sure, with Diafra
Sakho surely going to be first choice. Carroll brings a dangerous plan B,
but will he accept being second or third choice?

Darren Randolph
Randolph has been excellent when called upon after an indifferent start to
life at West Ham. This selection is not really to do with his form, more to
do with his position in the club. Is he happy to be a cup goalkeeper?
Settled to just be back up to Adrian? I would hope not, but the Spaniard is
not for moving and has been brilliant again this term meaning Randolph has
some decisions to make.

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First Howard Webb now another top ref wades into West Ham controversy
HITC
Damien Lucas

West Ham United are still reeling at being held to a 1-1 draw by Manchester
United in their thrilling FA Cup quarter-final at the weekend. The Hammers
were desperately unlucky to be held to a 1-1 draw by the Red Devils on
Sunday after Dimitri Payet's sumptuous late free-kick looked to have given
Slaven Bilic's men a deserved place in the semi-finals at Wembley. But
Anthony Martial bundled home a scrappy equaliser to set up a fitting last
ever FA Cup game at West Ham's Boleyn Ground home of 112 years ahead of
their big move to the Olympic Stadium this summer.
More than 9,000 West Ham fans made their way to Manchester and many more are
still reeling from a stonewall penalty on Payet which was turned down by
referee Martin Atkinson. Formerly England's top referee, the opinion of
Howard Webb, carries some weight when it comes to crucial, game-changing
decisions. And Webb, who took charge of the World Cup final between Holland
and Spain in 2010, told BT Sport it was a penalty.

Top refs wade into Old Trafford controversy

Now another of England's best ever officials, Dermot Gallagher, has had his
say on the penalty incident in an interview with Sky Sports. He also waded
in on the debate over Manchester United's controversial equaliser, which
Webb argued should have been chalked off for a foul on Hammers 'keeper
Darren Randolph. "Penalty," Gallagher told Sky Sports. "It is difficult for
Atkinson in real time, but I think he's Marcos Rojo) caught him. "The
assistant probably had the best view, but whether Atkinson has asked him, we
don't know."

Foul play

West Ham were also understandably furious with the officials for failing to
spot an obvious foul on their goalkeeper which allowed Martial to bundle
home at the far post with seven minutes remaining. Gallagher added: "Foul.
He blocks the goalkeeper off. "There is so much going on there, and I can
understand why this is missed. "To illustrate that, we've had to have it
pointed out and watched many times."

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Trevor Sinclair explains what separates West Ham United from others
HITC
Shane Callaghan

The former West Ham man anticipates an exciting summer transfer window.
Trevor Sinclair has told West Ham United's official website that supporters
can look forward to another prosperous transfer window due to Slaven Bilic
and his scouting team. The Hammers are 90 minutes away from an FA Cup
semi-final and sit well placed for a Champions League qualification bid,
with Bilic's boys fifth in the table, one point behind fourth-placed
Manchester City with nine games left. It has been a quite brilliant season,
but so much of that is down to the players which the Croat - who replaced
manager Sam Allardyce last summer - brought to East London. The likes of
Dimitri Payet, Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio have played big roles in
their campaign, while Manuel Lanzini was plucked on loan from Abu
Dhabi-based outfit Al Jazira. Sinclair, who spent five years at Upton Park
until 2003, feels that the Irons' recruitment is second to none in the
Premier League and hopes to see more stellar business done this summer.
"Slaven Bilic will probably be able to recruit even further in the summer so
there are going to be new faces and arrivals and his scouting system is
doing wonders," he told their official website. "I think that sets West Ham
apart from others in the Premier League and he's already proved himself with
his recruits last summer." Payet, in particular, has looked impressive, and
his 30-yard free kick looked like taking West Ham into the FA Cup
semi-finals on Sunday, but Manchester United's Anthony Martial equalised to
force a replay.

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