Melbourne Hammers excited by Manuel Lanzini and Argentina visit
WHUFC.com
Melbourne Hammers chairperson Katrina Webb cannot wait to see Manuel Lanzini in her home city
The eyes of West Ham United fans will be focused downwards on Friday, when Manuel Lanzini is set to make his Argentina debut against Brazil in Melbourne, Australia. The skilful midfielder earned his maiden call-up to La Albiceleste after producing an outstanding season in Claret and Blue, during which he scored eight goals in 35 impressive Premier League appearances. Now, Lanzini is set to feature alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Paulo Dybala when Jorge Sampaoli's squad take on their arch rivals at the MCG on Friday at 11.05am BST. One fan who will have huge interest in the international friendly is Katrina Webb, an Australian chef who also happens to be the chairperson of the Melbourne Hammers supporters' club. "Ever since Manuel Lanzini was named in the squad for Argentina to play against Brazil, quite a few Melbourne Hammers have been scrambling for tickets to see him play," she revealed. "There has been a few people shocked to see him named in the squad but, in my opinion, I'd say he's a good pick and his inclusion will definitely going to bring a few Hammers fans out to the game. "I think that having a Hammer playing in a game this big is going to put West Ham in the spotlight both here in Australia, in Argentina and across the world. I hope Manu has a good game on the night!"
Webb herself has been a Hammer since watching her now beloved team come up agonisingly short in the 2006 FA Cup final against Liverpool.
"I didn't know much at all back then other than every man and his dog supported Liverpool, Manchester United or Chelsea," she recalled. "For this reason I decided that night I was supporting West Ham because I have never been one to follow the crowd or support a team because they had money or fame. Since that night I've been a Hammer."
Webb has since immersed herself in all things Claret and Blue, travelling to England 'several times' to watch West Ham in action. She also made the much shorter trip to New Zealand when the Hammers visited for a two-match tour in summer 2014. "I got to meet the team and some Hammers I've come to know over the years, through Facebook, who had travelled over from England," she continued. "I saw my first game at Upton Park against Manchester City in 2014, then in the final season there I was in London for a month and went to the Swansea home game and Stoke away with some of the boys on a coach, which was sensational!"
Webb was also in town on 10 May 2016, when she joined tens of thousands of her fellow Hammers in east London for the final matchday at the Boleyn Ground. "I did the rounds with some of the old boys who have been going to games their entire life, spent the day in The Vic in Plaistow and then watched the game in The Stanley," she reminisced. "The number of people there was amazing and the atmosphere was electric."
Webb's fantastic West Ham story does not end there, however, as she revealed the amazing story behind how she met her partner and fellow Hammer Ren. "I met him through the Hammers supporters' groups page on Facebook a few years ago!" she said. "He's a Sydney Hammer who's originally from New Zealand."
The 35-year-old's two sons Jack, five, and Tyler, four, are also West Ham fans, but daughter Chelsea, ten, opted to support her namesake club. Webb's extended West Ham family is even bigger, with more than 600 supporters signed up to the Melbourne Hammers Facebook group – a number that, thanks to her hard work, keeps on growing. "I've put my heart and soul into running the Melbourne Hammers group over the last few years and made lots of connections with people at the Club and also other fans based in London," she concluded. "Most Aussie fans come to me for advice on tickets and pubs when they travel over for games. "All of us will be keeping our focus a bit closer to home on Friday, though, when we hope our little Jewel sparkles in our own fantastic city!"
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Aaron Cresswell enjoys 'brilliant' Royal Marines training experience with England
WHUFC.com
Aaron Cresswell says he and his England teammates are ready to face the Auld Enemy after spending the weekend at the Royal Marines' Commando Training Centre. England manager Gareth Southgate took the Three Lions, including the West Ham United full-back, to Devon for 48 hours, where they changed into their military uniforms and experienced an array of activities that Royal Marines recruits undertake, including a night camping on Woodbury Common. Cresswell told whufc.com he and his England squad-mates enjoyed the challenges presented by the surprise change in environment, and that the team-bonding weekend will stand them in good stead when they take on Scotland at Hampden Park on Saturday. "We were out in the middle of nowhere, all kitted out in the Royal Marines gear and undertaking the training like a Marine recruit," the No3 confirmed. "We had to cook our own food on a campfire and live out in the woods, which was brilliant!
"We also did a few different training courses, working together as one team to pull each other through different exercises. "It definitely helped bring everybody in the squad closer, living in a different environment and doing thing no one was used to! Having no mobile phones was also something which took some getting our heads around!"
The Commando Training Centre's commandant, Colonel Mike Tanner, said he and his staff enjoyed working with Cresswell and company. "It has been a real pleasure," he said. "They threw themselves into every challenge with enthusiasm and good humour. "The Royal Marines and England football team have much in common and the opportunity to share experience was valuable for us all. "We are confident that this will be the start of a long and successful relationship."
England have now returned to their St George's Park training headquarters, where Southgate will continue the squad's preparations for this weekend's FIFA World Cup qualifier in Glasgow. The Three Lions go into the tie sitting top of Group F, six points ahead of the fourth-placed Scots – who will almost certainly include West Ham winger Robert Snodgrass in their side – with five of the ten qualifying matches still to be played. Victory at Hampden Park would therefore give England's qualification chances a huge boost and Cresswell, for one, cannot wait for Saturday's 5pm kick-off, which will be screened live in the UK by ITV and Sky Sports. "Obviously, it's a massive game against Scotland, as it always has been down the years with all the history between the two teams and the two countries," he observed. "It will be good to see Snods, but at the end of the day we want the win and to give ourselves the best possible chance of topping the group and getting to the World Cup in Russia. "The atmosphere will be brilliant, as it was when I was on the bench when Scotland played at Wembley last November, so I am really looking forward to it, that's for sure!"
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U10s win Premier League National Tournament
WHUFC.com
West Ham United U10s reigned victorious at the Premier League's National Football Tournament last week.
The young stars had already won a prestigious indoor tournament in the Netherlands in January and they added the National Football Tournament to their 2016/17 trophy haul.
The tournament was part of a huge week of competition for the Premier League who hosted 24 teams competing across 97 matches.
U10The Hammers topped a competitive Group B after winning five of their seven matches and ended with 16 points. The group featured the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United.
Topping the group resulted in automatic qualification to the semi-finals where the Hammers met Fulham. In a tight contest, West Ham edged out the Cottagers by two goals to one.
The final against Derby County was even closer than the semi-final. The two sides could not be separated after normal time.
The young Irons managed to prevail 5-4 on penalties and lift another trophy to cap off a great season.
There was more reason to cheer once the competition ended when Louie Copley was awarded Player of the Tournament.
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Nordtveit eager to finish season on a high with Norway
WHUFC.com
Havard Nordtveit's season is far from over yet.
The West Ham United midfielder still has a couple of big targets on his mind as he aims to end the 2016/17 campaign on a high with Norway.
While the Norwegians' FIFA World Cup Qualifying campaign may have begun with four defeats from five starts, Nordtveit is keen to hit the ground running under new coach Lars Lagerback – the man who led Iceland to the UEFA Euro 2016 quarter-finals last summer.
Nordtveit concedes that this qualification phase has already passed his country by, but says Saturday's Oslo meeting with Czech Republic – followed by a friendly against Scandinavian neighbours Sweden on Tuesday – offer an important opportunity to start building towards Euro 2020.
The 26-year-old midfielder said: "With the new coach of the national team, we need to get the formation in for what we wants, what he did with Iceland and start to get ready for the next qualification process.
"The country deserves [qualification for a tournament] and if we get time with Lars Lagerback we have a big chance to qualify for the Euros in 2020.
"We need to be patient, but we also need to look ourselves in the mirror and say we need to be better than we've shown in the latest qualification games.
Havard Nordtveit battles for possession against Stoke City"What he did with Iceland was unbelievable. They have a population of 350,000 and although we have 4.5-5m, we're still quite a small nation, so we need to get the crowd behind us and he's the one to lead us into that situation.
"We need to play a little bit more aggressively as a team, and be more stable defensively than we ever have been."
The friendly against Sweden also gives Nordtveit and his teammates a chance to restore a little national pride against their local rivals.
He added: "Sweden is the biggest derby for us as a national team. It goes a long way back, so it's going to be good fun. I hope there will be a lot of people at the Ulleval Stadium and we want to give a good performance.
"These two games are good for playing time hopefully and then I'll be ready for pre-season again.
"Last pre-season I struggled and was probably 50% away with small injuries, so hopefully I will have a more stable pre-season this year, which will make it easier when the new season starts."
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Manuel Lanzini named KUMB Player of the Year
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 6th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
Manuel Lanzini has been crowned as KUMB.com's Player of the Year.
The Argentinian attacking midfielder beat Hammer of the Year Michail Antonio to the award by just six per cent of all votes, taking 42 per cent of readers' nominations to Antonio's 36 per cent.
Meanwhile Edimilson Fernandes was named as KUMB's Young Player of the Year, beating Josh Cullen and Toni Martinez into second and third place respectively. The Swiss midfielder was also named as KUMB readers' Best Signing, ahead of Athur Masuaku (runner up) and Adre Ayew (third place).
In our other categories, Andy Carroll's overhead kick against Crystal Palace was named as KUMB's Goal of the Season and the 1-0 win over Tottenham as your Most Memorable Match. Pedro Obiang, who came third in the Player of the Year category wins the Most Imporved Player award.
Our readers' rogues gallery this year consists of Gokhan Tore (Worst Player), Simone Zaza (Worst Signing), Dimitri Payet (Hackett of the Year) and Leaving Upton Park (Greatest Disappointment).
To see the results of our 20th annual awards in full, and all previous season's results stretching back to 1997, visit our KUMB Awards section.
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MONCHENGLADBACH WANT A TWO-YEAR LOAN FOR REECE OXFORD
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam
After breaking into the West Ham first-team early in the 2015/16 season, the expectation was that this was the start of Reece Oxford's ascent to becoming not only a regular for the Hammers but a rise through the ranks at international level.
However, an ankle injury derailed his progress last autumn and he was then sent out on loan to Reading where he played a bit-part role under Jaap Stam as the Royals lost out to Huddersfield on penalties in the Championship play-off final.
West Ham want to send the versatile 18-year-old out on loan for the 2017/18 so he can play some regular games and return to the London Stadium next year ready to make his mark on the first-team.
Borussia Monchengladbach will be seeing another London loanee in Andreas Christensen return to their parent club Chelsea this summer and are eager to bring in Oxford as a replacement, and like the Christensen deal, they want this to be a two-year loan move for the teenager, according to Bild.
That being said, West Ham are only interested in allowing Oxford to go for one season before reassessing his situation in a years time. The report states that there's optimism on both sides that an agreement can and will be reached.
Monchengladbach have illustrated that they are a great foster home for developing talent and the opportunity to play in the Bundesliga would be a brilliant learning experience for a young player like Oxford who can play in midfield or at the heart of the defence.
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A Mounie and Iheanacho strike partnership could work wonders for West Ham
HITC
Vincent Ralph
West Ham United have reportedly joined the race for Steve Mounie and also look set to sign Kelechi Iheanacho.
According to a report from the Mirror, West Ham United are interested in signing £13million-rated Steve Mounie this summer, and if the Hammers partner him with another alleged target - Kelechi Iheanacho - they could have one of the most exciting and effective strike partnerships in the top flight.
As reported by Sky Sports earlier this month, West Ham have opened talks with Manchester City regarding a prospective move for the latter, and now it seems the Hammers are keen to completely transform their forward line.
That would go down a storm at the London Stadium, and while Iheanacho possesses the raw talent and innate ability in front of goal to become a West Ham fan favourite in no time, Mounie is no slouch himself.
Still only 22, Mounie scored 15 goals in 38 matches for Montpellier last season and for the price being touted he could represent considerable value for money.
The Benin international is only going to improve in the years ahead, and if West Ham can beat the competition to his signature and also secure a deal for Iheanacho, their manager Slaven Bilic would suddenly have a very strong forward line at his disposal, with Andy Carroll also available to him when fit.
Once Michail Antonio returns from injury West Ham could be a real domestic force, and while work would still need to be done in midfield and defence, there would be plenty of rivals looking enviously at the Hammers' striking options.
Mounie's price tag shows there are still bargains to be had in an otherwise inflated market. However West Ham supporters will not be celebrating just yet, with plenty of work to be done behind the scenes before one deal, let along both, is concluded.
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Why the time has come for West Ham to cash in on Andy Carroll and move on
Instead of helping, Carroll is now holding West Ham back
Football London
BYTOM VICTOR
13:17, 6 JUN 2017UPDATED13:30, 6 JUN 2017
Back in January 2014, with West Ham coming fresh off back-to-back cup defeats in which they shipped 11 goals and scored none, under-pressure manager Sam Allardyce was granted a boost with the return of Andy Carroll.
The striker was yet to play since making his loan move from Liverpool permanent, having joined with an injury, but he came off the bench against Cardiff and laid on the clincher in a 2-0 win with a perfectly-weighted through-ball for Mark Noble in the closing stages.
That 20-minute cameo summed up the reason why Andy Carroll has been so important to West Ham United. It also explains why he needs to be sold.
Carroll has spent five seasons at West Ham, during which time he has never played more than 75% of the club's league games. For that to be the case a couple of years in a row would be cause for concern, but a first choice striker being absent so often causes problems for the entire squad. Problems which are entirely avoidable.
For far too long there has been a tendency to overlook other issues with the squad on the grounds that, when Carroll returns from his latest injury, all will be good as new. And, worryingly, he has done enough to give sporadic evidence to support that argument but not enough to provide certainty that a fit and firing Carroll will cure all of the club's ills.
In the 2016/17 season, the former Liverpool man scored seven league goals. It can be a little reductive to ignore his impact elsewhere on the pitch, but the fact remains that – if you took away those goals from the games in question – West Ham would have ended the campaign just two points worse off. That stat, incidentally, refers to the only time all season he struck more than once in the same game, in January's 3-1 victory at Middlesbrough.
The 1-0 victory at home to Tottenham and the late 3-2 defeat at White Hart Lane, two of the most impressive team performances of the season, came without Carroll in the squad. They demonstrate that the club can perform without the big man up front, and indeed there can still occasionally be a tendency to change to a more direct approach when he is involved.
To operate on the mindset that the return of one man can paper over cracks is both a disservice to the quality elsewhere in the squad and a convenient excuse to ignore other areas which do need attention.
Shifting Carroll last season would have allowed the board to push ahead with a move for a proven striker capable of putting together a consistent run of games rather than effectively pausing any forward momentum with the intention of flicking the Carroll switch for that quick attacking endorphin boost four or five times a season. It's not healthy to rely on a player to give you the equivalent of a new manager bounce, especially not a player who may be better than the alternatives but is not substantially so.
Of course, there is no guarantee that a new investment will stay fit themselves – just look at Andre Ayew's debut injury – but there is a difference between that and having a player for whom injury-related absences are just part and parcel of their presence in the squad. There remains a sense that some felt there was no need to go all out on a big-money striker because Carroll was on the payroll, prompting the club to bring in two strikers on loan and one on a free transfer, with predictable results.
If West Ham can recoup the £15m it took to bring Carroll to London from Anfield, and perhaps a little more on top given the inflated market, it is hard to argue against parting ways with the England international.
A new permanent striker with a remit of being the main man – rather than the softly-softly approach afforded to Simone Zaza and Jonathan Calleri – would allow the club to begin the next season with a settled starting XI, and if there's a chance to wrap up business early that would be even better.
It may be the case that Carroll moves on, stays fit and tears up the Premier League. But even if he does, there will have been little logic in pinning everything on a striker who hasn't hit double figures for goals in one season since 2011.
The Carroll experiment hasn't failed – far from it – but it will be healthier for all concerned if West Ham start a new chapter without him.
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SIGNING: Daggers Announce Signing of Bondz N'Gala
Posted: Tue 06 Jun 2017
www.daggers.co.uk
The Daggers are pleased to announce the signing of 27-year-old centre-back Bondz N'Gala from National League side Dover Athletic on a two year deal. N'Gala started his career at West Ham United, joining the Club at the age of 13 and progressing through the youth ranks at the club. After signing a professional contract in 2008, the defender featured regularly in the Club's reserve side for several seasons, as well as captaining the reserves on several occasions.
Bondz was then loaned out to both Weymouth and MK Dons between the 2008/09 and 2009/10 seasons. After returning to West Ham at the end of his loan spell at Milton Keynes Bondz continued to play the remainder of the season in the reserve side.
In September 2009 N'Gala made his first team debut for West Ham United, coming on in the 63rd minute in the club's 3-1 League Cup defeat away to Bolton Wanderers.
Following his time at West Ham he spent time out on loan at Scunthorpe United and Plymouth Argyle in which he made nine appearances for the Pilgrims
After being released by West Ham the defender joined Plymouth Argyle on a permanent basis signing a two-year contract with the Club. He scored his first professional goal in March 2011, netting the first goal of the match in the Pilgrims 4-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. He made 28 appearances in all competitions during the campaign. The defender was told he was free to leave the Club after they hit financial issues and joined several League clubs in the period between 2011-2014 including Yeovil, Stevenage and Portsmouth until he signed for Barnet in July 2014.
The Defender played 107 times during his spell with the Bees, scoring two goals. N'Gala then moved to National League side Eastleigh in November but left two months later by mutual consent.
While N'Gala was a free agent he seemingly signed for League One side Gillingham, however later that day the deal fell through as the Club became aware on the same day that due to FA regulations the player had played for too many teams in one season. N'Gala signed for Dover Athletic following talks with the FA and the EFL. He signed until the end of the season with an option for a longer deal upon his contract ending.
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West Ham face competition from Liverpool for 'number one target' €25m German striker
The Hammers are said to be interested in a move for Timo Werner
Football London
BYKEVIN BEIRNE
09:31, 6 JUN 2017UPDATED09:33, 6 JUN 2017
West Ham have identified RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner as their 'number one target' this summer, according to reports from Italy.
The 21-year-old impressed this season in the Bundesliga, scoring 21 goals in 31 league appearances as Leipzig finished second ahead of Borussia Dortmund. But the Hammers will face stiff competition for the German's signature from fellow Premier League side Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp marked Werner down as one of his priorities this summer, and so West Ham are considering a €25m bid to secure his services ahead of the Reds.
Emanuele Giulianelli @EmaGiulianelli
West Ham looking at Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, target number one. Not bid yet, but ready to offer €25 mln. #hammers #whfc
10:52 PM - 5 Jun 2017 · Corsico, Lombardia
West Ham have been linked with a number of strikers already this transfer window, and are said to be closing in on a move for Manchester City's Kelechi Iheanacho. The club have apparently agreed terms with the Nigerian striker, as well as a fee with City, but the two sides cannot agree on how much to set a buy-back clause at.
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Aston Villa are better move than German switch for West Ham prodigy in limbo Reece Oxford
HITC
Damien Lucas
Aston Villa would offer the perfect destination for West Ham United prodigy Reece Oxford next season rather than a bizarre move to Germany. According to The Sun, the supremely talented Oxford is set to be farmed out on a season-long loan to German side Borussia Monchengladbach to gain more first-team experience. Oxford shot to prominence when he made his debut with a midfield masterclass in a 2-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates in the opening game of the 2015/16 season aged just 16. He has found game time hard to come by since with Slaven Bilic reluctant to use him and a loan spell at Reading failing to work out.
Speculation was rife over the 6ft 5 teenager's future for much of last season with reports in the likes of the Mirror that Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho was one of a clutch of managers at Europe's top clubs keen on securing his signature. Talk was put to bed when the youngster signed a long term deal with the Hammers which was expected to see him fast tracked into an ageing West Ham defence.
But he is now being linked with a move to Germany to join flop midfielder Havard Nordtveit's old club. If Oxford, his advisors and Bilic have any sense, though, they would seek out a move to Villa Park for a season to accelerate his football education and return to East London an even better and matured player.
The move would be perfect for all parties, the player, West Ham and Villa and here's why:
Bruce a former centre back that has been there, done it and got the t-shirt
Steve Bruce is not only a very experienced and successful manager but he also formed the bedrock of one of Manchester United's most successful defensive units.
Oxford cannot help but learn a vast amount under his tutelage of what is expected at the highest level.
Bruce could mould the player into a top class centre half for club and country.
Game time
While many supporters feel Oxford should be given more of a chance in the first team, given the number of experienced players West Ham have in defence, Oxford is unlikely to play as much as he would like with the Hammers next season. He is undoubtedly the club's brightest prospect and West Ham fans will hope he has a long and bright future with them. But to do that he must get senior first team games under his belt and Aston Villa can offer him that, while his supreme talent will also help the the club in their quest to mount a serious bid to return to the Premier League.
Big club with big expectations
The great thing about Villa is the fact they are very similar to West Ham in that they have a loyal and passionate fanbase, who aren't afraid to let their teams know when they're not giving 100%. With the pressure to be promoted, Villa would offer Oxford a steep learning curve which can only be of benefit to his long-term future.
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West Ham and Southampton target hands in transfer request at Juventus - report
The Ghanian midfielder is out of favour in Turin
Football London
BYANDY HA
05:00, 6 JUN 2017
West Ham are interested in signing Juventus midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah. According to reports in Italy, the Ghana star is keen to leave the Champions League finalists this summer and has handed in a transfer request. The Hammers are expected to be active in the transfer market this summer and have reportedly made contact with the 28-year-old's representatives already. However, Slaven Bilic's team are not the only side interested in signing the former Udinese player. Fellow Premier League side Southampton and Turkish giants Galatasaray have already made offers to sign the 28-year-old, according to Ibianconero. Chelsea were previously linked with a move for the midfielder earlier this season with Juventus resisting the Blues' advances at the time, but the Serie A champions are thought to be open to offers for Asamoah this summer, and will be happy to sell for the right price. The midfielder joined Max Allegri's side from Udinese for €18 million in 2012 and has delivered two assists in 24 appearances this season.
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Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Darren Randolph could be replaced by Keiren Westwood for World Cup qualifier against Austria
West Ham 'keeper Darren Randolph's place in the Ireland team is under threat
Randolph was substituted after making an error against Uruguay on Sunday
Keiren Westwood came on at half-time and could retain his place in the side
Ireland next face Austria in a World Cup qualifier in Dublin on Sunday night
By Craig Hope for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 23:18, 5 June 2017 | UPDATED: 23:18, 5 June 2017
West Ham goalkeeper Darren Randolph's place in the Republic of Ireland team is under threat from Sheffield Wednesday's Keiren Westwood heading into this weekend's World Cup qualifier against Austria. Randolph has been his country's No 1 for the best part of 18 months now and has deserved his prolonged stay in the side. However, he was at fault for Uruguay's equaliser during Sunday night's 3-1 friendly win in Dublin and was replaced by Westwood at half-time. The understudy impressed in the second half - he pulled off one flying save with the score at 1-1 - and manager Martin O'Neill admits he has a decision to make ahead of Sunday's game at the Aviva Stadium. 'I have plenty to contemplate,' he said when asked about the goalkeeping situation. 'I've been very pleased with both goalkeepers. Obviously I knew Westy at club level (at Sunderland) and you know my view of him - he's a really talented goalkeeper, just get his head right and he's great. 'Well he's really fine now. I think he's got over the team losing out in the play-offs and I think he made a really good save. And Darren, I don't think he's let us down too often.'
One player guaranteed to start is West Brom winger James McClean. He has emerged as something of a talisman with three goals during this qualifying campaign and he was again on target against Uruguay. Indeed, his late strike after coming on as a substitute was a carbon copy of the goal he scored to beat Austria in Vienna in November - a powerful finish after bursting clear down the left - and O'Neill hopes that is a good omen. 'Yes, it bodes well. It was a very similar goal, he picks it up and goes. He's on a pretty big high right now,' said the manager. 'He played left-back against Mexico last week, but I'm not so sure he wants to play there again.'
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WEST HAM JOIN LIVERPOOL IN THE RACE TO SIGN TIMO WERNER
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
readWestHam
Timo Werner was the driving force behind Red Bull Leipzig's surge up the Bundesliga table this season, helping them secure a second-placed finish and an automatic spot in next season's Champions League. The 21-year-old striker scored 21 goals and provided seven assists for Leipzig and was rewarded with his first cap for Germany back in March for his efforts. Werner has attracted the interest from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich and Liverpool, both of whom have Champions League football next season, but another team have entered the race. Journalist Emanuele Giulianelli has claimed that West Ham are now looking at Werner and have made him their number one striker target. He goes on to mention that the Hammers are ready to make a €25m offer to sign the German striker this summer.
Many clubs are eager to sign Werner and it's likely that he will leave Leipzig, but West Ham appear to have made the first move in this saga that will drag on for much of the window.
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WEST HAM READYING WERNER BID
LUKE OSMAN @LukeOsmanRS
ReadWestHam
West Ham are preparing an audacious swoop to sign RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner this summer, according to Emanuele Giulianelli. The young German striker enjoyed a quite simply sublime season with Leipzig, firing them to a high finish in the Bundesliga and helping them become a potent force near the top of the league. His clinical nature and ability to get in behind helped Leipzig to become one of the most attractive teams to watch in Germany. However, this has not gone unnoticed and he is attracting interest from several clubs. Liverpool have been cited with interest in recent times. Giulianelli interestingly states that West Ham would be prepared to cough up a huge sum of €25m, which would be a huge sign of intent from the club as they look to avoid an underwhelming campaign again. The Hammers are in need of more attacking inspiration and pulling off the unlikely signing of Werner would almost certainly provide that.
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Transfer Rumours – Goalkeepers
MooreThan Just A Club
Transfer News
POSTED BY: DAVE EDNEY 05/06/2017
Now that we are officially in the twilight zone, in other words, pre "pre-season" mode, it's time to look at the many West Ham transfer rumours currently doing the rounds. It should be said that this is officially "silly season", a period in which deals are very seldom done and which therefore gives journalists carte blanche to make up any old rubbish in the hope that it might sell a few papers.
Sifting through these can prove to be difficult especially when there are so many sources out there these days. It's not just newspaper reporters, there are so-called experts everywhere, some with apparent "close" connections to the club providing us with daily bulletins via blog posts (just like this one). If you ask me it's information overload. Give me the days when the only way you could find out if someone had moved was reading it in the Daily Express the following morning.
We will start with the first line of defense – Goalkeepers
West Ham's defensive record was poor last year but you couldn't always blame it on our No.1… However, neither Adrián nor Darren Randolph played consistently well in front of a porous defense so it's not surprising that we should be linked with an upgrade. But do we really need to strengthen in this area? The candidates are;
JORDAN PICKFORD (Sunderland)
Talented 23-year-old who couldn't keep Sunderland up but who could just be the next big thing in British Football. Still a bit raw but if it hadn't been for his performances his team would have faired far worse than they did, which is saying something. It has been suggested that the deal could involve Adrián going in the opposite direction. The thing is, is he the keeper to be replaced? Randolph seems to be the obvious choice particularly as Adrián has just signed a new contract that, one would imagine, has made certain promises regarding his position in the pecking order. Also, there is the possibility of a £15 million pound fee for Pickford which is a lot of money considering we will probably need to spend it on other areas of the team. One thing seems likely though and that is that Pickford will be playing Premier League football next season, but with whom?
JOHN RUDDY (Norwich City)
30-year-old England international available on a free transfer having spent the last seven seasons playing for The Canaries. Looked a very capable keeper the last time Norwich were in the Premier League, and won his first England cap. His position within that squad was lost however when Delia Smith's boys got relegated. Despite being among the favourites to return to the top flight this season, Norwich failed to do so and Ruddy lost his first team place. With his contract expiring it's more than a little surprising that they have decided to let him go which makes you wonder what kind of form he's been in over the last 6 months. Would Ruddy for Randolph be considered an upgrade? Would he be happy warming the bench as Adrián's No.2? Stranger things have happened.
JOE HART (Manchester City)
Like him or not, he is still England's No.1. On loan to Torino last season, a team that shifted 66 goals (two more than West Ham), yet Torino wanted to retain his services so he must have made an impression of sorts. Needs to come back to England in order to preserve his international position, particularly with the likes of Butland & Pickford breathing down his neck. One would imagine that Hart would go to a Top Six team with European football and not to a mid-table side like us. All the ambition in the world may not be enough to lure him to the London Stadium and his wages would be astronomical. He would be a signing that would declare some intent which is why I think we are being linked with him and also why I don't think it will happen.
WOJCIECH SZCZESNY (Arsenal)
Another keeper out on loan to a Serie A team, this time with Roma, the Polish international has been in excellent form over the last two seasons and if talks with Arsene Wenger prove fruitless it's possible that he will be looking to secure a permanent deal elsewhere. We have apparently taken an interest in the situation but with recent reports suggesting that Juventus are thinking of making a bid of about £13 million I think it's likely that the 27-year-old will remain in Italy.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 7
Tuesday, June 6
Daily WHUFC News - 6th June 2017
Rice – I want a West Ham career like Noble
WHUFC.com
Teenage star Declan Rice wants to follow in the footsteps of West Ham
captain Mark Noble
The defender won the Young Hammer of the Year award after a brilliant debut
season in the first team
The 18-year-old also won promotion as captain of the U23 side
Promising West Ham United centre-back Declan Rice wants to follow in the
footsteps of the likes of Mark Noble and become a Hammers legend at London
Stadium. The Republic of Ireland youth international – like the current West
Ham captain 12 years ago – was this season named the Club's Young Hammer of
the Year after a superb breakthrough campaign. As skipper, Rice guided the
U23 side to Premier League 2 promotion via the play-offs, missing just two
league matches all season, while also featuring on the first team bench as
the season reached its climax. Then, on the final day of the term at
Burnley's Turf Moor, the 18-year-old made his senior debut, replacing
Edimilson Fernandes in the final minutes of Slaven Bilic's outfit's 2-1 win.
The first team bow – as well as the Young Hammer of the Year accolade – was
the icing on the cake for Rice after a marvellous year. "The award just
topped off the season perfectly for me, to be honest," he said. "Then, to go
on and make my debut afterwards was even better. I never thought I would win
that award. "Being Ireland's U17 Player of the Year this year after getting
the Dylan Tombides award the year before – it's been amazing. "Some big
names have won the award before, like Nobes earlier in his career. The guys
who have won it in the past have gone on to have good careers, too, and
Nobes has played 400 games for the Club. "Hopefully I can make my mark in a
similar way to him. I have always wanted my career to be here since joining
from Chelsea. My heart has been with West Ham every day since then, and that
feeling is always growing."
Rice's rise has come about quickly – last month, the teenager trained with
the Republic of Ireland senior squad ahead of their June international
matches. And just last season, the defender was an U18 regular but was
limited to just appearances from the bench for the Development Squad,
managed by Academy Director Terry Westley. "Having mostly played U18s, to
come into the U23s this year as captain and win promotion is incredible,"
the youngster continued. "With the likes of Terry, along with Liam Manning,
Mark Phillips and Steve Potts in the Academy, they push me every day and
want the best for me. "I was a bit nervous going into the U23s. It was
nerve-wracking coming on as a sub last year, trying to show what you can do
in the minutes you get. "This season, it's been totally different. I've been
going into U23 games knowing that I'm going to play well. I think that I
have solved that problem this season – I have achieved good things in the
U23s. "So, obviously we'll see what happens, but it might be my time to go
out on loan next season and have a good challenge while getting senior
experience."
If a loan move next season is the next step for Rice, there are plenty of
his teammates he can call upon for advice. Josh Cullen – notably – enjoyed a
superb 2016/17 campaign in League One with Bradford City on loan, starting
regularly in central midfield and helping the Bantams reach the play-off
final at Wembley. "The way Josh has played for the last two years at
Bradford has been unbelievable," said Rice on his compatriot. "He's someone
for everyone in the Academy to look up to. "If I do go out on loan,
hopefully I can make as many appearances and impress as much as Josh has.
"Playing either in the Championship or League One has to be the aim. It
would be a perfect way to gain experience and learn. "That's definitely the
aim if I can't break into the first team on a regular basis."
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London Stadium prepares to welcome the world
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's London Stadium is soon to undergo the temporary
adjustments that will prepare it for the 2017 IAAF World Athletics
Championships taking place this summer.
The finest athletes on the planet will perform at the prestigious global
event, with the World Para Athletics Championships on from July 14 – July
23, followed by the World Athletics Championships from August 4 – August 13,
the highlight of which will be Olympic legends Mo Farah and Usain Bolt
competing for the final time at the swansong of their glittering careers.
What's more, West Ham United's loyal Season Ticket Holders can take
advantage of a fantastic special offer to attend the World Para Athletics
event, with tickets available at just £3.00 for adults and £1.00 for
under-16s, representing a massive 93% discount on the full price. For full
details on how to purchase tickets, click here
For the duration of the IAAF events this summer, London Stadium will become
a 'clean stadium' - a requirement of any venue hosting the IAAF World
Championships under the rules of the competition. This is a unique and
exceptional year that will see a once-in-a-generation occasion taking place
in London.
It is the one and only time that a clean stadium is required and contracted
for an event outside the football season, and has been embraced by West Ham
United ever since signing the concession agreement in 2013, as part of the
stadium's athletics legacy.
A team of specialists will this week begin the task of carefully removing
the Club's giant marquee sign that adorns the roof of London Stadium.
The sign will be stored and guarded 24/7 at a secure compound off-site for
the duration of the IAAF event, before being thoroughly cleaned, serviced
and then reinstalled in its prominent location in time for our first home
match of the 2017/18 Premier League campaign.
West Ham United signage and branding around the stadium will also be placed
in secure storage for the summer period, as London prepares to welcome the
world's elite athletes to the capital.
However, it will be business as usual for West Ham United, with the Stadium
Store and Ticket Office open throughout the summer for Hammers fans, who
will be able to purchase the new replica kits for 2017/18, and staff
continuing to plan ahead for next season at the club offices.
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Dan Kemp excited by Toulon Tournament semi-final
WHUFC.com
Dan Kemp won a penalty as England U20s made it through to the Toulon
Tournament semi-finals
The Dylan Tombides Award nominee was fouled in the 25th minute and Sheffield
Wednesday's George Hirst scored the penalty
England went on beat Japan 2-1 and subsequently topped the group
West Ham winger Dan Kemp played a key role as England U20s topped Group A at
the Toulon Tournament after they beat Japan 2-1 in their final group game.
The 18-year-old was fouled in the penalty area in the 25th minute and George
Hirst stepped up to give England the lead.
Japan equalised through Mizuki Ando in the second half but Chelsea's Martell
Taylor-Crossdale netted another penalty late on to secure England's passage
to the last four. It was Kemp's second start of the tournament so far, after
featuring in the opening victory against Angola, and the wide player was
delighted to be among the thick of the action. "The game was a good test for
us against a very good Japan team," said Kemp. "We are all delighted to win
three out of three games and top the group. "It was good to be involved in
winning the penalty for the first goal. As an attacking player, it is your
main job to score or create scoring chances for your team so I was pleased
to get the penalty."
England are aiming to defend the title they won last year and are still on
course to achieve the feat after maintaining their 100% record in the
tournament so far. Kemp hopes to be involved in the semi-final and believes
he can draw on his knockout football experience to help the Young Lions in
France. He was part of Terry Westley's PL2 side that won both the semi-final
and final to clinch promotion to Premier League 2 Division 1 last month. "I
cannot wait for the semi-final," he continued. "It will be another great
experience for me. All the boys are looking forward to it and we're
confident and ready."
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Season Ticket relocation update
WHUFC.com
With the Season Ticket relocation period now underway, West Ham United would
like to confirm the process for supporters who have requested to relocate
their seat for the 2017/18 season.
With more than 90% of Season Ticket holders renewing before last week's
deadline – and the vast majority wishing to retain their existing seats -
opportunities to relocate will be very limited and are strictly subject to
availability.
For renewing Season Ticket Holders, seat relocations will be prioritised by
how early you renewed, which the Ticket Office hold a record of.
As previously explained, there are some priority cases where exceptional
circumstances exist, such as accessibility requirements and a group of
supporters who had to move out of Block 114 in order to increase the size of
the segregation line.
Season Ticket holders requesting to relocate will have received a
notification email of their relocation window, advising when to call the
Ticket Office to discuss their request. When calling, please ensure you have
your client reference number to hand.
The relocation phase will be a busy period for the Club and we would
therefore ask that you only contact us once your window has opened.
Supporters calling earlier will be politely requested to call back at their
designated time.
The majority of available seats in the lower tiers of the East, West and
Bobby Moore stands are single seats, with a limited number of pairs.
If relocating with others, make sure you have to hand all client references,
names, and postcodes within the group – all of whom must have renewed before
May 31. In the interest of fairness, seats cannot be placed on reserve.
If your relocation falls into a different price band, the difference in cost
will either be refunded or required to be paid in full immediately. If you
make a decision to relocate your seat, your existing seat will then be made
available for other supporters.
Once the relocation period has ended on 15 June, the limited number of
available Season Tickets will then go on sale to supporters on the Waiting
List from Friday 16 June.
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QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY!
BY DAN CHAPMAN ON 4 JUNE 2017 AT 10:26PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Good evening everyone.
So that time of year is here once again. Yes, the transfer window is fast
approaching. So we have only just entered June, and we have already been
linked with a number of different players. I am here to give my opinion on
why I think we need quality over quantity, and what players I would bring in
over the summer.
So let's get on with it.
First of all, I just want to say that I do not think we need too many
signings, unlike last summer. I would say we need three of four more players
of good quality in order for us to be a top eight side. We already have a
good spine to our side, with Reid, Obiang and Lanzini being our key players.
If we can get a few players of equal quality, then I am sure we will see
progress in the next few seasons.
Now we have made a brilliant start to the window with the signing of Pablo
Zabaleta on a free transfer. I think he is a better than signing than some
of our fans realise. He obviously fills the right back position, which is
something that we have been crying out for for far too long now. He also
brings leadership and a real winning mentality, which is also something that
we have lacked this season. I am looking forward to seeing him as part of
our defence next season.
The other main area that we need to strengthen is the forwards. Now it is no
secret that we want to sign Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho, and
it is also no secret that we want to sign Chelsea striker Mich Batshuayi. In
my opinion, these two players would be the perfect signings for us. They are
two young, hungry strikers who are looking to prove a point after not
getting much game time at their current clubs. If we manage to sign
Iheanacho on a permanent deal and Batshuayi on a loan deal with a view to
buy him next summer, then I would be a very happy Hammer.
The next area that I feel we need to strengthen is the left wing. We need to
sign a winger who is very direct and has plenty of pace because as we all
know, we have lacked a lot of pace this season. For me, the players we
should be looking at are Adama Traore and Damarai Gray. Now I know that some
people do not rate Traore because he isn't the best player technically, but
the same could be said for Antonio. Antonio isn't the best player
technically, but he has pace to burn and is a fan favourite. Traore also has
pace to burn, and the thought of him and Antonio running down the wings
excites me.
Damarai Gray is my second option. He is another young player with lots of
potential, but yet again he barely gets a chance at his current club. He has
got plenty of pace and is very good technically, but he cannot get a game
over Marc Albrighton. I feel that we should look at him and test the water
with Leicester.
Finally, I think we need to strengthen the goalkeeping position. Now I am a
massive fan of Adrian and I am happy that he will be sticking around, but I
still think we can and need to get better than him. My choice would be Joe
Hart. Despite making some errors in Italy this season, I still think he is
one of the best keepers around on his day. He clearly doesn't have a future
at Manchester City with them having signed a new keeper this week, and I
think we would be silly to not at least try and get him.
As I said before, I truly believe that we are only three or four quality
signings away from being a top eight side, and if we can sign the players
mentioned, then I am sure that we will be up there next season. I hope it is
a successful summer window for the Hammers, and I hope every one has a
brilliant summer themselves.
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LUNCHTIME ROUND UP: FANS SHOWED 'POWER', SAINTS IN FOR SNODGRASS?, OXFORD
SET FOR GERMANY?
BY DAN CHAPMAN ON 5 JUNE 2017 AT 1:12PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Hello Hammers. Here is today's lunchtime round up.
Andy Carroll says the West Ham fans showed their power during the 1-0 win
over Tottenham in May. (Standard)
We all know that we are the best fans in the country, when we want to be.
This season we have only shown glimpses of what the atmosphere at the London
Stadium can be like. In my opinion, the atmosphere at the Spurs game is how
the atmosphere should be at every game. If the fans can create that
atmosphere every game, then we will beat a lot of teams at the London
Stadium.
West Ham defender James Collins says he is not considering retirement.
(Tribal Football)
I am glad Ginge isn't retiring just yet, but his West Ham future still
remains unclear. I do hope that he remains with us until he retires, because
he is a hero to this club. In my opinion, he deserves a new contract for his
contribution to the team this season.
The West Ham United sign outside the London Stadium is being dismantled this
week, as the stadium prepares for the IAAF World Championships. (Standard)
Reece Oxford is set to join Borussia Monchengladbach on a season long loan
deal. (The Sun)
This is a very odd rumour, but strangely I think it could work out for
everyone. Recce will gain a lot of experience in a good league and he will
learn a lot from his time there. Ideally, I would like to see Reece stay and
gain experience with us, but that is going to be hard for him with our
current options.
Southampton are in contention to sign West Ham's Robert Snodgrass this
summer. (HITC)
If this is true, then I would consider a swap deal including Dusan Tadic.
Let's be honest, not many people would be sad to see Snodgrass leave, and
Tadic is a level above him. Tadic would be a very good signing for us in my
opinion, and I am interested to see how this one turns out.
West Ham are in pole position to sign Lincoln City defender Sean Raggett.
(HITC)
I do not understand this. I don't see why we would potentially loan Reece
Oxford out and then sign another defender. To me, it makes sense to just
keep Reece and give him a chance, instead of spending more money on another
defender. Raggett may be a good player with lots of potential, but Oxford
has been tipped as the future of English football.
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END OF SEASON REPORT CARD: PLAYER RATINGS
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 4 JUNE 2017 AT 9:20PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Katie S @flump9
Well the season is over and although most of us probably couldn't wait for
it to end, we are now probably desperate for it to start again. Having had
a little time to reflect on the season as a whole and how each player
performed, got me thinking how I would rank them out of ten and whether I
think they should stay or go. These are my views based upon my personal
feelings and not if we were to buy players in these positions this transfer
window or if anyone would actually make an offer etc.
So here it goes, from 1 to 10:
Enner Valencia – Not played for West Ham, but sell
This is hard for me to judge, as I personally haven't seen many of Everton's
games this season, but he has made 21 appearances and scored 3 goals. I was
quite positive about Enner when he first joined us, but in my mind he just
isn't good enough. There was talk that Everton wanted to sign him
permanently, if this is true and not some sort of joke, then sell him now!
Diafra Sakho – 2 out of 10 = Sell
I didn't even have to think about this answer. I have lost patience with
Sakho, yes he may be injury prone which is awful for any player, but too
much has gone on with him off of the field. Like Carroll, he is never going
to be fit for long and we can't afford to be paying his wages for him to
never play. Sadly though, I can't see anyone buying him!
Håvard Nordtveit – 3 out of 10 = Sell
I felt a little sorry for Nordtveit earlier in the season, fans were very
quick to write him off and felt that it was a bit soon to be so critical.
The low point had to be giving away a penalty to Tottenham in the 90th
minute, after only being on the pitch five minutes. Like quite a few
players this season, Nordtveit was being played out of position though and
was probably unfair to judge. He showed what he was capable of when playing
in his natural position against Everton and was probably man of the match,
but sadly there are too many negatives for me to. I will never forget that
sight of him jogging back watching Coutinho score.
Robert Snodgrass – 3 out of 10 = Sell
He has been a real disappointment for me, I don't know if he just hasn't
settled well but I can't recall any real high points from Snodgrass this
season. He said himself that he has played out of position and struggled
slightly, but I just consider it as a panic buy from Bilic and can't see him
bringing much to the team next season. He has to go.
Ashley Fletcher – 4 out of 10 = Sell/Loan
This will probably be an unpopular decision, but I have chosen to sell
Fletcher. It is hard to judge him as he hasn't been given enough chances
and playing five minutes at the end of a match is difficult for anyone to
prove themselves, however I can't help but feel he isn't the natural goal
scorer that we are so desperately needing. Maybe he needs to get some
experience on loan in the Championship this season and see how he goes
there.
Andy Carroll – 5 out of 10 = Sell
This ranking may seem a little harsh, but I think my patience has finally
run out. There is no doubting his ability and the goal against Palace alone
could have made me rank him much higher, but I cannot keep being positive
about a player who misses half the season. If we had a few other top
strikers, maybe we could put up with it, but we don't. I feel for him but
we have to look at the bigger picture.
Sofiane Feghouli – 5 out of 10 = Sell
This was actually my toughest decision, as I like players that work hard and
give their all. This is exactly what Feghouli does. He has scored four
goals and whenever he plays he gives 100% and tries to create things (which
can't be said for lots of the team), but for me I don't think he is a top
player and would like to see someone else instead.
Cheikhou Kouyaté – 6 out of 10 = Keep
Kouyaté is one of my favourite players, as I believe he is one of the most
consistent every season. The reason his ranking isn't higher, is purely
down to Bilic playing him out of position most of the season, which
obviously is not his fault. He is much better playing in midfield and
hopefully next season this will be his only position. Having said that, I
still think he has had a pretty decent season and would never contemplate
selling him.
Aaron Cresswell – 6 out of 10 = Keep
This is the first season that Cresswell has received some criticism and with
good reason. He was injured for the early part of the season and came back
for the Palace game, where he made a big difference and I thought he was
what we had been missing, unfortunately this didn't continue and Aaron's
season was a bit of a let-down compared to his first couple. Saying all of
that, I highly rate him and I believe he is a fantastic left back that we
will be lucky to keep hold of him for more than a couple of seasons.
Mark Noble (captain) – 6 out of 10 = Keep
Noble is another player that has come under a lot of criticism this season,
it certainly wasn't as good as the previous season, where he had the season
of his career. However, I still think some of the negative comments were a
little over the top. The stat about us not winning without Noble in the
team was quite alarming, (thankfully that ended against Burnley) but also
goes to show what an influence he has on the team, which I think goes
unnoticed. He is a fantastic captain and is a pivotal player. I hope he
spends his whole career with us.
Darren Randolph – 6 out of 10 = Sell
There has been lots of talk of signing another keeper and if that is the
case, for me Randolph has to be the keeper to make way. He had a brilliant
campaign during the euros last year and has made some impressive saves for
us this season, however I think he's lacking some key attributes and I would
like to see someone else come in. If we aren't going to bring in another
keeper, then Randolph is a decent back-up, but I think he will want to be
No1 and can see us selling.
André Ayew – 6 out of 10 = Keep
Hit and miss is how I would sum up Ayew's first season with us, quite
literally! I can't quite believe some of the opportunities he has missed.
He isn't an out and out striker, so I do not think he should be used in this
position, but there is no excuse for some of those misses. Saying all of
that, I still think he will improve next season and be quite an important
player for us. His passion and desire to win against Tottenham, really made
me warm to him and even with those misses he has still scored some crucial
goals for us.
Adrián – 6 out of 10 = Keep
He had a very shaky start to the campaign, but the same could be said for
most of the squad. I believe Bilic was right to drop Adrián, but I felt
some of the negativity towards him was a bit strong. Last season we all
loved him, surely he couldn't fall apart that quickly? I was very pleased
that he finally made it back into the team at the end of the season and I
think it was apparent that the defence felt a lot safer with Adrián between
the sticks. I am pleased that he has signed a contract extension and hoping
he continues the way he finished last season.
Sam Byram – 6 out of 10 = Keep
I was really pleased when Bilic finally decided to play Sam, it meant we
actually had a natural right back. I think people have mixed views on
Byram, I don't think he is the finished article and I think he can be a bit
of a liability sometimes, making rash challenges. In spite of this, I think
overall he did well and the game against Swansea with James Collins
encouraging him was his season highlight. It cannot have been easy for him,
when your manager insists on playing everyone out of position, rather than
use you. We have now signed Zabaleta so he won't be number one choice, but
I think he is a great back-up.
José Fonte – 6 out of 10 = Keep
I think it is fair to say that Fonte didn't start as promisingly as we all
hoped and like many probably came under a bit of criticism. I believe he
improved as the season went on and I think he is a decent player that is
worthwhile keeping. Like Byram he might not be first choice, but we all
know what happens with injuries and he is a solid back-up option.
Angelo Ogbonna – 6 out of 10 = Keep
This is quite difficult to judge as he has been out injured since January
and before that I didn't think he was having a great season. However, Bilic
revealed that he had in fact been injured all season and continued to play
until we signed a replacement, even when he was due to have an operation.
It was great to see him return against Burnley and play an impressive 90
minutes after being out for four months. I rate Ogbonna and look forward to
seeing him play next season fully fit.
Edimilson Fernandes – 7 out of 10 = Keep
Fernandes won Signing of the Season and I would say that this was well
deserved. He has consistently performed when called upon and scoring the
winning goal against Chelsea in the EFL Cup was a fantastic moment for him.
At 21 years of age, he has shown a lot of maturity and impressed enormously.
I think he is one for the future and we need to keep hold of him.
James Collins – 8 out of 10 = Keep
What can I say about Ginge? He epitomises leadership and passion, he is an
old-school player and I love that about him. As I mentioned earlier,
Collins' passion and encouragement for Sam Byram really was instrumental in
Sam's performance against Swansea and that is priceless. There has been
talk of other clubs being interested in him, which is understandable, but I
really hope he stays as he still has a lot to offer the team, squad and club
as a whole.
Arthur Masuaku – 8 out of 10 = Keep
Now this ranking is probably a little high, as he has not made many
appearances this season, however, I couldn't ignore how remarkable those
performances were. I didn't understand why so many fans thought he was
great straight away, I thought he was brilliant going forward but lacked
defensive skills. I was completely wrong, the latter part of the season he
showed exactly what he was capable of and I was gutted that he ended up not
playing the remainder of the season. It will be tough to pick between him
and Cresswell next season, but what a great dilemma to have.
Michail Antonio – 9 out of 10 = Keep
The fans Hammer of the Year Michail Antonio, was always going to be ranked
high, I don't think it is one that many people would dispute. If I am
honest, I don't think he had as an impressive season as his first season
with us, but that is probably me being a little harsh and actually I don't
think any player has played as well this season. He is our top goal scorer
and without him, there is no doubt we would have been in real relegation
battle. I love watching him, although he does sometimes look a little
clumsy, he is capable of creating something and his desire is fantastic to
see.
Pedro Obiang – 9 out of 10 = Keep
What an outstanding season Pedro had, he has been immense. My man of the
match on many occasions this season, which is a real turnaround from last
season, when many fans would not have been cared if he was sold in the
summer. The stats speak for themselves and I really hope (I am confident)
he continues the impressive form after his injury.
Winston Reid (vice-captain) – 9 out of 10 = Keep
In the same way I didn't have to think about Sakho, I didn't have to think
about this either. There is no way I would be choose to sell Winston. Once
again, Reid has had another solid season and he really makes a big
difference to our defence. He was my pick for Hammer of the Year!
Manuel Lanzini – 9 out of 10 = Keep
I said last season that I thought Lanzini was creatively a better player
than Payet and since Payet's departure he has really proved himself. He
started the season off a little slow, almost in Payet's shadow, but he has
flourished since then and just gone from strength to strength. I pray we
keep hold of Manu, as I regard him as our key player that is also incredibly
popular with his teammates.
These are all my personal views and I know that even my family members don't
agree, but what do you think? Would you agree with my rankings or is
someone completely out of place in your mind? Let me know, @flump9 on
Twitter.
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Young Hammer stars in England success
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
Academy star Dan Kemp was one of England's heroes in Toulon this afternoon
as the Under 21s made it through to the semi finals of the Toulon
Tournament.
Kemp, part of a scratch squad featuring Under 18, Under 19 and Under 20
internationals was involved earlier today as Neil Dewsnip's side beat Japan
2-1 to end thee group phase with a perfect record of played three, won
three.
And that means England's youngsters - who won the Toulon tournament last
year for the first time since the mid-1990s - are through to Thursday's semi
finals.
"The game was a good test for us against a very good Japan team," Kemp told
whufc.com. "We are all delighted to win three out of three games and top the
group. As an attacking player, it is your main job to score or create
scoring chances for your team so it was good to be involved in winning the
penalty for the first goal. "
Manger Dewsnip added: "'When we first met up and had so many new faces who
didn't know each other, if you'd said we'd win all three group games at a
prestigious tournament such as Toulon I'd've been cynical. But they've
played three, won three.
"We made a lot of changes so we didn't have the fluency we had in the first
two matches. But they showed a different kind of spirit, something I think
is traditionally English: they refused to lose and came out the other side
and I think that's just as important sometimes."
* Meanwhile, over in Korea, England's Under 20s marched through to the semi
finals of the Under 20s World Cup tournament courtesy of a 1-0 win over
Mexico, thanks to Dominic Solanke's second-half goal.
And that despite ending the game with ten men, after Tottenham youngster
Josh Onomah was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
27 years and out
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th June 2017
By: Neil Willis
First and foremost, I would like to explain that I'm not a fairweather
supporter who throws his toys out of the pram when things don't go West
Ham's way. I have experienced many highs and even more lows since my first
game on New Year's Day 1983, when a certain Tony Cottee scored.
Anyway, to get back on track, the question posed on Twitter by @kumbdotcom
was: "What is it about the OS that made you not renew after 27 years as a
season ticket holder?"
I would like it to be know that from the start I was against any move from
Upton Park (sorry it will always be that to me and not the Boleyn) as it was
home and was where my Dad started my football education of pain and
suffering. However, following the truly magnificent experience of
London2012, I foolishly changed my views and backed the plan.
I suppose I might have been drawn into what the board was promising us ie. a
state of the art footballing arena; no more standing outside in the rain
waiting to get onto the platform; a new dawn for the club; a visual wrap
going around the arena; an amazing atmosphere; a ground to be proud of; easy
access to all amenities outside the ground/surrounding area etc. I could go
on and on.
The last game at Upton Park came and went and i was actually looking forward
to stepping foot in the new home of West Ham Utd London. When I stepped into
the arena it was one of those "wow!" moments, like when I entered Cardiff
and Wembley stadiums for the first time.
Then i looked down to see the gaping space between the stands and the pitch
- although my seat is ok, a Band 4 which my friends reluctantly agree it's
better than their Band 1 seats. It's so vast I swear I actually saw a mass
migration of wilderbeast at one game.
This has to have an impact on the players, especially coming from such a
close-knit ground where in the good old days the opposition would be pulled
into the crowd when taking a throw in. Unfortunately this will not change
for one simple reason - it is not a football stadium.
It made me laugh when the Board made a major fuss about the arena being
nominated as Stadium of the Year. This was followed by loads of told-you-so
tweets and other messages on social media. Though there was one key word
missing - "FOOTBALL" stadium.
There has been more atmosphere in the Emirates - and as you know, that's
saying something. Unfortunately this has not improved during the whole
season, singing Bubbles at the start of the game doesn't count. Though im
reliably informed that there was a good atmosphere at the Spurs game.
It soon became apparent that the club was doing everything on the cheap. For
example my friend tried to get a hot dog, only to be told "we have no hot
dog rolls, do you still want it?" Who on earth buys more dogs than rolls?
Then there were the obvious security issues. This was highlighted by the
mindless "buy one, get two free" Founders system, where non fans would get
priority over real fans. This was highlighted by the fact that these
founders either hadn't attended a match before or hadn't for some time.
The reason behind is simple... they acted like a scene out of The Firm (not
the Tom Cruise film, but the Gary Oldman one). It was then I started to feel
that this was not the club it once was. This then continued and I stopped
going.
I understand that the club needed to move on to grow. But is has been
fuelled by lies. Can't extend Upton Park because of the bus garage? Fib. The
infrastructure will be second to none? A bigger fib as it's worse than Upton
Park. The digital wrap will go around the whole ground? What a whopper. Fans
consulted on the new badge? I must have missed that one as well.
I will always be a fan of WHU - not WHU London - but no longer class myself
as a supporter and I'm looking forward spending my Saturdays watching a bit
of non-league football to try and rekindle my love for the game (and perhaps
taking up the occasional betfair free bet offer).
One thing is for certain - I will not be stepping foot inside the
multi-purpose sporting arena again.
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the
author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be
attributed to, KUMB.com.
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Randolph a winner despite blunder
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's reserve goalkeeper Darren Randolph was on the winning side
last night as the Republic of Ireland beat Uruguay 3-1 in Dublin.
However the Hammers 'keeper was heavily criticised for making an error that
led to the South Americans' equaliser, after he failed to deal with a deep
cross.
Jonathan Walters put the hosts ahead with 28 minutes on the clock, only for
the visitors to restore parity ten minutes later after Randolph came out to
meet a free kick but was beaten to the ball by Jose Gimenez.
Fortunately Randolph's error failed to prove too costly, as goals from Cyrus
Christie and James McClean ensured the Republic ran out 3-1 winners ahead of
next week's World CUp qualifier against Austria.
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West Ham join Steve Mounie transfer race with Watford and West Brom
The 22-year-old Benin international forward scored 14 goals for French side
Montpellier this past season
The Mirror
BYDARREN LEWIS
22:30, 5 JUN 2017
West Ham are the latest Premier League club chasing £13million Montpellier
forward Steve Mounie. The 22-year-old Benin international, who scored 14
goals last season, is also a target for Watford boss Marco Silva and Tony
Pulis at West Brom . The Hornets are particularly interested, with M'Baye
Niang insistent that he wants to return to parent club AC Milan following
his loan spell at Vicarage Road.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM LEADING THE RACE FOR SEAN RAGGETT
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
readWestHam
Defensively, West Ham were poor this past season and leaked too many goals
and there's no doubt that Slaven Bilic should look to improve this area of
the pitch. The Hammers have been one of a number of Premier League and
Football League clubs looking to sign highly-rated Lincoln City centre-back
Sean Raggett this summer. According to the Express, West Ham are in pole
position to land the 23-year-old defender who caught the eye for the Imps
this season as they secured promotion back to the Football League and
reached the FA Cup quarter-final. West Ham have already seen a £125,000
offer turned down by the League Two outfit for their star defender while
both Peterborough and Oxford United have had bids in the region of £250,000
rejected. Raggett has a release clause in his contract which stands at
£350,000 which would need to be met in full before Lincoln would allow him
to leave the club this summer. Both Norwich and West Brom are also strongly
considering bids for the defender who is seen as a signing for the future.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham wonderkid hints at loan move away after David Gold's recent
comments
The Hammers defender has had an impressive rise through the ranks
Football London
BYADAM JONES
12:30, 5 JUN 2017
Declan Rice has said that he is open to a loan move away from West Ham for
the upcoming season if it were to help his development.
The youngster has enjoyed a seriously impressive rise through the ranks with
the Hammers - being named the club's Young Hammer of the Year after a
briilliant campaign. The 18-year-old, who made his senior debut against
Burnley at Turf Moor last month, has admitted that his confidence has taken
a massive boost this season - and that he would be open to leaving on loan.
He told the West Ham official website: "I was a bit nervous going into the
U23s. It was nerve-wracking coming on as a sub last year, trying to show
what you can do in the minutes you get. "This season, it's been totally
different. I've been going into U23 games knowing that I'm going to play
well. I think that I have solved that problem this season – I have achieved
good things in the U23s. "So, obviously we'll see what happens, but it might
be my time to go out on loan next season and have a good challenge while
getting senior experience."
Rice has also been talking about the awards that his incredible season has
earned him - and stated that he would love to follow in Mark Noble's
footsteps at West Ham United. "Being Ireland's U17 Player of the Year this
year after getting the Dylan Tombides award the year before – it's been
amazing," Rice added. "Some big names have won the award before, like Nobes
earlier in his career. The guys who have won it in the past have gone on to
have good careers, too, and Nobes has played 400 games for the Club.
"Hopefully I can make my mark in a similar way to him. I have always wanted
my career to be here since joining from Chelsea. My heart has been with West
Ham every day since then, and that feeling is always growing."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Southampton in contention for West Ham's Robert Snodgrass
HITC
Shane Callaghan
Southampton are seemingly in contention to sign the West Ham United man,
according to the bookies. According to Ladbrokes, Southampton are among
those in contention to sign West Ham United midfielder Robert Snodgrass. The
popular bookmaker has installed Southampton as 7/1 third favourites to bring
the Scotland international to the South Coast this summer. Claude Puel's
side have the same odds as Stoke City, while Brighton and Hove Albion (5/2)
and West Bromwich Albion (5/1) are first and second favourites. The
29-year-old has had a tough time of it in recent months after sealing a £10
million move to West Ham back in January. But the former Hull City man,
brought in to replace Dimitri Payet, has struggled to justify such a
transfer fee, failing to score in any of his 15 Premier League appearances
for the Hammers - eight of which were from the start.
It certainly seems like the Irons will cut their losses and offload the
ex-Leeds star but it remains to be seen where he will end up.
Southampton could be a good move for him if he can relocate the spark and
energy which secured him a big-money switch to the London outfit in the
first place.
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West Ham sign being dismantled as London Stadium prepares for IAAF World
Championships
KEN DYER
Evening Standard
The giant West Ham sign on top of the London Stadium is being dismantled
this week as the venue is re-converted to athletics in time for the IAAF
World Championships in August. Work commenced today to take down the sign.
It will be stored along with other branding and signage, before being
re-installed after the World Athletics Championships which finish on 13
August, a day after the start of the new Premier League season.
West Ham meanwhile, are set to play their first three matches away from
home, while the stadium is returned to its former condition, including the
re-erection of temporary seating over the athletics track. The one-off
obligation to have a 'clean stadium', both for the World Para Athletics
Championships from July 23-14 and the World Athletics Championships from
August 4 -13, was part of the concession agreement in 2013 to embrace the
stadium's athletics legacy following the Olympic Games there. The club's
store and ticket office will however remain open throughout the summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United should keep Havard Nordtveit
HITC
Shane Callaghan
The West Ham United man is linked with a return to Germany, but Slaven Bilic
should keep him. Kicker reported at the weekend that three Bundesliga clubs
are willing to sign West Ham United's Havard Nordtveit. According to the
German outlet, Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg are interested in
signing the Norwegian midfielder, who spent five successful years with
Borussia Monchengladbach prior to joining the Hammers for free last summer.
Hoffenheim, in particular, are very much a club on the up after qualifying
for the Champions League and if they're genuinely interested then perhaps it
is the wake-up call that Slaven Bilic needs. They enter into the preliminary
stages, where a huge financial bonus awaits if they reach the group stages.
If Nordtveit is on their radar then the former Besiktas coach must wonder if
he is missing something.
The 26-year-old is not a hugely popular figure among West Ham fans following
a very unspectacular first season with the Londoners. In fact, many
supporters struggle to forgive him after conceding a last-minute penalty in
the 3-2 defeat away to Tottenham in the first half of the campaign, after
coming on as a substitute. But the fact of the matter is that the former
Arsenal youth got very few chances to impress in defensive midfield.
Instead, Bilic used him as a makeshift right-back and he admittedly did not
cover himself in glory in what was clearly an uncomfortable role for him.
With Pedro Obiang impressing in central midfield, it is hard to blame Bilic
for not using him there, but The Mirror reported at the weekend that Everton
are keen on bringing in the Spaniard - a potential departure which could
pave the way for Nordtveit to stake a claim as the Irons' anchorman. He has
not been given a fair crack of the whip in London and it would be a shame
for the Croat to sell him without giving the Norway international a platform
in which to showcase his talent, because there is clearly something there.
With over 150 Bundesliga appearances, Nordtveit, who left Monchengladbach as
captain and is one of the few West Ham men to hold Champions League
experience, is obviously a talented footballer and Bilic can't sell him
until he knows for certain that he isn't good enough.
Having also been a free transfer, the Hammers have very little to lose by
keeping him, but a lot to potentially gain - if he is given a fair chance.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Three clubs want West Ham United's Havard Nordtveit
HITC
Shane Callaghan
Havard Nordtveit struggled for West Ham United last term. According to
German outlet Kicker, three Bundesliga clubs are willing to offer Havard
Nordtveit a way out of West Ham United. The 26-year-old joined West Ham on a
Bosman last summer after his contract with Borussia Monchengladbach expired
but, despite being a very promising addition, failed to impress in his first
season under Slaven Bilic.
The Norwegian looked a fine talent at Gladbach, but Bilic played the
defensive midfielder - who can also operate in central defence - at
right-back for much of last season and it did very little for the ex-Arsenal
man. And according to Kicker, Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen are
willing to take him back to Germany this summer. It would be harsh to label
Nordtveit a failure based on last season, and many West Ham fans might
prefer if he was given one more campaign in his preferred position before
casting a judgement on him. He enjoyed six fruitful years at Monchengladbach
and perhaps there is enough talent there to justify another season with the
Hammers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham to make move for out-of-contract Bundesliga star - report
The Hammers are reportedlyinterested in the winger
Football London
BYROB GUEST
05:30, 5 JUN 2017
Reports suggest that West Ham could be set to make a move for Darmstadt
winger Marcel Heller ahead of the new Premier League season.
The player is out of contract with the German side following their
relegation from the Bundesliga and a number of clubs are reportedly keeping
tabs on Heller. Burnley, Antalyaspor and MLS side San Jose Earthquakes have
all been linked with a move for the German who looks increasingly likely to
move abroad. The 31-year-old, who can also play at left-back, has never
represented his country, although he has lined up alongside the likes of
Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil for the Under-21
side between 2007 and 2009. Heller, who won two consecutive promotions with
Darmstadt, played 34 games in all competitions last season and netted four
goals for Die Lilien.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM REPORTEDLY EYEING MOVE FOR DAMM
LUKE OSMAN @LukeOsmanRS
ReadestHam
West Ham are reportedly lining up a summer move for Tigres winger Jurgen
Damm, and have submitted a bid already. According to Liga MX based website
Univision, the Hammers have already made their move to sign the highly-rated
wide man and are keen to bolster their attacking options when the window
opens. It's claimed in the report that Slaven Bilic has lodged an offer
worth just £4 million, with the Croatian manager keen to land himself a
bargain to kick-start his side's summer spending. Damm has been a prominent
figure in Liga MX for some time now and has earned himself a reputation in
Mexico for his technical ability, with his pace and trickery causing
problems for Tigres' opposition. West Ham have lacked attacking flair
recently and would certainly benefit from a more unpredictable option on the
flanks. They'll be hoping to secure a move for the 24-year-old this summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Why On Earth Would Hammers Sell Pedro Obiang?
Submitted by nevillenixon on Sun, 04/06/2017 - 20:55
WestHamFans.org
'Cash rich' Everton are reportedly sniffing around for Pedro Obiang,
apparently they are not alone with AC Milan and Sevilla also interested in
luring the combative midfielder and defender to their clubs. Obiang has two
years left on his contract following his £4.3 Million transfer from
Sampdoria. Initially Obiang found himself more often as a squad player or a
bench warmer, but more recently became a permanent fixture in the starting
line up. Everton boss Ronald Koeman wants Obiang as a replacement for James
McCarthy and to provide support for Idrissa Gueye. 25 year old Obiang is in
his prime and although offers in excess of £15 Million have been mooted why
on earth would West Ham take the money in order to make a £10 Million profit
when they would then have to replace him with an insanely new money player?
Make no mistake, player values are going to sky rocket because of all the
extra TV money that will be swilling around, finding a player on a par to
Obiang would probably cost £25 Million, so once again why sell? It is not as
if the club needs the money!
Pedro Obiang finished runner up to Michail Antonio in this season's Hammer
of the Year award and his form did not go unnoticed on Merseyside or in
Italy and Obiang's homeland, but more importantly it did not go unnoticed at
The London Stadium by his manger Slaven Billic. - Ed
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Teenage star Declan Rice wants to follow in the footsteps of West Ham
captain Mark Noble
The defender won the Young Hammer of the Year award after a brilliant debut
season in the first team
The 18-year-old also won promotion as captain of the U23 side
Promising West Ham United centre-back Declan Rice wants to follow in the
footsteps of the likes of Mark Noble and become a Hammers legend at London
Stadium. The Republic of Ireland youth international – like the current West
Ham captain 12 years ago – was this season named the Club's Young Hammer of
the Year after a superb breakthrough campaign. As skipper, Rice guided the
U23 side to Premier League 2 promotion via the play-offs, missing just two
league matches all season, while also featuring on the first team bench as
the season reached its climax. Then, on the final day of the term at
Burnley's Turf Moor, the 18-year-old made his senior debut, replacing
Edimilson Fernandes in the final minutes of Slaven Bilic's outfit's 2-1 win.
The first team bow – as well as the Young Hammer of the Year accolade – was
the icing on the cake for Rice after a marvellous year. "The award just
topped off the season perfectly for me, to be honest," he said. "Then, to go
on and make my debut afterwards was even better. I never thought I would win
that award. "Being Ireland's U17 Player of the Year this year after getting
the Dylan Tombides award the year before – it's been amazing. "Some big
names have won the award before, like Nobes earlier in his career. The guys
who have won it in the past have gone on to have good careers, too, and
Nobes has played 400 games for the Club. "Hopefully I can make my mark in a
similar way to him. I have always wanted my career to be here since joining
from Chelsea. My heart has been with West Ham every day since then, and that
feeling is always growing."
Rice's rise has come about quickly – last month, the teenager trained with
the Republic of Ireland senior squad ahead of their June international
matches. And just last season, the defender was an U18 regular but was
limited to just appearances from the bench for the Development Squad,
managed by Academy Director Terry Westley. "Having mostly played U18s, to
come into the U23s this year as captain and win promotion is incredible,"
the youngster continued. "With the likes of Terry, along with Liam Manning,
Mark Phillips and Steve Potts in the Academy, they push me every day and
want the best for me. "I was a bit nervous going into the U23s. It was
nerve-wracking coming on as a sub last year, trying to show what you can do
in the minutes you get. "This season, it's been totally different. I've been
going into U23 games knowing that I'm going to play well. I think that I
have solved that problem this season – I have achieved good things in the
U23s. "So, obviously we'll see what happens, but it might be my time to go
out on loan next season and have a good challenge while getting senior
experience."
If a loan move next season is the next step for Rice, there are plenty of
his teammates he can call upon for advice. Josh Cullen – notably – enjoyed a
superb 2016/17 campaign in League One with Bradford City on loan, starting
regularly in central midfield and helping the Bantams reach the play-off
final at Wembley. "The way Josh has played for the last two years at
Bradford has been unbelievable," said Rice on his compatriot. "He's someone
for everyone in the Academy to look up to. "If I do go out on loan,
hopefully I can make as many appearances and impress as much as Josh has.
"Playing either in the Championship or League One has to be the aim. It
would be a perfect way to gain experience and learn. "That's definitely the
aim if I can't break into the first team on a regular basis."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
London Stadium prepares to welcome the world
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's London Stadium is soon to undergo the temporary
adjustments that will prepare it for the 2017 IAAF World Athletics
Championships taking place this summer.
The finest athletes on the planet will perform at the prestigious global
event, with the World Para Athletics Championships on from July 14 – July
23, followed by the World Athletics Championships from August 4 – August 13,
the highlight of which will be Olympic legends Mo Farah and Usain Bolt
competing for the final time at the swansong of their glittering careers.
What's more, West Ham United's loyal Season Ticket Holders can take
advantage of a fantastic special offer to attend the World Para Athletics
event, with tickets available at just £3.00 for adults and £1.00 for
under-16s, representing a massive 93% discount on the full price. For full
details on how to purchase tickets, click here
For the duration of the IAAF events this summer, London Stadium will become
a 'clean stadium' - a requirement of any venue hosting the IAAF World
Championships under the rules of the competition. This is a unique and
exceptional year that will see a once-in-a-generation occasion taking place
in London.
It is the one and only time that a clean stadium is required and contracted
for an event outside the football season, and has been embraced by West Ham
United ever since signing the concession agreement in 2013, as part of the
stadium's athletics legacy.
A team of specialists will this week begin the task of carefully removing
the Club's giant marquee sign that adorns the roof of London Stadium.
The sign will be stored and guarded 24/7 at a secure compound off-site for
the duration of the IAAF event, before being thoroughly cleaned, serviced
and then reinstalled in its prominent location in time for our first home
match of the 2017/18 Premier League campaign.
West Ham United signage and branding around the stadium will also be placed
in secure storage for the summer period, as London prepares to welcome the
world's elite athletes to the capital.
However, it will be business as usual for West Ham United, with the Stadium
Store and Ticket Office open throughout the summer for Hammers fans, who
will be able to purchase the new replica kits for 2017/18, and staff
continuing to plan ahead for next season at the club offices.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dan Kemp excited by Toulon Tournament semi-final
WHUFC.com
Dan Kemp won a penalty as England U20s made it through to the Toulon
Tournament semi-finals
The Dylan Tombides Award nominee was fouled in the 25th minute and Sheffield
Wednesday's George Hirst scored the penalty
England went on beat Japan 2-1 and subsequently topped the group
West Ham winger Dan Kemp played a key role as England U20s topped Group A at
the Toulon Tournament after they beat Japan 2-1 in their final group game.
The 18-year-old was fouled in the penalty area in the 25th minute and George
Hirst stepped up to give England the lead.
Japan equalised through Mizuki Ando in the second half but Chelsea's Martell
Taylor-Crossdale netted another penalty late on to secure England's passage
to the last four. It was Kemp's second start of the tournament so far, after
featuring in the opening victory against Angola, and the wide player was
delighted to be among the thick of the action. "The game was a good test for
us against a very good Japan team," said Kemp. "We are all delighted to win
three out of three games and top the group. "It was good to be involved in
winning the penalty for the first goal. As an attacking player, it is your
main job to score or create scoring chances for your team so I was pleased
to get the penalty."
England are aiming to defend the title they won last year and are still on
course to achieve the feat after maintaining their 100% record in the
tournament so far. Kemp hopes to be involved in the semi-final and believes
he can draw on his knockout football experience to help the Young Lions in
France. He was part of Terry Westley's PL2 side that won both the semi-final
and final to clinch promotion to Premier League 2 Division 1 last month. "I
cannot wait for the semi-final," he continued. "It will be another great
experience for me. All the boys are looking forward to it and we're
confident and ready."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Season Ticket relocation update
WHUFC.com
With the Season Ticket relocation period now underway, West Ham United would
like to confirm the process for supporters who have requested to relocate
their seat for the 2017/18 season.
With more than 90% of Season Ticket holders renewing before last week's
deadline – and the vast majority wishing to retain their existing seats -
opportunities to relocate will be very limited and are strictly subject to
availability.
For renewing Season Ticket Holders, seat relocations will be prioritised by
how early you renewed, which the Ticket Office hold a record of.
As previously explained, there are some priority cases where exceptional
circumstances exist, such as accessibility requirements and a group of
supporters who had to move out of Block 114 in order to increase the size of
the segregation line.
Season Ticket holders requesting to relocate will have received a
notification email of their relocation window, advising when to call the
Ticket Office to discuss their request. When calling, please ensure you have
your client reference number to hand.
The relocation phase will be a busy period for the Club and we would
therefore ask that you only contact us once your window has opened.
Supporters calling earlier will be politely requested to call back at their
designated time.
The majority of available seats in the lower tiers of the East, West and
Bobby Moore stands are single seats, with a limited number of pairs.
If relocating with others, make sure you have to hand all client references,
names, and postcodes within the group – all of whom must have renewed before
May 31. In the interest of fairness, seats cannot be placed on reserve.
If your relocation falls into a different price band, the difference in cost
will either be refunded or required to be paid in full immediately. If you
make a decision to relocate your seat, your existing seat will then be made
available for other supporters.
Once the relocation period has ended on 15 June, the limited number of
available Season Tickets will then go on sale to supporters on the Waiting
List from Friday 16 June.
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QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY!
BY DAN CHAPMAN ON 4 JUNE 2017 AT 10:26PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Good evening everyone.
So that time of year is here once again. Yes, the transfer window is fast
approaching. So we have only just entered June, and we have already been
linked with a number of different players. I am here to give my opinion on
why I think we need quality over quantity, and what players I would bring in
over the summer.
So let's get on with it.
First of all, I just want to say that I do not think we need too many
signings, unlike last summer. I would say we need three of four more players
of good quality in order for us to be a top eight side. We already have a
good spine to our side, with Reid, Obiang and Lanzini being our key players.
If we can get a few players of equal quality, then I am sure we will see
progress in the next few seasons.
Now we have made a brilliant start to the window with the signing of Pablo
Zabaleta on a free transfer. I think he is a better than signing than some
of our fans realise. He obviously fills the right back position, which is
something that we have been crying out for for far too long now. He also
brings leadership and a real winning mentality, which is also something that
we have lacked this season. I am looking forward to seeing him as part of
our defence next season.
The other main area that we need to strengthen is the forwards. Now it is no
secret that we want to sign Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho, and
it is also no secret that we want to sign Chelsea striker Mich Batshuayi. In
my opinion, these two players would be the perfect signings for us. They are
two young, hungry strikers who are looking to prove a point after not
getting much game time at their current clubs. If we manage to sign
Iheanacho on a permanent deal and Batshuayi on a loan deal with a view to
buy him next summer, then I would be a very happy Hammer.
The next area that I feel we need to strengthen is the left wing. We need to
sign a winger who is very direct and has plenty of pace because as we all
know, we have lacked a lot of pace this season. For me, the players we
should be looking at are Adama Traore and Damarai Gray. Now I know that some
people do not rate Traore because he isn't the best player technically, but
the same could be said for Antonio. Antonio isn't the best player
technically, but he has pace to burn and is a fan favourite. Traore also has
pace to burn, and the thought of him and Antonio running down the wings
excites me.
Damarai Gray is my second option. He is another young player with lots of
potential, but yet again he barely gets a chance at his current club. He has
got plenty of pace and is very good technically, but he cannot get a game
over Marc Albrighton. I feel that we should look at him and test the water
with Leicester.
Finally, I think we need to strengthen the goalkeeping position. Now I am a
massive fan of Adrian and I am happy that he will be sticking around, but I
still think we can and need to get better than him. My choice would be Joe
Hart. Despite making some errors in Italy this season, I still think he is
one of the best keepers around on his day. He clearly doesn't have a future
at Manchester City with them having signed a new keeper this week, and I
think we would be silly to not at least try and get him.
As I said before, I truly believe that we are only three or four quality
signings away from being a top eight side, and if we can sign the players
mentioned, then I am sure that we will be up there next season. I hope it is
a successful summer window for the Hammers, and I hope every one has a
brilliant summer themselves.
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LUNCHTIME ROUND UP: FANS SHOWED 'POWER', SAINTS IN FOR SNODGRASS?, OXFORD
SET FOR GERMANY?
BY DAN CHAPMAN ON 5 JUNE 2017 AT 1:12PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Hello Hammers. Here is today's lunchtime round up.
Andy Carroll says the West Ham fans showed their power during the 1-0 win
over Tottenham in May. (Standard)
We all know that we are the best fans in the country, when we want to be.
This season we have only shown glimpses of what the atmosphere at the London
Stadium can be like. In my opinion, the atmosphere at the Spurs game is how
the atmosphere should be at every game. If the fans can create that
atmosphere every game, then we will beat a lot of teams at the London
Stadium.
West Ham defender James Collins says he is not considering retirement.
(Tribal Football)
I am glad Ginge isn't retiring just yet, but his West Ham future still
remains unclear. I do hope that he remains with us until he retires, because
he is a hero to this club. In my opinion, he deserves a new contract for his
contribution to the team this season.
The West Ham United sign outside the London Stadium is being dismantled this
week, as the stadium prepares for the IAAF World Championships. (Standard)
Reece Oxford is set to join Borussia Monchengladbach on a season long loan
deal. (The Sun)
This is a very odd rumour, but strangely I think it could work out for
everyone. Recce will gain a lot of experience in a good league and he will
learn a lot from his time there. Ideally, I would like to see Reece stay and
gain experience with us, but that is going to be hard for him with our
current options.
Southampton are in contention to sign West Ham's Robert Snodgrass this
summer. (HITC)
If this is true, then I would consider a swap deal including Dusan Tadic.
Let's be honest, not many people would be sad to see Snodgrass leave, and
Tadic is a level above him. Tadic would be a very good signing for us in my
opinion, and I am interested to see how this one turns out.
West Ham are in pole position to sign Lincoln City defender Sean Raggett.
(HITC)
I do not understand this. I don't see why we would potentially loan Reece
Oxford out and then sign another defender. To me, it makes sense to just
keep Reece and give him a chance, instead of spending more money on another
defender. Raggett may be a good player with lots of potential, but Oxford
has been tipped as the future of English football.
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END OF SEASON REPORT CARD: PLAYER RATINGS
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 4 JUNE 2017 AT 9:20PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Katie S @flump9
Well the season is over and although most of us probably couldn't wait for
it to end, we are now probably desperate for it to start again. Having had
a little time to reflect on the season as a whole and how each player
performed, got me thinking how I would rank them out of ten and whether I
think they should stay or go. These are my views based upon my personal
feelings and not if we were to buy players in these positions this transfer
window or if anyone would actually make an offer etc.
So here it goes, from 1 to 10:
Enner Valencia – Not played for West Ham, but sell
This is hard for me to judge, as I personally haven't seen many of Everton's
games this season, but he has made 21 appearances and scored 3 goals. I was
quite positive about Enner when he first joined us, but in my mind he just
isn't good enough. There was talk that Everton wanted to sign him
permanently, if this is true and not some sort of joke, then sell him now!
Diafra Sakho – 2 out of 10 = Sell
I didn't even have to think about this answer. I have lost patience with
Sakho, yes he may be injury prone which is awful for any player, but too
much has gone on with him off of the field. Like Carroll, he is never going
to be fit for long and we can't afford to be paying his wages for him to
never play. Sadly though, I can't see anyone buying him!
Håvard Nordtveit – 3 out of 10 = Sell
I felt a little sorry for Nordtveit earlier in the season, fans were very
quick to write him off and felt that it was a bit soon to be so critical.
The low point had to be giving away a penalty to Tottenham in the 90th
minute, after only being on the pitch five minutes. Like quite a few
players this season, Nordtveit was being played out of position though and
was probably unfair to judge. He showed what he was capable of when playing
in his natural position against Everton and was probably man of the match,
but sadly there are too many negatives for me to. I will never forget that
sight of him jogging back watching Coutinho score.
Robert Snodgrass – 3 out of 10 = Sell
He has been a real disappointment for me, I don't know if he just hasn't
settled well but I can't recall any real high points from Snodgrass this
season. He said himself that he has played out of position and struggled
slightly, but I just consider it as a panic buy from Bilic and can't see him
bringing much to the team next season. He has to go.
Ashley Fletcher – 4 out of 10 = Sell/Loan
This will probably be an unpopular decision, but I have chosen to sell
Fletcher. It is hard to judge him as he hasn't been given enough chances
and playing five minutes at the end of a match is difficult for anyone to
prove themselves, however I can't help but feel he isn't the natural goal
scorer that we are so desperately needing. Maybe he needs to get some
experience on loan in the Championship this season and see how he goes
there.
Andy Carroll – 5 out of 10 = Sell
This ranking may seem a little harsh, but I think my patience has finally
run out. There is no doubting his ability and the goal against Palace alone
could have made me rank him much higher, but I cannot keep being positive
about a player who misses half the season. If we had a few other top
strikers, maybe we could put up with it, but we don't. I feel for him but
we have to look at the bigger picture.
Sofiane Feghouli – 5 out of 10 = Sell
This was actually my toughest decision, as I like players that work hard and
give their all. This is exactly what Feghouli does. He has scored four
goals and whenever he plays he gives 100% and tries to create things (which
can't be said for lots of the team), but for me I don't think he is a top
player and would like to see someone else instead.
Cheikhou Kouyaté – 6 out of 10 = Keep
Kouyaté is one of my favourite players, as I believe he is one of the most
consistent every season. The reason his ranking isn't higher, is purely
down to Bilic playing him out of position most of the season, which
obviously is not his fault. He is much better playing in midfield and
hopefully next season this will be his only position. Having said that, I
still think he has had a pretty decent season and would never contemplate
selling him.
Aaron Cresswell – 6 out of 10 = Keep
This is the first season that Cresswell has received some criticism and with
good reason. He was injured for the early part of the season and came back
for the Palace game, where he made a big difference and I thought he was
what we had been missing, unfortunately this didn't continue and Aaron's
season was a bit of a let-down compared to his first couple. Saying all of
that, I highly rate him and I believe he is a fantastic left back that we
will be lucky to keep hold of him for more than a couple of seasons.
Mark Noble (captain) – 6 out of 10 = Keep
Noble is another player that has come under a lot of criticism this season,
it certainly wasn't as good as the previous season, where he had the season
of his career. However, I still think some of the negative comments were a
little over the top. The stat about us not winning without Noble in the
team was quite alarming, (thankfully that ended against Burnley) but also
goes to show what an influence he has on the team, which I think goes
unnoticed. He is a fantastic captain and is a pivotal player. I hope he
spends his whole career with us.
Darren Randolph – 6 out of 10 = Sell
There has been lots of talk of signing another keeper and if that is the
case, for me Randolph has to be the keeper to make way. He had a brilliant
campaign during the euros last year and has made some impressive saves for
us this season, however I think he's lacking some key attributes and I would
like to see someone else come in. If we aren't going to bring in another
keeper, then Randolph is a decent back-up, but I think he will want to be
No1 and can see us selling.
André Ayew – 6 out of 10 = Keep
Hit and miss is how I would sum up Ayew's first season with us, quite
literally! I can't quite believe some of the opportunities he has missed.
He isn't an out and out striker, so I do not think he should be used in this
position, but there is no excuse for some of those misses. Saying all of
that, I still think he will improve next season and be quite an important
player for us. His passion and desire to win against Tottenham, really made
me warm to him and even with those misses he has still scored some crucial
goals for us.
Adrián – 6 out of 10 = Keep
He had a very shaky start to the campaign, but the same could be said for
most of the squad. I believe Bilic was right to drop Adrián, but I felt
some of the negativity towards him was a bit strong. Last season we all
loved him, surely he couldn't fall apart that quickly? I was very pleased
that he finally made it back into the team at the end of the season and I
think it was apparent that the defence felt a lot safer with Adrián between
the sticks. I am pleased that he has signed a contract extension and hoping
he continues the way he finished last season.
Sam Byram – 6 out of 10 = Keep
I was really pleased when Bilic finally decided to play Sam, it meant we
actually had a natural right back. I think people have mixed views on
Byram, I don't think he is the finished article and I think he can be a bit
of a liability sometimes, making rash challenges. In spite of this, I think
overall he did well and the game against Swansea with James Collins
encouraging him was his season highlight. It cannot have been easy for him,
when your manager insists on playing everyone out of position, rather than
use you. We have now signed Zabaleta so he won't be number one choice, but
I think he is a great back-up.
José Fonte – 6 out of 10 = Keep
I think it is fair to say that Fonte didn't start as promisingly as we all
hoped and like many probably came under a bit of criticism. I believe he
improved as the season went on and I think he is a decent player that is
worthwhile keeping. Like Byram he might not be first choice, but we all
know what happens with injuries and he is a solid back-up option.
Angelo Ogbonna – 6 out of 10 = Keep
This is quite difficult to judge as he has been out injured since January
and before that I didn't think he was having a great season. However, Bilic
revealed that he had in fact been injured all season and continued to play
until we signed a replacement, even when he was due to have an operation.
It was great to see him return against Burnley and play an impressive 90
minutes after being out for four months. I rate Ogbonna and look forward to
seeing him play next season fully fit.
Edimilson Fernandes – 7 out of 10 = Keep
Fernandes won Signing of the Season and I would say that this was well
deserved. He has consistently performed when called upon and scoring the
winning goal against Chelsea in the EFL Cup was a fantastic moment for him.
At 21 years of age, he has shown a lot of maturity and impressed enormously.
I think he is one for the future and we need to keep hold of him.
James Collins – 8 out of 10 = Keep
What can I say about Ginge? He epitomises leadership and passion, he is an
old-school player and I love that about him. As I mentioned earlier,
Collins' passion and encouragement for Sam Byram really was instrumental in
Sam's performance against Swansea and that is priceless. There has been
talk of other clubs being interested in him, which is understandable, but I
really hope he stays as he still has a lot to offer the team, squad and club
as a whole.
Arthur Masuaku – 8 out of 10 = Keep
Now this ranking is probably a little high, as he has not made many
appearances this season, however, I couldn't ignore how remarkable those
performances were. I didn't understand why so many fans thought he was
great straight away, I thought he was brilliant going forward but lacked
defensive skills. I was completely wrong, the latter part of the season he
showed exactly what he was capable of and I was gutted that he ended up not
playing the remainder of the season. It will be tough to pick between him
and Cresswell next season, but what a great dilemma to have.
Michail Antonio – 9 out of 10 = Keep
The fans Hammer of the Year Michail Antonio, was always going to be ranked
high, I don't think it is one that many people would dispute. If I am
honest, I don't think he had as an impressive season as his first season
with us, but that is probably me being a little harsh and actually I don't
think any player has played as well this season. He is our top goal scorer
and without him, there is no doubt we would have been in real relegation
battle. I love watching him, although he does sometimes look a little
clumsy, he is capable of creating something and his desire is fantastic to
see.
Pedro Obiang – 9 out of 10 = Keep
What an outstanding season Pedro had, he has been immense. My man of the
match on many occasions this season, which is a real turnaround from last
season, when many fans would not have been cared if he was sold in the
summer. The stats speak for themselves and I really hope (I am confident)
he continues the impressive form after his injury.
Winston Reid (vice-captain) – 9 out of 10 = Keep
In the same way I didn't have to think about Sakho, I didn't have to think
about this either. There is no way I would be choose to sell Winston. Once
again, Reid has had another solid season and he really makes a big
difference to our defence. He was my pick for Hammer of the Year!
Manuel Lanzini – 9 out of 10 = Keep
I said last season that I thought Lanzini was creatively a better player
than Payet and since Payet's departure he has really proved himself. He
started the season off a little slow, almost in Payet's shadow, but he has
flourished since then and just gone from strength to strength. I pray we
keep hold of Manu, as I regard him as our key player that is also incredibly
popular with his teammates.
These are all my personal views and I know that even my family members don't
agree, but what do you think? Would you agree with my rankings or is
someone completely out of place in your mind? Let me know, @flump9 on
Twitter.
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Young Hammer stars in England success
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
Academy star Dan Kemp was one of England's heroes in Toulon this afternoon
as the Under 21s made it through to the semi finals of the Toulon
Tournament.
Kemp, part of a scratch squad featuring Under 18, Under 19 and Under 20
internationals was involved earlier today as Neil Dewsnip's side beat Japan
2-1 to end thee group phase with a perfect record of played three, won
three.
And that means England's youngsters - who won the Toulon tournament last
year for the first time since the mid-1990s - are through to Thursday's semi
finals.
"The game was a good test for us against a very good Japan team," Kemp told
whufc.com. "We are all delighted to win three out of three games and top the
group. As an attacking player, it is your main job to score or create
scoring chances for your team so it was good to be involved in winning the
penalty for the first goal. "
Manger Dewsnip added: "'When we first met up and had so many new faces who
didn't know each other, if you'd said we'd win all three group games at a
prestigious tournament such as Toulon I'd've been cynical. But they've
played three, won three.
"We made a lot of changes so we didn't have the fluency we had in the first
two matches. But they showed a different kind of spirit, something I think
is traditionally English: they refused to lose and came out the other side
and I think that's just as important sometimes."
* Meanwhile, over in Korea, England's Under 20s marched through to the semi
finals of the Under 20s World Cup tournament courtesy of a 1-0 win over
Mexico, thanks to Dominic Solanke's second-half goal.
And that despite ending the game with ten men, after Tottenham youngster
Josh Onomah was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
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27 years and out
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th June 2017
By: Neil Willis
First and foremost, I would like to explain that I'm not a fairweather
supporter who throws his toys out of the pram when things don't go West
Ham's way. I have experienced many highs and even more lows since my first
game on New Year's Day 1983, when a certain Tony Cottee scored.
Anyway, to get back on track, the question posed on Twitter by @kumbdotcom
was: "What is it about the OS that made you not renew after 27 years as a
season ticket holder?"
I would like it to be know that from the start I was against any move from
Upton Park (sorry it will always be that to me and not the Boleyn) as it was
home and was where my Dad started my football education of pain and
suffering. However, following the truly magnificent experience of
London2012, I foolishly changed my views and backed the plan.
I suppose I might have been drawn into what the board was promising us ie. a
state of the art footballing arena; no more standing outside in the rain
waiting to get onto the platform; a new dawn for the club; a visual wrap
going around the arena; an amazing atmosphere; a ground to be proud of; easy
access to all amenities outside the ground/surrounding area etc. I could go
on and on.
The last game at Upton Park came and went and i was actually looking forward
to stepping foot in the new home of West Ham Utd London. When I stepped into
the arena it was one of those "wow!" moments, like when I entered Cardiff
and Wembley stadiums for the first time.
Then i looked down to see the gaping space between the stands and the pitch
- although my seat is ok, a Band 4 which my friends reluctantly agree it's
better than their Band 1 seats. It's so vast I swear I actually saw a mass
migration of wilderbeast at one game.
This has to have an impact on the players, especially coming from such a
close-knit ground where in the good old days the opposition would be pulled
into the crowd when taking a throw in. Unfortunately this will not change
for one simple reason - it is not a football stadium.
It made me laugh when the Board made a major fuss about the arena being
nominated as Stadium of the Year. This was followed by loads of told-you-so
tweets and other messages on social media. Though there was one key word
missing - "FOOTBALL" stadium.
There has been more atmosphere in the Emirates - and as you know, that's
saying something. Unfortunately this has not improved during the whole
season, singing Bubbles at the start of the game doesn't count. Though im
reliably informed that there was a good atmosphere at the Spurs game.
It soon became apparent that the club was doing everything on the cheap. For
example my friend tried to get a hot dog, only to be told "we have no hot
dog rolls, do you still want it?" Who on earth buys more dogs than rolls?
Then there were the obvious security issues. This was highlighted by the
mindless "buy one, get two free" Founders system, where non fans would get
priority over real fans. This was highlighted by the fact that these
founders either hadn't attended a match before or hadn't for some time.
The reason behind is simple... they acted like a scene out of The Firm (not
the Tom Cruise film, but the Gary Oldman one). It was then I started to feel
that this was not the club it once was. This then continued and I stopped
going.
I understand that the club needed to move on to grow. But is has been
fuelled by lies. Can't extend Upton Park because of the bus garage? Fib. The
infrastructure will be second to none? A bigger fib as it's worse than Upton
Park. The digital wrap will go around the whole ground? What a whopper. Fans
consulted on the new badge? I must have missed that one as well.
I will always be a fan of WHU - not WHU London - but no longer class myself
as a supporter and I'm looking forward spending my Saturdays watching a bit
of non-league football to try and rekindle my love for the game (and perhaps
taking up the occasional betfair free bet offer).
One thing is for certain - I will not be stepping foot inside the
multi-purpose sporting arena again.
Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are those of the
author and do not necessarily represent the views of, nor should be
attributed to, KUMB.com.
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Randolph a winner despite blunder
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 5th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's reserve goalkeeper Darren Randolph was on the winning side
last night as the Republic of Ireland beat Uruguay 3-1 in Dublin.
However the Hammers 'keeper was heavily criticised for making an error that
led to the South Americans' equaliser, after he failed to deal with a deep
cross.
Jonathan Walters put the hosts ahead with 28 minutes on the clock, only for
the visitors to restore parity ten minutes later after Randolph came out to
meet a free kick but was beaten to the ball by Jose Gimenez.
Fortunately Randolph's error failed to prove too costly, as goals from Cyrus
Christie and James McClean ensured the Republic ran out 3-1 winners ahead of
next week's World CUp qualifier against Austria.
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West Ham join Steve Mounie transfer race with Watford and West Brom
The 22-year-old Benin international forward scored 14 goals for French side
Montpellier this past season
The Mirror
BYDARREN LEWIS
22:30, 5 JUN 2017
West Ham are the latest Premier League club chasing £13million Montpellier
forward Steve Mounie. The 22-year-old Benin international, who scored 14
goals last season, is also a target for Watford boss Marco Silva and Tony
Pulis at West Brom . The Hornets are particularly interested, with M'Baye
Niang insistent that he wants to return to parent club AC Milan following
his loan spell at Vicarage Road.
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WEST HAM LEADING THE RACE FOR SEAN RAGGETT
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
readWestHam
Defensively, West Ham were poor this past season and leaked too many goals
and there's no doubt that Slaven Bilic should look to improve this area of
the pitch. The Hammers have been one of a number of Premier League and
Football League clubs looking to sign highly-rated Lincoln City centre-back
Sean Raggett this summer. According to the Express, West Ham are in pole
position to land the 23-year-old defender who caught the eye for the Imps
this season as they secured promotion back to the Football League and
reached the FA Cup quarter-final. West Ham have already seen a £125,000
offer turned down by the League Two outfit for their star defender while
both Peterborough and Oxford United have had bids in the region of £250,000
rejected. Raggett has a release clause in his contract which stands at
£350,000 which would need to be met in full before Lincoln would allow him
to leave the club this summer. Both Norwich and West Brom are also strongly
considering bids for the defender who is seen as a signing for the future.
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West Ham wonderkid hints at loan move away after David Gold's recent
comments
The Hammers defender has had an impressive rise through the ranks
Football London
BYADAM JONES
12:30, 5 JUN 2017
Declan Rice has said that he is open to a loan move away from West Ham for
the upcoming season if it were to help his development.
The youngster has enjoyed a seriously impressive rise through the ranks with
the Hammers - being named the club's Young Hammer of the Year after a
briilliant campaign. The 18-year-old, who made his senior debut against
Burnley at Turf Moor last month, has admitted that his confidence has taken
a massive boost this season - and that he would be open to leaving on loan.
He told the West Ham official website: "I was a bit nervous going into the
U23s. It was nerve-wracking coming on as a sub last year, trying to show
what you can do in the minutes you get. "This season, it's been totally
different. I've been going into U23 games knowing that I'm going to play
well. I think that I have solved that problem this season – I have achieved
good things in the U23s. "So, obviously we'll see what happens, but it might
be my time to go out on loan next season and have a good challenge while
getting senior experience."
Rice has also been talking about the awards that his incredible season has
earned him - and stated that he would love to follow in Mark Noble's
footsteps at West Ham United. "Being Ireland's U17 Player of the Year this
year after getting the Dylan Tombides award the year before – it's been
amazing," Rice added. "Some big names have won the award before, like Nobes
earlier in his career. The guys who have won it in the past have gone on to
have good careers, too, and Nobes has played 400 games for the Club.
"Hopefully I can make my mark in a similar way to him. I have always wanted
my career to be here since joining from Chelsea. My heart has been with West
Ham every day since then, and that feeling is always growing."
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Southampton in contention for West Ham's Robert Snodgrass
HITC
Shane Callaghan
Southampton are seemingly in contention to sign the West Ham United man,
according to the bookies. According to Ladbrokes, Southampton are among
those in contention to sign West Ham United midfielder Robert Snodgrass. The
popular bookmaker has installed Southampton as 7/1 third favourites to bring
the Scotland international to the South Coast this summer. Claude Puel's
side have the same odds as Stoke City, while Brighton and Hove Albion (5/2)
and West Bromwich Albion (5/1) are first and second favourites. The
29-year-old has had a tough time of it in recent months after sealing a £10
million move to West Ham back in January. But the former Hull City man,
brought in to replace Dimitri Payet, has struggled to justify such a
transfer fee, failing to score in any of his 15 Premier League appearances
for the Hammers - eight of which were from the start.
It certainly seems like the Irons will cut their losses and offload the
ex-Leeds star but it remains to be seen where he will end up.
Southampton could be a good move for him if he can relocate the spark and
energy which secured him a big-money switch to the London outfit in the
first place.
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West Ham sign being dismantled as London Stadium prepares for IAAF World
Championships
KEN DYER
Evening Standard
The giant West Ham sign on top of the London Stadium is being dismantled
this week as the venue is re-converted to athletics in time for the IAAF
World Championships in August. Work commenced today to take down the sign.
It will be stored along with other branding and signage, before being
re-installed after the World Athletics Championships which finish on 13
August, a day after the start of the new Premier League season.
West Ham meanwhile, are set to play their first three matches away from
home, while the stadium is returned to its former condition, including the
re-erection of temporary seating over the athletics track. The one-off
obligation to have a 'clean stadium', both for the World Para Athletics
Championships from July 23-14 and the World Athletics Championships from
August 4 -13, was part of the concession agreement in 2013 to embrace the
stadium's athletics legacy following the Olympic Games there. The club's
store and ticket office will however remain open throughout the summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United should keep Havard Nordtveit
HITC
Shane Callaghan
The West Ham United man is linked with a return to Germany, but Slaven Bilic
should keep him. Kicker reported at the weekend that three Bundesliga clubs
are willing to sign West Ham United's Havard Nordtveit. According to the
German outlet, Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg are interested in
signing the Norwegian midfielder, who spent five successful years with
Borussia Monchengladbach prior to joining the Hammers for free last summer.
Hoffenheim, in particular, are very much a club on the up after qualifying
for the Champions League and if they're genuinely interested then perhaps it
is the wake-up call that Slaven Bilic needs. They enter into the preliminary
stages, where a huge financial bonus awaits if they reach the group stages.
If Nordtveit is on their radar then the former Besiktas coach must wonder if
he is missing something.
The 26-year-old is not a hugely popular figure among West Ham fans following
a very unspectacular first season with the Londoners. In fact, many
supporters struggle to forgive him after conceding a last-minute penalty in
the 3-2 defeat away to Tottenham in the first half of the campaign, after
coming on as a substitute. But the fact of the matter is that the former
Arsenal youth got very few chances to impress in defensive midfield.
Instead, Bilic used him as a makeshift right-back and he admittedly did not
cover himself in glory in what was clearly an uncomfortable role for him.
With Pedro Obiang impressing in central midfield, it is hard to blame Bilic
for not using him there, but The Mirror reported at the weekend that Everton
are keen on bringing in the Spaniard - a potential departure which could
pave the way for Nordtveit to stake a claim as the Irons' anchorman. He has
not been given a fair crack of the whip in London and it would be a shame
for the Croat to sell him without giving the Norway international a platform
in which to showcase his talent, because there is clearly something there.
With over 150 Bundesliga appearances, Nordtveit, who left Monchengladbach as
captain and is one of the few West Ham men to hold Champions League
experience, is obviously a talented footballer and Bilic can't sell him
until he knows for certain that he isn't good enough.
Having also been a free transfer, the Hammers have very little to lose by
keeping him, but a lot to potentially gain - if he is given a fair chance.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Three clubs want West Ham United's Havard Nordtveit
HITC
Shane Callaghan
Havard Nordtveit struggled for West Ham United last term. According to
German outlet Kicker, three Bundesliga clubs are willing to offer Havard
Nordtveit a way out of West Ham United. The 26-year-old joined West Ham on a
Bosman last summer after his contract with Borussia Monchengladbach expired
but, despite being a very promising addition, failed to impress in his first
season under Slaven Bilic.
The Norwegian looked a fine talent at Gladbach, but Bilic played the
defensive midfielder - who can also operate in central defence - at
right-back for much of last season and it did very little for the ex-Arsenal
man. And according to Kicker, Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen are
willing to take him back to Germany this summer. It would be harsh to label
Nordtveit a failure based on last season, and many West Ham fans might
prefer if he was given one more campaign in his preferred position before
casting a judgement on him. He enjoyed six fruitful years at Monchengladbach
and perhaps there is enough talent there to justify another season with the
Hammers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham to make move for out-of-contract Bundesliga star - report
The Hammers are reportedlyinterested in the winger
Football London
BYROB GUEST
05:30, 5 JUN 2017
Reports suggest that West Ham could be set to make a move for Darmstadt
winger Marcel Heller ahead of the new Premier League season.
The player is out of contract with the German side following their
relegation from the Bundesliga and a number of clubs are reportedly keeping
tabs on Heller. Burnley, Antalyaspor and MLS side San Jose Earthquakes have
all been linked with a move for the German who looks increasingly likely to
move abroad. The 31-year-old, who can also play at left-back, has never
represented his country, although he has lined up alongside the likes of
Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil for the Under-21
side between 2007 and 2009. Heller, who won two consecutive promotions with
Darmstadt, played 34 games in all competitions last season and netted four
goals for Die Lilien.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM REPORTEDLY EYEING MOVE FOR DAMM
LUKE OSMAN @LukeOsmanRS
ReadestHam
West Ham are reportedly lining up a summer move for Tigres winger Jurgen
Damm, and have submitted a bid already. According to Liga MX based website
Univision, the Hammers have already made their move to sign the highly-rated
wide man and are keen to bolster their attacking options when the window
opens. It's claimed in the report that Slaven Bilic has lodged an offer
worth just £4 million, with the Croatian manager keen to land himself a
bargain to kick-start his side's summer spending. Damm has been a prominent
figure in Liga MX for some time now and has earned himself a reputation in
Mexico for his technical ability, with his pace and trickery causing
problems for Tigres' opposition. West Ham have lacked attacking flair
recently and would certainly benefit from a more unpredictable option on the
flanks. They'll be hoping to secure a move for the 24-year-old this summer.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Why On Earth Would Hammers Sell Pedro Obiang?
Submitted by nevillenixon on Sun, 04/06/2017 - 20:55
WestHamFans.org
'Cash rich' Everton are reportedly sniffing around for Pedro Obiang,
apparently they are not alone with AC Milan and Sevilla also interested in
luring the combative midfielder and defender to their clubs. Obiang has two
years left on his contract following his £4.3 Million transfer from
Sampdoria. Initially Obiang found himself more often as a squad player or a
bench warmer, but more recently became a permanent fixture in the starting
line up. Everton boss Ronald Koeman wants Obiang as a replacement for James
McCarthy and to provide support for Idrissa Gueye. 25 year old Obiang is in
his prime and although offers in excess of £15 Million have been mooted why
on earth would West Ham take the money in order to make a £10 Million profit
when they would then have to replace him with an insanely new money player?
Make no mistake, player values are going to sky rocket because of all the
extra TV money that will be swilling around, finding a player on a par to
Obiang would probably cost £25 Million, so once again why sell? It is not as
if the club needs the money!
Pedro Obiang finished runner up to Michail Antonio in this season's Hammer
of the Year award and his form did not go unnoticed on Merseyside or in
Italy and Obiang's homeland, but more importantly it did not go unnoticed at
The London Stadium by his manger Slaven Billic. - Ed
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Monday, June 5
Daily WHUFC News - 5th June 2017
International round-up: Fonte's Portugal hit four in friendly win
WHUFC.com
Jose Fonte's Portugal warmed-up for their FIFA World Cup Qualifier against
Latvia in style by beating Cyprus 4-0 in a friendly on Saturday. West Ham
United defender Fonte, a UEFA Euro 2016 winner last summer, played the full
90 minutes in Estoril to earn his 23rd cap for Portugal. The result was
never in doubt once Joao Moutinho had fired Fernando Santos' men in front
with just three minutes played. Another goal for Monaco's Moutinho doubled
the advantage in the first half, before further goals from Pizzi and Andre
Silva rounded off the victory after half time. Portugal take on Latvia on
Friday night, looking for the win which would keep the pressure on Group B
leaders Switzerland.
Elsewhere on the international scene, Darren Randolph's Republic of Ireland
face Uruguay in a Dublin friendly on Sunday night, while Dan Kemp and
England U20 - already qualified for the semi-finals - take on Japan in their
final Toulon Tournament group fixture on Sunday afternoon.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll powered up by Hammers fans
WHUFC.com
Andy Carroll believes he and the Claret and Blue Army can forge a powerful
combination at London Stadium next season. The West Ham United centre
forward paid tribute to the Club's loyal and noisy fans for inspiring them
through a challenging 2016/17 campaign, pointing to the support they gave
during vital home wins over Crystal Palace, Swansea City and Tottenham
Hotspur this year. Carroll repaid that support with his unforgettable Goal
of the Season against Palace, when he took to the air to scissor-kick
Michail Antonio's cross high into the Eagles net to complete a 3-0 victory.
With the same combination working together next term, the No9 believes the
Hammers can turn London Stadium into a fortress. "London Stadium has
obviously got the potential to be one of the greatest in the league," said
Carroll, who announced this week that he is expecting a second child with
fiancée Billi Mucklow. "It takes time, like every new stadium, and hopefully
next season we will just build on it. "I thought the noise also gave the
lads an extra bit in our win over Spurs. The games we have won and played
really well were down to the noise fans getting behind us. You can hear it
on the pitch as well. "Not many people thought we could beat Spurs that
night. I'd like to think the West Ham fans thought we could, but a lot of
other football fans didn't, so it just shows the power the West Ham fans
have got, getting involved with the lads and helping us to turn games into
wins. "There is more to come from me personally, too. I need to stay clear
of everything and kick on."
Reflecting on his memorable strike against Crystal Palace, Carroll had no
hesitation in lauding the goal as the best of his professional career. The
big Geordie is no stranger to scoring memorable goals, but his acrobatic
effort in such an important home victory topped the lot, according to the
man himself. "I love watching that goal and I love people asking me when was
the last time I'd seen it!" Carroll smiled. "It's been a few days since I've
seen it, but I'm happy I won the award and it was a great goal and a great
win! "It's 100 per cent number one in my career. My first-ever goal has got
to be up there but, for quality, that's got to be the best goal I've ever
scored. We played really well and it was a tough game. We won 3-0 and
finished off in style and I was happy to score the best goal I've ever
scored!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
International round-up: Randolph's Ireland triumph against Uruguay
WHUFC.com
Darren Randolph started as the Republic of Ireland bounced back from their
midweek defeat to Mexico in style by beating Uruguay in Dublin on Sunday.
Having lost out by a 3-1 margin to Mexico in the United States, Ireland
triumphed by an identical margin on their return to the Aviva Stadium. The
West Ham United goalkeeper played 45 minutes - winning his 21st cap for
Ireland - to round-off the preparations for next Sunday's FIFA World Cup
Qualifier against Austria in style.
Jonathan Walters opened the scoring for the home side, and although Jose
Giminez levelled before half-time, further goals from Cyrus Christie and
James McClean gave Martin O'Neill's side victory.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Hammers youngster Dan Kemp was fouled for the penalty
which gave England U20s the lead in their final Toulon Tournament group
stage game against Japan. Starting for the second time in the tournament,
Kemp was brought down in the 25th minute, allowing George Hirst to fire the
Young Lions in front. Japan levelled in the second half, but England had the
last word, sealing a 2-1 victory thanks to Chelsea's Martell
Taylor-Crossdale. England now progress to the semi-finals, looking to win
this competition for the second year in succession.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
THE OXFORD LOAN
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 4 JUNE 2017 AT 9:02PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Steven McCarthy
I want to take a look at the exciting season loan move for Oxford to
Borussia Monchengladbach, now this is a move that has been met with some
anger and confusion on social media by some West Ham fans. But we need to
remember that this is a young man who won't turn 19 till December! We have
great expectations for the player and after the 2015's seasons domination of
Ozil at the Emirates, we perhaps expected too much in a short space of time.
Last year was a strange time for Oxford, as he found the previously unseen
talent of Obiang competing for, and rightly cementing a starting place.
Whilst Noble and Kouyate were never really going to be pushed down the
pecking order. Considering one is our captain and the other offering
consistent power, presence and work rate. Many fans, including myself
questioned Nordtveit's placement above him.
Before I go into whether I feel that was correct or not, I have heard that
Oxford's fitness was not that of a Premier League player at any point during
this season, and that many felt his attitude was questionable. But after a
Summer in which he was constantly linked with numerous top clubs,
realistically he was bound to have his head turned!
And in my opinion, any young man who has played in the Premier League is
bound to have an ego, but off the pitch Oxford differs for me, there were no
Grealish type stories of partying into the late hours before or after games
or any gas inhales out of rubber gloves.
I think this was simply a season where he was finding out the harsh
realities of a top level footballers career, it can be irreparably damaged
or ended in an instant, either through injuries, contract releases,
terminations or the simple act of making an out of placed tackle on a youth
team player…Luckily for Oxford though, he is a natural athlete, tall, strong
and displaying great technique and his potential is something that I don't
think was ever in question, even during his somewhat disappointing loan
spell with Reading.
The move to Germany is also something that we often complain that English
players do not do enough, play abroad. He would get the test of playing and
living in a totally new environment, language and culture, something that is
often understated in importance when players move. Simply understanding the
coaches, staff and other players is a big challenge without that core
English base around him! Oxford would find himself in a Gladbach side that
finished 9th last season, whilst playing a young and energetic side week in,
week out. They are currently seeing the departure of Andreas Christensen
back to Chelsea, a young Defender who also offered similar versatility as
Oxford.
The German League is possibly the League within Europe that best mirrors our
own. Teams like Bayern, Dortmund and the emerging forces of RB Leipzig that
make up the top tier teams. And then the rest of the sides are constantly
battling it out to finish just below them, with Leverkusen, Gladbach and
Schalke all recently having competed in Europe.
However the German League is miles ahead of us in a couple of worrying ways,
youth systems, nutrition and the overall standard of coaching for their
first teams, reserves and youth sides is second to none! From top to bottom,
not only is the standard incredibly high, but players are regularly
challenged in new and varying passing, techniques and ball control drills.
Sides are also continually implementing new technology and sport science
advancements into the setups – this is possibly best displayed in Dortmund's
incredible "Footbonaut" training room (no I am not making that name up!) –
Best described as a 4 sided training grid on a small surface area of pitch,
balls are fired into the middle from any of the 4 sides, testing reaction
times and ball control of the player, whilst a panel at varying positions
lights up to be the players target! These are only advancements on training
methods and techniques that have been used for years, and they signify just
how innovative the Germans are in the area of coaching. And I feel this
will be one of the very best ways for us to see the best possible Oxford in
the future!
Now I am curious to see how many fans agree or disagree with me on this, but
one of the reasons I favour this move for Oxford is that I am rather
optimistic about Nordtveit getting another season with us. He found himself
regularly played out of position at right back in a very poorly performing
side, and against Swansea I thought we saw his first good game! However
when given the chance to play in his preferred position against the likes of
Stoke and Everton in the centre of the park, I felt he really shone. Now
granted, these were only a few performances, but I do feel that he can
really offer us something next season and considering he was a free signing,
we have very little to lose by giving him more time.
And should he not, then hopefully next season we have a much improved Oxford
to step in"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Jose Fonte's Portugal warmed-up for their FIFA World Cup Qualifier against
Latvia in style by beating Cyprus 4-0 in a friendly on Saturday. West Ham
United defender Fonte, a UEFA Euro 2016 winner last summer, played the full
90 minutes in Estoril to earn his 23rd cap for Portugal. The result was
never in doubt once Joao Moutinho had fired Fernando Santos' men in front
with just three minutes played. Another goal for Monaco's Moutinho doubled
the advantage in the first half, before further goals from Pizzi and Andre
Silva rounded off the victory after half time. Portugal take on Latvia on
Friday night, looking for the win which would keep the pressure on Group B
leaders Switzerland.
Elsewhere on the international scene, Darren Randolph's Republic of Ireland
face Uruguay in a Dublin friendly on Sunday night, while Dan Kemp and
England U20 - already qualified for the semi-finals - take on Japan in their
final Toulon Tournament group fixture on Sunday afternoon.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Andy Carroll powered up by Hammers fans
WHUFC.com
Andy Carroll believes he and the Claret and Blue Army can forge a powerful
combination at London Stadium next season. The West Ham United centre
forward paid tribute to the Club's loyal and noisy fans for inspiring them
through a challenging 2016/17 campaign, pointing to the support they gave
during vital home wins over Crystal Palace, Swansea City and Tottenham
Hotspur this year. Carroll repaid that support with his unforgettable Goal
of the Season against Palace, when he took to the air to scissor-kick
Michail Antonio's cross high into the Eagles net to complete a 3-0 victory.
With the same combination working together next term, the No9 believes the
Hammers can turn London Stadium into a fortress. "London Stadium has
obviously got the potential to be one of the greatest in the league," said
Carroll, who announced this week that he is expecting a second child with
fiancée Billi Mucklow. "It takes time, like every new stadium, and hopefully
next season we will just build on it. "I thought the noise also gave the
lads an extra bit in our win over Spurs. The games we have won and played
really well were down to the noise fans getting behind us. You can hear it
on the pitch as well. "Not many people thought we could beat Spurs that
night. I'd like to think the West Ham fans thought we could, but a lot of
other football fans didn't, so it just shows the power the West Ham fans
have got, getting involved with the lads and helping us to turn games into
wins. "There is more to come from me personally, too. I need to stay clear
of everything and kick on."
Reflecting on his memorable strike against Crystal Palace, Carroll had no
hesitation in lauding the goal as the best of his professional career. The
big Geordie is no stranger to scoring memorable goals, but his acrobatic
effort in such an important home victory topped the lot, according to the
man himself. "I love watching that goal and I love people asking me when was
the last time I'd seen it!" Carroll smiled. "It's been a few days since I've
seen it, but I'm happy I won the award and it was a great goal and a great
win! "It's 100 per cent number one in my career. My first-ever goal has got
to be up there but, for quality, that's got to be the best goal I've ever
scored. We played really well and it was a tough game. We won 3-0 and
finished off in style and I was happy to score the best goal I've ever
scored!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
International round-up: Randolph's Ireland triumph against Uruguay
WHUFC.com
Darren Randolph started as the Republic of Ireland bounced back from their
midweek defeat to Mexico in style by beating Uruguay in Dublin on Sunday.
Having lost out by a 3-1 margin to Mexico in the United States, Ireland
triumphed by an identical margin on their return to the Aviva Stadium. The
West Ham United goalkeeper played 45 minutes - winning his 21st cap for
Ireland - to round-off the preparations for next Sunday's FIFA World Cup
Qualifier against Austria in style.
Jonathan Walters opened the scoring for the home side, and although Jose
Giminez levelled before half-time, further goals from Cyrus Christie and
James McClean gave Martin O'Neill's side victory.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Hammers youngster Dan Kemp was fouled for the penalty
which gave England U20s the lead in their final Toulon Tournament group
stage game against Japan. Starting for the second time in the tournament,
Kemp was brought down in the 25th minute, allowing George Hirst to fire the
Young Lions in front. Japan levelled in the second half, but England had the
last word, sealing a 2-1 victory thanks to Chelsea's Martell
Taylor-Crossdale. England now progress to the semi-finals, looking to win
this competition for the second year in succession.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
THE OXFORD LOAN
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 4 JUNE 2017 AT 9:02PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
Written by Steven McCarthy
I want to take a look at the exciting season loan move for Oxford to
Borussia Monchengladbach, now this is a move that has been met with some
anger and confusion on social media by some West Ham fans. But we need to
remember that this is a young man who won't turn 19 till December! We have
great expectations for the player and after the 2015's seasons domination of
Ozil at the Emirates, we perhaps expected too much in a short space of time.
Last year was a strange time for Oxford, as he found the previously unseen
talent of Obiang competing for, and rightly cementing a starting place.
Whilst Noble and Kouyate were never really going to be pushed down the
pecking order. Considering one is our captain and the other offering
consistent power, presence and work rate. Many fans, including myself
questioned Nordtveit's placement above him.
Before I go into whether I feel that was correct or not, I have heard that
Oxford's fitness was not that of a Premier League player at any point during
this season, and that many felt his attitude was questionable. But after a
Summer in which he was constantly linked with numerous top clubs,
realistically he was bound to have his head turned!
And in my opinion, any young man who has played in the Premier League is
bound to have an ego, but off the pitch Oxford differs for me, there were no
Grealish type stories of partying into the late hours before or after games
or any gas inhales out of rubber gloves.
I think this was simply a season where he was finding out the harsh
realities of a top level footballers career, it can be irreparably damaged
or ended in an instant, either through injuries, contract releases,
terminations or the simple act of making an out of placed tackle on a youth
team player…Luckily for Oxford though, he is a natural athlete, tall, strong
and displaying great technique and his potential is something that I don't
think was ever in question, even during his somewhat disappointing loan
spell with Reading.
The move to Germany is also something that we often complain that English
players do not do enough, play abroad. He would get the test of playing and
living in a totally new environment, language and culture, something that is
often understated in importance when players move. Simply understanding the
coaches, staff and other players is a big challenge without that core
English base around him! Oxford would find himself in a Gladbach side that
finished 9th last season, whilst playing a young and energetic side week in,
week out. They are currently seeing the departure of Andreas Christensen
back to Chelsea, a young Defender who also offered similar versatility as
Oxford.
The German League is possibly the League within Europe that best mirrors our
own. Teams like Bayern, Dortmund and the emerging forces of RB Leipzig that
make up the top tier teams. And then the rest of the sides are constantly
battling it out to finish just below them, with Leverkusen, Gladbach and
Schalke all recently having competed in Europe.
However the German League is miles ahead of us in a couple of worrying ways,
youth systems, nutrition and the overall standard of coaching for their
first teams, reserves and youth sides is second to none! From top to bottom,
not only is the standard incredibly high, but players are regularly
challenged in new and varying passing, techniques and ball control drills.
Sides are also continually implementing new technology and sport science
advancements into the setups – this is possibly best displayed in Dortmund's
incredible "Footbonaut" training room (no I am not making that name up!) –
Best described as a 4 sided training grid on a small surface area of pitch,
balls are fired into the middle from any of the 4 sides, testing reaction
times and ball control of the player, whilst a panel at varying positions
lights up to be the players target! These are only advancements on training
methods and techniques that have been used for years, and they signify just
how innovative the Germans are in the area of coaching. And I feel this
will be one of the very best ways for us to see the best possible Oxford in
the future!
Now I am curious to see how many fans agree or disagree with me on this, but
one of the reasons I favour this move for Oxford is that I am rather
optimistic about Nordtveit getting another season with us. He found himself
regularly played out of position at right back in a very poorly performing
side, and against Swansea I thought we saw his first good game! However
when given the chance to play in his preferred position against the likes of
Stoke and Everton in the centre of the park, I felt he really shone. Now
granted, these were only a few performances, but I do feel that he can
really offer us something next season and considering he was a free signing,
we have very little to lose by giving him more time.
And should he not, then hopefully next season we have a much improved Oxford
to step in"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
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