West Ham star Pedro Obiang says he will be fit for start of pre-season
WHUFC.com
Pedro Obiang says he is on track to be fit for the start of pre-season
training. The West Ham United midfielder has been working hard on his rehab
after suffering a leg injury in the Premier League defeat by Leicester City
at London Stadium in March. The Spaniard underwent season-ending surgery,
but his professional approach and natural athleticism mean he should be
ready to go when the Hammers return to the pitch in early July. "I'm coming
back to Rush Green to continue my fitness work in a few days because I have
to work for to be ready for the fifth of July," he told whufc.com on the
second anniversary of his arrival in east London. "I been on holiday with my
family and some friends to Mykonos and Athens in Greece, Belgrade in Serbian
and Montenegro, which was both interesting and relaxing, but now is the time
to think about my work because I want to be ready to train and play."
Obiang enjoyed a breakthrough 2016/17 season in Claret and Blue, making 30
appearances and scoring his maiden goal in the Premier League win at
Southampton. Reflecting on his opening two years as a Hammer, Obiang cited
that goal, as well as the Final Game victory over Manchester United at the
Boleyn Ground in May 2016 among his standout moments. "I have many good
memories of my time with West Ham," he said. "The last game in Upton Park,
the atmosphere and everything was amazing, and of course the game in the FA
Cup against Liverpool when Angelo Ogbonna scored the winner in the last
minute.
"This last season, the best moments were when I scored my first goal and
when I saw the videos of the supporters singing my song!"
An all-round midfielder who can break up play and put his own team on the
offensive, the 25-year-old is aiming to become a more potent attacking
threat next term. "I have two things to improve," he confirmed. "I need to
shoot more at the goal and give more assists to my teammates." One of those
teammates will be new signing Pablo Zabaleta, who has agreed to join the
Club following a super spell with Manchester City. Obiang believes the
Argentinian full-back will add a great deal to the West Ham squad. "I think
he is a really good player, a nice player," said the No14. "He has great
experience and he can help us to became more solid and competitive."
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Bobby Moore was always destined for greatness, says long-time pal Brian Dear
WHUFC.com
Today marks the 59th anniversary of a landmark moment in West Ham United
history – Bobby Moore signed apprentice terms with the Club. After catching
the eye while playing for Essex schoolboys, Moore was invited to train at
Chadwell Heath, where he continued his development as a member of the Colts
side. Under the guidance of manager Ted Fenton and first-team centre-half
and coach Malcolm Allison, Moore's game flourished and the teenager was
rewarded with an apprenticeship and joined the Boleyn Ground groundstaff. In
August 1958, Allison's illness gave Moore, still just 17, an opportunity to
make his first-team debut in a First Division fixture with Manchester
United. The Hammers won 3-2 and the rest, as they say, is history.
A year later, another local lad who would make good followed in Moore's
footsteps by joining the Club at the age of 15 and going on to star for the
first team – Brian Dear. The striker became close pals with the centre-back,
who was two-and-a-half years his senior, and the friendship endured until
Moore's tragic passing from cancer in February 1993, aged just 51. Dear
spoke to whufc.com about Moore's formative years and how his ability and
determination to succeed helped the great defender overcome any physical
shortcomings he may have had. "Going back to when he signed as an
apprentice, Bobby got nothing and when he became a professional his family
got £20 for signing and £12 a week, whereas now clubs are paying five or ten
million for players who never go on to play in the first team!" Dear began.
"I was lucky enough to come across Bob in 1959/60, when we were back in the
First Division and he was 18 and trying to establish himself in the first
team. "But of course those were the days before big matchday squads and
substitutes, so I played regularly alongside Bob in our Metropolitan League
side. We were lucky enough to play competitive football every week. "Bob
made the game look quite easy, even at that age. It was in early 1960 that
he got his place in the first team on a regular basis and we didn't see as
much of him then, as his career really took off."
While Moore missed just four First Division fixtures in 1960/61, with the
manager who handed him is debut, Fenton, being replaced by the visionary Ron
Greenwood with a month of the season to go. The following year, 1962,
Greenwood handed Dear his own debut, reuniting him with old pal Moore in a
goalless top-flight draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Over the next few
seasons, the pair would turn out alongside one another dozens more times,
most notably during the run to European Cup Winners' Cup glory in 1964/65.
"From the very start, you could tell that Bob was going to be a good
player," Dear, now 73, confirmed. "The management found out he wasn't that
quick, but we played 4-2-4 and he just sat there alongside Ken Brown and his
game progressed. "He started something really different as a defender.
Everyone said he couldn't jump and he couldn't do this or that, but 640-odd
games and 108 England caps, 90 of them as captain, he must have been doing
something right!"
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Darren Randolph targets place at 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia
WHUFC.com
Having starred for his country at UEFA Euro 2016, Darren Randolph would love
nothing more than to represent Republic of Ireland at next summer's FIFA
World Cup finals in Russia.
Randolph produced a series of outstanding displays to help Ireland qualify
via a Play-Off victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, qualify from a group
that also included Italy, Sweden and Italy and push hosts France all the way
in the Round of 16.
The Boys in Green have faced Mexico and Uruguay in friendly internationals
since the Premier League season ended, but are now ready for their third,
final and most important of three summer post-season matches – a World Cup
European Group D qualifier with Austria at Dublin's Aviva Stadium on Sunday
11 June.
Victory over the Austrians will put Randolph and company in a very strong
position, with leaders Serbia hosting third place Wales in Belgrade on the
same date.
Wins for Ireland and Serbia would put the pair seven points clear of their
rivals on 14 points, with four rounds of matches left to play. The group
winners qualify automatically, while the runners-up will go into a play-off.
Republic of Ireland host Serbia in Dublin on 5 September.
"We can definitely finish in the top two," Randolph continued. "It's like
any small group, if you can take points off the teams who are going to be
the biggest threats to you to qualify, those wins are massive.
"In our group there is Serbia, Wales, Austria and ourselves who everyone
else would have said would be up there to qualify – no disrespect to Georgia
or Moldova – so if we manage to beat Austria, if won't secure any
qualification, but it makes it a bit easier.
"Our ultimate goal is to qualify for Russia next summer."
Ireland have not been to a World Cup finals since Japan/South Korea 2002,
when Mick McCarthy's squad reached the Round of 16.
The Boys in Green also famously reached the quarter-finals at Italia '90,
before West Ham Academy graduate Ray Houghton's winner against Italy helped
them reach the Round of 16 at USA '96 – both under Jack Charlton.
Randolph has been part of O'Neil's squad in each of the last two summers,
sitting on the bench for the goalless friendly draw with England in June
2015, before keeping goal for his country at UEFA Euro 2016 a year ago.
In all, the 30-year-old Hammer has been capped 21 times since making his
debut against Oman at Craven Cottage in September 2011.
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Snodgrass' Scotland pick up point against England
WHUFC.com
Robert Snodgrass collected his 24th Scotland cap on Saturday as his side
picked up a point in a 2-2 FIFA World Cup qualifying draw with England at
Hampden Park. The midfielder started and played 65 minutes before being
replaced by Ryan Fraser for Gordan Strachen's outfit who remain six points
behind the Three Lions at the top of Group F. Meanwhile, Aaron Cresswell –
the Hammers left-back included in Gareth Southgate's squad – was left on the
substitutes' bench north of the border, with Southampton's Ryan Bertrand
filling the berth on the left side of defence. Leigh Griffiths was the man
in the spotlight in the clash, overturning England's one-goal advantage with
four minutes remaining, curling home two beautiful free-kicks from almost
the exact same position 25 yards from goal with three minutes separating the
strikes. Both sides had their chances before the opener, with Jake Livermore
hitting the post for the visitors in the second half before Andrew Robertson
lashed over from a good position shortly after. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
opened the scoring though, smashing in with his left foot shortly after
replacing Marcus Rashford from the bench. The points looked to be heading
south but with four minutes remaining on the clock, Griffiths stepped up and
levelled before beating Joe Hart once again moments later. There was a final
late twist however, as Harry Kane finished well from close range to silence
the home supporters and make the scoreline 2-2 as the referee's final
whistle sounded. Scotland now wait until September for their next fixture –
another World Cup qualifier against Lithuania – while England face France in
an international friendly on Tuesday, giving Cresswell another chance to
grab his second international cap.
Havard Nordtveit was also in action on Saturday, as his Norway side faced
the Czech Republic in Group C qualifying, with the clash ending in a 1-1
stalemate.
Theodor Gebe Selassie gave the visitors the lead before Alexander Soderlund
equalised for Nordtveit's team, who are 14 points below top of the group
Germany, who have a 100 per cent record in qualifying. Alexander Soderland
opened the scoring for Nordtveit's team before
Elsewhere, West Ham's Dan Kemp celebrated England U20s' Toulon Tournament
triumph as the Young Lions beat the Ivory Coast on penalties in the final.
The promising winger, who was instrumental in the youngsters reaching the
final, was left as a sub in the match which finished 1-1 after extra time.
Sheffield United midfielder Daniel Brooks scored the opener in the tie and
it looked to be the winner until the final minutes, when opponents Ivory
Coast grabbed a late equaliser through Ake Loba. There were no nerves from
the U20s from 12 yards though, as they converted all five of their
penalties, with Jean Amani missing the crucial spot-kick for Cote d'Ivoire,
meaning Kemp and England lifted the highly coveted trophy for the second
year running.
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EXWHUEMPLOYEE'S EXCLUSIVE COLUMN: TRANSFER AND KIT UPDATES
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 11 JUNE 2017 AT 10:41AM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
So this column comes a little earlier than I had expected but some of the
news I was going to talk about is breaking elsewhere so I thought I should
get it out now. Most of this has been covered in my section on the radio
show.
So transfers are what most people want to hear about and this is where I
will start. Iheanacho is the first one. Talks have been ongoing and largely
around his buy back clause. These talks have been quite frustrating and not
as productive as we would have hoped however they are not dead. Iheanacho
wants to stay at Manchester City and the injury to Gabriel Jesus in the week
is not ideal. The situation however is that he was told he will leave the
club and that he has to brace himself for this. There are other clubs
interested in him and it will be interesting to see how this transfer
develops over the week however he is still very much a target of ours.
There is more positive news for another Nigerian and that is Henry Onyekuru
who is a 20 year old who scored 25 goals and got 14 assists last season for
Eupen who are one of the smaller teams in the league. He has played on the
wing and upfront and is said to have traits that are similar to his namesake
Thierry Henry. This versatility is an attractive option for us. The only
problem with this transfer is that he has only played one international game
which means he could struggle for a work permit but his transfer fee, wages
and performances last season may enable this to go through under the special
talent rule. There is a release clause of £7m for this deal and he is said
to have turned down Arsenal already. He had met with their officials but
because they cannot promise him first team football he has turned them down
which shows a good attitude in my opinion. He has interest from other clubs
and is expected to choose us over them when he flies into the training
ground on Tuesday. This story was covered on our radio show on Wednesday,
it has been picked up by Simon Jones of the Mail too but this is often the
case with him and my news. I have spoke to the mail about securing some
form of acknowledgment for his regular use of my stories but unless I want
to go through a legal proceeding I can't. So this is likely to happen
throughout the summer as a heads up.
We still have a very strong interest in Batshuayi of Chelsea and hope that
Chelsea will complete the signing of Lukaku, keep Costa and maybe add
another forward to this deal. We are likely to loan the Belgian
international but the only problem could be that Everton ask for him as part
of the Lukaku deal. If Batshuayi doesn't come or moves elsewhere we could
turn to Traore or Abraham from the same club on loan deals. Both had
impressive loan spells at Ajax and Bristol City with impressive goals to
games records. We do have some concerns about their ability to transfer
this to the top flight but a loan deal could ease those worries.
Breaking news last night was that we would be after Giroud. This is an
interest that we have had for many years and you can trace this back through
my columns, the "If I owned the club" alternative ITK feature we ran last
year and hope to resurrect this year and through my tweets. We have always
rated the player and made a move for him last summer. His age, lack of
football this year and the fact Arsenal look set to sign another former
target of ours in Lacazette could mean that he becomes available. We would
certainly move for the player and have said we will match any offer that
goes in for him. A similar policy that we did with Fonte and Snodgrass
which has often been overlooked by the board bashers although of course in
this case neither proved to be a great signing. There is also lesser
interest in Lucas Perez another Arsenal forward who is also out of favour at
present.
Forward is the number one priority and the club are determined to not have a
repeat of last summer where these players didn't come (I also covered other
targets on the radio show which I will not repeat again. Here is the link:
https://www.mixcloud.com/phoenixfm/the-west-ham-way-show-44-07-jun-2017/ In
other news we had scout Thomas Hengen, someone who Tony Henry brought with
him from Everton at the Under 20s World Cup looking for new talent. The
transfer window is only just opening and it is important to not be too
negative if the deals are not completed yet although I can understand why
people are worried after last year.
The home shirt has been leaked online because it has gone on sale in
Thailand and Hammers Thailand facebook group have put them online. You can
see the picture below.
The shorts have now been changed to plain white with the badge on one leg
and a claret Umbro on the other leg. The socks are also white with a thin
Claret hoop and a large light blue hoop near the top. There is a Claret
Umbro badge in the middle and some Claret stripe hoops near the ankle which
looks a bit like a barcode. The goalkeeper kit that goes with the home
shirt is all yellow except for some green going up to the arm and under the
arm pit down to the elbow on each sleeve. The shorts and the socks are
exactly the same as the outfit kit except they are yellow and where there is
a light blue hoop on the socks it is a green hoop. There are two potential
dates schedule for the launch one is next Thursday the 15th of June (which I
think will be the new date due to the online leaks) or the original date of
Wednesday 21st June. You can hear the kits first being described on the
radio show in my section on this show:
https://www.mixcloud.com/phoenixfm/the-west-ham-way-show-42-24-may-2017/
There is a third shirt and this is all light blue with a thin claret ending
to both sleeves and a button collar which the other shirts do not have. The
shorts are white with a Claret stripe running down each side. The keeper
shirt for the third shirt kit is all dark green with claret in the same
place as the green on the home keeper shirt. This shirt is due to be
released just before the season starts. I have seen the designs for each
shirt for a while now and have them on my phone, as a few people including
Sammy McNess, can vouch for but have chosen to not release them online due
to the legal implications having spoken to the club about it.
Speaking of Sammy don't forget to get your tickets for his up and coming
fight on the 8th July. It promises to be a great West Ham event and in the
absence of the football this is the perfect substitute. To get tickets make
sure you contact Sammy via his email TeamMcNess@gmail.com
We are hoping to continue with our radio show weekly throughout the summer
including one in Ibiza! If you fancy coming to Ibiza with a load of West Ham
fans then we are out there on the 30th July. Next week we are delighted to
have Sammy on our show and there will be further transfer updates there!
Make sure that you tune in!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend! COYI
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A VIEW FROM ACROSS THE POND
BY EXWHUEMPLOYEE ON 10 JUNE 2017 AT 8:36PM
TheWestHamWay.co.uk
By @WestHamAmerican
The chairmen of the 20 Premier League clubs are set to meet this week in
Harrogate, and one of the early reports is that the "Big Six" owners are
making demands of a greater share of the broadcast revenues. Whether this is
some idea to make BPL clubs more competitive in the Champion's League
(doubtful) or just a ploy to increase the wealth of the club owners
(probable) it is a bad idea for the league and for all of English football.
Many remember the blunt statement from Ian Ayre, the former Liverpool
executive, who stated a few years ago that "in Kuala Lumpur there isn't
anyone subscribing to ESPN to watch Bolton." While certainly not winning
Old Ian any love from the neighborhood surrounding Macron Stadium, he is
probably correct in that assessment. Those in America that regularly watch
the Premier League overwhelmingly support one of those top six clubs. As a
West Ham supporter in the United States, I am more likely to encounter a
bear walking down my small town's streets than another claret-clad West Ham
fan. But a healthy league must have parity. Each of the 20 clubs in this
league must at least have hope and a path to a top 5 finish in the next
three seasons, or else the Premier League becomes top-heavy and predictable
like the other major European leagues.
In fact, the improbable championship won by Leicester City last year, was
great for the Premier League as a product. It proved that a scrappy but
determined side with small wages could deliver a championship to its fans.
As unlikely as the Foxes' run was in 2016, could a club in their second year
of promotion pull off that feat in the French, German, or the Spanish
leagues? Very doubtful. It was the fair distribution of the massive Premier
League broadcast revenue that at least gives bottom ten clubs a chance.
I often tend to contrast Premier League policies with the NFL in the USA.
This is because it's the most financially successful sports league in the
states. Not only do they share their broadcast income, but they also share
apparel sales. While there will always be some teams with better stadium
arrangements and attendance revenue, every team has a chance, and thus the
NFL remains popular because all the fans have hope. In over 50 years of
Super Bowl play all but four of the 32 clubs have at least won their way
into the final game once. Almost every team can boast a top 2 finish at
some point. And with the NFL draft, the worst team doesn't get relegated,
but gets the first choice of the top "academy" talent. It would be as if
Sunderland, by virtue of their poor finish, had the rights to pick the best
U-23 player in England as their reward of failure. Alas, some NFL clubs
are so poorly managed; they can't find success even under that arrangement.
But my point is parity is good for the success of the league. At the
beginning of the season, NFL teams all at least have hope to compete unlike
our baseball teams which have much greater inequities in their wage
structures between the top clubs and the bottom clubs.
In America, Premier League matches have better ratings than our own MLS
matches do. The Premier League's viewership numbers are successful in the
US and they continue to grow. (West Ham finished with the 5th highest
average viewership in America this season, better than Spurs and Chelsea,
although our matches were broadcast half as many times.) Our people enjoy
the English version of the game. There are 300 million fans to be won over
here.
Hopefully the BPL owners will keep the playing field as level as possible.
I really don't see the other 14 team owners voting to grant the bigger clubs
more money, but for the health of the Premier League, another
Leicester-style surprise would certainly be better than Chelsea and
Manchester City splitting the next five championships.
Now, let's sign that 20 goal-a-season striker and we'll write our own
unlikely story.
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Arsenal face missing out on Henry Onyekuru as West Ham push to finalise £7m
deal for Nigerian sensation
The 20-year-old struck 25 goals and made 14 more in a superb year for Eupen
in the Belgian First Division A
The Mirror
BYJACK RATHBORN
17:25, 11 JUN 2017UPDATED17:27, 11 JUN 2017
Arsenal look set to miss out on Henry Onyekuru as West Ham grow in
confidence that they have won the race for the Nigerian super talent. The
Eupen forward has been linked with the Gunners but the Hammers appear close
to finalising a deal, report the Mail. A £6.8m release clause appears to be
a bargain for whoever signs the 20-year-old given he struck 25 goals and
made 14 more to ensure the Pandas avoided relegation. Onyekuru is rumoured
to be planning a visit to the capital on Tuesday for a medical. The Nigeria
international will command wages of around £35,000-per-week in order to
remove the hurdle of a work permit. It will prove to be quite the coup for
West Ham and add to the sense of optimism after Pablo Zabaleta joined on a
free transfer from Manchester City. Arsenal, Lille, Anderlecht and Club
Brugge were all prepared to meet Onyekuru's buy-out clause, while Monaco,
Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan have also been linked.
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West Ham target transfer of Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud after he reveals
frustration at being on the bench
There's also interest from Marseille and clubs in Italy but the Hammers are
confident they can match any offers
The Mirror
BYTOM HOPKINSON
22:30, 10 JUN 2017
West Ham are ready to make a stunning move for Arsenal's Olivier Giroud.
France international Giroud confirmed last week that he "will not settle for
another year with such limited playing time" at the Emirates. There has
already been interest in the 30-year-old from French giants Marseille and
several clubs in Italy, but the Hammers are confident they can match any
offer and keep the £20million striker in London. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger
and chief executive Ivan Gazidis were in Nice last week, reportedly talking
to Lyon president Jean Michael-Aulas about Alexandre Lacazette, while their
desire to sign 18-year-old sensation Kylian Mbappe from Monaco is also
confirmed — and neither frontman would join to play second-fiddle to Giroud.
In the season just ended, Alexis Sanchez was often preferred through the
middle, and Wenger went with Danny Welbeck ahead of Giroud in the FA Cup
final. Giroud, capped 63 times by France, cost Arsenal £13m when he joined
from Montpellier in 2012 and has scored 69 goals in 118 Premier League
appearances for the club. But despite that impressive record he still splits
opinion among Gunners fans and, despite the respect Wenger has for a player
who worked his way up from the French football's lower tiers, he isn't
automatically Plan A for his manager.
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West Ham put Robert Snodgrass up for sale less than five months after his
£10m transfer
The Scotland midfielder has only started eight games for the Hammers but
they have decided he doesn't fit their plans
The Mirror
BYNEIL MOXLEY
22:30, 10 JUN 2017
West Ham are looking to offload Robert Snodgrass just months after paying
£10million for him. The Hammers are willing to take a hit on the Scotland
international midfielder, who started just eight games after his arrival
from Hull. However, the East Enders have realised Snodgrass is not the right
fit – and they will listen to offers. Championship sides Middlesbrough,
Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday would all take the 29-year-old, but he
does not want to drop down from the Premier League. West Ham believe
promoted Brighton would be a good fit, but they may have to supplement his
wages of more than £50,000 a week.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Sunday, June 11
Saturday, June 10
Daily WHUFC News - 10th June 2017
West Ham United's band of internationals set for a busy weekend of action
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's international players will have no time to rest this
weekend, with nine Hammers in action across the globe.
Friday kicks-off with Manuel Lanzini set to make his Argentina debut when
the South Americans tackle old rivals Brazil at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in Australia on Friday morning. Kick-off in Australia is at 11.05am BST and
Hammers fans will likely be able to find live coverage of the game online.
Later on Friday, Jose Fonte and Edimilson Fernandes will continue their
quest to reach the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in European qualifying Group B
with Portugal and Switzerland respectively.
UEFA Euro 2016 winner Fonte travels to Latvia, while Switzerland are also
away from home in the Faroe Islands, with both ties kicking off at 7.45pm
BST. The Swiss top the group with a perfect five wins out of five, while
Portugal sit second with 12 points from a possible 15 – their only defeat
coming in Switzerland last September.
Moving on to Saturday and two more Hammers will be in direct competition at
Hampden Park in Glasgow, where Scotland host England in a vital Group F
qualifier at 5pm BST.
Aaron Cresswell's England top the group with 13 points, six more than the
fourth-placed Scots after five rounds of matches, but a home win for Robert
Snodgrass and company on home turf would open the group up.
Farther afield, Havard Nordtveit's Norway also need a win when they host the
Czech Republic in Oslo. With Germany and Northern Ireland setting the pace
in Group C, both sides need to win, with the struggling Norwegians already
all but eliminated from the qualification race.
After helping England U20s to reach the final of the Toulon Tournament in
France on Friday, young winger Dan Kemp and the Young Lions take on Ivory
Coast for the trophy in Aubagne on Saturday at 4.30pm BST.
Heading back to senior level, Darren Randolph's Republic of Ireland continue
their own World Cup qualifying campaign when Austria visit the Aviva Stadium
in Group D on Sunday afternoon.
Victory in the 5pm kick-off in Dublin will strengthen the second-place Boys
in Green's position and could even see them leapfrog Serbia and go top of
their group.
Finally, Andre Ayew's Ghana host Ethiopia in their opening 2019 Africa Cup
of Nations Group F qualifier in Kumasi on Sunday at 4.30pm.
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West Ham United star Manuel Lanzini makes Argentina debut
WHUFC.com
Manuel Lanzini has become West Ham United's 157th senior international after
making his Argentina debut. The Hammers No10 was introduced as a second-half
substitute as La Albiceleste recorded a 1-0 friendly win over Brazil in
front of a 90,000-strong crowd in Australia. Lanzini replaced Internazionale
midfielder Ever Banega with ten minutes at Melbourne Cricket Ground and
helped Argentina complete victory over their South American rivals. The late
cameo saw the 24-year-old become West Ham's fourth full Argentina
international after full-back Lionel Scaloni, midfielder Javier Mascherano
and forward Carlos Tevez, who all featured back in 2006.
Friday's fixture was settled by a goal from defender Gabriel Mercado, who
Lanzini played alongside for two seasons at Argentinian giants River Plate
between 2012 and 2014. Jorge Sampaoli's squad will now fly to Singapore,
where they will square-off against the Southeast Asian nation in a friendly
on Tuesday 13 June at 1pm BST.
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West Ham trying to sign £17million Chelsea forward Bertrand Traore
The Irons are big admirers of the 21-year-old who reached the Europa League
final with Ajax and want to secure a loan deal
The Mirror
BYDARREN LEWIS
18:09, 9 JUN 2017
West Ham want to sign £17million Chelsea forward Bertrand Traore. The Irons
are big admirers of the 21-year-old who reached the Europa League final with
Ajax and want to secure a loan deal. They are prepared, however, to sign him
permanently if the Champions are open to allowing him to leave. The interest
could be scuppered by Everton who are keen on Traore as part of any deal to
take Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea. Traore scored 14 times from 43 appearances in
all competition over the past season.
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Robert Snodgrass brushes off transfer talk as he vows to make a success of
faltering West Ham career
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
West Ham midfielder Robert Snodgrass is determined to make a success of his
career at the London Stadium after a slow start under Slaven Bilic. The
Scotland international joined in a £10.2million deal from Hull in January
but struggled to make an immediate impact under Slaven Bilic and started
only one of West Ham's final five league games of the season. With Bilic
eager to revamp an attack that faltered throughout much of the season
Snodgrass' place in the West Ham squad could be in doubt and Brighton are
among the clubs being linked with a move. However the 29-year-old, who
scored nine goals before leaving Hull midway through the season, is
convinced he has a great deal to offer the Hammers. "It's not easy moving
to a new club in the middle of the season but I chose to join West Ham above
other teams because of their great tradition and fanbase and I'm determined
to make it a success," Snodgrass said. "There were some factors that made
things difficult last season. I was living away from my family because we
didn't want to interrupt schooling but next season I'll have my wife and
three kids with me. "I was also asked to play on the left to fill the gap
vacated by Dmitri Payet but it's never been my position. I've scored nearly
a hundred goals as a mainly right-sided player and I've said to the manager
that's where I think I'm most effective. "We've had a very good discussion
and hopefully I'll be given a run of games where I'm comfortable. If it
doesn't happen right away, I will have to wait for my chance. "I'm really
looking forward to meeting up with the West Ham boys for pre-season and
starting again."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham star Manuel Lanzini makes Argentina debut in Albiceleste's 1-0 win
over Brazil
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini made his debut for Argentina this
afternoon as the Albiceleste defeated great rivals Brazil 1-0 in a friendly
in Australia.
Lanzini replaced Inter Milan midfielder Even Banega for the final ten
minutes of the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, fulfilling his dream
of lining up alongside Lionel Messi. "He is the best player in the world and
we are lucky as he is Argentinian. We need to take advantage of this,"
Lanzini told the club website earlier this week. It was an assessment echoed
by Argentina's new head coach Jorge Sampaoli, who said after the win: "When
it comes to Messi, he is and will continue to be the best player in the
world until he retires. "That is simply the way I feel about Leo."
Argentina's win had already been secured in the first half of the friendly
match, centre-back Gerardo Mercado tapping home the rebound when Nicolas
Otamendi's flicked header hit the post. The win was Argentina's first in six
meetings with Brazil, a winless run dating back to 2012. Lanzini will remain
with Sampaoli's squad for Tuesday's friendly in Singapore.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Forget Daniel Sturridge and Jack Wilshere – West Ham need the pace of Jurgen
Damm and Kelechi Iheanacho
JOHN DILLON
London Standard
Last season couldn't end quickly enough for the Hammers - even though they
won on the final day at Burnley and surprised even themselves by finishing
11th. The first priority for Slaven Bilic now must to be sort out a
recruitment policy which was a calamity last summer. Pablo Zabaleta's
arrival has been greeted warmly by supporters who feel he can provide the
team with some leadership and strength of character. This could be critical
as the side must play at least their first three games away from home while
the London Stadium is re-configured following the summer's World Athletics
Championships there. A reported bid for the high-speed Mexican winger Jurgen
Damm of Tigres would address another fundamental problem for the side - a
lack of pace. Many fans are also enthused about the idea of landing
Manchester City youngster Kelechi Iheanacho. But most are not so keen on the
injury prone Daniel Sturridge or midfielder Jack Wilshere - having been
frustrated for long enough by Andy Carroll's regular absences. However,
Bilic does need to get more creativity and energy into the side. And he must
address the defensive problems which saw the team concede three or more 12
times last season. James Collins, a fans favourite, will be 34 soon. Jose
Fonte didn't live up to expectation after his mid-season arrival from
Southampton. So things need to improve at the back. And perhaps a move for
Joe Hart in goal might convince the fans that the owners are as ambitious as
they say they are.
In truth, most would like to hear a little less from David Sullivan and
David Gold for a while. There was genuine concern when manager Bilic's
position appeared rocky last season and most wondered if the boardroom had
become a little too leaky. The initial traumas of the move to the London
Stadium have been endured now. It will never match Upton Park. But West Ham
are there to stay and now it needs to feel a lot more like home. There's a
simple way to help that happen - for the team to perform much better on a
pitch where they were thrashed far too often last season, with the final
home game, a miserable 4-0 defeat by Liverpool, a particularly dismal
send-off. This has to change.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Henry Onyekuru outlines demands amid Arsenal, West Ham and Newcastle
transfer links
Louis Sealey for Metro.co.uk
Friday 9 Jun 2017 8:18 am
Eupen star Henry Onyekuru says he won't accept a role as a bit-part player
amid speculation linking him with a move to the Premier League. The Nigerian
striker enjoyed a fine season, scoring 20 goals in 36 games to end the
campaign as the joint-top scorer in the Belgian top-flight. His performances
have attracted attention from a host of English clubs, with Arsenal, West
Ham and Newcastle linked with moves. And Onyekuru insists guarantees over
playing time will play a significant part as he mulls over a summer switch.
'The first and most important thing for a player is to get playing time,'
Eupen's star striker told ESPN. 'My agents are in talks with top clubs in
the Premier League, Bundesliga, French league and others. If they accept our
terms, then I'll make a decision. 'It's not just about going to a big club
and sitting on the bench. It's not good for me, or being loaned to a club
where I won't play or where I will struggle to play. 'The money can come
later but for now, I just want to play to improve, not just to play for a
big club.'
Despite Onyekuru's best efforts, Eupen finished 13th last season, only
winning eight of their 30 games. 'It was very hard for me last season in
Belgium because we just got promoted and our first objective was to stay in
the league,' he added. 'Sometimes I would score two goals and we would end
up losing the game. That was tough for me. 'So I won't like to go to a club
where I will fight again just to stay in the league. I want to win trophies
and if I can win trophies at my age, it will be good for me.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Brendan Rodgers the perfect man to get West Ham prodigy's career on track
HITC
Damien Lucas
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is the perfect man to get West Ham United
prodigy Reece Oxford's career on track next season. 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 now he is being linked with
another loan exit in what could be the most important move of his fledgling
career. And the perfect place for Oxford would be Celtic working under
Brendan Rodgers.
The former Swansea and Liverpool boss has restored his reputation with a
record-breaking treble with the Hoops in his debut season.
Rodgers has always promoted and encouraged youth from his time at Watford
and Reading right through to his current role at Celtic.
Celtic had an average age of just 25 across the entire squad last season and
Rodgers would be the ideal man to coax the best out of Oxford. Ironically
the youngster could actually gain more experience at Celtic than he would in
East London with the possibility of being involved with Champions League
football. Moussa Dembele, Scott Sinclair and Stuart Armstrong are all
examples of how Rodger's management style can get the best out of players
who were perhaps struggling to fulfil their potential elsewhere.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
West Ham United's international players will have no time to rest this
weekend, with nine Hammers in action across the globe.
Friday kicks-off with Manuel Lanzini set to make his Argentina debut when
the South Americans tackle old rivals Brazil at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in Australia on Friday morning. Kick-off in Australia is at 11.05am BST and
Hammers fans will likely be able to find live coverage of the game online.
Later on Friday, Jose Fonte and Edimilson Fernandes will continue their
quest to reach the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in European qualifying Group B
with Portugal and Switzerland respectively.
UEFA Euro 2016 winner Fonte travels to Latvia, while Switzerland are also
away from home in the Faroe Islands, with both ties kicking off at 7.45pm
BST. The Swiss top the group with a perfect five wins out of five, while
Portugal sit second with 12 points from a possible 15 – their only defeat
coming in Switzerland last September.
Moving on to Saturday and two more Hammers will be in direct competition at
Hampden Park in Glasgow, where Scotland host England in a vital Group F
qualifier at 5pm BST.
Aaron Cresswell's England top the group with 13 points, six more than the
fourth-placed Scots after five rounds of matches, but a home win for Robert
Snodgrass and company on home turf would open the group up.
Farther afield, Havard Nordtveit's Norway also need a win when they host the
Czech Republic in Oslo. With Germany and Northern Ireland setting the pace
in Group C, both sides need to win, with the struggling Norwegians already
all but eliminated from the qualification race.
After helping England U20s to reach the final of the Toulon Tournament in
France on Friday, young winger Dan Kemp and the Young Lions take on Ivory
Coast for the trophy in Aubagne on Saturday at 4.30pm BST.
Heading back to senior level, Darren Randolph's Republic of Ireland continue
their own World Cup qualifying campaign when Austria visit the Aviva Stadium
in Group D on Sunday afternoon.
Victory in the 5pm kick-off in Dublin will strengthen the second-place Boys
in Green's position and could even see them leapfrog Serbia and go top of
their group.
Finally, Andre Ayew's Ghana host Ethiopia in their opening 2019 Africa Cup
of Nations Group F qualifier in Kumasi on Sunday at 4.30pm.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United star Manuel Lanzini makes Argentina debut
WHUFC.com
Manuel Lanzini has become West Ham United's 157th senior international after
making his Argentina debut. The Hammers No10 was introduced as a second-half
substitute as La Albiceleste recorded a 1-0 friendly win over Brazil in
front of a 90,000-strong crowd in Australia. Lanzini replaced Internazionale
midfielder Ever Banega with ten minutes at Melbourne Cricket Ground and
helped Argentina complete victory over their South American rivals. The late
cameo saw the 24-year-old become West Ham's fourth full Argentina
international after full-back Lionel Scaloni, midfielder Javier Mascherano
and forward Carlos Tevez, who all featured back in 2006.
Friday's fixture was settled by a goal from defender Gabriel Mercado, who
Lanzini played alongside for two seasons at Argentinian giants River Plate
between 2012 and 2014. Jorge Sampaoli's squad will now fly to Singapore,
where they will square-off against the Southeast Asian nation in a friendly
on Tuesday 13 June at 1pm BST.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham trying to sign £17million Chelsea forward Bertrand Traore
The Irons are big admirers of the 21-year-old who reached the Europa League
final with Ajax and want to secure a loan deal
The Mirror
BYDARREN LEWIS
18:09, 9 JUN 2017
West Ham want to sign £17million Chelsea forward Bertrand Traore. The Irons
are big admirers of the 21-year-old who reached the Europa League final with
Ajax and want to secure a loan deal. They are prepared, however, to sign him
permanently if the Champions are open to allowing him to leave. The interest
could be scuppered by Everton who are keen on Traore as part of any deal to
take Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea. Traore scored 14 times from 43 appearances in
all competition over the past season.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Robert Snodgrass brushes off transfer talk as he vows to make a success of
faltering West Ham career
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
West Ham midfielder Robert Snodgrass is determined to make a success of his
career at the London Stadium after a slow start under Slaven Bilic. The
Scotland international joined in a £10.2million deal from Hull in January
but struggled to make an immediate impact under Slaven Bilic and started
only one of West Ham's final five league games of the season. With Bilic
eager to revamp an attack that faltered throughout much of the season
Snodgrass' place in the West Ham squad could be in doubt and Brighton are
among the clubs being linked with a move. However the 29-year-old, who
scored nine goals before leaving Hull midway through the season, is
convinced he has a great deal to offer the Hammers. "It's not easy moving
to a new club in the middle of the season but I chose to join West Ham above
other teams because of their great tradition and fanbase and I'm determined
to make it a success," Snodgrass said. "There were some factors that made
things difficult last season. I was living away from my family because we
didn't want to interrupt schooling but next season I'll have my wife and
three kids with me. "I was also asked to play on the left to fill the gap
vacated by Dmitri Payet but it's never been my position. I've scored nearly
a hundred goals as a mainly right-sided player and I've said to the manager
that's where I think I'm most effective. "We've had a very good discussion
and hopefully I'll be given a run of games where I'm comfortable. If it
doesn't happen right away, I will have to wait for my chance. "I'm really
looking forward to meeting up with the West Ham boys for pre-season and
starting again."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham star Manuel Lanzini makes Argentina debut in Albiceleste's 1-0 win
over Brazil
JAMES BENGE
Evening Standard
West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini made his debut for Argentina this
afternoon as the Albiceleste defeated great rivals Brazil 1-0 in a friendly
in Australia.
Lanzini replaced Inter Milan midfielder Even Banega for the final ten
minutes of the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, fulfilling his dream
of lining up alongside Lionel Messi. "He is the best player in the world and
we are lucky as he is Argentinian. We need to take advantage of this,"
Lanzini told the club website earlier this week. It was an assessment echoed
by Argentina's new head coach Jorge Sampaoli, who said after the win: "When
it comes to Messi, he is and will continue to be the best player in the
world until he retires. "That is simply the way I feel about Leo."
Argentina's win had already been secured in the first half of the friendly
match, centre-back Gerardo Mercado tapping home the rebound when Nicolas
Otamendi's flicked header hit the post. The win was Argentina's first in six
meetings with Brazil, a winless run dating back to 2012. Lanzini will remain
with Sampaoli's squad for Tuesday's friendly in Singapore.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Forget Daniel Sturridge and Jack Wilshere – West Ham need the pace of Jurgen
Damm and Kelechi Iheanacho
JOHN DILLON
London Standard
Last season couldn't end quickly enough for the Hammers - even though they
won on the final day at Burnley and surprised even themselves by finishing
11th. The first priority for Slaven Bilic now must to be sort out a
recruitment policy which was a calamity last summer. Pablo Zabaleta's
arrival has been greeted warmly by supporters who feel he can provide the
team with some leadership and strength of character. This could be critical
as the side must play at least their first three games away from home while
the London Stadium is re-configured following the summer's World Athletics
Championships there. A reported bid for the high-speed Mexican winger Jurgen
Damm of Tigres would address another fundamental problem for the side - a
lack of pace. Many fans are also enthused about the idea of landing
Manchester City youngster Kelechi Iheanacho. But most are not so keen on the
injury prone Daniel Sturridge or midfielder Jack Wilshere - having been
frustrated for long enough by Andy Carroll's regular absences. However,
Bilic does need to get more creativity and energy into the side. And he must
address the defensive problems which saw the team concede three or more 12
times last season. James Collins, a fans favourite, will be 34 soon. Jose
Fonte didn't live up to expectation after his mid-season arrival from
Southampton. So things need to improve at the back. And perhaps a move for
Joe Hart in goal might convince the fans that the owners are as ambitious as
they say they are.
In truth, most would like to hear a little less from David Sullivan and
David Gold for a while. There was genuine concern when manager Bilic's
position appeared rocky last season and most wondered if the boardroom had
become a little too leaky. The initial traumas of the move to the London
Stadium have been endured now. It will never match Upton Park. But West Ham
are there to stay and now it needs to feel a lot more like home. There's a
simple way to help that happen - for the team to perform much better on a
pitch where they were thrashed far too often last season, with the final
home game, a miserable 4-0 defeat by Liverpool, a particularly dismal
send-off. This has to change.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Henry Onyekuru outlines demands amid Arsenal, West Ham and Newcastle
transfer links
Louis Sealey for Metro.co.uk
Friday 9 Jun 2017 8:18 am
Eupen star Henry Onyekuru says he won't accept a role as a bit-part player
amid speculation linking him with a move to the Premier League. The Nigerian
striker enjoyed a fine season, scoring 20 goals in 36 games to end the
campaign as the joint-top scorer in the Belgian top-flight. His performances
have attracted attention from a host of English clubs, with Arsenal, West
Ham and Newcastle linked with moves. And Onyekuru insists guarantees over
playing time will play a significant part as he mulls over a summer switch.
'The first and most important thing for a player is to get playing time,'
Eupen's star striker told ESPN. 'My agents are in talks with top clubs in
the Premier League, Bundesliga, French league and others. If they accept our
terms, then I'll make a decision. 'It's not just about going to a big club
and sitting on the bench. It's not good for me, or being loaned to a club
where I won't play or where I will struggle to play. 'The money can come
later but for now, I just want to play to improve, not just to play for a
big club.'
Despite Onyekuru's best efforts, Eupen finished 13th last season, only
winning eight of their 30 games. 'It was very hard for me last season in
Belgium because we just got promoted and our first objective was to stay in
the league,' he added. 'Sometimes I would score two goals and we would end
up losing the game. That was tough for me. 'So I won't like to go to a club
where I will fight again just to stay in the league. I want to win trophies
and if I can win trophies at my age, it will be good for me.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Brendan Rodgers the perfect man to get West Ham prodigy's career on track
HITC
Damien Lucas
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is the perfect man to get West Ham United
prodigy Reece Oxford's career on track next season. 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 now he is being linked with
another loan exit in what could be the most important move of his fledgling
career. And the perfect place for Oxford would be Celtic working under
Brendan Rodgers.
The former Swansea and Liverpool boss has restored his reputation with a
record-breaking treble with the Hoops in his debut season.
Rodgers has always promoted and encouraged youth from his time at Watford
and Reading right through to his current role at Celtic.
Celtic had an average age of just 25 across the entire squad last season and
Rodgers would be the ideal man to coax the best out of Oxford. Ironically
the youngster could actually gain more experience at Celtic than he would in
East London with the possibility of being involved with Champions League
football. Moussa Dembele, Scott Sinclair and Stuart Armstrong are all
examples of how Rodger's management style can get the best out of players
who were perhaps struggling to fulfil their potential elsewhere.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Friday, June 9
Daily WHUFC News - 9th June 2017
Andre Ayew targets opening Africa Cup of Nations qualifying win
WHUFC.com
Andre Ayew wants to take his late-season form for West Ham United into
Ghana's opening 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier this weekend.
The Black Stars forward ended 2016/17 with five goals and three assists in
the Hammers' closing 13 Premier League fixtures, including the winner in the
final-day victory at Burnley. Now, the vastly-experienced 27-year-old, wants
to add to his 14 international goals when Ghana take on Ethiopia in their
Group F tie in Kumasi on Sunday afternoon.
Ghana finished fourth in the 2017 tournament, which was held in Gabon
earlier this year, with Ayew scoring two goals, but the No20 wants to do
even better at the 2019 finals in Cameroon. Ghana will also face Kenya and
Sierra Leone in their qualifying group.
Having started their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a draw
with Uganda and defeat in Egypt, Ayew wants Ghana to return to winning ways
as they seek qualification for their continent's own major tournament.
"It will be very important to start the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations campaign
on a winning note," he confirmed. "We have a goal which is qualifying for
the 2019 AFCON and we must start by getting good results here and we know
the bad results we had against Uganda made our World Cup campaign a
difficult one.
"That is not yet over, but we have put that on the sideline now and think
about the Africa Cup of Nations. Now thinking about the game against
Ethiopia where we want all three points and we're going to work towards
that.
"We can't sit here and say we want to win the Africa Cup of Nations if we
have not qualified, so we need to do our job and qualify. It's going to be
very tough and very difficult, but Ghana is a team which has to win
trophies.
"Now until then is a long time, so we don't want to predict anything, but
that's the goal we are working towards, going to Cameroon and doing
something great. But before that, we have to pass Kenya, Ethopia and Sierra
Leone, so we have a lot of games."
Following their Group F opener, Ghana travel to North America for friendly
internationals with Mexico and the United States before recommencing their
stuttering World Cup qualifying campaign.
Ayew and company host Congo on 28 August before travelling to face the same
opposition on 2 September, and the West Ham man knows two victories are
vital against their pointless opponents.
"Nothing is impossible but we can say that it's close to an impossible
mission!" he smiled. "People who know me know that I never give up and in
one game everything can change.
"So, we have to stay calm and put everything in the hands of the almighty
Allah, but also in our legs, because we have a lot of work to do if we want
to go to Russia. We have to win all four games and I expect Egypt to lose a
game or draw two. So we're going to wait and see, but every game for us is a
must-win."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dan Kemp previews Toulon Tournament semi-final against Scotland
WHUFC.com
Dan Kemp hopes to draw on his knockout fixture experience when England U20s
face Scotland in the semi-finals of the Toulon Tournament.
Kemp was part of the Hammers U23 side that won both knockout games in the
Premier League 2 Division 2 play-offs to win promotion last month. Since
winning promotion for West Ham PL2, Kemp has played a key role for England
in France, helping them make it through to the semi-finals. A mouthwatering
clash against their close rivals Scotland awaits on Thursday (4pm BST) and
Kemp hopes his knockout experience will prove helpful. "I think it (knockout
football experience) will help me a little bit because I have played in some
big games before," he said. "But this will be one of the biggest, if not the
biggest game I would have been involved in. "I love and enjoy playing in the
big games because I know that this is where I can learn and show people what
I can do."
England made it through to the semi-finals in Toulon after achieving a 100%
record in Group A. Kemp featured in their opening match against Angola when
a solitary header from Chelsea striker Ike Ugbo was enough to give them a
1-0 victory. England then thrashed Cuba 7-1 to qualify for the knockout
phase before edging out Japan 2-1 in their final group match to maintain
their winning record. Kemp was involved in the first of England's two goals
after being fouled in penalty area – Sheffield Wednesday's George Hirst
scored the spot-kick to set the Young Lions on their way. Meanwhile,
Scotland only made it into the knockout phase as the best second-placed team
from the group stage, but Kemp is well aware of the threat they pose. "I'm
very excited and I cannot wait for the game," he added. "It will be a good
test against Scotland but we are all looking forward to it. These are the
games you want to play in. "It (the rivalry) definitely adds some importance
to the game but it also give you extra incentive to push the extra bit to
get the win. The win is all that matters."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham United's all-time most-capped international XI
WHUFC.com
While West Ham United's season may be over, a host of first-team stars are
away representing their countries on international duty.
From Wales wing half William Jones in 1901 to Portugal centre-back Jose
Fonte earlier this year, some 156 Hammers have pulled on the jerseys of
their respective nations.
To mark the current busy schedule of FIFA World Cup and Africa Cup of
Nations qualifiers, FIFA Confederations Cup and friendly matches, we delved
deep into the record books to select a team of players who earned the most
caps during their time in east London. The resulting XI may surprise you…
Goalkeeper: Craig Forrest
Country: Canada
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 23
Craig Forrest had already been a Canada international for nine years when he
joined the Hammers from Ipswich Town in 1998.
The athletic British Colombia-born stopper excelled for his country during
his five years with West Ham United, winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the
Most Valuable Player and Canadian International Player of the Year awards in
2000, before appearing at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Right-back: Rigobert Song
Country: Cameroon
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 22
Another experienced campaigner, Rigobert Song made his Cameroon debut at the
age of 17 back in 1993 – before he had even played a first-team game for
French club Metz! Song appeared at two FIFA World Cup and three Africa Cup
of Nations finals – winning one – before joining West Ham United from
Liverpool in 2000. The versatile defender played three times at the 2002
FIFA World Cup finals in Japan before joining French side RC Lens later that
summer.
Left-back: Jonathan Spector
Country: United States
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 34
Fresh-faced defender Jonathan Spector joined West Ham United from Manchester
United as a 20-year-old in summer 2006 – nearly two years after he had made
his United States debut against Jamaica. Spector enjoyed international
success while with the Hammers, winning the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup on home
turf before helping the Americans to the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup final
and travelling to the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament, both in South Africa.
Centre-back: Bobby Moore
Country: England
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 108
England's greatest-ever captain marshaled the Three Lions defence for more
than a decade, earning a then-record 108 caps between May 1962 and November
1973. As every West Ham United fan will tell you, Moore led his country to
FIFA World Cup glory in 1966, to the UEFA European Championship semi-finals
in 1968 and the knockout stages at Mexico 1970.
Centre-back: James Collins
Country: Wales
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 39
Still plying his trade in Claret and Blue at the age of 33, James Collins
has earned 39 of his 51 Wales caps during his ten seasons with West Ham
United. Newport-born Ginge debuted for Wales against Norway in 2004 and has
featured at least once in every calendar year since then, culminating in the
fabulous run to the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2016.
Right midfield: Steve Lomas
Country: Northern Ireland
Centre-back: Bobby Moore
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 27
Born in Germany to the family of a British serviceman before being raised in
the town of Coleraine, Steve Lomas made his Northern Ireland debut against
Liechtenstein while a Manchester City player in April 1994. The combative
midfielder and captain moved to east London three years later and continued
to be picked regularly for his country for the next six seasons, taking his
caps total to 45.
Central midfield: Christian Dailly
Country: Scotland
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 39
Just eight players have been capped more times by Scotland than Christian
Dailly, who earned 67 pieces of headwear to cover his curly hair between
1997 and 2008. After debuting and appearing at the 1998 FIFA World Cup
finals while a Derby County player, Dailly spent two seasons with Blackburn
Rovers before earning more than half his caps during his seven seasons in
Claret and Blue.
Central midfield: Martin Peters
Country: England
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 33
The second of three 1966 FIFA World Cup winners in this XI, Martin Peters
forced his way into Alf Ramsey's side just weeks before the tournament
began, at the age of just 22. A versatile performer who earned rave reviews
from teammates and managers alike, Peters earned 33 of his 67 caps between
1966 and 1970, when he joined Tottenham Hotspur and then added the remaining
34.
Left midfield: Trevor Brooking
Country: England
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 47
The first of two team members to earn all of his international caps while
with West Ham United, Trevor Brooking's talents saw him debut against
Portugal in 1974. He remained a regular member of the England squad for the
next eight years, appearing at UEFA Euro 1980 in Italy and the 1982 FIFA
World Cup finals in Spain.
Forward: Enner Valencia
Country: Ecuador
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 23
The second member of the side still playing for West Ham United, Enner
Valencia joined the Hammers after excelling for Ecuador at the 2014 FIFA
World Cup finals. Prior to that tournament, the forward netted in a friendly
against England, and since arriving in east London he has continued to be
capped – and score – regularly for his country, appearing at the 2015 and
2016 Copa America tournaments.
Forward: Geoff Hurst
Country: England
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 49
Last but by no means least, Geoff Hurst is the second player to have earned
all of his caps while a Hammer – 49 in total between 1966 and 1972. The 1966
FIFA World Cup fina l hat-trick hero scored 24 goals for his country and
also appeared at UEFA Euro 1968 and Mexico 1970, netting against the Soviet
Union and Romania respectively.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Robert Snodgrass - Beat England and Scotland can qualify for the World Cup
WHUFC.com
West Ham United winger Robert Snodgrass is out to make himself an unpopular
figure among the Claret and Blue Army this weekend. The Hammers wideman is
set to start for his country when Scotland host England in a vital 2018 FIFA
World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park on Saturday evening. The Scots need to
win the Group F tie to give themselves any real hope of reaching Russia and,
despite having beaten England just once in their last ten meetings with the
Auld Enemy dating back to 1985, Snodgrass insists the Tartan Army will rise
to the challenge. "I have never ever had that sort of feeling [of
inferiority] since I went down to England," the No11 told The Scottish Sun.
"I have always had that drive inside my stomach, that burning feeling to get
the success you want to achieve as an individual, and to keep hitting
targets. "I want to keep driving forward, and I have never had the feeling
of being feart of this player or that player. I look forward to it more than
anything." "You can sit and say 'That's Scottish fitba', if we go and beat
them. So there is that to consider, but there are loads of different things
about this match. "On the day, it will be about which team wants it the
most. It will be about which team has that desire to get on the ball and
make things happen."
England won the reverse fixture at Wembley 3-0 before Christmas, with
Snodgrass missing the Scots' best chance of the game with his side just a
single goal down. While that result might have been a big blow to Scotland's
hopes of reaching a first World Cup since 1998, they go into Saturday's
mouth-watering Glasgow showdown on the back of a morale-boosting 1-0 win
over Slovenia in their last qualifier. The Hammers star has challenged his
compatriots to repeat that performance and result when they take on Aaron
Cresswell and company in his home city. "We all knew after the last game
against Slovenia that was more like the Scotland we all want to see," he
confirmed. "There was no fear and there is nothing to be scared of on
Saturday. "We have good players playing at a good level, so let's go out and
express ourselves."
Victory over their neighbours would close Scotland's deficit to England to
just three points, with four qualification matches still to play. While it
looked very unlikely a few months ago, Snodgrass insists a win this weekend
would give Gordon Strachan's side a real chance of overhauling England and
topping the group. "It would give everyone the belief again that we are
serious contenders," said the midfielder, who scored a hat-trick in a win
over Malta earlier in the current qualification campaign. "We need to focus
on group position, and we need to get the win for that reason. It is all
about qualifying. "That was our objective at the start. It wasn't to just
fight for second place. "You saw against England we had a lot of chances,
and if we didn't believe we would never have got those chances. "We have
always believed that we could go for automatic qualification in this group.
But when you take hits and have to take a step back, you then need to try
and take two forward. "We want to get there automatically, we want to beat
England and kick on."
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The day West Ham United braved the bombs to win at Wembley
WHUFC.com
While the Football League may have been suspended just three games into the
1939/40 season due to the onset of the Second World War, West Ham United
continued to compete throughout the conflict-torn decade. Just as had
occurred during the First World War 25 years earlier, a regional War-Time
league competition was introduced, with the divisions and their make-up
fluctuating from season to season.
Every football club in the land sent men to fight for their country and West
Ham were no different, with no fewer than 41 players swapping their football
kit for military uniform. The FA Cup was also suspended for the duration of
the War, with the Football League War Cup being introduced in its place, and
it was in this competition that the Hammers enjoyed a unforgettable day in
the Club's history.
The final was played on 8 June 1940 at Wembley Stadium at 6.30pm - before
the night-time blackout - despite fears that London would be bombed that
evening by the Luftwaffe, West Ham defeated Blackburn Rovers 1-0 through a
34th-minute goal from Sam Small. Amazingly, a crowd of 42,300 bravely turned
out to see Charlie Paynter's Hammers presented with the trophy by A.V.
Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty.
As a further reminder that the country was at war, the crowd included
wounded members of the British Expeditionary Force recently evacuated from
Dunkirk in northern France, while a number of players headed straight back
to their service units after the game.
West Ham United's War Cup final-winning team
Herman Conway
Charlie Bicknell (capt.)
Charlie Walker
Ted Fenton
Dick Walker
Joe Cockroft
Sam Small
Archie Macauley
Alec George Foreman
Len Goulden
Stan Foxall
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When do Premier League clubs return for pre-season?
Last Updated: 07/06/17 2:12pm
SSN
The Premier League season may have just ended, but clubs are already
preparing for pre-season. We look at when are each team will be back in
training...
Arsenal - July 3
The Gunners officially return to pre-season training on July 3, but players
are expected to come back in groups due to international fixtures. Arsene
Wenger also confirmed that he would be staying at the club for another two
years on Wednesday May 31, meaning there will be no worry over who will be
at the helm when the players return - including new signing Sead Kolasinac
from Schalke. The FA Cup holders then jet off around the world for their
pre-season friendlies, heading to Sydney and Beijing - where they will take
part in the International Champions Cup - before competing in the Emirates
Cup on home turf.
Bournemouth - July 1
The Cherries return to pre-season action on July 1 as they look to maintain
their Premier League status for a third consecutive season.
Eddie Howe's men have one friendly slated so far against QPR, heading to
Loftus Road on July 29 for a game which is being played to commemorate Rs
legend Stan Bowles.
Brighton - June 29
One of the earliest returners are promoted Brighton, who will be back at the
American Express Elite Football Performance Centre on June 29. The Seagulls
will be playing their first season in the Premier League having previously
had four seasons in the old Division One, and are mostly staying in the UK
for their friendlies. They travel to Crawley Town on July 22 in their first
fixture which culminates in a showpiece match against Atletico Madrid at the
Amex Stadium in August 6, one week before their opening league match.
Burnley - July 5
Burnley welcome back their players on July 5 and their extensive pre-season
schedule starts with a week-long training camp in the Republic of Ireland as
well as a first friendly against Shamrock Rovers on July 14. Trips to
Nottingham Forest and Preston follow among others, including two
as-yet-unconfirmed home fixtures, before the August 12 opener in the Premier
League. Speaking about pre-season, manager Sean Dyche told the club's
website: "Pre-season is a long period, so I think it's good to get the lads
away, and in that more confined environment where everyone is together for
five or six days to allow us to get that bonding done, as well as the
physical, tactical and technical work."
Chelsea - July 3
The Premier League champions begin their preparations for a title defence on
July 3, although this is also expected to be affected by international
duties. Chelsea will also be playing their pre-season friendlies across the
globe with a game scheduled against Arsenal at the Bird's Nest in Beijing
before two matches in Singapore when they compete in the International
Champions Cup. Their first competitive fixture will be on the opening day of
the Premier League season, with their Champions League campaign getting
underway in September.
Crystal Palace - TBC
Crystal Palace are yet to confirm a date, but do say it will be at the
beginning of July and will release a specific day when they have appointed a
new manager. The Eagles will take part in the Premier League Asia Trophy,
shown live on Sky Sports, where they will play Liverpool and either
Leicester or West Brom on July 19 and 22 in Hong Kong.
Everton - July 3
Ronald Koeman will have his squad back in training on July 3 as they look
towards a busy season that will include the third round of Europa League
qualification on July 27. However, some players could return after the
allocated date after international commitments, with manager Ronald Koeman
telling the Liverpool Echo: "I believe the players need at least three weeks
of holiday and maybe I will decide several players come back even later than
that date." The Toffees will also become the first Premier League side to
play in Tanzania for a pre-season fixture on July 13 and will also host
Sevilla on August 6.
Huddersfield - July 5
Play-off winners Huddersfield will start preparing for life in the Premier
League for the first time on July 5 when the players return to their
training ground, the Canalside Sports Complex. It remains to be seen if loan
players that helped them to promotion like Aaron Mooy, Izzy Brown and Danny
Ward will be in the squad with David Wagner saying after the Wembley
victory: "I think I have a lot of calls to do." The Terriers are yet to
announce their pre-season friendlies.
Leicester - July 3
Craig Shakespeare is yet to be confirmed as Leicester's boss, though he will
be expected to take charge of the Foxes going into next season after
impressing as interim boss at the King Power. The players will return to
training on July 3 before travelling to the Far East to take part in the
Premier League Asia Trophy. They face West Brom in Hong Kong (July 19),
while a second match in Asia will be followed by a number of friendlies back
home. Visits to Luton, MK Dons, Wolves and Burton are all in the pipeline.
Liverpool - first week of July
Jurgen Klopp's side ended the season with a friendly Down Under against
Sydney FC - which also featured Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher - and are
set to return to pre-season training in the first week of July. The Reds
travel to the Far East for the Premier League Asia Trophy, where they will
first face Crystal Palace (July 19) in Hong Kong. Liverpool will also play
Hertha Berlin (July 29) at the Olympiastadion before heading to Dublin to
take on Athletic Bilbao (August 5).
Manchester City - July 10
City have provisionally set a July 10 date for the squad to return to
training, though they will soon jet off to the United States to feature in
the International Champions Cup. Pep Guardiola's side will take on city
rivals Manchester United in Houston (July 20), before facing Real Madrid in
LA (July 26) and Tottenham in Nashville (July 29).
Manchester United - TBC
After ending the 2016/17 season with the Europa League glory, and the
guarantee of a Champions League spot to boot, Jose Mourinho's side return to
Carrington in the first few weeks of July - although the players will be
arriving at different times, depending on international commitments. United
take on LA Galaxy (July 15) and Real Salt Lake (July 17) before playing Man
City (July 20) in Houston. Friendlies against Real Madrid (July 23) and
Barcelona (July 26) follow, before they return to Europe to play Valerenga
IF (July 30) in Oslo and Sampdoria (August 2) in Dublin.
Newcastle - July 3
Sky Bet Championship winners Newcastle are back in the big time after just
one season away, and are heading back to training on July 3.
Rafa Benitez's side are yet to finalise pre-season plans in terms of
friendlies.
Southampton - TBC
Southampton are yet to confirm when their players will be returning for
pre-season training, with the future of manager Claude Puel still in doubt.
Southampton also have just one friendly match confirmed so far, as they
attempt to build on their eighth-place finish in the league last season.
They travel to Brentford on July 22.
Stoke - July 5
The Potters get their pre-season preparations underway on July 5 as they
look to improve on their 13th place finish from last season.
Stoke then travel to Switzerland to participate in the Uhrencup with matches
in the UK against Sheffield United, Bolton and Crewe Alexandra also on the
cards.
Swansea - July 3
After surviving the drop by the skin of their teeth last term, Paul Clement
will begin his first full pre-season at Swansea on July 3 when the players
return to training. It's then a hop across the pond for the Welsh side as
they play three friendlies against American opponents during a 10-day
pre-season camp and a fourth friendly against Birmingham City to be played
at St Andrew's on July 29.
Speaking about the USA tour, Swans vice-chairman Leigh Dineen told the
club's website: "The tour is not only designed to provide Paul Clement with
the best environment to prepare the squad for the new campaign, but it also
gives Swans fans at home and in the States the opportunity to plan potential
trips well in advance.''
Tottenham - July 3
Mauricio Pochettino's side are another who have earmarked July 3 as a return
date for their players, but with international fixtures coming up, they will
return at different times. Tottenham are heading to the USA for their
pre-season tour, playing games in Florida, New Jersey and Tennessee as they
compete in the International Champions Cup before returning to the UK for
the start of the Premier League season. "We are delighted to be taking part
in the International Champions Cup this summer - a competition that will
provide our players with ideal preparation for the season ahead and give our
passionate US fanbase a unique chance of seeing the team test themselves
against top European opposition in their home country," Spurs chairman
Daniel Levy told the club's official website.
Watford - TBC
Watford are yet to confirm when new Hornets boss Marco Silva will welcome
his players back to training, but the Portuguese boss will be busy this
summer after taking over from Walter Mazzarri, who was sacked after one
season in charge. Watford head to Woking (July 8) and AFC Wimbledon (July
15) for pre-season friendlies before hosting Aston Villa at Vicarage Road on
July 29.
West Brom - July 3
The Baggies are back in training on July 3, and will be looking to get their
form back on track after failing to win any of their last nine Premier
League games at the end of the previous campaign. Tony Pulis' side will be
jetting to Hong Kong to take part in the Premier League Asia Trophy, live on
Sky Sports, along with Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Leicester and also have
a host of domestic fixtures including games against Burton and Bristol
Rovers.
West Ham - July 5
West Ham return to pre-season training on July 5, although the club are yet
to announce any friendly matches. However, they are expected to mostly be
playing away games as the London Stadium will host the World Para-Athletics
Championships and World Championships in Athletics at the end of July and
the start of August respectively.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Robert Snodgrass reveals that he will stay at West Ham after 'difficult'
start to Hammers career
The midfielder has struggled since his move from Hull City
Football London
BYROB GUEST
15:00, 8 JUN 2017
Robert Snodgrass has revealed he will stay at West Ham next season after
holding talks with manager Slaven Bilic. Snodgrass struggled in east London
following his move from Hull City but he has said he is committed to the
club despite rumours of a potential transfer.
The Scotland international failed to score in his 15 appearances for the
Hammers after netting nine goals for the Tigers prior to his £10.2million
transfer. The 29-year-old admits he struggled without his family in London
last season, as well as trying to fill Dmitri Payet's boots. "It's not easy
moving to a new club in the middle of the season but I chose to join West
Ham above other teams because of their great tradition and fanbase and I'm
determined to make it a success," said Snodgrass. "There were some factors
that made things difficult last season. I was living away from my family
because we didn't want to interrupt schooling but next season I'll have my
wife and three kids with me. "I was also asked to play on the left to fill
the gap vacated by Dmitri Payet but it's never been my position. I've scored
nearly a hundred goals as a mainly right-sided player and I've said to the
manager that's where I think I'm most effective. "We've had a very good
discussion and hopefully I'll be given a run of games where I'm comfortable.
If it doesn't happen right away, I will have to wait for my chance. "I'm
really looking forward to meeting up with the West Ham boys for pre-season
and starting again."
Snodgrass is now looking to hit top form once the new season gets underway
after a difficult start to life in a claret and blue shirt.
After playing on the right in the final game of the season at Burnley, the
Scotsman is hoping to take that performance into the new campaign. "I scored
nine goals for Hull and a hat-trick for Scotland in the first half of the
season, you don't do that and then become an average player overnight, so I
know I can contribute to West Ham," added Snodgrass. "I was heartened by
playing on the right for the final game against Burnley which we won. It
gave me a bit of confidence and I want to take that momentum into the new
season. I don't know where the stories have come about moving on. I am
committed to West Ham."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WEST HAM INTERESTED IN BARCELONA STAR MUNIR EL HADDADI
ABDULLAH MULLA @AbzMulla6
ReadWestHam
West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Southampton are interested in signing
highly-rated Barcelona forward Munir El Haddadi as the youngster looks
surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Barcelona are ready to sell Munir, who spent this season on loan at fellow
La Liga club Valencia. The Catalan club are willing to listen to offers of
around £10 million and it is understood that West Ham are considering a bid.
Munir scored seven times in all competitions for Valencia this season and
the report states the La Liga club have been given the option to sign him
permanently but are unlikely to take the Catalan side up on it. Hammers boss
Slaven Bilic is looking to add firepower up front and with the anticipated
departure of Enner Valencia imminent, Munir could be the perfect
replacement. The Spanish forward first broke into the Barcelona squad in the
2014/15 season and managed to score six goals in 26 appearances. He then
fell out of favour and didn't manage to get enough game time which
ultimately led to his loan move to Valencia this season, where he was
impressive.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BESIKTAS LINING UP A MOVE FOR ENNER VALENCIA
ABDULLAH MULLA @AbzMulla6
ReadWestHam
West Ham United striker Enner Valencia is set to leave the London club, with
Turkish Champions Besiktas lining up a move for the out of favour forward,
according to a report on Football London. Reports in Turkey are suggesting
that the 27-year-old could be playing Champions League football with
Besiktas next season as the Istanbul-based club look to add firepower to
their frontline. Valencia spent this season on loan at fellow Premier League
club Everton but failed to make a lasting impression as Ronald Koeman
rejected the chance to sign him permanently for the Merseyside club. The
Toffees had an option of signing Valencia for £11m, but Koeman turned down
the deal. He scored three times for the Merseyside club this season in the
Premier League in 21 appearances. Valencia still has two years remaining on
his West Ham contract but it seems he has failed to impress Hammers boss
Slaven Bilic, as the manager looks set to cash in on the Ecuadorian forward.
The Hammers had huge problems in finding the back of the net this season and
Bilic is looking to strengthen his attack in this summer's transfer window.
It is highly likely that Valencia will be joined by Diafra Sakho through the
exit door.
Mexican side Cruz Azul and former club Pachuca have also shown interest in
Valencia but it is thought that Besiktas are leading the line for his
signature.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Robert Snodgrass commits to West Ham despite tough start to Hammers life and
interest from Brighton: 'I'm determined to make it a success'
West Ham signed Robert Snodgrass for £10.2million from Hull in January
The midfielder has only made 15 appearances, eight as a substitute
Brighton are interested in the Scot but he has pledged himself to the
Hammers
By Joe Bernstein for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 12:24, 8 June 2017 | UPDATED: 12:25, 8 June 2017
Scotland midfielder Robert Snodgrass will remain at West Ham next season
after discussions with manager Slaven Bilic. Snodgrass, in Gordon Strachan's
squad to face England on Saturday, failed to score for the Hammers following
a £10.2million move from Hull City in January but has reaffirmed his
commitment despite interest from Premier League new boys Brighton. 'It's not
easy moving to a new club in the middle of the season but I chose to join
West Ham above other teams because of their great tradition and fanbase and
I'm determined to make it a success,' said 29-year-old Snodgrass. 'There
were some factors that made things difficult last season. I was living away
from my family because we didn't want to interrupt schooling but next season
I'll have my wife and three kids with me.
'I was also asked to play on the left to fill the gap vacated by Dmitri
Payet but it's never been my position. I've scored nearly a hundred goals as
a mainly right-sided player and I've said to the manager that's where I
think I'm most effective. 'We've had a very good discussion and hopefully
I'll be given a run of games where I'm comfortable. If it doesn't happen
right away, I will have to wait for my chance. 'I'm really looking forward
to meeting up with the West Ham boys for pre-season and starting again.'
Though Bilic shared the frustration of Snodgrass' slow start to his West Ham
career – not helped by an ankle injury – he regards it as unfair to make a
final judgement after less than six months. 'I scored nine goals for Hull
and a hat-trick for Scotland in the first half of the season, you don't do
that and then become an average player overnight, so I know I can contribute
to West Ham,' said Snodgrass. 'I was heartened by playing on the right for
the final game against Burnley which we won. It gave me a bit of confidence
and I want to take that momentum into the new season. I don't know where the
stories have come about moving on. I am committed to West Ham.'
Eight of Snodgrass' 15 West Ham appearances have been off the substitutes'
bench but he can still end the season on a high with a famous result against
England at Hampden. 'It feels as if I've had two different seasons already
but playing England in a World Cup qualifier is a great way to go into the
summer,' he said. 'After that, I can't wait to rejoin the lads at West Ham
for pre-season training and show the real me.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham fans most responsible for rise in football-related arrests on
British transport network
Telegraph.co.uk
Alistair Tweedale
8 JUNE 2017 • 10:55AM
Hooliganism may no longer be quite the issue it once was in this country,
but problems still persist, particularly on our trains. Research conducted
by ticketgum into a Home Office news release reveals that while
football-related arrests have decreased over the last five seasons, the
number made on the transport network has risen for a fourth year running.
The statistics show that over the past five years there has been a decrease
in the number of football-related arrests across the country, from around
2,400 in 2011/12 to 1,895 in 2015/16, the most recent season charted.
However, arrests made on public transport have continued to rise, with 22
per cent of all football-related arrests made by the British Transport
Police. Football-related arrests have played a big part in overall crime on
the railway increasing by four per cent. Of the incidents where a Premier
League football club was mentioned, West Ham were responsible for the most,
with Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea next on the
list.
Liverpool and Middlesbrough were mentioned in just one per cent of those
arrests where fans of a specific Premier League club were involved. The fact
that the 'bigger' Premier League clubs are mostly nearer the top of this
list may be accounted for by their larger fanbases and attendances. However,
West Ham were still playing at the Boleyn Ground in 2015/16, while
Liverpool's Anfield home is one of the biggest in the country, so the number
of fans at matches cannot be the only explanation.
One of the reported offences included "4-500 fans who boarded a special
train service. While at platform the doors of the train were forced open and
coins thrown at rival fans. Due to the difficulty closing doors, the train
lost power, causing one cancellation and delays to 15 trains. [A] train
window was later found to have been smashed."
Another incident was said to have caused more than £3000 in damages. On the
matter, the British Transport Police stated the following, "We adopt a
proactive approach to football policing, with officers escorting trains
before and after matches and patrolling stations where large numbers of fans
are expected." The BTP added that "fixed penalty notices are not used for
football-related offences, making sure that offenders are charged with the
most serious offences their conduct warrants." BTP chief constable Paul
Crowther said in 2015 that the number of incidents on the transport network
may be even higher, because victims feel too frightened to talk to British
Transport Police officials. The three most common football-related offences
are public disorder, alcohol offences and violent disorder, which make up 96
per cent of arrests. Earlier this year, a French court found four Chelsea
fans guilty of racist violence on the Paris metro before a Champions League
match in February 2015. West Ham have endured more problems since moving to
the London Stadium, with visiting Middlesbrough fans attacked after their
match there last October.
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Chelsea refusing to allow wantaway Michy Batshuayi's transfer until they
sign a new striker
Clubs across Europe are after the £33m Belgian, who confirmed he wants to be
playing more next season in a World Cup year
The Mirror
BYDARREN LEWIS
22:30, 7 JUN 2017
Michy Batshuayi will not be permitted to leave Chelsea until the champions
have landed a replacement. West Ham, Scotland's Rangers, French side Monaco
and Sevilla of Spain are all keen to snap up the 23-year-old, who spent last
season on the fringes for the Blues before scoring in three of his final
four games — including the late winner at West Brom that confirmed them as
champions. Chelsea, meanwhile, are trying to agree a fee with Everton for
their star frontman Romelu Lukaku . The Toffees' 25-goal leading scorer
wants a return to Stamford Bridge, where he spent three seasons from 2011
albeit mostly out on loan. However, Everton require a world-record
£100million for him. The future of Diego Costa , the champions' current
first-choice up front, is also uncertain. The Spain striker is reluctant to
move to the Chinese Super League, where Tianjin Quinjan are ready to pay
£76million for him. He is prepared to rejoin previous club Atletico Madrid,
but the La Liga heavyweights are under a transfer ban and will not be able
to register new players until January. It means Costa could stay at Stamford
Bridge, and Belgium international Batshuayi is unwilling to endure another
season on the bench in a World Cup year. He said: "No, no, no. Everyone
knows that I have to play more, that I have to score goals. There's a World
Cup coming up next year. I want to be ready for the World Cup. "But I'm not
going to ask anything. I'm going to listen to what they are saying. They are
the boss, not me. And afterwards I'll discuss it with my agent and the club.
Amicably, as friends. Of course. "A loan? That's not up to me. That's up to
them. They take the decisions, not me. "Diego is a top player who has played
in top teams and has scored a lot of goals at the highest level. I'm still
young, so I've learned a lot from him. "I have lived difficult moments, but
it's in times like those that you learn the most. "Certainly when you're
surrounded by top class players, like Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard, all of
them, you only can make progress in a situation like that. I haven't played
a lot, you know, but I managed to scored one of the most important goals.
"It gave me a boost. Good for me, good for the team. Of course I wanted to
play more. And of course I wanted to score more goals. That's normal. All
players want that. But we have become champions. That's really good for me.
It's a wonderful experience."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Chelsea title hero Michy Batshuayi insists he cannot accept another season
sitting on the Blues' bench
Michy Batshuayi has admits he cannot spend another season on Chelsea's bench
The Belgian striker became a Blues hero after scoring the title-winning goal
Batshuayi ended the season in a purple patch, scoring in three consecutive
ties
West Ham and Everton have been linked with the 23-year-old
By Danny Gallagher For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 23:16, 7 June 2017 | UPDATED: 23:17, 7 June 2017
Chelsea's title hero Michy Batshuayi has admitted he cannot spend another
season wallowing on the substitutes' bench at Stamford Bridge.
The Belgian youngster spent the majority of the season seeing only glimpses
of action, before bursting onto the scene in the latter stages to score the
title-clinching goal during Chelsea's away clash with West Brom. He went on
to find the back of the net in each of Chelsea's two final fixtures of the
season, ending his personal campaign on a high. And now the 23-year-old has
spoken openly regarding his immediate future, maintaining that he cannot
spend another season as a bit-part player. 'Everyone knows that I have to
play more, that I have to score goals. There's a World Cup coming up next
year. I want to be ready for the World Cup,' said Batshuayi in an interview
with The Guardian. 'But I'm not going to ask anything. I'm going to listen
to what they are saying. They are the boss, not me. And afterwards I'll
discuss it with my agent and the club. Amicably, as friends of course. A
loan? That's not up to me. That's up to them. They take the decisions, not
me.'
Despite the frustration of limited time out on the pitch, Batshuayi believes
he has grown as a player as a result of the talent around him. This, plus
the additional confidence of a title-winning goal, is set to stand him in
good stead ahead of the coming season, the striker believes: 'I have lived
difficult moments, but it's in times like those that you learn the most.
Certainly when you're surrounded by top class players, like Cesc Fàbregas,
Eden Hazard, all of them, you only can make progress in a situation like
that.
'I haven't played a lot, you know, but I managed to scored one of the most
important goals. It gave me a boost. Good for me, good for the team. Of
course I wanted to play more. And of course I wanted to score more goals.
That's normal,' he added. West Ham, who bid for Batshuayi before he made the
move from Marseille to Chelsea, have again been linked with the player.
Everton have likewise also been touted as a destination, with Batshuayi a
potential inclusion in any possible deal to bring Romelu Lukaku back to
Stamford Bridge.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Andre Ayew wants to take his late-season form for West Ham United into
Ghana's opening 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier this weekend.
The Black Stars forward ended 2016/17 with five goals and three assists in
the Hammers' closing 13 Premier League fixtures, including the winner in the
final-day victory at Burnley. Now, the vastly-experienced 27-year-old, wants
to add to his 14 international goals when Ghana take on Ethiopia in their
Group F tie in Kumasi on Sunday afternoon.
Ghana finished fourth in the 2017 tournament, which was held in Gabon
earlier this year, with Ayew scoring two goals, but the No20 wants to do
even better at the 2019 finals in Cameroon. Ghana will also face Kenya and
Sierra Leone in their qualifying group.
Having started their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a draw
with Uganda and defeat in Egypt, Ayew wants Ghana to return to winning ways
as they seek qualification for their continent's own major tournament.
"It will be very important to start the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations campaign
on a winning note," he confirmed. "We have a goal which is qualifying for
the 2019 AFCON and we must start by getting good results here and we know
the bad results we had against Uganda made our World Cup campaign a
difficult one.
"That is not yet over, but we have put that on the sideline now and think
about the Africa Cup of Nations. Now thinking about the game against
Ethiopia where we want all three points and we're going to work towards
that.
"We can't sit here and say we want to win the Africa Cup of Nations if we
have not qualified, so we need to do our job and qualify. It's going to be
very tough and very difficult, but Ghana is a team which has to win
trophies.
"Now until then is a long time, so we don't want to predict anything, but
that's the goal we are working towards, going to Cameroon and doing
something great. But before that, we have to pass Kenya, Ethopia and Sierra
Leone, so we have a lot of games."
Following their Group F opener, Ghana travel to North America for friendly
internationals with Mexico and the United States before recommencing their
stuttering World Cup qualifying campaign.
Ayew and company host Congo on 28 August before travelling to face the same
opposition on 2 September, and the West Ham man knows two victories are
vital against their pointless opponents.
"Nothing is impossible but we can say that it's close to an impossible
mission!" he smiled. "People who know me know that I never give up and in
one game everything can change.
"So, we have to stay calm and put everything in the hands of the almighty
Allah, but also in our legs, because we have a lot of work to do if we want
to go to Russia. We have to win all four games and I expect Egypt to lose a
game or draw two. So we're going to wait and see, but every game for us is a
must-win."
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Dan Kemp previews Toulon Tournament semi-final against Scotland
WHUFC.com
Dan Kemp hopes to draw on his knockout fixture experience when England U20s
face Scotland in the semi-finals of the Toulon Tournament.
Kemp was part of the Hammers U23 side that won both knockout games in the
Premier League 2 Division 2 play-offs to win promotion last month. Since
winning promotion for West Ham PL2, Kemp has played a key role for England
in France, helping them make it through to the semi-finals. A mouthwatering
clash against their close rivals Scotland awaits on Thursday (4pm BST) and
Kemp hopes his knockout experience will prove helpful. "I think it (knockout
football experience) will help me a little bit because I have played in some
big games before," he said. "But this will be one of the biggest, if not the
biggest game I would have been involved in. "I love and enjoy playing in the
big games because I know that this is where I can learn and show people what
I can do."
England made it through to the semi-finals in Toulon after achieving a 100%
record in Group A. Kemp featured in their opening match against Angola when
a solitary header from Chelsea striker Ike Ugbo was enough to give them a
1-0 victory. England then thrashed Cuba 7-1 to qualify for the knockout
phase before edging out Japan 2-1 in their final group match to maintain
their winning record. Kemp was involved in the first of England's two goals
after being fouled in penalty area – Sheffield Wednesday's George Hirst
scored the spot-kick to set the Young Lions on their way. Meanwhile,
Scotland only made it into the knockout phase as the best second-placed team
from the group stage, but Kemp is well aware of the threat they pose. "I'm
very excited and I cannot wait for the game," he added. "It will be a good
test against Scotland but we are all looking forward to it. These are the
games you want to play in. "It (the rivalry) definitely adds some importance
to the game but it also give you extra incentive to push the extra bit to
get the win. The win is all that matters."
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West Ham United's all-time most-capped international XI
WHUFC.com
While West Ham United's season may be over, a host of first-team stars are
away representing their countries on international duty.
From Wales wing half William Jones in 1901 to Portugal centre-back Jose
Fonte earlier this year, some 156 Hammers have pulled on the jerseys of
their respective nations.
To mark the current busy schedule of FIFA World Cup and Africa Cup of
Nations qualifiers, FIFA Confederations Cup and friendly matches, we delved
deep into the record books to select a team of players who earned the most
caps during their time in east London. The resulting XI may surprise you…
Goalkeeper: Craig Forrest
Country: Canada
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 23
Craig Forrest had already been a Canada international for nine years when he
joined the Hammers from Ipswich Town in 1998.
The athletic British Colombia-born stopper excelled for his country during
his five years with West Ham United, winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the
Most Valuable Player and Canadian International Player of the Year awards in
2000, before appearing at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Right-back: Rigobert Song
Country: Cameroon
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 22
Another experienced campaigner, Rigobert Song made his Cameroon debut at the
age of 17 back in 1993 – before he had even played a first-team game for
French club Metz! Song appeared at two FIFA World Cup and three Africa Cup
of Nations finals – winning one – before joining West Ham United from
Liverpool in 2000. The versatile defender played three times at the 2002
FIFA World Cup finals in Japan before joining French side RC Lens later that
summer.
Left-back: Jonathan Spector
Country: United States
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 34
Fresh-faced defender Jonathan Spector joined West Ham United from Manchester
United as a 20-year-old in summer 2006 – nearly two years after he had made
his United States debut against Jamaica. Spector enjoyed international
success while with the Hammers, winning the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup on home
turf before helping the Americans to the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup final
and travelling to the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament, both in South Africa.
Centre-back: Bobby Moore
Country: England
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 108
England's greatest-ever captain marshaled the Three Lions defence for more
than a decade, earning a then-record 108 caps between May 1962 and November
1973. As every West Ham United fan will tell you, Moore led his country to
FIFA World Cup glory in 1966, to the UEFA European Championship semi-finals
in 1968 and the knockout stages at Mexico 1970.
Centre-back: James Collins
Country: Wales
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 39
Still plying his trade in Claret and Blue at the age of 33, James Collins
has earned 39 of his 51 Wales caps during his ten seasons with West Ham
United. Newport-born Ginge debuted for Wales against Norway in 2004 and has
featured at least once in every calendar year since then, culminating in the
fabulous run to the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2016.
Right midfield: Steve Lomas
Country: Northern Ireland
Centre-back: Bobby Moore
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 27
Born in Germany to the family of a British serviceman before being raised in
the town of Coleraine, Steve Lomas made his Northern Ireland debut against
Liechtenstein while a Manchester City player in April 1994. The combative
midfielder and captain moved to east London three years later and continued
to be picked regularly for his country for the next six seasons, taking his
caps total to 45.
Central midfield: Christian Dailly
Country: Scotland
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 39
Just eight players have been capped more times by Scotland than Christian
Dailly, who earned 67 pieces of headwear to cover his curly hair between
1997 and 2008. After debuting and appearing at the 1998 FIFA World Cup
finals while a Derby County player, Dailly spent two seasons with Blackburn
Rovers before earning more than half his caps during his seven seasons in
Claret and Blue.
Central midfield: Martin Peters
Country: England
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 33
The second of three 1966 FIFA World Cup winners in this XI, Martin Peters
forced his way into Alf Ramsey's side just weeks before the tournament
began, at the age of just 22. A versatile performer who earned rave reviews
from teammates and managers alike, Peters earned 33 of his 67 caps between
1966 and 1970, when he joined Tottenham Hotspur and then added the remaining
34.
Left midfield: Trevor Brooking
Country: England
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 47
The first of two team members to earn all of his international caps while
with West Ham United, Trevor Brooking's talents saw him debut against
Portugal in 1974. He remained a regular member of the England squad for the
next eight years, appearing at UEFA Euro 1980 in Italy and the 1982 FIFA
World Cup finals in Spain.
Forward: Enner Valencia
Country: Ecuador
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 23
The second member of the side still playing for West Ham United, Enner
Valencia joined the Hammers after excelling for Ecuador at the 2014 FIFA
World Cup finals. Prior to that tournament, the forward netted in a friendly
against England, and since arriving in east London he has continued to be
capped – and score – regularly for his country, appearing at the 2015 and
2016 Copa America tournaments.
Forward: Geoff Hurst
Country: England
Caps awarded while at West Ham United: 49
Last but by no means least, Geoff Hurst is the second player to have earned
all of his caps while a Hammer – 49 in total between 1966 and 1972. The 1966
FIFA World Cup fina l hat-trick hero scored 24 goals for his country and
also appeared at UEFA Euro 1968 and Mexico 1970, netting against the Soviet
Union and Romania respectively.
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Robert Snodgrass - Beat England and Scotland can qualify for the World Cup
WHUFC.com
West Ham United winger Robert Snodgrass is out to make himself an unpopular
figure among the Claret and Blue Army this weekend. The Hammers wideman is
set to start for his country when Scotland host England in a vital 2018 FIFA
World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park on Saturday evening. The Scots need to
win the Group F tie to give themselves any real hope of reaching Russia and,
despite having beaten England just once in their last ten meetings with the
Auld Enemy dating back to 1985, Snodgrass insists the Tartan Army will rise
to the challenge. "I have never ever had that sort of feeling [of
inferiority] since I went down to England," the No11 told The Scottish Sun.
"I have always had that drive inside my stomach, that burning feeling to get
the success you want to achieve as an individual, and to keep hitting
targets. "I want to keep driving forward, and I have never had the feeling
of being feart of this player or that player. I look forward to it more than
anything." "You can sit and say 'That's Scottish fitba', if we go and beat
them. So there is that to consider, but there are loads of different things
about this match. "On the day, it will be about which team wants it the
most. It will be about which team has that desire to get on the ball and
make things happen."
England won the reverse fixture at Wembley 3-0 before Christmas, with
Snodgrass missing the Scots' best chance of the game with his side just a
single goal down. While that result might have been a big blow to Scotland's
hopes of reaching a first World Cup since 1998, they go into Saturday's
mouth-watering Glasgow showdown on the back of a morale-boosting 1-0 win
over Slovenia in their last qualifier. The Hammers star has challenged his
compatriots to repeat that performance and result when they take on Aaron
Cresswell and company in his home city. "We all knew after the last game
against Slovenia that was more like the Scotland we all want to see," he
confirmed. "There was no fear and there is nothing to be scared of on
Saturday. "We have good players playing at a good level, so let's go out and
express ourselves."
Victory over their neighbours would close Scotland's deficit to England to
just three points, with four qualification matches still to play. While it
looked very unlikely a few months ago, Snodgrass insists a win this weekend
would give Gordon Strachan's side a real chance of overhauling England and
topping the group. "It would give everyone the belief again that we are
serious contenders," said the midfielder, who scored a hat-trick in a win
over Malta earlier in the current qualification campaign. "We need to focus
on group position, and we need to get the win for that reason. It is all
about qualifying. "That was our objective at the start. It wasn't to just
fight for second place. "You saw against England we had a lot of chances,
and if we didn't believe we would never have got those chances. "We have
always believed that we could go for automatic qualification in this group.
But when you take hits and have to take a step back, you then need to try
and take two forward. "We want to get there automatically, we want to beat
England and kick on."
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The day West Ham United braved the bombs to win at Wembley
WHUFC.com
While the Football League may have been suspended just three games into the
1939/40 season due to the onset of the Second World War, West Ham United
continued to compete throughout the conflict-torn decade. Just as had
occurred during the First World War 25 years earlier, a regional War-Time
league competition was introduced, with the divisions and their make-up
fluctuating from season to season.
Every football club in the land sent men to fight for their country and West
Ham were no different, with no fewer than 41 players swapping their football
kit for military uniform. The FA Cup was also suspended for the duration of
the War, with the Football League War Cup being introduced in its place, and
it was in this competition that the Hammers enjoyed a unforgettable day in
the Club's history.
The final was played on 8 June 1940 at Wembley Stadium at 6.30pm - before
the night-time blackout - despite fears that London would be bombed that
evening by the Luftwaffe, West Ham defeated Blackburn Rovers 1-0 through a
34th-minute goal from Sam Small. Amazingly, a crowd of 42,300 bravely turned
out to see Charlie Paynter's Hammers presented with the trophy by A.V.
Alexander, First Lord of the Admiralty.
As a further reminder that the country was at war, the crowd included
wounded members of the British Expeditionary Force recently evacuated from
Dunkirk in northern France, while a number of players headed straight back
to their service units after the game.
West Ham United's War Cup final-winning team
Herman Conway
Charlie Bicknell (capt.)
Charlie Walker
Ted Fenton
Dick Walker
Joe Cockroft
Sam Small
Archie Macauley
Alec George Foreman
Len Goulden
Stan Foxall
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When do Premier League clubs return for pre-season?
Last Updated: 07/06/17 2:12pm
SSN
The Premier League season may have just ended, but clubs are already
preparing for pre-season. We look at when are each team will be back in
training...
Arsenal - July 3
The Gunners officially return to pre-season training on July 3, but players
are expected to come back in groups due to international fixtures. Arsene
Wenger also confirmed that he would be staying at the club for another two
years on Wednesday May 31, meaning there will be no worry over who will be
at the helm when the players return - including new signing Sead Kolasinac
from Schalke. The FA Cup holders then jet off around the world for their
pre-season friendlies, heading to Sydney and Beijing - where they will take
part in the International Champions Cup - before competing in the Emirates
Cup on home turf.
Bournemouth - July 1
The Cherries return to pre-season action on July 1 as they look to maintain
their Premier League status for a third consecutive season.
Eddie Howe's men have one friendly slated so far against QPR, heading to
Loftus Road on July 29 for a game which is being played to commemorate Rs
legend Stan Bowles.
Brighton - June 29
One of the earliest returners are promoted Brighton, who will be back at the
American Express Elite Football Performance Centre on June 29. The Seagulls
will be playing their first season in the Premier League having previously
had four seasons in the old Division One, and are mostly staying in the UK
for their friendlies. They travel to Crawley Town on July 22 in their first
fixture which culminates in a showpiece match against Atletico Madrid at the
Amex Stadium in August 6, one week before their opening league match.
Burnley - July 5
Burnley welcome back their players on July 5 and their extensive pre-season
schedule starts with a week-long training camp in the Republic of Ireland as
well as a first friendly against Shamrock Rovers on July 14. Trips to
Nottingham Forest and Preston follow among others, including two
as-yet-unconfirmed home fixtures, before the August 12 opener in the Premier
League. Speaking about pre-season, manager Sean Dyche told the club's
website: "Pre-season is a long period, so I think it's good to get the lads
away, and in that more confined environment where everyone is together for
five or six days to allow us to get that bonding done, as well as the
physical, tactical and technical work."
Chelsea - July 3
The Premier League champions begin their preparations for a title defence on
July 3, although this is also expected to be affected by international
duties. Chelsea will also be playing their pre-season friendlies across the
globe with a game scheduled against Arsenal at the Bird's Nest in Beijing
before two matches in Singapore when they compete in the International
Champions Cup. Their first competitive fixture will be on the opening day of
the Premier League season, with their Champions League campaign getting
underway in September.
Crystal Palace - TBC
Crystal Palace are yet to confirm a date, but do say it will be at the
beginning of July and will release a specific day when they have appointed a
new manager. The Eagles will take part in the Premier League Asia Trophy,
shown live on Sky Sports, where they will play Liverpool and either
Leicester or West Brom on July 19 and 22 in Hong Kong.
Everton - July 3
Ronald Koeman will have his squad back in training on July 3 as they look
towards a busy season that will include the third round of Europa League
qualification on July 27. However, some players could return after the
allocated date after international commitments, with manager Ronald Koeman
telling the Liverpool Echo: "I believe the players need at least three weeks
of holiday and maybe I will decide several players come back even later than
that date." The Toffees will also become the first Premier League side to
play in Tanzania for a pre-season fixture on July 13 and will also host
Sevilla on August 6.
Huddersfield - July 5
Play-off winners Huddersfield will start preparing for life in the Premier
League for the first time on July 5 when the players return to their
training ground, the Canalside Sports Complex. It remains to be seen if loan
players that helped them to promotion like Aaron Mooy, Izzy Brown and Danny
Ward will be in the squad with David Wagner saying after the Wembley
victory: "I think I have a lot of calls to do." The Terriers are yet to
announce their pre-season friendlies.
Leicester - July 3
Craig Shakespeare is yet to be confirmed as Leicester's boss, though he will
be expected to take charge of the Foxes going into next season after
impressing as interim boss at the King Power. The players will return to
training on July 3 before travelling to the Far East to take part in the
Premier League Asia Trophy. They face West Brom in Hong Kong (July 19),
while a second match in Asia will be followed by a number of friendlies back
home. Visits to Luton, MK Dons, Wolves and Burton are all in the pipeline.
Liverpool - first week of July
Jurgen Klopp's side ended the season with a friendly Down Under against
Sydney FC - which also featured Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher - and are
set to return to pre-season training in the first week of July. The Reds
travel to the Far East for the Premier League Asia Trophy, where they will
first face Crystal Palace (July 19) in Hong Kong. Liverpool will also play
Hertha Berlin (July 29) at the Olympiastadion before heading to Dublin to
take on Athletic Bilbao (August 5).
Manchester City - July 10
City have provisionally set a July 10 date for the squad to return to
training, though they will soon jet off to the United States to feature in
the International Champions Cup. Pep Guardiola's side will take on city
rivals Manchester United in Houston (July 20), before facing Real Madrid in
LA (July 26) and Tottenham in Nashville (July 29).
Manchester United - TBC
After ending the 2016/17 season with the Europa League glory, and the
guarantee of a Champions League spot to boot, Jose Mourinho's side return to
Carrington in the first few weeks of July - although the players will be
arriving at different times, depending on international commitments. United
take on LA Galaxy (July 15) and Real Salt Lake (July 17) before playing Man
City (July 20) in Houston. Friendlies against Real Madrid (July 23) and
Barcelona (July 26) follow, before they return to Europe to play Valerenga
IF (July 30) in Oslo and Sampdoria (August 2) in Dublin.
Newcastle - July 3
Sky Bet Championship winners Newcastle are back in the big time after just
one season away, and are heading back to training on July 3.
Rafa Benitez's side are yet to finalise pre-season plans in terms of
friendlies.
Southampton - TBC
Southampton are yet to confirm when their players will be returning for
pre-season training, with the future of manager Claude Puel still in doubt.
Southampton also have just one friendly match confirmed so far, as they
attempt to build on their eighth-place finish in the league last season.
They travel to Brentford on July 22.
Stoke - July 5
The Potters get their pre-season preparations underway on July 5 as they
look to improve on their 13th place finish from last season.
Stoke then travel to Switzerland to participate in the Uhrencup with matches
in the UK against Sheffield United, Bolton and Crewe Alexandra also on the
cards.
Swansea - July 3
After surviving the drop by the skin of their teeth last term, Paul Clement
will begin his first full pre-season at Swansea on July 3 when the players
return to training. It's then a hop across the pond for the Welsh side as
they play three friendlies against American opponents during a 10-day
pre-season camp and a fourth friendly against Birmingham City to be played
at St Andrew's on July 29.
Speaking about the USA tour, Swans vice-chairman Leigh Dineen told the
club's website: "The tour is not only designed to provide Paul Clement with
the best environment to prepare the squad for the new campaign, but it also
gives Swans fans at home and in the States the opportunity to plan potential
trips well in advance.''
Tottenham - July 3
Mauricio Pochettino's side are another who have earmarked July 3 as a return
date for their players, but with international fixtures coming up, they will
return at different times. Tottenham are heading to the USA for their
pre-season tour, playing games in Florida, New Jersey and Tennessee as they
compete in the International Champions Cup before returning to the UK for
the start of the Premier League season. "We are delighted to be taking part
in the International Champions Cup this summer - a competition that will
provide our players with ideal preparation for the season ahead and give our
passionate US fanbase a unique chance of seeing the team test themselves
against top European opposition in their home country," Spurs chairman
Daniel Levy told the club's official website.
Watford - TBC
Watford are yet to confirm when new Hornets boss Marco Silva will welcome
his players back to training, but the Portuguese boss will be busy this
summer after taking over from Walter Mazzarri, who was sacked after one
season in charge. Watford head to Woking (July 8) and AFC Wimbledon (July
15) for pre-season friendlies before hosting Aston Villa at Vicarage Road on
July 29.
West Brom - July 3
The Baggies are back in training on July 3, and will be looking to get their
form back on track after failing to win any of their last nine Premier
League games at the end of the previous campaign. Tony Pulis' side will be
jetting to Hong Kong to take part in the Premier League Asia Trophy, live on
Sky Sports, along with Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Leicester and also have
a host of domestic fixtures including games against Burton and Bristol
Rovers.
West Ham - July 5
West Ham return to pre-season training on July 5, although the club are yet
to announce any friendly matches. However, they are expected to mostly be
playing away games as the London Stadium will host the World Para-Athletics
Championships and World Championships in Athletics at the end of July and
the start of August respectively.
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Robert Snodgrass reveals that he will stay at West Ham after 'difficult'
start to Hammers career
The midfielder has struggled since his move from Hull City
Football London
BYROB GUEST
15:00, 8 JUN 2017
Robert Snodgrass has revealed he will stay at West Ham next season after
holding talks with manager Slaven Bilic. Snodgrass struggled in east London
following his move from Hull City but he has said he is committed to the
club despite rumours of a potential transfer.
The Scotland international failed to score in his 15 appearances for the
Hammers after netting nine goals for the Tigers prior to his £10.2million
transfer. The 29-year-old admits he struggled without his family in London
last season, as well as trying to fill Dmitri Payet's boots. "It's not easy
moving to a new club in the middle of the season but I chose to join West
Ham above other teams because of their great tradition and fanbase and I'm
determined to make it a success," said Snodgrass. "There were some factors
that made things difficult last season. I was living away from my family
because we didn't want to interrupt schooling but next season I'll have my
wife and three kids with me. "I was also asked to play on the left to fill
the gap vacated by Dmitri Payet but it's never been my position. I've scored
nearly a hundred goals as a mainly right-sided player and I've said to the
manager that's where I think I'm most effective. "We've had a very good
discussion and hopefully I'll be given a run of games where I'm comfortable.
If it doesn't happen right away, I will have to wait for my chance. "I'm
really looking forward to meeting up with the West Ham boys for pre-season
and starting again."
Snodgrass is now looking to hit top form once the new season gets underway
after a difficult start to life in a claret and blue shirt.
After playing on the right in the final game of the season at Burnley, the
Scotsman is hoping to take that performance into the new campaign. "I scored
nine goals for Hull and a hat-trick for Scotland in the first half of the
season, you don't do that and then become an average player overnight, so I
know I can contribute to West Ham," added Snodgrass. "I was heartened by
playing on the right for the final game against Burnley which we won. It
gave me a bit of confidence and I want to take that momentum into the new
season. I don't know where the stories have come about moving on. I am
committed to West Ham."
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WEST HAM INTERESTED IN BARCELONA STAR MUNIR EL HADDADI
ABDULLAH MULLA @AbzMulla6
ReadWestHam
West Ham United, Crystal Palace and Southampton are interested in signing
highly-rated Barcelona forward Munir El Haddadi as the youngster looks
surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Barcelona are ready to sell Munir, who spent this season on loan at fellow
La Liga club Valencia. The Catalan club are willing to listen to offers of
around £10 million and it is understood that West Ham are considering a bid.
Munir scored seven times in all competitions for Valencia this season and
the report states the La Liga club have been given the option to sign him
permanently but are unlikely to take the Catalan side up on it. Hammers boss
Slaven Bilic is looking to add firepower up front and with the anticipated
departure of Enner Valencia imminent, Munir could be the perfect
replacement. The Spanish forward first broke into the Barcelona squad in the
2014/15 season and managed to score six goals in 26 appearances. He then
fell out of favour and didn't manage to get enough game time which
ultimately led to his loan move to Valencia this season, where he was
impressive.
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BESIKTAS LINING UP A MOVE FOR ENNER VALENCIA
ABDULLAH MULLA @AbzMulla6
ReadWestHam
West Ham United striker Enner Valencia is set to leave the London club, with
Turkish Champions Besiktas lining up a move for the out of favour forward,
according to a report on Football London. Reports in Turkey are suggesting
that the 27-year-old could be playing Champions League football with
Besiktas next season as the Istanbul-based club look to add firepower to
their frontline. Valencia spent this season on loan at fellow Premier League
club Everton but failed to make a lasting impression as Ronald Koeman
rejected the chance to sign him permanently for the Merseyside club. The
Toffees had an option of signing Valencia for £11m, but Koeman turned down
the deal. He scored three times for the Merseyside club this season in the
Premier League in 21 appearances. Valencia still has two years remaining on
his West Ham contract but it seems he has failed to impress Hammers boss
Slaven Bilic, as the manager looks set to cash in on the Ecuadorian forward.
The Hammers had huge problems in finding the back of the net this season and
Bilic is looking to strengthen his attack in this summer's transfer window.
It is highly likely that Valencia will be joined by Diafra Sakho through the
exit door.
Mexican side Cruz Azul and former club Pachuca have also shown interest in
Valencia but it is thought that Besiktas are leading the line for his
signature.
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Robert Snodgrass commits to West Ham despite tough start to Hammers life and
interest from Brighton: 'I'm determined to make it a success'
West Ham signed Robert Snodgrass for £10.2million from Hull in January
The midfielder has only made 15 appearances, eight as a substitute
Brighton are interested in the Scot but he has pledged himself to the
Hammers
By Joe Bernstein for MailOnline
PUBLISHED: 12:24, 8 June 2017 | UPDATED: 12:25, 8 June 2017
Scotland midfielder Robert Snodgrass will remain at West Ham next season
after discussions with manager Slaven Bilic. Snodgrass, in Gordon Strachan's
squad to face England on Saturday, failed to score for the Hammers following
a £10.2million move from Hull City in January but has reaffirmed his
commitment despite interest from Premier League new boys Brighton. 'It's not
easy moving to a new club in the middle of the season but I chose to join
West Ham above other teams because of their great tradition and fanbase and
I'm determined to make it a success,' said 29-year-old Snodgrass. 'There
were some factors that made things difficult last season. I was living away
from my family because we didn't want to interrupt schooling but next season
I'll have my wife and three kids with me.
'I was also asked to play on the left to fill the gap vacated by Dmitri
Payet but it's never been my position. I've scored nearly a hundred goals as
a mainly right-sided player and I've said to the manager that's where I
think I'm most effective. 'We've had a very good discussion and hopefully
I'll be given a run of games where I'm comfortable. If it doesn't happen
right away, I will have to wait for my chance. 'I'm really looking forward
to meeting up with the West Ham boys for pre-season and starting again.'
Though Bilic shared the frustration of Snodgrass' slow start to his West Ham
career – not helped by an ankle injury – he regards it as unfair to make a
final judgement after less than six months. 'I scored nine goals for Hull
and a hat-trick for Scotland in the first half of the season, you don't do
that and then become an average player overnight, so I know I can contribute
to West Ham,' said Snodgrass. 'I was heartened by playing on the right for
the final game against Burnley which we won. It gave me a bit of confidence
and I want to take that momentum into the new season. I don't know where the
stories have come about moving on. I am committed to West Ham.'
Eight of Snodgrass' 15 West Ham appearances have been off the substitutes'
bench but he can still end the season on a high with a famous result against
England at Hampden. 'It feels as if I've had two different seasons already
but playing England in a World Cup qualifier is a great way to go into the
summer,' he said. 'After that, I can't wait to rejoin the lads at West Ham
for pre-season training and show the real me.'
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West Ham fans most responsible for rise in football-related arrests on
British transport network
Telegraph.co.uk
Alistair Tweedale
8 JUNE 2017 • 10:55AM
Hooliganism may no longer be quite the issue it once was in this country,
but problems still persist, particularly on our trains. Research conducted
by ticketgum into a Home Office news release reveals that while
football-related arrests have decreased over the last five seasons, the
number made on the transport network has risen for a fourth year running.
The statistics show that over the past five years there has been a decrease
in the number of football-related arrests across the country, from around
2,400 in 2011/12 to 1,895 in 2015/16, the most recent season charted.
However, arrests made on public transport have continued to rise, with 22
per cent of all football-related arrests made by the British Transport
Police. Football-related arrests have played a big part in overall crime on
the railway increasing by four per cent. Of the incidents where a Premier
League football club was mentioned, West Ham were responsible for the most,
with Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea next on the
list.
Liverpool and Middlesbrough were mentioned in just one per cent of those
arrests where fans of a specific Premier League club were involved. The fact
that the 'bigger' Premier League clubs are mostly nearer the top of this
list may be accounted for by their larger fanbases and attendances. However,
West Ham were still playing at the Boleyn Ground in 2015/16, while
Liverpool's Anfield home is one of the biggest in the country, so the number
of fans at matches cannot be the only explanation.
One of the reported offences included "4-500 fans who boarded a special
train service. While at platform the doors of the train were forced open and
coins thrown at rival fans. Due to the difficulty closing doors, the train
lost power, causing one cancellation and delays to 15 trains. [A] train
window was later found to have been smashed."
Another incident was said to have caused more than £3000 in damages. On the
matter, the British Transport Police stated the following, "We adopt a
proactive approach to football policing, with officers escorting trains
before and after matches and patrolling stations where large numbers of fans
are expected." The BTP added that "fixed penalty notices are not used for
football-related offences, making sure that offenders are charged with the
most serious offences their conduct warrants." BTP chief constable Paul
Crowther said in 2015 that the number of incidents on the transport network
may be even higher, because victims feel too frightened to talk to British
Transport Police officials. The three most common football-related offences
are public disorder, alcohol offences and violent disorder, which make up 96
per cent of arrests. Earlier this year, a French court found four Chelsea
fans guilty of racist violence on the Paris metro before a Champions League
match in February 2015. West Ham have endured more problems since moving to
the London Stadium, with visiting Middlesbrough fans attacked after their
match there last October.
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Chelsea refusing to allow wantaway Michy Batshuayi's transfer until they
sign a new striker
Clubs across Europe are after the £33m Belgian, who confirmed he wants to be
playing more next season in a World Cup year
The Mirror
BYDARREN LEWIS
22:30, 7 JUN 2017
Michy Batshuayi will not be permitted to leave Chelsea until the champions
have landed a replacement. West Ham, Scotland's Rangers, French side Monaco
and Sevilla of Spain are all keen to snap up the 23-year-old, who spent last
season on the fringes for the Blues before scoring in three of his final
four games — including the late winner at West Brom that confirmed them as
champions. Chelsea, meanwhile, are trying to agree a fee with Everton for
their star frontman Romelu Lukaku . The Toffees' 25-goal leading scorer
wants a return to Stamford Bridge, where he spent three seasons from 2011
albeit mostly out on loan. However, Everton require a world-record
£100million for him. The future of Diego Costa , the champions' current
first-choice up front, is also uncertain. The Spain striker is reluctant to
move to the Chinese Super League, where Tianjin Quinjan are ready to pay
£76million for him. He is prepared to rejoin previous club Atletico Madrid,
but the La Liga heavyweights are under a transfer ban and will not be able
to register new players until January. It means Costa could stay at Stamford
Bridge, and Belgium international Batshuayi is unwilling to endure another
season on the bench in a World Cup year. He said: "No, no, no. Everyone
knows that I have to play more, that I have to score goals. There's a World
Cup coming up next year. I want to be ready for the World Cup. "But I'm not
going to ask anything. I'm going to listen to what they are saying. They are
the boss, not me. And afterwards I'll discuss it with my agent and the club.
Amicably, as friends. Of course. "A loan? That's not up to me. That's up to
them. They take the decisions, not me. "Diego is a top player who has played
in top teams and has scored a lot of goals at the highest level. I'm still
young, so I've learned a lot from him. "I have lived difficult moments, but
it's in times like those that you learn the most. "Certainly when you're
surrounded by top class players, like Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard, all of
them, you only can make progress in a situation like that. I haven't played
a lot, you know, but I managed to scored one of the most important goals.
"It gave me a boost. Good for me, good for the team. Of course I wanted to
play more. And of course I wanted to score more goals. That's normal. All
players want that. But we have become champions. That's really good for me.
It's a wonderful experience."
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Chelsea title hero Michy Batshuayi insists he cannot accept another season
sitting on the Blues' bench
Michy Batshuayi has admits he cannot spend another season on Chelsea's bench
The Belgian striker became a Blues hero after scoring the title-winning goal
Batshuayi ended the season in a purple patch, scoring in three consecutive
ties
West Ham and Everton have been linked with the 23-year-old
By Danny Gallagher For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 23:16, 7 June 2017 | UPDATED: 23:17, 7 June 2017
Chelsea's title hero Michy Batshuayi has admitted he cannot spend another
season wallowing on the substitutes' bench at Stamford Bridge.
The Belgian youngster spent the majority of the season seeing only glimpses
of action, before bursting onto the scene in the latter stages to score the
title-clinching goal during Chelsea's away clash with West Brom. He went on
to find the back of the net in each of Chelsea's two final fixtures of the
season, ending his personal campaign on a high. And now the 23-year-old has
spoken openly regarding his immediate future, maintaining that he cannot
spend another season as a bit-part player. 'Everyone knows that I have to
play more, that I have to score goals. There's a World Cup coming up next
year. I want to be ready for the World Cup,' said Batshuayi in an interview
with The Guardian. 'But I'm not going to ask anything. I'm going to listen
to what they are saying. They are the boss, not me. And afterwards I'll
discuss it with my agent and the club. Amicably, as friends of course. A
loan? That's not up to me. That's up to them. They take the decisions, not
me.'
Despite the frustration of limited time out on the pitch, Batshuayi believes
he has grown as a player as a result of the talent around him. This, plus
the additional confidence of a title-winning goal, is set to stand him in
good stead ahead of the coming season, the striker believes: 'I have lived
difficult moments, but it's in times like those that you learn the most.
Certainly when you're surrounded by top class players, like Cesc Fàbregas,
Eden Hazard, all of them, you only can make progress in a situation like
that.
'I haven't played a lot, you know, but I managed to scored one of the most
important goals. It gave me a boost. Good for me, good for the team. Of
course I wanted to play more. And of course I wanted to score more goals.
That's normal,' he added. West Ham, who bid for Batshuayi before he made the
move from Marseille to Chelsea, have again been linked with the player.
Everton have likewise also been touted as a destination, with Batshuayi a
potential inclusion in any possible deal to bring Romelu Lukaku back to
Stamford Bridge.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 8
Daily WHUFC News - 8th June 2017
Sofiane Feghouli makes winning return to Algeria action
WHUFC.com
Sofiane Feghouli made a successful return to international duty as Algeria edged out Guinea 2-1 in a friendly on Tuesday night. Wearing the No10 shirt, the West Ham United winger was introduced as a 73rd-minute substitute in the match, which was played in the Algerian city of Blida, with the scores level at 1-1. Feghouli, who ended the 2016/17 season with a fine performance and a goal in the 2-1 final-day Premier League victory at Burnley, replaced Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium. The lively Hammer was heavily involved in his 20 minutes on the pitch and went close to adding to the eleven goals he has netted for the Desert Warriors when he burst into the penalty area and fired narrowly wide just moments after his introduction. The 27-year-old was returning to Algeria duty after missing his country's last four international fixtures, making his first appearance since a FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat in Nigeria in November, and earning his 43rd cap. Algeria struck the winner with 12 minutes remaining when a deflected cross was expertly converted on the half-volley by Dinamo Zagreb's Hillel El Arabi Soudani. Earlier, Sofiane Hanni of Anderlecht had put the hosts in front, before Demba Camara of Paris FC levelled.
Feghouli, who made his debut against The Gambia back in February 2012, will hope to earn cap number 44 when Algeria host Togo in a second friendly international in Blida on Saturday 10 June at 10pm BST.
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Manuel Lanzini relishes making debut alongside 'best player' Messi
WHUFC.com
Manuel Lanzini is in optimistic mood as he prepares to make his Argentina debut alongside Lionel Messi on Friday. West Ham United's No10 is set to make his senior international bow for Argentina against arch-rivals Brazil in front of 70,000 fans in Australia. For Lanzini, who has spent the week training alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Paulo Dybala, his maiden call-up and potential bow for La Albiceleste come at the end of a stellar season in Claret and Blue. Now, he intends to continue his recent form by impressing new Argentina manager Jorge Sampaoli – the former Chile and Sevilla boss – when he steps on to the pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
"I am more than happy," he revealed. "I was hoping for this, I think I was playing well and I am lucky to achieve it."
Lanzini said his call-up was reward for his impressive 2016/17 campaign, in which he scored eight goals in 39 appearances, including vital winners against Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, and was voted Players' Player of the Year. The Buenos Aires-born player has the ability to play across the attacking midfield line and, with the likes of Messi, Dybala and Angel Di Maria also in the squad, his versatility will be valuable to Sampaoli. "I am more mature now," said the 24-year-old. "I am more stable, which is very important. I also have more personality. I am feeling good and have confidence. "I am sometimes playing as right winger and sometimes in the middle – it all depends the way we play at West Ham." "I like [Sampaoli's] style as he is a manager that plays good football. I will do whatever he tells me to do it and I will try to do my best."
Whatever happens on Friday, and in Argentina's second friendly in Singapore on Tuesday 13 June, Lanzini has relished sharing the training pitch and dressing room with Messi. The pair met in Barcelona last year and Messi recently posted a photo on social media showing his West Ham shirt among those he has swapped throughout his illustrious career. "It is a double satisfaction [to be called-up and working alongside Messi]," Lanzini confirmed. "He is the best player in the world and we are lucky as he is Argentinian. We need to take advantage of this."
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Bobby Moore versus Brazil - The World Cup's greatest battle
WHUFC.com
Wednesday 7 June marks the 47th anniversary of arguably the most-iconic performance of Bobby Moore's illustrious career. The West Ham United defender put on an imperious display as England faced Brazil at the 1970 FIFA World Cup finals in Mexico, producing a series of perfect tackles to halt Pele and Jairzinho, among others. Filmed in glorious colour, Moore's masterpiece was watched eagerly on television by a then-teenage Ken Dyer, the childhood Hammers fan who went on to spend four decades reporting on the Club for the London Evening Standard…
England versus Brazil was a group-stage match at the 1970 World Cup finals. Both teams had won their opening fixtures, against Romania and Czechoslovakia respectively, and would go on to qualify for the knockout stages. In the build-up to the game, the main thing I can remember is that it was thought England had a better squad than they were in 1966, when they won the tournament, and that England and Brazil were the two best teams in the world at the time.
The game was played in Guadalajara and, even watching on TV, you could feel that it was really hot with the temperature in the high eighties, which probably favoured Brazil. But while some of the England players appeared to wilt in the heat, Bobby Moore produced one of the finest performances, if not THE finest performance, of his career. He was the one who seemed to be stemming the tide each time Brazil came forward – and they came forward in waves with the great Pele, Rivelino, Jairzinho and Tostao.
The outstanding moments were undoubtedly Bobby coming up one-on-one against Pele, who was in the pomp at his time and was the best player I've ever seen, and Jairzinho. Bobby Moore was also at his best at that time and what stuck in my mind was how he marshalled the defence, and how he made those tackles that were not really tackles, but more kind of interceptions. The most famous of all came when Jairzinho was coming forward down the right-hand side and Bobby just held off and held off, then turned his body so he was almost sideways on then, at almost exactly the right time, stuck his leg out and took the ball off him. It was the best tackle, or interception, that you will ever see.
As I recall, Mooro always had his eyes on the ball. He wasn't looking at the player, because that was you can be bamboozled by a dummy. He just waited and waited until the perfect time, took the ball off him and Jairzinho probably thought 'What's happened there? Where's the ball gone?'. It was great.
The other moment I remember was Gordon Banks' save from Pele, who did everything you are supposed with his header, heading it down with power, but didn't score a goal. You wondered 'How did he keep that out?' because the ball was almost behind him. Somehow, he got it up and over the bar. I remember looking at Mooro, who was never demonstrative, but even he clapped Banks for that save. Finally, there was the iconic moment when Mooro and Pele swapped shirts. I have that image on the wall of my little office at home. They are looking at each other, Pele is tapping Bobby on the back of his head and Mooro is standing there and both are showing huge respect for one another. It's one of the great football pictures at the end of a great game.
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Tricky backs Iheanacho bid
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 7th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
BBC pundit Trevor Sinclair has backed West Ham United's bid to sign Manchester City youngster Kelechi Iheanacho. Sinclair, who represented West Ham for five years between 1998 and 2003 left his followers on social media in no doubt as to his thoughts on West Ham's bid to capture the 20-year-old forward, when posting at the weekend... Iheanacho scored eight goals in all competitions for Manchester City last season. The 6'2" goalscorer has been in England since 2014, when he was spotted at the Taye Academy in Owerri, Neigeria.
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Club value rises by 17 per cent
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 7th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United has been named as the 15th most valuable club in world football. Despite failing to break into the Premier League's top 10 last season, West Ham have been ranked above clubs such as Inter, Roma and the 2015/16 Premier League champions Leicester City by Forbes in their latest annual list. And according to the list, United's value has jumped by 17 per cent since leaving the Boleyn Ground - the biggest positive change of any club featuring in the top 20. Valued at $634million (£490million), West Ham are reported to have earned $213million (£165million) during the last season, which saw the club finish 11th in the table, reach the 4th round of the EFL Cup and 3rd round of the FA Cup.
Top 20 clubs (and their value)
1. Man Utd: $3.7billion
2. Barcelona: $3.6billion
3. Real Madrid: $3.6billion
4. Bayern Munich: $2.7billion
5. Man City: $2.1billion
6. Arsenal: $1.9billion
7. Chelsea: $1.8billion
8. Liverpool: $1.5billion
9. Juventus: $1.3billion
10. Tottenham: $1.1billion
11. Paris SG: $841million
12. Dortmund: $808million
13. AC Milan: $802million
14. Atletico Madrid: $732million
15. West Ham Utd: $634million
16. Schalke: $629million
17. Roma: $569million
18. Inter: $537million
19. Leicester: $413million
20. Napoli: $379million
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Enner on Cruz control?
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 7th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
Mexican club Cruz Azul are hoping to put an end to Enner Valencia's European adventure by taking him back to North America. The Ecuador international joined West Ham in the wake of an excellent 2014 World Cup campaign but spent last season on loan at Everton, having failed to secure a first team spot at the Olympic Stadium.
Earlier today it emerged that Liga MX outfit Cruz Azul - under the direction of Spanish coiach Paco Jemez - are trying to put together a package that will lure Valencia back to Mexico, where he featured prior to moving to London three years ago (La Hora). However the biggest stumbling block to a successful deal would be West Ham's demands, with the club seeking to recoup most of the £12million they spent on signing the player dubbed 'Superman' in his home country. Should Cruz - who finished 14th in the 18-team Torneo Apertura and 11th in the Torneo Clausura - be unable to secure a deal for Valencia, it is likely that they will turn their attention to former Liverpool and Chelsea star Fernando Torres.
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West Ham favourites to sign Henry Onyekuru from KAS Eupen
By SSN HQ
Last Updated: 07/06/17 3:01pm
SSN
West Ham have moved to the head of the queue to sign striker Henry Onyekuru from Belgian club KAS Eupen, say Sky sources. The 20-year-old Nigerian is due to fly to England on Monday June 12 for talks with interested clubs. Seven Premier League sides - including Arsenal, West Ham and Swansea City - are in discussions to acquire the teenager who has been shining on the Belgian stage. On May 22, Sky sources reported that Arsenal were holding talks to sign Onyekuru with the player's representatives telling SSNHQ he wanted to play in England. English clubs can trigger the release clause in Onyekuru's contract by paying £7.85m and wages of £35,000 a week, while clubs abroad can sign him for £6.85m. Sources close to the player said they were confident the forward would play in the Premier League next season. The Hammers are also interested in Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea), Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace) and Alassane Plea (Nice).
Onyekuru is currently with the Nigeria squad preparing for Saturday's home Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa. He was the joint top-scorer in the Belgium first division last season with 25 goals. By way of comparison, Romelu Lukaka's best season in Belgium was in 2010-11 when he scored 20 times for Anderlecht. Batshuayi's best season was in 2013-14 when he scored 23 times for Standard Liege.
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MAX KRUSE WANTED BY EVERTON AND WEST HAM
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam
Max Kruse was one of the more impressive strikers in the Bundesliga this past season, netting 15 goals in just 23 appearances for Werder Bremen and has rightly attracted interest from overseas. Premier League trio West Brom, Stoke and Southampton are among those interested in signing the striker but Bild (h/t Sport Witness) have claimed that Everton and West Ham are leading the English race for his signature, while Manchester United have also been linked. The 29-year-old has many suitors, the report suggests, but as of now there have been no concrete offers put forward to the Bundesliga club for their star striker, nor are clubs said to be preparing them, it appears to be just interest at this stage. After Romelu Lukaku continued to hint that he's leaving Everton this summer and the car-crash that is the West Ham striker situation, it's no surprise that both clubs are making checks on some of Europe's most prolific forwards of the last few seasons, including Kruse.
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West Ham star opens up about playing alongside Lionel Messi ahead of international debut
Lanzini could make his Argentina debut this week
Football London
BYROB GUEST
14:30, 7 JUN 2017
Manuel Lanzini looks set to crown a brilliant season at the London Stadium by making his international debut for Argentina against Brazil on Friday. The 24-year-old has once again impressed in east London and the club's fans finally have their wish after calling for his international debut ever since he joined the Hammers nearly two years ago. New Argentina manager Jorge Sampaoli could now hand the West Ham winger his debut for the South American clash in Melbourne before they travel to play Singapore next Tuesday. Given Argentina have the likes of Lionel Messi, Paulo Dybala and Angel Di Maria at their disposal, Lanzini has admitted he will play in any position for his new manager. "I am more mature now. I am more stable, which is very important. I also have more personality. I am feeling good and have confidence," Lanzini told the club website. "I am sometimes playing as right winger and sometimes in the middle – it all depends the way we play at West Ham. "I like [Sampaoli's] style as he is a manager that plays good football. I will do whatever he tells me to do it and I will try to do my best."
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Scout Report: Steve Mounie
POSTED BY: MICHAEL PEARSON 07/06/2017
Moore Than Just a Club
This week saw West Ham join the race to sign highly rated Montpelier striker Steve Mounie. The forward who's goals helped his side stave off relegation from Ligue 1 this season is one of three the club are interested in.
From the injury problems to Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho last season it is clear that the club need to assess their attacking options. If rumours are the be believed they are interested in some quality additions already. The Hammers have been linked to two forwards this summer in the shape of Kelechi Iheanacho and Michy Batshuayi. Bringing in a proven Premier League goal scorer will be a vast improvement on the loan business which saw Jonathan Calleri and Simone Zaza join the club last summer. With the injuries to the first choice forwards and the two loanies failing to impress the club was seriously lacking a goal threat. That is where they are hoping to bring in Mounie to give more versatility up front.
There are a number of clubs who are interested in the 22 year-old Montpellier forward with rivals Watford and West Brom being among them. Mounie would be a cheaper than both Iheanacho and Batshuayi and would cost the club around £13 million. If a deal were to be agreed, what can the Hammers fans expect?
At 6'3″ the Benin international is very much in the mould of Carroll. Top scoring for Montpellier with 15 goals in 38 appearances last season is a decent return for a side towards the bottom of the Ligue 1 table. A goal in every 2.5 games is a better strike rate than that of Carroll who scored 7 in 22 appearances (1 per 3.14 games) during his injury hit campaign. Mounie is a strong and physical player who can compete well in the air. Seven of his goals last season were scored using his head so there would not be a need to adjust the style of play much from when using Carroll. He can compete well in the air also winning 8.4 aerial duels per 90 minutes last season vs 4.5 lost. When we compare this to Carroll the English man comes out on top winning 9.1 duels per 90, but having played 1,500 minutes less during the season.
From a statistical point of view he looks to be a good prospect to handle the physically of the Premier League and at £13 million would not be such a gamble. With other interested parties however the Hammers may face a bidding war in order to sign the player.
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West Ham given major boost as Michy Batshuayi hints at Chelsea exit this summer
Batshuayi has found his game time to be limited at Chelsea so far
Football London
BYROB GUEST
13:00, 7 JUN 2017
West Ham have been given a boost in their pursuit of Michy Batshuayi after the striker said he cannot spend another season on Chelsea's substitutes' bench. The Belgian forward claims he won't force a move but has admitted he needs regular first-team football ahead of next year's World Cup in Russia. The Hammers are in need of a new frontman and Slaven Bilic's team have been heavily linked with the 23-year-old following a difficult first season at Stamford Bridge. And with Belgium teammate Romelu Lukaku set to complete his big-money move to west London from Everton in the summer, Batshuayi could be the man to make way. Asked the possibility of another season on Chelsea's bench, Batshuayi told reporters at the Belgian national team's media day: "No, no, no. Everyone knows that I have to play more, that I have to score goals. "There's a World Cup coming up next year. I want to be ready for the World Cup."
Despite Batshuayi wanting to play regularly next season, the forward has claimed the final decision rests with Antonio Conte and the club. "I'm not going to ask anything," added the former Marseille forward. "I'm going to listen to what they are saying. They are the boss, not me. And afterwards I'll discuss it with my agent and the club. Amicably, as friends of course. "A loan? That's not up to me. That's up to them (Chelsea). They take the decisions, not me."
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WEST HAM MAKE 'FIRM' OFFER FOR CHELSEA'S BETRAND TRAORE
CHARLIE SMITH @cjsjourno
ReadWestHam
West Ham have joined Everton and other European clubs in the race to sign Chelsea forward Bertrand Traore, according to Foot Mercato.
Traore, 21, has been with Chelsea since 2013 making 16 appearances and scoring four goals during that time, and has enjoyed successful loan spells in the Netherlands. The Burkina Faso international spent 18 months with Vitesse Arnhem where he struck 20 goals in 51 appearances, and spent last term with Ajax where he notched 13 goals and four appearances in all competitions, helping them to the Europa League final. There is a lot of interest in Traore, who can play up front or out wide, with Lille, Lyon, Borussia Monchengladbach and Schalke all making offers and keen for his signature. Chelsea are asking for £17.5 million for Traore, with rumours they have already turned down a bid in the window for a fee in the region of £14 million for the striker.
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DEFENSIVE CLARITY?
By Blind Hammer 7 Jun 2017 at 08:00
WTID
Blind Hammer argues that the prime focus next season remains the defence. Disturbing signals are emerging from West Ham that we may yet again have muddled thinking in our defensive strategies. A few days ago David Gold responded to a query on Twitter about a potential loan for Reece Oxford. A West Ham fan wanted to know why we were not prepared to give Oxford a chance ourselves.
Gold responded that we already had 4 international centre backs so Oxford's path to the first team was effectively blocked. Now this apparently innocent observation by Gold raised all sorts of alarm bells for me.
First of all we need to have some context. Almost exactly a year ago this week I wrote an article entitled "The Case for the Defence" in which I criticised the attempt to sign a "20 goal a season striker" without providing a similar focus on our defence. I have no hesitation now in repeating yet again my belief that defensive fragilities remain more of an issue. When the season is taken as a whole weakness in defence caused more issues than our striking feebleness. During our worst passages this season we were conceding on average 3 goals a game. This is simply not viable for a top flight club to sustain and achieve any sort of success. Transferring even Ronaldo and Messy to West Ham would not have worked if they needed to score on average 4 goals to win a game.
Now thankfully Bilic eventually found a tactical formation which, at the tail end of last season, gave some basis for defensive security. We only really got a thumping in our last home game against Liverpool. Tellingly even in this game our worst phase of play came when we reverted to 4 at the back, after falling behind, with sadly predictable consequences.
The fact is that for nearly all of the season we rarely looked secure by playing 4 at the back. Using only 2 centre backs seems to result in their being exposed.
It is in this context that I find Gold's remarks so worrying. Gold obviously believes that the squad only has need for 4 top quality centre backs. This statement only make sense if he believe that we will be playing only 2 centre backs on a regular basis. . Yet we have recent evidence that we can only effectively defend with not 2 but 3 centre backs. If we will be playing 3 centre backs regularly as at the end of last season we need at least 5 and arguably 6 options in central defence. Last season 2 of our most effective central defenders, Reid and Obonna, spent large periods of the season injured. We should not be gambling that this problem will not re-occur.
I thought that Bilic and the club had learnt from this and would plan a squad which could at least deliver a 3 at the back formation securely without having to squeeze square pegs into round holes. I will be disappointed in the extreme if we are again forced into wasting the talents of Cheikhou Kouyaté in central defence. I suspect that the player himself will feel similar disappointment. Planning to use Håvard Nordtveit in this role would, I believe, be irresponsible given the defensive weaknesses we have shown in the last 18 months.
Now Gold is obviously not Bilic and it is Bilic who is responsible for team tactics and formation, however the problems with our defensive performance over 18 months should be at the forefront of attention and understood by the club hierarchy from top to bottom.
The case for Oxford going to Germany could be supported if we believe both Rice and Burke are ahead of him in the pecking order for first team places. However this was not the message. The message was that apparently Fonte, Obonna, Collins and Reid are enough squad cover for the season. If this is really the thinking at West Ham I think it is muddled and learns nothing from last season.
It is from defensive security that we must build confidence in our team; the crowd at the London Stadium must not endure pessimism that we are inevitably going to concede goals as a matter of course particularly in the final minutes.
Whilst on yet another summer glamour hunt for a striker the club must learn the lessons of last season and also prioritise the need to have the clearest strategy for locking our defence.
COYI
David Griffith
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Jermain Defoe confirms medical with AFC Bournemouth
HITC
Saikat Mandal
Jermain Defoe has confirmed that he will be joining AFC Bournemouth this summer. After months of speculation, Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has revealed where he will join this summer. And the club is AFC Bournemouth. The 34-year-old joined the Black Cats in January 2015, and has been an inspirational figure for them. He scored 15 Premier League goals last season but couldn't prevent his side from getting relegated to the Championship. Last month, Sky Sports reported that Defoe has his sight on joining Bournemouth on a free transfer this summer, with the former Tottenham Hotspur reportedly agreeing a three-year deal at Dean Court, worth £65,000-a-week.
Defoe spent the 2000-01 season on loan at Bournemouth from West Ham where he scored in 10 successive matches. The England striker has confirmed that a move to the Cherries is definitely happening, adding he did undergo a medical with the Premier League club. "Well, yeah. It's out there, a lot of people obviously knew," said Defoe, as quoted by the BBC. "I did a medical and said when this is finished and I've had a break, come July everyone will know anyway."
The news will come as a blow to West Ham who were reportedly keen to sign their former striker this summer. Defoe made his name with the Hammers as a youngster, hitting 41 goals in 105 games before moving on to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Sky Sports reported last month that West Ham were set to make a new move to land him in the summer transfer window. Defoe is currently on international duty with the England squad for the World Cup qualifier against Scotland on Saturday and a friendly against France three days later.
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West Ham's Enner Valencia set to join Champions League club?
by Scott Johnson1 minute agoFollow @greensthammers
West Ham's Enner Valencia could be playing Champions League football next season. After a disappointing season at Everton, leaving Koeman unwilling to spend the money on signing him permanently from West Ham, it seems unlikely. But that's what recent reports have said, linking the player to a move to Besiktas. The Turkish champions are reportedly interested in bringing the Ecuadorian to the Superlig. Given the player's inability to reproduce quality on a regular basis, it seems a strange move. But could there be substance to the rumour? And should the Hammers be selling up, or holding on?
Valencia to Beskitas?
Many fans wanted Valencia gone permanently last summer, so that position is still relevant. Why should the Hammers hold on to a player that was deemed surplus to requirements before? But then West Ham haven't had the best season in front of goal. But the Ecuadorian isn't really the answer there, given he isn't an out and out striker himself. He wasn't a goal machine in his time in East London, and I doubt that he will suddenly be banging in goals left right and centre.
But it doesn't answer why a team who've just won their league would want him? Well if the qualities of Gokhan Tore are to be believed then it seems the Turkish Superlig is a simpler division to be a quality winger in. Someone with pace and the occasional long range thunderbolt would fit right in. Tore was a big force at Beskitas before his loan move to the Hammers, but couldn't cut it in England.
If Besiktas offer anything north of 10m for Valencia the Hammers should snap their hands off. There isn't anything worth negotiating there, because he offers nothing special to the Hammers side. In short I'd rather have Snodgrass still at the club than Valencia come September.
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http://vyperz.blogspot.com
WHUFC.com
Sofiane Feghouli made a successful return to international duty as Algeria edged out Guinea 2-1 in a friendly on Tuesday night. Wearing the No10 shirt, the West Ham United winger was introduced as a 73rd-minute substitute in the match, which was played in the Algerian city of Blida, with the scores level at 1-1. Feghouli, who ended the 2016/17 season with a fine performance and a goal in the 2-1 final-day Premier League victory at Burnley, replaced Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium. The lively Hammer was heavily involved in his 20 minutes on the pitch and went close to adding to the eleven goals he has netted for the Desert Warriors when he burst into the penalty area and fired narrowly wide just moments after his introduction. The 27-year-old was returning to Algeria duty after missing his country's last four international fixtures, making his first appearance since a FIFA World Cup qualifying defeat in Nigeria in November, and earning his 43rd cap. Algeria struck the winner with 12 minutes remaining when a deflected cross was expertly converted on the half-volley by Dinamo Zagreb's Hillel El Arabi Soudani. Earlier, Sofiane Hanni of Anderlecht had put the hosts in front, before Demba Camara of Paris FC levelled.
Feghouli, who made his debut against The Gambia back in February 2012, will hope to earn cap number 44 when Algeria host Togo in a second friendly international in Blida on Saturday 10 June at 10pm BST.
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Manuel Lanzini relishes making debut alongside 'best player' Messi
WHUFC.com
Manuel Lanzini is in optimistic mood as he prepares to make his Argentina debut alongside Lionel Messi on Friday. West Ham United's No10 is set to make his senior international bow for Argentina against arch-rivals Brazil in front of 70,000 fans in Australia. For Lanzini, who has spent the week training alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Paulo Dybala, his maiden call-up and potential bow for La Albiceleste come at the end of a stellar season in Claret and Blue. Now, he intends to continue his recent form by impressing new Argentina manager Jorge Sampaoli – the former Chile and Sevilla boss – when he steps on to the pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
"I am more than happy," he revealed. "I was hoping for this, I think I was playing well and I am lucky to achieve it."
Lanzini said his call-up was reward for his impressive 2016/17 campaign, in which he scored eight goals in 39 appearances, including vital winners against Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, and was voted Players' Player of the Year. The Buenos Aires-born player has the ability to play across the attacking midfield line and, with the likes of Messi, Dybala and Angel Di Maria also in the squad, his versatility will be valuable to Sampaoli. "I am more mature now," said the 24-year-old. "I am more stable, which is very important. I also have more personality. I am feeling good and have confidence. "I am sometimes playing as right winger and sometimes in the middle – it all depends the way we play at West Ham." "I like [Sampaoli's] style as he is a manager that plays good football. I will do whatever he tells me to do it and I will try to do my best."
Whatever happens on Friday, and in Argentina's second friendly in Singapore on Tuesday 13 June, Lanzini has relished sharing the training pitch and dressing room with Messi. The pair met in Barcelona last year and Messi recently posted a photo on social media showing his West Ham shirt among those he has swapped throughout his illustrious career. "It is a double satisfaction [to be called-up and working alongside Messi]," Lanzini confirmed. "He is the best player in the world and we are lucky as he is Argentinian. We need to take advantage of this."
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Bobby Moore versus Brazil - The World Cup's greatest battle
WHUFC.com
Wednesday 7 June marks the 47th anniversary of arguably the most-iconic performance of Bobby Moore's illustrious career. The West Ham United defender put on an imperious display as England faced Brazil at the 1970 FIFA World Cup finals in Mexico, producing a series of perfect tackles to halt Pele and Jairzinho, among others. Filmed in glorious colour, Moore's masterpiece was watched eagerly on television by a then-teenage Ken Dyer, the childhood Hammers fan who went on to spend four decades reporting on the Club for the London Evening Standard…
England versus Brazil was a group-stage match at the 1970 World Cup finals. Both teams had won their opening fixtures, against Romania and Czechoslovakia respectively, and would go on to qualify for the knockout stages. In the build-up to the game, the main thing I can remember is that it was thought England had a better squad than they were in 1966, when they won the tournament, and that England and Brazil were the two best teams in the world at the time.
The game was played in Guadalajara and, even watching on TV, you could feel that it was really hot with the temperature in the high eighties, which probably favoured Brazil. But while some of the England players appeared to wilt in the heat, Bobby Moore produced one of the finest performances, if not THE finest performance, of his career. He was the one who seemed to be stemming the tide each time Brazil came forward – and they came forward in waves with the great Pele, Rivelino, Jairzinho and Tostao.
The outstanding moments were undoubtedly Bobby coming up one-on-one against Pele, who was in the pomp at his time and was the best player I've ever seen, and Jairzinho. Bobby Moore was also at his best at that time and what stuck in my mind was how he marshalled the defence, and how he made those tackles that were not really tackles, but more kind of interceptions. The most famous of all came when Jairzinho was coming forward down the right-hand side and Bobby just held off and held off, then turned his body so he was almost sideways on then, at almost exactly the right time, stuck his leg out and took the ball off him. It was the best tackle, or interception, that you will ever see.
As I recall, Mooro always had his eyes on the ball. He wasn't looking at the player, because that was you can be bamboozled by a dummy. He just waited and waited until the perfect time, took the ball off him and Jairzinho probably thought 'What's happened there? Where's the ball gone?'. It was great.
The other moment I remember was Gordon Banks' save from Pele, who did everything you are supposed with his header, heading it down with power, but didn't score a goal. You wondered 'How did he keep that out?' because the ball was almost behind him. Somehow, he got it up and over the bar. I remember looking at Mooro, who was never demonstrative, but even he clapped Banks for that save. Finally, there was the iconic moment when Mooro and Pele swapped shirts. I have that image on the wall of my little office at home. They are looking at each other, Pele is tapping Bobby on the back of his head and Mooro is standing there and both are showing huge respect for one another. It's one of the great football pictures at the end of a great game.
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Tricky backs Iheanacho bid
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 7th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
BBC pundit Trevor Sinclair has backed West Ham United's bid to sign Manchester City youngster Kelechi Iheanacho. Sinclair, who represented West Ham for five years between 1998 and 2003 left his followers on social media in no doubt as to his thoughts on West Ham's bid to capture the 20-year-old forward, when posting at the weekend... Iheanacho scored eight goals in all competitions for Manchester City last season. The 6'2" goalscorer has been in England since 2014, when he was spotted at the Taye Academy in Owerri, Neigeria.
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Club value rises by 17 per cent
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 7th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United has been named as the 15th most valuable club in world football. Despite failing to break into the Premier League's top 10 last season, West Ham have been ranked above clubs such as Inter, Roma and the 2015/16 Premier League champions Leicester City by Forbes in their latest annual list. And according to the list, United's value has jumped by 17 per cent since leaving the Boleyn Ground - the biggest positive change of any club featuring in the top 20. Valued at $634million (£490million), West Ham are reported to have earned $213million (£165million) during the last season, which saw the club finish 11th in the table, reach the 4th round of the EFL Cup and 3rd round of the FA Cup.
Top 20 clubs (and their value)
1. Man Utd: $3.7billion
2. Barcelona: $3.6billion
3. Real Madrid: $3.6billion
4. Bayern Munich: $2.7billion
5. Man City: $2.1billion
6. Arsenal: $1.9billion
7. Chelsea: $1.8billion
8. Liverpool: $1.5billion
9. Juventus: $1.3billion
10. Tottenham: $1.1billion
11. Paris SG: $841million
12. Dortmund: $808million
13. AC Milan: $802million
14. Atletico Madrid: $732million
15. West Ham Utd: $634million
16. Schalke: $629million
17. Roma: $569million
18. Inter: $537million
19. Leicester: $413million
20. Napoli: $379million
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Enner on Cruz control?
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 7th June 2017
By: Staff Writer
Mexican club Cruz Azul are hoping to put an end to Enner Valencia's European adventure by taking him back to North America. The Ecuador international joined West Ham in the wake of an excellent 2014 World Cup campaign but spent last season on loan at Everton, having failed to secure a first team spot at the Olympic Stadium.
Earlier today it emerged that Liga MX outfit Cruz Azul - under the direction of Spanish coiach Paco Jemez - are trying to put together a package that will lure Valencia back to Mexico, where he featured prior to moving to London three years ago (La Hora). However the biggest stumbling block to a successful deal would be West Ham's demands, with the club seeking to recoup most of the £12million they spent on signing the player dubbed 'Superman' in his home country. Should Cruz - who finished 14th in the 18-team Torneo Apertura and 11th in the Torneo Clausura - be unable to secure a deal for Valencia, it is likely that they will turn their attention to former Liverpool and Chelsea star Fernando Torres.
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West Ham favourites to sign Henry Onyekuru from KAS Eupen
By SSN HQ
Last Updated: 07/06/17 3:01pm
SSN
West Ham have moved to the head of the queue to sign striker Henry Onyekuru from Belgian club KAS Eupen, say Sky sources. The 20-year-old Nigerian is due to fly to England on Monday June 12 for talks with interested clubs. Seven Premier League sides - including Arsenal, West Ham and Swansea City - are in discussions to acquire the teenager who has been shining on the Belgian stage. On May 22, Sky sources reported that Arsenal were holding talks to sign Onyekuru with the player's representatives telling SSNHQ he wanted to play in England. English clubs can trigger the release clause in Onyekuru's contract by paying £7.85m and wages of £35,000 a week, while clubs abroad can sign him for £6.85m. Sources close to the player said they were confident the forward would play in the Premier League next season. The Hammers are also interested in Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea), Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace) and Alassane Plea (Nice).
Onyekuru is currently with the Nigeria squad preparing for Saturday's home Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa. He was the joint top-scorer in the Belgium first division last season with 25 goals. By way of comparison, Romelu Lukaka's best season in Belgium was in 2010-11 when he scored 20 times for Anderlecht. Batshuayi's best season was in 2013-14 when he scored 23 times for Standard Liege.
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MAX KRUSE WANTED BY EVERTON AND WEST HAM
MICHAEL OLIVER @MichaelOIiver
ReadWestHam
Max Kruse was one of the more impressive strikers in the Bundesliga this past season, netting 15 goals in just 23 appearances for Werder Bremen and has rightly attracted interest from overseas. Premier League trio West Brom, Stoke and Southampton are among those interested in signing the striker but Bild (h/t Sport Witness) have claimed that Everton and West Ham are leading the English race for his signature, while Manchester United have also been linked. The 29-year-old has many suitors, the report suggests, but as of now there have been no concrete offers put forward to the Bundesliga club for their star striker, nor are clubs said to be preparing them, it appears to be just interest at this stage. After Romelu Lukaku continued to hint that he's leaving Everton this summer and the car-crash that is the West Ham striker situation, it's no surprise that both clubs are making checks on some of Europe's most prolific forwards of the last few seasons, including Kruse.
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West Ham star opens up about playing alongside Lionel Messi ahead of international debut
Lanzini could make his Argentina debut this week
Football London
BYROB GUEST
14:30, 7 JUN 2017
Manuel Lanzini looks set to crown a brilliant season at the London Stadium by making his international debut for Argentina against Brazil on Friday. The 24-year-old has once again impressed in east London and the club's fans finally have their wish after calling for his international debut ever since he joined the Hammers nearly two years ago. New Argentina manager Jorge Sampaoli could now hand the West Ham winger his debut for the South American clash in Melbourne before they travel to play Singapore next Tuesday. Given Argentina have the likes of Lionel Messi, Paulo Dybala and Angel Di Maria at their disposal, Lanzini has admitted he will play in any position for his new manager. "I am more mature now. I am more stable, which is very important. I also have more personality. I am feeling good and have confidence," Lanzini told the club website. "I am sometimes playing as right winger and sometimes in the middle – it all depends the way we play at West Ham. "I like [Sampaoli's] style as he is a manager that plays good football. I will do whatever he tells me to do it and I will try to do my best."
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Scout Report: Steve Mounie
POSTED BY: MICHAEL PEARSON 07/06/2017
Moore Than Just a Club
This week saw West Ham join the race to sign highly rated Montpelier striker Steve Mounie. The forward who's goals helped his side stave off relegation from Ligue 1 this season is one of three the club are interested in.
From the injury problems to Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho last season it is clear that the club need to assess their attacking options. If rumours are the be believed they are interested in some quality additions already. The Hammers have been linked to two forwards this summer in the shape of Kelechi Iheanacho and Michy Batshuayi. Bringing in a proven Premier League goal scorer will be a vast improvement on the loan business which saw Jonathan Calleri and Simone Zaza join the club last summer. With the injuries to the first choice forwards and the two loanies failing to impress the club was seriously lacking a goal threat. That is where they are hoping to bring in Mounie to give more versatility up front.
There are a number of clubs who are interested in the 22 year-old Montpellier forward with rivals Watford and West Brom being among them. Mounie would be a cheaper than both Iheanacho and Batshuayi and would cost the club around £13 million. If a deal were to be agreed, what can the Hammers fans expect?
At 6'3″ the Benin international is very much in the mould of Carroll. Top scoring for Montpellier with 15 goals in 38 appearances last season is a decent return for a side towards the bottom of the Ligue 1 table. A goal in every 2.5 games is a better strike rate than that of Carroll who scored 7 in 22 appearances (1 per 3.14 games) during his injury hit campaign. Mounie is a strong and physical player who can compete well in the air. Seven of his goals last season were scored using his head so there would not be a need to adjust the style of play much from when using Carroll. He can compete well in the air also winning 8.4 aerial duels per 90 minutes last season vs 4.5 lost. When we compare this to Carroll the English man comes out on top winning 9.1 duels per 90, but having played 1,500 minutes less during the season.
From a statistical point of view he looks to be a good prospect to handle the physically of the Premier League and at £13 million would not be such a gamble. With other interested parties however the Hammers may face a bidding war in order to sign the player.
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West Ham given major boost as Michy Batshuayi hints at Chelsea exit this summer
Batshuayi has found his game time to be limited at Chelsea so far
Football London
BYROB GUEST
13:00, 7 JUN 2017
West Ham have been given a boost in their pursuit of Michy Batshuayi after the striker said he cannot spend another season on Chelsea's substitutes' bench. The Belgian forward claims he won't force a move but has admitted he needs regular first-team football ahead of next year's World Cup in Russia. The Hammers are in need of a new frontman and Slaven Bilic's team have been heavily linked with the 23-year-old following a difficult first season at Stamford Bridge. And with Belgium teammate Romelu Lukaku set to complete his big-money move to west London from Everton in the summer, Batshuayi could be the man to make way. Asked the possibility of another season on Chelsea's bench, Batshuayi told reporters at the Belgian national team's media day: "No, no, no. Everyone knows that I have to play more, that I have to score goals. "There's a World Cup coming up next year. I want to be ready for the World Cup."
Despite Batshuayi wanting to play regularly next season, the forward has claimed the final decision rests with Antonio Conte and the club. "I'm not going to ask anything," added the former Marseille forward. "I'm going to listen to what they are saying. They are the boss, not me. And afterwards I'll discuss it with my agent and the club. Amicably, as friends of course. "A loan? That's not up to me. That's up to them (Chelsea). They take the decisions, not me."
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WEST HAM MAKE 'FIRM' OFFER FOR CHELSEA'S BETRAND TRAORE
CHARLIE SMITH @cjsjourno
ReadWestHam
West Ham have joined Everton and other European clubs in the race to sign Chelsea forward Bertrand Traore, according to Foot Mercato.
Traore, 21, has been with Chelsea since 2013 making 16 appearances and scoring four goals during that time, and has enjoyed successful loan spells in the Netherlands. The Burkina Faso international spent 18 months with Vitesse Arnhem where he struck 20 goals in 51 appearances, and spent last term with Ajax where he notched 13 goals and four appearances in all competitions, helping them to the Europa League final. There is a lot of interest in Traore, who can play up front or out wide, with Lille, Lyon, Borussia Monchengladbach and Schalke all making offers and keen for his signature. Chelsea are asking for £17.5 million for Traore, with rumours they have already turned down a bid in the window for a fee in the region of £14 million for the striker.
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DEFENSIVE CLARITY?
By Blind Hammer 7 Jun 2017 at 08:00
WTID
Blind Hammer argues that the prime focus next season remains the defence. Disturbing signals are emerging from West Ham that we may yet again have muddled thinking in our defensive strategies. A few days ago David Gold responded to a query on Twitter about a potential loan for Reece Oxford. A West Ham fan wanted to know why we were not prepared to give Oxford a chance ourselves.
Gold responded that we already had 4 international centre backs so Oxford's path to the first team was effectively blocked. Now this apparently innocent observation by Gold raised all sorts of alarm bells for me.
First of all we need to have some context. Almost exactly a year ago this week I wrote an article entitled "The Case for the Defence" in which I criticised the attempt to sign a "20 goal a season striker" without providing a similar focus on our defence. I have no hesitation now in repeating yet again my belief that defensive fragilities remain more of an issue. When the season is taken as a whole weakness in defence caused more issues than our striking feebleness. During our worst passages this season we were conceding on average 3 goals a game. This is simply not viable for a top flight club to sustain and achieve any sort of success. Transferring even Ronaldo and Messy to West Ham would not have worked if they needed to score on average 4 goals to win a game.
Now thankfully Bilic eventually found a tactical formation which, at the tail end of last season, gave some basis for defensive security. We only really got a thumping in our last home game against Liverpool. Tellingly even in this game our worst phase of play came when we reverted to 4 at the back, after falling behind, with sadly predictable consequences.
The fact is that for nearly all of the season we rarely looked secure by playing 4 at the back. Using only 2 centre backs seems to result in their being exposed.
It is in this context that I find Gold's remarks so worrying. Gold obviously believes that the squad only has need for 4 top quality centre backs. This statement only make sense if he believe that we will be playing only 2 centre backs on a regular basis. . Yet we have recent evidence that we can only effectively defend with not 2 but 3 centre backs. If we will be playing 3 centre backs regularly as at the end of last season we need at least 5 and arguably 6 options in central defence. Last season 2 of our most effective central defenders, Reid and Obonna, spent large periods of the season injured. We should not be gambling that this problem will not re-occur.
I thought that Bilic and the club had learnt from this and would plan a squad which could at least deliver a 3 at the back formation securely without having to squeeze square pegs into round holes. I will be disappointed in the extreme if we are again forced into wasting the talents of Cheikhou Kouyaté in central defence. I suspect that the player himself will feel similar disappointment. Planning to use Håvard Nordtveit in this role would, I believe, be irresponsible given the defensive weaknesses we have shown in the last 18 months.
Now Gold is obviously not Bilic and it is Bilic who is responsible for team tactics and formation, however the problems with our defensive performance over 18 months should be at the forefront of attention and understood by the club hierarchy from top to bottom.
The case for Oxford going to Germany could be supported if we believe both Rice and Burke are ahead of him in the pecking order for first team places. However this was not the message. The message was that apparently Fonte, Obonna, Collins and Reid are enough squad cover for the season. If this is really the thinking at West Ham I think it is muddled and learns nothing from last season.
It is from defensive security that we must build confidence in our team; the crowd at the London Stadium must not endure pessimism that we are inevitably going to concede goals as a matter of course particularly in the final minutes.
Whilst on yet another summer glamour hunt for a striker the club must learn the lessons of last season and also prioritise the need to have the clearest strategy for locking our defence.
COYI
David Griffith
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Jermain Defoe confirms medical with AFC Bournemouth
HITC
Saikat Mandal
Jermain Defoe has confirmed that he will be joining AFC Bournemouth this summer. After months of speculation, Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has revealed where he will join this summer. And the club is AFC Bournemouth. The 34-year-old joined the Black Cats in January 2015, and has been an inspirational figure for them. He scored 15 Premier League goals last season but couldn't prevent his side from getting relegated to the Championship. Last month, Sky Sports reported that Defoe has his sight on joining Bournemouth on a free transfer this summer, with the former Tottenham Hotspur reportedly agreeing a three-year deal at Dean Court, worth £65,000-a-week.
Defoe spent the 2000-01 season on loan at Bournemouth from West Ham where he scored in 10 successive matches. The England striker has confirmed that a move to the Cherries is definitely happening, adding he did undergo a medical with the Premier League club. "Well, yeah. It's out there, a lot of people obviously knew," said Defoe, as quoted by the BBC. "I did a medical and said when this is finished and I've had a break, come July everyone will know anyway."
The news will come as a blow to West Ham who were reportedly keen to sign their former striker this summer. Defoe made his name with the Hammers as a youngster, hitting 41 goals in 105 games before moving on to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Sky Sports reported last month that West Ham were set to make a new move to land him in the summer transfer window. Defoe is currently on international duty with the England squad for the World Cup qualifier against Scotland on Saturday and a friendly against France three days later.
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West Ham's Enner Valencia set to join Champions League club?
by Scott Johnson1 minute agoFollow @greensthammers
West Ham's Enner Valencia could be playing Champions League football next season. After a disappointing season at Everton, leaving Koeman unwilling to spend the money on signing him permanently from West Ham, it seems unlikely. But that's what recent reports have said, linking the player to a move to Besiktas. The Turkish champions are reportedly interested in bringing the Ecuadorian to the Superlig. Given the player's inability to reproduce quality on a regular basis, it seems a strange move. But could there be substance to the rumour? And should the Hammers be selling up, or holding on?
Valencia to Beskitas?
Many fans wanted Valencia gone permanently last summer, so that position is still relevant. Why should the Hammers hold on to a player that was deemed surplus to requirements before? But then West Ham haven't had the best season in front of goal. But the Ecuadorian isn't really the answer there, given he isn't an out and out striker himself. He wasn't a goal machine in his time in East London, and I doubt that he will suddenly be banging in goals left right and centre.
But it doesn't answer why a team who've just won their league would want him? Well if the qualities of Gokhan Tore are to be believed then it seems the Turkish Superlig is a simpler division to be a quality winger in. Someone with pace and the occasional long range thunderbolt would fit right in. Tore was a big force at Beskitas before his loan move to the Hammers, but couldn't cut it in England.
If Besiktas offer anything north of 10m for Valencia the Hammers should snap their hands off. There isn't anything worth negotiating there, because he offers nothing special to the Hammers side. In short I'd rather have Snodgrass still at the club than Valencia come September.
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