The Nation Newspaper

Tag: West Ham

  • West Ham sends Slaven Bilic packing

    West Ham sends Slaven Bilic packing

     

    Slaven Bilic has been shown the door  by West Ham after leading his side to only two wins in 11 Premier League matches.

    The Hammers’ only victories of the campaign have come at home to newly promoted Huddersfield Town and struggling Swansea City, the latter courtesy of a 90th-minute winner.

    Bilic’s time appeared to be running short when Brighton and Hove Albion stormed to a 3-0 win at the London Stadium on October 20, before his players threw away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at bottom club Crystal Palace.

    And the former defender’s fate was sealed by a sound 4-1 beating at the hands of Liverpool on Saturday, ending a reign that started in June 2015 and yielded seventh and eighth-place finishes in the top flight.

    Former Everton and Sunderland manager David Moyes is widely reported to be in line to replace Bilic, who leaves with West Ham 18th in the Premier League.

    “West Ham United can confirm that Slaven Bilic has today left his position with the club,” a West Ham statement read.

    “The chairmen and board of West Ham United would like to place on record their thanks and gratitude to Slaven and his team for their services over the past two-and-a-half years, but believe a change is now necessary in order for the club to move forward positively and in line with their ambition.

    “West Ham United can confirm that Bilic’s coaching assistants Nikola Jurcevic, Edin Terzic, Julian Dicks and Miljenko Rak have also left the club with immediate effect.

    “The club’s search for a new manager to take West Ham United forward is underway and an announcement regarding Bilic’s successor is expected to be made over the coming days.”

    West Ham visit Watford on November 19 after the international break, with that game seemingly set to be the first test for Moyes – who parted company with Sunderland following their relegation from the Premier League last season – should he get the job.

    Moyes replaced Sam Allardyce at the Stadium of Light in July last year, but the former Everton and Manchester United boss claimed just six league wins in his time on Wearside as they finished bottom of the table.

  • West Ham’s Bilic says pressure spurs him on to improve

    West Ham’s Bilic says pressure spurs him on to improve

    West Ham United manager, Slaven Bilic admits he is one of many Premier League managers facing speculation over their futures, but the Croat said the pressure makes him more determined to improve results.

    Everton’s Ronald Koeman became the third managerial casualty of the Premier League season on Monday.

    And Bilic is at risk of suffering the same fate if he does not turn things around after last Friday’s 3-0 home loss to Brighton and Hove Albion.

    West Ham are 16th in the table with eight points from nine games, but Bilic said he would not walk away from the challenge.

    “You ask me about Koeman, there are always three, four, five managers in those positions and I‘m definitely one of them,” Bilic said ahead of the League Cup fourth round clash at Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

    “Does it make me lose my focus? No, it gives you even more. I never gave up in my career, no matter in which way of life, as a parent, as a friend, as a manager.

    “I am never, never, never walking away… It is my job and a job I like to do especially in a place that I feel, after my hometown, is like few other places, you are treated special.”

    British media reports said West Ham’s owners have given Bilic the next two games to turn things around and save his job, but the 49-year-old is not worried.

    “That’s my biggest strength, to be strong in hard times. Now I‘m having a hard time, yes I am. That doesn’t scare me.”

    After the clash against Tottenham at Wembley, West Ham travel to basement side Crystal Palace in the league.

    Palace have just one win in nine games so far.

    NAN

  • West Ham Clash: Pochettino banks on dinner effect

    West Ham Clash: Pochettino banks on dinner effect

     

    Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino is hoping that his £10k special dinner with the squad will have a multiply effect on Saturday when the squad file out against West Ham.

    The Spurs boss treated 50 members of his squad and staff to posh West End restaurant The Beast on Wednesday night with each member of the squad at liberty to choose what he wants. The special outing according to Pochettino was to take their minds off the London derby and put them in a more relaxed mood ahead of the clash.

    Pochettino also paid for £160-a-bottle Argentine wine at the exclusive eatery – ensuring his players were relaxed ahead of the visit to a ground where their title hopes were incidentally dashed last season.

    “We had a dinner in a restaurant in London with all the staff and players that I invited, of course. I paid the bill at the end. It is tactics to take all the staff, players and chairman to a restaurant.

    It is so important, just as it is important to work on the pitch,” he enthused

    Pochettino is no stranger to team bonding exercises and once even walked over hot coals during his time in charge of Southampton.

    Pochettino added: “We always try to find the way to stay together out of the training ground because it is so different; all that happens is so different.

    “But it is so difficult because here in England, it’s difficult to find a day or night altogether.

    “It’s such a busy schedule that we have, we play every two to three days and then all are away for international break.

    Striker Fernando Llorente made his first start for the club 24 hours earlier in the 1-0 EFL Cup win over Barnsley

    The Spaniard struggled to impose himself after missing a golden early chance to break his duck.

    Pochettino has however urged fans to give him time to settle, adding: “It’s true that Fernando arrived here without pre-season because of a problem in his arm.

    “Now he is doing very well. He’s so humble and has won the World Cup, but he needs time to learn the dynamic of the team.”

  •  Ogbonna commits to West Ham till 2022

     Ogbonna commits to West Ham till 2022

     

    Italy international Angelo Ogbonna has signed a new five-year deal at West Ham, the Premier League side announced on Friday.

    The 29-year-old missed almost the entire second half of last season having undergone knee surgery in January, returning only for the Hammers’ final Premier League game of the campaign in a 2-1 win at Burnley.

    Ogbonna has now penned a fresh contract to keep him at the London Stadium until 2022, having originally signed for Slaven Bilic’s side from Juventus in 2015.

    The ex-Torino defender is expected to be fit enough to play for West Ham on their pre-season tour and will then battle with the likes of James Collins and Jose Fonte for a place in Bilic’s side.

    ‘I’m really grateful for this new deal,’ Ogbonna told the club’s official website.

    ‘Our position last year was quite high and we are looking forward to improving next season.

    ‘My target is that I can’t wait to get back playing. I think we have a long season ahead and for me my target is to be better than last season. We finished in 11th position but very close to 8th position and we know we can do better than what we did last year.

    ‘I am excited to show my quality on the pitch and the support is always amazing, even when I had my injury. We have got lots of experience in the team at the moment, which is very good.’

    West Ham will be hoping to add to their squad ahead of the new campaign, with the free transfer signing of former Manchester City full-back Pablo Zabaleta their only summer recruit to date.

    They have been linked with Arsenal striker Oliver Giroud and former Manchester united forward Javier Hernandez, who is currently plying his trade at Bayer Leverkusen.

  • West Ham to Arsenal: Pay £7.87m for Onyekuru or no deal

    West Ham to Arsenal: Pay £7.87m for Onyekuru or no deal

     

    West Ham have been told they will need to pay Eupen £7.87million for Henry Onyekuru to ensure he qualifies for a work permit.

    The Nigerian wants to play for the London Stadium side despite reports in Belgium saying Eupen wanted him to go to a more prestigious club.

    Onyekuru, who has one international cap, has spoken to Chelsea’s Victor Moses about living in London and has been encouraged to make the move to West Ham where Moses played on loan in 2015-16.

    The fee increase is significant as it helps add to the player’s points tally for his work permit application under the totting-up procedure. Should a player score four points or more the panel can recommend an application is granted.

    If the transfer fee is in the top 25percent of all transfer fees to Premier League clubs in the previous two windows, that earns three points but is only two points should it fall between the 50percent and 75percent mark of those same fees.

    Onyekuru would also gain three points if the wages being paid to him are in the top 25percent of the top 30 earners at the club.

    The 20-year-old scored 25 goals for unfashionable Eupen last season and added 14 assists as they pushed for Europa League qualification.

  • Everton, West Ham in race for £20m-rated Iheanacho

    Everton, West Ham in race for £20m-rated Iheanacho

    Everton and West Ham United have both shown  interest in Manchester City youngster Kelechi Iheanacho, according to reports.

    The Nigeria international has seen his playing time limited since the arrival of manager Pep Guardiola last summer, starting just five games in the Premier League – one of those coming in 2017.

    Despite his lack of impact this term, The Sun claims that Everton are preparing a shock £20m move for the 20-year-old, who they see as a potential replacement for Chelsea-linked striker Romelu Lukaku.

    A City insider is quoted by the publication as saying: “Everton have shown an interest in Kelechi, who has been frustrated with a lack of game time this season.

    “He is highly-rated here, but has not started a match since January 2 whereas I’m sure he would get lots of first-team action elsewhere.

    “Pep is looking to bolster his ranks and spend a fair chunk of cash this coming transfer window and the club could be persuaded to sell should the right offer come in.”

  • West Ham not happy with Payet’s Marseille move

    West Ham not happy with Payet’s Marseille move

    West Ham joint-chairman, David Sullivan has expressed his disappointment at Dimitiri Payet’s decision to force the club  to sell him off.

    Sullivian stated : ‘The club would like to place on record its sincere disappointment that Dimitri Payet
    did not show the same commitment and respect to West Ham United that the club and fans showed
    him, particularly when it rewarded him with a lucrative new five-and-half-year deal only last
    year.
    ‘I would like to make it clear that we have no financial need to sell our best players and that
    the decision to allow Payet to leave was in accordance with the wishes of the manager and the
    interests of squad unity.

    To be frank, my Board and I would have preferred for him to have
    stayed in order to make an example of him, as no player is bigger than the club.
    ‘I am confident that with the quality of the players we have brought in during January already,
    the squad will be stronger at the end of this transfer window than it was at the start.
    Dimitri Payet has completed his £25million return to former club Marseille after forcing his
    way out of West Ham.

  • West Ham sign Fonte for £8m

    West Ham sign Fonte for £8m

    West Ham have announced the signing of Southampton captain Jose Fonte on a two-and-a-half year deal.

    The Hammers sealed the deal for the Portuguese European Cup winner after having an £8million bid accepted by the south coast club, while back in Southampton Fonte’s defensive partner Virgil van Dijk took to Twitter to say he was ‘gutted’ to see his team-mate leave.

    Van Dijk tweeted a heartfelt thanks to the Portuguese ace for helping him while at Southampton, after the pair struck up a telepathic defensive understanding out on the pitch.

    Fonte was the final remaining piece of the Southampton squad who obtained promotion back to the top flight of English football back in 2012.

    In recent weeks the 33-year-old had voiced his dissatisfaction with the Saints and put in an official transfer request with the club.

    ‘I signed for West Ham because they are a great club and a very big club. They have a lot of fans and I have known for a number of years how passionate they are,’ The defender told whufc.com.

    ‘The manager was also a very big influence. I thought that he really wanted me and that he sold me the project and the ambition of the club.

    ‘I also have part of my family living in London and they are big West Ham fans. It just made sense for me at this stage to join West Ham. It is a new challenge and a new beginning and I am looking forward to it.

    ‘With the way that West Ham is going we can only look to be challenging in the top eight.

    ‘I told the manager in conversations that we want to win and we want to win trophies. The ambition is big and we need to aim high.

    ‘West Ham are a massive club and it is an exciting challenge and it should be for everyone. We all need to get together and start working,’ Fonte added.

  • West Ham 2-1 Chelsea

    West Ham 2-1 Chelsea

    West Ham United have defeated London rivals Chelsea 2-1 at the London Stadium to progress into the quarter-final stage of the EFL Cup.

    A goal in either half from Cheikhou Kouyate and Edimilson Fernandes was enough to earn the Hammers a big victory on home soil, putting an end to their opponents’ impressive recent run.

    Visiting boss Antonio Conte stuck with his favoured 3-4-3 formation, which has brought him so much joy of late, but the Blues failed to take their big first-half chances as their three-match winning run came to an end on enemy territory.

    An end-to-end opening to the game signalled what was to come, with the first shot of the explosive first half arriving seven minutes in when N’Golo Kante powered his way into the box only to be denied by Darren Randolph.

    It was the Hammers who took the lead soon after, though, as a corner was not fully dealt with by the visitors which allowed Mark Noble to cross for Kouyate, who somehow generated enough pace and power on the ball to beat Asmir Begovic from his header from just inside the box.

    West Ham pushed on from that early breakthrough goal and so nearly had a second with 14 minutes on the clock, but Michail Antonio sent his shot wide after Dimitri Payet had a penalty appeal rejected when seemingly brought down by Kante.

    Both sides were creating good openings at either end – Nathaniel Chalobah seeing his shot tipped over the bar by Randolph and Antonio being denied in a slightly more straightforward fashion by Begovic.

    Slaven Bilic promised to send out a strong starting lineup this evening, which he more than stuck to by making minimal alterations from last time out, though one of those changes did see the only recognised forward drop out of the team.

    As a result, Antonio, Payet and Manuel Lanzini were each drifting around in the final third, with the former of that trio causing all sorts of problems as he turned David Luiz and sent in a cross which Payet somehow poked wide.

    There was a rare start for Michy Batshuayi at the other end of the field, but he was having less joy as he fired in his only shot of the first half right down the throat of Randolph, before West Ham stepped things up and again tested Begovic through Payet and Fernandes strikes.

    The frenetic first half showed no signs of slowing there, either, with Pedro Obiang blasting a half-volley on target from 30 yards out which Begovic did very well to get across and keep out, while Batshuayi and Oscar both came close themselves in the final throes of the half.

    West Ham bagged themselves a second just three minutes into the second half thanks to Fernandes – the midfielder cutting in from the left and placing the ball just out of Begovic’s reach, moments after the Bosnian had denied Payet with another impressive stop at his front post.

    Conte was then forced into action, sensing the game slipping away from him and turning to two of his big hitters – Diego Costa coming on for the disappointing Batshuayi and Eden Hazard replacing Chalobah with plenty of time to go.

  • FC Ifeanyi Ubah, West Ham sign partnership deal

    FC Ifeanyi Ubah, West Ham sign partnership deal

    NPFL club side FC Ifeanyi Ubah have signed long-term partnership deal with West
    Ham United FC, one of the leading clubs in the English Premier League. The deal, which was officially signed in London is set to be unveiled at the Olympic stadium on Sunday, August 21 (Today) before West Ham United FC’s first home league match against Bournemouth.
    This was contained in a press release made by West Ham United FC via its website
    “West Ham United are delighted to announce the Club’s first ever official partnership in Africa, following the signing of a long-term agreement with Capital
    Oil and Gas Ind. Ltd, the principal investor in the Nigerian Professional Football League outfit, FC Ifeanyi Ubah.
    The partnership will provide Capital Oil and Gas with a range of rights to promote the business through the football club, driving visibility and awareness as well as focussing on B2B interaction through the use of hospitality at the Hammers’