Cottee wants quick resolution to Allardyce contract drama- and will take a point at Chelsea

Hammers legend Tony Cottee believes that if West Ham can get a point at Stamford Bridge on Sunday then it will have been a good day in the office.

After not playing for two weeks, Cottee admits that it may be difficult for the side to start quickly and that 0-0 will be a good result.

In his London 24 column, he said: “Two wins may sound easy when you say it quick, but unlike the Italian or the Spanish leagues, no game is easy. The top team can still lose to the bottom club in England and that is why it is the best league in the world.”

He also commented on West Ham manager Sam Allardyce’s future, saying that it “really needs to be sorted out and quickly because there is nothing worse than indecisiveness in football.” Cottee has previously criticised the West Ham board for refusing to discuss a new deal for Big Sam until the end of the season.

He continued: “You can appreciate his (Allardyce’s) thinking, but though I don’t know what the mood is at the training ground, I can’t imagine him walking away from the club over something like that.”

Cottee also notes that he would love to keep Andy Carroll but his high price tag is a turn off.

By Lucy Woolford

@lucy_whufc

Cole all set to make Chelsea feel blue

Carlton Cole hopes that his return to Stamford Bridge will be a happy one and is hoing to do the double over the Blues this season.

Cole was a Chelsea player for five years before moving to Upton Park in 2006, but he still has happy memories of his time in a blue shirt.

He told West Ham TV: "I always enjoy going back to Chelsea...I see old friends - there's a lot of backroom staff still there and the captain's the same. I've got good friends there like Ashley Cole.

"I've got loads of connections and I love playing against them. When you play against your old teams you want to impress. If I get the opportunity I'll be on it."

Cole scored the first West Ham goal against Chelsea at Upton Park in the 3-1 win in December, and he reflected on that day: "When we played them at home it was a fantastic win, a fantastic day. The boys all pulled in the same direction and the second half was unreal.”

Cole’s optimism ahead of the big clash on Sunday is good to see. He has yet to be involved in a win at Stamford Bridge, so is more determined than ever to make an impression.

By Lucy Woolford

@lucy_whufc

No way back for Diarra

Estranged West Ham midfielder Alou Diarra has admitted that he thinks it is impossible for him to return to Upton Park and has almost repeated his previous statement.

He is currently on loan at French club Rennes after speaking out against West Ham and Sam Allardyce to the French press and no dust seems to have settled.

Speaking again to French sports daily L’Equipe, Diarra said:  "It would be impossible under the same conditions. I wanted to prove that I could play in the Premier League but they never wanted to give me the opportunity.”

"I felt I was at a dead end in the first few weeks because I was left to myself. I was not wanted by the coach but by the agent appointed to West Ham.”

"It is incomprehensible to buy a player, give him a three-year contract and then ignore him."

The probability of an apology from either side seems unlikely. Diarra may blame West Ham for not wanting him back but the club will also be upset with his negative words.

By Lucy Woolford

@lucy_whufc

Irons transfer target "unhappy" in Holland and issues come-get-me plea to interested parties

Reported West Ham summer transfer target Wilfried Bony has today told of his unhappiness at present club Vitesse Arnhem and reiterated his intention to leave as soon as the summer transfer window opens.

Quoted on dutchfootball-league.com, the 24 year old Ivory Coast international said that he "smiled more" at previous club Sparta Prague, and stated that he was looking forward to receiving interest from clubs over the summer. The Hammers are known to be interested in the player, who has now hit the back of the net 24 times in the Eredivise this season and has also reportedly attracted the interest of the Irons' Premier League side Liverpool, who look set to cut their losses with West Ham loanee Andy Carroll and get striking reinforcements in. The Irons themselves are also in the hunt for 21 year old German striking sensation Daniel Ginzenc, who plays for Borussia Dortmund in Germany. Of the two, Bony is the more experienced and with that kind of scoring record; topped only this season by Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi, the man is very hard to ignore. Check him out in the video below!

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

 

@alexshilling

Hammers fan arrested for Nazi salute at last month's Tottenham game, police confirm

Newham Police have confirmed that a 25 year old West Ham fan was arrested for an alleged Nazi salute aimed at Tottenham fans during the Premier League match at the Boleyn Ground last month. Although the game largely saw a repeat of the ugly scenes which marred the earlier fixture between the sides at White Hart Lane on November 25 and fans were praised by Superindendent Craig Haslam, who said that the supporters of both clubs "worked well on the ground with the police officers involved and were patient and good natured," there were a few isolated incidents.

At around 8pm, eight people in the lower tier of the Sir Trevor Brooking stand were seen by officers to be taking part in anti-Semitic chanting aimed at the Spurs supporters and one of the group also aimed a Nazi salute towards the away fans. No arrests were made at the time but, according to the East London Advertiser, investigations are ongoing with West Ham.

The incident which led to the arrest of a 25 year old man which a separate incident occurring at approximately 8.15pm where the supporter was arrested for a section five racially aggravated public order offence. He was removed from the ground and taken to an East London police station where he was bailed pending further inquiries.

West Ham of course said before the game that they would "pursue the harshest sanctions" against any supporter "found to have acted in an inappropriate manner," so hopefully, this won't be the last we hear of these incidents and banning orders will be implemented.

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

@alexshilling

Better or Hurst? West Ham legend claims Stratford move could make Hammers "the new Man City"

West Ham legend Sir Geoff Hurst has today told the Express that moving to the Olympic Stadium could be the next step for the Hammers to turn them into a top four club- and that the move could even make them the new Man City.

"It's not beyond the realms of possibility (that the move could help push the club on towards Champions league football), with the support base West Ham have got, and the benefits the move would bring. If you're looking for a comparison, I'd bring up Man City. Look what happened to them after they moved to a new ground."

Indeed, Geoffrey, indeed. On the other hand, look what happened to Arsenal after they moved to their new ground. No trophies since 2005. It's a sweet thought from a man who is truly an Irons legend but realistically, there is little evidence to suggest that moving to Stratford would automatically  make us successful and this is a wearingly well-worn argument by the pro-Stratford camp.

As David James correctly pointed out in the Guardian on Sunday, in order to feel the financial benefits, the team would have to already be consistently successful in the Premier League. New shiny stadium comes by success and not vice versa.

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

@alexshilling

Stoke-ing the fire: Hammers fan had "dangerous" newspaper confiscated before Premier League match

In a story which has made national news, with the Guardian reporting it today on their Greenslade Blog, West Ham fan Chris Barmby had his copy of the Worcester News confiscated by stewards outside Stoke City's Britannia Stadium before the Premier League match on 2 March.

Mr Barmby, a retired firefighter, was told by stadium staff that the newspaper was an "offesnive weapon" as it could be set fire to and used as a missile. The News was contacted by Barmby last week with his story and ran it as its lead story under the headline 'Your paper's an offensive weapon.'

These things happen; I've been told on more than one occasion by stewards at the Boleyn Ground before matches that I can't enter the club car park with my can of beer but am perfectly fine two yards outside. 'Elf and safety eh?

By Alex Shilling, News Editor

@alexshilling