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Sealed with a kiss: West Ham are in pole position to sign Maiga
Hammers set to beat Stoke and Reading in race to sign Maiga
West Ham are close to a £4.5m deal for Sochaux striker Modibo Maiga.
They also want Sporting Gijon defender Alberto Botia as well as Tottenham's William Gallas and Porto's Abdoulaye Ba.
Sealed with a kiss: West Ham are in pole position to sign Maiga
also on big sam's list?
alberto botia
william gallas
abdoulaye ba
What is the priority for West Ham fans?
Idealism appeared to play little part in West Ham’s appointment of Sam Allardyce as manager last summer. A club whose history is a monument to the ‘right’ way to play football seems almost diametrically opposed to the ‘win-at-all-costs’ approach of the former Bolton, Newcastle and Blackburn manager.
The 57-year-old may have attained promotion at his first attempt for West Ham but few supporters were enamoured with the way in which it was achieved. Considering the quality of the squad and the money available to Allardyce, to win promotion through the playoffs was hardly ideal, especially considering they relied on an 87th minute goal to achieve the feat.
The West Ham manager’s penchant for players over six foot, and football to match, had Hammers fans grumbling and groaning for large periods of the season whilst much of their football between Christmas and March was some of the ugliest on offer in the top two tiers of the English game. The five draws of March, in particular, inspired the voicing of concern from fans. Although The Hammers ended the season with a run of eight wins from their last nine matches, scoring twenty-five goals along the way, criticism of the manager’s style has remained.
Upon achieving promotion, Allardyce has now split opinion amongst the club’s supporters. There are those who appear to have detracted previous statements about only playing attractive football, who are merely grateful for their swift return to the top flight, especially considering how close they came to not realising that goal.
Some, however, are not swayed by such a view. They would sooner believe that if a manager had, as Allardyce did last year, the best squad in the league and still refused to play attacking football then he doesn’t belong at West Ham.
However, considering they are a newly-promoted team, and considering that, comparatively, West Ham have gone from the strongest squad in the league to one of the weakest, is it too much for fans of the club to expect both style and substance from Allardyce?
The first thing to remember is that, although their fans might feel as though there is a ‘West Ham way of doing things’ in reality that means little. Admittedly, some teams, like Barcelona, do have a continuous ethos at the club in terms of how the game should be played. Yet even the big clubs can turn on such inherent beliefs. Real Madrid and others have been known to sacrifice style for substance in order to achieve their goals. They proved that with the appointment of Fabio Capello and then Jose Mourinho.
Or if you’re looking for an example a little closer to home then you could take Arsenal. Their reputation as a free-flowing, attacking team belies the fact that for nine years under George Graham they were perpetrators of a defensive, direct style of football that was not totally at odds with the philosophy of Sam Allardyce.
Generations of fans become accustomed to witnessing a style of football that they enjoy or appreciate and when a manager tries to change that they object.
But that doesn’t mean said style is entwined with the club’s identity.
Ultimately, Allardyce is utilising his squad in a way that he feels is most effective. I’m not defending his style of play, or his personality, but it does seem that those West Ham fans that criticise Allardyce should realise that he is not really to blame.
Allardyce’s teams have always prioritised winning over stylish football; that is his managerial identity. Anybody who expects him to change this is dreaming. The fans may be unhappy with his style, but don’t use the excuse that it is unbecoming for West Ham to play as such because it is incredibly ignorant of any team to claim they are too good for a certain style of football when they have been relegated.
The second point to be made is that, if the fans are looking for somebody to blame, why not vent anger at the owners who chose Allardyce as manager in the first place. In appointing him, they were the individuals responsible for choosing to abandon the attacking principles of West Ham. I don’t like his style of play, and I wouldn’t want him managing my club but to criticise Allardyce’s managerial style seems a little unfair considering it was that style that earned him the job in the first place. It might be possible to expect both style and substance from some managers, but Allardyce isn’t that man.
Follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay
Time to be realistic?
With a week which has seen the Hammers miss out on Eljero Elia, Milos Krasic and now it looks as though we will miss out on Burak Yilmaz surely it is time to get realistic.
When it was announced by a supposed “ITK” that we were set to sign 3 players in the coming week, fans were left excited with the prospect of Yilmaz and Krasic along with the widely expected Kieran Richardson, but it now appears the two other Sunderland players in Kenwyne Jones and Ahmed Elmohamady are likely to make up the three.
With the Hammers looking to consolidate in their first season back in the Premier League, it is time David Sullivan and David Gold buy solid pro and realistic targets.
It seems every transfer window we are linked with big time players and end up disappointed by the signings of Kovac and Benni McCarthy. It’s refreshing to see big names linked with the club and it does show ambition but it is time to be realistic we just don’t have the financial power.
There are plenty of quality players in the Championship and lower regions of the Premier league that the Irons could be signing; it is pleasing that the Irons are set to sign Nathaniel Clyne from Crystal Palace, as well as links with free agent Junior Hoilett.
As much as I hope that I’m proved wrong and we secure at least one big name signing, it’s important that Big Sam secures his targets early and allow the new players to gel in pre-season with the current squad. For me, if Allardyce bought Hoilett and Clyne, it is just as exciting as these big names, as they are young and would be playing for the shirt not for the money.
Now, as well as being unrealistic the club have to think about money, these players won’t come cheap, wages and transfer fees for a club that are still in financial peril wouldn’t be the cleverest idea. Yes shirt sales would boom, but it’s tough to attract these big names when you’re a club that
has just received promotion. Maybe if we secure the Olympic stadium it will be easiest to attract players like Krasic and Yilmaz.
So don’t be too disheartened if we miss out on the big names, this season is going to be a big one for West Ham United Football club, and I can assure the club are working hard to not just make us competitive but a force to be reckoned with, in Big Sam we trust.
A special mention to Tomkins and Diame who have received call ups to the GB Olympic squad and the Senegalese nation team respectively.
Come on you Irons!
Tweet me @Bowdenwhu
Baldock to fight for place
Sam Baldock is determined to prove that he is worthy of a regular role at West Ham, as they ready themselves for a Premier League return.
The highly-rated striker linked up with the Hammers last summer after being lured away from the MK Dons.
He netted five times in his first nine games, but saw first team opportunities dwindle as the season wore on.
Baldock played a bit-part role as the Hammers secured promotion back to the top-flight through the play-offs, but is convinced that he can fight his way back into contention in 2012/13.
"I don't see why I can't take this opportunity to stake my claim," said Baldock, who scored in a pre-season friendly defeat to Austria Vienna on Saturday.
"Everyone knows that during the second half of last year I was very frustrated.
"I'm a footballer who wants to play football at the end of the day. I've been working hard and hopefully I'll be given a chance to show what I can do."
Manchester City hope striker Emmanuel Adebayor will move to Tottenham for £5m to pave the way for a deal for Arsenal forward Robin van Persie.
The Sun
Lucas Moura
Moura could join Rafael and Anderson at United
A Manchester United delegation will arrive in Brazil on Tuesday intent on tying up a £30m deal for Lucas Moura, 19, before the Sao Paulo midfielder, also wanted by Inter Milan, heads off on Olympic duty with Brazil.
Daily Mail
Chelsea will beat Tottenham to sign Internacional's Brazilian striker Oscar, 20, in a £25m deal.
Daily Mail
AC Milan have joined Juventus and Inter Milan in the race to sign Manchester City's unsettled left-back Aleksandar Kolarov, 26.
talkSPORT
AC Milan are also prepared to pay £20m for City's Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko, 26.
Daily Mirror
Real Madrid will sweeten their move for Tottenham's Luka Modric by offering Portuguese defender Ricardo Carvalho, 34, who worked with Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas at Porto, as part of the deal. Tottenham want £35m for Croatian midfielder Modric.
The Sun
Liverpool want to sign Fulham's American midfielder Clint Dempsey, 29, before they head off on a tour of the United States.
Daily Mirror
England striker Andy Carroll is fighting for his Liverpool career under new manager Brendan Rodgers, who is concerned that the 23-year-old cannot fit into his preferred style of play.
Daily Telegraph
Arsenal are battling with Barcelona to sign Toulouse's French midfielder Etienne Capoue, 23, who could cost £9.5m.
talkSPORT
Sunderland have been told they will have to pay £15m for Wolves striker Steven Fletcher.
Daily Mail
Wigan are hoping a £3m move for Watford defender Adrian Mariappa, 25, will kick off their summer spending.
Daily Mirror
Tottenham are set to beat Arsenal to sign Nottingham Forest's England U19 defender Jamaal Lascelles, 18.
Daily Mirror
Steven Nzonzi has not travelled to Austria for Blackburn's pre-season training camp as the French midfielder, 23, looks for a move away from Ewood Park. Rovers want £10m for Nzonzi, who has been linked with Arsenal, Stoke City, Spartak Moscow, Villarreal and Borussia Dortmund.
Lancashire Telegraph
Manchester United are closing in on a £16m deal to sign England and Everton full-back Leighton Baines, 27.
Daily Star
Everton are weighing up a move for versatile full-back Reto Ziegler, 26, after he was put up for sale by Juventus .
The Metro
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini's new five-year deal is worth £7.5m a season.
Daily Mirror
Gareth Barry could miss the start of the season due to an abdominal problem. The Manchester City midfielder, who missed Euro 2012, flew to Munich on Monday to see a specialist.
Daily Mail
Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic could return to action in the pre-season tour of Scandinavia after eight months out with a knee injury.
Daily Mirror
Manchester United winger Nani has opened talks with the club over a new deal. The 25-year-old Portugal international has 18 months left on his current contract.
Daily Express
Arsenal are ready to offer 26-year-old defender Laurent Koscielny a new five-year deal.
Daily Mirror
Manchester City's players are sleeping on €1,000 mattresses, having hay baths and 6.30am alarm calls on their pre-season trip to Austria.
Daily Mirror
MANCHESTER UNITED striker John Cofie, 19, will be at Sheffield United on loan for next season.
NEWCASTLE target Mathieu Debuchy will be allowed to leave Lille this summer for £8million.
CHARLTON have signed ex-Sunderland striker Jordan Cook, 22, on a two-year deal. The Addicks also want Stevenage’s Lawrie Wilson.
ZAT KNIGHT, 32, has agreed a two-year deal at Bolton after turning down a chance to join Championship rivals Cardiff.
PREMIER LEAGUE new-boys Southampton and Reading are monitoring Blackburn centre-back Scott Dann, 25.
FORMER Arsenal keeper Stuart Taylor, 31, is training with Reading after leaving Manchester City this summer.
AMERICAN striker Mike Grella, 25, has signed a two-year deal with Scunthorpe after deciding to leave Bury.
BLACKPOOL boss Ian Holloway has signed right-back Jake Caprice, 19. He was released by Crystal Palace at the end of last season.
WIGAN hope to sign £2.5m-rated Watford defender Adrian Mariappa, 25. Newcastle also want him.
GERAINT WILLIAMS is joining Wales boss Chris Coleman’s backroom team and will run the Under-21 side.
Former Derby and Ipswich midfielder Williams, 50, was capped 13 times by Wales.
HULL have beaten Ipswich to the signing of Eldin Jakupovic.
The Tractor Boys had the Swiss keeper, 27, on a week’s trial.
But Tigers chief Steve Bruce was successful with a counter offer and agreed a two-year deal.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY expect to seal the signings of David Norris and Bilel Mohsni in the next 48 hours.
Owls boss Dave Jones has had a £350,000 bid for Portsmouth midfielder Norris, 31, accepted.
And the £500,000 offer Jones has tabled for Southend centre-half Mohsni, 24 — who can also play up front — is being considered by the League Two club.
babe of the day
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