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Alan 9:44 Thu Apr 2
Thursday newspapers (includes West Ham)
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BBC West Ham are preparing a surprise £15m bid for Barcelona and Norway forward Martin Braithwaite, 28, who has made only three appearances since moving to the Nou Camp in January. (Mail) Borussia Dortmund are just a signature away from winning the race to land highly rated 16-year-old midfielder Jude Bellingham from Birmingham City.(Bild, via Birmingham Mail) England striker Marcus Rashford admits he is desperate to play with compatriot and Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho, 20, at Manchester United next season. (Sun) Manchester United are monitoring Thomas Meunier's situation at Paris Saint-Germain with the 28-year-old Belgian defender's future remaining unsolved. (90min.com) Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti is eyeing a reunion with Real Madrid's Colombian 28-year-old forward James Rodriguez. (Mirror) Manchester United and France midfielder Paul Pogba's priority remains to join Real Madrid when the transfer window opens, because of the 27-year-old's desire to link up with Zinedine Zidane. (90min.com) Chelsea midfielder Willian thinks Liverpool are so far ahead in the Premier League table because they have not changed manager since 2015. (ESPN Brazil) Meanwhile, Brazilian Willian, 31, could reunite with former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri at Juventus when his contract at Stamford Bridge expires this summer. (Tuttosport) Sheffield Wednesday left-back Morgan Fox, 26, is attracting the interest of Championship rivals Middlesbrough. (Yorkshire Post) Leeds United will sign French goalkeeper Illan Meslier, 20, on a permanent deal from Ligue 1 side Lorient if they win promotion to the Premier League. (Mirror)
C&H
Another West Ham sponsor goes bust
West Ham’s shirt sleeve sponsor Basset & Gold has gone into administration, after putting the majority of investors’ funds into payday lender Uncle Buck, which collapsed last week.
The mini-bond provider is believed to have around 1,800 customers who had collectively invested £36m.
“B&G Plc and [related company] B&G Finance took independent solvency advice after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) raised concerns about the viability of the B&G mini-bond scheme because the money raised from the mini-bonds was almost entirely invested in Uncle Buck,” said a statement on the FCA’s website.
“In light of this advice, and following the entry into administration by Uncle Buck, the directors concluded that both of the firms were insolvent and took the necessary steps to place the firms into administration.”
Basset & Gold were announced as West Ham’s second sleeve sponsor in July 2018 but now follow a host of other Hammers sponsors that have gone to the wall like XL Holidays and Alpari
Claret and Hugh understand the club are understandably concerned to hear of B&G’s situation at this difficult time but as part of the partnership, B&G did not owe the club any money.
The 4th Official
Borussia Dortmund Ace Expected To Leave With West Ham United Seen As Potential Destination: Right Fit For Moyes?
According to a recent report by Sport Bild (translated by The Daily Mail), Borussia Dortmund attacker Mario Gotze is expected to leave the club on a free transfer when his contract at Signal Iduna Park runs out at the end of this campaign. The same source has also mentioned the former Dortmund player Michael Rummenigge’s recent Sportbuzzer column, where he suggested that ‘category B’ sides like West Ham United or Everton should be potential destinations for the talented playmaker.
However, it is believed that Gotze’s current wages of €10m per year will be a stumbling block for the English clubs, which means that the player would have to take a significant pay-cut if he wants to seal a move to the Premier League in the off-season (via Sport Bild). Even though Rummenigge suggested various options, we are going to weigh up if Gotze fits in at West Ham United or not.
Gotze’s Fall To Mediocrity In Recent Seasons
The German sensation has endured another frustrating season at Dortmund as he has struggled to find a run of consistency with his performances under Lucien Favre’s stewardship. He has been involved in 19 matches for the Bundesliga outfit this term, registering three goals and one assist on all fronts which goes to highlight his struggles in the opposition half.
The 27-year-old has averaged 0.6 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.2 dribbles in every 90 minutes of league football this season (stats via whoscored). His stats have been quite poor, so maybe switching clubs this summer could help him kickstart his career in European football.
Gotze managed to lift the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany, and so he knows what it is like to taste success at the highest level. The Memmingen-born talent has represented the German national team in 63 international matches, scoring 17 goals for his country thus far.
What Will The German Playmaker Add To Moyes’ Team?
Gotze is a moderately paced attacking midfielder who plays as a centre-forward these days. When he is playing with confidence on the field, he can still make a few penetrative runs with the ball in and around the opposition penalty area. The German maestro can be quite accurate with his ball-distribution as well but has often lacked the cutting edge in the attacking third of the field which explains why he only has one assist to show for his efforts this season.
A high-profile switch to the English top-flight could be a risky move for Gotze at this stage of his playing career. He has been plagued by injuries in recent years which has derailed his career in Germany. One can argue whether he has what it takes to cope with the physicality and high intensity of English football if he decides to listen to Michael Rummenigge’s advice by sealing a move to West Ham this summer.
Is Gotze The Right Fit For The Hammers?
David Moyes can benefit from recruiting a talented attacker of Gotze’s experience as he will bolster his attacking options significantly at the London Stadium in the coming years. The likes of Sebastien Haller, Michail Antonio and Albian Ajeti have all struggled to find consistency in terms of goal-scoring this season. Therefore, they can use some help in the form of new arrivals this summer.
Gotze will not only add more quality to the Hammers frontline but will also increase competition for places within Moyes’ squad. He will also give the West Ham boss the freedom to be more experimental with his tactics, formations and team selection in the upcoming campaign. All in all, the former World Cup winner will be the right fit for the East London outfit as he has the potential to add another dimension to the Hammers attack.
OS
Meet the Irons' Young Lions: Divin Mubama
“Any goal, as a striker, gets you buzzing - but when you score for your country it’s a special thing. You just lose your head for ten seconds!”
A divine moment for Divin Mubama, the 15-year-old striker whose love of finding the back of the net is immediately apparent.
Scoring is a feeling which Canning Town local Mubama has come to know well over his tender years, having originally joined West Ham United at eight-years-old as a left-back.
At around age 12, Mubama was asked to move up-front midway through a game. He scored – and, before too long, made a habit of doing so with startling regularity.
Prior to the suspension of Academy football due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Mubama had 45 goals for the season to his name, form which saw him receive international recognition with England U15s in August.
Later in the campaign, he became a member of Justin Cochrane’s U16s squad and, in late February – along with Academy of Football team-mate, midfielder Sonny Perkins – he was selected by the Young Lions for a UEFA Development Tournament at St George’s Park.
“The manager emails your parents, and I think at the time, I was at home on my PlayStation!” Mubama laughed.
“I didn’t realise that my Mum had called me, saying that I’d been called up. I didn’t believe her! When she came home she showed me the email. I was buzzing, I told everyone.
“At first, playing for England was really hard, because you don’t know how everybody else in the team plays, but as you go to more and more training camps, you get used to how the manager wants you to play and what you need to improve on as a player.
“When you go over to England, you just bring everything you’ve learned from the Academy at West Ham. At first it was really nerve-wracking for me. I just tried to play it simple, just play my game, and as the camps went on, I saw the same faces, so I got less nervous.”
As for February’s ten-day England U16 training camp – and of course the tournament itself – another grin spreads over Mubama’s face as he recalls the events with pride.
“We played Denmark, the USA and Spain in a four-team tournament,” he explained. “We were fortunate enough to win against Denmark 3-1, in which I scored a goal. One of our players managed to nick the ball in the final third and slide me in across the box.
“We then beat USA 4-1 – that was a good victory, I felt we needed that – and against Spain, in the deciding game, we beat them 3-1 comfortably.
“It was an amazing feeling. When you’re with your country, winning something, whether it’s small or big, is a good feeling and a great experience as well. It was a proud moment for me.”
Three impressive wins against three highly-respected sides; for Mubama, Perkins – who himself netted a hat-trick against USA – and English youth football as a whole, the friendly tournament in February could hardly have gone much better.
“I drove up for the Denmark game, where Divin scored and Sonny came on the for the last 15-20 minutes,” U16s Lead Coach, Gerard Prenderville, recalled. “As an Academy, we always have a member of staff to watch the boys on international duty.
“It’s quite a proud feeling to be honest, especially when the national anthem started playing and I could see them standing there in their England kits.
“They’re two really good lads – two really hard-working boys. They both have clear focus, train properly, and not only do things right on the pitch but off the pitch also. They’re good members of the group, and it’s no surprise they’ve gone away and done really well to be honest.”
Clearly a popular character around the Academy of Football, Mubama speaks humbly but happily, his enthusiasm for the game evident.
Yet in keeping with the determination which has seen him receive his recognition, 15-year-old Mubama has his feet firmly on the ground, balancing scoring goals with studying hard.
“When you’re with England, it’s always an honour,” he smiled. “To play at any level for England is always a big thing, but when you come back to West Ham, you can’t afford to drop your standards.
“West Ham help me a lot. Every member of the coaching staff here plays a key role in helping you. I do day release too – my school and West Ham have a good relationship, and we know my schoolwork is always important, so we have education hours here too.
“I haven’t really got a favourite subject though. I never used to like Maths, but I enjoy it now!”
It seems fitting that, for a newfound Maths enthusiast, Mubama’s numbers this season have been so impressive – poaching one goal just minutes into his West Ham U18s’ debut away at Stoke in November.
“We were 2-0 down when I came on, so I didn’t go mad that time!” he joked. “Inside I celebrated – but I had to grab the ball and get back!”
As for his good form, Mubama credits the Academy of Football coaching staff – including his U15s Lead Coach, Harry Watling; U16s coach Prenderville; and coaches Paul Konchesky and Carlton Cole – for the confidence they instil in him.
“Every day the coaches are helping me with whatever it is – on the pitch, off the pitch, they’re always guiding me, supporting me, telling me not to drop my standards and keep working hard,” he said.
“Harry is my mentor and takes time out of his day to help me a lot, and so does Coley. Because we’ve coaches with a lot of experience in the Premier League, they know what they didn’t have which they can help us with.
“It’s been a really good season so far, scoring 45 goals! Obviously I’m trying to progress season by season, so I don’t want to set unrealistic targets, but this season, why not try and go for the 50 mark?”
“We want them to sustain the standards they’ve already set and push them a little bit more,” Prenderville added. “We want Divin, as an U15, to keep pushing himself, stay focused, keep knocking on the door, and who knows what will happen for him in the future?”
When Academy of Football fixtures eventually resume, few would bet against marksman Mubama hitting both of those targets.
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Replies - Newest Posts First ( Show In Chronological Order)
Russ of the BML
11:12 Fri Apr 3
Re: Thursday newspapers (includes West Ham)
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Goetze??
Only about a decade too late.
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Mex Martillo
8:30 Thu Apr 2
Re: Thursday newspapers (includes West Ham)
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Thanks Alan 9:52 Thu Apr 2
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LeroysBoots
7:51 Thu Apr 2
Re: Thursday newspapers (includes West Ham)
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100% agree
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Sven Roeder
7:19 Thu Apr 2
Re: Thursday newspapers (includes West Ham)
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Brentford look like being one of the teams to have their EPL chances stymied so we need to be lining up someone like Watkins.
Gotze as an expensive little injury prone player who has won the World Cup and checked out is again exactly the sort we should be avoiding.
Young and hungry and ambitious is where we should look.
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chiff
6:56 Thu Apr 2
Re: Thursday newspapers (includes West Ham)
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Thanks Alan
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LeroysBoots
6:11 Thu Apr 2
Re: Thursday newspapers (includes West Ham)
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I sincerely hope we stop buying over the hill past it foreigners on large salaries
Championship is our way forward
Ollie Watkins over Martin fucking Braithwaite
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Texas Iron
4:34 Thu Apr 2
Re: Thursday newspapers (includes West Ham)
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Cheers...
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Tomshardware
10:06 Thu Apr 2
Re: Thursday newspapers (includes West Ham)
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Your unwavering dedication to bring football gossip is commendable. Thank you
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Thanks Alan
9:52 Thu Apr 2
Re: Thursday newspapers (includes West Ham)
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Sven Roeder 9:48 Thu Apr 2
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Sven Roeder
9:48 Thu Apr 2
Re: Thursday newspapers (includes West Ham)
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Thanks Alan
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