West Ham thread

Banner in the West Ham block at the game this morning

Following the next two games, Man City A and Liverpool H, the fixtures for Feb should be productive, Wigan A, Birmingham H,  free week, Fulham A

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Under-pressure Rafa Benitez is reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of goals from �10million Dutch (miss)hit-man, Dirk Kuyt, and is lining-up a swap-deal involving West Ham United striker Dean Ashton (pictured).

A potential stumbling block for a deal to go ahead is the Hammers� valuation of Ashton, thought to be in the region of �17million, but Rafa has several players at his disposal that he is willing to off-load in a multiple swap-deal.

Norwegian John Arne Riise, who has struggled for form this season, is also a target for Newcastle�s Kevin Keegan, but more importantly, Hammers boss, Alan Curbishley is understood to be a keen admirer of the ginger-winger and could pave the way to broker a deal during the January transfer-window.

Momo Sissoko is also waiting in the Anfield departure lounge but the Mali International wants to ply his trade (which is apparently playing football) in Italy.

As  mentioned earlier, a reliable source of WHU info in the UK has responded to my Bilic enquiry as follows:

Bilic wants to quit the Croatia job after Euro 2008 (end June) and get a job in the English Premier League. His agent has been quietly touting him around for a few months now and Bilic himself has been having unofficial chats with West Ham.

It is a very badly-kept secret he wants the West Ham job.

Few people really believe Curbishley can turn us into a regular top-six club - he just doesn't have the pedigree or the charisma.

Which leaves three options: 1) West Ham fade away this season and Curbs is replaced; 2) Curbs does okay, we finish top 10 and he is "promoted� to Director of Coaching; 3) Bilic goes elsewhere.

 So the "Bilic for West Ham" story definitely has legs. It's just a matter of whether Curbs is going to be ditched quickly enough to get Bilic before he finds a good job elsewhere.

From the same source:

Ashton went to see Curbishley at the start of the season and asked for a pay rise because he has gone from being one of the highest paid to one of the lowest thanks to all the players arriving on huge contracts.

Curbs told him he could have a new deal if he could prove himself again after injury.

That's why all the Ashton stories are appearing - his agent is trying to get other clubs interested so they can force West ham into giving him a pay rise.

There is absolutely no truth in the Green stories.

BG has accepted Curbs needs a quality third striker behind Ashton and Bellamy so will sanciton buying or loaning one....but only after Curbs has trimmed the enormous wage bill.

That''s why they want to get rid of Zamora (plus Davenport, Quashie, Dailly etc etc).

Absolutely no sign of that happening yet though...