Football: Hammers gaffer delivers goodwill volley

Winston Reid and his West Ham team-mates arrived yesterday. Photo / Doug Sherring

West Ham might have finished 13th in last season's English Premier League but manager Sam Allardyce and co-chairman David Gold delivered a volley of top-flight goodwill to assembled media as the club build their brand in New Zealand this week.

The team, led by Allardyce, captain Kevin Nolan, striker Andy Carroll and All Whites defender Winston Reid, were ushered into their Sky City barracks yesterday before an open training session tomorrow and games on Wednesday and Saturday against the Phoenix and Sydney FC respectively.

The Maori welcome was drowned out by buses driving behind the new arrivals and nearby jazz music but it didn't stop many of the team grinning and whipping out phones to capture the moment before receiving a haka and engaging in hongi. Nearby restaurant goers looked unperturbed but it was hardly a riot outside. Only a few dozen fans and dignitaries attended.

Reid apologised to his team-mates that "the weather's a bit crap" before looking a trifle disinterested at the opening press conference but a chance to espouse the West Ham message persuaded Allardyce to ignore the inclement conditions.

"The public can come and see an English Premier League team live, many for the first time in their lives," he enthused. "We intend to spend as much time as possible with the fans doing photo shoots and signing sessions.

"I was a fan of [Premier League chief executive] Richard Scudamore's plan to get out and play competitive games around the world. It's a fruitful way forward for one of the biggest sporting brands in the world."

Allardyce was expecting a level of opposition similar to Championship level in the UK.

"That's good competition for us pre-season, especially against players who we're unfamiliar with meeting week-in-week-out. We won't commit everybody for 90 minutes on the basis that we're playing a few games."

The West Ham gaffer, who has worked closely with Reid and former All Whites skipper Ryan Nelsen when he was with Blackburn, would not be drawn on how the relationship would develop.

"It's quite difficult from a distance point of view. Our relationships with teams in Europe are not too far away with a similar season and climate but we're not ready to expand as far as this."

Co-chairman Gold was less circumspect.

"[New Zealand] is probably the furthest nation on Earth for West Ham United to visit but I see it as a potential source of new players and forging a relationship so we ensure the next Winston Reid comes to West Ham."

Gold welcomes a meeting with Phoenix owner Gareth Morgan.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to learn from them. I'd be disappointed if we didn't sit down over a bit of lunch."