15/05/2007 16:38
For so long, it looked all set to end in a relegation nightmare. But by the
time the curtain fell down on a rollercoaster season at the Theatre of
Dreams, Alan Curbishley had masterminded the greatest of great escapes. And
that means the relieved Hammers' boss can now positively set his sights
firmly on next term.
"I hadn't spoken to the chairman about the scenario of what would happen if
we stayed up or if we went down," says Curbs, who now plans to start drawing
up his summer battle plan with Eggert Magnusson, safe in the knowledge that,
come August, his side will still be kicking-off in the Barclays Premier
League."We all need a break and a bit of a rest but we'll have a meeting on
Wednesday so that we can start looking forward to next season. "Hopefully,
the events of this year will hold us in good stead because it's been a real
learning curve for everyone. "And to have got seven wins out of our final
nine games is unbelievable, especially when you consider the opposition that
we've faced recently. "We've also had a barrage of negative press, which
wasn't helped by some of our earlier performances and a few other things
that crept into the newspapers, while the Tevez-Mascherano affair has become
the bandwagon for everyone to jump upon, too. "When I came here in December,
things had already gone on but then they held the inquiry and gave their
verdict. We've become public enemy number one but the Premier League have
said that it's over and that's it. I don't think that their decision will be
overturned and it's all out of my hands, just like it's always been. "The
win at Manchester United wasn't just a one-off, though," insists the Hammers
boss, having seen Carlos Tevez secure safety with a priceless first-half
winner at Old Trafford."We've had some magnificent performances lately from
players such as Tevez, Robert Green, James Collins, Lucas Neill, Mark Noble,
Anton Ferdinand and Bobby Zamora. They've all played their part and it's
been a great effort. "I've certainly learned a lot and I hope that the
players have, too, because it'll hold us all in good stead for next season.
"All week, people were saying that Manchester United would beat us and
everything would be decided by events at Sheffield United, where it would've
been all over if we'd lost and Wigan had won. "But we also knew that if
everyone approached their matches correctly then it could've all come back
and bitten us. After all, Sheffield United were looking at their situation
thinking that they only had to win their game and that just goes to show how
difficult it actually is down at the bottom. "We knew all the permutations
and realised that we had to get at least a point," continues Curbs after
steering Hammers to an incredible double over the Premiership champions,
while Neil Warnock's Blades saw their Premiership lifeline cruelly cut by
Wigan's win. "We were hearing conflicting stories from Bramall Lane but when
I heard that Wigan were down to 10 men and winning 2-1 it was still all in
the balance because Manchester United could have scored and turned it all on
its head again. "To come away from Old Trafford with the win was the bonus
ball but whenever United tried to create anything we got there, we blocked
it and put our bodies on the line. It was a great effort and we've pulled
off an amazing escape!"
Certainly, when he trudged away from his old stamping ground at The Valley
in late February, Curbs could hardly have contemplated such a spectacular
late reprieve after a 0-4 defeat left Hammers nine points adrift of safety.
"I came home from Charlton feeling very despondent," he reveals. "It had
been difficult coming into the club in mid-season and I'd already had lots
of injuries and other things to contend with. "We didn't put up much of a
show against my old club, while some of the players that I'd signed had
picked up injuries, too. It wasn't happening and you just couldn't see where
another result was coming from. "Some of the West Ham fans were even
telling me to go back to Charlton because no-one could work out what was
happening to this club! Remember, this time last year West Ham were
contesting an FA Cup final and they'd had a great season. "But the problems
started with all the injuries and the operations after the players came home
from the Millennium Stadium. "All along, though, people at the club were
telling me that if we could only pick up a couple of results, then I'd see
the difference in the players and that's exactly what happened. "Although we
ended losing it in the end, our next match against Tottenham Hotspur really
galvanised us," recalls Curbs, after a 3-4 defeat against Martin Jol's men
left Hammers rock-bottom in the Premiership table, 10 points adrift of
safety with just those nine games to play. "But apart from Lucas Neill and,
more recently Luis Boa Morte, it really has been the players who were
already in the side before I got here, who have got us out of trouble. That
just goes to show that, somehow, the ability that was here all along had
escaped us in the early part of the season. "I've got to give great credit
to the team for going on to produce those seven wins out of our final nine
matches. "Although I can't put my finger on it, it just goes to show what
can be achieved. All I've done is kept things low key and the training
simple and the results have picked up alongside the confidence. "All along,
I said that I hoped to bring in some senior players alongside the young
talent that we again saw against Manchester United and it's been up to me to
get the best out of them. "We've also had a settled side in recent weeks
and we can now look forward to welcoming back some big-hitters such as Dean
Ashton, Danny Gabbidon and Matthew Upson, too. "But just like any other
club, players will also come and go during the summer," predicts Curbs.
"We'll just have to wait and see what happens but, in the meantime, I'm big
on pre-season preparation and I'm really looking forward to next year."
by Steve Blowers
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Northampton Town v Hammers - WHUFC
Friendly Match 15th May 2007 Kick-off: 19:00
Venue: Sixfields Stadium
West Ham 4 Northampton 1
Andy Woodman scored from the penalty spot in the second half of his
testimonial at Sixfields but it was only a consolation as the Hammers earned
a resounding 4-1 victory. A brace from Kepa Blanco and goals from Marlon
Harewood and Carlton Cole gave Hammers the victory as Woody was given a
hero's welcome back to his old stomping gound at Northampton Town. The
Hammers were 3-0 up inside the first 20 minutes as Kepa, Harewood and Cole
struck the ball past Woody - but the former Northampton favourite made up
for it with a neat penalty take past Jimmy Walker.
1 min Crunching challenge from Jason White on Lee Bowyer
4 mins GOAL Harewood fires Hammers into the lead with a snap shot from Matty
Etherington's cross. Woody's first touch is to pick the ball out of the net.
7 mins Carlton Cole makes a darting run into the box and cuts the ball back
to Harewood, but his fierce shot bounce off Cole and out of play
8 mins Woody's first save! A calm catch from Etherington's cross
9 mins Woody's second save! A low stop as Etherington struck the ball
towards the near post
10 mins GOAL Kepa fires Hammers into a 2-0 lead after latching onto an
excellent cross from Harewood
13 mins Woody's third save! A diving stop from Harewood's low drive
16 mins Corner to the Hammers. The ball falls to Bowyer on the edge of the
box but his curling shot lands on the roof of the net
19 mins Benayoun dispossessed by Neil Grayson, whose run up the pitch was
halted as Bowyer trapped the ball and won it back
20 mins GOAL! Cole scores with a neat back-flick to put the Hammers 3-0 up -
then offers Woody a conciliatory hug
23 mins Woodys fourth save! An excellent stop from Johh Pantsil's powerful
shot
27 mins Grayson makes a run down the left for Northampton but Collins makes
a well-timed challenge
30 mins Collins' volley travels wide from the edge of the area
32 mins Woody's fifth save - a good stop from Bowyer's shot
38 mins Northampton corner turned wide by Warburton
42 mins Green saves a powerful shot from Grayson
43 mins Hammers corner swung in by Etherington, played back in by Collins to
Harewood but just too long for Cole
44 mins White makes a run through the middle but is tackled by Davenport as
Hammers break. The move ends with a Harewood shot which flies past the
outside of Woody's post
45 mins SUB Clakson for Gibb
HALF TIME
48 mins SUBS Walker for Green, Widdowson for Collins and Boa Morte for
Benayoun
52 mins Penalty to Northampton after a handball by Bowyer.
53 mins GOAL Woody scores from the penalty spot to pull a goal back for
Northampton
SUB Woody comes off to be replaced by Mann
58 mins SUBS Norton, Maddison on for Grayson and Southgate
59 mins Tony Stokes and Kyel Reid on for Cole and Harewood
64 mins Shot from Maddison 3o yards out saved by Walker
71 mins GOAL Kepa scores his second after some neat link up play saw
Etherington play the ball across the box to the Hammers' striker's feet
73 mins Dailly makes a darting run into the box and cuts the ball back to
Boa Morte but he slices his shot and it travels wide
75 mins Mann makes a diving save as Bowyer plays in a curling shot
77 mins SUB Mann replaced by Turley
79 mins Turley tips Reid's shot around the outside of the post
84 mins Corner to Northampton but they lose possession and Hammers move
forward
86 mins Northampton push forward again and earn another corner but Dailly
heads it clear
89 mins Pantsil fires in a shot but Turley stops it on the line - the
Hammers fans cheer, thinking it's gone over - but no goal is awarded
FULL TIME
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Fifa chief wades into Tevez saga - BBC
Fifa president Sepp Blatter says he will look into how the Premier League
handled West Ham's breach of rules. West Ham were fined £5.5m for
irregularities over the signing of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano but
they escaped a points deduction. Blatter said he is "monitoring the
situation very carefully". But Fifa has told BBC Five Live Sport that it is
not re-examining the evidence with the aim of testing the Premier League's
ruling. West Ham broke two Premier League rules by entering into a private
agreement with a third-party company when they signed Argentine pair Tevez
and Mascherano in August last year. Mascherano has since moved to Liverpool,
while Tevez stayed in London and played an influential role in West Ham's
successful battle against relegation - scoring seven goals in the club's
last 10 games. Sheffield United, who went down on the final day of the
season, are leading the fight against an independent commission's decision
not to punish the Hammers with a points deduction. The Blades, who are being
supported by the likes of Wigan, Fulham, Charlton and Middlesbrough, are
also concerned that West Ham may still have been breaking Premier League
rules after the ruling on 27 April. The Premier League has argued that it
has no case to answer in regards to West Ham's punishment because all 20
Premiership clubs agreed to the disciplinary system in place. However, that
has not stopped Sheffield United pursuing their case and Blatter's
intervention may encourage them. A Premier League statement later read: "We
have implemented our rulebook and processes to the letter in this matter and
we are more than happy to give Fifa any assurances or explanations they
need."
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Ripped off by Whelan? Get your own back here! - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 15th May 2007
By: Gordon Thrower
Fed up with the endless stream of half truths and wilful misrepresentations
coming from the mouth of Wigan chairman Dave Whelan? Fancy getting your own
back and making a few bob at the same time? Read on....
Many Hammers are already boycotting Whelan's chain of tacky sports shops as
a response to his continued insistence that Carlos Tevez was ineligible for
selection during the successful fight against the drop. Despite the Premier
League maintaining that the player has been correctly registered at all
times, Whelan has continued to perpetuate the myth that the player
registration was somehow invalid.
Whelan, of course, is no stranger to being "economical with the truth". In
2003 clothing manufactured by child slave labour in Burma was found on sale
in his JJB shops some months after Whelan had given his personal, but false,
assurance that no such stock was carried. After a brief campaign Whelan
agreed not to do further business with Burma.
However, it was in the murky world of illegal price-fixing that JJB came
into its own. The company was found guilty of being part of an illegal
price-fixing cartel which operated in 2000-01 and the Office of Fair Trading
levied a fine of over £8m for JJB's role in the scam. This fine was reduced
to £6.3m on appeal.
JJB was the only solvent company to appeal against the fine and, ironically,
it is this action that has left them open to compensation claims. Legal
powers enabling the well-known consumer action organisation Which? had not
been granted in time for claims to be launched against the other members of
the cartel, which included Manchester United FC, Umbro and the FA. However,
by the time JJB's avenues of appeal had been exhausted in February 2007,
when leave to take the case to the House Of Lords was refused, Which? had
been given the requisite powers to enable them to take action.
Which? has now launched a compensation claim on behalf of football
supporters ripped-off by the dodgy antics of Whelan's company. Negotiations
are currently taking place but it's not too late to join in with the fun.
All you need is to have bought an England home or away kit between April and
June 2000 and you could be well on your way to getting your hands on some of
JJB's illegally gained profits.
It may not even be necessary for you to have bought the shirt at JJB -
Which? are looking at claiming compensation from JJB irrespective of which
of the illegal cartel shops are involved. For full details of how to make a
claim please visit the Which? website at www.which.co.uk.
You should find a link to the specific campaign in the Campaign A-Z box
under "Football Shirts"
We at kumb.com would be interested to know how anyone gets on with this -
and ours is a pint if you're successful!
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Northampton Town 1 West Ham United 4 - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 15th May 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
A brace from on-loan striker Kepa Blanco helped the Hammers breeze to
victory in tonight's friendly at Sixfields. In what was almost certainly his
final appearance for the Hammers, the Spanish striker struck either side of
the break to give United a comfortable 4-1 win in Andy Woodman's
testimonial. Marlon Harewood opened the scoring after just four minutes
when he converted man of the match Matthew Etherington's cross from wide on
the left. The lead was doubled just six minutes later when Kepa added his
name to the scoresheet with a well taken drive from close range. United led
3-0 after just 20 minutes when Carlton Cole scored with a crafty back-heel.
With no mre goals in the half, The Hammers went into the break with a
healthy advanatage. The Cobblers - featuring Middlesbrough manager Gareth
Southgate at centre-half - pulled one back eight minutes into the second
period from the penalty spot before the Hammers clinched a comfortable win
when Kepa noched his second of the night 19 minutes from time.
West Ham United: Green; Pantsil, Collins, Dailly, Davenport; Benayoun,
Bowyer; Etherington; Harewood, Cole, Blanco.
Substitutes: Walker, Boa Morte, Stokes, Reid, Widdowson.
Goals: Harewood (4), Kepa (10, 71), Cole (20).
Northampton Town: Woodman, Clarkson, Frain, Southgate, Warburton. Sampson,
Parrish, White, Grayson, Lee, Peer.
Substitutes: Gibb, Turley, Maddison, Warner, O'Shea, Savage, Hendon, Norton,
Wilson, Thompson, Mann, Heggs.
Goals: Woodman (53, pen)
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What A Load Of Sour Grapes - West Ham Online
Seventeen year old - Tue May 15 2007
Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe reckons that his club weren't
relegated on Sunday because they lost at home to Wigan- that's Wigan, by the
way, who had not won a game since 3rd March. He has suggested that Sheffield
United went down because West Ham cheated.
How odd. As I understood it on a nervous Sunday, Sheffield United only had
to avoid defeat against their relegation rivals to secure their Premiership
status for another year. They failed. Yet apparently that's Carlos Tevez's
fault. Mr. McCabe, forgive me for being obtuse, but Carlos Tevez was in
Manchester on Sunday afternoon. I may not know much about legal ins and
outs, although it all sounds fascinating, but I do know that Tevez was in
Manchester on Sunday.
It's not too far from Sheffield, but even SuperTev would have been
stretching the realms of reality if he'd managed to score West Ham's winner
at Old Trafford and then zoom across the Pennines to Sheffield to gift Wigan
a penalty which turned out to be the decisive goal.
So maybe, just maybe, it's not West Ham's fault that Sheffield United will
be playing Championship football next season. One gets the feeling that
Sheffield United would be happy to play the blame game for a long time. Sir
Alex Ferguson, Rafa Benitez, linesman, treacherous cloud formations- they
all got it in the neck from a furiously disbelieving Neil Warnock.
Everyone was to blame. Except for Sheffield United. After all, where is it
possible to spot mistakes in their approach?
They were ten points clear of West Ham at one stage- yet after Christmas,
they won just four games. It is somehow doubtful that their losses were down
to an irregular contract- especially as one of those wins came against West
Ham.
Sheffield United and Wigan continue to preach justice. They are adamant that
West Ham should have been deducted points for the Tevez fiasco.
However would they have been so indignant if West Ham had been challenging
for Europe and were far away from a relegation battle? I suspect not- there
could be no excuses then, nothing to cloud the blunders at their own clubs,
just a simple admission that they were far from good enough to remain in the
Premiership.
For what they are demanding as punishment for West Ham is not a points
deduction. They are demanding relegation- and nowhere in the rule book does
it state that this is the proper sanction to be imposed on a club who were
found- and pleaded- guilty of an irregularity in a contract of a correctly
registered footballer.
Dave Whelan has said that West Ham should have been deducted ten points. He
also said that justice would be served if West Ham were relegated. What
exactly were these claims based on? Any hard facts or precedents? Or was it
simply an opportunistic grab at his 'Get out of jail free' card? We all know
the answer to that. Perhaps if West Ham had happily procured 60 points by
the time of the disciplinary hearing Whelan would have been demanding a 40
point deduction.
An Independent Commission, which the infamous 'Gang of Four' agreed to
comply by at the beginning of the season, fined West Ham 5.5m pounds- the
biggest amount any club has ever been fined, much more than Chelsea were
fined for tapping up Ashley Cole, for which one of the possible sanctions is
a points deduction.
But the Premier League should perform the honourable act once and for all. A
points deduction is, of course, in order. Two should suffice. It's what
Sheffield United would have wanted.
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Fifa set to look into Tevez row - Telegraph
By David Bond
Last Updated: 1:54am BST 16/05/2007
The Premier League were last night forced to issue a new defence of their
handling of the Carlos Tevez case as Fifa president Sepp Blatter vowed to
review their decision not to dock West Ham points for breaking rules on
third-party ownership. Although Fifa later tried to play down any suggestion
that they had already launched a formal investigation into the case, Blatter
said the game's world governing body reserved the right to open an inquiry
if they felt the Premier League had mishandled the case. With the Premier
League under growing pressure from the 'gang of four', who have threatened
to seek a judicial review over the verdict, Blatter's intervention could not
have come at a more sensitive time for chief executive Richard Scudamore.
But, in a brief statement, the Premier League insisted, once again, that
their handling of the Tevez case had followed the letter of the law. The
statement said: "We have implemented our rulebook and processes to the
letter in this matter and we are more than happy to give Fifa any assurances
or explanations they need."
Earlier in the day Blatter had signalled his concern over the decision by a
Premier League commission to fine West Ham £5.5 million for failing to
disclose agreements which breached their rules on third-party ownership. He
said: "We will look at this - and not only if we are asked, we will do it
anyway. We will ask for the file once it has been decided how and why the
decision was made. If we feel something was wrong in this decision then we
have to open our file."
Indicating the urgency of the situation, he added that any decision on
whether Fifa would intervene "would have to be taken immediately". Fifa
signed off the deal which took Tevez and his fellow Argentina international
Javier Mascherano from Corinthians in Brazil to West Ham last August. But
both players had been released by Corinthians and it is not clear who held
their registrations at the time of the dramatic transfer-deadline-day deal.
Blatter said, however, that according to Fifa's files, the transfer of Tevez
and Mascherano from Brazilian side Corinthians to West Ham had complied with
international transfer regulations. Blatter added: "We will monitor this
situation very carefully and once this situation is dealt with by the League
and the FA we will ask for the files and have a look because we have the
right and the responsibility to see how such cases are dealt with. The
matter is linked with a club in Brazil - Corinthians - and with the
ownership of this club and the ownership of the two players. "According to
our files the transfer of Tevez was done correctly according to the
international transfer of players."
Both West Ham and the Premier League questioned Fifa's right to get involved
in the dispute but Blatter said a recent ruling by the Swiss federal court
against Spanish third-division side Rayo Vallecano meant Fifa did have
jurisdiction over individual clubs. The Spanish club had been threatened
with relegation if they did not pay transfer fees owed to a Brazilian club.
They claimed, unsuccessfully, that Fifa did not have the power to do so.
Last night the Premier League attempted to quell the growing rebellion over
the Tevez controversy as they sent a six-page letter to all 20 clubs setting
out the full details of the case and why they allowed the striker to carry
on playing following the judgment on April 27. Fulham, Charlton, Wigan and
Sheffield United have questioned whether Tevez should have been permitted to
play such a central role in West Ham's escape from relegation when there
were doubts over his registration.But the Premier League say he had been
freed to play after West Ham ripped up their third-party agreement with his
offshore owners.
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League to explain Tevez decision - TeamTalk
The Premier League have promised to provide FIFA with a full explanation of
their handling of the Carlos Tevez affair. FIFA are to investigate whether
there was anything wrong with an independent commission's decision not to
dock West Ham points for breaching rules over third-party agreements. A
Premier League spokesman said: "The Premier League has implemented its
rulebook and processes to the letter in this matter and we are more than
happy to give FIFA any assurances or explanations they need." FIFA
president Sepp Blatter insisted the organisation had the power to pass a
final verdict on the independent commission's decision to fine West Ham
£5.5million. Several clubs are considering legal action against the Premier
League over the commission's sanction, claiming the Hammers should have been
deducted points. Blatter said FIFA would look into the case as a matter of
urgency - whether or not they are invited to do so. He told a media
briefing in Zurich: "We will look at this - and not only if we are asked, we
will do it anyway. "We will ask for the file once it has been decided how
and why the decision was made. "If we feel something was wrong in this
decision then we have to open our file." Blatter said in terms of
time-scale a "decision would have to be taken immediately."
He added that according to FIFA's files the transfer of Tevez and Javier
Mascherano from Brazilian side Corinthians to West Ham had complied with
international transfer regulations.
Blatter added: "We will monitor this situation very carefully and once this
situation is dealt with by the league and the FA we will ask for the files
and have a look because we have the right and the responsibility to see how
such cases are dealt with. "The matter is linked with a club in Brazil -
Corinthians - and with the ownership of this club and the ownership of the
two players.
"According to our files the transfer of Tevez was done correctly according
to the international transfer of players." If FIFA were to attempt to
overrule the independent commission it would cause a huge storm in the world
of football. It seems more likely that FIFA will check carefully to ensure
that the league's disciplinary process had been followed correctly, and if
it is satisfied that it has then will ratify the decision. Any such
ratification move would strengthen the Premier League's hand in any legal
battle. Blatter said a recent ruling by the Swiss federal court against
Spanish third division side Rayo Vallecano meant FIFA did have jurisdiction
over individual clubs. In the Rayo Vallecano case, the Spanish club had
been threatened with relegation if it did not pay transfer fees owed to a
Brazilian club. It claimed, unsuccessfully, that FIFA did not have the power
to do so.
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Blatter threat to Hammers - The Sun
May 16, 2007
FIFA chief Sepp Blatter says West Ham could still face relegation over the
Carlos Tevez row. Football's world governing body will investigate the
transfer and Blatter insists FIFA can fine, deduct points or even expel the
club.He said: "We have the power. We will look at this — and not only if we
are asked, we will do it anyway." Hammers were fined £5.5million for
breaching transfer rules. But Sheffield United and Wigan have led calls for
the club to be docked points. Blatter says FIFA can intervene after a Swiss
court ruled it had the power to threaten Spanish club Rayo Vallecano with
relegation in another transfer row. FIFA president Blatter added: "The court
made a ruling stating FIFA has the right to use all 14 sanctions of the
disciplinary code.
"That code starts with a warning and ends with exclusion via relegation and
deduction of points."
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Curbs facing Blatt splatt - The Sun
By PAT SHEEHAN
May 16, 2007
SEPP BLATTER promises to waste no time in deciding if West Ham should be
relegated and Sheffield United reinstated in the Premiership. FIFA president
Blatter insists football's world governing body will investigate the Carlos
Tevez transfer — to the fury of the Hammers. And Blatter is adamant FIFA
have the clout to send West Ham down if they discover any irregularities
with his move from Brazilian club Corinthians to Upton Park. That would mean
Sheffield United regaining their Premiership status. The Premier League's
independent commission have already hit Hammers with a £5.5million fine for
breaking rules over player ownership. They will not welcome FIFA's
involvement but know ratification would strengthen their hand in any legal
battle.
They have agreed to help the FIFA investigation in any way. A Premier League
statement read: "We have implemented our rulebook and processes to the
letter in this matter and we are more than happy to give FIFA any assurances
or explanations they need."
But West Ham are furious with Blatter for stepping in to the row. The
decision by the FIFA chief comes just as the Premier League were about to
write to every club explaining there was never a problem with Tevez's
registration but just a contract clause over selling him. A source close to
the West Ham board said: "At one time, West Ham understood that the letter
being sent out to Premier League clubs would be made available publicly.
"I'm sure it is what the West Ham board would have wanted as it would have
cleared up once and for all this argument over Tevez.
"West Ham pleaded guilty to certain irregularities in the initial contract
with Tevez but in hindsight I'm sure they wished they hadn't as there's a
good case that they had interpreted the rules correctly. "The Premier
League's mistake was not making it totally clear there wasn't a problem with
Tevez's registration and he has never had to be re-registered."
Blatter insisted a recent ruling by a Swiss court against Spanish club Rayo
Vallecano meant FIFA did have jurisdiction over individual clubs. He added:
"We have the power. The Swiss court has made a ruling by saying FIFA and
their associations have the power to use all 14 sanctions of the
disciplinary code, starting with a warning and ending with exclusion of a
member via relegation and deduction of points."
Rayo Vallecano had been threatened with relegation if they did not pay
transfer fees owed to a Brazilian club. Rayo claimed FIFA did not have the
power to issue such threats but lost the case.
Blatter stoked up the Tevez row even though he admitted FIFA were sure the
transfers of Tevez and Javier Mascherano to West Ham had complied with
regulations. He added: "Our files show the transfer of Tevez was done
correctly."
Meanwhile UEFA president Michel Platini has called for a universal worldwide
system of player registration and contracts.
p.sheehan@the-sun.co.uk
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Masch joy at Hammers escape - The Sun
BY PHIL THOMAS
May 16, 2007
JAVIER MASCHERANO has revealed he was delighted at West Ham's dramatic
last-day survival. The Argentine midfielder, 22, suffered six months of
hell at Upton Park before joining Liverpool. He started just three
Premiership games for the Hammers and spent most of his time on the bench.
Now he is preparing for a Champions League final next month after Rafa
Benitez rescued him in January. Yet Mascherano was still hoping West Ham
would beat the drop — and was delighted when Sunday's 1-0 win at champions
Manchester United ensured they did.
He said: "No matter what happened there, I'm pleased, content and happy they
survived, because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have had the chance to
play in a Champions League final.
"They helped me. By bringing me to England they gave me this opportunity
and, of course, Carlos Tevez is my great friend so I am happy for him. "I
don't know about the politics and I don't want to talk about the rights and
wrongs of whether they should be docked points but I do know we didn't do
anything wrong. We just went to play and, though I didn't play much, they
still gave me my chance. "They all helped — staff, players, fans, everyone.
For that I am grateful. They are a great club — too good to be out of the
top flight — so I am happy."
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We deserved to stay up - The Sun
May 16, 2007
CARLOS TEVEZ insists West Ham beat the drop on the pitch and not off it.
FIFA are probing the Argy striker's transfer last summer. But Tevez said:
"We avoided relegation on the pitch and not in offices. "We achieved it
thanks to the players and fans. It was a miraculous salvation — one of the
most emotional moments of my career." Hammers' hero Tevez, 23, arrived back
in Buenos Aires yesterday after his goal at Manchester United made sure West
Ham stayed up. He added: "I found it difficult to adapt to England but the
fans were magnificent. "They gave me strength and, luckily, I was able to
pay back their affection with goals."
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The best since Maradona: The footballing warrior from Fort Apache - The
Independent
Carlos Tevez's status as one of football's emerging superstars is no
surprise to those who watched him grow up
By Neil Clack, in Buenos Aires
Published: 16 May 2007
"Redondo, Riquelme, Cambiasso, Colocinni, Sorin, Gago..." Ramon Madonni
proudly reels off the names of some of the 70 professional players he has
discovered. It reads like a Who's Who of Argentine football, but the
legendary youth coach is under no doubt as to whom he considers the best of
the lot. "Tevez is the biggest explosion in Argentine football since
Maradona," is his description of the kid from Fort Apache who has captured
the hearts of West Ham fans.
Madonni, 62, works for Boca Juniors and first saw Tevez play when he was
eight years old. "He was just different," he says, "but when I say
different, I suppose I mean he was just better than everyone else. He was
playing for Santa Clara, the team from Fort Apache, against my team, El
Parque, who were the best in the area, but he ran us a merry dance that day.
"He played just as he does today, running all over the opposition's area,
beating everyone. He had lots of aggression and chased everything. So we
invited him to join El Parque. Maradona is something unique, something
apart, so we never compare anyone with him, but, after Maradona, Tevez is
the best Argentina has produced."
Fort Apache is not actually the real name of the isolated ghetto that lies
four miles to the north of the centre of Buenos Aires. A journalist first
coined the phrase after a shoot-out in front of the local police station in
the early 1980s and it has stuck ever since. Most of the 30,000 inhabitants
of the 22-block labyrinth are descendants of indigenous Indians from the
interior of Argentina and bordering countries. It is a self-contained
community, with its own set of codes, and a shocking crime rate
Built in two stages, the project was originally part of the Ongania
dictatorship's plan for the eradication of shanty towns in the 1960s but,
later, during preparations for the 1978 World Cup, the military government,
worried about security and the image Argentina would portray to the rest of
the world, rounded up delinquents, placing them, out of sight, in the
Ejercito de los Andes estate, a name that has long been forgotten.
"The biggest problem is juvenile crime," says the captain of the local
gendarmes. "Of every 10 arrests, seven are minors carrying arms." Since
2003, the neighbourhood has been patrolled by armed soldiers wearing
bulletproof jackets.
Rusting iron corridors run between the irregular buildings, giving the
complex the feel of an abandoned military base, or prison, taken over by
squatters but, "Fort Apache is the most beautiful place in the world,"
according to Tevez.
"I had an unforgettable childhood there and I will never forget my roots,"
Tevez has said. "If I wasn't a footballer, I'd be one of the rubbish
collectors, I'm sure of that. There is real poverty but I'd like to live
there again one day."
At the centre of the community is the Santa Clara football and social club.
Every evening they run classes of "Baby Football". All over Argentina and
Uruguay, children are taught by qualified coaches, on seven-a-side dust
pitches, with an emphasis on ball control in reduced spaces. After an
hour-long series of repeated trapping, dribbling and passing exercises, the
six-year-olds play a 10-minute match. The little lad up front, wearing the
Boca Juniors shirt looks quite useful - his name is Christian Tevez. It was
here, on this very dust pitch, that his uncle first started learning his
tricks before Madonni spotted him.
"Carlitos was a great kid, always well behaved," says Madonni. "All he
wanted to do was play football. He never missed a training session once. We
loved him and so did all his team-mates because he gave his all in every
single match and inspired everyone around him."
Madonni becomes animated when asked to explain his methods. "We always look
for technique, that's the overriding principle in everything at El Parque.
Then we teach the kids aggression, jumping, heading, chesting, shooting, but
when I say aggression, I don't mean kicking or hitting opponents, but
channelled aggression - shielding the ball, using your weight and balance.
The truth is you can't teach anyone how to play football, but you can
perfectionise [sic] it. And most important of all, it must be fun, they must
enjoy it!"
All this would, of course, be music to the ears of the FA's director of
football development, Sir Trevor Brooking. It is a virtual blueprint of
everything he wants English grass roots and children's football to adopt.
"We never played in a competitive league at El Parque," says Madonni, "just
friendlies. We were like a sort of Harlem Globetrotters team and the players
knew that they were there to learn."
Only at the age of 12 do children in Argentina move on to bigger pitches and
11-a-side. So, aged 12, Tevez left El Parque to join his first senior club,
lower league All Boys, a 15-minute bus ride away from Fort Apache. However,
when Madonni invited him to join First Division Argentinos Juniors, the club
where players like Maradona and Redondo had begun their professional
careers, the 14-year-old Tevez's response was surprisingly negative.
"'No, Argentinos, no, Papa', he said," recalls Madonni, mimicking Tevez's
voice. "He was a fanatical Boca Juniors supporter and was not interested in
Argentinos."
But, in 1996, when Madonni himself was handed the job of academy director at
Boca, one of the first things he did was go back for young Carlitos.
It proved a very astute move. A debut for Boca at 17, two Argentine league
championships, two Copa de Libertadores (the South American Champions
League) and the 2003 World Club championship, in which Boca beat Milan in
Japan. Tevez then won a Brazilian championship with Corinthians and has been
voted South American player of the year three times.
It is not unusual to see West Ham replica tops with Tevez's name on the back
in Argentina, especially at Boca Juniors matches, and since he signed for
the Hammers nearly all their matches have been transmitted live in his home
country. Tevez's goals against Bolton and the presentation of the Hammer Of
The Year award filled the middle page spread of Ole, Argentina's sports
daily.
But how does Madonni feel his protégé is doing at West Ham? "If I'm honest
with you, I'm not quite sure how he ended up there," he says. "He should be
at a better team, in my opinion. They say he went there to adapt but Tevez
can adapt to any football. At one point, they were playing him in midfield.
That's ridiculous! Tevez has all the natural characteristics of a striker, a
brilliant striker in fact."
It does seem strange that it took two-thirds of the season before Tevez was
able to nail down a regular place in the West Ham attack, although there has
always been some debate over his best position. The former Boca Juniors
manager Carlos Bianchi, with whom Tevez won everything, once said: "Not even
Carlos Tevez knows what his best position is so, in the end, we just put him
on the pitch and let him get on with it."
Back in Fort Apache, everybody has a story. "I saw him here on Christmas Day
a couple of years ago," says one teenage girl. "He was playing football at
10pm with all the other lads. He's never really left the area."
"He signed a football for us last time he came here, which we raffled," says
his old kindergarten teacher.
El Piola Vago (which roughly translates as "the lazy urchin" or "lazy chav")
are a Cumbia dance band, made up of some of Tevez's old childhood mates and
he sings and dances with them on stage, Latin American style, whenever he is
back in Argentina.
The group made a television appearance recently, two of the band wearing
West Ham tops that Tevez had given them. "He'll be back, playing with them
again in June and July," says Tevez's cousin.
Ramon Madonni recounts one more anecdote. "I remember that when I first took
over at Boca, we had a match against All Boys and Tevez started on the bench
for them. We were winning 1-0 but then he came on in the second half and
scored two. When he got the winner he ran over to the bench and started
doing that Cumbia dance thing in front of me, grinning away. I said: 'What,
you want to dance with me?' and he took my arm and started swinging me
around... that's Tevez for you."
What they say about Tevez
"Tevez can play in any position in the attacking line, but not as a
left-winger like he is currently playing. I think they're [Tevez and
Mascherano] half-hearted and I'm really worried. They play as if they're
unenthusiastic. I hope both of them leave that club as soon as possible" -
Argentina's coach Alfio Basile urges Tevez and Mascherano to quit West Ham
"Carlos has set up all of my goals so far - he headed it back for me against
Brighton, chested it down against Tottenham and then picked me out on
Saturday - so I certainly don't want him to leave!" - Mark Noble, West Ham
team-mate
"Tevez is the one who has lifted their game a bit. He has scored a couple of
really good free-kicks and seems to have a lot of enthusiasm" - Sir Alex
Ferguson, Manchester United
"Every time I see Tevez in a West Ham shirt the first thing that crosses my
mind is that he's wasting his time there" - Jorge Valdano, Real Madrid's
former director of football
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Fifa probe offers little comfort for Blades - The Independent
By Glenn Moore
Published: 16 May 2007
The news that Fifa, football's global governing body, is to investigate the
transfers of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano will at first sight have
heartened Sheffield United and the other clubs arguing that the Hammers were
treated leniently. However, Fifa's record in such cases suggests the
intervention is nothing but window dressing, and that any investigation will
quietly fade away. Fifa's president, Sepp Blatter, not a man to stand aside
when some posturing is possible, said: "We are monitoring this situation
very carefully and we will look at the files once it has been dealt with by
the English [Premier] League and the Football Association. We will look at
this, and not only if we are asked. We will do it anyway."
Fifa has, though, already looked into the transfers when it sanctioned
Mascherano's January switch to Liverpool, a move which, in theory, breached
rules barring footballers from playing for three clubs in one season. The
Argentine had previously played for Corinthians, of Brazil. Blatter added:
"According to our files the transfer of Tevez and Mascherano [from
Corinthians to West Ham] was done correctly according to the international
transfer of players."
Blatter, incidentally, was responding to a question at Fifa's regular media
briefing in Switzerland, rather than raising the issue of his own accord. An
independent commission fined West Ham £5.5m after the club were found guilty
of breaking Premier League rules. West Ham had entered into a private
agreement with a third-party company when they signed Tevez and Mascherano
in August, then lied about doing so to the League's chief executive, Richard
Scudamore. They did, however, cancel the third-party agreement, to the
Premier League's satisfaction.
Sheffield United, who were relegated on Sunday after West Ham won at Old
Trafford, head a group of clubs who argue that the Hammers should have been
deducted points, and who continue to question the eligibility of Tevez.
However, while the Premier League's handling of the issue has been
ham-fisted and tardy it seems unlikely that the commission's decision can be
overturned. The League yesterday wrote to all 20 member clubs explaining why
the decision is binding, pointing out that it had accepted the commission's
validity and independence before the verdict was issued. While this, and
greater transparency regarding the paperwork on Tevez, may deter Sheffield
United and others, the relegated club could yet sue West Ham for damages on
the grounds that they had breached the duty, under Premier League rules, for
clubs to "behave with the utmost good faith and honesty to each other".
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham in line for huge Tevez windfall
Matt Scott
Wednesday May 16, 2007
The Guardian
West Ham United are set to pick up a multi-million-pound windfall if they
sell Carlos Tevez this summer, a situation which is bound to infuriate the
"gang of four" clubs who continue to contest the striker's right to play in
the Premiership. On a day when the Tevez affair took on an international
angle with the presidents of both Fifa and Uefa stepping into the dispute,
it emerged that, under the terms of his four-year playing contract, only
West Ham will benefit from the forward's sale. Sepp Blatter and Michel
Platini would doubtless be dismayed that the prospect of yet another legal
wrangle has now been raised, this time between the club and the offshore
companies that brought Tevez to Upton Park.
This is because the only document relating to West Ham that remains legally
enforceable from the complicated sheaf of paperwork that dictated the terms
of Tevez's arrival in London last August is his playing contract. That means
he is West Ham's player and that the club alone would be due any fee from
his sale. The offshore companies are understood to retain commercial
contracts with the Argentinian player. These would permit the companies to
sue for damages in a commercial court if West Ham refused to pay them a
consideration for any transfer fee they received - and with Real Madrid
linked with a £30m bid for Tevez, that could be considerable.
Such contracts between the player and third-party companies are perfectly
legal under the Premier League rule U18 that led to £3m of the £5.5m fines
imposed on West Ham last month. This is because the rule governs the conduct
of clubs, not of players.
In any case, third-party contracts governing players' image rights and
so-called "escape clauses" allowing certain bids to trigger a player's
release are commonplace in the Premiership. Beyond national borders, the
involvement of third-party companies in player ownership is widespread.
Blatter yesterday announced Fifa's intention to scrutinise the verdict of
the independent commission that found the Hammers guilty of having breached
Premier League rules over their signing of Tevez. The Fifa president
appeared willing to listen to the complaints of the "gang of four" clubs -
Sheffield United, Charlton Athletic, Fulham and Wigan Athletic - who are
aggrieved that West Ham were not docked points, which might have condemned
them to relegation.
"We will look at this - and not only if we are asked, we will do it anyway,"
said Blatter. "We will ask for the file once it has been decided how and why
the decision was made. If we feel something was wrong in this decision then
we have to open our file. The matter is linked with a club in Brazil -
Corinthians - and with the ownership of this club and the ownership of the
two players [Tevez and Javier Mascherano]. According to our files the
transfer of Tevez was done correctly according to the international transfer
of players. We have the right and the responsibility to see how such cases
are dealt with."
The Premier League responded in a statement: "We have implemented our
rulebook and processes to the letter in this matter and we are more than
happy to give Fifa any assurances or explanations they need."
Blatter's Uefa counterpart, Platini, said that although Fifa is the
international arbiter of player transfers, there are no regulations
governing third-party ownership of players. "When you go to pick players
from South America, they are not from the same system, mentality or
morality," said Platini. "In many countries all over the world, players
belong to companies or agents rather than clubs.
"The Fifa congress has to put laws in place so that when a club is buying a
player they have to buy that player from one club and not from companies or
individuals."
The Premier League took the lead on the issue with its introduction of rule
U18, which was the result of "months" of debate according to one Premiership
chief executive, and the football world has only latterly woken up to what
the league considers a "disturbing development". The Football Association
and the Football League will also introduce a similar rule before their
international counterparts at their close-season AGMs.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
DON'T BLAME ME - The Mirror
David Maddock 16/05/2007
JAVIER MASCHERANO has urged the Premiership to forget the politics - and
instead celebrate the fact that a big club like West Ham has retained top
flight status. The Argentine endured a miserable time at Upton Park, where
he started just three games for the Hammers, despite arriving with a massive
reputation. The midfielder finally escaped his own personal hell by fleeing
to Liverpool in the January transfer window, and immediately restored his
glittering name by helping them reach the Champions League Final. But
Mascherano is just glad that West Ham have produced an incredible escape act
with their miraculous late revival, and he insisted that he is overjoyed for
the club and for his close friend Carlos Tevez. "I don't know about the
politics, and I don't want to get into the rights and wrongs of whether they
should be docked points, but I do know that we didn't do anything wrong,"
said Mascherano. "We just went there to play football, and even though I
didn't play much, they still gave me the opportunity, they helped me -
everyone, the staff the players and the fans. "For that I am grateful, and I
believe they are a great club. "They are too big and too good to be playing
at a level out of the top flight, and so I am happy they survived."
Mascherano arrived in England with the reputation of being one of the most
exciting young players in world football, but everything went wrong for him
as he struggled to adapt to the life of the Premiership. He barely played
during his six months in London, and reached the lowest point of his
professional career. Yet he still believes the experience was good for him,
and he doesn't want to see West Ham punished for signing him and Tevez. "No
matter what happened to me at West Ham, I am very pleased, very content and
very happy that they survived, because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't
have the chance to play in a Champions League Final," he added. "By bringing
me to England they gave me this opportunity. Everyone helped me there, and
of course Carlos Tevez is my great friend, so I am so very happy for him.
"They have wonderful fans who always backed me, and the staff and the
players were always supportive of me, so I am happy that they have survived,
and can look forward to the Premiership next season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
New York Red Bulls move for West Ham's Sheringham
tribalfooball.com - May 15, 2007
New York Red Bulls are chasing West Ham United striker Teddy Sheringham. He
would be their second overseas player after Juan Pablo Angel signed from
Aston Villa. Charlton are also chasing Sheringham. Boss Alan Pardew signed
him when at West Ham and tried to swoop again in January. But Alan
Curbishley blocked the move in case he shot Charlton to safety
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Liverpool's Mascherano delighted for West Ham
tribalfooball.com - May 15, 2007
Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano is delighted former club West Ham
have beaten relegation. He said: "No matter what happened there, I'm
pleased, content and happy they survived, because if it wasn't for them, I
wouldn't have had the chance to play in a Champions League final. "They
helped me. By bringing me to England they gave me this opportunity and, of
course, Carlos Tevez is my great friend so I am happy for him. "I don't know
about the politics and I don't want to talk about the rights and wrongs of
whether they should be docked points but I do know we didn't do anything
wrong. We just went to play and, though I didn't play much, they still gave
me my chance. "They all helped - staff, players, fans, everyone. For that I
am grateful. They are a great club - too good to be out of the top flight -
so I am happy."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tevez: West Ham deserved to stay up
tribalfooball.com - May 15, 2007
Carlos Tevez insists West Ham's Great Escape was all above-board. FIFA are
probing the Argy striker's transfer last summer. But Tevez said: "We avoided
relegation on the pitch and not in offices. "We achieved it thanks to the
players and fans. It was a miraculous salvation - one of the most emotional
moments of my career." Hammers' hero Tevez, 23, arrived back in Buenos Aires
yesterday after his goal at Manchester United made sure West Ham stayed up.
He added: "I found it difficult to adapt to England but the fans were
magnificent. "They gave me strength and, luckily, I was able to pay back
their affection with goals."
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Wigan boss Hutchings targets West Ham's Harewood
tribalfooball.com - May 15, 2007
New Wigan Athletic Chris Hutchings wants to make West Ham striker Marlon
Harewood his first signing. The Sun says Harewood has been made available
for around £2.5million as part of manager Alan Curbishley's summer clearout.
Wigan have had their eyes on the pacy Harewood for ages. And the resignation
of boss Paul Jewell on Monday has made little difference to club transfer
policy. Hutchings is keen to pick up from where his old boss left off.
Harewood, 27, has been relegated to the subs bench in recent weeks with
Curbishley opting for Carlos Tevez and Bobby Zamora up front. With £7m Dean
Ashton back after a season-long ankle injury, Harewood's chances will be
limited.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Kia: Future of West Ham's Tevez known next week
tribalfooball.com - May 15, 2007
Kia Joorabchian says Carlos Tevez will decide his future next week.
Joorabchian still holds Tevez's transfer rights, despite the Argie's ties to
West Ham, and declared: "I went out to dinner with Carlos last night
[Sunday]. He was ecstatic. There was not one word about his future. "Three
clubs had made it clear they wanted to sign him but I told them to wait
until the season had finished. Carlos did not want to discuss his future, he
was so wrapped up in wanting to keep West Ham up." Tevez has now flown back
to Argentina to consider his future and it is almost certain that he will
leave Upton Park, with West Ham unlikely to see any of the transfer fee.
"I'll go to the Champions League Final, then talk to the clubs who want to
buy him," Joorabchian added. "I'll sit down with West Ham, too, if they want
to talk to me about keeping him because you never know. But there are two of
the biggest clubs in the world who want him."
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Tevez plays down dinner meeting with Liverpool's Benitez
tribalfooball.com - May 15, 2007
The agent of West Ham striker Carlos Tevez has played down a dinner meeting
with Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez. Joorabchian had dinner with Benitez
before his team played at Fulham earlier this month at Craven Cottage. "I
often do that," he told the Daily Express. "After all, I do have a player
[Javier Mascherano] with Liverpool. "But we haven't discussed Carlos. The
clubs that are interested will have their chance once Carlos has come down
from his high and has time to think about his future."
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West Ham go for unsettled Middlesbrough striker Yakubu
tribalfooball.com - May 15, 2007
West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley is chasing Middlesbrough striker Yakubu
Aiyegbeni. Amid reports that the Nigeria international is unsettled on
Teesside, The Times says Curbishley has Yakubu on his shopping list, which
also includes Charlton's Darren Bent and Barcelona forward Eidur Gudjohnsen.
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