12/10/2007 10:47
James Tomkins is hungrier than ever to let his football do the talking once
again after recovering from the injuries that curtailed him at the end of
last season. The imposing central defender endured a frustrating stop-start
campaign last year but after coming through two games in the last few weeks
- Tuesday's 1-0 reserve win against Tottenham Hotspur and the youth team's
recent 4-1 victory over Chelsea - Tomkins is in fine fettle. "I am delighted
to be back playing and the most important thing, feeling really fit and
raring to go," said the 18-year-old. "When you do come back after a time
out, you are not sure how long it will be until you are feeling at the top
of your game again and in the reserve match earlier this week, I knew it
would be a test for me as it was a big pitch and it was a case of seeing how
much I could get about and keeping everything steady. "But I was really
pleased with how I coped and as the game went on, I grew in confidence.
Calum Davenport was great to play alongside, he and John Pantsil were
continually talking to me throughout the game and that gave me an extra
boost."
The England youth international suffered two shoulder injuries last season,
the latter picked up as the campaign was ending but an operation in the
summer has corrected that and all Tomkins can think about now is playing
games, training with the first team and putting in the sort of performances
that may catch the eye of manager Alan Curbishley. "It is a case of me
taking it match by match, but I think having had to spend time out on the
sidelines, it has simply made me even hungrier. For me, the aims for this
season are the same as the ones I set myself last year, in that I want to
play as much as I can and as well as I can for both youth and reserves. "The
gaffer watches reserves games and if I am doing well, then who knows.
Training with the first team with all the good players we have at the club,
on a regular basis is also good for me and can only help improve my game no
end."
Tomkins is certainly hungry to learn and he said if it means him stepping up
his game, he would be happy to go out on loan to gain some first-team
experience. He said: "The ultimate aim is to secure a regular place in the
reserves and work my way if I can into the first team here. But if the club
feels that a loan spell somewhere will help me, then I will be only too
happy to do that. It would give me first team experience on a regular basis,
increase my confidence and hopefully help me towards the long-term goals I
have for playing at West Ham."
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West Ham legends in action - WHUFC
12/10/2007 11:18
A host of former West Ham United stars will be pulling their boots back on
this weekend all in the name of charity. A West Ham team including Tony
Gale, Tony Cottee, Frank McAvennie, Stuart Slater, Geoff Pike and Alan
Dickens along with current reserve team manager Kevin Keen will face a
Brentwood XI this Sunday. The side will also be under the 'management' of
Phil Parkes and Alan Devonshire, two other great names from the past. The
match is taking place at the Brentwood Sports Centre, Brentwood, Essex and
is in aid of the Helen Rollason Heal Cancer Charity. Kick-off is at 3pm and
admission, on the day, is £10 for adults and £5 for children and OAP's
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Internationals take centre stage - WHUFC
12/10/2007 15:45
A number of West Ham United players could be in action this weekend as the
Euro 2008 qualifiers near their conclusion.
Freddie Ljungberg is in line to captain Sweden for the trip to Liechtenstein
on Saturday as they look to consolidate their hold on Group F. Sweden are
level on 19 points with Spain, although have a game in hand as they do on
third-placed Northern Ireland who are three points adrift of the top two.
Northern Ireland, featuring George McCartney, go to Sweden on Wednesday -
meaning the club-mates could be in direct opposition for a place in Austria
and Switzerland next year.
Meanwhile, Danny Gabbidon, James Collins and Craig Bellamy will all hope to
figure when Wales travel to Cyprus on Saturday and then on to San Marino
four days later. Although John Toshack's men are ten points adrift of the
Czech Republic and 12 behind leaders Germany in Group D, they have realistic
ambitions of finishing in third place in the section. Further afield,
Nolberto Solano is with Peru in Lima as they start on the road to the 2010
World Cup with a qualifying match against Paraguay before heading to
Santiago for a fixture in Chile on Wednesday.
Also hoping to be in action in midweek is Mark Noble after being suspended
for England Under-21's home fixture against Montenegro in Leicester on
Friday night. The midfielder had played in the previous two 2009 European
Under-21 Championship qualification victories, and scored in the most recent
outing - a 2-0 victory against Bulgaria. Noble will be eligible to play in
Tuesday's trip to the Republic of Ireland. Finally, defender Christian
Dailly, on loan at Southampton, is with Scotland for their Euro 2008
qualifiers against Ukraine and Georgia on Saturday and Wednesday
respectively.
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Bellamy desperate to last full game - TeamTalk
Wales skipper Craig Bellamy is confident he can last 90 minutes against
Cyprus on Saturday, just 10 days after undergoing a groin operation. The
West Ham striker knows Wales cannot realistically qualify for next summer's
Euro 2008 finals, but his determination to contribute to the future shone
through as he explained his motives. Bellamy travelled with the Hammers'
blessing even though the Londoners know they need their £7.5million man back
on song for the Premier League in a week's time. Bellamy said: "We all want
to do as well as we can, results are so important to a nation like us. We
have not had the success of other nations, so good results do mean a lot to
us. "The desire to represent Wales and compete at the highest level in a
championship finals is with us all. So every game is important for us, and
especially for me. It is coming up to my 50th cap, I just want to get there.
"My whole aim is to get to that finals. What it would do for us as a nation
and football in our country would be priceless. "It would mean so much to
everyone, football would be improved everywhere. That is our aim and that is
my main aim."
Bellamy is a complex character, loved and loathed around the game. But
nobody can doubt his loyalty to his country, even if that emotion can seem
somewhat outdated these days around the international scene. He said: "There
has been no issue with West Ham. They want me to get on with football and
get back to the form I was in before I was hurt. "I do not see a problem, I
feel I can play 90 minutes. Obviously I will come off if it starts hurting.
West Ham have handled it well, but every club is different. "In the end you
are their player and I suppose I am happy now I am at a different sort of
club. "I just aim to keep fit and play matches. That is my approach to all
this. Your career is not very long and I am not in a position to dictate who
I play for and when. "I have missed so much of my career through injuries, I
understand the situation more than some. If West Ham were playing this
weekend, I would be fit enough and in the side. "It is not about whether it
is Wales or West Ham. This is the next game available to me and I need to
play. That is why I am here. "Representing your country is a massive honour,
the best. Something every player wants to be part of." He added: "I wanted
my first cap as a kid. I set a target of making my club debut at 17, wanting
to play for Wales when I was 18 and now trying to get every cap that I can.
"Injury has taken a lot of games away from me, but that happens to a lot of
players. I want every game now to cherish every moment of it, to be honest."
Bellamy has trained normally since arriving here, and said: "I'm feeling
really good and not surprised by the speed of the recovery. "I was aiming to
be back quickly and the doctor in Germany who did the operation gave me a
schedule, and this match fits perfectly into it. "A lot of German players
have had this operation and recovered in similar times. It just seems to be
a bit of thing for us at the moment, with me and Michael Owen having the
operation. "This recovery rate is common in Germany, and I am not surprised
at all. "I knew about Michael's operation, we have been working with the
same physios. I knew his time schedule, and I therefore knew mine was
possible. "The doctor told me I could play again in eight to 10 days, so I
knew that this Wales match in Cyprus was just right for me. "I could have
stayed at home and trained with four people because of injuries and the rest
being away on international duty. I would not have been able to do as much
and then probably played a reserve match next week. "West Ham looked at it
and felt it was better for me to be with Wales to train with a full squad,
have some competitive games and be back in good shape for the home game with
Sunderland next weekend.
"Otherwise I would have had a couple of weeks doing very little and not
having a competitive game. I would have ended up looking for sharpness in a
Premier League game."
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Dyer on track to make complete recovery - Daily Mail
Last updated at 13:43pm on 12th October 2007
West Ham midfielder Kieron Dyer is on schedule to make a complete recovery
from the double leg fracture he sustained six weeks ago. The England player
was carried off on a stretcher six minutes into West Ham's Carling Cup
second-round tie at Bristol Rovers on August 28. Dyer is unable to begin
training yet but the club's medical staff are pleased with his progress.
Hammers head physio George Cooper said: "Kieron met with his surgeon
yesterday and it went really well as he said that Kieron was right on
schedule with his rehabilitation. "He had an X-ray which showed the bone is
growing round the fracture at the rate we would expect it to. "He was given
the all-clear to continue using two crutches and to put the injured leg
down, gradually introducing weight over the next month. "If that goes well
the process will then be to use one crutch, thus introducing more weight and
then, after that, walking with no crutches at all."
Meanwhile, defender Christian Dailly looks set to return to the club when
his loan spell at Southampton comes to an end.
The 33-year-old has made four starts for the Saints and his form earned him
a recall to the Scottish national side. However, Southampton boss George
Burley has since signed Phil Ifil from Tottenham and Andrew Davies from
Middlesbrough. Dailly will be available to Burley for the match against
Cardiff on October 21 but the loan spell is due to end after that game.
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West Ham's Tomkins eyes loan exit
tribalfooball.com - October 12, 2007
West Ham's teenage defender James Tomkins fancies a move away on-loan. He
told whufc.com: "The ultimate aim is to secure a regular place in the
reserves and work my way if I can into the first team here. But if the club
feels that a loan spell somewhere will help me, then I will be only too
happy to do that. It would give me first team experience on a regular basis,
increase my confidence and hopefully help me towards the long-term goals I
have for playing at West Ham."
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West Ham want Bendtner - Sportigo
Fri, Oct 12, 07 13:13
Mark Apostolou
Finally, we come to Nicklas Bendtner, who has given Arsenal boss Arsene
Wenger an ultimatum - pick me or I'll quit (The Sun). This has sparked the
interest of West Ham, who are after the talented Dane (various).
It's hard when a top-quality player has to sit out on the bench simply
because those in front of him in the queue are in superb form - namely Robin
van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor. It will be a tough decision for both
Wenger and the player, but one they will have to make sooner rather than
later.
Bendtner is young but also keen to get his career moving forwards. West Ham
would be a good move for him as they are progressing well at present and he
would at least be given a shot at first-team football. However, maybe a loan
move would be the most sensible thing for all parties.
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Rib risk for Ljungberg - Daily Mail
Last updated at 11:50am on 12th October 2007
West Ham United are facing the possibility of another injury problem after
midfielder Freddie Ljungberg insisted he will play in Sweden's Euro 2008
double header against Liechtenstein and Northern Ireland, despite a niggling
rib problem. Meanwhile West Ham forward Craig Bellamy believes he can
emulate Michael Owen as he sets his sights on leading Wales this weekend,
nine days after having groin surgery. Bellamy gave manager John Toshack a
massive boost on Wednesday by joining the squad before their departure for
Cyprus and declaring himself fit to train. The Wales captain had a single
hernia operation at the same clinic as Owen in Germany a week ago and was
inspired by the Newcastle striker's subsequent scoring return against
Everton eight days after his double hernia surgery.
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