Freddie Ljungberg is hoping to get another chance to shine on Saturday
13.12.2007
Freddie Ljungberg is relishing the chance of an extended run in the West Ham
United first team after a solid return to the starting lineup against
Everton.
The midfielder came in for the cup-tied Nolberto Solano in the midweek cup
quarter-final, when a late goal dashed home hopes of Carling Cup progress.
Although admitting it was "very disappointing" to see the side eliminated,
he was happy to get an extended run-out after overcoming injury and migraine
troubles.
Speaking to WHUTV, he said: "I am just happy to be out playing again and
hopefully I can be injury free and just keep on going and do my best for
West Ham because that's why I am here." He added that the side would look to
put that defeat behind them in the league encounter against Everton on
Saturday, stating simply "of course, we are going to try to win".
Reflecting on the 2-1 cup defeat, he said: "We started well and scored a
goal and maybe we sat back a little bit. Unfortunately, they dominated the
end of the first half and got a goal. In the second half we got started
again and we got some speed on the ball and created some good chances.
"We pinned them back a little bit. Unfortunately, they got a scrappy goal
where we had a bit of a misunderstanding at the back so it is a harsh way to
go out." Moving forwards, league games will come thick and fast over the
coming weeks and there is a real chance for the club to make ground on the
top six or seven - starting this weekend.
Chief among the forthcoming fixtures for Ljungberg though will be the trip
to his former club Arsenal, with West Ham United hoping to repeat last
season's feat of becoming the first team to win at the Emirates when they
arrive on New Year's Day. "It is a big game," he said. "But for us, every
game in the league is important.
"Of course, it is a special occasion for me, I was there for ten years. It
is going to be a special day, but only if we win." Recalling the previous
meeting when he was wearing the Arsenal red as Bobby Zamora scored a wonder
goal and Robert Green produced heroics to keep out a strong home side,
Ljungberg said: "If we can be that lucky this year, that will be very good!
Hopefully we can win."
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Carlisle eyeing Hammers youngster - BBC
Carlisle are giving a trial to teenage West Ham left-back Joe Widdowson. The
19-year-old has joined Carlisle for a week and will feature in a reserve
game against Morecambe on Monday. Carlisle boss John Ward told the League
One club's website: "We'll have a look at him and then it's a question of
whether we can take it any further. "We'll see if he likes us and if we like
him. He's up here with the full blessing of West Ham and we're looking
forward to working with him."
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Jewell plays down Barnes talk - SSN
Rams boss says no offers received for starlet
By James Pearson Last updated: 13th December 2007
Derby County manager Paul Jewell has confirmed he has fielded no enquiries
for rising star Giles Barnes. The 19-year-old, who is one of the most
talented prospects in England, joined The Rams as a trainee in 2005 and has
gone from strength to strength. After cementing his place in Derby's first
team last year he helped the side to promotion, although injury has
restricted his impact in the Premier League. A number of sides are
reportedly keeping close tabs on Barnes, including West Ham, although Jewell
has not spoken to anyone about the youngster. "No clubs have spoken to me
about Giles Barnes," he confirmed to the Derby Evening Telegraph.
While Jewell acknowledges Barnes has plenty of ability, he wants the
teenager to apply himself properly so he can develop and fulfil his
potential. "Giles has got all the tools to do the job but he is a long way
from fulfilling his potential - hopefully, he can do that here," he
continued. "If he applies himself properly, he can go far in the game
because he has got a lot of ability. There are plenty of 'yes' boxes ticked
with Giles. "Now we need to nurture that potential and ability in the right
direction. He has got a lot of confidence but he needs to learn the game and
I think he is willing to learn. "He has got a big future as long as he does
the right things and continues to progress."
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Hammers hit by Cole blow - SSN
Ashton could be only fit striker for Toffees test
Last updated: 13th December 2007
West Ham face being down to just one fit striker for Saturday's clash with
Everton after Carlton Cole aggravated a long-standing hip problem. Cole
sustained the injury during West Ham's 2-1 defeat to Everton in their
Carling Cup quarter-final on Wednesday. Cole joins Craig Bellamy and Bobby
Zamora on the sidelines, leaving Alan Curbishley with a major selection
problem ahead of the visit of Everton. Dean Ashton is still chasing full
match fitness but started his first game since October in the 2-1 defeat and
may have to lead the line on his own this weekend. We are into double
figures again on the injury list and one or two of the players came off
suffering last night. I will have to see what I have left for the weekend,"
said Curbishley. When you come into the quarter-final of the cup and you
can't get a forward on the bench it is frustrating. "The injuries showed up.
They were sharper and more physical than us."
Cole revealed he has been struggling with the injury for the last few weeks.
"I have been playing with a bad hip for about four or five weeks now and
last night it just seized up," said Cole. "It restricted me a bit and I
couldn't influence the game as much as I wanted to."
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Eggert Magnusson leaves West Ham - Telegraph
By David Bond
Last Updated: 1:38am GMT 14/12/2007
Having endured more turbulence in one year than most clubs experience in a
lifetime, West Ham underwent another major restructuring yesterday with
owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson seizing full control of the club.
Former chairman Eggert Magnusson, who has been the public face of the East
End side since the £108 million Icelandic takeover last December, has
severed his ties with Upton Park, selling his five per cent stake to
Gudmundsson and standing down from the West Ham board. He is understood to
have been paid between £4 million and £5 million for his shares by his
friend and business partner, roughly the same amount he paid to acquire the
stake alongside Gudmundsson when they bought the club last year.
With the club entering a new era with the possible move to a £250 million
stadium and the appointment of a director of football, Gudmundsson is
understood to have felt it was time to take a far tighter grip on West Ham.
Yesterday, following a meeting of shareholders ahead of the 2-1 defeat by
Everton in the Carling Cup at Upton Park, it was agreed that a new single
board, chaired by the billionaire banker Gudmundsson, would run the club's
affairs.
The three boards who previously controlled the club were all disbanded and
new directors, including the former London 2012 communications chief Mike
Lee, were appointed.
At the same time, Gudmundsson agreed to put another £30.5 million into the
club. Sources said the money would not be used to finance another heavy
round of spending in the January transfer window.
It is more likely the funds will be used to help pay consultants already
working on plans to relocate the club at a 60,000-seat ground on the site of
an old Parcelforce depot next to West Ham tube station.
Despite the public furore over the Carlos Tevez affair, Magnusson is
credited with keeping the club together at a time when they could have been
ruined by the mistakes made by a previous regime. Magnusson, who has a home
in Florida, will now devote his time to Uefa and Fifa work.
Announcing his exit, Gudmundsson paid tribute to Magnusson and said: "Eggert
has done a tremendous job as chairman, often in difficult circumstances,
since our consortium bought the club 12 months ago."
Magnusson added: "It is the right time to stand down as chairman. The last
12 months have not been without their challenges, but I feel that we have
emerged stronger and fitter as a club."
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Faubert: It's great to be back - Setanta
by Joseph Caron Dawe, 13 December 2007
West Ham winger Julien Faubert has expressed his delight at his return to
training following an achilles injury which he sustained in the summer. The
France international, signed from Bordeaux for £6 million, injured himself
on the club's pre-season tour of Austria and has not yet featured for The
Hammers.
However, the 24-year-old is back running following a specialist
rehabilitation programme in the south of France and he could not hide his
relief at finally linking up with his team-mates. "It's great to be back
with my team-mates," he told West Ham's official website. "It was important
to recover in the right environment and it was a shame to pick up the injury
so soon into my West Ham career. I am now focusing on getting back to full
fitness." Hammers boss Alan Curbishley was also very pleased to see Faubert
back in training after such a lengthy lay-off. "It's great to see him out
there running," he said. "Hopefully if he continues the way he has done in
the last week he will be a couple of weeks away from joining in with us
which is a big boost."
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West Ham owner to splash cash!!! - talking Soccer
Thursday, December 13, 2007
West Ham United chairman Eggert Magnusson will today step down from his
responsibilities at the club with Billionaire owner Bjorgulfur Gudmundsson
taking full control of the club. The Independent are reporting that
Gudmundsson is determined to challenge the stranglehold of the big four on
the Premiership.
The Icelandic Billionaire is set to pump more cash into the club over the
summer to bolster their squad for a Champions League push. Meanwhile he will
be working on a new state of the art 60,000 seater stadium next door to
their current home Upton park. Gudmundsson will fund this £250 million
project out of his own pocket and will be seen as a signal of intent to his
Premiership rivals.
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Magnusson frozen out in Icelandic coup at West Ham - Daily Mail
By SIMON CASS - More by this author »
Last updated at 21:25pm on 13th December 2007
With his bald pate, big ears and diminutive frame, Eggert Magnusson hardly
strikes you as the executioner type. Appearances can be deceptive, however.
Remember, this is the man who famously warned former manager Alan Pardew:
'It's your throat that's going to be cut if you don't produce results in the
long run.'
A week later and less than a month into his reign as West Ham chairman,
Eggert Magnusson had ruthlessly shown Pardew the door. Now, 12 months on,
Magnusson himself has been forced to fall on his sword, the victim of an
Icelandic power struggle that has seen his partner in the consortium who
bought West Ham, Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, assume full control after
purchasing Magnusson's five per cent stake.
The biscuit magnate has given way to the billionaire banker, although the
goodbye messages yesterday were cordial. Gudmundsson said: 'I want to pay
tribute to Eggert, who has done a tremendous job, often in difficult
circumstances.' Magnusson responded: 'From the moment Bjorgolfur and I
formed the consortium, it has been an honour to be involved.' Magnusson
admitted it had been a turbulent year: 'The last 12 months have not been
without their challenges but I feel we have emerged stronger and fitter as a
club.'
The two men may have entered into the venture as a couple but divorce seemed
on the cards when Magnusson stood down as executive chairman in September.
Rumours are rife that Gudmundsson became concerned at the high profile
Magnusson adopted, although with all the upheaval at Upton Park last season
it is difficult to imagine how he could have avoided the limelight. Do not
expect to see as much of Gudmundsson, even though he will chair a new board
at West Ham. Running Landsbanki, Iceland's oldest bank, occupies much of his
time.
That said, he is intent on a more hands-on role and this hints at the other
reason believed to be behind Magnusson's departure — Gudmundsson was worried
about the high transfer fees and astronomical wages his predecessor used to
tempt players to Upton Park. Current boss Alan Curbishley cannot expect to
spend freely in next month's transfer window, even though he may soon find
his modest aspiration of having a 'solid season' has been replaced by the
need to qualify for the UEFA Cup. Gudmundsson may also have pumped an
additional £30.5million into the club but it will be used to bolster 'the
financial base' rather than fund Curbishley in the transfer market. High on
his list of priorities is a £250m, 60,000-seater stadium on a site near West
Ham Underground station.
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West Ham vow to fight £50m compensation bid - The Times
Gary Jacob
West Ham United are prepared to mount a "vigorous defence" against an
unprecedented multimillion-pound compensation proceeding brought against
them by Sheffield United last night. The East London club, who survived
relegation from the Barclays Premier League on the final day of last season,
said in a statement that they are "extremely disappointed" about the stance
that Sheffield United have taken, but are convinced that the Yorkshire
club's claims have no merit.
Sheffield United are seeking compensation after estimating that relegation
cost them £50 million. Central to their argument is the claim of
inconsistencies in the sworn witness statements submitted by Eggert
Magnusson when the West Ham chairman was defending his club against a charge
of breaching Premier League rules in relation to the transfers of Carlos
Tevez and Javier Mascherano.
"West Ham United is extremely disappointed that Sheffield United has seen
fit to embark on this latest desperate action," the statement from Upton
Park read. "Not only does Sheffield United's claim lack legal merit, but it
is also based on Sheffield United's incorrect belief that West Ham United
withheld an agreement from the Premier League and the April Disciplinary
Commission.
"Sheffield United's latest assertions clearly demonstrate a fundamental
misunderstanding of the situation and any proceedings brought by them will
be vigorously defended. West Ham United and its new owners will not permit
these repeated slurs to go unchallenged and are in discussions with their
legal advisers in relation to the action they might take."
The dispute will be considered by a three-man panel, appointed by the FA,
which has the authority to award any penalty, including compensation.
Sheffield United have asked that Robert Englehart QC sits on the panel.
Fulham may also join the proceedings against West Ham, who have 14 days to
respond to the accusations.
Peter Coyle, an expert in sports litigation, who is a partner at Coyle White
Devine, the legal firm, said that Sheffield United do not have a case. "I
think they are on a hiding to nothing," he said. "Sheffield didn't beat
Wigan on the last day. That is a bigger reason for their relegation than
Tévez and West Ham."
Kevin McCabe, the Sheffield United chairman, wrote to the Premier League
chairmen to outline his argument that West Ham had committed further
offences that warranted investigation. Chief among them was that the East
London club's owners had signed a second agreement with the owners of Tévez.
West Ham are believed to have shown an unsigned version of the document to
the commission and claimed that they never entered into the agreement. "With
respect, that is nonsense," McCabe said in the letter. "By failing to
disclose the existence of the agreement, West Ham allowed the commission to
be misled into believing that they had come to the whole affair with 'clean
hands'."
Sheffield United will make several arguments, including that the
registration of Tévez was invalid because it was obtained through
dishonesty. Sheffield United may also argue that that the agreement to act
in good faith with other clubs was broken.
The Yorkshire club will also argue that West Ham did not behave in line with
the promises given to the Premier League after they were fined – namely that
the East London club owned Tévez. Sheffield United have queried why West Ham
then made an offer in June to sign Tévez for a fee rising to £40 million.
Sheffield United claim that they have documents to support the case and are
willing to subpoena Kia Joorabchian, who fronts the two companies that hold
Tévez's "economic rights", to provide additional paperwork.
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West Ham sever all ties with Magnusson - The Independent
By Martyn Ziegler
Published: 14 December 2007
West Ham United's owner, the Icelander Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, has assumed
full control of the club in a move that has seen a severing of ties with
chairman Eggert Magnusson.
Magnusson, the club's figurehead in the year since the £108m takeover by an
Icelandic consortium, has sold his five per cent shareholding to Gudmundsson
– who also takes over as chairman.
Gudmundsson, a banker and businessman known as "BG" is rated among the
world's richest 800 people. He becomes the sole owner of the Upton Park club
and will now pursue his aims to move to a new £250m stadium and for the club
to break into the Premier League's top four.
He is investing a further £30.5m in the club, but the cash will not be used
for transfers after last summer's spending spree.
Gudmundsson said: "Eggert Magnusson has done a tremendous job as chairman,
often in difficult circumstances, since our consortium bought the club 12
months ago. Eggert has decided to move on to new pastures and to pursue his
other interests. We wish him well for the future."
Magnusson is expected to take up committee work with Uefa and Fifa.
Elsewhere, Milan's Brazilian striker Kaka was named as world player of the
year by the magazine World Soccer yesterday.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who also won the young player of the year award
for the second successive year, was second and Cristiano Ronaldo of
Manchester United was third.
Alex Ferguson of Manchester United was voted manager of the year for a
record third time.
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Eggert Magnusson quits as West Ham chairman
Times Online and Agencies
Eggert Magnusson has stepped down as chairman of West Ham United and sold
his stake in the club.
Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, the club's owner, will become chairman as well as
executive chairman and has bought Magnusson's five per cent shareholding, as
well as announcing today he now intends to press on with plans to move the
club to a new purpose-built 60,000-seat stadium.
Magnusson was part of the Icelandic consortium that bought the east London
club a year ago in a deal worth £108 million with Gudmundsson, a banker and
businessman, putting up most of the money.
Gudmundsson, who is investing a further £30.5 million in the club, said:
"Eggert Magnusson has done a tremendous job as chairman, often in difficult
circumstances, since our consortium bought the club 12 months ago.
"Eggert has decided to move on to new pastures and to pursue his other
interests. We wish him well for the future and express our thanks for all
that he has done for West Ham."
Magnusson admitted there had been tough challenges over the last year - the
club was nearly relegated last season and the Carlos Tevez affair is still
not completely over.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here at West Ham," he said. "From the
moment that Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson and I formed the consortium to bid for
the club, it has been an honour to be involved.
"Now that I have sold my financial stake in the club and I need to focus a
little more on my interests overseas, I think it is the right time to stand
down as chairman.
"The last 12 months have not been without their challenges but I feel that
we have emerged stronger and fitter as a club."
The news is not a total surprise, as the club announced in September that
Magnusson was going to step down from his role as executive chairman. At
that time, though, it was believed that he would retain his holding in the
club and not make a clean break from football.
Gudmundsson now wants to push ahead with a move to a new £250million,
60,000-seater stadium - a site has been identified at an old Parcelforce
depot next to West Ham tube station.
"We are seeking to build some truly solid foundations for the future
ambitions of West Ham United FC," he added. "This is a great football club
with tremendous heritage and tradition and the most wonderful set of
supporters.
"My job as owner is to help plan for the future and create the right
conditions off the field to help Alan Curbishley and the playing squad
delivers success on the field.
"I am particularly delighted that we have been able to take the first real
step in our plans for a new stadium, which is crucial to the long-term
ambitions of the club."
Gudmundsson has appointed Asgeir Fridgeirsson, his trusted aide, as
vice-chairman and Mike Lee, the former Premier League, Uefa and London 2012
Olympic bid communications director, to be a board member.
The new board will comprise: Gudmundsson (chairman), Fridgeirsson
(vice-chairman), Lee, Thor Kristjansson, Gudmundur Oddsson with executive
directors Scott Duxbury (chief executive) and Nick Igoe (finance director).
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