Faubert hit by major injury blow - WHUFC
19/07/2007 16:30
New signing Julien Faubert is expected to be sidelined for around six months
after a scan confirmed that he has ruptured his Achilles tendon. The
23-year-old French midfielder suffered the freak injury during Tuesday
night's pre-season friendly match against Sigma Olomouc in Austria, and has
now flown back to France to undergo surgery. Head Physiotherapist George
Cooper says: "The injury was completely out of the blue. Julien has no
history of any Achilles problems, and this kind of rupture is usually
pre-disposed by past steroid injections in the area - something he has never
had - so it is a major shock. "On the plus side, we have managed to get him
to a top surgeon in Strasbourg, who has successfully operated on the likes
of Zinedine Zidane and Lilian Thuram in the past, so he is in very good
hands. Two to three days is the key time for this injury and everything will
be done and in place for Julien within that period.
"We expect him to be out of action for around six months but we will not be
putting any definitive date on his return - he will come back only when he
is completely ready. "I have to say, Julien's attitude and reaction to the
injury has been first class. He was already planning his rehabilitation in
the taxi on the way to the hospital, and we will be working with him every
step of the way to ensure he returns to full fitness as soon as possible."
Manager Alan Curbishley adds: "It's a devastating blow for everyone,
especially Julien. He had fitted in so well and was showing all the
attributes needed to be a success in the Premiership. "You could see in the
short bit of football he has played with us that he was going to be a big
hit with the supporters - he is strong, fast, gets up and down, and
understands the game - so to lose him after an hour of football and just two
weeks at the Club is a big disappointment.
"We wish Julien a speedy recovery and, having got to know the boy over the
past week or so, I am certain that he will respond to this set-back in the
right way. Hopefully we will see him back in action around Christmas time,
but the main thing is that he follows his rehabilitation programme and only
returns when he is 100% ready."
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Man of the moment: Craig Bellamy - WHUFC
A few eyebrows were raised when Craig Bellamy chose to turn his back on
Champions League football at Liverpool in favour of a £7.5million move to
West Ham United, but our new club record signing certainly isn't looking
upon the transfer as a step down. Recently appointed captain of his country,
and approaching the prime years of his career, the 27-year-old Welsh striker
is determined to be back on the European scene again soon in a claret and
blue shirt, as he reveals in an exclusive interview with whufc.com…
How have you found your first few days at West Ham United Craig?
"It's been really good. Sometimes it can take a little while to settle into
a Club, and I've experienced that in the past, but everything has been fine
here. It helps when you know a few people - obviously James Collins and
Danny Gabbidon are international colleagues and I was with Lee Bowyer at
Newcastle and Lucas Neill at Blackburn, so that has made things a bit easier
for me. "Training wise, I came in a week behind the other lads, so it's
taken me a few days to catch up. I've been doing the same running - just not
as many sets! I feel in really good condition, though, and hopefully I can
keep progressing to get myself up to speed pretty soon."
Away from the football, are you enjoying London life?
"Yes, I know London fairly well - there are so many Premiership teams down
here and so you get a feel for it. It was a place I always fancied living in
and I'm enjoying it at the moment. I've lived in most major cities in
Britain, so it was about time I added London to the list!"
How impressed have you been by the players around you at the Club?
"I've been very impressed. It's a good squad, but I knew that before I came
here to be honest. There are some very good players, and it's a big squad,
so there is lots of competition and fighting for positions, which is vital.
Hopefully one or two more players will arrive before the new season and we
can get off to a good start."
There have already been some negative reactions from the critics over your
move from Liverpool - does that upset you in any way?
"Not at all, that's just part and parcel of my situation. When I left
Newcastle, they said I would never find a bigger club than Newcastle, and I
went on to play for Celtic and Liverpool in a short space of time. "There
are always going to be people who have something negative to say about me
but there is nothing I can do about them because most are not playing
anymore and are just criticising from an armchair or TV studio. "The only
thing I can do anything about is my form on the pitch, and that's what I
concentrate on."
What are your aims and ambitions at Upton Park?
"My motivation is to do as well as I can for West Ham United. I've set
myself targets and I want to achieve them going into the new season. I want
to play in Europe again and that is my main focus with West Ham - that's
what we're trying to do. "I said the same thing when I went to Blackburn -
they had just avoided relegation and people said we couldn't qualify for
Europe, but it can be done. You can put a good run together and the points
begin to mount up.
"Only last season this team was in Europe, and the aim is to get back there
next year. It will be difficult, but if we can put that good run together,
anything is possible with the players we have."
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Faubert ruled out for six months - BBC
New West Ham signing Julien Faubert has been ruled out for six months with a
ruptured Achilles tendon. Faubert was injured during West Ham's 1-0 friendly
defeat against Czech side Sigma Olomouc in Austria on 17 July and has
returned to France for surgery. The 23-year-old France midfielder joined the
Hammers from Bordeaux for £6.1m on 1 July. West Ham manager Alan Curbishley
told his club's website: "It's a devastating blow for everybody, especially
Julien."
Curbishley's frustration at seeing one of his key summer signings ruled out
until the New Year was evident. "Julien had fitted in so well and was
showing all the attributes needed to be a success in the Premiership," he
explained. "You could see in the short bit of football he has played with us
that he was going to be a big hit with the supporters - so to lose him after
an hour of football and just two weeks at the Club is a big disappointment."
George Cooper, head physio at Upton Park, added: "The injury was completely
out of the blue. "Julien has no history of any Achilles problems, and this
kind of rupture is usually pre-disposed by past steroid injections in the
area - something he has never had - so it is a major shock. "On the plus
side, we have managed to get him to a top surgeon in Strasbourg, who has
successfully operated on the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Lilian Thuram in
the past, so he is in very good hands. "Two to three days is the key time
for this injury and everything will be done and in place for Julien within
that period."
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Hammer blow for Faubert - Sky
By James Pearson - Created on 19 Jul 2007
West Ham have suffered a major blow ahead of the new season with the news
that new signing Julien Faubert will miss the first half of it. The French
midfielder, who joined The Hammers for £6.1million from Bordeaux earlier
this month, ruptured his Achilles tendon against Sigma Olomouc on Tuesday.
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley had feared the worst for the 23-year-old and
now scans have revealed the full extent of the damage. The loss of Faubert
is a major blow for the East Londoners on the back of Dean Ashton's absence
for the whole of the 2006/07 campaign through injury. Head physiotherapist
George Cooper told the club's official website: "The injury was completely
out of the blue. Julien has no history of any Achilles problems. "On the
plus side, we have managed to get him to a top surgeon. Two to three days is
the key time for this injury and everything will be done and in place for
Julien within that period. "We expect him to be out of action for around six
months but we will not be putting any definitive date on his return - he
will come back only when he is completely ready."
Curbishley could not contain his disappointment at losing a key player to
injury so early in his Hammers career and the new season. "It's a
devastating blow for everyone, especially Julien," said Curbishley. "He had
fitted in so well and was showing all the attributes needed to be a success
in the Premiership. "You could see in the short bit of football he has
played with us that he was going to be a big hit with the supporters."To
lose him after an hour of football and just two weeks at the club is a big
disappointment."
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Faubert out for six months - Telegraph
By William Gray
Last Updated: 12:33am BST 20/07/2007
Julien Faubert, West Ham's £6.1 million signing from Bordeaux, will be out
of action for six months after rupturing his Achilles tendon. The
23-year-old French international midfielder suffered the injury in Tuesday's
pre-season match against Czech side Sigma Olomouc in Austria and has flown
to Strasbourg to undergo surgery. Manager Alan Curbishley said: "It's a
devastating blow, especially Julien. He had fitted in so well. You could see
in the short bit of football he has played with us that he was going to be a
big hit. To lose him after an hour of football and just two weeks at the
club is a big disappointment. "We wish him a speedy recovery.Having got to
know him over the past week, I am certain that he will respond to this
setback in the right way. Hopefully we will see him back in action around
Christmas time.''
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Irons to abide by FIFA's decision - TeamTalk
West Ham have promised to abide by FIFA's ruling over whether Carlos Tevez
should be released from his contract and join Manchester United. The game's
world governing body are expected to pass judgement next month on Tevez's
demands to move to Old Trafford. FIFA's dispute resolution chamber or
players' status committee is set to be called upon to decide whether the
23-year-old Argentina striker has the right to be released from his West Ham
contract. West Ham said in a statement: "We believe that it is in the
interest of all parties to resolve this issue as quickly as possible through
the procedures laid down by FIFA. "Public threats and accusations are
irrelevant, let FIFA decide and West Ham will accept that judgement whatever
the outcome. The time has come to settle this matter in a way which will
allow everyone concerned to move on. "The club has in recent weeks made
every effort to keep Carlos Tevez at West Ham and indeed offered
significantly improved terms and conditions to the player, which were not
accepted. "However a transfer of a properly registered player cannot occur
without agreement between two clubs and the Premier League."
The bitter dispute over Tevez has descended into an open war of words
between the Hammers and the striker's adviser Kia Joorabchian. The Hammers
issued a strongly-worded statement rejecting claims by Joorabchian that they
had made misleading statements about Tevez. Acrimony between the two
factions means there is no chance now of an agreement over his proposed move
to United and it will be left to FIFA to decide.
Joorabchian has also threatened to bring "the true circumstances" of Tevez's
position to the attention of "a higher authority". West Ham insist every
document relating to Tevez has already been handed over to the Premier
League and are happy to accept any decision made by FIFA.
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Kia Hammering over Tevez - The Sun
By CHARLIE WYETT
July 20, 2007
WEST HAM have launched a stinging verbal attack on Carlos Tevez's agent —
and told him to stop his "mudslinging". Kia Joorabchian, the businessman
hoping to negotiate Tevez's switch to Old Trafford, has accused West Ham of
making "misleading" statements. But an Upton Park spokesman said: "West Ham
totally rejects the latest outburst and threats issued by Kia Joorabchian.
We will not be drawn into this form of public mudslinging. "Mr Joorabchian
entered into agreements with the previous regime at West Ham. "It is
absolutely clear the only contract relating to Tevez recognised by us and
the Premier League is our four-year contract which runs until 2010. "All
other arrangements were terminated by West Ham on April 27 and no legal
challenge occurred."
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Curbs eyes Dyer to fill Yossi gap - The Sun
July 20, 2007
WEST HAM boss Alan Curbishley is lining up a controversial cut-price bid for
Newcastle midfielder Kieron Dyer. The Hammers boss is desperate for
reinforcements after selling Yossi Benayoun to Liverpool last week. He hopes
to land injury-prone Dyer, 28, in a move that would reunite him with ex-Toon
team-mate Lee Bowyer — the duo who fought each other while playing Aston
Villa in 2005. But boss Sam Allardyce said this week he expects
£4million-rated Dyer, to be a 'major force for Newcastle and England' this
season.
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Upton sparks? Bowyer and Dyer could be reunited - This Is London
19.07.07
West Ham may have lost some of their fresh fighting spirit with the loss of
new signing Julien Faubert for six months, but manager Alan Curbishley is
preparing to re-unite notorious scrappers Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer at
Upton Park. Curbishley, who discovered yesterday that £6.1million France
international Faubert is out until Christmas at least with a ruptured
achilles tendon, is preparing to test Newcastle's determination to hang on
to England midfielder Dyer with a £5m bid. Dyer, 28, has endured an injury
troubled time at St James' Park and new boss Sam Allardyce may be ready to
off-load him as he looks to re-build his squad. That would mean teaming up
with controversial Bowyer who was involved in an on-pitch brawl with Dyer
during a home defeat with Aston Villa two years ago which resulted in both
players being sent off. Dyer, who has also attracted interest from
Tottenham, may be ready for a fresh challenge after eight years on Tyneside
and a move to Upton Park would also reunite him with another former
Newcastle 'bad boy', the Wales captain Craig Bellamy, who joined the Hammers
for £7.75m. Toon's excaptain Scott Parker is already there, too, following a
£5.5m move. Bowyer and Dyer resolved to put their fight behind them
immediately after the incident. Then manager Graeme Souness forced the pair
to appear at a press conference and fined Bowyer six weeks wages. He was
also charged with public order offences and fined £600 and ordered to pay
£1,000 costs after admitting using threatening behaviour towards his
team-mate. Dyer, meanwhile, escaped a club fine and any court action. Former
Ipswich midfielder Dyer is now one of the top earners at St James' Park but
if any club can match his £100,000-a-week it is the Hammers, who have been
trying to recruit big-earners throughout the close season but missed out on
Mark Viduka who decided to join Newcastle on a free transfer. News of
Faubert's injury is another blow for Curbishley, who watched new signings
Lucas Neill and Matthew Upson suffer injuries in January within days of
joining the club to help last season's relegation fight. Faubert, 23, was
hurt in West Ham's 1-0 defeat against Czechs Sigma Olomouc in Austria three
days ago and returned to France for surgery. Curbishley said: "It's a
devastating blow for everyone, especially Julien. He'd fitted in so well and
was showing all the attributes needed to be a success in the Premier League.
"You could see in the short bit of football he has played with us that he
was going to be a big hit with the supporters — he is strong, fast, gets up
and down and understands the game — so to lose him after an hour of football
and just two weeks at the club is a big disappointment. "We wish Julien a
speedy recovery and, having got to know the boy over the past week or so, I
am certain that he will respond to this set-back in the right way.
"Hopefully we will see him back in action around Christmas time, but the
main thing is that he follows his rehabilitation programme and only returns
when he is 100 per cent ready."
Earlier this week France coach Raymond Domenech branded Faubert "unspeakably
stupid" for joining West Ham from Bordeaux and hinted that he had put his
international career in jeopardy after picking up just one France cap. "It
is a great pity when you are on the brink of the French national team," he
said. "I struggle to understand why he has done it."
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Faubert blow rocks Hammers - The Sun
By GAVIN GLICKSMAN
July 19, 2007
WEST HAM new boy Julien Faubert has been ruled out for six months with a
ruptured Achilles tendon. Faubert, 23, picked up the injury during a
pre-season friendly in Austria on Tuesday night. The French midfielder only
joined the club from Bordeaux on July 1 and the news is a serious blow for
the Hammers.
West Ham head physio George Cooper said: "The injury was completely out of
the blue as Julien has no history of any Achilles problems. "This kind of
rupture is usually pre-disposed by past steroid injections in the area —
something he has never had — so it is a major shock. "On the plus side, we
have managed to get him to a top surgeon in Strasbourg and he is in very
good hands. "Two to three days is the key time for this injury and
everything will be done and in place for Julien within that period. "We
expect him to be out of action for around six months, but we will not be
putting any definitive date on his return — he will come back only when he
is completely ready. "Julien's attitude and reaction to the injury has been
first class. "He was already planning his rehabilitation in the taxi on the
way to the hospital."
Hammers boss Alan Cubishley added: "It's a devastating blow for everyone,
especially Julien. "He had fitted in so well and was showing all the
attributes needed to be a success in the Premier League. "You could see in
the short bit of football he has played with us that he was going to be a
big hit with the supporters."We wish Julien a speedy recovery and, having
got to know the boy over the past week or so, I am certain he will respond
to this setback in the right way."
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I don't want to leave – KieronJul 20 2007
by Luke Edwards, The Journal
SAM Allardyce will resist any attempt by West Ham United to sign Kieron Dyer
after the England international assured the Newcastle manager yesterday that
he does not want to leave the club. Dyer's future on Tyneside has been the
subject of much speculation this summer, but the midfielder has told
team-mates he is not thinking about a move as he gears up for the start of
his ninth season at St James's Park. In return, Allardyce has promised the
28-year-old a pivotal role in his new-look side as he attempts to put the
final touches to his squad before the close of the transfer window next
season. Allardyce is still looking to sign at least four new defenders and
is not interested in selling Dyer. The Journal understands that, despite
rumoured interest from West Ham, both men have been greatly impressed with
each other and that any bid will be rejected. A source close to Dyer said:
"Kieron does not know anything about a move to West Ham, it is not something
which concerns him at the moment. There have been stories linking him with a
number of clubs this summer, but he is only thinking about Newcastle United.
"Sam Allardyce has made a very good impression and he is happy with his
plans for the side. A lot has changed behind the scenes and Kieron is
convinced they will have a positive impact on the team's fortunes. "It is
that time of year when players are always being linked with moves, but
Kieron expects to be a Newcastle player next season. He is not unhappy."
A move for Dyer would appear to be highly unlikely. While things would have
perhaps been different if Glenn Roeder had remained in charge, his good
relationship with the new manager suggests he is willing to stay and prove
his detractors wrong. Nevertheless, nothing can be ruled out in an
increasingly hectic summer of transfer activity. West Ham have been
monitoring Dyer's situation all summer, as were Tottenham Hotspur before
they were put off by the player's wage demands. Chelsea also expressed an
interest if Barcelona succeeded in prising Frank Lampard away from Stamford
Bridge. The Hammers – who could see Dyer as a replacement for Manchester
United-bound Carlos Tevez – would have no problem matching the player's wage
packet at St James's Park and can also offer him the chance of a reunion
with close friend Craig Bellamy. In turn, while Newcastle are adamant they
are not interested in selling one of their star players so close to the
start of the season, every player has his price and an offer of more than
£8m might test their resolve.
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Faubert faces six months out as Hammers curse returns
Jeremy Wilson
Friday July 20, 2007
The Guardian
Alan Curbishley's dreadful luck with new signings continued yesterday when
West Ham United's £6.1m midfielder Julien Faubert was ruled out until
January with a ruptured achilles tendon. The 23-year-old Frenchman suffered
the injury during Tuesday night's pre-season friendly against Sigma Olomouc
in Austria and scans subsequently revealed that he will be unavailable for
the next six months.
He has flown to Strasbourg for surgery by the same expert who has previously
operated successfully on the former France internationals Zinédine Zidane
and Lilian Thuram. "The injury was completely out of the blue," said West
Ham's head physiotherapist, George Cooper. "Julien has no history of any
achilles problems and this kind of rupture is usually predisposed by past
steroid injections in the area - something he has never had - so it is a
major shock.
"He was already planning his rehabilitation in the taxi on the way to the
hospital and we will be working with him every step of the way to ensure he
returns to full fitness as soon as possible."
West Ham beat Rangers and Roma to the signing of Faubert, who helped
Bordeaux win the French League Cup this year. He is primarily a winger and
was widely perceived as a replacement for the Israel midfielder Yossi
Benayoun, who has since completed his move to Liverpool. Curbishley suffered
similar blows in the middle of last season after spending a combined £9m on
Lucas Neill, Matthew Upson and Nigel Quashie during the January transfer
window. Neill and Upson were almost immediately injured, and Quashie has
been out since early March with a foot problem. Curbishley also had to deal
with injuries to other key players last season, including Dean Ashton, Danny
Gabbidon and James Collins, who have all since returned to action.
The West Ham manager will now have to reassess his squad before the new
season. "It's a devastating blow for everyone, especially Julien," said
Curbishley. "He had fitted in so well and was showing all the attributes
needed to be a success in the Premiership. "You could see in the short bit
of football he has played with us that he was going to be a big hit with the
supporters - he is strong, fast, gets up and down, and understands the game
- so to lose him after an hour of football and just two weeks at the club is
a big disappointment. Hopefully we will see him back in action around
Christmas time but the main thing is that he follows his rehabilitation
programme and only returns when he is 100% ready. We wish Julien a speedy
recovery and, having got to know the boy over the past week or so, I am
certain that he will respond to this setback in the right way."
Faubert's decision to join West Ham has been criticised by the France coach,
Raymond Domenech, who hinted that the move to Upton Park might damage his
international career. He said that Faubert had been "unspeakably stupid" for
joining a club outside the top four in England. Faubert made his scoring
debut for the French national team last August in a 2-1 victory over Bosnia
and Herzegovina and has joined West Ham on a five-year contract.
Curbishley's crocks
Lucas Neill, £1.5m
Out for a month with injured ankle shortly after joining in January
Nigel Quashie £1.5m
January transfer, out since March with foot injury
Matthew Upson £6m
Arrived at the end of January, played only 41 minutes last season
Julien Faubert £6.1m
Joined this month and already out until the new year
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United edge towards Tevez deal
Jeremy Wilson
Friday July 20, 2007
The Guardian
The transfer of Carlos Tevez moved a small step closer to resolution
yesterday when West Ham said they would accept Fifa's judgment in the
affair. Tevez has agreed personal terms on his proposed move and Manchester
United believe that Fifa will decide in favour of the Argentinian. Tevez's
representative, Kia Joorabchian, is adamant that the original agreement was
for only one year at Upton Park with the option of a further three years.
Yesterday the two sides were involved in a heated exchange.
Joorabchian accused West Ham of failing to deliver on promises and of saying
different things in public and private. "We can no longer allow these
inconsistencies to continue unaddressed," he said. "We see no alternative
but to bring the true circumstances to the attention of a higher authority
to aid a rapid conclusion to this issue."
West Ham responded by insisting Tevez has a contract until June 2010. "All
other arrangements were terminated by West Ham on 27th April 2007 and no
legal challenge to that termination has occurred," said a statement. "The
club has in recent weeks made every effort to keep Carlos Tevez at West Ham
United and indeed offered significantly improved terms and conditions to the
player, which were not accepted. Public threats and accusations are
irrelevant. Let Fifa decide and West Ham United will accept that judgment
whatever the outcome. The time has come to settle this matter in a way which
will allow everyone concerned to move on."
Fifa is waiting to receive a request to convene a special hearing before its
dispute resolution chamber and the matter could theoretically end up in the
Court of Arbitration for Sport, but the Old Trafford chief executive, David
Gill, said: "What you find in these situations, though, is that Fifa and the
necessary bodies try to make sure that the player can play, whether it's for
Manchester United or for West Ham."
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West Ham look to Dyer after Faubert injury blow - The Independent
By Jason Burt
Published: 20 July 2007
West Ham United are considering a move for Newcastle United's Kieron Dyer
after learning that their £6.1m signing Julien Faubert will be out for at
least six months with a ruptured Achilles tendon.
However, given the England international's injury record - and his
£80,000-a-week wages - West Ham would be unwilling to pay the £6m Newcastle
are likely to hope to gain for the 28-year-old, who has two years left on
his present contract.
Despite public statements that he wants Dyer to stay, it is understood that
the Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce is willing to listen to offers for the
midfielder, who has previously attracted interest from Tottenham. However,
Newcastle's inertia in the transfer market has made it less likely that
Allardyce will sell.
Faubert, who was bought as a replacement for Yossi Benayoun, was injured
during West Ham's 1-0 friendly defeat against Czech side Sigma Olomouc. The
23-year-old, who arrived from Bordeaux less than three weeks ago, is due to
undergo surgery today with manager Alan Curbishley describing the injury as
a "devastating blow".
West Ham have had to reassess their transfer targets and if they did buy
Dyer, he would become the fourth former Newcastle player on their books
following the arrival of Scott Parker for £7m and Craig Bellamy for £7.5m to
add to Lee Bowyer.
West Ham have also hit back at claims by Carlos Tevez's adviser Kia
Joorabchian that the club have made "inconsistent" statements about the
striker's status. Joorabchian has grown frustrated at the delay in Tevez's
£35m transfer to Manchester United and claimed that West Ham had made
"promises and assurances" about the 23-year-old that they had not acted on.
That is thought to relate to an email he received authorising him to speak
to other clubs about Tevez's sale.
Fifa is to examine the proposed transfer and the government has also
apparently intervened to request that the issue of "third party ownership"
of players is cleared up by world football's governing body.
West Ham, who are under pressure from the Premier League and face the threat
of a second disciplinary inquiry, hit back by stating that they "totally
reject the latest outburst and threats issued in the name of Kia
Joorabchian".
In a statement the club added: "Mr Joorabchian entered into agreements with
the previous regime at West Ham at a time in which he was attempting to take
over the club. Those arrangements, since terminated by West Ham, led the
club into disciplinary difficulties for which the club has paid a heavy
price."
Sir Alex Ferguson, meanwhile, admits that Alan Smith and Guiseppe Rossi are
likely to leave United when Tevez arrives. The pair have been the subject of
bids - United want £6m for Smith and £10m for Rossi . Middlesbrough have
shown a keen interest in Smith, whileParma want to retain Rossi, who was on
loan there last season.
Ferguson confirmed that Liverpool have offered £6m for Gabriel Heinze - but
ruled out the defender moving to Anfield.
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Faubert Freak Injury Continues West Ham New Signing Curse - West Ham
Fans.org
Submitted by Neville Nixon on 19 July, 2007 - 22:25.
Confirmation that new £6 Million signing Julien Faubert will be out of
action for at least six months continues Hammers appalling luck when it
comes to their big signings. At the beginning of last season Dean Ashton,
Danny Gabbidon, Nigel Reo-Coker, Anton Ferdinand and Mathew Etherington all
got injured, the trend continued with the new arrivals who signed during the
January transfer, Mathew Upson, Lucas Neill, Luis Boa-Morte and Nigel
Quashie were all crocked within weeks if not days of their arrivals.. Bad
luck or coincidence? Whatever it is, Hammers need to add quality strength in
depth has been acutely shown by the freak snapping of Faubert's Achilles
tendon, if Hammers had signed Bent he would have probably got crocked during
his first outing!.. Michael Owen is a classic example of a player hardly
featuring for the club that has just forked out big bucks, at least Faubert
only cost one third od Owen's transfer fee. Eggy and Curbs will have to
rethink their attacking options on the right hand side, there is a
groundswell of opinion that Alan Smith might want to join from Manchester
United, but do Hammers really want to do business with the Mancs? . - Ed
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Upton sparks? Bowyer and Dyer could be reunited - Daily Mail
By COLIN YOUNG - More by this author »
Last updated at 07:48am on 20th July 2007
West Ham may have lost some of their fresh fighting spirit with the loss of
new signing Julien Faubert for six months, but manager Alan Curbishley is
preparing to re-unite notorious scrappers Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer at
Upton Park.
Curbishley, who discovered yesterday that £6.1million France international
Faubert is out until Christmas at least with a ruptured achilles tendon, is
preparing to test Newcastle's determination to hang on to England midfielder
Dyer with a £5m bid.
Dyer, 28, has endured an injury troubled time at St James' Park and new boss
Sam Allardyce may be ready to off-load him as he looks to re-build his
squad.
That would mean teaming up with controversial Bowyer who was involved in an
on-pitch brawl with Dyer during a home defeat with Aston Villa two years ago
which resulted in both players being sent off.
Dyer, who has also attracted interest from Tottenham, may be ready for a
fresh challenge after eight years on Tyneside and a move to Upton Park would
also reunite him with another former Newcastle 'bad boy', the Wales captain
Craig Bellamy, who joined the Hammers for £7.75m. Toon's excaptain Scott
Parker is already there, too, following a £5.5m move.
Bowyer and Dyer resolved to put their fight behind them immediately after
the incident. Then manager Graeme Souness forced the pair to appear at a
press conference and fined Bowyer six weeks wages.
He was also charged with public order offences and fined £600 and ordered to
pay £1,000 costs after admitting using threatening behaviour towards his
team-mate.
Dyer, meanwhile, escaped a club fine and any court action.
Former Ipswich midfielder Dyer is now one of the top earners at St James'
Park but if any club can match his £100,000-a-week it is the Hammers, who
have been trying to recruit big-earners throughout the close season but
missed out on Mark Viduka who decided to join Newcastle on a free transfer.
News of Faubert's injury is another blow for Curbishley, who watched new
signings Lucas Neill and Matthew Upson suffer injuries in January within
days of joining the club to help last season's relegation fight.
Faubert, 23, was hurt in West Ham's 1-0 defeat against Czechs Sigma Olomouc
in Austria three days ago and returned to France for surgery.
Curbishley said: "It's a devastating blow for everyone, especially Julien.
He'd fitted in so well and was showing all the attributes needed to be a
success in the Premier League.
"You could see in the short bit of football he has played with us that he
was going to be a big hit with the supporters — he is strong, fast, gets up
and down and understands the game — so to lose him after an hour of football
and just two weeks at the club is a big disappointment.
"We wish Julien a speedy recovery and, having got to know the boy over the
past week or so, I am certain that he will respond to this set-back in the
right way.
"Hopefully we will see him back in action around Christmas time, but the
main thing is that he follows his rehabilitation programme and only returns
when he is 100 per cent ready."
Earlier this week France coach Raymond Domenech branded Faubert "unspeakably
stupid" for joining West Ham from Bordeaux and hinted that he had put his
international career in jeopardy after picking up just one France cap.
"It is a great pity when you are on the brink of the French national team,"
he said. "I struggle to understand why he has done it."
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Blow for West Ham - the Times
West Ham United learnt yesterday that Julien Faubert, their £6.1 million
summer signing, will be out of action for six months with a ruptured
Achilles tendon. The 23-year-old France midfield player suffered the injury
during the preseason match against Sigma Olomouc, of the Czech Republic, on
Tuesday night and has flown to Strasbourg to undergo surgery.
"It's a devastating blow," Alan Curbishley, the West Ham manager, said. "He
had fitted in so well and was showing all the attributes needed to be a
success in the Premiership." Faubert was making only his second appearance
for the club after signing from Bordeaux on a five-year contract earlier
this month.
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West Ham - Satan's Plaything? - CaughtOffside.com
Posted on Thursday, July 19th, 2007
Some Premiership clubs have bad luck - Newcastle and Tottenham have become
synonymous with the physio room in recent years. Chelsea struggled with a
depleted squad last season even in spite of their spending, while Arsenal
had to make do without Thierry Henry for the crucial final run in last
season.
And then there's West Ham. Who have, in less than a year, managed to see
everything they touched go absolutely pear shaped (other than dodging
relegation on the final day, although that whole situation was hardly
positive).
The latest catastrophy is that new signing Julian Faubert, whose move to the
club was labelled 'unspeakably stupid', is going to be out for 6 months with
an Achilles problem.
Head physiotherapist George Cooper told the club's official website: "The
injury was completely out of the blue. Julien has no history of any Achilles
problems.
"On the plus side, we have managed to get him to a top surgeon. Two to three
days is the key time for this injury and everything will be done and in
place for Julien within that period.
"We expect him to be out of action for around six months but we will not be
putting any definitive date on his return - he will come back only when he
is completely ready."
At this stage, there's little point in trying to figure out what will happen
next to West Ham. The curse began the day Eggsy Magnusson and his biscuit
fortune arrived - so our money is on him killing a gypsy's daughter the week
before.
While strangling a black cat.
Under a ladder.
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