14/10/2007 19:50
Freddie Ljungberg and James Collins both scored in Euro 2008 qualifying
action on Saturday night while Christian Dailly has plenty of reason to be
cheerful. Sweden captain Ljungberg will be confident of being involved in
Europe's elite national-team competition next June after helping his country
to a 3-0 victory at minnows Liechtenstein. Ljungberg got the ball rolling in
the 19th minute with a drilled effort from the edge of the area.The
midfielder had to go off in the 39th minute as a precautionary measure after
picking up a slight knock to his left calf but is still set to feature when
George McCartney's third-placed Northern Ireland travel to Stockholm on
Wednesday night. With three games to go, Sweden top Group F and are six
points ahead of their midweek opponents.
Dailly came on in the 60th minute for Scotland and helped them win 3-1 at
home against Ukraine. The 33-year-old was introduced with the Scots leading
2-1 and took up a holding midfield position just in front of the back four.
The defence shored up, Scotland moved two goals clear of their opponents
within eight minutes and hung on for victory four days before they go to
Georgia on Wednesday night. It leaves them clear of France and Italy at the
top of Group B and, with the top two ultimately going through to Austria and
Switzerland, Dailly has every chance of playing at next summer's finals.
Towering defender Collins scored the first international goal of his career
with a neat right-foot shot from a free-kick in in the 20th minute in
Nicosia against Cyprus. However, that was to be as good as it got for John
Toshack's men as Collins lasted only 43 minutes before being substituted
with a calf injury before Cyprus struck three times in the second half to
claim a 3-1 victory.
Better news for West Ham United was that Craig Bellamy and Collins'
defensive partner Danny Gabbidon both played the full 90 minutes for Wales
ahead of the trip to San Marino on Wednesday, although Collins will not be
available. Bellamy was in action for the first time since West Ham's 3-0 win
against Middlesbrough on 15 September while Gabbidon got a full game for the
second time in seven days, having played in the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa
last Saturday.
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Solano gets 90 minutes for Peru - WHUFC
14/10/2007 08:45
Nolberto Solano got a full 90 minutes under his belt as Peru drew 0-0 at
home against Paraguay to start their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign on
Saturday night. Solano had a midfield role in an experienced lineup that
also featured Jefferson Farfan and Chelsea's Claudio Pizarro up front. The
versatile 32-year-old was winning his 80th cap for his country in an
international career that dates back to 1994.
Peru have not played at the finals since 1982 but have high hopes of taking
one of the four automatic spots on offer to teams from South America in
South Africa after the ten-team continental table is played out on a home
and away basis. The fifth-placed team go through to a play-off against one
of the teams from CONCACAF - the North and Central America, and Caribbean
section.
Peru are next in action on Wednesday evening when they go to Santiago to
face Chile, who lost 2-0 in Argentina on Saturday night after two Juan Roman
Riquleme goals. While the final Euro 2008 qualifiers are being held next
month, Peru will have another World Cup double-header on 17 and 20 November
at home against Brazil and away to Ecuador respectively.
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Spence makes U19 step - WHUFC
14/10/2007 18:24
Young defender Jordan Spence made his first appearance at Under-19 level for
England on Sunday having already had a summer to remember. The centre-back
was captain for the U-17 World Cup played between 18 August and 9 September
and more than played his part in South Korea as debutants England reached
the quarter-finals before losing 4-1 to Germany. En route to the last eight,
Spence had the honour of scoring a late winning goal against the might of
Brazil - the first time England had beaten their South American rivals in a
FIFA tournament.
Spence, still only 17, has since been promoted to the U19 set-up and was an
unused substitute in Doncaster on Friday night as England won 5-1 in
Doncaster against Iceland. It was the second match of a four-team tournament
England are hosting in early qualifying for the 2008 European Under-19
Championship.
He then appeared as an 87th-minute substitute on Sunday as England won 6-0
against Romania in Scunthorpe in front of the Football Association's guest
of honour Sir Trevor Brooking. The victory confirmed England's place in next
spring's Elite round that will decide the eight teams to contest July's UEFA
U19 finals in the Czech Republic. England conclude their group programme
against Belgium in Barnsley on Wednesday.
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Bellamy makes rallying cry - SSN
Wales captain urges team-mates to perform better
By Laura Slatcher Last updated: 14th October 2007
Craig Bellamy has set his Wales team-mates the challenge of producing a
convincing display after their poor show in the Euro 2008 defeat to Cyprus
on Saturday. The Wales captain is believed to have made a strong speech to
his team-mates after their 3-1 loss to Cyprus. Wales take on San Marino on
Wednesday in their second Euro 2008 qualifying group match in five days.
San Marino have lost every one of the 43 games they have played and are
bottom of the group without a point. Bellamy is confident that the team can
put aside their defeat to Cyprus and focus on the trip to San Marino. He
said: "There is something seriously wrong with Welsh football if we now fail
to beat San Marino on Wednesday in our next match. "There is no question we
have to win that one. They say there are no easy games in international
football and I would agree with that, but as games go, playing San Marino
should be easy for us. "From our point of view the only way to respond to
what has happened against Cyprus is to win the next one, and that means
having to beat San Marino."
Undeserving
The West Ham forward is quick to concede that Wales did not deserve to take
anything from the Cyprus game, but is positive that he has overcome his
troublesome groin injury. "The best team won and we were very disappointing.
They were a decent team this time but we gave them too much room and they
were just too much for us on the day," he said. "We know we did not deserve
to win the game, we were that poor. "But the way we have been playing lately
and our tactics, we do run a fine line that can punish us, and Cyprus did
just that. "As for my fitness after 90 minutes, I'm fine. And it is good not
to have that niggling feeling that I have had over the last few weeks before
my groin operation."
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Man Utd want Dean Ashton - Sportigo
Sun, Oct 14, 07 14:14
Mark Apostolou
West Ham's bustling centre forward Dean Ashton is supposedly catching the
eye of Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and may be the subject of a
surprise bid come the summer. That is according, again, to the message
boards, another rumour that seems to have very little basis in fact.
The old fashioned striker is something of a cult hero at Upton Park and that
is not surprising given the fact that he is effective and gives everything
he has week in and week out. Funnily enough I think he could do well
wherever he might go, but I think it is unlikely that Alan Curbishley would
sell him for straight cash. A swap deal wouldnt't be out of the question
though.
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Reid raring to go for Hammers - TeamTalk
West Ham winger Kyel Reid has set his sights on making another first-team
outing in the Carling Cup tie with Coventry. The pacy ace has impressed in
the competition this season and made the last-gasp winner for Dean Ashton
against Plymouth in the previous round. Reid is now hoping he will be in the
side to face City at the Ricoh Arena on Tuesday 30 October - although he is
well aware of the competition from Matthew Etherington and Luis Boa Morte.
Reid said: "There is good competition between them two as well, ahead of me,
so it is just a matter of time. I have just got to hang in there. "Hopefully
I will get a game in the next round against Coventry and be involved. You
never know. I will keep plugging away."
The England Under-19 international knows he has time on his side and will be
ready whenever he is called upon by boss Alan Curbishley. "I just want to
get another chance. I am waiting for my call. Whenever he calls me,
hopefully I will take my chance and hopefully I can do better than my last
performance out there," he said.
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Noble eager for Irons return - TeamTalk
West Ham's Mark Noble is eyeing a return to the starting line-up when the
Hammers take on Sunderland in their next Premier League clash. Noble was
left out of the side for the first time this season for the defeat against
Aston Villa but hopes to get his place back for the October 21 fixture.
Noble said: "The gaffer (Alan Curbishley) just pulled me in and said he was
going to go a different way. "He's the manager so you have to accept it.
Obviously I wanted to play and was gutted because I didn't.
"I didn't see it coming, but that's football and you've just got to get on
with it. "I got 10 minutes and wanted to come on and get a goal, but it
wasn't to be."
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Stoke keen on West Ham's Davenport
tribalfooball.com - October 13, 2007
Stoke City boss Tony Pulis is chasing West Ham defender Calum Davenport.
Pulis wants to take Davenport on-loan this week
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Reading boss Coppell targets Nugent, West Ham pair
tribalfooball.com - October 14, 2007
Reading boss Steve Coppell admits he will need to spend big in January, with
Portsmouth's David Nugent thought to be top of his shopping list. According
to the Daily Star Sunday, Coppell is considering a move for Pompey striker
Nugent, who only joined the club from Preston in the summer, but has
struggled to break into Harry Redknapp's first team. Coppell is also thought
to be keen on West Ham midfielders Hayden Mullins and Mark Noble, but admits
he will have to pay over the odds to secure the players he wants. He said:
"It's a limited market for us because of the perception of Reading. But it's
amazing how money talks. "It can be very persuasive and we accept we will
have to pay more than the going rate. "We must strengthen our squad in
January because we want to be a real player rather than a bit-part in this
league."
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West Ham keen to appoint technical chief
tribalfooball.com - October 14, 2007
West Ham United want to appoint a new technical director. The Sunday Mirror
says the club hope to land their man in the next six weeks. The appointment
has the backing of boss Alan Curbishley but could lead to speculation about
his job being under threat after three successive League defeats. West Ham
were poised to interview a top Dutch coach last week but pulled the plug
after receiving adverse reports.
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West Ham plan fresh bid for Everton striker Johnson
tribalfooball.com - October 14, 2007
West Ham United are ready to bid again for Everton striker Andy Johnson in
January. The People says the Hammers are aware that England hitman Johnson
wants a move after a breakdown in his relationship with manager David Moyes.
Despite failing to prise Johnson away in the summer, Hammers boss Alan
Curbishley is confident Everton will sell in the January transfer window.
Curbs still wants another top-class striker to compete with Dean Ashton and
Craig Bellamy, and Johnson will be tempted with £65,000 a week to move to
Upton Park. Manchester City boss Sven Goran Eriksson is also an admirer of
Johnson and, boosted by a huge transfer fund, he could make a January move
for the Everton man.
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Oldham move for West Ham keeper Walker
tribalfooball.com - October 14, 2007
Oldham Athletic boss John Sheridan is seeking a loan deal for West Ham
United goalkeeper Jimmy Walker. Sheridan has veteran Mark Crossley and
deputy Les Pogliacomi both injured.
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West Ham's Solano has 90mins for Peru
tribalfooball.com - October 14, 2007
West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley will be delighted to see Nobby Solano
get 90 minutes under his belt for Peru in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Paraguay
in their World Cup qualifier. Solano is yet to make his Hammers debut since
his August arrival from Newcastle and put in a strong shift in midfield for
Peru over the weekend.
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