An international friendly in London on Tuesday gave Lucas Neill another
chance to captain his country
19.08.2008
Lucas Neill was captain as Australia drew 2-2 with next World Cup hosts
South Africa in an international friendly played in west London on Tuesday
night.
The Socceroos are well into their Asian zone qualifying campaign for the
2010 finals and enjoyed a good work-out at the Loftus Road home of Queen's
Park Rangers. Neill sat out an initial stage of qualifying earlier in the
summer but should be involved when Australia travel to Uzebekistan on 10
September for the start of a Group 1 programme that also includes Japan,
Bahrain and Qatar. The winners and runners-up are guaranteed a place at the
finals.
Siyabonga Nkosi opened the scoring for the South Africans on 21 minutes but
Mile Sterjovski equalised within four minutes. Josh Kennedy then put
Australia in front, to the delight of the large ex-pat crowd in the ground
before half-time. Neill made way at half-time and was off the pitch when
Teko Modise ensured a draw for South Africa just before the hour mark.
Academy graduate Richard Garcia, now with Hull City, made a late appearance
off the bench while another former Hammer, Chris Coyne, also played.
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Noble plays captain's part - WHUFC
The honour of skippering his country fell to Mark Noble as England Under-21s
won 2-1 against Slovenia
19.08.2008
Mark Noble played his part as England won 2-1 against Slovenia in an
Under-21 friendly played at the KC Stadium in Hull on Tuesday night.
The West Ham United midfielder played the whole game and had the honour of
the captain's armband for the second half after James Milner made way at the
interval. Noble was instrumental throughout with some good forward play and
a couple of timely blocks at the other end in the final warm-up before next
month's decisive 2009 European U21 Championship qualifier against Portugal
at Wembley. The home goals came from Micah Richards and Milner in the 25th
and 35th minutes.
Noble, who has eleven caps and three goals at this level, should be involved
when Portugal arrive on Friday 5 September. The Young Lions are six points
ahead of their visitors at the top of Group 3 although Portugal have two
games left to play compared to England's one. A point would therefore make
sure of top spot and one of the ten places guaranteed to qualifying group
winners in October's play-offs for the finals in Sweden next summer. The
four best runners-up will also be involved.
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Collins and Quashie play - WHUFC
Kevin Keen was pleased to see James Collins and Nigel Quashie get back to
action on Tuesday
19.08.2008
James Collins and Nigel Quashie both came through 45 minutes of a practice
match against Queens Park Rangers behind closed doors at the Boleyn Ground
on Tuesday afternoon.
The game, which finished 2-2 after two Luis Boa Morte strikes, was arranged
to help the pair on their way back to fitness. Collins, who captained the
side and showed his appetite for the game with some solid tackles, has not
played since a knee ligament injury back on reserve-team duty in January
while Quashie, who has had a persistent foot injury, last featured for the
reserves back in November.
Reserve-team manager Kevin Keen was delighted to see both players take the
next step on the comeback trail as they work their way back towards Alan
Curbishley's first-team plans in a game that also featured former Hammers
midfielder Hogan Ephraim and several second-half changes. "If you think
about it neither of them have played a full match for quite some
considerable time," he said. "That was their first 45 minutes and they have
both come through it OK."
Boa Morte caught the eye with the opening two goals on 19 and 21 minutes,
despite playing out on the left wing. The first saw him receive the ball
eight yards out and he made no mistake with a neat finish in the corner. The
second goal came about after a strong run by Zavon Hines led to Bowyer
picking up possession in central midfield and feeding Boa Morte. The
Portuguese forward's first shot hit the keeper but he kept his composure to
slot in the rebound despite defenders scrambling to get in a block.
Keen added: "I thought Lee and Luis were the best two players on the pitch
by a distance. They were both very good and their attitude and fitness was
good. Bow created a lot of things, Luis scored two so it was a good run-out
for us. We got what we wanted out of it." QPR pulled one back through
Ephraim just before half-time with a strong finish before a late Matteo
Alberti penalty - that Jan Lastuvka on his first appearance at the stadium
could do nothing about - ensured a draw.
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Ferdinand mulls over move - SSN
Black Cats have bid accepted for defender
Last updated: 19th August 2008
West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand is mulling over a move to Sunderland,
skysports.com understands. Sunderland are believed to have had a bid
accepted by West Ham for England Under 21 international Ferdinand. Black
Cats boss Roy Keane is keen to lure Ferdinand to Wearside as he looks to
bolster his defensive options after losing out to Portsmouth in his pursuit
of Younes Kaboul. Keane is thought to be ready to offer Ferdinand a
lucrative contract in a bid to persuade the player to leave Upton Park.
Tottenham have been linked with a move for Ferdinand, but it appears
Sunderland are the only club to make a firm move for the central defender.
Ferdinand is now weighing up his options and he is set to make a decision in
the next few day
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Spurs rule out move for Hammer Ferdinand - metro.co.uk
by GAV BROWN - Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tottenham have denied they are to join Sunderland in their pursuit of West
Ham defender Anton Ferdinand. After failing to sign long-term target Jonny
Evans of Manchester United, Black Cats boss Roy Keane is said to have tabled
an offer of £8million for the Hammers star. England U-21 international
Ferdinand rejected the chance to join Newcastle earlier in the summer
because of a reluctance to leave London. But his future does not appear to
lie at White Hart Lane.
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Collins, Quashie come through West Ham bounce game
tribalfooball.com - August 19, 2008
James Collins and Nigel Quashie have come through a behind-closed-doors
fixture for West Ham. The game against QPR, which ended 2-2, was specially
designed to aid the recovery of the two players who have not featured in
Alan Curbishley's first team for a lengthy period. "If you think about it
neither of them have played a full match for quite some considerable time,"
reserves coach Kevin Keen told the club's official website. "That was their
first 45 minutes and they have both come through it okay." Luis Boa Morte
scored both of West Ham's goals in the draw against their fellow Londoners.
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Conflicting reports on Ferdinand By Wes Evans - UptonSparks
Posted on Tuesday 19 Aug 2008 14:52:00
Anton Ferdinand. Is he staying, is he going? Is he off to Tottenham? Perhaps
to Sunderland? The confusing part of all this is there is a lie in the
reporting somewhere. EITHER West Ham have accepted a £8 million bid from
Sunderland, which a number of newspapers are saying, or they've rejected a
£6 million offer from the same side. Add in to this little dilemma the fact
that Spurs have reportedly bid in excess of £8 million and it all gets a
little confusing.
So, let's get this straight: Is he off? Well, the fact the Hammers are
constantly linked with defenders (for instance, Gael Givet) shows that
there's at least a surplus at the club. Couple that with the fact that Danny
Gabbidon and James Tomkins are returning from injury and international duty
respectively soon, and perhaps fat-wage Ferdinand would be better on his
blinged out bike.
But then we get to the confusing bit...other than the earlier confusing bit.
Ferdinand has asked for 48 hours to mull over the bid, after turning down a
move to Newcastle a while back because he loved life in London too much. So,
essentially, make up your own mind. UptonSparks reckons he's gone...but then
what do we know?
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Irons pair return after long absences - Echo News
7:02pm Tuesday 19th August 2008
By Rob Pritchard »
NIGEL Quashie and James Collins both made successful comebacks from injury
as West Ham United drew 2-2 with Queen's Park Rangers in a
behind-closed-doors friendly. As exclusively revealed by the Echo on
Tuesday morning, the pair each completed 45 minutes for Kevin Keen's Irons
before being replaced at half-time at Upton Park. Midfielder Quashie has not
played a first team match since injuring his foot during the second half of
the Hammers' 4-3 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on March 4, 2007. Wales
international central defender Collins, meanwhile, has been out of action
since suffering a knee ligament injury in a reserve team match against
Portsmouth in January. "If you think about it, neither of them has played a
full match for quite some considerable time," reserve team manager Keen told
whufc.com "That was their first 45 minutes and they have both come through
it OK." West Ham took a two-goal lead thanks to a three-minute brace from
Luis Boa Morte mid-way through the first half. However, Rangers mounted a
stirring comeback.
Former England Under-19 winger Hogan Ephraim scored the Super Hoops' first
goal just before half-time before Matteo Alberti's penalty ensured the
shares were spoiled. The match also saw new signing Jan Lastuvka, the Czech
goalkeeper, play his first home game for the club, while Lee Bowyer
continued his comeback from a groin injury. And Keen said Bowyer and
goal-scorer Boa Morte were the outstanding players on the Boleyn Ground
pitch.
"I thought Lee and Luis were the best two players on the pitch by a
distance," said the boss. "They were both very good and their attitude and
fitness was good. 'Bow' created a lot of things. "Luis scored two so it was
a good run-out for us. "We got what we wanted out of it."
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Positive injury news for Hammers - Setanta
by Tom Adams, 19 August 2008
James Collins and Nigel Quashie have stepped up their recoveries from long
term injuries after coming through a behind-closed-doors fixture for West
Ham. The game against QPR, which ended 2-2, was specially designed to aid
the recovery of the two players who have not featured in Alan Curbishley's
first team for a lengthy period. Welsh defender Collins sustained knee
ligament damage in January and midfielder Quashie, who has been struggling
with a foot problem, last played for the club in March 2007. The players
took an important step forward in their recovery on Tuesday though as they
played 45 minutes, and reserve boss Kevin Keen was cheered by the sight of
both men in action. "If you think about it neither of them have played a
full match for quite some considerable time," Keen told the club's official
website. "That was their first 45 minutes and they have both come through it
okay." Luis Boa Morte scored both of West Ham's goals in the draw against
their fellow Londoners.
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