Jan Lastuvka has summed up the spirit in the camp ahead of the weekend trip
to Craven Cottage
26.09.2008
Jan Lastuvka has spoken of the positive mood in the West Ham United squad
ahead of the London derby against Fulham on Saturday.
The 26-year-old goalkeeper is looking forward to returning to Craven Cottage
where here he spent a spell on loan in the 2006/07 season. Although likely
to revert to the bench with Robert Green set to start, Lastuvka is upbeat
and only thinking about his new club coming out on top in the capital
contest.
After making his first-team debut in the Carling Cup match against Watford
on Tuesday night, Lastuvka explained the players were determined to put the
1-0 defeat behind them. He said: "It was a good performance, but the result
against Watford was not to be for us. Now that match has gone and we just
look to the next one, which is against Fulham, which we will be going out to
try and win."
Lastuvka made some outstanding saves in midweek and worked hard to put in a
steady performance, although he acknowledged he might have done better for
the home side's winner which came from a Hayden Mullins own goal. He said:
"I was delighted to be making my debut for the team. The goal was
disappointing and when mistakes happen as they do in football, all you can
do is carry on and try to do better.
"I was pleased to make the saves I did and do as much as I could to benefit
the team in every way. After the game, the manager said that we stay
positive and carry on, that's what we have done in this week in training and
then we will go into the game against Fulham in a positive way," he added.
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Captain's Blog - Fulham in focus - WHUFC
The skipper reflects on a fine first win under Gianfranco Zola and hopes for
more success at Fulham
26.09.2008
It was a fantastic win and performance for the club last Saturday and was
extremely pleasing for the new manager and coach to get off to a winning
start.
The team had only played a formation which was familiar to them for five
days before the match, but I thought the performance was full of energy and
good football with lots of chances for us.
I thought everyone played really well and I was really pleased in particular
for Carlton Cole and David Di Michele - who showed his quality and would
have been disappointed not to have got his hat-trick.
I thought our fans were excellent and created a great atmosphere. If we can
do our work on the pitch and our supporters can match that off the pitch,
then we will make Upton Park a difficult place for teams to come to this
season, as we have already proved with four wins out of four on our home
turf.
On Tuesday, we came crashing back to earth losing in the Carling Cup, it was
not a game we took lightly and there was a lot of disappointment from us at
the final whistle because it was a cup competition we genuinely believed we
could challenge for.
The positives to take out of the game were that we still tried to play a
good brand of football and it was only an unfortunate error that ultimately
led to a negative result.
We will hopefully get to put that right this week in what will be a tough
game away to Fulham. We will need all your help from the terraces again as
we look to secure our first away win, continue our climb up the table and
look to get some bragging rights on a couple of old friends, Bobby Zamora
and Johnny Pantsil.
The attitude from Wednesday morning following the cup defeat has been one of
real focus as we realise the importance of the Fulham game and there is a
real desire to take the maximum points out of this match, which will then
set us up nicely for our next two games, at home to Bolton Wanderers and
away to Hull City.
A new manager brings new ideas and 'mister' (the boss) as he likes to be
called, has challenged us on the training ground with a lot of sessions that
are new to everyone and a system unfamiliar to a majority of the team.
In response, the boys have been very committed and the intensity of training
has reached another level, in a bid to not only impress but to perfect the
new style and formation.
The changing room is very buoyant and you can sense the excitement the boys
are feeling for the remainder of the season. We have never hidden the fact
that European qualification is our aim and there is definitely a focus from
the boys in trying to realise that goal.
Once again, thank you for all your support last week at both Upton Park and
Vicarage Road and thank you in advance to all those lucky enough to get
tickets at Craven Cottage to hopefully witness what we are all after, our
first away win of the season.
Lucas Neill
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Sheff Utd players may sue Hammers - BBC
By Frank Keogh
West Ham could face legal action over the Carlos Tevez affair from players
relegated with Sheffield United. At least 10 players, who suffered
financially after relegation in 2007, approached lawyers with a view to
claiming compensation from the Hammers. Lawyer Chris Farnell said: "I've
been contacted by various players with a view to looking at this claim but
at this stage I can say no more." Sheffield United are already demanding
£30m compensation from the London club. It emerged earlier in the week that
an independent tribunal had ruled against West Ham in the Tevez case. The
Hammers plan an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Blades
claim Tevez was not eligible to play at the end of the 2006/07 season, when
he played a key role in West Ham's top-flight survival at their expense.
Past and present players have held discussions with Farnell, of the
Manchester-based firm IPS Law. It is understood they could claim for lost
earnings running into millions of pounds. The latest development comes in a
troubled week for West Ham. New boss Gianfranco Zola saw his team, who are
sixth in the Premier League, knocked out of the Carling Cup by Championship
side Watford. The tribunal ruling came as the club is still searching for a
new shirt sponsor following the collapse of travel firm XL Holidays. Striker
Carlton Cole was arrested by police in central London at 0425 BST on Tuesday
on suspicion of drink-driving. And forward Dean Ashton could be out for a
month as he requires ankle surgery.
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West Ham suffer Tevez appeal blow - BBC
By Simon Austin
West Ham's hopes of avoiding a huge payout in the Carlos Tevez affair have
suffered a serious setback. The Hammers are drafting a "statement of appeal"
to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, yet the Lausanne court will not be
able to hear the case. Its secretary general, Matthieu Reeb, told BBC Sport:
"As things stand, CAS would not be able to hear this case. "We would need
agreement from Sheffield United and for Football Association rules to allow
an appeal to CAS." Sheffield United are unlikely, to say the least, to give
agreement to an appeal that could overturn the decision of the independent
tribunal. And the FA actually has a rule that stipulates there cannot be an
appeal from the verdict of an independent tribunal. We do not accept that
one player's contribution can be placed over that of the team as a whole
West Ham statement
Rule K5c states that by signing up to arbitration, "the parties shall be
deemed to have waived irrevocably any right to appeal, review or any
recourse to a court of law".
A West Ham spokesman said the club was currently "drafting a statement of
appeal" to CAS. The independent tribunal, whose verdict has not yet been
officially published, ruled that Tevez was not eligible to play at the end
of the 2006/07 season and played a key role in West Ham's Premiership
survival. Sheffield United, who were relegated, are claiming more than £30m
in compensation from the Hammers. The tribunal will decide on the amount of
compensation to be paid at a further hearing, due to be held early next
year. Earlier this week the Hammers issued a statement saying: "While we
respect the judgement of the arbitration panel, we do not accept that one
player's contribution can be placed over that of the team as a whole nor
used as the basis for judging the results of a 38-game season.
"This ruling undermines the significant efforts of our entire playing squad
and coaching staff over the duration of the 2006/07 Premier League season
and does not take sufficient account of the performances of the other 19
clubs in the competition. "We acknowledge again that the club broke Premier
League rules in the original signing of Carlos Tevez but we were dealt with
accordingly by an independent Premier League commission and accepted the
significant punishment handed down at that time.
"In light of this and the wider implications of this latest ruling for
English football we have decided to ask that the case be considered by the
Court of Arbitration for Sport."
West Ham were found guilty last April of acting improperly and withholding
vital documentation over the ownership of Argentine duo Tevez and Javier
Mascherano, whom they signed in 2006. A three-man Premier League arbitration
panel fined the Hammers £5.5m, but did not dock them points, and they went
on to survive the drop on the final day, while Sheffield United were
relegated. Having failed in their attempt to have the original punishment
overturned, the Yorkshire club invoked an FA rule that allows clubs with a
legal dispute to go before an independent tribunal.
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The vultures are circling - KUMB
Filed: Friday, 26th September 2008
By: Staff Writer
A number of current and former Sheffield United players are currently
considering whether to sue West Ham United for loss of earnings. Since an
arbitration panel found in favour of the Championship outfit earlier this
week a number of players are said to have contact with their lawyers to see
if they, like Sheffield United, can lay the blame for their own shortcomings
at West Ham United's door.
Chris Farnell, a lawyer from IPS, told the BBC: "I've been contacted by
various players with a view to looking at this claim but at this stage I can
say no more."
Strangely this latest news could actually work in West Ham United's favour.
The tide of public opinion has begun to turn away from the Blades since the
arbitration panel ruled that Carlos Tevez's influence was instrumental in
Sheffield United being relegated from the Premiership (a level at which they
had played for just three of the last 32 seasons).
This was demonstrated this morning by an article in today's Daily Mirror -
whose editorials, until this point had mostly backed the Blades - in which
the players concerned were accused of sticking 'their grubby snouts into
West Ham's trough'.
Sheffield United are claiming over £30million in damages whilst the players'
bill could also run into several millions. However some Blades fans are
expressing their concern over this latest news, claiming that it could
destabilise the club's main claim for compensation.
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Sheffield United players could sue West Ham Times Online - The Times
West Ham United could face further legal action over the Carlos Tevez affair
from players relegated with Sheffield United. At least ten players, thought
to include Chris Morgan, the Sheffield United captain, who suffered loss of
earnings after relegation in 2007 have approached a law firm with a view to
claiming compensation from the London club. Sheffield United submitted a
claim for £30 million for loss of revenue after the FA ruled that Tevez
helped West Ham stay in the Premier League even though his transfer breached
the rules, but the players are considering a separate legal action. Chris
Farnell, of IPS Law, the Manchester-based sports law specialists, told the
BBC: "I've been contacted by various players with a view to looking at this
claim but at this stage I can say no more." Some of the players, who would
have received large bonuses for retaining the club's Premier League status
in the 2006-07 season, suffered pay cuts of between 30 and 50 per cent when
they were relegated. They are seeking to recoup those losses from West Ham,
which could add substantially to any fine they are forced to pay Sheffield
United. West Ham plan to bring the dispute to the Court of Arbitration for
Sport in Lausanne. The FA has said that its regulations do not a right of
appeal but the club believe the court in Switzerland will hear their case as
part of a new arbitration proceeding
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CAS "cannot hear" Hammers' compensation appeal - Echo
12:22pm Friday 26th September 2008
By Rob Pritchard »
WEST Ham United's hopes of having Sheffield United's £30million compensation
claim over the Carlos Tevez saga have been handed a massive blow. The Irons
had hoped to appeal against an independent tribunal decision to the
Swiss-based Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS). The Hammers had been left
facing a huge bill after the tribunal ruled that Tevez - signed on an
illegal "third-party" contract in August 2006 - had played an influential
role in helping the Londonders stay in the Premier League at the Blades'
expense in 2006/07. In a bid to dodge the financial bullet, West Ham had
begun drafting a "statement of appeal" to CAS, which they hoped to deliver
next week. However, CAS secretary general Mathieu Reeb has told the BBC that
the organisation would not be able to hear the Irons' case. "As things
stand, CAS would not be able to hear this case," said Reeb. "We would need
agreement from Sheffield United and for Football Association rules to allow
an appeal to CAS."
With Sheffield United almost certain to refuse to agree to an appeal that
could cost them tens of millions of pounds, the tribunal's decision looks
set to stand. In addition, the Football Association has a rule in place
stipulating that appeal cannot be made against the verdict of an independent
tribunal. FA Rule K5c states that by signing up to arbitration "the parties
shall be deemed to have waived irrevocably any right to appeal, review or
any recourse to a court of law". West Ham and Sheffield United agreed to the
make-up of the independent three-man panel that decided last Friday to award
the Blades compensation. A final figure will be decided at a damages hearing
in early 2009. The East Enders were initially fined £5.5million in April
2007 by a Premier League arbitration panel after admitting to breaking two
league rules concerning the "third-party" signings of Tevez and Javier
Mascherano in August 2006.
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Sheffield United Players Should Sue West Ham United - epltalk.com
September 26th, 2008 By The Gaffer --> Comments
After a Football Association appointed arbitration hearing ruled in the
favor of Sheffield United earlier this week, lawyers in England must have
smelled blood because now up to 12 Sheffield United players who were
relegated at the end of the 2006/2007 season are seeking legal advice
regarding the possibility of suing West Ham United for loss of earnings.
And so they should.
West Ham United and its fans should be very concerned about the financial
stability of the club due to the way the club cheated in the 2006/2007
season when it lied to the Premier League about documents withheld regarding
Carlos Tevez. With a damages hearing scheduled soon, West Ham may be forced
to pay Sheffield United £30 million in compensation. This is in addition to
the £5 million fine that West Ham has already paid. Now the threat of
lawsuits from the players, coupled with the loss of their main sponsor,
could send West Ham into severe financial trouble.
Meanwhile, West Ham United's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS) looks doomed for failure as CAS will only hear the case if both
Sheffield United and West Ham United agree.
Now that the Football Association appointed arbitration hearing has ruled in
the favor of Sheffield United, the club's players have every right to sue
West Ham. If Tevez didn't play for West Ham that season, the Hammers would
have been relegated and the Sheffield United players would have benefitted
financially from keeping the club in the top division.
Some of the players at the Bramall Lane club suffered pay cuts of between
30% and 50% when they were relegated.
According to The Guardian, "Given the various cuts to bonuses and pay
negotiated in the individual contracts it is not known what the total claim
against West Ham from the players would be, but it would be a significant
addition to the fine of up to £30m that the Hammers will have to pay
Sheffield United."
With the amount of money West Ham United may end up paying to get out of
this whole mess, it sends a clear message to Premier League clubs that
cheats don't prosper despite what the back cover picture at the top of this
story says.
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Fulham v West Ham preview - Setanta
by Robin Hackett, 26 September 2008
Fulham host West Ham at Craven Cottage on Saturday with both sides still yet
to show any sort of consistency. The season began in worrying fashion for
Fulham with a careless 2-1 defeat at Hull, but wins at home to Arsenal and
Bolton – with an unconvincing Carling Cup win over League One side Leicester
in between – seemed to indicate that Roy Hodgson has assembled a team that
were very capable of holding their own in The Premier League. But late
defeats at Blackburn and Championship side Burnley – albeit with a weakened
side – have taken away some of that confidence and there seems to be a bit
of Jekyll and Hyde about the club at this stage.
But the Andrew Johnson-Bobby Zamora partnership looks to be immensely
promising and the duo will expect to resume their partnership after Zamora
was among the eight players rested against Burnley. Zamora – after a
slightly acrimonious departure in the summer – will be keen to get one over
on his old club, while fellow ex-Hammers John Pantsil and Paul Konchesky are
also expected to start. West Ham, meanwhile, have had an interesting start
to life under Gianfranco Zola. A 3-1 win over crisis-hit Newcastle in his
first game was followed by a 1-0 defeat at Watford in the Carling Cup
courtesy of a Hayden Mullins own goal. And, with the Tevez affair likely to
have provided a distraction at the very least, it is not clear what sort of
mental state the Hammers team will be in at Craven Cottage. Up front, Craig
Bellamy could make a welcome return along with Carlton Cole but, given that
the latter was arrested this week on suspicion of drink driving and prompted
criticism from his new boss, it may be that Bellamy alone returns to the
side. There was more bad news for The Hammers this week: Dean Ashton is due
to be out for a month with an ankle injury. And while Calum Davenport could
return, Danny Gabbidon, Jonathan Spector and Kieron Dyer are all still out.
Still, despite all that's happened, club captain Lucas Neill remains
confident: "The attitude from Wednesday morning following the cup defeat has
been one of real focus as we realise the importance of the Fulham game and
there is a real desire to take the maximum points. "The changing room is
very buoyant and you can sense the excitement the boys are feeling for the
remainder of the season."
In terms of form, the stats do not make for happy Hammers: they have taken
only one point from the last 24 on offer in Premier League away games and
have not kept a clean sheet for 17 games. Yet they can take heart from the
fact that they always seem to do well against Fulham – their last away win
was at Craven Cottage, while Fulham have lost four of their last five home
games against West Ham and have only beaten them once in The Premier League.
PIVOTAL PLAYER: Andrew Johnson. The pacy forward has yet to score for his
new side, but he continues to threaten and is likely to open his account
sooner rather than later.
PREDICTION: 2-1
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The Stupidity of Cole and the Immoral Greed of Sheff United. - The West Ham
Process
09.26.08 | Comment?
You know what they say in this world, money talks.
It's most definitely been talking to me these past few days and it has been
saying the following, "Some people have too much, and some can't get enough"
We have heard in the news recently that Cole had been arrested for
drink-driving in his £50k car? With all due respect to Mr. Cole, who has
tried so desperately to win over the fans, are you really not all with it?
You know, £20k a week would hire you a decent chauffeur to drive you around
Westminster at 4:30 in the morning. But then a £10 cab fare and a donation
of your absurd money to the Bobby Moore fund would change a lot more
people's lives, and put a whole lot less in danger.
Carlton Cole, I don't care if you are sorry because the likelihood is that
you are only sorry because you are facing two whole weeks out of your life
whereby you will have to be scrimping and saving. Hard life.
To do what he did is a pure unadulterated act of stupidity, yet he earns
more than all of our highly talented Olympians who represent their country
with pride and with honour. People must have been pulling my leg when he was
being tipped for England a couple of weeks ago, but it's OK now, he has just
given me another reason why he does not deserve it.
I am going to phrase this as politely as possible, I never really warmed to
Cole when he joined us. For a player to join West Ham and say that he sees
it as a great stepping stone onto bigger clubs is officially one of the
worst things you can ever mutter. Even if it's quietly, under your breath.
He has clearly recently realised that he actually isn't good enough for
'bigger' clubs and hence publicly committed his future to us. Just what we
need, and over paid, foolish player. Great.
That leads quite nicely onto what I can only describe as the immoral greed
of some of the Sheffiled United players. How in their right minds do they
honestly believe that they deserve to claim for loss of wages? Maybe I am
over exaggerating, but it physically makes me sick.
Have they seen the state of the world lately? There are poverty stricken
areas even our own country, yet they feel that in their heart of hearts,
that tens of thousands of pounds a week is not good enough.
As a quick rain check for the players who are considering sueing, maybe it
has slipped your attention that actually the very reason of you not actually
being good enough to beat Wigan on the last day of the season is why you got
relegated. You are not good enough at what you do, yet you are demanding
other people pay for your mistakes.
The Daily Mail published pages 37-47 of the arbitration report yesterday,
and it said in there that Sheffield United were equally responsible for
their own relegation. That is what the court ruled. So for any Blunts fans
out there who honestly believe, and I quote, that you "should be getting
closer to £60m compensation" (for whatever reason I don't know),
unfortunately for you the reality is that it more likely the fee (if any
within the next 2 or 3 years) will actually be £15m. Making each club half
responsible for your relegation.
But then if you live by that rule, every club in the Premier League should
owe you £1.5 because surely everyone is responsible for your relegation. But
then you could argue that actually we owe you a little less because you
actually beat us. (see how stupid it sounds when you look at it like that?)
No matter what way you look at the court ruling or the individual players
sueing, it is just arrogant, selfish, immoral and positively sickening greed
that is driving these people. It's not even justice any more.Your problem is
no longer with West Ham United, it is with the Premier League.
My prediction is that so long as McCabe and his cronies drag out this
affair, Sheffield United as a 'footballing' team will never fulfill what
they could be capable of.
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The Flood Gates have Opened!! - Cmon Yu Irons
26 September 2008
The floodgates have opened for just about anybody that feels hard done by
because of the Tevez saga, to seek legal advice and probably sue West Ham. A
ridiculous decision made by the FA arbitration panel has put the world of
football into chaos, a decision that Lords High Court Judges and QC's find
unbelievable. It now seems that 10 Sheffield Utd players are considering
suing West Ham for loss of pay bonuses not being a premier league club, West
Ham playing Tevez in the final games, to which they presume the reason they
were relegated, not the fact they was not good enough to beat Wigan,
Sheffield Utd lost 8 of their last 11 games, to me that proves they were on
a downward spiral to be relegated and had nothing to do with Tevez. When
will this end, The FA need to make a statement and it needs to be urgent or
they too could be sued for some pathetic unsubstantial reason.
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Sheffield United players to sue Hammers - metro.co.uk
Friday, September 26, 2008
West Ham are facing fresh legal action over the Carlos Tevez affair, this
time from the players relegated with Sheffield United last year. Up to a
dozen members of the squad, including captain Chris Morgan, who suffered
financially after relegation at the end of the 2006/07 season, have employed
lawyers to launch compensation claims against the Hammers. Lawyer Chris
Farnell said: 'I've been contacted by various players with a view to looking
at this claim but at this stage I can say no more.' ] If the players go
ahead West Ham will have to go to arbitration once again. Paul Fletcher, of
IPS Law, told the Guardian: 'All clubs, players and agents are governed by
the rules of the Football Association and, in the event of any dispute
between these parties, the appropriate forum is for the aggrieved party to
bring a claim under rule K of the FA rules. This leads to arbitration
proceedings and would be heard in front of a panel of one or three
experienced arbitrators.' Sheffield United are already demanding £30m
compensation from the London club. It emerged earlier in the week that an
independent tribunal had ruled against West Ham in the Tevez case. The
Hammers plan an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Blades
claim Tevez was not eligible to play at the end of the 2006/07 season, when
he played a key role in West Ham's top-flight survival at their expense.
Past and present players have held discussions with Farnell, of the
Manchester-based firm IPS Law. It is understood they could claim for lost
earnings running into millions of pounds.
The latest development is further bad news for West Ham. Gianfranco Zola's
side were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Championship side Watford and
the tribunal ruling came as the club is still searching for a new shirt
sponsor following the collapse of travel firm XL. Striker Carlton Cole was
arrested by police in central London in the early hours of Tuesday morning
on suspicion of drink-driving. And star striker Dean Ashton faces a month on
the sidelines as he requires ankle surgery.
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I'm going to sue West Ham United – they ruined my life! - FootballFans.com
Posted By stantheman on September 26th, 2008 (1 Hour, 18 Mins ago)
Dispatches from the front-line this morning informed me that Sheffield
United's players are thinking of suing West Ham United because when they got
relegated at the end of the 2006/7 season, they lost some earnings. Well, I
want in. West Ham United, it can be proved, are responsible for most of the
disappointments in my life but I've never had the confidence to say so
before.
I'd like to start at the beginning. When I was two years old, way back in
1983 (it's a year, look it up), my parents might have wanted to take me on
my first foreign holiday to some exotic clime, say Orlando or Jakarta. Only
they couldn't. They didn't have the money. And do you know why? It wasn't
Thatcher or the Falklands War. It was because of Trevor Brooking and Ron
Greenwood. If Brooking's cross to Kevin Keegan in the World Cup match at
Espana '82 had been a bit less accurate, a bit less inviting, Kevin Keegan
might have been so shocked he hadn't received it right on his forehead and
bundled it in. The fact Keegan missed meant Hammers legend Ron Greenwood's
side didn't reach the World Cup semi-finals, which in turn depressed the
British nation, meaning fewer highly paid jobs became available, which meant
my parents could only afford to buy a deckchair. I still can't tan very
well. For emotional distress and loss of holiday due to West Ham's
destructive influence, I claim the sum of £900,564.
Next up we've got November 1986. Alex Ferguson leaves Aberdeen and joins
Manchester United after Ron Atkinson is sacked. The previous season United
had finished a disappointing fourth in the First Division, behind…West Ham.
Tony Cottee and Frank McAvennie scored too many goals. Had United made up
the gap and beaten the Hammers, Ron Atkinson's job might have been safe,
Alex Ferguson might have been offered the Aston Villa job, Villa might not
have been relegated the following season and United might now be languishing
in the Coca-Cola League Two. For depression and making everybody outside of
Surrey very angry indeed, I'm claiming six million.
1993. A girl at school I was hoping to cop off with saw me wearing a Villa
shirt on non-uniform day. 'Is that a West Ham shirt?' she asked. I lost
interest. £40,000 for the lost snog, £2 million for the insult.
1999-2000. West Ham beat Villa in the League Cup. Only they fielded a
cup-tied player called Manny Omoyimni. The tie had to be replayed. Tickets
for replays don't grow on trees, you know. That's £25 I could have spent on
beer in the student union, thereby losing me some precious but hazy
memories. £300,000 for me to go back to university and act up in a childish
fashion.
2006. FA Cup Final. I hate Liverpool. £55 million, please.
There are just so many things to blame them for – this is but a small cross
section. The way some people call it "The Academy of Football." The way
morons say "we won the world cup." The unleashing of Julian Dicks on the
Premier League. That rude song about Michael Jackson and his chimp. The fact
they keep maiming Dean Ashton. The dropped aitches. It's a tapestry of hurt,
broken dreams and disappointment.
Never mind all of the above things were really my problem. If Sheffield
United can blame them for loads of stuff because of an administrative
cover-up, so can I for things they didn't even know could affect me. Cynics
might say that West Ham are not responsible for keeping my house in order,
but I would say this – Sheffield United, despite hanging around the
relegation zone for most of the season, cannot blame themselves for their
poor season-wide performance. All those losses and dropped points were not
their fault. Of course not. Because then they would have been partly
responsible for their own relegation. That's just rubbish.
It was West Ham. It always is. Carlos Tevez (note the lack of the innocent
Javier Mascherano in Sheffield United's claims) might have driven the final
nail in, but it all points to a conspiracy against the Blades. So in the way
that all wronged people do these days, they sue, sue, sue. Never mind that
it was claimed the FA hearing was about 'the principle'. Neil Warnock says
£30 million isn't nearly enough considering the dishonour on his CV. When
Warnock talks about feeling a fool, you know it's serious.
So when West Ham are in the gutter (looking at the stars, presumably the
Olympic ones after they move stadia) after paying £900 million to various
injured parties that don't exactly want for regular cash, they can look back
and wonder just where they went wrong. Yes, they lied through their
bum-hole. But Reading's players didn't speak up after "the goal that never
was". Roy Carroll didn't tell Mark Clattenburg that Pedro Mendes' lob
actually crossed the line. Geoff Hurst didn't really get that hat-trick
(come on, admit it). Every weekend, to varying degrees, sides and officials
are conned in order for the other side to get the right result. West Ham's
case might still be emitting worms as we speak, but had Carlos Tevez played
and not scored, do you still think anybody would be arsed? No. West Ham
would have been relegated and nobody would care until some investigative
journo produced a programme for Panorama.
I sympathise with Sheffield United. Can't be easy explaining to your kids
why you said you'd be able to afford both a trip to Disneyland and a
Nintendo Wii, only to renege due to a broken rule. But I fail to see the
logic – if they claim Tevez was worth a meagre three points to West Ham,
then shouldn't it follow a further win for Sheffield United would have
guaranteed their own club safety? Surely this is a smokescreen for their own
lack of Premier League experience?
Cue the comments from irate fans of all sides. I don't care. Both sides are
in the wrong for differing reasons. £30 million is greedy, and anybody
earning over four figures a week should not be complaining about lost
earnings. But then again, aren't rules there to be broken?
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Oh Lordy! Bungling FA chairman gave Tevez a saga second wind and now it's
turned into a tornado - Daily Mail
By Hatchet Man Last updated at 11:21 AM on 26th September 2008
Lord Triesman has always looked a very self-satisfied man and now the FA's
independent chairman does disingenuous to go with it. The career politician
is not so stupid to have really been surprised when West Ham announced they
would appeal against Sheffield United's successful claim against them in the
Carlos Tevez saga.
But his claim that now 'it is going to drag on' and that he is 'amazed about
the ability of lawyers to argue about these things' still beggars belief.
Both sides can come up with more than 30 million reasons for arguing about
it for a start and then there is the fact that it has dragged on for nearly
18 months already. And which organisation facilitated the arguing after the
decision by an independent Premier League commission to fine West ham £5.5m
and not dock them points had been confirmed by an arbitration tribunal?
Even after the High Court refused Sheffield United leave to appeal against
the original decision and they started making desperate threats to sue West
Ham for compensation, it was the FA who set up the arbitration panel which
ruled last week. Ultimately, Triesman was the buffoon who gave the sorry
saga a second wind - and now it has turned into a tornado.
Shameless Sheffield United players, who were so bad when they went down in
2007 they had a -38 goal difference and won only three times away, are now
seeking their own compensation from West Ham. In fact, the litigation door
seems to have been opened so wide that it would be no great surprise if
mascot Captain Blade decides to stick the knife in too.
So the last person who had any right to be surprised by West Ham's attempted
appeal should be David Maxim Triesman, who could do with living up to his
middle name and coming up with a few 'general truths' of his own.
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Kabba caught up in Tevez row - Blackpool Gazette
26 September 2008
By Steve Canavan
THE SEASIDERS' new terrace hero Steve Kabba is somewhat surprised to find
himself entangled in the West Ham v Sheffield United Carlos Tevez war. The
Blades won a court ruling regarding their relegation from the Premier League
15 months ago, when Tevez 'illegally' played for West Ham and helped earn
the points that eventually sent Sheffield United down. United are in line to
receive up to £30m compensation, though the Hammers have appealed. However,
Kabba has become involved by not playing for Watford in a match against
Sheffield United.
An article in this week's Times, written by Martin Samuel, explains things.
It read: "(Sheffield United) won only a single match in the last five,
against Watford, when Steve Kabba, a former player, mysteriously did not
play for their opponents.
Kabba is the sort of figure who could become hugely significant now that
matches can be played in the minds of lawyers. He was formerly a Sheffield
United forward who had been loaned to Watford, with the deal then made
permanent. Before Sheffield United and Watford met on April 28, 2007,
Warnock, and match preview articles published on both official club
websites, stated that Kabba could not feature because of an agreement as
part of his transfer. "Kabba had played in 14 of the previous 15 matches for
Watford and all of the previous eight. Any arrangement regarding his
deselection would be illegal and a case of third-party interference.
When the statements about Kabba were brought to the attention of the Premier
League, it launched an investigation and Watford provided contract details
showing that no pact had been put in writing. "There may be gentlemen's
agreements between managers that, in fairness, clubs know nothing about,"
McCabe said. Yet Warnock was quoted in a local newspaper confirming that he
had checked the issue and had been told that Kabba could not play, so it was
not the manager's work. The most plausible explanation, therefore, is that
a private deal was struck between clubs. To believe otherwise is to accept
that an official information outlet of Sheffield United would carry false
information uncorrected for several months, coincidentally replicated at
Watford. Kabba-less, Watford lost 1-0.
And here is the rub. Who is to say that those three points for Sheffield
United were any more, or less, significant than any match won by West Ham,
with or without Tévez? And if West Ham could countersue, hire private
investigators and subpoena everyone involved ... would (they have to) replay
that match, too?"
So there you go. Interesting stuff. And explains why Kabba, delighted to be
hitting the headlines of late for his return to form at Blackpool, is now
finding himself in the news for very different reasons and is as surprised
as anyone to find himself dragged into one of football's biggest talking
points of recent times.
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Gianfranco Zola questions Tevez ruling: 'Even Maradona could not win games
on his own'
Gianfranco Zola has questioned the tribunal ruling into the Carlos Tevez
affair which leaves West Ham facing a potential £30 million pay-out,
claiming one man does not make a team.
By Telegraph staff
Last Updated: 10:30AM BST 26 Sep 2008
An FA independent tribunal decided Sheffield United deserved compensation
for their relegation on the final day of the 2006/07 season and that Tevez,
whose signing breached Premier League rules, made at least three points
difference to West Ham's survival. Zola, only two weeks into his tenure at
Upton Park, believes it is not possibly that one player can single-handedly
keep a club up and has hit out at the tribunal's ruling. The Italian has
said that even Diego Maradona, one of the world's greatest players in the
history of the game, could not win games on his own and influence a club's
destiny. Zola, who was at Napoli with Maradona, said: "I played with
Maradona, who was the best player in the world. "But I have never seen a
game where Maradona won it on his own. Obviously, a great player can make a
hell of a difference, but you need all the other players to support you."
Zola insists the situation off the pitch has not affected preparations on it
with fears circulating that players may have to be sold off to generate the
cash needed to pay-off Sheffield United. West Ham embarked on a summer
clear-out, offloading high-earner Freddie Ljungberg from the wage bill and
also selling Anton Ferdinand, Bobby Zamora, Geroge McCarthney and John
Pantsil. But Zola has said the current crisis will not affect his January
spending plans and has also targeted Barcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen as a
potential new signing. "I know there is a situation going on," Zola said.
"It is a club matter, but I have been assured that won't change or influence
the team market in January."
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ZOLA QUESTIONS TRIBUNAL RULING AND COLE RULE - Daily Express
Zola says not even Maradona could win games on his own
Friday September 26,2008
By Matt Law
GIANFRANCO ZOLA has hit out at the tribunal who ruled against West Ham over
the Carlos Tevez affair by saying: "Not even Maradona could win games on his
own."
The Hammers are appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after an FA
independent tribunal decided Sheffield United deserve compensation for being
relegated from the Premier League in 2006-07, when Tevez was illegally
registered. Sheffield United want around £30million as a result of the
tribunal's judgment, which read: "On the totality of the evidence, we have
no doubt that West Ham would have secured at least three fewer points over
the 2006-07 season if Carlos Tevez had not been playing for the club."
But West Ham manager Zola, who also dealt with Carlton Cole's drink-driving
arrest this week, believes it is nonsense to suggest any player can keep a
club up or single-handedly win a game. He was at Napoli with Diego Maradona
and insists not even one of the best players in the history of the game
could solely influence a club's destiny. "I played with Maradona, who was
the best player in the world," said Zola. "But I have never seen a game
where Maradona won it on his own.
"Obviously, a great player can make a hell of a difference, but you need all
the other players to support you."
Zola said he has been given assurances he will be able to buy in the January
transfer window even if their appeal fails. "I know there is a situation
going on," said Zola. "It is a club matter, but I have been assured that it
won't change or influence the team in the January transfer market. That's
the kind of assurance I wanted. "It's not a nice thing. Football is all
about a pitch and 11 vs 11. But it is also the money that is around it which
is important now. It has not been a distraction for the players on the
training pitch, though, not at all. They are very focused and are training
very well." It is not just the tribunal that has given Zola a headache as he
prepares for tomorrow's trip to Fulham. Striker Cole was stopped for
allegedly driving erratically on London's Victoria Embankment at 4.25am on
Tuesday morning. Cole was given a roadside breath test and arrested before
being taken to Belgravia police station, where he gave a blood sample. His
fingerprints, photograph and a DNA saliva sample were taken from him. He was
then locked in a cell before being bailed. Zola will fine Cole two weeks'
wages, around £40,000, and has urged his players to emulate his clean-living
lifestyle. "Obviously I am very disappointed," said Zola, who on Monday
tipped Cole to force his way into the England squad. "I spoke to him and he
is very sorry about being out so late. He will be fined, he knows that and
he accepts that. Carlton knows players of his level can't do these kind of
things, especially if he wants to achieve a high level. If he wants to play
at national level, he can't afford to do things like that. "We are
professional sportsmen and we have to look after our bodies. I can accept
certain things, but I will not accept players not looking after their
bodies. "During the week our training sessions are very demanding and the
players need to be 100 per cent fit, so they can't afford to go out and stay
late. "I used to go to bed at 9pm and wake up early – that was just my
rhythm. When I was at Chelsea not everything was perfect and there were
players who made mistakes and they paid for them. "But it can't become a
habit or you are spoiling your chances and spoiling the team's chances."
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Fulham v WEST HAM: Zola boosted by fit-again Bellamy and Cole - Daily Mail
Last updated at 11:48 AM on 26th September 2008
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is hoping Craig Bellamy and Carlton Cole
will be available for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League clash at Fulham.
Bellamy has made just one substitute appearance this season due to a groin
injury - scoring in the 4-1 win against Blackburn - while Cole sat out the
midweek Carling Cup defeat at Watford with a minor ankle knock. Calum
Davenport could also return to the squad but Dean Ashton is out with an
ankle injury which requires investigative surgery next week.
Team (from): Green, Behrami, Upson, Neill, Ilunga, Faubert, Noble, Parker,
Etherington, Di Michele, Sears, Cole, Lastuvka, Lopez, Davenport, Reid,
Mullins,
Boa Morte, Collison.
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Sheffield United players claim compensation from West Ham over Carlos Tevez
affair - Telegraph
A group of players relegated from the Premier League with Sheffield United
have reportedly begun the process of claiming compensation from West Ham.
By Telegraph staff
Last Updated: 10:31AM BST 26 Sep 2008
The Yorkshire club were this week successful in an FA tribunal over the
Carlos Tevez affair, and have demanded a £30 million payment from West Ham.
Such an unprecedented verdict was always likely to have repercussions, and
players who suffered financially as a result of relegation now seem ready to
pursue their own claims. The Daily Mail reports that at least 10 players,
including captain Chris Morgan, have met with sports lawyer Chris Farnell
after relegation cost them up to £500,000 each. "I've been contacted by
various players with a view to looking at this claim, but at this stage I
can say no more than that," Farnell told the paper.
It is understood that players who remained at Sheffield United had their
salaries reduced by 50 per cent following relegation in May 2007, and would
have received a £1 million collective bonus had they survived. Therefore, if
the players are successful, as their club has been, West Ham could be
looking at another multi-million pound claim.
The Upton Park board have instructed their lawyers to draft a statement of
appeal to CAS. But that seems unlikely to succeed after CAS general
secretary confirmed the case could only be heard if an appeal was either
part of the FA's rules or both parties had agreed in writing to further
arbitration. "If the English FA rules did have a specific clause allowing an
appeal to CAS in a case like the Tevez one, there would be no need for both
parties to agree to have the case refereed," Reeb said. "But if there is
nothing in the rules, it is mandatory that both parties agree in writing to
go to CAS."
The FA facilitated the independent arbitration tribunal and have clearly
stated that "there is no further right of appeal" under their rules. Having
won the tribunal, it also appears highly unlikely that Sheffield United
would support the idea of having a West Ham appeal heard at CAS.
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Why the Sheffield United players considering legal action against West Ham
are a disgrace to football - The Mirror
By Dan Silver, Mirror.co.uk 26/09/2008
The Sheffield United players that are preparing to sue West Ham as a result
of the Carlos Tevez row need to have a long, hard look at themselves this
morning.
Reports suggest that up to 10 players – including captain Chris Morgan –
from the side relegated by Carlos Tevez' West Ham (as that team must now be
known) have sought legal advice from Manchester-based IPS Law. Incredibly,
they are looking for the Hammers to pay bonuses they would have accrued for
keeping Sheffield United up, as well as pay cuts enforced by post-relegation
belt tightening. Because, of course, the presence of Carlos Tevez at West
Ham was the only reason that these poor, put upon players suffered the
indignity of relegation that season
All this has been made possible by the ruling made by an independent
tribunal earlier this week that somehow stated as fact that Carlos Tevez was
worth at least three points to West Ham's 2006/07 great escape – by
coincidence, the points difference that would have seen the Londoners
relegated and Sheffield United saved.
Many predicted that the judgement would open the floodgates for all manner
of football issues to be settled in a law court rather than on the pitch.
Few expected the madness to start so quickly, however.
And you can guarantee that this will just be the start.
Who's next in line to get their grubby snouts into West Ham's trough?
Surely Bramall Lane's pie vendors are waiting in the wings with a loss of
earnings suits. And maybe some of Sheffield United's season ticket holders
would like to be compensated for being denied the opportunity to watch
Cristiano Ronaldo tear their team apart last season. I'd better stop there,
actually – the lawyers are working triple shifts in Sheffield as it is.
Instead, here's a thought for those Sheffield United players considering
legal action: if you were so concerned about protecting your Premier League
bonuses and salaries, why didn't you pull your finger out during your
relegation run-in?
Why didn't you put in the effort to get the result you needed in the final
game of the season against Wigan?
A game played at your own ground and in which the opposition played for the
last quarter with 10 men. And Emile Heskey in defence. Or any of the other
games over the course of the season in which you proved that, as a team, you
were not good enough to retain your Premier League status. Still, at least
we can now clear one thing up: Sheffield United's crusade through the courts
has nothing to do with justice, morality or fair play - and everything to do
with money.
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