WHUFC.com
Still only 17, Balint Bajner scored a superb treble on another outing for
Hungary's Under-19 side
21.10.2008
Balint Bajner scored a tremendous 16-minute hat-trick as Hungary crushed San
Marino 6-0 in the first game of their European Under-19 Championship
qualifying group.
The West Ham United forward led the line superbly and played a key role as
the mini-tournament hosts raced into a three-goal lead soon after the
half-hour mark in Nyiregyhaza. In the second half, it was all about the
towering Bajner as he struck in the 73rd, 86th and 89th minutes to complete
a memorable victory and send Hungary to the top of Group 1. The top two will
progress to the Elite round in the spring - with the Jordan Spence-led
England already through to that stage - before the summer finals in Ukraine.
Scotland drew 1-1 with Azerbaijan in the other group game played on Monday
night to leave the Hungarian hosts two points clear of both teams. Bajner
will hope to figure again when Hungary take on Azerbaijan on Wednesday
before rounding out the group against the fancied Scots on Saturday. Bajner,
still only 17, is well used to playing at this age group as he helped
Hungary reach the semi-finals of the 2007/08 edition of the U19 competition
in July.
Bajner had long caught the eye of the club's scouting network but finally
signed on at the Boleyn Ground at the start of September before scoring on
his debut for the Under-18s that same week. This is his second international
trip with his country since the start of the season but he has also found
time to make an impact at reserve-team level with appearances in the last
two games.
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Reserves face Tuesday test
WHUFC.com
West Ham United reserves welcome Arsenal to Bishop's Stortford on Tuesday
night
21.10.2008
West Ham United could field a strong reserve team for the London derby
against Arsenal reserves on Tuesday evening.
Several of the first-team squad that were not involved in Sunday's match
against Hull City may figure in the match, which will be played at Bishop's
Stortford's Woodside Park ground. Jan Lastuvka, Walter Lopez, Calum
Davenport, Hayden Mullins, Jack Collison and Luis Boa Morte did not play
against Hull so could be in line to start.
James Collins may also feature as he continues his recovery from a knee
injury, while several of the younger players that gave encouraging displays
in the previous match against Fulham will be hoping to be involved again
this time around. United are eighth in the Barclays Premier Reserve League
South after one win and two defeats, but have a game in hand over
fourth-placed Arsenal going into the encounter.
whufc.com will have full text coverage of the of contest along with all of
the post-match reaction. Admission is £5 for adults and £2 for concessions,
with West Ham United season ticket holders getting in free. Kick-off is at
7pm.
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Arsenal ticket news latest
WHUFC.com
Sunday's match against Arsenal is almost sold out so supporters wanting to
come along should move fast
21.10.2008
Fans wanting to see Gianfranco Zola in charge for his first home London
derby against Arsenal this Sunday will need to hurry or risk missing out.
Only a limited number of tickets are left on general sale for the Barclays
Premier League encounter. Prices start from £45 for adults and £25.50 for
Under-16's with further discounts available for Senior Citizens, Young Adult
and Youth Academy members. Any remaining tickets can be purchased either in
person from the Dr Martens ticket office, by calling 0871 222 2700 via
Option 1
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Zola looks to Bellamy
SSN
Hammers chief happy to have striker available
Last updated: 20th October 2008
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola has backed Craig Bellamy to help his side
bounce back to form. Sunday's defeat to Hull was West Ham's second in
succession after making an impressive start to life under Zola's guidance.
The Italian is keen to get the team back on track and he believes Bellamy,
who made his first league start in a year at Hull, can help lift his side's
fortunes. "Craig has done well but I know he can play much better," said
Zola. "You can't ask too much from him after such a long time out but we
really rely on him a lot because he is an important player for us. "I was
pleased with him, especially in the first half. I didn't expect him to be at
his best but I am confident he will be back soon with his best performances
for us."
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Hammers looking to get back to winning ways against Arsenal
8:55am Tuesday 21st October 2008
Echo
WEST Ham United's second-string aim to get back to winning ways when Arsenal
visit Bishop's Stortford in the Barclays Premier Reserve League South on
Tuesday (7pm kick-off). A youthful Irons' reserve team, managed by coach
Alex Dyer, were thrashed 4-1 at Fulham a fortnight ago and will face a
difficult match against a Gunners team coached by Neil Banfield. But Dyer
is likely to be able to call upon a number of experienced first-team players
- including a host of full internationals - at Woodside Park.
Goalkeeper Jan Lastuvka, defenders Calum Davenport, James Collins and Walter
Lopez, midfielders Hayden Mullins, Jack Collison, Lee Bowyer and forwards
Luis Boa Morte, Freddie Sears and Balint Bajner could all be involved.
Academy products Jordan Spence, Bondz N'Gala, Junior Stanislas, Freddie
Sears and Marek Stech are also likely to be called upon.
Former conditioning coach Dyer will hope to rediscover the form the Hammers
found in their last home reserve team match, when Sears scored all four
goals in a 4-3 win over West Bromwich Albion on September 30. With Arsenal
in UEFA Champions League action against Turkish side Fenerbahce this week,
Banfield will name a youthful side garnered mainly from the North London
side's highly-rated Academy squad. Teenage playmaker Jack Wilshere could
therefore appear on the Essex/Hertfordshire border. Arsenal sit fourth in
the nine-team league table, having won two and lost two of their four
matches so far - the last of which saw bottom-side Stoke City beaten 3-2 at
Barnet. West Ham, with one win and two defeats, sit eighth. Admission is
free to Irons' season ticket holders, £3 to adults and £1 for concessions.
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Spurs set to raid cash-strapped Hammers for Upson and Parker - Daily Mail
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 8:23 AM on 21st October 2008
Tottenham could take advantage of West Ham's financial woes by launching a
double raid for England internationals Scott Parker and Matthew Upson. Upton
Park boss Gianfrianco Zola has been told he must sell before he can bring in
his own players and Spurs are interested in defender Upson and midfielder
Parker, according to the Daily Mirror. West Ham are keen to further cut down
their huge wage bill and their financial worries have been intensified by
the nationalisation of Icelandic bank Landsbanki, in which Bjorgolfur
Gudmundsson - the London club's owner - was the majority shareholder. Spurs
are desperate to strengthen after their disastrous start to the season and
could turn to 29-year-old Upson to cover their threadbare defence. As well
as considering Parker, 28, as a midfield addition, they are also taking a
look at former Juventus holding player Stephen Appiah. The 27-year-old Ghana
international would be able to sign on at White Hart Lane immediately
because he is a free agent after departing Turkish side Fenerbahce at the
end of last season.
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The link between our fans and our history
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 20th October 2008
By: Kyle Marvell
Some say we're too optimistic, some say we're too pessimistic - but we're
just West Ham through and through. Over the years we have shared heartache
and even heartbreak, which is all part of the parcel of being a West Ham
fan. But what do us West Ham fans really expect?
Truth be told we're not really a 'big' club, but why do we keep insisting we
are? Is it our tradition? Or is it maybe our history? What fans seem to
forget is our list of honours; our major honours consist of two league
titles, three FA cups and one Cup Winners Cup - hardly the foundations of a
big club. There was also that day when we won the World Cup but that's
another matter. We can't keep holding onto this tradition...this history for
the next hundred years; we have to make something of this club for a better
future. Yes Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Trevor Brooking were great players
- but where do we see ourselves in 15 years? Pushing for the Champions
League? At least, that's what Eggert Magnusson thought, if it was up to him
we would nearly be there already.
If it wasn't for Newcastle recently our club would be branded a 'shambles'.
The last five years have been a rollercoaster ride; from that sunny day in
Cardiff to the Carlos Tevez affair. Sometimes we want the controversy to
stop, but sometimes it makes us feel unique that we support a club which
makes the back pages so often (unless you support Newcastle of course). The
one thing that I do know is that we are not expecting all of this to stop,
due to the credit crunch and Sheffield United trying to sue us the
controversy at West Ham still has at least a few years to go.
For some reason in every East End pub the topic that seems to pop out of
most conversations is 'attractive and attacking football' I know this
tradition means a lot to West Ham fans but football has changed a lot since
then; sometimes you just have to work hard, dig in and scrap a 1-0 win every
so often. But all I ever seem to hear is fans saying 'playing attacking
football is the answer' and 'I'd rather lose 4-3 than win 1-0'. That is
ludicrous - but yet we want and expect that to happen just because it worked
years and years ago.
So far this season the rollercoaster ride has continued: our XL sponsor has
collapsed, Björgólfur Gudmundsson's bank has collapsed and the Carlos Tevez
affair remains unresolved. The list really does go on. Most of the fans this
season expect to build on last years' tenth place finish, challenge for the
UEFA Cup whilst playing that attacking football. To a certain degree that's
fair enough, but in the past we have had similar expectations; like the
beginning of the 06/07 campaign and look what happened to us then.
With the likes of Wigan, Hull, West Brom and Sunderland impressing this
season we could well find ourselves in the bottom half of the table, maybe
even battling for Premier League survival. The contrast of similarities
remind me of the 06/07 season where we were so excited, so jubilant over the
fact that we may succeed - but how wrong we were. After the 4-3 loss to
Tottenham someone told me ' we will stay up'. I thought he was mental, but
it happened, we stayed up and remain a Premier League club, since then I can
always believe, believe that anything is possible in football.
The truth is these days we don't really know what to expect any more, we
just take what's given to us whether it's an away win at Chelsea followed by
a defeat at home to Stoke, then so be it. That seems to be our style these
days; unpredictable, controversial and unique. A man in a pub once asked me
'will you stand by West Ham whatever happens?' and I replied 'of course'.
And that's what our history and tradition has taught us Hammers fans over
the years, which is to follow and support West Ham whatever happens.
Whatever path this club will follow we know that deep inside us we bleed
claret and blue.
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Spurs eye West Ham pair Matt Upson and Scott Parker
The Mirror
21/10/2008
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is ready to make a cut-price double swoop for
West Ham pair Matt Upson and Scott Parker in January. Crisis club Spurs,
rooted to the foot of the table, want reinforcements for what is becoming a
relegation battle. And Tottenham believe they may be able to get England
defender Upson and midfielder Parker on the cheap because of West Ham's own
financial problems surrounding owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson. West Ham have
already been warned by the money men that they must sell before they can buy
– but they will not want to lose two of their prized assets.
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