WHUFC.com
Alex Dyer says his reserve team did 'really well' to overcome Portsmouth on
Tuesday evening
26.11.2008
It was a case of home, sweet home for Alex Dyer's West Ham United reserve
side as they maintained their 100 per cent home record against Portsmouth.
First-half goals from David Di Michele and Kyel Reid went without reply as
an experienced line-up triumphed over their visitors on a chilly night at
the Boleyn Ground.
Di Michele opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a well-placed effort
into the top corner following good work from Diego Tristan and Freddie Sears
on the left-hand side. Reid doubled the advantage just after the half-hour
mark. The midfielder, who turned 21 just a few hours after the match had
finished, marked the special occasion with a thunderous left-footed drive
into the top corner after the ball had fallen to him on the edge of the
penalty area.
Tristan and Di Michele were joined up front by Sears and he, along with
James Tomkins and 18-year-old full-back Ryan O'Neill, added a youthful edge
to the side and the reserve team manager believes that playing with more
experienced players can only help their progress.
"Again the senior boys came up trumps. They came in the side on a cold night
and worked hard for each other and deserved the result. We passed the ball
well and created a lot of chances. Playing with these older players really
helps the youngsters' development."
As pleasing as the result was, it was the performances of the returning
Tomkins and Tristan that will have given Dyer real cause for optimism. The
form shown by the pair and several others in the match will give Gianfranco
Zola an added boost as he starts his preparation for the first team game
against Liverpool on Monday.
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Striker Sears signs West Ham deal
BBC.co.uk
Teenaged striker Freddie Sears has signed a new five-year contract with West
Ham. The England U19 international, who turns 19 on Thursday, follows fellow
striker Carlton Cole, who signed a five-year deal on Tuesday. Sears scored
on his West Ham debut against Blackburn last March and has made three league
starts this season. "It's nice to know the club wants you here, for that
long as well," Sears told the club's website. "Last year was getting in and
around the team and now I am looking to keep building on what I have been
doing - getting more chances of playing week in, week out and showing people
what I can do." West Ham chief executive officer Scott Duxbury said: "Our
philosophy is very much about developing homegrown players in the academy
and then integrating them into the first team. "Freddie has achieved that
and we are looking forward to him paying his part in a bright future for
West ham United."
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More hypocrisy....
KUMB.com
Filed: Wednesday, 26th November 2008
By: A Different Staff Writer
Sheffield United have been granted a temporary injunction preventing West
Ham from bringing their long running grab for cash before the Court For
Arbitration in Sport.
West Ham sought to have the strange decision of the arbitration panel
reviewed by the Lausanne-based court, but, in a move apparently designed to
avoid having the decision reviewed by somebody that might disagree with
their decision, Sheffield United sought to deny any appeal against a
decision described by one legal expert (coincidentally a Sheffield United
supporter himself) as "the most bizarre legal decision seen in (his) 30
years of working in civil law".
On the brighter side, West Ham recently won the right to have Sheffield
United's accounts examined by forensic accountants. Having claimed a
breathtaking £30m as a result of their relegation, the northern club were,
for some reason, reluctant to have details of the claim looked at in any
detail. However they have now been told that any compensation will depend on
a comprehensive analysis of their claims - which have been likened in the
accountancy world to a "holidaymaker claiming on their insurance for a lost
Rolex after mislaying a Casio".
Meanwhile it would appear that McCabe's campaign for "justice" excludes
Barnsley's Ian Hume. Defender Chris Morgan's thuggish assault on the striker
remains unpunished by the FA and the attack appears to have been condoned by
the standard bearers for fairness in football by virtue of the fact that
Morgan - described as a "first class lad" by Blades' boss Kevin Blackwell-
is not only still in a job, but was also part of the team that lost 3-1 to
Wolverhampton Wanderers last night. A match that took place whilst Hume was
enjoying his second spell in hospital following injuries of which Blades
assistant boss said "people have made a little bit more of than they should
have" - a telling comment that gives a valuable insight into the minds
behind the Championship club.
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Hammers target to stay put
Juventus starlet not moving
Last updated: 26th November 2008
SSN
Sebastian Giovinco's agent has confirmed West Ham's interest in him but
insisted he is not looking to move. Juventus midfielder Giovinco is rated as
one of the top young prospects in Italian football and he only recently
penned a new long-term contract. However, he is still not a regular in
Claudio Ranieri's starting XI and reports in Italy suggested he would be
allowed to leave on loan. Spanish sides Atletico Madrid and Sevilla were
both said to be keen, along with West Ham. Zola worked closely with Giovinco
during his stint with the Italian Under-21s and is well aware of his
capabilities, so his interest in landing the young forward is of little
surprise.
Giovinco's agent Claudio Pasqualini has admitted that Zola is keen on the
youngster, but admits a move is unlikely. "A move in January? I don't think
anything points to this as we only renewed with Juve a short time ago," he
told Radio Kiss Kiss. "Any move would have to be decided by Juve but I can
only see it if some attitudes at the club change." Of the interest he added:
"There is interest abroad, he has many admirers. Gianfranco Zola has always
admired him and has said he would like him."
One reason Giovinco could be allowed to leave is that Juve are looking at
adding to their squad in January with reports in Italy suggesting Gaetano
D'Agostino and Cristian Zaccardo are their top targets.
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Sears secures Hammers future
Teenage striker delighted to sign deal until 2013
Last updated: 26th November 2008
SSN
West Ham United starlet Freddie Sears has pledged his long-term future to
the club by signing a new five-year contract. Sears, who turns 19 on
Thursday, announced himself on the Premier League scene with a match-winning
goal on his debut against Blackburn Rovers in March. Though the striker has
not scored since, he has started three games this season and is a key part
of Gianfranco Zola's squad. He follows team-mate Carlton Cole in signing a
new deal and is delighted to have been rewarded with an extension at Upton
Park. "I am obviously delighted to have signed for another five years with
West Ham," Sears told the club's official website. "I am looking forward to
concentrating on football now and getting ready for the next game that is
coming up. "It's nice to know the club wants you here, for that long as
well. I am enjoying my football and all that I have been doing and hopefully
I can now show there is more to come. "Last year was getting in and around
the team and now I am looking to keep building on what I have been doing -
getting more chances of playing week in, week out and showing people what I
can do. "It's been great to be in and around the first team, travelling to
games and all of that, now to be part of the team itself is great and
something I am determined to continue. "It's good to be part of the team,
we win together and lose together, it's good to be part of it. The team
spirit is really good and I am enjoying being part of it all."
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West Ham appeal against High Court ruling in attempt to halt Blades' £30m
claim over Carlos Tevez affair
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 7:40 PM on 26th November 2008
Daily Mail
West Ham have lodged an appeal against the High Court ruling that they
cannot take the Carlos Tevez transfer case to the Court of Arbitration for
Sport (CAS).
The Hammers are protesting a decision by the High Court in London to grant a
temporary order preventing it from appealing to CAS against a verdict that
it breached Premier League rules in hiring Argentina striker Tevez, who is
now on loan at Manchester United. The case is now set to be heard in a full
trial by the High Court next year as Sheffield United attempt to prevent the
involvement of sport's highest arbitration body. The Blades are claiming
£30million in damages against West Ham, after the Irons avoided relegation
at the expense of United, partly with the aid of Tevez's goals. Sheffield
United have already won a ruling by an independent Football
Association-appointed panel that they were entitled to compensation from the
Hammers because Tevez was not eligible to play for West Ham at the end of
the 2006-07 season. United contend that CAS has no jurisdiction to hear the
case because the FA had ruled that, under its own regulations, there was no
appeal process.
If West Ham fail in their quest to take the case to CAS, they face financial
meltdown. Earlier today, Mr Justice Teare granted a temporary order stopping
the Hammers appealing to the CAS. West Ham can ill afford a £30m penalty.
They are already in financial turmoil following the collapse of chairman
Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson's main business in his native Iceland. The sale of
players before the transfer deadline at the start of September was seen as a
sign that they were accumulating funds in preparation for losing their court
battle. Today's injunction will allow Sheffield United to press ahead with
their arbitration claim for damages over their relegation.
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West Ham United vow to fight on in Carlos Tevez saga
Gary Jacob
The Times
West Ham United will continue their fight to avoid paying compensation to
Sheffield United after the Yorkshire club's relegation from the Barclays
Premier League two years ago, despite losing a High Court battle yesterday.
West Ham have been told that they cannot take the dispute to the Court of
Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. The High Court in London sided with
Sheffield United's argument that the CAS does not have jurisdiction because
the contracts entered into come under the law in this country and FA rules
do not permit an appeal to its arbitration process.
West Ham have lodged an appeal against the temporary injunction granted
yesterday and the case will return to the High Court in January, when
Sheffield United will be seeking a permanent injunction to end West Ham's
legal route to Europe.
The dispute stems from an arbitration panel ruling in September that West
Ham were liable to pay compensation because their signing of Carlos Tévez
breached Premier League rules. West Ham finished three points above
Sheffield United, with Tévez's goals instrumental in their survival.
Sheffield United have revised the estimate for their loss in income to £60
million to take into account a second year outside the top flight.
West Ham legal issue sets perilous precedent
Ruling of Lord Griffiths on Carlos Tevez could lead to all kinds of
recriminations, with opinions becoming hard facts
In recent weeks, both sides have been collating evidence to provide an
estimate of the cost of relegation. Both parties are scheduled to meet the
arbitration panel in March to judge how close they are to agreeing a
compensation figure and the process could linger on until the summer. Even
then there could be arguments about when and how any compensation is paid.
West Ham will want to delay payments until the end of the season, when they
will receive fresh television revenue and possible transfer income.
The delay could deter foreign investors from buying West Ham because
possible liabilities are unknown. The club, with debts of about £40 million,
have effectively been put up for sale by their Icelandic owners because of
the effects of the global economic crisis.
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West Ham owner urged to sell before £30million claim bankrupts him
By Matt Lawton
Last updated at 1:34 AM on 27th November 2008
Daily Mail
West Ham owner Bjorgofur Gudmundsson is being urged to sell the club before
he is bankrupted by a £30million claim for damages by Sheffield United. On a
day when Sheffield United were granted a High Court order that temporarily
stops West Ham taking the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, it
emerged from sources in the City that Gudmundsson would be unable to pay a
massive fine for damages if the Yorkshire club eventually emerge triumphant
from the hugely complicated Carlos Tevez saga. The businessman has been in
serious financial trouble since the economy in his native Iceland went into
meltdown and many of his personal assets were frozen after the closure of
Icelandic bank, Landsbanki, in which he had a controlling 45 per cent stake.
His situation is now considered so serious that if West Ham were ordered to
pay substantial damages by the independent arbitration panel that was
appointed by the Football Association, 70-year-old Gudmundsson would not be
able to raise the cash. Fortunately for West Ham, there does appear to be
more than one serious bidder interested in paying in the region of
£150million for the Barclays Premier League club.
But any takeover would be complicated not only by the fact that a £30m bill
could land on the toes of a new owner, but by the fact that Gudmundsson will
want to hold out for the highest price when he has invested so much of his
own money in Upton Park. Unlike a large number of foreign owners in English
football's top flight, Gudmundsson did not add to the club's debt when he
took over. He bought it clean, paying £85million, taking on the club's
existing £23m debt and injecting a further £30m of his own cash to boost the
finances. Yesterday West Ham responded to Sheffield United's High Court
victory by appealing against the order that was granted by Mr Justice Teare.
That High Court hearing will not take place until the New Year, when
Sheffield United will in turn seek a permanent injunction that prevents West
Ham from appealing to the CAS against the findings of the FA tribunal.
Sheffield United continue to argue that in playing Tevez towards the end of
a 2006-07 season, West Ham condemned them to relegation at a cost to the
Bramall Lane club of around £30m. While West Ham insist the case was
concluded when an independent Premier League tribunal fined them £5.5m, they
will also now call for a forensic examination of Sheffield United's accounts
to establish the real cost of dropping into the Championship. Yesterday's
High Court victory for Sheffield United will nevertheless concern West Ham
and in particular Gudmundsson, who will have to factor in a potential
damages bill when it comes to agreeing a price with a potential buyer.
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Hammers on the ropes after Blades' legal win
Defeat in the high court over the Carlos Tevez affair could not have come at
a worse time for West Ham
Guardian.co.uk
Sheffield United's emphatic victory in the high court yesterday - which
prevented West Ham United from having the Carlos Tevez affair referred to
the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne - removed the London club's
foremost hope of avoiding a costly day of reckoning. One of the most
remarkable episodes in even the Premier League's tumultuous history is
heading for a conclusion which West Ham have been desperately fighting -
paying compensation to Sheffield United for the swingeing cost of relegation
from the Premier League at the end of the 2006-07 season.
Sheffield United's chairman, Kevin McCabe, and his son Simon, also a
director at Bramall Lane, have since determinedly pursued what they believe
to be football justice, with a still raw outrage that Tevez was allowed to
play the full season despite West Ham admitting irregularities in the
striker's "ownership" by private investors and misleading the Premier League
about those arrangements. Given the £30m gap in television income between a
Championship club and the Premier League's bottom club, Sheffield United are
expected to calculate their total loss at somewhere between £30m and upwards
of £40m. West Ham counter that such a claim should be reduced because of the
costs, principally in higher player wages, of staying in the Premier League,
and warn that a detailed examination of Sheffield United's accounts will
bring that figure down. Asgeir Fridgeirsson, West Ham's vice-chairman, said:
"We do not believe there will be a very large claim. They have to take into
account not just the loss of revenue from being relegated, but the overall
financial benefit of staying in the Premier League."
United are well aware of the need to justify their claim in detail, and are
unlikely to have spent so much in legal fees pursuing this case if they were
not convinced that losing Premier League status cost them a great deal of
money. West Ham will have to prove that Sheffield United's wage bill would
have increased significantly had the Blades stayed up. United can argue they
would not have paid a significant rise in wages. They lost money indirectly,
too. Their defender Phil Jagielka moved to Everton for £4m after the club
was relegated, the fee fixed by a release clause in his contract when he
might reasonably have been valued at £8m had they stayed up.
The legal defeats and prospect of a large payout come at the worst possible
time for West Ham, who now acknowledge that the wealth of the club's owner,
Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, has been seriously damaged by the economic meltdown
in Iceland. After his bank, Landsbanki, was nationalised by the Icelandic
government seven weeks ago at a personal loss to Gudmundsson of £250m, the
club signalled that he had sufficient other assets to remain comfortable.
The assessment now is considerably less optimistic.
One of Gudmundsson's companies lent XL, West Ham's former shirt sponsors,
£150m only to see the travel company collapse. Another holding company,
Hansa, has opted to go into voluntary administration. Fridgeirsson said that
several of Gudmundsson's companies, in construction, shipping and finance,
have been deeply hit by the crisis in Iceland, where the economy is
shell-shocked and the currency's value has collapsed. "We are reviewing the
state of all his assets, including West Ham, but we have still not decided
whether he will sell the club," he said.
Fridgeirsson said agents and aspiring go-betweens have been calling him with
proposed buyers for West Ham, but none has so far been pursued seriously. It
does seem inevitable, however, that the club will be sold. West Ham, which
Gudmundsson bought for £85m in November 2006, now looks a prime asset: a
London club in the internationally coveted Premier League, well set up under
the new managerial team of Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke. Gudmundsson
invested £30m in the club and did not load it with debt, but even if he does
not want to sell, his situation makes it very unlikely he can invest more,
in January or beyond.
This month the two non-executive directors, Gudmundur Oddsson and the
London-based communications adviser Mike Lee, resigned from the board. The
club, it seems, is being streamlined for a sale and Oddsson and Lee may also
have been protecting themselves against any personal financial liability
which could attach to them if West Ham is sucked into Gudmundsson's
meltdown.
West Ham are still reeling from the decision against them of the arbitration
panel chaired by Lord Griffiths in September that Tevez's participation led
directly to the Hammers staying up and Sheffield United going down on the
last day of the 2006-07 season. West Ham admitted to a Premier League
disciplinary panel in April 2007 that they breached the league's rules in
the arrangements which gave Tevez's "owners", a group of unnamed investors
led by the Iranian-born deal-maker Kia Joorabchian, the potential for
improper influence over team affairs. The club also admitted concealing from
the Premier League the contracts that would have exposed the breach.
After maintaining their innocence for months, West Ham pleaded guilty just
before the hearing. They and the Premier League continue to deny that any
deal was done, but the McCabes have long suspected that West Ham pleaded
guilty in the belief the club would be fined rather than have points docked.
The latest arbitration panel ruled that West Ham did not, as promised to the
Premier League, tear up their contract with Joorabchian after the £5.5m fine
was imposed. Lord Griffiths' panel also rejected West Ham's argument that
Tevez, who scored three goals and played inspirationally in West Ham's
victories in all three games that followed, did not make the difference to
the Hammers staying up.
Earlier this month at the All Party Parliamentary Football Group's inquiry
into football, Kevin McCabe renewed his attack on the decision to fine West
Ham and what he insists is "poor governance" by the Premier League's two-man
board, the chief executive Richard Scudamore and the part-time chairman, Sir
Dave Richards.
McCabe argued that in football, points are deducted for serious offences
that affect results. He expressed bewilderment that West Ham were allowed to
play on with a fine when, in the Football League, points are docked for
clubs which go into administration. He also cited the case of Luton Town who
had 10 points deducted by an FA disciplinary panel for improper transfer
procedures. "The Premier League is under-managed and needs wise football
heads on the board," McCabe said. "The Football League board is maturer. The
affair was mishandled and we have had no choice but to seek financial
compensation."
Sheffield United and their lawyers, Denton Wilde Sapte, will move on now to
itemise that claim in detail. West Ham insist they are appealing yesterday's
decision, but a final settlement of this long-running sore, with a payment
to Sheffield United, is now a great deal more likely.
Third-party ownership
Given the general condemnation of the arrangements by which West Ham signed
Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano in the summer of 2006, it can be
forgotten that Tevez is still owned by 'third parties' - the offshore
companies and unnamed investors represented by Kia Joorabchian. Manchester
United signed the striker in the summer of 2007 on a two-year loan - before
the Premier League outlawed third-party 'ownership' of players - and have an
option to buy him when the loan expires at the end of this season.
They are entitled to sign Tevez automatically if they pay Joorabchian a
price agreed at the time of the loan, £34m. If they do not offer that much,
Joorabchian is expected to sell the Argentinian to the highest bidder, for a
value being talked up at present with the reported rival interest of Real
Madrid.
Mascherano, below, went from West Ham to Liverpool on loan but signed
permanently in February, Liverpool paying Joorabchian £17m for him, plus
£1.6m for the original loan deal. Joorabchian is still heavily involved in
the business of owning players' registrations, which is permitted outside
England.
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West Ham suffer Tevez appeal blow
By Gordon Tynan
Thursday, 27 November 2008
Independent.co.uk Web
The interminable Carlos Tevez saga took another twist yesterday when West
Ham were prevented from appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
That followed the granting, in the High Court, of a temporary injunction
although West Ham are already planning an immediate appeal against that
decision. Nevertheless the injunction is a blow even if it does not
materially affect the issue of whether or not compensation should be paid to
Sheffield United.
That process is ongoing and will be heard in February or March next year
when the independent panel headed by Lord Griffiths will decide how the
issue will be dealt with. The clubs are set to be involved in a separate
directions hearing, in which guidelines for the awarding of damages to
Sheffield United will be laid out. This will involve representatives of the
two clubs as well as the three-man panel that sat on the original tribunal
in September.
The tribunal ruled that Tevez was not eligible to play for West Ham at the
end of the 2006-07 season. West Ham want the CAS to hear an appeal but
Sheffield United claim the court does not have jurisdiction to do so.
Tevez, 24, who now plays for Manchester United, was deemed by September's
tribunal to have played a key part in the club's Premier League survival as
the Blades were relegated in the 2006-07 campaign.
The decision could leave the Hammers liable for damages. United have claimed
between £30m and £50m but West Ham are fiercely contesting this.
West Ham have already appealed to CAS but, even if United's injunction is
lifted next year, the Swiss court is not guaranteed to hear an appeal. The
Lausanne-based court is expected to make an announcement later this month.
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Blades edge closer to Tevez pay-out
Yorkshire Post
Blades can go ahead with arbitration claim for damages over relegation from
the Premier League last season
Published Date: 26 November 2008
By Chris Waters
SHEFFIELD UNITED's quest to claim an estimated £50m in damages from West Ham
took a major step forward yesterday when they won a significant victory in
the Carlos Tevez affair. The High Court granted the Blades a temporary
injunction preventing West Ham appealing to the Swiss-based Court of
Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over a ruling that the London club breached
Premier League regulations by signing Tevez. The Argentine striker was
deemed to have played a key role in West Ham's Premier League survival in
2006-07 when United were relegated by a three-point margin. West Ham
responded to yesterday's judgment by immediately lodging an appeal which
means the case will now go to a full trial in the High Court next year at a
date to be determined. West Ham will look to have their temporary injunction
overturned at that hearing, while the Blades will seek a permanent
injunction. A complex situation is muddied by the fact the CAS has still to
decide whether it would have the authority to hear a submission from West
Ham in any case, with its decision expected within the next few days. The
size of United's compensation claim will be assessed at a private
arbitration hearing early next year but yesterday's ruling gives the South
Yorkshire club the green light to conduct a forensic examination of what
they believe has been the true cost of Premier League relegation. Although a
figure of £30m has been widely quoted in national newspapers, the Yorkshire
Post understands United are pursuing a claim in the region of £50m, with the
bill having risen due to the length of time it has taken to bring the matter
to fruition. United yesterday declined to comment on the latest development
in the saga but it is thought they may issue a statement later today. Lips
were also sealed at Upton Park, where no one from West Ham was available for
comment following a judgment that further threatens to send the Hammers into
financial meltdown.
West Ham are already in turmoil because their owner, Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson,
is a major shareholder in an Icelandic bank that has gone into receivership
and it remains to be seen how the club would manage to foot the cost of any
compensation bill. West Ham's decision to sell players prior to the last
transfer deadline was widely interpreted as a sign they are already
accumulating funds in preparation for losing their battle against United's
lawyers, and further players may have to be offloaded if the Tevez saga is
eventually settled to United's satisfaction. A Football Association
arbitration panel ruled in September that West Ham had breached Premier
League regulations on third-party agreements to secure the services of
Tevez, who now plays for Manchester United. The three-man arbitration panel,
headed by Lord Griffiths, found West Ham liable for compensation on the
basis Tevez was worth more than three points over the course of the season.
In announcing that judgment, the panel made clear: "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 countered by insisting the verdict "undermined" the efforts of
their entire squad and insisted Tevez's contribution could not be used as
the basis for judging the results of a 38-match season. West Ham were fined
£5.5m by an independent tribunal convened by the Premier League in April
2007 after pleading guilty to irregularities concerning the registrations of
Tevez and fellow Argentine Javier Maschareno, but the Blades have long
maintained the Hammers should also have been docked points. Tevez was
cleared to play in the remainder of West Ham's fixtures in the 2006-07
season and his goal in the 1-0 victory over Manchester United in May 2007
was instrumental in guaranteeing the Hammers' survival at the Blades'
expense.
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Finally some good news for West Ham as youngster Sears signs new deal
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 7:28 AM on 27th November 2008
Daily Mail
Freddie Sears has pledged to keep improving after signing a new five-year
contract at West Ham. Sears, who turns 19 today, put pen to paper on the
deal yesterday evening to become the third Hammers striker to commit his
future to the Upton Park club until 2013, following on from Dean Ashton and
Carlton Cole. The England Under-19 international made his debut for the club
in March, when he scored the winning goal in a 2-1 victory against
Blackburn. The highly-rated academy product has made 10 Premier League
appearances this season, seven of those coming from the bench, although he
is yet to find the target. 'I am obviously delighted to have signed for
another five years with West Ham,' Sears told www.whufc.com. 'I am looking
forward to concentrating on football now and getting ready for the next game
that is coming up. 'It's nice to know the club wants you here, for that long
as well. I am enjoying my football and all that I have been doing and
hopefully I can now show there is more to come.' He added: 'Obviously I am
learning every day, I am 19 today and just trying to get better all the time
and see how far I can go.'
West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury said the deal underlined the club's
commitment to young talent. 'Freddie Sears signing a new long-term contract
is great news for everyone at the club,' he said. 'He has more than
impressed since scoring on his Premier League debut last season. 'Our
philosophy is very much about developing home-grown players in the academy
and then integrating them into the first team. 'Freddie has achieved that
and we are looking forward to him playing his part in a bright future for
West Ham United.'
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Swiss ace praises Zola
E24
27 November 2008
By JONATHAN CLEGG
VALON BEHRAMI insists West Ham have vindicated Gianfranco Zola's commitment
to attacking football after they finally eased the pressure on the Hammers
boss.
Behrami's first goal for the club at the Stadium of Light last weekend
sealed a vital 1-0 win over Sunderland and ended a woeful run that had
threatened to plunge West Ham into the Premier League's drop zone. Zola's
pledge to bring entertaining, free-flowing football to Upton Park yielded
back-to-back victories in September, but the Hammers had since failed to win
in seven matches before Behrami's deflected effort secured all three points
on Wearside. Yet Behrami is adamant the West Ham squad never doubted the
Italian's methods and believes the club can use the victory over Sunderland
as a springboard for the rest of the campaign He said: "It was a vital win
for us and it's a performance and a result that shows the team are fully 100
per cent behind the manager. Hopefully this win takes the pressure off a
little.
"Two months without a win made it difficult to go on to the training ground
and this is just what we wanted. The manager has stuck to what he believes
in and hasn't panicked. "We'll come out of this experience stronger for it.
We're not out of this difficult situation yet but this shows we're heading
in the right direction."
Behrami fired West Ham in front against the run of play at the Stadium of
Light, lashing home Nyron Nosworthy's weak clearance via a deflection off
Kenwyne Jones, and Sunderland were guilty of failing to take a string of
first-half chances. The Black Cats were also aggrieved that defender James
Collins was not shown a red card for bringing down Djibril Cisse and Jones
in separate incidents that could have produced two penalties. Behrami
acknowledged that the Hammers had enjoyed a rare slice of good fortune in
surviving both incidents, but the Switzerland international admits that the
Hammers must not get carried away with the win as they face Liverpool, Spurs
and Chelsea in the coming weeks. "This is just one win and we have to build
on it. We've got a really tough schedule looking at the next month, so the
hard work is just beginning," he said. The 23-year-old added that he should
have settled the outcome shortly before half-time when Craig Bellamy
dispossessed former Hammer Anton Ferdinand and squared for Behrami, who
inexplicably struck the bar from point-blank range. He said: "The ball was
fast and it was easy to score but I don't know what happened. "Maybe two
goals is too much for me. When I score two goals in one game, football is
finished.
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Gudmundsson urged to sell West Ham - quickly
27.11.08 | tribalfootball.com
Bjorgofur Gudmundsson is being urged to sell West Ham United or risk
bankruptcy. The Daily Mail says on a day when Sheffield United were granted
a High Court order that temporarily stops West Ham taking the case to the
Court of Arbitration for Sport, it emerged from sources in the City that
Gudmundsson would be unable to pay a massive fine for damages if the
Yorkshire club eventually emerge triumphant from the hugely complicated
Carlos Tevez saga. His situation is now considered so serious that if West
Ham were ordered to pay substantial damages by the independent arbitration
panel that was appointed by the Football Association, 70-year-old
Gudmundsson would not be able to raise the cash. Fortunately for West Ham,
there does appear to be more than one serious bidder interested in paying in
the region of £150million for the Barclays Premier League club.
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Tomkins hands West Ham boost
27.11.08 | tribalfootball.com
James Tomkins has handed West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola after playing his
first game of the season in this week's reserve-team victory over
Portsmouth. "I'm well pleased to be back in action and playing my first game
of the season at Upton Park," defender Tomkins told whufc.com. Tomkins has
been encouraged by the chances given to Jack Collison and Freddie Sears
under Zola and added: "I've had a lot of frustration with the injuries I've
had so I was just delighted to get a full 90 minutes under my belt. I've
been a bit unlucky but, touch wood, I'm back now and I can stay
injury-free."
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West Ham coach Dyer: Orient move good for Spence
27.11.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham reserves boss Alex Dyer expects young defender Jordan Spence to
benefit from his loan at Leyton Orient. Dyer told whufc.com: "I am hoping it
will help him a great deal. He is chomping at the bit. He is at the age now
where he wants to play. He has represented his country, he has captained his
country. "At this present time he isn't going to get in the first team here
and he needs to play first-team football or be around the first time squad.
Hopefully that will serve him well and he will come back a better and
stronger player. "Josh has been away now for his third month at Cheltenham.
He is doing well. He is a young lad and this experience for him will be
good. When he comes back hopefully he will feature in the reserves and push
on to the first team."
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West Ham chief Duxbury intent on blooding youngsters
27.11.08 | Andrew Slevison
West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury says the club is determined to
develop their youth academy and nurture potential stars of the future. After
youngster Freddie Sears signed a five-year deal with the Hammers, Duxbury
sais, "Freddie Sears signing a new long-term contract is great news for
everyone at the club." "He has more than impressed since scoring on his
Premier League debut last season. "Our philosophy is very much about
developing homegrown players in the academy and then integrating them into
the first team. Freddie has achieved that and we are looking forward to him
playing his part in a bright future for West Ham United."
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Tevez court case goes on as Hammers lodge appeal
AFP06:50 AEST Thu Nov 27 2008
Wwos.com.au
The legal argument surrounding Carlos Tevez's controversial role in keeping
West Ham in the Premier League looks set to continue into the New Year. West
Ham appealed Wednesday against a High Court ruling in favour of Sheffield
United. This prevented the London club from appealing to the Swiss-based
Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over a ruling that it had breached
Premier League rules in playing the Argentina striker. The matter is now set
to return to the High Court next year.
In September, an independent arbitration panel ruled in favour of the Blades
in their claim for compensation from West Ham over the Tevez affair. The
panel have yet to determine the size of the payout, but Sheffield United are
claiming in excess of 30 million pounds from the Hammers for being relegated
from the Premier League on the final day of the 2006-7 season, when a
Tevez-inspired West Ham beat Manchester United to clinch top-flight safety.
The Premier League fined West Ham a record 5.5 million pounds for fielding
Tevez, now at Manchester United and Javier Mascherano, who has since joined
Liverpool, when they were ineligible to play under league rules regarding
third-party ownership. However, they did not dock West Ham points and the
Blades remained relegated from the lucrative Premier League.
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