Central defender Anton Ferdinand says he is happy at West Ham United despite
being linked to Tottenham, Aston Villa and Newcastle. Ferdinand, 23, told
BBC London 94.9: "I'm happy at this club, and until I get told I'm not a
West Ham player, I will be a West Ham player. "I've grown up at the club and
I enjoy playing here. "Should it happen that I leave West Ham, I know I'd be
able to go with my head held high." The Hammers defender says he has had a
brief discussion with manager Alan Curbishley about his future but is
expected to speak to him again in the next couple of days to resolve the
situation.
"I've spoken to the manager briefly and he wants to get it sorted as quick
as possible too, which is a good thing for me," said Ferdinand. West Ham are
back in pre-season training and Ferdinand added: "I feel very good, I'm
enjoying pre-season and enjoying getting fit. "It's hard but it's the base,
the start of your season. I'm looking forward to putting that West Ham shirt
back on." He added: "I'm an ambitious person. I want to play in Europe and I
want to play for England."
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Geezers need excitement - KUMB
Filed: Sunday, 6th July 2008
By: Staff Writer
Young midfielder Mark Noble has urged his fellow team-mates to increase the
entertainment factor next season. Following five seasons in which West Ham's
fate wasn't known until the final day of the campaign, last year proved to
be something of a damp squib by comparison with the Hammers ending the
campaign tenth in the Premier League - a position they had held since
mid-March. Many supporters expressed dissatisfaction with the club's style
of play and results - leading to Noble calling upon his fellow players to
give the fans something more to cheer next season. Hopefully it'll be a bit
more exciting than last year - and we can push on into the UEFA Cup places,"
he said.
* Reports linking Noble with a move to Arsenal have been dismissed by the
player. The 21-year-old under-21 international has been linked with a move
to the Emirates recently, with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger known to be a keen
admirer of Noble's talents. But talking to SkySports at the weekend, Noble
laughed off the link - adding that he was happy with life at West Ham, the
club he has supported since childhood. "I want to concentrate on West Ham
and hopefully let them people keep saying those sort of things," he said.
"I think it's just all rumours and I'm firmly happy where I am at the
minute."
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Anton in the dark - KUMB
Filed: Sunday, 6th July 2008
By: Staff Writer
Anton Ferdinand has revealed that he has held talks with Alan Curbishley
with regards to his immediate future. Central defender Ferdinand has been
linked with a string of clubs since the end of the 2007/08 season, whilst
West Ham were recently rumoured to have placed an £8 million price tag on
his head.
Despite representing West Ham United at the Premier League's 'Most Wanted'
talent search over the weekend, the 23-year-old admits that he is unsure as
to where he will be playing his football next season. "I don't know what's
happening," he told Skysports. "I'm happy at West Ham and until I get told
that I'm not a West Ham player then I'm a West Ham player. Hopefully that
will get resolved soon. "I had a little chat with him [Alan Curbishley] this
morning which went well - and now I'm just looking to see where we go from
here."
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Bellamy's top six challenge - KUMB
Filed: Sunday, 6th July 2008
By: Staff Writer
Craig Bellamy has revealed that he is determined to help fire the Hammers
into Europe next season. The United striker, fully fit once again following
a season marred by injury told SkySports that he is raring to go - and that
Europe was very muc hin the players' minds. "Every season you want to keep
getting better," he said. "onsidering what happened last season it shouldn't
be too difficult to be better this season! "I'm expecting a real big season
for me and the club as well. The ambition is to get into Europe; we finished
tenth with a lot of players out last season and we weren't too many points
away.
"With the squad that we've already got, with one or two players coming in,
we can improve on last season and shouldn't be too far away."
Bellamy, who joined the Hammers last summer also confirmed that he was happy
with life in East London - and confirmed that he was looking forward to
finally repaying some of the club record £7.5 million fee it cost to bring
him from Liverpool. "I've got four more years here and am really committed,"
he added. "I signed for five years and intend to see those five years out -
so I've got four more years to play some of the best football of my career."
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West Ham set to miss out on Austria striker Linz - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 4:48 PM on 07th July 2008
Striker Roland Linz has snubbed a move to West Ham. The Austrian, who made
two appearances for his country during Euro 2008, currently plays for
Sporting Braga but Porto are believed to be favourites to sign the
26-year-old striker. The 26-year-old has been looked at by other Premier
League clubs include West Ham, Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Fulham. His
former clubs include Nice, Sturm Graz and Admira Wacker.
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Agent quashes Hammers reports - Setanta
by Laurent Picard, 07 July 2008
Valon Behrami's agent has distanced the Lazio star from a move to West Ham
United during an exclusive interview with setantasports.com. The 23-year-old
has been linked to a number of Premier League teams, and his agent revealed
his intention to use the Webster Clause in order to leave Serie A giants
Lazio and start a fresh adventure in another league. Switzerland
international Behrami wanted to wait for Euro 2008 to end before he studied
any offers, and his representative has revealed that his future is likely to
be in Germany. The chance of seeing the midfielder ply his trade in England
are now very thin as agent Alessandro Beltrami assumes his client wants to
play in the Bundesliga next season with Werder Bremen a possible destination
for the talented player. "The truth is that I read the news in the press,
but the West Ham link is pure invention," Beltrami told setantasports.com.
The player is on holiday and will be back this week to decide his future.
"No meetings are planned, but we have received offers from Germany, Spain
and England as well.
"The player's wish is to play in the Bundesliga. As a consequence, England
is not a priority at all."
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Ham off the menu for Behrami Monday 7 July, 2008 - ch4.com
Valon Behrami's representative has laughed off recent reports linking the
Lazio defender with a move to West Ham. The Swiss international has made it
clear that he doesn't intend to stay at the Stadio Olimpico next season and
has even threatened using FIFA Article 17 to free himself from his contract.
Lazio President Claudio Lotito briefly considered court action to stop
Behrami leaving but now seems ready to see him go for the right price, but
his agent insists that his destination won't be East London. "The stories
linking Valon with West Ham are pure invention," Alessandro Beltrami told
Setantasports.com. "The player wants to play in the Bundesliga, so therefore
England isn't amongst his priorities. "The player will return from holiday
this week and then we will decide his future. "We have received offers from
Germany, Spain and England but there are no meetings scheduled."
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West Ham star going nowhere - Setanta
by Tom Adams, 07 July 2008
Lucas Neill's agent has cast serious doubt over suggestions that the
defender could be set to swap West Ham for Galatasaray this summer. After
the transfer of Harry Kewell to the Turkish giants, it has been reported
that Neill could be following his international team-mate and that Gala have
made an approach for the Australia star. Neill – who helped The Hammers
avoid relegation in 2007 before a season of consolidation last year – is
believed to be one of the top earners at Upton Park at present and, at the
age of 30, has seen a young rival signed in his position in Holmar Orn
Eyjolfsson. However Paddy Dominguez, who represents Neill in Australia, does
not believe that Hammers boss Alan Curbishley is ready to sell the club
captain. "It doesn't make sense that a manager who brought Lucas to the club
and has installed him as captain would look to sell him," Dominguez told The
Australian. "It would be very strange. Lucas' relationship with Alan
Curbishley is good and he is relishing the role of captain."
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