Columbus Crew striker Jason Garey has relived his great goal against West
Ham United
21.07.2008
Columbus Crew striker Jason Garey has spoken about the experience of playing
and scoring against West Ham United.
The 24-year-old from Los Angeles connected with a stunning 20th-minute
header on Sunday past England goalkeeper Robert Green and enjoyed a
competitive contest with Anton Ferdinand. His goal levelled the scores at
1-1 after Dean Ashton had struck a superb opener but Alan Curbishley's side
forced their way to a 3-1 victory through an own goal and a fierce strike
from Kyel Reid.
Garey was not too downbeat at the final whistle and enjoyed reliving the
moment when he leapt high to meet Corey Elenio's right-wing cross and power
the ball beyond Green. "That was a Premier League goal," Garey said with a
smile. "We watch those kind of goals every weekend in the Premier League and
for it to come in a great game against players like Ferdinand and Green is
pretty special. They are great players and have played internationally."
A Liverpool fan because his grandmother hails from the city, Garey said the
strike was extra special because of his English connection. "They were
pretty excited over there [in Liverpool]," said Garey. "It was such a great
challenge to play against these guys, we watch them play on TV all the time.
It was really fun to get out there and play with them.
"I was talking to Ferdinand during the game and he was saying the coach
really wants them to get their fitness up. I was wondering why they were
still out there after the game but they were focused." He also had
particular praise for the West Ham United strikers. "Dean Ashton is a class
forward. That goal he took with the spin and the shot was very well taken.
It was absolutely amazing to watch Craig Bellamy and the runs he makes and
the way he plays. I will watch the video and try and learn some more.
"People have said MLS it is similar to the first division in England. It
seems like that. These guys are obviously a step up above us but we were in
the game for part of it. I know they were only in pre-season but we didn't
have our full lineup either. It was a great game. It is exciting to play
those kinds of games and see how you stack up against teams from other
leagues."
Garey has hopes one day of making it across the Atlantic. The hopes of
US-based players were boosted by Curbishley, who believed that many more of
his compatriots would soon be heading to England. "You are going to see more
American players coming into the Premier League, that is for sure because
they have got all the attributes. They are fit, they understand the
aggression, the work-rate and when they set their minds to any sport they
are going to do well."
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West Ham play down trouble in US - BBC
West Ham have played down a half-time brawl between their fans and
supporters of Major League Soccer side Columbus Crew in Ohio on Sunday. Club
officials dismissed the scuffle which marred the 3-1 victory as an "isolated
incident". According to local newspaper reports, punches were thrown when
some Hammers fans approached rival supporters. "We understand this was an
isolated incident," said West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury. "It led to
one initial arrest that was quickly dealt with by security staff. "While we
take such matters seriously and utterly condemn the actions of those
involved, we must not let this mar what has been a positive trip so far and
the excellent way we and our supporters have been treated in Columbus. "The
match was a fitting warm-up for the MLS All-Star Game which we are proud to
be involved in."
Columbus police and Ohio state patrol were called to the stadium and the
state patrol arrested one West Ham fan after the game for a minor disorderly
charge.
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Columbus video evidence emerges - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 22nd July 2008
By: Staff Writer
A video of the crowd disturbances that marred West Ham United's 3-1 win
against Columbus Crew on Sunday evening has been posted on YouTube.
Unsurprisingly, and in contrast to the vast majority of media reports citing
'West Ham hooligans' as being responsible for the violent scenes, the video
illustrates how (mostly US-based) United fans were goaded and attacked by
sections of the home crowd before, during and after the game. The video, in
four parts, can be seen below. Only one man - 34-year-old American Jeffrey
Lutzo - was arrested and charged as a result of the incident.
No English/British supporters are believed to have been involved in the
disturbances.
How the story was reported
Metro (London)
"West Ham and American fans in mass brawl during friendly"
The Times
"Crowd violence erupts on West Ham United's US tour"
Daily Mail
"Terrace trouble overshadows Hammers win in America as West Ham fans scrap
in US"
Evening Standard
"A half-time brawl among more than 100 fans marred West Ham's 3-1 win in
their friendly against US side Columbus Crew"
ABC News
"Brawl Mars Exhibition Between MLS, West-Ham United"
wbalTV.com
"Fans Rumble At 'Friendly' Soccer Match"
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Dyer 'ere - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 22nd July 2008
By: Staff Writer
Kieron Dyer has revealed he is 'delighted' to be back in full training. The
United midfielder, signed from Newcastle a year ago barely featured last
season after breaking a leg in a League Cup tie last August. But after a
long, difficult recovery from what once would have been a career-threatening
injury Dyer returned to full training at Chadwell Heath for the first time
yesterday, whilst the rest of the first-team squad were enjoying a 3-1 win
against Columbus Crew in the US.
Talking to The Sun, Dyer said: "I joined in with everything. We had a
warm-up, a keep-ball session and finished off with a little match. "It's
been a very long time but it felt good and I'm absolutely delighted to be
back. I got through the session with no setbacks or reaction. "It's just so
good to be involved again. I had a few setbacks but have been able to put
all that behind me now. I've worked hard to get through it all."
The ex-Ipswich man also revealed that he had targetted the pre-season
friendly against his old club as a return date. "Once the pre- season
fixtures came out, I noticed we were playing Ipswich," he added. "I thought
that would be a good game to pencil in for my return."
Elsewhere there was good news for Matthew Upson and George McCartney, who
are said to be close to fitness once again after missing the US trip for
'precautionary reasons'.
West Ham United - squad for Thursday's game vs MLS AllStars
Robert Green, Jimmy Walker; Calum Davenport, Anton Ferdinand, Ashley Miller,
Lucas Neill, Bondz N'Gala, Jordan Spence, Joe Widdowson; Jack Collison,
Matthew Etherington, Julien Faubert, Hayden Mullins, Mark Noble, Scott
Parker, Kyel Reid, Junior Stanislas, Tony Stokes; Dean Ashton, Craig
Bellamy, Luis Boa Morte, Carlton Cole.
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Get on my land - KUMB
Filed: Monday, 21st July 2008
By: Staff Writer
Richard Wright has completed his transfer to Championship side Ipswich Town.
KUMB.com reported earlier today that 30-year-old Wright was set to finalise
a return to Suffolk having completed a medical over the weekend. Town
confirmed the news of Wright's arrival just before 4pm this afternoon; a
brief statement on their website reading: "The 30-year-old goalkeeper has
put pen to paper today on a two year contract at Portman Road after joining
the Club from West Ham for an undisclosed fee."
That fee is thought to be around £500,000 - clear profit for the Hammers who
landed the experienced keeper on a free a year ago this month. Wright said
of the return to the club where he began his career: "It's great to be back
here and it feels like I've come home - but it seems like the move has gone
on forever. "I was desperate for the deal to be finished and the last
weekend has been the longest of my life. I thought everything was going to
be done on Friday but it dragged on. "Doubts cross your mind about whether
things are going to happen when a move drags on and I was literally waiting
by the fax machine for the forms to come in from West Ham. "I'm delighted
that everything is now done and I can't wait to get started."
Wright becomes the fifth member of Alan Curbishley's to depart Upton Park
since the end of last season; Nobby Solano (released), Henri Camara (end of
loan), Bobby Zamora and John Paintsil (Fulham) have already left East London
for pastures new.
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Dyer primed for return
West Ham star to hand Curbishley a boost
Last updated: 22nd July 2008
Kieron Dyer has spoken of his relief at returning to action having spent the
past 11 months a frustrated spectator following a double leg break. The
England international has had to undergo an intense regime of rehabilitation
but is now looking to next season with renewed optimism. Having pencilled in
a return date against former club Ipswich on 4th August, Dyer is confident
he will soon be back to his best. West Ham's pre-season game against
Colombus Crew on Sunday came too soon for Dyer, but he did partake in full
training for the first time. "I joined in with everything. We had a warm-up,
a keep-ball session and finished off with a little match," he told The Sun.
"It's been a very long time but it felt good and I'm absolutely delighted to
be back. I got through the session with no setbacks or reaction. "It's just
so good to be involved again. I had a few setbacks but have been able to put
all that behind me now. I've worked hard to get through it all. "Once the
pre-season fixtures came out, I noticed we were playing Ipswich. I thought
that would be a good game to pencil in for my return."
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Hammers condemn brawl - SSN
'Isolated incident' leads to arrests
Last updated: 21st July 2008
West Ham United have condemned a fans brawl but insist it will not spoil
their current tour of the United States and Canada. Reports claimed punches
were thrown when Hammers fans approached supporters of Major League Soccer
side Columbus Crew at half-time during West Ham's 3-1 victory in Ohio.
But the club have said it was an "isolated incident" and it must not be
allowed to mar what has been a positive trip for Alan Curbishley's squad.
Chief executive Scott Duxbury said: "We understand this was an isolated
incident leading to one initial arrest that was quickly dealt with by
security staff.
"While we take such matters seriously and utterly condemn the actions of
those involved, we must not let this mar what has been a positive trip so
far and the excellent way we and our supporters have been treated in
Columbus. "The match was a fitting warm-up for the MLS All-Star Game which
we are proud to be involved in." Columbus police and Ohio state patrol were
called to the Crew Stadium at around 6.45pm on Sunday to calm the situation,
with spokeswoman Sergeant Anne Ralston saying one West Ham fan was arrested
after the game for a minor disorderly charge.
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Gudjohnsen vows to seize chance to shine at Barcelona after rejecting return
to London - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 3:37 AM on 22nd July 2008
Eidur Gudjohnsen insists he has no intention of quitting Barcelona after
rejecting a £5m move to West Ham. The Iceland striker has had a
disappointing spell at Barca since signing from Chelsea two years ago. But
with Ronaldinho joining AC Milan and Samuel Eto'o on the brink of following
the Brazilian out of the Nou Camp, Gudjohnsen believes he will have more
first-team opportunities next season. He said: 'I won't leave the club until
I have won something.'
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West Ham Chief Condemns Columbus Brawl - Goal.com
West Ham United chief executive Scott Duxberry has condemned the actions of
supporters which marred the team's 3-1 friendly win over Columbus Crew on
their United States trip. The pre-season exhibition game at Crew Stadium
involved 30 supporters of West Ham and about three times that number of fans
of the home side. A scuffle broke out between the two sets of supporters and
one arrest was made. No injuries were reported to police or medical staff,
but West Ham have strongly condemned the actions of both sets of fans. Scott
Duxberry acknowledged the gravity of the isolated incident, but vowed not to
let the actions of a significant minority spoil an otherwise successful trip
for the club. He told the press: "While we take such matters seriously and
utterly condemn the actions of those involved, we must not let this mar what
has been a positive trip so far and the excellent way we and our supporters
have been treated in Columbus."
The game finished 3-1 to the guests, and Duxberry felt that it was a fitting
prelude to the MLS All-Star Game. "The match was a fitting warm-up for the
MLS All-Star Game, which we are proud to be involved in," he continued.
Peter Staunton
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West Ham play down fan clashes in US
Tom Dart
The Times
Crowd trouble flared at half-time during an exhibition match between West
Ham United and the Columbus Crew in Ohio on Sunday evening with scuffles
involving about 100 Columbus fans and about 30 West Ham supporters breaking
out and spreading from the seats into the stadium concourses.
The East London club tried to play down the incident yesterday. It was
apparently sparked off when the visiting team's fans entered an area of Crew
Stadium populated by Columbus's hardcore followers and beer was thrown over
some spectators. There were also minor incidents after the match outside the
stadium involving supporters from both clubs and the police.
About 500 West Ham followers, many of them based in the United States, were
thought to have attended the match. One was arrested for a disorder offence.
"We understand this was an isolated incident leading to one initial arrest
that was quickly dealt with by security staff," Scott Duxbury, the West Ham
chief executive, said. "While we take such matters seriously and utterly
condemn the actions of those involved, we must not let this mar what has
been a positive trip so far and the excellent way we and our supporters have
been treated in Columbus. The match was a fitting warm-up for the MLS
All-Star Game, which we are proud to be involved in."
West Ham beat Columbus 3-1 and play a Major League Soccer All-Star team,
including David Beckham, in Toronto on Thursday. Columbus fans have a
boisterous reputation. One of their supporters' groups is called the Hudson
Street Hooligans, echoing the 2005 film known in the US as Green Street
Hooligans, which, coincidentally, is about an American who falls in with
violent West Ham followers who teach him how to fight.
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Fit again Kieron is having a ball - The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: Today
KIERON DYER has revealed his relief after kicking a ball again for West Ham
— almost 11 months after a double leg break. The £6million midfielder
resumed full training yesterday and is targeting a return against his old
club Ipswich on August 4. Dyer, 29, said: "I joined in with everything. We
had a warm-up, a keep-ball session and finished off with a little match.
"It's been a very long time but it felt good and I'm absolutely delighted to
be back. I got through the session with no setbacks or reaction. "It's just
so good to be involved again. I had a few setbacks but have been able to put
all that behind me now. I've worked hard to get through it all. "Once the
pre-season fixtures came out, I noticed we were playing Ipswich. I thought
that would be a good game to pencil in for my return."
Dyer skipped the club's pre-season tour to the USA. And he missed West Ham's
3-1 win against Columbus Crew on Sunday that was marred by a half-time fight
involving more than 100 fans. The trouble began when a handful of Hammers
supporters entered a part of the stadium where the Crew's most boisterous
fans gather.
RICHARD WRIGHT is back at Ipswich after leaving for Arsenal in a £6million
deal seven years ago. The keeper has been snapped up from West Ham for an
undisclosed fee.
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MLS step up security for All Stars game after West Ham fan violence - The
Mirros
By Tom Collomosse 22/07/2008
Worried American soccer chiefs are ready to step up security for West Ham's
friendly against the MLS All-Stars on Thursday after crowd trouble marred
the Hammers' match with Columbus Crew. David Beckham could feature for the
Major League Select XI against Alan Curbishley's team in Toronto and the MLS
is desperate to avoid a repeat of the trouble which flared during the
Premier League side's 3-1 victory in Ohio. The MLS is investigating the
incident, which saw a group of West Ham fans gain access to the north east
corner of the Crew Stadium that houses the hosts' hardcore support. Taunts
between the two sets of fans gave way to fighting between more than 100 Crew
fans and at least 30 Hammers supporters at half-time.
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Ex Hammer John Pantsil wants Premier League lift off with Fulham - The
Mirror
22/07/2008
Ghana defender John Pantsil is hoping his move across London from West Ham
to Fulham will help kick-start his Premier League career. The 27-year-old
joined the Cottagers last week along with Hammers team-mate Bobby Zamora in
a joint deal worth £6.3million and has immediately set his sights on
first-team football. "This is a new challenge now for me, to come here and
prove that I deserve to be a Premier League regular," said Pantsil. "I'm
happy with the opportunity and keen to put in the time on the training
ground to get that."
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West Ham says brawl won't mar visit to U.S. - RockyMountainsNews.com
Associated Press
Originally published 12:33 a.m., July 22, 2008
Updated 12:33 a.m., July 22, 2008
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A halftime brawl at a Columbus Crew match won't mar the
rest of West Ham United's trip through North America. Team chief executive
Scott Duxbury said Monday that a fight between the two teams' fans was
isolated and shouldn't overshadow the club's trip to the United States. He
said the team condemns fans' actions. "While we take such matters seriously
and utterly condemn the actions of those involved, we must not let this mar
what has been a positive trip so far and the excellent way we and our
supporters have been treated in Columbus," Duxbury said. About 30 fans of
the English Premier League club and more than 100 Columbus Crew supporters
scuffled and some threw punches on Sunday. The state highway patrol arrested
a single fan outside of the stadium for disorderly conduct. No injuries were
reported. West Ham United beat the Columbus Crew 3-1. "The match was a
fitting warm-up for the MLS All-Star Game, which we are proud to be involved
in," Duxbury said. The All-Star Game will be played Thursday in Toronto. It
was the second incident at Crew Stadium this year. In May, a video captured
a racial slur shouted at a black New England Revolution player, prompting a
league investigation.
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West Ham & Columbus Violence Is The Wake Up Call America Needs - epltalk.com
July 22nd, 2008 By The Gaffer · No Comments
If you ask an average American what words he or she associates with soccer,
chances are that the first one uttered will be 'hooligans.'
It's a word that has long tarnished mainstream America's view of the sport,
but it's always been perceived as "The English Disease." That perception,
however, will change if incidents such as the one at the Columbus Crew
against West Ham friendly continue to spiral out of control across this
country.
For me, it feels like deja vu. When the United States hosted the World Cup
in 1994, many Americans breathed a sigh of relief that England didn't
qualify for the tournament. I was one of them. For the game to flourish in
the States, the last thing the country needed was hooligans running through
the streets.
Then and now, I still believe that the issue isn't so much the hooligans but
it's the way they're policed. Sure, there are plenty of idiots drunken on
causing aggro whether they're Englishmen or Americans. You're never going to
rid the world of those imbeciles, but what you can do is control it and
reduce the chances of it happening within soccer stadiums.
In the late 1980's and early 1990's, I was extremely worried about the
ability of the police and security in the United States to handle the
onslaught of English football hooligans. Living in the United States, I had
been to countless international and club matches in South Florida and saw
first-hand how inept the police officers and security guards were.
I was at the Arsenal against Independiente friendly in Miami in 1989 when
security had no idea how to handle a few hundred Gunners fans that had
traveled from England. The armed police officers, presumably brainwashed by
images of rioting English fans on U.S. TV, were poised to attack. They
hassled the supporters at every opportunity even though all the fans were
doing was standing up and singing to support their team. If the cops had
such a difficult time handling a few hundred fans, imagine how inept they
would be when they were faced with tens of thousands of supporters.
Other instances stick in my mind such as the first few home games for the
Miami Fusion where armed police officers routinely went into the stands and
created mayhem by brandishing their weapons. Then there was the away game I
attended with Fusion supporters in Tampa where a Tampa policeman, obviously
high on power, started arresting Miami fans inside the stadium because they
were standing in the aisle instead of behind their seats. Conveniently, the
police were nowhere to be seen after the game when a pack of ten Tampa fans
ambushed us while we were exiting the stadium.
What it comes down to is poorly trained security officers who have no idea
how to handle soccer fans. These are people who are not used to soccer
culture and feel threatened by spectators who don't behave like "normal"
American sports fans.
By reading some of the accounts from the West Ham against Columbus game, it
doesn't sound like many of the neanderthals who disguise themselves as
security guards have learned much since my first experiences with them from
the late 1980's. That needs to change and it's something that the British
police would be more than happy to teach the Americans.
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MLS step up security for All Stars game after West Ham fan violence - The
Mirror
By Tom Collomosse 22/07/2008
Worried American soccer chiefs are ready to step up security for West Ham's
friendly against the MLS All-Stars on Thursday after crowd trouble marred
the Hammers' match with Columbus Crew. David Beckham could feature for the
Major League Select XI against Alan Curbishley's team in Toronto and the MLS
is desperate to avoid a repeat of the trouble which flared during the
Premier League side's 3-1 victory in Ohio. The MLS is investigating the
incident, which saw a group of West Ham fans gain access to the north east
corner of the Crew Stadium that houses the hosts' hardcore support. Taunts
between the two sets of fans gave way to fighting between more than 100 Crew
fans and at least 30 Hammers supporters at half-time.
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NEILL NOT LOOKING TO LEAVE - Football365
Posted 22/07/08 08:18
Lucas Neill has insisted he isn't looking to leave West Ham this summer. The
Australian full-back was linked with a reunion with his former Blackburn
boss Mark Hughes at Manchester City earlier in the summer, while recent
reports have credited Galatasaray with an interest in the 30-year-old. But
quoted in The Sun, Neill said: "I'm a West Ham player. That's the start and
finish of it."
Neill appears unlikely to be joined at Upton Park by Eidur Gudjohnsen next
season, though, with the Daily Mail reporting the former Chelsea man will
not leave Barcelona after rejecting a £5million move to the Hammers.
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Dyer delighted to return to training - TeamTalk
West Ham midfielder Kieron Dyer has spoken of his relief as he prepares to
end an 11-month spell on the sidelines this pre-season. The England
international has had to undergo an intense regime of rehabilitation since
suffering a double leg break, but he is now looking to next season with
renewed optimism. Having pencilled in a return date against former club
Ipswich on 4th August, Dyer is confident he will soon be back to his best.
West Ham's pre-season game against Colombus Crew on Sunday came too soon for
Dyer, but he did partake in full training for the first time. "I joined in
with everything. We had a warm-up, a keep-ball session and finished off with
a little match," he told The Sun. "It's been a very long time but it felt
good and I'm absolutely delighted to be back. I got through the session with
no setbacks or reaction. "It's just so good to be involved again. I had a
few setbacks but have been able to put all that behind me now. I've worked
hard to get through it all. "Once the pre-season fixtures came out, I
noticed we were playing Ipswich. I thought that would be a good game to
pencil in for my return."
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West Ham's Curbishley convinced more Americans will join Premiership
tribalfooball.com - July 21, 2008
West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley is convinced more MLS players will soon
be making the move to the Premiership. Curbishley said: "You are going to
see more American players coming into the Premier League, that is for sure
because they have got all the attributes. They are fit, they understand the
aggression, the work-rate and when they set their minds to any sport they
are going to do well."
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West Ham boss Curbishley happy to have Bellamy available
tribalfootball.com - July 21, 2008
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley was delighted with Craig Bellamy's performance
in their friendly victory over the US's Columbus Crew. He told whufc.com: "I
think it just shows what we have missed last year. He can turn a bad ball
into a good one and you know his work-rate brings other people into the
game. Julien [Faubert] is also getting fitter. [Scott] Parker is going to be
fitter than he was last year so I am hoping they are going to be like three
new signings. They didn't play enough football last year and things are
going OK."
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West Ham's Faubert delighted with fitness
tribalfooball.com - July 21, 2008
West Ham midfielder Julien Faubert hopes his injury nightmare is behind him.
The Frenchman has starred in the Hammers' first two pre-season games after
missing most of last season. He said: "I hope I can help the club into
Europe."
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