WHUFC.com
The visit of Arsenal and the chance to start at home again has left Craig
Bellamy full of optimism
25.10.2008
Craig Bellamy has spoken about the impact made by Gianfranco Zola and his
ambitions for West Ham United - starting with Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.
The striker, who has made four appearances off the bench this campaign, is
set for his first start at the Boleyn Ground since 21 October 2007 - a 3-1
home win against Sunderland - and will take plenty into the game from the
new manager. "He's got a lot and works with you very closely which is very
good," Bellamy said when asked about the Zola effect.
"He's very humble as well. He's not 'look, you should be able to do this or
you should be able to do that'. He says 'try and do this' and the way he
puts it across is very good. He gives you just little bits. He doesn't try
getting into you. It's just that little bit he knows can bring you on.
"He works with you every day like players did with him when he was a player
because he was obviously with some of the best like [Diego] Maradona and
everyone. At Napoli and at Parma he worked with some outstanding players. So
he's trying to do that by coming here. His enthusiasm is such that after
every training session he is doing something with us - shooting, skills and
free-kicks he's very big on."
Bellamy went on to describe his manager as "different class" and
acknowledged how hard it can be for any coach coming in to a new club. He
added: "It's difficult for him because we were a team that did all the
pre-season under a different manager and then, suddenly, a couple of weeks
into the season, he's come in and had to put his ideas across which he
hasn't been shy in doing. The players have responded well."
The Wales captain also has admiration for Zola's opposite number on Sunday,
Arsene Wenger, for the way he has shaped Arsenal over the past decade.
"They're an outstanding team and a really outstanding football club. The way
they're run and everything about them is just special. They've got one of
the greatest managers in the world there who has changed the Premier League
and had a massive influence on football in this country."
While Bellamy looks up to the likes of Wenger, his own approach to the game
and response to a question of whether he sees himself as a role model is
that he simply aims to be the best he can be in training and then take that
on into matches. "I just try to look after myself and try and set my own
standards so if I play well on a Saturday, people say 'look what he does in
the week. No wonder he plays well'.
"I can be the greatest professional in the world but if I don't play well
it'll go over people's heads. That's why I've got to get the balance.
There's looking after myself and then I've got to put in a performance at
the end of the week and people will realise there is no coincidence."
He has been working particularly hard of late to get back to his best and is
relishing the chance to take on Arsenal. "It's a good game to have as my
first start for a year at Upton Park. I feel really good. I'm not naive
enough to think I'm going to be straight back in. I need more games ?
training has really stepped up again and hopefully with Arsenal and then Man
United [on Wednesday], touch wood, I just want to keep playing now.
The final word should perhaps go to his manager, with Zola impressed by what
he has seen at Chadwell Heath and in the rarefied air of the Barlcays
Premier League when it comes to his dynamic No10. "He is very important," he
said. "He is one of the players that can give us that extra bit. He is sharp
and in the last 20 minutes he is always dangerous ... we have a lot of hopes
for him because he can take us to a higher level."
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The goal for Cole
WHUFC.com
Gianfranco Zola is predictiing big things for Carlton Cole if he continues
his fine form
25.10.2008
Carlton Cole's recent performances have certainly caught the eye and his
delighted manager is tipping him to continue to go from strength to
strength.
Having scored against Blackburn Rovers, Fulham and Bolton Wanderers, the
in-form No12 was unlucky to see a shot come off the bar against Hull City
last weekend that would have made it three goals in three games. Zola thinks
the promising start means England manager Fabio Capello could soon be taking
notice.
"Carlton Cole is playing well. He needs to improve his finishing and he
knows that," he said. "I have a lot of faith in him - it's something that he
can improve and he will improve through training sessions and through
scoring goals and getting confidence, but it is down to him. If he can add
that last part which is the most important part, he can really become an
international player."
Emile Heskey has performed the main central role for England admirably of
late, but the back-up position to him seems to be open to contenders
particularly following Dean Ashton's injury. "He [Cole] has got a chance;
he's really got a chance in that position. He needs to step up a little bit
in his finishing and score more goals than he does because he really helps
the team a lot."
"Helping the others - that is brilliant, but a striker needs to score more
goals and I'm sure he will. He is very committed and I will help him a lot."
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Captain's Blog - Up for the derby
WHUFC.com
The visit of Arsenal this weekend has raised the expectation levels, says
Lucas Neill
25.10.2008
This week has seen a real deliberate reaction from the whole of the squad to
the disappointment of the result up at Hull.
Everyone is very conscious that the intensity of training which has been
good, needed to be maintained and built on and as a result, there has been a
real urgency and focus this week.
We all want to react positively to a game which for 90 per cent of the time,
we dominated and were comfortable. It started much like the game up at Derby
last season where we broke through and ended up winning convincingly. Had we
done that last weekend, I believe we would have had a similar result. The
result stands though, but there were plenty of positives to take from it.
I would like to welcome Arsenal, their manager, players, staff and
supporters for the game on Sunday. We go into a match, that I feel couldn't
happen at a better time. The crowd will be up, everyone raises their game
against one of the big four clubs and it is a game where we will look to set
about Arsenal, upset them, play the ball and I am sure it is going to be a
very exciting game.
At home, we are extremely confident that we will get a positive result and
put the disappointment of the last two defeats behind us.
Fulham have already showed that Arsenal, away from home, can be vulnerable
and I have no doubt that the way we are playing at home, added with a bit
more aggression, we can get a similar result. This is a game that all this
week in training, we firmly believe we can get a good result and upset the
form guides and prove the so-called experts wrong.
A lot has happened since my last column - there was the international break
for the World Cup qualifiers that brought a lot of positives for several of
our players. For myself, with Australia we enjoyed a 4-0 win over Qatar.
Matty Upson played in the two England games, which they won both and Matty
by all accounts gave a good representation of himself, his club and country
in those two matches.
Bellars and Ginge [Craig Bellamy and James Collins] had mixed fortunes in
terms of results with Wales but can consider themselves unlucky not to have
got something from the match against Germany. Valon [Behrami] won two
difficult games with Switzerland, Herita [Ilunga] was with DR Congo and
Nobes and Jack [Mark Noble and Jack Collison] were up against each other as
England Under-21's met Wales Under-21's, with England enjoying the spoils
there.
West Ham United as a club stepped up their work in the local community this
week as part of the Premier League's Creating Chances initiative. Matty
Upson paid a visit to the Braintree Rethink Carers Support group which helps
and supports people who suffer or who have suffered with a mental illness.
Our manager Gianfranco Zola went along to take part in a Community scheme
that is run by our club, which helps to teach youngsters how to become
sports coaches. These are just two visits among many in the community which
as a club we will be involved in this season.
This week has seen the Kick It Out, One Game, One Community initiative
launched for this season, Carlton Cole is our team's ambassador. The game
against Arsenal is our day of action to put our weight behind erasing racism
in all forms from our game.
Football is recognised as a universal game played by every colour, creed and
race, therefore there is no room on the pitch or on the terraces for racism.
I urge our fans to support this as much as they can and recognise that good
work is being done off the field for this and it is up to us to put that
right on the field.
The camp is very buoyant because we know if we continue to create the
chances we have been creating and play the way we have been playing -
cutting a few errors out here and there - the wins and the goals are going
to come.
I am sure you will agree as fans, coming to watch our games at the moment
has been quite pleasant on the eye and we can only get better with the way
the manager wants us to play and the belief he has given us to pass the ball
around. Don't lose faith because this is still a very exciting season for
us.
This weekend against Arsenal, we will again need you, the fans, as the
proverbial 12th man against a very good footballing team. You can be a
driving force behind us as we look to put the frustration of not getting
anything from the last two games into Sunday's match and rectify that by
getting back on the winning road.
I would quickly like to mention that the Christmas parties for our younger
fans, the Youth Academy members, is fast approaching. So, be sure to book
your place and myself and the players will see you there. Enjoy the game.
Lucas Neill
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Positive approach for Sunday
WHUFC.com
Gianfranco Zola is looking to go on the offensive against Arsenal and has
full confidence in his players
25.10.2008
Gianfranco Zola is a big fan of the style of play of Sunday's opponents but
will not change his own attacking approach to stifle Arsene Wenger's
visitors.
He said: "He is one of the managers I admire the most ... he is one of the
managers I look up to. I like the way he manages the team and the way his
team play. In England, Arsenal probably belongs to the top three or four
teams and they are a very young team and can only get better and better and
can achieve a lot.
"We are going to try to attack. If you sit and wait they will find a way to
beat you anyway as they are very good. The danger can come from so many
players. What teams like Arsenal don't like is when someone tries to hit
them back. We will try to play our game and see if they are better than us.
Simple as that."
The Arsenal fixture leads the way on a busy week. After the Gunners' visit,
the team travel to Old Trafford on Wednesday before an even longer trip to
Middlesbrough next Saturday. It is exactly this kind of schedule and the
prospect of testing himself against the best that excites the manager. "It's
going to be a tough game [against Arsenal] but I rely a lot on my players
and I have so much confidence in them in what they are doing and so much
confidence in what they can do, so I will have a very good night's sleep!"
Zola did not register a win against Arsenal in 12 attempts as a player but
hopes he will enjoy slightly better fortune as a manager. "Yes they are
quite a difficult team to beat as a player, maybe it might change now as a
manager - I hope so. They have always been a difficult team to beat and they
will be this time as well but things can be changed."
Despite the tough looking fixture list, Zola believes a victory in one of
those games could have a big impact. "You become better by playing through
these games. You have to be big enough not to have any worries and just get
enjoyment from it."
Zola's forward line has been boosted by the return of Craig Bellamy against
Hull and the form of striker Freddie Sears, one of a number of youngsters to
impress for the reserves against Arsenal reserves in midweek. "My hope is
that we are going to develop them in this club. It's always been good
because it has already some good players," Zola said.
"Freddie Sears has already played and I have good expectations of him. We
also have some other good players coming through and hopefully they will get
better. We are making these training sessions to get them when we have the
opportunity to come in and play with us so they have a feel of that to make
them better. I have a lot of faith in them," he added.
Zola is clear about how he wants to achieve success - through developing
young talent. "That is the reason I came to this club. The project I was
presented by Scott Duxbury and Gianluca Nani was to come to this team, get
talented young players and try to develop them. One day maybe we can compete
with the big teams, at a high level, with the players we have brought up.
That is the plan. That is what I like about this job."
"The plan is this club wants to become competitive and become one of the top
teams in this country. But we want to do this through developing talented
players, maybe through bringing in some young talented players and maybe
developing the players we have over here. That is the plan and that is what
we will do."
Zola says he is relishing the work he is putting in with his squad on the
training pitch as he looks to pass on his knowledge to the next generation.
"Training is the part of the job I enjoy the most. It is the one I have
spent of my career building up that part and it is the part I like. That's
why I say the players can only become better through training sessions and
they are made to improve you. So I am going to be emphasising that all of
the time."
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Zola has plenty to consider
WHUFC.com
Gianfranco Zola could have James Collins and Lee Bowyer on Sunday and has
updated on Kieron Dyer
25.10.2008
Gianfranco Zola has been busy preparing his squad for the visit of London
rivals Arsenal on Sunday while there is encouraging signs for Kieron Dyer.
James Collins and Lee Bowyer are back in contention after recovering from
injuries but Mark Noble will miss out after damaging his calf in training
this week. Diego Tristan will also be given more time to prove his fitness.
Zola said: "We have Mark Noble who is going to be out for a few weeks. He
just had a tear problem in his calf and that is the bad news. But we have
Lee Bowyer coming back from injury and James Collins will be available for
the game."
The manager went along to watch the reserves in midweek action, and was
impressed by what he saw in the 1-0 home win against Arsenal's second
string. Hayden Mullins, Luis Boa Morte and Jack Collison all staked their
claim for a starting berth in the midfield. The latter only turned 20 this
month but Zola is confident in the club's emerging talents. "There are some
young players coming through who can become important players," he said.
Of Dyer, who was involved in Friday morning's training session with the rest
of the first-team squad as he gets close to a return after over a year out
with a double leg-break, Zola said: "He is not far away but this is the most
delicate time. He is progressing very well. We are bringing him with us to
do the first part of the job that we do [in training] but he still needs a
little bit of time. He can't really tackle and do things like that. He is
doing OK and we are really pleased. "
Meanwhile, Jonathan Spector is due back at the club this weekend ahead of
resuming training. He had summer surgery on a hip injury and has been
working hard on his recovery in the United States. Also, set to be involved
next week after a medial knee ligament injury he picked up on England
Under-19 duty is James Tomkins. Finally, Dean Ashton has also reported good
early progress on his rehab from an ankle injury, and has been a regular
back at the training ground. He has discarded the crutches and already
started swimming and cycling, although no date has yet been put on his
return in the New Year.
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West Ham v Arsenal
BBC.co.uk
PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Upton Park Date: Sunday, 26 October Kick-off: 1600 GMT
Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sport website with
highlights on Match of the Day 2
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West Ham will be without Mark Noble for a month after the England Under-21
midfielder tore his calf in training. Lee Bowyer is expected to deputise for
Noble and defender James Collins is also back in contention but Spanish
striker Diego Tristan is ruled out.
Arsenal have both captain William Gallas (thigh) and fellow centre-half Kolo
Toure (shoulder) available. Full-back Bacary Sagna (knee) has an outside
chance of returning but may need another week's recovery.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola: "We are going to try to attack. If you sit
and wait they will find a way to beat you anyway as they are very good.
"What teams like Arsenal don't like is when someone tries to hit them back.
We will try and play our game and see if they are better than us."
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger: I still feel there is a little hangover from
last year when we didn't win the title. "We want to come back stronger this
year and get everyone behind the team. But I believe we have to get the fans
going. "From last year we get the feeling we can do it and the only way is
to get everybody behind the team. There was nothing more in my speech than
that. "I have the impression that the stadium is too quiet."
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Rat deserts (another) sinking ship
KUMB.com
Filed: Sunday, 26th October 2008
By: Staff Writer
Former Hammers manager Harry Redknapp has completed a shock switch to bottom
of the table Tottenham.
Redknapp - an Arsenal fan as a child who was in charge at the Boleyn between
1994 and 2001 - was announced as Tottenham's new manager shortly ahead of
midnight after Juande Ramos and his team were sacked less than 24 hours
ahead of their game with Bolton.
Redknapp was allowed to leave Portsmouth - who are said to be struggling
financially - for a fee of £5million. He will officially take charge of his
new team on Monday, although will be present in the stands tomorrow for the
Wanderers clash.
Reaction from both West Ham and Tottenham supporters to the news has been,
on the whole, negative; one disappointed Spurs fan on Glory Glory said:
"It's like the George Grahram appointment all over again. Where's the
ambition? Where are we going to be in three years [time]? "
United fans, speaking on the KUMB.com forum tonight have been equally
scathing; one said:
"[I] had a lot of respect for Redknapp but i've lost it now. Of all the
teams to go to, he chose them bunch of herberts!"
Redknapp - who only a fortnight ago roundly condemned Tottenham fans
following their treatment of former player Sol Campbell, and who had
previously insisted that his spell at Fratton Park would be his last in
football - told SkySports:
"Tottenham are a big club and it is a chance for me to see what I can do. We
need more aggression and we've been on a horrendous run. We've got to get
cracking and get results.
"We can stay up this year. We've got a good chairman who backs the club.
Hopefully I can go in and get the breaks.
"It came a bit out of the blue and once the compensation was agreed it was
all systems go. I was so happy at Portsmouth that until we got the phone
call I never thought I would leave. But once Tottenham came in and the offer
was made it was difficult for the club to turn down the offer.
"I've moved on and hopefully people will remember what I did there. I wish
Jermaine Defoe was at Tottenham now!"
Although a surprise, the move is not perhaps as unlikely as it would first
appear for Redknapp possesses a well-honed ability to jump ship at the right
time.
After initial success at Bournemouth in the late 1980s, Redknapp resigned
from his position after becoming disillusioned at the lack of transfer funds
available. The Cherries later avoided going bust by the skin of their teeth.
His next stop was at West Ham where he was first appointed as Billy Bonds'
right-hand man. But after stabbing his former pal in the back - something
which led Bonds to furiously declare that he would never speak to Redknapp
again - he was made manger, a position he held for some seven years.
However finances were again at the centre of Redknapp's departure from Upton
Park; after demanding a £10million summer transfer warchest he was fired by
then Chairman Terry Brown. United were relegated two seasons later after the
financial burden of Redknapp's signings eventually took its toll.
After being appointed Director of Football by Portsmouth in 2001 he was made
manager a year later after replacing Graham Rix. With the help of backing
from Milan Mandaric Redknapp took Portsmouth into the Premier League where
he kept them for three years against the odds.
Things again turned sour for Redknapp in 2004 when disagreements over the
appointment of a Director of Football led him to once again resign. But just
weeks later he risked the wrath of Pompey fans by joining their bitter
rivals Southampton.
Unfortunately for Redknapp his magic touch deserted him and he failed to
save the Saints from relegation. After an average return from his
Championship efforts he resigned in protest at the appointment of former
England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward.
Continuing to surprise, Redknapp returned to Portsmouth weeks later where he
remained until yesterday. His new side currently sit bottom of the Premier
League with just two points from their opening eight fixtures.
Redknapp - whose colourful career included accusations of corruption two
years ago - next returns to the Boleyn Ground on Monday, 8th December when
his new team take on Gianfranco Zola's side in front of the TV cameras.
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Gianfranco Zola would terrorise defenders even at 42, says Craig Bellamy
Telegraph.co.uk
Craig Bellamy believes West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is still good enough to
grace a Premier League side.
By Rory Smith
Last Updated: 8:22PM BST 25 Oct 2008
The well-travelled Welsh striker has been so impressed with the diminutive
Italian's abilities in training that he is confident he could prove a menace
to most defenders even at the ripe old age of 42. But while Zola is not
planning on donning his boots any time soon, Bellamy takes solace in the
fact that such a talented boss cannot help but inspire his players to
improve. Bellamy said: "You can learn just from watching what he does. "He's
working very closely with us and that really helps. Everyone at the club has
been really impressed with him. "I know you'd expect me to say that but I
wouldn't if it wasn't true. "He's very humble, too. To be as good a player
he was and to be able to get your message across is difficult. "We've seen
time and again over the years that great players don't necessarily know how
to manage but the way he puts things across is very good. "He'll spend time
with us after training practising shooting, skills and free kicks, things
like that. He's still good enough to play, if I'm honest. "He played with
Maradona when he was at Napoli and some great players at Parma who just
pointed out little things that would bring him on, and that's what he's
trying to do here."
Bellamy will line up at Upton Park to make his first home start for more
than a year against an Arsenal side in rampant form. The Gunners scored five
to sweep aside Fenerbahce in midweek after a rousing second-half performance
against Everton at the Emirates last week. And Bellamy knows Arsene Wenger's
side are not the sort of team a West Ham side, who have lost twice in a row,
want to face as they seek to arrest their slump. He added: "My experiences
of playing against Arsenal are pretty much the same as the rest of the
Premier League's. "You just never get a kick. There was nobody happier than
me when they knocked Highbury down – I'd watched so many games there because
I could just not get the ball. "But it's a good game for me to be involved
in while I'm trying to get my fitness back, because I'll have to do a lot of
running."
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West Ham sends Miller to Bishop's Strotford
26.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United defender Ashley Miller has joined Bishop's Stortford on a
month's loan. Miller, who gained valuable experience on the first-team's
pre-season tour of North America, has played once for the reserves this
season and also had three games at Under-18 level.
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West Ham boss Zola backing Sears for big future
26.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola is convinced teenage striker Freddie
Sears has a big future. "My hope is that we are going to develop them in
this club. It's always been good because it has already some good players,"
Zola said. "Freddie Sears has already played and I have good expectations of
him. We also have some other good players coming through and hopefully they
will get better. We are making these training sessions to get them when we
have the opportunity to come in and play with us so they have a feel of that
to make them better. I have a lot of faith in them," he added.
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West Ham boss Zola convinced Cole can win England call
26.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola is convinced Carlton Cole can play his
way into the England squad. "Carlton Cole is playing well. He needs to
improve his finishing and he knows that," he told whufc.com. "I have a lot
of faith in him - it's something that he can improve and he will improve
through training sessions and through scoring goals and getting confidence,
but it is down to him. If he can add that last part which is the most
important part, he can really become an international player."
Emile Heskey has performed the main central role for England admirably of
late, but the back-up position to him seems to be open to contenders
particularly following Dean Ashton's injury. "He [Cole] has got a chance;
he's really got a chance in that position. He needs to step up a little bit
in his finishing and score more goals than he does because he really helps
the team a lot. "Helping the others - that is brilliant, but a striker needs
to score more goals and I'm sure he will. He is very committed and I will
help him a lot."
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West Ham striker Bellamy wants four more years
26.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham striker Craig Bellamy admits he may have four more years left in
the game. The 29 year-old said: "I'll get to 33 and see what my body tells
me but it has taken a battering. I'm the sort of player who invites
challenges and that's why I've had so many injuries. "There have been some
real lows and it really takes it out of you. Not just the injuries, but the
surgeries and the rehabs are really tough times. "The pain every day is
tough to take. "But I'm not worried that I've lost any pace. As soon as I
could do any strenuous running I was working on my speed because it's such a
large part of my game. "I'll be just the same as I was."
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West Ham boss Zola not thinking of Serie A return
26.10.08 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United boss Gianfranco Zola has cooled talk of working in Italy's
Serie A. He said: "I think things are going well because the team played
decent football from the start and is constantly adding a little more. In
terms of results, we got off to a very good start. "I never regretted the
decision. I am throwing myself into it and am happy to have accepted this
challenge."
When asked if he would become a Serie A coach, Zola was less enthusiastic.
"I don't know, being a Coach in Italy is very different to doing it in
England. I won't say anything more for fear of contradicting myself. "I do
hope to have fun here and repay West Ham for their faith in me, investing in
me despite my lack of experience."
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