WHUFC.com
An FA Cup tie in which Geoff Hurst and Clyde Best were on target is the
focus today
15.01.2009
Classic match
West Ham United 2-1 Luton Town
FA Cup third round
15 January 1972
West Ham United progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win
over Luton Town in this tense encounter.
32,099 were in the Boleyn Ground as Trevor Brooking set up Geoff Hurst to
put the Hammers in front after just 91 seconds. Clyde Best made it two 23
minutes later as the home side looked as thought they would cruise to
victory.
However, Don Givens got one back for the Hatters eight minutes after the
break to set up a gripping finale. Geoff Hurst had a penalty saved while
Bobby Ferguson had to be at his best to deny the visitors late on as United
held on to go through.
West Ham United would go on to knock Hereford United out in the next round
with Geoff Hurst getting a hat-trick in a 3-1 replay win, before coming
unstuck at Huddersfield Town in the fifth round.
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Reid loaned to Wolves
WHUFC.com
Winger Kyel Reid has joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan until May
15.01.2009
Young midfielder Kyel Reid will be looking to gain further first-team
experience after joining Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan
until the end of the season.
The 21-year-old academy graduate has been bought in to help Mick McCarthy's
mens' promotion push and could make his debut for the league-leaders in
Saturday's away game at Bristol City. Reid had only just returned from a
succesful loan spell at fellow Championship side Blackpool.
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Man City hopeful of Bellamy deal
Bbc.co.uk
Manchester City are still hopeful of signing Craig Bellamy despite having a
third bid for the Wales striker turned down by West Ham United. The Hammers
turned down an improved £9m offer for the 29-year-old on Monday but City
made a higher bid on Wednesday. Manager Mark Hughes is keen to bring Bellamy
and Scott Parker to Eastlands but has so far failed to land either. "We are
still very hopeful that something can happen," Manchester City assistant
manager Mark Bowen said. West Ham, whose owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson may
sell the club, insist they do not want to offload players and are under no
pressure to do so. Wales captain Bellamy played under Bowen and Hughes
during his time as Wales and Blackburn Rovers manager. "Our third bid has
been turned down but we will see what develops from there," Bowen told BBC
Sport. "Of course we're interested in Craig Bellamy, he is a player we very
much admire and we are hopeful we can bring him to Manchester City. "We've
known Craig for many years, and had him at Blackburn Rovers, and we know
what he brings to any team he plays for. "It does make me smile as I think
he is one of those players who you either love or hate. "But fans of teams
that he has played for love him and know what he gave for their team."
Often a controversial figure, Bellamy has helped lead 10th-placed West Ham
back up the Premier League table in recent weeks after they had initially
struggled as Gianfranco Zola settled in at the club after joining as its new
manager in September. And speaking after Saturday's 2-2 draw at Newcastle,
in which Bellamy scored his sixth goal of the season, Zola said: "If you see
the way he plays all over the pitch, it is fantastic. "It is an example of
professionalism and he is performing very well." The Italian added: "It is
not true that we want to sell our best players. We want to improve so we are
hopeful we can do this." The former Liverpool, Blackburn, Newcastle,
Coventry and Norwich forward has made 54 appearances for his country scoring
16 goals. City, who signed left-back Wayne Bridge from Chelsea for around
£10m when the January transfer window opened, have also had a £12m bid for
Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz rejected.
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£15mill - or do one
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 15th January 2009
By: Staff Writer
West Ham have told Manchester City to forget about signing Craig Bellamy -
unless they put their money where they mouth is. A third bid for the Welsh
striker of around £10million was made by cash-rich City last night and
instantly rejected by the Hammers, who have told the Arabic-owned club that
they will consider nothing less than £15million for the 29-year-old former
Liverpool forward. City have thus far made three bids; the first a joint
move for Bellamy and Scott Parker worth around £15million for the pair, a
second bid for Bellamy alone of £8.5million plus add-ons and last night's
offer of just under £10million.
But the Hammers will refuse to put the offer to manager Gianfranco Zola
unless City hit the magic £15million mark - which, given that they were
reportedly set to offer £100million for Inter's Kaka yesterday, would appear
to be an inevitable conclusion IF Mark Hughes continues to prefer Bellamy
over his other target, Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz.
Meanwhile today's Independent reports that United rejected a second bid for
Bellamy yesterday from Tottenham, who having originally offered a paltry
£6million for the striker - an offer laughed off by West Ham - came back
with a new offer of a straight swap for former Hammers target Darren Bent,
who Eggert Magnusson had been willing to pay £16million for in the summer of
2007.
Elsewhere and there is no further news on Luis Boa Morte's propsed move to
Hull, although the two parties have met and discussed personal terms. City
boss Phil Brown had hoped to have both Boa Morte and fellow target Kevin
Kilbane in his squad for this weekend's clash with Liverpool.
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Wolves close on Reid
Hammers youngster set for loan move
Last updated: 15th January 2009
SSN
West Ham winger Kyel Reid is on the brink of joining Wolves on loan until
the end of the season. The Championship leaders have agreed a deal with West
Ham and Reid is set to complete the move later on Thursday. The 21-year-old
has come through the youth ranks at West Ham but he has had few
opportunities to impress under Gianfranco Zola. Reid has recently finished a
one-month loan spell with Blackpool and the Hammers are now allowing him to
go out and gain further experience. Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey is
delighted to be bringing Reid to Molineux and feels the youngster will give
Mick McCarthy an exciting new option. He told the club's official website:
"Mick has been keen to bring in a wide player during the transfer window and
after the deal to sign Alan Gow fell through, we have moved quickly for
Kyel. "We look forward to having him with us for the rest of the season."
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Tigers waiting on Boa Morte
Brown seeks contract compromise
By Chris Burton Last updated: 15th January 2009
SSN
Hull City boss Phil Brown admits his efforts to sign West Ham midfielder
Luis Boa Morte have hit a stumbling block. The Tigers boss had hoped to push
through a deal for the Portuguese playmaker during the transfer window.
However, the two parties are struggling to agree personal terms and Brown
accepts the move will collapse should a compromise not be reached. "We are
miles apart where Luis is concerned with personal terms," he said. "We have
agreed a deal with regards to West Ham, but it is now down to Luis to come
down in his evaluation of his next contract. It is up to Luis."
Meanwhile, Brown has been left frustrated by Sunderland's decision to recall
Paul McShane from his loan spell at KC Stadium. He remains hopeful that the
Republic of Ireland defender could be brought back to the club in the
future, but for now is disappointed at seeing his defensive options culled.
"It is an option (brining him back) but it would depend on Ricky Sbragia's
shopping list - and at the moment it seems to be falling on deaf ears,"
Brown reported.
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Magpies launch Mbia bid
Offer lodged for midfielder, while Neill talks are ongoing
Last updated: 15th January 2009
SSN
Newcastle have tabled a £5million approach for Rennes midfielder Stephane
Mbia. Magpies boss Joe Kinnear has made no secret of his admiration for the
Cameroon international and revealed on Wednesday that discussions regarding
a possible deal had reached an advanced stage. It has now emerged that a
sizeable offer has been made for the African ace, with Newcastle keen to
push the deal through as soon as possible. "We put a bid in for Stephane
Mbia earlier in the week with an offer of £5million, that is a permanent
deal," Kinnear told the Evening Chronicle. "He's a fantastic player."
Newcastle are also waiting to hear back from West Ham full-back Lucas Neill
as Kinnear looks to make headway in the transfer market. "We have spoke to
him, we are waiting to hear what the answer is from West Ham," added the
Magpies boss. "All I can say is it is seriously ongoing."
Kinnear remains optimistic that new recruits are imminent and is hoping to
have added fresh faces to his squad by the time Newcastle travel to Ewood
Park on Saturday. He said: "We'd love to have them in for the Blackburn
game. "We wouldn't want to leave it any later. "We'd like to bring back in
injured players and fresh faces. "We've identified the players we want."
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Boa Morte rejects Tigers switch
West Ham wide man says no to KC move
Last updated: 15th January 2009
SSN
Luis Boa Morte has rejected the chance to join Hull City after failing to
agree personal terms at the KC Stadium. The Tigers had concurred on a fee
with West Ham for the Portuguese international but Phil Brown conceded
earlier on Thursday that the deal was close to collapse. West Ham are eager
to offload a number of their fringe players in a bid to reduce both
overheads and the size of Gianfranco Zola's squad, but it would appear Boa
Morte is to stay at Upton Park for the foreseeable future. Brown has already
added Kevin Kilbane to his squad but is eager to bolster further after
struggles in the league of late, despite a lofty position of eighth. A
central defender could also be on his shopping list, with City left short
defensively due to Sunderland's decision to recall Paul McShane from a loan
spell.
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JK confirms Neill Interest
Setanta.co.uk
Alex Livie , 15 January 2009
Hot on the heels of confirmation of a bid for Stephane Mbia, Newcastle boss
Joe Kinnear has confirmed his interest in Lucas Neill. Kinnear is determined
to shore up a number of holes in his side to stave off the threat of
relegation and West Ham defender Neill has come across his radar.
West Ham have signalled their intention to fend off interest in their key
players, despite the financial cloud hanging over the club, but Kinnear has
confirmed Newcastle are ready to test their resolve to keep the Australian.
"We have spoken to them and we are waiting to hear what their answer is,"
said Kinnear. "All I can say is that it is ongoing and we will wait and see.
We could get an answer at any time."
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Newcastle United set their sights on Lucas Neill and Stephane Mbia
West Ham insist Neill is not for sale, despite Newcastle's inquiry
Times Online
Joe Kinnear, the Newcastle United manager, says the club have made an
inquiry for West Ham's Lucas Neill as well as making a £5million bid for
Stephane Mbia, the Rennes midfielder. Kinnear is now awaiting news on the
Australia international, although early reports claim that West Ham have
said they are not looking to sell the player. "We have spoken to his
[Neill's] agent and it is ongoing at the moment, we are just waiting to
see," Kinnear said. "We could get an answer at any time." Newcastle is also
awaiting news on the club's firm offer for Mbia, the 22-year-old Cameroon
international. "We have put a bid in writing for Stephane Mbia and we are
waiting to hear from his club," he said. "We have put a bid in of £5million
and we are waiting to see what the outcome of that is."
Kinnear claimed last night that the club had made two £4m offers for unnamed
players. With his interest in Toulouse defender Albin Ebondo having
apparently cooled, it is understood St Etienne striker Bafetimbi Gomis could
now be in his sights. Meanwhile, Geremi and his representatives are still in
talks over a proposed move to Turkish club Besiktas which could further
boost the club's transfer kitty.
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Faubert desperate to quit West Ham after falling out with Zola
By Matt Lawless Last updated at 3:02 PM on 15th January 2009
Daily Mail
Unsettled Julien Faubert has put his West Ham future in doubt after
launching a furious attack on manager Gianfranco Zola. The out-of-favour
midfielder, a £6.1 million recruit from Bordeaux in 2007, is keen on a move
to French champions Lyon in a bid to revive his international prospects for
Les Bleus. The 25-year-old angrily lambasted Zola after he was an unused
substitute in the Hammers' 2-2 draw at Newcastle last weekend.
And his days at Upton Park are seemingly numbered after the Italian boss
transfer listed Birmingham-bound team-mate Calum Davenport, who previously
spoke out against the manager following his exclusion from the side that
beat Stoke last month. 'I don't know what he is up to,' said Faubert. 'Zola
has said he relies on me but I don't see any opportunities coming.' Faubert
admits he is desperate to quit the Barclays Premier League outfit having
endured a nightmare 19-month period in East London. The one-cap France
international has failed to make an impact since his arrival having ben
blighted by a succession of injuries, notably the ruptured achilles tendon
injury he sustained within his first few weeks at the club which saw him
sidelined for six months and caused him to miss most of last season. With no
less than two weeks until the end of the window the unpopular Faubert, who
has made 15 league starts in the claret and blue this term, is becoming
increasingly desperate to end his tortuous stint in the capital alerting a
host of Ligue 1 sides to his availability. 'Right now my agent is discussing
a move with other clubs.' he revealed with both Lyon and Nantes believed to
be interested. 'Playing for a club such as Lyon is my priority to re-launch
my international career.' Although the makeshift full-back is keen to hurry
a swift exit, Faubert's hefty price-tag is thought to be putting off
potential suitors with the frustrated winger's financially troubled
employers looking to recoup most of the fee they initially paid for him.
'The problem is that my selling price is far too high,' he added.
Meanwhile, Kieron Dyer is line to make his first Premier League appearance
for West Ham since August, 2007 in Sunday's derby against Fulham.
Dyer successfully came through 70 minutes of reserve team football unscathed
against Aston Villa last night - it was his third outing since his return
from an 18-month broken leg lay-off. The 30-year-old former England
midfielder is in contention to start on the bench after continuing his
steady progress from injury with an impressive performance.
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Kinnear waiting to hear from West Ham over Neill
Jan 15 2009 By Lee Ryder, Evening Chronicle
JOE KINNEAR says that talks to bring Aussie defender Lucas Neill to St
James's Park from West Ham United are still ongoing. The Chronicle revealed
today that the former Millwall and Blackburn defender was a target of the
Magpies and was on Kinnear's wish-list. The Toon boss has also confirmed
that a move for Rennes star Stephane Mbia was also at an advanced stage and
that he hoped to bring in the Cameroon international as quickly as possible
to ease the current injury crisis. He said today: "We have spoke to him, we
are waiting to hear what the answer is from West Ham. "All I can say is it
is seriously ongoing - we could get an answer at any time. "We put a bid in
for Stephane Mbia earlier in the week with an offer of £5 million, that is a
permanent deal. "He's a fantastic player."
Kinnear also claimed that Toon tycoon Mike Ashley will address fans via the
media when the January transfer window closes at the start of next month and
that he will be backed by the United owner. He added: "I spoke to Mike last
night and the chairman has been to the training ground.
"Mike is going to speak to the Press when the window shuts. "He is prepared
to back me with the players I have seen. "I am optimistic that one player is
going out and two coming."
However, Kinnear is unsure whether he will have any new faces or players
back from injury for the trip to Ewood Park. He says: "We'd love to have
them in for the Blackburn game. "We wouldn't want to leave it any later.
"We'd like to bring back in injured players and fresh faces. "I cancelled
training as it was a case of having saunas and massages and getting ready
for the match."
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Kinnear plots double Newcastle deal for Mbia and Neill
Rennes midfielder targeted in £5m transfer
Hammers' Australian captain also in Magpies' sights
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 15 January 2009 14.44 GMT
Newcastle United have made a £5m bid for the Rennes midfielder Stephane Mbia
and have also enquired as to the availability of the West Ham United captain
Lucas Neill, who manager Joe Kinnear hopes to bring in on a loan deal with a
view to a permanent move.
Kinnear has made an enquiry over the 30-year-old West Ham defender as he
attempts to cover for the loss of Habib Beye to an ankle injury.
The Newcastle manager is now awaiting news of the club's firm offer for the
22-year-old Cameroon international Mbia, and developments with Neill. He
said: "We have put a bid in writing for Stephane Mbia and we are waiting to
hear from his club. We have put a bid in of £5m and we are waiting to see
what the outcome of that is."
Asked about Neill, he added: "We have spoken to his agent and it is ongoing
at the moment, we are just waiting to see. We could get an answer at any
time."
West Ham, who are up for sale and under pressure to cut costs, will get one
of their highest earners off the wage bill if a deal for Neill goes through.
The Australian earns around £70,000 a week at Upton Park after West Ham beat
Liverpool to his signature from Blackburn Rovers two years ago.
Kinnear claimed last night that the club had made two £4m offers for unnamed
players. With his interest in Toulouse defender Albin Ebondo having
apparently cooled, it is understood St Etienne striker Bafetimbi Gomis could
now be in his sights.
Meanwhile, Geremi and his representatives are still in talks over a proposed
move to Turkish club Besiktas which could further boost the manager's
transfer funds.
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Quashie's Uncertain Future
Setanta.co.uk
by Chris Stanton , 15 January 2009
Birmingham's West Ham owned midfielder Nigel Quashie admits he is unsure of
his future and that his fate is in the hands of The Hammers.
Saturday's match against Cardiff is Quashie's last of a three-month loan
spell at St Andrews and the 30-year-old does not know if he is staying or
going. The loan addition of Hammers team-mate Lee Bowyer and the
rehabilitation of injury victim Damien Johnson count against the chances of
Quashie making his loan stay permanent. "I don't know if there's been any
talks with West Ham, or what will happen," Quashie told the Birmingham Mail.
"I'm just glad to be playing football. I've had a long time out and I'm
still getting used to the feeling of getting round a football pitch. "I've
got 18 months left on my contract at West Ham, so it all depends on what
West Ham want. "I'm happy to carry on playing football, I haven't broken
down, and I just want to keep enjoying myself. "Whatever happens, happens.
Like I said, I've got 18 months left at West Ham and we will take it from
there."
Another player whose future could lie away from Birmingham is midfielder
Mehdi Nafti. Blues boss Alex McLeish confirmed: "There's possibly a chance
that Mehdi will be leaving the club. I've spoken to him and his advisors and
there may be something happening. "He is still contracted until the end of
the season. But we decided for the moment to leave him out of things and
we'll just see what happens in the coming weeks before the window closes."
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Boa Morte rejects £1.5m switch to Hull to fight for place in West Ham team
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 2:54 PM on 15th January 2009
Daily Mail
Luis Boa Morte has rejected a move from West Ham to Hull City. The two teams
agreed a £1.5million fee and the deal was expected to be concluded in time
for the Portugal winger to make his Tigers debut against former club Arsenal
this weekend. But the 31-year-old instead chose instead to stay at Upton
Park to fight for his first-team place.
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West Ham teenage footballer signs £1 million jazz record deal
A West Ham schoolboy footballer turned jazz musician has signed a £1 million
four-album deal with Universal.
Telegraph.co.uk
Last Updated: 1:44PM GMT 15 Jan 2009
Tyler Rix, who has played for West Ham's Academy, signed the deal with
Universal Music on the turf at Upton Park. The 16-year-old saxophonist, from
London, was discovered by record executives when he took part in BBC2's
Classical Star TV talent programme. Bosses at Universal Classics and Jazz
offered him the chance to join a stable which includes Amy Winehouse, Take
That and Jamie Cullum. Tyler had a tough decision of his own to make –
whether to pursue football or music. By the age of 15 he had experienced a
string of successes as a footballer. Snapped up on the day of his trial, he
played several times at Upton Park and was prominently featured in Junior
Soccer, a coaching guide produced in association with West Ham United. Tyler
said: "I always knew that one day I would have to choose between my music
and my football commitments. "I could never have dreamt of making that
choice in such a spectacular way."
"Tyler Rix is a sensational talent," said Dickon Stainer, managing director
of Universal Classics and Jazz. "We're very glad he chose music. It's better
than playing at left back." Tyler began playing the saxophone at the age of
nine. The deal comes at a busy time for Tyler, who is taking his mock GCSE
exams. His debut album, Ascent, is released on February 2.
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Toon want West Ham skipper
Shields Gazette
Published Date: 15 January 2009
NEWCASTLE United have launched an ambitious raid on cash-strapped West Ham
for Lucas Neill. The Gazette understands Newcastle are in talks over taking
over the remaining six months of Neill's Upton Park contract, with the
Hammers needing to cut their wage bill. And with United owner Mike Ashley
having freed up some cash, the club have also slapped in £4m bids for St
Etienne forward Bafetimbi Gomis. The Frenchman was a target of the club last
season when Kevin Keegan was in charge, and they are also interested in
Rennes midfielder Stephane Mbia. However, the most significant move is that
for Neill, with manager Joe Kinnear – whose side crashed out of the FA Cup
last night – desperate to sign cover for Habib Beye, who faces at least 10
weeks on the sidelines. The bid, however, may be dependent on Geremi
completing a move to Besiktas, which would bring in an extra £1.5m from the
transfer fee, as well as saving Newcastle around £4m in wages. Kinnear told
the Gazette: "We've made £4m bids for Gomis and Mbia. I don't know what's
going to happen with them, but we're trying our hardest to get them.
"Obviously, we're letting Geremi go the other way, and his agent's in talks
with Besiktas."
Neill – an Australia team-mate of Newcastle striker Mark Viduka – is
attracting interest from around Europe, with AC Milan and former club
Blackburn Rovers both linked with transfer window moves. West Ham boss
Gianfranco Zola does not want to lose Neill, but the decision could be taken
out of his hands given the financial crisis Upton Park. And the 30-year-old
– who, ironically, had an own goal ruled out in last Saturday's 2-2 home
draw at St James's Park – is said to be keen on a short-term move to St
James's Park, which would allow him to assess his options again in the
summer, when he would be available on a Bosman. Meanwhile, executive
director (football) Dennis Wise had St Etienne's France international Gomis
watched late last season ahead of an anticipated summer departure from the
Ligue 1 club. Gomis went to Euro 2008 after scoring two goals on his
international debut, but – like his country – failed to impress in the
tournament, making just two substitute appearances, and the 23-year-old
ended up staying at St Etienne. Now Gomis is again a target for United, with
Wise having put a firm bid on the table, but as with Neill, Newcastle will
face competition for his signature. The Gazette yesterday revealed Mbia was
a target of United's, and Kinnear last night confirmed a bid was on the
table for the Cameroon international.
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West Ham make offer for Rapid Bucharest's Costin Lazar
15.01.09 | tribalfootball.com
Rapid Bucharest midfielder Costin Lazar is target for West Ham United.
Romanian sources say the Hammers have already tabled £2 million bid for the
27 year-old. Rapid are experiencing cash problems and are expected to sell
Lazar.
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GIOVINCO AGENT DENIES HAMMERS LINK
Football365.co.za
Sebastian Giovinco will not be joining West Ham, according to his agent. The
Juventus attacking midfielder is a target of the London club, with Hammers
coach Gianfranco Zola showing an interest in taking the 21-year-old on loan,
having previously worked with him at Italy Under-21 level.
"Seba (Giovinco) will remain in Turin," said Giovincos agent Andrea DAmico.
"Everyone knows that Zola has great admiration for Giovinco and it doesnt
surprise me that they would like him at West Ham. "But the episode of
sending him somewhere else to prove his quality is a chapter of the past.
"If Sebastian is at Juve it means that he has the quality of Juve. He is
awaiting his moment and he is patient."
Giovinco, who returned to Juve in the summer after a successful loan deal at
Empoli, recently signed a two-year contract extension which will keep him in
Turin through 2013.
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Brown Warning For Boa Morte
Setanta.co.uk
by Alex Livie , 15 January 2009
Hull's hopes of securing the signature of Luis Boa Morte have met with a
setback, as manager Phil Brown admits they are struggling to agree personal
terms. The Tigers had a bid for Boa Morte accepted by West Ham earlier in
the week and set about talks with the player in earnest following their FA
Cup win over Newcastle. It would appear Boa Morte's demands are proving a
stumbling block, as Brown claims the parties are way apart in their
respective valuations. "We are miles apart where Luis is concerned with
personal terms," he said. "We have agreed a deal with regards to West Ham,
but it is now down to Luis to come down in his evaluation of his next
contract. It is up to Luis."
Brown admits his chances of bringing Paul McShane back to the KC Stadium for
a second loan spell from Sunderland are in the balance. "It is an option
(brining him back) but it would depend on Ricky Sbragia's shopping list -
and at the moment it seems to be falling on deaf ears," Brown reported.
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NUFC target Lucas Neill and Bafetimbi Gomis
Jan 15 2009 by Lee Ryder, Evening Chronicle
NEWCASTLE United have turned to experienced Aussie international right-back
Lucas Neill in order to bolster their injury-ravaged squad. The Chronicle
understands that Neill has emerged as one of United's main targets in the
January transfer window with the black- and-whites in dire need of a boost
with the treatment room fit to burst. The Magpies have also lodged bids for
midfielder Stephane Mbia and St Etienne's French international striker
Bafetimbi Gomis, after Mike Ashley released transfer funds following a plea
from Toon boss Joe Kinnear. United are hoping to come to an agreement with
West Ham to buy out the remainder of Neill's contract – which has six months
left to run – and transfer chief Dennis Wise's close relationship with
Gianfranco Zola, from their Chelsea days, could help swing the deal. Kinnear
confirmed last night that funds had been made available by Toon tycoon
Ashley and that the two £4m bids for new faces had been lodged. Kinnear said
today: "We've bid for two players and we have tried our hardest to get them
both here at Newcastle United. "One of them plays for Cameroon – he's a
decent player and is very powerful in the air."
The Chronicle reported last night that Kinnear was interested in signing
tall Cameroon international midfielder Mbia from Rennes. However, after
assessing their options in the right-back position and, given that the
cash-strapped Hammers are desperate to reduce their wage bill, United seem
to have cooled their interest in Toulouse right-back Albin Ebondo for now.
Mbia is desperate to make the move to the Premier League and with his fellow
countryman Geremi edging ever nearer to the exit door at St James's, the
removal of the ex-Real Madrid player from the Toon wage bill will help the
move run a little smoother. Talks between Geremi and Turkish outfit Besiktas
continued today. Gomis was a target of United last term when Kevin Keegan
was in charge, and he is now back on the radar. The striker scored 16 times
in 35 French League games last season, but has only struck four in 20 this
term. He scored twice on his international debut for France against Ecuador
but, despite winning a place in the Euro 2008 squad for Les Bleus, played
only a bit-part role in the tournament as the French flopped in Switzerland.
The 23-year-old would give United some much-needed options in attack at the
moment, with Michael Owen Kinnear's only fully-fit striker. Yet the
acquisition of Neill would give the Magpies a major boost, with influential
Senegal international Habib Beye ruled out for 10 weeks. Not only is the
tough-tackling defender able to cover in the centre-back position, but his
vast experience in the Premier League could help stabilise Kinnear's side
ahead of the upcoming tough run of fixtures that include trips to Blackburn,
Man City and West Brom, plus the must win Tyne-Wear derby with Sunderland.
The 30-year-old had an own-goal chalked off in Saturday's Premier League
game between Newcastle and the Hammers, but is said to be keen to make the
move.
And in Aussie international team-mate Mark Viduka, he already has a major
ally waiting for him on Tyneside. Meanwhile, United are hoping to complete
the signing of 18-year-old striker Caio Ferreira from Brazilian side Clube
Atletico do Porto, with red tape currently holding up the deal.
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Irons warn City over Bellamy bid
www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk
15 January 2009
By Jonathan Clegg
West Ham have warned Manchester City that it will take an 'extraordinary'
offer to prise Craig Bellamy away from Upton Park after rejecting a second
bid for the striker this week. The club's determination to hold on to
Bellamy was underlined on Tuesday when West Ham knocked back City's £9.5m
offer for the striker, who has emerged as a leading target for Mark Hughes
this month. Hughes remains keen to complete a deal for the Wales hitman and
City are understood to be mulling a third bid for Bellamy, but Hammers
technical director Gianluca Nani has revealed that only an "extraordinary"
offer - thought to be around £15m - would tempt the club to cash in on their
prize asset. Even then, Gianfranco Zola would have the final say on any deal
and the Hammers boss this week repeated his desire to retain the services of
Bellamy. "I know that he's got good teams around him that are tempting him
but we want him to stay with us," Zola said. "I have a very good
relationship with Craig, he's the perfect professional. I hope that I'm
giving him something that will feed his wish to improve. "I have some
players I consider very important for the club. We want to keep those
players and Bellamy is one of them."
Despite Zola's admiration for Bellamy, it is thought that City could test
his resolve with an offer of more than £10m this weekend and the key to any
deal could hinge on the inclusion of Bulgaria striker Valeri Bojinov as a
makeweight. West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury has said that sales will
only be sanctioned if a replacement has been lined up and Bojinov has
revealed that he has spoken to Zola about a move to Upton Park.
"Two days ago, Zola called me on my mobile and told me that he wants me in
West Ham but City made it perfectly clear that they don't want to sell me,"
Bojinov said.
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Hammers have 'nothing to hide' as Tevez saga rumbles on
www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk
15 January 2009
By Jonathan Clegg
West Ham have hit back following the latest twist in the Carlos Tevez saga
by insisting they have 'nothing to hide' after the FA and Premier League
ordered a fresh inquiry into the club's conduct this week. The surprise move
to launch a new joint investigation into the affair was announced last
Thursday and leaves the Hammers facing the prospect of further sanctions if
the club are found guilty of any charges. The long-running dispute has
already proved costly for West Ham, with the club handed a world record
£5.5m fine in April 2007 for an admitted breach of Premier League rules in
the transfer of the Argentina forward. The Hammers could now be slapped with
a points deduction or another fine if they are found guilty by the new
inquiry, but the club deny any further wrongdoing and are confident they
will be vindicated by the investigation. "West Ham will co-operate fully
with the joint inquiry convened by the FA and Premier League," the club said
in a statement. "We have acted in good faith throughout the various
inquiries and investigations into this matter and fulfilled the undertakings
given to the Premier League following the initial penalty. "We have nothing
to hide and will ensure that this is once again reflected in our evidence to
the FA and Premier League."
The new inquiry will focus on comments made by Lord Griffiths, the former
judge who chaired an arbitration tribunal into the Tevez affair. The
tribunal ruled against the Hammers in their legal battle with Sheffield
United, who are seeking compensation for their relegation from the Premier
League during the time that Tevez played at Upton Park. Lord Griffiths
arrived at the verdict after ruling that West Ham chief executive Scott
Duxbury had made assurances to Kia Joorabchian, Tevez's representative, that
the club would privately honour the third-party agreement they had publicly
promised to tear up. In his report, Lord Griffiths said: "If the Premier
League had known what Mr Duxbury was saying to Mr Joorabchian's solicitor,
we are confident that the Premier League would have suspended Mr Tevez's
registration as a West Ham player.
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Reid All About It!
Posted on: Thu 15 Jan 2009
www.wolves.co.uk
Wolves are set to land highly-rated West Ham winger Kyel Reid on loan until
the end of the season. The 21-year-old Londoner has agreed a
window-to-window loan to stay at Molineux and is due at Compton today to
complete the formalities and train for the first time with his new
team-mates. Kyel, who came through the Academy ranks at Upton Park, has
already enjoyed loan spells with Barnsley, Crystal Palace and Blackpool
during his early career in order to further his footballing education.
Indeed his last appearance of a month-loan stay with Blackpool came against
Wolves just over a fortnight ago. His Hammers debut came just down the road
at The Hawthorns, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 win at West Bromwich
Albion in May, 2006. In total he has made nine appearances for West Ham
scoring one goal, which came in the Carling Cup win against Macclesfield at
the start of this season. Kyel's various loan spells have also seen him
previously play at Molineux, for Barnsley as Wolves won 2-0 on New Year's
Day of 2007. "Mick McCarthy has been keen to bring in a wide player during
the transfer window and after the deal to sign Alan Gow fell through we have
moved quickly for Kyel," said Jez. "The loan is set to be completed today
and we look forward to having him with us for the rest of the season."
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Boa Morte stalls on £1.5m switch to Hull as he ponders fighting for West Ham
place
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 10:50 AM on 15th January 2009
Daily Mail
Luis Boa Morte is stalling on his move from West Ham to Hull City. The two
teams have agreed a £1.5million fee and the deal was expected to be
concluded in time for the Portugal winger to make his Tigers debut against
former club Arsenal this weekend. But Boa Morte is yet to decide his future
and it is understood that he would be keen to stay at Upton Park to fight
for his first-team place.
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TEVEZGATE
The Spolier.co.uk
Are Sheffield United no longer confident of receiving big money from West
Ham?
Club statement suggests a bleak financial future awaits the Blades.
Last week's announcement that there will be a new inquiry into whether
Carlos Tevez should have received Premier League permission to play in the
final three games of the 2006-07 season sounded like bad news for West Ham.
However, the silence of Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe, who was so
vocal when the Lord Griffiths-chaired tribunal ruled in their favour last
September, suggests that perhaps they aren't happy with recent developments.
The Blades already got the verdict they wanted and blocked West Ham's right
to appeal so, given the unlikelyhood of them being reinstalled in the
Premier League, this new inquiry is unlikely to further benefit them. It can
only serve either to further punish West Ham or alternatively it could find
no evidence to suggest that Tevez shouldn't have been allowed to participate
in the final three games and leave Sheffield United's compensation claim in
ruins.
McCabe's intriguing silence on the latest twist to the Tevez affair was
yesterday followed by the sale of top-scorer James Beattie for less money
than the Yorkshire club paid for him seventeen months ago. This afternoon
they released a statement confirming that the decision to sell Beattie to
Stoke was made because of a need to cut costs, which doesn't sound like the
actions a club confident of landing £30-50 million in compensation would
make.
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West Ham after Croatian defender ( !! defender.. not according to the
article - PeterR )
Sport.co.uk
Author: Andrew Allen
Posted on: 15 January 2009 - 10:04 AM
West Ham are keeping tabs on £5million Croatian scoring sensation Nikola
Kalinic. The 21-year-old, who has been hailed as the 'New Davor Suker' in
his home country, has won rave reviews for his goalscoring exploits with
Hajduk Split.Croatia coach and former Hammers defender Slaven Bilic has
already handed the player his international debut and rates the forward as
one of the best young prospects in Europe. Kalinic scored 17 times in 25
appearances last season and has enjoyed similar success this year, netting
12 times in 20 games. And West Ham are keen to bring the player to England
although they may face a fight with Valencia and Bayern Munich also
interested.
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West Ham United Vs Fulham - Sunday Lunchtime with yer Roasties DARE YA!
Admiral Lard - Thu Jan 15 2009
West Ham Online
Well now Shipmates this is an interesting clash. Our record against Fulham,
down the years, is very good. West Ham 33 wins Fulham 24 win and 16 Draws.
More recently West Ham have completed the "double" against Fulham in 2 of
the last 3 season. We have to go back to the 3rd November 2001 to find
Fulham's last victory over West ham, 2-0 at the Boleyn Ground.
This season the form is very different. Despite our fortunate 2-1 win at the
Cottage, Fulham's only home defeat of the season, Fulham have been much the
more consistent team.
Both have 26 points though Fulham's have come from 2 fewer games, 19 against
West Ham's 21. Fulham's goal difference is 8 better than ours, they have not
lost in 10 matches, their last defeat, 1-0 away at Everton on November 1st.
Since then Fulham have won 3, Drawn 6 and lost 0 in the premiership in
addition to a win against Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup. Interestingly
for us most of Fulham's success has been at Craven Cottage, amazingly, given
their 9th,place they have yet to win away from home.
My feeling is that West Ham are, at last, finding their feet under the
stewardship of GF Zola and Steve Clarke. The defence has become stronger
though still the odd slip, the 4-3-3 has been modified and is now producing
goals and we seem to have staved off the loss of our key players to
Premiership money bags.
A tough game for both clubs and both will be looking for a win. One thing
that will prey on Fulham's mind is their inability to win away thus far. I
think a draw is the most likely outcome, it's what Fulham do best and will
test our resolve and patience to the extreme.
West Ham United 1 Fulham 1
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West Ham reject a third City offer for Bellamy
Ken Dyer
Evening Standard
Manchester City remain determined to land West Ham striker Craig Bellamy in
the January transfer window despite having a third bid rejected by the Upton
Park club. City raised their offer to around £10million last night but it is
believed the Hammers are only willing to do any deals if the sum for the
Welsh international goes above £12m. City remain hopeful that Kaka can
still be prised away from AC Milan even though the player would prefer to
stay in Italy. However, their interest in the Brazilian won't stop the
Eastlands club pursuing Bellamy. West Ham's Portuguese midfield player Luis
Boa Morte, meanwhile, is still mulling over a £1.5 million move to Hull, who
set up an FA Cup fourth round tie at home to Millwall after beating
Newcastle 1-0 at St James' Park last night. The two clubs have agreed a fee
but it is understood that Boa Morte's preference is to stay at Upton Park
and fight for his first- team place.
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EXCLUSIVE: Manchester City losing patience as West Ham play hard ball over
£22m bid for Bellamy and Parker
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 9:30 AM on 15th January 2009
Daily Mail
Manchester City could walk away from attempts to sign Craig Bellamy and
Scott Parker as they become increasingly exasperated by West Ham's demands.
City are keen not to be ripped off and are understood to have tabled bids of
£12million for Wales striker Bellamy and £10m for midfielder Parker. Aware
of the vast wealth at Eastlands, the Hammers are playing hardball. But City
are losing are losing patience and face the dilemma of whether to push
through the deal or walk away. Upton Park boss Gianfranco Zola is determined
to keep hold of his best players, but the reality in these straitened times
is that every player has his price. Bidding for Bellamy started at £6m but,
with Tottenham also interested, bidding has escalated.
City's breath-taking £100m offer to AC Milan for Kaka shows the Barclays
Premier League strugglers' intent and resources, but they are not frightened
to walk away from ludicrous demands. They missed out on Lassana Diarra, who
moved from Portsmouth to Real Madrid for close to £20m, after they learned
of his personal requirements. City also hope to conclude a deal for
Blackburn Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz before the transfer window closes
on February 2.
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