Striker wants to play in the Premier League
Last updated: 24th August 2009
SSN
West Ham target Alessandro Diamanti admits it would be a dream come true to
play in the Premier League. The 26-year-old, who is under contract until
2013 with Serie A side Livorno, has admitted a long-term ambition to play in
England's top flight. Livorno have revealed they are yet to achieve any
realistic offers for the highly rated striker, insisting that, for the time
being, he is staying put. Diamanti, though, admits a move to Upton Park is
of particular interest to him. "West Ham would change my life," he told Sky
Italia.
"It will be hard remaining with Livorno, even despite the affection of the
supporters which I will remember forever. I'll talk with president Aldo
Spinelli," he added. "It would be a dream joining the Premier League."
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Zola not chasing Neill
Hammers boss in the dark regarding the future of Aussie full-back
By Chris Burton Last updated: 24th August 2009
SSN
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola claims re-opening contract talks with Lucas
Neill are 'not a priority'. The Australian international is currently
without a club after seeing his previous deal with the Hammers expire at the
end of last season. Zola had been keen to tie the combative full-back down
on new terms, with talks regarding such an agreement having taken place.
However, no paperwork has been signed and Neill remains a free agent. He is
now believed to have spoken with Turkish giants Galatasaray about a move to
Istanbul. That has left Zola frustrated and the Italian coach admits he will
not be looking to track down Neill any time soon. He said: "He was in talks
with West Ham, then I find out he was in talks with Galatasaray and with
Sunderland. Now I don't know what's going on. "But he's out, and that's no
good for him. For the moment, he's not our priority in that position."
Meanwhile, Scott Parker has offered support to Carlton Cole after the
striker's mistake gifted Tottenham an equaliser in the Hammers' 2-1 defeat
to their capital rivals on Sunday.
The England international had opened the scoring at Upton Park shortly after
the interval, but a rare error allowed Jermain Defoe to level matters
minutes later and Aaron Lennon grabbed a late winner. "He was fantastic,"
Parker told the club's official website. "He wants to do well and perform
and score goals, all of which we know he can and is good at doing. He gives
his all for the team in every match and leads the line well for us. "He is a
big player for us and is quite rightly getting his rewards by being picked
for England - you could see again on Sunday what he can do. "We played well
and it was a fantastic goal by Coley - I think they gained momentum when
they equalised and then went on to get their second goal."
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West Ham Midfielder Faubert Could Be Great At Milan - Agent
The Frenchman may seal a move to the Rossoneri before the end of the
transfer window...
24 Aug 2009 15:59:34
With reports this morning indicating Milan were ready to swap defender
Massimo Oddo for West Ham United's versatile Julien Faubert, agent Oscar
Damiani has seemingly confirmed their interest in the Frenchman. "[Sporting
director Ariedo] Braida already knew about him, he didn't need my advice,"
he told CNR Radio on Monday. "He is a very good player, physically strong
and fast, but Milan know this already. He could be a major player for the
team." Asked why he felt the 26-year-old flopped in his loan-spell at Real
Madrid last season, Damiani believes the player suffered from the intense
competition for places at the club. "He did not have many opportunities.
Also, he was just coming off an injury," he concluded. He has made two
starts under coach Gianfranco Zola already this season.
Adam Scime, Goal.com
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David Gold ponders bid for West Ham after selling Birmingham City
Gold and Sullivan could make £150m bid
Yeung promises Alex McLeish extra transfer funds
Jamie Jackson guardian.co.uk, Monday 24 August 2009 18.40 BST
David Gold, the departing Birmingham City chairman, may be interested in
buying West Ham. David Gold is waiting to discover if there will be any role
for him once Carson Yeung's takeover of Birmingham City is completed before
deciding whether to move to buy West Ham, which could cost up to £150m in
total.
Gold, who is a fan of West Ham and played for their youth team, is thought
to be open to helping Yeung make the transition from shareholder to sole
owner – he has offered to buy every Birmingham share – which would lead to
Gold and David Sullivan departing St Andrew's.
If and when Gold leaves he will consider making an official approach to
Upton Park – potentially assisted by Sullivan – though it is understood the
72-year-old businessman currently values West Ham below £150m. That
valuation is made up of £100m required by Straumur and £50m to take on the
club's working debt.
West Ham are currently owned by their creditors including Straumur, the
collapsed Icelandic bank, via the asset management company CB Holdings.
Straumur need to sell to service their own creditors and are willing to
consider serious offers.
Gold, who, with his brother, Ralph, were assessed as being worth around
£300m by the Sunday Times this year, is keen to remain in football and has
told friends of his interest in stabilising West Ham.
The Premier League, meanwhile, has received the requisite initial paperwork
from Yeung regarding his buy-out which could be completed this week. The
businessman, whose offer is worth around £80m, has claimed he will offer the
Birmingham manager, Alex McLeish, who will keep his job, up to £5m from his
own fortune for new players.
"I have already contacted some players ... We have bought the club with
company money but I personally will invest £4-5m if we get along with the
players," he said. "Before the 1 September transfer deadline, I hope I can
buy some useful players."
McLeish had complained of having insufficient funds to ensure the newly
promote club retains its Premier League status.
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West Ham's Carlton Cole is backed to be a World Cup wonder for England
Published 21:36 24/08/09 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror
Carlton Cole's West Ham team-mates believe he has a "massive" opportunity to
book his place at next year's World Cup Finals. The Upton Park striker
turned in a Man of the Match display - capped by a stunning goal in front of
Fabio Capello - despite finishing on the losing side against Spurs on
Sunday. And the widespread belief is that while Peter Crouch stays on the
bench in favour of skipper Robbie Keane at White Hart Lane, Cole can take
advantage by consolidating his position in Capello's plans. Speaking ahead
of Tuesday night's Carling Cup clash against at home to fierce London rivals
Millwall, midfielder Scott Parker said: "Carlton is definitely good enough
for Capello's squad. He's got all the attributes to be a big player for us
and at international level. "Everyone can see that he's got massive
strength. He can bring people into the game as well and he's got a massive
season ahead of him. If he does well this season I think he'll definitely be
pushing to get into the England side."
Cole had to be ordered by boss Gianfranco Zola to put the mistake which cost
his side the match on Sunday out of his mind, after his inexplicable back
pass allowed Jermain Defoe to score. But Parker revealed Cole's team-mates
have also given him their backing. He added: "Coley scored a great goal and
then made a massive error. That's football. They got back in the game and
from then on they seemed to have the momentum to hit us again. "But of
course [we consoled Carlton]. That could have happened to any of us out
there, it's part and parcel of football. "You put yourself on offer like
Coley does and you are going to make mistakes. Also, I think Defoe is quite
a small fella and he's obviously not seen him and passed the ball back and
it's gone straight to him. "We would love to bring some more players in. We
are short on numbers. "We all understand the situation we are in and it's
what we have to work with. We have to dig in - and we'll do that and try and
get some results. "But if we play and perform like we did against Spurs
we'll be ok. There's no hiding the fact that Tottenham are going to be up
there this year, they are a very good side and have a very good squad. "But
if we can perform like we did on Sunday there's not going to be many teams
who can live with us."
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Hammers set for Chamakh swoop
442 Staff - Yesterday, 21:57
FourFourTwo.com
West Ham United are poised to pounce for in-demand Bordeaux striker Marouane
Chamakh, according to reports. The Moroccan international, who has netted 15
times for his country, has been linked with a move to the Premier League
throughout the close-season. He previously claimed to have agreed terms with
Sunderland, Fulham, Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur, while Arsenal
withdrew their interest in the striker after refusing to up their first
offer of £5 million. West Ham have most recently been linked with Chamakh's
services, with Hammers' boss Gianfranco Zola also linked with Barcelona's
Eidur Gudjohnsen, Inter Milan's Mario Balotelli and Bayern Munich talisman
Luca Toni as he bids to bolster his front-line. And although both Chamakh
and Bordeaux boss Laurent Blanc announced over the weekend that the striker
was set to stay in France, the Hammers are now believed to be set to launch
a £7 million bid, pending the sale of defender James Collins. According to
the BBC, Collins - a target of both Stoke City and Aston Villa - is
available for around £5 million, with the money from the sale to be used to
bring Chamakh to Upton Park to provide some much-needed support for Carlton
Cole in attack. Bordeaux, despite being keen to keep hold of the prize
asset, are wary of the fact that the striker is in the final year of his
current contract, and would be able to depart for free next summer.
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West Ham swoop for Livorno star Alessandro Diamanti
Published 22:59 24/08/09 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror
Gianfranco Zola has flown out to Italy to complete a deal for Livorno
striker Alessandro Diamanti. And the Hammers boss is confident that Bordeaux
striker Marouane Chamakh is moving to Upton Park. Zola is desperate to bring
in support for Carlton Cole with Dean Ashton's ankle injury causing grave
concern. It was believed yesterday that, following an interview given by
Chamakh over the weekend, there was no chance whatsoever of the marksman
joining West Ham. But last night Hammers chiefs remained adamant that not
only was a deal in place - they have agreed a £7million fee with Bordeaux -
but also that Chamakh is still very keen to join them. The only stumbling
block remains West Ham's ability to offload defender James Collins to fund
the deal with Stoke and Aston Villa still front runners. Indeed Villa Martin
O'Neill is believed to have been at Upton Park on Sunday to see the
centre-back play in West Ham's 2-1 defeat to Spurs. Diamanti, meanwhile, is
so highly thought of at Upton Park that he is seen as a 'cross between Paolo
Di Canio and Zola himself'. Hammers chiefs have been monitoring his progress
for even longer than they have been watching Chamakh. They believe Upton
Park fans will take to the eccentric 26-year-old just as they took Di Canio
to his hearts because of his skill and outlandish behaviour in equal
measure. Diamanti's 17 goals helped Livorno return to the top division of
Italian football last season. The player's performances even drew interest
from Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan. Although Mourinho has since reinforced his
front line by signing Samuel Eto'o from Barcelona, Diamanti still interests
a clutch of Italian clubs that provide the biggest competition to West Ham,
which is why Zola has flown out to his homeland to tie up the deal. In fact,
it is believed that Livorno are so resigned to losing Diamanti that they
have lined up David Beckham's LA Galaxy team-mate Landon Donovan as a
replacement. Meanwhile it is understood West Ham are willing to listen to
offers for Ugandan forward Savio with doubts about his ability to cope with
the physical nature of Premier League football. It was widely believed
yesterday that the east Londoners have agreed a deal with Lazio for striker
Goran Pandev but the club's primary focus is on tying up deals for Chamakh
and Diamanti.
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EXCLUSIVE: Jack Collison tragedy shatters West Ham days after Calum
Davenport stabbing
By Laura Williamson
Last updated at 8:08 AM on 25th August 2009
Daily Mail
West Ham have been stunned by a second trauma in two days after it emerged
midfielder Jack Collison's father has died in a motorcycle accident. Ian
Collison, 46, from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, was on his way to see his son
play against Spurs on Sunday when he crashed his red Honda bike on the M25
near Epping. Emergency services were called to the crash, which happened
just before noon, but Mr Collison, a roofer, was pronounced dead at the
scene. It leaves manager Gianfranco Zola having to deal with two shattering
incidents as Calum Davenport had a second emergency operation yesterday
following the stabbing incident which has left him fighting to save his
career.
Zola had already talked of the shock among West Ham's players about the
horrific injuries to Davenport. He said: 'It was unbelievable. You don't
expect things like this to happen, especially people you know. Now all that
is important is that he is all right, the rest about his future can be
decided in the next days.'
Dealing with two such horrific personal traumas will be a severe test of
Zola's management skills, less than a year after he joined the club. The
Italian has fostered a close-knit atmosphere among his relatively small
squad and has encouraged youngsters such as Collison to compete for
first-team places.
A West Ham spokeswoman said: 'Our thoughts are with Jack and his family and
we ask people to respect his privacy at a very difficult time for them.'
Collison, 20, had played all but the final minute of West Ham's 2-1 defeat,
which kicked off at 1.30pm. The Wales midfielder did not learn of his
father's death until the early evening as Essex Police had difficulties
establishing the identity of the next of kin.
Mr Collison and Jack's mother, Amanda, separated when the player was young.
Collison was picked by Sportsmail's Jamie Redknapp as one of his 10 players
to watch for the season — a sign of his rich promise. Redknapp wrote: 'He
grabbed my attention last season as a good midfield allrounder, an emerging
talent. He'll get plenty of football and working with Gianfranco Zola will
only help him to improve. His energy and touch suggest West Ham have
discovered yet another talent.'
Defender Davenport, 26, was in a stable condition in intensive care after a
second emergency operation on his legs on Monday. It is not yet known
whether he will be able to play again. His mother was also in a stable
condition. Davenport's sister's boyfriend, Worrell Whitehurst, 25, from
Derby, was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent at Bedford
Magistrates Court yesterday.
Anyone with information about the motorcycle accident should contact Essex
Police on 0300 333 4444.
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Jack Collison tragedy hits West Ham
Ian Collison, 46, was on his way to watch son play
Calum Davenport's career in balance after stab attack
James Callow The Guardian, Tuesday 25 August 2009
West Ham suffered their second tragedy in 24 hours after the father of their
young midfielder Jack Collison was killed in a motorcycle accident on Sunday
morning. Ian Collison, 46, was on his way to watch his son play against
Spurs at Upton Park when he crashed on the M25 near Epping. Emergency
services were called to the crash, which happened just before noon, but Mr
Collison was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 20-year-old Collison, who only later found out about his father's death
due to difficulties in establishing next of kin, had played 89 minutes for a
West Ham side who were still coming to terms with the news that their
team-mate Calum Davenport had been the victim of a vicious knife attack at
his family's Bedford home on Saturday.
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Oddo turns down Hammers move Tuesday 25 August, 2009
Football-italia.net
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Massimo Oddo has rejected a move to West Ham, or any overseas club, leaving
Milan in a bind. "I have to consider my family." The 2006 World Cup winner
has just returned from a loan spell at Bayern Munich and has been told he is
not in Coach Leonardo's plans. Negotiations were in full swing for an
exchange with West Ham full-back Julien Faubert, but Oddo sensationally
pulled the plug. "I have to consider my family in all this and with two
young children I will not repeat the difficult experience I had in Munich,"
he told Sky Italia. "I do not feel that I can go on loan to a club that
plays outside of Italy."
That narrows down his options considerably, especially as Fiorentina have
found their full-back in Lazio's Lorenzo De Silvestri. A return to the
Biancocelesti is plausible, but first Oddo would need to significantly lower
his wages.
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West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola refuses to pursue Lucas Neill
By staff writers
August 25, 2009 .
FoxSports.com.au
Lucas Neill appears no closer to sorting out his football future with West
Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola declaring no interest in chasing the
Australia defender. The Socceroos skipper is without a club after letting
his deal at Upton Park expire at the conclusion of last Barclays Premier
League season. He has been linked with a move to national teammate Harry
Kewell's Galatasaray as well as a possible switch to Sunderland. Zola
indicated on Tuesday morning (EST) that he was unlikely to pursue Neill any
further as the situation continues to frustrate the manager. "He was in
talks with West Ham, then I find out he was in talks with Galatasaray and
with Sunderland. Now I don't know what's going on," Zola told Sky Sports.
"But he's out, and that's no good for him. For the moment, he's not our
priority in that position."
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Livorno Striker Alessandro Diamanti Targets Move To West Ham United
The 26-year-old says it would change his life if he could play in England...
25 Aug 2009 02:48:36
Livorno forward Alessandro Diamanti says that it would be a dream if he were
able to transfer to West Ham United and play in the Premier League. The
26-year-old is being closely followed by the Hammers, but his club is
claiming that he will not be departing for England. Diamanti said that
playing at Upton Park "would change his life", according to Sky Italia. "It
will be hard remaining with Livorno, even despite the affection of the
supporters which I will remember forever," he continued. "It would be a
dream joining the Premier League. "I'll talk with president Aldo
Spinelli."Livorno play Napoli away this week.
Rick D'Andrea, Goal.com
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Everton FC's under-18s team begin season with narrow defeat to West Ham
United
Aug 25 2009 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post
DESPITE Karl Sheppard's equaliser, Everton under-18s eventually lost their
opening match of the season 2-1 to West Ham United at Finch Farm on
Saturday. It was a disappointing start to the FA Premier Academy League
season for Neil Dewsnip's side especially as they played well enough to have
taken something from the match.
The Hammers took a 10th-minute lead, but Sheppard netted from Lewis
Codling's cross to level before half-time. In the second-half Everton had
few chances, but late on Femi Orenuga, on his debut, was denied by the
keeper as he went through one-on-one and from the rebound Codling couldn't
scramble the ball home. But with five minutes left West Ham scored their
second following a corner. With seconds remaining, Conor McAleny saw a
header to earn a point saved superbly by the West Ham keeper. Dewsnip said:
"The result was disappointing particularly the manner in which it happened.
But there were a lot more positives than negatives in the performance. "We
didn't start great and West Ham did. They got a goal up, but we rallied and
showed some good character and spirit. We played really well up until
half-time and got an equaliser. "But the second-half petered out and there
wasn't a real goal-scoring chance until late on.
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Neill not money hungry
Brought to you by
25 August 2009 | 15:30 - AAP
Sbs.com.au
Lucas Neill's agent has strongly denied the Socceroos captain is yet to
settle his future because he is motivated by money, revealing his client has
already turned down one "absolutely phenomenal" offer. The 31-year-old
defender is still to find a club three weeks into the new English Premier
League season after rejecting a contract offer from former club West Ham
that required him to take a pay cut. Neill has been linked with moves to
English clubs Sunderland and Manchester City and Turkish giants Galatasaray
and it is believed he is now weighing up handful of other options, including
three outside of England. A free agent, Neill could decide on his new club
within the week but the drawn-out decision process has prompted suggestions
from pundits and fans that he's holding out for the best possible deal
financially. Paddy Dominguez, of Neill's management company Inspire Sports,
rubbished those suggestions on Tuesday, saying Neill was simply taking his
time in choosing the club that was the best fit for him and his family.
"He's already declined some extremely lucrative contracts, so if he was
financially motivated, he would have accepted one of those," Dominguez told
AAP. "One of those was absolutely phenomenal from a financial perspective.
"... It's about making the right decision more than anything. "It's his last
European contract so obviously it has a little bit of a different
significance to earlier in his career, so he wants to make the right
decision. "Each week we have been getting more and more interest. "So as
each new option arrives he obviously has to sit down, think about it and
take a look at the clubs, the managers, the living conditions ... those
things take time."
It is believed Neill received by far his biggest offer from Galatasaray,
which could have made him Australia's highest-paid sports star. It would
also have reunited him with Socceroos teammate Harry Kewell, but he opted
against the move, although it is possible a deal could still be resurrected.
Dominguez did not rule out a return to West Ham but that looks increasingly
unlikely after Hammers manager Gianfranco Zola indicated the club had almost
given up on Neill. "He was in talks with West Ham, then I find out he was in
talks with Galatasaray and with Sunderland. Now I don't know what's going
on," Zola said. "But he's out, and that's no good for him. For the moment,
he's not our priority in that position."
Dominguez also played down concerns the delay could threaten to impact upon
Neill's preparation for next year's World Cup. "Lucas is doing two sessions
a day, he's completely fit," Dominguez said. "Last season Lucas played 55
games in all competitions for West Ham ... I don't think in an eight-nine
month lead-up to a World Cup playing 52, or 51, or 50 would be a bad thing.
"Between his club and country, he'll still end up playing around 50 very
high intensity games."
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West Ham step up pursuit of Marouane Chamakh and Alessandro Diamanti
West Ham United have stepped up their efforts to sign two strikers before
the transfer window closes.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Jason Burt, Deputy Football Correspondent
Published: 7:30AM BST 25 Aug 2009
A £7 million deal to secure Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh is already in place
and on Monday West Ham chief executive Scott Duxbury travelled to Italy to
conduct negotiations over a deal for Livorno's highly-rated Alessandro
Diamanti. Duxbury flew to Italy at the invitation of Livorno president Aldo
Spinelli which has encouraged West Ham – who have been chasing Diamanti for
some time – that a deal can finally be struck. The Serie A side rate
Diamanti, who has been identified by West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola as one
of the most exciting talents in Italy, at £7 million but he could initially
move to east London on loan.
Premier League table So far, so good. However there are major snags for West
Ham to overcome if they are to sign one or, ideally, both of their main
targets. The club need to sell before they can buy which has presented Zola
with, potentially, some difficult decisions to make.
West Ham are desperately short of strikers – as the manager openly admitted
after Sunday's 2-1 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur – while the new
non-executive chairman Andrew Bernhardt made clear, again, in his programme
notes that there will not be a fresh injection of cash from CB Holdings, the
company that now runs the club following the financial collapse of the
former owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson.
Zola spoke candidly about how he has eight defenders at his disposal at
present but, in Carlton Cole, just one senior striker. A deal to offload
James Collins to Stoke City for £5 million collapsed last week, after the
defender failed to agree terms for his departure, while there is also fresh
interest in Matthew Upson who West Ham have rated at £15 million.
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill was at Upton Park to run the rule over
both players and held talks after the match with West Ham's sporting
director Gianluca Nani. No bid has yet been submitted by O'Neill, who is
also considering other options, such as Wigan Athletic's Paul Scharner and
Portsmouth's Sylvain Distin, but a dialogue has now been opened.
Similarly Everton are believed to have expressed an interest in signing
either Upson or Collins in the wake of their deal allowing Joleon Lescott
finally to move to Manchester City. Again, Everton manager David Moyes is
considering other targets and they include David Wheater – who Middlesbrough
don't want to sell although they would part with Robert Huth – and Bolton
Wanderers's Gary Cahill.
West Ham were in talks to sell Upson to Liverpool for £15 million but that
deal collapsed after the Merseyside club's bankers refused to sanction such
expenditure. It was a significant reason for Rafael Benitez's frustration
last week and Liverpool have since signed Sotiris Kyrgiakos for just £2
million.
Selling Upson is by no means certain, although if West Ham could get the fee
they want it means they could buy both Chamakh and Diamanti. Even if a deal
is agreed the final decision rests with Zola.
However Zola may be tempted to cash in on the 30 year-old former Arsenal
defender, who has just two years left on his contract and is resisting
attempts to negotiate an extension, if it means he can spend elsewhere. If
West Ham could have sold Dean Ashton, Luis Boa Morte and Calum Davenport
this summer, as it is understood they had hoped to do, the situation would
have been different. West Ham fiercely reject suggestions that other players
are for sale.
The dilemma for Zola is that if West Ham cannot sell Upson or, as is more
likely, Collins, he may miss out on his strikers. He's unlikely to sell
both. In the meantime West Ham will carry on negotiating for Diamanti even
though Livorno's director of sport Nelso Ricci claimed that he expected the
26 year-old, who has also interested Parma, to be offered a new contract. It
could be that if West Ham fail to raise the funds to buy Diamanti they will
try and take him on loan with a view to a permanent deal, similar to the one
they negotiated with Inter Milan for Luis Jiménez.
West Ham have no intention of selling Julien Faubert, who is understood to
be wanted by AC Milan, who are considering offering Massimo Oddo in
exchange, while the club are not interested in Lazio striker Goran Pandev.
West Ham defender Calum Davenport's career could be under threat after he
was allegedly stabbed in both legs, a court heard on Monday. The 26
year-old, who was reportedly on the verge of a move to Peterborough, is in a
stable condition in intensive care after being attacked at his mother's home
on Saturday. Worrell Whitehurst, 25, his sister's boyfriend, was charged
with causing grievous bodily harm.
In a further tragedy for the club, midfielder Jack Collison was on Monday
night dealing with the devastating news that his father had died in a
motorcycle accident on the way to watch him play against Tottenham on
Sunday.
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West Ham United's Carlton Cole Good Enough To Play Regularly For England -
Scott Parker
The midfielder has backed his team-mate to regularly feature for the Three
Lions, despite his recent blunder for the Hammers...
25 Aug 2009 07:10:42
West Ham United midfielder Scott Parker has lavished praise on Carlton Cole
and believes that the striker has what it takes to regularly feature for
England, despite the faux pas in front of Fabio Capello during the 2-1 loss
to Tottenham Hotspur. A backpass by Cole led to Jermain Defoe scoring the
equaliser, but the forward had previously bagged a goal of his own through a
magnificent volley. "Carlton has got all the attributes to be a big player
for us and at international level," Parker is quoted by FIFA.com as saying.
"Everyone could see against Spurs he's got massive strength. He can bring
people into the game as well and he's got a massive season ahead of him. If
he does well this season I think he'll definitely be pushing to get into the
England side."
The 28-year-old played down the error by Cole, saying, "He scored a great
goal and he's made a mistake but that could have happened to any of us out
there, it's part and parcel of football. "You put yourself on offer like
Coley does and you are going to make mistakes."
Meanwhile, the former Newcastle United player took some time to focus on the
lack of attacking options at the club, and stressed that the Hammers will be
bringing in new faces before too long. "We would love to bring some more
players in," said Parker. "Our squad is very, very short and we are short on
numbers. We all understand the situation we are in and it's what we have to
work with. We have to dig in - and we'll do that and try and get some
results. If we play and perform like we did against Spurs we'll be okay."
Parker proclaimed that the Irons should have no problem this season if they
put out good performances and cut down on mistakes. He also praised the
Lilywhites, saying that they have what it takes to break into the elite this
season. "There's no hiding the fact that Tottenham are going to be up there
this year," he added. "They are a very good side and have a very good squad.
"If we can perform like we did against them there's not going to be many
teams who can live with us."
Adithya Ananth, Goal.com
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Parker backing team-mate Cole to star for England
ESPN
August 25, 2009
West Ham midfielder Scott Parker has backed Carlton Cole to establish
himself in the England squad despite his blunder in front of Fabio Capello
on Sunday. Cole's backpass led directly to Jermain Defoe's equaliser at
Upton Park as Tottenham went on to claim a 2-1 win - but Cole had opened the
scoring with a spectacular volley and stretched the visitors' defence as a
lone striker. With Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola short on numbers in attack,
Cole's next opportunity is likely to be tonight against Millwall in the
Carling Cup. Parker said: ''Carlton has got all the attributes to be a big
player for us and at international level. Everyone could see against Spurs
he's got massive strength. ''He can bring people into the game as well and
he's got a massive season ahead of him. If he does well this season I think
he'll definitely be pushing to get into the England side. ''He scored a
great goal and he's made a mistake but that could have happened to any of us
out there, it's part and parcel of football. You put yourself on offer like
Coley does and you are going to make mistakes.''
Technical director Gianluca Nani and chief executive Scott Duxbury are
looking to add at least one more forward before the transfer window closes.
Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh has ''rejected'' a move but the Hammers are
understood still to be working on the deal, while Lazio's Goran Pandev and
Livorno's Alessandro Diamanti have been linked in Italy with playing for
Zola. ''We would love to bring some more players in,'' Parker added. ''Our
squad is very, very short and we are short on numbers. We all understand the
situation we are in and it's what we have to work with. ''We have to dig in
- and we'll do that and try and get some results. If we play and perform
like we did against Spurs we'll be okay. ''There's no hiding the fact that
Tottenham are going to be up there this year, they are a very good side and
have a very good squad. If we can perform like we did against them there's
not going to be many teams who can live with us.''
A heavy police presence is anticipated for the second-round clash against
Millwall, West Ham's bitter rivals. ''I don't have a background in the match
but they tell me it's a game that they have suggested I don't come to by
walking to the stadium,'' Zola joked. ''It's going to be, obviously, very
much a heated game. We are ready, we are professional, we care about the
competition and we'll try to do our best.''
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West Ham hit by second trauma after Jack Collison's father dies
West Ham have been hit by more trauma after it emerged that midfielder Jack
Collison's father was killed in a motorcycle accident on his way to Upton
Park at the weekend to watch his son play against Tottenham.
Telegraph.co.uk
By Emily Benammar
Published: 8:51AM BST 25 Aug 2009
According to a report in the Mail, Ian Collison had been travelling down the
M25 near Epping when tragedy struck. Emergency services were called to the
location but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Son Jack, who played
until the 89th minute of the 2-1 defeat against Spurs, is understood not to
have been informed of the accident immediately due to problems in
establishing next of kin. Premier League transfers A West Ham spokeswoman
said: "Our thoughts are with Jack and his family and we ask people to
respect his privacy at a very difficult time for them."
It is the second time in three days that West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola
has been hit with distressing news concerning his squad members. On Saturday
night, it emerged that defender Calum Davenport had been involved in a
stabbing incident which had left him needing surgery and fighting to save
his career. Davenport had a second operation on Monday and was said to be in
a stable condition in intensive care. When asked of Davenport's situation,
Zola said: "It was unbelievable. You don't expect things like this to
happen, especially people you know. "Now all that is important is that he is
alright, the rest about his future can be decided in the next days."
The boyfriend of Davenport's sister, Worrell Whitehurst has been charged
with causing grievous bodily harm with intent at Bedford Magistrates Court.
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Hines has mixed emotions after West Ham debut
25.08.09 | tribalfootball.com
Zavon Hines had mixed emotions about his West Ham United debut in their
defeat to Tottenham. "It was a kind of weird day," Hines told whufc.com. "I
was hoping I'll come on for my debut but then we lost so I don't know
whether to be happy or sad." The striker added: "It was good to get out
there. It was good to make my debut especially as I've been injured. My main
is just to keep fit and try to play games."
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AC Milan fullback Oddo rejects West Ham move
25.08.09 | tribalfootball.com
AC Milan fullback Massimo Oddo has turned down an offer from West Ham
United. "I have to consider my family in all this and with two young
children I will not repeat the difficult experience I had in Munich," he
told Sky Italia. "I do not feel that I can go on loan to a club that plays
outside of Italy."
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Livorno's Lucarelli can understand West Ham ambitions for Diamanti
25.08.09 | tribalfootball.com
Livorno striker Cristiano Lucarelli concedes teammate Alessandro Diamanti
will find it difficult to reject an offer from West Ham United. Lucarelli
said: "I know the story from what I've read in the newspapers. We hope he
will stay, because for us he is a key player and would be a significant
loss. "But if the figures are true, it seems that the offer would be good
even for the club and its budget. "In my heart, however, I hope he can stay
here."
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