WHUFC.com
Tony Stokes has agreed to stay with high-flying Hungarian side Ujpest FC
until the end of the season
19.02.2009
West Ham United reserve team captain Tony Stokes has joined Hungarian
Soproni League title-chasers Ujpest FC until the end of the season.
The 21-year-old midfielder put pen to paper on Thursday afternoon at the
Boleyn Ground after spending last week with the 20-times Hungarian league
champions. Stokes impressed Ujpest's coaching staff on the training pitch
and cannot wait to show them what he can do in competitive action.
"It went really well. I am going to go out there until the end of the
season. They are second in the league table and, with all the cups they are
still involved in, I could play as many as 30 games between now and the end
of the season. I am looking forward to playing first-team football and
showing them what I can do."
Stokes was an interested spectator as Ujpest won 3-2 at Zalaegerszeg in the
Hungarian League Cup on Saturday. The versatile youngster could make his
debut in Sunday's Soproni League fixture at fifth-placed Nyíregyháza. Ujpest
go into the weekend in second spot, three points behind leaders Debrecen
with 15 matches remaining.
"I really feel I can make an impact. The level of football is similar to the
Championship. It is a bit slower than English football but the technical
level of the players is very high. This is a great chance for me."
Ujpest have welcomed Stokes to Hungary, making the Essex-born player feel at
home in a country and a city - Budapest - he knew little about just a few
short weeks ago.
"They have set up me up with an apartment and a car, which has been great.
Budapest is also a beautiful place. I never realised how nice it was before
I arrived. There is another English player called Scott Malone who has
joined them from Wolves so it's good to have him there. The other lads can
speak a bit of English and if I speak slowly and use some hand gestures, I
can hold conversations with most of them!"
Stokes' move to Ujpest comes just a fortnight after West Ham brought Hungary
Under-21 goalkeeper Peter Kurucz to the Boleyn Ground from the club on loan
until the end of the season. Hungary Under-19 striker Balint Bajner is also
on the Hammers' books and progressing well.
Joe Borocz, Ujpesti CEO, said: "We have been working with West Ham for three
months so we are very pleased that we have come to this point with Tony
coming to Budapest. We feel he will be able to help our team to make a
really concerted effort to win the championship and we will see at the end
of May if it has worked out for Ujpest and Tony. I am very hopeful that it
will.
"English club football is the pinnacle of the world so when we looked at
clubs to work with we felt that West Ham was the perfect club. We both have
great traditions and ambitious plans for the future. I could not think of a
nicer club to work with than West Ham and now there will be a lot of fans
back in Budapest pulling for West Ham to do well."
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Busy week for Payne
WHUFC.com
First-team football is the ultimate aim for Josh Payne and he has a double
chance to impress this week
19.02.2009
Josh Payne is relishing derby duels in the coming week against Arsenal at
Under-18 level and Tottenham Hotspur for the reserves as he looks to stake
his first-team claim.
The cultured midfielder has made great strides of late. After an excellent
pre-season, he began the campaign as captain of Tony Carr's academy side and
with a regular place in Alex Dyer's second string. His form earned him a
three-month loan at League One side Cheltenham Town where he played eleven
games, scoring once.
"Playing at Cheltenham was decent and you get a good crowd watching you," he
said, before adding that he would not mind the opportunity to have another
spell in lower league football before the season is out. "I was playing in
front of 5 or 6,000. I've learnt to take the good with the bad and learn
from it. It really helped my development."
Having turned 18 and returned to Chadwell Heath full of confidence, Payne
recognises the next step is ultimately to make an impression on Gianfranco
Zola and follow the likes of Jack Collison into the senior set-up.
Unsurprisingly then, the prospect of playing two games in quick succession
this Saturday and next Tuesday is seen as a positive.
"We've got a big game against Arsenal this weekend for the youths on
Saturday and then on Tuesday we've got Tottenham in the reserves so we'll
see what happens. It's good to switch between the two levels because it is a
different sort of football." Payne added that his aim is "to play at the
highest point" sooner rather than later.
With that ambition in mind, he said it was a welcome step this week to get
an extended run out in a behind closed-doors friendly at Fulham. "For the
reserve team players in and around the first team, it was good to get the
full 90 minutes. Considering it was a friendly, it was competitive so it was
good."
* West Ham United Under-18s take on FA Premier Academy League Group A
leaders Arsenal this Saturday at the Arsenal Training Centre at London
Colney, kick off is 10.45am.
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Tristan eyes Hammers chance
Spaniard eager for regular action
Last updated: 19th February 2009
SSN
Diego Tristan insists he is ready to solve West Ham's striking problems.
Carlton Cole faces a few weeks out after spraining his ankle in last
weekend's FA Cup draw with Middlesbrough, while long-term casualty Dean
Ashton has been ruled out for the rest of the season Tristan has struggled
to make an impact at Upton Park since his arrival on a free transfer in
October. The Spaniard could get a chance to stake his claim for a regular
run in the side against Bolton in the absence of Cole and Tristan is
determined to grab his opportunity. "I have not played much up to this
moment, but I hope that now I can play - I'm totally convinced of my
abilities," Tristan told the East London Advertiser. "I have always played
[in my career] and it's not something you forget. I'm getting used to being
a part of the team and to English football, which is very quick and played
at tremendous speed. "It is difficult for technical players because the
referees never blow the whistle. But I hope I can show my abilities."
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The perfect blend
KUMB.com
Filed: Thursday, 19th February 2009
By: Christopher Smith
With the recent news of Scott Parker signing a new deal, West Ham United
supporters can rightly feel positive about the direction in which the club
is headed.
The build up to the transfer window had fans quivering in their boots about
the possibility of a fire sale, with each new day suggesting another star
would leave. As it turned out the only player to go was the volatile
Bellamy. Whilst many would point out that the sale has left Zola and Clarke
short of viable striking options, in reality could they afford a player with
a history of being a disruptive influence in their new look up beat dressing
room?
From a financial point of view the deal also looked too good to turn down. I
believe the management team at West Ham have been incredibly shrewd and are
clearly sticking to a model that looks to be a blend of the best aspects of
London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea.
Gianluca Nani has been charged with finding the best youth players from
around Europe whilst they are cheap and bringing them to a youth academy
that can be argued as the best in the country. In Tony Carr, West Ham know
that they have the man to bring the right players along and turn them into
Premier League players of the highest calibre.
The philosophy has all the hallmarks of Arsene Wengers' revolution at
Arsenal, where he has brought the footballing world the delights of Cesc
Fabregas (Spanish international and European Championships winner 2008) ,
Kolo Toure (Ivory Coast international), Denilson, Gael Clichy and the
impressive Carlos Vela. All the time whilst producing players of this
calibre and complementing them with players bought to fit into a system not
just big name signings such as Mathieu Flamini (French international now at
AC Milan) Gilberto Silva, who was hailed as one of the signings of the
season after the 2002 World Cup, and Freddie Ljungberg.
When thinking long term, this is clearly a good way of producing results as
you have players learning the managers system from a young age, which makes
the transition period from youth teams to first team all the easier, as well
as producing tidy profits for the balance sheet should players not be
successful in making the step-up.
Since the sale of Bellamy, the club's management have shown the way in which
they want to take the club forward using a blend of Wenger's Arsenal
philosophy combined with Assistant Manager Steve Clarke's experience's from
Chelsea under 'the special one', Jose Mourinho. West Ham CEO Scott Duxbury
recently proudly announced that the club would be looking to secure key
performers Robert Green, Matthew Upson (both recently have cemented their
places in Fabio Capello's England squad after impressive performances) and
England hopeful Scott Parker to improved long term deals.
Parker signed his deal last week and Zola is hopeful the others will also
sign, 'There are players that have been very important this season - people
like Matthew Upson, Robert Green, and Lucas Neill. They are the core of this
team and I believe they can be the core of this team for a long time.'
This all comes on the back of Dean Ashton and Carlton Cole both signing
improved deals in 2008. Jack Collison has also agreed a long term deal and
Herita Illunga recently made his loan move into a permanent deal after a
very impressive first half to the season. This is where I believe the
influence of Clarke to be bearing fruit.
Under Mourinho, Chelsea's spine never changed. Cech, Terry, Lampard, Drogba.
Every week they played and were integral to Mourinho delivering success. Few
can argue that the stability to the side that Zola and Clarke have brought
to West Ham has not been key to the upturn in fortunes of late. Add to this
the news that club captain Lucas Neill will be offered a new deal, and the
blend of philosophy's as a blueprint for success, there is a strong case for
optimism at the Boleyn.
In the age of supporters and Directors both seemingly being intent on
implementing varying methods, whether it be sacking a manager after a
handful of games (Paul Ince and Tony Adams) or spending vast sums of money
as a way of bringing about instantaneous results, it is refreshing to see at
least one club with a clear long term plan for success built around
stability.
With the possibility of a takeover it would be crucial for the club to
maintain these values as it seems that at least for now it is working.
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The Godfather Of Green Street
Just Like My Dreams
Ever since Ron Greenwood sent forth Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin
Peters from Upton Park to win the World Cup, few teams have done more than
West Ham, as their most celebrated fan, Alf Garnett, might put it, "for
Queen and bleedin' country". A grateful Buckingham Palace responded when
they made them the first club with two former players elevated to the rank
of knight, Sir Geoff and then Sir Trevor Brooking. Recognition, perhaps,
that throughout the eras, West Ham United have always played as though their
famous claret-and-blue shirts were edged in ermine.
They may never have won the championship, but the Hammers have acquired a
reputation for doing things in a certain style while producing a constant
supply of dazzling young players. According to Greenwood's philosophy: "The
crowds at West Ham have never been rewarded by results but they keep turning
up because of the good football they see. Other clubs will suffer from the
old bugbear that results count more than anything. This has been the
ruination of English soccer."
Greenwood's personal epiphany came on a dank November afternoon at Wembley
in 1953 when Hungary's Magnificent Magyars trounced England 6-3 in a display
of football the like of which the world had never seen. It changed
Greenwood's philosophy of the game. Within a decade West Ham, the club he
now managed, were imitating the best bits of Ferenc Puskas and Sandor
Kocsis, sweeping the ball around in intricate patterns, and winning the FA
Cup, European Cup-Winners' Cup and providing the backbone of England's
successful World Cup-winning side.
That style has continued to evolve over the years, and the name of West Ham
is synonymous with open, attacking football. It doesn't always show itself
in results, but it is pretty to watch for those who prefer aesthetics.
Greenwood died at the grand old age of 84 in 2006, but his life's work still
breathes. One of the most adherent of disciples, Tony Carr, is still
preaching the Greenwood philosophy six decades on.
Carr, 58, is now the godfather of Green Street, the man who has nurtured the
talent emerging from West Ham's youth academy over the past 35 years. Born
in Bow and a lifelong fan he joined West Ham as a 15-year-old apprentice in
1966, polishing the boots of the three returning World Cup heroes. But
competition was fierce and the young centre-forward found himself looking
for a new club just four years later, ending up at then non-league Barnet.
He admits that he did not have the ability to play at the highest level and
a broken leg left him considering his future in the game.
"I just didn't have what it takes to be a West Ham player, it's as simple as
that," muses Carr. "But I'd been a Hammers fan all my life – one of my
earliest memories is gazing in wonderment at the glow of the floodlights
from our council estate in Bow – so when John Lyall rang up to ask if I
fancied doing a bit of coaching, it was lovely to be given the chance to
come `home'. He said 'I heard you broke your leg, what are you doing?'. I
said I wasn't doing anything at the moment and he asked me to come and do a
little bit of coaching. There was an opportunity of a part-time job. I went
for a chat and I took the job on a part-time basis, which was as assistant
then to the youth coach, Ronnie Boyce. That was in 1973 and I've been here
ever since."
It proved to be an inspired decision by Lyall. The job became full-time in
1980 and Carr's dedication has helped mould some of the greatest players
ever to pull on the claret and blue. Of the recent players to have emerged
from the self-styled Academy are Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole,
Jermain Defoe, Glen Johnson and Michael Carrick, England internationals all.
They say that if West Ham had managed to keep them, they and not Manchester
United or Chelsea would be Premier League champions, and at a fraction of
the cost; that if you could bottle what Carr knows about football, you would
make a fortune.
To a certain extent, Carr did bottle it by producing How To Coach A Soccer
Team, subtitled 'Professional advice on building a winning team'. It is a
veritable coaching bible; a distillation into 144 pages of more than 30
years' worth of practical knowledge gained on the playing fields of
metropolitan Essex, a welter of drills and tips for coaches on how to get
the best out of players at all levels. Diagrams, photographs and a simple
narrative break the game down into bit-sized chunks that can be integrated
into match play. There is even a diagnostic section where common failings
are analysed and suggestions offered.
Among many common sense pieces of advice, Carr stresses the "importance of
constant practice of the basic skills and techniques of the game by players,
no matter how experienced they are - repetition becomes permanent". Rio
Ferdinand endorses the approach: "Tony was always brilliant at reducing the
game to its vital components - movement, control, passing - and designing
drills and games that would hone each of them. It was always both demanding
and fun."
Although he is far too modest to admit it, as a polisher of youthful
diamonds Carr may be the most influential coach in the land. "No way is it
all down to me," he claims. "It's very difficult to say why we've been so
successful in youth terms; I suppose it's down to a number of factors but,
most importantly, our recruitment area of east London and Essex is really
fertile. Also, Upton Park was known as `the academy of football' right back
to the days of Bobby Moore – and long before academies became commonplace –
so youngsters know they'll be given an opportunity, no matter what age they
are. The key is finding the talent – and we always had an outstanding
recruitment officer in Jimmy Hampson – then, having found them, nurturing
them and giving them the chance when the time is right."
Yet Carr is not resting on his laurels because he knows the work he and his
staff do is of incalculable benefit to the club, especially in the economic
climate. "You can get mugged with young players – some just don't develop
for whatever reason – but you can usually tell when a lad has that something
out of the ordinary. Tony Cottee and Jermain Defoe were scoring goals as
10-year-olds, while Rio Ferdinand was a fantastic athlete in the centre of
midfield. We only converted him to centre-back when he became a full-time
professional."
Freddie Sears, James Tomkins and Jack Collison are the latest academy
graduates to make an impression on the first-team squad but Carr is
determined to keep the conveyor-belt of talent turning. "We impose a target
on ourselves to produce one player every year good enough to go into the
first team squad," he says. "Not just signing as a pro but good enough for
the squad. That's a minimum requirement. You're not going to produce players
every year, but if you've got five, six, seven or more in the last five
years then job done. You might have two years when no-one comes through, but
in other years you have two or three. Last year we had three making their
debuts – Jack, Freddie and James."
Carr, now 58, has nurtured the fledgling careers of a dizzying array of
talent since those salad days of the early seventies, so does anyone really
stand out? "There are many players for different reasons," he posits. "When
we first spotted Joe Cole it was obvious he had unbelievable talent. But
even at that age you can never say this player's going to play for England
or our first team. It's a gradual process and you never really know if
they're good enough until you put them in the first team, that's the bottom
line. What we do year-on-year is make a judgment using our past experience,
assess each individual and see if he's got what it takes to be a top player
– if he's got the talent and impact in the game."
Glen Johnson is a good example, thinks Carr. "He came here as a
centre-forward aged 10, played on the right wing, then centre-back and ended
up at right-back in the first team where he made an immediate impact. Now
he's playing for England." Johnson was sold after the Irons' relegation in
2003, along with Cole, Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick. Selling academy
players swells the club's coffers, but Carr admitted he would prefer them to
stay. Like most West Ham supporters he is all too aware of how the stream of
talent he has helped produce has moved on to pastures new and it is only
natural to think 'what if...? "Yes. We've often sat around the dinner table
with friends and family and said 'If those players were playing for you now,
think about that. It's a nice dream over a glass of wine but it was never
going to be a reality. I have to be a realist and accept market forces
dictate, such as the fire sale we had to have when we got relegated," he
reflects.
Carr understands there may come a point when a player has to move on. "If
we've had good service from him and we end up getting a fair transfer fee
for him the fans should accept it's part and parcel of the game," he says.
"It's up to the youth academy to find the next one. It opens the door for
someone else so you mustn't get too sentimental. I'm a West Ham supporter
and always have been, so I'm disappointed in that respect, but I have to put
my director's hat on and say that's the name of the game. It is sad when you
see them move on. You're not going to get a Bobby Moore or a Trevor Brooking
that sign at 16 and stay to 32. That's not going to happen now or it's going
to be very rare. The ultimate success is they play 500 games for the first
team and you sell them for £10million or you win the Champions League. But
in terms of getting them in the team and getting a financial return the
academy's given good value."
One aspect Carr would like to see is the replacement of the reserve league
with an under-21 league, giving clubs the chance to hang on to late
developers. "There are too many people within football who want to discard
people too quickly today," notes Carr. "We should keep them until they're
21, because some people develop late. Not everyone is like Joe Cole, going
straight into the team at 17. An under-21 league in place of the reserve
league would be great because we may unearth a player later in the system we
may have discarded at 18. It may never happen. If there's a big enough
ground-swell from the clubs it'll happen, but if the clubs don't want it
it'll not happen."
One player who did slip through the net was England skipper John Terry, who
spent five years at the Hammers' academy before heading west to link up with
Chelsea at the age of 14. His decision to move still baffles Carr. "You'll
have to ask John [about] that," he smiles. "I've never really found out the
reason why. I think Chelsea lured him and he felt perhaps a change is what
he wanted. You'll have to ask him and his parents because I really don't
know the exact reason. I still bump into John now and again and he's still
John from east London. He's still the same guy. There's no animosity there.
I'm pleased for him. He's done fantastic. He's a great player, a great
servant for Chelsea and for England."
Terry is not alone, Kieran Richardson, Jloyd Samuel, Freddy Eastwood, Jimmy
Bullard all fell through the Upton Park cracks for varying reasons. Yet Carr
is determined to keep unearthing the best young talent for a few more years
to come, whether they become international players or not. "I'm still
enjoying it. From the day I walked in here I've loved it because every year
is different. Every year I have a different squad and every year I have to
develop different players. The strategy remains the same but it's just a
matter of getting your next group of players to emulate the group who've
gone before, so the challenge is always there."
And Carr is certain new manager Gianfranco Zola will be keen for the academy
to continue producing top-quality players for the first team. "He's been
quoted that he's a great believer in youth development and the academies so
I'm sure the relationship with Gianfranco, like it's been with all the other
managers I've worked under, will give me the same support at the Academy as
all the others did," states Carr. "The club is steeped in that tradition and
in my opinion it would be a fool that would try and change that. We have to
tinker and change and we have to go with the way the game develops."
One of those developments is likely to be an increase in the number of
overseas players finding their way to the Hammers academy. Hungarian
teenager Balint Bajner and Holmar Orn Eyjolffson from Iceland are already
starring for the youth team and more are likely to follow. It's something
Carr accepts as part of the modern game, particularly considering the
example of Arsenal, whose success is based on cherry-picking the best young
talent in Europe. "There are more foreign young players in the game than
there ever was," said Carr. "We won't ever say no to that, and we have
brought in one or two young foreign players just to see how we can develop
them. But there's nothing like bringing your own through from home. Bringing
a kid in at nine or 10 and nurturing him right through like Freddie Sears
last year. I remember him coming here as a nine-year-old, a little tiny tot,
and to see him score that goal against Blackburn in the Premier League and
now establish himself as a good squad member, that's a fantastic pleasure."
There's a strong case for saying Carr is a major influence on England's bid
to make South Africa in 2010, although he naturally plays down his role.
When the national side runs out to play their World Cup qualifiers he is one
man who can perhaps feel prouder than most when he sees Frank Lampard, Rio
Ferdinand and Jermain Defoe all prominent in England colours, as well as
variously Joe Cole, Glen Johnson and Michael Carrick. "I wouldn't like to
take the credit for it," he says. "West Ham's youth academy has in some
respects produced half the England team, and we take great pleasure in that,
especially as the previous youth academy produced the Moore, Hurst, Peters
era. We've got a fantastic tradition and I'm just lucky enough to have been
in it this long to carry on that tradition, which is what our club's all
about.
"There's been some great individuals along the way, like Paul Ince and Tony
Cottee, but that little crop that came through - Frank and Rio, Joe Cole and
Michael Carrick, then Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe - are the crux of the
England team and you could say they are the best crop [we've had through]
because they are that close together. Those six alone are enough to be proud
of and I follow all their careers."
So Should England return from South Africa in possession of the World Cup
next year, you can expect to hear Garnett's voice reminding the nation, in
his own inimitable fashion, that Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, John Terry and Sol
Campbell all began their careers as schoolboys in London's East End, as did
fellow-England internationals who, for one reason or another, were left
behind: Rio Ferdinand, Jermain Defoe, Glen Johnson and Michael Carrick. Even
David Beckham is recorded as having made a few appearances for the West Ham
youth team before being snaffled away by Sir Alex Ferguson.
"For a club like ours, I think we can feel rightly proud that we've produced
so many England players over the years," says Carr. "It's fantastic that
such a large number of the squad have a West Ham connection but, to be
honest, I can't remember Beckham ever being with us. I've heard the stories
that he played once or twice but I was probably involved with another age
group at the time. When I watched Rio, Frank, Joe and Michael all walk out
of the ground to join their first England camps, I felt immensely proud for
them as people. With Jermain and Glen it was slightly different because
they'd moved on to Tottenham and Chelsea by the time they won their caps, so
I had to congratulate them by phone. Everyone at the club knew they were all
very special young players, but we were obviously biased so it's nice when
the England coach shares your opinion."
Since 1973 five managers of the first team squad have come and gone, but
Tony Carr remains at his post developing the players of tomorrow. He
faithfully begins his work anew every July, when he casts his unerring
expert eye over the latest intake in the hope of finding another Bobby Moore
in his midst. "That's the really exciting thing about this job, that you
start out every new season in the hope of uncovering a little nugget.
There's another Frank Lampard out there somewhere and our task is to find
him, teach him to take his first steps in football, then sit back and watch
him run…" And with that, the lineage conceived at Wembley in 1953 is still
alive and kicking.
Posted by Trilby at 10:42
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Green: Hammers must learn in time for massive game
3:43pm Thursday 19th February 2009
Guardian Series
ROBERT Green believes West Ham must learn their lessons from Saturday's draw
with Middlesbrough in time to get back on track against Bolton Wanderers in
this weekend's Premier League clash. The Hammers keeper has identified this
week's game as 'massive' for the team as they bid to put pressure on the
sides above them, with a UEFA Cup spot still up for grabs. "I think we've
learnt a lesson that if we aren't 100 per cent on our game we won't always
win," said Green. "If we take that into Saturday's game at Bolton – which is
a massive one for us – and then Middlesbrough again then we'll have learnt a
lesson and really go for it. "We know where we've gone wrong (against
Middlesbrough) and if we didn't we'd start to worry. But we know we didn't
start well and didn't get hold of them."
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Tristan vows to seize his chance
EastLondonAdvertier.co.uk
19 February 2009
EXCLUSIVE
By JONATHAN CLEGG
Diego Tristan insists he is ready to answer West Ham's striker crisis and
shoulder the goalscoring burden after the Hammers were hit by a double blow
to their forward line-up. The club's attacking options suffered a
significant hit this week as leading scorer Carlton Cole was sidelined for
two weeks with an ankle sprain, while injured hitman Dean Ashton revealed he
will miss the rest of the season following a second operation on his own
ankle injury. That leaves Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola desperately short of
firepower ahead of Saturday's trip to Bolton and a crucial FA Cup replay at
Middlesbrough on Tuesday night. But former Spain ace Tristan has vowed to
pick up the slack by replacing Cole as the club's No1 target man. The
33-year-old has yet to start a first-team game for the Hammers, but seems
certain to be handed a chance after replacing Cole against Boro last
weekend. And Tristan is confident he will grasp the opportunity to show that
he is a Premier League performer. He said: "I have not played much up to
this moment, but I hope that now I can play - I'm totally convinced of my
abilities. "I have always played [in my career] and it's not something you
forget. I'm getting used to being a part of the team and to English
football, which is very quick and played at tremendous speed. "It is
difficult for technical players because the referees never blow the whistle.
But I hope I can show my abilities."
England striker Cole is unlikely to be back for next week's trip to the
Riverside, but the 25-year-old should be available for a possible FA Cup
quarter-final at Everton next month. Ashton will not feature again this
season after the striker admitted that he will adopt a cautious approach to
rehabilitation. He said: "I'm looking to get myself back for pre-season now.
I don't want to come back unless I'm right.
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Green reckons Zola is in it for the long haul
Sport.co.uk
Author: Nigel Brown
Posted on: 19 February 2009 - 9:07 AM
Rob Green says West Ham need to shake off their tag as a 'crisis-club' and
believes Gianfranco Zola is the man to bring a period of stability to Upton
Park. The east London club had just eight managers between 1901 and 2001 but
Green has already played under three bosses since joining in 2006.And there
have been reports of boardroom instability while the furore over the Carlos
Tevez transfer saga has seen the Hammers lurch from crisis to crisis. But
Green says that Zola, who has been at the helm for just five months, is in
for the long haul and can take the club to the next level after going on a
run of one defeat in 10 games. "It's been topsy-turvy since I arrived and
everyone is looking for a crisis-club - and sometimes it's been West Ham,"
said England goalkeeper Green. "In recent history there's always been
something happening, it's been all the fun of the fair. "But now we're on an
upward curve, one where we've been picking up results with a fairly settled
team and managerial staff, and it's been an enjoyable recent experience. "It
comes with financial stability, managerial stability, playing stability and
the results speak for themselves. "The manager has a project to oversee
here. He's just a few months into a managerial career he seems to have
enjoyed so far and I'm sure he's more than happy to carry on here."
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DICKS LOOKS TO SPARKLING MOVE
Feb 19 2009 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Echo
FORMER Liverpool, West Ham and England defender Julian Dicks has declared
his interest in the vacant Rushden & Diamonds manager's job. The 40-year-old
is currently in charge of Ridgeons Premier side Wivenhoe, and is eyeing the
job at Nene Park following the resignation of Garry Hill. "Rushden's a big
club in non-league and I would look forward to a job like that," Dicks said.
"I have seen the facilities at Nene Park and they are magnificent."
Rushden currently have former Tottenham defender Justin Edinburgh in as
caretaker manager. "I've got a lot to offer football and I have enjoyed my
time at Wivenhoe," added Dicks. "I've played under a lot of managers and I
take a lot from them; people like Graeme Souness, Ron Saunders and Harry
Redknapp. "Rushden would be the next step up for me."
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Faubert is a stopgap to Ramos
by Laurent Picard , 19 February 2009
setanta.co.uk
Sergio Ramos has hinted that Real Madrid are using Julien Faubert as a
stopgap on the right wing. Los Merengues right back Ramos feels that Faubert
is a long way from being a key player at the Bernabeu. The European champion
has stated that the Frenchman, who is on loan from West Ham, was signed as
cover. Faubert was a surprising signing for Real during the January transfer
window and Ramos does not expect the former Hammer to play regularly for the
Madrid outfit. Ramos said: "A right winger was missing, and we needed a
player that wasn't cup-tied in the Champions League. We play him when
needed and he won't necessarily play every game. "Tactically, when we will
need to play someone at right midfield, he could be an option."
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GREEN'S SO SETTLED AT WEST HAM
19th February 2009 By Scott Coleman
Daily Star
ROB GREEN insists Gianfranco Zola is the man to bring stability to West Ham.
Green has served under three bosses since moving from Norwich three years
ago and wants the Hammers to shake off their 'crisis-club' tag. Reports of
boardroom instability from the Carlos Tevez transfer saga has seen the
Eastenders lurch from crisis to crisis.
But Green says that Zola, who has been at the helm for just five months, can
take the club to the next level. England keeper Green said: "It's been
topsy-turvy since I arrived. "Everyone is looking for a crisis-club – and
sometimes it's been West Ham. "But we're on an upward curve, one where we've
been picking up results with a fairly settled team and managerial staff, and
it's been an enjoyable recent experience."
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