Tottenham test for reserves
WHUFC.com
It may be an inexperienced side that takes to the field on Tuesday night but
a derby date is always intriguing
24.02.2009
Alex Dyer will not be the only coach taking an interested view when the
reserves line up against Tottenham Hotspur at Bishop's Stortford this
evening.
The reserve-team manager has selected several of Tony Carr's Under-18s for
his matchday squad with first-team commitments meaning a lack of experienced
performers being available for the second string. For Carr, it will be a
welcome opportunity to run the rule over his charges - without the pressures
of worrying about tactics or the simple task of trying to win the game.
"I will go and watch from the stands," Carr said. "I don't mind doing that.
I am emotionally detached from who's doing what, and things like wondering
'who is marking him' and 'why didn't you make a run forward there'. You sit
in the stands, you are detached from the emotion of the game and you can
perhaps look at things more analytically."
Instead the touchline responsibility will be all on Dyer and the
reserve-team manager has plenty of promising prospects at his disposal. In
particular, he could have the tricky Zavon Hines, well over his knee
problems, making his first competitive start of the season after a
substitute's outing last month in the 2-0 reserve defeat at Fulham. Hines
has also made a couple of behind-closed-doors friendlies to hone his
fitness.
Hines has also had a taste of international football with Jamaica after
being called up by John Barnes for the friendly with Nigeria earlier this
month, although he did not get on the pitch. The striker is eager to
reproduce the form of a tremendous pre-season when he scored five times and
then followed that up in September with a goal on his first-team debut in
the 4-1 defeat of Macclesfield Town in the League Cup.
Also hoping to catch the eye this evening at Woodside Park is Josh Payne,
with the influential 18-year-old having got a pre-planned half for the
youths at the weekend in midfield. A versatile performer, Payne may drop
into defence - a position he played for much of last season - for the
reserve contest and he is another who is thought to be not too far away from
the first-team picture.
Perhaps the closest are goalkeeper Marek Stech and winger Junior Stanislas,
with the latter having travelled as part of Gianfranco Zola's squad to
Bolton Wanderers last weekend. After his loan at Southend United earlier
this season, Stanislas is cup-tied and therefore was never in contention for
another awayday with the seniors for Wednesday night's FA Cup fifth-round
replay at Middlesbrough.
Carr said such a reserve-team outing was a major opportunity, not just for
those pushing hard for a first-team chance but for those looking to take the
next step from the U18s as others like 15-year-old's Sergio Sanchez, a
promising defender newly arrived from Barcelona, and England youth
international striker Robert Hall follow behind on the production line.
"The door is open for the younger players to impress at a higher level -
Tottenham at home, like all the London derbies, is always going to be a big
game. They gave a good account of themselves last week in the friendly
against Fulham. I only hope we can repeat that and it is another opportunity
for them to step in the spotlight and show what they can do."
West Ham United are fifth in the Barclays Premier Reserve League South and
could go second behind leaders Aston Villa if they better Chelsea's result
at Stoke City. Admission to tonight's contest at Woodside Park is free to
season ticket holders. Otherwise it is £5 for adults and £2 for concessions.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Team comes first for Cole
WHUFC.com
Carlton Cole is aware of what is required in order to turn good performances
into winning displays
24.02.2009
Carlton Cole has been speaking about the fine line between victory and
defeat and paid tribute to the performance of the team as a whole in last
weekend's reverse at Bolton Wanderers.
The England forward heads off for Middlesbrough today with a determination
to get a positive result in Wednesday's FA Cup fifth-round replay. Cole was
in good form at the Reebok Stadium, leading the line with strength and
skill. He came close to scoring on three occasions, seeing one shot blocked
by Gary Cahill and two headers cleared off the line by Matthew Taylor and
goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
The 25-year-old also turned provider, sending Mark Noble clear with a
perfectly-weighted through-ball on 36 minutes, only for the midfielder to be
denied by the alert Jaaskelainen. Half-an-hour later, Cole was involved in
the build-up for what turned out to be a consolation goal from midfielder
Scott Parker.
The frontman admitted he and his team-mates were gutted to come away with
nothing from a game that they dominated for long periods. "You could tell
that the boys had come off the field really disappointed. As was said in the
dressing room, it was the finer details in the first half [that cost us],"
he said.
"We started really fast, pressurised well, but the fine details between the
lines were the difference. When you are involved in a game like that, you
know what they are all about and they just got a few decisions their way as
well which didn't help."
"I'm not really bothered about my performance. I'd rather be talking about
the team as a whole. I felt we knocked it around well and got about them but
sometimes you just don't get the luck or the rub of the green. I had a
chance cleared off the line, David [Di Michele] had two good opportunities
and Nobes had an opportunity to shoot. These are the details that we need to
brush up on because they win games.
"Even when we went 2-0 down everyone involved knew we could still get a good
result. We still felt we weren't out of the game, which you sometimes feel
against other Premier League sides at 2-0. Scotty got his goal and we felt
it was our chance to progress and get an extra goal or two but it just
didn't happen for us the way it should have."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tottenham test for reserves
WHUFC.com
It may be an inexperienced side that takes to the field on Tuesday night but
a derby date is always intriguing
24.02.2009
Alex Dyer will not be the only coach taking an interested view when the
reserves line up against Tottenham Hotspur at Bishop's Stortford this
evening.
The reserve-team manager has selected several of Tony Carr's Under-18s for
his matchday squad with first-team commitments meaning a lack of experienced
performers being available for the second string. For Carr, it will be a
welcome opportunity to run the rule over his charges - without the pressures
of worrying about tactics or the simple task of trying to win the game.
"I will go and watch from the stands," Carr said. "I don't mind doing that.
I am emotionally detached from who's doing what, and things like wondering
'who is marking him' and 'why didn't you make a run forward there'. You sit
in the stands, you are detached from the emotion of the game and you can
perhaps look at things more analytically."
Instead the touchline responsibility will be all on Dyer and the
reserve-team manager has plenty of promising prospects at his disposal. In
particular, he could have the tricky Zavon Hines, well over his knee
problems, making his first competitive start of the season after a
substitute's outing last month in the 2-0 reserve defeat at Fulham. Hines
has also made a couple of behind-closed-doors friendlies to hone his
fitness.
Hines has also had a taste of international football with Jamaica after
being called up by John Barnes for the friendly with Nigeria earlier this
month, although he did not get on the pitch. The striker is eager to
reproduce the form of a tremendous pre-season when he scored five times and
then followed that up in September with a goal on his first-team debut in
the 4-1 defeat of Macclesfield Town in the League Cup.
Also hoping to catch the eye this evening at Woodside Park is Josh Payne,
with the influential 18-year-old having got a pre-planned half for the
youths at the weekend in midfield. A versatile performer, Payne may drop
into defence - a position he played for much of last season - for the
reserve contest and he is another who is thought to be not too far away from
the first-team picture.
Perhaps the closest are goalkeeper Marek Stech and winger Junior Stanislas,
with the latter having travelled as part of Gianfranco Zola's squad to
Bolton Wanderers last weekend. After his loan at Southend United earlier
this season, Stanislas is cup-tied and therefore was never in contention for
another awayday with the seniors for Wednesday night's FA Cup fifth-round
replay at Middlesbrough.
Carr said such a reserve-team outing was a major opportunity, not just for
those pushing hard for a first-team chance but for those looking to take the
next step from the U18s as others like 15-year-old's Sergio Sanchez, a
promising defender newly arrived from Barcelona, and England youth
international striker Robert Hall follow behind on the production line.
"The door is open for the younger players to impress at a higher level -
Tottenham at home, like all the London derbies, is always going to be a big
game. They gave a good account of themselves last week in the friendly
against Fulham. I only hope we can repeat that and it is another opportunity
for them to step in the spotlight and show what they can do."
West Ham United are fifth in the Barclays Premier Reserve League South and
could go second behind leaders Aston Villa if they better Chelsea's result
at Stoke City. Admission to tonight's contest at Woodside Park is free to
season ticket holders. Otherwise it is £5 for adults and £2 for concessions.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Reserves 1-3 Tottenham
WHUFC.com
24.02.2009
Barclays Premier Reserve League South
Tuesday 24 February 2009
West Ham United Reserves v Tottenham Hotspur Reserves
Kick-off: 7pm
Referee: P W Mellin
90 min - After a little over three minutes of added-time, the final whistle
is blown.
90 min - GOAL! McNaughton slides in and brings down Hutton. It's a penalty.
Taarabt calls for the ball. He wants a hat-trick, and he gets one by
slotting the ball into the bottom right-hand corner from the spot.
90 min - There will be three added minutes. Spurs are in possession, though,
and deep inside the Hammers' half.
89 min - Alnwick flies to his right to punch clear Payne's header from a
Stanislas free-kick. That was close!
87 min - Time is running out for the Hammers. Edgar tries to jink into the
box but is held off by Caulker.
84 min - GOAL! After a long period of inactivity, Taarabt reminds everyone
that he is still on the pitch by cutting between Kearns and Harvey and
lashing a low, left-foot shot past Stech. That was a fine goal.
78 min - The game has quietened down a bit. Maybe the introduction of Balint
Bajner for Hines will stoke things up a bit?
74 min - Two big let-offs for Tottenham in the space of 30 seconds. First,
Edgar races on to Stanislas' delightful through ball, but his low shot is
straight at Alnwick. Then, Kearns beats a defender but drags his shot wide
of the far post.
73 min - Changes for both sides. Callum McNaughton is on for Miller, with
Fry moving to left-back. For Spurs, Nathan Byrne replaces Oyenuga.
72 min - Oyenuga's shot is deflected out for a corner. Caulker is penalised
for a foul as he attempts to head the ball into the net.
70 min - Jeffery races on to Stech's huge clearance but is unable to control
the bouncing ball with his head, allowing Hughton to get back in and make
the challenge.
67 min - Hutton shoots through Miller's legs, but the alert Stech goes down
well to block. This is a game that either side could win quite easily. It is
just end-to-end.
66 min - O'Neill breaks up a Spurs attack on the halfway line. Edgar races
away down the right and crosses for HInes, but his first-time volley flies
well over.
64 min - Edgar wins a corner off substitute Caulker. Stanislas takes,
Alnwick flaps, but Spurs eventually hack the ball clear.
62 min - Fry and Payne have been superb at the heart of the West Ham
back-four tonight. The two youngsters have won numerous important headers
and tackles.
60 min - Jeffery attempts to shoot from 20 yards, but the ball rolls into
the arms of Alnwick.
58 min - Edgar's bouncing cross just eludes Stanislas and goes out for a
goal kick.
56 min - Stanislas beats three defenders before eventually being crowded
out.
54 min - A second change for Spurs. Sam Cox replaces Berchiche. The defender
appears to have pickeed up an injury.
52 min - Edgar wins a right-wing corner. The ball is cleared back to
Stanislas, but his low cross is gobbled up by Alnwick at the near post.
50 min - Stech plunges to his left to hang on to Maghoma's low volley after
Payne can only half-clear Hutton's cross.
48 min - Grasser is replaced by Daniel Kearns. Stanislas launches the
delayed free-kick into the danger zone where Fry's flicked header comes back
off the inside of the far post.
47 min - Hines is fouled by Berchiche wide on the right.
46 min - Spurs make a half-time switch. Rocha is replaced by the Steven
Caulker. Hines and Jeffery get the second half under way.
Half-time 1-1
45 min - The half-whistle goes with the teams level at 1-1. That was an
entertaining first half to say the least. Taarabt has caught the eye for the
away side, while Hines, Edgar and Stanislas have probed for an opening at
the attacking end for West Ham. Let's hope for more of the same after the
break.
45 min - Hughton gets forward well before launching a shot that flies three
yards over Stech's crossbar.
45 min - There will be one minute of added-time.
44 min - Maybe not! Taarabt has another shot on target, but Stech is equal
to his powerful half-volley.
43 min - The chances have dried up a bit here. Perhaps both sides have got
one eye on getting to half-time level at 1-1.
40 min - Hines is penalised for bringing down Taarabt. The striker is not
happy with that decision. He felt he won the ball cleanly.
39 min - Miller does well to block Mtandari's shot after the right-back goes
on a slalom run inside the penalty area. The Hammers break and Hines wins a
corner, which is cleared by Alnwick's punch.
37 min - Edgar is booked for tugging down Taarabt. Seconds before, Oyenuga
slams a shot out of the stadium.
36 min - Payne robs Taarabt and finds Harvey, who plays in Stanislas. The
winger runs at the Spurs back-four before slotting the ball through to
Jeffery, who finishes with aplomb, only for the celebrations to be muted by
the assistant referee's flag.
33 min - Spurs win a free-kick 25 yards out. Taarabt takes, but the ball
hits the wall. Hutton curls in the resulting corner and Stech grabs the ball
at the second attempt.
32 min - Taarabt shows a lovely piece of skill to beat one defender, but Fry
is able to block his powerful low shot.
30 min - Payne fouls Taarabt and then kicks the ball away. He receives a
talking to from the referee.
29 min - Hines tackles back and takes the ball away from Taarabt with a neat
sliding challenge. The African replies by fouling the Hammers striker.
28 min - Rocha fouls Hines. The Jamaican youngster is causing the Portugal
international defender a lot of problems.
27 min - Spurs send two of their substitutes out to warm-up, including the
goalkeeper David Button.
25 min - Another Taarabt shot is blocked by Grasser and Hines leads the
counter-attack, winning a corner off Yuri Berchiche. A short corner routine
leads to Ryan O'Neill finding Stanislas, whose low deflected shot is
scrambled behind again by Alnwick. The ensuing corner is cleared.
22 min - Two more let-offs for Spurs. First, Daniel Hutchins blocks Tom
Harvey's shot on the line from a Stanislas corner. Seconds later, the
winger's centre is header over by a stretching Jeffery.
21 min - Edgar tests Alnwick with a low shot, but again the goalkeeper is
able to push the ball to safety. The shots are raining in here at Bishop's
Stortford in front of a sizeable crowd.
20 min - Taarabt goes close again! The young Moroccan slices wide from 20
yards this time.
19 min - Payne is left in a heap on the floor following a late challenge
from Oyenuga that the referee fails to spot.
18 min - Stech is called into action this time, flinging himself into the
air to divert Jacques Maghoma's rising shot over the crossbar.
17 min - This is a really open game. Both sides are passing the ball around
well on a beautiful playing surface at Woodside Park. Ashley Miller goes on
a weaving run through the Spurs rearguard, but Alnwick is able to parry his
low shot.
16 min - Taarabt lets fly with another shot, this time with his left foot,
but captain Payne gets in the way.
15 min - The mercurial Taarabt is at it again, but this time Stech dives low
to his right to divert his powerful shot out for a corner. From the
resulting David Hutton flag-kick, Stech scrambles the ball clear.
14 min - Ryan O'Neill does well to head a dangerous cross clear from inside
his own six-yard box
12 min - Grasser is caught in possession inside the West Ham penalty area by
Oyenuga, but the striker drives his shot into the stanchion behind the goal.
10min - GOAL! - Adel Taarabt shows his class with a fine shot from 20 yards.
The No10 showed why he has already played in the Premier League by
bamboozling the home defence before letting fly with a drive that gave Marek
Stech no chance.
9min - Yet another corner is won. This time Georg Grasser takes it and
Alnwick needs a second go to claim the ball.
8min - Stanislas takes another corner, won this time by Jeffery. It comes to
nothing
7min - The hosts are having the better of this on a misty evening in
Bishop's Stortford.
5min - GOAL! - Edgar scores with a firm first-time finish from an acute
angle that beat Ben Alnwick at the near post after Hines' ball in from the
right wing.
4min - Lovely run by Stanislas at the heart of the Spurs defence sees him go
past one before a last-ditch foul by Ricardo Rocha drags him down. Stanislas
takes the free-kick and just curls it wide from 25 yards out.
3min - Oyenuga clears the corner at the near post. West Ham are soon on the
attack again with bright play along the right through Anthony Edgar and Jack
Jefery before being dispossessed.
2min - Bright play by Zavon Hines and Junior Stanislas leads to the first
corner of the game. Stanislas will take the corner.
1min - Kudos Oyenuga and Adel Taarabt get us under way. The visitors play
the ball around at the back before Ricardo Rocha launches one forward that
runs out of play.
West Ham United: Marek Stech, Ryan O'Neill, Josh Payne, Matthew Fry, Ashley
Miller, Anthony Edgar, Tom Harvey, Georg Grasser, Junior Stanislas, Jack
Jeffery, Zavon Hines
Subs: Peter Loveday, Callum McNaughton, Daniel Kearns, Ahmed Abdulla, Balint
Bajner
Tottenham Hotspur: Ben Alnwick, Takura Mtandari, Ricardo Rocha, Yuri
Berchiche, Cian Hughton, David Hutton, Daniel Hutchins, Yaser Karim, Jacques
Maghoma, Adel Taarabt, Kudos Oyenuga
Subs: David Button, Nathan Byrne, Jack Nicholson, Sam Cox, Steven Caulker
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Spurs edge reserve derby
WHUFC.com
Despite the best efforts of Junior Stanislas, Tottenham Hotspur were able to
claim victory at West Ham United on Tuesday night
24.02.2009
West Ham United Reserves 1-3 Tottenham Hotspur Reserves
A hat-trick from Adel Taarabt saw Tottenham Hotspur complete a Barclays
Premier Reserve League South double over West Ham United with a 3-1 success
at Bishop's Stortford FC.
Taarabt scored twice with powerful, precise finishes before adding a late
penalty as Spurs came from behind to win following Anthony Edgar's
well-struck fifth-minute opener.
With the first-team in FA Cup fifth-round replay action at Middlesbrough on
Wednesday evening, Alex Dyer sent out a youthful lineup against the Hammers'
cross-London rivals. Dyer named no fewer than ten teenagers, with
20-year-old striker Zavon Hines the elder statesman in the side.
Tottenham boss Clive Allen, the former West Ham striker, named former
Portugal international Ricardo Rocha and the exciting Moroccan forward
Taarabt in a similarly inexperienced selection. With two such youthful teams
on display, it came as no surprise that both sets of players appeared eager
to impress from the opening whistle.
The first half was thrill-a-minute as both goalkeepers - Marek Stech and Ben
Alnwick - were kept busy by their opponents. For Spurs, Taarabt was an
almost constant threat, unleashing shot after shot at the home goal.
However, it was the hosts who were to open the scoring.
The lively Junior Stanislas had already gone close with a 25-yard free-kick
when Hines' right-wing cross hit Anthony Edgar on the back before dropping
into the winger's path. The Under-18 regular made no mistake, lashing the
loose ball past Alnwick from an acute angle to give West Ham the lead.
The advantage was to last just five minutes, however, with Taarabt
underlining his potential by running at the home defence before unleashing
an unstoppable low drive from just outside the penalty area. Stech was given
no chance by the African, whose shot arrowed into the bottom left-hand
corner.
With both teams throwing men forward at every opportunity, it was something
of a miracle that the remainder of the first half was scoreless. For the
Hammers, Stanislas is a constant threat, while Hines - called up to the
senior Jamaica squad for the first time earlier this month - gave the
experienced Rocha a torrid time with his pace and movement.
Edgar and Ashley Miller both tested Alnwick with low shots, while Tom Harvey
was unlucky to see his shot blocked on the line by Daniel Hutchins. At the
other end, Taarabt had no fewer than seven attempts at goal, only for a
combination of Stech, captain Josh Payne, defender Matthew Fry, midfielder
Georg Grasser and the forward's own wayward finishing to prevent him adding
to his early strike.
The second period was less incident-packed, but still produced more than
enough excitement to enthral a sizeable crowd at Woodside Park. It was
England Under-19 winger Stanislas, who has recently enjoyed a successful
loan spell with League One Southend United, who almost created a winner for
Edgar, only for the No11 to shoot straight at Alnwick after being sent clear
of the Spurs defence.
Dyer chose to blood three more of the club's Under-18 side during the second
half, with Northern Ireland youth international midfielder Daniel Kearns,
central defender Callum McNaughton and Hungary Under-19 striker Balint
Bajner all given the opportunity to shine.
With the impressive Fry, who showed his versatility by switching to
left-back late on, keeping tabs on Kudos Oyenuga, Tottenham no longer posed
the threat they had during the opening 45 minutes. However, the talented
Taarabt could not be kept quiet for the entire half and broke the Hammers'
hearts with just six minutes remaining.
There appeared to be little danger when the 19-year-old picked the ball up
40 yards from goal, but Taarabt had other ideas, cutting between Kearns and
Harvey before unleashing a fierce left-foot shot that flew into the bottom
left-hand corner.
There was still time for Payne, who also impressed in a central defensive
role, to work Alnwick again with a looping header from a curling Stanislas
free-kick, but Spurs had the final say as Taarabt completed his treble - and
a league double over the Hammers - from the penalty spot after McNaughton
had brought down David Hutton.
Despite the defeat, coach Dyer will take plenty of positives from the
performance of his young side. Fry, Payne, Hines and Stanislas all caught
the eye, while Stech had no chance with any of Taarabt's three goals.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Middlesbrough v West Ham
FA Cup fifth round replay
Venue: Riverside Date: Wednesday, 25 February Kick-off: 2010 GMT
Coverage: Full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live; full commentary on BBC London
digital radio and BBC London online; full commentary on BBC Tees 95FM & DAB,
score updates and text commentary on BBC Sport website
BBC.co.uk
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Middlesbrough will be without midfielder Didier Digard, who suffered a knee
injury at the weekend. Striker Marlon King is Cup-tied having played for
Hull, but Andrew Taylor could return from an ankle problem.
West Ham's Welsh defender James Collins has a hamstring injury and will miss
the FA Cup fifth-round replay at the Riverside Stadium. James Tomkins is on
stand-by, while Lucas Neill is back from suspension but Luis Boa Morte
(groin strain) is out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Middlesbrough (from): Jones, Turnbull, McMahon, Hoyte, Huth, Pogatetz,
Wheater, Bennett, Riggott, Taylor, Walker, O'Neil, Bates, Shawky, Tuncay,
Downing, Arca, A Johnson, Alves, Emnes, Aliadiere.
West Ham (from): Green, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Noble, Collison,
Cole, Di Michele, Lastuvka, Kovac, Spector, Sears, Nsereko, Tristan,
Tomkins, Dyer, Dixon, Lopez.
BIG-MATCH FACTS
Stewart Downing's first goal of the season put Middlesbrough in front after
22 minutes in the original tie, and they held onto that lead until all but
the last seven minutes, when a header from West Ham full-back Herita Ilunga
earned this replay. It was the second 1-1 draw between these clubs this
season.
West Ham knocked out Middlesbrough 1-0 in the semi-final at Villa Park in
2006, on their way to the Millennium Stadium. Marlon Harewood's goal booked
a place in the final against Liverpool for Alan Pardew's side. The final
that year was a dramatic match in which six goals were shared after extra
time and the Merseysiders won on penalties.
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate captained Aston Villa in the 2000 FA
Cup final, which they lost 1-0 to Chelsea. The Blues side that day included
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
The League ladder
Middlesbrough are 11 places below West Ham in the Premier League table.
Referee
Steve Bennett (Kent)
Next round
The winners will be away to Everton in the quarter-finals on Sunday 8 March
- Kick Off 1600 hours.
FA CUP RECORDS AND BEST PERFORMANCES
MIDDLESBROUGH
Current form
Winless in five league and cup matches; drawn three and lost two since a 1-2
away win over Wolves in the fourth round of the FA Cup, their only victory
in eight.
Failed to score in five of the last seven - all Premier League games.
Drawn the last three at home, and not won a home match since they knocked
non-league Barrow out of the cup on 3 January.
Recent FA Cup performance
Aiming to make the last eight for the fourth season running, and not been
dismissed at this last 16 stage for 17 years.
The Manager
Gareth Southgate picked up just one FA Cup runners-up medal in his playing
career, nine years ago.
FA Cup fact
Knocked out by the eventual losing-finalists in each of the last four
seasons.
WEST HAM UNITED
Current form
Not won in four; drawn two and lost two league and cup games since
registering three wins in a row, culminating in a 2-0 league victory over
Hull at Upton Park on 28 January.
Recent FA Cup performance
Knocked out by Premier League opposition in each of the last three years,
but still on their best run since finishing runners-up in 2005-06. Victory
here will take them to the quarter-finals for the second time in eight
seasons.
The Manager
Gianfranco Zola won two FA Cup winners' medals with Chelsea in 1997 (v
Middlesbrough) and 2000 (v Aston Villa).
FA Cup fact
The second of West Ham's three cup final winning line-ups in 1975 was the
last to be comprised entirely of English born players.
HEAD to HEAD
All competitions
West Ham have won three of an unbeaten last four Premier League meetings
with Middlesbrough. This season, they've already crossed swords at the
Riverside on 1 November. The Hammers were on a four-game losing run, going
into the match. Hayden Mullins put them ahead after 21 minutes, a lead they
held until seven minutes from time when Mido rescued a point for the
Teesside club.
FA Cup
West Ham and Middlesbrough first met in the competition in 1912, when the
Hammers progressed to the third round, after a replay. Middlesbrough knocked
out the Londoners in the third round in 1970. They did not meet again in the
competition until their semi-final clash three years ago.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Zola up for the Cup
Hammers boss has no plans to take trophy lightly
Last updated: 24th February 2009
SSN
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola believes the FA Cup is as strong as ever
ahead of Wednesday's FA Cup replay against Middlesbrough. Zola may be new to
football management, but the former Italy international has already enjoyed
success in the FA Cup as a player after winning the trophy twice with
Chelsea. While some managers see the FA Cup as a distraction to their bid to
retain top-flight status, Zola believes it would be disrespectful not to
place a high valuation on the competition. "It means a lot, an awful lot,"
stated Zola. "It is a fantastic competition and some say it is losing
something but that makes no sense. "We have to make sure everyone values it
very much. It's unique. "If I can win this as a manager then that would be
great. I always say it was one of my best achievements to win it as a
player."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Spector eyes European place as slow start frustrates Zola
KUMB.com
Filed: Monday, 23rd February 2009
By: Thomas Rooney
Anyone who thinks that West Ham United's Premier League season isn't going
to finish with that much excitement – think again. Many expect the Hammers
mid-table position to result in a rather uneventful finish to the season;
however Jonathan Spector has other ideas.
The West Ham defender insists that a place in Europe next season is still
very much on the cards, despite Saturday's defeat at Bolton. Spector says
that the players are 'not ruling out Europe' and that the recent defeat
isn't anything more than 'minor setback.'
The American then highlighted the fact that the team have been on a
'fantastic run of wins' in recent week and that he is certain that they can
'get back on track' sooner rather than later.
Overall, he believes the team are 'ready to go again' after the
disappointing result. Perhaps he feels that another unbeaten run is on the
cards, something which would certainly have football betting websites
supporting this European push that he is talking about.
How realistic are his claims though? Can West Ham make it into Europe this
year? Well, they have a chance. They have the ability to overtake Wigan and
Fulham in the coming weeks, but they can't really afford a bad run of form.
This is why Spector's notion of being 'ready to go again' has to be taken
seriously. The defeat at Bolton cannot be considered a setback and the team
needs to get back into winning ways against Manchester City next Sunday.
Then, the football odds may start believing the hype surrounding West Ham's
hopes of playing in the UEFA Cup next season.
Referring back to the defeat at the Reebok Stadium, it is worth discussing
Gianfranco Zola's thoughts on the game. He said that there were two factors
about the performance of which he was unhappy about.
First of all, he says that the slow start the team made – during which two
goals were conceded – was a 'pity' and was the only difference between the
sides.
The second thing that Zola felt slightly aggrieved about was that his
strikers 'didn't take the chances we created'. David Di Michele was the main
guilty party as the Hammers wasted the chance to get a positive result from
the game.
Overall though, Zola was far from critical of his team. He said that the way
in which his players performed in the second half was impressive and that
there is no doubt that West Ham 'played better' than their opponents.
Looking forward, Zola believes that the mistakes made in the game can be a
'good lesson' for the rest of the season. The players must make sure they
are focused from the very first whistle and they must take the chances that
come along to score. If they don't, more points will be lost than won.
Like Spector has already hinted though, the next two games are absolutely
crucial to West Ham's season. The game against Manchester City next weekend
needs to be used to prove that the team are still in good form and then the
trip to Wigan is crucial to the club's European ambitions.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
A settled striker is a happy striker
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th February 2009
By: Paul Turner
Carlton Cole can now be described by the press as "England Striker Carlton
Cole". His good form of late December to January earned Cole his chance and
England manager Fabio Capello decided to try him out against Spain. After
all the back slapping and congratulations over Cole's call up has ended we
can now take a closer look at our number 12 and evaluate properly.
Before that however I feel that I have to admit to my past mistakes and
atone in a sort of Truth and Reconciliation commission way with regards to
Mr Cole. I admit to shouting "You've finally found your level then" as
Carlton laboured his way through a pre season friendly with Leyton Orient. I
did not boo him (and have not any player) but I like many others from time
to time used the online nickname of CFC.
I "founded" the Carlton Cole Fan Club – Rainham and Guildford Branch (an
online weekly ramble about Cole, his cat Tabby and a vast over exaggeration
of his ability and affect on the team and its results) in a joking way which
was not intended with malice but was designed to poke fun at the lambasted
striker. However I saw the light and that light shone brightly at the
Manchester City away match just over a year ago in January 2008.
Cole opened the scoring in the 1-1 draw with an overhead kick. It's not the
quality of that goal that made me start to question my thoughts about
Carlton, but his overall play. He held the ball well that day and bought
people into play which allowed Cole at the spearhead of Curbishley's 4-5-1
to turn and make the run at the opposition defence while the winger got into
position to cross.
This is the kind of play Cole has now shown more consistently while before
he more then likely would have lost control or not gone looking for the
ball. With Dean Ashton injured for long periods of the 2007/08 season it was
down to Cole to grab his chance in the first team with no real competitor
for his position. That season Cole did not score as many goals as you would
expect from a front line forward (which bought about rumblings of discontent
from the terraces at the Boleyn) but there was something about his play
which bought some comparisons between Carlton and Emile Heskey.
The hold up play, the non-spectacular goal scoring records, being hard to
move off the ball and not falling down like Kevin Davies does at the
slightest touch (on a side note, on Football Focus the other week it was
laughable when the interviewer asked Davies about him announcing his
international retirement. The closest Davies will get to the England side is
if he purchased a ticket at Wembley to watch them play!).
Heskey had found his best form playing at clubs where he was a settled
fixture in the team and ones that played to his strength like Leicester.
Before joining West Ham United, Cole had been shifted about by Chelsea to
Wolves and Charlton among others on loan. The striker could never settle
down at a club for a good amount of time and get to work with a particular
management system and structure as he would be off somewhere else next
season.
From the look of it Carlton is not a player who will learn a lot by being
moved from Team A to Team B with a loan to Team C. He needs to stay in one
place and learn his trade there and that is what has happened here.
At the end of this current season Carlton would have been with West Ham for
three whole seasons. Granted, there have been three different managers in
that time but the focus from Clarke and Zola has bought about a double
figure haul of goals already. Pardew played and then dropped the forward as
he rotated his strikers on a weekly basis in an attempt to score a goal,
while Curbishley used Cole here and there until he had to give him a run in
the side due to Ashton's injury.
Zola however has spoken about how Carlton is more focused on his football
then he previously was and strives to improve himself though reviewing
footage of himself and games in general. This focus I believe can also be
tied in with the point that was made about being settled. The club are not
going to loan him or sell him any time soon so he knows his immediate future
is secure so he can build a platform for himself from which he can progress.
After good performances against Manchester United and Arsenal which bore no
goals, the worst thing that could have happened for both West Ham and
Carlton himself happened in that he picked up an injury. If Di Michele gets
injured then you can see Sears or Tristan replacing him in the starting line
up. With Cole injured you do not see a like for like player who can come
into the fold. Plus out of all the players we have we do not have anyone
else who plays upfront but drops off like Cole has been doing with aplomb.
It's not a case of hoofing a ball long and hoping your tall front man gets
to the ball but Cole in the air has gotten better and on the ground he has
been winning free kicks in handy positions or laying the ball off to bring
on an attack.
Michael Ricketts got a call up for England and received one cap for his
troubles. He too was described as an "England Striker" by the press before
his obvious limitations hindered him from ever receiving that phone call
again from FA head quarters. He received that call up in the first place due
to a good spell of form at Bolton (thank you Wikipedia).
It is up to Carlton now to use the goal scoring spurt of the new year and
good all round play to prove he is better then the former Bolton and
Middleborough plodder and to come back from this injury set back with the
same focus and determination he has recently shown. Now is not the time for
Carlton to be happy with his lot but to progress to the next level in his
career which has seen doubters like myself converted and to achieve personal
glory for the man formally known as CFC.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Middlesbrough v West Ham Utd
KUMb.com
Filed: Tuesday, 24th February 2009
By: Preview Percy
Next up a replay return to the Riverside where Boro' await as we do battle
for the right to visit Everton in the quarter-final, whenever that gets to
be played.
The match is an 8.10pm kick-off on Wednesday and will be covered by ITV,
which means those of you not making the long journey North-East might like
to check those dodgy internet feeds for back-up. They may freeze from time
but at least they won't break off half way through an attack to flog you
some golf-playing mints.
The Boro' squad was covered in detail in my preview for the first match and,
lazy so and so that I am, I don't intend to revisit that preview – though
you may do so if you really want to. Since the first match we went down to a
distinctly average Bolton side that managed to score twice in the ten
minutes that they played well in. The result might have been more
interesting had the referee remembered the meaning of the words "Persistent
Foul Play" and actually cautioned Kevin Davies for any of the 7 yellow card
offences the player committed but there you go. Boro' on the other hand
managed to achieve what maybe a unique feat by featuring in a 0-0 draw with
Wigan, a match so dull, it actually managed to get our match moved away from
its traditional "just after the credits" slot on Match of The Day.
The match was primarily notable for a challenge on Didier Digard by former
Boro' player Lee Cattermole. The tackle saw the Boro' midfielder stretchered
off clutching an oxygen mask. Replays showed that, despite the home side's
protestations, Cattermole had taken the ball and that it was the
after-collision that had done all the damage. Also worthy of note was the
fact that no fewer than two Boro' players picked up yellow cards for diving
from Mike Dean, who, in all his years of refereeing, has never once shown
any signs of ever having seen a football match in his life, let alone read a
copy of the Laws of The Game. I suppose this may have been why O'Neil and
Alves tried it on in the first place.
Somehow in all the tediousness, Wigan boss Steve Bruce managed to get
excited enough to enter into a heated exchange with baldy Boro' coach Steve
Agnew, accusing him of whipping the crowd up into a state of frenzy. This
will, no doubt, have amused the home support who, in a letter from the club,
have been told to be quiet. Bruce later admitted "On reflection I was a bit
of a prat" – thus finally catching up with something the rest of us have
known for about 25 years.
Alves has four goals this season – poor return by anyone's standards for £12
let alone the £12m the Brazilian is supposed to have cost. At the Boleyn he
was clearly short of confidence, something that, according to reports,
didn't improve this weekend when he was barely able to muster a shot on
target. He was not alone amongst the Smoggie squad and, in the league
anyway, they have gone over 8 hours without scoring. Poor return though
those four goals may be, the Brazilian is still their top scorer, a
statistic that tells its own story.
For the Wigan match Boro' were unchanged from the eleven that started at the
Boleyn. Whether or not this will be the case for the replay will depend upon
how Digard's X-rays look when they get them back from Boots. Joshua Walker
came in to deputise at the weekend and may start the replay. Also pushing
for a recall on Wednesday may be Jeremie Alliadiere, who came on early in
the second half to replace Julio Arca who, reports suggest, was less than
impressed with the change. Marlon "Soho" King will miss his third
consecutive match having been cup-tied for the first match and ineligible to
face his home club against Wigan. Options are short so we are likely to see
a similar line-up in a 4-4-1-1 formation that will see Downing employed just
behind the hapless Alves.
As for us, we will need to make at least one change as James Collins is
likely to be out for a fair while with a hamstring strain on which a scan
has been ordered. This should mean a start for young Tomkins, who was far
from disgraced when thrown in at the deep end on Saturday. Despite his fine
role in setting up Parker's goal at the weekend, Spector is likely to drop
to the bench in favour of Neill whose one match ban for reaching five
bookings was served at the Reebok. Other than that I don't expect the boss
to make any other changes unless more bad news arises from Chadwell Heath
sick parade before the match.
We undoubtedly deserved more out of the visit to Horwich than we got and,
the 10 minute nightmare apart, the match represented a bit of a return to
form. However if you have 10 minutes off at the start of the game you will
end up having to chase it as we discovered to our cost. On the bright side
it was good to see the heads stay up despite the early setbacks – it's not
that long ago where two early goals might have been merely a precursor to
some sort of horrible collapse.
This one will, of course, be played to a finish whether or not that involves
extra time and/or penalties. Penalties are not something we have a good
record in over the years and the mere possibility of their use in a match in
which we are involved always makes me nervous. However, and even allowing
for the fact that this is the cup and so the pressure will be off the home
side to a certain extent, I'll still take us to win 2-1, hopefully in normal
time to keep our collective blood pressure within acceptable levels, though
if it goes to the extra half-hour I may have to revise that one.
Enjoy the match!
Danger man: Afonso Alves – There's an unspoken tradition in football that.
If someone is having a poor run or hasn't scored in months, we are the team
against whom they end up breaking their duck. Let's hope the Brazilian
hasn't acquainted himself with our Cup traditions just yet!
Look out for: Home supporters sitting in silence having received letters
from the club suggesting that they should be seen but not heard.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
An American In London (part one)
Just Like My Dreams
The setting amidst the wide avenues and skyscrapers of Canary Wharf in
London's Docklands is atypically English. In fact, it looks and feels
American, an appropriate setting therefore to meet the player who calls the
Windy City home. What first strikes you about Jonathan Spector is how young
he looks. Despite his experiences in the tough arenas of the Premier League
and international soccer, he still wears the boyish manner and unblemished
face of a teenager. But as soon as he starts talking, Spector at once
displays a professionalism that recognizes no boundaries. "London is a great
city and has a lot more going on than Manchester," he states. "But it is
more about where I am playing, not where I am living right now. I would be
happy living wherever I am playing football."
Footballers of all ages feel homesickness, and Spector would not be the
first high-profile American in Europe to feel it, but a 4,000 mile
relocation seems to have had little effect. "Being here is doing what I want
to do, so when I am over here I do not know I miss America too much,"
revealed the defender. "I miss my family and friends, but I am gaining more
being here than losing anything. I was in Chicago last summer and I'm not
sure when I'll be back. I think it is a great city, but what I enjoy most is
being with my family and friends, not the actual city."
Spector's love of football took root at his family home in Arlington
Heights, Illinois, only a few doors away from another man whose path in the
game Jonathan would come to follow. "I come from Arlington Heights, where
the racetrack is. The Fire almost moved there, but I am glad they did not as
I like going to watch the horse races when I am back there. Soccer is a big
thing in that area. Brian McBride is from Arlington Heights and actually
lives about five minutes from me. I would have gone to Buffalo Grove High
School where he went had I not gone to St. Viator, a private Catholic
school. We grew up in the same area, but played for different clubs."
Sport was a consuming passion for the young Jonathan and his elder brother,
especially as their grandfather played professional basketball, but soon
enough the football came to dominate. "I did track, cross-country,
basketball, volleyball, a bit of tennis and I tried to play golf, but I
think I always had a soccer ball," he recalled. "I played basketball with
one of my teddy bears and one of my mom's chandeliers and I played soccer in
the house all the time. She did not like it although I can't remember
actually breaking anything. Then I played in a kind of league when I was
four years old.
"Both my parents liked football," Spector continued. "My dad is of
Irish/English origin and grew up in Philadelphia, which was a melting-pot
like Chicago so he was open to a number of international influences. There
were a lot of Italians and Germans there, so obviously football was big."
And the German connection turned out to be the key one, cementing his love
for football and later freeing him to bypass the paperwork to play in
England.
"I could get a German passport because my mother was born in Siegen,
Westphalia, so that helped further my career as a professional footballer in
Europe. I have my mom to thank for that. I was extremely fortunate. My first
football club was Schwaben A.C. in Chicago and it was unique because all the
coaches and the families involved were from a strong German background and
they all spoke German to each other. It was my first international
footballing experience!"
With Germany based in Chicago during World Cup USA '94, Spector's Teutonic
heritage paid dividends again as he got to meet his football hero. "One of
the coaches on the team knew Jurgen Klinsmann's father when they were in
Germany together and he was able to arrange for me to meet him at the team
hotel before one of their games. I had always grown up a supporter of the
German National Team, and in particular Klinsmann, so it was a big
experience to meet him. He was the player I looked up to the most because I
played striker like him when I was younger. Because of my strong German
background I have always supported the German National Team and German
football in general."
After Schwaben, Spector graduated to Chicago's Sockers F.C., a renowned
source of youth development and a "turning point" for the young
German-American. "I was there as an Under-13, and then for two or three
seasons before I joined the National Team. Everything really took off for me
there." In 1999-2000, the Premier Cup, the biggest under-15 tournament in
the world, was Spector's first exposure to international competition and
helped change him from a Chicago high-school kid, with no designs on
becoming a professional footballer, to the determined young talent he was to
blossom into. He played at the finals held in Amsterdam when the Premier Cup
was run by Nike. Set up in the early nineties by the US sportswear giant to
help demonstrate its commitment to youth, alumni include Jose Antonio Reyes,
who played in the Premier Cup for Sevilla in 1996-7 and 1997-8, Fernando
Torres, Andy van der Meyde, Mikael Forssell and Carlos Tevez.
"It was the first time I'd been exposed to soccer of a really high
standard," he said. "Kids playing soccer in the US don't get the chance to
play too many international competitions. We won the Nike National
Tournament, the National Kellogg's Title, and I played in my first
international tournament. It was an eye-opener to see how competitive and
talented the other players were and I think that was the moment I decided
this is what I want to do. I wanted to be a top player at the top level."
Professional football now his chosen career path, the next step was to
decide between high school and a college career or a place at US Soccer's
residency programme in Bradenton FL. He chose the latter and graduated in
their class of 2003 alongside Freddy Adu and Eddie Gaven. "I did consider
going to college as I had a number of great schools that were interested in
me like Duke and Princeton," he recalls. "It was difficult to say no to
Princeton, but I have no regrets. Instead I got to play with the top players
in the country at the time and I improved a great deal. The experiences I
have had are amazing compared to most people my age. I would have liked to
have the college experience though. I was pretty close to going. I visited a
bunch of schools: Boston College, Notre Dame and UVa. I was at Princeton
right when A Beautiful Mind came out, so it was cool to see the campus. But
I wouldn't trade what I have done.
"I worked with sports psychologists, did weight training, speed training and
the national team coaches helped me out a lot. John Ellinger, John
Hackworth, Peter Miller and all of those guys did a great job and I cannot
thank them enough for the knowledge that they passed on. It was also a great
life experience for me moving away from home, aged fifteen," says Spector.
"A lot of people ask me if I miss not having my high school experience, but
I would not change a thing - no regrets. I had a great time down there and
played with some great players. The experience I have had with the national
team in general has been fantastic. There are not many kids who can travel
the world and see so many different countries. I had a plan, but that all
kind of got turned upside down," he explains. "When I first went to
Bradenton, I figured I would be there until my junior year, play in the
Under-17 World Championship, go back to St. Viator High School in my senior
year, go to college for four years and then play professionally."
Given his experience of Manchester United's famous youth set-up and latterly
the even more revered West Ham United Academy, it begs the question of how
Bradenton compares, yet his recollection is very positive. "Nowhere else in
the country is there a programme where the top players are able to train
together," noted Spector. "In England, the clubs have great youth
programmes, but in America we don't have that. And because we are such a big
country, scouting is so difficult with so many players to watch, so
Bradenton might be the best solution for now. US Soccer has done a great job
building it up and they have put a lot of money into it so hopefully it will
pay off."
While Spector's route to the top seems an obvious one to follow, he is
surprisingly not quick to agree: "Claudio Reyna opted to go to college
first, but he was still successful. Brian McBride went to college first and
look at him – he has had a great career. Tim (Howard) did not go to college
either and went to MLS and now he is playing for Everton. Top players find
their way to the top. And some would do better in the MLS – Landon Donovan,
for example. He had trouble when he went to Germany, but he is obviously a
great player, has been successful at World Cups and is still a great player
in MLS. I just felt it was better for me personally to come to Europe."
Spector is primarily a defender for West Ham and the US now, but it was not
always so - playing for the US Under-17's at the Ballymena international
tournament in 2002, he made perhaps the quickest conversion from a striker
to defender in soccer history in all of ten minutes. "That is right!," he
laughs. "I was a striker, and at half time, (John) Ellinger pulled me aside
and said 'You're gonna play center half, and Hackworth is gonna tell you
everything you need to know'. Hackworth did a great job. He set up the cones
and said positionally 'you have to do this and that', 'when this is here,
you have to be there' and so on... he only had ten minutes as I had to warm
up as well. Actually it was in the next game against Austria that the United
scout who was there to watch the forward I was marking, noticed me instead.
So it was kind of lucky how it worked out. We had a shutout and I don't
think they had any shots on goal. That was the first time I had ever played
defence. It was big ask, but I guess it worked out."
Not long after came the approach from Manchester United, in September 2003.
"As soon as they offered me a contract, I could not say no to them -
although, I thought I might have to persuade my parents!" he chuckles. "It
was on my last day of being on trial that they offered me a deal." Arriving
at Old Trafford it seemed a dream had come true, but a FIFA rule on overseas
players aged under 18 meant Spector found himself on the sidelines unable to
kick a ball in anger. "I actually came over quickly because Steve (Kelly,
his agent) told me FIFA were about to implement that rule so for the first
couple of months I was just training without playing. It was extremely
frustrating, but I was not going to complain as I figured 'How many 17-year
old Americans are playing in Europe for Manchester United?' I thought 'make
the most of the opportunity while you are here and keep working hard'. So I
stuck with it and eventually they gave me clearance and the first day I was
allowed to play, I was in the starting line-up."
Spector's debut for the Red Devils came in Manchester United's opening 2004
US tour game against Bayern Munich in Chicago, where he looked like he had
been a centre-back since wearing nappies. Even with 58,000 watching and,
perhaps more frighteningly, Roy Keane alongside him, he purred through the
game, demonstrating poise on the ball, speed on the ground and an eye for
the tackle. "He spots danger quickly," enthused Sir Alex Ferguson at the
time. It was a rather uneventful 0-0 draw that day at Soldier Field, but
Spector recalls it differently. "It was a dream," he said. "It could not
have been more perfect to be honest. My favorite clubs growing up were
Bayern Munich and Manchester United because they were always on TV a lot. I
never thought I would be able to play for and against my two favorite teams
in my hometown with all my family and friends there. I had not even thought
about until it happened. I never get nervous before games, but I was really
excited before playing in that one."
A teenager who does not get nervous on the big stage, even when representing
his country at age 18? Perhaps the main reason Spector has got where he is
and will go further. "I never really worry about how big of a game it is,
no," he explains. "I have never really gotten nervous before big games. I am
just quietly confident in that sense. I think you have to be to be
successful at this level. I never get too worried or concerned about
anything to be honest. Some people feel nervous before games and that may be
a good thing for them. But I never get nervous and that is a good thing for
me. It is a great thing and I don't know where I got it from, but I guess I
am fortunate to have that disposition."
Most people saying these words would come across a touch arrogant, but that
is the last impression you would get about Jonathan Spector. He is such a
level-headed and pleasant young man to meet that you come away with the firm
impression that there is no chance of success going to his head. "I am
quietly confident, but try not to feel arrogant about it," he confirms, in
case there was any chance of being misunderstood. "You have to feel
confidence in your own ability and feel somewhat arrogant on the field, but
once you step off I do not see any reason why you should have that
attitude."
But defenders by nature 'get stuck in' and Spector is professional enough to
know when to leave his nice guy persona in the dressing room. In doing so,
he reveals a tigerish determination to succeed. "I have a competitive
nature, so I do become a bit of a different person when I step across the
white line. I want to win and I will do whatever it takes for my team to win
whether it is jumping in front of a shot or whatever."
And to mischievously puncture the clean cut image further, you could bring
up his sending off for the Under-17's in 2003's Dallas Cup, when he indulged
in some 'afters' on a Newcastle United striker. Spector laughs at the
mention of the incident. "What is funny is that when I came to England, I
actually came up against the guy in a Man United reserve match! But it was
very pleasant and we chatted before the game," assures Spector. "There was
nothing negative. It had just been the heat of the game and we had both
wanted to win and I was unfortunate in that game but I was happy we beat
them in the reserves! I do not agree with going after someone, but you do
what you do if you have to win. If you commit a professional foul, as long
as you don't want to hurt someone, well sometimes you have to do that."
So Spector may look and sound young and amiable, but he is a fighter on the
field and an intelligent one too. Sigi Schmid, respected former coach of the
US Under-20 team once observed: "Spector is our only defender who really
organizes and talks at the back. Even our team doctor, who has little soccer
experience, noticed that." Perhaps learning good behavior through football
is a staple of youth coaching manuals in the US, but remains largely absent
from their English equivalents? "Absolutely," agrees Spector. "The cultures
are slightly different. And in America, one thing I notice is a lot of
positive reinforcement from coaches, but in England it is more 'this is what
you have to do to win.' They are more hard-nosed here. But I think that
mentality makes the English Premier League so competitive and so exciting to
watch."
Which is not to say that American culture has not permeated other areas of
British football. "In England it's massive," he smiles. "American culture is
so big here. It's way worse at my club team than it is with the National
Team. I don't spend much money on jewelry but there is certainly a lot of
bling floating around West Ham though. I won't say who, but I did see a
diamond grill (shaking his head)." So if not jewelry, what indulgences
doesn't he like people to know about? (Which of course, they will now…) "On
the bus going to our games, it's amazing the amount of chocolate bars we
eat," he confesses. "Say we are going from London to Birmingham. It takes
three hours to get there, mostly because we always leave at rush hour.
Explain that! Anyway, when you're bored you eat, and for some reason there
are always chocolate bars around. The average player consumes 2-3 per bus
ride. Fortunately I can hold myself to one a trip."
Apart from candy-infused theobromine and tryptophan rushes, could he sum up
the formula for football success? Spector replies: "For me personally, the
most important thing is hard work. I have had that drilled into me by my
parents. Each team needs someone who is just going to work hard. The mental
aspect is important too. You have to be mentally strong enough to be
successful in your own right and confident in your own ability because there
will always be people who say you are not good enough, not big enough, not
strong enough or not fast enough. A player must be strong in more ways than
one."
Such assuredness implies a young man mature beyond his years, who perhaps
has already distilled a formula that could be useful one day in management.
For once, he sounds less sure, as if suddenly looking down the mountain he
has just climbed. "I do not know if I have focused in on the exact formula
that I could pass on yet. I am still learning, but I hopefully have a long
and successful career ahead."
Jonathan Spector's grandfather, Art, was an old-time basketball star for
Boston Celtics. 'Speed' Spector they called him. He was the first player to
sign a professional contract for the Celtics and features heavily in an
official history of the franchise. From time to time, Speed's grandson gets
the booklet out and leafs through it for inspiration.
Maybe there is an ingrained professionalism that can take you far? "That is
one thing I would attribute to US Soccer," he replies. "When you watch the
National Team play, every one of those players works extremely hard whereas
certain countries have a few players who feel they do not have to do this or
that because they are so talented. The one thing with American teams is that
every player is going to work as hard he can. The work ethic is more
important in the United States - not just for athletes, but for everyone
actually. That is definitely one of the culture differences. Whether it is
right or wrong, who is to say? But one thing you are going to get from
Americans is a team who are going to work hard no matter what the score is."
Posted by Trilby at 09:59
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An American In London (part two)
Just Like My Dreams
Mention of the National Team leads on to talk of a certain tournament in
South Africa next summer where Spector could well be playing for the US, a
long way from getting up at 5am in June 2002 to watch the games on TV with
his friends in Arlington Heights. "Bob Bradley will pick the team he thinks
will best represent the United States at the World Cup and I think I could
contribute," he answers politically. "It is not my decision, but yes, it is
a goal of mine. My versatility could help me out in that I can play anywhere
along the back four, but there is still a long time to go. Anything could
happen between now and the World Cup."
And as if to prove his determination is unbreakable, he adds: "If I do make
the World Cup, it will be fantastic and a great accomplishment for me, but
if I don't then it will be that much bigger an incentive for me to make the
next one. It was certainly a disappointment to miss out on the last World
Cup but with a little luck and some hard work, I hope to be a member of the
team that represents the US in 2010. There is a talented pool of players,
and that competition for places will make for a strong side that gets sent
to South Africa. If I don't make it, then I will still be supporting them as
I feel a part of that set-up - and deep down, I am an American."
National team call-ups or not, West Ham United does appear to fit Spector
like a glove. "The team spirit has been fantastic and all the players have
been very supportive even though each player wants to play," he noted.
"Everyone goes about their way in a professional manner and I think that is
the main thing here." If that is one reason he can go far, another is his
conscientiousness. "I think there is always something to improve on
physically, mentally or technically as a player," Spector asserted. "If I
stop doing anything particular, then I will lose certain aspects of my
game."
After playing sparingly for the Red Devils in 2004-5, Spector spent the
following season on loan at Charlton Athletic. "I had got some games with
United my first season, but then it kind of came to a point for me that I
decided I didn't want to sit around," Spector said. "They spent a lot of
money on a lot of guys who play my position. I wanted to go on loan, but
after last season I had every intention of going back to Man United. They
even offered me a new contract. But I felt it was time to move on. It wasn't
that I felt unwanted. I just couldn't go back to sitting on the bench. Sir
Alex understood that I wanted to play; he has always been up front with me
and said that I still had a future at the club.
West Ham kind of came from nowhere. It was a disappointing end to that
season for me. I dislocated my shoulder in the second to last game, against
Portsmouth. I couldn't have played in the last game anyway because it was
against Man United [as part of the loan agreements Spector was precluded
from facing Manchester United]. I missed an opportunity to play in the World
Cup for the United States and that was disappointing to me. Other teams
found out I wasn't going to be going back to Manchester and that's when I
met with Alan Pardew in New York when he was traveling after the season.
Once I met him I felt the club would be a good fit for me."
In many ways, Jonathan Spector seems tailor-made for West Ham. Like his
club, the Illinois-born defender is brimming with talent, but for some
reason has not quite yet stamped his presence on the Premier League. Since
he first made the move to Upton Park the US international has been an
intermittent fixture in claret and blue, playing 28 games for the Hammers
last season in a year truncated by injury. He endured a frustrating second
half to 2008, suffering a hip flexor injury that ruled him out of the
Olympic Games in Beijing and the opening half of the new Premier League
season. Now, the 23-year-old is finally back to fitness and enjoyed his
first start in claret and blue (at Bolton) since appearing in a 1-0 defeat
against the same team in April last year.
Spector has played most positions on the field, and this could be a
potential ace up his sleeve when it comes time for impressing his new
manager. "I think my versatility is an asset," he agrees. "I can play
anywhere along the back four, and my left foot is as good as my right as I
have worked on that a lot in training. Hopefully I will find a position and
be able to stick with it whether it is center back, left back or right back,
but I am just happy to be on the field, to be honest, and getting the
experience."
Left back seems to be the position he is edging towards in his mind, which
brings up some interesting competitive scenarios with both West Ham United
and the US. "Even though I have only had a short career, I have played left
back for the National Team, and for Man United, Charlton and West Ham,"
pitches Spector. "I am fairly quick and good in the air, so those are
obviously good for a center back. But at the same time I like getting
forward as an outside back, so that could be why I am torn between the two
positions right now. I feel that my versatility has enabled me to play in a
number of different roles. As most people know, I can play anywhere along
the back four, but I've played a number of games in the center of midfield,
which I have enjoyed and where I felt comfortable straight away."
While his dreams remain on two fronts - holding down a starting spot with
his club, while establishing himself as a first choice for his country in
the race for 2010 tickets - he has at least achieved one literal goal in a
Hammers shirt. Spector chalked up the first strike of his professional
career at Pride Park in early November 2007, notching the third for the East
Londoners in a 5-0 mauling of luckless Derby County. When the Rams failed to
clear a corner in the 55th minute, Spector pulled the trigger from around 20
yards, his shot ricocheting off fellow American Eddie Lewis before crossing
the line. Lewis was credited with an own goal, officially denying Spector
the glory, but the man from Arlington Heights has already seen enough
setbacks to know when not to give in. "I'm certainly claiming that goal
against Derby," he grinned, "Although, some may think that I'm biased! I
think it's a conspiracy against Americans to upset both of us! I did an
interview with Match of the Day afterwards. They said 'one American scored
today – which one was it?'
Now he is back playing again, US soccer fans can resume skimming their eyes
over the Hammers starting eleven on a Saturday, hoping Spector will be
listed among them. "I'll never be satisfied with playing time until I'm
starting every game," Spector declares. "Each opportunity I get, no matter
where I am playing, I try and make an impact and contribution to the team. I
feel that I am continuing to learn and improve each season, which is
important for any player, particularly at my age."
Indeed, and at still just 23 years old, time remains on his side. In the
days of squad rotation and a fluid international market, no player is
guaranteed a shoe-in. Now at his third club in England, however, the former
Charlton and Manchester United defender is eager to cement a starting spot
at West Ham United, even if he is still hop-on, hop-off for now. So eager,
in fact, a few months ago the American signed a contract extension with the
club until the year 2011, with Gianfranco Zola apparently seeing a lot of
positives about what Spector has to offer, even from the treatment table. "I
appreciate their confidence in knowing I was going to be making a full
recovery and knowing I was doing everything I could possibly do in the U.S.
for my rehab to make it back," Spector said. "I've certainly enjoyed playing
for West Ham and it's somewhere I want to be. I feel I have some things I
want to accomplish at West Ham, and I was happy that the club gave me the
opportunity to do that.
"I think when things are going well at a football club, it is generally
going to be a more enjoyable atmosphere and experience than when things
aren't going well, just as it would be at any place of work," offered
Spector. "It's hard to say why we didn't perform particularly well last
season. You can point to injuries and things of that nature, but we've had a
number of injuries this year as well, yet we have been able to cope. With
Gianfranco and Steve arriving, the dynamic of the club has changed and there
is a great team spirit at the moment."
Whatever happens on the pitch, the next few years will also see Spector
continue to develop as an impressive young man away from the glare of the
Sky cameras. When conversation turns to his life outside football; the
answers might disappoint the tabloids, but will impress his manager. "I take
college courses from Indiana University," he reveals. In history and
philosophy if you are curious. "They keep me busy. I like reading magazines
and books, all sorts of stuff. Now I am on my own I do all the cooking,
cleaning and domestic duties that most people my age don't have to do. I am
starting to enjoy cooking and my mom sends me new recipes. Even though it is
a shorter working day than most people have, it is an exhausting day so
every once in a while I have to take an afternoon nap."
You can hear the tabloids buzzing already.
"Musically, I listen to a little bit of everything," continues Spector. "I
like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. and I used to play the trumpet, so I
like jazz. I also like fat bass and punk. They mainly play hip-hop in the
West Ham dressing room, which I can listen to although it is not my
favorite. I am not sure who it belongs to, but it is the same CD and I am
starting to get sick of it!" He also dabbles in piano and has a soft spot
for "non-mainstream" rock. Notably, his favourite bands, like Good Charlotte
and Lucky Boys Confusion, are steadfastly American.
So given his relocation to England, what cultural aspects, if any, of UK
life might be rubbing off on him. "Well, cricket I just don't get!" he kicks
off. "But I am beginning to appreciate English food, I hate to say. When I
first came over, I stayed away from the entire Shepherds Pie, and fish and
chips. We had a dietician at Bradenton, so I know all about that unhealthy
eating!"
What about the accents? Will Jonathan emulate Brad Friedel, who sounds as
much Lancashire as Ohio these days, and develop a Cockney twang? "Some
people do tell me when I go back to the US, my American accent is starting
to disappear," he sighs. "And I say a few things in an English way and use
certain British phrases, but they said after I had spent time in Bradenton
that I had picked up a bit of a Southern accent. Hopefully, I will keep my
own identity," he says with mirth on his mind.
Visiting family and friends apart, the only Americans Spector sees are the
other Yanks Abroad, with fellow Arlington Heights boy Brian McBride a
particular source of help. "They are all really friendly guys and I go to
them if I have any questions as they have been through it all over here,
especially Brian who comes from the same town as me," he says. "I have
talked to him a few times and he has been extremely helpful. He is a great
person and player and always has some good advice to pass on."
While his work ethic is beyond question and Spector has enjoyed a fair slice
of luck ("I feel very fortunate in my short career to do what I love,
especially playing professionally in England, which is the place to do it"),
you leave thinking what success he may achieve in the future will be as much
down to the soccer gods smiling on him as anything else. His famous halftime
conversion to playing defence in the presence of a Manchester United scout
there to watch his opponent was one such stroke of serendipity. "That
happens quite a bit," says Spector. "Maybe if he had not seen me there,
someone else might have seen me eventually, but I was just happy he had in
that game."
Even if we were to hear no more of Jonathan Spector, he has at least already
made his mark on the Premiership with what that infamous 'dodgy barnet'.
More Phil Spector than Premier League footballer, the hairstyle he sported
during those years in England has been described as 'screaming out country
singer.' "I don't listen to much country," he laughs. "And it was not a true
mullet anyway! But it was my own personal style. I am not one to go along
with the pop culture and what everyone else thinks is right. I am my own
person and I am sticking with it!"
Posted by Trilby at 20:43
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It's 'Side Before Self' For West Ham's Carlton Cole
The England international has revealed that it's team prizes over personal
glory every time for him.
24 Feb 2009 21:49:53
Goal.com
West Ham United striker Carlton Cole has spoken today about how he finds
motivation from spurring the team onto collective glory, rather than picking
up individual plaudits and prizes. The Hammers' impressive recent run of
form ended at Bolton at the weekend, when two early goals from the Trotters
ensured victory for the Lancashire side despite a spirited and classy
fightback from the Cockney outfit. And it was the team's rather than his own
pain that Cole felt in the dressing room afterwards. "You could tell that
the boys had come off the field really disappointed. As was said in the
dressing room, it's the finer details in the first half [that cost us]," the
striker told the club's official website. "We started really fast,
pressurised well, but the fine details between the lines were the
difference. When you are involved in a game like that, you know what they
are all about and they justy got a few decisions their way that didn't
help." But it was the collective burden of defeat that Cole turned to in
conclusion, highlighting that individual performances pale into
insignificance next to a disappointing defeat such as the one to Bolton.
"I'm not really bothered about my performance," the player added. "I'd
rather be talking about the team as a whole. "I felt we knocked it around
well and got about them, but sometimes you just don't get the luck or the
rub of the green. "I had a chance cleared off the line. David [Di Michele]
had two good opportunities and Nobes [Mark Noble] had an opportunity to
shoot.
"These are the details we need to brush up on because they win games."
West Ham travel to Middlesbrough tomorrow night (Wednesday) to take on the
Teessiders in an FA Cup fifth round replay. Cole will be looking for the
team to put a few things right at the Riverside.
Zack Wilson, Goal.com
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FA Cup still matters, says Gianfranco Zola
Gianfranco Zola insists that those who devalue the FA Cup make "no sense" –
and he is determined to win the trophy as a manager.
Telegraph
By Richard Bright
Last Updated: 11:43PM GMT 24 Feb 2009
Middlesbrough v West Ham
Kick-off: Wed Feb 25, 8.10pm; Riverside
Radio: BBC Radio Five Live
The West Ham manager won it twice as a player with Chelsea, including one
Wembley win over Middlesbrough, who his side face in a fifth-round replay at
the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday night.
Rather than putting out a reserve team like other Premier League managers,
Zola places huge importance on the trophy and will send out a strong side.
"It means a lot, an awful lot," he said. "It is a fantastic competition and
some say it is losing something, but that makes no sense.
"We have to make sure everyone values it very much. It's unique. If I can
win this as a manager then that would be great. I always say it was one of
my best achievements to win it as a player."
Victory against Boro will set up a quarter-final trip to Everton but Zola
will be without James Collins for the clash against Gareth Southgate's men
tonight after the Wales defender suffered a hamstring injury during the 2-1
league defeat at Bolton at the weekend.
Full-back Lucas Neill is back from suspension and James Tomkins is ready to
deputise for Collins at centre-back. Tomkins said: "Obviously Ginge
[Collins] has been doing very well when he has been playing but maybe there
is going to be a chance for me. If I get my chance I've got to take it."
Middlesbrough manager Southgate will be without midfielder Didier Digard.
The Frenchman could be sidelined for 12 weeks after suffering a partial tear
of the medial ligaments in his right knee and a partial rupture of the
quadriceps muscle in his left leg following a strong challenge by Wigan's
former Boro player Lee Cattermole at the weekend.
Striker Marlon King is cup-tied, having played in the competition for Hull,
but full-back Andrew Taylor could return from an ankle problem.
Southgate's side are mired in the Premier League relegation zone without a
win in 14 league games and have scored just three goals in their last seven
games.
However, Southgate has attempted to relieve the pressure on his £12 million
Brazilian striker Afonso Alves, who has scored just once in his last seven
outings.
"We win or lose as a team, and we score goals as a team," Southgate said.
"We are well aware of the difficult situation we are in and we have to work
together as a team to turn things around.
"As far as Afonso is concerned, he has looked like a player who will score
goals for us over the last few weeks. He's been sharp and he has worked
hard."
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Philosophical In Defeat
Just Like My Dreams
Carlton Cole has been speaking about the fine line between victory and
defeat on the official site today, and pays tribute to the performance of
the team as a whole in last weekend's reverse at Bolton Wanderers. The
England forward is in the squad that heads off for Middlesbrough today and
is determined to get a positive result in tomorrow's FA Cup fifth-round
replay on Teesside. Cole was a surprise inclusion at the Reebok Stadium
after struggling with a knock all week, but he led the line with strength
and skill and came close to scoring on several occasions; including two
headers cleared off the line by Matthew Taylor and goalkeeper Jussi
Jaaskelainen.
The frontman admitted he and his team-mates were gutted to come away with
nothing from a game that they dominated for long periods. "You could tell
that the boys had come off the field really disappointed. As was said in the
dressing room, it was the finer details in the first half that cost us," he
said. "We started really fast [erm, we were two goals down within the first
15 minutes, Carlton], pressurised well [apart from those two goals in the
first 15 minutes], but the fine details between the lines were the
difference [details like TWO PESKY GOALS IN THE FIRST FIFTEEN MINUTES]. When
you are involved in a game like that, you know what they are all about and
they just got a few decisions their way as well which didn't help.
"I'm not really bothered about my performance. I'd rather be talking about
the team as a whole. I felt we knocked it around well and got about them but
sometimes you just don't get the luck or the rub of the green. I had a
chance cleared off the line, David Di Michele had two good opportunities and
Nobes had an opportunity to shoot. These are the details that we need to
brush up on because they win games. Even when we went 2-0 down everyone
involved knew we could still get a good result. We still felt we weren't out
of the game, which you sometimes feel against other Premier League sides at
2-0. Scotty got his goal and we felt it was our chance to progress and get
an extra goal or two but it just didn't happen for us the way it should
have."
So two single-goal defeats ten months and one manager apart, and the devil
in the detail, as revealed by the majesty of the Guardian Chalk Board,
illustrates the transformation in United's footballing philosophy as
preached by Messrs Zola and Clarke. Defeat is still defeat, of course, but
there are ways and means of accepting your demise that ameliorates the pain
for the travelling faithful. Almost 70 more attempted passes and nine
additional attempts on goal compared to the previous visit to the Reebok
under Alan Curbishley, underscores some of Cole's sentiment and speaks
volumes to the positivity sweeping through the ranks.
Now on to the FA Cup where an equaliser seven minutes from time at Upton
Park 10 days ago gave West Ham United a second bite of the cherry and a
fifth round replay against Middlesbrough for the right to battle Everton in
the quarter-finals. Amid suggestions that the romance of the cup must be
subjugated to the pragmatism of the Premier League, both Gianfranco Zola and
Gareth Southgate have been at pains to insist that, after an Herita
Ilunga-rescued 1-1 draw, this is not one game too many.
Zola insists those who devalue the FA Cup make 'no sense' - and he is
determined to capture the trophy as a manager. Having won it twice as a
player with Chelsea, including one Wembley victory over Middlesbrough, the
Italian puts a huge importance on the trophy. "It means a lot, an awful
lot," he said. "It is a fantastic competition and some say it is losing
something but that makes no sense. We have to make sure everyone values it
very much. It's unique. If I can win this as a manager then that would be
great. I always say it was one of my best achievements to win it as a
player."
Middlesbrough have gone 14 games without a victory in the league and are
intent on climbing from the lowly station of second from bottom. They will
be without Didier Digard, possibly for the remainder of the season, while
Marlon King is cup-tied having already played in this competition for Hull.
The good news for Southgate is harder to ascertain, although Andrew Taylor
is fit to return following an ankle injury. The Hammers need less recourse
to positive news from the treatment room. James Collins is ruled out for the
next month due to a hamstring injury but James Tomkins is on standby to
deputise and Lucas Neill returns from suspension and could replace Jonathan
Spector.
Finally, the Mirror reports West Ham almost sold rising star Jack Collison
to League One Peterborough for just £300,000. The article insists the clubs
agreed a fee back in August when Alan Curbishley was still Hammers manager
but Posh boss Darren Ferguson was frustrated when the Upton Park board
changed their minds. Gianfranco Zola is quoted as saying: "Jack has been a
real surprise for me - not just because of his qualities but also his
personality. He will be a very important player in this country and for West
Ham for a long time."
Posted by Trilby at 22:05
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TOMKINS WILL JUMP AT CHANCE
Posted 25/02/09 07:15
Football365
West Ham youngster James Tomkins insists he is ready to step in for injured
centre-back James Collins in the FA Cup clash against Middlesbrough tonight.
Collins injured a hamstring in the defeat to Bolton at the weekend and
Tomkins came on, with the 19-year-old in the frame to play against Boro at
the Riverside Stadium in the fifth-round replay. "Obviously 'Ginge'
(Collins) has been doing very well when he has been playing but maybe there
is going to be a chance for me," Tomkins said. "You obviously feel for the
lad and hope he's not going to be out for too long because he's been doing
really well for us. If I get my chance I've got to take it, but no place is
guaranteed at the moment."
The Hammers lost at Bolton, with Tomkins determined to give the club a boost
with a cup win. "In the dressing room everyone was down but we've got to
pick ourselves up again quickly because we've got this game," he said. "We
have to look back at it quickly, look at the errors that we made and
obviously carry on from there because we've got a big game coming up."
Meanwhile, Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola believes those who devalue the FA
Cup make "no sense" - and he is determined to win the trophy as a manager.
Zola won it twice as a player with Chelsea, including one Wembley win over
Boro. Rather than putting out a reserve team like other Barclays Premier
League managers, Zola puts a huge importance on the trophy. "It means a lot,
an awful lot," he said. "It is a fantastic competition and some say it is
losing something but that makes no sense. "We have to make sure everyone
values it very much. It's unique. If I can win this as a manager then that
would be great. I always say it was one of my best achievements to win it as
a player."
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Balint Bajner making rapid progress at West Ham
25.02.09 | tribalfootball.com
Hungary Under-19 striker Balint Bajner has continued his impressive progress
at West Ham United. Bajner made his reserve-team debut yesterday in the
Hammers' 3-1 defeat by Tottenham. Tottenham's new Morocco international,
Adel Taarabt, hit a hat-trick.
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