WHUFC.com
Frank Lampard, John Terry and Joe Cole have been given permission to play in
Tony Carr's Testimonial
31.03.2010
Hello everyone,
We are now only five weeks away from my Testimonial match and I have more
exciting news about the game. I have received official written confirmation
from Chelsea that their three former Academy students - Frank Lampard, John
Terry and Joe Cole - have permission to lineup for my All Stars on Wednesday
5 May. Frank, John and Joe were all happy to be involved when I originally
asked them, and it is fantastic that Carlo Ancelotti has released them for
the evening. I was also delighted to receive letters from Derby County and
Coventry City informing me that Stephen Bywater and Freddy Eastwood have
permission to take part, too. With Paolo Di Canio having already confirmed
his participation, I am starting to put together quite a formidable side to
take on West Ham United at the Boleyn Ground. Preparations are in full swing
for the match now, and I am informed that many supporters have already taken
up the opportunity to buy tickets, for which I am hugely grateful. The
Testimonial match promises to be a special night for West Ham United, as
well as myself, as it will be a celebration of the careers of so many
players who have learnt their trade within our Academy. I hope that the
supporters will respect the players' commitment to me and us as a club on
the night.
Frank, John and Joe have gone on to great success with Chelsea, but they
always find time to appreciate the grounding they received here at West Ham.
Stephen was a part of our FA Youth Cup-winning team in 1999 and he has now
established himself as the No1 at Derby. At the age of 28, as a goalkeeper
he may still not have reached his peak.
Freddy was with me at the same time as the likes of Jermain Defoe and Glen
Johnson. He left the club and did well with Grays Athletic before making his
way back through the leagues with Southend United, Wolverhampton Wanderers
and now Coventry. I am very pleased that they have all agreed to take part
and, with Manchester United agreeing in principle to allow Rio Ferdinand and
Michael Carrick to play, things are shaping up really well.
I hope to have more exciting news for you next week.
Tony Carr
Academy Director
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Stanislas pushing hard
WHUFC.com
The 20-year-old winger Junior Stanislas is hoping to impress Gianfranco Zola
enough to play at Goodison Park
31.03.2010
Junior Stanislas is hoping a strong showing for the reserves this week will
put him in good stead for the Sunday afternoon trip to take on Everton. The
Hammers winger was the senior man on show in the 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa
and came the closest to scoring when he hit the woodwork with a free-kick.
Stanislas has no problem with going back to reserve-team football and was a
model professional in difficult conditions. "I thought the boys played
well," he told WHUTV. "We got the ball down and played and all in all I
thought we did all right. It is not difficult coming back to the reserves.
It is different but when you have good players in the reserves it is not
that hard to fit back into it. "I am a bit more senior and perhaps the
younger ones look to me but they are all good players and play their part. I
have just to try and play my normal game."
Still only 20, Stanislas is more likely to be seen as part of Gianfranco
Zola's plans and will hope to figure at Goodison Park. In the 2-1 home
defeat by the Toffees back on 8 November, he came off the bench to spark a
mini-Hammers revival, forcing Tony Hibbert into an own goal and going very
close with another effort. He knows this weekend's date will be an equally
tough task. "We have got to go there looking to win but we can't concede
easy goals," he said. "We have got to keep it tight and go from there.
"There is spirit among the boys. We are in there training and we know we are
in a bad position in the league but everyone is there digging in and working
hard. Sooner or later we are going to start picking up the points."
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Young Hammers win again
WHUFC.com
Tony Carr's side warmed up for the final of the Tiffany Trophy Cup with
another fine win
31.03.2010
A Dymon Labonne hat-trick and another goal from Elliot Lee ensured a 4-2
victory for Tony Carr's touring side in the United States. A West Ham United
U16/U17 squad are in Washington D.C. this week for the International Amateur
Soccer Tournament - The Challenge for the Tiffany Trophy Cup. The young
Hammers have already beaten the Georgian U17 national team and top US side
D.C. United before this latest victory against Annandale United. Carr's team
will take on D.C. United again on Friday night in the final, having already
qualified before their latest match on Wednesday.
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In memory of Mike
WHUFC.com
A special charity match is to be held in memory of Mike Keen - the father of
first-team coach Kevin
31.03.2010
A special charity match will be held in memory of Mike Keen - the father of
West Ham United first-team coach Kevin - on Thursday 15 April. The fixture
will see Kevin Keen's All Star team take on a Wycombe Wanderers Legends team
at the Chairboys' Adams Park stadium. Mike, who died following a short
illness in April 2009, was a popular figure in his hometown in
Buckinghamshire, managing Wanderers, running a sports shop for more than two
decades and helping to form the local youth football leagues. As a player,
he lifted the League Cup and Division Three championship trophy as Queens
Park Rangers in 1967, while also helping his son to forge a successful
career in the game. "My Dad passed away on 11 April last year. He played
quite a big role in my footballing career, and he's also a big hero at
Queens Park Rangers, as he lifted the League Cup for them as captain in 1967
- the only major trophy the club has won. "Also, he had a further career as
manager of Luton Town and Watford and then went back to the town where he
had lived his whole life, Wycombe, and was manager there between 1980 and
1984. He won the league and did really well. "He continued to be involved in
youth football around the area and loads of people knew him around there for
setting up the youth leagues. "I have organised a charity game that's being
played at Wycombe Wanderers FC on Thursday 15 April, with all the money
raised going to Cancer Research. West Ham fans would be interested to hear
that Gianfranco has agreed to play, as has Steve, along with Clive, Paul and
Martin Allen - I don't know when the last time those three kicked a ball
together! "Malky Mackay, who is now managing Watford and was here for a
little while, is playing, as is Teddy Sheringham, so it should be a good
night. Any West Ham fans would be more than welcome."
Tickets for the game, priced at £10 each, can be bought from Wycombe
Wanderers FC on 01494 441118 or online at www.wwfc.com
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Zola - We must stay strong
Hammers boss determined to be a success at Upton Park
By Nadia Carminati Last updated: 31st March 2010
SSN
Gianfranco Zola has urged his West Ham United players to stay strong and has
reiterated he will not give up in the fight to stay in the Premier League.
The Hammers boss spent the weekend considering his future at Upton Park
after Saturday's 1-0 loss to Stoke City condemned his team to a sixth
successive defeat. After a break in Sardinia, the Italian decided to carry
on as manager and he also retains the full support of his players and the
board. Zola accepts West Ham are currently in a 'delicate' situation with
the club only outside the relegation zone due to Hull City's inferior goal
difference, although the Tigers do have a game in hand. However, the former
Chelsea star remains determined to be a success with the Hammers and is
calling on his squad to rise to the challenge of staying in the top flight.
"We are experiencing a really delicate moment, but I don't give up," Zola
told Gazzetta dello Sport. "In these moments we must be strong and calm. I
want to do good things with West Ham."
Zola also played down rumours that he could replace Marcello Lippi as coach
of the Italian national team after this summer's World Cup finals. The
former assistant to the Under-21 side added: "I'm pleased that my name has
been mentioned. "But now I'm really focused on the present, also because
this is what will help to define my future."
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Sullivan hopeful of Hammers Dubai cash injection
By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent
ESPN
March 31, 2010
David Sullivan has confirmed that he is in Dubai with Karren Brady seeking
Middle East investors to buy half of West Ham United. ESPNsoccernet broke
the story on Tuesday that Sullivan and Brady were in Dubai for high level
talks designed to give a club with big East London traditions a much-needed
injection of fresh capital which would invigorate their potential spending
power in the summer. Sullivan told Soccernet: "I am in Dubai with Karren but
I cannot comment further as our talks our strictly confidential. However, it
is clear to everyone that West Ham need an injection of cash as when we took
over in January it was £110m in debt and we have been working non-stop and
have cut it down to just over £90m."
Co-owner Sullivan and vice-chairman Brady are spending several days in the
Middle East in talks which they hope will lead to an offer for Icelandic
group Straumur's 50% shareholding. Sullivan and David Gold paid £52m for a
50% stake in West Ham in January, and part of the agreement gave them the
option over the next four years to acquire the remaining 50%. At the time of
the Sullivan/Gold takeover it was made clear they would seek other
investors, inviting rival bidder Tony Fernandes, owner of Air Asia, head of
the Lotus Formula One team and a lifelong West Ham supporter, to come on
board. Fernandes has so far declined to become involved. Sullivan has strong
contacts in Dubai and is using them to good effect. His, Gold and Brady's
current worry is how relegation could impact on the investment potential,
but long-term plans include moving to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford after
the 2012 London Games. The key issue for Sullivan and Gold is that they
would remain in control of the club. Increasingly, top Premier League clubs
are falling into foreign hands, and with the Premier League announcing
record overseas sales, the product is clearly the market leader abroad.
Sullivan also confirmed Soccernet's Tuesday story that the club are
considering lodging an official complaint to the Premier League over
Fulham's decision to play a weekend team at Hull, where they lost, ahead of
Thursday nights Europa League quarter-final first leg against Wolfsburg.
This follows the Premier League fine for Wolves for playing a weakened team
this season which infuriated manager Mick McCarthy.
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Hodgson: Fulham have "no case to answer"
ESPN
March 31, 2010
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson insists he would have "no case to answer'' were
West Ham to cry foul about his team selection against Hull last weekend.
Hodgson, mindful of his side's upcoming Europa League quarter-final against
German champions Wolfsburg on Thursday, rested Bobby Zamora, Danny Murphy,
Aaron Hughes, Dickson Etuhu and Damien Duff at the KC Stadium. West Ham are
reported to be considering making a complaint after Hull's 2-0 win moved
them to within goal difference of the struggling Hammers - although no
confirmation has come from the east London club. But Hodgson said: "We have
no case to answer, I am perfectly happy with the team selection.''
Zamora will be assessed ahead of kick-off at Craven Cottage after missing
training on Wednesday with a cold but he, Murphy, Hughes, Etuhu and Duff are
all expected to return to the starting line-up.
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Will top players stay at Upton Park?
Newham Recorder
31 March 2010
WEST HAM will endeavour to keep their best players at the club next season,
though co-owner David Gold admitted that they will have few options if some
players decide they want to leave, writes DAVE EVANS. Gold and David
Sullivan inherited debts of around £110million when they took control at
Upton Park and though they are trying to stringently cut costs, they are
hoping that will not have a detrimental effect on the playing staff. "First
of all, the debt came down by us joining, we paid off some straight away and
it is now down below £100million," confirmed Gold. "In the Premier League
£100m is a sustainable debt, it's horrible, but sustainable. "Of course,
it's public knowledge we are cutting costs, but without impinging on the
players which is the key. We want to retain our best players. "We achieved
that the day we walked in. The first thing is that we insured that three
players who were ready to be sold, were stopped from leaving. We then
brought in three strikers which we thought we desperately needed. "We had
Carlton Cole injured and that left us with the kids Frank Nouble and Freddie
Sears and that was it. "When you are in trouble you have to score goals, so
we brought in strikers and we are waiting for it to come off - we are
keeping our fingers crossed."
So what happens in the summer? Perhaps understandably, Gold cannot commit
himself too much until he knows what division West Ham are playing in. "I
can't tell you, I don't know where we will be," he said. "As a businessman I
don't know, as a fan I say we are in the Premier League. "There will be
deals to be done, there might be some players that want to leave. "We need
to sit down and talk to players who are coming towards the end of their
contracts. "Do they want to stay? Do they want to see it out? All this has
to be taken into account, before we make any decisions. "We will do
everything to keep our best players, we've got to get into Europe while I'm
still young!" smiled the spirited 73-year-old.
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No interference with Zola's tactics
Newham Recorder
31 March 2010
WEST HAM's owners are doing everything they can to back manager Gianfranco
Zola and claim they have no influence over his tactics or team selection,
according to co-chairman David Gold. Many stories have suggested that it is
the owners, and in particular Sullivan, who are pulling the strings at Upton
Park, but Gold denied it. "In terms of selections and transfers we have zero
influence," insisted Gold. "As to influence on 'Franco, I hope it is
positive in the sense we show support and encouragement. "That is what we do
for a living, well that is what I do, I speak for myself. I would like to
think that the manager would say that I show him and his team respect. They
are there to do the job and I support them in anyway I can." Another
criticism levelled at the owners was that it was them and not Zola who
decided on the signings in the January window. But Gold insists that is
nowhere near the truth. "There's a misunderstanding here and I want to put
the record straight," he said. "Remember we only had nine days to do
business, but we went to him and asked 'what do you need? Do you have
anybody in mind?' "That was one way. Or, you can go to him and say this is a
player we can bring in, we have contacts, 'what do you think?' "None of it
is dictatorial, I can assure you. The manager makes the decision, what we do
is run around like headless chickens trying to deliver what he wants. "What
we would never do is bring a player and say 'by the way, here's your
player'. We know owners have done that in the past. It has happened at West
Ham."
Gold confirmed that it will be a similar story with regard to selling
players, though the manager has to be financially aware of situations.
"Again, we would sit down and discuss it with 'Franco. There are difficult
decisions, for example an experienced player might say that he wants to see
his contract out and doesn't want to make a new deal," he said. "I can't let
him walk away for nothing, you have to do business. "These scenarios need to
be worked through, some of them are emotional, some are very financial. But
the final decision is with the manager, unless you get managers that just do
not understand the economics and reality of life.
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Heart of Gold
Newham Recorder
31 March 2010
West Ham correspondent Dave Evans chats to Hammers co-chairman David Gold
IF DAVID SULLIVAN is the hot-headed, over-emotional member of the West Ham
owners club, then partner David Gold could be described as the considered,
calming influence lurking in the background. While Sullivan laid into the
team on the club's website last week, Gold was the optimistic, level-headed
one, offering his support to the manager and going on record to say he was
fully behind the beleaguered boss. If it is a case of 'good cop, bad cop' at
Upton Park, then there are no prizes for guessing which role Gold fills, but
it is not a position he has consciously taken on. "It's not something I get
paid to do," he said. "I'm not there to smooth over things that David
Sullivan says, that's not my job." If we are as sprightly and enthusiastic
as Gold when we reach 73-years-old then we will all have done well for
ourselves. There is no hint of retirement in what he says, no sign that the
pressure is getting to him. The multi-millionaire owner of businesses like
Ann Summers, Knickerbox and various property companies is a self-made man,
but he remembers his humble beginnings in Gr een Street and a supposed piece
of bad luck that was to herald the start of his business empire - and it is
that which keeps him so exuberant in these troubled times. "I'm enthusiastic
by nature," he said. "I remember I was 24-years-old and I'd been in my
little bookshop in Charing Cross for three years and was just beginning to
make some money working 12 hours a day, six days a week. "Then the landlord
came along and said 'Mr Gold, the lease is up' and I said, 'what's a
lease?', I didn't have a clue. "He said, 'the lease you signed has a
rebuilding clause in it and we're going to redevelop, you've got six months
to get out'. "I thought to myself, 'why is this happening to me? I've been a
good person, why am I having all this bad luck?' "I have to tell you that I
left the shop, put deposits down on four stores and two of them which I
bought for £80,000 the pair, I sold for £3million 10 years later, and that
was in 1970, when £3m was a lot of money. "That's why I am so enthusiastic,
because I'm a great believer that bad luck can quickly change to good luck.
"You have to be positive, if you lose on a Tuesday, by Thursday, you have to
look forward and that is what I do."
Gold would certainly have never written that website statement, but he is
the best placed person to explain the actions of his co-chairman and he
feels that it was not done to weaken Gianfranco Zola's position. "I would
say I don't think David Sullivan set out to undermine 'Franco. I've known
him for a long time and if you get emails from David, you'll realise he
writes as he talks. I know him well enough to know it was not
pre-meditated," he explained. "He used to have an old typewriter and on it
the 'b' never worked, you'd get this space instead. This multi-millionaire,
who wouldn't dream of using a secretary, would type with two fingers, and
when he was angry he would put everything in bold. That was him stepping up
the volume, it was brilliant. "He wouldn't go back and read it though, he
would just send it, everything was spontaneous, he is the most spontaneous
man I know."
Spontaneity is not something you would associate particularly with Gold. He
is more thoughtful, though the passion is still there for the job he is
doing. Perhaps that is why the pair get along so well, they are two halves
of an important jigsaw. "We have our defined areas of responsibility, though
sometimes they get breached," he smiled. "I can't ever recall having a
dispute with him. There's things I don't agree with that he does and there's
things he doesn't agree with that I do, but we've got a partnership where we
are doing things that we maybe couldn't do as individuals. "On our own, we
wouldn't have the temerity to come to West Ham, so it needs two of you."
It is a partnership that seems to work. As well as their own businesses,
they have teamed up at the Sport Newspaper for 20 years, as well as 17 years
in charge at Birmingham City. The formula has been an effective one and
Gold hopes it will now succeed at a place which is so close to both their
hearts - West Ham United.
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Calling all multi-millionaires
Newham Recorder
31 March 2010
DAVID GOLD believes it will take a team of multi-millionaires to join
himself and David Sullivan at West Ham if they are to compete with the best
teams in the Premier League - but he is confident that they can make it
happen.When the pair took the helm at Upton Park, they immediately called on
investors to come forward and get on board, but the precarious position of
the club is holding them back. "We have had people who have shown interest,
but if I am honest I think most investors will want to know, like everybody,
where we are going to be," he said. "I think it will make life easier once
we pull out of this close proximity to the relegation zone."
Indeed, Sullivan and vice-chairman Karren Brady were in Dubai this week
negotiating a possible buy-out of Straumur's 50 per cent share. Gold and
Sullivan have first refusal on purchasing that remaining 50 per cent of the
club, and though they may well go down that road, they would prefer someone
else to join them. "It is a possibility that we will buy it, but this is a
big job, the club has massive debts and this is not a business for any
run-of-the-mill millionaires," said Gold. "You have got to own a country, or
a big chunk of one and most of it should be underground in oil. "The
multi-millionaires have got to get together to compete with the
billionaires, that is why we would encourage people to come in and give us a
fighting chance."
Gold believes getting an agreement to move into the Olympic Stadium will be
the key to investors coming forward. "The super stadium can take West Ham
United to the next level," he insisted. "In other words, get the deal and
encourage the super wealthy to come and join us. If you add them to the
stadium and us, now you have a package that can challenge the top six and
that is the key to all this."
Bold words from a man whose team is dangling precariously close to the
Premier League drop zone, and Gold is well aware of that. "We have to be
realistic, one thing at a time. But if you are taking me a step forward, I
am saying we won't get relegated and we will get a tacit agreement soon that
we are the preferred people to take over the Olympic Stadium with Newham
Council."
With ambitions like that, Manchester United beware!
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Running mates - West Ham look for athletics harmony
Newham Recorder
31 March 2010
WEST HAM co-owner David Gold believes that the club can accommodate an
athletics track if they get the go-ahead to move to the Olympic Stadium in
Stratford, writes DAVE EVANS. The existence of a running track has been a
bone of contention for the West Ham owners, but Gold believes that something
can be worked out, if they sit down and discuss the possibilities with UK
Athletics. "I don't believe it is beyond the wit of man to be able to have
both football and athletics," he said. "I will sit down with the athletics
people and find a way forward. "They might have to compromise a bit, we
might have to compromise too."
This is a significant shift in West Ham attitude to the stadium, but Gold
did stress that financial considerations have to come first and that means
the Hammers must move in with the backing of Newham Coun-cil. "I believe
that eventually financial reality is a very potent weapon in these days of
austerity. We can't indulge ourselves anymore, build things we are going to
pull down in years to come," said the joint chairman. "I would hate to be
someone in athletics making a case, saying 'let's spend millions of pounds
reducing this magnificent stadium to a tiddly little 25,000 seater running
track, and then go there three or four times a year."
Undoubtedly, Gold is speaking with West Ham's interests in mind. A move to
the Olympic Stadium would enable them to sell the land at Upton Park for
something in the region of £60million. But, the co-chairman, who grew up in
Newham, is convinced that the move will be good for the community too. "The
Olympics have regenerated Stratford - fantastic. You've got to take your hat
off to all those who are making this happen, but having done that you have
to make sure that it doesn't implode and rot," he said. "We've seen it in
Athens, that's a disgrace. These non-business people spend billions of
pounds and build things and then they walk off and watch it literally
collapse - we can't do that in Stratford.
"It's all very well for people to say, 'oh, I've got to have a statue of
me', well that doesn't feed kids, that doesn't get people off the dole.
"What gets people off the dole are jobs and 60,000 people going to a stadium
every two weeks gets people off the dole because of the wealth and jobs that
generates - that's a legacy. "It has to be a legacy to the people. In other
words the people who live and work in Stratford and Newham must come first,
anything else is an indulgence."
Gold and business partner David Sullivan have been looking at the
feasibility of an athletics track and Gold has come to interesting
conclusions. "I was told the sightline from the very back of the stadium
when it is reduced from 80,000 down to something like 56,000 is the same as
Wembley and that is with the running track," he explained. "Well if it is
good enough for Wembley, it is good enough for us."
If West Ham do take control at Stratford, then Gold promised that it will
enable them to bring down ticket prices. "This is not just a stadium for
football, it is a community stadium. It will enable us to reduce prices
which I have worked hard on in the FA," he said. "It is not fair for a fan
to not be able to take his son to watch a match and yet he sees a player
drive off in his car and that player has earned more in a year than a fan
will earn in a lifetime - that can't be right."
The debate continues, though if West Ham were fail to obtain control at
Stratford, Gold did hint at an alternative. "I am reluctant to say this, but
there is a mystery third possibility," he said. "I don't know enough about
it, except there is a tiny chance, that is all I can share with you, there
is one other possibility.
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Hammers great escape two
Newham Recorder
31 March 2010
WEST HAM goalkeeper Robert Green has been through it all before, writes DAVE
EVANS. The end to the 2007 season saw the Hammers facing an almighty battle
to keep their Premier Division status and with his help they managed it
magnificently. Now the 30-year-old England man is ready for another fight to
the finish. "We have to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and get on
with it," he said. "West Ham have been in worse positions at this point in
the season. It just means we have to dig in and fight." He's right. In
2006-07 the Hammers were in a much more precarious position. With six games
to go, that West Ham team may have had two more points - 29 from 32 - but
they were second from bottom in the table. They were five points away from
safety and had a worse goal difference than all the teams around them except
bottom club Watford. West Ham of 2007 did have a couple of distinct
advantages however. They had just pulled off a magnificent victory over
Arsenal at the Emirates, and they had a certain Carlos Tevez in their ranks,
who was about to catch fire in the goal stakes. It certainly wasn't plain
sailing back then though. With six games to go, West Ham then proceeded to
lose 3-0 at rivals Sheffield United, before a thumping 4-1 defeat at home by
Chelsea, before they finally found their form. In 2007, West Ham grabbed 12
points from their last six games to stay up on the final day of the season,
this year's vintage probably only need three wins to guarantee their
survival. Green was a vital part of that 'Great Escape' under Alan
Curbishley, now he is hoping to do the same for Gianfranco Zola. "He's a
great man and a great manager," insisted the England goalkeeper. "You could
see today, it's not for the want of trying. "We've been hamstrung through
the season with selection problems, players leaving and injuries. It's up to
us to put in that effort which against Stoke we did, and to have the
confidence to play a bit more football in the final third which will make
the difference."
Despite the defeat, Green was clearly in a more optimistic mood than last
Tuesday, when the fans laid into the underperforming team following the
humiliating defeat against Wolves. "We got the response from the fans," said
the number one. "Tuesday clearly wasn't good enough and we didn't have a
leg to stand on and rightly got told what the fans thought. "This game
wasn't the same, the reaction at the end was one of mass disappointment.
Everyone put their all in, as you could see. They dragged themselves off the
pitch. But in front of goal the creation wasn't really there for us.
"Undeniably everyone has given everything."
When it comes to relegation battles, Green has seen it, lived it and bought
the t-shirt. At Norwich City he was unsuccessful, at West Ham he was one of
the heroes of the 'Great Escape'. Now it is time for the England man, and
the rest of his experienced colleagues to step up to the plate once more.
"It's not like West Ham to have a drama is it?" he laughed. "Ever since I've
joined it's been from one thing to another. "But people can say what they
like. We have to keep our heads down and keep fighting for the club because
that's all we can do.
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Mido comes up short again
Newham Recorder
31 March 2010
IT WAS West Ham's best chance of the match and the incident almost summed up
just how things are going for the Hammers at the moment, writes DAVE EVANS.
There were 35 minutes on the clock and Gianfranco Zola's team were finally
getting some semblance of control in the match, when Carlton Cole collected
a pass and turned crisply inside.
He let fly with a rasping drive that keeper Thomas Sorensen was only able to
parry and the rebound sprang towards Egyptian striker Mido. The 27-year-old
tried to control, failed and then tumbled to the ground like a huge falling
tree. Eight games so far in claret and blue and no goals to his name. "He
told me the ball was bouncing too high and he couldn't get it under control
and that was why he missed, but it was a great chance," said Zola
afterwards. It takes a lot more than a missed chance to deter Mido from the
job in hand though, he is far too experienced for that, and he was only
looking at the positives after the game and that was the passion shown by
the players. "I don't think we missed any commitment today," said the
Egyptian international. "We all tried hard, but it didn't work and we are
all very disappointed of course."
It is that sort of commitment that Mido believes will haul the Hammers out
of trouble and keep them in the Premier League this season. "I think we have
a very good chance of staying up," he insisted. "If you look in the dressing
room and you see the faces in there, you don't see a team that is going to
get relegated. "Going by the experience, the names and the people who want
to work hard for this club, I don't see this team going down."
Mido would probably have been on the bench on Saturday had it not been for
the training ground Achilles injury to Guillermo Franco, and aside from two
missed chances in the first half, he rarely got a look in up front. He
admitted that it was disappointing that they had not been able to carve out
better chances, but he also saluted the fans who stuck behind the team, even
when they went behind on Saturday. "The fans were brilliant today," he said.
"They were behind us all the way, even when we conceded the goal. They were
still cheering us up and you hardly heard anyone booing the team. "I think
the fans saw that maybe the quality wasn't there against Stoke, but they can
see that everyone is trying hard and I think sometimes in football you need
a goal to get confidence."
It is the likes of Mido, Cole and Benni McCarthy who have been assigned to
get those goals, beginning with the tough trip to Everton on Sunday. It is a
game where West Ham would not expect to get anything from, but one that has
now become even more vital to their future. "They're a very good team. But
we will go there to look to get at least a point," said Mido. "We're going
to work hard again, it didn't work for us today, but hopefully it will work
for us next week."
Mido hopes that work this week will be alongside manager Zola. The Egyptian
has seen plenty of managers during his long footballing career, but he rates
the little Italian as up there with some of the best. "He's a top man and in
my opinion is a very good manager," said Mido, who also praised the team's
work ethic against Stoke City. "We worked hard as a team. Maybe we didn't
have the final cutting edge, but there was a lot of pressure and the players
handled it well. "The goal we conceded was special and made it very
difficult for us, but I don't think you can ask the players anything else,
they are working so hard for this manager." Perhaps the fans can ask for one
more thing from Mido to go with his hard work. A nice goal or two on Sunday
at Goodison Park would really get his career at West Ham going.
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Everton big match preview
Newham Recorder
31 March 2010
ONE TO WATCH: Louis Saha.
Everton v West Ham
Sunday, April 4, 4pm
Goodison Park
NO DOUBT Everton striker Louis Saha has a few dates circled in his diary.
His birthday must be in there, Christmas of course, and maybe the day he
goes on holiday, but right up there has got to be the day when Everton take
on West Ham United. Saha has scored five goals in his last three outings
against Gianfranco Zola's boys, the Toffees have won them all and he will be
looking for more of the same come Sunday. The striker has actually managed
15 goals in all competitions this term, with midfielder Tim Cahill his
nearest rival with seven, and it is that sort of tally that has propelled
the Blues up the Premier League table. They started as badly as the Hammers
back in August, but the shrewd David Moyes kept his head and slowly, but
surely, the results have come. They now sit eighth in the table, just two
points behind Aston Villa and it is only that scratchy start that has
prevented them from making their usual assault on the top six. Things do not
look too bright for the Hammers going into the game and not only because
their own poor run of six consecutive defeats. Everton have managed a club
record seven consecutive Premier League wins, which included excellent
victories over Chelsea (2-1) and Manchester United (3-1) along the way. In
fact they have only lost two games at Goodison all season. The Merseyside
derby went to the red half of the city by 2-0, while on the opening day of
the campaign, Arsenal ran riot with a stunning 6-1 win which rocked Everton
on their heels. That defeat is almost forgotten, as is West Ham's last win
in the city, when a David Weir own goal and a Bobby Zamora strike gave the
Hammers a come-from-behind 2-1 win in 2005. Dean Ashton's goal in 2008
earned them a draw, but with the former England centre forward now sitting
in the Match of the Day 2 studio, instead of lacing up his boots, it is
difficult to see where the West Ham goals are going to come from. For
Everton, Mikel Arteta is set to return from injury, while Phil Jagielka's
recovery has bolstered the Toffees defence on the last few weeks. All the
signs point to an Everton victory and a handsome one at that. They are still
battling for a Europa League place so they won't be taking their foot off
the gas, while perhaps their only real danger is complacency setting in.
Zola has backed his players to come up with the goods, whether they can
actually deliver is another matter. The manager's job is on the line, but
though the fight is still there, the ability may be sadly lacking
POSSIBLE TEAM: Howard, Heitinga, Baines, Distin, Jagielka, Neville, Cahill,
Rodwell, Pienaar, Osman, Saha.
Prediction:
Everton 2 West Ham 0
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Is West Ham's interest in Becks for all the right reasons?
Date: 31st March 2010 at 6:50 pm
Author: Sefa Atay
The city of Chicago is widely known as the 'windy city'. It is commonly
considered that this is a nickname which derived from the long-winded and
boastful speeches of Chicago politicians. Like their friends across the
pond, it seems the owners of West Ham are beginning to produce some wind of
their own. The potential bubbles may be pretty, but given their current
situation, any interest in David Beckham could surely wait until they have
secured Premiership survival.
We all know what comes with David Beckham. He is the most well know sports
star in the World and the first to truly become globally renowned as a
celebrity. His value should not, and given the amounts paid by the likes of
Real Madrid and LA Galaxy, is not underestimated. Surely he should still be
considered as a footballer rather than a marketing tool? Not so it seems for
Mr.Gold and Sullivan.
Speaking to the News of the World, Gold said: "David keeps on showing he
still has so much to offer and if he's available then we want to be
bidding."
So far so good. In my eyes, Beckham still has the quality and could prove a
decent player for the Hammers alongside the likes of Scott Parker and Mark
Noble.
"It's not only a case of what he can do on the pitch but what he does off it
– he'd be a sensational ambassador for his home-town club."
Hmm, now I'm getting a bit suspicious. These men have come in to 'save' a
struggling football club and take it back to 'where it belongs'. Players
should be signed to improve the quality of football. An 'ambassador' is not
really a necessity at West Ham.
"He's a local boy like the two owners and this could appeal to him. It's not
fanciful as he has so much to offer. His arrival would be massive."
The last sentence is correct. The arrival of Beckham at West Ham would be
massive, but would it be for the wrong reasons? Are the owners looking at
David Beckham the footballer or David Beckham the cash cow? I'd gamble on
the latter, especially given that his ability to perform at the top level is
now being questioned after his Achilles injury.
I guess you can't really blame the owners for expressing their interest.
However much he may cost, he will probably make up for in revenue. The real
question would be whether West Ham needs such a player? The heroes of Upton
Park have become so because of their performances and passion for the club.
Would Bobby Moore or Paolo Di Canio be cult figures if they sold millions of
shirts across the World but spent most of their time on the bench?
Gold and Sullivan have taken some stick since taking-over at West Ham. This
is the latest in a number of comments that the club could probably have done
without. Zola's men are currently one place outside the relegation zone
based on goal-difference and, not only are the comments badly timed; they
also suggest a worrying sense of greed. These are of course the men who,
upon taking over, proclaimed their love for a club they grew up supporting.
If that is really the case, I suggest they remind themselves of the reasons
they feel so strongly and see just how far down 'financial potential' comes
on that list.
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West Ham at war with Roy Hodgson: Legal threat over Fulham playing reserves
By Laura Williamson
Last updated at 10:35 PM on 31st March 2010
Daily Mail
West Ham are planning to lodge a complaint against Fulham after Roy Hodgson
made six changes and lost 2-0 against Hull City on Saturday. The win gave
Hull a Premier League lifeline as they moved level on points with West Ham
with a game in hand. Gianfranco Zola's side only stayed out of the bottom
three on goal difference after suffering a sixth consecutive defeat against
Stoke City. A West Ham source said: 'Roy Hodgson admitted on TV that he
rested players because he had an important Europa League match coming up. He
admitted fielding a weakened team. From our point of view that is awful and
we are going to put in a complaint.' The manner of Fulham's defeat fueled
the bad blood that already exists between the London clubs. Fulham are suing
West Ham for around £500,000 — the loss of their league position bonus in
2006-07 after Carlos Tevez's goals helped keep the Hammers up and finish a
place above Fulham in the Premier League. West Ham were fined £5.5million in
April 2007 by the Premier League for breaking rules over third-party
agreements when they brought Tevez and midfielder Javier Mascherano to the
club, but were not deducted points. A West Ham source said: 'Fulham are
suing West Ham for half a million quid. They may find West Ham suing them
for £50m next season.' Premier League regulations state that clubs must
field full-strength sides in every match. But Hammers themselves rested
Scott Parker and Carlton Cole in losing at Arsenal last month.
Wolves have already fallen foul of these rules this season and were given a
£25,000 suspended fine after manager Mick McCarthy made 10 changes for a
league match against Manchester United. But Hodgson was unrepentant
yesterday. The Fulham boss left out regulars such as Damien Duff, Danny
Murphy, Dickson Etuhu, Aaron Hughes and Bobby Zamora, whose preparation had
been hampered by a stomach bug, for the match at the KC Stadium in
anticipation of the first leg of his side's Europa League quarter-final
against VfL Wolfsburg tonight. He said: 'We have no case to answer. I made
the decision to rest four or five players knowing full well I had the right
to do that with the quality of players at my disposal. That meant that
Murphy, Etuhu, Duff and Zamora (right) didn't play five games in 12 days.'
Hodgson spent the early part of Fulham's European campaign insisting Premier
League survival was the club's priority. But now his attitude has clearly
changed. Sitting in mid-table, 11 points above the relegation zone, the
Fulham boss can afford to prioritise a cup competition. 'We're entitled to
focus more on the Europa League,' he said. 'Our performances haven't been
worthy of any criticism, but there's no doubt that we've made a conscious
decision that the cup competition will be more of a priority than the league
because we're relatively safe. 'We looked at it and said we could still be
OK, even if we lost every game in the league and the teams below us got more
than they'd been getting. we can put the cup matches in the "shop window".'
But, for the teams for whom relegation is still a pressing threat, Fulham's
Europa League run could have a real impact on the final league table. Fulham
play relegation strugglers Wigan on Sunday, and, should they beat Wolfsburg,
a two-leg semi-final against Hamburg or Standard Liege would have to be
squeezed in between matches against Wolves, Everton and West Ham, who play
their final away game at Craven Cottage.
In Fulham's defence, tonight's match will be their 52nd of the season and
their 15th in a European campaign that is entering its 10th month. Hodgson
said: 'This period I've experienced at Fulham, the number of games, has
never happened to me in my life. We've played every three days for three
months. 'When I reached the UEFA Cup final with Inter Milan we played 12
games back in 1997, but the ties against Wolfsburg are our 15th and 16th
game in this competition. 'That shows you what we've achieved.'
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers are Ful of rage
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: Today
WEST HAM are going to war with Fulham over their 'weakened' team at Hull.
The Hammers plan to complain to the Premier League after Roy Hodgson rested
key players in Saturday's 2-0 loss as he had one eye on tonight's Europa
League quarter-final first leg with Wolfsburg. Boss Hodgson named a starting
XI that was missing skipper Danny Murphy, Damien Duff, Aaron Hughes and
Dickson Etuhu. Hull's victory left them 18th but pulled them level on 27
points with West Ham. There is already bad blood between the teams as Fulham
are suing West Ham for £450,000 in the fallout from the Carlos Tevez affair.
A Hammers spokesman said: "Roy Hodgson admitted fielding a weakened team
because of their Europa League match. That's awful and we're putting in a
complaint. "Fulham are currently suing West Ham for half a million quid.
They may find West Ham suing them for £50million next season."
Hodgson said: "The only game where I've tweaked things was after Juventus,
when we had Man City on the Sunday, Spurs on the Wednesday and Hull on
Saturday. "I made the decision to rest four or five players knowing full
well I had the right to do that with the quality of players at my disposal."
Fulham want compensation from the Hammers after being pushed into 16th place
by them on the last day of the 2006-07 season. West Ham finished 15th but
the Premier League ruled they had fielded an ineligible player in Tevez and
fined them £5.5m.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham threaten £50m lawsuit against Fulham for fielding a weakened team
at Hull
Published 23:00 31/03/10 By Neil McLeman
The Mirror
WEST HAM are to complain to the Premier League over Fulham fielding a
weakened team at Hull. Roy Hodgson made six changes to his side before
tonight's Europa League quarter-final against Wolfsburg. And Hull won 2-0 at
the KC Stadium to move level on points with the Hammers with a game in hand.
The Premier League handed Wolves a suspended £25,000 after Mick McCarthy
made 10 changes to his team which lost 3-0 at Manchester United in December.
Now the Hammers want Fulham reprimanded by bringing into question the
integrity of the competition. The move has added spice because Mohamed Al
Fayed's club are still trying to sue West Ham for £450,000 in prize money
after the Carlos Tevez-inspired side finished one place above them in the
Premier League in 2006-2007. Fulham are certain to play their strongest side
when West Ham visit Craven Cottage for a Premier League game on Saturday May
1. A West Ham club spokesman said: "Roy Hodgson admitted on TV that he
rested players because he had an important Europa League match coming up.
"He admitted fielding a weakened team. From our point of view that is awful
and we are going to put in a complaint. "Fulham are currently suing West Ham
for half a million quid. They may find West Ham suing them for £50 million
next season."
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson responded: "We have no case to answer. I'm
perfectly happy with the team selection. You surprise me. I'll be surprised
again if it's confirmed."
West Ham returned to training yesterday with David Gold insisting his fellow
co-owner had not undermined Gianfranco Zola by calling the team "shambolic"
and "pathetic" last week. "I don't think David Sullivan set out to undermine
Franco," he said. "I've known him for a long time and I know that it's (the
e-mail to fans) not pre-meditated. "They are his views clearly and we are
all entitled to our views. Fans do, they get on their twitters or whatever
they are called, they are entitled to. We are all entitled to our opinions
and they are all different."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham's bubble has burst, but blame the owners, not the manager
By Darren Lewis
Published 09:20 30/03/10
Darren Lewis is one of the Mirror's leading football reporters...
This has been quite some season for scandal. There has been the John
Terry-Wayne Bridge-Vanessa Perroncel love triangle. The disgraceful handling
of the sacking of Mark Hughes at Manchester City and, on a lighter note, the
alleged leisure time habits of a certain manager on the south coast. But the
treatment of Gianfranco Zola at West Ham is right up there with the worst
the Premier League has to offer. An absolute scandal. What we have seen over
the past couple of months or so has been perhaps the most blatant,
systematic attempt to undermine a manager there has ever been in the Premier
League. What staggers me is that most West Ham fans see only the perilous
position in the Premier League and think it is all down to the manager and
the players. Nobody is willing to see beyond that. For all the problems at
Liverpool with Rafa Benitez's tactics and team selection, the fans there are
knowledgeable enough to see that the buck lies with the owners. For all the
silverware lifted at Manchester United, the fans there can see that the
owners' decision to overload the club with debt does not bode well for the
long-term. Yet at Upton Park there appears little or no appetite to see the
bigger picture. To look at the way David Sullivan and David Gold have
succeeded in destabilising a club that looked on course to achieve safety
before they arrived. They pitched up after the side had fought their way to
a creditable point against Aston Villa. Before that there had been valiant
displays against Arsenal and Spurs without a recognised striker. Indeed, for
many people an experienced, fit, free-scoring marksman - or two - was surely
the missing ingredient for a West Ham side that was short on quality but
high on desire before Gold and Sullivan arrived.
Zola's team had battled on manfully despite the fact that the sale of
defender James Collins had been agreed before he arrived, then Dean Ashton
retired in January. The squad was rocked by the death of young Jack
Collison's father before the Spurs game. Then the stabbing of Calum
Davenport. And it seemed they were battling one crisis after another. But
they were just about keeping their heads above water. Until Gold and
Sullivan came in. Since their purchase of the club all the former Birmingham
duo have done is moan.
Moan about Zola's salary. Moan about his assistant Steve Clarke's salary.
Moan about the players' wages. Moan about the club's financial situation
(which they knew about before they bought it). They then increased the
pressure on the players by claiming it would be 'Armageddon' if they club
went down. This was in February. Talk about hyperbole. And that was before
the cost-cutting spree they went on in the background which sent morale
plummeting. And in recent weeks Sullivan, in particular, has slaughtered the
players. And done it in such a way as to draw maximum attention to his
comments. He specifically chose not to say his piece in the hours after the
3-1 surrender to Wolves. He chose to do so in an open letter to fans,
branding the players' display 'pathetic', knowing - and trust me Sullivan
knows how to manipulate the media - that his comments would gain maximum
exposure. No wonder the players have lost their form. No wonder the players
are performing with fear. Would you find it easy to do your job if there
were all sorts of problems behind the scenes? If your boss was coming into
meetings and calling your performance useless? Think about it. And while you
are at it, consider this. In all the time Scott Duxbury was at the club you
hardly heard from him. Terry Brown, too. They let their managers manage.
All Gold and Sullivan have contributed to the Upton Park cause has been
uncertainty and chaos. What on earth are they doing demanding to know the
team and tactics from Zola before games? Yes, you could argue it's their
club and they can do what they like with it. But, to refer back to United,
when the Glazers pitched up at Old Trafford, the one thing they did do
properly was let their manager get on with it. Look at all the other clubs
that have enjoyed success, or been able to at least compete. Arsenal, where
on-field matters - tactics, team selection and the buying and selling of
players - are the manager's sole domain. Spurs too. And Everton and Aston
Villa. Then look at Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Queens Park Rangers
and Newcastle before they went down. The common denominator? The owners,
chairmen or chief executives just couldn't leave well enough alone. I can't
be a hypocrite. When Gold and Sullivan arrived at West Ham I wrote on this
very site, in this very column, that Hammers fans should embrace them. I
believed they would bring stability and transparency to the club after a
period in which it was simply a rudderless ship. I could not have been more
spectacularly wrong.
The £2.5million signing of 32-year-old Benni McCarthy on a two-and-a-half
year deal - after Gold and Sullivan had slammed the financial mismanagement
at Upton Park before they arrived - has turned out to be an unmitigated
disaster. The South African is overweight, past it and couldn't even get
into the Blackburn team when they sold him. The signings of Mido and Ilan
(Brazil's only bad player) have been even worse. Mido was apparently spotted
scoffing fish and chips on Marylebone High Street the other day, such is his
commitment to the cause, while Ilan is simply not good enough. Yet neither
man was on Zola's wishlist. The word is that Gold and Sullivan are trying to
lure Mark Hughes to the club, but the former City boss is not interested.
Indeed, surely any manager worth his salt will look at what has gone on over
the last ten weeks at Upton Park and not go anywhere near that situation.
Because although Zola must indeed shoulder some of the responsibility for
West Ham's collapse this season, a large part of it must go to the new
owners. I heard someone talking on the radio on Monday night asking what
sort of person is needed to succeed Zola. The answer came back: 'Someone
young and up and coming. An exciting prospect.'
Zola remains that man. Good luck to him for hanging in there and ensuring
West Ham's owners will have to pay him the £2million he is due if they sack
him. He deserves better.
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Please donate generously! Thanks.
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