WHUFC.com
Scott Parker was the man of the 2009/10 campaign and you can relive all of
his heroic highs on DVD
03.06.2010
West Ham United fans can get their hands on the 2009/10 season DVD in store
and online today Priced at £13, the DVD will exclusively available at the
club's Stadium and Lakeside stores or from the whufc.com Megastore until
Sunday 13 June. With every victory and every goal covered, it is the
definitive story of the Hammers season.
Scott Parker's stunning form stood out in a 2009/10 campaign that proved
tough in many ways for West Ham United. Ultimately, however, the Hammers
overcame the challenges that were laid in front of them and, with new
chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold at the helm, ensured their Barclays
Premier League survival.
On the pitch, the talismanic Parker, whose fantastic goal in the 3-2 home
victory over Wigan Athletic all but assured the club's top-flight future,
led the way. While the lows may have outweighed the highs, the form of
Robert Green and Carlton Cole, the continued emergence of youngsters like
Zavon Hines and Junior Stanislas and long-term financial stability all point
to a better, brighter future for West Ham United.
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Hammers flying the flag
WHUFC.com
England will have strong West Ham United representation, much to the delight
of the club chairman
03.06.2010
Robert Green and Matthew Upson were touching down in South Africa on
Thursday with the best FIFA World Cup wishes of West Ham United fans
everywhere. The duo were a proud part of Fabio Capello's 23-man squad that
left Heathrow Airport aboard a Virgin plane bound for Johannesburg on
Wednesday night. Upon landing, the delegation were heading off to the Three
Lions' base in Rustenburg. The city will also be the venue for England's
opening Group C match against the United States on Saturday week.
West Ham United chairman David Gold led the messages of support for the
Hammers duo, who have featured regularly under Capello in qualifying. "I am
thrilled for Robert and Matthew," he said. "They are two great ambassadors
for the club in the true West Ham spirit and indeed for England. They are
proper gentlemen and conduct themselves well on and off the pitch."
While eight others in Capello's squad have West Ham connections - captain
Rio Ferdinand, David James, Glen Johnson, John Terry, Michael Carrick, Frank
Lampard, Joe Cole and Jermain Defoe - the chairman was disappointed that
Scott Parker and Carlton Cole both had to stay behind. "I am sorry for Scott
that he missed out in the end. I just wished we could have had three players
at the finals so that we could have emulated the 1966 ideal with Bobby
Moore, Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst lifting the trophy. "I can only say to
Scott that if I was the England manager I would have taken him. He should
take it as a positive that he got so close. We have seen him week in and
week out and we know what a player he is. They talk about players that turn
matches and Scott Parker is one of those players. "You could say the same
for Carlton as well. While I am disappointed for both of them, the upside is
that they will be stronger and more resilient to our new season which is
going to be very important. It is the beginning of a new era at West Ham
United."
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Specs' case for the defence
WHUFC.com
Jonathan Spector insists the US will be prepared for Fabio Capello's England
come 12 June
03.06.2010
West Ham United defender Jonathan Spector insists the United States will be
ready for England come their FIFA World Cup Group C meeting in Rustenburg on
12 June. The Americans have come under scrutiny in some quarters in recent
months following a series of unconvincing displays in warm-up friendlies.
Bob Bradley's squad have been beaten by Honduras, the Netherlands and the
Czech Republic and failed to keep a clean sheet in any of the five matches
they have contested since the turn of the year, leading to criticism.
However, Spector, who did not play against Honduras or the Czechs, said he
and his fellow defenders would be working hard to put things right before
their meeting with England. "We'll be working in training as a unit. We'll
be watching video of the games to see where we went wrong, whether it be
positionally or individually," said Spector, speaking from the US team base
at the rural Irene Country Lodge in South Africa. "Diagrams, things like
that, all are extremely helpful, but I think it takes a little bit of time
just to get used to playing with one another again. "We all come from
different systems with our club teams and fortunately, you know, we've laid
the groundwork in the past for working together, but it does take a little
bit of time just to get adjusted and become kind of in synch with each
other. "It's not really a concern of ours. I know we're going to get there.
but as I said, it will take a little bit of time."
Spector has been handed the No2 shirt for this summer's World Cup, with his
major rival for the right-back berth, Steve Cherundolo, being allocated the
No6.
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Shilton: 'Green should be England's No.1'
Published 23:00 02/06/10 By John Cross
The Mirror
Peter Shilton is backing Rob Green to be England's best choice for South
Africa. Former Arsenal keeper David Seaman believes David James should be
No.1, but Green gets Shilton's vote as he has been more consistent, while he
believes James may still be vulnerable. The man who won 125 caps between the
sticks for England said: "David is the most naturally gifted keeper we've
probably ever produced. But we don't have someone who stands out a mile as
No.1. "But I look at Green and he hasn't done a lot wrong, to be honest.
He's been consistent and you feel you could trust him."
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Hammers co-owner David Gold says: Within an hour of meeting Grant we knew we
could work with him
Published 23:00 02/06/10 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror
AVRAM GRANT is expected to be appointed as West Ham's new boss today. The
Israeli will confirm one of the biggest open secrets in the Premier League
when he pens a four-year deal to become Gianfranco Zola's successor at Upton
Park. And his first task will be to persuade disillusioned skipper Scott
Parker his future lies at the club. Co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan
insist the midfielder is the only player they will not listen to offers for.
But a number of clubs, including Liverpool, are said to be keen on Parker,
who is despondent after being cut from Fabio Capello's World Cup squad
without playing a single minute of England's two warm-up games. Gold said
yesterday: "After an hour (of meeting Grant), we knew we could work with
this manager. We are very optimistic. "It's time for the football club to
get some stability with people that have been there, done that and got the
T-shirt. The relationship between the manager and the chairman is critical.
"In our case it's two chairmen so it's even more difficult."
Grant will be tasked with ensuring there is no repeat of the relegation
threat which made for such a dramatic campaign at the Hammers. Gold added:
"We can't put our fans through that again. We want to put together a team
that is better than last year. We were very fortunate. Normally 35 points
gets you relegated. "What we need is a manager who has achieved, has
experience. We are not in a position where we can take on young,
inexperienced managers."
A statement on the Hammers website said last night: "West Ham will make a
formal announcement of the club's new manager within 24 hours. 'The club
have been conducting a thorough recruitment programme and made excellent
progress. ''The squad are set to report back for pre-season training on July
5, meaning the new manager will have plenty of time to put together his
squad.'' Portugal winger Luis Boa Morte has been offered a new deal in a
shock U-turn by the club. He returned in April after nine months out with a
serious knee injury. But he had looked to be on the way out after
criticising the co-owners' in a TV interview. But Grant has requested he be
kept on. The club are releasing strikers Ilan and Mido.
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A Player at the Crossroads?
West Ham Till I Die
It must be a massive personal disappointment for Benni McCarthy to be
excluded from the SA squad, playing in a WC Finals hosted in his homeland.
McCarthy is his country's top goal scorer and probably its greatest export
to European football. In his time at FC Porto he won titles and regularly
played in the Champions League, winning the competition in 2004 under the
management of Jose Mourinho.
It is a great pity that Alan Pardew's deal for McCarthy in 2005-06 broke
down. He would have been an ideal signing for the club. Instead, FC Porto
turned down a £6m fee, (their then manager claiming McCarthy was too good
to sign for us!), only to sell him, a season or so later, to mighty
Blackburn Rovers for a mere c.£2m. That was certainly a good bit of
business by the Portuguese club!!!!
Nevertheless, he went on to do well in the PL. When we finally signed him
last January it become clear that there was a legacy of poor fitness from a
lack of playing time in his final months at Blackburn. This was the
immediate issue that had to addressed by the coaching staff on his arrival
at the club. Unfortunately, as we all know, he came close to being the goal
scoring hero on his West Ham debut at Burnley, only to pick up a knee injury
later in the game. That injury, and the lengthy lay off that followed,
finished his season and set in train the course of events that ultimately
led to his exclusion from the WC Finals.
However, it will now be interesting to see how McCarthy responds to this set
back? I hope that he responds positively by training and shedding his
excess weight over the summer. When he returns to the club in July, he
needs to exhibit good initial levels of fitness. That way, he can push on
to achieve match fitness much sooner and then concentrate upon his form.
In that sense, he has probably reached a crossroads at the club. If he
takes the right road he can still go on to prove his worth. Even at 32,
McCarthy is a class act, who has excellent technique and finishing ability.
Next season he could provide a vastly experienced striking option, coming on
from the bench and pushing Carlton Cole for a starting spot. It has
recently been alleged that an issue with Cole's knees means that he could,
in future, be restricted to playing 30 matches or less per season. If
true, then there will be an even greater imperative to have effective,
alternative options up front .
McCarthy is also a player that our young strikers like Hines, Sears and
Nouble can learn from. After all, he is a striker that played
successfully in the Champions League for a number of years. Which of our
other current strikers can say as much?
As for the alternative road, we all know where that is likely to lead.
David Sullivan was quoted, in a recent newspaper article, criticising
McCarthy's Body Mass Index (BMI), so it is likely that he will be under
close scrutiny when he reports back fo pre-season training. The Co-Chairmen
are unlikely to want to continue paying c.£40,000 a week in wages to a
striker that cannot achieve full fitness! And really, who can blame them?
McCarthy now has a point to prove to the club and the supporters. He needs
to show that he is capable of making a positive contribution next season.
Yes, there will be initial skepticism from sections of the fans. He will
probably get the same kind of stick that Faubert and Boa Morte have both
received in their time. However, as in the case of Faubert and the
Portuguese Pele, the emphasis is upon McCarthy to win them over with his
commitment, performances and goals next season.
Elsewhere, it looks like Avram Grant's appointment as the new West Ham
manager will be confirmed later today. It will be interesting to learn
something of his immediate summer transfer plans and longer term ambitions
for the club.
I must admit to having reservations about the appointment. However, once in
post, it is only fair to give any new manager a chance. I wish Avram Grant
well, because we certainly need greater stability and much improved results
next season.
However, I do expect him to achieve that playing good football, whilst
continuing to develop youngsters such as Daprela, Tomkins, Spence,
Stanislas, Hines and Nouble. Is that expecting too much? Not at all. If
he is not yet aware how important these things are to Hammers supporters,
then rest assured, he soon will be!
SJ. Chandos.
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