WHUFC.com
The message is simple but Avram Grant is determined to play good football in the West Ham way
09.07.2010
Avram Grant completes his first week at Chadwell Heath today with his new squad in full swing as they prepare for the start of the pre-season friendlies.
With the manager still assessing his squad and looking forward to the first summer fixture at Peterborough United on Wednesday night, he has outlined his hopes for the season - and seasons - ahead. "The target is very simple and I can sum it up in one word. Improve. We want to be better than we were last year. I can't say we want to be in Europe or in the Champions League. "The ambition of every club should be to play good football. I'm very happy for this because this is my vision for football. There's always more than one way to win a football match. But we want to do it by playing good football but need to have players that can do it. "We have good players here and we want to look for young players from the youth academy. We want players here who are experienced enough to play in the Premier League and players who know how to play football. That will be my target. "I am looking in any area, of course, to improve the team, to make the team stronger. But we have just started training so I want to see by myself the players. I like to speak with the players but for the moment I am watching and I want to see them and then we will speak."
Grant got his first real taste of the Boleyn Ground as manager with his official unveiling on Thursday. He took a good look around the stadium and made personally sure he was able to meet as many of the staff as possible. Pitch-side, he paid close attention to the huge billboards that feature Bobby Moore and Sir Trevor Brooking before revealing his affinity with the Hammers goes back to the golden days of the club's history. He remembered travelling to London to visit the Hammers of the early 1970s under Ron Greenwood. "It was exciting for me to be here as this club had a tradition of football and it was a few years after the [1966] World Cup and West Ham were the key players in the tournament. It was just exciting to be here and see the training ground."
Such nods to the club's greats reminds that the burden of history will perhaps weigh on Grant's shoulders when he builds his own West Ham side. He is enthused, not fazed, by such a responsibility as West Ham United's 13th manager. "I hope that there is a pressure. Pressure in football is good. "People speak about pressure like it is a negative word. But pressure pushes you to achieve something. So we will put the pressure on me and the players to achieve our targets. "In football, I have said to the players, every year we need to improve and the target is to improve yourself from the beginning and prove that you can do things. This is what I like about [Manchester United manager] Alex Ferguson, their fourth goal against Wigan [last season], he is jumping up like a little child. But he always wants to improve himself. "The minute you come to football and think you have proved yourself enough, it is the first step down."
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Barrera set for medical
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 9th July 2010
By: Staff Writer
Pablo Barrera has provisionally agreed a four-year contract with West Ham, according to his current club. The Pumas club website reports tonight that the Mexican international has agreed to join West Ham in a deal thought to be worth £3.5million subject to a medical and the completion of relevant documentation, including a work permit. News of the 23-year-old's imminent move to England was reported by Pumas President Victor Mahbub at a press conference this afternoon; the news has since been reported by Fox Sports in Mexico. Barrera, a pacy winger who is also known to favour the odd shot from distance - often with devastating effect - proved to be a hit for his country in their short-lived World Cup campaign, which saw them exit in the first knockout phase at the hands of rivals Argentina. Should the aforementioned formalities be concluded without a hitch, expect confirmation of the deal from West Ham within the next few days.
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Di Matteo backs Dorrans stay
Baggies boss thinks midfielder should remain at club
Last updated: 9th July 2010
SSN
West Brom boss Robert Di Matteo insists the best thing for Graham Dorrans is for him to stay at The Hawthorns. The Baggies turned down a third bid of £5million for the Scotland international from West Ham on Thursday, causing chairman Jeremy Peace to release a strong statement reiterating the midfielder is not for sale. Manager Di Matteo has underlined the club's position by emphasising that 23-year-old Dorrans will remain at Albion, and insisting there is no concern over the player's loyalty. "We have said it many times, put statements out, and we'll put another one out now. He's not for sale," Di Matteo told the Birmingham Mail. "I'm not concerned about him though."We've made our position clear but you can't force other clubs to not make these offers."Graham is a cool boy and he should be content in a club where he's loved and settled. "He has his first big year in the Premier League coming up. "It would be so much better for him to stay here and continue his education. That reflects the view of everyone here. "He's an outstanding young player and there will always be talk about him. "It makes sense for him to stay here. "He's got the respect of his team-mates and he has a management team which has belief in him - it's important for any player to have that. "There is nothing absolutely in his manner or mood which worries us. He is totally focused. He's working hard and been very professional."
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Grant issues Upson ultimatum
Hammers boss wants players who are 100 per cent committed
Last updated: 9th July 2010
SSN
New West Ham manager Avram Grant has indicated that Matthew Upson should leave the club if he is not fully committed. The England defender has one year left on his contract at Upton Park, but is understood to be a £7million target of Sunderland. West Ham narrowly avoided relegation from the Premier League last season and Upson is thought to be frustrated by the club's struggles. But Grant, who has signed a four-year deal as successor to Gianfranco Zola, has previously said that he wants to keep the 31-year-old. However, the former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss does not want players who are not 100 per cent dedicated, saying in the Daily Mirror: "We'll do everything to keep Upson, but West Ham fans deserve players who want to play for the club. "I want players like that because I think we'll have a great future. It will be good for us and good for the players. Of course Matthew is one of them."
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Hughes advisor denies money suggestions
By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent
ESPN
July 9, 2010
Mark Hughes is chasing the big challenge, not the big money, according to his confidante and advisor Kia Joorabchian. Hughes was on Liverpool's shortlist before they appointed Roy Hodgson and the former Manchester City manager has the CV credentials for a top job. But a reputation has been festering within the football industry regarding Hughes' financial demands and according to sources he asked West Ham for £7 million per year for himself and his entourage. This is totally unfounded though, Joorabchian has told Soccernet. "If Mark was working toward trying to get a big contract he could have taken a job in Dubai, but he wants the right job," Joorabchian said. "That's why I need to clarify the situation with West Ham, when it has been suggested that Mark wanted a lot of money, but he turned down West Ham because they already had a manager in Franco Zola and being an honourable man he had no intention of even talking about a job when another manager was already there. "What happened to Mark when he left Manchester City left a bitter taste, and he would never do to another manager what happened to him. Mark never spoke to West Ham about figures at all. Mark's next job is not about money, his next job will be purely based on a career decision. "As for Fulham, he is not in discussions with Fulham, so I cannot comment. All I can say is that he has already turned down two Premier League jobs because he is waiting for the right one, he wants the right job, not any job."
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West Ham manager Avram Grant refuses to tolerate owners meddling in football matters
New West Ham manager Avram Grant on Thursday night insisted that he would have final say on player movement in and out of the club.
Telegraph.co.uk
By John Ley
Published: 7:30AM BST 09 Jul 2010
Avram Grant may have only been West Ham manager for three days but he is determined he will have final say on all football matters at Upton Park. Grant will not tolerate interference from owners David Gold and David Sullivan on the playing front, a problem that contributed to the demise of former manager Gianfranco Zola. And he has warned Matthew Upson, who has shown no inclination to sign a new deal at Upton Park, that he demands players show they want to play for the club. The West Ham co-owners upset Zola by talking publicly about the players, while Zola is also believed to have been unaware of moves to make the entire first-team squad, apart from Scott Parker, available for transfer and kept in the dark over a bid for West Bromwich Albion midfielder Graham Dorrans. Sport on television Just three days into the job Grant, 55, said: "I cannot work in a team in which someone else will decide about the players and where it would not be my responsibility. "I like the pressure. All the football issues are my responsibility and I have the final word. I'm not involved in money, this is the decision of the owners, how to spend, how much to spend, so I don't want to be involved in the money situation – and they don't want to be involved in the football issues. "I didn't need to seek assurances because they said to me from the beginning: 'We are bringing you as a coach for the next years' – I signed for four years. "I have always said to my chairmen: 'You hired me to do a football job. If you don't like it you can say to me to stop. As long as I'm the manager, I'm taking the decision and I'm responsible for this.' What's happened in the past happened in the past, I will judge everything from now."
Upson, who returns to training on July 19, has one year left of his contract, but Grant warned him he only wants players who are committed to the club. Grant said: "I think any club, especially a club like West Ham, needs to do everything to keep a player like Upson. He is a good player and person. "But also the West Ham fans deserve players who want to play for the club and I only want players who want to play because I think we will have a great future."
Grant insisted that goalkeeper Robert Green, whose error at the World Cup cost England a win against the United States, would remain at West Ham. Tottenham on Thursday completed the first part of a proposed double sponsorship deal that could ultimately be worth £50 million. Spurs confirmed that they had signed a two-year deal with software infrastructure company Autonomy to carry their name on their shirts in the Premier League. The deal is worth £20 million with the potential for a further £5 million, depending on the club's success in the League. Daniel Levy, the Spurs chairman, is now looking to another deal for the shirts Spurs will wear in the FA Cup, Carling Cup and Europe. Meanwhile, Spurs target Luis Suarez has admitted he could leave Ajax. The Uruguay World Cup striker has admitted an ambition of joining Manchester United, while Harry Redknapp has confirmed his interest.
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West Ham United want to keep defender Matthew Upson - Avram Grant
Israeli demands commitment from the defender...
By Adithya Ananth
9 Jul 2010 11:16:00
Goal.com
West Ham United manager Avram Grant has revealed that he would like defender Matthew Upson to prolong his stay at the club. The former Arsenal centre-back has been linked with moves away from east London, with Sunderland reported to have lodged a £7 million bid to acquire his services. And with only a year left on his contract with the Hammers, owners David Sullivan and David Gold may consider letting go of the player now for a fee, in preference to losing him on a Bosman transfer next summer. Now the former Portsmouth boss has dropped a hint that Upson could be sold if he does not show the commitment that is expected of him. "We'll do everything to keep Upson, but West Ham fans deserve players who want to play for the club," Grant said in The Mirror.
"I want players like that because I think we'll have a great future. It will be good for us and good for the players. Of course Matthew is one of them."
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Bordeaux - Price must be right
Chairman plays down Remy and Gignac transfer talk
By Patrick Haond Last updated: 9th July 2010
SSN
Bordeaux chairman Jean-Louis Triaud has played down speculation linking the club with strikers Loic Remy and Andre-Pierre Gignac. The French outfit are thought to be keen on 23-year-old Nice striker Remy and Toulouse hot-shot Gignac, 24. They are thought to have offered €9million (£7.5m) for Remy, but that falls way short of Nice's asking price, with West Ham recently having a bid of €13.5million (£11.3million) rejected for the striker. Meanwhile, Gignac is tied to Toulouse until 2013 and a similar large fee would be needed to prise him away from the Municipal Stadium, but Triaud insists the club will not be held to ransom on either player. He told L'Equipe: "I have heard rumours that we are supposed to be interested in Loic Remy and Andre-Pierre Gignac. "But if the fee is €15m (£12.5m), I believe we can't match the market's reality." As regards current Bordeaux players, Arsenal and Lyon are thought to be interested in midfielder Yoann Gourcuff, while skipper and fellow midfielder Alou Diarra is also thought to be attracting interest. While Triaud says the pair would be allowed to leave the club, he insists this will only be if the price was right. He added: "If they want to leave and a club would pay the fee stated in the clauses, I would say congratulations and good luck."
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Pompey offer to James, Hammers in for Ben Haim and West Brom join Lonergan race
Last updated at 8:38 PM on 9th July 2010
Daily Mail
Portsmouth have offered a player-coaching role to England goalkeeper David James. West Ham, meanwhile, hope to pip Panathinaikos to Tal Ben Haim after reviving their interest in the Israeli. The Hammers are also interested in Real Madrid's Israeli defender Nir Mansour on a free transfer. West Bromwich Albion have joined Blackpool and Burnley in the battle to sign the Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan - but they will have to pay close to £3.
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West Ham ponder move for Real Madrid defender Nir Mansour
10.07.10 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United are weighing up a move for Real Madrid youngster Nir Mansour. The 19 year-old Israel U21 international defender has been released by Real this week. West Ham are active in the Spanish transfer market and after being knocked back by Barcelona for Andreu Fontas, have now made enquiries after free agent Mansour.
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West Ham drop Piquionne pursuit after Lyon hike-up price
10.07.10 | tribalfootball.com
West Ham United's bid for French striker Frederic Piquionne is on the rocks - after Lyon hiked up the price at the last minute. Hammers chief Grant hoped to land his former Portsmouth attacker in a deal worth around £1.2 million, with the hit man due to fly in for talks but unable to come, says the Mirror. Lyon have now decided they want more cash, pushing his value up to over £2million, and have delayed the move to the anger of the player and West Ham.
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