Zola looking for Rovers returns
WHUFC.com
Gianfranco Zola could have Herita Ilunga, Scott Parker and Carlton Cole back
for the visit of Blackburn Rovers
29.01.2010
Gianfranco Zola wants West Ham United to make a winning return to home soil
after a couple of tricky away games got their 2010 Barclays Premier League
schedule underway.
Zola's side play host to Sam Allardyce's Blackburn Rovers on Saturday hoping
to maintain their unbeaten league start to the calendar year, following
draws at Aston Villa and Portsmouth. The task of picking up a sixth win in
eight league matches against Rovers could be made easier by the return of
Herita Ilunga and Scott Parker to his matchday squad. "Those two games were
two games people were afraid of. The first one especially against Villa was
a difficult one and the second one at Portsmouth was one of those games you
couldn't lose. "We did very well considering we had a few problems and it's
a pity we didn't have more than one point. It's a kind of positiveness that
is growing up with this team. We are getting stability on the pitch and off
it. We have some players who are coming back from injuries who will give us
an extra help."
Rovers have lost on their last ten visits to the Boleyn Ground and their
attempts to make it eleventh-time lucky could be harmed by Carlton Cole's
push for a place in the starting XI following his successful return from
injury at Portsmouth. "Carlton came on for 20 minutes the other day and
looked very good and hopefully on Saturday he will play more than that. It
is good that things are coming together and hopefully we will be pushing up
soon. "I haven't decided yet on whether he will start and I wouldn't say as
I don't want to give Big Sam any advantages! We will see what to do on
Saturday."
Zola is aware of the threat the Blackburn possess, however, and will be all
too aware that they will be going for their third consecutive Premier League
win. "They are tough opponents and they work very hard. They will be
fighting and I am expecting a difficult game. In the Premier League it is
always the same story. "You go to Portsmouth and you have to fight hard to
get something from the game. I am expecting the same on Saturday."
Should Cole not quite be ready for a full 90 minutes, then the West Ham
manager knows he can call on Frank Nouble once more, who has offered a
pleasant "surprise" with his efforts in a lone-striking role. "I see Frank
Nouble doing very well. He has played the last two games and has got better
and better and that is a good option for me. "It is quite surprising as
nobody expected him to do such a good job. We are considering it but have
not decided yet."
Saturday starts a run of five consecutive fixtures against teams from
outside the top eight, and a win for the Hammers could potentially lift them
up to 13th in the Premier League table. A trip to Blackburn's Lancashire
neighbours Burnley follows and Zola knows two positive results could have a
major impact on the outlook for the rest of the season. "When you are at the
bottom, it is quite difficult. The table is quite close so if you pick up a
couple of victories in the next few games then maybe you find yourself in
the middle of the table. "That position is good as I could find myself in
the middle of the table with two victories. It will be down to focus and
getting a couple of results and will form a positive cycle."
The West Ham United manger, who wished former CEO Scott Duxbury well
following his departure from the club, has formed a strong bond with the
club's new chairmen and is only looking forward with optimism. "I have a
commitment to the club and the players. I love the club and the players that
I am working with, so I will keep my commitment to get this team safe. That
is my target and priority. "I am getting on with the new owners very well.
They have their own mentality and their own way to work. They are respecting
my wishes, they are close to me and that is the perfect way. We are all
working trying to make this club successful and we are on the right way."
Zola also confirmed that Luis Jimenez was set to return to Italy and a deal
for South Africa striker Benni McCarthy is "very close". "The biggest thing
is that we are not selling anybody. All the best players are here and we
have players coming back from injury and that is the best buy for the club.
It is great news for us."
When asked about interest in former team-mate Eidur Gudjohnsen, who had been
linked with a move to the Boleyn Ground before his Friday switch to
Tottenham Hotspur, Zola explained that he expects people to behave in the
same way as he does. "I keep saying that when I am dealing with people I
expect that people in front of me to behave in a certain way - with respect.
That wasn't the case so we move on. We have a lot of things that we can
achieve and we can achieve them anyway."
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Jimenez departs
WHUFC.com
Luis Jimenez has gone back to Italy and looks set to leave Internazionale
for a new loan spell at Parma
29.01.2010
Luis Jimenez looks set to join Parma after his six-month loan from Serie A
rivals Internazionale ended on Friday night. Jimenez headed back to Milan on
Wednesday after saying his farewells to his Hammers team-mates after Tuesday
night's 1-1 draw at Portsmouth, where he was an unused substitute. The
25-year-old looks set to move on immediately to Parma, after they expressed
an interest in taking him on loan for the rest of the seaon. The Chilean
midfielder had joined West Ham on a season-long deal back in July and made
his full debut the following month in the first Premier League game of the
season at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He went on to make seven starts for the
club, with five appearances from the bench. He scored from the penalty spot
in the 5-3 victory against Burnley in November. Gianfranco Zola said: "We
wish Luis Jimenez all the success. It is very unfortunate that he didn't
have the satisfication here with us that we were expecting. Jimmy is a good
player and he was unlucky that when his form was picking up, he got injured.
"That didn't allow him to get the rhythm of the English game and accustomed
to this championship. He is a wonderful boy and it was a pleasure to have
him. We all wish him well for the future."
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U18s postponed
WHUFC.com
The Under-18s' game with Charlton has been postponed
29.01.2010
West Ham United's Under-18s' game with Charlton Athletic scheduled for
Saturday 30 January has been postponed. Tony Carr's side will now next be in
action in Wednesday night's Boleyn Ground FA Youth Cup tie with Newcastle
United. whufc.com will have details or the rearranged dated for the Charlton
fixture once they are confirmed.
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Fernandes courted by seven clubs
By Frank Keogh
BBC.co.uk
Seven clubs have asked businessman Tony Fernandes to consider a takeover
after he failed to seize control at West Ham. Three Premier League sides are
among those to have contacted the Malaysian millionaire after he lost out to
David Gold and David Sullivan at Upton Park. But Fernandes is unlikely to
invest in any club, including the Hammers.
"I love West Ham but there's clearly got to be one boss and I am not
considering being a minor partner," the Lotus F1 team boss told BBC Sport.
Fernandes, a supporter for 35 years, said he would find it difficult to own
another club. "It's hard. I kind of love West Ham very much and I can't
imagine supporting anyone else," he said in his first interview since Gold
and Sullivan took charge on 19 January. "I've been approached in the past
anyway, but the West Ham news has probably pushed me to the front in terms
of ownership."
Along with the two Davids, finance firm Intermarket and Italian Massimo
Cellini, the 45-year-old Fernandes was one of four parties interested in
owning West Ham. He said he offered fresh ideas and complete backing for
manager Gianfranco Zola and assistant Steve Clarke. "I don't want to say
too much right now as I still may use those ideas at another club," said
Fernandes. "I've been offered many clubs in the last week."
He said seven clubs in total had been offered to him, including three in the
Premier League. One of these is thought to be cash-strapped Portsmouth,
although he declined to give identities. Fernandes thought he was on the
brink of sealing a deal for West Ham and flew his business partner in from
Kuala Lumpur as negotiations continued late into the night of Monday, 18
January. "We were looking to take Zola out on the Tuesday and they suddenly
called us and said 'we've sold'," he said. "My partner, poor guy, got off a
13-hour flight and did a turnaround. He was in the UK for an hour."
The stumbling block appeared to be that Fernandes was seeking 100%
ownership, while Gold and Sullivan offered a controlling 50%. "I think we
just ran out of time. I wanted to be in total control of the club," said
Fernandes, who is based in Malaysia but makes regular trips to Lotus HQ in
Norfolk. "I think they were just unsure whether I would complete in the
expected time. "We were in a bit of shock, to be honest. We thought we had
it. I was pretty confident they would go with us."
After taking over, Sullivan revealed West Ham had run up debts of £110m.
Cost-cutting is expected at the east London club and chief executive Scott
Duxbury announced his resignation on Friday. "We would have removed a lot of
the debt and given the club a new lease of life," said Fernandes, who said
he had been boosted by an estimated 10,000 messages of support from West Ham
fans. "I talked to Scott about that already and to Nick (Igoe), the
financial director, and certainly savings were on the cards."
Fernandes said he had been relishing the prospect of working with Zola, who
guided West Ham to ninth in the Premier League in his first season but sees
his side flirting with the relegation zone this campaign. "I've got very
close with the management, the players and the coaching staff over the last
year, and I'm a big believer in Zola and I'm a big believer in giving people
a chance," he said.
Sullivan and Gold have a four-year option to buy the remaining 50% from
Icelandic bank Straumur, although they have urged Fernandes to invest in the
club. While not ruling out being involved at some stage, Fernandes said it
was unlikely in the short-term. "We've talked on the phone and SMS'd (sent
text messages) a few times, but it hasn't really progressed from there. I
think it would be a long shot to be honest but let's see - never say never,"
he said. "You've got to be totally aligned with someone to be a partner. "Of
course, it would be a fantastic thing to be involved with West Ham, and I
never close any doors."
Fernandes said he would have developed West Ham gradually, altered admission
prices, investigated the benefits of moving from Upton Park to the new
Olympic Stadium and introduced global marketing and cross-promotion of the
West Ham and Lotus brands. After what he called "phenomenal diligence", he
admitted to being surprised at the extent of the club's financial turmoil.
"It's very typical of current financial excesses. There were some player
transactions that looked very odd to me," he said. In recent years, he has
been to an average of about 10 West Ham games a season, but admitted he will
find it difficult to attend his next match. "It would feel a bit odd going
there at the moment, when you come so close to owning a club," he said. "I
came there to see a club which was not in a great position. "My expertise is
to take an asset which is not being treated very well, to give it some love
and care, and move it on."
Under the new owners, Fernandes believes the club he calls an "unpolished
diamond" can still sparkle. "The squad needs strengthening up front, but has
a fantastic midfield," he said. "It's a good squad. The new owners must
believe in the squad, and it will perform. There's no need to chop and
change too many things and to start panicking."
And he expects the days of Premier League big spending to be curtailed in
the near future. "Like Formula One, there needs to be a reality check,
eventually even the billionaires need a reality check," he added.
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Zola unhappy with Gudjohnsen
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 29th January 2010
By: Staff Writer
Gianfranco Zola has expressed his disappointment at Eidur Gudjohnsen's
decision to reject a move to West Ham United. The Icelandic international
completed a loan move to neighbours Tottenham this morning - four days after
undergoing a medical with the Irons ahead of a proposed move. Zola, clearly
disappointed by his former team-mate's decision has instead managed to land
Blackburn's Benni McCarthy - although still found time to criticise
Gudjohnsen for messing him around during this morning's pre-match press
conference. "I'm not very happy about it," he said. "I thought the deal was
going through and that is why I am disappointed. I was expecting something
different from the player, if I am honest, but it's okay. That's football
and sometimes you have to accept things like this. "It's time to look
forward now and I will get on with it as I always do - but I am not the
happiest man in the world about what happened. I don't want to say any more
though, it's not worth it."
Unsurprisingly Spurs boss Harry Redknapp - who is off to court shortly to
answer charges of tax evasion - insisted that he and his club had done
everything by the book. "Before West Ham's takeover we were hot on the trail
of Eidur," he said. "This is his decision. "I get on well with David
Sullivan and I wouldn't have wanted Eidur to fall out with Zola and Clarke,
but Eidur called me back and told me it was his decision. He wanted to come
to Tottenham."
On the capture of McCarthy - who will not be available to start against his
former club Blackburn at the Boleyn tomorrow - Zola added: "He's a quality
player, a good goalscorer and also very good at linking the play. He was one
of our main targets and it is good that the club has been able to sign him."
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Zola hits out at Gudjohnsen
Hammers boss believes former team-mate did not act with respect
Last updated: 29th January 2010
SSN
Gianfranco Zola has hit out at former team-mate Eidur Gudjohnsen, accusing
him of a lack of respect. The West Ham boss thought he had secured the
31-year-old's signature this week but Spurs swooped late to sign the player.
Gudjohnsen is believed to have agreed terms on a loan move to Upton Park and
undergone a medical, and Zola is upset by the actions of his former
team-mate, whom he played alongside between 2000 and 2003 at Chelsea. Zola
said: "I am disappointed with Spurs and disappointed with Gudjohnsen. I was
expecting good behaviour from him. "They keep telling me that football has
got like this right now and I keep saying that when I'm dealing with people,
I always expect for the people that I have got in front me to behave in a
certain way - with respect. "Okay, that wasn't the case here. But we move
on. We have a lot of things to achieve here this season and we can still
achieve them anyway."
Zola has made the signing of at least one striker his priority as the
January transfer window draws to a close. He says the club are closing in on
signing Benni McCarthy from Blackburn, but remained tight-lipped on other
targets, such as Egypt striker Mido. Commenting on the move for McCarthy,
Zola said: "The deal is not done yet but it's very close.
"He is a player who will fit in with our philosophy very much. Hopefully it
will be all right." He added: "Mido and others are names that are
circulating but as far as I'm concerned, Benni is the only one close to us.
"He's the only one I want to talk about. I am sure the club will be linked
to many names but Benni is the real target for us."
The Hammers have lost just one of their last five league games to move up to
fifth from bottom in the top-flight and Zola believes the club are now
getting stability both on and off the pitch after the takeover by David
Sullivan and David Gold. He added: "This team is getting a kind of
possessiveness and we are getting stability on and off the pitch, which is
good news. "The owners have their own mentality, their own way of working,
but they are respecting my wishes. "They are working close to me and that is
the best way. We're all working to make this club successful." Zola also
confirmed forward Luis Jimenez is set to leave the club and return to
Italian football.
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Redknapp - Eidur chose Spurs
Spurs boss denies any wrongdoing over transfer
By James Riach Last updated: 29th January 2010
SSN
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has denied pinching Eidur Gudjohnsen from
under the nose of West Ham. The 31-year-old forward's move to White Hart
Lane was confirmed on Friday, despite the Iceland international having had a
medical with the Hammers earlier in the week. Gudjohnsen moves to North
London on loan from Monaco until the end of the season, making him the fifth
striker in Spurs' first-team squad alongside Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch,
Robbie Keane and Roman Pavlyuchenko. But Redknapp insists he put no pressure
on the former Bolton, Chelsea and Barcelona star when he was considering his
next step. "He's joined us and he's a player we've always admired," he said.
"He's a player we have been chasing for a couple of weeks. "West Ham came in
but before the takeover we were hot on the trail of Eidur and had contact
with his people.
"He can play several positions. He's a fantastic footballer, a clever
footballer."
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has already expressed his disappointment at
how Spurs handled themselves in the transfer market, although Redknapp
denies any wrongdoing. He added: "It was his decision. I rang him. I left a
message saying 'Eidur, if you are down the road with West Ham, (manager,
Gianfranco) Zola and (assistant) Steve Clarke are friends of yours. Don't
fall out with them.' I get on great with David Sullivan and I don't want any
hassle with him either. "But he (Eidur) came back and said 'It's my choice.
I want to come to Tottenham.' "He can play several positions. He had a great
spell in midfield with Chelsea. "He gives you options with your system. You
don't play at Barcelona and in the Champions League unless you are a top
player."
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Eider let us down
The Sun
WEST HAM will hit Tottenham with a £5,000 bill as the war over Eidur
Gudjohnsen rages on. The furious Hammers want their money back for putting
up the 31-year-old striker in a plush London hotel and paying for a medical
before he snubbed them for a last-minute move to Spurs. Boss Gianfranco Zola
was fuming at his his former Chelsea team-mate. He declared: "I was
disappointed with Eidur and Spurs. I expect people to behave with respect.
He didn't. "I wasn't expecting this to happen. "I am 'bitter and twisted' I
think you say in England. "Spurs are doing their job, I guess. With four
strikers they obviously need another, though I don't know why. I was
expecting Eidur to come to us. But I don't want to have a war with him."
West Ham's new co-owner David Sullivan said: "We didn't just put the player
up in a hotel, it was his whole entourage. "It's an issue of morality. I
suppose Tottenham have not broken any rules but to kick a team when it is
down is not sporting in my mind. "We're fed up of being pushed around and
paying for everything, so we're sending them a bill."
At least Benni McCarthy will sign a 2½-year Hammers deal on Monday, after
the FA gave the OK to his visa. Blackburn will collect a transfer fee of
around £2.25million.
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Karren Brady's Football Diary
The Sun
KARREN BRADY - First lady of football
THE first lady of football and new vice-chair of West Ham casts an admiring
glance back at former club Birmingham, talks Cup shocks and 'private'
phonecalls, laments diving and double standards and eyes a silver lining to
the clouds surrounding the Hammers and fellow crisis club Crystal Palace.
Saturday, January 23
IT'S still Christmas in Brum - as every face I see seems to be smiling.
Villa and Blues are now in the FA Cup fifth round and both are chasing a
top-six place in the Premier League. I expected Villa but Blues? Had someone
suggested that they'd go 15 matches unbeaten, I'd have called for brain
tests. The win at Everton is terrific and surely it was further evidence of
one of football's greatest truths: find your best team and stick to it.
Seven Blues players have played 18 or more games this season and Alex
McLeish has been able to name his first-choice squad for half their matches
at least, pointing to his other secret. He must have been blessed by the
patron saint of medicine, St Luke, he's had so few injured players. Rotation
blowtation, I say. Keep a winning team.
Sunday, January 24
LONG time since three of the Big Four went out at this stage of the Cup and
the risk taken by Arsene Wenger in picking a weakened team at Stoke is
underlined by a 3-1 defeat and compounded by a draw at Villa. Gently
pondering on this, I take a call from an ageing Premier League director who
feels he is enough of a friend to ask my advice on penis surgery. Honestly,
don't ask! But what the heck, I'm more worried about my bunions. Still, the
poor chap sounds as if he needs help so I give him the details of a
Championship chairman who is a cosmetic surgeon. I insist he doesn't say
"Karren Brady sent me!"
Monday, January 25
REAL MADRID'S Ronaldo says that when he was in England he was taught not to
cheat by diving. This must confirm stories about the decline in our
standards of education because he should have an A-star A-level in it. If
you think Ronaldo is a bit cheeky, take this from Peterborough chairman
Darragh MacAnthony, who says: "Team spirit from the last two years has
nearly been destroyed by greed, skullduggery, tapping-up and disloyalty from
within." His flashing blade is blunted by the fact he has been condemned as
a property businessman in Cyprus by a tribunal that reported "misleading
business practices and unfulfilled promises" - so he knows what he's talking
about.
Tuesday, January 26
WEST HAM draw 1-1 at Portsmouth and it could be worse. We could be Crystal
Palace. Free-scoring teams are seldom relegated and that's why we are
looking for a striker who can provide a consistent threat alongside Carlton
Cole. But this isn't as easy as it seems when your club is at the foot of
the table. Palace have serious financial problems and today are forced into
administration, losing 10 points in the process. Suddenly for them, outside
hopes of promotion become a battle against relegation. While it's true that
Palace owner Simon Jordan and our directors fell out long ago, he has lost a
fortune on the club he loves and has my respect for his scorching integrity.
Something else: if there is one boss I'd want when the boat is holed and the
water pumps have failed, he has him in Neil Warnock.
Wednesday, January 27
MY suspicion is that Jordan has not realised until far too late that all's
fair in love and football. Take the case of Eidur Gudjohnsen. Yesterday he
had a medical, settled terms and we put him up in a hotel before signing him
from Monaco today. Then I get a call that he could be going to Spurs
instead. So I call their chairman Daniel Levy on instant ring-back. Daniel
always does, because we're friends. Except that this time he doesn't and the
sound of silence speaks volumes. I then call the Icelander's agent who tells
me that if Spurs' offer isn't good enough 'We will call you back'. Very kind
of him. Is Daniel my brother any longer? Hello, Daniel, are you there?
Thursday, January 28
NOW here's a way to improve football finance if the idea catches on. In
China, it's reported that players have paid to play in games, as much as
£18,000 to turn out in one team. We have all watched matches when this fraud
seems more than credible but I can't see a collection by the Red Lion bar
clientele to pay for Fat Freddie's place in Chelsea's midfield actually
working.
Back in the real world, when Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger criticises other
teams, as he did after the 0-0 draw at Villa, does he mean to be offensive?
Villa manager Martin O'Neill thinks so, describing Wenger's comment that his
opponents used "a very long-ball game" as "an appalling insult." Sometimes
there's more fun in the Press conference than on the field.
Friday, January 29
I'M beginning to feel there's something special about my new club and the
staff who work there. West Ham people are family in a know-what-I-mean way
that has to be unique. This is London's working class club. I'm not a good
sleeper and sometimes get up in the night and send emails to staff. At 4am
on Sunday morning I was surprised to have one back. I ask him why he isn't
asleep. "I live at the club," he said. I've met that sort of dedication
before so I'm very positive about the future at Upton Park.
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Scott McDonald may join Celtic Park exodusGraham Spiers
The tImes
McDonald is the top scorer at Celtic this season
Celtic are willing to accept £3.5 million from West Ham United if Scott
McDonald, the striker, decides, as seems likely, that he wishes to follow
Danny Fox and Stephen McManus out of the Celtic Park door before the January
transfer window closes on Monday. The deals to take McManus on loan to
Middlesbrough and Fox to Burnley for a fee of £2 million were both concluded
yesterday, while Tony Mowbray, the Celtic manager, fended off further
questions about his job security. Mowbray is poised to sign two new players
before the window closes. Asked about the likelihood of landing more players
to add to the four he has already signed this month, Mowbray said: "I think
so, I hope so. We are working hard behind the scenes and things are pretty
close now in one or two cases."
When questioned about McDonald's place at his club, the Celtic manager was
forced to deny that a rift had developed between himself and the Australia
striker. Yet Mowbray did concede that McDonald could leave. "Do I want Scott
McDonald here? Yes, because he is our top goalscorer," Mowbray said. "There
have never been cross words between me and Scott. I don't think he has ever
felt unappreciated here with me. But I think he knows what his strengths and
weaknesses are as a player. "Scott and I get on fine, but he understands
what my job is — it is to try to build a squad. If Scott is still here next
week, I'll be delighted. If he is not, then I hope there will be reasons for
that which will become evident."
Mowbray insisted that, as peculiar as the sale of Fox is after he bought the
player just six months ago, the money raised will help him to sign two new
players. "When I first arrived at Celtic there were some very obvious holes
that needed filling, and I tried to do that quickly," he said. "Danny has
done well for Celtic, yet now I find myself prioritising, and the money I
receive for Danny will be spent elsewhere to strengthen the team."
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Gianfranco Zola 'bitter' as Eidur Gudjohnsen joins SpursGary Jacob
The Times
Gianfranco Zola could not hide his anger and disappointment yesterday after
he discovered that friendship means nothing in football. The West Ham United
manager believed that he had captured Eidur Gudjohnsen but was left stunned
by his former team-mate's decision to move on loan to Tottenham Hotspur from
Monaco until the end of the season.
Zola, normally so measured in his responses, was at a loss to explain why
Gudjohnsen chose to compete with as many as four other strikers at White
Hart Lane. The Iceland forward had completed a medical at Upton Park this
week and West Ham had agreed to pay part of his £100,000-a-week wages, an
offer that was broadly matched by Tottenham. "We are a little twisted,
turned and bitter," Zola said. "We are disappointed with Tottenham and
Gudjohnsen. I was expecting a different decision. I expect people in front
of me to behave in a certain way — with respect. "OK, that was not the
case, but we move on. I don't want to start a war with Eidur but I will be
honest in front of him. Our life does not depend on him. Spurs probably need
a striker more than us."
Zola expects Benni McCarthy's work permit issues to be resolved and rejected
accusations that the forward is past his best at 32. Sam Allardyce, the
Blackburn Rovers manager, has made reference to McCarthy's fitness and
fluctuating weight. "Benni didn't feel that he was appreciated," Zola said.
"He has qualities to give the club a boost."
Zola plans to meet David Gold and David Sullivan, the joint chairmen, in the
next month to suggest changes to and seek assurances on his backroom staff.
Sullivan has earmarked several areas to cut costs, including the medical
team. Scott Duxbury resigned as chief executive yesterday and Nick Igoe, the
finance director, and Gianluca Nani, the technical director, are expected to
depart. The changes may leave Zola exposed because the officials have been
his allies. "I am sad to see Scott go as I worked very well with him," Zola
said. "Hopefully there won't be too many cutbacks as the system is working
well. They [the chairmen] know that the players, management and people
concerned with the team are the main asset for a club. There are things I
want to change but we are talking about people still working here and I
don't want to put them in a difficult position."
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Rafa tracking West Ham defender
The Mirror
Liverpool are interested in West Ham youngster James Tomkins. Rafa Benitez
in particular has been monitoring the progress of the highly-rated
20-year-old, who was drafted into the Hammers youth academy after being
spotted playing for his local Sunday League side. The 6ft 3in central
defender made his debut two years ago in the club's 1-1 draw with Everton.
Although his mistake in that game allowed Yakubu to score, injuries in the
team allowed him to get a run in the side and Tomkins eventually claimed the
Young Hammer of the Year award. He was recalled from a loan spell last
season at Derby and handed a long-term contract extension after managing to
claim a regular first-team place in the West Ham side. He was recently named
Man of the Match by Sky Sports after the Hammers kept their first clean
sheet of the year away to Aston Villa on January 17.
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Upson ordered to sign new deal or leave West Ham
Published 23:00 29/01/10 By John Cross
The Mirror
West Ham captain Matt Upson has been told to sign a new deal - or be sold.
Upson, 30, has just 18 months left on his £60,000-a-week contract and West
Ham's new owners David Gold and David Sullivan do not want him running down
his contract and leaving on a free transfer. England defender Upson has
insisted he is committed to West Ham despite interest from Manchester City
and Tottenham but Gold and Sullivan are anxious to discover his intentions
in case any last minute offers come in.
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JULIAN DICKS : THE FANS HAVE WEST HAM BACK
Daily Express
Saturday January 30,2010
By John Dillon
DAVID SULLIVAN and David Gold are not the first to take the journey from
Birmingham City to make West Ham their proud cause. Julian Dicks took the
same trip in 1988, became an Iron-hard idol of the Boleyn Ground and once
was fined two weeks' wages for publicly lashing the directors for trying to
fleece the fans. As Upton Park prepares for the first home match since
Sullivan and Gold's takeover against Blackburn today, Dicks – The Terminator
– celebrates the idea that the people have their club back. Dicks is
scathing about the Icelandic bankers who took the Hammers close to ruin, but
also has bigger worries of his own, attempting to save from relegation the
non-League club which has become a mini-West Ham. In charge of Grays
Athletic, the struggling Blue Square Conference South team, Dicks has former
Hammer Kenny Brown as his assistant, John Moncur as the chairman and ev en
this week handed a debut on loan to Andrea Zola, son of West Ham manager
Gianfranco. The vice-chairman is renowned claret-and-blue blood Andy
Swallow. Surprisingly, Zola junior is a 19-year-old left-back rather than an
attacking sorcerer in the style of his brilliant father, but Dicks says: "He
has a great football brain and you can't teach that. It's in the genes. And
he can get stuck in and put himself about a bit, too. "He was in the
reserves at West Ham but he wants to play every week so he has come to us
for a while and looks impressive."
There is an irony in all these old Hammers being gathered together at Grays
to fight for survival on the pitch while the wider football community of
east London and Essex is breathing a big sigh of relief. Sullivan and Gold
are sure to get a fabulous welcome after their purchase of 50 per cent of
West Ham rescued the club from the anxious limbo-land of being held in stock
by a crumbling finance house in Reykjavik. Dicks, who played 262 times in
two spells as the most fearsome left-back in the game, is delighted that
after all the trouble, the boardroom has ended up in the hands of two shrewd
businessmen who support the club, bucking all the trends of the modern
Premier League. "Sullivan and Gold are real West Ham supporters and we know
that because they have been saying it for years, not just recently for
public consumption," said Dicks. "What did we have when the Icelandics were
in charge? Some bloke who came in and made a lot of noise, told everyone he
was a West Ham supporter and delivered nothing but trouble. I spent 11 years
with West Ham, the best part of my life. But last season I went back and
they wouldn't even let me in. It didn't feel like my club any more. "Yet the
supporters are fantastic. They are what West Ham are really about, and I'm
sure those fans are delighted that they've got their club back from the
brink in this way. "They are not daft there. They realise they're probably
never going to win the Premier League title, but they love a good cup run
and they love the club and that is very important. It was always a fantastic
place to play, even when I was with Birmingham. And the fans were so good to
me I get goosebumps just talking about it now. "I have to say, though, that
Upton Park has lost a bit of its atmosphere, which I guess is a sign of the
times. And I don't like the idea of any move to the Olympic stadium, either.
It just doesn't feel right."
What has happened at West Ham is important at a time when the supporters of
the biggest clubs in the land – Manchester United and Liverpool – are in
rebellion against their absent foreign ownerships.Today's match could be
seen as a celebration merely of the fact that a Premier League club has been
returned to the hands of Englishmen. There will be changes but the hope is
that there will be care for the soul of the club, too. Dicks has his own
special place in that folk history after famously speaking out against the
Bond Scheme the club attempted to introduce to finance a new stand. It
prompted protests and pitch invasions and was an early warning of the
trouble to come for fans everywhere, but it failed. "Basically, they were
asking people to pay £975 on top of ticket prices to watch rubbish
football," recalls Dicks. "I thought it was wrong and I said so."
Dicks is being just as uncompromising in the way he runs Grays, which has
had its own turbulent history, with many managerial changes, and slumped to
another big defeat, 4-1, in Zola junior's debut at Kidderminster Harriers
last Tuesday. "We're bringing in a lot of new players because basically, a
lot of those we had just didn't want to work hard enough," said Dicks. "It
was embarrassing sometimes, yet they were on good money. That's why we're
second from bottom. But now things are changing. We're going to make a fight
of it."
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West Ham United v Blackburn Rovers: Match Preview
KUMB.com
Filed: Friday, 29th January 2010
By: Preview Percy
We asked a number of highly respected football writers to give us their
views on this weekend's match. The fact that we've got Preview Percy again
should tell you how many responded....
Next we entertain Blackburn Rovers in a 3pm Saturday kick-off. Nice.
Rovers have had an undistinguished league season so far. They currently lie
in 11th place with 27 points from their 23 games so far which leaves them 5
places and 7 points ahead of us, though we do have a game in hand. Their
pre-Christmas form gave the Ewood faithful some cause for concern and they
went ten games without a win between beating Bolton 2-0 at the Reebok on 22
November and their defeat of Fulham at home on 17 January. Since then
they've gone on to beat Wigan 2-1 to ease any thoughts of relegation for the
time being.
Their season has, of course, been punctuated by their excursions into the
League Cup where their run came to an unceremonious end in that 6-4 defeat
at Villa Park. Sam Allardyce was, of course, fuming at the perceived
injustice of it all, blaming ref Martin Atkinson for failing to spot a push
in the build-up to Villa's first. Of course this is not unusual for
Allardyce who clearly played truant from charm school, and, in interviews,
he puts one in mind of Morrissey on tranquilisers, though I expect that
Allardyce writes better lyrics.
They're not the best of travellers it should be said. Of their seven wins
thus far only one has come on the road, that being the aforementioned win at
Bolton. Of their remaining ten away matches to date the have lost 8 and
drawn two, the draws coming at Wigan.
The visiting 'keeper this week is Paul Robinson whose promising early career
at Leeds took a down turn when he ended up at Spurs. His form has improved a
bit since moving north though on those occasions I've seen them on the box
there have often been some of those "moments" that were sadly all too
familiar to those of us who like to watch England.
In defence last time out they went with Frenchmen Gael Givet and Pascal
Chimbonda, Kiwi Ryan Nelsen and Swede Martin Olsson. In midfield they went
with the Australo-Franco-Norwegian combination of Emerton, Nzonzi and
Pedersen with Senegalese spitter Diouf, Croatian Kalinic and Canadian
Hoilett providing the strike force. Clearly the job of academy boss at Ewood
is not the most time consuming these days.
One player who won't be appearing for the opposition this week will be
Bennie (or Benedict to give him his full name) McCarthy. Of course he won't
be playing for us either, having not signed on the dotted line at the time
of writing. Allardyce put the delay down to a "work permit situation" – it
would appear that the system automatically rejects any South African
applications that don't contain the words "bar work" so they have to be
input manually. The delay is expected to be sorted out by the weekend which
will be conveniently too late for his inclusion to face his old club. Of
course Allardyce, being Allardyce, couldn't resist a dig at his soon to be
erstwhile employee, suggesting that McCarthy's move was purely about the
money. Yeah, right. After all who in their right mind would want to leave a
pure footballing side such as Blackburn what with them having such a
happy-go-lucky cheerful chappie in charge and all. Ah well there's no
accounting for taste is there Sam?
"And what of us?" I hear you ask. Well the new "Gold-en" era (sorry!)
started with a draw at Pompey that could well have been a win but for a bit
of profligacy in front of goal and a superb outing from their 'keeper who,
it appears, may be next on his way out from Fratton Park. Oh and an assault
on Tomkins that was missed by a referee standing three yards away, looking
straight at it. Tomkins appears to have recovered from the double vision
that the assault occasioned and he should be fit to partner Upson in the
defence.
Scott Parker faces a test on his hamstring, which will have Kovac looking
over his shoulder (if he can pull himself away from the mirror for long
enough. Herita Ilunga is also close to a return and, if fit, he is likely to
replace Spector at left back.
The most welcome sight though will probably be Carlton Cole who will, at the
very least, be on the bench, though some sources suggest that a start may be
on the cards this time round. If that is the case young Nouble will take
Carlton's place on the racing car seats.
This match is likely to represent something of a clash of styles. Who can
forget the long-ball assault up at Ewood last season? I don't particularly
have a problem with that as such – but then again I don't support Blackburn.
I'd have been more worried by Fat Sam's statistical analysis of that mach
which he used to prove that they were a passing side. The "analysis" came in
response to newspaper reports of the match which noted the home side's
reliance on hoofing it long. That'll be the London-centric press moaning
again eh Sam?
There are good reasons for optimism about the place at the moment. The
ownership situation has finally been resolved, this being the first home
match under the new ownership. The injury list is beginning to get shorter
and Cole's return will also give the place a boost. We're unbeaten in two
and, as mentioned, the visitors struggle a bit outside of Lancashire. So
this time out I'll predict a 3-1 win to us as we edge our way towards
mid-table respectability.
Enjoy the game!
Last season: Won 4-1 Goals from Davenport, Samba (og) and injury time
efforts from Cole and Bellamy saw us end up with a comfortable-looking
scoreline that owed much to Green's second half penalty save at 2-1
Referee: Peter Walton – did our home match against Man Utd. Didn't upset
Fergie which is all that matters really isn't it.
Danger Man: Nikola Kalinic – has taken a while to settle but two goals in
his last three games suggests that he may be coming into a spot of form.
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West Ham v BLACKBURN: Chris Samba back from suspension for trip to capital
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 6:31 PM on 29th January 2010
Daily Mail
Blackburn's new signing Yildiray Basturk will not be in the squad for the
trip to West Ham as he is not match fit. Chris Samba returns from suspension
but David Dunn (calf) misses out. Midfielder Vince Grella is back in
training following a thigh strain but unlikely to be included in the squad.
Team (from): Robinson, Olsson, Chimbonda, Samba Nelsen, Salgado, Pedersen,
Givet, Nzonzi, Hoilett, Andrews, Emerton, Dunn, Di Santo, Diouf, Kalinic,
Jones, Brown, Reid, Roberts.
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola welcomes back midfielder Scott Parker and
left-back Herita Ilunga for the Barclays Premier League match against
Blackburn at Upton Park.
Both players have recovered from hamstring injuries and should return to the
starting line-up for the Hammers. Fit-again England striker Carlton Cole
could start after playing the last 17 minutes in the 1-1 draw with
Portsmouth in midweek but Danny Gabbidon, Guillermo Franco, Kieron Dyer (all
hamstring), Zavon Hines and Luis Boa Morte (both knee) again miss out.
Team (from): Green, Kurucz, Faubert, Da Costa, Upson, Tomkins, Daprela,
Spector, Ilunga, Kovac, Noble, Parker, Collison, Behrami, Payne, Diamanti,
Stanislas, Nouble, Sears, Cole.
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