WHUFC.com
Julien Faubert has thanked the West Ham United fans for their support at the
weekend
02.02.2010
Julien Faubert has thanked the West Ham United fans for their support
following the death of his mother last week. The French full-back played
against Blackburn Rovers in the 0-0 draw on Saturday despite his mother
passing away 48 hours earlier. He said it had been a difficult time for him
and his family and wanted to say 'thank-you' for all the messages of support
that have been sent in. "I am so pleased to have received these messages
from our supporters. I can't tell you what it means to me," Faubert said of
the condolences sent to the club as well as to fan websites. "It is so nice.
It just shows that the fans don't only get behind the players when we are
playing on the pitch. Also when we have difficulties in our own lives, they
make an effort to send in a message. This has helped me a lot, especially at
this time. "This is why I love England and West Ham so much. It is not just
the team but everyone else behind the players, it is very special."
Faubert wore a black armband on Saturday in tribute to his mother, who had
been ill with a brain tumour. He revealed there was no way he was going to
miss playing, as it would have been something his mum would have wanted him
to do. "I definitely wanted to play. There was no question for me. This is
what I wanted to do for my mum and for West Ham. "She would have been
saying, 'whatever happens, I want you to play'. She would say 'you have to
go on, go forward with your life and with your football - you have a job to
do and a son of your own to look after'. "I am a professional footballer
with a duty to West Ham. It was hard but I didn't want to let West Ham down
either."
Faubert described his mother as a driving force for him as he grew up and
followed his dreams of becoming a footballer. "My mother was an inspiration.
She was the one there for me when I was growing up, I lived with her all the
time and she supported me in every way, whether it was buying me boots or
driving me to training or games. "I was born in a poor area of Le Havre, so
it was difficult and she made a lot of sacrifices for me. I know she is
happy and proud of me and I have good memories. "It's a difficult time for
me and my family, but I have my wife and son helping me through this as well
as the fans and everyone here at West Ham. This will help me to go forward."
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McCarthy and Mido's first day
WHUFC.com
Check out the pictures as Benni McCarthy and Mido joined their new
team-mates for training at Chadwell Heath
02.02.2010
Benni McCarthy and Mido were quickly into action on their first day of
training with West Ham United and whufc.com has an exclusive training
gallery showcasing all the action from Chadwell Heath. The duo, who are set
to be joined by fellow new signing Ilan later this week, and their new
team-mates were put through their paces by Gianfranco Zola and his coaching
staff.
http://www.whufc.com/articles/20100202/mccarthy-and-midos-first-day_2241742_
1953495
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Busy day at Chadwell Heath
WHUFC.com
The manager was able to show off two of his three new recruits during a
hectic morning at the training ground
02.02.2010
Mido and Benni McCarthy have got straight down to business at Chadwell Heath
after being unveiled as West Ham United players on Tuesday morning. The new
strikers were all smiles as they were joined by manager Gianfranco Zola for
a special photo-call before training, although the wet and windy weather
meant no one was standing around for too long. The duo then joined the rest
of the squad in the indoor hall for injury prevention work before taking to
the outdoor pitches.
Mido, who has been given the No11 shirt, and McCarthy, the new No17, then
sprinted out behind the manager ready to start. Their presence meant there
were five strikers taking part with Carlton Cole, Freddie Sears and Frank
Nouble also involved, while Guille Franco worked on his fitness inside with
the club's medical staff.
Ilan, the club's third new recruit, was back in France on Tuesday after a
whirlwind Monday when he flew into London for the first time to finalise his
move. The Brazilian, who left AS Saint-Etienne last month, will join up with
his colleagues for the first time later this week as the squad prepare for
the Saturday afternoon trip to Burnley.
With Herita Ilunga, Scott Parker and Cole all pushing for starts at the
weekend, Kieron Dyer was also training fully once again - meaning plenty of
selection dilemmas for Zola and his coaching staff. The squad began their
outdoor session with ball work in small groups before splitting into two for
passing drills and then attack versus defence routines.
Despite the miserable weather, there was plenty of good humour among the
squad with the new recruits quickly settling into their new surroundings.
There was also the welcome sight of Luis Boa Morte doing light jogging
around the pitch as the squad concluded the session with an eleven-a-side
game.
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Specs eyes victories
WHUFC.com
Jonathan Spector is aiming for a win-double from West Ham United's next two
league games
02.02.2010
Jonathan Spector was happy to put in a strong defensive performance in front
of US national team manager Bob Bradley in the goalless draw with Blackburn
Rovers. The 23-year-old was at his best in Saturday's Barclays Premier
League stalemate, keeping Rovers' midfielders El Hadji Diouf and Brett
Emerton quiet, while also finding time to launch a number of attacking
forays from his position at left-back. Spector, who has 23 senior caps for
his country, told WHUTV he was pleased to have impressed the watching
Bradley, but admitted to being disappointed by West Ham United's failure to
overcome Sam Allardyce's side. "Obviously I knew Bob was there, but whether
he was there or not, I would still have had the same drive and commitment as
I always do," said Spector, who is likely to be named in the United States'
23-man squad for this summer's FIFA World Cup, where he could face
club-mates Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Scott Parker and Carlton Cole in the
group stage. "We felt disappointment again on Saturday. It was a similar
feeling to after the Portsmouth game [which ended 1-1]. We played pretty
well at times, but just couldn't get the goal. Defensively, we're happy with
the clean sheet, which is obviously important and a good starting point, but
nonetheless, we're still disappointed with the final result."
Spector has done a fine job since coming in for the injured Herita Ilunga
for the goalless draw at Aston Villa on January. In the three starts he has
made, the Hammers have conceded just one goal. The defender has also
appeared at right-back and centre-back at times this season, and the
Chicago-born player believes his versatility is an asset well-worth
possessing. "It's a blessing and a hindrance at times, settling into a new
position, but it's nice to get a run of games in one position, so I can grow
into it. At the same time, we've got a lot of good defenders and competition
for places, which are really good for the squad."
Having helped the Hammers to draws in their last three Premier League games,
Spector is now targeting victories from the club's next two fixtures at
Burnley on Saturday and at home to Birmingham City a week on Wednesday.
"They are definitely winnable games. Obviously we went into the Portsmouth
and Blackburn games looking to win, but it didn't happen for us, so we'll be
going into the next two looking to pick up the points that are really
important for us."
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Faubert thanks supporters
KUMB.com
Filed: Tuesday, 2nd February 2010
By: Staff Writer
Julien Faubert has sent a message of thanks to supporters following the
recent death of his mother. KUMB.com revealed at the weekend how the French
defender, 26, had played against Blackburn Rovers despite receiving news of
his mother's death less than 48 hours earlier. Our revelation prompted a
groundswell of support for Faubert, who has now sent a message of thanks for
the support and messages of goodwill he has received via both the forum and
the club. "I am so pleased to have received these messages from our
supporters," he said. "I can't tell you what it means to me. It is so nice.
"It just shows that the fans don't only get behind the players when we are
playing on the pitch. Also when we have difficulties in our own lives, they
make an effort to send in a message. This has helped me a lot, especially
at this time. This is why I love England and West Ham so much. It is not
just the team but everyone else behind the players, it is very special."
Faubert, whose mother had been ill for some time with a brain tumour,
received the news of her passing on Thursday and immediately left for
France. But having missed just one day's training he returned to England in
time to feature on Saturday - something which Julien feels his mother would
have wanted. "I definitely wanted to play. There was no question for me," he
confirmed. "This is what I wanted to do for my mum and for West Ham. She
would have been saying, 'whatever happens, I want you to play'. "She would
say 'you have to go on, go forward with your life and with your football -
you have a job to do and a son of your own to look after'. I am a
professional footballer with a duty to West Ham. It was hard but I didn't
want to let West Ham down either."
Faubert, who wore a black armband during Saturday's match revealed how his
mother had been the main motivation behind his career as a professional
footballer. "My mother was an inspiration," he said. "She was the one there
for me when I was growing up, I lived with her all the time and she
supported me in every way, whether it was buying me boots or driving me to
training or games. "I was born in a poor area of Le Havre, so it was
difficult and she made a lot of sacrifices for me. I know she is happy and
proud of me and I have good memories. "It's a difficult time for me and my
family, but I have my wife and son helping me through this as well as the
fans and everyone here at West Ham. This will help me to go forward."
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Man City and Chelsea bad for football, says Sullivan
BBC.co.uk
West Ham owner David Sullivan says the wealth of Chelsea and Manchester City
is bad for football and a salary cap is needed to avoid financial meltdown.
After buying the club, Sullivan and partner David Gold - both West Ham fans
- revealed the club's debts were £100m. "They're bad for football. Maybe
the ultimate solution is a wage cap," ex-Birmingham owner Sullivan told the
BBC. "I've always been against it but I'm starting to swing towards it. It's
the only way to keep clubs solvent." When former Birmingham owners Gold and
Sullivan bought West Ham, Sullivan admitted they had only invested in the
club because they were fans. "It makes no commercial sense to buy this
club," he said. "If there was any other club in this situation, then we
would not be buying it. We bought this as supporters, not from a business
point of view."
Before the recent sale, the club had been run by Straumur-Burdaras
Investment Bank, which owned 70% of the club's holding company, Icelandic
company CB Holding, who had encountered financial problems in the credit
crunch. And Sullivan said the overall financial climate in football was not
being helped by the riches of Roman Abramovich at Chelsea and Sheikh Mansour
at Manchester City. "There was a reality coming into the world until
(Abramovich bought) Chelsea," he told the BBC's HARDtalk programme. "After
Chelsea there was some levelling off, then then Icelanders came to West Ham
and it was madness what they were paying people relative to what they were -
then Manchester City have done the same thing."
In the transfer window, Sullivan said he was prepared to offer an unnamed
player £100,000 per week, but ultimately the club ended up signing Benni
McCarthy from Blackburn, and taking Mido and Brazilian striker Ilan on loan.
Egyptian striker Mido is on £1,000 a week at West Ham, a figure Sullivan
called "one of the most amazing deals of all time."
He admitted they would have liked to sign Tottenham's Robbie Keane, who
ended up joining Celtic on loan, but the deal would have been more than the
club could afford. And without referring to the Republic of Ireland striker,
he said players and their agents seeking to make as much money as they could
also needed a reality check. "The players are driven by their agents. Some
are very nice people, some are greedy," he said. "They have very short
careers, they want to maximise their income. "There is no loyalty to the
local club, or the club they play for, most of them will move for more money
and if you have a foreign player they will just go back home."
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Mido targets Hammers future
Sullivan reveals failed Keane interest on deadline day
Last updated: 2nd February 2010
SSN
New West Ham striker Mido has indicated that he wants to stay at Upton Park
beyond the duration of his loan spell. The Egyptian arrived at Upton Park
until the end of the season as a man on a mission on winter transfer
deadline day, telling Sky Sports News that he wanted to prove a point in
English football. Mido, who is officially still owned by Middlesbrough, has
been branded a flop after disappointing at The Riverside and former clubs
Tottenham and Wigan. But having accepted a substantial pay cut to join West
Ham, the 26-year-old is determined to show he can be a long-term success in
the Premier League by helping his new club away from relegation danger. "It
is an exciting challenge for me. It is another new club, but hopefully I can
prove myself and stay here for longer," Mido told West Ham's official
website. "We had other offers, but I have decided to play here. West Ham
have a great team and manager, and that was a big factor in deciding to come
here. "I know a lot of the players here and the fans are passionate. We have
got everything you need to get in the top 10 and I hope to play my part in
helping the club to move up. "We will all be doing our best to start winning
games. I am fit to play this weekend (at Burnley), and will try to do the
business for West Ham."
Meanwhile, West Ham co-owner David Sullivan has revealed the club failed to
land Robbie Keane from Tottenham, as the Irishman instead went to Celtic on
loan. Sullivan said: "Mido has come to us for a token salary because he
wants to prove himself, he wants to prove he can be a force in the English
game. "He can earn £50,000-a-week staying where he is or going back to Boro,
but he has come to us because he wants to prove himself in the Premier
League and he wants to play for West Ham."
Sullivan added: "We simply can't afford Robbie Keane. Of course, we'd have
liked him, who wouldn't? But it would have worked out at £105,000 a week for
the rest of this season, as well as a transfer fee. We simply cannot afford
it. "Then we have Mido. It would be one of the most amazing deals of all
time. "He doesn't want to be known as a 'has been' of English football, so
he willing to come here to play for a nominal fee, just £1,000 a week."
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Grieving Faubert thanks the fans
The Sun
Published: 02 Feb 2010
JULIEN FAUBERT has thanked West Ham fans for their support after his mother
died last week. The French full-back played against Blackburn on Saturday
just 48 hours after his mother passed away. He said: "I am so pleased to
have received so many messages from our supporters. I can't tell you what it
means to me. "It is so nice. It just shows that the fans don't only get
behind the players when we are playing on the pitch. "Also when we have
difficulties in our own lives, they make an effort to send in a message.
This has helped me a lot, especially at this time. "This is why I love
England and West Ham so much. It is not just the team but everyone else
behind the players, it is very special."
Faubert wore a black armband in tribute to his mother, who had been ill with
a brain tumour. He revealed there was no way he was going to miss playing,
as it would have been something his mum would have wanted him to do. He
said: "I definitely wanted to play. There was no question for me. This is
what I wanted to do for my mum and for West Ham. "She would have been
saying, 'whatever happens, I want you to play'. She would say 'you have to
go on, go forward with your life and with your football - you have a job to
do and a son of your own to look after'."
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Mido eyes long-term Hammers stay
Published 16:21 02/02/10 By Pa Sports
The Mirror
Mido is determined to show he can have a long-term future at West Ham after
chairman David Sullivan revealed the Egypt striker has joined on a "token"
wage. The Hammers completed a deal to take Mido on loan from Middlesbrough
on deadline day, the 26-year-old having had a spell at Egyptian club Zamalek
since August. "It is an exciting challenge for me. It is another new club,
but hopefully I can prove myself and stay here for longer," Mido told the
club's official website. New co-owners Sullivan and David Gold promised
manager Gianfranco Zola fresh talent as he looks to take the club away from
the relegation zone, and they delivered with Benni McCarthy agreeing a
permanent move from Blackburn and free agent Brazilian forward Ilan also
joining until the end of the season. Mido, who also had a spell at
Tottenham, cannot wait to get started, as the Hammers prepare for a crunch
clash at fellow-relegation battlers Burnley. He has joined on wages of
£1,000 per week, putting him at the bottom end of the Premier League pay
scale.
"We had other offers, but I have decided to play here," added the Egyptian.
"West Ham have a great team and manager, and that was a big factor in
deciding to come here.
"I know a lot of the players here and the fans are passionate. We have got
everything you need to get in the top 10 and I hope to play my part in
helping the club to move up. We will all be doing our best to start winning
games. "I am fit to play this weekend, and will try to do the business for
West Ham."
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West Ham fans don't want gimmicks, they just want a team to be proud of
By Steve Stammers
The Mirror
Published 06:02 03/02/10
In the end, the two Daves were as good as their word. Only time will tell if
the choices were the right ones for West Ham, but at least Sullivan and Gold
have provided much-needed re-inforcements for beleaguered manager Gianfranco
Zola. Benni McCarthy? An obvious and proven talent who has the incentive of
proving he is worth a place in the South African World Cup squad this
summer. That should ensure total commitment. But history shows that players
who miss training at one club because they have got the hump tend to make
that a trend. If Zola has cause to leave him out, the reaction will be
interesting. As for Ilan, who knows? A Brazilian who has an Italian passport
and played for St Etienne in France. Turf Moor on a Saturday in February
will tell us a lot. And then there is Mido. West Ham fans and the Egyptian
striker have history from his time at Tottenham. Suffice to say there was a
mutual antipathy. The jury is still out on that one... it will be an
interesting relationship to say the least. But credit to Sullivan and Gold.
They have acted where others before them have just talked. By all accounts,
a substantial amount of financial excesses have been identified and eroded.
About time. They promised players and they brought in players - three of
them to bolster a front line that badly needed strengthening. So far, so
good. But it might just be worth someone who has the confidence - or bottle
as they say in those parts - to mention it to the new owners that West Ham
fans don't do gimmicks. Ten minutes before last Saturday's dire 0-0 draw
with Blackburn, a medley of songs associated with the East End were played
over the PA system. They included Run Rabbit Run , Any Old Iron , Roll out
the Barrel and Knees Up Mother Brown .
Presumably, the idea was to assure the 30,000 West Ham supporters that the
two Daves really do have their roots in the club's heartland. Bad idea.
No-one has doubted their allegiance. And the club's fans do not need to be
reminded of the songs that helped the morale of their grandparents during
the Blitz to lift their own spirits and heighten the atmosphere. Next, the
stewards will be telling everyone they have got a kind face as they come in
and the half-time entertainment will be My Old Man's A Dustman played on a
Joanna on the halfway line. All unnecessary. What West Ham fans want is a
team that plays in the way to which they have been accustomed over the
years, a brand of football that can prompt a chorus of Bubbles. In Zola they
have a man who adheres to that principle. What they want is quality players
that are easy on the eye and give them belief that the club is owned by
people who will be true to its heritage - not be encouraged to join in a
pre-match singsong so cliched that it wouldn't even be tolerated on the
Christmas Eve episode of EastEnders . What they want is good football
played by a decent team in entertaining fashion. They are realistic enough
to know West Ham won't win the league - they just want to be in a position
to play Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal twice a season and to have
the occasional run in a cup. That is not pessimism - it is realism.
The recruitment of new players by Messrs Sullivan and Gold is a start.
Hopefully they are up to scratch - and not just any old Iron.
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GREEN AND UPSON WARNED: WEST HAM WON'T BREAK THE BANK FOR YOU
Daily Star
3rd February 2010 By Sami Mokbel
ENGLAND duo Robert Green and Matthew Upson have been warned that West Ham
won't break the bank to keep them. The Hammers duo both have 18 months left
on their contracts and are yet to agree new deals. Boss Gianfranco Zola has
been boosted by the fact that the star pair didn't leave in the transfer
window despite heavy speculation that they were on the hit list of a number
of Premier League sides. The Italian will now set his sights on trying to
tie the two 30-year-olds to new contracts. Starsport exclusively revealed in
November that new co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan would make
goalkeeper Green's future a top priority if their West Ham takeover bid
proved successful. With the transfer window now shut, they want to thrash
out new deals with Green and Upson. But Gold has told Starsport that, while
the club want to keep them, they will not throw money at the World Cup
hopefuls. He said: "Our priority was to work hard until the transfer window
closed. We wanted to get a few players in. Now we've done that we have to
ensure Premier League survival." "We can now sit down and look at players'
contracts. With regards to Upson and Green, it depends on our finances. We
will do everything we can to retain our best players, but at the same time
we can't spend money we don't have."
Should the pair fail to agree new deals, Sullivan and Gold will sell them at
the end of the season. Last week Sullivan said: "In the summer Upson will
have 12 months to go on his contract. So unless Matthew wants to sign a new
deal, he will have to be sold next summer." There would be no shortage of
takers. Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City have been linked with
Upson, while Green is wanted by Sunderland and Chelsea.
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Who will be Zola's two main strikers?
Posted by Colin Illingworth at 07:00 AM in Colin Illingworth, Premier
League, West Ham United
SquareFootball.net
Christmas came late for Gianfranco Zola as David Gold and David Sullivan
allowed the little Italian to add three more forwards to his squad on Monday
before the transfer window slammed shut for the season. In came the
experienced trio of Benni McCarthy, at last, from Blackburn Rovers, the
Brazilian Ilan and former Spurs striker Mido on loan. They will now compete
for a starting place alongside the likes of England international Carlton
Cole, youngster Frank Nouble, Mexican Guillermo Franco and young Freddie
Sears.
Injuries and suspensions have forced Zola to put square pegs in round holes
at times during his spell at West Ham but these late additions have put Zola
in seventh heaven. The wee man now has seven strikers to choose from and it
will present an altogether different selection problem for the former
Chelsea striker. But just who do you think Zola will choose as his preferred
forward partnership at the Boleyn Ground?
Carlton Cole
The former Chelsea striker was a laughing stock in his early days at the
Boleyn Ground but thanks to the influence of Gianfranco Zola, Cole may now
laughing all the way to the World Cup finals. He has more speed than the
drug dealer in my estate, more power than German dance group Snap and more
confidence than John Terry at a Miss World competition. Cole always had
potential but in the past 18 months or so he has really come to the fore and
if he can stay injury free he should be on board the plane for South Africa
in June.
Guillermo Franco
The former Villareal marksman has been a bit of a hit with the fans at West
Ham United since arriving on a free in September. He has scored three times
in 12 starts and gives his all for the cause. The Mexican international may
be less than 6ft tall but he is a real threat in the air and gives West Ham
something different up front.
Frank Nouble
One of the most promising young strikers in the country, Nouble joined the
Hammers in the summer after turning down professional terms with Chelsea so
he could learn from his hero Gianfranco Zola. Physically and mentally
strong, Nouble has all the raw attributes to be a future England
international. The 19-year-old has made eight appearances for the first team
this season and was the star man in their recent draw at Aston Villa. Zola
will no doubt pass on his experience to Nouble over the next few years and
ensure that he fulfils his potential, but will he continue to feature in the
first team now?
Freddie Sears
The lifelong West Ham fan lived the dream by coming off the bench to score
the winner on his debut against Blackburn Rovers in 2008. However, that
remains the 20-year-old's only goal to date for the first team. Sears has a
fantastic goalscoring record for the club's youth teams and the reserves but
has been unable to take the opportunities when they present themselves in
the first team. He has a bright future ahead of him but he must toughen up
and listen to his manager if he is to forge a professional career for
himself.
Benni McCarthy
West Ham United finally got their man on transfer deadline day, almost four
years since they first inquired about him, but will he repay their faith in
him? The South African international began life in the Premier League with
an almighty bang, scoring 24 times in 50 appearances in his first season,
and it was no wonder the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United were
monitoring his situation. However, injuries and changes of managers have
hampered his time at Ewood Park and he will be hoping to kick-start his
career ahead of the World Cup. McCarthy may have lost some of his pace but
his eye for a goal remains as sharp as ever.
Mido
The deal to bring the former Tottenham Hotspur striker to Upton Park on loan
was one of the biggest shocks on deadline day. The last time we saw him in
the Premier League he was packing a lot of timber and didn't look interested
in playing, not to mention the fact that West Ham fans have given him some
right dog's abuse in the past. However, the Egyptian deserves great credit
for putting personal success ahead of money and wanting to prove himself in
the top flight. The former Ajax and Marseille striker always makes an impact
at a new club, of which there have been 11 already for the 26-year-old, but
it's keeping him motivated which will be Zola's main priority. For £1,000 a
week, the Hammers have signed someone with a strong physical presence, a
lethal right foot and experience of the English game. It could prove to be a
masterstroke by Zola.
Ilan
Now I don't know too much about Ilan but surely you can't go too far wrong
with a 29-year-old Brazilian striker in your team! Looking at clips of the
former St Etienne man on YouTube though it becomes apparent that West Ham
could have a really special player on their hands. Confident, alert and
brave, Ilan is not shy in making clever darting runs for his team-mates and
is prepared to try his luck with long range missiles and overhead kicks. He
also has a knack of being in the right place at the right time. Ilan has the
potential to be a star in the East End.
All of the strikers above have their own unique traits and could do a job
for the Hammers. Carlton Cole is ultimately the number one striker at the
club right now but what if Zola sees an instant understanding in training
between Mido and Franco or Ilan and McCarthy? Would Zola risk leaving his
main man out in order to give the team something else up front? Personally I
would start with Cole, for his physical strength, and somebody who can play
off him like McCarthy or Ilan on Saturday against Burnley, with Mido and
Nouble on the bench. However, Zola has the advantage of seeing these guys in
training this week and I'm sure he'll make the right selection come
Saturday.
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Mido to be paid just £1,000 per week as he bids to lift West Ham
Evening Standard
02.02.10
Mido is determined to show he can have a long-term future at West Ham after
chairman David Sullivan revealed the Egypt striker has joined on a "token"
wage. The Hammers yesterday completed a deal to take Mido on loan from
Middlesbrough, the 26-year-old having had a spell at Egyptian club Zamalek
since August. New co-owners Sullivan and David Gold promised manager
Gianfranco Zola fresh talent as he looks to take the club away from the
relegation zone, and they delivered with Benni McCarthy agreeing a permanent
move from Blackburn and free agent Brazilian forward Ilan also joining until
the end of the season. Mido, who also had a spell at Tottenham, cannot wait
to get started, as the Hammers prepare for a crunch clash at
fellow-relegation battlers Burnley. He has joined on wages of £1,000 per
week, putting him at the bottom end of the Premier League pay scale. "It is
an exciting challenge for me. It is another new club, but hopefully I can
prove myself and stay here for longer," Mido said. "We had other offers, but
I have decided to play here. "West Ham have a great team and manager, and
that was a big factor in deciding to come here. "I know a lot of the players
here and the fans are passionate. We have got everything you need to get in
the top 10 and I hope to play my part in helping the club to move up. "We
will all be doing our best to start winning games. I am fit to play this
weekend, and will try to do the business for West Ham."
Sullivan revealed the club failed to land Robbie Keane from Tottenham, as
the Irishman instead went to Celtic on loan. However, the Hammers co-owner
was delighted Mido had agreed to come to Upton Park on a cut-price deal.
Sullivan said: "Mido has come to us for a token salary because he wants to
prove himself, he wants to prove he can be a force in the English game. "He
can earn £50,000-a-week staying where he is or going back to Boro, but he
has come to us because he wants to prove himself in the Premier League and
he wants to play for West Ham."
Sullivan added: "We simply can't afford Robbie Keane. Of course, we'd have
liked him, who wouldn't? But it would have worked out at £105,000 a week for
the rest of this season, as well as a transfer fee. We simply cannot afford
it. "Then we have Mido. It would be one of the most amazing deals of all
time. "He doesn't want to be known as a 'has been' of English football, so
he was willing to come here to play for a nominal fee, just £1,000 a week."
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