Tuesday, March 2

Daily WHUFC News - 2nd March 2010

Cole ready says Teddy
WHUFC.com
Former England striker Teddy Sheringham considers the fortunes of the club's Three Lions hopefuls
01.03.2010

Teddy Sheringham has spoken exclusively to WHUTV about West Ham United's trio of England hopefuls and their chances of being on the plane to South Africa. The former England striker, who served the club to distinction with 28 goals in 76 league games between 2004 and 2007, is the latest big name to catch up with the WHUTV cameras in recent weeks. Log on now to hear his thoughts including on Carlton Cole's progress since the pair were strike partners in claret and blue.
Sheringham, who also considers Robert Green and Matthew Upson's international ambitions, said: "Carlton has sorted himself out as a person and made sacrifices in his life to realise he wants to be a pro footballer. He is doing very well. "I saw him at first hand for England away to Holland and in other games and he has done himself no harm in the games he has played. It is just about maintaining the performances he has for West Ham and keep getting on the score-sheet."

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Big week for Behrami
WHUFC.com
Valon Behrami may be on international duty this week but he is already prepared for Bolton Wanderers
01.03.2010

Valon Behrami is looking forward to returning to international action in midweek - but insists his priority is on keeping West Ham United in the Barclays Premier League. The Switzerland international is set to be involved in Wednesday's home friendly with fellow 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers Uruguay. If selected, the fixture will mark Behrami's 26th cap for his country since making his debut in a 1-1 2006 World Cup qualifier draw with France on 8 October 2005. However, the 24-year-old will be keeping his focus on Saturday's vital league visit of Bolton Wanderers to the Boleyn Ground, which comes after the 2-0 and 3-0 successes in the last two home matches against Birmingham City and Hull City respectively. "This is a game like the Hull one, against a team on the same level and they are a physical team. We need to win as we are at home and keep playing like we played against Birmingham and Hull. This is a very, very important game."
Behrami is the subject of the main interview in the official matchday programme for Saturday's match. The midfielder talks candidly about his childhood, which saw him move from Kosovo to Switzerland at the age of five, his closness to his family, the forthcoming World Cup finals and enjoying life in London at West Ham United.

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Download the accounts today
WHUFC.com
West Ham United have published the club's accounts for the 2008/09 season for all whufc.com users
01.03.2010

West Ham United are today publishing on whufc.com the club's accounts for the 2008/09 season as part of the new board's determination to keep supporters as informed as possible. The new accounts have been submitted to Companies House after being signed off by independent auditors. Fans wanting to read the 35-page document, before they are available anywhere else, can do so by clicking HERE : http://www.whufc.com/staticFiles/a2/4a/0,,12562~150178,00.pdf

In his chairman's statement, David Sullivan said: "It is a great honour to be reporting to shareholders as joint-chairman of West Ham United with my colleague David Gold, following our acquisition of a 50 per cent shareholding in the company.

"These results testify to the amount of work that has to be done to restore this club to a position of financial strength. Our new board will work ceaselessly to put the club back on a stable financial footing and I believe that it has the expertise and experience to achieve this."

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Behrami braced for Bolton
Hammers ace ready for crunch clash
By Chris Burton Last updated: 1st March 2010
SSN

West Ham to win 2-1 7/1, draw 1-1 6/1 or lose 1-0 9/1
1st Goalscorer - Cole 9/2, McCarthy 11/2 or Noble 16/1

Valon Behrami admits West Ham's meeting with Bolton this weekend is a 'very, very important game'. The Hammers have given themselves breathing space in the battle to beat the drop, opening up a three-point cushion on the drop zone.They are, however, far from assured to be playing Premier League football next season and know there is still a lot of hard work to be done.Back-to-back successes on home soil, over Birmingham and Hull City, have helped their cause considerably and results at Upton Park could go a long way to determining their fate.Next up in the capital are fellow strugglers Bolton on Saturday, with both sides desperate to take something from a crunch contest. A number of those on display will have been away with their respective countries in midweek, including Swiss midfielder Behrami, but the match is already weighing heavy on the mind of many of those set to be involved. "This is a game like the Hull one (a 3-0 win), against a team on the same level and they are a physical team," Behrami told West Ham's official website. "We need to win as we are at home and keep playing like we played against Birmingham (a 2-0 win) and Hull. "This is a very, very important game."

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Sullivan: Hammers planned player fire sale
By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent
ESPN
March 1, 2010

West Ham United would have been forced to sell £8 million worth of players in January, £16 million in the summer and £20 million if they were relegated had the club not fallen into new hands, co-owner David Sullivan told Soccernet. On the day Portsmouth were due back in court for a Revenue winding up order, having already gone into administration, the true extent of the financial meltdown at Upton Park was disclosed by the club's new co-owner. Sullivan told Soccernet: "The strategy for survival was in place in case there wasn't a takeover, and we were told that it meant that £8 million worth of players had to be sold in January, which would have meant a player like Scott Parker or Carlton Cole going, or maybe even both. "Then in the summer, the club would have needed to sell £16 million worth of players to carry on surviving, having budgeted to finish 10th in the Premier League, but it might have been more like £20 million if they had been relegated. "It would have reached the stage where the club would have had no one left of any consequence, but when people are desperate they had to design desperate measures. "For West Ham it wouldn't have been long before they would have run out of players to sell. Yet Straumer had put in £7.9 million to keep the club afloat on top of all the debts."
When Sullivan and David Gold took over the running of the club in January there were debts of £110 million. Sullivan said: "We have already trimmed that down to £95 million, as we have paid of some of the debts with a few little deals, so slowly we are making some progress. "But we have to look at the situation in realistic terms. This club had lost £20 million, £40 million and £20 million in the last three years and there are another £20 million losses this year. "Ultimately we have to break even, but that is going to take some effort as we are heading for £20 million losses this year again. So, you can see the first big task is to stabilise the club to give it a brighter future. "We came in and bought players, saved the club from being forced to sell players, and now we are quite capable of staying up, and quite capable of surviving."

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Premier League clubs borrowing from money lender
By Harry Harris, Football Correspondent
ESPN
March 1, 2010

A private individual has loaned three Premier League clubs "tens of millions" as some of the elite have already sold TV revenues and season tickets for forthcoming seasons. Top-flight clubs are turning to a money lender to buy players, pay off debts or simply survive and stave off the kind of predicament that has hit Portsmouth. Peter Storrie revealed to Soccernet that one of the biggest problems was that the banks called in their £40 million loans, and in the recession clubs have turned to this unnamed money lender of some considerable wealth. West Ham co-owner David Sullivan told Soccernet: "A private individual has loaned three Premier League clubs tens of millions. I am not going to name him or say exactly how much he has loaned the clubs, but it is a considerable amount. "A very rich private individual is making these loans based on the clubs' agreed payments from TV income. When we came to West Ham, we found that the club had sold its season tickets for two years in advance. "We are also aware that financial institutions are buying up football debt at big discounts. One such financial institution bought some of the Portsmouth debt, but they are going to have to wait for their money now, if they ever get it all back."
Sullivan, though, does not necessary feel that the Premier League is in the kind of perilous state that has been suggested following Portsmouth's move into administration.
Much is made of the enormous debt at the top end of the Premier League, but Sullivan said: "Arsenal have just posted fantastic figures. Manchester United are the club most quoted as having the biggest debt, but big business does run on debt - look at Marks & Spencer. "Chelsea and Manchester City can be taken out of the equation because their owners are running those clubs as hobbies. "The real pressure is down the bottom, where the lesser clubs fear the financial effects of relegation, when whole income flows are no longer guaranteed if they go down. It creates sheer panic. "That is why I would like to see a full parachute payment for the first season and half for the following two seasons. I have not advocated it, but it makes more sense to me. The fear factor at the bottom has to be addressed, because it is down there that clubs are pushing the financial panic button, and that leaves them wide open to doing things they might not wish to do."

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David Sullivan lifts lid on West Ham's financial plight
Hammers had budgeted to sell £28m worth of players
Sullivan and Gold took over club with £110m debts
James Callow guardian.co.uk, Monday 1 March 2010 16.10 GMT

David Sullivan claims West Ham United would have been forced to sell the majority of their playing staff had he and David Gold not bought the club in January. Now West Ham's joint chairman along with Gold, Sullivan believes the east London club was in such bad financial shape that they would have had to sell £8m worth of players last January, £16m in the summer and £20m if they were relegated to avoid financial ruin. "The strategy for survival was in place in case there wasn't a takeover, and we were told that it meant that £8m worth of players had to be sold in January, which would have meant a player like Scott Parker or Carlton Cole going, or maybe even both," Sullivan told Soccernet.
"Then in the summer, the club would have needed to sell £16m worth of players to carry on surviving, having budgeted to finish 10th in the Premier League, but it might have been more like £20m if they had been relegated. "It would have reached the stage where the club would have had no one left of any consequence, but when people are desperate they had to design desperate measures. "For West Ham it wouldn't have been long before they would have run out of players to sell. Yet [Icelandic bank] Straumur had put in £7.9m to keep the club afloat on top of all the debts."
When Sullivan and Gold took over the running of the club it had debts of £110m. "We have already trimmed that down to £95m," Sullivan said, "as we have paid off some of the debts with a few little deals, so slowly we are making some progress. But we have to look at the situation in realistic terms. This club had lost £20m, £40m and £20m in the last three years and there are another £20m losses this year. "Ultimately we have to break even, but that is going to take some effort as we are heading for £20m losses this year again. So, you can see the first big task is to stabilise the club to give it a brighter future. We came in and bought players, saved the club from being forced to sell players, and now we are quite capable of staying up, and quite capable of surviving."

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West Ham's David Sullivan Petrol Station to King Of Canning!
Date: 1st March 2010 at 5:43 pm |
Transfer Tavern

David Sullivan, West Ham's co-owner, has caused quite a stir during his time with the club. This was mainly because he warned that the players and management would have to take a pay cut even if the club avoids relegation. Sullivan, along with David Gold, bought Birmingham City in 1993 and has been involved in football ever since. So, just how did Sullivan end up where he is today? Let's find out about the man. There are some surprising details along the way…

■David Sullivan was born on the 1st of February in 1949, in Cardiff. He graduated from the Queen Mary's university with a degree in economics. That degree was put to use with a 21 year ownership, from 1986-2007, of the Sunday Sport and Daily Sport.

■Apart from being the joint-chairman of West Ham, he is also a British pornography entrepreneur. Believe it or not, this helped him in the initial stages of his career. After working at a petrol station that paid him £30 a week, he entered the porn market at 21 by producing weekly pictures that and selling photos that earnt him around £800 a week.

■On to the football then. Sullivan happened to buy Birmingham when it was advertised in the Financial Times. He helped to transform the club from being bottom of the second tier in English football to where they are now.

■In 2007, Sullivan seemed to have had enough by stating that he wanted to leave Birmingham. If that had alerted potential buyers, then the news of 2008 alerted the police. He and managing director, Karren Brady, were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy which was to do with an alleged corruption in English football. Luckily for the pair, no action was to be taken.

■The long stay as co-owner of Birmingham looked to be taking its toll on him as he blamed previous manager Steve Bruce's player signings for the club's relegation from the Premiership in 2008.

■In January of this year, Sullivan and Gold accquired the 50% stake that was needed to take control of West Ham.

■Amongst Sullivan's other interests, he likes horse racing and with all the money he has it is not surprising to hear that he lives in a house that cost £7.5m to build. He is Britain's 68th richest man.

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West Ham admit to "ill-judged" spending
Fifa.com
(PA) Monday 1 March 2010

The scope of West Ham's "ill-judged" spending over recent seasons has been been revealed in the club's latest accounts, which were published this evening.

West Ham's decision to award injury-plagued striker Dean Ashton a new contract in December 2008 backfired, leaving them liable for a £5.81million payment when he was forced to retire in December. Freddie Ljungberg and Kieron Dyer will have cost the club £34m over the terms of their contracts, having only started a combined total of 32 matches for West Ham since the summer of 2007.

For two years under the ill-fated Icelandic regime, West Ham's wages totalled around 80% of their annual turnover, nearly 20% higher than the Barclays Premier League average. The club's finance director Nick Igoe wrote in the accounts that the club's subsequent on-field performances were unsatisfactory following such major investment.

"It is a truism to observe that a club's playing success (and almost certainly long term financial success) is largely dependent on how wisely it invests its available resources," Igoe wrote in the accounts. "It has to be concluded that many of the group's investment decisions in the last two to three seasons have been ill-judged. Two players who signed in the summer 2007 transfer window, one of whom has since left the club, have started a combined total of 32 games and will have cost the group £34m over the term of their contracts.

"No football club can sustain this level of expenditure on underperforming members of its squad," it continued. "It must be concluded that the investment in the playing squad has not generated an appropriate return, either financially or in terms of performance. It follows that an eighth and 10th place league finish, one Carling Cup last eight and one FA Cup last 16 represent an unsatisfactory return on this expenditure. Clubs with fewer resources and lower levels of expenditure on their squad have achieved a greater level of league and cup success."

The figures also reveal the major belt-tightening programme which West Ham undertook last season in the hope of staving off financial meltdown. The wage bill was reduced. and West Ham made £10.8m from player sales. However, that still accounted for less than a quarter of the transfer expenditure from the previous two seasons.

"2008/09 saw the group take steps to generate essential cash flow by a programme of player sales and wage savings," wrote Igoe. "This comprised a reduction in the size of the playing squad and the trading of certain players for less costly replacements."

The club's turnover was down to £76.1m, due mainly to the collapse of title sponsor XL but the wage bill also dipped. West Ham's losses before tax of £16.2m were not helped by "exceptional expenses" such as the Ashton pay-out - but the figure was still half what it had been the year before.

The club's bank debt of £45m is not considered "excessive" for a company generating £75-80m of annual turnover. But West Ham say the debt "is challenging because it is relatively short term in nature, expiring as it does in August 2011, and has to be viewed alongside other liabilities such as the Sheffield United settlement and net transfer fee creditors of £14.4m."

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West Ham keen on Peterborough keeper Lewis
02.03.10 | tribalfootball.com

West Ham United are being linked with Peterborough United goalkeeper Joe Lewis. The Hammers could be in the market for a new No1 if Robert Green gets a move to a top four club. A highly-placed source at Upton Park told the News of the World that claims Manchester City's Joe Hart, currently on loan at Birmingham, will be on his way to West Ham if Green leaves are "the product of a fertile imagination". "That theory came from the fact that the Hammers' current owners took him to St Andrew's," he added. "His name hasn't been mentioned. "Peterborough's Joe Lewis at £3.5million would be a far more realistic proposition."

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Daily WHUFC News - 2nd March 2010

Wayne Rooney asks England fans not to boo John Terry
International friendly - England v Egypt
Venue: Wembley Stadium Date: Wednesday, 3 March Kick-off: 2000 GMT
Coverage: Live on ITV1, full commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and online, live
text updates on BBC Sport website.

Wayne Rooney is urging England supporters not to boo John Terry in the
friendly against Egypt on Wednesday. The Manchester United striker wants
fans to show support for Terry, sacked as England captain last month after
allegations of an extra-marital affair. "He [Terry] hasn't got the armband
but he's still a great player and a great leader," said Rooney. Rooney also
said he was fit for the Wembley fixture despite suffering discomfort in his
knee on Sunday. Wednesday's match is England's first since allegations were
made that Chelsea captain Terry had an affair with the ex-girlfriend of
Wayne Bridge - a former team-mate at Stamford Bridge and with England - who
now plays for Manchester City. Terry, 29, was taunted by City fans during
his team's 4-2 home defeat on Saturday, when Bridge refused to shake his
hand before the kick-off. Bridge said last week he no longer wished to play
for England because his position in the squad had become "untenable and
potentially divisive"
However, Rooney said he expected Terry to get "the same as normal" reception
at Wembley on Wednesday. "The squad has been no different since we met up,"
said the striker, who came off the bench to score Manchester United's winner
in their 2-1 Carling Cup final victory over Aston Villa at Wembley on
Sunday. "I've been in the team when a few players have been booed at Wembley
and it's not nice - it doesn't send the right message. "I hope he gets a
good reception. When you are leading up to a World Cup, you want the fans
behind us and giving us their full support because that will be really
important."
Fears of a hostile reception for Terry follow England fans' boos aimed at
his Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard during England's Euro 2008 qualifying
win against Estonia in 2007. Lampard's then team-mate Joe Cole slammed the
fans at the time, saying: "Frank has been one of England's most consistent
players over the years and he has never let England down. "It is not nice to
hear that, it is not nice to hear one of your mates getting that. He doesn't
deserve it."
Rooney, who has scored 28 goals in all competitions for Manchester United
this season, added: "Wayne Bridge is a fantastic player and especially now
with Ashley Cole being injured I'm sure he'd have been the one to take his
place. It's unfortunate but it's his decision and you have to respect it."
The striker suffered a knee problem during Sunday's final but said: "It's
OK. I went for a scan and it's just a bit of bruising. I'll be fit to play."
He added that there had been no disruptions in the run-up to England's final
game before manager Fabio Capello's provisional World Cup squad is
announced, despite the unusual circumstances surrounding preparations.
Meanwhile, Villa's James Milner said he is prepared to play at left-back,
should Capello want him to fill the problem position. "To have Wayne Bridge
available would be great but we'll move on," said Milner. "I've had 15
minutes experience at left-back but that was for England. If I'm asked to
play there I'll do the best job I can - but my best position is further
forward, in central midfield or out wide."
And both Rooney and Milner said Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross, who is in an
England squad for the first time and whose challenge on Aaron Ramsey at the
weekend resulted in a double compound fracture for the Arsenal midfielder,
had been made welcome. "I was with him at United for a couple of years and
he's not that type of player," said Rooney. "I'm sure he'll be OK, he'll be
welcomed into the squad and will be hoping to get a game on Wednesday. "It's
unfortunate but he's got to move on now. He's in the squad at a young age,
it's important for him to get a game and if he does I'm sure he'll do well."

Milner said: "He'll come to terms with it. Hopefully this will give him some
confidence, help get his mind back on football." Rooney had earlier revealed
he knew last Wednesday that he would not start the Carling Cup final but
said it was not because of the knee problem. "I had a little bit of a
stomach bug and the manager was looking for an excuse to leave me out," the
forward said. "When he found out about that it made his mind up. I was still
disappointed but it was the correct decision by the manager." Rooney's
Manchester United team-mate Rio Ferdinand did not join the England camp in
Watford. Instead, he will have further treatment on his back injury in the
hope of being fit for Manchester United's Premier League trip to Wolves on
Saturday.

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Portsmouth are ordered back to court by HMRC

Portsmouth are to return to the High Court on Tuesday after Her Majesty's
Revenue and Customs challenged the club going into voluntary administration.
"We're having to go to court to show that the debenture [debt agreement] is
valid," said administrator Andrew Andronikou, the man running the club.
"We're not unduly worried and expect the administration to proceed."
Pompey's move into administration means HMRC is now ranked below their
football-related creditors in priority. Andronikou will also meet the
Premier League on Tuesday to discuss Pompey's proposed nine-point penalty
for entering administration. The deduction would leave the Hampshire club on
10 points - 14 from safety and virtual certainties for relegation to the
Championship. On Thursday, Andronikou will attend a meeting of Premier
League chairmen to explore whether clubs would consider allowing Portsmouth
to sell players and then take them back on loan for the remainder of the
season. There will also be a discussion of the possibility of television
revenue being forwarded early to the club, who have had four owners this
season and on Friday became the first Premier League club to enter
administration. A Pompey spokesman said: "We don't want to pre-empt anything
or pre-judge what will happen, but hopefully the Premier League and our
fellow Premier League clubs will be as sympathetic as possible to our
situation. "The Premier League have been incredibly understanding and [club
owner] Balram Chainrai would like to place on record his gratitude to chief
executive Richard Scudamore, chairman Sir David Richards, company secretary
and head of football administration Jane Purdon, general secretary Mike
Foster and director of finance and administration Javed Khan."
Meranwhile, Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw said Portsmouth's financial woes
should act as a "wake-up call" to the sport's authorities. The game's
governing body had some "very tough questions" to answer about football
finance, the MP told the House of Commons. He urged the Football Association
to adopt the changes to the way the game is run that were recommended by
Lord Burns in 2005. And the minister said more clubs should follow the
example of Exeter City in his constituency - a football club run by its
fans.
"We do think that there remain some very tough questions for the football
authorities to address, given the events at Portsmouth and elsewhere, issues
around debt, around takeovers and strengthening the whole financial
governance of football," he stated.

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Businessman Victor Cattermole hopeful of Pompey deal

New Zealand businessman Victor Cattermole claims his consortium "are still
interested" in buying Portsmouth. Cattermole's Endeavour Plan group was one
of four interested parties unable to agree a deal last week as the
debt-laden club went into administration. But Cattermole said talks had
been reopened with administrator Andrew Andronikou on Monday, and claimed
the chance of a deal "is quite good". "I really don't think the situation is
as bad as people think," he added. Pompey, who have had four owners this
season, became the first Premier League in history to enter administration
on Friday. The club claimed last week that a sale was not possible as none
of the parties had provided the club's chief executive Peter Storrie and
current owner Balram Chainrai with proof that funds were in place. However,
Cattermole contradicted this, saying: "We provided evidence of an offer for
a bank facility of 200m euros (£181m) last Tuesday to Peter Storrie. "That
was obviously not disclosed to any of the media. "We also wrote to them
advising that we were strongly opposed to administration but they had a path
they were on and it didn't matter what we said, that wasn't going to
change," he added. The Premier League is set to deduct the Hampshire club
nine points as a result of administration on Tuesday - which would leave
them 14 points from safety and virtual certainties for relegation to the
Championship. And Cattermole admitted this would be a consideration for his
consortium. "We still have to carry out due diligence and see what is owed,
what is expected to be paid for it and what the value's going to be once the
whole issue of relegation and the nine-point issue is sorted out," he said.
"Obviously if the club gets relegated then a lot of the income in the next
seasons is compromised. The club has to be cheaper because it's been
devalued. "We'll just look at it as a business that's effectively a going
concern and we'll make a decision on value based on what we see and what we
can negotiate."
After seeing his team win 2-1 at Burnley on Saturday, Pompey manager Avram
Grant protested that the points deduction was unjust. "Football should be
decided on the pitch not in the courts, not in the Premier League offices,"
the Israeli said. Andronikou, who has estimated that Pompey's debts will
"bottom at around £78m", said the club aims to challenge the penalty. "The
assumption that there is an automatic deduction of points has never been
tested before but we will do our very best to avoid a deduction," he told
BBC Radio 5 live on Sunday. "Our solicitors believe there may be a slight
opportunity but I don't want to say anything more because that prejudices my
position in achieving it.
"I would say everyone has taken for granted that there will be a deduction
of nine points."

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Neil Warnock is named manager of Queens Park Rangers

Queens Park Rangers have appointed Neil Warnock as their fifth manager this
season after agreeing compensation with Crystal Palace. Warnock, 61, has
joined the Championship club on a three-and-a-half-year contract and
replaces caretaker boss Mick Harford. "This is the perfect time to come in,
with the new chairman and structure in place," he told QPR's website.
"Loftus Road is always a place I love because of the fantastic atmosphere."
QPR chairman Ishan Saksena said Warnock was "always our number one target"
as manager, adding: "He has great experience in English football and a
phenomenal track record." Palace are currently in administration, and
Warnock confirmed to BBC Sheffield last week that the clubs were in talks.
But he said: "There is no way I am going to walk out. If they can agree
compensation then that's different." Rangers are three points off the
Championship relegation places, while Palace went into administration last
month and suffered a subsequent 10-point deduction. It dropped them from
play-off contention in the Championship to a battle against relegation. The
deduction capped a difficult period for Palace during which they were
subject to a transfer embargo and players and staff had their wages delayed.
They also had to sell highly rated leading scorer Victor Moses to Wigan for
a cut-price fee believed to around £2.5m. QPR's turbulent season has also
seen them part company with Flavio Briatore, who stepped down as chairman of
Queens Park Rangers Holdings on 19 February. Warnock, who guided Sheffield
United to the Premier League in 2006, is the west London outfit's 12th
manager in four years.

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Injured Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey in 'good spirits'

John Toshack has revealed his injured Wales star Aaron Ramsey is
"comfortable and in good spirits" in hospital after his horrific double leg
break. The Arsenal teenager had surgery to fix fractures to the tibia and
fibula in his right leg after a challenge by Ryan Shawcross in their 3-1 win
at Stoke. Wales boss Toshack said: "He is as comfortable as can be
expected. "He seemed in surprisingly decent spirits when I spoke to him. We
hope he has a speedy and successful recovery." The Welsh midfielder's double
compound fracture at the Britannia Stadium had echoes of the injury
sustained by Arsenal team-mate Eduardo at Birmingham two years ago. And the
surgeon who operated on Eduardo's injury has offered hope by saying Ramsey
should make a full recovery from the similar setback. The 19-year-old was
stretchered off and taken straight to hospital after the challenge by
Shawcross on Saturday, an incident in which the Stoke defender was sent off.
"It is a horrific injury, it makes you want to vomit," said Toshack. "It is
a sad and unfortunate incident. I saw the aftermath of the injury and I
thought 'oh no.' "I still haven't seen the incident on TV, I have just seen
the disturbing photographs in the newspapers and you can imagine how I felt.
"For anybody it is a sad, sad thing but for a young player like Aaron who
has improved immensely over the last six or seven months. "And the last
couple of games we felt as though we are on the right lines with him, so
this is a big blow for all of us involved with Wales - but the main thing is
the player's welfare at the moment."
Dr Khalid Baloch, who operated on Eduardo, said: "If it's a straightforward
fracture that's been dealt with appropriately with intensive physio then you
stand a good chance of returning back to the previous level of activity. "It
is quite variable, the simplest fractures may heal up in two or three months
and then there is a period of rehabilitation involved - especially with
elite-level athletes. "On the other hand, if it's a very serious injury it
may take many months for the area to heal up and return back to functional
activities. "You've got a time period of anywhere from two or three months
to six months for recovery. If it's a simple fracture then he is more likely
to return to his previous level of activity. "As the injury becomes more
severe then obviously the rehabilitation is much harder and it's harder to
return back to activity. "If you look at the way Ramsey was tackled, it
looks a fairly similar mechanism of injury (to Eduardo). "There are lots of
bones around that area so it's difficult to know whether it's the same bone
that has been injured or not, but the area that's been injured is similar.
"With anyone who breaks the lower part of their leg, what you do is look to
reduce the fragments, or the bone pieces, back to where they should be and
then they are held by screws or plates. "It varies on exactly where the
fracture is but in principle that is what you would do for a fracture around
that area."
Turning to the rehabilitation process, Dr Baloch added: "Initially most
people are trying to get a range of movement back and also try to build up
the muscles around that limb and reduce swelling and discomfort, that is the
early phase of the rehabilitation process. "Beyond that phase there is an
increase in the range of impact activities with gradual progression to
running and then back to sporting activities over a minimum six to 12
months."
Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has condemned the tackle on Ramsey as
"horrendous and unacceptable" while he also criticises Stoke's overall
approach. While Arsenal great Bob Wilson has called on football authorities
to act in the wake of Ramsey's horrific injury. He said: "The game has moved
forward but the Football Association and the Premier League are content to
have a brutal side to the game. He added: "In my opinion this is born out of
most managers and coaches facing Arsenal, plus media pundits and even
ex-players, instructing their players to get in their faces. "Arsenal are a
relatively small team. Opposing players are told to shake them up, get in
their faces, tackle hard, bully them. I would defy coaches and managers to
deny that is the case. "The tackle by Ryan Shawcross was at best mistimed,
at worst reckless and desperate."
Former Gunners keeper Wilson, who had a 40-year association with Arsenal,
revealed he had contacted Ramsey after the incident at the Britannia
Stadium. "I was told that he was feeling very little pain following
surgery," said Wilson so I sent a text to Aaron and I received a little
message back saying 'I'm doing OK'. "But it is a career-threatening injury,
a double compound fracture. "In the time I played, Don Howe had a similar
injury, tibia and fibula through the skin, which is obviously horrific, and
he didn't play again.
"Clearly it's a huge setback but I think Aaron will be back. Modern science
will aid that recovery. He's a very, very special talent."
Stoke midfielder Glen Whelan had a first-hand view of the incident, helping
comfort the Arsenal youngster as he lay in agony. "I was just trying to do
what I could to take the lad's mind off it," said Whelan. "The lad held onto
me with the pain he was going through, and I was telling him not to think
about it. He was in a state of shock. "The medical team came on as quickly
as possible, and then you just let them take over. "First and foremost,
everyone hopes the young lad gets back as soon as possible, and at the
standard he plays at, because he looks a terrific player. "I was the next
one in from the tackle, and saw what had gone on. I was just trying to take
the lad's mind off it. "For Shawcross, he was disappointed what has happened
to the boy. "I have not seen the tackle again but when I first saw it, I do
not think it was a dirty tackle - maybe a bit late but no more. "I do not
think anyone goes into a tackle looking to break a leg or injure a player,
but there is fine line between being hard and being dirty. "The two players
could go in for that tackle 100 times again and nothing would happen.
Hopefully this was just a one-off."
Ramsey joined Arsenal in June, 2008, as a highly rated 17-year-old for £5m
from Cardiff City. He has made 29 appearances in all competitions this
season, scoring four times.

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Group considers United bid
Financiers in secret meeting to discuss potential takeover offer
Last updated: 1st March 2010

Sky News sources understand leading city financiers have met to discuss a
potential takeover bid for Premier League champions Manchester United.
Representatives from law firm Freshfields and investment bank Goldman Sachs,
among others, are understood to have been involved in the secret meeting.
Informally known as 'the Red Knights', the group held talks regarding a
potential offer to buy out the Glazer family, who are unpopular with United
fans. The mammoth debts at Old Trafford have recently sparked a green and
gold protest from supporters as the fans call on the Glazers to leave the
club. A £500million bonds issue has been used to help refinance the debts,
and Sky sources understand the Glazers are not looking to sell. However,
Keith Harris, who has been involved with the group considering a potential
takeover, recently called on supporters to start boycotting matches in an
attempt to force the Glazers' hand. Harris said last week: "Turning up to
games 10 minutes late and things like that just doesn't do the job.
"The green and gold protest is fabulous, a symbolic and significant message
to the owners. It is like the white handkerchiefs in Spain. But that won't
force the Glazers to sell to us. "However, if enough people - and I am
talking about thousands - stop turning up to matches and do not renew their
tickets, then that does it. The supporters have to hurt the Glazers in their
pockets. "They have to be prepared to take the pain of not watching their
club in order to achieve a long-term gain. Supporters have to be galvanised
to say, 'We will not come. We will not buy programmes and merchandise'.
"It's a big ask, it's a risk, but that is what must happen. The Glazers are
thick-skinned and seem impervious to protest. They will not be impervious to
enormous drops in their revenue. "I would not talk about this if I didn't
have full confidence in our ability to raise the money to do this. I never
talk publicly unless I have confidence. Getting the money together is the
easy bit. "But we can't make an offer until the Glazers are placed in a
position where they are forced to consider it."

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