WHUFC.com
Kevin Nolan has told West Ham TV of his plan to lead West Ham United back to
the Premier League
16.06.2011
Kevin Nolan sat down with West Ham TV for an exclusive interview following
his arrival at the Boleyn Ground. The 28-year-old midfielder, who has joined
the Hammers from Newcastle United, discussed his plans to help the club to
gain promotion to the Premier League and his respect for manager Sam
Allardyce. News of Nolan's arrival was announced first on the club's
official twitter feed, while the following interview was available first on
West Ham TV.
Welcome to West Ham United, Kevin. Can you please give us your initial
reaction to joining the Hammers?
"It's been a bit of a whirlwind, but obviously once I knew that they wanted
me, they have shown a certain hunger and desire to make sure I become a West
Ham player. "Having the chance to link up with Sam again is a massive thing
and obviously coming to such a massive club is great for me. I'm very sad to
leave Newcastle but I'm coming to another massive club in my eyes and
hopefully I can start off and be as successful as I was there."
You are a highly-rated player and would have attracted attention from many
clubs. Why did you choose to join West Ham?
"I came to West Ham because of the tradition of the club and everything
about it. I've always enjoyed playing here and there was also the chance of
linking up with Sam and working with him again. "The be all and end all was
that the club actually wanted me and the owners put faith in me and have
given me a security of contract. Now it's my time to repay them and
hopefully I will do that."
Did you have any qualms about dropping into the npower Championship?
"I did have a think about that, but I certainly have come here with the
ambition of making sure the club gets back to where it belongs. "If I didn't
think that we would be fighting in the Premier League next season, I
wouldn't have joined. "I'm looking forward to the challenge. It's going to
be tough. I'm not saying the Championship is going to be easy to get out of
- I've been there a couple of years ago and it wasn't. "It's going to be a
grind but with the quality we've got in the squad, the manager we've got and
the owners backing him massively, I think we have all the right resources to
get back up and get West Ham to where they belong."
Can you talk about Sam Allardyce's qualities as a manager and also dispel
the myth of him being a 'long-ball merchant'?
"I think it's very unfair that we got labelled with that tag when we were at
Bolton. When I knew Sam wanted to work with me again, it was a very pleasing
thing.
"He gave me my debut and made me captain of the club. We got into Europe and
got into the League Cup final and we did really good things together at
Bolton and it wasn't down to long ball! "You don't get away with it in the
Premier League by just playing long ball. We had some fantastic players and
I'm sure, with the blend of players he'll bring in and what we've got here,
the fans will be pleasantly surprised when we do start off and get going and
hopefully we'll get us back where we belong."
You have been promoted from the Championship with both Bolton Wanderers and
Newcastle United. Two seasons ago, you scored 17 goals and were voted into
the PFA Championship Team of the Year as Newcastle won the title. What does
it take to get promoted from this division?
"As I said before, it's going to be a grind. We're going down with a massive
reputation and wherever we go it's going to be tough. We need to make sure
that we're ready for the fight because people will scrap and will work extra
hard when West Ham come to town. "We've got the players who can handle and
deal with that pressure and it's up to us. It's going to be tough, I'm not
saying it isn't, but I'm very confident that come the end of next season
we'll be talking about Premier League stuff again."
You have upset West Ham United supporters on many occasions with your
performances and goals, so it would be good to build a rapport with those
same fans?
"I think that's always been key. People look at me and I'm one of those
players who is a committed lad and wants to do the best I can for the club.
"I loved my time at Bolton and really loved my time at Newcastle but this is
a new chapter in my life now and it's about building a rapport with the
fans, with London and getting used to that side of life. "I'm really looking
forward to it and will throw everything at it to be a success here and to
repay the faith shown in me by David Sullivan, David Gold, the West Ham fans
and Sam Allardyce."
Finally, you captained both Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle United. Is that
something you would like to do again at West Ham United, given the
opportunity?
"Definitely. I'd never shy away from wearing the captain's armband, but I've
come here to try to be the best that I can be and if that comes along and
happens, then that would be fantastic and I'd really embrace it because I
love doing it. "At this moment in time, I am just hoping to be in the
starting XI come the start of the season."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Dylan's Brazil goal
WHUFC.com
Dylan Tombides is keen to score against the mighty Brazil at the upcoming
FIFA U17 World Cup finals
17.06.2011
Dylan Tombides is relishing the opportunity of testing himself against the
mighty Brazil at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup finals. West Ham United's
promising striker is expected to lead the line for his native Australia at
the competition, which begins in Mexico on Saturday 18 June. Tombides has
warmed-up for the tournament in fine style this week, scoring the winner in
a 2-1 friendly win over Canada before netting twice in a victory over
Uruguay by the same scoreline. The Australians have been drawn in Group F
alongside Ivory Coast, Denmark and three-times champions Brazil. Tombides,
who turned 17 in March, admitted that he and his fellow Joeys face a tough
task to reach the round of 16. "It's been a long hard season, but I'm
looking forward to it very much," he told West Ham TV. "We've got a very
tough group with Brazil, Denmark and Ivory Coast, so it's going to be a real
challenge to make it through the group stages. I'm very much looking forward
to the challenge, though."
While the matches against CAF U17 Championship semi-finalists Ivory Coast on
20 June and UEFA European U17 Championship semi-finalists Denmark on 26 June
will be difficult assignments for Tombides and his team-mates, it is the
second group-stage fixture against Brazil on 23 June that the forward is
particularly looking forward to. Put simply, Tombides cannot wait to test
himself against the 1997, 1999 and 2003 winners and reigning South American
champions at the 49,850-capacity Estadio Omnilife in Guadalajara. "Brazil
are going to be great to play against and I'm just hoping they play like the
senior side, popping the ball about. They've got a lot of players with
individual flair so I'm sure they'll be a great team to watch and it'll be a
great match to be a part of. "I'd love to score a couple of goals against
them but it may be that their Under-17s can defend but they can't attack!
Speaking seriously, we'll just have to see how it goes."
Having been placed in such a strong group, the Asian championship
semi-finalists know their chances of being crowned World Cup winners for the
first time are minimal, but Tombides is not giving up on that particular
dream, no matter how long the odds. "I don't like to say 'No', but it'll be
a challenge for us to win the trophy, certainly."
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Sow unfair for crock Gardner
Published: Today
The Sun
RICARDO GARDNER'S move from Bolton to West Ham has collapsed after the
defender failed a medical. He missed most of last season with a knee injury,
and has had cruciate problems. The Hammers were ready with a two-year deal
after his contract expired at Bolton.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Bolton's Gardner turns down Allardyce reunion
Published 23:00 16/06/11 By Alan Nixon
The Mirror
Ricardo Gardner has rejected a chance to rejoin Sam Allardyce at West Ham –
and is ready to sign a new deal with Bolton. The versatile Jamaican was out
of contract at The Reebok and boss Owen Coyle offered him new terms that
were a big drop from his last contract. Gardner met Allardyce for talks, but
headed back to Bolton yesterday and is now keen to stay on and take his
chances in trying to break back into Coyle's team. A very popular figure
with Wanderers fans, Gardner has been fighting injuries for the past year
and was loaned out to Preston in March. But the possibility of staying in
the Premier League has swayed him towards a new, less lucrative deal with
Bolton rather than dropping to the Championship with the Hammers.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Jonathan Spector released by West Ham United
Aolsportingnews.com
Brian Straus
Sporting News
U.S. national team defender Jonathan Spector has been released by West Ham
United, which will play second-division soccer in 2011-12 following its
relegation from the English Premier League. Spector was one of eight players
cut loose by the London club on Thursday. His contract expired at the
conclusion of the season and it was reported in late May that West Ham
offered him a new deal. It now appears Spector rejected that offer and has
opted for free agency. He made $1.7 million per season, according to ESPN
and sportingintelligence. Spector, 25, joined the Hammers in 2006 and had
the finest season of his pro career in 2010-11, scoring four goals and
proving himself at both outside back and defensive midfield. The Chicagoland
native is part of the U.S. side currently competing in the CONCACAF Gold
Cup, but he has yet to see any action.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
West Ham - a study in mismanagement
Thursday 16 June 2011 by Paul Donovan
Morningstaronline.com
Football comment: The relegation of West Ham United raises serious questions
for the future of the club, not least its move to the Olympic stadium in a
couple of seasons' time. The first thing to say is that the club should
never have been relegated. The squad of players available to manager Avram
Grant was far stronger than that with which previous manager Gianfranco Zola
avoided the drop a season earlier. Yet to blame Grant for the club's demise
would be simplistic. Yes, he had his faults - some of his selections defied
belief at times, dropping strikers when they had just scored a couple of
goals and constantly shuffling the pack regardless of the results. But the
Israeli was not helped by the behaviour of the owners of the club and the
board of directors. It seemed like almost from day one that certain elements
in the club were set on undermining him. This all came to a head in January
when it seemed Grant was to be replaced by Martin O'Neill. Then came the
excruciating climb-down as it became apparent that O'Neill was not coming.
Grant was backed and strengthened his squad in the January transfer window.
Results improved, but when inspirational midfielder Scott Parker was injured
during the home game against Manchester United on April 2, catastrophe
followed. West Ham did not win another game.
Now the club face life in the Championship, with Sam Allardyce recruited as
the new manager to try to get them back up at the first attempt. The club
are a study in mismanagement over the past five years. A near FA Cup winning
side that finished eighth in the table in the 2005-6 season were reduced to
fighting relegation the following season, ironically as a result of the
introduction of two of the best players in the world in the shape of Carlos
Tevez and Javier Mascherano. An excellent manager in Alan Pardew was
dismissed in the process and the club were fined millions of pounds for the
Tevez affair. Alan Curbishley came in and steadied the ship. West Ham stayed
up in 2006-7 and finished a respectable 10th the year after. Then the
whispering started and Curbishley was replaced by Zola. Had Curbishley
remained I would hazard a guess West Ham would have achieved the status of
Charlton a few years ago under his stewardship - top 10 Premier League
safety for the past four seasons.
Adding confusion to the picture has been the Olympic stadium move, which can
be viewed as the club's only genuine success story this season. Yet how well
thought out has this venture been? To realistically occupy the Olympic
stadium needs a team on the pitch that is challenging for the top four of
the Premier League on a regular basis. Building such a team takes millions -
have West Ham's present owners got that sort of money to invest? The
position now has hit rock bottom. There will be an exodus of players, which
will cut the wage bill by at least £25m.
If the club get what players like Parker, Rob Green and Carlton Cole are
worth then they should net at least another £30m. This would cover the much
talked of loss of £40m for dropping out of the Premier League. The new
manager should then try to keep the younger players and bring in some old
heads. Allardyce should be able to do this given that he is left to get on
with the job by the owners. Whether though in the fullness of time
Allardyce's preference for the physical, sometimes long ball game, will go
down well with the purist fans at West Ham remains to be seen. The next
stage will be to build a side that can compete for the top six of the
Premier League, filling that 60,000-capacity Olympic stadium. It's a massive
mountain to climb, but West Ham supporters would just be pleased at present
to see their beloved club heading up in the right direction rather than
further down into the depths.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment