30/05/2007 09:00
Christian Dailly has revealed that he had to rush from a beach holiday in
the Algarve to answer the call from his country this week. The Hammers
defender was on holiday with his family when Scotland coach Alex McLeish
handed him a late call-up for their friendly against Austria tonight and a
vital Euro 2008 qualifier against the Faroe Islands next week - after he had
originally been left out of the squad. "I was in the Algarve for half-term
when I got the call and flew from Faro to Stansted to make it here," reveals
Christian. "By now, everyone will know what it means to me to play for my
country. All my stuff was in a locker at West Ham so I had to ask our
liaison officer, Richard Simpson, to get some boots for me which he bought
in a sports shop in town and I'll have to cope. "I was gutted to say the
least when I was left out. I now have a game to look forward to and that's
all I wanted. I've played in the reserves every week and played in the
testimonial against Northampton. "I was chilling out on a beach but my mind
is right and I'm ready to play. I was annoyed to be left out but I made a
vow to myself that I would get back in and I have."
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Noble named in Under-21 squad for finals - WHUFC
30/05/2007 12:28
Mark Noble has been named in the England squad for the UEFA European
Under-21 Championships in Holland this summer. The 20-year-old Hammers
midfielder was initially included in a 30-man party by coach Stuart Pearce,
who has now cut that figure to 23 for the Championships, which kick off on
June 10. Noble is one of two new faces in the squad, along with Everton's
James Vaughan, and he is also joined by his two Upton Park colleagues, Anton
Ferdinand and Nigel Reo-Coker. The youngster will be hoping to make his
debut in a friendly match against Slovakia, at Norwich City's Carrow Road
ground next Tuesday, before England face their opening fixture of the
championships against the Czech Republic in Arnhem on Monday 11 June.
England Under-21 squad:
Goalkeepers
Ben Alnwick (Tottenham Hotspur)
Scott Carson (Liverpool)
Joe Hart (Manchester City)
Defenders
Leighton Baines (Wigan Athletic)
Gary Cahill (Aston Villa)
Anton Ferdinand (West Ham United)
Justin Hoyte (Arsenal)
Nedum Onuoha (Manchester City)
Liam Rosenior (Fulham)
Steven Taylor (Newcastle United)
Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City)
Midfielders
David Bentley (Blackburn Rovers)
Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham Hotspur)
James Milner (Newcastle United)
Mark Noble (West Ham United)
Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham United)
Kieran Richardson (Manchester United)
Wayne Routledge (Tottenham Hotspur)
Forwards
Matt Derbyshire (Blackburn Rovers)
Leroy Lita (Reading)
David Nugent (Preston North End)
James Vaughan (Everton)
Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
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Transfer news: a busy week ahead? - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
West Ham United could be set to make their first major signings of the
summer within the next few days. Alan Curbishley - supported by the biggest
transfer war chest ever handed to a United manager - is ready to begin
spending the millions given him by Chairman Eggert Magnusson, who has been
in negotiations with a number of targets during the past fortnight. The main
target appears to be Newcastle captain Scott Parker, who is ready to return
to London after just a year in the North East where he has failed to settle.
Parker - who previously worked under Curbishley at Charlton - is expected to
replace Nigel Reo-Coker, who could be heading to St James Park in a swap
deal although a number of other Premiership clubs - including Tottenham and
Everton - are keeping tabs on the wantaway United midfielder.
Another target - Manchester City's Joey Barton - is thought to want a move
to London, giving the Hammers the lead over other potential suitors such as
Newcastle. The Hammers are thought to be looking at both Parker and Barton,
rather than one or the other. Both are likely to cost around £8m.
Meanwhile Charlton's Darren Bent is currently mulling over offers from both
West Ham United and Tottenham. Although Spurs can offer European football,
Bent is thought to favour a move to Upton Park on the basis that he will
play more first team football.
The Hammers are said to have offered a cash plus player deal, with either
Marlon Harewood or Hayden Mullins likely to move to the Valley in return for
Bent and around £8.5m. Other players also thought to be in the frame are
Reading left-back Nickey Shorey, Middlesbrough's Mark Viduka and Monaco's
Yaya Toure - younger brother of Arsenal's Kolo Toure. Rumours linking the
Hammers with moves for Chelsea's Claude Makelele and Charlton's Luke Young
are thought to be wide of the mark.
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Hammers trio get the nod - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
England under-21 manager Stuart Pearce has named three Hammers in his 23-man
European Championship squad. The European under-21 tournament takes place in
Holland next month, and West Ham will be represented by three players -
Nigel Reo-Coker, Anton Ferdinand and Mark Noble. The final squad of 23 was
reduced from the preliminary 30-man squad named earlier this month. Noble,
who earned his first inclusion at under-21 level in that selection has done
particularly well to retain his place in favour of some more experienced
players. Under-21 captain Nigel Reo-Coker - who was 23 earlier this month -
qualifies to play as he was only 21 when qualification for the tournament
began - as was 22-year-old Anton Ferdinand.
England U21 squad
Alnwick (Tottenham), Carson (Liverpool), Hart (Man City); Baines (Wigan),
Cahill (Aston Villa), Ferdinand (West Ham Utd), Hoyte (Arsenal), Onuoha (Man
City), Rosenior (Fulham), Taylor (Newcastle), Whittingham (Cardiff); Bentley
(Blackburn), Huddlestone (Tottenham), Milner (Newcastle), Noble (West Ham
Utd), Reo-Coker (West Ham Utd), Richardson (Man Utd), Routledge (Tottenham);
Derbyshire (Blackburn), Lita (Reading), Nugent (Preston), Vaughan (Everton),
Young (Aston Villa).
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Hammers in Parker bid - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 30th May 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
West Ham United have made an £8.5m bid for Newcastle captain Scott Parker,
according to SkySports. Parker joined Newcastle in a £6.5m switch from
Chelsea although failed to settle in the North East. Despite being made club
captain he never endeared himself to the impatient Newcatle crowd, and has
been looking to return South for some time. There has been no confirmation
from either club as of yet. More on this as it happens.
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Hammers move for Parker - Sky
By Peter ORourke - Created on 30 May 2007
Sky Sports News understands West Ham have tabled an £8.5million bid for
Newcastle captain Scott Parker. Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce is believed to
be willing to let Parker move on as he looks to raise money for his own
transfer plans. West Ham chief Alan Curbishley is keen to sign Parker as he
is a big fan of the England international from their time together at
Charlton. Parker, who is currently recovering from a hernia operation,
endured a difficult season at Newcastle last term after coming in for some
criticism from his own fans. Curbishley is in the market for a new
midfielder with Nigel Reo-Coker expected to move on after handing in a
transfer request. Newcastle are believed to be lining up a move for
Manchester City star Joey Barton as a possible replacement for Parker should
he leave St James' Park.
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Hammers table bid for Magpies' skipper Parker - Soccernet
West Ham are understood to have made a bid for Newcastle captain and England
international Scott Parker. But the Hammers' offer is thought to be
considerably less than the £8.5million which has been reported. West Ham
manager Alan Curbishley is in the market for a central midfielder with
captain Nigel Reo-Coker set to leave Upton Park this summer after handing in
a transfer request. Parker, 26, is thought to be keen on a move back to
London and a switch to West Ham would see him link up again with Curbishley,
his old boss at Charlton. Parker spent seven years with Curbishley at The
Valley and made his England debut against Denmark in 2003 before completing
a £10million move to Chelsea. With first team opportunities limited at
Stamford Bridge, Parker moved to St James' Park in 2005 and was made
Newcastle captain last summer. New manager Sam Allardyce has been linked
with out-of-favour Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton as a potential
replacement for Parker.
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Viduka in, Scott out - The Sun
By SHAUN CUSTIS
May 31, 2007
MARK VIDUKA has agreed to join Newcastle — but Scott Parker is set to leave
in an £8.5million move to West Ham. Aussie hitman Vid will be Sam
Allardyce's first high-profile signing since he took the Toon job at the end
of the season. Viduka, 31, was out of contract at Middlesbrough and rejected
a new £40,000-a-week two-year deal to stay. It is a huge blow to Boro boss
Gareth Southgate as Viduka has proved a consistent goalscorer at the
Riverside, as he was for his previous clubs Celtic and Leeds. Viduka, who
managed to bag 14 Premiership goals this term in an injury-hit season on
Teesside, had also attracted strong interest from Portsmouth. West Ham have
tabled an £8.5m bid for Toon skipper Parker — who cost £6.5m from Chelsea
two years ago. The England midfielder, 26, used to play for Hammers boss
Alan Curbishley at Charlton and fancies a return to London.
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West Ham to launch Parker raid - Times Online and Agencies
West Ham United are reported to have tabled an £8.5million bid for Newcastle
captain Scott Parker. Alan Curbishley, the West Ham manager, is keen to sign
Parker as he is a big fan of the England international from their time
together at Charlton. And it is believed that Sam Allardyce, the Newcastle
boss, would be willing to let Parker move on as he looks to raise money for
his own transfer plans. Parker, who is currently recovering from a hernia
operation, endured a difficult season at Newcastle last term after coming in
for some criticism from his own fans.
Curbishley is in the market for a new midfielder with Nigel Reo-Coker
expected to move on after handing in a transfer request. Newcastle are
believed to be lining up a move for Manchester City star Joey Barton as a
possible replacement for Parker should he leave St James' Park.
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The Screamer: West Ham in battle to sign £8m Parker - Daily Mail
CONTRIBUTORS: MARTIN HARDY and IAN LADYMAN
Last updated at 22:36pm on 30th May 2007
Scott Parker is on his way back to London after West Ham tabled a bid of
£8million for the Newcastle midfielder, although Alan Curbishley faces
competition from Tottenham. Parker who played under Curbishley at Charlton,
can leave St James' Park after a frustrating two-year spell on Tyneside, but
his future is far from clear. Although West Ham are in pole position to
sign the £40,000-a-week midfielder, Tottenham's interest has also been
revived after they abandoned plans to sign Hammers skipper Nigel Reo-Coker.
Defender Lucas Neill could move in the opposite direction to Parker.
However, Newcastle face competition from Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester
United for the versatile Australia full-back, who joined West Ham in
January.
New Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce wants to push the Parker deal through
quickly to start an overhaul of his squad. He is ready to step up his
interest in troubled Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton to replace
Parker, and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has dismissed reports he has
fallen out of love with the club after a season of wrangling with manager
Jose Mourinho.
Abramovich said: "My relationship with Chelsea has not changed and I
wouldn't want to change anything." Mourinho may be asking the Russian for
funds to try to land West Ham's Carlos Tevez and Valencia's David Villa, who
together would cost around £60m. Hernan Crespo will remain with Inter Milan
for another year on loan, while AC Milan are interested in Andriy
Shevchenko.
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West Ham at the head of queue to sign Parker - Times Online
Gary Jacob and Oliver Kay
A frenzied start to football's transfer window promises to leave managers,
chairmen, agents and supporters in a daze. Tottenham Hotspur captured Gareth
Bale for a fee that could rise to £10 million from Southampton on Friday,
but that deal has been overshadowed by Manchester United's entry into the
market.
United have signalled their intention to retain the Barclays Premiership
trophy by agreeing deals to sign Nani, the Sporting Lisbon winger, and
Anderson, the FC Porto playmaker, and The Times's comprehensive guide to the
summer sales keeps you up to date with the latest moves and transfer
targets.
José Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, will be given up to £50 million to wrest
the title from United and win the Champions League. But new owners of other
clubs are likely to flex their muscles with Aston Villa, West Ham United and
Manchester City planning to speculate to accumulate.
West Ham offered about £8 million for Scott Parker, the Newcastle United
midfield player, last night. Parker moved to Newcastle for £6.5 million from
Chelsea two years ago. Tottenham have expressed an interest in the player
but his high wages are a problem.
West Ham have told Anton Ferdinand and Bobby Zamora that they will not be
allowed to leave. Ferdinand, the defender, has not always seen eye-to-eye
with Alan Curbishley and is wanted by Tottenham and Newcastle. But
Ferdinand's blossoming partnership with James Collins persuaded his manager
that he has a future at Upton Park.
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Cahill Next On Hammers Shopping List - West Ham Fans.org
Submitted by Neville Nixon on 30 May, 2007 - 19:53.
Having virtually secured the signing of Scott Parker from Newcastle in a
deal that will eventually be worth £9 Million, West Ham have moved quickly
to try to secure the services of Everton's Tim Cahill, another Australian
International to join Lucas Neill at the Boleyn. Reports that Mark 'the
duke' Viduka is another Hammers target are however way off the mark if you
will excuse the pun. Signing an ageing striker does not fit into the current
ethos of signing players who are at their prime or approaching it, Viduka
has definitely seen better days and would represent a backward step.
Continuing with the OZ connection, our correspondent over there has been
staying in the same hotel as the Socceroos and thinks that Lucas Neill has
been chatting to Harry Kewell about how exciting things are going to be next
season. Now Hammers fans are fiercely loyal to the club and could fear
either a team full of Aussies and Taffs or a team full of ex-Charlton might
detract from the club's shared identity, but then what 'shared identity' did
the players who started the season have other than queueing up at Jack
Barclays to buy their Bentleys?
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Newcastle to sacrifice Parker for Man City's Barton
tribalfooball.com - May 30, 2007
Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has reportedly set his sights on Joey Barton in
a move that could see Scott Parker on the move to West Ham. According to
reports, Allardyce is willing to take a gamble on Manchester City bad boy
Barton, who has been told he can leave Eastlands for the right price. But
any move for Barton is expected to come at the expense of the Magpies club
captain Parker, who has been a transfer target for Hammers boss Alan
Curbishley since January. At the time any possible move fell through due to
West Ham's relegation fight, but it now seems a reunion with Parker's former
Charlton manager could be on the cards. If Curbishley was to swoop for his
former Charlton captain, Allardyce would be reportedly prepared to let him
go for £8million. The Magpies manager is then tipped to use those funds to
launch a bid for Barton, who comes with a £5.5million price tag.
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West Ham make offer for Newcastle's Parker
tribalfooball.com - May 30, 2007
West Ham United have reportedly made an undisclosed offer for Newcastle
captain Scott Parker. But the Hammers' offer is thought to be considerably
less than the £8.5million which has been reported. West Ham manager Alan
Curbishley is in the market for a central midfielder with captain Nigel
Reo-Coker set to leave Upton Park this summer after handing in a transfer
request.
Parker, 26, is thought to be keen on a move back to London and a switch to
West Ham would see him link up again with Curbishley, his old boss at
Charlton. Parker spent seven years with Curbishley at The Valley and made
his England debut against Denmark in 2003 before completing a £10million
move to Chelsea.
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West Ham tell Ferdinand, Zamora they're staying
tribalfooball.com - May 30, 2007
Anton Ferdinand is staying with West Ham United. The Times says West Ham
have told Ferdinand and Bobby Zamora that they will not be allowed to leave.
Ferdinand, the defender, has not always seen eye-to-eye with Alan Curbishley
and is wanted by Tottenham and Newcastle. But Ferdinand's blossoming
partnership with James Collins persuaded his manager that he has a future at
Upton Park.
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Newcastle want West Ham's Neill in Parker bid
tribalfooball.com - May 30, 2007
West Ham United may seek to cash in on defender Lucas Neill. The Daily Mail
says the Australian could be included in the Hammers' offer to Newcastle for
midfielder Scott Parker. Newcastle face competition from Barcelona, Chelsea
and Manchester United for the versatile Australia full-back, who joined West
Ham in January.
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Reading eager to ward off West Ham, Spurs bids for Shorey
tribalfooball.com - May 30, 2007
Reading are ready to offer new England fullback Nicky Shorey a bumper
contract upgrade. The Reading Chronicle says the Royals are desperate to
keep hold of their 25-year-old left-back who has been linked with Tottenham
Hotspur and West Ham United. The club are now prepared to offer him a bumper
new deal even though he has two more years to run on his present one.
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West Ham agree £8M fee with Newcastle for Parker
tribalfooball.com - May 30, 2007
West Ham United have clinched an agreement with Newcastle United over an £8
million fee for Scott Parker. The Daily Mail says Parker who played under
Curbishley at Charlton, can leave St James' Park after a frustrating
two-year spell on Tyneside, but his future is far from clear. Although West
Ham are in pole position to sign the £40,000-a-week midfielder, Tottenham's
interest has also been revived after they abandoned plans to sign Hammers
skipper Nigel Reo-Coker.
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Reo-Coker is ready to roll - Newham Recorder
30 May 2007
NIGEL REO-COKER is resisting the overtures of Tottenham and playing a
waiting game in the hope of a move to Manchester United or Arsenal this
summer, writes NEIL TRAINIS. The West Ham midfielder and club captain handed
in a transfer request at the weekend having felt he was not going to be a
part of Alan Curbishley's long-term plans at Upton Park. It is rumoured that
Spurs have earmarked the 23-year-old as a potential transfer target but
according to the player's adviser Tony Finnigan, his client, who spent last
season embroiled in a relegation tussle, is keen on playing for a club in
the Champions League. "I can confirm that Nigel has handed in a transfer
request. I am surprised as captain he is being allowed to leave," Finnigan
said. "He is going and there is a lot of interest."
A figure around the £9m mark has been mentioned in some quarters as being
enough to tempt the east London club to part with Reo-Coker, who last year
was within seconds of becoming the first Hammers captain to lift the FA Cup
since Billy Bonds in 1980. Reo-Coker, however, was thought to have been
frustrated with the decision of West Ham officials and previous manager Alan
Pardew to deny him a move to Arsenal or Old Trafford on transfer deadline
day last year and there have been rumours of the player's unrest ever since.
In the subsequent months, Reo-Coker was targeted by a section of the Upton
Park faithful, who held him responsible for the club's slump down the
Premiership table which culminated in Pardew's sacking. A string of
below-par displays were perceived by some to be lethargy on the part of
Reo-Coker and he was on the end of vitriolic criticism from former Hammer
Julian Dicks who, following the 6-0 New Year's Day Premiership defeat at
Reading, insisted he had "spat his dummy out" in the wake of the Hammers'
decision not to grant him a transfer.
Finnigan, nonetheless, suggested that Reo-Coker felt the time had come for a
new challenge after just over three years at West Ham following his arrival
from Wimbledon, and as Curbishley is understood to be planning the future
minus a player held in high esteem by numerous top flight managers, it is
likely Reo-Coker will begin next season somewhere else. "At the end of the
day he never felt wanted but I am sure he will have a bright future
elsewhere," Finnigan said of Reo-Coker, who also received hate mail from
supporters. Manchester United's interest in him may have receded in light
of their probable signing of Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich but there
will be no lack of interest in Reo-Coker, with a bidding war expected in the
summer. Alan Curbishley was given a boost with the news that Israeli
midfielder Yossi Benayoun has signed a new five-year contract, tying him to
the Hammers until 2012, and chairman Eggert Magnusson hinted that more
signings are imminent. "We are very ambitious and Yossi is a big part of our
plans. I'm very pleased to have agreed terms to keep him at the club for
five more years," he said. "We are looking forward to bringing in exciting
new signings but we must also make sure we keep hold of the hugely talented
players we already have."
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Noble to make his Mark on international stage - Newham Recorder
30 May 2007
YOUNG Hammers star Mark Noble has been rewarded for his excellent form by
winning an England call-up. The 20-year-old midfielder will join team-mates
Anton Ferdinand and Nigel Reo-Coker in the squad for the UEFA under-21
Championships in Holland next month. Noble hopes to make his England debut
in a friendly against Slovakia at Norwich next Tuesday. Meanwhile, Hammers
boss Alan Curbishley has been given a boost with the news that Israeli
midfielder Yossi Benayoun has signed a new five-year contract, tying him to
the Hammers until 2012, and chairman Eggert Magnusson hinted that more
signings are imminent. "We are very ambitious and Yossi is a big part of our
plans. I'm very pleased to have agreed terms to keep him at the club for
five more years," he said. "We are looking forward to bringing in exciting
new signings but we must also make sure we keep hold of the hugely talented
players we already have."
* Veteran defender Christian Dailly was called up by Scotland for last
night's friendly against Austria and the Euro 2008 qualifier with the Faroe
Islands next Wednesday.
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Parker Bound For West Ham - newcastlemad.co.uk
By Nu Mad Wednesday 30th May 2007
Despite the defence being Sam Allardyce's priority, he could be set for a
reshuffle in Newcastle's midfield, with Scott Parker looking likely to be
joining West Ham. The ex-Chelsea midfielder has hardly settled on Tyneside,
and he knows full well the Toon Army have not taken him to their hearts. And
with Allardyce setting his sights on Manchester City's Joey Barton, Parker
is the obvious one to make way. Parker has been a transfer target for Alan
Curbishley and West Ham since January. At the time any possible move fell
through due to West Ham's relegation fight, but it now seems a reunion with
Parker's former Charlton manager could be on the cards. If Curbishley was
to swoop for his former Charlton captain Allardyce would be prepared to let
him go for £8million, or include Anton Ferdinand in a deal. West Ham offered
Nigel Reo-Coker in a swap deal, and the England Under-21 international is
certainly on his way having expressed his desire to leave the club. But
Reo-Coker is not the sort of player to impress Allardyce, because he goes
missing too often when the going gets tough.
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Noble reward for Hammers rookie - Teamtalk
On day two of the TEAMtalk Soccers, Mark Holmes steps to the podium to read
out the nominations and present the award for Rookie of the Year. The likes
of Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba and Dimitar Berbatov have been lavished
with praise for their performances in the Premiership but TEAMtalk has kept
on eye on those youngsters that have crept under the radar over the past
nine months.
Arsenal's conveyerbelt of talent continues to churn out top players, but the
likes of Abou Diaby and Denilson miss out on the contenders list, while Jon
Obi Mikel, Lee Cattermole, Micah Richards and Manuel Fernandes also fall
just short.
The first of the five contenders is Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor. The
Villans unearthed another promising youngster in the shape of Craig Gardner
and snared Watford's Ashley Young, another player who can count himself
unfortunate not to be considered for the award. But it is Agbonlahor who
has really impressed. The forward was farmed out on loan last season but has
been a virtual ever-present under Martin O'Neill this season and was one of
the main reasons behind Villa's superb start to the campaign. Things have
gone downhill for O'Neill's men since then but Agbonlahor has continued to
impress, scoring 10 goals on his way to honours for England Under-21s.
Another forward to impress this season is Matt Derbyshire and the Blackburn
man is the second contender for this award. The 21-year-old turned down a
move to Manchester United to join Rovers from non-league Great Harwood Town
in 2003 and his decision has paid dividends. He scored his first Blackburn
goal on New Year's Day and never looked back from there, notching four goals
in his next five games including a brace in the FA Cup against Luton.
Derbyshire was even on target against eventual champions United and joined
Agbonlahor in gaining a call for England Under-21s.
The third contender is Red Devils goalkeeper Ben Foster. The former Stoke
stopper was not deemed ready for the number one jersey by Sir Alex Ferguson,
but he is likely to be wearing it next term after a hugely impressive start
to Premiership life with Watford. The 24-year-old had already won plenty of
fans after his first season on loan at Vicarage Road, but his second has
seen him emerge as a real contender to Paul Robinson's England place. Tipped
to become the best 'keeper in the world by Aidy Boothroyd, Foster could well
turn out to be one of Ferguson's most inspired signings ever.
The runner-up for this prestigious award is Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy.
Much was made of Ashley Cole's controversial switch to Chelsea but it is
testament to Clichy that the England star has not been missed at the
Emirates Stadium. Some may argue the 21-year-old can not be classed as a
'rookie' after a clutch of Premiership appearances over the previous two
seasons but his transgression from Cole's understudy to the Gunners'
first-choice left-back sees him on the list. His blistering pace and ability
to overlap has seen him become one of the most feared full-backs in the
division and he will surely go on to become a France regular over the coming
years, saving Arsene Wenger a fortune in the process.
Now, the contenders are out of the way so it's time to honour the young man
who has impressed above anyone else, West Ham's Mark Noble.
Carlos Tevez was largely credited with saving the Hammers from certain
relegation, but the Upton Park faithful will tell you Noble has been just as
instrumental. The midfielder spent the first half of the season on loan at
Ipswich and it is no coincidence West Ham's incredible season-saving form
began when he was introduced to the team in March. That game ended in a
thrilling 4-3 defeat to Tottenham but Noble, who opened the scoring, did
enough to convince Alan Curbishley he was worth a regular starting spot and
the 20-year-old played in every one of the remaining nine games. The Hammers
won seven of those fixtures to ensure their Premiership status for another
year, with Noble combining with Tevez to see off the likes of Arsenal,
Everton and Manchester United. Noble's personal high point came in the
penultimate game of the season when his spectacular volley helped sink
Bolton 3-1 and lift his side out of the relegation places for the first time
in five months. The Hammers completed the job at Old Trafford which
thankfully gives us the chance to see more of one of England's top prospects
next season.
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Big Sam to trigger midfield shuffle - TeamTalk
Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce has reportedly set his sights on Joey Barton
in a move that could see Scott Parker on the move to West Ham. From the
comfort of his holiday home in France, Allardyce has reportedly set about
orchestrating a mass shake up involving some of the Premiership's top
midfielders. According to reports, Allardyce is willing to take a gamble on
Manchester City bad boy Barton, who has been told he can leave Eastlands for
the right price. But any move for Barton is expected to come at the expense
of the Magpies club captain Parker, who has been a transfer target for
Hammers boss Alan Curbishley since January. At the time any possible move
fell through due to West Ham's relegation fight, but it now seems a reunion
with Parker's former Charlton manager could be on the cards. If Curbishley
was to swoop for his former Charlton captain, Allardyce would be reportedly
prepared to let him go for £8million.
The Magpies manager is then tipped to use those funds to launch a bid for
Barton, who comes with a £5.5million price tag. Despite his off-field
problems, Big Sam is ready to take a risk on Barton and clearly feels he can
get the best out of the midfielder, who is also wanted by a clutch of other
clubs. And should West Ham seal a deal for Parker, the Hammers are then
expected to sanction the departure of their own captain, Nigel Reo-Coker,
who has expressed a desire to leave Upton Park and is being tipped to join
Tottenham.
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Noble land maiden U21s call-up - TeamTalk
West Ham midfielder Mark Noble has received his first England Under-21
call-up for this summer's European Championship finals in Holland.=Upton
Park team-mates Anton Ferdinand and Nigel Reo-Coker, who have won 16 and 18
caps respectively, are also included. Stuart Pearce's side finalise
preparations for the tournament by taking on Slovakia at Carrow Road next
Tuesday before opening their campaign against the Czech Republic in Arnhem
on June 11.
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Soon they'll be the boys who are 86! - Newham Recorder
30 May 2007
THE Boys of '86 were back on familiar ground last week for their annual
football fun day at Upton Park, writes STEVE BACON. Eight teams of Hammers
fanatics battled it out with their heroes, before joining them for a
fundraising function in the evening. The players from West Ham's best-ever
league campaign were: Paul Brush, George Parris, Ray Stewart, Allan
McKnight, Paul Hilton, Tony Gale, Neil Orr, Alan Dickens, Greg Campbell,
Alvin Martin, Tony Cottee, Frank McAvennie, Geoff Pike, Steve Potts, Paul
Allen and Paul Goddard. Alan Devonshire was the manager for the day, while
Phil Parkes co-ordinated events. Looking a little slower than in their
prime, one wag commented: "Soon they'll be the boys who are 86!" Several
celebrities turned out for the day, including hard-man actor Ray Winstone
(pictured left) and TV handyman Tommy Walsh (pictured below in the boys'
team) who played in goal. Former London's Burning star Glenn Murphy was also
in action for one of the fans' teams.
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Daggers and Orient set to face Hammers - Newham Recorder
30 May 2007
THIS year's Premiership campaign might have reached its dramatic climax just
18 days ago but for West Ham, thoughts have already turned to the 2007-8
season. This week saw the announcement of the Hammers' pre-season friendlies
and they have certainly thrown up some interesting clashes. Having returned
from a well-earned break on July 2, Alan Curbishley's men will take on
Football League new boys and Hammers neighbours Dagenham & Redbridge at
Victoria Road on July 14 in veteran Daggers keeper Tony Roberts'
testimonial. Following a week overseas, another local derby, this time
against Leyton Orient, will ensue on July 24 for O's boss Martin Ling's
testimonial, while the following night a mixture of first team regulars and
reserves will visit former Hammer Martin Allen's MK Dons. As part of
Southend United's centenary celebrations, West Ham will make the trip to the
east coast to play the Shrimpers on July 28 and three days later they will
visit former assistant manager Peter Grant's Norwich City. Curbishley will
have the last chance to run the rule over his charges as the Hammers
complete their pre-season against a prestige but as yet unnamed opponent on
August 4, just a week before the big kick-off.
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Young set to join Hammers Wed, May 30 2007 10:58 - EatSleepSport
West Ham are favourites to sign Charlton full-back Luke Young following
claims Portsmouth have pulled out of the race for his services. The England
international right-back has been heavily linked with a move away from the
Addicks following their relegation to the Championship at the end of last
season. And, despite Portsmouth being the initial front runners for his
signature, it now looks like Hammers boss Alan Curbishley will move to
reunite himself with Young who he managed at the Valley before leaving at
the end of the 2005-06 campaign. Pompey's chief executive Peter Storrie is
claimed to have ruled out his side's interest which means West Ham are in
the clear to complete a £3million swoop this summer. Young almost joined the
Hammers last summer, but concerns over an ankle injury put the breaks on
that, however he has not suffered any more problems with that in the past
season and Curbishley could now move to take him to Upton Park. Should a
deal go through it could spell the end of former Manchester United youngster
Jonathan Spector's Hammers' stint.
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Parkers A Go Go But Beckhams A No No For West Ham - West Ham Fans.org
Submitted by Neville Nixon on 30 May, 2007 - 11:06.
Scott Parker's move to West Ham took a step further today with negotiations
being opened between Hammers and Newcastle, the possibility of a player plus
cash or even a straight swap of both club captains could well be in the
offing, Parker has long expressed the desire to come back to the smoke and
Reo-Coker has long expressed the desire to be idolised, so a move would suit
both players and their clubs.
Thank god for David Beckham, he is the only football element that has proved
to be able to take the mantle of head line bearer from the mighty Hammers,
reports that he might become a loanee border on the hysterical to the
downright laughable, especially those linking him "wiv the club I grew up
near", why on earth would West Ham want the Beckham circus at the Boleyn?
Having occupied more column inches in the last year than the club had in the
last ten years combined, Chairman Eggert Magnusson and his manager Alan
Cubishley will be looking forward to a season of steady progress, not a
media scrutinised roller coaster, once a decade is more than enough. There
is no doubt that Becks is still a great player, but a Hammer? I think not. -
Ed
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Blades braced for two-year legal fight - The Star - Sheffield
SHEFFIELD United's legal battle with the Premiership could drag on for up to
two years, it has emerged. The Bramall Lane club, who are appealing against
the League's decision not to deduct West Ham points following a serious
breach of transfer regulations, are scheduled to hold further meetings with
their lawyers before the FAPL's forthcoming AGM. United have already served
notice they will not relinquish their membership at the meeting, and The
Star understands they are prepared to pursue the issue until 2009 if
necessary to ensure justice is served. Next month an arbitration panel will
examine the thinking behind the PL's failure to impose anything more than a
fine on West Ham who were found guilty of breaking the rules governing
third-party ownership of players. United have appointed one member of the
three-man committee which will not only investigate the validity of that
punishment but, also, look at why the PL refused to cancel Carlos Tevez's
registration despite receiving permission from the original commission to do
exactly that. But even if the panel finds in United's favour, the matter
could then find itself referred to the courts if PL executives fail to
restore their top-flight status - a process which can be notoriously slow.
The fact that Blades plc chairman Kevin McCabe and his board of directors
are prepared to go to such lengths illustrates the depth of feeling which
exists within the lower reaches of the PL - and puts paid to the theory that
United will lose heart when next season's fixtures are unveiled on June 14.
Meanwhile, Bramall Lane legend Tony Currie believes Bryan Robson's
appointment as manager could prevent United enduring a sluggish start to the
campaign. "When a team goes down there is usually a bit of a hangover," the
former England international said. "It's only natural because things can be
on a bit of a low but I don't think that will be the case here because
everyone will be desperate to impress the new manager.
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