Web Digest [ West Ham United ] - 10th June 2007

Fredrikstad deny West Ham talks - BBC
By Paul Fletcher

Norwegian club Fredrikstad insist they have not had any contact with West Ham over teenager Tarik Elyounoussi. The Hammers have been strongly linked with a £3m move for the 19-year-old forward, who was invited to train with Chelsea's academy last November. But Fredrikstad director Morgan Andersen told BBC Sport: "There has been no contact at all with West Ham. "We really want to keep him and to sell him the offer must be so good that we cannot say no."
West Ham signed midfielder Scott Parker from Newcastle for £7m on 6 June and manager Alan Curbishley is expected to further strengthen his squad after narrowly avoiding relegation last season. Elyounoussi, born in Norway and of Moroccan descent, made his debut in the 2005 season and was a member of the Fredrikstad team that won the Norwegian cup in 2006. "Chelsea wanted to see him with their academy," added Andersen. "That was in November, the same week as we played in our cup final. "Firstly, he had to be with the squad and secondly why should he go to Chelsea's academy when he is one of the best players in Norway? "We would never send a player like that to train with an academy. "He was the best talent in Norway in 2006 and he is reckoned as one of the best young players in Europe. He is a great young player and will only get better." Elyounoussi, who has more than two years left on his current deal, was also invited to Portsmouth in 2006 - but again Fredrikstad decided their first-team requirements took priority.

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Juan more Argie on the way? - KUMB
Filed: Saturday, 9th June 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel

West Ham United have made a £6.5m bid for River Plate goalkeeper Juan Pablo Carrizo, according to reports. News site ESPN Deportes claim that the Hammers are attempting to land the higly-rated 23-year-old stopper, who will almost certainly join Carlos Tevez in the Argentina squad for the forthcoming Copa America. According to the story, River Plate delegates - including club president José María Aguilar - met with Hammers officials last week during which the offer was lodged. The bid - which would constitute a record for an Argentinian goalkeeper - is thought likely to be accepted by River Plate, whose manager Daniel Passarella is said to be extremely disappointed at the prospect of losing the 6'2" Carrizo. The young keeper made his first team debut for River in January 2006, since when he has established himself as the club's number one. He made his international debut for Argentina in April of this year in a 0-0 draw against Chile. West Ham have been in the market for a new keeper since allowing Roy Carroll to leave on a free transfer.

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Addicks: Bent won't go on cheap - Sky
By Tom Adams - Created on 9 Jun 2007

Peter Varney insists Charlton will only sell Darren Bent if they receive a suitable offer for the in-demand striker. Bent has reportedly attracted a range of clubs following The Addicks' relegation, with Liverpool, West Ham, Tottenham and Valencia linked with the England man in Saturday's newspapers alone. Bent has proved his class in the Premiership over the past two seasons and figures as high as £18million have been mooted in the press in an attempt to put a value on the former Ipswich striker. Charlton have already compensated for his likely departure by wrapping up deals for Chris Iwelumo and Luke Varney, but the club's chief executive insists Bent will not be leaving unless a suitable offer is tabled. "Darren Bent will only leave Charlton if the price is right for Charlton," said Varney in The Mirror. "If it is not then he will be going nowhere."

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Reo-Coker focused on England - Sky
By James Pearson - Created on 9 Jun 2007

Nigel Reo-Coker is happy to put his club career on hold while he helps England win the European Under 21 Championship in Holland. Reo-Coker's West Ham stay is very much in doubt following a £7million bid from Aston Villa for his services last week. The 23-year-old midfielder is currently in Holland and is opting to focus on helping Stuart Pearce's men lift silverware rather than where he will be playing next season. Reo-Coker is thrilled at the talent in Pearce's squad and fully believes England's stars of the future can be successful this summer. "My main focus is on England's Under 21s," Reo-Coker told the Times. "We're going to try and win the tournament and that's all I'm thinking about at the moment. "Everything else that happens will take care of itself. "I've been in the Under 21s for a while and it's the best bunch of players I've been with. "Everyone has played at least half a season in the Premiership and we've got so many talented individuals."

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Curbishley: Shopping spree not over - Soccernet

West Ham United manager Alan Curbishley intends to supplement his squad rather than radically change it despite the club's narrow escape from relegation.
Curbishley has already brought in midfielder Scott Parker from Newcastle for £7million and the former Charlton boss is being linked with a host of other names. 'I am not saying I will sign 11 players and move everyone out. We have a strong squad here when they are all fit,' he said. 'Lucas Neill and Luis Boa Morte were the only players involved on the last day at Old Trafford who weren't here when I arrived. 'Danny Gabiddon was player of the year in 2006 and I missed him greatly. Matthew Upson and Dean Ashton have barely kicked a ball because of injury - that is £13million of talent. 'If there are players who can improve us, we will try to get them. If I can add to the squad I will but if nothing else happens until we kick off, I have a lot to work with.' There are certain to be more changes, however, as Hammers captain Nigel Reo-Coker handed in a transfer request at the end of the season and appears to be on his way to Aston Villa. 'He is a West Ham player at the moment but he has made clear his desire to leave. We responded to that request and we will see where we go,' said Curbishley, who added that no formal bid had yet been received.

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United swoop for Tevez: Sir Alex wants Argentine star on year's loan - This Is London
09.06.07

Manchester United have made a sensational bid to sign Carlos Tevez, the striker whose controversial move to West Ham cost the east London club a record £5.5 million fine for breaking transfer regulations. Discussions have taken place between high-ranking Old Trafford officials and connections of Tevez, 23. Hijacking the brilliant Argentina forward from under the nose of north-west rivals Liverpool would eclipse even United's recent £50m splash for Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson. The deal, initially thought to be on a loan basis for at least a season,would depend on removing the complications which surrounded Tevez's arrival at Upton Park last August from Brazilian club Corinthians. The issues had deterred United manager Sir Alex Ferguson from taking up an option to sign the striker and his international team-mate, midfielder Javier Mascherano, when they were offered to United last summer. Tevez was offered to everybody,' said Ferguson. We were offered both him and Mascherano but, if I remember it correctly, we weren't sure of the deal.' The controversial disciplinary action against West Ham raised a furore because the Premier League's independent commission refused to impose a points penalty on the relegation-threatened club. Tevez built on that reprieve by scoring six goals in West Ham's amazing run of seven wins in their last nine matches as Alan Curbishley's team escaped the drop. It included the only goal of the game against champions United at Old Trafford when the issue was settled on the final day. Sheffield United were condemned to relegation instead and responded by threatening legal action. Ferguson has been unstinting in his admiration for the part Tevez played in West Ham's survival. He is the one who lifted their game,' Sir Alex said. He scored a couple of really good free-kicks and seems to have a lot of enthusiasm.'
West Ham broke Premier League rules when they signed Tevez and Mascherano because the players were part-owned by a third party. Mascherano has since joined Liverpool, whose manager Rafael Benitez is keen to reunite the pair at Anfield but who could be undone by United's audacious swoop. Tevez's registration is currently held by West Ham, with whom he signed a four-year deal. Technically that agreement still exists but the repercussions of the tribunal could mean Tevez is no longer bound by it and is, therefore, available on a free transfer. The player's future will be thrashed out at a meeting this week between his lawyer, Graham Shear, and West Ham's legal team. Kia Joorabchian, the Iranianborn British businessman whose company, MSI, own the economic rights to Tevez's transfer, has yet to meet West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson and is currently in Buenos Aires on business with the striker, who is preparing to play for Argentina in the Copa America. But Joorabchian has appointed Shears to negotiate on his company's behalf after a planned meeting with Magnusson was cancelled last week. MSI will demand that West Ham reinstate the now-notorious clauses in Tevez's contract which give the company rights over the striker's transfer. The Hammers claimed,following the disciplinary case against them, to have torn up that part of their original deal with Joorabchian, a move that prompted the Premier League to allow Tevez to play on during West Ham's controversial escape from relegation. West Ham want to discuss the possibility of keeping Tevez at Upton Park but that is an increasingly forlorn hope given United's interest. However, in order for negotiations to begin between the clubs, the West Ham issue will have to be resolved. est Ham's negotiations with Joorabchian and Tevez's lawyers may also impact on the forthcoming arbitration claim by Sheffield United, who requested a hearing over the player's continued eligibility. Joorabchian is likely to sue West Ham if the club do not reinstate his player's contract, which allowed the businessman to dictate where and when Tevez could move.

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No Bell prize for Pompey boss - TeamTalk

Harry Redknapp has admitted Portsmouth cannot compete with West Ham in the race to sign Craig Bellamy and has also given up on Jimmy Briand. The Pompey boss is keen to boost his striking options this summer with the futures of Svetoslav Todorov and Kanu in doubt and had identified Liverpool forward Bellamy as a major summer target. But Redknapp has now ruled out a move after discovering he would not be able to match the spending power of West Ham if Liverpool decide to part with the Welsh striker Redknapp told the Portsmouth News: "Craig Bellamy would do for us. But West Ham want him and would double his wages to £100,000-a-week. How do you compete with that? "We've got no chance of getting Bellamy." Redknapp has also ruled out a switch for French forward Briand, who is valued at £8million by his club Rennes, because several bigger clubs are also in the hunt. He added: "Jimmy Briand is very good - he's just been called up for France. "But again, I won't get him. Rennes don't want to sell him - and there are bigger fish than us trying. "You look at France, and Nicolas Anelka, who I tried to get here last summer, is centre-forward for his country again now. "What chance have we got of getting him? With Thierry Henry, he's the best French centre-forward."

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Spurs, West Ham battle for Charlton's Bent
tribalfooball.com - June 09, 2007

Tottenham and West Ham are locked in a battle for Charlton Athletic striker Darren Bent. The Mirror says the England hitman is the prime target of both clubs. But the Hammers are prepared to offer him £60,000 a week in wages - double the sum Spurs had banked on paying. Spanish giants Valencia - poised to lose marksman David Villa this summer - are also keen. But Charlton supremo Peter Varney warned all interested clubs that they won't land the south Londoners' prize asset unless they match the Addicks' valuation. Varney said: "Darren Bent will only leave Charlton if the price is right for Charlton. If it is not then he will be going nowhere."

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Man Utd open talks over stunning Tevez deal
tribalfooball.com - June 09, 2007

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is swooping for West Ham United strike-ace Carlos Tevez. The Mail on Sunday says discussions have taken place between high-ranking Old Trafford officials and connections of Tevez, 23. Hijacking the brilliant Argentina forward from under the nose of north-west rivals Liverpool would eclipse even United's recent �50m splash for Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has been unstinting in his admiration for the part Tevez played in West Ham's survival. "He is the one who lifted their game," Sir Alex said. "He scored a couple of really good free-kicks and seems to have a lot of enthusiasm."Tevez's registration is currently held by West Ham, with whom he signed a four-year deal. Kia Joorabchian, the Iranian born British businessman whose company, MSI, own the economic rights to Tevez's transfer, has yet to meet West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson and is currently in Buenos Aires on business with the striker, who is preparing to play for Argentina in the Copa America.

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est Ham's Ferdinand hopes for Rio reunion
tribalfooball.com - June 09, 2007

West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand hopes to use the U21 European Championships as a platform to join his brother Rio, of Manchester United, in the England senior team. Anton said: "That is a dream of mine, a dream of my family's and a dream of his. It is down to me now to make that dream come true. It would be fantastic."

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Tottenham's Defoe rejects £12M West Ham return
tribalfooball.com - June 09, 2007

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has rejected a £12 million move to West Ham. The News of the World says Hammers moved for Tottenham's England striker after being knocked back in a bid to sign Andy Johnson from Everton. But Defoe told his former club there was �zero chance' of him rejoining them. And the highly-rated 24-year-old, who hit 18 goals last season, has also rejected any move to Portsmouth. A Tottenham insider said: "Jermain's just not interested.
"Remember, Spurs finished fifth and, with the right quality signings, could well break into the Champions League positions next season. Why would he want to walk away from that?"

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Manchester United Nip In For Carlos Tevez On Loan - Soccerblog
Posted on Sunday, June 10th, 2007

In quite possibly one of the least substantiated rumour source ever, the football blog of the Orlando Sentinel is saying that they've gotten a sneak peak at the back pages of The Daily Mail (err…) which is claiming that Manchester United are looking to take Carlos Tevez away from West Ham on a one year loan deal.

Since beggar's can't really be choosers during silly season, we'll give this one a bit of thought. Tevez adapted very well to the Premiership towards the end of last season, scoring goals, dealing with the physicality and generally showing the kind of talent that made everyone sit up and take notice when the Hammers signed him in the first place. Given Sir Alex's fondness of strikers who can drop deep and help link play, this one makes sense from a purely footballing stance. Also, he is hideous and won't take attention off the more glamorous stars.

But, of course, there are potentially many non-footballing problems with signing Carlos Tevez. Is all the weirdness about his ownership really over? A club like Manchester United does not need to take a gamble on such a signing, and risk finding out the player is actually owned by a pair of monkeys in Cuba - leading to a points deduction. Then again, West Ham were eventually cleared of the worst charges so maybe all is well.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Web Digest [ West Ham United ] - 9th June 2007

Curbishley rules out mass changes - BBC
By Julian Shea

West Ham manager Alan Curbishley says he will not be held to ransom by other
clubs in the summer transfer market. Chairman Eggert Magnusson says West
Ham's perceived wealth means clubs are inflating prices but Curbishley said
he will not spend for the sake of it. "People are looking at us as new kids
on the block but we're not," he said. "If something happens which we think
can improve us we'll have a go but I'm not going to sign 11 players and get
everybody out."
Curbishley replaced Alan Pardew as West Ham manager in December 2006, a
month after Magnusson took over at Upton Park. He was active in the January
transfer window but the only two new signings who played a significant role
in their successful fight against relegation were Lucas Neill and Luis Boa
Morte.
Curbishley says this shows that he already has great resources at his
disposal without having to bring in more players. "If you look at the team
who won at Old Trafford on the last day of the season, most of them were
already here, so that shows the talent we have," he said. "It's a strong
squad when the players are all fit. "Danny Gabbidon was player of the year
the season before but I didn't really see him because of injury, I've not
seen Dean Ashton and I've hardly seen Matthew Upson. Those two are
£13m-worth of players who've not kicked a ball in a long time. "We've got a
strong squad but if I can add to it, I will.
"But if nothing else happens between now and the kick-off, I've got a squad
and a lot to work with."
Scott Parker, who grew up playing under Curbishley at Charlton, is the only
new arrival of the summer so far. Curbishley said he admired Parker's work
ethic and hoped to instil this in the rest of the squad to ensure a strong
start to the new campaign and avoid a repetition of last season's flirtation
with relegation.
"When he was at Charlton, he was the life and soul of everything we did but
he probably got swallowed up a bit at Chelsea and Newcastle. "I'd like him
to be the life and soul here too, to set the benchmark for the rest of the
players. "If he brings his potential with him, the fans here will respond to
that. I'm hoping that on the first day of pre-season, everyone realises what
it's all about."

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Reo-Coker move to Villa delayed - Soccernet

Aston Villa look like having to wait until after the UEFA Under-21
Championships to complete the signing of Nigel Reo-Coker from West Ham.
Reo-Coker has arrived in Holland with his international team-mates but his
£7million move away from Upton Park still to be resolved. Villa have made
clear to Hammers officials that they are willing to offer something like the
asking fee to land the services of the want-away Reo-Coker although it has
transpired no formal bid has been registered. But Villa boss Martin O'Neill
is likely to have to wait until at least after England's final group game
with Serbia on June 17 before he can complete what he hopes will be the
formalities of the transfer. Given the mix-up over Villa player Gabriel
Agbonlahor's availability for the Under-21 squad, coach Stuart Pearce is
unlikely to be in any mood to allow his skipper Reo-Coker to become involved
in transfer negotiations while England remain in the tournament. Reo-Coker,
who joined West Ham from Wimbledon for £500,000 two and a half years ago,
has made it clear that is also where his immediate priorities lie. He said;
'I see myself as a professional and I have got my professional hat on and
right now it is all about England Under-21s and the European
Championships.''
Reo-Coker will join up with two of his potential Villa team-mates of the
future in Ashley Young and Gary Cahill if the deal gets the green light.

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Curbishley keen to be prudent - Telegraph
By Marc Isaacs
Last Updated: 12:27am BST 09/06/2007

Alan Curbishley is adamant that West Ham will not be held to ransom this
summer despite having a £50million transfer budget. Curbishley has the full
financial backing of the club's Eggert Magnusson and he wasted no time
strengthening his squad this week when Scott Parker completed a £7million
move from Newcastle. The West Ham manager also wanted to sign Manchester
City midfielder Joey Barton, but has switched his attentions to Charlton
striker Darren Bent and Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips. Charlton are
not prepared to let their England striker leave for less than £18 million,
but Curbishley has warned he will not pay over the odds for any player and
that they will have to fit into line with the club's pay structure.
Curbishley said: "There is a lot of stuff being said about us; how much we
are paying for players, how much we have offered them. If there are players
who can improve us, we will try to get them. "People look at us as new kids
on the block. We are not. A lot has been exaggerated. If you look at what we
are spending it is not outrageous. We are fair game at the moment. "Most of
the team who played and won at Old Trafford on the last day of the season
were here before I arrived. It showed what talent was at the club. I am not
saying that I am going to sign 11 players and everyone is out. If nothing
else happens until we kick off, I still have a lot to work with."
Nigel Reo-Coker and Marlon Harewood are expected to leave the club before
the season gets under way, but one player Curbishley is determined to hold
on to is defender Danny Gabbidon. Gabbidon, a Wales international, expressed
fears that he may be surplus to requirements following the arrival of
Matthew Upson from Birmingham. But Curbishley says the talented defender is
a big part of his plans and is looking forward to seeing him back in action
after he was forced to miss half of last season with a groin injury.
Curbishley said: "I have not seen him play. Danny was player of the year
here two seasons ago and I missed him greatly. It is a strong squad when
they are all fit."

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Reo Coker Burns His Boats - West Ham Till I Die
June 9th, 2007

Nigel Reo Coker ought to know better. This is the interview he has given to
The Times today. What a devious little shit he is.

For once, Nigel Reo-Coker allows his guard to slip. "As I've said many
times," he says with a sigh, "my main focus is on West Ham . . ." He stops,
turns to Tony Finnigan, his agent, and laughs. Finnigan, deep in text mode
on his mobile phone, shakes his head. Reo-Coker reloads. Take two: "As I've
said, my main focus is on England Under-21. We're going to try to win the
tournament and that's all I'm thinking about at the moment. Everything else
that happens will take care of itself."
It is an amusing error, a rare departure from a prepared script. Reo-Coker's
focus is not on West Ham – his critics might point out that it has not been
for some time – and he will join the probable exodus from Upton Park this
summer. A move to Aston Villa is likely and could be completed as Reo-Coker,
the captain, leads England in the European Under21 Championship finals in
the Netherlands. The squad left yesterday for their first group match
against the Czech Republic in Arnhem on Monday. "I truly believe we can win
the trophy," Reo-Coker says. "I've been in the under-21s for a while and
it's the best bunch of players I've been with. Everyone has played at least
half a season in the Premiership and we've got so many talented
individuals."

Reo-Coker, 23, sits in the cramped Bellini Bar in The Hospital, a chic maze
of function rooms in Covent Garden, Central London. He twiddles
absent-mindedly on a computer console and endorses the XBox 5's, one of the
biggest five-a-side football tournaments in Britain, the finals of which are
to be held in Birming-ham tomorrow. Relaxed and softly spoken, he talks
dispassionately about the chaos at West Ham last season. It is as if he has
left the club already – his transfer request went in last week – and that
his stay of more than three years has been swiftly consigned to the past.
Yet the criticism that he and his colleagues attracted, as West Ham lurched
from one crisis to another, stings. Reo-Coker, the captain at Upton Park,
was at the epicentre of abuse, bracketed among the overpaid underachievers
at Upton Park, the "Baby Bentley" brigade.

"Yeah, it did get me down," Reo-Coker says. "I'm not going to lie, I'm
human. I was down, I was depressed, I was hurt. Some individuals went
through a lot of personal issues, but we stayed in the Premiership and that
meant a lot to the team and the squad. To go through all that at such a
young age was priceless and it made me stronger. But it's done now, it's
history.

Reo-Coker hit rock bottom during the 6-0 defeat away to Reading on New
Year's Day, after which Alan Curbishley, the manager, famously referred to
the club's money-obsessed underperformers. "Yeah, the Baby Bentley Club,"
Reo-Coker says tersely. "Well, I'm not a member. I don't have a Bentley. No
comment.
"But that game was probably one of the lowest points of my career. It was
such an embarrassment and I just can't put into words how it felt in the
dressing-room. When your own fans sing 'You're not fit to wear the shirt'
it's heartbreaking."

The bond between Reo-Coker and Curbishley, who succeeded Alan Pardew in
December, deteriorated. "How was the relationship?" he is asked. "Leave that
one, Nigel," Finnigan advises. Reo-Coker does not name names, anyway,
politely deflecting every potential curve ball. He is happier talking about
potting plants at his home, a newfound love of golf – "though I'm not really
the patient type" – and a shared interest in horses with Anton Ferdinand,
his soon-to-be former teammate. And the under21 campaign, too. Reo-Coker has
no regrets. "That's life," he says. "What happened happened."

Yet when he returns from the Netherlands he will refocus, probably in the
direction of Villa Park. He will not escape the claret and blue that easily.

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Craig Bellamy No Thanks - West Ham Till I Doe
June 9th, 2007

Today's Times is predicting that Yossi Benayoun will be used as bait in a
deal with Liverpool to get Craig Bellamy. Not sure I approve of that.
Bellamy has been a troublemaker at every club he has been to - Norwich,
Coventry, Newcastle, Blackburn and Liverpool are just the ones I can
remember. Not sure hw would be conducive to a good team spirit…

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Alan to Curb spending? - Sky
By Tom Adams - Created on 8 Jun 2007

Alan Curbishley insists he is not about to perform major surgery at West
Ham, but more cosmetic changes could yet be made to the face of his playing
staff following the capture of Scott Parker. Hammers chairman Eggert
Magnusson has clearly shown he is willing to back Curbishley with
substantial transfer funds, and Parker has already arrived this summer to
join January signings Lucas Neill, Matthew Upson, Luis Boa Morte, Calum
Davenport and Nigel Quashie. Curbishley has been linked with a wide range of
players with Magnusson's millions at his disposal, but the former Charlton
chief - who worked wonders on a shoestring budget at The Valley - admits he
does not feel under any pressure to carry on his lavish spending. With
injured players set to return, and Parker ready to dictate proceedings in
the centre of midfield next season, Curbishley insists he would be happy to
start the new season with the players currently at his disposal. "The last
time I had any money to spend was when I sold Scott Parker (to Chelsea from
Charlton)," said Curbishley. "But I am not saying I will sign 11 players and
move everyone out. We have a strong squad here when they are all fit. "Lucas
Neill and Luis Boa Morte were the only players involved on the last day at
Old Trafford who weren't here when I arrived. "Danny Gabiddon was player of
the year in 2006 and I missed him greatly. Matthew Upson and Dean Ashton
have barely kicked a ball because of injury - that is £13million of talent.
"If there are players who can improve us, we will try to get them. If I can
add to the squad I will but if nothing else happens until we kick off, I
have a lot to work with."
West Ham narrowly avoided relegation on the final day of last season, and
Curbishley has been quick to pinpoint a poor attitude in the dressing room
for the club's failings over the past year. However, Alan Pardew's
replacement is now determined to instil a winning mentality at Upton Park in
time for next season, with his latest acquisition acting as a role model for
his fellow players. "It is not about playing for West Ham - you have to
change that around a little bit - you work for West Ham," Curbishley added.
"There is a big difference between the two. I have realised my
responsibility to this club over the past three or four months and the
players have to realise that too. "Scott Parker is someone vastly
experienced and professional who will set the standards we are looking for
on and off the pitch - that's the sort of person I need at the club."

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Benayoun to be the bait in new bid for Bellamy - This Is London
09.06.07

West Ham are ready to include Yossi Benayoun in a package aimed at
persuading Liverpool to part with £9million-rated striker Craig Bellamy.
Anfield chiefs are bracing themselves for an approach for Bellamy, as
revealed in Sportsmail yesterday, after West Ham manager Alan Curbishley
identified the newly-appointed Wales skipper's pace and movement as the
qualities he will need if Carlos Tevez makes his expected departure.
Tevez's uncertain future has come under close scrutiny at Anfield, but
Benayoun is emerging as part of an equation that could end with Bellamy
moving to Upton Park in a £70,000-a-week deal that would virtually double
his earnings. Midfielder Benayoun has yet to sign a five-year,
£50,000-a-week contract with West Ham, and there were claims in Israel,
after their 2-0 win over Andorra, that his representatives had agreed
personal terms with Liverpool. No such deal has been struck but Benayoun
left the door open for a move to Anfield by saying: "I still haven't signed
with West Ham because of some small differences. They are my first aim but
if another team want me we will consider it. If it is good for everyone, why
not?"
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is known to admire Benayoun, having tried to
sign him for Valencia before the 27-year-old left Racing Santander for Upton
Park in a £2.5million transfer in July 2005. Sportsmail understands Benitez
would consider taking Benayoun, who has two years left on his contract, as
part-payment for Bellamy as he continues to search for reinforcements on the
flanks and up front. With one-time Anfield target Simao Sabrosa thought to
be heading for Lyon, Florent Malouda's departure from the French champions
looks to be close, although Liverpool bosses are less than impressed with
the way he appeared to hedge his bets in an interview with L'Equipe
yesterday. "There are no offers at the moment but there has been direct
contact," he said. "Chelsea and Liverpool have shown interest. I don't know
how it will be finalised but in my mind, I am certain I will leave. "At
Chelsea, there is Didier Drogba and all the rest but at Liverpool Rafa
Benitez is a great coach, too, and the team have played in two Champions
League Finals in three seasons. To me, the most important thing will be the
desire shown by the clubs. To move abroad you really have to be wanted."
With Arsenal also monitoring Malouda's availability, Liverpool are far from
certain to land the French player of the year and may consider Benayoun's
versatility on either wing a useful asset. Benitez is at least making
headway in his bid to secure the futures of key members of his squad, with
Xabi Alonso signing a five-year deal and Momo Sissoko indicating he will
ignore overtures from Juventus and commit himself to another long-term
contract. Reports in Italy suggested the newly-promoted Turin giants had
tied up a £10m deal for Sissoko but Anfield sources said talks with the
22-year-old midfielder's agent were nearing completion and that he had
signalled an intention to stay. Full back Steve Finnan is next in line for
contract talks.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BENT UNDER THE HAMMER - The Mirror
Exclusive By Darren Lewis 09/06/2007

TOTTENHAM and West Ham were last night locked in a bidding war for
Charlton's £18million-rated striker Darren Bent. The England hitman is the
prime target of both clubs. But the Hammers are prepared to offer him
£60,000 a week in wages - double the sum Spurs had banked on paying. Spanish
giants Valencia - poised to lose marksman David Villa this summer - are also
keen. But Charlton supremo Peter Varney last night warned all interested
clubs that they won't land the south Londoners' prize asset unless they
match the Addicks' valuation. Varney said: "Darren Bent will only leave
Charlton if the price is right for Charlton. If it is not then he will be
going nowhere." Twenty-three-year-old Bent is currently on holiday and
expected back towards the end of next week.
West Ham feel they will have an exciting pool of strikers if they can land
him to play alongside Dean Ashton and Carlos Tevez - providing they manage
to hold onto their controversial Argentine signing.
But Spurs believe Bent, who scored 15, 22 and 19 goals in each of the last
three seasons, will help them to smash their way into the Premiership's top
four.
The White Hart Lane club already boast three strikers in Dimitar Berbatov,
Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe, who hit 60 goals between them last season.
Meanwhile, Birmingham boss Steve Bruce is ready to rescue Mido from his
Spurs nightmare. The 24-year-old Egyptian is unhappy after falling behind
Keane, Berbatov and Defoe in the Tottenham pecking order. Bruce is ready to
bid £4m for the 6ft 2in hitman after missing out on Mark Viduka, who has
moved to Newcastle.

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CURBS' GET TOUGH PLEDGE - The Mirror
By Neil McLeman 09/06/2007

ALAN CURBISHLEY has laid down the law at West Ham for next season by stating
he wants hard work and discipline to follow the Baby Bentley era. The
Hammers boss took his spending at Upton Park to £24million with the capture
of no-nonsense midfielder Scott Parker this week. And with his transfer
activity set to continue with the signing of three more players, Curbishley
wants more strong characters in the dressing room as the club looks to build
on their amazing end to last season. Advertisement"It is not about playing
for West Ham - you have to change that around a little bit. You work for
West Ham," he said. "And that means on and of the pitch." Chairman Eggert
Magnusson insisted: "We aim to bring in at least three more players. But
there will be players leaving."

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50 MPs back Blades fight - The Star Sheffield

SHEFFIELD United will have the support of almost 50 MPs when they attempt to
overturn their relegation to the Championship later this month.

The Bramall Lane club's appeal against the FA Premier League's decision not
to deduct West Ham points following the Carlos Tevez affair will enter its
most critical phase when a panel of independent arbitrators start
considering the legality of that judgement on June 18.
United argue that by allowing Alan Curbishley's side to escape with a £5.5m
fine, they gave the Londoners an unfair advantage during last season's
scramble to avoid the drop.
Hollywood star Sean Bean is set to lead a delegation of officials and fans
to the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday and United's 'Campaign for
Fairness" has struck such a chord in Westminster that an Early Day Motion
tabled by Clive Betts has now attracted 44 signatures with the promise of
more to follow.
Although EDMs are rarely debated in chamber, the strength of opinion
United's plight is generating outside of sporting circles will provide huge
encouragement for plc chairman Kevin McCabe as he spearheads a fight with
the potential to dramatically alter England's footballing landscape.
David Blunkett, Dr Vincent Cable, Austin Mitchell and Ann Cryer are among
the prominent names who have lent their backing to motion 1464 while a
previous EDM spoke of its "disgust" at the FAPL's failure to impose a
heavier punishment.
United's preparations for arbitration have overshadowed the tug-of-war for
Phil Jagielka's services with Everton understood to be confident of
imminently securing his signature for around £4m. Middlesbrough are also
said to be lining up talks with him next week. Wigan and Birmingham are also
interested.
The England B international has informed new manager Bryan Robson that he
would prefer to continue his career in the top-flight.

09 June 2007

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Tevez open to Hammers stay - The Sun
By ANDREW HAIGH
June 08, 2007

CARLOS TEVEZ has not ruled out staying at West Ham next season. The
Argentina star has attracted interest from Europe's top clubs since leading
the Hammers to Premiership survival.And Tevez, 23, has admitted he could now
spend another season at Upton Park.When asked if he will stay, Tevez said:
"I don't know - I'm very happy with the Hammers. They have been marvellous
to me. "I'll never forget the last match of the season - our win at
Manchester United - when our fans started chanting 'Argentina, Argentina!'
"For someone like me who had a relative who fought in the Falklands and who
knows the feeling that existed after the war, it was incredible to hear that
chant. "I was amazed that I could be an idol for English fans. It made a
huge impression on me."
Tevez also played down a potential money-spinning move to Real Madrid. He
added: "Moving to Madrid would be exciting but I don't mean anything by
that.
"I would love to play for an important European club. That's what I told my
agent and Kia Joorabchian, who is in charge of my transfers. "But the
priority is what suits West Ham. They've always treated me well. There isn't
one club that appeals to me more than any other."
Tevez revealed that he has grown to love life in England. He added: "The
people are terrific. You can go out and they respect your privacy. "It had
been five years since I was able to do a simple thing like take my daughter
out to the park. "In England very few people come up to you. In Argentina
they really get in my face."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers have designs on better future - Daily Mail
Last updated at 18:13pm on 8th June 2007

West Ham are marketing their change of kit design as a "new shirt for a new
beginning" - and that is just what manager Alan Curbishley is determined to
implement at the club this summer. Curbishley found disruptive elements in
the changing room when he arrived at Upton Park in December and spoke out
against the "baby Bentley culture" which had pervaded the club. Inspired by
the goals of Carlos Tevez, West Ham eventually got their act in gear and
pulled off a remarkable relegation escape with a win at Manchester United on
the last day of the season. But Curbishley's mission this summer is to sweep
away the bad wood and implement some harsh lessons on those who, in his
mind, got carried away with their own press for much of last season.
Curbishley believes the arrival of Scott Parker is central to that
philosophy and it is no coincidence he is allowing club captain Nigel
Reo-Coker to leave. The chairman Eggert Magnusson wants the club challenging
for Europe and this week left players in no doubt what was expected of them
when he said: "We need grown-up men at this club to move to the next level".

Curbishley was equally as blunt in his language as he outlined the role he
expects Parker to play in helping to implement that new beginning at Upton
Park.
"It is not about playing for West Ham - you have to change that around a
little bit - you work for West Ham," said Curbishley. "There is a big
difference between the two. I have realised my responsibility to this club
over the past three or four months and the players have to realise that too.
"Scott Parker is someone vastly experienced and professional who will set
the standards we are looking for on and off the pitch - that's the sort of
person I need at the club.
"When Scott was playing for Charlton he was the life and soul of everything
we were doing. "He has been kind of swallowed up in the other two clubs
(Chelsea and Newcastle) but I hope he can be the life and soul again at West
Ham. "I would like him to set the benchmark, not only in pre-season, but
what goes on out there on the pitch. He can take the responsibility. "We
know we are a big club but we have to prove that on the pitch now."
Reo-Coker handed in a transfer request at the end of last season after
deciding his future no longer lies in east London. It is thought Aston Villa
have made contact with West Ham and Curbishley will not put up a fight to
keep the wantaway midfielder. "He is a West Ham player at the moment but he
has made clear his desire to leave. We responded to that request and we will
see where we go," said Curbishley, who added that no formal bid had yet been
received.
This is all new territory for Curbishley. He has never had a bottomless pit
of money to spend and has never been able to bid for leading Premiership
players.
Magnusson would like to add three new "quality players" and keep hold of
Tevez. That all comes with its own pressures, but its also brings an air of
excitement to the club. "The last time I had any money to spend was when I
sold Scott Parker (to Chelsea from Charlton)," Curbishley laughed. "But I am
not saying I will sign 11 players and move everyone out. We have a strong
squad here when they are all fit. "Lucas Neill and Luis Boa Morte were the
only players involved on the last day at Old Trafford who weren't here when
I arrived. "Danny Gabiddon was player of the year in 2006 and I missed him
greatly. Matthew Upson and Dean Ashton have barely kicked a ball because of
injury - that is £13million of talent. "If there are players who can improve
us, we will try to get them. If I can add to the squad I will but if nothing
else happens until we kick off, I have a lot to work with."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Police Concerned Over Blades Anti West Ham Demo - West Ham Fans.org
Submitted by Neville Nixon on 8 June, 2007 - 22:39.

City of London Police are concerned that a Sheffield United delegation, lead
by actor Sean Bean that aims to tell members of parliament next Wednesday
about how unhappy they are with the way their club has been treated in the
'Carlos Tevez affair', could be a potential cause of public disorder. A
police spokesperson said "demonstrations of this type are unwelcome in an
area where security is of paramount importance, resources that could have
been more usefully employed will have to be diverted in order to ensure that
there isn't any trouble".
'Hard man' Bean will doubtless be proud of himself and his fellow Blades
supporters, but their ever increasing acts of desperation will cast them in
a particularly sad light to most supporters of the beautiful game. Trying to
get the media attention of a parliamentary lobby is the short term aim of a
once proud club, but the real reason Sheffield Utd are 'pulling out the big
guns' is because they are seeking a compensation payment from the Premier
League, figures of £5 to £30 Million have been mentioned. It seems that
'McBabe' will settle for a pay off according to Premier League insiders, but
they are unwilling to stump up for what they consider to be a legitimate
conclusion to the charges faced by West Ham for the incorrect registration
of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano..
The eyes of the Press will be on the planned rally, so it would be advisable
for any Hammers supporter who wanted to go along and legally express their
displeasure to bear in mind that they will be under close scrutiny, and that
their behaviour will reflect on the club's wider image during a period when
fans should be looking forwards and not to the past. - Ed

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Celtic Linked With Hammers Duo - West Ham Fans.org
Submitted by Neville Nixon on 9 June, 2007 - 07:30.

Gordon Strachan has not been very mobile since his recent hip operation, but
he has got his skates on when it comes to bringing new players to his club.
Celtic are to make a combined £5 Million offer for the services of Marlon
Harewood and Paul Konchesky.. Striker Harewood who arrived for a fee of
£500,000 from Forest was told that he could leave the Boleyn last week and
defender Konchesky who cost £2 Million was never going to last long at West
Ham given his previous track record with Alan Curbishley who was his manager
at Charlton.. At today's TV money cash rich over inflated values , £5
Million is relatively cheap for a striker and a defender, both of whom would
do rather well in the SPL, the only stumbling block, as is the case with
many of those due to leave West Ham, is their wages and of course having to
move to Scotland.. Players like Marlene, Konch, Mullins and Etherington all
signed new deals that they were offered following the last minute defeat on
penalties in the memorable FA Cup final against 'Rick the grass's' hub cap
and fellow fans ticket stealer's. The above mentioned players are all on
good wages and they might end up proving harder to shift than one of 'Arry's
used escorts. - Ed

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Web Digest [ West Ham United ] - II 8th June 2007

Ashton gearing up for return to fitness - WHUFC
08/06/2007 13:04

Hammers striker Dean Ashton is spending the summer battling his way back to
fitness after nearly a year on the sidelines with an ankle injury. The
England international reflected on how tough the last year has been and how
much he is looking forward to completing his rehabilitation. "It's difficult
to describe how difficult it was," he said. "It's everything you've dreamed
of and the next minute it's gone. It was hard to take but I felt like I
dealt with it as well as I could. "I've always worked as hard as I could
have done every single day since I've been injured. Now, to be close to
getting back, it's exciting to be outside and working. But the hard work's
nowhere near over. It's going to take a long time before I feel fantastic
but I'll be grateful when I do. "There were many low points. Some days I was
fine, other days it wasn't nice. Coming to the games was very difficult,
because you get people asking when you're back and I wasn't sure. It's hard
to watch football when you're injured and I found it really difficult."
Dean broke his ankle training with the England squad on the eve of last
season. "There was no real remedy for it," he said. "Terry Venables, Steve
McClaren and all the players, they all called me up to make sure I was ok
and that gave me a lift. But other than that it's just one of those things
you have to deal with yourself and be strong. You just have to believe
you'll get back. "The break itself was as good as could be expected, it was
a clean break but because it's the ankle joint there's a lot of structures
around there. You're taking the full weight of your body on it and there was
a lot of build up of scar tissue over the months. "It could have been many
reasons but it wasn't be as easy for me as it might be for somebody else.
But you just have to take the injury as it comes and deal with it at the
time."
Dean is enjoying being back in training, working hard to get his fitness
back and strengthening his ankle, and is focused on returning in time for
the new season.
"I could start doing ball work, but that's not really the priority at the
moment," he said. "It's to get my base of fitness up. So it's just a case of
running as hard as possible every day and keeping my upper body strength
there. I'm running freely, that's not a problem. It's just a case of getting
myself fit and used to the work.
"I can definitely say that by the start of pre-season I'll be easily the
fittest I've ever been and the strongest I've ever been and I'm excited abut
how I'll feel."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Fittest-ever Ashton eager to play - BBC
By Julian Shea

West Ham striker Dean Ashton says he will be fitter and stronger than ever
when he returns next season after a year out with a broken ankle. Ashton
missed all of last season after being injured in training on his first
call-up to the England team and said he felt he had to make up for lost
time. "I can definitely say by the start of the season I'll be the strongest
and fittest I've ever been," he said. "I want to prove I'm not the forgotten
man - I'm still the player I was."
Ashton, 23, became West Ham's record signing when he joined from Norwich in
a deal worth £7.25m in January 2006. His goals earned them a place in the FA
Cup final and Uefa Cup, and also a call-up to the England squad for the
friendly against Greece in August 2006. But what should have been the high
point of his career so far turned into a nightmare as he broke his ankle in
training. He missed the whole of the Hammers' dramatic 2006-07 season and
battle against relegation, and has yet to kick a ball in anger under manager
Alan Curbishley. "After my operations, I had a good time at home sitting
there with my leg up so I'm more than happy to work all through to
pre-season," he said. "I could start doing ball work but that's not the
point, it's just about building up my basic fitness so it's a case of
running hard every day. "My brain hasn't got tired or hurt, it takes time to
adjust but after a few games I'll feel good. "It's hard to get back to full
fitness from nothing so I'm enjoying it at the moment - it's nice just to be
outside doing some work."
Ashton said watching from the sidelines while the club battled to avoid
relegation had been a frustrating experience. "Coming to watch games was
hard, because people kept asking when I'd be back and I couldn't tell them,"
he said. "Terry Venables, Steve McClaren and some of the players rang me to
give me a lift which was good but other than that it's just one of those
things where you've got to deal with it yourself and believe you'll be
back."
But Ashton said he drew inspiration from the example of fellow England
striker Michael Owen, who made a scoring return against Estonia after almost
a year out with a knee ligament injury. And if he manages to prove his worth
at West Ham, then Ashton is keen to earn another chance in an England shirt.
"Michael doesn't look like he's had the injury he had, which is a credit to
him and to physio John Green, who I'm working with now. "I would always want
to get back to being involved (with England) as soon as I ever could, so the
main thing is to get back right, and if that comes, then fantastic."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Wigan set sights on keeper - Sky
By Alex Livie - Created on 8 Jun 2007

Wigan boss Chris Hutchings has confirmed he is in the market for a keeper
and reports suggest West Ham's Roy Carroll is high on his wish list.
Hutchings has already added Titus Bramble and Antoine Sibierski to his ranks
as he endeavours to improve Wigan's squad following a season of struggle
last term. And he feels a keeper is needed to put pressure on the classy
but fragile Chris Kirkland and Carroll is rumoured to be his number one
target. "We are looking to bring another keeper in," Hutchings said in The
Sun. "We need competition all over the park." Carroll had a successful
spell at Wigan earlier in his career and he could be tempted by a return to
The JJB, having slipped behind Robert Green in the pecking order at Upton
Park. Kirkland, meanwhile, is reported to be making good progress after
picking up a shoulder injury, but Hutchings is aware it could be a long road
ahead for the former Liverpool man. "He's making progress and is working
hard at the training ground at the moment," Hutchings told the Wigan Evening
Post. "He's keeping his legs and body going, but can't do any handling work
or diving yet - he has to be careful."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Hammers bid denied - Sky
By Graeme Bailey - Created on 8 Jun 2007

Fredrikstad supremo Morgan Andersen has confirmed to skysports.com that
starlet Tarik Elyounoussi is not on his way to West Ham United. Reports had
suggested that West Ham were close to agreeing a £3 million deal for the
highly-rated Elyounoussi. However, sporting director Andersen has denied
that his club's prized asset is anywhere near a move away from the club.
Andersen insists the 19-year-old, who he feels is on the brink of a call-up
to the Norwegian national side, is unlikely to move this summer. Speaking to
skysports.com, Andersen confirmed no approach from West Ham had been made.
"This is a typical media story, we would know if there was any interest and
there is nothing from West Ham - they have not made a bid for Tarik," he
told skysports.com. "There has been interest and we have big clubs watching
every week, which is normal for somebody as talented as Tarik. "I honestly
think he is amongst the top players in Europe for his age."
Andersen insisted that Fredrikstad and Elyounoussi would not be rushing into
any deal. "We work very closely with Tarik and his family, and we will
discuss his future when we need to. "He is a very level-headed boy and he is
just finishing his studies, and he will make the right choice. "But I cannot
see him leaving us this year, he still needs to develop and progress and I
think that this is the right place for him to do that."
Elyounoussi has been strongly linked with Chelsea and Portsmouth, but
Andersen says he has not heard from those clubs since their initial interest
last year. "Chelsea wanted Tarik last summer to go and train with what was
there youth side, but that was never going to happen," he continued. "He is
far too good for that, why would he go from playing for our first team - to
playing for a youth team. "With Portsmouth, they wanted to look at him late
last year, but it was the cup final so he was unable to make it and since
then there has been no direct contact with them."
Anderson helped nurture the talent of John Obi-Mikel when he was in charge
at Brann - but he does not want to see Elyounoussi compared to the Nigerian.
"Obi-Mikel was something special," added Morgan. "At 18 he was ready to go
into the Chelsea first-team, I would not put Tarik in the same bracket. "I
think Tarik will break into the Norway national team before this year is
finished."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Why West Ham should NOT have points deducted over Tevez - Soccerlens
Written by Ahmed Bilal.

In a recent comment on Soccerlens, a reader pointed out that the Premier
League had posted the transcript of the West Ham ruling on their website and
that one should read it before blindly commenting on the ruling. Now I know
that this is late (the ruling was made on 27th April 2007) and a lot has
already been said about final punishment meted out to West Ham. However, I
thought it would be negligent to not at least read the full transcript once.
I've discussed the transcript below along with my opinions on it.

Before I start though, I would like to point out two things:

One, I'm a Manchester United supporter, so no for or against bias here.
Actually, I started following West Ham more closely after watching them play
last season (2005/2006) and have liked them since.

Two, My initial view on the Tevez issue was that the Commission had been
lenient with West Ham and some of the reasons given for not deducting points
were whimsical and flimsy.

I'm happy to see West Ham stay up (and I hope that the independent tribunal
allows them to stay up) but that's the football fan in me. The critic
disagrees, but I'm open to different arguments, and because of that I wanted
to read the full transcript and find out what really happened.

It would be tedious and repetitive to walk you through the transcript, plus
if you want to understand the complete situation you really should take out
some time to read it - 6000 words so it shouldn't take you too long.

Background

It's important to note that West Ham themselves forwarded the contracts of
Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano to the FA Premier League towards the end
of January 2007. It is quite possible that if they had chosen to do so, they
could have found a way to hide from this matter and drag it out even
further. While there was always the case that third party ownership would
cause problems there was no knowledge of the actual contractual details and
because of that no serious case could be made against West Ham without
looking at the contracts, and as far as the FAPL knew the contracts did not
violate any rules.

The Commission statement also quotes the agreement between member clubs of
the Premier League which states that each Chairman of the club members
commits themselves to ensure that their clubs inter alia "behave with the
utmost good faith and honesty to each other" and "will comply with the laws
of the game and follow Premier League Rules, not only to the letter but also
to their spirit and will ensure that our clubs and officials are fully aware
of such rules".

In essence, West Ham were, in respect of their FAPL agreement, expected to
be fully aware of the rules.

The key characters are West Ham legal and commercial director Mr Scott
Duxbury, West Ham CEO Paul Aldridge, FAPL secretary Ms Purdon (responsible
for the regulation of the management of players to clubs in the Premiership)
and FAPL general secretary, Mr Foster (responsible for player registrations
with FAPL). As witness statements go, that of Mr Richard Scudamore, the FAPL
chief executive, will be crucial to the proceedings.

Contracts

The crux of the whole argument. Essentially, both contracts (for Tevez and
Mascherano) stated that it was up to the third party owners to determine
when the player would be transferred away from West Ham, and that West Ham
or the player himself had no say in the matter. To make this happen, the
third party would have to pay a small sum to West Ham.

West Ham, under Terry Brown (chairman) and Aldridge (CEO) agreed to these
terms.

The contracts allowed for the possibility of West Ham's playing policies to
be affected by the third party in four different ways:

A) The third party may be able to determine when and to whom the player may
be transferred, which may not coincide with the wishes and interests of the
club for whom the player is playing, or the player himself, and thus
potentially influence the playing policies of the club.

B) In the event of the third party having a particular transfer in mind, it
may seek to influence the playing performance of the player.

C) The third party could prevent a transfer of the player against the
interests of the club.

D) The third party could prevent the termination of the player's contract
with the club and against the wishes of the club. The club's disciplinary
control of the player could be affected.

My personal view is that regardless of whether the third parties wished to
impact West Ham's playing policies or not, the clauses that allowed the
third parties to solely determine the future of the player were in direct
violation of rule U18, which states:

"No club shall enter into a contract which enables any other party to that
contract to acquire the ability materially to influence its policies or the
performance of its teams in league matches or in any (other) competitions."

An argument was made that this rule did not apply to the Tevez / Mascherano
situation because it did not affect playing terms - however, it did give the
third parties the ability to influence the club's transfer policy, which is
covered in the rule above.

So yes, the contracts were illegal under the FAPL agreement. The interesting
part here is that Mr Duxbury, legal and commercial director at West Ham,
denied knowledge of the U18 rule. That is, in my view, gross misconduct.
Ignorance of the law is hardly an excuse. There's also the case of Paul
Aldridge, telling Richard Scudamore that there was nothing wrong with the
contracts, but that's not relevant as it happened after the players had been
transfered.

The contractual agreements related to Tevez and Mascherano was extremely
interesting, and I've posted that full section here.

Knowledge of rule breach

There is some argument (from West Ham's side) that they were not aware of
the rule breach - and that if Mr Duxbury had known of the breach he (and by
extension, West Ham) would have done things differently.

Short of calling it bullsh*t, I don't know what else to say here. As legal
director conducting transfers that clearly involve third parties and are
therefore potentially problematic, it was Duxbury's responsibility to be
aware of all rules and regulations relevant to their situation.

At best, Duxbury and Aldridge hid some information from the FAPL. At worst,
they openly lied to them. In either case, the rule violations still stand.
However, if this matter had been brought to the FAPL's attention earlier,
there's a good chance that West Ham would not be in the legal mess they
found themselves in at the end of the 2006/2007 season.

FA Premier League and the unnecessary delay

The Commission also takes care to protect FAPL by saying that they were
assured by West Ham that there were no irregularities and that the FAPL -
essentially, Mr Foster, Ms Purdon and Mr Scudamore, believed West Ham
(Duxbury and Aldridge).

That remained the position until 24th January 2007. On that date, Mr Igoe,
the finance director of West Ham, was informed by the FAPL of a proposed
report into third party ownership of footballers. He decided to forward the
contracts to the FAPL.

In hindsight the FAPL should have been more vigilant and should have
investigated the contracts fully.

According to my understanding, the FAPL had knowledge of the player
contracts but not of the agreements made between the third parties and the
club, West Ham. In my opinion the Premier League SHOULD have questioned how
the players had been brought to West Ham if there had been no agreement
between West Ham and any other club (as far as I'm aware, West Ham only
signed agreements with the third parties) and if there WAS a deal made with
those third parties, then Scudamore should have asked West Ham to share
those documents.

The FAPL waited till January 24th before raising the matter again with West
Ham. Around 4 1/2 months after that conversation between Scudamore and
Aldridge.

In my view, certain individuals in the FA Premier League made grave errors
of judgment and are responsible for this matter being resolved in late April
and not early on in the season. Could this have affected the Commission's
decision in not giving a points penalty to West Ham?

The Penalty and Reasoning

The Commission decided to award a monetary fine and not a points deduction.
They took the following factors into account:

One, the club's pleas of guilty.

Two, the fact that the club is under new ownership and management. True it
is that Mr Duxbury remains, but we are impressed by Mr Sturman's point that
Mr Magnusson could have cynically dispensed with his services so as to
reflect more favourably upon the club.

Three, had the club in time made disclosure of the third party contracts to
the FAPL, then, in all probability, contracts could have been entered into
which would not have offended the Rules. Mr Mascherano is now playing
football for Liverpool. He is doing so pursuant to a contract entirely
different in form to these contracts, and which has been approved by the
FAPL. We have no reason to suspect that the same could not have been
achieved with West Ham in August 2006.

Four, there has been a delay between the discovery of these breaches and
these proceedings. Whilst that delay is due to no party's fault, the
consequence is that a points deduction, say in January, whilst unwelcome,
would have been somewhat easier to bear than a points deduction today which
would have consigned the club to certain relegation.

Five, Tevez has continued to play for the club after the discovery of these
breaches. The FAPL had the power to have then terminated his registration.
For understandable reasons, they did not. Had it not been for these
proceedings, the club and the FAPL might have reached a similar situation to
that pertaining to Liverpool and Mascherano. Tevez, we note, has played in
more games post-24th January than before it.

Six, we have considered the position of the players and the fans. They are
in no way to blame for this situation. Of course, if the impact upon players
and fans was to be the overriding consideration, there may never be a
deduction of points. However, in this case, the fans and the players have
been fighting against relegation. They have been doing so from between
January and April. They have been so doing against the ever-present threat
of a deduction of points. Those efforts and that loyalty would be to no
avail were we to now, on what might be termed the eve of the end of the
season, to deduct points.

Seven, it was Mr Igoe, thus the club, then under new ownership, who brought
attention to these breaches.

The only factor that is credible is the new ownership of West Ham, although
that factor is undermined by this:

When Magnusson took over, it's believable that his advisers would have
raised the issue of the two Argentinian players. At this point if Magnusson
was lied to, and if at that point his advisers ALSO did not ask to see the
third-party agreements, then they too are guilty of negligence.

And if West Ham's new management was aware of those contracts AND they did
not themselves offer that information to the Premier League until the
Premier League talked about investigating into third party ownership of
footballers, then West Ham's new management are also guilty of a breach of
rule B13.

In my view, the new management was in violation of rule B13. It can be
argued that they had, by their inaction, agreed to the 'invalid' player
contracts. I disagree with that - while the new management should have been
more careful and diligent in dealing with the contracts, they cannot be held
responsible for agreeing to the contracts.

Conclusion

As I said at the start, I'm biased towards West Ham. I want to see them in
the Premiership, and I have no sympathy for a team that threw their
Premiership status away on the last day in a home game, nor for a manager
and chairman who have whinged so much this season that they came second
place behind Jose Mourinho in the whinger's league (personal opinion - I do
respect Sheffield United's spunk on the field this season though).

The main problem with the ruling is the caveat that if this hearing had
happened earlier in the season, or if West Ham were not in a relegation
battle, there is a very good chance (almost certain) that West Ham would
have had points deducted.

The Premier League were also, directly or indirectly, responsible for
delaying these proceedings.

I think the Commission weakened their own arguments considerably by taking
into consideration the impact of relegation on the players and the fans. By
making the punishment contingent on present circumstances, a precedent has
been set for the future.

West Ham's relegation rivals will argue that the gravity of the situation
required that circumstances be ignored and the letter of the law be applied.
In that case, West Ham would certainly have had points deducted.

There's also the argument that this allows clubs to field players illegally
and get away with it by paying a fine if they can argue for the right
'circumstances'.

I don't think this sets a precedent - deducting points (and thus affecting
league standings) is a grave punishment and as such it is necessary to
consider the club's circumstances.

For me, the most convincing factor was the new ownership AND the delays -
the first because FAPL did not inquire enough, and the second between seeing
the contracts and the conclusion of these proceedings.

The Commission gave the right punishment, but perhaps the FA Premier League
needs to be investigated as well - who will they pay the fine to? Shouldn't
Sheffield United be paid compensation by the FAPL?

Post-Commission

At the end, it was ordered that registration of Carlos Tevez be terminated
by the FAPL. That date was 27 April. On 28 April, Tevez played for West Ham.

Was a new contract signed with the third parties in time? I think so - the
proceedings gave West Ham and the third parties enough time to draft new
contracts.

Would MSI agree to a new contract that DID not give them the complete
transfer rights of the player? If they had, as I suspect, a gentleman's
agreement in place, or if West Ham have paid MSI a sum, or if any other
outside agreement has taken place in which there is no legal, documented
evidence that a third party has the ability to influence the club's
policies, then West Ham are legally clear and MSI would be open to signing a
new agreement - and I'm sure this would have been drafted in advance.

Of course, it opens the possibility of West Ham employing the same legal
stipulations that allowed Liverpool to enter an agreement for Mascherano.

Thank you for taking the time to read this extra-long article

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Villa must wait to tie up Reo-Coker - TeamTalk

Aston Villa will not complete the signing of Nigel Reo-Coker until he
returns from England Under-21 duty at the European Championships. The West
Ham midfielder has arrived in Holland with his international team-mates with
his £7million move away from Upton Park still to be resolved. Villa have
made it clear to Hammers officials they are willing to offer something like
the asking fee to land the 23-year-old's services, although it has
transpired no formal bid has been registered. But Villa boss Martin O'Neill
is likely to have to wait until at least after England's final group game
with Serbia on June 17 before he can complete what he hopes will be the
formalities of the transfer. Given the mix-up over Villa player Gabriel
Agbonlahor's availability for the Under-21 squad, Stuart Pearce is unlikely
to be in any mood to allow his skipper Reo-Coker to become involved in
transfer negotiations while England remain in the tournament. Reo-Coker, who
joined West Ham from Wimbledon for £500,000 three and a half years ago, has
made it clear that is also where his immediate priorities lie. He said: "I
see myself as a professional and I have got my professional hat on and right
now it is all about England Under-21s and the European Championships."
Reo-Coker will join up with two of his potential Villa team-mates of the
future in Ashley Young and Gary Cahill if the deal gets the green light. He
is poised to replace Gavin McCann whose £1million plus move from Villa to
Bolton is poised to go through subject to him passing a medical.

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Defoe About to Sign? -West Ham Till I Die
June 8th, 2007

Rumour is that West Ham have agreed a fee with Spurs for Jermain Defoe. He's
worried about the fans' reaction, though. Views? Personally, I'd take him
back like a shot, as long as the fee isn't higher than what Spurs paid us
for him originally.

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Coppell issues Hammers, Pompey warning - eleven-a-side.com
June 8, 2007

Reading manager Steve Coppell has warned Premiership rivals West Ham United
and Portsmouth off Irish international winger Stephen Hunt. The Hammers are
reportedly interested in the 25-year-old, who rose to fame with a fine
season at the Madejski Stadium last term. But Coppell has no plans to sell
the Waterford lad this summer. He said: "He never stops working hard on his
skills. Sometimes people go as far as they can then settle for that, but he
proves that's not always the case. He shows that with hard work and
dedication you can keep improving and he's a key member of the team. "He
was fantastic for us all season. He took his opportunity and he never looked
back. He became a mainstay of the side and that's all down to him and his
hard work. "I remember him breaking his ankle at Crystal Palace when he was
young. He had only just come over from Ireland and he worked tirelessly for
a year to get back. He's such a strong little so-and-so."

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Hammers won't attend Blades hearing - The Star Sheffield

SHEFFIELD United's legal battle with the Premier League has taken another
dramatic twist after it emerged that West Ham - the club at the centre of
the dispute which threatens to plunge English football into chaos - have
declined an invitation to represent themselves at the forthcoming
arbitration hearing.

The Star understands that the three man team, charged with investigating the
decision not to deduct Alan Curbishley's side points following a breach of
transfer regulations, approached officials at Upton Park about the matter
immediately after their appointment.

But West Ham, who subsequently escaped relegation at United's expense, said
they would not be attending.

Their refusal means that panel members Lord Justice Ottan, David Pannick QC
and Nicholas Randall will not hear any fresh 'advice' from the club when
they start examining the original 24 page report into the matter on Monday,
June 18.

That process is scheduled to last two days and United hope that if they rule
in their favour then Bramall Lane's membership of Europe's richest domestic
competition will be restored.

The development is the most important since Kevin McCabe, United's plc
chairman, revealed that a senior FAPL figure had told him that they should
be reinstated if the thinking behind the organisation's failure to impose
the ultimate punishment is proven flawed.

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Magnusson delighted with new West Ham sponsorship
tribalfooball.com - June 08, 2007

West Ham United yesterday announced a £7.5m three-year sponsorship deal with
travel company XL Leisure Group. "The XL deal says a lot about the financial
muscle of West Ham," Hammers chairman Eggert Magnusson said. "Slowly but
surely we are now moving towards becoming one of the top six clubs in the
country."

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Football: Once in a lifetime - disexpress.co.uk
Attleborough U10s played at West Ham United's stadium D07/06/050.

YOUNGSTERS enjoyed a once in a lifetime opportunity to play at a famous
Premiership stadium. Attleborough U10s reached the quarter-finals of the
George Parris Boys Tournament at West Ham United's 35,000 capacity Upton
Park on Bank Holiday Monday. Team manager Peter Venables said it was a day
his players would never forget. He said: "They were thrilled to bits with
the day. As well as playing on the Upton Park pitch, they got to look round
the home team's dressing room and had their names read out over the loud
speaker when they came down the tunnel. I was very proud of them."
Attleborough drew their first game 1-1 with a goal by Jakob Meppem, lost
their second game 2-0 and won their final group game 1-0, with Sam Culyer
netting the crucial strike. But they came unstuck in the quarter-finals,
losing 3-0 in the competition organised by the former Hammers player Parris.
The tournament, which raises money for Great Ormond Street Hospital, cost
£600 to enter and was paid for by sponsors, Donna Kissinger Estate Agents,
and parents Richard Bunn and Martin Broom, of Pallet Services of East
Harling.

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Bent Auction Opens - TWTD
By Philip Ham
Date: 8/6/2007

Charlton are reported to have received two firm bids for ex-Town striker
Darren Bent. Spurs are said to have offered £8 million for the England
frontman, while West Ham have tabled a bid of £12 million plus a player.
The Hammers are understood to have offered the Addicks either former Town
loan striker Marlon Harewood or midfielder Hayden Mullins in addition to the
cash. However, Charlton are believed to want neither player and continue to
hold out for a straight £15 million. Everton, Newcastle, Arsenal and
Liverpool have all also been linked with Bent since Charlton's relegation to
the Championship in May all but confirmed his move away from the Valley.
Town are due 20% of the profit the Addicks make on the £2.6 million they
paid the Blues for Bent. A fee of £15 million would land Town a £2.48
million windfall.

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Bellamy can be a Hammer for £9m - Daily Mail
Last updated at 08:24am on 8th June 2007

Craig Bellamy will be offered a double your- money deal to join West Ham as
replacement for Carlos Tevez, but the Wales striker believes he could also
make an audacious return to Newcastle. As Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez
put the finishing touches to new contracts for Xabi Alonso, Pepe Reina and
Momo Sissoko, he was bracing himself for a £9million bid for frontrunner
Bellamy. West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has a high regard for Bellamy and is
ready to see off competition from Aston Villa and Blackburn by offering
terms of £70,000 a week. Bellamy, however, has told friends he would relish
another chance at Newcastle although the £9m fee and Mark Viduka's switch to
St James' Park could have put paid to his dreams. Newcastle chairman Freddy
Shepherd has sold his 29 per cent stake to billionaire Mike Ashley, who is
aiming to take sole control of the club while leaving the current board in
place.

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http://vyperz.blogspot.com

Web Digest [ West Ham United ] - 8th June 2007

Queudrue Franck over future - Sky
By Laurent Picard - Created on 7 Jun 2007

Franck Queudrue is reportedly ready to leave Fulham as he is not a fan of
new manager Lawrie Sanchez's style of play. The Frenchman only joined
Fulham last summer but the sacking of Chris Coleman towards the end of the
season has led him to weigh up his options. Queudrue claims he feels uneasy
playing the direct style favoured by Sanchez, and as a result is now open to
offers from other clubs. "We can't say that the club had a good season,"
Queudrue told Football365.fr. "Regarding our squad, we could have done
better. "I left Middlesbrough because I felt it was the right moment for me.
I experienced everything with them and didn't want to play like it was a
routine. "Then Fulham contacted me and Chris Coleman's speech seduced me. He
wanted to rebuild the club. I love that kind of challenge. "Lawrie Sanchez
is totally different. He is an expert in direct football. I respect it but
it isn't for me. "We talked about it together. I haven't made a transfer
request, but I will study the possibilities. A departure is possible."
The former Lens defender is open to a return to France, although Premiership
interest may yet surface in the 2006 Uefa Cup finalist. "I have to meet my
agent. Before joining Fulham, there was a little something with Liverpool,"
Queudrue added. "We will see. The same with West Ham. "People often talk
about me going to Marseille. I don't think I am unaffordable for French
clubs."

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Parker makes up with Curbishley - Telegraph
By Mark Isaacs
Last Updated: 1:19am BST 08/06/2007

Scott Parker has settled his differences with Alan Curbishley and believes
that his £7 million transfer from Newcastle to West Ham can help him to
regain his place in the England squad. The pair had a major disagreement
when Parker left Charlton in controversial circumstances back in January
2004 to sign for Chelsea for £10 million. Curbishley, then manager at the
Valley, was against the midfielder leaving, but Parker defied his wishes and
made the move across London. "The fallout with Alan is water under the
bridge," Parker said. "These things happen and when I look back it showed
how much the manager thought of me. "We were going places when I was at
Charlton and there were obvious frustrations that I left. But there's no
doubting that under Curbs I played the best football of my career." Parker's
last appearance for England was the 2-0 defeat by Croatia in October. But he
is confident that he can force his way back into the reckoning for the
crucial European Championship qualifiers next season. "The new England
manager has come in and likes me as a player," Parker added. "I hope I can
go out there and really push on in an England sense." Curbishley still has
painful memories of Parker's departure from Charlton, but said it was the
timing that infuriated him the most. "I was disappointed, we were fourth in
the League and probably had the best team Charlton have had," he said. "It
was bad timing for everybody, but I sent Scott a letter straight after the
transfer expressing how much I appreciated what he did for me and the club."

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'Fantastic' Owen inspires Ashton - TeamTalk

West Ham striker Dean Ashton has taken inspiration from Michael Owen's
successful return and is ready to "prove" himself again. Ashton was 24 hours
away from making his England debut last summer when he suffered a broken
ankle in training which eventually ruled him out for the whole season. The
23-year-old has still not completed a full season in the Premiership after
successive January moves to Norwich and then to West Ham. Although his
exploits in helping the Hammers reach the 2006 FA Cup final caught the eye
of England head coach Steve McClaren, Ashton admits he is back to square one
again. "You can't describe how difficult it has been - it was just horrible.
It was everything you have dreamed of and next minute it has gone," he said.
"I've got to prove myself again and prove that I'm not a forgotten man and
that I'm the same player I was. "Michael Owen looks fantastic. He doesn't
look like he has had the injury he has had. "I think that is credit to him
and John Green who I am working with now. "I can definitely say that by the
start of the season I will easily be the fittest I have ever been and the
strongest I have ever been and I am excited by how I will feel."
McClaren and his assistant Terry Venables kept in touch with Ashton
throughout the year, which lifted his spirits when times got tough. Ashton's
first target is to get back playing but could England's friendly against
Germany on August 22 be a realistic goal? "I think it is just a case of just
getting myself fit. If I feel fit, I think my football won't be a problem,"
he said. "My brain hasn't got tired or hurt. That is going to be just the
same. It will take time to get accustomed to the games again but I think
after a few games I will feel good. "I would always want to get back to
being involved with England as soon as I ever could. The main thing is to
get back right and if that comes, then fantastic."
Peter Crouch will be suspended for England's next Euro 2008 qualifier,
against Israel at Wembley in September. "There are plenty of strikers who
will be fit and raring to go but if I am in Steve McClaren's plans then
brilliant," said Ashton. "But I know I have got to prove to everyone again
that I am a good player."

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Ashton: My injury nightmare - The Sun
By PAT SHEEHAN
June 08, 2007

DEAN ASHTON feared his career was over following the freak injury he picked
up on international duty. The West Ham striker, 23, missed the whole of last
season after breaking his ankle as England prepared for the friendly with
Greece in August. He needed two operations to repair the damage but his
initial hopes of making a return in January were dashed when the area became
swollen with scar-tissue problems. Ashton said: "At your low points, you
think you are never going to play again and that is a horrible feeling.
"Anyone who tells you they don't feel like that when they have gone through
a long layoff would be lying. "But the next day you don't feel like that and
you have just got to get on with what you have got to do. It is just a long
grind. "There were many low points. Some days I was fine. Other days it just
wasn't nice. You can't describe how difficult it has been — it was
horrible."
Ashton smacked six goals in 16 games for the Hammers within five months of a
£7.25million move from Norwich in January last year. He was then rewarded
with his first international call-up by England chief Steve McClaren. But
his nightmare began when he made a challenge in training. Ashton, who helped
launch a £7.5m sponsorship deal with holiday airline XL.com at Upton Park,
said: "It was everything you have dreamed of and the next minute it's gone.
"It was hard to take but I felt I dealt with it as well as I could. "Coming
to the games was very difficult because you had people asking when I would
be back and I wasn't sure. "The worse thing is to watch football when you
are injured. "There is no real remedy for keeping up your spirit. "Steve
McClaren rang me and so did Terry Venables to see how I was doing. "That
gave me a lift but, other than that, it was just one of those things you
have to deal with on your own and believe you will come back." Ashton added:
"I can definitely say that, by the start of the season, I will easily be the
fittest and strongest I've ever been — that really excites me."

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The Kia witness: Joorabchian may take stand for Sheffield United at Tevez
hearing - This Is London
08.06.07

Sheffield United are preparing to spring a massive surprise on the Premier
League and West Ham after requesting that Carlos Tevez's owners MSI give
evidence on their behalf. United chairman Kevin McCabe has asked Kia
Joorabchian, Tevez's closest adviser, to help with their bitter legal fight.
McCabe believes Joorabchian can help provide the evidence they hope will
keep them in the Premier League. Joorabchian's legal advisers are discussing
the possibility that he might appear in person — or at least give written
evidence — at the Premier League's unprecedented arbitration panel, which
sits on June 18 in London. His appearance could have a devastating impact on
the defence put forward from Upton Park. Sheffield United, who are refusing
to accept relegation, are believed to be encouraged by his positive
response.
Joorabchian was unavailable for comment yesterday, but has previously told
Sportsmail: "West Ham have unilaterally terminated the (Tevez) agreement and
I have left it in the hands of my lawyer, Graham Shear, to deal with the
matter."
The panel is examining whether Premier League rules were followed and
whether the independent commission acted correctly in deciding against a
points deduction for West Ham over irregularities in the signings of Tevez
and Javier Mascherano. Sheffield United are confident and are withholding
new manager Bryan Robson's transfer budget while the matter remains
unresolved.

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Curbishley will bring out the best in me, insists new Hammer Parker - This
Is London
07.06.07

Scott Parker is hoping he can rediscover his best form after linking up with
Alan Curbishley again at West Ham. Curbishley was critical of Parker when he
opted to join Chelsea in a £10million deal after spending seven successful
years with him at Charlton. But Parker still jumped at the chance to team up
with Curbishley again and has signed a five-year deal with the Hammers.
Parker, who joined Newcastle in a £6.5m deal in 2005 after first-team
opportunities were limited at Stamford Bridge, said: "I think, when I look
back, that it (Curbishley's criticism) showed what the manager thought of
me. "There is no doubting that under Curbs it was the best football that I
have played in my career."
Now Parker is hopeful that he can revive his fortunes at Upton Park with
Curbishley undergoing a summer rebuilding job backed by chairman Eggert
Magnusson's millions. "I think there is a foundation at the club. We are
heading the right way and hopefully we can really push on now," he added.
Curbishley admitted Parker could be a potential captain for West Ham,
although he reported no update on the future of current skipper Nigel
Reo-Coker, who has been the subject of a £7million bid from Aston Villa. "He
could be in the make-up, no disrespect to Nigel," said the Hammers boss. "We
will cross that bridge when we come to it."
On Reo-Coker, he added: "He is away with the (England) under-21s at the
moment with two of our other boys. "I have heard nothing in respect of any
activity. There are lots of rumours about our club at the moment. We can't
go around answering it all. It has been indicated but, as of now, he is
still a West Ham player."
Parker was captain at Newcastle, and Curbishley said: "Scott brings so many
qualities one of them and one of them is leadership, he was captain at
Newcastle. He played for me at Charlton as a young boy. "He has lots of
qualities, including his energy and enthusiasm which are going to endear him
to West Ham fans. He can score goals, he can make goals, he sees the pass.
When we had the chance to sign Scott, we went for it. We are pleased it went
through and we got our man. "It's been a bit busy. The transfer window is
open so there's an opportunity for people to do business. We are trying to
bring players in. We've got one today and hopefully we have got one coming
back (Dean Ashton)."
Parker left Charlton under a cloud following his £10million move to Chelsea,
and Curbishley admitted: "I was a little bit disappointed - we were fourth
in the league and it was the best team Charlton had had. "I sent Scott a
letter straight after expressing how much I appreciated what he had done for
the club. At the time I was speaking for everyone on behalf of Charlton,
saying it was something we didn't want to happen and something we didn't
need to happen."
Meanwhile Magnusson remains hopeful Carlos Tevez will stay at the club next
season and beyond. Despite the Hammers being fined £5.5million for the
illegal registration of Tevez and his fellow Argentinian international
Javier Mascherano, the striker's scintillating form helped the east London
club survive relegation and ensured his popularity with the fans. Some of
Europe's leading clubs are reported to be interested in signing Tevez, but
Magnusson said: "It's very simple. Carlos Tevez has a contract at this club
for the next three years. "He is a great player, a great lad. Everybody
loves him around the club."

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Reo-Coker still waiting for news on Villa link - icBirmingham
Jun 8 2007

NIGEL Reo-Coker is still waiting to hear whether he will be given permission
to speak to Aston Villa about a £7million move from West Ham. The Hammers
and England Under-21 captain handed in a transfer request last month after
helping the club avoid relegation from the Premiership. West Ham are still
considering this week's initial bid from Villa for Reo-Coker, who cost them
£500,000 from Wimbledon in January 2004. "A bid has been made and it's up to
the businessmen to come to some sort of arrangement," Reo-Coker said. "If
I'm given permission to go and speak, I'm given permission. But I've no
control." The 23-year-old midfielder insists handing in a transfer request
was a "difficult decision". "It's not something that any player will do
lightly," he said. "It's a very difficult decision. I've handed in a
transfer request because I don't believe my future is at West Ham." Whether
or not the Villa bid is accepted, it appears only a matter of time before
Reo-Coker leaves Upton Park. He was linked with a move to Arsenal in January
amid rumours he was unsettled at West Ham. Those stories upset Hammers'
supporters, some of whom jeered their skipper during the side's poor start
to the season. On Reo-Coker's future at the club, Curbishley added: "He is
away with the (England) Under-21s at the moment with two of our other boys.
"I have heard nothing in respect of any activity. There are lots of rumours
about our club at the moment. We can't go around answering it all. It has
been indicated but, as of now, he is still a West Ham player."

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Spurs rival Villa for West Ham's Harewood
tribalfooball.com - June 07, 2007

Tottenham have joined the race for West Ham United striker Marlon Harewood.
The forward has been told by Alan Curbishley he can leave for about
£4million.
Harewood, who netted the semi-final winner to take the Hammers to the 2006
FA Cup Final, has also attracted interest from Aston Villa, Portsmouth and
Wigan.
But Spurs boss Martin Jol has added the 27-year-old to his shopping list as
he seeks a forward to replace the outgoing Mido.

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WEST HAM REUNITED
£7m Parker and Curbs bury the hatchet
Neil Mcleman 08/06/2007

SCOTT PARKER insisted his bust-up with Alan Curbishley was "water under the
bridge" after he rejoined his former Charlton boss at West Ham yesterday.
Curbishley had claimed the England midfielder's £10million transfer to
Chelsea "left a bad taste in the mouth" after hitting out at Parker's
behaviour in January 2004. But yesterday the two men, who first met when
the player was a schoolboy at The Valley, happily renewed the working
relationship which Parker claimed brought out the best of his talents. "The
little fall-out with Alan is water under the bridge," said Parker, 26, who
joined for £7m from Newcastle. "These things happen and when I look back it
showed how much the manager thought of me. "We were going places when I was
at Charlton and there were obviously frustrations that I left. There's no
doubting that under Curbs I played the best football of my career. But if
you go around holding grudges in football, then you don't get anywhere. "I
have known Curbs since day one in my football career. I was at Charlton when
I was nine. He brought me up, he disciplined me and taught me all the stuff
as a young boy. I'm looking forward to playing under him again. I have come
in at the beginning of something and I am hoping that by the end of it we
are a real force."
Curbishley also said he had long buried the hatchet with Parker. "I was
disappointed, we were fourth in the League and probably had the best team
Charlton have had," he said. "Chelsea came in, it was bad timing for
everybody, but I sent Scott a letter straight after the transfer expressing
how much I appreciated what he did for me and the club. I met him soon after
that and there's never been a problem since. At the time I was speaking on
behalf of everyone at Charlton. It was something we didn't want to happen
and something we didn't need. But these things do happen. "It was a great
opportunity for Scott and, in the end, it was the haggling over the transfer
fee that was more to do with the fallout. When he came back one time and
scored at The Valley, I thought he was going to give me the finger, but he
didn't!"
Chairman Eggert Magnusson welcomed Parker - and took a swipe at the
departing captain Nigel Reo-Coker. "The signing symbolises the club's
ambitions," he said. "We need grown-up men at this club to move to the next
level."
West Ham yesterday announced a £7.5m three-year sponsorship deal with travel
company XL Leisure Group. "The XL deal says a lot about the financial muscle
of West Ham," the chairman said. "Slowly but surely we are now moving
towards becoming one of the top six clubs in the country." On Carlos Tevez,
Magnusson added: "He has a contract with us for the next three years and I
am hopeful he will be here next season."

Other unexpected player/boss reunions:

Rob Hulse & Bryan Robson: Robbo offloaded the striker to Leeds while at West
Brom - then inherited him when he became Sheffield Utd boss. Paul Konchesky
& Alan Curbishley: Sold to West Ham by Curbs in 2005, the ex-Charlton man
has barely played since Curbishley replaced Alan Pardew

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West Ham chairman: Parker signing shows ambition
tribalfooball.com - June 07, 2007

West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson believes they've fired a warning at
Premiership rivals with the £7 million capture of Newcastle captain Scott
Parker.
"The signing of Scott Parker symbolises the club's ambitions going forward.
I am delighted we have signed Scott because he is a great player and a great
man. We need grown-up men at this club to move to the next level," Magnusson
said "This is the biggest sponsorship in West Ham's history. The deal says a
lot about the financial muscle of West Ham. "Slowly but surely we are now
moving towards becoming one of the top six clubs in the country." Magnusson
would like to add three more "quality players" to the squad while keeping
hold of Carlos Tevez, but admitted West Ham's new-found wealth has made
transfer negotiations difficult. "At the moment we are finding that clubs
are inflating their prices because everybody thinks we have a lot of money,"
he said.

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West Ham boss: Benayoun will sign deal
tribalfooball.com - June 07, 2007

West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley is confident Yossi Benayoun will sign
his new £50,000-a-week contract. Yossi phoned up yesterday to reiterate that
he is coming here tomorrow to sign it," said Curbishley. "He is a terrific
player and one who wants to be here. It is not a bad commitment, five years.
It is the same as Scotty (Parker) and we are delighted."

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Parker: No grudge with West Ham boss Curbishley
tribalfooball.com - June 07, 2007

New West Ham signing Scott Parker insists he never held a grudge against
manager Alan Curbishley after their blow-up at Charlton Athletic. "If you go
around holding grudges in football, then you don't get anywhere," said
Parker. "These things happen and when I look back it showed how much the
manager thought of me as a player. "I have known Curbs since day one in my
football career and there's no doubting that under Curbs I played the best
football of my career. "I was at Charlton when I was nine. He brought me up
and I suppose the player I am today in some ways has to reflect on Alan.
"He disciplined me and taught me all the stuff as a young boy. I'm looking
forward to playing under him again. "When I heard Newcastle were willing to
sell me I had to weigh up my options. After speaking to Alan and the
chairman I knew this is a club that really want to go places and I want to
be a part of that. "I have come in at the beginning of something and I am
hoping that by the end of it we are a real force. If we can bring in some
more signings we can really push on."
Curbishley made the first conciliatory move after Parker completed his
switch to Stamford Bridge, sending him a letter of gratitude for his efforts
during seven years at Charlton. "I was disappointed. We were fourth in the
league and probably had the best team Charlton have had. It was bad timing
for everybody," Curbishley recalled.
"I sent Scott a letter straight after the transfer expressing how much I
appreciated what he did for me and the club. There's never been a problem
since. "When he scored against Charlton at The Valley I thought he was going
to give me the finger or something, but he didn't!"

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West Ham kid Spence handed pro terms
tribalfooball.com - June 07, 2007

West Ham will hand pro forms to England U17 captain Jordan Spence next
month. Spence has followed in the footsteps of another former Ridgeway
Rovers youth player, David Beckham, in successfully making the step up from
park pitches.

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West Ham ready to double Bellamy's Liverpool wages
tribalfooball.com - June 07, 2007

West Ham United are ready to double Craig Bellamy's Liverpool wages to bring
him to Upton Park.The Daily Mail says West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has a
high regard for Bellamy and is ready to see off competition from Aston Villa
and Blackburn by offering terms of £70,000 a week.

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West Ham's Ashton: I thought career was over
tribalfooball.com - June 07, 2007

West Ham United striker Dean Ashton admits he feared his career was over as
he attempted to recover from knee surgery last season. The England striker,
23, missed the whole of last season after breaking his ankle as England
prepared for the friendly with Greece in August. He needed two operations to
repair the damage but his initial hopes of making a return in January were
dashed when the area became swollen with scar-tissue problems. Ashton said:
"At your low points, you think you are never going to play again and that is
a horrible feeling. "Anyone who tells you they don't feel like that when
they have gone through a long layoff would be lying. "But the next day you
don't feel like that and you have just got to get on with what you have got
to do. It is just a long grind. "There were many low points. Some days I was
fine. Other days it just wasn't nice. You can't describe how difficult it
has been - it was horrible." Ashton added: "I can definitely say that, by
the start of the season, I will easily be the fittest and strongest I've
ever been - that really excites me."

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West Ham chairman: Everyone keen to see Ashton back
tribalfooball.com - June 07, 2007

West Ham United chairman Eggert Magnusson admits the club is excited by the
prospect if having a fully fit Dean Ashton available next season. At Scott
Parker's signing ceremony yesterday, Magnusson said: "We want players that
can push us forward and improve us. We've got one in Scott and hopefully
we've got one coming back in Dean Ashton. "Both Scott and Dean should be
focused on forcing their way back into the England squad because they have
both had a taste of it and need to get back in there."

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Wigan move for West Ham keeper Carroll
tribalfooball.com - June 07, 2007

Wigan Athletic boss Chris Hutchings is chasing freed West Ham United
goalkeeper Roy Carroll. The Latics need cover for Chris Kirkland after John
Filan was released.
Hutchings said: "We are looking to bring another keeper in. We need
competition all over the park." Carroll, 29, played 170 times in a four year
spell at Wigan before moving to Man United in 2001. He joined West Ham in
2005 but has since fallen behind Robert Green in the pecking order.

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