29/05/2007 16:39
You've spoiled Mum, now it's Dad's turn! Father's Day is just a few weeks
away, and you can say thanks with a three-course carvery meal and a stadium
tour at West Ham United.
The special event takes place on Sunday, June 17 - food is served from 12pm,
while the stadium tour commences at 3.30pm and will include access to:
Home dressing rooms
Tunnel
Pitchside and dug out
Chairman's Suite
Directors Box Seating Area
Prices:
£30 per adult
£15 OAP's and children
Limited numbers apply, so book now to avoid disappointment.
Call the Corporate Sales Team now to place your booking: 020 8548 2775
The Stadium Tour is now available for all guests.
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Moncs returns - KUMB
Filed: Tuesday, 29th May 2007
By: Matthew O'Greel
Former West Ham favourite John Moncur - one of the driving forces behind the
launch of a major new community-based football playing and coaching facility
in Loughton, Essex – has been casting his eye over the development of the
site. The Football Academy, which is scheduled to open on July 9th on the 18
acre site of the Bank of England's former Britannia Sports Club in Langston
Road, will offer top level academy coaching for children of all abilities,
as well as ten state-of-the-art, five-a-side football courts available every
night of the week on a pay-as-you-play basis, two full-sized grass football
pitches, a fully-equipped fitness centre and a boxing gym, where training
will be offered by respected coach Jim McDonnell, the last man to defeat
Barry McGuigan. Football coaching will take place on a specially-constructed
Academy Court. The site's renovated pavilion will incorporate a brand new
Sports Bar, where plasma screens will show live sport every night of the
week, a brasserie-style restaurant and private dining and meeting room
facilities. The complex will have parking available for 170 cars. Local
schools are to be invited to use the football facilities free of charge
during the day. A series of events have been planned for opening week,
including a five-a-side tournament involving local company teams, where the
winning team will play a special Legends team of former players, and a
penalty shoot-out competition against leading former professional
goalkeepers. "The Football Academy will be for anyone in the community
excited by football," explains Moncur, who made over 180 appearances in the
heart of West ham's midfield between 1994 and 2003. "We want to resurrect
this facility for the community, make it accessible to play five-a-side with
your mates or, if you're a child, experience the best Academy coaching
around. We have set ourselves the highest standards, both in the quality of
the coaching available as well as the quality of the facilities."
Anyone interested in The Football Academy can sign up for email updates free
of charge by registering their details now at www.footballacademyuk.com.
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Dailly not bitter despite late call - Teamtalk
Christian Dailly insists there was no chance of him turning his back on his
country when he got an SOS call from Scotland boss Alex McLeish. A lack of
first-team action at West Ham saw the veteran defender, 33, omitted from the
squad for Wednesday night's friendly against Austria and next week's Euro
2008 qualifier in the Faroe Islands. However, a string of withdrawals
resulted in McLeish turning to Dailly - along with Derby duo Gary Teale and
Jay McEveley - to make up the numbers. And, despite still reeling from his
absence from the original squad, Dailly insists did not hesitate to jump on
a plane from a family holiday in Portugal to London, before joining up with
the rest of the squad in Vienna yesterday afternoon. He said: "I was gutted
to say the least when I was left out of the original squad, I think everyone
would know that and I can't hide from that. But I'm here now and I have the
game to look forward to and that's all I ever wanted. "I was annoyed and
very disappointed when I was left out of the original squad but 10 minutes
later I made a little silent vow to myself that I would get back in - I just
never imagined it would be so soon. "It's been some rush to get here but I
never once thought of saying no to Scotland. I hope by now everyone knows
how I feel about playing for my country." He added: "I had to phone our
player liaison officer, Richard Simpson, to get me a pair of boots because
all of my stuff is stuck in the locker at West Ham. He was going into town
in Glasgow to get me a pair of boots and I'm sure they will be fine."
Dailly insists he is fit and more than ready for the double-header if called
upon and is hoping to have a part to play at the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium
tonight. He said: "I've been playing every week for the reserves at West Ham
and I played as skipper in a testimonial in Northampton two weeks ago and I
feel sharp. "Sure, I was chilling out on the beach when I got the call but
my mind is right. I'm here now and I'm ready to play again."
McLeish now wants every single player to demonstrate the same commitment to
the Scotland cause as Dailly has over the next seven days. He said: "These
boys will have to be top pros now. We can't afford to hear one single
complaint from them over the next week. "It's been a long, hard season and
we've come over here with a lot of injuries and with guys carrying niggles,
but I'm not throwing up excuses. "The deal's simple - no one puts the tools
away. Not when three points in Toftir are absolutely vital. "That's why I'm
delighted with the attitude of big Christian, who was left out of the squad
because I simply didn't feel I could fit him in. "But then we lost Russell
Anderson and Steven Pressley, so I tracked him down to his family holiday in
Portugal and he was straight on the next plane out. "He flew to London then
over to Vienna to meet up with the squad and that says it all about him.
"He's shown his commitment to the cause and that's what we need from
everyone now."
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Reo-Coker hoping for Arsenal offer - TeamTalk
West Ham midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker will not commit himself to Tottenham as
he is holding out for a move to their north London rivals Arsenal. Spurs are
thought to have registered their interest in the 23-year-old since he handed
in a transfer request at Upton Park, but Reo-Coker has set his sights on
Champions League football next season. The player's advisor Tony Finnigan
insists there is plenty of interest in the England under-21 captain but it
is uncertain how many clubs are willing to pay the Hammers' £9million asking
price. Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa are among those to be
linked with Reo-Coker but he is thought to favour a move to the Emirates
Stadium. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has long been an admirer of the
midfielder but he is likely to wait for the Hammers to lower their
valuation. Meanwhile Alan Curbishley is already looking at replacements for
Reo-Coker and has made Newcastle skipper Scott Parker his number one target.
The 26-year-old is keen for a return south and Magpies boss Sam Allardyce
will not stand in his way if the Hammers make an acceptable offer of around
£7million.
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A plan worked to perfection as diminutive dynamo Tévez is tailed by
Europe's elite - FootballingWorld.com
30th May, 2007. By Matthew Day
Manchester United twice rejected the chance to sign Carlos Tévez and Javier
Mascherano, but there will be a lingering regret 12 months on as the duo
prosper on English shores. Their total value is estimated to be in excess of
£50m now and Media Sport Investments' seemingly unworkable strategy is set
to pay dividends, both for the controversial third party and the club they
dealt with, West Ham United.
Mascherano found his feet after moving to Liverpool on an 18-month loan
deal, becoming an integral part of Rafa Benítez's plans and he was the best
player wearing red during the defeat to AC Milan in the Champions League
final. He and Tévez were always bound to make it in Europe; their technical
ability is outstanding and it has led them to be proclaimed as the finest of
Argentina's exciting new generation.
However, standout displays in South America did not automatically mean
lucrative offers from England, Italy or Spain as anticipated by MSI. A
series of events, including threats to Tévez's family in Brazil from some of
the ultra supporters groups, triggered the surprise move across the Atlantic
Ocean quicker than expected, and after being rebuffed by Manchester United
amongst others, a deal was hastily arranged with West Ham.
Tévez's hunt for a goal went on and on as the Hammers fell and fell while a
row over his best position with Alan Curbishley appeared to prematurely end
his career in East London; the former Charlton boss didn't play 'Carlitos'
for a month, but results failed to improve and Tévez was recalled. His
impact was immense: he continued to work like a terrier but as the season
progressed, goals started to come and a transfer away looked inevitable.
West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson has naturally stated his desire to keep
the 23-year-old as the club hunt for a European position in 2008, but both
Tévez and MSI are keen to maximise his value as soon as possible. Chelsea
and Liverpool, along with Manchester United, have been most closely linked
with the ex-Boca Juniors star, who says remaining in England is a distinct
probability.
"I don't have any preferences about where I'll play - my desire is to
continue playing football and I don't mind if it's in England or in another
league. One of the things I like most about English football is the contact
you have with the fans. It's special to be able to celebrate goals by going
to the crowd and hugging some of them. If I have to stay in England it
wouldn't be inconvenient because I feel completely adapted. The last three
months I felt really good in England, very comfortable."
Tévez admits, "I don't know if I'm worth £40m," and unless an exceptional
bidding war breaks out, the figure may be nearer the £25m mark. Real Madrid
and Juventus are also keeping track of his availability, although a transfer
to the capital of Spain is said to be extremely unlikely. Juve, however,
having earned promotion back into Serie A and with Marcello Lippi set to
take over as their new coach, are ready to spend. Some see the Old Lady as
his likeliest destination because Tévez is only second choice for the trio
of interested English clubs; the inflated price meaning purchasing him
represents a big risk when comparable targets cost less.
Yet Chelsea and Liverpool can afford to take this gamble. At the latter,
Tévez would assimilate immediately with Benítez's Hispanic contingent, and
if the coach employs the Ciudadela-born forward exclusively as a goalscorer,
he would surely replicate his Corinthians form, where he netted 25 times in
38 appearances.
Transfer rumours have centred on the likes of Samuel Eto'o, David Villa and
Fernando Torres, even commenting that Tévez could be utilised behind one of
these frontmen in a Wayne Rooney-type role. However, it would be both an
expensive and implausible venture – so is Tévez alone the man Benítez is
searching for? And does he justify a £25m outlay?
The Argentine is not top of Benítez's striker wish-list, but ultimately may
be the only one available come the start of the new season. The ex-Valencia
coach acknowledges this fact; Tévez could be bought with ease compared with
some of the more mouth-watering names aforementioned. Nonetheless, his
overall goalscoring record is superior to Torres's and similar to that of
Villa, though La Liga is considered a far tougher league.
According to latest reports, Tévez will not stay at West Ham as long as
Curbishley is manager, and Manchester United are ready to enter the bidding
fray as they also desperately search for a prolific striker, though Torres
remains high on Sir Alex Ferguson's priority list having come close to
signing him during last summer's World Cup.
For the English trio, and Real Madrid, Tévez is a solid reserve option if
they cannot attract their prime targets. Eto'o might cost more than £30m,
Torres has a buyout clause of 40m euros (£28m) but purportedly will be sold
for less than this, and Valencia are desperate to hold onto Villa, but their
resolve would be tested with a bid of more than £30m.
Florent Malouda wants out of Lyon and reports say Benítez is interested,
primarily because he would cost only around £10m. Yet the French
international is not the sort of predatory striker Liverpool supporters
crave. He has scored just 25 times in 136 appearances for Lyons – though
Benítez has stated that a prolific forward is not necessarily the solution
to the club's failings.
MSI are dreaming of a major windfall but whether any club on the continent
believe forking out £25m for Tévez is worthwhile is a moot point. The
prodigy might eventually head out on loan, like compatriot Mascherano, if he
cannot resolve his differences with Curbishley at West Ham and no suitable
bid is made over the next three months.
Tévez has made a name for himself in England and consequently attracted
interest from Europe's elite – but are they willing to take an almighty risk
and stump up what MSI consider value for money?
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West Ham get clear run at Charlton's Young
tribalfooball.com - May 29, 2007
West Ham United are set to have a clear run at Charlton Athletic fullback
Luke Young. Portsmouth have also been linked with the England international,
but Blues chief Peter Storrie ruled out any deal yesterday. Young, who
almost joined the Hammers last summer, has already declared an ambition to
move to Upton Park this summer.
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Dailly delighted to kick off flip-flops - The Herald
DARRYL BROADFOOT, Chief Football Writer May 30 2007
CHRISTIAN Dailly was summoned from a beach in the Algarve to answer
Scotland's emergency call. The Hall of Fame member was a notable absentee
from Alex McLeish's original squad, a justifiable exclusion given the
35-year-old's prolonged spell in the West Ham United reserves, writes Darryl
Broadfoot. Just when it seemed his long international association was over,
injuries to Steven Pressley and Russell Anderson ensured a return for
tonight's friendly against Austria and next week's Euro 2008 qualifier
against the Faroe Islands. He never doubted his ability to make yet another
comeback, even if many did, and despite a circuitous route to Vienna, he is
only happy to swop flip-flops for football boots. "I was in the Algarve for
half-term when I got the call and flew from Faro to Stansted to make it
here," he said. "By now, everyone will know what it means to me to play for
my country. All my stuff was in a locker at West Ham so I had to ask our
liaison officer, Richard Simpson, to get some boots for me which he bought
in a sports shop in town and I'll have to cope. I was gutted to say the
least when I was left out. I now have a game to look forward to and that's
all I wanted. I played in the reserves every week and played a testimonial
against Northampton. I was chilling out on a beach but my mind is right and
I'm ready to play. I was annoyed to be left out but I made a vow to myself
that I would get back in and I have."
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Arsenal close to deal with West Ham midfielder - Soccervoice
Tottenham was favourites to sign West Ham's Nigel Reo Coker, but today
rumours are that the former MK Dons player will join Arsenal. Reo Coker's
move from West Ham to Arsenal will be an expensive one, and a possible fee
of £ 9 million is mentioned. Reo Coker has in the last season's been West
Ham's captain, but to get into the England frame it might be the right step
for him now to join a club like Arsenal.
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