Filed: Friday, 3rd August 2007
By: Gordon Thrower
The proposed transfer of Kieron Dyer to the Boleyn is in doubt. Reports
tonight are suggesting that the deal to bring Lee Bowyer's former
sparring-partner Dyer to the Boleyn has stalled. Although announcements
made earlier this week suggested that a fee had been agreed with Newcastle
and that the move would go through once personal terms had been agreed, news
agencies are now suggesting that there may be a problem between the clubs
concerning the fee.
More on this as it comes in....
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Hammers keento avoid the spotlight
Jon Carter - Soccernet
You could be forgiven for thinking that West Ham only had one player this
summer. Such has been the media frenzy over Argentine Carlos Tevez's move to
Manchester United, the rest of the Hammers' squad have been free to enjoy
their pre-season relatively free of the spotlight.
In fact, the Hammers have been pretty busy in the summer transfer window,
bringing in Freddie Ljungberg, Julien Faubert, Craig Bellamy, Scott Parker
and Richard Wright for a combined fee of nearly £25million, but with one
player dominating the headlines, the new arrivals have taken a backseat.
The summer spending alone could be balanced against the sale of the
highly-rated Tevez, although anyone who has followed the transfer saga since
the Argentine first expressed his desire to quit Upton Park will know that
it is not that simple.
Questions over the ownership of the player have led to delays, court cases
and arguments between the clubs and Kia Joorabchian's MSI company. Nothing
is certain, although the Premier League may eventually sanction the transfer
if West Ham receive an adequate transfer fee for the player. Frankly, a long
drawn out affair is the last thing that the club need.
With a dismal 2006/07 season still lingering in the memory, West Ham will at
least take solace from the incredible run of form in the latter stages of
the league that saw them escape relegation.
Seven wins in their final nine games, coupled with the impressive
goalscoring of Tevez, made the Hammers look like a top flight team again.
Having been in the bottom three since December, it wasn't a moment too soon
and manager Alan Curbishley can at least cite the resilience of his players
as a major positive ahead of the new season.
Some high-profile exits, in Carlos Tevez to Manchester United, former
captain Nigel Reo-Coker and striker Marlon Harewood to Aston Villa and Yossi
Benayoun to Liverpool, have seen a number of players leave the club so far.
Reo-Coker was made a scapegoat for the club's failings last term, and while
the England Under 21 midfielder has a lot of potential, he did not live up
to expectations and West Ham can be well pleased with an £8.5million fee.
Similarly, at least £3million for a striker, in Harewood, who only managed
three goals last season can be seen as an excellent piece of business.
More of a loss will be the little Israeli maestro Benayoun. Unable to resist
the temptation of playing for a club like Liverpool, the diminutive
midfielder has already proved himself to be an excellent top flight player
since his arrival at the club in 2005.
Without his flair and creativity in midfield, West Ham may struggle to make
chances and much will depend on the young Mark Noble to fill his boots.
Indeed Noble was a rare shining light in an otherwise dour season for the
Hammers last campaign and will certainly be looking to carry his impressive
form into the new season.
A player who Curbishley will see as a new signing, having spent nearly the
whole of last season injured, Dean Ashton, will certainly be key to the
Hammers' chances of success this year.
One of the most impressive young strikers in the top flight, Ashton sat out
with a recurring ankle injury last campaign, but has already proved that he
is back on track in pre-season by scoring a cracking 30 yard drive against
Leyton Orient.
Often dropping back to link up play, Ashton is a key component of the
Hammers' team and was sorely missed, despite the impact of Tevez. Boasting a
great first touch and significant aerial threat, Ashton will be pushing to
regain the form that nearly saw him capped for England before he was injured
and his return can only mean that his club benefits.
The return of the youngster may also benefit Curbishley's other summer
signings. Providing a useful foil for the pace of Craig Bellamy, Ashton has
the skill to compliment the Welshman's game and, after a fairly unsuccessful
spell with Liverpool, Bellamy will be keen to show that he is a dangerous
prospect for Premier League defences again.
Scott Parker, another who has a lot to prove in the league after
disappointing spells with Chelsea and Newcastle, could also benefit from
Ashton's link up play. He will be glad to be back under the wing of former
Charlton boss Curbishley and if anyone can get the best out of the verbally
challenged midfielder, then it is Curbs. He may struggle to acclimatise new
French signing Julien Faubert, who had the temerity to expect that a
transfer to Rangers had already gone through before being given an ultimatum
to sign for the Hammers, but in Parker, Curbishley has a future captain.
Completing an odd collection of players unwanted by their previous clubs are
Freddie Ljungberg and Richard Wright. Ljungberg, who many believe has his
best years behind him, will replace Benayoun on the wing and will bring some
grit and determination to the Hammers' midfield; but the acquisition of
Wright remains a gamble.
Having released former Manchester United stopper Roy Carroll at the end of
the season, Curbishley has undoubtedly bought Wright for his top flight
experience and contentment to warm a seat on the bench behind Robert Green
all season. Attracted by the fact that Wright was available for free,
Curbishley opted to give the former Arsenal 'keeper a chance at Upton Park,
although how much of an impact he will have remains to be seen.
In addition to Curbishley's new signing, the players brought to the club in
the January transfer window will also be keen to impress more than they did
in the second half of last season. The likes of Lucas Neill, Matthew Upson,
Calum Davenport and Luis Boa Morte were all hindered by injuries and failed
to make an impression, despite a collective £20million being spent on them.
With the upheaval that comes from a takeover and the introduction of
big-name players like Tevez and Javier Mascherano, one can certainly see
where West Ham were distracted last season. Too often concerned with off the
field actions the disruption caused by the Tevez tranfsfer before the
2007/08 season doesn't look good.
Losing a player of his calibre is be a blow for the side, although they will
be able to point to the return of Ashton as a silver lining. West Ham's
signings should guarantee that they avoid the relegation fight this year.
Without a constant barrage of media attention West Ham have the potential to
do well, although anything above mid-table would be impressive given the
year that they have had. Once the Tevez transfer is complete, the club's new
signings will be key to success, although another injury to Dean Ashton and
the Hammers may find themselves in trouble and back in the spotlight again.
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Carlos Tevez to lead Man Utd's foursome - Telegraph
By Don Howe
Last Updated: 1:15am BST 04/08/2007
Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and soon Carlos Tevez - a
foursome that will be enough to thrill spectators and strike fear into the
hearts of defenders throughout the Premiership next season. Ronaldo, Rooney
and Giggs are all brilliant at running at defenders and in Tevez they will
find they have a kindred spirit and that augurs well for Manchester United
both on the home and European fronts. That quartet's dribbling ability could
well prove to be one of the main talking points of the season. Sir Alex
Ferguson and his No 2, Carlos Queiroz, place tremendous value on that skill,
particularly the Portuguese coach, and will be encouraging Tevez to pick
possession and frighten the life out of their opponents.
After initially struggling with his surroundings last season at West Ham, we
eventually saw the best of Tevez towards the end of the campaign and the
priceless goal he scored at Old Trafford to keep his club up clearly left a
lasting impression on Sir Alex.
It was a trademark goal that encapsulated everything that is good about
Tevez's game. He was determined, brave, showed excellent close control as
well as coolness in front of goal as Edwin van der Sar loomed large.
I would imagine that Tevez will be asked to spearhead the United attack in
the same way that Henrik Larsson did so successfully while on loan last
season.
That will suit Rooney down to the ground because I think that he prefers to
play in a more withdrawn role - some 15 yards or so deeper than his fellow
striker, an intelligent operator whose runs will create space for his
colleague to exploit.
However, their positions won't be fixed ones. Rooney and Tevez will be given
licence to swap roles when they're failing to make in-roads - in a similar
way to Giggs and Ronaldo swapping wings. That fluidity is part of United's
modus operandi.
That's why I don't think that Sir Alex will have a formation set in stone
although I would imagine he'd go for a 4-2-4 formation in the Premiership
but opt for a 4-3-3 system in the Champions League, with Tevez possibly
being demoted to the substitutes' bench.
AC Milan played with a similar formation when they eliminated United last
season on their way to winning the competition. It was a recipe for success
that Ferguson would not be too proud to copy. He will feel that if he is to
give freedom of movement to his front three in Europe then he will need
three in midfield to ensure a sensible balance.
Another signing, Owen Hargreaves, will offer extra protection to a United
defence that at times appears vulnerable and I would imagine him playing
alongside Michael Carrick on domestic duty.
Should Sir Alex go 4-3-3, I would see Paul Scholes, who was invigorated last
season, completing the midfield trio, although he might struggle to play
week-in, week-out in the Premiership.
Without Scholes, I have been wondering where the attacking thrust from
central midfield will come.
The Brazilian midfielder, Anderson, will be groomed to succeed Scholes in
that respect while the Portuguese winger, Nani, will be eased into the frame
over the coming season to bolster the club's attacking options.
Nani is yet another exquisite exponent of the noble art of dribbling. I bet
that one day he will have the Old Trafford season-tickets holders drooling.
But for the time being, it will be Tevez and his new colleagues who lead
opponents a merry dance.
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Football flounders in Carlos Tevez legalese - Telegraph
By Sue Mott
Last Updated: 1:15am BST 04/08/2007
It used to be that football caused excitement at the bar. Now football
causes excitement at the Bar. With the joyful termination of the Tevez case,
the lawyers can celebrate the fact that their input - not to mention
arguments, trades, affidavits, accusations, defences and, of course, bills -
has vastly contributed to the reputation of something we once called The
People's Game. Only if those people are wearing wigs. And we don't mean
Terry Wogan.)
It's M'lud's Game now.
And how perspicacious of the legal eagles to discover that there was a way
round the Tevez affair that threatened to embarrass the Premier League into
discovering that they had allowed a player held by a third party to save
West Ham United from relegation. Note: as part of the out-of-court
settlement, the player's agent Kia Joorabchian (wanted by Interpol, but we
only mention that as an aside) has agreed to acknowledge that West Ham owned
Tevez's registration all along.
So there was no third party agreement. In which case, how come Manchester
United are paying that third party the transfer fee, but for the £2 million
'compensation' being paid to West Ham. It is all right.
Don't even bother. Sheffield United have been grieving about this for months
and no-one is going to do anything about it. The lawyers have tossed it and
crossed it, examined and poked it, and decided that, all things considered,
to let things lie. Then they submitted their bills.
Some of us would say that if West Ham are only receiving a small percentage
of the player's worth, then they only owned a small percentage of the
player. But perhaps their lawyers would argue that if that small percentage
was the boot with which he kept scoring goals, then that is the only
relevant fact. It all reeks, but much does around football these days.
You could accuse the Premier League of being cowardly, negligent and
self-interested in their running of our game, but, of course, they would
merely get their lawyers on to you. In no time, you would find yourself
traduced as not a "fit and proper person" to pass judgment.
Mind you, they have a funny idea of 'fit and proper persons' at the Premier
League, as we have seen with all kinds of foreign gentlemen being deemed
suitable to run a football club, including the new organ grinder at
Manchester City, Thaksin Shinawatra. The Premier League and City fans seem
to be united in the view that the human rights abuses of which he stands
accused are of less immediate moment than the £81 million he has invested in
the club.
Suddenly they are expert in the ways of Asian military juntas, when most of
them have not penetrated that Far Eastern veil further than to eat a
springroll at Bangkok Airport. But there you are.
Even if the ex-Thai PM is convicted of offences in his home country, the
Premier League claim they will have to be guided by the reaction of the
British Government. We have been here before. Remember Zimbabwe. The British
government says: Oh we can't possibly interfere, this is all a matter for
sport. The sport says: Oh we can't possibly interfere, this is all a matter
for the British government. Through this gaping impasse troops any number of
wolves in sheepskin clothing.
For "Fit and Proper" read "Rich and Ready" and then you will have a perfect
understanding of the situation.
So all we can do is watch the new season (of court cases) swim up before us
and hope that our team has a fine formation of lawyers with which to deal
with the inevitable mayhem. There is Joey Barton and his pending court case
for assault, where the England U-21 manager will be called as a witness.
There is Gabriel Heinze's threatened case against Manchester United for
perceived obstruction of his desired move to Liverpool. It is all brewing
nicely and not a ball has been kicked.
Football might argue that they are not the only ones, citing, with some
justice, the ugly legal row between McLaren and Ferrari. And it is certainly
true that poor Lewis Hamilton seems as knee deep in barrister's briefs as
was James Hunt in frilly ones.
How curious that something as essentially innocent as sport should have been
so tainted by Machiavellian ministrations of the law.
And when someone tries to do something to reassert that essential innocence,
look what happens. The Scottish FA decided to test-drive the idea of
punishing divers and cheats by looking at video evidence, taking
retrospective action where necessary. Great. Who could argue? Who but Fifa.
The world governing body caught one whiff of the idea and renounced it.
There is a lesson for us all in that. Rules, like third party ownership, can
be twisted, abused, and messed with until eternity.
But a simple act to clean up the game - no chance. You know why. No money in
it.
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West Ham: Carlos Tevez can join Man Utd - Telegraph
By David Bond
Last Updated: 1:37am BST 04/08/2007
Carlos Tevez will become a Manchester United player next week after the
Premier League and the Football Association yesterday rubber-stamped a £2
million deal between West Ham and his third-party owners.
Come and get me: Carlos Tevez is now free to play for Man Utd
The agreement makes the 23-year-old Argentine striker a free agent, allowing
him to complete his move to the Premiership champions. He passed a medical
at Old Trafford yesterday morning after which he met with his new team-mates
for the first time.
Although League officials will not want to rush the paperwork, the two year
loan deal, which is worth £5 million a year to Tevez's owners, MSI and Just
Sports Inc, and £5 million a year to the player in wages, is expected to be
approved early next week.
With the prospect of a damaging £30 million court case averted, all sides
were united yesterday in relief at the conclusion of what has been one of
English football's most convoluted and bitter disputes.
"Carlos is looking forward to being a Manchester United player and his
ambition is close to being achieved," said a spokesman for Tevez.
West Ham emphasised the settlement confirmed they had held the player's
contract and registration.
The club said: "The settlement ends the current litigation taking place
between the respective parties and provides for a £2 million fee to be paid
to West Ham. The agreement confirms that West Ham do have a valid player's
contract with Carlos Tevez and hold the registration of the player. This
will be released once the agreed fee has been paid to the club."
West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson added: "I am obviously pleased that we
have finally reached the end of this saga through agreement and common
sense. All parties involved can now move on and truly focus on the new
season."
The Premier League said they were satisfied that West Ham had behaved in
line with their undertakings when they terminated the third-party deals with
Kia Joorabchian in April.
Meanwhile the League are expected to confirm next week that they will look
into the row over Gabriel Heinze's proposed move from Manchester United to
Liverpool.
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Tevez deal Dun for Wednesday - The Sun
By PAT SHEEHAN
August 04, 2007
CARLOS TEVEZ should make his Manchester United debut against Dunfermline
next Wednesday after his delayed transfer from West Ham was finally given
the go-ahead. But the Hammers' £6million bid to sign Kieron Dyer from
Newcastle has hit trouble with St James' Park chiefs demanding an extra £2m.
Argentine striker Tevez, 23, trained with his new team-mates yesterday
morning before checking into the Lowry Hotel in Manchester. But he will not
be registered in time to play Chelsea in tomorrow's Community Shield. The
delay is because businessman Kia Joorabchian has to raise £2m to pay West
Ham for the hitman's registration. With Joorabchian's business based in
Brazil and the time difference with London, it will be Monday before the
funds are in place to be transferred.
United boss Alex Ferguson was impressed by Tevez's display during a training
session at Carrington yesterday. Fergie said: "We're delighted it seems to
have been sorted. He trained with us on Friday morning and did very well
considering he's had three weeks off since the Copa America. "He did a good
bit of work and was very enthusiastic. I think it will be Wednesday when we
see him play." Meanwhile, Dyer's move to West Ham from Newcastle has been
delayed. Hammers boss Alan Curbishley was prepared to pay £5m plus another
£1m based on future club success. But it is understood a row has broken out
between the clubs over accusations of unofficial approaches made to the
player.
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Dyer deal in tattersAug 4 2007
by Luke Edwards, The Journal
KIERON Dyer's move to West Ham United was on the verge of collapse last
night after a last-minute change of heart from Newcastle United.
Dyer was to complete a £6m move to Upton Park yesterday after he passed his
medical in east London, but the deal was dramatically delayed when the
Magpies informed the West Ham board they were increasing the asking price to
£8m for the England international. The request was turned down and Dyer was
informed the deal was off by Upton Park officials and that he had to head
back to the North-East.
A London source said: "Kieron was due to sign for West Ham on Friday but
Newcastle suddenly increased the asking price, which West Ham refused to
pay. As a result Newcastle have refused to sell the player and West Ham have
reluctantly told Kieron that he would have to return to the North-East."
And as confusion surrounded the future of Dyer, Newcastle were also closing
in on the capture of Spanish Under-21 international defender Jose Enrique,
who is set to sign in a £4m deal from La Liga's Villarreal.
Where this leaves 28-year-old Dyer, who declined to comment last night,
remains to be seen, and the midfielder could refuse to return to Tyneside
after his car and home were targeted by angry supporters last weekend,
although the deal could still be revived if the Magpies lower their asking
price.
The collapse of the transfer would also be a major blow to manager Sam
Allardyce, who has always sympathised with the player's wish to move closer
to his young family in Ipswich and who has already invested the money he
thought he was getting for Dyer in his replacement Alan Smith, who was
confirmed as a United player yesterday.
Allardyce revealed that, following the capture of Smith and Brazilian
defender Caçapa, he still wants to make another three signings before the
close of the transfer window. But with Dyer's transfer fee seemingly lost,
it remains to be seen if he has the flexibility to do that.
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West Ham's Ferdinand living by personal motto
tribalfooball.com - August 03, 2007
West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand is spreading his new personal motto
everywhere he can. Ferdinand, 22, has had his motto 'I believe to achieve'
tattooed on his left forearm and stitched into his footwear. And Ferdinand
kept the faith after being charged with assault and violent disorder then
telling porkies about his birthday bash in the US last season. He revealed:
"When I was at school, we were doing questionnaires on how you achieve
things. "My answer was you had to believe in yourself. It has been my motto
ever since and I have it stitched into all my football boots and my
trainers. "If you don't make mistakes in life, then you don't learn. All
that I have been through has made me mentally stronger."
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Collapse of Dyer move overshadows Smith deal
West Ham claim price was hiked by £2m at 11th hour
Owen struggles again as injury delays comeback
Louise Taylor
Saturday August 4, 2007
The Guardian
Kieron Dyer's proposed £6m transfer to West Ham United collapsed last night
after sources revealed that Newcastle United inflated the fee to £8m at the
11th hour. The resultant upset at Upton Park overshadowed Newcastle's
recruitment of Alan Smith from Manchester United on a day when it also
emerged that the still injured Michael Owen will almost certainly have to
sit out the start of the Premier League season.
Although Dyer, who nurses an undisclosed liver complaint and has a history
of hamstring and shin trouble, passed a day-long medical at a London
hospital on Thursday, West Ham sent the England midfielder away unsigned
yesterday, complaining that Newcastle had reneged on an agreement reached on
Wednesday by increasing his price at the last minute.
The two clubs had agreed that West Ham would pay £5m plus a further £1m
related to appearances but that basic £5m was raised to £7m shortly before
the player was due to put pen to paper.
Sources close to Dyer - who first suspected a hitch when Newcastle failed to
return West Ham a signed copy of the originally mutally approved transfer
forms - appeared pessimistic that the deal could be revived last night.
However, they were adamant that he will not be returning to Newcastle. It is
understood the only way the 28-year-old will join Alan Curbishley's team is
if Mike Ashley, Newcastle's owner, lowers his total demand to £6m.
What seems peculiar about the affair is that Newcastle - who declined to
comment last night - were widely regarded as having pulled off a coup in
collecting £6m for the injury-prone Dyer, who earns around £60,000 a week at
St James' Park.
Another player almost certain to be missing in Newcastle's start to the
Premier League at Bolton is Owen, whose thigh injury may also see him
struggle to be involved in their home date against Aston Villa the following
weekend. With the trip to Middlesbrough at the end of the month viewed as
his likely comeback date, the striker seems destined to miss England's
friendly with Germany on August 22.
"It doesn't look as encouraging with Michael as we first thought. He's
strained the muscle and it's not healing as quick as we'd like," explained
Sam Allardyce, Newcastle's manager, who completed the signing of the former
Brazil international defender Claudio Cacapa on a free transfer from Lyon
last night and is now pursuing Manchester United's Mikael Silvestre and
Wigan's Leighton Baines. "There's no point in making any rash decisions
about getting him ready for the start of the season. It's about getting him
100% fit for the continuation of playing football matches on a regular
basis. That's what we want."
This aim has been undermined by Owen's lack of pre-season involvement. He
has played 45 minutes, in a win at Hartlepool, for Newcastle this summer
before straining his thigh in training. "Michael's as disappointed as me,
he's desperately short on games and missing them is costly," lamented
Allardyce.
Newcastle's manager fears he may have missed out on signing Silvestre from
Manchester United. Although Allardyce is believed to have agreed a £6m fee
with United for the left-back, Silvestre turned him down due to Joey
Barton's presence at St James' Park. Manchester City's Ousmane Dabo is
Silvestre's best friend and the victim of an alleged training ground assault
by Barton at City. Newcastle are hoping the arrival of Silvestre's former
team-mate Smith may change his mind.
Smith signed a five-year contract yesterday. "People might be surprised I've
gone for Alan Smith," admitted Allardyce. "But I just couldn't turn my back
on a player of his quality. He's a very versatile player who played three or
four positions very successfully for Manchester United."
Smith though hopes to be regarded principally as a striker: "I've come here
to be versatile, the manager's told me I'll have to play in a few positions
and I enjoy playing in midfield but, if someone asks me my best position,
it's striker," he said.
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Transfer Talk: Gudjohnsen denies reports of West Ham move and vows to fight
for place - The Independent
Published: 04 August 2007
*West Ham Eidur Gudjohnsen has denied reports linking him with a move to
Upton Park. The Icelandic striker has been pushed down the pecking order at
Barcelona but he said he has not been in contact with the Premiership club
and is determined to fight for his place at the Nou Camp. "My first priority
is to stay and so far I am not thinking about anything else. I remember when
I was at Chelsea and manager Claudio Ranieri said that as he had Jimmy Floyd
Hasselbaink, Adrian Mutu and Hernan Crespo, I was going to be the fourth
striker. I accepted that and in the end I ended up playing many games. I
know that you always get chances and I am not going to give up."
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