06/08/2007 11:30
George McCartney was all smiles after becoming the latest defender to score
his first goal for the Club in Saturday's 2-1 victory against AS Roma at
Upton Park. After Jonathan Spector had notched his first strike in a Hammers
shirt from the left-back position in last Tuesday's friendly win at Norwich
City, this time it was George's turn to become an unlikely goalscoring hero,
and he was delighted to do so. "They don't come along very often, so it was
very nice to see the ball hit the back of the net," he says. "In my eyes, it
doesn't matter if it's a friendly or a league game, it's always nice to get
on the scoresheet, and it's been a while since my last goal! "Sometimes the
plan at corners is for me to spin round the back and hopefully get on any
flick-ons or knock-downs, but this time Freddie was putting a few balls to
the back post and after going close on a couple of occasions, I managed to
get my head on one and it was lovely to see the ball hit the back of the
net."
Reflecting on the overall performance against the Italian Champions League
contenders in our final pre-season test before next week's Premier League
opener, George admits he was impressed with the way Hammers fought back
against top class opposition. "Roma are a top team who prove that every year
in Serie A, and it was always going to be a tough game," he says. "They were
up for it - you could tell that in the first half with the way they were
passing the ball and moving quickly. "In the second half, though, we closed
them down a bit better and moved the ball well ourselves, and I thought we
deserved the win in the end."
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Allardyce explains Dyer decision - BBC
Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce has revealed Kieron Dyer's move to West Ham
collapsed after the Hammers refused to pay an "escalated" fee of £8m.
The Magpies had accepted a bid of £6m for the player but increased the
amount they wanted for the 28-year-old to a fee thought to be in the region
of £8m.
"In the end, we decided Kieron was undervalued," said Allardyce. "We
escalated the valuation to what we thought was realistic and West Ham did
not want to roll with it." Dyer had agreed personal terms and passed a
medical at the London club. But West Ham boss Alan Curbishley said on
Saturday that the deal "was pulled at the 11th hour by Newcastle and there's
not much we can do about that".
Newcastle's re-evaluation of Dyer angered Curbishley, who said on Saturday
that the transfer was "definitely off". But Allardyce said he was "more
upset" than West Ham about the collapse of the deal. "Why? That is
confidential," added Allardyce. "Kieron is back with us, a top player with a
squad who are growing.
"Will it be difficult for Kieron? It's life, isn't it? He has got a
contract. You sign it. The length of the contract means you are employed by
an employer, something happens, it doesn't work, you come back and get on
with it. "If anything else happens in terms of West Ham increasing their
offer, then great. If they don't then clearly they don't value him as highly
as we do."
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Ashton in fan plea - SSN
Time to forget about Tevez
By Mark Buckingham Last updated: 06th August 2007
Dean Ashton has urged West Ham United fans to forget about Carlos Tevez and
get behind the current crop of players. Tevez was voted the fans' Player of
the Year last season after playing an instrumental role in keeping the club
in the Premier League. The Argentine has subsequently agreed a move to
Manchester United, but Ashton insists there are still exciting times ahead
for The Hammers. "It would be very sad if the fans just carried on singing
about Tevez and weren't singing about the other players in the team," said
Ashton in the Guardian. "We want to put that behind us, start a new season
and get the fans excited with that. Everyone wants a fresh start and the
players we've brought in have given us an extra buzz. "There has been a lot
of changes at the club and it feels like a decent place to be and that
shows." Ashton is back in action after missing last season with a broken
ankle and he is determined to make the most of playing again. After scoring
against Roma at the weekend, he said: "I've seen a different side to
football since I've been injured and I'll never ever take it for granted
again. "I'd play for nothing if it meant getting out there again. That
doesn't matter to me - I just want to play football for years. It's made me
appreciate that."
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The view from Eastlands - A City fans take on the new season and Saturdays
opener - WestHamOnline
Match Reporter - Mon Aug 6 2007
What do you expect from Man City this season?
Expectations are high at City after the recent flurry of transfer activity,
but we are realistic enough to realise that it'll take time for the new
players to gel. Top 10 is a reasonable target for this season.
What are your initial impressions of Sven and Dr Shinawatra?
Whilst doubts still exist about Thaksin Shinatwara's (aka Frank) alleged
human rights abuses, most fans have been won over by a £40m transfer kitty.
We're a fickle lot.
Everything Erickson has done so far has impressed me, particularly the fact
that he's not signed any English players. A damning indictment of the
English game if ever there was one. He's made some astute signings and has
the full backing of the fans. In Sven we trust.
Who do you think will be your star men this season?
We have high hope for the likes of Petrov, Elano and and Bianchi. But I
think Bojino (the new Hristo Stoichkov, apparently) could be the best buy of
the lot.
How have you played pre-season?
It's been a bit of a mixed pre-season, as the squad have had little time to
get to know each other due to the timing of the takeover and Sven's
appointment. I never read too much into pre-season anyway.
Has Sven spent well?
Only time will tell.
What's your view on the Carlos Tevez affair?
I didn't really see what all the fuss was about, although I understand why
Sheffield United felt aggrieved. Now that he is about to join Manchester
United, however, I think the whole business is a sordid affair which smacks
of corruption. I feel that United (Manchester, not West Ham) should be
relegated with immediate effect. And docked 15 points.
How do you think West Ham will do?
Top 10
What West Ham players worry you most?
That French lad, if he hadn't got injured. Ljungberg and Bellamy will always
be a threat though
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Allardyce: Dyer price wasn't right - TeamTalk
Sam Allardyce has defended Newcastle's decision to block Kieron Dyer's move
to West Ham after admitting the club "escalated" his valuation. Dyer, 28,
seemed set for a switch to Upton Park after the Hammers had agreed a fee -
believed to be £6million - for the England midfielder. But West Ham boss
Alan Curbishley insisted to his great frustration over the weekend that the
deal was now "definitely off". But Magpies boss Allardyce said: "If Curbs
started it, then we are more upset than they are, that is a fact. "Why? That
is confidential. He is not as upset as we are about West Ham. "In the end,
we decided he was undervalued. We escalated the valuation to what we thought
was realistic and West Ham did not want to roll with it. "Kieron is back
with us, a top player with a squad who are growing. Will it be difficult for
Kieron? It's life, isn't it? He has got a contract. You sign it. The length
of the contract means you are employed by an employer, something happens, it
doesn't work, you come back and get on with it. "If anything else happens in
terms of West Ham increasing their offer, then great. If they don't, then
clearly they don't value him as highly as we do."
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Season's Greetings - West Ham Online
Alex V - Mon Aug 6 2007
So the season is upon us. Time for a best guess of where we will end up this
time next year. In the Championship nursing more wounds? In the high courts
again? In a royal mail depot?
I have a mixed record in terms of predictions. I predicted that we may
struggle last season. I repeatedly predicted that a player called Ashton at
Crewe was the best prospect in the country. I (and others) predicted that
the sale of Rio Ferdinand would tear the club apart. But I also predicted
that Tevez would never find his form at the club. That Sheringham was
finished about 2 and a half years too early. That Bryan Robson would be a
great choice as new West Ham manager. If I've been 50% right then I am not a
total idiot.
It seems that everyone expects us NOT to be involved in the relegation
shake-up at the end of this season, but as I did this time last year, I
suggest that survival in the top league IS success and for me 17th place in
the division would constitute a decent consolidation on our position in
English football. On paper we shouldn't be down there again, but as we know
success on the pitch is not counted in terms of potential, and if various
factors see us fail to win matches we will be down there once again. Surely
it is less likely than last season - the players and staff who experienced
that will be striving from the kick-off to avoid it. There is much more of
an experienced look to the side this season - I am hoping that even with key
injuries and a loss of form there will be enough mental strength in the
squad to avoid it turning into a collapse.
Curbishley has stated that a top-10 finish is what he's looking for, but as
he well knows the difference points-wise between 10th position and a push
for a European place can be very small indeed. I think he, the players, and
probably many of us fans would guess that the club might be in the shake-up
for a place in Europe. Top four would be an astonishing achievement, but
anything from 6th place to about 12th or 13th is a realistic prediction.
Earlier in the Summer I was getting quite excited about our prospects -
Tevez was undecided, Parker had joined the club, Benayoun had 'signed', and
there was a good chance of us getting a squad together that might even have
challenged the top four. With Tevez, Benayoun, Wright-Phillips, Reo-Coker
and Bent I think we would have been an outside shot for a Champions League
place. But sadly it wasn't to be, and we have to admit that the squad we
have ended up with, while still very impressive, is just not strong enough
in my opinion to really push the top four or five.
The other factor is the clubs that are in competition with us - after a slow
start many of them have spent quite heavily in the transfer market.
Portsmouth under Harry Redknapp really stand out as having made a few coups
in the Summer - presumably Bagpuss actually knows the players he's buying
unlike his West Ham days watching dodgy videos of foreign internationals.
Man City have been notable spenders. Even Fulham have spent some money. It
all makes our spending look that little bit less impressive. While Bolton,
Wigan and Reading look weaker squad-wise, we are in the midst of a pack of
mid-table sides who are all spending their TV contract money with abandon.
It's not hard to see the clubs we are about on a par with - Villa,
Newcastle, Portsmouth, Man City, Everton and debatably Spurs.
In terms of players it will be like always - some will surprise us, and some
will disappoint. I think it's always a mistake to come into a new season
expecting certain levels of performance from players. The break and
pre-season can so often change the whole outlook and potential of a player,
and presumably given the open transfer window Curbishley is within his
rights to sell any players he doesn't feel are good enough for the squad.
Who will surprise us - I would pick out Cole, Boa Morte and Davenport, for
the simple reason that I feel they were judged during a very tough period of
poor form and high pressure. Cole has all the attributes of a top striker
minus the first touch - if he can sort that out I think he can make a great
contribution to the squad, he certainly has the biggest physical presence of
our strikers. Boa Morte has complained that he had an ongoing fitness
problem last season - presumably the break and perhaps a new diet can cure
him of any ailments and we will see the player who looked so incredibly
impressive in the Fulham team. Davenport's biggest problem may be getting
anywhere near the team, but when you look at the player and his physical
attributes, it can only be positioning and simple experience that is holding
him back from being a top top defender.
Who will underperform - I'm not sure, but surely someone will. Sometimes it
is just circumstance - if a player gets played in a different position every
match as Spector had to last season, then their form will suffer. Somebody
may have a strop and lose interest, as debatably happened last year with
Reo-Coker. I also think that busy Summers might be a slight factor in terms
of certain performances this season - Neill, Spector and Noble basically
played through the Summer break, and that will surely take its toll at some
point.
But for the second season in a row it just seems like Ashton is the key once
more. He leads the line, he has strength and power, his touch is exquisite
at times, and his composure is outstanding, the ultimate big-game player.
Obviously there is a big 'IF' here because he is still recovering from
serious injury. No pressure on the lad, but I honestly feel he can have more
of an influence on English football than Alan Shearer did. But of course it
depends on so many things - fitness, application, luck. But if we are
looking for a new talisman to replace Tevez then surely this is the player.
The other key for me is replacing the creative abilities of Benayoun - Boa
Morte and Ljungberg (and possibly Etherington and Faubert) have to deliver
for us in matches. Both Boa Morte and Ljungberg have proven at this level
that they can be matchwinners, and indeed Ljungberg's best form was when he
used to pop up all over the pitch in clever positions very like Benayoun. My
worry is that neither catch fire, and we look a bit lacking in ideas as a
side - it would then be more of a struggle. I think if you look at our spine
it looks like a potential world-beater - Green, Ferdinand, Parker, Ashton.
It's the players around that spine that are the unknown quantity this season
and may spell success or disaster on the pitch.
The final thought is about support from the fans. I am a hypocrit here,
because I sit among the season ticket holders in relative silence musing on
the game. But an incredible factor last season was the fans' support,
particularly of Tevez - I think it's impossible to underestimate what effect
that support had on our survival. Without it we would be in the Championship
I think. It's asking a lot I know, but imagine that support was extended to
everyone in the team, from Ashton to young Spector. I think the positive
energy would be so strong that the ground may levitate. With that sort of
positive support we may find we have 11 Tevez's on the pitch every match.
I'm going to be positive. I predict 6th place. I predict a cup final. I
predict Ashton top scorer. I predict we buy Tevez BACK next Summer.
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West Ham Weekend Paper Gossip
The People.
Cassano a real deal.
Real Madrid forward Antonio Cassano is being offered to premier league clubs
as new boss Bernd Schuster makes changes. West Ham United and Bolton
Wanderers are interested in a loan deal for the 25 year old but real would
rather get Cassano off their books altogether.
The People.
Hammers hit Shorey trail.
West Ham United will step up their £5million bid for Nickey Shorey after
reading boss steve Coppell finally admitted defeat in trying to persuade the
England left back to sign an extended deal on the two years left on his
contract.
The Star.
Dyer goes on strike.
Exclusive.
Sulky Dyer stays away.
Protest as move fails.
Kieron Dyer was last night at home in Ipswich with no sign of returning to
Newcastle United after his move to West Ham United collapsed in bizarre
circumstances. Dyer's supposedly watertight move to Upton Park fell through
when new Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley suddenly and surprisingly upped
the price by £2million on Friday. Now the England midfielder is mounting a
one man strike to push the deal through. An insider close to the deal
claimed Newcastle's millionaire owner raised the asking price for Dyer
because he was so incensed at the arrogance of the Hammers board. My source
said I have heard all the stories that Dyer was tapped up by West Ham United
and that was the reason that Ashley raised the price by £2million that is
not true. What really happened was that Ashley found out how west ham was
boasting that they had landed the player and he was not impressed by that
attitude he just increased the price. Kieron is now back at home in Ipswich
and everyone is talking to him but at the moment he shows no sign of leaving
Ipswich. He might be contracted to Newcastle United but he is a very wealthy
boy a player in the Robbie fowler league with huge investments in property
and he is not going to be pushed around. However Mike Ashley is not a man to
be messed with and he has been messed with so the only way out is for west
ham to increase the transfer fee. Dyer 28 was virtually signed and sealed on
a £5million transfer which would have increased to £6million if the Hammers
got in to Europe. But in the most bizarre of circumstances an episode
occurred in a casino night club with both West Ham United and Newcastle
United. The incident rubbed up Ashley the wrong way and caused the unheard
of hike in the transfer fee for a player once a deal had already been
agreed.
The Star.
Ephraim in frame.
Crystal palace want West Ham United starlet Hogan Ephraim on a season long
loan deal. Hammers chief Alan Curbishley is keen to gain more first team
experience at a championship club and palace boss peter Taylor has made an
enquiry. He said Hogan is a player that I like and who is on my list Ephraim
said it does not look like I will be in west ham's first team so I am hoping
for a loan move.
The Star.
Anton's time to change.
Anton Ferdinand has vowed to become a model professional this season the 22
year old defender played a significant part in west ham's problems last term
as they struggled to stay in the premier league. Jeered by his own fans for
partying in America mid season Ferdinand was also charged with assault after
an alleged nightclub fracas and appeared to symbolise the baby Bentley
culture at the club. But even though he faces autumn trial Ferdinand insists
his troubles have helped him to reform. The toughest game for me was against
Tottenham when all the stuff had come out about me going to America said
Ferdinand. It was a learning curve when I came out for the warm up I could
hear some fans saying things about me this and that that was the toughest
game mentally that I have ever played in. we went close to winning it but we
did not quite pull it off and at the end quite a few of our fans clapped me
off the pitch and I really appreciated that. Ferdinand accepts that he has
been his own worst enemy and admitted no one is perfect if you do not make
mistakes you do not learn. All that I have been through has made me mentally
stronger.
The Mirror.
Eidur the target for the Hammers.
West Ham will table a £9million bid for former Chelsea striker Eidur
Gudjohnsen this week. Prolonged negotiations aimed at getting permission to
talk to the Barcelona marksman appeared to be faltering as the Spanish
giants made it clear they didn't want to sell. But on Friday evening they
performed a U-turn and decided to cash in on the Iceland international. The
deal is far from secured, though, with Gudjohnsen, 28, happy to stay in
Spain until the January transfer window to weigh up whether he has a future
at Barcelona. The arrival of Thierry Henry from Arsenal has put Gudjohnsen's
place under increasing threat. A partnership of Henry and Samuel Eto'o is
likely to be first choice for Coach Frank Rijkaard. West Ham have made him
their primary target after Carlos Tevez moved to Manchester United.
The Mirror.
Hammers poised to nick Nicky.
Reading boss Steve Coppell is resigned to cashing in on England left-back
Nicky Shorey who has refused a new improved contract. That will alert big
spending West Ham who look certain to slap in a £5million bid this week.
More bad news for Coppell is that Leroy Lita, top scorer for England Under
21s in the European championships, is also staying on his current contract
which, like Shorey's, has two years to run. Reading do not want to be left
in a situation where players run down their contracts and leave as free
agents, like Steve Sidwell who joined Chelsea in the summer. Coppell said of
Shorey: "He's not going to negotiate any more with us. He's got two years
left on his current deal and whether that sends out a message to other clubs
- it probably does.
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West Ham: Ready To Usher In A New Era - goal.com
Ahead of the big Premiership kick-off, Max De Luca discusses how West Ham
United are shaping up for a first 'proper' season under Eggert Magnusson and
Alan Curbishley.
With the Carlos Tevez saga - haunting the club like a midsummer nightmare -
finally having drawn to a close, the focus at Upton Park can finally shift
towards what Alan Curbishley has been up to. The former Charlton miracle
worker has efficiently built a squad well capable of finishing in the top
half, and with some luck, even in the top six. Or perhaps have a good Cup
run like two years ago!
The Tevez saga has stolen all the headlines from the plethora of signings
made by the club during the summer transfer window. Enigmatic chairman
Eggert Magnusson must have wondered what he got himself into last year, just
barely surviving the plunge into the Championship, but he has opened up his
chequebook and the players have been flocking to Upton Park.
The club had a few envious glances cast towards them when they plucked
midfield maestro Julien Faubert from Bordeaux for 9 million euros. He was
bought as a direct replacement for Yossi Benayoun who left London for the
comforts of Anfield.
Unfortunately, Faubert tore his Achilles tendon on July 17 in a friendly
against Czech side Sigma Olomouc and will miss up to six months of the
coming season.
West Ham further strengthened themselves in the middle of the park by
signing the tenacious Scott Parker, who will be reunited with his old
manager. West Ham fans will hope that Parker can rediscover his old form
when he was with Curbishley at Charlton.
He will fill the void left by former captain and English U-21 star Nigel
Reo-Coker, who was offloaded to Aston Villa. Most Hammers think Parker will
be an upgrade over Reo-Coker, who in their minds did not perform to his
potential for most of the year.
Curbishley then pulled off a real 'coup d'etat' when he convinced Freddie
Ljungberg to stay in London after being wooed by a variety of European
teams. Freddie is a proven winner and will bring a veteran presence to the
dressing room which should help offset the antics of misfit Craig Bellamy
who was deemed to be surplus to requirements at Liverpool.
Curbs hopes that the inconsistent yet wildly talented Bellamy will settle
down and make headlines on the pitch rather than off it, like he did for
much of the season two years ago at Blackburn. If anyone can handle such a
character, Curbishley can. The boss will be counting on him to more than
replace the goals scored by Marlon Harewood who left Upton Park and will
reunite with Reo-Coker at Villa Park.
Goalkeeper Richard Wright was brought in to provide cover for Robert Green,
but is considered a gamble as he carries the reputation of an underachiever.
They lost the versatile Paul Konshesky to city rivals Fulham, and the
imminent arrival of Kieron Dyer would have offset fears, but that has fallen
through as well, and remains the one real worry for West Ham.
The defence is in good shape with Matthew Upson, Anton Ferdinand and new
skipper Lucas Neill. The middle of the park will have a different look to it
with Ljungberg and Parker leading the charge, along with Faubert when fit.
However, in the likes of Lee Bowyer, Luis Boa Morte, Etherington, Mark Noble
and Nigel Quashie, there are options aplenty.
Up front Bellamy and local boy Bobby Zamora will be counted on to score the
goals. However, there is an ace that we have sorely missed: in fit-again
Dean Ashton, who will hand Curbs added bite in his attack. Ashton will
probably be a regular first team player, and could strike a good partnership
with Bellamy if the Welshman can get it right. Carlton Cole will provide
much needed cover.
Ever since the controversial yet grand escape, Curbishley has worked closely
with Magnusson during the close season to put together a squad that blends
the physical with the technically gifted - one that should be able to stay
in the top half of the table this coming season.
There might be another midfield signing given the bizarre failure of the
Dyer move, but all in all, this is a team ready to ruffle a few feathers.
Magnusson got the fans involved brilliantly last season, and that will also
pay dividends. All in all, a few heads should turn!
Max De Luca
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Dyer for Spurs instead of West Ham? - Sportigo
Mon, Aug 6, 07 11:50Mark Apostolou
The aftermath of Kieron Dyer-gate was bound to be messy, and so it has
proved.
Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has told West Ham to increase their bid or miss
out on Dyer (Daily Mirror). The Daily Express claims Allardyce will not sell
Dyer to West Ham unless the Hammers up their bid to £8m. and The Sun says
that Big Sam has hit back at West Ham counterpart Alan Curbishley in the row
over Dyer by saying: It's your fault and not ours. So where does this leave
us?
It seems unlikely, given the 11th hour collapse of the move, that West Ham
will fork out an extra £2m for no apparent reason other than Newcastle's
annoyance that West Ham had announced that the deal was completed, which
seems an odd reason to demand extra cash. I fear that Dyer will not join
West Ham and will struggle to attract any buyer given this latest fiasco on
top of his already questionable reputation both off and on the field. Maybe
Spurs will re-ignite their interest for the 28-year-old England
international, but I doubt it!
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Bolton, West Ham move for Real Madrid's Cassano
tribalfooball.com - August 06, 2007
Real Madrid striker Antonio Cassano is interesting Bolton Wanderers and West
Ham United. Real are desperate to get Cassano off their books and have been
contacted by both Premiership clubs, says AS. Cassano, however, would favour
a return to Italy over a move to the Premiership.
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West Ham won't pay Dyer hike as they face Sam's fury - Daily Mail
Last updated at 12:12pm on 6th August 2007
Furious West Ham insist they will not pay Newcastle the extra cash for
Kieron Dyer as the fallout from the on-off transfer turned into a war of
words today.
Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce said his club "escalated" their valuation of
the player at the last minute but added they were "upset" at the Hammers'
behaviour. Newcastle owner Mike Ashley blocked the £6million deal over the
weekend after terms had been agreed and the player had undergone a medical.
Ashley, who had agreed a fee of £5m plus £1m of add-ons, apparently demanded
another £2m. West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson immediately called off the
transfer and Dyer, desperate to move closer to his Ipswich roots, is now in
limbo at Newcastle with no immediate prospect of a move. It is understood
the Hammers have no intention of paying the extra cash for the England
midfielder and it seems the only way the deal could be revived is if Ashley
moderates his demands for a player manager Alan Curbishley rates highly.
Allardyce said: "If Curbs started it, then we are more upset than they are,
that is a fact. "Why? That is confidential. He is not as upset as we are
about West Ham. "In the end, we decided he was undervalued. We escalated the
valuation to what we thought was realistic and West Ham did not want to roll
with it. "Kieron is back with us, a top player with a squad who are growing.
Will it be difficult for Kieron? It's life, isn't it? He has got a contract.
You sign it. The length of the contract means you are employed by an
employer, something happens, it doesn't work, you come back and get on with
it. "If anything else happens in terms of West Ham increasing their offer,
then great. If they don't, then clearly they don't value him as highly as we
do."
Dyer, who is said to be stunned by the latest turn of events, had agreed
personal terms and had a stringent medical on Thursday. By Friday morning,
West Ham were waiting on the results of one final blood test and the player
himself was poised to drive to the club's training ground when the news came
through that the deal was off because of Newcastle's change of heart.
Curbishley said: "There is not much we can do about it. It's definitely off
and this has never happened to me before. We are disappointed and so is the
player."
The West Ham boss remains eager to strengthen his squad before the transfer
deadline at the end of this month. He is keen on adding another striker,
with Barcelona's Eidur Gudjohnsen one option. Reading left back Nicky Shorey
is another potential target, though Curbishley has been impressed by
incumbent George McCartney, who kick-started the Hammers' comeback in
Saturday's 2-1 win over Roma. The kick-off had to be delayed 15 minutes to
allow the crowd of more than 26,000 to enter, but it was Roma who took an
early lead when Ludovic Giuly fired home. McCartney equalised after 64
minutes and Dean Ashton, who replaced Bobby Zamora at half-time, scored the
winner three minutes later. Ashton could be on the bench for Saturday's
Premiership opener against Manchester City, but Curbishley admitted: "The
way Dean has come back has thrown a marker down."
Curbishley also said Magnusson has had a weight lifted from his shoulders
following the conclusion of the Carlos Tevez transfer controversy. "Eggert
has looked a lot more relaxed and it is a great weight off his shoulders,"
he said.
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Allardyce Tries To Defend The Undefendable - newcastlemad.co.uk
By Nu Mad Monday 6th August 2007
Sam Allardyce has defended the club's decision to block Kieron Dyer's move
to West Ham after admitting the club "escalated" their valuation of the
player.
Personally I think Big Sam is as gutted as West Ham, Kieron Dyer and
ourselves, and only confirms the words he said two weeks ago: "Mike Ashley
and the new chairman know nothing about football, and I will have to teach
them". But he has to put on a brave face and dealt with it. We've seen it
before, exactly one year ago when Freddy Shepherd pulled the plug on James
Milner's transfer to Aston Villa (just like Dyer and West Ham) after talks
had been completed and the player had passed a medical.
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley insisted the deal was now "definitely off" to
his great frustration and added "I have never experienced anything like this
before". Allardyce: "If Curbs started it, then we are more upset than they
are, that is a fact. "Why? That is confidential. He is not as upset as we
are about West Ham. "In the end, we decided he was undervalued. We escalated
the valuation to what we thought was realistic and West Ham did not want to
roll with it. "Kieron is back with us, a top player with a squad who are
growing. Will it be difficult for Kieron? It's life, isn't it? He has got a
contract. You sign it. The length of the contract means you are employed by
an employer, something happens, it doesn't work, you come back and get on
with it. "If anything else happens in terms of West Ham increasing their
offer, then great. If they don't then clearly they don't value him as highly
as we do."
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Grant dodges davenport questions - pinkun
CHRIS LAKEY
Peter Grant has dodged questions over transfer speculation linking West
Ham's Calum Davenport with a move to Carrow Road. The 24-year-old is likely
to be on the sidelines at Upton Park this season, where manager Alan
Curbishley has half a dozen central defenders to choose from. Davenport
spent three months on loan at Carrow Road at the end of 2005 - and Grant has
admitted that he is keen to add defensive cover to his squad. However, he
declined to reveal whether or not he would be going back to his former club
to inquire about a player who would increase his own central defensive stock
- which currently stands at Gary Doherty and skipper Jason Shackell, plus
veteran Dion Dublin as possible cover - by half. "We are always looking at
good players," he said. "The window shuts for everybody else, but for
managers and coaches you are always looking at players who can improve you.
"We are always looking at players that can put pressure in everybody else -
I want competitive spirit in the team and on the training ground, I want
players to be fighting for their positions there. "And people like Calum are
very, very good players. He has been here before and that is probably the
reason people are linking him and probably because West Ham have got five
other central defenders."
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Allardyce tells Dyer to re-focus on Newcastle - northernecho.co.uk
SAM Allardyce last night urged unsettled midfielder Kieron Dyer to "put the
past behind him" following the dramatic last-minute collapse of his proposed
transfer to West Ham. Dyer was on the verge of signing a four-year contract
at Upton Park on Friday night when Newcastle officials dramatically raised
their £6m asking price, a move that immediately scuppered the deal. The
Magpies are understood to have demanded an £8m fee for the 27-year-old,
angering both Hammers boss Alan Curbishley, who criticised Newcastle for
their conduct, and Dyer, who is keen to move nearer to his native Ipswich
after spending eight years in the North-East. Dyer's fractious relationship
with United's supporters reached a head recently when his house was pelted
with eggs, and his car was attacked as he attempted to leave St James' Park
following last weekend's friendly with Juventus. But after holding a
hastily-arranged discussion on Saturday, Allardyce has told the England
international to return to training this week in order to honour the
remaining two years of his current Magpies deal.
"In the end, we decided that Kieron was under-valued and we escalated the
valuation to what we thought was realistic," confirmed the Newcastle boss,
who watched his side complete their pre-season programme with a 1-0 win over
Sampdoria yesterday. "West Ham didn't want to roll with it, so Kieron is
back with us. "The attacks on his car were completely out of order. Nobody
should allow that sort of thing to happen, but he has to put that behind him
and get on with his football. "It's life isn't it. You sign a contract and
the length of that contract means that your employer employs you for that
period of time. "If something happens and it doesn't work, you come back and
get on with it. It's not a hard life is it? It's a pressurised one, very
pressurised, but it's not hard.
"You come back, do your best and go forward. If anything happens in terms of
West Ham increasing their offer, great. If they don't then they clearly
don't value him as highly as we do."
A furious Curbishley has criticised Newcastle for pulling the plug at the
"11th-and-a-half-hour" of Friday night's talks. The instruction to increase
United's asking price is understood to have come from the club's new owner,
Mike Ashley, but despite the subsequent impasse creating an unwanted
stand-off less than a week before the start of the new season, Allardyce
feels that the blame lies firmly in West Ham's court. "He's (Curbishley) not
as upset as we are about West Ham," he said. "It's private and confidential,
but if Curbs started it, then he's not as upset as we are. That's a fact."
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