Jack Collison, Scott Parker, Bobby Zamora and Freddie Sears are taking part
in a stadium event
13.04.2008
Come along to the Stadium store on Monday to meet Jack Collison, Scott
Parker, Bobby Zamora and Freddie Sears as they promote the new Umbro
Leisurewear range.
Subject to availability, the four first-teamers will be in store from
approximately 1.30pm to 2.30pm and will be saying hello to fans and signing
autographs. As well as getting the chance to get up close with some of their
West Ham United favourites, any supporters making a purchase from the new
Umbro Leisurewear range will also get a free Umbro wallet, while stocks
last.
While the above only applies to those visiting the Stadium store on Monday
14 April, there is another ongoing special offer there and also at the
Lakeside store. There is free shirt printing and an Umbro wallet for any
purchase of a men's or boys' home or away replica shirt, while stocks last.
Please note this offer does not apply to the online Megastore. Visitors to
Lakeside can also meet club legend Tony Cottee on Thursday, click here for
more information.
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Man Utd's Tevez: West Ham fans convinced me to challenge Curbishley
tribalfooball.com - April 13, 2008
Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez has revealed how fans convinced him
to save West Ham United from relegation last season. Tevez told the People:
"Alan Pardew didn't play me at West Ham, even though the fans were calling
for me. I didn't say anything at first but one day, I had had enough and
decided to do it. "I was on the bench and the fans were shouting my name. So
I got up, tapped him on the shoulder and said, 'Mister, they are all
chanting for me.' "He brought me on - I made a name for myself and we saved
ourselves from relegation. "Now I have a better knowledge of the way the
game is played here, the movement and the players. "Last season was tough. I
had won the title with Boca Juniors and with Corinthians in Brazil, but then
I came to the Premier League and I was like a nobody."
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West Ham's Gabbidon in Man City sights
tribalfooball.com - April 13, 2008
West Ham United defender Danny Gabbidon is interesting Manchester City. City
boss Sven Goran Eriksson sees Gabbidon as ideal cover for first-choice
defensive pairing Richard Dunne and Micah Richards.
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'Vintage Bolton' make Alan Curbishley whine - Telegraph
By Phil Shaw
Last Updated: 12:38am BST 14/04/2008
Bolton Wanderers (0) 1 West Ham United (0) 0
With almost any other team, the phrase would be seen as a neat and glowing
encapsulation of excellence. Yet when West Ham manager Alan Curbishley
described the victors' performance at the Reebok Stadium as "vintage
Bolton", the compliment was plainly double-edged.
It inferred relentless physicality, a reliance on set-pieces, cynical
gamesmanship plus a barrage of long throws and high balls aimed at
exploiting the aerial power of the match-winner, the ubiquitous Kevin
Davies. In short, the attributes that made Bolton contenders for a Champions
League spot under Sam Allardyce last season until they fell away to seventh
place.
Gary Megson, who might have been expected to savour the comparison, bridled
on hearing it. The Bolton manager, who had seen his side give themselves a
fighting chance of Premier League survival, sees no merit in nostalgia.
Without naming names, he alluded to the fact that the decline set in during
the second half of Allardyce's final season, and that his own inheritance,
from the Sammy Lee interregnum, was abysmal.
Bolton had five points from 10 games when Megson took over. Davies' 100th
career goal, thumped in amid West Ham's disarray when defending a corner
kick, gives them a point per game from Megson's 24 in charge. Scarcely the
stuff of Uefa Cup qualification, though not deserving, either, of a
pre-match protest against "Mugson" by 100 fans displaying a banner
declaring: "Eight years to build - eight months to destroy."
Kevin Nolan, Bolton's captain, deemed the criticism "unfair", adding: "He
came into a tough job and did well when he arrived but that was probably
papering over the cracks. It'll be a long-term thing. Sam Allardyce had
seven years to rebuild this club, yet the fans wanted him out at first. He
has the full backing of the dressing-room."
Bolton's first win in nine matches unquestionably owed much to a recycling
of Big Sam's blueprint, but Megson also highlighted their passing, movement
and new-found motivation. "The work-rate since I've arrived has probably
doubled," he said pointedly. "It wasn't acceptable before that, but now
they're absolutely flying. Whether it's 'vintage Bolton', I'm not sure, but
it's vintage from the people we've got."
Davies epitomised the fusion of familiar values and fresh resolve. No one
plays the role of lone striker better, and although West Ham's Dean Ashton
is a markedly superior finisher, he could learn from the way Davies uses his
burly frame to unsettle defenders and bring team-mates into play. He was the
man Bolton could least afford to lose, but a 10th yellow card leaves him
suspended for the games at Middlesbrough and Tottenham.
"It was a harsh booking and I'm devastated," Davies said, with ample
justification. "But someone else can step in now and be the hero. It's
exciting because we've reeled in two teams and set up the great escape after
such a difficult season."
Bolton Wanderers homepage | West Ham United homepage
With Sunderland to come at home before the finale at Chelsea, Bolton's next
three fixtures are against what Nolan called "mid-table teams without much
to play for". The description was an indictment of Curbishley's side.
'Vintage West Ham' would have suggested one-touch, rather than soft-touch,
football. Bolton, having belatedly realised they have everything to play
for, must hope to encounter similar languor in their remaining games.
Hardman
It was no surprise when Kevin Davies played on after dislocating a finger on
Saturday, as the Bolton striker has a history of bravery.
In November 2007, a clash of heads left Patrice Evra writhing
melodramatically, but Davies just got up and played on. And back in August
2006, he continued after fracturing a cheekbone against Charlton, only to be
sent off later on.
Davies' courage conjures up memories of 1989, when England's Terry Butcher
suffered a deep gash over an eye against Sweden before his stitches
disintegrated and left his shirt drenched in blood.
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Bolton Wanderers 1 West Ham United 0: Davies ban blows hole in Wanderers'
escape plan - The Independent
By Guy Hodgson
Monday, 14 April 2008
At the end of this match Gary Megson went on a fool's errand. It was futile
and he knew it but he was stretching reason to cling on to something of
value.
No player personifies the Bolton Wanderers way more than Kevin Davies. Big,
awkward, hard-working and skilful, he is shorthand for the way the team
played under first Sam Allardyce and now Megson. The booking he received
here that will cause him to miss the next two matches is a grievous blow.
Megson went in pursuit of Peter Walton, hoping he could get the referee to
rescind the yellow card even though he knew it was beyond the official's
powers. It was a manifestation of desperation and forlorn hope. "It's a big
blow," the Bolton manager conceded.
Just how much Davies will be missed against Middlesbrough and Tottenham
Hotspur as Bolton try to preserve their place in the Premier League was all
too apparent in this match. The striker scored the winner, had two efforts
cleared off the line and twice flicked on for "goals" that were ruled
offside. He may not be flamboyant but West Ham's defenders would testify
that he dominated proceedings comprehensively.
Megson described the display as Davies' best. "Hopefully, somebody will have
seen how you go about it when you play centre-forward and pick up the
gauntlet," he said. "There are not too many players like Kevin and when he
plays like that he's very, very difficult to contain."
West Ham barely won a ball in the air against him all afternoon. But then
they lost battles all over the pitch until the closing stages when
Wanderers, who moved to within two points of fourth-bottom Birmingham City
with this victory, were slowed by tensions and the need to protect what they
had. "A vintage Bolton performance," was the West Ham manager Alan
Curbishley's verdict.
Bolton's captain, Kevin Nolan, said: "We played really well and we deserved
it. It was a fantastic team performance. Now we've got four games left and
if we win four we'll be safe. It's as simple as that. It's a life or death
time now. None of us wants to go down and you saw that in the performance."
Davies, whose importance to the dressing room means that he will travel to
Teesside and London despite his ban, felt he had played the ball when he was
cautioned for a foul on John Pantsil. "I thought it was a harsh booking," he
said. "In fact, I'm devastated by it. But someone else can step in now and
be the hero. I hope it will be a sort of blessing in disguise."
Could Bolton escape? "Yes," he replied, sensing a pivotal moment in the
campaign. "I'm excited. It's like we've set up the 'Great Escape' after such
a difficult season. We showed a lot of spirit and togetherness; we got back
to being a team today."
The question, with three of Bolton's four remaining fixtures away from home,
is whether this conjunction has happened too late.
Goal: Davies (47) 1-0.
Bolton Wanderers (4-1-4-1): Al Habsi; Steinsson, A O'Brien, Cahill, Samuel;
Campo; Diouf, Nolan, McCann, Taylor; Davies. Substitutes not used: Walker
(gk), Cohen, Andranik, Giannakopoulos, Rasiak.
West Ham United (4-4-2): Green; Spector, Ferdinand (Pantsil, 4), Upson,
McCartney; Collison (Cole, h-t), Parker, Mullins, Boa Morte; Zamora (Sears,
66), Ashton. Substitutes not used: Walker (gk), Tomkins,
Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).
Booked: Bolton Davies; West Ham Pantsil.
Man of the match: Davies.
Attendance: 23,043.
Bolton's survival task
*BOLTON 18th (29pts)
19 April Middlesbrough (a)
26 April Tottenham (a)
3 May Sunderland (h)
11 May Chelsea (a)
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West Ham line up £2m Chelsea ace?!?! - Talking Soccer
West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley is believed to be lining up a £2
million move for Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell. Sidwell has struggled
with life at Stamford Bridge since his free transfer from Reading in the
summer and could be set to quit the club after making just 25 appearances.
West Ham boss Curbishley is a big admirer of Sidwell and will hope to tempt
him across London to Upton Park in the summer.
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West Ham hope to snap up Arsenal reject?!? - Talking Soccer
West Ham United are hoping to snap up Arsenal reject Ahmed Abdulla. The
Hammers have taken the schoolboy on trial after he was released by the
Gunners. The youngster impressed as he bagged two goals against Birmingham
City U18's last week and he is hoping he has done enough to earn a deal at
Upton Park.
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Safety first, progress last - The Times
Martin Samuel
Bolton Wanderers may have seized a lifeline with Saturday's win over West
Ham United, but without wishing to disparage a victory that will be
celebrated in some quarters as fervently as a big cup win, what is the point
of it all?
What is the point of any club who have survival for its own sake as their
aim, as so many in the Barclays Premier League do these days? Clubs who no
longer balance the accumulation of riches with a lust for glory and exist,
it would seem, largely to keep a bank statement healthy.
Last season, Bolton qualified for the Uefa Cup, which was a fantastic
achievement. Once there, however, they treated the competition as an
unwanted distraction. If so, why is survival essential now? What is the
purpose of Premier League existence if progress means nothing and status
maintenance outweighs all? Where is the bounty of the season for supporters
if the highest aim is the generation of money and the right to watch a
better class of opponent next season? Truly, as the Old Trafford taunt goes,
they have only come to see United.
The same question could be raised with another ten clubs, including the one
defeated at the Reebok Stadium at the weekend. Alan Curbishley, the West Ham
manager, is working hard to get a mid-table finish rebranded as a triumph,
having lost six out of eight matches at a stage in the campaign when it was
possible to kick on and challenge for Europe, but what is there to laud in
mediocrity?
Supporters beyond the elite quartet may no longer think seriously of winning
the league, but in a season when three of four FA Cup semi-finalists were
from a lower division, other prizes were within reach. "Finishing in the top
ten is not to be sniffed at," Curbishley said. In this, of all seasons, yes
it is.
Yet throughout the Premier League, weakened teams were fielded in domestic
cup competitions and European campaigns were viewed with suspicion. Now five
or six teams are battling to maintain their Premier League status. Big deal.
Cut to basics and unless a club truly have ambition to go somewhere, to use
their Premier League position as a platform to greater glory, all that is
being fought over is cashflow and when football becomes just another branch
of the accountant's trade, where is the magic?
Of course, Premier League survival is important, but only if it is a means
to an end. This season Bolton's run in the Uefa Cup should have been one of
the highlights, a true underdogs story. They drew against Bayern Munich,
became the first British team to win away to Red Star Belgrade, defeated
Atlético Madrid in the knockout phase and then, when it mattered, when the
last eight was in sight, fielded a weakened team against Sporting Lisbon, to
focus on a match against Wigan Athletic (that they lost) and were eliminated
by a slender margin.
Now, for a club such as Bolton, who are barred from winning the league in
the present climate, attaining a place in Europe is surely as good as it
gets. To show an aptitude for the competition is an unexpected bonus,
considering Everton recently dipped a toe in the Champions League, were
beaten by Villarreal home and away at the qualifying stage and have not been
heard from since. Yet Gary Megson, the Bolton manager, appeared to resent
participation. The team who made history in Belgrade were greatly reduced
(better to concentrate on another match against Wigan) and by the time the
tie in Lisbon arrived, it was as much as Bolton could do to turn up. There
were two players from the Lisbon starting lineup in the first XI at Wigan
three days later, including Ali Al Habsi, the goalkeeper.
So what is the fuss about? Bolton's win on Saturday gives them hope of what,
exactly, beyond the right to fulfil another set of similar fixtures next
season? Given that the best supporters are with their team through thick and
thin, don't they deserve more? Don't they at least deserve a plan that
aspires to more than money-transference and the chance to see Cristiano
Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney once a season? Not that either of them played when
Manchester United went to Bolton on November 24. They probably had a big
match coming up.
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Could this summer signing be key to West Ham's success? - caugfhtoffside.com
April 13, 2008
West Ham's season is in danger of turning into a very damp squib, after an
impressive first half to the season a run of six defeats in eight has seen
them in danger of finishing the season outside the top half of the table.
Alan Curbishley appears to be looking to make some additions to his
misfiring squad and this player could see his career resurrected at Upton
Park.
Steve Sidwell is a good player, who's career unsurprisingly stagnated at
Stamford Bridge, who could be a very useful addition to West Ham's midfield.
I think the former Arsenal and Reading man has the ability to really push
the Hammers in the right direction and at that price it would be foolish to
not sign him.
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Could West Ham Soon Be Up For Sale? - West Ham Till I Die
I picked this little snippet up from the West Ham Mailing List…
Yesterday on the BBC World Service they dedicated some time about the plight
of the Icelandic banks - and (as) it was the 'sports segment, they commented
on how 'West Ham United' could be in serious trouble next season .
Gudmunnsson (whatever his name is) may be for force to sell off his 'luxury'
item - such as West Ham United - for a cut down price, if things get much
worse. They implied that, such was the dire situation for the said Mr G -
that many of the high priced players such "Freddy Ljundberg' etc- would need
to be sold off and not replaced. So …..I doubt we'll be getting any
'Ambitious Manger' - in the foreseeable future!! Let alone any 'inspiring
players'. Another season of dire relegation battles beckons !!
I have no idea how bad the credit crunch has affected Gudmunnssonm's
Landsbanki bank, but if things get worse it is eminently possible that he
would be forced to sell off non-essential businesses like West Ham. I
suspect we're a long way from that, but it certainly means that we're not
going to be signing any £15 million players int he foreseeable future, and
that the wage bill will need to be reduced.
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