After signing a new long-term deal, Dean Ashton wants to achieve more with
West Ham United and England
05.06.2008
Dean Ashton is targeting big things with club and country next season but
knows the hard work is only just beginning.
The 24-year-old striker has secured his long-term future at the Boleyn
Ground having finished the 2007/08 campaign on a high with five goals in his
last eight games for West Ham United and then won his first England cap.
After those successes, Ashton is already looking forward to reporting back
for pre-season training but knows the club will have extra attacking impetus
with Kieron Dyer, Julien Faubert and Craig Bellamy all hoping to prove their
form and fitness.
"I can't be complacent," Ashton said. "There is strong competition for
places and that can only be good for the squad. If everyone can stay fit,
the fans should be excited by the players we have got." Supporters had their
appetites whetted by Ashton's array of goals at the end of the season - a
deft shot against Blackburn Rovers, a powerful header away to Everton, a
neat finish against Newcastle United, an overhead kick to surprise
Manchester United and a fierce shot on the turn to end the season on a high
and frustrate Aston Villa - and he is looking to keeping that going come 16
August.
"That is how I would like to try and start the season," he said when asked
about maintaining his strong 'goals to games' ratio before recognising the
array of options likely to be at Alan Curbishley's disposal. "With the
forwards we have got it is going to be difficult to cement my place down but
it is really nice that I have ended the season that way and hopefully put
any doubters behind me now." That he was over any injury issues was
demonstrated by Fabio Capello giving him his first start in the final
England international of the season last Sunday.
Ashton said: "I have waited a long time for it, considering I should have
got my chance two years ago so to get back in contention and then start for
my country is something no one can ever take away from me. Obviously I am
really pleased." When it comes to proving he is good enough to stay in
Capello's thoughts, the No9 added: "It is a case of knuckling down, I
haven't proved anything yet. I have got to play well for West Ham next
season to earn my place in the next squad and then go from there really. I
would be lying if I said I didn't want to be in every squad which is my aim.
"You are playing with the top players in the country and it is only going to
help you. You only realise when you go away with England what a huge deal it
is. It is really important and it has really struck me that you are a part
of something unbelievable." The sentiments are the same for when he reports
back for duty at Chadwell Heath in early July with high hopes for the coming
club campaign. "We want to be up there right at the top half of the table.
We have got to have a bit more luck with injuries. I think if we can do that
it will be a really exciting season."
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Pre-season friendly schedule - WHUFC
It will not be long before West Ham United are back in action with a host of
summer fixtures lined up
05.06.2008
West Ham United can confirm the first team's away schedule for the 2008/09
pre-season campaign ahead of the traditional curtain-raiser at the Boleyn
Ground which has yet to be finalised.
The highlight of the summer programme will be the North American tour
between 18-25 July when the club will play in-form Major League Soccer side
Columbus Crew in Ohio, USA on Sunday 20 July before travelling across the
Canadian border to face the MLS All-Stars in Toronto in a prestige friendly
on Thursday 24 July. Before that trip, Alan Curbishley will put his players
through their paces for the first time with a visit to Alan Devonshire's
Hampton & Richmond Borough on Thursday 17 July.
Ticket information will follow for all games as and when available,
including for the two overseas fixtures, although the club can confirm
selling details for the Southampton away match on Friday 1 August. The
south-coast club have allocated 2,000 seats for away fans, priced at £15 for
adults, £10 for seniors and £5 for Under-16s. Further information can be
found in the ticket office section, with the ticket office open for a
general sale from 9am on Monday 9 June.
2008/09 pre-season schedule
Thursday 17 July, 7.30pm - Hampton & Richmond Borough v West Ham United
Sunday 20 July, 5pm - Columbus Crew v West Ham United (Columbus, USA)
Thursday 24 July, 7.20pm - MLS All-Stars v West Ham United (Toronto, Canada)
Tuesday 29 July, 7.45pm - Peterborough United v West Ham United
Wednesday 30 July, 7.45pm - Cambridge United v West Ham United XI
Friday 1 August, 7.45pm - Southampton v West Ham United
Monday 4 August, 7.45pm - Ipswich Town v West Ham United
Saturday 9 August, 3pm - West Ham United v TBC
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Window Watch: Bobby Zamora - the Times
Gary Jacob
West Ham United are willing to allow Bobby Zamora to leave. The forward
missed most of last season with a knee injury. Fulham, who narrowly avoided
relegation from the Barclays Premier League, have expressed an interest in
the past and will be looking to bolster their forward line after the
departure of Brian McBride. West Ham have released Nolberto Solano. The
midfield player joined from Newcastle United a year ago.
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England new boys can keep their Trinidad caps - Telegraph
By Henry Winter
Last Updated: 1:28am BST 06/06/2008
Fifa yesterday dismissed the Football Association's version of how England
came to use seven substitutes, rather than the permitted six, in Sunday's
friendly with Trinidad and Tobago but they will not strip the fixture of its
official status. Dean Ashton, Joe Hart, Phil Jagielka and Stephen Warnock
will keep their debut caps. Rather than continue an embarrassing dispute
with the FA, Fifa simply rejected FA claims that permission had been
granted, instead blaming the Surinam referee, Enrico Wijngaarde. "Fifa did
not give special dispensation to make up to seven substitutions," read their
statement. "The referee of this match confirmed to Fifa that he received no
instruction to allow for such a special dispensation, but that it had been a
mistake by the referee. As Fifa has received no official protest regarding
this match, it shall be considered as an official match."
Fifa's view contradicted that of the FA, who claimed "the opportunity to use
seven substitutes was cleared in advance by Fifa". It remains to be seen
whether the brief disagreement will have any long-term repercussions for the
FA's 2018 World Cup bid, although England will not now lose any Fifa ranking
points.
Hart's former club, Shrewsbury Town, will now receive £500,000 from
Manchester City for the keeper making his England debut. England failed to
qualify for Euro 2008 because of the proliferation of foreigners in the
Premier League, according to Fifa president Sepp Blatter. "In the strongest
English teams the best players are not always English," said Blatter. "So
where are the best English players coming from? They are coming from the
less strong teams, which is weakening the English national team. What is
happening in England is that the best teams are preparing the national team
players for England's opponents."
Meanwhile, the FA are trying to contain the fallout from their bust-up with
2018 World Cup bid consultants European Consultancy Network. Peter Hargitay,
the former adviser to Fifa president Blatter who runs ECN, has been asked to
a clear-the-air meeting with FA officials next week, although FA chairman
Lord Triesman, who took the decision to pull the plug on ECN's involvement
with the bid, will not be at the meeting. There looks to be little hope of
any rapprochement as ECN are furious with Triesman and already have two
offers from rival bidders on the table.
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Kevin is eyeing a Gud time - The Sun
NEWCASTLE and West Ham are on alert after Eidur Gudjohnsen was told he can
leave Barcelona. The former Chelsea striker is up for grabs at around
£4million and fancies a move back to the Premier League. Iceland ace
Gudjohnsen, 29, has made just over 60 appearances in two years at the Nou
Camp but has struggled lately to make an impact. West Ham tried in vain to
sign him last year. Hammers boss Alan Curbishley will have money to spend
this summer as long as he can offload some dead wood. Midfielder Nobby
Solano has already been released to help cut the wage bill. Toon boss Kevin
Keegan wants Gudjohnsen to replace Obafemi Martins, who is surplus to
requirements.
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I'll nail England spot, says West Ham's Dean Ashton - The Mirror
By Darren Lewis 6/06/2008
Dean Ashton last night insisted he is targeting a return to the England team
now that he has signed a new deal at West Ham. The Hammers striker was a
flop in the first half of the ill - fated game against Trinidad last Sunday
which Fabio Capello's men won 3-0. Ashton was upstaged by Portsmouth's
Jermain Defoe, who grabbed a brace. But the West Ham man received a boost
three days later with his new five-year contract. Ashton, 24, said: "I
waited a long time to play for England, considering I should have got my
chance two years ago. Now it is a case of knuckling down. I haven't proved
anything yet. "I have got to play well for West Ham next season to earn my
place in the next squad and then go from there really. "You only realise
when you go away with England what a huge deal it is. It really struck me
that you are a part of something unbelievable."
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United and Hammers linked with Barcelona star - Shields Gazette
NEWCASTLE United are today reported to have revived their interest in
Barcelona's Eidur Gudjohnsen. The Magpies and West Ham are said by The Sun
to be on the alert after the Icelandic striker after was told he can leave
the Nou Camp. Gudjohnsen, 29, is a proven Premier league performer with
Bolton Wanderers and Chelsea, He has 14 goals in 66 games for Barca, who je
joined two years ago, but has failed to win a regular place in their
line-up. Barcelona's new coach, Pep Guardiola, is widely thought to be ready
to off-load a host of players, including Gudjohnsen
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West Ham, Newcastle, Middlesbrough chasing Linz tribalfootball.com - June
05, 2008
A host of Premiership clubs are chasing Sporting Braga striker Rolando Linz.
West Ham United, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United and Fulham are all
interested in signing Austria international Linz, says The Times
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Joorabchian becomes West Ham consultant tribalfooball.com - June 05, 2008
West Ham United have agreed an out-of-court settlement with Kia Joorabchian
over outstanding payments worth £7.1 million. The agent has withdrawn his
High Court claim against the club and will act as a consultant for them on
future transfers, for which he will be paid a fee. The club have said that
the agreement had been lodged with the Premier League, but declined to
reveal the length or structure of the deal, says The Times.
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Hammers forward will get his England cap after all - Guardian Series
WEST Ham striker Dean Ashton will keep his first senior international cap
after Fifa allowed England's clash with Trinidad and Tobago to stand.
Football's governing body were threatening to wipe the match from record as
England used one more substitute than the six alloted for a non-competitive
international. The English Football Association believed that the special
dispensation had been cleared by Fifa vice-president Jack Warner, special
adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago FA. However, Fifa - while insisting they
made no such allowance - will let the game to stand as an A international,
saying that the match referee had made a mistake. A Fifa statement read:
"Fifa can confirm it did not give special dispensation to make up to seven
substitutions at the Trinidad and Tobago versus England friendly match. "The
referee of this match confirmed to Fifa that he received no instruction to
allow for such a special dispensation, but that it had been a mistake by the
referee. "As Fifa has received no official protest regarding this match, it
shall be considered as an official match."
That will see Hammers forward Ashton, as well as fellow debutants Joe Hart,
Phil Jagielka and Stephen Warnock, all keeping their first caps. An FA
spokesman said: "The fact of the matter is the opportunity to use seven
substitutes was cleared in advance of the game by Fifa, Trinidad and Tobago
representative Jack Warner, the Fifa delegate for the game and the match
referee. "Trinidad had the same option to use seven subs. There is no way we
would have gone ahead with using seven subs without the approval that we
were given."
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Dunne deal looks off - ESS
Last Updated: Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:57
West Ham target Richard Dunne looks set to run his contract down and stay at
Eastlands for at least one further season. The Republic of Ireland
international has 12 months to go on his deal but talks appeared to have
stalled as soon as it became clear Sven-Goran Eriksson was set to leave the
club.
Portsmouth, Newcastle, West Ham, Sunderland and Spurs were all credited with
an interest but now the 28-year-old is ready to give new boss Mark Hughes a
boost. "Premier League experience does count for a lot and he [Hughes] has
proved that he can mix it with the best over the last few seasons," he told
the MEN. "No team ever relished going to Ewood Park when he was in charge.
They established themselves as a top-10 side and did well in the cups too.
"I will have to wait and see now which way the club is going to go. There is
certainly the need for some stability."
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BG, You Clever Little Banker!! - Cmon Yu Irons
05 Jun
Written & Posted by Joe
We all know about the Tevez saga, and how Kia wanted more money from West
Ham for the loan of Tevez during the final few games that kept us in the
Premiership. We obviously agreed to some sort of deal, the deal made between
BG and Kia, i guess we as fans we will never know of, but if it was £7m,
then it was worth every penny.
BG, being the clever banker that he is, has agreed to pay back the so called
£7m, but in installments and as an agents fee over the next few years, now
this is a clever business strategy by BG, he certainly knows he could use
Kia to bring in more exiting young talent that he owns rights too from South
American clubs.
I know i would love to see a mixture of South American talent as well as our
homegrown boys playing at Upton Park next season, wouldnt you?
Take a look at what influences Kia is having on Man City! Forget the past,
lets use Kia as well as Nani and not only fight for 5th or 6th place next
season, lets go for Champions League, or the likes of Man City will leave us
behind with Stoke and Hull City!
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Ashton keen to get cracking - Sunday Sun Jun 5 2008
West Ham striker Dean Ashton is eager to return for the new season and leave
his injury troubles behind him, after signing a new five-year contract to
keep him at Upton Park until 2013. The 24-year-old, who who made his England
debut against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, started discussions with the
club when the Barclays Premier League season finished and signed the deal on
Wednesday night. Ashton told his club's website: "I am delighted. I said all
along that I wanted to sign. I feel I have still got a lot to show the
football club and the fans. I am really happy that I have signed - and now I
can look forward to next season." He added: "It is a fantastic way to end
the season for me. "It is not going to be on my mind now - and with a
five-year contract, the future is here. "I said I wanted to stay at the end
of the season and I am really glad it has been done so professionally and
sorted now."
Ashton - who had two years left on his existing deal - missed much of last
season through injury, and is keen to feature more prominently. I didn't
play as many games as I wish I could - and obviously I missed the season
before," he said. "I am really excited about next season. I feel I can only
get better, so I am really glad that I have signed and can look forward to
the future. "I think after the injury I had as well, it is nice the club
have managed to agree with me on a new deal. We are really looking to the
future."
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New dad Neill ready to boost Socceroos- Echo News
WEST Ham captain and proud new father Lucas Neill will fly out to join the
Australia squad after long-term partner Lindsey Morris gave birth to healthy
twins. The 30-year-old missed the Socceroos' 1-0 World Cup 2010 qualifying
win over Iraq in Brisbane on Sunday to stay with a heavily pregant Morris,
and will arrive in Dubai too late to take part in Saturday's return fixture.
However, coach Pim Verbeek is expecting the full-back to be available for
Australia's final two group stage fixtures against Qatar in Doha on June 14
and China in Sydney on June 22. "Lucas will be with us from Sunday - we're
planning to let him come then," said the Dutchman. "If he arrives on June 8,
he will have a week to prepare for the Qatar game and then the China game."
Australia are currently three points clear at the top of their group, with
the top two sides going forward to the final stage of the Asian qualifying
competition.
For now, however, Neill's agent Paddy Dominguez said the player was enjoying
life as a father. "Anybody who knows Lucas knows how much he loves kids so
you can imagine it's a dream come true for him," Dominguez told The Manly
Daily. "Both the mother and the children are extremely healthy and doing
very well. "He's absolutely ecstatic at the moment and is your typical,
gushing dad. As you would expect, they are two good-lookers."
>IRONS supporters are reminded that they have until July 1 to renew
>their
season tickets. After that date, fans on the waiting list will receive
information from the club on how to apply.
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A Hammers starlet with his feet nailed to the floor - Guardian Series
IT is some compliment to be likened to Tony Adams, but West Ham's latest
fledgling star James Tomkins is a level-headed youngster who refuses to get
carried away, writes Nuno Assuncao. In the last few months the 19-year-old
has enjoyed a rapid rise in his promising football career. A senior Irons
debut in March and five subsequent appearances, playing a key role in
England's progression to next month's European U19 Championship finals in
Czech Republic, and modelling the club's new away kit for the 2008-9 season
have all fallen the defender's way. To top it all, Tomkins' composed but
no-nonense style of play has seen him compared to Arsenal and England legend
Adams. Not that the Basildon-born centre back will have a word of it. "Some
say I play a bit like Tony Adams but I reckon he was a lot harder than I
am," Tomkins told this month's FourFourTwo magazine. "Others have said that
I play like Jonathan Wooodgate which is a massive compliment. "As a defender
you need great heading ability and I think that's a big strength of my game.
"I also like to think I'm more than just a defender - I'm composed with the
ball at my feet and can play it on the floor too."
However, while content with his strengths, Tomkins is well aware of the
areas of his game that are not quite up to scratch. "My left (foot) can
always do with improving and strength-wise I'm not quite there yet,"
admitted Tomkins, who has already come up against the likes of Yakubu,
Kenwyne Jones, Obafemi Martins and Carlos Tevez in his short Hammers career.
"But I'm still a teenager playing against guys who have been around for
years - so the more I play in the Premier League the stronger I'll become."
While a regular first team spot at Upton Park is the immediate goal for
'Tonker', the lifelong Hammers fan still has an eye on what he would hope to
achieve in the future. "I would like to be the captain of West Ham," he
said. "That would be a dream come true." Having experienced such progress in
a short space of time, it'd be no surprise to see Tomkins fufilling that
goal.
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