The reserve-team coach is positive about the new season after the form of
the previous campaign
16.07.2008
Kevin Keen is looking forward once again to the challenges a new season
brings as he prepares to lead a West Ham United XI in action away to
Billericay Town this weekend.
The coach will be putting some of the club's younger players through their
paces before the reserves really get down to business in September. The
opening game of the Barclays Reserve League South will see the team up
against Chelsea, a contest that will certainly make for an exciting start as
the team look to replicate last season's form when they challenged for the
title until the very last game.
"Chelsea have a strong contingent of young players and field a good side
most times, so it will be a tough match to kick off the season with," said
Keen. "But we want to start where we finished off and as we ended last year
on a really strong note that is what we are looking to carry on. The
experience the younger lads have gained in playing at this level already
will stand them in good stead this year and the aim will be to play as well
as we can, get the results and finish as high as we can in the league table.
"You never know what sort of team you will face, sometimes clubs will have a
very experienced side and other times, they will have a very young
in-experienced side. But we will just go out there and take on who is
against us and give it our best at all times." After the visit to Chelsea,
West Ham United take on West Bromwich Albion, Fulham and Arsenal in the
first few matches and Keen said he is looking forward to visiting some of
the grounds as they will bring back memories of his playing days. Not least
will be a certain Britannia Stadium, a ground he knows well after playing
for Stoke City between 1994 and 2000.
"It is nice to see where some of these games are to be played, there are
some top stadiums, Brentford, Orient, Villa Park, so the boys will benefit
and enjoy that," said Keen. "For myself, one of the grounds I am
particularly looking forward to going to is the Britannia Stadium - a place
where I spent the best part of five and a half years, so that will be good
going back there. It's always quite nice returning to a place you have spent
time playing yourself and there are few people who I will look forward to
seeing again."
Keen said there is a good mix of players coming through coupled with those
who are have quite a bit of experience under their belt. "We progressed well
last year. I feel with the lads who will play a regular part again in the
reserves this year and more coming through to take their chance, we have the
makings of a good side and there's no reason why we can't push on."
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First friendly sold out - WHUFC
All tickets have been sold for the pre-season fixture at Hampton and
Richmond Borough on Thursday
16.07.2008
Hampton and Richmond Borough have confirmed that Thursday night's first
pre-season friendly of the summer is sold out.
The Alan Devonshire-managed club are staging the match at their Beveree
Stadium from 7.30pm and supporters are asked to note there will be no ticket
sales on the day or cash admissions. The non-league club, who just missed
out on promotion to the Conference last season will be the only test for
Alan Curbishley's squad before they embark on the pre-season tour of the
United States and Canada. The players and coaching staff will then fly out
to Ohio in readiness to face Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer on Sunday
20 July. They will then move on to Toronto for the high-profile MLS All-Star
game on Thursday 24 July, a match that will include David Beckham.
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Ipswich tickets on sale - WHUFC
The ticket office has a number of seats on sale for the away friendly
against Ipswich Town on 4 August
16.07.2008
Fans are reminded that an allocation of 2,500 tickets for next month's
friendly away to Ipswich Town will be available for telephone sales from 9am
on Thursday.
The 4 August fixture at Portman Road - when Mark Noble will potentially
return to the club where he played 13 games during a three-month loan in the
2006/07 season - promises to be a key part of the club's pre-season
programme. It is the last first-team away fixture before the prestigious
home friendly against Villarreal on Saturday 9 August. The match kicks off
at 7.45pm and as well as standard seats, there also tickets available for
disabled supporters.
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Selling dates for members - WHUFC
Club members hoping to get to games next season should take note of some key
diary dates
16.07.2008
The ticket office is pleased to be able to confirm members' selling dates
for all home Barclays Premier League fixtures up until 28 December. With the
majority of home fixtures selling out last season and similar levels of
demand expected for 2008/09, Academy membership is a must for all
supporters.
For more information on our membership packages for all ages, click here.
Date Team On Sale
Sat 16 Aug Wigan Mon 28 Jul
Sat 30 Aug Blackburn Mon 28 Jul
Sat 20 Sep Newcastle Tue 12 Aug
Sat 4 Oct Bolton Tue 12 Aug
Sat 25 Oct Arsenal Tue 16 Sep
Sat 8 Nov Everton Tue 16 Sep
Sat 15 Nov Portsmouth Tue 07 Oct
Sat 06 Dec Tottenham Tue 07 Oct
Sat 20 Dec Aston Villa Tue 18 Oct
Sun 28 Dec Stoke City Tue 18 Oct
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Zamora: West Ham needed the money - KUMB
Filed: Wednesday, 16th July 2008
By: Staff Writer
Bobby Zamora has claimed that he was sold to Fulham because of West Ham
United's precarious financial position. Zamora - along with full-back John
Paintsil - joined Fulham yesterday in a £6.3million switch from the Hammers.
Talking about his move earlier today, he suggested that it was a decision
based not upon footballing factors but to ease cash-flow worries within the
club. "They are my club, always have been and always will be," he said. "But
they need the money. "How much is anyone's guess. Football is a business
now and selling players is part of it."
Despite having left United - the club he supported as a boy - Zamora still
had nothing but good to say about the club he joined as a player five years
ago as makeweight in the deal that saw Jermain Defoe join Tottenham in a
£7million switch. "I had some brilliant years at West Ham, from getting into
the Premier League to staying up on the final day," he added. "Curbs and I
got on well; I think he quite liked me as a player. But the club agreed a
fee, which I guess says something."
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West Ham Players Flight of Hell - Cmon Yu Irons
July 17, 2008
The trip to the USA & Canada is going to be a flight of hell for the West
Ham squad when they travel to Ohio (Columbus Crew) & then on to Canada (MLS
All-Stars). The sqaud is to be flown economy class after the company that
the MLS Bosses chose to transport the West Ham players went bust. Tomorrow
half the squad will fly to Chicago on a scheduled flight and the rest of the
squad will fly out a few hours later, then they will have a 9 hour wait to
catch a flight from Chicago to Columbus where they will be playing Columbus
Crew on Thursday. Its ironic that the sponsors of West Ham are XL
Airways/Holidays so why cant our sponsors give the squad a private plane?
and i may be wrong but its pretty certain that BG owns part of XL Airways.
It looks as though the supporting away fans will have to share seats with
Bellamy and Ashton, and maybe some of them can give some advice to Curbs.
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Hammers may need to sell players to raise cash, warns - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 11:16 PM on 16th July 2008
Bobby Zamora hinted yesterday that West Ham may need to sell more first-team
players to raise cash. Zamora was bought by Fulham in a £6.3million package
with defender John Pantsil. He said: 'West Ham are my club, always will be
and I love it to bits. But it's business. The club need money. How much is
anyone's guess.' West Ham's Icelandic owners are said to be under financial
pressure from the bank, with keeper Robert Green, who is yet to agree a new
deal, Craig Bellamy, Lucas Neill, Anton Ferdinand and Scott Parker all on
the list of possible departures.
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Hammers make Dane enquiry - Setanta
by Billy Leahy, 16 July 2008
AaB ace Thomas Enevoldsen's future is the subject of some debate in Aalborg
after his agent claimed West Ham had made an enquiry. Former Manchester
United defender John Sivebaek represents the 20-year-old, who scored against
Tottenham in last season's Uefa Cup tie at White Hart Lane. The Denmark
Under-21 midfielder has worked his way through the age groups for his
country and is likely to clinch a move in the near future. However, AaB have
denied receiving any contact from Alan Curbishley's East Londoners -
although sports director Lynge Jakobsen acknowledged other clubs were
trailing the youngster. "We haven't come so far as to negotiate," Jakobsen
informed Sporten.dk. "And, as for West Ham, I've heard nothing." Sivebaek
had insisted The Hammers were interested in his client. "They contacted me a
while ago," he revealed. "But, since Thomas Endevoldsen's contract doesn't
expire until the end of 2010, I directed them to AaB." West Ham have been a
little slow to enter the market this summer and sold Bobby Zamora and John
Paintsil to Fulham this week.
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Newcastle ready to offer Duff in bid to land West Ham defender Ferdinand -
Daily Mail
By Colin Young Last updated at 7:05 PM on 16th July 2008
Kevin Keegan is willing to offer Damien Duff in a bid to land Anton
Ferdinand from West Ham. And the Newcastle boss may also be preparing to
lose Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins after he appeared to open the door to a
move to Arsenal last night. Keegan is desperate to sign Ferdinand after
selling Czech Republic international David Rozehnal, and has a ready-made
replacement for Duff in new Argentine signing Jonas Gutierrez. Meanwhile
Martins, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal throughout the summer,
refused to close the door on a move to the Emirates. He said: 'It is a good
thing people are talking about Arsenal because everyone wants to play for
Arsenal - they are a big club in the Champions League.'
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Hammers could make move for Foxes star Mattock - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 3:56 PM on 16th July 2008
West Ham manager Alan Curbishley set to step up their interest in
Leicester's highly-rated defender Joe Mattock. The Foxes could be tempted to
cash in on the £2m-rated player who has been watched by a number of other
Premier League scouts. Meanwhile Anton Ferdinand has turned down a move to
Newcastle. It is understood the West Ham defender was reluctant to move to
the North East. The Hammers are still willing to sell Ferdinand for
£6million and Aston Villa are said to be interested.
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Hammers could make move for Foxes star Mattock - This Is London
Last updated at 16:56pm on 16.07.08
West Ham manager Alan Curbishley set to step up their interest in
Leicester's highly-rated defender Joe Mattock. The Foxes could be tempted to
cash in on the £2m-rated player who has been watched by a number of other
Premier League scouts. Meanwhile Anton Ferdinand has turned down a move to
Newcastle. It is understood the West Ham defender was reluctant to move to
the North East. The Hammers are still willing to sell Ferdinand for
£6million and Aston Villa are said to be interested.
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Curbishley looking at player cover - Newham Recorder
16 July 2008
WHILE the majority of the Premier League teams look towards big-money
signings before the start of the new season, West Ham boss Alan Curbishley,
is quietly looking at ways to improve his squad. It was suggested that
youngsters would be brought in to give more strength in depth in certain
positions at Upton Park, and with 17-year-olds defender Holmar Orn
Eyjolfsson and Hungarian striker Balint Bajner joining the squad for the new
season that seems to be the case. But Curbishley is also looking to improve
the cover in particular positions with goalkeeper and left back his top
priority. Left back was a priority last season, of course, but the manager
drew a blank and George McCartney made the position his own. This time round
the West Ham boss is having another look at Leicester City defender Joe
Mattock, who they tried to prise from the Walkers Stadium in January. The
England under-21 international could be West Ham's for £2million, but Aston
Villa are said to be interested too. Meanwhile, with Richard Wright set to
leave for Ipswich Town in the next few days, the Hammers are looking for
back-up for Rob Green in goal. And the name in the frame seems to be Rangers
number one Neil Alexander. The 30-year-old former Ipswich and Cardiff
custodian, who has two international caps for Scotland, has apparently been
recommended by former Hammer Christian Dailly.
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Hammers let Bobby leave - Newham Recorder
16 July 2008
AFTER four-and-a-half years and 40 goals for the club, West Ham have allowed
Bobby Zamora to join London neighbours Fulham in a £6.3million deal that
sees John Pantsil heading for Craven Cottage as well, writes DAVE EVANS. It
is a move that will puzzle some Hammers fans, anger others, and even please
a few more, but one thing is for sure, all West Ham supporters have an awful
lot to thank the former Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion player
for. It was Zamora who fired West Ham back into the Premier League with the
winner against Preston North End at the Millennium Stadium in May 2005.
Having already earned them a place in the final with a deadly double in the
second leg at Portman Road to dump Ipswich Town out of the competition,
Zamora then met Matty Etherington's left wing cross to shoot into the
Preston net and give West Ham a 1-0 win. The 27-year-old striker made 100
starts for the club in his time at Upton Park, but a more revealing figure
is the 52 appearances as a substitute that the Barking-born West Ham fan
collected. He found it difficult to secure a regular first team spot. The
one season he would have done that was during the last campaign when West
Ham were hit with an injury list as long as your arm. However, Zamora was
one of those injury victims, breaking down after the Bristol Rovers League
Cup clash in August with a knee injury that needed an operation, and not
returning to the first team until the 4-0 drubbing by Chelsea in March. It
was a frustrating time for Zamora, who had played a vital part in West Ham's
'Great Escape' the previous season. While Carlos Tevez was being hailed a
hero with his goals at the end of the campaign, it was Zamora who was top
scorer with 11, and without those strikes, the Hammers would have been down
long before those final few games.
Zamora also came on as a substitute in the FA Cup Final against Liverpool at
the Millennium Stadium, scoring 10 goals during that campaign, while he was
also instrrumental in two extraordinary victories over Arsenal. He scored
one of the goals to help the Hammers become the last team to win a match at
Highbury, and then grabbed the only goal - an audacious chip from the
halfway line - to help West Ham become the first team to beat the Gunners at
the Emirates. So why sell the player who has claret and blue flowing through
his veins? It seems that the performances of Carlton Cole last season have
earned him preference in the pecking order over Zamora. Cole certainly
improved throughout the season, with his control and ability to hold up the
ball growing more and more impressive. But he still only managed six goals,
and when the chips are down and the pressure is on, who would you trust to
score a vital goal for the Hammers - Zamora or Cole? Furthermore, Zamora's
departure leaves West Ham with Craig Bellamy, Dean Ashton and youngster
Freddie Sears as the club's forwards, and if injuries strike again, that is
likely to leave them short. Stories linking West Ham with Everton and
England striker Andy Johnson though, do not seem to be the answer.
The departure of Pantsil is something that will disappoint West Ham fans, if
only for his comedy potential. The 27-year-old Ghanian international, showed
in his two years at the club that he found defending somewhat difficult,
something of a drawback for a right back, though he looked a much more
accomplished player on the right hand side of midfield. The African bec-ame
something of a cult figure among the fans, but it was obvious that he was
not quite good enough for the top flight in English football. However with
Pantsil on the way and Jonathan Spector out injured until Chris-tmas, the
need for cover at right back becomes an acute problem. With Lucas Neill also
linked with a move away from Upton Park, that would mean two right backs
coming in before the transfer deadline, unless manager Alan Curbishley
decides to switch either Anton Ferdinand or Danny Gabbidon, which is hardly
an ideal situation.
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Zamora tips more Upton Park exits - TeamTalk
New Fulham striker Bobby Zamora is in no doubt he can cut it in the Premier
League - but expects West Ham to offload more of their squad. The
27-year-old headed to Craven Cottage along with John Pantsil for a joint fee
of £6.3million as the Hammers moved to cut their wage bill. The likes of
Wales striker Craig Bellamy, Anton Ferdinand, England keeper Robert Green
and even captain Lucas Neill have all been linked with transfers away from
Upton Park, as manager Alan Curbishley is said to be under pressure to trim
his playing squad. Zamora - whose goal in the 2005 Championship play-off
final at the Millennium Stadium secured the Hammers' return to the top
flight - has no ill feelings towards his boyhood club but understands the
difficulties facing them in the modern game. "Curbs and I got on well," said
Zamora. "I think he quite liked me as a player but the club agreed a fee,
which I guess says something. "I had some brilliant years at West Ham from
getting into the Premier League to staying up on the final day. "They are my
club, always have been and always will be, but they need the money.
"Football is a business now and selling players is part of it."
Asked if he expected more players to be sold off, Zamora said: "I don't
really know the ins and outs of what the club need to do but it is a
possibility.
"I understand West Ham need some money but how much is anyone's guess."
Zamora, though, is determined to make the most of a fresh start at Craven
Cottage, having seen his final season at Upton Park hampered by injury. "I
came to speak to Fulham, agreed terms and am looking forward to it now,"
said the former Brighton and Tottenham striker, who has signed a four-year
deal with the club. "It is a great opportunity to play first-team football
in the Premiership. "The opportunity came up and I grabbed it with both
hands and want to do as well as I can."
Zamora will link up with former West Ham team-mate Paul Konchesky at Craven
Cottage and becomes the latest player to join the Roy Hodgson summer
revolution following their dramatic survival on the final day, having looked
down at the turn of the year. Australian international goalkeeper Mark
Schwarzer and Hungarian Zoltan Gera have arrived from Middlesbrough and West
Brom respectively. Zamora is in no doubt he is joining a club on the up.
"The manager turned things round here, which speaks volumes and he is trying
to build a squad now," he said. "I don't think it is going to be anything
like last season. We are aiming high and going forwards."
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WAG No. 134: Elena Bonzanni - thespoiler.co.uk
July 16th, 2008 · No Comments
According to the rumour vine, West Ham last night agreed terms with Lazio's
Swiss right-back Valon Behrami. This is great news for WAG fans, as the
neutral one will almost certainly bring his long term girlfriend Elena
Bonzanni with him. She is a 25-year-old model, and the fourth Italian beauty
named 'Elena' to feature on WOTD (see Elenas Barolo, Santarelli and
Grimadli). And don't let the perspective of the picture above fool you: she
doesn't have unfeasibly large feet. When she isn't posing in front of a
camera in her smalls, Elena enjoys gymnastics, dance and cinema (her
favourite genre being animated action). She has also fronted many Italian TV
programmes I've never heard of, such as Mash Up and 100%.
Check her out here...
http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2008/07/16/wag-no-134-elena-bonzanni
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London calling for Behrami - Setanta
by Laurent Picard, 16 July 2008
Valon Behrami's agent has revealed to setantasports.com that he is currently
in London to speak with three clubs about his client's future. Lazio star
Behrami has been linked to a summer move to West Ham, and reports claim that
his representative is due to meet with Hammers directors. Agent Alessandro
Beltrami has confirmed to setantasports.com that he is currently in the
capital to discuss the Swiss international's future, but would not divulge
the names of the teams he is speaking to. "I'm speaking with three clubs in
London and I'll let you know when there's something concrete," Beltrami told
setantasports.com. The 23-year-old, a Lazio player for the last three years,
could use the Webster Clause to buy out the remaining part of his contract
and join a club without the need for a transfer fee.
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Hammers Ferdinand Snubs Newcastle - Man City Linked To Bellamy & Neill -
Premiership Latest
Submitted by Jake Briggs on Wed, 2008-07-16 12:14.
West Ham United defender Anton Ferdinand has snubbed a move to Premier
League rivals Newcastle United. 23-year-old Ferdinand like his older brother
Rio is a product of the West Ham Academy, and has been at the Hammers since
2002, already making 138 appearances during his time at Upton Park.
Newcastle have been tracking the former England Under-21 International along
with Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, with it believed that the Magpies
made an offer in the region of £6million for the central-defender. However,
Ferdinand is not keen on a move to the north east and has pledged his future
to the club he joined as a teenager. United boss Kevin keegan had been keen
to pair Ferdinand with England Under-21 International Steven Taylor, who
himself has commited his future to the Magpies by recently signing a new
deal at St James' Park. Irons manager Alan Curbishley is still eager to sell
Ferdinand, with the need to control the east London clubs wage bill
paramount. Curbishley has already released Peruvian International Nolberto
Solano, while Fulham completed the signing of Bobby Zamora and John Paintsil
on Tuesday for a combined fee of £6.3million, with on loan striker Henri
Camara being sent back to Wigan Athletic.
It has also been reported that new Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is
interested in bringing Hammers skipper Lucas Neill and Welsh International
Craig Bellamy to the Eastlands Stadium, having worked with both players
before when he was in charge of Blackburn Rovers and the Welsh National
side.
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One Scoop Or Two? - Just Like My Dreams
Here is the latest creamy scoop of transfer gossip and speculation; freshly
coned and flaked for your delectation but probably already melted by the
time you hit the final paragraph...
Newcastle United's faltering summer recruitment drive was knocked back once
again yesterday when Anton Ferdinand pulled out of transfer negotiations
with the club. That is according to the Independent, who believe the United
defender was one of a group of players the Toon's London-based transfer team
had hoped to sign. The article states that although West Ham United were
prepared to part with the former England Under-21 international, Ferdinand
himself was understood to be less than enamoured with the idea of moving to
the North-east. It leaves Newcastle in a predicament, with their only two
signings in the transfer window the Argentine winger Jonas Gutierrez from
Real Mallorca and Danny Guthrie, the Liverpool midfielder who was on loan at
Bolton Wanderers last season.
Newcastle's transfer business is conducted from London by the three-man team
of Dennis Wise, Tony Jimenez and Jeff Vetere. Their views on transfers have
not always chimed with those of the club's manager, Kevin Keegan, although
they were in agreement over Peter Crouch, who also turned down Newcastle. At
this rate, it would appear that they are being forced to look a long way
down their list of potential targets. Ferdinand, 23, is reported here to be
valued at £6 million, with Newcastle by far the most interested party.
Tottenham and Aston Villa are also believed to have expressed an interest.
The Hammers, the article states, will continue in their attempts to offload
Ferdinand as they trim a vastly inflated wage bill insist the paper. Of
course, mentioning United's supposed financial problems in any transfer
story has become de rigueur for the British media. The fact Ferdinand's
wages are not among the Club's highest is regarded as unimportant, as is the
fact United's valuation of the player is thought to be considerably higher
than the price mentioned in this story. In a footnote, the paper states
Lucas Neill and Craig Bellamy are also believed to be available for the
right price.
Several of the morning papers have Alan Curbishley ready to make a second
attempt to sign Leicester City defender Joe Mattock. The Mirror claim a £2
million swoop is imminent with both Aston Villa and Everton also in the hunt
to sign the England Under-21 defender this summer. The Sun insist United
already failed with a £1.25m bid for the 18-year-old back in January, after
Foxes chief Milan Mandaric decided to hold out for a more substantial fee.
Elsewhere there are extremely tenuous reports linking Stoke City with a move
for Hammers midfielder Hayden Mullins. Potters boss Tony Pulis is said to be
keen to add Mullins' experience to his midfield as he steps up transfer
plans this week. There is also a mysterious quote attributed to Palermo
president Maurizio Zamparini floating about, which supposedly confirms Lazio
midfielder Valon Behrami is set to join West Ham United. I say 'mysterious'
because there is no confirmed source and precious little context to lend the
comment any degree of authenticity. For what it is worth, Zamparini is
quoted as saying: "For Behrami, I tried to establish contact with (Lazio
president) Claudio Lotito some time ago, but have not received any answers.
I now believe that the player will go to West Ham."
Posted by Trilby at 09:35
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Behrami nears West Ham move
July 16, 2008
The sale of John Pantsil appears to have made way for the arrival of Lazio
right back Valon Behrami from Italian side Lazio, as West Ham completed the
signing of the Swiss international late on Tuesday evening. The player now
just has a medical to complete in London, and is expected to sign a four
year deal at Upton Park. Behrami started all of Switzerland's Euro 2008
matches; and is set to move to the Hammers and activate a transfer clause
whereby the club will only have to pay a small fraction of the asking price
of Lazio. It is believed that West Ham will pay in the region of £3.5
million for the defender.
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Potters keen on Irons midfielder
HAYDEN MULLINS is the latest name being linked with a move away from West
Ham. Premier League new-boys Stoke are reportedly tracking the reliable
midfielder. Potters boss Tony Pulis is desperate to add some much-needed
experience to his squad as the club looks to avoid an immediate return to
the Championship. Although Pulis has yet to make a recognised signing this
summer, he is set to step up his transfer activity - with Mullins being one
of the top names on his wanted list. The 29-year-old has made almost 200
apearances - over 60 in the last two seasons - for the Irons since joining
the east London club from Crystal Palace in 2003. Nobby Solano, Henri
Camara, Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil have already left the Hammers this
summer, while Lucas Neill, Craig Bellamy, Danny Gabbidon and Anton Ferdinand
are all strongly tipped to follow out of the door. Keeper Richard Wright is
on the verge of a £500,000 return to Ipswich.
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Zamora hails Hodgson link-up - Setanta
by Chris Stanton, 16 July 2008
Bobby Zamora claims it was the opportunity to work with Fulham manager Roy
Hodgson that persuaded him to leave West Ham. Zamora and Hammers team-mate
John Pantsil joined The Cottagers for a combined fee of £6.3 million on
Tuesday to become Hodgson's sixth and seventh signings of the summer. Zamora
told Fulham's official website: "I am delighted that we have reached an
agreement to enable me to play for Fulham next season. "I am looking forward
to joining the rest of the team this week and preparing for the new
campaign. "This is a new challenge for me and the prospect of working with a
coach of Roy Hodgson's calibre was a great opportunity, so I am excited at
the prospect of competing for a regular place in the team." Hodgson hailed
the addition of two 'team players'. "I am very pleased that we have been
able to add both Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil to our squad. "Bobby is a
talented striker who not only has a desire to score goals but always looks
to involve the rest of the team with his intelligent play. "I have no doubt
that Bobby will play an important part for us and his quality has allowed us
to strengthen our attacking options. "John has a versatility that will
provide us with more defensive options, which is extremely important to the
strength and depth we have in the squad. "Completing both signings has been
a protracted process which has been much speculated about in the media, I am
delighted that we can now officially welcome the players to the club,
following the completion of all of the necessary paperwork."
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Swiss star on verge on Irons switch - Guardian Series
WEST HAM appear to be on the verge of signing Swiss star Valon Behrami. The
midfielder's club Lazio put an £11 million price tag on the midfielder, but
it now seems that the Hammers will get their man for just £1.5 million due
to an FIFA ruling which allows a player nearing the end of his contract to
move on without costing a fee. West Ham's main competition for the
23-year-old had been from Italian side Palermo. But Rosanero president
Maurizio Zamparini revealed the player is all set to join the east
Londoners. "For Behrami, I tried to establish contact with (Lazio president)
Claudio Lotito some time ago, but have not received any answers," said
Zamparini. "I now believe that the player will go to West Ham."
And the Daily Mail fuelled the speculation has who claimed that Behrami has
already flown into the capital for a medical, with the deal to be confirmed
in the coming days. Behrami - who has also been linked with Liverpool,
Manchester City, Spurs and German giants Bayern Munich over the course of
the summer - has played 64 times and scored four goals for Lazio but looks
certain to move.
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Ferdinand turns down the Toon - Guardian Series
WEST HAM defender Anton Ferdinand has pulled the plug on a £6 million move
to Premier League rivals Newcastle. The 23-year-old pledged his future to
the east Londoners last week after reports suggested that the Magpies had
joined Spurs and Aston Villa for his signature. And, although the Toon are
thought to have made a firm offer for the centre-back, reports suggest that
Ferdinand was not keen on the move. However, Alan Curbishley still seems
keen to offload the former England U21 star as he tries to control the
club's wage bill. The Irons boss has already released Nobby Solano, sent
Henri Camara back to Wigan and has offloaded Bobby Zamora and John Pantsil
to Fulham for a combined fee of £6.3 million. Rumours are also rife that
Lucas Neill and Craig Bellamy are wanted by former Blackburn boss Mark
Hughes - now in charge at Manchester City - while the Hammers weigh up
whether to let Richard Wright rejoin Ipswich in a £500,000 deal. Ferdinand
is the longest-serving member of Curbishley's squad - he has played 138
times and scored five goals.
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10 Things... about West Ham target Joe Mattock
By Mirror.co.uk 16/07/2008
West Ham have reportedly put in a £2m bid for Leicester City's highly-rated
left-back Joe Mattock. Here's your essential need-to-know…
1) Joseph 'Joe' Mattock was born in Leicester on May 15, 1990, meaning he's
just about old enough to legally buy a pack of cigarettes. If he smoked.
Which he doesn't. We think.
2) A prodigious talent capable of playing at both left back and on the left
side of midfield, he's represented England at U-15, -16, -17, -19 and -21
level, and was part of Leicester's U-18 side that won the 2006/07 FA Premier
Academy League title.
3) He was just 17 when he made his debut for Leicester City, in a league
match against Norwich on April 14th, 2007. Sadly he couldn't prevent the
Foxes losing 2-1. But then again, he did only come in the 78th minute, as a
sub for Gareth McAuley.
4) He did manage to help keep Leicester up that year, though, by starting
three games in their run-in, including the crucial wins at Preston and
Barnsley.
5) He set about cementing a place in the Foxes' first team last season,
making 26 league starts (and five substitute appearances), and also played
in the Championship side's 1-0 League Cup victory over Aston Villa.
6) He was a member of England's 2007 UEFA U17 Championship squad, and became
the second youngest player (behind Arsenal's Theo Walcott) ever to represent
the Under-21s when he played in the side's 2-0 win over Bulgaria on November
16th.
7) West Ham had an initial bid for him, believed to be in the region of
£1.25m, turned down in the January transfer window. At the time, Mattock
wasn't too fussed about moving to the Premiership. "Leicester is my city and
my football club," he said. "And obviously for any kid my age to be playing
for Leicester is a great achievement."
8) There isn't any footage of him strutting his stuff on YouTube yet, so
you'll have to make do with this slideshow. Although if you don't like
Hard-Fi – and let's face it, who does? – then you might want to turn the
sound down first:.
9) His playing style has been compared to Chelsea and England full-back
Wayne Bridge. Well, former Foxes favourite Steve Claridge thought so,
anyway.
10) He routinely crops up in the lists of best youngsters to sign in the
hugely popular computer game Football Manager 2008. So now we know where
Alan Curblishley gets his scouting tips from…
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West Ham to Sign the 'Swiss David Beckham' for Cut-Price Free - The New
Football Pools
Curbs to Pull Off Major Coup Ahead of Werder Bremen, Spurs, Everton,
Newcastle & Palermo
The latest in a long line of potential West Ham signings is Swiss midfielder
come defender Valon Behrami. The 23-year-old Lazio player would reportedly
cost a cut-price fee of approximately £1.5m if the Hammers add him to their
ranks.
This would be a major coup for Alan Curbishley with both Werder Bremen and
Palermo also chasing the star. Liverpool did enquire about the player in
January but were put off by his £11m price tag. However, West Ham will sign
Behrami for less than a third of his initial £11m valuation after he
informed his club Lazio that he would invoke FIFA article 17, which gives
players nearing the end of their contracts the right to move on without
costing a fee. The Rome-based club are entitled to compensation and are
pushing for £3m plus but the Hammers may secure the deal for far less.
The Kosovo-born player has been playing in Italy for the past 5 seasons at
Genoa, Verona and now the Rome giants Lazio. He can play on either flank but
is mainly used on the right by his club either at full-back or on the wing.
If he does sign on at Upton Park, the right-hand side of the Swiss national
team will have a Premier League feel to it now full-back Philipp Degen has
joined Liverpool.
In 3 seasons in Rome, Behrami has played 65 League games and scored 4 goals.
He is one of the stars of the disappointing Swiss national side and has 19
caps and two international goals to his name.
The 6 ft 1 player has been heavily linked to the Premier League on a number
of occasions with Tottenham seriously tracking the player though their
interest seems to have switched to David Bentley this summer. However, with
so many clubs in the chase for the Blackburn winger it would be of no
surprise if the North London club reignited their long-term interest in the
Lazio star. Everton, Aston Villa and Newcastle are all looking to strengthen
the right-hand flanks of their respective line-ups alongside a host of
Bundesliga and Serie A clubs so it's unlikely the Hammers will have the
negotiations all their own way. However, reports suggest the deal is likely
to come to fruition and would be a major boost to West Ham's Premier League
ambitions next season.
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West Ham to Snatch Leicester's £2M Wonderkid From Under Noses of Aston
Villa, Everton & Liverpool - The New Football Pools
Alan Curbishley has reportedly stolen a march on a number of rival Premier
League clubs by bidding for Leicester's teenage sensation Joe Mattock.
The 18-year-old has been scouted by a number of clubs including Everton,
Liverpool and Aston Villa over the past season but after the Foxes
relegation to League One the club are set to sell one of their prized assets
with a move to Upton Park now looking likely.
The young left-sided player has represented England at every age level from
the U15's to the U21's despite his tender age. In fact his appearance in
Stuart Pearce's side made him the 2nd youngest player behind Theo Walcott to
ever appear for England at this level. He's since made 4 appearances. He can
play anyway along the left flank and has already played 35 times in the
Championship including 31 League appearances in Leicester's disappointing
campaign last season.
Mattock made his first team debut at 16-years-old in the Foxes 2-1 defeat to
Norwich in April 2007 before playing a further 3 games that season. However,
this season the youngster has been a regular in the City first team despite
playing under 5 different managers in his short career.
West Ham were rumoured to have had a £1.25m bid rejected for the player last
season whilst Villa got to see first hand how good the youngster is in the
Foxes 1-0 Carling Cup win at Villa Park last season. However, Everton have
recently shown a strong interest in the talented starlet as David Moyes
looks to improve his relatively small squad.
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Stoke eyeing West Ham's Mullins
tribalfootball.com - July 16, 2008
Stoke City are eyeing West Ham midfielder Hayden Mullins. Stoke boss Tony
Pulis is keen to add Mullins' experience to his midfield as he steps up
transfer plans this week.
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West Ham face competition for Leicester's Mattock
tribalfootball.com - July 16, 2008
West Ham United hope a £2 million offer will be enough to land Leicester
City fullback Joe Mattock. The Hammers will rival Aston Villa and Everton in
a scrap to bag the England Under-21 international this summer. West Ham boss
Alan Curbishley failed with a £1.25m bid for the defender, 18, in January.
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