Dean Ashton is looking forward to returning to training and then hopefully featuring at Manchester City.
18.08.2008
Dean Ashton is targeting a potential return to action for West Ham United this Sunday against Manchester City after the results of a scan came back clear.
The striker was substituted with 73 minutes to go in Saturday's 2-1 home win against Wigan Athletic with what felt like severe cramp. A scan on Sunday found no problems and the 24-year-old reported no ill-effects when examined again on Monday. He will continue to be monitored but is hopeful of being back in action this coming weekend with the televised trip to the City of Manchester Stadium.
"It was just cramp," Ashton said. "I should be training with the team on Tuesday. I am really glad that is not a bad injury. I am looking forward to joining in training tomorrow and getting on with playing. Overall, I am really pleased with how pre-season has gone for me and then to get off to a good start in the first game - especially with two goals. Hopefully I can keep that going on Sunday."
Ashton scored six goals during pre-season to continue where he left off last season. Overall, the weekend double means he has struck seven goals in his last nine Barclays Premier League outings - including the last eight games of the 2007/08 campaign.
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Noble on Young Lions duty - WHUFC
England Under-21 international Mark Noble is preparing for Tuesday night's friendly in Hull
18.08.2008
Mark Noble was back in action on Monday as he trained with England Under-21s ahead of the friendly against Slovenia in Hull.
The 21-year-old midfielder has been a key part of Stuart Pearce's squad for the 2009 European U21 Championship qualifiers and is expected to feature at the KC Stadium on Tuesday night. It is the final warm-up before the decisive last Group 3 fixture next month against Portugal - which has the added incentive of being staged at Wembley. Speaking to theFA.com, Pearce said: "It is a very strong squad and it's a sign of our intent for the season coming up, not just for the Under-21s but the seniors as well."
In driving rain during today's session, Noble was in good spirits especially after helping West Ham United to a 2-1 win against Wigan Athletic on Saturday. Among those also on a high were Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor - fresh from his hat-trick on Sunday in a 4-2 defeat of Manchester City. Despite the feelgood factor, Pearce was also in serious mood. He added: "Friendlies are not friendlies when you play for England, and as a patriot I was very proud every time I played for my country. Players are judged each time they pull on a shirt for England."
Noble, who has ten caps and three goals at this level, will hope to be involved when Portugal arrive on Friday 5 September. The Young Lions are six points ahead of their visitors at the top of Group 3 although Portugal have two games left to play compared to England's one. A point would therefore make sure of top spot and one of the ten places guaranteed to qualifying group winners in October's play-offs for the finals in Sweden next summer. The four best runners-up will also be involved.
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Talk to me, Bjorgolfur - KUMB
Filed: Monday, 18th August 2008
By: Paul Turner
Reading the article by Dutchman earlier on it got me thinking about the days of when Kia Joorabchian was found out as not having the readies to buy the club and the Icelandic consortium was ready to pounce after being granted permission to look at the books.
The run of results we were on was horrendous and moral was low (plus rumours were abound of a particular manager's activities that I don't want to get sued for mentioning). Brown was still hated and things were on a downward spiral. The front of the Icelanders, Eggert Magnusson (easy to pronounce name, willing to give a sound byte or two) was the face of the owners and was having to put out a lot of fires until we managed to stay up.
That period from December 2006 to May 2007 was not really the time to be implementing different fan friendly policies that you should look to at a more stable time and one in which you can go over things with a finer toothcomb. Summer 2007 onwards is when I judge the owners from with regards to how the club is being run off the field; it's been a year now and what's happened in that year?
We achieved what was asked (mid-table after survival, Europe the next season), had some decent players bought in and sent them straight to the physio room! Something I want to touch on is the kicking to touch of Eggert. It's becoming clearer by the day why he was shown the door, the amount of money being splashed about with no financial safeguards in place. The termination of Ljungberg's contract is an indication of a correcting the 'mistakes' of previous contract negotiatons, which was Eggert's responsibility.
Also now that Eggy has gone, there is not that instantly recognisable face to the club, the one that people from outside can point out as 'that guy who's the chairman of West Ham'. The high profile comes with more scrutiny but also it comes with being more open to the press and supporters. As I said before, you seem to get more of an indication of what's going on with the sound bytes.
There have also been a number of other things which have attracted negative feedback like the incompetence of the megastore with regards to not actually ordering enough shirts to meet demand. So how do the club bridge this gap that's emerged in letting the fans know while also maintaining control in the boardroom and starting to right some wrongs? To me the answer is 'simple'.
It's not for the fans to stump up the money/wish for a new takeover and a new regime that will listen more, it's for the current establishment and owners to open up more and learn from what's going on at Aston Villa. At Villa Park fan participation on matters regarding the future of the club when it comes to ticketing, stewarding etc is encouraged and sought. Meetings with fan representatives are conducted and matters acted on. It also helps that representatives of the board and those who have Learner's ear go into the pubs and ask people what they want to see.
I am not suggesting BG turns up at the Boleyn and gets involved in a round of 'let's go f***ing mental' (which thinking about it would be pretty funny) but for the owners to actually listen to the fans in the way Villa have. It's one thing to take over a club and start putting money into it, it's another entirely to actually engage the fans and win them over. BG has invested a lot of money to stabilise the club and leave it on a sound footing. I'd much rather that then splashing the cash and getting caught out (like Man City might be on the verge of doing). That's what I think is behind the drive to cut the wage bill.
BG saw what was happening and did not like it as it does not fit with the vision of making the club viable financially and obviously the wages fall under that. Rising ticket prices is always the way after a takeover (I'd be surprised if a club ever got taken over and the prices stayed the same or even decreased slightly!) I am not saying making a few concessions here and there is the way to make people happy about swallowing these price hikes but it does go some way towards calming relations and creating a better dialogue in which the good of the fans and the club is at the heart of things.
It might seem pie in the sky but I still hold out hope that someone in the hierarchy actually pipes up and says that the board need to be more understanding towards fan issues and to also engage - because if they do not, the ill feeling will carry on unabated.
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Ashton pulls his weight - SSN
Striker feeling the benefit of new diet
Last updated: 18th August 2008
West Ham striker Dean Ashton has revealed Fabio Capello's advice has paid off this summer. Capello told Ashton to lose weight after he made his England debut against Trinidad & Tobago in June. Ashton got his season off to a flying start on Saturday by scoring two goals in the opening 10 minutes against Wigan before limping off injured. The injury has forced Ashton to pull out of the England squad to face Czech Republic on Wednesday, but the former Crewe hit-man admits he is feeling better after changing his diet. "If the England manager tells you he wants you to lose weight then that's what you do," Ashton told The Sun. "You do whatever it takes to be a part of the national side. Because of the injury and being out for a year, I had a lot of time in the gym and put a lot of bulk on. "I've worked hard in the summer and I have lost some weight - exactly how much is for me to know. "I'd perhaps bulked up too much. It's very difficult when you're out for a year, especially for someone of my size. "With Fabio saying what he did to me, I've gone away and adjusted my diet and I've lost a little bit of weight and I feel good for it. It was just a case of eating healthily. "My favourite food will always be pizza but it's a case of not eating it all of the time. "You've got to have treats now and then but I've got to eat right all the time. "I'm more than willing to do that to try and prove I'm a fitter, stronger and better player."
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Harry rubbishes Hammers link - SSN
Redknapp staying put at Pompey
Last updated: 18th August 2008
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp has dismissed suggestions he is being lined up to return to West Ham. The pressure is seemingly on Hammers boss Alan Curbishley at Upton Park and he is one of the early favourites to be the first Premier League boss to lose his job this season. West Ham opened their league account on Saturday with a 2-1 win over Wigan, but despite that reports still insisted that the club were on the lookout for possible replacements.
Redknapp's name has been strongly linked with a return to the club he previously managed and played for. But the Pompey chief, who shunned a move to Newcastle last year, insists he has no intentions of quitting the South Coast. "I am not interested in going anywhere else," he is quoted by the Daily Star.
"I have had some offers before but I am happy where I am."
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Premier duo on Appiah alert - SSN
West Ham and Portsmouth chase Ghana star
By Peter O'Rourke Last updated: 18th August 2008
Skysports.com understands Stephen Appiah could be set for a move to England after revealing he is quitting Fenerbahce. Appiah is hoping to have his contract with the Turkish giants cancelled as he claims they have stopped paying him after a bust-up with the club. The Ghana international has been at loggerheads with Fener since January after the club decided to freeze his contract because of fitness problems. The midfield powerhouse's relationship with Fenerbahce began to break down after Appiah claimed he was wrongly guided by the club's medical staff last season after suffering problems in his rehabilitation from knee surgery. Appiah is now hoping Fifa will allow him to cancel the one year remaining on his contract so that he can find a new club.
"For the fans of Fenerbahce, I am sad to announce that after giving my all to this club I personally love, the management have made it impossible for me stay," Appiah told his official website. "Two seasons ago even when I was injured I agreed to play for Fenerbahce just to make sure we won the title and I am happy that I did because of my commitment to the club. "Since then there has been some dishonest briefings to the Turkish media about the complications from the surgery. "Since they have stopped paying my salary I am now a free agent and I expect that status to be confirmed by Fifa later this month."
The African's status as a possible free agent make him an attractive proposition for a number of clubs, with the likes of West Ham and Portsmouth believed to be tracking the former Juventus man. Appiah has been linked with a move to England before and the 27-year-old is thought to be keen on trying his luck in the Premier League. West Ham are in the market for midfield reinforcements after allowing Freddie Ljungberg to leave the club. Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is also weighing up a move for Appiah as he seeks a replacement for Sulley Muntari.
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Harry Redknapp rubbishes West Ham United rumours
Times Online and Agencies
Harry Redknapp, the Portsmouth manager, has dismissed reports linking him with a move back to West Ham United as "an absolute load of rubbish".
With rumours Alan Curbishley's long-term position at Upton Park being under threat, the 61-year-old has emerged as a potential replacement should a vacancy occur. However, Redknapp - who both played for and then managed the Hammers, from 1994 to 2001 - maintains he is fully focused on building for the future at Fratton Park with last season's FA Cup winners. "It's an absolute load of rubbish," Redknapp said. "A few people have rung me up in the last couple of days, but I have never spoken to anybody about it. "We are building a team here and want to have another good season."
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Why Is This Happening? - The West Ham Process
08.18.08 | 1 Comment
I'm really interested to hear people's thoughts about the Anton Ferdinand situation. If you are not up-to-date yet, we have accepted an £8m for Anton from the powerhouse that is Sunderland (The Telegraph).
It's not as if we have an abundance of fit centre halves…in fact only two, Davenport and Upson, are match fit.
In all fairness though, Curbishley is a genius and I suppose that he knows that when Linda is fit again, then thanks to his pace and ability on the ball, Lucas Neill will be a perfect replacement (if not first choice) centre back.
It just doesn't make sense.
I have always said that I won't judge Curbishley on transfers until the end of the transfer window, that is only fair. But at the minute, this is how I see it:
-We had 4 senior first team strikers, we sold one, and two are now injured. We need to bring in another.
- We had 6 (Faubert, Ljungberg, Solano, Paintsil, Neill, Dyer) right sided midfielders/defenders. We got rid of 3. One is permanently injured. We brought in one more.
- We have needed a back-up left back since the beginning of last season. That left back has been injured throughout pre-season. We haven't brought anyone in.
- We currently have two match fit centre halves. One is not first choice. We have accepted a bid for our remaining first choice centre back.
- There is still an abundance of dead wood in our ranks who have yet to be released/sold/kicked-out/abandoned.
I don't think Anton is a world-beater. He seems to have some sort of attitude problem. And £8m is good money for him.
Like I said, we can't judge Curbs until the window closes, but we all know what our injury problems are like. So unless he has a replacement who costs £8m lined up, don't sell Anton.
Unless he has a left back and a centre back lined up and we need the money for them, don't sell Anton.
Unless we have a left back, a centre back and a forward lined up and we need the money for them, don't sell Anton.
Am interested in where other people stand on this one…
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Appiah set for Premier League? - Setanta
by Richard Field, 18 August 2008
Ghana captain Stephen Appiah could be heading for The Premier League after parting company with Fenerbahce. Appiah says he is now 'a free agent' following a long-running dispute at the Turkish club. Fenerbahce were angry that Appiah played in the African Nations Cup earlier this year, while the player claimed the club's doctor had initially misdiagnosed an injury. Portsmouth have been heavily linked with the 27-year-old who they see as a readymade replacement for Sulley Muntari. Appiah has also been on West Ham's radar and a move to England is a step closer, after he dismissed reports of a move back to Brescia. "Those stories about me and Brescia are not true" Appiah told FM in Accra. "My personal trainer works with Brescia and I did a lot of work with him there during the off season so maybe that is where the rumours are from. "But there are a few offers I am studying even though I am not in a hurry. I want to make the right choice. "At the end of it all the most important thing is that wherever I end up, I will give it my absolute all."
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Tottenham & West Ham On Alert As Ghana Captain Appiah Quits Fenerbahce - PremiershipLatest.com
Submitted by Jake Briggs on Mon, 2008-08-18 11:24.
Former Juventus midfielder Stephen Appiah has revealed that he has quit present club, Turkish side Fenerbahce after a apparent fall-out with the management at the side, which will alert Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, who have both been linked with a move for the Ghana captain this summer.
The Hammers were reportedly considering a £6million (€7.6m) offer for the combative 27-year-old midfielder recently, with Spurs also interested in bringing Appiah to play at White Hart Lane. This latest news is bound to alert clubs all around Europe, but while Appiah has ruled out a move to former team Brescia, he is adamant that he will take his time in deciding on his next career move. "I am a free agent," he told Happy FM. "A few issues happened between me and the club so I no longer play for them. "Those stories about me and Brescia are not true. "My personal trainer works with Brescia and I did a lot of work with him there during the off-season so maybe that is where the rumours are from. "But there a few offers I am studying even though I am not in a hurry. I want to make the right choice. "At the end of it all the most important thing is that wherever I end up, I will give it my absolute all."
Appiah, who has been out for the past year through injury also promised that he would not rush back, but that he would be on a football field soon. "I don't want to rush the comeback. I want everything to be gradual. I have been out for one year and I understand it will take time to get my rhythm back.
"Everything is going well and very soon you will see me again on the football field."
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Anton Ferdinand close to sealing Sunderland move - Daily Telegraph
Sunderland are understood to be ready to offer West Ham £8 million for centre-half Anton Ferdinand.
By Rod Gilmour
Last Updated: 11:49AM BST 18 Aug 2008
Ferdinand is believed to be considering the offer of a move north and is set to give Roy Keane, who has been active in the transfer market this suimmer, a decision early this week. The 23-year-old was missing from the West Ham side which beat Wigan at the weekend and has been the subject of much transfer speculation over the summer. The former England Under-21 international has seen interest from Tottenham, Newcastle and Aston Villa over the last few months. Last week, Ferdinand reportedly rejected an improved contract offer at Upton Park, prompting fresh speculation that he could be sold before the end of the current transfer window. The only stumbling block could be Ferdinand's reluctance to move north. Meanwhile, Sunderland have given up on signing Jonny Evans from Manchester United after being warned off by Old Trafford chief executive David Gill. Northern Ireland centre-back Evans was Keane's first choice after impressing during two loan spells over the last two seasons.
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Is this for Real? - Cmon Yu Irons
18 August 2008
Again it seems we are going back to our old ways, selling academy boys to cash in on what is supposed to be a good deal for Ferdinand. Rumours say that Sunderland have made a bid of £6m, hardly worth it for such a good defender and a potential international again one day. It seems to us all that promises at West Ham mean nothing, a new or redeveloped stadium, no chance! never to cash in on academy players again, no chance! I can guarantee as soon as Sears is a 1st team international he will be gone too. Where does it end? when does it stop? Ferdinand is a solid good defender, and we need to keep him, and why is it that we never keep an Academy player until he 30+ and then sell him on.
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McCartney ruled out of Northern Ireland squad - Echo
10:39am Monday 18th August 2008
By Rob Pritchard »
WEST Ham United defender George McCartney has been forced to pull out of Northern Ireland's squad for Wednesday's friendly with Scotland in Glasgow.
The 27-year-old had been recovering from a long-standing hamstring injury when he went down with a bout of pneumonia earlier this month. McCartney, who was an ever-present for the Irons last season, was ordered to stay away from the club's training ground last week and missed Saturday's Premier League win over Wigan Athletic at Upton Park. The Belfast-born player has won 25 caps for his country, scoring one goal.
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West Ham confirm Ferdinand bid - SunderlandEcho.com
Sunderland have submitted a firm offer for the 23-year-old, with Black Cats manager Roy Keane seeing the athletic defender as the experienced Premiership centre-half he needs to strengthen his rearguard this season. Peckham-born Ferdinand – brother of Manchester United star Rio – is happily settled in London and it would be a big wrench for him to move to the North East. But Sunderland have identified him as a key target and will be dogged in their pursuit of a young player with plenty of Premiership experience. Ferdinand missed out on West Ham's opening game of the season – the 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic at the weekend. He was injured in a pre-season friendly with Ipswich Town but the bruised leg is not expected to sideline him for long.
West Ham United confirmed to the Echo that they have received a bid from Sunderland. But the prospective signing is not past the post as things stand.
Ferdinand has turned down a contract offer at West Ham United and Aston Villa were monitoring his situation over the summer before Martin O'Neill decided to look elsewhere. West Ham are Ferdinand's only club, the centre-half joining them as a trainee in 2002. He has been at Upton Park since he was a youth and although he has had something of a playboy reputation, that has not prevented him from progressing up the international ranks and he was a regular for England Under-21s.
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Ashton knows he has to slim down to get a pizza the action with Capello and England - Daily Mail
West Ham 2 Wigan 1
By Matt Barlow
Last updated at 5:57 AM on 18th August 2008
As Dean Ashton discussed the new dietary regime which he hopes will guarantee him an England future, a plot was unfolding which was about to rob him of yet another chance in international football. Ashton left Upton Park after scoring twice in front of Fabio Capello, confident that a calf niggle which forced him off near the end would prove nothing more than severe cramp. He hoped it would not rule him out of Wednesday's international friendly against the Czech Republic. Less than two hours later, without waiting on scan results, Capello named his squad without Ashton. The injury scare itself was enough to convince the England manager he need not antagonise Alan Curbishley by taking any chances at this stage of the season. Curbishley will be secretly pleased his centre forward can now rest and prepare for a trip to Manchester City.
For Ashton, however, it may seriously damage his international dreams, just 11 weeks after a disappointing debut in Trinidad and Tobago on a summer tour when Capello advised him to lose some weight. 'If the England manager tells you to lose weight then that's what you do, you do whatever it takes,' said Ashton, who piled on muscle after breaking his ankle in an England training session two years ago. 'But I've gone away and worked hard this summer. I've adjusted my diet and lost a bit of weight - exactly how much is for me to know. I feel good for it. Pizza will always be my favourite food but it's a case of not eating it all the time.'
The West Ham striker played 45 minutes in Trinidad, missing a good chance in that time. It did not convince Capello he is the answer to England's problems up front. 'I'm not going to lie, I was nervous,' said Ashton. 'In my eyes, playing for your country is a big deal. I just feel I want more chances to show everyone I am good enough.'
Emile Heskey is in the squad after a game which showcased the strengths and limitations of both strikers for Capello. Ashton's natural goal touch was on display with a sublime turn and vicious strike for West Ham's first. He put them two up inside 10 minutes with a tap-in but later hobbled off to remind everyone of his fragile fitness. Heskey rarely threatened to score but worked tirelessly as Wigan fought to salvage something from a sloppy start. He won everything in the air - including a flick for Amr Zaki to pull a goal back - and tracked back when needed. His selfless efforts are appreciated by his team-mates. 'I'm a massive fan,' said goalkeeper Chris Kirkland. 'I've played with Hesk for a while and seen what he can do for a team. There's nobody like him. He proved it over the two games he played for England with Michael Owen last season. He came back in and he was magnificent.'
West Ham (4-4-2): Green 6; Behrami 5, Davenport 6, Upson 6, Neill 5; Faubert 5 (Boa Morte 86min), Noble 5, Parker 5 (Mullins 72, 4), Etherington 6; Cole 6, Ashton 7 (Sears 73, 4).
Booked: Parker, Davenport.
Wigan (4-4-2): Kirkland 5; Melchiot 5 (De Ridder 83), Scharner 5 (Koumas 83), Boyce 5, Figueroa 5; Valencia 6, Cattermole 5 (Sibierski 85), Palacios 7, Kapo 6; Heskey 6, Zaki 6.
Booked: Palacios
Man of the Match: Dean Ashton
Referee: Steve Bennett
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West Ham boss Curbishley impressed by Cole
tribalfooball.com - August 17, 2008
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley was pleased with Carlton Cole's performance in Saturday's defeat of Wigan. "He can be very pleased with his performance," he said of Cole, who was a good foil for Dean Ashton and cleared one off the line at the other end as well as a number of timely blocks and headers. "He just needs a goal," added Curbishley.
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Sunderland make £6million bid for Anton Ferdinand - The Mirror
By Football Spy 18/08/2008
Roy Keane has made a £6million bid for West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand - and could complete the deal this week. Sunderland have made a move for the England Under 21 star and have not been knocked back. Ferdinand, younger brother of Manchester United and England star Rio, is fighting for his place at Upton Park. He missed the Hammers' opening day clash with Wigan through injury, and could be tempted to relaunch his career under Black Cats boss Keane. Sunderland have given up on signing youngster Jonny Evans from Old Trafford after being warned off by United chief executive David Gill.
Northern Ireland centre-back Evans was Sunderland's first choice. He impressed during two loan spells at the Stadium of Light over the last two seasons.
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Lay off Curbs, urges Hammers skipper - Guardian Series
9:48am Monday 18th August 2008
LUCAS Neill has urged the boo-boys to lay off under-fire West Ham United manager Alan Curbishley – for the time being, at least. A transfer policy that has seen the Irons sign a host of injury-plagued players – including Kieron Dyer, Craig Bellamy and the now-departed Freddie Ljungberg – and a perceived inability to instil an exciting brand of football have led to criticism by some supporters. Curbishley has also been installed as 8/1 second favourite – behind Manchester City's Mark Hughes – to be the first Premier League manager to leave his post this season. But Neill, who was appointed captain by Curbishley a year ago, believes his boss should not be judged until he has a fully-fit – or at least nearly fully-fit – squad to choose from. "I think he's been a victim of a board that's come in, given him a lot of money and wanted success immediately," said the Australia international. "He spent the money and unfortunately what he spent it on didn't bear fruit. "That's not his fault. It was just bad luck with injuries. I think he's got to be judged on what happens from now."
And, following Saturday's opening day win over Wigan Athletic at Upton Park, Neill believes the bookmakers' attentions will focus elsewhere if the Irons can continue their winning start to the new Premier League season. "Somebody's got to be the favourite to get the sack first and unfortunately it's him because of the demand at West Ham success," he added. "But the odds on him going will soon change if we stick two or three quick wins together."
The defender also asked the club's supporters to show patience while the club's returning players and new signing Valon Behrami bed-in. "It's a slow process and you've got to build a foundation," said the 30-year-old. "Matthew Upson summed it up the other day – you can't just build success in one season, it takes time. "Time stood still for us for a year because everyone we tried to bring in, in terms of knowledge and experience, was injured."
And Neill concedes that the Irons' board may have been reluctant to spend big this close-season until they have seen a return from last summer's £20million outlay on Craig Bellamy, Julien Faubert and Kieron Dyer. "I think there's been less activity in the market this summer because we're yet to see our transfers from last year play their part," he added. However, the skipper admitted to being none the wiser over the reasons why Ljungberg was released from his £80,000-a-week contract earlier this month – two years before it was due to expire. "It's something he agreed with West Ham. He's a great player but obviously something wasn't right," added Neill. "Nobody knows what happened. "Nobody has seen Freddie. Nobody is talking about the Freddie situation. We don't even know what the real situation is."
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Slimline Ashton planning Hammers goal feast - Guardian Series
9:50am Monday 18th August 2008
AFTER scoring two fine goals on the Premier League's opening day, the last thing Dean Ashton needs is another injury. To put it mildly, the West Ham United striker has had his fill of setbacks over the past two years. In August 2006, the 24-year-old was 48 hours away from an England debut when a tackle from Chelsea's Shaun Wright-Phillips left him nursing a season-ending broken ankle. Complications during his recovery meant Ashton missed the entire 2006/07 season. Last term, the £7.25million forward struggled to regain match-fitness and suffered a medial knee ligament injury that ruled him out for six weeks, restricting the Swindon-born player to just 11 goals. On Saturday Ashton, who banged in six goals in pre-season, smashed home two more high-quality strikes before being forced off with what he hopes was simply cramp in his right calf. The injury saw the frontman left out of the England squad for Wed-nesday's friendly against the Czech Republic by coach Fabio Capello, who was at Upton Park at the weekend. "I was really hoping I could get off to a goal-scoring start on the first day so I'm delighted to have scored two," Ashton said afterwards. "It puts you in that confident mindset where it makes you think you're going to score every time you get a chance and all forwards like to get into that position. "It's always nice to feel that you've done well in a game regardless of who's watching. I need to keep myself fit, keep playing well and score goals and hopefully that will give me a good chance of being in the England squad. "I'm hoping it's just severe cramp."
Ashton underwent a scan on his calf on Sunday and will discover the full extent of any damage within the next day or two, but he is hopeful the injury will not rule him out of Sunday's trip to Manchester City. "It felt like cramp because I could feel spasms in my foot but I didn't want to take any risks and it felt quite tight so I came off," he confirmed. The former Crewe Alexandra and Norwich City man also revealed plans to go on a diet in a bid to impress Capello after the Italian told him to cut down on his favourite pizza. "If the England manager tells you that he wants you to lose weight then that's what I'm going to do, it's as simple as that," he added. "I'll do whatever it takes to get into the national side but because I had an injury for most of the year I was in the gym and bulked up. "I've worked hard over the summer and I have lost some weight."
And a leaner, meaner Ashton is planning to take out his cravings by feasting on Premier League defences. "I always want to beat my goals record of the season before so I want to beat 10," he added. "As a striker, you always say that if you get 20 goals in a season then it's been a good season and that's what I'm striving for."
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Everton, Villa go for Ljungberg
tribalfootball.com - August 18, 2008
Everton and Aston Villa are chasing released West Ham midfielder Freddie Ljungberg. The Sunday Mirror says Ljungberg could return to the Premier League after receiving offers to join Everton, Aston Villa and Blackburn. The 31-year-old Swedish midfielder is reviewing his options in Los Angeles following his £6million pay-off from West Ham. He was earning £85,000 a week at Upton Park and the Hammers opted to release him to ease their wage bill.
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Black Cats make Ferdinand bid - Echo
10:03am Monday 18th August 2008
By Rob Pritchard »
ANTON Ferdinand could be on his way to Sunderland after the Black Cats made a bid for the West Ham United defender. An Irons source confirmed that the Black Cats had expressed an interest in taking the former England Under-21 centre-back to Wearside. A fee of between £6million and £8million is being mooted for the player, who reportedly turned down an improved contract offer earlier this summer. However the 23-year-old, a Londoner and lifelong Hammers supporter who has been at Upton Park since he was a child, may decide against swapping the East End for the North East of England. Ferdinand was not keen on a move to nearby Newcastle United when the Magpies asked him to fly the nest and head to Tyneside a couple of months ago. However, should he agree the deal, Ferdinand could leave the Boleyn Ground within the next 48 hours. Should he join Sunderland, Ferdinand would be Roy Keane's seventh summmer signing, following El-Hadji Diouf, Teemu Tainio, Steed Malbranque and Pascal Chimbonda, David Meyler and Nick Colgan to the Stadium of Light. The Peckham-born player has made 161 league and cup appearances and scored five goals for West Ham since making his debut in the 2-1 Championship win at Preston North End in August 2003. In May 2006, he was left heartbroken after missing the decisive penalty in the Hammers' shoot-out defeat to Liverpool in the FA Cup final. Then, in March 2007, he courted controversy by lying to manager Alan Curbishley over his whereabouts.
Ferdinand was fined two weeks' wages after telling Curbishley he was going to visit his sick grandmother on the Isle of Wight, then being photographed at a friend's birthday party in the United States. Last November, the player was cleared of charges of affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm following an alleged incident outside an Ilford nightclub in October 2006. Ferdinand's brother Rio, now 29 and also a graduate of West Ham's famed Academy, left Upton Park for Leeds United for £18million at the age of 22 in November 2000
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