Ahead of the trip to Manchester City, here's what on offer from JAXX, our
official online sports betting partner...
22.08.2008
After a superb 2-1 victory over Wigan Athletic to start the new Barclays
Premier League campaign, West Ham United travel to the City of Manchester
Stadium on Sunday looking to maintain their 100 per cent record.
Games between Manchester City and West Ham United usually do not produce
many goals. In fact, only one of the last nine meetings in the top flight
has produced three goals or more. The Hammers have won just once at City in
nine previous league meetings - that coming in 2003 - but they drew this
fixture 1-1 last term.
For the televised match, West Ham United are on offer at 43/20, with the
draw available at 11/5. If you think the result will be the same as last
season, 5/1 is on offer for a 1-1 draw. It might be worth remembering that
goals have been traditionally hard to come by when these two meet, since you
can bet under or over 2.5 goals in each game with JAXX. It is 13/20 that
there will be fewer than 2.5 goals scored in total, and 19/20 that there
will be more than 2.5 goals.
Dean Ashton, who scored six goals in five pre-season friendlies before
notching a double against Wigan, has now struck seven goals in his last nine
Premier League outings. Therefore, the 7/20 available for West Ham United to
score at any time might be worth chancing. It is 17/10 that the visitors
fail to find the net on Sunday.
Buoyed by their opening-day victory, and with City still looking to find a
bit of confidence, it might be worth backing West Ham United on the JAXX
Handicap. Alan Curbishley's men are 9/20 receiving a mythical goal start. So
if you take that price and the Hammers win or draw, your bet will be
successful. City are 17/5 to win by two clear goals or more and the Handicap
draw (a City victory by the odd goal) is available at 27/10.
Perhaps more inviting is 17/20 for Alan Curbishley's men to be the first
team to score, meaning a successful £20 bet will return £37. They are 1/1
(Evens) with JAXX to be the last team to score.
You can also bet on which half will produce most goals. The first half is
39/20, the second half is 1/1, or for an equal amount of goals in each half,
41/20 is available. Check out a multitude of markets for Sunday's showdown,
including corrrect score, half-time/full time, half-time result and half
with most goals.
JAXX are once again proud to be the official betting partner of West Ham
United and the London-based online bookmaker offer a wide range of exclusive
season-long specials for Hammers fans. Don't forget to check them out!
And that's not all - register with JAXX, place your first bet and you will
get a FREE matching bet to the value of your own stake, up to £25. For
example, if your first bet is £25, it will be doubled and you will be given
another £25 to bet absolutely free. Your free bet will be credited to your
account within 48 hours of placing your first bet with JAXX.
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Macclesfield tickets on sale - WHUFC
Supporters wishing to buy seats for the Carling Cup tie next week can get
them now from the ticket office
22.08.2008
Tickets are on general sale from today for the Carling Cup tie against
Macclesfield Town at the Boleyn Ground on Wednesday 27 August.
Although the club was not able to get the match designated as a 'kids for a
quid' match, the reduced general sale prices for the 7.45pm kick-off are
available by clicking here. Adult prices start from £15 with children at
just £5. Having breezed through the first round by beating Championship side
Blackpool, the Silkmen will be hopeful of another cup shock.
With nothing to lose, Macclesfield will prove a test for Alan Curbishley's
men. It is set up for an intriguing cup contest that may see some of the
club's rising stars look to grab the limelight in a fixture that must be
decided on the night.
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Carr ready for season start - WHUFC
Tony Carr's youngsters will begin their Under-18 campaign against Manchester
United on Saturday
22.08.2008
West Ham United Under-18's get the 2008/09 FA Premier Academy League
campaign under way with the visit of Manchester United on Saturday morning.
Tony Carr's side will welcome the high-profile opposition to Little Heath
hoping this new campaign will match the achievements of last season when the
team produced some good performances and saw a number of players make the
step up to reserve and even first-team level. While the likes of Marek Stech
and Freddie Sears are still eligible to play if selected, a number of
younger prospects have made the step up from the U16s.
The game will be one of the club's inter-group matches this season, outside
of their normal Group A opponents who they play on a home and away basis.
Carr said: "Regardless of who we are playing it is just nice after six weeks
of pre-season training, playing friendlies, using lots of players and
experimenting with formations to get the league programme going. As it is
Manchester United it does give it that little bit of extra spice and makes
it that little bit more difficult of course but certainly everyone is
looking forward to it."
"The local south-east clubs we play on a regular basis but to play
Manchester United and Leeds United in our first two games is not something
we normally do - unless we draw them in the FA Youth Cup - and we are
looking forward to it. Everything has gone well in pre-season. It looks as
if we have got a clean bill of health for this weekend and I have got a fit
squad to choose from. Hopefully we will rise to the occasion and put on a
good performance."
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Man City v West Ham - BBC
Venue: Eastlands Date: Sunday, 24 August Kick-off: 1600 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on Match of
the Day 2
Team news to follow later.
BIG-MATCH FACTS
A clash between two clubs who had contrasting fortunes in the opening
weekend.
Manchester City lost 4-2 away to Aston Villa, but have never lost their
first two matches in any of their 11 previous Premier League seasons.
West Ham beat Wigan 2-1 at Upton Park, but have only won the first two
fixtures of a Premier League campaign once in 13 attempts.
City have lost their last four Premier League matches; the Hammers are in
danger of losing four in a row on the road.
These clubs finished adjacent to each other last season, with Manchester
City one place and six points better off. City won two more matches, lost
two fewer, scored three more goals and conceded three more.
Freddy Kanoute scored the solitary goal in West Ham's only Premier League
maximum on Manchester City turf, on 27 April 2003.
Distance between clubs: 81.4 miles (131 kms)
CLUB FORM
MANCHESTER CITY
Club stats
Fixtures
2007-08 Premier League performance
Last season's finishing position: 9th
This season: 18th 0 points (going into the weekend)
1. Won two and lost two already this season (all comps).
2. One of nine clubs to be defeated in the opening round of Premier League
matches.
3. Without a single point in four Premier League games; lost against Fulham
(h), Liverpool (a), Middlesbrough (8-1, a) and Aston Villa (a).
4. Last lost five on the trot between 20 January and 14 March 2007.
5. Thursday will see the return leg of the Uefa Cup qualifier against FC
Midtjylland in Denmark, with the Danes leading 1-0 from the first leg.
WEST HAM UNITED
Club stats
Fixtures
2007-08 Premier League performance
Last season's finishing position: 10th
This season: 7th 3 points (going into the weekend)
1. One of nine clubs to open their Premier League account this season with
three points.
2. Only picked up six points out of six from the outset of a Premier League
season once, in 1997-98, with victories over Barnsley (a) and Tottenham (h).
3. Not managed a clean sheet in 13 league outings, since winning 0-1 at
Fulham on 23 February.
4. Conceded 28 goals in their last 13 league matches.
5. Lost the last three away league games; against Sunderland, Bolton and
Manchester United.
5. Without an away league win in six; drawn one and lost five on the road
since the victory at Craven Cottage six months ago.
KEY PLAYER NOTES
MANCHESTER CITY
If selected:-
Stephen IRELAND will play two days after turning 22.
WEST HAM UNITED
Lee BOWYER is a double shy of 50 career Premier League goals (Leeds,
Newcastle and West Ham).
If selected:-
Scott PARKER will be making his 200th career Premier League appearance
(Charlton, Chelsea, Newcastle and West Ham).
James COLLINS will be making his 100th career league appearance (Cardiff and
West Ham).
COLLINS will be playing the day after turning 25.
HEAD TO HEAD
These clubs met four times last season. City came out on top in the league
with one win and a draw, and progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup,
after a replay.
City are unbeaten in six league and cup matches against the Hammers.
West Ham have won only one of their last 12 away league meetings with City.
Home and away
League (inc PL): Man City 36 wins, West Ham 32, Draws 12
Prem: Man City 7 wins, West Ham 6, Draws 3
at Man City only
League (inc PL): Man City 26 wins, West Ham 9, Draws 5
Prem: Man City 5 wins, West Ham 1, Draws 2
LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Manchester City 1-1 West Ham United
20 January 2008 - Ref: Phil Dowd
Man City scorer: Vassell 16
West Ham scorer: Cole 8
REFEREE
Howard Webb (Yorkshire)
Premier League referees' table
Howard Webb's 2008-09 Premier League card count
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Manchester City v West Ham Utd - KUMB
Filed: Thursday, 21st August 2008
By: Preview Percy
So if the lead-up to our pre-season was a tad dull, that of our next
opponents has been anything but. Last season began very promisingly for "The
Citizens" with a 2-0 win at the Boleyn as owner Thaksin 'Frank' Shinawatra
ushered in the era of Sven Goran Eriksson. However the early promise wasn't
maintained and rumours of the Swede's impending departure were rife well
before the last-day 8-1 thrashing at the hands of an ordinary Middlesbrough.
In the end, although everyone knew he was going, it took two months of the
close season for Eriksson – or possibly his lookalike – to actually
disappear, and the haste with which his new job as Mexico coach was
announced after the official sacking suggests that the Swede was far from
being the last to know he wouldn't be checking back into his Manchester
hotel in July.
Enter Mark Hughes who, at the time, was also allegedly a target for Chelsea.
Then the fun really started. The club spent a while being linked with
Ronaldinho before Kia Joorabchian, whose name rings a bell for some reason,
brought Joao Alves de Assis Silva, aka (thankfully) 'Jo,' across from the
decidedly un-Brazilian location of Moscow, where the big striker had scored
44 goals in 77 for CSKA. Then Chairman Frank found himself at the wrong end
of a Thai arrest warrant. The warrant may or may not have been politically
motivated but the threat of a worldwide asset-freeze and the fact that the
UK has a fully functional extradition treaty with Thailand may have prompted
a worried glance or two down the corridors of Eastlands. Of less worry will
have been the Premier League's mutterings about their 'fit and proper
person' test which, as the continued presence of Whe*an at Wigan has proved,
is even harder to fail than an A-level.
Rumours started to fly about and, depending on who you believe, Hughes was
disappointed/mildly disappointed/quite happy with the money he was being
given and was ready to walk out at the drop of a hat/stay for the rest of
his life. Newspapers eh? Further tales of players being touted for sale
without the manager's knowledge surfaced as the team embarked on a curious
pre-season involving a combination of prestige friendlies against the likes
of AC Milan (won 1-0) Celtic (2-2) Hamburg (lost 0-1) and, er, Stockport
(2-2), together with UEFA Cup qualification rounds against EB Streymur (4-0
on aggregate) and FC Midtjyland to whom they suffered the embarrassment of a
1-0 home defeat in the first leg.
In the end the only other significant arrival to date has been Tal Ben-Haim
who came in from Chelsea having had an unsuccessful spell there. The 'out'
door has been busier though with a number of players disappearing to
pastures new. City have in recent years invested in a decent youth system
and we can expect to see a number of players from the current FA Youth Cup
holders emerging over the course of the season – especially if the rumours
concerning the Thai government and the chairman's frozen assets are to be
believed and the potential transfer kitty dries up – news of a recent £25m
bank loan secured on future tv income having added to fans' concerns rather
than easing them.
For Sunday's match we can expect England U21 'keeper Joe Hart between the
sticks. Hart has withstood challenges from the now departed Andreas Isaakson
and Kaspar 'Son Of Red Nose' Schmeichel and was named in the latest England
squad – something that must have raised an eyebrow or two in the Rob Green
household. In defence, one of Hughes's first actions on taking over was to
sign up Richard Dunne on a new contract. He will be missing for our match
though through suspension having been sent off in the Boro' debacle.
Ben-Haim partnered the talented Micah Richards in the middle for the Villa
opener and Corluka should start at right-back if Frank hasn't sold him
first.
In the middle City started with Academy graduate Kelvin Etuhu lining up
alongside Michael Johnson Gelson Fernandes with Martin Petrov given the job
of providing pace and skill down their left hand side. Other noteworthy
midfielders in the squad include Didier Hamann, scorer of the last goal at
the old Wembley (though the record should be asterisked to note the fact
that it was David Seaman in goal) and former Cobh Ramblers youngster Stephen
Ireland whose international career has been interrupted by a spot of
indiscipline including his not being where he was supposed to be due to the
supposed demise of either or both of his grandmothers – something that Anton
Ferdinand might be familiar with.
Up front City have not been without problems already this season. The
aforementioned Jo missed the Villa match due to being at the Olympics and,
despite Brazil being knocked out in the semi-finals, he is unlikely to
feature in Sunday's match unless he is let off Friday night's bronze medal
match and given a flight home on an incredibly fast plane. The luckless
Bojinov missed nearly all of last term with a cruciate ligament injury and
was due to make his return at Villa only to collapse with a ruptured
Achilles on his way out to warm-up, an injury likely to add another six
months on the treatment table.
Darius Vassell – a player who strangely always seems to be better at
international level than at domestic - is also a long-term absentee as is
Benjani, whose transfer history has attracted recent attention from the FA.
This leaves City desperately short up front and academy products Daniel
'nephew of Dean & Simon' Sturridge and Ched Evans, who appeared at Villa
Park on Sunday, may have to shoulder the burden this weekend unless Hughes
can bring in a striker beforehand with whatever funds are available to him.
City had been linked with Roque Santa-Cruz but a recent bid was knocked back
by Hughes' former employers.
City were on the end of a heavy defeat at Villa Park and, whilst Hughes has
built up a decent reputation as a coach there appears to be a lack of depth
within the squad at the moment. Against them we are likely to be unchanged
from the eleven that started against Wigan (unless there are any new
arrivals between the time of writing and kick-off), Dean Ashton's calf
apparently being inconvenienced by little more than cramp. Getting anything
out of this game will depend on our being able to get a good start and
building on it, something we singularly failed to do in the second half last
weekend. This is a difficult one to call as, though we could be considered
fortunate to hold onto all three points last weekend, City's own start to
the season at Villa was wretched and one could quite easily make a decent
case for all three possible results based on the strengths and failings
displayed by either side over the past week or so.
Last season saw us visit Eastlands twice in a few days, a 1-0 cup defeat
being followed up with a 1-1 draw courtesy of Carlton Cole's overhead
effort. We may not see such fireworks this weekend but a similar result is a
distinct possibility so I'll plump for another 1-1 giving us a two match
unbeaten run going into a match against Hughes' former club – who was their
new manager again?
Enjoy the match!
Last season (league): 1-1 (Cole)
Danger Man: Petrov
Look out for: Actors out of Coronation Street, the Gallaghers and score
extra bonus points if you spot the last few inflatable bananas left on the
planet.
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Curbs quiet on Ferdinand - SSN
Hammers manager sidesteps Sunderland reports
By James Dall Last updated: 22nd August 2008
West Ham United manager Alan Curbishley insists he wants Anton Ferdinand to
remain at the club. Ferdinand has been strongly linked with a move to
Premier League rivals Sunderland, and skysports.com understands he is
considering an offer from the Black Cats. Curbishley has said that the
England Under 21 international remains in his plans, but refused to confirm
or deny reports of a bid for the defender. "All this week Anton has been
training trying to get himself fit," he told Sky Sports News. "That is as
far as it goes for me. At this moment in time he is a West Ham player. "Yes,
I would like to think [he will be a West Ham player in just over a week's
time]. "No [I don't want to lose him]."
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Curbishley: no fallout - KUMB
Filed: Friday, 22nd August 2008
By: Staff Writer
Alan Curbishley has denied rumours of a falling-out between himself and the
club's technical director, Gianluca Nani. One daily newspaper claimed
earlier in the week that the United boss and Nani had crossed swords over
triallist Sebastian Pinto, stating that Curbishley has annoyed the Italian
director after refusing to play the Chilean striker in a specially-arranged
friendly. However Curbishley dismissed the story in today's pre-match press
conference, claiming that it was nonsense. "I do despair sometimes about
what is written about us and I've been saying it for 18 months but it
doesn't seem to make any difference," he said. "If someone had just made a
phone call [they would have know that] the boy played. He came over, he
played on Tuesday for 80 minutes in a reserve game arranged with QPR a week
before for James Collins to play in. We didn't fancy him and he's gone back.
"After the game, me and Nani went to QPR to watch South Africa and Australia
and then I dropped him home, so if we'd had a big row he wouldn't have got
in the car!"
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Manchester City v WEST HAM: Double boost for Hammers - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 11:51 AM on 22nd August 2008
West Ham hope to have striker Dean Ashton (calf) and midfielder Scott Parker
(thigh) fit for Sunday's Barclays Premier League trip to Manchester City.
Defender Anton Ferdinand - a reported target for Sunderland - remains
sidelined with a hamstring injury, as does Wales forward Craig Bellamy.
Kieron Dyer (broken leg), Jonathan Spector (hip), George McCartney (virus),
Danny Gabbidon (stomach), James Tompkins (leg) and James Collins (knee) are
still out.
TEAM (from): Green, Behrami, Davenport, Upson, Neill, Faubert, Parker,
Noble, Etherington, Ashton, Cole, Lastuvka, Reid, Bowyer, Spence, Boa Morte,
Mullins, Sears.
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MANCHESTER CITY v West Ham: Hughes short of attacking options - Daily Mail
By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 2:31 PM on 22nd August 2008
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is short of options in attack for the
Barclays Premier League match against West Ham on Sunday. Valeri Bojinov has
joined Benjani and Darius Vassell in the treatment room after suffering an
Achilles injury in the warm-up before the 4-2 defeat by Aston Villa.
Former CSKA Moscow striker Jo could be back for the UEFA Cup match against
FC Midtjylland next Thursday after being on Olympic duty with Brazil.
Captain Richard Dunne is again ruled out through suspension.
TEAM (from): Hart, Corluka, Onuoha, Richards, Ben Haim, Ball, Garrido,
Fernandes, Hamann, Ireland, Johnson, Etuhu, Elano, Bianchi, Evans,
Sturridge, Castillo, Schmeichel, Caicedo.
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Behrami will be a success, says Hammers boss - Guardian Series
2:58pm Friday 22nd August 2008
ALAN Curbishley is tipping new signing Valon Behrami to take the Premier
League by storm. The versatile right-back is the Hammers' manager's only
major summer acquisition after signing the Swiss international from Lazio
last month. And Curbishley is confident the 23-year-old has all the
necessary qualities to excel in the intense arena of England's Premier
League. "He's got all the attributes for the English game," insisted
Curbishley. "He'll enjoy the intensity of the Premier League. "He's been
thrown in straight away and shown his versatility. "A lot of foreign players
struggle to deal with the pace of the game but Behrami has got what it takes
to succeed."
Behrami can also play on either flank and through central midfield and there
is little doubt that Curbishley will take advantage of that adaptabilty as
he continues his search for reinforcements before the transfer window slams
shut on September 1. "We are looking to add to the squad but getting someone
to say yes is tough," he added.
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Hammers boss urges his players to 'get amongst' City - Guardian Series
2:30pm Friday 22nd August 2008
WEST Ham boss Alan Curbishley has urged his players to 'get amongst' Mark
Hughes' Manchester City side and spoil the Welshman's first home game in
charge this Sunday. City go into the game off the back of a 4-2 defeat at
Aston Villa last week, while the Hammers recorded a 2-1 win over Wigan. But
Curbishley does not believe that the respective results will bear any
relevance on Sunday and is bracing himself for a tough test. "We've really
got a game on there," warned the Hammers manager. "They were unlucky against
Villa, it was just a five-minute spell that changed the game but other than
that I thought they played well. "We need to go there and get amongst them
and hopefully get something from the game. "Back to back results at the
start of the season for us would be terrific and would set us up really
well."
Curbishley knows the pressure will be on for Hughes, especially given the
off-field happenings surrounding chairman Thaksin Shinawatra. But he is
backing his counterpart to respond. "There will be pressure on Mark as it's
his first home game, so the expectation will be high," he added. "There's
been some things going on up there with their chairman but that's not down
to Mark. He's been successful before and I can't see that changing."
Curbishley has been given a timely boost ahead of the match with the news
that Dean Ashton has shaken off a niggle and is available for selection.
"Dean is fit and he's ready to play," he confirmed.
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Injured Hammers duo named in Wales squad - Guardian Series
2:36pm Friday 22nd August 2008
WALES manager John Toshack has named both James Collins and Craig Bellamy in
his squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and
Russia - despite the pair not having played a competitive match this season.
Collins played 45 minutes of a behind-closed-doors game for West Ham on
Tuesday, having fought back from a knee injury that has kept him out since
January. The defender, who turns 25 on Saturday, earned the last of his 20
caps in a goalless Euro 2008 qualifying draw in Germany last November.
Bellamy, who missed much of last season with stomach and groin muscle
injuries, was struck down with a hamstring strain during a pre-season
friendly at Ipswich earlier this month. The national team captain, now 29,
has scored 15 goals in 49 games for his country. Toshack is preparing for an
opening group match against Azerbaijan in Cardiff on September 6, with a
tough trip to Moscow to face Russia four days later.
Wales squad: Hennessey (Wolves), Myhill (Hull), Price (Derby), Bale
(Tottenham), Collins (West Ham), S Evans (Wrexham), Gunter (Tottenham),
Morgan (Peterborough), Ricketts (Hull), Williams (Swansea), Crofts
(Gillingham), S Davies (Fulham), Edwards (Wolves), Fletcher (Crystal
Palace), Tudur Jones (Swansea), Koumas (Wigan), Ledley (Cardiff), Parry
(Cardiff), Ramsey (Arsenal), Robinson (Toronto), Stock (Doncaster), Bellamy
(West Ham), Cotterill (Sheffield United), Eastwood (Coventry), C Evans
(Manchester City), Vokes (Wolves).
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Hammer confident that Ferdinand will stay - Guardian Series
1:39pm Friday 22nd August 2008
HAMMERS boss Alan Curbishley insists Anton Ferdinand will be turning out in
a West Ham shirt next month despite persistent speculation linking with a
move away from Upton Park. The central defender has been touted as
Sunderland manager Roy Keane's latest summer target and reports in Friday's
Sun even suggested that an £8million has been accepted and that a move will
be completed within 24 hours, while there has also been interest from fierce
rivals Tottenham in recent days. However, Curbishley has rubbished those
claims and insists that the 23-year-old is still in his thinking for the
season.
"There has been a lot of speculation (about Ferdinand) but he's definitely a
part of my plans," said Curbishley. "I spoke to him over the summer and he
knows he's in my plans but we'll have to see how things develop. "All Anton
is doing now is focusing on getting fit. Upson and Davenport have been
playing well at the back but with injuries we have Anton is the nearest to
getting back in the team."
Ferdinand dropped down the pecking order last season after a dip in form and
has struggled to establish himself in Curbishley's first team plans,
prompting rumours that he may be sold. Newcastle were early admirers of the
centre-back but north-east rivals Sunderland have since emerged as the
front-runners for his signature. Reports suggest that Ferdinand would be
reluctant to move away from London and a bid from Spurs may yet prove a
tempting offer.
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West Ham boss Curbishley denies Sunderland agreement for Ferdinand
tribalfooball.com - August 22, 2008
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley insists Anton Ferdinand is not on his way to
Sunderland. "All this week Anton has been training trying to get himself
fit," he told Sky Sports News. "That is as far as it goes for me. At this
moment in time he is a West Ham player. "Yes, I would like to think [he will
be a West Ham player in just over a week's time]. "No [I don't want to lose
him]."
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Marseille reveal 'English offers' for West Ham target Givet
tribalfooball.com - August 22, 2008
Olympique Marseille president Pape Diouf admits released defender Gael Givet
has received an offer from England. West Ham have been linked with Givet and
Diouf confirmed: "He's had approaches from Panathinaikos and English clubs
recently."
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Curbishley dismisses Nani "row" claim - Echo
1:18pm Friday 22nd August 2008
By Rob Pritchard »
WEST Ham United manager Alan Curbishley has angrily quashed speculation that
he has fallen out with the club's new technical director Gianluca Nani.
A national newspaper claimed the Irons boss had had a "row" with Nani, who
joined the the club from Italian club Brescia last month, over the
possibility of signing Chilean striker Sebastian Pinto. The tabloid claimed
Curbishley had refused to play Pinto, nicknamed "The Tank", in a
behind-closed-doors friendly against Queen's Park Rangers on Tuesday. But
today, the manager dismissed the story, explaining that the Santos forward
had completed an unsuccessful 80-minute trial and that his relationship with
Nani was just fine. "I do despair sometimes about what is written about us
and I've been saying it for 18 months but it doesn't seem to make any
difference," said the exasperated manager. "If someone had just made a phone
call (they would have discovered that) the boy played. "He came over, he
played on Tuesday in a reserve game arranged with QPR a week before that for
James Collins to play in. "He played for 80 minutes. "He played, we didn't
fancy it and he's gone back. "After the game, me and Nani went to QPR to
watch South Africa and Australia and then I dropped him home, so if we'd had
a big row he wouldn't have got in the car."
Curbishley went to on explain that a further specially-arranged match could
take place next week to help full-back George McCartney's recovery from a
hamstring injury and a bout of pneumonia. "We had two people playing in that
game aside from the ones coming back from injuries. Bowyer played in it, as
did Quashie," he added. "We're trying to get another one arranged for next
week for (George) McCartney and one or two others."
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