The arrival of Valon Behrami will add to the West Ham United backline, according to Matthew Upson
01.08.2008
Matthew Upson is predicting Valon Behrami will prove a success with West Ham United as the team prepare for another stiff pre-season test against Southampton on Friday night.
The England defender got his first glimpse of the Swiss international right-back's pedigree during Tuesday night's 2-0 win at Peterborough United. Upson and Behrami could line up again in the back four along with Anton Ferdinand and Lucas Neill, with the latter possibly set to get another run-out at left-back as George McCartney gets closer to his own return. Upson himself is just back after missing the final four games of last season with his muscle injury but is coming along well.
The arrival of Behrami signals a bright future. "He was very good [against Peterborough]," Upson said. "Valon has come in from Italy. He has done a lot of tactical work in training and in the game so he knows how to keep a line and position himself. It is good that Lucas is able to push across to the left and do well. With George not involved at the moment, we may need to call upon him to do a job there so it is nice to get used to that pattern in the back four."
The 29-year-old had previously got 75 minutes last weekend in a 3-0 win for a West Ham United XI at Thurrock and, having completed his first match in midweek, said there is much more to come - hopefully against the Saints at St Mary's this evening. "I'm feeling good. It is nice to get 90 minutes under my belt. I feel like I got better as the game went on which is quite positive so I can take a lot out of it.
"I just need that real sharpness and speed of movement back in my legs which by playing games and intensive training sessions I will get. Hopefully I will be coming back into my own just before the Villarreal game right before the new season." That match against the Spanish giants is on Saturday week and it will mark just seven days until the big kick-of against Wigan Athletic.
"The season is coming up fast. Villarreal and Wigan will be two big games in their own right, two different games, but I just can't wait for the season to start. Overall we were relatively comfortable against Peterborough and if our final ball or finishing was a bit sharper we could have got a couple more. We are getting stronger."
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Day for fans at the Boleyn - WHUFC
Supporters took advantage of the sunshine to see their favourites during their hectic pre-season schedule
31.07.2008
Fans gathered at the Boleyn Ground for the annual free Open Training event on Thursday which saw the players put through their paces on a baking hot day.
Alan Curbishley's squad took to the pitch mid-morning and enjoyed a full work-out that took into account the midweek exertions at Peterborough United and the fact there is another first-team game at Southampton on Friday night. Those players that figured for Kevin Keen in a West Ham United XI match at Cambridge United on Wednesday night focused fully on post-game warm-down and conditioning.
After the training session, which included a practice game on half the pitch, a number of players took part in special programmes with the West Ham United Community department and a large contingent of local youngsters. These included Robert Green doing a goalkeeping masterclass, Mark Noble and Scott Parker working on midfield drills and Lucas Neill taking charge of a leadership session. Members of the Ladies' team were also involved while James Tomkins, on his way back after a knee knock on England duty, visited the Learning Zone centre.
In an impromptu session, players also signed autographs including those that had travelled over from early morning work at Chadwell Heath including George McCartney, Lee Bowyer, Matthew Etherington, Luis Boa Morte and Dean Ashton who are all hoping to be involved at some point over the weekend. The club has games against Grays Athletic on Saturday, under Kevin Keen's stewardship, and Ipswich Town on Monday to follow the tough test away to the Saints. Ashton, who has been battling a stomach bug, was the last to arrive but stayed for an extended period to sign autographs and meet fans.
While James Collins was another welcome sight as he steps up his training, Valon Behrami and Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson also got their first proper taste of the Boleyn Ground with the former among a group of players also featuring Matthew Upson and Julien Faubert that met with guests gathered inside the stadium. The players will next be back at the stadium on Saturday week for the Bobby Moore Cup game against Villarreal.
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Horse's head for Valon - KUMB
Filed: Friday, 1st August 2008
By: Staff Writer
West Ham United's newest recruit has been accused of blackmail by Lazio president Claudio Lotiti. Valon Behrami joined the Hammers last week in a £5million switch from the Serie A side. However Lotiti claims that he would have retained the services of the Swiss international - but for a massive pay increase demand. "Behrami blackmailed me," Lotito said. "He cared when we had problems but then one day his lawyer demanded we pay him €3million a year or he would leave."
Lazio's inability to meet Behrami's demands led to the Kosovo-born winger moving to England last week - although the Serie A club could perhaps consider themselves fortunate to receive so much for a player entering the final year of his contract. Behrami made his United debut in the 2-0 win at Peterborough on Tuesday night. He was part of the squad at the Boleyn Ground who met fans yesterday in the club's first open training session of the season.
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Lazio accuse Behrami of blackmail - Setanta
by Chris Stanton, 31 July 2008
Lazio president Claudio Lotito has accused West Ham's new signing Valon Behrami of trying to extort money from the Rome giants. Behrami completed his £5 million switch to The Hammers last week but the transfer has left a sour taste in the mouth of his former employers. Lotito claims the Switzerland international demanded an increase in his wages if he was to remain at the Stadio Olimpico. "Behrami blackmailed me," Lotito told the Italian press. "Behrami cared when we had problems but then one day his lawyer demanded we pay him €3 million a year or he would leave." Like Behrami, Cristian Ledesma has also been in dispute with the Biancocelesti. Argentina international Ledesma has refused to sign a new contract with the club and could exploit Article 17 – the Fifa clause which allows players to buy out the remainder of their contract. "There is the case with Ledesma," added Lotito. "He had a great deal from Lazio but his lawyer made more requests. "We wanted more time but Ledesma was not able to wait."
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West Ham close on Shakhtar Donetsk goalkeeper Jans Lastuvka - Telegraph
West Ham manager Alan Curbishley is in the process of tying up a deal for former Fulham goalkeeper Jan Lastuvka.
By Steve Wilson
Last Updated: 9:51AM BST 01 Aug 2008
The Czech is viewed by Curbishley as the perfect back-up for current first choice goalkeeper Robert Green. Lastuvka, who played 12 times for Fulham during a season-long loan at the club in the last campaign, has already agreed personal terms with the club. All that remains is for the two clubs to finalise the last details of the move with West Ham confident he will be their player before the close of business today. It is even possible the 26-year-old could make his debut for the club in tonight's pre-season friendly with Southampton. "We are agreed," said Lastuvka. "If the medical turns out well for me, I move to West Ham. "I hope everything will turn out well. I am extremely tempted by the possibility of being coached by Ludek Miklosko."
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Fresh start for Zamora - SSN
Striker eager to grasp Fulham chance
Last updated: 1st August 2008
Bobby Zamora is hoping to put the frustration of his West Ham career behind him as he embarks on a new chapter with Fulham. The former Spurs and Brighton striker became an increasingly peripheral figure at Upton Park, making just 14 appearances last term and scoring only one goal. Zamora has been handed the chance to resurrect his top-flight career by Roy Hodgson after a summer move across London to Craven Cottage. And it is one he plans to grasp having spent much of the last campaign unable to force his way into Alan Curbishley's plans.
Zamora told The Independent: "It's a great opportunity to play first-team football in the Premier League and I grabbed it with both hands. "The last few seasons have been off-and-on and last year was pretty much a write-off for me." Cottagers boss Hodgson believes that Zamora's time out of the side in the East End could work in Fulham's favour. He added: "It's a new start for Bobby. "He needs to put last season totally behind him and we'll work with him on the player he was before last season. "I think we're getting a player that is more than motivated and anxious to show he's a top-class Premiership player."
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Curbishley aims for top six as Hammers look to bring more in - Northampton Chronicle
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley insists the Hammers are looking to strength their squad and 'there will not be a mass exodus'. Curbishley is the bookies favourite to be the first Premeir League manager to be sacked this season, yet he insists he is targeting a top-six finish. Injury-hit Hammers finished mid-table last season, but Curbishley is confident that a full-strength squad will be good enough to fire the Hammers into Europe. Dean Ashton has signed a new five-year contract and Curbishley is excited by the England striker linking up with the likes of Craig Bellamy, Kieron Dyer, Julien Faubert and Valon Behrami, a £5m summer signing from Lazio. He insisted: "Contrary to some reports we are fully committed to strengthening the playing staff. "There will not be a mass exodus and fans can be assured we are working as hard as always to ensure high-calibre competition in all areas of the team. "Since the new group took over West Ham we have tried to push forward and I don't see selling players as a way of pushing forward. "I want to see certain combinations of players that I haven't had a chance to see. I want to play Craig Bellamy with Dean Ashton. "I know when I do get them all in that we are a quick offensive side and if we get everyone fit we are in a position to push on. We have a squad that is strong enough to challenge for the top six."
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Lazio president Lotito lashes out at West Ham's Behrami
tribalfooball.com - July 31, 2008
Lazio president Claudio Lotito has hit out at new West Ham signing Valon Behrami. "Behrami blackmailed me," Lotito told the Italian press. "Behrami cared when we had problems but then one day his lawyer demanded we pay him €3 million a year or he would leave."
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Palermo insist Spurs, West Ham target Cavani stays
tribalfooball.com - July 31, 2008
Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has dismissed interest for striker Edinson Cavani. The 21-year-old had been linked with a move to the English Premier League this summer with Tottenham Hotspur or West Ham, but Zamparini has dismissed any possible move. "This is the end of the matter," he said. "Cavani will remain at the club and his future has never been put into question."
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